Assyrian Graduate Flourishes After Finding Her Unique Voice Mena Hannakachl. Spend a few minutes talking to Oakland senior Mena Hannakachl and you'll likely walk away impressed with what she's been able to accomplish during her time at OU and what she hopes to accomplish in the future. Hannakachl was recently awarded the College of Arts and Sciences Meritorious Achievement Award and will speak at commencement. It's the latest accomplishment for Hannakachl, who won the 2023 Oakland University Keeper of the Dream scholarship and published her memoir "What Chaldean Girls Are." But there was a time when Hannakachl wasn't sure how she would fare in college, and when she arrived at Oakland, she was placed in a basic writing course based on her standardized test score. It proved to be a blessing in disguise. Hannakachl met her mentor in the basic writing class, and more importantly she found her confidence and her voice. "I think I slowly realized the power of my voice," Hannakachl said. "I think when you find your voice, you realize you have the power to accomplish so many things. I realized that if I put myself out there and submitted this thing or pitched this idea, there was a possibility it could happen. You don't do things for recognition, but sometimes the aftermath is being recognized or being seen. I think I've been really fortunate and grateful that my community has done that and recognized me." Hannakachl is extremely thankful she met her mentor Cathy Rorai, who is a special lecturer in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric, in the basic writing course. Hannakachl credits Rorai with helping her build her confidence. "She helped me realize I have a story to share," Hannakachl said. "I asked her if I could do more writing like we did in class and she introduced me to the Writing and Rhetoric program. I also found out I could mentor other students and I went on to work for the department for the last three years." Hannakachl was born in Iraq. She moved to the United Arab Emirates when she was four to flee the war in Iraq. Her family moved to the United States eight years ago in hopes Hannakachl and her siblings would have more opportunities. Mena Hannakachl. Growing up in the United Arab Emirates, Hannakachl learned three languages: Arabic, Chaldean and English. So while she knew English well, it wasn't necessarily her primary language when she moved to the United States. Hannakachl used her life experiences for her first writing assignment in Rorai's class. The writing assignment was eventually repurposed and expanded on to create Hannakachl's memoir essay, "What Chaldean Girls Are." "As a non-traditional student with an immigrant background, Mena had come to believe that she needed to totally immerse herself in American culture," Rorai said. "She believed that talking or writing about her culture, journey and personal story were not appropriate topics in a college classroom. The turning point came when she discovered that she could use her authentic and very powerful voice not only to tell her story, but to advocate for students struggling with the same self-doubt that she had." Hannakachl became an embedded writing specialist for the basic writing course so she could help others who were struggling with confidence like she was when she first arrived at Oakland. She also had added credibility as a former student in the class. "I think I was able to kind of validate and affirm their experiences," Hannakachl said. "A lot of students who are placed in basic writing think that they are not good writers because of their language and because of their background, and they don't have to be multilingual or immigrants to necessarily feel that. I've worked with students who are adult learners or who have a learning disability. A lot of my work was confidence building." Rorai said Hannakachl was a huge asset to the basic writing course and nearly everywhere she went. "What is most admirable about Mena is the way that she has lifted other students in every classroom or campus experience she's engaged with," Rorai said. "She encourages everyone to do what she has learned: tell your story, take pride in your culture and history because your story has value. Once the students feel heard and seen, their confidence grows, and they begin to see themselves as competent and capable. "Every accomplishment and award that she's earned was the result of her wanting to share what she's learned about her own success with others. Mena entered Oakland University at the most basic level, yet she proactively took advantage of every opportunity to grow and give back to the campus community as a scholar, citizen and leader." In addition to being an embedded writing specialist, Hannakachl also worked as a peer mentor at the Center for Multicultural Initiatives and as an undergraduate admissions ambassador. "If students take one thing from their tour with me, it's to be involved and put yourself out there and establish your presence on campus," Hannakachl said of her work as an admissions ambassador. "Our community enables students and gives them the opportunity to share their voice. All students have to do is seek out those opportunities and pursue them." Hannakachl is now co-authoring a book chapter with Felicita Arzu-Carmichael, who is Oakland's associate director of first-year writing. The chapter is on racial microaggressions. "She analyzes exclusionary educational practices that put early-career faculty and undergraduate students at risk," said Megan Schoen, associate professor and chair of the Department of Writing and Rhetoric. "Drawing from her own experiences as a student of color, she aims to shed light on the possibilities for social justice leadership, workplace activism and student empowerment within writing classrooms." Hannakachl's family moved to the U.S. in hopes of finding more opportunities. She was able to find those opportunities at Oakland, something her family is thrilled to see. "I have a joke that I say my family might not always understand everything that I do, but they support me," Hannakachl said. "What I did, anyone can do. I wanted to be involved and make connections, anyone can do that. If you find your voice, you can do anything." UN, Chinese embassy celebrate Chinese Language Day in Kenya Xinhua) 10:13, April 20, 2024 Members of an instrument orchestra of east China's Nanjing University perform during a UN Chinese Language Day event in Nairobi, Kenya, April 19, 2024. The United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya celebrated UN Chinese Language Day on Friday with a vibrant event which included calligraphy, lectures and a musical performance. The ceremony featured traditional music from the instrument orchestra of east China's Nanjing University and was attended by senior UN officials, diplomats, students and faculty members from local universities. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) NAIROBI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya celebrated UN Chinese Language Day on Friday with a vibrant event. The ceremony featured traditional music from the instrument orchestra of east China's Nanjing University and was attended by senior UN officials, diplomats, students and faculty members from local universities. Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Zhou Pingjian and Director-general of UNON Zainab Hawa Bangura attended the event. They emphasized the importance of UN Chinese Language Day, which falls on April 20, in promoting multilateralism and a shared future for humanity. Bangura, in her opening remarks, said that spoken by one-fifth of the global population, the Chinese language plays a central role in advancing multilingualism and cultural diversity. "It is an honor to celebrate the rich heritage and significance of the Chinese language, not only to the people of China but also to the global community," Bangura said. Describing Chinese as an official language of the United Nations, Bangura said that UN Chinese Language Day, first celebrated in 2010, has helped deepen the world's understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture. The UN Chinese Language Day event at the UN Office in Nairobi included calligraphy, lectures and a musical performance by an orchestra from Nanjing University, one of the top universities in Asia. The Chinese envoy said that since its inception in 2010, UN Chinese Language Day has provided a platform for the world to learn about contemporary China and its rich culture. He added that language can bridge divisions, promote peaceful co-existence, foster cross-cultural understanding, and create a future of shared destiny. Members of an instrument orchestra of east China's Nanjing University perform during a UN Chinese Language Day event in Nairobi, Kenya, April 19, 2024. The United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya celebrated UN Chinese Language Day on Friday with a vibrant event which included calligraphy, lectures and a musical performance. The ceremony featured traditional music from the instrument orchestra of east China's Nanjing University and was attended by senior UN officials, diplomats, students and faculty members from local universities. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Members of an instrument orchestra of east China's Nanjing University perform during a UN Chinese Language Day event in Nairobi, Kenya, April 19, 2024. The United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya celebrated UN Chinese Language Day on Friday with a vibrant event which included calligraphy, lectures and a musical performance. The ceremony featured traditional music from the instrument orchestra of east China's Nanjing University and was attended by senior UN officials, diplomats, students and faculty members from local universities. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Members of an instrument orchestra of east China's Nanjing University perform with a local chorus during a UN Chinese Language Day event in Nairobi, Kenya, April 19, 2024. The United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya celebrated UN Chinese Language Day on Friday with a vibrant event which included calligraphy, lectures and a musical performance. The ceremony featured traditional music from the instrument orchestra of east China's Nanjing University and was attended by senior UN officials, diplomats, students and faculty members from local universities. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) Keshi fans line up outside of Cactus Music for a chance to meet the singer and get an autograph. Cactus Music is one of many record stores celebrating Record Store Day in the Houston area this year. Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Friday marked one of the biggest days on the music calendar this year as Taylor Swift released her new album, only to delight fans two hours later by announcing her latest project was a double album. But Saturday is also a big day for the music community. It is Record Store Day, an annual celebration of record stores nationwide. The Houston area has its fair share of record stores celebrating one of the biggest days of the year as bands release special editions strictly to be distributed at record stores. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "If you don't visit our store, at least go out to another record store," said Tiffany Cochran, the co-owner of the Volume Music record stores. "See what all the excitement's about." Here are five stores in the Houston area celebrating Record Store Day, including some owner recommendations about which releases they are most excited about this year. Volume Music There are two Volume Music locations, one in The Woodlands/Spring area and one in Huntsville. Cochran said the store has special Record Store Day shirts and tote bags for sale and will be giving away tickets to upcoming performances at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands. She highlighted a special release from Dixie Dregs, a rock band first formed over 50 years ago in 1970, as the album she is most excited to be released Saturday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 436 Sawdust, The Woodlands 1213 University Ave Unit 4, Huntsville Vinal Edge Records Vinal Edge Records goes all out for Record Store Day, buying every official release that is announced especially for Record Store Day. Store owner Chuck Roast said "Live at WCOZ 77" by the Talking Heads, which cuts together a previously unreleased live performance, is his favorite album of the list. But he also noted store employees are pumped about releases from At the Drive-In, Daft Punk, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Sun Ra and Young Thug. 239 W 19th St Advertisement Article continues below this ad Music Town Brett Evans, the co-owner of Music Town in Klein, said Record Store Day is their favorite annual event. The store teamed up with Spritz, a local soda shop, to help supply drinks for the celebration. Evans is also looking forward to the Talking Heads' "Live at WCOZ 77" because it will provide listeners a chance to hear the band at the beginning of the group's journey. 17034 Stuebner Airline Rd, Klein Sound Exchange Store owner Kurt Brennan said the store doesn't have anything special scheduled for Record Store Day at Sound Exchange, which has been in business since 1979, beyond selling people what they want to buy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The release that has caught his eye this year is the re-release of Gandalf's self-title album from 1969. The album, which Brennan called a "psychedelic rock masterpiece," was the only one the band ever released. 101 N Milby St #3 Cactus Music Cactus Music has multiple special things planned for the day, including an autograph signing session by Dave Wakeling. Wakeling is a founding member of the English Beat, a band the co-owner Quinn Bishop said pioneered the British ska movement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bishop is most excited about a release from one of his favorite bands of all time, The Dream Syndicate. The album, "Sketches for Days of Wine and Roses," features demos from the band's early years. James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren The apostle here addresses himself to the poor who were oppressed by the rich men, and these he calls "brethren" of whom he was not ashamed; when he does not bestow this title upon the rich, though professors of the same religion: these poor brethren he advises to be patient under their sufferings, to bear them with patience, unto the coming of the Lord; not to destroy Jerusalem, but either at death, or at the last, judgment; when he will take vengeance on their oppressors, and deliver them from all their troubles, and put them into the possession of that kingdom, and glory, to which they are called; wherefore, in the mean while, he would have them be quiet and easy, not to murmur against God, nor seek to take vengeance on men, but leave it to God, to whom it belongs, who will judge his people: behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth; ripe fruit, which arises from the seed he sows in the earth; and which may be called "precious", because useful both to man and beast; see ( Deuteronomy 33:14-16 ) and between this, and the sowing of the seed, is a considerable time, during which the husbandman waits; and this may be an instruction in the present case: and hath patience for it until he receive the early and latter rain; the Jews had seldom rains any more than twice a year; the early, or former rain, was shortly after the feast of tabernacles F21, in the month Marchesvan, or October, when the seed was sown in the earth; and if it did not rain, they prayed for it, on the third or seventh day of the month F23; and the latter rain was in Nisan, or March {x}, just before harvest; and to this distinction the passage refers. Cartosense is one of the handful of companies globally and the only company in India to have developed the complete surgical navigation stack, including optical tracking technology. Interacting with Nikhil Chandwadkar, the companys Co-Founder & CEO, BioSpectrum India discovers how surgeries can get sophisticated by using latest technologies. Can you share a brief on Cartosenses technology and products? Cartosense develops technology and products for making surgical interventions more targeted and precise using data. We are soon launching the C75 Surgical Navigation System, a breakthrough in single camera optical navigation. At the heart of the product is a real-time tracking system which uses a single optical sensor to track specialized instruments with infrared emitters. Navigation software takes the patients radiological images, such as CT, MR, as input, and overlays real-time information such as tracked instrument positions and trajectories on to the images, which helps the surgeon make accurate decisions intraoperatively. Our innovative single camera optical system tracks instruments at superior accuracies in working volumes that are much larger than the current state of art. And due to the advantage of requiring a single viewpoint for tracking instruments, it opens up valuable new workflows and brings a paradigm shift to the reliability of existing workflows in the operation theatre. Cartosense is one of the handful of companies globally and the only company in India to have developed the complete navigation stack, including optical tracking technology. Our accuracies are tested in compliance with the ASTM F2554 standard and benchmarked against the best in the current state of art. Given the growing interest in image-guided surgical navigation systems, how does Cartosense envision the potential integration of such technologies in cobot solutions within the Indian medical field? When any invasive surgery is performed, you want it to be as targeted as possible while ensuring positive patient outcomes. There are 4 steps to achieving this: knowing how you want to operate, quantifying the plan, accurate execution, and post-operatively quantifying the outcome. Surgical Navigation started out in neurosurgery as a means to quantify the plan and provide real-time information for accurate execution. However, under the umbrella of digital surgery, it is now playing an increasing role in all of the four areas and has expanded to many more clinical specialties. Navigation technologies are the backbone of digital surgery because the tracking system component generates information that is complementary to radiological imaging, and the software component is a hub for integrating that information along with radiological images with a variety of tools such as imaging equipment, robotic solutions and advanced visualization displays. Together these technologies enhance the surgeons awareness and increase the accuracy of specific actions. Cartosense is laser focused on building very strong foundation technologies so that products built over these can continue to deliver effective patient care over years and decades to come. Robotic solutions in particular augment the surgeons motor skills guiding instruments and implants to more controlled positions. Robots do and will continue to work in lockstep with the surgeon, so that the surgeon is always the approving authority. This is due to the fundamental nature of risk and liability in medical treatment, and therefore surgical robots are almost always cobots. In the Indian market, the adoption of these technologies by surgeons and hospitals is on an increasing trend in the last 5 years and will continue to rise faster in the near future. Early adopters might receive great bundling deals from multinational multi-product companies, and their purchases can often be marketing expenses. However, only products that are truly beneficial and practical can succeed over a longer period of time. As a startup focused on medical robotics, how do you view the importance of collaboration between established players like hospitals and emerging companies like yours in driving the adoption of medical cobots in India? What is your vision for Cartosense's role in this ecosystem? There is an emerging consensus that medical device innovation developed out of India and other emerging countries with relatively cost-efficient healthcare systems has the potential to do a lot of good world-over, by making good quality healthcare accessible globally. There is widespread recognition even in developed economies where the costs of healthcare are ballooning, that medical device innovation needs to be cost-effective. Cost-effective doesnt necessarily mean lower cost, but rather higher quality innovation which is mindful of unit economics of the healthcare system. This is vitally important for innovation in the space of digital surgery and cobots because these are expensive capital equipment. The utility and effectiveness of the solution depends entirely on whether it can continue to provide value to the surgeon and the hospital over a long horizon of 8-10 years, rather than being an attractive marketing tool, which has to be decommissioned after a couple of years due to the impracticality of using it or its unaffordable unit economics (examples of such products are quite prevalent in the market). India can play a pioneering role in this regard. Our high-quality and relatively cost-efficient healthcare system can be aligned to become an effective vehicle for nurturing locally developed high-quality innovation and present it as a proven solution to the world. This of course requires a strategic priority from financers, regulators, surgeons and hospitals for identification, adoption, and promotion of genuine high-quality innovation. The government already recognizes its role in financing such innovation because focus on such sectors needs to be strategic before it can become capitalistic. Cartosense has been the beneficiary of grants and schemes administered by BIRAC, MeitY and C-CAMP. With increased strategic participation from private capital, regulators, surgeons and hospitals, India can become a hub for quality medical device innovation. Anusha Ashwin Peter Warren is a general assignment reporter for the Houston Chronicle. He can be reached at peter.warren@houstonchronicle.com. Peter previously lived in Dallas, where he covered the sports as a freelancer for the Dallas Morning News and other outlets. He has been published in Texas Highways Magazine, DMagazine.com, the Star Tribune and Bowlers Journal International. Peter graduated from Northwestern University in 2021. Hana Ikramuddin is a Hearst Fellow in Connecticut. She spent the first part of her fellowship at the Houston Chronicle. Raised in the Twin Cities, Hana majored in journalism and political science at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She has held internships with the Star Tribune, APM Reports and Sahan Journal. In her free time, she loves to cook, make chai and take care of her houseplants. More than 1,000 parents and children have demonstrated in Belfast over rising childcare costs. The colourful protest saw the demonstrators marching through Belfast with balloons, placards and prams, calling for immediate supports for parents. Advertisement Currently, parents in the North can use some supports including tax credits. However, there is no scheme in place for free childcare, unlike in England where 30 hours are offered per week. Advertisement Stormont parties have placed a focus on prioritising childcare and, earlier this year, education minister Paul Givan said a new early learning and childcare strategy for Northern Ireland could cost 400 million (460 million) a year. Officials have said that progress on the strategy will ultimately depend on the availability of Executive funds. Financial challenges and pressures across the Norths public services have also led Stormonts leaders to request face-to-face talks with British prime minister Rishi Sunak as they continue to press the UK government for more funding. Advertisement Saturdays march was organised by Melted Parents NI which says urgent action is needed. What a turn out! And what a day to March for better policies for families across NI pic.twitter.com/dQmTJBE7af Action for Children NI (@Actn4ChildrenNI) April 20, 2024 Advertisement The groups founder Casey McGivern said the turnout shows the power of parents as she issued a warning to politicians. She told the PA news agency: Parents have been politically engaged and activated by this cause and I would tell our parents: Pay attention. Advertisement Because if youre not taking action to support families youre going to feel it at election. Ms McGivern said politicians need to ensure parents are part of developing the long-term strategy around childcare in the North. She added: Today, parents have joined to use our voice to tell the Executive enough is enough. No more warm words we need action now. The protest was organised by Melted Parents NI (PA) We need interim support for families and we need to make sure that families can be alleviated of the financial burden of childcare. Weve had this promise since 1999 and we need the Executive to act now not only on the long-term strategy but on helping families now. A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the education minister has made the development of an early learning and childcare strategy a top priority. He is acutely aware that the cost of childcare puts immense strain on family finances and, in some cases, prevents parents from entering and remaining in the workforce, they said. The minister is committed to delivering a bespoke and affordable scheme for Northern Ireland that addresses the challenges that we face and delivers the outcomes that we want to achieve. He appreciates that putting in place the full infrastructure required will take time and so is also considering what short-term measures might be possible to ease current pressures. DE officials, in conjunction with colleagues in other departments, are actively considering what measures would be possible and appropriate to ease the childcare pressures which parents are facing. A thorough assessment of all relevant evidence is a core component of this work. The minister is engaging with parents, providers and other stakeholders to hear firsthand what action they consider needs to be taken to enable the provision of accessible and affordable childcare. Their ongoing involvement will also be required to inform the implementation of solutions. Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has labelled Sinn Fein's comments on the Government's decision to opt into the EU Migration Pact as out of the Brexit and "Trump playbook". Years of division over the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum appear to have ended after the European Parliament voted the changes through last week. Advertisement The new rules include controversial measures: facial images and fingerprints could be taken from children from the age of six, and people may be detained during screening. It also includes measures on faster decision-making and the sharing of responsibility across member states, which could see relocation of international protection applicants or the payment of financial contributions to the EU. The 27 EU countries must now endorse the reform package before it can take force, possibly in a vote in late April. Maria Walsh, one of the Irish MEPs who worked on the Pact, said there are elements "that we need clarity on", but defended the overall plan. Advertisement She also criticised some of the opposition rhetoric about the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. Ms Walsh told BreakingNews.ie: "Sadly, we have people in opposition, particularly Sinn Fein's messaging about the Pact, they were flip-flopping over Eurodac and other elements of the Pact they previously voted for. 'Trump playbook' "Using words like 'sovereignty' and 'we must protect our borders', that language was used in Brexit. It's right out of the Brexit playbook, right out of the Trump playbook. I didn't think as a country we would get to this point, but we're here. "We need to call it out and be practical and rational to the fact we cannot afford to follow the lines of Brexit or, in fact, where the opposition want us to go." Advertisement While she acknowledged there are elements of the Pact that need to be amended, Ms Walsh said there will be room for stakeholders to discuss it. "There are further elements that we need clarity on. That's where we hold the [European] Commission and this next mandate to further account. "We must adhere to international and EU laws, particularly regarding the fundamental rights of a person. Right now, we don't have that evenly across the board. "In my eyes, this Pact will be working with NGOs, individuals who have gone through the process for international protection and asylum. We have to hear from all these stakeholders to make sure we're building something over the next few years that is fit for purpose. Advertisement "Without this, there would be continual issues like we saw with the camps in Lesbos, and other places like Turkey. We can't be a hypocrite, we work with Turkey to make sure there is a balance of people coming in and out of the EU. But that's not fit for purpose either, so if we're going to do what this Pact needs to do, we need to ensure it's built on the protection of a person regardless of what part of the world they are coming from. "Something my colleagues and I have really been trying to stress is it has to be fair, fit for purpose, and has to work. Right now, no process is working. "We can't afford to continue to have this conversation given the fact there are multiple wars going on in the world, climate and famine atrocities, particularly in Africa, potential civil unrest again in South Africa, so we have movement of people, and we have an obligation to do what we have been trying to do... but not in solidarity to this point. "Over the next two years, this will help to ensure we have a better integration system, a better communication style." Advertisement A small minority of ant-immigrant campaigners have been staging protests, and vandalising buildings earmarked for asylum seekers, in recent times. Ms Walsh said this is concerning, but added that communities she engages with are overwhelmingly welcoming to refugees. "I have yet to meet a community, I've been covering a lot of them lately in the buildup to the elections, large or small, that have any issues welcoming new people in. "I was recently in a community in Roscommon, because of Ukrainian people they had welcomed in, they were able to save a school in the community from closing. "We also have to make sure we are stamping out, and holding people to account, when the loud minority who are creating this hate, this fear, and destroying buildings in response to something they are seeing online. "A majority are very welcoming, exceptionally warm. The many small businesses I meet are in desperate need of people to come in to pick up the open jobs that they have. "We have, as policymakers, a block of two years learning from mistakes of the past that communities are asking us for better communication and better integration processes. For me, this is where the EU is best in class for that. "We need to learn from other countries with better integration systems. I think this Pact allows us to be streamlined, to be fair, and to be quick, and ultimately to ensure that those who need protection are getting it." Fears have been expressed over the potential for far-right candidates to make big gains in the European elections on Friday, June 7th. Ms Walsh said this is something she worries about. "I'm 36, so I didn't see the Troubles, I didn't live through the war this peace process was built on. I see it on my social media channels, I see it in the United States, and I'm an American citizen. I see a clear divide in their politics. "I worry, in the last couple of months as we veer towards the local and European elections, that we are hearing from leaders both at national, local and European level that are almost digesting clickbait, trying out different words, different sentences that are very polarised, 'us v them', anti-LGBTI, anti-minority groups. I have to do a job of making sure that I'm very clear about the information that's out there, being pro-European but practical in what it looks like, and reiterating that over the past 50 years we have benefitted greatly from it. Yes, we do have challenges, but that doesn't mean working within the EU isn't good for us. Extremists live on the left and the right, and you see it in their voting patterns where they meet. "When you look at 500 million users our businesses can sell into, we have a bigger pot of money with the common agricultural policy, we live, work, study, love right across the EU. These are things we can't take for granted. "Extremists live on the left and the right, and you see it in their voting patterns where they meet, we see it from certain Irish MEPs here. That doesn't mean we can continue to give them space because they're causing damage." She added: "Minority groups are too often used as a political Whac-A-Mole. I'm an LGBTI individual. I've been in the Parliament long enough to know that when certain individuals are about to speak about equality, that they do not recognise, respect or understand where I come from as a pro-LGBTI individual from Ireland. I have to work with them, I have to try to figure out a way, so they aren't stopping funding, creating issues, or inciting hate for fellow LGBTI individuals. "We have to wake up to the fact that we could end up in a block in the EU that is nowhere near where it started from. The movement of people seeking international protection cannot be used as a political game, because ultimately, they are the most vulnerable groups." Ms Walsh's MidlandsNorth-West constituency is a highly competitive field, with five seats up for grabs. Candidates include the likes of Barry Cowen and Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail), Ciaran Mullooly (Independent), Peadar Toibin (Aontu) and Rory Hearne (Social Democrats). Ms Walsh has worked on a variety of issues in her first term including support for small businesses, rights of marginalised individuals, mental health issues, social affairs and tourism. She is confident of being re-elected along with her colleague Nina Carberry, who is also running in the constituency. Fine Gael European election candidates Nina Carberry (left), Maria Walsh (centre) and Regina Doherty at the 82nd Fine Gael Ard Fheis at the University of Galway "I worry that we're going to elect people that don't believe in the practicalities of Europe or working together. My job is to be of service to the community. Ultimately, that is my role as a politician. My job as a European MEP is to work on legislation, about 70 per cent of it impacts the country. "We need to send pro-Europeans, people who want to live and work with people in the constituency too. I do three days in Brussels every week, four days across the constituency, so this campaign is nothing new to me. "I've been back here every week talking to school groups, farmers, women in business. I have a proven track record and I hope people have trust in me. "In 2019 a lot of people didn't think we'd get the second seat, and I've no doubt, with a lot of hard work from Nina Carberry and myself, we can take those seats again. "The deliverance of an EU wide mental health strategy is my number one goal. We nearly had it in this mandate. In many ways, between Covid, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the flow of legislation, we missed the mark. For the first time, we had a Commission president talk about mental health in her state of the union. We had a commissioner for health who was a child psychologist herself. Really important work was done on raising the mental health of citizens, so I have unfinished work on that." Families of the victims and survivors of the Stardust tragedy are meeting with Taoiseach Simon Harris. The relatives of the 48 young people who died in the blaze that ripped through the nightclub in north Dublin in 1981 have called for an official State apology, which Mr Harris has indicated he is eager to be in a position to provide. Advertisement On Thursday, an inquest jury returned a verdict that they were all unlawfully killed. It comes after a previous finding in 1982 that the fire had been started deliberately. Survivors, family members and supporters hold pictures of those they lost. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Advertisement A majority decision from the jury of seven women and five men found the blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Valentines Day 1981, was caused by an electrical fault in the hot press of the bar. Susan Behan, whose brother John Colgan was among those killed, said the Government should issue an official state apology, describing it as the right thing to do. Some of the families were also scheduled to meet Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald before they saw Mr Harris. The Taoiseach said on Friday: I am very keen to meet with the families and very conscious that these families have felt unheard for decades, and I want to make sure that they know that Im listening, that I want to hear them and, of course, I want to be in a position as Taoiseach to apologise on behalf of this country, but I think the most appropriate thing to do is to meet with them. Advertisement He added: I am eager to be in a position to apologise to these families, but I think its right and proper that I meet them first. Families of the survivors and victims of the Stardust gather outside Government Buildings. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA On Saturday, the families walked with a banner remembering their relatives towards Government Buildings. They were greeted by the Taoiseach who spoke to them in the courtyard and shook their hands before going into the official meeting. Advertisement Prior to their engagement with Mr Harris, the families also met Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. She said a full State apology to the Stardust families is essential. Ms McDonald said: For four decades, they have faced obstacle after obstacle put in front of them by the State. Advertisement Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (left), speaking outside the Alex Hotel in Dublin, after she met with families and survivors of the Stardust fire. Photo: PA That is why it is vital that a State apology is now made and that it address the failures of governments not just 43 years ago in the aftermath of this tragedy but every day since then. They had to fight until 2019 to get a second inquest and they had to continue to fight the State every day until the inquest started. They had to fight to ensure that the resources were in place so every family could participate in the inquest and get access to justice. Ireland Long read: Families of Stardust victims battled de... Read More They have to fight for jurors to have their income protected and to be selected in a transparent way as they would in the court system. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane at the start of the Inquest said the 48 victims who died in the fire would be central to proceedings and she honoured that commitment. It is vital that the State now does the same today. An Iranian attack on an Israeli desert air base during Tehrans unprecedented assault on the country damaged a taxiway, a satellite image shows. The overall damage done to Nevatim air base in southern Israel was minor despite Iran launching hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Advertisement Israeli air defences and fighter jets, backed by the US, the United Kingdom and neighbouring Jordan, shot down the vast majority of the incoming fire. The taxiway has been repaired (Planet Labs PBC via AP) But the Iranian attack last weekend showed Tehrans willingness to use its vast arsenal of ballistic missiles directly against Israel as tensions remain high across the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement An apparent Israeli retaliatory attack on Friday on Isfahan, Iran, and Tehrans low-key response to it suggest both countries want to dial back their long-running shadow war for now though risks of a wider conflagration in the region remain. The Planet Labs PBC image, taken on Friday for the Associated Press, shows the repaired taxiway near hangars at the southern part of Nevatim air base, about 40 miles south of Jerusalem. The daily newspaper Haaretz, which published lower-resolution images of the site on Thursday, identified the hangars nearby as housing C-130 cargo aircraft flown by transport squadrons. Advertisement Workers repair a taxiway at Israels Nevatim air base (Israeli military via AP) The satellite image corresponds to footage earlier released by the Israeli military, which showed construction equipment near the damaged taxiway. A hangar in the background of the video mirrors those seen nearby. Other images released by the Israeli military showed a crater in the sand and damage under what appeared to be a wall that it said came from the Iranian attack. The little visible damage seen at the air base in the satellite image directly contradicts Irans efforts to portray the attack as a great victory to a public alienated by the Islamic Republics struggling economy and its heavy-handed crackdowns on dissent in recent years. Advertisement This operation became a sign of the power of the Islamic Republic and its armed forces, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Friday. It also showed the steely determination of our nation and our wise leader, the commander of all forces. However, it does show Irans arsenal has the ability to reach Israel, as the April 13 attack marked the first direct military assault on the country by a foreign nation since Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched Scud missiles at Israel in the 1991 Gulf War. The British government has ruled out any post-Brexit deal that would make it easier for young people from the UK to live, study and work in the EU. The European Commission said on Thursday it would seek permission from EU member states to open negotiations on a youth mobility scheme for UK citizens aged 18-30. Advertisement But a British government spokesperson said there was no interest from the UK side, adding that free movement within the EU was ended. The UK currently has individual youth mobility schemes with 13 countries, and the British government said it preferred such bilateral arrangements over an EU-wide deal. Advertisement Labour also rejected the possibility of an EU-wide scheme, saying the party 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. On Thursday, the Commission suggested Britain had expressed an interest in youth mobility deals with individual member states, adding an EU-wide approach would be preferable as it would ensure all members were treated equally. European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said Brexit had hit young people in the EU and the UK who would like to study, work and live abroad particularly hard. Advertisement He added: 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. Advertisement EU member states would have had to agree to the proposals first before any negotiations with the UK could begin. But a UK government spokesperson said: We are not introducing an EU-wide Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) free movement within the EU was ended and there are no plans to introduce it. We have successful schemes with 13 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, and remain open to agreeing them with our international partners, including individual EU member states, where its in the UKs interest and supports the skills and opportunities of our youth. While Labour also ruled out an EU-wide deal, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said such an agreement would be a win-win-win. Advertisement He said: Liberal Democrats have long been urging the Government to negotiate a reciprocal youth mobility scheme with Europe. Of course the details would need to be negotiated, but no sensible UK government would reject this idea out of hand. The House of Representatives is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve 95 billion dollars in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies. Democrats and Republicans are joining together behind the legislation after a gruelling months-long fight over renewed American support for repelling Russias invasion into Ukraine. Advertisement Republican House speaker Mike Johnson, putting his job on the line, relied on Democratic support this week to set up a series of votes on three aid bills, as well as a fourth that contains several other foreign policy proposals. If the votes are successful, the package will go to the Senate, where passage in the coming days is nearly assured. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately. Passage through the House would clear away the biggest hurdle to Mr Bidens funding request, first made in October as Ukraines military supplies began to run low. The Republican-controlled House, sceptical of US support for Ukraine, struggled for months over what to do, first demanding that any assistance be tied to policy changes at the US-Mexico border, only to immediately reject a bipartisan Senate offer along those very lines. Reaching an endgame has been an excruciating process for Mr Johnson that has tested both his resolve and his support among Republicans, with a small but growing number now openly urging his removal from the speakers office. Yet congressional leaders cast the votes as a turning point in history an urgent sacrifice as US allies are beleaguered by wars and threats from continental Europe to the Middle East to Asia. Advertisement The only thing that has kept terrorists and tyrants at bay is the perception of a strong America, that we would stand strong, Mr Johnson said this week. And we will. I think that Congress is going to show that. This is a very important message that we are going to send the world. Still, Congress has seen a stream of world leaders visit in recent months, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, all but pleading with legislators to approve the aid. Globally, the delay left many questioning Americas commitment to its allies. At stake has also been one of Mr Bidens top foreign policy priorities halting Russian President Vladimir Putins advance in Europe. After engaging in quiet talks with Mr Johnson, the president quickly endorsed the speakers plan this week, paving the way for Democrats to give their rare support to clear the procedural hurdles needed for a final vote. Advertisement We must confront aggression against democracy and freedom. Not appease it. House Democrats will make sure that bipartisan legislation for Americas national security can proceed. Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) April 19, 2024 Advertisement Its long past time that we support our democratic allies in Israel, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific and provide humanitarian assistance to civilians who are in harms way in theatres of conflict like Gaza, Haiti and the Sudan, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said at a news conference on Friday. Voting on the package is likely to create unusual alliances in the House. While aid for Ukraine will likely win a majority in both parties, a significant number of progressive Democrats are expected to vote against the bill aiding Israel as they demand an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with members of Congress as he tilts the Republicans to a more isolationist stance with his America First brand of politics. Ukraines defence once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress, but as the war enters its third year, a bulk of Republicans oppose further aid. At one point in the months-long slog to get Ukraine assistance through Congress, Mr Trumps opposition essentially doomed the bipartisan Senate proposal on border security. This past week, Mr Trump also issued a social media post that questioned why European nations were not giving more money to Ukraine, though he spared Mr Johnson from criticism and said Ukraines survival was important. Advertisement Still, the House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the America Last foreign wars package and urged representatives to defy Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills do not include border security measures. Mr Johnsons hold on the speakers gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, supported a motion to vacate that can lead to a vote on removing the speaker. A few more were expected to soon join, said Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who is urging Mr Johnson to voluntarily step aside. Marjorie Taylor Greene is supporting a motion to vacate that can lead to a vote on removing Mr Johnson as speaker (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) The speakers office has been working furiously to drum up support for the bill, as well as for Mr Johnson. It arranged a series of press calls in the lead-up to the final votes on the package, first with Jewish leaders, then with Christian groups, to show support for the speaker and the legislation he is bringing to the floor. Ari Fleischer, a former White House press secretary under then-president George W Bush, said it was about time the United States did something to support Israel, fight Vladimir Putin and stand up to China. Coming together like this is a refreshing reminder of the old days when foreign policy had bipartisan support, he said. The package includes several Republican priorities that Democrats endorse, or at least are willing to accept. Those include proposals that allow the US to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to rebuild Ukraine; impose sanctions on Iran, Russia, China and criminal organisations that traffic fentanyl; and legislation to require the China-based owner of the popular video app TikTok to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States. Still, the all-out push to get the bills through Congress is a reflection not only of politics, but realities on the ground in Ukraine. Top politicians on national security committees, who are privy to classified briefings, have grown gravely concerned about the situation in recent weeks. Russia has increasingly used satellite-guided gliding bombs which allow planes to drop them from a safe distance to pummel Ukrainian forces beset by a shortage of troops and ammunition. I really do believe the intel and the briefings that weve gotten, Mr Johnson said, adding, I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. A former ambassador to Ukraine under Mr Bush, John Herbst, said the months-long delay in approving more American assistance has undoubtedly hurt Ukrainian troops on the battlefield. But it is not yet too late, Mr Herbst added. The fact that its coming now means that disaster has been averted. Advertisement Eating outVivid Sydney Five dishes you must try at Vivid Fire Kitchen, the outdoor barbecue spectacular Plus the line-up of international Michelin-starred chefs set to take over Sydney restaurants. Bianca Hrovat April 20, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share Adam Roberts doing a demonstration at Vivid Fire Kitchen. Edwina Pickles Fire sculptures, flame shooters and a line-up of internationally acclaimed chefs have set The Goods Line ablaze during the largest-yet installation of Vivid Fire Kitchen, open each night from now until June 15. Lennox Hastie (Firedoor, Surry Hills) will join chef and cookbook author Christine Manfield (Indian Cooking Class), Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt (Ekstedt, Stockholm), US television personality Jess Pryles (Pitmaster) and others for a series of fire-fuelled culinary demonstrations and food stalls lining the entire length of the repurposed railway track. For the first time as part of Vivid, beloved Sydney gelato purveyors, Messina, are hosting a pop-up, the Messina Milk Bar, selling gelato-infused chocolate bars, dixie cups, tailor-made milkshakes and spiders. Theres also bars along the route, with cocktails by Archie Rose and Starward, including winter-appropriate drinks like apple whisky hot toddies. Beef birria and chicken tacos with corn on the cob at Marus Kitchen. Edwina Pickles Advertisement Five dishes to try at Vivid Fire Kitchen Theres a lot more to choose from at Vivid Fire Kitchen this year, where a rotating line-up of vendors are serving everything from smoky barbecued skewers to beef birria tacos. Heres our pick of what to order: Brisket burnt ends ($19) caramelised in house-made hickory barbecue sauce and smoked mac and cheese ($12) from Smoky Sues . instagram.com/smokysuesofficial ($19) caramelised in house-made hickory barbecue sauce and smoked mac and cheese ($12) from . instagram.com/smokysuesofficial The meat box (300g for $35) with rump cap, incredibly tender chicken and chorizo sausage at Brazilian Flame . brazilianflame.com.au (300g for $35) with rump cap, incredibly tender chicken and chorizo sausage at . brazilianflame.com.au Prawn Arabes roll ($23) with char grilled garlic king prawns basted with chermoula sauce on a brioche roll with house-made herb butter, from Eat Lebanese . eatlebanese.com.au ($23) with char grilled garlic king prawns basted with chermoula sauce on a brioche roll with house-made herb butter, from . eatlebanese.com.au Beef birria tacos ($20 for two, with a bowl of beef consomme for dipping) and barbecued corn on the cob ($10) from Marus Kitchen . instagram.com/maruskitchen.au ($20 for two, with a bowl of beef consomme for dipping) and barbecued corn on the cob ($10) from . instagram.com/maruskitchen.au Creme brulee churro cones ($13), fried, filled and blow-torched to order at Mr Spanish Churro. instagram.com/mr_spanish_churro Pocket Rocket Z food truck with Balbir Sing and his son Kabir. Edwina Pickles Vivid Fire Kitchen was introduced as part of Vivids first food program in 2023, when it attracted 120,000 visitors overa month-long run at The Cut in Barangaroo. Festival director Gill Minervini says this year is even hotter. We are really amping up the atmosphere and ambience by using a lot more fire its going to be a major improvement on what weve done before, she says of the free, festival-long event. Cant take the heat? Then head to one of Sydneys participating kitchens Michelin-starred restaurants from Brazil, Singapore and the UK have sent their head chefs to Sydney for a series of pop-up residencies and collaborations during Vivid. Advertisement Manoella Manu Buffara, chef-founder of Manu Restaurant in Brazil, headlines the program with a residency at Ploos (The Rocks). Jaffa chocolate Berliner donuts at Vivid Fire Kitchen. Edwina Pickles Buffara (who also worked briefly at Noma) gained international recognition in 2022 when she becamethe Worlds 50 Best Latin American female chef of the year. The accolade recognised Buffara for her hyper-local, casual fine-dining menu; her role as the first woman to serve a tasting-only menu in Brazil; and her community projects, which have involved setting up a series of urban farms and beehives. It wont be the first time Buffara has taken her cooking overseas, having set out to defy international expectations of Brazilian cuisine by opening her second restaurant, Ella, in New York City in 2019. Advertisement We will use techniques and ideas from Manu in Brazil to bring a touch of Brazilian flavours to this pop-up, Buffara says. We are bringing to Australia the philosophy of sustainable resource use that we have already implemented in Brazil, integrating it with local flavours and ingredients. Max Coen (Dorian, UK), Sally Abe (The Pem, UK) and Ivan Brehm (Nouri, Singapore) will also host collaborative dinners at Freds (Paddington), The Charles Grand Brasserie (Sydney), and Aalia (Sydney), respectively. Over at Sydney Opera House, culinary director and Good Food contributor Danielle Alvarez will be back on the tools for two nights for Culinary Canvas. The three-course meal, overlooking the light installations of the harbour at Circular Quay, will be sound tracked by live performances by ARIA-award winning artist Katie Noonan. Chef Danielle Alvarez and sommelier Louella Mathews are working together for Culinary Canvas at Vivid Sydney. supplied Advertisement Andrea Daniela performs live music during a block party with her jazziachi band on the front porch of The Plant House, a renovated 1890s house and Airbnb rental in the heart of Concept Neighborhood in the Second Ward, on Saturday, November 5, 2022. Meridith Kohut/Contributor Short-term rentals are getting a bad rap in the media, mainly because of a few parties and parking issues. This is not my experience. I converted my garage into an apartment eight years ago with the express intent to list it on Airbnb. I liked what Id seen of Airbnb. Id been traveling from Houston to Los Angeles once a month to visit family. For those trips, I booked an Airbnb in Pasadena, Calif. It was an older home in an older neighborhood just a couple of miles from my sons place. This Airbnb property was a bedroom that had its own private entrance from the outside. I entered through the alley, parked right next to the door, closed the gate and felt safe. Just a bedroom, bathroom and large closet. The bed was queen size, comfortable, with nice sheets. The room was clean, quiet and private. Perfect for my needs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When I returned home and parked in my own garage, Id wonder about converting it to an apartment. How much would it cost? How much could I list it for on Airbnb? Eventually I stopped wondering, borrowed from my 401k, and six weeks later had a listing. I was nervous at first. What if someone stole something or was loud and bothered my neighbors? What if they tried to come into my home or hurt me? What if they did not pay? Should I limit the number of days they can stay? In the end, I decided Id deal with any issues as they arose. I figured there must be enough travelers who were like me, and would rather be in a private neighborhood than a hotel. Someone looking for a quiet, clean comfortable bed and shower for the night. I set up the apartment with a specific idea and type of guest in mind. Its a studio apartment with a small bathroom and kitchenette with no stove. I did not want anyone cooking in the apartment no smells or cleanup to deal with. The apartment is designed to sleep in. Its not meant for parties. Airbnb wasnt created for that anyway. Its a place to sleep. I bought a good mattress, good linens and made the space comfortable for no more than two people. In fact, I state that two-person maximum policy on my listing and make it a point to remind the guest of it when they book my apartment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If a guest shows up with more than two people, I immediately call Airbnb. I had one incident where a couple had friends over for drinks. One guy became intoxicated and belligerent. When he started fighting another guest in my driveway, I called the police, who showed up right away. They asked the second couple to leave. I told the guests that this was not acceptable and asked them to pack up and leave too. After much discussion and promises from the guests, I allowed them to stay. There were no more incidents. If the city of Houston wants to get involved, then it should issue a fine to the hosts of the properties that wreak havoc. Implement noise limits, party parameters, even age requirements on the property. There should also be parking limitations. I sought out the extra income in order to travel and add enjoyment to my life. The apartment allowed me to visit my mother in California once a month, as she aged and began hospice care. It has allowed me a lifestyle that my job and retirement savings did not. I was a present Gramma to my two young granddaughters who lived in Pasadena, Calif. I watched my daughter play water polo for Whittier College. Dont ban my additional income because of the shenanigans tolerated by irresponsible hosts on Airbnb or any other platform. They will respond to fines and additional fees. But why punish us all because of the irresponsibility of a few? On Saturday morning, when Iain heard an explosion, he ran. He had been walking his dog near his New Farm home in inner Brisbane when panic set in. Four people were rescued from the burning unit block in New Farm on Saturday morning. He rushed, dropping his dog back inside, before running down Oxley Lane to where he had heard the loud bang. Towards the end of the narrow street, a fire was raging through a unit at a brick apartment complex. One of the points that stuck out to me and to those in my community of survivors was [Lees comments regarding] rape myths about intoxication during sexual assault and that intoxication doesnt mean consent. Loading The verdict is important for survivors because Justice Lee spoke in considerable detail about rape myths that related to Brittanys experience. He discussed freezing as a response and how survivors may share versions of the events that slightly differ, said Coutts-Trotter, from her social work placement in Broken Hill for a degree she hopes to use to support other assault survivors. What constitutes consent, and what can be used as evidence about whether it was given, has been contested fiercely in Australia since 2015, when a then-21-year-old Sydney man, Luke Lazarus, was convicted by a District Court jury of anally raping then-18-year-old virgin Saxon Mullins in a nightclub alley. Lee, in his decision, noted that for more than a few, this dispute [Lehrmann v Network Ten] has become a proxy for broader cultural and political conflicts, but the Lazarus case kicked off fierce national debate about what amounts to rape. That 2015 case became a lightning rod after a NSW Court of Criminal Appeal quashed Lazarus conviction and ordered a retrial. It found the judge had misdirected the jury by telling them they needed to decide whether there were reasonable grounds to believe that the young woman who later chose to identify herself as Saxon Mullins had consented to sex. Lazarus was subsequently found not guilty of rape at a judge-alone trial in 2017 because of a mistaken belief in Mullins consent, based on reasonable grounds. The NSW Court of Appeal upheld the rape acquittal later that year. Survivor Saxon Mullins campaign helped usher in affirmative consent laws in New South Wales. The long legal battle, and a campaign by advocates including Swinburne University law lecturer Dr Rachael Burgin, triggered a review of NSW sexual consent laws. It prompted new legislation requiring active steps be taken to establish sexual consent, and stipulating a person is deemed not to have consented to sexual activity unless they said or did something to communicate consent, making it harder for alleged perpetrators to say they were unaware they didnt have it. Under those laws, silence is not considered consent, and consent cannot be assumed if a person does not say no. Consent is an ongoing process. A person can change their mind and withdraw their consent at any time, the NSW government announcement noted. Consent must be present for every sexual act. If someone consents to one sexual act, it doesnt mean theyve consented to others. A person cant consent if theyre asleep or unconscious. The so-called affirmative consent laws, designed in part to increase the chances of successful convictions, include that a person cannot consent if theyre so intoxicated that they cant choose, or refuse, to participate. Veteran barrister Stephen Odgers argued in this masthead that aspects of affirmative consent were dangerous because, among other things, juries would be required to find there was no consent because it was not actually communicated. Affirmative consent proposals had other legal critics, but the laws went through in NSW in 2022. Similar regulations already existed in Tasmania, and Victoria followed suit with its own inquiry and new affirmative consent laws, also enacted in 2022. Queensland adopted similar laws this year. I would take out of it that theres a change in what we understand as non-consensual: active consent is required now, not just the absence of no. Karen Bevan, CEO Full Stop Australia Lee was not the first judicial officer to articulate changes in community expectations around consent and sexual assault (and rape). But advocates, including Mullins, say that in naming rape myths and calling out misguided beliefs about survivors so clearly, his comments will significantly advance community understanding of rape. He really tried to understand the nuance of sexual violence, said Mullins, who is now director of advocacy at the organisation Rape and Sexual Assault Research and Advocacy. He reflected [the validity of] affirmative consent incredibly well. Can you imagine someone like him saying something like that seven or 10 years ago? It wouldnt happen. It was really that we have progression, there are people listening and this is making tangible differences to peoples lives and the law. Lees judgment came in the same week as the Australian Law Reform Commission opened submissions for its inquiry into justice responses to sexual assault that aims to strengthen and harmonise sexual assault and consent laws nationally, and to improve outcomes and experiences for victim-survivors in the justice system. It was timely, then, that Lees remarks captured a scenario experienced by many Australian women, said Karen Bevan, chief executive of the sexual and domestic violence counselling and advocacy group Full Stop Australia, even though most sexual assault survivors do not report the crime. Justice Michael Lee is considered by advocates to have called out rape myths in his judgment in the Lehrmann v Network Ten case. Credit: SMH The 2021 data report, Sexual Violence Victimisation, by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that almost 3 million Australians over the age of 18 had experienced sexual violence, the vast majority of them women, but only 13 per cent of them reported it to police. The bureaus latest Personal Safety Survey, released in 2023, found one in five women (and 6 per cent of men) had experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. In his judgment, Lee described in detail what Higgins alleged had occurred when she was raped by Lehrmann on the couch in the office of her then employer, Senator Linda Reynolds, in the early hours of March 23, 2019, at Parliament House in Canberra. In his description of what occurred in that office, he spoke in language that many Australian women will very much identify with; he described something that has happened to many, said Bevan. It was very empathetic storytelling, and very meaningful. One thing I would take out of it is that there is a change in what we understand as non-consensual activity, and that active consent is required now, not just the absence of no. A lot of men may still be sceptical of a womans story, but the way he described [the events in the ministerial suite] was quite profound. Bevan was among a number of advocates who said it was incorrect to assume that younger Australians were now more enlightened about what sexual behaviour constituted assault, and that many young people were now experiencing sexual assault by peers influenced by pornography and hard-core male influencers. She and others said it was too soon to determine whether the introduction of affirmative consent laws in four states had increased the number of convictions for rape and sexual assault, and that statistics would also have been influenced by pandemic restrictions. Karen Iles, a solicitor, sexual assault survivor and adviser to the ALRC review, said the fact that Lees judgment had been so closely watched by so many people would help instruct Australians about what rape was. Him using his judgment knowing it would be watched closely and reported on widely is a tremendously good example of the way the justice system can educate the population and educate potential jurors, Iles said. That the ABCs vast Australia Talks survey found 60 per cent of men distrust women complaining of rape is one example of the potential of juries to hold preconceived views on victims. Women knew few rape allegations resulted in convictions, in part due to these prejudices, Iles said. Loading Less than 1 per cent get convicted of all the reports of sexual assault, she said. These rape myths are long held and intergenerational; we have to move quickly to improve confidence in the justice system and to encourage victims to come forward and hold rapists to account. In March last year, the government-funded National Community Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women Survey found one-third of Australians believed that women used sexual assault claims as retribution, and nearly one in four believed women made allegations because they regretted consensual sex. It found 35 per cent of 19,100 respondents agreed it is common for sexual assault accusations to be used as a way of getting back at men. That Lee refuted rape myths when population-wide surveys continued to show many Australians believed them was helpful, said Patty Kinnersley, chief executive of Our Watch. We know through population-wide surveys that many rape myths continue to be widely believed, such as a womens clothing or intoxication make her partially responsible for being assaulted, she said. Too often media will report myths presented to the court as though they have some relevance to proceedings, without any dissenting commentary. It was incredibly important to see a Federal Court judge, in detail, dispel each myth and explain why they would not influence the judgment. As Australians digest the implications of Lees complex judgment, for sexual assault service providers such as Kathleen Maltzahn, chief executive of Sexual Assault Services Victoria, one of its legacies will be to have made the definition of rape simple. Three Australians are among a group of hundreds of activists in Turkey poised to board a flotilla that seeks to break Israels long blockade of aid into Gaza. Daniel Coward and Surya McEwen, both from NSW, and Helen OSullivan, from Queensland, were in Istanbul on Saturday, local time, preparing to attempt transporting aid into the war-torn region by sea. A ship from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition anchors at Tuzla seaport in Istanbul on Friday. Credit: AP Im not particularly worried about being detained abroad. My only concern is that, if we are, it happens before we are able to get the aid to the people who need it, said Coward, a signwriter from Wollongong who was recruited for the mission after becoming involved with the weekly pro-Palestine rallies in Sydney. Coward does not have a background in humanitarian work, and said that before arriving in Turkey last week, he had never travelled abroad further than New Zealand. Protesters call out the scarcity of housing which they claim is linked to Airbnb. Jane Barlow - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images It sounds like a science fiction film. In the future there are boxes you and your friends can rent where you are shielded from the public, outside the law and absolved from almost all consequences. In real life you have limitations and obligations, but inside the Anything Box you can be rock stars for a night and kings for a day. But the Anything Box isnt a hologram or pulled from The Matrix. The future is now, and it has been brought to you by Airbnb, which specializes in private places that hotels dont provide. You can easily find hotels with amenities such as kitchens, living rooms and pools. What sets short-term rentals apart is you can have a whole home to yourself with no owner, no desk clerk, no one knowing what you will do there. Just as you can lease an expensive car to front, so too can you rent a luxurious home from Airbnb. While the average person cant afford to buy a house, with Airbnb it doesnt take much cash to get the keys to a trendy townhome. Once that door is open, you can invite absolutely anyone and anything in. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For years residents across the globe have struggled with Airbnb party houses. Even after Airbnbs permanent party ban in 2022, short-term renters still manage to create de facto nightclubs in the middle of neighborhoods, packing dozens, if not hundreds, of people into single-family properties. People are frequently shot at short-term rentals, with four deaths in the Houston area alone this year. With the anonymity they afford, Airbnb homes can also be easily used as brothels and drug dens. In fact, Bloomberg has reported that Airbnb maintains an extensive, multinational black box team to cover up crimes committed on their partners properties, usually by firing the money cannon to buy victims silence. Predictably, the prevalence of Anything Boxes eats away at neighborhoods, displacing residents with little pockets of anarchy. A 2021 Northeastern University study found that violent crimes spike in areas where Airbnb listings increase. Federal, state and local governments have policies that encourage homeownership because people generally take better care of a neighborhood if they are vested in it. But short-term rentals erode that ownership, exacerbating the housing crisis and turning neighbors into strangers. The owners of Anything Boxes will tell you that they can turn their buildings into bacchanals because America holds private property rights sacred. Anything Boxes exist to foster fantasies and, certainly, libertarianism is chief among them. But in reality, civilization is predicated upon civility, and civility fails where laws do not support it. If you think that Anything Boxes are a horrible idea promoted by selfish people to cater to our worst desires, well, youre not alone. Cities across America have passed regulations to crack down on short-term rentals, if not eliminate them entirely. From New York to Los Angeles, governments across dozens of cities have prevented Airbnb proliferation with permitting and reporting requirements that are enforced with stiff fines. Laissez-faire New Orleans recently passed an ordinance so arduous that Airbnb has sued the city. Houston, though, isnt fighting back at least, not yet. Our city is both famous and infamous for its lack of formal zoning. Within that vacuum, Anything Boxes have thrived, and because of it, Houstonians may assume they have no recourse when a neighbor decides to operate a hotel next door. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But in fact, Houston already has a hotel ordinance that, in my professional opinion, bans the vast majority of short-term rentals, though presently the city chooses not to enforce it that way. While other cities act, Houston leaves short-term landlords alone as they convert our neighborhoods into dystopian playgrounds. Friday, April 19, 2024 at 5:35PM Image: Google Android users rejoice! Google Drive's search function is getting a much-needed upgrade, bringing the ease of iOS search filters to your devices. Now, you can refine your searches with filters for File Type, Owner, and Last Modified, all conveniently located below the search bar. This means no more sifting through irrelevant filestarget your specific needs with a few quick clicks. But the enhancements don't stop there. You can further refine your search on the results page itself, ensuring laser-focused accuracy. This update applies to everyone with a Google account, whether personal or part of a Workspace. It's a simple change that will significantly improve your Google Drive search experience. The update is rolling out now, so keep an eye out for it in the Google Play Store. Source Breaking News Would you like to receive our breaking news news? Signup today! e-Edition Subscribers e-Edition Only - $39.00 Year This is the exact replica of our weekly printed paper. Great for searching archives! General Interest Imported List: General Interest remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. A 10-year-old boy confessed to shooting and killing a man at an RV park more than two years ago, the Gonzales County Sheriff's Office said. Tetra Images/Getty Images/Tetra images RF A 10-year-old admitted to shooting and killing a man in a Gonzales County RV park more than two years ago, and told investigators he didnt know the man and had no reason to kill him, according to the Gonzales County Sheriffs Office. Brandon OQuinn Rasberry, 32, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head on Jan. 18, 2022, in his RV at Lazy J RV Park in Nixon, about 45 miles east of downtown San Antonio. An autopsy found hed been shot once in the head and had two minor graze wounds, one on each hand, and had been dead for approximately two days, the Gonzales County Sheriffs Office said. All leads were exhausted in an investigation that followed, and the case remained unsolved. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rasberry worked for Holmes Foods, a poultry processing plant in Nixon, and had moved his RV to the park four days before he was found dead, the sheriffs office said. According to his obituary, he was born in Brenham. Last Friday, the sheriffs office received a call from the Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District, reporting that a 10-year-old student had threatened to assault and kill another student on a bus the day before. When a deputy arrived, school officials reported the boy had also claimed he shot and killed a man two years ago. During an interview with investigators, the boy reported that he was visiting his grandfather on Jan. 16, 2022, who lived at the same RV park as Rasberry, a few lots away, the sheriffs office said. He was 7 years old at the time. The child said he took a pistol from the glove box of his grandfathers truck and entered Rasberrys RV, where he found the man sleeping in his bed. He told the investigators he shot him once in the head, and then as he was leaving the RV fired a shot into the couch, the sheriffs office said. He said he returned the gun to the truck after he left. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the interview, the boy said hed never met Rasberry and didnt know him, but had seen him walking around that day. The child was also asked if he was mad at Brandon for some reason or if Brandon had ever done anything to him to make him mad, the sheriffs office said, and the boy said no. The pistol was located at a pawn shop last Friday, after the child informed investigators that his grandfather had pawned the gun. A forensic analysis involving shell casings from the crime scene confirmed the gun was used to kill Rasberry, the sheriffs office said. The boy, whose name was not released, will not be charged in connection with the 2022 shooting, because Texas law doesnt allow for criminal culpability before the age of 10, Gonzales County officials said. He will face charges of making a terroristic threat related to the school bus incident last week. In a written statement Thursday, Nixon-Smiley CISD said the student will not return to the elementary campus due to the information obtained in the sheriffs offices investigation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gonzales County Attorney Paul Watkins called the case extraordinarily uncommon for the county, which has about 20,000 residents. Gonzales County had two reported homicides in 2022, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety crime database. The county had zero reported homicides in 2021, one in 2020 and one in 2019, according to the database. He is a young child, Watkins said. The offense is horrific, but we have to protect him too, he is a child. He declined to comment further while the case is ongoing. Child behavior and development The boy was placed on a 72-hour emergency detention because of the severity of the crime and because of the continued concern for the childs mental wellbeing, the office said. He was then taken to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation and treatment, then placed in detention by Gonzales County Juvenile Probation to await his court date. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jennifer Woolard, a professor of psychology at Georgetown University, said its not uncommon for children under 10 to be treated differently because they dont have the fully developed capacities needed to move through the juvenile or criminal legal systems. States are more likely to respond to serious violence in younger children through the mental health and child welfare systems, she said. During adolescence, brains and capacities are actively changing. The socio-emotional system and cognitive control systems are both maturing during the second decade of life, she said. Those parts of the brain govern things like processing emotions, thinking about reward and punishment, self-regulation, reasoning and impulse control. Before those mature and develop, children are less able to control impulses and less likely to think ahead. There are also changes happening in the brains structure in that time. In adolescence, the frontal lobe, which is the regulatory part of the brain, is still establishing and growing connections to other parts of the brain, she said. While that doesnt excuse behavior, Woolard said, the developmental changes help better understand how children and teenagers might act. Advertisement Article continues below this ad (Photo : Unsplash/Rayyu Maldives) The head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the mandatory rest time extension for air traffic controllers based on recommendations from an expert panel assessing controller fatigue risks. The New 10-12 Hour Rest Requirements Between Shifts Earlier today, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker announced that the FAA will mandate a 10-hour break between shifts, effective within 90 days, and a 12-hour break before an overnight shift. The requirements align with the panel's recommendations, emphasizing the need to update existing policies to address fatigue factors, particularly by avoiding schedule practices that induce fatigue. The panel also suggested that the FAA enforce an adequate off-duty period before all shifts, citing a range of 10-12 hours as an example. Current regulations restrict air traffic controllers from working more than 10 hours within 24 hours unless they have received a rest period of at least eight hours before or at the end of the 10-hour shift. However, the panel's examination of data from the first ten weeks of 2024 found instances where these requirements were not consistently followed, highlighting 442 shifts commenced with less than eight hours of rest between shifts and 192 shifts began with less than four hours of rest between shifts. READ ALSO: United Airlines Cites Boeing Plane Shortages, Asks Pilots to Take Time Off Without Pay The FAA's Commitment on Air Traffic Controllers' Safety In a statement, Whitaker acknowledged that during his initial months leading the FAA, he toured air traffic control facilities nationwide and heard concerns about schedules that sometimes do not allow controllers to get enough rest. He emphasized the agency's commitment to prioritizing the safety of controllers and national airspace, saying, "I took this very seriously and we are taking action." An expert panel was assembled in December 2023 due to increasing worries about air traffic control fatigue and staffing, prompting close calls at airports, mechanical issues at certain airlines, and production challenges at Boeing. The FAA is also investigating a Thursday incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, in which a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 crossed a runway while a JetBlue Embraer E190 was cleared for takeoff. Growing Concerns on Staffing Shortage The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the union representing FAA air traffic controllers, expressed encouragement regarding the FAA's efforts to tackle staff fatigue. However, it was also disappointing that the FAA did not collaborate before announcing. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg indicated that the FAA was understaffed by approximately 3,000 positions in May 2023. This caused the FAA to mandate overtime for air traffic controllers, resulting in many controllers working six-day weeks, which is the maximum allowed under current regulations. A shortage of air traffic controllers, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic's hiring freeze, has resulted in mandatory overtime and crowded schedules for personnel at certain facilities, necessitating the agency to recruit 1,500 controllers last year and intends to hire 1,800 more this year. RELATED ARTICLE: Pilot Unions Raising More Safety, Maintenance Issues As The Airline Industry Grapples with Safety Scrutiny 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Commencement ceremonies for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga begin two weeks from todayand for the first time since the May 2019 event, McKenzie Arena will be filled to the rafters.Restrictions that had previously applied to UTC commencementfirst going virtual due to COVID-19; then limited when returning to an in-person format due to pandemic and public health restrictions; and finally limited seating capacity because of McKenzie Arena renovationshave been lifted.Graduate School commencement takes place at 2:30 p.m.on Friday, May 3. Dr. Edna Varner, a UC Foundation Board of Trustee and longtime member of the Public Education Foundation, will deliver the graduation charge.Two undergraduate commencement ceremonies will take place on Saturday, May 4. The College of Arts and Sciences/College of Engineering and Computer Science ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. The Gary W. Rollins College of Business/College of Health, Education and Professional Studies ceremony starts at 1 p.m. The featured speaker for both undergraduate ceremonies is UTC alumnus Richard Zhang, who graduated summa cum laude in 1992 with bachelors degrees in chemistry, economics and accounting.Traditions of UTC commencements past, including processionals for graduates, faculty and gonfalonsceremonial banners representing each of the Universitys collegeswill be part of the proceedings.More than 1,300 undergraduates and nearly 300 graduate students will receive their degrees. Those numbers include approximately 250 first-generation college students and 90 military-affiliated students (consisting of veterans, spouses and dependents).This will be the 263rd overall commencement for the University, founded in 1886 as the then-private Chattanooga University. The first UTC graduation ceremony took place on Aug. 23, 1969, at the Tivoli Theatre in downtown Chattanooga. Boots and Buckle Bryan Boyer Nancy Michel and her dog, Lucy Previous Next Morning Pointe Senior Living campuses across the Southeast will celebrate National Volunteer Week, April 21-27.Volunteers contribute so much to the social, spiritual and intellectual lives of our residents, said Amanda Yelenick, Morning Pointes vice president of life enrichment. Morning Pointe teams have been emphasizing recruiting volunteers this year, striving to have as many regular volunteers as they have residents in each community, and weve been seeing some wonderful individuals and groups share their talents and time with our residents.We are excited to recognize our volunteers impact in a special way this week.Officials said, "Volunteers offer a wide variety of talents and programming at Morning Pointe communities. These include performing music, visiting one on one with residents, playing games, assisting with crafts, calling bingo and more. Morning Pointe currently has more than 1,500 volunteers across its 38 communities."Meet some volunteers here in the Tennessee Valley:Boots and Buckle is a line dancing group of seniors who have been performing at Morning Pointe of Hixson Assisted Living and Memory Care for more than a year. They are fun, caring and put 100 percent of their energy into every dance they perform, said Ashley Kilgore, Lantern program director at the community. Our residents absolutely love watching them. The group performs each month, usually with a themed performance, such as love songs for Valentines Day or Irish songs for St. Patricks Day.Also at Morning Pointe of Hixson, volunteer Naino Leo got started volunteering when his mother was a resident there. He plays cards with the assisted residents. I enjoy the ladies, he said. They have fun, and they have someone to talk to.Bryan Boyer leads the Sunday service weekly at Morning Pointe of Chattanooga Assisted Living. He has been doing this for many years. He is so faithful, and residents love his service and look forward to it each week, said Holly Holcomb, life enrichment director at the community.At The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimers Center of Excellence, Collegedale, Nancy Michel brings her dog Lucy to visit each week for some pet therapy. She not only brings Lucy to the living area but into resident rooms if they are interested, and residents love petting Lucy and reminiscing about past dogs. Nancy stops and builds relationships with the residents above just having them pet Lucy, said Kelly Nichols, Lantern program director. She has been a wonderful addition to our volunteer crew. Michel and Lucy also visit other local Morning Pointe communities."Of course, there are many other volunteers at each community, and there is always room for more," officials said.Volunteers are the cornerstone of community at our assisted living and memory care campuses, said Greg A. Vital, Morning Pointe co-founder and president. Their dedication and heartfelt generosity profoundly enhance the lives of our residents, connecting them more deeply with the world around them. We are immensely grateful for their ongoing contributions and the joy they bring into our community every day.Contact a local Morning Pointe community to see how it is recognizing Volunteer Week. If interested in volunteering, visit morningpointe.com/volunteer. BRADLEY COUNTY I-75 at Paul Huff Parkway Interchange modifications: During this reporting period, the contractor will continue grading and paving on the I-75 NB off ramp at Paul Huff Parkway. This work will take place behind temporary portable barrier rail. Left shoulder of Northbound exit ramp to Paul Huff Parkway will be closed for ramp construction. Right Shoulder of Northbound entrance ramp to I-75 will have workers relocating and moving utilities. Motorists are advised to reduce speed and use caution in the work zone. [Summers-Taylor, Inc./Cleveland/CNX362] BRADLEY COUNTY SR-60 widening from the 4-lane north of I-75 (LM 17.2) to SR-306 (LM19.9): During this reporting period, the contractor will continue grading work and install new storm drainage. Intermittent flagging operations will take place throughout the project during grading operations. Hopewell Drive will be temporarily closed to allow completion of grading operations in the area. Access will be provided using Hopewell Place. The speed limit in the work zone has been reduced to 35 mph. Motorists are advised to use caution in the work zone and watch for flaggers assisting with traffic control. [Summers-Taylor, Inc./Cleveland/CNV130] BRADLEY COUNTY SR-40 (US-64) resurfacing from SR-2 (US-11, US-64, LM 0.0) to near McKamy Street (LM 1.2): The contractor is closing SR-40 Westbound right lane from Bates Street to Edwards Street for the construction of a concrete island. This temporary closure will remain in place until the resurfacing is completed on SR-40 and permanent marking is in place for the new alignment. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Cleveland/CNX132] BRADLEY, HAMILTON, MEIGS, RHEA, AND POLK COUNTY Curb ramp upgrades in District 29: During this reporting period, the contractor will be removing and replacing existing curb ramps in Hamilton County on SR-2 LM 0.00-3.75, SR-58 LM 4.57-6.45, and SR-319 LM 12.38-21.29. Motorists are advised to reduce speed in the work zone and watch for flaggers assisting with traffic control. Shoulder closures are possible in this area as work to upgrade the curb ramps gets underway. [Southern Constructors, Inc./Cleveland/CNX361] HAMILTON COUNTY I-24 Utility Work both directions at MM 181: NIGHTTIME (8 pm - 5:30 am) and DAYTIME (8 am - 5:30 pm) shoulder and lane closure on 4th Avenue at the on and off ramps to 1-24. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, and barrels/cones will be present, 01/23/24 through 06/30/24. [2023-192/197] HAMILTON COUNTY I-24 concrete repair from east of the I-124 (US-27) ramps (MM 179.0) to east of Long Street (MM 178.8): During this reporting period from 9 PM-6 AM, there will be nightly lane closures on I24 and the I24 WB off ramp to US27 NB. During these closures, there is the possibility that ramps might be temporarily closed. During the weekdays from 9 PM-6 AM, there will be 1 lane closed on I24 EB and WB. Also, during this time, US27 SB Traffic onto I24 EB ramp traffic will be detoured onto the Broad St. ramp. The traffic will use the new Frontage Road and get back onto I24 EB at the Market St. on-ramp to I24 EB. Traffic should expect possible long delays during this time and to find alternate routes around this area. [Summers-Taylor, Inc./Chattanooga West/CNX186] HAMILTON COUNTY I-75 at I-24 Interchange Reconstruction Phase 2: Nightly lane closures will occur on this project, 9 PM to 6 AM, on I-75 North and South between Exit 1 (East Ridge) and Exit 3A (East Brainerd Road/ SR-320) and on I-24 East and West from Germantown Road to Spring Creek Road, MM182 to MM185, for various construction activities. Uniformed police officers will be present in these work zones to assist with traffic management and to enforce traffic laws. It may also be necessary to do short duration (15 to 30 minutes) rolling roadblocks during the day for patching potholes, clearing debris or to repair guardrail, attenuators, etc. The left lane on North and South Terrace between Belvoir Avenue and Spring Creek Road will be closed for installation of drainage structures, retaining and noise wall construction. Intermittent daytime non-rush hour lane closures may also be necessary throughout the period on South Terrace and North Terrace to work on utilities, street lighting, and various other construction items. All work is weather permitting. Moore Road and McBrien Road bridges over I 24 are closed as well as the entrance and exit ramps to I-24 between Belvoir Avenue and Moore Road. A continuous flow detour using Belvoir Avenue and Spring Creek Road is in place for local traffic. The closures and detour will be in place for approximately 5 months.RESTRICTIONS: Moore Road and McBrien Road over I-24 closed. I-24 Ramps between Belvoir and Moore Road closed. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Maj Prj - Blevins/DB2101] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-2 (LEE HWY.) Utility Work both directions at LM 17.8: Shoulder and lane closures on SR-2 (Lee Hwy) between Circle Drive and Conner Lane. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, flaggers, and barrels/cones will be present, 04/22/24 through 05/03/24 from 9 am - 2 pm. [2024-035] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-312 (MAHAN GAP RD.) Utility Work eastbound at LM 14.86: Shoulder and lane closures on SR-312 (Mahan Gap Road) from SR-58 to Dovetail Lane. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, flaggers, and barrels/cones will be present, 04/24/24 through 04/26/24 from 9 am - 12 pm. [2024-242] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-321 (OOLTEWAH-RINGGOLD RD.) Utility Work both directions from LM 5.19 to LM 5.27: Shoulder and single lane closures on SR-321 from Leyland Drive and Glynn Downing Drive at the intersection of Heathwood Drive and Ooltewah-Ringgold Road. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, flaggers, and barrels/cones will be present, 04/08/24 through 04/25/24 from 9 am - 2 pm. [2023-729] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-8 (BROAD ST.) Utility Work northbound at LM 8.45: Shoulder and lane closures on SR-8 (Broad Street) from W. Main Street to W 13th Street. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, flaggers, and barrels/cones will be present, 04/18/24 through 04/22/24 from 9 am - 2 pm. [2024-232] HAMILTON COUNTY I-75 at the Hamilton Place Mall interchange: The SR-153 southbound ramp to I-75 northbound has been reduced to one lane. I-75 northbound has been shifted to the outside reducing to 3 lanes from MM 4.6 to MM 6.0. [Summers-Taylor, Inc./Chattanooga West/CNX358] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-111 construction of two small drainage structures at LM 1.7 and LM 2.4: On SR111 Northbound and Southbound from LM 1.5-2.00, traffic will be down to 1 lane on SR111 as the contractor works on the project. The motoring public needs to be careful traveling this direction as workers will be present. [Talley Construction Company, Inc./Chattanooga West/CNX344] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-29 (US-27) resurfacing from Morrison Springs Road (LM 6.1) to SR-153 (LM 11.6): During this reporting period from 7 PM-6 AM, the contractor will be temporary closing ramps from North of Morrison Springs Road to SR153 so that the contractor can saw and sealing the concrete ramps. The contractor plans to do this work Sunday through Friday nights. The contractor will be closing only 1 or 2 ramps a night as this work is ongoing. The motoring traffic is encouraged to find alternate routes to the Mountain Creek Road and SR153 ramps during this time. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Chattanooga West/CNX238] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-317 (Apison Pike) improvement project from SR-321 (Ooltewah-Ringgold Road) to east of Layton Lane: Lane closures and flagging operations will be required on SR-317, Apison Pike, for utility and grading work. The flagging operations will be performed on 04/18/24, 04/19/24, 04/22/24, 04/23/24 and 04/24/24 from 7 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 7 PM. Closures will last about 2 hours per location. The contractor will have intermittent flagging operations during daytime non-peak hours for utility work, delivery of materials and equipment. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Chattanooga East/CNT336] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-8 (US-41, US-76) Bachman Tubes cleaning: On Thursday Night of this reporting period, the contractor will be shutting down the tunnels from 8 PM-6 AM to clean it. There will be a signed detour for traffic to follow to get around the closure. [Diamond Specialized, Inc./Chattanooga West/CNX190] MCMINN COUNTY SR-2 (CONGRESS PKWY.) Utility Work southbound from LM 13 to LM 14: Shoulder and lane closures on SR-2 (Congress Pkwy) between Velma Road and Layman Road. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, and barrels/cones will be present, 01/08/24 through 05/07/24 from 7 am to 5 pm. [2023-412] MCMINN COUNTY SR-305 (HWY. 305) Utility Work both directions from LM 12.47 to LM 11.4: Shoulder and lane closures on SR-305 between S No Pone Valley Road/Old Clearwater Road and County Road 218/229. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, and barrels/cones will be present, 04/02/24 through 04/18/24 from 9 am to 2 pm. [2023-675] MCMINN COUNTY SR-68 Utility Work both directions from LM 0 to LM 1.6: Shoulder and lane closures on SR-68 between McMinn/Meigs County Line and Fraziers Grok Road. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, and barrels/cones will be present, 04/02/24 through 04/18/24 from 9 am to 2 pm. [2024-009] MCMINN COUNTY SR-39 construction of a bridge over Middle Creek (LM 13.4): During this reporting period, the Northbound and Southbound traffic will be reduced to one lane and controlled by traffic signals. County road 567 will be closed to traffic (LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY) and detoured to SR039. This closure is necessary to perform the bridge replacement. The lane restriction will remain in place until the bridge replacement is completed. [Whaley Construction, LLC/Chattanooga East/CNX069] MEIGS COUNTY SR-305 (STATE HWY. 305) Utility Work both directions from LM 0 to LM 12.17: Shoulder and lane closures on SR-305 between Meigs/McMinn County Line and the intersection of SR-305 and SR-68. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, and barrels/cones will be present, 04/02/24 through 04/18/24 from 9 am to 2 pm. [2024-007] MEIGS COUNTY SR-68 Utility Work both directions from LM 1.23 to LM 7.52: Shoulder and lane closures on SR-68 between Oak Grove Road and McMinn/Meigs County Line. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, and barrels/cones will be present, 04/02/24 through 04/10/24 from 9 am to 2 pm. [2024-008] POLK COUNTY SR-68 construction of bridge over Brush Creek (LM 16.4): During this update period, the contractor will continue clearing operations. A temporary traffic signal system is active on SR-68 near LM 16.4. The Northbound lane of SR-68 will be closed in the area controlled by the temporary traffic signal system. Motorists are advised to reduce speed and use caution in the work zone. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Cleveland/CNX347] POLK COUNTY SR-68 repair of the bridge over the Hiwassee River (LM 4.8): During this period the contractor will be installing epoxy overlay on the bridge on SR-68. Motorists are advised to reduce speed in the work zone and watch for flaggers assisting with traffic control. [Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Cleveland/CNX040] RHEA COUNTY SR-30 (DAYTON MTN. HWY.) Utility Work both directions from LM 5.31 to LM 7.66: Intermittent stoppages as well as shoulder and lane closures on SR-30 (Dayton Mountain Hwy) from Back Valley Road/Delaware Avenue to Cranmore Cove Road. Motorists should reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Trucks, signage, flaggers, and barrels/cones will be present, 04/24/24 through 04/29/24 from 9 am - 2 pm. [2023-733] Workers at the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant voted by a large majority to join the United Auto Workers. The workers voted 2,628 to 985 for union representation. There were seven challenged ballots that were not counted, because they werent determinative to the outcome of the election. There were three void ballots. The total number of eligible voters was 4,326. Officials said, "The employer must now begin bargaining in good faith with the union. Parties have five business days to file objections to the election. If no objections are filed, the result will be certified." Tennessee AFL-CIO President Billy Dycus said, "Tonight's historic victory in Chattanooga confirms what those of us in the labor movement know to be true: it's better in a union. In spite of relentless lies and scare tactics from Governor Bill Lee and other pro-business politicians, workers refused to be swayed by yet another round of attempted election interference and sent a clear message that they want a voice on the job. "The fact that this decisive win happened in a Southern state that boasts an anti-worker, Republican supermajority legislature speaks volumes about the power and solidarity of the labor movement. Across the country, including right here in Tennessee, workers are continuing to see the many benefits of union membership. This massive accomplishment is only the beginning of what's to come for organizing throughout the entire region. We congratulate the UAW on a successful, powerful campaign and look forward to welcoming their newest members into our Tennessee labor family." AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said, "We congratulate the Volkswagen workers, our UAW family and UAW President Shawn Fain for this monumental victory in Chattanooga. The victory at Volkswagens plant in Tennessee marks a historic milestone for workers across the state and the broader South. Led by a diverse coalition of young activists, this triumph challenges outdated labor laws and sets new standards for collective bargaining power. It symbolizes a shift away from the old economic model that prioritizes the profits of big corporations to a new era where working people have the power to shape our futures. "By securing fair wages, benefits and workplace protections, Chattanooga VW workers are not only improving their own lives but also raising the bar for working people across the southern region. We at the AFL-CIO are working with our affiliated unions and community allies to build infrastructure in the South to open up new avenues of innovative organizing. Workers in the South, like everywhere, are hungry for a union and a seat at the table now more than ever. "This victory sends a powerful message to corporate interests everywhere: Workers will no longer tolerate exploitation and mistreatment. Whether its autoworkers in Tennessee, film crews in Hollywood, hotel workers in Las Vegas or baristas at the local coffee shop, when working people stand together in solidarity, we have the power to enact meaningful change and usher in a brighter future for all." Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee (AFP-TN) State Director Tori Venable said, "This top-down labor approach will only hurt Chattanooga. Fridays vote represents another top-down labor approach that will have lasting negative impacts for Chattanooga and the surrounding communities. President Biden has enabled union bosses like United Automobile Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain to bully and scare workers into unionization by politicizing the workplace. President Joe Biden and Bidenomics are directly responsible for policies that are fueling increased labor and production costs, as well as unease for American workers. "These unionizations will only hurt American workers; as labor strikes have at Ford, GM, and Stellantis plants did last fall. In Tennessee, we respect the right to work and freedom to join a union or not. These workers have made their decision; we sincerely hope they are insulated from Bidenomics and corruption that plagued UAW shops in Detroit." The election results were tabulated on Friday night by the National Labor Relations Board after three days of voting. The election was watched closely in the U.S. and abroad as the first battle for the UAW to make inroads into the South. It was the third UAW bid at the sprawling plant at the Enterprise South Industrial Park at Tyner. County Mayor Weston Wamp and some members of the local legislative delegation had held a news conference near the plant to urge workers not to unionize. Governor Bill Lee also came out against joining the UAW as did five other Southern governors. Union officials said Volkswagen officials themselves had not opposed the union, saying it was common to have labor councils at the plants. Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga hosted a union election watch party at the IBEW hall. North Korea conducted a "super-large warhead" power test for a strategic cruise missile and test-fired a new anti-aircraft missile this week, state media reported Saturday, further ratcheting up tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The Missile Administration carried out the test of the warhead designed for the "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile, and test-launched its new anti-aircraft missile, the "Pyoljji-1-2," in the Yellow Sea on Friday, KCNA said, noting that a "certain goal" was achieved through the test launch. It is the first time that Pyongyang has named a missile "Pyoljji," which means "meteor" in Korean. "Both tests were part of the regular activities of the administration and its affiliated defence science institutes for the rapid development of technologies ... and had nothing to do with the surrounding situation," KCNA said in an English-language dispatch. On Feb. 3, the North said it had conducted what it called a "cruise missile super-large warhead power test" and test-fired a new type of anti-aircraft missile in the Yellow Sea the previous day. The South Korean military said it detected several rounds of cruise missiles and anti-craft missiles fired toward the Yellow Sea at around 3:30 p.m. Friday, and that it is now analyzing their detailed specifications. "Our military has been closely monitoring signs of North Korea's provocations and military activities, while maintaining the robust combined defense posture," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. (Yonhap) Recently, I profiled West Virginia native Chuck Yeager and noted that, like some other heroic folks from the Mountain State, including Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams (USMC), this ancient Appalachian region had shaped some remarkably heroic Patriots. There is another West Virginian who was a Mountain State citizen by choice, not by birth, who was also fearlessly heroic. For some related context, film producer Quentin Tarantino intentionally misspelled the title of his 2009 fictional film, Inglourious Basterds, about the recruitment of Jews for a U.S.Army commando platoon whose mission was to kill Nazis. He did so in order that his film not be confused with the 1978 movie, The Inglorious Bastards. The Basterds platoon was led by Lt. Aldo The Apache Raine, a Smoky Mountain bootlegger which is to say, a kindred spirit. He tells his recruits: Once were in enemy territory, as a bushwhackin guerrilla army, were going to be doing one thing, and one thing only, killin Nazis! Theyre the foot soldiers of a Jew-hatin, mass murderin maniac and they need to be destroyed. Among his Jewish recruits were Sgt. Donny The Bear Jew Donowitz, Cpl. Wilhelm Wicki, and a German defector, Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz - all of whom excel at killin Nazis. As Raine says to one of his Nazi prisoners before his demise, We aint in the prisoner-takin business, we in the killin Nazi business, and cousin, business is a-boomin! Their adversary is SS Col. Hans Landa, who is tasked with tracking down Raines commandos but ends up with Raines trademark inscription on his forehead - a carved swastika that forces him to bear the Nazi shame for life. The film, which concludes with the assassination of Hitler and his propagandist, Joseph Goebbels, is replete with entertainingly vindictive violence. After all, you cant go wrong killin Nazis! While many reading this are familiar with Tarantinos Inglourious Basterds, few will know the very compelling story of The Real Inglorious Bastards the true story of two incredibly brave American Army soldiers who were naturalized European Jewish refugees. Their names were Fred Mayer (1921-2016) and Hans Wijnberg (1922-2011). Mayer and his family had fled Germany for the United States in 1938, his father foreseeing what was ahead under the tyrannical regime of Adolf Hitler. Wijnberg, a Netherlands native, was sent with his twin brother to the U.S. by his father in 1939, the former also fearing the rise of Hitler. In fact, all of Wijnbergs family who remained in Europe were murdered in the Holocaust. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mayer, age 20, enlisted in the Army, where he excelled as a leader. Wijnberg enlisted two years later. Because both men were native German speakers and familiar with the regions under Nazi occupation, they were recruited from their enlisted Army assignments by the CIAs predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services, and trained as spies. Then-SGT Mayer and CPL Wijnberg were trained by the OSS in hand-to-hand combat, methods of infiltration, explosive demolition, and sniping. In one training exercise, Mayer crossed enemy lines and captured officers. When his commanding officer chastised him for breaking the rules of the war game, Mayer responded: War is not fair. The rules of war are to win. Mayer would become commander of a deadly mission, code-named Operation Greenup, and his unit included four other European Jewish refugees: George Gerbner (Hungary), Alfred Rosenthal (Germany), Bernd Steinitz (Germany), and Wijnberg, who would be their clandestine radio operator. Mayer also recruited former Austrian Wehrmacht officer Franz Weber, a devout Catholic, for Operation Greenup. In February 1945, at the apex of the Third Reichs final solution, they dared return to enemy territory as spies, subject to immediate execution if discovered. Mayer and his men parachuted into the Austrian Alps under cover of darkness in a fierce winter storm, dropping in a safe zone in the rugged mountains near Innsbruck, Austria. Their pilot, John Billings, volunteered for the drop mission, recalling, If they are crazy enough to jump there, I will be crazy enough to take them there. They were assigned to collect intelligence in Innsbruck, where they recruited other Austrian Jews to both collect intelligence and strike Nazi units. Their perilous mission was thoroughly documented by noted military historian Patrick O'Donnell in his book, They Dared Return. Brazenly, at one point Mayer even posed as a German Army officer as Wijnberg secretly communicated the intelligence Mayer collected back to the OSS. But after considerable success, Mayers ruse was discovered, and he was arrested, then subjected to torture, as his captors attempted to extract the identity of his radioman, Wijnberg. Mayer used his wit and resolve to counter his interrogators, and in fact, against all odds, he ultimately negotiated the surrender of the German occupiers and collaborators of Innsbruck. At the same time Mayer was being tortured, another American agent, Hermann Matull, was also being interrogated by the Gestapo. Shown a photo of Mayers beaten and battered body, Matull determined that the only way he could save his friend was to claim Mayer was a big shot in the American operations in Austria and that, with the end of the war imminent, anyone who killed Mayer would be pursued by American forces and shot like a rat. Matull insisted that the only authority who should interrogate Mayer was the Gauleiter of Tyrol and Vorarlberg, Franz Hofer, knowing that Hofer believed the fall of the Reich was close and would want to negotiate his own surrender. Indeed, upon hearing of Mayers arrest and interrogation, Hofer ordered the Gestapo to bring Mayer to him. Hofer dined with Mayer, who believed this was a ploy to find out the name of his radio operator, Wijnberg. But Mayer soon realized that Hofer and Rudolph Rahn, the German ambassador to Mussolinis government, actually wanted to discuss their surrender and that of Innsbruck. He arranged for Rahn to get a message to OSS senior officer Allen Dulles, still protecting the identity of radio operator Wijnberg. Dulles received the message from Rahn and relayed it by cable to OSS headquarters in Italy: Fred Mayer reports he is in Gestapo hands but cabled Dont worry about me, Im really not bad off. This from a Jew arrested by the SS. Typically discounting his own condition and safety, Mayer actually had been badly tortured. On the morning of May 3, 1945, as Americas Seventh Army, 103rd Infantry Division was poised to capture Innsbruck, the American line was approached by a car with a white bedsheet flying on a pole a surrender flag. Intelligence officer MAJ Bland West recalls that a young man emerged from the car with a swollen face and identified himself as 1LT Mayer of the OSS, presumably so West would put more credence in the word of an officer than a Sergeant. He took West to the German commanders, where, indeed, they surrendered. For the record, the entire German and Austrian contingent in the region actually surrendered to a Jewish Sergeant! After I first read the authentic accounts of Fred Mayers daring mission a decade ago, it was clear to me that his leadership, his refusal under torture to give up any of his fellow Jewish spies, and his missions success due to his valorous actions far above the call of duty qualified him for the Medal of Honor. In fact, in September 1945, he was nominated for the Medal of Honor by his commanding officer, who affirmed that Mayer knowingly and willingly risked his life almost daily. But the War Department rejected Mayers nomination for reasons that are far from clear or acceptable. William Casey, former OSS operative and Ronald Reagans director of Central Intelligence, said that Operation Greenup was by far the most successful of OSS operations in southern Europe. Charles Pinck, former president of the OSS Society, observed, When OSS founder Gen. William Donovan said that OSS personnel performed some of the bravest acts of the war, he must have had Fred Mayer in mind. He noted further, What he accomplished was just astonishing: He saved thousands of lives on both sides. For his actions, Mayer was awarded the Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal, and American Campaign Medal, among others. However, not only was his fitting nomination for the Medal of Honor rejected, but his recommendation for a Distinguished Service Cross, which had been awarded to other OSS members for far less valorous actions, was also rejected. In April 2013, almost 70 years after Operation Greenup, former Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) appealed to then-President Barack Obama to reconsider Mayers service record. Obama responded with a letter to Mayer thanking him for his service. In 2014, the Department of Defense reviewed Medal of Honor nominations that may not have advanced because of some element of discrimination and rectified that by awarding Medals to 24 veterans. Fred Mayer was not among them. Of that rejection, Mayer said: I did my job, and thats all that really mattered. I didnt do it to get a medal, thats for sure. Mayer survived World War II. He lived out his years after the war in the small community of Charles Town, West Virginia, dying at age 94 in 2016. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said of Mayer upon his death: He was a true American hero and an emblem of courage. When he was captured, he exemplified what it is to be a true American hero. Mr. Mayer refused to give up sensitive information and instead convinced his captors to arrange a meeting with senior Nazi leaders. The subsequent meeting led to the surrender of a key Austrian post. His valor is an example to all who serve. In November of last year, knowing as a Democrat he would likely not win reelection in West Virginia, Manchin announced he would not seek reelection in 2024. However, perhaps as his last notable act as a senator, he should take up this case and ensure that a Medal of Honor is finally and fittingly approved for Fred Mayer. Fred Mayer: Your example of valor a humble American Patriot defending Liberty for all above and beyond the call of duty, and in disregard for the peril to your own life - is eternal. Greater love has no one than this, to lay down ones life for his friends. (John 15:13) Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis Pro Deo et Libertate - 1776 * * * Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform - Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen - standing in harms way in defense of American Liberty, and for Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to support our hometown National Medal of Honor Sustaining Fund. Make a check payable to NMoH Sustaining Fund and mail to: Patriot Foundation Trust, PO Box 407, Chattanooga, TN 37401-0407. Visit the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center at Aquarium Plaza. ( https://www.MOHHC.org In Brooklyn agitators burned American flags chanted Death to America waving the flag of Hezbollah and displayed a poster that read, Free Palestine or Else. (Hindustan Times) Or else what? Activists in MI were instructed in how to say death to America in Farsi, the language of Iran (Daily Caller 4/15/51). Many Americans wont hear about this since leftists like NPR defend it as just words (11/14/13). That confirms claims by whistleblower, Uri Berliner, suspended for exposing the far left bias at NPR before he resigned. It reveals feelings these radicals are harboring when they scream death to America. Over a hundred, including the daughter of Rep Ilhan Omar, D-MN, were arrested at Columbia University. Omars daughter is a student at Columbia-related Barnard College where tuition is $64,000 a year and dorms $20,000 a year. No wonder Omar wants student debt paid by taxpayers (MinnPost 6/24/19). NPR didnt report this, perhaps they thought it would be wasting listeners time.In another example of bias, Rachel Martin on NPRs Morning Edition (10/30/19) hosted Peter Zwack discussing his friend Lt Col Alexander Vindman, the Ukrainian-born member of the US Military who was a primary whistleblower in Trumps impeachment. It was praise from the NPR host for Vindman as the target was Trump, but when Uri Berliner blew the whistle, the NPR jackboot of der Geheime Staatspolizei came down on him.How long must Jewish Americans endure threats excused as merely words?How long must we watch as radicals, some here on visas, scream death to America in whatever language, while our citizens are still in jail for a protest on Jan 6 in DC?How long must taxpayers pay certain student debt, possibly including those shouting death to America?How long must taxpayers support an echo of Radio Havana Cuba? Let NPR go the way of Air America Radio which spewed libtalk about how bad America is until it dried up both in ideas and financial support.Ralph Miller * * * Ms. Omar has faced criticism, but her child doesnt meet the eligibility criteria for loan forgiveness. Also, her child is an adult so her actions are hers. Ms. Boebert's son has a ton of felonies and no one is bothering her let them handle their business. To qualify under the SAVE Plan, a borrower must be enrolled in the SAVE Plan, have made at least 10 years of payments, and originally borrowed $12,000 or less for college. Additionally, for every $1,000 borrowed above $12,000, additional forgiveness is granted after an extra year of payments. All borrowers on SAVE receive forgiveness after 20 or 25 years, depending on whether they have graduate school loans. With her income level I doubt she qualifies or would even need the money. My generation was often told that college was the only path, we should have been told the truth that trade schools were a great option without the debt. Those loans are a hill you are never going to get over for the most part. College loans are burdensome, and the system needs reform. College should be free, especially for critical professions like nursing and teaching. In my opinion it only would bolster our economy by having these positions filled that we cannot fill right now. Lastly you mentioned the hate crimes or speech against Jewish-Americans. Hate crimes, including anti-Semitism, should be condemned consistently. Historically, the top three hate crimes in America are Anti-Black, Anti-Jewish, and Anti-LGBTQIA+ in that order. Prioritizing awareness and action against hate crimes is essential every day, not just when it becomes a hot topic. As a black man I have mentioned certain things I have gone through and have been told to suck it up or move on some are the same things that are happening right now to Jewish-Americans. If its bad for them, its bad for all of us. Lets be consistent. We are all Americans. Let's love each other and be United like we're supposed to be. Have a blessed day. Christopher Cooper The holiday that makes all tequila lovers happy is approaching us Cinco De Mayo! The holiday is a celebration of Mexicos victory at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, and in the United States, it is mainly used to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture. One of peoples favorite ways to do that is by drinking an ice-cold margarita. While a classic margarita with lime will forever be a beloved drink by many, sometimes, you want to change things up! This drink recipe is not your typical margarita. Its for those who love the classic margarita but also enjoy the bubbly goodness of champagne. Say hello to the Champagne Margarita a blend of the classic margarita flavors topped with the bubbly zip of champagne. If youre looking for a new drink to sip on Cinco De Mayo and cant decide between a margarita or something bubbly, heres how to make a Champagne Margarita! Champagne Margarita Ingredients: 3 ounces of tequila of choice 2 ounces of lime juice 1 ounce of simple syrup 1/2 ounce of triple sec 1 bottle of champagne of choice Fresh lime juice (for rim) Kosher salt (for rim) Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Home News Supreme Court of Finland to hear 'hate speech' charges against Christian MP over Bible tweet The Supreme Court of Finland confirmed Friday that Finnish parliamentarian Paivi Rasanen will face trial a third time over her five-year-old Bible verse tweet that criticized the Finnish Lutheran Church for promoting LGBT "pride month." Rasanen, who led Finland's Christian Democratic Party from 2004 to 2015 and served as the country's interior minister from 2011 to 2015, is being dragged into court again despite having been acquitted twice by lower courts on hate crime charges, according to a statement from lawyers at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International. Police began investigating the grandmother of 11 shortly after her 2019 tweet in which she posted a photo from the book of Romans and questioned how the Finnish Lutheran Church could agree with "shame and sin" being presented as "a matter of pride." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Investigators also dredged up a pamphlet she published in 2004 with Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, titled "Male and Female He Created Them: Homosexual relationships challenge the Christian concept of humanity." In April 2021, after subjecting her to 13 hours of interrogation over several months, Finland's prosecutor general used Rasanen's tweet, pamphlet and a radio interview to charge her with three counts of "agitation against a minority group," which falls under the umbrella of the "war crimes and crimes against humanity" section in Finnish law. Pohjola was also charged for having published Rasanen's pamphlet two decades ago. The Helsinki Court of Appeal unanimously acquitted Rasanen and Pohjola in November, which followed a similar acquittal by the three-judge District Court of Helsinki in March 2022. The state prosecutor is appealing their acquittal a third time on two of the charges, demanding that the two face tens of thousands of euros in fines and that their work be censored. Rasanen's next court date has not yet been determined. The situation has drawn international media attention and prompted outrage from human rights experts. "In my case the investigation has lasted almost five years, has involved untrue accusations, several long police interrogations totaling more than 13 hours, preparations for court hearings, the District Court hearing, and a hearing in the Court of Appeal," Rasanen said in a statement. "This was not just about my opinions, but about everyone's freedom of expression. I hope that with the ruling of the Supreme Court, others would not have to undergo the same ordeal. I have considered it a privilege and an honor to defend freedom of expression, which is a fundamental right in a democratic state," she added. Paul Coleman, executive director of ADF International, likened Rasanen's case to something from the Middle Ages and warned of "creeping censorship" afflicting the historically free nations of Europe. "In a democratic Western nation in 2024, nobody should be on trial for their faith yet throughout the prosecution of Paivi Rasanen and Bishop Pohjola, we have seen something akin to a 'heresy' trial, where Christians are dragged through court for holding beliefs that differ from the approved orthodoxy of the day," Coleman said. The state's persistence in going after Rasanen and Pohjola for nearly half a decade despite multiple acquittals is "alarming," Coleman said, fearing "the process is the punishment in such instances, resulting in a chill on free speech for all citizens observing." "Their right to speak freely is everyone's right to speak freely," he added. European governments have increasingly clamped down on speech critical of homosexuality in recent years. Earlier this month, France's gender equality minister Aurore Berge called for the prosecution of Father Matthieu Raffray, a Roman Catholic priest who drew the ire of the state for describing homosexual inclinations as "a weakness" that must be fought like any other sin. In Malta, Matthew Grech faced criminal charges under the country's conversion therapy ban last year for giving his Christian testimony about leaving a homosexual lifestyle on a radio show. The radio hosts who gave him a platform were also charged. Speaking about proposed anti-hate speech legislation in Ireland that would apply to sexual orientation, ADF CEO Kristen Waggoner told The Christian Post in December that her organization perceives "a global trend toward censorship." "And it's not just a disregard for free speech; it's an active targeting to silence speech by the government," she said, adding that the United States is not immune to such trends despite the U.S. Constitution. Home News Pastor John Lindell claims Mark Driscoll tried to divide his church and family, urges him to repent James River Church Pastor John Lindell accused Pastor Mark Driscoll of attempting to overthrow him as the leader of his church and dividing his family and congregation by unfairly attacking as demonic a performance by a professional sword swallower and admitted male stripper at the Stronger Mens Conference in Missouri. In an address to his congregation in Springfield on Wednesday night, Lindell laid out in detail how even though he is aware that Magala is a born-again Christian, Driscoll accused him of being under the influence of a Jezebel spirit. Lindell also alleged that Driscoll accused his son, Brandon, of a list of dark sins; urged another son, David, to take control of the church and separate himself from his father and brother. Lindell said Driscoll also refused to publicly apologize even when he was told that his narrative about Magala was dangerous. He noted that the staff of both James River Church as well as those at the Assemblies of God headquarters the base of the Pentecostal denomination to which Lindells church is attached had received threats to the point where they had to start sending calls to voicemail. Let me say this, I get absolutely no joy or delight out of doing this to someone that I've called a friend. Mark, if you are listening to this message, we love you, and it's with a heavy heart that we are calling you to repent. Jimmy Evans has called you to repent. The presence of God and of Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, Mark, we call on you to publicly repent, Lindell pleaded. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe We are calling you to publicly repent for refusing to stop the spread of lies regarding Alex Magala, a Christian brother. Mark, we are calling you to publicly repent for sowing disunity in the Body of Christ. Mark, we are calling you to publicly repent for covertly trying to divide brothers and making false and slanderous accusations against Brandon Lindell. Mark, we are calling you to publicly repent for trying to create division in the Lindell family all the while saying you love us. Mark, we are calling you to publicly repent for trying to destroy James River Church through attacking its leadership. To those who follow Mark Driscoll Ministries in light of what has been presented, you should reconsider your relationship and support of Mark Driscoll Ministries, Lindell declared. To those who have passed on information from social media and other sources that tonight has been shown to be false, you, too, need to repent. And not just before God, that is certainly where it starts, but repent by going to those with whom you have shared false information and set the record straight, he insisted. Doing it through the same Manner and with the same platforms as you spread the false information. Lindell said that Magala has been a born-again Christian for approximately 10 years and is married with children. Magala is also a member of Mosaic Church in Los Angeles, California, led by Erwin McManus. While Alex was here, he participated in worship, and when he was taken to the airport, our James River Church host watched as Alex boldly shared his faith with an individual. Yes, Alex, like many Christians, has a past, but he has been made a new creation. He's been made a new creation through his faith in Jesus Christ. In 2016, while Magalas star was rising as a family-friendly sword swallower on "Britain's Got Talent," a Daily Mail report revealed that Magala had also worked as a pole-dancing striptease artist in Los Angeles and Las Vegas for women and gay men. My life is like a movie, Magala told the publication. Perhaps you've seen in films when a killer gets a text about his next victim. I have the same story. I receive the address of the club, the time, and the color of underwear. I arrive at the place: lights, music, fire. Magala did not respond when asked by The Christian Post if he had been involved in any of those activities recently, but he did explain in a statement published Wednesday on Instagram that Driscoll is criticizing his actions as a desperate 21-year-old immigrant from Moldova. After my performance at James River Church conference a 53 year old pastor was judging a 21 year old me. Well, to put it in a perspective I wanted to offer Pastor @markdriscoll to move into a country on another side of the planet, like China, or Russia that he never been before, that he has almost zero knowledge of the language, zero friends, zero family, and $60 in his pocket. And see how he is gonna make it, Magala said. Believe me, I tried. I couldnt find any job. So I spent $35 (out of $60) on the sword and was performing on streets Hollywood blvd. The rest of money I spent on milk and oatmeal. In my first performance I got a tip of $4.50. And I wouldve continued, but the injuries from sword swallowing wouldnt allow me to perform often. I just ran out of oatmeal. ... Also I wanted to add, [e]veryone finds God in his own time, he noted. In his critique of Magalas performance at the Stronger Mens Conference, which ran from April 11-12, at the Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield Driscoll objected to the performance, arguing that it invoked the Jezebel spirit over the conference. Before the word of God was open, there was a platform. It was a high place. On it was a pole, an Asherah. The same thing that's used in a strip club for women who have the Jezebel spirit to seduce men. In front of that was a man who ripped his shirt off, like a woman does in front of a pole at a strip club, he explained in open rebuke of the church before he was interrupted by Lindell, who said he was out of line for what he did. Not everyone at the conference was happy with Driscolls removal from the stage and video shared by Protestia on X show that Driscoll was eventually brought back and he admitted he did not handle the situation well. Driscoll referred to Lindell as a good pastor and spiritual father who had been there for him and his family during the toughest seasons of his life. Lindell admitted that as Driscoll was calling out the Jezebel spirit, he told his sons that he was like John the Baptist. Marks a prophetic voice to our generation, Lindell said. Nothing about what was said changes that. And Mark and I talked. We went outside where we could be alone so we could talk, and we reaffirmed our friendship. And Mark, I want you to know, youre a gift to the Kingdom. Youre a gift to James River. Lindell said on stage at the conference that if Driscoll had concerns, he should have handled it in a biblical manner as described in Matthew 18. The pastor added that even though Driscoll acknowledged to him that he mishandled the situation, he has never apologized and has continued to allow his claims against Magala to harm James River Church, so he decided to apply the Matthew 18 response to the conflict. Jesus said if your brother sins against you, go, and show him his fault just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over but if he will not listen take one or two others along so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them tell it to the church and if he refuses to listen even to the church treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector, Lindell said. In those verses, Jesus gives us a three-step process for resolving conflicts not just conflicts between believers, but a plan for confronting sinful behavior. Step one, you go to the person and point out their fault just between the two of you. Step two, if the person does not repent, you involve one to two other people. Step three, if they refuse, you tell it to the church. It's with great sadness that I let you know we are at step three. Lindell noted that Magala was mentored by Dan Meyer, the leader of Sword Swallowers Association International who is a multiple Guinness world record holder in sword swallowing. Meyer is also a member of Driscoll's congregation issued a statement on Magalas performance at the conference. It wasn't a raunchy male pole dance or stripper performance. Alex is the top of his field as a master in the classical 12th century martial arts acrobatic discipline called Chinese pole acrobatics, which he performed at the Olympics. This is way different than a male stripper. It's like comparing classical ballet with strip tease, no comparison, Meyer said as part of a statement that Lindell shared with the church. Lindell also noted Driscoll was the only person who complained to him about Magalas performance, and argued that the Arizona preacher manufactured the controversy as a publicity stunt. Mark could have easily contacted one of his own congregants to find out more about Alex or even contacted Alex's manager, but it seems that Mark is more interested in the controversy that will sell books, gain clicks, and increase donations to his ministry, Lindell said. He then explained what happened after he stopped Driscolls message at the conference last Friday night. After I stopped Mark's message and calmed the crowd, I ran backstage to find Mark and was told that he had left for the airport. I ran into the parking area and Mark got out of the car and as he came up to me, he said, Well, that didn't go very well. To which I responded, Mark, you were out of line. And he said, No, I don't think so. I said, Mark, Matthew 18 is really clear on this. If you were offended by last night's performance you should have talked to me about it first, because in Matthew 18, it says if your brother sins against you go and show him his fault just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. To which Mark responded, Well, I couldn't help it. The Spirit of God came upon me. My response was, Mark, that's not true, Lindell continued. The Bible says the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, so don't say you couldn't help it because that is not what the Bible says, and the Holy Spirit is never going to encourage you to do something that contradicts His word. Mark, you should have talked to me first, the Missouri megachurch pastor recalled. Lindell said Driscolls spiritual advisor, Jimmy Evans, also confronted him about his behavior and they made efforts to smooth things over before he left the conference. A part of that effort included them taking a picture together, but Driscoll insisted that he should be the one to post the photo to his social media first. At that point, I was thinking that things were settled. When Mark returned to Scottsdale, Arizona, he sent me the following text at 5:10 p.m. Pastor John it's Mark here. I just landed back in Phoenix. I feel like I'm watching a strange Netflix show I happen to be in. Thank you for 16 years of deep deposits and friendship. I love, appreciate, and respect you very much ... Lindell explained that the story took a strange turn on Saturday night when Driscoll started sending his son, David, a series of texts regarding Magala and said that his team had created a file that reflects behavior thats completely demonic. In total, Mark sent eight texts to David Lindell that stopped at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. On Sunday after church, I texted Mark the following text at 1:48 p.m. Mark I wanted to respond to your text for additional context. Alex Magala is a believer and participated in worship at every opportunity. He is a Christian regardless of the sin of his past. His shirtless performance was similar to the Ramadhani Brothers, Lindell said. As for the pole, it is a Chinese acrobat pole. The Chinese pole dates back to at least the 12th century, around 900 years ago. By contrast, women's erotic pole dancing is less than 100 years old. To suggest that a professional acrobat using a device that's been around for a thousand years is in the same category as an erotic dancer is at best misinformed or uninformed, he noted. We Stand by the decision because Alex is a believer. I will defend him in the same way I have repeatedly stood by you and defended you, Lindell said to applause from his congregation. He said he told Driscoll that if he kept pressing the issue he would seek mediation. Within minutes after sending that text, the post with our picture together was removed from Mark's account, Lindell said. On Sunday evening at 7:43 Mark texted, Pastor John, thank you for your response. I love you and your family as well. My plan is to be saying and doing nothing but praying. I texted back less than an hour later at 8:36 p.m. Mark, thank you. That's great, I love you. Do you see the deception, Lindell then asked his congregants. Mark expressed love on the one hand but took the picture down. He knew that Alex was a Christian, but it would seem that storyline would ruin his ability to generate clicks and sales. Instantly on Monday, the word spread like wildfire about Alex. One can only wonder how that happened. Lindell said Driscoll also called his son, David, and left him a voicemail at 11:37 p.m. on Saturday night and shared his concern about Magala. He also called him on Monday but did not leave a message. He said shortly after noon on Monday he told David to return Driscolls call. On the call, Lindell said Driscoll told David that there is something wrong at James River Church. Among other things, Driscoll raised concern about a mixture of the sinful and the sacred. Driscoll urged David Lindell to separate himself from his father and brother, Brandon, who he allegedly described as a broken man. He went on to accuse Brandon of a list of dark sins, Lindell said. Driscoll also allegedly encouraged David Lindell to differentiate and become the leader of James River Church. What kind of person says those things? Let me say this, Brandon is a man of God in every sense of the word. In fact, I will take it a step further, David is a man of God in every sense of the word, Lindell said to applause. Lindell said even though he tried to get Driscolls spiritual advisor to mediate the conflict nothing has worked. Dr. Jimmy Evans informed Mark that what he was doing and not stopping these things regarding Alex's past and James River Church was resulting in death threats and horrible abuse to our James River Church receptionists, so much so that for the first time ever we shut down our switchboard and put all calls to voicemail, Lindell said. Our receptionists were frightened and were in tears yesterday. I was preaching in Arizona where the Assemblies of God General Superintendent, Doug Clay, was also preaching. Following our preaching he asked to visit with me and said that the national headquarters of the Assemblies of God had also received violent threats and such disturbing interaction with callers that they, too, shut down their reception to this point, he added. Jimmy encouraged Mark to say something to calm things down. To this point Mark has done nothing to calm down the vigilante acts of his followers, which brings us tonight to the third step in Matthew Chapter 18. Matthew 18:17 says if he refuses to listen to them tell it to the church, and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. That means if he doesn't listen to the rebuke of tonight, any believer should not have anything to do with Mark Driscoll. Home News Columbine survivor says mission trip to Africa helped him let go of his anger A survivor of the Columbine High School massacre whose sister was murdered in the Colorado school shooting recounted how a mission trip to Africa helped him understand the importance of truly letting go of anger in an attitude of forgiveness. Speaking to The Christian Post from Denver amid media interviews he has been doing this week to mark the 25th anniversary of the tragedy, 41-year-old Craig Scott shared how his horrific experience on April 20, 1999, equipped him to speak into some of the deepest pains of today's young people. 'Get out of there' Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Scott was only 16 years old when he heard loud popping sounds while studying for a biology test at a table in the school library with his friend Matt Kechter. The sounds were the first gunshots fired by seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, which prompted Scott to hide beneath a table with his friend. Most of the shooters' victims were killed in the library that day, and Scott was overcome with terror after witnessing the murder of Kechter and his other friend Isaiah Shoels. As he cowered beneath the table covered in blood, Scott prayed for God to remove his fear. Days after the shooting, he claimed during an interview on the "Today" show that after he cried out to God, he heard a voice in his mind instructing him to escape the library, which is a story he maintains a quarter-century later. "I just ended up laying on the floor," Scott said in 1999. "I was praying to God to give me courage and to keep protection over us. He told me to get out of there. God told me to get out of there." He would help other students escape from the library, where the shooters killed most of their victims. Police informed Scott and his family the next day that his sister, 17-year-old Rachel Joy Scott, was the first student Harris and Klebold killed. They reportedly taunted her for her outspoken Christian faith at gunpoint before taking her life. After murdering 12 students and a teacher, Harris and Klebold took their own lives in the library. Twenty-one others suffered gunshot wounds and three more were injured amid the chaos. 'I was becoming more like the shooters' Rachel Scott's story would go on to inspire Rachel's Challenge, a bullying and school violence prevention nonprofit, and prompted Craig to speak out about the pain he had experienced. During an interview with CNN in 2012, Scott recounted how the anger he harbored toward his sister's murderers threatened to drag him into the same spiritual darkness that had consumed them. He remembered a moment when he exploded in rage toward his close younger brother, terrifying him as he pulled a knife on him. "I was outside of myself, and I realized I was becoming more like the shooters as I focused on them and held on to my anger and hatred toward them," Scott said at the time. Scott told CP that he began learning to let go of his anger after being invited to take his sister's place in her planned mission trip to Africa with an Evangelical youth organization. While ministering to hurting people living in refugee camps, he said he met people who had suffered even worse losses than he had, which taught him the healing power of gratitude and forgiveness. "I met a person who had lost 17 members of their family due to their whole tribe being killed but still lived a life of forgiveness," he said, adding that he returned from the two-month trip realizing that he never has a reason to complain about anything. "I remember in Africa, I began to really let go," he said. "And how I would do it is, I would literally take my emotion of anger in my hands as if it were physical thing, and I would just release it up to Heaven. I would give it to God. And it wasn't a one-time thing. I would have to do it again and again, especially as I saw [the shooters'] faces on the news." 'It's a spiritual issue' One aspect of what angered Scott when he was young was the news stories that presented Harris and Klebold as victims by suggesting that relentless bullying had pushed them to the edge. "That was not a big factor into why Columbine happened," he said. Scott, who had interacted with both shooters before the massacre, maintained that they both had friends at school and that Harris often lied and "was probably more of a bully than bullied." Klebold, by contrast, was prone to fits of rage and was suicidally depressed and "thought he didn't matter," Scott said. Citing their journals, Scott noted that both boys focused on the negative in life, with Harris seeing the worst in other people and Klebold seeing the worst in himself. "To me, it's a deeper issue; it's a spiritual issue and an issue dealing also with mental health," he said regarding Harris, Klebold and other school shooters. "But the problems are in the hearts of young people, and that's also where the solutions are." Scott, who began speaking publicly about his experience when he was 18 and has since addressed hundreds of schools and millions of people, said he always emphasizes the importance of focusing on the good things in life when he speaks. Noting how society has become much more merciless and unforgiving than when he was growing up, he observed how increasing numbers of young people he meets are battling loneliness, depression and thoughts of suicide, which he said statistically pose a greater threat to young people than a school shooting. "The bigger issue is the loneliness and depression," he said. "Suicide is the second leading cause of death among teenagers in our country, so that's a much bigger issue. But you don't combat problems by just focusing on the problem, you combat problems by focusing on the solution." He also noted that such negative emotions have only worsened in the past 25 years with the advent of social media. "Have you ever been so angry that you held on to that anger for a long time? Imagine that you never let it go and then you fed it," Scott said in response to those who question how a school shooter could perpetrate such heinous acts. "And imagine that you just started seeing the worst in everybody and everything, disconnecting yourself from other people, and then choosing very negative, hateful influences through media, which any kid can find," he added. "Now, can you see how it could happen?" Scott, who has struggled with depression, said he has come to believe that the solution to depression and other negative emotions such as loneliness, anger and hatred is "thankfulness and gratitude." 'Forgiveness sets you free' Forgiveness is a major step along the path to healing, Scott said. "There's a time for emotion after something unjust happens in your life, but if you're holding onto it for years and years, then you become a prisoner of unforgiveness," Scott said. "What people misunderstand is that forgiveness is for you," he said. "Forgiveness sets you free. It's not always for the other person. Sometimes, we forgive, and that person isn't even in our life. It's letting go of our right to be angry." Because holding on to the right to be angry is often logically justified, Scott acknowledged that forgiveness is often difficult, but he noted that followers of Christ are called to it. "Spiritually, you're supposed to choose the path to forgiveness," he said. "Forgiveness is an attitude. It's not just a one-time event. It's an attitude that we embrace: that I'm a forgiving person, I will let go of the offenses that others cause against me, and I'll be free from that." "And that's a great way to live," he added. Scott, who operates a website, is rolling out a new podcast on Saturday called "Pain into Purpose," which features the stories of others who have found meaning through their suffering. Home News Israel strikes Iranian military base in apparent response to missile attack The Israeli military conducted a strike on Iran Friday, targeting a military air base near Isfahan, marking Israels first military response to Irans assault last weekend. The action, though initially limited in scope, drew reactions from global leaders urging de-escalation to prevent a broader regional conflict. Two Israeli and three Iranian officials confirmed the strike, The New York Times reported. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe However, Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility, and the specifics of the missile types used and their exact impacts remain undisclosed. According to Iranian officials, the attack involved small quadcopters, likely launched from within Iran, a claim substantiated by the lack of detection of any breach in Iranian airspace on Friday. Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Irans foreign minister, while attending United Nations meetings in New York, told Irans state news agency that the strike did not result in casualties or significant damage. He criticized the portrayal of the attack by Israel, suggesting a manipulation of the narrative to depict a strategic victory. The strike at the Eighth Shekari Air Base in Isfahan was significant, targeting a critical component of Irans air defense system. Analysis of satellite imagery by The Times revealed damage to the flap-lid radar, crucial for tracking incoming targets using the S-300 system. Amid the rising tensions, a group of House Democrats in the U.S. is rallying opposition against a proposed $26 billion aid package for Israel. They liken the decision to pivotal historical votes like those for the Iraq war, emphasizing the moral implications of continuing support for Israeli military actions, particularly in Gaza. The situation escalated with Irans extensive missile and drone assault on Israel last Saturday, described by Iranian officials as a significant escalation in the long-standing shadow war between the two nations. The Iranian assault involved a sophisticated deployment of over 300 drones and missiles, described by Israels military as a potential escalator to major conflict. Despite the heavy barrage, Israeli defenses intercepted the majority of the projectiles, preventing major damage. Irans stance, articulated by Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Irans Parliament speaker, is that the limited nature of Israels retaliation demonstrates Irans successful deterrence strategy. Mohammadis comments via Telegram highlighted that while Israel showcased its operational reach, it also acknowledged the need to temper its military actions, The Times notes. The White House and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have maintained a cautious approach, focusing on diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region rather than commenting on the specifics of the military exchanges. At a recent G7 meeting, discussions centered around de-escalation, reflecting a broad international desire to avoid further conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a press briefing Friday that the U.S. has not been involved in any offensive operations by Israel. Were focused on what the G7 is focused on, Blinken said. Reflected in our statement, and in our conversation is our work to de-escalate tensions, to de-escalate from any potential conflict. Home News Trans-identified student arrested for allegedly planning school shooting, 'set world record for kills' Female student claimed to be Jesus Christ and was going to crucify 'himself' Montgomery County police have charged an 18-year-old trans-identified high school student in connection with plans to commit a school shooting. Authorities discovered a 129-page document that detailed her plans to carry out the shooting at a high school and elementary school, stating that little kids make easier targets. The writings belong to Andrea Ye of Rockville, Maryland, a student who identifies as a boy and goes by the name Alex. On Wednesday, the Montgomery County Police Department arrested the teenager following a joint investigation between the police and the FBI Baltimore Field Office. According to an MCPD press release, the FBI notified the police about the 129-page memo that appeared to contain the students plans to commit a mass shooting at Wootton High School and Lakewood Elementary School. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The police took the student into custody, and she was charged with threats to commit mass violence. Ye is being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit while she awaits a bond hearing. An arrest warrant contains excerpts from Yes writings, which stated that her goal was to set the world record for the most amount of kills in a shooting. While Ye claimed that the writings were a work of fiction, someone with whom she shared the document with contacted the police last month after noticing that the character in the supposed story bore a striking resemblance to Ye. The students writings stated that she would "cherry pick the classrooms that are the easiest targets." Another line reads: "I have also considered shooting up my former elementary school because little kids make easier targets." The person Ye shared the document with, referred to as Witness One in the arrest warrant, contacted the Baltimore County Police Department, which called on the Rockville Police Department to conduct a welfare check on March 3. According to the report, Yes family denied the police entry and refused to show them the writings that had created cause for concern without a warrant. Shortly after police responded to Ye's residence, Ye revoked access to the document from Witness-One. Witness-One did not finish reading the document and did not know if additional information relating to details of a school shooting existed in the document, the arrest warrant stated. Sergeant Saffar of the MCPD BAAU/Threat Assessment Team was notified of the event on 03/04/2024. Sergeant Saffar immediately recognized Alex Ye from prior threat assessment investigations. According to the report, Ye was previously hospitalized in December 2022 for homicidal and suicidal thoughts, and for threatening to shoot up a school. The teenager was eventually released from the hospital in January 2023; however, the report noted that Ye was still preoccupied with self-harming, school shootings, and explosives. As reported to MCPD and FBI investigators, from approximately [Feb. 20, 2023, to July 20, 2023,] Ye was hospitalized at Johns Hopkins Pediatric Unit for the homicidal ideations, the document stated. Ye also claimed to be Jesus Christ and was going to crucify himself. When Ye was discharged, he was sent to a residential facility. The arrest warrant also showed Yes search engine history, which included queries about various school shootings from the past few years and nearby gun ranges. In addition to the search history, the arrest warrant included a December 2023 Instagram message Ye wrote that reads, Yeah but also I feel like shooting people would be fun and causing fear. Another message Ye wrote that same month stated, I've also told way too many people that I want to shoot up my school like random people know. Yes search engine history also included queries about the March 2023 Covenant School shooting in Nashville, Tennessee. The shooter in that case, who also was a woman who identified as trans, killed three 9-year-old students and three adults. Home News Youth pastor charged with sexually assaulting minor; wife says he's 'absolutely innocent' Family members of a former California youth pastor facing multiple sex crime charges related to the alleged yearslong assault of a minor beginning when she was 8 claim that he is innocent. Youth Pastor Brett Bymaster, formerly of San Jose's The River Church Community until his departure in 2019, was arrested on April 11 and faces six charges of felony sex abuse. He remained behind bars until Friday after a judge reportedly allowed him to post bail at a reduced amount. According to court documents, Bymaster is charged with six counts of a lewd or lascivious act on a child by force, violence, duress menace and fear. The acts involve a child as young as 8 during his time at The River Church, according to prosecuting charges cited by San Jose Spotlight. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Bymaster's wife, Angela, told ABC 7 News that she believes the allegations against her husband are false. "Brett is a kind and honest man who has dedicated his life to helping others," she was quoted as saying. "This outrageous accusation against my husband are [patently] false. He is absolutely innocent. I have faith that the truth will ultimately prevail," Angela Bymaster said. Matthew Gatkuch, who was born in Sudan and adopted by the pastor 16 years ago, also defended him, telling the local television news outlet that individuals "are lying to ruin his career because he is winning and he is a Christian guy." "They're having their own company right now and people getting mad at them because they are doing their own good for the community," Gatkuch said. Bymaster's arrest was announced on Monday. The San Jose Police Department said in a statement that the charges stemmed from an investigation begun in January. "During the course of the investigation, an adult female survivor disclosed that an adult male suspect sexually assaulted her multiple times between 2014 and 2018 when she was a minor," the police statement reads. "Detectives identified the suspect as Brett Bymaster. Suspect Bymaster was a youth pastor at the River Church Community during the time of the incident. He was also volunteering at afterschool programs outside of the church." The church announced the launch of a third-party investigation by a sexual abuse investigator in January 2024, which prompted the police investigation, River Church's Interim Board Chair Cameron Ashizawa previously told San Jose Spotlight. The church's third-party investigation continues. "We are deeply saddened by these developments and continue to express our concerns, prayers, and support for the young people who have bravely raised their voices, for all victims of abuse, and for our entire church community during these distressing times," the church shared in a statement with media outlets. "Our congregational leaders were contacted by the San Jose Police Department soon after the latest investigation launched. We have been fully cooperative. Our previous employment reviews identified performance deficiencies leading to Mr. Bymaster's departure in 2019. The subsequent 2021 pastoral inquiry further resulted in numerous substantive findings of inappropriate and unprofessional conduct by Mr. Bymaster." Government fails to address real issues behind mass goat fatalities By KTimes The long-tailed goral, a species both classified as endangered and recognized as a national treasure, has faced significant mortality issues over the past five years, with six out of 10 deaths attributed to exhaustion and starvation. This issue is especially severe in the regions of Hwacheon and Yanggu in Gangwon Province, near the demilitarized zone, where approximately 80 percent of goral deaths have occurred, with 77.4 percent dying from starvation. An in-depth analysis conducted by the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, in collaboration with the civic group the National Park Conservation Network (NPCN), reviewed 549 death reports submitted to the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) from November 2019 to February 2024. This study marks the first attempt to systematically analyze the causes of death among these mountain gorals. Results indicate that 60 percent of the deaths were due to exhaustion and subsequent starvation. Considering that 27.5 percent of the cases involved remains too decomposed to determine a cause of death or remains that were not recovered, the actual rate of starvation-related deaths could be even higher. Other factors contributing to goral mortality include injuries (4.7 percent), infections (1.3 percent), attacks by stray dogs (0.9 percent), and deaths caused by entanglement in nets or suffocation (0.7 percent). Specific incidents such as falls, drowning, and trapping were also noted. The regions of Hwacheon and Yanggu, heavily fenced due to concerns about African Swine Fever (ASF) and local farming, accounted for 76.3 percent of all goral deaths, emphasizing the likelihood that these animals were isolated by barriers that prevented them from accessing food. Of the gorals discovered, 79.2 percent were already dead at the time of recovery, with the remainder dying during transport or while under care. The data showed a higher mortality rate among juveniles (02 years) and older animals (over 8 years), at 19.7 percent and 31.1 percent, respectively, compared to adults (3 7 years) at 12.9 percent. Males had a higher mortality rate at 34.6 percent, compared to females at 20.9 percent. Cho Jae-woon, director of the Yanggu Goral and Musk Deer Center, said, "Young or elderly males, pushed out during territorial disputes and compounded by severe snow and rain, found it increasingly difficult to find food, leading to higher death rates." This dire situation highlights the urgent need for the government to develop effective measures to address and mitigate these alarming trends in goral mortality. Experts and environmental advocacy groups are advocating for the standardization and digitization of goral death reporting processes to better formulate conservation strategies for the animals. This push comes in response to a tragic winter for the goats where approximately 750 gorals perished, with many attributing their deaths to barriers erected to prevent the spread of ASF. The Ministry of Environment estimates a substantial loss of mountain goral lives this past winter alone, with the fences, initially installed to halt the spread of ASF among pig farms, pinpointed as a primary cause of the mass fatalities. In response, the ministry has announced a pilot project to open sections of these fences by May of next year. The plan involves removing approximately four meters of fencing in selected areas not in the vicinity of pig farms and recently affected ASF zones, followed by careful monitoring. However, there is already skepticism about the effectiveness of this monitoring. Critics argue that without proper analysis of the specific locations and causes of the mountain gorals' deaths, policymaking remains inadequately informed. Furthermore, it has come to light that there is a significant lack of information sharing not only between different government bodies, such as the Ministry of Environment and the CHA, but also within the Environment Ministry itself. Jung In-cheol, secretary-general of the NPCN, has voiced criticism over the government's approach. "Identifying the causes should be based on official records and thorough analysis. Yet, the government has failed to uphold even this fundamental practice," he said. Jung said that without grounding research and measures in solid goral data, such as their appearances, location of death, rescue sites, and other signs like animal droppings any contracted research or proposed measures remain meaningless. Jung identified dismantling the ASF barriers as a crucial step. "We need to establish more substantial measures for the conservation of mountain gorals and their natural environments," he said, highlighting the urgency of rethinking current conservation strategies to prevent future tragedies. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times. Home Opinion Medically assisted suicide deaths may account for 10% of all deaths in Canada by 2034 Death by the hand of doctors, the increasingly accessible procedure in Canada, could account for 10% of all deaths by 2034. The alarming projection reveals how the concerted effort by the Liberal government to brand euthanasia as health care has so successfully reshaped end-of-life care. Since modifying the criminal code to de-classify assisted suicide as murder and make it medicine, there have been 44,598 reported deaths. Disturbing stories continue to break in the Canadian news about medical assistance in dying (MAiD). The stories reveal how commonplace the procedure is becoming in the country and, despite its prominence, how morally conflicting assisted suicide continues to be for those in health crisis and for the families left behind. One such story took place in Quebec where a man developed painful, terrible bedsores because the hospital didnt have the appropriate medical mattress. After four days of suffering, he asked for medical staff to end his life. Rather than sourcing a mattress, they complied. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe This MAiD horror story took place in the same province and under the same federal government, that offered Christine Gauthier, the Canadian military veteran and Paralympic world champion assisted suicide instead of the wheelchair ramp she requires for day-to-day life. Euthanasia is more readily available than some of the most basic care, note experts in the medical community who continue to sound the alarm. The research study projects MAiD in Canada will account for 1 in 10 deaths within a decade much higher than in California. Both territories have similarly sized populations, and both Canada and California legalized doctor-assisted suicide in 2016. However, 15 times more Canadians die by MAiD than Californians. One key reason why the numbers are so different between territories is that institutions in Canada promote and educate the public on the option, which in turn amplifies the publics view of its moral acceptability. Most strikingly, the way the procedure is administered is different. In California patients must self-administer, ingesting the drug that kills them on their own. Canadians can choose to self-ingest or to have a doctor inject them with the life-ending drug. When given the choice to have a doctor end their life or to end it themselves, patients select the doctor almost every time. In 2021 alone, of the 10,057 people who died by MAiD in Canada only seven individuals self-ingested the drug that ended their lives, a study in The American Journal of Bioethics revealed. The overwhelming majority of patients 10,050 of those who died had a doctor inject the life-ending serum. In the same year, 486 Californians self-ingested the drug to end their lives. People ultimately dont want to end their lives themselves. But when a trusted doctor approves the life-ending procedure and then carries it out, deaths exponentially multiply. If the Canadian healthcare system wanted to curb MAiD deaths, it could do so immediately by requiring Canadians to self-ingest. It wont. Its cheaper to end lives than sustain them; easier to inject a drug than source a mattress. More and more Canadians will die by assisted suicide, and it will be the overburdened, mismanaged healthcare system that pushes them off the ledge. Christianity's global centre has shifted, conference hears The Global Christian Forum's (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 women's 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. "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. Christian Daily International Christians call for end to India's forced conversion laws Release International, a UK-based Christian ministry, has used India's national elections to renew calls for an end to anti-conversion laws, saying they have led to an increase in arrests of Christians and violence against believers. Almost a billion people will vote during India's six-week-long elections, which run from April 19 through to early June. As well as being the world's second-most populous nation, India is the world's largest democracy, but many are concerned at the rise in nationalist sentiments that is often expressed through violence against religious minorities. "We have seen a dramatic rise in intolerance towards Christians since the BJP first swept to power in 2014," Paul Robinson, the CEO of Release International, said. "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." A new report from the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) has captured the dramatic increase in acts of violence against Christians, recording an 'unprecedented' 601 cases of persecution against Christians in India in 2023, and warning that the figures 'only scratch the surface'. These findings were reinforced by the United Christian Forum, which said that the violence has only continued into the first quarter of 2024. Their latest report documented more than 160 attacks up to the middle of March. "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," Mr Robinson said. "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." The growing Hindutva movement, which sees Hinduism as central to Indian identity and has strong links with the current government, has often found expression in acts of violence carried out by paramilitary-style right-wing groups. A team from Release International recently conducted a fact-finding visit to India, and spoke to pastors who had been physically attacked or arrested, or both, for spreading the Gospel message. One pastor, who was brutally attacked along with his wife in their home before being arrested and fined by the police under the anti-conversion laws, told Release International, "Even if I die, I will not stop serving the Lord and doing the ministry he has given me in this village." In Tamil Nadu, a pastor was badly beaten by a Hindu mob while handing out Bibles on the street. Another, from Uttar Pradesh, was repeatedly harassed and questioned, and eventually imprisoned after a Hindu girl was healed following Christian prayer and her family stopped attending their Hindu temple. Release International's partners in India provide legal assistance to church leaders who have been accused and arrested, as well as offering emergency relief and medical care to those caught up in the violence. They also supply Bibles to allow pastors to continue spreading the Gospel in the face of persecution. "The level of the violence and destruction is a warning to India that this culture of intolerance towards minority faiths by the overwhelming Hindu majority must end," Mr Robinson said. "Our message to India and its people as they go to the polls, is that for the violence to stop, you must repeal these anti-conversion laws, which encourage extremists and are fuelling violence." Christians pray as India goes to the polls As the world's second-most populous country prepares to vote, India's Christians will be joining together in prayer and fasting as they ask for God's guidance and protection in a nation that is increasingly hostile to their faith. Priya Sharma (name changed for security reasons), who partners with Open Doors International, a global NGO network supporting persecuted Christians around the globe, says that many believers are fearful of the growing influence of Hindu-based nationalism across the country. "Christians are concerned about the forthcoming elections," Priya, who provides victims of persecution with trauma counselling and other support, said. "In the past ten years, while the Modi government have been at the helm, we have seen an uninterrupted decline in democratic and religious freedom, along with the simultaneous spread of Hindutva (radical Hindu nationalism) ideology." With Hindutva radicals viewing minority religions such as Christianity and Islam as alien to the nation, and many calling for a "cleansing" of their country, Priya said that India's Christians are concerned at the prospect of the government securing another term. "There has been constant fasting and chain prayers for these elections," Priya says. "If the BJP are re-elected for another term, it is feared that the 2024 elections would be the last general elections in the country. There might be a complete wipeout of democracy. Increased violence and persecution against religious minorities will also escalate." Over the past decade, India has seen a marked increase in violent attacks on Christians, with mob violence on the rise in several states where Christians are frequently the victims of mass beatings and destruction of their homes and livelihoods. Women have been subjected to some of the most severe violence, facing so-called "honour" killings, acid throwing, and the sexual assault of young girls. Christians also face the threat of the further erosion of their religious freedoms under a re-elected Modi government, with nationalist groups exerting growing pressure to see "anti-conversion" laws that are currently enforced in almost a third of India's 28 states entrenched in national law. While proponents claim the purpose of the laws is to prevent attempts to convert people to another religion (from Hinduism) through "misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by fraudulent means", human rights advocates say that the laws often act as a pretext for persecution of minorities who are simply exercising their religious beliefs. "The lack of proper definition of these terms makes the law ripe for abuses," Rinzen Baleng of Open Doors said. "These laws are being used to target minorities by vigilantes and fringe groups who now have a free pass to act with impunity." India currently sits at number eleven on Open Doors' World Watch List, a ranking of the fifty nations across the globe where Christians face the greatest persecution and discriminationseventeen places higher than in 2014. Polling will take place over the next six weeks, with 968 million Indians eligible to cast their vote. Christians all over the world will be following the outcome of the election, and continuing to pray for the future safety of their brothers and sisters in India. When I obey the Lord, I still have joy and hope 'When I obey the Lord, I still have joy and hope. If I compromise to get out of here, then the suffering I experience would only lead to despair.' Preacher Li Jie and his wife Li Shanshan were among the earliest members of Covenant Home ("Shengyue Jiayuan") Church which was founded in early 2018, the same year that Revised Regulations on Religious Affairs came into force and the Chinese government began a sweeping crackdown on unregistered 'house' churches like Covenant Home which continues to date. It would be a few years before the Lis would experience this crackdown first-hand; in January 2021 on one of the coldest days of winter the couple and their two young sons were evicted from their home after local police pressured their landlady to do so. The reason? Li Jie had added his name to a statement signed by over 400 Chinese pastors and church leaders calling on the government to respect the basic freedoms and human rights of religious citizens. Despite such cruel treatment, Covenant Home Church defied the pressure and insisted on operating as a faith community. Based in Linfen in northern China's Shanxi Province a region of rich Christian history the church continued to organise family-friendly events during the school summer holidays to cater to the large number of children in its congregation. It was during one such event however that everything changed for Covenant Home Church, and once again especially for the Lis. A holiday interrupted On 19 August 2022 the second day of the church's summer retreat at a national park a two-hour drive from Linfen - police stormed a gathering of approximately 70 church members, including around 40 children, who were enjoying some family games. Li Jie was placed in handcuffs and pinned to the ground, as was another preacher Han Xiaodong, as questions of 'who are you?' and 'what are you doing?' were ignored by officers who proceeded to confiscate the phones and laptops of all those gathered, demanding passwords from their owners and ordering everyone to keep their hands on tables. The entire group was placed into buses and police cars to take them back to Linfen, where they were held and interrogated in separate venues overnight. Church members later reported that they were asked questions that were specifically designed to incriminate Li, with the police pressuring them to say that Li was the main organiser of the church and that they had donated money to him. While most were released the next day, Li Jie, Li Shanshan and Han Xiaodong were held and interrogated for four days before all three were placed in a form of secret detention known as Residential Surveillance in a Designated Location (RSDL) on 23 August. A letter from Li Shanshan to Li Jie, written on 9 March 2023, the tenth anniversary of their marriage, later described how the trio were forced to sit in a corridor and subjected to sleep deprivation for three days. A family torn apart The Lis and Han were all held until 6 September 2022, upon which Li Shanshan was released on bail and finally returned home to look after their two sons. That was the last time she saw her husband. Li Jie and Han were transferred to the Yaodu District Detention Centre, and both were formally arrested in September. Both preachers refused to confess to the completely unfounded allegations of 'fraud' that the authorities had made against them, prompting the police to resort to the relentless harassment of members of Covenant Home Church to pressure them to incriminate their leaders. Church members were phoned, visited and summoned for questioning for months, and in some case the police even approached their employers and relatives in an effort to pressure them to 'co-operate'. In one particularly shocking incident, another church member Wang Qiang was violently arrested on 1 November 2022 and subsequently tortured because he refused to give false evidence against Li and Han. He has since joined the two of them in the Yaodu District Detention Centre, separated from his wife, young daughter and a son he has yet to meet for almost a year and a half now. A concerning trend Li, Han and Wang were all formally charged with 'fraud' in June 2023, with public prosecutors in Linfen accusing them of forming a criminal 'clique' and obtaining 'illegal income' amounting to 780,000 yuan (approximately 85,000 GBP). All three are still awaiting trial. This has become far too common in China in recent years. Many church leaders who signed the same declaration as Li Jie back in 2018 have been similarly convicted on charges of 'fraud' or 'illegal business operations'. The intention of such efforts is not only to justify the detention or imprisonment of religious leaders, but also to undermine their reputation and credibility. But Li Jie and many like him have not lost hope; as is clear from the quote at the top of this article shared via his lawyer with whom he has at least been able to meet now Li remains committed to the truth that he is innocent of the charges levelled against him. The international community in turn must honour this commitment by refusing to accept China's lies about Li and the countless others like him, and indeed by holding the Chinese Communist Party to account for its gross mistreatment of house churches and other religion or belief communities that do not conform to its policy of complete and total control over all aspects of society. New Thunder Bay police Chief Darcy Fleury, left, wears a beaded medallion bearing the Thunder Bay Police Service logo, presented to him by David Paul Achneepineskum, CEO of Matawa First Nations, right, during his swearing-in ceremony May 15, 2023. Other First Nations leaders are not feeling as generous this week after OPP investigators laid criminal charges against a former police chief. The Korean Medical Association (KMA), the country's biggest lobby group for doctors, on Saturday rejected the government's proposal to grant universities autonomy in deciding their medical school quota by a range of 50 to 100 percent for the 2025 academic year. "We recognize that the government's announcement is a deliberate attempt to address the current situation," the KMA said in a statement after its emergency committee meeting. "But it is not a fundamental solution." The government announced Friday that universities would have the freedom to increase their medical school seats by 50 to 100 percent for the 2025 academic year. This move was seen as a compromise, as the government had been pushing for a total increase of 2,000 medical school admissions starting in 2025. More than 90 percent of the country's 13,000 trainee doctors have walked away from their duties at general hospitals since Feb. 20 in protest of the government's decision. (Yonhap) Aboneaza-te la rubricile dorite si primeste zilnic notificari pe email cu link-uri la articolele care au fost adaugate in ultimele 24 de ore. Notificarile vor fi expediate la adresa indicata mai jos. Daca doresti sa schimbi adresa - o poti modifica editand informatia de profil aici. For college students, sending money to friends has never been easier thanks to peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo, PayPal and Cash App. But that convenience poses risks, including vulnerability to errors, fraud and the tendency to overspend. As a result, payment apps can contribute to financial stress at a time when young people are learning how to manage their finances on their own. Peer-to-peer payment apps are cash on steroids because theyre a straw stuck into your bank account, says Anne Lester, author of Your Best Financial Life. Not only does that make spending easier and more frictionless, Lester explains, but it also means if you trust the wrong person, then youre in big trouble, because it can be difficult or impossible to get the money back. To keep young people safe while using payment apps, money experts suggest taking these extra steps to guard against scams and overspending. Triple-check the recipient One risk with peer-to-peer payment apps is sending the money to the wrong person by accident. If you send money, make sure you are 100% certain you are sending it to the right person, because its very hard to get the money back, says Nilton Porto, associate professor of consumer finance at the University of Rhode Island. For college students living on tight budgets, Porto says, an incorrect payment could really impact their ability to pay for essentials like rent and food, even if they eventually get the funds returned. Protect against fraud Porto suggests being wary of unexpected requests, even those purportedly from a roommate, that claim to be urgent. We dont need to send money to almost anybody right away, he says, explaining that scam artists often use urgency as a way to trick people into sending cash to them. Similarly, disregard any requests received through one of the apps containing a link that requests personal information, as it could also be a scam. Erin Lowry, author of the Broke Millennial Workbook, warns against downloading any unfamiliar payment apps. I would not be an early adopter to a payment app, she cautions, given that it has access to your bank account. As an additional precaution, Lowry suggests connecting payment apps to a bank account that you dont keep the bulk of your money in. My payment apps are connected to a bank account thats not my primary account, so if something were to happen, its a low risk, she says. Update your privacy settings Default privacy settings are usually public, notes Amanda Christensen, an accredited financial counselor and extension professor at Utah State University. That means a young adults payments to friends or funds received for a job could be visible to the public. The social part of the payment apps is where we get some of the best scammers out there because they can see whats being regularly paid for, Christensen says. To adjust who can see your activity in Venmo, for example, go into settings on the app and scroll to find the various privacy options, such as public, friends or private. Earn a return elsewhere Christensen suggests establishing a habit of transferring any balance out of payment apps once a week. Set a note in your phone, she says, cautioning against treating the app like a checking account, where you let money sit. Not only is cash sitting in an app vulnerable to fraud, but it also doesnt earn a return like it could in a savings account. Jake Cousineau, author of How to Adult and a high school teacher, says he sees many young people receiving payments for side jobs like tutoring through payment apps. Instead of quickly transferring the money into a savings account, they let it linger, which means losing out on interest that would otherwise be accumulating. Payment apps also generally lack the protections from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. that come with bank accounts, he adds. Dont forget to budget The convenience of payment apps makes it easy to overspend, Christensen notes. Thats why she suggests turning to cash at times for a week or so. Reconnect yourself to the pain of spending, she says. Cousineau recommends not letting these apps get in the way of having a detailed budget. Just because you can easily send a friend $20 with a few taps doesnt mean you should. The apps might even be able to help. Porto says you can use the timeline of a payment app to help track your spending. Just as with a credit or debit card, you can scroll through your history to determine what changes you might want to make in the future. You can see where all the money went, which can be very powerful for college students, he says. In other words, leverage the power of these payment apps to help you manage your money, instead of just spending it. This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press. More From NerdWallet Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet. Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kimberlypalmer. The article What College Students Need to Know About Payment Apps originally appeared on NerdWallet. Man sets himself on fire in New York outside Trump criminal trial court Xinhua) 10:23, April 20, 2024 Investigators work on the self-immolation site outside Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, the United States, on April 19, 2024. A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was under way in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) NEW YORK, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was under way in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. The man was engulfed in flames and was rushed to hospital later. The man threw pamphlets into the air and poured accelerant on himself, according to the reports. "I have set myself on fire outside the Trump trial," reads the heading of flyers left at the scene, according to a report by New York Post. The motivation behind the man's action was not clear. Starting from Monday, Trump appeared in a criminal court in Manhattan, New York City, in the hush money case, making him the first former U.S. president to stand a criminal trial. The trial is expected to last around six to eight weeks. A law enforcement official is on duty as investigation goes on outside Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, the United States, on April 19, 2024. A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was under way in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Investigators work on the self-immolation site outside Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, the United States, on April 19, 2024. A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was under way in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Law enforcement officials are on duty as investigation goes on outside Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, the United States, on April 19, 2024. A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was under way in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Investigators work on the self-immolation site outside Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, the United States, on April 19, 2024. A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was under way in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Investigators work on the self-immolation site outside Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, the United States, on April 19, 2024. A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was under way in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) Law enforcement officials are on duty as investigation goes on outside Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, the United States, on April 19, 2024. A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was under way in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) The foreign ministry expressed concerns Saturday over the escalating tensions in the Middle East, calling on all stakeholders to refrain from actions that could worsen the crisis. The ministry also said it condemns actions that led to recent explosions in Iran. "We strongly denounce any move that escalates regional tension, including the explosion that occurred in Iran on Friday," it said in a released statement. The statement comes after Israel reportedly staged attacks against Iran this week in retaliation for Iran's launch of some 300 missiles and drones against Israel earlier this month. The ministry said it is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East with "deep concerns" and urged all stakeholders to make the utmost efforts to refrain from further aggravating the situation. (Yonhap) By Lee Hae-rin A Chinese dissident, who recently fled to Korea seeking asylum, failed to obtain refugee status after a local immigration office declined to review his application, citing that he did not meet the standards for asylum seekers. Yang Liwei, now facing a three-month detention at Jeju International Airport, plans to initiate administrative litigation against Korean immigration authorities. Rev. Choe Hwang-gyu, founder and pastor of Seoul Chinese Church, said the 56-year-old fled to Jeju Island on April 12 due to political persecution by the Chinese Communist Party in his homeland. Born in the Chinese province of Henan, Yang was arrested in July 2018 for sedition by a local court, after uploading several online posts on social media criticizing the Chinese government. He was subsequently released from prison in January 2021 after serving a two-year and six-month prison term. However, upon his arrival on Jeju Island, he was detained by customs officials and has since been held at the airport. On Tuesday, he submitted a refugee status application to the Jeju Immigration Office, which refused to evaluate it. Citing Article 5 of the Enforcement of the Refugee Act, the office said, Thursday, "There are substantial grounds to regard the applicant as a danger to the safety and public order of the Republic of Korea." The office added that Yang fails to meet the criteria outlined in the Refugee Act's definition of an individual in need of asylum. According to the office's document refusing Yang's application, he encountered no issues obtaining his passport and clearing immigration in China upon departure. Consequently, the immigration office concluded that he was not among China's wanted individuals and there is little possibility of political persecution upon his return home. However, both Yang and Rev. Choe argue that Chinese dissidents face a substantial threat of death upon return and have urged the Korean government to grant him refugee status. A refugee applicant detained by immigration authorities, such as Yang, can only be represented by an attorney appointed by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), according to Rev. Choe. Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian speaks during a press conference at the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Beirut, Lebanon February 10, 2024. Iran's foreign minister on Friday refused to acknowledge that Israel was behind the recent attack on his country and described the weapons that were used as more like children's toys. "What happened last night was not a strike," the foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, said in an interview with NBC News' Tom Llamas. "They were more like toys that our children play with not drones." Amirabdollahian, who spoke to NBC News in New York where he was attending a U.N. Security Council session, said Iran was not planning to respond unless Israel launches a significant attack. "As long as there is no new adventurism by Israel against our interests, then we are not going to have any new reactions," he said. But the foreign minister warned that if Israel did attack Iran, the response would be swift and severe. "If Israel takes a decisive action against my country and this is proven to us," he said, "our response will be immediate and to the maximum and will cause them to regret it." The recent cycle of violence between Israel and Iran began on April 1 when Israel bombed an Iranian consular building in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killing two generals and five officers in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran responded 12 days later, launching an unprecedented, direct military attack on Israel involving more than 300 missiles and drones. The assault caused no significant damage, however. Nearly all of the missiles and drones were intercepted by Israeli, U.S. and other allied forces. Amirabdollahian said the attack was intended to be "a warning." "We could have hit Haifa and Tel Aviv," he said. "We could have also targeted all the economic ports of Israel." "But our red lines was civilians," he added. "We only had a military purpose." Although Israel has been locked in a shadow war with Israel for decades, with Iran arming and training proxy forces hostile to Israel in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, the Iranian aerial barrage marked the first time Tehran had staged an overt military attack on Israel. In the days that followed, the Biden administration urged Israel to exercise restraint and not conduct a retaliatory attack that could trigger a full-blown war between the two longtime adversaries. Israel, though, retaliated on Thursday night, striking a military airfield near the city of Isfahan in central Iran. Nuclear facilities in the area were not damaged, according to Iranian state media, and there were no reports of casualties. The attack was downplayed by Iranian state media and met with mostly silence from Israeli officials. The limited scope of the strike and the lack of public statements afterward appears to indicate that both sides are looking to ease tensions, experts said. U.S. officials called for calm. "We do not want to see this conflict escalate," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday. The Biden administration has accused Iran of being "complicit" in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, citing Tehran's years-long effort to arm and train Hamas militants in the Gaza strip. Iran touts its support for Hamas but the government has said it did not order or coordinate the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people. In his interview, Amirabdollahian said Iran had no prior knowledge of Hamas' attack. He also said Hamas was not a terrorist organization but a liberation movement opposed to Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. He called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu "unhinged" and blamed the Israeli government for the stalled hostage negotiations. He accused Israel of making excessive demands to compensate for its failure to meet its objectives in the war in Gaza. "It has not been able to destroy Hamas or to arrest the leaders inside Gaza, has not been able to disarm Hamas, has not been able to destroy the weapons and equipment," Amirabdollahian said. "Therefore it had to resort to killing women and children," he added, "and now at the negotiating table, they are trying to get what they could not get on the ground." Still, the foreign minister said he hopes that a deal will be reached soon for the release of the hostages as part of a broad settlement. Hamas is "ready to go ahead with the release of the prisoners within the format of a humanitarian political package encompassing everything." "I think now is a good time," he said. "There is a good chance for this." Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have overwhelmingly voted to join the United Auto Workers marking a major milestone for the union and its first successful organizing drive of an automaker outside of Detroit's Big Three. Union organizing passed with 73% of the vote, or 2,628 workers, in support for the UAW, according to the National Labor Relations Board, which oversaw the election. A total of roughly 3,620, or about 84%, of the 4,326 eligible VW workers voted in the election, the NLRB said. Seven ballots were challenged and three others were voided. "In a historic victory, an overwhelming majority of Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have voted to join the UAW," the union said in a release Friday night before official results were released by the NLRB. "While votes continue to be tallied, the outcome is clear: Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga are the first Southern autoworkers outside of the Big Three to win their union." The NLRB still must certify the result, but barring any unexpected issues or challenges, the company is required to bargain in good faith with the union. The talks can be direct or go first through a mediator. The sides have five business days to file objections to the election, according to the NLRB. If no objections are filed, the result will be certified. VW confirmed the UAW's win in a release Friday night but offered little additional comment. "We will await certification of the results by the NLRB," the company said. "Volkswagen thanks its Chattanooga workers for voting in this election." UAW leaders and supporters are expected to use the win as a launching point for the union's unprecedented organizing campaign of 13 automakers in the U.S. following major contract wins last year with General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler parent Stellantis. President Joe Biden, who has heavily supported organized labor and the UAW, congratulated the union on its "historic vote." "Across the country, union members have logged major wins and large raises, including auto workers, actors, port workers, Teamsters, writers, warehouse and health care workers, and more. Together, these union wins have helped raise wages and demonstrate once again that the middle-class built America and that unions are still building and expanding the middle class for all workers," Biden said in a statement. Jenna Phipps and Nick Volkov bought this abandoned property in Vancouver with plans to turn it into their forever home. In October 2023, Nick Volkov came across a unique listing for a house and just knew he had to show it to his girlfriend, Jenna Phipps, a 28-year-old content creator. Though the listing included pictures of the exterior only and described the house as a "tear-down," the 27-year-old program manager tells CNBC Make It that what stood out the most about the property in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, was that it was undervalued, had a water view, and wasn't a standard modern house. Phipps says she fell in love with the property and knew they had to go see it immediately, but "when we finally got to see the house [in person], we saw it was a lot worse." "There was a reason they didn't show photos of the inside," she says. The property in question is a 2,757-square-foot single-family home built in 1961. It has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a pool, and 0.30 acres of land. The house had holes in the roof and high levels of moisture throughout from all the water that had come in over the years. Jenna Phipps and Nick Volkov The house was so dilapidated that the realtor had the couple sign a waiver before entering. "You can really see this property had not been cared for at all," Volkov says. "Once you got inside, there was a really musky smell with the old furniture and old things there." Still, they were able to find some beauty in the space: "The architecture showed through all of that. You could see what it was in its former days," Volkov says. "Even with it half falling apart, it was still really pretty." One of the most significant issues the couple encountered immediately was that the roof needed to be replaced. Other issues included completely overgrown landscaping, mold throughout, and high levels of moisture from all the water that had come into the house over the years. Despite all the flaws, Phipps knew she and Volkov had found their forever home. "I think the biggest thing that stood out to me was the architecture of the home because mid-century modern homes are so rare for the area," she said. "We looked past how bad it was because we knew that we could really transform it ourselves. This house has so much potential and we felt very special to be the people to see that." The couple decided to make an offer. The house was valued at $3.4 million CAD or $2.5 million USD with an asking price of $2.6 million CAD or $1.9 million USD. Because of the property's condition, Volkov and Phipps could not get a traditional mortgage and had to opt for a private two-year loan instead. The couple met with the seller and shared their plans to restore the home instead of tearing it down. The seller then agreed to their bid of $2.1 million CAD or $1,525,923 USD. The median list price of homes in Vancouver, BC, overall was $1,578,540 in March 2024, according to Houseful, a subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Canada. The couple split the 20% down payment evenly. "People were very shocked at how we were able to get that price, especially in that area," Phipps says. "We kind of bought the worst thing in a great neighborhood." Phipps and Volkov agree that, for them, landing in their desired neighborhood means they got a pretty good deal. Phipps and Volkov are planning to do as much of the renovation and restoration of the house as possible themselves. Jenna Phipps and Nick Volkov The couple plans to use the two years they have to repay their private loan to fix up the house as much as possible and then refinance to get a traditional mortgage. When the two took possession of the home, it had been empty for four years, the couple said. A family built it in the 1960s, and then it was passed down to two siblings, a son and a daughter. The son, an architect, lived in the home for many years, and then, when he passed away, the house went to his sister, who then sold it to Phipps and Volkov. Because the seller lived several hours away, she would rarely visit, which is why the property was so deteriorated, the couple says. "It was in a state that probably no one should have lived there," Phipps says. "She would come to visit and take things out, but no one lived there for years." The original house was built in 1961 and had been abandoned for years before the couple bought it in 2024. Jenna Phipps and Nick Volkov After closing on the house, the real work began The couple closed in January 2024 and started the clearing-out process immediately. The first step was to put tarps all over the roof to ensure no more water or moisture entered the house. "It was a very eventful first weekend of just trying to maintain what the house looked liked and not letting it get worse," Phipps says. While cleaning out the home, they found some of the original furniture, old photos of what the house looked like before, and a record player that was hooked up to speakers all over the house. Volkov found that discovery pretty exciting. "Imagine having a house back in the day and you could play music everywhere in it from a record player," he says. "The record player was still there when we bought the house, so that was really cool." There was a lot of mold and potentially hazardous areas in the house, that the couple tackled themselves. The two bought full-face gas masks and got to work. It was also a way for them to save money. After several months of cleaning, the two enlisted their parents' help to get it down to the studs. Now, the couple is working with an engineer to get a new roof on before winter starts this year and has shifted to clearing out the house's grounds. "The property was very overgrown, and unfortunately, a lot of the greenery will have to be taken out," Phipps says. The couple plans to keep as much of the house's original design as possible. They are still in the process of getting the permits they need to start construction. Volkov and Phipps plan to keep the mid-century modern look and feel for the exterior with modern appliances and features throughout the house inside. The abandoned property's backyard was completely overgrown. Jenna Phipps and Nick Volkov Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., conducts a news conference in the U.S. Capitol after the House passed the foreign aid package rule on Friday, April 19, 2024. On Saturday, the House passed a series of bills to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, along with a package that included forcing the Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok. After a morning of debate on the House floor, the four bills will be wrapped into a single package and sent to the Senate for approval. After that, it will be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. "I understand that it is not a perfect piece of legislation," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Saturday following the vote. "We would rather send bullets to the conflict overseas than our own boys, our troops. And I think this is an important moment and important opportunity to make that decision." Johnson's decision to hold the vote came at a political risk, as hardline members of his party threatened to oust him. In March, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., filed a motion to vacate Johnson from his post, but she has yet to force a vote on the measure. "As I've said many times, I don't walk around this building being worried about a motion to vacate," Johnson said Saturday. "I have to do my job." Following the passage of the long-stalled foreign aid, Johnson received a flurry of public statements thanking him. "I want to thank Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in the House who voted to put our national security first," Biden said in a statement. "I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., signaled Saturday that the Senate could vote on the package on Tuesday. "I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X after the vote. Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Israel Katz also thanked Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on Saturday for helping to pass the aid. The bills earmark over $60 billion for Ukraine aid, more than $26 billion for Israel and over $8 billion for Taiwan and Indo-Pacific security. A fourth bill includes a measure to force China's ByteDance to sell social media platform TikTok within nine months though the president can offer a 90-day extension or face a national 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," a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday. The House's approval is a critical next step for foreign aid, which has been in limbo since President Biden first proposed it in October. After the long-awaited vote on Ukraine passed, a crowd of House Democrats waving Ukrainian flags broke out into a chorus of cheers. In February, the Senate passed a $95 billion version of the aid to fund Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Still, the House effectively shelved that bill primarily due to political threats from hardline House Republicans like Rep. Greene. Despite that looming political backlash, Speaker Johnson was persuaded to revisit the foreign aid package after Iran's attempted strike on Israel last weekend. That escalatory move triggered a renewed bipartisan push for the House to move to support Israel. In response, Johnson put the foreign aid package at the top of the House's agenda. He devised a plan to structure the foreign aid in separate bills, which he presented to his Republican colleagues on Monday evening. After that meeting, Greene expressed her discontent with Johnson's proposed foreign aid bills but reiterated that she had not yet decided whether she would force a vote to oust him. "I think it's another wrong direction for Speaker Johnson in our conference," she said Monday. Greene's motion to vacate loomed over Saturday's vote. Walking into the House chamber, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told NBC News he was not expecting Greene to force a vote on the motion on Saturday. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., leaves the U.S. Capitol after filing a motion to vacate Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., from his post on Friday, March 22, 2024. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will let her fellow House Republicans hear from their constituents before deciding whether to move forward with a vote to remove Speaker Mike Johnson. Greene made the remarks to a gaggle of reporters aired on CNN after the House passed four bills in a Saturday session. Three of the bills were for aid to Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel and the fourth approved a potential TikTok ban if its parent company, China's ByteDance, does not sell it. Greene listed several reasons why she believes Johnson should not be Speaker, but she also said she wants to be "responsible" and not call for Johnson's resignation before garnering enough support. "I do not support Mike Johnson, he's already a lame duck," Greene told reporters. Greene filed a motion for a vote to force Johnson to vacate the Speaker position in March, but no further action has been taken since then. Greene also chastised House members for cheering and waving Ukrainian flags after that specific bill was passed. Speaker Johnson, who spoke to reporters after the votes as well, voiced a similar sentiment. "We should only wave one flag on the House floor, and I think we know which flag that is," Johnson said. The bills will now move to the Senate, which Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. D-N.Y., has hinted could be Tuesday. If approved, the bill would go to President Joe Biden. CNBC's Rebecca Picciotto contributed to this report. A man who set himself on fire Friday outside the courthouse where former President Donald Trump's hush money trial is taking place has died, New York City police said early Saturday. The man, whom police identified as Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida, was in the designated protest area outside. No time of death was given by police. He was declared deceased by staff at the hospital where he had been taken, the NYPD said. NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey B. Maddrey told reporters that Azzarello walked into the center of the park, shuffled around his clothes, opened a backpack and took out and threw numerous pamphlets on the ground. He then pulled out a canister, poured a liquid accelerant on himself, lit himself on fire, fell on a police barrier and then fell to the ground. Police said the man entered Collect Pond Park, across the street from the courthouse, at around 1:30 p.m. before setting himself on fire. Bystanders, court officers and police used coats and fire extinguishers to try to put out the fire and help him, Maddrey said. It appeared to happen around the time that the jury for Trump's trial was fully empaneled with 12 jurors and six alternates selected to sit for a trial that's expected to last about six weeks. It occurred just before the court took a lunch break. New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh told reporters that Azzarello was taken to the burn unit at Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he had been described as alive but in critical condition. Four police officers and one court officer sustained minor injuries from dealing with the fire, Kavanagh said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Azzarello was born in 1987 and arrived in New York City earlier in the week. He said that family members police were in contact with after the incident were unaware that Azzarello was in New York. Kenny said Azzarello's pamphlets seemed to be "propaganda-based" about Ponzi schemes and conspiracy theories. Police said they don't believe Azzarello was targeting any particular person or group. Law enforcement deployed a bomb squad search team just in case, Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said, and no devices were found in the area. Activist Commentary: Oasis Management is a global hedge fund management firm headquartered in Hong Kong with additional offices in Tokyo, Austin and the Cayman Islands. Oasis was founded in 2002 by Seth Fischer, who leads the firm as its chief investment officer. Oasis is an authentic international activist investor, doing activism primarily in Asia (and occasionally Europe). The firm has an impressive track record of prolific and successful international activism. It has as many arrows in its quiver as any activist and has been successful in getting seats on boards, opposing strategic transactions, advocating for strategic actions, improving corporate governance and holding management accountable. Business: Japan-based Kao Corp manufactures and sells consumer and chemical products. It operates in five business segments. The hygiene and living care segment provides fabric, kitchen, home, sanitary and pet care products. The health and beauty care segment offers facial, body, hair, oral care, hair styling and color products, as well as salon, in-bathroom health care and warming products. The life care business offers health drinks and hygiene products for commercial use. The cosmetics business provides counseling and self-selection cosmetic products. Finally, the chemical business segment features oleo chemicals, fat and oil derivatives, surfactants, fragrances and other specialty chemical products. Kao Corp is a global fast-moving consumer goods company with a diversified portfolio of products spanning from hair and skin care to cosmetics and chemicals. The company operates across five segments, but hygiene and living care (33%), health and beauty (25%), cosmetics (15%) and chemicals (23%) are their four key segments generating nearly all of Kao's 1.53 trillion yen in revenue in 2023. The company has a stable of brands (including Curel, freeplus, Jergens, Biore, Oribe and Molton Brown) that has deeply underperformed its peers. As of the issuance of its campaign presentation, Oasis points out that Kao shares were down 22.9% since 2021 while peers were up between 1.7% to 100.4% during the same period. In addition, while peers have recovered their consumer products sales, Kao has failed to return to pre-pandemic levels and has some of the worst operating profit margins in the industry. Despite the push from the Tokyo Stock Exchange for companies to improve return on equity, Kao's ROE has been on a steady decline to sub-5% in 2023 from approximately 20% in 2017. Operating margins are on a similar trajectory as well, declining to 4% in 2023 from 14% in 2019. Oasis details what it thinks are the company's issues in its "A Better Kao" campaign presentation. Oasis thinks the company: (i) is too reliant on Japan, generating 65% of revenue in its domestic market and 35% in the rest of the world, which is a distribution nearly inverse to their peers, (ii) is not in the optimal distribution channels, (iii) is not focused enough on marketing - while peers spend between 20% and 35% of its revenue on marketing and advertising, Kao has consistently only paid 10% to 11% of its consumer goods revenue. Oasis also said that Kao has a bloated brand portfolio with too many subscale domestic brands; the company has nearly 80 brands, but generates the same revenue as peers with 10 to 30. Oasis does offer several solutions to the company to jumpstart growth such as: (i) reversing its opposition to international expansion and distribution in order to unleash the potential of its stable of globally beloved brands, which have been artificially constrained to domestic and regional markets; (ii) reviewing its brand portfolio, prioritizing focus and investment in high-growth areas, expand gross margins through product premiumization, streamline its bloated brand and SKU portfolio and focus particularly on rationalization in its cosmetics and health and beauty segments; and (iii) embracing marketing by onboarding a CMO with global experience as well as refreshing the board with similarly experienced directors. These are wholesale changes to Kao's business, geographical footprint, distribution channels and product mix that would usually require an in-depth analysis of costs, demand, competitive landscape and chance of success. Oasis provides none of that. Oasis does cite Beiersdorf's turnaround as the analog for what is possible at Kao. Suffering many of the same problems, Beiersdorf had underperformed peers, poorly allocated marketing spend and lagged on premiumization. Investors had also lost confidence in management. The company refreshed its CEO overhauled its corporate culture and growth strategy and refocused on key brands and gross margin expansion. Since doing so, Beiersdorf's share price has outperformed the rest of its European consumer goods peers. However, Oasis had absolutely nothing to do with that turnaround and is not recommending any of the executives from Beiersdorf for positions at Kao. It is hard to see what relevance Beiersdorf has here besides just being a peer. Oasis states that the board has no directors with expertise in international consumer goods marketing or branding, and the firm makes good points regarding gender and demographics of the board. Oasis has proven to be a value-creating activist in many situations and would likely be a valuable board member here, but this is not a typical Oasis activist campaign. First, until 2023, the firm had never engaged a cosmetics company. Since then, this is Oasis' third engagement of a Japanese company in the cosmetics, health and consumer goods category. The other two have not gone so well. Kusuri No Aoki and Tsuruha are both drugstore operators, engaged in the sale of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and other consumer goods. At both companies, Oasis ran proxy fights and was defeated by management. Second, if Oasis is even remotely correct about the issues at Kao, fixing them would require a total reconstitution of the board and replacement of management. That is not something that is typically done at Japanese companies nor something Oasis has a lot of experience in. In Japan, Oasis and other activists have been successful in creating shareholder value just by engaging companies without getting their activist agenda implemented. That is something that can happen in Japan, but generally when the recommendations are minor such as capital allocation, selling down cross-shareholdings and corporate governance improvements. In this case, Oasis would have to implement its activist agenda and do some heavy lifting to create value at a company with the issues it claims this company has. That does not seem to be part of the Oasis plan here. Oasis CIO Seth Fischer did not rule out submitting shareholder proposals to Kao, but even that seems like using a flyswatter on an elephant. Additionally, a settlement here is very unlikely. Oasis had been privately meeting with management since 2021, so if management was inclined to work with them, it would have happened already, and Oasis would not have had to go public with its campaign. On the contrary, the day after Oasis launched its campaign, Kao stated that the firm lacked sufficient understanding of its portfolio management and restructuring plans. As of the date of its presentation, Oasis projected between 76% to 97% upside for the stock, or nearly 10,000 yen per share if their proposals are adopted. However, the investor has also been engaging privately with the company since June 2021 during which time growth has slowed, margins had declined, ROE has plummeted and the stock has slid. So, I would take the firm's predictions and chances of success with a grain of salt. Ken Squire is the founder and president of 13D Monitor, an institutional research service on shareholder activism, and the founder and portfolio manager of the 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund that invests in a portfolio of activist 13D investments. The Iranian flag above the new Phase 3 facility at the Persian Gulf Star gas condensate refinery in Bandar Abbas, Iran, in 2019. Ali Mohammadi | Bloomberg | Getty Images If investors only looked at the price of oil at the end of this week, they wouldn't have known that Israel and Iran, OPEC's third-largest crude producer, briefly stood on the brink of an unprecedented war. U.S. crude oil and global benchmark Brent finished out the week about 3% lower, despite the fact that Iran and Israel traded direct strikes against each other's territory for the first time. Fears that oil prices could shoot to $100 a barrel or above did not materialize. In fact, U.S. oil futures closed Friday at $83.14 a barrel which was the lowest settlement price since late March, days before the current spiral of escalation began with Israel's strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus, Syria on April 1. Futures fell for three days following Iran's missile and drone barrage against Israel last weekend, and prices settled only slightly higher after Israel struck back on Friday. Investors seem to believe that Israel's limited retaliatory strike, which does not appear to have caused any significant damage or casualties, provided Iran with an off ramp to refrain from counterattacking. The market has essentially erased the risk premium associated with the Iran-Israel tensions after traders bid up prices last week on war fears. "Traders aren't buying that either Israel or Iran is actually interested in escalating the tensions and are merely engaged in largely symbolic, face-saving exercises," said Manish Raj, managing director at Velandara Energy Partners. "These skirmishes did not impress the oil markets, which believe that no disruption to oil flows will occur." The bar for war is high Oil markets were most worried about Israel striking one of Iran's nuclear facilities, which would have required Tehran to hit back, according John Kilduff, founding partner at Again Capital. International pressure on Israel to demonstrate restraint appears to have paid off. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Friday there was no damage to Iran's nuclear sites. "We are therefore ready to cautiously conclude that the cycle of escalation between Israel and Iran is over, at least as far as direct attacks against each other are involved," Marko Papic, chief strategist at the Clocktower Group, told clients in a Friday note. Papic said a sustained war between Israel and Iran is difficult to imagine and may even be practically impossible. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon WTI and Brent prices over the past month "The two countries are separated by considerable distances given the power projection capabilities of their militaries," Papic told clients. "As such, Israel's limited response to Iran may not be merely a diplomatic choice due to U.S. pressure. Instead, it may be a function of material constraints as well." Kilduff told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday that the bar is very high in the Middle East for all-out war to break out, choking off oil supplies. "Over the years really the decades now these attacks come, they are dealt with, they are handled diplomatically and we don't lose any barrels of oil," Kilduff said. Rising Mideast risk Ukraine attacked eight Russian regions with dozens of long-range strike drones early n Saturday, setting ablaze a fuel depot and hitting three power substations, an intelligence source in Kyiv told Reuters. The overnight attack, which was confirmed by the defense ministry in Moscow, comes amid a Russian airstrike campaign that has battered Ukraine's energy system and pounded its cities with missiles and drones in recent weeks. Facing mounting pressure on the battlefield more than two years since Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has tried to find a pressure point against the Kremlin by targeting oil refineries and energy facilities inside Russia using drones. "At least three electrical substations and a fuel storage base were hit, where fires ignited," the Ukrainian source said, citing social media videos showing fires raging at different locations. The source said the facilities were targeted for supporting Russian military industrial production. Russia's defense ministry said it shot down 50 Ukrainian drones, including 26 in the Belgorod region, 10 in the Bryansk region, eight in Kursk region, two in Tula region as well as one in each of the regions of Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga and Moscow. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia's Belgorod region which borders Ukraine, said two civilians were killed as the result of the drone attack. The governor of Russia's western Smolensk region said the drone strike attacked a fuel energy facility in the Kardym region, hitting a reservoir with fuel and oil lubricants. "As a result of the work of air defense forces, the aircraft were shot down. However, as a result of falling debris, a tank with fuel and oil lubricants caught fire," he said, adding that firefighters were battling to put out the blaze. It was not clear if anyone had been hurt, he said. Almost 26 months since the 2022 invasion, Russia is slowly advancing in eastern Ukraine and has ramped up its bombardments of cities and towns behind the front lines. Just this year, Ukraine had been attacked by almost 1,200 missiles, more than 1,500 drones and 8,500 guided bombs amid a slowdown in Western military assistance, President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy said on Friday. Unable to rapidly produce long-range missiles and with limited access to those made by Western allies, Kyiv has focused on developing long-range strike drones to hit back. Russia has a sprawling arsenal of missiles and drones. The overnight drone attack was a joint operation conducted by the Ukraine's SBU security service, the GUR military intelligence agency and the Special Operations Forces, the source said. (Reuters) State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Spain is taking a significant step toward addressing mental health challenges in the workplace with the launch of a comprehensive initiative by the Ministry of Health. Spearheaded by Belen Gonzalez, the program aims to incorporate work-related mental health into the country's national epidemiological surveillance system. In an interview with Euractiv's partner EFE, Gonzalez emphasized the pressing need to address the growing prevalence of psychological distress among workers. "Work is breaking workers," she stated, stressing the urgency of tackling this issue. The initiative seeks to assess the extent of psychological suffering linked to work and officially recognize mental disorders stemming from workplace factors. Despite the global impact of stress at work, commonly referred to as burnout, Spain has not yet formally acknowledged it as a mental disorder. Global data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals the staggering toll of depression and anxiety on productivity, with an estimated 12 billion work days lost annually worldwide. "Work amplifies wider societal issues that negatively affect mental health, including discrimination and inequality. Bullying and psychological violence (also known as 'mobbing') is a key complaint of workplace harassment that has a negative impact on mental health," WHO stated. Moreover, a 2016 report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) showed the pervasive nature of work-related stress within the European Union, affecting over 40 million individuals and imposing significant economic costs. The proposed registry will be integrated into Spain's future epidemiological surveillance system, providing valuable insights into the impact of working conditions on mental health. In advocating for systemic change, Gonzalez noted the need to prioritize workers' health over productivity and profits. "We are going to start to put pressure (on the authorities) so that there is a change within jobs so that working conditions change because it is not that we send fragile people to the jobs and then they break, what is happening is that the jobs are breaking the workers," Gonzalez said, per Euractiv. This sentiment was echoed by Spain's health minister, Monica Garcia, who acknowledged the broader social origins of the mental health epidemic. "We know that there is an epidemic of psychological distress, but we also know that this epidemic has its origin in social problems that go beyond the four walls of this Ministry," Garcia said. 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. When Prince Harry and Meghan left our shores for a new life in America in 2020, they told us it was so they could not just survive but thrive. But even though they were no longer working royals, Harry was adamant about one thing: The UK is my home and a place that I love. That will never change. Well, that didnt last long. Now he has registered his home as America. In an update of Companies House records filed this week, the Duke of Sussex declared the United States his new country of residence. But will he go further? When asked in a TV interview if he would consider becoming an American citizen, he dodged the question almost certainly because U.S. immigration policy states any applicant who has any titles of heredity or positions of nobility in any foreign state must renounce the title or the position. Across the Atlantic, Harry and Meghan cling to their family connections like poison ivy So Harry seems to be having it both ways. He wants to become a U.S. resident but not a citizen because he needs to hold on to his and Meghans titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and bleed them for all their worth. Without them there would never have been any multi-million pound deal with Netflix. Its not as if theyve been hired for their talent. Harry and Meghan are said to be pursuing projects away from the Royal Family such as her American Riviera Orchard jam. Yet they cling to their family connections like poison ivy. They should have the guts to go with their convictions. Harry should become a U.S. citizen, renounce his titles and see what its like in the real world being plain Harry and Meghan Windsor. After Meghan launched her strawberry jam, her new bestie Tracy Robbins, married to the head of Paramount, posted on social media: I absolutely just love this jam . . . breakfast, lunch and dinner just got a lot sweeter. What nincompoop has jam with every meal? Sydney Sweeney at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in California last month Sydney's the real deal Top Hollywood producer Carol Baum tells the New York Times she cant see the point of rising actress Sydney Sweeney, 26. Shes not pretty, she cant act. Why is she so hot? Nobody has the answer. How cruel of the highly respected Baum, 81, to attack a young actress in this way. And she misses the point. We ordinary women love new stars who arent classically pretty. Theyre all the more real and fabulous. Calls for a smacking ban made me think of my childhood. I only once got a real whack from my Dad, on my bum, while on holiday. Against strict instructions not to go near the lagoon, where two children had drowned, I took my toddler brother there. Out all day, we were finally found by a search party. Never did it again. Victoria Beckham was engaged to electrician Mark Wood who lived with her in her family home. VB later said: If only hed stayed in the cupboard that I met him in at my mums house. Not nice Vic, but I wonder if Mark thinks he had the lucky escape, given the public pantomime of your life. ++Westminster Wars++ Boris achieved Brexit, David Cameron legalised gay marriage, Theresa May did, er, nothing but fight to stay in the EU and Liz Truss wrote an amusing book. Rishis legacy? To ban smoking for young people while trailing Keir Starmer in the polls, as his Premiership goes up in smoke. Meanwhile Lib Dem leader Ed Davey backed the smoking ban while his party continues to campaign for the legislation of cannabis, a drug that is causing long-term damage to young people all over the planet. Finally some good news, that overstuffed little haggis Nicola Sturgeons husband is charged by detectives investigating SNP finances. What an end to the week! Tall order for Alison High hopes for the new romance between TVs bubbly Alison Hammond, 49, and her 6ft 10in, hunky Russian masseur David Putman, 26, above. Davids friends say hes not worried about the 23-year age difference. Nor am I but Alison should note he lives with his uncle in Slough while shes worth over a million. Maybe she should have a word with Vanessa Feltz before this relationship gets any hotter. Target the terrorists Survivors and families of the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing are suing M15 under the Human Rights Act claiming they could have prevented the tragedy. But what about the hundreds of atrocities that M15 have prevented? Its a bit like victims of the Twin Towers 9/11 attack suing the U.S. Secret Service. The only ones who should be in the dock are the perpetrators of these evil acts. It isn't Mission Impossible, Suri Who knows what went on in the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes marriage that ended amid rumours they split over his Scientology faith. Its just sad to learn that their daughter Suri, now 18, above, has no contact with her father and wouldnt even pick up the phone if he called. As I know, dads are especially important to daughters. They help define our entire world view on men. If I were Suri Id call him. Its never too late. Lyrics and song titles of Taylor Swifts new album have leaked. I wish I could un-recall how we almost had it all, is believed to be a reference to her six-year affair with Brit Joe Alwyn. I know its obligatory for women to worship at the altar of this self-made billionaire. But whats empowering about a woman who only writes songs deriding the men shes slept with and dumped? Donald Trump cries foul as his hush money trial begins with claims he had affairs with porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal. The worst of it is that Trumps affair with McDougal allegedly took place while his wife Melania was pregnant with their first child. Heroine of the week is headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh, who saw off in the High Court a Muslim pupil who claimed it was a breach of her human rights to ban prayers in her secular London school. Astonishing that the girl claimed she felt persecuted but plans to continue her education there. Sainsburys sacked staffer Niamke Doffou when he didnt pay for the bags for life he used to pack his shopping after a night shift. Given some of their workers get as little as 8.81 per hour while CEO Simon Roberts pockets 4.95 million, I dont think Ill rush to shop there soon. Why accuse Sacha now, Rebel? Actress Rebel Wilson says in her book Rebel Rising that Sacha Baron Cohen fat-shamed her on 2016 movie Grimsby and she felt sexually harassed by him. What she says happened to her is awful but crikey, this is eight years later. Shouldnt there be a statute of limitations on making claims so long after the event. The satire prompted many to share real-life examples of egregious returns A parody video poking fun at Costco's easygoing attitude toward customer returns prompted dozens of people to share the most egregious abuses of the the mega-retailer's return policy they have ever encountered. Brian Herzog, a comedian from Toronto, shared a 37-second skit to his TikTok account, play-acting as different Costco customers looking to take advantage of the store's notoriously flexible return policy. 'I saw a video about someone who returned a couch without a receipt after having it for years. The comment section said that Costco will return anything,' Brian captioned the video, referring to a woman's viral TikTok video in which she revealed she had returned a seven-year-old sofa to the retail giant. His first character demanded to 'return this nonstick pan.' Brian Herzog, a comedian from Toronto, shared a satirical sketch poking fun at Costco's return policy Costco boasts nearly 900 locations globally. Pictured is a stock image 'Reason for the return?' Brian's Costco employee asked. 'It's sticky now,' the customer responded, showing off visible food residue on the item. The return is approved. Next up, Brian dressed up as a woman wanting to return a couch she'd claimed to have bought at Costco 'maybe like seven years ago,' with no receipt for the purchase. Her reason: 'I just don't like it anymore.' Again, the Costco employee agreed to the return. Moments later, she asked to be directed to the couch section. Most concerning of Brian's parody customers was a man who'd brought back whatever remained of a 'rotisserie chicken' he'd purchased 24 hours prior in a brown paper bag. Still, the return was approved, in Brian's enactment. Brian's parody prompted many to shared stories of people taking egregious advantage of Costco's lax return policy Judging by the comments on the video, it turned out that Brian's satirical take on Costco's return policy may not have been so far-fetched. 'I worked there. A lady returned a book because she didn't like the ending,' one claimed. 'Costco employee here, the worst is when someone returns a bunch of unopened food like meat, "we bought too much," and we have to throw it away,' a second lamented. 'As a Costco employee I've seen someone return a used toilet,' a third chimed in. 'I worked at Costco - someone brought back a plant they killed months later,' a fourth volunteered. 'My dad used to buy old lawnmowers at yard sales and "return it" at Costco. Bro was a menace,' a fifth shared, with their example sounding quite like a scam outright. 'Seen someone return a mattress after 7 years and get a refund, they really do take anything back lol,' a sixth chuckled. 'Former employee here: we took back a sectional sofa with bed bugs. And a pile of scrap wood claimed to be a playground set,' a seventh described. 'We have Canadians that come down to Montana for the summer buy kayaks for the summer then return them before they head back,' someone else offered of yet another creative method of gaming the returns system at Costco. 'People have no shame. At my Costco people return Halloween costumes and Christmas decorations after end of celebration,' another chastised. Costco, which boasts nearly 900 locations globally, advertises a 'Risk-Free 100% Satisfaction Guarantee' return promise on its website - with a few specific exceptions, including a 90-day limit for electronics; and stricter rules around the return of diamonds larger than 1.00 ct. Still, a few claimed to have legitimate reasons for their Costco returns. 'I returned a Nespresso machine that wasn't working properly and I still feel guilty. Where do people store the audacity?' one wondered. And as another protested: 'I actually returned a rotisserie chicken because it was all raw inside.' Still, a few swore they had legitimate reasons for returning their Costco purchases In January, a Seattle-based mother-of-one documented her successful attempt to return a seven-year-old couch to the store without a receipt Jackie Nguyen filmed herself loading the grey L-shaped couch and chaise on to a trailer, admitting she was a little nervous about the sizeable return In January, a Seattle-based mother-of-one documented her successful attempt to return a seven-year-old couch to the store without a receipt - admitting that she'd chosen to test out the loose return policy because she no longer liked the piece of furniture. Jackie Nguyen filmed herself loading the grey L-shaped couch and chaise on to a trailer, admitting she was a little nervous about the sizeable return. Once she was at the store, Jackie explained she roughly knew the date that she purchased the couch because she had some photos of it being delivered on her phone, and a sales assistant could look it up for her. 'I told her around the date that I bought it, she looked it up in the computer, told me exactly which one it was,' she said. 'I do wanna premise it is very intimidating going in there with a big giant purchase and you're returning it,' Jackie admitted, as she showed the couch on the trailer. She added: 'There's a lot of people staring at you.' However, Jackie urged Costco customers to push through their embarrassment and make the return if they no longer want the item. 'Return it. They have an awesome return policy,' she encouraged, although advised customers to look online at their policy first. And she's not the only customer to take advantage of the lax rules. This week an image of a customer returning an old TV from the 2000s also went viral on social media. The image shows a vintage Samsung television sitting on an iconic orange Costco flat cart in a store in Pennsylvania. A packed departure lounge at Stansted Airport, and a dishevelled man jumps on a chair and shouts to the startled crowds, Help me! Im being deported to China for a crime I didnt commit. Passengers start phoning for the police before armed officers pounce on the man, handcuff him and bundle him off as he continues to plead his innocence. This disturbing scene actually happened last year in front of astonished real-life travellers, except it turned out theyd all been unwitting extras in exciting new ITVX thriller Red Eye. Eagle-eyed TV fans among them might have recognised the panicked man as Richard Armitage, star of Netflix hits Fool Me Once and Stay Close, and realised that one of the officers in charge was Crazy Rich Asians Jing Lusi. Richard chuckles at his memories of that day. It was terrifying in a way, he says. You have to be careful not to give people a heart attack or traumatise them. Apparently they were running into WH Smith saying, Youve got to call the police! Richard Armitage plays Dr Matthew Nolan while Jing Lusi plays detective Hana Li 'But you only get a couple of chances at it before people start to realise youre filming. When I watched it back weeks later my heart was still thumping because I remembered that feeling beforehand, knowing I couldnt mess this up. The scene is just one of dozens of nerve-jangling moments in the first episode of the six-part thriller in which Richard plays Dr Matthew Nolan, a British surgeon whos arrested at Heathrow (Stansted was standing in) after returning from a medical conference in China. He had come frighteningly close to dying in a car crash in Beijing before boarding his flight, and the Chinese authorities are insisting on his immediate arrest and extradition because they claim a female passenger died in his car. Nolan insists he was alone. London detective Hana Li (Jing Lusi) has been assigned to escort Nolan back to Beijing straight away on an overnight flight, but when passengers start dying on board she realises Nolans life is in danger and an international conspiracy is afoot. Red Eye was written by Peter A Dowling, who knows about nerve-shredding plane journeys having created the successful 2005 movie Flightplan starring Jodie Foster, about a girl who goes missing on a transatlantic flight. Peter had then written a submarine-based thriller for ITV but that got cancelled when BBC1 pipped them to the post with 2021s Vigil, so ITV and Peter moved their drama to the skies. Red Eye is like a contemporary Agatha Christie in that youre trapped in a contained location and people are dying, says Peter, a Brit who lives in the US. Youll be thinking, How can somebody get away with this? In that environment the killer must still be there. You know that if you want to catch the killer, you have until the plane lands so the clock is ticking. Jing Lusi and Richard Armitage, along with the rest of the cast, filmed for six weeks in a static plane in a studio He updated his 2005 research about hidden nooks in jumbo jets where a killer might hide. Boeing planes now have sections next to the luggage hold that can be reconfigured as crew quarters, he explains. Theres this container wall and the next thing is where all the bags are. So if you can get through there, youve got the run of the plane. A subplot explores Hanas reluctance to return to China, where she was born and endured a traumatic childhood. Hana also has a difficult relationship with her UK-born half-sister Jess (Jemma Moore), a rookie reporter exploiting her relationship with her sibling for juicy stories. The clock is ticking you know that if you want to catch the killer, you have until the plane lands The actors filmed for six weeks in a static plane in a studio, which sounds claustrophobic but Richard says was a blast, especially when the camera operators had to simulate severe turbulence. There was a thing called the turbulence twerk that the camera operator would start doing to make the camera shake, he recalls. Jing and I would sit there trying not to laugh. Richard consulted a medic to ensure his doctoring skills looked authentic on the plane. I wanted to make sure we were using the defibrillator correctly, he says. I was filming with a real person, so couldnt do CPR on him because I didnt want to break his ribs, but I wanted it to be as authentic as possible. Now I think Id be able to step in in a real mid-air emergency and say, I know exactly what to do and can use that defibrillator! Viewers might need one too as they fasten their seatbelts for this heart-racing thriller full of turbulence. Its going to be a bumpy flight. Revealed: Five more sky-high thrillers Departure (Sky/Now) The Good Wifes Archie Panjabi (pictured) plays investigator Kendra Malley in Departure When Flight 716 disappears over the Atlantic with 256 people on board, investigator Kendra Malley (The Good Wifes Archie Panjabi) is put on the case. Are terrorists responsible? And why is there only one survivor? Watch for Panjabis compelling performance and Christopher Plummers final on-screen appearance before his death in 2021. Hijack (Apple TV+) Idris Elba (pictured) plays unflappable business negotiator Sam Nelson in Hijack Idris Elbas charisma carries this turbulent seven-part series, which has an enjoyably outlandish premise: a seven-hour flight from Dubai to London is taken over by five gun-wielding hijackers. The drama unfolds in real time as unflappable business negotiator Sam Nelson (Elba) uses all his guile to try to regain control of the plane. Buckle up! Into The Night (Netflix) Its best to suspend your disbelief when watching this Belgian sci-fi thriller in which passengers on a flight from Brussels are some of the only survivors of an apocalyptic event in which people are killed by exposure to sunlight. Those onboard the plane must fly west to avoid the sun can they reach safety before their fuel runs out? The Flight Attendant (Sky/Now) Cassie, played by Kaley Cuoco (pictured), is a chaotic air steward with a drink problem in The Flight Attendant Kaley Cuoco is charming as Cassie, a chaotic air steward with a drink problem, in this stylish mystery. When a hungover Cassie wakes up next to the dead body of a first-class passenger shed been flirting with, she has no idea what happened. Did she murder him? Manifest (Netflix, Sky/Now) A soapy but bingeable supernatural series about an airliner that lands five years after it took off although the passengers think theyve been in the air for three hours. Can they return to normal life? Advertisement Red Eye, Sunday, 9pm, ITV1 and ITVX. Tigers, revered apex predators of astounding strength, intelligence and beauty, are the jungles most majestic creatures. But theyre more than just charismatic cats and fearsome hunters as the phrase tiger mum suggests, female tigers are also fiercely maternal, and new Disney+ film Tiger reveals this through an intimate portrait of one family. Narrated by Indian actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Tiger follows the adventures of Ambar, a tigress raising her four cubs in the forests of India. She must deploy cunning and tough love if her babies are to survive to adulthood. She has a lot to juggle keeping them fed and out of danger, while also guiding them to become independent hunters so they can one day leave home and have their own families, says co-director Vanessa Berlowitz. Although being at the top of the food chain means adult tigers have little to fear, their cubs are vulnerable to predators. A tigress with cub in Indias Bandhavgarh National Park. Female tigers are fiercely maternal, and new Disney+ film Tiger reveals this through an intimate portrait of one family Ambar does all she can to protect her cubs from sloth bears, pythons and crocodiles, says director Mark Linfield, but the biggest danger facing them is the arrival of a huge male tiger called Shankar whos almost twice Ambars size. Male tigers are known to kill cubs that are not their own, which puts Ambars offspring in grave danger. Much of our story hangs on the amazing lengths Ambar will go to in her efforts to protect her cubs from Shankar, using her heart and brains compared to his brawn, says Mark. She really won us over with her resourcefulness. And the need to teach her offspring life skills means Ambar has to be cruel to be kind at times. She patiently watches on as the cubs try to get to grips with hunting, says Vanessa. But shes also capable of tough love, driving her cubs from her kill when theyre older so they learn to go it alone. Tiger also shows us Indias diverse wildlife, an array of creatures familiar from tales such as Rudyard Kiplings The Jungle Book. That book brilliantly captures the dramas that happen when animals like tigers, leopards, pythons, sloth bears, elephants, mongooses and peacocks live side by side, says Mark. All these animals also feature in Tiger, and that gives the film an extra dimension that were sure people will love. Filming took place at four tiger reserves Satpura, Bandhavgarh and Pench in central India, and Ranthambore in Rajasthan, northern India. We were blessed to have some of Indias top tiger guides on our team, says co-director Rob Sullivan. Theyre very skilled at following footprints and can spot tigers in thick jungle from hundreds of feet away. But trying to film Ambar, her cubs and other tigers was still frustratingly difficult; these big cats are so elusive it took the film crew just over four years to get enough footage. One problem is that tigers sleep up to 20 hours a day. Wed sometimes go weeks without a good sighting, says Mark. Then wed have to kick into action when a tiger started stalking. Blink and you miss it. A tiger taking a rest up a tree. Tigers sleep for 20 hours a day, which made filming especially difficult Capturing Ambar hunting was really hard. A hunting tiger stays hidden until the last moment, Mark explains. And if its hidden from its prey, the chances are its hidden from the crew too. They also had to contend with the jungle alarm system, when other animals alert each other that theres a tiger on the hunt, which means most hunts fail. But thanks to the teams determination, the film opens a window onto the tigers world, delivering high-octane action and intimate family moments. Rob says, The lives of our tigers took such interesting turns that weve ended up with a film packed with genuine drama and emotion. The New Zealand mum has five tumours growing on her heart Victoria Hudson-Craig was just 33 when she noticed a strange mole on her shoulder - but several doctors thought nothing of it. The mole changed shape a few times - and alarm bells started ringing in May 2013 when it began to bleed down Victoria's back. Fast-forward 11 years, and Victoria now has five tumours on her heart. Tragically, doctors have told Victoria that her rare form of melanoma is incurable. The young mum told FEMAIL she was 'terrified' of her six-year-old daughter growing up without her and that she never imagined a small mole and irregular heart palpitations were the only symptoms of what was to come. 'I was on holiday with my sister and she noticed the mole bleeding,' Victoria said. 'I went back to another doctor again who told me I needed to have it removed immediately - which was the polar opposite of all medical advice I'd received before.' Victoria Hudson-Craig was 33 when she noticed a strange mole on her shoulder Victoria moved to New Zealand in 2015 and eventually gave birth to her daughter, Ruby The following month, the mole was removed and formally diagnosed to be stage 2b melanoma. 'I was shocked at first - I hadn't really heard much about it, growing up in the UK. It wasn't a commonly-known cancer to me,' Victoria said. Doctors made further excisions into Victoria's back and left shoulder to check if the illness had spread to surrounding tissue, but nothing was found at the time. 'They told me it could still be in my bloodstream and undetectable. But there was nothing else to be done in the moment,' Victoria said. In 2015, Victoria moved to New Zealand and eventually gave birth to her daughter, Ruby, in 2017. 'The original melanoma in 2013 sent me to a dark place,' she said. 'I moved to New Zealand to have a break from life and reevaluate what was important to me. 'I met my husband six months later and ended up staying here, and I've tried to live in the moment more. I'm very aware that time is short.' Victoria has five tumours growing on her heart and her rare form of melanoma has been dubbed 'incurable' by oncologists. The only symptom she had besides the mole was slight heart palpitations Victoria was stunned by the diagnosis - especially considering she had only one symptom of heart palpitations What are the signs of skin cancer? There are three main types of skin cancer: melanoma (including nodular melanoma), basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma Melanoma: Most deadly form of skin cancer and if left untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body. Appears as a new spot or an existing spot that changes in colour, size or shape Basal cell carcinoma: Most common, least dangerous form of skin cancer. Red, pale or pearly in colour, appears as a lump or dry, scaly area. Grows slowly, usually on areas that are often exposed to the sun Squamous cell carcinoma: A thickened, red scaly spot that may bleed easily, crust or ulcerate. Grows over some months, usually on areas often exposed to the sun. More likely to occur in people over 50 years of age Advertisement Victoria felt a sharp pain in her abdomen in October 2020 and was rushed to the hospital with appendicitis. 'As the hospital was prepping me to have my appendix removed, they did a scan to check that it was indeed my appendix causing pain. 'The radiologist's hand slipped and accidentally scanned the bottom of my heart - where two tumours were visible.' Victoria recalled the doctor's wide-eyed expression. Several tests later, the mum was diagnosed with four tumours on her heart - three around the bottom of the muscle, and one in the middle. 'They thought the melanoma had come back, but it didn't look very much like melanoma. Doctors said it looked unusual and they couldn't really identify it.' After the inconclusive findings, doctors sent Victoria's test results to foreign colleagues with the hope someone would be able to diagnose her. Papworth Hospital in the UK did an analysis that showed it was more likely than anything else that the tumours were a result of melanoma. 'I was then treated for stage 4 melanoma and started immunotherapy for nine months - but it proved ineffective.' Victoria had to find alternative treatments when the immunotherapy had no hope of working Victoria was stunned by the diagnosis - especially considering she had no other obvious symptoms. The mum recalled slight heart palpitations, but she was also going through early menopause at the time, and believed it was due to her hormonal changes. 'The cancer was progressing and doctors also found a fifth tumour in my heart in December 2021. The week before Christmas, doctors told me all the five tumours had grown and the biggest one was 6cm.' Victoria had to find alternative treatments when she realised the immunotherapy had no hope of working. Victoria's main goal is to spend as much time as possible with her family She started on BRAF inhibitor drugs and paid for it out of pocket because the medicine was not funded by the government. Four months later, a miracle occurred: Victoria's tumours had shrunk by 30 per cent, with the following months showing a similar pattern of shrinkage. However, the medication has impacted Victoria's quality of life and caused severe health anxiety - with even a mere stomach bug needing to be checked out by her doctor. 'There's always the chance that it isn't just something I ate but the cancer and other symptoms are being masked by the pills,' she said. She also regularly suffered through high fevers and fatigue where she couldn't even get out of bed for days at a time. Something that helps Victoria get through every day is to try to see life through her daughter's eyes. 'She knows there's something wrong with my heart, and that I take medication for it. But she doesn't understand that it's cancer or what that means. She doesn't know that it's incurable. 'We try to tell her what we feel she can take on without creating too much anxiety.' Victoria's main goal is to spend as much time as possible with her family while she still can, creating positive memories and experiences for her young daughter. 'The future is so uncertain, and one of the things that breaks my heart the most is knowing that she will grow up without me. 'I hope we have a long time together, but it frightens me that it'll come to an end before I'm ready.' Victoria said her husband, Ryan, has been her rock throughout her health journey thanks to his calm and kind demeanour. 'It's terrifying for him, too, knowing he's going to be a single father at some point. I don't know how he copes with it sometimes, but he's so strong and caring.' Victoria's medicine is currently only holding the tumours stable, not causing them to shrink Despite the uncertain future, Victoria does her best to be positive and look on the bright side of things, eternally grateful for her loving family and caring friends Victoria's medicine is currently only holding the tumours stable. Doctors suspect that if Victoria's tumours continue to grow, they will cause heart failure. 'I have scans every three months to make sure they're stable and I need to stay on the medication as long as I can. I'm not sure what we'll do if it stops working. 'There's no mainstream treatment at the moment, so we might have to look for more experimental ones overseas.' You can donate to the fund to help pay for Victoria's medication here. He now lives in Asia and is able to 'live like a king' Tom Wedding was sick and tired of feeling 'poor' while living paycheck to paycheck in Australia - so he packed up his life and moved to Asia. The 24-year-old sold his belongings at the start of 2023 and worked remotely from his laptop while travelling overseas. Tom, who splits his time between Bali and Thailand, told FEMAIL he couldn't afford to have a night out with friends in Australia, rarely dined at restaurants, and felt restricted by his finances. He now invests and saves 60 per cent of the $6,500 he earns every month while working in tropical paradises. 'I missed out on a lot in Australia and felt like it was controlling my life. Everything adds up so quickly when you go out,' he said. 'Now I'm very spontaneous - if I want to go somewhere I'll just book it. It's also nice working remotely as it gives me the freedom to do that.' Tom Wedding (pictured) gave up living in Australia for Asia instead and hasn't looked back ever since. He moved at the start of 2023, lives out of a suitcase and rents luxury villas Tom also met his now-girlfriend while living in Asia (pictured together) Tom did have a short stint at an office job in Australia but quickly realised that it wasn't for him after three months. He's been living out of a suitcase ever since. For the last four months, Tom has been back home to visit family and has been house sitting for free between the Gold Coast and Melbourne. During this time he's realised just how unaffordable Australia has become. 'The cost of living here in Australia is absolutely bonkers,' he declared in a TikTok video. 'I haven't even had a haircut for like two months while I've been back here for Christmas because I don't want to pay $40-$60 - that's just ridiculous. 'Sure, I could go to a cheap place but I want to get a nice haircut.' While in Asia, Tom said he can 'live like a king' because meals, accommodation and amenities are drastically cheaper. He also chose to live in Bali and Thailand because they're close to Australia and the locals are friendly despite the language barriers. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN COST? AUSTRALIA: Rent: $2200 per month Groceries: $100+ per week Petrol: $80 per week Dining out: $100+ Takeaway food: $25+ Haircuts: $60-70 ASIA: Rent: $1500 per month Food: $50 per week Bike hire: $150-200 per month Petrol: $5 per week Dining out: $5-10 per meal Takeaway food: $5-10 per meal Visa: $60 every two months Haircuts: $10 Advertisement While overseas he rents a scooter for $150-200 per month and petrol costs around $10 to fill up a tank He spends $1200 per month on a huge villa in either Thailand or Bali - whereas in Australia he was paying $2200 per month While living in Australia Tom was renting a small apartment that cost $2,200 a month, but now he pays $1,200 for a luxury villa in Bali that he has all to himself. As for food, takeaway Down Under tends to cost at least $25 per meal but in Asia Tom only needs to fork out $5 - $10. Every two months he needs to leave Bali or Thailand to reapply for the visa - but tends to travel somewhere he hasn't been before. So far he's visited Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam then uses Bali and Thailand as a 'home base'. While overseas he rents a scooter for $150-$200 per month and petrol costs around $10 to fill up a tank. However, one thing he misses about Australia - besides the picturesque beaches - is the safety. Every two months he needs to leave the country to reapply for the $60 Visa - but tends to travel somewhere he hasn't been before. So far he's visited Japan , Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam then uses Bali and Thailand as a 'home base' Tom has two full-time jobs working for a real estate company and marketing brand earning a combined salary of $6,500. And while he enjoys living abroad he does wish he had an office space to retreat to Tom has two full-time remote jobs working for a real-estate company and marketing brand that earns him a combined salary of $6,500 a month. He also has a side-hustle helping to teach others how they can make the transition to remote work and live the nomad lifestyle. As for finances he invests 30 per cent of his income into cryptocurrency, saves 30 per cent for an emergency fund and lives off the rest. Tom believes working remotely is the best way to beat the cost of living and live a balance lifestyle that isn't controlled by finances. For the moment he doesn't have any plans to return to Australia permanently but will always call it home. Whether they are hauntingly realistic visions of our teeth falling out or our partner cheating with a work colleague they insisted we need not worry about, we all have strange dreams we can't seem to make sense of. Well, now a top sleep expert has shared a fascinating insight into why we can have such vivid experiences during our slumber. Professor Mark Blagrove, director of Swansea University's Sleep Laboratory, thinks the reason our dreams can be so 'complex', littered with 'characters, emotions and plots', is because they are designed for us to share with others. Some psychologists instead believe dreams are just the brain's way of processing memories, understanding emotions and processing arguments. It's thought your dreams are just the brains way of processing memories and better understanding our emotions Others say there's absolutely nothing behind our visions, arguing they are merely a meaningless bunch of thoughts. 'There are many debates about why we dream,' Professor Blagrove told the British Psychological Society's PsychCrunch podcast. 'But most researchers will accept that dreams are meaningful and do refer to the individual's waking life, even if it is in a metaphorical way. 'They are not copying waking life but often providing plots or scenes related to the person's waking life to an extent.' Although many dreams have 'fictional' scenes, most people can usually relate to the emotions they experience, he explains. But why? One explanation stems back to an evolutionary theory that there is a virtual reality going on in our minds while we're tossing and turning in bed, and we are practicing overcoming threats. Professor Blagrove said: 'We dream of threats that happen to us. 'We simulate these threats that happen in our dreams, to simulate the practicing of overcoming these threats.' Sometimes these threats are not physical but mental ones targeting our self esteem, causing us to process arguments and ways to argue back with people. Dreams are also thought to to help consolidate our memories and make them more permanent, Professor Blagrove said. This process might, some believe, trigger such lucid dreams. 'In sleep we are consolidating our memories and emotional memories and making the memories more permanent and also linking them with previous memories in our long-term memory,' he said. 'One theory says while the brain is doing that, we actually experience the consolidation, and the experience of the consolidation is our dreaming.' Not all scientists agree with this, though. 'There is also the theory many scientists will hold that dreams are epiphenomenal and they are simply occurring,' Professor Blagrove said. 'During waking life we have our daydreaming occurring, which has a function because we can monitor our daydreams and build on them and think about them, and the theory just says that processing ability carries over into our sleep. But there is not purpose to it, it has just not been got rid of by evolution.' Professor Blagrove believes sharing dreams with others is how we reap the benefits of our life-like visions. That's because sharing dreams gives someone insight into the life of the dreamer and helps to build bonds, he said. 'Maybe the function of dreams doesn't occur while we are asleep,' he said. 'Instead, what's happened is dreams have evolved and the contents of dreams has evolved so that when we tell the dreams to other people when we are awake, at that point you disclose yourself to other people. 'The reason why dreams are so complex and have these characters and emotions and plots and scenes and scenarios is because that complexity is needed in order for the person to express themselves metaphorically to other people.' He suggests that because the art of story-telling in humans has historically been important, the act of dreaming serves to this purpose. One experiment led by Professor Blagrove, published in Frontiers in 2019, involved people opening up about their dreams with others. Fascinatingly, it showed listening and telling dreams increases empathy. But, unsurprisingly, this benefit of dreaming is only possible if you can remember the dream. Some researchers say dreams have no functions or purpose, but the act of sharing them with others does help build bonds with others Although all sleep is important, REM sleep in particularly important because it plays a role in dreaming, memory and emotional processing. The majority of our dreams take place during this phase (which makes up roughly a quarter of our slumber) and they tend to be more vivid, according to Sleep Foundation. You are also more likely to remember a dream if you wake up during your REM sleep period. If you stay asleep during that cycle, dreams seemingly just 'disappear' and have no lasting effect, Professor Blagrove said. He explains some psychologists believe the dreams before your REM cycle are just in preparation for the final dream of the night. 'The other dreams that occur during the night which we may stay asleep during, they are just part of practicing that function and getting ready for the big long dream that occurs at the end of the night,' Professor Blagrove said. It's also common for people to remember nightmares as they wake up during them. Describing a nightmare as a 'distressing dream with negative emotions to it', Professor Blagrove explains that some experts believe nightmares are the brains way of overcoming fears and threats and are in fact more functional than dreams. An example of this is if someone has lived through a traumatic event such as an earthquake they are more likely to have nightmares about it than people who have not experienced one. But others say nightmares are the failure of the function of the dream. When you have a dream and you are processing memories and emotions and then instead you have a nightmare, that is a 'failure of that function occurring', he said. 'Trying to process something that is so distressing that you have been woken up by it,' he added. A leading dentist has revealed why snoring may be causing havoc on your oral health - and even causing bad breath. Most people will snore at one point in their life, whether it's because of a cold or illness that impacts their ability to breathe through their nose. However, for 15 million sleepers across the UK, grunts and wheezes are a regular issue according to the British Snoring and Sleep Anoea Association. Age, gender, lifestyle choices and weight are all contribute factors to a snoring issue and can also be an indicator of an underlying health issue according to dentist Dr Deepak Aulak. The founder of AI-powered dental app Toothfairy shared the impact of snoring on your glistening smile. Dentist and founder of AI-powered dental app Toothfairy shared the four effects snoring may be having on your oral health 1. Increased Risk Of Oral Infections Snoring all night often leads to mouth breathing, meaning a reduction in saliva - but waking up with a dry mouth is the least of your worries. A lack of saliva increases the risk of oral infections, and a chronic dry mouth can cause tooth decay and gum disease, as saliva is vital in maintaining good oral health. Dr Deepak Aulak said: 'Regular dental check-ups are crucial, not just for maintaining overall oral health but also for specifically addressing dry mouth concerns. 'By monitoring your oral health regularly, we can spot any early signs of dry mouth and implement the appropriate interventions to alleviate discomfort and prevent potential complications.' 2. Tooth Decay Bad breath is not the nicest aroma in the morning, however, a bout of ghastly breath may be an indicator of an underlying issue with your oral health. Dry mouth from snoring increases the bacterial build-up meaning there less saliva to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Dr Deepak Aulak said: 'If someone has complained that you snore, they may be bold enough to tell you a few more painful truths. Do you have bad breath? 'Snoring dries out your mouth and robs it of that natural defensive layer of saliva, which is key to combating tooth decay and keeping your teeth and gums clean. 'If you're uncomfortable asking someone if you have bad breath, ask your dentist you'll get an honest answer from the very person who can help treat it'. The This Morning regular explained a chronic dry mouth from snoring can reduce your saliva production and increase the chance of infections and gum disease 3. Gum Disease and Gingivitis A dry mouth from snoring doesn't only cause tooth decay it can also cause gingivitis and more serious gum diseases like periodontitis. Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease, which is caused when plaque, tartar and bacteria build up on the teeth, leading to red, swollen and bleeding gums. When the condition is left untreated it can develop into periodontitis, which attacks the soft tissue around the teeth, causing tooth loss. Interrupted sleep caused by snoring or sleep apnoea can increase inflammatory markers in the blood, which can exacerbate gum disease. Poll Do YOU snore in your sleep? Yes, my snoring wakes up the house No, I am as quiet as a mouse Do YOU snore in your sleep? Yes, my snoring wakes up the house 230 votes No, I am as quiet as a mouse 45 votes Now share your opinion Dr Deepak Aulak said: 'If you see blood in the sink after you've brushed your teeth or noticed a foul smell after you've flossed it could be the first signs of gum disease. 'In its early stages, it can be easily treated with special toothpastes and mouthwashes, but if the disease is allowed to become more deep-rooted, you'll know about it, it is very painful. 'Regular dental check-ups are essential not only for early detection and treatment of gum disease but also for overall preventive care. 'In addition to professional dental visits, maintaining good oral hygiene practices at home is crucial. 'This includes brushing teeth twice daily, flossing regularly, and using antimicrobial mouthwash to reduce plaque buildup and minimise the risk of gum disease. 'By combining regular dental check-ups with consistent at-home oral care, we can effectively prevent gum disease from progressing and mitigate the risk of more severe complications. 'Snoring may not seem a problem for you now but tackling it could save you real problems down the line'. More severe types of gum disease such as periodontitis can weaken your gum tissue resulting in tooth loss (stock image) 4. Tooth Loss Serious gum disease, or periodontitis, weakens the soft tissue that supports the teeth, meaning in some severe cases you can lose teeth. Losing teeth changes the shape of the mouth, which sometimes causes the airway to become more narrow - and even impacts how the person's tongue rests when they are asleep. As a result, tooth loss also causes sleepers to snore. Dr Deepak Aulak said: 'Tooth loss from gum disease is the eventual result of long-term, poor oral hygiene. And snoring could be adding to it. Snoring is also something a dentist can advise on, given problems with your teeth and gums can affect your breathing when asleep. Dr Aulak said: 'Snoring is more than just a frustration for you and anyone in earshot to bear. 'It is often indicative of underlying health issues that can significantly impact your quality of life and can also lead to oral health problems. 'Snorers often sleep with their mouths open, which dries out the mouth and reduces the amount of saliva. 'We need saliva to ensure our teeth and gums stay healthy. The result is more bacteria, meaning potentially gum disease, tooth decay and even tooth loss. This Morning regular, Dr Deepak added: 'If you have any worries about snoring, be sure to speak to a dentist as well as a doctor.' Of all the dates on the calendar, it feels fitting that the Chloe show fell on leap day, 29 February, whose rarity always makes it feel highly charged. According to astrologists, the Sun and Saturn united in Aquarius that day, creating a potent energy and a profound shift. It certainly did. While its too early to say what effects this leap year will have on our lives, we already know its going to have a big effect on our wardrobes the Chloe Effect, to be precise. Arriving at the Chloe show in Paris to see the first collection designed by its new creative director, Chemena Kamali, the excitement was palpable. Jerry Hall and her daughter Georgia May Jagger arrived arm in arm, as did model Pat Cleveland and her model daughter Anna. They were joined by actresses Kiernan Shipka, Clemence Poesy, Kathryn Newton and Marisa Abela, star of the new Amy Winehouse film Back to Black. Oh, and Sienna Miller, the original boho girl whose noughties love affair with tiered skirts and cowboy boots spawned a new movement. Hold that thought for its about to happen all over again. Millers front-row look, a white slip skirt edged with lace and offset with an oversized black leather jacket, was a taster of what was revealed on the catwalk a cornucopia of boho ruffles, desirable denim and leather accessories with waiting list written all over them. The collection was titled Intuition the perfect name for a runway groaning with clothes that seemed to intuit what women want to wear. A runway success: Chloes creative director Chemena Kamali and the star-studded Paris audience in February Kamali might be new to the job, but there was no sign of first collection nerves on the catwalk. Thats likely because, while it was her debut as creative director, it wasnt her debut at the house. In fact, the 42-year-old German-Parisian worked there as a junior designer in the early 2000s, returning to design under Clare Waight Keller a decade later. Which explains why the collection was a joyful throwback to Chloes heydays plural, for in its 72-year history, its certainly had more than one. There were references to the late Karl Lagerfelds tenure in the 1970s, but also nods to Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo. In 1997, McCartney became head of Chloe aged just 25. When she launched her own label, her former course-mate and best friend, Philo, took over in 2001. Both women imbued Chloe with a sense of humour, staying true to its romantic roots but adding a modern edge. While the Chloe woman has had many incarnations, its this version thats held in highest esteem by fans. Ask a Chloe acolyte to name their go-to look, and it will likely be a white lace blouse tucked into bootcut jeans worn with a brown leather belt and brown boots or sandals. Its hard to pin down the appeal of this look, but in baking terms its the perfect ratio of salt and sweet. Pretty meets casual: a marriage made in Chloe heaven Its casual enough for brunch, dressy enough for drinks and, with the right blazer and footwear, suitable for the office. In short, its a dream distillation of the sort of easy, everyday pieces that women can spend a lifetime looking for, but never find. The new Chloe collection had a high concentration of such garments, from the ideal checked winter coat to the dream satin slip dress. Yes, some of the looks were challenging granny pants worn with thigh boots; transparent chiffon gowns but catwalk shows are always styled with social media in mind. In real life, the thigh boots will be worn with a maxi skirt; the chiffon gowns with a camisole. Tone down the styling and the collection was a commercial hit. Thats why the Chloe Effect will be far-reaching: the show was so persuasive that the high street has already been inspired by it. Of the thousands of shows that make up New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks, only a handful will be game-changers. The international ready-to-wear calendar is like a glamorous form of roulette: when it comes to hitting the fashion jackpot, you can never know where the ball will land. Sure, you can predict that banner names such as Prada and Chanel will have an influence, but even these brands dont always move the dial. The Chloe show will. The good news for those who love it but cant afford its high prices a leather handbag costs in excess of 1,000, while even jeans cost 900 is that the trickle-down effect means the high street will have its fair share of homages. Expect to see white lace or broderie-anglaise blouses aplenty, as well as flared jeans, platform clogs, ruffled shirts, thigh boots, slip dresses, boho bags and coin necklaces. Chair of My Wardrobe HQ Jane Shepherdson says: Most women would love to look as insouciant as a Chloe model gliding down the catwalk. Plus, bold necklaces, metal hip belts and slouchy leather bags can easily update an existing look. Theyre friendly items; this isnt a scary trend. The trickle-down effect means the high street will have its fair share of homages While the clothes were covetable, equally persuasive is Kamali herself. Taking a post-show bow in a caramel-coloured shirt and frayed bell-bottoms, it was clear she embodied the Chloe woman. Shes its modern iteration: a working mum who juggles career and childcare and knows how important it is to have a wardrobe that works, even when youre time-pressed and dont have brain space to figure out what goes with what. When her young son (she has two) ran on to the catwalk to hug her it was a lovely moment that will have felt very relatable to her customers. Kamali deserves all the hugs. But plaudits should also go to Chloes parent company, Richemont, for staying true to the labels legacy. Founded in 1952 by Jewish-Egyptian emigree Gaby Aghion, with the exception of Karl Lagerfelds tenure, Chloe has always been designed by women for women. Since being acquired by Richemont in 1985, its creative directors have all been female, a fact that feels all the more meaningful when you consider that every luxury brand owned by Richemonts rival Kering is helmed by a man. Of the many more that LVMH owns, only Christian Dior is run by a woman. Obviously, women dont require their clothes to be designed by other women, but a working mum is particularly well placed to know what other women want to wear. Today, as a woman, you need to be able to follow your intuition and be yourself, Kamali said before her Paris show. Chloe is about an intuitive way of dressing. Gaby Aghion wanted women to be able to move and go to work. Come autumn, well never have looked more stylish as we go. Get the look Stephanie Sofokleous picks the high streets Chloe-inspired hits China is stealing everything from nuclear weapons secrets to genetically-modified seeds as part of an estimated $600billion-a-year theft of US technology, DailyMail.com can reveal. Analysis of Department of Justice cases shows rampant and brazen plundering of US companies by Chinese spies who send trade secrets back home. In at least two cases, Beijing has plotted to steal technology related to the production and detection of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. But shameless spooks have also pilfered medical secrets from a children's hospital in Ohio, as well as stealing seed technology from a farm in Iowa. The results can be financially devastating, with one US energy company losing a whopping $550million after a Chinese firm stole its intellectual property. FBI director Christopher Wray warned last week that Chinese spies were becoming 'more aggressive' than ever in its efforts to steal US trade secrets In March, former Google software engineer Linwei Ding was indicted on charges of stealing AI trade secrets from the tech giant and passing them on to Chinese companies Mo Hailong was convicted of digging up genetically-modified corn seeds in Iowa in a plot to send them back to China The cases also reveal the ease with which Beijing is able to poach American technology, with one Chinese national downloading reams of documents from his US company-issued laptop onto his personal hard drive before saving it under a folder named 'ChinaGovernment'. It comes as FBI director Christopher Wray warned last week that China was 'the defining threat of our generation' and is 'becoming more aggressive in their efforts to steal our secrets'. DailyMail.com has found more than a dozen cases in which the US Government has charged Chinese entities or individuals with conspiring to steal American intellectual property on behalf of Beijing since 2018. Our audit reveals: The People's Republic of China has orchestrated attempts to steal billions of dollars worth of trade secrets from some of the biggest companies in the US, including Tesla, Google, Apple, and Coca-Cola But the shameless thievery filters through all levels of society, from Wall Street to Main Street, with small businesses and start ups also targeted No sector of society is safe, with agriculture, tech, manufacturing, medical and military fields all subject to Chinese espionage US-based Chinese nationals are often paid large sums by CCP-backed entities or provided grant funding in exchange for passing on company secrets These findings are likely to be just the tip of the iceberg, with the FBI revealing last year that it had around 2,000 active investigations related to China's efforts to 'steal information'. Meanwhile, there have been more than 1,200 cases of IP (intellectual property) theft lawsuits brought by US companies against Chinese entities since the turn of the century. Military The most immediately disturbing cases involve the attempted theft of US military and defense secrets, including nuclear weapons technology. As recently as February, Chenguang Gong, of San Jose, was arrested for allegedly stealing codes that could detect missile launches from space. The 57-year-old Chinese native, who moved to the US around 1993 and became a citizen in 2011, 'sought to provide the People's Republic of China with information to aid its military', according to the US Attorney for the Central District of California. Gong was released on a $2.5million bond following a hearing in San Jose and is facing 10 years in federal prison if convicted. His prosecution came after the growing threat of Chinese espionage sparked the establishment of the Distruptive Technology Strike Force, co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce, to counter efforts by hostile nations to illicitly acquire sensitive US technology. In May last year, it announced a slew of charges against alleged hostile actors, three of whom were Chinese nationals. This included Liming Li, 64, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, who allegedly stole technological secrets belonging to two former US employers that could be used in the manufacturing of nuclear submarines and military aircraft, according to an indictment. Li, who worked in various engineering and software development roles for Southern California companies, is accused of stealing software that was subject to US export controls for national security, nuclear nonproliferation and anti-terrorism reasons. Court documents allege that Li tried to use the stolen technology to boost his own business and provide services to government entities and businesses in China. The case, which was one of the first filed by the unified task force, also revealed the outlandish audacity of alleged malicious actors such as Li, who downloaded tranches of files onto a company-issued laptop named 'ChinaGovernment'. Genetically-modified seeds to medical secrets Li Chen was jailed for 30 months for illegally seizing research relating to the treatment of a range of pediatric medical conditions from Nationwide Children's Hospital's Research Institute Chinese firms own 346,915 acres of American agricultural land as of December 2022 EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Chinese billionaire Chen Tianqiao's $85MILLION purchase of Oregon timberland missing from government records Chen Tianqiao built Shanda Interactive into China's largest internet company within five years of founding it in 1999 thanks to the runaway success of games 'The World of Legend' and 'Dungeons & Dragons Online' Advertisement The US agricultural sector has also been on high alert to the threat of Chinese espionage since Mo Hailong was convicted in 2016 of digging up genetically-modified corn seeds in Iowa in a plot to send them back to China. The FBI and the US Justice Department say cases of agricultural IP theft have been growing since Hailong was first discovered foraging in fields in 2011. It comes amid concerns that Chinese firms now own 346,915 acres of American agricultural land as of December 2022. But perhaps one of the most shameless examples of state-sponsored thievery came in the 2021 sentencing of Li Chen for conspiring to steal trade secrets from a children's hospital in Ohio. Chen, once of Dublin, Ohio, was jailed for 30 months for playing a leading part in a scheme, funded by the Chinese government, in which she sought to illegally seize research relating to the treatment of a range of pediatric medical conditions from Nationwide Children's Hospital's Research Institute. Court documents revealed that the 49-year-old conspired to steal and then monetize the sale of exosome 'isolation kits', which play a key role in the treatment of conditions including liver fibrosis and liver cancer. Following the sentencing, Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division slammed the callous scheme. 'A hospital's most important mission is to help people live longer and healthier lives. The defendant's mission, however, was to steal trade secrets and create a company in China to make money off those stolen trade secrets,' he said. State-sponsored thievery Chen received benefits from the Chinese government to carry out her work, including the State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers of the National Security Division compared these institutions to the notorious Thousand Talents program, a national grant scheme that Western counterintelligence officials have long warned is used to tap up Chinese scientists and engineers who have moved abroad. It is thought that Liming Li was also seeking enrolment in the program, as was Xiaorong You, aka Shannon You, of Lansing, Michigan, who was involved in one of the more mundane yet extraordinary attempts to steal the most valuable of American trade secrets - a Coca-Cola can. You was made redundant by the soda supremo as part of a company restructure in August 2017, but in the weeks before her final day she downloaded highly-classified formulas relating to the liner of the iconic Coke can onto her personal devices, evading the company's sophisticated security systems. Xiaorong You, of Lansing, Michigan, (left) who was convicted of attempting to steal trade secrets relating to the manufacture of Coca-Cola cans, shakes hands with a businessman in China, Xu Dongguo, whom US prosecutors say would have benefited from her theft You is interviewed by the FBI in Grand Rapids before she was sentenced to 14 years in prison for conspiracy to commit economic espionage, possession of stolen trade secrets, economic espionage and wire fraud This formula, of which You was one of only two people at Coke to have the details, was crucial to the company's success, as without it the drinks famously sweet, acidic recipe would burn through the can. A little over a week before You downloaded this most valuable of trade secrets, she had traveled to China to apply for millions of dollars of government money to set up her own coatings company, before applying for the Thousand Talents program. The funding, she wrote in her application, would help her company break the 'international monopoly' in the global food container coatings industry - and the files from her Coke computer were central to her plan. In May 2022, You was sentenced to 14 years in prison for conspiracy to commit economic espionage, possession of stolen trade secrets, economic espionage and wire fraud. The formula that she attempted to steal, which belonged to Coke's partner companies who devised it, cost nearly $120million to develop. Huge losses for American companies It is these eye-watering sums that have led the FBI to estimate that the estimated theft of American trade secrets by China costs the US anywhere from $300billion to $600billion a year. As far back as 2018, a US court found that American energy firm AMSC, lost more than $550million after Sinovel Wind Group LLC, a wind turbine company based in China, stole its trade secrets. That same year, Taiwan's UMC was fined $60million after it pled guilty to stealing trade secrets from US firm Micron Technology Inc in a bid to help a Chinese state-owned chipmaker. UMC acted to help China achieve 'self-sufficiency in computer memory production without spending its own time or money to earn it,' Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen said at the time. But Beijing has also gone after the biggest names in US business. In the last 12 months, prosecutors have filed charges against Chinese individuals and entities for conspiring to steal trade secrets from Tesla, Apple and Google. Wray again warned a conference in Nashville on Thursday that China considers every sector of the US economy as 'fair game' for espionage and IP theft In March, former Google software engineer Linwei Ding was indicted on charges of stealing AI trade secrets from the tech giant and passing them on to Chinese companies. The stolen information related to the hardware infrastructure and software platform that lets Google's supercomputing data centers train large AI models through machine learning, according to the indictment. The Chinese national, 38, was arrested in Newark, California on Wednesday and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count if convicted. Ding's case marked the first significant enforcement since Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced that the Justice Department's disruptive technology strike force would focus on AI-related violations last month. It is no wonder that in remarks delivered to the Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats in Nashville on Thursday, Wray again warned that China considers 'every sector that makes our society run as fair game'. The threat is partially 'driven by the CCP's aspirations to wealth and power,' the FBI director said, adding that China wants to 'seize economic development in the areas most critical to tomorrow's economy,' even if doing so requires theft. The brother of the Colorado mother-of-six allegedly poisoned to death by her dentist husband, James Craig, has told of the 'void' she has left in the family and spoken out against what he describes as Craig's 'monstrous deeds.' Mark Pray, 55, was speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com as it emerged that Craig has been hit with new charges by prosecutors in Aurora who last week filed an additional felony count of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence. It is just over a year since Craig, 46, was charged with first-degree murder following his wife Angela's death on March 18, 2023. Now, prosecutors allege that, across two weeks of his time in county jail after his arrest the following day, Craig tried to persuade one of his daughters to dispose of key evidence in the case against him. Father-of-six James Craig, 46, was charged with first-degree murder after his wife Angela's death in March 2023 Angela and Craig are pictured with five of their six kids. Angela's brother said, 'The heinous actions of her killer have left a void in the lives of her children, our family, her countless friends' Angela's brother Mark Pray tells DailyMail.com, 'He manipulates and exploits anyone and anything to evade accountability for his monstrous deeds' Pray told DailyMail.com that he wanted to thank the Aurora detectives and the DA's office for their 'unwavering dedication for seeking justice' for his 'beloved sister's senseless murder'. 'The heinous actions of her killer have left a void in the lives of her children, our family, her countless friends, and the world, depriving us of Angie's love and light,' he said. According to Pray, 'This cowardly act, driven by self-absorption, is a stark reminder of the depths of human depravity. 'The recent revelation of evidence tampering serves as damning proof not only of his guilt in orchestrating Angie's torment and demise but also of his utter disregard for the well-being of those around him, including his own children.' Craig was arrested for murder after detectives discovered his wife Angela Craig, 43, had been fatally poisoned Pray continued, 'He manipulates and exploits anyone and anything to evade accountability for his monstrous deeds. However, his reckoning is inevitable. Whether in this life or the next, justice will prevail, and he will face the consequences of his actions.' It was Pray who accompanied his sister to hospital on the morning of March 15, concerned by the severe headaches and dizziness she was experiencing. Within two hours of her admission to University Hospital that day she suffered a devastating seizure and began a rapid decline for which medical staff could find no cause. Ultimately, with Angela on life-support, intubated and in the Intensive Care Unit medics told the family to prepare for the worst. She was pronounced brain dead three days later, on March 18, 2023. She was 43 years old. In the days following her death a deeply disturbing picture emerged of the life lived by the devoted wife of 23 years and mother who committed herself to her marriage despite doubts and despite her husband's numerous infidelities, self-confessed porn addiction and a worrisome gambling habit that ran alongside him, 'running his company into the ground.' DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Craig's latest mistress was orthodontist Karin Cain, 50, from Marble Falls, Texas. She flew to be by his side as his wife lay dying in hospital but has since claimed she knew nothing of Craig's supposed plan to start a new life with her. Meanwhile the 52-page probable cause document filed in Arapahoe District Court detailed the allegedly calculated and 'heinous' plot which saw Craig research and purchase poisons online then deliver then to his unsuspecting wife through potassium cyanide laced protein shakes. Angela Craig was taken to the hospital on March 15. She died on March 19, after four days on life support Text messages exchanged between the couple show Craig apparently feigning concern for his wife even as she lay hospitalized, frightened, and dying who was suffering through the symptoms of the poison he himself gave her James and Angela Craig pose for a family picture with their six children aged eight to 20 Text messages exchanged between the couple show Craig apparently feigning concern for his wife even as she lay hospitalized, frightened, and dying who was suffering through the symptoms of the poison he himself gave her. While Angela deteriorated in the hospital Craig flew his mistress from Texas, rushing from his wife's hospital bedside to her while telling Angela how much he 'wished he could stay longer.' DailyMail.com revealed Craig was having an affair with orthodontist Karin Cain, 49, who is currently in the middle of a divorce from her husband Jason It is a reality shocked all those who though they knew Craig and who had bought into the carefully curated image of a picture-perfect family that he presented. Living in an upscale development with parks, a nature reserve, and playgrounds the Craigs were a family who seemed to have it all. But the probable cause affidavit states that, behind closed doors, Craig drugged Angela five or six years ago, in an incident he attempted to explain away by claiming he intended to commit suicide and didn't want her to stop him. Meanwhile his wife was struggling to stay in a marriage riven by his repeated affairs, dire financial problems, and addictions. Chelsea Norton, 35, who worked for Craig at his Summberbrook Dental Practice, where Angela also worked, told DailyMail.com, 'We're all just in shock. He was a very good guy, like the least likely person for any of this. 'They were the nicest, sweetest family, with such cute kids. I've looked back on my memories to see if there's anything I missed that hinted at anything [that would explain this] at all. But there's nothing. 'He would give motivational speeches and do food for the staff some afternoons.' Craig allegedly first gave his wife the poison on March 6, in a shake he mixed before their workout Craig had arsenic delivered to the family's home in Aurora, Colorado, days before he poisoned her Yet according to the charging documents it was in this office in a darkened exam room that Craig researched and purchased poison online. And to this address that he had a package containing potassium cyanide delivered March 13. An earlier delivery of arsenic was found to have been made to his home on March 4. The later delivery raised concerns when a staff member who had not got the message to not open what Craig described as a 'personal package,' opened it and could think of no medical reason for the purchase. She googled the chemical, labelled a biohazard, and realized how closely the symptoms of cyanide poisoning mirrored those being suffered by Angela. It was Craig's business partner who reported the concerns to a nurse at University Hospital. The nurse in turn informed law enforcement setting in motion the investigation that led to Craig's arrest and charging. Craig's trial is expected to take place in August. Perfecting the art of conversation is a powerful tool - but so too, it seems, is learning how to escape them. Most people will have found themselves trapped in a tediously boring chat at least one point in their lives. But startling Harvard research shows that in fact, just 2 percent of conversations wrap up when both parties want them to end. The study chalks this up to 'incompatible desires.' Simply put, one person wants to keep rattling on about whatever nonsense interests them, while the other is desperately looking for a clean exit without appearing rude or insensitive. As experimental psychologist Adam Mastroianni, told the Wall Street Journal: 'A conversation is a little bit like driving down the freeway. There are only certain points where you are allowed to enter or exit without doing considerable damage.' The WSJ column suggested we might learn a thing or two from rats. When put in a maze, they are happy to hang around. But with the right motivation - be it heating the floor or giving them a little electrical shock - they soon get moving. To avoid resorting to electric shocks, the general advice is to use your boredom as a sign you need to gracefully initiate an exit. But just how can you do this without causing offense... Fortunately, a host of TikTok influencers have made a hobby out of providing useful tips to duck conversations you find boring. Jefferson Fisher, a trial attorney in Texas who creates videos focusing on how to be an effective communicator, offered some gentle ways to shut down a chat. Fisher calls one of his techniques 'closing the loop.' 'If we first start talking about family, then work and then...whatever else, I will bring the conversation back to how it first started, which would be family,' Fisher said. 'For example, I might say, "Well I'm glad to hear that everybody in the family is doing great. It's been good to see you."' His final piece of advice to his followers was to leave a positive impression simply by complimenting the person you're talking to and saying their name as you end the chat. Another TikTok creator, Josh Otusanya, agreed with Fisher's idea to compliment the person you're about to flee from, but says you should pair it with the magic words: 'One small thing before I got to go.' Hit the person with that phrase, then lavish them with a quick bit of flattery before absconding away, Otusanya explained. Others on social media said when at a networking event, an honest way to abandon a conversation that's going nowhere is to wait for a lull and then say something like, 'I'm going to go mingle a little bit. It was great meeting you.' AdviceWithErin, who primarily posts short comedy sketches about navigating corporate office culture, also weighed in, providing the do's and don'ts of freeing yourself from the grips of an unwanted discussion. She says inching away slowly while the person is talking or abruptly going to bathroom aren't the best tactics. If you want some excuses that aren't so honest and require some confidence to pull off, TikToker rjmclok suggested picking up a fake phone call, saying your kid is waiting in the car or that you have ice cream in your bag. @joshotusanya Do This To End A Conversation With Anyone! Thoughts? conversations conversationtips socialskills makingfriends joshosays original sound - Josh Otusanya Meanwhile, Elisabeth Crain, a psychotherapist, told the Wall Street Journal that giving the person you're talking to a time limit can be effective. Crain said to try: 'Im afraid I have to be leaving in the next few minutes, but I want to hear the end of your story before I go.' Other - perhaps more obvious - tips include not asking any more questions, keeping your responses short or even curt, glancing at your watch or phone or anyone else walking by - or trying the classic line 'Well, I don't want to keep you any longer,' Chicago Tribune reported. Even still, most people have no doubt encountered persistent individuals who don't see talking your ear off as 'keeping them.' So when one is stuck in that situation, a more direct approach might be more prudent. One man, Peter Wagner, told the Wall Street Journal he swears by a phrase that can change the topic from a boring one to something more engaging. 'Weve just about exhausted my interest in this topic. What else have you got?' That line certainly isn't for the faint of heart. The San Francisco Zoo is in danger of being dubbed the most dangerous in America following a string of safety incidents - including a zookeeper being chased by a grizzly bear just last year. An investigation by the San Francisco Chronicle has exposed multiple serious incidents where employee safety and animal welfare has been compromised at the city-owned 100-acre plot in the southwest corner of the city. The zoo, which receives $4 million a year in taxpayer money, first hit headlines over a decade ago when a guest was tragically killed by an escaped tiger on Christmas Day in 2007. This was followed by the heartbreaking death of a baby gorilla in 2014. New surveillance footage has now revealed the moment a zookeeper narrowly escaped death when he was chased around an enclosure by a grizzly bear last may. There was also the recent undisclosed death of a young penguin who was fatally struck by a 'guillotine' door - adding to the toll on morale at the zoo. The San Francisco Zoo has potentially earned the title of 'America's most dangerous zoo' following a string of recent incidents including a zookeeper being chased by freed grizzly bear and a visitor getting mauled to death by an escaped tiger Video footage has captured the terrifying incident where a keeper narrowly escaped a grizzly bear's grasp last May - which somehow remained unreported in the media until now A grizzly bear chase. A dead penguin. Behind the scenes, the S.F. Zoo is in turmoil over safety. My new story on @sfchronicle with @ToddTrumbull @stephenlamphoto @daymondonline & others. https://t.co/vWbuJgkbRt pic.twitter.com/bWITzvtWCm Tara Duggan (@taraduggan) April 17, 2024 The situation has led many workers to resign or say they have 'lost faith in the management' of the 95-year-old institution. There has been a 19 percent decrease in the number of zookeepers and other union staff between 2019 and late 2023, according to the report. The concerning trend has left the remaining zookeepers - who are trained to care for more than 2,000 animals - with the daunting task of overseeing even more exhibits, raising significant public safety and worker safety concerns. But the zoo's board has dismissed the recent incidents as 'predicated on outdated or simply untrue information' and 'uniformly objectionable and baseless.' Video footage that captured the terrifying incident where a keeper narrowly escaped a grizzly bear's grasp last May had remained unreported in the media until now. The zookeeper found himself fleeing from a massive 500-pound grizzly bear named Kiona after an oversight in securing her den allowed her to roam freely. The keeper dashed through gates and barriers to safety, while colleagues managed to lure Kiona away from the public areas. The staff who came to the keeper's aid found him in a panic and the grizzly roaming freely, then-assistant curator of the zoo's carnivores department, Travis Shields, told the Chronicle. Shields, who was away during that particular moment but briefed by his employees after, eventually resigned last July after 'upper management's disregard of keepers' concerns,' the outlet reported. 'Eventually something more severe is going to happen in the future if they continue on the same path,' Shields said. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but this alarming incident, along with other recent safety relapses, has stirred unrest among zoo staff and prompted resignations. In 2007, Carlos Sousa Jr, 17, was killed and two brothers badly mauled after a 300lb Siberian tiger escaped from its enclosure and went on a rampage A police officer examines a tiger enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007 Following the bear incident, modifications were made to the enclosure - including painting the walls a lighter color and spray-painting new 'Open' and 'Closed' signs to enhance visibility for keepers, helping them determine if the door is securely closed. New latches were also installed to ensure that keepers close the den doors before locking them. In 2007, Carlos Sousa Jr, 17, was killed and two brothers badly mauled after a 300lb Siberian tiger escaped from its enclosure and went on a rampage. In the recording, one of the injured men pleaded for help and asked why it was taking so long to come, shouting: 'My brother's about to die out here!' A lawyer for Paul, 19, and Kulbir Dhaliwal, 23, said at the time that help did not arrive for more than 30 minutes. Police had warned that the escaped tiger which savaged three zoo visitors may have been let out of its enclosure deliberately. To reach the public area, the 350lb female would have had to leap an 18ft wide moat and scale a 20ft wall at San Francisco Zoo. But the more sinister possibility is that the Siberian tiger, which chewed off a zookeeper's arm during a public feeding session, might have been freed through criminal malice. The emergency dispatcher told the brother that paramedics cannot come to his aid until they were sure they were not in danger. 'We have to make sure the paramedics don't get chewed out, because if the paramedics get hurt then nobody's going to help you,' they reportedly said. The victim shouted: 'My brother's about to die out here!' The dispatcher asked him to calm down but is told: 'Can you fly a helicopter out here? Because I don't see a f***ing ambulance.' The recordings reveal initial disbelief among zoo staff about the tiger's escape. They also detail how police located and then shot the beast, named Tatiana. They start at 5:05pm when a zoo worker called emergency services to report the frantic brothers begging for help. A woman in the background is heard saying: 'I don't know if they are on drugs or not. They are screaming about an animal - that has attacked them and there isn't an animal out ... He is saying he got attacked by a lion.' The zoo worker said: 'That is virtually impossible.' At 5:10pm, the zoo worker learned an animal was loose. 'We have a Code 1. They say they have a tiger out,' he told the phone dispatcher and an evacuation began. About 10 minutes later, a paramedic or a zoo employee reported that Mr Sousa, who was attacked just outside the tiger pen, was seriously hurt. 'This person needs help now,' he said. After mauling Sousa the beast crept towards the zoo cafe. One of the Dhaliwal brothers - it is not clear which - rang for help from outside the cafe, saying: 'It's a matter of life and death.' A group of visitors make their way through the many tunnels inside the African Savanna display, nine days after the deadly tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo It is then that he pled for paramedics to get there quickly. At 5:27pm a policeman shouted into his radio: 'At the cafe, we have the tiger. We have the tiger attacking the victim.' Less than a minute later, a call came over the radio to stop shooting. 'We have the cat. We shot the cat,' an officer said. 'The victim is being attended to.' Years later, tensions are still simmering between the leadership at the zoo and its frontline workers, according to the Chronicle's report. Over fifteen current and former workers have voiced complaints over management's handling of animal welfare and safety protocols. Three former employees told the Chronicle they left the zoo over arguments with higher ups over animal welfare standards. Melissa Lory, a zookeeper from 2019 to 2021; Trisha Cassianni, a keeper from 2007 to 2021; and Dayna Sherwood, a keeper from 2006 to 2018, each described instances where animals suffered due to decisions made by management about medical care or housing. 'I knew nothing was going to change as far as my welfare concerns I had for the animals I was responsible for,' Lory, a former orangutan keeper, told the outlet. 'I knew it was going to continue getting worse.' She said the primates lived in an enclosure without access to a yard. Cassianni, who also worked with the orangutans, agreed and called the zoo as 'dysfunctional.' 'It just didn't seem like the zoo cared enough about the animals,' she added. Another one of the 15 employees told the outlet they had brought up concerns about grizzly bear security to management years prior to the the May 2023 incident. 'I just felt intensely, but ambiguously, unsafe,' the person said in an email. Edward Poole, a board member and chair emeritus of the San Francisco Zoological Society, the nonprofit organization overseeing the zoo's operations, dismissed the safety concerns as unfounded, claiming they were based on outdated or inaccurate information. He called them 'predicated on outdated or simply untrue information' and were 'uniformly objectionable and baseless.' In an email response to the Chronicle, he emphasized that the grizzly bear incident posed no threat to visitors and highlighted that a subsequent inspection by the US Department of Agriculture confirmed the zoo's compliance with its licensing requirements. He explained that the situation arose when a zookeeper entered the grizzly bear's habitat area under the belief that the bear was confined to another section and claimed the issue was resolved promptly due to the zoo's unwavering dedication to the welfare of both its staff and animals under its care. 'One of our zookeepers entered the grizzly bear's habitat area at a time when it was believed that the bear was restricted to another part of its containment area,' he said. 'Due to a number of safety measures employed, the situation was quickly resolved. This incident underscores our steadfast commitment to ensuring the welfare of both our staff and the animals in our care,' he added. Areas with failing schools are less expensive according to new research Outstanding primary schools can increase nearby house prices by at least 20% House hunters seeking to buy a property in an area with better than average primary schools can pay on average 23 per cent more than locations with poor Ofsted standards, new research has shown. MailOnline compared the Ofsted ratings of primary schools across England to determine which areas had the best schools in the country. Then, using house price data held by the Land Registry it was possible to determine the average price of property in each area and compare that with the average price across the wider region. In many cases, areas which have more expensive properties than the regional average also have better primary schools. Conversely, areas underperforming the housing market have a higher percentage of failing schools. Our 3D-interactive map allows you to explore your local area to see if successful primary schools are driving up property prices. Your browser does not support iframes. House hunters seeking a new home near an outstanding primary school could expect to pay a premium of at least 23 per cent compared to those buying properties serviced by failing schools Purplebricks CEO Sam Mitchell said: 'The average property price across the top 50 areas with the highest proportion of outstanding primary schools is 406,401 that's more than 80,000 above the UK average house price at 325,387, according to the latest House Price Index. 'This would suggest there is a premium of around 20 per cent on homes located near high-performing schools something prospective parents should keep in mind when looking for the perfect location to raise a family.' Last week, almost 90 per cent of children in London received their first choice primary school place. Overall, 89.1 per cent of pupils who applied to start at a London primary school this autumn received an offer from their first preference, compared with 88.5 per cent last year, figures show. The number of applications for places at primary schools in the capital has fallen again this year and councils said families moving out of the city due to changes in their working patterns have played a part. Across London, 85,336 pupils applied for a primary school place a 2.2 per cent decrease on last year. London Councils, which collated the figures, said application numbers were affected by a range of factors including the falling birth rate across the capital and families leaving some areas of the city following Brexit. Families are also moving away 'due to changes in their circumstances and working patterns', it added. A breakdown by London borough shows significant differences in the proportion of families securing their top choice, with around a quarter of youngsters missing out in one borough. Kensington and Chelsea had the lowest proportion of children getting their top choice at 75.4 per cent, and in the City of London 80.8per cent secured their first preference. Hillingdon had the highest proportion of first preferences at 95.7 per cent, followed by Barking and Dagenham where 94.2 per cent secured their preferred school. Primary school places in London are co-ordinated through the Pan-London Admissions scheme. Jon Abbey, chair of the Pan-London Admissions Board, said: 'This year the admissions process has gone smoothly and over 85,000 parents will receive an offer of a preferred school place in the capital with over 76,000 of those being for their first preference school. 'Challenges such as falling birth rates and family migration from London have led to a continued decrease in demand for school places and resulted in a reduction in total applications this year. 'Boroughs are supporting schools to deal with this challenge, meet the needs of our youngest residents and ensure school places continue to be available where there is demand. 'Each London borough has an admissions team and we are ready to help and support parents with any queries.' Speaker Mike Johnson risked his political career to shepherd through over $60 billion in Ukrainian aid on the House floor on Saturday as part of a $95 billion aid package for U.S. allies. The package in total gives $26 billion to Israel, $60.8 billion to Ukraine and $8 billion to the Indo-Pacific through a combination of military and humanitarian aid. The package consisting of three separate aid bills was voted on alongside a fourth 'side car' that includes a potential TikTok ban and a vehicle to repurpose seized Russian assets for Ukraine. The bill providing cash for Kyiv - by far the most contentious of the day and the one Johnson could lost his job over - passed 311 to 112. 'We would rather send bullets to the conflict overseas than our own boys, our troops,' Johnson insisted after the vote. The Israel aid bill passed 366 to 58, with opposition largely consisting of progressives who wanted the aid conditioned on a ceasefire. The House passed a foreign aid package that has been a thorn in Speaker Mike Johnson's side for months. The Senate originally passed a similar version of the measure in February Democrats and a small handful of Republicans waved Ukrainian flags on the House floor during the vote and cheered as it passed. They were reminded 'it is a violation of decorum to wave flags on the floor.' The side car bill passed 360 to 58, with an amendment that requires Treasury to submit a support on Iranian assets and sanction exemptions. The Indo-Pacific bill, to offer military aid to Taiwan against a fast-encroaching China, passed 385-34, with 34 Republicans voting against it and one Democrat, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Mich., voting 'present.' President Joe Biden praised passage of the foreign aid package: 'Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage.' 'It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia,' he went on. 'I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs.' The vote comes days after CIA Director Bill Burns warned that Ukraine would lose its war with Russia by the end of the year if the U.S. failed to send additional military support. The weekend vote is expected to trigger conservative rabble rousers, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who has set in motion a process to remove Johnson. Johnson said on Saturday he doesn't 'walk around worried' about a motion to vacate because he's got a 'job to do.' Whether she makes good on her threat, which is being supported by two other GOP members, remains to be seen. Still, her opposition did not shake Johnson, who said earlier in the week 'If Marjorie [Taylor Greene] brings the motion, she brings the motion and let the chips fall where they may.' The bills are being sent together as one package for one up-or-down vote to the Senate next week. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., became the third Republican to announce his support for a motion to vacate Johnson on Friday, citing outrage over Johnson putting money for Ukraine's 'purposeless' fight against Russia on the House floor without border security measures attached. Republicans are down to a one-seat margin after the departure of Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., from Congress. Johnson would need to rely on Democrats to survive a vote on the motion to vacate. And not all of the House's rightward flank is on board with ousting the speaker. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., suggested on his podcast Friday that someone in his party might be 'bribed' to allow Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to become speaker. 'I do believe in a one seat majority, there could be one or two or three of my colleagues who would take a bribe in one form or another in order to deprive the Republicans of having a majority at all.' He went on: The risk that one or two of my corrupt Republican colleagues might take a bribe, take a walk, feign an ailment and flip this thing to the Democrats is a risk that is too high for me.' Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, another Florida hardliner and Johnson opponent, also voiced her opposition to the motion. 'I do not like or support what Mike Johnson has doing and I think that he has absolutely gone back on what He promised us. But at this time, that is no kidding, a possibility. And as a result of that, I'm hoping that that doesn't move forward.' The Ukraine bill includes $23 billion for replenishing U.S. stockpiles that have been depleted for the fight in Russia. Some $11 billion would go to U.S. military operations in the region and $14 billion would go to procuring advanced weapons systems. Another $26 million would go to oversight and accountability of equipment given to Ukraine. Two separate economic assistance funds worth $7.85 billion and $1.58 billion would also be offered to Ukraine under a loan structure. The president has wide authority over the terms of the loan, and could forgive half of it after November 15, 2024 and half after January 1, 2026. An amendment from Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., the only Ukrainian-born U.S. lawmaker, to remove the humanitarian aid provisions from the bill roundly failed on the floor. 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. A fourth bill includes several measures such as requiring TikTok divest from its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance, an effort to obtain seized Russian assets and a lend-lease program for military aid to Ukraine. The House already passed a bill to force ByteDance to divest TikTok, but the new catch-all legislation would give TikTok a year rather than six months to separate itself from China. Attaching the measure to the foreign aid will force the Senate to vote on it, after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has dragged his feet in putting it on the Senate floor. The so-called 'side car' bill also includes a provision involving the REPO Act, meaning it would seize Russian assets that until now have only been frozen and repurpose them for Ukraine, and one that would involve the Lend-Lease Act, which would require Ukraine to give back U.S. military assets that are not destroyed in war. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, delivered a fierce speech on the floor ahead of the vote on the side car. 'The world is watching. Our adversaries are watching. And history will judge us by our actions here today,' he said. 'As we deliberate on this vote you have to ask yourself this question. Am I Chamberlain or Churchill?' A man carries items on his back as people remove possessions from their homes following Israeli airstrikes. The foreign aid funding package would include money for Israel's missile defenses among other military priorities Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly requested that Congress approve supplemental funding for his countries ongoing war against Russia Johnson noted much of the bill is not going directly to any country but is going to backfill U.S. stockpiles that have been depleted for Ukraine and Israel. The U.S. was heavily involved in defending Israel against Iran's 300 missile strikes last week. In an olive branch to conservative hardliners, Johnson announced a vote on a border security bill with components of the already-passed, conservative H.R. 2 border bill. That includes the immediate construction of a border wall, asylum restrictions and the Remain in Mexico policy under Trump, but the vote is expected to fail. Members and allies of the right-wing Freedom Caucus were mad that Johnson said he would not secure Ukraine's border before securing the U.S. border, but now walked back that promise. Johnson has suggested securing the border is largely an executive authority that relies on President Biden. Intelligence officials, meanwhile, have been warning members of Congress of Ukraine's urgent need for U.S. aid. CIA Director Bill Burns warned Thursday that Ukraine 'could lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024.' Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., filed a motion to vacate the speaker nearly a month ago. She previously warned Speaker Johnson not to put up foreign aid funding for a vote without attaching border security measures, which he did on Saturday Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has called on Speaker Johnson to resign to avoid being removed On Friday, McCaul told reporters that classified intelligence briefings about Ukraine had a 'big impact' in influencing Johnson's decision to bring the foreign aid up for a vote. Democrats offered Johnson rare praise for what they deemed 'doing the right thing' and bringing the aid bills to the floor, despite what it could do to his career. 'I don't agree with the speaker on anything politically, but I also think he's got integrity,' Himes told DailyMail.com after the rule vote. 'I think that he's sort of stepped up to be a leader.' Johnson for months resisted White House calls to bring Ukraine aid to the House floor, hesitant in knowing that doing so could result in his firing. Now, his days could be numbered. But he's been spared at least another week: the motion was not called up on Saturday and the House leaves for a two-week recess after the aid votes. Later in the day the chamber is expected to pass $95 billion in foreign aid The vote was brought up under suspension and needed 287 'Yeas' to pass A Republican-led effort to pass another border security bill failed on Saturday shortly before the House is expected to pass $95 billion in foreign aid funding. The bill, which failed 215 to 199, contained many components of the conservative H.R. 2 border bill, which has not been touched by the Democrat-led Senate since it passed in May 2023. The failed measure proposed immediate construction of a border wall, asylum restrictions and the reinstatement of Donald Trump's Remain in Mexico policy, which Democrats despise. The bill was considered to be an olive branch to conservative hardliners who said they would not back Speaker Johnson's $95 billion foreign aid measure if it did not include border security additions. Dismissing their request, Johnson did not include border security in the foreign aid bills Saturday and instead brought the measure up on a separate vote. He's now facing a growing number of threats to his job for doing just that. House Speaker Mike Johnson failed to secure the 287 votes necessary to pass a watered-down version of Republicans' H.R. 2 called The End the Border Catastrophe Act on Saturday The bill would have immediately restarted barrier construction along the U.S.-Mexico border and Donald Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' policy, both of which are despised by Democrats Speaker Mike Johnson said earlier in the week he would send a bill containing much of the conservative H.R. 2 border bill to Senate Leader Chuck Schumer's desk, but his attempt to do so failed Saturday The bill was brought up under suspension, a vehicle to force a vote on legislation which requires two-thirds - or 287 members - of the House to vote 'yea' for it to pass. Notably, five Democrats voted in favor of tougher border security measures, including Reps. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., Jared Golden, D-Maine., and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash. Members and allies of the right-wing Freedom Caucus were mad that Johnson said he would not secure Ukraine's border before securing the U.S. border, but walked back that promise. Johnson has suggested securing the border is largely an executive authority that relies on President Biden. Still, conservatives have laid the blame on Johnson for what they see as a bait and switch. 'That is a joke,' House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good, R-Va., said of the border bill earlier this week. 'That's pretend. That's theater. That's noise.' Firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said 'It's a theatrics, shiny object.' 'It's the shiny object for Republicans that are saying we got to do something for the border.' But Johnson was hopeful it could become law. 'We're gonna put the key elements of H.R. 2, which is our legislation that House Republicans passed over a year ago; it's been sitting on Chuck Schumer's desk collecting dust as they mock it,' Johnson said earlier this week. The act did have some of the conservative's favorite pet projects, though. Had it passed, the measure would have immediately restarted barrier construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. It also would have re-enacted Donald Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' policy. House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good, R-Va., had requested that Speaker Mike Johnson include border security provisions on the foreign aid measures passed Saturday, but Johnson instead put a border bill up for a vote instead Further, it aimed to increase the number of Border Patrol agents, mitigate the executive branch's catch-and-release immigration authority and require additional transparency from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill also would have provided financial relief for Texas's longstanding and costly immigration-related expenses. But the measure's defeat is not the only border security loss suffered by House Republicans this week. On Wednesday, the Senate voted to dismiss articles of impeachment against DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas after the House voted to bring articles against him in February. The Senate impeachment proceedings started and finished within three hours. The House Homeland Security Committee previously spent over half a year investigating Mayorkas before levying charges against him in January. 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 Had it passed, the measure would have immediately restarted barrier construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. It also would have re-enacted Donald Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' policy All that effort went up in flames Wednesday. Republicans stood together on the matter, though, with GOP Senators using every power they could to elongate the process. Nonetheless, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was able to dispense with the articles without even rendering a verdict on whether Mayorkas was innocent or guilty, a first in U.S. history. The man who set himself on fire outside Donald Trump's hush money trial in New York City was a Taylor Swift fan who regularly referenced the pop star in his online rants. Maxwell Azzarello, 37, doused himself in an alcohol substance before taking a lighter to his clothes near Manhattan criminal court on Friday. He was seen kneeling with his hands behind his head engulfed in flames as the world's media and horrified onlookers watched. The protestor was taken away in a gurney by NYPD officers and remains in the hospital in critical condition. But weeks before he lit himself on fire, Azzarello, who describes himself as an investigative researcher, had posted about Swift on at least three different occasions on his Instagram stories. Maxwell Azzarello, 37, had been posting about Taylor Swift weeks before he set himself on fire outside Donald Trump 's ongoing trial in New York He was seen kneeling with his hands behind his head engulfed in flames as the world's media and horrified onlookers watched. NYPD officers rushed to extinguish the flames. But weeks before he lit himself on fire, Azzarello, who describes himself as an investigative researcher, had posted about Taylor Swift on three different occasions on his Instagram stories In one of his uploads from late February, the Florida-resident reposted an AI image of Swift dressed as Wonder Woman with the caption: 'Super Bowl LVII Forecast: 100% chance of broflakes melting down and whining across the nation.' Under the AI image, Azzarello wrote: 'Why are we all so divided? Because the people who stole the American Dream are shouting "You're divided! You're divided!" in all directions'. During the same time, he shared another AI generated picture of Swift sitting in a blood-covered oyster with multiple arms with the caption: 'Taylor Swift demands a sacrifice'. Azzarello added his own thoughts to the caption and further wrote: 'An ironic doomsday cult is still a doomsday cult'. In one of his stories from late February, the Florida-resident reposted an AI image of Swift dressed as Wonder Woman During the same time, he shared another AI generated picture of Swift sitting in a blood-covered oyster with multiple arms But after a series of cryptic AI generated pictures, the conspiracy theorist posted a real picture of Swift flashing a peace sign from her commencement speech at New York University in 2022 An hour before he self immolated, Azarello posted a text in his Instagram story that just repeated the words 'I love you.' Moments before he set himself ablaze, Azzarello was seen throwing pamphlets in the air that included a link to the Substack account explaining his actions before he ignited himself But after a series of cryptic AI generated pictures, the conspiracy theorist posted a real picture of Swift flashing a peace sign from her commencement speech at New York University in 2022. He praised the billionaire and wrote: 'Still her best picture'. An hour before he self immolated, Azzarello posted a text in his Instagram story that repeated the words 'I love you.' Moments before he set himself ablaze, he was seen throwing pamphlets in the air that included a link to the Substack account explaining his actions before he ignited himself. The blog was titled: 'I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial.' The conspiracy theorist claimed on the blog post that his 'extreme act of protest' was to draw light to what he called a 'totalitarian con.' He wrote the government was 'about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup'. Azzarello added: 'To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict.' Trump is currently on trial in Manhattan for hush money payments made to to former adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election A post published moments before the horrifying incident, reads: 'I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial.' The pamphlets found at the scene link to a Substack written by 'investigative researcher' Max Azzarello He had travelled to New York City a week ago, saying on his Instagram he would be staying at Washington Square Park. Trump is currently on trial in Manhattan for hush money payments made to to former adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election. He has denied 34 charges of falsifying business records and says every legal experts thinks the allegations are a stretch. Trump was outside of the courtroom, but still inside the court house when Azzarello lit himself on fire. The full jury of seven men and five women had already been selected for his hush money trial and alternates were being sought today. Members include an investment banker and a speech therapist who admits he 'doesn't like' his policies. The final two alternate jurors were seated Friday afternoon. According to reporters in the courtroom, Trump appeared to fall asleep again as the jury selection droned on. Judge Juan M. Merchan, seemingly unaware of what was unfolding outside, told newly selected jurors that opening statements are set for Monday at 9.30am. At the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about Azzarello during the daily briefing. 'It's very sad news,' Jean-Pierre replied, stating she learned about the 'developing situation' from live news coverage. Authorities said they were also reviewing the security protocols outside the courthouse. 'We are very concerned. Of course we are going to review our security protocols,' Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said. Earlier this evening, Trump confirmed that he would testify at some point in the trial to reporters outside the courtroom. Inside Royal Stoke University Hospital, overlooking the cavernous foyer, is a banner featuring 21 flags. The first bears the familiar rainbow colours of Gay Pride. The others, local health officials inform us, represent different genders and sexualities which symbolises our commitment to achieving a more inclusive organisation where both colleagues and the people we care for are encouraged to be themselves. So, there is a transgender flag light blue, pink and white (for those whose gender identity differs to their birth sex); a non-binary flag yellow, white, purple and black (for those who do not identify as solely male or female); a pansexual flag pink, yellow and cyan (for those attracted to all genders); and an intersex flag yellow with a purple circle (for those who do not fit typical notions of male or female bodies), to mention just four of the classifications. Above the banner, measuring some 45ft, is the message: EVERYONE IS WELCOME HERE. Inside Royal Stoke University Hospital, overlooking the cavernous foyer, is a banner featuring 21 flags celebrating different genders and sexualities How will this help reduce waiting lists at the Royal Stoke, which is run by the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), among the worst performing in the country, where patients are treated on trolleys in the corridor? Its a question many in Stoke will surely be asking themselves. Apart from anything else, the former Potteries capital, one of the most deprived cities in Britain, is about as far removed from fashionable equality, diversity and inclusion policies as it is possible to be. Nearly 90 per cent of the population are heterosexual, according to the 2021 census. Most of the categories featured on the banner are too statistically insignificant to be recorded. Polysexual? Polyamorous? Neutrois? Aromantic? Agenda? Admittedly, the Trust only paid a printing company 239 (199 plus VAT) to make the banner. Behind it, though, are NHS managers on six-figure salaries and what almost everyone believes apart from the managers themselves are a skewed set of priorities at a time when the NHS, metaphorically speaking, is on the critical list. Its absolute madness, said a nurse, shaking her head, after she emerged, looking exhausted, from the hospital following a ten-hour shift earlier this week. No one even consulted us about the flags. Me and the rest of my team are up there on our knees because were so tired and understaffed but rather than put vital investment into frontline care, the Trust would rather spend valuable money on a ridiculous banner. The nurse, in her 30s, with her scrubs clearly visible under her fleece, asked not to be named, which is perhaps telling, in itself. Her views nothing more than the truth and old-fashioned common sense are at odds with the equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) regime inside the hospital. Seven people, it transpires, work for the EDI team at UHNM, including three part-time staff, at a total cost of 333,707. Stoke is run by the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), among the worst performing in the country The question is being asked, how will the politically correct banner help reduce waiting lists at the Royal Stoke? But thats not the only story. UHNM declined to disclose individual salaries. However, the role of chief people officer Jane Haire, who has 30 years experience in the NHS, typically attracts a salary of 120,000 to 140,000 per annum. In 2022, the Trust also advertised for a deputy chief people officer offering between 95,125 and 109,475 a year and in 2023 an assistant director was being sought to lead on organisational development, culture and inclusion, working under the chief people officer (Ms Haire) and her deputy, on an annual pay package of 58,972 to 68,525. A recent advertisement for a nurse, on the other hand, was offering the successful applicant a salary of 28,407-34,581. Hasnt something gone badly wrong here? Across the NHS as a whole, according to a freedom of information response, at least 882 staff are employed in diversity-related roles at 241 NHS organisations. Total EDI bill: 40 million. The NHS Confederation, the leading healthcare membership body, blithely dismisses the figure as a small proportion of the annual NHS budget. Maybe it is. But 40 million would still pay for the salaries of 1,150 nurses. Nowhere are they more badly needed than at Royal Stoke. The cultural transformation of the NHS, where being demisexual (someone whose sexual feelings depend on an emotional bond) or demiromantic (someone who needs an emotional bond to feel romantic) results in a flag being printed on a banner and put on display in one of the biggest hospitals in the country, is almost Kafkaesque. It is a transformation, moreover, which has occurred in plain sight. The strategy which is supposed to promote inclusion is having precisely the opposite effect, much like directives from the Ministry of Truth in George Orwells classic dystopian novel 1984. The role of the NHS is to deliver care to all who need it, not to promote fashionable political ideologies, said Bev Jackson of the LGB Alliance, founded five years ago in opposition to the policies of the Stonewall campaign group on transgender issues. These silly flags only serve to alienate those of us who are same-sex attracted. If the NHS wants to be more welcoming to LGB, it should stop associating us with made-up genders and meaningless neosexualities, and spend the money on improving care. Today most staff in this brave new world are too scared to even voice disagreement. Take the booklet, issued by the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, containing instructions to managers not to make supportive comments such as I understand your concerns to staff who, for example, complain about trans or non-binary colleagues having access to gendered spaces. That could include female staff, say, worried about having to share the toilets with transgender women biological men, in other words. So much for inclusion. The truth the NHS doesnt want to hear is that the vast majority of staff and patients believe sex is determined by biology and also believe in treating members of the LGBTQ+ community with dignity and respect. It is perfectly possible to be both things at the same time. But not, it seems, in the NHS. Instead, anyone who honestly speaks their mind is in danger of being disciplined and portrayed as a bigot by the militant trans lobby, an ideology the NHS has tacitly embraced. So much for everyone is welcome at Royal Stoke. How did we get here? The journey which ended with that banner being unfurled began with the 2010 Equality Act. One of the main aims of Section 149 was to advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Among those protected characteristics were gender reassignment and sexual orientation. But the legislation has been interpreted and expanded beyond all recognition down the years in a way that few people could have predicted. Successive health secretaries Sajid Javid and Steve Barclay tried to crackdown on woke and wokery and Victoria Atkins, the current incumbent, has been crystal clear that biological sex matters. Nevertheless, the diversity juggernaut keeps rolling on where the NHS blob, not elected politicians, are effectively in charge. Its a narrative which seems, for all intents and purposes, to have been borne out by recent developments. Doctors have been asked to fill in forms that involved ticking a box on which genitalia patients had, 18 gender options were listed on another form, smear tests are being offered to people with a cervix and, according to the latest guidance, not everyone who experiences menopause is a woman. Gender inclusive policies, it seems, are writing women out of the NHS in a way that men arent. The increasingly dogmatic blueprint coincides with the growing influence of LGBT lobby group Stonewall. Stoke is a prime example. The banner in the Royal Stoke was part of an EDI programme devised in the light of a Stonewall LGBT in Britain Health Report in 2018. The survey of more than 5,000 LGBT people reportedly found almost one in four LGBT people (23 per cent) witnessed discriminatory or negative remarks by healthcare staff and one in seven (14 per cent) have avoided treatment for fear of discrimination. The statistics are quoted in an equality and diversity section of UHNMs website which highlights its participation in the NHS Rainbow Badge Scheme. The scheme is intended to show that the Trust is an open and non-judgmental and inclusive place for people that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, with the + meaning inclusivity of all identities. This now includes Pansexual, Polysexual, Demisexual and Asexual... and 17 other genders and sexual orientations, of course. How much credence the Trust should have given to the findings in the Stonewall report which underpins its gender policies is questionable. In 2022, the Governments Legal Department (GLD) dropped Stonewalls Diversity Champions scheme, under which employers pay a fee for advice on the implementation of equality laws, after its former chief executive likened gender-critical beliefs to anti-Semitism. Stonewall has been accused of playing a significant role in trans-extremism and using its rankings, a protection racket, to quote one leading feminist, to coerce public bodies into lobbying for changes to sex and gender laws. But UHNM still signed up to the Stonewalls Workplace Equality Index which benchmarks progress in LBGT+ inclusion in the workplace in 2018 and 2020 and again in 2022. UHNM says it has no plans to participate further, having scored badly, in fact, three years running, which gives you some indication, given what has happened in Stoke, of just how entrenched in woke culture higher-placed Trusts must be. At times, it is easy to forget that the Royal Stoke is actually a hospital with an 18-month waiting list for operations last year, the fourth worst in the country. Extreme pressure on A&E resulted in a critical incident being declared, earlier this month, for the third time this year. Between April and December last year, there was a spike in superbug infections. So the flags have not gone down well with the people who matter most patients and their families, at least those who spoke to us this week. David Hughes, a retired IT project manager, was waiting for his wife who has a heart condition and was undergoing an ECG. Absolutely crazy is how he described the banner hanging just above his head in the huge foyer. He added: I think the NHS should be spending its money on those that need care, not this ridiculous woke agenda. Another patient, Lynda Harnett, 66, a retired business manager, was equally irritated. I agree that everyone should be included in our society but it should not be falling to the NHS to do this sort of thing, she said. It strikes me as a waste of money that really ought to be going into patient care. This is where taxpayers money should be spent, not on an inclusiveness campaign, no matter how well intended it is. The NHS needs every penny it can get. There has also been a backlash online. One post in particular, in the form a spoof letter from the hospital, encapsulated the nonsense. Dear Patient, we cant do your hip replacement today, weve spent the cash on a new flag. Please advise your pronoun, as we are now prioritising operations based on this. It is signed regards, Woke Administration Dept... which doesnt seem a million miles from the truth, does it? Additional reporting: Nic North and Tim Stewart A university risks breaking the law with a woke employment policy aimed at staff seeking promotion, it has been warned. Academics at King's College London who apply for posts as professors or readers are asked to give evidence of how they 'create an inclusive environment where colleagues are valued and able to succeed. 'This might include: educating yourself about issues of equality, diversity and inclusion and how exclusion occurs'. It comes after the university was accused of requiring staff to show support for LGBT charity Stonewall to win a promotion. Free speech and women's rights groups, backed by human rights lawyer Akua Reindorf KC (pictured), criticised the move Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at charity Sex Matters, said the legal opinion means the university 'must urgently review its promotion and hiring policies'. Pictured, Domed reading room at Maughan Library at King's College London It comes after the university was accused of requiring staff to show support for LGBT charity Stonewall to win a promotion Free speech and women's rights groups, backed by human rights lawyer Akua Reindorf KC, criticised the move, saying equality law was misinterpreted. Ms Reindorf wrote: 'It is likely to be unlawful for KCL to place a requirement upon applicants for promotion that they demonstrate their support of the university's 'equality, diversity and inclusion ambitions'.' Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at charity Sex Matters, said the legal opinion means the university 'must urgently review its promotion and hiring policies'. A King's College London spokesman said: 'We're proud of the work we've done to build an inclusive atmosphere on campus in collaboration with our staff networks and EDI [equality, diversity and inclusion] experts. 'Academic staff applying for promotion choose how they provide evidence to support their individual applications against a range of specific criteria, in line with employment and higher education regulations. 'We regularly review all university policies to ensure compliance with changing laws.' The police officer who saved countless lives by killing the Bondi Junction stabbing murderer a week ago feels a 'sense of relief' after giving her official statement on what happened - and is already keen to get back to work. Inspector Amy Scott shot Joel Cauchi dead in the Westfield shopping centre in Sydney's east last Saturday, after he had killed six people and injured many more, including a baby girl. Ms Scott waited three days before giving her statement to investigators on Tuesday, after being advised to do so by police union colleagues. She did so in order to ensure she was physically and mentally well enough to talk about what happened on the day of the tragedy. 'It was with a sense of relief that she was able to give her version of events,' Police Association of NSW head Kevin Morton told The Daily Telegraph. Inspector Amy Scott (pictured) shot Joel Cauchi dead in the Westfield shopping centre in Sydney's east last Saturday, after he killed six people and injured many more, including a baby Joel Cauchi is pictured carrying the knife he used to murder six people in Bondi Junction Witnesses said that when Inspector Scott (left) shouted out 'Put it down' at Cauchi (right), the knifeman charged at her, leaving her no option but to fire at him READ MORE: Security guard injured in deadly rampage recalls the moment his colleague was stabbed to death Muhammad Taha (pictured) broke his silence from his hospital bed Advertisement 'There's still a long road ahead with the coronial process, but there is certainly a level of relief to get her version to investigators.' Mr Morton said Ms Scott wants to get back to work, but has been advised to take some time off and ease back into her police duties. Witnesses said that when she shouted out 'put it down' at Cauchi, the knifeman charged at her, leaving her no option but to fire at him. By the end of that day, Ms Scott had been working for almost 14 hours, leading to the advice from her union to take some time to recover before giving her statement on Tuesday. The Police Association said it works 'hand-in-hand' with the NSW Police Force when it comes to the welfare of its members. Ms Scott would know best when the time was right to return to work, Mr Morton said. 'It's a matter for her, she is the only one who can make that decision. It's not uncommon for officers in this situation to want to get back.' He added that she was the senior officer on duty that day with a team working under her, and is concerned to make sure all of them are okay. Mr Morton said the inspector was aware of the outpouring of respect from the public for what she did and for saving lives. But he said she is a 'humble person' and believes every other NSW Police officer would have done the same thing in the same situation. Photographs show how a suspected conspiracy theorist stalked Donald Trump's hush money trial in Manhattan with protest signs for at least two days before setting himself on fire outside. Max Azzarello, a 37-year-old from St. Augustine, Florida, is seen holding a sign a outside the Manhattan criminal courthouse on April 18 in the image, unearthed as police identified as the man who set himself on fire the next day. 'Trump is with Biden and they're about to facist coup us,' Azzarello's sign reads, outside the courthouse where the historic trial was taking place. The day before, he held a sign critical of New York University, according to The New York Times. Now in critical condition, he made a series of social media posts about pop star Taylor Swift in the weeks building up the display, said to be 'an 'extreme act of protest...[against] a totalitarian con, and our own government' on his own Substack. He went on to write how this regime 'is about to hit us with an apocalyptic facist world coup,' just months after a series of arrests in Florida for incidents that took place in August last year, including hurling a drink at a photo of Bill Clinton. Oddly, the alleged research investigator is seen smiling in an undated photo with the former president, writing, 'we have a secret facist problem.' Scroll down for video: Max Azzarello, a 37-year-old from St. Augustine, Florida , is seen holding a sign a outside the Manhattan criminal courthouse on April 18 in the image It was unearthed as police identified as the man who set himself on fire the next day. Officers rushed over and tried to help him Friday afternoon as the fire burned. He doused himself in an alcohol substance before taking a lighter to his clothes 'Trump's in on it,' Azzarello reportedly told the Times on Thursday, saying his beliefs were influenced by research he had carried out into Peter Thiel, the venture capitalist behind companies like PayPal and Facebook. 'It's a secret kleptocracy, and it can only lead to an apocalyptic fascist coup,' he said. Those quotes were offered as Trump's criminal trial entered its third day of jury selection over alleged falsified business records related to payments made to an ex-porn star during his campaign. The GOP frontrunner was indicted last April, and denies any wrongdoing. The next day, as day four was unfolding, the self-described 'investigative researcher' tossed a stack of pamphlets into the air, which included links to a Substack newsletter he penned touted as 'The Ponzi Papers' Second later, he horrified onlookers as he covered himself in gasoline and set himself ablaze in Collect Pond Park, in full view of local and national new crews. In an article authored hours before with the headline 'I have set myself on fire outside of the Trump Trial,' the suspect spewed conspiracy theories about the 'elites', crypto, Hollywood, COVID, and Clinton, who apparently has been a fascination of Azzarello's in recent years. DailyMail.com has gained some insight into that fascination, learning the activist had recently completed 180 days probation for a string of incidents involving disorderly conduct and destruction of property - and overall erratic, 'rambling' behavior - in The Sunshine state. DailyMail.com obtained criminal complaints for each, all taking place within a matter of days in August. On his LinkedIn profile, a younger Azzarello appears in a photo with Bill Clinton - a figure of fascination for him in recent years, posts on social media show. In an accompanying cation to his bio, the suspected conspiracy theorist writes, 'We've got a secret fascism problem' Azarello, seen here in a August 24, 2023, mugshot, had recently completed 180 days probation for a string of incidents over disorderly conduct and destruction of property in Florida, where cops and members of the public cited his erratic and 'rambling' behavior DailyMail.com has obtained three criminal complaints of the incidents - all of which took place in August last year In one, officers wrote how Azzarello, 37, threw a glass of wine at a framed and autographed photograph of Bill Clinton displayed in the lobby of the Casa Monica Hotel in his hometown of Saint Augustine, Florida, on August 19 of this past year. He is listed as unemployed Azzarello was arrested several time last year in the Sunshine State for breach of the peace Fliers spotted at the scene of the self-immolation shortly after it occurred. It has not been confirmed if they belong to the victim The pamphlets found at the scene link to a Substack curated by the self-described 'investigative researcher' The tragedy unfolded while former president Trump (pictured on Friday morning) was inside the courthouse On his Substack - where he previously ranted about Clinton and the current state of the US government - Azzarello wrote that he set himself on fire in an act of extreme political protest 'Trump's in on it,' Azzarello reportedly told the Times on Thursday, saying his beliefs were influenced by research he had carried out into Peter Thiel, the venture capitalist behind companies like PayPal and Facebook 'It's a secret kleptocracy, and it can only lead to an apocalyptic fascist coup,' the anti-establishment conspiracy theorist said In the first of three, cops wrote how Azzarello threw a glass of wine at a framed and autographed photograph of President Bill Clinton displayed in the lobby of the Casa Monica Hotel in his hometown of Saint Augustine the evening of August 19, 2023, The complaint, which lists him as unemployed, notes that the incident took place as Azzarello had just finished dinner at the hotel's restaurant. He went on to launch the glass at the image, breaking the glass on the framed photograph and damaging it with wine. Then, two days later, on August 21, Azzarello was arrested again in the Case Monica. where he was reported for, 'standing outside, stripping his clothes off and yelling at customers.' When cops arrived, they noted how the suspect was 'wearing nothing but his underwear, standing on the sidewalk[, and] holing [sic] a speaker blasting music and yelling.' The hotel manager told officers that customers were 'scared for their safety', and that many were unable to enter or exit for fear of being caught up in his episode. On August 24, he was arrested once more for graffitiing property and rifling through a woman's belongings in the flatbed of her truck, after allegedly being seen yelling in someone's yards after 'misinterpreting' an exterminator's sign warning people to keep their children and pets off a lawn that had just been treated. Cops, at the time, wrote how the conspiracy theorist was convinced the pest control company was 'there to exterminate children and dogs.' Witnesses described the incident as a 'political protest' although it was not clear what side he was on As of 2.20pm police described the individual as in a 'critical' condition New York City police officers inspect the scene where a man lit himself on fire in a park outside Manhattan criminal court White fire extinguisher residue marks the spot where the incident took place in Collect Pond Park In a discovery that provided more insight into his mindset at the time, DailyMail.com found that Azzarello posted to Facebook earlier that month - to tell his friends that he had just spent three days in a psych ward. In the update, he claimed that police officers had showed up at his St Augustine apartment because he had tipped a Starbucks barista $200 and wrote 'Go F*** Yourself' on the receipt. 'I was handcuffed, shoved, and put into a psych ward,' he wrote. 'I was given no information about why I was there until after my discharge.' Less than three months later, a suit he filed against Clinton and 100 other influential figures was tossed when he failed to follow up with required court filings, after claiming Mark Cuban, Richard Branson, the country of Saudi Arabia, and more were carrying 'an elaborate network of Ponzi schemes' dating back to the 1990s and continuing through 2023. Other defendants named in the 2023 suit included 1992 Independent presidential candidate Ross Perot, who died in 2019. The case - filed by Azzarello without a lawyer - was tossed this past October. Then, in an Instagram story posted a little over nine weeks ago, Azzarello shared a picture of Taylor Swift donned in Super Woman apparel. He wrote in the caption: 'Super Bowl LVII Forecast: 100% chance of broflakes melting down and whining across the nation.' in an Instagram story posted a little over nine weeks ago, Azzarello shared a picture of Taylor Swift donned in Super Woman apparel. More posts from the period provide insight into other objects of the suspect's obsessions They also show a seemingly unstable state of mind at work in the weeks leading up to the display He appears to have some dissatisfaction with the US government, painting it as a so-called cult 'Still her best picture,' Azzarello wrote over the May 2022 image, held in front of the same school would go on to slam two months later days before setting himself ablaze. Azzarello wrote: 'Why are we all so divided? Because the people who stole the American Dream are shouting 'You're divided! You're divided!' in all directions.' In another post from this time period, Azzarello appeared to show support for the Eras performer, commenting on a photo of her flashing the peace sign while delivering a commencement speech at New York University. 'Still her best picture,' Azzarello wrote over the May 2022 image, held in front of the same school would go on to slam two months later days before setting himself ablaze. 'NYU is a mob front', the headline of literature being passed around by the activist in Lower Manhattan not far from the courthouse Wednesday read. An accompanying tagline added that the pamphlet was 'a brief guide to[the school's] most criminal secrets.' Reporters with the Times, meanwhile, confirmed the suspect was holding a sign on Wednesday critical of the school at Washington Square Park Wednesday, before moving on Thursday to the park where the incident occurred. A link to his Ponzi Papers Substack was provided. On Wednesday, he also posted an Instagram highlight saying he would be 'spending the week at Washington Square Park airing out all of NYU's dirty laundry', a day before a final Instagram story just minutes before the blaze. 'I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you,' it read. 'NYU is a mob front', the headline of literature being passed around by the activist in Lower Manhattan not far from the courthouse Wednesday read. An accompanying tagline added that the pamphlet was 'a brief guide to[the school's] most criminal secrets. On Wednesday, he also posted an Instagram highlight saying he would be 'spending the week at Washington Square Park airing out all of NYU's dirty laundry', a day before a final Instagram story just minutes before the blaze. 'I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you,' it read At 1:37 pm, law enforcement responded to the fire, before bringing Azzarello to a city hospital where he is said to be in critical condition. The New York Police Department said an investigation is ongoing At 1:37 pm, law enforcement responded to calls reporting the fire, before rushing Azzarello to a city hospital where he is said to be in critical condition. The New York Police Department said an investigation is ongoing, as other recent social media posts show how Azzarello recently praised 'martyrs' like the former U.S. military member who also lit himself on fire, but died during protest. 'Heroes and martyrs, folks,' Azzarello posted on his Instagram page following the February death of US Air Force Active Duty Member Aaron Bushnell, "God f****** bless you, Aaron Bushnell." Bushnell, 25, died after self immolating outside the Israeli Embassy this past February in Washington, D.C., in protest of Israel's war in Gaza. 'My name is Aaron Bushnell, I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide,' Bushnell is heard saying in video of the incident. 'I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all. 'This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.' The New York Police Department said an investigation is ongoing, as other recent social media posts show how Azzarello recently praised "martyrs" like the former U.S. military member who also lit himself on fire, but died during the February protest against the war in Gaza Like the Air Force member, Aaron Bushnell (pictured) Azzarello released his own manifesto before his act on Friday, but unlike the late servicemen, his motives seem a bit more muddied Like Bushnell, Azzarello released his own manifesto before his act on Friday. However, unlike the late servicemen, his motives appear a bit more muddied In his Substack, he states he is an 'investigative researcher'. A post published moments before the horrifying incident, reads: 'I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial.' The rest of the profile ammounts to a rambling diatribe agaist the establishment, whcih Azzarello appears to be the authors of 'totalitarian con'. He also warns of a 'an apocalyptic fascist world coup', and in fliers posted to his social media, he flaunts other self made pamp[hlets centered around the 'dipshit secrets of our rotten world'. 'When the economy collapses and it feels like World War III overnight, you'lll know exactly why,' Azzarello warns in the flier. His profile claims he has been self-employed since March of 2023. In one post, he claims to have served 40 days in jail for one of the incidents back in August. In another from that time period, papers scrawled with seemingly random words and unsettling rambling cover various surfaces of what appears to be the man's apartment. The NYPD investigation into the incident, as of writing, remains ongoing. A man has been arrested in Florida following the armed on-camera kidnapping and subsequent homicide of a woman in broad daylight. Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, 31, of Homestead, was abducted at a busy intersection in Seminole County just before 6pm on April 11. Jordanish Torres-Garcia, 28, has now been identified as a person of interest in the investigation and was taken into custody just after noon on Friday. He was identified after his phone matched the cellphone of a person who purchased the green Acura vehicle that was seen ramming into Aguasvivas' white Dodge Durango. During Friday's news conference Jordanish's Facebook's profile picture was placed side by side with a screen shot of the video that showed the armed carjacking. Authorities say both images looked 'identical'. Giovany Joel Crespo-Hernandez was also named a 'person of interest' and is wanted by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. Jordanish Torres-Garcia, 28, has now been identified as a person of interest in the investigation and was taken into custody just after noon on Friday Giovany Joel Crespo-Hernandez was also named a 'person of interest' and is wanted by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, 31, of Homestead, was abducted at a busy intersection just before 6pm on April 11 Video shows a man in a ski mask climb out of a green Acura behind Aguasvivas's car and point a handgun at her before climbing into the back driver's-side door Torres-Garcia, 28, was taken into custody on a federal felony warrant related to weapons possession in an unrelated case. Torres-Garcia is alleged to have a connection to the carjacking and appears to have a connection to the purchase of the green Acura vehicle that was seen following and bumping into Aguasvivas' car before the carjacking. 'We have not made the connection yet with Jordan as far as this. So to answer the question of why, if this is our shooter, why he would target her? I can't answer that question yet,' Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said on Friday. As for Crespo-Hernandez, he had conducted a FaceTime call with Aguasvivas brother in the days prior to the carjacking. He told the woman's brother during their call that Aguasvivas was in town to reportedly give 'money and other stuff' to someone. Orange County deputy, Francisco Estrella (pictured), was arrested for secretly recording and disclosing information about the case to the Aguasvivas family Aguasvivas made a call to her husband and told him someone was following her and had rammed her car. He told her to not stop but neither called 911, according to officers. Detectives with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office found the remains of Aguasvivas body in a badly charred car hours later. On Monday, an Orange County deputy was arrested for secretly recording and disclosing information about the case to the Aguasvivas family. The deputy, 33-year-old Francisco Estrella, was childhood friends with Aguasvivas's husband. Estrella now faces five felony charges. Cops said in an arrest warrant affidavit that Estrella had called one of the investigators pretending to be Aguasvivas's cousin and identifying himself as 'Francisco Archuela' He said he was concerned about the investigation and the victim's safety and asked for an update on the case. The investigator told Estrella she could not share those details as the investigation was ongoing. When cops inspected the phone of Aguasvivas's husband, they found WhatsApp messages between him and Estrella. The messages included a photo of a business card for the investigator that Estrella called and a video recording of the conversation between the investigator and Estrella - which the investigator did not know had been taken. There was also a picture of the investigator's driver's license profile - sent by Estrella to Miguel Aguasvivas. Aguasvivas husband is not a person of interest in the case and is cooperating with the investigation - but detectives believe he knows more than he letting on. 'I've described the husband as cooperative; quite frankly I think he knows a lot more than what he's shared,' Sherrif Lemma said. A witness driving behind Aguasvivas on April 11 filmed the frightening daytime confrontation and later called 911. The footage shows a man in a ski mask and black hoodie get out of an Acura sedan and approach the driver's side of Aguasvivas's Dodge Durango, pointing a 10mm handgun at her. When Aguasvivas unlocks the doors, the man climbs into the rear driver's side door. Detectives with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office say the man climbed into the passenger seat before Aguasvivas resumed driving, while another man trailed behind them in the Acura sedan. Investigators believe the suspect ordered Aguasvivas to drive to a construction site, where a badly burnt vehicle was found later that day with a body inside 'You don't have your wife communicate with you that you're getting rammed by a car and go two hours without calling anybody.' Lemma said Aguasvivas's husband has handed over his phone for a forensic examination. 'We would not have known about the Orange County deputy, at least not yet, if he did not do that,' Lemma said, referring to the correspondence between Aguasvivas' husband and the deputy on his phone. Lemma said the green Acura that rammed into Aguasvivas during the carjacking was found in an empty apartment complex in Orange County on Saturday morning. The same vehicle has been linked to a different case where a tow truck driver was shot multiple times and killed in Taft, Florida. Investigators believe the 31-year-old was targeted and say her husband told her to keep driving when she told him she was being carjacked On March 19 the Acura had been towed from an Orange County apartment complex by a driver later identified as 39-year-old Juan Luis Cintron Garcia. Lemma revealed that some of the rounds of shots at the scene where Garcia was killed match the rounds of shots where Aguasvivas was killed. Speaking at a press conference last Saturday, Sheriff Dennis M. Lemma said he was appalled by the original footage. 'It is incredibly frightening to watch the boldness of this suspect, this perpetrator getting out of the car, wearing a hood, carrying a weapon in broad daylight, getting in the vehicle,' Lemma said. In a 911 call released by the sheriff's office, the witness urged: 'You need to do something now because I don't know what's going on.' Less than two hours after the carjacking, police received reports of gunshots and smoke in Oceola County. A badly charred vehicle, believed to be Aguasvivas's Dodge Durango, was found at a construction site. A dozen 10mm shell casings and one projectile were also found at the scene. Aguasvivas had stopped at a red light at the time of the carjacking. Police say another man followed in the Acura sedan as she drove to the construction site 'There is no clear indicator why somebody would do this,' Lemma said. 'But we do feel and believe...that this was not a random act of violence. The perpetrators knew exactly who they were going after, why they were going after them.' Aguasvivas hailed from the Dominican Republic and was a United States citizen. She lived with her husband in the Miami suburb of Homestead, where the pair worked at a barbershop and beauty salon. The carjacking occurred just four days before her 32nd birthday. Investigators believe she was forced by the gunman to drive to the construction site, and that the suspect was familiar with the area. Aguasvivas's husband said she was in the area to visit family, though investigators were unable to identify any relatives in Central Florida The 31-year-old hailed from the Dominican Republic and was a U.S. citizen. She and her husband lived in Homestead and worked at a barber shop and a beauty salon 'Why did she and her husband not call 911? I don't know. Why did she stop at the red light? There's a lot of things that we'll absolutely never know, but this is a tragic incident nevertheless,' he said. Authorities have not released further details about the suspects in the case. Lemma said investigators do not know where Aguasvivas was heading. Her husband told police she was in Central Florida to visit family, though investigators were unable to trace any relatives in the area. The sheriff noted Aguasvivas's husband has cooperated with police and has no criminal record in the United States. Squatters will stay inside a Gordon Ramsay pub in London until they are evicted, according to a friend of those locked inside the building. The group shut themselves in the York & Albany near Regent's Park, north London, last week. Lawyers for Gordon Ramsay Holdings International Limited (GRHI) have since got a High Court order securing possession of the premises. The ruling paves the way for High Court enforcement officers to retake the Grade II listed building in the coming days. Some of the squatters initially said they would comply with the ruling and four people left the premises yesterday. The York & Albany pub near Regent's Park, London - a Gordon Ramsay pub which has been occupied by squatters Squatters returning to the York & Albany pub. A group of people have locked themselves inside the Grade II-listed hotel and gastropub A man who said he was a friend of the one of the squatters entered the York & Albany briefly on Friday and said afterwards that they would be staying put. 'They're going to wait for the bailiff,' he said, adding: 'That's basically what they're going to end up doing.' The friend, who would not give his name but said he is a former squatter himself, said those inside the building were young, homeless and had been squatting in various locations for a long time. 'They are professional enough, have been doing it for years,' he said, adding: 'The building looks f****** pristine inside.' One of the squatters who left the premises returned yesterday accompanied by another man. Squatters then boarded up windows and made hand gestures to reporters outside. On Thursday, lawyers for GRHI were granted an order by Judge Simon Brown to retake the property. Members of the Anarchist Association London Branch and the Camden Art Cafe have been with the squatters since they entered last week. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. The former pub and hotel is up for sale for 13 million, after a legal battle over the lease between the Hell's Kitchen star and film director Gary Love, who owns the building The group shut themselves in the York & Albany last week. Lawyers for Gordon Ramsay Holdings International Limited (GRHI) have since secured a High Court order securing possession of the premises In a post on Instagram, the Camden Art Cafe said they would be leaving the premises but added: 'We wish those left in the building the best of luck in their endeavours.' The squatter group ran a cafe out of the building last week, handing out free food and drink to 'the people of Camden who have been victims of gentrification and parasitic projects like HS2'. One squatter said: 'We're not bad people. I pay my taxes, I've got a job, I work in a pub.' He added: 'We just need a place to stay that's it. We're trying to do a good thing here.' The former pub and hotel building is up for sale for 13 million, after a protracted legal battle between the Hell's Kitchen frontman and film director Gary Love. In 2007, Mr Love bought the freehold of the premises and then leased the pub to Mr Ramsay on a 25-year term for an annual rent of 640,000. The celebrity chef attempted to free himself from the lease in 2015 but was unsuccessful in the High Court. Britain was once nicknamed the 'sick man of Europe' because of its stricken economy. Today, with a staggering 2.8million people aged 16 to 64 apparently unable to work due to ill health, that title can be taken literally. We are spending an eye-watering 69billion a year to support rising numbers claiming long-term sickness and disability benefits more than twice the annual school budget. Not only is it a drain on the nation's resources and an obstacle to growth, but fewer workers are paying higher taxes to fund handouts. Something has to give. So we welcome Rishi Sunak's proposed crackdown on 'sick-note culture'. For too many, he says, benefits have become a comfortable 'lifestyle choice'. In a thoughtful but bold speech, the PM said there was a 'moral mission' to coax the economically inactive back to work. In a thoughtful but bold speech, the PM said there was a 'moral mission' to coax the economically inactive back to work He's right, of course. A fulfilling job can help give a person a sense of purpose and pride, improving mental and physical health. So how does Mr Sunak intend to cut the numbers languishing on welfare? It will become harder to get signed off work. Health professionals will assess what employment a person can do not what they can't. More medical evidence will be required before someone can claim disability allowances. And those on the dole for a year could have their benefits axed. Some, of course, legitimately cannot work for medical reasons. But in these days of technology and working from home, is it really possible that so many people are incapable of doing any paid work? Entirely predictably, the PM's welfare-to-work package was immediately denounced by the Left as cruelly demonising the sick. But there is nothing kind about abandoning thousands to a life on benefits the country can ill afford, robbing them of purpose, with no chance to fulfil their potential. Mr Sunak deserves praise for identifying ways to help cure the insidious, ambition-sapping culture of welfare dependency. Time for cool heads If Israel goes no further than its carefully calibrated air strikes against Iran, it may ease fraught tensions in the Middle East. After Tehran launched its unprecedented missile and drone barrage against the Jewish state last Saturday, the world held its breath to see how Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu would respond. In the end, his retaliation was sensibly muted, limited to military bases and causing no casualties. But its message would not have been lost on the mullahs: Israel could, if provoked, inflict huge damage. For Mr Sunak and other leaders, this seems to have been a success after urging Mr Netanyahu to use 'maximum restraint'. Iran has signalled it will not seek further revenge. Nevertheless, this remains a time for the coolest of heads. New low for the Met The threat by a Metropolitan Police officer to arrest an 'openly Jewish' man for being near a pro-Palestine march is a sickening new low for the shamed force. An anti-Semitism campaigner was told his presence was causing a breach of the peace as it could 'antagonise' the protesters. How has it come to this? Every weekend since October 7, the Met has stood back spinelessly and watched pro-Hamas extremists spew anti-Semitic hatred, wave swastikas and glorify jihad. Now they are harassing a law-abiding Jew in his home city. Commissioner Mark Rowley must answer questions about this disgraceful two-tier policing. A huge explosion has been reported in Baghdad after an 'airstrike' hit a pro-Iranian military base. One person is reported dead and eight others are said to be injured after the explosion hit the base at Calso, where former pro-Iranian paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi - also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces - is stationed. In a statement, Hashed al-Shaabi confirmed the attack, near the town of Iskandariya which is around 30 miles south of Baghdad, had inflicted material losses and casualties, without specifying the number of wounded. Sources would not identify who was responsible for the attack, or say whether it had been a drone strike. Two security sources from Iraq 's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said the blast was a result of an airstrike The strike is believed to have been retaliation for a drone strike in Jordan in which three US service members were killed There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. A military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject, said: 'The explosion hit equipment, weapons and vehicles. 'The were explosions in the warehouses storing equipment. 'A fire is still raging and the search for the injured is continuing.' There were conflicting reports as to who was responsible for the strike with some reports blaming Israel while others claimed it was a US attack. The strike is believed to have been retaliation for a drone strike in Jordan in which three US service members were killed. There were conflicting reports as to who was responsible for the strike with some reports blaming Israel Two security sources from Iraq 's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said the blast was a result of an airstrike, which happened around midnight Friday Hashed al-Shaabi, an alliance of mainly Shiite armed groups formed to fight the Islamic State group, is now a part of Iraq's security forces. Factions within the group took part in months of rocket and drone attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq amid Israel's Gaza campaign but ceased to do so in February. The attack on the pro-Iranian paramilitaries comes amid spiralling regional tensions over the war between Israel and Tehran-backed Palestinian militants Hamas. On Friday, strikes blamed on Israel targeted a military base near Isfahan in Iran. Supporters of Lisa Wilkinson fear the former host of The Project has been made the subject of a 'white-anting' campaign from within Network Ten. Respected newsman Peter Meakin swooped in to defend Wilkinson claiming a campaign had been launched to undermine her. His comment came after a network source claimed Wilkinson had asked to appear on The Project before her request was rejected. Wilkinson was said to have wanted to appear on the show following the landmark ruling against Bruce Lehrmann and his defamation case against the network and her. The network source made a series of stunning claims including that Wilkinson had 'burnt everyone' on the show and that she had 'taken all the credit for the Brittany Higgins story' and threw her colleagues 'under the bus' in the process. Mr Meakin said he was shocked by the campaign to undermine Wilkinson. Lisa Wilkinson may have been vindicated after winning the defamation case brought against her by Bruce Lehrmann - but she won't be making a triumphant return to Ten anytime soon 'I've worked with her at Seven, Nine and Ten, so Lisa and I go back many, many years,' he told news.com.au. 'She's always been an absolute breeze to deal with. As a television executive, I've never had a problem with her. All these stories going around, all these claims and the rest of it it amazes me.' Justice Michael Lee found last Monday that Mr Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019. The ruling was a victory for Network Ten and Wilkinson's truth defence - even though The Project's assertions of a 'political cover-up' were found to have been baseless. Ten described the result as a 'triumph of truth'. Wilkinson, who had sought separate legal counsel because she did not trust the network to act in her best interests, told the press pack outside the court: 'Today, the Federal Court has found that I published a true story about a rape in a federal minister's office in March of 2019.' A senior insider claimed Wilkinson's comments on the steps did not reference her colleague's involvement in the story. 'Lisa claimed all of the credit for the Brittany Higgins story during her speech at the Logies [in 2022], backflipped in court and threw her colleagues under the bus claiming she was nothing more than autocue reader, before another stunning backflip on the steps of the courthouse again claiming credit for the story,' the source said. Mr Meakin quickly shot down the suggestion taking aim at the campaign to undermine Wilkinson. 'I was one of the colleagues she allegedly threw under the bus, except that I didn't think I was thrown under the bus,' he said. It's understood network staff were hurt by Wilkinson's testimony at the trial, which appeared to lay responsibility for production of the Higgins' story on other members of The Project team Relations between Wilkinson and the network deteriorated after she engaged her own legal counsel, Sue Chrysanthou SC, to represent her in the case instead of using Channel Ten's lawyers. The network argued in the midst of the trial there was no need for Wilkinson to hire her own legal counsel, claiming her case would be a duplicate of the network's case and it was therefore unnecessary for her to hire Ms Chrysanthou. Eventually Justice Lee ordered Ten to cover Wilkinson's legal fees, but only in relation to her civil case against her employer. The veteran broadcaster and the network were also at odds after Wilkinson's now-infamous speech at the Logies in June 2022. The court heard during the trial that Wilkinson was devastated over the fallout following the speech because she was personally accused of derailing Mr Lehrmann's criminal trial. The court heard Network Ten CEO Beverley McGarvey approved the speech, along with the head of public relations and senior litigator Tasha Smithies. 'But I was the one accused of derailing the rape case,' Wilkinson told the court. 'I was being portrayed as legally irresponsible. I had taken significant actions to make sure that speech was legally responsible before I went anywhere near that stage.' After Mr Lehrmann's rape trial was moved from June to October 2022 as a result of the speech, Ten issued a statement: 'Both Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson take their legal obligations very seriously, including in the preparation and delivery of her speech given at the Logies event.' Relations between Wilkinson and the network deteriorated after she engaged her own legal counsel, Sue Chrysanthou SC (left), to represent her in the case instead of using Ten's lawyers The veteran broadcaster and the network were also at odds after Wilkinson's now-infamous speech at the Logies in June 2022 LIVE READ MORE: Ashen-faced Bruce Lehrmann emerges from court after judge finds he raped Brittany Higgins Advertisement Wilkinson said in court: 'What was missing from Ten's public statements was that they approved that speech at the highest levels.' 'The conclusion was the media believed I had gotten up on that stage and given a speech off the top of my head with no consideration given to legal proceedings. 'That was incorrect and I was being blamed for giving that speech and all the blame was falling on me.' She was shocked and confused that her employer refused to publicly detail the advice she received. In his judgement Justice Lee singled out Network Ten's chief litigation counsel, Ms Smithies, over the advice she provided to Wilkinson before giving the Logies speech, observing it 'defied common sense'. Daily Mail Australia contacted Wilkinson's management for comment. A Texas wife has been charged after allegedly shooting her husband when she discovered him with another woman. Stephanie Arevalo, 34, was taken into custody by the Bryan Police Department after she allegedly fired at her husband's leg after catching him red-handed cheating on her with unidentified woman. The incident reportedly took place in the 4500 block of Woodbend Drive located between Conquest Circle and Creekwood Drive in Bryan. According to KBTX, the accused also threatened to shoot the woman she found with her husband but did not go through with it. The victim, who officials have not named, was treated for the non-life-threatening injury and released from a nearby hospital. Stephanie Arevalo, 34, was taken into custody by the Bryan Police Department after she allegedly fired at her husband's leg after catching him red-handed cheating on her with unidentified woman The accused reportedly also told authorities that her husband deserved the gunshot wound and she was aware she would end up in jail Police officers later said that Arevalo called 911 herself and waited at the scene for them to arrive. Arevalo allegedly also told authorities that her husband deserved the gunshot wound and that she was aware she would end up in jail. She was booked at the Brazos County Sheriff's Office and charged with Aggravated Assault/Family Violence with a Deadly Weapon. Arevalo was bonded out of jail two days later. But Arevalo isn't the only woman to be accused of attacking her cheating husband. Nicole Denison, a 29-year-old flight attendant for Allegiant Air, was shocked when she returned to her home in Safety Harbor, near Tampa, and found her husband 'engaged in sexual intercourse' with another woman in July 2020. Denison had allegedly punched her 34-year-old husband 'in his left eye causing a "black eye"', according to police records seen by The Smoking Gun. Arevalo reportedly also threatened to shoot the woman she found with her husband but did not go through with it She was booked at the Brazos County Sheriff's Office and charged with Aggravated Assault/Family Violence with a Deadly Weapon but was later released Florida woman Nicole Denison, 29, was arrested for attacking her husband after finding him cheating with another woman She and her husband, a bartender and fitness instructor, had been married for nearly three years. She also scratched his forehead and left him with a bruise on his right arm. In her rage Denison took her husbands acoustic guitar and smashed it against the wall, 'leaving a gaping hole in the wall.' She was arrested and charged with domestic battery, a misdemeanor but was released the next day. A court date for Arevalo has not yet been set. The jobless will have their benefits axed if they fail to find work within a year, Rishi Sunak said yesterday. Unveiling the biggest shake-up of the welfare system for a generation, the Prime Minister said he was determined to prevent people staying on benefits as a 'lifestyle choice'. Outlining a new 'moral mission' to get Britons back to work, the PM also said too many young people complaining of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression were being 'written off' and should be helped to look for a job. More than 420,000 who are classed as sick or disabled will be asked to look for work for the first time. Mr Sunak's comments triggered a furious backlash from disability charities. But he said it was 'fair' to expect people able to work to take a job, adding that going to work 'can actually improve mental and physical health'. In a speech at the Centre for Social Justice think-tank in London, Mr Sunak (pictured) said 'something has gone wrong' since the pandemic, with too many young people 'parked on welfare' and producing a benefits bill that was 'financially unsustainable' A job centre. The PM said there was 'no reason those people should not be in work, especially when we have almost one million job vacancies' (stock image) The PM served notice to the long-term unemployed that they would not be allowed to linger for years on the dole. Official figures show that half a million able-bodied people have been out of work for six months, with more than a quarter of a million jobless for more than a year. Anger over PM's 'hostile rhetoric' By Shaun Wooler Unions and health charities have accused Rishi Sunak of using hostile rhetoric in his war on the sick-note culture. The British Medical Association said the Prime Minister should focus on improving the NHS so patients can get faster care and return to work sooner. Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chairman of the BMAs GPs committee, said: When they are unwell, people need access to prompt care. With a waiting list of 7.5 million not including for mental health problems delays to diagnostics, and resulting pressures on GP practices, patients cannot get the treatment they need to be able to return to work. So rather than pushing a hostile rhetoric on sick-note culture, perhaps the Prime Minister should focus on removing what is stopping patients from receiving the physical and mental healthcare they need. The Unison union said: The Prime Minister has promised and failed to cut NHS waiting lists. Threatening to remove benefits and forcing sick and disabled people further into poverty is most definitely not the way to increase the health of our sick nation. The Centre for Mental Health said services were struggling to cope with the rising demand. It fears suggestions that the increase is due to an over-medicalisation of the everyday challenge of life may discourage people from seeking support. Advertisement The PM said there was 'no reason those people should not be in work, especially when we have almost one million job vacancies'. He said the Tory manifesto would pledge legislation that will mean people will have 'their claim closed and their benefits removed entirely' after 12 months on the dole if they are failing to comply with Jobcentre conditions, such as accepting available work. Mr Sunak dismissed concerns the move could leave people destitute, saying that pushing people into work would leave them better off by an average of 7,000 a year. He added: 'There is an enormous amount of support available to these people, and no medical reason why they can't work, but we have half a million currently on benefits for a very long time. 'And I worry very much about this becoming a lifestyle choice. It's a basic matter of fairness.' The number of people considered 'economically inactive' after being placed on long-term sickness benefits has jumped by a third since the start of the pandemic and now stands at a staggering 2.8 million. Around half are signed off with depression, anxiety or bad nerves. In a speech at the Centre for Social Justice think-tank in London, Mr Sunak said 'something has gone wrong' since the pandemic, with too many young people 'parked on welfare' and producing a benefits bill that was 'financially unsustainable'. He warned against 'over-medicalising the everyday challenges and worries of life' and said an expected rise in benefits spending in the coming years was 'not sustainable'. Mr Sunak also outlined plans for radical reform of the personal independence payment (PIP) which is claimed by 3.4 million people, half of them for mental health issues. The payment, worth up to 700 a month, is meant to help the sick and disabled with additional living costs. A consultation on the issue will consider whether cash payments should be limited to those with physical disabilities and the most severe mental health conditions. The PM said the number of people claiming PIP for anxiety and depression had more than doubled in the past five years. Mr Sunak dismissed concerns the move could leave people destitute, saying that pushing people into work would leave them better off by an average of 7,000 a year Mr Sunak said people suffering from conditions such as anxiety and depression could be offered 'access to treatment like talking therapies or respite care' instead of cash. READ MORE: DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Sunak's cure for sick-note culture In a thoughtful but bold speech, the PM said there was a 'moral mission' to coax the economically inactive back to work Advertisement The charity Scope accused the PM of a 'full-on assault on disabled people', but Mr Sunak said there was 'nothing compassionate about leaving a generation of young people to sit alone in the dark before a flickering screen watching as their dreams slip further from reach every passing day'. The work capability assessment, which governs entitlement to disability benefits, will also be reformed, forcing 424,000 people currently signed off sick indefinitely to look for work. Mr Sunak said 'people with less severe mental health conditions should be expected to engage with the world of work'. And the PM confirmed that GPs could be stripped of their role in signing people off work, with responsibility for handing out so-called 'fit notes' given to teams of 'specialist work and health professionals' who will focus on what work a person could do with support. Official figures show 11 million fit notes were handed out by GPs last year, with just 6 per cent assessed as 'maybe fit for work'. Labour said it was committed to social security reform but declined to say which parts of the plan it would support, if any. A spokesman said: 'All we heard today were sweeping questions and reheated proposals without any concrete answers.' India went to the polls yesterday in an election that is expected to take as long as six weeks. Voters began queuing at polling stations in the first 21 states to hold ballots, which stretch from the Himalayan mountains to the tropical Andaman Islands. Nearly 970 million voters more than 10 per cent of the world's population will elect 543 members to the lower house of parliament over staggered rounds of voting. The voting ended at 6pm and the turnout was estimated at around 60 per cent of 66.3 million eligible voters in the first round, the election authority said. By comparison, India's 2019 national election registered the highest turnout 67.11 per cent in the history of Indian parliamentary elections. This election is considered one of the most consequential in India's history and will test the limits of Narendra Modi's political dominance Most polls are predicting a win for Mr Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). If he wins, he will be only the second Indian leader to retain power for a third term, after Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first prime minister The second round will be held on April 26, and turnout is expected to increase over the course of the voting. The votes will be counted on June 4. when all of India's 28 states have cast their votes. Authorities said the voting was largely peaceful on Friday, although media reports said some supporters of Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress party clashed in Chhindwara, a city in central India. Some workers of the BJP and the All India Trinamool Congress clashed in West Bengal state on Thursday night. Some injuries were reported, but the election authority did not give any details. This election is considered one of the most consequential in India's history and will test the limits of Narendra Modi's political dominance. If Mr Modi wins he will be only the second Indian leader to retain power for a third term, after Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first prime minister. Most polls predict a win for Mr Modi, who has championed an assertive brand of Hindu nationalist politics, and his BJP. They face a broad opposition alliance led by the Indian National Congress and powerful regional parties. It is not clear who will lead India if the opposition alliance, INDIA, wins the election. A voter's finger is marked with indelible ink after casting a ballot at a polling station during the first phase of voting for national elections The alliance's more than 20 parties have not put forward a candidate, saying they will choose one after the results are in. The election comes after a decade of Mr Modi's leadership, during which the BJP consolidated power through Hindu-first politics and economic development. Mr Modi has ratcheted up Hindu nationalist rhetoric on the campaign trail and has sought to present himself as a global leader. His ministers tout him as the steward of a surging India, while his supporters celebrate his campaign promise to make India a developed nation by 2047 when it marks 100 years of independence. Critics warn that Mr Modi has turned increasingly illiberal and could use a third term to undermine India's democracy. His Hindu nationalist politics, they argue, has bred intolerance and threatens the country's secular roots. The alliance has promised to arrest the democratic slide it says India has witnessed under Mr Modi's rule. Nearly 970 million voters more than 10 per cent of the world's population will elect 543 members to the lower house of parliament over staggered rounds of voting They accuse Mr Modi of sidelining elected ministers in favour of trusted bureaucrats and using tax authorities and the police to harass critics and opposition parties. Christophe Jaffrelot, who has written about Mr Modi and the Hindu right, said: 'Modi has a very authoritarian mindset. He doesn't believe in democracy. He doesn't believe in parliamentarianism.' Mr Modi insists that India's commitment to democracy is unchanged. He told a Summit for Democracy meeting in New Delhi in March that 'India is not only fulfilling the aspirations of its 1.4 billion people, but is also providing hope to the world that democracy delivers and empowers.' Her family is desperately trying to find her The son of a retired doctor who has been missing for more than four months in Western Australia has issued a desperate plea for the public to help find his mum. Dr Nathalie Casal, 71, has not been seen since early December, having told her family she was going to walk the Bibbulmun Track, which runs from Kalamunda in the east of Perth to Albany and is more than 1,000km long. But her son, Ramon Casal, now says there have been some misconceptions about the case, which are hampering the search for his mum. 'My mother was last seen alive at her home in Gnangara on December 6, 2023,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'After over a month of investigations, police have reported no actual evidence to my family that (she) visited the Bibbulmun Track or started the hike she claimed to be planning.' Dr Nathalie Casal (pictured), 71, has not been seen since early December, having told her family she was going on a hike READ MORE: New photos of Samantha Murphy emerge as her husband Mick breaks down after specialist crews abandon the latest search New photos of Samantha Murphy sharing happy moments with her husband Michael have emerged (the couple is pictured) Advertisement Mr Casal said his mum is 'an extremely climate-conscious environmentalist' and told the police when he reported her missing on March 7 that he doubted she would have gone hiking on the Bibbulmun Track during bushfire season. 'Nobody has come forward to state that they drove my mother to the Bibbulmun Track, and she owned no car. 'She sold her vehicle months before, for reasons she didn't explain to the family,' he said. Dr Casal's only way of getting around was a lime-green foldable bicycle, borrowed from a family member. The bike was not found at her home in Gnangara when police and family searched it. Her son said: 'She was very fond of black cockatoo habitats in the Gnangara Pine Plantation and near Yanchep and Pinjar (which) are within bicycle distance of her home. 'We would be very appreciative if locals near those areas searched the bush for possible answers, since there's a lot of ground to cover.' In a tragic update, Mr Casal said it was only after the missing person investigation was opened that the family discovered she 'had been hiding a serious health condition which she had been diagnosed with in 2022. 'She told no close relatives about it, but three people have confirmed that she shared the diagnosis with them.' He said 2022 was also the year that she suddenly retired from medical practice without any explanation. 'We do not know what her illness's last status was, or how much treatment she underwent for it. 'It is important for any doctors who diagnosed or treated her to reach out to police,' Mr Casal said. 'The case remains unsolved and my family is in a very stressful state of legal limbo, unable to take care of my mother's property. 'By making more current information available, we hope that locals might look closer in the right places.' Dr Casal is described as being approximately 157cm tall, of a slim build, with short grey hair and brown eyes. Anyone who has seen her or has any information about her where she is, is urged to contact police immediately on 131 444. At least 10 fire crews have rushed to the scene of a house fire which caused an explosion in an inner-city suburb of Brisbane. Residents reported hearing an explosion on the corner of Bowen Terrace and Oxley Lane, New Farm around 9.15am on Saturday morning. On arrival emergency services discovered two people badly burnt who were transported to hospital in a critical condition. Three more people were treated for smoke inhalation. Residents reported hearing an explosion on the corner of Bowen Terrace and Oxley Lane, New Farm around 9.15am on Saturday morning On arrival emergency services discovered two people badly burnt who were transported to hospital in a critical condition On Facebook Queensland Ambulance Service said the blaze, initially described as 'out of control', had now been contained On Facebook Queensland Ambulance Service said the blaze, initially described as 'out of control', had now been contained. A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson said the critically injured pair had been transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital where they were placed in induced comas. 'We assessed five patients at the scene, two were in critical condition and both of those suffered extensive burns,' she said. 'They were transported transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. 'A third patient there are suffered some smoke inhalation and was transported in a stable condition through to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. 'The remaining two patients both did suffer some smoke inhalation, however they declined any hospitalizations so they were left at the scene.' Queensland Police Inspector Karl Hahne earlier told the Courier Mail neighbours doused two occupants with water before they were treated by paramedics. 'About 9:16am multiple calls for service were received by police, fire and ambulance. On arrival, there was a severe fire in one the units,' she said. '(The seriously injured male and female) were incubated, placed in an induced coma, and taken to hospital.' Motorists are advised to drive with caution and to conditions. Residents are advised to close windows and doors and, if needed, keep respiratory medications nearby. Police have established a crime scene. More to come. A Brisbane woman who went for a nap on the day her third baby was due to be born never woke up, with her death and that of her unborn child shattering her young family. Margaret Tongiatama, 38, and her unborn baby Kariya suddenly died on April 11 while she was sleeping at her home, mystifying her loved ones and doctors. Her husband Edward said his wife had a medical appointment just two days before the lives of he and his daughters Ayla-Sialei and Zana Mary were changed forever. That meeting with a midwife 'went well', Mr Tongiatama told the Courier-Mail, with his wife and the baby seemingly in good health. He had taken a week off work and had been going for walks with Margaret, known as Magz to her friends, to help induce the coming labour. Margaret Tongiatama (right) was pregnant with a third child when this picture was taken with her husband, Ed, and their daughters Ayla-Sialei and Zana Mary READ MORE: Madison lost her 10-month-old baby boy. She claims it was avoidable and one hospital is to blame 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 Advertisement On the afternoon the baby was due, they had lunch, after which Ms Tongiatama said she was tired and went to have a lie down. When he went to check on her 20 minutes later, Mr Tongiatama discovered that his wife was not breathing. He called triple-0 and began CPR but said 'she was just gone'. Mr Tongiatama called out to a man skateboarding on his street, who turned out to be an off-duty paramedic. 'He sprung straight into action, found his way into the house and helped me with CPR until the ambulance arrived soon after,' Mr Tongiatama said. But they were unable to save Margaret. 'We're still going through all of the tests to see what happened to her but it's at a loss,' her devastated husband said. The couple had married at short notice on January 6 when Ms Tongiatama's father was struck with a sudden illness. They were saving to one day have a big wedding, but when her dad was given just weeks to live they planned it all in just three days so he could fulfil her wish to walk his daughter down the aisle. 'We organised Margaret's father's funeral and were in Melbourne helping her mother grieve (and) we arrived back at our home in Warner four weeks before Margaret and Kariya's passing.' Ms Tongiatama's best friend Sialei has organised a GoFundMe for the family. She said 'This is an incredible loss not only for the Tongiatama, Alama and Sili Samuelu families, but for all who were fortunate enough to know and love Magz'. 'Magz dear father also passed only a couple of months ago, and as you can imagine, her family is still grieving this loss.' The fundraiser organiser added that: 'Family was so important to Magz, and the financial burden this bears on her husband and family is something we would like to help take off their plate.' One of the people who donated to the family wrote that 'Magz would always light up every room she was in'. Margaret Tongiatama (right) is pictured with her husband, Ed, and their children Ayla-Sialei and Zana Mary 'She had a wonderful spirit and will be sadly missed. My condolences to your family at this time.' Mr Tongiatama said the day his wife and unborn child died was also Sialei's birthday and that Magz had organised a huge surprise for her outside her work. She also organised many events, flight and accommodation for her big Samoan family. 'This has left a massive hole in everyone's lives,' he said. The concept of tolling drivers entering the state of Massachusetts has angered some Americans - including local politicians. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, 49, was among those to speak out, after the idea was floated last week by Bay State Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. The Republican slammed the prospective guidance as ' yet another way to unnecessarily take [citizens'] money,' this time by taxing them at the state border. The yet-to-be penned bill would affect travelers on roads, rails, and local transit systems, Tibbits-Nutt said, and would be in effect all throughout Massachusetts. The concept has since drawn criticism from conservatives like Sununu, who sounded off in a statement Friday. Bay State Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt floated the idea last week during an advocacy meeting on April 10 New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, 49, was among those to speak out, issuing a statement this Friday 'Looks like Massachusetts has found yet another way to unnecessarily take your money,' Sununu, a Republican, told the Boston Herald. 'All the more reason for more Massachusetts residents to make the permanent move to New Hampshire,' The Granite State governor added: 'The Live Free or Die state continues to be the place to be.' Other local conservatives also piped up about Tibbits-Nutt's remarks at the advocacy meeting April 10, which included some not-so-kind word about pickup drivers, 'We can't price them high enough or put enough fees on them that's going to stop the type of person who wants to buy that car,' the state worker said, after being asked if there's anything her department can do 'to help protect residents' from their emissions, or deter people from buying them. 'I am 100% passing judgment on someone who wants to drive basically an 18-wheeler as their personal car, we have no control over it,' Tibbits-Nut said in response. 'We can't. There's nothing we can do. At least legally, there's nothing we can do about it. Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale on Friday said those comments showed the 'true nature' of the administration of Gov. Maura Healey - the Democrat who oversees the Bay State. Tibbits-Nutt's remarks at the advocacy meeting on April 10 included some not-so-kind word about pickup drivers, and the emissions their vehicles emanate 'We can't price them high enough or put enough fees on them that's going to stop the type of person who wants to buy that car,' the state worker said, after being asked if there's anything her department can do 'to help protect residents' from the vehicles, or deter people from buying them 'I am 100% passing judgment on someone who wants to drive basically an 18-wheeler as their personal car, we have no control over it,' Tibbits-Nut said in response. 'We can't. There's nothing we can do. At least legally, there's nothing we can do about it' 'Already grappling with the burden of unaffordability, the prospect of more tolls, increased taxes on Uber and Lyft rides, Amazon deliveries, and payroll taxes only adds to the struggle of Massachusetts residents,' the conservative said, pointing out some of the side effects of such a guidance. 'No Massachusetts resident wants that. It's abundantly clear that the Healey-Driscoll administration's approach to governance is government versus taxpayer,' Carnevale told the Herald. Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance spokesman Paul Craney, meanwhile, categorized Tibbits-Nutt's comments during the recent event as 'simply reprehensible.' 'Decisions to raise taxes, fees, or adding tolling should be made by our elected legislature, not announced by an overzealous, unelected bureaucrat before a special interest advocacy organization,' Craney said in a statement to the paper. 'The people she's villainizing are just ordinary people trying to go about their everyday lives. 'Our state government should make life easier for people, not harder,' he concluded. When asked about the concept Friday by WMUR-9 New Hampshire driver Jonathan Farhadian said: 'I don't think I'd be in favor of that,' 'I think that, as far as driving south from New Hampshire to Boston, we already go through tolls anyway going through the bridge,' he said, as the truck for his roofing business, which would not be exempt from the tax, sat parked in the background. Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale (pictured) on Friday said those comments showed the 'true nature' of the administration of Gov. Maura Healey - the Democrat who oversees the Bay State Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance spokesman Paul Craney, meanwhile, categorized Tibbits-Nutt's comments during the recent event as 'simply reprehensible' When asked about the concept Friday, New Hampshire trucker Jonathan Farhadian said: 'I don't think I'd be in favor of that,' 'I think that, as far as driving south from New Hampshire to Boston, we already go through tolls anyway going through the bridge'. The truck for his roofing business, which would not be exempt from the tax, is seen in the background The transportation funding task force first met at the end of February and is scheduled to provide a final written report to Gov. Healey (pictured) by the end of the year If implemented, the law would affect drivers traveling on Interstate 95, Interstate 93 and Route 3, all of which are routes from New Hampshire into Massachusetts The secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said a task force is currently mulling it over, and is looking to find funding options in its early stages If implemented, the law would affect drivers traveling on Interstate 95, Interstate 93 and Route 3, all of which are routes from New Hampshire into Massachusetts. The secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said a task force is currently mulling it over, and is looking to find funding options in its early stages. She added that the task force was specifically created to look at new funding initiatives for transportation in the famously liberal state, and said that it is already exploring charging transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft more when going through the tolls, as well as Amazon for package deliveries. The transportation funding force first met at the end of February, Tibbits-Nutt said, and is scheduled to provide a final written report to Gov. Healey by the end of the year. While talking about the prospective tolling last week, Tibbits-Nuttreiterated how the concept only applies to motorists at the border - not drivers within the state similar to the congestion tolling guidance recently implemented in New York City. 'When Im talking tolling, Im talking at the borders. I'm not talking like within Massachusetts,' she told onlookers/ 'I pay the tolls so it is one of those where people are like "you just want tolls." Im like "I pay the toll. This is not in my best interest to raise it." 'But were going after all the people who should be giving us money to make our transportation better and our communities better.' Its not yet clear if the House and Senate will agree to the concept. They will debate their own budget rewrites over the next two months. Fred Neulander, a former senior rabbi at a synagogue in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, has been found dead while serving a life sentence in New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. Neulander, who was 82, had been in prison since 2002 following the 1994 murder-for-hire of his wife 52-year-old Carol Neulander, at their home. Two hired killers testified how they beat Carol to death on orders from her husband who had promised to pay them $30,000. One said Neulander wanted his wife dead so he could carry on an affair. The crime shocked the local community at the time and gained national attention because of the scandalous nature. Fred Neulander, former senior rabbi of a Cherry Hill synagogue, has died in jail where he was serving a life sentence for orchestrating his wife's murder in 1994 Neulander was dead at the age of 82, while serving a life sentence in New Jersey State Prison in Trenton (pictured) Neulander had been in the Trenton prison since 2002. He was found nonresponsive in his cell by correctional officers and was rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. No cause of death has been given. Neulander's case centered around his desire to pursue an affair with a local radio personality, Elaine Soncini, a DJ who worked at WPEN-FM. The pair met when Neulander officiated at the 1992 funeral of her husband, Ken Garland. It led to Neulander hiring two hitmen, Paul Daniels and Len Jenoff, to kill Carol. Both hitmen were freed in 2014 having served ten years of a maximum 23-year sentence. Daniels even expressed remorse for his role in the crime, highlighting the profound impact it had on him and the victim's family. Carol Neulander, 52, was beaten to death on the orders of her husband at their home by two hitmen who had been paid $30,000 to carry out the killing Neulander's case centered around his desire to pursue an affair with a local radio personality, Elaine Soncini, a DJ at WPEN-FM The murder of Carol Neulander, who was a beloved figure in South Jersey's Jewish community, was said to have left a lasting impact on those who knew her, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. The crime scene was found to have been staged to look like a robbery and immediately raised suspicions among investigators after almost nothing in the house had been touched. It ultimately led to Neulander's arrest and subsequent conviction although at his trial the jury could not agree on whether he should receive the death penalty - and so he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Carol, who was mother to the couple's three children, had been bludgeoned to death with a metal pipe. She had been talking on the phone to her adult daughter, Rebecca Neulander Rockoff, when the assailants entered the family's home. The case gained further notoriety through media coverage, including true-crime documentaries and even a true-crime musical, A Wicked Soul in Cherry Hill, based on the events. More than 2,000 members of the Jewish community together with relatives and friends came to Carol's funeral. Despite attempts to overturn his conviction, Neulander remained incarcerated until his death. He would have due for parole at the age of 90 in eight years from now. He is pictured in 2001 Despite attempts to overturn his conviction, Neulander remained incarcerated until his death. He would have been due for parole at the age of 90, in eight years from now. In 2016, a state appeals court rejected a request from Neulander to overturn his murder conviction. 'The opinion only reaffirms the jury's sound belief in a guilty verdict in this case,' Robert English, a spokesperson for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, said at the time. Following Neulander's death, his former congregation, Kol Ami in Cherry Hill, released a statement emphasizing the community's journey towards healing. 'Fred Neulander's leadership of the congregation ended many years ago under well-publicized circumstances that ran counter to the values our congregation holds dear. 'Rather than dwell on the past, we at Congregation Kol Ami ... choose to focus on our future. We are building a vibrant and inclusive Jewish community guided by shared values and traditions, supporting each other through life's joys and sorrows, and finding purpose and connection through prayer, learning, and acts of compassion and kindness.' Five Maryland high school teenagers have been shot and injured during a water gun fight while celebrating 'Senior Skip Day' in a public park. The unidentified male teenagers, all of whom are between the ages of 16-18, were found with gunshot wounds at Schrom Hills Park by Greenbelt Police Department officers at around 3pm on Friday. According to Police Chief Richard Bowers, nearly 600 students from various Maryland schools had come together to celebrate the unofficial holiday. Due to the size of the crowd, multiple officials began to patrol the area in order to assist people and help with traffic control. But soon after they arrived, some officers presumably heard multiple gunshots being fired and found all five boys wounded. The unidentified male teenagers, all of whom are between the ages of 16-18, were found with severe gunshot wounds at Schrom Hills Park by Greenbelt Police Department officers at around 3pm As of now, officials believe that the suspect escaped from the scene by hiding among the massive crowd that had run off onto Hanover Parkway after hearing the gunshots According to Bowers, one of the injured teens is currently in critical condition and had to be airlifted from the scene while the other four are currently in stable condition at local hospitals. As of now, officials believe that the suspect escaped from the scene by hiding among the massive crowd that had run off onto Hanover Parkway after hearing the gunshots. Bowers explained in a press conference: 'While officers were walking into the park, they heard gunshots. 'They believe that time there could have been a number of shots, not verified, but eight to 10 gunshots. 'They located five wounded individuals and immediately began providing medical care to those individuals while they secured the area and searched for a suspect. 'At that moment when the shots were fired, all of those individuals that were in the park began to flee to Hanover Parkway. When they did that, we believe that the suspect left with them and fled the park. We have not located him at this point. One of the injured teens is currently in critical condition and had to be airlifted from the scene while the other four are currently in stable condition at local hospitals Nearly 600 students from various Maryland schools had come together to celebrate the unofficial holiday, Bowers said 'This is a horrible, tragic, senseless act that happened today. There is absolutely no reason that this occurred. It is senseless, it is chronic in our society, and we have to do something to stop it.' The police chief also commented that the incident was 'unacceptable' and that the community had to come together to 'find a way to keep this from happening'. Officials have clarified that all of the students at the park were from different Maryland high schools. The incident is under investigation and police have asked people who were present at the scene to come forward with any information they may have about the shooting or the suspect. The men who stormed into a Newport Beach, California mansion, earlier this week were armed with guns, zip ties and rope. Andrew Miguel Rosas, 24, from Pomona was one of the duo who managed to break into the gated community in the early hours of Tuesday, allegedly with the intentions of carrying out a robbery. His accomplice was fatally shot in the head, but both men were wearing dark clothing and masks when they were dropped off at the exclusive $7 million home in what appeared to be a carefully calculated home invasion according to Orange County Superior Court records, as seen by the LA Times. Rosas was arrested on Tuesday and now faces charges of first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, carrying a loaded firearm in public and conspiring to commit a crime - all felonies. Investigators continue to remain tight-lipped as they try to piece together the events that unfolded just before 4:45am on Tuesday morning during what cops said was a 'targeted attack' at the two-story mansion on Vista Luci. Helicopters overhead caught the moment when police surrounded the property. One intruder was shot by a resident, while another was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head Newport Beach Police approached the home early on Tuesday morning after receiving a 911 cal about a home invasion The owner of the property has been renting the five-bedroom mansion to the victims By the time police officers were on the scene, Rosas was discovered lying in the street with gunshot wounds, while a handgun was found nearby. Located in the Newport Coast neighborhood, the 4,709-square foot home was being rented by a family of rich Chinese nationals, according to DailyMail.com sources with knowledge of the case. Neighbors said they heard screams at the time the home invasion was taking place in the usually quiet cul-de-sac, which only has 10 other sprawling mansions. 'This is a targeted incident and it was isolated,' Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Oberon told Fox11, adding the family was not necessarily attacked for a robbery. Intruders were met with gunshots on Tuesday as they tried to accost residents staying at the posh $7 million mansion in the gated community of Newport Coast The property has stunning views of the ocean and is located near a 5-star luxury Resort at Pelican Hill Sources with close knowledge of the situation told DailyMail.com the violent incident was in fact a kidnapping attempt. This was not the first time an incident has occurred at the Vista Luci home. Sources said the same suspects also attempted to accost the residents about 10 days earlier. Newport Beach Police have declined to comment citing their ongoing investigation. The man who shot the intruder, along with two women and a child, were evacuated from the home and were not injured, cops said. 'I just want to assure the Newport Beach residents that this is a safe community,' Oberon said. 'We know that there is a relationship between the two suspects and victims/the residents.' The single family home contains 4,709-square-feet and was built in 2000 The sprawling mansion has 6 bedrooms 5 1/2 bathrooms The owner of the home refused to comment when contacted by DailyMail.com, but sources said the five-bedroom home was rented out regularly. The renters paid at least $35,000 per month to rent the 4,709-square-foot home, which has breathtaking panoramic views of the California coastline, according to the real estate website Compass. The luxurious home also features top-of-the line appliances, marble flooring, an outdoor pool and a master suite with an ocean view. Although the home is located inside a guard-gated community, the intruders were somehow able to gain access inside, Newport Beach Police said. The neighborhood boasts multi-million-dollar homes and is located near the 5-star luxury Resort at Pelican Hill. The master suite also has stunning coastal views The home also includes a private pool and was being rented out for about $35,000 a month Cops in tactical gear were seen slowly entering the mansion shortly after the shooting and found a man armed with a handgun lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds. The body of the second suspect was found in the bushes near the home where he had been found shot in the head. Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Division officials have yet to release the name of the man who killed himself as of Friday. Newport Beach Mayor Will O'Neill said the deadly outcome of the incident should be a warning to criminals. 'I can tell you right now, if you come into Newport Beach to commit a crime, we will defend ourselves, and today is an example of that,' he said. New York City restauranteur Keith McNally says rodents were deliberately released inside his Balthazar restaurant as he faces backlash for branding Jeff Bezos' fiancee Lauren Sanchez 'absolutely revolting'. Diners enjoying a meal out could be heard shrieking as at least one rodent could be seen scurrying across the floor of the dining room. One eagle eyed diner managed to capture a video of what appeared to be a small rat running across the white tiled floor as it made a bid to escape. Waiters rushed into action to become makeshift rat catchers gathering all the napkins they could find as they attempted to capture the uninvited guest. McNally's restaurant, which was awarded an A-rating during the city's latest Health Department kitchen inspections was quick to respond to reports of rats, viewing the entire incident with cynicism. 'A suspicious-looking man of about 40 came and sat nervously at Balthazar's bar last night around 8:30. After paying for one drink he suddenly left very quickly leaving an upturned bag which 5 white domesticated mice ran out from,' McNally posted to Instagram. Diners at New York's Balthazar restaurant were shocked after seeing rats scurrying across the floor, which were captured on video Restaurateur Keith McNally suggested the incident was staged, involving domesticated mice coming days after he blasted Lauren Sanchez on Instagram On Monday night, McNally took aim at Lauren Sanchez in a late-night Instagram rant. In it, the 72-year-old branded Bezos' soon-to-be second wife 'revolting' 'One of the bartenders who noticed the whole episode ran after the man, but failed to catch him. The five domesticated white mice were quickly caught. 'The entire episode was a SET-UP. I just feel sorry that the 5 domesticated white mice were exploited this way,' McNally wrote. The rat seen scurrying in the video, however, was brown in color and it is not clear if the incidents are separate or possibly part of a revenge plot following McNally's slights against Sanchez. 'A woman called Michelle Manning Barish seemed to have knowledge that the incident was about to happen because she was standing suspiciously close to where the incident happened with her iPhone ready to take photos She immediately posted one of the photos on Instagram and DM'd me a photo of a white mouse,' McNally stated. In what appeared to be a scene straight out of the beloved cartoon Ratatouille, those who were sat at tables trying to enjoy their Friday night dinner were forced to lift their feet as the tiny tearaway raced beneath them, and along the side of the bar. Those who had cell phones to hand attempted to aid the capture and turned on their flashlights to help the waitstaff deal with the sudden infestation. 'The entire episode was a SET-UP', wrote restaurateur Keith McNally on Instagram Wait staff intervened swiftly, using napkins in an attempt to catch the rodents Staff used guests cellphone flashlights to help aid the capture of the rodents McNally's restaurant was awarded an A-grade in the latest round of kitchen inspections by the New York City Health Department The dining room was sent into chaos as diners were seen lifting their legs up from the floor The chaos was caught on camera and posted to Instagram in what would have made for a memorable meal at the French brasserie. 'Rats found in Balthazar NYC in the dining room tonightcan't imagine what the kitchen is like. Absolutely 'REVOLTING'', the caption read in the footage posted by Michelle Manning Barish who describes herself as an 'activist' and 'writer'. Barish later added some words of advice for McNally noting how the 'rat incident' didn't make his nightly report which he regularly posts to Instagram. 'Hey left out your rat incident in the dining room. Also, Why are you so obsessed with Lauren Sanchez? It's creepy. I promise, that while she's living her best life, helping others and having fun, she never thinks of your vocally anti semitic rants, defense of sexual predators, or rat infested restaurant,' Barish wrote. 'You're creepy. But at least you're more consistent than your food. Maybe handle your rat situation and take a break from attacking women on social media,' she added. McNally then accused Barish of possibly being involved in unleashing the rodents in his restaurant. 'Wouldnt surprise me she instigated the whole unpleasant episode. Or at least was a party to it,' he wrote in response to a comment online. Keith McNally shared a carousel of pictures of Lauren Sanchez and her fiance, Jeff Bezos, and proceeded to skewer the pair on Monday night Staff could be seen on the floor as the tried to track down the uninvited guest Guests either filmed the drama or used their flashlights to help servers track the rats down Waiters could be seen scouring the floor as they desperately searched for the critter On Monday night, McNally took aim at Lauren Sanchez in a late-night Instagram rant. In it, the 72-year-old branded Bezos' soon-to-be second wife 'revolting', before skewering the pair with comments offered alongside a carousel of recent pictures. In the scathing rant McNally wrote: 'Does anybody else find Jeff Bezos' New wife - Lauren Sanchez - ABSOLUTELY REVOLTING?' 'What an ugly and F***ing SMUG - LOOKING couple they make. Is this what having 1000 Billion dollars does to people?' He has since sparked fury on social media, with former TV anchor Sanchez sharing a very pointed message on Tuesday night and some of her high-profile friends coming to her defense. In a subequent post, McNally claimed that a reporter from The Daily Beast came to his restaurant as early as 5 pm on Tuesday and accused her of 'looking for a story that suits her narrative.' 'A lady came early on around 5pm to ask for a reservation during primetime. Because we were full at primetime I offered her a nice table a little later.' 'It turned out that she was a reporter (she later called herself 'a spy ') for The Daily Beast and she proceeded to ask our bar guests if they noticed that Balthazar wasn't busy because of Keith's Instagram post about Jeff Bezos's girlfriend,' the post reads. 'Mind you this was at 5pm!! Our lovely regular S. was the one who reported her to me after she tried to get him to give her a quote... 'He told her that No one in NYC would stop coming to Balthazar because of a filthy rich Billionaire's girlfriend. Lots of other customers said the same thing. 'She then came to talk to me to try to get me to give her a quote ..I told her that we couldn't comment but since she was asking if we were busy or not I simply told her to look around for herself. 'The room was packed at this point and she agreed that we seemed very busy then left,' the post reads. The post went on to say that the night was 'very busy,' with both indoor and outdoor seating areas 'got fairly full.' The pair got engaged nearly a year ago after close to five years together The former TV anchor posted two telling messages on her Instagram Stories on Tuesday night, urging people to be kind to one another McNally, the owner of enduring New York City hot-spots Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi has previously picked several fights with well-known visitors to his restaurants. In October of 2022, he started a weeks-long feud with then late-night host James Corden, who reportedly screamed at McNally's Balthazar staff over an all-yolk omelet his wife had attempted to order. McNally posted a long statement to Instagram detailing Corden's alleged unpleasant encounters with the Balthazar staff and issuing a ban on Corden as a guest of his establishments. Corden, who has on multiple occasions been pegged as difficult to work with, defended himself on-air and in a New York Times profile at the time. Lauren Sanchez received support from some celebrity allies including Chrissy Teigen and MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle He apologized, McNally reversed the ban, and things were smoothed over for a bit, but only until the restaurant boss got his hands on a copy of the London Times, in which Corden denied ever screaming at anyone. 'I don't want to over-egg the pudding, but in Friday's London Times Corden flip-flopped and told a massive lie AGAIN,' wrote McNally after the dispute had been settled for the first time. ''I never screamed at anyone, I didn't shout, didn't call anyone a name or swear or use derogatory language How is it remotely a thing? When that person who posted the story wasn't even there,' (said Corden) 'On second viewing, I found his TV 'confessional' contrived and phony. The actor will say anything to save his bacon. 'In the scheme of things my opinion means nothing, but after Friday's interview and a second look at his fraudulent confessional, I've given up on James Corden. For Good,' wrote the successful hospitality boss. Flames engulfed the conspiracy theorist, who has now succumbed to his injuries The 37-year-old doused himself in accelerant before igniting himself with a light The man who set himself on fire outside Trump's hush money trial in New York has died from his injuries, as his friends and neighbors said it was the death of his mother two years ago that made him increasingly unstable. Max Azzarello, a 37-year-old from St. Augustine, Florida, died Friday night hours after the shocking display, said to be 'an 'extreme act of protest...[against] a totalitarian con, and our own government' on his own Substack. The Florida native was a graduate from Rutgers University, where he received a masters degree in city and regional planning in 2012, friends said. He was rushed to a nearby hospitals burn unit where died just before 11 pm, sources familiar with the matter added Friday night - hours after was seen throwing a stack of pamphlets that included a link to his conspiracy-laden Substack seconds before igniting. In interviews carried out within that span, several who knew Azzarello described a different sort of man from the one responsible for a slew of rambling, paranoid posts plastered throughout his social media. Max Azzarello - the man who set himself on fire outside Trump's hush money trial in New York Friday - has died from his injuries The revelation comes hours after he doused himself in accelerant outside the courthouse before going up in flames Azzarello, a 37-year-old from St. Augustine, Florida, is seen holding a sign a outside the Manhattan criminal courthouse on April 18 - a day before the disaster 'He was super curious about social justice and the way things "could" be,' fellow Rutgers alum Katie Brennan told the New York Times Friday of the self-professed 'investigative researcher.' 'He was creative and adventurous.' An friend from high school, Steven Waldman, remembered Azzarello - who had a job in marketing, sales, and tech before becoming unemployed at some point in 2021 or 2022 - as one of the smartest people he knew. 'He was a good friend and person and cared about the world,' he told the publication. Both talked up the confirmed conspiracy theorist has decidedly normal, as did his neighbors in historic St. Augustine, where he lived in a small apartment near the Matanzas River. '[He was] an extremely nice person,' recalled the property manager of his apartment building, Larry Altman. He went on to add: 'He had political views that I would not consider mainstream. 'He called our government and the world government a Ponzi scheme,' Altman remembered, before disclaiming those views were hardly a cause for concern. 'If you met Max, hed shake your hand, and youd have a nice conversation,' he told The Times. 'Hed treat you with respect.' His oldest friends were left even more surprised by his sudden act, with Carol Waldman, the mom of his childhood friend, recalling: 'He was kind and a gentle soul. 'A real wonderful, terrific young guy. Who had his whole life ahead of him.' But things quickly changed after the death of his mother, Elizabeth Azzarello, on April 6, 2022 - almost two years to the day before his self-immolation. After the loss - spurred by a bout with pulmonary disease - his friends in St Augustine said they saw a change, one that culminated with Azzarello secretly traveling to New York City at some point this year, without his family's knowledge. 'A real wonderful, terrific young guy,' one friend said of Azzarello, seen here with his mom , Elizabeth Azzarello, in Palm Beach in 2016. '[He] had his whole life ahead of him.' But things changed after the death of mom on April 6, 2022 - almost two years to the day before his act Max is seen here his mother (second from right) and father Richard (far right) in 2013. Those who knew him said he had been extremely close with Elizabeth. After her death, he changed his profession on LinkedIn as 'Research Investigator,' self-employed 'That was around the time when he became more outspoken,' Waldman said of this period, referring to the last eight or so months of 2022. 'They were close, and they had a good relationship. He was heartbroken.' he recalled. By the next year, Azzarello and his writings - after penning a beautifully worded memorial following his mother's death - were almost unrecognizable. 'This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery,' Azzarello wrote in part of his online manifesto, titled The Ponzi Papers. 'We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup.' He added how this supposed regime 'is about to hit us with an apocalyptic facist world coup,' just months after a series of arrests in his home state for incidents that took place in August, including hurling a drink at a photo of Bill Clinton. Oddly, the alleged research investigator is seen smiling in an undated photo with the Democrat seen on his still-up LinkedIn, where he wrote, 'we have a secret facist problem.' In March 2023, he changed his profession on LinkedIn as 'Research Investigator,' self-employed, and in June reportedly tagged Brennan and others to make sure they had seen something he had written. Speaking to The Times, she framed it as a 'manifesto', and remembered how she called him to intervene. On his LinkedIn profile, a younger Azzarello appears in a photo with Bill Clinton - a figure of fascination for him in recent years, posts on social media show. In an accompanying cation to his bio, the suspected conspiracy theorist writes, 'We've got a secret fascism problem' Photos from 10 years later - in the spring of last year - show papers scrawled with seemingly random words and ramblings in what appears to be the man's apartment Much of it appeared obsessive and meaningless, with some of the pages merely containing alphabetized words and definitions 'This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery,' Azzarello wrote in part of his online manifesto, billed as The Ponzi Papers. 'We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup' When that didn't work, she said she wrote to one of his relatives to make sure they were aware he was not in the right state of mind - just over a year before he woudl set himself on fire as Trump's criminal trial entered its fourth day. Eight months before this, though, Azzarello posted to Facebook to tell his online friends he had visited a mental health treatment facility, writing, 'Three days in the psych ward, and all I got were my new favorite socks.' He was also spotted outside the courthouse both Thursday and Friday, where he reportedly told The New York Times, 'Trump's in on it.' Trump is facing allegations he falsified business records related to payments made to ex-porn star Stormy Daniels. Again framing himself as a 'research investigator', Azzarello told the paper his beliefs were influenced by research he had carried out into Peter Thiel, the venture capitalist whose seed money helped start firms like PayPal and Facebook. Photographed holding a sign that read 'Trump is with Biden and they're about to facist coup us', he said: 'It's a secret kleptocracy, and it can only lead to an apocalyptic fascist coup.' The day before, he reportedly held a sign critical of New York University before heading to the courthouse, while handing out literature on the subject. On Friday, the self-employed 'investigative researcher' suddenly tossed a stack of pamphlets into the air that included links to his manifesto, seconds before suddenly setting himself ablaze. After the self-immolation, cops descended on the area just before 2pm, after which he was brought to a nearby hospitals burn unit. He died shortly before 11 pm, sources familiar with the matter confirmed. Azarello, seen here in a August 24, 2023, mugshot, had recently completed 180 days probation for a string of incidents over disorderly conduct and destruction of property in Florida, where cops and members of the public cited his erratic and 'rambling' behavior Azzarello was arrested several time last year in the Sunshine State for breach of the peace. Friends have said the once-stable Florida resident became unhinged after the death of his mother two years ago, sending him on a descent chronicled in countless social media posts Fliers spotted at the scene of the self-immolation shortly after it occurred. It has not been confirmed if they belong to the victim The pamphlets found at the scene link to a Substack curated by the self-described 'investigative researcher' The tragedy unfolded while former president Trump (pictured on Friday morning) was inside the courthouse 'Trump's in on it,' Azzarello reportedly told the Times on Thursday, saying his beliefs were influenced by research he had carried out into Peter Thiel, the venture capitalist behind companies like PayPal and Facebook. 'It's a secret kleptocracy, and it can only lead to an apocalyptic fascist coup,' the anti-establishment conspiracy theorist said In an article authored hours before he spewed unfounded theories about the 'elites', COVID, and Clinton, who appeared to have become a source of fascination for Azzarello over the years The post bore the startling succinct headline: 'I have set myself on fire outside of the Trump Trial', as other social media posts provided more insight into the college graduate's fragile state of mind. DailyMail.com gained more insight after learning the activist just week ago completed a six month probation sentence - handed out following a string of incidents in Florida involving either disorderly conduct, destruction of property, and overall erratic, 'rambling' behavior. DailyMail.com obtained criminal complaints for each, which all place within a matter of days in August. In the first of three, cops wrote how Azzarello threw a glass of wine at a framed and autographed photograph of President Clinton displayed in the lobby of the Casa Monica Hotel in his hometown of Saint Augustine the evening of August 19, 2023, The complaint, which lists him as unemployed, notes the incident took place as Azzarello had just finished dinner at the hotel restaurant. He went on to launch the glass at the image, breaking the glass on the framed photograph and damaging it with wine in the process. Then, two days later, Azzarello was arrested again at the Case Monica, after he was reported for 'standing outside, stripping his clothes off and yelling at customers.' DailyMail.com has obtained three criminal complaints of the incidents - all of which took place in August last year In one, officers wrote how Azzarello, 37, threw a glass of wine at a framed and autographed photograph of Bill Clinton displayed in the lobby of the Casa Monica Hotel in his hometown of Saint Augustine, Florida, on August 19 of this past year. He is listed as unemployed When cops arrived, they noted how the suspect was 'wearing nothing but his underwear, standing on the sidewalk[, and] holing [sic] a speaker blasting music and yelling', officers wrote eight months ago. The hotel manager, meanwhile, was said to have told officers that customers were 'scared for their safety', and that many were unable to enter or exit for fear of being caught up in the then-suspect's episode. On August 24, he was arrested once more for graffitiing property and rifling through a woman's belongings in the flatbed of her truck, after allegedly being seen yelling in someone's yards after 'misinterpreting' an exterminator's sign warning people to keep their children and pets off a lawn that had just been treated. Cops, at the time, wrote how the conspiracy theorist was convinced the pest control company was 'there to exterminate children and dogs', as all the events occurred within walking distance of Azzarello's apartment. In a discovery that provided more insight into the man behind the incident, DailyMail.com found Azzarello had posted to Facebook earlier that month, this time to tell his friends that he had just spent three days in a psych ward. 'I was handcuffed, shoved, and put into a psych ward,' he wrote in the update, in which he described how cops suddenly showed up at his St Augustine pad necause he had tipped a Starbucks barista $200 and wrote 'Go F*** Yourself' on the receipt. 'I was given no information about why I was there until after my discharge,' he said, as another post a few weeks later indicated her served jail time for the alleged stunt. Witnesses described the incident as a 'political protest' although it was not clear what side he was on As of 2.20pm police described the individual as in a 'critical' condition New York City police officers inspect the scene where a man lit himself on fire in a park outside Manhattan criminal court White fire extinguisher residue marks the spot where the incident took place in Collect Pond Park Less than three months later, a suit he filed against Clinton and 100 other influential figures was tossed when he failed to follow up with required court filings, after claiming Mark Cuban, Richard Branson, the country of Saudi Arabia, and more were carrying 'an elaborate network of Ponzi schemes' dating back to the 1990s and continuing through 2023. Other defendants named in the 2023 suit included 1992 Independent presidential candidate Ross Perot, who died in 2019. The case - filed by Azzarello without a lawyer - was tossed this past October. Then, in an Instagram story posted a little over nine weeks ago, Azzarello shared a picture of Taylor Swift donned in Super Woman apparel. He wrote in the caption: 'Super Bowl LVII Forecast: 100% chance of broflakes melting down and whining across the nation.' Azzarello wrote: 'Why are we all so divided? Because the people who stole the American Dream are shouting 'You're divided! You're divided!' in all directions.' In another post from this time period, Azzarello appeared to show support for the Eras performer, commenting on a photo of her flashing the peace sign while delivering a commencement speech at New York University. 'Still her best picture,' Azzarello wrote over the May 2022 image, held in front of the same school would go on to slam two months later days before setting himself ablaze. 'NYU is a mob front', the headline of literature being passed around by the activist in Lower Manhattan not far from the courthouse Wednesday read. More posts from the period provide insight into other objects of the suspect's obsessions He appears to have some dissatisfaction with the US government, painting it as a so-called cult An accompanying tagline added that the pamphlet was 'a brief guide to[the school's] most criminal secrets.' Reporters with the Times, meanwhile, confirmed the suspect was holding a sign on Wednesday critical of the school at Washington Square Park Wednesday, before moving on Thursday to the park where the incident occurred. A link to his Ponzi Papers Substack was provided. On Wednesday, he also posted an Instagram highlight saying he would be 'spending the week at Washington Square Park airing out all of NYU's dirty laundry', a day before a final Instagram story just minutes before the blaze. 'I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you,' it read. At 1:37 pm, law enforcement responded to calls reporting the fire, before rushing Azzarello to a city hospital where he is said to be in critical condition. The New York Police Department said an investigation is ongoing, as other recent social media posts show how Azzarello recently praised 'martyrs' like the former U.S. military member who also lit himself on fire, but died during protest. 'NYU is a mob front', the headline of literature being passed around by the activist in Lower Manhattan not far from the courthouse Wednesday read. An accompanying tagline added that the pamphlet was 'a brief guide to[the school's] most criminal secrets. On Wednesday, he also posted an Instagram highlight saying he would be 'spending the week at Washington Square Park airing out all of NYU's dirty laundry', a day before a final Instagram story just minutes before the blaze. 'I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you,' it read At 1:37 pm, law enforcement responded to the fire, before bringing Azzarello to a city hospital where he is said to be in critical condition. The New York Police Department said an investigation is ongoing 'Heroes and martyrs, folks,' Azzarello posted on his Instagram after the February death of US Air Force Active Duty Member Aaron Bushnell, adding 'God f****** bless you, Aaron Bushnell.' Bushnell, 25, died after self immolating outside the Israeli Embassy this past February in Washington, D.C., in protest of Israel's war in Gaza. 'My name is Aaron Bushnell, I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide,' Bushnell is heard saying in video of the incident. 'I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all. 'This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.' Like Bushnell, Azzarello released his own manifesto before his act on Friday. However, unlike the late servicemen, his motives appear a bit more muddied - with most of his pages attacking facism and the supposed complacency of the general public. In his Substack, he again states he is an 'investigative researcher'. The New York Police Department said an investigation is ongoing, as other recent social media posts show how Azzarello recently praised "martyrs" like the former U.S. military member who also lit himself on fire, but died during the February protest against the war in Gaza Like the Air Force member, Aaron Bushnell (pictured) Azzarello released his own manifesto before his act on Friday, but unlike the late servicemen, his motives seem a bit more muddied The rest of the profile amounts to a rambling diatribe ageist the establishment, which Azzarello appears to be the authors of 'totalitarian con'. He also warns of a 'an apocalyptic fascist world coup', and in fliers posted to his social media, he flaunts other self made pamphlets centered around the 'dipshit secrets of our rotten world'. 'When the economy collapses and it feels like World War III overnight, you'll know exactly why,' Azzarello warns in the flier. His profile claims he has been self-employed since March of 2023. In one post, he claimed to have served 40 days in jail for one of the incidents back in August. The NYPD investigation into the incident, as of writing, remains ongoing. The man convicted over the 2012 one-punch killing of 18-year-old Thomas Kelly in Sydney's Kings Cross has walked free from prison. Kieran Loveridge was released from Broken Hill prison in far western NSW late on Friday after a State Parole Authority (SPA) decision earlier this month. He was freed despite Mr Kelly's parents Kathy and Ralph saying they were not aware of Loveridge's violent outbursts in prison before they gave their blessing for his parole. On Wednesday night they told ABC's 7.30 program that they backed the killer's release based 'on a pack of lies' and said Loveridge had shown no remorse. At the parole hearing, they learned he had been repeatedly violent during his years in prison, assaulting several people including punching a bikie in the face. Thomas Kelly (pictured) was killed in a 'cowardly and unprovoked' attack in July 2012 The now 30-year-old killed Mr Kelly in a 'cowardly and unprovoked' attack in July 2012, and on April 4 Justice Geoffrey Bellew said the SPA was 'satisfied' it was in the community's interest to release Loveridge. In the most recent example of Loveridge's behaviour in prison, just weeks before the parole hearing, he 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,' Ralph 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.' Kathy 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 violence 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 now he has been released. '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.' 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.' Kieran Loveridge (left) was released from prison on Friday after the NSW State Parole Authority found there would be a 'substantially greater risk' if he was released at a later time Thomas Kelly's brother Stuart (pictured centre) made a heartbreaking statement outside the court 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. '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.' The NSW Corrections minister Anoulack Chanthivong told Daily Mail Australia that 'Victims' families must be strongly supported during the parole process. 'The prospective release of an offender can understandably be very distressing for a victim's family.' Mr Chanthivong said the acting commissioner of corrections, Leon Taylor, had 'reached out to the Kelly family to apologise for the distress caused by their experience'. Ralph Kelly and his wife Kathy are pictured leaving Central Local Court after Kieran Loveridge formally entered a plea of guilty to one count of manslaughter of their son Thomas Kelly in Sydney, Tuesday, June 18, 2013 He said Mr Taylor had also offered a meeting to discuss what changes could be made to help avoid similar concerns for other victims of crime. 'Releasing an inmate on parole provides the opportunity to ensure they are reintegrating into society under supervision,' Mr Chanthivong said. 'Releasing them at the end of their sentence does not provide this same monitoring capability.' He added that, in Loveridge's case, the SPA has imposed strict requirements 'including electronic monitoring, geographic restrictions and drug and breath analysis to monitor any use of illicit substances and/or alcohol'. Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36 Elon Musk and his social media company X have vowed to fight orders by Australia's online watchdog to remove content related to the alleged Sydney church stabbing attack. On Tuesday, eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said social media giants X, formerly Twitter, and Facebook parent company Meta, would be issued a notice of removal. The notice relates to content depicting 'gratuitous or offensive violence with a high degree of impact or detail' following the alleged stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, which was captured on an online broadcast of the service. In a tweet early Saturday local time, Elon Musk, who purchased Twitter in April 2022, claimed: 'The Australian censorship commissar is demanding *global* content bans.' Threatened with fines it failed to comply with the order, X's global government affair's team claimed posts it had been ordered to remove did not violate its rules on violent speech. The matter seems to be personal for Musk and X, as Ms Inman Grant used to work for Twitter under the old regime prior to becoming the eSafety commissioner in 2016. Elon Musk and X have been told by the Australian e-safety watchdog it could be fined more than $700,000 a day if they don't take down content linked to a Sydney church stabbing The Australian censorship commissar is demanding *global* content bans! https://t.co/CRLglUYYIG Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 19, 2024 In a statement, which was shared by Musk, the social media giant said 'recent attacks in Australia are a horrific assault on free society' but vowed to fight the removal notice. 'The Australian eSafety Commissioner ordered X to remove certain posts in Australia that publicly commented on the recent attack against a Christian Bishop,' X said. 'X believes that eSafety's order was not within the scope of Australian law and we complied with the directive pending a legal challenge. 'X has now received a demand from the eSafety Commissioner that X globally withhold these posts or face a daily fine of $785,000.' The company described the alleged stabbing of the Assyrian church leader as 'a tragic event' and said it did 'not allow people to praise it or call for further violence'. 'There is a public conversation happening about the event, on X and across Australia, as is often the case when events of major public concern occur,' X said. 'While X respects the right of a country to enforce its laws within its jurisdiction, the Commissioner does not have the authority to dictate what content users can see globally. We will robustly challenge this unlawful and dangerous approach in court. 'Global take-down orders go against the very principles of a free and open internet and threaten free speech everywhere.' Video of the alleged stabbing, which was live-streamed, has become a sore spot for police and political leaders attempting to quell fears of further intra-communal violence. The alleged attack was captured on an online broadcast of the church service Addressing the media on Friday, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb blasted 'misinformation' following the alleged attack and called on social media sites to do more. 'I think leading a social media platform should bring with it big social, corporate responsibility,' she said. 'I think to have images like that online, they need to be removed immediately and not left up there.' NSW Premier Chris Minns blasted X on Saturday and said it was about time penalties for social media companies were strengthened. 'This is exactly as I'd expect from X, or Twitter, or whatever you want to call it - a disregard for the information that they pump into our communities, lies and rumours spreading like wildfire,' Mr Minns told reporters. 'Then when things go wrong, throwing their hands up in the air to say that they're not prepared to do anything about it.' In a statement seen by the Guardian, the eSafety Commission said it was continuing to engage platforms 'regarding the resharing and reposting of (violent content)'. 'We expect platforms that benefit from Australians using their service to make genuine efforts to protect our citizens from harmful content,' the commission said. 'In relation to X Corp, eSafety is working to ensure the company's full and complete compliance with Australian law. 'eSafety is disappointed that process has been unnecessarily prolonged, rather than prioritising the safety of Australians and the Australian community.' The commission said it expected platforms to abide by their own terms of service and said it was 'considering whether further regulatory action is warranted' in relation to X. Ms Inman Grant told reporters on Tuesday the while the majority of mainstream social media platforms had engaged with the commissioner, more needed to be done. Australia's e-safety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said some content put at risk the safety of the Australian community 'I am not satisfied enough is being done to protect Australians from this most extreme and gratuitous violent material circulating online,' she said. 'That is why I am exercising my powers under the Online Safety Act to formally compel them to remove it.' A 16-year-old boy was charged over the church stabbing, and on Friday evening, a 45-year-old man was arrested at a Fairfield Heights home and charged with rioting and threatening violence, causing fear. The man was refused bail to appear in Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday. Police hope high-visibility patrols in the region will curb conflict after the knife-wielding teenager allegedly struck Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, 53, who was delivering a sermon on Monday night. The stabbing - which has since been declared an act of terrorism - triggered a riot outside the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley leaving dozens of police officers injured. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said investigators believed the attack met the criteria of a terrorist act, but he refused to go into further detail. Elon Musk purchased Twitter in April 2022 largely off the back of claims freedom of speech had been impinged upon on the platform. The billionaire has routinely clashed with governments over alleged censorship attempts, including a recent spat with a Brazilian Supreme Court judge over banned accounts. A third man has been charged over a riot in Sydney's western suburbs, where thousands of people clashed with police following the alleged stabbing of Assyrian bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel. Bishop Emmanuel was delivering a live streamed service at a church in Wakeley on Monday night when he was allegedly stabbed by a 16-year-old boy. Police arrived to arrest the teenager, who has since been charged with a terrorism offence, but clashed with a large group gathered outside the church. More than 50 police officers were injured during the riot outside the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, leading to Strike Force Dribs being set up to investigate the violence. As part of the investigation, a 28-year-old man was arrested in Horningsea Park at 7.20am on Saturday and taken to Fairfield Police Station. A third man has been charged over a riot (pictured) in Sydney's western suburbs, where thousands of people clashed with police following the alleged stabbing of Assyrian bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel READ MORE: Bishop prays for attacker after boy allegedly stabbed him during church service in Sydney Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (pictured) was attacked while giving a sermon at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church Advertisement He was charged with threatening violence to cause fear and has been refused bail. He will appear in the Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday. Also appearing in the same court on Saturday was electrician Sam Haddad, 45, who had been arrested at his western Sydney home on Friday and was charged with riot and affray. The court was told that he did not take part in the violence on Monday, but had shouted threats to the alleged attacker who was still inside the church at the time. 'As police were holding the line the accused yelled "He's f****** dead. He's not leaving here alive. I'm going to jail tonight. He's dead tonight. I'm going to jail tonight. You f****** Muslim dog,' the police prosecutor told the court. Haddad was granted bail, despite objections from the police, the Daily Telegraph reported. As the prosecutor spoke, saying he was a risk of repeating his alleged behaviour, Haddad interrupted to say, 'I won't do that most of that's untrue I've got a family to look after.' Acting Magistrate Janet Wahlquist told the court that the police case stated that Haddad did not engage in violent behaviour. She ordered him to report to the Fairfield Police station once a week while on bail. The first person to be charged over the riot was Dani Mansour, 19, who was charged with riot, affray and destroying or damaging property during public disorder. He faced Blacktown Local Court on Thursday and was granted strict conditional bail. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said they were looking for at least 50 people believed to have taken part in the riots. In video of the melee the alleged attacker is heard saying in Arabic: 'If he didn't swear at my Prophet I wouldn't be here. If he didn't involve himself in my religion I wouldn't be here' 'A number of people disguised themselves on that night and we need to know who they are,' she said on Thursday. 'People in the community know who they are, their families know who they are, and we need to know who they are. 'We will continue to investigate this for as long as it takes to identify them. The best thing that the community can do is call Crime Stoppers to let us know who they are. 'The sooner they are identified, put before the court, the sooner they can be dealt with.' A mother-of-three has been left paralysed from the waist down after a horrifying camping accident which would have ended in tragedy if it wasn't for the quick actions of her family. Lee Cattanach, 46, was enjoying a weekend away with her partner, three daughters and friends on the Murray River near the NSW Riverina town of Toccomwal during the Easter long weekend. The Melbourne mum had walked over to the firepit located near the cliff edge to warm up her hands. When she took one step back, she misjudged where riverbank was in the inky black night away from the fire and tumbled five metres off the cliff into the river. Lee Cattanach (pictured with youngest daughter Tegan) is paralysed from the waist down READ MORE: Incredible update on young Aussie cop who fell 11 metres off a cliff in Croatia Advertisement 'I just didn't realise how close the fire was to the edge, it was dark. I stepped back, just one step, and that was it,' Ms Cattanach told 7news.com.au. The next thing she was aware of was 'gurgling water' after she fell five metres almost into the river. 'My head was underwater when they (her family) got to me, and I was knocked out,' Ms Cattanach recalled. Fortunately, daughters Aly, 26, and Tegan, 15, were by the fire and rushed to her aid. 'They had to pull my head out of the water without trying to move me too much,' Ms Cattanach said. Her partner Mick phoned triple-0 but after realising the ambulance would have trouble finding the secluded spot, he jumped in the car to guide paramedics to the scene. Despite Tegan suffering panic attacks, Ms Ms Cattanach's daughters took turns in holding her head out of the water. As thick fog prevented helicopter assistance and debris in the river ruling out rescue by boat, paramedics faced the dilemma of how to get the immobilised Mr Cattanach up the steep bank. The campsite next to the Murray River where Ms Cattanach suffered her life-changing accident It took three hours to get spinal board that Ms Cattanach could be strapped to and 'abseiled' up the ravine. 'Every pull they did was excruciating pain,' she said. Ms Cattanach was transported to Shepparton Hospital. She doesn't remember the ambulance ride and woke up in hospital with Mick by her bedside. She had broken T11 and T12 vertebrae, severely damaged her spinal cord, fractured three ribs along with her sternum, along with a collapsed lung. After being transported to Melbourne's The Alfred hospital for major surgery Ms Cattanach remains paralysed from the waist down. It remains unclear whether she will ever walk again. Following surgery Ms Cattanach was admitted to ICU in Melbourne's Austin Hospital before being transferred to the spinal recovery ward. 'I just want to go home,' Ms Cattanach said as she begins the arduous recovery road of trying to regain balance and be able to move from her chair to her bed independently. With Ms Cattanach no longer able to work as an assistant pub manager, her daughters started a GoFundMe page to help the family manage financially and pay mounting medical costs. Ms Cattanach (pictured right centre) with her three daughters Aly, 26, Amy, 17 and Tegan, 15 'My mum was/is such a trooper, she's independent, stubborn, positive, bubbly outgoing personality, always laughing, smiling and always lived life to the fullest and strive to make everyone around her happy, putting others first,' daughter Tegan wrote. 'Always happy to help, even if she didn't have anything left in her positive tank, she would find a way.' Lee Cattanach's work financial entitlements will be exhausted next month. 'Her manual car will be too difficult/not suitable to convert into a car she can drive whilst paralysed,' her daughter wrote. 'We don't know how long recovery will take, months, years, or the realisation that she may never recover.' The fundraiser will also help Lee Cattanach focus on rehabilitation. 'To have her independence back will be priceless, so any donation of any amount will be greatly appreciated,' her daughter added. By Saturday night, $13,308 had been raised towards the $20,000 goal. The family of Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies who was allegedly murdered alongside partner Jesse Baird by a NSW Police officer have paid tribute to his short life. Police allege Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon killed Mr Davies, 29, and Mr Baird, 26, at the latter's terrace house in Paddington in Sydney's east on February 19. A memorial service for Mr Davies took place at a local park in the Brisbane suburb of New Farm on Saturday afternoon, where Mr Davies previously had resided. Hundreds of loved ones filled the park, many wearing white, with his family seated in the front row. Mr Davies' family spoke of their love and profound grief at losing Luke. 'I will go on forever trying to forever be like you... you were taken from us far too soon,' his brother John said. His mother Sandra Davies cried as fond memories were shared about her son. Sandra Davies embraced mourners at the public memorial to celebrate the life of her son Luke Luke Davies and Jesse Baird were allegedly murdered by former NSW Police officer Beau-Lamarre-Condon at Mr Baird's Paddington home in February. Picture: Supplied / Instagram The mother of Luke Davies (centre) with family and friends during the memorial service for Luke Davies at New Farm Park in Brisbane The family of Luke Davies overcome with emotion during the memorial An image of Mr Davies is projected at the memorial service in Brisbane's New Farm Park on Saturday A crowd of loved ones attend the funeral of Luke Davies. Picture: Supplied Jessica Vaux shared a treasured memory she had with Luke going on an impromptu camp trip to try out his new swag. 'We forgot to get ice on the way, so on arrival we had six hot beers, a bottle of wine and no access to firewood,' she said. Ms Vaux said the hilarious evening, spent listening to John Farnham and Tina Turner, culminated in the swag flooding the next morning. 'I will miss his warm hugs, his sense of humour, his forever smiling face,' she said. 'Our personal jokes will now live forever in my heart.' Luke's friend Dean Bailey remembered how he created a new kind of margarita cocktail by just mixing ice and tequila - creating an iconic phrase: 'Wanna come for a frozy with Lukey?' 'Lukey my friend, if the word unforgettable was ever a person, it would be you,' Mr Bailey said. Monica Suman, a colleague of Mr Davies', said he helped her get through her first shift at work and remembered how he would always be willing to lend an ear to anything, be it 'silly' or serious. She said a car ride with him was 'never boring' as they would blast Celine Dion and sing 'very badly' together. Mr Davies' brother Brock Davies with sister-in law Kristen Davies during the memorial service for Luke Davies Hundreds of loved ones are flocking to the park, many wearing white in honour of Mr Davies Luke Davies will be farewelled on Saturday. Picture: Instagram Fond memories of his childhood, including his antics with his brothers avoiding swooping magpies using ice cream bucket hats, were relayed to the crowd. Mr Davies was remembered for his love of travelling and adventure, his desire to live life to its fullest and his adoration of teams like the Sydney Swans. Brother Brock Davies said there was not a day that went by when he did not think of Luke's infectious smile and his ability to light up the room. He said he would cherish their brotherly bond for life. 'It's not goodbye forever, fly high my little brother,' Brock said. Two large screens outside the park's rotunda are showcasing photos of Mr Davies, along with a floral tribute of sunflowers. Luke's schoolteacher Stuart Crichton said the darkness of Luke's death would not be overshadowed by his personality and 'infectious' positivity. He revealed many were in tears at learning of his passing and called him 'cherished'. 'He brought pure goodness, light, he had a cheeky fun loving demeanour,' Mr Crichton said. Family and friends watch on during the memorial service for Luke Davies held in Brisbane Most mourners wore white at the public memorial held at New Farm Park in Brisbane The order of service for the funeral. Picture: NCA NewsWire Claire Horsfield, a close friend of Mr Davies who met him through mutual friends, said today marked a celebration of his life. She said she was surprised at the sheer number of people attending. 'It shows the impact he had: he was just one person but everyone has been brought here today,' Ms Horsfield said. 'It's a sad moment but it's one we want to cherish.' A reception is expected to be held at the nearby at the nearby Powerhouse Museum after the memorial, which comes after widespread grief over the couple's death. National airline Qantas paid tribute to Mr Davies at Sydney's Mardi Gras parade in March, with the nose cone of a plane bearing his name featured in their float. A GoFundMe page run on behalf of Mr Davies' mother, Sandra Davies, raised more than $75,000 since the couple's alleged murder more than two months prior. In an update in March, Ms Davies thanked all those who donated - some as much as $2000 - to her 'beloved, and most beautiful, kindest son Luke'. 'These words just don't seem enough for the overwhelming love and generosity both Luke and Jesse have received these past few weeks,' she said. 'To all the family, friends, and strangers for your generous gifts and words of support we appreciate all of your help during this very traumatic and difficult time.' The couple's deaths led to an outpouring of grief across the nation. Picture Instagram According to the campaign, the funds are to be used to 'help his (Mr Davies') family in this tragic time and help give him the send off he deserves'. Partner Jesse Baird, who was a producer with Network 10, was earlier farewelled by family, friends, and colleagues at a funeral in Melbourne in March. The bodies of Mr Davies and Mr Baird were found at a remote property in Bungonia, some 200km southwest of Sydney, on February 27 - just shy of a week after they were first reported missing. Beau Lamarre-Condon, a former NSW Police constable, has been charged with the couple's murder - allegedly using his police-issued firearm - at Mr Baird's inner-city Paddington home on February 19. He is alleged to have dumped the pair's bodies at the Bungonia property on February 22. The crime scene where Mr Davies after was allegedly murdered alongside partner Mr Baird Mr Davies was a Qantas flight attendant and he was commemorated at this year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras The couple's deaths sent shockwaves through Sydney and led to an outpouring of grief across the nation. Several vigils have already been held for the couple - including a silent gathering of 60 people in Bronte to honour Mr Davies' life. Last month, hundreds of mourners donned brightly-coloured clothing to farewell Mr Baird at a memorial service at the Plenty Ranges Art and Convention Centre, north of Melbourne. Mr Baird's mother Helen said there was 'less sparkle in the world' in a heartbreaking speech about her loss. 'My beautiful, generous, loving, precious, caring and talented boy, our hearts and lives are changed forever,' she said. 'I promise to fight for you and make you proud. My heart is broken, my darling boy, and I love you more than this world.' Roads in Wales will revert to 30mph following backlash at the Welsh government's controversial 20mph zone rollout. Transport minister Ken Skates said the decision to change some routes back to the its 30mph speed limits will address concerns that 'a lot of people' have raised 'on a consistent basis'. He said: 'We've put our hands up to say the guidance has to be corrected.' It comes after more than half a million signatures were added to a Senedd petition opposing the divisive policy aimed at reducing carbon emissions. 'There is generally universal support for 20mph being targeted in areas where there are schools, built up areas like housing estates, and outside hospitals and so-forth,' Mr Skates told North Wales Live. 'But in many areas, routes that shouldn't have been included, were.' Transport minister Ken Skates said the decision to change some routes back to the its 30mph speed limits will address concerns that 'a lot of people' have raised 'on a consistent basis' Former Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said more could have been done to 'prepare the ground' for the controversial policy It comes after more than half a million signatures were added to a Senedd petition opposing the divisive policy aimed at reducing carbon emissions He is expected to address the forthcoming changes in a statement to the Welsh Parliament on Tuesday. Swansea council leader Rob Stewart last night welcomed the change, but said the Welsh Government, led by Labour's First Minister Vaughan Gething, must help foot the bill to swap signage. However, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousef is considering introducing his own 20mph speed limit despite the experience in Wales, which has seen some ministers receive abuse online. READ MORE: Welsh motorists rebel against hated 20mph speed limits Advertisement Former Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said more could have been done to 'prepare the ground' for the controversial policy. The policy was introduced in September last year, with the promise that lower speed limits would lead to fewer collisions and people injured. It has also seen fierce opposition from the Conservatives in the Senedd, who have branded it a 'waste of time and resources'. He said that while the policy had been in Labour's manifesto during the last Senedd election, he understood that people in Wales 'lead busy lives' and do not 'spend their evenings flicking through the programme for government'. He said: 'So there probably was more that we could have done,' he said. 'In the end, no matter how much you prepare the ground, when change comes, it can be challenging. 'Look at the history of changes in relation to the way people use their motor cars, it's always been challenging. 'Whether that was introducing 30mph speed limits, that wasn't easy to do; the breathalyser was fiercely opposed by people, as was wearing seatbelts. 'I don't think we look back now and say that was the wrong thing to do, we should allow people to spend the night in the pub and get in the car and drive home. 'In an era of climate change, we're all going to have to travel differently. The idea that we can go on using up the world's finite resources, for our own benefit in our own time and leave the problem for somebody after us to clear up, that cannot be a responsible way to approach these things. 'And tough as it has been in some ways, it remains a policy that will save people's lives, that will prevent thousands of accidents, that has given people back the streets that they live in. 'Very few people argue for the street they live in to go back to 30 miles an hour.' Global exhibitors share open opportunities at fourth China International Consumer Products Expo 13:35, April 20, 2024 By Cui Qi, Dai Kairan, Yang Xiaoyu, Deng Jianyang ( People's Daily People walk into the venue of the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo by Yang He/People's Daily Online) The 4th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) was held in Haikou, south China's Hainan province from April 13 to 18. More than 4,000 brands from 71 countries and regions came together, demonstrating the vibrant energy and appeal of the Chinese consumer market. Foreign guests and exhibitors told People's Daily that the CICPE provides a platform for global institutions and companies to explore the Chinese market, demonstrating China's commitment to high-level opening-up. They believe that the vast Chinese market is bringing tremendous opportunities to the world as the country opens its door even wider. Over the past four years, the scale, quality and influence of the CICPE, the largest consumer products exhibition in the entire Asia-Pacific region, have been continuously improved. With an indoor exhibition area of 128,000 square meters, this year's CICPE was joined by 57 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry-leading companies, attracting more than 55,000 buyers and professional visitors. With the theme of "60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France," the French Pavilion offered visitors an immersive Parisian shopping experience. Sylvain Fourriere, consul general of France in Guangzhou, said French companies had participated in the expo since the maiden event, showcasing the friendly exchanges between the two countries. He noted that French companies have performed well in the Chinese market, thanks to China's efforts to promote high-quality development and high-level opening-up. France and China will achieve common progress in the times ahead. "This is our first time to a Chinese expo, and we are delighted to be here. It's very helpful that we are able to stay here for a few days in which people would come to us and be interested in our products," said Luke McAllister, brand ambassador of an Irish whiskey company. The CICPE provides an important platform for global companies to enter the Chinese market, McAllister said, adding that his company had been approached by numerous importers for potential partnerships, and they are eager to introduce their products to the vast Chinese market via the expo. Consumption is a main driver for economic growth. According to the data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics, in the first quarter of 2024, the total retail sales of consumer goods in China exceeded 12 trillion yuan ($1.66 trillion), with per capita expenditure on services consumption increasing by 12.7 percent year on year. Consumption contributed 73.7 percent to China's economic growth, playing a crucial supportive role. More than 300 themed activities and featured activities such as new product releases were held at the 4th CICPE. A total of 38 brands launched 115 new products, covering a wide range of categories such as perfumes and cosmetics, high-end foods, electronic products, and biotech products. The debut of new products and technologies showcases China's continuously upgrading consumption pattern, making the huge Chinese market highly attractive to foreign companies. "China has a very large market and a growing middle-class group. The market will offer growth potential for our company and for other investors," said Rainer Kern, a representative of German company Karcher, the world's leading provider of cleaning technology. Kern said that Karcher has expanded its brand influence through the China International Import Expo, the CICPE, and other international exhibitions held by China. Multiple exhibits that were unveiled for the first time at these exhibitions had proven to be highly popular, demonstrating the enormous opportunities in the Chinese market. "With the continuous improvement of China's business environment, Karcher remains absolutely confident in the Chinese market," Kern added. German carmaker Volkswagen debuted its comprehensive charging solutions at this year's CICPE. "By participating in the expo, Volkswagen hopes to boost its engagement with Chinese consumers and strengthen its presence in the Chinese market," said Zhang Lan, vice president of sales of Volkswagen Group (China). Volkswagen recently announced to expand its innovation hub in Hefei, east China's Anhui province, to bolster its R&D capabilities in China and accelerate the electrification, digitalization, and intelligentization of the automotive industry. The 4th CICPE displayed over 100 geographical indication (GI) products from China and the European Union such as French Champagne and Spanish olive oil, allowing visitors to taste high-quality products with different flavors and diverse culinary cultures. "We hope to promote Spanish products in the Chinese market through the expo," said Jamie Lorenzo, chief economic and commercial counselor of Spanish Consulate in Guangzhou. "China continues to steadily expand institutional opening-up and advance high-level opening-up, which will foster a market-oriented and world-class business environment governed by a sound legal framework. These steps demonstrate China's commitment to the open world economy and win-win cooperation, said Chen Kai with Ernst & Young. He believes that foreign-invested enterprises in China will continue to maintain high-quality development this year. Visitors taste Spanish ham at the Food & Supplements section of the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo by Weng Qiyu/People's Daily Online) An exhibitor presents products to visitors at the national pavilion of Ireland during the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo by Cui Qi/People's Daily) (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) This is the shocking moment a bike-riding thief snatched a man's mobile phone out of his hand in London's Park Lane. Video footage shows a cyclist riding in the middle of Park Lane, London and turning off the road to ride on the path. An unsuspecting pedestrian can be seen walking along while holding his phone. The cyclist then seems to carefully line their bike up with the man before appearing to swoop past him and swipe the phone out of his hands. Onlookers nearby watch as the man tries to run after the bike rider before eventually giving up. The cyclist, dressed all in black, can be seen cruising away into traffic. MailOnline has contacted the Metropolitan Police for a comment. Video footage shows a cyclist riding in the middle of Park Lane, London and turning off the road to ride on the path The cyclist then seems to carefully line their bike up with the man before appearing to swoop past him and swipe his phone out of his hands Onlookers nearby watch as the man tries to run after the bike rider before eventually giving up In October, the London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, and the Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley met representatives from Apple, Samsung and Google, along with major phone network providers at City Hall. The meeting was in a bid to to find the most effective deterrent and ultimately significantly reduce mobile phone robberies. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the meeting was a step towards making London 'safer for everyone'. Earlier this year, shocking footage showed two masked thieves snatched a phone from a pedestrian and fled on their bikes in London's Hampstead - before crashing into an incoming car. The duo was spotted patrolling trendy Hampstead High Street on the lookout for unsuspecting pedestrians carrying phones. A witness tries to catch the thieves on Hampstead High Street but they manage to escape on their bikes Upon finding a target they swiftly mounted the pavement and snatched a phone from a passerby. Despite a witness attempting to intervene, one of the thieves managed to avoid being captured and fled the scene. Moments later they targeted another unsuspecting pedestrian nearby. In a daring move, one of the thieves rode directly into oncoming traffic to escape, colliding head-on with a car before fleeing the scene with their accomplice. Brittany Higgins has broken her silence with a powerful statement after a federal court judge ruled that she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann. The former Liberal Party media advisor, who relocated to France with her fiance David Sharaz in December took to X on Saturday afternoon to issue a 400 word bombshell statement five days after Justice Michael Lee handed down his findings. She was 24 when she was raped by her then-colleague at Parliament House in 2019. In a surprising twist, Ms Higgins also expressed sympathy for the toll the saga has had on her former boss Senator Linda Reynolds, despite the pair being locked in the middle of a defamation battle 'I was raped. No judgement was ever going to change this truth,' Ms Higgins began. 'I lived with the shame, humiliation, and fear of what telling my story would mean for my life and career, like so many other victim survivors. Brittany Higgins broke her silence on Saturday in a lengthy statement after a judge found that she was raped by then-colleague Bruce Lerhmann in 2019 READ MORE: Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial: Channel Ten has 'zero interest' in bringing back Lisa Wilkinson despite court victory Lisa Wilkinson may have been vindicated after winning the defamation case brought against her by Bruce Lehrmann - but she won't be making a triumphant return to Ten Advertisement 'I was scared I wouldn't be believed or supported. 'The toxic culture in Parliament House was not something I just imagined. 'For decades, women working in Parliament House have not been heard. There was no safe space for them to speak up or raise serious complaints. 'I felt compelled to tell my story.' Ms Higgins pointed out that thousands of staff in federal ministers' offices from all sides of politics took part in the Jenkins Review. 'Their stories, like mine have shone a light on the conditions that have fed such a toxic culture and have wilfully ignored for too long,' she continued. Ms Higgins added that her health, memory and relationships have been impacted by what happened in 2019. She has been hospitalised multiple times for mental health reasons. 'I was devastated that a rapist was given a national platform (Channel Seven program Spotlight) to maintain his lies about what happened,' she wrote. 'I trust that those who contributed in any way to the program will reflect on their decision.' Ms Higgins thanked Justice Michael Lee for his 'trauma informed' approach to the case. 'In doing so, I hope he has set a precedent for how courts consider the testimonies of victim survivors of sexual assault,' she said. 'While I don't agree with all of Justice Lee's findings, I do respect his observations about the many people scarred and damaged in the aftermath of my rape.' Justice Michael Lee on Tuesday ruled that Bruce Lerhmann (pictured) had raped Brittany Higgins, saying he been 'hellbent' on having sex with his former colleague Brittany Higgins (pictured with her partner David Sharaz) has broken her silence with a powerful statement after a judge ruled that she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann Ms Higgins acknowledged many people had been unwittingly caught up in years of media discourse and legal battles as she paid tribute to her family for their incredible support. 'They've been so strong, faced seemingly unrelenting barrage of hate and have consistently held me together at times when I thought I would fall apart,' she said. Ms Higgins also acknowledged the pain caused to her former bosses- Senator Linda Reynolds and former chief of staff Fiona Brown. 'For that I am also sorry,' she continued. 'My perceptions and feelings about what happened in the days and weeks after my rape are different from theirs. 'I deeply regret we have not yet found common ground. 'I hope we can resolve our differences with a better understanding of each other's experience.' Senator Reynolds confirmed this week that she will continue with defamation proceedings launched against Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz over social media comments made about her. Ms Higgins ended the two page statement looking back on the last five years of criminal and civil trials and government inquiries for her truth to be heard. 'It's now time to heal,' she concluded. CCTV captured Bruce Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins drinking together before she was raped at Parliament House Justice Michael Lee ruled on Monday that Bruce Lehrmann had raped Ms Higgins, on the balance of probabilities, saying he been 'hellbent' on having sex with his former colleague. 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 stony-faced and silent as he was followed down the street with one cameraman seen falling over onto the pavement amid the chaos. Brittany Higgins concluded the 400 word statement with that it was now time to heal Moments 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. 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. Mr Lehrmann always denied the sexual assault allegation and a criminal case was dropped in 2022, with no findings made against him. Have YOU been filmed or photographed without consent on pubic transport? Get in touch if you want to raise awareness of the issue and tell your story lara.olszowska.MOL@mailonline.co.uk The Thameslink employee will serve just three months in jail suspended for 12 Paolo Barone, 51, took several photos of the unconscious woman after his shift A train driver found guilty of voyeurism after upskirting a woman on public transport has been sentenced to just three months in prison suspended for 12 months. Paolo Barone, 51, of Buckinghamshire was travelling home from his shift as a Thameslink driver when he took multiple photographs of an unconscious woman on a train, including up her skirt. While wearing his work uniform he repeatedly took photographs of the sleeping woman throughout his 45 minute journey. Then, as he prepared to leave the train at St Albans he took more intimate photos of the woman by positioning his phone so that it was directed up her skirt. For his offence, Barone must also complete a 55 hour Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and sign the sex offenders register for seven years. Paolo Barone, 51, of Buckinghamshire is sentenced to 3 months in prison suspended for 12 months for voyeurism after he upskirted an unconscious woman The incident happened on a train from Blackfriars to St Albans on Thursday, 15 September 2022. Three phones and a computer were seized as part of the British Transport Police investigation with one of the phones found to contain five images of the woman. Investigating officer DC Daryl Keogh said: 'Wearing his work uniform meant Barone was in a position of trust when he committed this vile and disgusting violation. 'Seeing the woman was sleeping and vulnerable he took the opportunity, not to watch out for her, but to commit this hideous act. 'The woman was horrified when she learned what had happened as she slept. 'We will stop at nothing to deter, pursue, arrest and bring sex offenders on the railway network to justice. 'Every report is important. See it or experience it, you can report anything that makes you uncomfortable. 'We urge everyone to save 61016 to their phones and download the Railway Guardian app before you travel so you can discreetly get in touch with us if you need us.' The upskirting incident happened on a train from Blackfriars to St Albans in September 2022 The train driver took multiple photos of the sleeping woman before taking a photo up her skirt For his offence the Thameslink driver must complete a 55-hour Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and sign the sex offenders register for 7 years His employer identified him and Barone was arrested at his home address. Jean Cockerill, People Director for Govia Thameslink Railway, said: 'We were shocked and appalled to learn about this incident. 'As soon as we were made aware we followed our internal procedures, which included suspending the individual as soon as he was identified. 'We hold our colleagues to the highest standards of conduct and this type of behaviour will never be tolerated. 'We thank the person for their courage in coming forward and reporting this crime, and we encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses this type of behaviour on the railway to report it to the British Transport Police.' Following the investigation, Paolo Barone was dismissed from his role at Thameslink in January 2023, a spokesperson for the railway company told MailOnline. Flooring chain Carpetright is the latest British business to be hit by a cyber attack affecting hundreds of customer orders. Hackers targeted the company HQ in Purfleet, Essex on Tuesday, sending malware to gain unauthorised access. Carpetright's network was taken offline due to the cyber attack but bosses insist that the virus was isolated before any data was swiped. However phone lines are still down with callers met with the automated message 'Thank you for your patience while we work on a solution'. Staff and hundreds of customers were affected by the malicious virus with employees reportedly unable access their payroll information. Flooring chain Carpetright is the latest British business to be hit by a cyber attack affecting hundreds of customer orders (file pic) Hackers targeted the company HQ in Purfleet, Essex on Tuesday, sending malware to gain unauthorised access (stock photo) A source told The Sun: 'Some staff networks were taken down including the portals that workers use to book time off and look at payslips. 'It happened abruptly and was worrying because customers couldn't get through to helplines. 'Everything at HQ was taken offline as that was the best way to stop the attack spreading to customer data.' A spokesperson for Carpetright said: 'We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. 'We are not aware of any customer or colleague data being impacted by this incident and are testing and resetting systems, with investigations ongoing.' The cyber attack at the flooring chain comes after hackers managed to access a 'small number' of patients' data last month. Ransomware group - INC Ransom - targeted NHS Dumfries and Galloway and claimed it was in possession of three terabytes of data from NHS Scotland. A post on its dark web blog included a 'proof pack' of some of the data, which was confirmed by the NHS board to be genuine. NHS Dumfries and Galloway had reported a cyber incident on March 15 - which added credence to the hacker group's claims. INC Ransom posted a cache of stolen data from NHS Dumfries and Galloway as proof that it had hacked the NHS board's IT system In a statement posted on its website, NHS Dumfries and Galloway's chief executive Jeff Ace said: 'We absolutely deplore the release of confidential patient data as part of this criminal act' In a statement posted on its website, NHS Dumfries and Galloway's chief executive Jeff Ace said: 'We absolutely deplore the release of confidential patient data as part of this criminal act. 'This information has been released by hackers to evidence that this is in their possession.' Hackers also allegedly stole data from the British Library during a cyber attack in October 2023. Rhysida ransomware group took responsibility for the attack that caused a 'major technology outage' at the research library in London. The group then threatened to sell the stolen data at an auction, with starting bids at 20 Bitcoin - approximately 30,000. The conditions of six people who remain in hospital after the deadly stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction have improved, according to authorities. Saturday marked one week since Joel Cauchi, 40, killed five women and a security security guard and stabbed 12 other innocent bystanders at the busy shopping centre in Sydney's east. Two men, three women and a nine-month-old baby remain in hospital. As of Saturday, all of them have improved to a stable condition, according to NSW Health. A candlelight vigil to be held on Sunday will give Sydney residents a chance to unite and reflect on what has been a 'terrible week'. Tributes flow as shoppers return to Westfield shopping centre in Bondi Junction a week after the stabbing attack Tributes continue to flow as shoppers return to Westfield Bondi Junction a week on from the tragedy READ MORE: Security guard injured during rampage recalls the moment his colleague was stabbed to death Security guard Muhammad Taha is still recovering in hospital after he was stabbed in the stomach during the attack Advertisement The vigil gets underway at Bondi Beach from 5pm on Sunday. 'I think if we can stand together during the difficult periods, we can send a message that there are far more good people in this city than there are bad actors and there is evil,' NSW Premier Chris Minns said. 'Those that have lost loved ones have said unanimously that they can feel the community support behind them and that they know that they're not alone.' The Premier said he has learned more about the six victims who were killed during the attack last week, and all of whom were described by loved ones as 'hopeful, optimistic people'. They were new mum Ashlee Good, 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25 - daughter of millionaire businessman John Singleton - mother-of-two Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Chinese national Yixuan Cheng, 27 and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30. 'One thing that they all had in common was they seemed like hopeful, optimistic people that were focused on tomorrow and to lose them to lose that sense of potential adds to the stress and grief that these families have,' Mr Minns told reporters. Bondi Junction Westfield security guard Muhammad Taha remains in hospital after he was stabbed in the stomach Westfield Bondi Junction security guards now wear protective vests He said that Sunday's vigil would be a great opportunity to 'stand by those that have lost loved ones and remember those that have been killed.' Counsellors and support services have been made available to emergency responders who have been on scene at multiple violent attacks this week. 'You can understand that the trauma associated with that will bring up lots of emotions,' Mr Minns said. 'My hope is that mixed in with that emotion is pride in the job that they've done on behalf of the people of NSW because when they were asked to stand up they did exactly that.' Attendees are urged to catch public transport to and from the event as road closures will be in place. The NSW government will work with Waverley Council, Westfield and the victims' families over plans for a permanent memorial. If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. Teachers have been patrolling a 'ghost town' low traffic neighbourhood where gangs of thieves have been targeting pupils on the unnaturally quiet streets. Staff at Bishop Thomas Grant school in Streatham, south London have been walking streets adjacent to school which has been rated as Outstanding by Ofsted inspectors. The secondary school is inside the Streatham Wells LTN which was introduced by the Labour-controlled Lambeth Council in October 2023. Locals have complained that the traffic restrictions have led to problems on the main A23 which affect buses serving the area. According to The Telegraph, the impact on public transport is so severe that teachers are forced to stand on street to protect pupils from gangs patrolling the streets near the school. Bernadette Boyle, head teacher at Bishop Thomas Grant school in Streatham, south London, has complained about how the Low Traffic Neighbourhood impacted punctuality among her pupils Lewisham council has suspended its low traffic neighbourhoodl after six months because of a considerable public backlash Head teacher Bernadette Boyle told the paper the LTN had created a 'ghost town' complaining that delays on public transport are leaving pupils late for school, while others have been targeted by gangs. Ms Boyle said: 'I sent a letter to Lambeth, and the local schools police sergeant, as we saw an increase in our students being mugged on ghost town roads as they walked towards the [Streatham] High Road to try to get on buses which do not come. 'We regularly patrol the local area after school As is the case on many occasions, the children wait nearly an hour for a bus to get home. 'We hang about between the bus stops with them to make sure that they get on to transport and are safe it is having a huge impact on my time and the time of my senior leadership team.' READ MORE: Hated London LTN adds 40 minutes to commute time Advertisement Ms Boyle said buses on Streatham High Road have been slowed down to approximately 1.5mph, which is causing punctuality problems for her 1,200 pupils. She said poor attendance and punctuality affects the educational attainment of pupils. She also said her staff are being impacted by considerable traffic delays in the area. Even Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was forced to admit the LTN had led to heavy traffic impacting bus services. Lambeth Council 'suspended' the LTN in March due to the considerable public backlash against the scheme, admitting they had been warned of an increase in crime in the area. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson told The Telegraph: 'We are aware of concerns raised by the head teacher and continue to work with the school, including through our dedicated schools officer, to address these. The safety of young people in Streatham, including students at this school, are of paramount importance to local police.' Lambeth Council said they are 'committed' to reducing toxic air pollution and wanted to encourage people to use 'sustainable green transport'. The council said: 'Theres no evidence that reduced traffic on streets increases crime however, there is evidence that LTN traffic reductions do improve neighbourhoods.' Convicted violent terrorist Abu Hamza's plans to get out of his US life sentence could be ruined after accusations against him of indoctrinating jihad into his granddaughter. Prison heads in the US have given several hundred pages of evidence against the hookhanded cleric of hate, The Mirror reports. The most damaging assertion is that Hamza - known in the US as Mostafa Mostafa - poses the greatest threat he ever has. US Attorney Damian Williams wrote to the court in New York: 'He continues to believe that his crimes of terrorism were justified and that his victims - to whom he makes no apology and for whom he expresses no remorse - were kaffirs (infidels) to be freely captured, sold or killed.' Mr Williams emphasized that the bouncer-turned-terrorist-preacher 'has not changed'. Abu Hamza rose to prominence in London through his lively preaching until he was arrested in 2004 on terrorism charges Abu Hamza lost an eye and both his hands in the late 80s. Accounts of exactly how and where conflict In 2012 Abu Hamza was extradited from the UK to the US after a long legal battle Mr Williams continued: 'Mostafa's unchanged world view does not just make him recalcitrant. It makes him dangerous. 'If he were released today, there is every reason to think Mostafa would return to doing exactly what he did in the years before his arrest: calling his followers to violent jihad, with the consequence of death or harm to others.' The attorney listed a number of rules broken by Hamza, 66, while he has been incarcerated at America's supermax prison, ADX Florence in Colorado. He also outlined how Hamza reprimanded his granddaughter when she did not acknowledge Islam's holy war, jihad. His children once told a US judge that the characterisation of the Finsbury Park Mosque cleric as a hate preacher and dangerous was 'funny'. Hamza was convicted in 2015 in New York over his role in the 1998 kidnapping in Yemen of 16 tourists, of whom four died, and of conspiring to set up a militant training camp in Oregon, in 1999. He was also found guilty of other terror charges including providing material support to Osama bin Laden's network. He was sentenced to life, being told he would die behind bars. Abu Hamza, 66 is currently in custody at America's supermax prison, ADX Florence in Colorado Hamza has submitted a 76-page legal document asking for the end to his life prison term Hamza's family and lawyers have given statements to try and negotiate his prison term Hamza has urged US courts to grant his freedom so he can return to the UK, eight years after he was extradited on terrorism charges. He has applied to end his life sentence in the US immediately so he can make his return. Hamza wishes to be sent back on compassionate grounds after submitting hundreds of pages of evidence to support his application. Hamza's wife, Najat Chaffe, sought to portray him as a loving family man in letters submitted to the court. 'Our family has been deeply distressed by his absence, as he has left an irreplaceable void that no one can fill,' she wrote. 'The yearning to have him back in our lives has only intensified over time, and his grandchildren, myself, and our children have missed him dearly.' His son, Imran Mostafa Kamel, wrote: 'I am in desperate need of his presence, love, and unwavering support. 'To witness his reunion with our precious grandchildren and to enjoy quality time together as a family would be a dream come true. Hamza was convicted in 2015 in New York after being extradited from Britain on US terrorism charges over his role in the 1998 kidnapping in Yemen of 16 foreign tourists, of whom four were killed, and of conspiring to set up a terrorist training camp in Bly, Oregon, in 1999. The Southern District Court of New York will hear Hamza's appeal. Police have launched a hunt for a missing girl who left home with her pet marsupial nearly three weeks ago and has not been seen since. Raya Dillon-Jackson was last seen in Croxton Kerrial, Leicestershire on Sunday, March 31 and she was reported missing the following day Leicestershire Police said. The teenager, who is black and has long wavy hair and was wearing a white Nike t-shirt, black Nike sweatpants and false eyelashes was carrying her pet sugar glider, which is a small marsupial type animal. The police are hunting for the missing 15-year-old but believe she may have left Leicestershire and travelled elsewhere in the UK. Police say she has links to Birmingham and the Wanstead, Peckham, Brixton and Holborn areas of London. Raya Dillon-Jackson, 15, was last seen in Leicestershire on Sunday. She left home carrying a small sugar glider Sugar gliders are small marsupials from Australia and Tasmania and can be raised as pets in the UK Anyone who has seen Raya, or knows of her whereabouts, is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident 219 of 1 April. Sugar gliders are small marsupials from Australia and Tasmania that look like flying squirrels but are more closely related to kangaroos. They can be bought and raised as pets in the UK without a licence. They have soft thick fur and a long tail and generally keep their young in a pouch. Naturally sociable animals, in the wild they can live in packs of 20 to 40 gliders and can bond with owners very quickly. The small marsupials are very intelligent and have opposable thumbs and fingers like humans, allowing them to grip things and climb easily. They get their name from the specialised flap linking their front leg to their hind leg which gives them the ability to glide. According to Pets4Homes, sugar gliders 'should be housed in a mesh (make sure the gaps are no bigger than half an inch) cage that is no smaller than 24' x 24' and at least 36' high. Gliders need plenty of space to jump and climb.' Russell Brand's second bid to turn an 800-year-old village pub into a recording studio for his ranting videos and podcasts comes after 53 neighbours objected to the first one. The disgraced comic, 48, had his first application to convert The Crown in Pishill, Oxfordshire rejected in February with furious locals accusing him of treating the picturesque village like a 'playground'. Then just two weeks later, Brand's production company - Pablo Diablo's Legitimate Business Firm Limited - submitted another application, calling for the pub's first floor to be made into offices with the garage and cottage converted into a filming studio. The latest plans for the Grade II listed building are still under consideration by South Oxfordshire District Council, despite a decision being due earlier this month. Neighbours previously told MailOnline that Brand had been using the space to record his YouTube videos and podcasts, as well as to hold meetings, which they claimed sometimes brought '20 or 30' cars onto the country road. Russell Brand's second bid to turn an 800-year-old village pub into a recording studio for his ranting videos and podcasts comes after 53 neighbours objected to the first one Russell Brand, 48,bought The Crown in Pishill, Oxfordshire in 2020 for 870,000 with many believing he would keep the Grade II listed building as a beloved boozer for those in the small village Initially, the council received 53 objections to the plans that were rejected in February Now furious locals in Pishill have voiced their objections to the most recent application with the parish council clerk, Pat Pearce, pointing out the similarities between this and the previous plans. She said: 'The Parish Council maintains their strong objection to the proposed mixed use of the site as described in the supporting documentation supplied with the application. 'It is the parish council's view that the application is very similar to the previous application and our comments on that remain valid for this application.' Mrs Pearce added: 'The applicant has never opened the premises, so they cannot prove that it is not viable. 'It has previously been a thriving public house and restaurant, with the barn being used as a successful wedding and party venue. 'We fail to see why this cannot be achieved again with the correct dedication and commitment.' Locals Dr Noel and Barbara Snell hit out at the application claiming that the pub has been used 'without permission for change of use as offices and a recording studio'. The couple added: 'We were delighted when the current owners purchased this property, not least as this kept it from falling into the hands of developers. Now furious locals in Pishill have voiced their objections to the most recent application with the parish council clerk, Pat Pearce, pointing out the similarities between this and the previous plans Neighbours previously told MailOnline that Brand had been using the space to record his YouTube videos and podcasts 'Sadly we have become disillusioned as we have seen the buildings used for non-permitted purposes, and there seems currently little prospect of the Crown resuming its function as our major community meeting place and pub.' Marnie Watson called on the council to act on locals behalf to 'prevent predatory purchases by developers and businesses'. She added: 'The Crown Inn is a unique part of Pishill's heritage and a vital community asset. It also serves as an important amenity for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and visitors who regularly visit this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 'Too many local pubs have already been lost locally to alternative use when they have a viable future as a pub, often because the value of the pub site for development is greater than its value simply as a pub.' Since purchasing The Crown, the British actor has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse dating back to the height of his career, with police investigating claims. Brand has vehemently denied all allegations. The alleged incidents took place during his heydey between 2006 and 2013 while he was working for the BBC and Channel 4, alongside starring in Hollywood films. Brand is estimated to earn around 4.7million a year selling exclusive online content which feature his anti-establishment rants. An interior designer has been cleared of racism charges against his neighbour after a bitter feud in one of Britain's richest gated communities. Peter Barkatullah, 59, claimed mother-of-four Mihaela Cavallaro broke St. Ann's Park, Virginia Water community rules by running her floral business from her garage and also objected to her children playing in front of her 1.7m house. The court heard how Mrs Cavallaro called the police following a confrontation between the two waring neighbours outside her home on May 24, 2022. During the altercation that followed Mrs Cavallaro, originally from Romania, claimed he had tried to hit her and used racially abusive language. However, Barkatullah was cleared by Staines-upon-Thames Magistrates' Court and found not guilty of both racially-aggravated assault and racially-aggravated harassment. Peter Barkatullah, 59 with his wife was cleared by Staines-upon-Thames Magistrates' Court and found not guilty of both racially-aggravated assault and racially-aggravated harassment Mother-of-four Mihaela Cavallaro. Her three youngest children, aged eight, six and two were playing in a coned-off area in front of her house when the confrontation in question started Speaking in court Mrs Cavallaro said: 'We ended up moving out of there. He went to our estate agents to have us kicked out, saying we were trash. 'I was a renter and that bothered him deeply because he is an owner. I didn't belong in this country and my kind of people didn't belong in this country, but I'm not an illegal. I came here with papers.' Her three youngest children, aged eight, six and two were playing in a coned-off area in front of her house when Barkatullah stopped his car. 'He said that it was not a playground and children should not be there and that I should move the cones, but there is nothing in the rules that says no cones are allowed.' The row continued on the driveway of Barkatullah's 1.7m house. 'He said: 'Get the f*** out of my property,' and tried to hit me and came at me with a fist. 'He told me to go back to my country. I don't need this hate, it had been going on for two years. 'He said: 'You don't belong here,' and I can't believe anyone would say that, this is a good neighbourhood.' She denied going to the police in retaliation to Barkatullah's numerous complaints against her. 'It is a tight community and I just wanted to be left alone to live in that property.' She told the court Barkatullah's behaviour was not exemplary, despite his complaints against her. 'He drives his car too fast and too loud and has a lot of clients at his house. St. Ann's Park, Virginia Water community (above), where Barkatullah claimed Mrs Cavallaro broke the rules by running her floral business from her garage and also objected to her children playing in front of her 1.7m house 'I was not running a business from my house, it was a hobby and I was volunteering and doing a lot for charity and I do not bother the neighbours.' However, the original 999 emergency call was played in court and Mrs Cavallaro failed to report she was under threat of physical attack from Barkatullah or told by him to return to her home country. The 6.00pm row was witnessed by the Chairman of the estate's management company Derek Holden, who told the trial: 'I heard a commotion and saw the defendant in his car. He had stopped opposite the home of Mela. 'I heard shouting and angry voices. He was clearly angry, but I have good soundproofing so I have no evidence of exactly what was said. 'He was shouting at Mela and a group of small children and they were shouting back and several of the children were crying. 'His wife came out and ushered him away. He was in no way physically aggressive.' Mr Holden's wife Dorian told the trial: 'Mela has charming, lovely children and me and my wife have great respect for her. 'We heard shouting and very loud noises and our neighbour was out there with her children playing and another neighbour was shouting at her and she was shouting at him. 'I could hear noise, but not the exact words they were saying and he came back to have more confrontational words with Mela. 'It was again very angry and he had his hands up as if he might do something, but his wife came out and restrained him. 'Both me and my husband were afraid he may lay hands on her or strike her because he was so furious. 'She was visibly very, very upset and her children were crying. 'He did not like the children being outside with their toys. He disagreed with that.' Barkatullah, supported by wife Joanne, 53, was found not guilty of both racially-aggravated assault and racially-aggravated harassment and awarded his defence costs from central funds. Both victims required hospital treatment following the attack on April 18 Two Miami students were hospitalized following a vicious beating by a gang of school kids, with one suspect even seen wearing brass knuckles. The teens were attacked near the SLAM! Charter School in Little Havana on Thursday. The sickening encounter was caught on video and showed the two students cowering on the ground as the gang rained blows down on them. 'It's hurting right here because this is where they hit me. And right here on the chin,' one of the victims Christopher Lopez told NBC. Video shows Lopez and a friend lying on the ground as several other teens punch and kick them. Two Miami students were hospitalized following a vicious beating by a gang of school kids, with one suspect even seen wearing brass knuckles Victim Christopher Lopez described how he blacked out during the terrifying attack which left him needing hospital treatment After the crowd disperses, the victims are seen lying limp with shouts of 'oh my god' heard in the background. Lopez, who is still battered and bruised, said the beating had left him with severe jaw and nose pain. He explained that he and a friend were set upon in an unprovoked attack. 'I asked him, "Are they coming for us?". After that, I blacked out; I don't remember anything. Like, I felt like I was in a dream. Like I was just on the ground; I could not feel anything. I just woke up to people telling me that I was going to be alright,' he said. Miami police are now investigating the troubling incident and appealing for anyone near NW 12th Avenue and 5th Street where the attack took place to come forward. The incident has shocked students at the school, who complained that there has been a rise in unruly behavior recently. 'What I saw was really messed up, they should get charged,' a seventh grade student said. Parents said they were so fearful they began picking their kids up early from school. Miami police are investigating after it emerged one of the attackers was wearing brass knuckles The teens were attacked near the SLAM! Charter School in Little Havana on Thursday The boys say they were targeted in an unprovoked attack which was caught on video PICTURED: Kaylee Gain, 16, who is thankfully walking again after she got in a fight with a schoolmate, which left her in critical condition 'I feel kind of weird about it because it was too much that happened, just like murdering and violence going on, and I feel like it should be stopped because it's not okay,' one parent said. The incident comes on the heels of the brutal beating of 16-year-old Kaylee Gain who was left in a coma after she got into a fight with another teen. Gain suffered a skull fracture and frontal lobe damage during the violent March 8 brawl that was caught on camera near her high school, but has since been released from the intensive care unit. These fights are just some of the thousands of incidents of teen violence which occur every day in the US, according to federal data. Government agency Youth.gov also states that 20 percent of high school students reported being bullied on campus in the last year. More than 50,000 people have taken to the streets of Tenerife in protest against tourism on the island, brandishing 'you enjoy, we suffer' placards as locals fight poverty and housing shortages. The campaigners claim that the huge influx of tourists to the island is causing major environmental damage, driving down wages and squeezing locals out of cheap affordable housing, forcing dozens to live in tents and cars instead. One female protestor at the march held up a sign which read: 'Fourteen million tourists a year but 36 per cent of Canarians at risk of poverty.' This comes as fears are growing over the health of the Tenerife hunger strikers, who are part of a wider protest campaign, as they enter their tenth day without food. Demonstrators packed into Weyler Square in the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz, the start point for a march on the Brit-popular holiday island A woman raises her fist as she pounds the streets in protest against the levels of tourism in the holiday-isles Canary Islanders took to the streets of the Atlantic archipelago today to protest against the problems caused by mass tourism Canary Island natives protesting as they call for a rethink of the island cluster's tourism policies today Locals say the island's heavy reliance on tourism is making it hard for them to rent or buy homes Tourists are continuing to travel to the islands despite growing resistance to their presence (pictured: tourists in Arona, Tenerife on Friday) Tourists on rental tricycles give the thumbs up as they ride through Arona on Friday - as dissent grows about the Canaries' reliance on tourism Canary Islanders say the growth of holiday lets is driving locals out of the housing market (tourists in Arona pictured Friday) The activists are pushing the local authorities to stop two tourist projects before they will end their fast; to stop the construction of a five-star hotel by one of Tenerife's last virgin beaches called La Tejita and to change the tourist model to protect the island and prioritise the locals. However, there are now reports that six activists, who have been on the hunger strike since last Thursday, have vital signs that are outside normal limits meaning they are at risk of seriously compromising their health. A nurse at the scene said: 'The data is very alarming, continuing the strike could lead to irreparable neurological damage and even death.' The names of those taking part in the hunger strike have so far been kept secret and they are not expected to give interviews while the extreme protest continues in a square called Plaza de la Concepcion outside a church of the same name. This comes as female protestors reveal that they are harrassed and threatened by tourists and no longer 'feel safe' in their homeland. 'I wouldn't go to the south of the island alone, it is not safe for young women,' one protestor told the Express. Another activist Celia Quintero, 15, claimed they are pressured in school to accomodate British tourists. Speaking to the Daily Express, she said that you had to learn English at school with lessons like Maths even being taught in the language because 'you have to know English because we rely on tourism and to stay safe'. But the tourism is not making her feel safe, she revealed that she was recently harrassed by a group of German tourists so much that she was forced to hide in a bar just to get away from them. Estimates of 50,000 Canary Islanders took to the streets of the Atlantic archipelago today to protest against the problems caused by mass tourism and demand their politicians take action. Demonstrators packed into Weyler Square in the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz, the start point for a march on the Brit-popular holiday island, just before midday with banners including one that said: 'You enjoy we suffer' in English. Others said: 'Where is the money from tourism?' and 'Tourist moratorium now.' They waved Canary Islands' flags and blew vuvuzelas to make a deafening noise. Protests also got underway at the same time in the other islands in the archipelago, including Lanzarote and Gran Canaria, with support demos scheduled for the Spanish mainland in cities like Malaga and Madrid as well as London and Berlin. The Canary Islands protests were organised under the slogan 'Canarias Tiene Un Limite' which in English translates as 'The Canary Islands have a limit.' The huge crowd massed just before midday with banners including one that said: 'You enjoy we suffer' in English The backdrop to the demos is an ongoing hunger strike six men and women began on April 11 outside a church in the northern Tenerife town of La Laguna Official sources put the number of demonstrators in Tenerife at midday at around 10,000 people One proposed project involves the construction of a five-star hotel by one of Tenerife's last virgin beaches Campaigners have been quick to distance themselves from anti-tourist graffiti which appeared on walls and benches in and around Palm Mar in southern Tenerife at the start of the month At the beginning of this week a picture was published in local press showing the words 'Go Home' on a hire car in Tenerife The backdrop to the demos is an ongoing hunger strike six men and women began on April 11 outside a church in the northern Tenerife town of La Laguna. Speaking ahead of the start of today's demonstrations, a spokesman for protest platform Canarias Se Agota which the hunger strikers are affiliated to, said: 'Today, April 20, marks the 10th day of the hunger strike. 'Today we cannot forget these people who are putting their lives at risk for our Earth. 'Their determination inspires, their bravery moves us, their sacrifice reminds us that this struggle is everyone's and for everyone. 'We are writing a new chapter in the history of our islands, a chapter marked by the unwavering perseverance of those who bravely defend our home. 'Today the Canary Islands will scream and fight, and tomorrow it will continue to do so.' Campaigners have been quick to distance themselves from anti-tourist graffiti which appeared on walls and benches in and around Palm Mar in southern Tenerife at the start of the month. At the beginning of this week a picture was published in local press showing the words 'Go Home' on a hire car in Tenerife. The protests in the Canary Islands are mostly taking place away from the main tourist areas, which in Tenerife and Gran Canaria are in the south of the islands Protest groups including Canarias Se Agota, which in English translates literally as 'The Canary Islands are Exhausted', want the authorities to paralyse two tourist projects The Canary Islands protests were organised under the slogan 'Canarias Tiene Un Limite' which in English translates as 'The Canary Islands have a limit' The estimate for how many people attended had increased to 15,000 by 1pm local time with some predictions it could end up surpassing the 50,000 mark The islands are threatened by sea pollution, traffic gridlock and lack of cheap affordable housing linked to the pushing-up of property prices because of Airbnb-style holiday lets Other demands include the protection of natural spaces, a tourist tax and better working conditions for hotel cleaners Protest groups including Canarias Se Agota, which in English translates literally as 'The Canary Islands are Exhausted', want the authorities to paralyse two tourist projects including one which involves the construction of a five-star hotel by one of Tenerife's last virgin beaches. They are also seeking a commitment from regional politicians to change the tourist model and protect islands like Tenerife from the worst excesses of mass tourism, including sea pollution, traffic gridlock and lack of cheap affordable housing linked to the pushing-up of property prices because of Airbnb-style holiday lets. Other demands include the protection of natural spaces, a tourist tax and better working conditions for hotel cleaners, who joined today's protest in Santa Cruz as they insisted to local press: 'We are not slaves.' Official sources put the number of demonstrators in Tenerife at midday at around 10,000 people, although that estimate had increased to 15,000 by 1pm local time with some predictions it could end up surpassing the 50,000 mark. An estimated 1,000 people started the protest march that began just after midday today from a park in Lanzarote's capital Arrecife. Many more subsequently joined it and some local reports put the number of demonstrators at 'at least' 5,000 by the time it reached a city beach called Playa El Reducto. In the Gran Canaria capital Las Palmas, marchers carried banners in Spanish which said: 'It's not phobia, it's love for my land.' Protesters waved Canary Islands' flags and blew vuvuzelas to make a deafening noise Graffiti in Tenerife tells tourists to go home amid a spate of anti-Brit graffiti in the holiday isles Another piece of graffiti across a bench urges holidaymakers to stay away from stunning spot One of the other banners exhibited by protestors said: 'The Canary Islands government is an estate agency' Another said: 'With so much Airbnb where are we going to live.' More than 1,000 people were said to have joined the protest march in Fuerteventura by just after midday local time. Protestor Xiomara Cruz, who took part in the march in Gran Canaria, said ahead of its start: 'They made us believe that in the Canary Islands we live from tourism and what we want is the right of islanders to live in their land.' She called the protests a 'rallying cry from a population tired of seeing how our islands are being destroyed.' Paula Rincon told local press: 'It pains me that Canarians cannot afford to live in their own neighbourhoods.' Insisting the current tourism model led to 'more people paying lower prices and badly-built hotels that destroyed beaches and protected areas' she added: 'I don't know why we aspire to so many numbers when this doesn't filter down to the rest of the population. 'The current system doesn't benefit us, it impoverishes us.' A man holds up I sign showing aeroplanes flooding through an hourglass - with the caption saying that the islands' 'time has a limit' An estimated 1,000 people started the protest march that began just after midday today from a park in Lanzarote's capital Arrecife Protesters are seeking a commitment from regional politicians to change the tourist model and protect islands like Tenerife Many more subsequently joined it and some local reports put the number of demonstrators at 'at least' 5,000 by the time it reached a city beach called Playa El Reducto The protests in the Canary Islands are mostly taking place away from the main tourist areas, which in Tenerife and Gran Canaria are in the south of the islands. Some British holidaymakers have shown their support for the issues raised by the islanders but others have accused them of biting the hand that feeds them. The Canary Islands' tourism minister Jessica de Leon urged British holidaymakers not to cancel their holidays ahead of today's demos. Canary Islands regional president Fernando Clavijo initially admitted he was worried tourists might be put off coming to the area, before softening his message last week and describing the April 20 protests as an opportunity to 'revise' the current tourism model. Jorge Marichal, president of regional hotel association ASHOTEL, has claimed tourists were ringing establishments to ask whether it was safe to come. He has also insisted 'non-regulated' holiday lets are a big problem and the reason there is less control than there should be on the numbers of tourists in places like Tenerife. Messages in English left on walls and benches in and around Palm Mar in southern Tenerife at the start of the month included 'My misery your paradise' and 'Average salary in Canary Islands is 1,200 euros.' In an apparent UK backlash, a response left in English on a wall next to a 'Tourists go home' message said: 'F*** off, we pay your wages.' Protesters line the streets in Canary Islands as they vent their fury about mass tourism Protestors flood through the streets of the holiday islands as they express their anger Protest platform Canarias Se Agota has insisted it has nothing to do with the graffiti that has appeared in parts of Tenerife over recent weeks - and has accused regional politicians of blaming them of tourism-phobia as part of a 'dirty tricks' campaign. It comes as British holidaymakers have reportedly been calling hotels in Tenerife to ask if they will be safe amid a series of mass protests planned across the islands by activists unsettled by extensive arrivals of foreign holidaymakers. Tech worker Ivan Cerdena Molina, 36, helped organise the protest as part of his role at local conservation group ATAN (Asociacion Tinerfena de Amigos de la Naturaleza). He told MailOnline previously: 'It's a crisis, we have to change things urgently, people are living in their cars and even in caves, and locals can't eat, drink or live well. 'Airbnb and Booking.com are like a cancer that is consuming the island bit by bit. 'The benefits of the industry are not trickling down to everyday people, whose salaries have not increased in years, the quality of life here is collapsing.' Ivan was born and raised in El Medano, a once quiet town about a 20 minute-drive east of the most popular tourist resort of Los Cristianos. The tourism minister of the Canary Islands has urged British travellers to spend their holidays in the archipelago despite mounting protests against overtourism. Tech worker Ivan Cerdena Molina said 'people are living in their cars and even in caves, and locals can't eat, drink or live well' due to the crisis A protestor speaks to the crowds as a sign in front reads: 'In the Canary Islands, tourists use up to six times more water than any resident' The placards and angry residents poured through the streets after the level of tourism pushed them to their limit Jessica de Leon insisted that in spite of reports of booking cancellations and fears of holiday disruptions, 'it is still safe to visit the Canary Islands, and we are delighted to welcome you'. She told The Telegraph that while she understood the protestors' cause for concern, it was 'unfair to blame tourism' on the issues facing the Canary Islands. Last week, activists also went on hunger strike as part of a protest against the effects of mass tourism on island life. Nearly a dozen campaigners for a more sustainable type of tourism went ahead with their threat outside a church in the historic city of La Laguna. The hunger strikers want the authorities to halt two tourist projects, one involving the construction of a five-star hotel by one of Tenerife's last virgin beaches called La Tejita. In La Palma, residents organised an event called 'Punktagorda Foresta Rock'. They told MailOnline they plan to converse, not protest, about the issues. 'It's really just taking care of our home and the island and the people and setting healthy boundaries while making needs crystal clear,' Louis Slabbert wrote on Twitter/X. Sun-seeking Britons have long favoured Tenerife as a holiday destination Flyers like this slamming holidaymakers are being stuck to buildings all over Tenerife Slogans include 'too many guiris', using a disparaging Spanish slang word for foreigners Ms de Leon expressed sympathy with the concerns, telling The Telegraph: 'The problem is that the last five years have seen an average of 3,000 homes built on the islands, when demand is for 20,000. 'Last year just 200 public housing units were built.' Protestors attributed blame to the governance of the archipelago in their manifesto, writing: 'If we have reached this point it is because we have no other choice and because of the serious faults that our bad Government of the Canary Islands is committing.' 'They are putting our present and our future and that of the new generations at risk,' they added. 'Do not underestimate us, because we are many people. We are all of the Canary Islands, a whole movement. 'Without our work, our votes, you are nothing and nobody and you are not for what you are doing with the Canary Islands. 'We say enough is enough, not in our name,' warns the manifesto, read by 'Canarias se exhausta' members Victor Martin and Isora Mesa. The Canary Islands have largely built their economy around tourism, welcoming around 12.3million visitors each year. Mr Molina (right) said: 'Airbnb and Booking.com are like a cancer that is consuming the island bit by bit' This flyer stating 'it could by my home, but it's your airbnb' has been posted on a holiday let British tourists showcasing their holidays in Tenerife on social media website TikTok In 2023 alone, foreign travellers spent more than 20.3billion euros in the region, accounting for a fifth of spending throughout Spain. The direct and indirect contribution of tourism to the archipelago stands at around 35 per cent. The volcanic islands were particularly badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions placed on travel as a result. The Canary Islands are the third most internationally visited region in Spain. Speaking to MailOnline during the first big getaway over Easter, residents on Tenerife said 'enough is enough' as they called for a moratorium on the industry, along with a tourist tax and stricter controls. It comes as a wave of new anti-tourism graffiti has popped up near resorts over the past few days, with messages reading 'tourists go home' and 'too many guiris'. Guiri is a Spanish slang word for foreigner, which is often used in a negative way to describe northern European or American visitors and expats. One poster taped to a wall said: 'Locals are forced to move out and YOU are responsible for that digital nomads you are NOT welcome here.' Biologist Anne Striewe says that locals are tired of tourists being given priority by the government Tensions have recently broken out between British holidaymakers and fed up residents of the canary island A British tourist appears to have hit back at anti-holidaymaker graffiti with this message But it seems some Brits are fighting back, with a message in English scribbled next to one of the slogans saying: 'F**k off, we pay your wages!' Tensions are rising on the island as more and more people join calls for restraints on tourism. On Tuesday this week, a protest is planned in Santa Cruz, dubbed 'Salvar La Tejida' (Save La Teijda). Campaigners will hold a press conference laying out their demands before holding a march with banners and signs. Later this month, on April 20, a second huge protest is being planned by a string of environmental and social groups, again in the capital. A poster for the event says the Canary Islands 'has a limit' and that protesters will be marching for 'conservation of natural spaces, a tourist moratorium, and tougher regulation for foreigners buying property.' The main gripe among locals is the rising costs of renting and buying homes, as landlords continue to buy up Airbnbs and tourist lets, reducing supply and pushing up prices. Local painter Vicky Colomer, 63, told MailOnline: 'I feel like a foreigner here, I don't feel comfortable anymore, it's like everything is made for British and German tourists who just want to drink cheap beer, lay in the sun and eat burgers and chips. 'We need higher quality tourists who actually want to experience our culture and food and respect our nature. The holiday resort made headline news last month after a series of graffiti messages were scrawled on walls and buildings, reading 'tourists go home' Last year saw a wave of anti-tourism protests in the resort, with hundreds of people marching for 'better tourism' along the beach promenade in Playas de Las Americas 'This was a paradise but now it's not and it makes me angry. We must reduce the number of flights and visitors and focus on bringing higher quality people.' She added: 'There are hundreds of caravans who park up illegally and leave rubbish all over the place. 'Near my home a few weeks ago foreign tourists put on a rave with a DJ booth and speakers in the middle of a field, that is not acceptable.' She added that young people are increasingly tired of being unable to find decent work. 'They study for years and go to university but the only jobs offered to them here is in a hotel or a restaurant or bar, so all our young talent has to move away to the mainland if they want to pursue a proper career, it's not right.' But it's not just the impact on human life that is enraging portions of the population. Biologist Anne Striewe, 47, told MailOnline of the damaging effect tourism has on wildlife. 'There are hundreds of boats and jet skis in our waters everyday, pumping petrol into the water,' she said. British tourists are adamant that they bring something to the Canary Islands, which has been hit by a cost of living crisis for locals Tourists enjoy a pint at a bar during sunny weather in Tenerife 'Then there are the boat parties which blast music all day long, and what people don't realise is that this is picked up by whales and other creatures and really confuses and frightens them, it makes them go crazy. 'Meanwhile there have been multiple cases of animals being injured or killed by boat propellers, there are often vessels in protected waters but no one is cracking down on the activity.' Meanwhile, according to environmental group Salvar Tenerife (Save Tenerife), millions of litres of sewage water is being dumped into the sea off Tenerife and other islands every single day, with the amount rising significantly when there is a high number of holidaymakers. Anne added that locals are tired of tourism being given priority by the government. 'With the recent drought, water supplies have been cut off in some areas away from the resorts, but not in hotels and the golf courses.' Anne insisted that the demands for more controls are 'nothing personal' against individual tourists, but that people have reached their limit and want to catch the government and the media's attention, hence the provocative graffiti. Traffic is also a major problem, added Vicky, with delays between resort towns and the motorway of up to an hour-and-a-half during high season. She added: 'Even the public transport is being taken over, the other day a tour guide jump the queue for a bus and had 20 tourists with her, and locals were forced to wait for another one.' Melissa Taylor (left) and Terrilea Clayton (right) work in the popular Giddy Goose English pub in Las Playas de las Americas. Ms Taylor said: 'The anti-tourism stuff has suddenly peaked recently... without tourism there would be nothing here' More graffiti complaining about tourists has been daubed here in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter A group of girls drinking at Lineker's Bar, Playa de las Americas in Tenerife, Canary Islands Back in Los Cristianos, British expats and tourists rushed to defend themselves against the rising anti-tourism sentiment. Melissa Taylor, 47, works in the popular Giddy Goose English pub in Las Playas de las Americas. She told MailOnline: 'The anti-tourism stuff has suddenly peaked recently. 'I think it's unfair what they're saying, without tourism there would be nothing here. 'Brits come here and spend a lot of money, the overwhelming majority of our customers are from the UK.' Her colleague Terrilea Clayton, 22, shared her sentiment. 'It's a bit silly and unfair,' she said, 'without tourism I wouldn't have a job and it brings money to the island. 'During Covid Tenerife became a ghost town and it was terrible.' However she admitted: 'I've lived here for 10 years and I do understand some of the arguments about rent, I was actually kicked out of a flat because the landlord wanted to turn it into an Airbnb.' Another bar worker and mother-of-three Emma Barker, 43, from Leeds, agreed. Jay Neil, 43, said locals need to stop taking out all the problems on tourists. He said: 'I've lived here 17 years and yes the property situation has got crazy. But they need to stop blaming tourists, it's the greedy landlords that are the problem' British holidaymakers passed out on the side of the road in Tenerife after partying too hard 'Obviously it's ridiculous to bash tourism because without it there would be no jobs, the economy relies so heavily on it. 'But the rent situation is getting out of control, I've been really lucky with my landlord but if I had to find a new flat right now I don't think I would be able to, it's just too expensive and there are very few available long term. I would probably have to move to another country and start afresh.' British tourists were also adamant that they bring something to the Canary Islands. John Ashley, 61, from Durham, told MailOnline: 'It's ridiculous, if they stop or reduce the number of tourists coming they'll be sorry. 'If the English didn't come, I tell you right now that graffiti would change to say 'English please come back!'' 'We've been coming here for 20 years and have more than helped the economy, we Brits always get a bad rep but we bring all the money in.' Carol Ball, 60, chimed in: 'I think it's not right, we come here and spend money, without tourism where would they be? They rely so much on the industry. 'If they don't want to see drunk Brits then stay away from the resorts where you're likely to see them. 'Of course there are going to be a small minority who drink too much and go too far, but that's just part of the tourism business.' Across the road, Londoner Jay Neil, 43, said locals need to stop taking out all the problems on tourists. The worker at the popular Yolo bar told MailOnline: 'I've lived here 17 years and yes the property situation has got crazy. 'But they need to stop blaming tourists, it's the greedy landlords that are the problem, there's people buying like five apartments and renting them to holidaymakers because they know they can make a fortune. 'Saying tourists go home is just silly, it's the government that needs to act to sort out the housing crisis, which is happening all over the world not just here.' Irish expat Bronagh Maheor, 23, added: 'It's totally unfair, without tourists here there would not be hotels or businesses, I'd be out of a job, we need them.' A search has been launched for a missing camper who left his caravan to explore rugged bushland on his dirt bike but never returned. Melbourne man Steven, 58, from Waterways was last seen about 2pm Friday leaving a Skipworth Reserve campsite at Kevington in Victoria's high country, where he had been staying in his caravan. He had called his partner to advise he was going for a ride on his dirt bike along nearby tracks in the Mount Terrible area and promised to call when he returned to the campsite 235km north-east of Melbourne. Steven's partner contacted police after he failed to call her back on Friday night and remained uncontactable on Saturday morning. Avid dirt bike rider Steven (pictured) hasn't been seen or heard from since 2pm Friday The search (pictured) for Steven in Victoria's high country will resume on Sunday Police have been told that Steven is an experienced camper and dirt bike rider. They hold grave concerns for Steven's welfare as he always keeps in regular contact with his family when away. An extensive search was launched as uniformed officers, search and rescue squad members, the Air Wing unit and SES volunteers spent Saturday combing the area. The search will resume at first light on Sunday. Steven is described as Caucasian, medium build and has short hair. He was last seen wearing light coloured clothing and a black helmet with green stripes. Anyone with information is urged to contact Benalla Police Station on (03) 5760 0200. Police watched on helplessly as thousands of people descended on Hyde Park today to smoke weed at the annual '420' celebration. Smokers lit up in view of officers, who were dotted around the west London park but did nothing to stop revellers. As the afternoon wore on, the crowds filtered away from the event, leaving behind a sea of bottles, food wrappers and finished joints. One smoker even bragged that cops 'hadn't got enough money to prosecute them'. Hordes of cannabis lovers could be seen across the park, with crowds stretching as far as Kensington Palace two miles away, to mark the yearly event which calls for the illegal drug to be decriminalised. Police pictured watching on at Hyde Park today as thousands of cannabis fans celebrated the annual '420' event Officers stood in the middle of the grass as discarded bottles and finished joints began covering the ground at the west London park A large group of police pictured talking among themselves at Hyde Park today while revellers smoked weed and drank alcohol At around 6pm, some officers could be seen asking cannabis lovers to leave before it got dark Three police officers pictured at Hyde Park today while Lime bikes and other items lay discarded on the grass A sea of rubbish pictured at the park today during the '420' celebration with police officers watching on Revellers brazenly smoked in large groups in the middle of the park, while others drank bottles of alcohol and blared loud music. Electric rental bikes could be seen lying around the park, while large groups of youths gathered on bicycles and rode across the grass. Park rangers struggled to collect the large quantities of litter left behind by the huge crowds with some weaving around the smokers in buggies. Meanwhile, officers, some of whom were on horseback, stood observing the scene while a number of police vans dotted the edge of the park. At around 6pm, police began approaching some groups to ask them to leave before it started getting dark but did not appear to be confiscating drugs from the people they spoke to. Some smokers started shuffling away from the park but by 7pm there were still thousands of smokers on the grass and sitting on benches. One reveller said: 'I've seen a few police I think telling people to move their stuff but thats about it.' Another added that they had just been told to 'move elsewhere or to another park'. One woman said: 'Police are just standing there - I think they just want to join in on the fun.' Cannabis, which is a Class B drug in the UK, carries a five-year sentence for possession and a maximum term of 14 years for dealing or producing the illegal drug. A number of police officers pictured watching on as revellers blared music and smoked weed on the grass Smokers lit up in view of officers, who were dotted around the west London park but did nothing to stop revellers A police van parked on the outskirts of the event at Hyde Park today Some officers rode on horses to try to manage the huge crowds in London Some revellers followed officers' requests to move elsewhere Revellers brazenly smoked in large groups in the middle of the park, while others drank bottles of alcohol and blared loud music In all corners of the park, weed fans could be seen gathering with police dotted around A police van pictured parked in the park this afternoon Park rangers struggled to collect the large quantities of litter left behind by the huge crowds with some weaving around the smokers in buggies Cannabis, which is a Class B drug in the UK, carries a five-year sentence for possession and a maximum term of 14 years for dealing or producing the illegal drug A large group of people pictured on bikes gathering during the event at Hyde Park today Hordes of cannabis lovers could be seen across the park, with crowds stretching as far as Kensington Palace two miles away, to mark the yearly event which calls for the illegal drug to be decriminalised Many attending today's event did so in support of legalising the substance. One man said: 'I think theyll legalise it - definitely in like ten years.' Speaking to a police officer while smoking a joint, another reveller said: 'It's backwards how we havent legalised it though, admit [it].' Earlier today, Royal Parks said they expected thousands to take part in the 'unauthorised event' and that 'police were aware'. The Met said one person had been arrested on suspicion of carrying a knife and that five community resolution orders for the possession of cannabis had been issued. Marijuana lovers unite for the rally every year on April 20 which is a reference to the term 420. The annual tradition is said to have started in America because April 20 in the US date format reads as 4/20. There are many stories behind the significance of the number in stoner culture, but the most common is that 4.20pm is touted as the best time of the day to start smoking the narcotic. But in London today hundreds gathered way before the 'allotted' time. Revellers in bucket hats take part in the annual 420 rally in Hyde Park today Royal Parks said they expected thousands to take part in the 'unauthorised event' and that 'police were aware' A police officer talks to attendees at the 420 gathering - which is a protest to demand that cannabis is legalised Revellers - some wearing bucket hats - were seen sitting on the grass, smoking in groups. The Metropolitan Police said they would 'intervene and use enforcement where proportionate and necessary'. The law on cannabis Cannabis is a Class-B drug in the UK. Possession carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. A magistrate's court can fine someone 2,500 for the offence. Dealing, supplying or producing can land a person in jail for up to 14 years. It is also illegal to sell drug paraphernalia. Advertisement A spokesperson for Royal Parks said: 'The Royal Parks has not given permission for this unauthorised assembly in Hyde Park, and it is in breach of The Royal Parks regulations. 'The Metropolitan Police are aware that this unauthorised assembly is due to take place and have advised that people may be liable for prosecution or arrest. 'Enforcement of the law and of park regulations is a matter for the Metropolitan Police. 'While the park will remain open, we advise visitors to be aware that this event is taking place and to note that both The Royal Parks Shop and boating on the Serpentine Lake will be closed that day. 'We will continue to work closely with the Police to make sure the Royal Parks remain safe and enjoyable for everyone.' 420 does not just take its name after the event's date, but also has ties to its roots in California, where it began during the 1970s. The convention is said to have been created by five Californian high school students - Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz and Mark Gravich. In 1971, the five students, who attended San Rafael High School, came up with a secret term. They used the expression '420' to communicate that they would meet later in the day to smoke marijuana. After exchanging the phrase '420' whilst at school, they would subsequently convene at 4.20pm to smoke cannabis, although it is unclear if the timing actually had anything to do with the naming of the ritual. Cannabis users gather in large numbers in Hyde Park to take part in the 420 day rally There are many stories behind the significance of the number in stoner culture, but the most common is that 4.20pm is touted as the best time of the day to start smoking the narcotic The annual tradition is said to have started in America because April 20 in the U.S. date format reads as 4/20 Revellers - some wearing bucket hats - were seen sitting on the grass, smoking in groups The group became known as the 'Waldos' because their chosen smoking spot was against a wall, near a statue of the famous chemist Louis Pasteur. What does '420 rally' refer to? Cannabis lovers unite on April 20 each year for 420 rallies which are a reference to the date in the American style 4/20. The phrase originates from a a group of high school students that coined it in the 70s. Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz and Mark Gravich came up with the term to secretly communicate that they would meet after school to smoke cannabis. There are many stories behind the significance of the number in stoner culture, but the most common is that 4.20pm is touted as the best time of the day to start smoking the narcotic. Advertisement Now in their 60s, the original founders of 420 still meet together to mark the event they inadvertently founded over 50 years ago. The event is now a celebration across the world - with New York and Melbourne, Australia among cities attracting crowds of cannabis fans. Last year, four arrests were made and drinks thrown at police officers moving in to apprehend cannabis users breaking the law by openly smoking in public. Two were arrested for possession with intent to supply, one for assault on an emergency worker and a fourth for failing to comply with park regulations. A Section 35 Dispersal Order was also put in place around Hyde Park and some surrounding areas of plush Kensington and Westminster. At the gathering in 2022, a shocking brawl broke out among attendees before they were separated by police officers. Ten people were arrested for a range of drug and violent offences. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: 'The Met will be policing the cannabis day event in Hyde Park on Saturday, April 20. 'Using cannabis and other recreational drugs is illegal. Officers will intervene and use enforcement where proportionate and necessary. A cannabis smoker at the gathering in Hyde Park, London this afternoon The event was also heavily attended by the Metropolitan Police who said they would 'intervene and use enforcement where proportionate and necessary' 420 does not just take its name after the event's date, but also has ties to its roots in California, where it began during the 1970s The event is now a celebration across the world - with New York and Melbourne, Australia among cities attracting crowds of cannabis fans A man lighting up at the 420 gathering in Hyde Park today 'If there are aggravating factors such as safeguarding issues or evidence of drug supply, we will take proactive action to protect vulnerable people and pursue offenders. 'Officers may also enforce legislation under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 through community resolution orders, postal charge requisitions and arrest if there is associated anti-social behaviour, disorder or crime.' This is the moment dolphins were spotted in the River Thames drawing a crowd to watch them play in the water this morning. When the dolphins were seen bobbing along the river's surface at Richmond Lock and Footbridge, onlookers called the fire brigade fearing the mammals were trapped. Eyewitness James Moon, 63, of Richmond told MailOnline: 'I walked over the footbridge, went to the other side. 'There was a couple of fire engines the far side, two fire engines under the bridge and another one coming and sirens and police and I thought this is a bit strange. 'One of the firemen was saying theyd got called out because they thought [the dolphins] had been trapped or they were in distress. People watched as dolphins swam through the River Thames in Richmond Passers by stopped and waited to see the dolphins' fins breaking the surface of the river The dolphins were seen playing and swimming together in the River Thames 'They clearly werent because you could see them surfacing and messing about the two of them close together,' Moon said. Moon watched the whole scene unfold at around 10:30am. He continued: 'They seemed to be fine going up and down occasionally. People were shouting. Thered be a little dorsal fin come up and then youd see the body come up. 'There were loads of kids there and parents and everyone was watching and taking videos - it was great. Superb. 'It was a nice sunny day and everyone was coming down and having a look. 'They had a white stripe on them so I think they were white striped Atlantic dolphins. The last one that came up in 2017 got as far as Richmond.' This is not the first time the aquatic creatures have surprised passers-by in London and other locations miles from the sea. In February, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) came across a whole pod in the capital's river. RNLI lifeboat crew were shocked to be crept up on by a pod of dolphins, including one calf, yesterday Crew member John Robinson said: 'It was an incredible sight' John Robinson, a crew member of the RNLI, said: 'They were approximately two metres in length and incredible to witness right here on the River Thames, especially when they were jumping out of the water.' And last month, a couple walking their dogs noticed dolphin fins poking out of the River Welland in Lincolnshire. 'We watched them play for about ten minutes. It was incredible to see them playing so close to us,' dogwalker Madi Corby said of her recent dolphin experience. As exciting as these cetacean sightings are, the Thames is in reportedly grim condition. Swimmers and rowers have claimed the river is sewage-filled and riddled with E.coli. Even Oxford Boat Race captain blamed E. coli in the water for their loss against Cambridge on Easter Saturday's boat race, saying he was vomiting before the start of dramatic showdown. Leonard Jenkins said 'it would be a lot nicer if there wasn't as much poo in the water', after dangerously high levels of E. coli was found in Thames by Hammersmith Bridge. Despite the Thames' bad reputation, Moon said the dolphins were 'obviously feeding on something,' in the water. 'It means there must be fish alive for them to feed on so thats quite good. I wouldnt swim in it myself but people do.' Oxford team captain Lenny Jenkins (pictured) has blamed E.coli in the water for their defeat against Cambridge, saying he was vomiting before the start of dramatic showdown Fans were on the edge of their seats as they watched the dramatic run-up to the finish line between the two men's squads He earned a degree in city and regional planning from Rutgers in 2012 The former classmates of Max Azzarello have revealed what he was really like at college, before paranoia drove him to set himself on fire outside the Trump trial. Azzarello, 37, doused himself in an alcohol substance before taking a lighter to his clothes near Manhattan criminal court. He was seen kneeling with his hands behind his head engulfed in flames as the world's media and horrified onlookers watched. He died on Friday evening. The Florida native was a graduate from Rutgers University, where he received a masters degree in city and regional planning in 2012. Fellow classmates have now revealed that he would leave supportive Post-It notes for others and for a Frank Sinatra karaoke performance. The Florida native was a graduate from Rutgers University, where he received a masters degree in city and regional planning in 2012 Maxwell Azzarello set himself on fire in an act of extreme political protest outside Donald Trump 's hush money trial on Friday Azzarello doused himself in an alcohol substance before taking a lighter to his clothes near Manhattan criminal court Katie Brennan, a former classmate, told The New York Times: 'He was super curious about social justice and the way things 'could' be. He was creative and adventurous.' An old high school friend Steven Waldman told the outlet that Azzarello was one of the smartest people he knew. Waldman said: 'He was a good friend and person and cared about the world.' Last year he settled in St Augustine and lived in a modest apartment, according to the outlet. Larry Altman, the property manager, told the Times: 'He had political views that I would not consider mainstream. 'He called our government and the world government a Ponzi scheme. If you met Max, hed shake your hand, and youd have a nice conversation. He'd treat you with respect.' His oldest friends were left even more surprised by his sudden act, with Carol Waldman, the mom of his childhood friend, recalling: 'He was kind and a gentle soul. 'A real wonderful, terrific young guy. Who had his whole life ahead of him.' Things changed after the death of his mother, Elizabeth Azzarello, on April 6, 2022, almost two years to the day before his self-immolation. After the loss his friends in St Augustine said they saw a change, one that culminated with Azzarello secretly traveling to New York City at some point this year, without his family's knowledge. Azzarello was pictured a day earlier outside the courthouse brandishing a conspiracy sign 'A real wonderful, terrific young guy,' one friend said of Azzarello, seen here with his mom , Elizabeth Azzarello, in Palm Beach in 2016. '[He] had his whole life ahead of him.' But things changed after the death of mom on April 6, 2022 - almost two years to the day before his act 'That was around the time when he became more outspoken,' Waldman said of this period, referring to the last eight or so months of 2022. 'They were close, and they had a good relationship. He was heartbroken.' he recalled. By the next year, Azzarello and his writings - after penning a beautifully worded memorial following his mother's death - were almost unrecognizable. 'This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery,' Azzarello wrote in part of his online manifesto, titled The Ponzi Papers. 'We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup.' He added how this supposed regime 'is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup,' just months after a series of arrests in his home state for incidents that took place in August, including hurling a drink at a photo of Bill Clinton. The alleged research investigator is seen smiling in an undated photo with the Democrat seen on his still-up LinkedIn, where he wrote, 'we have a secret fascist problem.' On his LinkedIn profile, a younger Azzarello appears in a photo with Bill Clinton - a figure of fascination for him in recent years, posts on social media show. In an accompanying cation to his bio, the suspected conspiracy theorist writes, 'We've got a secret fascism problem' A post published moments before the horrifying incident, reads: 'I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial.' The pamphlets found at the scene link to a Substack written by 'investigative researcher' Max Azzarello Fliers spotted at the scene of the self-immolation shortly after it occurred. It has not been confirmed if they belong to the victim In March 2023, he changed his profession on LinkedIn as 'Research Investigator,' self-employed, and in June reportedly tagged Brennan and others to make sure they had seen something he had written. On Friday, he suddenly tossed a stack of pamphlets into the air that included links to his manifesto, seconds before suddenly setting himself ablaze. After the self-immolation, cops descended on the area , after which he was brought to a nearby hospitals burn unit. He died shortly before 11 pm. In an article authored hours before he spewed theories about the 'elites', COVID, and Clinton, who appeared to have become a source of fascination for Azzarello. The post bore the startling succinct headline: 'I have set myself on fire outside of the Trump Trial', as other social media posts provided more insight into the college graduate's fragile state of mind. DailyMail.com gained more insight after learning the activist just week ago completed a six month probation sentence - handed out following a string of incidents in Florida involving either disorderly conduct, destruction of property, and overall erratic, 'rambling' behavior. DailyMail.com obtained criminal complaints for each, which all place within a matter of days in August. In the first of three, cops wrote how Azzarello threw a glass of wine at a framed and autographed photograph of President Clinton displayed in the lobby of the Casa Monica Hotel in his hometown of Saint Augustine the evening of August 19, 2023, Azarello, seen here in a August 24, 2023, mugshot, had recently completed 180 days probation for a string of incidents over disorderly conduct and destruction of property in Florida, where cops and members of the public cited his erratic and 'rambling' behavior Azzarello was arrested several time last year in the Sunshine State for breach of the peace The tragedy unfolded while former president Trump (pictured on Friday morning) was inside the courthouse Witnesses described the incident as a 'political protest' although it was not clear what side he was on An accompanying tagline added that the pamphlet was 'a brief guide to[the school's] most criminal secrets.' Reporters with the Times, meanwhile, confirmed the suspect was holding a sign on Wednesday critical of the school at Washington Square Park Wednesday, before moving on Thursday to the park where the incident occurred. A link to his Ponzi Papers Substack was provided. On Wednesday, he also posted an Instagram highlight saying he would be 'spending the week at Washington Square Park airing out all of NYU's dirty laundry', a day before a final Instagram story just minutes before the blaze. 'I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you,' it read. At 1:37 pm, law enforcement responded to calls reporting the fire, before rushing Azzarello to a city hospital where he is said to be in critical condition. The New York Police Department said an investigation is ongoing, as other recent social media posts show how Azzarello recently praised 'martyrs' like the former U.S. military member who also lit himself on fire, but died during protest. Groups of pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protesters have faced off in London - just hours after the Government said 'being Jewish is not a provocation'. Earlier today, two rival protests took place alongside each other in Tottenham Court Road, central London. Photos show dozens of protesters waving flags and holding placards. They were standing in fenced off areas opposite each other with police officers stationed in-between. Pro-Israel demonstrators carried placards calling for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. One read: 'Shut up and free the hostages' while another said: 'Hamas are terrorists.' Pro-Israel demonstrators carried placards calling for the immediate release of all hostages hel by Hamas (pictured above) The two rival protests took place alongside each other in Tottenham Court Road, central London Both groups of demonstrators were separated by police officers (pictured) One Israeli supporter wore a 'Please do not arrest me' hoodie One Israeli supporter wore a 'Please do not arrest me' hoodie in a direct message to the Met Police. Meanwhile, demonstrators in the pro-Palestinian rally carried placards and flags which read: 'Free Palestine' and 'Boycott Israel.' It follows a row over the policing of a pro-Palestine march by the Metropolitan Police last week. The Met Police apologised on Friday after an officer used the term 'openly Jewish' to describe an antisemitism campaigner who was threatened with arrest near the march on April 13. A video clip showed an officer telling Campaign Against Antisemitism chief executive Gideon Falter: 'You are quite openly Jewish, this is a pro-Palestinian march. 'I'm not accusing you of anything but I'm worried about the reaction to your presence.' The officer said that Mr Falter's presence was 'antagonising'. Dozens of protesters from both sides waving flags and standing in opposite fenced off areas The policing of the rally (pictured) follows a row over the policing of a pro-Palestine march by the Metropolitan Police last week Demonstrators in the pro-Palestinian rally carried placards and flags which read: 'Free Palestine' and 'Boycott Israel' Pro-Israel supporters and pro-Palestine supporters hold opposing demonstrations in Tottenham Court Road, in central London In another clip released by the CAA on Friday, Falter was told by the same officer he could not cross the road while the march was ongoing, with his faith being 'part of the factor'. Mr Falter said he had been walking in the capital after attending synagogue and was not there to counter-protest. In the clip, another officer said to him: '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.' Mr Falter said afterwards: 'Despite being told repeatedly that London is safe for Jews when these marches are taking place, my interactions with police officers last Saturday show that the Met believes that being openly Jewish will antagonise the anti-Israel marchers and that Jews need protection, which the police cannot guarantee. 'Instead of addressing that threat of antisemitic violence, the Met's policy instead seems to be that law-abiding Jewish Londoners should not be in the parts of London where these marches are taking place. 'In other words, that they are no-go zones for Jews.' Mr Falter said he will be walking in London on April 27, when another pro-Palestinian march is planned to take place between Parliament Square and Hyde Park, adding that no part of the city should be unsafe. The officer was seen blocking Campaign Against Antisemitism boss Gideon Falter from crossing the road Mr Falter had been wearing a kippah skull cap when he was prevented from crossing the road near the demonstration in the Aldwych area of London. A spokesperson for the Home Office said the Government welcomed the Met's apology and recognised 'the complexities of policing fast-moving public protests', but added that being Jewish or any other religion should not be seen as 'provocative'. A spokesperson for London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the Met's handling of the incident was 'concerning' and its original apology had been 'insensitive and wrong'. The first apology from the Met on Friday suggested opponents of the marches 'must know that their presence is provocative' and they are 'increasing the likelihood of an altercation' by lining the route to object. But the force subsequently issued another statement apologising for the 'further offence' caused by its first apology. Mr Falter, pictured here on Good Morning Britain in 2018, is the CEO of Campaign Against Antisemitism It said: 'Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city.' The Home Office spokesperson said: 'We welcome the Met Police's apology, and recognise the complexities of policing fast-moving public protests, but simply being Jewish - or of any other race or religion - should never be seen as provocative. 'Anyone of any religion should be free to go about their lives and feel safe doing so.' It is understood that James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, has written to both the Met and London Mayor Sadiq Khan about the incident. A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: 'Everybody must feel safe going about in London wherever they please. 'The way the original incident was dealt with by the Met was concerning and the original response put out by them was insensitive and wrong. 'The Met have an extremely difficult job - particularly so when it comes to operational decisions taken while policing marches - but in the end the Met must have the confidence of the communities they serve and it is right that they have apologised for the way the incident was handled and their original public response.' The Met has faced criticism for its handling of a series of pro-Palestinian demonstrations since the renewal of hostilities in Gaza last October. Last month, the Prime Minister said the public wanted to see officers 'not merely manage these protests, but police them', while his former home secretary, Suella Braverman, said the Jewish community had been 'let down by the authorities', during a Commons debate in February. The distraught owners of sick chihuahua have issued desperate plea to the heartless thieves who stole their beloved pet and have offered a reward for his return. Thieves nabbed an Uber van hired by Luke Renfrew and Rhys Habermann while moving house in the inner Melbourne suburb of South Yarra on Thursday night. CCTV captured the moment the opportunistic thieves climbed into the van and sped off with the men's chihuahua Diesel still inside the vehicle. Uber tracked the van for a kilometre before the thieves disabled the GPS device. Diesel's owners are frantically worried about their ailing pet, who suffers a neurological condition and needs regular medicine. Diesel the chihuahua is still missing 48 hours after he was stolen by opportunistic thieves 'Someone just took the car,' one of Diesel's owners shouted. 'Are you serious?' asked the other man. 'And the dog, what the f**k?' the first man exclaimed. The men told Seven News the loss of their beloved pet has left them in deep distress. 'I feel sick,' Mr Renfrew said. 'I think Ive had two hours sleep in three days.' Mr Habermann said that he was 'devastated' and had been crying for the last two days. The men have offered a reward for anyone able to help them find Diesel amid growing concerns about the dog's deteriorating health. 'If he doesnt have the medication he gets quite sick for 48 hours,' Mr Habermann said. Mr Renfrew added that charges won't be pursue if the thieves return Diesel. 'We dont care about the van, we just want our dog back,' he said. CCTV captured the opportunistic thieves speeding off in the hired van on Thursday night A South Carolina diver has revealed how he fought off a 'massive' alligator with a screwdriver after the beast pulled him to the bottom of a river just as his tank of air was running out. William Georgitis narrowly escaped with his life after the huge reptile attacked him on April 15. The fossil hunter was at his usual spot in the Cooper River when he spotted the alligator which made a 'beeline' for him. He realized the creature was about to try and roll him so grabbed it in a bearhug. 'I got my screwdriver that I use on the bottom of the river, and I stabbed him in the eye, and when I did that, he shook me like a ragdoll. Threw me off of him- I grabbed ahold of him because I didn't want him to roll again,' he told WCBD-TV. William Georgitis fought off a 'massive' alligator with a screwdriver after the beast pulled him to the bottom of a river just as his tank of air was running out He narrowly escaped with his life after the huge reptile attacked him on April 15 The fossil hunter was at his usual spot in the Cooper River when he spotted the alligator which made a 'beeline' for him His arm was still clamped tightly in the gator's powerful jaws when it plunged 50 feet underwater taking Georgitis with it. 'At that point, he took me to the bottom, and I could tell because my ears started popping and it got real black, and I hit the bottom with my shoulders and my neck and I could feel his weight pressing down on me,' he said. 'I couldn't get up to his eye again, so I went for his gum line and tried to stab him between the teeth where the soft spots were, and that seemed to work. He shook me again, pretty hard down there, and at that point, I ran out of air.' The experienced diver felt sure he was about to die. 'I knew that that was the end of my life at that moment,' he said. But miraculously he was able to wrench his arm out and begin pushing towards the surface. 'I just thought that I tore it off and when I got back to the surface, it was flopping down hanging like a wet noodle. The guy in the boat dragged me. I couldn't pull myself up.,' he explained. He was eventually pulled out of the water at Bushy Park Boat Landing before rushing to the hospital. Georgitis was left with gruesome puncture wounds on his arm as well as a broken and dislocated arm which surgeons managed patch back up using nine screws Georgitis was likely attacked by an American alligator, the only species native to South Carolina Georgitis was left with gruesome puncture wounds on his arm as well as a broken and dislocated arm which surgeons managed patch back up using nine screws. 'He was huge,' Georgitis said of the gator. 'I don't even know how big he was because I was just right there. He felt massive.' He is now warning other divers of the 'aggressive' creature. 'It's a well-known spot and this thing is huge. He didn't even take a second to attack me. He was on me as soon as he saw me. Whoever else is out there diving please be careful,' he said. Georgitis does not have medical insurance but is accepting donations through his Venmo @William-Georgitis-1 to help pay for his long road to recovery. The American alligator is the only species native to South Carolina. The reptile was previously classified as endangered but has been downgraded to just 'threatened' after a population rebound. While alligator attacks are not unheard of they are relatively rare in the US, with just six fatal encounters reported a year on average according to wildlife encyclopedia AZ Animals. Watch the moment police officers arrest a man in connection with a bomb threat at a major European airport. Billund airport in central Denmark had to evacuate hundreds of passengers at around 10.30am this morning after South East Jutland Police received reports of a bomb threat on the site. In video footage from the scene you can see three officers detain a man in handcuffs before walking him off to be questioned. It is currently unclear if anyone else was involved. The airport website also shows all flights to and from the airport have been suspended, and no time has yet been announced for the resumption of flights. A man has been arrested in connection with the incident, which took place late on Saturday morning at Billund airport in central Denmark, police have said Map showing the location of Billund airport, Denmark's second largest airport The South East Jutland Police confirmed that they received reports of a bomb threat at 10.30am on April 20, and that eveyone had been evacuated by 11.40am The airport, which is the second largest in Denmark, remains shut currently for police to carry out investigations, while bomb dogs, Armed Forces' munition disposers and a minesweeper are currently on the scene. Hundreds of stranded passengers are waiting at Billund Airport Hotel to see if they will be able to resume their jouneys soon. 'Following an alert about a bomb at Billund airport, police in southeast Jutland have arrested a man,' Danish police said in a statement. Police are investigating whether there is a link between this bomb threat and the bombing of an ATM in Billund at around 4am on Saturday. Police inspector Michael Weiss said: 'We ask everyone not to drive towards the airport and to follow the police's instructions on the spot. The airport website highlights several cancelled flights that were due to leave in the early afternoon, to Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Barcelona Police are investigating whether there is a link between this bomb threat and the bombing of an ATM in Billund at around 4am on Saturday 'The evacuation has proceeded calmly and as expected, with travellers following our instructions.' Weiss declined to comment on whether the arrested person was Danish. The Triangle area's Fire Service shared on social media that they are assisting the investigation with several stations and drones. Billund airport is near the headquarters of the manufacturer of Lego toy bricks and the Legoland theme park. Bill Maher has hit out at Hollywood for putting kids at risk and called Disney an aphrodisiac for pedophiles. The HBO host, 68, used his show Real Time with Bill Maher to talk about child safety and insisted it is 'every adult's job to protect them.' He insisted that Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was not wrong in his attempt to crack down on the 'creepy stuff' at Disney. 'As one of the few people in the public eye who's gone through life and never had kids, someone has to tell me why am I always having to defend them,' he said. Maher went on to slam the Drag Queen Story Hour trend and said it is 'time to admit' that it's 'more for the queen than the kids.' Bill Maher has hit out at Hollywood for putting kids at risk and called Disney an aphrodisiac for pedophiles He insisted that Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was not wrong in his attempt to crack down on the 'creepy stuff' at Disney Maher accused those of the left of being hypocrites when it comes to the safety of children. 'The reason we find pedophiles in the Boy Scouts and the rectory and kids TV is that's where the kids are,' he said. 'DeSantis wasn't wrong. But we're so tribal now, the left will overlook child-f***ing if the guy from the wrong party calls it out.' He then spoke about how Drag Queen Story Hour trend was sometimes inappropriate with the child audiences. 'Sure, kids love a clown but does the clown have to have t***,' he said. 'And when I see a five-year-old tipping, tipping at a bar under a sign that says "Its not gonna lick itself," do I have to pretend that's cool in order to keep my liberal ID card? 'Sorry, I can't do that.' Maher discussed the documentary series 'Quiet on Set' surrounding the culture of sexual misconduct which occurred at Nickelodeon. He said it was the 'talk of the town' in Hollywood but 'exposed hypocrisy'. 'I said it before, wokeness is not an extension of liberalism anymore. It's more often taking something so far that it becomes the opposite,' he added. 'Teaching kids not to hate or judge those who are different? Great. Proud we got there all for that. But at a certain point, inclusion becomes promotion.' The host likened the portrayal of inappropriate things to children as 'entrapment' as they normalize whatever happens. 'Contrary to progressive dogma, children aren't miniature adults wise beyond their years. They're morons. They're gullible morons who believe anything and just want to please grown-ups,' Maher said. 'They don't have any frame of reference so they normalize whatever is happening. That's why endlessly talking about gender to six-year-olds isn't just inappropriate, it's what the law would call entrapment, which means enticing people into doing something they wouldn't ordinarily do. Maher accused those of the left of being hypocrites when it comes to the safety of children He discussed the documentary series 'Quiet on Set' surrounding the culture of sexual misconduct which occurred at Nickelodeon DeSantis' war with Disney really ramped up in 2022 after then-CEO Bob Chapek publicly spoke out against the governor's policies regarding education and specifically the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation to minors, which critics dubbed the 'don't say gay law' 'If you think that some of that isn't going on with gender in schools, you're not watching enough TikTok videos. 'There's a certain kind of activist these days who wants to take heterosexuality, old school, old-fashioned, boring, minding its own business heterosexuality and lump it in with patriarchy and sexism and racism and tell kids "Wouldn't it be cool if you're anything but that?"' He added: 'It also seems to be the theme of kind of a lot of kids books these days. I never used the phrase gay agenda because I thought it was mostly nonsense and it is mostly. 'But a director for Disney Television Animation did say after she was hired, "The showrunners were super welcoming to my not-so-secret gay agenda."' DeSantis' war with Disney really ramped up in 2022 after then-CEO Bob Chapek publicly spoke out against the governor's policies regarding education and specifically the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation to minors, which critics dubbed the 'don't say gay law.' In a hit back against the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies put in place by Disney, DeSantis started the process of stripping the massive company from its powers in Florida after Chapek's statements. Disney agreed to drop its lawsuits against DeSantis last month in a major win for the new board overseeing the land encompassing Walt Disney World Resorts. The settlement agreement on Wednesday includes Disney acknowledging eleventh hour deals it made with the outgoing Reedy Creek Improvement District are now null and void. Walt Disney Co. made these last-ditch efforts in an attempt to solidify property rights and grant the theme park additional powers as DeSantis appointed a new board to oversee the area and hold the corporation accountable to laws and taxes in Orlando. DailyMail.com has contacted Disney for comment. The grieving cop whose fiancee died in the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing rampage is still struggling with the tragedy one week on. NSW police officer Ashley Wildey rushed to the scene to help his colleagues last Saturday only to to be told that his wife-to-be was one of the victims. Dawn Singleton, 25, the daughter of multi-millionaire advertising guru John Singleton was among six innocent bystanders stabbed to death by Joel Cauchi, 40, She was due to marry her high school sweetheart Mr Wildey in coming months and was buying make-up for her upcoming nuptials when her life was tragically cut short. Friends and police colleagues rallied around a shattered Mr Wildey and have barely left his side in the last week. Police officer Ashley Wildey is mourning the loss of his fiancee Dawn Singleton READ MORE: Security guard injured during rampage recalls the moment his colleague was stabbed to death Security guard Muhammad Taha is still recovering in hospital after he was stabbed in the stomach during the attack Advertisement While it's still early days, friends said that he's a 'tough kid' and hope that he will eventually return to the force. 'His police mates have been very, very good the boys brought around hamburgers, chips and Coke and have stayed with him, talking and making sure he knows he is supported,' a close family friend told The Daily Telegraph. 'They don't want to lose him. He is very good at his job. 'He has always wanted to help people. He is young, and I know he has helped crack some cases already.' The friend added that Mr Wildey visited Ms Singletons mum Julie on Wednesday to pay his respects. In the days leading up to her death, Dawn had bought her wedding dress and started sending out 'save the date' invitations to her loved ones and friends ahead of the special day. The venue had just been booked in Sydney's north-west and she had hired wedding planners used by Kyle Sandilands for his nuptials. It's understood that Mr Wildey was on duty but knew his fiancee shopping was at Westfield at the time. He frantically tried to call her en route before his colleagues confirmed his worst fears when he arrived. Dawn Singleton was buying make-up in Chanel for her upcoming wedding when she was stabbed to death at Westfield Bondi Junction Dawn Singleton and Ashley Wildey were childhood sweethearts who were about to tie the knot Australian fashion powerhouse White Fox Boutique led the tributes to Ms Singleton, where she worked as the company's e-commerce assistant. 'Dawn was a sweet, kind-hearted person who had her whole life ahead of her,' the company wrote on Instagram. 'She was really amazing. We are all truly devastated by this loss. 'We send our condolences to her partner, the Singleton family and her friends. She will always be remembered as part of the White Fox family.' Also killed were new mum Ashlee Good, 38, mother-of-two Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Chinese national Yixuan Cheng, 27 and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30. Six of the 12 injured remain in hospital in stable conditions, including Ms Good's nine month-old daughter Harriet. Thousands are expected to attend a candlelight vigil at Bondi Beach on Sunday from 5.30pm. Tributes flow as shoppers return to Westfield shopping centre in Bondi Junction a week after the stabbing attack Mark Dubowitz is chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. In 2019, he was sanctioned by Iran for his advocacy. Memo to the White House: Time to retire President Biden's 'Don't Doctrine.' It's not working. Weeks after an April 1 Israeli airstrike in Syria killed a top Iranian terror general, Biden had one word for Tehran. 'Don't,' he warned, as US intelligence raised the alarm over a retaliatory attack by the Islamic Republic. But Iran did launching a 330 missile and armed drone barrage. The assault on Israel the first-ever from Iranian territory was defeated by the combined effort of Israeli air defenses and assistance from the US, UK, France, and Arab allies. Memo to the White House : Time to retire President Biden's 'Don't Doctrine.' It's not working. Nevertheless, it was Israel's turn to punch back. Yet, Biden issued more feckless advice. 'Take the Win,' he reportedly urged Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that Tehran's failed attack was punishment enough for the regime. Bibi thought otherwise. Overnight Thursday, Israel launched successful retaliatory strikes targeting a sensitive military site in central Iran. The fact that the 'Don't Doctrine' is being ignored by enemies and allies alike raises serious concerns over American power and credibility. But today, Biden should be thanking Israel for teaching him how to play hardball in the Middle East. For the mullahs have backed down. The Iranians are signaling their desire to stop this escalating conflict - for now. The Israeli strikes hit near the city of Isfahan, more than 200 miles south of Tehran. It's from there that Iran launched some of its swarm of armed drones last week making Isfahan a legitimate target for reprisal. The Israeli strikes hit near the city of Isfahan, more than 200 miles south of Tehran. It's Isfahan that Iran launched some of its swarm of armed drones last week making Isfahan a legitimate target for reprisal. (Above) Military personnel stand guard at a nuclear facility in Isfahan, Iran Iran's S-300 Russian-built air defense system, considered one of the most effective in the world, defends the area. But it was rendered useless after Israel took out at least one of its radars. On Friday, Iran's foreign minister attempted to downplay the attack. 'What happened last night was not a strike,' claimed Hossein Amirbdollahian in a lame attempt to save face. 'They were more like toys that our children play with - not drones.' 'We are not going to have any new reactions,' he concluded. Translation - Tehran cried uncle. Isfahan is also the location of Iran's largest nuclear complex the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center. At Isfahan, Tehran converts yellow cake, a powder obtained through the processing of uranium ore, into uranium hexafluoride, which is the essential precursor for enriched uranium, the material necessary to build a nuclear weapon. The Isfahan nuclear center also stockpiles some of Tehran's highly-enriched uranium cache which is now large enough to provide enough weapons-grade material for 12 bombs. While the strike was an apparent success, the Jewish State did not unleash anything approaching its full capacity. Indeed, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is now being accused of weakness by hardline ministers in his cabinet. But regardless, the attack sent a clear message to Tehran: We can penetrate your air defenses at will. Iran appears to have been caught off-guard by this attack, indicating that Israel may have deployed a weapons capability that its enemies perhaps even the US were unaware that it possessed. 62 miles north of Isfahan is Natanz, the Islamic Republic's second main enrichment facility. Iran appears to have been caught off-guard by this attack, indicating that Israel may have deployed a weapons capability that its enemies perhaps even the US were unaware that it possessed. (Above) Anti-craft fire seen over Isfahan on April 18, 2024 The Isfahan nuclear center stockpiles some of Tehran's highly-enriched uranium cache. (Above) Technicians of the International Atomic Energy Agency inspect the site of the uranium conversion plant of Isfahan in February 2007 (Aboce) Iran's Uranium Conversion Facility, just outside the city of Isfahan Earlier this week, in a piece for DailyMail.com, I advised that Israel strike there. At Natanz, the regime is building a new heavily-fortified enrichment plant 100 meters under a mountain and it is here that any future nuclear weapons will be constructed. When the underground Natanz facility is completed, in an estimated two to three years, it may be impervious to Israeli and even U.S. bombs. But for now, Natanz's only defense is the same compromised Russian-built missile system that defends Isfahan. A devastating Israeli strike at Natanz would seriously cripple Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions and the world now knows how vulnerable it is. All of Tehran's decisions will be made in the context of this newfound knowledge. A devastating Israeli strike at Natanz would seriously cripple Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions and the world now knows how vulnerable it is. Khamenei must not only be concerned about his country's key infrastructure pipelines, oil refineries and military assets but also his crown jewels Iranian Revolutionary Guard leaders and Natanz. Israel has done what the Biden Administration could not bring the mullahs to heel. Now the onus is on the White House to go further towards maintaining a lasting peace. Biden must stop granting Tehran access to billions of dollars in frozen oil assets and once again crack down on Iranian oil sales, which have recovered from a low of 200,000 barrels per day during Donald Trump's administration to 1.7 million barrels per day under this president. These funds only finance Iranian terror and regional instability. Most crucially, Biden must recognize that his tough guy threats won't do anything to change the calculus in Tehran. Like Israel, the US must demonstrate its resolve through force if necessary. In the weeks ahead, as Khamenei considers his options and Israel gets back to demolishing Hamas battalions in Gaza, the Biden administration must send a clear signal: America is no better friend to Israel and - could be - no worse enemy to Iran. Britain's stolen luxury cars including Range Rovers and Rolls-Royces are ending up on the streets of Moscow thanks to criminal gangs supplying Kremlin elites. Luxury cars are being smuggled out of the UK in shipping containers, disguised under false papers, usually headed for destinations in the Middle East, Africa or Asia. Last year, Essex's Police stolen vehicle intelligence unit intercepted more than 60 containers, carrying 240 cars worth around 13million. The recent upsurge is likely due to the war in Ukraine which has triggered a swathe of Western sanctions against Russia. Luxury cars are being smuggled out of the UK in shipping containers, disguised under false papers. A Rolls Royce discovered in a shopping container in January this year One of the reasons so many cars are smuggled out of British ports is because only a tiny proportion of containers are ever checked. Undated photo from Essex Police of a high-valued car recovered in North Benfleet, Essex As a result, Russian oligarchs are unable to buy Western luxuries through legitimate means so they bypass the sanctions by shipping vehicles to intermediate destinations and then sending them on to Russia, The Telegraph reported. However, one of the reasons so many cars are smuggled out of British ports is because only a tiny proportion of containers are ever checked, according to the chairman of the National Association of Stolen Vehicle Examiners Iain McKinlay. According to one industry estimate, fewer than five in every 100,000 containers leaving the UK are searched. There are thought to be just four full-time police officers dedicated to checking containers at British ports across the whole country. UK president of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI) Mike Briggs said: 'The sanctions are driving the need for cars and car parts in Russia very hard, and that desperation is part of the reason we are seeing more vehicles going out via the Middle East. 'The black market there has always been rife, but now it is getting bigger because of the sanctions, because people still want their luxury cars and in fact, being able to still get them even now is actually likely to improve your status within Russia.' According to the Crime Survey of England and Wales, there was a 48 per cent increase in vehicle thefts in the year to the end of 2023. This is a rise from 72,000 incidents to 106,000. Criminals usually get an order for a certain model of parts for a car from an overseas buyer. Gangs then go hunting in big cities such as London or Manchester, break into a car, jam and remove any tracking devices before parking it up somewhere and waiting to see if anyone comes looking for it. If no one comes looking, then the gangs strip the car for parts or ready it for export via a container that is loaded with metal goods to confuse X-ray scanners. Then the car is usually shopped to locations such as Dubai or the Democratic Republic of Congo before being sent on to its final destination. Criminals usually get an order for a certain model of parts for a car from an overseas buyer Last year, Essex's Police stolen vehicle intelligence unit intercepted more than 60 containers, carrying 240 cars worth around 13million. PC Phil Pentelow (left) and PC Paul Gerrish (right) from Essex Police's Stolen Vehicle Intelligence Unit A high value vehicle discovered at North Benfleet on February 5 after a police investigation into organised car crime A Rolls Royce Cullinan worth 250,000, an Aston Martin DB11 (pictured) valued at 70,000 and a Mercedes AMG GT valued at 40,000 at the scene But criminals cannot be arrested for carrying equipment used to break into cars and prosecutions for attempting to smuggle or chop up the cars are few and far between. A spokesman for the British Association of Ports told The Telegraph: 'Border security and combating illicit trade falls to government agencies who take a risk-based and intelligence-led approach to checks. 'This balances interests of legitimate trade and helps keep costs down for traders. 'The ports industry is always open to constructive discussions about how we can continue to bear down on smuggling and organised crime, but this must be done in a proportionate manner.' The Home Office said it was cracking down on the use of electronic devices used to steal vehicles by making it an offence to possess them through new laws in the Criminal Justice Bill. A spokesman said: 'We have made great progress in tackling vehicle crime, which is down 39 per cent since 2010.' Drones that hit Iran yesterday were 'more like toys' and did not come from Israel, the country's foreign minister has said. Iranian media and officials described a small number of explosions, which they said resulted from air defences hitting three drones over Isfahan in central Iran in the early hours of Friday. The Iranian Government referred to the incident as an attack by 'infiltrators', rather than by Israel, obviating the need for retaliation. Hossein Amirabdollahian told NBC News NOWs Top Story with Tom Llamas that the drones took off from inside Iran and flew for a few hundred meters before being downed. 'They're ... more like toys that our children play with, not drones,' Amirabdollahian said. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said drones which hit Iran yesterday 'were more like toys' A map showing recent reported explosions in Iran Iranian state media reported the drone attacks took place on Friday. (Pictured: A man walks past a banner depicting missiles launching from a representation of the map of Iran) Footage posted to social media which appears to show Anti-Aircraft fire over the City of Isfahan in Iran Live footage aired by Iranian state television from the urban area of Isfahan, Iran when drones were reported to have hit the city on Friday 'It has not been proved to us that there is a connection between these and Israel,' he said, adding that Iran was investigating the matter but that media reports were not accurate, according to Tehran's information. Amirabdollahian warned that if Israel retaliated and acted against the interests of Iran, Tehran's next response would be immediate and at maximum level. 'But if not, then we are done. We are concluded,' he said. The attack appeared to target an Iranian Air Force base near the city of Isfahan, deep inside the country, but without striking any strategic sites or causing major damage. Israel has said nothing about the incident. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States had not been involved in any offensive operations, while the White House said it had no comment. Allies including the US have pressed all week to ensure any further retaliation would be calibrated not to provoke more escalation, and Western countries tightened sanctions on Iran to mollify Israel. There was no word from Israel on Friday as to whether further action might be planned. Apart from direct strikes on Iranian territory, it has other ways of attacking, including cyber attacks and strikes on Iranian proxies elsewhere. Iranian woman (pictured centre) holds up a portrait of the Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as others wave Iranian and Palestinian flags during an anti-Israel rally in Tehran Footage posted on social media which appears to show a drone striking Isfahan Damage caused by an airstrike which hit a building near the Iranian embassy in Damascus. The latest shadow war began on April 1 when an Israeli rocket destroyed Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing at least seven people, including senior military figures In recent weeks, tit-for-tat exchanges between the regional powers have threatened to trigger a fully blown conflict. The latest row began on April 1 when an Israeli rocket destroyed Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing at least seven people, including senior military figures. On April 13, Iran launched its first major attack on Israel. UK fighter jets joined a US-led international coalition which shot down the terrifying array of projectiles. Israel had said it would retaliate after a strike the April 13. Allies including the US and UK have pressed all week to ensure any further retaliation would be calibrated not to provoke more escalation, and Western countries tightened sanctions on Iran to mollify Israel. There was no word from Israel today as to whether further action might be planned. Apart from direct strikes on Iranian territory, it has other ways of attacking, including cyber attacks and strikes on Iranian proxies elsewhere. A family in Tennessee bought an old abandoned school and are turning it into their dream mansion but skeptics are creeped out by the renovation project. High school senior Sarah Collis uploaded a video on TikTok captioned, 'POV: your dad randomly bought an abandoned school/is fixing it up and now you live here.' The video showcases the transformation of Ducktown School from a creepy old-fashioned and run-down school to a slightly more homey and livable building. Ducktown School was previously called Kimsey Junior College and was built in 1933 with the original purpose being to further the education of miners in the town. In 2021, Jason Collis and his wife purchased the historic building and are still working to restore it - all the while living in the ginormous abandoned school. A family in Tennessee bought an old abandoned school and are turning it into their dream mansion but skeptics are creeped out by the renovation project High school senior Sarah Collis uploaded a video on TikTok captioned, 'POV: your dad randomly bought an abandoned school/is fixing it up and now you live here.' In 2021, Jason Collis, seen here with daughter Sarah, purchased the historic building and are still working to restore it - all the while living in the ginormous abandoned school The school became abandoned in 2006 and was vandalized and neglected for years, Collis told ABC. Collis attended Kimsey Junior College from kindergarten through seventh grade and he, along with other community members, were not ready to see the school fade away. He said he wasn't prepared for how much work the transformation would be - but that his family is determined to turn the old building into their unique dream home. In Sarah's most recent video, posted on Wednesday, many of the school's rooms remain untouched including the gymnasium, the auditorium, the hallways and lockers, the staircases and some of the classrooms. The paint is very chipped and the floors and walls are worn down and damaged, while much of the old-fashioned school furniture remains in the rooms. Sarah insisted that the family didn't just move in and that most of these rooms have been fixed up now. She also shared that they hold reunions at the school and use it for the community all the time. However, a recent clip of Sarah's room shows some of the progress her family has made in their renovation efforts. In Sarah's most recent video, posted on Wednesday, many of the school's rooms remain untouched including the gymnasium, the auditorium, the hallways and lockers, the staircases and some of the classrooms The school became abandoned in 2006 and was vandalized and neglected for years Sarah's spacious room is nicely decorated and undamaged - and has seemingly been updated with new floors and paint jobs Her spacious room is nicely decorated and undamaged - and has seemingly been updated with new floors and paint jobs. While some features, like the windows and the skirting board, remain untouched - the room overall looks in far better shape than other parts of the house. The school-turned house features a sprawling lawn, originally a playground, surrounding the property. In the playground there are still swings, roundabouts and swinging chairs which set a nostalgic and slightly eerie tone for the now-backyard. TikTokers flocked to the comments to discuss the unique house, with many agreeing that the vintage abandoned school is creepy. 'Why does it scare me,' one user commented while others begged for updates on the renovations and room tours. Other rooms in the school/house are much creepier than others especially the boiler room, which Sarah posted a tour of on TikTok. The broiler room which is accessed through a very unsettling set of stairs is full of rusty clutter and worn-down machinery. Collis attended Kimsey Junior College from kindergarten through seventh grade and he, along with other community members, were not ready to see the school fade away Sarah insisted that the family didn't just move in and that most of these rooms have been fixed up now In the playground there are still swings, roundabouts and swinging chairs - which set a nostalgic and slightly eerie tone for the now-backyard Collis said he wasn't prepared for how much work the transformation would be - but that his family is determined to turn the old building into their unique dream home TikTok users were quick to point out how scary the downstairs room is. 'Knowing that's my basement would freak me out,' one user said. 'Hide and seek would go so hard,' another joked. 'It's definitely haunted down there,' a user commented. Police discovered Cadbury Daily Milk chocolate bars packed full of cannabis in a drug raid along with thousands in cash. Acting on 'local intelligence,' police in Doncaster, South Yorks, raided a local house on Tuesday which led to officers finding large quantities of cannabis and over 5,000 in cash. Officers also found 50 Dairy Milk chocolate bars containing edible cannabis, a knuckle duster and burner phones suspected to be used for dealing drugs. Police said the treats could 'easily be mistaken for normal bars of chocolate'. A spokesperson for the force voiced concern over potentially 'disastrous' consequences had the bars ended up in the hands of a child. Bags of cannabis were also located inside of an empty tin of Roses chocolates. Police discovered Cadbury Daily Milk chocolate bars packed full of cannabis in a drug raid Bags of cannabis were also located inside of an empty tin of Roses chocolates Sergeant Chris Rogers, of Doncaster South NPT, said: 'We were able to execute a warrant under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act thanks to vital intelligence received concerning activities happening at a property in the Rossington area. 'Inside, we found significant amounts of drugs which have since been destroyed as well as cash and phones which strongly suggest that drug deals were taking place from inside the property. 'The chocolate bars we recovered could easily be mistaken for normal bars of chocolate when in fact they contained quantities of an illegal drug in the form of cannabis. 'If these were to end up in the hands of a child, the consequences could have been disastrous and we are pleased we have been able to take these out of circulation.' Two men, aged 28 and 18, and a 59-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled Class B drug with intent to supply. 5,000 in cash was also discovered inside a tin during the drug raid of the property They have all since been released on police bail pending further enquiries. Sgt Rogers added: 'We will not tolerate the supply or presence of drugs in our neighbourhoods. We take drug crime incredibly seriously and we see and hear the impact it has on residents in our local communities. 'If you are dealing drugs in Doncaster, please know that we will find you and endeavour to bring you before the courts.' If you concerned about the supply of drugs in your area, please contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency. It's one of the most important holidays of the year for cannabis smokers but what is the 'secret' meaning why people celebrate it on April 20 every year and what bizarre connection does the holiday have the Adolf Hitler? April 20, or 420 as it is known, is a day where millions of weed smokers come together to mark an unofficial holiday dedicated to marijuana. Potheads in 38 US states can enjoy the day legally while in the other states and here in the UK drug users will partake in the holiday illegally. London's Hyde Park has become a popular destination for 420 as thousands of smokers descend on the royal park to light up a doobie often in full view of police. The origin of the popular tradition is somewhat shrouded in mystery with many modern-day myths popping up about where it came from. There are many stories behind the significance of the number in stoner culture, but the most common is that 4.20pm is touted as the best time of the day to start smoking the narcotic London's Hyde Park has become a popular destination for 420 as thousands of smokers descend to light up a doobie often in full view of police. Cannabis users gather in large numbers in Hyde Park to take part in the 420 day rally According to TIME Magazine, one of the most concrete theories about the roots of what became 420 was started by a group of students in California in the 60s. READ MORE: Cannabis smokers light up in full view of the police at annual '420' rally in Hyde Park demanding that drug be legalised Advertisement The students, Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich, would get together by the school's statue of chemist Louis Pasteur to smoke. They would meet at the rendezvous point at 4.20pm. But the time had no significant meaning, it was just the time when their extracurricular activities ended. As Marijuana was still illegal in California in the 60s the group, who became known as the 'Waldos' soon started using 420 as a secret code for going for a smoke. 4.20pm is now often touted as the best time of the day to start smoking the narcotic. Other theories about the origin of the holiday are also connected to California. Some people believe 420 was a police code in the US state for marijuana. A cannabis smoker at the gathering in Hyde Park, London this afternoon Perhaps the most bonkers theory involves Adolf Hitler whose birthday coincides with the holiday, but this is almost certainly a coincidence According to the Daily Star, others think it is the number of active chemicals in the drug. Another theory revolves around Bob Dylan's song Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35 as the number 12 multiplied by 35 equals 420. Mr Dylan did famously enjoy smoking weed in the 1960s and it is widely believed he was the first person to get fellow rock and roll legends the Beatles high when they met in New York in 1964. Perhaps the most bonkers theory involves Adolf Hitler whose birthday coincides with the holiday, but this is almost certainly a coincidence. Wherever, 420 came from with over a million smokers marking the occasion, both legally and illegally, the counterculture holiday looks here to stay. A sailor from one of the UKs top secret nuclear submarines was quizzed by police less than an hour before he mysteriously disappeared, The Scottish Mail on Sunday can reveal. Josh Gayton was last captured on CCTV in the early hours of Tuesday after a night out, wearing just a T-shirt and trousers. However, it is now known that just after midnight police officers spoke to Mr Gayton in connection with a minor offence. He was reported missing later that day when he failed to turn up for duty at Faslane Naval Base. The 21-year-old is from Worcestershire and is thought to be unfamiliar with the area of Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, where he was last seen. Concern for Josh Gayton, 21, was last seen in the early hours of Tuesday Mr Gayton was captured on CCTV in Helensburgh town centre on a night out Last night, Police Scotland confirmed officers spoke to Mr Gayton shortly before the last sighting. A spokesman said: At 12.05am on Tuesday, April 16, in West Clyde Street, Helensburgh, a 21-year-old man was issued with a fixed penalty notice in connection with a public urination offence. Since his disappearance, his shipmates have launched their own search in an attempt to locate him, while loved ones have made appeals online, sharing descriptions and images of Mr Gayton. A serving military officer, who asked not to be named, spoke of his anger at how the incident has been handled by Police Scotland. He said: The Royal Navy Police patrol Helensburgh all the time and they should have been contacted by Police Scotland when they were dealing with Josh. They have a duty of care to people and their slogan is Keeping People Safe. Instead his comrades are wondering why they let him walk off into the night, inebriated, underdressed and not knowing where he was, knowing he was a serving member of the Royal Navy. Mr Gaytons disappearance sparked a huge search by police, the Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence. He was last seen on CCTV, walking alone on East Clyde Street, near Lomond Street, away from Helensburgh town centre towards nearby Craigendoran, at 12.46am on Tuesday some six miles from the base. Inquiries are ongoing and CCTV reviews have disclosed that a man matching his description was seen speaking to a member of the public at 12.25am outside the Riva restaurant on West Clyde Street. The disappearance of Mr Gayton will have sent shockwaves through the Faslane military base where he was stationed not least because of the role he plays in supporting the UKs nuclear deterrent. Britains Vanguard-class submarines equipped with Trident nuclear missiles are located there. At least one of the bases vessels is on patrol at all times to maintain a continuous at-sea deterrent. In 2022, Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack said Trident and Nato were the only things stopping Vladimir Putin from attacking the West. Following a visit to Faslane that year, he discussed his admiration for the type of people required to crew the submarines, saying nothing about submarines and submariners is routine. Mr Jack added: Crews operate under constant pressure, literal and figurative. The personnel are among the brightest and best in our armed forces. Mr Gayton is stationed at Faslane Naval Base, near Helensburgh And the most dedicated, away from friends and family for months at a time. Mr Gayton was wearing a grey Nirvana T-shirt, black trousers, white Nike trainers and a silver chain with a cross. Local area commander Chief Inspector Allan Dickson said: It is unusual for Josh to not be in touch with anyone and we are concerned about him. We have significant resources dedicated to this inquiry and we are urging the public to come forward with any information relating to his whereabouts. A spokesman for the Royal Navy said: We can confirm that there is an ongoing search for a Royal Navy sailor. We are working closely with Police Scotland and it would be inappropriate to comment further. A leading Russian war correspondent was killed in a Ukrainian kamikaze drone strike yesterday, it has been reported. Semyon Eremin - who worked for pro-Kremlin news outlet Izvestia - died of wounds in the conflict zone in the Zaporizhzhia region. The 42-year-old was hit returning from a visit to a new Russian unit in illegally invaded Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv. The Izvestia newspaper is part of a pro-Putin propaganda media group headed by Vladimir Putin's lover Alina Kabaeva, 40. Russia's foreign ministry has denounced the killing as an 'act of revenge for the honest performance of journalistic duty'. Eremin had reported from the hottest spots of a war triggered by 71-year-old Putin's invasion of sovereign Ukraine, among them the battles for Mariupol, Maryinka and Vuhledar. Semyon Eremin - who worked for pro-Kremlin news outlet Izvestia - died of wounds in the conflict zone in the Zaporizhzhia region, it has been reported The 42-year-old was hit returning from a visit to a new Russian unit in illegally invaded Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv Russia's foreign ministry has denounced the killing as an 'act of revenge for the honest performance of journalistic duty' The Izvestia newspaper is part of a pro-Putin propaganda media group headed by Vladimir Putin's lover Alina Kabaeva, 40 (both pictured) Russia's foreign ministry urged the 'relevant' international organisations and human rights defenders to condemn the 'cruel murder' of yet another Russian journalist. READ MORE - Russian journalist who protested against the Ukraine war on live TV is 'feeling much better' and rules out being poisoned after she was rushed to hospital in France Advertisement Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: 'Double standards in ensuring the rights of the media and safe conditions for their activities are unacceptable.' At least 15 journalists have been killed in the war in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, says the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonprofit organisation promoting press freedom worldwide. Intense drone and artillery battles - along with punitive restrictions on journalists on both sides of the 600 mile front - have made the Ukraine war very dangerous and very difficult to cover. The newspaper said: 'Izvestia war correspondent Semyon Eremin was killed on April 19 during an attack by Ukrainian FPV drones in the Zaporizhzhia direction where he had gone to film a report.' He died performing his 'professional duties', said Izvestia. There were immediate calls for Eremin to be awarded posthumously the Order of Courage by the Kremlin. At least 15 journalists have been killed in the war in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, says the Committee to Protect Journalists Intense drone and artillery battles - along with punitive restrictions on journalists on both sides of the 600 mile front - have made the Ukraine war very dangerous and very difficult to cover Izvestia is part of the National Media Group, which is headed by former Olympic gymnast Kabaeva. Last week, it was reported that a Russian-held power plant in Zaporizhzhia was hit three times and sparked fears of a 'major' radiation incident. During the attack, one of the facility's six reactors was hit, and resulted in three people being left injured. Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate spokesman Andriy Yusov accused Russia of not only endangering the plant, but also the civilian population and the environment by carrying out attacks on a nuclear facility. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has previously urged both Moscow and Kyiv to restrain from targeting the Zaporizhizhia plant. The IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi deemed the strikes as 'reckless' and 'a major escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers' facing the plant. 'Attacking a nuclear power plant is an absolute no go,' Grossi said. 'Although the damage at unit 6 has not compromised nuclear safety, this was a serious incident that had the potential to undermine the integrity of the reactor's containment system. Eremin had reported from the hottest spots of a war triggered by Putin's invasion of Ukraine The war correspondent Semyon Eremin was killed on April 19 during a drone attack 'Such reckless attacks significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident and must cease immediately,' he added. Following the triple-strike Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova urged world leaders to condemn the act of 'nuclear terrorism.' READ MORE - Nuclear disaster risk at Ukrainian power station: International atomic watchdog says attack on Zaporizhzhia plant at the weekend could spark 'major' radiation accident Advertisement Zakharova asked how many more times Ukraine would endanger nuclear safety at the plant before Western leaders took action. Russian forces took control of the plant in 2022 shortly after their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The plant remains close to the front lines, and both Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of risking a nuclear accident by attacking the plant. The Zaporizhzhia power plant sits roughly 80 miles up the Dnieper river from the Kakhovka dam, which was heavily damaged in explosions on June 6 2023. Since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022, fears of a nuclear disaster have been sparked on several occasions when the plant was shelled and was temporarily disconnected from Ukraine's power grid. The city of Zaporizhzhia itself is less than 35 miles away and housed 750,000 people before the war. Teenagers with anorexia could apply for state-backed suicide under extremely dubious laws proposed in Scotland, experts warned last night. Newly published Holyrood legislation would allow NHS patients to request prescriptions for a life-ending cocktail of drugs that induce a coma, shut down the lungs and eventually stop the heart. Supporters of Scotlands Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill insist that the option to choose death over treatment would only be available for the terminally ill and would give patients more dignity in death. But ethics experts blasted the broad definition of terminal in the laws, which they fear could see those who stand a chance of recovery dying on the NHS. Extremely clear, MSP Liam McArthur They also say the Bill does not protect against overstretched doctors suggesting that patients consider dying rather than use up precious NHS resources. David Jones, professor of bioethics at St Marys University in London and director of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre, said: It is extremely, extremely dubious. Were talking about assisted dying as a euphemism, and its always assisted suicide. Suicide is something that we should try to seek to prevent and provide alternatives to, whether its for an old person or a young person, whether they have progressive disease or disability. Terminal in the Scottish Bill is defined as someone having a progressive incurable disease from which you could die. It could cover anorexia. There have been cases of people with anorexia having assisted dying in Oregon in the US. In an impassioned plea to MSPs to reconsider, Professor Jones has also warned the Bill would: l Let people as young as 16 die before their lives had properly begun; l Not require someone to be close to death to be eligible for assisted dying; l Not make a psychiatric assessment mandatory ahead of the life-ending procedure. The legislation published last month, put forward by the Scottish Liberal Democrats Liam McArthur, has caused huge controversy. Senior figures at Holyrood have all signalled they are set to vote against the proposal. Professor Jones last night went further, claiming it was fundamentally unethical. He said: It is called the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, so that proclaims itself as being restricted to people who are terminally ill, but it defines people that are terminally ill only as people who have a progressive incurable disease, which is at an advanced stage. It doesnt mean that youre dying. In Oregon cited as a template for Scotland, but where assisted dying rates have rocketed 3,000 per cent since its laws were introduced in 1997 the state requires a doctor to ensure someone is six months off a natural death before sanctioning an assisted death. Professor Jones says Scottish lawmakers have deliberately avoided putting in a time restriction or prognosis. He said: It could cover anorexia. Because its Scotland, you become an adult at 16. So, unlike Oregon, where it is 18, you are talking about the possibility of assisted suicide for a 16-year-old with anorexia. He added: There have been cases of people with anorexia having assisted dying in Oregon. Andrew Radford, chief executive of eating disorder charity Beat, said: Eating disorders are treatable mental illnesses not terminal conditions. Perhaps most troubling is Professor Jones suggestion that the embattled NHS in Scotland could resort to suggesting death as a viable replacement for treatment. He said: What youre starting to see in Canada is that doctors will suggest to patients, Have you thought of assisted dying, including people who, for example, have had difficulty getting support for social services to live at home. Theres nothing in the Scottish legislation that prevents that. Mr McArthur said: My Bill is extremely clear about the specific and limited circumstances within which it will give terminally ill adults the choice they need. For support call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org. If youre worried about your own or someone elses health, you can contact Beat on 0808 801 0432 or Scotlandhelp@beateatingdisorders.org.uk. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- CASE STUDY BY GEORGIA EDKINS As a teen, if Id been given option to die, Id probably have taken it... Cara Neary was 14 years old when her healthy lifestyle regime spiralled into an all-encompassing obsession with restrictive eating and exercise. So fast was her descent that she barely noticed the punishing voices in her head permeate her every waking moment until, eventually, they were too loud to ignore. By 16, she was a diminutive shadow of her former self both physically and mentally. Her family intervened and took her to a doctor who gave her the heart-plummeting diagnosis: she had anorexia nervosa, a complex mental illness that usually comes with an overwhelming fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of self. Just one year later, aged 17, she thought she was ready to die. She said: I just felt like there was no way out and as weird as it sounds, I just wanted quiet. Cara Neary happily recovered from severe anorexia and loving life My brain was so encompassed with all of these different thoughts of having to work hard to satisfy this voice telling me to under-eat or over-exercise and I knew it would never be satisfied. I was exhausted of hearing it and fighting it and also fighting with people on the outside who were telling me there was a problem and that I needed to get better. I thought, Im tired. I just want peace and quiet. Now a 22-year-old professional with a love for baking in her spare time, Caras life is far removed from the one characterised by the turmoil and despair she once suffered. She says she now has a great relationship with food and still enjoys a run, but not in the compulsive way she once did. I didnt ever imagine a life where I wouldnt be constantly exercising or worrying about food and feeling constantly miserable, she said. I really thought that it was going to be forever. But Im really healthy, I am really happy. And that is why, for Cara, Holyroods Assisted Dying Bill is dangerous. She said: Genuinely, I think if I had been given the option at 16, I probably would have taken it, which is terrifying, but if you gave me the option today, Id obviously say absolutely not. She continued: Dying is not something you can come back from, you cant undo this, so I think its really dangerous. I feel like it needs a lot more discussion. It is a very grey area. The US Air Force has confirmed the first successful dogfight between an AI fighter jet and a human piloted aircraft. The dogfight was carried out as part of an Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program that was launched in 2019. A manned F-16 was put up against the X-62A VISTA (Variable In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft) above Edwards Air Force Base in California last September. The two jets flew at speeds of up to 1,200 miles per hour and practiced a range of dogfighting scenarios. Footage released by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) shows the two jets maneuvering through the sky around each other. Citing national security concerns, the military won't say who the dogfight between the two. A manned F-16 was put up against the X-62A VISTA, seen here, flying in the skies over Edwards Air Force Base, California Footage released by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) shows the two jets maneuvering through the sky around each other Lt. Col. Ryan Hefron, the program manager for DAPRA told reporters: 'Things are progressing as well or faster than we had hoped. But unfortunately, we can't provide more detail.' Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said in a press release: 'The potential for autonomous air-to-air combat has been imaginable for decades, but the reality has remained a distant dream up until now. 'In 2023, the X-62A broke one of the most significant barriers in combat aviation. 'This is a transformational moment, all made possible by breakthrough accomplishments of the X-62A ACE team.' Test pilots had been on board the X-62 and had the power to turn off the AI, but they didn't need to during the dogfights. Hefron added: 'We have to be able to trust these algorithms to use them in a real-world setting.' DARPA and the US Air Force Test Pilot School will continue testing the AI, which will provide lessons for future tests and programs. Test pilots had been on board the X-62 and had the power to turn off the AI, but they didn't need to during the dogfights The two jets flew at speeds of up to 1,200 miles per hour and practiced a range of dogfighting scenarios Citing national security concerns, the military won't say who the dogfight between the two Bill Gray, the Test Pilot School's chief test pilot, said: 'It's very easy to look at the X-62A ACE program and see it as under autonomous control, it can dogfight, but that misses the point. 'Dogfighting was the problem to solve so we could start testing autonomous artificial intelligence systems in the air. 'Every lesson we're learning applies to every task you could give to an autonomous system.' While it remains unclear who won the fight, AI has a accomplished track record in this area. In August 2020, AI won a simulated dogfight against a human operator, with the pilot not being able to score a hit on the automated plane. The father of Gigi and Bella Hadid has reportedly bombarded a New York congressman with apparent homophobic and racist remarks. Mohamed Hadid, a luxury real estate developer, has spent the past few months messaging Representative Ritchie Torres, according to the New York Post. Torres has seemingly become a target for Hadid over his outspoken defense of Israel since the Hamas attack last October, with Hadid being Palestinian. In one message shared by the outlet, Hadid said: 'You worse than the rats of New York sewage system. 'They have bigger brains than you. You might get a job as bouncer at gay bar,' he is also said to have added that Torres was a 'slave to whites.' Mohamed Hadid , a luxury real estate developer, has spent the past few months messaging Representative Ritchie Torres, seen here with Gigi, left, and Bella, right Congressman Ritchie Torres speaks at the IAC National Summit at The Diplomat Beach Resort on December 11, 2021 in Hollywood, Florida The messages are also said to have continued with: 'Make sure you dress as KKK to hide that ugly gray colored face of yours. I know about Bronx.' Torres made history when in 2021 he was the first openly gay African American and openly gay Hispanic member of Congress. In another message, the outlet reported that Hadid said: 'You are just unusual Black and colorful mouth for Israeli and AIPAC and looking for payday of over 500K.' Hadid had been referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying group. Speaking to the post, Torres said: 'Whether it is dehumanizing me as worse than the rats of the NYC sewage system or telling me to dress like the KKK to hide that gray colored face of yours, Mr. Hadid has hurled just about every racist insult at me shorting of calling me the N-word. 'That Mr. Hadid felt so at ease demonizing and dehumanizing a black Member of Congress reveals a tragic truth about our politics: if you are a person of color and pro-Israel, you are fair game for racist invective.' Hadid previously came under attack after posting an image on Instagram showing the flag of Israel split with the flag of the Nazi Party, comparing the two. Nova festival survivor Ofir Amir (L) speaks with US Rep. Ritchie Torres (R) during a visit to the Nova festival memorial on April 01, 2024 in Re'im, Israel L-R Bella Hadid, Yolanda Foster, Gigi Hadid and Mohamed Hadid attend the Victoria's Secret After Party at the Grand Palais on November 30, 2016 in Paris, France Gigi and Mohamed Hadid attend the MESSIKA Party at Milk Studios on September 12, 2018 in New York City The image also compared the method of the Nazi gas chambers to the bombing of Gaza, and Auschwitz to the Gaza Strip The post read that the Nazi Party had been 'founded on Aryan supremacy' while Israel was 'founded on Jewish supremacy.' It also compared the Nazi's 'signature method' of the 'gas chambers' to Israel's 'signature method' of 'carpet bombing'. Mohamed, who was born into a Palestinian family in Nazareth, captioned the post: 'And both added and labeled the victims as terrorists, regardless of other activities. 'Some Palestinians and some Jews even changed their names.' Last month he called President Joe Biden a 'Zionist war criminal' who will be 'hunted down like the Nazis'. In yet another scathing post against Israel and the US, he wrote: 'This is Biden's war on the Palestinian people. 'He will be in the court with the rest of the Zionist Criminals. We will hunt them down like they did the Nazis.' Hadid has previously stepped in to defend his model daughters, who are outspoken about their support for Palestine. Torres looks into a destroyed home at Kibbutz Nir Oz on April 01, 2024 in Nir Oz, Israel Mohamed has previously called president Joe Biden a 'Zionist war criminal' who will be 'hunted down like the Nazis' Bella was pictured attending a pro-Palestine rally in New York City in May of 2021 'My kids always have followed their intuition when it comes to human torture and human nature - what happens to humans on earth. From the disaster in Turkey to the famine in Africa and homelessness in Southeast Asia, they have been involved in these things, building schools for UNICEF and so on. 'It's always been a humanitarian issue in their blood, nothing to do with being Palestinian,' he said. Gigi sparked outrage with her Instagram story labeling Manasra a 'child prisoner of war.' In 2013, Manasra - then 12 - went on a stabbing rampage in Jerusalem. She was also slammed for sharing a Reel in about Israelis harvesting Palestinian organs that had been posted online by a TikTok make-up artist from Cardiff, Wales. The video highlighted a documentary in which Israeli health officials talked about doctors harvesting organs from in the 1990s. In her apology note, Hadid wrote: 'It is important to me to share real stories about the hardships that Palestinians have endured and continue to endure, but this weekend I shared something that I did not fact check or think deeply about prior to reposting. 'Unfortunately, I used the wrong example to make that point, and I regret that.' Bella Hadid has also been outspoken in her support of Palestine since the conflict broke out. A University of Oxford college has come under fire for cancelling a traditional St George's Day celebration and replacing it with a special banquet for Eid, for the second year in a row. The prestigious Magdalen College has in recent years held a formal dinner to mark the annual holiday, which falls each year on April 23 and honours St George, the patron saint of England. When the college made a similar move last year, it was accused of scrapping an event that has been an established part of Magdalen's calendar, having held St George's Day dinners at least every year between 2016 and 2019. Others say the tradition stretches back much further, The Telegraph reports. The college has previously denied however that there is a formal tradition of marking St George's Day. Magdalen College at the University of Oxford has come under fire for cancelling a traditional St George's Day celebration and replacing it with a special banquet for Eid, for the second time This year, the college has advertised a banquet on April 21 for Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan (file image) This year, the college has advertised a banquet on April 21 for Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting for Muslims during which they abstain from food and drink between dawn and sunset. College vice president Reverend Professor Robert Gilbert sent an invite by email addressed to students and dons stating: 'We will sit together in the body of the Hall, and the meat will follow Muslim customs: the meat dish will be Halal and no alcohol will be served.' The invite added that it was a 'joyful occasion' and that cultural dress is "both welcome and encouraged'. However, critics say that the college should be marking Eid, as well as Christian-linked festivals given its connection to Christianity. Magdalen College was founded in 1458 by the Bishop of Winchester, William of Waynflete, and was named after St Mary Magdalene. The legend of St George is also steeped in Christian history. St George is the patron saint of England as well as Malta, Portugal, Georgia, Ethiopia, Lithuania, Serbia, the Palestinian territories, the city of Venice and elsewhere. Little is known about St Georges early life, though he is believed to have descended from a prosperous family of Christian nobles. He rose through the ranks of the ancient Roman military and was eventually made an advisor to the Roman Emperor Diocletian. But when he refused to comply with Diocletian's edict to renounce his Christian faith, St George was beheaded on April 23, 303. Eid marks the end of a month of fasting for Muslims during which they abstain from food and drink between dawn and sunset (file pic) One person said: 'It looks like Eid is here to stay at Magdalen. There's no sign of anything but Eid.' The University of Oxford has made pains to stress that all students and staff of all backgrounds are treated equally, especially in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. On a statement on the university's official website responding to events in the Middle East it states: 'It has become regrettably clear that some of our students and staff have experienced or witnessed discriminatory behaviour within Oxford. 'As a university, we will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment. 'We stress that there is no place for antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian discrimination, or hate directed towards any faith, race, nationality or ethnic group at the University of Oxford.' St George's Day is traditionally marked each year in England on April 23. According to legend, St George According to legend, villagers in a Libyan town was riding through a village in Libya plagued by a dragon. He offered to slay the creature if the villagers agreed to convert to Christianity St George's Day is traditionally marked each year in England on April 23 to honour the nation's patron saint While a martyr of the Christian faith, St George also became a part of mythology, thanks to the tales spread by Crusaders in the 10th and 11th centuries. According to legend, villagers in a Libyan town were plagued by a dragon living in a local lake. They sought to appease the beast by feeding it sheep and later children. One day, St George was riding through the village and offered to slay the dragon if the villagers agreed to convert to Christianity. They did and St George later held up his end of the bargain by killing the dragon, eventually leading to his mythological image as a dragon slaying warrior. If ByteDance doesn't divest from the app within a year TikTok would get banned It forces TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest from the app A total TikTok ban in the U.S. is now almost a certainty as the House forces sale of the popular app after critics warned it was like 'a gun pointed at Americans' heads.' The bill that could lead to a total TikTok ban in the U.S. passed 360 to 58, with broad bipartisan support. The TikTok measure was part of a wider set of foreign aid legislation that the House passed Saturday afternoon, totaling $95 billion for U.S. partners abroad. The package in total gives $26 billion to Israel, $60.8 billion to Ukraine and $8 billion to the Indo-Pacific through a combination of military and humanitarian aid. Lawmakers have been weary of the app's capabilities with one Democrat senator warning it is like 'a gun pointed at Americans' heads.' '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,' a TikTok spokesperson told DailyMail.com Saturday. A spokesperson for the popular app previously told DailyMail.com that the legislation had a 'predetermined' outcome, which is a 'total ban of TikTok in the United States.' Last month, the chamber passed a similar bill forcing the sale of TikTok, but this new measure will give ByteDance more time to divest from its popular social media platform. The House passed a foreign aid package that has been a thorn in Speaker Mike Johnson's side for months. The Senate originally passed a similar version of the measure in February The House China Select Committee has said that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials through ByteDance are using TikTok to spy on its U.S. users' locations and dictate its algorithm to conduct influence campaigns, making it a national security threat. House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who introduced the measure, said TikTok is 'a spy balloon in Americans' phones' meant to 'surveil and exploit America's personal information.' Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., released a statement Saturday: 'National security experts are sounding the alarm and warning that our foreign adversaries are using every tool at their disposal, including apps like TikTok, to amass troves of sensitive data about Americans.' 'The laws in China allow the Chinese Communist Party to compel companies, like TikTok, to share data with them on demand whether the companies want to or not. We simply cannot allow this to continue.' The White House also weighed in on the measures passed Saturday. 'Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage,' President Joe Biden said of the bills passage. 'This package will deliver critical support to Israel and Ukraine; provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and other locations impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world; and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.' Three separate aid bills were voted on Saturday alongside a fourth 'side car' that included the potential TikTok ban and a vehicle to repurpose seized Russian assets for Ukraine. The bill providing cash for Kyiv - by far the most contentious of the day and the one Johnson could lost his job over - passed 311 to 112. Democrats and a small handful of Republicans waved Ukrainian flags on the House floor during the vote and cheered as it passed. They were reminded 'it is a violation of decorum to wave flags on the floor.' The Indo-Pacific bill, to offer military aid to Taiwan against a fast-encroaching China, passed 385-34, with 34 Republicans voting against it and one Democrat, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Mich., voting 'present.' Most Democrats are expected to vote for Ukraine aid, while hardline Republicans plan to buck Johnson and vote 'no' because they said the United States' own southern border must be secured first before handing out foreign aid. The vote comes days after CIA Director Bill Burns warned that Ukraine would lose its war with Russia by the end of the year if the U.S. failed to send additional military support. The weekend vote is expected to trigger conservative rabble rousers, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who has set in motion a process to remove Johnson. Whether she makes good on her threat, which is being supported by two other GOP members, remains to be seen. Still, her opposition did not shake Johnson, who said earlier in the week 'If Marjorie [Taylor Greene] brings the motion, she brings the motion and let the chips fall where they may.' The bills are being sent together as one package for one up-or-down vote to the Senate next week. The Ukraine bill includes $23 billion for replenishing U.S. stockpiles that have been depleted for the fight in Russia. Some $11 billion would go to U.S. military operations in the region and $14 billion would go to procuring advanced weapons systems. Another $26 million would go to oversight and accountability of equipment given to Ukraine. Two separate economic assistance funds worth $7.85 billion and $1.58 billion would also be offered to Ukraine under a loan structure. The president has wide authority over the terms of the loan, and could forgive half of it after November 15, 2024 and half after January 1, 2026. An amendment from Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., the only Ukrainian-born U.S. lawmaker, to remove the humanitarian aid provisions from the bill roundly failed on the floor. 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. A fourth bill includes several measures such as requiring TikTok divest from its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance, an effort to obtain seized Russian assets and a lend-lease program for military aid to Ukraine. The House already passed a bill to force ByteDance to divest TikTok, but the new catch-all legislation would give TikTok a year rather than six months to separate itself from China. Attaching the measure to the foreign aid will force the Senate to vote on it, after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has dragged his feet in putting it on the Senate floor. The so-called 'side car' bill also includes a provision involving the REPO Act, meaning it would seize Russian assets that until now have only been frozen and repurpose them for Ukraine, and one that would involve the Lend-Lease Act, which would require Ukraine to give back U.S. military assets that are not destroyed in war. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, delivered a fierce speech on the floor ahead of the vote on the side car. 'The world is watching. Our adversaries are watching. And history will judge us by our actions here today,' he said. 'As we deliberate on this vote you have to ask yourself this question. Am I Chamberlain or Churchill?' A man carries items on his back as people remove possessions from their homes following Israeli airstrikes. The foreign aid funding package would include money for Israel's missile defenses among other military priorities Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly requested that Congress approve supplemental funding for his countries ongoing war against Russia Johnson noted much of the bill is not going directly to any country but is going to backfill U.S. stockpiles that have been depleted for Ukraine and Israel. The U.S. was heavily involved in defending Israel against Iran's 300 missile strikes last week. In an olive branch to conservative hardliners, Johnson announced a vote on a border security bill with components of the already-passed, conservative H.R. 2 border bill. That includes the immediate construction of a border wall, asylum restrictions and the Remain in Mexico policy under Trump, but the vote is expected to fail. Members and allies of the right-wing Freedom Caucus were mad that Johnson said he would not secure Ukraine's border before securing the U.S. border, but now walked back that promise. Johnson has suggested securing the border is largely an executive authority that relies on President Biden. Intelligence officials, meanwhile, have been warning members of Congress of Ukraine's urgent need for U.S. aid. CIA Director Bill Burns warned Thursday that Ukraine 'could lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024.' On Friday, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul told reporters that classified intelligence briefings about Ukraine had a 'big impact' in influencing Johnson's decision to bring the foreign aid up for a vote. Johnson for months resisted White House calls to bring Ukraine aid to the House floor, hesitant in knowing that doing so could result in his firing. Now, his days could be numbered. Greene, R-Ga., launched a motion to vacate last month and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., are now co-signing the effort over frustrations with the foreign aid plan. Other right-wing members have flirted with the idea. Greene could make the motion 'privileged' at any moment, which would force a floor vote on Johnson's ousting within two legislative days. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., filed a motion to vacate the speaker nearly a month ago. She previously warned Speaker Johnson not to put up foreign aid funding for a vote without attaching border security measures, which he did on Saturday Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has called on Speaker Johnson to resign to avoid being removed On Friday Johnson was spared at least another day: Greene did not call up her motion and stormed out to her vehicle after the rule vote, refusing to discuss the speaker's ousting with reporters. Democrats offered Johnson rare praise for what they deemed 'doing the right thing' and bringing the aid bills to the floor, despite what it could do to his career. 'I don't agree with the speaker on anything politically, but I also think he's got integrity,' Himes told DailyMail.com after the rule vote. 'I think that he's sort of stepped up to be a leader.' Under the slim one vote House GOP majority, Johnson will need to rely on Democrats if he is to keep his job when a motion to vacate comes to the House floor. Lancashire Police has been mocked after announcing they need help to locate a suspect dressed as Super Mario's brother Luigi. The fancy-dressed man, believed to be on a stag do, is being hunted following an assault at Trilogy nightclub in Blackpool, Lancashire. Police issued a CCTV photo of the suspect they wanted to talk to following the attack. A statement from the force said: 'Can you help? We are looking to speak with the pictured male in relation to a serious assault in Trilogy nightclub on the night of Saturday, 13 April. Anyone with information please ring 101.' However, dressed in blue overalls, a green top and white gloves like the Nintendo computer game plumber, a number of people have poked fun at the police request. This is the individual Lancashire Police are trying to locate following an assault at Trilogy nightclub in Blackpool The man was dressed in blue overalls, a green top and white gloves like the Nintendo computer game plumber above (stock picture) Local Mick Moore quipped: 'Don't quote me but I think his name's Luigi,' while Lucy Fesa joked: 'Too late Bowser already caught up with the guy.' Gary Peck said: 'Seen him getting a kebab from Mario's early hours,' and Mark Boyd added: 'Gonna be game over when the police get him.' Hayley Vurley also wrote: 'Were there any pipes nearby? He might've gone down those.' A Texas stepmom who starved a four-year-old boy to death and filmed him sobbing and begging for bread on the morning he died has been sentenced to 25 years in jail. Miranda Casarez, 25, remained stony-faced and denied any responsibility for the death of Benjamin Cervera even as her punishment was handed down. Her attorneys begged for clemency at sentencing and stressed that Casarez has another three-month-old child who she breastfed through the trial. Benjamin meanwhile weighed just 28 pounds when he died in agony on August 17, 2021. The cruel stepmom had forced him to drink urine, hand sanitizer and hot sauce before his eventual death just a month shy of his fifth birthday. Texas stepmom Miranda Casarez has been sentenced to 25 years in jail for starving her stepson to death She filmed Benjamin Cervera pleading for bread on the morning he died of starvation in harrowing footage show to the jury The youngster weighed just 28lbs at the time of his death on August 17, 2021. His father Brandon Lee Cervera, has also been charged in connection with his death Cervera, 28, (pictured) was faces count of injury to a child with the intent to cause serious bodily injury when he goes on trial next month 'I hope instead of laughter you hear my son's cries,' Amy Flores Zepeda said on behalf of her sister, Benji's biological mother, The San Antonio Express-News reported. Casarez was convicted on charges of injury to a child with serious bodily injury. His father Brandon Cervera Sr is also awaiting trial next month. On day one of the evidence, the court was played harrowing footage of Benjamin crying and pleading for food. The video shows a tearful Benjamin in the back seat of a car pleading 'I want bread'. Just hours later, he was rushed to the hospital and died from what was ruled as starvation. Jurors also heard how Casarez sent text messages to her mom about deliberately withholding food from the boy, Law and Crime reports. Prosecutors said a desperate Benjamin would often try and sneak out of his room for food but Casarez put locks on the pantries. Casarez begged for mercy at her sentencing and blamed the boy's father for the abuse. Benjamin's stepmom forced him to drink urine, hand sanitizer and hot sauce before his eventual death just a month shy of his fifth birthday During the trial, Casarez wept as she was confronted with images of Benjamin's emaciated body at the hospital Jurors heard how she placed locks on the pantry to stop Benjamin sneaking food in the night Casarez denied any responsibility for the child's death and blamed it all on his father She claimed to have loved Benjamin and used a memorial tattoo she got of his birth and death as evidence. 'He was like one of my kids,' Casarez said under questioning. During the trial, Casarez even wept as she was presented with photos of the youngster in hospital. But jurors saw through her facade, taking just under and hour to unanimously convict her. Concerns had been raised about Benji's health prior to his death but despite involvement with Child Protection Services and a hospital visit he remained in contact with his stepmom. The youngster died at the Children's Hospital of San Antonio just minutes after his father brought him to the facility, unconscious and in a 'condition that was indicative of abuse'. Medics unsuccessfully battle to resuscitate him upon arrival. They raised the alarm after noting bruising on his body. Casarez attorneys pushed for her to receive ten years or less which would allow her to apply for probation, but this was denied. The 25-year-old begged for leniency at sentencing with her attorney noting she has a three-month-old baby who she breastfed throughout But jurors saw through her facade, taking just under and hour to unanimously convict her. Pictured: Benjamin's bedroom area Benjamin died at the Children's Hospital of San Antonio (pictured) just minutes after Cervera brought him to the facility, unconscious and in a 'condition that was indicative of abuse' Prosecutor Michael Villarea pointed out that Casarez had continuously painted herself 'She should have to think about Benji every day of the rest of her life,' said Prosecutor Michael Villarea. He pointed out that Casarez had complained to 911 operators about not being able to sleep the night before Benjamin died. 'She thinks she is a victim of Benji's death and not the perpetrator,' he told the court. 'Death by starvation is horrible and unconscionable,' Bexar County Criminal District Attorney Joe Gonzales added. 'This case paints a grim picture of neglect and abuse and highlights the urgency of justice for victimized children.' Casarez's attorney Anthony Callard said his client plans to appeal the sentence. 'I don't think they even looked at the evidence,' he said about the jury. 'They had to blame someone, and they blamed my client.' Benjamin's father, 28, has also been charged with one count of injury to a child with the intent to cause serious bodily injury after investigators uncovered 'alarming evidence' that he was abusing his son. A philosophy student overheard through the wall of his room saying 'veganism is wrong' and 'gender fluidity is stupid' was threatened with expulsion by his university, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Robert Ivinson said he was disciplined after a student next door in halls of residence at Exeter University heard the comments then complained he had been offensive and 'transphobic'. Mr Ivinson, who expressed the views in a phone call to a friend, was hauled before university officials and put on a 'behavioural contract' for the rest of his studies. He was warned he could be expelled if the university thought he had done anything else wrong, and told by letter he had been found guilty of harassment. Last night, critics condemned Mr Ivinson's punishment as an example of the 'insidious erosion' of free speech in the UK's academic institutions. Robert Ivinson, who expressed the views in a phone call to a friend, was hauled before university officials and put on a 'behavioural contract' for the rest of his studies Last night, critics condemned Mr Ivinson's punishment from Exeter University (pictured) as an example of the 'insidious erosion' of free speech in the UK's academic institutions Mr Ivinson said he was disciplined after a student next door in halls of residence at Exeter University (pictured) heard the comments then complained he had been offensive and 'transphobic' Edward Skidelsky director of the Committee for Academic Freedom, academics fighting to maintain free expression on campuses said: 'It's extraordinary that in 21st century Britain eavesdroppers can be rewarded, and a student punished for remarks made to a friend in the privacy of his room. 'Robert's case once again underlines the insidious erosion of the freedom to express opinions and ideas which is playing out at our universities.' At the time of the complaint, Mr Ivinson who had just started his first year of a philosophy degree was alone with the door closed. Mr Ivinson, who is 6ft 5in with a deep intonation, said his voice often carried without him realising. When an officer from the university's estate patrol banged on his door to tell him his female neighbour had complained, the mature student was shaken. 'It was like the Stasi had come to my door,' he said. 'He stuck his foot in my door and said you've been saying some very offensive things.' Mr Ivinson was called to a disciplinary hearing and grilled by university officials. At the time of the complaint, Mr Ivinson who had just started his first year of a philosophy degree was alone with the door closed (stock image of Exeter University campus) Mr Ivinson said he made the comments about gender fluidity and veganism, but maintains other statements he was alleged to have made had been misheard, such as that President Assad of Syria (pictured) was 'a good guy' He told The Mail on Sunday: 'The first thing they read out was that I had said veganism is wrong. I couldn't believe it I thought I was mishearing them. I asked them to repeat it three or four times because I didn't believe I was sitting there for saying that veganism is wrong.' He says he made the comments about gender fluidity and veganism, but maintains other statements he was alleged to have made had been misheard, such as that President Assad of Syria was 'a good guy'. He says he stated the dictator was 'not a good guy'. He also denies saying 'people should not parade their sexuality in a gay bar'. He insists he said that while uncomfortable with public displays of affection gay or straight he had no problem if gay people wished to demonstrate their sexuality in bars or clubs. He says he apologised to the officials for the disturbance but maintained his right to speak freely in his own room. 'I was totally private apart from that someone heard me through a brick wall.' Mr Ivinson attempted to challenge the decision by Exeter a member of the prestigious Russell Group of top universities but says that this was batted down. He subsequently suffered depression the incident played out at the same time as a family bereavement and put back his studies. Now studying a masters in philosophy at Exeter, Mr Ivinson said he has felt unable to speak about his ordeal, which happened in 2018, for fear of repercussions. But after gaining support from the recently established Committee for Academic Freedom and Mr Skidelsky, who is also a philosophy lecturer at Exeter University, he found the courage to do so. Mr Ivinson said: 'It hurts me that in this country freedom of speech can now mean so little. It's shocking that a Russell Group university can act this way.' Exeter University was approached for comment but did not respond. To learn more about this story, listen to the Committee for Academic Freedom's podcast with Mr Skidelsky on its website. The mother of the Los Angeles woman who killed her husband and baby before killing herself in a 100mph head-on-crash has said her daughter fought 'legions of demons'. Danielle Johnson, 34, murdered her Air Force veteran partner Jaelen Allen Chaney, 29, and their eight-month-old baby at their apartment in Woodland Hills, California on April 8. She fled the scene with her two daughters and pushed both of them out of the car on the 405 Freeway. The infant was hit and killed by another vehicle but her nine-year-old sister made it to the side of the road and called for help. Her mother Sharonda Cole says she was struggling with mental health issues, 'low-vibrational energy' and postpartum depression. Johnson made a series of unhinged posts on social media where she talked about an imminent apocalypse and the solar eclipse bringing the 'ultimate spiritual warfare'. The mother of Danielle Johnson (pictured) who killed her husband and baby before killing herself in a 100mph head-on-crash has said her daughter fought 'legions of demons' The 34-year-old mother murdered her Air Force veteran partner Jaelen Allen Chaney, 29, (pictured) and their eight-month-old baby at their apartment in Woodland Hills, California on April 8 Police found the body of Johnson 15 miles away from the family home. She had crashed into a tree and killed herself Cole was told her daughter had died and she killed her partner and their baby. 'Then they told me about Jae and that was the worst,' she told the Los Angeles Times. 'They told me she had murdered her boyfriend.' 'I lost it. My heart was pouring out.' Johnson touted herself as a 'reiki master teacher' trained in alternative healing. On her website, she claimed she had 'spiritual gifts' and came from a 'rich lineage of Indigenous Shaman and Medicine Women.' She was considered a popular 'star seller' on Etsy and sold various audio series that focused on cleansing auras and healing energies based on astrological signs. Essence.com even lauded Johnson as one of the top Black astrologers to follow and called her commentary 'spot-on, funny and relatable.' Johnson had a sizable social media presence with 100,000 people following her astrological advice and purchasing items for her 'candle magic' rituals. But her mother said she was fighting 'legions of demons' and struggling with mental health issues. Cole tried to Johnson to seek help and thought she should see her own reiki healer or talk with a therapist. 'Nobody knew what was happening because she was so good at seeming like she was good,' she said. 'But she was not good for a while.' Johnson shared a number of alarming posts on her social media page just days before the killings. Posting on her X profile page, she said: 'Wake up, wake up. The apocalypse is here. Everyone who has ears listen. Your time to choose what you believe is now. 'If you believe a new world is possible for the people retweet now. There is power in choice. There is power in choice!!!!' Another post added: 'This eclipse is the epitome of spiritual warfare. Get your protection on and your heart in the right place. 'The world is very obviously changing right now and if you ever needed to pick a side, the time to do right in your life is now. Stay strong you got this.' Cole was 17 when she gave birth to Johnson and the pair lived with her aunt and uncle. By 17, Johnson was in high school and living and her mother was struggling with drug addiction at the time. Her mother Sharonda Cole says she was struggling with mental health issues, 'low-vibrational energy' and postpartum depression Chaney, pictured here with his mother Juanita, joined the Air Force when he was 22 Danielle Johnson's social media posts grew more alarming days before the solar eclipse Cole worked to stay sober but said she struggled to repair the relationship with her daughter before Johnson started to do reiki work. 'She started working with me, trying to help me heal not just the wounds between her and I, but my wounds from my childhood,' she said. Johnson used to tell her mother about how hard her life was and the postpartum depression she struggled with in 2015. 'She saw me as being the one who injured her. And her father, of course, not being around,' Cole said. Johnson shared a blog post about 'toxic nurturing' where she said this could happen to those not loved properly by their parents. She wrote: 'These children often grow up wanting to give others the love they never had. In turn, they rarely consider giving themselves that experience of love first.' 'I think she completely understood, however failed to diagnose and treat her own wounds,' her mother Cole said. 'She thought she could ignore these very same behaviors, instead choosing to blame me, and then refused to allow forgiveness to take place so that she could ultimately release what was causing her pain.' Los Angeles Police Department officials provided more details as to how the tragedy unfolded. Investigators said Chaney and Johnson were heard arguing at about 3.40am, and at some point, the fight turned deadly when the 34-year-old stabbed her partner. Chaney was found in the family's apartment by a neighbor who saw blood 'pouring' under the door. LAPD officials said the bloody knife Johnson used to stab Chaney was found at the home. Outside their home, one neighbor told DailyMail.com that the couple kept to themselves and had everything delivered to their home The family's apartment was in a ritzy condo building in Woodland Hills Johnson then fled the apartment with her children before her car was spotted on the 405 Freeway where witnesses saw the infant and the nine-year-old pushed out of the vehicle, LAPD said. Johnson then drove to Redondo Beach at speeds over 100 mph when she plowed her car head-on into a tree, killing herself. Chaney's grieving brother, Matthew Chiricas, told DailyMail.com his sibling had 'embraced' the older child from Johnson's from a previous relationship as his own. 'I never seen him like kids, but I know he absolutely adored her.' Chaney was described as caring and outgoing with a smile that lit up rooms and his friends said he was funny and popular. Cole said: 'He just wanted to love her. He wanted to love her the way she said she needed to be loved.' It is the curious case of the married Tory peer, the ex-wife of a BBC newsreader... and a mysteriously amended birth certificate. The Mail on Sunday has learned that former minister Ed Vaizey's names appear on the official document recording the birth of Saudi Arabian political analyst Najah Al-Otaibi's daughter. In a move guaranteed to set Westminster tongues wagging, Najah, 41, who split from newsreader Tim Willcox after two years of marriage, named her Victoria Vaizey Edward Al-Otaibi containing a reversed version of Edward Vaizey. It should be noted that the former MP for Wantage, Oxfordshire, is not specifically named as the father. Adding to the mystery, that box was left blank by Najah, who often appears on BBC news programmes. The Mail on Sunday has learned that former minister Ed Vaizey's names appear on the official document recording the birth of Saudi Arabian political analyst Najah Al-Otaibi's daughter (pictured) Mr Vaizey has been married to solicitor Alexandra Mary-Jane Holland for 19 years. Pictured together in 2017 In a move guaranteed to set Westminster tongues wagging, Najah, 41, named her Victoria Vaizey Edward Al-Otaibi containing a reversed version of Edward Vaizey The box of father was left blank by Ms Najah, who often appears on BBC news programmes Lord Vaizey did nothing to quell speculation when approached by a reporter last week. Asked if he was the father, given his names appear on the certificate, even if in reverse, he replied: 'I am not going to make a comment.' As Arts Minister, he was associated with the so-called 'Notting Hill set' of West London-dwelling Tory modernisers who served under then-Prime Minister David Cameron. Others included George Osborne and Michael Gove, who was later his best man. Vaizey has been married to solicitor Alexandra Mary-Jane Holland for 19 years. Previously he was in a relationship with Esther McVey, now a Tory MP. Vaizey and Najah are involved with the Saudi British Society and appear to have attended the same networking reception in July 2022. Najah joined in 2020 as a trustee and runs the society's social media accounts, focusing on 'various aspects of Saudi culture'. Vaizey's name didn't appear on the original December 2022 birth certificate but was added a year later, just two days short of the official cut-off point for forenames to be changed. A father's permission is needed to be officially named on a birth certificate. As Arts Minister, Lord Vaizey was associated with the so-called 'Notting Hill set' of West London-dwelling Tory modernisers who served under then-Prime Minister David Cameron Najah, 41, married newsreader Tim Willcox (pictured), 18 years her senior, in 2019, but left him two years later in what was described by friends as an 'acrimonious' split Vaizey and Najah are involved with the Saudi British Society and appear to have attended the same networking reception in July 2022. Pictured: Najah outside Downing Street in 2016 Najah did not respond to calls last week though she was spotted strolling with her baby in a pushchair near her flat in Notting Hill. She married Willcox, 18 years her senior, in 2019, but left him two years later in what was described by friends as an 'acrimonious' split. Willcox hit the headlines in 2012 when he had an affair with his fellow married BBC presenter Sophie Long. Oxford-educated Lord Vaizey worked for the Tory MPs Kenneth Clarke and Michael Howard as an adviser on employment and education issues. He practised as a barrister in family law and child care before becoming an MP. Prince Andrew is at the centre of a new row over his use of a special Royal Range Rover fitted with blue emergency lights despite being stripped of his police protection, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The Duke of York who was banished from Royal duties over his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein enjoys the perk of the 100,000 4X4 for horse-riding trips in Windsor and lunch at Harry's Bar, a glitzy private members' club in Mayfair. Critics are stunned that the 64-year-old is still being given privileges despite his fall from grace. He has been photographed driving the vehicle in Windsor and in central London, and is often followed by his private protection officers in a 60,000 Land Rover Discovery. The Range Rover is assigned to the Duke and is fitted with police lights, while the 'back-up' Land Rover is fitted with amber hazard lights as part of a fleet leased by the Royal Household. Prince Andrew is at the centre of a new row over his use of a special Royal Range Rover fitted with blue emergency lights (circled) despite being stripped of his police protection Prince Andrew is spotted on rare outing in London as he leaves Harry's Bar Members Club. The Duke of York enjoys the perk of the 100,000 4X4 for horse-riding trips in Windsor and lunch at Harry's Bar, a glitzy private members' club in Mayfair It is illegal for the public to fit blue lights to their car, but all members of the Royal Family have a special dispensation so that the vehicles can be used for official engagements and police convoys. However, as beleaguered Andrew is no longer a working Royal, there are few scenarios other than state funerals or coronations where he or his private security team would be allowed to use the lights. It is understood that the blue lights in Andrew's Range Rover have never been switched on. The special treatment has raised eyebrows at Scotland Yard, where sources questioned why 'this vehicle fitted with emergency equipment is being driven'. Nazir Afzal OBE, a former Chief Crown Prosecutor, told the MoS: 'There is no justification for Andrew having these blue lights. The vehicle should be withdrawn. 'It's highly inappropriate, suggests arrogance and sends out a message that he is entitled to services that the average citizen wouldn't be. 'There needs to be a review so only working Royals should have access to this privilege.' Dai Davies, former head of royalty protection at Scotland Yard, added: 'Andrew does not need or warrant these blue lights in the current circumstances. The only rationale would be if his threat level changes and his police protection is reintroduced.' Prince Andrew during his 2019 Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis. Andrew was forced to step down from Royal duties in late 2019 after his disastrous Newsnight interview about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein Nazir Afzal OBE (pictrued), a former Chief Crown Prosecutor, told the MoS: 'There is no justification for Andrew having these blue lights. The vehicle should be withdrawn Royal author Margaret Holder said: 'There is no purpose to Andrew having these blue lights, except for allowing him to hold on to a special privilege and status symbol. 'When his adored mother died, Charles got everything and Andrew got the corgis. He is clinging on to one of the last bits of prestige he can.' Sources close to the Duke say that the cars are not funded by the taxpayer and that Andrew is still a senior Royal as the King's brother. But his flashy car contrasts with low-key Zara Tindall, the King's niece, who was recently photographed driving a humble Hyundai Tucson splattered with mud and bird droppings. Prince Andrew was stripped of his honours and taxpayer-funded armed police guards at the end of 2022, which previously cost the public up to 3 million a year. He has made efforts to get it back. Last year former home secretary Dame Priti Patel wrote to the King's principal private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, suggesting a review of the Duke's protection, but the email was leaked and Dame Priti apologised. Andrew was forced to step down from Royal duties in late 2019 after his disastrous Newsnight interview about his relationship with Epstein. The disgraced financier had killed himself in a jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in August that year. In 2022, Andrew paid a reported 7 million settlement to Virginia Giuffre, and later that year he was officially stripped of his Royal title and his police protection. The Duke has vehemently denied all the allegations against him. A Home Office spokesman said: 'It is our longstanding policy not to provide detailed information on protective security.' A Buckingham Palace spokesman declined to comment. Three police shot him well over a dozen times and he died at the scene First cop wrestled the gun away while the others shot the man Police shot dead a pedophile who pulled a gun after he opened a hotel door expecting to be having a sick threesome with two young girls. Instead of child victims aged seven and 11, the 67-year-old was confronted by Seattle Police officers waiting to arrest him at the DoubleTree Suites. Bodycam footage showed the man, wearing a jacket and carrying a bag, arrive at 3.13pm on Wednesday and knock on the door. He immediately pulled the gun before police could greet him, and the first officer lunged at the weapon to wrestle it from his grasp. Police shot dead a pedophile who pulled a gun when he opened a hotel door expecting to be having a sick threesome with two young girls He immediately pulled the gun before police could greet him, and the first officer lunged at the weapon to wrestle it from his grasp The gun went off once in the struggle, grazing one of the officers' legs, before another cop shot the pedophile twice and he fell to the ground. Three officers fired well over a dozen rounds into the man as he lay on the ground, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. Seattle Police Department Chief Adrian Diaz said internet crimes against children increased 67 per cent from 2022 to 2023. 'For our officers, these situations are dangerous, unpredictable, and can escalate rapidly,' he said. The officers were with the Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children, whose colleagues had snared the pedophile in an online sting. The gun went off once in the struggle, grazing one of the officers' legs, before another cop shot the pedophile twice and he fell to the ground Grieving families have openly wept for a Polish aid worker who was killed with six others in Gaza by an Israeli airstrike. Seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed by Israeli forces while their convoy was moving to deliver aid in what the UN chief labelled an 'unconscionable' attack. The Polish aid worker, Damian Sobol, from south-eastern Poland, took part in delivering aid to Ukrainian refugees following the Russia-Ukraine war and also helped during Turkiye's massive earthquake. Today, over two weeks since his killing, a memorial event honouring his life began at the Przemysl train station, where in 2022 he started his aid career after thousands of Ukrainians arrived. The procession then ended with a funeral ceremony at the cemetery in his home town of Przemysl. People take part in a procession ceremony for Damian Sobol, a Polish aid worker who was killed in Gaza by an Israeli airstrike Damian's mother Alicja, second right, cries as pallbearers lower the coffin with her son in Thousands took part in a funeral procession in the Polish aid worker's home town of Przemysl Thousands of people can be seen in Poland marching the streets with the coffin of Damian. People also consoled the weeping family members of the aid worker, with his mother Alicja pictured wiping tears away from her eyes. It comes after world leaders vented their fury at Israel following an 'outrageous' drone strike on the aid workers, which killed seven including three British armed forces heroes. The humanitarian convoy of three cars, which were clearly marked as belonging to the humanitarian organisation while moving along a route approved by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was blasted in a 'triple tap' strike on Monday. Israel's actions have triggered international condemnation, with leaders in the UK, the US, Poland, Canada, and Australia - the countries the foreign nationals in the group hailed from - among those calling for accountability. Among the passengers in the doomed aid convoy were former Royal Marine James Henderson, 33; former SBS soldier John Chapman, 57; as well as a British military veteran James Kirby. Britain summoned the Israeli ambassador to London and has demanded 'full accountability' over the deaths, which foreign secretary David Cameron described as 'completely unacceptable'. Israel has apologised for what it called 'a grave mistake' and said it is investigating the incident. The UK government could now suspend arms sales to Israel once it has established the all of the facts of the incident, inside sources have reportedly said. As well as the mounting Gazan death toll - with more than 32,000 killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry - an unprecedented number of humanitarian workers have been killed in the conflict. The procession honoured the aid workers from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) who were killed in an Israeli air strike Members of the public comfort the family of Damian Sobol who was killed World leaders have vented their fury at Israel following the 'outrageous' drone strike on the aid workers Among the passengers in the doomed aid convoy were former Royal Marine James Henderson, 33; former SBS soldier John Chapman, 57; as well as a British military veteran James Kirby Flares are lit in remembrance for those who passed away. The convoy came under aerial fire in the coastal city of Dajr al-Balah located in the central Gaza Strip At least 196 aid workers, including 175 members of the UN staff, have now been killed since October 7, according to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the seven victims in the WCK aid convoy 'join a record number of humanitarian workers who have been killed in this particular conflict.' In a strongly worded statement, US President Joe Biden said Israel 'has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver desperately needed help to civilians.' He called for a 'swift' investigation to bring accountability to what he said was not a 'stand alone incident'. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the strike 'unconscionable' but 'an inevitable result of the way the war is being conducted'. 'It demonstrates yet again the urgent need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.' Professor Ben Saul, UN Special Rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism, suggested that the killing of the WCK workers could be a war crime. A set of photographs of Damian, who was a member of the US-based food charity World Central Kitchen The Polish aid worker is lowered into the ground in his hometown in Poland Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said today that both the deadly strike and the Israeli government's reaction to the incident were straining ties between the two countries At least 196 aid workers, including 175 members of the UN staff, have now been killed since October 7 A look inside the funeral service in the Saint Joseph Church in Przemysl 'It's a human tragedy. But, of course, it could well be a violation of international humanitarian law, under which Israel has a duty not to deliberately target humanitarian relief workers or their convoys or their relief consignments,' he said. Poland meanwhile said 'it does not agree to the lack of compliance with international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians, including humanitarian workers', and demanded compensation for the families of the killed WCK staff. Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said today that both the deadly strike and the Israeli government's reaction to the incident were straining ties between the two countries. Directly addressing Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's envoy to Warsaw, Tusk posted on X: 'Today, you are putting this solidarity to the test. The tragic attack against volunteers and your reaction are generating an understandable anger.' Pope Francis has expressed his 'deep sorrow' over the deaths during his weekly audience at the Vatican, and said: 'I pray for them and their families.' He renewed his appeal for access to humanitarian aid for the 'exhausted and suffering civilian population' of Gaza, and for the hostages taken by Hamas to be released. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has taken a call with Netanyahu, in which said he was appalled by the killings and demanded a thorough and transparent independent investigation. Scotland Yard boss Sir Mark Rowley was tonight facing calls to resign or be sacked after police threatened an anti-Semitism leader with arrest for being 'openly Jewish'. Gideon Falter demanded action after he was stopped by police after trying to cross the road near a pro-Palestine march. On Saturday night, Mr Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: 'The time has come for Sir Mark Rowley to go. ' The row started after Mr Falter, 40, was on his way home from a synagogue wearing a kippah skullcap last Saturday. He was warned that he risked 'antagonising' marchers. In a video, posted on X (formerly Twitter), an officer was heard telling Mr Falter that he was 'worried about the reaction' protesters might have to his 'presence' and 'part' of the reason he can't cross the road is because he is Jewish. Gideon Falter demanded action after he was stopped by police after trying to cross the road near a pro-Palestine march Mr Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: 'The time has come for Sir Mark Rowley to go' Following the incident, Mr Falter said: 'What the Met under Sir Mark has done to the Jewish community... is utterly unforgivable' An officer tells Mr Falter: 'I don't want anybody antagonising anybody . . .You are quite opening Jewish . . . I am worried about the reaction to your presence.' When Mr Falter complained about his arrest threat, a senior office bungled an apology by saying his presence had been 'provocative'. Following the incident Met assistant commissioner Matt Twist first admitted the choice of words was 'hugely regrettable'. But in a now-deleted statement Mr Twist added that Mr Falter's presence was 'provocative', and that his decision to publish the footage on social media would 'further dent the confidence of many Jewish Londoners'. The Met deleted the post and apologised for causing 'further offence'. Mr Falter accused the Met of 'victim blaming', adding: 'The time has come for Sir Mark to go. He must resign or be removed by the Mayor of London and the Home Secretary.' He said the incident was the 'inevitable conclusion of six months of inertia' by police amid almost weekly marches by pro-Palestine activists. He said: '[Anti-Israel] protests have made our city centres into no-go zones for Jews every weekend. 'What the Met under Sir Mark has done to the Jewish community... is utterly unforgivable.' Mr Falter said the incident was the 'inevitable conclusion of six months of inertia' by police amid almost weekly marches by pro-Palestine activists But Sir Mark insisted: 'We understand how vulnerable Jewish and Muslim Londoners feel since the terrorist attacks on Israel. Some of our actions have increased this concern. I personally reiterate our apology.' A spokesman for London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: 'The way the original incident was dealt with by the Met was concerning and the original response... was insensitive and wrong.' The Home Office said that being Jewish 'should never be seen as provocative'. Penny Mordaunt has called for an Israeli style 'Iron Dome' missile defence system to be built in Britain following Iran's recent attack. The Leader of the House of Commons has broken ranks by publicly urging Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to increase spending on defence as it is a 'duty to our citizens'. Last weekend, Iran fired over 300 drones and ballistic missiles into Israel - and all but a few were intercepted by the country's Iron Dome defence system. The former defence secretary told The Sunday Telegraph: 'To those that say about our defence ambitions "we can't do, shouldn't do or can't afford to do", I say look to Israel - a nation a fraction of our size that has staved off an attack from a nation 10 times its size. 'It has made a choice. It has made it work. We may not have its daily reminders of the threats we face, but we have the same duty to our citizens. Penny Mordaunt has broken ranks by publicly urging Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to increase spending on defence Last weekend, Iran fired over 300 drones and ballistic missiles into Israel and all but a few were intercepted by the country's Iron Dome defence system The Jewish state has at least 10 missile batteries capable of intercepting enemy rockets and missiles scattered across the country 'Israel's defence is our defence, and we must be ready to defend our allies the same way that we would defend ourselves, as we did last week.' The impressive defence system works to detect incoming rockets, before determining it's path and blasting them out of the sky before they cause any destruction on land. Similar tactics have also been used by Russia to blast Ukraine's flurry of Western and Soviet-era surface-to-air systems. The Jewish state has at least 10 missile batteries capable of intercepting enemy rockets and missiles scattered across the country. The device is made up of three main sections: a radar detection system, a computer to calculate the incoming rocket's trajectory, and a launcher that fires interceptors if the rocket is deemed likely to hit a built-up or strategic area. Each Iron Dome battery consists of three to four launchers that can each carry up to 20 Tamir interceptor missiles. Britain currently relies on a sophisticated, multi-layered approach to its air defences, with Typhoon fighter jets and Type-45 destroyers. This comes after a former defence chief claimed Britain needed its own Iron Dome after Iran's attacks on Israel gave the West a 'wake up call'. Tobias Ellwood, a former chairman of the Commons defence committee said the UK needs a 'permanent umbrella of security' due to the evolving nature of modern warfare. He warned that the country must quickly realise where the world is headed and suggested that spending three per cent of GDP - just over 68billion - on an Iron Dome would be a sensible idea. The impressive defence system works to detect incoming rockets, before determining it's path and blasting them out of the sky Britain currently relies on a sophisticated, multi-layered approach to its air defences, with Typhoon fighter jets (pictured) and Type-45 destroyers acting as the main anti-missile firepower Earlier this month, Rishi Sunak's allies raged at Ms Mordaunt after she failed to quash rumours of a coup against the PM. Transport Secretary Mark Harper warned plotters that politics was a 'team game' and insisted that Mr Sunak will lead the party into the election. 'I'm going to be supporting him all the way through, and I'm confident that my colleagues will,' he said. Tory grandees also appealed for calm, with Sir Iain Duncan Smith telling the party to 'stop turning inwards on ourselves'. Rebel MPs are targeting the May bank holiday for a potential push against the Prime Minister if the Conservatives take a drubbing in the local elections on May 2. One source said it would be the 'May Day from Hell' for Mr Sunak. Eco-zealots are secretly plotting to secure key jobs at major airports and storm runways to unleash an unprecedented summer of holiday hell around the world, a Mail on Sunday investigation has discovered. They plan to get work with airlines and handling firms in what security experts are warning is a major threat to the safety of passengers at one of the busiest times of the year. The aim is to rush runways and even planes and take advantage of tight flight schedules to sabotage global air travel and wreak the maximum misery possible. Just Stop Oil (JSO) and its sister campaign groups overseas are organising a coordinated international campaign to cause 'mayhem' from mid-July, just as schools break up and families prepare to jet off for a badly needed break. The Mail on Sunday exposed an initial plan to target British airports last month, revealing activists' plans to cut through fences, glue themselves to the runway, cycle on runways, and stage sit-ins at terminals to obstruct passenger access. Now, we can expose their new plot and its worldwide dimensions, tapping into activists' groups in at least eight other nations. Just Stop Oil (JSO) and its sister campaign groups overseas are organising a coordinated international campaign to cause 'mayhem' from mid-July, just as schools break up and families prepare to jet off for a badly needed break Phoebe Plummer (pictured), the privately school educated JSO poster girl, warned: 'We're talking about international disruption on a scale that has never been seen before' Departures at Heathrow Terminal five. The Airport Operators Association, the trade body for UK airports, have called on environmental groups to work with the industry 'instead of engaging in damaging and disruptive stunts like this' (stock image) ANGER OVER JSO'S 300K WAR CHEST MPs have demanded that action be taken against a woke online fundraising platform that has allowed Just Stop Oil to make hundreds of thousands of pounds to carry out criminal acts. More than 300,000 has been donated to the eco-mob through Australian-based online crowdfunder chuffed.org. It is described as a funding platform for 'socially-conscious projects' supporting 'individuals, not-for-profits, social enterprises and community groups'. But Just Stop Oil has boasted that the cash raised will go towards training demonstrators and supporting them through courts and prison. It is also being used to fund public meetings where its criminal stunts are plotted. One page that describes its objectives has amassed 288,293 from 8,000 supporters. And 23,000 has been raised on a separate page aimed at its plot to bring airports to a standstill. Former Met detective Peter Bleksley said: 'This is shameful. Chuffed needs to stop raising funds immediately.' Chuffed was approached for comment. Advertisement Our undercover reporter was told of the blueprint at a meeting of activists in London yesterday. One activist, Nick from Italy, said the scheme involved trying to get airside jobs. Asked how easy it would be, he replied: 'Depends on the airport.' He confirmed Heathrow was top of their hit list. At another meeting on Thursday night, Phoebe Plummer, the privately school educated JSO poster girl, warned: 'We're talking about international disruption on a scale that has never been seen before.' She told a Roads to Runways JSO meeting in London that the 'super exciting plan' would also involve activist groups in Norway, Denmark, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, Austria and Switzerland, collectively called the A22 Network. To cheers from fellow activists, she said: 'Some of these campaigns in the A22 Network are going to be taking action at the major airports in their cities at the very same time that we are. She said that because 'flights operate on such a tight schedule', it meant synchronised disruption in 'cities all around the world' would paralyse air travel. Another activist told the same meeting: 'It's all about disrupting airports. It will be people inside the airport, trying to get on the runway, trying to board planes, cause problems on planes. 'It could be multifaceted. As soon as they get into the compound, they have to close the runway. 'For every minute we're on the runway or in the compound where the airplane is, for every minute where there's someone there, they can't move the planes. [They] have to change all the flights and everything. It will cause mayhem.' Philip Ingram MBE, a security and intelligence specialist, said: 'This sort of activity is turning eco-zealots into eco-terrorists endangering not only their lives but the lives of hundreds of passengers. 'The potential disruption this would cause is nothing compared to the potential danger to life. When groups put lives at risk for their cause that in my books is simply terrorism.' The Airport Operators Association, the trade body for UK airports, have called on environmental groups to work with the industry 'instead of engaging in damaging and disruptive stunts like this'. Few jewellery collections could rival that of Queen Elizabeth II. The late monarch, who would have celebrated her 98th birthday tomorrow, possessed an astonishing depth and variety of pieces gathered over the years through purchases, gifts and inheritance. She often loaned items to Catherine, Princess of Wales, for special events, highlighting the strong connection between them during the Queen's lifetime. Since Elizabeth's death, Kate has continued to honour the monarch by wearing some of her most cherished treasures. Queen Elizabeth's emerald tassel suite Kate wore the earrings and bracelet from Elizabeth's emerald tassel suite in 2022 Queen Elizabeth offered the world its first glimpse of the emerald demi-parure in 1989. Arriving for dinner at Claridge's, she was spotted wearing the tassel necklace, paired with complementary jewels from the royal vaults. Since the dinner took place during a state visit of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, it is thought that Elizabeth's necklace had been a gift from the Sheikh. The necklace formed part of a four-piece suite that also included a pair of earrings, a bracelet and a ring. The Princess of Wales wore the earrings and bracelet for a dinner in 2022, hosted by Patrick Allen, the Governor General of Jamaica, at Kings House in Kingston. The event was scheduled during a royal tour of the Caribbean, timed to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee. Queen Alexandra's wedding necklace The Princess of Wales wore Queen Alexandra's wedding necklace in 2018 This alluring necklace was a wedding gift from King Edward VII - the eldest son of Queen Victoria - to his bride, Alexandra of Denmark. The pair married at St George's Chapel, Windsor, in 1863, and the then Prince of Wales presented Alexandra with a parure of diamonds and pearls. In addition to the opulent necklace, the collection consisted of pearl and diamond cluster earrings, a brooch with a detachable pendant and a diamond tiara. The tiara, later known as the Rundell, was the only piece that Alexandra did not wear on her wedding day. Following the Queen's death in 1925, the headpiece was passed down to her daughter, Princess Victoria, but its fate remains uncertain. The other accessories were inherited by Queen Mary, Alexandra's daughter-in-law, who gifted the necklace to the Queen Mother. It became one of her most-loved pieces of jewellery; she even wore it for her daughter's wedding at Westminster Abbey. The necklace, earrings and brooch were inherited by Queen Elizabeth, who wore them for evening events. More recently, Kate selected the necklace for a state banquet with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Maxima at Buckingham Palace in 2018. Queen Elizabeth's three-strand 1952 pearl necklace The Princess of Wales wore the three-strand pearl necklace two years after Queen Elizabeth had worn it Queen Elizabeth was often photographed wearing pearl necklaces, most frequently her three-stranded 1952 design. Featuring an elegant arrangement of graduated pearls, the piece, which was commissioned by Elizabeth herself, is completed with a diamond clasp. Throughout her reign, the Queen wore this necklace countless times, showcasing its elegance across the globe. In 2020, she layered it over an emerald green dress while delivering a speech to the nation amid the Covid pandemic. During the inspirational TV address, her majesty paid tribute to a 'generation of Britons as strong as any' and said 'we should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return'. The Princess of Wales wore Elizabeth's pearls for a governors-general luncheon, shortly after the Queens passing in September 2022, and again at the 2023 Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall. Greville chandelier earrings Queen Elizabeth and the Princess of Wales have both worn the Greville chandelier earrings on special occasions The Princess of Wales debuted the Greville chandelier earrings at the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Princess Rajwa in 2023. Originally owned by Dame Margaret Greville, the socialite daughter of a successful brewer, the jewels were given to Elizabeth as a wedding present from her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. When Margaret died in 1942, she left a spectacular bequest of jewels to Elizabeth, the Queen Consort, later the Queen Mother . Queen Elizabeth wrote to her mother-in-law, Queen Mary: 'I must tell you that Mrs Greville has left me her jewels, tho' I am keeping that quiet as well for the moment! 'She left them to me "with her loving thoughts", dear old thing, and I feel very touched. I don't suppose I shall see what they consist of for a long time, owing to the slowness of lawyers and death duties etc, but I know she had a few good things. 'Apart from everything else, it is rather exciting to be left something, and I do admire beautiful stones with all my heart. I can't help thinking that most women do!' Margaret requested for the earrings to be altered twice, adding 12 diamonds in 1922, followed by another 10 in 1929. The design features a mixture of diamond cuts, such as half-moon, trapeze, square, baguette, baton and emerald. When the King and Queen gave the earrings to their daughter, Elizabeth, in 1947, she couldn't wear them as she did not have pierced ears. However, four years later, she pierced her ears and was seen wearing the Greville chandelier earrings countless times over the coming years. George VI festoon necklace Kate wore Queen Elizabeth's George VI festoon necklace for the coronation of King Charles III A gift from her beloved father, George VI, the Queen wore the diamond festoon necklace throughout her reign. George commissioned Garrard to create the piece in 1950, using 105 loose diamonds that had been stored in a reserve. The resulting necklace boasts three strands of graduated stones, suspended between two diamond triangles. Worn at a number of formal events, such as state openings of Parliament, Elizabeth finally showcased the piece during a 2018 banquet for the state visit of the King and Queen of the Netherlands. In a heartfelt tribute to the late monarch, the Princess of Wales wore the necklace for the first time in the official portrait for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Lover's Knot Tiara Princess Diana and Kate Middleton have both worn the Lover's Knot Tiara Arguably the most famous of the royal tiaras, the Lover's Knot has been worn by generations of royal women. Queen Mary commissioned Garrard to create the exquisite tiara, drawing inspiration from a piece owned by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse. Mary provided jewels from her own collection, which included elements from her dismantled Some Ladies of England Tiara, pearls from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, and pearls from her favourite brooches. The finished design originally featured a row of upright pearls, but these were later removed by Queen Mary, who returned them to her brooches. After Queen Mary's death, the tiara was inherited by Queen Elizabeth and she was frequently seen wearing the accessory at various locations worldwide, including a tour of the Commonwealth. Upon marrying Prince Charles in 1981, Diana received the tiara as a gift from the Queen and she debuted it at the state opening of parliament later that year. Although the tiara reportedly gave Diana headaches due to its weight, she wore it on many occasions, including with her 'Elvis dress' by Catherine Walker during an official visit to Hong Kong. Similar to her late mother-in-law, the tiara has become one of Kate's preferred pieces and she has worn it at several diplomatic receptions since. Queen Elizabeth's Japanese pearl choker The Princess honoured the late monarch by wearing the Japanese pearl choker to her funeral The Japanese pearl choker was first loaned to Kate for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's 70th wedding anniversary celebrations in 2017. She has continued to wear it on a number of occasions, including the funeral of Philip in 2021 and the funeral of the late monarch in 2022, where she paired it with the Bahrain pearl drop earrings. It is believed that the Japanese government gifted pearls to Elizabeth, who commissioned a choker to be made by Garrard in the 1970s. The distinctive design features a diamond clasp that sits at the centre of four strands of pearls. Princess Diana was also seen sporting the necklace at the state visit of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1982. Queen Elizabeth's diamond frame teardrop earrings Kate borrowed Queen Elizabeth's diamond frame orbital teardrop earrings for the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank Little is known about Queen Elizabeth's diamond frame teardrop earrings. The late monarch adorned herself with the show-stopping accessory on a handful of occasions. The earrings incorporate a cluster stud with a floral motif, from which a pendant of four graduating diamonds is suspended. Kate developed a fondness for the design, wearing it for the first time at the 2016 Place2Be Wellbeing in Schools Awards, held at Mansion House in London. Since then, the Princess has worn the earrings for a variety of events, including Trooping the Colour in 2017, and the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in 2018. Queen Elizabeth's diamond and pearl oak leaf brooch The Princess wore Queen Elizabeth's oak leaf brooch at the monarch's lying-in-state Mystery also surrounds the origin of Queen Elizabeth's diamond and pearl oak leaf brooch. The decorative piece features a trio of large pearls, placed at the centre of a pave-set yellow gold leaf. The Queen made a notable appearance wearing this brooch on her 73rd birthday, attending a concert in Seoul, during a visit to South Korea. It is thought that the piece may have been gifted to her at this time. The Princess of Wales first wore the brooch in Ypres, Belgium, in 2017, while visiting the Tyne Cot Cemetery, commemorating the centenary of Passchendaele. Queen Elizabeth's sapphire and diamond suite The Queen loaned her sapphire and diamond loop stud earrings to Kate in 2021 In 1979, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh toured six countries in the Middle East. During their trip, the royal couple was hosted by Sheikh Rashid, one of the founders of the UAE, in Dubai. When the rulers exchanged gifts at a glamorous banquet, the Sheikh offered Queen Elizabeth a pair of solid gold camel ornaments and a demi-parure of diamond and sapphire jewellery. Crafted in London by Asprey, the suite combined a striking necklace, earrings and ring. Elizabeth is said to have gasped upon receiving the set, placing her hand over her chest in awe. However, the royal didn't wear the jewels on many occasions. She eventually had the necklace shortened and the detached pieces were used to form a second pair of earrings. The Queen later had the original earrings and the rings sapphire cluster reimagined as a trio of stones on a bracelet. However, it remained relatively unseen until the early 2000s, when she wore the set several times, including at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2002, an event coordinated to celebrate her Golden Jubilee. Fast forward to 2021, Kate wore the earrings at an NHS event, held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Nizam of Hyderabad necklace The dazzling Nizam of Hyderabad necklace, valued at 63,623,360, is thought to be one of Queen Elizabeth's most precious pieces. At the request of Asaf Jah VII, ruler of Hyderabad, Elizabeth was invited to choose two pieces from Cartier to commemorate her wedding. She opted for a tiara and necklace, inspired by an English rose. While the tiara has since been dismantled to create other pieces, the necklace remains intact. The Nizam of Hyderabad necklace is estimated to be worth 63,623,360 It comprises 38 diamonds - reduced from the original 46 - with a diamond-encrusted snap. At the centre of the necklace lies a detachable double-drop pendant, featuring 13 emerald-cut diamonds and a pear-shaped drop. The piece was initially sold in 1936, but was reacquired by Cartier from the buyer the following year. The original necklace consisted of eight double-drop and three triple-drop pendants. However, nine of these pendants were removed before it caught Elizabeth's eye. Kate is the only other royal to have worn the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace, debuting it at the National Portrait Gallery Gala in 2014. King Charles is set to get his own plaque at Buckingham Palace following his accession to the British throne. Plans have been lodged for a stone plaque to be installed at The King's Gallery which exhibits works from the Royal Collection and is visited by millions of people every year. It includes old master paintings, rare furniture and decorative arts. Under the plans submitted to Westminster City Council and seen by MailOnline, the plaque which 'acknowledges the King's accession' will be made from Caithness Stone, one of the rarest paving stones in the world. It will feature v-cut lettering of King Charles which will be incised by hand. It will acknowledge the renaming of The Queen's Gallery to The King's Gallery by His Majesty. The Queen's Gallery in London and The Queen's Gallery in Edinburgh were both renamed The King's Gallery in December. King Charles is to be honoured with a plaque at the newly-renamed King's Gallery at Buckingham Palace The stone plaque will be located near the entrance of the King's Gallery, which attracts millions of tourists every year (Photo: Artist drawing of the plaque) The two museums form part of the royal palace complexes - Buckingham Palace in London and Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. They were opened in 1962 and 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II and named in her honour. But after Charles ascended to the throne, a rebranding exercise has been taking place across the royal estate to reflect the transition in the monarchy. The changes are wide ranging and cover many aspects of the monarchy, the Royal Household and many of the traditions and government institutions which bear the monarch's name and title. A planning statement submitted with the application states: 'An internal floor plaque is proposed within the entrance hall to discreetly mark the occasion, replacing a single stone floor slab. 'Following His Majesty The King's Accession, the Royal Collection Trust announced in December 2023 that 'The Queen's Gallery' at Buckingham Palace will become 'The King's Gallery'. The stone plaque will be made from rare Caithness Stone from the Scottish Highlands (Photo: How the plaque will be placed at the King's Gallery) The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1962 and has been renamed The King's Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh was also recently renamed Explaining the renaming process, the Royal Household said in planning documents: 'This proposed alteration is consistent with these wider changes in nomenclature and also reflects the change in nature of the collection as it forms the personal collection of the reigning monarch rather than the collection of a particular member of the Royal family.' It comes after the Royal Collection Trust appeared to U-turn on a decision to rename the galleries. In a statement in March last year, the Royal Collection Trust said were no plans to rename the museums after the new king. A spokesperson said at the time: 'The Queen's Galleries were founded and opened by Queen Elizabeth II, so at present there are no plans to change their names.' However, in a later statement last December, they said: 'The Royal Collection is held in trust by The King for his successors and the nation. 'It is therefore felt appropriate to rename the galleries as The King's Galleries in recognition of the new reign,' Royal Collection Trust staff pose for a photograph at the 'Style & Society Dressing the Georgians' Exhibition at The Palace Of Holyroodhouse The first exhibition at The King's Gallery (pictured) in the Palace of Holyroodhouse showcases the fashions of the Georgian period, spanning from the accession of George I in 1714 to the passing of George IV in 1830 The Royal Collection largely began in the 17th century and is one of the largest private collections of art in the world. Overall, the Royal Collection is owned in trust by the King. The trust is one of the five main organisational sections of the Royal Household but it does not receive public funding. The royal family generates tourism revenue via the Royal Collection. According to its annual report of 2019-20, 3,285,000 people visited the official residences, generating approximately 49,859,000. From a retail perspective, gift shop sales of the royal collection made 19,983,646 in a single year, making its total income of the year to be 71,526,000. Buckingham Palace and the Royal Collection Trust has been approached for comment. Squashed into a steamy corner of The Spectator's office in Westminster, Liz Truss warned fellow members of the Tory Right that they were losing the battle for the future of the party. The former Prime Minister hosting the bunfight launch of her book Ten Years To Save The West argued that the selection of the next generation of Tory MPs was being warped by wokery, with political correctness taking precedence over Conservative political ideology. And according to a whistleblower who has contacted The Mail on Sunday, Ms Truss is right: the source said the process slavishly followed 'The Script' imposed by the party, which was 'a box-ticking exercise more concerned with virtue-signalling than finding appropriate MPs'. Liz Truss talks to Glen Owen about her new book in September 2023. She has now argued that the selection of the next generation of Tory MPs is being warped by wokery Three days after the event, in the book-lined setting of the nearby Cinnamon Club restaurant, one of Ms Truss's former lieutenants set out his vision of how the Tories should rebuild after the expected wipeout at the General Election and made clear that he did not see a starring role for Ms Truss. Mark Littlewood, the former director-general of the Institute of Economic Affairs think-tank whose peerage nomination in Ms Truss's resignation honours list was mysteriously blocked, was trying to tempt potential allies to join his new outfit, Popular Conservatism known as PopCon which aims to 'Unite the Right' of UK politics. As waiters served high-end Indian food, Littlewood discussed the issue on the lips of every Conservative: who would succeed Rishi Sunak when he is either toppled by panicking MPs or defenestrated by the electorate. Littlewood is advancing the '70/70/70,000 strategy': that there are roughly 70 weeks until a new leader comes in, 70 MPs needed to back them and 70,000 Tory party members they need to convert to the PopCon cause. While the group has not yet agreed on a leadership candidate other than that Ms Truss will never be trusted by the British public again Priti Patel, Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick are the main names in the mix, possibly as part of a formal 'Alliance' with Nigel Farage's Reform UK. Littlewood privately boasts raising a quarter of a million pounds, and has held talks with his former think-tank colleagues about joining the movement. Billionaire Michael Hintze is among the powerful donors who sources say have been approached to give money directly to selected Conservative MPs, bypassing the usual pre-election channel of Conservative Party Headquarters (CCHQ). There is talk, too, of a list of about 40 'true blue' names presented to donors. 'They need to shoot the One Nation wing of the party to eviscerate them,' a source familiar with the list said, referring to moderate Conservatives. While the source admits that the most recent dire polling means Littlewood's '70/70' numbers are now closer to 50 weeks and 50 MPs, they are teaming up with friendly Conservative Associations across the country to build a mailing list of Tory members. Some of the same donors being targeted gathered last week at Syon House, on the 16th-century Syon Park estate on the edge of West London, for a black-tie dinner with the Prime Minister. Hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, 50 donors heard Mr Sunak deliver a speech before schmoozing the tables which cost 5,000 a ticket to attend. Rishi Sunak gives a speech on welfare reform on Friday. He is described as a pragmatist and a technocrat rather than a reformer with a vision One of those present said: 'The PM gave the usual speech about cutting National Insurance. Sunak is a pragmatist and a technocrat rather than a reformer with a vision. When, at party conference, he said he wanted to reform A-levels and ban smoking, I thought, you haven't got a political bone in your body. The Conservatives have had enough of this left of centre-ground nonsense.' Ms Truss is defending a seemingly impregnable majority of more than 26,000 in her South West Norfolk seat, and so expects to be in a position to join the PopCons in helping to restructure the Right. But she faces a threat from a local independent candidate who is trying to deliver the final indignity by ousting her at the election. If she survives, she will campaign for a shake-up in the way the party now selects MPs. The whistleblower told this newspaper that those involved in screening prospective Tory MPs are expected to follow 'The Script', a list of questions devised by CCHQ which does not mention policies, or issues such as Brexit: instead, the section with the most questions is titled 'Diversity of Thought and Action' as well as questions about 'self-awareness' and 'social awareness'. Only three questions in the 110-minute interview process cover political conviction. They include: 'Which Conservative policy presents the greatest challenge for you and why?' and 'How would you balance your personal beliefs with a requirement to support the Government?' The candidates are then asked questions about 'building diverse teams' and 'how would you better implement diversity of thought and action in the future', as well as how they deal with 'personal criticism' and 'great pressure'. Liz Truss's book, Ten Days To Save The West. Her former lieutenants believe she will never be trusted by the British public again after her disastrous tenure as PM The source told The Mail on Sunday: 'There is no policy at all in place at the moment to test people's political conviction. Anybody could pass. You could be a raging Communist and come through the process, provided you hadn't stood as a Labour candidate. You could fool the system. 'It's all part of a sinister plot to reshape the party since the Cameron days. There are forces at work that have for the last five years or so tried to annihilate the centre-Right. It's empowered people who are centre-Left within the Conservative Party.' The source added that the 'old way of doing things' was more effective at finding true Tories. 'Fifteen or 20 years ago, you would take someone out for a few drinks and get to know them, then say do you want to get into politics? Why don't you come and stand for my seat? It wasn't democratic but it worked.' Another source blamed the Downing Street machine for being 'a major part of the problem'. One insider said: 'There is no point even going to them they are such a floppy lot.' A PopCon source said there are no plans for an alliance with Reform before the election. A Conservative Party spokesman said: 'We select a range of candidates from across the country from all sorts of backgrounds. We are completely confident our process selects the most appropriate candidates and gives associations a wide choice. Obviously, some people will be disappointed should they not be selected but it is a highly competitive process.' As 4/20 rolls around once again, the unmistakable smell of cannabis will soon be filling parks and student accommodations across the country. Despite remaining illegal in the UK, the drug is regularly smoked, eaten, or vaped by an estimated 3.1 million people. But understanding the science of what cannabis does to your mind can be tricky, especially if you happen to have just smoked some. From boosting your libido to triggering auditory hallucinations, not all the effects of cannabis are what you might expect. So, whether or not you will be celebrating this weekend, MailOnline asked the experts what your brain is really like on drugs. As 4/20 rolls around again, MailOnline has asked the experts what your brain is really like on drugs and reveals the strange effects of cannabis you might not know READ MORE: Can CANNABIS be used to treat migraines? First trial to test THC and CBD as potential treatments for acute headaches is underway Advertisement Cannabis contains two chemicals that are largely responsible for the effects you feel: CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). These are able to make us feel high because they are similar to chemicals that our brain produces naturally. Throughout our brains and bodies, we have a complex system of chemical signals and receptors called the 'endocannabinoid system'. Dr Will Lawn, a psychologist from King's College London, told MailOnline this is like a dial which turns up or down the amount of communication between parts of the brain. Parts of this system called CB1 receptors sit at the junctions of our nerves like traffic lights, slowing down or speeding up the flow of the brain's communication chemicals. When you consume weed, THC sticks to these CB1 receptors and inhibits the release of certain neurotransmitters like dopamine and glutamate. Like a faulty traffic signal, this slows traffic between different brain regions to a crawl and triggers the psychoactive elements of the high. Cannabis contains a chemical called TH which interacts with our bodies 'endocannabinoid system'. This interaction alter our brain chemistry in a way that produces a pleasurable high This has downstream effects on the whole body, but what makes weed hit you the way it does is all due to where these CB1 receptors are most commonly found in the brain. Dr Lawn says: 'We see that they are expressed densely in the cerebellum, in the hippocampus and also some limbic regions including the amygdala. 'The cerebellum is key for underpinning movement, the hippocampus is crucial for underpinning movement, and the limbic system is crucial for emotional responses. 'You will recognise those as the three cognitive processes that are substantially affected by cannabis.' The parts of the brain affected by cannabis are located in the cerebellum (pictured), amygdala, and limbic system. These are linked with memory, movement, and emotional responses Short-term memory Beyond the general 'stoned' feeling and relaxation, one of the most common effects of cannabis use is a significant reduction of short-term memory. If you've ever watched the classic stoner film 'Dude, Where's My Car?', you'll recognise the stereotype of the bumbling, permanently confused stoner. Since the 1970s researchers have documented that people really struggle to hold and work with information in their short-term memory while high. If you can still remember, this is because THC disrupts signalling in the hippocampus and interferes with how your brain processes memory. In 'Dude, Where's My Car?', two stoners manage to forget where they parked their car during a binge. Science shows that cannabis does severely affect the short-term memory but the effects don't usually persist Does cannabis cause long-term memory loss? Cannabis does not appear to change the brain permanently in a way that would cause reduced memory. Studies suggest that within 20 days most of the memory effects will abate. There is a slight link between heavy use and reduced verbal memory but this varies from person to person. Use in teenagers has been linked to worse educational outcomes but there isn't strong evidence to show that they are more vulnerable to memory problems. However, teenage users are more vulnerable to cannabis addiction. Advertisement This disrupts the 'working memory', the part of the mind that allows for quick retrieval and manipulation of information. Studies have shown that this leads to difficulties with attention and focus in some users. Oddly, however, studies have also shown that regular heavy users actually get better at concentration tasks after smoking since they are habituated to the effects. Although we know for certain that cannabis use affects the memory while it's being used, the evidence for long-term effects is much less certain. Dr Lawn says that there is some evidence that long-term use has a small effect on verbal memory but most lingering effects tend to disappear after the user quits. 'Many cannabis users have a high intelligence and a very good memory,' Dr Lawn says. 'When you look at a comparison between heavy cannabis users and non-users, there's going to be a lot of overlap.' There may be some effect on cognitive function and memory in the long term, Dr Lawn explains, but these effects tend to be very small and there is a lot of variation between different users. Heavy cannabis smokers may have some reduced verbal memory even while sober, but these effects tend to mostly disappear over time if they quit. The effects also vary so while some experience no memory disruption others may fare worse. Pictured: Cannabis users in Hyde Park on 4/20 READ MORE: A new high? Cannabis compound that may be 30 TIMES more potent than THC is discovered by scientists Advertisement Slows perception of time If you've ever eaten too much of a pot brownie, perhaps on an ill-considered trip to Amsterdam, this effect will be all too familiar. Cannabis users report that time seems to stretch endlessly as the minutes start to feel like hours. Research has shown that cannabis use produces an effect known as time dilation. In one study, participants were either given a placebo or THC injection and were asked to press a button once per second 70 times. Those who had been given the cannabis dose were notably slower than their sober counterparts, pressing the button every 1.73 seconds compared with every 1.49 seconds. Other research has shown that, while high, cannabis users tend to drastically overestimate how much time has passed. Stoners like Cheech and Chong (pictured) may feel that time drags out endlessly. Scientists have found that this 'time dilation' effect causes cannabis users to overestimate how much time has passed Other experiments show reaction times fell and decision-making gaps increased after participants smoked weed. Scientists aren't exactly sure why this happens but one theory suggests that THC binds to receptors in a part of our brain responsible for our internal body clock. This region, called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, is key for maintaining our circadian rhythm. THC's disruptive effects could kick this region into a spin, leaving us baffled about the passage of time. Scientists aren't sure why cannabis affects the perception of time but it could be because THC binds to parts of the brain responsible for the circadian rhythm Creativity From writers like Seth Rogan to painters like Salvador Dali, many use cannabis to boost their creativity. After a smoke you may feel more in touch with your creative side but the science is more complex. Cannabis users tend to score higher for self-reported creativity and perform better on measures of 'convergent thinking'. But once you control for cannabis users' openness to new experiences, these effects vanish - meaning it isn't the cannabis making people more creative. To explain why people feel more creative while stoned you have to look at how cannabis affects their reaction to creativity. Salvador Dali (pictured) famously used cannabis to enhance his creativity, but experts suggest that the cannabis might not have helped While research shows no evidence that cannabis boosts creativity, it does make people who use it feel good and so perceive ideas as more creative. Researchers found that people tended to rank their own cannabis-fueled ideas as more creative than their sober ideas, even when they were sober. Likewise, stoned participants tended to rate the ideas of others as more creative than they did while sober. So, even though weed won't fill you with brilliant ideas, it might give you the confidence and the enthusiasm to follow them. Even if writers and actors like Seth Rogan (pictured right) use cannabis to fuel their creativity, the plant's main effect is just to make you rate your own ideas as more creative Is medical cannabis legal in the UK? Owning or using cannabis for recreational reasons is illegal in the UK. But since 2008 some doctors have been able to prescribe cannabis. Dr Sodergren of Imperial College says that cannabis can be prescribed for any condition that hasn't responded to conventional medicines. It cannot be prescribed by a GP and only doctors on the General Medical Council's special register can provide it. CBD products, however, are legal and can be bought without a prescription. Advertisement Pain Cannabis isn't just used for recreation and there is now a growing market for medical marijuana. Since 2018 it has been legal for the General Medical Council's special register to prescribe cannabis-based medicine products. Last year around 32,000 people took medical cannabis, with chronic pain being the most common reason. Additionally, a 2023 YouGov poll found that an estimated 1.8 million people used illegal cannabis to treat their symptoms. Dr Mikael Sodergren, head of the Medical Cannabis Research Group at Imperial College, told MailOnline that pain is one of the most promising medical applications of the drug. Dr Sodergren, who is also the founder of a medical cannabis clinic named Curaleaf Clinic, says: 'We discovered that many compounds in medical cannabis block a specific receptor which plays a key role in nerve pain. 'This is the basis on which we are using medical cannabis as a painkiller it inhibits these specific pathways associated with acute pain signalling.' In the US, dispensaries like this one in California distribute cannabis to treat pain. The chemicals in cannabis block pain receptors in the body and so can be used to treat chronic conditions Strangely this pain receptor is also the same one that causes people to feel heat pain when they eat something spicy. But, before you order yourself a vindaloo, Dr Sodergren explains that this won't actually make spicy food feel less hot. However, he explains that it would 'feel less painful if you rubbed a chilli pepper in an open wound.' Of course, this is still probably not a great idea no matter how much you have smoked. Libido One of the lesser-known side-effects of cannabis use is that it appears to boost your libido. Although it sounds like something out of a 1930s anti-drug film, cannabis smokers are actually having more sex - and probably enjoying it more too. In one of the biggest studies of its kind 50,000 Americans aged 25-45 responded to a survey about sexual activity and cannabis use. The study found that cannabis users were having 20 per cent more sex on average than non-users. Women who did not report using marijuana had sex around six times a month, compared to cannabis users, who had sex an average of 7.1 times a month. In the 1930s America was swept by a moral panic over the liberating effects of cannabis and films like 'Marijuana Girl' spread widely. But these moralists might have been onto something as cannabis users do appear to have more sex than non-users The difference was even more stark for men, as non-marijuana users had sex 5.6 a month, compared to daily users who had sex an average of 6.9 a month. This came as a bit of a surprise to the researchers due to highly publicised claims that cannabis use leads to erectile dysfunction. At the time of the study's publication, lead author Michael Eisenberg of Stanford University School of Medicine, said: 'Frequent marijuana use doesn't seem to impair sexual motivation or performance. 'If anything, it's associated with increased coital frequency.' A smaller study of 216 participants found that 52 per cent of those surveyed said they used cannabis to alter their sexual experience. Out of the participants, 38 per cent said sex was better, 25 per cent said it was sometimes better and only 4.7 per cent said it was worse. It isn't clear why stoners like The Dude (pictured) would have more sex, but one theory is that cannabis' experience-enhancing effects make it more enjoyable Anxiety and paranoia Of course, smoking cannabis isn't all roses isn't all roses and not everyone has a positive reaction. Dr Lawn says: 'It does seem to be kind of a marmite drug in some respects. 'Some people thoroughly enjoy the effects of moderate doses of TCH but other people think it feels absolutely horrible.' The same chemical processes that lead to euphoria and relaxation for some, trigger anxiety, paranoia, and even auditory hallucinations for others. When you consume weed, THC triggers the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and GABA. Normally, these suppress the release of norepinephrine, a chemical associated with alertness, causing people to calm down and relax. But for some people, lower levels of norepinephrine trigger a 'rebound effect', sending parts of the brain linked to anxiety into overdrive. This leads to feelings of panic, increased heart rate, and a spike in cortisol levels which contribute to that overwhelming feeling of 'freaking out'. Smoking a lot of cannabis can cause some people to experience paranoia and anxiety in a way that mimics some of the elements of an 'acute psychotic. Pictured: Cannabis users in Hyde Park on 4/20 Does cannabis lead to psychosis? This is one of the most contentious issues in cannabis research and the connections are not quite clear. On one hand, heavy cannabis use is associated with higher risks of psychiatric conditions. Heavy use may also trigger or exacerbate worse outcomes for people who are at risk of psychosis. There are also weak connections between long-term use and depression. But the risk of developing a condition like schizophrenia remains very low even for heavy smokers. The vast majority of cannabis users will not experience any adverse effects. But you should still use caution if cannabis makes you feel paranoid or if you have a history of mental illness. Advertisement These are known as 'psychotomimetic' effects because they mimic some of the elements of an 'acute psychotic experience'. 'Obviously, it doesn't fully mimic that but the auditory hallucinations and paranoia found in some people are reminiscent of the florid psychotic symptoms that people with schizophrenia experience,' Dr Lawn says. There is also a well-known association between long-term cannabis use and the risk of developing a psychotic condition. However, it is important to note that these associations are extremely complex and the risk are still relatively low. Dr Lawn says: 'If you're a daily cannabis user you do have a roughly four times greater risk of developing schizophrenia in your life than someone who doesn't [use cannabis]. 'But that risk has only gone from roughly 0.5 per cent to two per cent, so 98% of daily cannabis users aren't going to develop schizophrenia.' Since there are so many other factors in someone's life that can lead to mental health issues it is also very difficult to say for certain that cannabis directly causes these long-term problems. So even if you do get freaked out while smoking, for the overwhelming majority of people the feeling will pass when you sober up. Across the border, he discovered some rules were more lenient than expected The destination for the train was officially Pyongyang, but the ticket might just as well have said 'alternate reality'. Because that's what adventure blogger Anthony Middleton said he found when he arrived in the North Korean capital via the Pyongyang Express from China. During his four-day stay he witnessed a bizarre mass synchronised dance, an all-girl pop band and had his phone examined for anti-North-Korean material. The train ride was eye-opening, too, with very clean carriages, views of North Korea's rolling countryside and, Anthony revealed, beer served on board as good as anything available in Britain. The 40-year-old, who runs the Man vs Clock travel blog, set off on the eight-hour rail journey during the 'harsh winter season', when the ground was covered with thick ice and temperatures regularly dropped below freezing. Anthony Middleton travelled aboard the Pyongyang Express, pictured, from China to the North Korean capital, Pyongyang In an exclusive interview with MailOnline Travel, he shared his experience travelling through the country known as the Hermit Kingdom, due to its lack of contact with the rest of the world. 'Its known to be the most isolated country on Earth,' said Anthony, from Durham. 'I found this fascinating, as not many people can witness it with their own eyes. 'Every hour of every day was jam-packed with places to go and things to wrap my head around.' Anthony, who lives in Thailand, said he was inspired to visit North Korea as part of a personal goal to visit every country in the world. He wanted to experience 'as much as humanly possible' in the secretive state, where tourists have restricted access and are only allowed to travel in groups organised by officials or approved travel agencies. This drew his attention to the Pyongyang Express train, which he rode from the Chinese border city of Dandong. Each section has four beds, hot water taps for tea and a 'no-nonsense lady serving snacks from a trolley', said Anthony The total distance from Dandong to Pyongyang is approximately 225km (140 miles) 'It's not possible to travel independently as a tourist to North Korea, so you have to go with one of the few DPRK-approved tour companies,' he explained. 'I went with a company called Young Pioneer Tours. I had to sort out my double-entry Chinese visa, which in my experience can be a little tricky, but I got mine with no dramas in Bangkok. 'Other than that, once I paid the company the agreed 1,245 [$1,549] fee, they took care of the sleeper train.' Before boarding the train in Dandong, Anthony went through Chinese exit customs and immigration checks at Dandong railway station. Here, he recalled being met with 'a large waving statue' of Mao Zedong, former leader of the Chinese Communist Party, which 'set the tone for what I was about to experience across the border'. Boarding the train in Dandong, pictured, Anthony recalled being met with 'a large waving statue' of Mao Zedong, former leader of the Chinese Communist Party Anthony standing by the Mao Zedong statue A tour guide handed Anthony his North Korean identity card, which he used to board the train. Shortly into its journey, the train crossed the Yalu River via the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge and arrived in Sinuiju city, North Korea. 'Dandong is right on the border, so the portion of the journey within China is minimal,' Anthony said. 'Once the train crosses into North Korea at Sinuiju, the entire remainder of the journey is within North Korean territory. 'The total distance to Pyongyang is approximately 225km (140 miles).' At Sinuiju, all passengers disembarked the train 'for North Korean entry procedures', including immigration and customs checks, Anthony said. He added: 'The process here can be lengthy and thorough, as North Korean authorities closely scrutinise all documents, luggage, and everyone entering the country before getting back on the train. 'I had read that this takes up to four hours, but for us it was only 90 minutes.' Anthony said he felt anxious about the content on his phone, fearing the consequences of 'possessing anything that could be deemed offensive by North Korean standards'. The sleeper train, pictured, passes through the North Korean countryside on an eight-hour journey. Pictured: Local people waved at Anthony through the window of the train But he had prepared for this process with a 'thorough digital cleanse', reducing his phone usage before the trip. Tourists who have failed to follow strict North Korean rules have faced severe punishment, such as 21-year-old Otto Warmbier, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labour after admitting to trying to steal a propaganda banner from a restricted area of his hotel while visiting in 2016. The university student, from Cincinnati, Ohio, served 17 months of his sentence in North Korea before he was brought home to the US in a coma. He died six days later. Anthony said he feared 'the consequences of possessing anything that could be deemed offensive by North Korean standards' before entering the secretive state. Here, he is pictured with a soldier in the demilitarised zone Travelling on the sleeper train, Anthony was able to see some of the North Korean countryside Peering out of the train window, Anthony observed how most locals 'got around on old bicycles' and that some would 'curiously look inside the train sheepishly' A building in the demilitarised zone In Anthony's case, military personnel asked him to hand over his phone for a 'five-second' check before permitting him to continue his journey to Pyongyang. The sleeper train was 'rustic and exceptionally clean' with a 'typical old Soviet style', according to Anthony. The carriages contained first-class sections known as 'soft sleepers', which consisted of four beds in a cabin, and budget cabins with six beds. 'I knew I'd barely sleep so I took the budget cabin,' said Anthony, 'which was included in the total tour price.' There were hot water taps for tea, the traveller explained, and a 'no-nonsense lady serving snacks from a trolley'. Photographing train stations, soldiers and police officers was prohibited Foreign tourists were not allowed to disembark the train at any railway stations on the way to Pyongyang (pictured), and could only get off the train once instructed, Anthony said Statues and monuments commemorating the Kim family's leadership are a common sight throughout North Korea, said Anthony, who is pictured above at the Mansu Hill Grand Monument in Pyongyang Pictured: The Taedong River, partly covered in ice, in Pyongyang A propaganda poster on a wall in North Korea Anthony continued: 'On the sleeper train from Dandong to Pyongyang there typically isn't a proper restaurant car where you can sit down for a full meal. 'Instead, the train might have a simple dining or buffet car offering limited snacks and beverages, primarily consisting of local North Korean products such as biscuits, crisps, chocolate and noodles - which, surprisingly, weren't spicy. 'The snacks did the job, but they were pretty bland compared to a Mars bar or any other finely-tuned chocolate from global brands that have more ingredient options at their disposal.' When it came to onboard beverages, Anthony was surprised to find that alcohol was 'served regularly' and said the train trip was 'very boozy'. As a fan of soju, an alcoholic drink made from fermented white rice served in South Korea, he was 'looking forward to trying the North Korean version'. But this, he said, was 'distinctively less sweet and considerably higher in alcohol content'. There were beers, too. 'They were on par with any British beer, in all honesty,' Anthony said. 'So not bad but certainly not the best out there.' Anthony at the Arch of Reunification in Pyongyang Was it a comfortable ride? Anthony said: 'It was constantly cold and, as expected, a little rough around the edges. But I got to see some of the countryside of North Korea as I crossed over the border from China and also on the return leg.' Peering out of the window of the train, Anthony observed how most locals 'got around on old bicycles' and that some would 'curiously look inside the train sheepishly' while others would 'manage a wave'. Foreign tourists were not allowed to disembark at any railway stations on the way to Pyongyang and could only get off the train once instructed, Anthony said. 'For locals, the situation is quite different,' he added. 'Some North Korean residents can disembark at stops along the train route from Dandong to Pyongyang, provided they have the necessary permissions to travel. 'In North Korea, citizens require travel permits to go between different regions or provinces and their movement is also closely monitored and controlled by the government.' In a similar vein, there were also 'no-go areas' onboard the train, according to Anthony, who was informed of the rules by a tour guide. 'Other than the defined prohibited areas, we could wander within our carriage and get food at the small kiosk,' he explained. Another aspect that surprised Anthony was that he was allowed to take pictures of the countryside rolling past the train window. But photographing train stations, soldiers and police officers was prohibited. Anthony arrived in Pyongyang on the birthday of Kim Jong-il - the former supreme leader of North Korea. 'I knew I was in for a unique experience when I realised that my visit coincided with this,' he said. Arriving in Pyongyang, Anthony saw crowds of people gathering to celebrate the birthday of North Korea's former supreme leader, Kim Jong-il The celebrations involved a massive synchronised dance Anthony describes the dance as a 'unique experience' 'On the day, I saw mass celebrations across the capital. Most people were dressed in red and we were invited to see a massive synchronised dance for him.' Anthony also visited the 'grand' flower festival featuring the 'Kimjongilia' flower, named after the former leader shortly after his death in 2011. He compared the birthday celebrations to a 'religious festival dedicated to a deity', but with a 'markedly different' atmosphere. 'While there was admiration, the underlying sense of joy and hope that usually accompanies religious celebrations seemed absent,' he remarked. One highlight for Anthony was the flower festival featuring the 'Kimjongilia', a flower named after the former leader Here, Anthony is at Kim Il Sung Square in the Central District of Pyongyang Anthony said there is a 'force woven into the fabric of daily life' in North Korea, which he referred to as 'the cult of Kims' in relation to the Kim family. 'Everywhere you turn, larger-than-life portraits of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un watch over public spaces,' he said. 'While statues and monuments commemorating their leadership are a common sight throughout the country. 'Experiencing this first-hand is surreal. I have visited many places around the world where the country has been seduced by the cult-like personality of a leader or a popular proposed figurehead, but this was on a whole new level of adoration.' During Anthony's tour of Pyongyang, North Korean guides would refer to Kim-Jong-il as 'our dear leader', he recalled. Pictured: Pyongyang metro station Anthony pictured at Puhung metro station in Pyongyang Pictured: People riding the metro system through the North Korean capital HOW TO VISIT NORTH KOREA VIA THE SLEEPER TRAIN FROM CHINA We asked Anthony Middleton from Man vs Clock to break down how he reached Pyongyang. How did you get to Dandong? I flew to Shenyang and took a bullet train to Dandong. It took an hour and a half to get there. If you do have to take the train to Dandong, you need to order the ticket online first at ctrip.com and collect it at the station in Shenyang. How did you book the sleeper train? It's not possible to travel independently as a tourist to North Korea, so you have to go with one of the few DPRK-approved tour companies. I went with a company called Young Pioneer Tours. I had to sort out my double-entry Chinese visa, which in my experience can be a little tricky but I got mine with no dramas in Bangkok. Other than that - once I paid the company the agreed 1,245 fee, they took care of the sleeper train. Can you get off the train at other stops before Pyongyang? We were not allowed to disembark at any stops on the way to Pyongyang and could only get off the train once instructed when the train arrived in Pyongyang. For locals, the situation is quite different from that for tourists. Some North Korean residents can disembark at stops along the train route from Dandong to Pyongyang, provided they have the necessary permissions to travel. What is the route? The journey by sleeper train from Dandong, China, to Pyongyang, North Korea, involves crossing the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge over the Yalu River. Dandong is right on the border, so the portion of the journey within China is minimal, primarily just the city limits of Dandong itself. Once the train crosses into North Korea at Sinuiju, the entire remainder of the journey is within North Korean territory. The total distance from Dandong to Pyongyang is approximately 225km (140 miles). Are there different classes of accommodation onboard? The tour company offered via email the possibility to upgrade to first-class sleepers, known as 'soft sleeper', which consists of four beds in a cabin as opposed to six. I knew I'd barely sleep so I didn't ask for that and so I took the budget cabin, which was included in the total tour price. How do you pass through the border? Before boarding the train in Dandong, travellers will go through Chinese exit customs and immigration checks at the Dandong railway station and get on the train with their North Korea identity card that the tour guide provides them in Dandong. Upon arriving in Sinuiju, the first city across the border in North Korea, all passengers disembark for North Korean entry procedures. This includes immigration and customs checks. The process here can be lengthy and thorough, as North Korean authorities closely scrutinise all documents, luggage, and everyone entering the country before getting back on the train. I had read this takes up to four hours, but for us it was only 90 minutes. What is it like onboard the train? On the sleeper train from Dandong to Pyongyang, there typically isn't a proper restaurant car where you can sit down for a full meal. Instead, the train might have a simple dining or buffet car offering limited snacks and beverages, primarily consisting of local North Korean products such as biscuits, crisps, chocolate and noodles - which surprisingly weren't spicy. The snacks did the job but they were pretty bland compared to a Mars bar or any other finely-tuned global chocolate from brands that have more ingredient options at their disposal. The train trip was very boozy! I'm a fan of soju from South Korea so I was looking forward to trying the North Korean version - it was very different from the one in the south as it was distinctively less sweet and considerably higher in alcohol content. The beers were on par with any British beer in all honesty - so not bad but certainly not the best out there. Source: Anthony Middleton, Man vs Clock Advertisement During a tour of Pyongyang, North Korean guides would refer to Kim-Jong-il as 'our dear leader' and praise 'the wonderful things that he had done' with a level of faith that 'echoed themes of an Orwellian novel', Anthony said. After visiting the capital, he stopped off in Sariwon, which he described as a 'newer city than Pyongyang' where people are 'even shyer'. Here, he enjoyed a short hike before tucking into local food at a booked restaurant. 'Then, the curtain suddenly went up and a stage appeared with a North Korean girl band,' he added. Anthony sat down at a booked restaurant in Sariwon, where the curtain 'suddenly went up' and a girl band appeared When the girl band appeared, Anthony said he felt 'very much ready to head back to China' Anthony said that Sariwon, above, is a 'newer city where people are even shyer' 'As I locked horns with my personal dialogue and the intense sensory overload, I realised I was very much ready to head back to China the next day.' Reflecting on the highs and lows of his trip, Anthony said the main highlight was 'undoubtedly' interacting with local people despite this being 'within the constraints imposed by the tour and government regulations'. While the least enjoyable aspect, he said, was 'grappling with the awareness that there was an entirely different reality taking place around me, one that I would never get anywhere close to'. An American woman living in the UK has revealed all of the things she thinks Brits do wrong. Haley Horton, 26, is originally from Boston but moved to Wales when she was 15, before going to university in York and completing her master's degree in Bristol. The TikToker, who posts under the handle @haley.horton, often makes videos documenting her life as a US native who's lived in different places throughout the UK. One tongue-in-cheek video has been seen by more than 837,000 people and has amassed almost 4,000 comments. She firstly introduced herself by jokingly telling viewers: 'I'm ready to fight some people. Here are some things that I think the UK just does wrong. Haley Horton, 26, is originally from Boston but moved to Wales when she was 15, before then going to university in York and completing her master's degree in Bristol 'If you don't already know me, my name is Haley and I'm an American that's lived in the UK for the past seven years. 'Sometimes I make content about that and usually it's pretty upbeat towards the UK, but today I've decided I'm gonna start some fights. 'I'm gonna tell you about things I actually think you guys don't do very well.' Taking the cake home at children's birthday parties The first thing that Brits do that Haley isn't a fan of is specific to those with children. She explained: 'The fact that when you go to a kid's birthday party, you don't eat the cake at the birthday party. 'You take it home as, like, a goodie bag. No - cakes and party favours are two separate things.' The American insisted: 'Don't combine them. I wanna eat cake at the party'. One tongue-in-cheek video where she delves into the things she thinks the UK 'does wrong' has been seen by more than 837,000 people and has amassed almost 4,000 comments However, one confused Briton asked: 'Who doesn't eat the cake at the birthday party? We take the leftovers home in a goody bag but we eat the cake or we have other cakes'. A second added: 'Cupcakes to be eaten at party. Slice of birthday cake to be put in the party bag for later, two cakes in one day! We are clearly geniuses!' Meanwhile, a third chimed in with: 'People eat cake at parties sometimes but they usually take it home'. There are no good salads Secondly, Haley revealed that she's less than impressed with the salads the UK has to offer, claiming that America has more 'variety' Speaking to her British followers, she laughed: 'You guys, you know, you're getting better but you can't find such a good salad in so many parts of this country. 'And I know what you're gonna say. You're gonna go for the joke about the obese Americans. 'Totally valid. But, we still just have better salads and more variety.' In the comments, one Brit suggested: 'Hint: make your own salad with the amazing fresh produce we have on offer rather than ready packed and labelled gunk'. Another chimed in with: 'Yeah, but when it comes to salad, UK coleslaw is way better than American coleslaw!' Both Brits and US natives took to the comments to debate the quirky list Using the wrong names for things The American's third point, is that she claims Brits don't use the right word for a 'daddy long legs' - the colloquial name for a flying insect from the pholcidae family. She admitted: 'This is so random, but a hill I'm willing to die on is the fact that the daddy long legs insect is not what you guys call daddy long legs. 'Those are crane flies. I don't know why I'm like, for some reason mad about that. 'Daddy long legs are the ones that look like spiders, but they're skinny. They don't fly.' Her point seemed to cause confusion in the comments, with one viewer writing: 'Im a Londoner. Daddy long legs are spiders, crane flies are crane flies'. 'Daddy long legs are the spiders with long legs and don't fly?' questioned another. Meanwhile, a Scottish viewer made the debate even more confusing by writing: 'Im from Scotland and most people I know call them Jenny long legs'. The lack of plug sockets in bathrooms Finally, Haley complains about the fact Brits don't have plug sockets in bathrooms, which is common practice in America. She said: 'And finally, just the lack of plugs in the bathrooms. I understand why, you don't want that getting wet, but still. 'What if I wanna do my hair in the bathroom one day? I can't.' The 26-year-old finished off the video by reminding viewers it's 'all in good fun'. One puzzled viewer penned: 'The bathroom one makes sense though. Why would you need to do your hair in the bathroom?' An American social media user replied: 'That is where we get ready. brush. your teeth, blow dry hair, makeup, deodorant, etc. all in the bathroom. Where do y'all [sic] do that stuff?' 'Plugs in the bathrooms are a huge safety hazard though,' claimed someone else. Back in 1991, Amanda Holden first appeared on TV as a contestant on Cilla Black's Blind Date. Now, the Britain's Got Talent star wants to host her own dating show - and would even allow her daughters Alexa, 18, and Hollie, 12, to feature on it. Amanda, 53, told MailOnline: 'The dream for me is to have a dating show. I wouldn't let my girls go on Love Island but if they wanted to go on a dating show, I would let them.' The star was just 19 when she took part in Blind Date, telling viewers that her ideal man would be film star Jack Nicholson. However, Amanda added: 'My 18-year-old's very shy so there's no way she will want to go on camera. She's an A-star student who wants to study English at uni, but the little one is nuts - she will definitely follow in my footsteps.' Amanda Holden, 53, has revealed she wants to host her own dating show The Britain's Got Talent star said she would even allow her daughters Alexa, 18, and Hollie, 12, to feature on it It comes after Amanda revealed she is delighted her daughters 'steal' her clothes, with the star insisting she sees it as 'a compliment'. Amanda is mother to daughters Alexa, 18, and Hollie, 12, who are the same dress and shoe size as their famous mother. While she is happy for her offspring to raid her wardrobe, she admits it doesn't come without risk. Radio host Amanda explained to Women's Health : 'My daughters steal everything from me!' She added: 'I trust my 18-year-old with some of the posher stuff I have in my wardrobe, but 100% I wouldn't trust my youngest with any of it. 'Just the other day, she borrowed a cream tracksuit of mine, and just as I said "please tuck a tea towel into that, Hollie", her omelette went down it and you just go "oh gosh, I just give up".' However, Amanda claims the fact they are able to wear the same clothes means they can keep their luggage to a minimum when they go away. Amanda, 53, said: 'The dream for me is to have a dating show. I wouldn't let my girls go on Love Island but if they wanted to go on a dating show, I would let them.' Amanda added: 'My 18-year-old's very shy so there's no way she will want to go on camera. She's an A-star student who wants to study English at uni, but the little one is nuts - she will definitely follow in my footsteps.' She said: 'The good thing is that when we go on holiday we only ever take hand luggage, because fitting in all the same stuff means between us we have so many things to wear.' Amanda 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 face 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.' It's been a busy week for Amanda as she gets ready for the Britain's Got Talent launch on Saturday night, with the show judge attending a photocall for the new series at London's Ham Yard Hotel on Tuesday. It's been a busy week for Amanda as she gets ready for the Britain's Got Talent launch on Saturday night, with the show judge attending a photocall for the new series at London's Ham Yard Hotel on Tuesday Last week, the television and radio star sparked a new feud with Sharon Osbourne when she called the TV personality, 71, 'bitter and pathetic' after she tore into Amanda's friend and BGT boss Simon Cowell on Celebrity Big Brother. Sharon, the wife of legendary Black Sabbath rocker Ozzy Osbourne, retaliated by branding Amanda an 'ill-informed sycophant' in an acid-tongued social media letter. Amanda had told the Daily Mail's Weekend Magazine : 'I hated seeing certain people in a reality show dissing Simon - he's the person who's given them all the chances, given them a lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldn't have had. 'It's bitter and pathetic. It was like Cinderella with her two sisters in the background - just stabby, stabby, stabby.' Hoda Kotb is a permanent fixture on television screens every morning as one of the hosts of Today, so it's no surprise that she chooses to live in Upper Manhattan to ensure she has an easy commute to NBC's Rockefeller Center studio. The 59-year-old TV star is very active on social media and often gives her 2.4 million Instagram followers a good look at her New York City apartment, where she raises her adorable daughters, Haley, seven, and Hope, four. Hoda left New Orleans to move to the Big Apple many moons ago when she landed a job at NBC News and struggled - just like everyone else - to find a decent living situation in the city that never sleeps. In an article with Architectural Digest back in 2018, the broadcaster opened up about one particular apartment viewing and said: 'The lady was like, "there's the apartment I want to show you. Over here is the bedroom, now look right over here, turn, here's the living room." Hoda Kotb pictured in her upper Manhattan apartment with her daughters Hope and Haley The New York City abode is filled with plenty of toys belonging to daughters Haley, seven, and Hope, four As well as giant teddy bears, books and a telescope, Hoda also has a trampoline in the open plan living room 'I was standing in one room and I couldn't believe that that's what they were renting,' Hoda said, before adding: 'Oh yeah, they go, "and we've got beautiful outdoor space." They opened up these doors, and there was like a window box area and they go, "See, you can grow things!"' Hoda didn't end up renting that apartment, but she admitted it wasn't because the space was so small, it was simply because she didn't move fast enough: 'People snapped that apartment up in five seconds... I do not get it. I do not get New York prices or New York outdoor space,' she said. Of course, outdoor space is even more important to Hoda these days as she raises her two girls in New York City, and luckily she owns a four-bedroom waterfront property on Long Island - where her daughters get to spend plenty of time outside and on the beach. But it seems the family spend most of their time at the Manhattan apartment, due to Hoda's job and the girls' school. This is evident from her photos on Instagram as the space is adorned with pink toys, giant teddy bears and children's books. In fact, many of the window sills in Hoda's living room are covered in her daughters' possessions as well as a couple of her own, such as a telescope and an acoustic guitar. Hoda's apartment gets plenty of natural light thanks to the building's huge rectangular windows and her choice of simple white blinds - as opposed to heavy curtains. The color white is certainly a recurring theme throughout the apartment as all of the walls and cabinets are neutral, as well as Hoda's open plan kitchen - which features a large island that also acts as a breakfast bar. Hoda gave fans a glimpse of her kitchen she she posted this photo of mom Sameha cuddling Haley and Hope At Christmas, Hoda decorated her deep window sills with ornaments and stockings as her daughters helped to hand tinsel from the window Hoda's living room features a cream colored sofa, a large TV on the wall and plenty of framed photographs There's also a huge built in mirror next to the kitchen and gray carpets in the hallway Hoda hasn't shared too many snaps from inside her kitchen, but the modest space can be seen in the background of an adorable photo of mom Sameha cuddling Haley and Hope. As well as sleek silver and Perspex bar stools, she also has a large stainless steel bin and several appliances on the counter top - as well as a busy-looking calendar hanging on the wall alongside various drawings created by her children. Back in 2016, Hoda admitted that her apartment wasn't exactly organized and said: 'I'm in my apartment looking at my kitchen, and it's revealing. 'Every cabinet door is open and has been since the last time I needed something inside. In this drawer, two old BlackBerry phones, a turkey baster, an old checkbook. Is that a driver's license? Yes - expired in 2013. 'I could win Let's Make a Deal with this drawer. I think I'm just wired to be disorganized,' she joked. In a recent Easter video posted on Instagram on March 31, Hoda gave her followers a glimpse of just how messy her home can get as she shared footage of her circular glass dining table and matching chairs, which was covered in colorful toys and accessories. The girls have their own multi-colored seat covers for the adult chairs and also have their own miniature table and chairs, which is positioned just in front of their huge indoor trampoline. Hoda's living room looked rather different in this selfie she took with her Today co-host Dylan Dreyer a few years ago Hoda has admitted that she is 'disorganized' and at Easter she gave fans a glimpse at her messy glass dining table In one sweet Instagram pic, Hoda's daughter admired the Manhattan sunset from one of the apartment's huge windows This is also the space where Hoda chose to put her Christmas tree, and last year, she shared an adorable photo of her girls standing on the window sills as they helped her decorate the windows with tinsel. In terms of other greenery in her space, the TV host has one particularly large plant, as well as a few small ones, positioned by the window in her living room - close to her cream colored sofa, which sits in front of a large flat screen TV and is flanked by a wall covered in framed black and white photographs. Hoda is clearly a fan of framed photos and has many on her window sill in front of the dining table with one sweet family snap which includes ex-fiance Joel Schiffman, who used to live in the apartment, taking pride of place on the wall between the kitchen and living room. Wooden floors add to the neutral decor of the apartment, but Hoda has a large cream rug under the sofa as well as gray carpets in her hallway. The mother-of-two appears to have plenty of closet space in her living room with built in storage as well as a shoe rack next to a full-length mirror - which is to the left of a sliding door, which may well lead to a bathroom. Hoda doesn't really share snaps online taken in any of the bedrooms in her Manhattan apartment, but she did recently reveal on an episode of her podcast, Making Space with Hoda Kotb, that she is moving because her daughters are going to be attending a new school. The TV star didn't divulge where her new home would be, but no doubt she'll be staying in Manhattan in order to be able to juggle motherhood with her busy career at Today. The grandson of Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan lived a good life. He had a nice home, a car, a job as a carpenter and a beautiful girlfriend whom he hoped to marry. But within a few years, Jake Paul Hogan's life spiralled out of control and the 34-year-old became a homeless drug addict, sleeping in abandoned buildings and stealing clothes and bicycles to sell. He lost his friends and became estranged from his family, and would cycle around for hours each day high on ice and making tearful phone calls to the few people who hadn't abandoned him. A former acquaintance of Jake - the son of Todd Hogan, grandson of Paul and Noelene Hogan, and the brother of Network Seven TV reporter Mylee Hogan - has opened up about his descent as he is jailed. The source, who requested anonymity, revealed that Jake was traumatised from a tragedy in his immediate family that occurred long before he was jailed for breaking into apartment blocks to fuel his drug habit and menacing an acquaintance. Jake Paul Hogan (left), the grandson of Hollywood star Paul Hogan, had a normal life, a job, car and home until it spiralled out of control due to methamphetamine Jake Hogan hoped to marry and have kids with his former partner Rachel Young, but when his dreams didn't come true he was haunted by the tragedy of losing his mother as a teen Jake as a boy with his mother Marie and dad Todd in about 1990. Tragedy struck the family with Marie being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and dying from the disease in 2006 Instead of working in his chosen trade, Sydney courts have heard how Hogan carried around housebreaking instruments and loitered around swanky apartment blocks looking for opportunities to steal. 'He is actually a good person with a very kind personality and a supportive family,' the acquaintance said. 'But he is so upset about his mum dying. It happened she he was 14 or 15, but he never got over it because he never processed it properly. 'When he met Rachel, he thought she was the one and that they would have kids and a family.' But the relationship ended and that 'destroyed his dreams of having a family and and then brought up all sorts of past trauma'. 'He was just shattered. He lost all of his friends and [became] isolated from his family. 'He was stealing clothes from shops and bikes, loitering is because he was homeless. 'He used to break into a swimming pool room and sleep in one of hose buildings in Pyrmont. 'Jake isn't a bad person but he has completely lost his way. He has never got over his mum dying. So he has real abandonment issues.' Jake is the grandson of Hollywood celebrity Paul Hogan whose break-out role as Mick 'Crocodile' Dundee (above) won him a Golden Globe award and earned him millions Jake Hogan with Rachel Young, who had plans to marry and have children, but he became a homeless drug addict and police say he began stealing to support his ice habit In 2006, Jake's famous grandfather, who was living in Los Angeles with his second wife Linda Kozlowski and their young son Chance, made news by jetting back to Sydney. The then 67-year-old was coming home to attend the funeral of his daughter in-law, Marie Hogan, who had just died from multiple sclerosis. Jake's mother had suffered a 'very sad' decline in the weeks leading up to her death from the disease that she had endured during his childhood. She succumbed to it when he was aged 17. Marie Hogan's widower, Todd, eventually remarried, to registered nurse Jane, and the couple now live in New Zealand. Jake Hogan remained in Sydney and appeared to lead a normal and largely blameless life until he began a relationship with a young mother called Rachel Young. Hogan had some substance abuse issues, but when his relationship broke down and his hopes of having his own family disappeared he 'became seriously addicted to drugs that just completely took over his life'. Facing the music Currently in prison - believed to be Silverwater jail - Hogan is awaiting sentencing next month for breaking into apartment blocks 'to fuel his high-level drug habit' and for breaching an apprehended violence order against a woman he terrorised. Paul Hogan, above with his second wife Linda Kozlowski in 2013, before their divorce the following year Jake Paul Hogan was a teenager when his beloved mother Marie tragically died from multiple sclerosis after a long illness which ended her life in 2006 Jake Hogan is 'a good person with a very kind and good personality and a supportive family', but ice addiction and homelessness made him a desperate man Hogan was caught on what police described as 'high quality CCTV' breaking into different luxury apartment blocks after 'blatantly loitering' outside. According to a police statement of facts, Hogan could plainly be seen breaking into an apartment block in the inner Sydney suburb of Pyrmont, dressed in a black muscle T-shirt with 'Los Angeles' in gold lettering, shorts and white New Balance sneakers. On another occasion he was wearing a black 'L'HISTOIRE' singlet and black shorts to break into a block in nearby Waterloo. Police later found him carrying Trojan brand wire cutters, a black torch, Allen keys and an adjustable wrench. Hogan also breached an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order five days after it was taken out by a woman, texting her the word 'DOG' while she was in the Prince of Wales Hospital. The woman then received a further 42 calls from different payphones over four hours while in her hospital bed with him either 'crying on the phone... or becoming very angry and yelling'. The police facts detail Hogan's high numbers of arrests and breaches and prior charges including custody of a knife in a public place, malicious damage, drug possession, shoplifting, and possessing stolen goods. Hogan's former partner Ms Young also has an AVO out against him. He has been arrested and charged multiple times, but always granted bail, one friend claimed 'because his grandfather is a celebrity'. Hogan was finally taken into custody and refused bail after being caught shoplifting at Coles and Myer in Sydney's CBD. He was arrested on February 5 after a staff member spotted him stealing two Dare Iced Coffees at Coles World Square. Hogan claimed to the worker he was homeless and had no money, later saying to police he had not eaten in days. He told police he paid $380 weekly rent, and earned $500 weekly from carpentry work and $500 in Centrelink benefits. He is due to be sentenced in the Downing Centre Local Court via AVL from prison in early May. Tori Spelling has completely reinvented her personal style since her split from husband Dean McDermott last year. The actress, 50, once favored designer dresses and floral prints, but has now ditched her signature ladylike style for an edgy Y2K skater girl look. Gone are the fancy frocks and frills, with Spelling now strutting her stuff in tiny crop tops with low-slung skate pants. The self-confessed shopaholic is also a fan of cargo pants, which she often pairs with Converse sneakers. Instead of labels like Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci, Spelling is now into brands like the youthful Dolls Kill, which specializes in punk inspired fashion and festival wear. Tori Spelling has completely reinvented her personal style since her split from husband Dean McDermott by turning herself into a rebellious skater girl The actress, 50, once favored designer dresses and floral prints, but has now ditched her signature ladylike style for an edgier Y2K look Instead of labels like Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci, Spelling is now a fan of brands like the youthful Dolls Kill, which specializes in punk inspired fashion and festival wear She had no qualms about flaunting her rebellious style makeover at the iHeartRadio Awards earlier this month. Strutting her stuff on the red carpet, Spelling rocked plaid pants and a plunging black midriff top that showcased her cleavage and toned abs. Her new look hasn't gone unnoticed by her followers, who have been divided by the mother-of-five's extreme style transformation. 'Every time I see you I am trying to understand why you dress like skater girl who is 17. I wish women would dress like their age. Be proud of being that age!' snapped one fan. 'Do you and your kids shop at the same store?' wrote another. One added, 'You're a beautiful woman. Not a teenager, this look is not for you. Maybe your beautiful teen daughter could rock this.' 'I think a more sophisticated look would be more appropriate for your age and status,' another commented. Gone are the fancy frocks and frills, with Spelling now strutting her stuff in tiny crop tops with low-slung skate pants Tori rocked a long printed dress with a matching blue sweater while posing with Jeff Lewis Tori's new look hasn't gone unnoticed by her followers, who have been divided by the mother-of-five's extreme style transformation Some fans have accused Tori of trying to emulate her teenage daughter Stella (pictured) Despite the backlash, Spelling also received a series of compliments for her loyal fans. 'You look absolutely amazing and beautiful,' gushed one. 'Tori looks great! For all the people saying negative things please stop tearing down this beautiful woman. Dont be so quick to judge. She looks great and its time we start building women up instead of tearing them down!' stated another. This comes after Spelling broke her silence after filing for divorce from husband McDermott on her new podcast - and revealed she broke the devastating news to him midway through recording. The MISSPELLING host spoke about the negative thoughts running through her head March 29. The star called Dean while recording her podcast, with fans hearing the star speaking on the phone to her former beau and and announcing her decision to file for divorce. She added that the filing was a formality and added that she was annoyed he had publicly spoken about their divorce - before bizarrely signing off the call with 'love you.' Elsewhere on the podcast, the star said: 'I've never felt more alone.' 'I dont feel worth loving. Thats the truth. And thats something thats just in you, its not something I wanted or created,' she said, revealing that she'd experienced those feelings for a long time. 'That starts when youre young. [And changing it], that's not easy to do.... I don't know if you can.' 'I think a more sophisticated look would be more appropriate for your age and status,' another commented The 50-year-old dressed like the typical doting wife during her marriage to Dean 'Every time I see you I am trying to understand why you dress like skater girl who is 17,' wrote one of Tori's disgruntled followers The former Beverly Hills 90210 star then called her estranged husband and left a message, letting him know that she had begun the procedure to dissolve their union. 'Theres this weird thing that I didnt know about before that you have to be careful with your ex. Its a he-said, she-said, who filed first,' she explained. 'I had to file and go through the process and then once it was accepted and publicly posted, then Im allowed to call and fill in my ex. So I just called Dean,' the Scary Movie 2 alum explained. 'Hes working and I have to tell him and Im super nervous because I dont like confrontation.' Spelling went on to say she wished she had taken the steps toward divorce for 'like... 15 years.' 'We always say, "Hey, it made it 18 years." It shouldnt have made it 18 years,' the High School Crimes and Misdemeanors star contended, revealing she had stayed to protect McDermott and her children. 'And I think he would say the same thing if he and I had a real heart-to-heart. It would have been over a lot sooner.' Tori seems to have shaken off her married style and revamped her wardrobe following her split from Dean Tori had no qualms about flaunting her edgy fashion makeover at the iHeartRadio Awards earlier this month as she posed with rapper Flavor Flav Tori used to dress more elegantly when out with Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Jennie Garth (left), but has now opted for more daring ensembles The couple met on the set of the TV movie Mind Over Murder in 2005. There was an instant connection, although both were already married. 'We had this very, quick, passionate falling in love period,' the actress said, describing it as a 'fast and furious romance.' She praised McDermott for letting her be herself. 'I just remember I could show him me.' Continuing, she explained, 'It wasnt like, the cute like, giggly, "this is what people want me to be." I was able to be like, loud and like ugh, body-type of Tori. I could have like, I could have a foul mouth,' she claimed. 'I'm not just Donna Martin, the perfect good girl. I could have some bad girl in me and it was okay. And he liked all those sides and he liked how smart I was and accepted me.' The pair wed in May 2006 and welcomed son Liam in 2007. Their family quickly grew and the former couple became parents to Stella, 15, Hattie, 12, Finn, 11 and Beau, seven. Spelling was sure to dress the part of the perfect wife and mother during her marriage to Dean Her matronly florals have been dumped for low-slung pants and sheer tops that showcase her taut and busty upper body Tori strikes a punk rock pose in a pair of skater pants and a Calvin Klein crop top 'Honestly, our relationship was never the same after we started having kids,' the single mom said 'We always said, "We wont be those parents that change. Well make sure we make our relationship a priority, the two of us. We have date nights." And everything went out the window. I became completely focused on the kids and kind of left him, in a way.' While focusing on parenthood, the Izzy's Way Home star said 'Our relationship definitely changed where I really felt like I was in this alone with the kids.' 'And he was there, but he was an extra set of hands. He put the car seat in because I didnt know how to do it and things like that. Emotionally, I was it. Like, "Tag, youre it." I was the parent.' The couple began supporting themselves via a series of reality shows that began with Tori & Dean: Inn Love in 2007 in which they operated a bed and breakfast . The star said, 'It was a lot of responsibility while also rebuilding a career which I did. We became a family brand. I went from Hollywood rich girl... to like, cool mom. "Look at her. She does it all." Meanwhile, behind the scenes, it was all falling apart.' To live up to the image they had created for the world to see, Spelling said she 'created the character of Dean,' to turn him into 'all those Prince Charmings I wanted when I was young.' 'He had a lot of those qualities. But you know We did our reality show and the first one was like, "Fun, fun." So any bad stuff that would happen or fights or anything, they would edit,' she said of the process to protect the brand. 'Women everywhere, I would hear, "I wish I had a Dean." And I was like, "If you only knew"' The '90s icon shocked her longtime fans by posing naked to promote her new podcast The mother-of-five has been dishing all the details of her split from Dean on her new podcast The couple did try therapy, but Spelling said they were focused on different issues. She said McDermott was concerned with her sloppiness, and how she didn't clean up after the family pets. 'Im really good at taking blame so that someone can start to feel like they can open up. So yeah, I would say, "I do this, and I do that." Hoping he would be like, "Yeah, and I do this." But instead it was more focused on, "The dog s-- all over the house. She has too many animals. Shes a hoarder. Shes messy." And Im like, "Yup, yup, yup. Thats me,"' McDermott, who entered rehab in summer 2023 for his drinking, told Daily Mail he would often go into alcohol fueled rages that would 'petrify' his family. 'Alcohol made me feel good enough. I started feeling good enough until it got to a point where it didn't it ended up in isolation. 'It ended up with me drinking a fifth of tequila every night, seven days a week, and a handful of narcos [prescription meds] by myself with a beautiful family in the other room. 'That's what it led to and that's what led to the brokenness and to what happened between me and Tori,' he said. The former actor is now working as an alcohol and addiction counselor. Celebrity chef Khanh Ong has shared his genius 'hot tip' for foodies and frequent flyers. The 30-year-old former MasterChef Australia star, who was eliminated from I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! on Tuesday, took to Instagram on Saturday to advise on the best dish to order on a plane. Posting a selfie video to his stories, Khanh told followers that a hamburger was the top choice for the most satisfying meal. 'Hot tip if you get to order a burger on a plane it's usually 10x better than any of the mains,' he captioned the clip. The chef also noted that Channel Ten 'footed the bill' for his flight home from the South African jungle. Celebrity chef Khanh Ong has shared a 'hot tip' for foodies and frequent flyers. He told his social media followers that a hamburger was the best thing to order off the menu on a plane. Pictured: The MasterChef star in a scene from his selfie In the clip, Khanh chowed down a massive burger and a side order of thick-cut fries were also seen on his plate. The talented chef made his exit from the jungle on Tuesday's episode of Channel Ten's hit survival series. His distraught campmates farewelled him as they worried aloud about how they would cope with the cooking after relying on his culinary talents. In his exit interview, Khanh said that he enjoyed flexing his creative muscles in the camp kitchen. He made the clip on his flight back to Australia after being voted off I'm a Celebrity ...Get Me Out of Here last week. The talented chef made his exit from the jungle on Tuesday's episode of Channel 10's hit survival series. 'Most of the meals were driven by whatever ingredients I got. How I made the most flavour with minimum ingredients or charring things to make more flavour' he said. 'A lot of people helped. Every night I had a sous chef. Everyone was happy for me to do it because it is my happy place.' As to who will take over the cooking, after the campmates complained they would 'starve' without him, the cook had some ideas. 'Ellie is really good. Stephen is a amazing as well. I reckon Skye will ask to do it and freak out the entire time' he laughed. Khanh was playing for his charity Minus18, who have a mission to support queer youth. Khanh was playing for his charity Minus18, who have a mission to support queer youth. Fan favourites Ellie and Brittany were also booted from the jungle this week. 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. 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. Daisy Ridley cut a trendy figure as she attended the London Screening of Sometimes I Think About Dying at Picturehouse Central on Friday night. The actress, 31, showcased her incredible figure as she wowed in a trendy power suit co-ord with silver patterns emblazoned on her chest. The star put on a leggy display in some tailored shorts, which she paired with the V-neck blazer and chunky black trainers. Pinning her brunette locks back with a black ribbon, Daisy accessorised her look with some elaborate silver earrings which covered the full length of her ear. Daisy, who plays socially awkward Fran in the film, was also joined by the director Rachel Lambert as they posed for snaps together. Daisy Ridley rocked a stylish power suit as she attended the London Screening of Sometimes I Think About Dying at Picturehouse Central on Friday night The actress, 31, showcased her incredible figure as she wowed in the trendy co-ord with silver patterns emblazoned on her chest Sometimes I Think About Dying follows lonely and socially awkward woman Fran (Daisy) who tries to make a connection with a friendly new co-worker who takes her out on a date. Also starring in the film are Parvesh Cheena, Marcia DeBonis, Meg Stalter, and Brittany O'Grady. It is based on the 2013 play, Killers by Armento, and a short film was released in 2019, directed and co-written by Horowitz. The synopsis reads: 'Fran is a socially awkward office worker who spends most of her time in isolation and daydreams of her own death, when a new colleague pricks the bubble of her own isolation.' After attending the screening, which also featured a Q&A from Daisy and Rachel, the star took to her Instagram Story as she thanked fans for joining. Last month Daisy was seen jetting out of Perth Airport with her husband Tom Bateman after finishing filming her new thriller movie in Albany. She had been shooting scenes for upcoming zombie movie We Bury The Dead in Western Australia amid five weeks of busy production. We Bury The Dead follows Ava (Daisy), a desperate woman who is trying to find her missing husband in the aftermath of a catastrophic military experiment. The star put on a leggy display in some tailored shorts, which she paired with the V-neck blazer and chunky black trainers Pinning her brunette locks back with a black ribbon, Daisy accessorised her look with some elaborate silver earrings which covered the full length of her ear Daisy, who plays socially awkward Fran in the film, was also joined by the director Rachel Lambert as they posed for snaps together Sometimes I Think About Dying follows lonely and socially awkward woman Fran (Daisy) who tries to make a connection with a friendly new co-worker who takes her out on a date Her shoes were certainly a bold fashion statement as they tied the outfit together After attending the screening, which also featured a Q&A from Daisy and Rachel, the star took to her Instagram Story as she thanked fans for joining According to reports, Ava joins a 'body retrieval unit' in the hopes of finding him alive, but her search takes a terrifying turn when corpses start showing signs of life. A release date has not yet been confirmed for the drama-packed survival movie. Amid her busy filming schedule, Daisy also recently worked with her husband Tom on her new movie Magpie. She gave an insight into what it was like working with her husband on the movie, which was written by Tom and was released on March 9. Speaking to the Radio Times, Daisy - who plays Anette in the film - said: 'I found that process wonderful, because our tastes align on basically everything. 'I think he's a brilliant writer and we were so clear about what it is that we wanted to make. And we've achieved that.' Magpie is a contemporary noir thriller, which follows a couple who lives are thrown into disarray when their daughter is cast alongside a controversial major star. Daisy and Tom, who keep their relationship tightly under wraps, confirmed their marriage in January after years of speculation. The couple have been dating since 2017 and first sparked engagement rumours when Tom was spotted with a ring on his wedding finger back in 2019. Hours after Taylor Swift's latest album dropped, all eyes are on her ex Joe Alwyn. With apparent references to their six-year relationship featured throughout The Tortured Poets Department, a source told People that the British actor, 33, wanted to keep their romance 'his own personal story.' Although the news 'took a lot of people by surprise' in Alwyn's life, he 'wasnt showing off in some way.' Swift, 34, dated Alwyn from 2017 to 2023, during which the 14-time Grammy Award winner mostly retreated from the spotlight. They won a Grammy together for Album of the Year in 2021 after he co-wrote and co-produced several tracks on Folklore under the pseudonym William Bowery. A source told People that Joe Alwyn wanted to keep his romance with Taylor Swift 'his own personal story' The quote comes after Swift included apparent references to their six-year relationship featured throughout her new album The Tortured Poets Department The pair was also nominated for the same award a year later for Evermore. Meanwhile, the Boy Erased actor refused to publicly discuss their relationship. 'People on the street wouldn't tell strangers about their personal lives, so why should I?' he said before they split last year. In 2022, Alwyn told Harper's Bazaar that he 'can understand' the interest in their relationship, 'but I dont see why these questions should always be answered.' 'I completely expect people to ask those questions [about their, if I'm putting work into the world, of course people are going to ask about that,' he added. He flat-out told the outlet he 'wouldn't say' whether or not they had decided to get engaged amid speculation at the time. On Swift's new track 'So Long, London', she appeared to reference their relationship with the lyrics, 'I stopped trying to make him laugh / Stopped trying to drill the safe.' 'And I'm pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free,' sings Swift. She also appeared to hint that Alwyn cheated on her in the song 'Fresh Out the Slammer'. Although the news of their romance 'took a lot of people by surprise' in Alwyn's life, the source said he 'wasnt showing off in some way' Swift, 34, dated Alwyn from 2017 to 2023, during which the 14-time Grammy Award winner mostly retreated from the spotlight Meanwhile, the Boy Erased actor refused to publicly discuss their relationship 'Another summer taking cover / Rolling thunder, he don't understand me / Splintered back in winter / Silent dinner, bitter he was with her in dreams,' she sings. In a teaser she shared Thursday for the music video of lead single 'Fortnight', Swift also appears to channel her bridal look from this year's Grammy Awards. Swifties speculated that the original dress was a reference targeted at Alwyn, who reportedly 'refused to marry' her. After TPD dropped on Thursday night, Swift shared a statement about letting go of the 'sensational and sorrowful' time that inspired the album. 'This period of the author's life is now over, the chapter closed and boarded up,' she wrote. 'There is nothing to avenge, no scores to settle once wounds have healed. In a teaser she shared Thursday for the music video of lead single ' Fortnight ', Swift also appears to channel her bridal look from this year's Grammy Awards Swifties speculated that the original dress was a reference targeted at Alwyn, who reportedly ' refused to marry ' her 'And upon further reflection, a good number of them turned out to be self-inflicted,' added Swift. 'This writer is of the firm belief that our tears become holy in the form of ink on a page. Once we have spoken our saddest story, we can be free of it. And then all that's left behind is the tortured poetry.' The Tortured Poets Department is now available for streaming and download, and the 'Fortnight' video drops Friday at 8pm ET. Three seasons after reopening the case, CBS is going cold on CSI: Vegas. The network announced the end of the crime procedural revival on Friday, in addition to the cancelation of So Help Me Todd after its sophomore season, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ran for 15 seasons from 2000 to 2015. CBS announced in 2021 that original stars William Petersen, Jorja Fox and Wallace Langham would reprise their roles for a new series. Petersen, 71, and Fox, 55, subsequently announced their departures ahead of season two, although the former stayed on as an executive producer. CSI announced the end of CSI: Vegas after three seasons on Friday, along with the cancelation of So Help Me Todd The network announced in 2021 that original stars William Petersen , Jorja Fox and Wallace Langham would reprise their roles for a new series The Golden Globe nominee was previously rushed to the hospital for exhaustion while filming the show's first season. Marg Helgenberger joined the revival in season two, returning to her character as Catherine Willows from the original. CSI: Vegas stars Paula Newsome as Max Roby, the new head of the Las Vegas Crime Lab, where the original was set. She brings on familiar faces Gil Grissom (Petersen) and Sara Sidle (Fox) to help on a case involving their former colleague David Hodges (Langham). So Help Me Todd stars Skylar Astin as Todd, a struggling private investigator who reluctantly takes a job working for his successful attorney mom Margaret's (Marcia Gay Harden) law firm. The cancelations come after CBS previously announced that Young Sheldon would end after seven seasons. The network also cancelled Bob Hearts Abishola after five seasons. CSI: Vegas stars Paula Newsome as Max Roby, the new head of the Las Vegas Crime Lab, where the original was set So Help Me Todd stars Skylar Astin as Todd, a struggling private investigator who reluctantly takes a job working for his successful attorney mom Margaret's ( Marcia Gay Harden ) law firm The cancelations come after CBS previously announced that Young Sheldon would end after seven seasons Meanwhile, CBS has renewed 11 scripted shows for the 2024-2025 season, in addition to announcing three new series. NCIS: Origins will follow a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, who is played by Mark Harmon on the long-running parent series that debuted in 2003. Morris Chestnut will star in the medical drama Watson as Sherlock Holmes' titular assistant, following the doctor a year after the death of his friend and partner. Additionally, the Matlock reboot starring Kathy Bates is set to finally premiere after it was pushed from the 2023 season amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Michelle Keegan's career has reached new heights as her Netflix show Fool Me Once has been viewed nearlty 100million times around the world. The actress, 36, stars alongside Joanna Lumley in the thriller, which is an adaptation of Harlan Coben's novel, and shot to the top of the Netflix charts in January. Netflix revealed on Friday that the show is their biggest UK hit of 2024 so far. According to The Sun, the streamer issued a report to its shareholders boasting about the success of the show. A source said: 'Netflix is thrilled by the response to Fool Me Once and the appreciation of the drama's leading lady. Michelle Keegan's career has reached new heights as her Netflix show Fool Me Once has been viewed nearlty 100million times around the world The actress, 36, stars alongside Joanna Lumley in the thriller, which is an adaptation of Harlan Coben's novel, and shot to the top of the Netflix charts in January 'They now see Michelle as a rising star in the Netflix firmament, and will be hoping she can attract the same viewing figures for her future projects.' Following the success, it has now been reported that the streaming platform is keen to secure Michelle for a number of other projects. The offer could help the former Coronation Street star crack America, and also bag a massive paycheck. An insider said: 'Shes proved you dont have to be the stereotypical plum-voiced leading lady to appeal to an international audience. 'Michelle offers something different, but with all the charm, glamour and sex appeal that makes her one of Britains most exciting acting exports. America is seen as a market where they believe she could make the greatest impact.' The insider added: 'With so many rival streamers eyeing Michelle up now, its a no-brainer for Netflix to sign her. But theyre likely to have to offer her a six-figure sum to keep her for multiple projects.' It comes after MailOnline revealed last week that Michelle has become the talk of Hollywood after catching the eye of movie bigwigs in Fool Me Once. She's been inundated with movie scripts and proposals for potential new roles as film chiefs fight it out to make Michelle the latest Brit actress to conquer the big screen. Netflix revealed on Friday that the show is their biggest UK hit of 2024 so far A source said: 'Netflix is thrilled by the response to Fool Me Once and the appreciation of the drama's leading lady' A source said: 'The response to Fool Me Once has been overwhelming. The phone calls and offers have been coming in from Hollywood film executives, it's different to anything Michelle has experienced before. 'Netflix is a global platform and the show has given her the opportunity to shine. Her career has already been a success but now her star is rising, everyone can feel that this is the beginning of something special. 'Michelle feels lucky that she's always played likeable characters but now she's hoping to take it up a notch by landing a film role. 'She aspires to play a dark character in a hard-hitting thriller, which will be a challenge that she's completely ready for.' Michelle shot to fame on Corrie as feisty Tina McIntyre back in 2008, starring on the soap for six years and in almost 900 episodes. She went on to win main roles in BBC TV dramas Our Girl and Ten Pound Poms, plus Sky comedy Brassic. He's known for his love of all animals great and small. And now, Robert Irwin has come to the rescue for a tiny mouse that was drowning in a hotel swimming pool in South Africa. In a heartwarming video shared to his social media account on Saturday, the 20-year-old wildlife warrior pulled the little creature to safety after it was struggling to keep its head above water in the pool. He appeared to perform his mission of mercy during a break from his duties co-hosting I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in the jungle. In the clip, Robert made a small makeshift habitat for the mouse, which was no bigger than a thumb, and found food for it to eat. Robert Irwin has shared a heartwarming video in which the Wildlife Warrior can be seen coming to the rescue of a tiny mouse after he found it drowning in a swimming pool. Pictured: Robert and the lucky mouse He also admitted he did not know what the animal was at first. 'He [the mouse] was definitely exhausted and waterlogged and he definitely needed a helping hand to get back on his feet,' Robert told his followers. He also revealed that his niece Grace has named the mouse Pegasus. Loading the clip to his Instagram on Saturday, Robert can be seen plucking the minute animal from the water. The fan favourite performed his mission of mercy during a break from his duties hosting I'm A Celebrity ...Get Me Out of Here in South Africa. Robert's comments on his post were filled with gushing words from fans congratulating the conservationist on his rescue effort. 'Love little Pegasus, Robert you have a kind and beautiful heart,' wrote Robert's folks back home at Australia Zoo. 'That mouse won the lottery having an Irwin notice struggling in a pool,' messaged another follower. Fan were impressed with Robert's rescue effort In the clip Robert can be seen making a little habitat for the mouse, which is no bigger than a thumb, and finding it food to eat. Meanwhile, one South African fan offered up some local knowledge. 'He's what we call a jumping field mouse,' they explained. 'Oh for the love of everything good, that is the sweetest thing I have seen in a long time,' commented another fan about Robert's heroic act. Robert is currently abroad to co-host Channel 10's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! alongside comedian Julia Morris. I'm A Celebrity Australia continues on Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel 10. Sarah Roberts has announced her divorce from husband James Stewart after five years of marriage. The actress and DJ, 39, revealed the sad news in an interview with Stellar magazine, which hits newsstands on Sunday. 'I just want to say that I am divorced,' she told the publication. 'Sometimes people grow apart and that's okay... I got to a point where I realised I couldn't grow in the way I wanted to within this particular relationship.' Roberts and Stewart, 48, married in 2019 after getting engaged in November 2018. Stewart proposed at the restaurant where they'd had their first date a year earlier. Sarah Roberts has announced her divorce from James Stewart after five years together The pair tied the knot at Luttrellstown Castle, on the outskirts of Dublin, in July 2019. Roberts' revelation comes after years of speculation the couple had split. Rumours surfaced after Stewart was absent at the premiere of her film Wog Boys Forever in Melbourne back in October 2022. As reported by The Daily Telegraph, he was 'nowhere to be seen on the red carpet' and was apparently no longer following his wife's Instagram account. At the time, Roberts' agent denied they had broken up. The actress, 39, revealed the shock news over the weekend in an emotion interview with Stellar magazine. 'I just want to say that I am divorced,' she told the magazine The pair tied the knot at Luttrellstown Castle, on the outskirts of Dublin, in July 2019 Stewart proposed at the restaurant where they'd had their first date the previous year The pair later put rumours to rest when Roberts proudly flashed her wedding ring at the AACTA Awards in December that year. Speaking with Now To Love, she also shot down persistent rumours she and James had split. 'We're happy,' she told the publication. Sarah told the publication Stewart was romantic as ever, even picking her up from the airport with a bouquet of flowers following her trip to Italy. Rumours surfaced after Stewart was absent at the premiere of her film Wog Boys Forever in Melbourne back in October 2022 Roberts starred on Home and Away from 2017 to 2021, before walking away to focus on her film career. Stewart is still currently starring on the Australian soap, where he plays Justin Morgan. The actor shares daughter Scout, 11, with his ex-fiancee Jessica Marais, whom he met on the set of Packed to the Rafters in 2009. They had announced their engagement in October 2010, and welcomed Scout in May 2012. In 2015, the pair called it quits, with Stewart later saying: 'Our relationship didn't work out because I think hearts go in different directions eventually.' Mila Kunis made her first red carpet appearance since the Danny Masterson controversy at Family Guy's 25th Anniversary Celebration during PaleyFest in L.A. on Friday. The Black Swan actress, 40 - who recently enjoyed a casual outing in Bel-Air - joined her fellow co-stars at the Dolby Theatre where the event was held, such as Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein and Seth Green. Last year in September, it was discovered that Kunis and husband, Ashton Kutcher, had written letters defending convicted rapist, Danny Masterson - resulting in the couple receiving backlash. Mila has now stepped onto her first red carpet following the scandal, and donned a black and white, polka dot blouse that was partially unfastened around the collar. She additionally wore a pair of black, high-waisted trousers and slipped into a pair of closed-toed, black heels. Mila Kunis, 40, made her first red carpet appearance since the Danny Masterson controversy at Family Guy's 25th Anniversary Celebration during PaleyFest in L.A. on Friday The actress has now stepped onto her first red carpet following the scandal, and donned a black and white, polka dot blouse that was partially unfastened around the collar Her brunette locks were parted in the middle, and effortlessly flowed down past her shoulders in light curls. Kunis accessorized her look with a pair of dainty, gold earrings as well as gold bracelet on her left wrist. The star's makeup was glammed up, and comprised of voluminous lashes as well as a shimmering, brown shadow around her eyes. A warm blush was added to better accentuate her cheekbones, while a nude-colored, glossy tint was worn on her lips. Mila - who notably has voiced the character of Meg Griffin since 1999 - flashed a cheerful smile as she struck a variety of poses upon arriving to the venue. The mother-of-two has previously reflected on the role while talking to Collider in 2021. 'I hope this never ends. I don't know what to say. I'm so grateful for this job. I can't believe people still care.' 'It's been the greatest job ever. Ever. Hands down. I dare anybody to tell me that they have a better, more amazing job than that,' she later added to the outlet. Last year in May, the actress's That '70s Show co-star was convicted of raping two women in the early 2000s and sentenced to at least 30 years in prison. She additionally wore a pair of black, high-waisted trousers and slipped into a pair of closed-toed, black heels Kunis accessorized her look with a pair of dainty, gold earrings as well as gold bracelet on her left wrist The star's makeup was glammed up, and comprised of voluminous lashes as well as shimmering, brown shadow around her eyes Last year in May, the actress's That '70s Show co-star was convicted of raping two women in the early 2000s and sentenced to at least 30 years in prison; Danny Masterson seen above in December 2023 It was uncovered in September that Mila and Ashton had penned letters to the judge on Masterson's behalf begging for 'leniency' after the trial It was uncovered in September that Mila and Ashton had penned letters to the judge on Masterson's behalf begging for 'leniency' after the trial. In response to the backlash, the couple issued a poorly-received video apology and Ashton stepped down as chair of his anti-sex trafficking organization Thorn. Five months after the controversy, Kutcher made his first public appearance in February at the star-studded Chase Bank function in Miami. Following the Danny Masterson backlash, insiders claimed Mila and Ashton were worried that the 'damage of it all' could be detrimental to their careers. The couple reportedly chose to stay out of the spotlight for the last several months in the hopes that people would 'forget' about the ordeal. The situation also saw their own relationship called into question, with many highlighting that Mila was only 14-years-old when she was cast in That 70's Show, alongside a then-19-year-old Ashton. Ashton and Mila tied the knot in 2015 and share two children: daughter Wyatt, nine, and son Dimitri, seven. It was revealed earlier this year that Masterson has been moved to a maximum-security facility that was the longtime holding place of Charles Manson. Other celebrities were also in attendance during the festivities at PaleyFest LA 2024 - which is slated to come to an end on Saturday, April 20 Borstein is known for voicing the character of Lois Griffin in the successful, animated series Alex was accompanied by her father, Irv Borstein, who sported a plain black shirt as well as dark gray trousers Jennifer Tilly - who portrays the character of Bonnie Swanson - was radiant in a vibrant, purple dress that had a V-neck cut on the front A red belt was wrapped around her waist and tied into a red bow. For a bit of contrast, the sleeves were made of a sheer, black fabric Other celebrities were also in attendance during the festivities at PaleyFest LA 2024 - which is slated to come to an end on Saturday, April 20. Alex Borstein - who plays the role of Lois Griffin - showed off her edgy side wearing a black, leather miniskirt as well as a black blouse that had glittering, rhinestone details on the arm cuffs. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actress also donned a pair of fishnet tights as well as fashionable, black platform heels. Her hair was parted to the side, and fell down in bouncy curls to nearly brush the tips of her shoulders. Alex was accompanied by her father, Irv Borstein, who sported a plain black shirt as well as dark gray trousers. For a finishing touch, the PhD-level mental health professional added a light gray blazer on top. Jennifer Tilly - who portrays the character of Bonnie Swanson - was radiant in a vibrant, purple dress that had a V-neck cut on the front. A red belt was wrapped around her waist and tied into a red bow. For a bit of contrast, the sleeves were made of a sheer, black fabric. Tilly easily carried a small, burgundy purse in her hand to hold a few items she needed during the big night Her short locks were parted to the side, and brushed past her shoulders in elegant curls to complete her glammed up look Jennifer voices the character of Bonnie Swanson who lives next door to Peter Griffin and is the wife of Joe Swanson Seth Green was also seen on the red carpet and opted for a pair of black pants as well as a matching blazer Green is known for voicing the character of Chris Griffin on the Family Guy series The Buffy The Vampire Slayer alum crossed paths with Mila Kunis and the pair happily paused for memorable snaps together In another image, Mila was seen resting her hands on Seth's shoulders as he dramatically glanced away from the camera The star slipped into a pair of closed-toed, black heels that were secured with thin, black straps. Tilly easily carried a small, burgundy purse in her hand to hold a few items she needed during the big night. Her short locks were parted to the side, and brushed past her shoulders in elegant curls to complete her glammed up look. Seth Green - who voices Chris Griffin - was also seen on the red carpet and opted for a pair of black pants as well as a matching blazer. He added a black and white-printed shirt underneath while slipping into a pair of blue sneakers that were secured with red laces. The Buffy The Vampire Slayer alum crossed paths with Mila Kunis and the pair happily paused for memorable snaps together. The duo - who play siblings on the show - had a blast by showing off funny poses, such as standing with their backs facing each other while crossing their arms. Seth MacFarlane was dressed to impress wearing a pair of black pants as well as a plain black shirt. Green added a black and white-printed shirt underneath while slipping into a pair of blue sneakers that were secured with red laces Seth MacFarlane was dressed to impress wearing a pair of black pants as well as a plain black shirt MacFarlane is known for voicing various characters in the series, such as Stewie Griffin Patrick Warburton was seen on the red carpet and donned a black button up as well as a sleek, patterned suit jacket The actor layered the ensemble with a dark navy blazer and slipped into a pair of black sneakers that offered a casual flare. MacFarlane is known for voicing various characters in the series, such as Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Brian and also Glenn Quagmire. Earlier this year in January, Seth opened up about Family Guy while talking to The Wrap and also commented on the show's future. 'It's still surviving and thriving. It still has a sizable audience and is a perfect example of there being an appetite for something. So we continue to feed the beast.' The actor continued to the outlet, 'There's no indication that the show is going to end anytime soon.' MacFarlane was later seen pausing for a photo with Alex Borstein, which was humorously crashed by Seth Green Also during the special evening, Borstein, MacFarlane, Green and Kunis gathered together for a quick snap before the main celebration kicked off at the Dolby Theatre Patrick Warburton was seen on the red carpet and donned a black button up as well as a sleek, patterned suit jacket. The star - who is known for voicing the character of Joe Swanson - also sported a pair of loose-fitting, black trousers and gray sneakers. MacFarlane was later seen pausing for a photo with Alex Borstein, which was humorously crashed by Seth Green. Also during the special evening, Borstein, MacFarlane, Green and Kunis gathered together for a quick snap before the main celebration kicked off at the Dolby Theatre. Jennifer Tilly showed off her timeless beauty at the Family Guy 25th Anniversary Celebration in Los Angeles on Friday. The 65-year-old Oscar-nominated actress who voices Bonnie Swanson in Family Guy stunned in a purple lace gown as she arrived at the PaleyFest gala to honor the animated comedy. The beauty captivated with her glamorous movie-star look, donning a plunging frock with sheer black sleeves and accessorizing with a bold red fabric belt that matched her lipstick. She added a designer clutch and high heels to complete the fashionable ensemble, as she kept her brunette locks parted to the side. Jennifer was joined by the all-star cast of the Seth MacFarlane sitcom, including Mila Kunis, Seth Green, Alex Borstein and Patrick Warburton. Jennifer Tilly showed off her timeless beauty at the Family Guy 25th Anniversary Celebration in Los Angeles on Friday The 65-year-old Oscar-nominated actress stunned in a purple lace gown as she arrived at the 41st Annual PaleyFest gala to honor the animated comedy A few years after her breakout roles as Violet in 1996's Bound and Tiffany in 1998's Bride of Chucky, Jennifer landed the role of Bonnie on Family Guy. Bonnie is Joe Swanson's (Patrick Warburton) wife, a character who appears in more than 80 episodes from seasons 1 through 21. Meanwhile, Jennifer is back as Tiffany in the second half of the third season of the Child's Play spin-off television show Chucky. As killer doll Chucky has now made his way to The White House in the latest season, Jennifer was asked what her character Tiffany would be doing in the President's palatial pad. 'If Tiffany was in the White House, she would redecorate it,' the actress told Collider. I mean, shes not into tasteful neutrals. I think she would do a lot of Goth-inspired decor, like red velvet walls and black leather sofas and things like that, like jeweled chandeliers. 'Tiffany likes everything over-the-top. Of course, some of the rooms will have to be redecorated to go with your outfits. So, I think thats going to be her main concern, is redecorating the White House.' She hilariously added that there would be a special room for the killer doll couple Tiffany and Chucky. 'You know how Candy Spelling has a room just where she can wrap gifts? Well, Tiffany and Chucky are gonna have to have a room in the White House where they put the bodies,' she joked. The beauty captivated with her glamorous movie-star look She donned a plunging frock with sheer black sleeves and accessorizing with a bold red fabric belt that matched her lipstick. She added a designer clutch and high heels to complete the fashionable ensemble Jennifer kept her brunette locks parted to the side A few years after her breakout roles as Violet in 1996's Bound and Tiffany in 1998's Bride of Chucky, Jennifer landed the role of Bonnie on Family Guy Jennifer is back as Tiffany in the second half of the third season of the Child's Play spin-off television show Chucky 'So therell be like a little chute, you pick up the chute, the body goes down into the basement, maybe to fall into a vat of acid or something. 'But youve got to have a place to store the body. Its really important.' Jennifer's association with the role traces back to 1998 when she portrayed the titular character in Bride of Chucky, the fourth installment in the Child's Play franchise. She reprised her role for the subsequent three films in the series: Seed of Chucky, Curse of Chucky, and Cult of Chucky. Jade Yarbrough accompanied longtime pal Dion Giannarelli on a trip to Milan, Italy, following a brief stint in London. The pair, who are long-time family friends, touched down in the global capital of fashion and design on Tuesday. Arriving at the terminal, Jade was seen wheeling two bags of luggage along, while Dion followed close behind. The newly-single interior designer, 32, kept warm and comfortable in an oversized black coat that ended at her ankles. She paired her look with dark blue trousers, a large grey scarf, along with a pair of black Adidas sneakers. Jade Yarbrough accompanied longtime pal Dion Giannarelli on a trip to Milan, Italy following a brief stint in London (both pictured) The pair, who are longtime family friends, touched down in the global capital of fashion and design on Tuesday The blonde kept her hair off her face with a pair of black sunglasses that sat atop her head. Dion, who appeared on season nine of Married At First Sight, rocked a light brown bomber jacket over the top of an all-black ensemble. The 35-year-old completed his outfit with orange-tinted aviator sunglasses, as well as white sneakers. Arriving at the terminal, Jade was seen wheeling two bags of luggage along, while Dion followed close behind The interior designer, 32, kept warm and comfortable in an oversized black coat that ended at her ankles Dion, who appeared on season 9 of Married At First Sight, rocked a light brown bomber jacket over the top of an all-black ensemble As the pair arrived, they were greeted by their driver who assisted with their bags and made their way to their car outside. Jade was later seen puffing on an orange vape before getting into their vehicle. Dion was seen loading Jasmine's luggage into their car, before they both took off together to the same hotel. They were both in good spirits and appear to be on a business venture overseas together. The 35-year-old completed his outfit with orange-tinted aviator sunglasses, as well as white sneakers As the pair arrived, they were greeted by their driver who assisted with their bags and made their way to their car outside During their time in London, Jasmine shared a series of snaps with the real estate mogul as they visited Aynhoe Park. 'Good friends. Good food. Good wine. Good design. A special day with the team in London,' Jade captioned her post. Meanwhile, Jasmine celebrated her 32nd birthday last week. She posed alongside Dion at the dinner party she hosted, while several of her famous friends attended - including her sister Jasmine Stefanovic. They zipped through several parked cars parked outside the airport Jasmine and Dion were both in good spirits and appear to be on a business venture overseas together Dion was seen loading Jasmine's luggage into their car, before they both took off together to the same hotel Dion and the Yarbrough's have been pals for more than 16 years, as Dion and Jade's older sister Jasmine, 40, first struck up a friendship in the United States. 'We met in America through a mutual friend and they're in business together through their shoe line,' Dion previously told Woman's Day. 'I was living over there and we just became close friends.' He went on to call the Stefanovics 'lovely people', before revealing he even goes on holidays with the couple and catches up with them often. Jade was later seen puffing on a vape before getting into their vehicle The vape looked to be an orange-flavoured cartridge While Dion failed to find love on MAFS with his bride Carolina Santos in 2022, he was previously linked to Nikki Walton later that year. The pair appear to have split in 2023, having not been posted to each other's socials since April last year. As for Jade, she and Michael Clarke had been on and off again since ending their relationship at the start of last year following a wild fight in Noosa which made headlines across Australia. They once again sparked rumours they were back together in December, when they both attended a Derby Day afterparty at Bar Bambi in Melbourne. The pair were both present at the bash, but avoided being photographed together. During their time in London, Jasmine shared a series of snaps with the real estate mogul as they visited Aynhoe Park An insider told Daily Mail Australia that Jade was sitting in a booth at the exclusive Italian restaurant and bar with friends, while Michael was partying on the level above. A source close to the couple tried to shut down rumours they were back together and said the pair went to the Bar Bambi bash separately and are 'amicable'. Jade spoke to Michael for some time at the beginning of the party and then at the end of the night. As Taylor Swift basks in the success of her latest album, at least one person is not a fan. Drake took aim at his fellow Grammy winner, 34, and her fans in a Kendrick Lamar diss track response titled 'Push Ups', which he released on Friday, hours after Swift dropped The Tortured Poets Department. 'Pull your contract 'cause we gotta see the split / The way you doin' splits, b**ch, your pants might rip / You better do that motherf***in' show inside the bity,' Drake raps. He continues, 'Maroon 5 need a verse, you better make it witty / Then we need a verse for the Swifties.' Lamar, 36, previously appeared on a remixed version of Swift's 2014 track 'Bad Blood' shortly after his feud with Drake began. Drake took aim at Taylor Swift and her fans in a Kendrick Lamar diss track response titled ' Push Ups ', which he released on Friday Lamar, 36, previously appeared on Swift's 2014 track ' Bad Blood ' shortly after his feud with Drake, 37, began Drake, 37, also took aim at Lamar's small feet in the track's promo art, which featured only a size 7 shoe tag. 'Drake doing nasty work with the cover art dawg,' wrote one fan on Twitter. 'You know, at the very least Drake is consistently corny,' another reasoned. 'Making the album art off of a shoe size diss is top tier cringe.' The Degrassi alum went on to namedrop SZA, Travis Scott and 21 Savage in the song. 'Top say drop, you better drop and give 'em fifty / Pipsqueak, pipe down / You ain't in no big three, SZA got you wiped down / Travis got you wiped down, Savage got you wiped down.' 'Push Ups' has earned mixed reviews on social media, with some praising Drake and others poking fun at him. 'Lolololol. Funny how the same guy who made "Hotline Bling" ended up dropping the hardest diss since Eminem's "Killshot",' one person wrote. 'Kendrick has been begging for someone to really try him for years,' wrote another. 'Drake just did with "Push Ups". Now we get to see what Kendrick has in the chamber it's a great time to be a hip hop fan.' 'Kendrick officially has a month to respond,' another fan posted. 'The time it took Drake to actually put this out.' After releasing his own Drake diss track 'Champagne Moments' last weekend, Rick Ross shared a clip to his Instagram Story of his car speakers playing 'Push Ups'. The next clip featured him listening to 'Champagne Moments', which accuses Drake of getting a nose job and a Brazilian butt lift. Drake's new song was previously leaked on social media last week, as fans speculated whether the track was made with artificial intelligence. 'Push Ups' takes aim at Lamar, J Cole and The Weeknd, who all previously slammed Drake in guest verses on Future and Metro Boomin's album We Don't Trust You last month. Drake followed up 'Push Ups' with a new freestyle shared Friday night on Instagram. 'Taylor Made Freestyle. While we wait on you I guess,' he captioned the post. After releasing his own Drake diss track ' Champagne Moments ' last weekend, Rick Ross shared a clip to his Instagram Story of his car speakers playing 'Push Ups' Drake followed up 'Push Ups' with a new freestyle shared Friday night on Instagram, calling Swift the 'biggest gangster in the music game right now' Drake's diss tracks came hours after Swift dropped her 11th studio album The Tortured Poets Department 'The first one really only took me an hour or two / Next one is really about to bring out the coward in you,' Drake raps. 'But now we gotta wait a f---ing week because Taylor Swift is your new top,' he continues. Later in the track, Drake adds, 'Shout out to Taylor Swift, biggest gangster in the music game right now. You know, I move my album when she drop, I said that already.' Drake's 'Push Ups' and Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department are now available for streaming. Tim Ross has opened up about the split with his former radio partner Merrick Watts dismissing any talk of a 'feud'. The pair known as 'Merrick and Rosso' rose to fame as a comedic duo on Triple J, and later Nova, and Triple M. But the team shocked listeners when they parted ways in 2009 after over a decade together. Speaking on the Mumbrella podcast on Friday, Tim described Merrick as a 'brother' and said the former partners share a 'bond'. 'Merrick and I, the way I describe it, we're like brothers, you know? No one else understands what happened at that time,' he said. Tim Ross has opened up about the split with his former radio partner Merrick Watts dismissing any talk of a 'feud' (pictured) He said that the pair share 'beautiful in-jokes that no one else gets' like a 'secret language. 'We always share stories about when people come up and tell us about something,' he continued, adding: 'What really unites us in our friendship is that shared history. We're really, really lucky to have that bond.' It comes after Watts spoke about the pair's split, which he described as 'brutal' earlier this month. Known as 'Merrick and Rosso', Watts and Ross rose to fame as a comedic duo on Triple J , and later Nova, and Triple M. But the team shocked listeners when they parted ways in 2009 after over a decade together. Pictured: The pair pictured in their heyday 'Rosso and I fractured, we split up at the end of 2009. It was brutal, it was tough. It's not really something I talk about a lotbut it was really devastating at the time,' he told SAS Australia host Ant Middleton on his podcast Head Game on Tuesday. 'I was focused on wanting to follow a certain trajectory that I felt innately was the right way to go and that was probably in conflict to the way we were doing things and the way we were working together.' The comedian said he felt the collaboration between himself and his partner had run its course at the time. Pictured: Merrick Watts discussing his split with Tim Ross with Ant Middleton on his podcast Head Game earlier this month. 'I think we just exhausted ourselves as a unit and we'd done everything, we'd even lived together, and then I got my own family and got different priorities,' he claimed. Ant suggested that Watts' change in priorities was likely due to the arrival of his first son, Wolfe, in 2009. 'I kind of wanted to forge my own identitywhich I thought would be a lot easier than what it was,' Watts added. The podcast interview wasn't the first time Watts encountered Ant, as the pair first met on SAS Australia in 2020. Halloweentown stars Kimberly J. Brown and Daniel Kountz are married. On Friday, the former Disney stars tied the knot at an intimate outdoor wedding at the Spanish Hills Club in Camarillo, California with 92 of their loved ones in attendance. Brown, 39, and Kountz, 45, shared their excitement about their 'dream come true' wedding day and recalled their fated love story alongside stunning photos obtained by People. Two years earlier in June 2022, the pair got engaged at the Griffith Observatory, where they had their first date, in Los Angeles. It was on the anniversary of when they made their relationship official and started calling each other their boyfriend and girlfriend when he asked her to marry him. Halloweentown stars Kimberly J. Brown and Daniel Kountz are married. On Friday, the former Disney stars tied the knot at an intimate outdoor wedding at the Spanish Hills Club in Camarillo, California with 92 of their loved ones in attendance; seen in June 2022 They previously met on the set of Halloweentown 2 in 2001 but only started dating years later. After they wrapped the movie, they remained friends, keeping in touch via social media, until they reconnected in 2016 'We went up literally right in front of the observatory where we had hung out on our first official date,' Brown recalled of the romantic moment. 'He proposed right in the same spot, and it was really just the perfect evening.' However, their love story actually dates back to two decades ago even though, at the time, they were just friends with no romantic feelings between them. They previously met on the set of Halloweentown 2 in 2001 but only started dating years later. Brown recalled that she and her now-husband 'got along great' while filming but were just friends as she said there were 'never any romantic discussions, thoughts or feelings at that time.' After they wrapped the movie, they remained friends, keeping in touch via social media, until they reconnected in 2016. Brown told the outlet that she reached out to her former costar about a video she was working on for her YouTube channel. 'I was shooting some comedy sketches for my YouTube channel and thought, "Some of the fans might recognize it and think it's cool," so I reached out to him,' she said. It was then, she explained, when the sparks started flying and their romantic relationship began. 'We worked on the sketches but also started catching feelings, I guess, as the kids say.' Brown recalled that she and her now-husband 'got along great' while filming but were just friends as she said there were 'never any romantic discussions, thoughts or feelings at that time.' After they wrapped the movie, they remained friends, keeping in touch via social media, until they reconnected in 2016; seen in May 2023 It was then, she explained, when the sparks started flying and their romantic relationship began. In June 2022, they got engaged at the Griffith Observatory, where they had their first date, in Los Angeles 'We went up literally right in front of the observatory where we had hung out on our first official date,' Brown recalled of the romantic moment. 'He proposed right in the same spot, and it was really just the perfect evening' As for their plans after marriage, Kountz shared: 'I can't wait to explore the world with [Kimberly]. It's going to be awesome' From Kountz's perspective, he said he was taken aback by how 'beautiful' she was when they met up after so many years and became instantly 'smitten.' 'We met up at a bar, and I was waiting there for a little Kimberly J. Brown to come in and in walks a beautiful, well-put-together, full-grown woman. 'I was like, "Oh, well, hello there. I believe we've both grown up a little bit." Then that was pretty much it for me. I was smitten.' As for their plans after marriage, Kountz shared: 'I can't wait to explore the world with [Kimberly]. It's going to be awesome.' Georgia Harrison put on a very leggy display on Friday as she headed on out for girls' night in London after her split from Anton Danyluk. The Love Island: All-Star finalist, 29, looked nothing short of sensational in a white blouse and a pair of high-waisted black lace shorts. Georgia layered up with a black tailored coat and further accessorised the chic ensemble with a gold pendant necklace and hooped earrings. To further elevate her height, Georgia wore a pair of black court stiletto heels and styled her luscious locks in an elegant updo. Best pal Nicole Bass also joined the beauty for a girls' night out as they made their way to the swanky restaurant Novikov in Mayfair. Georgia Harrison (L) put on a very leggy display on Friday as she wore a white blouse and black lace shorts as she headed on out for girls' night in London Best pal Nicole Bass, 32, (R) also joined the beauty for a girls' night out and appeared all smiles as they made their way to the swanky restaurant in Mayfair The TOWIE star, 32, cut a chic look in a black co-ord set which boasted a cut-out design at the waist. She added a white blazer and toted her essentials around in a black cross-body bag. The beauty added inches to her frame with a pair of black stiletto heels and further accessorised with a gold chain necklace. Georgia hit the town after her split from Anton amid weeks of rumours surrounding their relationship. According to insiders, distance was a major factor in the breakdown of their relationship. Georgia resides in Essex, while Anton lives and runs his own business in Scotland. The outing comes after Georgia broke down in tears on Tuesday as she shared a very emotional video to TikTok. The star took to social media to share the news that an acquaintance of hers, who was the voiceover of her first TikTok, had a stroke. Sobbing to her 609,100 followers, Georgia revealed that content creator Louie Mills is now paralysed and she wishes all her 'love and healing'. Taking to the social media platform, the influencer said: 'I actually feel extremely extremely emotional. Georgia hit the town after her split from Anton amid weeks of rumours surrounding their relationship The outing comes after Georgia broke down in tears on Tuesday as she shared a very emotional video to TikTok The star took to social media to share the news that an acquaintance of hers, who was the voiceover of her first TikTok, had a stroke Sobbing to her 609,100 followers, Georgia revealed that content creator Louie Mills is now paralysed and she wishes all her 'love and healing'. 'So I was just looking through my TikTok comments and someone commented saying have you seen what has happened to Louie Mills? 'Of those of you that don't know Louie, he is hilarious, he is just an absolute ball of energy and he is such a lovely boy. One of the first ever TikToks I done was using his voice-over. I just absolutely loved his energy. And then we've always stayed in touch and since then he's come and supported loads of my events. 'He is just such an infectious person to be around. He is really really great energy. So I've looked on his TikTok and he has had a stroke.' Georgia went on to reveal Louie is paralysed and that she is 'absolutely devastated' over what has happened to him. With tears streaming down her face, the personality added: 'I think one it just shows how much none of us appreciate our health and how you never know when your health could be taken away from you. 'So just don't be ungrateful for the smallest things in life and it shows that something like this could happen to anyone. 'From what I have seen he is going to have the opportunity to rehabilitate himself. It is just going to be a journey getting to that point. 'But I just want to send so much love out to Louie and let him know that I am going to come up and see him what I can and let his mum know that anything I can do. Oh, its really upset me. 'I can't even tell you anything I can do to help support him, to help raise money for him, to help him back to a place where he feels himself again. 'I will and everyone should just go over to his page and give him a follow and make sure they are supporting the family and him throughout his journey because he just doesn't deserve it. Taking to the social media platform, the influencer said: 'I actually feel extremely extremely emotional 'He is just brilliant and I'm gutted to see him in such a vulnerable state.' Georgia finished her emotional video by wiping away her tears. She captioned her post: 'Louiemills sending you all my love and healing, you've got so much support lou and that's not going to change xxxxx'. Many of her followers flocked to the comment box to wish the content creator their love. One penned: 'I hope he recovers soon! God bless 'I was shocked when I seen him in hospital.. such a shock realise how much we should appreciate our health' 'Thats so sad for him, hope he makes a good recovery, we must all be grateful, you are a good person, we love you Georgia' 'His mum has done a video shes going to be putting an address out to send cards and things might be a good idea you sharing that video as you have a lot of supporters too' 'Hes gorgeous and he still has his amazing sense of humour too. I love watching his content, he will get through it Im sure' 'Bless you G lots of love to him your lovely to support him lots of love to you too' Many of her followers flocked to the comment box to wish the content creator their love Louie's TikTok page explained that the influencer has suffered a 'stroke in his spine' and will need to go to rehab for a year. The brave former Tesco employee, who cannot speak, also became teary on the video as he tried to apologise 'for not being able to make videos'. Spinal strokes are incredibly rare as they only account for less than 1.25 per cent of all strokes. They are caused by a disruption in the blood supply to the spinal cord which can cause injury or damage or tissues and block nerve impulses travelling along the spine. Celebrity Big Brother winner David Potts has admitted Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Louis Walsh are not in the contestants' group chat but insists there is no feud between the co-stars. In March, David won the first series of CBB since 2018 - and the series was plagued in controversy, with numerous tiffs between castmates. The Love Island 2022 winner Ekin-Su was forced to go on a social media break after suffering relentless trolling and she withdrew from appearing in the final. And it was reported she had fallen out with all of her castmates, one of whom, Marisha Wallace, she fell out with on the show when the latter voted to evict her. Meanwhile, Louis, 71, created friends and foes daily with his sharp tongue, with fellow contestant Fern Britton getting the brunt of it. Celebrity Big Brother winner David Potts, 30, admitted Ekin-Su Culculoglu, 29, and Louis Walsh, 71, are NOT in the contestants' group chat after feud rumours In March, David won the first series of CBB since 2018 - and the series was plagued in controversy, with numerous tiffs between castmates It has long since been reported that Ekin-Su had fallen out with all of her castmates, one of whom, Marisha Wallace, she fell out with on camera when the latter voted to evict her Former Ibiza Weekender David told new! magazine: 'Yeah [the WhatsApp chat], with me, Colson, Bradley, Nikita, Zeze and Marisha. I speak to Fern separately.' 'Its just bits and bobs, wishing each other luck with whatever were all doing,' he added. 'Its lovely.' Missing from the chat are Ekin-Su, Louis, Levi Roots, Lauren Smith, Gary Goldsmith, and Sharon Osbourne. However, David told MailOnline through his representative that all the former housemates 'get on great' and 'there is not a single feud'. Proving his claim would be Fern and Nikita who quashed their beef as soon as they left the house. Earlier this month, former The X Factor judge Sharon, 71, branded two mystery housemates 'cringe' and 'desperate'. Speaking on her family podcast The Osbournes, Sharon said: 'They were both women and leave it at that. 'I don't want to embarrass anyone, why. They weren't mean to me, I just didn't like them. I knew that they were hustlers. When you're desperate with them, It's kind of cringe.' After the final, Louis responded to the huge backlash he had received for his behaviour. Meanwhile, Louis, 71, created friends and foes daily with his sharp tongue, with fellow contestant Fern Britton getting the brunt of it David's reassurance of no feud comes after 'lodger' housemate Sharon Osbourne, 71, branded two mystery housemates 'cringe' and 'desperate' earlier in the month Louis said in March: 'I was only telling the truth. I wasn't trying to be catty, I was just reporting what I saw ... Some of the housemates were just boring and bland and playing to the cameras' Louis described Fern (far right) as 'wallpaper' and said: 'Nikita and Fern wanted it the most - they played to the cameras' (Nikita pictured far left) He told The Sun: 'I was only telling the truth. I wasn't trying to be catty, I was just reporting what I saw. I was brought up to say it like it is. Some of the housemates were just boring and bland and playing to the cameras.' He also said: 'Fern is OK. I mean she desperately wanted to win. She was wallpaper she doesnt give you anything.' Louis went on: 'Nikita and Fern wanted it the most they played to the cameras. The person that I would least like to hang out with is Gary [Goldsmith]. There was nothing to the man; he shouldnt have been there.' When she emerged from her social media break, Ekin-Su said: 'I know it's unlike me to hide away, but I've been taking some time to reflect. Ekin-Su has taken control of the situation with an empowering message addressing her absence from the final and looking ahead to her next chapter 'Sometimes in our lowest moments, we learn the most important lessons about ourselves. 'I hope you don't think I am selfish for setting boundaries and putting my own needs first last night. 'I'm fully aware that not everybody will understand my absence, or think it was the right decision to make, BUT it was the right decision for me. 'I chose to remove myself from a potentially uncomfortable situation that I preferred to avoid. 'I'm proud of myself for recognising what I need during this time, despite the hate that might come my way. 'Accountability is key and when I'm ready, I will give some context around these past few weeks. Thank you to everybody who has sent kindness my way, I see you, and I appreciate you. The new chapter starts now.' She added: 'I hope everybody enjoyed watching the CBB final. A huge congratulations to David for the win.' Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox showed off their age-defying looks as they enjoyed a girls' night out at Funke in Beverly Hills on Friday. Jen, 55, who starred as Rachel Green on the hit sitcom, looked elegant in a black top and skirt and rocked a short, sleek hairdo while her best pal and Friends co-star Courteney, 59, who played Monica Geller, looked effortlessly chic in an all-cream ensemble. The actress further accessorised the look with a layer of gold necklaces and hooped earrings. Jennifer beamed as she left the restaurant with her pals and got into a car to take her home for the night. Courteney looked stylish in a three-piece suit which boasted a tailored blazer and trousers. Jennifer Aniston (pictured)and Courteney Cox showed off their age-defying looks as they enjoyed a girls' night out at Funke in Beverly Hills Friends actress, Courteney, 59, looked effortlessly chic in an all-cream ensemble as she left the swanky restaurant Courteney looked stylish in a three-piece suit which boasted a tailored blazer and trousers. She opted for further accessorising the look with a gold pendant necklace and hooped earrings to match. It comes after Courteney looked effortlessly chic as she enjoyed dinner at Nobu restaurant in Malibu earlier this month. The actress and her longtime partner, Johnny McDaid, 47, were spotted leaving the Japanese eatery in high spirits after their romantic date night. The lovebirds have been dating since 2013 and announced their engagement in June the following year. The pair then broke off their engagement in 2019 but have remained together. Courteney was previously married to her Scream co-star David Arquette, 52, from 1999 to 2010. They share daughter Coco, 19, and Jennifer Aniston, 55, is her godmother. Meanwhile, her co-star and best pal Jennifer, 55, looked elegant in a black top and skirt and rocked a short hairdo The actress, who stars as Rachel Green on the hit sitcom, further accessorised the look with a layer of gold necklaces and hooped earrings and gave a wave as she left the eatery She beamed as she left the restaurant with her pals and got into a car to take her home for the night Courteney stunned in a three-piece suit which boasted a tailored blazer and trousers She opted for further accessorising the look with a gold pendant necklace and hooped earrings to match Jennifer has been busy promoting her new series of The Morning Show with Reese Witherspoon at the PaleyFest this week Jennifer, meanwhile, has been busy promoting her new series of The Morning Show with Reese Witherspoon at the PaleyFest this week. The Morning Show, which examines the characters and culture behind a network morning news broadcast through the eyes of the fictional UBA, is now heading into season four. While on stage The Morning Show's showrunner Charlotte Stoudt gave a hint at when season four could make its premiere by revealing it will come after the 2024 presidential election, which is being held in November. 'The show will be out after the election,' Stoudt announced, as reported by People, '[The next challenge will be] how do you go at [the election] in an interesting way without being predictive.' But still, viewers will be awaiting an exact premiere date for the shows fourth season that's still pending. In the past each of the previous three seasons came every other year, starting after the debut, which came on November 2019, followed by season two in September 2021, which led to a season three drop in September 2023, according to People. If those same intervals were used again for the new season would drop somewhere between September-November 2025. The first three seasons of The Morning Show are available to stream on Apple TV+ Hugo Weaving cut a casual figure as he joined his partner Katrina Greenwood and their friends for a visit to Jackie's Cafe in Paddington, Sydney, on Friday. The Matrix actor, 64, cut a laidback figure in a black T-shirt and jogging bottoms, which he styled with a grey jacket. He kept comfortable in a pair of black trainers and tucked a pair of sunglasses into the top of his T-shirt. Hugo was joined by his partner Katrina Greenwood, who cut a stylish figure in a black shirt and olive trousers for the outing. The couple were also accompanied by a group of friends for their outing, and they were all seen chatting outside the cafe. Hugo Weaving cut a casual figure as he joined his partner Katrina Greenwood and their friends for a visit to Jackie's Cafe in Paddington, Sydney, on Friday (pictured) The Matrix actor, 64, cut a laidback figure in a black T-shirt and jogging bottoms, which he styled with a grey jacket At one moment during the outing, Hugo was also seen having an animated conversation with a woman, who appeared to be a passer-by. Hugo first met Katrina when he was four years old as they lived across the road from each other in Sydney, but didn't properly get to know each other until years later when Hugo was at drama school. They started dating in the 1980s when they were both in their mid 20s and later welcomed two children, Harry and Holly. Hugo has recently kicked off a theatre stint performing in The President at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney. The Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert star has taken on the leading role in the theatre masterpiece alongside Irish actress Olwen Fouere. Hugo was joined by his partner Katrina Greenwood, who cut a stylish figure in a black shirt and olive trousers for the outing He kept comfortable in a pair of black trainers and tucked a pair of sunglasses into the top of his T-shirt Hugo has been busy in Sydney in recent days as he has been starring in a new adaptation of play The President Hugo was also joined by a group of friends for their outing, and they were all seen chatting outside the cafe The group of friends were all seen walking and chatting together after they visited a local cafe Hugo showed off his sense of style in his casual ensemble as he was seen strolling through the streets of Sydney In the show, the duo play the President and First Lady of a small, unnamed country, whose regime is under siege. The couple appear frozen in time, despite a revolution brewing outside their front door, and the play follows both the unravelling political system and their complex marriage. The new adaptation of the rarely-performed 1975 Thomas Bernhard play, directed by Tom Creed, will be running until May 19, and tickets ranging from $80 to $155. Also starring in the theatre production are the likes of Julie Forsyth, Kate Gilmore, Bryan Burroughs and Daniel Reardon. Hugo recently told how he has turned away from Hollywood and towards theatre in his career because it feels the most rewarding job for him. He told The Guardian: 'I go into an extreme place when I'm working in theatre. I can't work hard enough and there is never enough time, and then the rewards start coming with that.' At one moment, Hugo was also seen having an animated conversation with one woman, who appeared to be a passer-by Hugo was seen gesturing with his hands as he chatted to a passer-by after having lunch with his group of friends The Lord Of The Rings star was seen sharing a hug with a friend as they greeted each other before their lunch outing Hollywood star Hugo is best-known for his roles in The Matrix and Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert, but he has turned to theatre rather than film recently Hugo is currently playing the leading role in a new adaptation of the rarely-performed 1975 Thomas Bernhard play, directed by Tom Creed Hugo will be on stage performing in The President at the Roslyn Packer Theatre until May 19, and tickets ranging from $80 to $155 The Lord Of The Rings star also previously told how he prefers Australian productions over overseas roles, sharing his dislike for Los Angeles specifically. 'My focus has always been in Australia,' he told the Today show back in 2021. 'I've worked for the Sydney Theatre Company for 40 years now.' 'I tend to favour local productions over working overseas. My first choice of roles, I always look for things here, for working on film here.' 'I do work in Australia. I've never lived in Los Angeles, I hate the place. I'd much rather live and work here and work on great Australian scripts,' he added. Guy Pearce is up for an Emmy for his role on Neighbours. The Australian actor is competing for the Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series. It comes thanks to his brief but memorable guest starring turn as Mike Young on Neighbours last year. 'Neighbours has been on an incredible journey these past few years and a Daytime Emmy Award nomination is the icing on the cake,' Neighbours Executive Producer Jason Herbison told the Daily Telegraph. Pearce and Annie Jones reprised their iconic roles for the soap's much anticipated Amazon reboot. Guy Pearce is up for an Emmy for his role on Neighbours. The Australian actor is competing for the Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series. Pictured The characters returned to Ramsay Street, after making their debuts in 1986, and rekindled their romance in the supposed final episode last year , but will now be able to continue their story via the streaming service. Annie said it has been 'fantastic' working with co-star Guy again. The pair stole the show on the Neighbours finale in 2022 when they reprised their respective characters Mike and Jane for the iconic drama's swansong. Herbison confirmed in May 2023 that Pearce would reprise his role on the soap opera, which was rebooted in April that year, and is being filmed Melbourne. Pearce and Annie Jones reprised their iconic roles for the soap's much anticipated Amazon reboot. Pictured 'We are delighted that Guy is returning to continue Mike and Jane's reunion, it was a highlight of last year's finale and (there is) definitely more story to tell for these much-loved characters,' Herbison said in a statement to The Sun Herald . Pearce returned to Neighbours for the show's finale in July last year. His character, along with Jane Harris (portrayed by Jones), was seen purchasing a home on Ramsay Street during the show's last episode. The Daytime Emmys will be take place on June 7 in Los Angeles. Edwina Bartholomew has defended her decision to confess that she and her husband Neil Varcoe have undergone what she calls an 'extreme sleep divorce'. The pair have been living in separate homes since last year - but the Sunrise star insists it works for them, and before they split up their homes, the pair had not shared a bedroom in a decade. When the TV personality made the confession earlier this year, she was met with a strong response from fans and critics alike. 'It was an amazing response. It's just something people don't talk about, but so many couples do' she tells Stellar Magazine. 'It absolutely went bananas, because I think it's not "the done thing". So when you talk about what you're doing in your relationship that just works for you and that's it for us, for many reasons and on many levels I think that resonates. Edwina Bartholomew has defended her decision to confess that she and her husband Neil Varcoe have undergone what she calls an 'extreme sleep divorce'. Both pictured 'I was just being honest, [which] is what I've tried to be in all facets of my life, be it social media, TV and now in my writing' she adds. Edwina insisted her romance with her husband is stronger than ever with the couple this month celebrating their sixth anniversary. She earlier this year revealed the pair were happily living apart. 'We have been sleeping in separate rooms for about 10 years, long before we were married and long before we had kids' Edwina told Stellar at the time. When the TV personality made the confession earlier this year, she was met with a strong response from fans and critics alike. 'It was an amazing response. It's just something people don't talk about, but so many couples do' she tells Stellar Magazine Edwina added that at first she 'hated the idea' of separate bedrooms but soon realised it worked best for the pair of them. Last year, she entered into a long-distance relationship with her husband as he moved out of the family home to become a farmer. 'My husband lives in the country with the dog and I live in the city with the kids. Each weekend, we traipse back and forth between the two or meet somewhere in the middle' the television star explained. 'It feels like a Love Actually airport reunion every time we come together with a slow-motion embrace and those newlywed feels'. Neil recently left his job at Twitter following Elon Musk's takeover and moved to Capertee Valley, three hours west of Sydney, to work as the 'chief farming officer' at Warramba - the 1890s farm he and Edwina lovingly restored several years ago. The pair have ben living in separate homes since last year - but the Sunrise star insists it works for them, and before they split up their homes, the pair had not shared a bedroom in a decade. Pictured with their children He is also became the project manager of a historic hotel in Carcoar, NSW, called The Victoria. 'Today is a big day for our little family,' Edwina began, adding that Neil, a journalist and tech executive with 20 years' experience, was 'officially shifting from working in digital media to full-time farming.' 'Neil was born and raised in Lithgow and went to school in Bathurst so it's pretty exciting he now gets to contribute to the extraordinary growth in the Central West. He is also the proud new owner of a very big jacket and a beard to survive the winter,' she joked. Edwina explained she will live in Sydney with their children during the week so she can continue her work at Sunrise, but will visit Neil with the kids on weekends. 'It absolutely went bananas, because I think it's not "the done thing". So when you talk about what you're doing in your relationship that just works for you and that's it for us, for many reasons and on many levels I think that resonates' she said The couple, who sold their Dulwich Hill home for an estimated $2million in March, share two children, daughter Molly, three, and son Tom, one. 'We will miss him during the week but let the commuting, designing, renovation fun begin!' Edwina concluded. Neil also shared a similar post on his Instagram page, telling his followers that while he's going to miss his family during the week, he's 'excited to build a business for his family from scratch'. 'The chance to contribute to the extraordinary growth that's occurring in my home region is irresistible,' he wrote, adding: 'This would not be possible without the support and courage of my wife Edwina. In fact, this wild scheme was her idea.' Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the breakfast TV presenter said the couple's different morning routines made it difficult to sleep in the same bedroom, and that the current sleeping arrangements 'kept their love alive'. 'It shocks people when they come to our house and see two rooms set up,' she said at the time. READ MORE: Inside the swanky celebrity haunt where Victoria Beckham will celebrate her 50th birthday Victoria Beckham has given an insight into her 'simple' skincare routine which includes upwards of 270 worth of her own products. The fashion designer, who turned 50 this week, often shares her skincare secrets and make-up tips, and has now revealed how she keeps her glowing complexion. She told how her daily beauty routine has become much 'simpler' over the years and revealed the four products from her own range that she swears by. Speaking to Australian magazine Stellar, Victoria detailed her morning and evening skincare routine, which includes at least 276 (515AUD) worth of her own products. She said of her beauty regime: 'It has become simpler over the years and is more of an edit. It's not about 20 different products, I believe simplicity and highly effective individual products are key.' Victoria Beckham (pictured) has given an insight into her 'simple' skincare routine which includes upwards of 270 worth of her own products At the start of each day, Victoria uses a daily oil cleanser, while she also uses a daily lactic acid gel cleanser at night. She sells the products on her website as part of a cleansing duo, which costs 100 (200AUD). Victoria follows her cleansing with a cell rejuvenating power serum and a cell rejuvenating priming moisturizer, both from her collaboration with Augustinus Bader. The two products cost a total of 176 (315AUD) for the smallest 15ml sizes, while the larger 30ml bottle of the serum costs 195 (348AUD) and the 50ml moisturizer is priced at 140 (249AUD). Victoria uses the daily oil cleanser, the serum and moisturizer morning and night, while she uses the lactic acid gel cleanser as an extra step in the evening. She concluded of the routine: 'It's as simple as that, I try to use a [face] mask most nights and an LED mask a few nights a week.' Victoria said her daily routine has become 'simpler' over the years and revealed the four products from her range she swears by, including a cleansing duo (pictured) priced at 100 Victoria follows her cleansing with a cell rejuvenating power serum (left) and a cell rejuvenating priming moisturizer (right), which cost a total of 176 for the smallest sizes Victoria celebrated her 50th birthday this week and was reportedly whisked away by her husband David to the South of France on a private jet to celebrate the occasion . The couple took a chaffeur-driven car to 200-a-head restaurant in Saint-Paul de Vence on the French Riviera, believed to be the famous La Colombe d'Or. They were said to be joined by their four children - Brooklyn, 25, Romeo, 21, Cruz, 19, and Harper, 12 - and Victoria's parents Jackie and Tony for the meal, before jetting back to Luton Airport. A source told The Sun: 'David chose somewhere incredibly remote. The restaurant regularly hosts A-list celebrities during the Cannes film festival so none of the Riviera locals bat an eyelid when they see a celebrity. Victoria uses the daily oil cleanser, the serum and moisturizer morning and night, while she uses the lactic acid gel cleanser as an extra step in the evening along with a facial massage Victoria celebrated her 50th birthday this week and was reportedly whisked away by her husband David to the South of France on a private jet for a 200-a-head restaurant 'Victoria had an amazing fine wine-fuelled afternoon, soaking up the rays al fresco, overlooking the Med and enjoying her favourite white fish.' La Colombe d'Or is a favourite of the Beckhams, having visited there in the past for romantic dinner. The world-famous restaurant is based in St Paul de Vence, where celebrities such as Sean Connery, Johnny Depp and Joan Collins have holiday homes. After her private family dinner, Victoria is looking forward to celebrating her 50th birthday this weekend with a party at private members' club Oswald's in London. They were said to be joined by their kids - (L-R) Romeo, 21, Cruz, 19, Harper, 12, and Brooklyn, 25 - and Victoria's parents Jackie and Tony for the meal, before jetting back to Luton Airport Around 40 family and friends will join her on Saturday, including her former Spice Girls bandmates Mel B and Emma Bunton along with other close pals including Eva Longoria and Gordon Ramsay. Oswald's has long been a favourite spot for the Beckham brood, with David and Victoria pictured leaving the swanky eatery on many occasions. It is certainly credited for its discretion, with no social media presence, and even its website offers little insight into what guests can expect when they step through the unassuming front door. A source told The Mail last week that Victoria is delighted that she will be joined by all four of her children, including her eldest son Brooklyn, for her celebration. After her private family dinner, Victoria is looking forward to celebrating her 50th birthday this weekend with a party at private members' club Oswald's (pictured) in London They said: 'It will be a small, intimate, family gathering, and it is literally the best present that she could have. 'It will be close to their London home. David has pulled a few surprises but what Victoria really wants is to be surrounded by her loved ones. 'The kids are staying for a few days, which Victoria loves, and they will all join her at her posh dinner on Saturday night.' He wowed the nation 15 years ago with his street dance skills. And now, Britain's Got Talent star Aidan Davis, 27, looks completely unrecognisable as he showed off his gym transformation. Taking to social media, the former TV star is barely recognisable from his BGT days as he showed off his beard and muscly physique. Aidan also regularly shares clips of his intense workouts including heavy deadlifts and squats. During the clips, Aidan also showcased his impressive ink collection as he rocked a full sleeve, chest, and back tattoo. He wowed the nation 15 years ago with his street dance skills. And now, Britain's Got Talent star Aidan Davis, 27, looks completely unrecognisable as he recently showed off his gym transformation (pictured 2009) Taking to social media, the now gym buff is barely recognisable from his BGT days as he showed off his beard and muscly physique The dancer revealed in 2023 that he welcomed a baby with his partner Courtney. Courtney captioned the original post: 'Welcome to the world Poppy Davis 13/ 04/ 23 you have completed us. Absolute baby bubble.' It comes after In 2009, Aidan, then aged 12 years of age, reached the finals of the show after impressing judges Simon Cowell, 64, Amanda Holden, 53, and Piers Morgan, 59. He competed against the likes of Susan Boyle - who last year suffered a minor stroke - and the winners of Diversity. He captured the hearts of the audience and viewers at home with his buzz-cut and dynamic performances. During his first audition, Aidan wowed the judges with his dance skills to Flo Rida's song Low. Talent judge Amanda couldn't hide her amazement as she said he 'blew her away' and praised him for his 'superstar attitude.' Simon was equally impressed as he added 'I think you're better than any dancer on this show, you are super, super, super talented.' The star also regularly shares clips of his intense workouts including heavy deadlifts and squats Aidan also showcased his impressive ink collection as he rocked a full sleeve, chest, and back tattoo Aidan, hailing from Birmingham, had no professional dance training at the time and told hosts Ant McPartlin, 48, and Declan Donnelly, 48, that he would regularly practice around his home and show his mum. However, despite impressing the judges and viewers at home, Aidan missed out on the BGT crown. The much-anticipated new series of Britain's Got Talent finally kicks off on Saturday, with the star-studded judging panel on a mission to find the next big star. Simon, Amanda, Alesha Dixon, 45, and Bruno Tonioli, 68, will scour the nation for hopefuls ready to battle it out for 250,000 and a coveted spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance. And while the judges love to paint the picture that they're the best of friends on-set, behind-the-scenes there's been a shortage of drama. Amanda herself has been embroiled in a row with Sharon Osbourne in recent weeks, after slamming the X Factor judge as 'bitter and pathetic' for berating her former colleague Simon on Celebrity Big Brother. She defended Simon Cowell on Friday, calling Sharon and Louis Walsh, 71, 'bitter and pathetic' after they tore into the music mogul on Celebrity Big Brother. It comes after Aidan, then aged 12 years of age, reached the finals of the show after impressing judges Simon Cowell, 64, Amanda Holden, 53, and Piers Morgan, 59 (pictured in 2009) In an acid-tongue letter posted on X, Sharon blasted Amanda after she said Simon had 'given them a lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldn't have had'. Amanda had told the Daily Mail's Weekend Magazine: 'I hated seeing certain people in a reality show dissing Simon - he's the person who's given them all the chances, given them a lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldn't have had. 'It's bitter and pathetic. It was like Cinderella with her two sisters in the background - just stabby, stabby, stabby.' 12 hours later, Sharon took to Twitter to issue the presenter with a scathing statement and accused her of being an 'ill-informed sycophantic'. Amanda went on to state that she stands by what she said, while acknowledging the X Factor judge's 'incredible' career. A spokesperson for the actress told MailOnline on Saturday: 'Amanda is aware of Sharon's incredible career but, just like her, Amanda will always defend those close to her.' Bachelor Nation alums Victoria Fuller and Greg Grippo have reportedly called it quits after a year of dating. The former couple, who have not publicly confirmed their breakup, split 'months ago,' a source told Page Six. The Virginia Beach beach native, 30, and 31-year-old Bachelorette alum are no longer following each other on Instagram. The duo were first romantically linked after attending a birthday party for Nick Viall's fiancee, Natalie Joy, in August 2022. Bachelor Nation alums Victoria Fuller and Greg Grippo have reportedly called it quits after a year of dating They made their made their romance Instagram official on Thanksgiving Day in 2022 after confirming they were a couple on the Bachelor in Paradise reunion finale earlier that month. During their romance, they got matching 'ciao' tattoos after vacationing in Italy together. At the time, Fuller told E! News, she hoped to have 'a bunch of Grippo babies.' 'Greg and I are very, very happy right now. We are just enjoying being able to finally be together,' she said. 'We don't know what the future holds, but maybe it's a bunch of Grippo babies. We'll see!' she added. Fuller and Grippo first sparked dating rumors in 2022 while vacationing in Italy. The romance happened after she accepted Johnny DePhillipo's proposal on Bachelor in Paradise's 8th season. However, the relationship was short-lived, with Fuller revealing they were only engaged for a month before they parted ways. The former couple, who have not publicly confirmed their breakup, split 'months ago,' a source told Page Six The Virginia Beach beach native, 30, and 31-year-old Bachelorette alum are no longer following each other on Instagram 'I think when we were in Paradise things were rainbows and butterflies for us,' Victoria said. 'Unfortunately, when we got out into the real world, there were a lot of concerns.' Victoria said she told Johnny three weeks later that it wasn't working. And though she denied cheating on DePhillipo, he appeared to have a different take on the matter during the reunion, saying: 'I still consider talking to someone else while we're working on our issues cheating or emotional cheating.' 'Everyone can hate us if they f***ing want to. I don't give two s***s,' Victoria said. The duo were first romantically linked after attending a birthday party for Nick Viall's fiancee, Natalie Joy, in August 2022 After Grippo joined her on stage, he explained they've 'been best friends for a while' after meeting through mutual friends.' After their trip to Rome and a month of dating, they announced their plans to move in together in Nashville. 'We could be in the same room for days on end and really not get sick of one another and we're growing day by day. I see it going that route [of marriage],' Grippo said on The Viall Files podcast. 'I want that. I know that's important to her. I want to be able to take that step with her.' Additionally, he raved about meeting her family, who Fuller said loved him. 'It was great. I loved them and that's so important to me getting along with each other's families,' Grippo gushed. 'I just have such a close knit family that I want her to be super involved with them and I want to be able to love hers and vice versa.' James Argent showcased his incredible 14-stone weight loss amid his trip to Dubai with pal Joey Essex on Friday - after their getaway was effected by the city's floods. The TOWIE star, 36, who underwent gastric sleeve surgery in 2021, stripped off as he indulged in an ice bath on a spectacular balcony. James took to his Instagram Stories with a clip as he displayed his toned physique in skimpy swimming trunks before plunging beneath the freezing water. Bracing himself he yelled: 'Come on let's go, let's go!'. James previously revealed he planned to now try and put weight on again after losing such a huge amount. James Argent, 36, showcased his incredible 14-stone weight loss amid his trip to Dubai with pal Joey Essex on Saturday - after their getaway was effected by the city's floods The TOWIE star, who underwent gastric sleeve surgery in 2021 , stripped off as he indulged in an ice bath on a spectacular balcony (L, in 2020) He spoke exclusively to the Mail's comedy podcast, Straight To The Comments! which embraces the hilarity and uniqueness of the MailOnline comment section with the celebs in question. 'At my biggest I was 27 stone. I took the p***. Now I'm about 13.5 stone,' he said. 'I think I was just acting out on feelings and emotions, eating and eating and then lockdown, Covid, that didn't help.' He admitted his doctor told him he was 'on death row' when he was at his heaviest, during which time he 'couldn't tie my own shoelaces' and was 'finding it hard to breathe.' James said he wasn't even able to see his own penis, joking: 'I can just about see it now.' Despite his positive lifestyle change, he said that there were times when he actually got 'too skinny' and is currently trying to 'up' his protein and 'gain a little bit more.' On Thursday James and Joey appeared on Good Morning Britain 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 pair 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. James took to his Instagram Stories with a clip as he displayed his toned physique in skimpy swimming trunks before plunging beneath the freezing water James previously revealed he planned to now try and put weight on again after losing such a huge amount (pictured in January) He admitted his doctor told him he was 'on death row' when he was at his heaviest, during which time he 'couldn't tie my own shoelaces' and was 'finding it hard to breathe.' (pictured 2019) Your browser does not support iframes. 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. 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... On Thursday James (L) and Joey (R) appeared on Good Morning Britain to shed light on how they are being affected by the terrifying weather alerts in the United Arab Emirates 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. '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. Lucinda Strafford showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a skimpy black bikini while soaking up the sun in Ibiza. The Love Island star, 24, sent pulses racing as she shared an album of holiday pictures to Instagram on Friday. Soaking up the sun in Spain, the influencer, reportedly dating DJ Nathan Dawe, looked incredible in a black strapless bikini top. She flaunted her toned abs and petite frame in a matching pair of black high-thigh bottoms featuring a gold ring on the side. Sharing some moments of her out in the ocean, the blonde beauty captioned her sunny post: 'My happy place was calling.' Lucinda Strafford showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a skimpy black bikini while soaking up the sun in Ibiza The Love Island star, 24, sent pulses racing as she shared an album of holiday pictures to Instagram on Friday The album of sizzling snaps comes just weeks after her ex Zac Nunns, 25, declared his love for Love Island UK star Lucinda - only days after announcing their split. The 25-year-old Love Island Australia star made the surprising comment during an episode of his Trent and Zac Show podcast in February. Telling listeners that the breakup was 'still fresh', the hunky reality star said he was not prepared to talk about the details behind the separation and wanted to protect his former sweetheart's privacy. He then dropped his bombshell: 'When the time is right, maybe we'll speak about it but at the end of the day I love her very genuinely and I hope the best for her,' Zac said. The comment appeared to stun Zac's co-host and flatmate Trent, who interjected: 'Still love her?' Moments later, Trent teased his housemate telling listeners that he had overheard New Zealander Zac talking on the phone in the middle of the night 'two nights in a row' to a woman with 'an English accent'. Elsewhere in the chat Zac slammed online speculation about his split with Lucinda. 'There's some very far-fetched things [about the breakup],' he said. She flaunted her toned abs and petite frame in a matching pair of black high-thigh bottoms featuring a gold ring on the side Sharing some moments of her out in the ocean, the blonde beauty captioned her sunny post: 'My happy place was calling.' Lucinda looked stunning as she enjoyed a midday snack on the boat The album of sizzling snaps comes just weeks after her ex Zac Nunns, 25, declared his love for Love Island UK star Lucinda - only days after announcing their split Telling listeners that the breakup was 'still fresh', the hunky reality star said he was not prepared to talk about the details behind the separation and wanted to protect his former sweetheart's privacy. Pictured: Lucinda and Zac On February 11, Zac took took to Instagram to confirm he was no longer dating Lucinda, months after finding romance on Love Island Australia in 2023, 'Hey guys, just thought I'd let you know that Lucinda and I have decided to go our separate ways,' he wrote. 'I'm not feeling too good about the situation and appreciate all the support so far.' The Daily Mail also exclusively revealed that the pair had split so that Lucinda, who appeared on season seven of the UK series, can 'pursue opportunities on Love Island: All Stars'. On February 11, Zac took took to Instagram to confirm he was no longer dating Lucinda, months after finding romance on Love Island Australia in 2023 Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed in February that the pair had split so that Lucinda, who appeared on season seven of the UK series, can 'pursue opportunities on Love Island: All Stars' An insider exclusively told Daily Mail Australia Zac was 'heartbroken' over the devastating breakup. The pair were no longer following each other on social media. While Lucinda appeared to have wiped all traces of Zac from her Instagram account, he still had some photos from their time spent together. It was only in January the former lovebirds, who were runners-up on the reality show, were seen packing on the PDA at an event in Sydney, Australia. Danny Cipriani has confirmed he has found love once again after his split from wife Victoria last November. The former rugby player recently enjoyed a spiritual retreat in Egypt with US TV star AnnaLynne McCord, and it seems the holiday has only strengthened the pair's relationship. Danny, 36, took to Instagram on Saturday as he declared his love for the 90210 star, also 36, alongside a series of romantic snaps. Opting for matching white linen outfits, the couple beamed as Danny wrapped a protective arm around AnnaLynne in the loved up photo. He gushed: 'My Miracle Loving you is the easiest thing in the world'. Danny Cipriani has declared his love for AnnaLynne McCord as he finally CONFIRMS he is in a relationship with the 90210 star after Egypt holiday The former rugby player has found love once again after he split from his wife Victoria last November Last month the pair were seen looking cosy at skincare brand Clarins' new product launch party in Los Angeles. And now they are both fully-loved up as Danny shared another romantic snap as he leaned in for a kiss with his new flame. 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.' 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. 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. Meanwhile , Danny's estranged wife Victoria, 42, has also been holidaying in Egypt at the same time as the sportsman as she enjoyed a family holiday with her daughter Jade and Jade's daughter Rosie. 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 looked incredible as she shared a photo of herself in a baby blue bikini as she soaked up the sun. Danny shared a romantic snap as he leaned in for a kiss with his new flame Danny recently enjoyed a spiritual retreat in Egypt with US TV star and has it seems the holiday has only strengthened the pair's relationship 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' Danny's estranged wife Victoria Rose also holidayed in Egypt at the same time as her former flame and his new love 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.' 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. Danny and Victoria, who were married for over two years, called time on their marriage in November 2023 following a series of 'difficult' rows over text messages she saw on his phone Last month the English rugby player cosied up with the 90210 actress at skincare brand Clarins new product launch party in Los Angeles AnnaLynne found mainstream fame as the sensitive yet socially-ambitious rich girl Naomi Clark in 90210 between 2008-2013 The brunette also posted a cryptic message about 'the importance of self-love' amid her and Danny's excursions '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. '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.' 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. 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? Simon Cowell has vowed to heal his rift with Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, insisting the trio are still 'really good friends'. Former X Factor judges Sharon and Louis, both 71, mocked music boss Simon, 64, during their time in the Celebrity Big Brother house last month, with Sharon saying she was 'fuming' with Simon because he didn't renew her contract on the talent show, causing her to lose out on another major TV gig. Louis said that he and Simon no longer speak because the mogul had 'cut him out' of his life. But Simon has now spoken out, insisting he is willing to get in touch with the pair to patch things up. He told the Mirror: 'If you put Sharon and Louis in the house, that's what you pay them for, they're going to be controversial. I still consider Sharon and Louis really good friends, we could pick up the phone to each other tomorrow. I think that's probably one of the things they're upset about, because they can never get hold of me. Simon Cowell has vowed to heal his rift with Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, insisting the trio are still 'really good friends' (Simon pictured in January) During her time on Celebrity Big Brother last month, Sharon said she was 'fuming' with Simon because he didn't renew her X Factor contract, causing her to lose out on another major TV gig (Sharon pictured in January) Louis, who was also a Celebrity Big Brother housemate, said that he and Simon no longer speak because the mogul had 'cut him out' of his life (Louis pictured last month) 'Amanda is a great friend, but I really do believe Sharon and Louis are great friends as well. I dont have a phone but from what I heard, what they said about me was actually quite funny. And I probably will phone them both in the next week or so, because I haven't spoken to them for a while and it sounds like I should do. 'What would I like to say to them? "How are you?" Whenever I meet them, see them, speak to them, it's like we've spoken yesterday. My honest opinion is I think we miss each other.' Sharon's comments about Simon prompted a war of words between her and Amanda Holden. The Britain's Got Talent judge, 53, branded music manager Sharon 'bitter and pathetic' over comments she made about their shared boss Simon. Amanda's comments to the Daily Mail Weekend Magazine enraged Sharon who retaliated in a rant on X, formerly known as Twitter, in which she wrote: 'You don't know me, Amanda. Unlike you, the brand of Sharon Osbourne is known worldwide.' When asked this week, Amanda refused to comment on Sharon's outburst but told MailOnline: 'Oh it's all b******s. Let's not give oxygen to any of that.' Actress Amanda had told the Daily Mail's Weekend Magazine: 'I hated seeing certain people in a reality show dissing Simon - he's the person who's given them all the chances, given them a lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldn't have had. 'It's bitter and pathetic. It was like Cinderella with her two sisters in the background - just stabby, stabby, stabby.' Sharon was a judge on series one to four, 10, 13 and 14 of The X Factor, while Louis was on the panel from series one to 11, and 13 and 14 (Sharon and Louis pictured on series 14 of The X Factor in 2017) Sharon's comments about Simon prompted a war of words between her and Amanda Holden, with Simon being Amanda's boss on Britain's Got Talent (Amanda and Simon pictured this month) Just 12 hours later, Sharon took to Twitter to issue the presenter with a full statement and accused her of being an 'ill informed sycophantic'. Sharon's post began: 'Amanda, I am responding to your interview with the Daily Mail on April 12th, I respect the fact that you feel the need to defend your good friend and employer, Simon Cowell, who is also your husband's employer, or so I've read. 'However, a couple of your statements regarding myself are factually incorrect.' Sharon went on to list her incredible repertoire of achievements, as she savagely pointed out: 'Amanda, I think you're missing the point here, no disrespect to Simon Cowell, but he NEEDED ME for musical credibility on X Factor and I delivered for him and together all of us made a great team.' She insisted: 'The truth is, you don't know me, Amanda or any of my close friends. You know nothing about my family history in the music industry, my achievements, the artists I have worked with, the shows that I've produced and my global celebrity. 'Unlike you, the brand of Sharon Osbourne is known worldwide. There are many countries that I could work in if I choose to, however, I don't have the ambition or time to do so.' Sharon went on to flaunt her wealth and luxurious lifestyle as she quipped: 'Our worlds are totally different. I have been blessed with an amazing lifestyle throughout my entire life. 'Before you were born, I was living in a mansion in Beverly Hills and continue to do so today and continue to have my country estate in England as well. Amanda broken her silence on Sharon branding her an 'ill-informed sycophantic' in their feud over Simon (pictured in 2014) Sharon took to Twitter to issue Amanda with a full statement and accused her of being an 'ill informed sycophantic' Sharon went on to list her career accolades and those of her husband as she made a case as to why she didn't need Simon Sharon flaunted her wealth as she bragged she has a 'country estate in England' as well as her home in Beverly Hills (pictured the couple's home in Buckinghamshire) Sharon and Ozzy's $13million mansion in Los Angeles boasts seven bedrooms and six bathrooms Speaking about Ozzy, Sharon wrote: 'We have been together for 44 years and he has spoiled me from the first day we met, he has given me more than any man could' (pictured 2017) 'But there is something you should know. I never discuss money, lifestyle or positions of power. I find it to be classless and crude. 'However you've now forced my hand to divulge these things to you and I honestly don't want to seem like I'm bragging, but the truth is my money and success were not due to doing a couple of Simon Cowell talent shows. 'Don't get me wrong I enjoyed doing them at the time as they were great fun. Yes, Simon paid me very well. Probably more than what you're receiving today, but all of that my darling went on a few handbags.' Listing her career accolades, Sharon continued: 'At the time that I worked on X Factor, I was the only judge who had global accomplishments with multiple million-selling artists, Grammy Award winner and arena and stadium headliners. 'I was also a very successful festival producer with Ozfest which ran for 24 years, as well as a best-selling author and producer of the hit show 'The Osbournes' for which I received an Emmy Award. 'Amanda, I think you're missing the point here, no disrespect to Simon Cowell, but he NEEDED ME for musical credibility on X Factor and I delivered for him and together all of us made a great team.' Sharon spoke out about her fractured friendship with Simon during her time in the Celebrity Big Brother house (seen on the show last month) Not afraid to speak their minds and spill behind the scenes secrets about the showbiz industry, Sharon and Louis didn't hold back during their time on Celebrity Big Brother last month Sharon explained that none of her success was down to Simon and instead due to her own work and that of her husband's. She continued: 'It was only after several seasons of X Factor that Simon started to build his music empire and I give him much kudos for what he built. When I met my husband I was already very well established in the music industry. 'Having worked with bands like Electric Light Orchestra, Motorhead, Smashing Pumpkins, Gary Moore, The Move , Roy Woods, Wizzard, Linsey de Paul, Breitt Ekland and Black Sabbath to name a few. 'I think you must have forgotten my husband is a music icon who has sold 170million albums, won multiple Grammy Awards, and is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. 'We have been together for 44 years and he has spoiled me from the first day we met, he has given me more than any man could, all of this before I ever knew who Simon Cowell was.' Signing off, Sharon concluded: 'In closing I must say whenever I have seen you on TV I always thought you were very beautiful and talented. However, never make comments about my lifestyle given to me by Simon Cowell. 'It's demeaning to me and my husband and all the achievements I have made in my life as you're making yourself look like an ill informed sycophantic. 'Sincerely, Sharon Osbourne'. Taking a defiant stance against Sharon's fiery statement, Amanda stood by what she said, while acknowledging The X Factor judge's 'incredible' career. A spokesperson for the actress told MailOnline: 'Amanda is aware of Sharons incredible career but, just like her, Amanda will always defend those close to her.' Jessica Alves set pulses racing as she flaunted her surgically enhanced assets in a series of saucy lingerie snaps on Saturday. The Brazilian TV personality, 40, looked incredible as she posed in a very sexy electric blue two-piece. She showcased her ample cleavage in a satin balconette bra featuring double straps and two suspended connectors in the centre. Drawing attention to her curves, she paired the garment with matching belted suspender straps and a skimpy thong. Going the extra mile, she finished her very saucy snaps with a pair of blue sheer thigh-high stockings and a full glam makeup look. Jessica Alves set pulses racing as she flaunted her surgically enhanced assets in a series of saucy lingerie snaps on Saturday The Brazilian TV personality, 40, looked incredible as she posed in a very sexy electric blue two-piece Posing in her bedroom, Jessica captioned her sultry album: 'Never underestimate the power of lingerie on a bad day'. Her very sexy snaps come just days after she was involved in a car accident. She was on her way to upmarket Mayfair for a meal with friends when her taxi was struck by another vehicle on April, 9. Jessica was on her way to local nightspot Sexy Fish, a bar-restaurant favoured for its high-end Japanese cuisine, when an accident involving another vehicle took place. 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.' A photo taken by Alves at the time showed 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. She showcased her ample cleavage in a satin balconette bra featuring double straps and two suspended connectors in the centre 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.' Alves 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'. 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 Alves 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. it comes just days after she was involved in a car accident. She was on her way to upmarket Mayfair for a meal with friends when her taxi was struck by another vehicle on April, 9 (pictured shortly after the incident) A photo taken by Alves shows police officers attending the scene some time after the collision The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant was seen outside the restaurant in a cleavage-boosting Versace outfit and black stiletto heels following Sunday's accident The accident comes after Alves 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 'When I log-in on my OnlyFans to chat to the fans it fills that void that most of us single people have. Alves has been seen with numerous men over the years, but her last confirmed relationship was with Brit Jamie Bugden and it ended in 2022. A source told MailOnline: 'They have been getting on very well and are making the most of their trip. It is the first time she has ever posted a man on her social media. 'Jessica is heartbroken that it won't be a long term relationship as he is a British man based in Thailand and she splits her time between London and Brazil. They are having fun for now.' Eva Longoria looked sensational as she joined the star-studded celebrities attending Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday bash at private members club Oswald's in London on Saturday evening. The actress, 49, showcased her enviable curves as she wowed in a racy black satin floor length gown. Featuring a low cut neckline, the dress was adorned with black lace and mesh panelling as the star flashed plenty of skin in the ensemble. Holding hand with her husband Jose Baston, Eva looked in great spirits as the pair got ready to party the night away. Jose, who tied the knot with Eva in 2016, looked incredibly dapper in a black suit and bow tie as he arrived at the swanky venue. Eva Longoria wowed in a racy lace satin dress for Victoria Beckham's 50th bash at private members club Oswald's in London on Saturday evening The actress held hands with her husband Jose Baston as the pair got ready to party the night away Eva completed her look with a black leather clutch bag, while also painting her nails black for the evening. Victoria celebrated the big 50 on Wednesday as she was showered with birthday wishes from across the world. Eva was among one of the first celebrities to send her birthday love to the Spice Girl as well as pals Kim Kardashian and former bandmates Emma Bunton, Mel C, Geri Halliwell and Mel B. Eva, who revealed that she has sleepovers with Beckham 'all the time' last year, shared a sweet slideshow on Instagram and lengthy caption to honour her bestie. 'Happy birthday my beautiful sister @victoriabeckham!' she wrote. 'I'm so lucky to have you in my life. Your friendship, loyalty, beauty and humor is endless! I wish everyone had a best friend like you.' The Desperate Housewives alum continued: ''I wish you all the happiness in the world for you today and always! Love you.' The star put on a very busty display in the low cut dress which featured lace detailing Eva was among the stars to send their birthday messages to the Spice Girl on Wednesday as she shared a sweet slideshow on Instagram and lengthy caption to honour her bestie 'Happy birthday my beautiful sister @victoriabeckham!' she wrote. 'I'm so lucky to have you in my life. Your friendship, loyalty, beauty and humor is endless! I wish everyone had a best friend like you' She opted to post one photo of them all dressed up in eveningwear as they posed at the bottom of a staircase as well as a silly one at home, rocking bathrobes and drinking wine. Meanwhile Victoria stunned in a semi-sheer floor-length green gown as she hobbled into the venue on crutches, following a gym injury, as she prepared to celebrate the milestone with a string of her A-list pals. Alongside husband David, 48, and their family guests included Tom Cruise as well as former bandmate Geri Horner who attended solo after standing by under-fire husband Christian. Victoria has chosen one of her favourite London hotspots to celebrate her 50th birthday, which was on Wednesday 17 April, with the designer set to mark the occasion with a star-studded dinner at the private members club Oswald's this weekend. Tom Cruise stopped to help up a photographer who crashed to the ground as the movie star arrived at Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday party on Saturday. The American movie star, 61, grabbed the arm of the snapper as he lost his footing on the steps outside private members club Oswald's in London's Mayfair. Mission: Impossible legend Tom's arrival caused much excitement outside the exclusive venue and as fans and photographers scrambled to get his attention, the man fell down. Once the gentleman was on his feet, Tom headed into the exclusive club to celebrate fashion designer Victoria's birthday. The incident happened just days after his daughter Suri celebrated her 18th birthday in New York, where she lives with her mother Katie Holmes. Tom Cruise stopped to help up a photographer who crashed to the ground as the movie star arrived at Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday party on Saturday Tom looked smart in a black tuxedo which he teamed with a matching bow tied and a white shirt, while he shielded his eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses Suri looked like the spitting image of her mother Katie from her Dawson's Creek days as she frolicked around the Big Apple on her big day on Thursday. Tom, who has had 'no part in Suri's life' for 11 years, is currently in the UK where he is filming Mission Impossible 8. Blockbuster regular Tom has been estranged from Suri since 2013, one year after he and Katie divorced. The last photo of the Top Gun actor out and about with his daughter was a trip to Disneyland in 2012, the year his divorce from Katie was finalised. At the time of their split, it was reported that Katie had chosen to end the couple's marriage over fears about raising her daughter as a Scientologist - the religion that Tom has been dedicated to for decades. Her decision to quit the religion, as well as the marriage, caused a major rift between the former spouses, which has seen Tom and Suri's relationship become increasingly distant over the years. The birthday also signalled the end of Tom's reported $400,000 a year child support payment to Katie as per their divorce agreement. Tom looked smart in a black tuxedo which he teamed with a matching bow tied and a white shirt, while he shielded his eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses as he attended Victoria's birthday on Saturday. The American movie star, 61, grabbed the arm of the snapper as he lost his footing on the steps outside private members club Oswald's in London's Mayfair Mission: Impossible legend Tom's arrival caused much excitement outside the exclusive venue and as fans and photographers scrambled to get his attention, the man fell down Once the gentleman was on his feet, Tom headed into the exclusive club to celebrate fashion designer Victoria's birthday Tom was seen arriving in to the private members' club in a chauffeur driven car in London this weekend Suri looked like the spitting image of her mother from her Dawson's Creek days as she stepped out on her 18th birthday, while her estranged father Tom was in the UK Suri (pictured 2013) marked her milestone 18th birthday without her dad Tom, 61 Suri marked her milestone 18th birthday without her dad Tom Cruise (seen together in 2011), who has all but been exiled from his youngest child's life for many years Former Spice Girl Victoria stunned in a semi-sheer floor-length green gown as she hobbled into the venue on crutches, following a gym injury, and prepared to celebrate the milestone with a string of her A-list pals. Birthday Girl Victoria's elegant sleeveless dress featured ruffles at the waist and decorative floral detail to the side. Victoria was joined by her husband David who looked dashing in a black dinner suit which he wore with a matching bow tie and white shirt. He arrived alongside the couple's daughter Harper, 12, who followed in her mother's stylish footsteps as she wore an elegant white satin dress and open-toed shoes in the same colour Middle son Romeo, 21, wore a suit to match his famous father, as did his older brother Brooklyn, 25. While Cruz, 19, donned a cream dinner suit which he teamed with a black bow tie and a pair of black and white brogue shoes. The aspiring pop star completed his look with a pair of light brown braces and posed casually with his hand in his pockets. Other guests included Eva Longoria as well as Victoria's former Spice Girls bandmate Geri Horner who attended solo after standing by under-fire husband Christian. Victoria looked sensational as she arrived at her star-studded 50th birthday bash at private members club Oswald's in London's Mayfair on Saturday evening Victoria arrived alongside husband David, sons Brooklyn, 25, Romeo, 21, Cruz, 19 and daughter Harper, 12 The star-studded guest also included all of Victoria's Spice Girls' band mates (L-R) Emma Bunton, Mel C, Mel B and Geri Horner Victoria has chosen one of her favourite London hotspots, the Private Members' club, to celebrate her 50th birthday, which was on Wednesday 17 April. Oswald's has long been a favourite for the Beckham brood, with David and Victoria pictured leaving the swanky eatery on many occasions. Given their vast celebrity circle of pals, including Gordon Ramsay and Eva Longoria, no doubt Victoria's guest list will be a who's who of big names, heading to the venue for an intimate celebration. Oswald's is certainly credited for its discretion, with no social media presence, and even its website offers little insight into what guests can expect when they step through the unassuming front door. The club's interior is no doubt inspired by The Gilded Age, with chandeliers, columns and red upholstered chairs, while a mantlepiece is adorned with roses and greenery, changed twice a week, according to Tatler. Upstairs' the restaurant, where Victoria and her pals will dine in luxury to mark her birthday, boasts a stairwell lined with framed posters, paintings and dog portraits. The restaurant itself boasts a colourful aesthetic, with patterned upholstered chairs, bold ceramics on the walls, and velvet Ikat cushions. The South African-inspired menu and tequila cocktails are a favourite among guests, and Victoria will likely indulge in one of her few vices, a glass of wine or two. Designer Victoria marked her 50th birthday, which was on Wednesday 17 April, with a star-studded dinner at the private members club Oswald's (pictured) The Beckham family posed together at their London home before making their way to Oswald's in Mayfair Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and his wife Tana looked chic as they posed together at home before heading to Victoria's birthday celebration on Saturday A source previously told The Mail last week that Victoria is delighted that she will be joined by all four of her children, including son Brooklyn, for her celebration. They said: 'It will be a small, intimate, family gathering, and it is literally the best present that she could have. 'It will be close to their London home. David has pulled a few surprises but what Victoria really wants is to be surrounded by her loved ones. 'The kids are staying for a few days, which Victoria loves, and they will all join her at her posh dinner on Saturday night.' Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and her fiance Jason Statham looked incredible as they stepped out to Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday bash at London's Oswald's. The 37-year-old model was the epitome of chic as she stepped out in a pretty pink sleeveless silk dress which featured a high turtle neck and flowy skirt. She went braless for the glitzy occasion as she paired her classy ensemble with a pair of nude strappy heels. To accessorise, Rosie wore a small white handbag which she slung over her shoulder and carried a Tiffany blue gift bag. Acting like the gentleman he truly is, Jason, 56, held Rosie's hand as he led them into the venue. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and her fiance Jason Statham looked incredible as they stepped out to Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday bash at London's Oswald's The 37-year-old model was the epitome of chic as she stepped out in a pretty pink sleeveless silk dress which featured a high turtle neck and flowy skirt He looked dapper in a fabulous two-piece black tuxedo paired with a black dicky bow. Keeping his look classic, he finished off his sophisticated outfit with a pair of shiny suit shoes and a crisp white shirt. The outing comes just hours after Rosie was spotted looking all partied out after she enjoyed her own boozy birthday celebrations in London on Friday. The model was spotted leaving Lou Lou's private members club with pals, followed by a trip to the Chiltern Firehouse. Rosie showed off her incredible figure in a sheer pink midi dress, which had a drink stain on it, with a leotard underneath. She boosted her height in lace-up heels and carried her belongings in a small white shoulder bag. Rosie stayed at the venue until 4am, when she was escorted to her car by her driver. The mother-of-two shares son Jack, six, and daughter Isabella, two, with fiance Jason. She went braless for the glitzy occasion as she paired her classy ensemble with a pair of nude strappy heels To accessorise, Rosie wore a small white handbag which she slung over her shoulder and carried a Tiffany blue gift bag Rosie gracefully climbed out of the backseat of the black Mercedes-Benz to head into Oswalds Acting like the gentleman he truly is, Jason, 56, held Rosie's hand as he led them into the venue He looked dapper in a fabulous two-piece black tuxedo paired with a black dicky bow Rosie showcased her famous good looks, sporting a light palette of radiant makeup to accentuate her beauty The model also wore her long blonde tresses in loose waves that flowed down her back The outing comes just hours after Rosie was spotted looking all partied out with a drink stain on her dress after she enjoyed her own boozy birthday celebrations in London on Friday She and Jason, whom she has been with since 2010, enjoyed a getaway to an Italian farmhouse towards the end of March. The pair are yet to get married, but revealed their engagement after Rosie flashed her impressive diamond ring at the 2016 Golden Globes . DailyMail.com reported that they love being engaged so much that they don't plan on officially marrying anytime soon. The source insisted Rosie and Jason 'will' get married one day , but there's 'no rush', explaining: 'They are also very private but Jason knows how lucky he is and loves the life he has; he is very happy. The mother-of-two shares son Jack, six, and daughter Isabella, two, with fiance Jason 'When it comes to them, they will get married eventually but they feel like they are already married and there is no rush. "If it isn't broken, why fix it" is their overall mentality.' Having more children is also a possibility. The source went on: 'And as it comes to their kids, their kids are still very young and their thoughts on expanding their family being such a very plausible thing, they might wait to have a wedding once their kids get older so they can enjoy it themselves. 'They both anticipate that their kids will ask them to have one in the future and if that happens, that would be the tipping point to actually have one.' A Place In The Sun's Laura Hamilton has addressed pregnancy speculation after viewers of the Channel 4 show were left confused. The mother-of-two, 41, revealed fans often assume she's 'pregnant again' due to old episodes being repeated regularly. Laura, who shares son Rocco, 10, and Tahlia, six, with ex-husband Alex Goward, carried both her children while filming the series following her debut in 2011. Speaking on Jenni Falconer's Runpod podcast she said: 'It's funny because when people meet me they go "How many children have you got?'" And I'm like "just two" and they're like, "Oh, you seem to be pregnant quite a lot on TV". Recalling response, she continued: "'No, I'm not pregnant again, just two children", Because, obviously the show is repeated, so you're pregnant in one, you're not in another, you're pregnant in one'. A Place In The Sun's Laura Hamilton, 41, has addressed pregnancy speculation after viewers of the Channel 4 show were left confused The mother-of-two revealed fans often assume she's 'pregnant again' due to old episodes being repeated (pictured pregnant on the show) Laura, who shares son Rocco, 10, and Tahlia, six, with ex-husband Alex Goward, carried both her children while filming the series following her debut in 2011 Before adding: 'I think the shows that are going out, or about to go out, are more current.' The TV star announced in May 2022 that she and husband Alex had decided to end their relationship. Confirming her split at the time, Laura said: 'This isn't something I ever thought I'd be saying but, after 13 years of being together Alex and I have separated. 'Our children are and always will be our number one priority and we would respect privacy for our family at this time.' The pair have seemingly remained on good terms since going their separate ways. The message was posted weeks after she and Goward enjoyed a trip to Lapland with their two kids. Shortly after the split was confirmed, Hamilton revealed she had moved into a new property in Surrey, close by to their marital home, revealing she was in the midst of a big renovation. The former couple also owned a coffee shop in Purley called Lord Roberts on The Green but three months after the break-up, it changed ownership to Ghazala Akhtar. Speaking on Jenni Falconer's Runpod podcast she said: 'It's funny because when people meet me they go, "How many children have you got?" And I'm like "just two" and they're like, "Oh, you seem to be pregnant quite a lot on TV" (pictured on the show) Recalling response, she continued: '"No, I'm not pregnant again, just two children", Because, obviously the show is repeated, so you're pregnant in one, you're not in another, you're pregnant in one' (pictured pregnant on the show) In September 2022 Hamilton hinted at a reconciliation with her ex-husband after the pair enjoyed a second holiday together in the space of three months. The presenter was joined by the insurance broker in the Greek holiday resort of Kefalonia in August - a holiday that followed another joint trip to the exclusive Manga Club in Spain during May half-term. In September 2022, Laura hinted at a reconciliation with her ex-husband after the pair enjoyed a second holiday together in the space of three months. The presenter was joined by the insurance broker in the Greek holiday resort of Kefalonia in August 2023 - a holiday that followed another joint trip to the exclusive Manga Club in Spain during May of that year. Molly Smith stunned in a lime green dress in throwback shots from her holiday to Dubai with boyfriend her Tom Clare which she shared to Instagram on Friday. The Love Island: All Stars winning couple chose Dubai as the destination for their first-ever holiday together earlier in the month. In the snaps, Molly went braless in the halterneck dress which had a keyhole cut out that showcased her ample cleavage. She teamed the look with gold heeled sandals and a gold handbag. Tom wore a cream collared T-shirt and loose-fitting dark cream linen trousers with a pair of white trainers. The couple were joined in the photos by Tom's elder sister Laura Clare who is based in Dubai. Molly Smith, 29, stunned in a lime green dress in throwback shots from her trip to Dubai with boyfriend her Tom Clare, 24, which she shared to Instagram on Friday The Love Island: All Stars winning couple chose Dubai as the destination for their first-ever holiday together earlier in the month Tom wore a cream collared T-shirt and loose-fitting dark cream linen trousers and the couple were joined in the photos by Tom's elder sister Laura Clare who is based in Dubai Laura wore a barely there off-white top with straight-legged blue jeans and a pair of silver sandals. The Love Island: All Stars winners enjoyed their first getaway as girlfriend and boyfriend at the lavish five-star hotel Rixos Premium. Tom took to social media previously to share a series of photos as the couple were seen cosying up while soaking up the sun at the beach. He also shared a sweet picture of Molly throwing her arms in the air after he surprised her by decking out their hotel room. Tom had arranged the hotel to scatter white and gold balloons on the ceiling with white string attached. He also organised balloons to be delivered with their initials on. The couple jetted off to Dubai on 15k flights for their first holiday together post-villa and beamed for a selfie while enjoying their first class seats. During a Q&A on the flight Molly confirmed that she and Tom are officially boyfriend and girlfriend after he asked her on March 1. Tom joked: 'She is wifed off!' The pair were also asked whether they have moved in together. Looking suspicious, Tom quietly sipped his drink as Molly teased: 'He already has'. The couple won the first series of Love Island: All Stars in February and have been going strong ever since, though a secret relationship threatened to throw a spanner in the works. Laura wore a barely there off-white top with straight-legged blue jeans and a pair of silver sandals and Molly wore heeled gold sandals Back home in Manchester, Molly attended a promotional event for Channel 4's The Piano which returns on April 28 The Piano sees host Claudia Winkleman invites gifted amateur pianists to play live at some of the nation's busiest train stations, from London St Pancras to Glasgow Central Molly and two dancers stood on a keyboard projected onto the floor and attempted to step on the keys that were called out Molly attended the event without Tom and she wore a black biker jacket with a crop top and blue jeans A source revealed in March that 'just hours before' before Tom entered the All Stars villa and fell for Molly, he and Made In Chelsea's Ruby Adler, 27, were 'exchanging heartfelt messages' A source told MailOnline in March that Tom and Made In Chelsea star Ruby Adler were 'exchanging heartfelt messages' just hours before he entered the All Stars villa. Tom and Ruby reportedly started dating after he slid into her DMs on Instagram and they grew close. Ruby was subsequently 'perplexed' by his decision to go back into the Love Island villa after they had already been dating for several weeks. The source said Tom leaving for the All Stars series in South Africa 'threw a spanner in the works' and now Ruby will never know what could have been. A group of 34 soldiers have been sequestered since Friday in southern Colombia, after an operation against environmental crimes, the authorities reported on Saturday April 20. Governor Rafaela Cortes assured that behind this kidnapping that occurred in the department of Meta are dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who rejected the 2016 peace agreement and who are instrumentalizing the civilian population against the forces of order. Authorities earlier announced that two investigators from Colombias Attorney Generals Office had been kidnapped in the southwest of the country by the Central Staff (EMC), the largest faction of FARC dissidents who rejected the peace deal. . The two officials and the woman who accompanied them have been detained since Friday in a rural area of ??Santander de Quilichao, in the department of Cauca (southwest). The general prosecutors office vehemently condemned this unacceptable detention and called for respect for the life and integrity of the three people. According to the EMC, which assured of their good health, the investigators were surprised at a checkpoint in possession of two weapons and their ammunition, as well as electronic devices to collect information . Government attempts to renegotiate peace with dissidents We hope that international organizations can create the security conditions necessary for their release, said the dissident organization, which refused to give up its arms unlike most of the FARC, after the signing of the historic peace agreement from 2016. In 2022, Colombian military intelligence estimated the EMCs strength at around 3,500 guerrillas. The organization controls revenues from drug trafficking and illegal mining. A truce was concluded at the end of 2023 between the EMC and the government of President Gustavo Petro, in power since August 2022, who is trying to renegotiate peace with these dissidents. After a series of attacks against civilians and security forces, the assassination of an indigenous leader by rebels ultimately led the government to decree on March 17 the end of the ceasefire in three departments in the south -west of the country. Concerns over Suu Kyis whereabouts as the junta stares at defeat The news website, The Irrawaddy, cites informed sources in Naypyitaw and Yangon as saying that Aung San Suu Kyi (78), the emblem of the Myanmars struggle for democracy and Win Mint (72), incarcerated president of the countrys democratically-elected Government ousted by the coup on February 1, 2021, remain in prison. This, indeed, is likely to be the case given the high level of credibility that the website enjoys. It would be instructive to read what it has to say in this connection. The ball, so to say, was set rolling late on the afternoon of April 16 when a pro-regime media outlet said that both had been moved to a new location. It was followed by the regimes spokesman, Major-General Zaw Min Tun telling the Burmese services of VOA and the BBC: Not only Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Win Myint but also some [other] older prisoners were given necessary care since the weather is extremely hot. However, he did not say that Suu Kyi had been moved to a new location. When media outlets pressed him for further information, he did not provide any details. Despite this and the absence of any photographic or other evidence showing their having been moved to house arrest, both local and international and news agencies carried stories saying that it was the case That this is not so is further suggested by Aung San Suu Kyis son, Kim Aris, who to told Kay Burley of Sky News during a breakfast interview, They are saying house arrest. She only has one house and shes not there. Given the utterly unsavoury reputations that the junta and news outlets which act as its mouthpieces enjoy, the confusion may, in all likelihood, have been deliberately created by both acting in tandem. If this, indeed, is the case, what purpose was sought to have been achieved? The most plausible answer would be that it was to show that the junta cared. Why suddenly? It has been known for some time that Aung San Suu Kyi was very ill in prison and the junta was not providing her the kind of medical attention she needed. It has also been speculated that the junta could murder her in prison and claim that she had died of old age or other natural causes. Whatever it is, it would serve the generals well to create the impression that it was not their fault if something untoward happened to her. The other reason could be differences within the junta, a section of which wants to do a deal with her to end the civil war they are losing and another would hear nothing of it. The Sit-Tat (which and not Tatmadaw, is the real name for Myanmar Army), is now facing defeat at a none-to-distant future. It has been suffering one major reverse after another since the opposition Three Brotherhood Alliance (henceforth Alliance) launched its current offensive, codenamed Operation 1027, on October 27, 2023. The latest, the loss of Myawaddy, an important border town, on April 11, 2024, to the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Karen National Army, is clearly the most devastating blow suffered by the junta since the Alliances current offensive began. A key trading hub close to the eastern end of Myanmars border with Thailandthe total value of imports and exports passing though it has been valued at $ 1 billion in 2023it is also regarded as Myanmars opening to South-East Asian countries. The Junta is reportedly preparing to launch a counter offensive. Whether it materialises and, if it does, with what success, remains to be seen. But even if it is successful and the Sit-Tat is able to retain the town after regaining it, the event is unlikely to be a turning point in the civil war which is going overwhelming in favour of the Alliancecomprising the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), active in the Kokang Special Region of northern Shan State, the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), also active in the Shan State and the Arakan Army (AA), based in the Rakhine State in the countrys western part. Acting in close cooperation opposition National Unity Governments military arm, the Peoples Defence Force (PDF) and other ethnic armies like the KNLA and KLA. At the time of writing, the AA has brought almost the entire Rakhine State under its control. By early April, it had captured some 170 junta camps and posts, several larger bases, battalion headquarters and training facilities. It seized the important town of Paletwa on January 15, 2024. Kyaukphyu, where China is developing a port and a special economic zone spread over 1,600 hectares, is about to fall. The AA is pressing hard on Sittwe, an important port town, after seizing control of the small towns around it and cutting off access to it through road and waterways. India shifted its staff from its consulate there to Yangon earlier in April, 2024. Initially, one had thought that the Juntas ouster, even though inevitable, would take a long time to come about. It now seems that it would be defenestrated much sooner than one had thought. India must bear this in mind. (The author is Consulting Editor, The Pioneer. The views expressed are personal) TOKYO, Apr 20 (News On Japan) - In a developing story from Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, two charred bodies discovered on a riverbed have been identified, with one likely being Takarajima Ryutaro, aged 55, and the other potentially his wife. The identification comes after intensive investigations following their mysterious disappearance. The series of confessions have raised many questions. A man in his 20s initially came forward to the police, suggesting he might be involved in the case, citing previous disputes related to a restaurant owned by Takarajima. However, during voluntary questioning by the police, he has since stated that he was not involved in the killings. Investigators revealed that the man claimed he intended to surrender to the police along with other accomplices, although he did not disclose any names. Interestingly, the man does not reside in Tokyo but came to a police station within the city to present himself. This has led to more questions than answers. Police have been examining surveillance footage from around Takarajima's restaurant. According to sources close to the investigation, a man resembling Takarajima was captured on camera around 9 PM on the 15th. Takarajimas bicycle was later found in the Taito district, suggesting he might have been involved in an incident shortly after parking it. The bodies were discovered the following morning in the mountains of Tochigi, with indications suggesting they had been strangled and then burned within a span of about 10 hours. Authorities believe that the second body found is highly likely to be that of Takarajimas wife, adding a grim chapter to this unfolding investigation. Source: ANN True wealth lies not in material possessions but in the freedom of mind Once upon a time lived a woman. She was struck with an unexpected tragedy as her husband passed away untimely. The lady was now left with only one son and precious jewellery. Since she was hounded by creditors to repay the debts accrued by her husband, she conjured a trick to hide the wealth. In sheer desperation to keep the jewellery safe from creditors, the lady wrapped the precious wealth in a piece of cloth and hid it under a tree. The mother and son lived in an impoverished State. Her mind was always disturbed by the fact that she did not share this piece of vital information with her only son. As it turned out, she carried this secret to the grave. Consequently, the son inherited plenty of debt, a barren hut and a cot. The son had to work hard for sustenance and to repay the ever-rising liabilities. He toiled hard to survive and regretted his misfortune. Property is not the sacred right. When a rich man becomes poor it is a misfortune, it is not a moral evil. When a poor man becomes destitute, it is a moral evil, teeming with consequences and is injurious to society and morality, opined Lord Acton. Indeed, the impoverishment of the poor is heart-wrenching. One day while cutting the branches of a tree, he stumbled upon the jewellery. Dumbfounded and stupefied, the strapping youngster hid the bijouterie in a pit he dug in the hut, petrified that the creditors would appropriate the wealth. He too committed the cardinal mistake of not sharing the secret with his wife and carried it to his grave. The mother and son were not mindful and wakeful enough to be in the Present Moment and remained prisoners of their past and future. Two Buddhist monks were once discussing a flag flapping in the wind. While one felt it was the wind moving, the other conjectured it was the flag fluttering. The imbroglio could not be resolved and they sought the intervention of a Zen Master. The master impassively said, It is the MIND that moves, neither the flag nor the wind. Humans need freedom from their past and future to be in the present. And being in the NOW or present is true enlightenment and mindfulness. The past is full of sorrows and regrets while the future brims with anxieties and worries and humans are caged in that mindset, thereby postponing their happiness quotient. To appreciate true happiness and joy, the human mind should not vacillate between the past and the future but remain in the PRESENT. A young monk was once travelling in pursuit of happiness and truth. During his travels, he encountered a massive river that he could not cross. A short while later, he saw a senior monk on the other side of the river. He hailed him and sought assistance to cross the river to reach the other side. The senior monk pondered and replied, You are already on the other side. This fact can be appreciated only when the mind is centred. Breathing techniques such as Sudarshan Kriya, Pranayama, Yoga, Meditation and Vipassana all help in dissolving the mind so that it becomes centred. True happiness is not possible without freedom. We have to learn the habit of being free. We do not allow our past, the future, our projects, or our fear to get hold of us. We are free. Every step is free. Every step is nourishment. Every step is healing. Every step is joy, says Thich Nhat Hanh. (The writer is the CEO of Chhattisgarh East Railway Ltd. and Chhattisgarh East West Railway Ltd. He is a faculty of the Art of Living; views are personal) In a kaleidoscope of democracy in action, voters of all ages from wheelchair-bound seniors to newlyweds and Great Andamanese Tribe from Strait Island in South Andaman to the worlds shortest woman cast their vote on Friday with an estimated 62.37 per cent turnout recorded till 6 pm in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. It covered 102 seats across 21 States and Union Territories amid sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal while an accidental explosion of a grenade launcher shell in Chhattisgarh left a CRPF jawan dead. The highest voter turnout on the first day of polling under Phase 1 of the Lok Sabha elections was recorded in Tripura at 79.90 per cent , followed by West Bengal at 77.57 per cent and Assam at 71.38 per cent, with Bihar witnessing the lowest turnout at 47.49 per cent till 7 pm. According to officials, the prevailing heatwave condition in Bihar could be a possible reason for the low voter turnout. In strife-torn Manipur, around 68. 62 per cent polling was recorded amid incidents of shooting, damage to electronic voting machines (EVMs), threats to voters and polling agents by armed miscreants while voters in six districts of eastern Nagaland stayed indoors following an indefinite shutdown call by an apex body of tribal organisations to press for its demand for a separate State. Tamil Nadu recorded a voter turnout of 72.09 percent in the Lok Sabha polls with no major untoward incidents while 58 per cent voter turnout was recorded on eight seats of western Uttar Pradesh. According to the Election Commissions Voter Turnout app, 63.29 per cent voting was reported in Saharanpur, 57.83 per cent in Moradabad, 60.39 per cent in Kairana, 59.17 per cent in Nagina, 60.23 per cent in Pilibhit, 54.68 per cent in Bijnor, 52.42 per cent in Rampur and 54.91 per cent in Muzaffarnagar. These seats fall in the Jat and sugarcane belt of the State. The commission described the turnout as high, noting that voting remained largely peaceful. In the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout was recorded at 69.43 per cent. Some of the constituencies were different then and the total number of seats which went to polls were 91. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters to exercise their franchise in record numbers as the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls started with polling being held in 102 constituencies. He especially called upon the young and first-time voters to vote in large numbers. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections commence today! As 102 seats across 21 States and UTs go to the polls, I urge all those voting in these seats to exercise their franchise in record numbers, he said in a post on X. He added, I particularly call upon the young and first-time voters to vote in large numbers. After all, every vote counts and every voice matters! Modi made the appeal in various Indian languages. West Bengal, polling was marred by violence in the Cooch Behar seat. TMC and BJP workers clashed with each other and lodged 80 and 39 complaints respectively related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assault on poll agents, sources from both parties said. Minor EVM glitches were reported at some booths in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Assam. A vehicle carrying an EVM partially sank into a river after water level rose suddenly, washing away a mechanised boat that was ferrying the SUV in Lakhimpur constituency. The driver and the polling officer of the vehicle managed to get out before water gushed into the vehicle. Poll violence and allegations of electronic voting machines being damaged marred the polling process in Manipur, a state that has been embroiled in ethnic violence since May last year. There have been at least two incidents of gunfire close to polling stations in the Manipur valley. An altercation broke out between locals and unidentified persons in Thongju assembly constituency under the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat. Incidents of EVM damage were also reported from three polling stations in East Kameng, Kurung Kumey and Upper Subansiri districts in Arunachal Pradesh. From bustling city centres to remote villages, the polling stations witnessed a colourful convergence of voters spanning generations and backgrounds. Polling was seamless, based on meticulous planning and execution by the Commission and its officials in the field. In Kurung Kumey District of Arunachal Pradesh an elderly voter opted to go cast her vote at the polling station despite having the option to vote from home. Elsewhere, a first-time voter, Ms. Devaki, adorned in traditional attire, in Dindori, Madhya Pradesh, expressed her happiness by proudly striking a pose with her inked finger after casting her vote. Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, newly-married voters also proudly took to social media to post selfies with their ink-marked fingers. The Great Andamanese Tribe from Strait Island in South Andaman also participated enthusiastically. Visuals of voters standing in long queues waiting for their chance to vote were seen across the polling stations as voting began simultaneously across 102 PCs at 7 AM on Friday. In Bodh Gaya in Bihar, Buddhist monks were seen posing with a smile and their fingers inked in a proud display. In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, voters belonging to the tribal communities came out in large numbers. Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar made history by casting their votes for the first time this elections. Dheeraj Soni and Pooja Soni cast their vote in Rajasthans Sikar shortly after getting married, Aseem Mangotra and Vishali in Udhampur, and Devesh Thakur and Gangotri Thakur in Chhattisgarhs Naraynapur. Rejecting the home voting facility provided to senior citizens by the commission, a 95-year-old retired Navy official went to a polling booth in Jaipur to cast his vote on a wheelchair. The worlds shortest woman, Jyoti Amge, cast her vote in Nagpur in Maharashtra and appealed to people to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise in the elections. According to EC, 56 villages in Bastar cast their vote in a polling booth set up in their own village for the first time in a Lok Sabha Election. Voters were seen to benefit from the medical facilities at the Model Polling station in PC-163 in Bijapur. In Chhattisgarh, 63.41 per cent voters cast their votes in the Naxal-hit Bastar Lok Sabha constituency where the CRPF jawan after the grenade accidentally went off while an officer was injured in an IED blast in another incident. As per data shared by the EC, Rajasthan saw a voter turnout of close to 55 per cent was recorded in 12 parliamentary constituencies. The highest voter turnout of 62.93 per cent was recorded in the Ganganagar Lok Sabha seat while Jhunjhunu saw the lowest turnout of 47.98 per cent, it said. Jaipur recorded a poll percentage of 61.23. The voting percentage in Bikaner was 52.53, Churu 61.05, Sikar 55.06, Jaipur Rural 54.44, Alwar 55.82, Dausa 49.57, Bharatpur 50.97 and Nagaur 56.89. In the first major electoral battle in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, the Udhampur constituency witnessed enthusiastic voters participation recorded more than 65.08 percent voting till 7 pm, with officials saying the final turnout figures would be higher as data from remote locations and ballot papers are compiled. Arunachal Pradesh saw over 65.46 percent voters exercising their franchise, Meghalaya ( 70.26 percent) ,Mizoram ( 54.88 percent), Nagaland 56.77 percent.Though the turnout was moderate in the morning hours in north eastern states due to inclement weather, it gathered momentum with weather conditions improving. States, including Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep completed their voting process on Friday in single-phase election. Andaman Nicobar recorded 56.87 percent voters turn out; Lakshadweep 59.02 percent; Uttarakhand 53.64 percent, Puducherry 73.25 percent and Sikkim 68.06 percent. As polling in the first phase of the general election concluded by Friday 6 pm, Tamil Nadu registered a voter turn-out of 63 .2 per cent till 5 pm, according to the Election Commission of India. Final figures would be released by 8 pm, said the ECI officials. Dharmapuri registered 73.51 per cent while Krishnagiri recorded 64.24 per cent (figures recorded till 5 pm). Chennai Central, from where former Telangana Governor Dr Tamilissai Sounderarajan was contesting recorded 41.47 per cent till 3 pm, according to Satyabrata Sahoo, chief electoral officer. Latha Ravishankar, a BJP activist in Chennai Central, had disappointment written all over her face as voters failed to make it to the polling booths despite lot of cajoling by her and other volunteers. But the DMK camp sounded positive as the low-turn out is expected to make the prospectus of the party candidates smooth. The State has 39 constituencies while the neighboring Puducherry has one seat. Polling in both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were peaceful barring some routine skirmishes associated with election. The main contest in Tamil Nadu is between the three fronts led by the DMK, the AIAMK and the BJP. K Annamalai, the young president of Tamil Nadu BJP had created a sensation across the State and the first time voters were impressed with his style of politics. If the BJP manages to score 25 per cent of the popular votes, it would be a landmark event in Tamil Nadus political history. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP drew a blank having failed to win even a single seat. The AIADMK could win just on seat while the dMK-led alliance made a clean sweep by winning all the 39 seats. Kolahala Srenivaas, chief editor, Kolahala TV News Channel, is of the opinion that this time it would be entirely different. There is a string anti-incumbency wave against the DMK and AIADMK is likely to win at least six or seven seats, he said. There were sufficient reasons for the Election Commission of India to heave a big sigh of relief as the first round of elections for Bengals three parliamentary constituencies of Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri passed off without any loss of life though reports of stray incidents of clashes, stone-pelting or booth capture, came in from many areas. Polling passed off peacefully amid stray incidents of violence and complaints of booth capture by both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, sources in the ECI said adding the three constituencies witnessed a brisk polling of about 77.5 percent till 5 pm. The polling percentage was likely to go beyond 82 percent as many voters were still standing in the queue. While Cooch Behar recorded a comparatively high polling rate of 77.73 percent, about 75.54 percent voters voted at Alipurdar whereas Jalpaiguri witnessed about 79.33 percent voters exercising their franchise. The BJP had won all the three seats in 2019. Though there was no official statement coming from the ECI till reports last came in sources said by 12 pm the Commission had received more than 100 complaints from Cooch Behar alone where more than a dozen local TMC and BJP leaders had to be hospitalized following stray incidents of violence at Dinhata, Sitalkuchi. Bombs were recovered from various places including Dinhata but none died of bombing a senior police officer at Cooch Behar said. One of a voter was damaged in stone-throwing whereas a TMC booth president had to be hospitalized after he was beaten by alleged BJP men. At Dabgram Fulbari in Jalpaiguri constituency BJP local MLA Sikha Chatterjee was detained following heated exchanges with the police even as the TMC men complained that she was trying to influence voters. Chatterjee however said that she had gone following complaints of booth capture. Similar incidents took place at Sitalkuchi where the local TMC supporters raised slogans after BJP MLA Baren Chandra Burman. The saffron MLA said, I went to the area after we learnt that the TMC had captured several booths and were casting false votes, the leader however had to beat a retreat after a large number villagers assembled in the area. Four persons were killed at Sitalkuchi during the 2021 State Assembly elections. Meanwhile, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for allegedly misusing the central forces. Complaining that the members of the State police had been made to sit idle Banerjee said, both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister should remember that they are only leading a care-taker government which has no power whereas in Bengal we are leading an elected Government still the State police is not being used and they (Centre) are misusing the central forces how can the central forces allow loot of votes. She said I love central forces. But I oppose using them as BJP members. I want to ask the EC why central forces are being used in Cooch Behar in such a way? How do you expect a free and fair election in such a situation? It is a matter of shame that the EC has become a BJP commission. Her Cabinet colleague Udayan Guha who represents Dinhata sub-division in Cooch Behar said the BJP, and CAPF, has unleashed a reign of terror to rig the elections in many areas they have joined hands to beat up our workers. Even as the TMC leaders refrain tended to bring broad smile in the faces of the BJP a top State saffron leader said, her moaning says it all they have failed to capture booths in a big way and have been given their own medicine by our men this means that they are losing. Junior Union Home Minister Nisith Pramanik who is the BJP candidate from Cooch Behar however said that the TMC is crying because it has sensed defeat they tried to use threat but failed. His party colleague and BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul too alleged that Bengal had turned into a new Bihar in the wake of repeated incidents of electoral violence. Paul is contesting from Midnapore constituency this time round. Back to North Bengal, in the first phase, a total of 56,26,108 voters including 28,62,494 men, 27,63,506 women and 108 third-gender were to exercise their franchise in 5,814 booths. While 112 companies of central forces and 4,500 State police men were deployed at Cooch Behar the figure for Alipurduar is 63 companies of CAPF and 2,500 State police respectively. About 75 companies of central forces and 3,000 State police men were deployed at Jalpaiguri. Regards, Saugar Voter turnout of 57.54 per cent was recorded till 5 pm in all eight parliamentary constituencies of Western Uttar Pradesh where polling was held in first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday. Total turnout of voters was expected to be marginally above 60 per cent. The eight constituencies where polling was held on Friday included Pilibhit, Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad and Rampur. Of these, Saharanpur, Kairana, Bijnor, Moradabad and Rampur are general constituencies. Over 25 per cent turnout was recorded till 11 am, and it rose to an average of 37 per cent till 1 pm. By 3 pm over 47.44 per cent voters had cast their votes in the eight constituencies. The voter turnout was 54.68 per cent in Bijnor, 58.68 per cent in Kairana, 57.65 per cent in Moradabad, 54.91 per cent in Muzaffarnagar, 58.05 per cent in Nagina, 60.23 per cent in Pilibhit, 52.42 per cent in Rampur and 63.29 per cent in Saharanpur. Uttar Pradeshs Chief Electoral Officer Navdip Rinwa said the voting figures were being tabulated and the final figures would be available in late hours of Friday/Saturday. He said the polling was free, fair and peaceful in all eight Lok Sabha constituencies and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere except incidents of scuffles among the supporters of rival candidates in some places. He said the situation was immediately brought under control by the police. The CEO said no major incident of malfunctioning of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) was reported from any of the 14, 845 polling booths spread in eight Lok Sabha constituencies which went to polls on Friday. He said 50 ballot units, 50 control units and 152 VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) machines were replaced due to malfunction. He said the polling was affected for some time and the machines were immediately replaced from the reserve machines available with sector magistrates. The CEO said arrangements were made for the webcasting of polling in 7,500 polling booths for keeping close watch on the polling process. He said the webcasting was watched at the district control room, by the chief electoral officer at Lucknow and the Election Commission of India at Delhi. He said no major complaint about the polling process was received. He said complaints were immediately addressed and no complaint was repeated. He said the complaints were of three types - EVM malfunction, intimidation of voters and voters being prevented from casting their vote. He said voters were allowed to cast votes without showing valid identity documents in some polling booths. The polling commenced at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm. The CEO said till 11 am, 29.84 per cent voting was reported in Saharanpur, 23.35 per cent in Moradabad, 25.89 per cent in Kairana, 26.89 per cent in Nagina, 26.94 per cent in Pilibhit, 25.50 per cent in Bijnor, 20.71 per cent in Rampur and 22.62 per cent in Muzaffarnagar. These seats fall in the Jat and sugarcane belt of the state. Among the prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase polls are Bharatiya Janata Partys Jitin Prasada from Pilibhit, Union minister Sanjeev Balyan from Muzaffarnagar and Azad Samaj Party chief Chandrashekhar Azad from Nagina. The ruling BJP has joined hands with the Rashtriya Lok Dal, while the Samajwadi Party has allied with the Congress for the Lok Sabha elections. The Bahujan Samaj Party has decided to go solo. A total of 80 candidates -73 men and seven women - are contesting in the first phase polls. The Election Commission of India said 1.43 crore people were eligible to cast their votes in the first phase. To ensure security, 6,018 inspectors and sub-inspectors, 35,750 constables and 24,992 home guard personnel, along with 60 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and 220 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) were deployed. .As Indias much-awaited 2024 Lok Sabha elections first phase unfolded on Friday, Googles iconic Doodle joined the countrys democratic journey by featuring the iconic ink mark on the index finger, a hallmark of Indian democracy. A click on the Google Doodle takes users, from across the globe, to witness the monumental scale of Indias vibrant democratic process being held in the seven phases from April 19 to June 1.. In the first phase on Friday a total of 102 constituencies in 21 States have gone to vote, including five constituencies from Assam. Phase 2 of the polls will be held next week on April 26, and 89 constituencies in 13 States will be voting, including five Assam constituencies. Social media platforms were already buzzing with excitement as netizens shared the Doodle online and expressed their thoughts on this significant moment. @RT_India_news posted on X, Google Doodle Salutes Indian Elections Democracys Biggest Dance. Fridays illustration depicts a hand with the index finger marked with ink, symbolising the start of the worlds largest elections in which nearly one billion people are eligible to vote. The first phase of Indias 2024 Lok Sabha elections is currently underway, with significant participation across multiple regions, it posted. Stella Paul with @stellasglobe handle termed Googles move as pretty cool while one @virgojyoti02 found the move exciting Let the festival of democracy begin!!! Google doodle. Naveen Athresh, having X handle @naveenathresh said, Google Doodle with our Indian elections voting to push people to vote. A nice touch. Pritansu Priyadarsini Biswal from Bhubaneswar in Odisha too was excited at Googles innovative idea saying that, as citizens across the country exercise their right to vote, Google Doodle stands as a virtual companion, reminding us of the significance of our collective journey towards a more inclusive and democratic society. Dr Jagdish Kaur, founder of the WILGA, an NGO engaged in the empowerment of women, shared that, Through this Doodle, Google aims to educate people about the importance of voting and to highlight the significance of democracy. This also shows how our democracy has become stronger every passing year. I think the vibrancy of any democracy lies in the power of an individual vote which decides the future of any powerful country like ours. It is a welcoming move by Google which is presently the only country with 1.4 strong population to create awareness about elections, Dr Rahul Bhargava, a bone marrow transplant specialist and haematologist at Fortis Hospital, Gurgaon echoed similar sentiments. For Sanjay Ojha, Corporate Communication head at the ACME Group, it was like a significant moment for India. The Google Doodle seems like a thoughtful way to commemorate the start of such an important event. Its great to hear about the high level of participation in the elections. The democratic process is a vital aspect of any nations governance. A senior official from the Delhi Election Office informed that the classic symbol of Indian polls will be visible everywhere - a left hand with only its index finger extended, marked by a purple-black indelible ink. Devised as a method to prevent a person from casting more than one vote, to preserve the principle of one man, one vote, the ink manufactured by Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd, a Karnataka Government Undertaking has been used in Indian elections for decades. The ink manufactured in India has also traveled to other parts of the world to be used in other elections. Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in the national capital, the Delhi BJP will host a mega conclave of Hindu priests, saints and seers to celebrate the Hindu new year and construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, at the IGI stadium on Sunday, party leaders said. Delhi goes to polls on May 25. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the event will also celebrate construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya as the consecration ceremony of Ramlalla idol at the temple is going to complete 100 days in the next few weeks. The grand consecration ceremony in Ayodhya was held in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22 this year. The saints and seers gathered for the event will also speak about the importance of "Santana Dharma", party leaders said. More than 31,000 devout Hindus, including over 5,000 saints, seers and temple priests, will gather at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi to chant the Hanuman Chalisa, said Karnail Singh, coordinator of Temple cell of Delhi BJP. Singh said several Union ministers and senior BJP leaders will also be present in the programme. Sources said Union Minister Piyush Goel was one of the invited guests for the event. The BJP is contesting the Lok Sabha polls on all seven seats in Delhi that it has won back to back with huge margins in 2014 and 2019. The party is pitted in a direct contest on all seats on which the INDIA bloc partners -- AAP and Congress -- have fielded their candidates. The AAP is contesting four of the seven parliamentary seats while the Congress the remaining three. "Across the country, including in Delhi, people celebrate the new year, Christmas, so the Hindu new year should also be celebrated with same vigour. This event is being held to focus on Indian culture and its values by celebrating different festivals that fall in the beginning of Hindu new year," Singh said. April 9 marked the start of Vikram Samvat 2081 as per the Hindu calender. Several renowned Hindu religious figures, including 31 Mahamandleshwars, will also attend the programme, Singh said. Three labourers killed, one trapped in house collapse Rupnagar: Three labourers were killed when a two-storey house collapsed in Preet Colony here while one remains trapped under the debris as rescue efforts continue, police said on Friday. The incident took place on Thursday when the labourers were engaged in the process of raising the lintel of the house. ''Of the five labourers who got trapped under the debris, three died in the incident. Two were already dead when pulled out of the debris while one passed away in a hospital,'' Senior Superintendent of Police, Rupnagar, Gulneet Singh Khurana said. He added that one labourer, who was pulled out alive, is being treated at a hospital while efforts are on to rescue the one who is still trapped under the debris. The police said a loud explosion was heard when the building caved-in. Following the collapse, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Punjab Police, and the fire brigade reached the spot to conduct the rescue operation. House owner Rajinder Kaur said on Thursday they had built this structure in 1984. They were doing the work of lifting the lintel of the house with the help of jacks. A contractor from Haryana had employed the labourers for the task, SSP Khurana said. Issues of outsourced workers resolved at PGI Chandigarh: The administration of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER) has resolved the longstanding issue of equal work, equal pay for outsourced workers in sanitation, catering, and security services. Through persistent efforts and proactive intervention with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, PGIMER has demonstrated its commitment to upholding labour standards and promoting equity in the workplace. Prof Vivek Lal, Director of PGIMER, expressed satisfaction with the resolution, stating, "At PGIMER, we prioritize the well-being and fair treatment of all our workers. Our administration's persistent and proactive intervention with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare paved the way for the resolution of the longstanding issue of equal work, equal pay for outsourced workers in sanitation, catering, and security services." Patent granted to Kurukshetra University for non-surgical cancer treatment Chandigarh: A patent has been granted to Kurukshetra University in the name of Prof Pawan Sharma, Department of Chemistry, and Dr Jitender Bhardwaj, Department of Zoology for their triazolothiazolyl-triazole derivative apoptosis-inducing composition. Vice-Chancellor Prof Som Nath Sachdeva congratulated the KU faculty and said that Kurukshetra University is committed to providing high-quality research and elevating it to new heights. He said that the facility for filing patents is being provided to KU Professors through the invaluable contribution of patent expert IPR Honorary Professor Dr Ramesh Kumar Mehta Dr Jitender Bhardwaj said that the present invention relates to an apoptosis-inducing composition for cancer treatment. Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of mankind and has the highest number of patients worldwide. The main objective of the present invention is to solve the cancer problem by providing novel compositions and pharmaceutical compositions capable of inducing apoptosis. Hry Right to Service Commission imposes fine of Rs 5000 on PNB manager for failing to disburse loan on time Chandigarh: The Haryana Right to Service Commission has decided to impose a fine of Rs 5000 on the manager of a Punjab National Bank branch for failing to disburse the loan within the stipulated time frame. This fine will be deducted from the manager's April month salary. Providing details in this regard here today, a spokesperson of the Haryana Right to Service Commission said that the Chief Commissioner TC Gupta addressed three cases concerning beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana (MMAPUY) in March. One such case involved applicant Ompati from Siwani, where the Commission took suo motu cognizance. In this case, the Commission has imposed a fine of Rs 5000 on Anuj Verma, the branch manager of Punjab National Bank in Siwani, district Bhiwani, for the delay in loan disbursement. The Commission, in its ruling, has mandated that this fine be deducted from the branch manager's salary for the month of April, with the deducted amount to be deposited into the state treasury. Furthermore, the Commission has directed that the challan receipt for this deduction be submitted to the Commission within the next 30 days. Hry ACB registers case against Inspector & private individual Dharmendra for bribery Chandigarh: A case has been registered by the Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) against Inspector Bilasa Ram and private individual Dharmendra for bribery in the Panipat district. In this case, accused Dharmendra was arrested red-handed yesterday while accepting a bribe of Rs.100,000, while the accused inspector Bilasa Ram fled from the spot. Sharing information in this regard an official spokesperson said that the ACB team received a complaint that Inspector Bilasa Ram, posted at Sector -13/17 police station in Panipat, and private individual Dharmendra were demanding a bribe of Rs 100,000 from the complainant in exchange for removing the name of the complainant's friend from the FIR. The ACB team of Karnal, after investigating the matter, made a plan to catch both the accused. In this case, accused Dharmendra was arrested red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 100,000, while the other accused inspector fled from the spot. A case has been registered in this matter against both the accused at the ACB Karnal police station and action has been taken, police spokesperson added. Two brain dead donors at Fortis Mohali gift life to 10 terminally ill patients Chandigarh: In a demonstration of compassion as well as clinical excellence, Doctors at Fortis Hospital, Mohali successfully transplanted the kidneys of two brain dead donors who had passed away due to brain hemorrhage. The recipients were two patients with kidney failure, a 66-year-old male from Chandigarh and a 48-year-old female teacher from Karnal who received one kidney each from both the donors. The Organ Transplant team comprising of Dr Sunil Kumar, Dr Sahil Rally, Dr Milind Mandwar, Dr Amit Nagpal, Dr Jasmeet Kaur, Dr Anjana Sharma, Dr Amit Sharma and Dr Anna Gupta performed the transplant surgeries, and the two patients were discharged with normal kidney functions and are off dialysis now. Ujjain district Collector Neeraj Kumar Singh has taken major action against 16 private schools of the district for violating orders under Section 144 issued by the Madhya Pradesh Government Education Department and school operations. A fine of Rs 2 lakh each has been imposed on these 16 private schools. The directors/ principals of private schools will deposit the amount through challan in the treasury within seven days and ensure that the receipt is given to the office of the District Education Officer. Collector Neeraj Kumar Singh has issued orders, under which, as per the instructions of the Collector, surprise inspection of private schools was conducted by the flying squads formed. During inspection, various shortcomings were found in private schools. On the basis of the report presented by the flying squad, a show cause notice letter was issued to the directors/principals of private schools through the District Education Officer, in response to which the directors/principals of private schools were presented. The response submitted was reviewed/examined by the District Committee. Since the response after testing was not found completely satisfactory, the District Committee has imposed a penalty of Rs 2 lakh each on the directors/principals of 16 private schools in the district. Among the private schools on which a penalty of Rs 2 lakh each has been imposed on Gyan Sagar Academy Dewas Road Ujjain, Gyan Global Academy Chintaman Road Ujjain, St. Mary's Convent H. S School Dewas Road, Christ Jyoti Convent School Malanwasa, Nirmala Convent Haase School Prem Nagar Dewas Road, St. Paul Convent High School Panchkroshi Marg Agar Road, Oxford Junior College Ujjain, St. Thomas School Panwasa Maxi Road, Carmel Convent Chakkamed Tehsil Ghatiya, St. Thomas Haase School Badnagar, Master Mind International School Tarana, Dinah Convent School Tarana , Jeendatta Institute of Education Narayana Tehsil Mahidpur, MPS Academy Mahidpur, Imperial International School Khachrod and St. Martin's School Badnagar. Italian firms keen to attend China's import expo Xinhua) 13:49, April 20, 2024 MILAN, Italy, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Representatives of the Italian business community said Friday that the 7th edition of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) will create opportunities for Italian enterprises to enter the Chinese market. Co-organized by the CIIE Bureau and Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Italy (CCCIT), the presentation conference of the 7th edition of CIIE attracted more than 150 representatives of Italian enterprises and Chinese organizations. Since its debut in 2018, the expo has been providing companies from all over the world with the opportunity to tap into the Chinese market, said Marco Bettin, general manager of Italy China Council Foundation, said at the event, referring to the 7th edition of the fair as an innovative one. This year's fair can play a new role -- that of a platform for face-to-face exchanges between Chinese and Italian people and companies, said Bettin, adding that it will be a "great opportunity" for all Italian companies, especially small and medium-sized ones. Fan Xianwei, secretary-general of CCCIT, told Xinhua that the fair will further promote the friendly relations between the two countries and facilitate economic and trade exchanges. The CCCIT is responsible for inviting Italian companies to participate in the exhibition. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) NARA, Apr 20 (NHK) - Medical workers and others have gathered at a shrine in Nara Prefecture, western Japan, for a centuries-old festival to pray for good health. The Hanashizume-no-matsuri has been held at Ohmiwa Shrine in Sakurai City for over 13 centuries in spring as people in ancient times believed diseases spread when cherry blossoms fall. Pharmaceutical firms nationwide send medicine as offerings for the event also known as the Medical Herbs Festival. This year, about 2,500 items including cold and stomach medicine were offered before an altar. On Thursday, Shinto priests offered medical herbs and prayers, followed by a dance by four maidens. Later, employees of drugmakers and medical workers prayed for good health. A man in his 70s said he came to the festival several times before, and that he hopes to stay healthy as he grows older. The shrine said medicine that was offered in the festival will be donated to welfare facilities in the prefecture. As Punjab braces for the imminent Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party is finding itself entangled in a web of internal conflicts stretching across various constituencies. Recent developments have added Bathinda to the roster of regions marred by dissent, further complicating the grand old partys electoral calculus. The nomination of candidates has become a focal point of contention, with grievances surfacing in Bathinda, Sangrur, Patiala, Jalandhar, and other areas, posing significant challenges to the party's unity and electoral prospects ahead of June 1 polls. In Bathinda, discord has erupted within the district unit of the Congress over the selection of Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu as the Lok Sabha candidate. Jeet Mohinder, a recent entrant to the party, has drawn ire from the local party workers who perceive his candidacy as a snub to longstanding loyalists. The decision to elevate a turncoat over grassroots contributors has ignited debates about party principles and the equitable recognition of the party workers efforts. Jeet Mohinder, who returned to the Congress fold just six months ago, has ignited a storm of opposition from the party workers, adding to the mounting challenges faced by the party across various constituencies in Punjab. Expressing their disapproval, Congress Bathinda unit president Khushbaz Singh Jattana on Thursday voiced concerns during a meeting, highlighting the resentment among the party members regarding Jeet Mohinders selection as party candidate. Jattana underscored the dissatisfaction among party loyalists, particularly towards the preference given to a turncoat over long-standing party supporters. Many within the party believed that Amrita Warring, the wife of Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, would have been a more suitable candidate. While Raja Warring and the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa have already announced that none of their family member would contest the elections to focus on their organizational responsibilities, the decision to nominate Jeet Mohinder has sparked a wave of discontent among grassroots workers. Party stalwarts argued that the elevation of newcomers over seasoned party veterans undermined the dedication and contribution of long-serving members. Jeet Mohinders political trajectory, marked by shifts between different parties, has also fueled skepticism among party members. Despite contesting on various party tickets in the past, his recent return to the Congress has triggered apprehensions about his commitment and loyalty to the partys principles. The development comes days after Jeet Mohinder had sought to downplay the dissent within the party ranks, emphasizing unity and cooperation among party members. However, his reassurances have done little to assuage the mounting concerns within the Bathinda Congress camp. Jeet Mohinder, a son of former Punjab Public Service Commission chairman Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, began his political journey in 1997, contesting unsuccessfully from Talwandi Sabo assembly constituency on the SAD ticket. In 2002, he emerged victorious as an independent. Transitioning to the Congress in 2004 under Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh's leadership, he secured a win in 2007 and 2012 on Congress ticket. However, he switched allegiance to the SAD in 2014, facing consecutive defeats in 2017 and 2022. He rejoined the Congress in October last year. The discord in Bathinda adds to the broader challenges faced by the Congress party in Punjab, where opposition to official candidates has surfaced in several constituencies. Congress has, as of now, announced the candidates for six constituencies only, while it is facing a massive challenge to decide on the names for the remaining seven seats. With dissent simmering in Sangrur, Patiala, Jalandhar, and now Bathinda, the party's state unit president, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, has taken personal initiative to pacify disgruntled leaders and restore cohesion within the party ranks. Earlier, similar tensions have unfolded in Sangrur, where the denial of a ticket to former MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy has sparked outcry among party members. After Warring, along with party candidate Sukhpal Singh Khaira and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal personally reach out to Goldy, the former Dhuri MLA declared his full support to the party candidate. Patiala, a longstanding bastion of the Congress, has also become embroiled in internal discord following the nomination of a turncoat Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, as the party's candidate. Traditional party leaders and workers, including former Minister Lal Singh, former MLA Hardyal Singh Kamboj, former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur, have voiced objections, advocating for the recognition of their steadfast commitment to the party's cause. The decision to overlook established party figures in favour of newcomers has fueled apprehensions about the party's electoral strategy and leadership decisions. Meanwhile, in Jalandhar, the allocation of the party ticket to former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has triggered tensions within the party ranks. The family of the late MP Santokh Chaudhary has expressed reservations, highlighting the complexities of candidate selection and the competing interests within the party. In response to these challenges, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring has embarked on a mission to mollify disgruntled leaders and foster unity within the party. Personal interventions and dialogues with key stakeholders aimed to address grievances and restore confidence in the party leadership. However, the road to reconciliation remains fraught with obstacles as the party grapples with internal divisions and external pressures. Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday expressed disapproval over BJPs 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 Singhs image in the BJPs election propaganda by Bittu, a rebel Congress MP who is contesting the elections on a BJP ticket this time. Talking to Reporters, the PPCC chief said, 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 Singhs 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. Its 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. Delhi Universitys Vice Chancellor Professor Yogesh Singh on Friday said the varsity is continuously improving its rankings and it has reached the first position in India in the QS World University Rankings (Sustainability), whereas last year it was at fourth rank.. Singh also expressed happiness on the achievements of former students of DU in the latest declared results of UPSC and said that this time two candidatesin the top 5 are from DU. Addressing a press meet, he also said University of Delhi is a multi-faculty big institution which is providing education to the masses. This difference should be understood before comparing it with smaller sized premier institutions in terms of ranking. The Vice Chancellor said University of Delhi will soon come in the top 10 in NIRF ranking On this occasion, while giving information regarding admissions, the Vice Chancellor said registration for Post Graduate (PG) admission in University of Delhi will start from April 25. He informed that the portal will open for registration in postgraduate courses from April 25. Students will be able to register for admission till May 25. After this the second phase of admission will start. The Vice Chancellor said after the completion of CUET (UG) process, UG admissions will be declared by the middle of May. Dean Admissions, Professor Haneet Gandhi, giving detailed information on admissions for 2024-25, said this year admissions will be done on a total of 13,500 seats for postgraduate (including NCWEB), 120 seats each for three B.Tech and 60 seats each for BA LLB and BBA LLB courses. He said this time MA Hindu Studies, MA Public Health, MA Chinese Studies, MA Korean Studies and Master in Fine Arts have also been included in PG admissions. Dean Ranking Mukesh Mahlawat, while giving detailed information on DUs QS ranking, said in the QS World University Rankings (Sustainability), DUs position at the international level was 381-400 in 2023, whereas in 2024 it has become 220. In this ranking, DU is now ranked first in India, whereas last year it was at fourth position. In the QS World University Rankings 2023, DUs global rank was 521-530, which has increased to 407 in 2024. DU ranks first in the Central University category in India. DU has focused on several aspects to improve its ranking in the last two years. The University has provided financial assistance and has sanctioned approximately Rs 70 crore to the University Science Instrumentation Center (USIC) at North Campus and the Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF) at South Campus for the purchase of various high-end research equipment. Singh also expressed happiness on the achievements of former students of DU in the latest declared results of UPSC and said that this time two candidates in the top 5 are from DU. Interestingly, there are a total of two female candidates in the top 5 and both of them have been students of DU, from Miranda House and St. Stephens College. The Vice Chancellor said that the sixth position was also occupied by a student from the DU only. Hundreds of people under the leadership of Domchanch block chief Satyanarayan Yadav today joined the BJP in a Milan Samaroh organised here at the State BJP office. State President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi welcomed Yadav along with Sanjay Mehta, Shivshankar Rai, Manoj Yadav, Pintu Yadav, Ramdev Mehta, Dinesh Yadav, Baiju Tiwari, Praveen Yadav, Baijnath Yadav, Ram Suresh Yadav, Neelu Devi, Mamta Kumari, Vijay Kumar, Rani Kumari, Manoj Das, Gudiya Devi, Priyanka Rani and Sanjay Mehta to the BJP on the occasion. Addressing the program, State President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, while congratulating and giving best wishes to those who took membership, said that the credibility of the INDI alliance has been lost. This alliance only does negative politics. This is a group of anti-Sanatan and corrupt people. He said that this alliance is formed only to earn money. It is in their nature to loot the country and the state after gaining power. He said that the people of the country do not trust the Indi Alliance. The public is trusting Modi's guarantees. He said that BJP is determined to make Jharkhand a separate state and serve the villages, the poor and the farmers. Modi government has connected villages and poor with the mainstream of development. He said that people are taking membership of BJP trusting Modi's guarantee. He called for efforts to ensure victory for the NDA candidate with an overwhelming majority in the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of Jharkhand. While addressing the program, Union Minister Annapurna Devi said that Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is being realized in the Modi government. She said that BJP does what it says. She said that the country has made historic progress in the last ten years. India's pride has increased in the world. She said that the Modi government has done historic work for women empowerment. On one hand, the Modi government built Izzat Ghar, freed the sisters from smoke by giving them gas cylinders, and also took the initiative of political empowerment. She said that for the third time under the Modi government, India will become the third economy of the world. On this occasion, online membership was given by State Vice President Vikas Pritam. Operation was done by State Media In-charge Shivpujan Pathak and vote of thanks was given by Koderma District President Anup Joshi. Outgoing District President Nitesh Chandravanshi was also present in the program. During his election rally in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India is set to export BrahMos missiles to the Philippines. He said, "Now we are also exporting BrahMos missiles. The first batch of this missile is going to the Philippines today. I congratulate all my countrymen on this." India is set to deliver the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines on Friday. This comes two years after inking a $375 million deal to supply the weapon systems with the Southeast Asian country. India on April 19 delivered BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines. The two countries had signed a deal worth $375 million in 2022. An Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft landed at Clark Airbase in the Philippines today morning with the first batch of Made-in-India BrahMos missiles. In January 2022, India sealed a deal with the Philippines to supply three batteries of the missile. This was the first export of the BrahMos missile by India. A few other countries including Argentina have also shown interest in procuring BrahMos missiles from India. BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms. BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound. Modi today addressed a huge public meeting organized in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh on Friday and appealed to the people of Madhya Pradesh to vote with a huge majority in every seat of the state this time. State BJP President and Khajuraho Lok Sabha candidate Mr. Vishnu Dutt Sharma and Damoh Lok Sabha candidate Mr. Rahul Lodhi and other senior leaders were present on the stage in the program. Modi underlined the important achievements of the BJP government in the last 10 years and once again formed the Bharatiya Janata Party government with a huge majority in the country and fiercely targeted the Indian alliance and the Congress, accusing them of being anti-Sanatan and corrupt. The Prime Minister said that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are not just to elect MPs, but to ensure the future of the country's future generations. This election is to make India a big power in the world in the coming 5 years. When there is an atmosphere of war in the world, it is necessary to have a strong government in India working on a war footing. Only the Bharatiya Janata Party government with absolute majority can do this work. In the last 10 years, the country has seen that a stable government can work efficiently even in adverse circumstances. There was an outcry in the whole world during the Corona period, but the strong BJP government of the country brought Indians back to the country safely from all over the world. The BJP government provided free ration to crores of Indians and also administered vaccine doses to protect against Corona. Today there is such a strong and stable government in the country, which neither fears anyone nor bows down before anyone. Bharatiya Janata Party, working on the principle of Nation First, has taken many important decisions in the interest of the country. The BJP government provided free ration to crores of Indians and also administered vaccine doses to protect them from Corona. Today there is such a strong and stable government in the country, which neither fears anyone nor bows down before anyone. Bharatiya Janata Party, working on the principle of Nation First, has taken many important decisions in the interest of the country. SPreparations for the Lok Sabha elections are being finalized. There will be no laxity or excuses in preparations. If you feel hot or sunny, apply a towel on your forehead and ensure preventive actions by visiting the area. Better results are needed in the preparations for election work, said Chief Electoral Officer, Jharkhand K Ravi Kumar while reviewing the preparations made so far in Garhwa district of Palamu Lok Sabha constituency in Garhwa district on Friday. In the meeting the CEO directed to impose a complete ban on the sale and movement of illicit liquor. He directed to take strict action against the accused by conducting intensive raids and investigation campaigns in the entire district area as well as in the block and police station areas of the border area. He directed the Excise Superintendent to coordinate with the police officials to stop the sale of illegal liquor and take strict action against the persons involved and submit the report by April 22, 2024. He directed the officials to complete all necessary preparations to ensure peaceful, fair and fear-free voting. The Chief Electoral Officer directed to speed up the process of depositing weapons. He also instructed to cancel the arms licenses of those who do not deposit their arms and instructed to take action in case of violation of Model Code of Conduct. He also directed for timely management of vehicles engaged in election work. The CEO directed to provide health facilities at the polling stations. He mapped the polling booths to the health department and deploy ANM, GNM Sahiya etc and provide necessary medicines so that the health related problems of the polling personnel and the voters coming to the polling booth on the day of polling could be diagnosed. Kumar said that this time voting will be held throughout the day as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India. Voting is to be held from 7 am to 5 pm at all polling stations. He directed to conduct intensive investigation by keeping special vigil on inter-state and inter-district check posts. He said that it is summer season. The problem of water has started coming to the fore, in such a situation, ensure complete arrangements for drinking water supply at the polling stations. He instructed to ensure availability of drinking water supply through tankers at polling stations facing water shortage. State Police Nodal Officer A. V. Homkar directed to launch a special campaign against all history-sheeters, kingpins and warrantors and take action to arrest them. He said that the safety of everyone including polling parties, EVMs, voters, security forces is the priority of all of us. He directed to take action against those who influence voters during elections including criminals, anti-social elements and miscreants. Along with this, instructions were given to take other action including confiscation against fugitives and criminals hiding at various places and submit the report. The Chief Electoral Officer and State Police Nodal Officer directed to keep the social media cell active and maintain strict vigil 24 hours. Also ensure to take action against the person concerned on objectionable and fake news posts. The CEO also flagged off the voter awareness chariot for Garhwa district of Palamu Lok Sabha constituency from the Garhwa Collectorate premises under the SVEEP program. Voters will be made aware through this chariot equipped with LEDs. In the review meeting, Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar, State Police Nodal Officer A.V. Homkar, STF DIG Inderjit Mahatha, Palamu Zone IG Narendra Kumar Singh, DIG YS Ramesh, Garhwa District Election Officer Shekhar Jamuar, Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar Pandey, state level in-charge of SVEEP Devdas Dutta and all the officials related to the election were present. The Delhi Police arrested a 27 year old man for duping people on the pretext of being a customer care executive in an airline on Friday in Delhis Dwarka district. According to the police on Friday, a man namely Durga Nath Raina filed a complaint stating that he suffered an online fraud of Rs 5.50 lakh. The police have arrested a West Bengal native, who was identified as Gourab Dey. "A case was registered at cyber Dwarka police station on the complaint of Durga Nath Raina, who told police that he was booking a flight and got a number from the search engine of customer care. Later he received a call when the caller asked him to download some applications and he shared his OTP. In this way he suffered an online fraud of Rs 5.50 lakh," Deputy Commissioner of Police Dwarka Ankit Singh said. Police said that after registering an FIR, launched an investigation and obtained bank account details of the accused and traced him in Kolkata. During the course of investigation, call detail records of the alleged numbers used for trapping people were obtained from TSPs and bank statements & KYC details were obtained from HDFC Bank & ICICI Bank. Raids were conducted at the addresses on the bank accounts. Later, after analysis of the CDR, the team got the mobile number of family members. On the basis of technical surveillance and analysis of Call Details Record and Bank Statements the alleged person was traced out by the team, he added. Raid was conducted and Dey was apprehended, said the DCP. The accused disclosed that he made a plan with his friends Abhishek Yadav, Rahul Ram and Sahabaj Koyal to mint easy money, for which they had to provide bank accounts. All benefits were shared equally amongst them. He accepted that he provided his bank account kit to his friend Badsah for ATM withdrawal. They duped people by impersonating themselves as customer care executives," said the DCP, adding that further investigation into the case is underway. An inter-state coordination meeting of police chiefs was held to discuss security arrangements and border surveillance in view of the Lok Sabha elections in the national capital. The meeting was led by Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Delhi, Madhup Tewari with police chiefs of neighbouring districts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to discuss the issues for the general assembly elections, they said. "Inter-state collaboration in maintaining law and order during critical periods such as elections is very important," Tewari said during the meeting held on Thursday night. "The focus of the meeting was to discuss about the law and order situation," a senior police officer said. The officials also discussed several other matters such as deployment of additional police personnel and paramilitary forces on the state borders, vigil on flow of illicit liquor and money, and apprehension of wanted criminals, the officer said. The officer further said the meeting aimed at fostering cooperation and synergy among law enforcement agencies by seamless exchange of intelligence and extending support to ensure the sanctity of electoral process. Apart from Delhi Police officials, senior police officers from neighbouring districts of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida, and Jhajjar participated in the meeting, the officer said. "Gurugram CP Vikas Arora, Faridabad CP Rakesh Arya, Noida Additional CP (ACP) Babloo Kumar, Jhajjar ACP, DCPs and Excise officers from Faridabad, and several other officers were present during the meeting," he added. Another officer of Delhi Police said the key topics discussed in the meeting were to intensify inter-state border surveillance, implementation of joint patrol and checkpoints. After extensive campaigning in other states, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has now turned his attention towards his home state. Thursday marked the launch of Aam Aadmi Partys ambitious endeavor Mission AAP, 13-0 as he introduced partys all candidates to the people of Punjab, aiming for a resounding victory in all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the State. AAP candidates are not dynast politicians, they come from common backgroundsthe people who come from common families become the voice of the common people in the Parliament, said Mann during AAPs innovative event. He framed the upcoming elections not merely as a contest between parties but as a decisive battle to safeguard democracy against authoritarian forces. Currently spearheading AAP's campaign across India, covering the states of Haryana, Assam, and Gujarat, in the absence of party supremo Arvind Kejriwal who is entangled in a money laundering case linked to Delhi's excise policy, Mann announced to focus his attention on Punjab for the coming few days. He intended to traverse through all constituencies, beginning from Friday, dedicating three to four days to each segment to rally support for AAP. I will go to every constituency three-four times, but don't only vote for me, vote for yourself, your rights, your children, vote for our Constitution and to save our democracy, vote to end the dictatorship, he said. Mann added, I'm enough to take on all the opposition leaders in Punjab, we don't have money like them, but they can't beat us when it comes to hard work and dedication...We don't have muscle power and we don't do politics of hatred, instead we do politics of work, we address your issues. Addressing the people, Mann cautioned against the tactics of rival parties, urging the voters not to succumb to monetary inducements from the opposition parties or their candidates. Don't be swayed by opposition candidates who come bearing money. Don't reject them, just pocket the cash. After all, this money belongs to you.they havent sold any crop to earn itIt's yoursThey've looted you onlySo, just remember to vote for the Aam Aadmi Party, he said in his characteristic style. Asserting the need to break free from oppressive regimes, Mann highlighted the significance of the broom (AAPs symbol) symbolizing the sweeping away of tyranny. He said: Our country is facing a massive crisis today as we have a dictator in power who only thinks about himselfhe only talks about himselfhe is putting the opposition leaders in jail. When dictatorship, injustice and oppression is prevalent, then God uses his jharoo to free us from all these evils. I'm just coming back from Gujarat, before that I was in Assam and Kurukshetra, everywhere people are only saying one thing, that the BJP government and Narendra Modi are scared of Arvind Kejriwal and the AAPSo, they arrested Arvind Kejriwal to stop him from campaigning in these elections. People are saying that they will respond to these atrocities of the BJP through their votes. Jail da badla vote and Zulm da jawab vote nal, said Mann adding that Arvind Kejriwal is not just a person, he is an ideathey can put the body of Arvind Kejriwal in jail, how will they stop his thinking? Asserting his readiness to confront opposition leaders in Punjab, Mann reaffirmed AAPs commitment to principled politics and vowed to transcend the allure of monetary influence through sheer hard work and dedication. Now it is the responsibility of every soldier of AAP to protect and advance the politics of work, transparent, and honest politics, the politics initiated by our national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. He made this party out of a movement against corruption from the Ramleela Ground. In just 10 years, we became a national party, no other political party grew like us. We have our government in two states, we have 10 Rajya Sabha MPs, we have five MLAs in Gujarat, two MLAs in Goa, we have AAP's mayor in Chandigarh, we have a Municipal Councillor in Sangroli of Madhya Pradesh and we have a majority in Delhi Municipal Corporation. BJP cannot stand the popularity of the Aam Aadmi Party and our patriotic and honest politics, he added. Meanwhile, AAP also introduced their 13 Lok Sabha candidates, declaring a fight to save our democracy and Constitution from the dictatorial clutches of the BJP and Narendra Modi. However, Cabinet Minister Anmol Gagan Mann introduced AAP 11 nominees for Lok Sabha candidates on the stage, two candidates Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Laljit Singh Bhullar were absent due to a case hearing in Tarn Taran. AAPs Faridkot candidate Karamjit Anmol, a famous Punjabi artist, said that soon, 13 Bhagwant Manns will be raising their voice for Punjab in the Parliament. Cabinet Minister and party candidate from Bathinda, Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, said that the Centre discriminates against Punjab, so Punjab needs strong voices in the Parliament who will defend its rights. AAPs chief spokesperson and candidate from Anandpur Sahib Malvinder Singh Kang said: The time when their dictatorship is reaching new heights everyday, Punjab will lead by examplePunjab Banega Hero, es baar 13-0Today our democracy and our Constitution is in danger and we are going to fight this battle together and win. Pawan Kumar Tinu, former SAD MLA and Jalandhar candidate, said that the people of Punjab will write history in the Lok Sabha polls. Fatehgarh Sahib candidate Gurpreet Singh GP said that wherever he goes to meet people or attend events, he has only heard praises for the AAP Government and Bhagwant Mann from the people. The people of Fatehgarh Sahib will vote for the Aam Aadmi Party, because our government has done unprecedented works in just two years, he added. Dr Balbir Singh, Health Minister and Patiala candidate, said that the dictatorial Modi government has made a grave mistake by arresting Arvind Kejriwal. The people will requite this dictatorship of the BJP by throwing them out of the power. The people of Patiala are with AAP and Bhagwant Mann, they are so excited that they are confident that the party will register its biggest win in Patiala, he added. The leader of the gang that brought brown sugar from Sasaram in Bihar to Ranchi and sold it in the State Capital was arrested on Friday. The police team took action under the leadership of Kotwali DySP, Prakash Soy. During this time, gang leader Pintu Sah was arrested near Akashvani located on Ratu Road. Police have recovered 26 grams of brown sugar and many other items from him. SSP Chandan Sinha gave this information in a press conference in his office on Friday. During interrogation, Pintu Sah said that the people of his gang supply brown sugar from Sasaram to Ranchi, and also bring it to Ranchi from time to time. Even today, he had come to Ranchi from Sasaram to deliver brown sugar to some people. During this time the police arrested him. Jharkhand High Court, heard a PIL filed suo motu against the large-scale illegal cultivation of opium and growing drug trade in Naxal-hit Khunti district. During this time, the court has directed the central agency and the state intelligence agency to conduct a joint operation and take strict action to stop the buying and selling of drugs in Jharkhand. The court orally said that Khunti is a tribal district and it is becoming a major opium producing area. This is not good. In this case, the court has made the state Home Secretary, DGP, DG CID and Narcotics Control Bureau as defendants and has directed the state government to file an affidavit explaining how to free Jharkhand from drugs. Now the next hearing in this case will be on 7th May. YAMANASHI, Apr 20 (News On Japan) - The Shinnasho River in Oshino Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, is host to around 200 Somei Yoshino cherry trees along a 400-meter stretch of riverbank, offering breathtaking views of snow-capped Mount Fuji framed by the full bloom of cherry blossoms. This year, the cherry trees reached full bloom about five days later than last year. The delayed blooming has not deterred visitors, including many international tourists, who flock to the site to capture the stunning scenery of the cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji with their cameras. The cherry blossoms are expected to be in their prime until the end of this weekend, with the trees beautifully illuminated at night. Source: ANN A program related to voter awareness was organized by Sweep Cell Lohardaga with PLV members at Civil Court, Lohardaga on Friday. The program was started by lighting the lamp by PDJ Arvind Kumar Pandey, DLSA Secretary Rajesh Kumar and Senior Officer of Sweep Cell Sita Pushpa. On this occasion, Principal District and Sessions Judge Arvind Kumar Pandey said that voting is a national festival. PLV members go to all the villages. Go there and make the voters aware. Like other awareness programs, conduct voter awareness program also. The DLSA Secretary said that earlier only graduates used to have the right to vote. After that it was not fully implemented even in countries like America. There was difficulty in implementing it even in a big country like India. But now everyone has got the right to vote. The Election Commission is providing many facilities to the voters to give them the right to vote. Senior Officer, Sweep Cell-cum-District Social Welfare Department said that many activities are being carried out by the Lohardaga district administration to increase the voting percentage. This time a target of 90 percent voting has been set in the district. Voter Awareness Forums are constituted in many government and non-government offices. By whom voter awareness activities were organized. In the program, information about Form-6, Toll Free Number 1950, C-Vigil App, Voter Helpline App, Saksham App etc. was given by the District Social Welfare Officer. Voter awareness videos were shown in the programme. All relevant mobile apps were downloaded among all PLV members. Members of SVEEP Cell, PLV members etc. were present in the programme. The Bhopal district administration has banned the tube well mining (boring) till June 30. Now people will not be able to dig new tube wells. The order has been implemented with immediate effect. In view of the falling groundwater level, Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh has taken this decision. Under Section 6 (1) of the Madhya Pradesh Drinking Water Preservation Act, a ban has been imposed on mining of non-government and private tube wells in the entire district till June 30, 2024. Collector Singh said, tube wells and boring machines will neither enter nor mine tube wells in the district without the permission of the concerned SDM. Machines passing through public roads will be exempted. Collector Singh said, the concerned SDM and police officers have the right to seize such boring machines which enter restricted places in the district illegally, or attempt to mine or bore tube wells, and register an FIR in the concerned police station area. will be. According to the order, there is a provision to punish the violation with a fine of Rs 2,000 or imprisonment up to two years or both. This order will not apply to tube well excavation done under government schemes. Tube well mining work can be done under the work plan by PHE. There will be no need for permission in this. Ground water sources are being over-exploited for agricultural and commercial purposes in Bhopal district. Due to this, the water level of drinking water sources and tube wells is falling rapidly. Keeping in view the situation of drinking water crisis in the entire district in the coming summer due to falling ground water level, it is necessary to impose a ban on digging of new private tube wells for purposes other than drinking water in the entire district under the Madhya Pradesh Drinking Water Preservation Act 1986. The Collector said, after examining the situation of drinking water crisis, it was revealed that if a ban is not imposed on mining of private tube wells in the district, then a situation of serious drinking water crisis may arise in the district during summers. Abrupt shifts in weather, as exemplified last week in Delhi swaying from moderate cold conditions one day followed by record-breaking warmth the next, underscore the unpredictability and volatility of regional climates, says ARCHANA JYOTI The recent forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department predicting above-normal monsoon rainfall brings a glimmer of hope, particularly for agriculture and water resources. However, beneath this layer of optimism lies a stark reality: erratic weather patterns are wreaking havoc across the nation, presenting formidable challenges. India's climate has become akin to a rollercoaster ride, with unpredictable twists and turns affecting lives from Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat and Kerala to West Bengal. The abrupt shifts in weather, as exemplified by last weeks Delhi's experience of moderate cold conditions one day followed by record-breaking warmth the next, underscore the unpredictability and volatility of regional climates. Reflecting on her eight decades of life, 80-year-old Rambha Devi confronts a bitter truth: humanity's reckless treatment of Mother Nature is returning to haunt us. "For too long," she laments, "we've exploited the Earth without considering the consequences of our actions. We've depleted natural resources, polluted the air and waterways, and recklessly disrupted delicate ecosystems around the globe." Now, as Devi observes, nature is fighting back. The once predictable and reliable weather now seems to operate on capricious whims. Extreme heat waves scorch the land one day, only to be followed by torrential rains and floods the next. Unpredictable storms lash coastlines, leaving devastation in their wake. The rhythm of seasons blurs, leaving farmers like Devi's family uncertain about sowing and reaping times. Throughout her lifetime, Devi has witnessed the consequences of humanity's disregard for the natural world. Once-vibrant forests were reduced to barren wastelands, rivers choked with pollution, and species pushed to the brink of extinction. Now, as the impacts of climate change intensify, she fears for future generations. As she gazes upon the world she's known for eight decades, Devi knows the road ahead will be arduous. These fluctuations not only threaten agricultural patterns but also have profound implications for public health and well-being. Ramesh Tiwari, a farmer from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, shares how sudden rain and hail storms destroyed his crops, leaving him struggling to support his family. "I've toiled day and night," he says, "only to see it all washed away in minutes." The state saw as many as 7,020 farmers from 50 districts seeking compensation for the damage till March 2. Similar tales emerge from across the nation. In Maharashtra, Priya, a resident of a drought-prone Vidarbha village, recounts how scorching heatwaves and heavy rainfall disrupt water access and damage local crops, exacerbating food insecurity. Similarly, Raju Vashaya, a farmer in Rajasthan, describes the challenges of coping with unpredictable weather, making it difficult to predict crop yields and threatening his family's livelihood. Further, whether it is Assam in the Northeast or down South Kerala, locals face displacement from floods triggered by heavy rainfall and landslides. Their stories reflect the widespread devastation and loss in these regions. Meanwhile, along Gujarat's coastline, Sanjay Joshi, a fisherman, expresses concern about the increasing frequency of cyclones and floods, threatening his livelihood and community safety. Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of the IMD, explains about the visible trends in extreme weather events. Globally, temperatures have risen by about 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to 100 years ago. Over India, the rise has been about 0.6 degrees Celsius. The rise has been more in the northern, central, and eastern parts, and less over peninsular India. This temperature rise has an impact on extreme weather events. Its getting hotter not just on the surface, but also in the troposphere, increasing its water-holding capacity. Studies show that with a rise of 1 degree Celsius, moisture-holding capacity increases by about 7 per cent. If the atmosphere can hold more moisture, it will have the capacity to cause more rainfall. So, the probability of the occurrence of heavy rainfall has increased. Studies also show an increase in the frequency of heavy rainfall events. These are events when 24-hour cumulative rainfall on a particular day is more than 15 cm. Such events are increasing over the tropical belt as a whole, including in India. This trend is more evident in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, and West Bengal, he says. The rise in the average global temperature has hit various countries of the world too. Like the United States of America, all European countries, including China, Japan, Indonesia, Canada, and others are reporting now and then extreme heat waves, droughts, wildfires, record rains, and floods. A recent example has been Dubai in UAE which was caught off guard, as heavy rainfall deluged it. The sixth IPCC report released in August 2021, revealed in detail that in the coming decades, winters will get shorter and summers will get longer. Some places will experience an increase in the incidents of drought as a result of heat waves and some places will face floods due to heavy rains. India has already felt the impact, with rising temperatures affecting 75% of its districts, with heat wave records breaking every year. We were expecting these changes possibly after 2025, leading on to 2030. But they are happening now, and are likely to get intense and possibly more frequent in coming years, warns Dr K J Ramesh, former Director General of Meteorology at IMD. In agricultural regions, these see-sawing weather patterns have started impacting crop cycles, leading to reduced yields, crop failures, and economic losses for farmers. Erratic weather, including unseasonal frosts or heat waves, can disrupt planting and harvesting schedules, affecting food production and livelihoods, says who was at the IMD helm when the country reported several extreme weather events, including Cyclone Fani, the most intense storm over the Bay of Bengal to make landfall on Indias east coast since 1999. To address erratic and extreme weather challenges, proactive measures are needed at both the local and national levels. This includes investing in climate-resilient agriculture practices, improving weather forecasting and early warning systems, enhancing infrastructure resilience, and implementing measures to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events on public health, he suggests. Marginalized communities too are all set to face health and income strains amid climate challenges. Vaibhav Chaturvedi, a fellow at Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), summarises the looming challenges ahead, stating, Globally, India is the fifth-most vulnerable country. While the frequency and intensity of extreme events are increasing, we are left with less than a decade to adhere to the Sendai Framework; course correction needs to have a razor-sharp focus on curtailing the compounded impacts of climate extremes. There is no denying that the climate is changing and it is changing fast. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has urged citizens not to miss the opportunity to vote in the general elections, saying that it is the "foremost duties" in a constitutional democracy. In a video message for the Election Commission's 'My Vote My Voice' mission for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Justice Chandrachud said, "We are citizens of the world's largest democracy, which is our country. "The Constitution gives us a multitude of rights as citizens but it also expects that each of us performs the duty, which is cast upon us. And one of the foremost duties of citizenship is to cast a vote in a constitutional democracy," he said. "I will request every one of you please do not miss this opportunity to vote responsibly as citizens of our great motherland. Five minutes, every five years for our nation. It's doable, isn't it? Let's vote with pride. My vote, my voice," the CJI said. Justice Chandrachud said the citizens have a participatory role in electing the government and that is why it is said that "this government is a government of the people, by the people and for the people". He recalled his excitement as the first time voter and queuing up at the polling booth to exercise the franchise. "The ink on the finger when I vote allows tremendous feelings of patriotism and association with the nation...," he said. "So our Constitution and our law provides for one citizen, one vote and one value. I think that's the great tenacity and the power of our nation as a constitutional democracy," he said. The CJI said he never missed that duty to cast his vote when he was a lawyer and had to run around for work. The Lok Sabha elections will be held from April 19 to June 1, 2024 to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The elections will be held in seven phases and the results will be announced on June 4. 2024. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday said this Lok Sabha election is not about family relations but a battle between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra, the NCP's candidate from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in Pune district, officially launched her campaign by offering prayers at the Hanuman temple at Kanheri on Saturday. Ajit Pawar, his sons Parth and Jay, and several local party leaders were present for the campaign launch. On Thursday, Sunetra and her sister-in-law three-term Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule filed their nomination papers for the NCP and NCP (SP) respectively. Ajit Pawar has also filed nomination papers for the seat, which an NCP functionary described as a backup plan in case his wife's nomination does not stand scrutiny or if any discrepancy is found. Addressing the gathering, Ajit Pawar said, "We are launching the official campaign after praying to Lord Hanuman. The election is not about family relations. The election is all about Prime Minister Narendra Modi versus Rahul Gandhi." Incidentally, Sule launched her poll campaign on Friday by offering prayers at the Hanuman temple in the presence of her father, NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, and other members of the Pawar family. "Yesterday, everyone (members of the Pawar family) was sitting next to Pawar saheb. They attempted to show that the family was united. One of them claimed that Sharad Pawar established all institutions in Baramati. In that case, what have I done in the last 30 years?" Ajit Pawar said. The NCP is a constituent in the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party, and the NCP (SP) is a part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress. Polling in Baramati, the pocket borough of Pawars, will be held on May 7. Boys outshone girls in the class 10 board examinations in Assam, results of which were declared on Saturday. The overall pass percentage in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSCL) examination held in February-March this year was 75.7 per cent, the Board of Secondary Education, Assam, (SEBA) said. The total percentage was an improvement over the last two years, with the pass percentages in 2022 and 2023 being 56.4 per cent and 72.6 per cent respectively. A total of 4,19,078 students, comprising 1,87,904 boys, 2,31,164 girls and 10 transgenders, had appeared in the examination. The pass percentage among boys was 77.3 per cent, girls 74.4 per cent and transgenders 80 per cent. Chirang district had the highest pass percentage at 91.2 per cent, while the lowest of 60.9 per cent was in Udalguri district. The SEBA also announced the top three rank holders, with three students sharing the third position. Anurag Doloi of Pragya Academy Senior Secondary School topped the list, scoring 593 marks out of total 600. Jharna Saikia of Shankardev Shishu Vidya Niketan, Biswanath Chariali, bagged the second position with 590 marks. The third rank was shared by Manish Pratim Saikia of Island Academy, Majuli, Bedanta Choudhury of Stella Maris School, Sarupeta, and Devashree Kashyap of Ramanujan Senior Secondary School, Nagaon, scoring 588 marks. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated those who cleared the exam, while urging those who did not fare as expected to continue working harder. "Congratulations to all my young friends who have successfully passed their HSLC exam this year. I wish you all the best for a bright future ahead," he wrote on X. "For those who aren't happy with the results, I want to tell them - one exam is NEVER a make or break exam. Life will always give you several more chances. Identify the numerous talents you are bestowed with and keep working hard! You will go places," Sarma added. Today, men and women love to attach if they arent in severe connections. 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Just How Do I Make Certain We Have An Excellent Experience When Setting Up With A Latina Milf? Whether you are making use of Hispanic milf hookup websites or searching for Hispanic ladies someplace else, guarantee to appreciate the guidelines. When individuals connect, they do not wish to have any emotional associations. Latina milfs do not want one to spend some time using their kids. Men setting up with Hispanic milfs are not into hanging out through its children either. This is the basic rule, but folks must follow it. A Jewish man was threatened with arrest at a recent Palestinian protest in the capital city. Have the goyim gone mad? What the fuck is this shanda? Jews could be arrested for looking Jewish? As always, there are many sides to this episode, which we are truly too lazy to delve into. Like, do your own research. Here is a link to the incident as reported by ye olde Daily Telegraph: Link Perhaps, we can illustrate this story from another time, in another place and by genius writer of funny stuff, Larry David, when things were a little more jocular and not so fucking serious between the Israelis and Palestinians. Of course, sentiment has sort of shifted since then, and there are a lot of fractured opinions on both sides. The Larry David Palestinian Chicken episode is however thick in this story, where Larry gets to score with a Palestinian chick in a Palestinian chicken restaurant when he stops his friend going to the restaurant wearing a Yarmulka. What is this, the raid on Entebbe? Things may have been way different in London if Palestinian chicken was involved as well as some hot Palestinian women. Maybe this is the key to eventual peace between the two people in the Middle East. Maybe the policeman who stopped that Jewish man from crossing the street because he looked too Jewish had some Palestinian chicken at home along with a curvy Palestinian minx? At the end of the day, though, should anyone be stopped from crossing a road in a public place because they look like they are part of a particular ethnic group? Jews could be arrested for looking Jewish, Arabs could be arrested for looking too Arabic, etc. The current socialist Sunak high tax nanny big state that meddles into every facet of the highly taxed populace and is going around banning everything with a communistic authoritarian fervour is a disgrace to the tenets of freedom and liberty as well as democracy. For a start, no one voted for this fucking Marxist cunt Rishi Sunak in the first place. He is an unelected number crunching communist from India who was put into power by god knows who. We will probably never know where this fucker came from? As for Labour, the incoming socialist Starmer high tax nanny big state will no doubt increase the Marxism levels within government and start banning anything thats a bit fun in the country, just like the socialist Tory government are doing. Every single day is a struggle living under a socialist regime of authoritarian big state diktats similar to the EU Commission rules and regulations that we were meant to have left behind when we supposedly left the fucking EU. There is little or no distinction between the high tax nanny big state two leaders or parties in socialist policy and authoritarian meddling. Conservatism and Libertarianism have been completely eviscerated and liquidated from within the UK parliamentary system. So, what does the voter do in this horrid situation? 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) this May, is hosting the 30th Alzheimers Tea Day across Ireland, and The Alzheimers Day Centres in Drogheda and Dundalk will join the celebrations with Tea Day events in both centres on Saturday 11 May. The Birches Day Centre in Dundalk and Treagh Lodge Day Centre in Drogheda will join the celebrations with a Tea Day event on Saturday 11 May from 11am to 2pm. The 30th anniversary is a significant milestone as statistics show that at least 30 people in Ireland are diagnosed with dementia, every single day. Alzheimers Tea Day brings communities together across Ireland to support The ASI's vital work, providing much-needed resources and services for the 64,000 individuals living with dementia and their families nationwide. With the number of people diagnosed with dementia expected to double in the next 25 years, the need for support has never been greater. Over the 30 years, Tea Day has raised 10 million to help support people living with dementia across Ireland, along with their families and carers. Register on www.teaday.ie to receive your free organiser's toolkit, packed with everything you need to host a successful Tea Day event. Funds raised through Alzheimer's Tea Day support critical services like the Alzheimer's National Helpline, Daycare programs, home care, family carer training, social clubs, and Alzheimer's cafes. The ASI says that each person's contribution can truly make a difference in the lives of those affected by dementia. Speaking ahead of the 30th anniversary of Alzheimers Tea Day, Mairead Dillon, Head of Fundraising for the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, commented, Whether you host an event, attend one, or simply donate, every action brings us closer to a future where no one faces dementia alone. Together, let's raise a cup of kindness and make the 30th anniversary of Alzheimer's Tea Day the most successful yet. Join the conversation online using #TeaDay2024 and #TeaDay30 to share your stories and show your support. For more information or to register as an organiser, please visit www.teaday.ie. Bad water pressure, unaffordable housing and flooded farmland were among the issues raised by Louth Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu in Leinster House last week, during a wide-ranging speech that highlighted some of the problems facing Dundalk and north Louth. The Dundalk deputy was speaking during a debate about the Future Ireland Fund and he took aim at the affordable housing scheme in Louth, which saw five of the ten houses that were up for grabs put back on the private market. Deputy O Murchu said: "Even though extra time was allowed, only five of the 26 applicants qualified for the scheme. Louth County Council stated that the criteria in the Government's scheme were the issue. This needs to be looked at. In Dundalk and County Louth in general, a price of 305,000 is not affordable for a lot of people." Uisce Eireann also came under fire from the Sinn Fein TD. He said: "Like many others, I believe we need to look at Uisce Eireann and developments. We have been dealing with brown water for a considerable period. It is caused by manganese. Uisce Eireann has promised a pilot scheme which will, I hope, find a solution. I have been asking for updates on that. "I would like an update for the people in the Bay Estate, who are my neighbours, and in all of the estates off Tom Bellew Avenue where there is an issue with water pressure. We were told these homes do not have the correct valve that can determine demand fluctuations. "At times, the water pressure drops below 1.5 bar, sometimes to 1.1 bar. That impacts people in terms of shower use and people are spending a huge amount of money. I have been told this will be completed by quarter 2, which could mean the end of June, but I need to follow up. I have submitted requests." There had been a Drainage Area Plan mooted by Uisce Eireann, but detail is scant, he said, and there are wider questions about infrastructural deficits and the ability to deal with wastewater and flooding. Deputy O Murchu also asked about the possibility of providing a funding scheme for farmers in north Louth who experienced damage due to flooding. He said: "I know Teagasc has been out and has carried out surveys on farms. If it is possible for the Minister for Agriculture to go slightly off topic to give some information on that, Councillor Antoin Watters and I would be delighted. I could go on." Speaking afterwards, Deputy O Murchu said he had spoken to Minister Charlie McConalogue who told him that his team would look at the Teagasc report and would respond to it in a "timely" way. 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. Three Louth monuments are set to receive 120,454 through the 2024 Community Monuments Fund to help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future. The three Louth projects that will receive funding are: Bellew's Castle - 72,954 Cappocksgate in Ardee - 17,500 Drogheda Town Walls - 30,000 The funding is part of 7.4 million which will be awarded nationally to 140 projects around the country First established in 2020, the Community Monuments Fund (CMF) aims to conserve, maintain, protect and promote local monuments and historic sites. Funding is available to allow conservation works to be carried out on monuments that are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support. The aim is to encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation and also to build their resilience to help them withstand the effects of climate change. The CMF supports essential repairs and capital works for the conservation of archaeological monuments and also the development of Conservation Management Plans to identify measures that may be needed to conserve monuments. Grants are also available to enhance public access infrastructure and interpretation at archaeological monuments. Speaking today, Minister of State Malcolm Noonan said: Since its inception in 2020, this fund has become a lifeline for the protection of Irelands irreplaceable archaeological heritage by revitalising hundreds of historic monuments in cities, towns, villages and rural communities across all 31 Local Authorities. Through this, it is enabling valuable investment in the wider heritage sector, creating thousands of hours of employment for specialist craftspeople and traditional skills practitioners, as well as supporting the achievement of national commitments under Heritage Ireland 2030 and the Climate Adaptation Plan for Built and Archaeological Heritage. Cathaoirleach of the Ardee Municipal, Cllr Dolores Minogue, welcomed the announcement of a 17,500 grant awarded to Cappocksgate through the Community Monuments Fund. She said that these funds are highly valued, and she eagerly anticipates the improvement works that will enhance the preservation of this historic town wall. Recognising its significance as a pivotal part of the town's history, she emphasised that its restoration will serve as a tangible reminder of Ardee's rich heritage. Carlingford Heritage Trust and Rostrevor Folk Club at Crawfords have announced the first cross-border collaboration to promote top class Irish and folk music on the island of Ireland. The initiative consists of six concerts in both May and August, with artists performing in Carlingford and Rostrevor on successive nights. Zoe Conway and John Mc Intyre have presented a popular Spring and Summer series at Carlingford Heritage Centre for some years, introducing and playing with the cream of Irish Music. Across the lough, Rostrevor Folk Club, with Colum Sands as its guiding light, has been presenting top folk and Irish music artists for over seven years. It is hoped that the collaboration will promote world class live music across around Carlingford Lough, building connections as it grows. The programme will see guest artists of the calibre of Liam O Maonlai, Donal OConnor and Muireann Nic Amhloibh, Tim Edey, Alfi, Bill Whelan, Cathy Jordan and Barry Kerr feature. Co-Artistic director of the series, Zoe Conway said: "Our spring and summer concerts are always special events, but this new connection across the lough between North and South feels like a truly special collaboration. I find these two villages of Rostrevor and Carlingford have that magical quality situated between mountain, forest and sea, that writers, musicians and artists have been inspired by for generations, so this new relationship is a great artistic pairing too!" John Mc Intyre said: We look forward to welcoming some of the finest musicians in Ireland to two very fine music rooms on the shores of Carlingford Lough. We are honoured that this year's programme includes local musicians Fiachra Meek and Donal O'Connor, both originally from the Cooley Peninsula. It is wonderful to have a platform to invite established musicians connected to the area home to play." Colum Sands said: People have found ways to carry their songs over land and water for as long they have watched the turning of the tide. I have always loved observing how those songs, with their stories and tunes, have found their own quiet ways of carrying people on great journeys too!" The launch of A lough of songs puts a fresh and welcome breeze in the sails of that timeless voyage with a wonderful series of concerts across the Lough from Carlingford to Rostrevor and back. Spacers present a new comedy Splendid Isolation in the Friary Hall, Anne Street. The play runs for three nights: Thursday 25th, Friday 26th and Saturday 27th April at 8pm. Spacers first production took place in the Friary hall back in 2017. The group came together to perform The Space by Grainne Jordan (hence the name Spacers). In 2018 they brought Colin Calverts one act comedy Mystery Tour to the theatre in the Museum. In 2019 they returned to the Friary Hall with a production of Tommy Marrons The Real McCoy. Spacers were getting ready for their opening night in March 2020 production with Jimmy Keareys Im The One For You when Covid struck and the country went into lockdown the week before. This is Spacers first post-lockdown production. Having had the last production stopped by Covid, it is fitting that Spacers return to the stage with a nod to the extraordinary circumstances of the past few years. Splendid Isolation is set during the lockdown and follows the fortunes of various characters whose lives are impacted by the lockdown. The play is written and set locally. May McCartney owns the Splendid Lodge, a small independent hotel in Dundalk. As the hospitality industry suffers under Covid restrictions, May takes a decision to save her business. She offers her premises as an isolation centre for travellers coming from abroad. Her niece Kate McCarthy, a journalist with the local paper, is desperate for a good story. Local gossip Minnie Power likes to think she has her finger on the pulse of the town. Shes happy to share her knowledge if the price is right. When the isolating guests start arriving the shenanigans start. May McCartney, the owner of the Splendid Lodge, is played by Joanne Dalton. Her niece Kate is played by Barbara Finegan. Patricia Reynolds plays Minnie Power. Among the guests who end up in the hotel are Lisa, Padraig, Ailbhe and Cici, played by Karen Maguire, David McArdle, Stephanie Rocks and Denise Tighe. Kates husband, local guard Frank Murphy, played by Mark Matthews gets drawn into the intrigue. Joan Wilson is the director. She may have more than one finger in this particular pie. Other Spacers who have been involved in this production either backstage, in technical roles or front of house include Amy Galligan, Eimear Boyle, Damien OCallaghan, Martina Clerkin Byrne, Mary Reilly and Maeve Montgomery. Tickets priced 15 can be purchased by phoning Amy on 086 2268606, from any member of the cast and crew and from National Tile. The garda public order unit attended a standoff between protesters and counter-demonstrators over a makeshift migrant camp in Dublin City centre this Friday. A number of asylum seekers who have not yet been offered state accommodation, and other homeless people, have been setting up tents in the area around the International Protection Office on Mount Street. There have been several protests at the site amid heightened scrutiny of the Governments handling of asylum-seeker accommodation, with the state currently not able to provide housing for all male arrivals, in contravention of international commitments. The latest figures show that more than 1,700 international protection applicants are waiting for an offer of accommodation. On Friday, more than 100 demonstrators, organised under a banner of anti-racism and anti-fascism, formed a human barrier across the main entrance to the largest section of the makeshift camp. They had arrived in anticipation of a later protest, which had been organised against the tents in the area. Dozens of gardai, including members of the public order unit, were also present and traffic was temporarily restricted to one lane. The pro-migrant demonstrators chanted: Say it loud and say it clear: Refugees are welcome here. They also shouted slogans against the coalition Government and called for better provision of services for asylum seekers. Anti-migrant protesters chanted Send them home. The opposing groups largely remained separated by gardai on different sides of the road, although insults were exchanged among some. THEIR sight and sound have been an integral part of Cork citys streetscape for so long, that they are indelibly ingrained in the culture of Cork city. And now the famous Echo Boy has hit centre stage again, in a new play that opened in Cork Arts Theatre this week. Called The Echo Boys, its co-writer and director, Marion Wyatt, has also put on plays about the Sunbeam girls, Cork dockers, the Shawlies, and Katty Barry - a veritable smorgasbord of the citys cultural icons! Her latest play, a drama set around the newspaper sellers with some musical interludes, runs until April 27 - and anyone who has developed a gra for these loveable scamps down the decades is bound to enjoy the trip down memory lane. The fact the show is a sell-out only underlines their reputation as cultural icons. To tell the story of the Echo Boys, you have to go all the way back to 1892, when this newspaper was launched. The Crosbie family, who already owned the Cork Examiner, realised speed was of the essence in selling their new product, and they couldnt rely on shops alone. As soon as the Echo rolled off the presses at Academy Street in the afternoon, they employed groups of boys, who lined up to take a bundle and sell them in the city. In the ensuing 132 years, hundreds of boys cut their teeth in the world of work by becoming street sellers, yelling the cry that became the sound of the city: Echoooooooo! By 1902, they had already become so embedded in the fabric of the city that a Government Committee of Inquiry looking into work practices of children on the streets in Britain and Ireland hailed the Echo Boys as a model line of employment. The Committee visited London, Liverpool, and Dublin, and on May 13, 1902, held a session to collect evidence at the Courthouse in Cork, asking local upstanding members of society to report to them about the situation on the ground. Their overall impression was that the Echo Boys were the most healthy, honest, and fortunate of their deprived contemporaries. David Barry, of the Catholic Boys Brigade, even felt their wage of 3-8 shillings per week was too much, it destroys their taste for becoming messengers. At the time, three editions of the Echo were printed, at 4pm, 6pm, and 7pm, and boys began selling at 4pm. Sergeant Coen, of the Royal Irish Constabulary, told the Inquiry: I sometimes think they are better off in the streets than at home. Their homes are very miserable. He said the sellers were a better type of lad and did not become street loafers. I believe the very fact of them earning a few shillings for themselves gives them a bit of self-respect. As a rule, newsboys do not drift into crime. There was also praise from magistrate Stephen Perry, although he feared the boys spent their earnings on smoking and gambling. Rev Fr Bernard, of the Capuchin Community, told the inquiry: We have absolutely no employment for the young. If these boys are taken away from the streets, they are taken from earning money that may be of service to the parents. None of this was to gloss over the abject poverty of the day. Fr Bernard saw boys playing pitch and toss up to 11pm under a gas lamp then the young fellows who lost their money would be afraid to go home without it. Proprietor George Crosbie told the Inquiry Echo Boys were very honest - as far as I can learn, there has only been one prosecution for larceny against any of them for a considerable time. That wasnt quite the experience shared by his grandson and later successor as proprietor, Ted Crosbie, a few decades later, however. At Christmas, 1952, we increased the price of the paper from a penny to twopence, and the boys felt they were being short-changed, Ted recalled. My co-director Pat Crosbie and I were pursued down South Mall by a group of Echo Boys shouting Tuppence for nothing! Luckily, I was a little quicker on my feet in those days! Ted said of the early sellers: Most were barefoot and delighted to earn a wage. The company set up a club for them at Lavitts Quay along with Christian Brothers College and gave them an annual holiday at Ringabella. As the decades wore on, conditions improved. In 1975, respected Cork historian and UCC lecturer Dr Sean Pettit, writing about that 1902 Inquiry, said: Todays Echo boys are few in number and seem to live a relatively comfortable life. Certainly, compared to the predecessors of 1902 they now have the life of a lord. They still cry Echo! at 4pm, but the gas lamps are gone, and instead of playing pitch and toss, they now watch television or go to the pictures. Writing about the Echo Boy in 1970, Padraic O Dalaich said: He may never have done a course in sales psychology, but he knows the three essentials of good salesmanship - having the right thing to sell in the right place at the right time. When school is over, these young, energetic salesmen report for duty, and for two or three hours the air is filled with their crisp, melodious call. There are well-established sales centres, such as the entrances to the Post Office and cinemas, the Statue, important bus stops, railway and bus terminals. The established, senior vendors have a traditional right to these centres, which is sacrosanct, and nobody would entertain the idea of infringing the age-old code. For the average newsboy, the lure of the street is fairly irresistible, especially when the weather is fine, the crowds are big, the news is sensational, and he feels the most important person in the world. The Cork newsboy is characteristic of Ireland, and adds colour and animation to the life of the city. Other nations may have their automatic machines which drop out the newspaper on the insertion of a coin, but give me the cheerful newsboy any time, and let these far-away places keep their soulless automats. The Cork Echo Boy is usually a lively, good-humoured piece of organism, quick with Cork wit and quick with the change. In 1987, John Scannell reflected on when he was 12: It was my ambition to be an Echo Boy, because they were selling papers at a penny each and I was getting a penny a week pocket money! So they were millionaires! So revered are the Echo Boys that a statue of one in mid-cry by sculptor Barry Moloney, then Principal of the Crawford School of Art, was unveiled in Cook Street in 1991, then re-located to Patrick Street in 2004. Some Echo Boys have slipped into city legend and lore. Johnny Kelleher, of Glasheen, sold it for a remarkable 76 years, starting at eight. At his pitch at Coliseum Corner on MacCurtain Street, he sold an Echo to Taoiseach Jack Lynch in 1979, breaking the news that Christy Ring had died. Michael OMahony, of Gurranabraher, was still selling the Echo in 1991, having begun in 1921 outside the Victoria Hotel, while Jimmy OSullivan racked up more than 60 years on the streets. He died in 2001, while sat in his car waiting to collect the paper in Academy Street. Many readers today will recall the presence of Michael ORegan in the city for half a century, beginning in August, 1969. He died in 2022 and is thought to have sold a million Echos. When I began selling papers there were nine Echo Boys on Patrick Street alone, Michael once said. An Echo Boy for 70 years, Jeremiah Cronin, began selling papers at 11 and worked until March, 2020, when only a pandemic could force him to retire. There is now one left standing, Dave Hogan, of Farranree, a familiar sight - and sound - outside the GPO in Oliver Plunkett Street. Dowtcha Davey - and all the Echo Boys! A NEW multimillion-euro accommodation block in Corks Collins Barracks was officially opened by Tanaiste and Defence Minister Micheal Martin this week. The new self-contained block, which has capacity for 41 people, will increase the supply of single living-in (SLI) and troops in training accommodation for enlisted personnel at the site. Mr Martin said the new facilities are part of the Governments ongoing commitment to Defence Forces barracks across the country. Speaking at the opening, Lieutenant Colonel Peadar O Cathain, commanding officer of the 1 Brigade Artillery Regiment, described the new accommodation as timely, noting that there are two residential career courses currently underway at Collins Barracks and a new recruit platoon due later this year. President John F Kennedy pictured at Collins Barracks, Cork with Lord Mayor Sean Casey and Frank Aiken during his Irish visit in 1963. Given the opening of the new 4.5m accommodation centre at the barracks, this weeks Nostalgia takes a look back at the prominent military installation which has overlooked Cork for more than 200 years. The origins of Collins Barracks, the Irish Defence Forces outline in a history of the barracks, lay in the threat posed to Britain and Ireland from Revolutionary France which prompted the British Government to increase the number of barracks throughout the British Isles. Barracks construction commenced in 1801 and was finished in 1806. Since then, the barracks has played a significant role as a staging post during major conflicts including the Napoleonic War, Crimean War, Zulu War, Boer War and the First World War. The barracks was once named Victoria Barracks after Queen Victoria but, following Irish independence, was given the current moniker of Collins Barracks in honour of Michael Collins. May 18, 1922 marked a significant day in the history of the barracks as British troops evacuated the stronghold which was then handed over to Commandant Sean Murray of Cork No 1 Brigade, IRA. The scene presented was indeed memorable and struck the imagination very forcibly, an article in the then-titled Evening Echo reported of the handover. At the top of the square the Union Jack flew from the standard and scattered around were the oval corrugated huts, the bird cages where so many young and old Irishmen were housed preparatory to being interned in one or other of the British internment camps throughout the country in the recent troubles. Yesterday the contrast was heartening. The barracks were empty, the power it symbolised had been broken and within a short time soldiers of the Irish nation would be in possession. Aerial view of Collins Barracks in 1960. There were still other incidents to impress the wonderful achievements enacted by virtue of the Treaty signed last December. There is a second entrance to the barrack from Rathmore Road and through this at five oclock came the advance party of the Irish troops. In the years since, the garrison has continued to be of key importance in a number of ways. The lowering of the Union Jack at Victoria Barracks (now Collins Barracks) in Cork. Since independence it has played a vital role in providing aid to the civil authority when requested to do so. In 1955, Ireland became a member of the United Nations. The 32nd Battalion was the first unit of the Defence Forces to serve overseas with the United Nations when it was sent to the Congo in 1960. Since then, members of the garrison from Collins Barracks have continued to serve abroad on peace support missions. CHOOSE road safety over risk was the message from a senior Cork Garda on National Slow Down Day. Insp Fergal ODonovan of the Cork County Garda Roads Policing Unit was speaking as figures show that, already in 2024, 63 people have died on roads in Ireland, 14 more than this time last year. His comments came during the 24-hour nationwide operation targeting speeding, which concluded at 7am today. Were very concerned about road fatalities and road traffic collisions in the country nationally and thats what this event is for, but its also a European event road fatalities are increasing everywhere and weve got to try and stop it, Insp ODonovan told reporters at a checkpoint on the old Cork to Dublin road. One of the most important things weve got to do is change our attitude towards driving and road safety. His comments came as one driver was detected travelling at 194km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N25 at Loughaderry, Castlemartyr, east Cork, yesterday, during the National Slow Down Day operation. Weve got to choose road safety over risk. All of us. Every driver, said Insp ODonovan. Every road user out there has to choose road safety over risk and we can do that by slowing down, reducing your speed, not using our mobile phone while were driving, not being distracted while were driving, wearing our safety belts and not drink driving and not drug driving. Responsibility Speaking yesterday, Insp ODonovan said everybody has a role to play when it comes to promoting road safety. Everybody has a responsibility, he said. Friends have a responsibility, when theyre in the car with their male or female driver, that they tell them to slow down, not use their mobile phone while driving and for everyone in the car to wear their safety belt. Weve a great opportunity when we get into a car every morning to choose road safety. Thats what we do, we get into the car and we choose road safety. And if we have a look in the rear view mirror and we say to ourselves who am I leaving behind? ... because you are leaving someone behind if youre involved in that fatal collision and you are the fatality and theyre devastated, families are devastated, and theyre devastated for the rest of their lives. Ive been on this road many a time with a road fatality and those families are still suffering to this day. Checkpoints He also implored drivers not to avoid checkpoints. Approach the checkpoint. Its for your own safety, he said. Its for the people using the checkpoints safety and its for other drivers safety because if youre doing a u-turn in the middle of traffic to avoid a checkpoint, the chances are youre going to cause a fatality and if you try and speed away from the checkpoint chances are youre going to cause a fatality and what I always say to people when I stop them for speeding is: Youre the lucky one, I caught you because theres a lot of people we dont catch and they end up in a fatal road traffic collision. National Slow Down Day was due to conclude at 7am today. FURTHER details have been confirmed relating to the multi-vehicle collision that occurred on Thursday afternoon on the N28 at Carrs Hill. The incident, which left a woman in her 50s fighting for her life in Cork University Hospital (CUH), involved three cars, a van and a truck. The female driver, who is believed to have been travelling in the opposite direction to the articulated truck, was pinned inside her car for just under three hours by a container that had covered up to the A-Post of her vehicle. Coordinated effort Speaking to The Echo, Cork City Fire Brigade second officer Victor Shine said that the container weighed approximately 40 tonnes. It would be like a train carriage coming down on top of you, he said. It was a coordinated effort between a number of doctors, a team from CUH, the ambulance crew and the fire crews that were all on scene to stabilise the vehicle and carry out the extrication. It was quite complicated, he added. The quicker a person is freed from that situation the better, and this person was stabilised with the support of the full crew that was there. Close Detailing the coordinated efforts of the emergency response teams, pre-hospital emergency medicine and critical care retrieval physician, Dr Jason Van der Velde, told The Neil Prendeville Show on Corks Red FM: It was very apparent that a lot of hands were needed on the scene to manage what I would describe as one of our most technically challenging rescues in the last 10 years. This is the sort of entrapment you only see with earthquakes. One slip and that was it. It really was that close, and thats why it took three hours. It was a phenomenal collaboration between multiple agencies, he said. Gardai in Togher are continuing to appeal to anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or who were travelling on the N28 between 1pm and 1.45pm on Thursday to contact them on (021) 4947120, or via the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. USING an Irish version of his name to sign up for a dating site cost a man an eight-month jail sentence as he breached the terms of the Sex Offenders Register by altering his name without letting gardai know. Owen Rea was on the Sex Offenders Register following a conviction for the distribution of child pornography to others, for which he was later jailed. Now at Cork District Court he has pleaded guilty to a charge stating that between November 17, 2021 and July 25, 2022, being a person to whom part 2 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001 applied, he failed to notify gardai of a name not previously notified and subsequently used by him, as required under provisions of Act. Sergeant John Kelleher outlined the background to the case against Owen Rea, aged 47, whose address on the charge sheet appeared as being care of Castlerea Prison, Roscommon, but he was released from there a number of months ago. The offence of changing his name occurred after he had admitted the distribution of child pornography but before he was sentenced for this. A woman who knew Owen Rea made a statement in which she outlined that she had become aware Rea had been using the Irish language version of his name in what she felt was his intention to avoid the repercussions of a conviction he had obtained for child pornography. On investigation by Detective Garda Bryan Murphy, it was discovered he, the defendant, had signed up to a dating site and numerous social media accounts using the Irish version of his name, which is determined to be a breach of his obligations under the Sex Offenders Act, Sgt Kellegher said. Rea had also used the Irish version of his name to obtain employment. He admitted using this version of his name but stated that he thought he was entitled to do so and did not know it was a breach of his obligations under the act. Defence solicitor Shane Collins-Daly said the accused got a two-year sentence with the last six months suspended on the child pornography charges. The solicitor said the facts in relation to the accused going on a dating site had been mentioned during his sentencing and the accused believed it was taken into consideration as an aggravating matter on that occasion. He was taken aback to be charged with a separate offence in relation to his name on completion of the Circuit Court sentence. He notified gardai of his address at all times. He did sign up to a dating site using the Irish version of his name and applying for a job. He was not aware that this was a different name. He did not know it was subject to his notification obligation. When he was in court [for the child pornography distribution case] he signed a plea of guilty and there was publicity about the case. He was using his Irish name since he got outed by the newspapers. He wanted to have some semblance of a normal life. And the English version of his name is toxic. He is very worried about the effect of this case. He is trying to start his life afresh. It is quite difficult, Mr Collins-Daly said. Judge Mary Dorgan said: This is quite concerning. It is a deliberate attempt to make sure that his background would not be found out by a person on a dating app It is a clear breach of the act. The judge imposed an eight-month sentence and refused an application to suspend it. It may be appealed. Rea previously had a Bishopstown address and was given a sentence of two years with the last six months suspended on charges of knowingly distributing child pornography using electronic service provider, Telegram, for the purpose of distribution, publication, exportation, sale or show. A second distribution charge in the same terms refers to another electronic service provider, KIK. The third charge stated that on April 12, 2020, at an unknown location, he did knowingly produce text conversation using KIK and a Samsung Galaxy S7. Det Garda Sheena Dowling said this KIK conversation consisted of the defendant boasting to other users in relation to this kind of sexual activity. IRISH people should have access to more banks across Europe to increase competition and reduce costs, Fine Gaels candidate in Ireland South and Cork renewable energy entrepreneur John Mullins has suggested. Mr Mullins, the former chief executive of Bord Gais and founder of Amarenco, said that banks should function under an open banking policy across the European Union, in the same way as airlines operate under the open skies approach. The Fine Gael candidate believes more focus is needed on bringing more competition into the banking market in Ireland and that this would benefit consumers. Currently, we really have just three consumer banks operating here in Ireland, he said. We have seen how successful Revolut has been since it came here, but we need more than that. With very little competition in any market it is essentially the consumer who suffers and that is what is happening with banking in Ireland right now, Mr Mullins added. Mr Mullins expressed his belief that European banks should be able to operate across the EU as they were regulated by one entity, the European Central Bank (ECB). We need to start exploring options on how we can do this and help consumers in Ireland get cheaper mortgage and lending rates and higher deposit rates for their savings, he said. There should be no reason why people in Ireland cannot get mortgages from banks in Central Europe at cheaper rates than they are currently being offered by widening out the market. A CORK TD has said representations he made on behalf of a social housing tenant with black mould in their home only received a satisfactory response from Cork City Council when he mentioned The Echo was covering the story. Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central, Colm Burke, who was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Health last week, said he had made five representations to the council and only received a satisfactory response when he said The Echo was investigating the issue. Mould Sinead Gabriel, a Cork City Council tenant living in Glentrasna Drive in The Glen, told The Echo she had been complaining since last year about mould in her bathroom. Ms Gabriel said she was sick of painting over the mould, and that the ceiling plaster in the bathroom had fallen away because of the damp. Mr Burke first emailed the council on her behalf in February, and made four follow-on queries without satisfaction. He said that it was only when he mentioned The Echo that the council had called to Ms Gabriels home. Concerned I am concerned that the failure to respond to a maintenance issue like this has taken place within a 10-week time period, Mr Burke said. The maintenance section in Cork City Council is usually quite efficient, but obviously this has fallen between departments, which should not happen. Its important now that city council deal with it, but that they will also set up a mechanism where maintenance concerns are filed that they are acted on. There is also a question mark, in view of the fact that the housing stock of Cork City Council has improved dramatically in the last four or five years, have we sufficient numbers of people in the maintenance department to deal with issues? I think its important that something as concerning as this is dealt with in the early stage, he added. Cork City Council was asked for comment. A CORK woman threw a flowerpot at another woman during a fracas at the Dealz store at Blackpool, but the dispute between the parties is now long over. Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the incident at the centre of the case dated back a very long time to May 9, 2019, and that there was no ongoing issue between the parties. Mr Buttimer said of Margaret Hogan, aged 34, of Bolster Terrace, Mallow, county Cork, that she had done everything required of her by the court since the matter was adjourned. Judge Mary Dorgan said she was going to suggest a restorative justice programme for Ms Hogan to engage with the other woman. Mr Buttimer said that while there was no ongoing difficulty between the parties he added: I think the less contact between them the better. Judge Dorgan said that there was a background dispute going on at the time of the fracas in Dealz. She (Ms Hogan) placed her offending in a certain context which I am not going to outline in court. I am going to direct a 12-month probation bond. Addressing Ms Hogan directly, the judge said: Turn up for your appointments with the probation service. The judge added that the time with probation might offer an opportunity for a bit of empathy work to be done. She must attend all appointments and remain out of trouble, the judge said at the conclusion of the assault case. The evidence was that there was an altercation between the parties and although the pot was thrown it did not strike the other party. A transition year group from Colaiste an Chroi Naofa in Carraig na BhFear has been awarded more than 11,000 to fund a project that aims to educate young people on basic first aid. The group, who have named themselves the Aid Avengers, has been working to spread the word about the importance of first aid among young people. They recently organised an Aid Avengers day in the school that involved creating awareness about first aid for all years, undertaking a survey to check the general knowledge of first aid in the school, and a visit from Cork Fire Brigade who spoke about first aid, road safety, and the different jobs they do. Network They also commenced work on creating a network of people in the community with basic knowledge about first aid. Organisation is already underway for their next event, Be Summer Safe, which will take place at the end of the school year and focus on water safety and first aid. The project was presented to the Young Social Innovators Programme and it is one of four winners of the International Bright Future Prize from the Ardonagh Trust Community Trust Organisation with over 11,000 granted to fund the initiative. The groups first purchase will be first aid training aids that they can have available to facilitate interactive practice for all year groups in their own school. The groups motto is, Dont be a spectator, be a lifesaver, become an Aid Avenger, and their goal is to make first aid knowledge available to all young people in their community. The group hopes that in the long-term, other schools will replicate their idea and that first aid will be made mandatory in secondary schools for all years in Ireland. THE Mater Hospital Foundation is calling on people across Cork to take on its new 31 Miles in May challenge and support dementia care. This challenge invites people to walk, jog or run a mile a day this May, and is an opportunity for family members, friends, carers and anyone wanting to make a difference to get active for an important cause. Taking time out to walk just one mile a day is also important for physical and mental well-being, and can be especially beneficial to carers of people with dementia. Companies are also invited to get their teams active and working together to raise vital funds in support of dementia care. Everyone who completes the challenge will receive a special Mater Hospital Foundation certificate to celebrate their achievement. Affected Chief executive Mary Moorhead said: Many of us are affected by dementia in our lifetime, whether that means facing dementia ourselves, or caring for a loved one with the condition. Thats why it is so important to work together to provide the very best support to those facing this journey in their lives. Here in the Mater Hospital Foundation, we are committed to being there to support patients in the Hospital. We hope youll join us for this very special challenge for dementia care. You can sign up by visiting https://www.materfoundation.ie to register for a free challenge t-shirt (while stocks last), miles tracker and set up your fundraising page on either Facebook, Instagram or JustGiving, so you can get the word out to your loved ones, friends and colleagues about the challenge and ask them to donate. The exclusive 31 Miles in May private Facebook group also allows participants to connect with other challenge participants from across Ireland. Funds raised by the 31 Miles in May challenge will be put to work where they are needed most to continue to make a real difference in the hospital. Initiatives Recent initiatives to support dementia patients in the Mater Hospital, like refurbishing St Annes Dementia Friendly Ward and funding the unique RITA (Reminiscence / Rehabilitation and Interactive Therapy Activities) technology that helps patients remember and share events from their past. To learn more and sign up for 31 Miles in May, simply visit the Mater Hospital Foundation website, email contact@materfoundation.ie or call 01 830 3482. By Cillian Sherlock, PA The main goal of the far right is to stop the green transition, Eamon Ryan told his partys pre-election conference. Speaking at the RDS in Dublin on Saturday, the Green party leader said an alternative politics based on fear and division is on the rise. Mr Ryan warned that disinformation and polarisation are posing a risk to Irish democracy. He said: I wouldnt define it as a right wing or conservative movement because it seems to have little regard for traditional values. Nihilism might be the better term. They seem to reject everything that is good with an anger that in the end will be corrosive and self-destructive. While thanking Integration Minister and Green party colleague Roderic OGorman for his work in providing emergency accommodation to people fleeing the war in Ukraine and others seeking international protection, Mr Ryan said: The gospel I grew up with never said the Good Samaritan should have walked on by. Similarly, the patriots we admired, from Tone to OConnell and Connolly to Pearse, all had an international perspective to their national pride. Noting that Mr OGormans house had recently been targeted by a protest involving masked men, he added: I dont think they would be at home with the simplistic idea that Ireland is now full. The Republic we adhere and aspire to is a tolerant one, respectful of every colour or creed, celebrating diversity and providing shelter to those in need. Mr Ryan also criticised a politics of scepticism, adding: We have our weakness undoubtedly but Ireland is not a bad country to live in. The Green leader said his party could deliver more affordable homes by reducing prices through restoration of vacant and derelict homes, as well as improvement in water, transport and energy infrastructure. In a speech which also addressed great danger in the world posed by war in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, Mr Ryan said democracy is at risk. Democracy is under threat in the United States where the prospect of another Donald Trump presidency looms large. Even in our European Union, the best suddenly seem to lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity. He said a loss of faith in multilateral cooperation has distracted people from the existential threat of climate change and the destruction of nature. We know that each of the last 10 months has been the warmest in recorded history. Average global air temperatures have gone above the 1.5 degree increase which scientists tell us is a tipping point, beyond which things could become unstoppable. In Ireland, we have seen the reality with endless rain over the last 10 months. Our fields are sodden, too wet to pick potatoes in the autumn or to sow grain in the spring. Cattle are still in their sheds. Around the world climate change is bringing havoc, causing conflict and forced migration. It is a sign of what is to come. Mr Ryan said war had shifted focus from bees to bullets, warning that the European Council presidencys draft strategy for the next five years effectively seeks to abandon the European Green Deal. He said: We cannot let this happen. We cannot give up on climate change. We cannot let our natural world collapse. We are at a critical point in history. If you believe that climate action cannot be delayed, then send a Green MEP to the European parliament. They may have the casting vote which tilts things back in the right direction. This is the key question in the European election. Will the far right whose main goal is to stop the green transition win the day? The Green leader said ignoring the reality of climate change will ruin the security of future generations. Mr Ryan said: A vote for the Greens will improve the quality of life for all our people. The beauty of what we do is that it benefits both people and planet. It is a vote to protect our childrens future and send a message to the wider world that this island of ours is still going green. And we are good at going green in this country. In particular, Mr Ryan said Ireland had halved its emissions per person over the previous two decades and that each month 1,000 additional households are experiencing warmer homes with lower fuel bills due to retrofitting grants. He said the party had also scrapped VAT on solar panels and abolished the need to get planning permission before their installation. Chinese PLA navy to celebrate 75th founding anniversary with series of events Xinhua) 13:51, April 20, 2024 QINGDAO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will host a series of activities to celebrate its 75th founding anniversary from April 20 to 24, according to a navy spokesperson on Saturday. Spokesperson Leng Guowei told a press briefing that the activities will include a national flag-raising ceremony, a martial music display, and themed light shows. Some navy barracks and vessels will be open to the public during this period. An exhibition of artistic works about the Chinese PLA Navy will be held till the end of this month, and an education campaign will be carried out in the navy, Leng added. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) The US House of Representatives passed a bill on Saturday that could either see TikTok banned in the country or force its sale. A revised version of the bill, which previously passed the House in March but later stalled in Senate, was roped in with a foreign aid package this time around, likely meaning it will now be treated as a higher priority item. The bill originally gave TikToks Chinese parent company, ByteDance, six months to sell the app if its passed into law or TikTok would be banned from US app stores. Under the revised version, ByteDance would have up to a year to divest. The bill passed with a vote of 360-58 in the House, according to AP. Itll now move on to the Senate, which could vote on it in just a matter of days. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said today that the Senate is working to reach an agreement on when the next vote will be for the foreign aid package that the TikTok bill is attached to, but it is expected to happen this coming Tuesday. President Joe Biden has previously said he would support the bill if Congress passes it. The bill paints TikTok as a national security threat due to its ties to China. There are roughly 170 million US users on the app, at least according to TikTok, and ByteDance isn't expected to let them go without a fight. In a statement posted on X earlier this week, the TikTok Policy account said such a law would trample the free speech rights of these users, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually. Critics of the bill have also argued that banning TikTok would do little in the way of actually protecting Americans data. Newly acquired court papers include rapper Jeezy's new accusations against his estranged wife Jeannie Mai. Jeezy claims that Mai, 45, allegedly obstructs his access to their 2-year-old daughter, Monaco Mai Jenkins. Filed on Tuesday in a Fulton County, Georgia, court, the documents assert that the rapper only saw his daughter on 8 occasions this year and he is unaware of her current residence. Following their private wedding on March 27, 2021, at their residence in Atlanta, Georgia, Jeezy and Jeannie Mai welcomed their daughter, Monaco Mai Jenkins on Jan. 11, 2022. However, their marital bliss was short-lived as Jeezy, born Jay Wayne Jenkins, filed for divorce on Sep. 14, 2023, after two years of marriage. At the time of Jeezy's divorce filing, Jeezy stated that he and the former 'The Real' co-host were separated with no possibility of reconciliation. Reports also indicated that the couple had a prenuptial agreement. In his filing, Jeezy, 46, sought joint legal and physical custody of their daughter. Since filing for divorce, Jeezy and Mai have engaged in ongoing legal battles, with petitions being filed by both parties. In November 2023, reports emerged detailing Jeezy's accusations against Mai, alleging that she acted as a "gatekeeper" regarding his visitation rights with their daughter. "The lack of consistency, continuity, and stability inherently associated with such a haphazard and fluid parenting time schedule is stressful to the Child, and it has, as is unfortunately inevitable with all families in transition, created unnecessary tension and confusion regarding not only parenting time but also in regard to each parent's role and rights when the Child is in their respective custody," Jeezy's lawyer said, according to Radar Online. According to reports, Jeezy's attorney purportedly stated that the rapper didn't perceive his estranged wife's actions as malicious or intentionally harmful. In court documents obtained by TMZ, Mai refuted her husband's "gatekeeper" claims last December, asserting that her primary concern was their daughter's safety. "It is essential to clarify that Ms. Jenkins' insistence on reasonable safety measures being put in place, such as safely securing and locking away all firearms that have been unsecured in the past, as well as having familiarity and properly trained caregivers is absolutely not gatekeeping, but rather a responsible effort to prioritize their daughter's well-being," Mai's legal representative said. Last week, TMZ reported the "Put On" rapper allegedly demanded full custody of his and Mai's 2-year-old daughter. He claimed the media personality hadn't been caring for the child herself, prompting Jeezy to ask a judge to reconsider their custody arrangement and grant him full-time custody. Days later, on April 16, Jeezy filed a petition for a renewed motion for a temporary hearing for custody clarification with Mai. He clarified that his intent is not to sever his daughter's bond with her mother but rather to ensure equal time and involvement in her upbringing. Former Overstock.com CEO's Tell-All Book is "One of the Best and Most Exciting Books of the Year"John Kelly, Detroit Free Press Foreword by General Michael T. Flynn Washington, DCDANGER CLOSE by Patrick Byrne has won 'First Place' in the FIREBIRD BOOK AWARDS' Political genre. Authors and publishers from around the world submitted their work to the International Firebird Book Awards for consideration. A select panel of 25 judges independently scored and evaluated the quality of the writing and production. Only entries with the highest scores were awarded the coveted Firebird. In his explosive memoir, Patrick Byrne, former CEO of Overstock.com, presents a harrowing account of his involvement in a maze of corruption and deception at the top tiers of the U.S. government. Published by Defiance Press, Danger Close: Domestic Extremist Threat #1 Comes Clean offers readers an extraordinary glimpse behind the veil of power, laying bare startling truths poised to redefine public knowledge of governmental operations. View the book trailer here: https://bit.ly/Trailer_Danger_Close The prologue, penned by the highly regarded retired military officer General Michael T. Flynn, paves the way for Byrne's jaw-dropping disclosures. General Flynn writes, "The unbelievable saga of bribery, blackmail, rape, and murder, more commonly the fabric of fictional narratives, is the reality of a man coerced into facilitating these deeds for our government. Patrick's testimony is genuine, the corruption he has unveiled is authentic, and the narrative becomes increasingly alarming as it unfolds." Adding to the narrative's credibility, the preface by Maria Butina, who finds herself at the heart of Byrne's story, illuminates her wrongful persecution and her unexpected bond with Byrne. Butina reveals, "I was framed and made a scapegoat for alleged 'Russian Collusion' with Trump's presidential campaigna collusion that never existed, as confirmed by both the Durham and Mueller reports. My consequence was an 18-month U.S. prison sentence. Regrettably, Patrick's involvement as 'patient zero' in my case, working against me with the FBI, was significant." "Danger Close puts us at the forefront of world events and offers an insider's view into the machinations of power, illuminating ideas that challenge the status quo and question the integrity of government agencies. It is a fascinating excursion into the darker side of politics and is one of the best and most exciting books of the year. Highly recommended. John Kelly, Detroit Free Press Dave Roberts, CEO of Defiance Press, emphasizes the critical timing of the book's publication, stating, "With the approach of the 2024 election, it's imperative that the public learns the full scope of the 'Russiagate' conspiracy. Patrick Byrne's revelations provide a sobering reminder of the urgent need for transparency and truth in our political discourse." Danger Close offers an insider's view into the machinations of power, unveiling shocking realities that challenge the status quo and pose serious questions about the integrity of government agencies. Byrne affirms, "This book is a candid narrative of my personal experiences and the disturbing realities I discovered. My aim in telling my story is to highlight the insidious elements at play and to spark a critical dialogue on the necessity of accountability and openness in our governance." About The Author: Patrick Byrne, an alumnus of Dartmouth College, Stanford University, and Cambridge University as a Marshall Scholar, is a seasoned entrepreneur and visionary. Mentored by Warren Buffett, Byrne's diverse ventures span real estate to blockchain, and he boasts 20 years as an E-Commerce pioneer at Overstock.com. Recognized as the "National Entrepreneur of the Year" (2011) and with his firm honored as "One of America's Most Trusted Firms" by Forbes, Byrne's journey also includes a legendary battle against Wall Street manipulators preceding the 2008 Financial Crisis. Beyond his business achievements, Byrne unveils a second life intertwined with the United States Government. From exposing a fake Russian scandal to facilitating a bribe for Hillary Clinton, his involvement in historical events becomes a compelling narrative. Byrne argues these were early elements in a Deep State soft-coup against America, with the pivotal moment being the rigging of Election 2020a stance he believes challenges the principles of just government derived from the consent of the governed. Danger Close: Domestic Extremist Threat #1 Comes Clean Published February 2024, ISBN: 196310210X, 188 pages, is available in paperback, kindle and hardcover on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, major retailers and via the publisher, Defiance Press. Media Contact: For a review copy of Danger Close or to arrange an interview with Patrick Byrne, contact Scott Lorenz of Westwind Book Marketing at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or at 734-667-2090. Reach Lorenz on Twitter @abookpublicist. Farming unions have written to the UK's biggest retailers urging more support for British farmers in response to challenging and disruptive weather this spring. The letter, by the NFU, NFU Scotland, Ulster Farmers' Union and NFU Cymru, calls on supermarkets for commitment to support the industry during this "difficult time". Exceptional rainfall and a succession of damaging storms have impacted livestock, arable and horticultural sectors and disrupted individual farm businesses. No area of the UK has escaped with lambing, calving, planting and field work all proving difficult and bringing additional cost to the business. In the joint letter, the unions seek retailer commitment to support the farming industry, including a pledge to ramp up local sourcing and for supply chains to be fairer. The letter states: These challenges come at a time when many of our members are already struggling to remain viable due to the perfect storm of sustained and spiralling production costs, low market returns, and increasing levels of regulation. "This latest challenge, whilst not new, is more acute than ever, and is compounding the pressure on our members. Farmers and growers continue to bear the lions share of the risk within their supply chains, and this is unsustainable." The unions say they are in discussions with government on further support to assist the industry in navigating these short-term challenges. However, the important role which retailers have to play in helping farmers to withstand this latest crisis is also needed, they say. The letter concludes: It is no exaggeration to say that the current challenges are some of the most acute the industry has faced in a very long time. "We need your support more than ever to maintain food production across the UK and safeguard our food security." What does the letter ask for? The unions ask major retailers to implement the following measures in support of farmers: Commitment to local sourcing: Unions have asked retailers to honour existing sourcing commitments which they have made with respect to local suppliers. Fair supply chains: Retailers told to respond promptly to any request from farmers for a review of the terms of their contracts, including price. Flexibility on product specification: Supermarkets told to show understanding and flexibility as food may not fully conform to the exact specification previously agreed. Rapid payment of suppliers: Ensuring rapid payment to suppliers across the supply chain will be a significant help to farmers keep their businesses functioning. Promotion of local suppliers: Unions have asked for more promotional efforts in support of local suppliers. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Government of National Unity has expressed its deep regret and displeasure at the failure of the United Nations Security Council to approve a draft resolution accepting the State of Palestine as a full member of the UN Vietnam's textile and garment exports rose by 8.8 per cent year-on-year to $7.820 billion in January-March 2024, as reported by the Customs IT and Statistics Department of the General Department of Customs under Vietnam's Ministry of Finance. In March 2024 alone, exports increased by 31.7 per cent month-on-month to $2.663 billion, despite a steep fall in February 2024. Simultaneously, Vietnam's yarn exports saw a 12.2 per cent increase year-on-year to $1,055.710 million. In terms of volume, there was a 17.9 per cent rise, with the country exporting 440,708 tons of yarn in the first three months of 2024. On a month-on-month basis, yarn exports jumped by 33.0 per cent in value and 35.2 per cent in volume. Vietnam's textile and garment exports increased by 8.8 per cent to $7.820 billion in the first quarter of 2024, with US being the largest market. Yarn exports also rose, with China as the top buyer. However, the VITAS has reduced the 2024 export target to $44 billion due to declining global demand, following a 12 per cent drop in sector revenue in 2023. The US remained the main market for Vietnam's textile and garment exports, accounting for 42.12 per cent of the total, equivalent to $3.294 billion. Japan and South Korea were also significant markets, with exports amounting to $957.916 million and $801.914 million, respectively. In terms of yarn exports, China was the largest recipient, accounting for 48.72 per cent of Vietnam's total yarn shipments, valued at $514.905 million. India also featured prominently, with yarn shipments worth $13.155 million in January-March 2024. Regarding imports, Vietnam's cotton imports surged by 26.8 per cent to $730.243 million in January-March 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The volume of imported cotton was 371,901 tons, marking a 53.6 per cent increase year-on-year. The country imported 273,118 tons of yarn, worth $574.024 million, reflecting a 13.6 per cent rise in value and a 13.4 per cent increase in volume. Fabric imports totalled $3.156 billion, up by 5.8 per cent. In 2023, Vietnam's textile and garment sector witnessed a decline of around 12 per cent to $36.230 billion. Although the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) had set an export target of $48 billion, this goal was not met. In 2022, the sector's exports grew by 14.7 per cent year-on-year to $37.5 billion, falling short of the $43 billion target. In 2021, exports in this sector reached $32.750 billion, a 9.9 per cent increase from 2020's $29.809 billion. Due to a decrease in global market demand, VITAS has lowered the export target for textiles, garments, and yarn to $44 billion for 2024. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL) Monaco--(Newsfile Corp. - April 19, 2024) - MonAsia & MayBe Sailing proudly announces the launch of May It Bee, an upcoming event dedicated to sustainable living and environmental stewardship. With the belief that the planet home is not solely for those who currently live on it but a shared sanctuary, as emphasized in Pope Francis' Laudato Si', this event is an initiative to discuss the collective duty to safeguard our common home. MONASIA To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8798/206269_4ed675e8940ed9f4_001full.jpg Amidst the complexity of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the power of unity has become imperative to ensure sustainability. The need for incremental progress is clear as the world navigates what is supposed to be a "permacrisis" epoch. May It Bee will offer an opportunity to shape the future. The event intends to set sail upon the Ark of SDGs over three days. Here, amidst engaged stakeholders, attendees will debate the fabric of sustainable living. May It Bee aims to spotlight Monaco's role as a leader in sustainable urban development and eco-tourism. The event seeks to share insights, best practices, and innovative solutions to foster environmentally friendly and resilient urban environments by gathering experts and community members to engage in a dialogue on sustainable cities. May It Bee is a platform to exchange ideas and successful strategies for sustainable urban planning, unlocking innovative solutions while encouraging cities globally to adopt sustainable practices. Be a part of May It Bee, scheduled from April 23rd to 26th, 2024, in Monaco. Spearheaded by the MonAsia Association in collaboration with MayBe Sailing, the event is an opportunity to collaborate and write the next chapter of the world's shared destiny. The first day of the event, April 23rd, 2024, will see attendees welcomed aboard at Monaco Harbor. Highlights of the day will be a keynote Speech by the MonAsia Association, a sustainable lunch onboard, and a presentation on fashioning social and environmental justice. On April 24th, 2024, Monaco Harbor will witness the Pelagos and Bee Camino Project presentation with the Sanctuaire of Lourdes Representatives. Lunch will be at Cap d'Ail, followed by a masterclass on mindfulness and pollinators by Karin Blak and Jeff Ollerton. The third day, April 25th, will feature The Economist: The United Nations Intervention on Sustainable Cities of Tomorrow with Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. There will also be a sustainable cities panel discussion at Hotel Hermitage, Monaco. The event's final day, April 26th, 2024, will take place at the Observatoire de Nice and include closing day proceedings. Join May It Bee to shape the plant's future and celebrate a better and greener future. The event promises to be a transformative journey toward a sustainable tomorrow, weaving innovation and advocacy to author the next chapter of humanity's collective legacy. For registration and further details, visit www.mayitbee.org. About MonAsia: MonAsia is a leading organization dedicated to promoting sustainability and environmental awareness. With a mission to inspire positive change and collective action, MonAsia is organizing a series of event events as an initiative to foster dialogue, share knowledge, and implement solutions for a sustainable future. The organization collaborates with like-minded partners and stakeholders to create meaningful global impact and contribute to the movement toward sustainability. Contact: Anastasia Lutcenko Website: http://www.monasia.mc/ Company name: The MonAsia Association Email: contact@monasia.mc Source: The MonAsia Association To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/206269 SOURCE: Ascend Agency Population growth trends suggest that while the working age population declines across the world, in sub-Saharan Africa, it would be expanding. How will this happen? And what will it mean for the countries in the region? We answer these and other crucial questions. read more Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the most impoverished regions in the world. That may change in a few decades time. According to a recent report by the International Monetary Fund, Sub-Saharan Africa will be a significant contributor to the global workforce. By 2050, one in five workers globally are expected to be from this region. How will this happen? And what will it mean for the countries in the region? We answer these and other crucial questions. Advertisement A population boom, soon This forecast by the IMF is based on the trend in population growth in sub-Saharan Africa. The regions population is projected to double from 1 billion to 2 billion over the course of the next 25 years. That would account for half of the worlds expected population growth in this period. While the working age population the world over declines, in this region of Africa, it would be expanding. As such, sub-Saharan Africa will represent an increasingly critical portion of the global workforce. Estimates show what the annual addition to global workforce will look like | Image Courtesy: Regional Economic Outlook 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa What this means for sub-Saharan countries The demographic trends in Sub-Saharan Africa represent the single greatest opportunity for the region. There will be a burgeoning pool of human talent and a rapidly expanding market exactly at a time when the world needs it. The demographic shift would mean that there is potential to significantly enhance economic output and growth. For sub-Saharan nations, this is a chance to pull themselves out of poverty and towards prosperity. However, only having a higher number of working-age people will not be sufficient. There must be substantial investments in skill development and education from now, to be able to create an effective, empowered workforce. Ensuring that the burgeoning workforce is well-equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge is paramount. Critical Investments in education needed The realisation of this demographic dividend is contingent upon investments in the education sector. The IMFs analysis suggests that achieving universal primary and secondary school enrollment by 2030 will require doubling current education expenditures as a percentage of GDP. This investment will facilitate the construction of more schools, the hiring of additional teachers, and the overall improvement of education quality. Advertisement The education sector will need to evolve quickly to match the growing number of workers | Image Courtesy: IMF Regional Economic Outlook 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa However, the region currently faces significant educational challenges. Despite progress in increasing access to education, the quality and outcomes remain subpar compared to other developing regions. For instance, only 75 per cent of the youth population (ages 15-24) is literate, compared to nearly 90 per cent in other emerging markets and developing economies. Moreover, the adult literacy gap with non-African developing nations has widened over the past two decades. The report emphasizes that without a concerted effort to improve education quality and access, the anticipated demographic dividend could falter, leaving the region ill-prepared to meet future labor market demands. A horde of existing obstacles Advertisement There are several critical obstacles impeding educational progress in the region. Budgetary constraints are a significant issue, with public education spending currently falling short of achieving sustainable development goals. According to the United Nations, the median sub-Saharan African government allocated about 3.5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) on education in 2020. Access is another issue. In recent decades, the region has made significant efforts to increase access to education. However, it still falls behind other developing economies and emerging markets. At the primary and secondary levels, almost 30 per cent of school-age children are not attending school. Additionally, the quality of educational infrastructure is lacking, with only 30 per cent of primary schools having access to electricity, significantly below the global average. Advertisement Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach: Protection and efficient use of education budgets: Governments in the region must stop cutting education budgets, ensuring that spending is not only maintained but also optimised for efficiency. International support and collaboration: There has been stagnation in global aid for basic education since 2010. Increased international financial support and knowledge sharing are critical to overcoming the substantial funding gaps and implementing best educational practices widely. Adoption of digital technologies: The pandemic underscored the value of digital solutions in maintaining educational continuity, suggesting a path forward for enhancing resource availability and teaching methodologies. The potential rewards of these efforts extend beyond the continent, offering economic benefits on a global scale by providing a dynamic, skilled workforce ready to meet the challenges of an aging world population. Tehran has downplayed the reported Israeli attack near its military and nuclear sites in the central province of Isfahan. While Israel has not admitted it was behind the attack, the Iranian foreign minister said no link was found so far between the Jewish state and Fridays assault read more Iranian worshippers walk past a mural showing the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, right, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, and Basij paramilitary force, in an anti-Israeli gathering after their Friday prayer in Tehran, on 19 April 2024. AP Irans muted reaction to the Israeli militarys attack on its central province of Isfahan appears to have staved off the threat of a full-blown war between the two bitter rivals for now. Tehran has downplayed the purported Israeli airstrike, while Israel has yet not claimed responsibility for the reported explosions over the Iranian city on Friday (19 April). Israels retaliation was prompted by Irans first-ever direct attack on the Jewish state last weekend. Tehran was responding to an apparent Israeli airstrike on 1 April that damaged a building in Iranian embassy compound in Syrias Damascus, killing seven Revolutionary Guards, including Irans most senior commander in the region. Advertisement Lets take a closer look. What is going on? Irans military and political leaders have downplayed Israels Friday attack near a major air base and nuclear site in Isfahan. Iran claimed that mini-drones carried out the assault, causing no damage or casualties. Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told NBC News that drones flew for a few hundred metres inside Iran before being shot down by its air defense systems. Theyre more like toys that our children play with, not drones, he said. Amirabdollahian also reportedly said that no link has been established between the attack and Israel, ruling out the need to retaliate. Iranian media reported that a small number of explosions took place over Isfahan due to air defences hitting three drones, terming the incident an attack by infiltrators while not naming Israel. However, according to American officials, it was a missile strike. They have hinted that Israel targeted sites like Irans air defence radar system, which protects the Natanz nuclear facility, BBC reported. People walk on Naqsh-e Jahan Square, after a reported Israeli attack on Iran, in Isfahan Province, Iran, on 19 April 2024. West Asia News Agency via Reuters The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said there was no damage to Irans nuclear sites. The attack coincided with the 85th birthday of Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Advertisement Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi did not mention the recent incident in his Friday speeches, as per BBC. Next response at maximum level While Iran tried to play down Israels apparent strikes, it also issued a warning. The Iranian foreign minister on Friday cautioned Israel that if it retaliates, Tehrans next response would be at the maximum level. If Israel wants to do another adventurism and acts against the interests of Iran, our next response will be immediate and will be at the maximum level, Amirabdollahian said, according to Reuters. ALSO READ: Israel attacks Iran: What is the Axis of Resistance? Why is it now a concern? Advertisement Has Israel reacted? Israel has not officially reacted to its precision strikes, which as per Associated Press (AP), hit near military and nuclear targets deep in Iran. However, Israels far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir described the Friday attack as Feeble on X. CNN reported citing Israeli media that Gvir had pushed Israels war cabinet to go crazy over the past week, resisting the suggestions of a controlled military response. Why was Israels response tempered? Iran and Israel are arch-rivals. However, both countries understand the consequences of a full-scale war and want to avoid it. West Asia is already reeling from Israels war with Hamas in Gaza after the Palestinian militant group attacked the Jewish state last October, killing 1,200 and taking hundreds of hostages to the narrow strip. Iran-backed proxies have ratcheted up attacks on Israel over its Gaza war that has reportedly killed 34,000 Palestinians. Advertisement A woman cycles past a poster for the hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas that says Bring them back home, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 20 April 2024. Reuters Although Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus war cabinet had initially green-lit plans for a strike on Monday night on Iranian soil, they were put off at the last minute, sources told Reuters. Israels allies like the United States had pressed Netanyahus government to make a calibrated response and not escalate tensions further. Israel tried to calibrate between the need to respond and a desire not to enter into a cycle of action and counter reaction that would just escalate endlessly, Itamar Rabinovich, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington, was quoted as saying by Reuters. Will tensions abate now? Observers believe they might. Iran and Israel, the regional powerhouses in West Asia, seem to be keen to de-escalate the latest flare-up. Advertisement Israel has displayed its military dominance over Tehran with its Friday strikes that Irans defences could not fully contain. A regional intelligence source told CNN that Iran is unlikely to retaliate now and that the direct state-to-state strikes between the two enemy states were over. Iran and Israel are expected to go back to their shadow war instead of engaging in a direct conflict. Iran might use its proxies in the region to target Israel, while Israel could launch cyber attacks and strikes against these Tehran-backed militant groups. Neither side is ready to jump over the brink, Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran programme at the Middle East Institute, told AP. Probably were going to go back to the proxy war, he said, adding that the proxy war now came with the risk of that sudden eruption of state-to-state war. Which we didnt have to worry about before. For now, the rivals have stoked hopes that the possibility of a direct catastrophic war is over. With inputs from agencies An explosion hit an Iraqi military base on Friday night, housing the pro-Iran Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), or the Hashd al-Shaabi. The group is a fairly new player in West Asia. Heres a look at its origins and its complex relations with Baghdad read more Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), or the Hashd al-Shaabi, an official part of the countrys security apparatus, reported a significant explosion at its Kalso military base late Friday evening. The base, located approximately 50 kilometers south of Baghdad, was subject to an airstrike, Reuters cited two security sources as saying. The explosion resulted in the death of one PMF fighter and injuries to six others, as confirmed by sources at a hospital in the nearby city of Hilla. Advertisement The pro-Iran PMF is a fairly new player in the region. Heres a look at who they are, their origins, and the influence they have in Iraq. The origin of PMF The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), or Hashd al-Shaabi, formed as a coalition of primarily Shiite militias in response to the Islamic States rapid territorial gains in Iraq, including the seizure of Mosul in 2014. The group was established following a fatwa issued by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, calling on Iraqis to defend their country. Initially, the Iraqi government supported the PMF due to the urgent need for forces to combat ISIS. This support included financial, logistical, and weapons assistance, recognising the PMFs critical role in halting ISISs advance. Interestingly, according to Brookings Institute, Sistani later denounced the Hashd al-Shaabi for exploiting the religious decree to swell its ranks. He said the fatwa was originally intended for volunteers to join the official Iraqi armed forces. Becoming a hybrid paramilitary group In 2016, Al Jazeera reported that the PMF had an estimated 100,000152,000 fighters. They were proving to be an invaluable force in the fight against IS, playing a critical role in limiting their territorial gains. Advertisement By 2018, the Iraqi government chose to incorporate the Hashd al-Shaabi into its security apparatus, granting them official status as part of the regular army and equalising their pay and benefits with those of other military personnel. The PMF has since become a hybrid paramilitary groupwith one foot inside and another outside the state. The PMF has gained substantial political and military power since its inception in 2014 | Reuters How the PMF now operates According to a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), across Iraq, numerous PMF factions use violence or the threat of violence to exert control over local populations and influence Baghdads political landscape. Tactics such as enforced disappearances, extortion, and physical assaults are frequently directed at Sunni Muslims, Christians, and Yazidis by PMF brigades. Advertisement PMF often emphasise its inclusion of religious minorities to mitigate perceptions of sectarian bias. However, although the PMF include some Sunni and Christian brigades, the dominant groups within the PMF are Shia. The PMFs influence is not just via force, though. Increasing political influence domestically In 2018, the PMF made its electoral debut and contested Iraqs parliamentary elections as a single bloc. They came in second. In Iraqs December 2023 provincial elections, the PMF won 101 out of 285 seats. This electoral success was likely due to its extensive control at the local level. The results of provincial elections are significant for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iraq. The political actors who dominate the provincial councils are bestowed with a wide-ranging mandate and resources. They control budgets, employment of civil servants, contracts, and local security. It empowers incumbents to wield patronage and influence over the electoral landscape, too. Advertisement Control over ministries, Supreme Court The PMFs influence extends beyond the electoral arena into the broader governance of the country. It indirectly controls several key ministries and has a significant say in the Supreme Court. The apex court has used its influence over the countrys government-formation rules and Kurdish oil exports to quell the PMFs political rivals. This involvement in high-level governance mechanisms enables the PMF to shape policy and secure its position within Iraqs political and security frameworks. The groups military actions, including its historical role in combating the Islamic State and its ongoing enforcement practices within local communities, further solidify its position as a central actor in Iraqs national affairs. Advertisement Complex relations with Iraq The PMF has a complex relationship with Iraq. The group was essential for the state in the years that they had to fight with the ISIS. However, the relationship between the PMF and the Iraqi government has been fraught with tension in more stable times. According to a research paper published in the State Studies Quarterly in 2023, the different factions within the PMF essentially function as various forms of sub-nationalism, which, in varying degrees, challenge the authority of the state. The leaders of these factions use their own unique form of nationalism to gain and retain power. The Iraqi government has viewed some elements within the PMF as destabilising forces, applying various control measures to manage their influence and actions. Opposition to the US, West The PMFs interactions with the US have also been contentious. Some groups within the PMF, particularly those with close ties to Iran, like Kataib Hezbollah, have actively opposed US and Western presence in Iraq. This opposition has manifested in repeated attacks against US forces. In response, the US has targeted these militia groups in Iraq and Syria, aiming to curb their influence and activities, which are seen as extending Irans regional power. With inputs from agencies The great Indian election has kicked off. It involves crores of voters and polling officials. But how much does it cost? We explain in our weekly roundup from India along with other poll specials read more A child looks on from a sling on the back of her mother as she casts her vote during the first round of polling of the Lok Sabha election in Chedema village, in Nagaland, Friday. AP Hello and welcome to the great Indian election the largest in the world. The first of the seven phases was held on Friday. There are six more to go. Its going to be complex yet colourful and we will be around to explain it all to you. The elections come as tensions in West Asia escalate. New Delhi has strategic ties with both Iran and Israel, who are loggerheads. India cannot take sides and once again has to walk the diplomatic tightrope. Advertisement Meanwhile, India continues to consolidate its position as a defence exporter. The first batch of the BrahMos missiles reached the Philippines on Friday. We tell you all about it. Heres our weekly roundup of explainers, where we dont rush through the news but help you understand it better. 1. Lets start with the Indian election. Its a mammoth exercise involving nearly 96.8 crore voters, 1.5 crore polling officials and security staff, and 2,600 political parties. Indias first election in 1951-52 cost Rs 10.5 crore. That expenditure rose to a whopping Rs 3,870 crore in 2014 and an estimated Rs 50,000 crore in 2019. That number is expected to escalate this year. So, how much will it cost? We explain. 2. The electoral process is complex. Voters in Phase 1 of the Lok Sabha elections cast their ballot on Friday, 19 April. However, their votes will not be counted until almost a month and a half later that is on 4 June. So what happens next? How does the Election Commission secure the EVMs? We tell you in our story. Election officials prepare to seal the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) as the voting ends at a polling station in Chenna on 19 April. AP 3. Did you come across a video of Bollywood stars Aamir Khan and Ranveer Singh endorsing a political party? Dont fall for it. It is manipulated. While fake news continues to spread this election, deepfakes have also reared their ugly head. Heres a guide to shielding yourself from misinformation and disinformation this poll season. Advertisement 4. Indias pledge for the Atmanirbhar defence is going strong. Not only is it making defence equipment in India, it is also exporting it. On Friday, India delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic to the Philippines. In January 2022, India and the Philippines signed a $375 million deal. What was the pact about and why is the export is significant to India? Find out here. BrahMos supersonic cruise Missiles delivered to the Philippines by India today. The two countries had signed a deal worth USD 375 million in 2022. pic.twitter.com/aoBtjjYUJr ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2024 Advertisement 5. Now lets talk about our extended neighbourhood in West Asia. It has been on the boil for months and now matters have escalated. Last weekend, Iran attacked Israel with missiles and drones, which it claimed was a retaliatory strike. On Friday, Israel responded it carried out a military strike on Iran. There are fears of a full-blown war. But where does India stand? New Delhi has ties with both Tehran and Jerusalem; it has larger interests in the region. Heres why a wider conflict is not good news for India. Advertisement 6. War is plaguing the world and so is climate change. We are seeing extreme weather conditions all around us. The usually dry Dubai was submerged earlier this week. And Mumbai was gripped by a severe heatwave. Temperatures were touching nearly 40, an unexpected surge in mid-April. On Tuesday, 16, April the city recorded the hottest day in the month in 14 years. As the heatwave persists, we take a look at what caused it. Thats all from us this week. Happy reading. If you like how we explain the news, come back for more. At the Parbhani rally, the PM accused the Congress of partitioning the country and claimed it did not allow the Constitution to be implemented in Kashmir under the pretext of Article 370. read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a tirade against the Congress party during two election rallies in Maharashtra on Saturday, comparing it to a vine with no roots or branches that drain the energy of its supporters. Speaking at rallies in Nanded and Parbhani in Marathwada region, PM Modi said that the Congress has already accepted defeat in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. He took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying that just as he lost from Amethi in 2019, the Congress scion would also lose the Wayanad parliamentary seat this time. He cautioned the public to be cautious of the opposition alliances agenda, emphasizing the importance of achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat and Viksit Maharashtra. Advertisement PM Modi said that the 2024 elections were not merely about forming a government but about building a developed and self-reliant India. He criticized the Congress for its historical role in partitioning the country and alleged that it obstructed the implementation of the Constitution in Kashmir by invoking Article 370. He also attacked at the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance in Maharashtra, saying that the Congress and the fake Shiv Sena, a reference to Shiv Sena (UBT), were busy decorating Yakub Memons grave. Memon, a convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, was hanged in 2015 When the INDI alliance (opposition grouping) was in power, they did not make (people) feel that the Nizam rule had ended, the Razakar mentality was overwhelming here. Their priority was (to decorate) Yakub Memons grave, he said. Modi urged people to be wary of the INDI alliance in realising the goal of Viksit Bharat and Viksit Maharashtra. He said the 2024 Lok Sabha polls were all about making India the third-largest economy in the world. In the last term of his government, Modi said, people saw the success of Chandrayaan mission and in the next term, 140 crore Indians will witness Gaganyaans success. This is the first election where people are talking about the success of Atmanirbhar Bharat, from anti-coronavirus vaccine to weapons for the armed forces, he said. In only 10 years, the country has traversed a long journey of development, Modi said. The PM said when he first contested the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, the talk in the country was about the fear of terror attacks and blasts and the pain of the death of soldiers. However, the talk was about surgical strikes in the next five years in 2019, he said. Advertisement Modi said he had lived a life of poverty, understood the pains of the poor and stressed that no poor should go through what he had experienced. At the Nanded rally, he accused the Congress of being a barrier in the path of development and said it it cannot be trusted to work for the countrys progress. Apparently targeting former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Modi said some INDIA bloc leaders who have been members of the Lok Sabha for several years, have left the Lower House of Parliament and found a seat in the Rajya Sabha as they lack confidence to fight elections. Advertisement Referring to Rahul Gandhi, he said, The Congress sahabzade sees a problem in Wayanad. He is waiting for the voting on April 26, after which he and his gang will look for a safe seat because after Amethi, he will have to leave Wayanad as well. Will any voters waste their vote for such people? They will instead vote for Viksit Bharat. Congress has been a barrier in the development of farmers, poor and womenCant trust that the party will work for the countrys progress, he said. Modi referred to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans recent remarks against Rahul Gandhi, and said, Even I cant make such comments. Holding Congress-led governments flawed policies for the agriculture crisis and farmers problems, he said the NDA government was committed to work for their welfare. Advertisement The PM said he has been fixing the problems created by the erstwhile Congress governments in the last 10 years. Now, we have to work even harder, he said. Congress survives on one family. But now that family cant vote for the party candidate. For the first time, the family will have to vote for a non-Congress candidate in the constituency where they live because they dont have a candidate, Modi added. Describing the INDIA bloc as a grouping of selfish parties that have come together to protect their corrupt practices, he said the alliance has been rejected by voters in the first phase. The INDI alliance does not have a face to project whom the people see to entrust the countrys future to, he said. Advertisement They may claim anything, but the reality is that Congress leaders have accepted defeat even before announcement of poll results, he added. The INDIA bloc parties are contesting the Lok Sabha polls against each other in 25 per cent seats. Can you trust such people? he asked people at the rally. After June 4, an all-out fight will break out among the INDIA bloc members. You need to teach them a lesson in elections, Modi said. With inputs from PTI. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya's Acting Minister of Oil in the Government of National Unity and Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Friday discussed investment opportunities in Libya's oil and gas sector with members of the Libyan-US Businessmen's Association India kicked off its election season on April 19, with 21 states and union territories going to poll in 102 constituencies. Up to 60 per cent of voters in all the parliamentary constituencies cast ballots through Friday at 5 pm read more A day after the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 concluded, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that analysis from various booths across the country shows that there has been one-sided voting for NDA. Addressing a rally in Maharashtras Nanded, Modi said, Yesterday, the first phase of polling concluded. I congratulate & express my gratitude to all those who cast their vote and especially the first-time voters. After the polling concluded, the analysis that was done on the booth level and the information that was received confirms that in the first phase, there has been one-sided voting for NDA. Advertisement #WATCH | Addressing a public gathering in Nanded, Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Yesterday, the first phase of polling concluded. I congratulate & express my gratitude to all those who cast their vote and especially the first-time voters. After the polling pic.twitter.com/pG3Mj49SSI ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2024 India kicked off its election season on April 19, with 21 states and union territories going to poll in 102 constituencies. Congress has already accepted defeat Taking potshots at the Opposition, the prime minister said, Whatever claims these people make, the truth is that Congress leaders have already accepted defeat even before the announcement of elections. This is the very reason that a few of their leaders, who used to contest and win Lok Sabha seats, have this time entered through the Rajya Sabha route. In an apparent dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his decision to contest from Wayanad and not Amethi, Modi said, Congress ke shehzade unhe bhi Wayanad mein sankat dikh raha hai. Shehzade aur unki toli April 26 ko Wayanad mein voting ka intezaar kar rahe hainJaise Amethi se bhagna pada, aap maan ke chaliye wo Wayanad bhi chodenge. Advertisement #WATCH | Addressing a public gathering in Nanded, Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Congress ke shehzade unhe bhi Wayanad mein sankat dikh raha hai. Shehzade aur unki toli April 26 ko Wayanad mein voting ka intezaar kar rahe hain...Jaise Amethi se bhagna pada, aap pic.twitter.com/s5umnqxEoo ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2024 Lok Sabha elections Phase 1 highlights Up to 60 per cent of voters in all 102 parliamentary constituencies cast ballots through Friday at 5 pm. In West Bengal, where elections were being held for three seatsCooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduarsporadic violent occurrences were documented. By 10 am, the Election Commission had received scores of complaints about violence in the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat from both the TMC and the BJP. While the elections were going on in Chhattisgarh, a blast was reported 500 meters from a voting place in the Galgam area of Bijapur, in the Naxal-affected Bastar region. One of the security guards was hurt while practicing area dominance with the rest of the team. Time is also ripe to raise special airfield defence units and train them to secure vulnerable installations and maybe gradually replace Defence Security Corps at airbases read more The Indian Air Force (IAF) just released a Request for Information (RFI) for installation and commissioning of Integrated Perimeter Security System (IPSS). The plan is to procure IPSS for 30 bases. Vendor is envisaged to Supply, Install, Integrate and Commission (SITIC) all the equipment/sub-systems to provide a composite surveillance picture embedded with video analytics to generate decision making solutions. Indian military installations have been targeted by foreign-based terrorist on many occasions. These included the 2002 Kaluchak military station attack and massacre; the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack; the 2016 Uri Brigade HQ attack; the 2018 fidayeen attack on 23rd CRPF battalion camp at Karan Nagar area of Srinagar; the 2018 terror attack on Indian Army camp in Sunjuwan, Jammu, and the 2021 Jammu airbase drone attack, among others. Advertisement Airbase attacks in India IAFs Pathankot airbase, located barely 25 km as crow-flies from the Pakistan border, is a typical flying base spread over 2,000 acres. It also has a civil enclave of the Airport Authority since 2006. The airbase, was attacked in 2016 by Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad. The pre-dawn gunbattle raged for four days, killing seven security personnel and a civilian. None of the IAF assets were damaged. The terrorists were apparently in India for at least 48 hours prior, and had studied the base layout and selected soft entry points. They perhaps had local assistance. The terrorists managed to breach the outer wall of the airbase through an entry point that adjoins a village. They then entered the domestic area. Day and night airborne sensors were used by the IAF, yet it took four days for the IAF commandos, Garuds, to neutralise the six Pakistani intruders. Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) made a drone attack on IAFs Jammu airbase on 27 June, 2021. There were twin blasts, five minutes apart, at middle of the night, around 1:35 am. The first drone-dropped bomb-let damaged one building when it went through the roof. The second exploded on the open tarmac at a little distance from a parked helicopter. There was no damage to any operational asset or loss of life. It was later understood that the target was Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower and parked IAF helicopters. The two IEDs weighed around 5-6 kilograms with RDX as the main explosive charge. The drop was made through stored location coordinates. The drones had flown from across the border, which was a mere 14.5 km away and flew back after the IED drop. Drones have continued to be used in Punjab, Rajasthan and J&K sectors for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR). They are also used for smuggling drugs and small arms. Airfield security: Lessons from civil aviation Civil aviation went through some major disasters before they woke up to serious airport security. The single deadliest airline catastrophe resulting from the failure of airport security to detect an on-board bomb was Air India Flight 182 Emperor Kanishka from Montreal to London in 1985 that crashed over Atlantic killing 329 on-board. Another on-board bomb that slipped through airport security was on Pan Am flight in 1988, which killed 270 people. The 11 September, 2001, attacks on the twin World Trade Centre (WTC) towers are the most widely recognised terrorist attacks in recent times involving air travel. Advertisement India stepped up its airport security after the 1999 Kandahar hijacking. The central Industrial Security Force (CISF), a paramilitary organisation was given the charge and put under the regulatory frame work of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (Ministry of Civil Aviation). They created especially trained groups as Airport Security Units. Approach roads to the airport often pass under the approach path of aircraft taking-off or coming to land. Some of these are not easy to keep under constant surveillance. There is a risk of someone launching an explosive-laden drone into an aircraft as an act of terror. Another problem that some airports face is the proliferation of slums around the boundary walls and in the approach zone. Advertisement Airport access has since been tightened. Passenger entry into the terminal is highly regulated. Passengers and baggage are screened using ever improving metal and explosive detector machines. The backscatter X-rays machines are being used to screen carry-on items and checked luggage. Full body scanners are in use to security check human-beings and even animals taking a flight. Security has greatly improved ever since. Typical military airbase security Entry into any airbase could be through one or two main entry gates which are well manned and have barricades, and tyre-killer spike drive-in barriers. Other than operational and technical personnel, a certain number of other personnel like airfield maintenance and construction contractor labour also pass through these gates to work inside. The entry gates have CCTV cameras. Some airbases have introduced airport like scanners and checking devices for humans and materials. Advertisement Most airbases have fairly high concrete boundary walls. There are watch towers along the boundary wall at short intervals. There are outfacing and swivelling searchlights atop watch-towers for surveillance of area immediately outside the airbase. Sometimes, the boundary walls may have drains passing under them, but are secured by iron-rod grills. These need constant vigil and monitoring, lest someone may breach them. Thick forest/vegetation near boundary wall/fence can offer cover to an intruder and hamper security. The foliage is normally kept cleared. Most airbases have night-vision devices with security personnel. Airbases are using drones to monitor and secure the boundary wall and key installations. Advertisement Sometimes unauthorised civil structures come adjoining/touching the boundary wall despite clear laws against this. The rule stipulates that no construction can take place 100 metres from the airbase boundary and no structure can come up to 900 metres around the ordnance depots. Many places this has been flouted and needs to be cleared with the help of district civil administration. Most airbases are secured during peace time by Defence Security Corps (DSC) soldiers manning the periphery wall and the watch-towers. The security of more sensitive operational and technical areas is normally augmented with military personnel. Most airbases around the world also have quick-reaction force made up of commandos, such as the Garuds in IAF, to take-on major real-time threats. IAFs Garud Commando Force was formed in September 2004 after attempted terror attacks on the two major airbases in J&K. The Vital Assets (VA) at an airfield include the runway, ATC building, base operations centre, the communication hub, bulk-petroleum storage, bomb and weapon storage, specialist vehicles, and high-technology laboratories among others. The Air Warriors and their families also have to be kept safe. Airfield-wise Counter-Terrorism Contingency Plan (CTCP) is evolved and rehearsed. The Base Commander has to personally monitor planning and execution of security plan. Day and night ground based and airborne surveillance devices are innovatively used. Drones are a great asset for airbase surveillance. Even locally-based helicopters can be used in case of imminent threat. The IAF did implement actions based on many lessons after Pathankot attack. Istalling smart fences, electronic surveillance systems, thermal imagers, close circuit television (CCTV) cameras and drones were the next logical step. Most airbases display warnings of Shoot-at-Sight for intruders. Drone threat and anti-drone measures Kamikaze drones are being extensively used in the ongoing Ukraine and West Asian conflicts. These have become very sophisticated, accurate and lethal. Security establishments around the world are working on anti-drone measures and systems that include hard and soft-kill. Drones can be neutralised by shooting down using guns, entrapped by firing a net. The drone radio-link can be jammed. Lasers or other forms of directed energy could be used to burn the electronics or blind the sensors. Even the drone warhead could be exploded in the air. With more drones being flown in a swarm, the complexity of neutralising would increase. Smart parameter operational requirements IAF has just released a very comprehensive Request for Information (RFI) for smart parameter security. The responses are expected by late June 2024. The aim is to identify equipment and probable vendors for implementing its smart parameter security plan. It will help identify technologies, equipment, and networked integration, manning and training requirements. Airbases on an average covering perimeter length of around 12 km each with a Ground Defence Control Centre (GDCC) located suitably within the station. The government intends to procure IPSS for 30 IAF bases along with its associated equipment from an Indian vendor. The RFI defines that the IPSS system must be capable of providing perimeter surveillance in all weather and ambient light conditions throughout the year in day and night conditions. It shall consist of five layers of sensors for intrusion detection. Layers will include Electrical Smart Power Fence (ESPF); CCTV (Visible/Near-IR) cameras with IR illuminators and inbuilt video analytics and automatic intrusion detection capabilities; radars; Underground Vibration Detection System (UVDS) connected with dedicated Optical Fibre Cable (OFC); and last layer will be Dual PTZ (Thermal & visible Cameras). The sensors should be programmed to automatically slew to cue the nearest PTZ dual camera on intrusion detection and notify the GDCC of the exact location of intrusion. Mini unmanned aerial vehicles which can be controlled centrally for launch & recovery during the threat/intrusion to provide for aerial surveillance within the perimeter. Each layer of sensors has to provide gap free coverage throughout the perimeter. Sensors are to be integrated by AI-enabled software & automation network, and connected to the GDCC. Water bodies such as drainages, canals, culverts, etc, passing through the perimeter shall be protected using Metallic grills with OFC based electro-optical sensors. There shall be corrosion proof equipment capable of intrusion detection through drainage system. There will be main and stand-by silent DG sets (along with dedicated 3 phase power line laid exclusively for IPSS load) to cater for standby power supply at each base. All systems must withstand strong winds (up to 120 km/h). Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) shall be part of the kit. Data connectivity with the PDA has to be implemented. UPS with batteries should be able to take the load of the entire IPSS for at least 30 minutes. There will be provision of bulk SMS service. Secure communication system of TETRA/P25 standards to provide uninterrupted communications for security staff with range of 20km or more. There is to be provision for cell phone/mobile directional RF Jammer and UAV Jammers. There will be an automatically activated centralised alarm system for warning station authorities by audio, visual and V/UHF means. Airbase security: Way forward Indias internal and external security environment requires high vigil especially at its military bases. The terrorist or cross border attacks take advantage of security vulnerabilities and risks. Attack on military stations affects national morale. Airbases have very high value assets. Rafale class of aircraft costs nearly $100 million. Security of airbases is thus very important. Newer security equipment, sensors and weapons must be introduced on regular basis. Technology must be used. Space-based and airborne sensors increase coverage area. Access-control must use digital technology. Local commanders have to use innovative airbase-specific ways and local civil liaison to strengthen security. Modern security systems also act as deterrents. Is it also time to raise special airfield defence units and train them to secure vulnerable installations and maybe gradually replace DSC at airbases? Meanwhile technology must be harnessed. The enemy is at our gates. It is time to talk less and act more. The writer is Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Indias Permanent representative at the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, recently presented a bold, credible, and forceful set of arguments at the sixth round of Intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) at the UN General Assembly calling for reforming the UN Security Council. She not only articulated the impeccable credential of India to be a permanent member of the Security Council, but also championed the cause of the Global South seeking its representation in this body as well. Advertisement A vast majority of UN members, including four permanent members of the UN Security Council, have supported Indian candidature in bilateral meetings as well multilateral forums. Indias diplomatic skill demonstrated in the recent G20 summit in truly representing the voice of the Global South and facilitating the membership of the African Union in G20 will someday succeed in bringing about reforms of the UN before this world body becomes irrelevant to address the challenges of todays world. Yet, the hurdles are many and untiring diplomatic rendezvous are required to realise the goal. For decades members of the United Nations have been debating various aspects of reforming the United Nations, including expansion of the number of permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council. There is no UN member that contests the idea of UN reforms. At the same time, there is no consensus among member countries involved in negotiations for bringing about necessary reforms in the structure of the United Nations. It is understood by one and all that the United Nations, which was created in 1945 to prevent war, maintain peace and promote international cooperation to achieve those goals, has survived till date, yet it needs serious reforms to remain useful and effective in meeting the challenges of the 21st century. The United Nations took birth in the aftermath of the devastating World War II, soon became a battleground of Cold War between the United States and the former Soviet Union, could do little to resolve armed conflicts where any one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council was involved, and often became dysfunctional to address several other critical issues due to overuse of the veto power by the P5 members. Advertisement The end of the Cold War with Soviet disintegration in December 1991 raised hopes that the world would be henceforth more peaceful. The only superpower in the world, the United States, basked in the glory of winning the Cold War, bragged about a unipolar new world order, yet members of the United Nations felt encouraged to reassess the role and relevance of the UN in the new context of a post-Cold War era. One year after the Soviet demise the General Assembly created a working group to address the question of reforming the United Nations, particularly the Security Council. There were several meetings, yet there was little progress in its efforts. About 15 years later in the year 2008, the UN formally authorised it to begin intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) to address this issue. Advertisement India has been one of the prominent candidates seeking a position of permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council and has teamed up with Brazil, Germany and Japan to form the Group of 4 that eminently qualify to become permanent members of the UN Security Council. The G4 has proposed a model membership system in the UN Security Council where six new permanent members two from Africa, two from Asia Pacific, one from Latin America and Caribbean and one from Europe; and four or five non-permanent elected members are added. One of the major stumbling blocks to the G4 proposal has been the so-called Coffee Club that was formed in 1995 under the initiative of Italys Permanent Representative to the United Nations. The Coffee Club was expanded to a working group subsequently and came to be known as Uniting for Consensus (UfC) in the UN General Assembly. It has come up with its own set of proposals and the most significant part of its proposal is opposition to expansion of the number of permanent members in the UN Security Council! What the UfC proposes is enlargement of the number of only non-permanent members in the UN Security Council to include six seats from Africa, five seats from Asia Pacific, four from Latin America and the Caribbean three from Western Europe and two from Eastern Europe. Advertisement Members in this group include aspiring candidates and/or regional rivals of the G4 and some of them are Argentina, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Pakistan, South Korea, Egypt, and Turkey and, more significantly, China and Indonesia are the observers. Will China ever endorse Japan and India as a permanent UNSC member in the present geopolitical circumstances in the Indo-Pacific? Who can believe that Pakistan can ever tolerate Indias permanent membership in the UNSC? Same argument goes for Argentina and Brazil and perhaps Egypt and South Africa. Given this backdrop, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is spot on in observing that while India will be a member of the UN Security Council once it is reformed, lots of hard work is indispensable to realise the goal. It needs to be underlined that the UN Security Council reform can take place only after amending the UN Charter. And the procedure for amendment of the Charter requires support of the two-thirds of the members of the United Nations, including the backing of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council! Thus, Indias diplomatic skill will continue to be under test. Advertisement The writer is founder chairperson of Kalinga Institute Indo-Pacific Studies and former Professor at JNU. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The Israel and Gaza conflict has put a serious question on the effectiveness of the United Nations in the present world. The ineffectiveness of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has allowed killing of the civilians in different parts of the world. However, the other stories of the UN are not as painful as the Security Council. The ineffectiveness of the United Nations is mostly visible in the case of prohibition of war but other specialised organs or principal organs are doing significant work in the progress of international law and relations. India is one of the initial members of the UN and has always contributed significantly to the promotion of the United Nations cause for the development of peace and security. In recent times, India has been elected to several key bodies at the UN. Advertisement India was also elected by acclamation to the Commission on the Status of Women for the term 2025-2029; the Executive Board of the United Nations Childrens Fund for the term 2025-2027; the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Office for Project Services for 2025-2027. In this context, it is important to understand the functioning of such bodies and the relevance they hold for India. Before delving into the functioning of these bodies, the role of the UN ECOSOC i.e. the Economic and Social Council is important to understand as all these bodies report to it. The ECOSOC is the principal body to promote cooperation, policy review and debate on economic, social, environmental and humanitarian issues, and on the implementation of internationally agreed sustainable development objectives. The Council coordinates, at the intergovernmental level, the activities of the UNs specialised agencies. The General Assembly elects 54 members of the Council (18 each year) for three-year terms and the membership of ECOSOC is allotted by regions i.e. Africa has 14 members, Western Europe and other developed countries have 13 members, Asia has 11 members, Latin America has 10 members and Eastern Europe has six members. Coming to specific bodies, starting with the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW or UNCSW) which is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. CSW has been described as the UN organ promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. It was established in 1946 as a mechanism to promote, report on and monitor issues relating to the political, economic, civil, social and educational rights of women. Another such body is the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, which is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies and protocols, increasing access to birth control, and leading campaigns against child marriage, gender-based violence, and female genital mutilation. Similarly, the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is a body that reports on its activities to UN member states meeting in the General Assembly through its Executive Board, which is accountable to the UN ECOSOC. UNICEF is dedicated to the well-being of children, adolescents, and women and works for the realisation and protection of their rights within the frameworks of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1989, and monitored by the 18-member UN Committee on the Rights of the Child). Advertisement Another significant UN body is the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) which is a United Nations agency dedicated to implementing infrastructure and procurement projects for the United Nations System, international financial institutions, governments, and other partners around the world. UNOPS concentrates its support in the areas of infrastructure, procurement, project management, human resources, and financial management services. UNOPS often works in post-disaster and peace and security settings, developing countries and economies in transition. Going forward, the significance of Indias active participation in various UN bodies underscores its commitment to the organisations principles and objectives. By leveraging its position within these bodies, India contributes to shaping global agendas and advancing international cooperation in critical areas such as gender equality, reproductive health, and child welfare. As the world faces complex challenges, Indias continued engagement with the UN reaffirms its role as a responsible global actor committed to promoting peace, security, and sustainable development. Advertisement Abhinav Mehrotra is Assistant Professor and Dr Biswanath Gupta is Associate Professor at OP Jindal Global University. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. It would not be right to put Tel Aviv in the dock for the counter-actions that it has launched, or may launch if it believes the situation so demands read more Tel Avivs announcement that it would hit hard after Iran fired more than 300 missiles and drones against Israel, rattled the West, which took a rather confusing stand. The US, for example, said that it would continue to support the defence of Israel, but added that it would not partake in any counter-offensive against Iran. Germany condemned Irans action but also said in the same breath that Israel should play a role in de-escalating the situation. Equally ambiguous was the stance of the United Kingdom; it stated that while Israel had the right to respond, the UK did not support a retaliatory strike. The European Union advised that the best way out was to move away from the cliff; step on the brakes and reverse gear. Advertisement In sum, these countries acknowledged that Israel had been unfairly attacked by Iran, but suggested that the victim nation should do nothing about being assaulted. The justification for a pacifist approach was that Israels retaliation could trigger a war-like situation in the Middle East, which would not be in anybodys interests. But Israel did respond, though in a limited manner; explosions were heard in Isfahan, near a major airport and air base. The idea was to send across a message that Tel Aviv would not remain silent and would escalate if need be it still reserved the right to hit hard. The countries advising restraint should realise that it is against Israels grain to not respond. When it comes to the security of Israel or its people anywhere in the world, the country has never shied away from taking the bull by the horns, at times even defying advice from its friends and allies such as the US. All governments in power in Tel Aviv, have followed this policy. Since its inception in 1948, Israel has faced many military strikes by neighbours at times its rivals grouped together to launch combined attacks but has always emerged stronger and more determined. It is unlikely to change its spots now. As for Iran, it has repeatedly vowed to obliterate Israel from the face of earth. Israels track record of going after its enemy and securing justice by unleashing its intelligence agencies and special forces, even if it meant conducting operations on foreign soil, is known to all. At times, in doing so, it has done a favour on the West as well, since some of the targets it neutralised also posed a threat to the safety and security of Western countries. Advertisement Take one example. On 12 November, 2011, a massive explosion ripped to pieces a secret missile base near Teheran. Dozens of missiles were destroyed and some members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed; among the dead also was General Hassan Moghaddam, the father of Irans nuclear missile programme. The real target, though, was a solid fuel rocket engine that had the capacity to take a nuclear missile more than six thousand miles across the globeright into the US mainland. The explosion, allegedly engineered by Israel and executed by its famed intelligence agency, the Mossad, set Irans project back by many months. Advertisement But this was not the only attack supposedly executed by Israel against Irans missile and nuclear programmes. In July 2011, Darioush Rezaei Najad, considered to be an important figure in the development of Irans secret nuclear programme, was shot dead by a gunman (who disappeared soon after) outside his home. A few months before this incident, Majid Shahriyari, scientific head of Irans nuclear project, was killed in an explosion by a device that had been planted on his vehicle by a passing motorcyclist. In January 2010, an advisor to Irans nuclear programme, Professor Masoud Ali Mohammadi, was blown to pieces in an explosion that happened when he tried to unlock his car. Advertisement Israel did not own up to any of the above incidents. But there was one that it was openly proud of having achieved: Bringing Adolf Eichmann to justice. The high-profile and notorious Nazi war criminal, was tracked by the Mossad to Buenos Aires in Argentina in 1960, captured by Israels special forces and brought to Israel to stand trial. The trail began on 11 April, 1961, in which more than a hundred victims of the holocaust testified. Eichmann was sentenced to death eight months later and executed. His body was then incinerated and the ashes cast off in the Mediterranean. Israel managed to do what other countries, who were on the lookout for the Nazi criminal, had failed in. Because, Israel never forgets, not does it forgive. Advertisement The missions that Israel has undertaken through Mossad and its special forces should give an idea to the West that it is barking up the wrong tree when it asks that country to forget and de-escalate. Its not that Israel wants to always create war-like situations in the region, but it does not mind an escalation when there is a threat to its security. When it comes to the safety of its people and the prestige of Israel, it has been willing to push the envelope. The legendary Entebbe mission is a good example. In June 1976, an Airbus flight from Tel Avi to Paris, was hijacked once it was airborne after a brief stopover at Athens. The plane was taken to Entebbe, outside Kampala, in Uganda, where the terrorists were warmly welcomed by its dictator, Idi Amin. The Israeli government of the day decided to secure the release of the passengers, with commandoes of the Israeli Defences Forces (IDF) storming Entebbe. It was an audacious plan, as Uganda was hardly in the neighbourhood. A reconnaissance aircraft was despatched, which studied the location and took pictures. In the dark of night, an Israeli aircraft packed with special forces personnel landed at Entebbe and after a brief conflict, secured the release of the hostages from the airports terminal, and flew away with them to safety in Israel. One Israeli commando and a few hostages were killed in the crossfire. There are several such daring acts that the Mossad and the IDF have undertaken to protect Israels interests, regardless of the criticism they faced from othersoften from friends, even. On the matter of the current crisis, it is not Israels doing. It all started after Hamas terrorists killed more than a thousand people, including several civilian Israelis and foreign nationals as well as security personnel, in October last year. Many were taken hostages, and they included women and children. Israel vowed revenge and launched attacks on Hamas across the border, and the conflict has escalated to reach the present level. It would be unfair, therefore, to blame Israel for the counteractions that it has launched or may launch if it believes the situation so demands. The writer is an author and a public affairs analyst. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. While the cause of the explosion is yet to be revealed, the incident was confirmed by Muhannad al-Anazi, a member of the Security Committee in Babylon Governorate, south of the capital Baghdad read more Amid the brewing tensions in the Middle East, a massive blast rocked a military base in Iraq, killing one person and injuring several others. According to AFP, the military base where the incident occurred is used by Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and is located to the south of Baghdad. While the cause of the explosion is yet to be revealed, the incident was confirmed by Muhannad al-Anazi, a member of the Security Committee in Babylon Governorate, south of the capital Baghdad. Advertisement Shortly after the reports of the blast, both Israel and the United States made it clear that they were not involved in the attack. What makes the incident concerning is the fact that it happened a day after a military strike shook Iran which has been attributed to Israel. PMF releases a statement The attack took place at the Kalsu facility in the city of Babylon which is used by PMF. The PMF is an umbrella body of dozens of armed groups and the base is home to its chief of staff. An explosion occurred at the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces at the Kalsu military base in the Al-Mashrou district on the highway, north of Babil Governorate, the body said in a statement. An investigation team immediately arrived at the scene, and the explosion caused material losses and injuries. We will provide you with the details once the preliminary investigation is completed, it furthered. Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) released a statement in which they dismissed Americas involvement in the attack. We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today, CENTCOM wrote on X, formally known as Twitter. Advertisement We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today. U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 20, 2024 In 2016, the Iraqi parliament passed a bill to recognise the PMF as a government entity operating alongside the Iraqi military. The base in question was once used by US forces. It is also important to note that factions within the PMF took part in rocket and drone attacks on US forces in Iraq during the early months of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. Blinken told the reporters that a panel within the department has reviewed the serious charges against multiple Israeli units that frequently receive US aid read more As the ongoing Israel-Hamas war continues to escalate, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he has made determinations about how to deal with allegations that Israel violated a set of US laws surrounding its military assistance to foreign nations. The law in question prohibits the United States from providing military assistance to a foreign nation if it commits gross violations of human rights. Blinken told the reporters that a panel within the department has reviewed the serious charges against multiple Israeli units that frequently receive US aid. He assured that the results of his decision would be made public in the coming days, The Washington Post reported. Advertisement I made determinations. You can expect to see them in the days ahead, the American secretary of state averred. Blinkens remarks came in response to an investigative report published by ProPublica. What does the report say? The news outlet previously claimed that the panel known as the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum had recommended to Blinken months ago that certain Israeli units should be banned from receiving US aid because of gross human rights violations. The incidents which the panel referred to mostly took place in the West Banks and occurred before the war broke out in the region. Several current and former US officials told The Washington Post that multiple Israeli units including border police and special forces have come under major scrutiny after the war. While the State Department refused to specify the alleged violations that were under review, a number of controversial incidents have been compiled by watchdogs inside and outside the US government. In one such case, an Israeli army unit was accused of bounding and gagging a Palestinian American citizen at a construction site after detaining him from the village of Jiljiliya. Advertisement According to The Washington Post, one of the most significant units which is facing scrutiny is called Yamam. The elite unit focuses on counterterrorism operations, including raids in civilian areas. What are the Leahy Laws? The Leahy Laws is a landmark legislation which was proposed by then-Senator Patrick J. Leahy. The law prohibits providing military assistance to individuals or security force units that violate human rights with impunity. The legislation has resulted in hundreds of foreign police and military units being blocked from receiving US aid in countries like Colombia, Mexico and Cambodia. When asked about the recent reports, Blinken made it clear that the Leahy legislation is a very important law. Advertisement Its one that we apply across the board. And when were doing these investigations, these inquiries, its something that takes time. That has to be done very carefully, both in collecting the facts and analyzing them, he said. And thats exactly what weve done. And I think its fair to say that youll see results very soon," the veteran diplomat furthered. It is important to note that the United States provide Israel with more than $3.8 billion of military aid every year. The Biden administration has also flooded the country with bombs and artilleries shortly after the devastating October 7 massacre conducted by Hamas in Southern Israel. Advertisement For the first time since the war broke out, US President Joe Biden in April threatened that the US would restrict aid to Israel if the Jewish nation failed to protect the aid workers and provide proper humanitarian assistance to the people stuck in Gaza. Not only this, on Friday, the administration imposed sanctions on two entities that were accused of fundraising for extremist settlers in the West Bank who have assaulted Palestinians. The Chinese foreign minister seized on a recent announcement by the AUKUS nations that they are considering cooperating with Japan on military technology. Under the AUKUS agreement, the partners plan to develop advanced warfighting capabilities such as artificial intelligence, undersea drones and hypersonic missiles. read more China condemned the Western powers in the AUKUS security pact, accusing them of sowing discord and increasing the risk of nuclear proliferation in the South Pacific. During a visit to Papua New Guinea, foreign minister Wang Yi lashed out at AUKUS, which involves the United States and Britain providing Australia with nuclear-powered submarines armed with conventional weapons. Wang Yi said that the trilateral agreement contradicts a South Pacific treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons in the region. Advertisement He also warned of significant nuclear proliferation dangers associated with AUKUS. China has been actively attempting to reduce US and Australian influence in the South Pacific, including in Papua New Guinea in recent years. The Pacific Islands, while small in population, are replete with natural resources and sit at a geostrategic crossroads that could prove strategically vital in any military dispute over Taiwan. Australia is by far Papua New Guineas largest donor, but Chinese firms have made solid inroads into markets in the impoverished but resource-rich nation. The Chinese foreign minister seized on a recent announcement by the AUKUS nations that they are considering cooperating with Japan on military technology.Under the AUKUS agreement, the partners plan to develop advanced warfighting capabilities such as artificial intelligence, undersea drones and hypersonic missiles. The recent attempts to draw more countries to join in such an initiative of stoking confrontation between blocs and provoking division are totally inconsistent with the urgent needs of the island countries, the foreign minister said.Wang took a thinly veiled swipe at Australian and US relations with Solomon Islands, which held elections on Wednesday. Advertisement We believe that the people of Solomon Islands have the wisdom and ability to determine the future of their country. Island nations belong to their people, Wang said.They are not the backyard of any big country, Wang said an allusion to historic perceptions that Australia considered the South Pacific to be its backyard.State-backed Chinese news outlets have pushed reports that the United States might orchestrate riots to block Sogavare from returning to power. Earlier this month, President Joe Biden said that U.S. defense commitment to Pacific allies was ironclad as he gathered Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House in the midst of growing concern about provocative Chinese military action in the Indo-Pacific. Advertisement The U.S. and the Philippines have had a mutual treaty in place for more than 70 years. Bidens forceful reinforcement of the American commitment comes in the midst of persistent skirmishes between the Philippine and Chinese coast guards in the disputed South China Sea. Chinese officials have bristled at criticism over their action in the South China Sea and blamed the U.S. for exacerbating tensions. US Ambassador to the Solomons Ann Marie Yastischock has said such rumours are blatantly misleading.Papua New Guineas foreign minister welcomed the Chinese minister, saying they had reached some understanding in their talks. PNG values China as an important bilateral partner, he said.Wang is scheduled to have breakfast with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape on Sunday, wrapping up a three-nation tour of Indonesia, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea that began April 18. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. The Chinese diplomats exit came as the diplomatic relations between the two nations nose-dived into an abyss read more Chinas Ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu left his post after nearly five years, amid brewing tensions between the two nations. According to a representative for Global Affairs Canada, Cong Peiwu has returned to China. However, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa has declined to comment on the matter, CBC News reported. Peiwu served as Chinas ambassador to Canada since 2019 and the news of his exit was first reported by multiple news outlets. The Chinese diplomats exit came as the diplomatic relations between the two nations nose-dived into an abyss. Advertisement How China-Canada ties soured in recent years A series of tense developments contributed to the deterioration of relations between China and Canada. This included Beijings decision to detain Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig from late 2018 until fall 2021. Their arrest was seen as a retaliation for the Vancouver arrest of Huaweis chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on a US extradition warrant. Most recently, there has been a rise in concerns about possible meddling by China in Canadian elections. Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified over the matter. During his testimony, he stated that he did not believe that China was successful in swaying the outcome of the 2019 and 2021 federal elections in Canada. Canada tries to mend relations with China Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolys office has confirmed her deputy minister David Morrison is in China to improve ties between the two nations. However, Global Affairs Canada has yet to release an itinerary for his visit. In January this year, both nations have made statements pledging to communicate and collaborate with each other. During the talks, Joly spoke with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi about several geopolitical issues. The conversation between the two diplomats revolved around the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, and Russias military operation in Ukraine and both Joly and Wang Yi agreed to cooperate in the fight against climate change. Advertisement The dialogue between the two nations came months after the Canadian premier said that a rapprochement with China would be impossible due to concerns over foreign interference. One of the biggest catalysts that led to the ongoing diplomatic row between Ottawa and Beijing was the fact that Canada expelled a Chinese diplomat and accused him of targeting a Canadian Conservative lawmaker and his family in Hong Kong. This promoted China to turf a Canadian envoy in response. However, amid the chaos, Cong said in an interview at that time that China would like to see the relationship back on track. But its up to the Canadian side to make sure that they will correct mistakes and not be engaged in any further provocation or confrontation, Cong said. He also mentioned that his country would continue to do business in Canadas domestic critical minerals sector despite Trudeaus crackdown on foreign investment. The airport, in central western Denmark, was evacuated and remains shut following the threat. Billund Airport is Denmarks second largest with almost four million passengers passing through its gates last year. read more Danish police arrested a man Saturday in connection with a bomb threat at Billund Airport, the nations second-largest aviation facility. The airport, situated in central western Denmark, was evacuated and continues to be closed as a precautionary measure. Following an alert about a bomb at Billund airport, police in southeast Jutland have arrested a man, Danish police said in a statement. The airport website highlights several cancelled flights that were due to leave in the early afternoon, to Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Barcelona. Advertisement Police are investigating whether there is a link between this bomb threat and the bombing of an ATM in Billund at around 04:00 am (0200 GMT) on Saturday. Billund Airport, located near the headquarters of the Lego toy brick manufacturer and the Legoland theme park, has drawn attention due to a recent bomb threat. Authorities from the South East Jutland Police have advised individuals against visiting the airport at this time. Reports from local media suggest that investigators are exploring potential links between the airport incident and an earlier ATM explosion at the nearby Legoland attraction in the early hours of the morning. With agencies inputs. New York, US (PANA) - The President of the UN General Assembly called for the acknowledgement of mixed efforts to achieve the goals of the Decade of Sustainable Energy, as the UNs first-ever Sustainable Week drew to a close on Friday The eSafety Commissioner does not have the authority to dictate what content Xs users can see globally. We will robustly challenge this unlawful and dangerous approach, X said, adding the posts did not violate its own rules on violent speech read more Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was reportedly attacked in the head and chest by a 16-year-old suspect Monday, leading to riots among followers of the Assyrian Christian church in western Sydney. Despite sustaining injuries, the bishop conveyed a message from the hospital stating his recovery and expressing forgiveness towards his assailant. The disturbing video of the attack, circulated widely on social media, has been identified by Australian authorities as a factor fueling community tensions. Advertisement Xs government affairs department disclosed compliance with an initial eSafety directive, temporarily removing specific posts in Australia related to the incident, citing an impending legal challenge. However, the social media platform later received a demand from Australias eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant to globally withhold the posts. X revealed it faced a potential daily fine of Aus$785,000 (US$500,000) for non-compliance with the directive. In response, Elon Musk, CEO of X, criticised the move, highlighting the commissioners insistence on global content bans. The eSafety Commissioner does not have the authority to dictate what content Xs users can see globally. We will robustly challenge this unlawful and dangerous approach in court, X said. X said the posts did not violate its own rules on violent speech. The eSafety watchdog said Friday it was working to ensure Xs full and complete compliance with Australian law. We are considering whether further regulatory action is required, it said. The authority said it was disappointed that process has been unnecessarily prolonged rather than prioritising the safety of Australians and the Australian community. Advertisement eSafety said it was also working with major social media platforms over the reposting and sharing of content that shows or encourages terrorism or other extreme violence. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has been scathing of the role played by some platforms in making violent images of the attack available. Im shocked but Im not surprised, he said Saturday when asked about Xs statement. That is exactly what I would expect from X or Twitter or whatever you want to call it: a disregard for the information that they have pumped into our communities, lies and rumours spreading like wildfire, Minns said. And when things go wrong, throwing their hands up in the air to say theyre not prepared to do anything about it. Advertisement Minns called for a strengthening of the rules governing social media companies. We have had enough. Sydney has had enough. Witrh inputs from AFP Former First Lady Melania Trump has so far been largely absent from political events of her husband Donald Trumps US presidential election campaign read more Former US First Lady Melania Trump will join a fundraiser for the Trump campaign. (Source: AFP) Former First Lady Melania Trump will make a rare appearance at a political event related to her husband Donald Trump on Sunday. So far, Melania has largely been absent from political events related to the election campaign of her husband, former US President Trump, who is running for the president for the third time. Melania on Sunday will attend a fundraiser at Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The funds are being raised by Log Cabin Republicans, the biggest Republican organisation of the LGBT members. Advertisement ABC News noted that Melania has so far only made two public appearance on the campaign trail. Firstly, she was seen at another fundraiser where the Republicans raised over $50 million for the Trump campaign and, then, she was seen last month at a polling station where Trump voted in the Republican Partys primaries. Last month, Trump became the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party after Nikki Haley, the last remaining challenger in the race to secure the partys nomination, ended her campaign after Trump won the Super Tuesday. Following Trump becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, he joined the celebrations at his Mar-a-Lago estate. While his children Don Jr, Eric, and Tiffany were present, Melania was absent from the celebrations. She has also been notably absent from all campaign rallies and court appearances of Trump, who is embroiled in a series of civil and criminal proceedings. In a report, The Guardian noted that Melania has maintained a low-profile since Trump was voted out of office in 2020. While Trump has criss-crossed the country as part of his reelection bid and has made headlines for his court appearances, Melanias only notable public appearances have been the memorial service for former first lady Rosalynn Carter, a funeral for Trumps older sister Maryanne Trump Barry, the funeral for her mother Amalija Knavs, and a naturalisation ceremony at Washington. Throughout the Trump presidency, Melanias relationship with Trump and his children made headlines. There were reports that she and Ivanka Trump, Trumps daughter with first wife Ivana, were involved in a tussle over press attention and in influence inside the White House. There were also occasional reports of rifts between her and Trump and it was reported that she had delayed moving into the White House as she was renegotiating the prenuptial agreement with Trump. Advertisement Explaining her absence from the campaign trail, Trump said in September 2023 that Melania is a private person and will join at an appropriate time. Shes a private person, a great person, a very confident person, and she loves our country very much. Shell be - at the appropriate time - shell be out there, said Trump at the time. The lack of public appearances and public support does not mean that she does not support her husband privately, according to The New York Times. People close to the family say Mrs. Trumps lack of public support should not be confused with disapproval or indifference. She remains defensive of her husband, sharing his belief that their family has been unfairly attacked, reported The Times last year, adding that Melania is also critical of the lawsuits that her husband is facing. The ministers from Italy, the UK, the US, France, Germany, Japan and Canada also condemned the unacceptable number of civilians killed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war read more Foreign Ministers of the G7 nations poses after a meeting on Italy's island of Capri. Source: Reuters Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations said that they continue to remain opposed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu administrations decision to launch a full-scale military operation in Rafah. The group argued that a full-scale operation in the region would have catastrophic consequences on the civilian population there. The ministers from Italy, the UK, the US, France, Germany, Japan and Canada also condemned the unacceptable number of civilians killed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Advertisement The statement came a day after Netanyahu told the Western diplomats that he plans to push ahead with the ground assault in Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza, where more than 1 million people are currently sheltering. What did G7 say? The G7 ministers reiterated that the economic bloc would not support any form of full-scale operation in Rafah. We reiterate our opposition to a full-scale military operation in Rafah that would have catastrophic consequences on the civilian population," the statement reads. The remarks came after they held a meeting on the Italian island of Capri. The statement came hours after Israel and the United States wrapped up their second virtual meeting on IDFs potential ground operation in Rafah. During the meeting, the two sides remained at odds with the Biden administration unconvinced that Israel can safely evacuate and provide for the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian civilians who are stuck in the conflict-stricken coastal enclave. Israel faces international pressure In recent months, Israel has faced growing global opposition to the devastating war that has reduced much of Gaza to rubble. We deplore all losses of civilian lives, G7 ministers said at the meeting. During a United Nations meeting on Thursday, the international bodys Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the council that only limited progress has been achieved when it comes to providing aid to Gaza. Advertisement He insisted that the six and a half months of war had created a humanitarian hellscape. According to the data shared by the United Nations, fewer than half of the required 500 trucks of aid a day are actually reaching Gaza. In light of this, multiple aid groups have blamed Israeli restrictions for the tailback of trucks. Apparent progress in one area is often cancelled out by delays and restrictions elsewhere. To avert imminent famine and further preventable deaths from disease, we need a quantum leap in humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza," the UN chief furthered. Israels war on Gaza was launched after Hamas conducted the gruesome October 7 massacre in Southern Israel. The Jewish nations retaliatory offensive has already killed over 30,000 civilians in Gaza. The death toll mostly included women and children. Earlier this week, Qatar announced that it would reassess its role as a mediator between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group. Since then, Erdogan has renewed efforts to claim the role by sending Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Doha on Wednesday read more Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is all set to meet Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday amid escalating tensions in West Asia with Israels reported attack on Iran and Gaza bracing for a new Israeli offensive. Erdogan, who has been seeking a greater role in mediating after repeated failed attempts, has remained discreet about his meetings with the Hamas head. We will keep the agenda between us and Mr Haniyeh, Erdogan said when questioned by journalists on Friday. Advertisement An official source said the pair would meet at the Dolmabahce palace on the banks of the Bosphorus at 2:00 pm. Hamas meanwhile said in a statement that the war in Gaza would figure in the talks. Earlier this week, Qatar announced that it would reassess its role as a mediator between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group. Since then, Erdogan has renewed efforts to claim the role by sending Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Doha on Wednesday. Even if only I, Tayyip Erdogan, remain, I will continue as long as God gives me my life, to defend the Palestinian struggle and to be the voice of the oppressed Palestinian people, the president said Wednesday when he announced Hamiyehs looming visit. Turkey to be a mediator? With Qatar withdrawing itself from the position of mediator between the two warring parties, Turkey could seek to increase its mediation profile, based on its Hamas links. Fidan is expected to hold talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Saturday to further Turkeys intentions. According to Sinan Ciddi, a Turkey specialist at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, Erdogan can only expect a very limited role because of his outspoken condemnation of Israel and its actions in Gaza. Advertisement He added that even if Erdogan has what it takes to be a mediator, he will never be welcomed in Israel and at most might be able to pass messages between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators. With inputs from AFP In her petition, Bushra Bibi said that she is suffering from heartburn, aches in throat and mouth and that she believes that it is the result of eating poisonous meals read more Former Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed that his wife, Bushra Bibi, was served food laced with toilet cleaner, as reported by Pakistan-based The Express Tribune. During the hearing of a corruption case worth 190 million pounds at Rawalpindis Adiala jail on Friday, Khan informed Judge Nasir Javed Rana that additional walls had been erected in the courtroom, creating an atmosphere akin to a closed court. Khan mentioned that Dr. Asim Yousaf, Chief Medical Officer at Shaukat Khanum Hospital, had recommended conducting tests for Bushra Bibi at Shifa International Hospital. However, he noted that the jail authorities insisted on carrying out the tests at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital. Advertisement The founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, stated that his wife had been experiencing daily stomach irritation due to the alleged contamination of her food with toilet cleaner, as per The Express Tribunes report. The court advised Imran Khan to refrain from holding press conferences during the hearings. In response, the PTI founder stated his statements are misquoted and he spoke to reporters to clarify them, The Express Tribune reported. Emphasising the importance of decorum, the court suggested addressing the media after the hearing. In response, Khan said that the jail administration removes the media from the courtroom after the hearing, according to the report. He also urged the court to permit him a 10-minute interaction with reporters after the hearing. Earlier on April 15, Bushra Bibi, filed a petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and requested the court to conduct her check-up and medical tests from Shaukat Khanum Hospital or any other private hospital of her choice to examine if she was poisoned through contaminated food, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. In her petition, Bushra Bibi said that she is suffering from heartburn, aches in throat and mouth and that she believes that it is the result of eating poisonous meals. Imran Khans wife said that she was poisoned and subjected to psychological torture at her Banigala residence, which has been declared a sub-jail, as per Dawn report. Advertisement Furthermore, she alleged that spy cameras are installed at different places in the room where she has been confined. She said that there is only one lady deputed in the sub-jail while the rest of the staff is male and she feels discomfort in such an environment. According to Dawn report, the petitioner said she has not been given ample time to meet her family members and lawyers. She urged the authorities to ensure the protection of her fundamental rights. With inputs from Agencies Eyewitnesses from both the Thai and Myanmar sides reported hearing explosions and heavy machine gun fire near the strategic bridge from late Friday, with the skirmishes persisting into early Saturday read more Thai soldiers and members of the media take cover near the 2nd Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge during fighting on the Myanmar side between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Myanmar's troops, which continues near the Thailand-Myanmar border, in Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand, April 20, 2024. REUTERS Fierce clashes erupted at Myanmars eastern frontier with Thailand early Saturday, witnesses, media reports, and Thailands government confirmed, prompting approximately 200 civilians to flee as rebels intensified efforts to expel junta troops entrenched for days at a border crossing bridge. Resistance fighters and ethnic minority rebels seized control of the crucial trading town of Myawaddy on the Myanmar side of the border on April 11, dealing a significant blow to the military juntas authority. Advertisement The military, grappling with governance challenges, now faces a pivotal test of its combat capabilities. Eyewitnesses from both the Thai and Myanmar sides reported hearing explosions and heavy machine gun fire near the strategic bridge from late Friday, with the skirmishes persisting into early Saturday. Several Thai media outlets corroborated the accounts, stating that approximately 200 individuals had crossed the border into Thailand seeking temporary refuge. According to Thai broadcaster NBTs social media post, resistance forces utilised 40-millimeter machine guns and deployed 20 bombs via drones to target an estimated 200 junta soldiers who had retreated following a coordinated rebel offensive on Myawaddy and adjacent army posts since April 5. Reports could not be immediately verifed and a Myanmar junta spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he was closely monitoring the unrest and his country was ready to provide humanitarian assistance if necessary. I do not desire to see any such clashes have any impact on the territorial integrity of Thailand and we are ready to protect our borders and the safety of our people, he said on X. He made no mention of refugees. Myanmars military is facing its biggest challenge since first taking control of the former British colony in 1962, caught up in multiple, low-intensity conflicts and grappling to stabilise an economy that has crumbled since a 2021 coup against Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyis government. Advertisement The country is locked in a civil war between the military on one side and, on the other, a loose alliance of established ethnic minority armies and a resistance movement born out of the juntas bloody crackdown on anti-coup protests. The capture of Myawaddy and surrounding army outposts is a significant setback for a junta that has been squeezed by Western sanctions, with the town a key tax revenue source and conduit for more than $1 billion of annual border trade. The Khaosod newspaper in a post on X showed a video of Myanmar civilians, many of them women and children, being marshalled by Thai soldiers at an entry point to Thailand. Advertisement Thailand had on Friday said no refugees had entered the country and it was discussing with aid agencies about increasing humanitarian relief to civilians on the Myanmar side. With inputs from Reuters The blast that killed one person and injured eight others occurred at the Kalsu facility in the city of Babylon read more A general view shows the Kalsu military base after it was hit by a huge explosion on late Friday. Source: Reuters / File Photo Hours after a massive explosion rocked an Iraqi military base, the countrys security services noted that there were no drones or warplanes in the air during the time of the explosion. The blast that killed one person and injured eight others occurred at the Kalsu facility in the city of Babylon. As per the reports, the military base was used by Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and is located 30 miles to the south of Baghdad. Advertisement No drones or combat aircraft in the airspace of Babylon province before or during the explosion, an Iraqi security forces media unit said in a statement. The confirmation was delivered by the military wings air defence command. US and Israel deny involvement Earlier today both the United States and Israel made it clear that they were not involved in the tragic incident. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released a statement on the matter. We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today, CENTCOM wrote on X, formally known as Twitter. We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today. U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 20, 2024 It is important to note that the cause of the blast is still not clear. An explosion occurred at the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces at the Kalsu military base in the Al-Mashrou district on the highway, north of Babil Governorate, the PMF said in a statement. Advertisement An investigation team immediately arrived at the scene, and the explosion caused material losses and injuries. We will provide you with the details once the preliminary investigation is completed, the military wing furthered. The PMF is an umbrella body of dozens of armed groups and the base where the explosion took place is home to its chief of staff. In 2016, the Iraqi parliament passed a bill to recognise the PMF as a government entity operating alongside the Iraqi military. The base in question was once used by US forces. It is also important to note that factions within the PMF took part in rocket and drone attacks on US forces in Iraq during the early months of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. Video footage posted by the campaign group captured one officer expressing concern about Falters quite openly Jewish appearance potentially provoking a reaction from the protesters read more screengrab from the viral video of Met polic officer's conversation with 'openly Jewish' man during a pro-Palestine march. Londons police force has issued two apologies after officers threatened to arrest an openly Jewish man for being in the vicinity of a pro-Palestinian march, citing concerns about provoking demonstrators. Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, wearing a traditional Jewish skullcap, was stopped by police while attempting to cross a street in central London during the April 13 march. Video footage posted by the campaign group captured one officer expressing concern about Falters quite openly Jewish appearance potentially provoking a reaction from the protesters. Advertisement This police officer threatens to arrest a man for being openly Jewish in London Why? Because a pro-Hamas protest might feel antagonized by his presence I am speechless at the blatant antisemitism in this clip- that the police refuse to protect this man because hes Jewish pic.twitter.com/GiW6JIXA4k Kiyah Willis (@kiyahwillis) April 19, 2024 Subsequently, another officer warned Falter of potential arrest if he refused to leave the area, citing concerns about causing a breach of the peace. Following public backlash, Londons Metropolitan Police Service initially apologised for the language used by the officer regarding Falters appearance. However, the statement was later retracted, with the force acknowledging that their attempt to discuss protest policing had caused further offense. This was never our intention. We have removed that statement and we apologise. Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in the city. The episode highlights the challenges London police face amid the boiling tensions surrounding the war in Gaza, with some Jewish residents saying they feel threatened by repeated pro-Palestinian marches through the streets of the British capital. Advertisement While the marches have been largely peaceful, many demonstrators accuse Israel of genocide and a small number have shown support for Hamas, the group that led the October 7 attack on Israel and which has been banned by the British government as a terrorist organisation. The Met has deployed thousands of officers during each of the dozen major marches as it sought to protect the rights of the pro-Palestinian protesters and prevent clashes with counter-demonstrators and Jewish residents. Following Falters confrontation with police, the Campaign Against Antisemitism issued a call for Londoners to exercise their right to walk wherever they choose on April 27, when another pro-Palestinian march is scheduled. Advertisement In response, the Met emailed Falter about what it described as his intention to protest next week and offered to meet with him to discuss ways to ensure we can police the event as safely as possible, according an exchange of correspondence released by the campaign group. Falter rejected the idea that he was staging a protest, saying he was planning to go for a walk as a private individual and others might choose to join him. Unfortunately @MetPoliceUK is missing the point, he said on the social media site X. This is not a protest or counterprotest. Anyone who wishes to walk around London on Saturday 27th April is free to do so. Even if they are quite openly Jewish." Advertisement With inputs from The Associated Press The man was loaded into an ambulance and rushed to a nearby hospital. The authorities told local reporters that the burns are so severe that he is unlikely to survive read more Police officers check the bag left at the scene where the man set himself on fire. Source: AP The man who set himself on fire near the Lower Manhattan courthouse where 12 members of a jury were selected for the criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump, has died. Authorities who reported to the location identified the man as Maxwell Azzarello, from St Augustine, Florida. They found that Azzarello lingered outside the criminal courthouse earlier this week, and doused himself with accelerant at around at around 1:35 pm (local time) on Friday, The New York Times reported. Advertisement Maxwell Azzarello was declared deceased by hospital staff, police told NBC News in a phone call on Saturday. The incident took place at Collect Pond Park, across the street from the building and two dozen police officers arrived at the location running and climbing over barricades to extinguish the blaze. The man was loaded into an ambulance and rushed to a nearby hospital. The authorities told local reporters that the burns were so severe that he was unlikely to survive. Azzarello threw pamphlets before burning himself Police who are investigating the matter told local journalists that Azzarello threw pamphlets in the air before setting himself alight. It was later informed that these pamphlets comprised anti-government conspiracy theories. At 1:30 this afternoon we observed a male walk into the centre of the park, he started shuffling around his clothes, opened up a book bag, took numerous pieces of paper, threw the pamphlets throughout the park and then pulled out a canister and put some kind of liquid on himself, and he lights himself on fire, Jeffrey Maddrey, chief of the New York police department, told reporters at an afternoon press conference. Civilians, court officers, members of the police department, they run into the park, they make efforts to put him out, they use their coats, they use fire extinguishers. Eventually, fire department of New York responders were able to extinguish the fire," he added. Three NYPD officers were treated for smoke inhalation During the press conference, Maddrey also mentioned that three officers of NYPD and one court officer had been treated for smoke inhalation. Advertisement Azzarello, who was born in 1987 arrived in New York earlier this week, he was alive and intubated in the burn centre of New Yorks Cornell Medical Center. Joseph Kenny, NYPDs chief of detectives, said the pamphlets and social media posts made by Azzarello indicated that the trial was a backdrop to Azzarellos action, rather than a reason for it. The pamphlet seems to be propaganda-based, almost like a conspiracy-theory-type of the pamphlet, some information in regards to Ponzi schemes, and the fact that some of our local educational institutes are a front for the mob, he said. Kenny also mentioned that Azzarello had no criminal history in New York and was not previously known to the authorities. Tarik Sheppard, the deputy commissioner of the NYPD also noted that they dont believe Trump and his supporters were the focus of Azzarellos actions. Advertisement We do not believe this was targeting any particular person or a particular group. We just right now labelled him as a sort of conspiracy theorist and well go from there, but the investigation will continue, he said. What was happening inside the courtroom? According to The New York Times, the incident occurred while Judge Juan Merchan was recessing for lunch on the third day of the former presidents hush money trials. Shortly after a full jury of 12 and six alternates were seated. As per the reports, Merchan was unaware of the events that transpired outside the courtroom. He told the newly selected jurors that opening statements were set for Monday at 9:30 am (local time) and recessed the hearing for lunch. Advertisement According to CNN, a person believed to be a Secret Service agent walked up to Trump inside the courtroom and spoke quietly in his ear. It is believed that Trump was briefed about the incident. The first killing took place in Tamaulipas, a state plagued by organized crime situated on the US border, where candidate Noe Ramos was stabbed to death. Authorities have launched a manhunt to get hold of the person accused of killing Ramos read more Two mayoral candidates in Mexico were reported killed in a single day, taking this months toll to three. The first killing took place in Tamaulipas, a state plagued by organized crime situated on the US border, where candidate Noe Ramos was stabbed to death. Authorities have launched a manhunt to get hold of the person accused of killing Ramos. As per local media, Ramos, a centre-right candidate seeking another term as the mayor of Mante, was walking on the streets to meet residents when a man with a knife attacked him on Friday. Advertisement Ramos subsequently died of his wounds, state security spokesman Jorge Cuellar told Milenio television. Meanwhile, a second attack occurred in the southern state of Oaxaca where mayoral candidate Alberto Antonio Garcia was found killed on Friday after he went missing earlier this week, according to the state prosecutors office. Authorities had been searching for Garcia, a candidate with the ruling Morena party, and his wife, Agar Cancino, the current mayor of San Jose Independencia, after they were reported missing on Wednesday. While Cancino was found alive on Friday, her husband was found dead. Mexico, which is scheduled to go to polls in June, has become a breeding ground for political violence. Earlier this month, another candidate for mayor was shot dead on the very first day of her campaign in the city of Celaya. The candidate, Bertha Gisela Gaytan, running for the countrys ruling party Morena, was shot at in a town as she was walking in the streets with activists and supporters during an election campaign. 2024 Mexican elections to be the bloodiest? Considering the number of murders that have taken place in the run-up to the elections, Mexico might witness one of its bloodiest polls this year, experts have warned. Organized crime is once again preying on local candidates across swaths of the country where cartels dominate. Before Gaytans death, two mayoral hopefuls in the town of Maravatio in neighboring Michoacan state had lost their lives to violence. Advertisement On February 10, a man running for Congress for the Morena party in the sprawling Mexico City suburb of Ecatepec was fatally shot in the street alongside his brother. He had allegedly received threats from a local union. Many candidates, fearing for their lives and learning about their colleagues deaths, have even dropped out of the electoral process. Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Twenty or so experts, academics, civil society leaders, women entrepreneurs and gender actors are looking into the contribution of African women entrepreneurs to the fight against the adverse effects of climate change, PANA reported on Saturday Over 100 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders and workers have been in the Armys custody facing military trials for their alleged involvement in attacking key military installations in May last year following the arrest of Imran Khan in a corruption case. read more Pakistans jailed former prime minister Imran Khans party has accused the authorities of abducting his nephew, Hassan Niazi from military custody and relocating him to an undisclosed location to put pressure on Khan. The development came days after the former PM alleged that Pakistans Army Chief General Asim Munir was directly responsible for the incarceration of his wife, Bushra Bibi. Following the attacks on key military installations in May last year, which happened following Khans arrest in a corruption case, over 100 leaders and members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party are reportedly in military custody, facing trials for their alleged involvement. Advertisement Khan, the founder of PTI, is facing more than 100 cases and has been lodged at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi for over eight months now. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday alleged that Army chief General Asim Munir was directly responsible for the imprisonment of his wife Bushra Bibi. Bushra Bibi, 49, was convicted in a corruption case as well as in the case of illegal marriage with Khan, 71, and is currently held in detention at their Bani Gala residence in the suburbs of Islamabad. With inputs from agencies. The United States needs to understand that there can be no stability in the Middle East without a just solution to the Palestinian issue, said Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas read more Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has criticised the US for veto against the Palestinian bid for UN's permanent membership (Source: AP) The Palestinian leadership will reconsider the bilateral relationship with the United States after the US vetoed the Palestinian Authoritys (PA) bid for the permanent membership of the United Nations (UN), said PA President Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian leadership will reconsider bilateral relations with the United States to ensure the protection of our peoples interests, our cause, and our rights, said Abbas in an interview with PAs official WAFA news agency. The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday held a vote on whether to refer the Palestinian application for full membership to the broader UN General Assembly (UNGA). The UNSC comprises 15 members: five permanent members (US, UK, Russia, France, China) with veto powers and 10 non-permanent members. The US vetoed the resolution. Currently, the State of Palestine has the status of non-member observer status'. Advertisement Following the US veto, Abbas said the Joe Bidens administration of the US has generated unprecedented anger among the Palestinian people and the regions populations. He added it could push the region towards further instability, chaos, and terrorism. US veto constitutes blatant aggression against rights and history of Palestinians Abbas said that the US veto constitutes a blatant aggression against the rights, history, land, and sanctities of the Palestinian people, challenging the will of the international community. Following the veto, Abbas said the Palestinian leadership would develop a new strategy for the Palestinian people that will take national decisions independently and follow a Palestinian agenda rather than an American vision or regional agendas. He added that Palestine will not remain hostage to policies that have proven their failure and have been exposed to the entire world. The PA is the de-facto government of the Palestinian people that partially governs the West Bank, the one half of the envisioned future Palestinian state. The other half is the Gaza Strip, which has been controlled and governed by Hamas, a terrorist group, since 2007. The PA is ruled by the Palestinian party Fatah. Abbas has been the President of PA and Fatah since 2004. He has not held elections since and PA has over the years been criticised for alleged corruption and undemocratic governance. In the interview with the PA-run news agency, Abbas termed the Israeli war in Gaza a genocide and said its actions regarding the UN Palestinian agency are aimed at starving the Gazans and could drive the region to the brink of disaster. Abbas further said that the US has violated all international laws and promises regarding the Palestinian issues. Advertisement While the world agrees on the application of international law and stands by the Palestinian right, America continues to support the occupation, refusing to compel Israel to stop its genocidal war. It provides Israel with weapons and funds that kill our children and destroy our homes, and it stands against us in international forums, in positions that do not serve security and stability in the region. The United States has violated all international laws and abandoned all promises regarding the two-state solution and achieving peace in the region, said Abbas. Abbas also accused the US of aiding the purported theft of PAs funds. The current US administration not only reneged on its promises and commitments but also allowed Israel to weaken the Palestinian National Authority by remaining silent on [Israels] theft of Palestinian funds despite its repeated claims of wanting to strengthen the PA and enhance its presence, the news agency reported Abbas as saying. Advertisement Why US vetoed Palestinian UN membership bid Following the veto, US UN envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the resolution would have brought the two-state solution any closer to realisation. The two-state solution is the proposed method to resolve the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict by having a Jewish State of Israel and an Arab State of Palestine side-by-side in the region. It has not, however, happened so far because of disagreements among the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and the presence of terrorist elements like Hamas who control Gaza, one half of the envisioned Palestinian state. The resolution provides for the Palestinian Authority to be a member of the UN. Right now, the Palestinians dont have control over a significant portion of what is supposed to be their state. Its being controlled by a terrorist organisation, said Thomas-Greenfield, referring to the occupation of Gaza by Hamas. In a social media post, Minister Domanski highlighted discussions with World Bank President Ajay Banga, focusing on global economic challenges and the escalating issue of inequality worldwide read more Poland has inked a significant 250 million ($266.35 million) deal with the World Bank to bolster its Clean Air program, announced Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski on Friday. The agreement underscores Polands commitment to addressing environmental challenges and enhancing air quality across the nation. In a social media post, Minister Domanski highlighted discussions with World Bank President Ajay Banga, focusing on global economic challenges and the escalating issue of inequality worldwide. With the president of the World Bank, Ajay Banga, we also talked about the challenges facing the global economy and growing inequality in the world, he said in a post on social platform X. Advertisement The Clean Air program represents Polands initiative to subsidize the replacement of outdated heat sources and the insulation of single-family houses. This strategic endeavor aims to modernise infrastructure and combat pollution, aligning with the broader objectives of the European Union and the international community in promoting sustainable development and environmental conservation. With inputs from Reuters Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the main cause of instability in the Middle East was Israels occupation of Palestinian territories and Western backing for Israel. read more Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday that tension between Israel and Iran should not distract from the situation in Gaza and the priority of the international community should be ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, Speaking in Istanbul on Saturday during a visit by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Fidan urged Iran and Israel to exercise restraint. Shoukrys trip to Turkey comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Middle East following the reported Israeli strike on Iran, although Israel has remained silent on the matter. During a joint press conference with Fidan, Shoukry expressed regional apprehension regarding the escalating situation. Weve warned of the expansion of the conflict from the very beginning, he said. Weve called on both parties (Iran and Israel) to exercise restraint. Advertisement Fidan said the main cause of instability in the Middle East was Israels occupation of Palestinian territories and Western backing for Israel. Any development that could distract us from this fact should be ignored, he said. Our first priority should be ending Israels occupation in Palestine and a two-state solution. He said he and Shoukry discussed efforts for delivering more humanitarian aid to Gaza. Separately, Shoukry said Egypt would host a Turkish delegation to prepare for a visit by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Turkey at a future date. With inputs from Reuters. The G7 bloc also declared to protect its workers and business communities from unfair practices, including those that lead to overcapacity, create supply chain vulnerabilities and increase exposure to economic coercion, as it recognised that economic resilience requires de-risking and diversification where necessary. read more U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, centre left, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, right, meet on the second day of a G7 foreign ministers meeting on Capri island, Italy, Thursday April 18, 2024.- AP The foreign ministers of the G7 have reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific region and highlighted the significance of a responsible and rule-abiding China for global interests. Describing China as a significant partner in tackling global challenges, the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting Communique on Friday expressed readiness to collaborate with Beijing on matters of mutual concern. The statement also stated that the policy stances of the G7 are not aimed at undermining Chinas economic advancement, but rather seek to ensure adherence to international standards and norms. Advertisement However, we are concerned that Chinas nonmarket policies and practices are leading to harmful overcapacity that undermines our workers, industries, and economic resilience. A growing China that plays by international rules would be of global interest, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, and the High Representative of the European Union said on the final day of the Ministerial meeting on Foreign Affairs that was held from April 17 to 19 in Capri, an island in Italys Bay of Naples. Reiterating the importance of ensuring a level playing field and a transparent, predictable, and fair business environment, the G7 Foreign Ministers said, Respect for the rules-based multilateral trading system based on market principles needs to be the hallmark of our relations, to protect our workers and companies from unfair and nonmarket policies and practices, including forced technology transfer or illegitimate data disclosure, which distort the global economy and undermine fair competition. The G7 bloc also declared to protect its workers and business communities from unfair practices, including those that lead to overcapacity, create supply chain vulnerabilities and increase exposure to economic coercion, as it recognised that economic resilience requires de-risking and diversification where necessary. The communique expressed serious concern about the situation in the East and South China Seas and reiterated G7s strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion and also about the increasing use of dangerous manoeuvres and water cannons against Philippines vessels. China claims most of the South China Sea as its own, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the strategically important maritime area. Advertisement There is no legal basis for Chinas expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, and we oppose Chinas militarisation, coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea, it said and restated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to security and prosperity for the whole international community as it called for a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. The communique also mentioned that the Indo-Pacific region is a key engine for global growth, with more than half of the worlds population. The ministers reiterated their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on the rule of law, which is inclusive, prosperous, secure, grounded on respect for international law, notably the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms, and human rights, the communique said. Advertisement With inputs from PTI. According to the defence ministry, the 21 aerial objects detected Saturday included J-16 fighter jets and Y-8 medium-range transport aircraft, as well as drones read more Taiwan yet again detected Chinese warplanes in the islands airspace on Saturday, just a month before Taipeis May 20 inauguration of incoming president Lai Ching-te. 17 aircraft (of the 21) crossed the median line and its extension, entered our northern, central, and southwestern (air defence identification zone), and joined PLA vessels for joint combat patrol, it said in a statement posted on X around 11:30 am. Soon after the incident, Taiwans Defence Ministry said they are monitoring the activities with our joint surveillance systems, and have dispatched appropriate assets to respond accordingly. Advertisement Earlier, between late January and early February, Taiwan detected 33 Chinese military jets in its airspace within a 24-hour window. In March, the island nation spotted 32 warplanes in its airspace. Those detections followed the January 13 presidential election won by current Vice President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing dislikes. China sends warplanes and naval vessels around Taiwan on a near daily basis a move experts say is a form of grey-zone harassment, stopping short of an outright act of war but enough to exhaust Taipeis armed forces. According to the defence ministry, the 21 aerial objects detected Saturday included J-16 fighter jets and Y-8 medium-range transport aircraft, as well as drones. Meanwhile, last year in September the island nation detected a whopping number of 103 Chinese jets. Taiwan detected a record eight Chinese balloons on two consecutive days during the Lunar New Year holiday last month, with some flying directly over the island. Beijing has ramped up military pressure in recent years, and deploys warplanes and naval vessels around the island on a near-daily basis, with balloons also increasingly flying over the island. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Days after Iran attacked Israel with hundreds of missiles, drones, and rockets, Israel on Friday launched a limited attack at an Iranian military base near a key nuclear site read more Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has mocked the Israeli airstrike in Iran and said the countrys weapons are more like toys that our children play with. Further dismissing the Israeli airstrike, Amirabdollahian said it was not an attack at all. He arrived in the United States on Friday to attend a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session. What happened last night was not a strike. They were more like toys that our children play with not drones, said Amirabdollahian in an interview with NBC News. Advertisement Days after Iran mounted an unprecedented attack on Israel with more than 600 missiles, drones, and rockets last week, Israel on Friday attacked an Iranian military base near the Natanz nuclear facility in the Isfahan province. For days, an Israeli response to the Iranian barrage was understood to be just a matter of time. The Fridays attack, was, however, quite limited in scope and the subsequent Iranian dismissal suggests the two countries have decided to avoid any immediate escalation. We will not react unless there is no new Israeli adventurism Indicating that the two sparring sides had for now stepped off the escalatory ladder, Amirabdollahian said Iran will not react unless there is new adventurism from Israel. Amirabdollahian, however, added that there will be decisive response in case there is indeed any Israeli activity. As long as there is no new adventurism by Israel against our interests, then we are not going to have any new reactions. If Israel takes a decisive action against my country and this is proven to us. Our response will be immediate and to the maximum and will cause them to regret it, said Amirabdollahian. Amirabdollahian further went on to downplay the Iranian attack on Israel and said it was a mere warning. He further said that the civilians were never a target. We could have hit Haifa and Tel Aviv. We could have also targeted all the economic ports of Israel. But our red lines was civilians. We only had a military purpose, said Amirabdollahian. Advertisement Following the killing of a top Iranian general in an airstrike in Syrian capital Damascus on a building Iran claimed to be part of its diplomatic mission, the Iranian leaders repeatedly vowed to punish Israel. For days prior to Irans aerial attack on Israel, the US and Israeli governments had publicised their assessment that the Iranian attack was imminent. Israel sent out signal with its limited strikes: Experts Even though the Israeli response to Irans unprecedented barrage last week was limited in its scope, it sent out a key message to Tehran, said experts. They have said that Israel with its strikes demonstrated that it can bypass multi-layered Iranian air defences and can target Iranian nuclear sites. As per reports, the military base that Israel struck was very close to the Natanz nuclear facility. Advertisement Israel has demonstrated the political will and military capability to strike inside Iran something Israel had to do. Israel picked a very meaningful target, demonstrating an ability to hit some of the eyes and ears protecting Irans nuclear program with the clear message from Israel to Iran that there is much more where those three missiles came from, said Brad Bowman, Senior Director at the Center on Military & Political Power of the think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). If reporting is accurate, Israel did with 3 missiles what Iran could not do with 350 missiles and drones. Israel has demonstrated the political will and military capability to strike inside Iran something Israel had to do. Israel picked a very meaningful target, https://t.co/yPyPuBWZiF Brad Bowman (@Brad_L_Bowman) April 19, 2024 Advertisement Writing in The New York Times, David E Sanger and Eric Schmitt noted that the usage of Israeli warplanes also sent out a distinct signal. It was not immediately clear what types of missiles were used, where they were fired from, whether any were intercepted by Irans defenses or where they landed. But just as the drones launched from under Irans nose sent a message about Israels capabilities, so did guided missiles from Israeli warplanes, noted Sanger and Schmitt. As Qatar has said it will reassess its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, it is expected that Turkey could seek to assert itself as a central player in the negotiations if Qatar withdraws, according to a report read more Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday held an hours-long meeting with Ismail Haniyeh, the chief of the terrorist group Hamas, and called for Palestinian unity against Israel. Hamas along with allied groups like the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is fighting Israel in the Gaza Strip for more than six months. Israel went on a war against Hamas and allied groups in Gaza after these groups mounted the worst-ever terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,400 people were killed and over 250 hostages were taken. Advertisement In his meeting with Haniyeh, Erdogan said that Israel should not benefit from the ongoing tensions with Iran and stressed on the importance of refocusing the attention on Gaza, according to the Turkish Directorate of Communications. Palestinian unity and integrity must for victory against Israel: Erdogan Erdogan said that the strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity of the Palestinians, according to AFP. Currently, the Palestinian polity is divided between the terrorist group Hamas and mainstream political party Fatah. While Fatah runs the Palestinian Authority (PA), the de-facto Palestinian administration that partially governs West Bank, Hamas has controlled and governed Gaza since 2007. It is not clear if Erdogan was implying that the two factions should reconcile. President Erdogan also stated that Palestinians acting in unison is of vital importance during this time, that the most robust response to Israel and the way to victory go through unity and integrity, and that Palestines rightful cause and facts be communicated more effectively against Israel, which misleads international public opinion, said the Turkish Directorate of Communications in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Erdogan further expressed that Israel will one day pay the price for the atrocities it imposes on the Palestinians. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Head of Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, in Istanbul. The meeting addressed the issues about Israel's attacks on Palestinian territory, especially Gaza, what needs to be done to ensure adequate and uninterrupted delivery of pic.twitter.com/6km5Hgtzn3 Republic of Turkiye Directorate of Communications (@Communications) April 20, 2024 Advertisement As per the statement, Erdogan also called for an urgent and permanent ceasefire and raised the issue of humanitarian assistance. Turkeys long relations with Hamas Hamas has had long association with Turkey. The terrorist group has had an office in the country since 2011 when Turkey helped secure the agreement for the group to free Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, according to AFP. The news agency further reported that Erdogan has maintained links with Haniyeh. The report added that he has been a frequent visitor to Turkey. As Qatar has said it will reassess its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, it is expected that Turkey could seek to assert itself as a central player in the negotiations if Qatar withdraws, according to the report. Advertisement So far, however, Erdogan has failed to establish a foothold as a mediator, noted the report. Erdogan can, however, only expect a very limited role because of his outspoken condemnation of Israel and its actions in Gaza, said Sinan Ciddi, a Turkey specialist at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), to AFP. Since the outbreak of the war, Erdogan has emerged as a leading critic of Israel. He has termed the country a terrorist state and has equated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler over the war in Gaza. Ciddi was further quoted as saying that Erdogan would not be welcome in Israel and at most might be able to pass messages between Palestinian and Israel negotiators. Sudan descended into chaos in mid-April 2023, as simmering tensions between the military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary under Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, erupted into violent clashes in the capital, Khartoum read more The year-long war in Sudan, pitting rival generals against each other in a bid for power, has spiraled into a crisis of monumental proportions, exacerbated by the influx of weapons from foreign backers who continue to disregard UN sanctions aimed at resolving the conflict, stated the UN political chief on Friday. Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo conveyed to the UN Security Council, This is illegal, it is immoral, and it must stop. Sudan descended into chaos in mid-April 2023, as simmering tensions between the military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary under Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, erupted into violent clashes in the capital, Khartoum. The conflict has since spread to other regions, notably urban areas and the western Darfur region. Advertisement DiCarlo painted a grim picture of the wars toll, citing over 14,000 fatalities, tens of thousands wounded, an imminent famine threatening 25 million people in need of urgent aid, and over 8.6 million forced to flee their homes. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, chair of the African Union panel on Sudan and high representative for its Silence the Guns in Africa initiative, called external interference a major factor compounding both the efforts to negotiate a cease-fire and to stop the war. As a matter of fact, external support in terms of supply of war materiel and other needs has been the main reason why this war has lasted so long, Chambas said. It is the elephant in the room. Neither DiCarlo nor Chambas named any of the foreign supporters. But Burhan, who led a military takeover of Sudan in 2021, is a close ally of neighbouring Egypt and its president, former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. In February, Sudans foreign minister held talks in Tehran with his Iranian counterpart amid unconfirmed reports of drone purchases for government forces. T he Rapid Support Forces leader, Dagalo, has reportedly received support from Russias Wagner mercenary group. UN experts said in a recent report that the RSF has also received support from Arab allied communities and new military supply lines running through Chad, Libya and South Sudan. The Arab-dominated RSF has carried out brutal attacks in Darfur on ethnic African civilians, especially the ethnic Masalit, and has taken control of most of the vast region. Advertisement Its newest target appears to be El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. Edem Wosornu, the UN humanitarian offices director of operations, said RSF-affiliated militias attacked and burned villages west of El Fasher on April 13. Since then, there have been continuing reports of clashes in the eastern and northern parts of the city, resulting in more than 36,000 people displaced, she told the council. Wosornu warned that the violence poses an extreme and immediate danger to the 800,000 civilians who reside in El Fasher, and it risks triggering further violence in other parts of Darfur where more than 9 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Advertisement Two decades ago, Darfur became synonymous with genocide and war crimes, particularly by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias, against populations that identify as Central or East African. That legacy appears to have returned, with the International Criminal Courts prosecutor, Karim Khan, saying in late January there are grounds to believe both sides may be committing war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide in Darfur. The RSF was formed from Janjaweed fighters by former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who ruled the country for three decades before being overthrown during a popular uprising in 2019. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and other crimes during the conflict in Darfur in the 2000s. Advertisement DiCarlo said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres personal envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, has proposed convening a meeting with African and Arab organizations and key countries to develop a comprehensive mediation and peacemaking strategy. Chambas said the AU is appealing to countries in the region not to support either side. It is also organising an all inclusive political dialogue for Sudanese that will prepare the civilians for post-war transition to democratic governance, he said. The war has set the country back several decades and it will take more than a generation to rebuild Sudan to its pre-war state, Chambas said. With inputs from The Associated Press The involvement of the UN agency could help resolve one of the major obstacles facing the US-planned project the reluctance of aid groups to handle the on-the-ground distribution of food and other badly needed goods in Gaza absent significant changes by Israel read more A boat passes near a ship loaded with tons of canned food destined for Gaza rests in waters just outside the Cypriot port of Larnaca, Cyprus, on Saturday, March 30, 2024.- AP file The UN World Food Program has agreed to help deliver aid for the starving civilians of Gaza once the US military completes a pier for transporting the humanitarian assistance by sea, US officials said Friday. The involvement of the UN agency could help resolve one of the major obstacles facing the US-planned project the reluctance of aid groups to handle the on-the-ground distribution of food and other badly needed goods in Gaza absent significant changes by Israel. Advertisement An Israeli military attack on April 1 that killed seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen intensified international criticism of Israel for failing to provide security for humanitarian workers or allow adequate amounts of aid across its land borders. President Joe Biden, himself facing criticism over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza while supporting Israels military campaign against Hamas, announced on March 8 that the US military would build the temporary pier and causeway, as an alternative to the land routes. The US Agency for International Development confirmed to The Associated Press that it would partner with the WFP on delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza via the maritime corridor. This is a complex operation that requires coordination between many partners, and our conversations are ongoing. Throughout Gaza, the safety and security of humanitarian actors is critical to the delivery of assistance, and we continue to advocate for measures that will give humanitarians greater assurances, USAID said in its statement to the AP. US and WFP officials were working on how to deliver the aid to Palestinian civilians in an independent, neutral, and impartial manner, the agency said. There was no immediate comment from the WFP, and a WFP spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment. Israel promised to open more border crossings into Gaza and increase the flow of aid after its drone strikes killed the seven aid workers, who were delivering food into the Palestinian territory. Advertisement The war was sparked when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage. The Israeli offensive in Gaza, aimed at destroying Hamas, has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,800 people, according to local health officials. Hundreds of U.N. and other humanitarian workers are among those killed by Israeli strikes. International officials say famine is imminent in northern Gaza, where 70% of people are experiencing catastrophic hunger. The US military will be constructing whats known as a modular causeway as part of the maritime route, in hopes that handling the inspection and processing of the aid offshore will speed the distribution to Gazas people. Advertisement Offshore, the Army will build a large floating platform where ships can unload pallets of aid. Then the aid will be transferred by Army boats to a motorized string of steel pier or causeway sections that will be anchored to the shore. Several Army vessels and Military Sealift Command ships are already in the Mediterranean Sea and are working to prepare and build the platform and pier. That pier is expected to be as much as 1,800 feet (550 meters) long, with two lanes, and the Pentagon has said it could accommodate the delivery of more than 2 million meals a day for Gaza residents. Advertisement Army Col. Sam Miller, commander of the 7th Transportation Brigade, which is in charge of building the pier, said about 500 of his soldiers will participate in the mission. All together, Pentagon officials have said about 1,000 US troops will be involved. Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters this week that the U.S. in on track to have the system in place by the end of the month or early May. The actual construction of the pier had been on hold as US and international officials hammered out agreements for the collection and distribution of the aid. Advertisement He said the US has been making progress, and that Israel has agreed to provide security on the shore. The White House has made clear that there will be no US troops on the ground in Gaza, so while they will be constructing elements of the pier they will not transport aid onto the shore. US Navy ships and the Army vessels will provide security for US forces building the pier. New York, US (PANA) - The year-long ongoing war in Sudan is a crisis of epic proportions, and the world must rethink the way it supports the Sudanese people amid rampant atrocities against civilians and no end in sight, top UN and African Union officials warned the Security Council on Friday A standalone bill with a six-month selling deadline passed the House in March by an overwhelming bipartisan vote as both Democrats and Republicans voiced national security concerns about the apps owner, the Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd. read more The fate of TikTok in the United States faces more uncertainty following the passage of legislation by the House on Saturday that mandates that ByteDance, TikToks parent company, must divest its popular social media platform or risk being banned from app stores. A standalone bill with a six-month deadline for divestment passed the House in March with broad bipartisan support, reflecting concerns from both Democrats and Republicans about national security implications associated with ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese technology firm that owns TikTok. Advertisement The modified version of the bill, passed by a 360-58 vote, is now sent to the Senate after negotiations that produced a compromise. However, even if the legislation is enacted into law, ByteDance would have up to a year to find a buyer, and the company is likely to contest the law in court, arguing that it violates the First Amendment rights of TikToks millions of users. Legal challenges could potentially prolong the timeline outlined by Congress or prevent the law from being implemented altogether. The decision by House Republicans to include TikTok as part of a larger foreign aid package, a priority for President Joe Biden with broad congressional support for Ukraine and Israel, fast-tracked the ban after an earlier version had stalled in the Senate. The company lobbied hard against the legislation, pushing the apps 170 million U.S. users many of whom are young to call Congress and voice opposition. But the ferocity of the pushback angered lawmakers on Capitol Hill, where there is broad concern about Chinese threats to the U.S. and where few members use the platform themselves. We will not stop fighting and advocating for you, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in a video that was posted on the platform last month and directed toward the apps 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. The bills quick path through Congress is extraordinary because it targets one company and because Congress has taken a hands-off approach to tech regulation for decades. Lawmakers had failed to act despite efforts to protect children online, safeguard users privacy and make companies more liable for content posted on their platforms, among other measures. Advertisement The TikTok ban reflects widespread concerns from lawmakers about China. Members of both parties, along with intelligence officials, have worried that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over American user data or direct the company to suppress or boost TikTok content favorable to its interests. TikTok has denied assertions that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government and has said it has not shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities. The U.S. government has not publicly provided evidence that shows TikTok shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government or tinkered with the companys popular algorithm, which influences what Americans see. Advertisement The company has good reason to think a legal challenge could be successful, having seen some success in previous legal fights over its operations in the U.S.. In November, a federal judge blocked a Montana law that would ban TikTok use across the state after the company and five content creators who use the platform sued. In 2020, federal courts blocked an executive order issued by then-President Donald Trump to ban TikTok after the company sued on the grounds that the order violated free speech and due process rights. His administration brokered a deal that would have had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in TikTok. The sale never went through for a number of reasons; one was China, which imposed stricter export controls on its technology providers. Advertisement Dozens of states and the federal government have put in place TikTok bans on government devices. Texas ban was challenged last year by The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which argued in a lawsuit that the policy was impeding academic freedom because it extended to public universities. In December, a federal judge ruled in favor of the state. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union have backed the app. Congress cannot take away the rights of over 170 million Americans who use TikTok to express themselves, engage in political advocacy, and access information from around the world, said Jenna Leventoff, a lawyer for the group. Advertisement Since mid-March, TikTok has spent $5 million on TV ads opposing the legislation, according to AdImpact, an advertising tracking firm. The ads have included a range of content creators, including a nun, extolling the positive impacts of the platform on their lives and arguing a ban would trample on the First Amendment. The company has also encouraged its users to contact Congress, and some lawmakers have received profanity-laced calls. 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, said Alex Haurek, a spokesman for the company. TikTok, said she has been having conversations with other creators who are experiencing so much anger and anxiety about the bill and how its going to impact their lives. The 26-year-old, whose company August sells menstrual products and is known for her advocacy around destigmatizing menstrual periods, makes most of her income from TikTok. This is going to have real repercussions, she said. With inputs from AP. The US House of Representatives also passed the $15.3 billion aid package for Taiwan as it faces increasing aggression from China amid looming threat of an invasion read more The US House of Representatives advanced a $95 billion legislative package on Friday providing aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific in a broad bipartisan vote. Reuters The US House of Representatives passed the $61 billion aid package for Ukraine and approved military assistance worth $26.4 billion to Israel on Saturday. The passage of the Ukraine aid package comes after months of delays caused by the opposition from the hard-right flank of the Republican Party loyal to former President Donald Trump, who has indicated that he would pursue an isolationist foreign policy if he is reelected and could cut support to Ukraine in its war with Russia. Advertisement The House passed the Ukraine aid package with a 311-112 vote while the military assistance to Israel cleared the House with a 366-58 vote. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the passage of the $61 billion aid package and said it would save thousands and thousands of lives. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it. The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger, said Zelenskyy in a post on X (formerly Twitter). I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2024 The House also passed a $15.3 billion aid package for Taiwan as it faces increasing aggression from China amid a looming threat of an invasion. Beijing considers the self-governing island of Taiwan as a breakaway province and is committed to its reunification with the mainland. Chinese President Xi Jinping has not ruled out the use of force for the reunification. Moreover, the House passed a bill that would ban the social media app TikTok in the United States if its Chinese owner ByteDance would not sell it within nine months. This bill, formally called the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, also allows the US government to sale frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraines war efforts and further strengthen sanctions against Iran. Advertisement Upon clearing the House, the four bills would be packaged together and would be sent to the Senate, the Upper House of the US Congress. Upon clearing the Senate, the bills would go to US President Joe Bide who would sign them into law. Clear message about the power of American leadership: Biden Biden hailed the passage of the bills as a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. Calling the moment a critical inflection point, Biden said the bills were passed at a moment of grave urgency. It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia. I want to thank Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in the House who voted to put our national security first, said Biden in a statement released by the White House. Advertisement Biden further asked the Senate to clear the bill promptly so he can sign into law at the earliest. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer took procedural steps on Saturday for the Senate to vote on bills on Tuesday, according to CNN. Divisions among Republicans out in open The passage of the Ukraine aid package brought the divisions among the House Republicans to the fore. Despite impassioned arguments from Republicans like Speaker Mike Johnson and Michael McCaul, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the majority of the House Republicans 112 voted against the bill and it was only because of support from the Democrats that the bill passed. Advertisement McCaul said that the history will judge by our actions here today as he urged the House to approve the bill. Our adversaries are working together to undermine our Western values and demean our democracy. We cannot be afraid at this moment. We have to do whats right. Evil is on the march. History is calling and now is the time to act. History will judge us by our actions here today. As we deliberate on this vote, you have to ask yourself this question: Am I Chamberlain or Churchill? said McCaul. Our adversaries are working together to undermine western values & demean our democracy. Evil is on the march. History is calling and it is time to act. Today, I spoke on the House floor to urge the passing of my bill the "21st Century Peace Through Strength Act." More below pic.twitter.com/PSczF6dCM8 Michael McCaul (@RepMcCaul) April 20, 2024 Advertisement On his part, Johnson put his job on the line to get the bills passed. At least three Republican representatives from the partys hard-right camp have sought his ouster for putting the bills to vote. We had to do the right thing, history will judge us: Speaker Johnson Earlier this week, invoking history, Johnson said he was doing what he believed was right by bringing the bills to the floor of the House. He added he would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys. 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 legal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important I really do believe the intel and the briefings that weve gottenIm willing to take personal risk for that because we have to do the right thing and history will judge us, said Johnson, as per Newsweek. Johnson dubbed the grouping of China, Russia, and Iran as an an axis of evil and further said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would continue marching through Europe if he were allowed. I think he [Putin] might go to the Balkans next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland or one of our NATO allies. To put it bluntly, 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 Johnson. For his actions, Johnson has attracted the wrath of the hard-right flank of the Republicans. At least three House Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie, and Paul Gosar have called for his ouster. The US House of Representatives passed the bill, formally called the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, with a bipartisan vote of 360-58 read more The bill allows to ports and refineries receiving and processing Iranian oil. (Representative Photo; Source: Reuters) The US House of Representatives on Saturday passed a national security bill that allows the US government to sale frozen Russian assets and strengthen sanctions against Iran. The House passed the bill, formally called the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, with a bipartisan vote of 360-58. The bill also carried the provision that would ban the social media platform TikTok in the United States if its Chinese owner ByteDance would not sell it within nine months. Advertisement Regarding Iran, CNN reported that the bill will sanction: ports and refineries receiving and processing Iranian oil anyone involved in activity covered under the United Nations (UN) missile embargo on Iran that lapsed last year those involved in the supply or sale of Irans missiles and drones The report added that the bill will further restrict the export of US-origin goods and technology of US to Iran. Regarding the Russian assets, the bill will empower the Executive branch of the US government to seize and transfer frozen Russian assets held in the US to Ukraine. This is a way to fund the Ukrainian war efforts against the Russian invasion through Russias frozen assets. The bill was passed along with a $61 billion aid package to Ukraine, $26 billion military assistance to Israel, and $15.3 billion in aid to Taiwan as it faces an aggressive China. The four bills will now be clubbed and sent to the US Senate, the Upper House of the US Congress. Upon clearing the Senate, the bills will go to President Joe Biden, who will sign them into law. The three companies that will face US sanctions include Xian Longde Technology Development, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade and Granpect Co. Ltd from China and Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant from Belarus read more The US has imposed sanctions on three China-based companies and one from Belarus for supplying components of ballistic missiles to Pakistan, the State Department said in a statement. The recent move is Washingtons latest attempt to curb Pakistans ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile programme. Which companies have been slapped with sanctions? The three companies that will face US sanctions include Xian Longde Technology Development, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade and Granpect Co. Ltd from China and Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant from Belarus. Advertisement These entities have reportedly engaged in activities or transactions that have contributed to, or pose a risk of contributing to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery, including any efforts to manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport, transfer or use such items, by Pakistan, according to the US State Department. What did the companies supply? China, an all-weather ally of Pakistan, has been long providing arms and defence equipment to Islamabad to help the cash-strapped country advance its military. Meanwhile, Belarus Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant supplied special vehicle chassis to Pakistans long-range ballistic missile programme. Such chassis are used as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles by Pakistans National Development Complex (NDC), which is responsible for the development of Missile Technology Control Regime Category (MTCR) I ballistic missiles, according to a State Department Factsheet. Xian Longde Technology Development Company Limited, supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine, to Pakistans long-range ballistic missile programme that we assess was destined for NDC. The other Chinese company, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd, delivered stir welding equipment and a linear accelerator system to Pakistan. Tianjins supply to Islamad was likely meant for Pakistans Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which develops and produces Pakistans MTCR Category I ballistic missiles. With inputs from PTI Last year, the Philippines announced the cessation of Chinese loans for three projects citing a lack of progress from Chinas side. This decision coincided with deteriorating relations between the Philippines and China over conflict in the South China Sea read more A Philippine freight railway initiative could receive support from the United States and Japan, according to an official overseeing the project. Manila is exploring alternative financing arrangements after discontinuing funding negotiations with China. The proposed 50-billion-peso ($868 million) Subic-Clark railway, designed to connect former US military bases now serving as commercial hubs, is being presented as a component of the Luzon Economic Corridor. As per reports, this corridor aims to demonstrate economic collaboration among the US, Japan, and the Philippines, a concept developed during the inaugural trilateral summit held last week at the White House. Advertisement Last year, the Philippines announced the cessation of Chinese loans for three projects, including the 71-kilometer Subic-Clark railway, citing a lack of progress from Chinas side. This decision coincided with deteriorating relations between the Philippines and China over conflicting maritime claims in the South China Sea. During the April 11 meeting, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched the Luzon Economic Corridor. A trilateral event aimed at promoting investment in the project is scheduled at the US-led Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Manila in May. The Philippines aims to attract approximately $100 billion in investments over the next five to ten years following the Washington summit. The Subic-Clark railway project seeks to enhance connectivity between Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas province on Luzon Island, fostering investment in infrastructure such as railways, ports, clean energy, semiconductor supply chains, and agribusiness. We have not abandoned the Subic-Clark railway project, stated Lorenzana, a former defense secretary. He expressed preference for US and Japanese involvement in the project but also mentioned South Korea and other friendly countries as potential partners. The government is also considering seeking funding from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Advertisement Other projects under consideration for inclusion in the Luzon Economic Corridor include the construction of Clark International Airports second runway and the development of a 64-hectare Clark National Food Terminal hub. These initiatives aim to position the Philippines as a leading agricultural resource hub in the region. Subic and Clark are viewed as strategic locations capable of hosting a range of industries, from logistics to manufacturing, owing to their extensive infrastructure and skilled workforce. The move comes amid US concerns over Nigers growing relations with China, Russia and Iran. Russia, meanwhile, has backed the military regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso, indicating its expanding focus on Africa read more A US and Niger flag are raised side by side at the base camp for air forces and other personnel supporting the construction of Niger Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, April 16, 2018. AP file The US will soon withdraw its troops from the West African nation of Niger, marking a significant shift in Washingtons presence in Africa, the State Department said after Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with Nigers Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine. The move comes amid US concerns over Nigers growing relations with China, Russia and Iran. Russia, meanwhile, has backed the military regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso, indicating its expanding focus on Africa. Advertisement Niger has long been a linchpin in the US and French strategy to combat terrorism in West Africa with Washington building a base in the desert city of Agadez at the cost of $100 million to fly a fleet of drones. When will US troops start withdrawing from Niger? Campbell and Zeine, during the latters visit to Washington, agreed that a US delegation would head within days to the capital Niamey to arrange an orderly withdrawal, the officials said. Nigerien state television earlier announced that the US officials would visit next week. The State Department made no immediate public announcement and officials said no timeline was yet set to withdraw the troops. Meanwhile, earlier this month, Russian military instructors paid a visit to Niger carrying an air defence system along with other equipment following talks between military ruler General Abdourahamane Tiani and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Niger breaks off defence agreement with US The move to pull back US troops from the West African nation comes after Nigers military announced that it was revoking its military cooperation agreement with Washington with immediate effect. But diplomats said the Nigerian leadership had sent mixed messages and the United States initially said it was awaiting confirmation. Advertisement The United States puts a high priority on troops safety, and concerns rose last week when thousands rallied outside the National Assembly headquarters chanting for US troops to leave. With inputs from agencies President Biden congratulated the workers on their historic achievement, emphasizing his support for auto workers and their efforts to organize. Volkswagen expressed gratitude to its workers for participating in the democratic election read more People react as the result of a vote comes in favour of the hourly factory workers at Volkswagen's assembly plant to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, at a watch party in Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S., April 19, 2024. Reuters Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, made history on Friday by approving a union with the United Auto Workers (UAW) in a significant victory for organised labor in the Southern United States. The National Labor Relations Board confirmed that nearly three-quarters of the 3,613 workers voted in favor of unionisation during the three-day election. This marks the first time since the 1940s that a Southern auto factory has approved a union with an election. Advertisement The success of the vote is a triumph for the UAW, which has encountered challenges in organising factories in the South for years. Previous attempts to unionise the VW plant in 2014 and 2019 were unsuccessful. The victory also delivers a political win for President Biden, who has supported union expansion efforts. Assisted by UAW staff, local VW workers campaigned vigorously, promising fellow workers that the union would advocate for improved healthcare, retirement benefits, and increased paid time off. President Biden congratulated the workers on their historic achievement, emphasizing his support for auto workers and their efforts to organize. Volkswagen expressed gratitude to its workers for participating in the democratic election. Volkswagen workers celebrated their overwhelming victory at a union hall in Chattanooga, with one worker remarking that Southern workers are ready to stand up and win a better life. The success of the vote gives momentum to the UAWs broader campaign to organize factories across the South, targeting foreign-headquartered companies like Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and Tesla. Republican politicians in Tennessee had warned workers that unionisation could threaten jobs and economic prosperity, but the overwhelming support for the UAW demonstrates a shift in attitudes among workers. Advertisement The victory in Tennessee is a significant milestone for the labor movement in the South and across the United States. It comes amidst growing momentum for unionization efforts, with petitions for union elections up 35 percent in fiscal year 2024 and strong public support for unions. The success at Volkswagen opens new opportunities for expanding union membership in the United States, which has been declining since the 1980s. Despite challenges posed by Right to Work laws and cultural traditions, the victory in Tennessee demonstrates the changing attitudes of workers and the potential for further growth in organized labor. The legislation extends Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, for two more years read more The US Senate voted to renew the controversial warrantless surveillance law shortly after it expired. The legislation which is described as critical to combating terrorism has received major backlash from civil liberties advocates from both the right and left sides of the political aisle. With the vote 60-34 in favour of the law, the bill will now be sent to US President Joe Biden for the stamp of approval, NBC News reported. The legislation extends Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, for two more years. Advertisement The final vote came after the Senate rejected a total of six amendments to the legislation which were proposed by progressive and conservative senators. Both sides argued that the spying powers enshrined in the bill were too broad and demanded protections for Americans civil liberties and privacy. However, the Biden administration and FISA supporters in the past warned that even a brief lapse in the legislation could have a detrimental impact on the intelligence-gathering procedures. The bill gets a greenlight even after the Senate missed the deadline According to NBC News, Senators missed the midnight deadline to reauthorize the FISA Section 702 statute. However, they voted to reauthorise the bill minutes later. It is important to note that if the Senate agreed to adopt any amendments to the bill, it would have been sent back to the House. The FISA supporters fear that this would have caused a major lapse of law. In the nick of time, bipartisanship has prevailed here in the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the Senate voted to re-authorise the legislation. It wasnt easy, people had many different views, but we all know one thing: letting FISA expire would have been dangerous. Its an important part of our national security to stop acts of terror, drug trafficking, and violent extremism, Schumer averred on the Senate floor. Advertisement Thank you to all my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their good work in getting this done," he added. The house passed the bill with the slightest majority Last week, the US House of Representatives passed the two-year FISA renewal legislation by slimmest of the margins. What caused the delay in the renewal was the fact that many senators were demanding an amendment that would require a warrant to search through the communications of Americans as part of data collected while surveilling foreigners. Its important that people understand how sweeping this bill is, said Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Intelligence Committee and outspoken proponent of privacy protections. Advertisement Something was inserted at the last minute, which would basically compel somebody like a cable guy to spy for the government. They would force the person to do it and there would be no appeal," he added. About the law Section 702 allows the government to collect data from US companies like AT&T and Google. This data includes messages from foreigners abroad who have been targeted for foreign intelligence or counterterrorism purposes without a warrant. This is applicable even when they are communicating with Americans. The tool became controversial since it also sweeps up messages of Americans to and from those foreign targets. Interestingly, the law traces back to the warrantless wiretapping program. Advertisement The controversial program was secretly created by Former US President George W Bush after the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. However, the legislation introduced by Bush violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, which required warrants for national security wiretapping on domestic soil. After the news of the existence of such a law became public, the US Congress in 2007 legalized a form of it in a short-lived legislation called the Protect America Act. The Act incorporated an exception to FISAs warrant requirement for wiretapping on American soil that targets foreigners abroad. The lawmakers enacted the infamous Section 702 the following year. The legislation has been extended in 2012 and 2018. Washington DC, United States (PANA) - New financial instruments designed to boost lending capacity and enable the World Bank Group to take on more risk for shared global challenges have received a significant endorsement Tata Group is reportedly close to sealing a significant deal with Pegatron, a Taiwanese company, to acquire a majority stake in its iPhone manufacturing operations in India. Earlier reports by Reuters hinted at discussions between the two companies, suggesting a potential collaboration, which Pegatron denied at that time. However, a recent Bloomberg report reveals that negotiations between Tata Group and Pegatron are now in the final stages, with an agreement expected by May. This deal would strengthen Apples relationship with Tata Group. It entails Tata Group taking control of Pegatrons Apple handset assembly operations, including an existing production plant near Chennai and another one under construction. After the deals completion, Tata Electronics will oversee Pegatrons operations, leveraging the Taiwanese companys manufacturing expertise. This move aligns with Apples efforts to increase production in India, supported by incentives from the government to attract foreign investment and boost domestic manufacturing. Pegatron started operations in India in 2021 with an investment of Rs. 1,100 crore near Chennai, under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme. The facility has been assembling flagship iPhones like the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 since September last year, akin to Foxconns operations. The current administration has offered production-linked subsidies to key Apple suppliers like Pegatron, encouraging them to expand their presence in India. Tata Group initially entered iPhone assembly by acquiring a factory from Taiwans Wistron Corp. in Karnataka. Additionally, Tata plans to build a new iPhone production plant, emphasizing its commitment to its partnership with Apple and its presence in smartphone manufacturing. Source News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. After work was paused for the winter on U.S. Highway 6 project in Clifton, that work will begin to the east of the roundabout that was installed in December. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, drivers should pay attention in the construction zone for changing traffic patterns and pedestrians in the area. Over 1,000 children in Xinjiang to receive free heart surgeries Xinhua) 13:58, April 20, 2024 BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A program initiated by the Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF) will provide free surgeries for 1,056 children from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region with congenital heart diseases (CHDs). The CRCF, together with several hospitals in Shanghai, Beijing and the provinces of Henan and Shandong, dispatched six groups of medical experts to carry out CHD screening for children in 14 locations in Xinjiang between March 24 and April 18. A total of 1,056 child patients were found to be suitable for operations and qualified for the charity funds provided by the CRCF. The long-term program has provided CHD screening for more than 15,000 children in Xinjiang and completed free operations for eligible patients, said Bei Xiaochao, chairman of the CRCF. Ning Bin, vice director of the Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, participated in the program and said the hospital began treatment work immediately, with 19 child patients arriving in Shandong to undergo surgeries free-of-charge. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) Thursday Night Partly cloudy skies early followed by increasing clouds with showers developing later at night. Low 52F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. April 18 USCENTCOM Conducts Humanitarian Air Drop into Gaza U.S. Central Command Press Release | April 18, 2024 USCENTCOM April 18, 2024 Release Number 20240418-01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAMPA, Fla. -- U.S. Central Command conducted an air drop of humanitarian assistance into Northern Gaza on April 18, 2024, at 1:09 p.m. (Gaza time) to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict. The joint operation included four C-130 U.S. Air Force aircraft, and U.S. Army Soldiers specialized in aerial delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance supplies. The U.S. C-130s dropped approximately 50, 600 U.S. meal equivalents into Northern Gaza, an area of great need, allowing for civilian access to the critical aid. To date, the U.S. has dropped 946 tons of humanitarian assistance. During today's mission, approximately 25 bundles landed in the sea. USCENTCOM does not assess civilian harm or damage to infrastructure at this time but continue to monitor the situation. The DoD humanitarian airdrops contribute to ongoing U.S. and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering. These airdrops are part of a sustained effort, and we continue to plan follow-on aerial deliveries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestine's application for full membership of the United Nations Swiss Government Bern, 18.04.2024 -- Palestine's application for full UN membership will not be submitted to the UN General Assembly due to the veto by the United States on 18 April in the UN Security Council. Switzerland abstained from the vote. After assessing the situation and consulting with the chairs of the parliamentary foreign affairs committees, the Federal Council concluded that granting Palestine full UN membership at this time would not be conducive to easing the situation and peace efforts in the Middle East. Switzerland remains committed to the two-state solution. Palestine has had observer state status at the United Nations since 2012. It reactivated its previously inconclusive 2011 application for full UN membership on 2 April 2024. Full UN membership is decided by the UN General Assembly in accordance with the UN Charter. The UN Security Council must make a positive recommendation for admission before the General Assembly can vote on a membership application. Since the United States vetoed the recommendation for Palestine's membership, the application will not proceed to a vote in the General Assembly. In view of the current highly unstable situation in the Middle East and from an overall peace policy perspective, Switzerland believes that admitting Palestine as a full UN member is not advisable at this time. The Federal Council therefore decided that Switzerland would abstain from the vote on the Palestinian application in the UN Security Council. Before making this decision, the Federal Council conducted a thorough assessment of the overall geopolitical situation and consulted with the chairs of the foreign affairs committees of both the National Council and the Council of States, as required by Article 152 paragraph 4 of the Parliament Act. Switzerland considers that it would be better to proceed with Palestine's accession to the United Nations as a full member at a time when such a step would fit in with the logic of an emerging peace. Switzerland remains committed to the two-state solution. The Federal Council, as outlined in the MENA Strategy 2021-24, firmly believes that lasting peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through a negotiated two-state solution that adheres to international law and internationally agreed parameters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 18, 2024 Release Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With Norwegian Minister Of Defence, Bjrn Arild Gram Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Norwegian Minister of Defence Bjrn Arild Gram at the Pentagon today. The leaders discussed the strength of the bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Norway. The Secretary thanked Minister Gram for Norway's commitment of long-term assistance to develop Ukraine's capabilities, and the two exchanged views on ensuring continued military assistance to Ukraine both bilaterally and through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and NATO. The two officials discussed the conclusion of the recent Nordic Response exercise hosted by Norway, Sweden, and Finland, which is part of NATO's Steadfast Defender exercise. Minister Gram shared details about Norway's recently-released Long-Term Plan, that includes an historic increase in defense spending. Secretary Austin commended the announcement that Norway will reach two percent of Gross Domestic Product spending on defense this year. The two officials also discussed opportunities to deepen and broaden bilateral defense cooperation, in light of the amendment to the Supplemental Defense Cooperation Agreement that includes additional agreed facilities and areas for U.S. access in Norway. Lastly, both expressed agreement on the importance of ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3749474/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tibetan political leader 'optimistic' about passage of US bill on Tibet The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved the bill, advancing it to the Senate floor. By Tenzin Dickyi and Tashi Wangchuk for RFA Tibetan 2024.04.18 -- The leader of Tibet's 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 Lama's 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. 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. Bill's 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 China's 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. 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 committee's vote. Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, and American actor Richard Gere, the organization's chair, accompanied Tsering to the meetings with key lawmakers. The Senate committee's vote shows that "Congress is making it a priority to resolve China's 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 China's assimilation policies, particularly on China's 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. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Early Solomon Islands election results show shakeup in most populous province Daniel Suidani, ousted as premier after opposing China projects, was elected to Malaita's provincial assembly. By Stephen Wright for BenarNews 2024.04.18 -- A Solomon Islands politician ousted as premier of the Pacific island country's most populous province after opposing diplomatic recognition of China has been reelected to its provincial assembly, according to preliminary election results released Friday. The results from Malaita province are among the first to be made public since the voting in national, provincial and capital city elections took place Wednesday. Electoral Commission officials have said they hope that many results will be known by the middle of next week. Daniel Suidani won the most votes in his provincial constituency, an Electoral Commission spokesman Ednal Palmer told RFA-affiliated news organization BenarNews. Martin Fini, the politician who replaced Suidani as premier following his ouster in a no confidence vote in February last year, was not reelected, according to a separately announced vote count for his constituency. The election in the Pacific island country of 700,000 people was the first since its combative, pro-Beijing prime minister Manasseh Sogavare switched diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 2019 and signed a secretive security pact with the Asian superpower. Under Suidani, Malaita's provincial assembly opposed the diplomatic switch to Beijing and issued its Auki Communique banning China-funded projects in Malaita despite the island's crumbling roads, rickety bridges and threadbare health system. Suidani touted benefits from a United States development aid project in the province, but it was slow to produce tangible results. He remained popular and attracted large crowds to his campaign rallies in Malaita. The central government's ineffectiveness in providing basic services and the struggle to earn enough money to survive was preoccupying many voters when they headed to the polls on Wednesday. Whether Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare will stay in power is also keenly watched by governments from China to Australia and the U.S. Once vote counting is completed, members of Parliament decide the prime minister so leadership of the Solomon Islands may not be known until May. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Update: History and people will remember this regressive action by US: Chinese FM on US veto of Palestine's full membership to UN Global Times By Global Times Published: Apr 19, 2024 09:20 AM China is very disappointed with the US decision, emphasizing that the urgency of accepting Palestine as a full member of the UN is now more apparent than ever. China will continue its efforts and play a constructive role to ensure that Palestine enjoys the same rights as all other UN member states, said China's permanent representative to the UN, following the US veto of Palestine's request for full UN membership. The US stopped the UN from recognizing a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council on Thursday to deny Palestinians full membership of the world body, Reuters reported. It vetoed a draft resolution recommending to the 193-member UN General Assembly that "the State of Palestine be admitted to membership" of the UN. Britain and Switzerland abstained, while the remaining 12 council members voted yes, according to the media report. "Today is a saddening day. The application for Palestine to become a full member of the UN was rejected due to a US veto, crushing the decades-long dreams of the Palestinian people. China is profoundly disappointed with the US decision," said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN. Independence has been the enduring aspiration of the Palestinian people for generations, and becoming a full UN member is a crucial step in this historical process, Fu noted. Palestine submitted its application as early as 2011, but due to opposition from certain countries, action by the Security Council was postponed. 13 years have already been long enough, yet these countries still complain that there is not enough time and that action should not be rushed. This argument is insincere. "Now, more than ever, the urgency of accepting Palestine as a full member of the UN is apparent," Fu said. Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood told the council that the US 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, according to the media report. Certain countries do not support Palestine's membership, claiming that it lacks the capacity to govern a state, a position we cannot agree with, the Chinese diplomat said. Over the past 13 years, there have been many changes in the situation in Palestine, the most fundamental being the continuous expansion of settlements in the West Bank, which increasingly compresses the living space of Palestine as a nation, eroding the foundation of the two-state solution. These countries turn a blind eye, adopting an attitude of tacit approval or even encouragement, and now they question Palestine's governance capabilities, which is nothing but a distortion of facts and logic, Fu said. What is even more unacceptable is that these countries also question whether Palestine meets the qualifications for UN membership as outlined in the UN Charter, implying doubts about Palestine's commitment to peace, Fu noted. Such accusations are excessively harsh and amount to "pouring salt on the wounds of the Palestinian people," who suffer under occupationan enormous insult, he said. If opposing Palestine's membership for political reasons, it would be more honest to state this directly rather than using excuses to inflict further harm on the Palestinian people. 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 UN," CNN reported. The right of the Palestinian people to statehood is an inalienable national right, beyond dispute and not for trade. Insisting that direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine are a precondition, and claiming that UN membership for Palestine can only be the result of negotiations, are putting the cart before the horse, Fu said. As Israel increasingly rejects the two-state solution, admitting Palestine as a full member state of the UN would provide it with equal status to Israel and help facilitate the resumption of negotiations. All countries genuinely supporting the two-state solution should not oppose Palestine's full membership in the UN, the Chinese diplomat said. "We believe that one day, Palestine will enjoy the same rights as all other UN member states, living peacefully alongside Israel as a neighbor. Both the Palestinian and Israeli people will lead secure and happy lives. To hasten this day, China will continue its unremitting efforts and play a constructive role," Fu said. "History and the peoples of the world will remember this regressive action by the US," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday commenting on the US veto. Despite the US veto, the urgent regional demand for an immediate ceasefire cannot be denied, the basic needs of Gazan civilians for humanitarian aid cannot be denied, and the international community's widespread desire for a just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian issue cannot be denied, the spokesperson said. Lin further stated that the international community should fully implement the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly and Security Council, fully respect the will of the Palestinian people, return to the correct track of the two-state solution, and promptly establish an independent Palestinian state. Only in this way can peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel be achieved, harmony between the Arab and Jewish peoples be fostered, and lasting peace in the Middle East be realized, the spokesperson added. China has always stood on the side of peace, justice, and conscience in the Palestinian issue. We firmly support Palestine becoming a full member of the UN and will continue to work with relevant parties to quell the fires in Gaza at an early date, alleviate the humanitarian situation, promote the implementation of the two-state solution, and play a constructive role, the spokesperson added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU financial support for increased ammunition production in Sweden Government Offices of Sweden 19 March 2024 The European Commission has decided to provide financial support to industrial projects aimed at increasing ammunition production capacity. The Swedish Government has decided to co-finance one of the projects, provided that the Commission granted support. This project, run by the Nammo Sweden AB company, could eventually triple the capacity for filling artillery shells in the coming years. The European Commission has granted Nammo Sweden AB approximately EUR 12.2 million in support under the Act in Support for Ammunition Production (ASAP). The aim with the project is to increase filling capacity, which could triple artillery shell production at the Karlskoga company in the coming years. The Commission's grant decision means that the Swedish state will co-finance the Nammo Sweden AB project, providing approximately EUR 14 million. The remaining part is financed by Nammo Sweden AB. In addition, the Defence Materiel Administration has placed an order for 155 mm artillery ammunition valued at approximately EUR 12,4 million. "Expanding ammunition production in Europe and Sweden is of crucial importance for the defence capabilities of Sweden, Europe and Ukraine. Within a few years, the European production support and Swedish co-financing of Nammo Sweden's project could triple the production of 155 mm grenades, which are in demand by Ukraine," says Minister for Defence Pal Jonson. This initiative is the third track in a comprehensive effort to increase the production of artillery ammunition and enable continued support to Ukraine. The work is being carried out within the framework of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) and led by the Defence Materiel Administration. The Nordic countries have already signed a cooperation agreement and placed orders to enable donations of ammunition to Ukraine. The following projects have been granted support by the Commission: Nammo Sweden: around EUR 12.2 million in contributions, totalling some EUR 27 million. Eurenco Bofors: around EUR 6.9 million in contributions, totalling some EUR 34.3 million. Nammo Raufoss: EUR 10 million, totalling EUR 32.2 million. Nammo Lapua Oy: EUR 22.5 million, totalling EUR 51.4 million. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lebanon's Hezbollah continues its attacks on positions of Zionist regime IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 19, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese Islamic Resistance has targeted the positions and military bases of the Zionist regime on five occasions since Friday morning. Lebanon's Hezbollah announced in a statement that in order to support the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and their courageous and honorable resistance, Islamic resistance fighters targeted and destroyed the spying equipment of the Zionist regime's radar base in the occupied fields of Shabaa with appropriate weapons. Lebanon's Hezbollah had previously announced in four separate statements about the missile and artillery attacks on the positions and military and spy equipment of the Zionist regime in the "Bayad Belida", "Roisat Al Alam" and "Al Raheb" bases. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Number of Gaza martyrs exceed 34k IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 19, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that the number of martyrs in the Gaza Strip has increased to 34,012 since the start of the Zionist regime's aggression in this area. The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that in the past 24 hours, the Zionist regime has killed 42 Palestinian citizens and injured 63 others in 4 new crimes in the Gaza Strip. Accordingly, Since October 7, 2023 and simultaneously with the start of Al-Aqsa storm operation, 34,012 Palestinians have been martyred in Gaza and 76,833 others have been injured. The ministry also announced that a number of victims are still under the rubble and in the roads, and the relief and civil defense teams have not been able to reach them. Following the retaliatory attack by Palestinian resistance groups, the Israeli regime started its genocidal onslaught against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The regime, supported by the United States, continues its atrocities against the oppressed nation and refuses to allow the delivery of international aid into the besieged strip. 9376**2050 OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Borg and Secretary General Schmid respond to recent political developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina VALLETTA/VIENNA 19 April 2024 VALLETTA/VIENNA, 19 April 2024 -- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid made the following statement regarding the actions taken by the Republika Srpska National Assembly to unilaterally transfer competences from the State to the entity level with the aim of creating a parallel electoral system within the entity. "These actions go against the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina by establishing parallel structures that undermine the overall security and stability of the country. The OSCE reaffirms its strong support for the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such steps undermine the achievements reached in terms of key reforms and jeopardize recent progress in the country. Divisive rhetoric and actions threaten stability and are detrimental to the democratic rights of citizens. The OSCE urges the Republika Srpska National Assembly to withdraw the Election law adopted on 19 April and calls on all political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina to work constructively at the level of state institutions while focusing on advancing necessary reforms in the interest of all citizens." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestine condemns U.S. veto of its full UN membership People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:02, April 19, 2024 RAMALLAH, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Palestine condemned on Thursday "in the strongest terms" the U.S. veto on Palestine's full membership in the United Nations. The Palestinian Presidency said the American "veto" is unfair, immoral, and unjustified and defies the will of the international community, Palestine's official news agency WAFA reported. The presidency confirmed that the "aggressive" move reveals duplicitous U.S. foreign policy, which, on the one hand, claims to support the two-state solution and, on the other hand, prevents the UN from implementing the solution through its repeated use of the veto against Palestine and its legitimate rights. The presidency added that achieving peace, security and stability in the Middle East region and the world depends on the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions, ending the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine, and recognizing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. votes against Palestinian request for full UN membership at Security Council People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 11:26, April 19, 2024 UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Thursday voted against a Palestinian request for full UN membership at the Security Council. The 15-member council voted on a draft resolution recommending to the 193-member UN General Assembly that "the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations." The draft resolution received 12 votes in favor, two abstentions and one vote against. A council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China to pass. The United States used its veto power after the draft secured 12 votes in favor. China, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Russia, South Korea, Mozambique, Malta, Japan, Guyana, France, Ecuador and Algeria voted in favor, passing the threshold of nine required. Britain and Switzerland abstained on the resolution. Before the vote, Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State Vedant Patel said the United States insists "that premature actions in New York...will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people." Palestinian membership "needs to be the outcome of the negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians," said U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Robert Wood. Ziad Abu Amr, the special representative of the Palestinian president, addressed the Security Council before the vote, saying that adopting the resolution would provide the Palestinian people with hope for "a decent life within an independent state." Ambassador Amar Bendjama from Algeria, who introduced the draft, said that failure to act is a serious and unforgivable mistake and a license for continuing injustice and impunity. After the United States vetoed the draft, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said this marked the fifth time the United States has vetoed a council resolution since the start of the current hostilities in Gaza. The United States "once again demonstrated what they really think of the Palestinians," he said. "For Washington, they do not deserve to have their own State. They are only a barrier on the path towards realizing the interests of Israel." He said at present, an absolute majority of the global community supports Palestine's application to become a full member of the UN. "Today's use of the veto by the U.S. delegation is a hopeless attempt to stop the inevitable course of history. The results of the vote, where Washington was practically in complete isolation, speak for themselves," he said. The Palestinian mission to the UN initially requested full member-state status at the UN in 2011. The first attempt failed because the mission did not receive the necessary minimum support of nine out of the 15 members of the Security Council. Following their initial setback, the Palestinians approached the UN General Assembly, where, in November 2012, they successfully upgraded their status from "UN observer" to "non-member observer state" by securing more than a two-thirds majority vote. This elevation in status enabled the Palestinian territories to join various UN and international organizations, such as the International Criminal Court. Earlier this month, the UN Committee on the Admission of New Members evaluated Palestine's renewed request for full member-state status at the UN. The 140 countries that recognize Palestine as an independent state supported this revival of their membership bid in early April. Recent escalations in the Middle East make it even more critical to support efforts towards lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council Thursday morning. "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 Security Council's quarterly open debate on "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question." With the Middle East "on a precipice," he appealed for maximum restraint, warning against the far-reaching consequences. Israel gained full UN membership in 1949. Since the early 1990s, when Israel and the Palestinian Authority signed the Oslo Accords, initiating a peace process targeting a two-state solution, little progress has been made toward Palestinian statehood. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. votes against Palestinian request for full UN membership at Security Council People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 08:13, April 19, 2024 Ziad Abu Amr, the special representative of the Palestinian president, addressed the Security Council, stating that adopting the resolution would provide the Palestinian people with hope for "a decent life within an independent state." UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Thursday voted against a Palestinian request for full UN membership at the Security Council. The 15-member council voted on a draft resolution that recommends to the 193-member UN General Assembly that "the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations." The draft resolution received 12 votes in favor, two abstentions, and one vote against. A council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China to pass. The United States was compelled to use its veto power after the draft secured 12 votes in favor. The Palestinian mission to the United Nations initially requested full UN member state status in 2011. Their first attempt failed because they did not receive the necessary minimum support of nine out of the 15 members of the Security Council. Following their initial setback, the Palestinians approached the UN General Assembly where, in November 2012, they successfully achieved an upgrade of their status from "UN observer" to "non-member observer state" by securing more than a two-thirds majority vote. This elevation in status enabled the Palestinian territories to join various UN and international organizations, such as the International Criminal Court. Earlier this month, Palestine's renewed request for full member state status at the United Nations was evaluated by the UN Committee on the Admission of New Members. This revival of their membership bid in early April was supported by the 140 countries that recognize Palestine as an independent state. On Thursday, Ziad Abu Amr, the special representative of the Palestinian president, addressed the Security Council, stating that adopting the resolution would provide the Palestinian people with hope for "a decent life within an independent state." He said such "hope has dissipated over the past years because of the intransigence of the Israeli government that has rejected this solution publicly and blatantly, especially following the destructive war against the Gaza Strip." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tulkarm Brigade commander killed by Israeli forces in raid on refugee camp Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 9:14 PM The commander of a Palestinian resistance group affiliated with Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad movement, has been killed in violent clashes with the Israeli regime's forces in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian media reports said on Friday that Muhammad Samer Jaber, the commander of the Tulkarm Brigade, and a number of resistance fighters had been killed during the occupation's aggression on the Nour Shams refugee camp in the east of the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm. Jaber, known as Abu Shujaa, was killed by live bullets after violent clashes broke out between Palestinian resistance fighters and the occupation army during the latter's storming of Nour Shams, which also resulted in the injury of four Israeli forces, two of whom were in serious condition. The Tulkarm Brigade leader had survived many attempts on his life in the past and was wanted by the Israeli military. "Without fear of any threat, if they assassinate me or any human being, the situation will remain unchanged until the land is liberated. By assassinating, they offer us a gift. It's difficult for the camp to be broken. Every day they assassinate leaders, and they increase our strength and determination," Jaber said in a viral video on resistance social media networks. Salim Faisal Ghanem, 30, was also killed by Israeli troops in the camp earlier in the day. He was the brother of Amer and Ahmed Ghanem, who were killed by the Israeli occupation army in a raid on the camp in October 2023. Ahmed Abu Fahim, known as Abu Adham, was another Palestinian fighter killed in the Israeli raid. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said the Israeli occupation army launched Thursday evening a large-scale 17-hour-long onslaught against the Nour Shams refugee camp, triggering confrontations and causing extensive destruction. The Israeli forces, accompanied by two bulldozers, stormed and imposed a strict siege on the camp, deploying military vehicles on all routes leading to the camp. "Israeli bulldozers deliberately destroyed main streets, alleyways, water and wastewater networks on their way to and inside the camp, and tore down walls, stores and parts of houses in the camp," the news agency said. Reports by WAFA also stressed that the Israeli soldiers broke into Palestinian houses and carried out search before dragging the occupants to a single room and interrogating them. "They turned some houses into military outposts, deployed snipers and prevented ambulances from entering the camp to evacuate patients," the news agency added. The Israeli violence in the occupied West Bank comes amid the regime's month-long genocidal war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel launched the brutal campaign in the coastal territory on October 7. The death toll from the regime's relentless attacks 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. The Palestinian Health Ministry says at least 466 people in the West Bank have since been killed by Israeli forces or settlers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Irresponsible, unconstructive': Iran slams US veto of Palestinian bid for full UN membership Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 4:21 PM The spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the "irresponsible and unconstructive" US veto of a Palestinian request to the United Nations Security Council for full UN membership, blocking the world body's recognition of a Palestinian state. "Washington's move disclosed the hypocritical nature of the US foreign policy and the isolation of this country's position in the international community more than ever before," Nasser Kan'ani said on Friday. The vote at the 15-member UN Security Council on Thursday on the statehood was put forward by Algeria, which represents Arab nations on the Security Council. While 12 Council members voted yes, the US predictably cast its veto against the bid. Meanwhile, the UK and Switzerland abstained. Kan'ani said the US provides "unilateral and unlimited" support for Israel in the political, economic, military, legal and international fields. He added that Washington's ineffective support for the Tel Aviv regime is at the expense of the American people and at the cost of sacrificing regional and international peace and security over the past seven decades. The US support for the Israeli regime has disgraced it in the world public opinion and proved that the country is not a neutral player and a responsible actor in the international community, the Iranian spokesman emphasized. He once again reaffirmed the Palestinian people's "legitimate and undeniable" right to form an independent state with al-Quds as its capital across the historical land of Palestine "from the river to the sea." "The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the will of the resilient and heroic people of Palestine will ultimately overcome the will of the enemies of the Palestinian people, especially the fake, apartheid and criminal Israeli regime," Kan'ani pointed out. Palestine is currently a non-member observer state. An application to become a full UN member needs to be approved by the Security Council and then at least two-thirds of the UN General Assembly. Washington's veto came amid the Israeli regime's war on the Gaza Strip that has increased sympathy towards Palestinians and international calls for the recognition of the State of Palestine. Since the start of the offensive on October 7, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 34,012 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured nearly 76,833 others. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OIC slams US for blocking Palestine's bid for full UN membership Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 11:17 AM The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has slammed the United States for blocking Palestine's request for full membership in the United Nations, amid a genocidal Israeli war on Gaza. "The Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed its deep regret at the failure of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to shoulder its responsibilities for granting the State of Palestine full membership in the UN, while the Palestinian nation are subjected to the harshest level of aggression, persecution and genocide," the OIC said in a statement on Friday. According to the statement, the US veto of the draft resolution, which recommended granting Palestine a full UN membership, on Thursday, "violates the provisions of the United Nations Charter which allows membership for all countries that accept the obligations contained in it." The OIC stressed that the US move prevents the Palestinian people from obtaining "their legitimate rights", and "contributes to prolonging the historical oppression" imposed on the Palestinian people for 75 years. Stressing "the legitimate right" of Palestine to embody its political and legal status in the UN, the organization said the recognition of the State of Palestine "contributes to achieving peace and stability." The OIC praised the countries that voted in favor of the draft resolution, saying their position "demonstrates their support for truth, justice, freedom, and peace and their rejection of the policies" of the Israeli regime. It also urged the countries that abstained from voting or rejected the resolution to "review their position in line with their obligations" under the international law, and the UN Charter and relevant resolutions. The vote at the 15-member UN Security Council on the statehood was put forward by Algeria, which represents Arab nations on the Security Council. While 12 Council members voted yes, the US predictably cast its veto against the bid by the Palestinian Authority (PA) for Palestine to be recognized as a full member of the United Nations. Meanwhile, the UK and Switzerland abstained. Palestine is currently a non-member observer state. An application to become a full UN member needs to be approved by the Security Council and then at least two-thirds of the UN General Assembly. Washington's veto came amid the Israeli regime's war on the Gaza Strip that has increased sympathy towards Palestinians and international calls for the recognition of the State of Palestine. Since the start of the offensive on October 7, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 33,970 Palestinians and injured nearly 76,770 others. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 18: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 7:30 AM By Press TV Website Staff Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 34,000 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 Thursday, April 18, are as follows: Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on April 18: (Gaza Strip and West Bank) Confronted a battalion of armed Israeli soldiers with explosive devices after they stormed Nour Shams camp in Tulkarem city in the occupied West Bank. Targeted Israeli forces stationed in the "Netzarim" axis with heavy-caliber mortar shells. Detonated mines on a convoy of Israeli military vehicles invading the Al-Mughraqa area in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in the destruction of a number of vehicles and severe injuries to many regime soldiers. Detonated two rigged tunnel openings on Israeli military's engineering forces in the Al-Mughraqa area of the central Gaza Strip, resulting in a number of casualties. Sniped an Israeli soldier east of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' operations on April 18: (Gaza Strip and West Bank) Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces at the axes of Al-Manshiya neighborhood in Nour Shams camp, Tulkarem city. Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces on several fronts at Nour Shams camp, Tulkarem city. Bombed the gatherings of Israeli soldiers located on the "Netzarim" axis with heavy-caliber mortar shells. Bombed a gathering of Israeli soldiers and their military vehicles infiltrating east of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip with mortar shells. Bombed a gathering of Israeli soldiers and their military vehicles with mortar shells east of the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Al-Quds Brigades' operations on April 18: (Gaza Strip and West Bank) Confronted the Israeli forces and targeted their military reinforcements with a heavy barrage of bullets in several areas of the city of Nablus in occupied West Bank. Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces on several fronts and detonated a minefield on a number of regime vehicles, resulting in the destruction of vehicles and casualties. Bombed "Asqalan", "Sderot" and other illegal Israeli settlements around Gaza with a barrage of rockets. Al-Asifah Forces' operations on April 18: (Gaza Strip) In a joint operation with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, targeted the Abu Mutibaq military site east of the central Gaza Strip with a barrage of heavy-caliber mortar shells. Hezbollah's operations on April 18: (Lebanon) Eastern sector: At around 00:05 local time, Israeli soldiers were targeted at the Metula site, resulting in a number of casualties. At around 12:00 local time, Israeli soldiers in the Al-Marj site were targeted, resulting in many casualties. At around 17:00 local time, the Zibdin site in Lebanon's Shebaa was targeted with artillery shells. At around 17:20 local time, the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in Lebanon's Kafr Shuba was targeted with appropriate weapons. At around 18:23 local time, Israeli soldiers in Al-Manara Colony were targeted with appropriate weapons. At around 21:45 local time, an Israeli enemy technical team was targeted in the Ramim barracks, casualties confirmed. Western sector: At around 01:45 local time, Israeli soldiers at the Al-Malikiyah site were targeted with missiles. At around 14:00 local time, Israeli soldiers in Hanita forest were targeted with missiles. At around 18:00 local time, Israeli soldiers near the Hanita settlement were targeted with missiles. At around 18:20 local time, Israeli soldiers in the Yarun settlement were targeted with appropriate weapons. At around 20:23 local time, Beit Hilal base was targeted with Falaq missiles. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli warplanes, Daesh terrorists attack Syria, Iraq Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 6:26 AM Israeli military aircraft have carried out a string of airstrikes against positions in Syria's southwestern provinces of Daraa and As-Suwayda as well as neighboring Iraq. Sabereen News, a Telegram news channel associated with Iraqi anti-terror Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), reported that the warplanes targeted a radar site, which lies between the town of Izra' and Qarfa village, early on Friday. There were no immediate reports about the extent of damage caused and possible casualties. Israeli fighter jets also bombed al-Thalaa Airport in Syria's southwestern province of as-Suwayda. Additionally, the sound of three explosions was heard close to Bismayah, situated about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southeast of the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad, with no reports of casualties immediately available. Several blasts also rattled through the northern part of Iraq's central province of Babylon. Drone alert sirens go off in northern occupied lands Meanwhile, aircraft intrusion sirens were sounded in several towns on the border between the northern side of the 1948 Israeli-occupied territories and Lebanon, warning of incoming rocket fire. Israeli media outlets reported that sirens went off in the towns of Eilon, Hanita, Zarit, Even Menachem, Gornot HaGalil, Adamit, Shtula, Ya'ara, Goren, Arab al-Aramshe and Shomera. A number of missiles fired from southern Lebanon also landed in Ramim area of the Upper Galilee region. Sirens were also sounded in Margaliot moshav and Kiryat Shmona city. Additionally, Israeli media reported that a fire broke out inside Yir'on kibbutz in the Galilee Panhandle region as Hezbollah rockets hit the area. Hezbollah fighters also pounded a building used by Israeli soldiers in al-Manara settlement, striking the designated target precisely. The Lebanese resistance fighters targeted Ruwaisat al-Alam and Zibdin sites in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shuba Hills with salvos of rockets and artillery shells. The Israeli regime has repeatedly attacked southern Lebanon since October 7, when it launched a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed at least 33,970 Palestinians, most of them women and children. In retaliation, Hezbollah has launched near-daily rocket attacks on Israeli positions. At least 349 people have been killed on the Lebanese border, including 68 civilians. 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. 20 Syrian soldiers in two Daesh terrorist attacks Separately, at least 20 Syrian soldiers and affiliated pro-government forces were killed in two attacks by Takfiri Daesh terrorists. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a total of "16 regime forces and pro-government gunmen were killed in a Daesh attack on a military bus in the eastern countryside of Homs province." The Britain-based war monitor noted that the dead included at least nine members of the Quds Brigade, a group comprising Palestinian fighters. Four Syrian soldiers were killed in another Daesh attack on a military site in the Albukamal countryside in eastern Syria. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran retaliation against Israel ensured no aggression would go unanswered: Houthi Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 1:28 AM The leader of Yemen's Ansarullah popular resistance movement praises Iran's recent retaliatory strikes against the Israeli regime. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi made the remarks during an address on Thursday. He said the retaliation "was strong in terms of its intensity and effectiveness" and "established rules of engagement, ensuring that any aggression would not go unanswered." Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched the operation late on Saturday in response to a deadly attack by the regime against the Islamic Republic's diplomatic premises in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1. The Israeli attack had resulted in the martyrdom of Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, his deputy, General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, and five of their accompanying officers. During the retaliatory strikes, dubbed Operation True Promise, the IRGC targeted the occupied territories with a barrage of drones and missiles. The strikes inflicted damage on Israeli military bases across the occupied territories. Houthi said prior to the operation, the United States as well as some European and Arab countries launched some efforts to prevent Iran from undertaking the retaliation. "Enticements were offered to dissuade Tehran from responding," he said. Without naming names, the Yemeni official also said some Arab states partook in efforts aimed at intercepting the Iranian missiles and drones. The Ansarullah leader, meanwhile, warned that any further Israeli act of military mischief against Iran was sure to be met with a stronger response on the part of the Islamic Republic. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Yemeni official noted that his country would continue its pro-Palestinian operations, which have seen Yemeni forces striking Israeli vessels or those belonging to the regime's supporters. The operations, he concluded, would last as long as the Israeli regime sustained its October-present war on Gaza and a simultaneous siege that it has been enforcing against the Palestinian territory. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Azadi Briefing: Taliban Deals Another Blow To Afghan Media By Abubakar Siddique April 19, 2024 The Key Issue As part of its widening crackdown on the media, the Taliban's hard-line government has shut down two television stations. On April 16, the media complaints commission within the Taliban's Information Ministry ordered the immediate suspension of the broadcasts from the Noor and Barya channels. Commission memberssaidthe stations were shut for "violating Afghan and Islamic values and journalistic principles." A Taliban court will now decide whether the suspension can be lifted or turned into a permanent ban. Jamiat-e Islami owns Noor TV, while Hizb-e Islami runs Barya. Both are leading Islamist groups who have opposed the Taliban. These stations ran Islamic programs. Since it emerged as a ragtag militia in the mid-1990s, the Taliban has opposed and fought against the two groups, which it held responsible for the vicious civil war following the demise of Afghanistan's pro-Soviet socialist government in 1992. Why It's Important: The ban is a clear manifestation of the Taliban's intent to outlaw media that does not conform to its Islamist ideology and worldview. With the suspension of the stations, the Taliban is indicating that there is no space even for media outlets that are ostensibly Islamic and which cannot be accused of immorality or debauchery. "This is worrying," Samia Walizadeh, the head of the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), an independent media watchdog, told RFE/RL'S Radio Azadi. "The reasons given by the [Taliban] commission for suspending the broadcasts of these two media outlets are unacceptable." Saddiqullah Tohidi, a press freedom activist, agreed. He said that the Taliban closed the two stations without even bothering to first prove their accusations. "In a country that lacks a constitution, how can you prove a violation of national interests and Islamic principles?" he asked. "Afghanistan has turned into one of the most censored nations." What's Next: The Taliban is forging ahead to create a media environment that only reflects its views and serves its interests. The extremist Islamist group ultimately aims to replace all journalism with propaganda. It attempts to achieve this by closing or outlawing independent Afghan media and discouraging or banning international press outlets from covering Afghanistan. Fading international interest in the country provides a more conducive atmosphere for the Taliban to achieve its ideological goals. What To Keep An Eye On Statistics issued by the Taliban-led government show a drop in Afghanistan's exports and an increase in imports. On April 16, the Taliban's National Statistics and Information Authority released figures showing a nearly 20 percent decline in exports in the first three months of this year -- to $134 million from $176 million during the same period last year. The country's imports, however, surged from $694 million during the first quarter of last year to $793 million this year. A recent World Bank report on the Afghan economy recorded similar trends. Experts attribute the decline to the Taliban's tense relations with neighboring Pakistan, which is one of its leading trading partners. Islamabad also provides ports to the landlocked nation. "Pakistan closed its border crossings while pomegranates and other fruit crops were ready for export," said Khan Jan Alakozai, a senior official of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce. He said coal prices also plummeted in the same period, impacting Afghanistan's export earnings. Why It's Important: Afghan macroeconomic trends might continue to deteriorate if the Taliban's relations with Pakistan do not improve. Tehran's ongoing standoff with Israel threatens the alternative import route the Taliban wants to build through Iran. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-suspends- television-stations-media-crackdown/32912263.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former Bulgarian PM Blasts Powerful Oligarch Peevski As The Country's 'Biggest Evil By RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service April 19, 2024 SOFIA -- Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov is clear on who was to blame for the recent collapse of his government: the U.S.-sanctioned oligarch Delyan Peevski. In an interview with RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service, Denkov, who led the country under the reformist anti-corruption alliance of We Continue The Change and Democratic Bulgaria (CCDB), said Peevski, a powerful behind-the-scenes power broker, was the "biggest evil in Bulgaria." Bulgaria faces snap general elections on June 9, its sixth such poll since April 2021, amid persistent political turmoil. The latest election was called by President Rumen Radev on April 9 after the populist There Is Such A People (ITN) became the third party to decline a mandate to form a government. Before that, the center-right GERB and its former coalition partner, CCDB, both said they had been unable to form a new cabinet. Following elections in April 2023, Bulgaria had a joint government supported by the reformist CCDB and GERB. They had agreed on an 18-month government with a rotation of prime ministers -- first, Denkov from CCDB, and after nine months, Maria Gabriel from GERB. Denkov stepped down on March 5 to let GERB lead the government for the following nine months, as agreed. But Gabriel, a former EU innovation commissioner and deputy prime minister, failed to form a government. On March 27, Denkov also rejected Radev's invitation to try to put together a cabinet. The fresh poll is set to coincide with elections for Bulgaria's members of the European Parliament. Bulgaria is the poorest of the 27 members of the EU and has been wrestling with widespread corruption. The Balkan country has been grappling with political instability since major anti-corruption protests in 2020. 'At The First Meetings, He Invited Peevski' In his interview with RFE/RL, Denkov blamed Peevski, leader of the liberal Movement For Rights And Freedoms (DPS), for exerting pressure on GERB and its leader, Boyko Borisov, to derail coalition talks. The DPS has traditionally represented Bulgarian Turks and other Muslim communities in the country. "I saw it with my own eyes. From the very beginning, when we had meetings with Borisov...at the very first meetings, he invited Peevski. We go to the meeting, and Peevski is sitting next to Borisov. And in fact, during those months, 80 percent of the time, the conversation was with Peevski, not with Borisov," Denkov recounted. "And that was not part of the agreement. Our agreement with GERB was that we were in a governing coalition with them. Peevski should have appeared where two-thirds [of the votes in the parliament] were needed to secure the constitutional changes. The fact that it turned out that Peevski coopted the leadership of GERB was a surprise for us," he added. According to Denkov, Peevski, as well as Borisov, himself a former Bulgarian prime minister from 2009 to 2021, were intent on derailing reform efforts in Bulgaria, long cited as one of the EU's most corrupt countries. "Peevski and Borisov were afraid of the reforms that had to be implemented. At one point, they realized that we were doing well so far, but they were not ready to continue with what we had agreed on as a governing program and as reforms that had to happen in Bulgaria," Denkov told RFE/RL. "Maybe in the first nine months they didn't realize exactly how far we were willing to go with these changes," Denkov continued. "When they realized that, in fact, we really want to change Bulgaria, which means not only changing the laws on paper but also starting to implement them, they decided that they should apply the handbrake and push us into the blind rut again." Borisov has long been dogged by accusations of corruption, although he has refuted all such charges. In 2022, he was briefly detained by Bulgarian police as part of an operation connected to investigations led by the EU's prosecutor's office. In 2020, protesters demanded the resignation of Borisov, his government, and the country's chief prosecutor, Ivan Geshev, amid monthslong anti-corruption protests in Sofia and elsewhere in Bulgaria. Borisov tried to balance close ties with the EU and NATO, both of which Bulgaria belongs to, while maintaining friendly relations with the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin, particularly in the energy sector. In March, hackers leaked documents that appear to show how the Kremlin had circumvented public procurement rules in Bulgaria to expand the TurkStream gas pipeline, bypassing Ukraine, in order to provide Russian gas to Serbia and Hungary. According to a report on the Bulgarian news site Kapital, the pipeline's construction had been pre-agreed under the Borisov government. "There is no doubt that the actions surrounding TurkStream were joint between Borisov and Peevski," Denkov told RFE/RL. "Many things connect them. And some of these things are related to consideration of Russia's interests, in some cases to the detriment of Bulgarian interests." According to Denkov, Peevski was the "biggest evil in Bulgaria" because of his alleged efforts to steer Bulgaria away from a democratic path. "If Borisov in his first and second governments was relatively careful, he took into account what public opinion was and what other political partners said. In the third government -- and we see this even now -- after the collapse of the government, we see extremely aggressive rhetoric and actions without much regard for what these politicians think.... This is Peevski's style. This is what scares me, because this style could very easily lead us into a soft dictatorship at best, if not worse," Denkov warned. In 2013, Peevski's appointment as head of Bulgaria's counterintelligence agency sparked mass protests over fears that the move was a dangerous alliance of politics and big business. The protests, which lasted for more than a year, were effective. Peevski ended up stepping down from Bulgaria's State Agency for National Security, and the government of then-Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski resigned. Back in 2013, Peevski was known as a secretive oligarch who controlled several newspapers and a significant share of print media distribution networks. He had been a lawmaker with the DPS since 2009 but quickly earned a reputation for rarely attending parliament. Earlier this year, Peevski was elected co-president of DPS, the first ethnic Bulgarian to lead the party. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgaria-corruption-nikolay- denkov-delyan-peevski-elections/32912772.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Srebrenica Genocide Must Be Condemned, Denial Banned, 2 Members Of Bosnian Presidency Tell UN By RFE/RL's Balkan Service April 19, 2024 The 1995 genocide in Srebrenica must be globally condemned, support for victims must be expressed, and denial of genocide and glorification of war criminals be banned to prevent future similar tragedies, two members of the tripartite presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina told a UN session on April 19. Denis Becirovic and Zeljko Komsic of Bosnia's presidency made the remarks along with Azir Osmanovic, a survivor from Srebrenica, at the UN headquarters in New York. A third member of the presidency, Zeljka Cvijanovic -- who represents the Serbian entity -- is banned from U.S. entry due to sanctions imposed for violating the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the war in Bosnia in 1995, and didn't attend the session. Germany and Rwanda initiated talks regarding a resolution on the Srebrenica genocide. Voice of America, citing unnamed sources, reported that the United States, Albania, Finland, New Zealand, Turkey, and other countries are also participating in the drafting of the text. UN member nations are expected to vote on the final resolution, which is still being worked on, at a session of the UN General Assembly in early May. In a draft seen by RFE/RL, the resolution calls for, among other things, the "condemnation without reservation" of any denial of the genocide in Srebrenica, as well as actions that glorify those convicted of war crimes, including those responsible for the genocide. The resolution would declare July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance for the Genocide in Srebrenica. In July 1995, more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were rounded up and killed by Bosnian Serb forces in Potocari near the eastern town of Srebrenica -- the worst mass killing in Europe since World War II. The massacre has been deemed genocide by various verdicts of both the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague established that the killings constituted genocide. So far, more than 50 individuals have been sentenced to some 700 years in prison for their roles in the Srebrenica genocide. The move to draft a UN resolution has been opposed by Milorad Dodik, the Russia-friendly leader of Bosnia-Herzegovina's ethnic-Serb entity, Republika Srpska, who threatened that if the document is adopted, "Republika Srpska will withdraw from the decision-making process in Bosnia." Dodik, who has been sanctioned by the United States and Britain over his efforts to undermine the Dayton Peace Accords, has regularly reiterated his denial of the Srebrenica genocide. Dodik told supporters at a rally in Banja Luka on April 18 that the actions of the Republika Srpska army in Srebrenica in 1995 were "a mistake that left the crime," but he denied it was genocide. The U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo condemned the remarks by Dodik and other Bosnian-Serb leaders, saying the comments were "reprehensible and irresponsible. " "Genocide denial insults victims of all ethnicities and compounds the suffering of their families. It tears at the fabric of the society of Bosnia and Herzegovina, threatens [Bosnia's] stability, and is illegal under [Bosnian] law." Separately on April 19, the Srebrenica Memorial Center demanded an urgent public statement from the Iranian Embassy after remarks made by Iran's ambassador to Serbia, Rashid Hassan Pur Baei, regarding Srebrenica. When asked on Belgrade TV what he thought about the proposed UN resolution, he said "that a crime was committed there, but that this fact is presented in an improper manner." "It is absolutely reprehensible that they are using this event as a political instrument for their goals. There is a hidden agenda behind it. Serbia admits that a crime took place there, but the presentation of the Serbian people as a genocidal people is absolutely with political intentions and political goals," the ambassador reportedly said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/srebrenica-genocide-un-condemned- denial-banned/32912966.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Armenia Agrees To Return 4 Villages To Azerbaijan As First Step To Define Borders By RFE/RL's Armenian Service April 19, 2024 Armenia has agreed to return four abandoned border villages that it has controlled since the early 1990s to Azerbaijan as the initial step in defining the frontier between the two bitter South Caucasus rivals, the countries said in identical statements on April 19. Armenia's Foreign Ministry said the agreement was reached during the eighth round of talks between Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigorian and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Shahin Mustafayev, which was held at an undisclosed section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. It said the parties reached preliminary agreement that the initial stage of the delimitation process will involve sections between four villages in the territory of Armenia's northeastern Tavush Province and four abandoned villages that used to be part of Azerbaijan's northwestern Qazax district. "Armenia has agreed to return four villages under occupation since the early 1990s," Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizade wrote on social media. The abandoned former Azerbaijani villages face the Armenian villages and have been under Armenia's military control since 1991-92, when ethnic clashes between the two former Soviet nations intensified. The proposed border will run between the Armenian and Azerbaijani villages. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought wars over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh -- with more than 30,000 people killed -- as they transitioned into independent countries. Azerbaijan regained control of Nagorno-Karabakh in a lightning military offensive last year, but much of the border between the countries remains in dispute, with both sides occupying villages that formerly belonged to the other. The statement says the paired villages are Baghanis (Armenia) and Baganis Ayrum (Azerbaijan), Voskepar (Armenia) and Asagi Askipara (Azerbaijan), Kirants (Armenia) and Xeyrimli (Azerbaijan), and Berkaber (Armenia) and Qizilhacili (Azerbaijan). According to the statement, the process is aimed at "bringing them in line with the legally established inter-republican border that existed within the framework of the Soviet Union at the time of its disintegration." "It was agreed...to continue the process of delimitation of all other sections of the border, including on the issues of enclaves and exclaves." The agreement comes two days after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian visited three border villages in Tavush to meet with residents and discuss upcoming arrangements, which he said were vital to ensuring Armenia's sovereignty and independence. Residents of border villages have expressed concerns that the demarcation of the border with Azerbaijan in accordance with the Soviet-era configuration would deprive them of access to their farmlands and complicate their communication with the rest of the country due to the fact that some sections of the only road they have would fall under Azerbaijani control. Pashinian pledged his government's efforts to address the difficulties that local residents might face in connection with the planned border demarcation, including building new sections of the road stretching along the border. Talking to residents in Berkaber on April 17, Pashinian said that he was putting his political career in the balance so that "Armenia can become a truly independent state." Armenian opposition groups have strongly criticized Pashinian for agreeing to discuss the transfer of four formerly Azeri villages to Baku without immediately getting Azerbaijan to withdraw from parts of sovereign Armenian territory that Baku's military captured during a series of border incursions in 2021-22. Word of the latest agreement comes shortly after the Group of Seven (G7) nations called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to remain "fully committed" to the peace process as the group's foreign ministers issued a communique after their meeting in Capri, Italy, on April 19. In the lengthy statement on various challenges around the world, the top diplomats of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, the United States, as well as the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, also called on Azerbaijan "to fully comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law." "We urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to remain fully committed to the peace process to achieve a dignified and durable peace based on the principles of non-use of force, respect for sovereignty, the inviolability of borders, and territorial integrity," the part of the communique concerning the South Caucasus reads. With reporting by RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-returns-villages- azerbaijan-borders-karabakh/32912820.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address G7 Urges Armenia, Azerbaijan To Stay 'Fully Committed' To Peace Process By RFE/RL's Armenian Service April 19, 2024 The Group of Seven (G7) nations have called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to remain "fully committed" to the peace process as the group's foreign ministers issued a communique after their meeting in Capri, Italy, on April 19. In the lengthy statement on various challenges around the world, the top diplomats of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, and the United States, as well as the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, also called on Azerbaijan "to fully comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law." "We urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to remain fully committed to the peace process to achieve a dignified and durable peace based on the principles of non-use of force, respect for sovereignty, the inviolability of borders, and territorial integrity," the part of the communique concerning the South Caucasus reads. Recalling the joint statement issued by Armenia and Azerbaijan on December 7, 2023, which also included a prisoner exchange deal, the G7 foreign ministers encouraged the sides "to uphold that spirit of cooperation in their future interactions," stressing that "further escalation would be unacceptable." They also called on Azerbaijan to "fully comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law" and encouraged "appropriate steps to ensure the safe, dignified, and sustainable return of refugees and displaced persons wishing to come back to their homes." According to the statement, the G7 and its members are "ready to facilitate further constructive contacts at all levels, notably within the established negotiating frameworks provided by the EU and the USA, whose enduring efforts we commend." "We reiterate the importance of the commitment to the Alma Ata 1991 Declaration through which Armenia and Azerbaijan recognize each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty. We encourage greater regional cooperation and the re-opening of all borders, including the border between Armenia and [Turkey]," it said. Last November, the top diplomats from the G7 nations expressed "grave concern" regarding the humanitarian consequences of the displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh after the military operation conducted by Azerbaijan," and called on Baku to "fully comply with its obligations." Russia confirmed on April 17 that its peacekeepers are leaving Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan's once-breakaway region. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Azerbaijani media reports saying that Russian troops had started leaving the region were true. Armenia has criticized Russian peacekeepers deployed to the once mostly ethnic Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh for failing to stop Azerbaijan's lightning offensive in September 2023, which ended with Baku regaining control over the region that for three decades had been under ethnic Armenians' control. With reporting by RFE/RL's Azerbaijan Service Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/g7-karabakh-peace-process- armenia-azerbaijan/32912704.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Secretary Campbell's Meeting with Icelandic Foreign Minister Gylfadottir US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson April 19, 2024 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Icelandic Foreign Minister Thordis Gylfadottir met today in Washington. The Deputy Secretary congratulated the foreign minister on her recent appointment. The two discussed deepening bilateral cooperation and continuing support to Ukraine to defend itself against Russia's aggression. The Deputy emphasized the United States deeply values Iceland's global leadership to combat the climate crisis and champion human rights, gender equality, and democracy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Solo Press Availability US Department of State Remarks Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Pollio Media Center Theatre Capri, Italy April 19, 2024 SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, good afternoon, everyone. It is a great pleasure to be here in Capri, in Italy. And I want to begin by thanking our hosts - Prime Minister Meloni, my friend and colleague, Foreign Minister Tajani - for not only their wonderful hospitality but also their remarkable leadership. The G7 is in many ways a steering committee for the world's most advanced democracies. And we emerge from this meeting of foreign ministers more united than ever - more united in facing critical challenges that lie before the international community, including Russian aggression against Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, and as well the importance of sustaining, supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific. These and many other subjects were the focus of our conversations over the last two days, which I found to be extremely productive. And again, what strikes me the most - and it - you can really see this over the last three years - is the extraordinary convergence in our approaches to these challenges, convergence between the United States, Europe, and major partners in Asia. Let me touch on some of the most important things that we discussed and concluded over these past couple of days, and of course I'll - I commend to you the statement that we put out or will soon be out on the part of the entire G7. First, the G7 condemned the unprecedented Iranian attack on Israel, unprecedented in scope and scale - scope, because it was a direct attack on Israel from Iran; scale, because it involved more than 300 munitions, including ballistic missiles. We're committed to Israel's security. We're also committed to de-escalating, to trying to bring this tension to a close. You saw as well, or you'll see soon in the G7 statement a commitment to hold Iran to account - to account for its destabilizing activities, holding into account by degrading its missile and drone capabilities. And yesterday the United States announced additional sanctions on Iran, targeting UAV programs, the steel industry, companies that are associated with the IRGC, the Ministry of Defence, and its armed forces logistics. The G7 statement makes clear that G7 countries will adopt additional sanctions or other measures in the days ahead. Even as we've been dealing with the conflict in the Middle East, and again, the unprecedented attack by Iran on Israel, we've remained intensely focused on Gaza. We urge the rapid implementation of Israel's humanitarian assistance commitments - more aid, more crossings, better deconfliction, better distribution of the assistance to all who need it. We have seen important steps over the last couple of weeks, with more crossings opening, more aid getting in, more aid getting around, but we need to see sustained results. And we need, in particular, to make sure that there is distribution throughout Gaza. We also focused on the imperative of getting to a ceasefire with the release of hostages. Such a ceasefire would facilitate the dramatic expansion of the humanitarian assistance. It would also let Gazans returned to the north, those who have been displaced from the north. The only thing - the only thing - standing between the Gazan people and a ceasefire is Hamas. It's rejected generous proposals from Israel. It seems more interested in a regional conflict than it is in a ceasefire that would immediately improve the lives of the Palestinian people. It continues to move the goalposts, and the world needs to know and needs to understand, again, that the only thing standing between a ceasefire and the Gazan people is Hamas. The G7 is also very clear in its unwavering support for Ukraine, faced with aggression from Russia. Putin thinks that he can outwait Ukraine and outwait Ukraine's supporters. The message coming out of Capri is: He can't. Every G7 member's making extraordinary contributions to Ukraine's defense. And, as I said before, this is the best burden-sharing that I've ever seen across the Atlantic in more than 30 years of being engaged in these issues, with Europe as well as Asian partners picking up more than their share of the load. I want to particularly recognize Prime Minister Meloni for her leadership, her decisive leadership. We can see two things right now. Together we are helping to put Ukraine on a long-term path where it will stand strongly on its own two feet militarily, economically, democratically. More than now 30 countries are engaged in negotiating - and some have concluded negotiations - with Ukraine on security pacts. And together with what I'm convinced will emerge from the NATO summit, you can see Ukraine effectively building a force for the future - one that can deter aggression and defeat it as necessary. We're working to drive private sector investment into Ukraine, and also help it develop its own defense industrial base in ways that will provide for a strong, enduring economy. And of course, now that the accession path to the EU is open, that will help Ukraine deep-root its democracy. But even as we're doing all of that, we heard clearly from Foreign Minister Kuleba that it's imperative that - in this moment, Ukraine get more resources that it needs to deal with the ongoing Russian aggression. It needs more air defenses, it needs more munitions, it needs more artillery. Allies and partners, including the G7 countries, are committed to delivering on that. We discussed steps to provide more assistance more immediately to Ukraine. We also discussed ways to protect and help restore its energy grid, which Russia has sought to decimate. And here, again, I think we can see the important steps that were already taken, but more to come in making sure that Ukraine has sustainable energy for its people. We're also working to strengthen efforts to disrupt the transfer of weapons, and also inputs for Russia's defense industrial base. When it comes to weapons, what we've seen, of course, is North Korea and Iran primarily providing things to Russia. But when it comes to Russia's defense industrial base, the primary contributor in this moment to that is China. We see China sharing machine tools, semiconductors, other dual-use items that have helped Russia rebuild the defense industrial base that sanctions and export controls had done so much to degrade. Now, if China purports on the one hand to want good relations with Europe and other countries, it can't on the other hand be fueling what is the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War. And you don't have to just take that from me - this is what I heard around the table at the G7. Progress on solutions also to use Russia's sovereign assets for Ukraine was on the agenda. And here, I think we're working on getting to an agreement on that consistent with international law, consistent with different countries' laws. The Kremlin has called this theft. The real theft is in Ukrainians' lives taken, in so much of Ukraine's infrastructure destroyed, in so much of its land seized. Being able to use these Russian sovereign assets to help rebuild Ukraine is critical, and it's also something that - one way or another, one day or another - is going to happen. It's also a complement to, but not a substitute for, the assistance that we all need to be providing in the moment to Ukraine, and in particular the supplementary budget request that President Biden has made and that it appears will be before the House this weekend. And again, I just want to emphasize two things. First, this money and everything it'll provide is urgently needed by Ukraine, by its people who are so bravely defending their country and defending their democracy. Second, as I said, we have European and other partners, including in Asia, who are doing so much themselves to help provide for Ukraine. And finally, virtually all of the supplemental, will be invested in the United States in defense production, in our own defense industrial base, and that means good jobs in the United States. Finally, we focused intensely over these last couple of days on reaching out to new partners, and this includes in the Indo-Pacific, where we're working to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. Here, I think it's very instructive that the support that Russia's received from China, from North Korea, from Iran demonstrates that security in Europe, security in Asia, and other parts of the world are indivisible. They're deeply connected. And this is something, again, that we heard around the table over these last couple of days. The G7 is united on the need for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, and also united in standing up to China's unfair and non-market practices, especially when it comes to overcapacity that is flooding the markets of our own countries with new products and technologies that are heavily subsidized and so underpriced, driving our own businesses out of the market and seeking to dominate these markets themselves. Again, this is a very clear common concern among all of our countries. And finally, the other piece of this is that the G7 continues to work to deepen engagement with global partners to help deliver results everywhere. We had the chair of the African Union with us yesterday for very good conversations. And what we're really looking at is working in practical ways with countries in Africa and beyond to make clear, tangible, deliverable improvements in the lives of their people and, as a result, the lives of our own people. We have the AU that's now a member of the G20. We're particularly focused on how Africa can play its rightful role in meeting both regional and global challenges. There's a growing collaboration on infrastructure and technology to improve connectivity, to build resilience. We've reaffirmed our commitment to sustainable development and especially to the Sustainable Development Goals - also to reforming the international financial institutions, multilateral development banks to make them both more representative and more effective and responsive to meeting the needs of countries around the world, addressing issues like climate change, debt, food security. So, in all of these areas, I found the conversations and the work over the last couple of days - reflected in the statement that you'll see - to be extremely productive and also, maybe most importantly, a very good setup for the leaders that are - the meeting that our leaders will have, excuse me, in June. That's what we're tracking toward. We'll continue the work that we did here over the next couple of months, and the leaders will follow up. With that, happy to take some questions. MR MILLER: The first question goes to Olivia Gazis with CBS News. QUESTION: Thank you very much. Mr. Secretary, there is a lot to ask you about today, so with your indulgence - first, on Israel's strikes in Iran, was the U.S. indeed alerted in advance, how far ahead of time, and did it raise any objections when it was? Are the strikes now over, and do you have any indication at this early stage via direct or indirect messaging that Iran will respond? And have there been any changes in Iran's nuclear program? On Israel, there are reports that your department has made recommendations to cut military aid to certain Israeli units for possible human rights violations in the West Bank, before October 7th. Will you take action on those recommendations? And finally, on the recent U.S. assessments you mentioned that China may be growing its support for Russia for its war effort in Ukraine, do you believe that President Xi is sensing an opportunity amid flagging U.S. support to the Ukrainians? Thank you, sir. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Great. Thanks, Olivia. On the first question, the reports that you've seen, I'm not going to speak to that, except to say that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations. What we're focused on, what the G7 is focused on - and again, it's reflected in our statement and in our conversation - is our work to de-escalate tensions, to de-escalate from any potential conflict. You saw Israel on the receiving end of an unprecedented attack, but our focus has been on, of course, making sure that Israel can effectively defend itself, but also de-escalating tensions, avoiding conflict. And that remains our focus. QUESTION: (Off-mike.) SECRETARY BLINKEN: Again, I'm not going to speak to anything other than to say we were not involved in any offensive operations. With regard to the other questions, first, on China and Russia - look, I think that what we're seeing is a product of the relationship between those two countries. You've heard them speak to it, including just before Russia's aggression against Ukraine. We've made very clear to China - and many other countries have as well - that they should not be supplying Russia with weapons for use in its aggression against Ukraine. We've not seen the direct supply of weapons, but as I said, what we have seen is not only the direct supply but the critical supply of inputs, of components for Russia's defense industrial base, which is allowing two things: It's allowing Russia to continue the aggression against Ukraine. It's also helping Russia overall rebuild its defense forces and defense capacity that so much damage has been done to by the Ukrainians, but also by our sanctions and export controls. And that means that not only is Russia a current threat to Ukraine - it will remain an enduring threat to other European countries. And that's why I said China can't have it both ways. It can't purport to want to have positive, friendly relations with countries in Europe and at the same time be fueling the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War. That was very clear from our conversations around the table. I believe Europeans have expressed that and will continue to express that clearly to China in the days and weeks ahead. QUESTION: And Israel's violations of human rights SECRETARY BLINKEN: Oh, I'm sorry. So, on that, I think you're referring to the so-called Leahy Law and our work under that. So, this is a very important law, and it's one that we apply across the board. And when we're doing these investigations, these inquiries, it's something that takes time, that has to be done very carefully both in collecting the facts and analyzing them - and that's exactly what we've done. And I think it's fair to say that you'll see results very soon. I've made determinations; you can expect to see them in the days ahead. MR MILLER: For the next question, Oliviero Bergamini with RAI TGI1. QUESTION: Good afternoon. Two quick questions. First, do you have the feeling that today's strike was limited so that Iran was not compelled to react? In that sense, are you optimistic about not a big war breaking out? And there is an Iran issue. Do you think that in the future other countries - like Italy that has historical ties with Iran - could play a role in the de-escalation and the stabilization that you mentioned? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Well, two things. Again, I'm not going to speak to these reported events. All I can say is that for our part and for the entire G7, our focus has been on de-escalation, on avoiding a larger conflict, and actually that's been true since day one after the horrific events of October 7th. A big part of our approach has been to prevent the conflict from spreading, to avoid escalation everywhere, and that's a common policy across the G7 and it's very much our approach now. So, we've been engaged in efforts to avoid escalation. Those efforts will continue. Italy plays a critical role in this as a leading country, as a country that's engaged around the world with many other countries that have their own relationships with countries involved in the Middle East. Italy has its own direct engagements. And I think what we've seen over the past 10 days or so - couple of weeks - is that those engagements have been and remain very important to keeping things calm, to avoiding escalation, to preventing a larger conflict. Italy is an important player in this. QUESTION: Thank you. MR MILLER: Nadia Bilbassy with Al Arabiya. QUESTION: Thank you. Mr. Secretary, I want to pursue again on the Iran question. It seems that both the Iranian and the Israeli responses were measured and calculated. Would you say that now we're averting a major confrontation and a possible war? And what messages would the U.S. play in sending to both sides to - for restraint? And are we back to the proxy war? And if - if you allow me on Rafah. U.S. position is very clear: You're opposed a military operation in Rafah as long as there is no plan to evacuate one and a half million Palestinian civilians. The Israeli Government is adamant to go ahead. What is your understanding of the plan now, and what is acceptable for the U.S.? And finally, on the UN Security Council, the United States looks isolated. Yesterday, your allies - close allies - France, Japan, and South Korea - both voted for admitting Palestine as a member. The Israelis, including Netanyahu, on the record saying they oppose two-state solution. So, what is the path forward and what message do you give to Palestinians and to moderates in the region if you truly want to isolate extremists? Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks very much for the questions. Let me simply, first of all, repeat what our focus has been and what it remains: de-escalation, avoiding conflict. And so, yes, calling on all concerned to exercise restraint. That's what we've been doing over the last couple of weeks, and as necessary that's what we'll continue to do. And again, that's reflected in the statement that you'll see coming from all of the G7 countries. On Rafah, we have been clear about this, President Biden has been very clear about this: We cannot support a major military operation in Rafah. First, there are currently somewhere around 1.4 million people in Rafah, many of them displaced from other parts of Gaza. In the first instance, it's imperative that people are able to get out of the way of any conflict, and doing that - getting people out of harm's way - is a monumental task for which we have yet to see a plan. And not only getting them out of harm's way, making sure that they can be supported with humanitarian assistance if they're out of harm's way. But second, even if people are largely out of harm's way, inevitably there's going to remain a pretty significant civilian population in Rafah, and we believe that a major military operation with a large presence of the civilian population would have terrible consequences for that population. We are committed, as Israel is, to ensuring that Gaza cannot be controlled by Hamas. We've seen the devastation and destruction that have resulted from Hamas's leadership, and the actions that it's taken - and well before October 7th, what it was providing or, rather, not providing for the Palestinian people made clear that its concern had nothing to do with the Palestinian people - and everything to do with its objectives to destroy Israel. So, making sure that Hamas cannot repeat the events of October 7th, that's something that we are united in. But in terms of major military operations in Rafah, that's something that we don't support, and we believe that the objective can be achieved by other means. We've been engaged in conversations at senior levels with Israel over the past couple of weeks on this, including as recently as this week. Those conversations continue. Finally, on the UN Security Council resolution. First, we are committed - the United States is committed to achieving a Palestinian state. We believe that is vital to having long-term, sustainable, durable peace and security. And, of course, it's the only way to fulfill the aspirations - the rightful aspirations - of the Palestinian people. But getting to that, achieving that state, has to be done through diplomacy, not through imposition. And the resolution that was voted at the Security Council will have no effect on actually moving things forward and achieving a Palestinian state. Again, that can only be accomplished by diplomatic means. It's also important to point this out: Under United States law, even if we had wanted to vote for this resolution, had we done so, under our law it would have obligated us to cut off all of our funding to the United Nations - clearly not in the interests of anyone, including the Palestinians, particularly given the contributions we make to programs that are vital to them. But as I said, we're committed to working to achieve a Palestinian state with the necessary guarantees for Israel's security. And we've been working on that, including as part of a potential normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia - something that we've intensely engaged on over the last several months and weeks. So, you can see an important path forward that's there. And in fact, we saw it in the wake of the unprecedented Iranian attack on Israel. We can see, for Israel, a future where a coalition of countries are working together, working together to deal with the Iranian threat and to isolate it, with Israel that's integrated into the region, with normal relations with its neighbors, and a resolution to the Palestinian question, which is necessary to really deep-root and achieve that coalition. That's an incredibly powerful future. It answers what Israel has long sought, which is to have normal relations throughout the region. It deals with the single biggest threat to Israel's security and, for that matter, to the security of most countries in the region and our own, which is Iran and its proxies. But to get there, it's going to require calm in Gaza and it's going to require a clear pathway to a Palestinian state. So, we see that as one of the best ways to actually achieve results. Again, you can put something down on a piece of paper and wave it around - it has no effect. What does and can have an effect is actual diplomacy, working to achieve these agreements, and then delivering concrete results. That's what we're focused on. Finally, I would say this. Also take a look at the G7 statement today, which shows unity on this question. It says that there's going to be a proper time, a rightful time, for recognition. This is not that time. We need to do the diplomacy. We need to do the hard work to bring parties together, to bring the region together, and to demonstrate that there's a much better future that awaits everyone if they follow this path. MR MILLER: And for the final question, Jessica Parker with BBC. QUESTION: Thank you. Jessica Parker, BBC News. If I can first ask why won't you address events that have happened overnight? Isn't it important that you do so? Can you tell us if you've spoken to your Israeli counterparts? And I'm interested to know how you would characterize the U.S.-Israel relationship right now. And, if I can, on Ukraine as well, hopes are obviously rising that the U.S. may pass this $60 billion aid package for Ukraine. But given the amount of time it's taken, given the situation in Ukraine, is it coming too late? SECRETARY BLINKEN: So, I'm going to be incredibly boring and not make your day by saying, again, I'm not going to speak to what's been reported, other than to say that United States has not been involved in any offensive operations. The United States, along with our partners, will continue to work for de-escalation. On Ukraine, most important thing is getting this aid voted and moving it forward. And it will, I know, make a profound difference, and make a profound difference almost right away in making sure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself effectively against the ongoing Russian aggression. No - is it too late? No. If it happens now, it's not too late. If it doesn't happen or takes a lot more time, there is a real risk that, yes, it will be too late. And you've heard others speak to it, including the Secretary of Defense. Now, would it have been - would it be better if that aid had been voted months ago? Absolutely. But in terms of meeting Ukraine's urgent needs, it's incredibly timely to get it done right away - this weekend. So, I'm convinced and all of our experts are convinced that it can and will make a hugely important material difference in the success of Ukraine's defense and the success in repelling the Russian aggression. But if this continues to linger, yes, there is a real risk that we will get to a point where it's simply too late. QUESTION: And the U.S.-Israel relationship, sir? SECRETARY BLINKEN: We are engaged on a regular, pretty much daily basis. And we're committed to helping Israel defend itself, and as necessary, participating in this defense, as you saw just a few days ago - and as you saw not only from us but from a number of other countries. Again, Israel makes its own decisions, but we have a commitment to defending it. And you saw an unprecedented attack from Iran into Israel and the United States and others working with Israel to make sure that that attack would not have devastating consequences. And thankfully, it did not. But on all of these issues, whether it's relationship with Iran, whether it's the conflict in Gaza, whether it's Lebanon - you name it - we're in constant engagement with Israel, just as we're in constant engagement with allies and partners throughout the region and around the world. This is a collective effort to try to manage the conflict in the Middle East, to bring the conflict in Gaza to a close, to achieve a ceasefire and the release of hostages. And, by the way, a number of other countries around the table today also have hostages in Gaza held by Hamas and other groups. And it's also important to remember because I sometimes think that people have forgotten this: we have American hostages - American hostages who've been held in the most deplorable conditions all of this time. So, all of us are working on all of these issues, and what's so important and what's reflected in the G7 statement is we're doing it together. And my belief is that our collective influence, our collective diplomacy can make a real difference, first of all, in ending the conflict in Gaza; ensuring that Hamas can never repeat October 7th; getting that ceasefire, the release of hostages; a major expansion in humanitarian assistance; and then turning the corner for the people of Gaza so that we can help rebuild their lives, their livelihoods - and, as I said - deal with the critical long-term issues to enduring peace and stability, including a Palestinian state. Thank you. MR MILLER: Thank you all. [1 ] RAI TG1. [back to 1] NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address G7 Italy 2024 Foreign Ministers' Statement on the Situation in the Middle East US Department of State Media Note Office of the Spokesperson April 19, 2024 The text of the following statement was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union. Iran We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, condemn in the strongest terms Iran's direct and unprecedented attack against Israel of April 13-14, which Israel defeated with the help of its partners. This was a dangerous escalation, as Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. We also condemn the Iranian boarding and seizure, in breach of international law, of the Portuguese flagged merchant vessel MSC Aries by armed personnel, which occurred while the merchant vessel was sailing near the Strait of Hormuz. We call for the immediate release of the vessel, its crews and cargo. Israel and its people have our full solidarity and support and we reaffirm our commitment towards Israel's security. Iran's actions mark an unacceptable step towards the destabilization of the region and a further escalation, which must be avoided. In light of reports of strikes on April 19th, we urge all parties to work to prevent further escalation. The G7 will continue to work to this end. We call on all parties, both in the region and beyond, to offer their positive contribution to this collective effort. We call on Iran to refrain from providing support to Hamas and taking further actions that destabilize the Middle East, including support for Lebanese Hezbollah and other non-state actors. Iran's continued provision of arms and related materiel to the Houthis in violation of UNSCR 2216 and to other non-state actors in the region are dangerously increasing tensions. We call on all countries to prevent the supply of components or other items to Iran's UAV and missile programmes. We demand that Iran and its affiliated groups cease their attacks. We will hold the Iranian government accountable for its malicious and destabilizing actions and we stand ready to adopt further sanctions or take other measures, now and in response to further destabilizing initiatives. We reiterate our determination that Iran must never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon. We urge Iran to cease and reverse nuclear escalations and to stop the continuing uranium enrichment activities reported by IAEA in the framework provided by UNSCR 2231 that have no credible civil justification and pose significant proliferative risks. Tehran must reverse this trend and engage in serious dialogue, returning to full cooperation with the IAEA to enable it to provide assurances that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively peaceful. We support IAEA's monitoring and verification role regarding Iran's nuclear-related obligation and commitments and express strong concern about Iran's current lack of cooperation with the Agency. We are extremely concerned by reports that Iran is considering transferring ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia. We call on Iran not to do so, as it would represent a substantive material escalation in its support for Russia's war in Ukraine. Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond in a swift and coordinated manner, including with new and significant measures against Iran. We reiterate our deep concern over Iran's human rights violations and abuses, especially against women, girls and minority groups, and in light of the first report issued on March 8 by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission established by the Human Rights Council, which said that certain violations against "Women, Life, Freedom" protestors amounted to crimes against humanity. We strongly reject Iran's targeting and arbitrary arrest of dual and foreign citizens and call on Iran's leadership to end all unjust and arbitrary detentions. We condemn Iran's harassment, intimidation and plots to kill perceived dissidents and opponents of the regime overseas, including journalists and religious figures, as well as the targeting of Jewish individuals and institutions. Conflict in Gaza We condemn in the strongest terms the brutal terrorist attacks conducted by Hamas and other terrorist groups against Israel that began on October 7, 2023. In exerting its right to defend itself, Israel must fully comply with international law, including international humanitarian law. Hamas must release all hostages immediately and unconditionally. We continue to press for the full investigation of the horrific reports of sexual violence committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups and for perpetrators to be held accountable. We deplore all losses of civilian lives and note with great concern the unacceptable number of civilians, including thousands of women, children and persons in vulnerable situations who have been killed in Gaza. We call for urgent action to address the devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, particularly the plight of civilians throughout the territory. We reiterate our opposition to a full scale military operation in Rafah that would have catastrophic consequences on the civilian population. We reiterate our call for a credible and actionable plan to protect the civilian population there and address their humanitarian needs. We are deeply concerned by the internal displacement within Gaza and the risk of forcible displacement from Gaza. Israel must act in compliance with its obligations under international law and treat individuals humanely and with dignity, and should thoroughly and transparently investigate credible allegations of wrongdoing and ensure accountability for any abuses or violations. We underscore the urgent need for specific, concrete, and measurable steps to significantly increase the flow of aid into Gaza in light of imminent risk of famine for a majority of Gaza's population. We urge the rapid implementation of steps announced by the Government of Israel including the commitment to expand flow of aid through existing land crossings, opening new land crossings, and facilitating aid to northern Gaza where humanitarian needs are most acute, including by opening more routes into Gaza. We welcome efforts to establish a maritime corridor to further increase the flow of much-needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza, in coordination with the United Nations. We reiterate that such corridors must complement and not be a substitute to expanded and sustained assistance flows by land. Securing full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access in all its forms remains an absolute priority. We call on Israel to do more to ensure protection of international and local humanitarian aid workers, journalists, and Palestinian civilians, to improve humanitarian deconfliction, including communications, and to pursue full accountability, as appropriate, for incidents of harm against aid workers and civilians. We call on all parties to allow the unimpeded delivery of aid, including food, water, medical care, electricity, fuel, shelter, as well as facilitate the restoration of basic services and ensure access for humanitarian workers. All parties must protect civilians, especially those most vulnerable, particularly women, children, and people with disabilities, consistent with international humanitarian law. Since the onset of the crisis, the G7 has been among the largest providers of assistance to the affected population in Gaza. We reiterate our intention to continue doing so and we call on all our partners to strengthen their efforts. We welcome the initiative "Food for Gaza" launched by Italy together with FAO, WFP and IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society), aimed at better meeting the urgent demand for food security and primary health of the population. We recognize the crucial role played by UN agencies and other humanitarian actors in delivering assistance. UNRWA has a vital role in the Gaza humanitarian response. We welcome the swift decision by the UN Secretary General to initiate an immediate investigation on UNRWA to provide full transparency on the serious allegations against its staff and to appoint an independent review group also in view of the implementation of the needed reforms. We agreed it is critical that UNRWA and other UN organizations and agencies' distribution networks be fully able to deliver aid to those who need it most, fulfilling their mandate effectively. We call for an immediate release of hostages and a sustainable ceasefire that allows for a surge of the urgently needed humanitarian assistance to be delivered safely throughout Gaza. In this context, we strongly support the ongoing mediation efforts undertaken by the United States and regional partners to that aim, respected by all parties, leading to a sustainable cessation of hostilities, in order to facilitate the immediate return of all hostages, a surge of assistance and for the urgent implementation of UNSC resolutions 2712, 2720, and 2728. Hamas' refusal to release hostages is only prolonging the conflict and the suffering of civilians. We welcome the new Palestinian Authority cabinet and remain ready to support the Palestinian Authority as it undertakes the reforms that are indispensable to enable it to take up its responsibilities in the aftermath of the conflict, in both Gaza and the West Bank. We are also working, including by imposing sanctions and other measures, to deny Hamas the ability to raise funds to carry out further atrocities. Likewise, we will also continue our work to fight against the dissemination of terrorist content online. All parties must refrain from unilateral actions that undermine the prospect of a two-state solution. We are concerned by rising levels of settlers' violence. Extremist settlers responsible for violent acts against Palestinian communities must be brought to account. A viable solution to the conflict can only be the result of a coordinated regional effort. We remain committed to a lasting and sustainable peace based on a two-State solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel and the Palestinians. We call for upholding unchanged the historic status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem. We concur that the final territory of a Palestinian state should be defined through negotiations based on 1967-lines. We note that the recognition of a Palestinian state, at the appropriate time, would be a crucial component of that political process. We are working intensively - along with partners in the region - to prevent the conflict from escalating further. We are particularly concerned by the situation along the Blue Line. We recognize the essential stabilizing role played by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in mitigating that risk. We urge all involved to exercise restraint and to work toward de-escalation. We oppose all discrimination and violence based on religion or belief and we call for effective protection of all members of religious minority groups. We strongly reject all forms of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred. Freedom of Navigation in the Red Sea We condemn the attacks perpetrated by the Houthis against commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and the navy ships protecting them. We are greatly concerned by the deaths of three innocent mariners aboard the True Confidence and the sinking of the Rubymar, which created a navigational hazard and a serious environmental threat. We call for the immediate release by the Houthis of the Galaxy Leader and its crew, seized on 19th November 2023. In line with UNSCR 2722, we reiterate our support for countries that exercise the right to defend their vessels from attacks, in accordance with international law. We also call for continued international involvement in close cooperation with the United Nations and coastal states, as well as with regional and sub-regional organizations to prevent further escalation with possible multidimensional consequences. We welcome the continued efforts of the EU maritime operation "Aspides" and of the U.S.-led operation "Prosperity Guardian" along with UK and 10 other countries to protect these crucial shipping lanes. We are concerned by the hindrance to the transit of energy supplies, raw materials and other commodities through the Red Sea. The countries most negatively affected by the Houthis' attacks include those in the region. Maritime security and navigational rights and freedoms are critical to ensuring free movement of essential commodities to destinations and populations all over the world. This includes delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to more than half the population of Yemen and to Sudan and Ethiopia. Yemen We express great concern for the situation in Yemen, notably for the humanitarian conditions of the Yemeni civilian population. Yemeni parties must allow safe, rapid, and unimpeded access to all those in need, halt requirements that restrict women's freedom of movement and impede delivery of humanitarian aid, and remove obstacles to the delivery of assistance, notably to the most vulnerable. All parties must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law. We reiterate our strong support to the United Nations and to UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg for his efforts to resolve the conflict in Yemen. We welcome the understanding reached in December 2023 between the Presidential Leadership Council and the Houthis that included a commitment on a set of measures to implement a nation-wide ceasefire and to improve living conditions in the country. We urge all involved parties and in particular the Houthis to engage in good faith in preparations for an inclusive political process in consultation with civil society and under UN auspices. We call for accountability for human rights violations, including grave violations of children's rights, and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law. Syria We remain committed to a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, in line with UN Security Council resolution 2254, and we fully support the mandate of the UN Special Envoy, Geir O. Pedersen. We call on the Syrian regime to engage meaningfully with the UN-facilitated political process to achieve a peaceful solution to the crisis and national reconciliation. Normalization, reconstruction and lifting of sanctions would only be considered in the framework of a credible inclusive and enduring political process consistent with UNSC resolution 2254. Stability and peace in Syria cannot be achieved without the enduring defeat of Daesh. As members of the Global Coalition against Daesh we are committed to ending Daesh's presence in Syria. We remain committed to advancing justice for victims and accountability for all actors responsible for violations of international law in Syria, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. We reiterate our condemnation of the use that the Syrian regime has made of chemical weapons in Syria. We continue to urge the Syrian regime to comply with its obligations under UNSCR 2118 and the Chemical Weapons Convention and to eliminate its chemical weapons programme completely and verifiably. We continue to call for the immediate release of all civilians arbitrarily detained and to clarify the fate of those forcibly disappeared. We support the work of organizations such as the Commission of Inquiry and the International Independent and Impartial Mechanism, which document the crimes perpetrated in Syria. We stand ready to support the newly established UN Independent Institution for Missing Persons in Syria. We will continue to support the Syrian people through humanitarian assistance to meet their needs, including early recovery assistance and measures fostering resilience, and demand that the regime facilitate unhindered humanitarian access to all Syrians, including through UN cross-border humanitarian assistance, for which there is no alternative. We remain grateful to regional countries for continuing to host Syrian refugees, and we call upon the Syrian regime to create the conditions for voluntary, safe, and dignified refugee returns. The upcoming Eighth Brussels Conference on the Future of Syria and the Region is important in maintaining a high level of engagement and mobilisation of the international community in this regard. 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Begin Text The governments of the United States and Slovenia held the fourth United States-Slovenia Strategic Dialogue in Ljubljana on April 19. The annual Strategic Dialogue reaffirms the strength and importance of their bilateral relations based on shared democratic values and interests. State Secretary Sanja Stiglic and Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien led this year's discussions. Representatives from the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs; Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy; Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport; Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation; Ministry of Defense; and the Government Information Security Office participated alongside representatives from the U.S. Department of State, Department of Defense, and NASA. On bilateral cooperation in the areas of economy, energy, science, and technology, the two sides reviewed positive trends and opportunities in bilateral trade and investment and recognized the importance of renewable and low-carbon energy and climate change mitigation and adaptation aimed at preventing future large-scale natural disasters, such as the devastating floods and wildfires that have affected both countries. Slovenia and the United States both promote clean energy, emphasize continued cooperation on energy security, and value a strong partnership on the long-term peaceful use of nuclear energy in Slovenia. In particular, Slovenia expressed its appreciation for technical cooperation in the U.S.-led Project Phoenix on the responsible use of small modular reactor technology. Slovenia and the United States also expressed their interest in enhancing existing cooperation in science, innovation, and technology based on mutual partnership. Both sides highlighted the all-round benefits of cooperation in research and advanced technologies, including space technologies and artificial intelligence. At this year's dialogue, Slovenia signed the Artemis Accords. Under the Artemis Accords principles, the United States and Slovenia reaffirm their shared commitment to a common vision of peaceful, sustainable, and transparent cooperation in the civil exploration and use of the Moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of strengthening contacts between their respective societies, organizations, and citizens, including through short-term fellowship and visitor programs, such as the Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI) Regional Innovation Summit that the United States hosted in Ljubljana in 2023 and the EU-US Emerging Leaders Visitors Program (EVLP) hosted by Slovenia in 2024. Both sides expressed interest in cooperation with regard to the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) and committed to using this global platform to exchange views on the most pressing issues in the region and beyond. The two countries also reaffirmed their partnership to strengthen resilience and combat disinformation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Countering Foreign State Information Manipulation, committed to work in a global community of likeminded democracies to safeguard the information space. On cyber and digital issues, both Slovenia and the United States underscored their intent to promote shared values and responsible state behavior in cyberspace. Discussions focused on improving cybersecurity and resilience, as well as on a shared recognition of current emerging cyber threats, with a particular focus on ransomware, countering disinformation, and the potential misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance global cyber resilience and implement cyber capacity building, supporting partners through mechanisms like the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre. Furthermore, the two countries concurred on the need for trustworthy, secure, ethical, and safe AI systems. The U.S.-led UN General Assembly resolution on AI therefore serves as a good foundation for establishing clear international norms for AI in anticipation of the adoption of the Global Digital Compact at the UN Summit of the Future later this year. With regard to defense cooperation, Slovenia and the United States noted the important ongoing bilateral High-Level Defense Dialogue. Both governments acknowledged the concrete and diverse long-standing cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral levels, especially in the field of defense policy, military exercises, education and training. Both sides underscored NATO's unity and solidarity ahead of the 75th anniversary NATO Summit in Washington in July. The Summit should send a strong message on burden-sharing, robust long-term support for Ukraine on its path to future membership in NATO, in line with the Vilnius Summit decision, ongoing active engagement in the Western Balkans, and enhanced cooperation with the European Union and Indo-Pacific partners. As Slovenia marks 20 years of Alliance membership, NATO remains a pillar of our collective defense and both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continue working together as Allies. Slovenia and the United States committed to working closely together during Slovenia's membership of the UN Security Council in 2024 and 2025. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism, respect for international law, including the UN Charter, and the international rules-based order. In the context of the UN Summit of the Future, they underlined the importance of preparing an ambitious, concise, action-oriented, and human rights-based Pact for the Future. On global and regional security issues, Slovenia and the United States discussed the situation in the Middle East, Ukraine, the Western Balkans, and the Indo-Pacific region. Slovenia and the United States stand firmly with Ukraine as it continues to defend its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Both countries reaffirmed their abiding support to Ukraine as it defends its future and proceeds on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration. Slovenia and the United States expressed their intent to further strengthen their engagement in the Western Balkans to support the region's progress on its European and Euro-Atlantic path and to contribute to a stable and resilient region. Supporting the implementation of reforms and the reconciliation process is critical to ensuring prosperity for the people in the region. As the region faces continuing brain drain, reconciliation is crucial for a positive perspective for young people. On the Middle East, the two countries underscored the urgent need to secure the release of all hostages and ensure safe, sufficient, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and improve protections for civilians and humanitarian aid workers. Both countries are united in their support for achieving a sustainable ceasefire and a two-state solution. They are also committed to endeavors aimed at upholding navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea. Slovenia and the United States expressed a strong interest in further deepening their strategic partnership. The next Strategic Dialogue will be held in Washington in 2025. End Text NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Designates Entities Involved in Raising Funds for Violent Extremists in the West Bank U.S. Department of the Treasury April 19, 2024 WASHINGTON -- Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on two entities for their roles in establishing fundraising campaigns on behalf of Yinon Levi (Levi) and David Chai Chasdai (Chasdai), two violent extremists who were sanctioned on February 1, 2024 in connection with violence in the West Bank. The fundraising campaigns established by Mount Hebron Fund for Levi and by Shlom Asiraich for Chasdai generated the equivalent of $140,000 and $31,000, respectively. "Mount Hebron Fund and Shlom Asiraich generated tens of thousands of dollars for extremists responsible for destroying property, assaulting civilians, and violence against Palestinians," said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. "Such acts by these organizations undermine the peace, security, and stability of the West Bank. We will continue to use our tools to hold those responsible accountable." Concurrently, the Department of State is designating Ben-Zion Gopstein, the founder and leader of an organization whose members have engaged in violence, including assaults on Palestinian civilians. CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGNS FOR VIOLENT EXTREMISTS Today, OFAC designated Mount Hebron Fund and Shlom Asiraich for being foreign persons who are responsible for or complicit in, or who have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, actions including directing, enacting, implementing, enforcing, or failing to enforce policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the West Bank, and for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, persons blocked pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14115. Following the February 1, 2024 designation of Yinon Levi, Mount Hebron Fund established an online fundraiser for the benefit of Levi, who was designated pursuant to E.O. 14115 for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in planning, ordering, otherwise directing, or participating in efforts to place civilians in reasonable fear of violence with the purpose or effect of necessitating a change of residence to avoid such violence, affecting the West Bank. Levi regularly led groups of violent extremists who engaged in actions creating an atmosphere of fear in the West Bank. His groups assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, threatened them with additional violence if they did not leave their homes, burned their fields, and destroyed their property. Levi and other extremists have repeatedly attacked multiple communities within the West Bank. Mount Hebron Fund's fundraiser for Levi's benefit reportedly raised the equivalent of $140,000 before the campaign was removed from the crowdfunding website and funds were withheld by a local financial institution. Following the February 1, 2024 designation of David Chai Chasdai, Shlom Asiraich established an online fundraiser for the benefit of Chasdai, who was also designated pursuant to E.O. 14115 for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, actions including directing, enacting, implementing, enforcing, or failing to enforce policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the West Bank. Chasdai initiated and led a riot, which involved setting vehicles and buildings on fire, assaulting Palestinian civilians, and causing damage to property in Huwara, which resulted in the death of a Palestinian civilian. Shlom Asiraich's fundraiser for Chasdai's benefit reportedly raised the equivalent of $31,000 before it too was removed from the crowdfunding website. Shlom Asiraich's fundraiser specifically noted that it was raising the money following the imposition of sanctions on, and the administrative detention of, Chasdai. Shlom Asiraich is an Israel-registered non-profit organization based in the West Bank that has also raised funds for other imprisoned violent extremists who share the group's ideology, including Yigal Amir, who assassinated former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, andAmiram Ben Uliel, who was convicted in 2020 for the killing of a Palestinian couple and their baby in an arson attack in the West Bank village of Duma in 2015. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's actions, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here. Click here for more information on the entities designated today. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan is now in the grip of the world's worst hunger and displacement crisis: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan. 19 April 2024 Thank you Presidency, and once again I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo and Director Wosornu for her briefing, and now I have the pleasure of thanking his Excellency Mr Ibn Chambas for his briefing and also for underling to us the value of AU-UNSC cooperation. I would like to make three points that are grounded in the aspirations of the Sudanese people, the suffering they endure, and their hopes for a peaceful future. First, this week marked five years since the Sudanese people demonstrated their aspirations for self-determination when their protests ended decades of dictatorship. These hopes have been dashed by the Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces. Second, Sudan is now in the grip of the world's worst hunger and displacement crisis. Deliberate obstruction and targeting of aid convoys is preventing life-saving supplies from reaching those most in need. Civilians are being murdered, women and girls are being raped. Villages are being looted and burned to the ground. Through Resolution 2724 this Council joined the UN Secretary-General, the African Union, and the League of Arab States to call on the warring parties to silence the guns during the Holy Month of Ramadan. But they ignored this united international call for peace and inflicted further hardship on the Sudanese people. The United Kingdom is also concerned by the growing tensions in El-Fasher. The humanitarian consequences of full-scale conflict in and around the city would be catastrophic. We call on the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces and also armed movements present in the city to take measures to de-escalate and we underline all parties' obligations under international humanitarian law, including to protect civilians. Third, it is not too late for Sudan to return from the brink. For this to happen, we need first, the warring parties should return to negotiations including through the Jeddah process, to agree a durable ceasefire, and support a political process designed to restore civilian rule. The Sudanese authorities need to uphold their commitments to facilitate crossline and cross-border humanitarian access, and immediately restore the vital Adre border route. Third, external actors providing material support to either warring faction are prolonging the bloodshed. Those who have influence with the warring parties need to use this constructively, to bring them to the negotiating table. President, as we announced at the Paris conference, the United Kingdom will double its humanitarian aid to almost $110 million in the next year. But without sustained humanitarian access, it will not reach those most in need, nor help to avert famine. This anniversary is an unacceptable milestone in an unjustifiable conflict. We once again call on the warring parties to end the fighting now, to remove barriers to humanitarian delivery, and to engage in a political process. I thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address War in Sudan is 'a crisis of epic proportions' as atrocities abound 19 April 2024 - The year-long ongoing war in Sudan is "a crisis of epic proportions", and the world must rethink the way it supports the Sudanese people amid rampant atrocities against civilians and no end in sight, top UN and African Union officials warned the Security Council on Friday. The Sudanese people have endured "unbearable suffering" since the conflict started just over a year ago when an outbreak of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) "brutally interrupted the political transition", Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said. "This is a crisis of epic proportions; it is also wholly man-made," she told ambassadors, stressing that both parties have failed to protect civilians. Over 14,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands wounded, half the country's population - 25 million people - need lifesaving assistance and more than 8.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes, including 1.8 million refugees. Widespread atrocities "Allegations of atrocities abound," she said, citing reports of widespread use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, of the recruitment of children by parties to the conflict and of extensive use of torture and prolonged arbitrary detention by both parties. She said the UN stands ready to redouble efforts with its multilateral partners - including the African Union, Intergovernmental Authority for Development, the League of Arab States and key Member States and partners - to help end hostilities and foster inclusive and effective international mediation. She said the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, has engaged with national, regional and international stakeholders to promote the coordination of mediation initiatives, and the recent humanitarian conference in Paris emphasised the need for unity of purpose and action to end the fighting in Sudan. External actors fuelling war At the same time, all warring parties must uphold their obligations under international law and adhere to the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan, Ms. DiCarlo said, calling on all actors to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further bloodshed. However the rival armies have been able to keep fighting in no small part thanks to the material support they receive from outside the Sudan, she said, adding that these external actors continue to flout the Council's sanctions regime to support a political settlement and to fuel the conflict. "This is illegal, it is immoral and it must stop," she said. "At this critical moment, in addition to global support for aid, we need to redouble our efforts to achieve peace in the Sudan." 'The elephant in the room' Echoing that point, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, High Representative for the Silencing the Guns initiative of the African Union Commission, said external interference has been "a major factor" stymying efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and to stop the war. "External support in terms of supply of war materiel and other means has been the main reason why this war has lasted for so long," he said via videolink from Post Sudan. "It is the elephant in the room." For its part, the African Union has been proactive, he said, recalling its swift action five days after the outbreak of fighting to form a mechanism to coordinate efforts as well as its subsequent drafting of a roadmap to peace and appointment of a High-Level Panel on Sudan. Decades of development wiped out Yet, the ongoing year-long war has already set Sudan back several decades, he said, adding that "it will take more than a generation to rebuild Sudan to its pre-war state." He said the war has also led to egregious violations of international human rights law, international humanitarian law and the laws governing the conduct of war. "It must end," he said, emphasising that the Jeddah process must speedily recommence with the full participation of the African Union to bring about an unconditional ceasefire to end Sudan's suffering. Humanitarian conditions worsening Edem Wosornu, director of operations and advocacy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that one year on, the outlook for the people of Sudan is "bleak". Extremely concerning levels of conflict-related sexual violence continue to be reported, and aid workers, health workers and local volunteers are being killed, injured, harassed and arrested with impunity, she said, speaking on behalf of UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths. In addition, the spiralling violence in recent weeks poses an extreme and immediate danger to the 800,000 civilians who reside in El Fasher and risks triggering further clashes in other parts of Darfur, where more than nine million people are in dire need of assistance, she said. Famine prevention plan Meanwhile, food insecurity in Sudan has reached record levels, with 18 million people are facing acute hunger, a number that is set to surge as the lean season fast approaches, Ms. Wosornu said, noting that OCHA had launched a famine prevention plan last week. "If we are to avert famine, the parties must take urgent steps to facilitate humanitarian relief for all civilians in need, as required under international humanitarian law," she said. What is needed now is scaled up action to protect humanitarian workers to deliver lifesaving aid, more funds and more international engagement to silence the guns, she said. 'The people of Sudan cannot wait' "We need a fundamental change in the way we support Sudan," Ms. Wosornu said. "The people of Sudan cannot wait another month, week or even day for their suffering to stop. Every day that passes puts more lives at risk." Expressing gratitude for pledges made at the recent Paris humanitarian conference on Sudan, she said funds must be disbursed as soon as possible and that "we have a very narrow window to respond". "Within the coming six weeks, we need to preposition lifesaving supplies before the rainy season starts in June. We need to get seeds into the hands of farmers before the planting season in June, and cash into the pockets of displaced people before they fall even deeper into hunger." While OCHA will "do everything we can", Ms. Wosornu said "we cannot do this alone." "We need your help," she told Council members. "Now is the time to act, before it is too late. Millions of lives depend on us." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan: Famine risk is real, FAO warns 19 April 2024 - Millions are on the brink of famine in Sudan but "a window of opportunity" exists for the international community to act now as the main planting season approaches, a senior official with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday. Rein Paulsen, Director of FAO's Office of Emergencies and Resilience, is in the country as part of UN interagency response to the food security crisis driven by the war between rival military forces, now in its second year. "We're here because the risk of famine is real. The food security situation is concerning. But we have an opportunity to respond," he told UN News, speaking from the coastal city of Port Sudan. Funding and access Across Sudan, 18 million people - more than a third of the population - are going hungry. Mr. Paulsen appealed for more support for farmers, who are preparing their land now to plant crops in June. FAO requires $104 million to support just over 10 million Sudanese this year but has received less than 10 per cent of the funding. He said safe access is also a priority, both for Sudanese farmers and the UN agency. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Rein Paulsen: There's a number of actions that both can and need to be taken right now, and I do think it's vitally important that we underscore one key point at the outset. The crop and food supply assessment mission, which looked at 2023 numbers, showed a 46 per cent reduction nationally in terms of the production of key crops, so wheat, sorghum, millet, and also rice and maize. That deficit is not going to be possible to be made up with just in-kind food assistance or with cash distributions. It's indispensable that we support vulnerable farmers and farming communities to either restart their production themselves or further bolster what's underway. FAO has a three-pronged strategy. A key component is around crops for the two main seasons, so cereals for this upcoming season and then key vegetables for the second season, but also attention to livestock. So many of those who are in acute food insecurity also rely on, livestock, and so being able to support those animals with emergency fodder and key vaccinations, all of which help to ensure that households that are food insecure continue, for example, to have access to milk production from their goats. All of this is indispensable for effective famine prevention efforts. We have a window of opportunity, and that window is right now. UN News: In your meetings with the parties, do you receive any guarantees that they will do what they can to avoid a further deterioration of the food security situation? Rein Paulsen: I had the opportunity on this mission to meet with authorities here in Port Sudan. The discussions we've had have gone very well. We have a strong technical collaboration and I expect that collaboration to continue. We work on a number of different technical areas with authorities, including around desert locust control and prevention. We're likely to see the Government announce in the coming days, or in the coming weeks, that the desert locust control operations have been fully successful. We've talked about the priorities to respond to the situation now being shared with all of the stakeholders there, articulated clearly in the interagency famine prevention plan. And we hope that we get all the support required to be able to deliver on the response. There are two key sets of challenges for FAO, and I think generally one set of challenges around funding and another around access. Both need to be addressed for us to be able to prevent the risk of famine from unfolding. The funding issue is a real challenge. We have less funding this year than we did last year, and the food insecurity situation is worse this year than last year, so those two trends are heading in the wrong directions. UN News: Can you tell us what it's like to be a farmer in Sudan, or an average Sudanese person living in a in a rural area today? Rein Paulsen: I had a chance to visit with some farming communities that FAO has been supporting last year. The families that we met with were describing a situation where, in addition to everything that's happening in various parts of the country around conflict - and we do know that conflict is the main driver of the crisis - that wasn't the case with the families that we met. They also faced challenges when it comes to climate dynamics and challenges. We were in fields looking at crops that have been harvested, but we were also looking at earth dams that have been washed away earlier this year as a result of flooding in the past. And so, there's a precarious reality for vulnerable farming households that needs attention. I think it's really important to understand that the situation of those in acute food insecurity is nuanced and different by specific location and locality. But for me, the main takeaway from the engagement with these communities was that I saw production taking place. We saw ripe tomatoes being harvested and going into local markets - again a reminder that it's possible to do impactful, life-changing, lifesaving work, even in challenging environments. UN News: Sudan is very fertile, and like you said, there's a lot of potential for food production. But obviously there are reasons preventing farmers from reaching their lands. Can you give us some of those main reasons? Rein Paulsen: If we look particularly at the situation over this last year, conflict is clearly the main driver when it comes to the current hunger crisis and food insecurity. Nine out of ten people facing emergency food insecurity are in the conflict hotspots, so in Darfur, the Kordofan region, the Khartoum area, and recently also in Al Jazeera state which is often described as the breadbasket in terms of production nationally. We've also heard reports from farmers about inability to access their plots of land. And for us, as a specialised technical agency, it's not just about giving inputs to farmers. We also provide technical assistance, but they obviously need access to their land to prepare it. They need access to the land to plant and to monitor and surveil their crops, and then to be able to harvest. This issue of being able to access farming land is key and a major priority and concern. UN News: You spoke earlier about agricultural support to mitigate the food insecurity crisis. Can this still be effective even as the conflict rages on? Rein Paulsen: We've been able to demonstrate that it's possible to deliver at scale, even in very challenging circumstances. Just last year, FAO supported more than five million Sudanese people with emergency agricultural assistance. We provided to more than a million farming households more than 10,000 metric tonnes of key seeds, including sorghum, millet, as well as okra. And we did that across 15 states. It was only in West Darfur and Central Darfur that we had challenges in terms of delivery. So, it's possible to deliver at scale, and in terms of access, it's possible to work. Obviously, the situation is very dynamic, and we do hope and request and continue to work with all of the actors and stakeholders. This year, our plan is to support more than 10 million Sudanese people with emergency agricultural assistance. The plans are ambitious but fully justified in line with the evolving situation. I would say funding is a very real challenge, and we need to be guided by evidence, we need to be focused on those contexts and situations where we have high levels of acute food insecurity, and there needs to be funding commensurate with the level of needs that exist. And we strongly feel that Sudan merits and deserves a lot more attention than it's currently receiving. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World News in Brief: Green light for new cholera vaccine, Ukraine attacks condemned, action against racism call, Brazil rights defenders alert 19 April 2024 - A new oral vaccine for cholera has been given the green light for manufacture by the UN health agency allowing for the massive scale-up of lifesaving immunisation in the world's most vulnerable communities. The World Health Organization (WHO) decision means that Euvichol-S vaccine can be added to other cholera-busting drugs which are not being produced in sufficient quantities to help countries battling outbreaks of the preventable disease. WHO reported 473,000 cholera cases in 2022 - double the number in 2021. "The new vaccine is the third product of the same family of vaccines we have for cholera in our WHO prequalification list," said Dr. Rogerio Gaspar, Director of the WHO Department for Regulation and Prequalification. Production boost It is hoped it will enable a rapid increase in production and supply "which many communities battling with cholera outbreaks urgently need", he added. WHO prequalification list already includes Euvichol and Euvichol-Plus inactivated oral cholera vaccines produced by EuBiologicals Co., Ltd, Republic of South Korea, which also produces the new vaccine. Vaccines provide the best solution for preventing, limiting and controlling cholera outbreaks, said WHO, but supplies are scarce with many countries facing dire shortcomings in other areas of prevention and management - such as safe water, hygiene and sanitation. Today, 23 countries have reported cholera outbreaks; the most severe ones are in Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Somalia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Top humanitarian in Ukraine condemns latest Russian attack on Dnipro The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Denise Brown has "vehemently condemned" Friday's deadly attacks by Russian forces on Dnipro City and other parts of the Dnipro region. Local authorities and aid workers on the ground said the attacks killed and injured civilians - including children - damaging buildings and infrastructure. "Aid workers in Dnipro are already on the ground helping the affected people", she said in a statement, noting that the attacks were "yet another example of a grave and reprehensible disregard for human life." Both the cities of Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih, with a combined population of 1.5 million, were reportedly hit. Humanitarians on site Humanitarian workers are on site in Dnipro complementing the efforts of rescue services and first responders. UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York that humanitarian organizations are also providing hot meals for impacted people, rescue workers and emergency shelter kits to repair the damage to infrastructure and homes. "Meanwhile, ongoing hostilities today and yesterday in the front-line Donetsk Region, in eastern Ukraine, reportedly killed and injured a dozen civilians and damaged homes and civilian infrastructure", he added, citing reports from local officials. UN rights chief calls for strong action against racism The High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has called for stronger action against racism and other colonial legacies, addressing Friday's closing session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in Geneva. He said that addressing these legacies was key to his office OHCHR's push for transformative change for racial justice and equality, which includes the call for States to deliver reparatory justice. Mr. Turk also supported the proclamation of a second International Decade for People of African Descent, "so we can build on the gains made so far and address the ongoing challenges". Lived experience To those of you who bring your lived experiences, knowledge and expertise to these discussions: your contributions to the anti-racism movement are reverberating around the world", he said. "They are exposing the magnitude of the challenges that are inflicted on people of African descent - notably women, young people, LGBTQ+ people and migrants." He added that by fostering new initiatives and ideas for ways to eliminate systemic racism "and its pernicious intersections with other forms of discrimination", the Forum is "opening up new paths for profound change." He said OHCHR stood with all delegates in their struggle for justice and their demand for immediate action to tackle "the terrible legacy" of colonialism. On the issue of reparations, he said the fight had to be led by those of African descent, notably women. "It must be a comprehensive approach, embracing truth-seeking; acknowledgement and apologies; memorialization; compensation; and institutional and educational reforms." Brazil must prioritise land ownership reform, to help end deadly attacks against rights defenders Brazil needs to prioritise the demarcation and titling of land across the country, which is the root cause of most attacks against human rights defenders in the country, an independent UN human rights expert said on Friday. "Human rights defenders are under extreme threat in Brazil. The Federal Government knows this but has so far failed to put the structures in place to provide them with better protection" or tackle root causes said Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders in a statement following an official visit there. She said the Government recognises human rights defenders and their work, and understands the risks they face. But when human rights defenders challenge power structures that reinforce injustice, they are often violently attacked and face extremely high levels of risk, she said. Death threats, shootings "Again and again during my visit I heard from defenders who had survived assassination attempts, who had been shot at, had their houses surrounded, had death threats delivered to their door. I heard from defenders whose work had been criminalised," Ms. Lawlor said. Defenders most at risk in Brazil are from indigenous and traditional communities. "In many cases, perpetrators of the attacks are known. Yet, there is rampant impunity for these crimes," the expert said. She noted that business and markets play a key role as drivers of conflicts, putting rights defenders at risk. "The demarcation and titling of indigenous, quilombola and other traditional peoples' land, as well as the revision of the legality of all existing concessions given to companies must be prioritised," she said. "The conflation of human rights defenders with criminals by local authorities - in particular defenders who are part of social movements and supporting the most vulnerable in society - is a clear problem and must end," the expert said. "The Federal Government needs to match the courage of human rights defenders in the country - and it must do so now," Ms. Lawlor insisted. Special Rapporteurs and other UN Human Rights Council-appointed rights experts are independent of any government or organization, receive no salary for their work and serve in their individual capacity. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA Situation Report #102 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem - All information from 15-17 April 2024, is valid as of 17 April 2024 at 22:30 UNRWA 19 Apr 2024 Key Points The Gaza Strip Israeli Security Forces (ISF) operations from air, land and sea continue across the Gaza Strip. On 11 April, ISF announced that a ground operation had begun in central Gaza. ISF operations continue to cause civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure. On 17 April, OCHA launched the Occupied Palestinian Territory Flash Appeal with a requirement of US$ 2.82 billion for UN agencies, INGOs and NGO partners to address humanitarian needs of 3 million people for nine months in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Within the Flash Appeal, UNRWA requires US$ 1.2 billion, 42 per cent of all the requirements, demonstrating the critical importance of UNRWA, its presence and reach both within Gaza and the West Bank. The Flash Appeal highlights a number of critical changes in the operating environment to be able to provide humanitarian assistance at scale, such as: Safe and sustained access to all people in need across the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem. More entry and supply routes, including increase via land and the opening of maritime corridors. Improved ability to move within Gaza to effectively deliver assistance to the north. Entry of critical humanitarian items, including communications equipment and protective gear for humanitarian staff. Funding must be timely and flexible to allow humanitarian actors to adapt programming to a highly dynamic context. Visas and permits for UN and INGO staff to support Gaza operations from Jerusalem, and for staff to move within the West Bank. On 17 April, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA addressed the Security Council on the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the unprecedented threats and challenges facing the agency. On 16 April, UNRWA released a brief on detentions and ill-treatment of detainees from Gaza in Israeli detention centres. U The Israeli Security Forces (ISF) started to release Palestinian detainees in early November 2023. UNRWA interviewed several of the detainees among them men, women, children and UNRWA staff. [1] According to UN WOMEN, more than 10,000 women have been killed in Gaza to date, among them an estimated 6,000 women who left 19,000 children behind. Women who have survived have been displaced, widowed and are facing starvation. More than 1 million women and girls in Gaza have almost no food, no access to safe water, latrines, washrooms, or sanitary pads, with diseases spreading amid inhumane living conditions. OCHA's latest humanitarian needs and response update[2], covering humanitarian needs and response between 9-15 April, highlights the challenges faced in the delivery of health, nutrition, food security and wash services especially with regards to reaching northern Gaza. Restrictions by Israel on UNRWA access to the north have been in place since 24 March. The last time UNRWA was able to deliver food supplies to the area was on 23 January 2024. There has been very little significant change in the volume of humanitarian supplies entering Gaza or improved access to the north. Since the beginning of April, an average of 182 aid trucks have crossed into Gaza per day via the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) and Rafah land crossings. This remains well below the operational capacity of both border crossings and the minimum target of 500 trucks per day. As of 17 April, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since the beginning of hostilities is 17****8. As of 17 April, up to 1.7 million* people (over 75 per cent of the population)** have been displaced across the Gaza Strip, the majority multiple times.*** Families are forced to move repeatedly in search of safety. Following intense Israeli bombardments and fighting in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in recent weeks, a significant number of displaced people have moved further south. *This includes 1 million people living in or near emergency shelters or informal shelters. As of 12 October, approximately 160,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were recorded in UNRWA shelters in Northern Gaza and Gaza City governorates. UNRWA currently estimates that the population of Northern Gaza and Gaza City governorates is up to 300,000 people. The ability of UNRWA to provide humanitarian support and updated data in these areas has been severely restricted. The ongoing hostilities, evacuation orders issued by ISF, and the constant need for safer locations have resulted in people being displaced multiple times. **UNRWA reported on 15 January in Situation Report 64 that up to 1.9 million IDPs were either residing in 154 UNRWA shelters or near these shelters. Due to the continued escalation of fighting and evacuation orders, some households have moved away from the shelters where they were initially registered. *** There are instances where the same IDPs are registered in multiple shelters due to the fluid movement of populations; hereafter, estimates are used for these shelters. UNRWA plans to conduct a more accurate count of IDPs in shelters, including informal shelters, as soon as the security situation allows. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Security Council Hears Briefers on Situation in Sudan Meetings Coverage Security Council 9611th Meeting (PM) SC/15672 19 April 2024 (Note: Due to the financial liquidity crisis affecting the United Nations and the resulting time constraints, the full press release will be published at a later date.) The Security Council met this afternoon to take up the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in the Sudan. Briefing the Council were Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and Mohamed Ibn Chambas, High Representative for the Silencing the Guns Initiative of the African Union Commission. ... NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 'an Indispensable Partner, Inclusive Platform for Dialogue', Speaker Tells Security Council Meetings Coverage Security Council 9610th Meeting (AM) SC/15671 19 April 2024 During an era of "profound uncertainty" and as the international rules-based order "is being rigorously tested", the Head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) told the Security Council today that belief in the multilateral system is at the core of the regional group's agenda for 2024, as it focuses on resolving conflicts in the region including the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine. Ian Borg, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta and current Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, observed that a challenging security situation in the bloc's region is dictating a major part of its agenda and complex demands on multilateralism are eroding the system's effectiveness. But, he said, "our resolve must be strengthened", and rather than breeding despair, the challenges must serve to galvanize action and commitment to "effective, tangible and sustainable engagement". The Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine is a top concern and the war there must come to an end, he said. The organization will keep working for the release of the three OSCE monitoring officials currently being detained, he underlined. Conflicts in the OSCE region, including in Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdniestria, will be prioritized, with outreach to all sides for comprehensive resolutions. Furthermore, the OSCE will continue engagement in Kosovo, Serbia and the Republic of Moldova to support peace through dialogue for sustainable political solutions. He said that his chairpersonship aims to rebuild trust within the international system, upholding dialogue and cooperation as the most effective means of resolving differences. The OSCE will be a platform for accountability when there are violations of the principles of the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of Paris. A focus will also be given to securing agreement on the organization's financing and decisions concerning its leadership. The women, peace and security agenda, cyberchallenges, transnational threats and arms control commitments will be given impetus. Recognizing the connection between citizens' well-being, economic stability and environmental sustainability, the OSCE will prioritize fostering digital skills, climate resilience and food security, while combating corruption. As media freedom is under threat, the organization is committed to enhancing media literacy and ensuring the safety of journalists, especially women journalists online and offline. It will work on initiatives to combat violence against women and human trafficking. In the ensuing debate, many Council members supported the role the OSCE plays as well as its firm focus on the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine with dissent on the latter from Moscow's delegation. There were calls to maintain engagement on other regional conflicts and further enhance cooperation with the UN. Saying that how OSCE operates in Ukraine is a "complete fiasco" and that the "Ukrainianization" of all its work is to the detriment of other crises, the Russian Federation's delegate expressed disappointment that the Chairperson is spending time advancing the political agenda of the West to tarnish Moscow. Rather, the Chairperson's mandate should be consistent with positions agreed on and positions of all participating States. The representative of the United States stressed that the OSCE has been instrumental in supporting accountability efforts in Ukraine in monitoring and reporting on atrocities and other abuses. It has done so through the effective use of its Moscow mechanism, which has been invoked multiple times. He welcomed the OSCE's joint initiative with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism to bolster Tajikistan's defences against terrorist threats. Switzerland's representative said the OSCE's strength lies in its "holistic approach to security", including mediation, observer and investigation capacities. The Helsinki Accords remain the benchmark for Europe's common peace and security architecture, he added, and the OSCE as an inclusive platform for dialogue is an indispensable partner for the UN and the Council. The representative of Malta, Council President for April, speaking in her national capacity, expressed strong support for enhanced cooperation between the UN and OSCE. She asserted that the Council and the OSCE's shared human rights commitments are an essential part of their comprehensive approach to peace and security. Striking a similar tone, Slovenia's delegate underlined the OSCE as a fundamental pillar of regional security and a prominent UN partner. The OSCE's autonomous institutions and field missions contribute to reducing risks, promoting transparency and building confidence. Monitoring the Russian Federation's war in Ukraine must remain a priority and an OSCE presence on the ground must continue, she said. The delegate of France welcomed the Chairperson emphasizing opposition to disinformation and promoting a well-informed citizenry in the face of the Russian Federation's disinformation campaign. The OSCE should be further engaged in the South Caucuses, she said, adding that she deplores the fact that more than 100,000 Armenians have fled Nagorno-Karabakh due to Azerbaijan's aggression. People should be allowed to return safely. Armenia and Azerbaijan were urged to make a lasting peace agreement by the representative of the United Kingdom, who also commended the OSCE's vital work in protracted conflicts, for example in the Western Balkans, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova. Three of OSCE's 11 Mediterranean and Asian cooperation partners contributed their views. Japan's delegate said that since her country became the first such partner over 30 years ago in 1992, it has contributed to the OSCE's election monitoring, assistance to Ukraine, counter-terrorism efforts, border control work, and support for women from the peace and security perspective. "This longstanding cooperation is based on the firm belief that peace and stability in the OSCE region is directly linked to that of the international community, including the Asia-Pacific region," she said, describing the organization as "a stabilizer or confidence-building mechanism". The Republic of Korea became an OSCE partner in 1994, said its representative, noting the value of partnership shown in both interregional Conference on Emerging Technologies and the Asian Partners for Co-operation Group meeting on the Indo-Pacific region. "Regional organizations are well positioned to understand the root causes of conflict [...] and promote confidence, trust and dialogue among concerned parties and civil society partners within their respective regions." Algeria's delegate said that his country has contributed to the establishment of the OSCE's Mediterranean partnership, stressing the need to overcome the current challenges the organization faces due to the antagonistic political dynamics. "Dialogue is the very essence of effective multilateralism and must be used to identify common grounds that the different members could share," he stressed. Injecting an African perspective, the representatives of Sierra Leone and Mozambique both emphasized the importance of regional bodies in the maintenance of international peace and security. The latter drew attention to the emerging issues including violent extremism leading to terrorism, transnational organized crime, arms control and migration that are common to the OSCE region and Africa. In that regard, an African Union-OSCE platform could be created to address issues of mutual concern, including the participation of women and youth in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, post-conflict and transitional justice, he said. Guyana's delegate highlighted the OSCE's comprehensive mandate covering not just political and military domains but often-overlooked dimensions, such as economic development, sustainable use of natural resources and promotion of human rights, stating that the bloc's potential to manage and resolve conflicts is "deeply valuable" to global peace and security. The speaker for Ecuador said his country shares the integrated, comprehensive vision of security shown by Malta's Council presidency that incorporates the gender perspective and youth participation. "Ecuador is convinced that peace and security are sustainable when they are inclusive," he said. China's representative, expressing concern about the conflicts in Europe, said that the OSCE should encourage and promote respect for each other's legitimate security concerns and jointly explore and develop a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture. "The world does not need a new cold war," he said, calling on all parties to act responsibly, intensify diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine and promote a political solution "so that the dawn of peace can come at an early date". ... NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Blinken: Military operation in Rafah would have 'terrible consequences' for civilians By VOA News April 19, 2024 The Biden administration "cannot support a major military operation in Rafah," said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a news conference Friday at the G7 meeting in Italy. "First, there are currently somewhere around 1.4 million people in Rafah many of them displaced from other parts of Gaza. It's imperative that people are able to get out of the way of any conflict, and doing so is a monumental task for which we have yet to see a plan," Blinken said. "Not only getting them out of harm's way but making sure that they can be supported with humanitarian assistance." Blinken also said that even if people are largely out of harm's way, inevitably a major military operation would have "terrible consequences" for the civilians remaining there. A White House statement said that, in a discussion Thursday, Israeli officials had agreed to consider U.S. concerns about their planned military operations in the southern Gaza city. Israel continues bombarding Gaza Meanwhile, Israeli bombardment from the air, land and sea was reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure. In a briefing Thursday to the United Nations Security Council, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for greater humanitarian assistance to Gaza. "To avert imminent famine, and further preventable deaths from disease, we need a quantum leap in humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza," he said. " ... Delivering aid at scale requires Israel's full and active facilitation of humanitarian operations." Guterres also said Israel's commitments to improve aid access in Gaza have had "limited and sometimes nil" impact. The fighting, destruction of roads, and prevalence of unexploded ordinance pose significant risks for humanitarian workers struggling to provide aid supplies in Gaza, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs reported. "The agency warns that the only way to halt famine is through daily deliveries of food supplies," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations secretary-general, told reporters Thursday. "This requires conditions that allow humanitarian staff and supplies to move freely and the people in need to access assistance safely." The U.S. and Israel say access to aid has improved this month. Food trucks entered Gaza through the Erez crossing from Israel's Ashdod Port for the first time since Israel approved its opening for aid shipments, the Israeli military said Wednesday. The United Arab Emirates said Friday it had launched a major relief operation in the Gaza Strip's destroyed city of Khan Younis and plans to restore the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis so that it "can return to work," the WAM news agency said. Recent U.N.-led missions into 10 of Gaza's beleaguered hospitals found many "in ruins" with only a few carrying out any level of maternal health services and their vital medical equipment purposefully destroyed, according to Dominic Allen, the U.N. Population Fund representative for the State of Palestine. UNICEF also reports that every 10 minutes, one child is killed or injured in Gaza, based on figures by the Hamas-run health ministry, emphasizing the urgent need to increase medical evacuations of children. Iran calls veto 'irresponsible' On Friday, Tehran denounced the U.S. veto on Thursday blocking full United Nations membership for Palestinians, calling it "irresponsible" given the lack of opposition from any other Security Council member. Hamas also decried the decision, while the Palestinian Authority said it showed "the contradictions of American policy," which claims to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but at the same time "prevents the implementation of this solution." 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.N. chief Guterres warned of a potential escalation of the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East, pointing out that Israel's military offensive in Gaza has turned the Palestinian territory into a "humanitarian hellscape." 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 were women and children. Israel launched its offensive in response to the October 7 Hamas terror 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. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address High-profile Afghan Taliban religious scholar assassinated in Pakistan By Ayaz Gul April 19, 2024 Afghanistan's Taliban government confirmed Friday that one of its leading religious scholars was assassinated by unknown assailants in neighboring Pakistan. The deceased, identified as Mohammad Omar Jan Akhundzada, was leading evening prayers at a mosque in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Thursday when gunmen stormed the building and fatally shot him before fleeing, according to local police. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the deadly shooting. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Friday on social media platform X that Akhundzada was part of a government oversight committee of top Islamic scholars and taught at the central "jihadi" madrasa, or Isla mic seminary, in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. Mujahid also tweeted a picture of the deceased man. "We are saddened to learn that the country's leading religious scholar ... has been martyred," Mujahid wrote. "We condemn the killings of religious scholars as a heinous crime by enemies of Islam," he said without providing further details. Multiple Afghan sources reported that the slain scholar was a senior adviser to the reclusive Taliban supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, who is based in Kandahar and governs Afghanistan from there through religious decrees stemming from his strict interpretation of Islam. A senior Taliban official explained that the oversight committee comprises leading religious scholars and is responsible for reviewing all regulations before they are implemented to ensure that they conform to Islamic principles. Quetta is the capital of Pakistan's border province of Baluchistan. The city and surrounding areas host hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees and have previously also witnessed deadly attacks on Taliban-affiliated personalities in the community. Taliban chief Akhundzada himself was based in the Pakistani province and directed insurgent attacks from there against the United States-led foreign forces in Afghanistan until their withdrawal in August 2021, which paved the way for his fundamentalist group to reclaim control of the country. Since then, several central Taliban religious figures and associates also have been assassinated inside Afghanistan, including the capital, Kabul. Islamic State-Khorasan, a regional Islamic State affiliate and bitter rival of the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for many of the attacks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US calls for transparency from Cambodia over China-backed canal By Han Noy, Sun Narin April 19, 2024 The United States is urging Cambodia to be transparent over a proposed $1.7 billion canal financed by China that is worrying Vietnam due to its potential impact on water resource management. "The Cambodian people - along with people in neighboring countries and the broader region - would benefit from transparency on any major undertaking with potential implications for regional water management, agricultural sustainability, and security," Wesley Holzer, a U.S. embassy spokesperson in Phnom Penh, told VOA Khmer in an email on Tuesday. The proposed canal has alarmed neighboring Vietnam because of how the project would affect its use of water downstream. Cambodia approved the 180-kilometer-long (111.8 miles) Funan Techo Canal in May. The $1.7 billion project, part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, would connect the coastal province of Kep with Kandal and Takeo provinces inland. The proposed design is 100 meters (109.3 yards) wide upstream and 80 meters (87.4 yards) wide downstream, with a consistent depth of 5.4 meters (5.9 yards). It is the latest China-financed infrastructure project in Cambodia. Phan Rim, spokesperson of Cambodia's Ministry of Public Works and Transport, told VOA Khmer on Tuesday that the project is expected to be built by the end of this year as planned. The U.S. is urging Cambodian authorities "to coordinate closely with the Mekong River Commission [MRC] to provide additional project details and to participate fully in any appropriate environmental impact studies to help the MRC and member countries fully understand, assess, and prepare for any possible impacts of the project," according to the embassy spokesperson. Doan Khac Viet, deputy spokesperson for Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on April 11, "Vietnam is very interested in information about the Funan Techo Canal Project and has asked the Cambodian side to coordinate closely with the Vietnamese side and the International Mekong River Commission in sharing information and assessing the impact of the project." Brian Eyler, senior fellow and director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, said the canal connects with tributaries of the Mekong River, "but indeed the specifications submitted by the Cambodian National Mekong Committee to the Mekong River Commission show the first and shorter section of the canal connecting to the Mekong River in Kandal Province near the Kandal container port." "If the canal is indeed used for irrigation, then Vietnam's concerns will intensify because the only way to provide irrigation from the canal is to take much more water out of the Mekong than what is specified in the notification document to the MRC," he wrote in an email to VOA Khmer on Tuesday. "So much remains unclear about this project and it seems to be moving forward at breakneck speed with zero room for appropriate levels of information dissemination and regional discourse," Eyler said. He added that the project seems "to be driving a wedge between Cambodia and Vietnam and forcing other countries to choose sides on whether they support Vietnam or support Cambodia." "The 1995 Mekong Agreement and the MRC were established to avoid these kinds of negative and potentially disastrous outcomes," he said. "The MRC needs to be involved at all levels of this project, and currently it is not." In December, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet reassured Hanoi, saying the project "will not incur any negative impacts on the flow of the Mekong or other rivers while maintaining a stable environment, ecology and natural habitat for biodiversity." Rim Sokvy, an independent researcher in Cambodia, said the Cambodian government "will try its best to prevent the project from failing." "The project could contribute significantly to Hun Manet's image," he told VOA Khmer in an email on Tuesday. "If the project is going to fail, I don't think it is because Vietnam has been trying to oppose it. I think it is because of the withdrawal of China's support. However, I do not think that China will do so as Cambodia is its key ally." VOA Vietnamese contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Analysts: Argentina F-16, naval base decisions halt China's momentum By Natalie Liu April 20, 2024 International affairs analysts see a foreign policy shift with far-reaching repercussions for the U.S. and China in Argentina's decision this week to buy American-made F-16 fighter jets and its early April announcement to partner with the U.S. military on a naval base at the southern tip of South America. Argentina's decision to purchase 24 F-16s from Denmark rather than go with a competing bid from China led some Chinese commentators to lament the setback. Beijing has been trying for more than a decade to sell Argentina JF-17 fighter jets China developed with Pakistan. The choice was "somewhat inevitable" given the pro-democracy, anti-communist position of recently elected Argentine President Javier Milei, said London-based Argentina specialist Christopher Ecclestone. Rick Fisher, a senior fellow at the Washington-based International Assessment and Strategy Center, said that until Milei took office, Argentina appeared to be on a path that was heading to increasingly deeper political, economic and military cooperation with Beijing - a path that threatened U.S. interests in the region and beyond. Had China succeeded in selling its jets to Argentina, as well as other weapons including armored vehicles, it would have gained entry into the country's defense and security infrastructure, Fisher said, adding that "other Latin American countries would have been encouraged to follow in its footsteps." Strait of Magellan Analysts said Milei's decision to partner with the U.S. more broadly, including on a naval base near the Strait of Magellan, was equally important. China's persistent efforts to partner with Argentina on development of the base had been widely reported. In a speech earlier this month, Milei said Argentina would coordinate closely with the United States on the development of the Ushuaia naval base. Milei's remarks were made after he flew from Buenos Aires to meet U.S. Army four-star General Laura Richardson in Ushuaia. Her visit to Argentina this month was her third since taking the helm at the U.S. Southern Command in October 2021. "General Laura Richardson's visit to Ushuaia and Milei's trip there to hold a joint press conference was in itself a dramatic turn in Argentine foreign policy," Fisher told VOA. Fisher said Milei's actions since coming to office have reversed "the momentum communist China has built up in Latin America," and he called it a pushback against Beijing's global hegemonic ambition. The importance of the naval base in Ushuaia has everything to do with its location, experts say. It faces the Strait of Magellan and Antarctica further south, making it as strategically important as the Panama Canal. Had China secured control of the Strait of Magellan, it could potentially prevent the U.S. Navy from transiting military forces between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, Fisher said. Instead, "Argentina making common cause with the U.S. at the bottom end of LatAm effectively blocks China's access to South Atlantic from the Western side," Ecclestone noted in a message posted on LinkedIn. US response In a sign that the United States is focusing greater attention on Latin America after years of watching China make inroads south of its border, Richardson detailed other U.S. arms transfers and investments that are planned or under way. In addition to the F-16 fighters and a C-130 Hercules transport plane that the U.S. gifted Argentina following an 11-month lease, she told Argentine media that 250 Stryker armored vehicles were on the horizon. Construction of a plant in Argentina for the maintenance of the Strykers has also been discussed, Richardson said. Other equipment that could help Argentina with maritime patrols, including P-3 surveillance planes and King Air aircraft, are also on the list, she said. Richardson also disclosed that the U.S. was about to finish building an emergency operation center in Argentina's western Neuquen province, where Beijing has been operating a deep-space station since 2018. Experts say the station functions like a Chinese overseas military base and is closely linked to electronic and space warfare, including tracking and surveillance, a charge China denies. "Next we're about to install computers, screens and other IT stuff," Richardson said in an interview with Infobae, the most visited news website in Argentina. Asked about China's inroads in Latin American countries' 5G networks, Richardson urged countries to reflect on the nature of a communist government. "If they don't treat their own people with respect, what makes us think they will treat our people with respect?" She also pointed out that all state-owned enterprises dispatched abroad and engaged in strategic projects are required by laws dictated by the Chinese government to serve the interests and needs of the ruling Communist Party. The Pentagon has also approved funding for a seven-year program - the Theater Maintenance Partnership Initiative - aimed at helping nations maintain whatever equipment they buy from the U.S., Richardson said in the interview. Richardson said she didn't see why countries in Latin America couldn't rise to meet NATO standards for running and operating defense equipment. The United States is committed to partnering with the nearly 30 nations south of its border to strengthen their capabilities, she said. On that front, Buenos Aires is all in. On Thursday, Argentina sent a letter of intent to NATO requesting to become one of the organization's global partners. In another sign of reciprocity, the U.S. Embassy in Argentina announced Thursday that Washington was providing Argentina with $40 million toward its purchase of the F-16s. "This is the first time Argentina has received U.S. FMF [foreign military financing] since 2003," according to the embassy's press release. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 19 April 2024 - Day 786 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 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of April 19, there were 79x tactical engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 25x missile, 52x air strikes, 42x MLRS attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks wounded civilians. Apartment blocks and private houses, as well as other infrastructure targets were destroyed or damaged. Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of Russian offensive groups. Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in russian territories bordering Ukraine, conducts subversive and reconnaissance activities, shells various settlements from the territory of Russia, increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Volfyne (Sumy oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars fired at more than 10x settlements, causing civilian casualties. Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted no offensive (assault) actions. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, and Stepova Novoselivka (Kharkiv oblast). Lyman axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 9x attacks in the vicinities of Teverdokhlibove, Kreminna (Luhansk oblast), and Terny (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces attempted to breach Ukrainian defense in that area. The Russian adversary also launched air strikes in the vicinities of Ivanivka, Yampolivka, and Tors'ke (Donetsk oblast). More than 10x settlements, including Makiivka, Nevs'ke (Luhansk oblast), Terny, and Tors'ke (Donetsk oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire. Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian troops repelled 15x attacks in the vicinities of Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Chasiv Yar, and Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, Russian forces attempted to improve its tactical position in that area. Russian forces also launched air strikes in the vicinities of Druzhba, Ivanivske, and New York (Donetsk oblast). More than 10 settlements, including Hryhorivka, Kalynivka, and Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire. Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 26x attacks in the vicinities of Novokalynove, Ocheretyne, Berdychi, Umans'ke, Pervomais'ke, and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces attempted to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions in that area. Also, Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Yur'ivka and Novopokrovs'ke (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements, including Ocheretyne, Novobakhmutivka, and Umans'ke (Donetsk oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire. Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Novomykhailivka and Pobjeda (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, Russian forces launched 16x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense in that area. Also, Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka, Urozhaine, Vodyane, and Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast). More than 10x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Paraskoviivka, and Kostyantynivka (Donetsk oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire of the occupiers. Orikhiv axis: with the air support, Russian forces launched 4x attacks on the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinity of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast) and northwest of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast) and Mala Tokmachka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Chervone, Bilohir'ya, Shcherbaky, and P'yatykhatky (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under 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 19, Russian forces used air support as they enjoyed 6x unsuccessful attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops in the vicinity of Krynky (Kherson oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinity of Ivanivka (Kherson oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Tyahynka, Ivanivka, Novotyahynka, and Ponyativka (Kherson oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire. On April 19, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 6x concentrations of Russian troops and 1x command post. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that from 13 to 19 April 2024, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in response to the Kiev regime's attempts to cause damage to the Russian energy and industrial facilities, have carried out 34 group strikes by high-precision air- and sea-based weapons, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, which hit energy industry facilities, enterprises of the military-industrial complex and railway infrastructure of Ukraine, air defence facilities, and ammunition and fuel depots for military hardware. Moreover, drone operators' training centres, temporary deployment areas of AFU troops, nationalist formations, and foreign mercenaries were hit. In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line and hit manpower and hardware of 12 AFU and national guard brigades close to Kupyansk, Sinkovka, Zagoruykovka, Kotlyarovka (Kharkov region) and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic). In addition, 11 counterattacks were repelled by units of AFU 3rd assault, 21st, 63rd mechanised, 12th national guard special operations forces, and 125th territorial defence brigades close to Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), Torskoye and Terny (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 380 Ukrainian troops, one tank, nine armoured fighting vehicles, and 16 motor vehicles. In the course of counterbattery warfare, 18 field artillery guns including three U.S.-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery systems, as well as six ammunition depots and five Nota and Anklav electronic warfare stations were hit. In Donetsk direction, as a result of successful actions of the Yug Group of Forces' units, the Russian troops seized more advantageous lines, and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of four assault, two airmobile, and six mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Belogorovka, Razdolovka, Orekhovo-Vasilyovka, Bogdanovka, Kleshcheyevka, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Seven counterattacks launched by units of AFU 46th airmobile and 10th mountain assault brigades were repelled near Krasnogorovka and Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 3550 Ukrainian troops, four tanks, five armoured fighting vehicles, and 87 motor vehicles. In the course of counterbattery warfare, 31 field artillery guns, 14 of them were Western-made, as well as four Nota and Anklav electronic warfare stations, and seven ammunition depots were eliminated. In Avdeyevka direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Pervomayskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), and continued to advance into the depths of the enemy's defence. With the support of air strikes, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems fire, 53 counterattacks launched by assault groups of nine AFU brigades have been repelled close to Leninskoye, Novgorodskoye, Novokalinovo, Berdychi, Umanskoye and Netaylovo (Donetsk People's Republic). More than 2,170 Ukrainian troops, seven tanks, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, 35 motor vehicles, and 19 field artillery guns including two M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery systems, and one U.S-made M777 howitzer have been eliminated during the week In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces' units improved the tactical situation and hit units of AFU 58th motorised infantry, 72nd mechanised brigades, three territorial defence brigades and the Ukrainian National Guard Brigade close to Ugledar, Urozhaynoye, Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Priyutnoye, Mirnoye, Malinovka, and Lugovskoye (Zaporozhye region). The enemy lost up to 760 Ukrainian troops, one tank, 22 motor vehicles, one Grad MLRS combat vehicle, 14 field artillery guns, eight of them were Western-made. One Nota and one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations, as well as four field ammunition depots have been eliminated. In Kherson direction, units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of AFU 65th, 117th mechanised, 35th, 36th marine, 121st, 126th territorial defence, and 15th national guard brigades close to Orekhov, Rabotino, Shcherbaki, Kamenskoye (Zaporozhye region), Mikhailovka, Zmeyevka, Berislav, Ivanovka and Nikolskoye (Kherson region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 365 Ukrainian troops, 24 motor vehicles, 12 field artillery guns, including six U.S.-made, German-made, and Polish-made howitzers, as well as three Nora and Anklav electronic warfare stations. Missile troops, artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles of the Russian Groups of Forces have eliminated three MiG-29 fighter jets, four An-26 military transport aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force at the home airfield, two air target guidance radars, four S-300 anti-aircraft missile launchers, as well as one IRIS-T anti-aircraft missile launcher. Air defence systems have shot down 10 U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, six UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, five French-made Hammer and U.S.-made JDAM aerial bombs, two U.S.-made HARM anti-radiation missiles, four U.S.-made MALD aerial false targets, two Tochka-U tactical missiles, 78 HIMARS, Vampire, and Uragan MLRS projectiles, and 1,278 unmanned aerial vehicles. Over the past week, 27 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered. ?? In total, 590 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 21,882 unmanned aerial vehicles, 506 air defence missile systems, 15,802 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,267 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,981 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 21,143 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thirty-Seven Gang Members and Associates Sentenced in Large-Scale Racketeering and Drug Trafficking Case Thursday, April 18, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs The 37th and final defendant was sentenced today in a Northern District of Mississippi case that targeted the violent activities, drug trafficking, and money laundering of the Simon City Royals prison gang. Joshua Miller, 33, of Jackson, Mississippi, was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) conspiracy, including conspiracy to murder, related to his participation in the Simon City Royals. "The Simon City Royals gang engaged in murder and torture and smuggled drugs and other contraband into prisons," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "Today's sentencing of 37 gang members ends the gang's reign of terror in the communities and prisons of Mississippi. This prosecution demonstrates the Justice Department's resolve, along with our law enforcement partners, in holding violent criminal gang members to account." "Society simply cannot function if criminals and gangs are allowed to inflict violence on individuals and communities without consequences, and this years-long investigation and prosecution demonstrates that such criminality will not go unchecked," said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi. "I want to express extreme gratitude to our law enforcement partners for their tremendous efforts in putting an end to the reign of terror perpetrated by the Simon City Royals members and affiliates convicted in this case." According to court documents, the Simon City Royals were a violent prison gang operating primarily in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, but with members and associates acting on their behalf outside of prison throughout Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and elsewhere. Through their sophisticated structure and an alliance with the violent Gangster Disciples gang, the Simon City Royals engaged in a host of criminal activities, including murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, witness tampering, money laundering, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, large-scale drug trafficking, and fraud. "This investigation shows the dedication of the ATF and its law enforcement partners to making our neighborhoods safer by disrupting and dismantling these violent gangs wherever they exist," said Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) New Orleans. "We will continue to be aggressive in stopping their criminal activities, bringing them to justice, and making an impact on reducing violent crime in our communities." "This final sentencing shatters the myth of the Simon City Royals' invincibility," said Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) New Orleans Field Division. "Keeping our communities safe is the DEA's unshakeable mission. This message goes out to all who peddle drugs and unleash gun violence: law enforcement is relentless. We will never stop, not on the streets, not behind bars. We will dismantle these violent gangs, bringing the full force of the federal government to bear, and ensure they no longer terrorize our communities." The Simon City Royals were responsible for the brutal murder of a prison inmate in 2018, when a Simon City Royals leader issued a "kill on sight" order, directing any gang member who encountered the targeted inmate to murder him. In January 2018, Dillon Heffker and Robert Williams acted on the order, stabbing the victim dozens of times with improvised prison knives. Leaders of the Simon City Royals rewarded Heffker and Williams for the murder by arranging for hundreds of dollars to be directed to their prison commissary accounts. "In over 40 years of working with law enforcement and the State and federal courts in Mississippi, this case took as many serious offenders off the street as any I can remember," said U.S. Marshal Daniel R. McKittrick. "Thanks to all the agencies that work together to try and keep our communities safe." "The U.S. Secret Service is committed to investigating and pursuing those who aim to exploit our nation's financial systems in order to further a criminal enterprise," said Resident Agent in Charge Kyle Smith of the U.S. Secret Service's Jackson Resident Office. "Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners, a violent gang was dismantled and the individuals involved can now be held responsible for their crimes." The Simon City Royals were also responsible for the savage kidnapping and torture of a former gang member for perceived violations of the gang's code of conduct. In 2015, a member of the Simon City Royals kidnapped the victim at knifepoint and forced him into a hotel room. There, Simon City Royals members and associates tied the victim to a chair, interrogated him, tortured him, and burned off his Simon City Royals tattoo. In addition, the Simon City Royals engaged in widespread drug trafficking, including smuggling large quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana and synthetic marijuana, heroin, and benzodiazepines into dozens of Mississippi state prison facilities. The gang distributed these dangerous substances, including nearly 100% pure crystal methamphetamine, to inmates throughout the prison system. Prior to Miller's sentencing, his co-conspirators were sentenced to the following terms of imprisonment: Allen Posey, 48, of Jackson, 20 years; Jonathan Davis, 39, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, 30 years and five months; Jeremy Holcombe, 43, of Meridian, Mississippi, 20 years; Jonathan Burnett, 39, of Birmingham, Alabama, 22 years and six months; Hank Chapman, 38, of Riply, Mississippi, three years; Jason Hayden, 42, of Picayune, Mississippi, five years; Gavin Pierson, 33, of San Diego, 21 years and 10 months; Justin Shaw, 36, of Holly Springs, Mississippi, 25 years; Bobby Brumfield, 44, of New Orleans, 15 years and eight months; Jordan Deakles, 31, of Gulfport, Mississippi, two years and six months; Bryce Francis, 43, of Columbus, Ohio, 15 years; Anthony Murphy, 30, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 10 years; Chancy Bilbo, 31, of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, 20 years; Dillon Heffker, 32, of Bay St. Louis, 35 years; Douglas Jones, 34, of Jackson, 19 years and seven months; Cody Woodall, 31, of Gulfport, five years; Michael Muscolino, 43, of Phoenix, five years; Valerie Madden, 54, of Chicago, two years; Samuel Conwill, 45, of Tupelo, Mississippi, time served of 20 months; Jason Collins, 40, of Loraine, Ohio, five years; Justin Leake, 43, of Meridian, 25 years; Michael Dossett, 42, of Carriere, Mississippi, six years and six months; Angel Labauve, 43, of Picayune, Mississippi, nine months; Bruce Floyd, 42, of Senatobia, Mississippi, 10 years and five months; Jacquelyn Harmon, 33, of Senatobia, one year and months; Cody Myrick, 33, of Grenada, Mississippi, one year and eight months; Craig Thomas, 36, of Grenada, two years and three months; Arvis Tolbert, 43, of Hurley, Mississippi, three years; Preston Edwards, 36, of Jackson, 21 years and 10 months; Catherine Perry, 41, of Tupelo, five years; John Brooks, 37, of Greenwood, Mississippi, 10 years; Alana Dickey, 21, of Holly Springs, five years of probation; Austin Ruby, 35, of Holly Springs, 10 years; Chris Vincent, 20, of Gulfport, five years and two months; Trevor Overby, 45, of Jackson, time served of 18 months; and Anthony Rouse, 33, of Picayune, 10 years. The ATF, DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI Jackson Field Office, the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and dozens of local law enforcement agencies across multiple states investigated the cases, with valuable assistance from the Tupelo Police Department, Marshall County Sheriff's Department, Benton County Sheriff's Department, and Tippah County Sheriff's Department. Trial Attorney Ben Tonkin of the Criminal Division's Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Stringfellow for the Northern District of Mississippi prosecuted the cases, with valuable assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams for the Southern District of Mississippi. Topic: Violent Crime Components: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Criminal Division Criminal - Violent Crime and Racketeering Section Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) USAO - Mississippi, Northern USAO - Mississippi, Southern U.S. Marshals Service Press Release Number: 24-475 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Swiss Armed Forces to take part in world's largest cyber exercise Swiss Government Bern, 19.04.2024 -- In April, the Swiss Armed Forces Cyber Command is taking part in 'Locked Shields 2024', the world's largest cyber defence exercise, along with national and international partners. The exercise will provide practice in warding off cyber attacks on a country's critical infrastructure, by training on the virtual infrastructure of a fictitious country. The exercise is largely conducted in a decentralised manner on a virtual training platform. A Swiss delegation of around 70 people, including conscript and professional soldiers from the Armed Forces, Federal Administration employees and operators of critical infrastructure, will take part in the international cyber defence exercise 'Locked Shields 2024' from 23 to 25 April. During the exercise, one side will conduct real-time attacks on simulated computer networks and critical infrastructures of the other side. The teams must recognise and ward off these attacks. As only multinational teams are permitted to take part in the exercise, the Swiss Armed Forces Cyber Command is forming a joint team with other federal offices, members of the Austrian Armed Forces, the National Guard from two US states and representatives of Switzerland's critical infrastructure. A total of 4000 experts from 40 nations are taking part. Switzerland has regularly taken part in this exercise since 2010. This 'live fire exercise' in cyberspace is a challenge for all participants. The teams have to respond to and ward off real cyber attacks in real time. An evaluation will be made not only of the technical aspects of cyber defence, but also of information and reporting systems, decision-making, assessment of legal issues and communication work. Multinational training strengthens defence capabilities International cooperation helps the Swiss Armed Forces to strengthen their defence capabilities. The Swiss Armed Forces benefit from experiencing the expertise and standards of other armed forces. Cooperation is based on established formats and tried and tested general conditions, which can be developed and fine-tuned on a case-by-case basis. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chief of National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section Matthew F. Blue Delivers Remarks at EU Network Meeting on Battlefield Evidence in The Hague Friday, April 19, 2024 Location The Hague Netherlands Remarks as Prepared for Delivery Good afternoon. For those I have not met, my name is Matt Blue, and I am the chief of the Counterterrorism Section in the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. I'm honored to join you for this meeting on EU and U.S. cooperation regarding the sharing and use of battlefield evidence (BE) and collected exploitable material. I want to thank our Eurojust hosts for bringing us together for this important discussion and I want to thank all of you for the work you do to protect the communities you serve. Matt Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department sends his regrets for not being able to attend these meetings. Like the organizations you all represent, the primary mission of the Department of Justice, and in particular the office I represent, is to protect the people we serve. Every day, the professionals of the Department of Justice dedicate themselves to investigating and prosecuting terrorism crimes. But our work is more than that. Every day we work alongside our law enforcement partners, interact with our partners in the U.S. Intelligence Community, and collaborate with our foreign partners a many represented here today a to keep our communities safe. From Afghanistan to Iraq and Syria to parts of Africa, foreign fighters have, for years, traveled to battlefields from around the world. And some of those foreign fighters have returned to their home countries or other places under false pretenses with the goal of either hiding from their prior terrorist acts or to bring terrorism to cities around the world. And along the way, those foreign fighters have left behind trails of evidence a fingerprints on weapons and bombmaking materials, registration cards and other documentation, photos, and electronic devices. All of that evidence can be a goldmine for prosecutors and investigators. But it has to be collected, analyzed, and catalogued. For over two decades, the United States has collected an extraordinary volume of collected exploitable material and battlefield evidence. And every day, highly trained analysts and investigators sift through that evidence a carefully analyzing it and cataloguing it for retrieval and sharing. And sharing is our main goal a last year we disseminated hundreds and hundreds of cables, intelligence reports, and tearlines for law enforcement and intelligence with our partners around the world. As I'll discuss briefly in a moment, we have had some notable successes using all of this evidence to prosecute foreign fighters. My message to everyone here is that we want to build on those successes and do all that we can to support our partners to use collected exploitable material and battlefield evidence in investigations and prosecutions. We have systematically worked to ensure that we can tell the stories, to bring to justice those who have committed acts of terror, to bring to justice those who have supported terrorist networks, to bring to justice the murderers, the bombmakers, the terrorist leaders. Let me highlight two recent U.S. cases that involved the use of battlefield evidence. In 2019, the United States charged Emraan Ali with providing material support to terrorism. Previously, Ali and his family traveled to Syria, where he attended ISIS military and religious training. For years, Ali worked in residential construction for ISIS and became an ISIS merchant, purchasing and selling weapons to ISIS members. Foundational to the criminal charges against Ali was evidence in two logbooks and two hard drives collected by U.S. authorities. The information in the logbooks and on the hard drives established key details about Ali's involvement with ISIS. Last year, Ali pled guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In another case, the United States secured a 20-year prison sentence against Allison Fluke-Ekren who had traveled to Syria for the purposes of joining and fighting with ISIS. After joining ISIS, she was appointed as the leader of an ISIS military unit known as Nusaybah Katibah, which trained women in combat skills and to carry out suicide operations on behalf of ISIS. Fluke-Ekren trained 100+ women and girls as young as 10 years old. At her sentencing hearing, Fluke-Ekren downplayed her role in ISIS by claiming she was only teaching women how to defend themselves. BE introduced during the sentencing, including a letter she wrote to ISIS leaders asking for suicide belts, directly contradicted her claims. In these cases, and in many more, BE has proved vital to securing convictions and ensuring tough prison sentences for foreign fighters. Knowing how much evidence we've collected over the years, I know we can bring many more individuals to justice for their criminal activity. I am excited that this conference is another opportunity to share with our partners the value of this evidence and how we can best support you in your efforts to seek justice and to keep your communities safe. I'll wrap up with where I started - thanking you for your hard work and dedication to mission we all share a keep our communities safe from foreign fighters. I look forward to talking with you over the next couple of days and to our continued collaboration and partnership. Thank you. Topic: Counterterrorism Component: National Security Division (NSD) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Readout of Justice Department and EU Network Meeting on Battlefield Evidence Friday, April 19, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Chief Matthew F. Blue of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section Delivers Opening Remarks in The Hague This week, senior representatives and prosecutors from the United States, the European Union, international organizations, and civil society convened to exchange expertise on battlefield evidence in shared efforts to counter terrorism and transnational crime. On April 18 and 19, Chief of Counterterrorism Matthew F. Blue of the Justice Department's National Security Division represented the Department at the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) meeting in The Hague. Co-organized by the Eurojust Counter-Terrorism Working Group, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the EU Network for the investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against impunity and war crimes (Genocide Network ), the meeting provided critical information to terrorism and international crime prosecutors, including on high-level investigations such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Participants exchanged expertise on how evidence from past armed conflicts could be used in proceedings related to ongoing and future conflicts. Counterterrorism Chief Blue delivered opening remarks to the delegation. "Terrorists and war criminals should have no illusions that they are safe from prosecution when they plot and commit crimes in conflict zones," said Chief Matthew F. Blue of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. "The United States is committed to ensuring that battlefield evidence is available for use in its domestic cases and those pursued by its European allies. Today's meeting reaffirms the strong transatlantic commitment to ensuring that this vital tool is effectively harnessed." Participants further discussed how battlefield evidence can expose the operational workings and command structures of terrorist organizations, including the role of specific suspects and their associates, and how the information can be used to build cases that go beyond terrorism membership and financing to include other core international crimes. In joining forces, Eurojust, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Genocide Network have laid the foundation for enhancing the global response to crimes committed in conflict areas, both today and in the future. The expert meeting at Eurojust represents another milestone in the longstanding cooperation between Eurojust and U.S. authorities to share challenges and best practice amongst practitioners - a key component of overcoming legal and practical hurdles in ongoing and future criminal cases. For more information about the Department's Counterterrorism Efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/nsd/counterterrorism-section. Additional information about Eurojust is available at www.eurojust.europa.eu . Topic: Counterterrorism Component: National Security Division (NSD) Press Release Number: 24-479 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hackers break into Israeli military's computers, access trove of documents Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 9:14 PM A decentralized hacker group says it has managed to break into the Israeli military's computers, accessing a trove of "top secret" documents. Anonymous, as the hacker group identifies itself, announced the development in a video message, which was reported on by various media outlets on Friday. It said it had laid its hands on 20 gigabytes worth of data and a quarter of a million documents, including PDFs, Word files, and PowerPoint presentations. The military, however, dismissed the breach as minimal, claiming that the hackers were engaging in "psychological warfare." Months earlier, Anonymous said it had hacked the Israeli justice ministry, obtaining "eight million" data files reaching up to 300 gigabytes. The Israeli regime has come under numerous such cyberattacks since last October when it unleashed a yet-ongoing genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. More than 34,000 Palestinians, most of them women, children, and adolescents, have been killed so far during the war that was launched following a retaliatory operation by the coastal sliver's resistance groups against the occupied territories. Earlier this month, it was reported that hackers had managed to breach the Israeli regime's ministry of military affairs, offering to sell stolen data unless the regime released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The group that referred to itself as "NetHunter," said it had succeeded in accessing "classified documents" belonging to the ministry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Anonymous' Hackers Claim to Have Pilfered Over 20 Gigabytes of IDF Files Sputnik News 20240419 Hacker collective known as Anonymous announced that it managed to breach the IDF's cyber defenses and abscond with a vast trove of data. The hackers claimed in a statement that they stole over 20 gigabytes of information, including over 230,000 documents. According to The Jerusalem Post, the video that accompanied the hacker group's statement appeared to show "excerpts from PowerPoint presentations featuring IDF personnel, with slides bearing logos of General Staff departments." The newspaper, however, insists that the authenticity of the documents on display could not be immediately ascertained, adding that the IDF rated the likelihood of hackers gaining access to their computers as low. Instead, the Israeli military reportedly argued that the Anonymous statement could have been a "psychological warfare" tactic, and that if an actual breach did occur, then the hackers likely got the data off civilian computers as the IDF systems are simply too secure. Earlier in April, Anonymous hackers claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on the Israeli Ministry of Justice, which allegedly resulted in the theft of nearly 30 gigabytes of data. The group said at the time that they intend to continue targeting Israel until it stops its invasion of the Gaza Strip. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Preparing Army to deny adversaries 19 April 2024 Littoral manoeuvre, land-based strike and battlefield aviation are among the Australian Army capabilities to receive large investment commitments under the newly released Integrated Investment Program. The spending will enable Army to deny a potential adversary's freedom of action, as outlined by the National Defence Strategy, released on April 17. Direct investments in the amphibious-capable combined-arms land system total about $36 billion to $44 billion. Additional investments include about $3.9 billion to $4.9 billion for land-based strike, about $5.2 billion to $7.2 billion for land command systems and more than $9 billion for Army's estate and infrastructure. The funding will help optimise Army for littoral manoeuvre in Australia's northern approaches and includes the development of long-range land and maritime strike systems. About $7 billion to $10 billion will be set aside for 18 medium and eight heavy landing craft to be based in south-east Queensland, north Queensland and Darwin, and $5 billion to $7 billion for supporting infrastructure. The landing craft will be built in Australia and delivered between 2026 and 2037. Land-based strike funding includes the accelerated acquisition of 42 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems with precision strike and guided multiple launch munitions. After the first long-range fires regiment is established, missile stockpiles will progressively increase. Investment also includes new land-based radar networks to improve Defence's ability to detect and track approaching threats. In battlefield aviation, $9 billion to $10 billion will fund 40 UH-60M Black Hawks, 29 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and an expanded fleet of 14 CH-47F Chinooks. The Integrated Investment Program beds in funding for previously announced acquisitions such as the Redback infantry fighting vehicle, M1A2 Abrams main battle tank and Huntsman self-propelled howitzer. Between $1.6 billion and $2.1 billion is earmarked to modernise special operations capability, enabling continued reconnaissance, targeting, strike, technical operations and enhanced engagement. The restructure of Army's divisions, commands and formations began in 2023. The new structure includes specialised combat and support brigades, and a new dedicated fires brigade and littoral manoeuvre group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Update on AUKUS export reform progress The UK warmly welcomes the significant progress made with our partners the US and Australia to advance the AUKUS trilateral partnership, working together for a free and open Indo-Pacific and thereby enhancing stability, security, and prosperity in the region. 19 April 2024 The UK and the US are not only assisting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, we are working closely trilaterally to strengthen and improve interoperability and innovation in areas such as hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities, electronic warfare, quantum technology, artificial intelligence and automation, cyber, and additional undersea capabilities. In March 2023, our three Leaders met in San Diego to inaugurate the AUKUS partnership. Since then, we have been working tirelessly to advance the practical aspects. As part of this, to support and sustain our work, and to maximise the potential of technological advances, the 2024 US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) allowed exemptions to the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) for the UK and Australia. Yesterday, 18 April, the US Commerce Department also announced an expansion of the scope of licence-free trade to AUKUS nations under the Export Administration Regulations. UK and Australia are on track to meet the requirements of the NDAA and benefit from the exemptions. These will significantly reduce licensing requirements for both the UK and Australia and enable the closest possible collaboration between our scientists and engineers and our defence industries as a sector. The reforms will make it easier for our public and private sector security institutions to deliver a more integrated defence industrial base, secure jobs for our talented citizens and identify new opportunities for trilateral capability development. As we reach the first 120-day milestone identified in the NDAA, we are pleased to say that, as the next step in this process, the US will, in the next few weeks, be consulting with defence industry to ensure that implementation of the planned AUKUS exemptions realises their full potential. The UK will in this period also be finalising the last technical steps to benefit from the NDAA provisions. We are confident that by the next 120-day period we will have completed all the requirements for full implementation of the ITAR exemptions. UK, Australia and the US have long been indispensable partners and allies, across the globe. With these ground-breaking reforms, our shared values and strategic outlook will be underpinned by significantly enhanced capabilities and the prospect of even greater collaboration to come. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, UK and Australia further boost defence trade cooperation 20 April 2024 Australia welcomes the significant and tangible steps made by the United States Government to further streamline export control licensing requirements for AUKUS trilateral partners. A licence-free environment between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States will revolutionise collaboration and enable unprecedented levels of scientific, technological and industrial cooperation and co-development. As part of the license-free environment, the United States Department of Commerce announced yesterday that Australia and the United Kingdom are being provided with a national exemption from the Export Administration Regulations. This will reduce the burden associated with US export licences for dual-use goods to Australia, valued at almost USD$2 billion. The decision by the United States Department of Commerce to establish a licenceafree dualause export environment amongst and between AUKUS partners is another significant step towards establishing a seamless environment for innovation, cooperation and collaboration. It follows the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 in December 2023 that established a full national exemption for Australia and the United Kingdom from United States export control licensing requirements for military end use items. This US action is complemented by the Defence Trade Controls Amendment Act 2024 that passed through the Australian Parliament in March 2024. The Act provides a reciprocal national exemption for the United States and United Kingdom from Australia's export control permit requirements. The AUKUS trilateral partners will soon take another significant step forward in our commitment to streamline defence trade, cooperation and collaboration. Australia will release amendments to the Defence Trade Controls Regulation 2013 and Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958 for public consultation. The proposed amendments to the regulations will give effect to specific elements of the Defence Trade Controls Amendment Act 2024. In September 2024, the national exemption for the United States and the United Kingdom from Australia's export control legislation will come into effect. The United States Department of State will also release the International Traffic in Arms Regulations for public consultation, which will give effect to the exemption for Australia and the United Kingdom from the United States' International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The United Kingdom will also release its Open General Export Licence in September 2024 to give effect to the exemption for Australia and the United States. These exemptions will remove the licensing requirements for most military goods and technology items exported, re-exported or transferred (in-country) to or within the three AUKUS partners. This new licence-free environment will support the industry, higher education, and research sectors in all three nations to cooperate with lower technology transfer barriers and costs of trade. AUKUS nations are committed to working with our industry partners, and higher education and research sectors to ensure the exemptions, taken together, deliver real benefits, unlock opportunities and promote outcomes that support our shared interest. We look forward to continued engagement with stakeholders, including after trilateral partners publish draft regulations for consultation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China deepens engagement with new Indonesian president as top diplomat visits Jakarta Beijing's joint call with Jakarta for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza will boost its influence in Southeast Asia, one analyst said. By Tria Dianti and Ismira Lutfia Tisnadibrata for BenarNews 2024.04.18 -- China's 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 Indonesia's largest trading partner. Wang, too, mentioned Prabowo's Beijing trip, according to the same statement. "We really appreciate and welcome Defense Minister Prabowo's 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. 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 Indonesia's 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 Beijing's 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" Widodo's two terms, and Beijing would like that to continue as the U.S. tries to catch up with China's gargantuan influence in Southeast Asia, analysts have said. Indonesia, China call for ceasefire in Gaza Both Indonesia and China shared the same position on Israel's devastating attacks on Gaza, said Wang's Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi. Israel's 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 Asia's largest country, Indonesia, and other Mulism-majority states in the region, such as Malaysia and Brunei. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on April 19, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China 2024-04-19 23:27 From April 20 to 28, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the CPC Chen Wenqing will travel to Russia to attend the 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues and visit Russia at the host's invitation. CRI: Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on an official visit to Indonesia upon invitation from April 18 to 19. Can you brief us on the visit? Lin Jian: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi is on a visit to Indonesia from April 18 to 19. He met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and President-elect Prabowo Subianto respectively. Foreign Minister Wang co-chaired the Fourth Meeting of the China-Indonesia High-Level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism with Indonesia's Coordinator for Cooperation with China Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Foreign Minister Wang held talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and they met the press together. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Joko Widodo, the two countries have opened a new chapter of building a community with a shared future. The impressive achievement that China and Indonesia made in growing our relations is a result of a shared commitment to strategic independence, mutual trust, mutual assistance, win-win cooperation and fairness and justice. The two sides need to continue deepening strategic mutual trust, synergize development strategies, upgrade practical cooperation through high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and work to build a China-Indonesia community with a shared future with regional and global impact. The Indonesian side said its government attaches high importance to growing its ties with China and underscored Indonesia's commitment to the one-China policy. In recent years, the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership has maintained a sound momentum of growth. Indonesia looks forward to working with China to carry forward and further advance bilateral strategic cooperation on a higher level, uphold mutual respect, increase mutual benefits and jointly contribute more stability and positive energy for regional and global development and prosperity. The two sides agreed that our two countries need to carry forward our fine tradition in cooperation and help each other in making steady progress in our respective paths toward modernization with distinctive characteristics. Our two countries need to put development first, stand for universally-beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and oppose unilateralism and protectionism. Our two countries need to enhance multilateral collaboration, move toward an equal and orderly multipolar world, oppose stoking division and bloc confrontation in the region and uphold the common interests of the vast developing countries. The two sides had in-depth communication on the Middle East situation and other international and regional issues of mutual interest and stressed readiness to work with the international community to play a constructive role in easing regional tensions. AFP: Iran's state media reported that there were explosions in the central province of Isfahan today. US officials later told media that Israel launched the attack. What is China's response to these reports? Lin Jian: China noted the reports. We oppose any action that could further escalate the situation. Anadolu Agency: The US vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding Palestine's full membership at the UN. Twelve member states including China voted in favor but the resolution couldn't be passed because of US veto. What's China's comment about the US veto and the outcome of the vote?a Lin Jian: China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations has fully stated our position in his explanation of vote. An independent State of Palestine has been a long-cherished dream for generations of Palestinians. Full UN membership for Palestine is a crucial step in this historic process. Palestine first submitted a membership application as early as 2011. It was US opposition then that the Council's action was put on hold. Thirteen years later, it was again US veto that denied Palestine full UN membership and shattered the decades-long dream of the Palestinian people. History and people of the world will not forget this unconscionable act.a The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is still persisting. A severe humanitarian crisis continues to unfold in Gaza. The US denied Palestine's full UN membership, but it can't deny the region's call for immediate ceasefire, the Gazans' need for humanitarian aid, and the global desire for a just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. The international community needs to fully implement relevant UNSC and UNGA resolutions, fully respect the will of the Palestinian people, return to the two-State solution and establish an independent State of Palestine at an early date. Only by doing so can there be peace between Palestine and Israel, harmony between Arab and Jewish peoples, and lasting peace in the Middle East. On the question of Palestine, China always stands on the side of peace, justice and human conscience. China firmly supports full UN membership for Palestine, and will continue to work relentlessly and constructively with relevant parties to bring an early end to the fighting in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe, and implement the two-State solution. China Daily: We noted that recently the US has kept hyping up the issue of China's "overcapacity". Do you have any further comment on the issue of "overcapacity"? Lin Jian: Blaming China for "overcapacity" is not new. Years ago, the US accused China of "overcapacity" for exporting many high-quality, low-cost products. Now it is sticking the label of "overcapacity" to China's export of new energy products. The US exports 80 percent of its chips, especially advanced chips and is a large exporter of pork and agricultural products. Is that "overcapacity" according to US logic? In fact, the ratio of export to production for Chinese new energy vehicle is far lower than that of Germany, Japan and the ROK. This is certainly not "dumping extra products into the global market". "Overcapacity" may look like an economic issue, but truth is, the US is using it to hit Chinese industries and give the US itself an unfair advantage in market competition. It's another example of US economic coercion and bullying. In today's world, supply and demand are both global, and the capacity of each country is determined by comparative advantage. This must be seen from an objective, dialectical and rational perspective based on the laws of economics. China's leading edge in new energy is gained through strong performance, tech innovation and full-on market competition. A sick person doesn't get well by forcing others to take the medicine. Those who use overcapacity to justify protectionism have nothing to gain and will only destabilize global industrial and supply chains, harm emerging sectors and hinder the world's climate response and green transition. We urge the US to abandon the hegemonic mindset, keep an open mind, play fair, observe market economy principles and international trade rules, provide a truly world-class, market-oriented and law-based environment for trade and economic cooperation, and work with the rest of the world to advance universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. Xinhua News Agency: Amid the tense international landscape and frequent regional conflicts and turbulence, traditional and nontraditional security challenges keep emerging. Over the past two years since the Global Security Initiative was put forward by China, we have contributed to resolving global security difficulties and promoting common security of humanity. Can you share more details with us? Lin Jian: In April 2022, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Security Initiative (GSI) which is an important concept and action plan. Over the past two years, China has implemented the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and worked with the international community to fully implement the GSI and make important progress. The GSI has built up international consensus on seeking common security through solidarity and cooperation. The initiative advocates a new path to security featuring dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum. Two years on, the GSI has gained the support and recognition of over 100 countries and international and regional organizations. It has been written into a host of bilateral and multilateral documents of exchange and cooperation signed between China and other countries or international organizations. The cooperation under the GSI framework is advancing steadily. The GSI has provided viable solutions to solving disputes and differences, and managing risks and crisis. In particular, China released position papers on the Ukraine crisis, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Afghan issue to strive for peace talks and play a constructive role for the political resolution of regional hotspots. China facilitated the reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and set off a "wave of reconciliation" across the Middle East. We have set a good example for relevant countries in the region to resolve disputes, and uphold good-neighborliness and friendship. The GSI has provided strong impetus to uphold global peace and tranquility. China released the Global Security Initiative Concept Paper, and has deepened international cooperation on peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, climate change, disaster relief and the fight against transnational organized crime. Facing security difficulties in emerging areas, such as cybersecurity and AI governance, China released the Global Initiative on Data Security and the Global AI Governance Initiative to set the pace for international security governance in emerging areas. The GSI has improved international security dialogue and platform and guided regional security cooperation to move forward. China has advanced security exchange and cooperation under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, and East Asia cooperation. We have established a host of international platforms on security exchange and dialogue, such as Beijing Xiangshan Forum, the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang), the China-Africa Peace and Security Initiative and the China-Latin America High-level Defense Forum. We have pooled the consensus and efforts of the international community to address security challenges. As an important public good offered by China to address international security challenges, the GSI is increasingly relevant to the times and much more valuable. All peace-loving and development-minded countries and organizations are welcome to join in GSI cooperation with China to jointly build a better world with lasting peace and common security.a a Reuters: This is regarding Israel's attack of Iran's Isfahan city. Iran this week told Minister Wang Yi that it has no intention to further escalate tensions in the Middle East after its attack over the weekend. Given this latest attack by Israel, would China engage in further discussions with parties in the Middle East? In particular, will China talk to Israel? Lin Jian: China opposes any action that further escalates tension in the Middle East and will continue to play a constructive role in easing the situation. CCTV: US President Biden said in his speech in Pittsburgh that for too long, the Chinese government has poured state money into Chinese steel companies, pushing them to make so much steel and it ends up dumping the extra steel into the global markets at unfairly low prices, which caused damage in America. He said the US Trade Representative is investigating China's steel and aluminum sectors and threatened to triple the tariff rates for both steel imports and aluminum imports from China. He said that the administration is also taking a real hard look at the Chinese government's industrial practices when it comes to global shipbuilding, and that if the Chinese government is doing that and the unfair tactics to undermine free and fair trade competition in the shipping industry, the US will take action. Do you have more comments on that? Lin Jian: Those comments are far-fetched. They hurt China-US trade ties and deviate from the common understandings between the two presidents in San Francisco. China expresses grave concern and dissatisfaction over those comments. First, China's steel sector is mainly aimed at meeting domestic demand and receives no export-oriented subsidies. Only 5 percent of our steel is exported, far lower than Japan, the ROK and other steelmakers, which means the influence of our steel exports on the international market is very limited. The US, on the other hand, spends hundreds of billions of dollars on discriminatory domestic subsidies and abuses export controls citing "national security", which hinders normal international trade in chips and other products. What a double standard for the US to accuse China of "non-market practices". Second, various US studies show that the US shipbuilding industry lost its competitive advantage many years ago due to over-protection. The growth of relevant industries in China is a result of companies' tech innovation and participation in market competition. It also benefits from China's fully-fledged industrial manufacturing system and vast domestic market. Blaming US's own industrial woes on China lacks factual basis and economic common sense. Third, according to WTO ruling, the former US administration was wrong to impose additional steel and aluminum tariffs on certain WTO members and launch Section 301 investigation and raise tariffs on China. Instead of correcting its mistake, the US chose to double down on it by threatening with new tariff hikes and announcing a new Section 301 investigation. China will closely follow how the investigation proceeds. We urge the US to be prudent in its words and deeds, stop manipulating issues on China in the election year, stop turning economic and trade issues into security ones, lift additional tariffs on China and stop imposing new ones. China will take all steps necessary to firmly defend our own rights and interests. Global Times: It's reported that the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs issued the Statement in Response to Chinese Statement on the PH-JP-US Trilateral Summit. It said that the trilateral cooperation is a partnership and a cooperative framework for the promotion of peace, stability and economic prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. It should not be considered a threat by any peace-loving country. China's unwarranted references to the Cold War misrepresent the peaceful purpose of the trilateral cooperation. China should reflect upon its actions in the South China Sea, observe international law and promote regional peace and stability. What's China's comments? Lin Jian: China has made its position clear on the trilateral summit between the US, Japan and the Philippines. What's the true purpose of the summit? Are they seeking regional peace and cooperation or engaging in group politics and forming exclusive groupings? The people are not blind. The Philippine statement in response to China's stance on the PH-JP-US summit has little truth in it. It says nothing about what truly caused the problem, but tries to make the Philippines look like the victim and blame China. It's the Philippines who should reflect on its own actions. China's position on the South China Sea is consistent and clear. Over the past few months, maritime disputes between China and the Philippines have heated up. The root cause is the Philippines' breach of its commitments, frequent provocations and infringement on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. The Philippines has even attempted to get forces outside the region on board to embolden itself and put pressure on China. No provocation or coercion will deter China from safeguarding its sovereignty and rights and interests. The Philippines needs to know that it will not get its way by leaning on the US. The only path to a peaceful and stable region lies in commitment to good-neighborliness, returning to dialogue and consultation and maintaining strategic independence.aa China News Service: The China Wildlife Conservation Association and the San Francisco Zoo of the US signed the Letter of Intent on International Cooperation of Giant Panda Conservation this morning. Can you share more about this? Lin Jian: We noted that China Wildlife Conservation Association released relevant information. We are glad to see the two sides reach a letter of intent on the cooperation on giant panda conservation. It is learned that the two sides will make various preparations and try to send a pair of giant pandas to San Francisco Zoo in 2025. Giant pandas are not only a national treasure of China but also welcomed and loved by people across the world. They are emissaries and bridges for friendship. The US is one of the first countries to carry out cooperation with China on giant panda conservation. Since the 1990s, the Chinese and US researchers have worked together to successfully breed 17 giant panda cubs, contributing to the conservation and breeding of giant pandas. Meanwhile, the two sides have conducted joint study on the conservation of giant pandas in the wild, their feeding and breeding, and disease prevention, control and treatment. Together, the two sides cracked a number of difficult technical issues, enhanced sci-tech exchanges and capacity building in the conservation of giant pandas and other endangered wildlife, and played a positive role in improving the overall conservation of giant pandas, building closer bond between the two peoples and deepening people-to-people friendship. As we understand, this round of cooperation will continue to fully tap the collective wisdom, resources and knowledge of the two sides, improve the capability and level of the conservation of endangered species and biological diversity, and contribute to the friendship between the two peoples. Reuters: Yesterday, the European Union said it sees signs that China is supplying components to Russia that could be used to make weapons. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen as well as UK Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt also had a discussion on China's role in supplying Russia's military. How does China view these discussions happening among the Western powers? Lin Jian: China is not a party to or involved in the Ukraine crisis. China's position is fair and objective. We actively promote peace talks and never fuel the flame or seek selfish gains. China and Russia have every right to normal economic and trade cooperation, which should not be interfered with or restricted. The US and some European countries, among others, also trade with Russia. What's important is to reflect on the root cause of the crisis and do something that will actually bring back peace. CCTV: The US Department of State released its Report on Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments days ago, accusing China of failing to adhere to its nuclear testing moratoria and conducting sensitive biological activities for military purposes. What's China's comment? Lin Jian: Year after year, the US releases the so-called report on Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments. The report ignores facts and is full of preconceptions. On one hand, the report says nothing about the US's poor record on arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation. On the other hand, the report smears other countries with baseless accusations on their compliance. China firmly opposes it. On international arms control and nonproliferation, China is committed to true multilateralism and upholds the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law. China has faithfully fulfilled its international obligations and commitments and contributed to upholding the international arms control and nonproliferation system with concrete actions. In contrast, the US continues to follow a Cold War mentality and keeps stoking major-country confrontation. The US has little restraint in its military build-up and relentlessly seeks absolute advantage in the field of security. This has seriously jeopardized global and regional strategic stability. To sling mud at other countries in order to deflect attention and shirk responsibilities has become the US's go-to tactic. The international community is clear-eyed about this. We urge the US to stop pointing fingers at other countries, take a hard look at its track record in arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation, and earnestly respond to the legitimate concerns of the international community on the US's compliance. Dragon TV: It's reported that Tokyo Electric Power Company started to dump the fifth batch of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean on April 19. The discharge is expected to last until May 7 and reach nearly 7,800 tonnes. What's China's comment? Lin Jian: Since the unilateral launch of the discharge, despite international and domestic opposition, Japan has yet to resolve stakeholders' concerns on the safety of nuclear-contaminated water discharge, the long-term reliability of the purification system and the effectiveness of monitoring arrangement. Even so, Japan went ahead with the fifth round of discharge, essentially spreading the risk of contamination worldwide. This is rather irresponsible. China firmly opposes it. The ocean discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water bears on the health of all humanity, the global marine environment and the global common good. Japan needs to take seriously domestic and international concerns and handle the discharge properly with a responsible and constructive attitude. China urges Japan to cooperate fully in creating an independent, effective and long-term international monitoring scheme with substantive participation of Japan's neighbors and other stakeholders, so as to avoid irrevocable consequences stemming from the ocean discharge. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese navy is operating out of Cambodia's Ream base: US think tank The prolonged presence of 2 Chinese vessels suggests a deeper involvement than Phnom Penh admits. By RFA Staff 2024.04.19 -- Cambodia appears to have given the Chinese navy extended and exclusive access to its naval base in Ream despite official claims that they only arrived for training purposes, a U.S. think tank said. Radio Free Asia first reported on the arrival of two Chinese corvettes last December, the first foreign warships allowed to dock at the new Chinese-built pier at Ream, Sihanoukville province. The ships left the pier on January 15, 2024, only to return several days later, said the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C. in a new report. AMTI analyzed commercial satellite imagery that shows the Chinese vessels "have now maintained a consistent presence for over four months." "It appears that they've been based there, just as the leaked 2019 MOU [memorandum of understanding] suggested they would be," said Greg Poling, AMTI's director, referring to the reported controversial agreement between Cambodia and China in 2019 giving Beijing exclusive rights to part of the Ream naval base. "This isn't just a visit or an exercise," Poling told RFA. "Despite the Hun Sen and Hun Manet governments' denials, the PLAN [People's Liberation Army Navy] is operating out of Ream." Training Cambodian navy The AMTI report said that no other ships, including Cambodian vessels, have been seen docking at the new pier, "which was completed last year to enable larger warships to dock in Ream's shallow waters." This indicates "a visible sign of privileged access for China's military," it said, adding that the degree of China's access to Ream in the future will confirm whether Ream has become a Chinese naval base. Cambodia is preparing for the upcoming annual joint exercise Golden Dragon with the Chinese military, part of which will be conducted at sea, RFA has learned. Naval commanders held a meeting in Phnom Penh on April 18 to discuss the exercise. It is unclear whether the Chinese vessels currently at Ream would take part in Golden Dragon 2024. In last year's iteration, the two navies conducted their first-ever joint naval drills in the waters off Sihanoukville, but with a landing ship dispatched from China. RFA has contacted Rear Adm. Mey Dina, Ream naval base's commander, for more clarification but has not received any reply. When the two Chinese ships arrived in Ream in December 2023, Cambodia's minister of defense Tea Seiha said on Facebook that it was "for training our Cambodian Navy crew." In the following days there was indeed a training course for Cambodian navy staff at Ream, attended by Chinese officers. However, there were no further reports on any activity of the Chinese ships in either Cambodian or Chinese media. "We don't know what the Chinese have been up to [at Ream] because China builds and operates it itself," said a Cambodian analyst who wished to stay anonymous due to the sensitivity of the topic. "What appears to be evident is that Beijing has begun to station semi-permanent warships there as a means of solidifying its military footprint across Southeast Asia," said Paul Chambers, a political scientist at the Center of ASEAN Community Studies at Naresuan University in Thailand. "A Chinese foothold in Cambodia offers support to other nearby Chinese military platforms in the South China Sea, Myanmar, Laos, and southern Asia," Chambers told RFA. 'Serious concerns' A spokesperson from the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh said in an email to RFA that "the United States and countries in the region have consistently expressed serious concern about the intent, nature, and scope of construction at Ream naval base, as well as the role the PRC (People's Republic of China) military is playing in this process and infuture use of the facility." "The Cambodian people, neighboring countries, ASEAN, and the region more broadly would benefit from transparency on PRC activities at Ream," the embassy wrote. There has been no immediate comment from the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh. The U.S. State Department last December said it had "serious concerns" about China's plans for exclusive control over portions of Ream Naval Base, a claim that Cambodia has repeatedly denied. Top officials in Phnom Penh have maintained that allowing a foreign military to be based in Cambodia would be in contradiction to the country's constitution. Cambodian analyst, Chhan Paul, wrote in the pro-government newspaper Khmer Times that any allegation of a Chinese military base is a "deliberate attempt to malign Cambodia." "Cambodia never claims that it won't allow warships from China to dock at the Ream naval base. Cambodia openly welcomes warships from other friendly countries to dock at the base," the independent analyst wrote, "Therefore, the mere sighting of a Chinese warship cannot be interpreted to mean anything out of the ordinary." Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi is to visit Cambodia from April 21 to 23 to further consolidate bilateral relations in "wide-ranging areas," according to a press release from the Cambodian foreign ministry. Wang Yi is scheduled to call on King Norodom Sihamoni and meet with Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father Hun Sen, who is now the president of the country's Senate. Edited by Mike Firn. Updates with comment from U.S. Embassy. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China rebukes US deployment of missiles in Indo-Pacific By John Xie April 19, 2024 Beijing officials are decrying the deployment of U.S. medium-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region for the first time since the Cold War. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian, at a regular press briefing Thursday, said China "expresses grave concern" and "strongly opposes the U.S. ... strengthening forward deployment at China's doorstep to seek unilateral military advantage." The U.S. military on Monday confirmed it had on April 11 placed a mid-range capability missile system on northern Luzon in the Philippines as part of joint military exercises called Salaknib 24. It's the first time since the Cold War that the U.S. deployed such a system in Asia. The half military-funded Stars and Stripes identified the system as the Army's newest Typhon launcher, a land-based system that can fire various missiles, including the SM-6 supersonic missile, with a range of about 450 kilometers, and the Tomahawk cruise missile, with a maximum range of 2,500 kilometers. That means the system is capable of covering not only the entire Taiwan Strait and the Philippines' Luzon Strait but also the most important cities on China's eastern coast and Chinese military bases in and around the South China Sea. Stars and Stripes described the system as "temporarily deployed" for the exercises. Janes, an open-source defense and intelligence company, quoted a Philippine Army spokesman saying the missile system will be used by the army only during exercises Salaknib 24, which ends April 19, and the upcoming Balikatan 24, which starts April 22 and finishes May 10. Nonetheless, analysts say the missile placement is noteworthy. "The deployment of these ground-based missiles into the Pacific is a significant development," says Eric Heginbotham, a principal research scientist at MIT's Center for International Studies. "For example, in an invasion of Taiwan, a Chinese amphibious fleet would effectively have to anchor off a landing area in Taiwan. Its location would be known. And these maritime strike Tomahawks could go to work, target the fleet, and sink part of it," he tells VOA. Beijing considers self-ruled and democratic Taiwan a renegade province that must one day reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary. Wilson Beaver, a policy adviser for defense budgeting at The Heritage Foundation, tells VOA that for now, the U.S. is only deploying one battery, which likely won't change Chinese military planning unless it becomes more permanent. "... Long-term, this new system could seriously complicate Chinese military planning were it to be deployed to the theater in greater numbers by forcing Chinese planners to account for air, sea, and ground-based American missiles capable of destroying ships attempting an invasion of Taiwan. Ideally, this would be sufficient to deter China from the attempt," he notes. The U.S. military last year announced plans to deploy the missile defense system in the Pacific this year, but their destination was the subject of speculation. Commander of the U.S. Army Pacific Command Charles Flynn earlier this month told Korean media, including Yonhap News Agency, that the missiles would soon be deployed, though he did not disclose the specific times and places. China has been warning against the plan. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian last week called it "a dangerous move that will seriously threaten the security of regional countries and undermine regional peace and stability." The Chinese navy has rapidly grown in the past decade to become the world's largest navy. The U.S. Defense Department, "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China," in October estimated China has more than 370 ships and submarines a more than the U.S.'s less than 300. The U.S. plans to increase its fleet to 435 by 2030. China's large number of vessels and modernizing navy has raised concerns that it could have an advantage in the event of conflict with Taiwan or over territorial disputes in the South China. Beijing claims most of the Sea, putting it in conflict with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. As China's navy grows, the U.S. fleet is on a "downward trajectory," maritime experts say. Analysts say the U.S. deployment of medium-range missiles to the Philippines will make it harder for China to claim regional advantage. Heginbotham says missiles would counterbalance China's advantage in having more warships, "and that's why the U.S. has gone on a huge missile buying spree recently." "If you have enough of these missiles coming in to attack, it almost doesn't matter how big your fleet is," he says. Analysts say China not only has the world's largest navy fleet but also the world's most diverse land-based missile force, giving it powerful anti-access and area denial capabilities. Raymond Kuo, the inaugural director of the RAND Corporation's Taiwan Policy Initiative and a senior political scientist at RAND, tells VOA, "China was never part of the intermediate-range nuclear forces agreement. So, it has a whole bunch of missiles that can reach different ranges. The U.S. and Russia were part of that agreement, so they haven't developed these missiles quite as much. Deploying them around the Indo-Pacific region, I think, helps to balance out the missiles in the region. And so, it can be useful as a deterrent," he says. Under the restrictions of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the U.S. agreed not to develop and deploy land-based ballistic missiles and cruise missiles with a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. The Typhon is considered to be the latest result of withdrawing from the treaty and can make up for the firepower gap of the U.S. military within this range. Although the U.S. Navy and Air Force also can launch sea-based Tomahawks, and the Air Force can launch air-based cruise missiles, Kuo says the deployment "gives the army a bit more of a mission in the region and can help to actually offset some of the challenges faced in the Air Force and the Navy, for example." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan, China bicker over Beijing's actions in Indo-Pacific By Christy Lee April 19, 2024 China is challenging Japan's latest analysis of the threat posed to the Indo-Pacific region by Beijing as a hyped-up threat and false accusation. In the Japanese Foreign Ministry's annual Diplomatic Bluebook that was published Tuesday, China's military moves are described as posing "the greatest strategic challenge," according to Japanese media. An official English version has not been published. The Bluebook reportedly condemns China's actions in the South China Sea and its attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Sea. At the same time, according to Japanese media, it says for the first time since 2019 that Japan seeks to build "a mutually beneficial relationship" with China "based on common strategic interests." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected Japan's criticisms at a news briefing on Tuesday. "Japan has resorted to the same old false accusations against China and hype of 'China threat' in its 2024 Diplomatic Bluebook," he said. He continued: "We urge Japan to change its wrong course of actions, stop stoking bloc confrontation, truly commit itself to advancing a strategic relationship of mutual benefit with China and work to build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship fit for the new era." Yuki Tatsumi, director of the Japan Program at the Washington-based Stimson Center, said, "Japan's concerns about Chinese behavior, both military and paramilitary, have been intensified for the last few years due to the acceleration of Beijing's aggressive behavior in East and South China Sea." She continued, "In addition, Tokyo has been put on alert about Beijing's increasingly hostile and aggressive rhetoric and behavior toward Taiwan." Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin could meet in early May in Hawaii, according to a Thursday report by The Japan Times citing unnamed Japanese officials. Kihara and Austin would discuss setting up a proposed allied command and control structure and a body to identify kinds of weapons the two countries will develop and produce together, said the report. These plans were announced April 10 at a bilateral summit in Washington. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) announced on Tuesday that it will conduct a naval deployment including six surface ships, submarines, and two air units starting May 3 to support a free and open Indo-Pacific. The deployment includes visits to more than a dozen countries including the U.S., the Philippines, India, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Marshall Islands, Fiji and Palau. It is meant "to strengthen cooperation with the allied partner navies through conducting exercises," said JMSDF. Daniel Sneider, lecturer in international policy and East Asia Studies at Stanford University, said even as Tokyo is building its defenses and is concerned about Beijing's assertiveness and especially its relations with Moscow, its mention in the Diplomatic Bluebook of wanting to build relations with Beijing reflects Tokyo's balanced approach toward China. "The Bluebook reflects a balance between, on one hand, some degree of warning the Chinese off doing things that disrupt the order" in the region "and, on the other hand, making it clear that Japan really is not interested in some type of full-scale confrontation with China," including economic warfare, said Sneider. As to China, it tends to see "any attempts on the part of the Koreans and the Japanese to engage and improve relations as a sign of weakness," continued Sneider. China, Japan and South Korea plan to hold trilateral talks in May for the first time since 2019. They will meet in Seoul ahead of a Washington-Seoul-Tokyo trilateral summit expected in July. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China says US' overcapacity claims a disguise for crackdown, constitute bullying against Chinese industry Global Times By Global Times Published: Apr 19, 2024 08:08 PM China's Foreign Ministry on Friday again rebuked US accusation of Chinese overcapacity, saying that the US' claims, while sounding like an economic concept, are a disguise for its malign attempt to curb China's industrial development and a form of economic coercion and bullying. The remarks came as the US continued to hype its so-called accusation of overcapacity across various Chinese industries and even threatened to take measures, including increased tariffs against Chinese products, in its latest crackdown campaign against China. Commenting on US' accusations of overcapacity at a regular press briefing in Beijing, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, said that such claims against China are not new, as the US has long accused China of overcapacity, as China exported a large volume of high-quality, affordable products to the world. "The so-called overcapacity claim raised by the US seems to be an economic concept, but behind it is the vicious attempt to curb and suppress China's industrial development. It aims to seek a more favorable competitive position and market advantage for itself. It is blatant economic coercion and bullying," Lin said. Lin further pointed out that 80 percent of US chips are exported and a huge amount of US ports and agricultural products are also exported. Can this be called overcapacity, based on the US' own logic? Lin also noted that the proportion China's exports of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) in total output remains far below that of Germany, Japan, South Korean and other countries, which shows there is no overcapacity in China's NEV sector. "Prescribing medicine for others cannot cure one's own disease. US 'overcapacity' charge as a pretext for protectionist trade measures cannot address one's own problems. Instead, it will hinder the stability of the global production and supply chain, harm the growth and development of emerging industries, and undermine the international community's joint efforts to address climate change and green transformation and development," Lin said. Also on Friday, Lin responded to remarks made by US President Joe Biden, who called for substantial higher tariffs against Chinese steel products during a speech given in the US steel production base of Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Biden also accused China of offering subsidies to expand steel production capacity, which harms US businesses. In response, Lin said that relevant claims made by the US side are completely untrue and could harm China-US economic and trade relations. "China is seriously concerned and strongly dissatisfied with this," he said. The spokesperson also noted that China's steel industry relies on domestic demand and does not receive any export subsidies, further adding that China's proportion of steel exports in its total output has long remained at around 5 percent and is far below that of Japan, South Korea and other major steel producers. China will closely follow the US' so-called investigation, urging the US to be prudent in its words and deeds, stop political manipulation on China-related issues during the election year, and stop overstretching the concept of national security regarding economic and trade issues, remove existing additional tariffs and refrain from imposing new tariffs, Lin said. "China will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend its rights and interests," the spokesperson noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address N.Korea Has Conducted Test of 'Super-large Warhead' for Strategic Cruise Missile - Reports Sputnik News 20240419 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - North Korea has conducted a power test of a "super-large warhead" for a strategic cruise missile, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported citing North Korea's KCNA. According to the report, North Korea also test-fired a new anti-aircraft missile in the Yellow Sea this week. The report said a "certain goal" was achieved through the test launch. The warhead was designed for the "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile, and the new anti-aircraft missile was the "Pyoljji-1-2," it said. Both tests were reportedly part of the regular activities of the North Korean missile administration. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DRDO hands over first batch of indigenous Leading Edge Actuators & Airbrake Control Module to HAL for LCA Tejas Mk1A India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 19 APR 2024 5:42PM by PIB Delhi DRDO's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has handed over the first batch of the indigenous Leading Edge Actuators and Airbrake Control Module to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), marking a significant leap towards self-reliance in aeronautical technologies. The HAL, Lucknow has already made preparations for the production of these units for the current 83 LCA Tejas Mk1A order. The Secondary Flight Control of LCA-Tejas, comprising Leading Edge Slats and Airbrakes, now boasts state-of-the-art Servo-Valve based electro-hydraulic servo actuators and control modules. These high pressure, redundant servo actuators and control module, characterised by astute design, precision manufacturing, assembly, and testing, represent a culmination of ADA's relentless pursuit of indigenous technological prowess. Collaborating with Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, and Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI), Bengaluru, ADA plans to achieve self-reliance in these technologies. The successful completion of flight trials for Leading Edge Actuators and Airbrake Control Modules has paved the way for production clearance, enabling HAL to gear up for equipping the Mk-1A variant of LCA Tejas. The production of these critical components is underway at the Accessories Division, HAL, Lucknow, marking a significant stride towards bolstering India's aerospace manufacturing capabilities. Noteworthy contributions from public and private industries, including Godrej Aerospace, Mumbai, alongside certification agencies such as CEMILAC and DGAQA, have been instrumental in this endeavor. Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO and DG-ADA congratulated the entire team of ADA, RCI, HAL, CMTI and all participating industries for achieving this significant milestone. ABB/Savvy/KB (Release ID: 2018282) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Voters begin casting ballots in weeks-long election in India Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 8:33 AM India's mammoth general elections have begun, marking the start of a seven-phase democratic exercise for the world's largest democracy that will span over six weeks with a billion people eligible to vote. The initial and most extensive phase of the election commenced Friday, which encompasses 166 million voters spread across 102 constituencies in 21 states and union territories, ranging from Tamil Nadu in the south to Arunachal Pradesh on the Himalayan border with China. From the northern Himalayas to the southern Indian Ocean, from the eastern hills to the western deserts, and in sprawling urban centers that boast some of the world's largest cities to the tiniest rural villages, approximately 969 million individuals have the right to exercise their voting rights, making it the world's largest polling event. The voters will use 5.5 million Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) at 1.05 million polling stations, with some situated in the snow-covered Himalayan Mountains, the deserts of Rajasthan, and sparsely inhabited islands in the Indian Ocean. These eligible voters will choose 543 representatives to serve in the Lok Sabha, the country's lower house of parliament. Additionally, two members will be appointed, bringing the total number of seats in the house to 545. The Election Commission of India (ECI) will assign approximately 15 million polling staff and security personnel to oversee the electoral process. These individuals will traverse glaciers and deserts, utilize elephants and camels for transportation, and even utilize boats and helicopters to guarantee that every eligible voter is able to participate in the voting process. Such hefty figures also make it the world's most expensive election till date, while the spending by the political parties, amounting to more than $14.4billion, is said to be twice of what they spent during the 2019 elections, i.e., 600 billion rupees ($7.2 billion). The country has more than 2,500 political parties but just 10 of them hold 86% of all seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aims to secure a third consecutive triumph and a larger majority, further solidifying its dominance over India's political landscape, economy, and society. Presently, his party commands slightly more than half of the seats in the Lok Sabha. "Modi-ji is coming back again," declared Sarita Singh, 48, a schoolteacher casting her ballot at a women's college. "He is taking the country forward." According to Indian political experts, the secret behind Modi's popularity is that throughout his tenure he along with his party members weaponized the Hindu religion as a means to gain the Hindu-majority support. Modi and his party are also infamous for their anti-Muslim allegations, as he is renowned for being called an Islamophobe by Muslim activists in India. The Indian National Congress and approximately twenty center-left opposition parties are challenging Modi, alleging that the BJP has greater financial resources and influence over the media and law enforcement agencies. The Congress party, being the oldest political party in India, has been in power for a significant portion of the years following India's independence in 1947. However, its influence has faced challenges since Modi's rise to power. The south-Asian country is home to more than 1.4 billion people, making it the world's most populous country. India's opposition parties have been under continuous assault by influential state agencies for the last decade, resulting in a significant decline in their strength. The results of this election will be announced on June 4. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Next response to Zionist regime will be immediate, severe: Iran FM warns IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 19, 2024 New York, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian has warned that the Zionist regime will be met with a quick and severe response in case of its another mischief following the Islamic Republic's retaliatory strikes on the Israeli positions in the occupied territories. "Our next response will be immediate and at a maximum level in case the Israeli regime embarks on adventurism again and takes actions against the interests of Iran," Amirabdollahian told CNN's Erin Burnett in an exclusive interview in New York on Thursday. The full text of the interview is as follows: Speaking from the Iranian Permanent Mission at the United Nations, Amirabdollahian said, Iran sincerely hoped Israel would not repeat "the previous egregious error." "If the Israeli regime commits the grave error again, our response will be decisive, definitive and regretful for them," Amirabdollahian said, noting that this warning had been communicated to the White House via the Swiss Embassy in Tehran. "We do not seek to create tension and crisis or increase such situations in West Asia and we sincerely hope the Israeli regime does not repeat the previous egregious error," he said. The details of a potential "maximum response" have been planned by Iran's armed forces, he added. Amirabdollahian also said he is hopeful that any potential Israeli actions would be stopped by the US and that the White House "will not give renewed permission for adventure-seeking Israel". "We believe that America will calculate according to messages that were exchanged between Washington and Tehran over the past six months," he said, when asked whether American assets could be targeted if the US helps to defend against incoming missiles against Iran. "In (the) previous operation, we announced to the Americans that we will not target American bases and installations in the region other than if we come across a condition in which the United States of America puts itself beside the Israeli regime in order to expand the warfare intentions," he said. Amirabdollahian also said the intent of the Iranian strike on Israel last weekend was "to warn" and to "have taken equal action" and "to let it (be) known we do have the means to respond." He said the more than 300 missiles and drones fired by Iran on Saturday "stayed within a minimum of frameworks" and the action was "legitimate defense" in response to the Israeli strike on the Isranian consulate in Damascus. "Our operations in response were carried out at a minimum because we were not seeking to hit multiple targets," he said. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps launched a missile and drone operation dubbed 'True Promise' against the Zionist regime on the night of April 13 in response to an Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate on April 1. Iran's anti-Israel operation was conducted by Shahed 131/136 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Kheibar Shekan ballistic missiles, Emad ballistic missiles, and Paveh cruise missiles. Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has repeatedly said that carrying out the defensive operation and punishing the Zionist regime was the only option left for Iran. 7129**4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Air defense system activated as blast heard in Iran's Isfahan: Official IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 19, 2024 Isfahan, IRNA -- Iran activated an air defense system in the early hours of Friday after the sound of an explosion heard near a major airbase in the central province of Isfahan, an Iranian official says. Reuters quoted an Iranian source as saying that the blast prompted the activation of the air defense system. CNN also claimed that at least eight flights had to change their route in the skies over Iran. Further, CBS News quoted unnamed US officials as saying that the Israeli regime launched at least one missile strike on Iran the early Friday morning. A senior Iranian military official in Isfahan, however, clarified the reports and western media speculations on a relatively loud noise at 4 a.m. local time. Second Brigadier General Siavash Mihandoost said that the sound was heard in the east of Isfahan as the city's air defense fired at a suspicious object. No damage has been reported in the incident, the official added. IRNA reporter's field investigation also showed that the city and province of Isfahan were in normal condition. 7129**4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. sanctions Iran's drone program, steel industry, automaker in response to attack against Israel People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 11:19, April 19, 2024 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Raeisi: Operation True Promise 'a necessary response' to Israel Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 11:26 AM Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has commended the Islamic Republic's retaliatory strikes on the Israeli-occupied territories on April 13, stressing that the military operation showcased the country's power and was a necessary response to the illegal regime. Raeisi made the remarks in a visit to the Iranian city of Damghan in the northern province of Semnan on Friday as he pointed to Operation True Promise, the punitive reprisal by the Iranian Armed Forces that involved the launch of hundreds of missiles and drones on various Israeli military sites. "Operation True Promise brought about authority, unity, and cohesion for the country," the Iranian president said. "This operation both showed the power of the Islamic Establishment and the strength of our armed forces, and it also indicated the steely will of the people under the guidance of Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei]." The chief executive underlined that "All political groups believe that this response was a necessary, unifying and great honor for the country." Raeisi also said Iran's enemies do not want the country to grow but the Iranian nation is determined to progress in various economic fields. "The war is a war of wills, and in the war of wills, the Iranian nation has won and will continue to gain further wins," he noted. In a multi-pronged attack, dubbed Operation True Promise, Iran launched late on April 13 more than 300 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 the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, as well as five of their accompanying officers. 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." The Iranian president 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operation True Promise yields four 'historic' achievements, says top commander Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 10:46 AM Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Force Brigadier General Kioumars Haydari says Iran's recent retaliatory operation against Israel constituted four historic achievements, noting that the operation changed the balance of power in the region. Addressing worshippers at the weekly Friday Prayers in the capital Tehran, Haydari stated that Operation True Promise had four achievements, and firstly showed in a practical and decisive way that the regime is weaker than a spider's web, as Iranian drones and precision-strike missiles penetrated through Israel's so-called Iron Dome system. The operation was also in line with the order of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei that the Israeli regimes has to be punished, the commander added, noting that the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) jointly gave a punitive response to Israel. "The third achievement of Operation True Promise was, therefore, that it shattered the Zionist regime's invincibility myth," Haydari said. He went on to underscore that the operation also changed the balance of power in the region in favor of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and established the superior prowess of Iranian Armed Forces. "The regime should know that if it commits a new mistake, it will be punished much harder and more severely," he warned. "Regional countries have been told many times that the presence of foreigners cannot ensure their security and national interests, and that unity and focus on convergent issues can best help security across the region," he said, adding, "Operation True Promise showed that the Islamic Republic has the upper hand in the region, and can provide security without the interference of any foreign power." Commenting on the news that Iranian air defense systems fired at a suspicious object in the central city of Isfahan on Friday morning, the commander stated that the country's air defense systems will not hesitate to shoot down any hostile flying object. Iranian air defenses "repelled this threat," he said noting that full security is in place in the country. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched extensive missile and drone strikes late Saturday night on the Israeli-occupied territories. The series of retaliatory strikes, dubbed Operation True Promise, inflicted damage on Israeli military bases across the occupied lands. It was in retaliation for the Israeli attack on April 1 against the Iranian consulate in Damascus, located next to the embassy building in Damascus's Mezzeh district. The airstrike killed two senior Iranian military personnel who were on an advisory mission to Syria as well as five of their accompanying officers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's response to Israel will be 'immediate, at maximum level', FM tells CNN Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 9:16 AM Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says his country's military reaction would be "immediate and at a maximum level" in case the Israeli regime commits folly again and decides to take a measure against the Islamic Republic. "In case the Israeli regime embarks on adventurism again and takes action against the interests of Iran, the next response from us will be immediate and at a maximum level," Amir-Abdollahian told CNN television news channel in an exclusive interview in New York on Thursday. His remarks came after Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched extensive missile and drone strikes late Saturday night on the Israeli-occupied territories. The series of retaliatory strikes, dubbed Operation True Promise, inflicted damage on Israeli military bases across the occupied lands. It was in retaliation for the Israeli attack on April 1 against the Iranian consulate in Damascus, located next to the embassy building in Damascus's Mezzeh district. The airstrike killed two senior Iranian military personnel who were on an advisory mission to Syria as well as five of their accompanying officers. IRGC said Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, and his deputy General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi were among the seven martyrs of the terrorist attack. Speaking from the Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Amir-Abdollahian told CNN on Thursday that Iran hopes Israel would not repeat "the previous egregious error." "If the Israeli regime commits the grave error once again our response will be decisive, definitive and regretful for them," Amir-Abdollahian said, noting that this warning had been communicated to the White House via the Swiss Embassy in Tehran. "We do not seek to create tension and crisis or increase such situations in the Middle East and we sincerely hope the Israeli regime does not repeat the previous egregious error," he said. Amir-Abdollahian underscored that the details of a potential "maximum response" have been planned by Iran's Armed Forces. The Iranian foreign minister also said he expects the United States "not to give renewed permission for adventure-seeking Israel." "We believe that America will calculate according to messages that were exchanged between us over the past six months," he pointed out. Amir-Abdollahian said the intent of the Iranian strike on Israel last weekend was "to warn" and to "have taken equal action" and "to let it (be) known we do have the means to respond." He said the more than 300 missiles and drones fired by Iran on Saturday "stayed within a minimum of frameworks" and the action was "legitimate defense" in response to the Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate. "Our operations in response were carried out at a minimum because we were not seeking to hit multiple targets," Amir-Abdollahian said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Situation normal after air defenses fire at 'suspicious objects' in Iran Iran Press TV Friday, 19 April 2024 2:33 AM The sound of explosions have been heard near the central Iranian city of Isfahan and Tabriz in the country's northwest after air defense systems fired at "suspicious objects" early Friday. Officials said important facilities in the Isfahan province, especially nuclear facilities, are completely safe and no incidents have been reported. "The sound was related to Isfahan's air defense systems firing at suspicious objects and we have not had any damage or accident," Brigadier Siavash Mihandoust, senior Army commander in Isfahan province, said Friday. Space agency spokesman Hossein Dalirian said several drones "have been successfully shot down by the country's air defense, and that there had been "no missile attack for now" on the country. "No foreign aerial attack has been carried out so far against Isfahan or other areas of the country," he wrote in a post on his account on X on Friday morning. There were just "failed and humiliated" efforts to fly quadcopters which were downed, Dalirian said. Airports resume flights The Iran Airports and Air Navigation Company said normal operations have resumed for flights at Iranian airports including Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran after temporary delays. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced in a Friday post on X that Iran's nuclear facilities were safe. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Apparent Israeli Air Attack Strikes Near Iranian City Of Isfahan By RFE/RL's Radio Farda April 19, 2024 Israel's military reportedly struck targets inside Iran in retaliation for an unprecedented air attack Tehran launched last weekend on its sworn enemy, but the limited scope of the operation and a muted Iranian response appeared to indicate an escalation of the conflict had been avoided. Explosions were heard early on April 19 -- the 85th birthday of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- near the central city of Isfahan, with reports unclear over the cause. Several major U.S. media organizations, all citing U.S. government sources, said Israel launched a missile or drones to strike targets inside Iran. Video posted on social media and broadcast around the world showed several large explosions that were reportedly near Isfahan. Iranian state media quoted officials in Tehran as saying the explosions were caused by air defenses that shot down three drones in the area of Isfahan. Hossein Deliriyan, the spokesman for Iran's National Center for Cyberspace, refuted the U.S. media reports, saying in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that "there has been no air attack from outside the borders on Isfahan or other parts of the country." Speaking at a mosque on April 19, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi didn't mention the attack near Isfahan and with the Israeli retaliation limited in size and scope, experts said it appeared it was aimed at deescalating soaring tensions while still sending a clear message to Tehran. Reuters quoted an unnamed Iranian official as saying that Tehran "has no plan to strike back immediately." Tehran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel in the early morning hours of April 14, almost all of which were shot down by Israeli defense systems, along with intercepts by forces from the United States, France, Britain, and Jordan. The attack by Tehran had been widely anticipated in Israel following a suspected Israeli air strike on the Iranian Embassy compound in Damascus, Syria, on April 1 that killed two brigadier generals. Since then, diplomats and politicians around the world, fearing another major escalation of fighting in the Middle East, had urged restraint as they awaited Israel's response. According to Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Washington informed the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized nations that it had received word from Israel on the strikes at the "last minute," but "there was no sharing of the attack by the U.S. It was a mere information." "I'm not going to speak to that [the suspected Israeli attack] except to say that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after a G7 ministerial meeting on the Italian island of Capri. Iran's state news agency IRNA said air defenses fired from a large air base in Isfahan that is home to Iran's aging fleet of U.S.-made F-14 Tomcats acquired before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Isfahan also houses facilities that are part of Iran's nuclear program, including its underground Natanz enrichment site. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it had seen no damage to Iran's nuclear sites. Earlier this week, the sites were rumored to be a possible target if Israel launched a strike inside Iran. One of Iran's top nuclear facilities, the installation at Natanz, is located in central Isfahan. Such sites have seen several sabotage attacks that Tehran has blamed on Israel. "IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to Iran's nuclear sites," the UN nuclear watchdog said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "Director-General Rafael Grossi continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts. IAEA is monitoring the situation very closely." Israeli strikes targeting a Syrian Army position in the country's south were also reported on April 19. According to AFP, Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the strikes, which he attributed to Israel, "targeted a radar installation of the Syrian Army" between the provinces of Sweida and Daraa provinces. Raisi had warned earlier this week that Tehran would deliver a "severe response" to any attack on its territory and the limited scope of the reported Israeli attack appeared to heed U.S. President Joe Biden's comment to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel should show restraint with any response and instead "take the win" since the Iranian attack didn't have a great impact. "It is absolutely necessary that the region stays stable and that all sides refrain from further action," European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said during a visit to Finland on April 19. Inside Israel, some hawkish lawmakers appeared to acknowledge the strike while criticizing it. "Feeble," wrote hard-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Givir in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Israel and Iran have been bitter enemies for decades but Iran's 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. With reporting by CNN, ABC, CBS, and IRNA Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-retaliation-israel- strikes/32911861.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CAPF deployment for phase 2 of polls in Bengal to increase to 303 companies Taking lessons from reports of sporadic violence in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal on Friday, especially at Cooch Behar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to increase the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for the second phase on April 26. Three constituencies -- Raiganj, Darjeeling and Balurghat -- will be going for polls in the second phase and the commission has decided to deploy a total 303 companies of CAPF, insiders from the office of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), West Bengal said. Already, 273 companies of CAPF are in West Bengal and additional 30 companies are supposed to arrive in the state by Sunday, thus taking the total deployment in West Bengal to 303. The additional 30 companies are mainly coming from Sikkim and Meghalaya, CEO office insiders said. The additional forces are being brought amidst the irritation expressed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when on Friday, she launched a scathing attack against the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the latters emphasis on the CAPF over the state police. How can you conduct the polls by totally discarding the state police? Is this a ploy to ensure that people don't vote freely, the Chief Minister had questioned while addressing an election rally on Friday. Iran Has Strong Options For Retaliation Against Israel, Including Going Nuclear By Michael Scollon April 19, 2024 If Iran decides to respond to a suspected Israeli strike on its territory on April 19, it might not have to pull its punches like it did the last time. Tehran's telegraphed barrage against Israel last week was written off by many as a failure. But Iran has many arrows in its quiver should its standoff with Israel continue to escalate. Experts say that Iran has more sophisticated weaponry at its disposal, can bring its proxies into the fight, and, unlike its attack on April 13, can utilize the element of surprise. And the ultimate threat -- officially activating its long-suspected effort to develop a nuclear weapon -- could come into play. Caution First Iran's initial response after its territory was hit on April 19 was muted. While unidentified U.S. officials reportedly said that Israel had carried out the attack, Tehran did not directly accuse Israel of involvement. Israel has not commented on the incident. A senior Iranian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that there was "no plan for immediate retaliation, and no clarification on who is behind the incident." "The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed," the official said. "We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more toward infiltration than attack." Iranian Army General Siyavush Mihandoust said only that explosions heard in the central city of Isfahan were "due to the work of air defenses against suspicious objects." Iranian state television reported that three small drones were shot down east of Isfahan, which is home to Iranian nuclear facilities, and broadcast footage that projected an image of calm in the city. A spokesman for Iran's National Center of Cyberspace, Hossein Dalirian, dismissed reports by U.S. media that quoted unidentified U.S. officials as saying that missiles were used in the attack. "There have been no air strikes from outside [Iran's] borders against Isfahan or other parts of the country," Dalirian wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "They have only made a failed and humiliating attempt to launch drones, and the drones were shot down." Timing Is Everything Analysts said it is common for Tehran to hold off on commenting on such incidents until it can determine a course of action. But if Iran does choose to respond militarily -- as it did on April 13 in retaliation for the April 1 killing of seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in a strike on the Iranian Embassy in Damascus that it blamed on Israel -- it can take things much further. Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, noted that ahead of Iran's April 13 barrage against Israel, which was effectively thwarted, Tehran ensured that "everybody would know about it beforehand." There was deliberately "no element of surprise," Azizi said. But hours before the April 19 strike, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told CNN that if Israel again took actions against Iran, "the next response from us will be immediate and at a maximum level." Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani on April 15 said that "there will not be a 12- or 13-day gap" between an Israeli strike and an Iranian answer. Israel, he said, "must now reckon in seconds, not hours." The Iranian officials' stress on the immediacy of a possible retaliatory strike signals that Iran would not telegraph its strategy this time, raising the chances of inflicting greater damage. More In Iran's Arsenal Tehran launched more than 300 drones and missiles during its April 13 attack, in which the vast majority were either shot down or failed to reach their target, but experts and Iranian officials have suggested it could have used more powerful weaponry. IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Sardar Hajizadeh said that Iran had used "old weapons with minimal power" on April 13, adding that Tehran had decided against using more powerful missiles, including hypersonic missiles, in its arsenal. Fabian Hinz, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Berlin, questioned the veracity of Iran's claim it could have used better weapons, saying that one of the missiles launched against Israel, the Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile introduced in 2022, "is one of the best missiles Iran has." Hinz told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that in terms of quality, he is not sure Iran could make a "qualitative jump" in any future attack. In terms of sheer numbers, however, Iran has "many, many more missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in stock," Hinz said. "There is no doubt about that." Dangerous Friends While Iran sent a message with its April 13 attack that it was willing to take on Israel directly and had the capacity to inflict heavy damage, Tehran still has many partners and proxies willing to strike their mutual enemy. While members of Iran's so-called "axis of resistance" have been battling Israel -- including the U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist organization Hamas, Huthi rebels in Yemen, and Lebanese Hizballah -- those groups for the most part sat out the April 13 attack. "One thing Iran could do is involve Hizballah, because Hizballah is just much closer to Israel," Hinz said. "And when you deal with amazing defenses, the best thing to do is to overwhelm them, and that is much, much easier at a shorter distance." Going Nuclear Just hours before the April 19 strike, an IRGC commander specified that an attack that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities would prompt a reciprocal attack on Israeli nuclear sites and could even lead to a rethinking of Iran's official nuclear doctrine. Ahmad Haqtalab, who oversees nuclear security for the IRGC, said in comments published by Iranian media on April 18 that "our hands are on the trigger for reciprocal attacks using advanced missiles against their own nuclear sites." Iran has long been suspected by Israel, the United States, and other countries of pursuing a nuclear weapon, while Tehran has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed after Israel's apparent strike that "there is no damage to Iran's nuclear sites." But prior to the incident, Haqtalab said that even the threat of an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites made it "possible and conceivable that the doctrine and nuclear policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be reviewed to reverse the declared considerations of the past." That decision would ultimately be made by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final call on all major decisions in Iran and has claimed that Iran cannot pursue nuclear weapons for religious reasons. But Azizi emphasized that the threat is real, saying that an attack on Iranian territory "might be exactly what Iran wants to find an excuse to weaponize its nuclear program." Hannah Kaviani of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-israel-attack- retaliation-response-drones-nuclear/32912623.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Versus Israel: Who Has The Military Edge? By Kian Sharifi April 19, 2024 Iran and Israel have traded attacks and threats in recent weeks, increasing fears of a full-scale war between the archfoes. Israel launched an attack on Iran on April 19, almost a week after an unprecedented drone and missile assault by Tehran. Iran's attack was in retaliation for a suspected Israeli air strike that killed seven Iranian commanders in Syria on April 1. In the event of a direct conflict, Israel would have the military superiority, both offensively and defensively, experts say. But they say the threat posed by Iran's arsenal of drones and missiles should not be dismissed. Under decades of sanctions, Iran has invested heavily in developing domestic weapons programs, resulting in cheap and effective drones as well as more advanced ballistic missiles. John Krzyzaniak, a research associate at the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control, said Iran's missiles "pose a serious threat" to Israel. Tehran's combat and suicide drones, meanwhile, can "wreak havoc on a civilian population" if fired in large numbers, he said. Even so, Israel maintains military supremacy. Besides Israel's operational and intelligence advantage over Iran, it also has a nuclear deterrent, experts said. Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, with the Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative estimating that Israel has around 90 nuclear warheads. During the April 13 attack, Iran fired over 300 drones and cruise and ballistic missiles against Israel. Tehran claimed that it did not use some of the country's most advanced weapons. The attack appeared to be highly choreographed and not intended to cause significant damage or casualties. Israel said almost all of the drones and missiles were intercepted with the help of the United States, Britain, and Jordan. A handful of missiles slipped through the Israeli defenses and hit an air base, causing minor damage, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Fabian Hinz, research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), said Iran simultaneously launching more than 100 ballistic missiles was "quite something" due to the sheer logistics and manpower involved. "I'm actually not sure if it has ever been done in war before and that makes me wonder how much bigger they could go," Hinz told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Israel's defense systems "performed well" against the Iranian missiles, said Jeremy Binnie, a Middle East defense specialist at the defense intelligence company Janes. But Binnie said the reliability of the Iranian weapons appeared to have been a "major factor." U.S. intelligence estimated that around half of the Iranian missiles failed on launch or in flight. Israel's attack on April 19 appeared to expose the vulnerability of Iran's defenses. Tehran said small quadcopter drones were used, suggesting the attack was carried out from inside Iranian territory. Israel's advanced fighter jets give the country the superiority in the air. But Israel faces several obstacles, experts said, including a lack of aerial refueling tankers. Israel would also need permission to cross the air space of several countries to reach Iran. If a war breaks out, Israel is likely to deploy long-range missiles against Iran, experts said. Tehran's air defenses, meanwhile, have not been battle-tested. Experts said given Israel's military advantage, Iran is likely to continue to use unconventional warfare and its asymmetric capabilities. That includes the so-called "axis of resistance": Iran's loose-knit network of proxies and militant groups who aid it in opposing Israel. Hannah Kaviani of Radio Farda contributed to this report. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-israel-missile-drone- military-threat-advantage/32912499.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel's Limited Attack On Iran Appears Aimed At De-Escalating Conflict By Kian Sharifi April 19, 2024 Israel had vowed to make Iran pay for Tehran's unprecedented drone and missile attack on April 13. But Israel's suspected military response early on April 19 appeared to be limited in scale and scope and aimed at de-escalating tensions with Iran. Tehran said it shot down three quadcopter drones outside the central city of Isfahan, which is home to key military and nuclear facilities. Unnamed U.S. officials said Israel used missiles in the attack. Experts said the use of small quadcopter drones, which are unable to travel long distances, suggests the attack was carried out from inside Iranian territory. Israel has not claimed the attack in Isfahan. But experts said the suspected Israeli response sent a clear message to Tehran. Raz Zimmt, a senior researcher at the Israeli-based Institute for National Security Studies, said Israel's use of quadcopter drones, if confirmed, suggests its aim was to "expose the vulnerability of the Iranian security forces" on their own turf. Zimmt said the attack was not without its risks, but out of all the options available to Israel, it was possibly the least risky. "At this stage, deniability is vital to lower the risk. I think that if Israel takes responsibility for what happened -- and there is sometimes this tendency among Israeli politicians - this would make it more difficult, not impossible but more difficult, for Iran not to retaliate." Reuters quoted an unnamed Iranian official as saying that Tehran "has no plan to strike back immediately." Israel has been accused of previously attacking military sites in Isfahan with small drones. In January 2023, a military factory was hit. Three months later, Iran said it had foiled a drone attack on a Defense Ministry complex in the city. Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that if Israel was behind the Isfahan attack, it was carried out in a manner "that carried the least risk of an Iranian retaliation." Iran's April 13 attack was a response to the suspected Israeli air strike on the Iranian Embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven Iranian commanders, including two generals. Tehran said its attack showed that a "new equation" had been established and that Iran would not let Israeli strikes on Iranian interests abroad go unanswered. But on the same day as the Isfahan attack, Israel was accused of targeting air defense systems in Syria, a key ally of Tehran where Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has a presence. Zimmt said Israel wanted to send the message that "first, we retaliated, and second, we attacked in Syria and not just in Iran, meaning we are not ready to accept this so-called 'new equation' that the Iranians are trying to force on us." Mohammad Zarghami of Radio Farda contributed to this report. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-israel-drone-isfahan- missile/32912331.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Media Claims Israel Targeted Air Defense Radar at Iranian Nuclear Facility Sputnik News 20240419 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - An air defense radar at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility was the target of Israel's strike early on Friday, ABC News reported, citing a senior US official. Israel attacked the Natanz nuclear facility with three missiles, but it remains unconfirmed whether the strike has destroyed the air defense radar site. Earlier on Friday, Iranian media reported that Israel carried out an airstrike against Iran in response to Tehran's missile and drone attack over the weekend. Explosions were reported near the city of Isfahan. Air defense systems responded to the approach of drones in several of the country's provinces. Three Iranian officials told The New York Times that the target of the strikes was an airbase near Isfahan. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US not involved in Israeli strikes on Iran, says Blinken By Patsy Widakuswara April 19, 2024 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday the United States was not involved in Israel's predawn aerial strike inside Iran and declined to confirm reports that Washington was notified of Israeli plans shortly before the attack. "The reports that you've seen, I'm not going to speak to that except to say that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations," he said during a press conference following a meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers in Capri, Italy. The G7 is focused on avoiding a wider war in the region, he said. "You saw Israel on the receiving end of an unprecedented attack, but our focus has been on, of course, making sure that Israel can effectively defend itself, but also de-escalating tensions, avoiding conflict," Blinken said. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who chaired the G7 meeting, said the U.S. had told its G7 partners it received "last minute" information from Israel about its actions. In the G7 communique, Blinken and other foreign ministers announced plans for new sanctions against Iran for its strikes against Israel and urged de-escalation. Tehran appears to be heeding the advice for now. Israel's strikes appear to be in retaliation for the hundreds of Iranian drones and missiles launched at Israel on April 13. Most were intercepted with the help of the United States and regional allies, including Jordan and Saudi Arabia, causing no loss of life and only little damage. That suggests Iran may have calibrated the strikes to limit casualties or telegraphed advanced notice, which the White House denies. The early Friday attacks on Iran appear to be limited, with no casualties reported immediately. U.S. President Joe Biden has been urging Israel to exercise restraint and avoid escalation following Iran's attacks. His administration has been coordinating with allies and partners, including the G7 on a "comprehensive response." These could include new sanctions on Tehran and bolstered air and missile defense and early warning systems across the Middle East, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement earlier this week. Iranian state media reported in the early hours of Friday local time that three explosions were heard in the Iranian city of Isfahan. Explosions were reported around the same time in Iraq and Syria. Tehran said its April 13 attacks were in response to an Israeli airstrike on Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, on April 1. The bombing killed Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and other Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders. Israel neither confirms nor denies responsibility for the attack. Analysts say Israel's limited counterattack and Iran's muted response show that both sides are willing to avoid further escalation, at least for now. Still, the risks of escalation are higher than ever before, said Brian Katulis, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "The Middle East is in unchartered territory," he told VOA. The best-case scenario would be a return to the Iran-Israel shadow war of assassinations and terror attacks by proxy groups, he said. The worst outcome is an open conflagration that draws in Iran's proxy in Lebanon that has mostly stayed on the sidelines since the Gaza war. "If Hezbollah jumps in here, I think then this becomes a vortex that sucks a lot more actors into a regional conflict, including the United States," Katulis added. In what may be an effort to facilitate de-escalation, the White House declined to discuss Israel's counterstrike. Pressed by reporters during her Friday briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly said, "We do not have any comment on the reports at this time." Israeli strikes expected Despite U.S. pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, some type of retaliatory strike by Israel was expected, said Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Middle East analyst from Gaza and non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. The Biden administration understands that Israel needs to do its own version of "face saving" retaliation after Iran's unprecedented and dramatic attacks last Saturday, he told VOA. The party that could benefit most from any potential escalation is Hamas, said Alkhatib. "The group has felt emboldened by Iran's direct strikes on Israel, hardening its negotiating position in the latest cease-fire and hostage exchange talks facilitated by Qatar," he said. Biden so far has been unsuccessful in pushing for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Over the weekend the U.S.-designated terror group raised new demands that have thrown talks into disarray. It's unclear how the Israeli counterstrike on Iran could impact negotiation dynamics with Hamas. "This is a moment of instability but also of opportunity," said Laura Blumenfeld, a senior fellow at the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies. "World leaders agree that the key to de-escalation is to free the hostages," she told VOA. The message to Hamas hostage negotiators, she added, is "quit while you're behind." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Khamenei steps up pressure to enforce 'Islamic standards' across Iran By VOA Persian Service April 19, 2024 Over last weekend, as Iran began its air assault against Israel, at home it announced new enforcement of the mandatory wearing of the hijab. The initiative is called the Nour (Light) Plan. The crackdown followed a statement by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who said that ignoring the hijab was a red line that should not be crossed. By Thursday, Voice of America was receiving reports, also circulating on social media, of an ongoing and pervasive deployment of special forces, law enforcement personnel and plainclothes agents of the Islamic Republic on the streets of numerous cities in Iran. Despite the detention of numerous women and girls, the civil resistance by women against government forces on the streets of Iran persists, garnering support from users on social networks. Fatemeh Heydari, the sister of Javad Heydari, a young protester who was killed during the nationwide protests of 2022 in Qazvin, took to the social media platform X. She referred to the detention of Aida Shakarami, the sister of another slain protester, Nika Shakarami, in the Women, Life, Freedom protests, saying: "The fight that Nikas started, Aidas continue." Gohar Eshghi, the mother of Sattar Beheshti, a laborer and blogger who died under interrogation during his detention, also spoke out. "The criminal oppressors of the Khamenei regime have arrested Aida Shakarami. Silence in the face of the war against the girls and women of our nation means complicity with the bloodthirsty oppressors," she said. Some observers, reflecting on recent statements by Khamenei, have underscored that the directive has come from the top. Among this group is Ehsan Soltani, a political analyst. "Two weeks ago," Soltani said, "Khamenei officially declared that 'hijab is a religious obligation; whether you accept it or not, you must adhere to it.' For three decades, he either remained elusive or claimed, 'I am not an expert,' whenever a decision was made. However, this time, he personally stepped forward and issued the command for internal war." Since Khamenei's statement, observers believe he is responsible for the extensive actions of government authorities. After the Supreme Leader stressed the imperative of escalating pressure to uphold what he termed "adherence to Islamic standards," the police commander declared that stringent measures would be enforced to ensure compulsory hijab beginning April 13. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tel Aviv, Tehran downplay Israeli airstrike on Iran By VOA News April 19, 2024 Both Tel Aviv and Tehran downplayed Israel's predawn aerial strike inside Iran on Friday, suggesting neither side wants to see the situation escalate into a full-scale regional conflict. Israel offered no official comment on the incident. Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA, reported only that, "citing an Iranian official," an air defense system had been activated early Friday "after the sound of an explosion" was heard near a major air base in the central Isfahan province. The report cited U.S. media sources who attributed the attack to Israel. It went on to say there was no damage reported and "the city and province of Isfahan were in normal condition." Earlier, Iranian state media had also downplayed the incident, saying Isfahan's nuclear facilities were secure. They said operations at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad domestic airport had returned to normal Friday, several hours after flights were suspended in an apparent response to the purported Israeli airstrike. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, in comments Friday to Muslim diplomats at the U.N. in New York, minimized the significance of the attack. He said Israel "tried to make victory out of their defeat, while the downed mini-drones have not caused any damage or casualties." Reuters quoted a senior Iranian official as saying there were no plans to respond against Israel for the incident. The New York Times and The Washington Post cited Israeli officials as saying Israel had carried out an airstrike in Iran. U.S. officials were cited by multiple news outlets as calling it a missile strike. The muted response by both Israel and Iran came after world leaders almost unanimously called for calm and a de-escalation of tensions. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the host of the Group of Seven ministerial meeting in Capri, Italy, said Friday Israel had informed the U.S. "at the last minute" of the attack. Speaking to reporters at a briefing Friday following the G7 meetings in Italy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked repeatedly to comment about the reports, but he refused to do so. "The United States has not been involved in any offensive operations," Blinken said in response. "What we're focused on, what the G7 is focused on, and again it's reflected in our statement and in our conversation, is our work to de-escalate." U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesperson, StAphane Dujarric, said the U.N. chief "reiterates it's high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East." "The secretary-general condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond," the statement said. The airstrikes mark the latest salvo in a yearslong Israel-Iran shadow war that has escalated significantly this month. Israel had warned Iran that it would retaliate for an unprecedented Iranian aerial assault on Israeli territory last Sunday involving hundreds of drones and missiles. Israel said it intercepted almost all of the projectiles with help from a coalition of Western allies and Arab partners. Iran had warned, in turn, that any Israeli retaliatory strike would be met with a swift and tougher response. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Middle East security analyst at the Atlantic Council, told VOA Iran's muted response could be an effort to avert an escalated confrontation, if Tehran's nuclear program is not directly targeted. "There are estimates and calculations which believe that Iran may be willing to absorb and swallow a limited retaliatory strike by Israel. However, strikes against Tehran's nuclear program will dramatically escalate the direct confrontation between Iran and Israel," he said. The U.S. and other Western powers had urged the Israeli government to avoid escalating the conflict in calculating its next move. U.S. officials had said they did not intend for U.S. forces to join in any Israeli retaliatory action. Alkhatib told VOA the Biden administration understood Israel's need to carry out a "face saving" retaliation for Sunday's Iranian attack. "Any Israeli strike will necessitate U.S. involvement, cooperation, support and ultimate endorsement a defensively and offensively a casting doubt on the accuracy of claims by the Biden administration that it would not be involved in an Israeli retaliation," Alkhatib said. Michael Lipin, Patsy Widakuswara, Margaret Besheer and VOA's Kurdish and Persian services contributed to this report. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 18, 2024 Release Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today to discuss regional threats and Iran's destabilizing actions in the Middle East. The Secretary also discussed the importance of increasing and sustaining the flow of humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians, including via the new route from Ashdod Port in Israel. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3749465/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM Netanyahu to the Mossad division heads forum Israel - Prime Minister's Office The 37th Government 18.04.2024 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Senior Mossad and ISA Officials: "The internal discord needs to disappear now because we are under existential threat, and in the face of an existential threat we must unite forces and not divide them." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today , visited Mossad headquarters where he met with Director David Barnea and - afterwards - with the forum of division heads. They discussed regional developments in the various sectors. The Prime Minister and the Mossad Director also referred to the continuing efforts - and the importance of doing everything possible - to return the hostages back home as soon as possible. Prime Minister Netanyahu then visited the ISA headquarters where he held working meetings with ISA Director Ronen Bar and - afterwards - met with the senior management forum chaired by Director Bar, his deputy and additional senior officials. The Prime Minister received a comprehensive briefing of the agency's intensive counter-terrorist activity in the various sectors. Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked the Mossad and the ISA for their role in defending the security of the state, especially the extensive operational and intelligence activity of the organizations since October 7. PM Netanyahu to the Mossad division heads forum "This holiday is different because 'they have risen up to destroy us.' This is very tangible, by the axis of evil of Iran and its proxies, including Hamas. And on the other hand, 'from slavery to redemption'. This is very tangible when we still have hostages being held in the monsters' dungeons in Gaza. We are also committed to defeating the terrorist axis in Gaza, to freeing the hostages and to repelling the threat including that from Iran. These are very major tasks that require two things. The first thing that it requires is determination and the second is unity. Nations crumble, first of all, from within, not from external pressure, but from internal discord. The internal discord needs to disappear now because we are under existential threat, and in the face of an existential threat we must unite forces and not divide them. This is the most important thing there is. Great powers in their day, including global powers, fell in the absence of internal cohesion around a unifying idea. The unifying idea here is the return of the Jewish people to its land and the rebuilding of our defensive capability against those who want to destroy us. This is the most central and important idea more than anything else, before than perfecting the world, more than any of the other values that we have. If we lack the ability to defend ourselves against those who seek our lives, we have nothing, and on this we need to unite now with full force on this Passover and what comes afterward. Happy holiday!" NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 19, 2024 Release Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today to discuss efforts to maintain regional stability, the latest developments in Gaza, and measures to accelerate humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3749482/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ORANGEBURG, S.C. As South Carolina State University ceremonially broke ground on its new academic building Friday, President Alexander Conyers took note of the unusually large number of shovels used for the occasion. Thats because we have a large number of projects that were going to be breaking ground on, Conyers said, alluding to the universitys hopes of receiving more funds to renovate and replace several of the campus outdated facilities. I know that our students here at South Carolina State University deserve the same level of facilities as students at any other public university in this state. We are going t work hard every single day to continue to do that, the president said. If the sentiments expressed by lawmakers from the South Carolina General Assembly who spoke at Fridays event were any indication, those hopes may be realized in short order. We know the needs here at South Carolina State University, said state Sen. Kent Williams (D-Marion), a 1987 SC State graduate. We know the challenges you face here each and every day, but we want you to know that you have a voice in Columbia, South Carolina, in the South Carolina General Assembly. Fridays event was to celebrate the addition of SC States first fully state-funded academic building in nearly 30 years, the $54.7 million replacement for outmoded Turner Hall. Adapting a phrase from Winston Churchill We shape our buildings, and afterward our buildings shape us Conyers described the promise the new academic building holds for faculty, staff and students at SC State. This new academic building will shape the next generation of doctors, lawyers, educators from South Carolina State University, he said. This new academic building will shape the next 23 generals from South Carolina State University. This new academic building will shape the next 15 university presidents from South Carolina State University to add to the leaders we provide for the nation. University officials estimate the new building to encompass 94,000 square feet of classroom, collaborative learning and office space. Conyers expects the project to take 1 -2 years to complete, with the current freshman class taking classes as seniors there in 2026-2027. The project is in the design phase in the hands of Evoke Studios, an architectural firm that also designed the SC State Engineering and Computer Science Complex, which sits across Geathers Street from the future buildings location. Evoke co-founder Teri Canada, described the firms collaborative with the universitys leaders and academics. The building will house much of SC State's core curriculum programs. What we heard was that we want an iconic building here, Canada said. We want it to be an open space for gathering, collaboration and really sort of bringing people together. We want to make sure this is a multifunctional, multidisciplinary space for everything thats happening on campus. Many described Fridays groundbreaking as a milestone for the campus, its students, its employees and its alumni. One wing of Turner dates back 95 years. Other portions date back to the mid-1950s. Among those in the ceremonys audience were three men who attended SC State in that period and witnessed Turners completion: Boston Johnson, Class of 1955; Leo Jackson, Class of 1957; and Charles Smalls, Class of 1959. Also present was a leader in the Class of 2024, Student Government Association President Zaya Cephus, who represented SC State students on the program. We are beyond excited for this opportunity for a new space that will provide learning and growth, Cephus said. We thank all of those involved in making this project a reality and look forward to a future filled with endless possibilities. SC State Board of Trustees Chairman Douglas Gantt also thanked the lawmakers who attended the groundbreaking, noting that the university seated them Republicans and Democrats side by side on the front row. We gave them the front-row seats for supporting and helping us build this new building for our kids, Gantt said, because we all know when all things are fair and equal, the individuals at South Carolina State exceed expectations. State Rep. Cobb-Hunter (D-Orangeburg) recognized her colleague on the House Higher Education Subcommittee, Rep. Bill Taylor (R-Aiken) for his role in securing the funding to SC State. To have him as an ally and advocate fighting for this institution, for funding this institution, it has been so good to have someone committed to make sure we do what we can and to bring the resources here, Cobb-Hunter said. Later in the program, Taylor said a tour he took of the university last year alerted him to the deficiencies in SC States facilities. He pointed to the fact, however, that General Assembly had appropriated $85 million for capital projects at SC State in the last two budgets. Those appropriations included the new academic building, the expansion of the Green Student Center and the renovation of Sojourner Truth Hall. And were not done with this years budget, Turner said. Moneys coming. You deserve it. Youve been neglected. You wont be neglected anymore. Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto (D-Orangeburg) made a similar pledge. Orangeburg wouldnt be Orangeburg but for the Edisto River, but the Orangeburg that we know, the Orangeburg that weve lived in wouldnt be Orangeburg but for South Carolina State University, Hutto said. It is the heart and the soul of this town that we call our county seat. There are needs, and this will be the first mountain that we climb the mountain of Turner Hall, he said. But you know what the ancient Haitian proverb is -- beyond the mountains, there are more mountains. Beyond this building, there are more buildings, and so this will be the beginning, Hutto said. In addition to the projects the General Assembly has funded in recent years, the SC State administration has asked the state to allocate funds for a new library, a new convocation center, a new wellness center and the renovation of Nance Hall. The final legislator on the program was Sen. Vernon Stephens (D-Bowman), a member of the SC State Class of 1980, who echoed Cobb-Hunters challenge to alumni to support the university financially. Bringing these facilities up to par is our responsibility not only the General Assembly, but you, you, you and you, Stephens said pointing to the audience. Following Stephens was SCSU National Alumni Association President Hank Allen, who noted the importance for alumni to engage with not some but all lawmakers about their alma maters needs. When we continue to do those things, thats going to help take our university to the next level, Allen said. The first phase of the project will include razing Azalea Hall and moving a small schoolhouse, both of which sit on the new building's site. Following the new building's completion, most if not all of Turner Hall will be demolished. Rising Rivers Force More Evacuations in Kazakhstan, Russia By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service and RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities April 19, 2024 Water levels are still rising in rivers crossing Kazakhstan and Russia as floods continue to wreak havoc and force the evacuation of thousands from towns and cities. Authorities in the West Kazakhstan region said on April 19 that the water level in the Oral River, which is known in neighboring Russia as the Ural, rose 28 centimeters overnight to 8.84 meters in the area close to the village of Yanvartsevo -- the first settlement on the Kazakh side of the border. Yanvartsevo, home to some 1,200 people, is located 70 kilometers from the regional capital, Oral. Despite an official call to evacuate, most residents have remained in the village filling sand bags and reinforcing the river's banks along with military personnel and rescue teams from the Emergencies Ministry. Regional government spokesman Erkhan Tatken said on April 19 that the high waters, which have been caused by abrupt warm weather that led to a massive snowmelt, are expected to reach the region from the adjacent Russian region of Orenburg sometime after April 22. Tatken added that about 3,000 private houses in the region have been damaged by the floods and some 14,000 people have been evacuated. Kazakh officials have said that well over 100,000 people have been forced from their homes across the country because of heavy flooding. A day earlier, Kazakh Deputy Interior Minister Marat Qozhaev said seven deaths had been confirmed and two people were missing because of the floods in Kazakhstan's northern regions, which began in late March. Frustration over the preparations and response to the floods has boiled over in some parts of the country, with authorities meeting criticism with a heavy hand. At least two people were handed jail terms of up to 10 days in early April on a charge of "spreading ungrounded information" over publicly accusing local governments in the Qostanai and Pavlodar regions for what they called a failure to properly deal with the floods. In neighboring Russia, the situation is just as dire, with water levels in rivers continuing to rise in the regions bordering Kazakhstan. As of April 19, the water level in the Ishim River in Russia's Tyumen region, which borders the North Kazakhstan region, reached 7.23 meters overnight, while 8.5 meters is considered to be the critical point. The region's governor, Aleksandr Moor, called on the residents of several villages located close to the river to "evacuate immediately, before it is too late." According to Moor, the region has not experienced floods of this scale since 1947. Russian officials said on April 18 that the number of houses affected by the floods in the southern regions was about 18,000 in total. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/floods-kazakhstan-russia- evacuations-rising-rivers/32912552.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thai leaders ready to increase humanitarian aid in Myanmar Academics call on the government to extend visas for people from Myanmar who fled fighting there. By Nontarat Phaicharoen for BenarNews 2024.04.19 -- The Thai government is looking to expand humanitarian aid to Myanmar as fighting between junta forces and rebels intensifies across the border in Kayin state, a senior spokesman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Friday. The Thai government is seeking to deliver the aid to all parties in need equally, spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said, with relevant international organizations and civil society groups along the border expected to be invited to discuss the matter in the near future. "As a neighboring country, Thailand supports dialogue for reconciliation, leading to peace, stability and unity in Myanmar. However, reaching that point must come from discussions and finding solutions among the various groups within Myanmar itself," Nikorndej told reporters at a news conference. "Thailand is ready to talk to all parties if requested and is prepared to engage in discussions." He confirmed that Thailand was ready to support efforts to quell the violence within Myanmar. "Thailand supports dialogues for reconciliation in three main issues - peace, security, unity. We are currently considering ways to increase and expand humanitarian assistance by collaborating with international organizations within the next one to two weeks," he said. The Thai government is monitoring key events including clashes between junta troops and rebel forces, particularly those that could affect Thai citizens along the border if their Myanmar neighbors are forced to flee into Thailand. The spokesman confirmed that the situation along the Thai side of the border remained normal, despite opposition forces taking control of the town of Myawaddy in Myanmar. Recently, the Karen Nation Liberation Army (KNLA), the Karen National Union (KNU) and the People's Defense Force (PDF) announced that they had captured Myawaddy - a major trading hub along the border - spurring an influx of refugees into Thailand. Meanwhile, Thai Defense Minister Sutin Klungsang told reporters that security forces were on high alert to respond to emergencies. "We have a border committee to oversee the border situation, as the army has military units at hand and our air defense is ready to take off. There are reconnaissance flights ready for air patrol and deterrence," Sutin said. "We have the capabilities for protecting our air space and can dispatch fighter jets to intercept immediately, if there are any intrusions." Since the Feb. 1, 2021, military coup overthrew the government of President Win Myint and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar, the country has seen constant fighting between junta forces and those opposed to the military government. The fall of Myawaddy to anti-junta forces sent thousands of people toward the border. That caused Thailand's armed forces to deploy soldiers alongside Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridges, which regulate both people and goods and connect Myawaddy to Thailand's Mae Sot. The takeover of the town prompted Thailand's foreign minister to call on 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," RFA quoted him as saying on April 12. 'Burma Concern' On Friday, a group called "Burma Concern" released an open letter signed by more than 150 academics and addressed to Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and relevant agencies, listing a series of requests. The letter called for the Thai government to not force the repatriation of Myanmar citizens because they could face persecution and torture. It also called for the government to allow Myanmar citizens of fighting age to seek temporary refuge in Thailand. Many fled across the border to avoid being drafted after the Myanmar government introduced conscription regulations earlier this year. The letter said the Thai government should extend visas for students who are close to graduation and for colleges and other educational institutions to consider accepting other Myanmar students. It also called for the Thai government to speed up the visa process for those wishing to enter the country and grant relief to Myanmar citizens who are unable to return to their homes. In February, Srettha's government announced plans to establish a humanitarian safe zone and corridor for delivering aid to some 20,000 people across the border in Kayin state. The Thai government, in cooperation with the Thai and Myanmar Red Cross Societies, began delivering humanitarian aid last month. A convoy traveled across the Mae Sot-Myawaddy Friendship Bridge No. 2 on March 25 to deliver 4,000 packages to Na Bu, and Thar Ma Nya and Paingkyon in Myanmar's Kayin state. Isa Gharti, a public policy researcher at Chiang Mai University, said if Thailand increased humanitarian assistance, it should coordinate with all parties to ensure a more comprehensive and equitable distribution. He emphasized the need for transparency in disclosing information about the distribution to build confidence from the international community. "Additionally, Thailand should strongly push at the ASEAN meeting for negotiations with the Myanmar military government and the opposition to end the violence and restore the peaceful political process, including the establishment of a special ASEAN representative for Myanmar to serve as a mediator in the negotiations if possible," Gharti told BenarNews on Friday. Gharti spoke out after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) issued a statement on Thursday saying it was "deeply concerned over the escalation of conflicts" inside Myanmar and calling for an end to the violence. The 10-member bloc pointed to the situation in the area of Myawaddy and in Rakhine, a state in western Myanmar that shares a border with Bangladesh and where civilians have been displaced by fighting between Arakan Army rebels and junta forces. "We call on all parties to take urgent steps to reduce the impacts of the conflict on civilians. This includes providing a safe and conducive environment to guarantee the timely and safe delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need in Myanmar without discrimination," the statement said. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 5,000 flee military raids on villages in Myanmar's Sagaing region It's the second time in just over a month that junta raids forced an evacuation of Monywa township. By RFA Burmese 2024.04.19 -- Nearly 5,000 villagers in central Myanmar's Sagaing region have fled their homes after junta troops conducted raids in Monywa township, home to the region's largest city, residents told RFA Burmese. They are the latest to be left homeless by the three-year conflict in the country, where more than 2.8 million people are displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance amid access challenges, according to the United Nations. On Wednesday evening, approximately 150 junta troops entered eastern Monywa township from neighboring Ayadaw township, prompting the evacuation of thousands of villagers from Kyauk Kar, Hta Naung Win and Ywar Ton, according to residents of the area. A resident of Hta Naung Win, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said the column of troops carried small arms and heavy weapons. "The junta troops spent a night in Kyauk Kar village and [Thursday] morning they advanced to Hta Naung Win, where they remain stationed," he said. March raids on Monywa The seat of Monywa township is Sagaing's largest city, located about 135 kilometers (85 miles) northwest of Mandalay on the banks of the Chindwin River. Home to around 372,000 people - nearly half of whom live in rural settings - Monywa serves as a major commerce hub and cultural center for the nation's poets. Kyauk Kar, Hta Naung Win and Ywar Ton villages collectively comprise more than 1,000 households, residents said. Attempts by RFA to contact Nyunt Win Aung, the junta's social affairs minister for Sagaing and the regional spokesperson, for comment on the raids went unanswered. Wednesday's raid marks the second time in just over a month that junta troops attacked eastern Monywa township, forcing residents to seek shelter. In early March, the military set fire to several villages in the area, destroying more than 150 homes and displacing over 5,000 people, residents told RFA. Translated by Kalyar Lwin. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Junta troops kill 4 in post-amnesty Myanmar prison riot Eight more were injured after police, guards and soldiers opened fire on the inmates, an advocacy organization said. By RFA Burmese 2024.04.19 -- Prison and junta authorities killed four inmates following a protest in northern Myanmar jail, a resident told Radio Free Asia on Friday. Following the junta's amnesty of over 3,000 prisoners on Wednesday for Burmese New Year, some inmates who did not get chosen for early release started a riot in Kachin state's capital at Myitkyina Prison the following day. A Myitkyina resident who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons told RFA inmates started protesting on Thursday afternoon, calling the amnesty unfair. "The protest has been going on since around noon. The crackdown started at 4 p.m. Four inmates were killed and eight were injured. I don't know who died," he said. "But I have seen that the [dead] were taken out by ambulance along with the Red Cross. It calmed down again at 8 p.m. last night." The dead and injured were taken to Myitkyina Hospital, guarded by junta forces he added. The junta has not released any information regarding the protest or casualties. RFA reached out to Kachin state's junta spokesperson Moe Min Thein, but he did not answer the call. The Myanmar Political Prisoners' Network said in a statement that police, soldiers and prison authorities opened fire several times on the prisoners, adding that it is still investigating the circumstances that led to the injuries and deaths. On Wednesday, junta officials released 42 inmates from Myitkyina Prison for a Burmese New Year's day amnesty, Among them, only three political prisoners were released, including Kachin Baptist Convention advisor and reverend Hkalam Samson, former Kachin State Social Affairs Minister Nay Win and former immigration minister Zaw Win. Hkalam Samson was re-arrested on Wednesday night. He was originally taken into custody in December 2022 and sentenced for three charges, including incitement to terrorism and unlawful association after praying with other Christian members of the shadow National Unity Government, which formed after the 2021 military coup to oppose the junta. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar: Rohingyas in firing line as Rakhine conflict intensifies 19 April 2024 - The UN's top human rights official on Friday raised alarm over the escalating violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state between junta and opposition forces amid reports of the military regime forcing members of the minority Muslim Rohingya community to join their ranks. Rakhine was the site of a brutal crackdown on the Rohingyas by the military in 2017, leading to the killing of some 10,000 men, women and newborns and the exodus of nearly 750,000 community members, many of whom continue to languish in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh. "Rakhine state has once again become a battleground involving multiple actors, and civilians are paying a heavy price, with Rohingya at particular risk," Volker TArk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said. "What is particularly disturbing is that whereas in 2017, the Rohingya were targeted by one group, they are now trapped between two armed factions who have a track record of killing them. We must not allow the Rohingya to be targeted again." Widespread fighting The breakdown of a year-long informal ceasefire between the military and the Arakan Army (AA) last November has plunged 15 out of Rakhine's 17 townships into conflict. The military's loss of territory to the AA in northern and central parts of the province has led to intensified fighting in the townships of Buthidaung and Maungdaw, setting the stage for a potential battle for the state capital, Sittwe. The presence of large Rohingya populations in these areas further exacerbates the risks faced by civilians. Forced conscription by military "Facing defeat, the military has outrageously started to forcibly conscript, bribe and coerce Rohingya into joining their ranks," Mr. TArk said. "It is unconscionable that they should be targeted in this way, given the appalling events of six years ago and the ongoing extreme discrimination against the Rohingya, including the denial of citizenship". Reports also suggest that both Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine villagers have been coerced into burning each other's homes and villages, escalating tensions and violence. OHCHR is trying to verify the reports, a task complicated by a communications blackout throughout the state. Alarm bells ringing The High Commissioner also cited widespread disinformation and propaganda, pointing to claims that so called "Islamic terrorists" have taken Hindus and Buddhists hostages. "This was the same kind of hateful narrative that fuelled communal violence in 2012 and the horrendous attacks against the Rohingya in 2017," he said. "Countries with influence on the Myanmar military and armed groups involved must act now to protect all civilians in Rakhine state and prevent another episode of horrendous persecution of the Rohingya," he urged. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Terrorist Attack in Karachi Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Government of Pakistan strongly condemns today's heinous terrorist attack in Karachi's Landhi Area. All necessary measures will be taken to bring the perpetrators to justice. Such dastardly acts only strengthen the resolve of the Government and the people of Pakistan to eliminate the scourge of terrorism. Pakistan remains committed to ensuring the safety of foreign nationals residing in the country. We will continue to work with our international partners to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Islamabad 19 April 2024 65/2024 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Transcript of the Press Briefing by the Spokesperson on Friday, 19 April 2024 Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Assalam-o-Alaikum, Welcome to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This week's highlight was the visit of a ministerial delegation led by Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to Islamabad. The purpose of the visit was to accelerate discussions on enhanced bilateral economic cooperation in the follow up of the understandings reached between Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, during their recent meeting in Makkah Al Mukarramah. At the 'Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Investment Conference' co-chaired by the two Foreign Ministers, the two sides discussed investment proposals in diverse sectors such as energy, mining, agriculture, information technology, construction, human resource development and exports. The investment conference was aimed at paving the way for Saudi investments in Pakistan. We will continue our constructive engagement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to enhance our economic and strategic partnership. The Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia discussed global and regional developments. There was unanimity of views on the increasing instability in the region. The two Foreign Ministers urged de-escalation and called for an immediate ceasefire, lifting of the siege of Gaza and access to unimpeded humanitarian aid for the besieged people of Gaza. Pakistan is deeply disappointed at the result of the last night's vote at the United Nation Security Council and its inability to reach consensus and recommend Palestine's membership of the UN to the General Assembly. We regret the U.S. decision to veto the draft resolution granting full membership of the UN to Palestine. We believe the time has come for admission of Palestine to the United Nations. This will be a step towards correcting the historic injustice suffered by the Palestinian people for over 75 years. It will affirm their right to self-determination. The people of Palestine have an inherent right to live in a sovereign, independent and contiguous Palestinian State within the 4 June 1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al-Shareef as its capital. We express our deep dismay over the Indian authorities' decision to prohibit observances of key religious events, including Jumma-tul-Wida, Shab-e-Qadr, and Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid. This was the fifth consecutive year when Eid-ul-Fitr prayers were not allowed to take place at this historic mosque. Imposing curbs on the religious leaders and preventing Kashmiris from congregating on special religious occasions pose serious challenges to the religious freedom of Muslims in IIOJK. The Kashmiri people's rights to freely practice their religion and of peaceful assembly must be respected. Pakistan will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters for the just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions. I thank you ! * a (Anas Mallick, Capital TV): Two questions. Firstly, earlier today there was an attack on Japanese nationals in Karachi. Can you share an update on that? And secondly, with regards to the reported Israeli aggression on Iran, what is Pakistan's take on the matter? Spokesperson: So, as you know, the Prime Minister of Pakistan has strongly condemned the suicide blast in the Landhi area of Karachi. Due to timely action of the police, we were saved from major loss of life according to the Prime Minister. He has prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured and has reaffirmed that Pakistan will not rest until terrorism is eradicated. For further details, you may like to contact the law enforcement authorities. As far as your second question is concerned, we have seen the media reports and are still assessing the situation. We would comment when there are more details. Pakistan is naturally concerned over any escalation in the region. For months, Pakistan has underlined the urgency of international efforts for preventing expansion of hostilities in the region and for a ceasefire in Gaza. Instead of showing restraint and upholding international law. Israel has brazenly continued with its blatant violation of international law. The irresponsible and reckless Israeli attack on Iranian consulate on the first of April has further vitiated security in an already volatile region. We reiterate our call on the UN Security Council to prevent Israel from its adventurism in the region and to hold it to account for its violations of international law. The council should actively contribute to efforts for restoring and maintaining international peace and security. (Shaukat Piracha, AAJ News): On the reported Israeli strikes, you said that you are assessing the situation. My question is, what about the upcoming visit of the Iranian president to Pakistan? Has any initial contact been established between the two countries, should we look forward to this visit as it had been planned or there is some rethinking from other side because their country has come under attack from Israel? Spokesperson: As I have said earlier, Pakistan is looking forward to receive our honoured guest, His Excellency, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we will be making official announcement regarding the dates of the visit soon. (Khawaja Nayyar Iqbal, Media Today): It has always been said from Pakistan that there will not be any negotiations with the terrorists. Have we been assured by the Afghan Interim side that they'll take action themselves against terrorists entities? Secondly, Are Daish Khorasan and TTP two different names of one group with different targets? Spokesperson: Your second question pertains to the security agencies and the Ministry of Interior. They will be in a better position to share with you the assessment of terror threat posed by various terror groups. We have said time and again that for Pakistan all terror groups which pose threat to Pakistani civilians, to Pakistani law enforcement agencies, to foreigners living in Pakistan, are equally of concern and we will take steps against these terror groups. And Pakistan has no plans to engage in talks with any terror group. (Anas Mallick, Capital TV): Again on Afghanistan on 16th of April, the Pakistani military in its statement said that a group of seven terrorists were trying to infiltrate from Afghanistan into Pakistan in the North Waziristan district, and then they were encircled. Has the matter of being taken up with the Afghan authorities through diplomatic channels? Also we recently saw there's been floods in Afghanistan. Historically back in 2022 Pakistan offered cooperation and medical and rescue teams were in Afghanistan. Does Pakistan intend to send teams this time as well? Spokesperson: Pakistan expresses its deepest sympathies with the people of Afghanistan on the ongoing floods and the damage caused by the floods. And as we have said in the past, Pakistan remains ready to provide any assistance that our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan need in situations of humanitarian catastrophe. With regards to your first question, yes, you're absolutely right on that particular incident. The ISPR has issued a statement in which it has expressed Pakistan's serious concerns about the threat that we faced from these terror groups. In the statement it has been said that Pakistan has consistently asked the Interim Afghan Government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border. And we expect the Interim Afghan authorities to fulfill their obligations and deny the use of their soil by terrorists for perpetuating acts of terrorism against Pakistan. This is an ongoing conversation between Pakistan and Afghanistan through multiple channels and Pakistan continues to convey its concerns about all such incidents with the Afghan authorities. (Anwar Abbas, Aik News): Ma'am, Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar had recently remarked that "Terrorist should not feel that because they are across the border, no one can touch them. Terrorist do not abide by any rule so the response to the terrorist must not be constrained by any rule." He also criticized the erstwhile Indian government for taking Jammu and Kashmir to the United Nations in 1948. How would you comment on it? Spokesperson: On your second question, we would advise you to consult the security agencies. They will be in a better position to confirm or deny this development. As regards the statement of Indian External Affairs Minister, it is an unfortunate statement. Indian leaders are engaged in belligerent rhetoric in complete disregard of international law and diplomatic norms. We believe these reckless statements should be avoided as these statements threaten regional peace and security. More importantly, diplomats should not advocate unlawful actions. Pakistan is fully prepared to respond to Indian provocations and irresponsible behavior. We have always acted responsibly despite India's repeated provocations. It is also an established fact that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir was taken to the United Nations by India in 1948. And no degree of criticism of historic developments and facts can absolve the Indian authorities from the commitments that India made at the United Nations, to the Kashmiri people and to Pakistan. For India to establish its credentials as a responsible member of the international community, it should faithfully implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and work for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute. (Nimrah Sohail, PTV): Madam, Pakistan had condemned when Israel attacked Iran's consular office in Syria. However, recently Ecuadorian law enforcement officers had forcefully entered the Mexican embassy in Ecuador. So, what is Pakistan's stance on the issue? Spokesperson: Pakistan is seriously concerned over any violation of Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations that requires the host government to respect the inviolability of diplomatic premises. We enjoy cordial relations with both Mexico and Ecuador and we hope that any issues that exist between the two countries will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law and norms. (Shaukat Piracha, AAJ News): Saudi Foreign Minister, His Highness Prince Faisal Bin Farhan was here with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan. The two Foreign Ministers made similar statements on Gaza. Is the rhetoric alone going to be enough? Or will the two countries take up this matter to OIC or other forums? Also a large Saudi delegation was here. Now what is the follow up and progress? We heard that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will be visiting Pakistan soon to formalize the agreement. Spokesperson: First regarding the visit of His Highness the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this was a very positive and constructive visit. Both sides engaged in constructive discussions with the objective of the developing Pakistan-Saudi Arabia economic and strategic partnership. And as I mentioned in my opening remarks, Pakistan has discussed with the Saudi delegation, several projects for Saudi investments in Pakistan and as you heard the Saudi Foreign Minister, the Saudi side is very encouraged. With the proposals which have been made by Pakistan so the both sides are positively viewing the coming weeks and we hope that the negotiations on these investment projects would be completed soon and we would have good news with respect to Pakistan-Saudi economic ties. With regards to Gaza, you had a question on Pakistan-Saudi Arabia position on Gaza. You may have seen in the joint media Stakeout, the two Foreign Ministers had similar views on the concerning developments in the region. And the Foreign Ministers agreed that it is critical that peace prevails in the region that there is de-escalation that there is immediate ceasefire and lifting of siege of Gaza and provision of humanitarian assistance. In that context, both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been working within the ambit of OIC and there have been several proposals and initiatives which have been brought to the platform of United Nations, including the UN Human Rights Council where a very important resolution sponsored by Pakistan on behalf of the OIC was presented and which call for an immediate ceasefire and relief to the people of Gaza. As you know, the main stumbling block in the ceasefire and in humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza is the Israeli occupation authorities and it is important that United Nations Security Council plays its mandated role under the UN Charter and urge Israel to forthwith end its aggression against the people of Gaza. (Shaukat Piracha, AAJ News): And about the OIC conference in Gambia? Spokesperson: The OIC Summit will consider several proposals, including with regards to the situation in Palestine, with regards to the situation in Indian Illegally-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Islamophobia and other important issues of concern to members of the OIC. At this point, the senior officials are in the process of working on various documents and I am not in a position to share exact details as the ongoing negotiations. (Charlotte Greenfield, Reuters): Is Pakistan planning to now implement the next phase of its repatriation plan of foreign nationals particularly Afghans? And will this next phase affect ACC and POR card holders? Spokesperson: I would like to underline that Pakistani authorities are considering all aspects of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan and at this point there are no plans to repatriate the ACC holders. When such a decision is taken the relevant authorities will make an announcement. (Aoon Sherazi, Such TV): When there were general elections in India, the then Prime Minister Imran Khan said that if Modi's BJP wins the elections the Kashmir issue will possibly resolve. Now again there are general elections to be held in India, so are there any preferences of Pakistan with respect to any party to resolve issues with Pakistan? Spokesperson: Pakistan does not interfere in electoral processes of other countries, just as the people of Pakistan do not wish foreign intervention in our electoral processes. Thank you very much! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Suppliers to Pakistan's Ballistic Missile Program US Department of State Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesperson April 19, 2024 The Department of State is designating four entities pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii) of Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. These entities have supplied missileapplicable items to Pakistan's ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile program. Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant has worked to supply special vehicle chassis to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program. Such chassis are used as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles by Pakistan's National Development Complex (NDC), which is responsible for the development of Missile Technology Control Regime Category (MTCR) I ballistic missiles. has worked to supply special vehicle chassis to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program. Such chassis are used as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles by Pakistan's National Development Complex (NDC), which is responsible for the development of Missile Technology Control Regime Category (MTCR) I ballistic missiles. People's Republic of China (PRC)-based Xi'an Longde Technology Development Company Limited , has supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine, to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program that we assess was destined for NDC. Filament winding machines can be used to produce rocket motor cases. , has supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine, to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program that we assess was destined for NDC. Filament winding machines can be used to produce rocket motor cases. PRC-based Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd has supplied missile-related equipment to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program, including stir welding equipment (which the United States assesses can be used to manufacture propellant tanks used in space launch vehicles), and a linear accelerator system (which the United States assesses can be used in the inspection of solid rocket motors). Tianjin Creative's procurements were likely destined for Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which develops and produces Pakistan's MTCR Category I ballistic missiles. has supplied missile-related equipment to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program, including stir welding equipment (which the United States assesses can be used to manufacture propellant tanks used in space launch vehicles), and a linear accelerator system (which the United States assesses can be used in the inspection of solid rocket motors). Tianjin Creative's procurements were likely destined for Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which develops and produces Pakistan's MTCR Category I ballistic missiles. PRC-based Granpect Company Limited has worked with Pakistan's SUPARCO to supply equipment for testing of large diameter rocket motors. In addition, Granpect Co. Ltd. also worked to supply equipment for testing large diameter rocket motors to Pakistan's NDC. Sanctions Implications As a result of today's action, and in accordance with E.O. 13382, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Additionally, the entry of designated individuals into the United States is suspended pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 8693. The power and integrity of U.S. Government sanctions derive not only from the U.S. government's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. Petitions for removal from the SDN List may be sent to: OFAC.Reconsideration@treasury.gov. Petitioners may also refer to the Department of State's Delisting Guidance page. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 5 Japanese nationals narrowly survive Karachi suicide attack, police say By Ayaz Gul April 19, 2024 Police in Pakistan's port city of Karachi said Friday two suicide bombers attacked a van carrying five Japanese autoworkers, but they all escaped unhurt. A senior police officer told reporters that the autoworkers were being driven to an industrial zone in Pakistan's commercial capital early in the morning when their bulletproof vehicle was targeted. "One terrorist came close to the van and blew himself while another fired at it," said Azfar Mahesar, an area deputy inspector general of Karachi police, citing initial investigations into the early morning violence. He added that two security guards escorting the Japanese workers returned fire and killed the bomber's accomplice. Mahesar said that police had also recovered the suicide bomber's remains from the scene of the attack, and an investigation was underway to establish the identities of both assailants. A subsequent police statement said, "All foreign guests are safe. Thank God." The attack injured one of the guards and several bystanders. Doctors at Karachi's Jinnah Hospital later confirmed that one of the injured individuals died because of his injuries while receiving treatment. A Japanese government spokesman confirmed to reporters in Tokyo that the attempted suicide attack resulted in injuries to one Japanese national on board the van. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the attack and prayed for the speedy recovery of those wounded in it, his office said in a statement in Islamabad. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Karachi, the country's largest city and the capital of southern Sindh province. The violence came a day after militants ambushed and killed six customs officers in the turbulent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Officials said Thursday that a team from the Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation Customs was conducting an "intelligence-based" operation in the militancy-hit Dera Ismail Khan district when their vehicle came under attack. The shooting resulted in the deaths of customs officers who were working to counter militant networks smuggling weapons into the district and surrounding areas of the province, which borders Afghanistan. Last month, a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-packed car into a convoy of Chinese engineers and workers in the province's Kohistan district. The attack killed five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver. The foreigners were working on the Chinese-funded multibillion-dollar Dasu Dam on the Indus River, Pakistan's biggest hydropower project. Islamabad says that fugitive leaders and fighters of anti-Pakistan militant groups have found refuge in Afghanistan and intensified cross-border attacks since the Islamist Taliban regained control of the neighboring country. The Taliban deny the allegations, claiming they are not allowing anyone to use Afghan soil to threaten neighboring countries, including Pakistan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Two Florida Steel Traders Sentenced for Money Laundering and Russia-Ukraine Sanctions Violations Friday, April 19, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs President of Metalhouse LLC Sentenced to Six Years in Prison and $160 Million Forfeiture Co-Conspirator Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison and $4.7 Million Forfeiture John Can Unsalan, aka Hurrem Can Unsalan, the president of Orlando, Florida-based steel trading firm Metalhouse LLC, was sentenced to six years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering to promote violations of U.S. sanctions against Sergey Kurchenko, a pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch. Unsalan's former business associate, Sergey Karpushkin, a Belarusian national residing in Miami, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his role in the scheme. Unsalan pleaded guilty and was ordered to forfeit $160 million in proceeds from the offense. Karpushkin pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and to commit international promotional money laundering and was ordered to forfeit $4.7 million in criminal proceeds. Kurchenko was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2015 for his role in misappropriating state assets of Ukraine or of an economically significant entity in Ukraine. Two sanctioned companies - Kompaniya Gaz-Alyans OOO, based in the Russian Federation and controlled by Kurchenko, and ZAO Vneshtorgservis, based in the Russian occupied Georgian region of South Ossetia - were designated by OFAC in 2018 for acting on behalf of and providing material support to the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic in the separatist-controlled regions of eastern Ukraine. As set forth in court filings, Unsalan and Karpushkin engaged in trade with these sanctioned individuals and entities to procure steelmaking equipment and raw material despite knowing that Kurchenko, Gaz-Alyans and Vneshtorgservis were subject to U.S. sanctions that prohibited U.S. persons and entities from doing business with them. No licenses from OFAC were applied for or issued for these payments or transfers. As stated in court documents, between July 2018 and October 2021, Unsalan conspired with others to transfer over $150 million to Kurchenko and companies controlled by Kurchenko. Unsalan, acting through his company, Metalhouse, engaged in trade with sanctioned individuals and entities and received tens of thousands of tons of metal products from the companies. Between July 2017 and August 2020, Karpushkin conspired with Unsalan and other business associates, acting through Metalhouse, to enter into contracts and purchase orders for pig iron, steel billets, and wire rods from these sanctioned companies and agreed to share profits from these unlawful transactions. The co-conspirators intentionally concealed from U.S. banks and government officials the ultimate source and origin of the goods that they sought to acquire, knowing that they did not have the necessary authorization or license from OFAC to transact with Kurchenko and companies owned and controlled by Kurchenko. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division made the announcement. The FBI Tampa and Washington Field Offices investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt for the Middle District of Florida, Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorneys Sean O'Dowd and Sean Fern of the Criminal Division's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section prosecuted the case. The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department's Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia's unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department's tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression. Topics: Export Control National Security Components: Criminal Division Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Security Division (NSD) USAO - Florida, Middle Press Release Number: 24-477 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jordan Wingate, who was injured in a 2018 crash while responding to a call as an Oakland police officer, died Saturday morning. Oakland Police Department Oakland police are mourning a colleague who died Saturday of injuries sustained in a 2018 crash while responding to a call. Jordan Wingate, 28, died surrounded by family and friends, including his father, retired Oakland police Capt. Randell Wingate, the police department said in a news release Saturday. Jordan Wingate was the 55th Oakland officer killed in the line of duty. Wingate had crashed his patrol vehicle into a civilian car and a parked semitruck while responding to a report of a suspicious person on Middle Harbor Road in August 2018. He was driving alone at the time of the crash, and no other drivers were injured. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He remained hospitalized for his injuries and medically retired in 2020. Wingate, who was born in Walnut Creek in 1995, began his public service career as an Oakland police cadet in 2013. He graduated from the Oakland police academy in 2017 and was named Rookie of the Year by the Oakland Police Officers Association in 2018. Those who knew Wingate described him as a hard worker who always had a smile on his face, Paul Chambers, the police departments strategic communications manager, said in the release. Officer Wingates dedication to duty and commitment to serving our community exemplified the highest ideals of law enforcement, Chambers said. His passing leaves a void in the hearts of those who knew him, the Oakland Police Department family, the city of Oakland, and the law enforcement community. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Russian Defence Minister inspects fulfilment of state defence order by defence industry enterprise in Omsk region 19.04.2024 Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu inspected fulfilment of state defence order at a defence industry enterprise in Omsk region that produces tanks and heavy flamethrower systems. The head of the enterprise reported to General of the Army Sergei Shoigu that in accordance with his order, the protection of armoured vehicles has been increased during the preparation for dispatch to the special operation zone. The Russian Defence Minister was also informed that at the moment of production of the new design T-80BVM tanks, the tanks are on the assembly line being equipped with Nakidka camouflage system and a protective canopy. All armoured vehicles are supplied by the enterprise immediately with an additional turret protection module. Another series of produced armoured vehicles is prepared for delivery to the troops. The tanks are loaded on railway platforms and ready to be sent to the special military operation zone. 'When we started a large program to create additional protection for tanks, we were looking for alloys and technical solutions. It was all done. Now we need to increase the pace of production,' the Russian Defence Minister tasked the enterprise's management. The Russian Defence Minister was informed that last year the enterprise increased production of TOS-1A Solntsepyok heavy flamethrower systems by 2.5 times. Production volumes of heavy flamethrower systems increased due to the expansion of production capacity, the transition to round-the-clock operation on a two-shift schedule and an increase in the number of personnel. In order to provide the plant with qualified personnel, the Centre for Training and Professional Development of the enterprise's personnel operates on the basis of which training and retraining of employees in demanded working professions is carried out. Since 2023, the plant's staff has increased by more than 1,200 people. Since last year, the Centre has trained 533 employees for the benefit of the enterprise under the main vocational training programmes. After the inspection, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu held a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defence and the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, as well as representatives of the relevant military and enterprise authorities. The Russian Defence Minister noted that the enterprise fulfiled the state defence order, as well as successfully implemented the instructions made during the previous inspection. 'The production and delivery of new engines with greater power has been resolved. Production of new heavy flamethrower systems began. Tasks have been completed to upgrade the tanks with additional armour protection against unmanned aerial vehicles of various types and an additional protection module for sighting systems,' General of the Army Sergei Shoigu said. The Russian Defence Minister stressed that it is necessary to organise additional supplies of protection systems for tanks to the units that directly carry out tasks in the special operation zone. 'Now it is necessary to significantly increase the production of additional protection systems to be installed on vehicles that are already involved in combat operations and send them to the repair and maintenance brigades that we have on the battlefield,' the Head of the Russian Defence Ministry demanded. The Russian Defence Minister also inspected the organisation of the training process at the Omsk Automobile Armoured Engineering Institute. General of the Army Sergei Shoigu was informed that the cadets participate in the repair and maintenance of armoured vehicles for the units participating in the special military operation zone. Cadets restored, repaired and serviced dozens of military motor vehicles. Trainees of the institute receive practical skills in restoration, repair and maintenance of military equipment, both individually and as part of repair units. The Russian Defence Minister was presented with the organisation of classes in a training and production repair complex equipped with modern simulators. In addition to the basic training programme, cadets are trained in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, taking into account the peculiarities of UAV use in the special military operation. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel Attacked Air Defense Objects in South Syria, Causing Damage - Syrian Defense Ministry Sputnik News 20240419 CAIRO (Sputnik) - Israel has carried out strikes on air defense facilities in southern Syria, causing material damage, the Syrian Defense Ministry said on Friday. "Today at 02:55 [local time, 23:55 GMT on Thursday], the Israeli enemy launched a rocket attack from the occupied Palestinian territories on an air defense position in the south of the country, material damage was caused as a result of the attack," the ministry said in a statement. Mideast situation escalated in April with Israel striking Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus, Syria and Iran retaliating with first-ever attack on Israeli territory. On Friday morning, Israel conducted series of strikes on Iranian infrastructure, according to various sources. Israeli defenfe forces declined to comment on the matter, CNN reports. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Computer-aided Han Kuang war games to refer to recent conflicts ROC Central News Agency 04/19/2024 03:23 PM Taipei, April 19 (CNA) The computerized war games of this year's Han Kuang military exercises began Friday and will include lessons learned from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). Special emphasis will also be given to such scenarios as "gray zone" activities and a surprise attack on Taiwan by Chinese forces operating under the false pretense of a drill, the ministry said. The around-the-clock tabletop exercises will span eight days and seven nights and conclude on April 26, according to the MND. Live-fire Han Kuang drills will be held July 22-26 and will also incorporate lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts, it said. Overall, the 40th edition of the Han Kuang military exercises will focus on countering cognitive warfare and mobilizing reserve forces to conduct asymmetrical warfare against the enemy, the MND said. Other key priorities will be to test the military's ability to transition between peacetime and war, joint interdiction operations and anti-blockade capabilities, overall air defense capabilities, and operations under a decentralized command structure, the ministry said. The drills will also test the military's ability to act in compliance with the rules of engagement and international law, it said. (By Matt Yu and Sean Lin) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan protests China's expanded use of controversial flight paths ROC Central News Agency 04/19/2024 08:19 PM Taipei, April 19 (CNA) Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) on Friday reiterated its objection to the decision by the Chinese authorities to expand the use of controversial flight paths close to the airspace of Taiwan-controlled islands off the coast of China which went into effect that day. The CAA said in a statement that the unilateral decision to permit eastbound flights on the W122 path, which is 2.8 nautical miles south of the airspace around the Matsu Islands, and on the W123 path, just 1.1 nautical miles from Kinmen County airspace, could have serious impacts on air travel safety. It called for negotiations between both sides of the strait regarding the use of the flight paths. Flying at close distances could increase the challenges faced by air traffic control and up the risk if bad weather were to hit or if airplanes were to experience technical problems, the CAA said. There are dozens of domestic flights operated daily between Taiwan proper and airports in Kinmen and Matsu, both located off the coast of the Chinese province of Fujian. China had been urged to come to the table by the CAA after its announcement that from Feb. 1 it would move the north-south M503 flight path back to its original route, meaning it would come as close as 4.2 nautical miles to the Taiwan Strait median line. Following negotiations between both sides of the strait in 2015, China had agreed to "offset" it an additional 6 miles to the west. China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian (ee) said in a statement released Friday that the changes to the flight paths were made to accommodate the growing number of flights, reduce delays and improve the efficiency of flight operations. Zhu noted that M503, along with W122 and W123, are within the purview of the Shanghai Flight Information Region. However, the fact that M503 is very close to the median line of the Taiwan Strait has led to security concerns in Taiwan. The median line is also the border between the Taipei Flight Information Region and Shanghai Flight Information Region. Chinese aviation authorities also announced Friday that more measures will be introduced from May 16 to improve flight operations at Fuzhou Changle International Airport, which is close to the Matsu Islands. No further details were given. In addition to the call for China to engage in bilateral talks regarding the flight paths, the CAA also called for the establishment of procedures to facilitate communication between Taiwanese and Chinese air traffic control, to ensure airspace safety. The CAA has also instructed its local air traffic control to help maintain the safety of domestic flights across the Taiwan Strait by urging its Chinese counterpart to guide any aircraft that stray off set paths towards Taiwanese airspace away, it added. Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense in Taipei echoed CAA concerns regarding flight safety because W122 is so close to Matsu Islands and W123 is so close to the Kinmen. Taiwan's armed forces continue to closely monitor real-time activities in the airspace around the Taiwan Strait, and will respond to unexpected situations appropriately, it added. (By Yu Hsiao-han, Wu Shu-wei, Lu Chia-jung and Kay Liu) Enditem/kb NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Activation of M503's connecting routes to benefit passengers across Straits Global Times DPP's hype of 'safety concerns' disregards people's interests to serve its own By Fan Anqi Published: Apr 19, 2024 01:07 PM The M503 flight path's connecting routes of W122 and W123 from west to east have been activated starting Friday, a move that safeguards the rights and interests of passengers and is beneficial for people from both sides of the Taiwan Straits, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office under the State Council said on Friday. The so-called security threat posed by the flight route alteration is, as always, a malicious hype by the Taiwan regional authorities to create an illusion that the mainland is "squeezing its space," which fundamentally serves the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)'s own selfish scheme at the cost of the interests of its people. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) made the announcement early Friday. It also said that the airspace for arrivals and departures at Fuzhou Changle Airport in East China's Fujian Province will be further optimized starting from May 16. The eastbound W122 and W123 link M503 with the mainland cities of Fuzhou and Xiamen in Fujian, close to Taiwan's Kinmen and Matsu islands. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office, said the decision is aimed at relieving the pressure on the growth in flight numbers across the immediate regions, ensuring flight safety, reducing flight delays, and safeguarding the rights and interests of passengers, which benefits both sides of the Straits. The M503 route is located within the Shanghai Flight Information Region, and the establishment and operation of this route is a routine task of the mainland's civil aviation airspace management, Zhu noted. Since the cancellation of the flight offset measure for the M503 route, overall operation safety has been stable, effectively improving cross-Straits flight operations, and further facilitating personnel exchanges between the two sides, the spokesperson added. "The air route modification is fully compliant with international civil aviation regulations, aimed at alleviating airspace congestion. It is not only beneficial for personnel exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan, but also facilitates the smooth and safe passage of international flights," Ni Yongjie, director of the Shanghai Institute of Taiwan Studies, told the Global Times on Friday. Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University, added that the changes can significantly reduce travel time, while allowing airlines to save costs. However, the island's department for mainland affairs protested that such "unilateral activation" of the connecting routes would have a "great impact on the flight safety of Kinmen and Matsu," according to department spokesperson Chien Chih-hung. Chien claimed that previous flights operated in a westward direction, and the eastbound flights would "affect Taiwan's existing air routes, raising great concerns about flight safety risks." "It [The route] is not for fighter jets, so what kind of danger are we talking about? Civilian aircraft do not have attack capabilities, so where is the safety risk coming from?" Li Fei, a professor at the Taiwan Research Center at Xiamen University, shrugged off this "concern." Li noted that as long as both sides act in good faith and remain in close communication, there is no need for concerns for flight safety. DPP authorities have been hyping the move as "a deliberate attempt" by the mainland to use civil aviation as a cover for political, and possibly military intentions, aimed at altering the status quo in the Taiwan Straits, which poses a threat to Taiwan's airspace defense. Ni rebutted the claim as "completely ungrounded," noting that the purpose of the hyping is to stir up cross-Straits relations, inciting hatred between the two sides, and further aligning with the US' strategy of containing China. "Even if there were security threats, it would be the DPP authorities digging their own graves by promoting 'Taiwan independence,'" Ni added. The analysts further added that this is the DPP's typical way to smear the normal and legitimate actions taken by the mainland, creating a narrative of the mainland "squeezing their space" in order to manipulate public opinion and gain sympathy and support from the West. "The fact is however, it is always for the benefit of the DPP's own selfish schemes, rather than considering the interests of compatriots on both sides of the Straits and the actual interests of Taiwan," Ni noted. The CAAC said on Wednesday that this optimization of airspace in Fujian and the adjustment of the M503's connecting routes will facilitate the development of air transport between the Yangtze River Delta region and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as China's southeastern coastal regions. It will improve operational conditions and ensure flight safety, while further enhance the capacity to cope with thunderstorm seasons, improve flight punctuality, and better serve passenger travel needs, according to the administration. China announced on January 30 that starting from February 1, the deviation of the M503 flight route from north to south will be canceled, a change which the Taiwan authorities interpreted would see southbound aircraft flight paths above the Taiwan Straits come closer to Taiwan's self-claimed "median line," "flight information region," and "air defense identification zone." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mainland says flight route adjustment benefits both sides of Taiwan Strait People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:05, April 19, 2024 BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The initiation of the west-to-east operation of W122 and W123 routes that connect with M503 route, effective Friday, benefits both sides of the Taiwan Strait, said a Chinese mainland spokesperson. Zhu Fenglian, a State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson, made the remarks while responding to a media inquiry. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on Friday announced the initiation of the west-to-east routes W122 and W123 to connect with M503 route. The move aims to alleviate the pressure brought by flight growth in relevant areas, ensure flight safety, reduce flight delays, and safeguard the rights and interests of passengers, Zhu said. On Jan. 30, the CAAC announced the cancellation of the flight deviation measures for the north-to-south operation of the M503 route, effective from Feb. 1, also stating its intention to initiate the west-to-east routes W122 and W123 to connect with M503 route, with the aim of improving airspace operational efficiency. Zhu highlighted that the M503 route falls within the Shanghai flight information region, and its establishment and implementation are routine responsibilities of mainland civil aviation airspace management. She pointed out that since the cancellation of flight deviation measures for the M503 route, overall operations have remained safe and stable. This has led to notable improvements in cross-Strait flight operations and facilitated personnel exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Apr. 19, 2024 ROC Ministry of National Defense 2024/04/19 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Dateis 6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Thursday to Friday, Apr. 18-19 2.PLA activitiesis 6 PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 5 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Driving Ukraine's Economic Recovery in Partnership with the Private Sector US Department of State Media Note Office of the Spokesperson April 18, 2024 The Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Department of Commerce, in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Government of Ukraine, hosted the second U.S.-Ukraine Partnership Forum on April 17 at the Chamber headquarters in Washington, D.C. During her keynote address, Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker highlighted the importance of solidifying the foundation of Ukraine's economic future and outlined steps taken by the United States in partnership with American companies to support Ukraine's economic resilience through key sectors, such as infrastructure, energy, and manufacturing. The Forum convened leaders in business, government, and policy to explore avenues to help Ukraine recover from Russia's ongoing illegal war and rebuild as the country stabilizes its economy and lays the foundation for revitalization and modernization. Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez moderated a panel on removing barriers to investment that focused on the reforms necessary to advance Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration and encourage private investment. Coordinator for U.S. Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia Maria Longi participated in a panel on sustainable economic development, which outlined Ukraine's priorities for its economic recovery and development, and how donors and the private sector can support. The United States has provided $22.9 billion in budget support to the Government of Ukraine through World Bank mechanisms. The United States has provided an additional $1.05 billion to help strengthen the resilience of Ukraine's energy system which remains under assault by Russian missiles and drones. Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources Geoffrey R. Pyatt leads the G7+ group to coordinate international assistance to maintain and modernize Ukraine's energy system which is a cornerstone of Ukraine's economic recovery. Throughout the forum, U.S. leaders and its partners recognized the sustainable revitalization of Ukraine's economy will require the dynamic participation of the private sector. The United States will continue to engage the private sector to identify new opportunities to work together to spur investment for the sustainable revitalization of Ukraine's economy. Learn more about the 2024 U.S.-Ukraine Partnership Forum at the webpage: events.uschamber.com/2024usukrainepartnershipforum/. For further information, please contact E_Communications@state.gov. For inquiries from the U.S. business community, please reach out to the Office of Commercial and Business Affairs at eb-cba-all@state.gov. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Readout of Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer's Meeting with Prime Minister Shmyhal of Ukraine April 18, 2024 Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer met today with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to underscore steadfast U.S. support for Ukraine's self defense and recovery from Russian aggression. Prime Minister Shmyhal thanked the people of the United States for their support, and stressed the need for additional U.S. security assistance given Ukraine's urgent battlefield needs. The pair also discussed Ukraine's continued reforms, and the importance of continued progress on these for its Euro-Atlantic integration. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 19, 2024 Release Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Participation in Virtual NATO-Ukraine Council Meeting in Defense Ministers Format Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: On April 19, 2024, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III joined NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov, and NATO Allies virtually for a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council in Defense Ministers format. Ministers addressed Ukraine's urgent need for air defense and other security assistance priorities amidst Russia's relentless aerial attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure and civilians. Secretary Austin underscored to Allies the need for immediate, concerted action on air defense. He highlighted the successes of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group over the last two years in delivering substantial capability to Ukraine, with over 70 mid- to long-range air defense systems and thousands of missiles committed by UDCG participants. Secretary Austin emphasized that the United States will continue to push for action on air defense and other priority requirements for Ukraine. Secretary Austin will convene the twenty-first meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting virtually on Friday, Apr. 26 a the two-year anniversary of the first Contact Group meeting following Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3749478/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China, Indonesia hold meeting of high-level dialogue cooperation mechanism Xinhua) 14:08, April 20, 2024 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, co-chairs the Fourth Meeting of the China-Indonesia High-level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism with Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's coordinator for cooperation with China and coordinating minister of maritime affairs and investment, in Indonesia, April 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain) LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday co-chaired the Fourth Meeting of the China-Indonesia High-level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism with Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's coordinator for cooperation with China and coordinating minister of maritime affairs and investment, exchanged in-depth views and reached broad consensus on practical cooperation in the next stage. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and Indonesia, both representatives of major developing countries and emerging economies, enjoy profound traditional friendship and close and in-depth cooperation. In the past year, leaders of the two countries held two important meetings, which provided strategic guidance for the development of China-Indonesia relations. Wang said that China has always regarded Indonesia as a partner with a common purpose for development and a good partner for cooperation, and has always viewed and developed friendly relations with Indonesia from a strategic and long-term perspective. China is ready to work with Indonesia to advance on the path of modernization with each other's respective characteristics, follow the strategic consensus reached by the two heads of state, make full use of the coordinating role of the high-level dialogue and cooperation mechanism, and jointly build a China-Indonesia community with a shared future of higher level and quality, Wang said. Luhut congratulated China on the successful holding of the annual sessions of its top legislature and top political advisory body, also known as the "two sessions", and expressed confidence that China will achieve high-quality modernization and make greater achievements in development. He said that Indonesia has successfully held a general election. The new government will continue its friendly policy towards China, firmly adhere to the one-China principle and remain committed to deepening the constructive cooperation between the two countries, adding that Indonesia-China cooperation will bring more benefits to the people of the two countries and the region and play a positive role in achieving peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific. Wang said that China is willing to deepen the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Indonesia's development strategy in all aspects, ensure that the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway remains a shining example of Belt and Road cooperation, build two more new flagship projects, namely the Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor and the "Two Countries, Twin Parks," expand cooperation in the three key areas of digital economy, green development and improving people's livelihood, to inject new momentum into high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. China and Indonesia should jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, jointly defend the legitimate development rights of both countries and safeguard the normal international economic and trade order, Wang said. During the meeting, the two sides fully reviewed the progress and confirmed the direction in their cooperation in various fields, agreed to strengthen the connection between corresponding departments, ensure effective implementation of projects, pushing for greater results in their comprehensive strategic cooperation. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi also attended the meeting. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) San Francisco police arrested an Oakland woman in the Tenderloin on drug charges. Filipa Ioannou/The Chronicle An Oakland woman has been charged in connection with trafficking narcotics in San Franciscos Tenderloin neighborhood, prosecutors said Friday. Cristal Cruz-Bangegas, 23, is facing charges for multiple counts of possession for sale of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine salt, cocaine base, oxycodone and alprazolam, according to the San Francisco District Attorneys Office. A criminal complaint also accuses Bangegas of being in possession of more than 2 pounds of fentanyl for sale. At her arraignment Friday, Cruz-Bangegas pleaded not guilty and no bail was set, according to the DAs office. On Tuesday, prosecutors plan to ask a judge to grant a motion to detain Cruz-Bangegas pending her trial because she poses a public safety risk, the DAs office said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She remains in custody at San Francisco County Jail, records showed. Cruz-Bangegas was arrested last Tuesday, the DAs office said. On that day, San Francisco Police Department officers observed her in a parking lot near the main branch of the citys public library on the block of Larkin Street with a clear bag of suspected narcotics and a black bag. SFPD officers seized more than 2 pounds of fentanyl, about 0.3 of a pound of heroin, and about 0.3 of a pound of methamphetamine and other drugs, the DAs office said, citing court records. Police also seized $1,812 in cash from her, prosecutors said. I would like to thank the San Francisco Police Department and all of our law enforcement partners who are working tirelessly to identify and arrest suspected drug dealers in our community, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said in a statement. Drug dealers who come to our city to traffic in death will be held accountable and face consequences for the death and misery that they are responsible for. The charges against Cruz-Bangegas are the latest efforts by Jenkins to crack down on the citys drug epidemic. From Jan. 1 to April 13, the DAs office said, it charged 227 out of 264 narcotics cases presented to it. Also, 76 felony narcotics cases have been convicted and 44 other cases resolved via guilty pleas during the same time period, according to the DAs office. April 19, 2024 By Jim Garamone, DOD News NATO-Ukraine Council Looks to Speed Aid to Besieged Country Ukrainian leaders briefed NATO defense ministers about the situation on the battlefield and the country's critical needs during a remote meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council today. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg briefed the news media at NATO headquarters in Brussels on the council meeting, saying NATO will speed more air defenses and artillery to the beleaguered country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to the ministers about the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III attended the meeting virtually. "NATO defense ministers have agreed to step up and provide further military support, including more air defense," Stoltenberg said. "NATO has mapped out existing capabilities across the alliance and there are systems that can be made available to Ukraine. I expect new announcements on air defense capabilities for Ukraine soon." Last week, Germany indicated that they will deliver an additional Patriot system to Ukraine. "In addition to Patriots, there are other weapons that allies can provide," the secretary general said. NATO allies who do not have systems agreed to provide financial support to purchase them for Ukraine, he said. "We are also working with industry to ramp up production and to refurbish systems to make them operational and fit for purpose," Stoltenberg said. Denmark has also made a new pledge to aid Ukraine, and the Netherlands has announced an additional 4 billion euros in military support. The NATO defense ministers also addressed other pressing Ukrainian needs, such as 155 mm ammunition, deep-precision strike capabilities and drones. "Each NATO ally will decide what to provide," he said. "Several allies made concrete commitments during the meeting and are finalizing contributions that I expect will be announced soon. Help is already on the way." Stoltenberg welcomed the U.S. House of Representatives' decision to vote on U.S. aid to Ukraine. The vote is scheduled for Saturday. "I count on the bill to pass without further delay," the secretary general said. "Allies must dig deep into their inventories and speed up the delivery of missiles, artillery and ammunition. Ukraine is using the weapons we provided to destroy Russian combat capabilities. This makes us all safer." The NATO leader said support to Ukraine is not charity, but "an investment in our own security." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lithuania's Foreign Minister: "Support for Ukraine is the top priority of Lithuania's Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the CoE" Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2024.04.19 On April 19 in Vilnius, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, met with Marija Pejcinovic Buric, Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE). The meeting focused on the priorities of Lithuania's Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, which will begin on May 17. "The main priority of Lithuania's Presidency is to support Ukraine, which is fighting against Russia's war of aggression. As the President of the Committee of Ministers, I will aim to ensure that all possible mechanisms of the Council of Europe are used to ensure Russia's accountability," Landsbergis said. Lithuania's Presidency will aim to ensure the functioning of the Register of Damage for Ukraine, the enlargement, a broader Compensation Mechanism for Ukraine and the establishment of a Special Tribunal to investigate the crime of Russia's aggression, which would meet Ukraine's expectations. Attention will also be paid to the strengthening of support for civil society, independent media, and human rights defenders in the face of oppression in Belarus and other countries, where autocratic regimes hold the upper hand. As the Presidency, Lithuania will also strive to ensure a continued agenda of the Council of Europe, implementing the decisions of the Reykjavik summit and decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, supporting human rights and democracy, and focusing on new foreign policy directions, including human rights to a clean and healthy environment and issues of artificial intelligence and human rights. Lithuania will preside over the Committee of Ministers from May 17 to November 13, 2024. During this period, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will act as the President of the Committee of Ministers. Various Presidency and cultural programme events will take place in Vilnius and Strasbourg (France). It is already the second Lithuanian Presidency. Lithuania held the Presidency from November 2001 to May 2002 for the first time. Luxembourg will take over the helm on November 13. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zelenskiy Presses Call For Help As U.S. House Set to Vote On Ukraine Aid By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service April 19, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stepped up his calls for urgent military assistance, saying NATO members must decide "whether we indeed are allies," as a crucial vote in the U.S. Congress for a new Ukraine aid package was expected to finally take place on April 20. "Our sky must become safe again," Zelenskiy told a video conference with NATO defense ministers on April 19. "It depends fully on your choice. Choice whether life is indeed equally valuable everywhere. Choice whether you have an equal attitude to all partners. Choice whether we indeed are allies," he said. Zelenskiy said his embattled nation could not defend itself from the Russian invasion without additional support from Western allies. "It is obvious that -- now while Russia has air advantage and can rely on its drone and rocket terror -- our capabilities on the ground, unfortunately, are limited," he added. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg reiterated the alliance's support for Kyiv and stressed to members the need to further aid Ukraine given the perilous battlefield situation. "The allies must dig deep into the inventories and speed up the delivery of missiles, artillery, and ammunition," Stoltenberg said. "Ukraine is using the weapons we provided to destroy Russian combat capabilities. This makes us all safer. So support to Ukraine is not charity. It is an investment in our own security," he added. Ukraine has been pleading for months for more air defense systems as it grapples with increasingly intense Russian air strikes on its infrastructure while its stocks of weapons and ammunition dwindle as critical U.S. aid remains stuck in Congress. The United States has been by far the main provider of military assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022. A desperately needed $60.84 billion military aid package for Ukraine has until this week been blocked in the U.S. House of Representatives amid opposition from hard-liners in the Republican party who want to tie domestic policy issues such as immigration to a decision on foreign aid. But the House on April 19 pressed forward on a package of $95 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan as a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers helped clear a procedural hurdle to reach final votes, now expected to start at 1 p.m. on April 20. On April 19, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that his recent visit to Washington marked "a shift in the issue of unblocking the aid from the United States." "We received assurances of the support for the bill from both [the Republican and Democratic] parties. We expect that this large aid package from the U.S. will be voted on in the near future," Shmyhal added. Separately, members of the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized nations responded to the strikes by pledging to boost Ukraine's air defenses. "Every country that provides air defense systems to Ukraine, every leader who helps persuade our partners that air defense systems should not be stored in warehouses but deployed in real cities and communities facing terror, and everyone who supports our defense is a life saver," Zelenskiy wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "We are determined to continue to provide military, financial, political, humanitarian, economic, and development support to Ukraine and its people," the G7 foreign ministers said at the end of a two-day meeting on the Italian island of Capri. The G7 will "bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities to save lives and protect critical infrastructure," the statement said, but without providing a specific deadline. A day of mourning was declared on April 19 for those killed in Russian missile strikes on the city of Dnipro and its surroundings in Ukraine's southeastern region of Dnipropetrovsk as Ukraine's air force for the first time said it had downed one of Russia's attacking strategic bombers. At least eight people were killed and 25 were wounded when Russian warplanes fired missiles at targets in the Dnipropetrovsk region -- the country's industrial heartland. Two people were killed in Dnipro, a city of 1 million that is also the region's capital, and six in the Synelnykivskiy district, some 60 kilometers south of Dnipro, where more than a dozen homes were damaged, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. Serhiy Lysak, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk region, said on Telegram that 24 people were wounded and residential buildings and infrastructure facilities were also damaged in the city. Dnipro Mayor Boris Filatov declared April 20 a day of mourning in the region. A third location in Dnipropetrovsk, Zelenskiy's hometown of Kriviy Rih, was targeted by a separate Russian attack that damaged infrastructure and wounded three people, according to Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul, who said the strike on infrastructure caused a fire. Following the strikes, Ukraine's air force said it destroyed a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber. "This is retaliation for the fact that the Russian strategic aircraft attacked our peaceful cities today, where civilians were killed," air force spokesman Ilya Yevlash told RFE/RL. "This is the first time that our air force together with our partners from the [military intelligence] and other defense forces were able to shoot down a Tu-22M3 strategic aviation aircraft. And for the first time, two Kh-22 missiles fired by this aircraft were also shot down. Of course, it's a combo. Today is a rainy day in the Russian propaganda media," Yevlash said. Yevlash later added that a second Tu-22M3 was forced to turn around before it had time to launch its missiles, without providing details. The Ukrainian claim could not be independently verified. Russia's Defense Ministry said a Tu-22 had crashed in the southern region of Stavropol due to a technical malfunction while returning to base from a combat mission. Stavropol regional chief Vladimir Vladimirov said one of the four members of the crew had died, while rescue services were searching for one that was missing. Two other members were found alive, Vladimirov said. "Russia must be held accountable for its terror, and all missiles and 'Shahed' drones must be intercepted," Zelenskiy wrote on X. "The world can ensure this, and our partners possess the necessary capabilities. This has been demonstrated in the skies over the Middle East, and it should also work in Europe," Zelenskiy said in an apparent reference to a massive Iranian drone attack on Israel last week that was virtually completely repelled in a joint effort by Israeli, U.S., French, British, and Jordanian air defenses. With reporting by AFP, dpa, and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia- strikes-dnipro/32911952.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Carries Out 34 Group Strikes on Ukrainian Military, Energy Facilities in Past Week Sputnik News 20240419 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Ministry of Defense reported on the progress of special military operation. The Russian armed forces carried out 34 group strikes with missiles and drones on military and energy facilities of Ukraine in the past week in a response to the attempts by Kiev to damage Russian energy and industry facilities, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday. "From April 13-19, the Russian armed forces in a response to attempt by the Kiev regime to damage Russian energy and industry facilities, carried out 34 group strikes with high-precision long-range air and sea-based weapons, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, as a result of which energy industry facilities, enterprises of the military-industrial complex and Ukraine's railway infrastructure, air defense facilities, arsenals and fuel storage facilities for military equipment were damaged," the ministry said. Ukrainian Losses in a Week Ukraine has lost more than 3,550 soldiers in the Donetsk vicinity over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. Over the given period, the Russian armed forces have repulsed 53 counterattacks by Ukrainian military in the Avdeyevka outskirts, 11 counterattacks in the Kupyansk direction and seven counterattacks in the Donetsk direction. "The enemy lost over 3,550 troops, four tanks, five armored combat vehicles and 87 vehicles [in the Donetsk direction]," the ministry said in a statement. Ukraine has also lost 2,170 soldiers in the Avdeyevka vicinity, up to 760 soldiers in the South Donetsk area, more than 380 soldiers in the Kupyansk suburbs and up to 365 soldiers in the Kherson region, the ministry said. Additionally Ministry of Defense reported that 27 Ukrainian soldiers chose to surrender to Russian Armed Forces to avoid certain death. Earlier Sputnik shared an interview with Ukrainian PoW who was escorted to Russian positions by drone. He is treated with dignity and respect. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lavrov Discloses For First Time Partial Terms of Istanbul Deal With Ukraine Sputnik News 20240419 The security guarantees outlined in the Istanbul agreements for resolving the conflict in Ukraine were utterly serious, nearly on par with Article 5 of the Washington Treaty (also known as the North Atlantic Treaty). However, Kiev decided at the last moment to make "minor" amendments to the section dedicated to military exercises with foreign participation, which became an indicator that someone might have prohibited the negotiations, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "Ultimately, we were ready to accommodate the Ukrainian delegation's aspiration that these guarantees were to be extremely serious. The fifth article of the Washington Treaty, which pertains to the establishment of NATO, was considered the limit of seriousness," Lavrov said in an interview with Sputnik, Govorit Moskva, and Komsomolskaya Pravda. He mentioned that the intention was not to reproduce it word for word, but the assurances given were still "serious." "It was specifically stated that these security guarantees did not extend to Crimea and Donbass, which basically meant that they could not be touched," the top diplomat emphasized. Lavrov added that the agreements envisaged not deploying any military bases of other states in Ukraine. "It was said that there would be no military maneuvers, exercises of armed forces with the participation of third countries in Ukraine, except in cases when all guarantor countries agree: including us, including China," the foreign minister noted. However, Lavrov pointed out that after the main process of coordinating the agreements was completed, the Ukrainian side decided to make "minor" amendments. "For example: 'the prohibition of military exercises involving armed forces of third countries' except if all guarantors agree,' let's replace it with 'except in cases when the majority of guarantors agree.' That's all. It was such a signal that either they were already prohibited overnight, or someone said, 'Let's mess with these Russians some more,'" the minister noted. In late November, David Arakhamia, the leader of Zelensky's faction in the Verkhovna Rada and a member of the committee on national security, defense, and intelligence, stated that the military conflict in Ukraine could have ended in the spring of 2022. However, he noted that the Ukrainian authorities rejected the option of neutrality for the country. Following negotiations with Russia in Istanbul, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, urged Kiev to avoid signing any agreements with Russia and instead focus on continuing the fight. In February, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson that negotiations with Ukraine in 2022 were nearly finalized. However, he claimed that after Russian troops had withdrawn from Kiev, the Ukrainian side disregarded all agreements and Zelensky went as far as prohibiting negotiations with Russia through a legislative decree. Putin emphasized that Moscow has never rejected negotiations, a point he also reiterated in an interview with Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin. In this interview, he expressed uncertainty on whether the West wants a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict but reassured that Russia remains open to dialogue if such a resolution is desired. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Technical Malfunction Resulted in Crash of Tu-22MR Plane in Stavropol Region - Defense Ministry Sputnik News 20240419 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A Tu-22M3 of the Russian aerospace forces has crashed in Russia's Stavropol Territory while returning to a home airfield after completing a combat mission, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday. The ministry added that, according to preliminary information, the plane has crashed as a result of a technical malfunction. "A Tu-22M3 aircraft of the Russian aerospace forces has crashed in the Stavropol Territory after conducting a combat mission while returning to its home airfield. The pilots have ejected. Three crew members have been evacuated by a search and rescue team. A search for one pilot is currently underway. There was no ammunition on board. The plane has crashed in a deserted area. There is no damage on the ground," the ministry said in a statement. Two pilots of the crashed plane were transported to hospital, Stavropol region governor said. According to the latest information, the third pilot, evacuated from the crash scene, died. The search for the fourth crewmember is underway. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address G7 Italy 2024 Foreign Ministers' Statement on Steadfast Support for Ukraine US Department of State Media Note Office of the Spokesperson April 19, 2024 The text of the following statement was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union. We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. We reaffirm our unwavering determination to support democratic Ukraine as it defends its freedom, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders. We pay tribute to the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people, fighting for their freedom and democratic future. Ten years on since Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea and its setting up of unrecognized proxy regimes in parts of the Donbas and into the third year of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we demand that the Russian Federation immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraws all of its military forces and equipment from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. Russia can end this war today. We call on all countries to uphold international law and in no way to validate or condone Russia's attempts to acquire territory by force, in violation of the basic tenets of the UN Charter. We will never recognize the legitimacy of so-called "referenda" or "elections", past or future, held by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, nor their results. Illegally holding Russian Presidential elections in Ukraine's sovereign territories was an outrageous violation of international law. We will continue to support Ukraine's right of self-defense and reiterate our commitment to Ukraine's long-term security. Based on the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine we endorsed in Vilnius in July 2023, we are fully engaged on finalizing and implementing specific, bilateral, long-term security commitments and arrangements with Ukraine, which several G7 countries and other partners have already signed. We are stepping up our defense and security assistance to Ukraine and are increasing our production and delivery capabilities to assist the country. We also support efforts to assist Ukraine building a future force capable of self-defense and deterrence against all aggression. We express our resolve in particular to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities to save lives and protect critical infrastructure. We will also work with partners towards this end. In this context we appreciate the Immediate Action for Air Defense Initiative (IAAD) proposed by Germany. Together with international partners, we are determined to continue to provide military, financial, political, humanitarian, economic, and development support to Ukraine and its people. We welcome the EU's adoption of the Ukraine facility of EUR 50 billion, the EU "Ukraine Assistance Fund" of EUR 5 billion. We also welcome additional support G7 countries have approved, as well as the swift delivery of budget support in the first quarter of 2024 by Canada and Japan. We urge the approval of further support from other international partners. We will continue to help Ukraine repair and restore its critical energy and environmental infrastructure and we re-emphasize our strong support for Ukraine's energy security, including through the G7+ Ukraine Energy Coordination Group. We express our deepest concern about the reported use of chemical agents by Russia, as a method of warfare. Russia must pay for the damage and devastation it is causing. We condemn Russia's recent missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure and cities across Ukraine. We are determined to ensure full accountability and we support Ukraine in obtaining compensation for the loss, injury and damage resulting from Russia's aggression. We welcome the launch of the Register of Damage caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Russia's sovereign assets in our jurisdictions will remain immobilized until Russia ceases its aggression and pays for the damage it has caused. We welcome the adoption by the EU of the legal acts concerning extraordinary revenues held by private entities stemming directly from Russia's immobilized sovereign assets also in view to exploring ways to maximize the benefit for Ukraine that can be obtained from these revenues. We will continue to explore all possible avenues to aid Ukraine in obtaining compensation from Russia, consistent with our respective legal systems and international law. As requested by Leaders, we will continue our work and advise ahead of the Apulia Summit on all possible avenues and feasible options by which immobilized Russian sovereign assets could be made use of to support Ukraine, consistent with our respective legal systems and international law. Ukraine's reconstruction, starting with early recovery measures and addressing the current energy emergency, remains key priorities. We will continue to work with the Ukrainian authorities and International Financial Institutions through the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform and by leveraging private investments. We welcome the Steering Committee of the enlarged MDCP which took place for the first time in Kyiv on 10 April. We highlight the importance of gender-responsive recovery and the need to address the different needs of women, children and disabled persons as well as other population groups who have been disproportionately affected by Russia's war of aggression. The reintegration of disabled combatants and civilians remains a priority. Further to the successful Japan-Ukraine Conference for the Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction, we look forward to the Ukraine Recovery Conferences, to be hosted in Berlin in 2024 and in Rome in 2025. We welcome the European Council's decision in December 2023 to open negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the European Union. We praise Ukraine's progress in its reform efforts, especially to reinforce the justice system and the rule of law and to fight corruption. These endeavors are in line with the Euro-Atlantic path Ukraine has embraced. We will continue to support Ukraine as it works to implement further reforms to strengthen its democracy. We reiterate our support for Ukraine's efforts to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, consistent with international law, including the UN Charter, with respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will continue to work to achieve the widest possible international support for the key principles and objectives of Ukraine's Peace Formula, also in view of the high-level international conference planned in Switzerland in mid-June. Russia's irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and its posture of strategic intimidation, including its announced deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus are unacceptable. We reaffirm that any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with severe consequences. In this context, threats by Russia of nuclear weapons use, let alone any use of nuclear weapons by Russia, in the context of its war of aggression against Ukraine are inadmissible. We condemn Russia's seizure and continued control and militarization of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which poses severe risks for nuclear safety and security, with implications for the broader international community. We support the International Atomic Energy Agency's efforts directed at mitigating such risks, including through the continuous presence of IAEA experts and its focus on ensuring nuclear safety and security at the site. Despite Russia's attempts to undermine global food security, Ukraine's success in securing a corridor through the Black Sea has significantly expanded food exports and continues to help feed the world. We pledge our enduring support to those efforts, including through the EU solidarity lanes and other appropriate mechanisms. We remain committed to fully implementing and enforcing our sanctions on Russia and adopting new measures as necessary. We will continue to counter, in close cooperation with third countries, any attempts to evade and circumvent our sanctions and export restrictions. We call on financial institutions to refrain from supporting Russia's defense industrial base and we will take appropriate steps, consistent with our legal systems, to disrupt and deter this behavior. We will impose additional sanctions on companies and individuals in third countries who help Russia acquire tools and other equipment that aid Russian weapons production or military-industrial development. We will continue to apply significant pressure on Russian revenues from energy and other sectors. We call on all countries to reduce their imports from Russia which are supporting its war. We will continue to take steps to tighten compliance and enforcement of the oil price cap. While working to maintain supply stability, we will respond to price cap violations, including by imposing additional sanctions measures on those engaged in deceptive practices while transporting Russian oil and against the networks Russia has developed to extract additional revenue from price cap violations. We will continue taking steps to limit Russia's future energy revenues. We will continue to impede Russia's development of future energy projects and disrupt its development of alternatives for energy shipping and other services. We also welcome the steps taken by the UK and U.S. to stop the trade of new Russian base metals on their global metal exchanges. We will continue efforts to reduce Russia's revenues from metals. We condemn in the strongest possible terms North Korea's unlawful export of arms to Russia and for use in Ukraine. In particular, we condemn North Korea's exports and Russia's procurement of North Korea's ballistic missiles in direct violation of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and call upon them to immediately cease such activities. We call upon Iran to stop assisting Russia's war effort in Ukraine. Any steps by Iran to transfer ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia, would represent a substantive, material escalation, and t we would respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner, including with new and significant measures against Iran. We call on all countries to prevent the supply of components or other items to Iran's UAV programmes, which support Russia's war effort. We express our strong concern about transfers to Russia from businesses in the People's Republic of China of dual-use materials and weapons components that Russia is using to advance its military production. This is enabling Russia to reconstitute and revitalize its defense industrial base, posing a threat both to Ukraine and to international peace and security. China should ensure that this support stops, as it will only prolong this illegal war of aggression in violation of the UN Charter and increase the threat that Russia poses to its neighbors. We reiterate our condemnation of the Belarusian regime's complicity in Russia's war against Ukraine. We express our continued concern over the regime's continuing repression of independent media, civil society, and of opposition and citizens that peacefully express their views. We also condemn the ill-treatment of political prisoners and ask for their immediate and unconditional release. There can be no impunity for war crimes such as attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure, humanitarian workers, deportation of Ukrainians, including forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children, or grave and serious violations of children's rights and conflict-related sexual violence. Those responsible for crimes, which are of concern to the international community, will be held to account consistent with international law. We welcome initiatives to address Russia's unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. We firmly reject the Russian authorities' baseless attempts to blame Ukraine for the tragic terrorist attack near Moscow on March 22, which was claimed by ISIS. We call on Russia to stop using this tragedy in its disinformation efforts against Ukraine. We remain steadfast in our fight against terrorism, as illustrated by several G7 countries continuing to share information with Russia on this issue. We will not relent from holding those responsible for Alexei Navalny's death accountable, including by continuing to impose restrictive measures and other appropriate actions in response to human rights violations and abuses in Russia. We condemn the Kremlin's systematic repression of dissenting voices, and we call on Russia to release all political prisoners. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Dnipro, the President Thanked the Rescuers Who are Eliminating the Consequences of the Russian Attack President of Ukraine 19 April 2024 - 19:55 The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, inspected a five-story apartment building in Dnipro that was damaged by a massive nighttime missile attack. The Head of State was reported on the elimination of the consequences of the strike. Two floors of the building were completely destroyed. Nearby buildings and the railway station were also damaged. Two psychological aid centers were set up for people at the site. Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to the rescuers who are still eliminating the consequences of the Russian shelling and thanked them and all those who helped the victims. Eight people were killed in the Russian attack on the Dnipropetrovsk region. The Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Lysak reported on this to the Head of State during a security meeting. A locomotive depot was also damaged in Dnipro. Several infrastructure facilities were destroyed in the region's communities. During the meeting, the President of Ukraine discussed with the regional authorities, military command, and government officials the strengthening of air defense, construction of defense facilities, preparation for the new school year and arrangement of school shelters. Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine and Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, said that the construction of the main water supply system in the Dnipro region has been completed after the Russian occupiers blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam. The Deputy Head of the Office of the President Rostyslav Shurma presented the possibilities of decentralization of energy supply of the region. The issue of providing hospitals with alternative sources of heat was also discussed. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address It is not fair to resist bombs merely with bravery - the President during the extraordinary meeting of the Ukraine - NATO Council President of Ukraine 19 April 2024 - 18:20 Dear friends, Thank you for a prompt convocation of our Council. Speedy reaction now literally means security. Today I was on the frontline - right where the Russian army is amassing most of its efforts for assaults. Unlike our soldiers, the occupiers have enough weapons, a sufficient number of shells, and worst of all - they, unfortunately, still have control over our sky. In these conditions our Ukrainian soldiers - real heroes - are doing everything possible to deter Russian assaults. But it is not fair to resist bombs merely with bravery, the valor of our people cannot be the only defense from drones and missiles - our positions on the frontline need real protection from air strikes. And our cities, our villages, the entire territory of Ukraine needs real protection of the skies. This morning, our cities of Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, and Synelnykove were struck by Russian missile attacks. In Dnipro, an ordinary residential building was destroyed, and people were trapped under the rubble. A railway and a bus stations were damaged... This is just one morning in one city, yet Russian terrorists strike our country daily and nightly in various cities and communities. Such cities as Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Dnipro, among others, do not have a reliable defense against Russian terrorists. When I was preparing for this conversation, they hit the sea port Pivdennyi. Several missiles struck port facilities, not only Ukrainian, but Singapore's as well. From the beginning of this year alone - a bit more than just three months - Ukraine has been hit with almost one thousand two hundred Russian rockets, including aeroballistic and also more than one thousand five hundred 'Shaheds'. Part of this evil we managed to neutralize - shoot down. But only a part, unfortunately, the smaller part of the rockets, not all 'Shaheds' which the Iranian regime shared with Russia, and not all of eight thousand five hundred guided bombs. And Russia has resorted to more calculated massive strikes that destroy our energy system. It is obvious that Ukraine alone does not have sufficient strength to defend itself from Russian terrorist strikes. And the truth is that the absolute majority of the world countries and of our common Euroatlantic community similarly would lack just their own strength to defend life. This is why NATO was created and this is what alliances work in the world for - when all together defend life, evil will not defeat all - one by one. And we see the effect of this principle - we see a determined alliance - there are those among you who showed it to the entire world. Dear friends! The world has seen so far the alliance which does not have equals in countering terror. Israel was not left alone and almost one hundred percent of the strikes against it were neutralized. It is a convincing efficiency of the air shield of NATO countries, your air defense, your combat aviation - everything that now worked in the skies of the Middle East and destroyed not only Iranian drones and rockets but also several dangerous myths. Especially the myth that NATO members' action in defense of the third country from drones and rockets involves NATO in the war, and that shooting down 'Shaheds' or rockets can supposedly be treated as direct confrontation with the army that used this weapon. For allied actions in the Middle East there was no need to activate the Fifth article, and the allies were acting together to protect a state that is not a member of the Alliance. Ukraine did not ask you to send your soldiers to fight against Russian occupiers - Ukrainians are holding the frontline on their own, receiving military assistance. But now the assistance is still very limited, and in particular, we're still waiting for new support packages from the United States - American support has been in question for too long. Everything that is questioned for the defense of freedom is a precise answer for Putin - he is tempted to act when the West slows down. Ukraine has asked and asks all of you to support our actions with a sufficient number of weapons and shells - and it is a realistic request. I am grateful to every leader and every country that now, while we are waiting for a vitally important decision from the US Congress, offers their own initiatives to cope with the shortage of weapons - including artillery, drones, and other initiatives. But the results of each initiative can be measured only by real capabilities of our soldiers on the frontline - real shells, real weapons in their hands. Ukraine asks you to do everything so that the initiatives for support are realized fully. It is obvious that now, while Russia has air advantage and can rely on its drone and rocket terror, our capabilities on the ground, unfortunately, are limited. And you have shown how it may be solved. NATO unites not only the military strength of its member countries but also the humanitarian spirit of the nations. It is an Alliance that protects people and lives, and hence must in its actions follow the idea that people are equal in their dignity and rights, and that given by God - life is equally valuable everywhere on the Earth. That's why the difference in determination to protect life and freedom looks so strange - somewhere it is stronger, elsewhere weaker. Somewhere 'Shaheds' are shot down and elsewhere the same 'Shaheds' can fly along the trajectory of terror. Somewhere ballistic missiles are destroyed while elsewhere, unfortunately, they reach their targets. Somewhere delivery of really modern weapons is sufficient to protect life while elsewhere twentieth-century weapons are the highest yardstick in many respects, in particular regarding aviation. Putin must be brought down to earth, and our sky must become safe again, and it is real. And it depends fully on your choice. Choice whether life is indeed equally valuable everywhere. Choice whether you have an equal attitude to all partners. Choice whether we indeed are allies. We are telling this directly - to defend, we need seven more 'Patriots' or similar air defense systems, and it's a minimum number. They can save many lives and really change the situation. You have such systems. Please. Secondly: we are talking for quite a while about a million artillery shells for Ukraine. They must be finally delivered to the frontline. Thirdly, our long-ranged ability. It is absurd when partners are afraid of their strength. The more long-ranged weapons our soldiers have in their hands, the closer peace is. The frontline really needs long-range rockets and artillery now. Fourth: aviation. If we have a fighter jet coalition, a sufficient number of jets is needed to really overcome the Russian air fleet. It's not about the number of promises, but the real number of jets in the sky. And fifth is speed. This year we can't wait for decisions to be made. I ask you to consider as soon as possible our request for your determination - each of its elements. Thank you so much for your attention and support! And I am grateful to every country and every leader for all the support provided to us. NNN! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine and Israel Should Join Forces in Fighting Aggressors - Andriy Yermak President of Ukraine 19 April 2024 - 14:24 Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak took part in the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. The Head of the Presidential Office thanked the participants for their support of Ukraine, congratulated them on the upcoming Passover and expressed solidarity with the Israeli people. "Just as Israel, Ukraine cannot lay down its arms because it is a matter of our existence. And although we are at a distance, Israel and Ukraine are on the same side against countries that are interconnected," said Andriy Yermak. The Head of the President's Office stated that the partnership between Russia and Iran is increasingly acquiring the features of a military alliance: the exchange of technologies, drones and air defense systems, experience and tactics. All this poses a threat to the Middle East, Europe and the world. Andriy Yermak emphasized that this is why it is important to unblock aid from the U.S. Congress and for the world to develop an action plan based on the Ukrainian Peace Formula. "Now is the moment when either good or evil will prevail. We are sure that good will prevail. But there is no time for any doubts, no opportunity to check anything further. Everything is obvious. Ukraine sees how this can be resolved," he summarized. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Reported crimes, such as this apparent auto burglary, fell in San Francisco over the first quarter of this year across all categories, according to publicly available police data. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Reported crimes fell in San Francisco over the first quarter of 2024 across all categories, with some offenses dipping to levels last seen before the pandemic welcome news in a city that has seen its image battered over concerns about public safety. The trends, documented in city police data, continue the downward trajectory San Francisco saw in 2023, when cities nationwide experienced falling crime. The figures include double-digit percentage drops in both violent and property crimes, with homicides falling from 11 to 8, rapes by 23%, and burglaries by 15% over the same time last year. Larceny a type of theft that includes San Franciscos notoriously high level of car burglaries fell the most over the previous year, plunging by 35% from 8,389 reported incidents to 5,402, the citys statistics showed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad From January through March, San Francisco saw decreases in every major crime category tracked by the FBI for its Uniform Crime Reporting Program, which includes homicide, rape, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, arson, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft. As with all crime fluctuations, criminologists caution against assigning too much credit or blame to any single policy or police action. But San Francisco leaders said a coordinated crackdown by local, state and federal law enforcement has chipped away at some of the citys most persistent public safety problems, including its infamously high rate of property crimes. Jeff Cretan, a spokesperson for Mayor London Breed, said that for many years public safety agencies in San Francisco were relatively siloed. The local U.S. Attorneys Office and Drug Enforcement Administration didnt reliably communicate with local law enforcement, and the two previous district attorneys, George Gascon and Chesa Boudin, were often philosophically at odds with police, Cretan said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its always been kind of complicated, Cretan said. But now, everyone is coordinated and working together. Utilizing state and federal law enforcement officials to combat San Franciscos street-level drug markets has helped to free city police to tackle other crimes, officials said. In June, the city opened a new unified command center to coordinate public health and law enforcement agencies to tackle the drug epidemic. And after pleas by Breed and others for more federal and state assistance with the drug scourge, Gov. Gavin Newsom deployed state police and California National Guard. In August, U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey launched a new crackdown on street dealers and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi announced more federal funding to tackle fentanyl dealing. While these initiatives center on drug trafficking which is not a crime tracked as a major category city officials said the work has complemented and supplemented other crime-fighting efforts. Officers are seizing guns from the streets and arresting people with outstanding warrants. And its freed up more resources to tackle fencing operations, car burglaries and retail thefts crimes producing proceeds that help fuel the drug trade. Its all related, Cretan said. There are a number of factors that go into this, but it cannot be overstated how important that coordination has been. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jeff Asher, an analyst who tracks national crime trends, said hed be skeptical drawing any firm conclusions about whats driving down crime in San Francisco and across the country. As Asher noted in a recent post, preliminary FBI data indicates widespread dips in crime categories across the board, in both big and small cities throughout the U.S. So far, the overall trends are very positive, he said, adding that its something well have to see how it plays out over the rest of the year to better understand what are the main drivers of the trend. Concerns about public safety have become a focal point of the mayors race this year, with Breed facing serious challenges to her reelection bid. Breed may look to highlight encouraging drops in crime as she attempts to fend off challengers who have attacked her leadership by characterizing safety in the city at crisis levels. San Francisco Police Commissioner Kevin Benedicto said the persistent disconnect between the citys crime numbers and perceptions of public safety reflects an important limitation in the persuasiveness of crime statistics. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I think that sometimes policymakers can over-rely on data and sort of discount perception that is inconsistent with data, Benedicto said. And I think thats a mistake that gets made, because no one whos ever had their car broken into is comforted by learning that crime is on the mend. But that perception seems to be softening, too, he said, crediting both police and the widespread deployment of community ambassadors. Ultimately, people need to be safe and they need to feel safe, Benedicto said. I do hope that that perception is catching up. Officials point to the sharp drop-off of car break-ins as a clear payoff of the citys labor. Just a few months after District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and Police Chief Bill Scott announced a new operation in August involving bait cars, plainclothes officers and vigorous prosecutions, the citys reported smash-and-grabs had been cut in half, and the figures continued to shrink. From January 2018 to August 2023, San Francisco averaged about 1,880 car burglaries a month, compared with 1,027 on average from September to March of this year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The month-over-month consistency has made officials optimistic that the trend could be sustainable. The 783 reported car break-ins in March was the lowest number in San Francisco in over five years aside from April 2020, when COVID-19 lockdowns brought ordinary life to a standstill. San Francisco police spokesperson Evan Sernoffsky said the recent arrests have felled some of the citys most prolific car burglars, which has had an outsize impact on the number of cases reported in recent months. When theyre not out breaking into cars, the numbers go down significantly, he said. Other types of statistics, such as the lower rates of violent crimes, are more difficult to credit to local law enforcement tactics. San Francisco, a city with consistently low rates of homicides compared with other big cities, saw another dip in the first quarter of this year, from 11 to eight. There were 56 recorded homicides in 2022, compared with 53 in 2023. San Franciscos number of reported shootings has fallen as well. There were 31 victims of gun violence by April 7 of this year, compared with 51 during the same time last year, 53 in 2022 and 69 in 2021. Asher, the crime analyst, noted that data collected nationally by the Gun Violence Archive points to similar falling rates of gun crimes throughout the U.S. The trend lines, he said, may point to a return to normalcy after a countrywide surge of gun crimes that coincided with the first two years of the pandemic. Some of the economic stressors that may have contributed to the violence have settled, and the anti-crime government programs and similar efforts by philanthropies and nonprofits that ground to a halt during lockdowns are up and running again, Asher said. The President of Ukraine Visited One of the Command Posts of the 41st Separate Mechanized Brigade, Defending Chasiv Yar President of Ukraine 19 April 2024 - 14:12 During a working trip to the Donetsk region, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visited one of the command posts of the 41st separate mechanized brigade. The Head of State listened to the report of brigade commander Serhii Romashko regarding the current state of operations in the area of responsibility of the 41st separate mechanized brigade, the combat tasks set and interaction with neighbouring units. Serhii Romashko also reported on the construction of defensive lines and the installation of mine barriers. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the soldiers for protecting Ukraine and honoured them with awards. The President conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine and presented the Order of the Golden Star to Chief Sergeant Serhii Hvozd. He has been defending Ukraine since the first day of the full-scale invasion. During this time, combined groups under his command repeatedly repelled enemy assaults in the Donetsk region. Thanks to his accurate shots and efficient control of drones, the invaders suffered significant losses in both equipment and manpower. Serhii Hvozd was wounded several times, and despite the threat posed to his life, he would save his brothers-in-arms. Staff Sergeant Oleh Diachuk received the award of the President of Ukraine "Cross of Military Merit". He participated in battles, in particular for the Kyiv region, the Kharkiv region, and the Donetsk region. He is currently carrying out combat missions in the vicinity of Klishchiivka as part of the crews operating anti-tank guided missiles and tripod-mounted anti-tank grenade launchers. Thanks to the work organized by him, about 20 Russian invaders were destroyed and about 50 were wounded. Another Ukrainian defender was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III class, and two others were awarded the Order "For Courage" III class. "It's a pleasure for me to be here, to see you, to thank and reward you in person. You are on one of the hottest, and perhaps the hardest battle lines for our country today. Thank you for fighting for Ukraine, for the Ukrainian Donbas. I am grateful to those of your brothers-in-arms who, unfortunately, are no longer with us, but they are forever in our memory. I wish you health, strength, victory and all the best. Thank you once again for protecting Ukraine and defending our people and our land," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Held a Meeting on the Security Situation and Inspected the Construction of Fortifications in the Donetsk Region President of Ukraine 19 April 2024 - 12:34 In the Donetsk region, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting on the security situation in the region. The commander of the Khortytsia operational-strategic grouping of troops Yuriy Sodol reported on the operational situation in the area of responsibility, in particular on the defense of Chasiv Yar. He also informed about the primary needs of the military units. The Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin, reported on the elimination of the consequences of Russian shelling and the restoration of water supply in the settlements. He also spoke about ensuring educational activities in the region and the construction of school shelters. In addition, Vadym Filashkin noted that the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, together with other regions and the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development, is building a third line of defense in the region. The heads of the SSU and National Police departments reported on counterintelligence activities and the criminogenic situation in the region. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also inspected the construction of fortifications in the Donetsk region. The Head of State inspected the firing positions, protective reinforced concrete structures, trenches, observation post and non-explosive barriers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In the Donetsk Region, the President Visited the Medical Company of the 95th Air Assault Brigade and Thanked the Warriors and Combat Medics President of Ukraine 19 April 2024 - 12:08 In the Donetsk region, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the medical company of the 95th separate air assault brigade. The Head of State talked to the servicemen who are undergoing treatment there and asked about the provision of the medical company. Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the defenders with the Orders "For Courage" III class, medals "For Military Service to Ukraine" and "To the Defender of the Motherland". "Thank you for your service, for defending Ukraine. I wish you good luck, recovery and victory," he said. The President also awarded the company's medics with the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III class and medals "For Saved Life". "Thank you for your work. You are making every effort for the sake of the lives of our warriors. Thank you for treating our servicemen and serving Ukraine. I wish you victory, health and strength," the Head of State emphasized. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine war 'stark reminder' of the trials facing multilateralism 19 April 2024 - The Russian invasion of Ukraine is "a stark reminder" of the challenges to multilateralism and remains the top priority of UN partner the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Security Council heard on Friday. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ian Borg briefed ambassadors during their annual meeting on cooperation between the UN and the regional body, which is comprised of 57 States spanning Europe, Central Asia and North America, representing one billion people. The Maltese Foreign Minister said OSCE countries and their societies "are confronted with an era of profound uncertainty", given the challenging security situation in the region following more than two years of conflict in Ukraine. Multilateralism under fire "Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine not only reverberates through the dark corridors of history, but also serves as a stark reminder of the trials our multilateral system currently faces," he said. Mr. Borg told the Council that the international rules-based order designed to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war is being rigorously tested in the current unprecedented times. Multilateral frameworks established not only to prevent the outbreak of conflict but also to nurture lasting peace are now being eroded as they strive to meet the complex demands of today's world. He said these "testing times" should galvanize the international community "to move beyond support for the cause of multilateralism and commit ourselves to effective, tangible and sustainable engagement." Meanwhile, the OSCE must remain anchored in the principles and commitments members agreed to 50 years ago, aimed at restoring peace and security across the region. End the war in Ukraine "Using the organization as a platform for accountability for acts in breach of these principles, this is why we must, and we will, keep Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine at the top of the agenda," he said. Mr. Borg visited Ukraine and saw firsthand the devastation caused by the war, which has left thousands dead and forced millions to flee their homes. While in the capital, Kyiv, he also reaffirmed the OSCE's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with international law. "The ongoing attacks must stop. This war must come to an end," he said, while reaffirming commitment towards securing the release of three OSCE officials who have been detained in eastern Ukraine since April 2022. Preventing escalation, strengthening democracy During his tenure, Mr. Borg will also prioritize other conflicts in Nagorno-Kharabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria. "We aim to engage with all sides to improve the prospects for comprehensive resolution of conflicts by preventing escalation and restoring stability." He also reported on recent visits to Serbia, Kosovo, and Moldova, where he underscored the OSCE's readiness to support peace and strengthen democracy and the rule of law. Women, peace and security "We will continue leveraging our diplomatic initiatives here at the Security Council concerning the women, peace and security agenda," he added. "Women's agency, perspectives and capabilities are crucial for fostering meaningful dialogue, shaping more effective policies, and enhancing security." Other areas of focus include strengthening the OSCE's work on challenges in the cybersphere, addressing transnational threats, narrowing the digital divide, promoting greater collaboration on climate action, and ensuring the safety of journalists, both on and offline, with particular emphasis on the safety of women journalists. As Foreign Minister of Malta, which holds the presidency of the Security Council this month, Mr. Borg said he had accepted the OSCE chair because "any multilateral organization depends on the work and commitment of all its members, regardless of their size." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address There is no peaceful morning in Ukraine: Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine Denise Brown strongly condemns attacks in Dnipro city and other parts of the region UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs I vehemently condemn the attacks by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which today hit Dnipro City and other parts of the Dnipro Region, east of Ukraine, bringing new suffering to the people of Ukraine. Strikes occurred today's early morning, damaging homes and killing and injuring dozens of people. This came just two days after a deadly attack in Chernihiv City, north of the country, and once again, there are reports that children were among those killed. Aid workers in Dnipro are already on the ground, helping the affected people. The attacks are yet another example of a grave and reprehensible disregard for human life. International Humanitarian Law protects civilians and civilian infrastructure. 19 April 2024 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Europe falters on boosting weapons supplies to Ukraine, as US military aid held up By Henry Ridgwell April 19, 2024 European nations are struggling to agree on providing urgently needed weapons to Ukraine as Kyiv's forces struggle to hold ground against invading Russian forces. Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure faced waves of drone and missile attacks from Russia again on Friday, with at least eight people killed, including two children, in an attack in the central Dnipropetrovsk region. An attack on the city of Chernihiv on Wednesday killed at least 13 people. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for NATO allies to provide more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine following this week's two-day European Union Special Council meeting in Brussels. "NATO has made it very clear that of the systems that are available in the NATO states, several could make a decision like ours a to hand over another system so that better protection is possible against the many attacks currently happening against Ukraine," Scholz told reporters Thursday. "I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize this appeal once again. We have heard that there should be seven more, one of which is ours. And we hope that six more will be found in the NATO context." On the eastern frontlines, Ukraine's forces say they are outgunned by Moscow's troops and are slowly losing ground in several areas. Kyiv has made repeated urgent appeals to the West for more military aid, but the Western hesitancy has only encouraged Moscow, said security analyst Amanda Paul of the Brussels-based European Policy Center. "The Russians have taken advantage of the failure of the West to give Ukraine sufficient military assistance, including air defense systems, to strike their infrastructure," she said. Individual European states have sent significant volumes of military aid to Ukraine. In March, the European Union boosted its bloc-wide fund to provide weapons for Kyiv by $5 billion. A Czech-led initiative aims to supply Kyiv with up to 1.5 million artillery shells over the coming year and is set to deliver the first batch of 180,000 in the coming months. However, Russian military production appears to be outpacing both Western military aid and Ukraine's own ability to manufacture weapons. Meanwhile, several EU states have stopped short of providing the longer-range weapons that Ukraine says it needs to target Russian supply lines. Germany has ruled out supplying its Taurus long-range missiles. Analyst Paul said that while we're now seeing some stronger statements from the German Chancellor or from French President Emmanuel Macron, there are still alot of words and not much action, which adds to the problem. "It's only when the situation on the battlefield has become quite hot that Europeans have changed their narrative or began to supply Ukraine with more weapons, or at least make commitments," Paul said. "Some countries have been concerned about the ramifications from Russia. We saw that for a very long period of time: 'We don't want to escalate with the Kremlin.' These sorts of narratives seem to disappear, at least vocally." Despite the battlefield struggles, Ukraine's military continues to strike back at Russia. Its forces claimed to have downed a TU-22 strategic bomber over Russian airspace Friday, some 300 kilometers from its border. Kyiv said the plane had earlier taken part in the bomb attack on Dnipropetrovsk. In a potentially major boost to Ukraine's capabilities, its air force is set to receive the first of dozens of F-16 fighter jets from Denmark, the Netherlands and the United States in the coming months. A further three Dutch F-16s arrived at a Ukrainian training facility in Romania Wednesday. Several other NATO states, including Norway, Greece, and Belgium, have committed to supplying Ukraine with F-16s over the coming year. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on March 27 that the jets should appear over Ukraine in mid-summer. "So far, everything is going according to plan," Kuleba told reports in an online briefing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zelenskyy appeals to NATO members for arms, aid for Ukraine By VOA News April 19, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to NATO members Friday to step up arms deliveries to Ukraine, which is struggling with diminished munitions while Russia has an air advantage and more ground forces. "NATO must decide if it is Kyiv's ally," Zelenskyy told a gathering of NATO defense ministers in Brussels via video link. "Our sky must become safe again," he added. His appeal to Western partners to provide at least seven more air defense systems came hours after Russia barraged the country with deadly drones and missiles. At least eight people, including two children, were killed in a Russian barrage on Ukraine's eastern Dnipropetrovsk region. But Ukraine said it had downed one of the long-range Russian bombers that launched the missiles for the first time. Zelenskyy compared Western efforts to defend Israel to those toward Ukraine's defense against Russia and said more could be done to help Kyiv repel Russian airstrikes. Ukraine could not defend itself without Western support, he told NATO ministers. "It is obvious that now, while Russia has air advantage and can rely on its drone and rocket terror, our capabilities on the ground, unfortunately, are limited," he said. Earlier Friday, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the bloc had agreed to give Ukraine more weapons, including air defenses. "I expect new announcements on air defense capabilities for Ukraine soon," he added. Ukraine has faced a surge in devastating Russian attacks on its cities. Earlier this week, a strike on the city of Chernihiv killed 18 people. Zelenskyy called an upcoming vote Saturday in the U.S. House of Representatives on a long-delayed $61 billion military aid package for Ukraine "vitally important" and added that the country could no longer "wait for decisions to be made." Earlier Friday, Zelenskyy said he had visited Ukrainian front-line troops and inspected new defensive lines in the war-battered Donetsk region. He also said Russia on Friday had struck two food export terminals at the Black Sea port of Pivdennyi. "Agricultural products destined for Asian and African countries were destroyed in them," he said. This was "part of a deliberate Russian strategy to cause maximum damage to Ukraine and the countries that rely on Ukrainian agricultural goods," he said. Blinken: China helping Russia China is the primary contributor to Russia's military industry complex, as Moscow grinds ahead with its invasion of Ukraine, providing Russia with inputs and components for weaponry, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday following a meeting of G7 ministers in Capri, Italy. "When it comes to Russia's defense, the primary contributor at this moment to that, is China. We see China sharing machine tools, semi-conductors, other dual use items that have helped Russia rebuild its defense industrial base that sanctions and export controls had done so much to degrade," he said. Blinken said China cannot have it both ways a helping Russia and keeping good relations with Europe. "If China purports on the one hand to want good relations with Europe and other countries, it can't on the other hand be fueling what is the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War," Blinken told reporters after a meeting of G7 foreign ministers, where he urged his European counterparts to increase pressure on Beijing. Blinken said if aid to Ukraine is further delayed, there is a real risk it will arrive too late. He underscored it is imperative for Ukraine to get more resources immediately. G7 warns Iran The Group of Seven foreign ministers Friday warned Iran against "substantive material escalation in its support for Russia's war in Ukraine," in a joint statement released after their meeting in Italy. "We are extremely concerned by reports that Iran is considering transferring ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia," said the G7 foreign ministers. Should Iran proceed, they added, "we are prepared to respond in a swift and coordinated manner, including with new and significant measures against Iran." Top diplomats from the world's largest developed economies said they would continue to provide Ukraine military, financial, political, humanitarian, economic and development support after this week's G7 talks, pledging to "bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities" and protect critical infrastructure. "We condemn Russia's recent missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure and cities across Ukraine," said the G7 ministers in the joint statement, following recent attacks on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant that have raised concerns about the potential for a major nuclear accident. VOA State Department Bureau Chief Nike Ching contributed to this report. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OAKLAND, California, April 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Peralta Community College District has opened a nationwide search to find ideal candidates to fill four leadership positions that will play a pivotal role in setting the future direction of the East Bay District. Dynamic newly appointed Chancellor Dr. Tammeil Y. Gilkerson is seeking to fill the post of President of the College of Alameda along with two District-wide leadership positions: Deputy Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer; and Vice Chancellor of Human Resources. Additionally, the District is looking for an experienced lawyer to serve as in-house General Counsel. All four positions will report directly to Dr. Gilkerson. Were looking for accomplished and energetic leaders who are ready to make a true difference at an exceptional academic institution, Gilkerson said. These roles are not simply about an opportunity for leadership, they are a unique chance to contribute to a vital educational mission that builds the foundation of opportunity for a large and incredibly diverse student population. The Peralta Community College District comprises Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College, all committed to providing world-class educational opportunities to one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation. Serving a large number of first-generation students and students for whom English is not their primary language, the Peralta Colleges provide students the support to achieve their dreams. The open positions are: College of Alameda President: Lead the unique and vibrant College of Alameda, situated in the picturesque island city of Alameda. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the College of Alameda website here. Interested candidates should apply online here by April 21st, our application deadline. Deputy Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer: A strategic and operational partner to the Chancellor in guiding the Peralta Community College District forward. The Deputy Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer will oversee critical areas such as finance, general services, capital projects, and technology. Learn more about this role here and apply online here by April 24th for consideration during the initial review on April 25th. Vice Chancellor of Human Resources: Contribute to Peraltas mission by leading the recruitment and support efforts for dedicated employees who transform the lives of thousands of students each year. Discover more about this opportunity here, and submit an application here by May 1st to be considered during the first review on May 2nd. General Counsel: If you crave intellectual challenge, a chance to influence thousands of lives in a vibrant urban community, and the thrill of wielding legal power for good, then the General Counsel role at Peralta is for you. It's more than just law it's about anticipating risks before they erupt and wielding legal expertise to turn challenges into opportunities. Apply online here by May 16, 2024. The Peralta colleges are setting the benchmark for community-based education with a strong emphasis on ensuring equity in the increasingly important area of online learning. Online course designs are evaluated through the Peralta Online Equity Rubric, an innovative approach to institutionalizing practices that support equity and inclusion for distance learning that has informed online course creation within the University of California system. The District also hosts the annual Peralta Online Equity Conference (April 29-May 1, 2024), which brings together an international group of equity-minded students, educators, staff and leaders to examine and share equitable practices for online education. Because of its innovative approaches to learning and the commitment to success that is the foundation of the Peralta culture, the four colleges boast an exceptional record of student transfers to four-year degree institutions, especially the University of California and California State systems. A recent study published in the San Francisco Chronicle showed that the College of Alameda had the highest admission rate to the UC system of any community college in the Bay Area and had the highest level of acceptance at UC Davis and UC San Diego. Berkeley City College and Laney College are in the top five Bay Area institutions when it comes to acceptance at UC Berkeley. Peraltas success has always been the unwavering commitment of our faculty, classified professionals, and administrators to serving our students with innovative ideas and leadership in education, Gilkerson said. For leaders who are eager to share that level of commitment and a passion for our larger East Bay community, these positions are the chance of a lifetime to shape the future of community college education and empower tens of thousands of lives. About Peralta Community College District Founded in 1964, the Peralta Community College District (PCCD) is a collaborative community of colleges comprised of Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, and Laney and Merritt colleges in Oakland, Calif. The Peralta Colleges provide a dynamic multicultural learning environment offering accessible, high-quality educational programs and services, including two-year degrees, certificates and university transfer programs, to approximately 30,000 students per year. To learn more about The Peralta Colleges, visit www.peralta.edu Attachments Public Health Alert Congressional and Public Affairs Maria Machuca 202-720-9113 FSISpress@usda.gov FSIS ISSUES PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT FOR GROUND BEEF PRODUCTS DUE TO POSSIBLE E. COLI O157:H7 CONTAMINATION Washington, D.C., April 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WASHINGTON, April 20, 2024 The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The raw ground beef items were produced on March 28, 2024. The products have a Use/Freeze by date of April 22, 2024, and packaging date of 032824. The list of products that are subject to the public health alert can be found here. The labels for these products can be found on the FSIS website [view labels]. The products subject to the public health alert bear establishment number EST. 960A inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to food service institutions and retail locations nationwide. The problem was discovered by the establishment while conducting an inventory of product that was on hold because it was found positive for E. coli O157:H7. The company notified FSIS that they inadvertently used a portion of the contaminated beef to produce ground beef products that they subsequently shipped into commerce. There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 28 days (34 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers and food service institutions freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and food service institutions are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart. Consumers and members of the media with questions about the public health alert can contact Gina Adami, Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. Representative, at 402-575-4702 or gadami@gmail.com. Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/. ### NOTE: Access news releases and other information at FSIS website at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls. Follow FSIS on X at twitter.com/usdafoodsafety or in Spanish at: twitter.com/usdafoodsafe_es. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 800-795-3272 (voice), or 202-720-6382 (TDD). The concessions line at the New Parkway Theater on 24th Street in Oakland. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The Smith Rafael Film Center on Fourth Street in San Rafael is a key venue for the Mill Valley Film Festival. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The New Parkway Theater on 24th Street in Oakland. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle Concessions area at the New Parkway Theater in Oakland. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The New Parkway Theater in Oakland Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle Smith Rafael Film Center Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle Smith Rafael Film Center Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle Smith Rafael Film Center Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle Remembering Gene Wilder plays at Smith Rafael Film Center on April 11, 2024. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle What makes a movie theater beloved? Ahead of National Movie Theater Day on Tuesday, April 23, the Chronicle discussed the qualities that make a cinema more than four walls and a screen. Many factors can make one fall in love with a movie theater: architecture, proximity, projection and sound quality, programming, seat comfort, even the freshness of its popcorn. But just as important is a theaters role in the community. A good movie theater responds to what audiences want and tries to give them the best experience for their money. A great movie theater not only programs fan favorites but invites its patrons to discover films they didnt know they wanted. A beloved movie theater becomes part of the fabric of a neighborhood and a second home to local cinephiles. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The seven movie theaters highlighted by Chronicle staff writers G. Allen Johnson and Tony Bravo are all destinations it would be hard to imagine their communities without. Some are architectural beauties, many have storied histories, and several are known for their unique programming. Here are the Bay Areas greatest movie houses to get lost in the dark. Editors note: The Castro Theatre is currently closed and is not listed. San Francisco Alamo Drafthouse New Mission 2550 Mission St., S.F. www.drafthouse.com Advertisement Article continues below this ad Alamo Drafthouse New Mission on Mission Street in San Francisco. Justin Katigbak/Special to The Chronicle Built in 1916 by the prolific Cliff House architects the Reid Brothers, the New Mission was renovated in 1932 by San Francisco architect Timothy Pflueger, who helped designed the Castro Theatre, into the Art Deco gem it is today. When the New Mission reopened in 2015 under the management of the Alamo Drafthouse chain, this long-vacant beauty was made a vital cinema hub. With its in-movie dining options and Bear vs. Bull bar, its easy to make it more than just a night at the movies. TB: I was at the reopening of the New Mission in December 2015 for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. People were thrilled to see the movie in this newly restored space with all the amenities. AJ: You cannot only see a movie there, you can rent one too. The New Mission bought the Le Video stock when that legendary Inner Sunset video store went out of business. Thats a community service right there. Advertisement Article continues below this ad TB: Between Le Video and their mix of new releases and more curated offerings, theyve made an effort to be a good player in the citys film scene. Roxie Theater 3117 16th St., S.F. www.roxie.com People line up for tickets to the evening show at the Roxie Theater located on 16th Street in the Mission District of San Francisco, as seen in 2017. Michael Macor/The Chronicle One of the oldest continuously operating movie theaters in the United States, the Roxie opened in 1913 as the Poppy and was renamed the Roxie in 1933, when its iconic marquee was added. Its name before that was the Gaiety Theater. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At its lowest point, it showed pornography. Then a group of community leaders took over in the 1970s and turned it into the Bay Areas premiere art house theater and the crown jewel in a vibrant corner of the Mission District filled with great restaurants, bars and event spaces. Go for the most cutting-edge of current world cinema with filmmakers in attendance, intriguing retrospectives, programming from more than a dozen film festivals, 35mm film screenings and more. AJ: My first movie there? Maborosi, the first film by the now-master Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda in 1996. Its shot in all natural light, and I remember how it popped on the Roxie screen. TB: Ive seen Japanese classics by Kurosawa and newer films like Sion Sonos four-hour Love Exposure at the Roxie. Being able to go last year for the Almodovar short film double feature was a highlight of 2023. AJ: Elliott Lavine, who is now in the Portland, Ore., area, really elevated the programming there, with his noir and pre-Code festivals. Lex Sloan, Isabel Fondevila and their team have picked up the baton beautifully, especially with RoxCine, the Roxies year-round program of Spanish-language and Latinx film. Advertisement Article continues below this ad TB: The Roxie is the red neon heart of 16th Street. Balboa Theatre 3630 Balboa St., S.F. www.balboamovies.com An exterior view of the Balboa Theatre in 2022. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle The New Balboa, also designed by the Reid Brothers, opened in 1926 as a single-screen theater. Following a fire in 1978, the auditorium was split in two. Landmark Theatres co-owner Gary Meyer ran the theater from 2001 to 2010 before turning the lease over to the San Francisco Neighborhood Theatre Foundation in 2011. Now a part of Cinema SF, along with the 4 Star and Vogue theaters, the Balboa shows a mix of first-run, old favorites and its own festival programming. The blocks around the theater are full of life around showtime, with nearby bars and cafes for post-cinema refreshment. With its signature neon sign and reliable programming, its one of the brightest spots in the Richmond District. AJ: The Balboas yearly Godzilla festival, usually hosted in August, draws some of its biggest crowds of the year. But its not just that; I love that the Balboa will project anything, from 16mm to VHS. TB: Adam Bergeron and the whole Cinema SF team have done such a great job curating the Balboa, the 4 Star and the Vogue. I love that you can see Godzilla, a Hollywood classic or the Chronicle screening of So I Married An Axe Murderer. AJ: In the 1990s and early 2000s, when it was owned by Frank Lee, the 4 Star would show Hong Kong action films and comedies literally within days often in the same week that the films would open in Hong Kong. So stars like Jet Li and Chow Yun Fat and Maggie Cheung were already well known to me by the time they were in American films. I noticed recently Bergeron booked John Woos The Killer there; I smiled in recognition. East Bay Grand Lake Theatre 3200 Grand Ave., Oakland. www.renaissancerialto.com Grand Lake Theatre, located at 3200 Grand Ave., is one of only four theaters left in the entire city. Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle Another stunning building by the Reid Brothers, the Grand Lake Theatre opened in 1926 as a vaudeville and silent movie house. It is now a multiscreen cinema, with improvements in recent years by owner Allen Michaan, including the addition of twin 3D projectors and an exterior restoration. At 52 feet high, the colored bulb sign designed by Theodore Wetteland is the largest rotary sign west of the Mississippi. AJ: The Grand Lake has the best 70mm projection and the best 3D in the Bay Area. Its actually one of a handful of theaters that has dual-projection 3D. And its solar-powered, so its a green theater. Pretty good for a venue built in 1926. So its retro and nostalgic, yet really modern as well. TB: I love how the theater celebrated Black Panther in 2018. Oakland has such a huge role in the film, and during the run of that movie the theater became Wakanda. AJ: That was the Year of Oakland. The Grand Lake did well with Blindspotting and Sorry to Bother You, both filmed in the Town. Last year, they had a great Season 2 premiere of the Blindspotting TV series with several of the stars in attendance. The Grand Lake represents! The New Parkway Theater 474 24th St., Oakland. www.thenewparkway.com Katie Anthony, left, Eliza Howard, Susan Anthony, David Howard, Alix Anthony and Mason Howard watch a trailer before a showing of Indigo Girls: Its Only Life After All at the New Parkway Theater in Oakland on April 10, 2024. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The Oakland indie establishment is more than a movie theater; its a community center. In fact, you could spend a whole evening there without setting foot in its two screening rooms, choosing instead to have pizza and a couple of beers in its restaurant or try your luck at speed dating or trivia on its mezzanine. Its screening rooms are populated with couches, love seats, easy chairs and coffee tables, a perfect setting for its eclectic film programming and special events such as Golden State Warriors games and Saturday morning cartoons, which include all-you-can-eat cereal. AJ: The first iteration of the New Parkway was the brainchild of Kyle and Catherine Fischer, who ran it from 1996 to 2009 before they closed it due to landlord issues. The current general manager, J. Moses Caesar, opened his revamped version in December 2012 and its still going strong. Pro tip: Get a good nights sleep the night before; those couches are comfortable. TB: Thankfully they serve coffee, and I appreciate how theyve reenvisioned moviegoing so flexibly. North Bay Smith Rafael Film Center 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael. www.rafaelfilm.cafilm.org Smith Rafael Film Center Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The first theater on the site that is now the Smith Rafael Film Center was the Orpheus Theatre, built in 1920 by the Reid Brothers. Following a fire in 1937, it was redone in the Art Moderne style by A.J. Hopper with murals by artist Henry Martin and reopened as the New Rafael Theatre in 1938. The theater closed in 1989 after sustaining damage in the Loma Prieta earthquake. Following a renovation and expansion by San Francisco architect Mark Cavagnero, it reopened under the management of the California Film Institute in 1999. In 2003, the cinema changed its name to Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, and it is now one of the marquee venues for the Mill Valley Film Festival. AJ: Because of the Mill Valley Film Festival and special screenings of films for members of the movie academy, which anyone can attend, Id say more movie stars have been in this theater than any other in the Bay Area over the past 20 to 30 years. Thats just a wildly uninformed guess the Castro may have it beat, but not by much. TB: My compliments to the theaters audio system. I saw Maestro there and was so impressed by how great their Dolby setup sounded. Also, the city of San Rafael is adorable, like right out of a movie itself. AJ: Youre right, its like a Frank Capra movie. And its always 10 degrees warmer than San Francisco. Peninsula Stanford Theatre 221 University Ave., Palo Alto. www.stanfordtheatre.org The Stanford Theatre on University Avenue in Palo Alto still offers a movie, popcorn and a soda for 10 bucks. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Where else can you buy a movie ticket, bag of popcorn and a soda, all for $10? The Stanford Theatre in the middle of lively University Avenue, steps from a Caltrain station opened in 1925 and might be the most ornate movie palace in the Bay Area, showing classic, mostly pre-1965 films on 35mm. The retro vibe is enhanced by live organ music and an adjacent movie history museum (admission included with your ticket), where authentic classic posters and memorabilia such as Victor Laszlos passport from the set of Casablanca are on display. Heres looking at you, kid. TB: The buildings Greek/Assyrian style, the vintage poster and prop collection, and old-fashioned popcorn make it old movie heaven. I love to sit in the balcony for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals, and Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald operettas the sound up there is glorious. TORONTO, April 19, 2024 - Dore Copper Mining Corp. (the "Corporation" or "Dore Copper") (TSXV: DCMC; OTCQX: DRCMF; FRA: DCM) has granted 4,215,000 stock options to management, consultants and advisors. The stock options have an exercise price of $0.10 per share and a term of five years. The Company has also granted an aggregate total of 400,000 deferred share units ("DSU's") to the independent directors of the Company. The DSUs are payable in common shares of the Company upon the holder ceasing to be a director of the Company. Both issuances were granted in accordance with the Company's omnibus share incentive plan. About Dore Copper Mining Corp. Dore Copper Mining Corp. aims to be the next copper producer in Quebec with an initial production target of +50 Mlbs of copper equivalent annually by implementing a hub-and-spoke operation model with multiple high-grade copper-gold assets feeding its centralized Copper Rand mill.1 The Company has delivered its PEA in May 2022 and is proceeding with a feasibility study. The Company has consolidated a large land package in the prolific Lac Dore/Chibougamau and Joe Mann mining camps that has historically produced 1.6 billion pounds of copper and 4.4 million ounces of gold.2 The land package includes 13 former producing mines, deposits and resource target areas within a 60-kilometre radius of the Company's Copper Rand Mill. For further information, please contact: Ernest Mast Laurie Gaborit President and Chief Executive Officer Vice President, Investor Relations Phone: (416) 792-2229 Phone: (416) 219-2049 Email: ernest.mast@dorecopper.com Email: laurie.gaborit@dorecopper.com Visit: www.dorecopper.com Facebook: Dore Copper Mining LinkedIn: Dore Copper Mining Corp. Twitter: @DoreCopper Instagram: @DoreCopperMining Technical report titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Chibougamau Hub-and-Spoke Complex, Quebec, Canada" dated June 15, 2022, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Technical Report was prepared by BBA Inc. with several consulting firms contributing to sections of the study, including SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd., SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. and WSP Inc. Sources for historic production figures: Economic Geology, v. 107, pp. 963-989 - Structural and Stratigraphic Controls on Magmatic, Volcanogenic, and Shear Zone-Hosted Mineralization in the Chapais-Chibougamau Mining Camp, Northeastern Abitibi, Canada by Francois Leclerc et al. (Lac Dore/Chibougamau mining camp) and NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Joe Mann Property dated January 11, 2016 by Geologica Groupe-Conseil Inc. for Jessie Ressources Inc. (Joe Mann mine). Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release, including, without limitation, statements with respect to the timing and ability of the Company to receive necessary regulatory approvals, the Company's ability to meet its production target, the commencement, timing and completion of a feasibility study, and the plans, operations and prospects of the Company and its properties are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, actual exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, delays or inability to receive required regulatory approvals, health emergencies, pandemics and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Grass Valley, April 19, 2024 - Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) (OTCQX: RYES) (the "Company") announces that it has increased the size of the non-brokered private placement previously announced in its April 9, 2024 news release from US$750,000 to US$1,000,000 through the issuance of up to 10,526,316 units (each a "Unit") at a price of US$0. 0.095 per Unit (~CDN$0.128 per Unit), with each Unit comprising one share of common stock (a "Share") and one-half of one share purchase warrant (the "Private Placement"). Each whole warrant (a "Warrant") entitles the holder to acquire one Share at an exercise price of US$0.158 for a period of three years from the date of issuance. Rise Gold will use the proceeds from the Private Placement for general working capital. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to statutory hold periods in accordance with applicable United States and Canadian securities laws. Certain directors and/or officers of the Company, directly, through entities controlled by them, or through entities for which they exercise control or direction over investment decisions, may participate in the Private Placement. The participation of each of such insiders in the Private Placement would constitute a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company will be relying on exemptions from the formal valuation requirements of section 5.4 of MI 61-101 and minority shareholder approval requirements of section 5.6 of MI 61-101. As the fair market value of the related party's participation is not more than 25% of the Company's market capitalization, the related party transactions are exempt from the formal valuation requirements pursuant to subsection 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 and from the minority approval requirements pursuant to subsection 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101. It is anticipated that some or all of the funds received from certain directors will be used to pay accrued and unpaid debt owed by the Corporation to the respective director, such debts totalling, in aggregate, approximately US$100,000. The securities offered have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold absent registration or compliance with an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. About Rise Gold Corp. Rise Gold is an exploration-stage mining company incorporated in Nevada, USA. The Company's principal asset is the historic past-producing Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine located in Nevada County, California, USA. On behalf of the Board of Directors: Joseph Mullin President and CEO Rise Gold Corp. For further information, please contact: Rise Gold Corp. Suite 600, 345 Crown Point Circle Grass Valley, CA 95945 T: 530.433.0188 info@risegoldcorp.com www.risegoldcorp.com The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitation, obtaining all necessary approvals, meeting expenditure and financing requirements, compliance with environmental regulations, title matters, operating hazards, 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, and one-time events that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information contained in this release. Rise undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/206223 PORT MORESBY, April 19, 2024 - Adyton Resources Corporation (TSXV: ADY) ("Adyton" or the "Company") announces it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement offering, pursuant to which it has issued 50,000,000 common shares of the Company ("Shares") at a price of C$0.03 per Share for aggregate gross proceeds of C$1,500,000 (the "Financing"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Financing for general corporate purposes, exploration activities, and tenement holding costs. It is expected the majority of the proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes with no other specific use representing 10% or more of the gross proceeds of the Financing" None of the proceeds from the Financing will be used for payments to non-arm's length parties of the Company other than normal course compensation of its officers, directors, employees and consultants as part of general corporate purposes, or to persons conducting investor relations activities. In connection with the Financing, the Company paid finder's fees consisting of 4,000,000 Shares and 4,000,000 common share purchase warrants (the "Finder Warrants") to an arm's length finder. Each Finder Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Share at an exercise price of C$0.05 until April 20, 2026. All Shares issued under the Financing are subject to a hold period expiring on August 20, 2024 under applicable Canadian securities laws. All Shares issued under the Financing are also subject to contractual resale restrictions with the Company whereby 25% portions of the Shares purchased by the purchasers under the Financing may be sold, transferred or otherwise traded only after each of the dates which are 4, 6, 9 and 12 months from closing. Certain officers, directors and other insiders of the Company purchased an aggregate of 6,250,000 Shares under the Financing. The sales of these Shares to the insiders are considered to be "related party transactions" for the purposes of National Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company has determined that exemptions from the various requirements of MI 61-101 and TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9 in reliance on sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 are available for the issuance of the Shares to these related parties. The closing of the Financing is subject to final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF Adyton Resources Corp. Tim Crossley, Chief Executive Officer Adyton Resources Corp. is focused on the development of gold and copper resources in world class mineral jurisdictions. It currently has a portfolio of highly prospective mineral exploration projects in Papua New Guinea on which it is exploring to expand its identified gold Inferred and Indicated Mineral Resources and expand on its recent significant copper drill intercepts on the 100% owned Feni Island project. The Company's mineral exploration projects are located on the Pacific Ring of Fire on easy to access island locations which hosts several globally significant copper and gold deposits including the Lihir gold mine and Panguna copper/gold mine on Bougainville Island, both neighbouring projects to the Company's Feni Island project. For more information about Adyton and its projects, visit www.adytonresources.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 press release. DISCLAIMER & FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release may include "forward-looking statements", including forecasts, estimates, expectations, and objectives for future operations that are subject to several assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Adyton. Forward looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors, among other things, include: impacts arising from the global disruption caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, changes in general macroeconomic conditions; changes in securities markets; changes in the price of gold or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); discrepancies between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of and changes in the costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements or information. Adyton Resources Corp. undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. /NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES./ SOURCE Adyton Resources Corp. Contact Tim Crossley, Chief Executive Officer, E-mail: tcrossley@adtyonresources.com, Phone: +61 7 3854 2389 The pain au cinnamon from Smorgasland at Saluhall in San Francisco. Juliana Yamada/Special to The Chronicle People dine on the second floor of Saluhall in San Francisco. Juliana Yamada/Special to The Chronicle A customer enters Saluhall in San Francisco, adjacent to the IKEA on Market Street. Juliana Yamada/Special to The Chronicle Queen and ABBA were blasting as people lined up for Scandinavian pastries and Sichuan noodles at San Franciscos new food hall during a recent lunch rush. Saluhall, the colorful two-story food hall, opened next to IKEA at 945 Market St. recently to much anticipation and high hopes for its impact on downtown San Francisco. (As well as some controversy, after an artist claimed Saluhalls branding copied his work.) Where else in the nation can you find Meyer lemon danishes, chicken tikka masala burritos, Algerian food and 75-cent hot dogs under one roof? The first story houses Saluhalls in-house vendors, including a Scandinavian bakery, a burger spot, a soft serve stand and a bar. Head to the second floor via a sun-yellow spiral staircase (which also gives visitors a birds-eye view into rows of resting dough in the bakery below). The upstairs is devoted to five Bay Area food vendors, plus two more bars. Advertisement Article continues below this ad People dine at Saluhall at the IKEA building in San Francisco. Juliana Yamada/Special to The Chronicle The local food businesses, which drew the longest lunchtime lines, are Puerto Rican restaurant Casa Borinquena; Indian chain Curry Up Now; popular Algerian spot Kayma; top food truck Momo Noodle; and vegan Mexican restaurant Taqueria la Venganza. (Much but not all of the food at Saluhall is vegan.) Theres ample seating downstairs and upstairs. With 11 vendors spread across 28,000 square feet, there is a lot to eat at Saluhall. The Chronicle Food + Wine team ate its way through the hall, focusing on the new in-house vendors, as most of the Bay Area food businesses have already been available elsewhere (though they remain good choices here). These are our recommendations for the best new things to eat and drink at Saluhall. Elena Kadvany Smorgasland Saluhalls only all-day option is Smorgasland, a bakery and cafe serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Claus Meyer, who started Copenhagens famed Noma with chef Rene Redzepi, developed Smorgasland, but the local chefs in charge are head baker and James Beard semifinalist Matt Tinder (formerly of Bay Area Michelin-starred restaurants Coi, Saison and the Restaurant at Meadowood) and executive chef Mathias Andersen (of a now-closed Scandinavian restaurant and a food hall in New York City). E.K. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The farm egg danish, Meyer lemon spendauer, whole wheat bun, and pain au cinnamon from Smorgasland in San Francisco. Smorgasland serves Scandinavian pastries all day long at IKEAs new food hall, Saluhall. Juliana Yamada/Special to The Chronicle Danish baked goods At breakfast, the highlight is the Danish pastries, a rarity in the Bay Area. For now, all of them are made from the same laminated danish dough, which has eggs and less butter than croissant dough, yielding a slightly chewy but still flaky pastry. Get the pain au cinnamon ($5), which looks like conjoined twin morning buns connected by a curve of pastry; and the spendauer (danish) filled with bright Meyer lemon custard ($6). For something savory, seeded whole wheat buns are generously slathered to order with butter and a slice of Comte cheese ($7). (If youre searching for a classic cardamom bun, bakers said theyre still tweaking the recipe but it should be in the pastry case soon.) Coffee drinks are made with beans from Oaklands Timeless Coffee. E.K. Potato and crispy onion Smrrebrd sandwich from Smorgasland at Saluhall. Michaela Vatcheva/Special to The Chronicle Smrrebrd Advertisement Article continues below this ad Danes love their open-faced sandwiches, and Ill bet Smorgaslands will play well in San Francisco, the city that launched a thousand high-end toasts. Theres a $9 option featuring a perfect avocado and a $16 crab Louie smrrebrd that I would order again but wouldnt necessarily call a Louie (not enough sauce). In any case, the point here lies underneath the toppings. The sturdy rectangle of seeded rye is the type of bread that makes you feel hale and virtuous and Scandinavian, ready for a sauna and a dip in the North Sea. In addition to his fine dining bona fides, Tinder most recently ran a respected bakery outside Seattle, and Id venture that anything on the menu that features bread will be worth ordering. MacKenzie Chung Fegan Lamb merguez potato flatbread from Smorgasland inside Saluhall in S.F. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle Lamb merguez potato flatbread Really, this dish ($13) is a personal-size pizza in disguise. What makes it stand out is the potato-infused bread, which gives it an opaque appearance. Texturally, the puffy dough has a mochi-like stretchiness and chew, only with a slightly crisp exterior. Topped with crumbled Algerian lamb merguez, a red pepper sauce, cheese and herbs, the flatbread is notably savory and a little gamey. It makes for a quick lunch or a shareable snack. Cesar Hernandez Advertisement Article continues below this ad Burgare Bar Located in Saluhalls right rear corner from the front entrance, Burgare Bar offers meat-free burgers made with patties from Beyond Meat that meld American burger culture with Scandinavian touches. Offerings range from a simple cheezeburger, with dairy-free cheese to more inventive options and sides. Mario Cortez Smrrebun, an open-faced burger at Saluhall in downtown San Francisco. Mario Cortez / The Chronicle Smrrebun If you fed the terms Scandinavian burger to an AI generator, the result would probably look close to this open-faced offering from Saluhalls Burgare Bar. The Smorrebun ($13) is a plant-based patty, with vegan roe, vegan cheese, fennel slaw and crispy onions all stacked atop a fluffy, slightly chewy bun. The result is a mix of textures with plenty of sauce from the crisp slaw. The nondairy cheeze had a surprising convincing flavor to remind you that you are indeed eating a burger, even if youre using utensils, as a staff member recommended. M.C. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A tray of lastad fries at Saluhall in downtown San Francisco. Mario Cortez / The Chronicle Lastad fries Every burger, open-faced or not, needs a side. This spin on loaded fries ($7.50), which feels inspired by In-N-Outs animal-style offering, is a solid choice. Fries come topped with a generous sprinkling of forest salt (an herby, savory mix with tarragon, chives, dill and parsley), caramelized onion, pickle slices and a squirt of burger sauce. Chronicle staff enjoyed the lastad fries, though the large pickle slices were a point of contention. Some would prefer a better pickle distribution while others liked picking up a slice at their leisure. M.C. Salunuggets, fried oyster mushrooms, at Burgare Bar in Saluhall in downtown San Francisco. Mario Cortez / The Chronicle Salunuggets Saluhalls oyster mushroom bites ($12) are a meat-free answer to the chicken morsels found on kids menus and value meals. An order comes with about six pieces, each concealing savory mushroom under a satisfying crunch. The crispy crust and meaty mushrooms have enough merit on their own to make a respectable side, but the fries could use a sprinkling of the forest salt or other seasoning. M.C. Snoberg Saluhalls hub for frozen treats offers soft serve made with oat milk, with the usual vanilla, chocolate and swirl flavors as options, plus your choice of toppings. Located just steps from the first-floors entrance and exit, its right where you want it to be when looking for a dessert after a meal. M.C. Oat milk ice cream from Snoberg at Saluhall in San Francisco. Michaela Vatcheva/Special to The Chronicle Soft Serve Frozen swirls ($4) might have been the hottest item during the Chronicle staffs visit to Saluhall, with a crowd constantly waxing and waning as the lunch hour went by. The chocolate-vanilla swirl was creamy, reminiscent of the peak of froyo popularity in the mid aughts. Also available is a flavor of the day, which on Wednesday was pineapple, akin to an unsweetened Dole whip from Disneyland. Toppings ($1) include traditional choices like sprinkles and nuts, as well as unicorn dust, a sweet blue material including crushed, dried edible flowers. It looks and tastes like it came from the bottom of a sugary cereal bag, in a good way. M.C. Lagom Bar Saluhalls first-floor bar is the latest passenger on the low-ABV bandwagon. Lagom, which translates to just the right amount in Swedish, is a fitting name for a bar serving refreshing spritzes, fizzes and shrubs that keep the buzz to a murmur, and wont hinder work productivity upon your return from lunch. (Theres even a cucumber-mint alcohol-free option.) A selection of beer and wines is available at all three Saluhall bars. The list showcases light brews made by S.F.s Fort Point Beer Co. add fruit to make it a radler and minimal intervention wines from top Bay Area producers, like Broc Cellars and Hobo Wine Co. Jess Lander Lingonberry fizz from Lagom Bar inside Saluhall in S.F. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle Lingonberry Fizz IKEA diehards may be familiar with lingonberry thanks to the jam thats available to buy in the stores cafeterias. At Saluhall, these small, tart red berries are fashioned into a tall pink cocktail with vodka, grapefruit soda and an enormous basil leaf as garnish ($12). Its a refreshing, not-too-strong drink with a gently syrupy sweetness and just enough effervescence. Esther Mobley Scandifornian spritz from Lagom Bar inside Saluhall in San Francisco. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle Scandifornian Spritz This intriguing twist on the Aperol Spritz features aquavit, a neutral, centuries-old Nordic spirit thats unequivocally the signature ingredient of Scandanavian cocktail culture. Aquavits dominant caraway flavor offers a savory counterbalance to the drinks cherry component, which gives it a dark red hue. With more complexity and texture than the mainstream orange variety, this spritz ($13) isnt quite as refreshing, but likely a better match for San Franciscos summer weather anyway. Jess Lander Punsch Bar at Saluhall in San Francisco. Michaela Vatcheva/Special to The Chronicle Punsch Bar Swedish Punsch typically refers to a bottled liqueur that combines a base spirit with sugar and flavorings like spices. But Saluhalls Punsch Bar features a style of punch that may be more familiar to the Bay Area: boozy, fruity, colorful drinks, several of them available either tall (single serving) or in shareable punch bowls. Located upstairs, Punsch Bar extends behind the food halls five local vendors. And adjacent to it is a third Saluhall bar, called Sauna, which hadnt yet opened as of this week. The focus here will be on classic cocktails think Vieux Carres and old fashioneds with Scandinavian twists. Unlike Lagom and Punsch, Sauna inhabits its own room, giving it a separate feeling from the rest of the upstairs food hall. Its also the only one of the three bars that wont accommodate day drinking, with an opening time of 5 p.m. E.M. The Island Punsch from Punsch Bar at Saluhall in San Francisco. Jess Lander/The Chronicle Island Punsch This punsch ($18 for a glass) packs a punch. A sunny yellow concoction of overproof rum, banana liqueur, pineapple and velvet falernum, it has tiki vibes. Chile and ginger flavors, always a great match with dark rum, give it a spicy finish. Its very tasty, but those on their lunch hour should take note: This one is downright boozy. E.M. Swedish Deli But where the heck are the meatballs, you might be wondering? Theyre here, but the dish most commonly associated with IKEA is clearly not the emphasis of the glossy Saluhall. On the second floor, tucked into a corner adjoining the furniture store itself is the Swedish Deli, and here you will find all the IKEA cafeteria greatest hits, from lingonberry sauced meatballs to slices of chocolate-almond Daim cake. Hot dog and soft serve, IKEA classics, at the new Swedish Deli inside the IKEA building in San Francisco. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle IKEA classics As at all IKEAs, the prices are notably inexpensive, rivaling Costcos food court. A slice of pizza is $2.50. A hot dog is $0.75, and the veggie dog made with actual vegetables is $0.65. Top either with cabbage or fried onions for an additional quarter and add a $1.50 serving of vegan strawberry soft ice, which tastes not unpleasantly of childrens medicine, for dessert. Among the downtown office workers, I spotted a significant number of elders in Saluhall at lunchtime. For anyone on a fixed income or otherwise seeking an inexpensive meal, the Swedish Deli offers what might be the cheapest lunch in town. M.C.F. Saluhall. 945 Market St., San Francisco. First floor: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, Second floor: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. saluhallmarket.com Criminal trials are acts of theater performed to persuade a jury. The credibility of the police, lawyers and witnesses involved in the case matters. Associated Press 2015 Like many people, Ive long lived under the assumption that jury duty is a pox to be avoided. Year after year, I have sat in bleak courthouse basements after a summons only to be sent home after a wasted day. Earlier this month, however, I was finally called up to the big leagues, and empaneled on my first jury. At a time when issues of crime and justice are at the top of everyones mind in San Francisco, I found the experience enlightening far different from the trials I have covered as a journalist. Perhaps most heartening was the fact that my fellow jurors were all thoughtful, capable people who loved San Francisco and believed in the impartial assumption of innocence and accountability for those proved to deserve it. Our case seemed cut and dry at first. Heres what happened: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Around 2:30 a.m., two California Highway Patrol officers pulled a car over on the shoulder of the exit ramp to Treasure Island. As officers spoke to the driver, another car pulled up next to them, blocking the ramp. An additional car then showed up and was unable to pass. A strange situation was brewing. Police dont like that. One of the officers broke off to investigate the car that was blocking traffic. Its driver claimed the car behind it was acting suspiciously. When the officer then approached the rear car, that driver appeared to be hammered as did everyone else in the vehicle. The officers finished their original investigation and then put the driver of the rear car through a series of sobriety tests. He failed miserably. A breathalyzer test showed his blood alcohol content to be around .2%, more than twice the legal limit. Case closed for a DUI? Advertisement Article continues below this ad Not exactly. On the final day of our trial, the defendant took the stand and testified that, yes, he was in the drivers seat when officers confronted him. And, yes, he had been drinking. But he switched seats with the real driver as they waited for officers to approach. He never actually drove. The law says that you must move the vehicle to be driving under the influence. It was a dramatic twist. But as absurd as it sounded, I would later learn that this is a common defense in drunk driving cases one that police and prosecutors should have been prepared for. They werent. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Heres what happened next, and what the experience taught me about our criminal justice system. Police paperwork is essential: Most of us want cops out on patrol, intervening in crimes and making residents feel safe. This is certainly important. But officers are also investigators who must compile evidence and testify in court before a jury. That demands comprehensive and accurate paperwork, without which even the most dead-to-rights cases can collapse. Thats what nearly happened here. Like many trials, ours took place over a year after the crime in question occurred. When the officer who testified in our trial took the stand, she reasonably said that it was impossible for her to recall exact details of the incident from memory alone. She had been involved in hundreds of other drunk driving arrests since she apprehended our defendant. So, she used her police report from the night in question to inform her testimony. We jurors then had to rely almost exclusively on that testimony to determine if the defendant was guilty. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The officer testified that she spent five hours on paperwork for this DUI, which sounds outrageous. Yet while she thoroughly documented the defendants sobriety or lack thereof her reporting failed to establish a timeline of when the defendants car arrived at the scene and when her partner first approached the vehicle. The defendant was clearly drunk. But absent a firm timeline, the prosecution couldnt definitively prove that a switcharoo was impossible. We jurors were left with a judgment call on whether the police or the defendant was telling the truth about who was driving that night. Ultimately, we believed the police because of inconsistencies in the defendants testimony. But a different jury might have seized upon the missing timeline to acquit. In recent months, San Francisco Mayor London Breed has insisted that she wants police officers on city streets, not at their desks doing paperwork. San Francisco residents affirmed this desire when they passed Proposition E in the March election, which promised to cap paperwork at no more than 20% of an officers job. I cant say how much of the paperwork San Francisco police fill out is or isnt superfluous. But serving on a jury did illuminate to me why rigorous written reports are essential. We dismiss their importance at our peril. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Technology can be unreliable: California Highway Patrol vehicles are equipped with microphones and cameras. Officers also wear microphones to capture conversations when they exit the vehicle. This invites the question: Do we still need old-school police reports in the age of video? Yes. On the night of the DUI in our case, police microphones malfunctioned; none of the conversations officers had with the defendant was recorded. Meanwhile, cameras were positioned only at the front of the patrol car. Police interactions with the defendant happened in the rearview. The officer testified that these kinds of glitches happened all the time. Ultimately, members of our jury believed her. Another jury might have found these errors suspicious. Technology can be a useful investigatory tool. But it can also backfire. Credibility matters: Criminal trials are acts of theater performed to win over a jury. Our jury found the defendant guilty of DUI because we believed the officers story to be more credible than his. Frankly, I was shocked the trial came down to this. I went in expecting a higher level of rigor in the prosecution of the case. If the defense had shown us evidence that the officer had a history of lying or misconduct with all other facts being exactly the same we would almost certainly have reached a different outcome. Credibility matters in our justice system. And yet so many incidents we hear about in California put to question the credibility of police in a way that makes good cops jobs difficult. Consider the recent case of police in Marin County who tased a man who was suffering a seizure in his own home. Officers are accused of fabricating charges against the stricken man to justify this use of force. The local chief is backing his officers despite clear video evidence that forced the local district attorney to throw out the dubious charges. 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 Meanwhile, a Chronicle investigation found that even as California moves to decertify thousands of police officers accused of misconduct, records of that misconduct too often remain sealed meaning bad cops can potentially jump to a new department. Nicholas Wayne Moore is still set to go to trial for a third time for an alleged October 2020 shooting on April 30, a judge told attorneys during a pretrial conference Friday. Superior Court Judge Vernon P. Perez reserved a sliver of time at 8:30 a.m. April 29 to tie up any outstanding issues before jury selection starts the following day in the trial of Nicholas Wayne Moore. The April 30 trial date will mark the third time the government is prosecuting Moore. Moore faces multiple charges of aggravated assault, illegal possession of a weapon and terrorizing stemming from an incident in Agana Heights. Perez is the third judge to hear the case, and the jury that will be selected with be the fourth. Prior judges Alberto Tolentino and Arthur Barcinas had granted motions for mistrial for various reasons. Earlier this week, Perez denied the defendant's motion to dismiss the case with prejudice. Perez also said he received the witness list from both sides, and noted that Eric Salone, Moore's former co-actor who pleaded guilty to lesser charges in 2022, was listed on both documents. Assistant Attorney General Sean Brown, who will prosecute the case, is also under order by Perez to continue to learn whether Salone can testify. Salone relocated to the U.S. mainland following his testimony for this trial in 2022. Brown said he will also seek advice from attorney Christine Tenorio, also from the AG's office, as she had prosecuted this case before. Brown also plans to contact Basil O'Mallan, the former chief prosecutor who has since retired. As for finding Salone, Brown said he will make contact with R. Randall Cunliffe, who was Salone's attorney. Brown was also ordered to inform the court of any conflicting testimony that Salone offered in 2022. He said the task was daunting, considering he was cross-examined for 14 hours in that case, but he would get it done. Perez said he hopes to get a 12-member jury, plus six alternates, finalized by the end of the day April 30. There is currently no estimate on how long the trial is expected to take. Typhoon Mawar caused an estimated $2 billion-plus in damage to military installations on Guam in 2023, according to Del. James Moylan, whos hoping to partly fund reconstruction as well as fund the missile defense system on Guam through amendments to a federal legislation. Moylan is also seeking $1.04 billion funding for the missile defense system on Guam, repair infrastructure that protects the islands port, and provide money to the Guam National Guard through separate amendments. Mawar was the strongest storm to hit Guam in 21 years. For months, the militarys been mum on how much the reconstruction effort may cost because of a complex web of decisions from multiple military branches with installations on Guam. Guam is home to Andersen Air Force Base, Naval Base Guam and Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, less than 2,000 miles from the Chinese mainland and within reach of U.S. allies in the Pacific, which the military described as a strategic boon in future emergencies. Moylan said with Mawars over $2 billion damage to military installations on Guam, his amendment would provide increased planning and design funding, which would assist in securing additional funding in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. The amendment would fund the study, planning, design, and architect and engineer services in support of Mawar reconstruction. The estimated $2 billion Mawar damage to military installations on Guam is separate from the millions of dollars in Mawar damage to the government of Guam and private sector infrastructure from residential houses to agricultural crops. GovGuam has asked the U.S. for an estimated $367 million to fix damages from Mawar, though that number is still subject to change, according to officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Based on preliminary FEMA figures, total damages to public assets from Mawar were closer to $407 million. Over in the private sector, the Bureau of Statistics and Plans initially estimated about $111 million worth of damage to businesses back in June 2023, the PDN reported, but the number could be much higher. In a press release from his office, Moylan announced he submitted amendments to H.R. 8036, The Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriation Act of 2024. The amendments seek to enhance community safety, prevent issues with goods entering the island, provide resources for the Guam Army National Guard, and to support the U.S. Indo-Pacific Commands objectives in defending the nation, Moylans office said. In Washington, D.C., House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday announced the introduction of four supplemental appropriation measures aimed at providing additional funding for priorities in the Indo-Pacific, Ukraine, Israel, and the border, and provided member offices the opportunity to submit amendments. Moylans amendments included: Two amendments totaling nearly $1.04 billion for the Guam missile defense system $600 million to repair the Guam Glass Breakwater $100 million for Typhoon Mawar reconstruction for the Department of Defense Over $15 million for the Guam National Guard to address several priorities Funding of the Guam Missile Defense is not only Indo-Pacific Commands number one unfunded priority, but a necessity to shelter the community from foreign adversaries, Moylans office said. The Guam Missile Defense is purely used as a defense mechanism, and the funding would help complete the 360 degrees of coverage, which protects island residents from inbound threats, Moylans office said. The Guam Glass Breakwater, which is owned by the Navy, protects the Port of Guam, and is one storm away from being destroyed, Moylans office said. The Guam Glass Breakwater refers to a piece of infrastructure enveloping the Apra Harbor that helps to protect vessels against the powerful waves coming from the sea as they transit in and out of port. This would not only halt commercial shipping to the island but hinder the objectives of submarines based on Guam, the delegates office said. The condition of the Breakwater is frail, and this issue has moved up the list of priorities of the Indo-Pacific Command, Moylans office added. Addressing the safety of our community and island is my top priority, and I will continue to advocate for the needed funding to ensure this objective is met, Moylan said. Likewise, the repairs of the breakwater are critical, and failure to act now will certainly impact the ability for commercial vessels to enter the island in the future. This would affect both food security and economic activity, while placing a detriment with the defense of Guam and the nation. National Guard The funding for the Guam National Guard would assist in addressing an array of their priorities, including $11 million for a new Joint Emergency Operations Center and $3.5 million for hardening an existing facility, which would allow them to keep their critical lifesaving and warfighting capabilities. It also includes $400,000 for the Guam National Guards State Partnership Program with Palau, and $250,000 for Guam Air National Guard Recruiting. Our sons and daughters in the Army National Guard need our support to ensure that they too are mission ready, and we will continue to advocate for their unfunded priorities, Moylan said. Moylan discussed his amendments in front of the House Rules Committee earlier Thursday afternoon. The Committee was expected to vote to determine which of the hundreds of submitted amendments would be advanced for a vote on the floor. A person of interest in the armed carjacking and murder of a Florida woman, has been arrested and taken into custody. At a press conference Friday, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma announced that Jordanish Torres-Garcia, 28, was arrested just after noon on April 19, by the U.S Marshals Services on unrelated charges. Jordanish Torres-GarciaSeminole County Sheriff's Office Just before 6 p.m. on April 11, at an intersection in Winter Springs, Florida the carjacking and kidnapping of Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, 31, of Homestead, Florida, was caught on cell phone video. And just under two hours later, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said he was confident that remains found in a burning vehicle in Osceola County, are those of Katherine. This arrest comes after the investigation revealed Torres-Garcia is connected to the green Acura used in the crime. As detectives were still processing physical crime scene evidence and awaiting results from subpoenaed phone records and toll camera video, they found that Torres-Garcias Facebook profile photo shows him wearing the same mask and outfit as the suspect in the carjacking video. Incident photo compared with Facebook photoSeminole County Sheriff's Office Lemma said Torres-Garcia is currently being interviewed by detectives for his connection in this crime. The investigation also revealed a connection between Katherine and Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez, 28, an individual authorities believe was possibly known to her. Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez,Seminole County Sheriff's Office During a search of Hernandezs Casselberry residence, that he shared with his girlfriend, Monicsabel Romero-Soto, 28 detectives discovered trafficking amounts of fentanyl, along with cash and a firearmalthough its unlikely the weapon involved in this specific crime, the findings were significant enough to warrant charges. At the time the search warrant was being executed, Soto was arrested in Osceola County after accepting delivery of three kilos of cocaine that was intercepted by the U.S. Postal Service. She now faces federal charges and is currently incarcerated in Osceola County, under a federal hold. Authorities are still searching for Hernandez, who has an active warrant for Fentanyl trafficking. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact Crimeline at (800) 423-TIPS (8477) or text to **TIPS (8477), or call the Seminole County Sheriffs Office at (407) 665-6650. Calls made to Crimeline remain anonymous, and tips that lead to the felony arrest of suspects are eligible for cash rewards of up to $1,000. Haiti - FLASH : Nearly 28 Haitians killed or injured every day, increase of 53% in the 1st quarter In its quarterly report on the human rights situation in Haiti, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) documented between January and March 2024, 2,505 victims killed and/or injured (79% men, 18% women and 3% children), an average of nearly 28 victims per day This represents an increase of more than 53% compared to the previous period (October-December 2023), making the first three months of 2024 the most violent period since BINUH established its human rights monitoring mechanism, early 2021. During the first quarter, the highest number of victims continued to be documented in the capital (79%) where, in continuation of the violence documented at the end of 2023, extremely violent clashes between gangs took place. multiplied in January and February, motivated mainly by territorial control and expansion The most violent attacks took place in the densely populated neighborhoods of the so-called La Plaine zone, which extends over the municipalities of Cite Soleil, Croix-des-Bouquets and Tabarre. These attacks were carried out Large attack : La Plaine (Blanchard, Duvivier, Fourgy, Sibert, Marin (Cite Soleil) and Croix-des-Missions (Tabarre): duration of the attack 5 days, 367 dead or injured (citizens and gangs) Belekou, Boston, Brookyln, Drouillard, Simon Pele, Terre Noire (Cite Soleil) : duration of the attack 28 days, 246 dead or injured (citizens and gangs) La Saline (Port-au-Prince) and Wharf Jeremie (Cite Soleil) : duration of the attack 48 days, 265 dead or injured (citizens and gangs) Solino (Delmas) : duration of the attack 5 days, 82 dead or injured (citizens and gangs) Carrefour and Gressier : during the quarter, 162 deaths or injuries (citizens and gangs) Several sites in the capital during gang attacks against state institutions and infrastructure : duration of attacks 22 days toll 52 dead or injured (citizens and gangs) HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - National Diaspora Day : Message of reflection from Lesly Conde As part of the celebration of the National Day of the Haitian Diaspora, Lesly Conde Ex-Consul General of Haiti in Chicago (August 2004 - May 2018), delivers a message of reflection that we invite you to read and share. Message from Lesly Conde : "Members of the great Haitian family everywhere, On the occasion of National Haitian Diaspora Day, I am satisfied to be able to be in your company wherever you are on this planet. It is an opportunity for all Haitians to think about the corner of paradise that they had to leave behind, and that they learn to appreciate more and more as time passes and experiences accumulate. These experiences have a way of reminding us that we are far from the land that is ours and to which we belong. There is also this feeling of helplessness that invades us when we see the dizzying regression into which our country is falling. However, our diaspora is full of talents and skills that are just waiting to be useful in their country of origin. The Haitian diaspora is diversifying and expanding as time passes and the situation in our country refuses to improve. Today we have a diaspora on all continents. Above all, we must be aware of the fact that citizens who are desperate to the point of wanting to leave their country at any cost are extremely vulnerable. There are therefore compatriots in the diaspora who need solidarity. Our young compatriots do not hesitate to throw themselves by the thousands into the arms of uncertainty rather than face certain obliteration. It is not uncommon for the opportunities found to be virtual slavery. But we are, all the same, satisfied to be able to work, and there is the family there waiting. The primary concern of the majority of Haitians in the diaspora is the financial aid to be sent to the family in Haiti. This is how money transfers constitute an important element of our country's economy. It is hoped that this important contribution of the Haitian diaspora will one day be able to serve the cause of the development of our native land. We all dream of the day when members of the Haitian diaspora will be able, if they wish, to return to the country to allow their compatriots to benefit from the training and experience they have acquired far from home." Also read: Message from Lesly Conde 2024 : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42061-haiti-221st-of-thedeath-of-toussaint-louverture-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42012-haiti-easter-2024-reflection-message-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41981-haiti-holy-week-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41944-haiti-international-day-of-la-francophonie-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41837-haiti-social-international-women-s-day-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41575-haiti-black-history-month-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41414-haiti-14th-of-the-2010-earthquake-message-from-lesly-conde-video.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41336-haiti-220th-anniversary-of-independence-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html Message from Lesly Conde 2023 : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41316-haiti-social-new-year-s-message-from-lesly-conde-2024.html Message from Lesly Conde 2022 : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-38451-haiti-christmas-end-of-year-message-from-lesly-conde.html Message from Lesly Conde 2021 : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35584-haiti-social-wishes-from-lesly-conde-on-the-occasion-of-the-new-year.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... The National Presses, vandalized and looted On the night of Thursday April 18 to Friday April 19, 2024, armed individuals entered the premises of National Presses, located in the city center, one of the oldest public institutions in the country, whose first publications date from November 15 1804, an institution which is also the headquarters of the official newspaper "Le Moniteur". They looted and vandalized the premises. An unknown number of important documents were scattered in the streets. At first glance, the damage is considerable, confirms Ronald Saint Jean, Director General of Presses Nationales, asking local authorities to act quickly to find the stolen documents, the number of which remains unknown for the moment. 19 police officers killed or injured According to the quarterly report of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) during the first 3 months of 2024, at least 22 police stations, sub-stations and other police buildings were ransacked, burned or destroyed and 19 police officers were killed or injured. 89.2% of Dominicans agree with the expulsion of Haitians According to a survey by the Dominican firm Markestrategia : 89.2% of Dominican citizens surveyed say they agree with the Dominican Republic's continuation of expulsions of Haitians in an irregular migratory situation and 70.3% say they are satisfied with the way in which the President Abinader manages the Haitian question... Pro Guy Philippe demonstration Thursday, April 18, 2024 in the morning, agents from the Protected Areas Surveillance Brigade blocked National Road #3 near Peligre (Mirebalais) for a few hours. The demonstrators demanded the installation of Guy Philippe at the National Palace. Dom. Rep. : Arrest of a Haitian escapee Members of the Dominican Army assigned to the G-2 Intelligence Directorate and the 11th Infantry Battalion based in the La Estrelleta Fortress arrested in the municipality of Comendador, province of Elias Pina, Clairzier Emase, an escaped detainee from Les Cayes Prison found guilty of kidnapping and extortion. It was handed over to the Haitian National Police for the corresponding purposes. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42143-haiti-justice-haitian-authorities-inform-the-dr-about-dangerous-escaped-fugitives.html Brazil : Details on the macabre discovery Following the first checks carried out on the corpses in advanced decomposition found in a boat adrift between the towns of Braganca and Quatipuru in the Amazon https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-42114-icihaiti-flash-brazil-macabre-discovery-around-twenty-haitian-migrants.html , the Brazilian Ministry of Justice considers that there is nothing to confirm that these are Haitian nationals "[...] everything suggests from the documents and objects found next to the bodies that they were African migrants from Mauritania and Mali. In addition, there are 9 corpses and not 20 as declared by Alexandre Calvinho, the Head of the federal police of Braganca." HL/ HaitiLibre Deer are a common sight along the Lost Coast Trail. The area is home by black bears, elk and mountain lions as well. Emily Keddie A resident colony of harbor seals is among the first big sights along the Lost Coast Trail for hikers heading south from Mattole Beach. Emily Keddie Each year, thousands of backpackers gear up to hike the remote, undeveloped shoreline in Californias far north that is the famous Lost Coast. The most popular segment is a scenic 25-mile stretch where hikers pass a harbor seal colony, maneuver over slick boulders in two perilous intertidal zones, labor across a mileslong black-sand beach and cross more than a dozen knee-high streams. Most set aside three days and two nights to make the trip safely and enjoyably. But earlier this month, a mountain runner from Oregon crossed that northern segment in just under 5 hours a pace of about 4.5 mph, or 13 minutes per mile and set a fastest known time on one of Northern Californias most famous trails. Emily Keddie came away with a speed record, but also a brutal case of poison oak and a nighttime encounter with a large mountain lion that she called terrifying. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Lost Coast is beautiful and peaceful but theres nothing about it that is runnable, so I thought itd be fun to try, Keddie said. Emily Keddie, of Oregon, is attempting to log 2 million feet of vertical elevation on trails this year as training for ultramarathon mountain running. Emily Keddie Endurance athletes have set several speed records on the trail in the past six years and posted their results on FastestKnownTime.com, the unofficial record-keeper of such feats worldwide. Most people familiar with the trail know the relatively flat northern section that extends from Mattole Beach south, never straying far from the ocean, to the town of Shelter Cove a route so popular that the Bureau of Land Management limits permits to access it between spring and fall. But the Lost Coast Trail in fact continues south about 30 miles more through the rugged King Range where it morphs into a leg-quaking mountain trek up and down a series of steep peaks. People underestimate it because they dont realize theres tough terrain and real elevation out there, said Allison Mercer, manager of FastestKnownTime.com. I know people who have had trouble with the tides or navigation and had to abandon their Lost Coast speed record attempts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Keddie, 37, is taking a break from her child psychology practice to push her limits in ultrarunning and has logged 22 FKTs in the past four years, mostly for quick jaunts on trails in Oregon, with a few California stops along the way. In 2022, she set the speed record on the Lost Coasts mountainous southern section (7 hours, 21 minutes, 38 seconds) then followed that with a 1-hour, 45-minute dash across 10-mile Big Rock Ridge in Marin County. She had initially hoped to claim two longer speed records on the Lost Coast one for completing the entire 57.6-mile trail, end to end, and another for turning around and yo-yo-ing the whole thing in a 115-mile out-and-back, which she anticipated doing in about 36 hours. Just after sunrise on April 1, Keddie shouldered a pack with calorie-rich snacks, some personal electronics and two headlamps and left Mattole Beach, padding south in light wind, passing lounging harbor seals at the Punta Gorda Lighthouse and wading carefully through stream outflows bursting with fresh rainfall. She timed her trip so she would hit the trails two major intertidal zones at low tide absolutely necessary to avoid being swept out to sea, the trails primary danger, which has killed hikers in the past. She swiftly reached Shelter Cove, the end of the popular northern section. But in the mountains south of town, it quickly became apparent that the trail through the more secluded southern section was impassable, having suffered damage from heavy winter storms last year, cutting her trip short. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was a bummer, Keddie said. But after checking her trail time she realized she had incidentally set a record for the fastest unsupported female run of the northern section by four minutes. The northern section of the Lost Coast Trail runs along a remote coastline in Humboldt County with little cell service and no services. Emily Keddie It was a delightful surprise and a silver lining given that I wouldnt be able to go for either of the (longer) records, Keddie said. She resolved to hike back to her car the same day, 30 miles back the way she had come, a shift in plans that would mean navigating the beachy trail at night. After sunset, Keddie trekked north by the light of her headlamp. Deer are a frequent sight on the trail, and at night she spotted them from a distance by the sharp glow of their eyes reflecting her lamps beam. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Then, while passing through one of the intertidal zones hazy with fog, a pair of glimmering animal eyes poked around a rock outcropping and looked right at her. She knew immediately they werent the eyes of deer or elk; they glowed a different hue of orange and were placed front and center on the creatures head. The tide zones effectively trap a hiker in a narrow, rocky corridor between 20-foot bluffs and the churning surf. Instinctively, Keddie paused in her tracks and roared as loud as she could, hoping her voice would carry over the pounding waves. The next instant, her lamps beam caught the profile of a large muscled body rounding the outcropping toward her on four legs then bounding up the crumbling bluffs in two striding leaps. From the ledge above Keddie, the big cat peered down at her. It was super creepy, but also impressive, she said. The final leg of the Lost Coast Trail's northern section for hikers coming down from Mattole Beach into Shelter Cove is Black Sands Beach. Max Whittaker/Special to The Chronicle Worried the animal might pounce on her, Keddie made her way forward slowly, picking over the rocks and swiveling back every few steps to yell up toward the bluffs and keep the creature at bay. She continued looking over her shoulder the rest of the hike and arrived at Mattole Beach at about 11:20 p.m. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was really unnerving and I was relieved to get back to my car, she said. Keddie said she came away from her trip with a renewed appreciation for the unpredictability of wild places and the crews of workers who maintain trails and access to them. Shes thinking about going back to the Lost Coast to see if she can shave the record down even more. Parkway foundation celebrates new viewing platform atop Mount Pisgah The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation will host a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m., Friday, April 26, to celebrate the reconstruction of the popular Mount Pisgah viewing platform followed by a guided hike to the site. As the warm weather brings more hikers back to Mount Pisgah, we are thrilled to officially celebrate the completion of this platform with spectacular views, Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation CEO Carolyn Ward said. The ribbon-cutting will take place in the parking area for the Mount Pisgah Trail at milepost 408 on the Blue Ridge Parkway Following the ceremony, a ranger will lead a hike to the summit. The Mount Pisgah trailhead on the Parkway and gives hikers access to neighboring Pisgah National Forest. The 3.2-mile out-and-back trail is a moderate to strenuous route with switchbacks and an elevation gain of 700 feet. The French Broad River Valley, Looking Glass Rock, Cold Mountain and Frying Pan fire tower are visible from the platform. The wooden structure was originally built in 1979 by the United States Youth Conservation Corps. After more than three decades of use, the platforms frequent need for repairs prompted the reconstruction. Through donor support for the Trails & Views Forever program, the Foundation funded materials and contractors for the project. Carolina Mountain Club provided a team of volunteers to reconstruct the platform. The project involved the use of a funicular owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group to transport materials up the 5,721-foot peak. Vegetation around the platform was trimmed to reveal unobstructed views. The Carolina Mountain Club had this project on our wish list for several years, said Tom Weaver, leader of the volunteer organization. Our thanks to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation for funding this needed renovation and to the Pisgah Ranger District for the support. We had enthusiastic participation from several of our crews to accomplish this project. The initiative was inspired by the memory of Lisa Hambrick Hagebak and championed by her family to recognize her love of the North Carolina mountains and Parkway. The Foundation also recently funded the fabrication and installation of an interpretive sign at Buck Spring Gap Overlook parking area where the trailhead is located. The wayside panel features the history of Buck Spring Lodge, George W. Vanderbilts former Adirondack-style retreat which was located nearby. A TREE consultant from Stoke Row is helping to commemorate a pioneering female pilot by donating special timber to a reconstruction of her plane. Hugo Loudon, managing director of Heritage Tree Services, has worked with the Hangar 42 Spitfire Museum in Blackpool on an exhibition about Amy Johnson, who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia. The museum is reconstructing the Airspeed Oxford, the machine in which Johnson died in 1941 after taking off from RAF Squires Gate, which is now Blackpool Airport. There will also be a permanent memorial to all RAF and Commonwealth crews who flew this type of plane during the Second World War. Johnson, who was born in Yorkshire and lived briefly in Hurley, was introduced to flying as a hobby while working as a secretary in London. Under the tutelage of Captain Valentine Baker, she became the first British woman to obtain a ground engineers C licence. She married Scottish pilot Jim Mollison and the pair went on to set many flying records. But in January 1941, Johnson died when she flew off course in bad weather and crashed into the Thames Estuary near Herne Bay in Kent. Mr Loudon wanted to get involved in the project as he was interested in Second World War aircraft and their pilots as well as the achievements of women. He said: Im building a museum dedicated to the Second World War and the air crews that were lost, which totalled more than 47,000 young people. It was not only them but their mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers and friends. It had an impact on me that I wasnt really able to reconcile so I decided to start building a museum in their honour, which then quickly mushroomed into sourcing aeroplane wreckage from Russia, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Hungary and the USA. Our focus was the pilots and engineering and had no real political elements, just a sort of humanist approach to it. The other purpose of the museum is to hand the baton of remembrance to the younger generation that might be slightly far removed through time from understanding that our freedom of security against tyranny was given to us by, among others, the air crews. The Second World War saw an incredible advance in aviation engineering as everyone was trying to build faster and more powerful planes for their various pursuits of invasion or defence. In my collecting, I met a curator of a museum called Eric Wallace, who runs the Hangar 42 Spitfire Museum. Upon doing a deal on an engine, I became aware of the Saving Amy project. There are so many ways to look at Amy Johnson her achievements and how she empowers women to be able to achieve their dreams. I like that bit a lot. Her achievements are remarkable in a world where she probably would have had quite a lot of hurdles to overcome. She had the passion and determination to be a very brilliant professional but also to dazzle the world with such extraordinary achievement. Apart from the fascination I had with her bravery, expertise and achievement, I was particularly enthralled by the fact that there have been many benefactors and the recognition that women can achieve their dreams and pursue any profession that they choose. Its important that we all support that to provide a more balanced community, country and world. Here at Heritage Tree Services, we have a number of very talented women working as tree fellers and climbers as well as consulting and working as technicians in the office. On that basis, I felt it would be worth promoting the Saving Amy project. If women are able to find things that they want to do and become brilliant, successful and professional at it, this has to be something we should all encourage. His tree workers came across the wood for the replica plane by chance. Mr Loudon said: In our capacity as arboricultural contractors and consultants, the Hangar 42 museum needed some very special timber for parts of the aeroplane. It took me a year to find the correct tree and then we needed to do some complex milling to get the specification correct. They needed a certain type of timber, Norwegian Spruce, and a client of ours in Hurley, which by coincidence is where Amy used to live, was very kind in donating four trees to us. Then Benson Sawmills, with whom we have a long affiliation, cut it to our specification and we sent it to Blackpool. The wood has got to be dried carefully for a year and carefully stored. We replaced the four trees with native Scots pines, which are more appropriate in their current setting. The team building the plane is fantastic and the cause is fabulous. I think the message is something that we should all take on board. Mr Loudons museum collection is currently in Checkendon, near the companys offices in Stoke Row, and will be open to visitors by appointment. He said: Its currently a quite small collection but it will be a trailer for a bigger exhibition, which we hope to take somewhere perhaps in Oxfordshire. Some of the aeroplane parts that we find around the world are sold and used in the restoration of vintage aviation. Were designing lights and sculptures from crashed parts to help pay the rent and some of the costs. Mr Loudon said aviation restoration and tree services went well together. He said: Within Heritage Tree Services, we move trees, so we do a lot of engineering and modifications to all sorts of equipment. Its quite easy to start looking at how we dismantle and reassemble aeroplane parts. Our role is often educating people about trees because the human race is spectacular at getting environmental management wrong. We feel that our mission is to help humans understand trees so the management can be correct. Trees have fabulous survival strategies and often human intervention is damaging and shortens the lifespan of trees. Our role is to assist and help arboriculture and the environment go in the right direction. The Saving Amy project should be finished next year. Mr Loudon said: The exhibitions focus is on children and younger people and the various messages that it brings. The museum is very focused on the bigger picture as well as the plane and the circumstances of Amys death. People from around the world are donating parts from the type of plane Amy flew. The plane itself was completely lost. Theres one piece of wood that a sailor found. They were searching for her and thats the only thing they found. Cecilia Lunaparra, 22, will be the first UC Berkeley undergraduate student to serve on the Berkeley City Council. Courtesy of Cecilia Lunaparra A 22-year-old UC Berkeley student has declared victory for a seat on the Berkeley City Council in a special election the first undergraduate to fill the role. Cecilia Lunaparra, a senior majoring in urban studies, won the seat to represent District 7, which encompasses the UC Berkeley campus and most of the Southside neighborhood. She received more than 59% of Tuesdays vote to defeat James Chang for the seat formerly held by Rigel Robinson, who resigned in January. Robinson was also 22 when he was elected in 2018, but he had already graduated from UC Berkeley, according to Berkeleyside. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lunaparra, who touted herself as a queer, Mexican-American woman on her website, formerly served as president of Cal Berkeley Democrats and Telegraph for People, a group working to create a pedestrian plaza on the citys Telegraph Avenue. This victory belongs to every single person who voted for, volunteered for, worked on, donated to, endorsed, or otherwise supported our campaign, Lunaparra posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Over half of our voters were new District 7 voters, a testament to the massive power of our grassroots, people-powered, corporate-free campaign. Her campaign priorities included student representation, safe streets, affordable housing, public safety, criminal justice and tenant protections. Advertisement Article continues below this ad By The Assam Class 10th Matric results have been released. Anurag Doloi from Jorhat has topped the exam this year. Follow the blog for latest updates. Assam HSLC 10th Result Live: Class 10th matric results released, The Board of Secondary Education, Assam, has declared the Assam 10th Result 2024 on April 20, 2024. Candidates who have appeared for the SEBA Assam Class 10 examination can check their results on sebaonline.org, resultsassam.nic.in, assamonline.in and assamresult.in. This year, the HSLC examination was conducted from February 16 to March 4, 2024, across the state at various examination centres. The examination was held in two shifts: the first shift from 9 am to 12 noon and the second shift from 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm. Five minutes extra time from 8.55 am to 9 am in the morning shift and 1.25 pm to 1.30 pm in the afternoon shift was given to read the question paper only....Read More More than 4 lakh candidates have appeared for Assam Class 10 board examination in the state. Follow the blog for latest updates on results, direct link and other details. UPMSP UP board result 2024 live: Class 10th, 12th scores out on upresults.nic.in and upmsp.edu.in. Links here UP Board 10th, 12th Results 2024 Live: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) declared the Class 10 and Class 12 final exam results today, April 20. Students can now go to upresults.nic.in or results.upmsp.edu.in and check their board exam marks using roll code and roll number. The direct link and other details are given below. ...Read More Prachi Nigam has topped the Class 10 or High School final exam with 591/600 or 98.50 per cent marks. Shubham Verma of Sitapur is the Class 12 or Intermediate examination topper with 97.80 per cent. The student has secured 489 marks out of 500. The pass percentage in Class 10 is 89.55 per cent this year. In Class 12, the pass percentage of students is 82.60 per cent. Hindustan Times is also hosting the UP board Class 10 and 12 results: UP board 10th result 2024 on HT portal UP board 12th result 2024 on HT portal UP board result 2024 official website link The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) Chairman Mahendra Dev and board Secretary Divyakant Shukla formally revealed the results at the press conference. UPMSP UP board 10th, 12th result live updates below: Addressing a poll rally in Karnataka's Chikkaballapur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made references to a series of incidents that have taken place in recent days under the state's Congress government, appealing to people to be alert of the grand old party. PM Modi speaking at rally in Karnataka's Chikkaballapur (ANI) The kind of thoughts and ideology being promoted by the Congress government is very dangerous. Our daughters are being attacked, bombs are exploding in markets, and people are being attacked to for listening to religious songs. I urge my brothers and sisters to stay very alert of the Congress, he said. The three incidents that the PM referred to were the murder of a Congress corporator's daughter by a male acquaintance who is believed to have stalked her; the March 1 explosion at a popular cafeteria in state capital Bengaluru; and a Hindu shopkeeper being assaulted, allegedly for playing the Hanuman Chalisa while the Azaan was on. In the assembly election held in May last year, the grand old party ousted the saffron party from power. In the Lok Sabha elections, which kicked off on Friday, the 28 parliamentary seats in Karnataka will vote in two phases April 26 and May 7, the second and third legs of the seven-phase nationwide polls. 14 seats will vote in each phase. The BJP won 25 constituencies in the previous 2019 Lok Sabha elections, with one each going to the Congress, Janata Dal (Secular), and BJP-supported independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh. While the Congress and JD(S) were in alliance then, the latter is now with the BJP. Mandya, the seat won by Ambareesh, will now see a JD(S) candidate: former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, son of ex-Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, the JD(S) president. The ultimatum given by the Rajput community to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the withdrawal of Union minister Parshottam Rupalas Lok Sabha nomination from the Rajkot constituency, following his controversial comments regarding the Rajputs, ended on Friday. However, the BJP appears resolute and unmoved, seemingly unaffected by the Rajput community's threats of protests against Rupala and the saffron party. Addressing a small gathering of Dalits in Rajkot on March 22, Rupala remarked that former "maharajas" yielded to the oppression of foreign rulers and the British. There were others also who ruled us. So did the British andthey spared nothing to persecute (us). Even kings and royals bowed down to the British, started family bonds with them, broke bread with them, and even married their daughters to them. But this Rukhi Samaj (a Dalit community) was steadfast. I commend their resilience, as it's this strength that has preserved Sanatana Dharma... Jai Bhim!! said Rupala. The Kshatriya community members were incensed after hearing Rupala's remarks, saying that his statement that Kshatriya rulers married their daughters to the British was wrong. Since then, Rupala has apologised twice for his remarks, but the Kshatriya community shows no inclination to relent. Posters have been set up in various cities against Rupalas candidature and their leaders have announced that they will field hundreds of candidates to ensure the BJP candidates defeat. The community leaders had given an ultimatum that if the candidature of Rupala was not withdrawn by April 19, they would campaign against him and the BJP in even other parts of the state and country. Read Here: BJP parries Rajput angst PT Jadeja, international president of the Akhil Gujarat Rajput Yuva Sangh, said that if Rupala does not withdraw his nomination by April 19, the Rajput community will initiate the second phase of their agitation. Even Union home minister Amit Shah voiced support for Rupala, stating that the minister had sincerely apologised. I am sure we will once again win all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, with even greater margins than before, Shah said on Thursday while talking to media persons during a roadshow in Sanand, a segment of his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Rupala is a member of the upper-caste Kadva Patidars, the biggest community of landowners in the state. An agrarian caste, it comprises multiple subcastes, most prominently the Leuvas and Kadvas, who mostly go by the surname of Patel. The community benefited from the Saurashtra Land Reforms Act, 1952 which gave occupancy rights to tenant cultivators, who were mainly Patels by caste. The Patidars constitute about 12-15% of the population and have a stronghold in Saurashtra, parts of Mehsana and Surat. In comparison, the Rajputs only constitute about 4-5% of the population. The Patels gradually got richer as they began cultivating cash crops like groundnut and cotton in Saurashtra. They also invested in brass, ceramics, diamond, auto engineering and pharmaceuticals and slowly spread their dominance to other parts of Gujarat. The Saurashtra Patel lobby also moved to occupy the pole position in politics. With the current chief minister Bhupendra Patel hailing from the Patel community, Gujarat has witnessed five Patel chief ministers, including Anandiben Patel, Keshubhai Patel, Chimanbhai Patel, and Babubhai Patel, since the state's creation on May 1, 1960. To take on Rupala, a Kadav Patel, the Congress has fielded Paresh Dhanani, the former leader of the Opposition in the state assembly and a Leuva Patel. BJP's poll ties with the Patidar community The 2017 assembly elections held in the backdrop of Patidar agitation for quota-related demands brought the BJP close to defeat, as they managed to scrape through with 99 seats out of 182, marking their worst performance in the last two decades, while the Congress secured 77 seats, representing its best performance in the same period. "This isn't 2017, and the Rajputs aren't the same as the Patidars," said a senior BJP leader, speaking anonymously. "Rajkot was the first municipal corporation Jan Sangh won in 1958. It has long been a stronghold for the BJP, evidenced by the assembly election victories of three former chief ministers - Keshubhai Patel, Vijay Rupani, and Narendra Modi, who won his first by-election thereafter assuming office as Gujarat's CM in 2001. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidate Mohan Kundariya secured the Rajkot seat with a commanding lead of over 3.5 lakh votes over the nearest rival from the Congress. Also, not all Rajputs are against the BJP, and we are confident that a majority of them will continue to support us," the senior leader added. The BJP has solidified its grip on Gujarat, attaining total dominance with victories in all 26 Lok Sabha seats in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. The 2022 state elections saw them achieve a historic feat, winning a staggering 156 out of 182 seats, a feat achieved by no other party ever in Gujarat. While Rajput leaders anticipate opposition from the Kshatriya community towards the BJP and Rupala, experts suggest that due to internal divisions among various castes within the community and the remaining time until voting, its easier said than done. Kshatriyas constitute about 15% of Gujarats population, however many of them belong to the OBC community, as compared to Rajputs, who are upper caste. The Patidars are a dominant force in the BJP to the extent that they mostly control the party. Rajputs, on the other hand, are not united and they cannot mobilise the Kolis and other OBC Kshatriyas. Also, they are no longer that powerful in Gujarat to make a difference in the electoral outcome. Now, they have been strong supporters of the BJP because of Hindutva and they dont have any other option than the saffron party, said Ghanshyam Shah, a political expert and retired professor from JNU. The protests, however, highlight the socio-economic tensions resulting from contradictions of the BJP's politics where on one hand you join hands with different communities on the Hindutva plank but at the ground level, the economic interests are conflicting Shah added. For instance, the Rajputs and Patidars experience such tensions, with the former losing land to the latter in Saurashtra. Similarly, the Koli Kshatriyas find themselves at odds with the Patidars, given their roles as small-scale farmers or farm labourers," he further said. Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil criticised Rupala's statement, deeming it inappropriate. He expressed that people were angered by it and argued that the BJP should have taken responsibility by retracting Rupala's candidacy, which they failed to do. Gohil claimed that Rupala's apology was insincere and motivated by concerns about its impact on the party rather than genuine remorse. Sociologist and political commentator Gaurang Jani said that the Kadva and Leuva Patidars are likely to collectively support Rupala in the upcoming elections due to the current circumstances. He said that BJP leaders would be looking to address the issue promptly to prevent it from lingering further, although they will not allow it to become a significant point in the election. Jani added that the Kadva and Leuva Patidars are solidly poised to support Rupala in the coming elections due to the prevailing situation. "The BJP leaders are likely to seek a resolution to the issue behind closed doors, as they are keen on avoiding prolonged tensions. While certain Rajput protestors aim to unite different segments of the Kshatriya community, this might prove challenging as a considerable number of them already support the BJP, Jani added. This decision however hasn't significantly affected their electoral outcomes. With issues like the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and Hindutva at the forefront, along with initiatives such as free ration distribution, the BJP holds significant sway in shaping voting behaviour. Hence, a single issue like the one involving Rupala may not significantly impact a voter's mindset," said Jani. The voting for all 26 seats in Gujarat will be held on May 7. A San Francisco developer has been ordered to pay unpaid property taxes related to its headquarters in the One Maritime Plaza building, which is shown with a reflection of the Transamerica Pyramid in its windows. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle San Francisco is looking to collect more than $108,400 in unpaid property taxes that it is allegedly owed by Maximus Real Estate Partners in connection with the developers downtown San Francisco headquarters at 1 Maritime Plaza. The city filed an application in San Francisco Superior Court this week seeking a summary judgment or a decision based on review of evidence that does not require a trial that forces Maximus to settle missed payments relating to a type of property tax known as an escape assessment. The legal action coincides with news that Maximus requested to transfer a huge construction loan for one of its San Francisco projects to a special servicer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Maximus $1.8 billion mortgage for the redevelopment of Parkmerced, its more than 3,000-unit apartment community next to Stonestown mall and San Francisco State University, is scheduled to mature at the end of the year. The move to send the debt into special servicing meaning that a third party entity has oversight of a distressed debt can lead to foreclosure proceedings. According to Amanda Fried, chief of policy and communications for the citys Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector, the filing is related to nonpayment of the assessment for the years 2018 through 2020, and 2023, totaling $108,409. A judgment in favor of the city was entered on the same day the city filed its application. Maximus did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Friday. Fried said the tax collectors office takes seriously our duty to collect taxes owed to the city and county. The overwhelming majority of taxpayers pay their taxes on time and in full. If taxpayers are late, we communicate with them early and often about their obligations and increasing penalties that apply to any late payments, she said, adding that issuing a summary judgment is a time intensive process for our collections and legal team. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In any given year, the team issues about 50 notices of intent to take the matter to court, and approximately 30 end up with a summary judgment action, Fried said. The citys softening real estate market in the wake of the pandemic has seen many owners struggle to meet mortgage obligations and deadlines when debt comes due, and has caused large construction projects to stall throughout the city. The Maximus loan that was sent into special servicing originated in 2019, when Maximus planned to start construction to significantly expand the Parkmerced community, which includes 3,221 apartments. The developer has long sought to grow the sprawling neighborhood to more than 8,900 apartments, but the project has yet to advance. The following year, Maximus appeared to struggle to make payments on another, close to $1 billion loan secured by Parkmerced, according to reporting by the Real Deal. Data on the Parkmerced loan, provided by financial services company Morningstar, shows that, as of September, the community was 83% occupied, with cash flow well below the level needed to cover debt payments. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Where did you last hear about Interpol? For most, the answer is likely from a film or TV show. Interpol is often portrayed in popular culture as an elite global police force jumping out of helicopters to catch international criminal masterminds. The reality is nowhere near as glamorous but the impact of Interpols work with key partners such as India on dismantling criminal networks is no less dramatic. National borders and jurisdictions present opportunities for increasingly sophisticated criminals to commit crimes and evade capture. The tools that Interpol provides support members to close that net and bring criminals to justice. Interpol is a network of police forces and law enforcement agencies which work closely together sharing data, expertise and criminal profiles to keep its 196 member countries safe. It is less about kicking down doors than spotting patterns in data and intelligence to track down the proverbial needle in the haystack. Indias recent G20 presidency was instrumental in reminding the world how the ancient Indian philosophy of vasudhaiva kutumbakam is an astute observation of the importance of working together to tackle shared challenges and global threats. Police forces globally can learn much from how India has worked with Interpol to reach across borders and stop organised crime in its tracks. India, an important Interpol member which sits on its 13-country executive committee, is a critical partner in this endeavour and it is a pleasure for me at Interpol to work so closely with Indian law enforcement to tackle drug smuggling, people trafficking and cybercrime. Indias geographical location between the Golden Crescent and Southeast Asias Golden Triangle, which account for 90% of the worlds opium supply, presents numerous challenges and foreign gangs seek to use sea routes through the west coast of India to ply their poisonous trade. The rise of synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, threatens to compound this situation. But Indian law enforcement agencies are leading the way in using technology to stop drug trafficking in its tracks. Anti-narcotics bureau investigators recently arrested a foreign national sent to Goa to peddle drugs, but upon examination of the eight mobile phones in his possession, they detected and detained a bigger criminal responsible for no less than an estimated 30% of Indias drug trade. Technological expertise is vital to get to the root of this complex issue and Indian law enforcement is delivering operational success through deploying that alongside international partners. Similarly, Indian agencies have worked closely with Interpol to protect the countrys tech infrastructure against cyber criminals, who, through ransomware attacks, attempt to cripple banks, schools, and government agencies. Last year, India was at the heart of a multinational effort coordinated by Interpol under Operation Synergia, which took down more than 1,300 malicious IP addresses and URLs and disconnected over 70 servers. India also participated in Operation HAECHI, which led to authorities blocking more than 82,000 suspicious bank accounts and seizing over $300 million. Indias law enforcement makes a huge contribution to the worlds response to tech crime. Even more heinous than drug crime, cybercrime and financial crime, are those which exploit vulnerable people as a commodity to trade for profit. Human trafficking remains an appalling scourge and Indias Central Bureau of Investigation has led efforts, alongside Interpol, to break the business model of human traffickers. Operation Storm Makers II in December 2023 saw India and 26 other countries work with Interpol to arrest more than 280 people and rescue 149 victims of trafficking. These are the real success stories of the everyday heroes in India who work with Interpol and other member countries to make India safer. Their work is vital and Interpol will be there for them as the world faces even more complex criminal challenges in the future. Stephen Kavanagh is Interpols executive director of police services. The views expressed are personal The Information Technology enabled Services (ITeS) industry is vital for the Indian economy. With revenues of $253.9 billion (and exports of $199 billion), it provides more than six million white-collar jobs and covers our import bill for petroleum crude and gas of $208.5 billion. Thus, the growth compression from 8.4% last year to just 3.9% this year, has rightfully raised alarm bells. One of the poster children of Indias economic rise, the ITeS industry grew at an astounding 28% per annum post the dotcom boom, during 2000-2010. Even though growth has moderated thereafter, the industry has helped create an Indian services brand. The other part of the industry, the Global Capability Centers (GCCs), saw a growth spike after Covid-19, with 150 new companies setting up their GCCs in India, employing 1.6 million people. Gratifyingly, the share of higher-end work is increasing and engineering research and development itself is forecasted to grow at 21% between 2023 and 2030. However, even the GCCs saw a slowdown in employment, which increased by only 50,000 to 1.65 million people last year. Is there any underlying trend that suggests a reason for India to worry? We believe there are at least two factors we need to keep a close watch on. The first is the arrival of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) and its transformative potential. The second trend is the rise of protectionism and dependence anathema in the disturbed geopolitical environment in the world today. Fareed Zakaria insightfully distinguishes between the industrial revolution, an energy revolution where living energy sources (horses) were replaced by inanimate energy generated by the steam engine from the current information revolution (especially developments in Generative Artificial Intelligence), of bits and bytes using data, that has the potential of being able to replace the work of thousands of people by computers working through massive data sets in minutes. Developments in Gen AI have within them the potential to fundamentally transform industries much more powerfully than the steam engine. The full impact will get clear over the coming decade and so it is too early to assess its net impact on the ITeS industry. The other question that AI has re-sparked is the eternal debate between outsourced and in-house. The logic for in-house revolved around control, transparency, intellectual property, and risk. Outsourced providers, over the past decades, had largely convinced client company CXOs about the robustness of their firewalls, data segregation, Chinese walls, and storage protocols to allay concerns. Just when it appeared that outsourced had won the argument versus inhouse (as measured by the scale of the respective vectors in India or globally), Gen AI is raising questions on data security, privacy, and ownership risks and the sharp rise in GCCs being set up, reveals the strength of such concerns. However this plays out ultimately, it does not challenge the India location advantage, nor does it threaten domestic employment or Gross Domestic Production (GDP) contribution. It only impacts Indian exports and Indian ITeS companies revenues. The potentially more threatening, long-term trend for the ITeS industry is geopolitics. Is there a lesson worth learning from the China experience? The rise of China began with its entry into the WTO, facilitated by the United States in 2001. The US supported China to obtain concessions for not fully complying with WTO standards and encouraged US companies to move their supply chains to China. China became the best country for scale manufacturing. American consumers and, in fact, the world over, benefited from the low prices at which Chinese goods became available. By 2010, China had become the global manufacturing powerhouse of the world and today accounts for 31% of total global manufacturing. The Chinese GDP rose from $1.2 trillion to $6.5 trillion by 2010. By Obamas second term in 2012, signs of tension with China started to appear. With the election of Donald Trump as the US president, the tension boiled into a major trade conflict. So much so that the only bilateral issue on which today, there is total consensus in the US Congress is containing China. Chinas decision to challenge the USs supremacy as a competing global superpower and the adoption of a muscular foreign policy towards other important countries was possibly mistimed and has proved costly to its economy but has provided a significant opportunity for India. What lessons must India learn and what actions should it take? Indias economic rise given its size does not offer any room for complacency. India must anticipate the challenges its rise may create. Thus, it must act with alacrity on four fronts to take advantage of the current global animosity towards China: One, India must build on its current geopolitical advantage and retain its strategic autonomy to pursue its interests while ensuring strong relations with the US to prevent any potential US backlash. Two, it must reassure western companies of the integrity of its data standards and the ability to find legal recourse with speed in case of conflict. Three, it must create and fund research facilities and encourage partnerships with top US universities to move up the research and development ladder with AI and engineering skills so that it cannot be shut out from technological advancements. Four, it must undertake in mission mode a reskilling drive for its STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduates. Only about a million of Indias 12 million STEM graduates seem to secure jobs of any quality. The others need upskilling in partnership with the industry. A national STEM exam to sort and categorise STEM graduates by skill level would be enormously helpful. It will allow the creation of a differentiated skill market for STEM graduates. We cannot be complacent and assume Indias economic rise will not cause concern to the existing world order. The Boy Scout motto Be Prepared should be our mantra. Janmejaya Sinha is chairman, India BCG, and Rajiv Gupta is senior partner and managing director, BCG. The views expressed are personal Max Azzarello, the Florida man who set himself on fire Friday outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump's hush-money trial was taking place, has died from his injuries, police reported. He was declared dead at a local hospital, the NYPD told the Associated Press early Saturday. Azzarello, 37, doused himself with an accelerant and set himself ablaze as reporters nearby covered alternate juror selection in the Trump trial. Bystanders raced to the scene outdoors to help Azzarello in a section of College Pond Park across from the courthouse desginated for protests during the trial. Emergency medical workers rushed him on a stretcher to a nearby hospital as smoke still hung in the air. The St. Augustine resident was identified by a high ranking NYPD official, the New York Times reported, noting that Azzarello was at the courthouse the day before, holding a sign displaying a web address which identified him as a "investigative researcher," and featured pamplets reading: "I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial." His last Instagram post before the tragedy read:"I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you," Newsweek reported. Azzarello's family didn't know he had left Florida to travel to the Manhattan courthouse, the New York Post reported. Investigators collected flyers Azzarello threw into the air before setting himself ablaze, a senior law enforcement official told CNN. A memnber of the CNN team in the area reported that one of the flyers read in part: "NYU is a mob front" and listed allegations of wrongdoings at the university. The flyers also included links to a Substack manifesto, noted Newsweek. The Post reported that Azzarello's nearly 2,700-page conspiracy-riddled statement declared at one point: "This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup." The tragedy was shown on CNN as it happened, with anchor Laura Coates initially reporting on the Trump trial outside the courthouse. She first told viewers that there was an active shooter nearby, then quickly corrected that a "man has set fire to himself." CNN cameras then turned to show the flames across the street. "A man has emblazoned himself outside the courthouse," Coates said, and reported the smell of burning flesh. "There is chaos and it is happening," she added. Iran's foreign minister scoffed in a U.S. television interview that the drones in Israel's attack this week on his country were mere "toys" in comments aimed at downplaying the significance of the assault. "What happened ... was not a strike," Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told NBC News moderator Tom Llamas in an interview after Friday's air attack by Israel. "They were more like toys that our children play with not drones," he added. "The downed micro air vehicles caused no damage and no casualties," the minister told the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, according to the BBC. Amirabdollahian refused to even acknowledge that Israel launched a strike against his nation. Israel also has yet to publicly acknowledge its military operation against Iran, which was revealed by officials in the U.S. and other countries. Israel's drone attack was reportedly launched near a military base and nuclear power plant close to the Iranian town of Isfahan. It was widely viewed as retaliation for Iran's drone and missile strike on Israel days earlier which was retaliation in turn for Israel's earlier attack on Iran's embassy in Syria. Damage in the latest attack, which triggered Iran's air defense forces, was not immediately known. Iranian FM Amirabdollahian: "What happened last night was not a strike. They were more like toys that our children play with not drones." pic.twitter.com/myFUI6HTJ2 Clash Report (@clashreport) April 20, 2024 Amirabdollahian assured in the interview that Iran will not strike Israel again unless provoked. World leaders are pressing for calm as tensions between Israel and Iran are racheting up. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized Friday that the U.S. played no role in Israel's attack on Iran, and he urged calm between the two countries. "We're committed to Israel's security," Blinken said at a press conference following the attack after a meeting with G7 foreign ministers in Capri, Italy. "We're also committed to de-escalating," Blinken reportedly told the G7 ministers that the Israelis government informed the U.S. of the planned attack on Iran at the last minute. Max Azzarello, the Florida man who died after setting himself ablaze outside the New York City courtroom where Donald Trump's hush money trial was underway, embraced conspiracy theories and railed about a "totalitarian con" and the government. Azzarello, 37, from St. Augustine, Fla., doused himself with a flammable liquid and set himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse on Friday, shocking bystanders as police frantically tried to douse the flames. He tossed pamphlets in the air before he set himself aflame that included references to a 2,700-word manifesto he published on Substack detailing a number of conspiracy theories. "This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup," Azzarello wrote. A former classmate who knew Azzarello when he was studying for his 2012 master's degree in city and regional planning at Rutgers University said he was "super curious about social justice and the way things 'could' be," and described him as "creative and adventurous." But friends of the Florida native say he was deeply disturbed by the death of his mom, Elizabeth Azzarello, in April 2022 on Long Island, the New York Times reported. "That was around the time when he became more outspoken," Steven Waldman, a friend of Azzarello's from high school, told the newspaper. "They were close, and they had a good relationship. He was heartbroken." A year after her death, Azzarello's writing showed that his grief was under control but other problems surfaced. He described himself as a "research investigator" on his LinkedIn page, and began telling friends of the manifesto he had penned. In August 2023, he wrote on Facebook about being treated for mental health issues. "Three days in the psych ward, and all I got were my new favorite socks," he quipped in the posting, the New York Times reported. The Senate rebuffed privacy concerns to pass a two-year reauthorization of a controversial key surveillance law early Saturday morning just moments after it expired at midnight. Senators, in a bipartisan 60-34 vote, approved the program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and sent it to President Joe Biden for his signature, the Associated Press reported. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the president "will swiftly sign the bill." "In the nick of time, we are reauthorizing FISA right before it expires at midnight," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said as final voting began 15 minutes before the midnight deadline. "All day long, we persisted and we persisted in trying to reach a breakthrough and in the end, we have succeeded." Critics have warned that the measure could lead to a dramatic expansion of government surveillance of Americans. But supporters insist the law is necessary for national security. The section of FISA allows the U.S. government to monitor the communications of non-Americans outside the country. But it also allows surveillance of communications of Americans when they're in contact with targeted foreigners. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL.) had been pushing a proposal that would have required U.S. officials to get a warrant before accessing American communications Those concerns drew oppostion from both progressive lawmakers and conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, who urged on his social media account earlier this month: "KILL FISA," and claimed the law was used against him. Proponents said the law is an essential tool for the country's intelligence community to collect information in an effort to thwart terror attacks, foreign espionage and cyber crimes. "If you miss a key piece of intelligence, you may miss some event overseas or put troops in harm's way," said Sen. Marco Rubio, the ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee. "You may miss a plot to harm the country here, domestically, or somewhere else. So in this particular case, there's real-life implications," the Florida lawmaker said. An overhead passageway is seen at the orangutan exhibit at the San Francisco Zoo. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Giraffes are seen at the San Francisco Zoo, where findings of a Chronicle investigation sparked concern among city officials. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Members of a San Francisco Zoo advisory committee expressed surprise and concern at issues of worker safety and animal welfare raised in a Chronicle investigation. In an email to the Chronicle, Larry Mazzola, chair of the citys Joint Zoo Committee, called for a full investigation into the accusations. The Chronicle report, published Wednesday, outlined complaints raised by 20 current and former employees and detailed troubling recent incidents, including a harrowing chase of a zookeeper by a grizzly bear and the death of a young penguin that was, according to keeper logs, struck by a guillotine door. Employees said the zoos upper management did not listen to their concerns. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Joint Zoo Committee discussed the Chronicles findings Thursday during its monthly meeting. The advisory group is made up of zoo representatives and members of the Recreation and Park Commission, the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare, and the San Francisco Zoological Society board, which runs the zoo. Later that day, the 95-year-old institution was in the spotlight again when Mayor London Breed announced that China would lend giant pandas to the zoo for the first time in decades, likely by next year. Mazzola said he was surprised to learn about most of the issues in the Chronicles report. He said he would invite Tanya Peterson, CEO and executive director of the zoo, and Melinda Dunn, the Zoological Societys new board chair, to attend the committees June meeting to answer questions about the articles findings. In particular, Mazzola, a business manager with United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 38, said he was concerned about allegations regarding worker safety and training. I want to make sure that the workers are being heard, Mazzola said in the meeting. Worker safety and the way that workers are being treated are the No. 1 priority, along with keeping the animals safe. Thats what this is all about. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There were some pretty serious allegations in the article, said Jane Tobin, secretary of the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare. She added, Im not sure about the path forward. On Friday, the zoo posted a statement on social media saying that the Chronicles report misrepresented information and included many inaccurate facts. The Chronicle asked the zoo to specify what facts it found to be inaccurate. In an ensuing email, board chair Dunn said the evidence at the time (of the penguins death) was inconclusive as to the cause of death. The Chronicle obtained the agenda from the July 20, 2023, Joint Zoo Committee meeting. On the report to the committee listing the five animals that died in the previous month, head trauma is noted next to the deceased penguin. Much of the rest of the email details items that were mentioned in the Chronicle report, including the fact that the zoo regularly passes inspections. Said Dunn: We also have numerous safety protocols to ensure the safety of our staff, as well as safety and welfare committees responsible for reviewing staff concerns, evaluating the situation and resolving any issues. We are proud of the San Francisco Zoo and our teams. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While San Francisco owns the zoo and its animals, the Zoological Society is responsible for managing day-to-day operations, passing needed inspections, doing maintenance and making capital improvements, according to its lease. The Joint Zoo Committee is informed of animal deaths, gives approval to animal acquisitions and approves the nonprofits operating budget and capital improvements above $50,000. We have to ask more questions. We have to have answers if the public asks us, or whoever, Mazzola said in the meeting. Corey Hallman, a representative of the zoos labor union, said that the union would meet with the Zoological Society board soon to talk about issues raised in the Chronicles report, many of which the union has raised previously. Tobin suggested looking into what other zoos consider best practice. She specifically pointed to the Oakland Zoos policy of bringing in new animals only when their habitat is complete. Former employees at the San Francisco Zoo said that a pair of orangutans were brought in to live in an exhibit for two years before it was renovated. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a phone interview, Supervisor Myrna Melgar, whose district includes the zoo, would not comment on the Chronicles findings, but said she welcomed the news about pandas coming to the zoo. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has asked Apple and Google to help prevent gambling game applications from being available in the nation's stores without an appropriate license as part of his strategy to make it more difficult for local troops to gamble. It's prohibited to gamble in the country's military due to concerns that it undermines morale and poses a security risk in the fight against Russia's invasion. The ban for soldiers includes betting in gambling establishments and on the internet while serving in the military, under a decree recently signed into law by Zelenskiy. The edict was issued after an astonishing petition calling for the ban was filed by Ukrainian serviceman Pavlo Petrychenko. He complained that some soldiers on the front line were spending their earnings on betting, taking out loans, and even pawning military equipment such as drones and thermal cameras to cover gambling debts, Bloomberg reported. Petrychenko's petition, which rapidly amassed the required 25,000 signatures for consideration to become law, also noted the risk of Russian online casino operators targeting customers with ads designed to secure access to private data from military personnel and civilians. Petrychenko died on the front line on April 15 and was buried in Kyiv this week. Ukrainian forces are grappling with morale issues stemming from shortages of ammunition and manpower, as the momentum of the war, now well into its third year, has shifted to Russia's advantage. On the 25th anniversary of the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School, two mothers and survivors of that tragic day remain haunted by the horrifying memories that comes flooding back as they send their children off to school. Missy Mendo was a 14-year-old freshman and Amy Over was an 18-year-old senior when two teenagers opened fire inside the Littleton, Colo., school on April 20, 1999, killing 12 students and a teacher, and wounding 24 others. At the time, it was the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Mendo, now 39, told People.com that memories of the carnage came streaming back when she enrolled her daughter for pre-kindergarten in May 2022 on the same day news was breaking of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 students and two teachers. "I remembered seeing how long it took for somebody to get inside our school," Mendo told People. "Watching that go down while I was filling out paperwork with my kid was just the stuff that nightmares are made out of." Mendo, who was physically unharmed in the Columbine shooting, said she remembers the gunmen firing at her and other students as they fled to a nearby park. She said she takes precautions not to project her anxiety on her 5-year-old daughter, and will talk to her about the events of that day when the "time is appropriate and the situation is appropriate." Over, now a 43-year-old mother of four, said she has had those conversations with her two oldest children. When her son and daughter, both 18, went to their senior prom on April 19, the eve of the shooting's anniversary, Over said she felt mixed emotions as she recalled her own prom just days before the tragedy. She called it a "full circle moment." "I just remember it being just a beautiful, happy time, just a fun night with my friends," Over told People about going to her prom. "And I guess the saddest part of it is that I'm just not that same girl that I was 25 years ago." A satellite image after last week's Iranian attack on Israel apparently shows some damage to a taxiway at an Israeli desert air base. Despite Iran launching hundreds of drones, and ballistic and cruise missiles in Tehran's unprecedented assault on the country, Nevatim air base in southern Israel only sustained minor damage, according to the image viewed by the Associated press. Israeli air defenses, along with fighter jets supported by the U.S., the United Kingdom, and neighboring Jordan, successfully intercepted the vast majority of the incoming attacks, officials said. The satellite image, taken last Friday for the Associated Press, shows a fresh blacktop along a taxiway near hangars in the southern part of the Nevatim air base, approximately 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Jerusalem, apparently indicating a repaired section. Footage of the spot previously released by the Israeli military showed construction equipment repairing the damaged taxiway. It's unclear what other damage may have occurred at other targets. Despite the minimal damage report, the "operation became a sign of the power of the Islamic Republic and its armed forces," Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi insisted Friday. "It also showed the steely determination of our nation and our wise leader, the commander of all forces," he added. The April 13 attack was the first direct military assault on the country by a foreign nation since Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched Scud missiles at Israel during the 1991 Gulf War. Several former colleagues of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and other national environmental organizations are calling on him to withdraw from the presidential race. Full-page advertisements, sponsored by the NRDC's political wing, are schedule to appear in newspapers in six swing states on Sunday. "Earth to RFK Jr. ... Drop Out," says the ad. A dozen national environmental organizations have issued an open letter denouncing Kennedy as a "dangerous conspiracy theorist and a science denier," promoting "toxic beliefs" regarding vaccines and climate change. The critics argue that the independent candidate cannot win the presidency, but could divert votes away from President Biden, potentially aiding former President Donald Trump, who has dismissed climate change as a hoax and pledged to dismantle environmental laws and policies, noted the New York Times. "A vote for RFK Jr. is a vote to destroy that progress and put Trump back in the White House," says the newspaper ad that will run in Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Signatories, including John Hamilton Adams, a co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council who hired Kennedy in the 1980s, along with past presidents and the group's current president, implore Kennedy to "honor our planet: drop out." In a telephone interview with the Times, Kennedy pushed back against the idea that he could bring Trump back to the White House. "President Biden does not need my help to lose to Donald Trump," he countered. Former Mississippi Gov. Ray Mabus on Saturday condemned Gov. Tate Reeves' decision to declare April as "Confederate Heritage Month" - calling it "incredibly hurtful" and "dead solid wrong." It celebrates "something that was truly awful: people trying to own other people," he added. "First, I didn't do it when I was governor," Mabus told CNN in a video clip posted on Instagram by anchor Victor Blackwell. "And second, Confederate heritage? Really? The heritage that I think of with the Confederacy is slavery, is treason and is losing. Which of those heritages are we really honoring here?" Mabus, a Democrat who was Navy secretary under then-President Barack Obama, said the move was "part of the 'lost cause' narrative ... that came about a few years after the Civil War in an attempt to reassert white supremacy." "What it does is incredibly hurtful. It is incredibly harmful and it honors something that we should learn about, know about, but definitely - definitely not honor," he said. There "certainly should be some political pushback," Mabus added. "I think that anyone that thinks that this is something that should be done, that this is something that will help in some way, is just dead solid wrong," he said. On April 12, the day the Civil War erupted in 1861, Reeves signed a proclamation marking April as Confederate Heritage Month in the Magnolia State. It was the fifth time he's done so, according to the Mississippi Free Press. In his proclamation, Reeves, a Republican, said it was "important for all Americans to reflect upon our nation's past" and "gain insight from our mistakes and successes." Reeves also urged "a full understanding that the lessons learned yesterday and today will carry us through tomorrow if we carefully and earnestly strive to understand and appreciate our heritage and our opportunities which lie before us." A Reeves spokesperson told Mississippi TV state WAPT that five state governors, "Republicans and Democrats alike," have signed similar proclamations over the past 30 years. Mississippi was the second state to join the Confederacy. The last Monday in April is a state holiday known as "Confederate Memorial Day." A huge explosion tore into a military base in Iraq which houses a pro-Iranian militia, reportedly killing one person and injuring eight. The explosion at Kalso military base, 30 miles south of Baghdad, occurred early Saturday morning, according to the Iraqi military, the BBC reported. Iraq officials reported that there were no drones or fighter jets in the area before or during the blast. The militia organization involved, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), however, attributed the explosion to an attack, according to the BBC. PMF chief of staff Abdul Aziz al-Mohammedawi visited the base to review the findings of the investigators so far, said militia officials. IRAQ: Massive explosion in Kalsu military camp in Babil, strikes targeted pro-Iran PMF. At least one killed, Israel suspected pic.twitter.com/BhSK2HT7tA Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) April 19, 2024 The PMF is an umbrella organization of pro-Iranian militias that Tehran has been using for years to advance its interests in the Middle East. The news comes on the heels of rising tensions between Israel and Iran with attacks by each of the countries on the other. The U.S. Central Command anounced Saturday on X: "We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today." A woman died Thursday at a sober living facility on Treasure Island run by HealthRight 360, San Franciscos largest addiction treatment provider. The nonprofit runs residential services on Treasure Island, shown in this 2019 photo. Michael Short/Special to the Chronicle A woman died Thursday at a sober living facility run by HealthRight 360, San Franciscos largest addiction treatment provider. The woman, who was in treatment at the program, is the fifth person in the past 13 months to die in a facility run by HealthRight 360. Four men in the nonprofits programs died of overdoses from March 2023 through February 2024. The womans cause of death was not immediately known Friday. Gary McCoy, spokesperson for HealthRight 360, said that staff and clients were heartbroken by the news. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This type of thing came out of nowhere, McCoy said, adding that the organization is doing our due diligence to find out what happened. The woman was found dead in her room at a transitional housing complex on Treasure Island, a site for women who have gone through HealthRights 90-day treatment program. HealthRight 360 alerted the California Department of Health Care Services and San Francisco Department of Public Health, as regulations require. The state department will investigate the death, as it does with all fatalities at inpatient addiction treatment programs. Failure to address any deficiencies discovered by state officials could result in fines or the suspension or revocation of the nonprofits certification. Two young men fatally overdosed earlier this year at Walden House, a 90-day residential treatment program run by HealthRight at 890 Hayes St. And last year, two men fatally overdosed while at one of the organizations sober living facilities at 214 Haight St. One of those men was an employee, David Hamilton Jr., who overdosed on fentanyl and cocaine in his office, according to records from the San Francisco medical examiner. In response to the two previous deaths this year, the Department of Public Health said in a statement Friday that it required HealthRight to review its policies and strengthen patient safety protocols, including improved client screening upon entering and exiting treatment facilities and a tighter approval process for offsite social excursions. The result of the state oversight bodys investigations are still pending. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner could not release the womans identity Friday afternoon, citing a pending notification to next of kin. Supervisor Matt Dorsey said Friday that his heart goes out to loved ones and friends of the woman, as well as the staff at HealthRight 360. The reality is this can happen to any facility out there, said Dorsey, who is in recovery for abusing crystal meth. These are certainly the deadliest times for those of us who struggle with addiction because of the risk of overdose. HealthRight 360 is not the only addiction treatment provider in San Francisco where clients have fatally overdosed in recent years. According to data from the medical examiner, one person fatally overdosed at Salvation Army Harbor Lights in April 2022 and two people fatally overdosed at Minna Project, a dual diagnosis transitional housing program for formerly incarcerated adults, in 2020. Additionally, three people have died from overdoses at the citys Managed Alcohol program since 2020. The deaths within HealthRight programs come as San Francisco struggles to contain its worsening opioid epidemic. They highlight the challenges of treating drug addiction even among those who want to reach sobriety, as relapse can be a common step in the process. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Despite efforts by local and state officials to crack down on the citys illicit drug market, San Francisco saw a record 810 accidental overdose deaths last year, the majority of which were fueled by the powerfully addictive opioid, fentanyl. Frustration with the epidemic has driven Mayor London Breed and some other elected officials to call for harsher policies to deal with those struggling with addiction. Hundreds of drug users have been arrested in recent months and Breed pushed a successful March ballot measure to mandate drug screenings for welfare recipients. Those deemed to have a substance use disorder will be required to enter a treatment program or face losing their cash assistance from the city. Gov. Gavin Newsom last year brought in the California National Guard and state police to partner with San Francisco police to curb fentanyl trafficking downtown. Breed and Newsom created a task force to begin investigating opioid-linked deaths similarly to homicides. Newsom also proposed a ban on xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer turned street drug known as tranq. China-aided humanitarian supplies to Gaza arrive in Egypt Xinhua) 14:17, April 20, 2024 Workers unload China-aided humanitarian supplies to Gaza Strip from a plane at the Al-Arish airport in North Sinai Province, Egypt, on April 19, 2024. A batch of humanitarian supplies provided by the Chinese government to Palestinians arrived at the Al-Arish airport on Friday. 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 Chinese embassy in Egypt. (Xinhua) Photo taken on April 19, 2024 shows China-aided humanitarian supplies to Gaza Strip at the Al-Arish airport in North Sinai Province, Egypt. A batch of humanitarian supplies provided by the Chinese government to Palestinians arrived at the Al-Arish airport on Friday. 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 Chinese embassy in Egypt. (Xinhua) Workers transfer China-aided humanitarian supplies to Gaza Strip at the Al-Arish airport in North Sinai Province, Egypt, on April 19, 2024. A batch of humanitarian supplies provided by the Chinese government to Palestinians arrived at the Al-Arish airport on Friday. 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 Chinese embassy in Egypt. (Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) The Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-average chances for precipitation in California next week, shown in this outlook issued Friday. Baron/Lynx While Bay Area residents have been enjoying a welcome stretch of dry weather this week, an unsettled atmosphere could change that. Theres a slight chance for coastal drizzle this weekend and potentially even more rain toward the end of next week, though forecasters arent certain exactly how wet the Bay Area will get. Live storm map: See where rain is hitting California and Bay Area Advertisement Article continues below this ad We may end up very similar to this weekend, where its just increased cloud cover, cooler (temperatures) and drizzle, said Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Bay Area. But we may have some areas of actual light rainfall mid- to late next week. Extended-range outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center call for above-average chances for rain in California in the next six to 10 days. An area of high pressure is expected to shift from the western U.S. to the central and eastern U.S. during late April, explained Climate Prediction Center meteorologist Tom Collow by email. This shift will allow a trough of low pressure to develop along the West Coast in its wake, bringing moisture from the Pacific Ocean ashore, Collow said. Weather models dont yet agree on whether there will be measurable rainfall or how much. But the normal seven-day precipitation total for San Francisco during this time in the spring is around 0.3 inches, Collow said: The amount of precipitation is likely to not be too significant compared to events earlier this year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Storms in January and February produced deluges that flooded San Francisco streets. April showers have been less disruptive, with about 1.1 inches of rain falling across three days so far. This is below San Franciscos monthly average, said Jan Null, a meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Services and an adjunct professor at San Jose State University. We average almost seven days of rain in April, Null said, based on rainfall data from 1991 to 2020. White San Franciscos rainiest period generally comes in the winter, the city historically still receives rain through the spring and early summer it would be more unusual not to have rainy days in May and June, Null said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ADVERTISE Hypebot & MusicThinkTank With the internet and digital technologies driving rapid change within the music industry, articles about new releases and who has been hired and fired are no longer enough. Our up to the minute industry news alongside insightful commentary helps our readers sift through the rumors and developments to find the information they need to keep their businesses moving forward. Hypebot is read daily by more than 30,000 music industry professionals including executives and senior staff of music related tech firms, internet based music sites, every major label group and most indies as well as many managers, artists and members of the live music community: Contact us for the latesst stats, ad rates and sponosorship opportunites. We also offer combined rates with MusicThinkTank. Life can now be so much easier with Galaxy AI, the revolutionary mobile AI technology built to push boundaries of creativity, productivity and leisure. Now, Samsung has made it more accessible with the One UI 6.1 update on the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Tab S9 series devices. More users can take advantage of this innovative mobile AI experience. Heres how you can start making Galaxy AI a part of your daily life. Start your epic Galaxy AI journey First, make sure your Galaxy device has the latest software version - One UI 6.1. If you dont have the update yet, just go to Settings, then open up the Software Update page and tap on Download and Install. Now you can begin your Galaxy AI journey by creating a Samsung account to have unlimited access to the powerful features of Galaxy AI. On your Samsung device, go to Settings, then Accounts and Backup, click on Manage Accounts then Add Account. You can also opt to set an account directly on the Samsung website (account.samsung.com) by clicking Create Account. Follow the steps and start filling up your personal information. You will also need to set up a Two-step verification. Lastly, validate your email so you can start using your Samsung account. Transform your photos from raw to pro Hone your skills in photo editing through Photo Assist. Use the Generative Edit feature to resize, remove, and reposition objects to make your photos look clutter-free. Start by selecting a photo that you would like to edit on your Gallery. Enable editing mode then tap the blue AI icon. Encircle the specific object you would like to edit, tap and hold, then you can choose to delete, move, or resize it. Once satisfied, tap Done and save as a copy. Generative photo editing can also be used to tilt and align the objects in the image. It will also provide additional output suggestions after generating to work magic on your photos. Break communication barriers on your travels Galaxy AI introduces Live Translate, a live interpreter assistant that can translate foreign languages and even do the talking for you through its AI translator. It can be used either through text or phone call or as a direct interpreter. To enable Live Translate, look for Settings and tap on Advanced features. Under the Advanced features tap on Phone and switch on the Live Translate feature. After turning on the feature, you can select your preferred language for yourself and for the person youre talking to. After enabling Live Translate, you can now also use the Call Assist Feature. Just tap on Call Assist upon dialing, then Live Translate and let the AI translation lead the conversation for you. You will also need to download your preferred language packs since this is an on-device feature. To download, simply go to General Management in your Settings, click on Language Packs, and you will see a list of available languages for download. You can also translate messages through Chat Assist. First, open the conversation then tap on the Writing Assist icon found on your Samsung keyboard. Then select your preferred translation language. The translated text will appear below its original version. For a direct interpreter function, simply pull down your Quick Access Panel, tap on Interpreter, then tap on the microphone to speak directly into the device. Then watch Interpreter do its magic! Maximize your browsing experience Samsung has now made it possible to search for any image or text through its Circle to Search feature. With its collaboration with Google, Galaxy AI enables users to search the internet just by drawing a circle around an object you would like to know more about. To enable Circle to Search, open Settings then tap on Display. Look for the Navigation Bar then switch on Circle to Search. To use Circle to Search, long press the Home key of your Galaxy phone or the Navigation Bar, then draw a circle around the object of interest. Google will automatically search for information. If you need to narrow down your search, you can add more keywords on the search bar where it says Add to your search. Galaxy AI also has a Browsing Assist feature which summarizes and translates articles on the web in a snap with just a tap. To enable it, go to Samsung Browser, look up anything on the web and once you select an article, tap on the AI icon. Select whether to translate or summarize the article and Galaxy AI will automatically show the results. The summarize and translate tools also work in downloaded PDFs on your device and voice recording transcriptions. If youd like to purchase a Galaxy device, dont miss the epic deals of up to 50% off offered during the Galaxy Summer Sale, happening now until April 30, 2024. Stay updated on the latest happenings about Samsung by following Samsung on Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter). Taking significant steps towards its vision of becoming a Smart City, the City Government of Cebu, in partnership with PLDT Enterprise, is accelerating its digital transformation by adopting Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Google Workspace (GWS) into its delivery of public services underscoring the local government units (LGU) commitment to advancing its processes through cutting-edge digital solutions. Sealing the deal for a more digital future for Cebu City, from left: Clyde D. Maru, Relationship Manager, PLDT Enterprise; Hon. Michael L. Rama, the visionary Mayor of Cebu City; and Kent De La Calzada, AVP and Head of Customer Relationship Management-Visayas, PLDT Enterprise, symbolizing a pivotal partnership towards transforming Cebu into a Smart City. The integration of GCP and GWS marks a pivotal advancement in Cebu City's journey towards digitalization. These platforms are set to revolutionize the LGUs operations by boosting productivity, facilitating efficient collaboration, and ensuring high-performance and secure digital experiences. The move is in line with the LGUs ongoing efforts to improve basic service delivery to its citizens through innovative technology. "By harnessing the power of Google Cloud Platform and Google Workspace, we aim to set a new standard for public service one that is anchored on efficiency, resilience, and inclusivity. This initiative is a testament to the strong partnership between PLDT Enterprise and the City Government of Cebu, built on a shared vision for a digitally empowered community," said Kent De La Calzada, Assistant Vice President & Head of Customer Relationship Management at PLDT Enterprise. Long-Term Innovation and Collaboration The enduring partnership between PLDT Enterprise and the City Government of Cebu, cultivated over many fruitful years, has already paved the way for groundbreaking initiatives that significantly enhance the city's digital infrastructure. This strong relationship has been the cornerstone for launching transformative projects such as the Barangay Wi-Fi Project and the iGate connectivity at City Hall. These endeavors not only exemplify collaborative efforts of the two organizations but also underscore their shared commitment to leveraging technology for the betterment of public services and community connectivity. Through these initiatives, they have been able to set a new standard for digital innovation within local governments, driving Cebu City's ambition to become a leading Smart City in the region. The City Government of Cebu's decision to adopt these most recent digital solutions is a strategic response to the growing need for more agile and resilient public services. GCP and GWS will enable the city to streamline its operations, enhance disaster recovery capabilities, and ensure business continuity. These benefits are crucial for Cebu City as it aims to become a beacon of digital innovation and smart governance in the region. Honorable Michael L. Rama, Mayor of Cebu City, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, "Our partnership with PLDT Enterprise, leveraging the capabilities of Google Cloud and Workspace, is a major leap forward in our quest to become a Smart City. It aligns perfectly with our mission to provide our constituents with prompt, reliable, and secure access to public services. Together, we are laying down the digital foundation that will propel Cebu City into a future with endless possibilities." Empowering LGUs for the Future This collaboration also highlights PLDT Enterprise's ongoing commitment to supporting LGUs in their digital transformation journeys. By providing tailored digital solutions, PLDT Enterprise aims to help LGUs like Cebu City harness data for better planning, decision-making, and disaster response, thereby fostering a more informed, transparent, and engaged community. As Cebu City continues to embrace digital solutions like GCP and GWS, it sets a precedent for other LGUs aiming to enhance their digital infrastructure and governance. This partnership not only strengthens the bond between PLDT Enterprise and the City Government of Cebu but has also made substantial progress in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals which focuses on fostering digital inclusion and providing citizens with equal digital opportunities through technology. PLDT Enterprise and the City Government of Cebu are committed to working hand in hand to realize the vision of a smart, sustainable, and digitally inclusive Cebu City. Through this partnership, they are poised to drive significant improvements in public service delivery, making a lasting impact on the lives of Cebu City's residents and beyond. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rebel Moon wasnt always a brazenly obvious Star Wars knock-off. At one point, it was the real McCoy. Zack Snyders sci-fi thriller (the second part of which, The Scargiver, debuted on Netflix on Friday) was originally conceived as an official entry in the Star Wars canon. Shortly after the land rights to George Lucass galaxy far, far away were hoovered up by Disney in 2012, Snyder tried pitching them his premise: the story of a modest farming community who fight back against imperial invaders. The Man of Steel filmmakers idea was turned down, as were his pitches for a video game adaptation of the same. One quick de-branding later a find and replace on a few Lucasian nouns and the script was sold to Netflix as its own original saga. You could argue that Rebel Moon is no less a rip-off than Star Wars itself, with the original 1977 classic having borrowed its story from Akira Kurosawas The Hidden Fortress. Kurosawa is, as our critic Clarisse Loughrey notes in her review, a towering influence over Rebel Moon, with the film following the plot of Seven Samurai almost beat for beat. (Star Wars has borrowed this structure too, most overtly in several different episodes of The Mandalorian.) But theres a caveat. For all Rebel Moons shameless pilfering, there are times it goes places where Star Wars never has. Perhaps the key thing that sets Rebel Moon apart from its multibillion-dollar forefather is its protagonist: war orphan turned imperial super-soldier turned rebel Kora (Sofia Boutella). We meet Kora in the first Rebel Moon with her Imperium days already behind her, haunted by the immorality of her actions. In Part Two, we find out what precipitated her change of heart: she murdered the emperors innocent daughter, as part of a coup. Though its revealed at the end of the film that this magical pre-teen somehow survived the attack, its a pretty dark way to frame a hero. The handling may be blunt and surface-level, but Boutella is nonetheless the kind of harrowed, grey-area protagonist that the Star Wars saga has never dared tackle. Of course, the idea of redemption has come up time and again in Star Wars, from the moment Han Solo shows up at the end of A New Hope, reneging on his mercenary ways, to the bit at the end of Return of the Jedi when Darth Vader yeets the evil emperor into a chasm to save his son Luke. The Star Wars sequels stuffed a similar redemption arc into the execrable Rise of Skywalker, with Adam Drivers Kylo Ren abruptly turning back to being a good guy towards the end of the film. But redemption in Star Wars is also swift and uncomplicated. Much more time and nuance is afforded to the fall from grace Anakins slow lapse into the dark side across the prequel trilogy than the climb back towards it. Like Kora, Vader is also a killer of children: the moment he massacres a youngling in Revenge of the Sith is the point of no return for Anakin Skywalker. Though, of course, he does return. The Force Awakens started with John Boyegas Finn serving as an Imperial Stormtrooper, but we never see or learn of him carrying out anything malicious himself: he is a reformed man from the very first act, a hero whose only vice is his flightiness. In Star Wars, redemption is something to be grabbed, not earned. What Rebel Moon posits is something messier and less gratifying but much truer to life. There is no real moment when Boutellas character is redeemed; there is no villains mask to remove, like the one that cathartically transforms Vaders face back into the human visage of Anakin. Instead, we see a character who must live with her decisions, who must achieve her redemption slowly, and partially. While Star Wars has dabbled with conflicted and morally dubious heroes in the past most successfully in the stellar Disney+ series Andor there is always a sense of triumphalism to it. It is a world divided into the light side and the dark side, and this is always what it boils down to. Rebel Moon has a lot of this binary worldview too (after all, the villains are styled like Nazi officers), but allows itself a little more shade when it comes to heroism. Rebel Moon: Part Two-The Scargiver Ultimately, Rebel Moon exists in a sort of tonal no-mans land too shallow and bombastic to be considered adult fare, but a little too dark and violent to be an all-ages crowdpleaser like Star Wars. (And, not to mention, its average at best.) But credit must be given where due: it at least tries to take its characters seriously. Star Wars, adrift in a sea of increasingly aimless spin-offs and misfires, could stand to learn a thing or two. Rebel Moon: Part Two The Scargiver is available to stream now on Netflix Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Jon Bon Jovi says hes grateful to this day to Taylor Swift for encouraging Prince William to join them onstage for a rendition of his signature 1986 hit, Livin on a Prayer. The unlikely trio performed the song at the Centrepoint Gala Dinner at Kensington Palace on 26 November 2013, and footage of the moment has regularly gone viral ever since. Follow live updates and reactions to Swifts new album here. Speaking to The Independent, Bon Jovi paid tribute to Swift for bringing the three of them together. It was all her, he said. She literally grabbed him by the arm and ran up on stage, and they both knew the words and sang along. I give her kudos and Im grateful to this day because, you know, theres the future king of England with the biggest pop star in the world singing one of your songs. Its a great memory. Read The Independents full interview with Jon Bon Jovi here. open image in gallery Taylor Swift, Jon Bon Jovi and Prince William on stage at Kensington Palace in London in 2013 ( Getty Images ) In 2021, Prince William recalled the night in an episode of Apple Fitness+s Time to Walk podcast. Im sat next to Taylor Swift. Shes on my left. And after Jon does his first song, theres a pause, and she turns to me. She puts her hand on my arm, looks me in the eye, and says, Come on, William. Lets go and sing, said the Prince of Wales. To this day, I still do not know what came over me. Honestly, even now Im cringing at what happened next, and I dont understand why I gave in. But, frankly, if Taylor Swift looks you in the eye, touches your arm, and says, Come with me I got up like a puppy and went, Yeah, okay, that seems like a great idea. Ill follow you. I walked up on stage in a trance, and then sort of halfway through Jon Bon Jovis Livin on a Prayer song, I wake up, and Im thinking to myself, Am I standing on the stage singing Livin on a Prayer when I dont even know the words? But the Centrepoint young guys and girls were there all loving it and cheering away. So I thought, Well, if theyre enjoying it, then the night is for them. So sod it. I cant be the doofus whos going to ruin it for everyone. And so I desperately try and remember some of the words and sing as hard as I can. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Beneath my black tie, there was a lot of sweating going on. I felt like a swan, where I was trying to keep myself composed on the outside, but inside, the little legs are paddling fast. Taylor Swift released her latest album The Tortured Poets Society earlier today, and it has already broken the record for the album with the most Spotify streams in a single day. Follow live updates and reactions to Swifts new album here. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Indias state-run broadcaster, DD News, has changed the colour of its logo from ruby red to saffron, drawing the ire of the opposition political parties as high-stake elections are underway in the country. The move by broadcaster Prasar Bharati, the parent organisation that runs DD News, has again raised concerns about the countrys shrinking press freedom. The broadcaster officially unveiled the new logo on Tuesday while attempting to downplay the significance of the move, saying our values remain the same. While our values remain the same, we are now available in a new avatar. Get ready for a news journey like never before.. Experience the all-new DD News! it said in a post on X. We have the courage to put: Accuracy over speed, Facts over claims, Truth over sensationalismBecause if it is on DD News, it is the truth, it added. The new saffron logo has sparked outrage among opposition political parties which claim it was an attempt at saffronising the country and its important institutions. The saffron colour has been associated with the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which has adopted it as its official colour, using it in party flags, banners, scarfs and attire. The colour also holds religious significance among Hindus. Prasar Bharti is the parent organisation that operates the radio and television media arms of the federal government Aakashvani All India Radio and Doordarshan [DD] respectively. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and chair of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), said she is shocked at the sudden saffronisation and change of colour of our Doordarshan logo when the national elections are taking place across the country! It is absolutely unethical, grossly illegal, and speaks loudly of the pro-BJP bias of the national public broadcaster! Ms Banerjee said. She asked the Election Commission to immediately have it reversed, calling it violation of the Model Code of Conduct as elections are underway. Former CEO of Prasar Bharti, Jawhar Sircar, said that he has been watching DDs saffronisation with alarm. Its not just the logo, everything about the public broadcaster is saffron now. While the programmes and events of the ruling party get maximum airtime, Opposition parties hardly get any space now, Mr Sircar who is also the MP of the opposition Trinamool Congress [TMC] party said. Critics have also questioned the timing of the decision as national elections in the country kicked off on 19 April with prime minister Narendra Modi seeking a rare third term. Shubhankar Bhattacharya, a spokesperson for the TMC party, said he fears that even the tricolour of India is under threat from the ruling party that wants to paint the entire nation in one particular colour, that is saffron. What was the need?..it is just to prove your power to people. They are showing that you either bow down or we will make you toe the line, he said on Times Now. An Indian social media user noted the channel is state-owned, which means that it is public property and political parties should not have rights to take such a biased decision. Addressing the concerns, Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi told The Indian Express that the new logo has a catchy orange colour and the decision is purely based on the rebranding of the channel. A few months ago, ahead of G20 (summit), we had carried out a revamp of DD India and settled upon a set of graphics as visual language for that channel, he said, Using a bright, appealing colour is purely about the channels branding and visual aesthetic and it is unfortunate for anyone to be reading anything else into that, he said. Its not only a new logo, the entire look and feel has been upgraded we have a new set, new lighting, seating arrangement and equipment. Last year, Indias public broadcaster signed a two-year contract with a news agency backed by the ideological parent organisation of the ruling right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The public broadcaster had signed an exclusive deal with Hindusthan Samachar for its daily news feed. Hindusthan Samachar is allegedly backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent organisation of the ruling BJP. According to the World Press Freedom Index released in May last year, Indias ranking dropped to 150 out of 180 nations, from its last-year ranking of 142. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Seven people died after a boat carrying around 50 passengers capsized in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. The incident occurred on Friday evening when a boat, mostly carrying devotees, was returning from a temple visit in Jharsuguda district in the state. The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and fire services launched a search and rescue operation as more people are reportedly missing. After the early recovery of two bodies, five more bodies were recovered on Saturday morning from the Mahanadi river in Odishas Jharsuguda district. All deceased have been identified, officials said. According to preliminary information, the boat was overloaded and local police have detained two boatmen so far. Efforts to rescue one more dead body is underway...Two boatmen have been detained and action will be taken according to law, Smit Parmar, senior police officer said. President Droupadi Murmu condoled the deaths. Distressed to learn that the capsize of a boat in Mahanadi River near Jharsuguda, Orissa led to the loss of many lives, she said. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for speedy recovery of all those affected by the tragedy. The chief minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, has announced a compensation of Rs 400,000 (3,878) to the next of kin and has urged the district administration to ensure necessary facilities for the injured persons. This incident marks the second occurrence of fatalities resulting from a boat capsizing in India this week. On Tuesday, six people, including many minors, died by drowning after a boat capsized in Kashmir regions Jhelum river. Most of the passengers on the boat were children who were on their way to school. The tragedy happened as an under-construction footbridge, along the accident spot, in Gandbal, Srinagar, remained unfished for the past seven years. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated on Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. An international airport in Manado city, which is located less than 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the erupting Mount Ruang, is still temporarily closed as volcanic ash was spewed into the air. Satellite imagery from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency showed that the ash has spread to the west, northwest, northeast and southeast, covering Manado and North Minahasa, according to a statement from Indonesias Transportation Ministry. We are still monitoring developments in the eruption of Mount Ruang and coordinating with relevant stakeholders ... to anticipate the necessary actions to ensure flight safety, security and comfort, said Ambar Suryoko, head of the regional airport authority. More than 11,000 people were told to leave their homes and at least 1,000 have done so. A joint team from the local authorities is still combing the villages surrounding the volcano and evacuating the residents to safer areas by boat. Officials worry that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami, as happened in an eruption there in 1871 eruption. Houses, roads and other buildings in the affected areas were covered by gray volcanic ash. Many house roofs were also broken by the materials spewed from the eruption. Mount Ruang saw at least five large eruptions Wednesday, causing the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation to issue its highest level of alert. People were ordered to stay at least 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) from the 725-meter (2,378-foot) mountain. The observation from the agency on Friday said that white smoke is rising from the main crater with medium to thick intensity. Tagulandang Island, east of the volcano, could be at risk if a collapse occurred. Its residents were among those being told to evacuate. Indonesias National Disaster Mitigation Agency said residents will be relocated to Manado, a journey of six hours 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. She was there for her husband, Prince Harry; cheering from the sidelines before presenting him with the trophy (and a kiss) when his team won. But the Duchess of Sussexs appearance at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge for Sentebale in Wellington, Florida, last weekend was also the unveiling of her latest, as she would say, archetype. Dressed in a billowy white dress by local Californian brand, Heidi Merrick, with large shades and serious stilettos, Meghan was in full polo wife mode, flanked by her new bestie, Delfina Blaquier, the glamorous wife of Nacho Figueras, the David Beckham of polo. As she rushed up to the podium to kiss her prince, she did so as his doting wife but also the face of an upcoming Netflix cookery and lifestyle show and the mumpreneur behind a new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. Martha Stewart 2.0 had arrived. In Duchess form. The first products dropped on Monday, or rather a jar of strawberry jam was sent out to a carefully curated list of influencers, including Blaquier, who Meghan affectionately calls her pwife (polo wife). Strawberry jam makes me happy. And I love your jam, @AmericanRivieraOrchard, Blaquier gushed to her 561,000 followers. Another lucky recipient, fashion designer Tracy Robbins declared that she was not sharing her jam with anyone, while model Kelly McKee Zajfen expressed her pride for her friend. Jam, though? The gauze-covered jar is faultlessly presented with its handwritten batch number and embossed crest yet disappointingly stayed, surely, from a woman who has spent much of her adult life petitioning for gender equality and female empowerment. Couldnt she have sent out something a bit less twee and more original? Her father-in-law, King Charles III, has been selling Duchy of Cornwall jam since 2010. The jar, though, was a statement of intent or as McKee Zajfen puts it, a taste of whats to come. Meghans trademark filing suggests there will be marmalades, too, and recipe books, nut butters and oils, cutlery, napkin rings, pet treats and, wait for it, gardening shears. open image in gallery The Duke of Sussex and Blaquier after a polo match in 2022 ( PA ) Theres a name for the Duchesss new persona: Tradwife and believe it or not, its a lucrative aesthetic, inspiring more than 300 million searches on TikTok where a stream of young female influencers are merrily embracing traditional gender roles, waving their husbands off to work in frilly dresses and spending the day performing wifely duties. Except Meghan, one step ahead as always, has made it her own: polo wife is an upgrade on the traditional model, with crisper clothes, spikier stilettos and closer girlfriends. Harry should count himself lucky, as this is as horsey as Meghan is ever going to get. She shunned his hunting, shooting and fishing heritage early on in their relationship yet at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club, drinking mezcal negronis with her friends Rebel Wilson, Serena Williams and Suits actress Abigail Spencer, she has found a manicured patch of common ground. open image in gallery Jam session: one of Markles American Riviera Orchard products ( Tracy Robbins/Instagram ) Its presumably Defina, however, who inspired her polo wife transformation: Blaquier is an enviably cool landscape architect who homeschools four children as they travel the world with Figueras on the polo circuit, while also somehow finding the time to run her own lifestyle blog and fashion labels. Unlike the stereotype playboy polo player, by her accounts, Nacho, who is the face of Ralph Lauren Black, is a devoted family man, who has said he would give his life for his friend Prince Harry and describes the Duchess as incredible, marvelling at how she gave up everything for the man she loves. While Montecito socialite Kiki Astor, author of 2022 polo bonkbuster, Stick & Ball who spends Sundays during polo season at the Santa Barbara, claims polo to be a macho and hyper sexual sport with everyone having affairs, the sports Jilly Cooper associations appear to be lost on Meghan. So enthralled is she by the sport of kings that she will be acting as co-executive producer with her husband on a new Netflix series about polo (hence the film crew following them last weekend). open image in gallery The Sussexes with polo player Nacho Figueras and Delfina Blaquier at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge benefit last week ( Reuters ) According to a public relations expert who used to work with the Royals, American Riviera Orchard ingeniously combines the tradwife aesthetic with cottage core the idealisation of quaint rural life. Add polo to the mix and you have your target audience; polo is all about soft, female power and its a little bit racy the perfect catwalk for an upmarket lifestyle brand, she says. Not that one would call American Riviera Orchard racy. It is made patently clear in the promo video, as the Duchess arranges flowers and lurks mysteriously in her Santa Barbara mansion wearing a black ball gown, that it will not be knocking wellness queen Gwyneth Paltrows $250m lifestyle brand, Goop, off its perch. Therell be no sex toys or V-steam equipment available on ARO. Its at most innocently sexy, a celebration of domesticity and the beauty and deliciousness of coastal California. The Duchess joins a line of celebrities currently trying their hand at farm to table: Julianne Moore, Will Ferrell and LeBron James sell honey from their own gardens via the Flamingo Estate brand for up to 200 a jar; Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp recently launched a hazelnut spread, while Tom Hanks has gone into coffee. open image in gallery Blue moment: Blaquier and Figueras arrive for Harry and Meghans wedding in 2018 ( Getty ) American Riviera Orchard is much more than a celebrity endorsement, though. One could argue that a food and homeware brand is a natural next step for the Duchess who has always loved cooking and entertaining remember how on the night Harry proposed shed lovingly prepared a roast chicken in the tiny kitchen at Nottingham Cottage, their first home at Kensington Palace. American Riviera Orchard, which has been in development for more than a year, is in many ways a big sister to The Tig, the lifestyle blog she was writing when she met Harry, which she described as a hub for the discerning palate those with a hunger for food, travel, fashion and beauty and named after her favourite red, Tignanello, which sells for $150 a bottle. The nostalgic SoCal lifestyle she is selling is the same one she fled the UK for with Harry and Archie in 2020, which might mean its a bit close to the bone for the Royal family. open image in gallery Meghan could be making big bucks selling the nostalgic SoCal lifestyle ( AP ) To fully understand it, theyll need to familiarise themselves with the websites of Californian clothing brands such as Doen and Heidi Merrick, beloved by Kristen Bell, Jessica Alba, Cindy Crawford and Drew Barrymore; the vibe is capricious and feminine think silk slips, lacy blouses, models in evening dresses with beach blown hair holding up retro-looking surfboards. The Six Bells, the US home of cottage core, must also surely be another inspiration for the Duchess: the shop, based in Brooklyn, sells floral patterned dinner plates, patchwork quilts and tablecloths and retro baby vests. If this all seems a little out of touch, thats the point. Montecito isnt the real world: the average house costs $7.5m (6.5m), the beach is raked clean every evening, the club is the polo club and when you talk about getting takeout you mean a sustainable acai bowl. The danger, of course, is that fashion moves on and becomes less whimsical; even Montecito isnt immune to changing tastes and a new mood as the world moves towards what seems a much darker era. But as the Duchess knows, there will always be demand for the simple pleasures in life and for now she is betting on jam, candles, handmade soap and Friday happy hour at the polo club. And anyway, as feminism is about choice, there is unlikely to be any judgement by her glossy polo wife followers who will choose her every time. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Police have launched an investigation after a man and a woman in their 70s were found dead in a home in Stoke-on-Trent. Staffordshire Police said officers were alerted to the discovery of two bodies in a house on the cul-de-sac Catalina Place in Meir Park at 1pm on Saturday. The man and woman, aged in their 70s, were both pronounced dead later in the afternoon. Their family have since been informed. The force said it has launched an investigation into the incident, although it believes there is currently no wider threat to the community. In a statement issued on Saturday, Staffordshire Police said: We are investigating after two people died in Stoke-on-Trent. We were called at 1pm this afternoon (Saturday 20 April) to report that the bodies of a man and a woman had been found at a house on Catalina Place, Meir Park. The man and woman, aged in their 70s, were both pronounced dead at 2.15pm. An investigation is being carried out to establish the circumstances of the incident. At this stage, we are confident there is no wider threat or risk to the community. Their family are being supported by specialist officers. Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident 409 of 20 April. Alternatively, they can anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Princess of Waless brother is locked in a toxic feud with a nightmare neighbour who has allegedly papered his local village with malicious posters attacking the family. James Middleton, 37, responded to The Independents enquiry about the dispute, which follows accusations that his family farm in Berkshire, just a stones throw from Kates childhood home in the rural idyll of Bucklebury, is generating noise and light pollution. David Alderton, 65, is claimed to have trespassed on the property where Mr Middleton lives with his wife and young child, as part of a months-long row that has disturbed the normally sleepy village of Stanford Dingley. Mr Middleton also claims Mr Alderton put up malicious posters across the neighbouring villages attacking the Middleton family, and that he told the future Queens brother that things are gonna get brutal. Mr Middletons land is just a few miles from where Kate grew up in leafy Bucklebury, where her younger sister Pippa now resides on Bucklebury Farm, a thriving 72-acre site Pippa bought with her husband James Matthews four years ago for 1.5m. Mr Alderton runs a motorcycle dealership and lives in a bungalow directly across from Mr Middletons farm. He fell out with Mr Middleton after the working farmer joined a group objecting to a planning application for a dwelling that was branded an eyesore, according to another neighbour familiar with the row. James Middleton claims that his neighbour has been harassing his family for years ( James Middleton/Instagram ) After tensions reached boiling point, Mr Middleton is understood to have requested that they communicate only via email or the council. But while it is believed that they engaged in a mediation programme, the alleged campaign of harassment continued. Responding to The Independent, Mr Middleton said: Police were contacted shortly after our son was born as we became increasingly concerned by the activities surrounding a neighbour. West Berkshire Council became involved when our neighbour complained about noise from tractors and animals at the farm along with a series of other complaints. David Alderton, pictured, runs a motorcycle dealership ( Motorcycle Trading/Facebook ) He went on to say that West Berkshire Council had found no reason to investigate any of what he termed the disingenuous complaints. Mr Middleton also claimed: Mr Alderton has a history of disputes with neighbours within the village. In 2017 he took legal action against the parish council and a parishioner, and intimidated locals for objecting to a series of planning applications, all of which were refused. Mr Alderton was approached twice by this publication but declined to respond. However, he told the Daily Mail in February 2023: This month we have further been subjected to the unwelcome toxic and noxious ingress of fumes within our home from the clearly unsuitable machinery he uses. Its a matter of public record that complaints have been made to the local council but nothing has been done. James Middleton, pictured here as a child with his sister Kate, says he was forced to involve the police in the dispute ( James Middleton/Instagram ) There are three barns full of old farmyard machinery, no good to anyone and its all going on 50ft from our front door. He added: Its ancient, noisy, dirty, smelly machinery, old Massey Fergusons, an old threshing machine, wood chipping machines, you name it. Its a farm so I suppose he thinks he feels justified in having farm machinery even if its derelict. But he has a duty of care to his neighbours and the environment it should not impact on people nearby. While Mr Alderton has accused his neighbour of using loud machinery and disturbing an area of outstanding natural beauty, Mr Middleton painted a different picture. He said: It is sad that someone who chooses to live in the countryside in a farming community cannot accept that from time to time there will be noise and smells from tractors and animals, especially if they live next to a farm. We would be neglecting our duty of responsibility for the animals and countryside if we did what he asked us to do to our livestock. Mr Middleton also alleges his neighbour used an offensive slur, and that he trespassed so often that Mr Middleton was forced to contact the police to create a record of Mr Aldertons behaviour. Pippa Matthews purchased Bucklebury Farm in 2020 with her husband James ( Getty ) Mr Middleton claimed there was another angry bust-up after his neighbour allegedly allowed a journalist to film over the property he shares with his wife, Alizee Thevenet, 33, and their son, Inigo, using a drone camera. Meanwhile, the situation is said to have escalated further in July last year, when Mr Alderton allegedly visited the Middleton house while the family were on holiday. According to a source familiar with the event, a friend who was housesitting was subjected to abuse when the familys dogs scared their own guinea fowl, which then squawked loudly. While their friend went into the barn to calm the birds down, according to the source, they were unable to act quickly enough to placate Mr Alderton, who the source said stormed over to the property and loudly shouted: Shut those f***ing birds up you noisy c***, leaving the housesitter deeply distressed. Neighbours revealed that the furious outburst was apparently not the first time Mr Alderton was left enraged over clucking poultry. According to Mr Middleton, his neighbour was left spitting feathers over his wandering cockerel, which lost its way and found itself on Mr Aldertons land. Following the guinea fowl furore, Mr Alderton brought up the subject of a recent planning application Mr Middleton had objected to. Alderton is alleged to have visited the Middleton house while the family were on holiday and shouted at their housesitter ( Motorcycle Trading/Facebook ) We are 100% committed and focused on delivering this scheme, [and] given your impending family addition, are you really wishing to engage further time and energy on this? Mr Alderton allegedly wrote. The angry neighbour was apparently described as insulting and disparaging in the exchange. According to a neighbour who was told of the correspondence, Mr Alderton continued: Im up for the fight chap, hope you are, its gonna get brutal. Unfortunately, the saga did not end there, with Mr Alderton allegedly setting tongues wagging in nearby villages by publicising the dispute with malicious posters. The posters made malicious claims in reference to reports last year that the taxpayer would have to foot the bill after Carole Middletons childrens party-supplies business, Party Pieces, collapsed. James Middleton grew up in nearby Bucklebury ( James Middleton/Instagram ) Referring to the collapse of the business, the posters demanded that the couple pay back those left in debt, with dozens of the A4 laminated pages stapled to trees, church noticeboards and lampposts. [Mr Aldertons actions] bred animosity in the community, rumour, ill feeling, and caused myself and my family anxiety and distress, Mr Middleton said. Neighbours explained how Mr Middleton was forced to remove the posters by hand, and claimed that he had viewed CCTV that appeared to indicate that Mr Alderton had posted them around the village. Middleton and his family say they want the harassment to stop ( James Middleton/Instagram ) Ironically, publicly available documents from Companies House show that Mr Aldertons first company went into liquidation in May 2014 with more than 70,000 owed to HMRC. While it was reported that this money could not be recovered due to a lack of funds, at the same time, Mr Alderton was acting as a director of another company that sold motorbikes set up two years before the first went into liquidation. Even this did not spell the end of the feud. Last autumn, the Middleton family claim they faced more problems, including alleged reapplying of the posters, attempts to deliberately set off their security lights at night, and further alleged threats from Mr Alderton. Mr Middleton told this publication he is saddened but also glad that the police are now looking into what has occurred. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A landlord has defended his pubs child-free policy after a photo of a sign advertising the premises as dog-friendly, child-free went viral. David Worcester, who runs the Lower Red Lion in St Albans, Hertfordshire, added that messages of support have flooded in from the local community and across the world after a social media user tweeted a picture of his pubs chalkboard with the caption found my new local on Sunday. Mr Worcester said the sign had been outside the Lower Red Lion for years but has now drawn international attention, garnering 75 million views and more than 3,400 replies, and sparked controversy. One commenter wrote on X: Why has it become socially acceptable to literally hate children? However, the Guardian reported Mr Worcester said: The reaction from the local community has been very positive, the reaction from everywhere further afield has been nothing but positive. Im getting emails from Australia, an email from Bristol. Everything is positive the only negativity was on the initial Twitter [post]. There were some pretty wild accusations. But the only people that were accusing me of that were people that have never been to the pub. Multiple people criticised the restaurant on social media for not letting children in. Others claimed that the restaurant was discriminating against women, specifically those who are with their children. Many also took issue with the fact that animals were allowed into the restaurant over children. Banning children is banning parents. This disproportionately affects women, another replied. If you are more okay eating next to an animal than a human baby and family youre an ugly person. I may be humourless and overthinking this but banning small kids from public spaces is misogynistic because it also limits their mothers, one added. What if a new mum wants to meet her friend for a drink or coffee? However, other people found amusement in the sign and hit back at the outrage, with some claiming that parents could go to different restaurants with their families. Its really not that deep if your child is that gasping for a pint surely you can take them to one of the many pubs which do allow families? a third said. Someone else asked: Where is this? If anything we need more child-free venues. I'd love to swing by! And a parent chimed in: I'm a parent and I think there needs to be more places like this. One more remarked on the sheer scale of the response, saying: Im shocked at the amount of discourse that this one picture has created. Writing for The Independent, Flic Everett argued that no pub should have a child-free policy, with parents being the ones that are keeping the venues afloat. Speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio, Mr Worcester insisted he had no objection to children in any other pub, ever, I just dont want them in mine, adding that the policy had been in place for over a decade. He said: I just want to create an environment where my customers can sit and relax, it only takes one child to kick off and that spoils it for absolutely everybody. Weve got upwards of 40 pubs in St Albans, all of which are child-friendly, most are dog-friendly, I believe Im the only one in the area that isnt. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Metropolitan Police have been forced to apologise again for a victim blaming apology that was issued earlier over an officers use of the term openly Jewish while speaking to an antisemitism campaigner who was threatened with arrest near a pro-Palestine march. The force apologised later on Friday for causing further offence with its previous apology, which suggested that those who were opposed to the protest and had been present along the route must know that their presence is provocative and that they were increasing the likelihood of an altercation. A fresh statement, issued on X/Twitter after the original had been deleted, said: The use of the term openly Jewish by one of our officers is hugely regrettable. We know it will have caused offence to many. We reiterate our apology. Gideon Falter was wearing a kippah skullcap when he was stopped from crossing the road near the demonstration in Aldwych on Saturday 13 April ( Campaign Against Antisemitism/PA Wire ) We have reflected on the strength of the response to our previous statement. In an effort to make a point about the policing of protest we caused further offence. This was never our intention. We have removed that statement and we apologise. Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city. Our commitment to protecting the public extends to all communities across London. Its important that our public statements reflect that more clearly than they did today. The antisemitism campaigner involved in the incident was Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, who was wearing a kippah skullcap when he was stopped from crossing the road near the demonstration in the Aldwych area of London on the afternoon of Saturday 13 April. A video clip posted by the organisation showed one police officer saying to him: You are quite openly Jewish, this is a pro-Palestinian march. Im not accusing you of anything but Im worried about the reaction to your presence. Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Matt Twist had said earlier on Friday: The fact that those who do this often film themselves while doing so suggests they must know that their presence is provocative, that theyre inviting a response and that theyre increasing the likelihood of an altercation. The Campaign Against Antisemitism said in response: We absolutely reject this narrative from @MetPoliceUK. It is appalling, abject victim blaming. The incident, as well as the forces initial statement, sparked a backlash online. One user on X posted: Its not regrettable for an officer to threaten an individual with arrest for a breach of the peace offence on the basis of appearing openly Jewish. It was racist discrimination. Call it exactly what it is. That you suggested being Jewish was a provocation says it all. Another was among the many who described the situation as embarrassing for the Met, writing: Christ this palava is so embarrassing. Not for me, not for us, but for the once great institution of the Met. How on earth do you expect us to accept policing by consent if you treat Jewish people so unfairly. Mr Falter said he had been walking in the capital after attending synagogue and was not there to counterprotest. In the clip, another officer said to him: Theres 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. The officer said Mr Falters presence was antagonising. Mr Falter said afterwards: Despite being told repeatedly that London is safe for Jews when these marches are taking place, my interactions with police officers last Saturday show that the Met believes that being openly Jewish will antagonise the anti-Israel marchers, and that Jews need protection, which the police cannot guarantee. Instead of addressing that threat of antisemitic violence, the Mets policy instead seems to be that law-abiding Jewish Londoners should not be in the parts of London where these marches are taking place. In other words, that they are no-go zones for Jews. Mr Falter said he will be walking in London on 27 April, adding that no part of the capital should be unsafe. In his initial statement, Mr Twist said the issues surrounding the ongoing protests are complex, contentious and polarising and create a very difficult environment for officers to police. He told of a new trend emerging in recent weeks in which people attend protests to express opposing views, often while filming themselves. He said officers intervene to keep opposing groups apart and prevent disorder, rather than to stifle free speech. In the earlier statement, Mr Twist said: The video posted by the Campaign Against Antisemitism will further dent the confidence of many Jewish Londoners which is the opposite of what any of us want. The use of the term openly Jewish by one of our officers is hugely regrettable. Its absolutely not the basis on which we make decisions, it was a poor choice of words and while not intended, we know it will have caused offence to many. We apologise. The Campaign Against Antisemitism said in response: Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has sent Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist to blame us for putting a dent in the confidence of many Jewish Londoners by releasing the video and claiming that the presence of Jews crossing the route of the march was provocative. What puts a dent in Jewish Londoners confidence in the Met is the Mets own decision to curtail the rights of Jews in order to appease lawless mobs. What is provocative is telling a Jewish Londoner that his presence will antagonise crowds and that unless he leaves he will be arrested. Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in London last Saturday to call for a ceasefire and urge the government to stop all arms sales to Israel. Crowds waved Palestinian flags, chanted Free Palestine, and held signs calling for a ceasefire now and an end to arms sales. Close Prince Harry makes surprise appearance from California for his sustainable travel firm Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Prince Harry has won the latest round in his court case against the publisher of the Sun newspaper, after a High Court judge rejected an application to delay the trial. In the latest ruling, judge dismissed NGNs request to push back the trial listed for next January, saying it would be unsatisfactory to delay proceedings to instead hold a narrower preliminary trial to decide if cases had been brought too late. The Duke of Sussex alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for NGN, which also published the now-defunct News Of The World. It comes just two days after actor Hugh Grant revealed he had settled his case against the tabloids publisher due to the risk of running a 10m legal cost if the case went to trial. David Sherborne, Harrys lawyer, said that the former working royal is subject to the same issues and that the offers made make it impossible for them to go ahead. In a statement on X, Mr Grant said he had not wanted to accept the money from the Rupert Murdoch owned group, but was warned that if awarded damages even a penny less than the settlement offer, he would be forced to pay the legal costs of both sides. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The government is spending millions of pounds taxiing prison officers around the UK and putting them up in hotels in an attempt to deal with the desperate staffing crisis in jails, The Independent has learnt. Officers are being sent hundreds of miles away from home, for just a few days or weeks at a time, to paper over the cracks where prisons are struggling due to chronic difficulties with hiring and retaining staff. The government has now admitted spending 16.2m on accommodation costs, transport and extra pay in 2023, costing the taxpayer almost 50,000 per officer, more than the annual salary of a senior recruit. The number of officers being dispatched mostly from northern to southern England has soared by nearly 350 per cent in the space of just four years, with HM chief inspector Charlie Taylor warning that several prisons are now entirely dependent on borrowed staff. The growing reliance on temporary staff is having a destabilising impact on the prisons that are sending the officers as well as those that are receiving them, experts warn, in some cases even fuelling violence and causing inmates to be locked in their cells for all but two hours a day. Out of control: Prisons are having to lock inmates up as a result of the strategy, experts have warned ( PA ) An average of more than 350 officers a month were deployed in 2023 on what is termed detached duty. This is a huge jump from just 79 officers a month in 2019, which cost 2.3m according to data previously released via freedom of information requests. A total of 21 struggling prisons one in six prisons in England and Wales relied on detached duty last year, figures released to Labours shadow prisons minister, Ruth Cadbury, show, with the taxpayer spending an average of nearly 1,000 per officer each week. Although recently the recruitment numbers have got better, whats actually happening is that theres over-recruitment going on in parts of the north of England in order, in effect, to bus people down to jails in the south of England, HM chief inspector of prisons told The Independent. Thats fine if its for a few weeks, and its expedient because theres an issue with numbers of staff. But this has now become a longer-term solution to the challenge of just not having enough officers in certain parts of the country. Several prisons in the South such as Sheppeys HMP Swaleside, Woodhill in Milton Keynes, and Long Lartin in Worcestershire are suffering chronic staffing difficulties in the face of a more competitive local employment market, and are now entirely dependent on detached duty, inspectors have warned. View more Swaleside where 14 inmates have died in just two years borrowed an average of 45 officers a month in 2023, new figures show. Despite receiving 44 officers a month, Woodhill still faced a 36 per cent shortfall and had the highest self-harm rate of any prison, while frustrations exacerbated by temporary staffing arrangements were reported to be fuelling violence among inmates. Long Lartin which houses some of the countrys highest-risk offenders and suffers among the worst rates of assaults on staff topped the list, relying on an average of 58 borrowed staff each month. All of the four prisons issued with emergency warnings in the past year Bedford, Bristol, Woodhill and Cookham Wood were among those that required temporary staff. This increasing reliance on the decades-old practice of detached duty is merely papering over the cracks at an enormous cost to the taxpayer, said Mr Taylor, warning that while there are many brilliant officers working on detached duty, those staff wont remain in the prison in the longer term. Thats a challenge for governors, because it means constantly training new arrivals to the particular issues within your jail, but it also means they cant build up the kind of stable culture that we know encourages safer, more productive regimes that make people less likely to reoffend on release. Some prisons have been forced to send officers on compulsory detached duty when there are no volunteers willing to go, the former governor of Wakefield says ( Getty ) It can also be destabilising for prisons to lose officers to detached duty. Independent monitoring boards have warned that the over-recruitment of officers in order to allow more to be sent on detached duty is having adverse effects in at least three Yorkshire prisons, one in Stafford, and another in Shropshire. In HMP Wakefield, managers were overstretched by having to train new recruits to run the prison without their more experienced colleagues, who had been sent on detached duty. In HMP Wealstun, this was causing a similar shortage, leading to inmates being locked in their cells for up to 22 hours a day. Two-thirds of the 52 jails that sent officers in November were in the North or the Midlands, analysis by The Independent found. When there are not enough staff willing to volunteer for detached duty, some governors are now being forced to use a rotational system whereby officers are sent on compulsory two-week stretches, said Tom Wheatley, who governed Wakefield until becoming chief of the Prison Governors Association in March. This has been the case for around eight months, Mr Wheatley believes, and can cause a knock-on effect whereby as an example staff at Wakefield have to be sent every day to cover for officers at Leeds, who have volunteered to be sent on detached duty to Kent for a longer period. Its a really complicated, labour-intensive and expensive way but its the only way weve currently got until we solve the problem, said Mr Wheatley, who suggested introducing a system of locality pay to help to entice people to join southern prisons that are struggling to recruit and retain new officers. Detached duty is not a sustainable long-term answer, warns Charlie Taylor ( Getty ) While officer starting pay has increased from 23,529 to 32,851 since 2019, this has come at the expense of decent pay increases for serving officers, which is harming staff retention, said Mr Wheatley, who noted that some staff in Kent, for example, are transferring to less violent Border Force roles. Meanwhile, detached duty costs more than the starting pay for a senior officer. As of February, officers were paid a bonus of 500 for four weeks of detached duty, rising to 2,000 for 12 weeks, in addition to being reimbursed 45p per mile in travel costs, having accommodation paid for, and being given a subsistence allowance of 25 per night. Calling for a complete shake-up of recruitment and a new strategy to stem the major problem of officers leaving the service, the chair of the justice committee, Tory MP Bob Neill, said there is a growing case for regional pay arrangements because governors need to be able to match local job-market conditions. Ms Cadbury, the shadow prisons minister, said the new figures illustrate how the Conservatives mismanagement of our prisons is leaving taxpayers to pick up the bill. The government have already spent nearly 50m to rent police cells now its revealed theyre spending millions sending prison officers across the country to plug the gaps of staff shortages. 14 years of Conservative government has left our prisons in a state of crisis. A prison service spokesperson said: We make no apologies for ensuring that prisons are adequately staffed across the country including areas where recruitment has been challenging. Detached duty helps us run safe prisons by quickly deploying staff to where theyre needed most. Our successful recruitment campaign means we have 4,900 more officers than in 2017, and retention rates are also improving. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Cabinet Office officials working on the governments small boats plan reportedly referred to bloody migrants and told colleagues they were expected to leave their humanity at the door in a sign of civil service tensions over the controversial policy, Rowaa Ahmar, a former senior civil servant who has withdrawn a discrimination case against the Cabinet Office, has described inhumane conversations in the illegal migration taskforce. She was head of policy at the department before resigning in 2022 and later accused individuals at the heart of Boris Johnsons government of bullying, discrimination and gaslighting. The former civil servant, who is of Egyptian and French dual heritage, also made allegations of systemic racism against the Cabinet Office. I was privy to some inhumane conversations using the words lets boomerang them, bloody migrants, lets take them in Cat C and treat them as prisoners, she told The Guardian. I cant reveal the legal advice, but I was pushing for the legal advice to be respected. Ms Ahmar, who previously worked at the Treasury, had lodged two claims with an employment tribunal, claiming she was subject to direct discrimination and harassment on the grounds of her sex and race as well as victimisation. Tribunal documents made public following a successful application by news organisations show she accused the head of the civil service, Simon Case, of showing a lack of support and cold-shouldering her allegations of racism and harassment after she resigned. She said that after beginning her role as head of policy for the illegal migration task force on 4 January 2022, she found civil service directors viewed the ultra-hostile environment towards migrants as practical, necessary and gratifying. Rowaa Ahmar, a former senior civil servant, has withdrawn a discrimination case against the Cabinet Office ( Getty ) She said she tried to move away from a system of prejudice and blame and to focus on tackling criminal gangs and claimed she was not wanted at ultra-anti-foreigner meetings. Ms Ahmar argued: My management team were on board for the racist ultra-hostility which a boomerang [no returns] policy would involve, and they saw me as [an] unwelcome visitor to their taskforce. She said the team caused embarrassment to the government and wasted taxpayers money on the multimillion-pound five-year trial with Rwanda to send asylum seekers there, court documents reveal. She also felt her English communication skills were being criticised. Ms Ahmar, who was a Treasury official before being seconded to the Cabinet Office after June 2021, helped with Britains preparations for the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow in November of that year. However, she alleged in court documents that she was ordered to leave the summit on 6 November 2021 after being harassed, discriminated against, victimised, claiming other white staff were not subject to the same treatment. She highlighted criticism by bosses of her tone when speaking as victimisation. Cabinet secretary Mr Case and two of the other named Cabinet Office officials permanent secretary Alex Chisholm and chief operating officer Sarah Harrison were all accused of being untrustworthy over how they dealt with her complaints. Simon Case is the UKs most senior civil servant ( PA Archive ) The tribunal documents show Mr Case and the two other officials argued they played only minor roles. It is believed that lawyers were set to state that these officials, who are some of the most senior civil servants in the country, had nothing to do with the main underlying treatment involved in Ms Ahmars complaint. It is believed their challenge stated the thrust of most of her claims against them is that, upon her contacting them after the event, she alleges they did not do what she wanted in response. Mr Case, who works closely with prime minister Rishi Sunak, stepped back from his duties in October because of a medical matter, before returning to work in January. Before being appointed cabinet secretary by the then prime minister Boris Johnson in 2020, Mr Case served as private secretary to the then Prince of Wales. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: The Cabinet Office has always firmly denied all of the claims in this case. We were prepared to robustly defend them in court. The entire case has now been withdrawn by the claimant, and no payment has been made, including for her legal costs. As we set out in our response to the court the claims include a great deal of bare assertion, often of an extremely serious nature, with no supporting evidence. Some of their own evidence is inconsistent and there is often obviously contradictory evidence. The hard-working civil servants in the illegal migration taskforce were delivering one of the governments top priorities. They have supported the arrest of hundreds of people smugglers and prevention of tens of thousands of dangerous small boat crossings. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The 12 students and one teacher killed in the Columbine High School shooting were remembered on Friday night in a vigil on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the tragedy. The gathering in Denver, set up by gun safety and other organisations, was the main public event marking the anniversary. Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who began campaigning for gun safety after she was nearly killed in a mass shooting, was among those speaking at the vigil. So was Nathan Hochhalter, whose sister Anne Marie was paralysed after she was shot at Columbine. Several months after the shooting, their mother, Carla Hochhalter, took her own life. The organizers of the vigil, which will also honour all those impacted by the shooting, include Colorado Ceasefire, Brady United Against Gun Violence and Colorado Faith Communities United Against Gun Violence, but they say it will not be a political event. Columbine High School shooting survivor Anne Marie Hochhalter reacts during a vigil remembering the 25th anniversary of the mass shooting, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Denver ( AP ) Tom Mauser, whose son Daniel, a sophomore who excelled in math and science, was killed at Columbine, decided to set up the vigil after learning school officials did not plan to organize a large community event as they did on the 20th anniversary. Columbine teacher Kiki Leyba, left, and former principal Frank DeAngelis embrace during a vigil remembering the 25th anniversary of the Columbine High School mass shooting, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Denver. ( AP ) Mr Mauser, who became a gun safety advocate after the shooting, said he realizes that it takes a lot of volunteers and money to put together that kind of event but he wanted to give people a chance to gather and mark the passage of 25 years since the shooting, a significant number people can relate to. Tim Hernandez hugs Kallie Leyba as former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, second from right, hugs Anne Marie Hochhalter, right during a vigil remembering the 25th anniversary of the Columbine High School mass ( AP ) For those who do want to reflect on it, it is something for them, said Mauser, who is on Colorado Ceasefires board and asked the group to help organize the event at a church near the state Capitol in Denver. Sue Townsend hugs Tom Mauser during a vigil remembering the 25th anniversary of the Columbine High School mass shooting, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Denver ( AP ) The Associated Press contributed to this report. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} More human remains, believed to belong to missing 19-year-old Sade Robinson, washed up on Lake Michigans shore, authorities say. The 19-year-old went on a first date at a seafood restaurant in Milwaukee on April 1. Robinson sent a Snap message to a friend from a nearby bar, marking the last time she was seen alive. The next day, police recovered a severed leg at Warnimont Park. On 18 April, a torso and arm were found along a remote stretch of tree-lined beach on Lake Michigan in South Milwaukee, the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office announced in a press release. A person walking along the beach found the remains at around 7.30am about a quarter of a mile from an apartment complex. Police previously said the leg, which was discovered on April 2, had been cut off just below the hip socket and appeared to have been sawn off. Additional human remains were found on 5 April and 6 April, including a human foot that was located in the area where Robinsons car was destroyed, having been burned up. Sade Robinson, a young woman who was killed and whose remains were found in and around Lake Michigan ( Milwaukee Police Department ) An eyewitness told investigators that she had seen a white male leave the drivers door of Robinsons car early on the morning of April 2, claiming she saw the man light a lighter and toss it into the drivers door window of the vehicle. Authorities searched, finding black puffer coat, light blue ripped jeans and white shoes consistent with that worn by Robinson on that evening. Investigators noted that they think, though have not formally confirmed, that all of the discovered remains belong to Robinson. The investigation into the 19-year-olds death is ongoing. Information later emerged showing Robinson had planned to meet Maxwell Anderson, 33, at the seafood restaurant. He was arrested on 4 April and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson charges relating to Robinsons death. Surveillance footage from the restaurant showed the pair sitting at the bar enjoying drinks for around an hour before leaving together. Maxwell Andersons initial court appearance on 12 April ( WDJT-TV via AP ) Robinsons friend also told investigators that after learning of her disappearance on the news, she had used a phone app to look up Robinsons location. The last recorded location placed Robinsons phone in Warnimont Park in the early hours of 2 April. An employee in the building where Robinson lived recalled the 19-year-old saying she was excited for this date. Mr Anderson was held on a $5m bond for first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson charges in the death of Robinson. A preliminary examination is set for 22 April. The homicide charge alone carries a penalty of life in prison. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A man has built an entire makeshift home alongside a Los Angeles freeway, complete with a front door and running electricity. The home is part of an unhoused community along the 110 freeway and Arroyo Seco, a river that runs through Los Angeles County, highlighting the difficulties in finding affordable housing in the California city. The residences are made out of tents, tarps and other materials, according to ABC 7. One of the homes has its own front door and electricity, allowing the resident to have lights, a stove and a refrigerator. A resident of the community, identified only as Cesar, told the news outlet that he enjoys living in the lowkey area. Its good because nobody bothers us, he said. Thats why were here. The man noted that hes unable to find affordable housing because he lacks a steady income. For my work, I cant do that and move to another place because the rent is too high, he said. The city is working to provide more affordable housing as rents continue to increase. Speaking during her state of the city address on 15 April, Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass asked wealthy residents to help support a boost in affordable housing in an effort to get unhoused people off the streets. She added that officials are looking to philanthropic, private sector and personal funds to acquire the needed properties. We will not hide people but what we will do is house people, she said. The crisis on our streets is nothing less than a disaster. More than 70,000 people experience homelessness in Los Angeles County. According to the outlet, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who represents the area encompassing the encampment, said outreach teams are dedicated to helping people in the community find housing, in addition to addressing the safety issues presented by the encampment, given its close proximity to the river. As the city continues to face a housing and homelessness crisis, there are currently not enough housing options available to accommodate the more than 46,000 people who are experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. Our office believes that this status quo is unacceptable and is working to urgently address this crisis, with both short-term and long-term solutions, she said. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} New York Attorney General Letitia James has asked the judge in Donald Trumps civil fraud case to void the $175m bond posted previously by the former president, after questioning whether the insurance company has sufficient funds to back it up. Mr Trumps bond was posted by California-based Knight Specialty Insurance Company (KSIC), and Ms James raised concerns that the insurer was not authorised to write business in New York. In a 26-page filing posted on Friday ahead of a pre-scheduled hearing next week, her office also argued that the collateral put up by the former president should be under the full control of the company. Ms James said that the KSIC "had never before written a surety bond in New York or in the prior two years in any other jurisdiction, and has a total policy holder surplus of just $138 million, according to the documents obtained by NBC. The filing comes after Ms James filed a separate notice earlier this month seeking more information about the bond. In that filing, she asked that Mr Trumps lawyers or the insurance company file a motion to justify the surety bond or provide additional information about the collateral put up by the former president within 10 days Former President Donald Trump is facing multiple legal battles, including his criminal hush money trial, for which a full panel of 18 jurors was selected on Friday ( AP ) In his civil fraud trial Mr Trump, his two eldest sons and their fellow Trump Organization executives were found liable for illegally inflating the value of company assets to obtain favourable terms from banks and insurers. The former president was hit with penalties of $354m plus more than $110m in interest. But after Judge Arthur Engoron handed down the verdict on 16 February, the Republican presidential candidates attorneys complained that they were finding it a practical impossibility to raise the full $464m for the bond needed to appeal the case, after approaching more than 30 surety companies through four separate brokerages. It left Mr Trump facing the prospect of seeing the centrepieces of his New York real estate empire repossessed by Ms James before the panel of appellate division judges granted him the bond as a lifeline. Mr Trump posted the $175m bond on 1 April with the help of KSIC preventing Ms James from seizing his assets and buying him time before the appeals court takes his case in September at the earliest. Mr Trump posted the $175m bond on Easter Monday, staving off Ms James attempts repossess major parts of his New York property portfolio ( Getty Images ) Knight Specialty is owned by California businessman Don Hankey, whom MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin reports is known as the king of subprime car loans, specialising in lending to automobile buyers with poor credit ratings at high rates of interest. Hankey repossesses around 250 cars every day and his debt collectors have been known to spoof their caller ID so it appears that they are calling from the local pizzeria, Forbes wrote of him in 2015. The civil trial is just one of many legal battles facing the former president. Ms Jamess request to void his bond comes as the full panel of 18 jurors were seated to hear the evidence against Mr Trump and ultimately decide his fate in his criminal New York hush money trial. Mr Trump who has complained the case has become a mess, faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged affair. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The House of Representatives finally passed aid for Ukraine on Saturday in a move that could threaten Speaker Mike Johnsons political future. Members voted 311-112 to pass the $60.8bn package, which the Senate had previously passed. The legislations successful passage elicited cheers and waving of Ukrainian flags on the House floor, as well as chants of Slava Ukraini! meaning glory to Ukraine. Angry conservatives fumed at their colleagues after the vote, with one speaking into the mic: Put those damn flags away! The money will be the latest instalment of military aid to help Ukraine defend itself against the brutal Russian invasion launched in February 2022. Passage of the three foreign aid bills through the Senate is slated to take place on Tuesday, per Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The two other portions of the national security supplemental package, dealing with Israel and Taiwan, both passed with significant bipartisan margins. The House version of the supplemental changed the military assistance to Ukraine into a loan, a mostly failed bid to entice conservatives to get on board. If the hotline clears this morning, we expect to announce an agreement allowing the next vote on Tuesday, early afternoon, said the Senate majority leader, according to Punchbowl News. Parts of the legislation were already passed by the upper chamber, making the path to the presidents desk fairly straightforward from here. This is not a blank check, like the Senates version, Mr Johnson told reporters after the vote. The loan system ... is a House innovation. I know there are critics of the legislation, I understand that, he added. But there is no question whatsoever that the House has made many improvements to the Senate bill, and the package we sent over there is much better. He also noted that Democrats forced his hand on the passage of aid to Ukraine by opposing a stand-alone bill that would have solely provided military assistance to Israel. Addressing the months of delays between the Senates action on the bill and the House finally passing it, he claimed that the chambers majority acted as quickly as it could have. The real political drama in the House is expected to play out in the coming days, as conservatives are voicing frustrations over Mike Johnsons governing style and willingness to rely on Democratic votes to pass major pieces of legislation which significant numbers of Republicans oppose. A third GOP member, Paul Gosar, on Friday signed on to the motion to oust Mr Johnson as speaker and that number may well grow after Saturdays votes. A number of Democrats have already indicated that they will extend a political lifeline to Mr Johnson should that happen, but the speakers detractors argue that Democratic support will only hasten his downfall. Every Democrat who walks across the aisle to try to save the Republican speaker is going to cause two or three more Republicans to join the effort because, at that point, youre ceding control of the House of Representatives to a contingent of Democrats, Thomas Massie, one of the three Republicans supporting the motion to vacate, told Politicos Playbook newsletter. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, spoke to reporters on Saturday and said that his caucus would have that conversation about saving Mr Johnson once the legislation is passed. While support for the motion to vacate is growing, even supporters of such a measure admit that ousting Speaker Mike Johnson would throw the lower chamber back into chaos. Last fall, it took Republicans more than three weeks to coalesce around a candidate after the ouster of Kevin McCarthy by a contingent of eight Republicans. Speaking to reporters in a gaggle on the House steps on Thursday, the leader of that anti-McCarthy coalition, Matt Gaetz, said that passing a motion to vacate against Mike Johnson could put the [GOP] conference in peril. There was no sign of that trigger being pulled immediately; Majority Leader Steve Scalise told reporters he did not expect Ms Greenes motion to be put to the floor this weekend after he was seen speaking with the Georgia conservative congresswoman on the House floor. The bill includes significant funds for what Ukraine says is its top priority: the resupply of air defence missiles and other armaments it says have been depleted responding to Russian attacks, resulting in greater casualties. President Joe Biden celebrated passage of the legislation in a statement shortly after the votes concluded. Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer historys call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure, said the president. I want to thank Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in the House who voted to put our national security first. I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs. Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky, who had lobbied Congress personally on the legislation including in a rare trip to Washington, also thanked US lawmakers after the news broke. One piece of ride-along immigration legislation containing several of the GOPs priorities outlined in the hardline H.R. 2 bill separately died separately in the House on Saturday. It required two-thirds of the chamber for passage, a side effect of passing it under suspension of the chambers rules. Just a handful of Democrats supported it. Legislation passed on Saturday dealing with a wider range of issues including sanctions on Iran and Russia may also require tinkering due to the provision forcing the sale of TikTok, though President Joe Biden has come out in support of that specific provision and it may end up receiving sufficient bipartisan support. The second ride-along bill passed with a vote of 360-58. A previous bill forcing the sale of TikTok passed in March, but has since stalled in the Senate. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had long pressured the House to pass the Senate-passed supplemental bill as lawmakers in the lower chamber debated and ultimately separated the legislation into three parts. Todays action moves this critical national security supplemental one step closer to helping America and our friends to meet the most dangerous array of threats in a generation, said the Senate GOP leader. From the battlefields of Ukraine to the cities and kibbutzes of Israel, and from the Red Sea to the South China Sea, our adversaries are colluding to violently undermine America, our allies, and our global interests. Whats in the full foreign aid package passed by the House: Three pieces of legislation that were part of the national security supplemental passed by the Senate, as well as one piece of sidecar legislation dealing with Russia/Iran sanctions, passed the House on Saturday. Combined, they will provide tens of billions of dollars in security and military assistance to US allies in three regions. Ukraine The Ukraine portion of the bill is the largest. $60.8bn is earmarked for Ukraine in the bills passed on Saturday, with much being targeted to resupply vital air defences for the Ukrainian military. A Republican amendment to strip all non-defence spending from the bill failed. Of the defence spending in the bill, $23bn is set aside to replenish US stockpiles drawn down by the effort to supply Ukraine, while another $11bn would support current US operations in eastern Europe. Nearly $14bn was targeted to help Ukraine purchase advanced weapon and defence systems. A relatively smaller amount, $26m, was supplied to provide oversight efforts to ensure that US contributions to Ukraine are being disbursed correctly and fairly. Israel Much of the $26.38bn Israel bill is centred around restocking Israeli munitions required for its defences as well as the siege of Gaza, where Israel is attempting to wipe out Hamas militants. $4bn is included for resupplying the Iron Dome defensive grid, and $1.2bn is include for the so-called Iron Beam, a ground-based laser system used to take out drones and missiles. $3.5bn is set aside to help Israel procure weapon systems, while nearly $7bn is marked for restocking US supplies and funding operations in the region. Indo-Pacific One last segment of the foreign aid package deals with Taiwan and other US allies in the Indo-Pacific region such as the Philippines. This smaller ($8.12bn) bill sets aside $3.3bn for the construction of submarine port infrastructure around the Indo-Pacific and includes roughly $4bn in assistance to Taiwan and regional military partners of the US. Just over a half billion is also provided to directly strengthen US military assets in the region. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Trump campaign has announced that they will have 100,000 poll watchers and attorneys ready to take action on election day as former president Donald Trumps obsession with election security continues. Mr Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election citing baseless allegations of fraud by Democrats, and he has made similarly evidence-free claims regarding what Democrats may do this November. Even in 2016, Mr Trump asserted that he only lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton because of fraud. The Trump Campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) said in a Friday statement that they would launch the most extensive and monumental election integrity program in the nations history. Mr Trump said in a statement: Having the right people to count the ballots is just as important as turning out voters on Election Day. Republicans are now working together to protect the vote and ensure a big win on November 5th! The RNC said the programme was designed by Chair Michael Whatley, Co-Chair Lara Trump and Chief Counsel Charlie Spies as well as the Trump campaign and that its intended to have over 100,000 dedicated volunteers and attorneys deployed across every battleground state. Former President Donald Trump speaks with the media at his trial on Friday at Manhattan Criminal Court ( AP ) Whenever a ballot is being cast or counted, Republican poll watchers will be observing the process and reporting any irregularity, the RNC said in its statement. Trump supporters showed up to locations where votes were being counted in 2020, demanding that the counting stop, often in the false belief that mail-in ballots were fraudulent. Some election workers have faced death threats. Recounts and audits in several states failed to find any wrongdoing. Mr Trump fired the leader of his election security agency days after it issued a statement saying that the 2020 election was one of the safest in history. The latest announcement states that the RNC and the Trump campaign plan on overseeing machine testing, early voting, election day voting, mail ballot processing, and any post-election activity such as canvassing, audits and recounts. Mr Spies said in a statement that they would take Democrats to court if they dont follow rules or try to change them at the last minute. Many Republicans were outraged at the expansion of mail-in voting in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. Some Republican-led states passed laws restricting ballot access after the 2020 election. President Trump has said that the Republican victory in November needs to be too big to rig, Mr Spies said. In 2016, Mr Trump lost the popular vote by almost three million ballots, in 2020, he lost it by more than seven million. When asked by The Independent earlier this month if Mr Trump has any chance of winning the popular vote this year, former Republican strategist Rick Wilson said: None whatsoever. Mr Whatley and Lara Trump were installed atop the RNC following the recent ouster of former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel. In a statement on Friday, Ms Trump said: Every ballot. Every precinct. Every processing centre. Every county. Every battleground state. We will be there. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Watch as the US House of Representatives votes to pass a bill which provides $95bn in aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan. After months of delay from vocal opponents on the Republican right, the House passed the bill. Ukraine has long been warning of an urgent need for support from its allies, of which the US is one. The bill was held up for months because a growing number of Republicans are indicating opposition to providing aid to Ukraine. At the same time, some liberals in Congress oppose providing military support for Israel in its war against Hamas. The bill passed through the Senate but had been held up by factions in the House, in part due to the Republicans' slim majority. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Creditors in disgraced former New York City Mayor Rudy Giulianis bankruptcy case have issued subpoenas to his associates to try to determine whether his former client Donald Trump owes him money, as the ex-mayor has previously claimed. The Committee of Unsecured Creditors individuals and entities that Mr Giuliani owes served more than a dozen subpoenas on Friday in an effort to recover his assets. Mr Giuliani filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after being hit with a massive $148m verdict for defaming two election workers. The former Trump lawyer listed a possible claim for unpaid legal fees against Donald J Trump in a January bankruptcy court filing. The following month, he elaborated in a hearing that he is owed $2m in unpaid wages for a spurious legal battle to overturn election results in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. However, Mr Giuliani underscored that the money is owed not by Mr Trump himself, but by either Trumps campaign and/or the Republican National Committee. He also suggested that the arrangement was made verbally, calling it a word-of-mouth situation. The Independent previously reported that the creditors committee is discussing taking legal action against Mr Trump to recover this $2m a move that Mr Giuliani has said he does not want to take. Now, the creditors committee has issued subpoenas to obtain documentation to substantiate the unpaid wages claim. Robert Costello, Mr Giulianis former lawyer, was among those requested for information. The subpoena to Mr Costello asks for information regarding any negotiations, arrangements, or agreements between Mr Giuliani, Mr Trump, his campaign, any legal defence fund for Mr Trump, and the Republican National Committee. Mr Costello had reached out to at least six attorneys close to the former president regarding the collection of money allegedly owed to Mr Giuliani, the New York Times reported in 2023. The committee also issued a subpoena to Maria Ryan, a Giuliani associate and his podcast cohost. The request asked for all Documents and Communications concerning expenses, fees or other amounts owed to the disgraced mayor by Mr Trump, his campaign or the Republican National Committee. Ms Ryan sent an email, obtained by The New York Times in 2021, that was apparently sent to Trump campaign officials and suggested that Mr Giuliani was going to be paid $20,000 a day for his work. In the message, Ms Ryan also explained that Mr Giuliani had begun working on election litigation since one day after Election Day 2020. This number is consistent with what former Giuliani associate and Ukrainian-American businessman Lev Parnas previously told The Independent. Mr Parnas said that Mr Giuliani told him across several conversations that he and Mr Trump struck up a $20,000-per-day verbal agreement consistent with the former mayors claim in the February hearing. Mr Parnas also said that Noelle Dunphy, who sits on the creditors committee and filed a bombshell sexual assault lawsuit against Mr Giuliani, overheard a conversation in which Mr Giuliani put Mr Trump on speakerphone as he discussed the $20,000 daily rate. In her own lawsuit, Ms Dunphy claimed that she has access to 23,000 emails from Mr Giulianis personal account. These emails include emails from, to, or concerning President Trump, her suit states. The subpoena to Ms Dunphy asked for Documents and Communications concerning the nature of any legal services that Giuliani has performed, or continue to perform, for Donald J Trump. The list of those served also includes his son, Andrew Giuliani, who runs a legal defence fund for Mr Giuliani. His subpoena seeks fees or other amounts owed to Mr Giuliani or the legal fund by Mr Trump, his campaign or the Republican National Committee. If Mr Giuliani worked as the former presidents personal attorney from November 2020 election, as Ms Ryans email stated, until February 2021, when Trump adviser Jason Miller said Mr Giuliani is not currently representing President Trump in any legal matters, that three-month span adds up to the $2m figure. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Congress took another step towards banning the popular video sharing app TikTok on Saturday when the House took its second swing at passing legislation to address what lawmakers claim is a national security threat. The House of Representatives voted 360-58 on a bill that included a provision that would force TikToks owner ByteDance to sell the company within a year or see it removed from app stores in the US. It would still allow users to access to app from other sources. Chinese officials are widely expected to block any attempt by ByteDance to sell the app. Saturdays session in the House was a rare weekend effort to pass five pieces of legislation grouped together as part of the Houses attempt to push through a supplemental foreign aid package providing military assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The TikTok bill was a piece of sidecar legislation that passed with wide bipartisan support, and also included sanctions on Russia and Iran. One other sidecar addressed on Saturday was an immigration bill which contained several of the conservative priorities outlined in the H.R. 2 bill passed by the Republican House last year. Conservatives had hoped to force Democrats to make some concessions and accept a set of conservative immigration provisions in exchange for passage of aid to Ukraine; instead, Speaker Mike Johnson declared that his caucus did not have the votes to make that demand. The bill was the only legislation to fail on Saturday, having been put under suspension of House rules and not reaching the two-thirds vote threshold required to pass it. The TikTok ban is the Houses second attempt to ban or force the divestiture of the Chinese-owned app. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill insist that national security legislation in China allow officials in Chinas Communist Party (CCP) to access sensitive data about Americans, though no evidence has been presented publicly to support that having taken place. President Joe Biden has indicated that he would sign a ban on TikTok into law were it to reach his desk. If they pass it, Ill sign it, he told reporters in March. The bill is likely to pass the Senate in some form with leadership of both parties now in vocal support. ByteDance will have 12 months to find a buyer or file a court challenge if Mr Biden signs the legislation into law. The company is almost certain to file suit to block the legislation if it is passed. A previous effort to ban the app under the Trump administration failed in court. TikToks CEO Shou Zi Chew vowed to fight the legislation in a video to users posted on TikTok last month. The company also pursued a risky congressional blitz campaign wherein users on the platform were set up with a means of quickly calling their local representatives office to lodge complaints against the legislation that stunt led to the greatest single-day flood of calls to many offices in recent memory, according to widespread accounts from staffers. Some lawmakers even said they were disturbed by the effort and further polarised against the company as a result. We will not stop fighting and advocating for you, Mr Chew told his companys users in March. We will continue to do all we can, including exercising our legal rights, to protect this amazing platform that we have built with you. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Michael Avenatti, the disgraced former lawyer for Stormy Daniels, has said that he is in touch with Donald Trumps legal defence team and is willing to testify on behalf of the former president at his hush money trial. The defence has contacted me, Avenatti told The New York Post from prison. Id be more than happy to testify, I dont know that I will be called to testify, but I have been in touch with Trumps defence for the better part of a year. Avenatti is currently serving a 19-year sentence for extortion, tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement and other federal crimes at Terminal Island, a minimum-security federal prison in Los Angeles. He did not provide any details about his conversations with the Trump defence team. The Stormy Daniels scandal catapulted Avenatti into the public eye in 2018 when he represented the adult film star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Daniels alleged an affair with Mr Trump in 2006 lurid details of which have since emerged and while the former president has consistently denied the affair, a payment of $130,000 to her ahead of the 2016 presidential election is now at the centre of his current criminal trial in New York. Once an enthusiastic critic of Mr Trump, then the president even penning a New York Times op-ed in 2018 calling for his indictment Avenatti has since switched to backing him in his legal quagmire and sees similarities in their current predicaments. Adult film actor Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, speaks outside US Federal Court with her lawyer Michael Avenatti in 2018 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Theres no question [the trial] is politically motivated because theyre concerned that he may be reelected, Avenatti told the Post. If the defendant was anyone other than Donald Trump, this case would not have been brought at this time, and for the government to attempt to bring this case and convict him in an effort to prevent tens of millions of people from voting for him, I think its just flat out wrong, and atrocious, he said. Im really bothered by the fact that Trump, in my view, has been targeted. Four cases is just over the top and I think theres a significant chance that this is going to all backfire and is going to propel him to the White House, Avenatti added. Depending on what happens, this could constitute pouring jet fuel on his campaign. Of the similarities between his own incarceration and the former presidents four indictments, he said: I think that we were both targeted by the justice system. Avenatti was once a regular guest on MSNBC and was even touted by talking heads across the political spectrum as a potential presidential candidate. He added: Theres a lot of people on the left that were very concerned about my potential rise within the Democratic Party and my potential rise in Democratic politics. And the fact that I was not someone that was easily controlled. Any talk of a political future all came to a crashing halt in November 2018 when he was booked on a charge of domestic violence. Two years later he was convicted of trying to extort Nike for up to $25m, and in 2022 he was found guilty of stealing $300,000 of book advance money from Daniels. At the same time, he pleaded guilty to federal fraud and tax charges. Daniels testified against him in his trial and was especially scathing in the aftermath. Speaking about her now, Avenatti told the Post that he expected his former client to commit perjury should she testify at Mr Trumps hush money trial. Stormy Daniels is going to say whatever she believes is going to assist Stormy Daniels and putting more money in her pocket, Avenatti said. If Stormy Danielss lips are moving, shes lying for money. Recalling her past claims that she could speak to dead people and had a haunted doll called Susan, he said: I dont know how you can possibly put someone who makes those claims on the witness stand and use them as a star witness in a case against a former president of the United States whos running for president. That is just absolutely ludicrous to me. He now refers to her as a serial liar and said: I wish I would have never met Stormy Daniels. I should have left her where I found her. Daniels has said she is ready to testify against Mr Trump. Speaking to the Post by phone, Daniels called Avenatti a lunatic and a scumbag, but apparently does not regret their meeting. I was about to say that I also wish Id never met him but Im actually glad because Im the one that helped convict him so he couldnt steal from even more unsuspecting clients, she said. As to the suggestion that he might be flattering Mr Trump in the hope if he is re-elected he might get clemency from his almost two-decade-long sentence, Avenatti said: Im not saying any of this because Im seeking a pardon. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Attorneys for Donald Trump told a judge overseeing the former presidents hush money trial on Friday that Manhattan prosecutors are merely trying to distract jurors and pile things on by introducing evidence from his string of other criminal and civil cases. New York Justice Juan Merchan presided over a hearing to outline what prosecutors intend to ask Mr Trump if he chooses to testify at his criminal trial, including a defamation case and allegations of sexual abuse, a massive civil fraud judgment finding him liable for tens of millions of dollars, felony convictions targeting his business, and the dissolution of a namesake foundation used to boost his presidential campaign. But the judge said that prosecutors request falls within the grounds of the so-called Sandoval hearing, during which a defendant with a history of misconduct or criminal acts who also plans to testify in his defence knows what they could be walking into. Across his civil and criminal cases, Mr Trumps legal team has tried to distance the former president from any allegations of wrongdoing. Mr Trump has insisted he has done nothing wrong, and that the cases against him are a Democratic-led election interference conspiracy. Judge Merchan will decide by Monday when opening arguments in the hush money trial are expected to begin on what materials prosecutors can use, if any, in an effort to undermine Mr Trumps credibility on the stand. Mr Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a so-called hush money scheme to pay off an adult film star to bury allegations of an alleged affair, a revelation that prosecutors claim posed a threat to his 2016 presidential election prospects. The former president has volunteered to testify, opening the door for prosecutors to grill him about his previous alleged misconduct and cases. Former President Donald Trump gestures as he returns to the courtroom following a break in his trial on Friday 19 April ( AP ) Speaking at a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida last week, Mr Trump said: Yeah, I would testify, absolutely. Thats not a trial. Thats a scam. A so-called Sandoval hearing intends to ensure that a criminal defendant is fully aware of what he could be asked on the stand, without being caught off guard with unexpected lines of questioning. But bringing up unrelated findings from E Jean Carrolls defamation case in which Mr Trump was found liable for sexual abuse would push the salaciousness to another level, and be unduly prejudicial in the hush money case, according to defence attorney Emil Bove. In a filing outlining the claims they could introduce, Manhattan prosecutors state that defendant sexually abused E Jean Carroll and that a jury awarded her $2m compensatory and punitive damages on her sexual abuse claim. Prosecutors said that Mr Trumps civil fraud trial, in which he, his two eldest sons and their fellow Trump Organization executives were found liable for illegally inflating the value of company assets to obtain favourable terms from banks and insurers, will also be brought up if they are given the chance. What is the prosecutions position? Mr Bove asked. Are they making arguments about sexual misconduct? The allegations outlined in Ms Carrolls case, which stem from an alleged assault in the 1990s, are too attenuated, too far back in time to call into question Trumps credibility in this trial, according to Mr Bove. Prosecutors also want to address felony convictions involving the Trump Organization. Two subsidiaries of his company were convicted in 2022 on 17 counts, including criminal tax fraud, stemming from what prosecutors described as a years-long scheme to avoid paying payroll taxes by compensating top executives with lavish untaxed perks. Mr Bove said that the case had nothing to do with Mr Trump. Prosecutors also want to bring up the collapse of the Trump Foundation, which was dissolved by a court order in 2018, with a state decision finding that Mr Trump breached his fiduciary duties, including using his campaign to orchestrate fundraisers, the campaign directing the distribution of funds, and using the foundation to boost his campaign. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The city of New York is crime-ridden and dying, according to Donald Trump. He has called a criminal case against him a mess, the judge hopelessly conflicted, and the prosecutor a thug. The former presidents attorneys claim that the entire borough of Manhattan is overwhelmingly biased against him. But for four days, a few dozen of his fellow New Yorkers told him how they felt, to his face, and there was nothing he could do about it. A jury of Mr Trumps peers has been assembled to hear the first criminal trial of a current or former president, who is charged with falsifying business records to conceal payments to an adult film star with whom he allegedly had an affair. Hiding those payments tried to protect his election prospects in 2016, the beginning of what has now become a years-long effort to deceive voters and manipulate the outcome of a presidential election, according to prosecutors. He loves his New York business, his New York real estate and the New York media that has his attention, but Mr Trump for years now has become more Florida man than the self-anointed bootstrapped Queens entrepreneur he propped himself up to be as he built his political persona. This week, the former president returned to New York as a reluctant resident of his hometown, watching the group of his Manhattan neighbours fill the jury box where a verdict against him could be delivered in a few weeks. The jurors live all over Manhattan, with different professional backgrounds, genders, interests and family lives. All have promised, unlike Mr Trump, to judge their fellow New Yorker fairly and impartially. When his attorneys dug up prospective jurors old social media posts to try to weed out potential bias, Mr Trump heard himself described as racist, sexist and a narcissist. Asked for her opinion of him, one juror to his face called him selfish and self-serving. Another man called his policies outrageous. One mans opinion of him is neutral, leaning hostile. Another said his rhetoric is harmful, and one woman said his rhetoric incites homophobia and racism. All he could do was sit and watch. He never looked comfortable. He rested his hand on his forehead with his elbow on the table, turning his body to look at the jury box to his right. He twisted his body and craned his neck. He leaned forward in his chair, reading along with a jury questionnaire or titling back in his seat and pulling the survey close to his face. He barely moved for more than an hour, shoulders tight and leaning forward against the table in front of him, while one of his attorneys argued against prosecutors drudging up past allegations of fraud and sexual abuse. When his attorneys and prosecutors shared a laugh about a busted microphone, he sat stone-faced. When a juror said the former president was not her cup of tea, he huffed, shook his head, crossed his arms tightly and leaned in his chair. It took less than two days for the judge overseeing the case to warn Defendant Trump against intimidating the jurors before him when he was caught gesticulating and audibly commenting about one of the jurors. I wont tolerate it. I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom, Judge Merchan told him on Tuesday. I want to make that crystal clear. Donald Trump leaves a Manhattan criminal courthouse on 19 April. ( via REUTERS ) It served as a warning for the trial to come. Mr Trump is forced to attend every day of his criminal trial, which is shaping up to become the climax of his years-long assault on the justice system, which he has broadly and baselessly accused of conspiring against him to keep him out of the White House. Prosecutors have accused him of repeatedly intimidating witnesses and violating a gag order that prohibits his public attacks against members of the court and their families. He has said it would be a great honor to go to jail for doing so. He is not only a criminal defendant but a presidential candidate prepared to weaponise his massive social media and campaign apparatus and use his platform to wield the trials narrative. The proceedings are not filmed or recorded, but a small army of reporters will fill two courtrooms to capture as much as they can. To his followers, Mr Trump pits his word against those he has described as the enemy of the people. Two already-seated jurors were excused after they shared concerns with the judge about their identities being released. Several potential jurors were excused after openly weeping in court, sharing their anxieties and the immense pressure they felt sitting in the jury box. On Wednesday night, one day after seven jurors were sworn in, Fox News personality Jesse Watters broadcast identifying details about a woman who was initially Juror No 2. He claimed without evidence that undercover liberal activists were trying to get on the jury. Mr Trump then quoted his statement on Truth Social, raising baseless speculation that Manhattan residents called to jury duty are lying to the judge, prosecutors and defence attorneys so they can be seated in the case elevating his bogus conspiracy theory that the cases are rigged against him. The next morning, Juror No 2 returned to court to tell the judge that aspects of her identity across the media prompted friends, colleagues and family members to ask her about the case. I dont believe, at this point, that I can be fair and unbiased, and let the outside influences not affect my thinking in the courtroom, she said on Thursday. Moments later, Manhattan prosecutors alerted the judge to Mr Trumps disturbing Truth Social post quoting Watters, which appeared on the former presidents social media platform just one day after the judge warned him against intimidating jurors. Its ridiculous, and it has to stop, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy told the judge on Thursday. Donald Trump speaks to reporters inside a Manhattan criminal courthouse on 19 April. ( via REUTERS ) Mr Trump has violated a protective order in the case at least seven more times since the trial began, according to prosecutors. On his program on Thursday, Watters claimed that Juror 2 dropped out because she couldnt be impartial, then falsely stated that another juror who was excused ended up being a stealth juror baselessly asserting that he was politically motivated to join the jury to convict Mr Trump. On Thursday, prosecutors said they were declining to hand Mr Trumps lawyers the names of the first three witnesses they intend to call to the stand, fearing what the former president could do with that information. Mr Trump has been tweeting about the witnesses, Mr Steinglass told the judge. Were not telling him who the witnesses are. I cant fault them for that, Judge Merchan replied. Defence attorney Todd Blanche suggested that he would stop Mr Trump from doing that. I dont think you can make that representation, the judge said. On Friday, moments before Judge Merchan adjourned for the week, Mr Trumps attorney Susan Necheles asked for the name of at least one witness. Whether you get the name or not, youre not going to delay the trial, Judge Merchan told her. You wont. Prosecutors intend to name on Sunday the name of at least one witness who could testify as early as next week, but if Mr Trump posts anything about that person, the deal is off. Trump appears in court for fourth day of hush money trial Mr Trumps time-tested legal strategy throw everything at the court to buy time has failed. The trial is underway. Jurors will be seated. Witnesses are being scheduled. Within a few weeks, a verdict could be reached. Defence cannot continue to submit premotion letters, or motions, or requests to reargue, or for the court to reconsider, every single decision, Judge Merchan told Mr Trumps attorneys on Friday. Defence is literally targeting individual decisions one by one by one by one, he added. That has to end ... There comes to a point where you accept my rulings ... Ive entertained your motions. Ive entertained your arguments in good faith. With the days proceedings at a close, Mr Trump surrounded by the most reporters who have been in the courtroom since the start of the trial slowly stood up from his seat at the defence table, scanned the room, and trudged his way to the door. His campaign then sent out an email, falsely declaring for the second time that week that he stormed out. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The man who set himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trumps trial is underway was a self-described investigative researcher who posted a conspiracy-laden manifesto online moments before the incident. Maxwell Azzarello, a 37-year-old man from Florida, has been declared dead by hospital staff, police told NBC News early on Saturday. No time of death has been given by police. The man shared a string of conspiracy theories on his social media accounts in recent months, in which he railed against the rich and powerful and claimed our only goal is to abolish our criminal government. On Friday afternoon, mere minutes after the final jurors were selected in the former presidents criminal case, Mr Azzarello self-immolated outside the court at Collect Pond Park. He was taken to Manhattans Weill Cornell Medicine Burn Center in critical condition, police said. Three NYPD officers and one court officer sustained minor injuries from the fire but are in stable condition, authorities told reporters. Maxwell Azzarello pictured protesting outside Donald Trumps trial at Manhattan Criminal Court one day before self-immolating near the same location ( Getty Images ) Less than an hour before he set himself on fire he railed against corruption in the US government in a manifesto type document posted on Substack, seen by The Independent. In it, Mr Azzarello describes himself as an investigative researcher and said that the act of self-immolation was an extreme act of protest over a totalitarian con and warned of an impending apocalyptic fascist world coup. Max Azzarello, pictured in a video he posted on his Instagram account, self-immolated outside the Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday ( Instagram ) To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict, he wrote. Authorities said he threw pamphlets throughout the park before setting himself on fire. Maxwell Azzarellos manifesto, pictured, was published just before he self-immolated on Friday ( Social media ) The pamphlets seem to be propaganda-based almost like a conspiracy theory type of pamphlets, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. Some information in regards to Ponzi schemes, and the fact that some of our local educational institutes are front for the mob. So a little bit of a conspiracy theory going on here. Police spoke to his family, who were unaware he travelled to New York. Authorities believe he arrived sometime between 13 April and 19 April. He was unknown to authorities before this incident, police said, and he did not breach security protocols as the park was open to the public at the time of the incident. Azzarello reportedly threw pamphlets promoting conspiracy theories before self-immolating on Friday ( ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images ) Public records indicate Mr Azzarello is a registered Democrat. He also attended the University of North Carolina 2005 to 2009, earning a bachelors degree in public policy and anthropology, the school confirmed to The Independent. One witness, Dave, who declined to give his last name, spoke to The Independent after witnessing the horrific scene. Papers clattered on the ground and that caught our attention well my attention anyway, and I kinda wondered, Well what are those papers? But then he pulled out a can and poured it over himself, Dave told The Independent. People were horrified, he continued. There werent many people. People started screaming. An open container pictured on its side at the scene of a self-immolation near the Manhattan Criminal Court. One witness told The Independent he watched the man pull a can out of his bag and pour it over himself ( Reuters ) Dave said the incident happened so quickly that people could not move to stop the individual. It happened pretty fast, he told The Independent. Its awful to see that. Some pamphlets on the scene read, The True History of the World. New York police officers scrambled to pick them up as they blew over a nearby fence. A secret service agent spoke to Mr Trump inside the courthouse at about the same time police received the 911 call, CNN reports. Law enforcement responded to reports of Azzarello setting himself on fire outside Manhattan Criminal Court just after 1.30 pm local time ( ABC News ) Mr Trumps trial began on Monday with jury selection. Now, all twelve jurors and five alternates have been selected. Opening arguments will begin on 22 April in the case against Mr Trump. The former president faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged affair. There will be no delay in the trial proceedings, a Manhattan Criminal Court spokesperson told reporters on the scene. Two years ago, a climate activist self-immolated outside the US Supreme Court in protest against the climate crisis. Wynn Alan Bruce died on 23 April 2022, one day after setting himself on fire. He is only the second-known person to self-immolate in connection with the climate crisis. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} This week was Donald Trumps second week on criminal trial the first of courtroom testimony and it was certainly eventful. Jurors heard from the prosecutions first witnesses in the case including lengthy testimony from tabloid mogul David Pecker, who outlined the catch and kill scheme at the heart of the hush money case. The former president faced calls for $10,000 fines over gag order violations over his continued attacks on witnesses. And Americans heard Mr Trump both fume about the landmark trial and use it as a campaign platform on Truth Social and in the courthouse corridors. Mr Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election, in order to stop her coming forward with allegations of a 2006 affair. Here are the key takeaways from the week: Day one Prosecutors lay out criminal conspiracy and cover-up During opening statements on Monday, prosecutors were direct in laying out the heart of the case, with Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo speaks during a hearing ( REUTERS ) telling jurors it was about a criminal conspiracy and a cover-up. The defendant Donald Trump orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election. Then he covered up that criminal conspiracy by lying in his business records, over and over and over again, Mr Colangelo continued. The prosecutor then laid out the catch-and-kill scheme, arranged between Mr Trumps former attorney Michael Cohen and Mr Pecker to block negative press about Mr Trump. Mr Colangelo told the jury that while no politician wants bad press, evidence will show this was a planned, coordinated, long-running conspiracy. It was election fraud. Pure and simple, he said. Defence tries to humanise Trump In the defences opening statement, lead attorney Todd Blanche tried to humanise Mr Trump while still vowing to refer to him as President Trump. This is a title he has earned, Mr Blanche said. But hes not just the former president, the defence attorney continued. Hes not just Donald Trump that youve seen on TV or read about or seen photos of. Hes also a man, hes a husband, hes a father. And just like me, said Mr Blanche. Trump arrives at Manhattan criminal court and delivers remarks to the media ( AP ) President Trump is innocent. President Trump did not commit any crimes. The Manhattan District Attorneys office should have never brought this case. Mr Blanche also tried to discredit the prosecutions star witness in the case, Michael Cohen, stressing his 2018 guilty plea for lying to Congress and that he had been found liable for perjury in the past. On top of this, Mr Blanche argued that Cohen is obsessed with Mr Trump. Cohens financial livelihood depends on President Trumps destruction, according to Mr Blanche. He cannot be trusted. Day two Potential gag order violations Judge Juan Merchan held an hour-long hearing around potential gag order violations. Prosecutors accused Mr Trump of violating the gag order, which bars him from making public statements about potential witnesses, court staff and the families of the judge and DA, on at least 10 different occasions. Defence attorney Todd Blanche meanwhile argued that Mr Trumps posts were responding to political attacks. However, he failed to provide any example of what Mr Trump was responding to, leading to a scolding from the judge. You presented nothing, a frustrated Judge Merchan said. Youre losing all credibility, Ill tell you that right now. The judge also warned Mr Trump directly against intimidating jurors in his courtroom. The judge has yet to make a ruling on the alleged gag order breaches. Prosecutors suggested imposing a $10,000 fine against Mr Trump and ordering him to remove the offending posts, noting they have not yet asked for jail time. The threat of penalty hasnt deterred Mr Trump from continuing to rant about the case on Truth Social and to reporters as he enters and exits the courtroom. A behind-the-scenes look at tabloid journalism In his testimony, Mr Pecker provided a peek behind the curtain on what was happening at some of his tabloids. Mr Pecker described a mutually beneficial scheme to keep the National Enquirer jam-packed with stories boosting Mr Trumps 2016 election odds while ensuring negative stories never saw the light of day. As part of the arrangement, Mr Pecker would notify Cohen of any unflattering stories about the candidate particularly those involving women. Since Mr Trump was well-known as the most eligible bachelor, dating the most beautiful women, and it was clear based on my past experiences that when someone is running for office like this, it is very common for these women to call up a magazine like the National Enquirer to try and sell their stories, the former publisher testified. Writing positive stories about Mr Trump and negative stories about his opponents would help him and it would help me, Mr Pecker explained as it would help him sell his tabloids. Jurors were shown a number of positive National Enquirer headlines and covers about Mr Trump, like DONALD TRUMP: HEALTHIEST INDIVIDUAL EVER ELECTED! They were also shown negative ones about his 2016 GOP primary opponents, like DONALD TRUMP BLASTS TED CRUZS DAD FOR PHOTO WITH JFK ASSASSIN. Pecker is questioned by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass ( REUTERS ) Doormans story about a love child Jurors heard how the scheme was first put into practice after a former Trump World Tower doorman, Dino Sajudin, claimed that the then-2016 candidate had a love child with a maid working at Trump Tower. Mr Pecker testified that Dylan Howard, then editor-in-chief of the National Enquirer, told him that Dino was in the market for selling a story and so he called Cohen to tell him. Cohen told Mr Pecker it was absolutely not true but that he would look into it, he testified. I asked Dylan to negotiate a price, negotiate a number, to buy the story and take it off the market, he said. Mr Pecker told the court they agreed upon $30,000 for the story and Cohen told him that the boss was very pleased, referring to Mr Trump. I thought it was very important that Dino wouldnt be shopping the story to other media outlets, he told the court. However, he then revealed his more selfish motivation for the transaction if he could have verified the story, he would have published it. It would probably be the biggest sale of the National Enquirer since the death of Elvis Presley, Mr Pecker said. Day three How Playboy model affair story unfolded During the third day of testimony, Mr Pecker shed light on how he came across former Playboy model Karen McDougals story that she had a 10-month affair with Mr Trump in 2006, one year after he had married Melania. Mr Howard had interviewed Ms McDougal, learning of the alleged affair and how Mr Trump apparently called her a 12 out of 10, Mr Pecker told the court. Although Mr Howard warned there was no corroborating evidence, Mr Pecker said he believed the story to be true. He testified that he initially offered the former model $10,000 to buy the story but she turned it down. Mr Howard later told Mr Pecker that ABC was interested in buying Ms McDougals story, but that I knew from my experience that ABC doesnt buy stories. Mr Howard had concluded that Ms McDougal didnt want the story to be published. She said she didnt want to be the next Monica Lewinsky, Mr Pecker added. The boss will take care of it During testimony about buying the rights to these stories, Mr Pecker told the court about his interactions with Mr Trump on the matters directly linking the criminal defendant to the arrangements. Cohen had given Mr Pecker the green light to pay the former Playboy model $150,000 for the rights to her story, Mr Pecker told the court. Dont worry about it. Im your friend. The boss will take care of it, Mr Pecker recalled Cohen telling him, inferring that the boss meant Mr Trump. Mr Pecker recalled another occasion after he had won the 2016 election, when Mr Trump asked him: Hows our girl? referring to Ms McDougal. Mr Trump also thanked him for handling the McDougal story and the doorman situation, he told the court. He said the stories would be very embarrassing to him, his family and the campaign, Mr Pecker testified. Mr Trump even invited the former tabloid boss to a thank you dinner at the White House to show his gratitude for killing damaging stories, Mr Pecker testified testimony that shone a light on how the former president used his position in the White House to manage blowback from the scheme. An unhappy-looking Trump appears in criminal court ( EPA ) Trump was very upset when McDougal affair story leaked Despite the substantial efforts to block other outlets from getting access to Ms McDougals story, it did eventually become public and, according to Mr Pecker, this made Mr Trump very upset. The Wall Street Journal published an article just days before Election Day in 2016, unleashing the blockbuster story. Mr Pecker recalled Mr Trump phoning him, very upset, saying, How could this happen? I thought you had this under control. Mr Pecker testified that AMIs deal with Ms McDougal was for the lifetime rights to her story. Mr Pecker recalled then telling Cohen that the deal was off after his conversations with counsel about the transaction. He was very, very angry, very upset, screaming basically at me, Mr Pecker said. He recalled Cohen saying: The boss will be very angry with you. To this day, the publisher has never been reimbursed, Mr Pecker said on the stand. Celebrities dragged into the case During the former AMI chiefs testimony, several celebrities and high-profile figures were dragged into the case, including Rahm Emanuel, Mark Wahlberg and Tiger Woods. But one person in particular set the stage for Mr Peckers wariness to conceal politically-linked stories: The Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger. Mr Pecker said he had struck up an arrangement with the actor to conceal compromising stories about him when he was campaigning to become governor of California long before the publishers dealings with Mr Trump. Mr Pecker recalled Schwarzenegger saying: I plan on running for governor and I would like you to not publish any negative stories about me now and in the future, and Ill continue being the editor of Muscle & Fitness and Flex and be a spokesperson. Mr Pecker said he agreed to the arrangement. When the actor announced his gubernatorial bid, a number of women called up the National Enquirer with stories to sell on different relationships, or contacts, or sexual harassment that they felt that Arnold Schwarzenegger did, the former publisher testified. Mr Pecker outlined the agreement: I would call him and advise [Schwarzenegger] of other stories that were out there and I wouldbuy them for a period of time. This experience made me sensitive about buying any stories in the future. Thats how I became sensitive about this topic, Mr Pecker told the court. None of the celebrities are accused of any wrongdoing in the case. First mention of Stormy Daniels Stormy Daniels name cropped up in Mr Peckers testimony for the first time on Thursday when he told the court that Cohen had come to him asking for his help to get Mr Trump to pay him his bonus. I understood he was complaining that he had not been repaid, Mr Pecker said. Michael Cohen had paid Stormy Daniels out of his own funds, which is the first time that I had heard of that. I wasnt involved in that transaction, the former publisher testified. Stormy Daniels, speaks outside US Federal Court with her lawyer Michael Avenatti in 2018 ( AFP via Getty Images ) So Mr Pecker approached Mr Trump, telling him: Michael Cohen is very concerned about this bonus this year and I want you to know hes very loyal, hes been working very hard from my perspective, I believe hed throw himself in front of a bus for you. The former publisher recalled Mr Trump saying: I dont know what youre talking about. Michael Cohen has multiple apartments in my buildings. He owns 15 taxi medallions. Mr Pecker testified Mr Trump then added: Dont worry about it. Ill take care of it. Day four Two sides spar over whether Trump deserves title of president Early in the day on Friday, the two sides briefly sparred over whether or not Mr Trump deserves to go by the title of president during his trial. The moment came about as Mr Trumps defence attorney Emil Bove repeatedly referred to the defendant as President Trump when speaking about events prior to him taking office. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass tried to object saying: He wasnt president in June 2016. In opening statements on Monday, defence attorney Todd Blanche had told the jury that his legal team planned on referring to their client as President Trump because its a title he has earned. Trump attorneys try to poke holes in Peckers testimony During cross-examination, Mr Bove tried to cast doubt on the former tabloid bosss lengthy testimony about the catch and kill scheme. But despite multiple attempts to impeach Mr Peckers credibility, the former publisher repeatedly affirmed his under-oath descriptions of his meetings with Mr Trump. At one point on Friday, Mr Bove tried to get Mr Pecker to admit that he either lied on the witness stand or to federal law enforcement about Mr Trump thanking him for his help burying stories of Mr Trumps alleged affairs. Pecker being questioned on the stand ( AP ) Was that a mistake? Mr Bove asked. Do you believe Trump said that to you as we sit here right now? Mr Bove then handed Mr Pecker a report from his interview with federal prosecutors and the FBI in 2018, alleging that Mr Peckers prior testimony contradicted his earlier interview. This is the FBIs interview, is that correct? These are the FBI notes? The FBI notes, some of these here, are wrong. I know what I testified to yesterday, Mr Pecker said. I know what the truth is, he added. I cant state why its written this way. Pecker doubles down that McDougal payment was made to help Trumps election odds Mr Pecker previously called his relationship with Mr Trump mutually beneficial using his tabloid empire to identify negative stories about the then-2016 candidate in an effort to boost Mr Trumps election chances. However, the former AMI chief testified on Friday that one aspect of the agreement did not benefit him at all: the Karen McDougal story. That story was killed and the payment made with the sole purpose of helping Mr Trumps election odds, he testified, Mr Pecker repeatedly testified that stories about Mr Trump were big sellers for the National Enquirer. Burying Ms McDougals story was against his own business interest, prosecutors sought to point out. Karen McDougal speaking to CNN about Donald Trump ( CNN ) Had you published a story about a Playboy model having a yearlong sexual affair while he was married Would that have sold magazines? Mr Joshua Steinglass asked. That would be like, National Enquirer gold. Mr Pecker agreed. At the time you entered into that agreement, you had zero intention of publishing that story, Mr Steinglass said. You killed the story because it helped candidate Donald Trump. Yes, Mr Pecker said. Stormy Daniels Trump Tower visit - and Apprentice plans - revealed Two new witnesses briefly took the stand on Friday. The first was Rhona Graff, Mr Trumps former personal assistant at the Trump Organization, who testified that she has a vague recollection of seeing Stormy Daniels at Trump Tower before his 2016 presidential campaign. She assumed that Ms Daniels may have been at the office to discuss a role with The Celebrity Apprentice, Mr Trumps former hit reality TV competition series on NBC, she said. The network severed ties with Mr Trump in 2015 after his presidential campaign launch and his derogatory comments about immigrants. Ms Graff recalled that Mr Trump believed Ms Daniels would be a good contestant on the show. I cant remember a specific incident when I heard it. It was part of the office chatter, she said. Third witness takes the stand Gary Farro, a banker assigned to Cohen at First Republic Bank, testified that Cohen urgently asked for his help setting up an LLC shell company while negotiating a hush money payment to Ms Daniels in 2016. That account, Essential Consultants LLC, was used to wire Ms Daniels the $130,000 payment at the heart of the presidents criminal case. Mr Farro will resume his testimony on Tuesday. Elsewhere in Trumpworld Beyond the courtroom, there was a lot of other happenings in Trumpworld this week. Civil fraud bond deal On Monday, lawyers for Mr Trump and New York Attorney General Letitia Jamess office reached a deal around the payment of his $175m bond in his civil fraud case, so long as the collateral remains in cash. The AGs office had previously expressed concerns about the underwriter Knight Specialty Insurance Company. E Jean Carroll On Thursday, a federal court upheld the verdict in former Elle columnist E Jean Carrolls $83m defamation case against Mr Trump rejecting his request for a new trial. In May 2023, Mr Trump was found liable for sexually abusing Ms Carroll, and earlier this year, a jury determined that Mr Trump had defamed Ms Carroll, awarding her $65m in punitive damages and $18m in compensatory damages. Supreme Court immunity case The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday in the landmark case involving the former presidents claims of presidential immunity from prosecution. During oral arguments, the justices appeared poised to allow some, but not absolute, immunity. The case stems from special counsel Jack Smiths federal indictment against Mr Trump, accusing him of engaging in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and stay in the White House. Close Iranian state television reports explosions For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} 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. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gazas southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said on Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory. Israel's war against the Islamic militant group Hamas has led to a dramatic escalation of tensions in an already volatile Middle East. The strike late Friday hit a residential building in the western Tel Sultan neighborhood of the city of Rafah, according to Gazas civil defense. The bodies of the six children, two women and a man were taken to Rafah's Abu Yousef al-Najjar hospital, the hospitals records showed. At the hospital, relatives cried and hugged the bodies of the children, wrapped in white shrouds, as others comforted them. The fatalities included Abdel-Fattah Sobhi Radwan, his wife Najlaa Ahmed Aweidah and their three children, his brother-in-law Ahmed Barhoum said. Barhoum also lost his wife, Rawan Radwan, and their 5-year-old daughter Alaa. "This is a world devoid of all human values and morals, Barhoum told The Associated Press Saturday morning, crying as he cradled and gently rocked the body of Alaa in his arms. They bombed a house full of displaced people, women and children. There were no martyrs but women and children. No victims were registered from a second overnight strike in the city. Palestinian medics carry a young wounded in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, to the Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Rafah, which lies on the border with Egypt, currently hosts more than half of Gazas total population of about 2.3 million people, the vast majority of whom have been displaced by fighting further north in the territory. Despite calls for restraint from the international community, including Israels staunchest ally, the United States, the Israeli government has insisted for months that it intends to push a ground offensive into the city, where it says many of the remaining Hamas militants are holed up. Such a ground operation has not materialized so far, but the Israeli military has repeatedly carried out airstrikes on and around the city. The war was sparked by an unprecedented raid into southern Israel by Hamas and other militant groups on Oct. 7 that left about 1,200 people dead, the vast majority of them civilians, and saw about 250 people kidnapped and taken into Gaza. Israel says about 130 hostages remain in Gaza, although more than 30 have been confirmed to now be dead, either killed on Oct. 7 or having died in captivity. The Gaza Health Ministry said Saturday the bodies of 37 people killed by Israeli strikes were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours. Hospitals also received 68 wounded, it said. The latest figures bring the overall Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war to at least 34,049, and the number of wounded to 76,901, the ministry said. Although the Hamas-run health authorities do not differentiate between combatants and civilians in their count, they say at least two thirds have been children and women. The war has sent regional tensions spiraling, leading to a dramatic eruption of violence between Israel and its archenemy Iran that threatened to escalate into a full-blown war. On Friday, both Iran and Israel played down an apparent Israeli airstrike near a major air base and nuclear site in central Iran, indicating the two sides were pulling back from what could have become an all-out conflict. Over the past several weeks, an alleged Israeli strike killed two Iranian generals at an Iranian consulate in Syria and was followed by an unprecedented Iranian missile barrage on Israel. A Palestinian woman mourns the death of a loved one at Al-Najjar hospital following overnight Israeli bombardments ( AFP via Getty Images ) Israel has also faced off with the Hezbollah militant group, an Iranian proxy operating from Lebanon, with the two sides there frequently trading rocket and drone attacks across the Lebanese-Israeli border. Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels have also joined the fray, launching strikes against merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. Tension has also been high in the occupied West Bank, where an Israeli military raid Friday in the Nur Shams refugee camp killed at least four Palestinians, including three militants, according to the Israeli military, Palestinian health officials and a militant group. Palestinian health authorities said one of those killed was a 15-year-old boy shot dead by Israeli fire. The Islamic Jihad militant group confirmed the deaths of three members, including one who it said was a local military commander. The Israeli military said four Israeli soldiers were slightly wounded in the operation. Saraya al-Quds, the military arm of Islamic Jihad, said its fighters had engaged in heavy gun battles Saturday morning with Israeli forces in the town of Tulkarem, adjacent to Nur Shams. No further details were immediately available. Residents in Tulkarem went went on a general strike Saturday to protest the attack on Nur Shams, with shops, restaurants and government offices all closed. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, more than 460 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank, Palestinian health officials say. Israel stages frequent raids into towns and cities in the volatile territory. The dead have included militants, but also stone-throwers and bystanders. Some have also been killed in attacks by Israeli settlers Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After days of chaos at Dubai International Airport, which has seen hundreds of thousands passengers stranded, the boss of Emirates Airline has offered most sincere apologies to every customer who has had their travel plans disrupted. Unprecedented flooding has caused havoc at the worlds busiest international aviation hub since Tuesday. The biggest airline is Emirates, which has cancelled the flights of 200,000 passengers and delayed many more. The airlines president, Sir Tim Clark, has written an open letter to passengers, saying: We know our response has been far from perfect. We acknowledge and understand the frustration of our customers due to the congestion, lack of information, and confusion in the terminals. We acknowledge that the long queues and wait times have been unacceptable. In a bid to limit the crowding at Dubai airport and clear some of the stranded passengers, Emirates temporarily suspended check in at its hub and for passengers booked to fly in from points around the world. Many travellers are still stuck thousands of miles from home. A dozen Saturday morning arrivals from key locations were cancelled, with passengers heading for the UK left with few rights. Cancelled flights inbound to Dubai included: Australasia: Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Africa: Cape Town (two), Johannesburg, Dakar and Nairobi. Indian sub-continent: Hyderabad, Mauritius and Mumbai. open image in gallery A drone view of cars and trucks lying partially submerged following heavy rainfall in Dubai ( REUTERS ) From this afternoon, Saturday 20 April, Emirates appears to be flying a full schedule, with some flights delayed. Sir Tim, who is the most influential figure in global aviation, writes; Passengers previously stranded in the airport transit area have been rebooked and are en route to their destinations. We have put together a taskforce to sort, reconcile, and deliver some 30,000 pieces of left-behind baggage to their owners. It will take us some more days to clear the backlog of rebooked passengers and bags, and we ask for our customers patience and understanding. The Independent has been hearing from disgruntled passengers about delays and confusion. John Baker, who travelled from Bangkok to Birmingham via Dubai, described chaotic scenes at the hub with inaccurate and delayed information. I know the weather is beyond anyones control, but timely information reduces irritation even if it is bad news. There was no information. A company like Emirates must plan for response in such situations. Mr Baker eventually arrived in Birmingham around eight hours late, but his baggage is apparently still in Dubai. Other airlines have been affected: British Airways has not flown its full schedule to and from Dubai since Tuesday, with the airport imposing capacity restrictions. BA appears to be running normally from Sunday. Footage released on social media on Saturday 20 April appears to show huge explosions at a military base belonging to Iraqs Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Babylon, south of Baghdad. The cause of the blast hasn't been confirmed. Footage from a car shows huge explosions in the distance from an ammunition depot inside the military base, followed by what appears to launch bright fragments into the sky and with huge smoke and fire. A statement from the Iran-backed PMF said "an explosion occurred at the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces at the Kalsu military base". One PMF fighter was killed and six were wounded, according to sources at the nearby hospital in Hilla. The Independent is unable to independently verify the content, date and conditions under which the footage was filmed. A historic pub in Londons southwest was damaged in a fire on Friday night (19 April), London Fire Brigade said. Emergency crews were called to the Burn Bullock in Mitcham at around 7:30pm amid reports that the London Road building was on fire. The heritage-listed pub, which has been closed for more than 10 years, attracted emergency crews from Norbury, Wimbledon and Tooting in 12 fire engines. About 80 firefighters attended the scene, but despite their best efforts the building suffered significant damage in the blaze, the fire service said. Half of the ground, first, and second floors of the building were damaged, while the roof of the now-derelict public house was also destroyed. Police said the man who set himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trumps trial is underway thew propaganda-based pamphlets before self-immolating on Friday, 19 April. Maxwell Azzarello, 37, from Florida, set himself on fire minutes after final jurors were selected in the former presidents criminal case. He is now at Weill Cornell Medicine Burn Center in critical condition, police said. The pamphlets seem to be propaganda-based almost like a conspiracy theory type of pamphlets, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. Some information in regards to Ponzi schemes, and the fact that some of our local educational institutes are front for the mob. Bodycam footage shows the moment a man was rescued after falling into the Hudson River on Manhattans West Side. The New York Police Department (NYPD) and Fire Department New York (FDNY) responded to a call for help shortly after 7am. Arriving on the scene, near Pier 57 in the Chelsea neighbourhood, officers found a 43-year-old man stuck shivering in the water. Rescuers wearing specialist equipment lowered themselves into the river to help the man stay afloat, while others stood on the pier and set up a ladder that was used to help the man out. He was taken to hospital for evaluation and was said to be in good condition. Police said it was unclear what caused the man to fall in. The House of Representatives finally passed a $61.8bn (49bn) aid package for Ukraine after a tense few months of negotiation between politicians. The Republican-controlled House passed the bill by a comfortable margin of 311-112 after the speaker of the House Mike Johnson allied with Democrats to get the bill through Congress. Democrats and Republicans who did vote for the bill to pass could be seen celebrating by waving flags and chanting "U-kraine, U-kraine" on the House floor. Representatives were swiftly told off for their conduct before the House moved on to other business. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has criticised his Coalition colleagues for making easy false promises on Budget policies at their party conferences. Speaking at the Green Party conference in Dublins RDS, Mr Ryan said he does not believe voters will be won over by budget promises in April. I don't think a promise of a tax cut or whatever in the budget in October is actually going to win this election on June 7. I think it's about local issues and about the wider world, the Environment Minister said. Mr Ryan said he is happy to tell his colleagues in Fine Gael and Fianna Fail that it is easy to promise tax cuts and spending but warned that they need to be careful that they can deliver in the end. The comments come after it emerged in the Irish Independent that Mr Ryan clashed with Fianna Fail leader and Tanaiste Micheal Martin over more than 2bn worth of budget promises during his partys ard fheis last weekend. Mr Ryan said his comments to Mr Martin the most recent Government leaders meeting was not a scolding. I think Micheal would be the first to tell you it was not a scolding, he said. It was a conversation at a leaders meeting which are very civil and we dont tend to scold, he added. Separately, Childrens Minister Roderic OGorman spoke about the ordeal outside his home which saw masked anti-immigration protesters erect signs and demonstrate at his house. Mr OGorman said he was canvassing along with a local Green Party Councillor Pamela Conroy when the protesters arrived at his home. He said there was about an hour between when he first received a text message about the masked protesters to when gardai eventually moved them on. He paid tribute to local gardai who arrived on the scene and also thanked people who sent him messages of support. He said he favours the introduction of legislation which would protect people, including politicians, from targeted protests outside their homes but said he would not like new laws to negatively impact how voters can interact with politicians in Ireland. I think it's hugely important that we protect politics in our country and that isn't just about a member of cabinet or a member of the Oireachtas but the hundreds of candidates who are out knocking on doors right now, he said. That's an essential part of our democracy. Politicians don't knock the doors in every European country often is just the big rallies. It's all on TV. But in Ireland, we go out, we talk to people, we look for the vote, he added. He said any legislation introduced to protect homes should be proportionate because he does not want to create a barrier between politicians and the public. Clare Dunne pictured at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy No Repro fee for one use Cillian Murphy won the award for best actor in Oppenheimer at Saturday nights Irish Film and Television Awards, while Paul Mescal won the award for best supporting actor in film for All of Us Strangers. Accepting his IFTA Cillian Murphy said: "I'm still so brutal at this! "There are so many people here I admire... It made me think of being here and being a young actor and getting so much encouragement from so many people... a lot of love and encouragement. "People call it showbusiness but it feels like a community when it's done well. "And to my wife, my amazing wife Yvonne McGuinness, for keeping me sane!" Meanwhile, Alison Oliver scooped the award for best Supporting Actress in a Film for her role in Saltburn, while KIN star Clare Dunne took her third IFTA when she won the award for Lead Actress in a Drama. Earlier, Eve Hewson has joked that she is dead inside as she learns to handle the inevitable rejection that is part and parcel of the film industry. Speaking on the red carpet, the Bad Sisters actress quipped that she has developed a heart of stone and she learns to take knocks. I have like a heart of stone at this point. I cant feel anything anymore, she quipped. When I was younger I used to cry my eyes out but now I am just dead. Dead inside. Ms Hewson, who was nominated in the best actress category for her role in Flora and Son shared the advice that has sustained her in the industry. One good piece of advice I got it kind of went on for years and years where you get close to a job and then you can get really heartbroken. someone once said to me that if you are getting close, its only a matter of time and I think that was really helpful because, you know, sometimes you can feel like you are getting rejected consistently but if you think I am getting a call back or a meeting with the director [it means] I might not be perfectly right for this role [but] if you are getting close it means you are good and you can take that as a little bit of encouragement to keep going. Killers of the Flower Moon actress Lily Gladstone was also in attendance and paid tribute to the special relationship that exists between Ireland and Native Americans. Pollyanna McIntosh and Liam Cunningham pictured at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy In 1847, The Choctaw people collected money to send to the starving in Ireland during the Famine. Speaking on the red carpet, the Oscar nominated actress said the fact that the Choktaw tribe sent money to Ireland during the potato famine makes absolute sense. iftas 3 I think its wonderful. Choktaw, at the time, as a sovereign nation, were also struggling to feed their own. They were experiencing cultural survival through all of it. So there was an immediate recognition with what was going on here. And- in our fashion- we take care of each other. Its a real spirit of generosity. When you have wealth you demonstrate it by showing it and they didnt have much but what they had, they shared. Ms Gladstone said she plans to make a return journey to Ireland to visit a sculpture in Co. Cork that honours the shared history but this weekend she will be taking the DART to the seaside. Just a little bit north of the city I hear you get on the line and go up the coast and get some seafood see the sea, spring in the air. Im going to spend a little bit of time out in the country before I head back to the States. Cillian Murphy pictured as he arrived at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy Gladstone was among some of the biggest names in Hollywood who turned out for the ceremony, which is being hosted for the first time by Emmy-winning broadcaster Baz Ashmawy. Also in attendance was Oscar winning actor Cillian Murphy. Famously shy at red carpet events, he slipped inside without taking questions from the press. Kneecap were also having fun on the red carpet and said they would remain outspoken, despite their fame. Mo Chara said: There has been an attempt [to silence us] but it falls on deaf ears every time. If anything is successful they let you do what you want. Because the movie won the audience award at Sundance they cant really say f*** all. James Patrice pictured at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy Meanwhile, Oscar-nominated actor Stephen Rea is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony for his outstanding contribution to the Irish and international screen industry. On the way into the venue he joked that he is getting the lifetime bereavement award. I am very proud, he said, When I started out in my career IFTA didnt even exist, but now it does exist give me the prize! The annual awards ceremony welcomes Irish and International guests from around the world for a gathering of industry peers, to mark the incredible achievements of the Irish screen industry, at home and abroad. Winners That They May Face The Rising Sun, adapted from John McGaherns novel about life in rural Ireland, won the top award for Best Film. Directed by Pat Collins, the film is released in Irish cinemas on Friday. As well as winning best actor for Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy also collected the Best International Film trophy for Christopher Nolans epic film. Another Oscar winner, Neil Jordan presented Stephen Rea with the Irish Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award, for his outstanding contribution to the Irish and international screen industry, across both film and television. Actress Siobhan Cullen was announced as the 2024 Fis Eireann / Screen Ireland Rising Star for her roles in Obituary, The Dry and the upcoming Netflix series Bodkin. Best Actress in a Film was awarded to first-time winner, Agnes OCasey, for her role in gothic thriller Lies We Tell, which also took home Best Director Film for Lisa Mulcahy and Best Script Film for Elisabeth Gooch. KIN was a big winner in the Drama category, taking home Best Drama, Lead Actress in a Drama for Clare Dunne, Supporting Actress in a Drama for Maria Doyle Kennedy, Best Director Drama for Kate Dolan, and Best Script Drama for Peter McKenna. First-time winner Eanna Hardwicke picked up Actor in a Leading Role - Drama for his chilling performance in The Sixth Commandment, while Richard Dormer won Actor in a Supporting Role - Drama for Northern Irish police thriller Blue Lights. Actor in a Supporting Role - Film was awarded to Paul Mescal for his performance in All of Us Strangers, with Actress in a Supporting Role - Film awarded to Alison Oliver for Saltburn. The George Morrison Feature Documentary Award went to The Days of Trees from director Alan Gilsenan and producer Tomas Hardiman, with Best Cinematography awarded to Oscar-nominated Director of Photography Robbie Ryan for his work on Element Pictures production Poor Things. Best Live Action Short Film was awarded to Calf, while Wind and the Shadow won Best Animated Short. Best International Actress went to Emma Stones Oscar-winning turn in Poor Things, while Best International Actor went to Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers. The Award for Best Editing went to Michael Harte for his work on feature documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. Best Hair & Make-Up was awarded to Orla Carroll and Lynn Johnston for The Popes Exorcist, with Best Production Design going to John Paul Kelly for his work on Kenneth Branaghs A Haunting in Venice. Best Sound was awarded to Nina Rice for Barbie. Best Original Music was awarded to Neil Hannon, better known as The Divine Comedy, for his work on Andrew Legges unique sci-fi fable LOLA, for which Lara Campbell also won Best Costume Design. Kev Cahill and Ben Snow won Best VFX for fantasy blockbuster Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which was produced in Northern Ireland. IFTA chief executive Aine Moriarty said: This years Irish Academy Award winners represent the best in Irish filmmaking talent both at home and around the world, and we are delighted to honour them here tonight. From blockbuster leading roles to brilliant animated shorts, this years awards categories span the breadth of great Irish film and drama. Highlights of the IFTA Awards ceremony will be broadcast on RTE2 this Monday, 22 April, at 9.35pm. Taoiseach Simon Harris has apologised unreservedly to the families of the Stardust victims. After a lengthy meeting with Stardust representatives in Government Buildings, the Taoiseach said he would also be making an apology in the Dail on behalf of the State. In a statement, Mr Harris said the meeting with families and loved ones of the 48 young people who died in the nightclub fire was humbling and emotional. I want to thank every person who attended for what they told me, both as a group and in private individual conversations, he said. 65 people came to the Department of the Taoiseach today. However, I am acutely aware that the numbers affected by Stardust is many, many multiples of that," he said. "That includes those injured, the people working in Stardust, the frontline workers who fought to save lives on the night. "It includes survivors, the fire crews, the ambulance staff, the gardai, the army, the taxi drivers and the communities across Ireland who have carried this tragedy with them for 43 years. I have listened closely to everything the families told me and as Taoiseach, I have today apologised unreservedly to each family. I will do so on behalf of the state on Tuesday next, he added. On Thursday, an inquest jury returned a verdict that they were all unlawfully killed. It comes after a previous finding in 1982 that the fire had been started deliberately. Stardust families heading to Government Buildings to meet Taoiseach Simon Harris A majority decision from the jury of seven women and five men found the blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Valentines Day 1981, was caused by an electrical fault in the hot press of the bar. Susan Behan, whose brother John Colgan was among those killed, said the Government should issue an official state apology, describing it as the right thing to do. The Taoiseach said on Friday: I am very keen to meet with the families and very conscious that these families have felt unheard for decades, and I want to make sure that they know that Im listening, that I want to hear them and, of course, I want to be in a position as Taoiseach to apologise on behalf of this country, but I think the most appropriate thing to do is to meet with them. He added: I am eager to be in a position to apologise to these families but I think its right and proper that I meet them first. On Saturday, the families walked with a banner remembering their relatives towards Government Buildings. They were greeted by the Taoiseach who spoke to them in the courtyard and shook their hands before going into the official meeting. Prior to their engagement with Mr Harris, the families also met Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Taoiseach Simon Harris (red tie bottom right) welcomes the families to Government Buildings in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) She said a full state apology to the Stardust families is essential. Ms McDonald said: For four decades, they have faced obstacle after obstacle put in front of them by the State. That is why it is vital that a State apology is now made and that it address the failures of governments not just 43 years ago in the aftermath of this tragedy but every day since then. They had to fight until 2019 to get a second inquest and they had to continue to fight the State every day until the inquest started. They had to fight to ensure that the resources were in place so every family could participate in the inquest and get access to justice. They have to fight for jurors to have their income protected and to be selected in a transparent way as they would in the court system. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane at the start of the Inquest said the 48 victims who died in the fire would be central to proceedings and she honoured that commitment. It is vital that the State now does the same today. The owner of Michelin Bib Gourmand seafood bistro Goldie on bringing fish into the home kitchen, educating the next generation of diners and her big farm ambition Aishling Moore is carrying a box of blood oranges across the threshold of her restaurant, Goldie, on Corks Oliver Plunkett Street, when I arrive for our interview. She greets me with a big smile. Its only 10am and shes already driven out to Rossmore to collect the oysters for the day. Goldie gets through a lot of oysters, serving them last week with pickled red onion granita and coriander oil and now shes offering to make me a cortado. Its been a while since I last chatted to her in person and the first impression I have is that shes a lot more comfortable in her skin than she was a few years ago. Regulations have been overhauled in years since fire There were chains on doors, carpet tiles lining the walls, steel plates welded to toilet windows, and staff at the nightclub in Artane had no training in fire drills. The horrific Stardust tragedy more than 40 years ago was possibly the worst case of negligence and mismanagement in Ireland, according to Pat Kenny, chairman of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions health and safety committee. Forty-eight young people who never came home that night were trapped in an inferno that reached 1,200C in less than two minutes. The Stardust tragedy is always in our mind when we think about health and safety, Mr Kenny said. An inquest into the disaster heard the architects who designed the nightclub had little or no knowledge of fire safety. There was no sounding fire alarm. It only sent a signal to the management office, as Dublin Corporation had insisted this would avoid panic in the event of an emergency. A fire swept through the venues polyurethane seats before filling the main dance hall with thick smoke in the early hours of Valentines Day 1981. Most of those inside did not realise the situation was serious until screens went up at a partitioned off area where the fire was first seen. It was too late for so many. The chaotic scene that firefighters came upon less than 10 minutes after an initial 999 call was described by a fire-safety expert at the inquest as something like the Grenfell Tower disaster. Most of those who perished had probably already died. Martin Davidson, who has 29 years experience as a fire engineer, told the inquest that management failed to comply with 16 by-laws out of a total of 26 they had to adhere to. In the years that followed, there was a complete overhaul in fire-prevention measures and laws in Ireland. In 1981, a Fire Services Act laid out effective levels of fire training, planning and prevention measures and powers available to fire services during an incident. Building regulations have also improved. There is a duty of care on every person with control over a premises to make provision for everyone there, and provide adequate and well-maintained fire-fighting equipment in the building. An increase in firefighters and fire stations was a direct result of the blaze, according to Dublin Fire Brigades chief fire officer Dennis Keeley. Dublin Fire Brigades chief fire officer Dennis Keeley. Photo: Collins He was among the new recruits in 1986. There is more training and better equipment available, he added. However, Siptu retained firefighters who went on strike last year over terms and conditions have claimed there were serious staff shortages. Since the tragedy, training for staff in all workplaces in evacuation procedures has become the norm. Padraig O Longaigh, senior assistant chief fire officer in Meath who inspects buildings on a regular basis, said there are some really good places and some where you have to get the stick out. Overall, he says the standards are definitely higher than they would have been in the 1980s. All new buildings, bar family homes, require a fire cert, he said. If we have to tell a premises they must improve, they wont get their licence unless they do that work. There are always outliers out there who will take chances. Thats why we have to be out there in terms of enforcement. Fire officers are doing their best but it requires constant regulation. Its only as good as the regulation of it. Mr Kenny said the there is no doubt that the Stardust tragedy would have figured in the Barrington Commissions discussions. The commission led to the establishment of the Health and Safety Authority and the 1989 Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act. He said the importance of managing health and safety is now obvious to everyone. Hopefully the changes made will ensure that a tragedy like the Stardust will never recur, he added. Most of Europes leaders but not all dread the potential return of the Donald to the White House early next year, and there is much work afoot in Brussels and other EU capitals to plan for what they see as the risk of a grim reality. Trump took a break from his court travails in New York late on Wednesday to have dinner with the hard-right president of Poland, Andrzej Duda, who is visiting the US and Canada. Duda has had an uneasy sharing of power with centre-right prime minister Donald Tusk since last October when Tusk ousted the far-right Justice and Law Party, to which Duda is affiliated. Harsher punishments and more gardai on the street will bring us closer to a safer society. Photo: Collins Wednesdays editorial suggests measures introduced by Justice Minister Helen McEntee, including longer sentences for knife crimes, are a show of toughness (Why the long wait for Government to get tough on crime?, April 17). Does an increase from five years to seven years for specific knife crimes send out a message? I dont think so. This is a political stunt designed to play to the cheering galleries. Crime is a disease spread by un-well minds. It needs a preventative cure. We must fight the disease at source. This means introducing real sanctions, such as life imprisonment for people who choose to commit deplorable crimes. Put an end to these fake life sentences. At least give them a different name, because they are not life sentences. Life should mean life. Long-lasting prevention comes with a vaccine. This means investing in children and young adults. Education and training programmes that give people a pathway to work opportunities can be game-changers. Prevention also means investing in security specifically, more gardai on the streets. Aidan Roddy, Cabinteely, Dublin 18 Class-based politics played a part in delayed justice for Stardust victims families Justice would have been served much earlier if the Stardust tragedy had happened in a more affluent part of Dublin. This is the sad reality. May the 48 rest in peace. Paul Doran, Dublin 22 Justice at last is vindication of families unwillingness to stop fighting for the 48 I want to congratulate the families of the Stardust deceased for the courage and tenacity they have shown for 43 years. There is a lovely saying from a classic movie called The Winslow Boy. Robert Donat, playing the solicitor acting for a boy accused of stealing in school, says: Let right be done. Finally, right has been done for the families of the 48 people killed in Stardust nightclub disaster. Brian McDevitt, Glenties, Co Donegal Need to move away from greenhouse gases has never been more urgent Analysis by World Weather Attribution has revealed that the protracted heatwave in the Sahel region of Africa this month would have been impossible without human-made climate change. Mali registered the hottest day in its history on April 3, with a temperature of 48.5C. The analysis also revealed that maximum temperatures in Burkina Faso and Mali had been made 1.5C and 2C hotter, respectively, by climate change. The burgeoning area of extreme event attribution (also known as attribution science), which measures how climate change causes or exacerbates extreme weather events, is crucially important in showing causative links between climate change and extreme weather events. It will also help counter the dangerous disinformation emitted by greenhouse gas-intensive industries and their agents. According to the Carbon Majors Database, which is compiled by world-renowned researchers, only 57 oil, gas, coal and cement producers are directly linked to 80pc of global CO2 emissions since the 2016 Paris Agreement on climate. Agriculture, fossil-fuel production and the management of waste are the primary sources of methane emissions. Additionally, agriculture is the main source of nitrous oxide emissions. If we are to prevent catastrophic climate change, we need to wean ourselves off our toxic addiction to greenhouse gases. It behoves governments around the world to accept the evidence and take the necessary actions to steer us away from the path to ruin. Rob Sadlier, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 US obstruction of official recognition for Palestine tells its own murky story The United States has blocked Palestine from becoming a member of the United Nations by virtue of its veto. Britain, which is one of the five permanent members, abstained. Effectively, this means denying recognition of statehood to the long-suffering people of Palestine. While the test for statehood involves several legal criteria, it is essentially a very political act. Statehood recognition takes place by virtue of two general theories. The first is constitutive, which means statehood is granted by other existing states by virtue of their will and consent. The other is the declaratory theory, where statehood is granted by virtue of the practical realities on the ground. The world should ignore the US and Britain and follow the Kosovo model. Kosovo is recognised by the majority of countries, but its statehood is still denied by Russia, Serbia, Spain and Greece. Kosovo functions as a nation despite being denied entry to the UN. It hopes to eventually join the EU. Britain should not lecture the rest of the world on the legalities of statehood. In the Spanish Civil War, from 1936 to 1939, they first recognised the government on the republican side. When Franco began gaining the upper hand, Britain switched sides, giving Franco de facto recognition. Britain again adopted a wait-and-see approach when Italy invaded Ethopia in the 1930s. This gave a fascist invasion de facto recognition in 1936 and de jure (legally recognised) status two years later. The US also has a shameful record of defending rogue regimes in Latin America. We are now at a point where the US and Israel are becoming isolated on the world stage. The UN needs to get a grip by first sending a peace-keeping force to Israel and Palestine. It should set up a temporary government for the day-to-day administration of the Gaza Strip while setting a five-year time line for the creation of a new state of Palestine. If the US tries to block this, the civilised world should turn its back on it. Joseph Kiely, Letterkenny, Co Donegal Successive governments failed most vulnerable in our society sick children Thursdays editorial (Our children deserve better than having to wait for cancer care, April 18) was a sad commentary on the way our most vulnerable children those with a cancer diagnosis are being treated by our health services. The editorial hit the nail on the head. This sentence stood out: How we view, value and cherish the youngest and most susceptible members of our society has to be the most honest hallmark of our humanity. The leader of the main opposition party, Mary Lou McDonald, speaking in the Dail, said 800 chemotherapy appointments for children were cancelled last year alone. Our new Taoiseach, Simon Harris, is adamant that services are improving. He assured parents that they live in a country that has really good cancer-care outcomes. Cancer specialists tell us the sooner cancer is detected and treated, the quicker the patient recovers. This current situation is not the fault of our cancer consultants, doctors and nurses. They are doing their best to overcome shortfalls in our hospitals. They are also trying to overcome the many shortcomings in the health system that have been tolerated by several governments. The current situation is a major failure of government past and present. How has it come to this? Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo Latest price increase by brewing giants nudges Irish pub closer to ruin Guinness (Diageo) and Heineken have confirmed they are increasing the price of their product. The cost of living is already through the roof. More and more businesses are closing due to spiralling costs. So why are they piling more pressure on? Publicans are feeling the pressure from increased Vat, increased minimum wage and high electricity costs. And now this. What is left for the publican to pay himself or herself? Ireland, and Dublin in particular, is being ridiculed for being too expensive. Why would tourists come here with our exorbitant prices and lack of accommodation? They certainly wont be visiting for the weather. The Irish pub and the craic was our unique selling point, but now the locals cant even afford it. My hard-earned cash will not be going towards supporting multinationals. I am much happier to support local breweries such as Ballykilcavan, who actually give back. J Bennett, Co Laois Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. Photo: Getty UCD students are set to protest against the visit of American politician Nancy Pelosi to their campus. Nancy Pelosi will receive the Sutherland Leadership Award at a Gala Dinner in Dublin on Monday, April 22 in the company of over 600 international, business, political and social leaders. The event will take place at OReilly Hall, University College Dublin, Belfield. Ireland INC will present the occasion with KPMG supporting this event. But the Students Union at UCD along with UCD BDS, a student-led campaign demanding UCD to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel, for the Liberation of Palestine, plan to protest on the evening. The American politician recently drew criticism for calling for the Federal Bureau of Investigations to investigate pro-Palestinian protesters after suggesting they may have connections to Russia. Join us on Monday April 22nd to protest the welcoming and celebration of Nancy Pelosi, they said in a statement. Let us send a message to all Irish universities, the Irish government, the American government and to the settler-colonial state of Israel that we, the Irish people, do not welcome war criminals. They should not be on our campus; they should be on trial. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. According to reports, Pelosi will accept the Sutherland Leadership Award in recognition of an outstanding contribution to leadership and public life in a career spanning four decades. Throughout her time in Congress, Pelosi, first elected in 1987, continuously broke barriers for women through her House leadership roles. She was voted the first female House minority whip in 2001, the first female minority leader in 2002 and first female speaker of the House in 2007. With that last victory, Pelosi became the highest-ranking woman in U.S. history at the time, eclipsing Madeleine Albright, a secretary of state under former President Bill Clinton. Pelosi has been instrumental in advancing key policies in healthcare, climate change, economic reform, and has consistently promoted equality throughout her time in politics. In 2013, she was inducted into the National Womens Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Seneca Falls, the birthplace of the American womens rights movement, they said. Ian Hyland, President and Publisher of Business and Finance and President of Ireland INC, said: I am particularly delighted that Speaker Emerita Pelosi will accept the Sutherland Leadership Award as part of a program that has recognised some of the most outstanding leaders of our time including President Clinton, President Ursula von der Leyen, Senator George Mitchell, Sir John Major, President Mary Robinson, and President Zelenskyy. We are very much looking forward to honouring the Speaker Emerita with this very special recognition in the company of over 600 International business, political and social leaders on Monday April 22nd. Laura Pakenham's stock is rising by the week, capped this week by a briefing she delivered to politicians in the Dail this week. Laura Pakenham is bringing her passion for Irish speaking to ever growing audiences online via her own Tiktok page. Meet the Longford Gaelgeoir who, thanks to a novel online social media platform, is single-handedly making Irish speaking trendy again. Laura Pakenham is a name that is no stranger to the glare of the media spotlight courtesy of the Lisryan natives regular contributions on video networking site TikTok and a recent appearance on Virgin Media Televisions new Irish dating show Gra ar an Tra. And while love failed to blossom for the outgoing 22-year-old, her fortunes in carving out a niche in the world of online tutoring continues to break new ground with each passing week. Follow Independent Longford on Facebook By her own acceptance, becoming an internet educational sensation is one that has even taken the Lisryan native by surprise. My journey to becoming a Gaelgeoir and a voice for the language online was not one I ever imagined myself embarking on, she told the Irish Independent website. I wasnt raised with Irish and my first 14 years of education were through English. Irish was simply a subject that I (fortunately) happened to be good at. My journey to becoming a fully-fledged Gaeilgeoir truly began when I decided to study a college course by the name of Baitsileir san Oideachas Tri Mhean na Gaeilge. That decision, prompted by the courses appeal of being delivered solely through the medium of Irish paved the way for Lauras path to becoming a teacher in a Gaelscoil (Irish-medium primary school). Switching to all-Irish education at third level after 14 years of education through English was not an easy task, but to spoil the end of the tale, I persevered and achieved my qualification, she eloquently remarked. This experience has left me in a unique position where I can understand various peoples experiences with the language. I was once a learner who struggled to wrap my head around the language, and I'm now confident in my fluency and want to help others achieve the same positive relationship with the language. The passion illustrated by the former Cnoc Mhuire, Granard, student when it comes to Irelands native tongue is as refreshing as it is laudable. They are traits which has resulted in a TikTok audience following of almost 11,000 and rising with thousands more similarly linked to her own Instagram page. Laura Pakenham's stock is rising by the week, capped this week by a briefing she delivered to politicians in the Dail this week. My journey with the language stands testament to the idea that if I can do it, anyone can and I thought to myself, why not try to reach thousands of people with this message through social media? I understand that people had negative experiences with Gaeilge within the education system, but I want to provide an alternative outlook on the language for people on my TikTok account. That deep-seated sense of determination has also seen Laura secure a role with TG4 in Galway as a social media co-ordinator of educational content. Its a stint the proud Longford woman is excelling in ahead of what she hopes will kick-start a career in television presenting and acting. Laura insisted all of her various postings carry a positive and uplifting slant, tendencies which has allowed her many followers to integrate cupla focal into their everyday lives. I rarely teach grammar lessons on my TikTok and havent analysed Peig yet, but instead I make sketches, chat aimlessly, do my makeup, tell stories, rant, embarrass myself, get ready for nights out and much more; but all through Irish. I think a lot of peoples apprehensions about using or speaking the Irish they may already have comes from the fear of making a mistake. "However, I love mistakes. I remind my audience that my profile is a safe space to ask questions and make those very mistakes that may be holding them back. As an educator, I love mistakes as they help me identify what my viewers are yet to learn about the language. This means I can create videos to teach that content and clarify any common misconceptions. Follow Independent Galway on Facebook Lauras impressive communication skills resulted in a trip to the Dail earlier this week where she briefed politicians on her own experiences and the importance of upholding a custom she remains steadfast in bringing to as wide an audience as possible. As the good ol seanfhocal says, bionn gach la ina la scoile - everyday is a school day, and that is the case on my TikTok, she added. Im teaching Irish to my viewers, Im learning from other creators and were creating an amazing space in which our beautiful language can flourish, outside of the classroom. You can follow Laura on TikTok @laurajpakenham. Kate (Kaye Winkie) Delahunty (nee Wiseman), who passed away on February 6, 2024, in the Oak Ward Palliative Care Unit at University Hospital Waterford, was a devoted matriarch, teacher, author and someone who had a passion for helping children achieve their potential. Born on November 22, 1931, in Columbus, Ohio, USA, she is preceded in death by her brother, Dick Wiseman and daughter-in-law, Imelda Delahunty. Kate will be greatly missed by her sister Mary Hoffman Cunningham, her children Deborah Lawlor, Karen Crabbs, Dan Delahunty, Shane Delahunty, her daughter-in-law Jackie Delahunty and son-in-law Jim Lawlor, her grandchildren Ailin, Ciaran, Debbie, Warren, Kelly, Sarah, Claire, Jessi, Louise, Roisin, Mick and ShaneOg, and her great grandchildren Junior, Jakub and Archie. Kate drove across the USA to work on the west coast in the early Sixties by herself with her two young daughters (aged four and six) in a Beetle Volkswagon. She was offered a job at the Worlds Fair in 1964 where she was in charge of the National Foundation of the Blind Exhibit at the Better Living Center. When she would return to the USA (1990s) to visit her family in Columbus, Ohio, she would volunteer at the Native American Indian Center. Kate moved to New Ross, settling in Marsh Lane and Ballycurran. She was a member of both the New Ross Sea Scouts and Parent Committee at New Ross Vocational School. Kates love of children led her to teach Sunday and Bible School in the U.S.A., babysit many children in the New Ross area, work with Childline in Waterford for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) and raise funds for the Christina Noble Childrens Foundation in Vietnam. If you knew Kate, you knew that her great passion was to swim. She was an active member of the New Ross Brandon House Leisure Centre where she swam several times a week and she always made sure to pack her swimsuit whenever she travelled. Kate comes from a lineage of accomplished playwrights, poets and authors. Her love for the people, history, music and culture of Ireland led her to author two books, Verses From Ireland and Stars in the Celtic Twilight. Kate lived many years in Ballycurran before moving into The Waterfront on Marsh Lane 15 years ago. She was a member of the Active Retirement Associations in New Ross and Glenmore and had a wide circle of friends. She passed away after a long illness which she bore with dignity and courage. Kates love of nature led her to choose Woodbrook Natural Burial Ground as her final resting place. A private ceremony was held by her family. Two Wicklow youngsters showcased their considerable artistic talents as they were both revealed as winners of this years Toyota Dream Car Art Contest. The competition asked children from all across the world to illustrate their vision of the car for the future. Four-year-old Faie OSullivan from Derrybawn in Glendalough placed first in the seven and under category for her brilliant piece of art, The Moon Car, which depicts a car using energy from the stars to travel through space. 12-year-old Eva Yu from Bray placed first in the 12 15 Years category for her entry, Floral Toyota Robot Transformer. Evas striking sustainability-inspired artwork features a futuristic vehicle that collects rubbish on land and sea and grows plants. Faie and Evas works of art, along with the winning entries from the seven other Irish finalists, will now be put forward to represent Ireland against finalists from other participating countries in the international stage of the contest. The nine Irish finalists will compete on a global stage against nine finalists from all other participating countries to compete for a grand prize of $5,000 and $10,000 for the ultimate winners school to go towards educational resources. Zoe Bradley, Head of Marketing Communications and Corporate Affairs at Toyota Ireland, Toyota Ireland, said The Dream Car Art Contest is an inclusive initiative that has been running for 17 years now and is very much reflective of our Built for a Better World brand promise. This competition brings together children of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, and ethnicities, showcasing the breadth of imagination and visionary thinking of Irelands young and upcoming artists. At Toyota Ireland, we believe imagination fuels innovation and are proud to support the next generation of innovators in Ireland. Sponsor JP McManus and Niall Collins, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science presenting All Ireland Scholarship Award to Robert Shparuta, St. David's Holy Faith Secondary School, Wicklow. Sponsor JP McManus and Niall Collins, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science presenting All Ireland Scholarship Award to Hannah OConnor, East Glendalough School, Wicklow. Four gifted Wicklow students have been awarded an All Ireland Scholarship that will cover the full duration of their undergraduate studies. Hugh Mac Giolla Cearra (Colaiste Raithin), Robert Shparuta (St. David's Holy Faith) and Hannah O'Connor and Jonas Stafford (East Glendalough School) were among the pupils honoured at the recent All Ireland Scholarships Awards Ceremony in the University Concert Hall, University of Limerick. In attendance at the ceremony was scholarship sponsor JP McManus, Guest of Honour and CEO of Northwell Health, Michael J. Dowling, Minister for Further and Higher Education Niall Collins T.D. and Director of Skills, Strategy & Policy, Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland, Graeme Wilkinson as well as the family, friends and school representatives of the scholarship recipients. The All Ireland Scholarships were established in 2008 by JP McManus, and this year marks its 16th anniversary. The third-level educational scholarship is awarded to 125 of the highestachieving students per year, with a minimum of two students from each of the 32 counties. The recipients must meet a further set of criteria, including attending a non-fee-paying school and being in receipt of a third-level education maintenance grant from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) or being in receipt of an Education Maintenance Allowance in Northern Ireland. Commenting at the awards ceremony, Scholarship Sponsor JP McManus said: I am delighted to be here today to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of these 125 students. To date, 1,799 students have received an All Ireland Scholarship, and 1,348 of those students have since graduated from university. Today is a very special occasion for the students, their families and principals. They should all be very proud of themselves, and we are looking forward to seeing what they do in years to come. Although the line-up for Electric Picnic hasnt been announced yet, Sophie Murray revealed that she is now engaged to her long-term boyfriend who she met at the festival years ago. Sam Donovan proposed in Australia with Sophie uploading a video of the moment with the caption: Its a yes in every lifetime. The couple met at the Stradbally festival back in 2018 and have gone every year to celebrate their anniversary. Ms Murray opened up about meeting the love of her life in a Get Ready with Me TikTok. Myself and Sam bae met at Electric Picnic, well officially met, we knew each other for years, she said last year. Now were back for our four-year anniversary in the romantic fields of Stradbally. Myself and Sam had known each other for years but we bumped into each other four years ago at Electric Picnic, so obviously this weekends four years ago which is our anniversary. I just thought he was so gorge, and I was like girls, we need to find Sam, I want to find Sam, I found Sam, and the rest is history. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Meanwhile, another influencer also announced her engagement this week. Cork-woman Miriam Mullins told followers she was in shock following the surprise proposal by boyfriend Tiaan Heyns in South Africa. She believed she was filming a video for her social media when her boyfriend of more than four years got down on one knee. "Im literally still in shock that this happened, she said. "We are so happy and cant wait for the next chapter. The influencer thanked followers for their well wishes and admitted she cannot believe that she is now engaged. "Its just so mad what just happened, and I cannot believe it. Im shocked, I cant believe it, she said. "Im just over the moon, myself and Tiaan are so, so happy to be engaged and moving onto the next chapter of our lives and its just mad, I never thought this day would come. A man stands next to a car partially submerged by flood water following heavy rainfall in Dubai. Photo: Reuters A leading weather expert has warned that weather wars between nations could become a reality after the United Arab Emirates shared concerns of Dubais rainfall being manipulated. The Gulf city recorded more than 14cm of rainfall on Tuesday, a new high in 65 years of recording, which forced flight cancellations and school closures, and also affected thousands of tourists. Europe Africans recruited to work in Russia say they were duped into building drones for use in Ukraine Image Credit: Pixabay The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has issued a recall order for Indias Everest Fish Curry Masala due to the presence of ethylene oxide, an unauthorized pesticide, found over acceptable limits. The Times of India (TOI) reported that consumers are advised against consuming the product. The importer Sp Muthiah & Sons has been instructed by SFA to recall the affected products, a release dated April 18 said. Established by the late Vadilal Bhai Shah over 57 years ago, the brand is Indias largest producer of pure and blended spices, with a presence in over 80 countries globally. This action follows a similar alert from the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) in Hong Kong, which detected ethylene oxide in several spice products, including MDH and Everest brands. On April 5, the CFS disclosed that samples of various pre-packaged spice mixes contained ethylene oxide, classified as a Group-1 carcinogen. The food regulatory body of Hong Kong found that three MDH productsMadras Curry Powder (spice blend for Madras Curry), Sambhar Masala Mixed Masala Powder, and Curry Powder Mixed Masala Powderas well as Everest Fish Curry Masala contained the pesticide ethylene oxide, which is classified as a Group-1 carcinogen. The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today that samples of several kinds of prepackaged spice mix products were found to contain a pesticide, ethylene oxide, the CFS said in its statement on April 5. Responding to TOI, the company asserted its commitment to stringent quality checks and compliance with regulatory standards. However, the company said it would readily address any issues pending official communication. Everest, a major player in Indias branded spices sector along with MDH Spices and Catch Foods, is valued by analysts at more than Rs 20,000 crore and has received endorsements from Bollywood icons such as Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, said media reports. The brands current revenues are estimated to surpass Rs 3,000 crore. The sale of fish curry masala does not significantly contribute to Everests overall sales, indicating that the recall is unlikely to have a significant impact on its business, according to sources cited in the report. Since ages, spices have always had a huge significance in Indias economy and its cultural influence is highlighted by its top role in spice production, consumption, and export. The crucial role of spices in food consumption highlights the need to maintain high-quality standards in spice production to comply with the standards set by global food regulators. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash An Indian national was sentenced on Friday (April 19, 2024) to five years in prison for selling controlled substances on dark web marketplaces and ordered to forfeit approximately $150 million. "According to court documents and in statements made in court, Banmeet Singh, 40, of Haldwani, India, created vendor marketing sites on dark web marketplaces, such as Silk Road, Alpha Bay, Hansa, and others, to sell controlled substances, including fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax, ketamine, and tramadol," read a statement issued by the US Department of Justice. Customers paid with cryptocurrency for drugs ordered from Singh using the vendor sites. Singh then personally shipped or arranged the shipment of the drugs from Europe to the United States through U.S. mail or other shipping services. "From at least mid-2012 through July 2017, Singh controlled at least eight distribution cells within the United States, including cells located in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, and Washington, among other locations. Individuals in these distribution cells received drug shipments and then re-packaged and re-shipped the drugs to locations in all 50 states, Canada, England, Ireland, Jamaica, Scotland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands," the statement said. Over the course of the conspiracy, the Singh drug organization moved hundreds of kilograms of controlled substances throughout the United States and established a multimillion-dollar drug enterprise that laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds into cryptocurrency accounts, which ultimately became worth approximately $150 million. Singh was arrested in April 2019 in London at the request of the United States and subsequently extradited to the United States in March 2023. He pleaded guilty on Jan. 26 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri, head of the Justice Departments Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio; Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Acting Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Cincinnati Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement. The DEA, IRS-CI, HSI, USPIS, and the Upper Arlington and Columbus, Ohio, Police Departments investigated the case. The United Kingdoms National Crime Agency, Crown Prosecution Service, and Central Authority provided significant assistance. The Justice Departments Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Singh from the United Kingdom. Trial Attorney Emily Cohen of the Criminal Divisions Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Hunter for the Southern District of Ohio prosecuted the case. Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X video Bengaluru/IBNS: Karnataka Congress corporator Niranjan Hiremath, whose daughter Neha was killed by one Fayaz Khondunaik, has claimed " love jihad is spreading" in the southern state despite Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's citing of "personal reasons" behind the murder, media reports said. Niranjan Hiremath said as quoted by NDTV, "These things are happening. When we observe in various places, their cruel nature is increasing. The youngsters are going astray. Why they go through such mental state? We have lost our daughter. "This shouldn't happen to anyone else. That's our prayer. We have seen others suffering like this. I feel that this problem of Love Jihad is spreading." A massive slugfest between the incumbent Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) started after Neha Hiremath, 23, was stabbed seven times by a former student- named Fayaz- of the same college in Hubballi. Police suspect the first-year student of Master of Computer Applications was killed because she had rejected Fayaz's advances. The accused has reportedly claimed during an interrogation that he had a relationship with Neha and she was ignoring him of late. The matter got political with the BJP claiming a deterioration of law and order in the state while the ruling party highlighted the personal reason. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla posted on X, "Shocking state of affairs in Karnataka. When daughter of Congress is not safe from Fayaz who is? Broad daylight murder , terror attack at Rameshwaram cafe.. Dalits attacked , Hindus chanting Jai Shri Ram attacked, actress faces attack.. many such incidents And we see father of Neha say one thing but CM,HM doing Votebank politics & giving cover fire to Fayaz mindset ! "Why such soft approach & clean chit before investigations? So many incidents of murders & law & order issues have taken place in last 24 hours.. Karnataka has seen the worst government - no water; no law & orderonly appeasement From Bengal to Bengaluru - INDI alliance means votebank ki suraksha not mahila suraksha." Shocking state of affairs in Karnataka When daughter of Congress is not safe from Fayaz who is? Broad daylight murder , terror attack at Rameshwaram cafe.. Dalits attacked , Hindus chanting Jai Shri Ram attacked, actress faces attack.. many such incidents And we see father pic.twitter.com/gxKeZ5pvJy Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) April 20, 2024 Rebutting charges, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called the murder was caused due to "personal reasons". Image Credit: Narendra Modi/ X page Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the Karnataka government for not resolving challenges in Bengaluru's infrastructure, adding that the mismanagement by the Congress party is responsible for the current crisis. Addressing a rally in Bengaluru, he highlighted the severe water shortage in certain areas of the city, which has resulted in water rationing and penalties for non-essential water usage. "The Congress government in Karnataka has transformed the tech city into a tanker city, and left it in the hands of tanker mafia," he said. " The Congress party is against the private sector, taxpayers, and wealth creators. While the opposition bloc concentrates on criticizing Modi, my priority remains India's development and enhancing its global reputation," he said. Taking a dig at the opposition alliance, Modi said the leaders of the INDIA bloc seem to be repeating tired rhetoric, akin to a worn-out tape recorder. In contrast, Modi and his allies are presenting their track record. That's precisely why we're here in Bengaluru, seeking your blessings, he stated. In the upcoming elections, BJP Members of Parliament Tejasvi Surya and PC Mohan are contesting from Bangalore South and Central constituencies, respectively. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje is the candidate from Bangalore North. In Bangalore Rural, cardiologist CN Manjunath, who is also former Prime Minister Deve Gowda's son-in-law, is contesting on a BJP ticket as part of an arrangement with alliance partner Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S). Prime Minister Modi conducted large-scale rallies in Kalaburagi and Shivamogga last month. On April 14, he addressed a rally in Mysuru, where he shared the stage with Gowda. Later, he held a roadshow in the coastal town of Mangaluru. Voting in Karnataka is scheduled to take place in two phases, with the first phase on April 26 and the second phase on May 7. Image Credit: twitter.com/Manothangaraj Mumbai: The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has suspended Ramadas Prini Sivanandan, a PhD student for two years, citing "repeated misconduct and activities deemed anti-national ," media reported. The suspension has sparked controversy, with the Progressive Students Forum (PSF) linking the suspension to Ramadas' involvement in a protest against the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) in Delhi earlier this year, reported The Indian Express. As per the publication, the suspension directive issued on April 18 bars Ramadas from accessing any TISS campus during the suspension period. This decision came after a show-cause notice was sent to him on March 7, questioning his participation in the Delhi protest and other engagements on the Mumbai campus. The notice alleged that Ramadas misrepresented the institution by participating in the protest under the PSF-TISS banner. TISS argued that since PSF is not an officially recognized student body, Ramadas' actions created a false impression. TISS also receives funding from the Ministry of Education. In January, the United Students of India organized a protest to oppose the NEP 2020. The Progressive Students Forum (PSF) criticized TISS's decision, interpreting it as an effort to suppress dissent against the policies of the ruling BJP government. Ramadas, a PhD scholar from the Dalit community, is a member with the left-wing student organisation Student Federation of India (SFI) and has arranged events that the institute deemed unauthorized. While Ramadas declined to comment, a close associate told the publication that he had responded to the institute's notices and was surprised by the suspension. The PSF condemned TISS's actions, arguing that they unfairly target marginalized students and their aspirations for higher education. On the other hand, a senior institute official told the newspaper that Ramadas was more of a political activist than a student and emphasized that he maligned the reputation of the institute. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons New Delhi: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud praised the introduction of three fresh criminal laws, slated to be implemented on July 1, describing it as a crucial moment for Indian society. During the event titled "India's forward-moving journey in managing the criminal justice system," attended by Law Minister Arjun Meghwal, CJI Chandrachud underscored that these new laws mark a significant stride in the modernisation of the nation's justice system. "The three new legislations will help in detecting the loopholes in the criminal justice system which has to be addressed," the CJI said. The new criminal laws, known as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023; and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, are formulated to revolutionize the criminal justice system through the digitization of several procedural aspects. CJI Chandrachud underscored that starting from the initial filing of a First Information Report (FIR) to the ultimate pronouncement of judgment, each phase of a criminal inquiry will be digitally documented within the framework of the proposed laws. "The enactment of these laws by Parliament reflects India's evolving landscape and the imperative need for new legal mechanisms to address contemporary challenges," the Chief Justice said. These laws have a comprehensive approach, ensuring a seamless flow of information and better collaboration and coordination among stakeholders participating in the investigative and adjudicatory processes. At the CBI Raising Day, too, the CJI also praised the three new criminal laws stating it aimed at digitising criminal procedure and said they were a 'significant step' towards modernising the country's justice system. Key provisions entail the issuance of electronic summonses and virtual presentation of testimonies, thereby eliminating the necessity for physical paperwork and enhancing communication efficiency among law enforcement agencies, courts, and individuals engaged in legal processes. CJI Chandrachud also emphasised that these advancements will mitigate delays in the transmission of bail orders to prison authorities and in recording witness statements. The seminar's objective is to raise awareness about these new criminal statutes, which are set to supplant the preceding laws, namely the Indian Penal Code 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. Photo Courtesy: WHO Following reports of alleged Israeli strikes inside Iran near a nuclear power station early Friday, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a new appeal to all parties to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East. The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond, he said in a statement issued by his Office. Echoing those concerns, UN atomic energy agency chief Rafael Grossi urged extreme restraint from all sides, after more than six and a half months of war in Gaza that have fuelled fears of a wider regional conflict. IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to Irans nuclear sites" and Director-General Grossi "continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts", the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a tweet following unconfirmed media reports that possible drone strikes had targeted the Iranian province of Isfahan, which is home to nuclear facilities and military garrisons. In Geneva, too, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, urged all parties to take steps to de-escalate the situation rapidly. (We) call on third States, in particular those with influence, to do all in their power to ensure there is no further deterioration in an already extremely precarious situation, said OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence. Hunger and fear In Gaza, aid teams offered new insight into the dangers faced by Palestinian civilians particularly pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers as a result of the wanton destruction of vital medical equipment and widespread dehydration, malnutrition and fear among Palestinians. Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Dominic Allen, Representative for the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) for Palestine, said that there were indications that the number of complicated births is nearly twice what it was before war erupted. There is absolutely an increase in the numbers, he said, adding that pre-war, around 15 per cent of births required some form of emergency obstetric care. Today, some doctors have reported a doubling of what they previously had dealt with, and this is due to malnutrition, dehydration and fear, which impact the pregnant womans ability to give birth safely and carry their baby to full term safely, the UNFPA official said. Wanton destruction Mr. Allen described his latest mission to Gaza to assess the impact of Israeli attacks on healthcare at embattled hospitals in the north, central and southern governorates. It was clear that the last remaining hospitals in the enclave including its second largest, Nasser Hospital are clinging to life themselves whilst they are a lifeline for the pregnant women of Gaza, Mr. Allen said via video link from Jerusalem. What I saw, it breaks my heartIt's indescribable. What we see there is medical equipment, purposefully broken, ultrasounds which you will know is a very important tool for helping ensure safe births with cables that have been cut, screens of complex medical equipment like ultrasounds and other with the screens smashed. So, purposeful, wanton destruction in the maternity ward. Before intense Israeli bombardment began in response to Hamas-led terror attacks across southern Israel on 7 October, Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis had a maternity ward which UNFPA teams have supported and supplied for years. In order to be fully functional again, the hospital will need reconditioned water and sanitation services and repairs to damaged electricity generators, at a bare minimum. But, I stood beside the warehouse (where) we delivered supplies many months ago and it was literally burning; there's so much work to do in terms of trying to re-establish that lifeline, Mr. Allen said. Palpable fear The UNFPA mission, which began on Monday 8 April and ended this Wednesday, was carried out in partnership with the UN World Health Organization (WHO), the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). The objective was to visit around 10 hospitals in Gaza, among them Al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, which was overwhelmed with trauma patients and not supporting maternity care. At Emirati Hospital in the south of the enclave, Mr. Allen recounted meeting the medical director of the facility who said that he no longer sees normal-sized babies. Turning to Rafah and continuing fears of an Israeli incursion, the UNFPA officer underscored the great sense of fear hanging over the more than 1.2 million people sheltering there. There is a palpable fear from the Gazans who I spoke with - the midwives, doctors, pregnant women, my fellow colleagues, who are in GazaRight now it's a haven for 1.2 million Gazans; it's not a safe haven, but it's a haven at least. Explosion hits military base belonging to an Iran-backed militia in Iraq. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash At least three people were injured after five explosions hit a military base belonging to an Iran-backed militia in Iraq, media reports said. The blasts happened at a site belonging to the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), according to Muhannad al-Anazi, a member of the Security Committee in Babylon Governorate, south of the capital Baghdad, reported CNN. Israeli and US officials have so far not commented on the involvement in the explosions. The explosions occurred just a day after Israel had carried out a strike inside Iran. Israel has carried out a military strike inside Iran, a US official earlier told CNN Friday, a potentially dangerous escalation in a fast widening Middle East conflict that Iranian government officials have so far sought to play down. Irans air defense systems were activated in the cities of Isfahan and Tabriz after three explosions were heard close to a major military airbase near Isfahan, the American news channel reported on Friday. Meanwhile, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi made no mention of Israel's Friday (local time) strike on Iran, while publicly lauding the unprecedented Iranian military operation last weekend targeting the "Israeli-occupied territories", reported CNN. The US authorities posted on X that the country did not conduct any airstrike on Iraq on Saturday. "We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today," US Centcom posted on X. Antonio Guterres reacts Following reports of alleged Israeli strikes inside Iran near a nuclear power station early Friday, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a new appeal to all parties to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East. The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond, he said in a statement issued by his office. Echoing those concerns, UN atomic energy agency chief Rafael Grossi urged extreme restraint from all sides, after more than six and a half months of war in Gaza that have fuelled fears of a wider regional conflict. IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to Irans nuclear sites" and Director-General Grossi "continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts", the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a tweet following unconfirmed media reports that possible drone strikes had targeted the Iranian province of Isfahan, which is home to nuclear facilities and military garrisons. In Geneva, too, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, urged all parties to take steps to de-escalate the situation rapidly. (We) call on third States, in particular those with influence, to do all in their power to ensure there is no further deterioration in an already extremely precarious situation, said OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence. Photo Courtesy: Indian Embassy In Nepal website The foundation stone of the structure was laid down by Mangal Singh Dhami, Chairperson, Byas Rural Municipality and Prashant Kumar Sona, Second Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu for the construction of Shree Himalaya Secondary School Building at Byas Rural Municipality-6, Darchula, being built with Government of Indias financial assistance at the tendered cost of NRs.28.20 million. "Further, Mr. Narendra Bahadur Singh Badal, Chairperson, Duhun Rural Municipality and Shri Prashant Kumar Sona, Second Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu was jointly inaugurated School building of Shree Janabikash Secondary School at Duhun Rural Municipality, built at project cost of NR.33.70 million, under Nepal-India Development Cooperation. Political representatives, government officials, social workers, representative of the school management, teachers, parents and students were also present on this occasion," the Indian Embassy in Nepal said in a statement. The Government of India grant under Nepal-India Development Cooperation, will be utilized for the construction of double storied school building, toilet block, boundary wall and entry gate with other facilities for Shree Himalaya Secondary School at Byas Rural Municipality. Also, the GoI grant was utilized for the construction of a school building with other facilities for Shree Janabikash Secondary School, Duhun Rural Municipality. These projects taken up as a High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP), under an Agreement between Government of India and Government of Nepal. The projects being implemented through Byas Rural Municipality for Shree Himalaya Secondary School and Shree Janabikash Secondary School, was implemented through Duhun Rural Municipality, Darchula. The project is an important example of the robust development partnership between India and Nepal. Chairpersons Byas Rural Municipality and Duhun Rural Municipality in their remarks appreciated the continued developmental support of the Government of India in upliftment of the people of Nepal in priority sectors. The new school buildings would be useful in providing better education facilities to students of Shree Himalaya Secondary School and Shree Janabikash Secondary School in Darchula, Nepal and would create an improved environment for learning as well as contribute to the development of the education in this area. Since 2003, Government of India has taken up over 551 HICDPs in Nepal in various sectors and has completed 489 projects. Amongst these, 40 projects are in Sudurpashchim Province in various sectors, which include 10 projects in Darchula. In addition to these, Government of India has gifted 1009 ambulances and 300 school buses to various hospitals, health posts and educational institutions in Nepal on the occasion of Independence Day and Republic Day of India. Amongst these, 60 ambulances and 20 school buses have been gifted in Sudurpashchim Province, including 8 ambulances and 2 school buses provided in Darchula District. As close neighbours, India and Nepal share wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation. The implementation of HICDPs reflects the continued support of the Government of India in bolstering the efforts of the Government of Nepal in upliftment of its people, and augmenting infrastructure in the field of priority sector, especially in the education sector in Nepal. Photo Courtesy: PPP Official Instagram page His remarks came after President Zardari stressing the need for meaningful dialogues and called for political reconciliation to do away with the polarisation and overcome the challenges pervading the crisis-hit country, reported Geo News. Stressing legal questions, PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan referred to Article 41 of the Constitution and said the president represents the federation, adding that Zardari did not tender his resignation as the PPP co-chairman so far. Law is being violated in this House, the PTI leader told Geo News that he tired to raise a point being a leader of the opposition but he was denied the floor. As per the law, the floor is given to the opposition leader whenever he asks, he added. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was quoted as saying by Geo News: "We do not recognise this president [Zardari]. [Not only] this president but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the entire cabinet are also illegal. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash At least five Japanese nationals escaped unhurt after the vehicle in which they were travelling was targeted by a suicide attacker in Pakistan's Karachi city, media reports said. The suicide bomber was killed in the attack while an accomplice was gunned down by police, officials told Dawn News. A private security guard accompanying the Japanese national died after succumbing to his injuries while two bystanders were also injured, officials added. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) East Azfar Mahesar told Dawn.com that the incident took place near Murtaza Chowrangi in Landhi, adding that the five foreign nationals were travelling in a Hiace van. All five Japanese remained safe, he said. The Japanese nationals were on the way to Export Processing Zone from their residence in Zamzama, he said. Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) DIG Asif Aijaz Shaikh told Dawn.com that the Japanese nationals were travelling in a van along with two security guards when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle hit them. All five Japanese nationals are safe, DIG Shaikh said. He further said that another suicide bomber who was there for backup was gunned down by a Sharafi Goth police party patrolling the area. No one has claimed responsibility so far, the DIG said, adding that the vehicle carrying the Japanese nationals was bullet-proof. CTD in-charge Raja Umar Khattab said the officials gunned down the second terrorist. From what I checked, the terrorist fired about 15 rounds. Other than that, he also had some grenades, Khattab said. He told the newspaper that one of the suspects was identified as Sohail Ahmed, 30, a resident of Balochistans Panjgur in Balochistan. The CTD official said the suspect was reportedly affiliated with the outlawed Baloch Republican Army and was missing from his home since 2022. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the incident. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash The United States on Friday (April 19, 2024) said three entities from China and one from Belarus have been sanctioned for allegedly supplying ballistic missile items to Pakistan, the State Department said. "The United States is committed to strengthening the global nonproliferation regime by taking action to disrupt procurement networks supporting proliferation activities of concern. Today, we are designating four entities pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery," US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller in a press release. "These entities three based in the Peoples Republic of China and one in Belarus have supplied missileapplicable items to Pakistans ballistic missile programs, including its long-range missile program," he said. The designated entities were Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant; Xian Longde Technology Development Company Limited; Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd; and Granpect Co. Ltd. Miller said they have engaged in activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery, including any efforts to manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport, transfer or use such items, by Pakistan. Photo courtesy: Pixabay Washington: US House of Representatives legislators gave quick approvals to two crucial aid bills on Saturday, aimed at countering China's influence and bolstering Taiwan, media reported. They also issued a warning to TikTok, threatening a ban unless it separates from its Beijing ties, reported AFP. Votes on significant bills regarding Ukraine and Israel were pending. Voting on the foreign aid and arms bills, totalling approximately $95 billion, started at 1:00 pm (1700 GMT). Speaker Mike Johnson, facing challenges inside his own party, had to rely on Democratic support for the bills to pass, said the report. These bills are the result of extensive negotiations, pressure from US allies, and appeals for aid from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The issue of funding, particularly for Ukraine, has been contentious and even cost a previous Speaker his position. Responding to President Biden's request, a part of the funds, about $8 billion, is allocated to counter China's influence, including investment in submarine infrastructure and competition with Beijing on international projects. Moreover, significant funds are earmarked for Taiwan's defense, according to the AFP report. A provision in the bills mandates TikTok to sever ties with its Chinese parent company ByteDance, or face a nationwide ban in the US. Allegations of TikTok's alignment with Beijing's interests have fuelled concerns among Western officials, despite the company's denial of such claims. President Biden's administration expressed strong support for the legislation, underscoring the importance of addressing these strategic and security concerns. The bill also includes provisions for Ukraine, long supported by Democrats but facing resistance from some Republicans, particularly those aligned with former President Trump's stance. Speaker Johnson, after much deliberation, endorsed a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine, which includes economic assistance and arsenal. The legislation also empowers President Biden to seize and sell Russian assets to fund Ukraine's reconstruction, a move endorsed by G7 nations. The bill awaits its fate with the Senate, with Democratic leader Chuck Schumer indicating a quick deliberation. Further, significant military aid has been allocated to Israel for its defense against Hamas, alongside humanitarian assistance for Gaza and other vulnerable populations. The passage of these bills is expected to be welcomed by US allies, though it may come at a political cost for Speaker Johnson, who faces opposition from his party for supporting them. A 20-year-old boy from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested by Mumbai Police for booking a cab under the name of a gangster from Salman Khan's residence in Bandra. Identified as Rohit Tyagi, the youth pretended to be Lawrence Bishnoi while booking the cab. Ghaziabad Youth Poses As Lawrence Bishnoi Picture Of Salman Khan/Twitter The security at Salman Khan's residence informed the police when the cab arrived, leading to Rohit's arrest. After questioning the cab driver, the police confirmed Rohit's involvement in the prank. He was taken to court and given two days in police custody while the investigation continues. Earlier in the week, two individuals connected to a shooting near Salman Khan's house were arrested by Kutch police. Suspected to be linked to Lawrence Bishnoi's gang, they were transferred to Mumbai Crime Branch custody until April 25. Since November 2022, Salman Khan's security has been heightened due to threats from gangsters like Lawrence Bishnoi. He's been permitted to carry a firearm, and he has acquired a bulletproof vehicle for protection. Regarding the shooting incident, Salman's brother, Arbaaz Khan, stated the family's cooperation with the police investigation and expressed their distress over the matter. In other news, a video surfaced showing Salman Khan arriving in Dubai amid heightened security days after the shooting incident. Despite the recent events, Salman happily interacted with fans, receiving flowers and smiles upon his arrival. Additionally, Salman recently announced his upcoming film titled "Sikandar" with AR Murugadoss, extending Eid greetings to his fans and hinting at a star-studded cast yet to be revealed. In an Instagram post, Salman wrote, "Iss Eid Bade Miyan Chote Miyan aur Maidaan ko dekho aur agli Eid Sikandar se aa kar milo. Wish u all Eid Mubarak!" For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. 1. Premalu Returns To Charm Audiences! Sequel To Beloved Malayalam Rom-Com Officially Announced Scene From Premalu/Instagram Director Girish AD has formally announced the follow-up to the well-liked film "Premalu," which starred Naslen K. Gafoor and Mamitha Baiju. Kerala and other areas praised this Malayalam movie. For the follow-up, the main players will be back, and Telugu version director SS Karthikeya will present it once more. The production company, Bhavana Studios, announced the news on Instagram along with some new posters that appeared to be situated somewhere other than Hyderabad. They declared, "2025 will see the return of Malayalam cinema's biggest romantic comedy blockbuster! Let us greet Premalu 2 now." In addition, Fahadh Faasil will make a comeback as a producer of the movie. 2. Ghaziabad Youth Poses As Lawrence Bishnoi, Books Cab From Salman Khan's Bandra Home Picture Of Salman Khan/BCCL Mumbai Police detained a 20-year-old teenager from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, for using a gangster's name to hire a taxi from Salman Khan's Bandra home. The young man, identified as Rohit Tyagi, had feigned to be Lawrence Bishnoi when he made the taxi reservation. When the taxi arrived, Salman Khan's security alerted the police, which resulted in Rohit's detention. Rohit's involvement in the hoax was verified by the authorities after they questioned the taxi driver. He was brought before the judge and detained by the police for two days while the inquiry was ongoing. 3. Mumtaz Parties With Pakistani Artists Including Fawad Khan, Netizens Point Out 'He Is Uncomfortable' Mumtaz, a veteran Bollywood actress, met many well-known artists in Pakistan on her recent trip there. On social media, she posted images and videos from her journey. Mumtaz shared photos to her Instagram on Friday. She was spotted wearing a beautiful outfit beside actor Fawad Khan. Sat together, they had a happy conversation. Mumtaz Parties With Pakistani Artists Including Fawad Khan, Netizens Point Out 'He Is Uncomfortable'/Instagram 4. Thalapathy Vijay's 'Ghilli' Returns To Big Screen, Fans Celebrate Re-Release Across Tamil Nadu & Beyond Today marks the 20th anniversary of Thalapathy Vijay's phenomenally popular film "Ghilli," which returned to the big screen. After the movie, which starred Thalapathy Vijay and Trisha Krishnan, was re-released in theatres across Tamil Nadu, fans celebrated with videos that they posted on social media. One of the X users shared videos from France, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and wrote, "#Ghilli storm hits overseas markets and TODAY TAMIL NADU is getting ready for the festival." 5. Amar Singh Chamkila Actress Parineeti Chopra On Favouritism, Dream Roles: 'I Only Have My Talent' Actress Parineeti Chopra, who starred in Amar Singh Chamkila, opened up about why she feels the film industry isn't giving her enough work. Parineeti feels that organisations in the industry and favouritism influence who gets opportunities, even though she was praised for her singing and acting in the movie. Amar Singh Chamkila Actress Parineeti Chopra On Nepotism, Dream Roles: 'I Only Have My Talent'/X For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. The sequel to the popular movie "Premalu," starring Naslen K. Gafoor and Mamitha Baiju, has been officially announced by director Girish AD. This Malayalam film received praise in Kerala and other places. The lead actors will return for the sequel, and SS Karthikeya will once again present the Telugu version. Premalu 2 Announced Poster Of Premalu/X Bhavana Studios, the production house, shared the news on Instagram along with new posters hinting at a different setting from Hyderabad. They said, "The biggest romantic comedy hit in Malayalam cinema is coming back in 2025! Let's welcome Premalu 2." Fahadh Faasil will also return as one of the film's producers. Makers Announced The Sequel To The Malayalam Blockbuster Premalu On Friday Karthikeya, the son of SS Rajamouli, announced that he would present the Telugu version again. He expressed his gratitude to the Telugu audience and Bhavana Studios for their support. He said he is excited to bring Premalu 2 to Telugu audiences with even more love. All About Premalu The story of "Premalu" revolves around Sachin and Reenu navigating adulthood, including love, friendships, and careers. It follows two Malayalis who move to Hyderabad for work, meet, and fall in love. Supporting actors like Sangeeth Prathap, Shyam Mohan, and Matthew Thomas also received praise. As the first film ended with Sachin going to the UK for studies while Reenu stayed in Hyderabad for her career, it's unclear how the filmmakers will continue the story in Premalu 2. What Is The Release Date? The movie will be released in Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil in 2025, but the exact release date is yet to be announced. Dubai's Burj Khalifa witnessed an extraordinary moment as Sunil Patil, famously known as Dolly Chaiwalla from Nagpur, took social media by storm once again with his latest reel. The video, showing him savouring coffee at the pinnacle of the iconic skyscraper, has garnered over nine lakh views, sparking a frenzy online. In the footage shared on his Instagram, Patil made a grand entrance in a Mercedes G-Wagon before embarking on a tour of the towering structure. The highlight was his serene coffee moment at the top-floor lounge, offering a breathtaking view of Dubai's cityscape. Patil's rise from a humble tea seller to a global sensation has left netizens in awe and amusement. Some joked about the idea of setting up a tea stall atop Burj Khalifa, while others marveled at his journey, with one user commenting, Education is a scam, and another noting, When luck is with you, the good and good have to bow down. Earlier this year, Patil made headlines when a video of him alongside Microsofts Bill Gates went viral. Gates, impressed by Patil's innovation in tea preparation, shared the video on his Instagram, emphasizing India's knack for innovation in every aspect of life. Bill Gates/Instagram "I did not know who he was. I thought that he was some guy from a foreign country so I should serve him tea. The next day, when I came back to Nagpur, I realised who I served tea to. (Agle din pata chala maine kisko chai pilaya)," the tea seller from Nagpur had told ANI then, Dolly Chaiwala's ascent to fame underscores his unique style and approach to tea crafting and sales. Despite limited formal education, his entrepreneurial spirit thrived, leading to global recognition. With over 2.9 million Instagram followers, Patil's journey from Nagpur's streets to international acclaim serves as a testament to resilience and unwavering passion. Patil's financial success is equally impressive, with a net worth surpassing Rs. 10 lakh. Priced at Rs. 7 per cup, his daily income ranges from Rs. 2450 to Rs. 3500, generated from selling 350 to 500 cups of chai every day. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Lok Sabha Election 2024: A polling agent from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has captured the public's attention after a video showcasing her unwavering dedication to her duties went viral on social media. Isha Arora, stationed in the Gangoh assembly constituency, diligently oversaw the voting process, particularly drawing admiration for her punctuality and commitment. #WATCH | Saharanpur, UP: Polling Agent Isha Arora says, "I think that if you get any duty, you should be punctual and that's the reason I have assumed my duty on time. Every man and woman should be punctual to let the functioning be smooth." Regarding her video going viral, she pic.twitter.com/Xo44vVeYyQ ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2024 Isha Arora, who holds a position at the State Bank of India, took charge of supervising the voting procedures in Madari hamlet within the Gangoh area of Saharanpur. This wasn't her first experience; having undertaken similar responsibilities twice before, Arora emphasized the importance of punctuality in ensuring the smooth functioning of operations. In an interview with ANI News, she stated, "I think that if you get any duty, you should be punctual and that's the reason I have assumed my duty on time." Her dedicated approach to her role resonated with the public, propelling her to overnight fame. Reflecting on her sudden rise to prominence, Arora remarked, "It goes viral due to my punctuality and devotion." Isha Arora, SBI employee, is currently fulfilling her polling duty for the Saharanpur LSE 2024 in Madari village of the Gangoh assembly constituency. Serving as the first polling officer at Garhi village's polling booth, Isha's video has become viral on social media.#IshaArora pic.twitter.com/vLBugfhbiW Satish Mishra (@SATISHMISH78) April 19, 2024 The viral video sparked widespread praise, with users on social media platforms hailing Arora's conscientiousness. One user shared her video, captioning it, "This madam has become a star in today's elections. Saharanpur's polling officer Isha Arora becomes the centre of attraction during voting!!" Another shared her picture, noting her service as the "first polling officer at Garhi village's polling booth." Acknowledging the positive reception, Arora's commitment was lauded by another user who remarked, "People liked the style of Saharanpur's polling officer Isha Arora, who went viral on social media." Arora's role as a senior associate officer at the State Bank of India in Saharanpur underscores her dedication to both her professional responsibilities and her duties as a polling official. As her exemplary conduct continues to garner admiration, Arora stands as a shining example of punctuality and diligence amidst the electoral process. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. The Lok Sabha election 2024 battle is heating up and candidates across the country are pulling all stops to attract voters. But a candidate from Solapur, Maharashtra pulled off a rather unusual stunt to attract crowds. Fake Shah Rukh Khan on campaign In a video that has gone viral, actor Shah Rukh Khan was seen campaigning for Praniti Shinde, the Congress candidate from Solapur. But the only problem was that he was no real Shah Rukh Khan, but a lookalike. BCCL While the identity of the Shah Rukh Khan seen campaigning Praniti is unclear, according to some reports, the doppelganger was Ibrahim Qadri who has made a fan-following on social media for himself for his resemblance to the actor. How BJP has reacted And the cheeky campaign hasn't gone unnoticed, though may not be in line with what the Congress candidate was hoping for. SCREENGRAB "Imagine the lengths to which the party can go to fool people so brazenly and openly. Peddling fake surveys, making up fake anti-India narratives, using AI generated Deep Fakes of celebrities and now this. Now you know why this party is already blaming EVMs," BJP leader Shehzad Poonawala said on X. One more SCAM of Congress party Hired Duplicate Shahrukh Khan for election campaign! Imagine the lengths to which the party can go to fool people so brazenly & openly. @iamsrk @ECISVEEP Peddling fake surveys, making up fake anti India narratives, using AI generated Deep Fakes pic.twitter.com/dF1Iyn5tZO Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) April 19, 2024 Who is Praniti Shinde Praniti Shinde is the daughter of Sushilkumar Shinde, the ex-Union Home Minister and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. She is the sitting MLA of Solapur City Central and is contesting against BJP's Ram Satpute, who is also the MLA of Malshiras. BCCL Candidate uses Modi lookalike Praniti, however, is not the only candidate to use a doppelganger for Lok Sabha election campaign. Last week, rebel Karnataka BJP leader KS Eshwarappa who filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from the Shivamogga where he is contesting the Lok Sabha polls against BY Raghvendra, the son of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa was seen accompanied by a Modi doppelganger during his campaign. Eshwarappa used Sadananda Nayak, a cook from Hiriyadka town in Udupi district, who has an uncanny resemblance with the Indian PM after the BJP raised an issue with the rebel candidate using photos of Modi in his campaign. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Nalini Kirubakaran, a naturalised Indian citizen, who was born in a refugee camp in Tamil Nadu has become the first Sri Lankan Tamil to vote in the Lok Sabha elections. 38-year-old Nalini who was born in 1986 at a refugee centre in Rameswaram Mandapam camp in Tamil Nadu cast her vote for the first time on Friday. AFP How she became voter in India Nalini who is currently living in the rehabilitation camp at Kottapattu for Sri Lankan Tamils cast her vote at MM Middle School in in Trichy. But it was not an easy journey for Nalini who had to fight a legal battle to get an Indian passport and later a voter ID issued in her name. In 2021, Nalini had moved the Madras High Court when her application for an Indian passport was rejected by a regional passport office. Eligible for citizenship by birth The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court in August 2022 directed officials to issue the Indian passport to Nalini, pointing out that the birth certificate is from Mandapam and states that the person born in India between January 26, 1950 and July 1, 1987 is a "citizen by birth," according to the Section 3 of the Citizenship Act, 1995. BCCL Dream come true After Nalini received her passport she applied for a Voter ID card and received it in January 2024. "For the first time, I have voted... I am very much happy. At the age of 38, my dream has been fulfilled. I am the first person in Tamil Nadu to vote from Sri Lankan Refugee Camp," Nalini said on Friday. Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India There are over 58,000 Sri Lankan Tamils living in refugee camps across Tamil Nadu. BCCL A report by the Tamil Nadu government in November 2023 had found that more than 45 per cent of these refugees were born in India. In March, the Madras High Court had dismissed a PIL seeking a general direction to issue Indian citizenship to Sri Lankan refugees born in India. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed penalties totalling Rs 60.3 lakh on five cooperative banks for breaching various regulatory norms. Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank has been fined 43.30 lakh for failing to comply with RBI directives regarding the prohibition on extending loans and advances to directors and their relatives, as well as firms or concerns in which they have interests. Additionally, the bank was penalized for contravening rules regarding the opening of savings bank accounts in the names of certain bodies or organizations, and for deficiencies in deposit account maintenance. Kangra Co-operative Bank Indian currency | Photo: BCCL The Kangra Co-operative Bank (New Delhi), Rajdhani Nagar Sahkari Bank (Lucknow), and Zila Sahakari Bank, Garhwal (Kotdwar, Uttarakhand) each face a monetary penalty of 5 lakh. Co-operative Bank Furthermore, the District Co-operative Bank (Dehradun) has been fined 2 lakh. Also Read: RBI Penalises Five Co-Operative Banks, Check Details Here RBI clarified that these penalties are imposed due to shortcomings in regulatory compliance and do not serve as a judgment on the validity of any transactions or agreements made by the banks with their customers. RBI fined IDFC First Bank and LIC in April Earlier this month, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also fined IDFC First Bank, a private sector lender, Rs 1 crore for not following certain rules set by the regulator on Loans and Advances. The bank approved term loans for infrastructure projects run by a public sector company without properly checking if the projects were viable and could generate enough revenue to pay back the loans. Instead of using funds specifically set aside for the projects, the bank used general budgetary resources to repay or service these loans, according to RBI's statement. In another regulatory action, RBI fined LIC Housing Finance Ltd Rs 49.70 lakh for not following certain rules outlined in the Fair Practices Code. Also Read: What Are The New Rules Of Buying Health Insurance? Everything You Need To Know For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here The UDAN scheme, officially known as Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik, is a government initiative aimed at enhancing regional air connectivity across India and making air travel more accessible to the general public. Under this scheme, travellers can now fly on certain routes for a fraction of the cost, sometimes as low as the price of a small pizza. Affordable Air Travel Across Assam Thanks to the UDAN scheme, flying between destinations like Lilabari and Tezpur in Assam has become incredibly affordable. According to ixigo shared with PTI, with base airfares starting as low as Rs 150 per person, travellers can now hop between these locations without breaking the bank. Extending Reach to Remote Areas One of the key objectives of the UDAN scheme is to connect remote and under-served areas with major cities. As a result, there are now 22 routes across India where travellers can enjoy base airfares of less than Rs 1,000 per person, opening up new travel possibilities for many. Incentives for Regional Connectivity Airplane | Photo: Unsplash To encourage airlines to participate in RCS flights, the government offers various incentives, including waiving landing and parking charges for these flights. This not only benefits travellers but also supports the aviation industry's efforts to expand regional connectivity. Expanding the Network Since its inception in 2016, the UDAN scheme has made significant strides in operationalising routes across the country. As of March 31, 2024, a total of 559 routes have been made operational under UDAN, providing greater accessibility and convenience to travellers nationwide. Also Read: RBI Penalises Five Co-Operative Banks, Check Details Here Making Air Travel Accessible to All By offering affordable airfares and improving connectivity to remote areas, the UDAN scheme is democratising air travel in India. Whether it's for business or leisure, more people now have the opportunity to experience the convenience of flying at prices comparable to a meal out. The UDAN scheme is revolutionising regional air connectivity in India, allowing passengers to fly to their destinations for the price of a pizza and making air travel more accessible to all. What is the UDAN scheme? UDAN, launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on October 21, 2016, is a scheme designed to make air travel affordable and accessible to the general population. Its primary objective is to link previously unserved and underserved airports across the country with regular flight services. UDAN operates on a market-driven approach, wherein airlines compete for routes through a bidding process, taking into account their assessment of demand. This initiative aims to democratise air travel by expanding connectivity to regions that were previously neglected, thus fostering economic growth and facilitating easier movement for all citizens. 1.3 crore passengers travelled UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) flights have facilitated travel for over 1.3 crore passengers, with a total of 256,000 flights operated as of February 2024. This underscores the significant impact of the UDAN scheme in enhancing regional air connectivity and making air travel accessible to the common citizen of India. UDAN has brought about significant benefits to the country's aviation sector and overall connectivity infrastructure. Here's how: 1. Airport Development and Expansion UDAN has played a crucial role in developing and operationalising 76 airports, including 2 water aerodromes and 9 helipads, across various regions of India. This expansion has enhanced accessibility to previously underserved areas, stimulating economic development and tourism. 2. Increased Passenger Traffic The scheme has facilitated travel for more than 1.3 crore passengers, fostering greater mobility and connectivity for citizens across the country. By offering affordable airfares and expanding flight services to remote areas, UDAN has made air travel accessible to a wider segment of the population. 3. Diversification of Aircraft Procurement UDAN has contributed to the diversification of aircraft procurement in the aviation industry. Airlines operating under the scheme have acquired various types of aircraft, ranging from small-capacity planes like the 3-seater Tecnam and 9-seater Cessna 208B to larger ones such as the 189-seater Airbus 320/321 and B737. This diversity caters to different route requirements and passenger demands. 4. Promotion of New Airlines and Start-ups The scheme has provided a platform for new airlines and start-ups to enter the aviation market. Thirteen airlines, including emerging ventures like Air Taxi, IndiaOne, Star Air, FlyBig, and Fly91, have commenced operations under UDAN. This not only promotes competition but also encourages innovation and growth within the industry. Also Read: What Are The New Rules Of Buying Health Insurance? Everything You Need To Know For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here The Enugu state administration has promised the relatives of John Mr Ibu Okafor and Junior Pope a befitting burial. On March 2, Mr Ibu died of a cardiac arrest at Evercare Hospital in Lagos. The 62-year-old actor had been battling a life-threatening illness for some months before his death. Advertisement Mr. Ibus family confirmed last week that the actor would be buried on June 28. Pope, on the other hand, died on April 10 after falling into the River Niger in Asaba, Delta State, while on his way to a filming site. He died along with four other crew members in the boat tragedy. Speaking with NAN on Friday, Aka Eze Aka, the state commissioner for information, termed their deaths as a terrible blow to the government of Enugu He stated that the state government is determined to offering the Nollywood celebrities a befitting burial. READ MORE: Is It Normal For Man To Wash His Partners Pants? Actor Adeniyi Johnson Queries The commissioner noted that, while no date has been set for Popes burial, the government is working with his family to organise it. Being a part of his burial committee on individual capacity, I will relate to the government what the family want, he said. His death was a national calamity and a tragic event that shocked the whole nation. We felt that there are so many fans who would like to express themselves by saying one or two things about him and we opened a condolence register to allow them do that. The government does not celebrate death but when it happened, we do the needful. The commissioner added that the state government would be represented during Mr Ibus burial. Aka said Enugu government held back on its condolence message because of the circumstances surrounding Popes death. A lot of people expected the state to jump the gun to begin to say one or two things about his death but it is only in Nigeria that people rush to break the news about somebodys death without immediately knowing the sensibilities and feelings of the family, he added. This young man died on Wednesday and Enugu State Government got the news and was waiting for a confirmation as there were some stories that he was not dead, he is still alive, he has left the mortuary and was to be buried beside the river. Some of these stories did not go down well with us as we try to know what was happening. So on Thursday when Actors Guild issued a statement confirming the death, we still wanted to get across to the family. When we did, we did not get the contact of the family as many of us did not know he came from Enugu. Pope was born in Ukehe, Enugus Igbo-Etiti council area, and Mr Ibu hailed from Amuri, Nkanu West. The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) says a total of N1.123tn has been alloted to the Federal, States, and Local Governments (LG) for March 2024. The allocation, derived from a gross total of N1.867tn, aims at supporting various government tiers. Advertisement Director of Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, disclosed this in a statement on Friday. FAAC, which has the duty of examining and approving financial resources, is tasked with the disbursement of funds across Nigerias 36 states and its 774 local government areas. This allocation is anticipated to drive progress and support governmental bodies across various tiers in executing their duties. Recall that in February, the FAAC shared N1.152 trillion to the three tiers of government for February 2024 from a gross total of N2.326.14 trillion. Manga explained that the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, chaired the meeting and highlighted the importance of the allocation. READ ALSO: Im Still Alive Ex-Oyo Gov, Olunloyo Denies Death Rumour This distribution is pivotal in ensuring that all government levels have the necessary funds to continue their development projects and provide essential services to the citizens, the statement read. The statement noted that the Federal Government received N345.890 billion, States and LGs received N398.689bn and N288.688 billion, respectively, while oil-producing states received N90.224 billion as 13 per cent mineral revenue derivation. The FAAC statement also noted an increase in the gross revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) for March 2024, amounting to N549.698 billion, an N89.210 billion rise from the previous month. This increase reflects the countrys economic growth and improved tax compliance. Despite the positive trend in VAT, the Gross Statutory Revenue of N1.017 trillion for March was lower than Februarys N1.192 trillion by N175.212 billion. The decrease is however attributed to reductions in excise duty, oil royalty, petroleum profit tax, customs external tariff levies, and electronic money transfer levy. The statement noted that the FAACs decision to allocate these funds is expected to bolster economic activities across the nation and support the governments efforts in improving infrastructure, healthcare, education, and other vital sectors. Nollywood actress Uche Ogbodo has stated that Adanma Luke, the producer of the film on which Junior Pope and three other people tragically died, is not careless, despite what the general public believes. It should be noted that Luke has been under fire for the deaths of actor Junior Pope and three others after their boat overturned on the Anam River in Anambra State while returning from the set of her film, The Other Side of Life. Many have referred to her as careless for failing to provide life jackets for her actors and crew. Advertisement However, in an Instagram conversation with admirers, Ogbodo stressed that Luke is not careless, emphasising that mistakes occur even in Hollywood. Ogbodo shared a picture of the embattled producer with the caption: The strongest woman, determined, kind, and soft at heart. Neefe, your life is with you. See this one through. God gat you for life. READ MORE: Davido Collaborates With UnitedMasters To Launch New Music Label In the comment section, one @miss_airlaa advised Ogbodo not to get involved in the matter, even if the woman in question was her friend, or else she would be scapegoated. Replying to the comment, Ogbodo wrote: She [Adanma Luke] is not a careless producer, only mistakes happen, even on Hollywood sets. The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office has sealed off the administrative and kitchen complex of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus Sanctuary Parish, located at Masha, Surulere. The church was for alleged indiscriminate discharge of wastewater into the environment. The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this via his X handle on Saturday. Advertisement He said: Following a public complaint received from concerned residents, the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office #lswmomedia in enforcing the provisions of the Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017, sealed off the administrative and kitchen complex of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Jesus Sanctuary, Masha, Surulere, Lagos for indiscriminate discharge of wastewater into the environment. READ MORE: Lagos Govt Warns Residents, Vows To Clampdown On Vandals Illegal discharge of wastewater into the environment endangers the lives of citizens as it leads to soil pollution and groundwater contamination; causing waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and diarrhoea. The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office encourages all Lagosians to desist from such acts and report all illegal activities leading to the pollution of the environment. Nigerians dislike for officers is affecting security in the country, says the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC). Mogaji Olaniyan, National Chairman of the PCRC, stated this while addressing newsmen during the 40th celebration ceremony of the Committee held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. While describing the hate as alarming, Olaniyan noted that the PCRC is fostering a permanent relationship between members of the community and the police in order to end the ugly narrative. Advertisement He emphasized that this deep-seated resentment must be addressed to cultivate a healthy relationship between the people and the police, ultimately enhancing security across the nation. READ ALSO: Hardship: Multiple Taxation, Others Responsible For High Prices Of Goods FCCPC Olaniyan said We are calling that people should love the Nigeria Police, this is what they lack right from childhood we have created enmity between our children and the Nigeria Police. This hatred starts from our home. For instance if parents want to scold their children they will say I will call the police for you. This is why our children grow up with hatred for the police and that is why we are trying to stop this narrative. Olaniyan, however, called for an urgent need to address what he called widespread hatred towards the officers of the Nigeria Police. Following allegations of being part of the security aides that obstructed the arrest of the former Governor Yahaya Bello in Abuja, an aide-de-camp female police officer has been detained. The aide-de-camp, as disclosed by Channels News source was arrested alongside other police officers attached to Bello and are being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja. Advertisement READ ALSO: Ododo Didnt Shield Yahaya Bello From EFCC Commissioner According to reports, their arrests and detention followed an order by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, directing their immediate withdrawal from the former Governor. The anonymous source explained that the officers were arrested on the suspicion that they deliberately aided and abetted Bellos escape from operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who had gone to effect his arrest at his Abuja home on Wednesday. Recall that Egbetokun had on Thursday ordered the withdrawal of all police officers attached to the former Governor. Subsequently, the Nigeria Immigration Service has also placed Bello on its watchlist for conspiracy, breach of trust, and money laundering. Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deliberately appointed northerners into key positions. He stated this while delivering lecture on Navigating The Maze: Addressing Multi-Dimensional Insecurity Challenges In Northern Nigeria as part of the activities marking combined convocation of Usmanu Danfordiyo University, Sokoto. Advertisement His words: President picked northerners to take charge of strategic places because he wanted problems in the region squarely addressed. The NSA lamented that the North was facing myriad of challenges, ranging from insecurity and out-of-school children, among others. According to Ribadu, the poverty index in the region was alarming. Ribadu said, At the time he (Tinubu) was forming this government, he said the North was very dear to his heart that he would do everything to address its challenges. This is why he appointed northerners into key offices. He handed over security and Defence to the North. He gave us both ministers for Agriculture and Education. He also gave us Minister of Health and Foreign Affairs in his quest to turn around the fortune of the region. He gave us chance. Now the rest is on us, we northerners. Lets put our differences aside and work for the betterment of our region and Nigeria, he said. READ ALSO: You Must Be Living In Another Planet Presidency Reacts As PDP Faults Economic Policies, Insecurity On the insecurity, he said the present government had achieved a lot, citing cases of some bandit commanders who were recently killed by security operatives and tens of thousands of kidnapped victims rescued without paying a dime. As I am talking to you, there is no known case of student abduction of students that is unresolved anywhere in the country. And where are bandits leaders like Ali Kawaje, Boderi, Damina and Dangote? They have all been eliminated. In the past we have had cases of organised terrorism attacks by insurgents groups like what their attacks on our train, military formations, or churches. Since we got in there has not been anything like that. And go to Niger Delta, it is peaceful today. In the East people were been stopped and killed, there were over 40 police stations shut down but all of them are now functional. All these changes happened because we work. We will continue to work. We are not jokers. We are serious and in Sha Allah, Nigeria will see the difference, he said. According to Ribadu, Tinubus government is adopting counterinsurgency strategies aimed at winning the hearts and minds of the local population, isolating insurgents from their support base and preventing the recruitment of new members. These strategies involve engaging with communities, providing humanitarian assistance and promoting reconciliation and deradicalization programme. This sort of approach is a core focus of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Its initiatives include infrastructural development, job creation, education and healthcare provision as well as efforts to tackle poverty and inequality, he said The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has given reasons it urged Nigeria to remove fuel subsidies. Abebe Selassie, Director of the African Department of the Fund, who provided insights into the organisations position, noted that the subsidy regime was robbing the poor for the rich. Advertisement Giving insights into the organisations position, at the ongoing Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington DC, he said the Fund had provided robust content and how the poor could benefit from the policy in the provision of social safety nets. His words: Subsidies are about resource allocation internally within Nigeria. So Nigerians, the people of Nigeria pay for these subsidies. And whats the reason why we counsel against such generalised subsidies is very simple. It tends to be highly regressive, meaning the benefits of such you know, fuel subsidies tend to accrue to the rich and segments to reach out to people and the poor people. So its people that are driving these large cars, with big houses are wanting to see subsidised fuel. Theyre the ones benefiting relative to the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria. READ ALSO: Ododo Didnt Shield Yahaya Bello From EFCC Commissioner So you know, not only people paying for the subsidies Nigeria, its the poorest segments of society that actually are losing out and resources could instead, of course, be used to improve conditions for poorer people instead of accruing to rich people. Thats why subsidy reform is important. We applaud the government for the steps government took to reduce the extent of subsidies. I think as oil prices have become volatile, the level of subsidy has also moved up and down. But I think you know, the direction of travel, I think, to remove the subsidies and use the resources to provide social protection for the most vulnerable households. The IMF, Selassie said, has provided the sum of $58 billion to African countries since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and pledged it would do more. He further cautioned African countries against commercial loans for the purposes of refinancing because of the current rate hike in most economies. He advised that instead, countries South of the Sahara that have debt service challenges should look inward for domestic resource mobilization, which would be easier to deal with. Kanayo O Kanayo, a prominent Nollywood actor, has raised concern over the growing tendency of Nigerian actors creating video for YouTube. In an Instagram post on Friday, the 62-year-old film star expressed disappointment with how some performers have formed their own YouTube channels and quit acting for other producers. Kanayo called it disappointing that actors are no longer prioritising Nollywoods long-term prosperity. Advertisement He also decried his colleagues tendency of charging expensive prices for one-day shoots that frequently involve multiple scenes in a short amount of time. He voiced fear that such a technique would have a negative impact on performers health. READ MORE: Canadian Senate Lauds Burna Boy Over Sold Out Concert In his words, This is past midnight, I have sat back and watched the opportunities offered by the YouTube channel, a very good platform. But unfortunately, like anything that comes to Nigeria, our dear country, people jump in and try to mess it up, I watched with dismay and I make this out of no malice for anybody, it is being messed up by different things, especially the actor. Mark my words this day if I am a professional and I have been all these years, what I am going to say to you is going to come to pass. We built Nollywood brick by brick, block by block but the guys who have besieged YouTube, actors not the producers, do not have lessons, any sense of purpose to create a procedure for a lasting videography of creating content. Take, for instance, the whole irony of a one-day shoot, it is not sustainable. Some of them now make it difficult for producers and they will tell them that one day shoot is now N1 million or N1.5 million. It is not sustainable and it has adverse effects on your health in the long run. I hope you enjoy good health like us who started thirty-something years ago. I bear you no malice but the disservice you are doing to professionalism is not going to last long. By the way I see it, YouTube is not going to last long in Nigeria as a platform. And then most actors, have created their own channels and stopped acting for other producers. That is not the way to build the industry, you need to lend your service to other people. Yes we are creating content, but then we all need each other, that is the spirit by which Nollywood came about. So all these things I do not see its sustainability. I am advising you to travel to different locations such as Lagos, Enugu, Asaba, Ibadan and many more. But what I see presently, you do not know what you are doing to your health. The long-vacant Montgomery County prison on Airy Street in downtown Norristown has been saved from demolition, and the county has begun an effort to determine how best to reuse the landmark property, Read more Montgomery County has abandoned a controversial proposal to demolish the former prison it owns in Norristown and will instead seek redevelopment proposals for the long-vacant landmark and the 2.5 acres surrounding it. The official pivot from razing to saving the Airy Street facility since 1851 an imposing Gothic presence on one of the county seats major streets follows a grassroots preservation campaign. Advertisement The county had budgeted nearly $1 million to tear down the prison and applied to the Borough of Norristown for a demolition permit, but announced on the eve of the Nov. 7 election last year that it was asking the borough council to delay action. The campaign further gained momentum after postelection leadership and membership changes on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. We are submitting a formal letter to Norristown withdrawing our request for the demolition permit [and] expect to deliver that sometime next week, county spokesperson Megan Alt said Friday. County Commission Chairperson Jamila H. Winder, who last year spoke against preservation and in favor of demolition, said in a statement Thursday that she has an open mind about the process. Ideally, we want to preserve the historic nature of the Airy Street facade while using the rest of the site to create vibrancy and value in that section of downtown Norristown, she said. I am as eager as anyone to see what [the site] ultimately looks like. Winders predecessor as chairperson, Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr., was against preserving the prison and characterized the site as a monument to injustice in an Inquirer op-ed on Sept. 3. His commission term expired at the end of 2023, and in February, he was appointed chairperson of the SEPTA board. A vendor hired by the Planning Commission will assess the condition of the structure and then a Request for Information will be issued to attract interest from potential developers, Scott France, executive director of the countys Planning Commission, said Friday. Redevelopment would likely focus on preserving the original facade as well as the front and central sections, but could include demolition of the deteriorating, early-20th-century addition at the rear of the property. Suggestions for reuse have included county offices, a museum, and a music venue. In a statement, Commissioner Neil Makhija said: The former prison presents a critical opportunity in our county seat [and] were actively inviting opinions and contributions from community members, historic preservationists, and site developers people with the expertise whove done this before and can do it well. A cautious high five The Request for Information is a very important first step, said Hanna Stark, director of policy and communications at the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, which also advocated to preserve the prison. Its reuse would contribute to a much more vibrant Norristown, she said. The importance of preserving it as an avenue to revitalization cannot be overstated. Im glad the community stepped up, and I think withdrawing the application for the demolition permit shows good faith on the part of the county, said architect Douglas Seiler, a leader of efforts to repurpose the prison for more than a decade. After the vote to withdraw the demolition permit, some of us gave each other cautious high fives, he said, adding what we really are fighting for now is for the site to become a destination to attract people and be a magnet for downtown businesses. Said community activist and longtime Norristown resident Olivia Brady: I am really happy that the county came to understand that this building should be saved. To just tear it down would have been unconscionable to my mind, and I was afraid the county would flip the switch and bring the bulldozers in. A complicated history The prison was designed by Napoleon LeBrun, the architect of Philadelphia treasures such as the Academy of Music, and the Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. LeBrun also designed the original Montgomery County Courthouse, which is nearby. The Historical Architectural Review Board of Norristown, an advisory board, opposed the prisons demolition. Chairperson Bill Ward said LeBruns design was meant to intimidate potential criminals, at a time when Irish and German Catholic immigrants were settling in the Philadelphia region in large numbers and being incarcerated in large numbers as well. I hope it will be put to some sort of cultural use, he said. A 90-page research paper on the history of the prison by Celeste Morello, a historian who grew up in Norristown, is referenced in the county planning commissions presentation about the sites redevelopment potential. I did a very comprehensive history of how the castle-ated design of the prison fits with Pennsylvanias practice at the time, she said. The prisons were full of Irish men, whod been picked up on [spurious] charges like not having a job. A skeptic speaks Thomas Lepera, president of Norristowns borough council, supported the proposed demolition. He also agreed with Lawrences contention that the prison is a reminder of the history of overincarceration and unequal justice. I believe the people who want to preserve it have good intentions, he said. But as far as redevelopment goes its been sitting there since 1987 and in my memory, not one developer has looked at it seriously. The building is full of asbestos and lead paint, said Lepera. And to my mind the county has been demolishing it by neglect for years. Jonathan Lopez of Voorhees arrives at the Bad Bunny, Most Wanted Tour concert at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Friday, April 19, 2024. Read more Cowboy hats. Denim. Fringe. Puerto Rican flags. Welcome to Bad Bunnys Philly stop on his Most Wanted Tour, where nadie sabe lo que va pasar manana no one knows what will happen tomorrow, the title of his 2023 album but everyone knows his show was a party. Advertisement Thousands of fans landed at the Wells Fargo Center, traveling from North Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, the Poconos, and of course, Philly. Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Dominicans, Hondurans, Ecuadorians and other proud Latinos came together to celebrate the Puerto Rican reggaetonero (born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) who has been an unstoppable force topping the U.S. charts without sacrificing his signature Spanish flow. The overarching feeling from fans was that he makes people of all backgrounds and Latinos especially feel proud of who they are. And while flags were not allowed into the arena per Bad Bunnys request, because they can obstruct views, tons of people snuck them in to represent their cultures. For so many folks this Boricua culture reporter included that meant sporting clothes with Puerto Rican flags and singing along with the whole family. (My own titi, who came with a bunch of my cousins from Bethlehem, partied on the floor like a pro. By the end of the night she told us: Play Bad Bunny at my funeral.) Heres a look at some of the families, fashionistas, and die-hard fans we met outside the arena. Best friends Yadira Torres, 27, and Celia Munoz, 27, both health-care workers from Milford, Del., celebrated their joint April birthdays with Bad Bunny tickets. Favorite songs: Monaco, Perro Negro, Titi Me Pregunto On the look: Ill be realistic and honest. I bought my outfit completely from Shein. I got the cowboy flow and my lil skirt, and my boots are from Forever 21, said Torres. Munoz did the same. Medical assistants Scarlyn Hernandez, 21, and Nicole Teamarez, 21, and cosmetologist Gigi Roman, 21, from Perth Amboy, N.J., were most excited to see Bad Bunny arrive on horseback. Favorite songs: Telefono Nuevo, Seda On Benito: Hes everything, said Hernandez. Doni Ramos, 24, is a Mexican fan from South Philly who came with his best friend Shauna Castro. Favorite song: Baby Nueva On Benito: That is my dad, my brother he inspired me to do more and be myself. Retired Philadelphia police officer Idalmi Carrasquillo Marquez, 54, and Marriott employee Ralph Marquez, 61, from Northeast Philly. (Not pictured: Their 35-year-old daughter, who was also at the show.) Favorite songs: Monaco, Titi Me Pregunto, all of Un Verano Sin Ti On Benito: We just love how he just loves Puerto Rico and his culture. He doesnt forget where he comes from, and his representation, even though his songs can be a little, you know, oooh! said Carrasquillo Marquez, who grew up in Philly but visits her family in Ciales, Puerto Rico, often. The words [in Nadie Sabe] are deep and theyre true, and I love it. People are gonna hate on you no matter what you do, and how he says hes gonna start living life for him. Marquez said: Hes like a new generation of activists, kind of like Ricky Martin. Sisters Day Moskakiel, 30, a patient advocate from Trenton, and Roselyn Rodriguez, 30, a certified nursing assistant in North Carolina showed up and showed out. Favorite songs: Acho PR, No Me Quiero Casar On Benito: He makes me proud to be Puerto Rican, said Moskakiel. Hes such a positive artist. Looking forward to: Im ready to shake, Rodriguez said. Abuela Priscilla Yanez traveled from New York to join her daughter Norma Alvarenga, who lives near the Poconos, and granddaughter (not pictured) for the show. Its her second time seeing Bad Bunny. Favorite song: Titi Me Pregunto On the crowd: Yo no miro aqui persona como yo, Yanez said laughing. I dont see people like me here. Mom Jannett Ramirez, 48, from Vineland, her son Adriel Ramirez, 29, who lives in Miami, and family friend Karen Figueroa, 36, also from Vineland, got their cowboy outfits together in less than 24 hours. (Not pictured: Ramirezs shy teen son, and more family members who were stuck in traffic.) Favorite songs: Perro Negro, Monaco On Benito: Puerto Rico proud. Hes historic, hes upcoming, hes an innovator, said Jannett Ramirez, an x-ray technician in Cumberland County. Im proud of my kids to staying true to their heritage. On partying with mom: Were gonna have a blast. Literally what we do at home, our parties that we have at home, were bringing them here, said Adriel Ramirez, who works in digital advertising at Yelp. Friends Jonathan Lopez, 29, and Jelissa Capellan, 31, are both Wawa managers from Voorhees, N.J. On Benito: I love his aesthetic, I love what he stands for, like his support for everybody and equality, said Lopez, whos seen Bad Bunny four times. Youll see people here who are different ages, different races, theres a little bit of everybody. He makes me feel proud of where Im from, even though Im not from Puerto Rico, Im Dominican, said Capellan. The fact that hes stayed true to himself since day one. His inclusivity too. Doesnt matter where youre from, doesnt matter what you represent yourself as, hes okay with it. Philadelphia drag queen Sapphira Cristal during a City Council resolution ceremony honoring her in Philadelphia Thursday. The first queen to represent Philly on "RuPaul's Drag Race," Cristal placed second and earned the title of Miss Congeniality. Read more Philadelphia drag queen Sapphira Cristal likes to end her appearances with affirmations. I truly love and accept myself, Cristal asked the audience at City Hall to chant when City Council honored her during Thursdays session. She did the same Friday night during a RuPauls Drag Race finale watch party at the Edge in New York City only this time, she had just fallen short of becoming Americas next drag superstar. Advertisement Though Cristal had placed second to New York Citys Nymphia Wind on Season 16 of the reality competition show, Cristal did walk away with the title of Miss Congeniality, an award given to the kindest competitor on RuPauls Drag Race. According to Cristals friends, family, and competitors, however, shes been informally carrying the title for years. READ MORE: Phillys Sapphira Cristal placed second on RuPauls Drag Race but won Miss Congeniality The first contestant to represent Philly in the shows 15-year history, Cristal became an immediate fan favorite because of her unwavering authenticity and selflessness: Shed wow the judges with a campy opera performance, then turn around and help a contestant who couldnt sew fashion a goth-adjacent black dress, no questions asked. Shed counsel her competition through imposter syndrome, then immediately win a challenge that combined interior design skills, improv comedy, and teamwork. In between, shed make host RuPaul laugh uncontrollably. Its how I was raised: Do unto others as you would have them do unto yourself, Cristal, 35, told The Inquirer at Fridays watch party. Were all in this together. Were all one, and when you get that, it makes sense that if I help you, I help me. Born in Houston as ONeil Nichol Haynes, Cristal grew up going to church alongside Beyonce and taking opera lessons to hone her six-octave vocal range. Cristal would start performing drag in 2009 while attending Bard Colleges Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Mass. It was around this same time that Cristal became homeless, she revealed while on Drag Race, after her father a Texas mixed martial arts legend stopped supporting her because of her homosexuality. They had just rekindled a relationship, Cristal said, before he died of COVID-19 in 2021. Hed be over-the-moon proud if he was around right now, though, Dawn Haynes, Cristals mother, told The Inquirer. Cristal moved to Philly in 2014, where she would go on to become a fixture at Fishtown cabaret Fabrika and a decorated pageant queen, having racked up 14 titles. On Drag Race, Cristal had a reputation for record-breaking excellence after becoming the first queen to win four consecutive main challenges. But in Philly, Cristal was known not just for her theatrical drag, but also for her persistence and compassion. READ MORE: What to know about Sapphira Cristal, Phillys first true Drag Race contestant A lot of people will be there for you in the good times, but she comes through for you in the bad times, said Joy Taney, a designer and one of Cristals drag children. Taney said Cristal gave them performance tips they still use today such as how to clench your butt cheeks to appear more masculine while walking yet the moment that sticks out to them most is when Cristal let them sleep over the night their dog had to be put down. She stayed at the vet with me until it was over and then said, You shouldnt be alone tonight, Taney said. I felt so held and appreciated. Taney is one of more than a dozen local drag performers and costumers who helped put together Cristals larger-than-life runway looks for Drag Race, which ranged from a fairytale-inspired inflatable pumpkin skirt to an avant garde chain-encrusted bodysuit and a floral gown with petals so big that Cristal couldnt fit through the door. I had to show off what we got in Philly, said Cristal. This isnt just about me. .... We have a very rich culture of drag and art in Philadelphia ... that goes back decades, so I wanted to show that off. We belong on the map. Taney and the other designers had six weeks to complete about 20 looks for Cristal, often shuffling pieces between different Philly rowhouses in secret. The process was innately stressful, the group said, but Cristal was a natural motivator. She pushed me to a really great place, said Iris Spectre, a local drag queen and designer who performed in the now-defunct drag troupe Phillys Foxes with Cristal before working on Drag Race. She always was encouraging, always saying, I believe in you. Cristals run on Drag Race was years in the making: She had auditioned for the show 11 times before Season 16. Last years audition tape was supposed to be her final. My attitude for this year was more of a take me or leave me attitude, Cristal previously told The Inquirer. When you take your place where youre supposed to be, youre prepared for it. READ MORE: Meet the team of drag performers behind Philly queen Sapphira Cristals larger-than-life RuPauls Drag Race looks Still, Cristals drag wasnt always so polished. Haynes said she learned her son was doing drag after he borrowed a dress from her closet and returned it, still sticky with sweat from the club. And when Cristal started auditioning for Drag Race in 2013, her first round of style tips came from mom. The bold style choices? Thats something that she gets from me, Haynes said. When Sapphira first started auditioning, I said, Baby, you have to step your fashion up. You cant be a really good drag queen and hate fashion. Haynes said Cristal was always a performer and love machine who would attract attention wherever he went as a child. The sharp sense of self came later, Haynes said, after Cristal was bullied throughout middle school. You know an exceptional kid when you see one, Haynes said of her son. I wouldnt have expected anything less. Im proud of everything that shes done, but watching the show back, Im most proud of the way she showed up as a human. Former labor leader John Dougherty leaves the Reading federal courthouse after a third day of testimony in his extortion trial on Friday. Read more READING Defense lawyers concede that the tone of a secretly recorded 2020 confrontation between Greg Fiocca, nephew of Philadelphia labor leader John Dougherty, and a supervisor on the site of the then-under-construction Live! Hotel and Casino in South Philadelphia was horrible. The tape, played for a federal jury this week, features Fiocca flying into a profanity-laced rage, muffled sounds of him choking, slapping, and spitting on his boss, and his heated and repeated threats to call his uncle or pull all their unions workers off the job. Advertisement But as attorneys for Fiocca and Dougherty got their first chance Friday to scrutinize that recording in court and grill the man who made it Rich Gibson, a project manager on the casino job and the target of Fioccas ire they sought to dispel any notion that it amounted to an extortionate threat. READ MORE: As it happened: Lawyer grills project manager who recorded fight with Johnny Doc's nephew: Didn't 'stop you from getting beat up' Fiocca wasnt a man seeking to intimidate by invoking his uncles stature as the states most powerful labor leader, defense lawyer Rocco Cipparone Jr. insisted throughout his cross-examination of Gibson Friday. Instead, the attorney maintained, Fiocca simply blew his stack after months of harassment by his casino site bosses and repeated instances of his pay ked. He was frustrated with how often you were on his back. Thats what he was saying, Cipparone challenged Gibson during questioning. He felt that he was being treated unfairly and was communicating that to you. Yet, the project manager stood firm. He felt cowed, he said, into keeping Fiocca on the job. Im not sure youve ever had someones hand around your throat and a fist in your face and someone telling you youre going to get pummeled, he responded during another point in the questioning. Rocco, it was rough there for a few weeks. Very rough. Gibsons testimony which capped off the first week of Doughertys and Fioccas federal extortion trial could prove crucial as jurors are expected to begin deliberating a verdict in the case next week. His account is central to prosecutors contention that Dougherty and his nephew pressured him and the casino jobs electrical contractor, Ray Palmieri, into paying Fiocca wages he did not earn. The mild-mannered man in his 50s a fellow member of Fiocca and Doughertys union, Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers remained mostly calm as he recounted that Aug. 19, 2020, fight throughout his two days on the witness stand. And yet, he showed brief flashes of frustration as Cipparone grilled him Friday on whether he had any evidence to prove Fiocca was shirking his job responsibilities and disappearing from work a judgment that prompted Gibsons decision to dock Fioccas pay and set off their job site fight. The only proof you have is your recollection, Cipparone pressed. You have no records, no videos, no tracking information, no exit or entry data. Gibson insisted: His perspective was [he wanted] to be paid for things we believed he wasnt there doing. READ MORE: John Dougherty extortion trial: Day-by-day updates Shortly after the skirmish, Gibson told jurors he called police, but they did not arrest Fiocca and he ultimately decided not to press charges, hoping that the union could handle its business internally. I just dont believe in all this stuff, this going at each other, he said. We all hold the same ticket. I was just hoping the [union] hall would do the right thing. He did try to have Local 98 toss Fiocca from the casino project, he said, and was disappointed when union representatives informed him the day of the altercation that that would not be happening. And for the next six months that Fiocca remained on the job, Gibson feared that, if triggered again, Doughertys nephew might make good on his threat to have his uncle pull all union electricians off the project, he said. Thats major when youre talking about a casino. We had 70 people on the job, Gibson testified. I just didnt know what was going to happen. Still, Gibson acknowledged he never once reached out to Dougherty to try to establish a truce or verify if the threats his nephew was making were real. READ MORE: Johnny Doc's extortion case, explained That point stressed in questioning by Doughertys lawyer Greg Pagano appeared to bolster the position the ex-union chief has taken throughout the trial. And so far in the trial, prosecutors have produced little evidence or testimony to show that Dougherty backed up the threats Fiocca made. Dougherty has maintained he had no idea of the seriousness of Fioccas blow-up with Gibson when he made the call to keep his nephew on the job site. And as for those threats to stop work on the casino site, the ex-union chief insists that never would have happened. In fact, Pagano said during opening arguments earlier this week, the fact that the casino construction was happening at all in the spring of 2020 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic was largely due to Doughertys work. He and his union had pushed government officials to allow the work to continue, and devised safety protocols to ensure Local 98 members could protect themselves from the virus on the worksite. Fiocca, who was assigned as the unions steward on the casino project, contends he spent hours each day making sure members stayed safe, addressing concerns over masks and social distancing, and quieting the fears of a workforce hesitant to return to work. That stress, combined with a mistaken conclusion by Gibson that he wasnt doing his job, all played into Fioccas explosive reaction in the recorded Aug. 19 fight, Cipparone told jurors earlier this week. Fiocca was also battling stressors at home, including the hospitalization of his son just days before the altercation. And yet, if Gibson truly felt threatened by Fiocca, he simply could have fired him, Cipparone emphasized in his questioning of the project manager Friday. Ive never fired a steward, Gibson replied. To, me it wasnt an option. Still, Cipparone insisted, it could have been done. From the witness stand, Gibson paused, raised his eyebrows, then eventually responded: Youre talking about the business managers nephew. On Friday, Indias state and general elections will begin, and continue for six weeks a somewhat complicated system that is designed to ensure everyone across the massive nation has a chance to vote. I and many others in Philadelphias Indian diaspora are looking on with a mixture of fear and cautious hope. Advertisement Why are we afraid? Under the leadership of current Prime Minister and front-runner in the new elections Narendra Modi and his political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India has experienced a startling upsurge in violence against religious minorities. Since he rose to power, Modi has been pushing the country away from its secular tradition (established in its constitution), in which all religions are treated equally, toward one in which Hinduism is dominant. Modi is widely considered culpable for inciting anti-Muslim riots that killed nearly 2,000 people in 2002, and creating a culture of impunity for mass murder, while other members of his party have delivered speeches exhorting followers to kill religious minorities. If Modi wins another term, many of my Indian American students at the University of Pennsylvania, along with friends here, are worried about what will happen to our relatives in India and more broadly, to the fragile democracy of our birth country. But we are also worried about how this election will be received in our adopted city of Philadelphia. Since assuming the role of prime minister in 2014, Modis Hindu nationalist ideology has divided the Indian American diaspora, pitting people from different faiths against each other. Advocating the idea of India as a pure Hindu nation one in which Muslims, Christians, and other minorities are outsider, second-class citizens Hindu nationalism has inspired numerous hate killings in India, and animated polarizing debates in the U.S. government at the local, state, and federal levels. To those like myself, the Modi regimes policies which include bulldozing Muslim homes and demolishing Christian churches, passing laws that exclude Muslim immigrants from citizenship, imprisoning regime critics, and ignoring (or perhaps collaborating with) violent, anti-Muslim militants are anathema. But many Indian Americans in Philadelphia see Modi as a visionary leader, restoring to India a sense of national pride. In light of the growing influence the more than 100,000 Indian Americans living in our area have in local politics (see: State Sen. Nikil Saval), along with the 4.4 million Indian Americans living throughout the country, the U.S.s deepening military alliance with India, and the outsized importance Modi affords to the Indian diaspora, Philadelphias Indian voices matter both locally and internationally. Philadelphias Indian voices matter both locally and internationally. With Modis reelection highly likely, we should be raising as much awareness as we can about his regimes poisonous legacy, sending a clear message from our city and country that his hate is not welcome here. Instead, the opposite has occurred, with several groups in and around Philadelphia recently celebrating one of Modis most controversial acts. In January, Modi consecrated the Ram temple, a sprawling complex built directly over the ruins of a mosque that had been destroyed by Hindu nationalist mobs in 1992. In the riots following the mosques destruction, more than 2,000 people were killed, most of them Muslims. That such a temple was celebrated in our city signals a lack of respect for the full diversity of the Indian American community, which includes numerous Muslim families. My workplace, the University of Pennsylvania, also found itself in the middle of the local battle over Hindu nationalism in 2021. That year, it cosponsored a national conference entitled Dismantling Global Hindutva (Hindutva is the Hindi term for Hindu nationalism). Speakers and organizers received death threats for their participation in the conference, and the university became the subject of a federal complaint filed by the Hindu American Foundation. Even though Philadelphia is thousands of miles away from India, we can feel the effects of Modis divisive politics, which have turned our local, state, and national institutions into battlegrounds. READ MORE: Adeel Mangi should be the first Muslim federal appellate judge if Islamophobia doesnt interfere | Opinion It will be up to all Indian Americans in Philadelphia to ensure our city and country take the right, oppositional stance to a hateful regime. What might that look like? First, we need to alert our families and friends back home about the consequences of the return of the Modi government by debating openly about various political and religious dimensions. Its also crucial now to engage with various secular organizations in the U.S. to share our concerns. Last but not least, Indian Americans need to learn to draw a clear separation between the politics of religion and the real practices of religion itself. Hinduism is not a threat to other religions, but Hindu nationalism is. With Indias elections bound to bring Modi into the spotlight yet again among the diaspora in our city, we cant afford to pretend a vote that occurs thousands of miles away doesnt affect us. Afsar Mohammad recently published a book, Remaking History: 1948 Police Action and the Muslims of Hyderabad (2023), with Cambridge University Press. He is currently working on a book about the new generation of Muslim activists and their role in the making of the post-Hindu nationalist India. He teaches at the University of Pennsylvania. Recently, the Pennsylvania Senate approved a resolution by State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R., Franklin and Adams Counties), which called on Gov. Josh Shapiro to send the Pennsylvania Army National Guard to the southern border in Texas. Pennsylvanians have an interest in protecting our nations southern border and preventing an influx of immigrants and illegal drugs from reaching our communities, Mastriano said in a release. Advertisement I am one of the 15,000 members of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and have been for more than six years. My unit was called up for the George Floyd civil unrest in Philadelphia and for the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection response at the U.S. Capitol. I know the role the National Guard should play, and Ive agreed to put my life on the line to serve our country. But I am not willing to do so nor have my life uprooted for political theater. State Sen. Mastriano seems confused on several key points, namely the purpose of the National Guard. The guard has specific purposes: providing trained units to defend the U.S. and its interests, and to protect life and property. This boils down to two actual missions: supporting deployments around the world (either active or reserve), and responding to domestic crises in our home states. Sending Pennsylvania National Guard members to Texas is not an action in support of any crisis in our commonwealth. It also does not support the active or reserve component with any deployment. National Guard members also have completely different full-time jobs, family and friend obligations, and in many cases full-time schoolwork to complete. Sending us anywhere instantly disrupts family life and college semesters for thousands of service members and their families. Many National Guard members are full-time police, EMTs, firefighters, teachers, and doctors from our communities, and sending them out of state puts all Pennsylvanians at risk. Most importantly, when any members of the National Guard are deployed, the state has fewer resources to react to actual emergencies within our borders. I challenge anyone to argue that the benefits of supplementing troops on the southern border outweigh the risks of doing so to our state. I signed up to serve my country, not to be a political thespian for the governor of Texas attempt to court favor and attention by vilifying people seeking a better life in this country. I am happy to deploy overseas to fight foreign enemies, I am happy to defend the Capitol from domestic enemies, and I am honored to assist those in need during disasters in my state and community. What I did not sign up for is to be told by a state senator that Ill have to miss a wedding anniversary, delay graduating college, miss the birth of a child, or pass over a promotion at work all to go perform a function on the southern border the federal government already employs thousands of people to do. I believe most Pennsylvanians agree with me, and not State Sen. Mastriano. Otherwise, more people would have voted for him when he ran for governor last year. The border crisis is a customs and immigration issue. National Guard members are not a Band-Aid fix for every tough problem that requires more staffing, and we remember every politician who tries to use us in this way. I am happy to serve my country during times of crisis, but the right tools should be used for the right problems. The National Guard is not a magic, problem-be-gone workforce for any state, and I urge Gov. Shapiro to ignore anyone who believes otherwise. Cam Pursel is a National Guard member whos lived in Philadelphia since 2018. Pennsylvanias row offices can be somewhat opaque to voters, but in the right hands, they can deliver substantive progress for residents. As attorney general, Josh Shapiro took on problems ranging from ensuring access to medical care to holding opioid manufacturers accountable. Former state Treasurer Joe Torsella took on wasteful practices at PSERS, the states pension fund for teachers and other school employees. Former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale shed light on everything from diverted money at PennDot to issues at the Department of Education. Advertisement In the Democratic primary for auditor general, only one candidate possesses the ability to utilize the office to its full capacity: Malcolm Kenyatta. Kenyatta, 33, who is the first openly LGBT Black state representative in the commonwealths history, is well-known throughout the city as an effective activist and eloquent advocate for working families, like the one in which he was reared. If elected to the office, Kenyatta has promised to support public education and hold government accountable. Still, when The Inquirer Editorial Board met with Kenyatta, there seemed to be a difference in energy when compared with his primary run for Senate in 2022. In that election, Kenyatta was an upstart facing off against the states lieutenant governor and a congressman with strong backing from Democratic Party officials. While he did not win that race, he won plaudits and impressed onlookers with his passionate campaigning. His political future seemed bright. The heart that clearly motivated that campaign is harder to find this time around. Instead, Kenyatta who has collected endorsements from state and local Democratic Party organizations, cementing him as the clear front-runner for the nomination gave off an air of ennui, if not indifference. Should Kenyatta secure the nomination, one of the most contentious issues in the primary race against Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley could undermine his efforts in the general election. In footage captured from a Ring video camera, Kenyatta can be heard telling voters that Pinsley is bigoted against Black people, though he offered no evidence. More troubling than making such a baseless allegation, however, was Kenyattas refusal to apologize for doing so. During an interview with the Editorial Board, Kenyatta stood by his earlier statements about Pinsley, and said that they were justified by comments his opponent made that a Republican-proposed legislative map was an attempt to create a ghetto. While some activists on social media took issue with his choice of words, Pinsley, who is Jewish, insisted that he was referring to ghetto in the sense of its linguistic roots as a reference to the forced segregation of Jews, rather than as a pejorative statement about African Americans. Importantly, Pinsley also apologized for any offense he caused. Kenyatta should do the same. If Kenyatta wins the April 23 primary, it is all but certain that state Republicans will seize on the statement to raise questions about his fitness for office and unlike Pinsley, Republican incumbent Tim DeFoor, who is seeking a second term in November, has a well-resourced campaign thats capable of amplifying the comment. Still, despite this miscue, Kenyatta is clearly the stronger candidate. Pinsley, while well-meaning and deeply versed in accounting practices, struggled to make the primary ballot and had some of his petition signatures identified as forgeries. Against an incumbent Republican, thats unlikely to be enough. The Inquirer endorses Malcolm Kenyatta for auditor general. Photo exhibition on Flying Tigers, Doolittle Raiders unveiled at U.S. Air Force museum 14:26, April 20, 2024 By Liu Yanan, Xu Xingtang ( Xinhua Richard Myers, former chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks during a photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) DAYTON, Ohio, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition kicked off on Thursday at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force to commemorate the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. The opening ceremony of the exhibition was held on Thursday morning with the participation of some 150 representatives from various fields in the United States and China. Over 80 years ago, these young American men went to China, fought a remarkable war against a very professional military and finally prevailed against the Japanese invaders, said Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation and also organizer of the exhibition. "So, that's why we're here today," said Greene, noting that Thursday also marks the 82nd anniversary of the Doolittle Raid. Terry Branstad, former U.S. ambassador to China, said one of the highlights of his stay in China was visiting all the museums and monuments to the Flying Tigers. Branstad recalled his visit to Southwest China's Yunnan Province and a meeting there with a group of Chinese who helped the Flying Tigers and built an airfield for them. During those difficult times, China and the United States could work together, fighting together shoulder by shoulder for human dignity and human justice, said the Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping. Huang said the Flying Tigers are, of course, heroes and "We are here to remember all those heroes." "We hope that friends from various sectors of China and the United States will work together to present the Flying Tigers' stories to more people and solidify the foundation of friendship," said Jiang Jiang, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Visitors to the exhibition also shared their views and experiences at a meeting on U.S.-China friendship in World War II on Thursday afternoon. The Flying Tigers, formally known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, was formed in 1941 by U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault. They came to China to help the Chinese people to fight the invading Japanese troops. According to statistics, more than 200 downed Flying Tigers airmen were rescued by the Chinese people and thousands of Chinese were killed by Japanese invaders during the rescue missions. The Doolittle Raid, planned and led by U.S. Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle on April 18, 1942, was an air raid by the United States on seven Japanese cities, including the capital Tokyo, during World War II, as a retaliation for the attack on the U.S. Pearl Harbor. The 80 U.S. Air Force personnel who took part in the Doolittle Raid were rescued by Chinese civilians and troops off the Chinese coast after running out of fuel on their return. The Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping speaks during a photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Jiang Jiang, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, speaks during a photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, speaks during a photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations.(Xinhua/Liu Jie) A photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, is held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) A photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, is held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) A photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, is held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) A photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, is held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) A photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, is held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) People visit a photo exhibition commemorating the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders, Americans who fought Japan in World War II in cooperation with the Chinese people, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, April 18, 2024. The half-year-long exhibition recounts the stories of the Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders with around 100 photos and detailed narrations. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) Montgomery County mail ballots have been reaching voters late, further complicating a primary election day that falls on a major Jewish holiday. Read more With the primary election looming on Tuesday, 183 missing ballots were delivered Saturday to Montgomery County voters, after a delay that complicated an already challenged voting situation because Passover starts on Monday evening. A Postal Service spokesperson said the ballots were delivered from the Jenkintown post office. Advertisement Mail ballots already had been delayed getting to county voters, said Montgomery County spokesperson Megan Alt, first because of three necessary rounds of quality assurance with the countys voting system vendor, Dominion Voting Systems. That was followed by a bottleneck at the countys ballot printer, Blair County-based NPC, after Montgomery County submitted its files on April 2. Some voters said Friday they still hadnt received their mail ballots even though they had been told by county officials the ballots should have arrived by then. As it turned out, delivery didnt come until three days before the primary. READ MORE: The 2024 Pennsylvania primary voters guide USPS spokesperson Paul Smith told The Inquirer on Friday there werent any mail delays in Montgomery County. Evidently that was a matter of semantics: What happened Friday was technically more the result of an error than a delay in service. A person familiar with the matter told The Inquirer the Postal Service had lost the ballots and then found them. County Voter Services satellite offices in Norristown and Willow Gove will be open for extended hours Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Alt said. People who havent received their ballots in the mail can cancel their request there and receive a replacement ballot. The offices with extended hours are at 425 Swede St., Norristown and 102 N. York Road in Willow Grove. After picking up a replacement ballot, voters can complete it and return it Sunday at either location or use one of the countys 12 drop boxes, most of which are open 24 hours, until 8 p.m. on Tuesday. The county is discouraging voters from mailing their ballots this close to primary day. The USPS generally recommends voters mail them at least a week in advance, and Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt had urged voters to return them right away in person either to a county election office or official drop box as early as this past Tuesday. But Montgomery County voters who were originally told on April 5 their ballots were on the way were subsequently told by the county to expect them by April 15 or 16. Other voters who were told their ballot was on the way on April 12 were told they should have received them by Friday. Montgomery County officials will meet with the countys vendors before the general election in November to assess their capacity and will advocate for the state to improve its election timeline, which doesnt certify the ballot until March 22, Alt said. Those who requested a mail ballot for the primary also have the option to surrender it and vote in person or cast a provisional ballot on Tuesday. A limited window to vote, or potentially none at all Not being able to actually mail in a mail ballot could be an issue for people who dont live close to a drop box or county elections office and arent mobile or dont have an easy way to get there. Under Pennsylvania law, voters cannot have others return their ballots for them except for voters with a disability who have designated a proxy in writing. The delays have also created a limited window for observant Jews who would not vote on Saturday due to Shabbat the Jewish sabbath or Tuesday because of Passover. Even the opportunity to vote between the end of Shabbat on Saturday night and the beginning of Passover on Monday evening isnt an option for everyone. With holiday preparations aside, many observers travel to be with family on the holiday and may have already left town. Ari Adlerstein came home Friday evening to discover that his mail ballot still hadnt arrived despite requesting it weeks ago. Adlerstein, of Merion Station, said that the election taking place during Passover is disenfranchising Jewish voters like himself, which wouldnt be the end of the world if there was a seamless mail-in process. But you know, after all that, not to even get your mail-in ballot, yeah, its deeply upsetting, he said. Its one of the fundamental rights that we have, is to vote and to have our voice heard. His family decided to stay local for Passover this year, but most of his friends left town on Friday, or planned to do so on Sunday morning, in preparation for the Jewish holiday. Dan Mitzner, director of government affairs for Teach Coalition the Orthodox Unions Jewish education advocacy group said the community was relying on the mail option this year. Teach Coalition opened a voting education center in Lower Merion Township earlier this month as part of a six-figure effort to mobilize Jewish voters called Pennsylvania Unites. READ MORE: Philly-area Jewish communities prepare for a primary election that conflicts with Passover There are Orthodox Jewish communities in various parts of Montgomery County, including Bala Cynwyd, Merion Station, Wynnewood, Elkins Park, and Fort Washington. The whole idea about having multiple avenues of voting is to enfranchise more voters and encourage voting, Mitzner said. And what youre doing is taking away the ability to vote on election day, and now a mail-in ballot is essentially not a mail-in ballot anymore. You cant mail it in. Montco lagging behind Mitzner saw the delays as incompetence on the countys part, and Adlerstein also noted how it appears to be a Montco-specific issue. But Alt, the county spokesperson, argued that the delays could happen elsewhere. Unfortunately, we believe this issue could arise with other counties this time it was Montgomery County, next time it could be a neighbor, she said. READ MORE: Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija wants the county to set a national example in how to make voting more accessible. On Wednesday, only 1.2% of mail and absentee ballots had been returned in Montgomery County, which rose to 5.8% on Thursday. That portion jumped to 26% on Friday morning, which still lagged behind surrounding areas, as Bucks, Chester, and Philadelphia Counties all had received more than 50%, and Delaware County, 45%. USPS was provided with some Montgomery County ballots for processing and delivery on April 9 to 11, and more on Monday and Tuesday, said Smith, the spokesperson. Meanwhile, ballots had already begun going out in Philadelphia and Chester Counties on March 28 and 29, respectively, according to Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein and Chester County Commissioners spokesperson Rebecca Brain. The U.S. Postal Service is committed to the secure, timely delivery of the nations election mail, Smith said. In 2024, just as we have in previous elections, the Postal Service will fulfill our role in the electoral process when public policy makers choose to utilize the mail as a part of their election system or when voters choose to utilize our services to participate in an election. Staff writer Katie Bernard contributed to this article. In its submission, ACIL identified several critical areas needing reform to alleviate issues like underinsurance and the complexity of insurance policy terms. It emphasised that such changes are vital to diminish confusion among consumers and the adverse effects linked to underinsurance. The trio, named as Daniel Koos, Nicholas Lardie and Melinda Brantley, were fired in December 2017 prior to the conclusion of an internal Zurich investigation into their off the record paid time off (PTO), according to their legal representatives at Bohm Law Group. Were proudly Hibernian Francophiles. France is not retro for us, it never went out of style. The French invented restaurants as we know them, food, service and ambience. We are just quietly continuing that tradition - Temple Garner The above quote is from an email Chef Garner sent me and it sums up Bresson nicely. Garner first came to my attention in the Mermaid Cafe on Dame St and then in Town Bar and Grill both were fun, vibrant restaurants serving food packed with flavour and creative flair. His next venture was San Lorenzo on Georges Street (now Kickys), a sort of New York Italian restaurant, offering bold flavours and great vibes. In 2018 Garner opened Bresson where he went back to his roots with French cooking: Ive been a French cook all along, just in disguise to myself, he says. In late March this year, myself and the Engineer spent four days in Paris, our first visit since 2019 and found ourselves eating mostly bistro food (as well as visiting some natural wine bars). We returned to our favourite bistro Le Gavroche in the Sentier for pate en croute and possibly the best steak-frites in Paris washed down with their house Beaujolais it was heaven and we missed it, so Bresson beckoned. Finding good French bistro food in Dublin is not as easy as you might think and there is something comforting about seeing dishes like Boeuf Bourguignon, Duck a lOrange, and Moules Mariniere on a menu. We visited with our neighbours who are fine cooks themselves and opted for the Early Bird menu as it is a total bargain served Thursday to Sunday at just 44.95 for three courses, and 39.95 for two. This being a French restaurant the bread arrived gratis slices of cinnamon and clove scented pain-depices, a crusty textured sourdough loaf, and of course some creamy Beurre-dIsigny Sainte-Mere AOP butter on the side. A demi-tasse of sweet-earthy root vegetable soup was also served as an amuse-bouche. Unlike many early bird menus, Bresson offers lots of choice with five starters and seven main courses and almost everything on it is a French classic. My parfait of duck liver and foie gras with toasted brioche and prune and pain depices crumb was as perfect a parfait as I can remember tasting, incredibly light in texture as though spun from silk with a pleasing fruity-offal pungency. Roquefort with red wine poached pears, endive and truffled honey was also beautifully conceived with vibrant flavours sparring off each other to create new sensations, designed to wake up the palate in the way a starter course should. Smoked salmon and salmon pate was also delicate but characterful and the surprising winner might have been the humble ham hock and butter bean soup meaty and complex, salty but light designed to pierce to the soul and the deep-rooted memory of every Irish person. We all wanted the Coquille St Jacques scallops gratinated in the shell with a brown shrimp and smoked haddock chaudree (chowder) and impossibly fluffy duchess potato and gruyere cheese. It was as perfect as it sounds, the small forkful I persuaded from the Engineer filled all my senses. Steak and kidney pie was as pretty as can be with light flaky pastry and a rich meaty stew underneath, sea bass Veronique came with a vibrant poached golden raisin beurre blanc and my Feighcullen free-range chicken breast ballotine was tender but with a punchy stuffing of Bayonne ham and pork with perfect duck fat roasties. Bressons wine list is large with prices starting at 38 and a nice selection by the glass and a good collection of fine wines including Ch Tertre Roteboeuf Saint-Emilion 2010 for 550 if you are feeling flush. As the sun was shining for a change we began with Domaine Peiriere Grenache Rose (40) which had lively floral red fruit aromas and a pleasing cherry-skin tang. For our main courses, we opted for Joseph Drouhin Coteaux Bourguignons, a Pinot Noir-Gamay blend with bright juicy red and black fruits that was a light enough match for the fish and rich enough for the steak and kidney. Dessert highlights included a rich dark chocolate mousse, a (properly) sticky toffee pudding and an intense salted caramel ice cream. Forget what you may have heard: French cooking is not dead, it is in fact alive and well and living in Monkstown. THE VERDICT: Food: 9/10 Drink: 9/10 Service: 9/10 Ambience: 9/10 Value: 9/10 Nidhi Zakaria Eipe is commissioning editor with Skein Press and is based in Dublin. How did you get into publishing? I was a writer before I became an editor. I published my first book, Auguries of a Minor God, with Faber & Faber in 2021. While I have the most wonderful agent and incredibly supportive editors, my early experience of publication made me realise how difficult it can often be for writers from minority communities/backgrounds, or those working in other fields, to make their way in the literary sector. I used to work in international development and conflict resolution before I moved to Ireland so I had no previous experience in the literary world and no idea of what it took to publish a book or make a career out of writing. I had participated in a summer school with The Stinging Fly in Dublin in 2018, which is the first time I remember feeling like the possibility of being a writer was really open to someone like me. I saw scope for a professional programme that would mentor aspiring writers whose stories have been traditionally underrepresented in Irish literature and publishing, perspectives that would offer a counter or complement to the dominant cultural narrative. It was a stroke of wonderful luck to meet Grainne OToole and Fionnuala Cloke, the founders of Skein Press, and find a real kinship there. Together with Declan Meade at The Stinging Fly and with primary funding from the Arts Council of Ireland, we piloted the Play It Forward Fellowships in 2021. Following the fellowship programme, I stayed on with Skein Press as poetry editor, incorporating this genre into our publications, and later took on the role of commissioning editor. What does your role involve? My role involves commissioning books from writers and developing our publishing programme. As a writer-centred press, we operate a developmental strand where we invest in resources and support for first-time writers to bring their manuscripts from conception to completion. Being part of this journey with writers whose work and ways of being I admire is deeply rewarding. I also help to oversee strategic partnerships as part of Skeins commitment to advocating for artists, to ensure everyone has the opportunity to create, curate, and participate in culture. We work closely with the Arts Council, literary and cultural organisations, and fellow publishers to dismantle barriers to participation and advance equity within existing structures, policies, and practices. What do you like most about your job? Im very fortunate, theres so much to love. Reading a submission of heart-hushing writing and rushing to share it with the team; championing the work of authors whose voices may have historically not found a place within Irish literature, and working in tandem with translators to bring stories from different cultures and continents to readers in Ireland. And forging new friendships and partnerships with people and organisations working to spread a love of literature and storytelling that celebrates the beauty and richness of the world we share. What do you like least about it? E-mails. And the immediacy of digital correspondence. I frequently daydream of quitting the internet and communicating entirely through snail mail or bringing back telegrams. What memorable books have you worked on? Im partial to the books in Skein Press Solstice Stories series, which feature creative collaborations between contemporary writers and visual artists. The series seeks to stimulate conversations and inspire hope by reconnecting us with our imaginations and bringing people and communities together. The first in the series, and my first book as an editor, is Waking Light, a beautiful limited-edition accordion book featuring lyric poetry and prose by Micheal McCann and Kerri ni Dochartaigh alongside photographic images by Michelle Moloney, designed and handmade by book artist Eilis Murphy. I also loved working on Weave, a collaboration between writers Oein DeBhairduin and Deirdre Sullivan with ink-brush artist Yingge Xu, encompassing eight exquisite stories and illustrations inspired by the eight festivals in the Wheel of the Year; and The Book of Trivialities, our first bilingual (Arabic-English) collection of poetry by Majed Mujed, translated by Kareem James Abu-Zeid. What three books would you bring to a desertisland? Peter Matthiessens The Snow Leopard, Clarissa Pinkola Estes Women Who Run With The Wolves, and Kalidasas Kumarasambhavam. Becky Lynch Irish professional wrestler Becky Lynch was the first guest to join Patrick Kielty on Friday night. One of WWEs most recognisable wrestlers, the Dubliner replaced Dwayne The Rock Johnson as the main event at WrestleMania. However, the 37-year-old said her appearance on the Late Late Show was a sign that she had made it, especially for her mother who was in the audience. Before becoming one of the worlds most famous wrestlers, the Baldoyle native spent two and a half years as an air hostess, but she could never shake her desire to wrestle. Lynch, whose real name is Rebecca Quin, was the first woman to be the main event at WrestleMania, which at the time, was in its 35th year. When asked what it was like to achieve that goal, she said: It was right. Damn right I was going to be the main event, she added as the audience cheered and Kielty reached out for a high-five. Lynch also discussed juggling family time and wrestling with her fellow wrestler husband, Seth Rollins. Kielty applauded the mother-of-one for following her dreams to the point where is now at the top of her game. Bambie Thug One of the musical treats lined up for the night was Eurovision hopeful Bambie Thug who is heading to Sweden to represent Ireland with their song, Doomsday Blue. The Cork native, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, teased that the song would get a bit of a revamp for the competition in Malmo next month. Following a rendition of the song, Kielty asked Bambie about the controversy surrounding this years Eurovision and why they had decided to perform amid calls for a boycott. Last month, Bambie released a collective statement with eight other Eurovision entrants who detailed the privilege of representing their countries and the discomfort they feel over Israels place in the contest. I stand with anyone doing the boycott. I think if I wasnt in the competition, I would also be boycotting, they said on Friday night. There are a lot of moving parts and at the end of the day without a group of us who is pro-Palestine, it is less competition for the other side to win and its less solidarity there. Obviously, its incredibly heavy and I am extremely behind everybody. Kielty seems confident in Bambies ability to reach the final, if not win the competition so much so that the host is ready to put a few quid on it. He crossed his fingers as he told the audience and viewers at home that they may catch Bambie in the Eurovision final on Saturday, May 11 as well as the first half of the semi-finals on Tuesday, May 7. Trinny Woodall Founder and CEO of makeup and skincare brand, Trinny London, Trinny Woodall shared her inspiring story as a woman in business. Dressed in head-to-toe pink sparkles, the 60-year-old (Kielty and the audience were equally shocked to learn her age) talked about her brands success and the obstacles she had to overcome while building it. I had a few careers. I used to trade commodities and that was terrible. I would go into work with the Financial Times on the outside and the Daily Mail on the inside because I was a fraud and I hated it, she said. The Londoner also worked in TV and moved abroad before she had her daughter and bought the house of her dreams. However, she had a desire to create her own business. After she turned 50, her husband took his own life, making Woodhall a single parent. She eventually sold her house in order to make her business dreams come true. I thoughtthis is the hardest time to try it, so if I dont try it now, Ill never do it. The bubbly British beauty founder finished her appearance with a demonstration that she claimed would help boost energy levels. After removing her shoes, she got Kielty up onto his feet and bouncing up and down for what she called floppy bunny. Stardust tribute Patrick Kielty was joined by some of the survivors and family members of those involved in the Stardust fire after a jury returned majority verdicts of unlawful killing for all the 48 people who lost their lives in the nightclub fire in 1981. Antionette Keegan and Selina McDermott shared their memories of the night of February 13, 1981. Antionette Keegan attended the nightclub with her sisters Mary and Martina who both lost their lives in the fire. Selina McDermott was just 11 when her siblings Willie, George and Marcella died in the fire. When asked how she felt to get the result on Thursday, Antionette Keegan said: It was very overwhelming. It was kind of a numbness going around in a daze like, is this real? We finally got it. We should have never [have had] to wait 43 years, she added. But we got it. Selina McDermott said her mother ensured the batteries for her hearing aids were working so that she could hear the verdict on Thursday. And she heard it. We just [saw] her head and her shoulders go down onto the table. She cried so much. It just came from inside and it just poured out of her. The show ended with Kielty reading out the names of the 48 Stardust victims as the audience sat in silence, listening to each one. Rest easy and goodnight, he concluded. As he finished speaking, the audience took to their feet to give a standing ovation to Antionette Keegan and Selina McDermott. The pair were emotional as they hugged one another and held hands in what was a truly moving moment. Threaded through by the Danube River, Budapests architecture dazzles with its range of styles. A city vibrant with the arts and creativity, the Hungarian capital has over 60 museums to fill your cultural cup, including the newly built House of Music, as well as a buzzing nightlife, theatres and the world-renowned Opera House. Nor will you go hungry, with everything from simple goulash establishments to seven Michelin-starred restaurants. Its easy enough to get around on foot, but a Budapest Card provides unlimited public transport, as well as discounted entrance to many attractions. Entrance of the Szechenyi thermal baths. 1.To soak in the citys thermal baths Certain geological conditions bless Budapest with mineral-rich thermal springs, the waters of which can be experienced in any of several bathhouses. Rudas Bath features six baths and gorgeous design details, including Insta-worthy floor tiles; check before visiting, however, as its the only bathhouse in the city to hold some gender-segregated sessions. One of the largest complexes can be found on the outskirts of City Park: with its yellow, Neo-Baroque build, Szecheyni is hard to miss and even harder not to enjoy. 18 pools, both indoor and outdoor, all feature different temperatures, and the number of locals wallowing blissfully adds an irresistibly authentic sense of downtime in the capital. Szecheyni entrance from 8,400 FT/ 21 Heroes Square, Budapest, Hungary 2. To see the citys history reflected in its architecture The simple pleasure of wandering the streets and looking up at the buildings that make up a city hits different in Budapest, where a range of architectural details reveal a not-always-comfortable story. Ranging from Art Nouveau, Neoclassical and Baroque to Gothic, the soup of styles is fascinating, even before you start to note ragged and pock-marked facades, all of which tell the tale of Red Army and Hungarian Revolution gunfire. The defiance of these exteriors is even more poignant in the face of the money thats been directed towards restoration in the capital: this is a city determined for its past to not be plastered over. Wine bars in Budapest. 3. To quaff the local wine Budapest is an ideal base from which to embark on your Hungarian wine explorations, with at least 10 wineries within easy reach of the city. The red Kekfrankos is one of the main grapes, and used in several varieties, ranging from dense and warming to light and fruity. Because some of the wineries in the area are so small, they dont produce sufficient qualities for export, so being in the vicinity may be your only opportunity to try them. Although many locally produced wines are available at city venues, joining a tour to a nearby winemaking region, such as Etyek (about 30 minutes from the centre) will give a deeper insight into Bidapests viniculture. Half-day wine tour from 92 4. To explore the ever-reviving Castle District This area has been destroyed and rebuilt countless times, but for the best insights into these changes, join a guided tour, because elements of significance may go unobserved otherwise. Look, for example, at the statues of lions at the entrance to Lions Court, which have been shoddily made over, with dollops of concrete patching up their damaged bodies. Whether you choose to explore the interiors or not, the complex certain areas of which are being reconstructed under the National Hauszmann Program youll want to take advantage of the views over the city and Danube, which can also be experienced en route, if you take the funicular in operation since 1870 from the Chain Bridge upwards. The Shoes on the Danube Bank to honor the Jews who were killed in Budapest during World War II. 5. To recognise Jewish history One of the most poignant sights youll ever see is The Shoes, on the Danube Promenade. This memorial features 60 cast-iron pairs of shoes, representing just a handful of Jewish people of all ages and genders who were executed on the banks of the Danube; their bodies falling into the water to be swept away. The shoes represent the fact that these victims were made to remove their footwear so that soldiers could sell them on for profit. Just a 20-minute walk away, the Jewish Quarter combines modern vibes (the popularity of the Ruins Bars established in the ruins of post-WWII put this area on the tourist map) with history: indeed, the inscription outside nightlife hub Szimpla reads, simply, People used to live here. 6. To walk across the Chain Bridge Last year marked the 150th anniversary of Buda and Pest, and the Szechenyi Chain Bridge was the first to link these two previously divided cities. As such, its become a powerful icon of unification, even though other bridges have since been built over the Danube. Closed for a period of restoration before the anniversary it is now open only to taxis, cyclists, and pedestrians. The views, at any hour, are magnificent: choose between architecture in all its daytime glory, or outlines picked out by night. Crowds at Sziget, Budapest 7. To go wild at The Glastonbury of Europe Summer sees Budapest already a musical and cultural centre come alive. 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Sziget: the name means island a reference to Obuda, the Danube island on which the festival is held. Running over the course of six days (although tickets for fewer days are available), attendees Szitizens are issued with passports, which are stamped at the multitude of arenas, tents and venues around the festival site. Who could resist trying to collect them all, especially when theres such a diverse range of art, culture and music on offer? Sziget daily tickets from 79; full festival pass from 279 8. To wander a graveyard of Soviet statues Toppled statues are nothing new: in Budapest, many likenesses of Socialist leaders were torn down as the regime collapsed. An hours train journey southwest of the centre, Memento Park is the perhaps final resting place of a number of relics from the Socialist era, including sculptures of the likes of Lenin and Marx. One of the most remarkable things, through a modern lens, is the audacious size of some of the figures, which reflects the omnipotence promulgated by the party. Prime example? Stalins bronze boots: all that remain of an eight-metre high (18 if you include the pedestal) statue erected in 1951 to mark the dictators 70th birthday. 9. To make like Blur with some Park Life Some 300 acres of green space in the northeast of Budapest this is the Hungarian capitals City Park, which features a number of additional attractions, such as a zoo, and a tethered hot air balloon ride, on its fringes. This is an all-season getaway from urban life in the winter, people take to the frozen lake on ice skates; in the summer months people simply soak it up. Picnic with friends; doze in the grass or peer at passersby from behind the pages of your novel. Tram on the Chain Bridge, Budapest 10. To ride the Number 2 Tram This dinky yellow tram takes one of the most scenic routes in Europe, so whether youre footsore, or simply want to cover a number of sights in a short time, hop on at Jaszari Mari Square. From here, the tram follows the river on its Pest side, trundling past the ornate Hungarian Parliament building and the Chain Bridge, with views of the castle over the Danube. Youll also travel past the Jewish Holocaust Memorial and The Shoes, as well as Elizabeth Bridge and Gresham Palace, before finishing at the National Theatre. Having made the trip, do a hop-on, hop-off at various sites on the return. bkk.hu, tickets from 1.14 The former chairman and former CEO of the disbanded National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) have been charged with fraudulent trading and failing to keep adequate accounting records. Former NAGP chief executive Christopher Goodey has been charged with one count of fraudulent trading and two counts of failing to keep adequate accounting records. The NAGP former chairman, Dr Andrew Jordan, has also been charged with one count of fraudulent trading and two counts of failing to keep adequate accounting records. It follows an investigation conducted by the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) which is the company law enforcement agency for Ireland and directions from the DPP. The NAGP had been founded in 2013 as a professional association representing GPs. However, following concerns around finances and governance, it told members in 2109 it was entering voluntary liquidation. They were served with a Book of Evidence at the District Court at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin. They were sent forward to the Circuit Court for trial on indictment. Both were remanded on continuing bail to a sitting of the Dublin Circuit Court next month, the CEA said in a statement. The CEA described fraudulent trading as among the most serious company law offences on the statute book. The offence, under Section 722 of the Companies Act 2014, is when a person is knowingly a party to the carrying on of the business of a company with intent to defraud creditors of the company or creditors of any other person or for any fraudulent purpose". It can lead to up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of 500,000. Accounting records must legally follow certain requirements, under the Companies Act. In the weeks before the NAGP went into liquidation, its president, Dr Maitiu O Tuathail, and council resigned, expressing concerns. Its 2018, AGM heard concerns around financial viability and the use of a "fighting fund" of money collected from members to fight legal cases. The NAGP had launched a legal challenge against the States plans to offer free GP care to children under six, wanting this postponed until they could negotiate for members. It was not recognised as a negotiator for that scheme, but later withdrew the challenge on advice it would fail. Dr O Tuathail later separately faced controversy over his access, while still head of the NAGP, to an agreement reached between the HSE, Department of Health, and the Irish Medical Organisation on a new GP contract. The document had been shared with him by then tanaiste, Leo Varadkar. Far-right agitators and conspiracy groups are becoming increasingly more extreme and experts fear their intimidation and violence could get far worse if authorities do not intervene. The warning comes after a group of up to 12 mainly masked people predominantly men gathered outside the home of Childrens Minister Roderic OGorman in west Dublin and defaced the front of his property with huge defamatory banners. Gardai were called to the scene and, as captured in phone recording that circulated online, observed the masked group, but did not carry out any arrests. Mr OGorman said threats to politicians will undermine the tradition of respectful debate in Irish democracy. If we were to lose those, we would lose something very dear, and not easily recovered, he said. Taoiseach Simon Harris said he was utterly horrified by the incident and described it as extremely chilling. He said he accepted gardai had to assess each situation and did not want to interfere with operational policing, but added he was deeply uncomfortable with how such a scenario was allowed to develop. Justice Minister Helen McEntee said Roderic OGormans privacy and property had been violated in a disgusting manner. Aoife Gallagher of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue warned that 'those willing to engage in violence and intimidation will become more emboldened'. "Politicians across the political spectrum and not just in Ireland are facing increasing levels of personal intrusion and abuse," she said. "The scene outside Minister OGormans home were vile and disgusting. "I think its fair to say if youre standing outside a politicians home in a balaclava, youre not there to debate policy or politics - youre there to intimidate and that is unacceptable. "Regardless of who you are, what your disposition or occupation is, you are likely to find that uncomfortable and possibly threatening. "I dont think thats consistent with Irish values and its certainly not consistent with the principles of the democracy we have in this country. "Citizens have a right to protest, but public representatives must be able to go about their business free from abuse and intimidation." Last night, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the use of posters outside homes could constitute harassment. In an internal guidance note, Mr Harris reminded gardai of their powers and said the wearing of balaclavas has potentially sinister overtures. Mr Harris said members of An Garda Siochana should have "regard to the impact of the protesters actions and behaviours on householders, their families and other occupants, including neighbours and most especially in respect of particularly vulnerable persons". Garda sources told the Irish Examiner they can only arrest people where there is a defined criminal offence. They said new powers being introduced in Britain allowing police to arrest protesters who wear face coverings to threaten others and avoid prosecution were not available to gardai here. There were fears that tensions would rise further yesterday evening as far-right groups planned a protest outside the International Protection Office on Mount St in Dublin city centre, where homeless asylum seekers are sleeping in tents. However, Gardai told the Irish Examiner earlier yesterday that they had a policing plan in place, including a physical presence. Aoife Gallagher, senior analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, accused the gardai of adopting a soft-touch approach. She said this meant the tactics being used by these groups were becoming increasingly more violent. Unless something changes, the direction of travel is only becoming more clear, said Ms Gallagher. Those who are willing to engage in violence and intimidation will become more emboldened and continue to act with impunity. John OBrennan, professor of European politics at Maynooth University, said it was time for gardai to step in decisively. This will get far worse if the authorities present a pattern of failing to intervene, he said. John Morrison, assistant professor in criminology at Maynooth University, said: The aim of these actors is to promote conspiracy theories in order to deteriorate trust in public figures. There is potential for this form of behaviour to escalate. Ruth McCourt of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties said: Threats and intimidation against politicians have been increasing, and images of individuals placing threatening and abusive banners on a private home while gardai were present raises serious questions for An Garda Siochana. Read More Far-right agitators interrupt Mary Lou McDonald as Sinn Fein leader reacts to referenda A 57-year-old Cork man told a member of An Garda Siochana that he hoped that the guards wife and children would all die a horrible death. The same man has been convicted more than 100 times for the offence of engaging in threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour. Francis Kearns pleaded guilty to this latest count of threatening behaviour. Sergeant John Kelleher said the accused man had a total of 274 convictions and that 107 of them were for threatening behaviour under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, and 137 for being drunk to the extent that he was a danger to himself or others. Aggravating the latest offence is the fact that the accused had a suspended prison sentence hanging over him on three more serious threat charges of threatening to kill or cause harm. Mr Kearns got a two-year suspended sentence on November 23 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. The latest outburst from Francis Kearns will now trigger an application at the circuit court to have the suspended sentence activated because he did not keep the peace as required under the condition of the suspension. Solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher said the accused could not metabolise alcohol and that consuming even a small amount resulted in intoxication: He cant keep his mouth shut after alcohol. I know he says dreadful things to the gardai." Judge Mary Dorgan noted that Francis Kearns, of Mount Rivers, Carrigaline, Co Cork, was already before the Probation Service on other matters. The judge requested that a probation report would be prepared on the accused in advance of sentencing. Judge Dorgan said that in preparing their report the Probation Service needed to be made aware of the gravity of the threatening offence in the present case. Sentencing was then adjourned until June 11 at Cork District Court. Sergeant Kelleher said the recent offence occurred on March 6 when gardai responded to a panic alarm at OHerlihys Centra on Grand Parade, the 57-year-old was shouting at members of staff and the public. Told to desist he shouted at one member of An Garda Siochana, Fuck you, you c***, you bastard. Fuck your wife and your children. I hope they die a horrible death. He shouted this repeatedly at the garda. Eamon Ryan said that he hopes his party will have a councillor in every county after the upcoming local elections. Speaking at the Green Party conference in Dublin, Mr Ryan warned the Healy-Raes in Co Kerry that the Kingdom is going green. Its absolutely possible that I think we will significantly increase our seats on the last election, not certain, the Green Party leader said. I think what well be setting as a key goal is that we get a councillor in every single county. Mr Ryan said that he believed the Green Party would be able to win seats in places that people dont expect, namechecking Kerry as a target for the party. The Healy-Raes, I think Ive shocking news for them: The Kingdom is going green, Mr Ryan said. 'False promises' The Environment Minister also has said that the electorate is not won over by easy false promises, warning coalition figures against early budget speculation. Mr Ryan said that the Government needed to be careful about making promises about Octobers budget in April. He said that the only promise that should be made about the budget currently is that it will be progressive. I think we should do the budget in October and I think we should be careful about promising all sorts of promises in the interim, Mr Ryan said. Asked if it was now open season on parties making budget promises ahead of the local and European elections, Mr Ryan said that it was a tradition in Irish politics, but not a great one. I dont think the electorate are swayed by it, I dont think the electorate are won over by easy false promises in April for whats going to happen in October, Mr Ryan said. I think the election on June 7 is about Europe, its about the world. People are fearful that they cant get the cattle out of the sheds because its been raining for ten months, they want an answer to that. People are fearful because people in balaclavas are on our streets. They want democracy to hold strong. I dont think the promise of a tax cut or whatever in the Budget in October actually is going to win this election in June 7. Pressed if he was criticising the other coalition members Fianna Fail and Fine Gael Mr Ryan said that he full understood that people set up their stalls. I get on sufficiently well with my Government colleagues that yes, I can say sometimes I think it is easy to promise. But actually, we should be careful because we do have to deliver in the end. Pressed further, Mr Ryan said that he was not referring to anyone in particular about his easy false promises remark. Perhaps you heard about the footage this week of five-year-old Sally Abu Laila moments after Israeli soldiers shot her in the head. The childs mother, Sabreen, told CNN that her daughter was in her arms as she and her four other children were crossing a checkpoint in Gaza. It seems unbelievable, doesnt it? Yet, Unicef reports that Israeli forces, funded by billions of dollars from the US, are killing or injuring one Palestinian child every 10 minutes in Gaza. What they did to Sally has become devastatingly routine. Still, that particular childs shooting struck me with a personal sense of outrage. In early March, I spoke up at a church near where I live in Brooklyn. There was a community meeting there featuring New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and just before it was scheduled to start I took the podium to call her out for her complicity in the ongoing genocide. I told the people gathered there that American doctors were reporting from Gaza that Israeli soldiers were shooting small children in the head. The crowd jeered at me, and called the police to drag me off the stage and escort me out of the building. Let me rewind. In mid-October, I saw a photo of a family killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza and my lower back went into spasms for two days. When it eased up, I felt a different type of paralysis. As nightmarish images flooded my phone more babies, more children, more women and men, all killed in attacks that grew more brutal by the day I felt a frantic need to stop it but couldnt think how. That emotional paralysis lasted weeks and was compounded by the fact that, as a US taxpayer, I was directly involved. Israel was doing the killing, but the US was paying for it. Maeve Higgins is removed from the scene by police after speaking out at an event in New York. Living in a liberal place like New York City, we are typically told to make sure to vote, and if theres any problem, to call your representatives. My district is NY-10, so my Congressman is Dan Goldman and my senators are Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer. You can make any number of phone calls to each of them where an employee or intern will dutifully write down your concerns, but nobody ever calls you back. Ive emailed, too, but if my representatives names ever do pop up in my inbox, its to ask for money. As well as calls and emails, I sent postcards, texted radio shows, and left comments on their social media. As the death toll mounted, I was shaken by the impossibility of reaching my representatives. I went to the streets to protest and they were packed; many other New Yorkers were equally desperate for our government to stop funding the killing. Each protest I went to was surrounded by more and more police. Even on afternoon marches with elderly people and families pushing strollers, the police loomed over us in full riot gear with dozens of zipties dangling near their guns. We chanted: Israel bombs, USA pays, how many kids did we kill today? We got our answer by March 13, Unicef would put the number of children killed at around 13,000. Israel, with financial, military and moral support from the US has killed at least 39,000 people in Gaza and injured more than 70,000 others. The scale and intensity of the violence is repulsive. And there is nothing I can do to stop it, even as I pay for it. The question, of course, is why? Why am I, a US taxpayer, forced to fund an apartheid state thousands of miles away, one that has shifted gears into a full-blown genocide, and is now provoking a wider war across the Middle East? Whatever Israel wants from the US government, Israel gets. What do I get? I called, emailed, wrote and texted my representatives again. No response, just more killing. In February at my local park, there was a small vigil for Hind Rajab, the day after her body was discovered. She was a six-year-old girl whose voice was heard pleading for help on an emergency call to the Red Crescent as an Israeli tank closed in on her and her family. There were candles, flowers, and kids colouring with crayons. Someone handed me a leaflet about a community group called NY-10 Neighbors. They are a multifaith, multiracial group of volunteers from Congressional District 10 that formed in late October. Listed among their goals was to pressure our representatives into ending US weapons aid to Israel. I joined immediately and asked in the first Zoom meeting how I could speak to our representatives and where I could find Dan Goldman. There was a laugh, not unkind, and they said that they had spent months trying to do just that, but he was avoiding all of his constituents. Then one day, a member of NY-10 Neighbors heard that Goldman had turned up at our local subway station, collecting signatures for his re-election campaign. She spread the word and I rushed to the subway stop, meeting four other women from NY-10 Neighbors who also happened to be close by. Palestinians hold photographs of prisoners jailed in Israel and posters depicting Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden during a rally marking the annual prisoners' day in the West Bank city of Nablus, last week. Picture: AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed One had just collected her six-year-old from school, and he stood wide-eyed eating a cookie as we made a plan. I wanted to tell Goldman to stop making me complicit in genocide. One woman felt too nervous to speak to him but was happy to record our exchange. Another wanted to confront him about the forced starvation; she said every time she feeds her own baby she thinks about the starving children in Gaza. Then she started weeping, and I said Id go first. Myself and my neighbour swiped through the turnstile and went down the steps. At first, thinking we were supporters, Goldman smiled. His face fell when I asked him about restoring funding to UNRWA. It was strange, he seemed completely unprepared for speaking to the public. He was irritated when I asked where he stands on a permanent ceasefire, responding: I think thats a good question and I think you should ask Hamas for a ceasefire. I said he was my representative which was why I was asking him. He walked away from me, but I dont think he was familiar with the subway system since he headed toward a dead end. I asked him why he was blocking aid to Palestinians but insisting on sending military aid to Israel even though Im his constituent and I dont want my tax dollars spent that way. He said: Israel is a democracy in an area surrounded by terrorists. I said these are not terrorists these are men, women and children in Palestine. He said he meant Hamas and Hezbollah. It went downhill from there, as you can imagine. When my neighbour mentioned the death toll, he questioned it, which is not even something Benjamin Netanyahu does. Im still glad I managed to speak to him face to face, because I see now just how rare an opportunity that is. In the church the night of the Gillibrand event, I did not get to speak to her directly. Some people from NY-10 Neighbors did address her from the pews after I had been escorted out, and they were also removed. Dan Goldman: Seemed unprepared for speaking to the public. Picture: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images All we did was state exactly what US-backed Israeli forces are doing in Gaza. The crowd, made up of nice liberal people, treated us as if we were dangerous. These are the people who say they worry about fascism coming to America, even as they lean right into it. I mean, the police marched past an LGBTQ flag to stop me from merely talking about a genocide we are all paying for. Gillibrand hammers her Republican colleagues for denying healthcare to American women, but does everything in her power to support the decimation of every hospital in Gaza. I would wager most of my neighbours seated in the pews are proud of their democratic ideals, but they cheered as the police led out peaceful protesters. They treated us as if we were the violent ones, when actually its the other way around, they are the violent ones. This is not about me obviously, but I can say with 100% certainty now that Gillibrand and that particular church full of people can never say they didnt know. I told them that Israeli snipers were shooting small children in the head, using our money. While they were angry at me for stating that fact, clearly they were fine with the fact itself, because on it goes - right up to this week when those soldiers shot five-year-old Sally Abu Laila. Nothing has shaken my faith in American democracy more than our governments whole-hearted support of this mass murder in Gaza. It is demented. All peaceful means to be heard on this literal matter of life and death voting, protesting, boycotting, writing materially do nothing and mean nothing. Another insurrection, another Trump presidency, another onslaught on reproductive rights these threats that the Democrats talk about constantly pale in comparison to our reality today; a Democratic-led government rolling over their own peoples will just to continue standing with Israel. For what? To bomb, starve and shoot innocent people every day for six months now. I cannot accept this; thats what I have been trying to tell them, thats what they are refusing to hear. The political vernacular has taken a dangerous turn in the last few weeks. Before this, there was, with a few dishonourable exceptions, a general pact among most politicians not to exploit fears or concerns over asylum seekers. Thats all changing in an election year and it could lead to a further backlash against not just asylum seekers but all sorts of migrants to this country. Last weekend Fianna Fail produced a policy document on migration. One proposal is that asylum seekers convicted of a crime be deported. There is no record of asylum seekers committing crime to any greater extent than the rest of the population. The Garda commissioner and Department of Justice have confirmed this. Why put this proposal out there, as if it was responding to evidence of criminal activity? There is a campaign among some elements to paint asylum seekers as murderers, rapists, and thieves. This spreading of hate has had some purchase, particularly at a time when there is a squeeze on accommodation. Last Monday on RTEs Drivetime, Ciara Smyth from NUIG laid it out plainly. Members of the public are being encouraged to have a number of anxieties about asylum seekers, she said. Politicians are hearing these anxieties on the doorsteps. Euro election candidate Lisa Chambers confirmed as much last week. If you break the law you need to be sent back, she said at the Fianna Fail ard fheis. Thats what the public are asking us for. Ms Chambers and her colleagues could explain to the public that their fears are misplaced. Is she afraid to tell voters that there is zero evidence of heightened criminality among asylum seekers because they would reject the truth as it doesnt fit neatly with anger or concern or frustration? Surely responsible politicians have a duty to challenge lies based on hate and accepted through ignorance. Instead, Fianna Fail included a dog whistle in the partys policy document. This just encourages people to associate asylum seekers with criminality and there is no evidence that that is the case, Ms Smyth said on RTE. 'Open borders' Then we have the canard of open borders. This is another lie being spread around which has gained purchase in some quarters of society. Last December, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald dismissed the concept. I dont know anybody who is in favour of open borders, she said. We have a rules based system you shouldnt pretend it doesnt exist. In recent weeks, as the EU asylum and migration pact has come to the fore, Sinn Fein has resurrected these open borders that McDonald previously said didnt exist. Sinn Fein is not in favour of open borders, the partys justice spokesperson Pa Daly said. Sinn Fein is not in favour of open borders, MEP Chris MacManus said. Why introduce a baseless concept being spread by merchants of hate? The answer is that Sinn Fein canvassers are getting it on the doorstep, voters telling them the Shinners are all for open borders. In the name of social cohesion, or equality or any alleged political principles the party could explain that there is no such thing as open borders in the Western world. That, however, would not sate the anger. So the party that once claimed to be some class of a socialist entity issues the dog whistle. There may well be open borders, voter, but be assured, Sinn Fein is not in favour of it. From two of the main three political parties we now have the possibility of hordes of criminal asylum seekers pouring over our open borders, so best to vote for the candidate who reflects your anger. And be assured that wherever those two entities go, Fine Gael will be hot on their heels. The EU pact is another opportunity for some politicians to surf the anger. The government has decided to opt into the pact, which is designed to tighten rules on asylum seekers, because presumably, it believes this is in the countrys best interests. The merchants of hate spread it around that the Government is in cahoots with global forces such as the EU to ramp up the number of people coming in here. And right now some voters are in a mood to buy into this garbage. On Wednesday in the Dail, Aontus Peadar Toibin asked the Taoiseach how much it would cost to opt into the pact. What a silly question. Simon Harris is supposed to calculate trends in immigration, the effects of the pacts measures, where wars are likely to break out, how climate change will impact population movement and lets throw in inflation in the price of a pint between now and 2050. Harris is reputed to be an energetic communicator but he's hardly an actuarial scientist. The Taoiseachs failure to make these calculations was considered a gotcha moment by the Aontu TD. This is a stunning admission, a tweet from Tobin breathlessly revealed to his followers. Despite this farce, we will stand by you. Right, so Toibin is standing by you, the voter, while the Government in conjunction with global forces is allowing thousands into the country. And if these hordes are being delivered by spaceship, then Peadar is all against spaceships. The deputy was speaking in concert with a number of other politicians who want to have a full debate on the pact rather than refer it to the Oireachtas justice committee, as would be normal with EU matters like this. There may be a case for such a debate but why just for this particular measure and how would it be conducted? Inevitably some politicians would use the occasion to fulminate about immigration which is an entirely separate matter to accommodating those requiring international protection. These video clips, full of anger and completely devoid of solutions or reason, would then be loaded onto social media accounts. They might as well be saying: Look at me, voter. Im angry just like you. I dont want open borders just like you. Im asking an entirely innocent question; is Ireland full? This week Anthony Fauci, the former chief medical officer of the USA, was in Dublin. Fuccis work during the pandemic was lauded for his evidence-based approach. He warned about what he called the normalisation of untruths, referencing lies spread about the pandemic and vaccines by various nutjobs. Mainstream politicians here would do well to take notice. Issuing dog whistles about asylum seekers contributes to the normalisation of untruths. Coming from otherwise rational representatives it is playing with fire, feeding into an atmosphere that can easily drift towards hostility to migrants of all hue, and particularly those who are fleeing from somewhere else. In an election year, some politicians and parties are succumbing to the pressure of appeasing voters irrational fears rather than confronting them, irrespective of the cost. It would be no bad thing if everybody who professes to care about standards in public life paused right now to reflect on where this might be going. THE anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, which fell on Sunday, is a date that continues to resonate for many reasons, not least because of the deep hubris in claiming the state-of-the-art ship was practically unsinkable. It was tempting fortune, then, to attach the same adjective to one of the disasters 710 survivors, but the Irish-American woman known as the the unsinkable Molly Brown proved to be irrepressible in the years after she helped others board Lifeboat number 6 ahead of herself. One of those was a Frenchwoman of nobility: She came on the ship the smartest, most perfectly gowned woman I ever saw. She escaped in her nightdress, and she was frantic with fear, Molly, or Margaret Brown as she was in real life, said afterwards. Catastrophe proved to be the ultimate leveller, although it is also true to say that first-class passengers were far more likely to get a place on the departing lifeboats than the misfortunate people travelling in steerage. Margaret Brown hadnt intended to get on the lifeboat at all but, as Elaine Landau recounts in Heroine of the Titanic: The Real Unsinkable Molly Brown, she was lifted and dropped four feet into the lowering lifeboat. HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading There were about 20 women on board and a terrified quartermaster who was put in charge. He said the situation was hopeless because there was nothing they could do to stop the boat being sucked under with the sinking ship. The women, however, were having none of it. They picked up the oars from the bottom of the boat and started rowing. When one of the three men in the boat continually repeated that, without water, food or a compass, they had no chance, Margaret listened for a while and then told him to be quiet. I told him to be still or he would go overboard. Then he was quiet. I rowed because I would have frozen to death. I made them all row. It saved their lives, she told The New York Times on April 20 in 1912. All the while, she sang and talked to keep up spirits in the seven hours before the RMS Carpathia picked up the lifeboat. When asked how she had managed to survive, she apparently replied: Just typical Brown luck. Im unsinkable. The Unsinkable Molly Brown movie poster. The account of her life after and indeed before the sinking of the Titanic became the much-embroidered stuff of legend. This year marks the 60th anniversary of one of the best-remembered versions of her life: The Unsinkable Molly Brown, the hugely popular 1964 film starring Deborah Reynolds as the ebullient Molly. Watch a clip its still available online and youll get a taste of a big, brassy, bold and freewheeling film, as one critic dubbed it, in which the heroine says things like: I may give out, but I wont give in. Its an admirable sentiment and it is nothing short of joyful to see Margaret Brown portrayed as a spirited, vivacious, no-nonsense woman who went from rags to riches and later used her money to fight for and fund the underdog. Her characteristic wit is captured by Elaine Landau in this glorious anecdote. When a monied friend of Margarets said that one should never wear diamonds in daytime, Margaret retorted: I didnt think so either until I had some. Youll read other fanciful accounts of how she was born during a cyclone and how she nearly died when she fell into the Mississippi as a child. It took three donkeys three days to pull her out, according to the childrens book by Joan W Blos which, in fairness, has the wonderful title, The heroine of the Titanic: a tale both real and otherwise. The making of Molly While it is difficult to extract the truth from the many myths, it is the life and times of the real Margaret Brown that fascinate me. She was born in Missouri on 18 July 1867 to Irish immigrants John Tobin and Johanna Collins. They were an interesting couple; he was an abolitionist and she was a woman who believed in equality and education for girls. Margaret went to a grammar school run by her aunt, Mary OLeary. As a young teenager, she worked stripping tobacco and later moved to Leadville, Colorado, where she worked in a carpets and drapery department. In 1886, she married JJ Brown, a miner whose parents also came from Ireland. They had two children. Margaret was an early advocate for womens rights. When her children were young, she helped to set up a branch of the National American Womens Suffrage Association. She also worked in soup kitchens to help miners families. Her husband went on to become a very successful mining man. Wealth and good fortune followed. The family bought a house in Denver and had a summer house in the hills, but Margaret Brown continued to work for the underprivileged. She campaigned for education, votes for women and helped to establish the first juvenile court in the US. She also studied literature, language and drama at the Carnegie Institute in New York. Much later, she used her knowledge of French, German and Russian to communicate with other survivors on board the Carpathia. By the time that ship reached New York in 1912, Margaret Brown had already helped to set up a survivors committee and had raised thousands of dollars to help them. She had boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg in France after hearing that her grandson was ill. At the time, she had been travelling in Egypt with her daughter Helen. Her daughter stayed behind, though, and later her mother wrote to say: After being brined, salted, and pickled in mid ocean I am now high and dry... I have had flowers, letters, telegrams people until I am befuddled. They are petitioning Congress to give me a medal... If I must call a specialist to examine my head it is due to the title of Heroine of the Titanic. Nevertheless, she went on to use that title to raise funds for other survivors and talk about the issues that she cared about; workers rights, womens rights, education and literacy for children. She was active during the First World War too, helping wounded French and American soldiers and raising funds to rebuild devastated towns and cities in France. She was awarded the prestigious French Legion of Honour for her work. There was a later chapter too. A curtain call, if you will. She studied drama in Paris and performed on the stage in Paris and New York. She died, aged 65, in 1932. Its time we made a film about that Margaret Brown, the unsinkable flesh-and-blood woman whose real life far outstrips the manufactured excesses of fiction. After four years in Government, the Green Party still hasnt figured out how the scheming world of politics works and believes the fantasy that hard work alone gets you elected. If that were the case, we might have a very different Dail than the current make-up. As Fine Gael and Fianna Fail grabbed headlines with leadership changes and budget flyers in recent weeks, the Greens have allowed themselves to be swallowed up by their two big brothers in Government. The most puzzling part is members dont seem that bothered by it. Ireland has three medium-sized parties now and they can soak up a lot of attention. We have to fight for every bit of attention we get. But I think the public still knows what we are about, one councillor optimistically offered. I think people sometimes forget that we are still a small, the minority element in government. To think that we could get more attention nationally than Fianna Fail or Fine Gael is kind of putting us on a par with them, which were not. Neither does the party seem put out by the relentless green-bashing from some members of the opposition and certainly isnt making much effort to fight back against this noisy narrative. This was particularly evident when Mattie McGrath took to his feet this week to make a very specific criticism of Taoiseach Simon Harris, and it wasnt about housing, health, or even abortion. On a point of information, I ask the Taoiseach why he is appointing Deputy Eamon Ryan as Minister for the Environment? McGrath asked. He has destroyed rural Ireland, farming and everything else and it is time he was moved out of there. The Taoiseach had an opportunity. It may have been an opportunistic move from the Independent TD whose intervention was ruled out of order however, its a message that the Green Party is coming up against inside and outside Leinster House. But just like water off a duck's back and there is a lot of water around, just ask the farmers McGrath cited the Greens seem unperturbed. Instead, as they meet for their annual conference this weekend, members are convinced that their record in Government will stand to them. Its a pity the public is either unaware of Green wins in this coalition, or has been led to believe through far more astute messaging and marketing that the two main parties are responsible for many of the positive changes. Its a flaw that is recognised, but hasnt been acted upon. We do need to get out and claim full credit more, said one TD. Ill be asked about hedgerows being cut down but people wont come to talk about childcare fees because its not seen as overtly Green, but its Roderic [OGorman] who delivered a 50% reduction in childcare fees. Similarly, people dont come to me to talk about that fact that weve had four progressive budgets. I dont think we would have had four progressive budgets if the Greens didnt go into Government. Compounding this issue is the fact that many in the party see themselves as activists first, and politicians second. When this was put to one TD this week it was taken as a compliment rather than a criticism. Getting the work done is the priority, advertising achievements is seen as far less important, even if its what will ultimately get people re-elected. 'Not into the pantomime' A lot of us are not consummate politicians, a lot of us just want to get stuff done, we are not into the pantomime of it all, another TD said. Green members worry, rightly or not, that if they were to get cynical and play the other parties at their own game of hype and spin, many of their most dedicated supporters might leave them. We do need to look at how we communicate our message, what were doing, what weve achieved, and I think we probably need to get better at that. Were probably not natural salespeople, said one TD. We dont do the Punch and Judy thing, another senior party member said. We dont do the schoolyard stuff, we just want to get things done and make the case for why things should be done in a productive way. Working in a productive manner is something that Ryan has been pilloried for. In a world of scripted spin, Ryan prefers to freestyle it, which in the past has given the opposition plenty to dine out on, from window sill lettuce to reintroducing wolves. It has been noted that if some of the ideas proposed by Ryan were put forward by any other politician, they would be lauded and not laughed at. With just an A4 sheet, scrawled with around five or six bullet points, Ryan launched into another top-of-the-head 10-minute speech on the day Harris was appointed Taoiseach. Again it played right into the opposition, who were on the edge of their seats waiting to pounce with smart remarks and guffaws. There are immediate tasks in warming up the Irish people in delivering a solar revolution, delivering retrofitting and delivering public transport. The innocuous enough line was enough to cause an eruption of laughter and heckling across the chamber. The deputies can laugh at that but it actually improves and transforms the quality of peoples lives, which it is our job to deliver," Ryan responded, before his spontaneous speech meandered on, at times hitting the mark, at times not. How can Ryan as leader convince the entire country that voting Green is the right thing to do when hes not sure what he is going to say to convince them? Many are confident that simply getting on with the job will be enough to save the party from a similar wipeout to 2011, when a stint in government lost them all six Dail seats. The Greens can be accused of being very high level at times, not being focused on delivery. But in the second half of this Government, weve changed that and I think a lot of the big picture stuff that we did in the first half is actually starting to turn into results, said one member. Others who have been out canvassing ahead of the local and European elections say that they can now point to new bus routes, local cycle lanes, solar panels on roofs and houses that have been retrofitted in every area. Why are they not getting up on the rooftops to shout all about it? This quiet messaging, if you can even call it messaging, is completely at odds with all other political parties and indeed Independents, who as the general election draws nearer will be battling to drown each other out. For the Greens, its a noble but extremely naive approach. The absence of a dedicated minister for defence in Ireland for more than a decade underscores a critical gap in our national security framework (Cormac O'Keeffe: Ireland is 13 years without a dedicated minister for defence, Irish Examiner, April 12). In a rapidly evolving global landscape where security threats transcend borders, its imperative that Ireland reassesses its priorities. The recent remarks by outgoing taoiseach Leo Varadkar highlight the urgency of the situation, particularly in light of escalating tensions in Europe and the shifting dynamics of international alliances. As we witness unprecedented geopolitical shifts and the resurgence of traditional security challenges, Ireland cannot afford to remain complacent. The Defence Forces ambitious reform agenda and plans for expansion demand focused leadership and strategic oversight. Without a dedicated minister at the helm, we risk undermining our ability to effectively respond to emerging threats and safeguard our national interests. Moreover, Irelands unique position within the EU underscores the need for robust defence capabilities and active engagement in collective security initiatives. As our European counterparts prioritise defence spending and strengthen their military capacities, Ireland must not lag behind. A dedicated defence minister would not only streamline decision-making processes but also signal our commitment to upholding regional stability and contributing to international security efforts. In light of these pressing challenges and opportunities, its imperative that Ireland re-evaluates its approach to defence governance. Investing in a dedicated defence minister is not just a matter of national security; its a strategic imperative to ensure our preparedness in an increasingly uncertain world. By prioritising the appointment of a defence minister, Ireland can reaffirm its commitment to safeguarding its citizens, protecting its sovereignty, and playing a more proactive role on the global stage. James Quinn, Rathmines, Dublin Defence budget of 0.2% of GDP is too small In relation to the absence of a dedicated minister for defence I would submit this is somewhat of a side issue. The Government has to acknowledge that investment levels of 0.2% of GDP in defence are inadequate to fund the defence capability to ensure, as the Defence Forces charter states the ability to deter acts of external aggression. The thoughts of the outgoing taoiseach are valid in that the landscape has massively shifted and now defence must be Irelands and Irelands alone responsibility. There is still an unrealistic reliance on the UK to act in support of Ireland, however the uncertain political and socio economic conditions make that potential uncertain at best. Ireland enjoys a booming economy and now is the time to dust off the dozens of white papers on defence that litter the floors of the offices of the Irish civil servants who commissioned them over the years and start to build a proper framework so Ireland can indeed progress its economic ambitions safe in the knowledge at least a first responder capability for defence exists. John OBrien, United Kingdom, via email What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Government must remedy defence deficiencies The editorial Flight not fight (Irish Examiner, April 16) highlights yet again the continuing, unaddressed problems within the Defence Forces. Pay, allowances, and pensions not fit for purpose leading to the crisis of retention, and still largely unaddressed despite many warnings over many years. The evidence is clear for all to see with a just one ship operational in the Naval Service, and every unit of the Defence Forces under strength. The defence budget, despite some minimal improvement, is still not adequate to provide for the defence of the State, and the proposed increase in the budget is rising too slowly to effect the required change. At a time of heightened concerns regarding defence and security all across Europe, you would expect the Government to expedite efforts to remedy our defence deficiencies. Micheal Martin, Tanaiste and defence minister, needs to increase the pace of improvement and increase the budgetary allocation for defence. Conor Hogarty, Blackrock, Dublin Time to eject Russian and Israeli ambassadors Why are we in Ireland continuing to harbour both the Russian and Israeli ambassadors? These ambassadors represent regimes needlessly murdering and maiming untold numbers of innocent men, women, and children; indiscriminately raining down bombs and bullets, and slaughtering unfortunate innocents in an inhumane and barbaric manner. By any measure they represent countries hell-bent on genocide which we understand only too well from our own history. Our own common criminals would be in jail for a lot less carnage and destruction. The ambassadors represent callous and murderous warmongers against a multitude of UN human rights resolutions and are now rightly considered permanent pariahs by the international community. The Governments pathetic attitude is that we should keep diplomatic channels open, but both these regimes have proven time and again that they disavow and reject all approaches in this regard. The Government should unceremoniously eject both individuals and their retinue and leave whatever diplomacy to those countries who support one or the other of these murderous regimes like the US, Germany, France, China, India, and Hungary. John Leahy, Wilton, Cork What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Nuclear power would reduce Irelands emissions Ireland is struggling to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions even while making great strides in harnessing wind and solar power. It may be a world leader in tapping its renewable wind resources, with about one quarter of our electricity now wind-generated, but it lies next to bottom of the EU table when it comes to carbon emissions. There is certainly a case for looking at carbon-free nuclear power here, especially with the development of several small modular reactors (SMRs). Several of those coming on stream are likely to be the most important response to the increasing difficulty in guaranteeing a supply of clean and affordable energy. What I find odd (being kind rather than critical here) is the apparent approximate similarity of numbers who are pro- and anti-nuclear energy on the grid, but a disproportionate silence on the pro-nuclear front. Of course, before SMRs could be considered in Ireland, the law would have to change. The Electricity Regulation Acts (1999 and 2006) prohibit the use of nuclear for the generation of electricity. Say this happens, and the most advanced of the SMRs were to be coming into play by the mid 2030s, who is to say nuclear couldnt be playing a very important part in lowering Irelands emissions to presently unachievable levels by the mid-2030s. Anne Baily, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary Climate change is affecting us all I have only spent a few days in Dubai but my memory, and the advertising material, is all desert-based. Climate change is starting to hit everywhere. Maybe its time to accept the reality and do something about it. Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Pedestrians' lives must be a road safety priority Disheartened by the lack of value shown to pedestrians by some reckless drivers, Im compelled to highlight that pedestrians lives matter. The cost of driver carelessness is staggering, endangering innocent lives at zebra crossings. Its baffling how some drivers neglect pedestrian safety by speeding excessively and struggling to stop in time. Responsible driving must be a priority; one reckless decision can shatter families. Everyone, regardless of age or gender, is affected. Education, enforcement, and technological aids are crucial, but they demand a mindset shift. Drivers and pedestrians alike have the right to safety. Every human can be a pedestrian, crossing at clearly labelled crossings. Lets take a stand: demand better, and drive with caution, ensuring every journey ends safely. One should avoid self inflicting lasting torment through careless driving. Lets champion a shift towards a mindset grounded in caution and consideration for pedestrians worldwide. Beverley T Mutandiro, Harrow, England The British government has ruled out any post-Brexit deal that would make it easier for young Britons to live, study, and work in the EU. The European Commission said on Thursday it would seek permission from EU member states to open negotiations on a youth mobility scheme for UK citizens aged 18 to 30. But a government spokesperson said there was no interest from the UK side, adding that free movement within the EU was ended. The UK currently has individual youth mobility schemes with 13 countries, and the government said it preferred such bilateral arrangements over an EU-wide deal. The British Labour Party also rejected the possibility of an EU-wide scheme, saying it 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. On Thursday, the Commission suggested Britain had expressed an interest in youth mobility deals with individual member states, adding an EU-wide approach would be preferable as it would ensure all members were treated equally. European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said Brexit had 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, he added. Our aim is to rebuild human bridges between young Europeans on both sides of the Channel. EU member states would have had to agree to the proposals first before any negotiations with the UK could begin. But a UK government spokesperson said: We are not introducing an EU-wide Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) free movement within the EU was ended and there are no plans to introduce it. We have successful schemes with 13 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, and remain open to agreeing them with our international partners, including individual EU member states, where its in the UKs interest and supports the skills and opportunities of our youth. While Labour also ruled out an EU-wide deal, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said such an agreement would be a win-win-win. He said: Liberal Democrats have long been urging the Government to negotiate a reciprocal youth mobility scheme with Europe. Of course the details would need to be negotiated, but no sensible UK government would reject this idea out of hand. Tens of thousands of people are protesting across the Canary Islands to call for an urgent rethink of the Spanish archipelagos tourism strategy and a freeze on visitor numbers, arguing that the decades-old model has made life unaffordable and environmentally unsustainable for residents. The protests, which are taking place under the banner Canarias tiene un limite The Canaries have a limit are backed by environmental groups including Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth and SEO/Birdlife. Weve reached the point where the balance between the use of resources and the welfare of the population here has broken down, especially over the past year, said Victor Martin, a spokesperson for the collective Canarias se Agota The Canaries Have Had Enough which helped to coordinate protests on Saturday across the eight islands. People march during a mass demonstration against over tourism which affects the local population with inaccessible housing among other things in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, Saturday, April 20, 2024. Picture: AP Photo/Miguel Velasco Almendral Eleven members of Canarias se Agota have already been on hunger strike for a week to protest against the construction of two large luxury developments in southern Tenerife, which they describe as illegal and totally unnecessary. Police said 20,000 people had turned out for the demonstrations, but organisers put the figure closer to 50,000, Spains TVE public television said. We are not against tourism, Rosario Correo, one of the protesters, told TVE. Were asking that they change this model that allows for unlimited growth of tourism. Protesters also gathered in Madrid and Barcelona to show their support for the rallies in the Canary Islands, public television said. People march past a beach during a demonstration against over tourism which affects the local population with inaccessible housing, among other things, in Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura, Spain, Saturday April 20, 2024. Picture: Europa Press via AP Last year, 13.9 million people visited the islands, which have a population of 2.2 million. Tourism accounts for about 35% of the archipelagos GDP bringing in 16.9bn in 2022 alone but local people say the industry is stressing natural resources and pricing them out of the rental market. Figures from Spains National Statistics Institute show that 33.8% of people in the Canaries are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the highest proportion for any region except Andalucia. Martin said the regional governments continuing focus on tourism at a time when the climate emergency was leading to cuts to water supplies made no sense. Demand is rising in urban areas where there are more tourists, he said. Weve had a very dry winter and a water emergencys already been declared on Tenerife. There are going to be restrictions if theres not more rain this month but its 36C here right now. This is all unsustainable and it means that we wont even be able to keep normal levels of tourism going. And yet the authorities and the businesses here are trying to stick with this model. People gather during a mass demonstration against over tourism which affects the local population with inaccessible housing among other things in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, Saturday April 20, 2024. Picture: Europa Press via AP The housing situation in many parts of the archipelago was also dire because of high prices, low wages, a lack of public housing and the continuing cost of living crisis, Martin said. I realised wed reached the limit when I saw people who were working as hotel maids or waiters were living in shacks. Wages are so low that they dont cover the basic costs of living, especially in the current crisis, which is global, but has been felt keenly in the Canaries because we have to import practically everything. He insisted the protest movement was not anti-tourist, pointing out that many people in the Canaries had known and liked generations of families from countries such as the UK and Germany.. The problem isnt the tourists, he said. Its a model that was built around, and with the connivance of, a business class that doesnt want to listen to what needs to be done, and with a political class that serves that business class instead of serving all the citizens. People march during a mass demonstration against over tourism, which affects the local population with inaccessible housing, among other things, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, Saturday, April 20, 2024. Picture: AP Photo/Miguel Velasco Almendral He said a complete rethink of the Canaries tourism model could not wait. What were asking is very simple. Given that tourism is the main economic activity and the cause of all these problems, we want an immediate halt to these two mega-projects, he said of the Tenerife developments. We also want a tourist moratorium that will lead to a study of the load each island can take and which will determine whether weve already passed the critical point. In areas where theres an overload, we want to see a stage of degrowth of economic activity to benefit natural resources. Otherwise, you have an existing model that only benefits a very few people. Martin said a proper study of the problems the Canaries suffer from could have global repercussions. This rethinking of the tourism model could put the Canaries on the map as an example of sustainable tourism development, he said. We could be known for something positive instead of something negative. Tourists ride rental scooters in Arona on the Canary island of Tenerife, Spain, Friday, April 19, 2024. Picture: AP Photo/Miguel Velasco Almendral Fernando Clavijo, the regional president of the Canary Islands, has said his administration is already taking action. All the actions this government has taken have been based on a revision of this model, he told reporters this week. The Canaries tourist model has been a successful one, but obviously, as with anything, there are things that could be perfected. Over-tourism has become a major issue in many Spanish cities and regions, triggering protests and backlashes in Barcelona, and leading the authorities in Seville to consider charging visitors to explore the Andalucian citys famous Plaza de Espana. - Reporting from The Guardian The House of Representatives is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve 95 billion dollars in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies. Democrats and Republicans are joining together behind the legislation after a gruelling months-long fight over renewed American support for repelling Russias invasion into Ukraine. Republican House speaker Mike Johnson, putting his job on the line, relied on Democratic support this week to set up a series of votes on three aid bills, as well as a fourth that contains several other foreign policy proposals. If the votes are successful, the package will go to the Senate, where passage in the coming days is nearly assured. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately. Passage through the House would clear away the biggest hurdle to Mr Bidens funding request, first made in October as Ukraines military supplies began to run low. The Republican-controlled House, sceptical of US support for Ukraine, struggled for months over what to do, first demanding that any assistance be tied to policy changes at the US-Mexico border, only to immediately reject a bipartisan Senate offer along those very lines. Reaching an endgame has been an excruciating process for Mr Johnson that has tested both his resolve and his support among Republicans, with a small but growing number now openly urging his removal from the speakers office. Yet congressional leaders cast the votes as a turning point in history an urgent sacrifice as US allies are beleaguered by wars and threats from continental Europe to the Middle East to Asia. The only thing that has kept terrorists and tyrants at bay is the perception of a strong America, that we would stand strong, Mr Johnson said this week. And we will. I think that Congress is going to show that. This is a very important message that we are going to send the world. Still, Congress has seen a stream of world leaders visit in recent months, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, all but pleading with legislators to approve the aid. Globally, the delay left many questioning Americas commitment to its allies. At stake has also been one of Mr Bidens top foreign policy priorities halting Russian President Vladimir Putins advance in Europe. After engaging in quiet talks with Mr Johnson, the president quickly endorsed the speakers plan this week, paving the way for Democrats to give their rare support to clear the procedural hurdles needed for a final vote. We must confront aggression against democracy and freedom. Not appease it. House Democrats will make sure that bipartisan legislation for Americas national security can proceed. Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) April 19, 2024 Its long past time that we support our democratic allies in Israel, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific and provide humanitarian assistance to civilians who are in harms way in theatres of conflict like Gaza, Haiti and the Sudan, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said at a news conference on Friday. Voting on the package is likely to create unusual alliances in the House. While aid for Ukraine will likely win a majority in both parties, a significant number of progressive Democrats are expected to vote against the bill aiding Israel as they demand an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with members of Congress as he tilts the Republicans to a more isolationist stance with his America First brand of politics. Ukraines defence once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress, but as the war enters its third year, a bulk of Republicans oppose further aid. At one point in the months-long slog to get Ukraine assistance through Congress, Mr Trumps opposition essentially doomed the bipartisan Senate proposal on border security. This past week, Mr Trump also issued a social media post that questioned why European nations were not giving more money to Ukraine, though he spared Mr Johnson from criticism and said Ukraines survival was important. Still, the House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the America Last foreign wars package and urged representatives to defy Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills do not include border security measures. Mr Johnsons hold on the speakers gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, supported a motion to vacate that can lead to a vote on removing the speaker. A few more were expected to soon join, said Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who is urging Mr Johnson to voluntarily step aside. Marjorie Taylor Greene is supporting a motion to vacate that can lead to a vote on removing Mr Johnson as speaker (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) The speakers office has been working furiously to drum up support for the bill, as well as for Mr Johnson. It arranged a series of press calls in the lead-up to the final votes on the package, first with Jewish leaders, then with Christian groups, to show support for the speaker and the legislation he is bringing to the floor. Ari Fleischer, a former White House press secretary under then-president George W Bush, said it was about time the United States did something to support Israel, fight Vladimir Putin and stand up to China. Coming together like this is a refreshing reminder of the old days when foreign policy had bipartisan support, he said. The package includes several Republican priorities that Democrats endorse, or at least are willing to accept. Those include proposals that allow the US to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to rebuild Ukraine; impose sanctions on Iran, Russia, China and criminal organisations that traffic fentanyl; and legislation to require the China-based owner of the popular video app TikTok to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States. Still, the all-out push to get the bills through Congress is a reflection not only of politics, but realities on the ground in Ukraine. Top politicians on national security committees, who are privy to classified briefings, have grown gravely concerned about the situation in recent weeks. Russia has increasingly used satellite-guided gliding bombs which allow planes to drop them from a safe distance to pummel Ukrainian forces beset by a shortage of troops and ammunition. I really do believe the intel and the briefings that weve gotten, Mr Johnson said, adding, I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. A former ambassador to Ukraine under Mr Bush, John Herbst, said the months-long delay in approving more American assistance has undoubtedly hurt Ukrainian troops on the battlefield. But it is not yet too late, Mr Herbst added. The fact that its coming now means that disaster has been averted. An Iranian attack on an Israeli desert air base during Tehrans unprecedented assault on the country damaged a taxiway, a satellite image shows. The overall damage done to Nevatim air base in southern Israel was minor despite Iran launching hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Israeli air defences and fighter jets, backed by the US, the United Kingdom and neighbouring Jordan, shot down the vast majority of the incoming fire. The taxiway has been repaired (Planet Labs PBC via AP) But the Iranian attack last weekend showed Tehrans willingness to use its vast arsenal of ballistic missiles directly against Israel as tensions remain high across the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. An apparent Israeli retaliatory attack on Friday on Isfahan, Iran, and Tehrans low-key response to it suggest both countries want to dial back their long-running shadow war for now though risks of a wider conflagration in the region remain. The Planet Labs PBC image, taken on Friday for the Associated Press, shows the repaired taxiway near hangars at the southern part of Nevatim air base, about 40 miles south of Jerusalem. The daily newspaper Haaretz, which published lower-resolution images of the site on Thursday, identified the hangars nearby as housing C-130 cargo aircraft flown by transport squadrons. Workers try to repair a taxiway at Israels Nevatim air base after the Iranian attack on April 13 (Israeli military/AP) The satellite image corresponds to footage earlier released by the Israeli military, which showed construction equipment near the damaged taxiway. A hangar in the background of the video mirrors those seen nearby. Other images released by the Israeli military showed a crater in the sand and damage under what appeared to be a wall that it said came from the Iranian attack. The little visible damage seen at the air base in the satellite image directly contradicts Irans efforts to portray the attack as a great victory to a public alienated by the Islamic Republics struggling economy and its heavy-handed crackdowns on dissent in recent years. This operation became a sign of the power of the Islamic Republic and its armed forces, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Friday. It also showed the steely determination of our nation and our wise leader, the commander of all forces. However, it does show Irans arsenal has the ability to reach Israel, as the April 13 attack marked the first direct military assault on the country by a foreign nation since Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched Scud missiles at Israel in the 1991 Gulf War. The House of Representatives has voted to approve $95bn in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies. Democrats and Republicans joined together after a months-long fight over renewed American support to help Ukraine repel Russias invasion. With overwhelming support, the House approved the Ukraine portion, a $61bn aid package, in a strong showing of American backing as lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of US support to its war-torn ally. Some lawmakers cheered, waving the blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine. The $26bn package aiding Israel and providing humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza also easily cleared. Each segment of the aid package faced an up-or-down vote. The package will now go to the Senate, where passage in the coming days is nearly assured. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately. TikTok The House of Representatives also has passed legislation that would ban TikTok in the United States if the social media platforms China-based owner does not sell its stake within a year. The decision by House Republicans to include TikTok as part of a larger foreign aid package fast-tracked the ban after an earlier version had stalled in the Senate. A standalone bill with a six-month selling deadline passed the House in March by an overwhelming bipartisan vote as both Democrats and Republicans voiced national security concerns about the apps owner, the Chinese technology firm ByteDance. The modified measure now goes to the Senate after negotiations that produced a compromise. MBABANE The new Boxer Superstore in Matsapha has employed over 60 emaSwati but is still not operational about five months after its completion. Information gathered by the Eswatini News has revealed that the facilitys management is still waiting to get a licence from government, through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, before operations can start. It has been established that the official opening of this superstore was initially scheduled for December 6, 2023. However, due to the delay in issuing of the licence by the relevant authorities, operations have been in limbo to-date. This has left the over 60 emaSwati who had been employed by the superstore stranded and frustrated at the same time. Most of these could not even enjoy their Christmas due to the disappointment over the delay. This superstore was supposed to start operating in December last year, but due to the licence challenges, it remains closed. This is very frustrating, especially for the over 60 jobless emaSwati that were employed by Boxer management, a senior Boxer employee confided. Reporting It has also been gathered that some of those employed have been reporting to the superstores premises with the hope that they would find it open. You can imagine how it feels to be promised employment just before Christmas, only to be made to wait for months because our government is seemingly dilly-dallying with issuing the licence. People raised concerns about lack of employment during Sibaya, but it appears government is not helping the situation if it would take such a long time to grant a licence, a concerned Matsapha citizen lamented. Further investigations uncovered that food commodities that were already in the superstore ahead of its scheduled opening in December last year, had to be removed and distributed to other Boxer outlets due to the licence delay. The superstore was good to go in December last year because all the commodities were already inside, but after realising that there were issues with the licence, management decided to remove them and send them to sister outlets, as there were fears that they would get spoiled, a source closer to Boxers management said. In addition, it has emerged that some Matsapha residents, eager to see the superstore operating, even allegedly threatened to take matters into their own hands after allegedly approaching some Boxer senior employees with an offer to stage a protest over the issue of the delayed licence. They came and pledged to stage a protest over the delayed opening of the superstore. That is how desperate people of Matsapha, are to see Boxer operating. Unfortunately, government holds the ace in ensuring that the shop operates, said one of the Matsapha residents, who claimed to have been employed at the superstore. A 35-year-old woman from Logoba, who also insisted that she was employed by the superstore, lamented the current situation. Offer When I got this employment last year, I was so excited because I have been struggling without work for a long time now. I used to work at one of the textile firms here in Matsapha, but we were laid off with a couple of others and then came the Boxer offer, she said. The woman, who said she has two children, stated that her unemployment situation has left her in a state of desperation. If you notice, most of the unemployed women around here like myself end up involving themselves in regrettable habits just to put food on the table for their children. It, therefore, becomes even more frustrating when you get a job offer but end up being stranded because my government is taking time to process licence for us to work, she said. Another 40-year-old woman who resides at Mhlaleni, shared the same sentiments, even alleging that some of the young ladies who were waiting to start work at Boxer, can now be found on the streets involved in sex trade. People forget that these young ladies are staying in rented one-room flats and so, if there is no monthly income, some resort to desperate measures just to get money. You find some as young as 15 years already involved in this trade, which is bad, she said. The woman lamented the fact that most textile firms in Matsapha were not hiring everybody. Working in those firms is not a secure job because you can get fired just after three months. At least, supermarkets are better in terms of job security as long as you focus on what you were hired to do, not stealing, she said. Boxer Regional Manager Jeremiah Mkhonta was contacted on this issue but he referred such inquiries to his Director, Jason McCall. Unfortunately, I have no authority to discuss such issues in the media. Please kindly call my director to get proper response on what you are asking me about, he briefly stated. McCall, when asked to shed light on the issue, assured that the delay is worked on by Boxer and the relevant organisations involved, as hastily as possible. He thanked Matsapha residents and shoppers for their patience over the delayed opening of their superstore in Matsapha. We look forward to providing feedback on the matter as soon as possible. Please note that Boxer is dedicated to serving communities across Eswatini, and as soon as official news regarding Matsapha is available, the press will be notified, he said. 1371138342::cfb49c8e-2422-11e5-99a3-d7f5c6e8b241 A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. SITEKI Siteki-based comedian Nhlanhla Siyadakwa Schomoketi the Comedia Mlambo (31) appeared at the Siteki Magistrates Court with Sabelo Mashaba (45) charged with the theft of 650 litres of diesel valued at E13 600. The duo appeared before Principal Magistrate Donald Mavuso after being charged for stealing the diesel belonging to Businessman Moses Boy Motsa on Wednesday. Both accused persons are employees of the businessman. Mlambo is a resident of Mzilikazi and known for posting comedy videos through his Facebook page Siyadakwa Schomoketi the Comedian. They conducted their own defence and pleaded guilty as charged when their right to legal representation was read to them. In mitigation, Mashaba of Lugongolweni area told the court that he has been employed as a panel beater and spray painter by the businessman for 18 years. He submitted in court that he was tempted to committing the crime on the basis that he was earning E4 000 and he got E3 800 after deductions. The accused person also informed the court that the salary could not sustain his livelihood as a breadwinner and a family man. He told the court that he has been doing side jobs to ensure that he maintains his family and children. He pleaded for the courts leniency when passing sentence mentioning that his children and wife would suffer if he was incarcerated. I will like the court to consider my submissions when passing sentence as it was not my intention but I was tempted to commit the crime on the premise that I earn a paltry salary, he told the court. Also during his mitigation, Mlambo informed the court that he has a minor child and was a breadwinner and urged the court to be lenient when passing sentence. The principal magistrate ordered that the consignment of the diesel be released back to the owner and further remanded the duo out of custody stating that sentencing will take place on Monday as he has to go through the case file. He further reminded the duo to in court on Monday and warned them that failure to do so will result in the issuance of a warrant of arrest. MANKAYANE On his special day, His Majesty King Mswati III thanked emaSwati for presenting him with the most precious gift of all peace. Addressing hundreds who attended the Kings birthday celebration at Mankayane Town yesterday, His Majesty reiterated that every year he asked emaSwati for the gift of peace and they did not disappoint. I would like to use this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude for honouring me with this wish. As a result, the country has been able to refocus on its primary goal of improving peoples lives by making significant progress towards the sustainable development goals (SDGs), His Majesty said. Commemorate The King said as the world geared up to commemorate the 2024 International Peace Day, Eswatini should emerge as a light for the globe. This years theme, His Majesty said, is, Actions for peace: Our commitment to the global goals something which he said encouraged the Kingdom of Eswatini to pursue the SDGs with passion and dedication, as they contain the key to addressing the issues that contribute to the worlds lack of peace. Tensions The King said considering all the world conflicts and tensions, emaSwati must continue to work together and serve as a beacon of hope for humanity by taking the initiative in fulfilling global peace. When faced with different views, let us keep our essential values of tolerance, humility, dialogue and respect in all our efforts. We, therefore, urge the global community and all of its agencies to make every effort to achieve our SDGs and resolve conflicts as quickly as possible in order to prevent future loss of human life, His Majesty said. ( RFE/RL ) Israel had vowed to make Iran pay for Tehrans unprecedented drone and missile attack on April 13. But Israels suspected military response early on April 19 appeared to be limited in scale and scope and aimed at de-escalating tensions with Iran. Tehran said it shot down three quadcopter drones outside the central city of Isfahan, which is home to key military and nuclear facilities. Unnamed U.S. officials said Israel used missiles in the attack. Experts said the use of small quadcopter drones, which are unable to travel long distances, suggests the attack was carried out from inside Iranian territory. Israel has not claimed the attack in Isfahan. But experts said the suspected Israeli response sent a clear message to Tehran. Raz Zimmt, a senior researcher at the Israeli-based Institute for National Security Studies, said Israels use of quadcopter drones, if confirmed, suggests its aim was to expose the vulnerability of the Iranian security forces on their own turf. Zimmt said the attack was not without its risks, but out of all the options available to Israel, it was possibly the least risky. At this stage, deniability is vital to lower the risk. I think that if Israel takes responsibility for what happened and there is sometimes this tendency among Israeli politicians this would make it more difficult, not impossible but more difficult, for Iran not to retaliate. CNBC TV Video: Israel launches strike on Iran: Heres what to know Reuters quoted an unnamed Iranian official as saying that Tehran has no plan to strike back immediately. Israel has been accused of previously attacking military sites in Isfahan with small drones. In January 2023, a military factory was hit. Three months later, Iran said it had foiled a drone attack on a Defense Ministry complex in the city. Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, told RFE/RLs Radio Farda that if Israel was behind the Isfahan attack, it was carried out in a manner that carried the least risk of an Iranian retaliation. Irans April 13 attack was a response to the suspected Israeli air strike on the Iranian Embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven Iranian commanders, including two generals. Tehran said its attack showed that a new equation had been established and that Iran would not let Israeli strikes on Iranian interests abroad go unanswered. But on the same day as the Isfahan attack, Israel was accused of targeting air defense systems in Syria, a key ally of Tehran where Irans powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has a presence. Zimmt said Israel wanted to send the message that first, we retaliated, and second, we attacked in Syria and not just in Iran, meaning we are not ready to accept this so-called new equation that the Iranians are trying to force on us. Mohammad Zarghami of Radio Farda contributed to this report. Copyright (c)2024 RFE/RL, Inc. Used with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Via RFE/RL MANKAYANE His Majesty King Mswati III has made a pledge to continue to lead with the best interests of the people at heart and in the footsteps of his predecessors. The King made the pledge when he addressed hundreds of emaSwati during the Kings birthday celebration held at Mankayane yesterday. His Majesty said as per the culture in Eswatini, a king will always be one by his people which in vernacular is translated as inkhosi, yinkhosi ngebantfu. With screams coming from all directions in the arena, His Majesty mentioned that the most effective development for a country was one in which people made a conscious effort to unify around a common goal of improving lives and believe in their collective potential to make a difference in their communities. The King said with the help of government and various poverty-relief funds, government was going to make significant progress towards our ultimate goal of becoming a developed country. Philosophy May we be reminded that time is of the essence and, therefore, the Nkwe philosophy should apply in all our endeavours. We should not lose sight of the over five per cent economic growth target to achieve that requires our collective effort, His Majesty said. Regarding the big day, His Majesty said it was a memorable one and that he was glad to see so many diverse smiles across the stadium. The King said he was greatly humbled and overjoyed that emaSwati came out in their numbers to celebrate the special day. When I recall last years events, it feels like the double celebrations were just yesterday. This is why people say time flies; to me, it has been a journey filled with possibilities, challenges and success, among other anecdotes, the King said. Commemoration Regarding the significance of the celebration, His Majesty said a commemoration of this nature had become synonymous with bringing the people and the monarchy closer together, thereby bolstering our peace and stability. The King said such displayed an essential attribute of the Kingdom of Eswatinis monarchical democracy. We thank the Almighty God for preserving and honouring us with unity of purpose during the last year, as well as for protecting our national heritage. This birthday celebration comes just after the recent national Easter services honouring the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We, therefore, cannot take for granted to thank the Almighty God on this day who has blessed us with life and good health, said His Majesty. Also, the King said yesterdays ceremony served as a reminder of the nations core values and that it honoured and celebrated the countrys leadership as a source of national pride, as well as our unity and identity. Emphasised On another note, His Majesty emphasised in his speech that government will not stop in its quest to increase efforts towards job creation. The King made reference to recent statistics which reflect that there has been a minor decrease in the unemployment rate for youth, something he said was encouraging but that there was a need to speed up efforts to create jobs. In recent days, we visited various job development efforts in the Lubombo Region. The mining, tourism, hospitality, health, education, construction and services sectors have shown considerable promise for unemployment in Eswatini. Let us support these efforts to grow our economy and attract additional investments, His Majesty said. In ending his address, His Majesty commended all who contributed to the success of his special day. The King also appreciated the performances, mainly those displayed by the youth saying they showed that the country was geared up for the journey towards achieving First World status. Also, His Majesty thanked individuals and companies for showering him with gifts, which are widely referred to as tetfulo. Celebration It should be noted that in his opening remarks, His Majesty welcomed all who attended the celebration and those who were there in spirit or followed the activities through various media platforms. The King recounted how three days ago he had an opportunity to bless a project that will provide job opportunities for the people of Eswatini, particularly the youth. When I met with the investors a few months ago, they informed me that they were to bring a birthday gift in the form of a job creation initiative. I am relieved that this has been realised, since it will provide the youth with some hope, His Majesty said. In closing, the King said he appreciated the prayers, well wishes and the wonderful gifts presented to him by different companies and individuals. On another note, it seems like former Botswana President Ian Khama has grown to love Eswatini national events. During the Kings birthday celebrations held at Mankayane yesterday, the former president was a main guest of His Majesty King Mswati III. Worth noting is that just two weeks ago, Khama was a guest at the Army Day held at Nokwane. Diplomats He was a guest together with former South Africa President Jacob Zuma. Yesterday, he arrived at the arena at exactly 11:25am and was welcomed by the Prime Minister (PM), Russel Mmiso Dlamini. The PM and Khama took their seats inside the VIP arena and spent some moments chatting as cameras clicked from different angles. Other dignitaries who attended the celebration included Cabinet ministers, diplomats and members of royal families from South Africa. Also in attendance was Inkosi Hhoyi II who sits as the Leader and Chairperson of the Hhoyi Traditional Council in the bakaNgomane Kingdom in the Mpumalanga Province, Soith Africa. By Liz Bucar, Northeastern University | From childhood, we are told that patience is a virtue and that good things will come to those who wait. And, so, many of us work on cultivating patience. This often starts by learning to wait for a turn with a coveted toy. As adults, it becomes trying to remain patient with long lines at the Department of Motor Vehicles, misbehaving kids or the slow pace of political change. This hard work can have mental health benefits. It is even correlated with per capita income and productivity. But it is also about trying to become a good person. Its clear to me, as a scholar of religious ethics, that patience is a term many of us use, but we all could benefit from understanding its meaning a little better. In religious traditions, patience is more than waiting, or even more than enduring a hardship. But what is that more, and how does being patient make us better people? The writings of medieval Islamic thinker Abu Hamid al-Ghazali can give us insights or help us understand why we need to practice patience and also when not to be patient. Who was al-Ghazali? Born in Iran in 1058, al-Ghazali was widely respected as a jurist, philosopher and theologian. He traveled to places as far as Baghdad and Jerusalem to defend Islam and argued there was no contradiction between reason and revelation. More specifically, he was well known for reconciling Aristotles philosophy, which he likely read in Arabic translation, with Islamic theology. Al-Ghazali was a prolific writer, and one of his most important works Revival of the Religious Sciences, or the Ihya ulum al-din provides a practical guide for living an ethical Muslim life. This work is composed of 40 volumes in total, divided into four parts of 10 books each. Part 1 deals with Islamic rituals; Part 2, local customs; Part 3, vices to be avoided; and Part 4, virtues one should strive for. Al-Ghazalis discussion of patience comes in Volume 32 of Part 4, On Patience and Thankfulness, or the Kitab al-sabr wal-shukr. He describes patience as a fundamental human characteristic that is crucial to achieving value-driven goals, and he provides a caveat for when impatience is called for. 1. What is patience? Humans, according to al-Ghazali, have competing impulses: the impulse of religion, or baith al-din, and the impulse of desire, or baith al-hawa. Life is a struggle between these two impulses, which he describes with the metaphor of a battle: Support for the religious impulse comes from the angels reinforcing the troops of God, while support for the impulse of desire comes from the devils reinforcing the enemies of God. The amount of patience we have is what decides who wins the battle. As al-Ghazali puts it, If a man remains steadfast until the religious impulse conquers then the troops of God are victorious and he joins the troops of the patient. But if he slackens and weakens until appetite overcomes him he joins the followers of the devils. In other words, for al-Ghazali, patience is the deciding factor of whether we are living up to our full human potential to live ethically. 2. Patience, values and goals Patience is also necessary for being a good Muslim, in al-Ghazalis view. But his understanding of how patience works rests on a theory of ethics and can be applied outside of his explicitly Islamic worldview. It all starts with commitments to core values. For a Muslim like al-Ghazali, those values are informed by the Islamic tradition and community, or umma, and include things like justice and mercy. These specific values might be universally applicable. Or you might also have another set of values that are important to you. Perhaps a commitment to social justice, or being a good friend, or not lying. Nizamiyyah University Nishapur, Digital imagining, Dall-E, 2024. Living in a way that is consistent with these core values is what the moral life is all about. And patience, according to al-Ghazali, is how we consistently make sure our actions serve this purpose. That means patience is not just enduring the pain of a toddlers temper tantrum. It is enduring that pain with a goal in mind. The successful application of patience is measured not by how much pain we endure but by our progress toward a specific goal, such as raising a healthy and happy child who can eventually regulate their emotions. In al-Ghazalis understanding of patience, we all need it in order to remain committed to our core principles and ideas when things arent going our way. 3. When impatience is called for One critique of the idea of patience is that it can lead to inaction or be used to silence justified complaints. For instance, scholar of Africana studies Julius Fleming argues in his book Black Patience for the importance of a radical refusal to wait under conditions of systemic racism. Certainly, there are forms of injustice and suffering in the world that we should not calmly endure. Despite his commitment to the importance of patience to a moral life, al-Ghazali makes room for impatience as well. He writes, One is forbidden to be patient with harm (that is) forbidden; for example, to have ones hand cut off or to witness the cutting off of the hand of a son and to remain silent. These are examples of harms to oneself or to loved ones. But could the necessity for impatience be extended to social harms, such as systemic racism or poverty? And as Quranic studies scholars Ahmad Ismail and Ahmad Solahuddin have argued, true patience sometimes necessitates action. As al-Ghazali writes, Just because patience is half of faith, do not imagine that it is all commendable; what is intended are specific kinds of patience. To sum up, not all patience is good; only patience that is in service of righteous goals is key to the ethical life. The question of which goals are righteous is one we must all answer for ourselves. Liz Bucar, Professor of Philosophy and Religion, Northeastern University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Madison, Wisconsin (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) Barely a day after Iran fired drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles westward across the desert skies towards Israel, in response to Israels attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, Hossein Salami, issued the following statement: From now on, if Israel attacks Iranian interests, figures, and citizens anywhere, Iran will retaliate from Iranian soil. If Iran stands by this declaration, it has issued a new red line in the simmering regional war Israel has instigated with its brutal destruction of Gaza. Viewers accustomed to American media will likely blame Iran for any intensification of hostilities. In fact, however, virtually every act of aggression that has taken place in the region since October 8th is rooted in Israels war on Gaza, which has deep roots not only in the European colonial past but in religious mythology and a Zionist ideology that is rigid, chauvinistic and exclusive. All three factors underscore the belief that Jews alone have a right to historic Palestine. Across America, as the carefully choreographed Iranian attack played out like a fireworks display on our television screens, Hudia a friend of mine in Rafah, Gazarecorded her thoughts: Was Iran allowed to attack Israel so that the worlds attention would be drawn away from Gaza? If so, it was successful. Here in Gaza, however, Israels destruction did not stop for one second. Iranian missiles broke apart in the skies to our east, but the drones and bombs over our heads remained intact until they exploded on the ground, scattering debris and human bodies. On Saturday morning, 13 April 2024, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported 33,634 Palestinians killed and 76, 214 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7th. By Monday morning, 15 April 2024, the death toll had increased to over 33,800 an addition of nearly two hundred bodiesbut global attention was now focused on Iran. For the US and Israel this was a win. Herzl Halevi, Chief of Staff of Israels military, promised a response a sinister pledge since Irans attack was supposed to have been the conclusion to Israels April 1st bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus in which Israel targeted what is considered sovereign Iranian territory, according to the 1961 Vienna Convention. The Young Turks Video: Israel Attacks Iran After Vowing Retaliation With this strike, Israel killed 16 people, including seven IRCG soldiers, two of whom were high-ranking officers, Mohammad Reza Zahedi and Mohammad Hadi Haj Rahimi. Halevi and his associates in Israel understood the attack in Syria would have consequences beyond fulminations against the Zionist entity. For the first time in its history, the Islamic Republic of Iran struck back at Israel. But this was little more than a face-saving measure. Iran gave the US fair warning allowing it to caution its embassy staff in Israel not to travel and appears to have aimed most of its weapons at the Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel, where the F-35 that struck Damascus began its flight. This was a largely symbolic strike, one that aimed to minimize casualties while maximizing spectacle. Iran is uninterested in regional war, least of all one that involves the United States. Why then are the Israelis so keen to hit back at Iran? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken the opportunity to justify a retaliatory attack. He has openly sought such a war for nearly 30 years. Although US President Joe Biden told Israel the US would not participate in any Israeli action against Iran, he has repeatedly told Israel US support is ironclad. If Iran attacks Israel again US participation is therefore guaranteed. The American Israeli tango taking place has other curious features. When the US bombed several Middle East targets after three American service personnel were killed at Tower 22 in Jordan, Iran called on allied militia groups to cease all attacks against US bases in the region. After the Israeli strike in Damascus the Iranians held the United States responsible, placing US troops in danger yet again. Rather than express anger at Israel, the US, UK, and France blocked a UN resolution condemning Israels actions. Irans offer not to hit back militarily if the UN condemned Israels actions was ignored. The United States was therefore instrumental in fueling Irans counterattack. In Egypt and Qatar, Hamas negotiators have repeatedly demanded a permanent ceasefire in exchange for all the hostages taken on October 7th, yet Israeli negotiators have consistently refused insisting they must defeat Hamas in Gaza before the fighting stops. One result has been a surge in Hamas popularity across the Middle East; another is that the hostages remain in captivity. The US vetoed three UNSC resolutions demanding a ceasefire, abstained once, falsely claiming the resolution was non-binding; and continues to entertain Israels plan to invade Rafah. With global attention focused on Israeli-Iranian tensions, Netanyahu can claim at least a partial victory. What better way to salvage Israels image, battered by its genocidal actions in Gaza, than to spearhead an assault against the Axis of Resistance? Israel can again claim it is a tiny, beleaguered nation fighting valiantly against terrorism and Islamic treachery with Hamas (and Palestinian Islamic Jihad) portrayed as the agents of Tehran. As such, Hamas is but one arm of the sinister octopus whose head is the Islamic Republic and whose other arms include Hizbullah of Lebanon, Ansar Allah of Yemen, Syria, and various Iraqi paramilitaries. For some in the West, Palestine is just a fig leaf covering the Axis greater goal of destroying Israel, instrumentalized by antisemites and shadowy anti-enlightenment villains determined to overthrow Western civilization. The protection of the Jewish State then becomes a moral duty. Instead of being seen as a rogue nation pulverizing the Gaza Strip into oblivion, Israel will try to convince the world that its destruction of Gaza is to protect the world we know. If Palestinians have already been dehumanized to the extent that genocidal murder and displacement raise few eyebrows, they can be partly de-nationalized as well. Palestine will no longer be the central issue; our core Western values, of which Israel is a key representative, are under threat. Is this the framework Netanyahu and his cohorts here and in Israel wish to reinforce? If so, they can rightly conclude that demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and ignoring Irans attack are suicidal. Hudia writes, Irans attack did nothing but divert attention from whats happening here. Hundreds of Iranian drones and rockets evaporated into the atmosphere achieving nothing but heightened tensions with Israel, giving them greater license than ever to carry on with genocide and the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Leading international property consultancy LH1 Global has annnounced that one of South East Asias most iconic buildings, The Sail, is set for launch next week in Malaysia. A spectacular flagship project being developed by Sheng Tai International, The Sail will be unveiled at an exclusive event in Atelier M Lounge, Dubai Marina on April 24. Reaching 325m at its tallest point, it will be larger than the Burj Al Arab and as high as the Eiffel Tower, and nine linked towers resembling a majestic ship fleet will make it one of the most recognisable buildings in the world, said the top consultancy. The Sail will also be home to the first Karl Lagerfeld Hotel Tower and Branded Residences in South East Asia, and a first of its kind in Malaysia. The first phase of luxury homes, available exclusively through LH1 Global, are located in the impressive Bay 3 and M Tower, it stated. Priced in the range of AED566,000 to AED1.3 million ($154,100 to $353,939), the mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units within Bay 3 offer investors an exceptional opportunity to own a piece of history in the making, whilst also benefitting from guaranteed rental yields of 6% and an expected 64% Return on Investment (ROI) over a 12-year period, said the top consultancy. Also it offers investors a range of hotel suites in the striking M Tower, priced from AED936,000 to AED1.9 million onwards, with rental returns including a 7% rental yield, as well as an estimated 84% ROI over 12-years, it added.-TradeArabia News Service FILE -155 mm M795 artillery projectiles are stacked during manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pa., Thursday, April 13, 2023. The Pentagon could get weapons moving to Ukraine within days if Congress passes a long-delayed aid bill. That's because it has a network of storage sites in the U.S. and Europe that already hold the ammunition and air defense components that Kyiv desperately needs. Moving fast is critical, CIA Director Bill Burns said Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) Friday, April 19, 2024 A Ghanaian man has been arrested for attempting to sneak into a London-bound flight from Kotoka International Airport. He was apprehended after being spotted crawling on the airports tarmac by officials of Aviance, a terminal management company under the Ghana Airport Company. It is believed the young man who is currently in police custody used the Burma Camp Road and made his way through the bushes to find his way on the tarmac. He reportedly tried entering a plane belonging to British Airways which was scheduled to depart from Kotoka International Airport Terminal 3 for Heathrow in the United Kingdom. Friday, April 19, 2024 A transgender Maryland teenager has been arrested for allegedly planning a mass shooting at two schools in a twisted effort to become famous. Alex Ye, 18, of Rockville, whose legal name is Andrea, was arrested Wednesday, April 17, and charged with threatening mass violence after allegedly writing a 129-page document that he referred to as a memoir, according to ABC News. Authorities said the writing was about committing mass shootings at Wootton High School, which Ye had attended online, and Lakewood Elementary School. Ye allegedly told his former school counselor that he wanted to become famous from this event, according to the outlet. The student had claimed the memoir was a work of fiction, which included a disclaimer that it doesnt represent the authors beliefs, but a person with whom the student shared the document alerted authorities because it bore striking similarities to the writer. The witness believed Ye, who is biologically female but identifies as male, was prepared to carry out the attacks shortly, according to the news outlet. I want to shoot up a school. Ive been preparing for months. The gun is an AR-15. This gun is going to change lives tomorrow As I walk through the hallways, I cherry pick the classrooms that are the easiest targets, Ye allegedly wrote, WBAL-TV reported. I need to figure out how to sneak the gun in. I have contemplated making bombs. The instructions to make them are surprisingly available online. I have also considered shooting up my former elementary school because little kids make easier targets, the student allegedly continued. High schools the best target; Im the most familiar with the layout. I pace around my room like an evil mastermind. Ive put so much effort into this. My ultimate goal would be to set the world record for the most amount of kills in a shooting. If I have time, Ill try to decapitate my victims with a knife to turn the injuries into deaths, the screed allegedly says. According to court documents cited by ABC News, the witness told authorities that the writing 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 Yes life and not indicative of fiction. Police said they found worrisome social media posts and internet searches by Ye, including allegedly searching gun range near me, descriptions of an AR-15 and the phrase But, I do recognize that my plan is fully unethical. Its selfish and evil, according to the outlet. Chat records allegedly show the suspect discussing thoughts of shooting up his school with another person in September. My homicidal ideation has been getting worse lately to the point I might act on it eventually, Ye allegedly wrote in December. Id want to kill a lot of people or it wouldnt be worth it, the suspect said in another message that month, according to officials. Theres no allegation that Ye had possession of any firearms up to the time of his arrest, ABC News reported. The person who shared the manifesto with Baltimore cops on March 3 and Ye both received treatment at a psychiatric facility in Maryland, WJLA reported. Ye started receiving mental health treatment in December 2022 after making alleged threats, according to the outlet. Rockville City police were later contacted and conducted a welfare check on Ye, whose father allegedly told them he was not concerned with his childs mental status because he was certain the teen would contact their therapist, WJLA said. The Montgomery County school district called the charges extremely serious. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is aware of the arrest of a student from Thomas S. Wootton High School by the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). The charges are extremely serious, involving alleged threats to harm others, it said, WBAL-TV reported. The student, who has not physically attended an MCPS school since the fall of 2022, has been actively participating in lessons through a virtual program called Online Pathways to Graduation, the school system said. This matter is an ongoing police investigation, and because of student privacy law (FERPA), MCPS cannot share any other information. It is important to understand that student privacy regulations are not a matter of arbitrary discretion but are instead firmly established by federal law, it added. Ye, who has not yet entered a plea, is being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit pending a bond hearing. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Montgomery County police and the FBI. Friday, April 19, 2024 A man set himself on fire in a park across the street from the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial. The person set himself on fire after 1 p.m. Friday in the designated protest area outside of the trial outside the courthouse in lower Manhattan, according to a witness. Officers rushed to get what appeared to be a fire extinguisher to douse the flames. The fire was put out minutes later, leaving a smoky scene outside court as a gaggle of reporters and witnesses looked on. The man was taken away by EMS to NewYork-Presbyterian Cornell Medical Center in critical condition, the FDNY said. The nature of the protest was not immediately clear, but the man had pamphlets and buttons on him with different messaging, according to the police source. It came as a full jury of 12 people and six alternates had been seated in the case against Trump, the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Trump is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges. The trial began on Monday with jury selection. The full jury panel was selected by mid-day Friday. Saturday, April 20,2024 - President William Ruto has picked up a fight with some Kenyan leaders who are supporting the ongoing doctors' strike. Services in over 50 public hospitals in the country have been disrupted for 36 days, with patients left to bear the brunt of the stalemate between the medics and the two tiers of government. The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists' Union (KMPDU) wants, among other things, the reinstatement of the KSh 206,000 monthly pay for interns per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by the parties in 2017. Orange Democratic Movement party leader, Raila Odinga sided with the medics, saying that the government should honour the deal until the next CBA negotiation. Governor James Orengo of Siaya dissented from his 46 colleagues who have been strict on the medics, threatening to fire them should they fail to return to work as ordered by the court. According to Orengo, the doctors are reasonable in their demands, arguing that it would be rational if the government engaged them with goodwill. But Ruto who spoke on Friday accused the government's detractors of playing populist politics at the expense of reality. His position was that the government would not pay the money the doctors demanded. On the contrary, he asked those backing the medics to settle them instead. "The other day, we had the doctors' challenge. "We can hardly pay because we have said there are real issues we want to deal with. "You have leaders including governors, saying they support the doctors' strike, really? If you support the strike pay them the money they are asking for. "We must stop chasing what is popular and go for what is right," Ruto said. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, April 19, 2024 A man has surrendered to police after he reportedly threatened to blow himself up at the Iranian consulate in Paris with a suicide vest. According to Mail Online, the man gave himself after 2pm, walking out of the consulate with his hands in the air and giving himself over to police at the scene. 'He had no explosives or weapons on him,' said a security source. 'He was placed under arrest immediately and taken away to a secure police station for questioning.' Specialist BRI officers continued to swarm around the area, together with sniffer dogs, just in case explosives had been hidden in the area. 'The security perimeter will be maintained for a while yet,' said the source. The individual was for a time holed up inside the building in the French capital's 16th arrondissement in a room with the ambassador, one report said. He was said to be wearing an explosive belt and equipped with an object that resembled a grenade, Europe 1 and other sources reported earlier. The area was cordoned off and evacuated, with a police source saying that an 'intervention was imminent'. This suggested officers had been preparing to storm the building. 'A witness saw a man enter carrying a grenade or an explosive belt,' a source told France's AFP news agency, adding that an elite police unit had been mobilised after the consulate requested an intervention. 'The man presented him at the consulate, and then removed his coat, to show off an alleged explosives vest,' another security source said at the scene. He said he was carrying a grenade, and then placed a national flag on the floor. He said he wanted to avenge his brother. Police ordered the city's Metro Line 6 to be interrupted as a safety measure. Europe 1 reported that the embassy contacted the police requesting assistance, reporting that the man was inside the building. It said he was holed up in a room inside the consulate 'in the presence of the ambassador'. There were no reports of an explosion. The incident came amid increasing tensions between Israel and Iran, with the Jewish state today launching strikes against the Islamic Republic. This was in response to Iran launching over 300 missiles toward Israel on Saturday, 99 percent of which were intercepted by Israel and its allies. Saturday, April 20, 2024 - President William Ruto recounted his last conversation with Chief of Defence Forces, General Francis Ogolla before his horrific death in a plane crash in West Pokot on Thursday. While condoling with the family of the late military chief in Nairobi yesterday, Ruto revealed that they discussed several issues pertaining to the security of the country on Tuesday. The talks were centred around the status of security in the bandit-prone North Rift regions of Baringo and West Pokot Counties. "He had given me his itinerary of where he wanted to go on duty," Ruto stated. According to the head of state, Ogolla also informed him of plans to travel to Siaya for the consecration of his home church. Ogolla would later inform the President of his plans to attend his father's 100th birthday. Ruto also narrated how he got to know of the death of General Ogolla. According to the president, immediately after getting a hint of the tragic incident, he reached out to Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale. "When I took the phone I told Duale, I told him, "Please don't tell me negative news," because I was with General Ogolla on Tuesday," Ruto narrated. He noted that it took him a while to believe that the military leader was no more and thus demanded to talk to a source who was at the scene of the accident. It took me a while, but then I asked Duale, to please call somebody on the ground and he told me there was a Major and a brigadier on the ground and I wanted to talk to them, he stated. The chief of state in his speech described the deceased as a professional, a leader who deserved the appointment to the helm of the military. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, April 20, 2024 - President William Ruto has revealed the first thing he did after he learned about the tragic death of Chief of Defence Forces, General Francis Ogolla. The four-star general died on Thursday afternoon after the chopper carrying him crashed in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Nine others who were with him perished and only two survived. Speaking while condoling with the family of General Ogolla at their home in Nairobi on Friday, Ruto revealed that when he was told by Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale was calling him and the subject of the call was a plane crash carrying General Ogolla, he told the Defence CS not to tell him negative news. When I was told that the CS for Defence was on the line and the subject was a plane crash and the plane was carrying the CDF and other officers when I took the phone I told Duale please dont tell me negative news, Ruto stated. The President disclosed that he did believe the CDF had passed on and requested to talk to military officials at the scene of the accident to confirm the news. The bad news came and it took me a while. "But then I asked Duale please call someone on the ground and he told me there was a major and brigadier on the ground and I wanted to speak to them because it was not easy to believe that General Ogolla was gone, Ruto recounted. In his tribute, President Ruto expressed pride in appointing General Ogolla as the Chief of Defence Forces, saying it was one of the appointments he is proud of The Head of State hailed Ogolla as a professional and leader who made a significant change in the Kenyan military during the short time he was CDF. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, April 19, 2024 A teen who has spent two decades behind bars after murdering two Dartmouth College professors has been granted parole. James Parker, now almost 40, appeared before the New Hampshire state parole board years after pleading guilty to killing Half and Susanne Zantop, in Hanover. Parker, 16 at the time, has served close to the minimum of his 25-years-to-life sentence for second-degree murder. During his parole hearing on Thursday, April 18, he said that he was deeply sorry. His lawyer and Department of Corrections staff said that Parker has taken many steps through the years to rehabilitate himself and help fellow inmates. Parker acknowledged the unimaginably horrible crime hed committed and said he knows that no amount of time could change or alleviate the pain hes caused. Parker was 16 when he and his then 17-year-old friend, Robert Tulloch, hatched a heinous plan to leave their lives in Chelsea, Vermont, for greener pastures in Australia. They killed the professors in a conspiracy to earn fast cash to move to Australia. People who knew the teens were shocked to think the class clowns were capable of such a vicious crime. The trip would need an estimated $10,000 and the pair decided theyd knock on the doors of unsuspecting homeowners under the guise of conducting a survey on environmental issues. Once inside, Parker and Tulloch planned to tie up their victims, steal their credit cards and ATM information and force them to provide their PIN numbers before killing them. Parker revealed that they picked the Zantop house because it looked expensive and it was surrounded by trees. Half, 62, had let them into his home on Jan. 27, 2001, and within 10 minutes Tulloch had stabbed him and directed Parker to stab Susanne, 55, Parker told police in an interview at the time. The pair fled the brutal murder scene with Halfs wallet which contained about $340 and a list of numbers. After leaving, Parker and Tulloch realized theyd left behind their knife sheaths at the house and couldnt return after seeing the place swarming with police. Fingerprints on the knife sheath and a bloody boot print eventually linked the pair to the crime but after being questioned by police they fled and hitchhiked West before they were nabbed at an Indiana truck stop weeks later. Parker, who cooperated with prosecutors and testified against Tulloch, had sought a sentence reduction in 2018 but withdrew his petition after Zantops two daughters objected. Tulloch, now 40, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and got a sentence of life without parole. Hes scheduled for a resentencing hearing in June. In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional to sentence a juvenile offender to mandatory life imprisonment without parole. Tulloch and four other men who received such sentences were granted resentencing hearings in 2014 as a result. Susanne Zantop was the head of Dartmouths German studies department, while Half Zantop taught Earth sciences. Both hailed from Germany. Friday, April 19, 2024 Two teenagers allegedly killed a mother who found them squatting and stuffed her body in a duffel bag in a New York City apartment. Kensly Alston, 18, and Halley Tejada, 19, are accused of murdering Nadia Vitels, 52, who discovered the intruders inside her late mothers Manhattan apartment. Vitels body was found in a bag in the closet of her moms 19th-floor apartment with blunt force injuries to her head, a brain injury, two broken ribs and several fractures, according to police. On March 10, Vitels dropped off items at the apartment on East 31st Street to prepare it for relatives to stay there, said authorities. Shortly after, Alston and Tejada were captured on CCTV walking in the lobby of the building and broke in to squat there. Two days later, Vitels returned to the unit and discovered the intruders and demanded them to leave. Tejada shouted that he was going to kill her, said prosecutors. Vitels ran for a window but Tejada allegedly grabbed her and threw her, then stomped her to death. Prosecutors alleged that Alston told Tejada during the brutal attack: You should put your shoes on. Youre going to hurt yourself. The teens then allegedly used Vitels credit card to buy vaping items and toiletries at a Target and fled in her Lexus SUV. On March 14, Vitels 23-year-old son reached out to police to do a welfare check on the apartment after receiving a text from her that would be her last. Responding cops found her dead body stuffed in a duffel bag. The teens drove Vitels vehicle to New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where they bought a diamond ring, AirPods, a PS5 system, clothes and food, said prosecutors. They crashed the SUV in Lower Paxton Township and were arrested at a home on March 22. Both were extradited from Pennsylvania to New York and were charged with murder on Thursday, April 18. Tejada sobbed while hugging his father before being led into a Manhattan courtroom in handcuffs. Alston, from the Bronx, and Tejada, from Washington Heights, are both being held without bail pending their next court appearances. The apartment had been vacant for several months since Vitels mother died, law enforcement sources told the New York Post. Kensly Alston and Halley Tejada allegedly murdered Nadia Vitels in her own apartment while she was moving in to start a new chapter in her life, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. 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. The National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) and Uganda National Examination Board (Uneb) are in the final stages of developing modalities for the 1st cohort of the end-of-year cycle examinations slated for next year. Senior three students of the lower secondary curriculum will be the beneficiaries of the first cohort when they are promoted to senior four. The NCDC Manager Secondary Department, John Okumu says the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) questions will be different from those in the old curriculum. He says questions in the new curriculum will require critical thinking where students are tasked to find solutions to the countrys common problems. He says the new questions will be framed in a way that a learner will be required to use the skills and knowledge they acquired in the class to answer questions in form of problem-solving. He added that the new approach will be against reproducing crammed work which was limiting the development of critical thinking among learners. The UNEB public relations officer, Jenipher Kalule yesterday said that all schools across the country with UNEB centres are supposed to submit 20 percent of class assessments for senior three students. The 20 percent class assessment mark will contribute part of the 100 percent a learner will attain at the end of the cycle (UCE). This means that students will be working for 80 percent when they sit for UCE next year. The Smithwicks Experience Kilkenny management and employees are celebrating a prestigious win, having been awarded the Best Employer in the Small Business category in the Failte Ireland Employers Excellence Program. The award is extra special for the local business as its the first time ever that the visitor experience entered the competition. Ignacio Peregrina, Smithwicks Experience Kilkenny Manager, was overwhelmed with gratitude and humility as the team accept the prestigious award as part of the Employers Excellence Program. "This recognition is not just an honour for our organisation, but a testament to the collective dedication and hard work of every individual at Smithwick's Experience Kilkenny," he said. "Receiving this award is an indescribable feeling. It's a validation of our commitment to creating an environment where every employee feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. It's a reminder that our efforts in fostering a culture of inclusivity, growth, and innovation have not gone unnoticed," Mr Peregrina commented. "I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to every member of the Smithwick's Experience family for their dedication, passion, and hard work. This award belongs to each and every one of you. Let's continue to innovate, inspire, and make a difference in the lives of those we serve," he concluded. People are not convinced by easy false promises on the Budget, the leader of the Greens said, as he set out his partys campaign priorities. Eamon Ryan also warned against other parties fudging pledges when it came to difficult decisions about the environment. Seven weeks out from the forthcoming local and European elections, Mr Ryan said dramatic change was needed to protect people and the planet from the climate crisis. It comes after his coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail held their ard fheis conferences this month. Speaking before his speech at his partys convention rally at the RDS in Dublin, he said: You cant mince your words on that. Theres a form of climate denial where youre saying oh, were all for that until it comes to a hard decision. He added: Were just asking the questions. What are you saying in your manifesto about what were going to do in the environment? How are you going to fund it? Are you agreeing with the scale of change that we need to make? Asked if auction politics involving coalition parties making bigger and bigger promises ahead of the next election will undermine the stability of the Government before the Budget, Mr Ryan said: I think we should do the budget in October and I think we should be careful about promising all sorts of promises in the interim. He told reporters that the only Budget promise should be that it will protect the poorest people first. Mr Ryan added: I dont think the electorate are won over by easy false promises in April for whats going to happen in October. He said the election would be about climate change and threats against democracy. Asked if his comment about easy false claims was about his coalition parties, Mr Ryan said he was not referring to anyone directly, but added: I get on sufficiently well with my Government colleagues that I can say yes, sometimes, it is easy to promise. But actually we should be careful because we have to deliver in the end. Elsewhere, Integration Minister Roderic OGorman spoke about a recent protest outside his home. Gardai were called to the property on Thursday after reports that up to 12 masked men were staging a protest, some with anti-migration placards and banners. Speaking to reporters at the conference, he said: I think it is hugely important that we protect politics in our country and that isnt just about a member of Cabinet or a member of the Oireachtas. Asked about a Bill that would ban protests outside individuals homes, Mr OGorman said the legislation had to be considered by the justice committee and added: It has to be proportionate because we cant create a barrier between politicians and the public. That openness, that accessibility, is an essential part of the Irish political system and is really valuable. Mr Ryan said he also had people outside his own door and added: This is a key issue about protecting and strengthening our democracy. He said he believed the protesters dont represent the people of Ireland. He said there was only a small number involved in such protests and expressed concern that some wore balaclavas. Mr Ryan added: They dont honour the flag, they dont represent, to my mind, the traditions and strength of Irish democracy. He also said the amount of abuse and hatred and bile directed at politicians online is not reflected in the real world. Rallies held in Iran to support last week's retaliatory strikes against Israel Xinhua) 14:29, April 20, 2024 Demonstrators march during a rally in Tehran, Iran, April 19, 2024. Iranians on Friday staged nationwide rallies to express support for the country's retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets last week, the official news agency IRNA reported. (Xinhua/Shadati) TEHRAN, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Iranians on Friday staged nationwide rallies to express support for the country's retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets last week, the official news agency IRNA reported. In Tehran, demonstrators marched almost 1 kilometer from the University of Tehran to Enghelab Square. They carried placards featuring slogans against Israel and the United States, expressing support for the strikes launched on the night of April 13. The procession also demonstrated solidarity with the Palestinians, asserting that Palestine would be "liberated." Similar rallies were also held in other cities including Tabriz, Mashhad, and Isfahan, where participants called Iran's drone and missile attacks "legitimate defense." Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones toward Israel on Saturday, in response to the Israeli airstrike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital city of Damascus on April 1, which killed seven Iranians, including two veteran commanders. Demonstrators attend a rally in Tehran, Iran, April 19, 2024. Iranians on Friday staged nationwide rallies to express support for the country's retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets last week, the official news agency IRNA reported. (Xinhua/Shadati) Demonstrators march during a rally in Tehran, Iran, April 19, 2024. Iranians on Friday staged nationwide rallies to express support for the country's retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets last week, the official news agency IRNA reported. (Xinhua/Shadati) Demonstrators attend a rally in Tehran, Iran, April 19, 2024. Iranians on Friday staged nationwide rallies to express support for the country's retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets last week, the official news agency IRNA reported. (Xinhua/Shadati) (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) 9 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza's Rafah Gaza, Apr 20 (UNI) At least nine Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Friday night on a residential building in the southernmost Gazan city of Rafah, Palestinian medical sources said on Saturday. The sources told Xinhua that six of the dead were children, and rescue workers were searching for people still buried in rubble. In addition, the Israeli army has carried out intensive bombardment on many areas in the northern and central Gaza Strip, the sources said, noting that so far there is no immediate report on the casualties. Death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip passes 42,200 13 Oct 2024 | 4:54 PM Doha, Oct 13 (UNI) The death toll from the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 42,200, while over 98,400 Palestinians have been injured since last October, the enclave's health ministry said on Sunday. see more.. 20 injured in southern Egypt train collision: ministry 13 Oct 2024 | 4:40 PM Cairo, Oct 13 (UNI) At least 20 people were injured in a train collision early Sunday in southern Egypt's Minya province, with no fatalities so far, the Egyptian Health Ministry said. see more.. Israeli armored force infiltrates Lebanese border village: sources 13 Oct 2024 | 4:37 PM Beirut, Oct 13 (UNI) An Israeli armored force infiltrated the southern Lebanese border village of al-Dhahira on Sunday morning, according to Lebanese military sources. see more.. 25 Afghan inmates set free from Iraq 13 Oct 2024 | 4:36 PM Kabul, Oct 13 (UNI) A total of 25 Afghan inmates imprisoned in Iraq have been set free and returned to their homeland, Afghanistan's Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation said on Saturday. see more.. Steve Maharey writes: This is what could be done. Television New Zealand (TVNZ) is a commercial broadcaster running a programme schedule that, with some exceptions, has little to do with public broadcasting. It should be sold. Trying to merge it with Radio New Zealand (RNZ) is a fools errand because the two entities are from different worlds. One is oil, the other is water. The cash raised from the TVNZ sale should then be put into a trust that would oversee the expansion of RNZ into a 21st-century media organisation covering everything from broadcasting to social media and print. The new organisation should also receive funding from the Government via the trust. It is vital the new organisation be independent of government. Any legislation should be free from the kind of instructions the previous Government loaded into its otherwise sensible and still-needed Public Interest Journalism policy. I have long advocated selling TVNZ and putting the proceeds from the sale into public broadcasting. A senior Labour MP once told me that this is what National should have done, and I agree. The problem is this is a solution that would have worked a decade ago, as TVNZ was more valuable then. Today a sale of TVNZ would probably generate very little capital because linear TV is dying. Crucially, the new entity must not take advertising. That money should flow to commercial media who will need to go through a major restructure. Not having state broadcasters compete for advertising would help, but again the solution is ten years too late. Advertisers are abandoning media because simply it is less well targeted as social media where you can set exactly who views your ads. A slimmed-down commercial media with more access to advertising dollars would make for a more viable model. It is possible that a government could help with this by limiting entry to the market. No, no, no. The job of Government is not to protect incumbents. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Newsroom reports: he tribunal is currently investigating the Governments decision to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, which lays out the obligations of the childrens ministry in relation to the Treaty of Waitangi. Last week, the Waitangi Tribunal issued a summons to Minister for Children Karen Chhour when she refused to provide evidence behind the decision to repeal. While Crown lawyers have said they will seek judicial review of the summons in the High Court, Jones and Seymour have broken rank to openly criticise the tribunal. In response, Te Hunga Roia Maori / Maori Law Society wrote on Wednesday to Luxon and Attorney-General Judith Collins, saying Jones comments are likely to have breached Cabinet Manual conventions against influencing or criticising the judiciary. These comments are inappropriate and unconstitutional. The Cabinet Manual provides that ministers must exercise judgement before commenting on matters before the courts or judicial decisions (clause 4.12) and that Ministers should not express any views that are likely to be publicised if they could be regarded as reflecting adversely on the impartiality, personal views, or ability of any judge, co-presidents Natalie Coates and Tai Ahu wrote in the letter. Minister Jones comments directly bring into question the performance of the Waitangi Tribunal, an independent Commission of Inquiry established by legislation that serves a function akin to a Court and over which a Judge presides. The comments, which are paired with a threat of executive review of the function and purpose of the Tribunal could also have a chilling effect and reflect adversely on Waitangi Tribunal decisions going forward. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Abundant sunshine. High 64F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight A few clouds. Scattered frost possible. Low 32F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Washington, April 20 (UNI) The United States has sanctioned three entities in China and one in Belarus for allegedly supplying ballistic missile items to Pakistan, the State Department said in a release on Friday. "Today, we are designating four entities pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. These entities three based in the Peoples Republic of China and one in Belarus have supplied missileapplicable items to Pakistans ballistic missile programs, including its long-range missile program," said State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller in the release. The sanctions target the Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant along with China (PRC)-based Xian Longde Technology Development Company Limited, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd and Granpect Company Limited, Miller said. UNI/SPUTNIK AKS You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Cloudy with occasional showers this afternoon. High near 60F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 44F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) The AAP on Saturday welcomed the decision of the Congress to support its candidates in the upcoming Delhi mayoral polls. Addressing a press conference here, senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and the party's Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in-charge Durgesh Pathak expressed confidence that the AAP-Congress alliance will win the April 26 polls by a huge margin. Also Read | PM Modi in Karnataka: 'INDI Alliance Has No Leader, No Vision for Future', Says Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chikkaballapur (Watch Videos). "We welcome this move (of the Congress). Together, we will fight against dictatorship and a corrupt government. The AAP and the Congress will together contest the MCD election and win the polls by a huge margin," Pathak said. "The BJP resorted to hooliganism in the last election but still lost the polls. Our only mission is to save the country and its Constitution," he added, accusing the saffron party of asking for votes by telling people that it will amend the Constitution if elected. Also Read | Neha Hiremath Murder: Karnataka Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath Flags Daughter's Murder Probe, Threatens To Commit Suicide. "The country is going through a very difficult time. Today, when BJP leaders are going to ask for votes, they are openly saying, you give us votes and we will amend the Constitution. It is the same Constitution that gave rights to women and Dalits and was framed after so many struggles by B R Ambedkar," Pathak said. Earlier in the day, Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely told a press conference that the Congress councillors will support the AAP candidates in the polls to elect the mayor and deputy mayor of the national capital. The announcement to this effect was jointly made by the communication department chairman of the Delhi Congress and former MLA Anil Bhardwaj, the party's MCD in-charge Jitendra Kumar Kochhar and its leader in the MCD House, Nazia Danish, at the press conference held at Rajiv Bhawan. "To ensure that democracy is not embarrassed, what happened in the Chandigarh mayoral polls does not happen in the MCD election, the Congress will support the AAP candidates for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in the public interest," Bharadwaj said. The AAP declared its candidates for the polls on Thursday. It has fielded Mahesh Khichi for the mayor's post and Ravinder Bhardwaj for the deputy mayor's post. 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 the birth of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Kishan Lal for the post of mayor and Neeta Bisht for the deputy mayor's post. (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, Apr 20 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said Christians in Kerala have become fed up with the "lies" of the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF while asserting that the trust of the community in the BJP has grown stronger. Modi asserted that members of the community have been supporting the BJP in many places, including Goa and the northeast states. Also Read | Odisha Elections 2024: Congress Releases Candidates List for Two Lok Sabha, 13 Assembly Seats. In an interview to Asianet News ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in all 20 seats of Kerala on April 26, Modi said the trust of the Christian community in the BJP has grown stronger and the party will continue to do everything possible for their welfare. The BJP has been making concerted efforts to woo the community, who are influential in a number of Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, as the party looks to make a serious impact in the state where it has never been able to win any seat. Also Read | Gurugram Wall Collapse: Four Dead, Two Injured After Wall Collapses at Cremation Ground in Madanpuri Area, CCTV Footage Surfaces. Replying to a question, Modi noted the BJP is in power in Goa where Christians are in large numbers, and in the northeast where the community is in a majority in some states and is in big numbers in others. The BJP and its allies are in power in the most states of the northeast region. Several chief ministers and ministers are Christians, the prime minister said, noting that he frequently meets leaders of the community and organises Christmas festivities as well. Community leaders from Kerala tell him how Church properties in the state are facing a crisis due to the LDF and UDF, he said, highlighting his government's efforts to help them, including fishermen. "Christian community has become fed-up with the lies of the LDF and the UDF," he said. Acknowledging the community's contributions to health and education sectors, Modi said his government is on board with them on many issues. "The trust of the Christian community in us has grown stronger and we will continue to do everything possible for their welfare," he said. In a swipe at the Congress and the Left, the two main formations in Kerala, he said they have been fooling people. "Both parties are the two sides of the same coin," Modi said, adding the Congress will demand in Kerala that Left leaders should be jailed and but decry "vindictive" politics if they are arrested. Hitting out at the state's ruling Left front for alleged financial irregularities in cooperative banks run by Left groups, the prime minister said nearly Rs 1 lakh crore belonging to the poor and common persons of the state has been deposited there. The Enforcement Directorate has attached Rs 90 crore and his government is seeking legal advice about returning the money to those it belongs to, Modi said. The prime minister reiterated that people have decided to elect his party to power for another term at the Centre as they can now compare his government with previous dispensations and support him for his work. "In 2014, we brought hope to the people of India. In 2019, we instilled confidence, and in 2024, we pledge to deliver 'Modi Ki Guarantee' to the people of India," he said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Retirement fund body EPFO on Saturday said it added 15.48 lakh members on a net basis in February 2024. Around 7.78 lakh members enrolled for the first time with the EPFO in February 2024, a labour ministry statement said. Also Read | Earthquake in Arunachal Pradesh: Quake of Magnitude 3.0 on Richter Scale Hits West Kameng Region. According to the statement, a noticeable aspect of Employees' Provident Fund Organization's payroll data is the dominance of the 18-25 age group, constituting a significant 56.36 per cent of the total new members added in February 2024. The data indicates the majority of individuals joining the organized workforce are youth, primarily first-time job seekers, the labour ministry stated. The payroll data highlights that approximately 11.78 lakh members exited and subsequently rejoined EPFO. Also Read | Thane: Woman, Son Booked for Assaulting Doctor, Hospital Staff in Dombivli, Probe Underway. These members switched their jobs and re-joined the establishments covered under the ambit of EPFO and opted to transfer their accumulations instead of applying for final settlement thus, safeguarding long-term financial well-being and extending their social security protection. Gender-wise analysis of payroll data unveils that out of 7.78 lakh new members, around 2.05 lakh are new female members. Also, the net female member addition during the month stood at around 3.08 lakh. The female member addition is indicative of a broader shift towards a more inclusive and diverse workforce. Month-on-month comparison of industry-wise data displays growth in the members working in establishments engaged in the industries viz. establishments engaged in manufacturing, marketing servicing & usage of computers, companies/societies/assc/clubs/troupes for performances, road motor transport, automobile servicing, textiles etc. Of the total net membership, around 41.53 per cent addition is from expert services (consisting of manpower suppliers, normal contractors, security services, miscellaneous activities etc.). The above payroll data is provisional since the data generation is a continuous exercise, as updating employee records is a continuous process. The previous data hence gets updated every month. From the month of April 2018, EPFO has been releasing payroll data covering the period from September 2017 onwards. In monthly payroll data, the count of members joining EPFO for the first time through Aadhaar-validated Universal Account Number (UAN), existing members exiting from coverage of EPFO and those who exited but re-joining as members, is taken to arrive at net monthly payroll, it stated. (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 20 (ANI): BJP national president JP Nadda offered his heartfelt condolences to the party's Moradabad candidate, Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar Singh, who passed away on Saturday. In a post on X, JP Nadda said, "The news of the demise of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, former MP, and our candidate from Moradabad Lok Sabha constituency Kunwar Sarvesh Singh ji is extremely sad. My condolences are with the bereaved family. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: Man Stabs Wife to Death Over Suspicion of Illicit Affair, Arrested in Delhi. "As a public leader of Uttar Pradesh and Moradabad, your life full of public service and dedication to the society is unforgettable. I pray to God to give strength to the grieving family and give a place to the departed soul on his feet. Om peace!" he added in the post. Earlier, speaking to ANI on Saturday, Ritesh Gupta, the sitting BJP MLA from Moradabad, said Kunwar Sarvesh passed away after a heart attack. He was rushed to AIIMS, Delhi, but couldn't be revived, the BJP MLA added. Also Read | Odisha Elections 2024: Congress Releases Candidates List for Two Lok Sabha, 13 Assembly Seats. Condoling the demise of the party's Moradabad candidate, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took to his official X handle to post, "I am shocked to learn of the demise of our Moradabad candidate and former MP, Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar Singh-ji. This is an irreparable loss for the BJP Parivaar. In this hour of grief, my thoughts and prayers go out to his family members and loved ones. I pray that Prabhu Shri Ram grants eternal peace to the departed soul while giving his family the strength and forbearance to bear this loss. Om Shanti!" Kunwar Sarvesh was pitted against Ruchi Veera of the INDIA bloc in the battle for Moradabad, voting for which was concluded on Friday. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 20 (ANI): Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bengaluru, various Congress workers held a protest against the central government over the alleged non-release of relief funds by the Centre to the State. Some Congress workers were also detained as the police had denied permission for the protest. Also Read | Andhra Pradesh Assembly Elections 2024: TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu Owns Ambassador Car, Wife N Bhuvaneswari Has No Vehicle. Referring to this, state Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said that the Prime Minister has every right to come but at the same time he has to answer on why the funds were nor released to the state. "Prime Minister has every right to come and campaign for the party. At the same time PM has to comment on our tax, our right, for not having given the composition has to be given for the drought. Why was the Bhadra water project not given the money that was supposed allotted in the budget? He has to answer all this why it has not been done? All this thing if you tell the public then we'll also have the clarity," Shivakumar said. Also Read | Mumbai Water Cut News: Goregaon, Kandivali to Witness 100% Water Cut on April 23-24 As BMC Undertakes Pipeline Replacement Work; Check List of Affected Areas Here. When asked about the BJP's allegations that the state government is supporting Jihadis and disturbing the law and order situation, the Deputy CM said, "We don't want to support anyone. The law will take its own course, whatever the issue is there the law will take its course." In view of the protest held by the party leaders in the state capital, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said that the people of Karnataka are demanding their right. Hitting out at PM Modi, Surjewala said, "Kannadigas demand their right. We give Rs 100 to the government of India in taxes and Kannadigas get Rs 13 back only. When they demand their share of their own taxes, Modi ji gives them 'Chombu' (round water container). When there has been a drought in the state for six months now, the Congress government of Karnataka is asking for Rs 17,400 crore of drought relief money for our farmers, for our poor across the state, Modi ji gives us 'Chombu'." "When Karnataka demands its money for Bhadra Dam, Modi ji gives us 'Chombu'. When our youths demands for 2 crore jobs, Modi ji gives 'Chombu'. When farmers demands cheaper diesel, Modi ji gives us 'Chombu'. Time to defeat BJP's government and to elect Congress nationally," the Congress leader added. Congress leader and MLA Rizwan Arshad criticised the government for not providing the relief funds to the drought-hit areas and said that those who does not want to give the rights to the people has no right to come and ask votes. "We are the second highest taxpaying state in India. Approx Rs 4.5 lakh crore tax goes to the central government from Karnataka. That is still fine, but for the last 2 years, severe drought has been in the state, farmers have been in trouble; we have asked for compensation, relief funds which is our right, even for that they are making us suffer. The one who does not want to give us our rights, then with what right he is coming here and seeking votes," Arshad said. PM Modi will visit Bengaluru and neighbouring Chikkaballapura district and address mega rallies for the Lok Sabha poll campaign on Saturday. Earlier, PM Modi addressed two mega public meetings in Karnataka's Mysuru and Mangaluru on Sunday. Karnataka is going to the polls in two phases. The 14 Lok Sabha segments in the southern parts of the state will vote on April 26 in the second phase, the remaining 14 constituencies in the northern parts will vote in the second phase on May 7 in the third phase. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hoshiarpur, Apr 20 (PTI) The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association on Saturday announced that it will hold a statewide strike on April 22 to protest against the recent assault of a senior medical officer here. Dr Sunil Bhagat, Senior Medical Officer, ESI (Employees State Insurance Scheme) Hospital, Hoshiarpur was allegedly assaulted by the attendant of a patient on Thursday. Also Read | Odisha Elections 2024: Congress Releases Candidates List for Two Lok Sabha, 13 Assembly Seats. President of PCMSA, Dr Akhil Sarin, said the strike intends to convey resentment and concern within the medical community following the attack, which has resulted in Bhagat being hospitalised in a critical condition. The assault has incited widespread outrage among healthcare professionals throughout the state, he said in a statement. Also Read | Gurugram Wall Collapse: Four Dead, Two Injured After Wall Collapses at Cremation Ground in Madanpuri Area, CCTV Footage Surfaces. As part of the strike, several crucial medical services will be temporarily suspended, including Outpatient Department (OPD) services, Elective Operation Theatres (OTs), and various medical examinations such as those for arms licenses, driving licenses, and drug tests. Routine office work, meetings, video conferences, and VIP duties will be halted on Monday. However, essential services such as emergency care, post-mortems, and medical examinations for prisoners will continue without interruption to ensure that critical healthcare needs are met during the strike. The PCMSA has taken a resolute stance against violence targeting healthcare workers and is urging the government to take immediate action to enhance security measures at all public health centres across the state. Sarin warned that failure to address these concerns could lead to further escalated actions by the association following the model code of conduct. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Manila [Philippines], April 20 (ANI): A WZ-7 Soaring Dragon drone of the Chinese People's Liberation Army was spotted flying in close proximity to the Philippines, ahead of preparations by the Southeast Asian country to receive the delivery of Indian BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, The Eurasian Times reported. According to the report, the distinctive joined-wing shape of the WZ-7 drone caught the attention of Raffy Tima, a correspondent for Philippine news organisation GMA News, as it traversed the skies over the West Philippine Sea, an area within the South China Sea to the northwest of the Philippines. Also Read | Israel-Hamas War: Israeli Airstrike in Southern Gaza City of Rafah Kills Nine Palestinians, Including Six Children. The timing of this sighting is significant amid escalating tensions between China and the Philippines over territorial disputes, notably the Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal, in the South China Sea, the report noted. The acquisition of the BrahMos missiles from India is perceived as a strategic move by the Philippines to enhance its defensive capabilities to counter China's assertiveness in the region. Procured as part of the 'Horizon 2' Priority Projects aimed at modernising the Philippine armed forces, the BrahMos missile system arrived in Manila on April 19. Also Read | Who Was Max Azzarello? All You Need to Know About the US Man Who Died of Self-Immolation Outside Court Amid Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial. The delivery, facilitated through a government-to-government (G2G) deal, encompasses three missile batteries, operator and maintainer training, and an Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package. Each missile battery typically comprises three mobile autonomous launchers with two or three missile tubes each, accompanied by the requisite tracking systems, The Eurasian Times reported. The sighting of the WZ-7 drone coinciding with the arrival of Indian transport planes carrying the BrahMos missiles could be construed as an intriguing coincidence. Notably, this occurrence precedes the commencement of the 'Balikatan 2024' drills between the Philippines and the US. The jet-powered WZ-7, flown by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has a service ceiling of over 60,000 feet and a range of about 4,350 miles. Although estimations made accessible to the public indicate a minimum endurance of 10 hours, actual flight times may be far longer, the report by The EurAsian Times claimed. In 2022, the same drone was seen flying near the Taiwan Strait, amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan. The same report claimed further that the WZ-7 was detected by Taiwan in the seas, thereby pointing to the presence of PLA troops near Taiwan. During these anticipated exercises, military forces are poised to engage in activities such as target ship sinking, island reclamation, and naval operations in waters adjacent to the South China Sea. Of particular concern to China is the deployment of the new Typhon ground-based missile system by the US on the northern Philippine island of Luzon, The Eurasian Times reported. As tensions persist in the West Philippine Sea, characterised by competing territorial claims and military maneuvers, the convergence of these events underscores the delicate geopolitical dynamics shaping the region. (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 20 (ANI/TPS): Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday visited Mossad headquarters (Israel's international intelligence agency) where he met with Director David Barnea and with the forum of division heads. They discussed regional developments in the various sectors. The Prime Minister and the Mossad Director also referred to the continuing efforts - and the importance of doing everything possible - to return the hostages home as soon as possible and spoke of the need for unity in the country at this time of war. Also Read | Donald Trumps Hush Money Trial: Person Rushed Away on Stretcher After He Sets Himself on Fire Outside Manhattan Courthouse in New York (Watch Video). "This holiday is different because 'they have risen to destroy us.' This is very tangible, by the axis of evil of Iran and its proxies, including Hamas," said Netanyahu. "And on the other hand, 'from slavery to redemption'. This is very tangible when we still have hostages being held in the monsters' dungeons in Gaza." "We are also committed to defeating the terrorist axis in Gaza, to freeing the hostages and to repelling the threat including that from Iran," he added. "These are very major tasks that require two things. The first thing that it requires is determination and the second is unity." Also Read | India Lays Foundation Stone for Darchula School in Nepal's Darchula District Under HICDPs. Netanyahu also spoke about the problems caused by internal divisions in Israel saying, "Nations crumble, first of all, from within, not from external pressure, but from internal discord. The internal discord needs to disappear now because we are under existential threat, and in the face of an existential threat we must unite forces and not divide them." "If we lack the ability to defend ourselves against those who seek our lives," he said, "we have nothing, and on this, we need to unite now with full force on this Passover and what comes afterward." (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) London, Apr 20 (PTI) A local council in the seaside resort of Brighton in south-east England has approved plans for an annual multi-faith event to commemorate the role of Indian soldiers in the two World Wars at the town's India Gate memorial from this October. The India Gate was presented to the people of Brighton by the princes and people of India as a gesture of thanks for the care provided by the town's hospitals and is dedicated to the use of the inhabitants of Brighton. Also Read | Israel-Hamas War: Israeli Airstrike in Southern Gaza City of Rafah Kills Nine Palestinians, Including Six Children. It was unveiled by the Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh, on October 26, 1921, and stands at the southern entrance of the Royal Pavilion one of three buildings in Brighton serving as a base hospital which treated these soldiers from undivided India wounded on the Western front. These included soldiers from the modern-day countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan. By holding a day of remembrance, the city can preserve the memories of the undivided India soldiers who fought for Britain in the war and ensure that this vital history is more widely understood and recognised by and for contemporary generations, notes the Brighton and Hove Council's report which was approved at a council meeting on Friday. Also Read | Who Was Max Azzarello? All You Need to Know About the US Man Who Died of Self-Immolation Outside Court Amid Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial. Given the important historical context of the India Gate and increased interest in the recent history of the Pavilion estate, it is important that, as a testament to the international reputation of the city, this multi-faith event celebrates the undivided India story as well as embracing the India Gate and its story, it concludes. The India Gate, designed by Thomas Tyrwhitt, replaced a much lower gate that was erected by Brighton Corporation following its purchase of the Pavilion in 1850 and is described as a dome resting on four pillars in a style derived from Gujarat. According to historical records, in World War I (1914-1918) more than 1.5 million soldiers from pre-Partition India served in the British Indian Army of the colonial era, participating in major battles such as the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, Battle of Gallipoli, and the Battle of the Somme. In World War II (1939-1945), over 2.5 million soldiers from undivided India volunteered to serve in the British Indian Army, the largest volunteer army in history. The Royal Pavilion Indian hospital in Brighton that cared for the wounded from these battles is also marked by the Chattri memorial, which stands on the spot where Hindus and Sikhs were cremated. It is accompanied by a memorial maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and an annual remembrance ceremony is organised by the Chattri Memorial Group there every June. The local council's Culture, Heritage, Sport, Tourism & Economic Development Committee feels an annual memorial event at the India Gate in October would be a suitable addition to the current remembrance services and would additionally recognise the commitment of Muslim and Buddhist soldiers of undivided India. The details of the event will be determined and delivered by a committee of community leaders, in partnership with the Brighton & Hove Museums, and supported by Brighton & Hove City Council. The committee will also engage with local Armed Forces personnel and veterans, the Undivided Indian Ex-Services Association, and leaders from the wider South Asian community before further plans for the memorial are finalised. (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 21 (PTI) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China next week, which officials said is part of the plan of the Biden Administration to responsibly manage the US-China relationship by strengthening lines of communication to reduce the risk of miscalculation and conflict. The China visit by Blinken comes after a series of highest-level interactions between the two countries, including the phone call between the Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, which was followed by a visit to Beijing by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and a telephone call that the Defense Secretary has had last week with his Chinese counterparts. Also Read | TikTok Ban: US Moves Closer to Banning TikTok as House of Representatives Votes to Ban Chinese App If Parent Company ByteDance Refuses to Divest. With stops in Shanghai and Beijing, from April 24 to 26, Blinken would be accompanied by senior officials, including Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Liz Allen, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd Robinson, and Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy Nathaniel Fick. The Secretary's visit will, of course, build on our intensive diplomacy over the past year to responsibly manage the US-China relationship by strengthening lines of communication to reduce the risk of miscalculation and conflict, a senior administration official told reporters here. Also Read | Mid-Air Trauma: Passengers Leg Snaps in Half After Flight Suffers Turbulence En Route to New Zealand, Endures Pain For Six Hours. Blinken's trip will follow Biden and Xi's summit meeting in Woodside, California in November, National Security Advisor Sullivan's meeting with Director and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Bangkok in January, DHS Secretary Mayorkas's meeting with MPS Minister Wang Xiaohong in Vienna in February. Blinken had met Director and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Munich in February. We are in a different place than we were a year ago when the bilateral relationship was at a historic low point. We have set out to stabilize the bilateral relationship without sacrificing our capacity to strengthen our alliances, compete vigorously, and defend our interests. We also believe, and we have also clearly demonstrated, that responsibly managing competition does not mean we will pull back from measures to protect US national interests, the senior administration official said. Blinken has three primary objectives for his trip to China, the official said. First, making progress on key issues. Second, clearly and directly communicating concerns on bilateral, regional, and global issues. Third, responsibly managing competition, so that it does not result in miscalculation or conflict. We've grounded these objectives in the administration's approach to the PRC, which you have heard many times, of course, and that's namely our invest, align, and compete strategy. We've made significant progress on each pillar of our strategy, and we believe that our doing so has strengthened our competitive position, said the official. We've invested in the foundations of American strength with historic legislation on infrastructure, chips and science, and clean energy. We have reinvigorated our network of alliances and partnerships, the official said. According to the official, Blinken will also reiterate their deep concerns regarding Chinese support for Russia's defence industrial base. He will discuss the crisis in the Middle East, and of course, the Secretary will discuss challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including PRC provocations in the South China Sea, as well as the DPRK's threatening rhetoric and reckless actions. He will also discuss the crisis in Burma. The Secretary will also reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the official said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, April 20: Google messaging service, Google Messages, is a popular app for staying in touch, which is likely to introduce parental control, a new feature to ensure safe texting for kids. Google Messages parental controls feature is expected to allow parents to have increased control over who their children may text. The idea behind the parental control feature is expected to create a safer environment for children by ensuring they can only send messages to contacts approved by their guardians. Google Messages parental controls could be useful for parents looking to protect their children from potential risks on the internet. As per a report of English Jagran, Google Messages might get parental controls to stop kids from sending text messages to contacts not approved by parents. The feature could help prevent kids from sending texts to unapproved contacts, which will give parents some peace of mind. It's clear that Google is considering the needs of families and looking to provide solutions that can make the technology safer for younger users, but the specifics of its release date are still unclear. WhatsApp, Threads Banned in China: Apple Removes Meta-Onwed Apps From App Store on Chinese Government's Order. How Will Google Messages Parental Control Work? It seems that the intended update to Google Messages would include various controls for parents. The parental control feature is expected to be managed through the Family Link app or web experience. The feature ia anticipated to be applicable to RCS and SMS texting standards and which might provide detailed controls to parents over their children's Google Messages activity. Meta AI on WhatsApp: Mark Zuckerberg-Run Company Rolls Our Real-Time AI-Image Generation Capability to Its Instant Messaging Platform in US As Beta. The app may display a message prompting the child to seek parental approval before sending or receiving messages in a selected conversation. This message may appear as "Ask your parent for approval" in some chats, and once a user taps to open the conversation view, the message "To send, ask your parent for approval" may be displayed. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 20, 2024 06:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The Mexico election campaign period is officially underway and while the spotlight is on the presidential election, yet another local candidate has been killed as election violence continues, which many say should also be in the spotlight as more local candidates get killed. Noe Ramos Ferretiz, who is running under the banner of the coalition between the opposition National Action Party and the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, was the incumbent mayor of Ciudad Mante in the northern border state of Tamaulipas. However, he was attacked and killed on Friday, becoming the 16th candidate killed in the run-up to the upcoming election. According to the Associated Press, local media reports indicated that Ramos Ferretiz was stabbed and the perpetrators posted photos showing a bloodied body lying on a sidewalk soon after the attack. The attack happened in Tamaulipas, which is a city plagued by warring drug cartels vying for control of the drug trafficking routes into the United States. However, it is noted that Ciudad Mante is located in the southern part of the state and is far from the epicenter of the state's drug violence, which are the state's border cities like Reynosa and Matamoros. PRI party leader Alejandro Moreno reacted to the death of their candidate, posting on social media, "We will not allow violence to decide these elections." There have been so many local candidates that have been killed since the start of 2024 that it has become routine for many. The people behind most of these attacks and deaths are the drug cartels who often target mayors and mayoral candidates in order to control local police or extort money from municipal governments. Even President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has acknowledged the violence happening all over Mexico as drug cartels seek to determine who would become a town's mayor either by "running their own candidate or eliminating potential rivals." READ MORE: Mexico: Police Officer Shot Dead in Crime-Ridden Acapulco Mexico Bishops Decry Election Violence With more and more local candidates getting killed in an alarming rise in election violence, the Mexican Bishops' Conference issued a warning to its flock against the possible interference of criminal violence. The bishops lamented "a pact among organized crime and criminal groups to pretend to organize peaceful elections" before calling for peaceful electoral campaigns. They also called on citizens to avoid "apathy, indifference, and abstentionism." "The conditions the country is going through are unfortunately not the best, as it is evident that, for some time now, we have had many problems in terms of security, social inequality, economic growth, lack of formal and decent jobs, coverage and quality of education and health, migration, social polarization, and other issues," noted the bishops. How Leading Candidates Plan to Tackle Mexico Violence as They Campaign for the Presidency Under AMLO, many have slammed his government for the failure of his "hugs, not bullets" approach, yet he remains popular with the majority of Mexicans. The people running to succeed him may change things. Leading opposition candidate Xochitl Galvez has stated that she plans to deal with violence, which is the leading election concern for Mexican voters, according to polls. Meanwhile, administration candidate Claudia Sheinbaum is taking a different approach, according to Foreign Policy, criticizing her "mentor," AMLO, and saying she believes Mexico needs a change. READ MORE: Mexico Election Violence Continues as Another Candidate Is Killed; Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Reacts This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Mayoral candidate murdered in Mexico amid rising political violence | The World - ABC News (Australia) As the 12 jurors and six alternates were being fully empaneled during the Donald Trump hush money trial, police outside the courthouse who were making sure Trump supporters did not cause too much trouble scrambled as a man went to the protest area outside of the courthouse, and lit himself on fire. The man was identified as Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida and he reportedly "walked into the center of the park, shuffled around his clothes, opened a backpack and took out and threw numerous pamphlets on the ground. He then pulled out a canister, poured a liquid accelerant on himself, lit himself on fire," according to NYPD Chief Jeffrey B. Maddrey. The incident reportedly happened at around 1:50 PM ET, which is just before the court took a lunch break. The Florida man was stopped by several police officers and was then taken to the burn unit at Weill Cornell Medical Center. However, according to NBC News, four police officers and one court officer also sustained minor injuries as a result of dealing with the fire. Several family members who police have spoken to noted that while he lives in Florida, Azzarello was born in New York and they did not know he was in New York City. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kennyn told the media after the incident that the Florida man was carrying pamphlets regarding "propaganda based" around Ponzi schemes and conspiracy theories. However, while he made the stunt during one of the most politicized trials in US history, police do not believe Azzarello was targeting any particular person or group. Police did note that Azzarello "appears to have been a follower of some conspiracy theories and may have had emotional issues." He also posted about his plans to light himself on fire in advance. These plans were stopped when police used a large extinguisher to put out the fire. However, they previously tried using a smaller fire extinguisher and failed to put out the flames. They handcuffed him while he was still burning, leading to the officers being injured. READ MORE: Donald Trump Hush Money Trial: All 12 Jurors Selected After One Dropped Out Over Fears for Her Safety Donald Trump Received Some Bad News About January 6 Lawsuits During Hush Money Trial Meanwhile, as police were busy contending with the man trying to burn himself outside the courthouse, Donald Trump faced even more bad news for himself as a federal judge allowed several lawsuits regarding the January 6 Capitol Insurrection to go forward. US District Judge Amit Mehta issued the ruling during the middle of Day 3 of the New York hush money trial and it allowed the lawsuits brought by Capitol and DC police officers, as well as Democratic lawmakers, to move forward. Trump was sued by them for causing the January 6 Capitol Insurrection and the plaintiffs were directly affected, with Trump riling up his supporters into a frenzy to attack police guarding the Capitol and putting the lives of lawmakers in danger. What Prospective Jurors Said About Donald Trump During Jury Selection As jury selection happened, Trump was forced out of his comfort zone and was forced to hear what average everyday New Yorkers thought about him as their social media posts were read out loud and they were asked what they thought about him. Potential jurors were quite honest about their feelings about the former president even with him right in front of them, with many describing him as a racist and sexist and a narcissist right to his face, according to Politico. Trump just sat there and took these shots as he was the defendant and was not allowed to talk back thanks to the gag order. He was silent even when confronted with social media posts from several potential jurors who did not think too highly of him, even when presented with social media posts calling for officials to "lock him up." One juror even told him to his face directly that he is "very selfish and self-serving." READ MORE: Donald Trump Confuses Jimmy Kimmel for Al Pacino in Strange Rant About the Oscars This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Trump's prison nightmare gets real as full jury gets seated in criminal trial - MSNBC The Joliet community was in distress as the search for Robert Long, a devoted Illinois father of seven, unfolded over a week. Long, last seen on April 11 at a cousin's residence, had vanished without a trace, leaving his family gripped by worry, WGN9 reports. His mother, Jewell Robinson, described Long as a dedicated individual who is deeply involved in his children's lives, with three of them on the cusp of eighth-grade graduation. Long's sudden disappearance shattered the routine of a tight-knit family. Robinson's anguished plea for Long's safe return reverberated through the community, with relatives and law enforcement joining forces to unravel the mystery. Long's routine visit to a cousin's home had culminated in an inexplicable absence, leaving loved ones clinging to hope amid mounting uncertainty. Despite exhaustive efforts by the Joliet Police Department and concerned citizens, Long remained elusive. Desperate for any lead, Long's family shared vital details about his appearance and last-known whereabouts. With few clues to guide their search, the community rallied around Long's family, demonstrating unwavering solidarity in their quest for answers. READ NEXT: Stabbing Rampage by Illinois Man Leaves 4 Dead, 7 Injured Heartbreaking Discovery Tragically, the search for Illinois father concluded with a grim discovery. His lifeless body was recovered from the Des Plaines River, sending shockwaves through the community, according to ABC 7. Joliet Police spokesperson Dwayne English conveyed the department's condolences to Long's grieving family, acknowledging the profound loss they endured. Despite the somber revelation, unanswered questions lingered. The circumstances surrounding Long's untimely demise remained murky, prompting a thorough investigation by Joliet detectives. English emphasized the ongoing nature of the inquiry, urging caution in drawing conclusions before all avenues had been explored. As Long's family grappled with the devastating news, the quest for closure intensified. Autopsy results awaited on Saturday promised insights into the cause of Long's death, offering a semblance of closure amid profound grief. Meanwhile, the community mourned the loss of a beloved father and friend, reflecting on Long's enduring impact. Community Support Amid Tragedy In the wake of Long's passing, an outpouring of support flooded in from across Joliet and beyond, NBC Chicago noted. Residents united in solidarity, offering solace to Long's family during this harrowing ordeal. Their collective efforts underscored the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity, embodying the true essence of community. As the investigation into Long's death unfolded, his memory endured as a beacon of love and compassion. Fond recollections of Long's vibrant personality and unwavering dedication to his family illuminated the darkness of loss. Though his physical presence may have departed, Long's spirit remained etched in the hearts of all who knew him. Robert Long's tragic fate serves as a poignant reminder of life's fragility and the enduring bonds of family and community. In the aftermath of profound loss, Joliet stands united in honoring Illinois father's memory and seeking solace amid sorrow. As his loved ones navigate the painful journey of grief, may they find comfort in cherished memories and the enduring legacy of a life well-lived. READ MORE: Additional Human Remains Discovered in Lake Michigan, Wisconsin This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Ross Key WATCH: Missing Joliet father found dead in Des Plaines River - From WGN News Amid continued talk in Harrisburg of legalizing adult-use marijuana use in the commonwealth, the Pennsylvania Cannabis Festival runs Saturday and Sunday in the Kutztown area of Berks County. Promoters promise hundreds of vendors, dozens of unique food vendors, all with a cannacentric focus at Renningers Antique and Farmers Market, 740 Noble St. in Maxatawny Township just south of the Kutztown border. General admission is $20 plus a $1 fee, with tickets available for purchase through penncannafest.com. The outdoor event is billed as all-ages minors under 18 get in free but must be accompanied by a paid adult. Leashed pets are permitted. Parking is free. Founded in Scranton in 2015, the Pennsylvania Cannabis Festival has been held for years in the Kutztown area. Marijuana is a potentially key part of negotiations on Gov. Josh Shapiros 2024-25 budget proposal, which is due to be passed by the start of the fiscal year July 1, pennlive.com reported last month: The first-term Democrat proposes legalizing and taxing adult-use recreational marijuana a significant boost to the commonwealths finances, if it comes to pass. Shapiro is not breaking new ground, Spotlight PA reported in February. His predecessor, Democrat Tom Wolf, came out in support of legalization in 2019 and unsuccessfully pushed for it in his final years in office. Pennsylvania agriculture officials see legalized marijuana as a potential new cash crop for farmers, pennlive.com reported, also in February. State Sens. Daniel Laughlin, R-Erie, and Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, introduced Senate Bill 846 a year ago to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania. Its languished before the Senate Law and Justice Committee since last July during the 2023-24 legislative session. Pennsylvania in 2016 permitted medical marijuana use, with dispensaries opening in February 2018. Keystone Canna Remedies on Stefko Boulevard in Bethlehem was the first dispensary permitted to open. Its now called The Apothecarium, the same as Phillipsburgs adult-use recreational marijuana store, where sales began April 21, 2022. Including New Jersey, recreational marijuana is legal in 24 states, CBS New reported Saturday, citing the Pew Research Center. New Jersey passed the milestone of 100 medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries earlier this year, nj.com reported Saturday. Laughlin this past week introduced Senate Bill 1146 in a bid to protect the Second Amendment rights of Pennsylvania medical marijuana users. It would amend the states Uniform Firearms Act that deems all marijuana use as unlawful, prohibiting someone with a valid medical marijuana card from having a license to carry a firearm. My legislation will make sure a valid medical marijuana cardholder is no longer considered an unlawful marijuana user, Laughlin said in a news release. Although marijuana remains illegal under federal law, we should be updating Pennsylvanias laws to ensure valid medical marijuana cardholders are not denied their rights. Saturdays date, 4/20, is considered stoner code for marijuana use. Easton and Phillipsburg are among areas with events planned to coincide with the date and Earth Day, which is Monday. Law enforcement officials plan to step up enforcement of impaired-driving laws this weekend, wfmz.com reported. Pennsylvania State Police at Hamburg in Berks County on Thursday announced increased DUI patrols, to include a sobriety checkpoint, over the upcoming weekends. The patrols will look for signs of operators being under the influence of alcohol or drugs and take appropriate enforcement action. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. The shingle roof covering the historic Roseberry House in Phillipsburg has seen better days. But through a tax fund, the Warren County Board of Commissioners said it is looking to put the Revolutionary War-era homes best days ahead of it. Now, the Phillipsburg Area Historical Society only needs to find a qualified contractor. Phillipsburg Town Council initially voted in February to issue a request for proposals (RFP) to remediate the Roseberry Houses shingle roof. In March, Business Administrator Matthew Hall suggested the town restart the bidding process because the request had only received two offers. Neither of them seemed like serious offers, he said. One offer was well over the reasonable asking price, and the second applicant seemed to confuse their possession of a business license with having a license to perform construction and roofing in the state of New Jersey as a business, he said. The historical society received roughly $40,000 toward the project from county commissioners at a ceremony outside the house on Friday. The money was dedicated from the countys Open Space Trust Fund by recommendation of the countys 12-member charitable and conservancy trust fund board in February. Phillipsburg also contributed money to the historical society for the repairs, rendering the total around $60,000, the business administrator told lehighvalleylive.com. A reasonable bid wouldve been within that range and well-below what was received on a project of this type and size, Hall told lehighvalleylive.com. The historical society plans to replace the original homes 25-year-old asphalt shingle roof with hand-split cedar, said historian Richard Backes, president of the Phillipsburg Area Historical Society. After 20 years, and without proper maintenance, the quality of asphalt shingles starts to deteriorate rapidly. And the homes they protect are left with 10 good years at best. But, cedar shingles guarantee 50 years, or more, of rain protection, if theyre properly maintained. They also happen to be the shingle-style original to the Roseberry House design, Backes said. Cedar shingles were the shingles of the time, but they fell out of fashion with changes to the housing industry. The process is also labor intensive, expensive and very specific, he said. A lot of people think they can do them, but not a lot of people know how to do them the right way, he said. Cedar shingles currently cover the buildings addition: an open wood fire kitchen attached to the original home. The original home was built in 1780 and the addition was built in the 1850s, when the owners had more mouths to feed, Backes said. The asphalt shingles mustve been added right before the last family to own the Roseberry House properly, The Walter Gess family, left in 1972, he said. Those shingles were laid incorrectly and remain incomplete to this day, said historian Jeff Finegan, a lifetime member of the PAHS. Albeit, the building hasnt sustained any noticeable damage because of it, he noted. The craft is just more of an expertise, nowadays. Neither Hall nor the Phillipsburg Area Historical Society would disclose the highest bid offered to the town in March while on record. A new bid period is stalled on open, while the historical courts contractors who are qualified and familiar with antique restoration; and keep a demonstrated track record, said Backes. Even better if they worked with the municipality before, he said. Council hasnt discussed reopening the bid period yet, Hall confirmed on April 15. Glenn Epps can be reached at gepps@lehighvalleylive.com or glenn_epps_on X (formerly known as Twitter.com), Facebook and Threads. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe to lehighvalleylive.com today. Gs Gourmet Jams in Laois is proudly celebrates its founder and CEO, Helen Gee, for her latest recent achievements in recognition of the ongoing success of her family business. Helen received the prestigious fellowship of the All-Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF) in November 2023 and been named AIBF Laois Business Person of the Year 2024 in April this year. For over 25 years, Helen claims that G's Gourmet Jams has been a beacon of excellence in the culinary world, crafting artisanal jams and preserves that delight taste buds and captivate consumers. This has seen her garnering numerous awards, including Great Taste, Blas na hEireann, and Georgina Campbell accolades, for its artisanal jams and preserves. Helen's visionary leadership has propelled the Abbeyleix-based company to remarkable heights thanks to an emphasis on innovation, quality, and sustainability. She believes that these recent honours further validate Gs Gourmet Jams' commitment to excellence and its position as a leader in the industry. Left to right: Dr. Briga Hynes (Chairperson of the AIBF Adjudication Panel), Margaret Considine (AIBF President), Helen Gee ( Gs Gourmet Jams) Kieran Ring (Vice-Chair AIBF Adjudication Panel). Helen says that from its humble beginnings, G's Gourmet Jams has experienced consistent growth, expanding its product line and distribution channels both domestically and internationally. This has resulted in Gs Gourmet products being available in all major retail supermarkets nationwide, as well as in hotels, cafes, and bakeries, enriching culinary experiences everywhere. Committed to using only the finest ingredients, the company has cultivated a loyal following of customers who appreciate its dedication to authenticity and flavour. Helens passion and family values are evident in the company's success story. Helen believes that the close-knit team which includes husband Cyril and children Roy, Clive, and Sandra, embodies these values, driving the business forward with dedication and energy. Operating from a state-of-the-art production facility, G's Gourmet Jams utilizes modern equipment and technologies to ensure efficiency and flexibility in production. With the ability to adapt and customize products, Helen adds that the company offers seamless solutions for businesses seeking to elevate their offerings. MORE BELOW PICTURE. Pictured from left: Roy Gee, Cyril Gee, Elaine Carroll, CEO All-Ireland Business Foundation, Helen Gee, Sandra Gee and Clive Gee. Leveraging expertise in flavour profiles and production techniques, Helen says G's Gourmet Jams collaborates with clients to develop bespoke jams and preserves tailored to their specific requirements. Helen belives her dedicated team and New Product Development department ensure that every product meets the highest standards of quality and safety, underscored by the BRC AA rating, restating their commitment to food safety and quality management. Looking ahead, Helen sees her three children, the next generation, continuing the family tradition, poised to explore new territories and innovate further. "With a strong foundation built on innovation, integrity, and passion, Gs Gourmet Jams is poised for continued expansion and growth, eager to delight customers with exceptional products and perhaps win a few more awards along the way," says the Laois woman. Apart from looking after her own business, Helen has always been a key advocate and supporter of others in Laois and helped found the Laois Taste food network. Big grain buyers like Tirlan mus show the same support to tillage farmers as they have done for other farmers such as those in the dairy sector, according to the Irish Grain Growers chairman. The Government has already agreed to a 100 h/a due to the bad weather and Bobby Miller the industry must do the same. He said tillage farmers have asked for help from companies like Tirlan but the response has not been forthcoming. It just is not recognising the need of their tillage suppliers. They have responded to their dairy suppliers with a financial aid package but the response from industry has been far from sufficient. They need to revisit it. It has actually maddened farmers", he said. He was speaking to the Leinster Express / Laois Live after Tirlan announced an advance tillage payment worth about 3,500 to average grain suppliers. The payment is 15/tonne for growers. The company is offering an extended period of interest-free credit on fertiliser for crops. But the Stradbally man says this is not enough and it did not represent financial support. He described what was put on the table and an offer to give farmers their own money three months in advance. We give out about the Government but where is the support from those who buy our product, he said. Mr Miller said Laois is at the heart Tirlan and the fair thing for the company to do was offer a forward harvest price for some of the grains. He said as a co-operative Tirlan should operate a level playing field and give equal financial support as provided to farmers in other sectors who have also deserved the support of industry. In a display of creativity and compassion, fifth-year students at Portlaoise College, along with their LCVP teacher Darren Maher, spearheaded an innovative fundraiser dubbed the 'Anything But a Bag Day.' Students participated by contributing 2 each and ditching their conventional school bags in favour of imaginative alternatives. From guitar boxes, Henry hoovers, microwaves, children's diggers and even fishing nets; the school corridors were awash with unique 'bags.' Principal of Portlaoise College Noel Daly commended the initiative. "It's heartening to witness our students' ingenuity and generosity come together for such noble causes. This event not only showcases their creativity but also reinforces the spirit of giving within our school community," he said. Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) teacher Darren Maher, who helped students organise the fundraiser, expressed his pride in the students' efforts. "The 'Anything But a Bag Day' was a fantastic opportunity for our students to think outside the box, quite literally. Their enthusiasm and commitment to making a difference is excellent, he said. The event aimed to raise funds for two noteworthy charities: the Laois Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LSPCA) and Doctors Without Borders. Kildare County Archives and Local Studies is pleased to announce that the 8th Irish Military Seminar will take place in Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 May. All events are free to attend but early booking is advised via Riverbank Arts Centre website www.riverbank.ie The seminar will begin on Friday, 10 May at 19.00 with the launch of a ground-breaking colourised photo book of County Kildare during the revolutionary period: The Colour of Kildare 1913-1923 by James Durney, Mario Corrigan and John OByrne. Cathaoirleach of the County of Kildare, Councillor Daragh Fitzpatrick will open the seminar on Friday evening at an annual event focused on the Irish Defence Forces. This year, author and broadcaster, Ralph Riegel, will speak on the 50-year search for Irelands lost soldier, Trooper Pat Mullins from Co. Limerick, killed in an ambush in 1961 at Elizabethville, The Congo. Saturdays series of lectures includes the Nine Years War, International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War, Richard IIs invasion of Ireland, World War Military Structures in County Kildare, Irish Doctors in the Second World War, and Sean Keating and the Art of Revolution The full programme is available at www.riverbank.ie/events The Irish Military Seminar is supported by Kildare County Council, the Kildare County Council Decade of Commemorations Committee and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2013-23 initiative. A man who gardai allege is associated with one faction in a drugs trade feud in the Ballinacurra Weston area of Limerick city appeared before a special sitting of Ennis District Court this Saturday afternoon. Gerard Fogarty, aged 48, of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston is charged with three counts of possession of firearms or ammunition in suspicious circumstances, namely a PM-63 RAK submachine gun and a loaded Webley revolver. Det Garda Shane Hogan said he arrested Mr Fogarty at Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston at 8.43am on Friday, April 19 and conveyed him to Roxboro Road garda station where he later charged him. Det Garda Hogan said Mr Fogarty made no reply when the first and third charges were put to him. In relation to the second charge, Mr Fogarty replied: "I was not going to use it." Solicitor Darach McCarthy, solicitor for Mr Fogarty, made a bail application on behalf of his client and this was opposed by Det Garda Hogan on behalf of the State. The detective said that gardai carried out a search under warrant at Mr Fogarty's home address and that it will be alleged they found two firearms under a bedside locker in the room Mr Fogarty was sleeping in. "Mr Fogarty made full admissions," alleged Det Garda Hogan, who objected to bail due to "the seriousness of the offences, the length of sentence upon conviction and the nature and strength of the evidence". The detective further alleged that the defendant has been "associated" with one faction in a drugs trade feud in the Ballinacurra Weston area over the last two years. "These are highly sinister and premeditated actions. I believe he is a danger to the community. If released on bail I believe he will commit further serious offences," alleged Det Garda Hogan. Mr McCarthy said his client is not involved in the feud and that there was "nothing to substantiate" the allegation that Mr Fogarty would commit further offences if granted bail. The solicitor said he suspected Mr Fogarty was asked to "hold these items" and he asked the court to note his client's reply to one of the charges where he said: "I was not going to use it." "He is a married father-of-three who has lived in that address for over 25 years. He should be granted bail," said Mr McCarthy. Having considered the matter, Judge Marie Keane asked Detective Garda Hogan if there was any evidence of the firearms being used. "They are currently with our ballistics section but from preliminary investigations, no," he replied. Asking that bail be refused, Inspector James Ruddle said gardai have "grave concerns" about these firearms causing serious injury or "loss of life". Judge Keane said a submachine gun would cause "an amount of havoc". However, she added that Mr Fogarty is entitled to the presumption of innocence until the matter is tried in court. "I will grant bail in very strict terms. These are the most serious offences," said Judge Keane. Mr Fogarty was granted bail on his own bond of 500 and an independent cash surety to be approved by a court in the sum of 5,000. As a condition of bail, he must sign on daily at Roxboro Road garda station; obey a curfew between 10pm and 8am and provide a phone number to gardai. Mr Fogarty was remanded in custody with consent to bail to appear at Limerick District Court via video link on Tuesday, April 23. "This could not get any more serious," commented Judge Keane. TabaPay to Acquire the Assets of Synapse Financial Technologies, Inc. TabaPay, Inc., the leading instant money movement platform for the fintech industry, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets and affiliates of Synapse Financial Technologies, Inc. The agreement follows the filing by Synapse of a voluntary bankruptcy petition under Chapter 11. With the addition of the Synapse assets, TabaPay will offer an unprecedented array of financial services for fintech firms and financial institutions, pending approval by the bankruptcy court. Prior to the acquisition, the two businesses provided complementary financial technology services, with both companies ranking on Deloitte's 2023 Fast 500 with Synapse posting 650%+ growth over a five-year period. "The addition of the Synapse features is an acceleration of our TabaPay story, one dedicated to delivering great solutions that help our clients rapidly innovate, save money, and offer great financial products to their customers," said Rodney Robinson, the Co-founder and CEO of TabaPay. "The Synapse assets are a great and natural fit to our existing services to grow our offerings in tandem with providing continuity to Synapse clients and banks." As the asset acquisition is approved by the bankruptcy court, TabaPay will announce additional solutions that leverage the Synapse assets. About TabaPay TabaPay is a leading money movement platform for scalable, resilient, and cost-efficient instant payment solutions. TabaPay processes over one million transactions daily on behalf of more than 2,500 clients in the U.S. and Canada, and provides merchant acquiring, instant payments, and services across the payments ecosystem. Through its unified API, customers gain direct access to 15 banking partners, 16 network connections, and full-stack payment processing, which enable flexibility while eliminating redundant processes. The company is majority employee owned with investments from Aligned Partners and Softbank. Recent industry recognition includes Forbes 2024 Fintech 50, Deloitte Fast 500, Inc. 5000, and TearSheet. For more information, visit TabaPay.com and follow us on LinkedIn. 19 april 2024 at 18:15 News published onand distributed by: An Italian offensive is underway to save Europe, and it's a welcome one. In the same week, two former Italian prime ministers known for their commitment to Europe, Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi, put forward bold proposals to enable the European Union to stop falling economically behind the American and Chinese superpowers. In a speech delivered on Tuesday, April 16 to members of a conference on European social rights in La Hulpe, Belgium, Draghi, a former president of the European Central Bank, called for a "radical change" and "a re-defining of our Union that is no less ambitious than what the founding fathers did 70 years ago with the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community." Draghi, who is due to submit a report on Europe's competitiveness in June, believes that the EU as it was conceived is not equipped to face up to powers such as the United States and China. "Our organization, decision-making and financing are designed for the world of yesterday," he said, a "pre-Covid, pre-Ukraine, pre-conflagration in the Middle East, pre-return of great power rivalry" era. If it does not want to be absorbed, the EU must equip itself with instruments adapted to "today's and tomorrow's world," he argued. Fragmentation of the European internal market This is also the aim of Letta, who on April 18 presented his report on the reform of the internal market to the leaders of the 27 member states gathered in Brussels, a mission entrusted to him by the Commission. The former social-democratic prime minister argues the European single market, conceived at a time when "the European countries were the great countries of the world" has remained "very 20th century" while the world's balance has been turned upside down. If it remains stuck in its original construction, Europe will continue to fall inexorably behind China and the US. Today, the fragmentation of the European internal market not only prevents it from competing with the world's major economic powers, but also creates jobs abroad and makes European companies the prey of these powers. Letta has put forward a number of proposals to encourage the creation of European champions in the telecommunications, energy and finance sectors. One of the essential instruments for taking this step is the integration of capital markets at the EU level a project begun 10 years ago. An integrated capital market, as is the case in the US, would make it possible to mobilize Europe's surplus private savings to finance long-term investment in the green and digital transition. At the European summit in Brussels on April 18, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron fought to give impetus to the capital markets union and championed the idea of launching a European savings product. This joint French-German effort is to be applauded. But it has met with resistance from a dozen or so member states, led by Luxembourg and Ireland, who are adamant about their national powers of financial supervision and tax regimes. The subject is due to be discussed again in June. Let's hope that at this time, the Draghi report will produce the necessary electroshock effect to convince recalcitrant countries of the scale of the challenge facing Europe. Column Subscribers only 'Only an integrated capital market will give the EU the means to achieve its ambitions' A MAN who gardai allege is associated with one faction in a drugs trade feud in the Ballinacurra Weston area of Limerick city appeared before a special sitting of Ennis District Court this Saturday afternoon. Gerard Fogarty, aged 48, of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston is charged with three counts of possession of firearms or ammunition in suspicious circumstances, namely a PM-63 RAK submachine gun and a loaded Webley revolver. Det Garda Shane Hogan said he arrested Mr Fogarty at Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston at 8.43am on Friday, April 19 and conveyed him to Roxboro Road garda station where he later charged him. Det Garda Hogan said Mr Fogarty made no reply when the first and third charges were put to him. In relation to the second charge, Mr Fogarty replied: "I was not going to use it." Solicitor Darach McCarthy, solicitor for Mr Fogarty, made a bail application on behalf of his client and this was opposed by Det Garda Hogan on behalf of the State. The detective said that gardai carried out a search under warrant at Mr Fogarty's home address and that it will be alleged they found two firearms under a bedside locker in the room Mr Fogarty was sleeping in. "Mr Fogarty made full admissions," alleged Det Garda Hogan, who objected to bail due to "the seriousness of the offences, the length of sentence upon conviction and the nature and strength of the evidence". The detective further alleged that the defendant has been "associated" with one faction in a drugs trade feud in the Ballinacurra Weston area over the last two years. "These are highly sinister and premeditated actions. I believe he is a danger to the community. If released on bail I believe he will commit further serious offences," alleged Det Garda Hogan. Mr McCarthy said his client is not involved in the feud and that there was "nothing to substantiate" the allegation that Mr Fogarty would commit further offences if granted bail. The solicitor said he suspected Mr Fogarty was asked to "hold these items" and he asked the court to note his client's reply to one of the charges where he said: "I was not going to use it." "He is a married father-of-three who has lived in that address for over 25 years. He should be granted bail," said Mr McCarthy. READ MORE: Gardai record Limerick driver among worst speeding offences in Ireland on National Slow Down Day Having considered the matter, Judge Marie Keane asked Detective Garda Hogan if there was any evidence of the firearms being used. "They are currently with our ballistics section but from preliminary investigations, no," he replied. Asking that bail be refused, Inspector James Ruddle said gardai have "grave concerns" about these firearms causing serious injury or "loss of life". Judge Keane said a submachine gun would cause "an amount of havoc". However, she added that Mr Fogarty is entitled to the presumption of innocence until the matter is tried in court. "I will grant bail in very strict terms. These are the most serious offences," said Judge Keane. Mr Fogarty was granted bail on his own bond of 500 and an independent cash surety to be approved by a court in the sum of 5,000. As a condition of bail, he must sign on daily at Roxboro Road garda station; obey a curfew between 10pm and 8am and provide a phone number to gardai. Mr Fogarty was remanded in custody with consent to bail to appear at Limerick District Court via video link on Tuesday, April 23. "This could not get any more serious," commented Judge Keane. PATRICK ODonovans late father pleaded with him not to get involved in politics but he was smiling down from above last week to see his son appointed a minister. The irony of his ministry - Further and Higher Education - is not lost on him as he told the Limerick Leader the biggest motivator that his mother and father (Nellie and John) had in their lives was the education of their children because it was something that they never had. When we were young and going to school it was all about work, work, work for them to be able to afford to give us the opportunity to go to third level or do your best in a trade that is going to get you a qualification to stay in the country and rear a family. "Thats the biggest gift I think you can give anybody. In their day you didnt even get to second level, said Mr ODonovan, who studied industrial chemistry in UCC and worked in health and safety before attending Mary Immaculate College to become a teacher. He spoke to the Leader this week about his promotion to Cabinet, his health, University of Limerick and making Limerick political history. I'm the first Fine Gael TD to be elected in Limerick West or Limerick County constituencies to be appointed to the Cabinet since the foundation of the State. That's a huge honour, said Mr ODonovan, who is married to Eileen and they have three children - John, Mae, and Nel. He vows to bring a rural and a farmer voice to the Cabinet. The things that will motivate me and guide me most is where I come from and the type of people that I represent, said the Newcastle West man. Limerick County is the most rural constituency in the country. The largest urban centre is in Newcastle West with only about seven and a half thousand people, he added. Mr ODonovan said he got a well-publicised health scare in the Dail last year. I got a fright but I've been well looked after in the intervening period. I've had to make some lifestyle changes which is a good thing, said Mr ODonovan, who echoed the words of his father-in-law Stephen Keary, who has survived cancer, at a fundraising coffee morning in Croagh at the weekend that you must have regular check-ups. Every car goes in at least once a year to the garage but as human beings, we seem to think that we're above that, said Mr O'Donovan, who hands over his former role as Minister of State for the OPW to fellow Fine Gael Limerick TD Kieran O'Donnell. The ongoing situation in University of Limerick with the overpayment of 5.2m on a deal to buy houses in Rhebogue is now Mr O'Donovan's remit. READ MORE: Fine Gael councillor to seek party candidacy for directly elected mayor What I can say is limited because of the various different investigations that are going on. But what I can say is the reputation of the University of Limerick is critical not only to the university, but it's critical to the region and it's critical to the country. We can't have the students and the academic staff with this permacloud over them, said Mr ODonovan. He said his ministerial predecessor and now Taoiseach, Simon Harris, brought in the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Act which empowered the HEA to do things that they weren't allowed to do beforehand. Those powers now can be invoked by the HEA to assist in getting to the bottom of what has happened and how we move forward. "The reputational issues have to be restored quickly and the governance issues that are being reported upon have to be remedied in a way that gives confidence to students, their parents who pay fees, the people who work out there and the Government because we are ultimately responsible for giving public money to the organisation. "I think it would be only appropriate that for all of us to move forward, there has to be a level of confidence restored, and the sooner that is done, the better, he said. FINE GAEL MEP for Ireland South, Sean Kelly, has hailed progress towards the European Union (EU) withdrawal from the International Energy Charter Treaty. The deal, put into law in 1998, was designed to protect energy companies at the time. But many commentators now view it as an obstacle to modern policies to address the climate crisis. At a meeting of the Brussels parliaments trade and industry committees, members overwhelmingly voted in favour of pulling out of the treaty. Some 58 votes were in favour of doing this, eight against and two abstentions. Signed in an era before climate change was a hot topic, the treaty establishes rules for the trade, transit and protection of energy investment. It covers a wide range of energy-related activities, including exploration, production, and distribution of energy resources. It also facilitates cross-border energy trade by providing a framework for dispute resolution and legal protection for investors. However, criticisms of the ECT have emerged over time, particularly regarding its perceived obstacles to environmental sustainability and its impact on fossil fuel investments. Among those voting for an end to the treaty was Mr Kelly. He said: The withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty is an important step that underscores the EU's commitment to fostering sustainable energy practices and mitigating climate change. The outdated nature of the ECT hindered our ability to enact meaningful change in line with the Paris Agreement and impeded our progress towards achieving our climate and energy targets. Once it became clear that the Treaty could not be modernised, it makes sense for the EU to leave it, he added. READ MORE: Two new candidates for local elections announced Mr Kelly believes the treaty - initiated 30 years ago - is now an unnecessary hurdle in the transition to a green future. Its provisions provided undue protection to fossil fuel investments, undermining our efforts to move towards renewable energy sources, he added. The Ireland South MEP, who is bidding for a fourth term in office, said the result of the vote reflects a collective acknowledgement of the treaty's inadequacies and the imperative for decisive action. Mr Kelly emphasised the need for a coordinated approach to ensure a smooth transition. It is crucial that we maintain an equal playing field and provide flexibility for member states to adapt to the changing energy landscape, the MEP concluded. Families of the victims and survivors of the Stardust tragedy are meeting with Taoiseach Simon Harris. The relatives of the 48 young people who died in the blaze that ripped through the nightclub in north Dublin in 1981 have called for an official state apology, which Mr Harris has indicated he is eager to be in a position to provide. On Thursday, an inquest jury returned a verdict that they were all unlawfully killed. It comes after a previous finding in 1982 that the fire had been started deliberately. Survivors, family members and supporters hold pictures of those they lost (Brian Lawless/PA) A majority decision from the jury of seven women and five men found the blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Valentines Day 1981, was caused by an electrical fault in the hot press of the bar. Susan Behan, whose brother John Colgan was among those killed, said the Government should issue an official state apology, describing it as the right thing to do. The Taoiseach said on Friday: I am very keen to meet with the families and very conscious that these families have felt unheard for decades, and I want to make sure that they know that Im listening, that I want to hear them and, of course, I want to be in a position as Taoiseach to apologise on behalf of this country, but I think the most appropriate thing to do is to meet with them. He added: I am eager to be in a position to apologise to these families but I think its right and proper that I meet them first. On Saturday, the families walked with a banner remembering their relatives towards Government Buildings. They were greeted by the Taoiseach who spoke to them in the courtyard and shook their hands before going into the official meeting. Prior to their engagement with Mr Harris, the families also met Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Taoiseach Simon Harris (red tie bottom right) welcomes the families to Government Buildings in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) She said a full state apology to the Stardust families is essential. Ms McDonald said: For four decades, they have faced obstacle after obstacle put in front of them by the State. That is why it is vital that a State apology is now made and that it address the failures of governments not just 43 years ago in the aftermath of this tragedy but every day since then. They had to fight until 2019 to get a second inquest and they had to continue to fight the State every day until the inquest started. They had to fight to ensure that the resources were in place so every family could participate in the inquest and get access to justice. They have to fight for jurors to have their income protected and to be selected in a transparent way as they would in the court system. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane at the start of the Inquest said the 48 victims who died in the fire would be central to proceedings and she honoured that commitment. It is vital that the State now does the same today. New Delhi: Wipro Ltd on Friday outlined bleak revenue growth for the June quarter, as India's fourth largest IT services company exited one of its worst years with declining revenue, profit and headcount. The Bengaluru-based company posted a 3.8% decline in revenue and 9.5% drop in net employee count in FY24, the highest among its peers. After a flat March quarter, Wipro now expects revenue for the June quarter fall by 1.5%, or grow 0.5% at best. Net revenue for FY24 came in at $10.8 billion, against $11.2 billion a year ago. For the March quarter, revenue rose a mere 0.1% sequentially, at $2.66 billion. Profit in Q4 increased 5.2% sequentially to $341 million, but fell 2.7% to $1.33 billion for the full year. More than a fifth of Wipros net revenue is driven by its top 10 clients, including the likes of Microsoft Corp. and Amazon.com, Inc. Srinivas Pallia, who took over as CEO after Thierry Delaporte resigned on 6 April, offered revenue guidance of -1.5% to 0.5% in constant currency for the June quarter, retaining its guidance for the March quarter. Constant currency does not take periodic currency fluctuations into account. Beating street Performance slightly exceeded analyst expectations for both the quarter and the fiscal year. A Bloomberg poll of 42 analysts had expected Wipro to report net revenue of $10.74 billion and net profit of $1.32 billion. A second poll of 28 analysts had expected March quarter revenue of $2.66 billion and net profit of $332 million. However, the quarterly performance follows a weak overall year for Wipro. Since October 2020, Wipro has won only one mega deal, valued at $700 million. Lack of such large deals are a cause for concern, since they typically represent a higher level of confidence in a service provider among clients. In February, reports claimed that Wipros deal with chipmaker Intel Foundry was likely valued at nearly $1 billion, but neither Wipro nor Intel Foundry has confirmed this. Both of Wipros IT larger rivals have posted better earnings. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Indias top IT services firm, posted a 4.1% revenue growth and 7.7% rise in net profit for FY24. Infosys fared weaker, but still managed to post 1.9% revenue growth and a 6.2% rise in net profit for the full year. Attrition continues Headcount has fallen at all three. In FY24, Wipros headcount declined by 9.5% to 234,054 employees. With this, TCS, Infosys and Wipro have cumulatively reported a decline of nearly 64,000 employees through FY24, the biggest annual decline in 25 years for Indias IT services sector. On Friday, Pallia expressed a cautious approach. The next few months will be crucial as we steer the company for growth. As a passionate hiker, I deeply connect with these words of Junko Tabei (the first woman to scale Mount Everest). Even if it is hard, you can reach the peak if you climb step by step," the top executive said. Aparna Iyer, Wipro's chief financial officer, claimed the company is right up there on all vendor consolidation." Profitable growth is what we aspire for. This is not delusional at allin fact, it is achievable, and there is a charter that we can execute to. We do see an opportunity for us to improve profitabilityweve to do it in a balanced way, keeping revenue as the number one priority," she said. Analysts expressed continued scepticism in Wipros ability to turn the business around. Sanjeev Hota, head of research at brokerage firm Sharekhan, said, Quarterly numbers are a mixed bag. But, a weaker-than-expected guidance continues to disappoint. The recent, sudden change of CEO also brings about an additional element of uncertainty in the near term, before any potential turnaround in the medium to longer term." An analyst at a top Mumbai-based brokerage, who has been tracking Wipro for the past 10 years, said a turnaround may not be an immediate reality. Given the present business trajectory, Wipro will likely need multiple quarters before a more resolute bounce-back is possible," the analyst said. Among its verticals, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), which contributes more than one-third of all Wipro revenue, reported an 8.2% revenue decline in FY24. Healthcare, Wipros third-largest vertical by revenue contribution, was the only industry to post any meaningful growth, rising 8.4% in revenue through FY24. With inputs from Jas Bardia Travel portals are seeing an increase in the tendency among Indian travellers to book last-minute international jaunts on short-haul destinations as visa facilities ease for some countries and fares become more affordable thanks to increased connectivity. Bookings for short-haul international destinations are increasing, with a notable surge of around 25-30% in last-minute bookings since January 2024," Rikant Pittie, co-founder, EaseMyTrip, said. Interestingly, there's a growing trend of booking closer to travel dates, especially for destinations that don't demand extensive planning. The demand is also evident in the data for nearby overseas destinations. The total passenger traffic to and from Vietnam has increased by 152% on year to 186,812 passengers, as per latest data which is for Oct-Dec from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Similarly, the total overseas traffic for India for the quarter from Singapore and Malaysia has surged by 18% and 22%, as compared to the same period a year ago. Similarly, Azerbaijan has seen a 375% surge in air traffic on year in the October-December quarter, traffic for Thailand has risen by 3% to 1 million travellers. Direct flights between India and Indonesia commenced in August with IndiGo's Mumbai-Jakarta flight and the air traffic between India and Indonesia has increased by 123% on quarter to 34,493 passengers in Oct-Dec from 15,482 in July-September following increased connectivity by other airlines as well. For example, Vistara which is currently the sole carrier on the Delhi-Bali route had to upgrade to a wide-body Boeing B787 on the route on the back of higher demand as compared to an Airbus A321 used earlier. This trend has started over the last 12 months as the visa-related restrictions have started to ease. In short-haul air travel, the booking window has significantly shortened to around 15-20 days on an average as compared to 30-60 days earlier. But, in some cases where visa is available on arrival, passengers are also making sudden plans and sometimes booking a day prior," Aditya Agarwal, chief financial officer, Cleartrip said. Countries such as Thailand, Mauritius, and Indonesia offer visa on arrival for Indian travellers, and other countries like such as Azerbaijan, Vietnam, and Georgia compete by offering a hassle-free visa application process with quick approvals. Not to be left out, Malaysia has come up visa-free entry to Indian travellers until December. Vietnam Airlines said that it has been observing a very unique booking pattern from India. Unlike Europeans, who usually book 4-6 months in advance, Indian travelers tend to finalize their plans closer to departure, often within 30 days of departure," Abhishek Goyal, executive director, Aeroprime Group, said. This trend is especially evident for Vietnam, a short-haul destination where there's a growing tendency for shorter booking times. Aeroprime is an aviation and travel services group based in India, according to the company's website. There has been a 30-50% increase in consumer demand for easy-visa, short-haul destinations in the upcoming summer season as well with a a 50-400% increase in bookings for visa-free countries such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand and a booking window of 7-10 days in several cases, Daniel DSouza, president & country headHolidays, SOTC Travel, said. Stable air fares for Malaysia, Mauritius, and Indonesia among others have also aided the sustained demand, Dsouza said. Omni-channel travel platform Thomas Cook has also witnessed a surge of up to 550% in bookings for Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia. Airfares for April-May are on par with, or marginally higher than last year and this is further fuelling consumer demand for short haul destinations," Rajeev Kale, president & country head, Holidays, MICE, Visa - Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, said. While airfares to destinations like Baku and Almaty have increased by approximately 7-10% as compared to last year, Thailand and Indonesia have increased by 3%; Malaysia and Mauritius have seen no increase. Singapore airfares have decreased by 3% and this is seeing uplift in demand by 23%, he said. PARISFrench solar-panel company Photowatt once powered Europes ambition to become a renewables manufacturing giant, one that would provide the technology to help achieve the continents far-reaching climate goals. Today, Photowatt is instead hanging by a thread, a potent symbol of the Wests struggles to fend off fierce competition from China. A wave of cheap Chinese exports now threatens millions of jobs and is stirring fresh friction between Beijing and leaders in the U.S. and Europe. Photowatts fate, and the decimation of Europes solar-panel industry, is a warning to the U.S., which is now considering how to protect American industries from renewed pressure from China. Photowatts orders have plunged, its customers lured away by solar panels imported from China at rock-bottom prices. Cash infusions from the French government keep it alive. Even Photowatts state-controlled owner, the power company EDF, has largely stopped buying its panels in favor of those made by Chinese companies.There are fewer and fewer of us. We lose skills, workshops closeits hopeless even, said Emilie Brechbuhl, an engineer and union delegate at Photowatt. We arent competitors of the Chinese. We are nonexistent.Beijing is seeking to stimulate a flagging economy by channeling investment into its vast manufacturing sector. That threatens a repeat of the so-called China shock two decades ago when Chinese exports flooded global markets and destroyed many Western competitors. In particular, fears are surging across the West that China will crush its green industries, forcing the U.S. and Europe to rely on a geopolitical rival in China for the goods that are expected to power the low-carbon economy of the future. The sectors that Chinese officials dub the new triosolar panels, electric vehicles and batteriesare creating massive overcapacity, according to Western governments. Chinas wind-turbine manufacturers are also hunting for customers in the West, threatening an industry still led by European and U.S. companies like Vestas and GE Vernova. During a visit to China this month, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen pressed Beijing to rein in subsidies for green manufacturers. Yellen said the Biden administration was determined to prevent a repeat of the wave of China imports 15 years ago that drove U.S. solar panel producers and other manufacturers out of business.It would not be acceptable to the United States, to President Biden, that this happen again, she said.The U.S. has imposed tariffs on Chinese solar panels for more than a decade. That has slowed imports directly from China. But Chinese companies have set up factories in Southeast Asia that are exporting heavily to the U.S. In Europe, the alarm is so great that authorities are abandoning some of their long-held reluctance to challenge Beijing. Over the past two months, they have opened probes into subsidies potentially channeled from Beijing to Chinese solar-panel companies in Romania and wind-turbine companies in France, Spain, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria. The investigations follow a probe into Chinese electric-vehicle subsidies that is likely to result in import tariffs in the coming months. Allowing China to grab most of the European EV market as it did solar panels would be disastrous for the continents economy, where millions of people work in the auto industry. Europes EV companies are competing against made-in-China models that are usually 20% to 40% cheaper. For example, the MG4, a hatchback made by Chinas SAIC Motor, sells in France starting around 25,000the equivalent of $26,700compared with 39,000 for the Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback.We cant afford to see what happened on solar panels happening again on electric vehicles, wind, Margrethe Vestager, the European Unions competition commissioner, said this month. Chinese officials have rejected criticisms of Beijings industrial policy and accused the West of hypocrisy. Last month, China filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization against U.S. tax credits that are reserved for domestic manufacturers of electric vehicles. While Europe has already faced a surge of electric-vehicle imports, the U.S. hasnt been hit yetpartly because it has already placed tariffs on all Chinese cars. But the Chinese EV giant BYD is planning to build a plant in Mexico. That would allow it to export with minimal tariffs to the U.S. BYD has said it doesnt plan to enter the U.S. market. Chinas green-energy equipment exports pose a dilemma for the West. Its cheap yet high-performing solar panels, EVs and batteries are accelerating the global shift to clean energy by making it more affordable. Europe is counting on solar panels to be its leading source of electricity by 2030 and will need to install hundreds of millions of panels by then. The continents imports of solar panels from China have more than quadrupled over the past decade. China now controls more than 95% of the European market. Most EU governments oppose import tariffs on Chinese panels. Instead, they pledged this month to give European panel producers a leg up in tenders for publicly subsidized solar farms and use government funds to support the industry. Help hasnt arrived in time for a number of EU producers that shut in recent months after a huge influx of Chinese panels over the past year. When the U.S. slapped steep tariffs on Chinese solar panels in 2012, Europe was preparing to do the same. But then China retaliated, announcing an antidumping probe on French wine and signaling it was considering a similar move against European luxury cars, a pressure point for Germany due to its large car sector.The EU set a minimum import price on Chinese panels. Much of the European solar business died off in the following years. The EU scrapped the minimum price altogether in 2018. China is very good at playing the member states like a piano, said the former EU trade chief Karel De Gucht.Photowatt survived thanks to the French governments determination to keep it afloat. In 2012, then-President Nicolas Sarkozy visited its factory near Lyon to announce that he had ordered EDF to buy the company. It was on the verge of bankruptcy. EDFs renewable-energy arm would buy all the solar panels produced by Photowatt for its own solar-power installations, Sarkozy said.Photowatt is a symbol, Sarkozy said. We dont want the only jobs created by the solar supply chain in France to be in the installation of panels.Photowatt makes silicon wafers that are then assembled into solar cells and panels, one of the few companies outside China in that part of the supply chain. Photowatt invested in a wafer technology that was supposed to allow it to compete against the Chinese. The production process was less energy-intensive than the Chinese technologyand thus more environmentally friendlybut the wafers were less efficient. The bet didnt work out: Developers want panels with the maximum output at the lowest cost. As Photowatt continued to lose tens of millions of euros a year, EDF slashed purchases of its panels and sought to shut the company down. But the government of President Emmanuel Macron nixed that idea. EDF wanted to close Photowatt, Jean Castex said in 2021 when he was the French prime minister. We stopped them! These days, EDF says it doesnt want to make solar panels and is trying to find an industrial partner for Photowatt. Macrons government this month announced financial incentives for solar-panel production in France. Two large factories are in the works but neither has broken ground yet.We have managed to free ourselves from dependence on Russian gas and oil. Do we want to move to a dependence on Chinese photovoltaic panels? said French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. We must therefore produce solar panels on our territory. India's emergence as the fastest-growing economy, surpassing China, is unsurprising due to the parity in the size of the economies of both nations, as per Krishna Srinivasan, the Director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific (APAC) Department. "China is more than four times bigger than India, and in that sense, if India is growing faster today than China, then it should not be surprising," Srinivasan explained, while speaking with ANI. Krishna Srinivasan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) praised India's economic performance, calling its projected growth rate of 6.8% for the fiscal year 2024-25 "very impressive." These comments were made during a discussion on India's economic outlook with ANI on April 20. Speaking on India's ability to navigate multiple shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and recent tensions in the Gulf region, Srinivasan praised the country's resilience. "India has successfully navigated multiple shocks we've seen in the recent past," he stated, as quoted by ANI. Srinivasan credited India's impressive growth to strong private consumption and public investment, stating, "I don't see any red flags in the near term." However, he stressed the need for significant reforms, especially in education and healthcare, to fully utilize the potential of India's expanding labor force. "India has a young, growing population. It is expected to add about 15 million people to the labor force every year," Srinivasan pointed out. "To leverage this demographic advantage, substantial investments in education and healthcare are crucial so that the growing labor force can contribute effectively to the economy." While expressing optimism about India's medium-term prospects with a growth rate of around 6.5%, Srinivasan emphasized the importance of reforms. If comprehensive reforms are implemented diligently, India could achieve a growth rate of 6.5% or higher over the next several years, as quoted by ANI. Assam HSLC Result 2024: The Secondary Education Board of Assam (SEBA) declared the Assam HSLC result on Saturday, April 20, at 10:30 am. Candidates who appeared for the Assam HSLC exam can check their result online at the official website, resultsassam.nic.in or sebaonline.org. The overall pass percentage stood at 75.7 percent this year. Anurag Doloi topped the Assam HSLC exams with 593 marks. Jharna Saikia secured second position with 590 marks. Three students Manash Saikia, Bedanta Choudhury and Devashree Kashyap shared the third rank with 588 marks. Also read: UP Board 10th, 12th Result 2024 LIVE Update: Check results on upresults.nic.in or via Digilocker and SMS here's how Assam HSLC roll number is the only essential credential needed to check the result. Candidates can also check their result through the SMS facility and mobile application service. Steps to check result using SMS facility Airtel mobile service users must type AS10 and send it 5207011 to check their result. Similarly, Idea, Jio or Vodafone mobile service users must type AS10 and send it to 58888111 to check their result. BSNL mobile service users must type SEBA18 and send it 57766 to check their result. As many as 4,25,966 candidates registered for Assam HSLC exam among whom 4,19,078 candidates appeared for the exam. As per SEBA's data, Boys outperformed girls as pass percentage for boys stood at 77.30 percent while that for girls 74.40 pass percentage was registered. Meanwhile, transgender category recorded 80 percent pass percentage. Also read: JAC 10th Board Result 2024 Live Updates: Girls outperform boys, all top 3 positions bagged by girls In the Assam HSLC result 2024, as many as 1,05,873 candidates secured first division, 1,50,764 secured first division and 60,680 secured first division. Chirang emerged as the best performing district with 91.20 percent pass percentage. Nalbari district trailed close with 88.10 percent pass percentage which was followed by Baksa district where pass percentage stood at 86.90 percent. Delhi University is set to commence the admission process to its postgraduate programmes from next week i.e. from April 25, 2024 and for undergraduate programmes from mid-May. As per media reports, the university will start the admission process in two phases. In the first phase, which starts on April 25, the university will begin the admission for postgraduate courses (PG courses). The registration for admissions into the PG courses will remain open till May 25. The second phase of admission will begin in mid-May, the university will start the admissions for undergraduate (UG) courses after the CUET-UG examinations are over. Delhi University (DU) will start the admissions for undergraduate (UG) courses in the second phase after the CUET-UG examinations are over, PTI quoted Haneet Gandhi, Dean of Admissions, as saying. Also Read | UGC NET June 2024 registration to begin today at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. Here is how to apply The dates for the UG admissions will be declared by the middle of May, Gandhi added. Provided details about the PG courses on offer this year, the dean od Admissions said the university will be accepting applications for the new programs, including MA Hindu Studies, MA Public Health, MA Chinese Studies, MA Korean Studies, and Master of Fine Arts. Gandhi further said, This year admissions will be done on a total of 13,500 seats for postgraduate (including Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board), 120 seats each for three B.Tech and 60 seats each for BA LLB and BBA LLB courses. Also Read | CMAT 2024: NTA extends registration till April 23. Details here This year, admission to BTech programmes will be through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), for BA LLB, it will be through the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). Last year, Delhi University accepted applications for UG and PG admissions through the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) on the basis of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) conducted by NTA. It is important to note that the CUET PG 2024 results are out, and NTA will conduct the CUET UG exam in May. A total of 190 universities across the country including DU are participating in CUET PG this year. The BJP was left fuming on Friday as videos of a Shah Rukh Khan-lookalike campaigning in Maharashtra went viral. Visuals shared online showed the doppelganger tagged as Ibrahim Qadri by some reports waving to people while perched atop a vehicle in Solapur. The truck was adorned with a banner featuring senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party candidate Praniti Shinde. Imagine the lengths to which the party can go to fool people so brazenly and openly. Peddling fake surveys, making up fake anti-India narratives, using AI generated Deep Fakes of celebrities and now this. Now you know why this party is already blaming EVMs, fumed BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala. He also shared some photos from the rally and tagged the Election Commission to underscore his point. The Congress has fielded Praniti Shinde the daughter of former Union minister Sushilkumar Shinde and a current MLA from the Solapur constituency. Her father had recently claimed that the tried to unsuccessfully make Praniti switch to the saffron party. Former Shiv Sena MLA from Solapur, Dilip Mane, had also made waves ahead of the Lok Sabha elections after choosing to joining the Congress at the end of March. Another setback for the BJP came in mid-April after Solapur district general secretary Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil quit the party before joining the Sharad Pawar-led faction of NCP. The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) has since opted to field him from the Madha constituency against sitting BJP MP Ranjit Naik-Nimbalkar. Lok Sabha elections began on Friday with 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories casting their ballots till 6 pm. Elections in Maharashtra will take place in five phases between April 19 to May 20. Raigad, Baramati, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, and Kolhapur will vote in the third phase to be held on May 7. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das has recently raised concerns over unauthorized forex trading platforms that are often used by corporates and traders to hedge their foreign currency risks. These platforms promise high returns, using features similar to casino games. The central bank has asked banks to remain alert and come out with a list of 75 unauthorized entities involved in forex transactions. Mint explains the reason behind this warning. Forex trading platforms These are platforms where foreign exchange transactions can take place. They are used by corporates and traders to hedge their foreign currency risks. These transactions can be on over-the-counter (OTC) spot or derivatives platforms authorized by the RBI. The other avenue is through RBI-authorized exchange-traded currency derivate segments like the BSE, NSE and the Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India. The OTC or inter-bank transactions are undertaken over electronic trading platforms (ETP) such as CCILs FX CLEAR or Reuters or Bloomberg platforms. They can also be undertaken through authorized brokers. Rules on forex trading Forex trading in India has to be done through a registered Indian forex broker, on ETPs authorised by the RBI or on recognized stock exchanges. According to the central bank, forex trading in India is permissible only in four currency pairsdollar-rupee, euro-rupee, British pound-rupee and Japanese yen-rupee. These pairs have the Indian rupee (INR) as the base currency. Trading in any other currency pair is illegal and can attract penalties under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Indian citizens are also not allowed to trade foreign currencies overseas, either directly or indirectly. Unauthorized forex trading platforms In November last year, RBI came out with an alert list of 75 entities, which are not authorized to deal in forex or operate ETP for forex transactions. They include OctaFX, Alpari, AnyFX, Ava Trade, Binomo, Exness, Expert , Option, FBS, FinFxPro, Forex.com, Forex4money, Foxorex, FTMO, FVP Trade, FXPrimus, FXStreet, FXCm, FxNice and HotFores. The problem with these platforms The problem started during the pandemic when many of these platforms started offering a derivative product called contracts for differences (CFD), which is an arrangement made in financial derivatives trading where the difference in the settlement between the open and closing trade prices is cash-settled. RBI said it had noticed misleading ads offering forex trading facilities on over-the-top platforms and gaming apps. These platforms promise high returns, using features similar to casino games. What RBI has done so far In the last two years, RBI has issued several advisories cautioning against unauthorized entities. Now it has come out with an alert list of 75 entities involved in forex transactions on unauthorized platforms. RBI, however, cannot shut them down as they are registered in countries where they are legal. It has been working with banks and the government for stricter measures to ensure banking channels are not misused. The Enforcement Directorate has attached the assets of some of these firms like OctaFX. Ola Cabs IPO: Ride-hailing aggregator Ola Cabs aims to secure $500 million through its initial public offering (IPO), targeting a valuation of approximately $5 billion, news agency Reuters reported on Friday. As stated by sources in the report, Ola plans to submit its IPO papers for approval to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) within the next three months. SoftBank-backed Ola is presently in talks with investment banks including Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citi, Kotak, and Axis. It aims to conclude the selection of IPO advisors within one month, the report stated. Ola's second initial public offering (IPO) endeavour This marks Ola's second try at going public, following a failed attempt in 2021 to raise $1 billion. In 2021, Ola was valued at $7 billion during a fundraising round. However, its investors have since reduced its valuation in internal assessments. Vanguard, a shareholder of Ola, decreased its internal valuation of the company to $1.9 billion in February, as per a Reuters report citing a filing. Ola Electric IPO On December 22, 2023, Ola Electric submitted its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The proposed offering comprises a fresh release of equity shares amounting to 5,500 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of 95,191,195 equity shares at a face value of 10. As per the initial draft papers filed with SEBI, Bhavish Aggarwal, the founder of Ola Electric, intends to sell around 47.4 million shares in the SoftBank Group-backed electric scooter manufacturer, as reported by Mint. Meanwhile, in other news, Ola Cabs is closing its international operations to focus on expanding its electric fleet in India. It has already stopped operations in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom (UK). Ola Cabs Ola was established by Bhavish Aggarwal, a notable figure in India's startup scene. Ola Cabs, the platform, is crucial in shaping a better transportation system. Moving ahead, Ola aims to enhance travel experiences with new features and broader services. The objective is to become the preferred mobility provider, catering to all travel needs and simplifying transportation as a seamless part of everyday life. Chengdu debuts giant panda-themed tourist train People's Daily Online) 16:55, April 19, 2024 A giant panda-themed tourist train was launched in Chengdu, southwest Chinas Sichuan Province, and made its inaugural journey from Chengdu West Railway Station on April 18, offering tourists the opportunity to embark on a journey exploring the various picturesque scenes in Sichuan. Photo shows the inaugural tourist train adorned with giant panda elements. (People's Daily Online/Guo Ying) The tourist train wonderfully blends sightseeing with train travel, providing convenience and catering to the various needs of tourists with its mix of high-speed transit, leisure exploration, and a diverse choice of destinations. This new train provides the full array of amenities for a comfortable journey, all while highlighting the crown jewel of Sichuan and Chengdu the giant panda. Introduced in 2021, the panda train tourism project features convenient travel from Chengdu to multiple destinations in Sichuan such as Emei, Xichang, and Panzhihua, as well as those outside of Sichuan in Guizhou Province, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Gansu Province, and Yunnan Province. Giant panda elements are everywhere on the tourist train. (People's Daily Online/Guo Ying) Photo shows a soft sleeper bed on the giant panda-themed tourist train. (People's Daily Online/Guo Ying) The panda train features a color scheme inspired by the Sanxingdui bronze sculpture, incorporating iconic elements of Sichuan such as the ancient Shu culture and of course, giant pandas. The train serves as a transport symbol to showcase the culture of Sichuan, allowing tourists to experience the unique charm of the region during their immersive journey. Photo shows the food options provided on the giant panda-themed tourist train. (People's Daily Online/Guo Ying) An official from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism disclosed that the development of additional premium tourist train projects are being expedited, aiming to establish a comprehensive tourism product system that encompasses both high-end and budget-friendly tourist trains. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Tonga willing to work with China to further bilateral relations, says King Tupou VI Xinhua) 15:19, April 20, 2024 SUVA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Tonga will work with China to make more achievements in bilateral relations, said Tupou VI, the King of Tonga on Friday. While receiving the Letter of Credence from new Chinese Ambassador to Tonga Liu Weimin at the Royal Palace, King Tupou VI said he cherished the friendship with the Chinese side. The King also expressed his appreciation for China's valuable assistance to Tonga's social and economic development, saying that Tonga will work with China to make more achievements in their bilateral relations. Liu said China attaches great importance to its relations with Tonga and appreciates Tonga's firm commitment to the one-China principle. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 26 years ago, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Tonga relations have maintained steadfast momentum with deepening political mutual trust and fruitful outcomes of practical cooperation, which have brought tangible benefits to the two peoples, Liu said. The Chinese ambassador said he will spare no efforts to work with friends from all walks of life in Tonga to promote mutual understanding, deepen practical cooperation and advance the China-Tonga comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) The House has approved legislation that would ban TikTok if its Beijing-based parent company doesnt divest from the popular social media platform, escalating the fight over the hot-button issue. The TikTok legislation, which was included in a package of bills that would send aid to Ukraine and Israel, could become law as soon as next week if the Senate moves quickly. Heres what you need to know: Whats in the House bill? In March, the House passed legislation that would require ByteDance, TikToks parent, to sell the platform within six months, or face a ban in the United States. But some senators, including the Democratic Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, had expressed concerns that the six-month deadline would be too short to carry out a complex deal that could be worth tens of billions of dollars. Following negotiations with the Senate on the issue, the House included a modified version of the legislation in the foreign aid package. The revised legislation would give ByteDance nine months to sell TikTok, and a possible three-month extension if a sale was in progress. The bill would also bar the company from controlling TikToks secret sauce: the algorithm that feeds users videos based off their interests. Cantwell, who has powers over the TikTok bill in the Senate, had previously expressed concerns that it could stand to legal scrutiny. However, she said in a statement Wednesday evening that she supports the updated legislation. Why are lawmakers concerned about TikTok? Lawmakers from both parties as well as law enforcement and intelligence officials have long expressed concerns that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over data on the 170 million Americans who use TikTok. The worry stems from a set of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations to assist with intelligence gathering - which ByteDance would likely be subject to and other far-reaching ways the countrys authoritarian government exercises control. Opponents of the bill, though, counter that the Chinese government could easily get information on Americans in other ways, including through commercial data brokers that sell or rent personal information. Lawmakers and some administration officials have also expressed concerns that China could - potentially direct or influence ByteDance to suppress or boost TikTok content that are favorable to its interests. TikTok, for its part, has denied assertions that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government. The company has also said it has never shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities and wont do so if its asked. In early March, Rep. Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party whos behind the TikTok bill, introduced a House resolution that lists concerns many lawmakers have expressed about the platform. But to date, the U.S. government has not provided public evidence that shows TikTok sharing U.S. user information with Chinese authorities, or Chinese officials tinkering with the companys algorithm. What happens next? The package that included the updated TikTok measure has bipartisan momentum, but its also facing pushback from hard-right conservatives who are opposed to providing assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia. Attaching the TikTok bill to the aid package is expected to expedite efforts to pass the regulatory measure, which has broad bipartisan support in the Senate. However, it has encountered opposition in that chamber from some lawmakers who say it sets a dangerous precedent. In an X post last month, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky called the House bill a misguided overreach and a draconian measure that stifles free expression, tramples constitutional rights, and disrupts the economic pursuits of millions of Americans. President Joe Biden has said he will sign the TikTok legislation if it gets to his desk. If that does happen, its expected to be challenged by TikTok, which has sued to counter previous attempts to ban the platform both nationally and at the state level. How is TikTok reacting? Since mid-March, TikTok has spent more than $5 million on TV ads opposing the legislation, including in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Nevada and Ohio, according to AdImpact, an advertising tracking firm. The company is also attempting to counter the bill by emphasizing its investments in data safety, and the positive impacts it has on the lives of content creators and small businesses who rely on it for income and have fostered a community on its platform. When asked for comment on Thursday, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek 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. Some digital rights and free speech groups have backed TikTok. The American Civil Liberties Union reiterated its opposition to the House bill on Thursday, arguing the extension given to ByteDance under the new bill wasnt meaningfully different from the last one and that the end result of the bill would be a TikTok ban. Who would buy TikTok if ByteDance divests? While some people have voiced an interest in buying TikToks U.S. business among them Shark Tank star Kevin OLeary and former Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin there are several challenges to getting it done. Somebody would have to actually be ready to shell out the large amount of money that this product and system is worth, said Stanford University researcher Graham Webster, who studies Chinese technology policy and U.S.-China relations. But even if somebody has deep enough pockets and is ready to go into negotiating to purchase, this sort of matchmaking on acquisitions is not quick. Big tech companies could afford it but would likely face intense scrutiny from antitrust regulators in both the U.S. and China. Some are also still bruised after the then-Trump administrations 2020 attempt to force a sale brought several bids that never panned out. Then again, if the revised legislation becomes law and survives potential court challenges, it could make TikTok cheaper to buy. China, which has been clamping down on exports of recommendation algorithms by Chinese tech companies, is also likely to oppose a sale of TikToks algorithm that has made the platform successful. That means a potential buyer would essentially have to rebuild important components of the short-form video app. ___ The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday welcomed the decision of the Congress to support its candidate Mahesh Khichi in the upcoming mayoral polls in the national capital. Expressing confidence that the AAP-Congress alliance will win the mayoral polls on April 26 by a huge margin, Durgesh Pathak senior AAP leader and party MCD in-chargesaid, "We welcome this move (of the Congress). Together, we will fight against dictatorship and a corrupt government. The AAP and the Congress will together contest the MCD election and win the polls by a huge margin." Also Read | Alok Industries Q4 Results: Net loss narrows to 215.9 crore "The BJP resorted to hooliganism in the last election but still lost the polls. Our only mission is to save the country and its Constitution," he added, accusing the saffron party of asking for votes by telling people that it will amend the Constitution if elected. "The country is going through a very difficult time. Today, when BJP leaders are going to ask for votes, they are openly saying, you give us votes and we will amend the Constitution. It is the same Constitution that gave rights to women and Dalits and was framed after so many struggles by B R Ambedkar," Pathak said. Also Read | ICICI Securities, Aster DM Healthcare, others to trade ex-dividend next week Earlier in the day, Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the Congress councillors will support the AAP candidates in the polls to elect the mayor and deputy mayor of the national capital. The announcement to this effect was jointly made by the communication department chairman of the Delhi Congress and former MLA Anil Bhardwaj, the party's MCD in-charge Jitendra Kumar Kochhar and its leader in the MCD House, Nazia Danish, at the press conference held at Rajiv Bhawan. Also Read | DC vs SRH 2024: Travis Head slams fastest 50 of IPL 2024 "To ensure that democracy is not embarrassed, what happened in the Chandigarh mayoral polls does not happen in the MCD election, the Congress will support the AAP candidates for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in the public interest," Bharadwaj said. 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 the birth of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. Iranian ambassador Iraj Elahi said Iran had informed a few neighbouring countries about its April 13 airstrike in Israel to maintain the safety of passenger planes. In an exclusive interview with the Hindustan Times, he said, "Before carrying out the attack, we had informed the neighbouring countries that were in the path of the missiles because of maintaining the safety of passenger planes." Elahi further informed that the minister of foreign affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, had spoken with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar after the operation in Israel. "After the operation, the minister of foreign affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran had a telephone conversation with Mr Jaishankar, the minister of foreign affairs of India, and informed him about the details of the operation," Elahi was quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying. Overnight on April 13, Iran carried out its first attack directly targeting Israel. Israel, backed by its allies, intercepted most of the 300 missiles and drones launched by Iran and suffered no deaths. Iran's attack on Israel was in retaliation to the April 1 strike on its consulate in Damascus, Syria, which killed seven of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, including two generals. Later on April 19, reports of an explosion in the Iranian city of Isfahan emerged early Friday. US media quoted officials as saying that Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes. There was no immediate reaction from Israeli or Iranian officials. India's role in Israel-Iran attacks Elahi said India can play an active role in preventing Israeli aggression. "Israel has committed all kinds of crimes against the people of Gaza in the past seven months and has killed more than 35,000 innocent people in Gaza. Is it right to remain silent in the face of such a crime?" he asked. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday rejected the political allegations and claims of love jihad surrounding the murder of a Congress corporator's daughter on a Hubballi college campus, stating the motive was due to personal reasons. Neha Hiremath, the daughter of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath, allegedly died from multiple stab wounds. The accused, identified as Fayaz Khondunaik, a former friend and classmate of Neha, has been arrested in connection with the crime. Whatever murder happened is due to personal reasons. The law and order situation is very good in Karnataka, It is our duty to maintain law and order and we are doing it, the CM said. Meanwhile, the issue has snowballed into a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP and the Congress-led state government is under severe pressure on law and order in the state. Leader of the Opposition of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka termed the incident, shameful and raised questions on the law and order situation in the state. R Ashoka, said, The incident in Hubli is shameful. The daughter of a Congress corporator has been stabbed to death. Such an incident in the middle of elections raises questions about law and order. Karnataka state BJP President BY Vijayendra took on the state government accusing them of going slow on the case to appease a certain faction. Women have been highly vulnerable under this incapable government and have been living under extreme fear as Criminal elements have been on the rise and are operating without any fear of law and order, Vijayendra said. However, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar refuted the claims of the BJP and further accused the state opposition of attempting to create fear and panic. Shivakumar further said that the law will be applied to all. BJP is trying to threaten by showing that there is no law and order in Karnataka. Karnataka has the best law and order. They are just trying to tell the voters that they are going to put the governor's rule in the state. They cannot do it. The law will take its own course for everyone, Shivakumar said. Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar informed that an FIR has been registered in this case and the accused was also secured within an hour. He has been sent to judicial custody. It is a very serious case and we are investigating. In the course of the investigation, everything will come to light, Sukumar added. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Bengaluru on Saturday afternoon, the city police department has issued a traffic advisory to alleviate congestion and facilitate uninterrupted traffic flow for commuters. Meanwhile, security measures have been beefed up during the VVIP movement. Also Read: Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE Updates In an official release, DCP Traffic North, Bengaluru, said, In view of VVIP visiting Bengaluru City on 20.04.2024, from 01:00 PM to 07:00 PM parking of all types of vehicles in the following roads, is prohibited. During the said period commuters are advised to avoid following roads and use alternative routes. Here are the 11 roads to steer clear of today: Palace Road M V Jayaram road Vasanthanagar Road Jayamahal Road C V Raman Road Bellary Road Ramanamaharshi Road Nandidurga Road Tharalabalu Road Mount Carmel College Road From Mekhri Circle towards Yeshwanthpura It further read, Traffic movement heavy goods vehicles are strictly prohibited from 12:00 noon to 9:00 PM to enter city. Here are the traffic diversion points designated for heavy goods vehicles: CMTI Junction Mysuru Bank Junction Hebbal Junction New BEL Junction BHEL underpass Basaveshwara Circle Old Udaya TV Junction Haj Camp, Nandidurga Road Near Yeshwanthpura Govardhan PM Modi will visit Bengaluru and neighbouring Chikkaballapura district for the Lok Sabha poll campaign on Saturday. According to the state BJP, a massive rally is scheduled at 4 PM in Bengaluru's Palace Grounds, covering the segments of Bangalore North, Bangalore South, Bangalore Central, and Bangalore Rural. These areas have been strongholds for the BJP, except Bangalore Rural, represented by Congress' D K Suresh, brother of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. The BJP's sitting MPs Tejasvi Surya and P C Mohan are candidates from Bangalore South and Central respectively, while Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje is contesting from Bangalore North. In Bangalore Rural, Dr. C N Manjunath, the son-in-law of Deve Gowda and a prominent cardiologist, is contesting on a BJP ticket as part of an arrangement with alliance partner JD(S). Karnataka is conducting elections in two phases, with 14 Lok Sabha segments in the southern part of the state going to polls on April 26, and voting for the northern districts scheduled for May 7 in the second phase. A 20-year-old youth from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad was arrested on Friday for booking a cab and sending it to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's Mumbai home to "pick up Lawrence Bishnoi". The youth was identified as Rohit Tyagi. Mumbai police said the accused had booked a cab in the name of Lawrence Vishnoi from Galaxy Apartment, the house of actor Salman Khan, to the Bandra Police Station. "When the cab driver reached Galaxy Apartment at Salman Khan's house and asked the watchman there about the booking, the watchman, who was stunned at first, immediately informed about the booking to the nearby Bandra Police Station," police were quoted by ANI as saying. Meanwhile, India Today quoted police as saying that the driver was asked by a person as to who booked the cab to pick up a person named Lawrence Bishnoi from Galaxy Apartments. The cab driver had no idea the address he was given was Salman Khan's residence and Lawrence Bishnoi is the name of a gangster, police was quoted as saying.. According to the news agency's report, Mumbai police interrogated the cab driver and tracked the information about the person who booked the cab online. "The person who booked the cab turned out to be a 20-year-old student from Ghaziabad, identified as Rohit Tyagi," police said. "The accused had booked the cab in the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi as a prank," police added. After the investigation, police registered a case against Tyagi and arrested him from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Following this, the accused was brought to Mumbai and presented before a court. He was sent to the custody of Bandra Police for two days. Shooting incident outside Salman Khan's house The incident was reported days after two men on a bike fired four rounds outside Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartments. CCTV footage showed them firing in the direction of the actor's home. Both accused sported caps and carried backpacks, the video showed. The incident was reported on Sunday morning. Lawrence Bishnoi is a jailed gangster. He has been targeting Salman Khan, allegedly due to the 1998 blackbuck hunting incident. His brother Anmol Bishnoi reportedly claimed responsibility for the shooting incident. On Tuesday, Kutch Police arrested the two accused persons and handed them to the Mumbai Crime Branch. Later, a city court sent the two accused to the custody of the Mumbai Crime Branch until April 25 in connection with the firing incident. The accused were identified as Vicky Gupta (24) and Sagar Pal (21) from Bihar. After the arrest of the accused, Kutch DSP AR Zankant said preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in contact with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Notably, since November 2022, Salman's security level has been elevated to Y-Plus after threats from gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar. The actor was also authorised to carry a personal firearm and has also acquired a new armoured vehicle for added protection. On Monday, Salman's brother Arbaaz Khan issued a statement on the family's behalf, saying they all have been affected due to the 'disturbing' firing incident. He also shared that the family was fully cooperating with the Mumbai Police in the ongoing probe into the incident. (Bloomberg) -- Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue Inc. were ordered to pay $45 million to the family of an Illinois woman who blamed the companies baby powders for giving her a fatal cancer in what was the first verdict against the J&J spinoff in a decade-long litigation over the product. Jurors hearing the case in Chicago late Friday concluded Kenvue was 70% responsible for the death of Theresa Garcia, a mother of six and a grandmother, who died in 2020 after developing mesothelioma, a type of cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Her family alleged J&J and Kenvues predecessor firm sold their talcum-based baby powder knowing it was tainted with asbestos, according to court filings. The panel found J&J and one of its units were responsible for the remaining 30% of the verdict, one of the first wins by a talc plaintiff since a judge last year threw out the bankruptcy filing of a J&J unit aimed at forcing a settlement of the talc cases. A Florida jury rejected similar claims against the company on Thursday. J&J has maintained that its talc-based products dont cause cancer and that it has marketed its baby powder appropriately for more than a century. Officials of Kenvue, which now sells baby powder, confirmed earlier this month it no longer makes or sells a talc-based version of the product. Prior to the spinoff, J&J said it would take talc off the North American market by 2020 and worldwide by December 2023 and switch to a cornstarch replacement. It cited sliding sales for the move. Melissa Witt, a Kenvue spokeswoman, didnt immediately respond to an email Saturday seeking comment on the verdict. Erik Haas, the head of J&Js in-house litigation section, said the company would appeal the jurys finding. We expect to prevail as we typically do with aberrant adverse verdicts that have no basis in the law or science and are predicated on clearly erroneous rulings by the trial court, Haas said in an emailed statement. J&J is among a host of big drugmakers that divested or are planning to divest themselves of lower-margin, yet dependably profitable, consumer units in order to focus on the high-stakes business of making new medicines. J&J generated $13.2 billion in cash via the offering of Kenvue debt and sale of its shares. Kenvue is now home to popular J&J products such as its Tylenol painkiller, Listerine mouthwash and the new cornstarch-based version of baby powder. Read more: J&J to Pay $75 Million to Settle $6 Billion Baby Powder Suit As part of the spinoff, Kenvue secured an indemnity agreement from J&J to cover any talc liability that arises in North America, according to securities filings. Kenvue must deal with talc verdicts generated by courts outside that area, the filings show. Garcias family had been ready to go to trial in 2021 when J&Js LTL Management unit filed its first Chapter 11 case seeking to foster a settlement of all current and future talc cases, said Jessica Dean, the familys lawyer. Its only after that case along with a second attempt to use the bankruptcy courts to corral the talc litigation was thrown out that the family was able to have a jury hear its case, Dean said. After years of delay caused by Johnson & Johnsons bad faith abuse of the bankruptcy system, the family is grateful jurors saw through the deceptions put forth by J&J and Kenvue about whether talc can cause cancer, Dean said in a release. The defendants knew that talc contains asbestos impurities that were mined and put in the bottles of baby powder J&J sold, she added. In the Florida case, a state court jury rejected claims by Patricia Mattheys family that her 2016 ovarian cancer was caused by using baby powder tainted with asbestos. After the verdict, Haas said the company was vindicated by the panels ruling. The jury appropriately found that talc is safe, does not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer, which is the same outcome the company achieved in 16 of 17 ovarian cases tried to date, Haas said in an emailed statement. In Garcias Chicago case, her family contends the plaintiff was a long-time user of J&Js talc-based baby powder and used the product on her children and grandchildren. The family contends J&J was aware of concerns about asbestos in its talc and failed to warn consumers. Stephanie Salcedo, Garcias daughter, filed the case on behalf of her family. J&J knew that asbestos exposure, including asbestos exposure from inhaling asbestos-containing talc, can and does cause fatal diseases such as mesothelioma, the family said in its lawsuit against the companies. J&J reported earnings this week, beating estimates in a step towards boosting profitability after the spinoff of Kenvue. The Chicago case is Salcedo v. Cyprus Amax Minerals, No.020L004505, Calendar, J1 24067608, Cook County Circuit Court (Chicago). More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Dubai Airports, the second-busiest airport across the globe, on Saturday urged the passengers departing from Dubai International (DXB) not to come to the airport unless their flight has been confirmed amid floods and recommended arriving at the terminal only three hours before their scheduled departure. Issuing an alert on microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Dubai International urged passengers departing from the airport against arriving too early to avoid further overcrowding. IMPORTANT ALERT: For guests departing from @DXB, we advise you to get to your terminal 3 hours before your departure time. Please do NOT arrive too early as this leads to further overcrowding at the airport, the DXB said. The move aims to support operations recovering from the recent floods in the city. Earlier this week, heavy rains lashed the United Arab Emirates and caused a flood-like situation in the UAE. Also Read | HDFC Bank Q4 Results: Net profit at 16,512 crore, dividend declared It is important to note that Dubai International Airport has temporarily limited the number of inbound flights due to unprecedented weather conditions. Separately, Air India on Friday announced the cancellation of its flights to and from Dubai due to operational disruptions amid incessant rainfall. Also Read | DU Admissions 2024: PG admissions from April 25, UG from mid-May. Details here The airline said those customers who booked the flights with valid tickets for travel till April 21 will be given a one-time waiver on rescheduling and full refunds for cancellation. Also Read | UGC NET June 2024 registration to begin today at ugcnet.nta.nic.in "We regret to inform cancellation of its flights to and from Dubai due to continued operational disruptions at Dubai Airport. We are doing our best to get affected customers on their way by re-accommodating them on flights as soon as operations resume. Customers booked on our flights with valid tickets for travel till 21st April 2024 will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling and full refunds for cancellation," Air India posted on social media platform X. A 40-year-old Indian citizen, Banmeet Singh from Haldwani, has been handed a five-year prison in the United States in term for trafficking controlled substances on dark web platforms and has also been ordered to forfeit around $150 million. As reported by PTI, Singh was arrested in London in April 2019 at the request of the US. He was later extradited to the US in March 2023. In January, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to the court records and statements presented during court proceedings, Banmeet established vendor marketing platforms on various dark web marketplaces like Silk Road, Alpha Bay, Hansa, and similar platforms. Through these channels, he engaged in the sale of controlled substances, which included fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax, ketamine, and tramadol. Singh's customers used cryptocurrency to purchase drugs from him through the vendor sites he operated. Meanwhile, Singh either personally shipped the drugs from Europe to the United States or arranged for their shipment through US mail or other shipping services. From 2012 through July 2017, Singh controlled at least eight distribution cells within the US, including cells located in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, and Washington, among other locations. Individuals in these distribution cells received drug shipments and then re-packaged and re-shipped the drugs to locations in all 50 states, Canada, England, Ireland, Jamaica, Scotland, and the US Virgin Islands, the Department of Justice said on Friday. Over the course of the conspiracy, the Singh drug organisation moved hundreds of kilograms of controlled substances throughout the United States and established a multimillion-dollar drug enterprise that laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds into cryptocurrency accounts, which ultimately became worth approximately USD150 million, an official release said. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has alleged that his wife, Bushra Bibi, was given food mixed with toilet cleaner, reported Pakistan-based The Express Tribune. At a recent hearing for a corruption case involving 190 million, held in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, Imran Khan informed the court that toilet cleaner had been mixed into Bushra Bibi's food, causing her health to deteriorate with daily stomach irritation. He said that Shaukat Khanum Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr Asim Yousaf had suggested carrying out Bushra Bibi's tests at Shifa International Hospital. However, he added that the jail administration was adamant about carrying out the test at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital. The court further advised Imran Khan to refrain from holding press conferences during the hearings. In response, the PTI founder stated his statements were misquoted and he spoke to reporters to clarify them. The court underscored the significance of maintaining decorum by recommending that media interactions occur post-hearing. In response, Imran Khan pointed out that the jail administration typically clears the media from the courtroom immediately after the proceedings. He also requested the court to allow him a 10-minute session with the press following the hearing. Earlier on April 15, Bushra Bibi, filed a petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and requested the court to conduct her check-up and medical tests from Shaukat Khanum Hospital or any other private hospital of her choice to examine if she was poisoned through contaminated food, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. Imran Khan had alleged that his wife was poisoned at the Bani Gala sub-jail. On Monday, Bushra Bibi filed a fresh plea in the high court, seeking a check-up and medical tests at Shaukat Khanum Hospital. In her petition, Bushra Bibi said that she is suffering from heartburn, and aches in her throat and mouth and that she believes that it is the result of eating poisonous meals. Bibi said that she was poisoned and subjected to psychological torture at her Banigala residence, which has been declared a sub-jail, according to a report by Dawn. United Kingdoms Prince William who returned to public duties on Thursday for the first time since Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis, attended a memorial service on Friday. Bolstering the royal familys ranks, William visited Hereford Cathedral on Friday morning to attend the memorial service of Major Mike Sadler, the last of the wartime SAS Originals. Sadler died at the age of 103 in January this year. He had navigated the deserts of North Africa by the stars. The latest move by the Prince of Wales indicates that his wife Kate Middleton is in good health. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Royal correspondent Richard Palmer shared the news of Williams latest outing. In March, William had unexpectedly cancelled his visit to the memorial service for the late former King Constantine of Greece, where he was supposed to give a reading. Later, it was revealed that Williams visit was cancelled because of Middleton's cancer diagnosis and preventative chemotherapy. Last month in a video message to the nation, Kate had emotionally revealed that she had been diagnosed with a cancer and is undergoing treatment. On Thursday, William had visited a surplus food redistribution center and a youth club it serves. In the video message, the Princess of Wales had asked for time, space and privacy as she and her family adjusted to her diagnosis. I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family, she had said. It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay. (Bloomberg) -- The US House passed $61 billion in fresh aid for Ukraine on Saturday, ending a six-month political impasse during which Kyivs stockpiles dwindled in its war against Russia. The Ukraine aid will be combined with funding for Israel and Taiwan, for a foreign assistance package totaling $95 billion. Speaker Mike Johnson worked with Democrats and overcame fierce objections from within his own party to funding Ukraine, ultimately pushing that legislation to passage on a 311 to 112 bipartisan vote. The Senate is expected to pass the package, which was negotiated with the White House, next week. The vote marks a victory for Republican defense hawks against the more isolationist wing of the party led by Donald Trump. We cannot be afraid of our shadows. We must be strong. We have to do whats right, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said. Democrats and some Republicans waved Ukrainian flags during the vote, a rare moment of bipartisanship in a bitterly and narrowly divided House. Traditional House Republicans led by Speaker Mike Johnson have risen to the occasion, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said. We have a responsibility to push back against authoritarianism. Taiwan The House earlier Saturday passed an $8 billion aid package aimed at averting Chinese aggression against Taiwan. The chamber also passed a bill that would force Chinese-controlled ByteDance Ltd to divest itself from the popular social media app TikTok or face a US ban. That bill also allows the confiscation of Russian dollar assets to help fund assistance to Ukraine. The Senate aims to begin voting Tuesday on the combined package. The $61 billion Ukraine bill has $13 billion to replenish US stockpiles for weapons already given to Ukraine and $14 billion for US defense systems for Ukraine. It also has $7 billion for US military operations in the region. The bills $9.5 billion in economic assistance to Ukraine comes in the form of a loan that the president can fully forgive after the next election. The loan idea was first floated by Trump, the GOPs presumptive nominee. The Taiwan aid bill includes $2 billion in foreign military financing for Taiwan and $1.9 billion to replenish US weapons stocks to cover items and services provided for Taiwan. It also has $3.3 billion to develop submarine infrastructure. The Israel aid bill, which passed on a 366 to 58 vote, includes $4 billion for Israels missile defenses in the wake of last weekends drone and missile attacks by Iran. It provides $9 billion in global humanitarian aid including for use in Gaza at Democrats insistence. Risky Move Johnson ignored demands from ultra-conservatives to attach Republican-only US border legislation, which would have sunk its chances in the Democratic-controlled Senate. He also relied on Democrats to clear procedural hurdles for the legislation, breaking from decades of tradition and putting his speakership at risk. Three ultraconservative lawmakers Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona say they are prepared to vote to oust him from his job. Nothing is done to secure our border or reduce our debt, Greene said on Saturday. Ukraine is not even a member of NATO. Massie on Saturday said he hoped the mounting Republican opposition would ultimately force Johnson to resign. But if it comes to it, a vote will be called, to remove Johnson, he said. To strip Johnson of his speakership, these rebels would need the cooperation of Democrats, many of whom have said theyd protect the Louisiana Republican after he struck the foreign aid deal. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe has asked the US to remind banks that Washington has recently eased some of its sanctions on the southern African nation. We requested the US Treasury to issue an advisory note to US banks that they have lifted sanctions and that Zimbabwe is open for business, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube told reporters Friday during an online briefing from Washington. Zimbabwe officials met with the US Treasury to make the request, he said. The delegation is in Washington to attend the Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. In March, the US updated its sanctions program and said American entities may re-examine their stance on Zimbabwe, even as it applied sanctions to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other top officials. Read More: Deutsche Bank Cuts Ties to Zimbabwean Unit of Standard Bank The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe estimates that at least 100 correspondent banking relationships were lost over the last two decades because of the countrys perceived high risk due to sanctions. The Bankers Association of Zimbabwe said lenders in the southern African nation have several correspondent banks in different currencies. Focus is mostly on the US dollar where direct clearing arrangements with US banks are difficult to come by, said Lawrence Nyazema, the associations president, by text message on Saturday. Most banks are clearing US dollars through other stronger banks in South Africa and elsewhere. Zimbabwes own banks have adequate mechanisms in place to counter money laundering and terrorism financing, with the countrys removal from the grey list two years ago evidence of sufficient controls, George Guvamatanga, Secretary for Finance and Economic Development, told the briefing. (Updates with bankers association comments in penultimate paragraph.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com DUBAIHamass political leadership is looking to move from its current base in Qatar, as U.S. legislators build pressure on the Gulf state to deliver on cease-fire negotiations that look likely to fail. If Hamas left Qatar, the move could upend delicate talks to free dozens of Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza and likely make it more difficult for Israel and the U.S. to pass messages to a group designated by Washington as a terrorist organization. Hamas leaders have lived in Doha, the Qatari capital, since 2012 in an arrangement supported by the U.S. Arab officials said that in recent days the group has contacted at least two countries in the region asking if they would be open to the idea of its political leaders relocating to their capitals. Oman is one of the countries that was contacted, one Arab official said. Omani officials didnt respond to a request for comment. Arab officials said Hamas believes the slow-moving hostage negotiations could last for months, putting the groups close ties to Qatar and its presence in Doha at risk. The talks have already stalled again with barely any signs or prospects for them to resume any time soon, and distrust is rising between Hamas and the negotiators," said an Arab mediator familiar with the situation. In recent weeks, mediators from Qatar and Egypt have pressured Hamas representatives to get the group to soften its conditions. At times, Hamas leadership received threats of expulsion if it failed to agree to a deal releasing hostages. The possibility of the talks being upended entirely is very real," said another Arab mediator. Qatar, a Persian Gulf monarchy the size of Connecticut, has long worked to end Gaza wars and boost aid to Palestinians, building trust with the combatants and familiarity with their negotiating tactics. In the past six months, it has brought those relationships to bear on one of the worlds thorniest diplomatic crises, demonstrating its value as a U.S. ally while raising its profile as the Middle Easts indispensable mediator. But Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Qatars prime minister and foreign minister, recently said the Gulf state was reassessing its role as mediator between Israel and Hamas. He cited what he said was unfair criticism of Qatars efforts to end the war in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said pressure should be applied on Qatar, which played a significant role in mediating Novembers truce and prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel. There are limits to this role and limits to the ability to which we can contribute to these negotiations in a constructive way," the Qatari leader said at a news conference. The state of Qatar will make the appropriate decision at the right time." Never before has Qatars decadelong relationship with Hamas, which is committed to violent resistance to Israeli occupation, come under such scrutiny. The attacks on Oct. 7, when Gaza militants, according to Israeli authorities, killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped over 200 others, have raised suggestions in Israel that Qatar might have been partly responsible because of its ties with Hamas. Some U.S. lawmakers and Israeli politicians have for months called on the White House to force Qatar to cut ties with Hamas and face punitive action for what they say amounts to support for terrorism. Qatari and U.S. officials deny the terrorism allegations. They say Qatar has coordinated with Israel on its previous engagements with Hamas, and Israels national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, has praised its recent diplomacy following the Oct. 7 attacks. The officials say Hamas political leaders are in Doha at Washingtons request and would otherwise end up in a location where it is harder for Western officials to communicate with them, such as Iran or Syria. Qatars ability to engage with Hamas is crucial, since U.S. and European officials are prevented from contacting them directly by their governments classification of the group as a terrorist organization. Israel and Hamas remain far apart on issues such as when Israeli forces would leave Gaza and how many Palestinians forced from their homes by Israeli evacuation orders will be able to return, the officials said. Hamas has also said it is unsure whether it could produce 40 Israeli civilian captives as part of a U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal. That stance has complicated talks toward a possible cease-fire in the six-month-old war that has left much of Gaza in ruins, according to Arab officials familiar with the negotiations. Health officials in Gaza say more than 33,000 people, most of them women and children, have been killed there since the start of the war, without distinguishing between civilians and militants. Israel and Hamas have rejected various proposals made through Egypt and Qatar following the end of the last cease-fire on Nov. 30, though they have previously largely agreed on a framework that includes several phases and a potential long-term cease-fire. Qatars ability to maintain ties with Hamasas it does with other radical groups such as the Taliban and states including Iran and Venezuelareflects a difficult balancing act in a world in which the U.S. increasingly demands that its friends take unequivocal stances with it and against an array of enemies. This hereditary monarchy hosts one of Americas largest foreign military bases. Pressure from U.S. legislators has been building on Qatar to extract more concessions from Hamas or sever ties with the organization. Earlier this month, Sen. Ted Budd (R., N.C.) introduced a bill to consider terminating Qatars status as a major non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally unless it expelled all Hamas members or agreed to extradite them to the U.S. The status, which opens the door to more military exercises, joint operations and potential arms sales, was granted by President Biden in 2022 after Qatar helped facilitate the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan. Failure to take action against Hamas is beginning to look like tacit support for a foreign terrorist organization designated by the United States," Budd said in a statement. The Qatari Embassy in Washington called the bill disappointing and unhelpful. Especially in this delicate moment in our region, it is reckless to undermine the partnerships that America and its allies have built carefully over decades," it said in a statement. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, objected to the bill, saying that while it is uncomfortable for an ally to have a relationship with Hamas, kicking its leaders out of Doha would guarantee that the hostages are never released because there would be no alternative negotiating channel. He said the bill would endanger U.S. interests in the Middle East, predicting that such a move would have an impact on Americas base in Qatar and the Gulf states purchases of U.S. arms. They are an imperfect ally," Murphy said. This is a repressive regime with a bad history on human rights and worker rights, but they are a critical ally." He said Qatar hosted Hamas after a request from the U.S. in 2012, later sent money to Hamas at Israels request and helped negotiate cease-fires over the past decade. Israeli officials have for months been lobbying Egypt, which communicates directly with Hamass military wing and often with its political leadership, to take a bigger role in hostage talks, citing concern that Qatar wasnt putting enough pressure on Hamas in Doha. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D., Md.), the former Democratic leader in the House, said in recent days that Qatar should pressure Hamas to release the hostages by cutting off funding to the group or kicking its political leaders out of Doha. If Qatar fails to apply this pressure, the United States must re-evaluate its relationship with Qatar," he said in a statement. The Qatari Embassy in Washington responded by saying Doha is only a mediator" and that Israel and Hamas are entirely responsible for reaching an agreement. It said that Qatar is frustrated by the slow progress of the talks and is tempted to walk away from them, but that it isnt giving up on freeing the hostages. A U.S. official said the Qataris have been clear that when the U.S. wants to have a conversation about ending Hamass presence in Doha, Qatar would be ready to do whats best" for the bilateral relationship. Many Israelis fear Qatars relationship with Hamas could thwart attempts to destroy the group. Some say that Qatars humanitarian aid helps Hamas, even if unintentionally, by freeing the group to spend its money on militant activities. The Qataris say Hamas trusts them because they have no direct stake in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their backing of other Islamist groups during the Arab Spring uprisings bolstered credibility with Hamas, according to regional analysts, while Doha-based Al Jazeera television provides sympathetic coverage of the Palestinian cause and amplifies the groups messaging. A U.S. official said earlier this year that Qatar has used its relationship and ability to speak with Hamas to urge the group toward a reasonable position to advance the negotiations with Israel but that the split between Hamass political leadership in Doha and military leadership in Gaza made it difficult to achieve results. Our priority is the hostages, especially the American hostages, and we understand that to gain their freedom, its important that Qatar be able to have a conversation with Hamas," said the official. I dont think that anyone believes theres a future for Hamas in Doha. The Qataris understand and are not clamoring for Hamas to stay or be there." Write to Summer Said at summer.said@wsj.com and Stephen Kalin at stephen.kalin@wsj.com In the 1980s Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher built a new conservatism around markets and freedom. Today Donald Trump, Viktor Orban and a motley crew of Western politicians have demolished that orthodoxy, constructing in its place a statist, anti-woke" conservatism that puts national sovereignty before the individual. These national conservatives are increasingly part of a global movement with its own networks of thinkers and leaders bound by a common ideology. They sense that they own conservatism nowand they may be right. Despite its name, national conservatism could not be more different from the ideas of Reagan and Thatcher. Rather than being sceptical of big government, national conservatives think ordinary people are beset by impersonal global forces and that the state is their saviour. Unlike Reagan and Thatcher, they hate pooling sovereignty in multilateral organisations, they suspect free markets of being rigged by the elites and they are hostile to migration. They despise pluralism, especially the multicultural sort. National conservatives are obsessed with dismantling institutions they think are tainted by wokeness and globalism. Instead of a sunny belief in progress, national conservatives are seized by declinism. William Buckley, a thinker of the old school, once quipped that A conservative is someone who stands athwart history, yelling stop." By comparison, national conservatives are revolutionaries. They do not see the West as the shining city on the hill, but as Rome before the falldecadent, depraved and about to collapse amid a barbarian invasion. Not content with resisting progress, they also want to destroy classical liberalism. Some people expect all this to blow over. National conservatives are too incoherent to pose a threat, they say. Giorgia Meloni, Italys prime minister, supports Ukraine; Mr Orban has a soft spot for Russia. The Polish Law and Justice party (PiS) is anti-gay; in France Marine Le Pen is permissive. Besides, the obsession with national sovereignty would make people worse off, as trade collapses, economic growth stalls and civil rights are curtailed. Voters would surely choose to restore the world liberalism made. That view is unforgivably complacent. National conservatism is the politics of grievance: if policies lead to bad outcomes, its leaders will shift the blame onto globalists and immigrants and claim this only proves how much is wrong with the world. For all their contradictions, national conservatives have been able to unite around their hostility towards common enemies, including migrants (especially Muslims), globalists and all their supposed abettors. Nine months before Americas election, Mr Trump is already undermining NATO. National conservatives also deserve to be taken seriously because of their electoral prospects. Mr Trump is leading the polls in America. The far right is expected to do well in European parliamentary elections in June. In Germany in December the hard-right Alternative for Germany hit a record high of 23% in polls. Anticipating a lost election for Rishi Sunak, stridently pro-Brexit and anti-migration Tories are plotting to take over the party. In 2027 Ms Le Pen could well become Frances president. And nationalist conservatives matter because when they succeed in winning office everything changes. By setting out to capture state institutions, including courts, universities and the independent press, they cement their grip on power. That is what Mr Orbans Fidesz party has done in Hungary. In America Mr Trump has been explicit about his autocratic designs. The people working for him have drawn up policy documents that set out a programme to capture the federal bureaucracy. Once institutions have been weakened, it can be hard to restore them. In Poland PiS had the same agenda, before it was ousted in elections last year. The centre-right coalition that defeated it is now struggling to assert control. How, then, should old-style conservatives and classical liberals deal with national conservatism? One answer is to take peoples legitimate grievances seriously. The citizens of many Western countries see illegal migration as a source of disorder and a drain on the public purse. They worry that their children will grow up to be poorer than they are. They are anxious about losing their jobs to new technology. They believe that institutions such as universities and the press have been captured by hostile, illiberal, left-leaning elites. They see the globalists who have thrived in recent decades as members of a self-serving, arrogant caste who like to believe that they rose to the top in a meritocracy when, in reality, their success was inherited. These complaints have their merits, and sneering at them only confirms how out of touch elites have become. Instead, liberals and old-style conservatives need policies to deal with them. Legal migration is easier if the illegal sort is curbed. Restrictive planning rules price young people out of the housing market. Closed shops need busting apart. To have the truly open society they claim to want, liberals must press for elite intellectual institutionsthe top businesses, newspapers and universitiesto embody principles of liberalism instead of succumbing to censorship and groupthink. For all that the illiberal left and the illiberal right are mortal enemies, their high-octane rows over wokeness are mutually sustaining. To diminish the national conservative fear that peoples way of life is under threat, liberals also need to stake their claim to some of their opponents ideas. Instead of virtue signalling, they should acknowledge that the left can be illiberal, too. If liberals are too squeamish to defend principles such as free speech and individual rights against the excesses of the left, they will fatally undermine their ability to defend them against the right. Instead of ceding the power of national myths and symbols to political opportunists, liberals need to get over their embarrassment about patriotism, the natural love of ones country. Liberalisms great strength is that it is adaptable. The abolitionist and feminist movements broke apart the idea that some people counted more than others. Socialist arguments about fairness and human dignity helped create the welfare state. Libertarian arguments about liberty and efficiency led to freer markets and a limit on state power. Liberalism can adapt to national conservatism, too. Right now, it is falling behind. 2024, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com Sony headphones are celebrated worldwide for blending incredible sound quality with pioneering audio technology, making them an essential choice for audiophiles. These headphones are engineered to deliver precise, balanced sound that brings out the depth and detail in music, allowing listeners to experience audio as the artists intended. From noise-canceling capabilities that immerse you in a pure sound environment to the comfort and style of their design, Sony headphones cater to the most discerning audio enthusiasts. They integrate advanced features like LDAC for high-resolution audio streaming and are equipped with drivers that ensure rich, expansive soundscapes. Sonys commitment to audio excellence is evident in their durable build quality and the intuitive user experience they provide. Choosing the right Sony headphones can further enhance your audio experience, whether you're commuting, working from the studio, or relaxing at home. With options ranging from over-ear to in-ear models, each set of headphones is a gateway to audio nirvana, designed to satisfy the rigorous standards of audiophiles and casual listeners alike. Explore the top picks from Sony to discover how high-quality headphones can transform your listening journey. 1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Industry Leading Wireless Noise Cancellation Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones with Mic for Phone Calls, 30 Hours Battery Life, Quick Charge, AUX, Touch Control and Voice Control - Black The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones lead the pack with their state-of-the-art noise cancellation technology. These are one of the most popular Sony headphones, offering unparalleled sound quality and a robust 30-hour battery life. They are perfect for long commutes or extended listening sessions. The quick charge feature is a lifesaver, providing 5 hours of playback with just 10 minutes of charging. These headphones also excel in comfort, featuring a lightweight design and pressure-relieving ear pads that make them easy to wear all day. The touch controls and voice assistant compatibility add convenience, making them a top choice for anyone looking to invest in premium wireless headphones. Specifications of Sony WH-1000XM4: Type: Wireless Over-Ear Headphones Connectivity: Bluetooth, AUX Noise Cancellation: Yes Battery Life: Up to 30 hours Charging: Quick charge Controls: Touch and voice control Microphone: Built-in for calls Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Industry-leading noise cancellation technology Premium price point Long battery life with quick charging capabilities Might be too bulky for some users 2. Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless The Best Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, 8 Mics for Clear Calling, Battery- 40Hrs(w/o NC), 30Hrs(with NC), 3Min Quick Charge=3Hrs Playback, Multi Point Connectivity -Black The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones redefine active noise-canceling with an advanced system that includes 8 microphones, ensuring crystal clear calls and immersive audio playback. These headphones boast an impressive 40-hour battery life without noise-canceling and 30 hours with it, catering to all-day users. The quick charge feature adds 3 hours of playback in just 3 minutes, making them highly convenient. Their ability to connect to multiple devices simultaneously enhances their functionality, suitable for those who juggle between gadgets. Specifications of Sony WH-1000XM5: Type: Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones Connectivity: Bluetooth, Multi-Point Connectivity Noise Cancellation: Advanced with 8 microphones Battery Life: 30-40 hours depending on NC usage Charging: 3-minute quick charge for 3 hours playback Additional Features: Voice control, app support Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Exceptional noise cancellation and clear call quality High cost may deter budget-conscious buyers Extended battery life with efficient quick charging Larger size might not suit all users Also read: Gaming earbuds for never missing an audio detail: Top 10 choices 3. Sony WH-CH520, Wireless On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones with Mic, Upto 50 Hours Playtime, DSEE Upscale, Multipoint Connectivity/Dual Pairing,Voice Assistant App Support for Mobile Phones (Blue) The Sony WH-CH520 Wireless On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones are a superb choice for those seeking both long-lasting battery and quality sound on a budget. With up to 50 hours of playtime, these headphones are ideal for extensive listening sessions without frequent recharges. The DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) upscale technology enhances the quality of compressed digital music files, breathing new life into your audio experiences. Dual pairing and voice assistant compatibility make these headphones highly versatile for multitasking across various devices. Specifications of Sony WH-CH520: Type: Wireless On-Ear Headphones Connectivity: Bluetooth, Voice Assistant App Support Battery Life: Up to 50 hours Features: DSEE Upscale, Multipoint Connectivity Design: Lightweight with swivel design Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Exceptional battery life for extended use On-ear design may not be as comfortable for all users as over-ear High-quality audio with DSEE enhancement Primarily optimized for mobile phones, may lack versatility 4. Sony WH-CH720N, Wireless Over-Ear Active Noise Cancellation Headphones with Mic, up to 35 Hours Playtime, Multi-Point Connection, App Support, AUX & Voice Assistant Support for Mobile Phones (Blue) Sony's WH-CH720N headphones offer high-quality active noise cancellation and a long battery life of up to 35 hours, making them a great mid-range option for commuters and travellers. The multipoint connection allows users to switch between devices effortlessly, enhancing productivity and flexibility. These headphones also support voice assistants and come with app support, allowing customization of sound profiles. The inclusion of an AUX port ensures they can still be used when the battery runs out, making them highly reliable. Specifications of Sony WH-CH720N: Type: Wireless Over-Ear Headphones Connectivity: Bluetooth, AUX, Voice Assistant Support Noise Cancellation: Active Battery Life: Up to 35 hours Additional Features: Multi-point connection, app support Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Effective noise cancellation for focused listening Slightly lower battery life compared to some competitors Seamless multi-device connectivity Over-ear design may feel bulky for some users Also read: Bluetooth headphones are a modern and immersive way of enjoying music: Check out top 7 options for wireless connectivity 5. Sony INZONE H3, MDR-G300 Wired Gaming Headset, Over-Ear Headphones with 360 Spatial Sound, USB Wired Over-Ear Professional + USB Connector, flip to Mute mic, App Support & PC Compatible (White) The Sony INZONE H3 Wired Gaming Headset offers an impressive mix of high-quality audio and gamer-focused features. With 360 spatial sound, the headset provides an immersive gaming experience by accurately positioning sounds in a 3D space, enhancing your ability to react to gameplay dynamics. The headset's design is tailored for long gaming sessions, featuring comfortable over-ear cushions and a lightweight frame. The flip-to-mute microphone and USB connectivity make it both convenient and versatile for various gaming setups, ensuring it's a solid choice for serious gamers. Specifications of Sony INZONE H3: Type: Wired Over-Ear Gaming Headset Connectivity: USB Features: 360 Spatial Sound, Flip-to-Mute Mic Design: Over-Ear with comfortable cushions Compatibility: PC with USB Connector Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Immersive 360 spatial sound enhances gaming realism Wired design may restrict movement compared to wireless models Comfortable design for long gaming sessions Limited to USB connection, not versatile for all devices 6. Sony Dynamic Mdr-Zx310-L Wired On Ear Headphones Without Mic (Blue) The Sony Dynamic Mdr-Zx310-L is an affordable, wired on-ear headphone option for those who value portability and straightforward functionality. Its foldable design makes it easy to store and carry, ideal for travellers or commuters. Despite its budget-friendly price, it offers a well-balanced sound quality that performs well across various music genres. The one-button universal remote is convenient for managing calls and music playback, making it a practical choice for everyday use. Specifications of Sony Dynamic Mdr-Zx310-L: Type: Wired On-Ear Headphones Connectivity: 3.5 mm jack Features: Foldable design, one-button universal remote Design: Lightweight and collapsible Additional: Well-balanced sound Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Affordable and very portable due to foldable design On-ear design may not offer the same comfort as over-ear models Good sound quality for the price No microphone included for voice calls Also read: Best wireless headphones with mic: Get one from 10 options for you Top 3 features of best Sony headphones Best Sony Headphone Noise Cancellation Battery Life Audio Technology Sony WH-1000XM4 Industry-leading Up to 30 hours 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound Sony WH-1000XM5 Advanced ANC 30-40 hours 8 mics for clear calls Sony WH-CH520 None Up to 50 hours DSEE Upscale, Multipoint Connectivity Sony WH-CH720N Active Up to 35 hours App support, AUX compatibility Sony INZONE H3 None (Wired) N/A (Wired) 360 Spatial Sound Sony Dynamic Mdr-Zx310-L None N/A (Wired without battery) Balanced sound, 3.5 mm connection Best value for money Sony headphone The Sony WH-CH520 offers exceptional value for money. With up to 50 hours of battery life and DSEE audio enhancement technology, it provides high-end features at a mid-range price point. The lightweight design and multipoint connectivity make it ideal for users who need reliable, long-lasting headphones without breaking the bank. Also read: Best neckband bluetooth headphones that provide comfort and great sound quality: Top 10 picks Best overall Sony headphone The Sony WH-1000XM4 is the best overall product due to its comprehensive set of features. It combines superior noise cancellation, excellent audio quality with 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound, and long battery life, making it ideal for both travel and home use. Its comfort and build quality are unparalleled, offering an exceptional listening experience. How to find the best Sony Headphone? To find the best Sony headphones, start by identifying your primary needs: Are you looking for active noise cancellation, superior sound quality, or long battery life? Sony offers a range of headphones catering to various needs, from the high-end WH-1000XM series with industry-leading noise cancellation to more budget-friendly options like the CH series. Compare features such as battery life, audio technology, and additional functionalities like touch controls and voice assistants. Reading reviews and comparing prices can also provide insights into which model offers the best value for your specific requirements. Checking for sales and promotions during events like Amazon Gaming Fest can also help you get the best deal on high-quality headphones. FAQs Question : Can Sony headphones be connected to multiple devices? Ans : Yes, many Sony headphones support multipoint connectivity, allowing them to be connected to more than one device at a time. Question : Are Sony headphones good for gaming and calls? Ans : Certain models, like the Sony WH-1000XM5, are excellent for calls thanks to multiple microphones that ensure clear voice quality. For gaming, models like the Sony INZONE H3 are specifically designed to enhance the gaming experience with features like 360 spatial sound. Question : How long do Sony headphones typically last on a single charge? Ans : Battery life varies by model but can range from 30 to 50 hours, with the WH-1000XM series offering around 30-40 hours and the CH series offering up to 50 hours. Question : What is the warranty period for Sony headphones? Ans : Sony typically offers a 1-year manufacturer warranty on their headphones, which covers defects in materials and workmanship. Question : Can I use Sony headphones with both Android and iOS devices? Ans : Yes, Sony headphones are compatible with both Android and iOS devices, providing versatility for users with different smartphones or tablets. Disclaimer: At Livemint, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Mint has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority. New Delhi: The return of US sanctions to Venezuela after a six-month breather has thrown India's oil-for-dividends plan with the Latin American country into disarray, sending ONGC Videsh Ltd scrambling for new options to get the promised oil cargoes. The six-month sanctions waiver ended on Friday with no progress on the oil-for-dividends plan agreed between the two countries. US officials have now indicated that the sanctions will return. OVL is looking at viable options to secure the crude oil, and its legal and marketing teams have been put into actionforthesame, a person aware of the matter said. "It would take time for Venezuela to send oil. The production capacity of the country has also declined over the years of sanction which need to be rejuvenated. The likelihood of another sanction raises concern whether these cargoes would actually get delivered," the person said on condition of anonymity. Venezuela's state-run energy monopoly PdVSA owes about $600 million in dividends to OVL, which owns 49% stake in the operational San Cristobal project, and 11% in Carabobo, which is under development. In January, Mint had reported that OVL is in talks with its Venezuelan partner PdVSA to secure oil cargoes for settling the long pending dues to the ONGC arm. In response to a query, an OVL spokesperson said: "Our legal and marketing teams are working on the issue," adding the company would revert after a clear picture emerges. Queries sent to the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas and Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PdVSA) remained unanswered till press time. The US, which had briefly lifted sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector in October, is planning to revive them over Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro's failure to hold free and fair elections. The return of sanctions may also impact OVL's plans to get operatorship of the two Venezuelan projects. OVL managing director Rajarshi Gupta had said in February that the company would look at investing more in the country to increase productivity. The lifting of the sanctions is a very positive sign. We are in very advanced discussions with the government of Venezuela to get further cargoes to liquidate our dividends and at the same time to get the operatorship of the two projects that we have there and increase the production from there. The two projects we will have to invest to get more production. Thats still being worked out. We will have to invest, because Venezuela has the largest reserves in the world. So, if we invest more, we will get more production," he had said. Currently, OVL and PdVSA jointly operate the projects. OVL acquired 40% in San Cristobal project in Venezuela in 2008, with PdVSA owning the balance 60%. ONGC Videsh holds the stake through ONGC Nile Ganga (San Cristobal) BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of ONGC Nile Ganga B.V. Following a legislative session with no action taken to clarify or amend Idahos near-total abortion ban, some residents have formed a political group called Idahoans United for Women and Families to explore options for a possible 2026 ballot initiative that would restore and protect access to reproductive care statewide, including abortion. Idaho has a near-total ban on abortion with narrow exceptions for rape and incest during the first trimester of pregnancy and to save the pregnant patients life. Those prosecuted for performing an abortion are subject to two to five years in prison and the revocation of their medical license, along with potential civil lawsuits by family members of the person who terminated a pregnancy. Now that the session is over, and in the absence of a remedy, we are moving full steam ahead, said Melanie Folwell, the groups spokesperson. Idaho has a citizen ballot initiative process, but only the Legislature can propose constitutional amendments. So unlike several other states that are attempting to use ballot initiatives to amend the state constitution to include abortion rights, the initiative language for this effort must come in the form of proposed legislation for voters to approve. What that language would say is to be determined, Folwell said, particularly because the state has passed many laws related to abortion over the years that may be difficult to untangle with one piece of legislation. The ballot initiative process requires involvement from the attorney generals office, which is responsible for certifying the petition in conjunction with the secretary of states office. After the petition is approved, organizers can gather signatures for 18 months before April 30 of the election year, and must meet a signature threshold equal to at least 6% of registered voters from the prior election in 18 of the states 35 legislative districts. Based on the 18-month window given by Idaho law, signature gathering could begin as early as this fall. Folwell said the purpose of launching this early is to start an awareness campaign and to raise funds that would be used to consult legal experts in forming the ballot language, as well as legal fees for anticipated battles with the Attorney General Raul Labradors office. Dan Estes, spokesperson for Labradors office, said without details of what the proposed language would be, he did not have a comment. Individuals involved with the group have already raised funds once for a poll commissioned in 2022, and Folwell said people were eager to help fund that effort. She said she anticipates being able to raise the necessary funds from within the state, and that may be the only option. Idahoans United for Women and Families is a 501(c)(4) group that can take unlimited donations that are not tax deductible. We will be pursuing the support of national organizations as we move forward, and we look forward to them coming to the table to support this work, but if we do need to go it alone, we are willing and able to do that, she said. Eastern Idaho board member: Abortion decisions shouldnt involve government Idahos ban went into effect in August 2022, and in that time, 22% of practicing OB-GYNs have left the state, along with half of the states maternal-fetal medicine specialists. Three clinics across the state closed their maternal services, forcing some to drive more than an hour each way for routine maternity care. Hospitals and clinics have also reported difficulty recruiting new OB-GYNs and specialists to fill those empty spaces, citing a significant drop in out-of-state applications for positions. Dr. Sara Thomson, an OB-GYN in Boise and a representative of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said at an April event that 58 of 268 OB-GYNs had left the state or retired between August 2022 and November 2023, and over the same time period, just two OBs moved to the state to practice. Maternal care doctors have routinely told lawmakers that the way the law is written makes it difficult to feel confident that if they needed to terminate a pregnancy for a patient experiencing significant complications that could affect their health, not just threaten their life, they would not be prosecuted or lose their license. Rather than potentially violate their oath to do no harm to a patient through delays in care or refusal to treat someone, many doctors have elected to practice in states that do not have criminal abortion laws. Summer Jackman, a lifelong Idahoan, small business owner and mother of three in Pocatello, is one of the board members for Idahoans United for Women and Families. She said she does not believe in unrestricted access to abortion, but she does believe in common sense laws that allow women to make decisions between themselves and their doctors. She is an unaffiliated voter who said she believes in limited government. I dont like the idea that a woman has to literally be nearly dead before a physician feels comfortable moving ahead with a procedure, Jackman said. Jackman added that her oldest daughter is starting nursing school in Utah, and is hesitant to return to Idaho after shes done with school because of the law. One of the reasons she decided to speak out, she said, is because she thinks many people agree on the topic of abortion but there is an unwillingness to talk about it openly because it has been painted as a divisive topic. The environment of it being very black and white; youre either pro-life or pro-choice, she said. I just think thats a false narrative that weve been presented with for so long. I hate that we cant talk about it with more compassion, empathy, science and common sense without the fear of having it be one way or the other. Donna Lee Hamilton Finch died peacefully at her home in the early morning of Friday, April 12, 2024. She was surrounded by her family after a long and courageous battle with kidney failure. She was 77 years old. Donna was the oldest child of RC and Vivian Hamilton, born on May 22, 1946. She was raised in Pullman and enjoyed weekends at her grandparents farm. Donna was the big sister to her brother Scott and sister Luann. Donna graduated from Pullman High School in 1964 before attending cosmetology school in Seattle. She later returned to Pullman where she lived the remainder of her life. Donna married another Pullman native, Jerry Finch, on Oct. 20, 1967. She loved being welcomed into the Finch family, and she had a very close relationship with her in-laws, the late Howard and Teresa Finch. In June 1969, Donna and Jerry welcomed their first child, Tricia. Melissa joined the family in 1971 and Donna focused on raising her girls. When we were in elementary school, Mom pursued her dream of opening a business in downtown Pullman. She first owned a childrens clothing and arts and crafts store, called The Apple Seed. She later opened a womens clothing store called The Gazebo. During her years as a Pullman business owner, she imagined a large community Fourth of July celebration to recognize Pullmans 100th birthday. As a woman in the earl 80s she found it difficult to make her vision a reality, so she elicited the help of her brother-in-law, Howard Finch Jr., and together they organized what has become a Pullman tradition. Mom retired from business after the untimely death of her sister Luann. She and Jerry became the legal guardians of their nephew Daniel and raised him as their own. Moms focus was her family and her home. At the time of her death, Mom had lived in the home for 49 years it was an extension of her heart and was always full of family, our friends and a menagerie of pets. She often referred to her home as her patchwork quilt as the once three-bedroom house was remodeled and added onto several times over the years as her family became larger. Another dream came true when her daughter Melissa moved back to Pullman and built herself a home in what had once been the horse pasture. Mom and Melissa spent countless hours planning each detail for what would become Melissas new home. Nothing was more rewarding to Mom than when she became a Grammie. First came five energetic grandsons: Erik, David, Evan, Adam and finally Owen. This was followed by four precious granddaughters; Kate, Lilah, Vivian and finally Dorothy Lee, affectionately referred to as the caboose. Donna was born to be a Grammie and made each child feel loved and special. Grandkids were often riding bikes up the long driveway, building a fort in the grandkid room, jumping on the trampoline, having Grammie picnics, or baking something delicious. She was a Grammie who was down on the floor building trains and having tea parties and gave her grandchildren the best gift-her time, attention and love. Attorney General Bob Ferguson was right to quickly respond with a request to the state Supreme Court to keep the ban in place while the case is on appeal, which it did. There are two similar Washington cases winding their way through federal court, Brumback v. Ferguson and Sullivan v. Ferguson. The Cowlitz County case stems from a lawsuit filed by Ferguson against Gators Guns of Kelso for selling high-capacity magazines after the ban went into effect. The premise behind the ban is that high capacity magazines make it easier for shooters to rapidly kill more people, and that lower capacity magazines would force a shooter to stop and reload, thus increasing the time for would-be victims to escape harm. A study published by the American Public Health Association found that the bans appear to reduce both the incidence of, and number of people killed in, high-fatality mass shootings. Meanwhile on the federal front, its refreshing that the Biden administration appears to have won a decades-long battle to close the loophole that allowed firearms to be sold at gun shows, online and at flea markets without background checks. The new regulation comes from the Department of Justice, which redefined what it means to engage in business to sell firearms under the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The law, introduced in 2021, was approved one month after the Uvalde, Texas, massacre that left 19 students and two teachers dead. The new rule will require anyone who sells firearms for profit at shows, markets or online to be licensed and perform background checks on buyers. As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting in Colorado today, government officials must honor those lost there, in Uvalde and elsewhere, and keep fighting in Congress and in our courts to protect those still alive. TNS 17 students got the opportunity to interview for positions at CHI Memorial or Hamilton Medical Center. If any of the students are hired, right after graduation they can jump right into the workforce. BREAKING: Man Sets Himself On Fire in Front of NYC Courthouse Where Former President Trump is on Trial Local News By Chris Boyle Published: April 19 2024 The man, identified as Maxwell Azzarello, was taken to a local area hospital suffering from very serious burns and is currently listed in critical condition, according to officials. A shocking event occurred today as a man set himself on fire in a park located across the street from the downtown Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump is currently on trial. Trump was reportedly inside the courthouse at the time of the incident. The man, identified as Maxwell Azzarello, was taken to a local area hospital suffering from very serious burns and is currently listed in critical condition, according to officials. Azzarello is said to have been throwing "propaganda-related" pamphlets around the park prior to dousing himself with a canister of Accelerant in lighting himself on fire, police say. After burning intensely for a short period of time he fell to the ground, at which time police and onlookers extinguished the blaze. Officials say that Azzarello - who is from St. Augustine, Florida and arrived in New York earlier this week - didn't appear to be targeting any particular group with his act, and is being described as a "conspiracy theorist." Police say there are no ongoing threats to the public in connection with the incident; nonetheless, the NYPD's Bomb Squad ran a full sweep of the park just to be sure. Trump is currently on trial - the first time in U.S. history for a former president - related to felony charges stemming from alleged hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. The IDFs 91st division, responsible for securing Israels northern border with Lebanon, completed an extensive exercise focused on defensive and offensive scenarios in preparation for possible scenarios that could lead to war. (IDF) Israels 91st division, which is responsible for securing the northern border with Lebanon, carried out a large-scale exercise focused on various scenarios that could develop into a future war. The drill ended on April 15, one day after Iran launched almost 350 drones and missiles at Israel. Several days after the drill was completed, it was reported that the IDF carried out a retaliatory airstrike inside Iran overnight between April 18 and 19. The 91st division worked with the Israeli police, search and rescue forces and the Israeli air force during its drill. The large-scale training came ten days after a similar training by the 146th reserve division. Both units are seeking to prepare for war by working with local police and other units to practice together in case of escalation. This is because the battle space in northern Israel is composed of small towns and villages and the civilians in northern Israel are expected to come under large barrages of rocket fire by Hezbollah in any future war. Israel has already evacuated around 80,000 people from the border area since Hezbollah began its attacks on October 8, 2023. The exercise is a significant part of the divisions preparations for a range of scenarios in the north, dealing with complex terrain, challenging weather conditions, and multi-casualty events. All forces in the region including regional defense officers and members of the civilian rapid response teams in various communities, Israel Police and rescue forces, armored and engineering units, and brigades of the division are operating to maintain full readiness for a strong defense of the Upper Galilee and an offensive in Lebanon, the IDF said in a statement. After the division completed the training, its commander Brig. Gen. Shay Kalper met with the commander of the 146th division, Brig. Gen. Yisrael Shomer. The two officers met with the heads of local civilian councils and with the civilian security personnel who volunteer in various villages in the north near the Lebanese border. The meetings included a situational assessment so far, as well as the processes to accelerate the readiness for continued fighting in the north of Israel, the IDF said. We are all writing a chapter in the history of the Galilee. We are determined and ready to win and in our generation we were privileged to take part in this matter, Kalper said. The commanding officers mentioned the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover and upcoming Israeli Independence Day. They also thanked the community heads for their work during a difficult time. Hezbollah continued to carry out attacks on northern Israel, targeting military facilities of the 91st division and launching rockets toward numerous border communities. The IDF responded with proportional fire using artillery and said it struck a military compound used by Hezbollah. The tensions in the north come amid Iran-Israel tensions in the region. Israel carried out an airstrike near Isfahan in Iran in the early hours of April 19, according to numerous reports. The strike targeted an Iranian military airbase. It was not clear how damaging nor how extensive the strike was, though it appeared limited in scale. It was also not clear if this was the only Israeli response to the Iranian drone and missile attack several days earlier. Iran had vowed to respond if it was attacked inside its borders, however Tehran downplayed the airstrike after it happened. Israels leaders have said they will respond to Iran and make their own decisions despite pressure in recent days from the US and western countries to not retaliate. Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza (2024). Jonesing to fill up that little glass Mason jar tucked in the back of your closet before April 20? Dont bother leaving Massachusetts. As of this years national unofficial marijuana holiday 4/20 Massachusetts boasts the least-expensive adult-use cannabis prices in the state since legalization, not to mention what appears to be the cheapest weed in all of New England. The average price for an eighth of flower is about $19, according to data over the last month from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, which shows prices are down from about $50, where they were three years ago. Bay State business is also booming beyond bud in sales for vape products, the states second favorite way to consume cannabis, according to CCC data. Edibles are neck-and-neck with raw, pre-rolled bud in third and fourth sale places. And just those four products, in last week alone, brought in well over $5 million in sales, the commission reported. Its a different story over the borders in Connecticut, Vermont or Rhode Island. Consumers are paying nearly or upwards of $40 for the same amount of bud and dispensary sales have yet to match up to Massachusetts, although the Bay State has been selling for 2-5 years longer. On average, an eighth of flower is $44 in Connecticut, the state governments page on last months cannabis statistics showed. Nutmeg State dispensaries opened January 2023 after recreational legalization in 2021, and adult-use sales for all products totaled just over $16 million for the entire month of March 2024, according to the state. It equates to about $4 million in average sales per week across all cannabis products. Consumers, regular or not, clearly notice the difference, said Tim Rooke, who works for Springfield dispensary ZaZa Green as its community ambassador volunteer. Since opening last July, he said the number of Connecticut customers crossing over to buy increases almost daily. In Connecticut, their menu is limited, and their pricing is much higher, Rooke said. In addition, its location just over the border, expansive parking lot and 11 p.m. closing time all make up for the drive from Connecticut, Rooke said. In Vermont, the average price is $42, and Rhode Island price points average $38, according to a site called PriceOfWeed.com. Maine cannabis users pay on the slightly lower end around $25 per eighth of bud, the states Office of Cannabis Policy data showed. Though an obvious consumer benefit, Massachusetts continually dropping pot prices have been a learning curve for business owners amidst changing regulations and heavy in-state competition. More than 300 dispensaries operate across the state. With volumes of product hitting the market and more places to buy it, the price of cannabis keeps dropping. Its about being adaptable, Hailey Delima, the general manager at Cannabist Boston, told MassLive Friday. Its definitely been a shift in the last three years ... the reality of the price point of our product, its going to continue to drop or change. To survive, Delima said the Boston dispensary has been doing a pretty good job focused at the operational level on keeping the other parts of our business ironed out and well-managed. Rooke said his Springfield dispensarys strategy of blue-collar pricing, to which he explained means, Wed like your money and wed like your business. We just dont want it all tonight, is their way to keep up in the high-stakes market. In Worcester, Mission Cannabis Dispensarys general manager, Tyler Hayden, called the states price compressions beneficial to recreational users, medical card holders and to his own business. I dont think [the prices are] affecting too much, as far as business goes. If anything, its helping, he said on Friday, adding his customers were already busting down the door to get in for the dispensarys early April 20 deals. Rooke said theres room for the price point to be corrected. The dramatic drop in cannabis flower prices is indicative of the markets ongoing correction, with New England echoing trends in other states that have more mature legal cannabis markets that also saw rapid declines in cannabis prices, though in varied rates. But theyve been happy in Springfield with cannabis prices, Rooke said and hes got sensibly-high hopes come April 20, even for in-state competition. 4/20 is typically the busiest day in in cannabis sales, usually 30% more than what you typically do. But because its on a Saturday, we expect it to even be a little bit higher, said Rooke. So each of the dispensaries should do very well, and thats what we hope. We hope that everybody does their fair share of business, he said. A Boston man who posed with a pair of guns on Snapchat while on house arrest for other crimes will go to prison, Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levys office announced Friday. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV ordered Dumari Shakur Scarlett-Dixon, 22, to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release, Levys office said in a statement. Scarlett-Dixon previously pleaded guilty to being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and ammunition in October 2023. During an investigation into violent crime in Boston in 2021, a court order intercepted a Snapchat account and its messages, Levys office said. A group chat was found used by members of rival gangs who regularly displayed photos and videos of themselves carrying guns. Scarlett-Dixon, a member of the gange Heath Street, was seen in the group chat, Levys office said. At the time, he was on pre-trial release for four separate unlawful possession of a firearm cases in state court. A condition of his release was for Scarlett-Dixon to be on house arrest at this grandmothers Weymouth home and wear a GPS monitoring device. Photos he took showed him in his grandmothers home. A search of the home in September 2021 yielded a Bersa 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, 59 rounds of 9-millimeter and .380 caliber ammunition and cannabis joints, all found in Scarlett-Dixons bedroom, Levys office said. As a condition of his supervised release, Scarlett-Dixon was ordered to stay away from other Heath Street gang members and the Bromley Heath housing development. The sister of the woman died after she was struck by a car following a fight with her boyfriend in Westport on Monday is asking for help to pay for the womans funeral expenses. Sherry Henderson, 51, of New Bedford, was traveling east on Interstate 195 in a car her boyfriend was driving when they got into an argument and pulled over, Massachusetts State Police said in a press release. Henderson got out of the car and entered the right travel lane where she was hit by a Ford Fusion. Set up by her younger sister Nikeia Orellana, also of New Bedford, the GoFundMe has a goal of reaching $14,000. So far it has received 81 donations and accumulated $4,651 since it was set up on Wednesday. Sherry was a kind-hearted loving caring person, Orellana wrote. She would take her shirt off her back to give to you if you needed it. Unfortunately, she does not have a life insurance policy and her tragic death was unexpected. Our family is asking for help to donate for funeral expenses. We want to be able to give Sherry the proper burial she deserves any little donation will help please and thank you in advance. Several commenters shared their condolences to Orellana and the family, with a few who said Henderson was a beautiful soul and expressed shock at her death. Im so incredibly sorry for your profound loss, Crystal Cranston, who donated $25 wrote. She was such a light when I would see her in my morning Dunkin runs. We are here for you family, said Samantha McCone, who donated $125. The driver of the Fusion a 21-year-old New Bedford woman stayed at the scene of the crash, but Hendersons boyfriend drove away from the scene before first responders arrived, State Police said. He later called New Bedford police to report that Henderson had been hit on the highway, at which point he was interviewed by state police. Troopers responded to the crash at 10:05 p.m. on April 15 and found Henderson in the roadway with obvious fatal injuries, state police said. The Chief Medical Examiners Office is set to perform a postmortem examination of Hendersons body. State police are still investigating the crash. It is unclear if state police plan to file any charges in connection with the case. No further information including the identities of the Fusion driver and Hendersons boyfriend has been released. NEW YORK (AP) Nearly two years after the knife attack that nearly killed him, Salman Rushdie appears both changed and very much the same. Interviewed this week at the Manhattan offices of his longtime publisher, Random House, he is thinner, paler, scarred and blind in his right eye. He speaks of iron in his soul and the struggle to write his next full-length work of fiction as he concentrates on promoting Knife, a memoir about his stabbing that he took on if only because he had no choice. But he remains the engaging, articulate and uncensored champion of artistic freedom and the ingenious deviser of Midnights Children and other lauded works of fiction. He has been, and still is an optimist, helplessly so, he acknowledges. He also has the rare sense of confidence one can only attain through surviving ones worst nightmare. In Midnights Children I wrote about optimism as a disease. People get infected by it and I think I got a lifetime infection, he says. Chronologically, he is nearly 77, the age his father was when he died, an age he sees a kind of milestone in his own quest to beat expectations. Internally, he feels about 25. A self-described nice child, one who did not see himself as destined to get in trouble, Rushdie has had a life well beyond even his own boundless dreams. The 1981 Booker Prize win for Midnights Children established him as a dynamic voice of post-colonial literature. Nearly a decade later, he would reach a terrifying level of fame with The Satanic Verses, and the call for his death issued by Irans Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Rushdie was driven into hiding. But by August 2022, he had thought himself safe enough to address a conference in western New York with minimal security: No one was on hand to stop a young assailant, Hadi Matar, from rushing the stage and stabbing him repeatedly. Matar, then 24, has been charged with attempted murder and assault. Rushdie spoke to The Associated Press about why he wrote the explicit account of his attack, what he has learned about himself and what he might do next. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length. AP: When you started working on Knife, were you frightened at all? RUSHDIE: I was worried about retraumatization, that was the worry. And the first chapter, in which the actual attack is described in great detail that was very goddamn hard to write. This still image from video shows Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, N.J., at left, being escorted from the stage as people tend to author Salman Rushdie, center right, at the Chautauqua Institution, in Chautauqua, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by Matar who rushed the stage as he was about to give a lecture in western New York. (AP Photo)AP AP: You just got right to the point. RUSHDIE: Yeah. You know, dont beat about the bush. Because the reason this book exists is because that happened. AP: Writers talk a lot about they dont know how they really felt about something ... RUSHDIE: ... Until you write it down. AP: And is that how it was for you? RUSHDIE: Yeah. Also, I have a very good therapist and actually this is a book written also with the help of a therapist. I was talking to him every week, and discussing what I was doing. And he was helpful, actually. Very clear thinking and helped me clear my thinking. So that was something I had not done before. AP: Youve discovered that youre tougher than you thought you were. RUSHDIE: If you had told me that this was going to happen and how would I deal with it, I would not have been very optimistic about my chances. AP: Was there that fear in the back of your mind? You might not be able to handle this? RUSHDIE: Im not good with fear. Im not good with pain. You know, Im just an ordinary guy hoping those things dont happen, that you dont have to deal with fear and pain. AP: I remember you writing about how, after the fatwa, there was a period where fiction was a struggle. Where are you in that place now? RUSHDIE: I dont have the next novel. I hope I will, but the only fiction Ive written since finishing this book is a kind of story. Its a thing I dont know quite what to do with. Its a story thats about 60 pages, 65 pages long. And Im not sure whether to think its like a novella or whether I want to add to it and make it more, or that I want to cut it in half and make it a story. AP: So much of Knife is about reclaiming your life. Is one measure of being all the way back Ive got the next novel? RUSHDIE: That will feel good. Im always happiest when I have a book to write. AP: I would imagine there are a hundred different ways to look at the attack and the damage. But one way is, has it intruded upon your imagination? RUSHDIE: Well, it did. For six months after the attack, I couldnt even think about writing. I wasnt physically strong enough. And when I did sit down to write, initially, I didnt want to write this book. I actually wanted to get back to fiction, and I tried and it just seemed stupid. I just thought, Look, something very big happened to you. And to pretend that it didnt and just go on telling fairy tales would seem like I would have felt like I was avoiding the subject. AP: Something that strikes me in this book is when the moment comes, theres a voice inside you saying, Well, here it is. Even as you had gotten back to pretty much a normal life. RUSHDIE: I did think about it in the early years, obviously, when the danger level was very high. I did think about how somebody could come out of a crowd, and, I had had dreams about it before. AP: Was there ever that fear that maybe this was just your fate? RUSHDIE: No, I dont believe in fate. AP: What do you believe in? RUSHDIE: Well, anti-fate. AP: Coincidence? RUSHDIE: Taking charge of your life is what I believe in. AP: One of the things I remember thinking when I first heard the news of the attacker was how young the attacker was. He wasnt born when you wrote Satanic Verses. RUSHDIE: No, not for 10 years or something. AP: Its as if you and that book are somehow fixed in the subconscious. Salman Rushdie holds up a copy of his book "The Satanic Verses" at Freedom Forum in Arlington, Virginia in March 1992. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)ASSOCIATED PRESS RUSHDIE: And its not even the book because nobody takes the trouble to read it. Its just the name of that book associated with me, me demonized as a bad guy. But I dont know this man, you know? I mean, I know the little bits that we have been told that his mother said after he came back from visiting his father in Lebanon that he was very different, much more religion-oriented, critical of her for not having taught him properly about religion. And then for four years, in a basement. AP: Its like youre some kind of abstraction out there. RUSHDIE: I dont know why it became me that after all this very long time in the basement, playing computer games and watching videos. Why it became me that he fixated on. AP: When you were growing up, did you imagine yourself as the type of person who would get in trouble? RUSHDIE: Not at all. I was a very quiet kid. I was really well behaved. My sister, whos one year younger than me, she was the naughty one. She would beat people up for me and I would get her out of trouble. AP: You talk about you happy childhood, youre a nice boy. But Midnights Children, so much of your work, youre trying to get some kind of reaction. RUSHDIE: Youre trying to write a big book, you know? AP: And a book you probably knew might make somebody unhappy. RUSHDIE: Oh, yeah, but who cares, you know? AP: Where does that comes from? RUSHDIE: I had it as a child. I had the confidence of being loved and supported by my parents. And Ive always been kind of academically excellent. So you grow up in that way. You give yourself permission to do things. Because youve been treated in that way. And also, of course, remember, I was 21 in 1968. Im a child of the 60s. AP: How changed, if at all, do you think you are compared to two years ago? RUSHDIE: Im still myself, you know, and I dont feel other than myself. But theres a little iron in the soul, I think. And I also think the thing that happens when you get really a close-up look at death thats as close as you can get without actually doing the dance of death and heading off to nowhere it stays with you. AP: What does that mean? RUSHDIE: It means theres a shadow. It means the presence of the ending. AP: How old do you feel? Internally. RUSHDIE: (laughing) About 25. AP: You do? RUSHDIE: I think one of the great things about writing you need a kind of youthfulness to do it, because it requires energy, imagination, dreaming. Its a young mans game. Ive said somewhere that when youre young and youre writing, you have to fake wisdom. When youre older and youre writing, you have to fake energy. AP: Can you fake energy? RUSHDIE: Well, Ive tried. Stop someone on the street, and ask them about their hometown, the chances are pretty good theyll tell you it was an idyllic place to grow up -- good schools, friendly neighbors, and plenty enough to do and see. That might be doubly true here in New England and Massachusetts, in particular where folks tend to be fiercely proud of their hometowns. But what are the top five places to live in Massachusetts? The folks at the social media site Stacker compiled their own list, based on data compiled by Niche, which ranked cities and towns nationwide based on their cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Stacker, in turn, whittled the Bay States 351 cities and towns down to a relatively manageable list of 30 communities and neighborhoods. MassLive did a little more nipping and tucking, bringing that list down to a reader-friendly Top 5. From last to first, from Stacker, here are the top 5 places to call home in the Bay State: Aggasiz, Mass.: This Cambridge neighborhood (pop. 8,893) boasts a median household income of $145,637, and a media home value of nearly $1.4 million. The median rent, meanwhile, is $2,652, according to Stacker. And its top schools include Cambridge Rindge & Latin School; Gibbs School; John M. Tobin Montessori School, as well as Commonwealth School; Boston University Academy and Belmont Hill School. Wellington-Harrington, Mass.: Another Cambridge neighborhood (pop. 7,745), Wellington-Harrington, which sits between East Cambridge and Inman Square, has a media household income of $104,232, and a median home value of $947,566. The mediant rent is $2,288. Just like neighboring Aggasiz, its top schools are Cambridge Rindge & Latin School; Gibbs School; John M. Tobin Montessori School; Commonwealth Schooll; Boston University Academy, and Belmont Hill School. East Cambridge, Mass: If you sense a pattern developing, youre not alone. East Cambridge (pop. 13,279), has a median household income of $119,408, and a median home value of $927,948. The median rent, meanwhile, was $2,863. The neighborhoods top schools are Boston Latin School; Cambridge Rindge & Latin School; Gibbs School; Commonwealth School; Boston University Academy, and Belmont Hill School Mid-Cambridge, Mass.: This high-density residential neighborhood is bordered by Prospect Street to the east, Kirkland Street to the west and Massachusetts Ave. to the south and the City of Somerville to the north, according to the Cambridge Community Development Departments website. Mid-Cambridge (pop. 15,300) has a median household income of $120,945, and a median home value of $1.08 million, according to Stacker. The median rent, meanwhile, is $2,255. Top schools include, once again, Cambridge Rindge & Latin School; Gibbs School; John M. Tobin Montessori School; Commonwealth School; Boston University Academy, and Belmont Hill School. Cambridgeport, Mass.: Stackers Tour de Cambridge ends in this neighborhood, which backs up against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at its easternmost point; Mass Ave. to the north, River Street to the west, and, as the name might suggest, the Charles River to the south. The neighborhood (pop. 13,671), has a median household income of $126,707, and a median home value of $997,151, according to Stacker. The median rent is $2,433. The top schools, once again, include Cambridge Rindge & Latin School; Gibbs School; John M. Tobin Montessori School; Commonwealth School; Boston University Academy, and Belmont Hill School. Police this week announced a man has been charged with murder in the strangling death of Kathleen ODowd Boleman in Providence, Rhode Island in 1999, marking a significant breakthrough in a case that has remained cold for decades. The Providence County Grand Jury returned a sealed indictment on April 12 charging Kevin Williams, 53, with the murder of Boleman. A warrant was issued for the man, according to a statement from Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronhas office. On Tuesday, detectives found Williams on Rhodes Street in Providence, where he was arrested without incident. He was arraigned Wednesday in Providence County Superior Court, where the indictment was unsealed, the statement from the attorney generals office said. The passage of time does little to lessen the pain felt by those who have lost a loved one at the hands of another, particularly when such crimes go unsolved for many years, Neronha noted in the statement. Remarkably, 25 years have passed between the day Kathleen ODowd Boleman was murdered and this indictment. Williams is accused of strangling Boleman to death behind Roger Williams Middle School in Providence sometime on March 11, 1999. She was 41 years old, according to the attorney generals office. Early in detectives investigation, they determined Williams was a suspect, but they were unable to develop sufficient evidence to charge him at the time, the attorney generals office said. In recent years, Detective Angelo Avant approached the case again, examining the evidence, re-interviewing earlier witnesses and developing new witnesses with prosecutors. Through Avants efforts, prosecutors presented new information to the Providence County Grand Jury, leading to the indictment, according to the statement. Today marks a major step towards obtaining justice for the victim and her family, Neronha said. I am grateful to the Providence Police Department and Detective Avant, whose persistence and diligent efforts, in partnership with this Office, have brought us to this place today. Following Williams arraignment, he was also charged in the Sixth Division Court in Providence with violating a no-contact order that was issued in a pending domestic violence case, the statement noted. He is currently being held without bail and is expected to have a hearing to determine a defense attorney on April 24, according to the attorney generals office. Twenty-nine-year-old Jan Rhein was found dead in the parking lot of a business in Winooski, Vermont on April 19, 1980. Forty-four years later, the mans killing remains a cold case. His death was determined to be a homicide, which remains unsolved, Vermont State Police said in a Facebook post Friday, the 44th anniversary of Rheins slaying. Rheins body was found behind the former Forest Hills Factory Outlet on West Canal Street in Winooski around noon on April 19, 1980, according to a statement from Vermont State Police. An individual was in the parking area behind the building when Rhein was discovered dead on the ground, the statement noted. Anyone with any information on Rheins killing or any other unsolved homicide is asked to contact the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit at (802) 244-8781 or submit tips anonymously at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit. Twenty climate activists were arrested protesting at Hanscom airport in Bedford early Saturday, according to authorities. The group was protesting Saturday morning at Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford when some of the demonstrators allegedly breached a security perimeter and trespassed on the tarmac, Massachusetts State Police spokesperson David Procopio said in a statement. State and local police responded to the scene, and the activists were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct and potentially other related charges, according to Procopio. As of 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, the scene was clear. The protestors were identified by Extinction Rebellion (XR) Boston as members of the environmental activism organization. In a press release, the group said its demonstration was in opposition to the proposed expansion of 17 new hangars at Hanscom field, New Englands busiest airport for private jets. The project would create a 300% increase in private jet services, negating 70% of the climate benefits of all solar panels installed in the state, XR alleged. During the protest, demonstrators also briefly gained access to the airfield, according to a statement from Jennifer Mehigan, Massports director of media relations. The airport was closed temporarily as a precaution. State Police are investigating, Mehigan said. At this time, there does not appear to be any danger to the community, according to a Facebook post from the Bedford Police Department. Residents will notice an increased presence of emergency and police vehicles throughout the day, the post said. The Bedford Police Department is fully staffed and additional personnel have been called into maintain our usual patrol strength in the community. The Bedford Police Department is assisting Hanscom personnel and Massachusetts State Police as a mutual aid partner at... Posted by Bedford Massachusetts Police Department on Saturday, April 20, 2024 According to XR, members of the activist organization started protesting Saturday at 8:30 a.m. They entered the boarding area of fixed-base operators, stood in the way of planes so they could not taxi to the runway and encircled the wheels of private jets with their arms and refused to move, the groups press release said. Others blocked the entrances of Signature Aviation, Jet Aviation, and Atlantic Aviation, all of which are companies that offer private jet services. A 2023 report by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) a Washington, D.C.-based organization of activists and scholars who produce articles, books and films found Hanscom Field serves mainly wealthy travelers who fly to luxury destinations for short trips, emitting tons of carbon and worsening the climate crisis. Like XR, IPS urged regulators to reject the proposal to expand the airport. The organization also called for higher taxes on private jet flights and fuel. Extinction Rebellion condemns new fossil fuel infrastructure that will be in operation for decades, preventing us from achieving decarbonization and threatening us with runaway global heating and an uninhabitable Earth, XRs press release noted. Extinction Rebellion calls on [Gov.] Maura Healey to publicly oppose the Hanscom Airfield expansion, and all expansion of private airfields for the ultra-wealthy. The members of Massachusetts delegation on Capitol Hill are raising fresh concerns about the looming sale of financially troubled Steward Healthcares physicians network and its benefits for Bay State residents. In a Friday letter, led by U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-3rd District, to the top executives at Steward, United HealthGroup, and its Optum division, the lawmakers said theyd asked federal regulators to give the sale a close look to ensure the appropriate steps are being taken to prevent potential increases in healthcare prices and to maintain access to care for Massachusetts patients should this purchase proceed. The letter comes amid heightened scrutiny of Steward by state and federal officials as the company tries to claw its way out of tens of millions of dollars worth of debt. It was first reported by State House News Service on Friday. Steward, which operates eight facilities in Massachusetts, announced last month that it planned to sell its network of doctors to a wing of the for-profit UnitedHealth Group for an undisclosed sum, WBUR reported at the time. Earlier this month, the company followed through on its planned shuttering of New England Sinai Hospital in Stoughton, a move that resulted in the loss of 39 rehabilitation service beds, 119 chronic care beds, and all ambulatory care at the hospital, according to a filing the struggling health care company made with state regulators in January. In February, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey called on Steward, which owes some $50 million in back rent, to wind down its operations in Massachusetts after the company failed to fully comply with her offices request to turn over key financial documents, MassLive previously reported. The companys refusal to provide basic levels of transparency has hindered the states ability to take preventive steps to protect access to care, Healeys office said in a statement at the time. In Fridays letter, which was signed by every member of the Bay States Capitol Hill delegation, except for U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-1st District, the lawmakers said their profound concern with Stewards operations in the state is closely tied to the prevailing trends of increased healthcare costs and consolidation that have been prominent in Massachusetts over the years. Stewards patients, who are largely in underserved communities, have looked on nervously as the healthcare company has gone through its financial convulsions. Several patients leaving Steward-owned Carney Hospital in Dorchester on a recent afternoon spoke glowingly of their doctors and nurses and the care they received. But many also said they worried about finding alternatives if the medical center closed after decades in Bostons largest and most diverse neighborhood. Carney Hospital, a Steward Health Care facility in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood.Will Katcher/MassLive Toshiba Loren, of Dorchester, told MassLive shed been coming to Carney for 50 years. She praised the hospital staff, some of whom she knew by name, and said she was often seen with minimal wait. Loren called the hospital a neighborhood institution. Asked where she would seek medical care if Carney closed, Loren responded bluntly: Hell if I know. In their letter, the lawmakers asked the executives for answers to a series of questions about the planned sale of the physicians network, known as Stewardship. They included: The number of new physicians Optum will acquire in the Bay State if the sale of moves forward. How much Optum will pay for the Stewardship doctors network, and the specific terms and conditions of the acquisition. How much of the proceeds from the sale will be used to pay down Stewards debt. How much of the proceeds of the sale will be reinvested into Massachusetts hospitals. How patient data will be protected and managed after the acquisition. Massachusetts has long been at the forefront of healthcare delivery nationwide, and its crucial that acquisitions like this one uphold the Commonwealths leadership in providing affordable, accessible healthcare for all patients, they wrote. MassLive Reporter Will Katcher contributed to this story. (*This story was updated at 3:24 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2024 to correct the name of Teamsters Local 25.) One of the states most powerful labor unions is upping the ante in fight over a pair of proposed ballot questions that could reshape the relationship between app-based companies and their workers. Members of *Teamsters Local 25 are expected to meet in Boston on Sunday to throw their support to bills now before the state House and Senate that would protect collective bargaining rights for union members, and extend full employment benefits to gig workers. The fight over the ballot questions has been heating up on Beacon Hill in recent weeks, with lawmakers grilling the app-based companies at a legislative hearing, while an expensive ad campaign is waged in the background. One of the the ballot questions now before lawmakers, that has the backing of labor groups, would allow drivers to organize. The other, backed by Uber, Lyft and other gig apps, would amend state law to make it clear that their employees are independent contractors, even as it provides them with some new benefits, WGBH News reported in March. In a statement, a top Teamsters leader insisted that efforts to misclassify drivers and other gig workers as contractors, instead of employees, is little more than an effort to cheat them out of wages and benefits. Misclassification isnt some kind of innovation, Tom Mari, the Teamsters local president, said in a statement. Its a racket that cheats everyone except the companies that exploit it. Its wage theft and wage theft via app is still wage theft. A panel of industry executives face questions about the work of app-based drivers at a March 19 hearing at the Statehouse. From left are Lucas Munoz, Ubers director of driver policy; Kate Rumbaugh, head of government affairs for DoorDash; Katie Franger, part of Ubers policy team for the northeast; Brendan Joyce, Lyfts public policy manager in Massachusetts; and Tom McNeil, senior manager of government affairs for Instacart. (SAM DORAN / STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE)State House News Service If the push by the gig companies is successful, it would legitimize many app-based companies unlawful business model, which relies on misclassifying workers as independent contractors in order to cheat them out of collective bargaining rights, minimum wage protections, overtime eligibility, unemployment insurance, and other benefits exclusive to W-2 employees, the union said in its statement. About 500 union members are expected to turn out for the 10 a.m. event at the Teamsters Union Hall in Charlestown, organizers said in a statement. In all, the Teamsters local represents over 12,000 workers in various industries across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. State Sen. Lydia Edwards, D-3rd Suffolk, whos sponsoring the Senate version of the bill, also is expected to attend the event, organizers said. At that March hearing before the Legislatures Initiative Petitions Committee, gig companies defended their current business model. One representative for Lyft argued that the companys dynamic pricing model which charges customers higher prices and pays drivers more during times of peak demand would be totally upended under a more traditional employee system, State House News Service reported at the time. We have no choice but to pursue ballot initiatives, Lyfts public policy manager, Brendan Joyce, said, according to State House News Service. There is a pending lawsuit from the attorney generals office. There could be a ruling in that matter ... some time in the summer or fall, he continued. It could be both after the Legislature is out of session but before any ballot question would go to voters. As I said, our preference is to work with you all, work with the Legislature, find a compromise, but unfortunately, we have no choice but to pursue these ballot initiatives. After spending about $200 million on a successful 2020 ballot question campaign in California, the four gig economy giants embarked on a similar effort in the Bay State. The companies donated more than $40 million toward the campaign committee working on a ballot question in 2022. But the effort came to a halt when the states Supreme Judicial Court ruled that it was ineligible to advance because it combined too many disparate topics, State House News Service reported. The U.S. House on Saturday was swiftly pushing through a series of votes in a rare weekend session aimed toward approving a $95 billion package of foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. Democrats and Republicans in the the narrowly-GOP controlled chamber joined together after a grueling months-long fight over renewed American support for repelling Russias invasion. With overwhelming support, the House approved the Ukraine portion, a $61 billion aid package, in a strong showing of American backing as lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of U.S. support to the war-torn ally. Some lawmakers cheered, waiving blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine. The $26 billion package aiding Israel and providing humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza also easily cleared. Each segment of the aid package faced an up-or-down vote. A national security bill that includes a provision forcing sale of the popular platform TikTok was quickly approved, as was another supporting Indo-Pacific allies. The unusual process allowed unique coalitions to form around the bills, pushing them forward. The whole package will go to the Senate, where passage in the coming days is nearly assured. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately. The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will judge what we do here and now, said U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The weekend scene presented a striking display of congressional action after months of dysfunction and stalemate fueled by Republicans, who hold the majority but are deeply split over foreign aid, particularly for Ukraine as it fights Russias invasion. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., putting his job on the line, had to rely on Democratic support to ensure the military and humanitarian package is approved, and help flows to the U.S. allies. Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) addresses the crowd at 2Life Communities Golda Meir House expansion ribbon cutting on October 30, 2023. (Courtesy photo)Monique Juliette Baron What Mass. lawmakers said Among them was U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-4th District, a Jewish lawmaker and former Marine, who has been outspoken in his support for both Israel and Ukraine and sharply critical of Chinas ambitions. In a statement, the Newtown lawmaker said his vote Saturday was a [vote] in defense of democracies. This national security bill has a big price tag, but its a bargain. For a tenth of what Congress spends annually on the military, we are investing in a free world that is more strong, self-reliant, and safer, he said. The result is that while thousands of Americans have been hired to manufacture our arms, none have been deployed to bear arms. Auchincloss said his vote also was a rebuke to the the axis of China, Russia, and Iran. These autocracies are working together to upend the Pax Americana that has supported freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, he said, calling for swift action by the U.S. Senate. The United States must respond by working together with our allies to fight back. In a post to X, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-4th District, also a former Marine, said he was proud to have voted to stand up to dictators and butchers around the world by voting to send aid to Ukraine, Taiwan, Gaza, and Israel. In a post to X earlier in the week, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-1st District, the dean of the Bay States House delegation, said that with Israel under attack, the United States must stand with our ally and its people, as he called for a vote on funding. In an extensive statement, U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-3rd District, observed that while innocent Palestinians are on the brink of famine, Russia is taking ground in Ukraine, Iran and its proxies are launching attacks in the Middle East, and China is extending its reach in the Indo-Pacific. We will not turn our backs on innocent civilians and our allies, Trahan said. While innocent Palestinians are on the brink of famine, Russia is taking ground in Ukraine, Iran and its proxies are launching attacks in the Middle East, and China is extending its reach in the Indo-Pacific. We will not turn our backs on innocent civilians and our allies. pic.twitter.com/guCfzFXipE Lori Trahan (@RepLoriTrahan) April 20, 2024 U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-5th District, the Democratic whip, called the aid package imperfect, but noted it was a a critical step toward a more just future. As caretakers of the worlds most powerful republic, we cannot turn away from the threat of tyranny and the horrors of human suffering, Clark noted on X. As caretakers of the worlds most powerful republic, we cannot turn away from the threat of tyranny and the horrors of human suffering. The national security package before us is imperfect, but it is a critical step toward a more just future. We must pass it today. pic.twitter.com/dEQIMgk5iu Katherine Clark (@WhipKClark) April 20, 2024 The Scene on Capitol Hill Saturday morning opened with a somber and serious debate and unusual sense of purpose, Republican and Democratic leaders united to urge swift passage that would ensure the United States supports its allies and remains a leader on the world stage. The Houses visitor galleries crowded with onlookers. Sometimes when you are living history, as we are today, you dont understand the significance of the actions of the votes that we make on this House floor, of the effect that it will have down the road, said New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This is a historic moment. Passage through the House would clear away the biggest hurdle to Bidens funding request, first made in October as Ukraines military supplies began to run low. The GOP-controlled House, skeptical of U.S. support for Ukraine, struggled for months over what to do, first demanding that any assistance be tied to policy changes at the U.S.-Mexico order, only to immediately reject a bipartisan Senate offer along those very lines. Reaching an endgame has been an excruciating lift for Johnson that has tested both his resolve and his support among Republicans, with a small but growing number now openly urging his removal from the speakers office. Yet congressional leaders cast the votes as a turning point in history an urgent sacrifice as U.S. allies are beleaguered by wars and threats from continental Europe to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific. The only thing that has kept terrorists and tyrants at bay is the perception of a strong America, that we would stand strong, Johnson said this week. This is a very important message that we are going to send the world. Opponents, particularly the hard-right Republicans from Johnsons majority, argued that the U.S. should focus on the home front, addressing domestic border security and the nations rising debt load, and they warned against spending more money, which largely flows to American defense manufacturers, to produce weaponry used overseas. Still, Congress has seen a stream of world leaders visit in recent months, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, all but pleading with lawmakers to approve the aid. Globally, the delay left many questioning Americas commitment to its allies. At stake has also been one of Bidens top foreign policy priorities halting Russian President Vladimir Putins advance in Europe. After engaging in quiet talks with Johnson, the president quickly endorsed Johnsons plan this week, paving the way for Democrats to give their rare support to clear the procedural hurdles needed for a final vote. We have a responsibility, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans to defend democracy wherever it is at risk, the House Democratic leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, said during the debate. While aid for Ukraine will likely win a majority in both parties, a significant number of progressive Democrats are expected to vote against the bill aiding Israel as they demand an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with lawmakers as he tilts the GOP to a more isolationist stance with his America First brand of politics. Ukraines defense once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress, but as the war enters its third year, a bulk of Republicans oppose further aid. Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., offered an amendment to zero out the money, but it was rejected. At one point, Trumps opposition essentially doomed the bipartisan Senate proposal on border security. This past week, Trump also issued a social media post that questioned why European nations were not giving more money to Ukraine, though he spared Johnson from criticism and said Ukraines survival was important. Still, the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the America Last foreign wars package and urged lawmakers to defy Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills do not include border security measures. Johnsons hold on the speakers gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Greene, supported a motion to vacate that can lead to a vote on removing the speaker. Egged on by far-right personalities, she is also being joined by a growing number of lawmakers including Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is urging Johnson to voluntarily step aside, and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. The speakers office has been working furiously to drum up support for the bill, as well as for Johnson, R-La. The package includes several Republican priorities that Democrats endorse, or at least are willing to accept. Those include proposals that allow 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 legislation to require the China-based owner of the popular video app TikTok to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States. Still, the all-out push to get the bills through Congress is a reflection not only of politics, but realities on the ground in Ukraine. Top lawmakers on national security committees, who are privy to classified briefings, have grown gravely concerned about the situation in recent weeks. Russia has increasingly used satellite-guided gliding bombs which allow planes to drop them from a safe distance to pummel Ukrainian forces beset by a shortage of troops and ammunition. SPRINGFIELD A corrections officer and nurse at the womens jail in Chicopee are no longer facing wrongful death charges in a federal lawsuit brought on behalf of Madelyn Linsenmeir, who died while in lockup in 2018, a judge decided Thursday. The Hampden County Sheriffs Office is still facing a claim that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. A man accused of luring a girl inside his car and assaulting her in Webster earlier this week was arrested Friday, according to police. Walter Fanion, 68, of Southbridge, was charged with kidnapping, enticing a child under 16 years old and four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old in connection with the alleged kidnapping and assault of the girl Monday. He is being held on $75,040 cash bail, the Webster Police Department said in a statement. Officers Patrick Trainor and Shane Murray spoke with the girl and her grandmother in the lobby of the Webster Police Department on Monday. During the conversation, the child said she was at Memorial Beach when she encountered a man with a dog, according to the departments statement. The man is accused of luring the girl inside his car, driving her to a location to drop off the dog he was with and, at some point, assaulting her. He then allegedly dropped her off in the area of her home, where she told her grandmother about what happened, the statement said. Trainor and Murray and the rest of the patrol shift immediately launched into action, the department detailed. Evidence was collected, and patrols were increased at Memorial Beach. The investigation revealed the man had advised the girl he would be at Memorial Beach the following day at 11:30 a.m. Detectives and several officers from surrounding communities, which comprise the Southern Worcester County Counter Crime and Drug Task Force (SWCCCDTF), flooded the area, according to the department. The girl was able to provide some unique characteristics about the car. Police then found a vehicle matching that description at the beach, and a potential suspect was identified, the statement said. Over the next few days, while continuing their investigation, detectives from the Webster and Southbridge Police Departments monitored the man and Memorial Beach. Uniformed patrols were increased as well, according to the statement. Members of SWCCCDTF followed the suspect, who had been identified as Fanion, to Memorial Beach after interviewing the girl Friday. He was taken into custody without incident and brought to Webster Police Headquarters, the department said. Anyone who has had similar contact with Fanion is encouraged to call the Webster Police Department Detective Bureau at (508) 943-1212. A man allegedly fleeing police on the Massachusetts Turnpike on Friday is accused of hitting a state troopers cruiser and driving the wrong way on the highway, according to authorities. A trooper was on patrol on the Route 20 connector in Millbury shortly before 10:15 a.m. Friday when he found a black 2016 Chevrolet Cruze that had allegedly fled from Worcester police moments earlier, Massachusetts State Police said in a statement. The driver, a 21-year-old Shrewsbury man, has five outstanding warrants for his arrest, two of which are connected to felony charges and three of which are connected to misdemeanor charges. He also has a suspended drivers license, and the vehicles registration is suspended as well, according to state polices statement. The trooper activated his lights and siren, attempting to stop the car as it entered the ramp to the Mass. Pike. However, the man allegedly did not stop, and a brief pursuit ensued, the statement said. While being pursued, the man allegedly applied his brakes, spun the vehicle around and intentionally hit the troopers cruiser, a 2017 Ford F-250 pickup truck, on the drivers side door, according to state police. The driver then allegedly fled in the wrong direction on the highway, driving west on the eastbound side of the Pike. The trooper lost sight of the car as it drove away, state police said. Additional troopers and the state police Air Wing searched for the man but did not find him. The investigation is ongoing, according to the statement. The cruiser was minorly damage. The trooper declined medical attention, the statement said. Juristconsult Investment Summit 2024 @ Andrea Lodges was a successful event that brought together industry leaders, experts, and professionals to discuss the latest trends and developments in ESG, Fintech, and Dispute Resolution. The Summit was held on April 18, 2024, at the Andrea Lodges in Mauritius, and featured panel discussions, keynote speeches, and networking opportunities. The only Investment Summit, taking place in Nature. Key highlights by the Guest of Honour: Mr. Aziz Mebarek, Founding & Co-Managing Partner, Africinvest, Guest of honour of the Summit, Aziz Mebarek, Founding and Co-Managing Partner of AfricInvest, delivered a keynote address highlighting the success of the Mauritius International Financial Centre (MIFC) in attracting regional and global investors. The MauritiusIFC is fully compliant with the highest international standards, making it a destination of choice for African fund managers to structure complex multi-country transactions through special purpose vehicles (SPVs) or holding companies controlling African assets. To Mr. Aziz Mebarek, the MauritiusIFC remains an important destination for pan-African and Indian fund managers, thanks to the diligent approach of the countrys financial policymakers. A continued proactive strategy to market its strengths and meet the evolving needs of these managers is essential to its future growth. Agenda: The Summit featured six panel discussions, a keynote speech, networking opportunities and a welcome address by Marc Hein SC, G.O.S.K, Chairman of Juristconsult Chambers. At the Investment Summit held at the stunning Andrea Lodges, Mr. Marc Hein SC, G.O.S.K, Chairman of Juristconsult Chambers, elucidated the purpose of the event as a platform for discussing how we can contribute to our countrys development. He emphasized the importance of aligning our investment strategies with nature, which can lead to better investment outcomes and promote ESG principles. The Summit covers various sectors and brings together both private and public sector stakeholders. According to Mr. Hein, investment plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of life for everyone and contributes to overall happiness. Mr. Hein also shared a personal philosophy he likes a lot which is Utilitarianism, developed by Jeremy Bentham. Utilitarianism emphasizes the principle of maximizing happiness and minimizing suffering for the greatest number of people. By applying this philosophy to investment decisions, we can ensure that our actions contribute to the greater good and promote sustainable development. The panel discussions covered a wide range of topics, including ESG integration in wealth management, impact investing, data processing, AI & Fintech, dispute avoidance & dispute resolution, and the Mauritius International Financial, Administrative and Corporate Centre. Ashvin Deena MCB Private Banking, the exclusive Platinum Sponsor to the Summit shared they remain very confident and very positive about the outlook of the Mauritian financial centre. Ashvin Deena, Head of Global and International Corporates from MCB thinks that Mauritius would gain more specialisation as a Mauritian financial centre and demonstrate its strengths. Ashvin shared that as a Bank responding to Mauritius, MCB will continue to serve its clients, especially the African client, help and contribute to create more specialisation in the Mauritian financial centre. Pratima Nundoorsing Pratima Nundoorsing, Strategy and Projects Manager, MCB Private and Wealth Management quoted In line with MCB raison detre, we are proud to sponsor such initiatives, promoting sustainability, innovation and fintech as these topics are crucial for the financial ecosystem and the country. Vaneeta Bickoo Brelu-Brelu Vaneeta Bickoo Brelu-Brelu, Business Development Manager of DTOS shared, her role revolves around corporate structuring, specializing in cross-border investments and fund administration. Impact and ESG are at the forefront of our discussions, where she emphasizes the importance of directing capital towards businesses and projects addressing critical global challenges like climate change and poverty alleviation. Having worked extensively in Africa, including living in Nairobi, she witnessed firsthand the pressing issues of poverty and malnutrition that impact the continent. Transitioning from a molecular biologist to a finance professional has allowed me to leverage her influence to drive impactful change at a higher level, bridging the gap between decision-makers and those directly affected. She believes that impact is a collective effort involving various stakeholders, and as individuals, we all have a role to play in fostering positive change. This journey has led her to advocate for impactful investments and societal contributions, a topic she is passionate about discussing and promoting. Vaneeta Bickoo Brelu-Brelu, Business Development Manager of DTOS shared, her role revolves around corporate structuring, specializing in cross-border investments and fund administration. Impact and ESG are at the forefront of our discussions, where she emphasizes the importance of directing capital towards businesses and projects addressing critical global challenges like climate change and poverty alleviation. Having worked extensively in Africa, including living in Nairobi, she witnessed firsthand the pressing issues of poverty and malnutrition that impact the continent. Transitioning from a molecular biologist to a finance professional has allowed me to leverage her influence to drive impactful change at a higher level, bridging the gap between decision-makers and those directly affected. She believes that impact is a collective effort involving various stakeholders, and as individuals, we all have a role to play in fostering positive change. This journey has led her to advocate for impactful investments and societal contributions, a topic she is passionate about discussing and promoting. Mickael Apaya Mickael Apaya, Chief Sustainability and Inclusive Development Executive of Rogers said je pense que cest important quon discute de ce theme important qui est le sustainability. Il faudrait une coordination Nationale car dans differentes definitions de ESG, on a besoin davoir un alignement au niveau international et ca cest vraiment les autorites publiques, les Corps Paraetatiques, qui doivent pouvoir definir le cadre et ensuite lentreprise en tant que practitioner pourrai arriver a mettre en uvre aller chercher les donnes et faire du reporting structurer pour demontrer de limpacte . Deepa Alleck Deepa Alleck, Fund Manager, Equities, Swan Capital Solutions shared that shes really thankful to have Juristconsult bringing the discussion forward on ESG investing. If we want to ensure we go in the right direction & truly make a positive impact on the world, we need to listen to the ESG criticism as well & action on how to remedy on these. Afsar Ebrahim Afsar Ebrahim, Executive Director, KICK Advisory said that this is an important annual event for KICK to mark its presence at the Summit as the topic of ESG concerns all of us being now a matter of international interest, where we need to focus to improve the countrys climate to ensure the future generation benefit from the actions we take today. Photos At the Closing Speech, Nicolas Richard, Managing Partner of the Juristconsult Chambers, expressed his gratitude to the distinguished panelists, speakers, and participants who shared their expertise, insights, and experiences throughout this conference. Their contributions have undoubtedly enriched our understanding of the subjects discussed. He encourages to carry forward the knowledge, ideas, and the spirit of responsibility that have infused these discussions, be inspired to integrate ESG principles into our wealth management practices and invest with a purpose and process data sustainably. Mayo County Council has come under fire for delivering 360 social houses since 2019, despite having set a target of delivering over 1,000 houses by 2026 under Housing For All. LOCAL politicians have described Mayo County Councils record on housing as a failure. A presentation on the local authoritys progress on housing yesterday (Monday) was met with disdain from local representatives, with one describing the councils record as abysmal. This comes following comments from Mayo TD Michael Ring, who accused the council of failing to deliver on housing. Since 2019, the local authority has delivered 360 social houses, including 291 council-built properties. Under Housing for All, Mayo County Council aims to deliver over 1,000 social housing units from various strands before the end of 2026. According to a report presented to elected representatives, the council aims to deliver 157 houses in 2024, 190 in 2025, 234 in 2026 and 242 in 2027. The council must deliver a minimum of 730 units under Housing For All by the end of 2026. ABYSMAL SPEAKING at the councils April meeting, Fine Gael county councillor Peter Flynn described the local authoritys record on housing as an abysmal failure. The Westport-based representative took aim at the amount of land acquired by the council for housing, the number properties acquired by CPO and the number of loans and local authority loans issued. Housing Delivery is the heading of the report, but it should be really Housing Failure, Cllr Flynn remarked. If you look at the last five years, our population in Mayo has increased in and around the estimate of 10,000 people. If you look at the delivery in terms of numbers, I mean its an abysmal failure on our behalf. We have facilitated that number of 10,000 people coming into the county and yet on the other side of that we have done nothing to counteract and try and help people get through rental or any other schemes. The numbers speak for themselves. We have built 291 houses over a five-year period. Thats less than 60 houses per year. In the bad days of the town council, when there was no money, a single town council would have deliveredthose types of numbers. Cllr Flynn described the number of local authority loans issued by Mayo County Council 65 since 2020 as mind-boggling. Commenting on the amount of land acquired by the council for housing, Cllr Flynn said the council needed to be buying hundreds of acres for affordable sites and affordable housing. The council currently has five sites in Mayo that have been purchased or at an advanced stage of acquisition for housing. The subject of housing was discussed by local representatives for almost two hours at the councils recent meeting. Cllr Mark Duffy (Independent) said it was disgraceful that 16 council-owned houses were currently vacant in Ballina despite there being 183 people on the housing list in his area. CONTRACTOR SHORTAGE RESPONDING to concerns from county councillors, the local authoritys Director of Services for housing insisted that progress was being made on the issue. Tom Gilligan, Mayo County Council's Director of Services for Housing Tom Gilligan said Mayo County Council didnt do that bad with housing in 2023 compared to other local authorities. Mr Gilligan said that the delay in occupying 16 vacant social houses in Ballina was due to a shortage of available contractors. He estimated that the local authority would approve between 18 and 20 loans by the end of the year but said that he would like to see more applications. Catherine McConnell, Mayo County Councils Director of Services for Planning, said that a strong pipeline of housing is due to come on stream in Mayo. Mayo County Council received a total of 1,264 planning applications in 2023. Of these, 72 percent were granted, while 5 percent were refused. The remainder are going through the planning process (12 percent), are incomplete (5 percent), are Section 5 declarations (4 percent) or were withdrawn (2 percent). A total of 389 planning applications for single houses were granted in 2023-2024, according to the councils Housing Delivery: Planning and Housing Update report. Mayo County Council has also approved 277 applications for the Croi Conaithe grant scheme for refurbishing vacant properties. Twenty-six of these a maximum of up to 70,000 per grant have been paid out. Approximately 100 homeless people are accessing emergency accommodation in Mayo at present, while 1,037 people are on Mayo County Councils social housing list. The county does not officially have any rough sleepers. FAILURE ELSEWHERE, Mayo TD Michael Ring said that Mayo County Council had failed the people of Mayo on housing. The council has taken up every available property for Ukrainians and other people coming to this country, and people cannot get houses as a result, the former government minister said at the launch of Fine Gaels local election campaign in Straide. Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from Ukraine and International Protection Applicants are entitled to State accommodation but do not qualify for social housing. A march will take place in Ballina today as a show of opposition to the accommodation of 120 International Protection Applicants (IPAs) in the Twin Trees Hotel. Demonstrators will walk from the hotel through Ballina at hotel on the Downhill Road at 3pm and will then proceed through the town. A crowd of approximately 400 people attended a demonstration at the hotel last Friday after it was officially announced that the hotel would be using 33 of its bedrooms to accommodate 120 IPAs from family units. Protestors have maintained a presence at the hotel since the announcement was made. The Twin Trees Hotel has said that it will remain open to the public and urged protestors not to obstruct staff, guests or users of the leisure facility. Alan Flannery, one of the organisers of todays (Saturday) demonstration, called on demonstrators to act peacefully. Speaking on Midwest Radio earlier this week, Mr Flannery expressed concern over the impact on services from accommodating people in the hotel. The way things are theres a lot of hotels and B&Bs in the area already taken up with asylum seekers. Its becoming increasingly difficult to access doctors and dentists and schools and creches and the whatnot. I think its time this needs to stop, Mr Flannery said. My view on it, and the view of the group is enough is enough. The town has done its part. I just dont think the services are there for it. Thats the high and the short of it. Ballina Municipal District Council earlier this week voted to write to the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and Minister for Integration Roderic OGorman calling for the proposed use of the hotel for IPAs to be halted. Local Fine Gael election candidate Hugh Rouse has also expressed opposition to the hotel being used to accommodate asylum seekers. The hotel is due to undergo extensive refurbishment involving upgrades to all guest and member facilities. Our plan is to elevate the hotel to a lifestyle leisure resort for the area, bringing a new premium standard of hospitality for the North Mayo region, it said in a statement. The monthly meeting of Ballina Municipal District Council was told that Ballina - which has a population of over 10,000 - is currently accommodating 407 asylum seekers and Ukrainians. Westport is accommodating 614 while Castlebar is accommodating 1,393. Mets reliever Tyler Jay went unclaimed on waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse, tweets Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Hell stick in the organization without holding a 40-man roster spot. Jay, who turns 30 today, had a brief stint on the big league team. He pitched twice, allowing only one run over four innings. That cup of coffee was the culmination of a lengthy climb through the professional ranks. The sixth overall pick in the 2015 draft by the Twins, Jay never reached the big leagues with Minnesota. Injuries, most notably a 2017 thoracic outlet procedure, stopped the Illinois product from moving past Double-A. It looked as if Jay would never get to the majors, but he reinvigorated his career in independent ball. Jay showed enough with the Frontier Leagues Joliet Slammers between 2022-23 to earn a minor league opportunity from the Mets. He made six appearances with Syracuse late last season and began this year with 5 2/3 scoreless innings there. Despite his strong start, the Mets designated Jay for assignment when they reacquired the out-of-options Michael Tonkin on Wednesday. Jay will head to Triple-A and look to pitch his way back to the big league bullpen later this season. Twins right-hander Daniel Duarte will undergo an elbow surgery on May 8 and wont pitch again in the 2024 season, the team announced. The type of the surgery wasnt specified, which impacts a possible recovery timeline an internal brace surgery could have Duarte ready for Opening Day 2025, while a Tommy John surgery would sideline him until July or August 2025. This marks the second and most serious elbow-related injury of Duartes young career, as he previously missed most of the 2022 season due to inflammation in his throwing elbow. While he returned to pitch 66 2/3 total innings for the Reds at the MLB and Triple-A levels in 2023, a bout of shoulder tightness then sent him to the IL at the end of last season. Duartes 2024 campaign now will end after just two games and four innings for Minnesota, as he has been on the injured list since a retroactive April 4 placement. Signed out of Mexico as an international free agent by the Rangers in 2023, Duarte took a long path to the majors before making his MLB debut with Cincinnati in 2022. He has a 3.99 ERA over 38 1/3 innings in the Show, despite a 17% strikeout rate and a high 14.5% walk rate. Some control problems occasionally cropped up in the minors for Duarte, but his overall minor league performance was pretty solid, including a 4.05 ERA across 46 2/3 innings of Triple-A ball. He has also posted some strong grounder rates, topping the 50% mark across both his big league and Triple-A work in 2023. Duarte actually came to the Twins via the Rangers, who claimed Duarte off waivers from the Reds in January before designating him a couple of weeks later and losing him on another claim from Minnesota. The Twins then DFAed and outrighted Duarte off their own roster in February before selecting his contract just prior to Opening Day. Duarte will be moved to the 60-day IL when the Twins next need a 40-man roster space. If there is any small consolation to what has to be a rough setback for Duarte, hell at least bank a year of MLB service time because the injury occurred while he was on the active roster. Dear Amy: Some of my family members are going to have a mini family reunion in Paris in a few months the city where my brother lives. My brothers son, wife and their two young children will be flying to Paris from Istanbul, and I will be flying in from the USA. My nephews family and I will be staying at the same hotel. Several times my brother has mentioned that his son and family are coming to Paris especially to see the uncle from America. So, in light of those repeated comments, do you think it would be necessary or rather the right thing to do for me to pay for my nephew and familys hotel bill during their weeks visit in Paris? And yes, I can afford to pay but do I need to? Dan in LA Dear Dan: Thank you for asking a question that will be met by a universal sigh: What a nice problem to have. Your nephew and family are traveling for a family reunion, which will include his father (grandparent to the children). Presumably these family members have spent time together previously. I infer that your nephew and his wife have not spent much (if any) time with you and that their children have possibly never met you. You can imagine their excitement and curiosity about meeting their American uncle. Your brother is passing along this familys excitement, not asking for you to foot their bill or implying that you should. I dont read anything in your narrative that should lead you down this path, but if they are in need or you want to be generous in this way, then paying for their hotel bill would be a very kind thing to do. Otherwise, I hope you will bring some small gifts from Los Angeles, perhaps take them to lunch or to a museum in Paris, and if you all hit it off you could invite them to visit you in your home, and foot the bill when you do. You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook. 2024 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WARREN, MI - An 8-year-old boy is in critical condition after police say he found a gun and shot himself in the head. The Warren Police Department responded around 3:25 p.m. Friday, April 19 to a 911 call reporting that a child had shot himself in the face at the Cove on 10 Apartment Complex near Hoover Road and 10 Mile Road, according to a news release. The Warren Fire Department rushed the child to an area hospital with police agencies blocking intersections on the way. So far, it appears that the child may have found a handgun in the residence and shot himself in the head area, police said. Both of the childs parents were home at the time, police say, and investigators will look into whether the handgun was securely stored. Related: Gun laws are changing in Michigan. Heres what you need to know. A new Michigan law went into effect in February that requires people to lock up their firearms in the presence of minors. Under the law, adults could face up to 10 years in prison if a minor shoots an unsecured gun and injures someone. There are laws now in place if you dont keep your firearm secured and if things happen with them, youll go to prison. And unfortunately, this is a worse-case scenario and thats why we have laws like this, Warren Police Lt. Greg Booton told WXYZ. I would just ask you if you keep a firearm at home, please lock it up, secure it, keep it away from your children. The child was last listed in critical condition but was responding to pain stimuli, police said. Foul play is not suspected and the investigation is ongoing. ANN ARBOR, MI A new mural celebrating Ann Arbors bicentennial year was unveiled at Veterans Memorial Park on Friday. The new mural, Ann Arbor Welcomes All was created by Praveena J. Ramaswami, mural curator, Amanda May Moore, lead muralist, and Narooz Solimon, co-muralist and consult. Mayor Christopher Taylor, city officals, Michigan State Representative of the 47th district Carrie Rheingans and Creative Washtenaw President and CEO Deb Polich joined the community in seeing the new mural that celebrates the diversity of people representing the community. The city of Ann Arbor, we are a welcoming community and it is right and proper that we express that wherever we can and as frequently as we can, said mayor Christopher Taylor. I wanted to have a mural that was not in downtown Ann Arbor. I really wanted something that was outside the city where a lot of us live, said mural curator Praveena J. Ramaswami. The mural was completed with the support of the Public Arts Commission, the Parks & Recreation Department and the city of Ann Arbor. Each portrait on the mural was individually carved and printed before they were painted onto the mural. Oftentimes I create portraits to be simplified. I want people to see themselves and identify themselves, said lead muralist Amanda May Moore. A majority of Volkswagen workers in Tennessee voted to unionize, becoming the first Southern autoworkers outside of Detroits Big Three to join the United Auto Workers union. The UAW announced the historic win Friday, April 19 with an unofficial vote count of 73% for joining the union and 27% against. This election is big, said a statement from Kelcey Smith, a worker in the paint department at Volkswagen. People in high places told us good things cant happen here in Chattanooga. They told us this isnt the time to stand up, this isnt the place. But we did stand up and we won. This is the time; this is the place. Southern workers are ready to stand up and win a better life. Related: Stellantis, Ford ratify UAW deal, officially ending Big Three negotiation After the UAW secured new contracts with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis last fall, the union set its sights on organizing 13 other automakers. The campaign targeted Southern states, which have long been hostile to unions as the industry grew. Six Republican governors of Southern states penned a letter ahead the Volkswagen plant vote saying, unionization would certainly put our states jobs in jeopardy. The Chattanooga plant is the first to unionize since the UAWs efforts began in November. Volkswagen acknowledged the union vote in a statement Friday night saying it awaits certification of the results by the National Labor Relations Board. President Joe Biden, who calls himself the most pro-union president in American history, congratulated the UAW and workers. I was proud to stand alongside auto workers in their successful fight for record contracts, and I am proud to stand with auto workers now as they successfully organize at Volkswagen, he said in a statement. Related: UAW launches campaign to unionize BMW, Honda, Tesla and 10 other automakers The win in Chattanooga carries the momentum of last years six-week strike against the Big Threethat resulted in major gains for workers: an average 25% wage increase, reinstating cost-of-living allowances and ending wage tiers for new hires. Union president Shawn Fain then told workers at non-unionized plants now, its your turn. We saw the big contract that UAW workers won at the Big Three and that got everybody talking, said a statement from Zachary Costello, a trainer in VWs proficiency room. You see the pay, the benefits, the rights UAW members have on the job, and you see how that would change your life. Thats why we voted overwhelmingly for the union. Once people see the difference a union makes, theres no way to stop them. The UAW says more than 10,000 non-union autoworkers have signed union cards in recent months with campaigns at Mercedes, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Toyota. About 5,000 workers at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Alabama will be the next to vote on May 13 to 17. DPRK test-fires new anti-aircraft missile Xinhua) 15:23, April 20, 2024 SEOUL, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted a power test of a super-large warhead designed for the "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile and a test launch of the "Pyoljji-1-2" new-type anti-aircraft missile on Friday afternoon, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Saturday. The tests were conducted in the western waters off the Korean Peninsula, and a certain goal was attained, the report said. According to the KCNA report, the tests were part of the regular activities for the rapid development of technologies in various aspects such as tactical and technical performance and operation of new-type weapon systems. The tests had nothing to do with the regional situation, the report added. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) 10:30 | Lima, Apr. 20. Phibrand General Manager Cristian Mansilla, according to a study conducted by the firm and presented to the This was stated by, according to a study conducted by the firm and presented to the Institute of Mining Engineers of Peru (IIMP) He indicated that the main function of mining suppliers is to develop technology and then place it in the mining industry, so that it can harness the benefits of that innovation linked to sustainable practices. "Our prospective research has to do with raising hypotheses that appear in the relationship between a mining company and suppliers, regarding how they perceive innovation and sustainable practices," he noted. Mansilla underscored that research reveals that 73% of mining companies believe mining suppliers should focus their efforts on innovating operational safety, while 68% on reducing operational costs. Meanwhile, 25% prefer that they focus on reducing carbon footprint in their operations. "When we asked (mining companies) where suppliers should focus, in terms of innovation, they said: operational safety, operational cost reduction, mainly equipment productivity and, at the bottom, sustainability," he indicated. Moreover, the Chilean company's spokesperson stated that 56% of surveyed mining business people affirmed that it is currently unlikely to find a better supplier than the one they (already) have. This idea is reinforced by the fact that 53% of respondents indicated that they have not considered replacing their technological provider to achieve efficiency in mine-related work, the specialist explained. "() everyone would like to replace suppliers, but not everyone sees that there is a better one than the one they have. So, what happens is that suppliers tend to maintain their position, and the same (happens) with innovation," he concluded. Remarks were made during his presentation at the extraordinary session of the Benemerita Sociedad Fundadores de la Independencia (Meritorious Society Founders of Independence) in Lima. During his speech, the Cabinet member referred to the new challenges currently posed in foreign policy, such as the Disruptive Era, in addition to international security and peace. "As Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic, from the first day I was clearly aware of the weight of this enormous legacy and the dimension of responsibility that falls on me in the face of the new challenges that are posed to Peruvians and humanity: the transition from an era of changes to a change of era, the Disruptive Era," he noted. Moreover, Gonzalez-Olaechea expressed concern about the growing nuclear club, the unstoppable arms race, hybrid wars, new lethal weapons, new applications for international security, military nano intelligence, the proliferation of lethal fundamentalisms that nowadays, without any doubt, reconfigure the world order day by day, hour by hour. "In addition to land, sea, and air space, we witness the supremacy of the fourth space: the exterior under the new doctrine: the multidomain, and not to mention one of the new threats that we must face without blinking, I mean those new international actors that -not being States themselves- pierce our security, such as transnational organized crime, increasingly numerous and complex phenomena, such as diasporas and forced migrations, among others," he indicated. Minister Gonzalez-Olaechea was incorporated as an honorary member of the Benemerita Sociedad Fundadores de la Independencia the first patriotic institution of Peru created by Law No. 2432 to honor the memory of the founders of our independence. In this regard, the government official stated that he receives "this honor, with humility, respect, but, above all, with the unwavering commitment by virtue of the oath that I took before the Nation when assuming the responsibility of exercising the position that I hold and whose substance is no other than the defense of the sacred permanent interests of our homeland." Lastly, he pointed out that to honor those who fought for Peru's independence, as well as defended its sovereignty and interests, it is necessary to update and project the legacy abroad in the permanent task of building a safe, united, respected, and prosperous nation. OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All Lok Sabha Elections 2024: EC registers FIRs against DK Shivakumar, DK Suresh, BY Vijayendra for breaching MCC Follow us on: 21 police and Home Guard jawans injured as bus carrying them after poll duty overturns in MP OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All Election wrap: Priyanka Gandhi's close aide joins BJP, PM Modi says 'one-sided' voting for NDA in LS polls phase 1 Maharashtra Lok Sabha election 2024: How Bhujbals withdrawal from candidature of Nashik Lok Sabha seat has proved to be a saviour for Eknath Shinde Monique McCreanor was travelling back to Sydney from Melbourne when she was hit with the charge at the boarding gate. Monique had rushed to the airport, new prizes in tow, only to discover her one carry-on bag was 900 grams over Jetstar's limit. Source: TikTok An Australian traveller has warned people of Jetstar's excess carry-on baggage charges after she was hit with a $75 fee for being "900 grams" over the seven-kilogram limit. Monique McCreanor was travelling back to Sydney from Melbourne after a fitness competition. As a winner, Monique had to stay back to accept her prizes so changed her flight to a last-minute Jetstar one, rushing to the airport straight from the podium ceremony with her one carry-on bag in tow. Getting to the gate, Jetstar staff weighed Monique's bag which is when she found out it was just under a kilogram over the limit due to the added prizes she was now lugging around. "I have no issue paying extra, but $75 is very steep for something that is not even 1kg over," she told Yahoo News Australia. Jetstar explains why they have carry-on restrictions Jetstar told Yahoo their carry-on restrictions are in place to "ensure a smooth boarding process, enough room to safely and comfortably stow all carry-on items and the correct weight and balance for take-off". "Being a proudly low-cost airline, we offer customers incredibly low fares which all include carry-on baggage allowance of seven kilograms across two items, and the option to ask about pre-purchasing up to 14 kilograms," they said. Jetstar did not reveal why the price is set at $75. However, the earlier you purchase extra weight the less you pay due to it being less likely to cause the airline disruptions to their operations. Jetstar states online if you arrive at the boarding gate with more than the carry-on baggage allowance, there are two options. A person must pay the excess carry-on baggage fee and your bag will be checked in, which is $80 for domestic flights, or purchase "+7kg Extra Carry-On Baggage" to take up to 14kg as carry-on, which costs $75 for domestic flights this latter option can sell out and therefore may not be available. If a person were to realise their carry-on was too heavy before, or at, check-in, the domestic cost to add an extra seven kilos is $60. Mixed response to traveller's warning Monique said if she had known the "immense charges" before, she would have booked checked baggage for a cheaper rate. However, some who saw her original video about the charge which Monique has since removed were less than sympathetic. "No sorry, it clearly gives weight allowance. You went over, you pay," one said. "Seriously it doesn't matter who you are with, you will have to pay any way, they are the rules," another added. Some shared their own experiences of being lumped with hefty charges for extra baggage. "They did this to me on my honeymoon I was p**sed," shared one. "Once they tried to do that to me so I went and bought a prepaid satchel and mailed it home," said a second. Others asked Monique why she didn't try to wear some of the clothes instead of copping the charge. "My rug rats pyjamas?" she responded. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Follow us on: Western Uttar Pradesh sees decline in voter turnout: Absence of emotive issues or summer heat to blame? Actress Harshika Poonacha alleges she was attacked in Bengaluru for speaking in Kannada, asks 'Are we living in PAKISTAN or AFGANISTAN??' Rajkummar Rao's viral pic sparks plastic surgery rumours, actor reacts and says 'Have done fillers but never gone under the knife' Elon Musk confirms his scheduled trip to India is delayed but looks forward to visiting it later this year Follow us on: Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK April 20, 2024 / 22:19 IST EPFOs provisional payroll data released on 20th April, 2024 highlights that EPFO has added 15.48 lakh net members in the month of February, 2024. The data indicates that around 7.78 lakh new members have been enrolled during February, 2024. A noticeable aspect of the data is the dominance of the 18-25 age group, constituting a significant 56.36% of the total new members added in February 2024 indicating the majority of individuals joining the organized workforce are youth, primarily first-time job seekers. The famous magpie was returned six weeks after a Gold Coast couple surrendered it to Queensland authorities. Famous animal duo, Peggy and Molly, received a surprise visitor at their home this week, days after the famous magpie was returned to the Gold Coast couple. The wild bird, which has more than two million followers on social media, was reunited with two domestic dogs Peggy and her pup Ruby after it was surrendered by couple Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen more than six weeks ago. On Tuesday, two new photos of Molly were shared online just hours after she was reunited with her pal Peggy with Queensland Premier Stephen Miles later paying the family a special visit at their home. A video shared on Miles' TikTok page shows him inside the family home with Molly perched on his shoulder as he strokes the back of Peggy. "Popped in to see a mate. Thank you Reece and Juliette for inviting me to meet Molly, Peggy, and Ruby," the caption reads. Premier's stance on Molly the magpie criticised The premier was a vocal advocate for the bird's return to the Gold Coast family, despite his former role as environment minister. In March, he called for "common sense" to prevail, saying efforts should be made to return the bird to Juliette and Reece who had been caring for it since 2020 after allegedly taking it from the wild without a permit, licence or authority. His remarks riled up wildlife experts who believe the bird was kept "unlawfully" at the property. Sources within the state environment department (DESI) who spoke to Yahoo News on the condition of anonymity reported feeling like theyd been "thrown under a bus" after Miles weighed into the matter, appearing to undermine their efforts to provide the bird with a new life. Peggy and Molly supporters excited by magpie's return The Department of Environment (DESI) agreed to send the magpie back under strict conditions regarding commercial gain. The couple agreeed to several licensing demands. The decision has been applauded by their supporters, including some who praised Miles for the friendly visit this week. "Thank you Steven, you did a good thing. So many people are so very grateful," said one on the premier's TikTok video. "Steve this is the best thing you have done so far," wrote another. Molly the magpie was returned to Gold Coast couple Juliette Wells (pictured) and Reece Mortensen more than six weeks after they surrendered it. Source: Instagram Miles denies bowing to social media pressure to intervene in the case, according to the ABC, insisting it was a "common sense" approach. "The choice between having Molly in a sanctuary or worse still, euthanased, versus being in a home where he's cared by carers that care for [him] as well as surrounded by other animals, I think it's a better outcome," the premier said. "That's what the act requires either a sanctuary or euthanasia. I clearly wouldn't want to see either of those things happen." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Follow us on: Role played by India during G-20 presidency appreciated at IMF and WB meeting: Ajay Seth OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All Will expose Centre's 'dictatorial' approach in INDIA bloc's Ulgulan rally in Ranchi: J'khand CM PM talks about 'Make in India' but wants Chinese goods to be sold in country: Rahul Gandhi Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Follow us on: Chinese woman tries to kick son while helping him with homework, ends with fractured leg Best cities to find a job in the US Follow us on: US couple gets $143,000 phone bill after returning from trip to Switzerland: 'You're covered' The suburb's foreshore has slowly been eroding causing jetties, sand and the playground to vanish before locals' eyes. Lake Illawarra is washing away the foreshore in Windang, a suburb of Wollongong, two hours from Sydney. Source: A Current Affair Residents in a beachside suburb have hit out at council for neglecting the community's foreshore which has been slowly washing away and risking children's safety. A playground was forced closed recently over concerns it wasn't safe for kids playing in the area along Windang's foreshore, a suburb near Wollongong, New South Wales, with jetties, sandbanks and the play area vanishing before locals' eyes. Residents have watched for the past three years as the large Lake Illawarra "swallows" up the foreshore, but a recent storm event has caused more erosion, and residents have had enough. One mother, who's lived in the area for two decades, said it was "very very lucky" that no kids were injured on the play equipment when it recently caved in, although she and her young daughter were close by. "We were down here on Sunday, my daughter was standing on the edge just to have a look back and the ground did go out from underneath her," Jessica told A Current Affair on Friday. "They've had warning, they've had plenty of time to build a replacement while stabilising the shoreline and we could have still had this but now it's gone," she said of the council. Mum Jessica fears for the safety of her children, and others, who were nearby when the playground collapsed into the water. Source: A Current Affair Residents urge council to 'take action' Jessica is among many frustrated residents who have urged Wollongong City Council to "take some action" to stop the foreshore from eroding further. "We want it to be safe first and foremost and obviously second we just want to look as nice as Shellharbour does on the other side," another man Klayten said. Klayten said the southern side of the lake, which belongs to Shellharbour City Council, appears to be far better kept than Windang's, which is wasting away. Local mayor urges residents to stay away from eroding foreshore Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery agrees the area, specifically the playground, isn't safe and encouraged locals to avoid the area. He arranged for fences to close off the playground with equipment also removed. "You don't go to a playground where you know that there are situations where there's likely to be a danger," Bradbery said. But he said the lake is an asset of the state, not the council, suggesting it "isn't council that will be ultimately responsible for the work." Coastal erosion growing problem across Australia Coastal erosion has proven problematic across the country and is predicted to get worse as sea levels continue to rise. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's (DCCEEW's) National Coastal Risk Assessment states erosion due to higher sea levels is a "key risk" for coastal areas. At the moment sea levels are rising at a rate of 3-4 millimetres per year, coastal engineering expert Dr Mitchell Harley from the UNSW previously explained to Yahoo News Australia. "We haven't quite seen the effects of that in terms of coastal erosion," he said. "But, at a certain point, there will be all the signs pointing to acceleration in the latter half of this century." Another local man who's lived in Windang for over 60 years noted the "disastrous consequences" of mother nature saying the tide in the lake is "very very strong". "The lake is gradually going to take away what it wants to," said the man named Peter. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Follow us on: Moscow says 50 Ukrainian drones shot down as attacks spark fires at Russian power stations Follow us on: Philippines wants US, Japan to take over rail deal eyed by China OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All US sanctions Chinese, Belarusian firms for providing ballistic missile components to Pakistan Riley the wallaby was found cold, wet and terrified. A new photo reveals how far he's come. Riley the wallaby was discovered "terrified" after his mum was killed by a car. But nine months later the youngster is thriving. Source: Hamilton Wildlife Shelter Nine months after a joey suffered a catastrophic start to life, new photos show the wallaby has bounced back and is thriving. Riley was orphaned after his mother was struck by a car on a country road. Pictures of the frightened creature standing next to his mothers lifeless body broke hearts around the country when they were shared to social media. Now the woman who rescued Riley has shared new pictures showing how he looks nine months later, after growing from a tiny 600 grams to a massive 10kg. Hes looking quite chunky which is really good, Shelly Burrowes told Yahoo News. When Burrowes visited him he was sunbaking in his pen without a care in the world. Wallabies love to sit on their bums with their tails forward and snooze. He was in heaven sitting in the sun, she said. Discover more of our environment coverage. Riley the wallaby's heartbreaking start to life Riley was discovered by Burrowes just after she crossed over the border into South Australia, in the tiny town of Frances in the state's east. She gasped so hard when she spotted the wallaby that her children wondered what was wrong. He was just so scared and sad, it was heartbreaking, Burrowes said. He was clinging to his mums fur and trembling. It was raining and he was so cold. As I approached him he did this weak little chitter. Burrowes scooped the muddy joey into her jumper to try and keep him warm until she could get him to a care facility. Although Burrowes has her own wildlife rescue shelter, she was unable to take him home because its located in Victoria and there are regulations about taking native animals across state lines. Riley will now be free to live out his life in a large wildlife sanctuary, where hell be safe from predators and cars. His carer described him as a lovely little boy who is always the first wallaby to meet her at the gate. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Electric vehicles remain a divisive topic as more and more appear on Australian roads. There's a clear divide among Australians, that much is clear, with electric vehicles remaining a contentious topic across the country. As EV sales continue to grow in Australia, and worldwide, they've created a wedge between two passionate parties those who like and drive them and others who don't. The rivalry is evident in the number plates displayed on a South Australian's Tesla vehicle which were spotted by a curious motorist in Adelaide this week. "Quite appropriate rego for an EV," thought the driver. However, not everyone agreed. The plates on the Tesla Model S say, "RIP ICE" paying homage to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars, or regular petrol or diesel vehicles. Seemingly suggesting that ICE cars are a thing of the past. More electric vehicles on Aussie roads Currently, approximately 198,000 electric vehicles are driving on Australian roads, two-thirds of which have been purchased since 2022. The federal government plans to grow the country's EV network drastically by 2030 to accommodate the soaring demand. So in many ways, it's a "fair point" one person on Facebook suggested after seeing the image shared online. "Sales are decreasing for ICE vehicles which will make them RIP," they said. Other electric vehicle number plates, including 'RIP FUEL', were called out on Facebook. Source: Facebook/Getty "Wow!!! That is the best number plate. Love it," another said. With someone else calling it "fantastic". But some didn't agree the number plate was a smart choice. "Yeah, I prefer not to poke the bear. Too many idiots out there that hate EVs," one shared. "Sadly these plates just guarantee that your car will get keyed" just ask this boomer couple who got busted deliberately damaging a white Tesla in a parking lot. Another agreed saying, "I hate those stupid plates". "I drive an EV but dont need to drive around making smug statements. Lame," they added. Others shared examples of the "smug" plates in question that are currently on Australian roads some of which include "ONE-LESSCO2", "NOFEWL", "RIP FUEL". Aussies remain divided over shift to electric vehicles Despite an increase of EVs, namely Teslas, on Aussie roads, not everyone agrees they're the best way forward. Gordon Walker, a retiree living on the Gold Coast, told Yahoo News Australia that, despite having driven many, and even owning one himself, "EVs are not the way of the future". "It's a hiccup and it's a disaster," he said, adding more needs to be done to improve the EV infrastructure in Australia for it to available option in the future. Instead, he suggested hybrid vehicles might be a better option. Time and time again EV drivers are faced with kilometre-long queues at charging stations across the country. And most of which don't yet accommodate vehicles towing caravans or trailers. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Yves here. Please applaud theAnalysis.news and its guest Katya Schwenk of The Lever, for looking for higher-order causes of front-page-headlines-garnering examples of US safety dereliction of duty, and behind that, manufacturing deficiencies. Monopolization is indeed one way to frame the problem. But the ultimate driver is neoliberalism, which ever and always favors efficiency over building in buffers and processes to assure resilience, redundancy, and other buffers against Shit Happening. By theAnalysis.news. Originally published at its website Talia Baroncelli Youre watching theAnalysis.news, and Im your host, Talia Baroncelli. Joining me today is a reporter from The Lever, Katya Schwenk. Shell be joining me to speak about the liability and monopolization issues around the Boeing crashes, the cargo ship that crashed into the Baltimore Bridge, as well as slush money funds, funding police departments in the United States. We really cant do any of this work without you. If youre in a position to donate, please go to our website, theAnalysis.news, and hit the donate button at the top right corner of the screen. Most importantly, get onto our mailing list; that way, youre always up to date every time a new episode drops. Like and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or on YouTube. See you in a bit with Katya Schwenk. Joining me now is Katya Schwenk. Shes currently a reporter at The Lever, which was founded by David Sirota. She has previously contributed numerous pieces to The Intercept, The Baffler, and also worked at the Phoenix New Times. Thank you so much for joining me today, Katya. Katya Schwenk Thanks for having me. Talia Baroncelli Youve been doing a lot of reporting on the Dali, which is a Singaporean flagship, which actually lost power and then subsequently crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, ultimately killing six out of the eight workers which were on the [bridge]. I think it was yesterday that the FBI launched an investigation into the ship. The crew members of the ship had been on the ship since March 26, if Im not mistaken. The FBI got a warrant, and theyve gone onto the ship to try to investigate whether there was some electrical dysfunction. At the same time, you have a U.S. attorneys office in Maryland launching a criminal investigation into the incident to see if the crew members actually knew that there were these sorts of electrical issues when they started leaving the Port of Baltimore. According to U.S. law, you cant operate a ship and leave a Port if the ship is not considered to be seaworthy or worthy for the journey and following all the necessary safety protocols. What do you know of the investigation so far and the electrical issues which were also on the ship? Katya Schwenk It seems clear at this point that the electrical issues were really the main driver of what caused this really devastating crash and then the collapse of the bridge. We know that the ship lost propulsion minutes before it hit the bridge, just enough time for the crew to call some of the folks working on either side of the bridge to stop traffic, but ultimately, they were not able to stop the ship before it collided with the bridge. It seems these investigations are both in their early stages. We dont know. There are many details that are still yet to be uncovered here. It does seem that it was really electrical issues with the ship for the main cause of the crash at this point. We have, as you said, the FBI now investigating. There are some indications, according to reporting by the Associated Press who cited an anonymous source, that the crew of the ship was aware of electrical issues on the ship before it left the harbor in Baltimore on that day. As you said, if the crew had been aware that there were these problems on the ship before leaving on this journey, that could raise some serious questions about liability. In the case of Baltimore, which is trying to seek damages from the ships owners, if the ship was found to be aware of these issues, it could lead to problems of them being held liable for those damages and have implications for the FBIs criminal probe into the crew and the ships owners. Talia Baroncelli Yeah, there are a lot of really fascinating and strange aspects of this case. I think you reported at The Lever that the Singaporean company or the owner of the ship, so not the company which is charting the ship, which is a Danish company, Maersk, but the owner of the ship has invoked an 1851 maritime law to cap the ships liability of collapsing the bridge and limit the liability to the value of the vessels remains, which would currently be a total of $43.6 million U.S. dollars. This would essentially mean that the city would not be able to file for damages or claim damages against the ships owner, and neither would the families of the victims. Do you know much about this weird maritime law and the legal loophole? Has it been used in previous contexts? Katya Schwenk Yeah, this law has a long history, and it sounds complicated and archaic, as it is an old maritime law. It actually is really important because, as you said, we have this law on the books from literally more than 100 years ago, from the 1800s, that allows the owners of ships to limit the damages that they pay, even if they were, as happened in Baltimore, responsible for very, very serious destruction to property, or even more importantly here, the loss of lives of people, of workers, construction crew who were on the bridge. For decades since the law was passed, ships have invoked it as a way to avoid paying damages. Most famously, it was used literally by the owners of the Titanic to limit the payout that they owed the passengers. The idea behind the law when it was passed was it was a very different time, far less technology in terms of shipping. Owners had less access to information about conditions and the seaworthiness of the vessels. But now, its very easy for ship owners to monitor ships. They have access to Maritime Insurance. A lot of experts say, We dont really need a law like this on the books. But the shipping industry, anytime reforms have been proposed, has lobbied very hard to keep it on the books. As you said, the owner of this ship in Baltimore, which is essentially what seems to be a shell company in Singapore, is using this law to say, The price to rebuild the bridge is probably in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Of course, there may be damages that we could owe the families of those who lost loved ones, but we think that our damages should be kept at far less than that, at only 43 million, because of this old law that allows us to do that. It raises real concerns about how we are going to make sure that this shipping company is held accountable. Talia Baroncelli Do you know why this shell company was set up in Singapore? Was it presumably to pay fewer taxes? Do you know anything about that? Katya Schwenk Yeah. The shipping industry is full of companies like this. Because it is incorporated there, it allows you to obscure who the ultimate owner might be. We know that this company, Grace Oceans Limited, owns more than 50 other ships. But because it is incorporated, and they do business, of course, all over the world, we have very limited access to the ownership information because of where its chosen to incorporate. Talia Baroncelli Obviously, we dont know all that much about the FBIs investigation right now because its in its early stages. I did see reporting as to the contents of the containers on the ship. Apparently, they were transporting lots of different hazardous materials, Class 9 hazardous materials, which would be very corrosive or potentially explosive. And 476 of those containers contained hazardous material destined to be taken to; I think it was Sri Lanka and disposed of there, probably in an unlawful way, in a way thats obviously not good for the environment and not following certain procedures and laws. I dont know if it was a transportation board that was monitoring the waste, but do you think that the FBIs investigation has anything to do with the perhaps illicit transport of this toxic waste? Katya Schwenk Yeah, I dont know if we know. Im sure its something that theyre looking at. I dont think we know at this point if its a significant part of their investigation. But yes, as you said, the National Transportation Safety Board, the federal officials that monitor disasters like this, have said that there were more than, I believe, 700 tons of potentially hazardous material. We dont know at this point what that material was, and we dont know how much of it could have ended up in the waters. I think all the local officials have said was that there was some sheen, you can imagine, like an oil-glistening look on the waters around the ship. Thats all the information thats been released so far about how the hazardous materials have come in contact with the water and whether they could pose those kinds of safety concerns. I really think there should be more transparency around that. I think the public really deserves to know what was in those containers and were any of them compromised during the collapse. Talia Baroncelli You also did reporting on the Danish company that charted the ship, the Maersk company. Apparently, there were numerous accounts of people trying to report unsafe working conditions on the ship, and there was even a whistleblower or several. Could you speak about that as well? Katya Schwenk This is the Danish company, not the one that owned the ship but, as you said, that chartered the ship. It was managing its path from Baltimore to Sri Lanka. Yes, we found that in the wake of the collapse, we began looking at Maersks record in this area. They have faced allegations in the past and, in fact, faced sanctions by federal officials in the U.S. for violating labor law. One of the most egregious cases of this was for a long time, it seemed that this company had a policy that if workers on a vessel had issues or safety concerns, they were to go to Maersk and its management first before they contacted the Coast Guard or other U.S. authorities, which by the Department of Labor is a complete violation of the law. Ultimately, they had, I think, fired or sanctioned a whistleblower who had gone to the Coast Guard with his concerns that were pretty serious concerns about safety issues on a vessel. After being sanctioned, the Maersk rolled back that policy. I think it really speaks to some questions that are lingering about treatment of workers on this companys ships and whether that played a role at all in what happened in Baltimore. Talia Baroncelli A lot of the stories you report on, either directly or indirectly, deal with the effects of monopolization or finding legal loopholes or corporate liability and corporations not doing their due diligence and also not maintaining certain standards. It seems like, in certain cases, there isnt a structure to incentivize safety because perhaps safety isnt as profitable as outsourcing some of your work to other companies. This brings me to the case of Boeing, which I know a lot of people have been following and youve also done reporting on together with other reporters at The Lever. Going back a few years to 2018 and 2019, people will recall the really deadly fatal crashes of Boeing 737 MAX passenger airplanes, which killed upwards of 350 people as there were two crashes. There was one in 2018 and 2019. As a result of those crashes, after a few months, the 737 MAX passenger vessels were grounded for something like 20 months or so. This was when Donald Trump was President, and the DOJ, if I recall correctly, launched an investigation right before the Biden administration took power. The result of this investigation was to sign a DPA, a Deferred Prosecution Agreement. Maybe you could speak about what the issues were at the time. What that particular DOJ investigation was looking into, and perhaps what they overlooked intentionally. Then we can also speak about the recent incident of the Alaska Airlines airplane in which, because of a faulty bolt, a door basically flew off, and there were several other issues with the plane. Katya Schwenk I think thats a sweetheart deal that Boeing got under the Trump administration, which has continued under the Biden administration. It really is emblematic of these issues of failing to hold companies accountable, the ways that companies like Boeing, like these shipping companies, have pushed to limit corporate liability. As you said, following the awful, devastating crashes of the Boeing planes in which more than 300 people were killed, there was a lot of pressure to launch a criminal probe. The Department of Justice did begin investigating, but what happened instead was they offered Boeing a sweetheart deal, a deferred prosecution agreement. But essentially, the terms of this deal were, as long as you pay a fine and change some policies on paper, were not going to take you to trial. Were going to drop the charges after a couple of years. However, that deal has come under question in recent months because part of this deal had requirements for Boeing to ensure that both employees at Boeing and its subcontractors were not engaged in any fraud. The linchpin of this case was this fraud claim against Boeing that Boeing had concealed from federal regulators the really serious issues with the flight control system on its plane that led to these deaths and crashes. Boeing agreed that it was going to ensure that fraud did not continue at both its suppliers and at the company. What did we see in the recent months in the wake of this Alaska Airlines incident, which I think shocked everyone when a panel blew off a Boeing plane? We found that, as something we reported on, there were serious allegations of fraud at the Boeing supplier that had manufactured that plane. Workers said that they were told to misrepresent safety issues. Now, it seems that federal prosecutors may be reconsidering that sweetheart deal, which is set to expire in June. Its not clear yet whether that will happen or be rescinded. I think it speaks to how these companies have created this favorable system where theyre not held accountable after incidents, like what we saw with Boeing in 2019 and 2018. I think the fact that weve only seen these issues at Boeing continue to persist and continue to be in the media; I think it shows that clearly, these deals and the current way weve approached Boeing and companies like it are not working, and theyre not fixing these problems or holding them accountable. Talia Baroncelli It seems like Boeing has been covering up a lot of the safety issues it actually knew about. I wonder if this potentially relates to that whistleblower who was found dead. I cant remember his first name, but Mr. [John] Barnett was found dead while he was making an appearance in court in South Carolina to talk about these issues. He was found dead in his hotel room. Is there any idea of what happened there? Katya Schwenk Yeah, its a tragic story. In the early stages of that investigation, it indicated at this point that he died by suicide. But of course, I think everyone wants to see a full accounting of what led to his death. But his case, I think, really does illustrate the lack of protections and safeguards for whistleblowers. His family has said he was under a lot of pressure and stress in those weeks leading up to his death because he had been involved in this fight with Boeing for years. John Burnett, was a quality manager at Boeing, who left the company, I believe, in 2017 after raising some serious safety concerns. Im sorry, I dont remember if he left or was fired, but he experienced retaliation from Boeing for raising these safety concerns and launched a whistleblower lawsuit against Boeing. But because the protections for aviation whistleblowers are so bare, and because these cases are not well-resourced, his case dragged on for years and years, it seems that Boeing pushed that to happen. Eventually, we had gone years without his concerns being addressed, and now hes been found dead. I think it is really emblematic of a faulty failed system for a whistleblower, whose testimony seems to be more needed than ever. We are seeing allegations time and time again that there have been safety issues that the company, Boeing executives, or Boeing senior employees knew about that were not made public. Whistleblowers are our only way in those situations to get that information to the public. Talia Baroncelli Well, I think one aspect of this particular incident with Boeing is the dire consequences of monopolization. Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas. It was in the 90s, following the end of the Cold War and the restructuring of different defense contractors under the Clinton administration. You could argue that Boeing is essentially a state-subsidized company because the U.S. government has invested so much money into R&D [Research and development] of the company to get it going. Many great aviation scientists have been involved in developing Boeing airplanes. At the same time, it seems like what I was mentioning before, these incentive structures arent really there to ensure that safety is also profitable for its shareholders. There was a sale in 2005 of Spirit AeroSystems. Boeing sold Spirit AeroSystems; thats not to be confused with Spirit Airlines. I dont know if at the time it was purchased by a private equity company or a private equity firm did a lot of investigating in it. Katya Schwenk It was. Talia Baroncelli How would you say this, I guess, this tendency towards monopolization, which as a result comes with a lot of terrible transparency and lack of oversight. How would you say this has fuelled a lot of the issues that Boeing is currently experiencing? Katya Schwenk I think its critical to understanding what has happened with Boeing. Were seeing Boeing prioritize its shareholders over safety because, as you said, thats what our system has encouraged and allowed it to do. I think the case that you mentioned of Spirit AeroSystems is very emblematic of that and also this trend of continually outsourcing that Boeing has done, outsourcing key parts of the supply chain. The company both gets money for shareholders and avoids liability. I think its emblematic of these issues, too. Spirit AeroSystems, once an important part of Boeings supply chain, once its Wichita division, this company was spun off to a private equity firm, two great profits for the executives involved at that time. Then, the private equity firm expanded it, sold it again or sold out its shares and made a lot of money over the years, and left this company with very little oversight from Boeing. I think Spirit AeroSystems is the one who manufactured, the company that manufactured the plane involved in the Alaska Airlines incident. It has had a long history of issues with defects at the company. Now, Boeing is in talks to buy the company back again. I think that whole saga really speaks to the way that deregulation and this increased focus on shareholders and profit that Boeing has led to this, these really serious concerns about safety. Talia Baroncelli Well, theres also another story that youve been reporting on, which I think is really fascinating, particularly in light of the different AI tools that are currently being used in, say, Israels onslaught on Gaza. There was a report by Yuval Abraham on these different AI technologies such as Lavender and Wheres Daddy. AI mechanisms and tools are being deployed to increase the amount of targets of Palestinians and Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. In light of the use of AI, you also reported on the dark money slush funds that are funding the police as well as the purchasing power and the ability of the police to sign contracts with surveillance tech firms to buy these, I would say, probably similar technologies to then use them on marginalized communities and on other individuals when theyre doing their law enforcement. So this particular report was based on a working paper that was undertaken by scholars at the University of Chicago. A sociologist, Robert Vargas, was leading it, and they were looking at 2014 to 2019 tax returns and looking at the nonprofit tax returns of, I guess it would be, of certain private donors and also of the police force to see how much money from private donors has been funneled to the police force. Something like 600 private donors donated to different police bodies throughout the United States, and approximately 461 million U.S. dollars was given to these different police outfits. This is probably an underestimate of how much money is actually going to the police because this is just based on self-reporting. Why is this significant? The police, obviously, get a lot of public money as well, and the public money goes towards paying the polices salaries and to resources and all that. Why does it matter that private companies or non-profit entities are secretly giving money to the police to purchase surveillance technology? Katya Schwenk I think its an issue that is really significant, often one that goes overlooked. I think theres rightly been quite a lot of focus on the size of police budgets, municipal police budgets, which got unimaginable amounts of public money. In comparison to that, the private funding that police got, which is generally channeled through non-profits like Police Foundation, which might purchase equipment for local police, who might give different gifts to individual officers, might just give funding, like a grant to a police department, that private money. Its often been less of a focus because it is so small in comparison to these public budgets. I think what is really significant about this research and what it really demonstrates, as well as work for years by other researchers and organizers whove been looking at this issue, this money, this private money, is going to extraneous things that police would probably not be able to get from their public budget. As you said, public budgets are often so large because theyre funding ever higher salaries and ever more overtime for officers. But this private money that police departments get is often used to buy surveillance technology, drones, data analytics, predictive policing software, and the kinds of AI tools that you mentioned as well that are, one, very concerning, that expand the power of the police state and increase over-policing in neighborhoods. Often this private money comes with less oversight than public money. Depending on the location, because their policies are totally different depending on the city; in some places, private money does not need to be accounted for and is subjected to the same oversight as public dollars, which really allows police to use the slush fund that they can do what they want with. To your first point, Ill just say, too, that the AI tools that are being used in Israel, I think this is a really important part of the story because Israeli technology is surveillance technology. Military technology that is used in Gaza is often exported to U.S. police departments. Its a long symbiotic relationship between those two entities. I think private funding of technology in the U.S. really only allows that relationship to continue. Its a real issue of concern. I think this new research, which I was really glad to write about, really shows that the amount of private money that police are getting is far greater than we previously understood it to be, and so it raises lots of questions, I think. Talia Baroncelli The report deals primarily with municipal police departments, right? Would you say that there are perhaps fewer regulations or oversight mechanisms of municipal departments compared to, say, immigration at the border, ICE officials, or border guards at the border? Im assuming that, or perhaps Im wrong, that maybe there arent as many slush money funds for ICE in general because they need to declare. There are probably more robust federal oversight mechanisms to declare where theyre getting their funding and how theyre using their public funding to purchase weapons or surveillance technology and that sort of thing. Katya Schwenk Yeah, the report did not deal with immigration authorities, but I actually dont feel that I know enough to really say whether or not the private funding, if there are methods or mechanisms for private funding of ICE and Border Patrol. I think that is another topic that I would like to look more closely at and deserves more scrutiny. I do think it is clear that quite a lot of this big network of private funding of police is really focused on local police departments, and sometimes even very small town police departments are getting huge grants for different military technologies or tanks and things that we really dont need. Its clear that small-town police dont really need to have it. How funding goes to these local police has been a big focus of the research so far, but Im not fully sure how it compares to private for federal immigration authorities. Talia Baroncelli It seems like it ties into the general garrison economy and militarization of the police that weve been seeing, not just in the U.S. but in other countries as well, and how the police are becoming increasingly more militarized using different sorts of techniques that have previously perhaps been more questionable and getting direct military funding as you reported on this shadow private funding that is really hard to detect. Katya Schwenk, its really been great speaking to you. Thanks so much for all of your reporting. Youre writing some of the most valuable and pertinent reporting at the moment, I think. Thanks a lot for taking the time and for joining me today. Katya Schwenk Thank you so much, Talia. Its been great. Talia Baroncelli And thank you for watching theAnalysis.news. We really appreciate all of your support and feedback as well. If youd like to contact us, you can go to our website, theAnalysis.news. Feel free to make a donation if you can. Thanks for watching. Biden administration forgives another $7.4 billion in student debt for 277,000 borrowers, effectively transferring that debt to U.S. taxpayers The administration of President Joe Biden has announced another significant debt relief plan that supposedly cancels $7.4 billion of debt for 277,000 student loan holders. According to a statement released by the White House, the cancellation is part of a broader effort by Biden to address the financial burdens of education, which he highlighted earlier in the month. This initiative is aimed at alleviating the economic pressures faced by millions of Americans and is seen as crucial for securing the support of young voters in the upcoming November re-election. (Related: Biden defies Supreme Court on student debt cancellation, absurdly claims theres no cost to taxpayers.) Under Biden, the Department of Education has made it easier for some specific groups of borrowers, like public sector workers, to qualify for taxpayer-funded loan forgiveness. This new repayment plan creates a shorter pathway to loan forgiveness for low-income borrowers. It is currently being challenged in at least two legal challenges led by Republican-led states. In total, the Biden administration has authorized the cancellation of $153 billion in student loan debt for nearly 4.3 million people. Thats more than nine percent of all outstanding federal student loan debt. As the November election approaches, the Biden administration has been eager to show prospective young voters how much student loan debt it has canceled, making new announcements about debt relief roughly once a month and sending emails directly to eligible borrowers. Earlier this week, Biden announced a new group of student debt relief proposals that could go into effect this fall. 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. Bidens student loan forgiveness efforts have been sharply criticized by many Republicans, who argue the president is transferring the cost to taxpayers who chose not to go to college or who already paid for it themselves. They also say he is circumventing the Supreme Court, which knocked down Bidens signature student loan forgiveness program last year. Republicans sue Biden's attempts to buy votes using taxpayer-funded student loan forgiveness In the past few weeks, two groups of Republican-led states have sued the Biden administration over the income-driven repayment plan launched last year. Known as SAVE, or Saving on a Valuable Education, the plan offers the most generous terms for low-income borrowers. About $3.6 billion of the student debt relief will be delivered to people enrolled in the SAVE plan. Republicans in 18 states want to prevent their own constituents from benefiting from the SAVE plan. They want to end SAVE, make their constituents payments go up and keep them under mountains of loan debt with no end in sight, said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Since SAVE launched last year, nearly eight million borrowers have enrolled and about 360,000 people have seen their remaining debt canceled due to the terms of the new plan. Since Biden attempted to implement a sweeping student loan forgiveness program in 2022 a plan that was knocked down by the Supreme Court before it delivered any kind of debt relief for loan holders the White House has resorted to using the president's executive powers to provide piecemeal loan forgiveness programs. Biden's sweeping plan back in 2022 would have transferred up to $20,000 of debt from borrowers earning less than $125,000 a year to regular taxpayers. This would have amounted to about $400 billion in transferred debt. The Supreme Court ruled that the administration overstepped its authority when it tried to do this. Watch this report discussing how Biden's student loan relief efforts are unfair to taxpayers. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: DEBT REVOLUTION? Tens of millions of student loan borrowers stage "massive student debt strike." Biden wants taxpayers to shoulder $6B student loan debt of 78,000 public service workers. Taxpayer money going down the drain: Biden circumvents SC decision, cancels $72M in student debt. Biden DID NOT wipe away debt via student loan forgiveness program he only redistributed it to other taxpayers. Biden's budget request for fiscal 2025 includes $12 billion for student loan forgiveness. Sources include: YourNews.com Edition.CNN.com Brighteon.com My school abandoned me: California university cancels pro-Palestinian students commencement speech The University of Southern California has cancelled a scheduled commencement speech by Asna Tabassum, citing unnamed security concerns after her selection as valedictorian was met with a wave of online attacks directed at her pro-Palestinian views. (Article republished from MiddleEastEye.net) "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," Tabassum said in a statement shared online. On 6 April, USC announced that Tabassum was selected as valedictorian, a student with the highest academic achievements in her year, for the graduating class of 2024. After the announcement was published on social media, Tabassum began receiving online attacks from an account named, "We Are Tov", a group that describes itself as "dedicated to combating antisemitism". The group's Instagram account posted Tabassums image and said she openly promotes antisemitic writings. The group also attacked her for liking Instagram posts from the student group, Trojans for Palestine. Another group, Trojans for Israel, called for the university to reconsider Tabassum's appointment, alleging she used antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric. The university released a statement on Monday, saying that Tabassum would retain her position as valedictorian, but would not be allowed to give her commencement speech. The school said that the move was made to maintain safety on campus. "After careful consideration, we have decided that our student valedictorian will not deliver a speech at commencement," the school said in a statement. "To be clear: this decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech. There is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement. The issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period." The move to cancel her commencement speech was met with outrage from Muslim civil rights groups. "This decision to cancel Asna's speech empowers voices of hate, violates USC's obligation to protect its students, and sends a terrible message to not only Muslim students at USC but all students who dare to express support for Palestinian humanity," the Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement. Since Israel's war in Gaza began in October, universities across the country have been cracking down on pro-Palestinian speech and activity. Several schools were quick to ban the student groups, Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. On Sunday, a leading American political theorist was placed on leave from her tenured position at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York, after she wrote an essay on how mainstream academia has tried to police how people feel about the Hamas-led break out of Gaza on 7 October. Read more at: MiddleEastEye.net DAVID KRAYDEN: America is already a police state; it just hasnt captured you yet Part 1 of a 2 part series on America's bloated intelligence bureaucracy. (Article by David Krayden republished from HumanEvents.com) A police state does not envelope a nation like a dark fog overnight. It takes years, sometimes decades for a country to transition from a functioning democracy to an authoritarian state where people live in constant fear of being arrested by some arm of the government. Yes, that transformation was rapid in Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. In the former dictatorship, Adolf Hitler used the Enabling Act to eradicate political opposition in the Reichstag. Once firmly in control of the levers of government, the SS and Gestapo gripped German society and the Nazis began to assiduously rework the regular police forces, ensuring that party members were in all positions of authority. The secret arrests and interrogations, followed by trips to the emerging concentration camps, were not far long away. In the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin immediately unleashed the Cheka, the communist secret police, on the Russian people and Tsarist internment camps in Siberia became Gulags. In short, a police state is not just about having too many police officers; this column should not be misconstrued in any way as an argument to defund the police so that social workers can intervene in Chicagos gang wars. With crime escalating, America could probably use more police officers, not fewer. What it needs less of are security forces which are focused not on real crime like murder, robbery and rape, but on the political opponents of the regime. That is what defines a police state: security forces that are focused on the political control of the population. A police state is both a stark reality of guns in your face and a state of mind. And it stands in diametric opposition to the Jeffersonian ideal of small government and limited bureaucratic control envisioned by the Founders. America literally has dozens of security agencies hidden under the cloak of the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Most of these organizations operate like police or paramilitary units that are armed, have the power to arrest and can detain you or seize your assets. They can come to your door in full combat gear, armed with assault rifles and wearing flak jackets. They can enter your premises, intimidate your family and drag away their suspect. Do you remember when the FBI arrested Trump confidant Roger Stone in 2019? If you dont you can see it here. If you didnt know who was the subject of this raid, you might surmise that it was an organized crime boss or a drug kingpin. How about a serial killer? Would you believe a Trump associate who was suspected of being involved with the Russia collusion hoax? Stone was guilty of being too well-dressed and all those FBI agents in their dusty black suits must have really resented that. The FBI became famous during the years of prohibition and gangsters. It used to pursue Americas enemies; now it harasses and arrests ordinary Americans for voicing opinions that the Biden administration doesnt approve of. FBI Director Christopher Wray is desperately focused on Hamas terrorists at the moment but he has spent most of President Joe Bidens term of office pursuing Americans who Biden has assessed as being dangerous and he doesnt mean just those white supremacists who supposedly reside under every Trump-supporting bed. Wray has been a contemptible top cop who has presided over the corruption and decrepitude of a police force that still likes to think it is the best in the world. It has become adept at targeting the hobgoblins of President Joe Bidens febrile administration and becoming a festering pocket of government overreach. The FBI has chosen to persecute former President Donald Trump, all MAGA supporters, anyone who walked into the White House on Jan. 6, 2021, pro-life activists and parents who attended school board meetings to protest academias gnawing obsession with Critical Race Theory. And what about that January 6 insurrection. We know that FBI agents were on the scene that day in 2021 egging on the protesters, taking them by the hand and leading them up the steps of Capitol Hill to enter the building. Wray wouldnt deny that agents were participating in the protest and were effectively leading the protest when he was questioned. This is not the work of a police force but of a secret police constabulary. The undercover video from Sound Investigations that depicts the awkward and embarrassing confessions of a former FBI employee and contracting CIA officer is another case in point. Gavin O'Blennis claimed that at least 20 FBI agents were among the J6 protesters. If there were 20, there were 200. He also brags about how the FBI encouraged the Sandy Hook families to bring a lawsuit against Alex Jones for his comments about the mass shooting. But what is also fascinating about these claims is the suggestion that there is a revolving door between the FBI and the CIA. We have known for decades that the CIA has not limited its work to foreign espionage. It has targeted Americans who were not spying but merely working against the popular government narrative of the day. It even conducted mind control and drug experiments on U.S. citizens. But if the FBI and CIA have become political operatives, the United States has a host of other security agencies ready and willing to knock on your door, search your domicile, and cart you away for some offense. Theres the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) that routinely operates as a paramilitary unit. The Drug Enforcement Administration can also be mistaken for a platoon of Marines when it suspects there might be contraband in your garage. Does the government think you may have cheated on your taxes? The Internal Revenue Service can send a contingent of armed agents to bring you in. DHS has a plethora of armed security and defacto police agencies at its disposal. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are chief among these. Most conservatives supported the creation of DHS under former President George W. Bush because it was aimed at a terrorist threat that seemed both tangible and comprehensible at the time. But it created yet another layer of government bureaucracy that can be aimed at anyone defined as a dissident by the government of the day. But while DHS is happy to monitor American citizens it leaves non-citizens alone. Dont you find it passing strange and oddly ironic that these people who are specifically designed to counter the threat of illegal immigration are not using their guns to keep terrorists, killers and other illegals out of America? One of the first things the already failing Biden did on his inauguration day was to sign a series of executive orders that reversed much of Trumps legacy especially with regards to immigration. Biden opened the southern border on day one and since then more than 7.2 million illegal immigrants have entered the United States via the southern border. So if youre an illegal, dont worry about the police presence or arrest, or deportation, or even mild harassment. Youll get a free flight First Class to anywhere in America, free healthcare, housing and New York City even has a $10,000 credit card available. You might even get to join the armed forces because you showed such perseverance in traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border and illegally crossing it. But if youre an American citizen, keep your mouth shut or the FBI might be accusing you of domestic terrorism. You may discover you shouldnt have claimed those expenses on your last income tax form. And you arent allowed to own that firearm. The government is going to have to seize it. A police state isnt about having too many police officers on the streets arresting criminals. Its about having too many security agencies in your life threatening you and keeping your mouth shut. Thats precisely what America has become in 2024. Read more at: HumanEvents.com Dem-controlled U.S. Senate REJECTS ALL articles of impeachment against Mayorkas The U.S. Senate, which is controlled by the Democratic Party, has rejected all articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas endorsed by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Senators voted 51-48 and 51-49 along party lines on April 17 to reject the two articles of impeachment, which stems from the secretary's refusal to execute his duties as head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to secure the open U.S. border. According to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the charges failed to meet "the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors." He added that the impeachment could set a dangerous precedent if it was pursued. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) released a statement following the vote. He claimed that the decision to reject the articles of impeachment proves that Democrats essentially endorse the open border policies advocated by President Joe Biden and overseen by Mayorkas. "By voting unanimously to bypass their constitutional responsibility, every single Senate Democrat has issued their full endorsement of the Biden administration's dangerous open border policies," the statement from Johnson said. "The American people will hold Senate Democrats accountable for this shameful display." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also rebuked the vote to dismiss the charges against Mayorkas. He claimed that the Democratic-controlled Senate was ignoring the will of the House of Representatives. "We've set a very unfortunate precedent here which means the Senate can ignore, in effect the House's impeachment," said the senator for the Bluegrass State. "It doesn't make any difference whether our friends on the other side thought he should have been impeached or not: He was." 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 doing what we just did, we have in effect ignored the directions of the House, which were to have a trial. We had no evidence, no procedure. It's not a proud day in the history of the Senate. Democrats laud upper chamber's rejection of Mayorkas impeachment The DHS praised the dismissal, claiming that the upper chamber's vote "proves definitely that there was no evidence or constitutional grounds to justify impeachment." DHS spokeswoman Mia Ehrenberg said in a statement: "It's time for Congressional Republicans to support the [DHS's] vital mission instead of wasting time playing political games and standing in the way of common-sense, bipartisan border reforms." Even the Biden administration hailed Senate Democrats for dismissing the charges. "Once and for all, the Senate has rightly voted down this baseless impeachment that even conservative legal scholars said was unconstitutional," said Ian Sams, spokesman for the Office of the White House Counsel. Meanwhile, Schumer remarked that the charges against Mayorkas put forward by the House GOP were policy disputes and not high crimes. Thus, it was important to set a precedent, he added. The senator for the Empire State ultimately called the case "an illegitimate and profane abuse of the Constitution." "Secretary Mayorkas has not been accused of treason, accepting bribes, unlawfully attacking our elections or anything of the sort. He did not blackmail a foreign power to dig dirt on a political opponent, not did he incite a violent mob to wage an insurrection against the peaceful transfer of power," Schumer said, taking an obvious swipe at former President Donald Trump. For his part, Mayorkas reiterated that he's focused on the work of his department. During an event to launch a campaign for children's online safety in New York City held on the same day as the vote, he defended the DHS's lackluster performance when it comes to border security. "The Senate is going to do what [it] considers to be appropriate as that proceeds," the secretary said. He also pointed out that the nation's immigration system is "fundamentally broken and only Congress can fix it." (Related: Gaslighter Mayorkas "washes hands" and denies responsibility for the border crisis.) Visit BigGovernment.news for similar stories. Watch Fox News host Jesse Watters discussing the House of Representatives' delivery of Mayorkas' articles of impeachment to the Senate which the upper chamber ultimately rejected. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: House Republicans IMPEACH Alejandro Mayorkas in historic vote. Dear House GOP: Stop making excuses and impeach Alejandro Mayorkas immediately. House HSC Chair reveals proof of potential FRAUD committed by Secretary Mayorkas a gateway to impeachment. Group of House Republicans call for impeaching DHS chief Mayorkas over record illegal immigration, drug smuggling. Invasion-complicit Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas IMPEACHED by GOP-controlled House in second attempt. Sources include: InfoWars.com APNews.com Brighteon.com Andrew Meyer: Israel-Palestine conflict will continue unless BOTH SIDES sit down and compromise Orthodox Jew Andrew Meyer thinks the Israel-Palestine conflict with go on for a long time unless both sides sit down and compromise During an appearance on the "Health Ranger Report" with the Health Ranger Mike Adams, Meyer remarked that the only way forward is for the Israelis and Palestinians to drop the hatred. The host agreed, noting that this hatred must stop so that the violence will end. "Both sides have a lot of hatred for each other. And if they hate each other, there's going to be this endless war," stressed the writer and editor for several independent media outlets. "If they love each other, the war can stop." According to Meyer, both sides need to really look at and talk to each other in order to figure things out. The Israelis need to stop getting American money for weapons, he said. In turn, the Palestinians must stop doing crazy things or perpetuating hatred as it isn't helping them to create peace. "The only way for them to ever see the other side is to go really slow, talk to each other and figure it out like children. Both sides basically need to be treated like children." Meanwhile, Adams mentioned that humanity is currently in an era where diplomacy has been essentially abandoned by the West as shown by the Russia-Ukraine war. The West has failed to engage in a dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and people are seeing the same thing from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding Hamas. While there are also made-up stories about Hamas in the mainstream media, it cannot be denied that Hamas did horrible things the Oct. 7 massacre the most prominent. In turn, Netanyahu is unwilling to talk and negotiate and is hell-bent on destroying Hamas. "So there is no solution as long as the two sides can't talk," Adams ultimately stated. 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. Israel has taken 7,000 acres of land from Palestinians since Oct. 7 Despite the prevalent antisemitism that followed Oct. 7, Meyer said he is glad there are people that want to support Israel and want Jews to have a homeland. But he lamented the fact that Jews have taken the land of Israel by using force in many different ways. "We're still using force in Israel, so the only solution there is peace," Meyer told Adams. "The situation in Israel was a lot calmer a year ago. And if not for all these nefarious machinations by Netanyahu and his little junta, there could have been peace." "Now, they will keep wanting to take land by force. They keep making things here harder. They need to make peace instead of trying always to incite war." Adams agreed with his guest's sentiments, noting that Israel has taken 7,000 acres of land from Palestinians. These land grabs, he added, happened mostly in the West Bank area. The Palestinian National Authority has control of the West Bank, while Hamas has control of the Gaza Strip. (Related: Israel declares major LAND GRAB in West Bank.) Head over to IsraelCollapse.com for more news about Israel and the Jewish people. Watch the full conversation between Andrew Meyer and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Antisemitism on the rise: Doors of Jewish homes in Paris VANDALIZED with Star of David. Biden condemns antisemitism, claims to be a Zionist as he professes continued military support for Israel. Global majority shocked by Wests response to, mishandling of Israel-Palestine conflict: a new world order is emerging. Far-right Israeli leaders are scrambling to prolong war in Gaza to try to save their own political careers. Netanyahu rejects UN ceasefire resolution, says hostages still in Gaza must be returned or the bombings will continue. Sources include: Brighteon.com TheAndrewMeyer.com Nearly 10 million lethal doses of fentanyl seized in San Francisco The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has announced the results of a major operation that spanned a 10-block radius in the Tenderloin neighborhood in northeastern San Francisco. According to Gov. Gavin Newsom, the amount of fentanyl seized in the operation is equal to nearly 10 million lethal doses Additionally, CHP issued 6,044 citations, which ultimately led to 496 arrests. Fifteen firearms were also recovered. "These results are a testament to the effective collaboration among state, local, and federal law enforcement in San Francisco. We will continue to work together to get drugs off our streets, address crime and make our communities safer," Newsom said in a statement. (Related: San Francisco drug overdose deaths hit all-time high in 2023 with FENTANYL largely to blame.) However, these results also reflect how big the drug trafficking industry has become in San Francisco. CHP officers began deploying to the Tenderloin in May of 2023 with a focus on improving public safety, targeting fentanyl trafficking, disrupting fentanyl supply and busting drug trafficking rings. The Tenderloin operation is part of Gov. Newsoms broader plan for tackling the fentanyl and opioid crisis, officials said. A similar joint operation cracking down on fentanyl smuggling led to around 200 arrests and the recovery of more than 400 stolen vehicles since February. Just 2 mg of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose Exposure to just two milligrams worth of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. Tom Wolf, a recovery advocate who used to be a homeless drug addict living in San Francisco's streets, knows all too well how dangerous fentanyl can be. 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 2018, he was living in the streets of San Francisco and hooked on both heroin and fentanyl, leading to his arrest. "Its a struggle because youll basically do anything to feed that addiction," said Wolf, who applauded the CHP's operation but stressed that treating addiction is just as important as preventing the spread of fentanyl. "In June, I'll have six months clean and sober and that's because I was held accountable," said Wolf. "I had to go to jail for a few months, and then I went to a six-month residential treatment program." Wolf now works with the Salvation Army's transitional housing program as a consultant helping people battle addiction. He represents a good example of a former drug addict who turned his life around. "We just need to stop this revolving door that we have of organized drug dealers that keep being arrested and then getting released to pretrial diversion, and then they head right back out on the street to sell drugs," said Wolf. Learn more about the fentanyl crisis gripping the United States at Opioids.news. Watch this video discussing the largest fentanyl bust in the history of the state of Michigan. This video is from the Justin Barclay channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Mexican cartels smuggling drugs, trafficking people into Native American reservations thanks to Biden's open border policy. QUACKCINE "expert" and eugenicist Janet Woodcock, who approved Pfizer's mRNA jab, also approved oxycontin and fentanyl. Mexican drug cartels fighting over control of Montana, "the last best place" to sell illicit substances in America. Oregon officials declare state of emergency over FENTANYL CRISIS in Portland (stemming from open borders policies endorsed by Dems). Homeless convicted pedophile arrested after camping near San Francisco school and offering "free fentanyl for new users." Sources include: LawEnforcementToday.com NBCBayArea.com KTVU.com Brighteon.com Mission accomplished as Iran depletes Israels air defense munitions defensive action likely cost over $1 billion Iran has completed its retaliatory attack on Israel after the Zionist state bombed the Iranian consulate in Damascus. It cost Iran very little to do this, reports indicate , while Israel depleted its air defense munitions at a cost of around $1 billion. Brigadier General Reem Aminoach, a former financial adviser to Israel's military, stated that Israel's defense costs for just the one night that Iran retaliated for the embassy were massive, while Iran spent next to nothing. "The defense tonight was on the order of 4-5 billion shekels (between $1 and $1.3 billion)," Aminoach estimated as to the cost of defending against the Iranian attack. Iran, meanwhile, only spent the equivalent of less than $100 million to attack Israel, deploying more than 300 drones and missiles in retaliation for Israel's attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria. While Israel claims to have intercepted about 99 percent of Iran's missiles, a few of them reportedly penetrated Israel's defense systems before striking the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel. "If we're talking about ballistic missiles that need to be brought down with an Arrow system, cruise missiles that need to be brought down with other missiles, and UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles], which we actually bring down mainly with fighter jets, then add up the costs: $3.5 million for an Arrow missile, $1 million for a David's Sling, such and such costs for jets an order of magnitude of 4-5 billion shekels," Aminoach stated. Israel's Arrow system, by the way, was designed to intercept long-range missiles such as the ballistic missiles Iran launched on Saturday, as well as the long-range missiles being fired by the Houthis in Yemen. David's Sling was designed by Israel to intercept medium- to long-range rockets and missiles. 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. (Related: Did you know that Israel is using artificial intelligence [AI] with little, if any, human oversight to commit mass genocide against civilians in Gaza?) Israel desperately wants U.S. support for war on Iran Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knew exactly what he was doing when he launched an attack on Iran's embassy in Syria. The goal was and still is to goad the United States into backing a full-scale war on Iran, which the Biden regime is unwilling to do. For at least the third time in 14 years, Israel is trying to garner U.S. support for eliminating Iran but it is not working. As support for Israel fades around the world amid a shocking death toll in Gaza, Netanyahu is positioning to throw everything he can at Israel's neighbors. Iran has stated that it will not strike Israel if there is a ceasefire in Gaza, which Netanyahu is refusing to agree to unless all the remaining Israeli hostages are released from Gaza. The entire West is urging Israel to leave Iran alone, with President Biden telling Israel in one word: "Don't." But this is not stopping Israel from moving forward with its plans, which in turn allowed Iran to demonstrate its firepower on the world stage. "Tehran wanted to establish a precedent that it could hit Israel directly without triggering a full-scale war," reported Middle East Eye. "It wanted to tell Israel that it could hit it." "It wanted to tell the U.S. that Iran was a power in the Gulf that was here to stay and which controlled the Strait of Hormuz. It wanted to tell every Arab regime that kowtows to Israel that the same could happen to them." All in all, Iran's attack on Israel was a strategic success. Israel continues to look like the bully on the block, and this as its October 7 narrative continues to shatter. Who will win the war in the Middle East? Find out more at Chaos.news. Sources for this article include: MiddleEastEye.net NaturalNews.com MiddleEastEye.net Military analyst: Precise number of tanks Poland has left is unclear due to undisclosed tank shipments to Ukraine Military analyst Damian Ratka has remarked that the precise number of tanks of the Soviet T-72 design currently operated by the Polish military remains unclear due to the undisclosed quantity donated to Kyiv Ratka made these observations during an 80-minute video discussion on the future trajectory of Polish armor, facilitated by the Polish military-focused news portal Defence24. "We lack concrete information regarding our T-72 tank inventory, primarily because the exact number transferred to Ukraine remains undisclosed," Ratka stated. He speculated that Kyiv likely received between 30 to 60 units, but emphasized the absence of publicly available figures. Ratka's estimations align with former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's commitment in January 2023 to provide Ukraine with a total of 60 tanks, evenly split between T-72M1 and the Polish-made PT-91 Twardy. However, Morawiecki also mentioned at the time that Poland had previously supplied approximately 250 T-72s to Ukraine. (Related: Ukraine running out of tanks as military struggles to repair machinery damaged by Russia) Warsaw initially announced its donation of T-72s in April 2022 without specifying quantities. Before this, the Czech Republic and Slovakia had already furnished Kyiv with Soviet-era armored vehicles to replace those lost in confrontations with Russian forces. Additionally, Morawiecki pledged to dispatch 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv, later clarifying that this declaration was intended to pressure Berlin to take similar action. It remains unclear whether any Polish Leopards were transferred to Ukraine. 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. Despite being hailed by Western and Ukrainian media as formidable assets capable of altering the course of the battle, the Leopards suffered significant losses during the Zaporizhzhia offensive last summer. Regarding the future outlook for Polish armored forces, Ratka highlighted that Warsaw currently operates various T-72 and PT-91 models alongside three versions of the Leopard 2, as well as an unspecified number of American-made Abrams and South Korean K2 "Black Panther'" MBTs. Ratka disclosed plans by Poland to procure over 350 Abrams tanks, including 250 of the newer M1A2 variant, as well as approximately 180 K2s. However, credit issues have posed obstacles to the proposed acquisition from Seoul. Furthermore, Ratka mentioned Poland's intention to cease production of spare parts for Soviet legacy systems due to the inability to manufacture crucial components like turrets and engines domestically. The future disposition of the remaining T-72s and PT-91s remains uncertain, with Ratka suggesting the possibility of their eventual transfer to Ukraine. Poland to send even more tanks to Ukraine In late March, the newly elected liberal government of Poland announced that it will focus on providing even more main battle tanks to Ukraine. This is part of an "armored vehicle coalition" Poland has set up with Germany in an effort to provide more armored vehicles, including tanks, for Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Polish Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said this coalition will "activate" Ukraine's armored capabilities. Without providing too many specifics, such as what kinds of armored vehicles and how many of them will be sent by which nation to Ukraine, Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that Poland and Germany would be leading the coalition. Furthermore, other nations have already expressed their interest in providing similar vehicles to Ukraine, including Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Watch this video from "Borzzikman" discussing how a Russian ballistic missile strike on Sumy in northern Ukraine wiped out the headquarters of a group of Polish mercenaries fighting for Kyiv. This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com. More related stories: German lawmaker: Most Leopard 2 tanks Berlin sent to Ukraine are now NON-OPERATIONAL. Russian soldiers show off captured Western tanks, U.S.-made Bradley Fighting Vehicles, as 'trophies.' FALSE BRAVADO: UK is hoping to fight a war with Russia with only 40 TANKS. Sources include: RT.com BusinessInsider.com Brighteon.com Elon Musk. LEON NEAL/Getty Images Elon Musk won't be going to India this month. Musk cited "heavy Tesla obligations" in an X post on Saturday. Tesla has faced Cybertruck recalls, layoffs, and rival competition in recent months. Elon Musk has postponed his trip to India amid the ongoing chaos at Tesla. Musk announcement the decision via X the social media site he purcahsed two years ago on Saturday. The Tesla CEO was expected to visit India early next week to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year," Musk wrote. Elon Musk. Antonio Masiello via Getty Images Musk didn't publicly share many details about the trip, but sources told Reuters he planned to announce a $2 to $3 billion investment in India. Musk wants to build a new factory in India, where the EV market is tiny but gaining steam, thet outlet reported. ADVERTISEMENT Musk hinted at India's growing EV market in an X post last week. "India commits to sell only electric cars by 2030. It is already the largest market for solar power," he wrote. Musk's decision to postpone coincides with Tesla sharing its Q1 earnings on April 23, when Musk and investors will reckon with the company's tumultuous start to 2024. BI reported in early April that Musk's Tesla has struggled to compete in China's EV market as rival companies make "aggressive price cuts." An equities strategist told BI that Tesla's troubles in China likely contributed to the company's first-quarter delivery miss. Tesla recently announced layoffs. Justin Sullivan Around that time, Tesla stock slid 7%. By mid-April, Musk announced that Tesla would layoff 10% of its global workforce in an internal memo to staff. The recent layoffs were further bogged down by reports that some employees received "incorrectly low" severance packages. Another round of layoffs hit its recruiting department on Friday. Tesla also recently recalled almost 4,000 of its Cybertrucks over faulty accelerator pedals. Musk wrote on X that Tesla was unaware of any "injuries or accidents" related to the problem. Story continues "We are just being very cautious," Musk wrote. Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider Russia tests new nuclear-capable ballistic missile that can avoid NATO detection as tensions rise in Middle East Russia tested a missile last week that some claim could be a new variety of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with nuclear capabilities that can evade detection by NATO. The test, which was carried out last Friday, saw the successful launch of the missile in southern Russia at the Kapustin Yar complex. A statement indicated the test confirmed the high reliability of Russian missiles to ensure strategic security and achieved its results in full. Russia routinely conducts test launches of many of its missiles. However, the fact that they declined to name the type of missile that was tested on this occasion has spurred a lot of speculation and fears that the country could be poised to escalate the Ukraine conflict and potentially lead to a third world war. Russian military commentator Colonel Viktor Baranets wrote that the missile was reported to have waltzed in the sky and left behind unique smoke trails. He said that many experts think it is a new mobile rendition of Russias Yars ICBM and that all NATO intelligence services are on their toes after the test. If so, it would mark a significant advancement over their existing Yars, which must be loaded into a silo so they can be launched. This makes them attractive targets for enemies. He also noted that Russias enemies could have a hard time detecting the weapon and that missile detection systems could struggle to understand its flight logic and predict its trajectory. The tests come at a time when Russias relationship with NATO is becoming increasingly contentious and Russia is gaining more of an edge in Ukraine as the West starts to reduce its military support for Kiev. 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. Putin may be seeking to take advantage of rising Middle East tensions Defense industry consultant and analyst Nicholas Drummond recently warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be looking to use weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine while the West is distracted by the conflict between Israel and Iran. He believes Russia will be delighted by the recent turn of events. He posted on X: "The question is what will Iran do next? And how will Israel respond? We are on the brink of a major conflict in the Middle East. "This will delight Putin as he seeks to annex Ukraine in its entirety. It is more than likely that Russia is planning to step-up its activities in Ukraine. He may even be looking for an excuse to use WMD. Unless Ukraine is given the resources to repel a renewed Russian onslaught, more territory will be lost. Quite independently of what happens in Ukraine, Putin is everyones problem. Russia has been quietly supplying Iran with anti-aircraft launchers, drones and other artillery as the situation in the Middle East escalates. Moscow has promised to support Iran with advanced fighter jets and air defensive technology as it faces potential counter strikes from Israel following its intercepted attack on Tel Aviv involving hundreds of drones last weekend. Iran has reportedly shown particular interest in Russias S-400 anti-aircraft launchers, which have the power to detect and destroy Israeli and American stealth fighter jets. Sources for this article include: Express.co.uk Express.co.uk DailyMail.co.uk Alleged Russian hackers stole email conversations between Microsoft and U.S. federal agencies United States officials have confirmed that Russian hackers successfully gained access to and pilfered government emails exchanged between Microsoft and federal agencies. Eric Goldstein, a senior official at the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), informed reporters that Microsoft had alerted several federal agencies about the potential breach, indicating that the hackers may have obtained login credentials and passwords. (Related: Will hackers cripple America with a cyberattack? Expert says it might happen in 2024.) Goldstein emphasized that there have been no reported compromises of agency production environments resulting from the credential exposure. Furthermore, a CISA official informed media outlets that there is no current evidence to suggest that the hackers managed to utilize stolen credentials to breach government computer systems. In response to the security threat, CISA issued an "emergency directive" earlier in the week, advising civilian agencies potentially affected by the breach to enhance their security measures. According to Microsoft, a Russian state-sponsored hacking group that previously stole sensitive data from Microsoft executives is now attempting to exploit that information to infiltrate the company's source code and other internal systems. This revelation indicates that the hacking campaign, initially identified by Microsoft in January, had more extensive unauthorized access than initially believed. Microsoft described the hackers' ongoing attack as marked by a sustained, significant commitment of resources, coordination, and focus, warning of the possibility of further unauthorized access. 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 February, the hackers intensified their efforts by increasing tenfold the volume of attempted password spray attacks, a technique aimed at breaching high-value accounts by trying multiple passwords on specific usernames. Additionally, the group is reportedly attempting to exploit secrets shared between Microsoft and its customers through email. Microsoft clarified, however, that there is no evidence to suggest a compromise of its customer-facing systems hosted by the company. Referred to as "Midnight Blizzard" by Microsoft, the suspected Russian hackers are also known as Cozy Bear and APT29 by industry experts. In February, the U.S., the United Kingdom and other Western allies issued warnings regarding this group, alleging that it has ties to and the backing of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. These warnings highlighted the group's efforts to access cloud environments, targeting various sectors such as aviation, education, law enforcement, government financial departments and military organizations. This group was previously implicated in the 2021 cyberattack on SolarWinds Corp., where malicious code inserted into a software update facilitated further access to customers. This attack affected approximately 100 companies and nine federal agencies. Microsoft still battling to keep hackers out of its servers Meanwhile, Microsoft disclosed last month that it continues to grapple with elite Russian government hackers who infiltrated the email accounts of senior company executives in November. While the extent of the accessed source code and the capabilities gained by the hackers remain undisclosed, Microsoft revealed that the hackers stole cryptographic secrets, such as passwords, certificates, and authentication keys, from email communications between the company and its customers. The company is now actively reaching out to affected customers to assist in implementing mitigating measures. Microsoft emphasized that the hackers' ongoing attack displays a sustained commitment of resources, potentially utilizing obtained data to identify vulnerable areas for future attacks. This persistence underscores the unprecedented global threat landscape, especially concerning sophisticated nation-state attacks. The disclosure comes amidst increased scrutiny of Microsoft's security practices and transparency regarding vulnerabilities and breaches. Some cybersecurity experts express frustration over what they perceive as Microsoft's secrecy and misleading statements regarding security incidents. Watch this clip showing how alleged Russian hackers were able to get over 30,000 electric vehicles in Lithuania to stop working. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Ukrainian intelligence claims Russian hackers are targeting Elon Musks Starlink network. FOREIGN HACKERS target water infrastructure in Pennsylvania, prompting calls for increased cybersecurity. Chinese hackers exploit Microsoft cloud bug to raid US government email accounts, including the Commerce Secretarys. Sources include: JustTheNews.com Bloomberg.com APNews.com Brighteon.com New evidence proves Tony Fauci LIED under oath, claiming he barely knew top coronavirus scientist Ralph Baric A newly unearthed video proves that the infamous Tony Fauci lied under oath when he denied previously knowing Ralph Baric and Peter Daszak, two of the top dogs involved with unleashing the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "pandemic." The video below from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website shows Baric telling a room full of people on June 24, 2013, about the alleged threat of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and other mutant novel coronaviruses in the years leading up to the "pandemic." It turns out that Fauci organized this conference at which Baric spoke, proving that Fauci lied to Congress when he tried to play dumb and act as though he never knew Baric prior to late 2019 when COVID was unleashed. browser does not support iframe Fauci himself can be seen in the above video speaking and introducing Baric and the others. The purpose of the event, according to Fauci, was to brainstorm about how to address a future pandemic, which we now know would occur about six years after the conference. (Related: We also now know that Fauci conspired with Baric and other virologists to trick the world about COVID and the Wuhan coverup.) Fauci's fables Fauci also lied about knowing Peter Daszak, the British zoologist who headed up the controversial EcoHealth Alliance, which we know played a prominent role in unleashing COVID on the world. Both Baric and Daszak worked with scientists in China, and primarily Wuhan, to develop SARS-CoV-2 using illegal gain-of-function research. In essence, they tore apart natural coronaviruses and pieced them back together artificially, creating a mutant monster virus (or so we are told). 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. In his 2022 deposition, Fauci expressed "doubt" about ever knowing Barci, a microbiologist from North Carolina. Fauci said much the same about Daszak, claiming he was not even an "acquaintance." Now that the above video has been found and released for the world to see, Fauci's head is back on the chopping block or at least it should be. Not only did Fauci cross paths with Daszak in 2013, but reports indicate that he met him again in early 2014 at yet another speaking conference. Daszak put on the second conference at which Fauci was invited to speak. He also helped to moderate it, meaning there is no way that Fauci did not know who Daszak was prior to the COVID "pandemic." Baric played an even more substantial role in Fauci's life. At the July 2013 meeting Baric attended, Fauci openly spoke about wanting to remain abreast about all new potential viral threats in order to keep the funding flowing into his federal research budget. "Now we have a new one [disease] to put on the map for our friends [in Congress] who support us in these rather constrained times," Fauci said in his opening address, proceeding afterwards to show the scientists in the room an actual map of how it might spread. After finishing his opening speech, Fauci sat alone in the front row to watch Baric speak about the alleged threat of emerging new coronaviruses. Baric dominated a bulk of the day's discussion, it turns out, which means there is no way he did not know who Baric was at the time. "No wonder that seven years later, in February 2020, as Covid exploded out of China, Fauci would spend his extremely valuable time bringing Baric into his offices for another private meeting to discuss the new epidemic and its possible origins," writes Alex Berenson on his Substack about the situation. "Under oath, Fauci claimed not to remember anything about that meeting either, though it had taken place barely two years before." Fauci, Baric and many other COVID co-conspirators belong in prison. Find out more at Plague.info. Sources for this article include: AlexBerenson.substack.com NaturalNews.com U.S. to sanction Iran for drone strikes but refuses to sanction Israel for genocide The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a trio of sanction bills against Iran following the country's retaliatory attack on Israel over the weekend. The approvals came after the House reshuffled its legislative schedule to accommodate the votes. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said: "In light of Iran's unjustified attack on Israel, the House will move from its previously announced legislative schedule next week to instead consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable. All three of the bills were approved using a procedural mechanism that requires 2/3 support among legislators in order to advance legislation more quickly. The first, HR 6408, is aimed at changing the Internal Revenue Code to terminate the tax exempt status of terrorist-supporting organizations. This passed with a vote of 382 to 11. The second bill, HR 5923, also known as the Iran China Energy Sanctions act, passed in a vote of 383 to 11. The third bill passed yesterday was HR 5921, known as the No U.S. Financing for Iran Act. It passed with a 294 to 105 margin. Votes on HR 6245, the Holding Iranian Leaders Accountable Act, and HR 6015, the Iran Sanctions Accountability Act, are expected soon. Financial sanctions against Iran expected to be announced soon Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is preparing sanctions against Iran as well. She has promised the U.S. will inflict economic punishment against the country following its attack on Israel, even as President Biden urges Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to use military restraint. 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. The Biden administration's financial approach to retaliation against Iran is being interpreted as a subtle message to Israel that military action may not be the answer, but financial sanctions could be an effective way of punishing the country's ruling regime. Yellen is expected to push fellow finance ministers who are attending yearly spring IMF meetings in Washington, D.C. this week to work with the U.S. on coordinating potential sanctions against Iran. A copy of the opening remarks she intends to make at a press conference that were obtained in advance by Axios, indicate that she is expected to say: Treasury will not hesitate to work with our allies to use our sanctions authority to continue disrupting the Iranian regimes malign and destabilizing activity. She will go on to add: The attack by Iran and its proxies underscores the importance of Treasury's work to use our economic tools to counter Iran's malign activity." Meanwhile, White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby said that the G7 is also considering issuing sanctions against Iran in order to isolate it on the international stage and raise the economic pressure on the regime. It comes after Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones toward Israel over the weekend, nearly all of which were intercepted before they reached Israel. The attack was in response to a suspected Israeli attack that killed a senior Islamic Revolution Guards Corps official and several other senior officials. America sanctioning Iran for self-defense but refuses to sanction Israel for killing Palestinians Although the U.S. has been rather quick to sanction Iran for what was essentially a retaliatory action that did not end up killing anybody, they have been far less willing to sanction Israel for its genocidal war in Gaza that has a death toll of at least 33,000 Palestinians. Despite growing international calls to allow more aid to flow into Gaza as the humanitarian crisis deepens there, few countries have imposed sanction on the Jewish State, America included. The U.S. has also vetoed multiple UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Sources for this article include: JustTheNews.com Axios.com Heres what REALLY happened on October 7 (hint: Israel is LYING) On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas broke into Israel from Gaza and took Israeli innocents captive while injuring and killing others along the way. It was absolutely an act of aggression, but what stands out even more than what Hamas did that fateful day is what Hamas diddo that Israel falsely claimed it did. The investigative unit at Al Jazeera, an Arab media network that was recently banned from Israel, conducted a meticulous examination and forensic analysis of the events that actually took place on October 7. What was discovered may come as a shock to those who bought Israel's lies. The Western press has all but completely ignored these lies, pretending as though things like "babies in ovens" and "mass rapes" by Hamas actually happened. Still, the truth is leaking out no matter how hard the powers that be try to keep a lid on it. One of the first and most important things you need to know about the October 7 Hamas attack is that Israel was aware of the plot before it happened. Hamas was openly training for the attack prior to launching it and even published training videos online that anyone could view, including the Israeli government. Members of Hamas were up the night of October 6 discussing the next day's plans, but Israel did nothing to stop them, assuming it was just another training exercise. "What is extraordinary is that they don't even raise the alert level to number one," the man in the video below, journalist and author Richard Sanders, explains about Israel's anomalous response to the Hamas threat. "The most basic alert level would have made a huge difference, and they don't do that which means when Hamas bursts through the fence at 6:30 a.m., they catch many of the defenders in their beds." 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. This is exceptionally well done. Watch it if you have the courage to question the Israeli government and the IDF. On 8 October, nothing about Israels version of events made sense. I knew time would tell and that time is now. The accusation of Antisemitism is a weapon used https://t.co/EE1YRpzHx3 Tom Marazzo (@TomMarazzo) April 13, 2024 (Related: If full-scale war between Israel and Iran breaks out, it will unleash nuclear hell upon the world, a new simulation has found.) Many Israelis were killed by Israel, not Hamas Sanders maintains that Hamas was just as much surprised by Israel's lack of readiness as Israel was, expecting many of its members to die upon breaking through the fence. Even more surprising is how slowly Israel responded to the attack. There was no ground control, though Israel did launch Apache helicopters which we now know killed many Israel civilians alongside the civilians who were killed by Hamas. Israel tried to blame Hamas for all the civilian deaths, of course, but the reality is that Israel, in its scrambling to respond to the attack, ended up killing many of its own, including at the Kibbutz Be'eri where Nova festivalgoers had fled for safety. Some 27 Israeli hostages were killed by Israeli Apache helicopters while in route to being taken captive by Hamas, along with 18 other Israelis who were killed by Israeli police and army in the Kibbutzes. "You just have to look at the scale of the destruction and it's clear that 1,200 men armed with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns did not do all of this," Sanders says. On October 7, Israel also revived a supposedly-defunct procedure known as the Hannibal Directive that basically involves Israel allowing its own to be killed alongside the enemy rather than allow Israelis to be captured and held hostage. This explains the heavy Israeli death toll that day, which was erroneously blamed on Hamas. Rather than focus on the atrocities that Hamas did commit on October 7, Israel instead in the days following the attack started spreading lies about rapes, sexual assault, babies in ovens and other made-up incidents designed to enrage the world and drum up support for Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza. A group called ZAKA that Israel utilized for body cleanup actively spread these and other rumors in the aftermath of the attack. It was later revealed that ZAKA's head was accused of child sexual assault, and the group itself was exposed for cooking its books. "It's raised an awful lot of money since October 7," Sanders says about another of ZAKA's motivations for lying about what happened that day. "These stories were clearly useful, and they were useful to the Israeli government." Another use for Israel's made-up stories about Hamas was to justify the Jewish state's response in Gaza, which as of this writing has caused more than 33,000 innocent deaths, most of them women and children. "The Israeli government and its supporters when they try to justify the brutality of the subsequent bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip, again and again and again what they always reference is babies and rape," Sanders explains. "If you want to dehumanize an enemy, if you want to desensitize people to the suffering that is inflicted on that enemy, then you portray them as barbarians, basically as savages, as people who are not deserving of human treatment." Again, Hamas did some terrible things on October 7 that deserve condemnation. But so did Israel, which launched a massively outsized response against innocent Gazans using October 7 lies as justification for committing crimes against humanity. The latest news about the conflict in the Middle East can be found at WWIII.news. Sources for this article include: Twitter.com NaturalNews.com Meteorologists warned that areas in the south-central portion of the United States would experience floods as these may resurface due to severe weather. More Rains Over The Weekend They said that more rains could brew for portions of the southern Plains, central Gulf Coast and the lower Mississippi Valley at the later part of this week and this weather condition could continue until the upcoming weekend. Officials said that many locations from northeastern Texas through Louisiana and parts of southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and northern Florida received a month's worth of rain and more from a slow-moving storm system during the previous week. Further, a few locations picked up over a foot of rain, which is equivalent to two months' worth. Authorities said that uch of the rain poured down in a matter of hours and prompted flash flood emergencies in cities such as New Orleans and Tallahassee, Florida. The National Weather Service said that a relatively progressive weather pattern has been forecasted to establish stormy conditions across the nation as the weekend approaches. This progressive pattern will kick a relatively slow-moving low pressure system further out into the Atlantic while allowing a cold air mass from Canada to pour southward into the Great Plains. Meanwhile, a low pressure wave currently developing along the boundary of the cold air mass over the Midwest will bring an enhanced threat of severe thunderstorms across the Midwest in the evening, moving into the Ohio Valley early on Friday. A slight chance of severe thunderstorms is forecasted to extend farther southwest into central Texas near the trailing portion of the cold front. In addition to the severe weather threat, the heavy rain associated with the thunderstorms may result in flash flooding concerns at some places across the aforementioned areas. By Friday, the cold front is forecast to move steadily east toward the East Coast. Read Also: Colorado Weather Forecast: Snowy Conditions Likely Cause Slushy Roads, Travel Delays This Late Week Thunderstorms, Weather Threats Showers and thunderstorms will likewise move farther east out of the Ohio Valley and into the Appalachians, reaching into the interior Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and New England by Friday evening. Weather experts warned that the severe weather threat is expected to be not as high on Friday for these areas. On Saturday, residents in the affected areas will see these showers and storms steadily exiting the East Coast as the cold front pushes off the coast into the Atlantic. However, interior New England will see the showers linger due to the arrival of a reinforcing cold front from Canada. As a large dome of high pressure system associated with the Canadian cold air mass settles into the Great Plains, the upslope dynamics will set up the opportunity for wet snow to develop over the central High Plains on Saturday, mixing with rain during the day. Meanwhile, as an upper trough moves farther east into northern Mexico on Saturday, the associated dynamics is seen to support an expanding area of rain over the southern Plains as the trough interacts with moist air returning from the Gulf of Mexico. It also appears that the threat of heavy rain threat will expand through eastern Texas by the end of the forecast period on Saturday evening. Related Article: UK Weather Forecast: Patchy Rain and Variable Cloud Cover Predict Average Temperatures Fire ants are known as an invasive species of insects that can destroy crops and threaten local wildlife and ecosystems. Native to South American countries like Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, the fire ant or red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) has been recorded to cause ecological damage in some parts of the United States, as well as in other parts of the world such as Australia. In recent months, there has been a growing fire ant outbreak across Australia, impacting Australia's economy and posing a new threat of food bowl contamination. In November 2023, the invasive ant marched across Queensland for the first time. Even the state of New South Wales also fell victim to the emerging fire ant threat that endangers local biodiversity and even residential communities. Australia Fire Ant Outbreak According to research conducted by The Australia Institute, the economic cost of the country's fire ant outbreak has been underestimated by government modelling. The study estimates the cost per year will be $2.5 billion by the year 2035, suggesting the complete eradication of the fire ant species due to the threat it poses to the Australian economy, especially if the ant infestation continues. In a report by the Canberra-based think tank, The Australia Institute predicts there is a potential for the invasive ant species to "become one of Australia's worst invasive pests." If the threat continues, these animals could devastate local agriculture, and natural ecosystems, and affect all Australians, according to the group. Currently, other states such as Victoria and South Australia are also at risk. Also Read: Fire Ant Raft Formation: Experts Warn Rare Ant Behavior Shows Potential for Population Surge Amid Floodwaters in Queensland Research Findings The Australia Institute also outlined its following research findings concerning the "understated" threat posed by fire ants to the Australian economy and apparent lapses in government modeling. Below are some of the key points: Government-initiated modeling only examines a 15-year timeframe and ignores the fact that fire ants will cause $2.5 billion in damages per year beyond 2035. Extension of the modeling to a 20-year timeframe shows every dollar put into the eradication of fire ants will result in between $3 and $9 in benefits. The figures have a conservative approach by considering very low estimates of social and environmental costs. Are Fire Ants Dangerous? Fire ants, as mentioned earlier, pose a threat to native wildlife. However, it has also been asked before if they are dangerous to other animals such as pets and even humans. According to Australia's National Fire Ant Eradication Program, fire ants are very aggressive when their nests or colonies are disturbed. Due to their rapid movement, the ants can swarm in large numbers onto a human. When it comes to fire ant bites and stings, the victim can feel a burning sensation after being injected with venom, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The most common symptoms are different allergic reactions. Related Article: Indian Village Declares War on Fire Ants After Invading Houses, Roads, and Trees Volcanoes are some of the most powerful forces on our planet, capable of spewing ash and lava that can devastate entire regions. In Indonesia, a country that sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a particularly active volcanic zone, Mount Ruang has recently roared back to life, sending tremors of fear through nearby communities, particularly due to the heightened risk of a tsunami. Volcano Unleashes Fury, Prompting Evacuations as Tsunami Fears Mount Mount Ruang, located on a remote island in Indonesia, has been a source of concern for authorities in recent weeks. The volcano has erupted multiple times in a 24-hour period, spewing ash, lava, and volcanic lightning into the sky. This surge in activity has forced the evacuation of thousands of people from nearby islands as a precaution against a potential tsunami. Memories of 2018 Tsunami Haunt Region as Fears of Volcanic Collapse Intensify Indonesian authorities are maintaining a high state of alert, as there are concerns that a section of the weakened volcano could collapse into the sea, triggering a devastating tsunami. The memories of the 2018 Anak Krakatoa eruption, where a similar collapse generated a tsunami that claimed over 400 lives, are still fresh in the minds of many Indonesians. Scientists are warning that a collapse of Mount Ruang's crater or flank into the sea could trigger a tsunami. The exact height of a potential tsunami is difficult to predict, but it could be significant enough to devastate coastal communities. The 2018 Anak Krakatoa eruption, for instance, caused a tsunami that reached heights of up to 15 meters (50 feet) and caused widespread destruction. Also Read: Volcanic Eruption in Iceland Has Opened up a New Rare Window Underground Evacuation Efforts Underway as Scientists Race to Assess Threat Indonesian authorities are taking the threat of a tsunami very seriously. Thousands of people living in coastal areas near Mount Ruang have already been evacuated to higher ground. Emergency shelters have been set up, and stockpiles of food, water, and medical supplies are being prepared. Scientists are working around the clock to assess the volcano's stability and the risk of a collapse. They are monitoring seismic activity, volcanic gas emissions, and ground deformation to try to predict any potential changes. However, predicting volcanic eruptions is notoriously difficult, and there is no guarantee that scientists will be able to provide enough warning before a collapse occurs. The World Watches With Bated Breath as Indonesia Braces for the Worst The situation at Mount Ruang is a stark reminder of the awesome power of volcanoes and the constant threat they pose to communities living in their shadow. The potential for a devastating tsunami adds another layer of complexity to the crisis, and the world is watching with bated breath as Indonesia grapples with this unfolding disaster. While the immediate threat appears to be under control, the situation remains fluid, and the volcano's unpredictable nature means that continued vigilance is essential. This event serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the importance of preparedness and risk mitigation in areas vulnerable to volcanic eruptions. Related article: Volcanic Eruption Forecasting Could Soon Become a Reality After Scientists Made Predictions Using Satellite Data Experts warned that cities in eastern China could sink due to groundwater extraction. Sea Level Rise They said that the affected cities, which include Beijing and Tianjin, are concentrated in the eastern part of the country and along the coast. A study noted that combined with the sea level rise, falling cities could expose around 10% of China's coastal population - between 55 and 128 million people - to flooding and irreparable damage by 2120. China's massive wave of urbanization may be threatened by land subsidence, according to experts. Using a spaceborne synthetic aperture radar interferometry technique, scientists have provided a systematic assessment of land subsidence in all of China's major cities from 2015 to 2022. Of the examined urban lands, 45% are subsiding faster than 3 millimeters per year, and 16% are subsiding faster than 10 millimeters per year, affecting 29 and 7% of the urban population, respectively. The subsidence appears to be associated with a range of factors such as groundwater withdrawal and the weight of buildings. By 2120, 22 to 26% of China's coastal lands will have a relative elevation lower than sea level, hosting 9 to 11% of the coastal population, because of the combined effect of city subsidence and sea-level rise. The studies' results underscored the necessity of enhancing protective measures to mitigate potential damages from subsidence. The scientists explained that the subsidence appears to be associated with a range of factors such as groundwater withdrawal and the weight of buildings. They noted that high-rise buildings are sprouting up, road systems are expanding, and groundwater is being used, all at a rapid pace. Aside from the national pattern of city subsidence, researchers have identified several natural and human factors that were associated with city subsidence. The natural factors included the geological setting of each city and the depth of the bedrock, and this influenced the amount of weight the ground could hold up without sinking. Further, results of the study have found a strong link between the sinking cities and groundwater loss, which leaves empty pore space in the crust that becomes compacted as weight piles on above. Experts mentioned that most of the groundwater changes were anthropogenic, with natural rainfall patterns making up for just 12% of the variation. Read Also: Sinking Coastal Cities, Rising Sea Levels: Global Warming Causes Double Trouble Affected Cities Coastal cities such as Tianjin are especially affected as sinking land reinforces climate change and sea-level rise, the study indicated. The sinking of sea defences is one of the reasons why Hurricane Katrina's flooding brought such devastation and death-toll to New Orleans in 2005. Shanghai, which is considered to be China's biggest city, has subsided up to three meters over the past century and continues to subside up to the present. 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, experts warned. The subsidence is mainly caused by human activities 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. Related Article: Chicago Is Sinking; Experts Point To 'Underground' Climate Change As Reason Stephen A. Smith sparked controversy Thursday when he defended Donald Trump by saying Black Americans could relate to him being discriminated against,. Smiths comments on Fox News The Sean Hannity Show quickly went viral, and caught the attention of the civil rights organization, the NAACP. Friday night, the NAACP responded to a video of Smiths remarks tweeted by the X account Republicans against Trump. Adding the hashtag, #BLASPHEMOUS, the NAACP tweeted, Relatable!?! Show of hands: Anyone in your Black family have 88 felony charges pending, filed for bankruptcy 6x, made an attempt to overthrow a presidential election and our democracy, and still have the ability to fall asleep in court and dream of being POTUS? Relatable!?! Show of hands: Anyone in your Black family have 88 felony charges pending, filed for bankruptcy 6x, made an attempt to overthrow a presidential election and our democracy, and still have the ability to fall asleep in court and dream of being POTUS? #BLASPHEMOUS https://t.co/xtG40vpTQ2 NAACP (@NAACP) April 19, 2024 Smith quickly fired back to defend and clarify his comments. This is absolutely, positively, sad that you @NAACP would misrepresent my comments like this. I was asked what Blacks WHO SUPPORT TRUMP are thinking as to why they support him. I answer THAT question. Sad! But youre entitled. Good luck. Maybe that will beat Trump, since little else seems to be working which was my overall point. We shall see. This is absolutely, positively, sad that you @NAACP would misrepresent my comments like this. I was asked what Blacks WHO SUPPORT TRUMP are thinking as to why they support him. I answer THAT question. Sad! But youre entitled. Good luck. Maybe that will beat Trump, since https://t.co/bQXK5Ldfuz Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 20, 2024 Smith did a nice job clarifying his comments. An outspoken Democratic voter in the past who has already announced his support for President Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election but Smith has seemingly spent a lot of time and energy courting Republicans appearing often on Fox News, interviewing Clay Travis, and asked his followers to donate money to Chris Christie. As much as people may have been abhorred by Donald Trumps statement weeks ago talking about how Black folks, hes hearing that Black folks find him relatable because of what he is going through is similar to what Black Americans have gone through, he wasnt lying! He was telling the truth, Smith told Hannity. https://twitter.com/realandyhidalgo/status/1781168991433633798 While Smith is not a fan of Trump, who hes labeled dangerous, hes an outspoken critic of the trial in New York. Earlier this week on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith called the former presidents trial a disaster and much ado about nothing. [Stephen A. Smith] Gaza City faces worsening crisis due to complete water well shutdown: media office Xinhua) 15:28, April 20, 2024 GAZA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Hamas-run government media office warned on Friday that Gaza City is facing an environmental disaster due to the complete shutdown of water wells for two weeks. Salama Marouf, head of the Gaza-based media office, said in a statement that the disaster, which is threatening the residents, is caused by the depletion of "scarce fuel provided to Gaza Municipality during the past period." Gaza City "is experiencing a state of severe thirst due to the water cut-off, especially with the continued suspension of water pumping from the water line operated by Israel's national water company Mekorot since the beginning of the war and the destruction of the desalination plant (the only one in the city), more than 40 water wells, and 120 km of water networks in the city," Marouf said. The official mentioned that the crisis has reached its peak, as the temperatures are on the rise and the demand for water is increasing. He called on all relevant parties to provide urgently needed fuel and restore water supply to the residents, urging the international community to supply the necessary equipment and machinery for their work, especially in light of "the heavy burden currently placed on them in serving the population." Gaza has been suffering from a complete power outage since last October, following Israel's halt of electricity and fuel supplies to the enclave, which led to the closure of the only power generation station in Gaza. This forced the basic service infrastructure to rely on backup generators, which are limited due to the scarcity of fuel in the strip. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) Oct 18, 2022; Paris, FRANCE; the Olympic rings are on display outside of the Hotel de Ville ahead of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports NBC is adding a wholly unnecessary, yet somewhat interesting, tweak to some of their Summer Olympics coverage. In a lengthy feature about this summers games from Paris, Variety reveals that NBC is outfitting the parents of athletes competing with heart rate monitors and will display the results on-screen. In something that might seem more at home on Americas Got Talent or The Voice, the network even plans to deploy five heart-rate monitors among the parents of athletes. The results will be shown onscreen as moms and dads watch their kids compete something that test audiences have loved. Will the medical devices have an on-screen sponsor? We are talking about it. says Dan Lovinger, the NBC ad-sales executive who is responsible for snaring hundreds of millions in ad support. Adding the on-screen heart rate monitors is the latest addition to NBCs coverage, which is getting something of a makeover this summer. Mike Tirico will cohost the Opening Ceremony alongside Kelly Clarkson and Peyton Manning, while the Closing Ceremony will be cohosted by Tirico, Jimmy Fallon, Tara Lipinski, and Johnny Weir. Additionally, podcaster Alex Cooper will host watch parties on Peacock during various events and Snoop Dogg will return as part of NBCs primetime coverage. To the surprise of no one, Peacock will be a huge part of NBCs Olympics coverage, with all events streaming live on the service and the Gold Zone whiparound show returning. Compared to all of those significant changes, adding heart rate monitors on parents isnt an earth-shattering move. However, its another point to NBC treating the Olympics like a reality show. [Variety] UN chief calls for end to cycle of retaliation in Middle East U N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to "stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East," said his Spokesman. "The Secretary-General reiterates that it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement on Friday issued after reports that Israel had carried out strikes on Iranian targets, Xinhua news agency reported. "The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond," Dujarric added. Tehran, which last week launched large-scale retaliatory attacks on Israel following Israel's bombing of its consulate in Syria, has played down Friday's attack. UN chief calls for end to cycle of retaliation in Middle East Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! US not involved in Israeli attack against Iran: Blinken U S Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that he can't speak to media reports about the details of an Israeli attack against Iran Friday overnight, stressing that the US was not involved in any offensive operations by Israel. "The reports that you've seen, I'm not going to speak to that, except to say that the US has not been involved in any offensive operations," Blinken told a press conference on Friday in Italy as he concluded a meeting with Foreign Ministers of the G7 countries. He was responding to a reporter's question seeking confirmation of media reports, saying Washington received advance warning from Israel on Thursday of an imminent strike against Iran in retaliation for Tehran's assault on Israel last week, Xinhua news agency reported. "What we're focused on, what the G7 is focused on, and again, it's reflected in our statement and in our conversation, is our work to de-escalate tensions, to de-escalate from any potential conflict," Blinken said in what were first public remarks on the Israeli attack by a cabinet member of US President Joe Biden's administration. What Blinken also refused to address during that round of questions and answers was the White House's assessment of whether the Israeli strikes were over and if Iran would retaliate. Earlier on Friday, Iran's air defence systems shot down several "flying objects" near the central city of Isfahan, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. The Israeli side has not yet made any announcement regarding the attack. US not involved in Israeli attack against Iran: Blinken Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Parineeti Chopra sings Punjabi track from 'Amar Singh Chamkila' in latest video P arineeti Chopra sang a Punjabi track from her recent release 'Amar Singh Chamkila' in a new video on social media. Taking to Instagram, Parineeti treated fans with a new video along with yet another note for her fans. https://www.instagram.com/p/C58Xib6CsoZ/ Along with the video, she wrote, "We knew this story was special, but the response "Chamkila and Amarjot" have received is beyond what any of us expected. Your love has left us all speechless! While we can't ever repay the love you have given us, here's a little something from me, a song I loved singing, and a song YOU have shown so much love for! #Amarjot #Chamkila." As soon as the video was posted, fans flooded the comment section. One of the users wrote, "Excellent acting throughout!! You've certainly raised the bar for many generations to come." Another user commented, "One the best performances by @parineetichopra. And the best film." "Omg it's too give others also chance to praise you atleast try playing modest," another user comment read. Recently, overwhelmed with the response, Parineeti got emotional as she has been receiving appreciation for her role as Amarjot in 'Amar Singh Chamkila'. The actor penned a heartwarming note for her fans expressing her feelings. Taking to Instagram, Parineeti shared stills from the sets along with a thank you note. The note read, "Curled up in my blanket. Overwhelmed with your words, calls, and movie reviews. (tears are not stopping)"PARINEETI IS BACK." These words are ringing loud. Hadn't thought of this. Yes I am back, and not going anywhere!#Chamkila." Helmed by Imtiaz Ali, 'Amar Singh Chamkila' presents the untold true story of Punjab's original rockstar of the masses, who emerged from the shadows of poverty and rose to the heights of popularity in the 80s due to the sheer power of his music, angering many along the way, which led to his assassination at the young age of 27. Diljit Dosanjh portrays 'Chamkila,' the top-selling artist of his era. Parineeti essays the role of Amar Singh Chamkila's wife, Amarjot Kaur. 'Amar Singh Chamkila' is streaming on Netflix. Parineeti Chopra sings Punjabi track from 'Amar Singh Chamkila' in latest video Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson's animated origin film 'Transformers One' gets new release date P aramount Pictures and Hasbro's much-anticipated animated feature, 'Transformers One,' has a new release date. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie is set to make its debut in theatres on September 20, 2024 instead of September 13, 2024. The announcement of the slight delay came alongside the grand reveal of its official trailer. In a strategic move to optimise the film's presentation and ensure maximum exposure on Imax screens, the release date was reportedly pushed back by one week. This decision also aims to provide ample breathing space for the movie amidst the competitive landscape, granting it a two-week buffer from Sony's forthcoming flick, 'Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice.' Paramount's unique trailer launch commenced at 6 am PT with a mesmerising livestreamed countdown, capturing the journey of the trailer into the vast expanse of space. After an hour-long ascent, the craft reached a staggering altitude of 125,000 feet above Earth, unveiling the trailer amidst the cosmic backdrop. The event was further enhanced with a personalised introduction video from voice stars Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry, adding an extra layer of excitement for eager fans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a09yJU-mCI Boasting a star-studded voice cast including Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, and Steve Buscemi, alongside Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm, 'Transformers One' promises to delve into the untold origins of iconic characters Optimus Prime and Megatron. Set against the backdrop of Cybertron, the film aims to unravel the intricacies of their once unbreakable bond, which ultimately leads to their profound rivalry and shapes the destiny of their world, as per The Hollywood Reporter. At the recent CinemaCon event, theatre owners were treated to an exclusive sneak peek of the trailer, along with an exhilarating 3D preview of the movie's opening scene. Chris Hemsworth lends his voice to the character Orion Pax, portraying a youthful Optimus Prime, while Brian Tyree Henry brings to life the character D-16, depicting a young Megatron. Helmed by 'Toy Story 4' fame Josh Cooley and scripted by Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, 'Transformers One' is poised to captivate audiences with its visually stunning CG animation and immersive storytelling, marking a significant milestone in the beloved franchise's cinematic journey. In addition to the 'Transformers' news, Paramount also announced the rescheduling of their untitled animated 'Aang: The Last Airbender Avatar' movie, moving its release date from October 10, 2025, to January 30, 2026. Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson's animated origin film 'Transformers One' gets new release date Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Taylor Swift unveils music video for 'Fortnight' featuring Post Malone T aylor Swift revealed the music video for 'Fortnight' featuring Post Malone, straight from her freshly released album, 'The Tortured Poets Department.' The song, a poignant tale of love and liberation, marks the inaugural single from the much-anticipated album, which Swift unleashed upon eager fans early Friday. In the video, Swift and Post Malone take on the roles of former flames, with Post Malone's character striving to rescue Swift from what appears to be her own emotional entrapment. Throughout the visual journey, Swift dons matching face tattoos reminiscent of her co-star, while scenes of fiery defiance and shattered glass symbolise her emergence from inner turmoil. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3zqJs7JUCQ&t=238s Reflecting on the creation of the music video, Swift shared on Instagram, "When I was writing the Fortnight music video, I wanted to show you the worlds I saw in my head that served as the backdrop for making this music... this video turned out to be the perfect visual representation of this record and the stories I tell in it." She also expressed gratitude to Post Malone for his dedication to their collaboration. Notably, the video boasts appearances from Dead Poets Society icons Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles, portraying enigmatic scientists conducting mysterious experiments with Swift as their subject. Swift had teased the video's release earlier in the week, generating buzz among fans. She shared glimpses of the video's thematic elements and hinted at its arrival with cryptic messages on social media. 'The Tortured Poets Department' album, Swift's eleventh studio endeavour, features a total of 16 tracks. The 34-year-old Grammy winner also stunned fans by promptly dropping a 'secret double album' expansion titled 'The Anthology,' comprising an additional 15 songs. The album's reception was nothing short of historic, shattering records on Spotify within hours of its release. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Swift claimed the title of Spotify's most-streamed artist in a single day, while 'The Tortured Poets Department' became the platform's most-streamed album in a 24-hour period. Swift's Grammy Awards announcement earlier in the year served as a precursor to the album's release, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the culmination of her creative endeavours. With 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Swift invites listeners into a realm of raw emotion and introspection. Taylor Swift unveils music video for 'Fortnight' featuring Post Malone Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Download Now The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print. Champaign, IL (61820) Today A mix of clouds and sun, with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High 73F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 43F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Carolyn Cloyd, a historian with a passion for military history, has worked as a sports reporter for the Mattoon Journal Gazette and Times-Courier and is currently a freelance writer of history for the County Chronicle. Her father served in the military for 23 years three years in the U.S. Army and 20 years in the U.S. Air Force as a missileer. Carolyn was born on Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, Wash., shortly before he retired and settled in Arcola. She currently lives in Mattoon. Ride-hailing company Ola Cabs is planning to launch an initial public offering (IPO) to raise $500 million (over Rs 4,150 crore) at a company valuation of about $5 billion, Reuters has reported. Ola, backed by SoftBank, plans to file papers for approval with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) within three months, according to the Reuters report citing three sources with direct knowledge of the matter. The company is in talks with investment banks, including Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citi and Indias Kotak and Axis, and plans to appoint IPO advisers within a month, said the Reuters report citing two of the sources. Olas Second Attempt At IPO This is Olas second attempt at an IPO, after a 2021 plan to raise up to $1 billion was canned. Ola was valued at $7.3 billion at the close of 2021 and at $5.7 billion in a private funding round in January 2019. In May last year, US-based investment management company Vanguard slashed Olas valuation by 35 per cent amid global macroeconomic conditions, reducing its worth to about $4.8 billion. In January, Ola laid off 200 employees from its Ola Cabs, Ola Electric, and Ola Financial Services verticals as part of the restructuring exercise. Vanguard, an Ola shareholder cut its internal valuation of Ola to $1.9 billion in February this year. Its other investors include Warburg Pincus, Temasek and Tiger Global Management. Ola Cabs Ola was founded by Bhavish Aggarwal, who is one of the countrys best known startup entrepreneurs. Drawing comparisons to Tesla boss Elon Musk, he also runs a separate electric scooter maker- Ola Electric, which is Indias biggest. Ola Electric is planning an IPO as well, and filed papers for regulatory approval last December, Reuters reported. The cabs business has looked to cut losses and streamline operations in recent months. Its losses more than halved in the fiscal year ending 2023, while last week Ola said it is shutting down its international businesses- comprising UK, Australia and New Zealand. The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) has declared the results of UP Board Class 12 for the academic session 2023-2024 today, April 20. The evaluation of answer sheets by the UP Board began on March 16 and was wraped up on March 30, 2024. The final exam results are available on the official website of UPMSP at upmsp.edu.in. Students will be able to check their board exam scores using their roll numbers. Students can also access the class 12 results via SMS and DigiLocker. UP Board 12th Result 2024 Live Updates UP Board 10th Result 2024 Live Updates UP Board Class 12 Result 2024: How to Check Online? Here are the steps to check the UP-Board Class 12 results via website: Step 1: Open the official website of UPMSP, eitherupmsp.edu.inorupresults.nic.in. Step 2: On the homepage, locate and click on the Exam Results option. Step 3: Look for the link labeled UP Board Class 12 Results 2024 and click on it. Step 4: Enter the required details such as your roll number and school code. Step 5: Click on the View Result or Submit button to access your result. Step 6: Once your result is displayed, download and print it for future reference. UP Board Class 12 Result 2024: How to Check via SMS Step 1: Open the SMS app on your phone. Step 2: Type UP12 followed by your Roll Number. Step 3: Send the message to 56263. Step 4: The UP Board 12th result 2024 will be sent to your mobile phone via SMS. UP Board Class 12 Result 2024: How to Check via DigiLocker Step 1: Opendigilocker.gov.in. Step 2: Login by entering your mobile number and the security pin. In case you do not have an account, create one. Step 3: Once registered, log in to your DigiLocker Account. Step 4: Click on the HSC Mark Sheet to get your Class 12 mark sheet. Step 5: On the new window, select UP State Board of High School. Step 6: Input your roll number and select year from the UP Board in the provided drop-down menu. The Class 12 exams were conducted from February 22 to March 9, 2024, in a pen-and-paper format. The UP-Board Class 12 Result 2024 will display students roll numbers, names, father and mothers names, school code, district code, and subject-wise marks, along with other details. In case of any discrepancies, students can reach out to school authorities. Moreover, students who are dissatisfied with their marks will have the opportunity to apply for rechecking/revaluation of the UP-Board Result 2024. In 2023, the UP Board 12th Result was announced by UPMSP on April 25. An FIR was registered against Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday for violating of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during his campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. The case is in connection with a purported viral video of Shivakumar, where he is seen seeking votes from residents of a housing society in Bengalurus RR Nagar. He allegedly promised them regular water supply, a CA site and other benefits if they voted for his brother, DK Suresh. Soon after, the Bharatiya Janata Party had taken a swipe at the Congress leader for his brazen abuse of power. Sharing the video on X, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya said, DK Shivakumar, Deputy CM of Karnataka, in brazen abuse of power, holds voters of a large housing society in his brother DK Sureshs constituency, to ransom. DK Shivkumar, Deputy CM of Karnataka, in brazen abuse of power, holds voters of a large housing society in his brother DK Sureshs constituency, to ransom. Sounding every bit menacing, he wields a threat, couched in crass humour, that if the residents dont vote for his brother, pic.twitter.com/Kd08TRnSzA Amit Malviya ( ) (@amitmalviya) April 17, 2024 Sounding every bit menacing, he wields a threat, couched in crass humour, that if the residents dont vote for his brother, he would know (since their vote is in 2/3 booths) and not provide water and CA site, he further said in his post. According to Malviyas post, Shivakumar said, I have come here for business deal.. there are 2,500 houses with 6,000 votes You need CA site and Cauvery Water if I get this done, what will you give to me? He noted that such threats and quid pro quo moves are unacceptable. If he doesnt, then the BJP will, when they come to power. But such threats and quid pro quo for delivering what one has been voted for is UNACCEPTABLE, Malviya wrote. He tagged the Election Commission on the post and urged them to take note of the multiple violations and intimidation here. The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka on Saturday, took to X and said, An FIR is lodged by the FST of Bengaluru against Dy. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for violation of MCC while addressing apartment owners in RR Nagara. The FIR No.78/2024 at RMC Yard PS is lodged u/s 171(B)(C)(E)(F) of IPC for bribery and undue influence at elections. An FIR is lodged by the FST of Bengaluru against Dy. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for violation of MCC while addressing apartment owners in RR Nagara. The FIR No.78/2024 at RMC Yard PS is lodged u/s 171(B)(C)(E)(F) of IPC for bribery and undue influence at elections. Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (@ceo_karnataka) April 20, 2024 Shivakumar can also be heard saying, You have to share your confidence with me so I that I will care for youI am DCM, minister for BDA, Bengaluru and water I am everything here. Today is in your hand, its your decision I have come to your home, utilise me, vote for me. Ill get all these things done within two-three months. Residents of Bengaluru have been struggling with water crisis for more than a month and the soaring temperatures and no rain has not made it any easy for the city. Cauvery river and groundwater are the main two sources of water for the prime city. Last month, it was reported that around 50 per cent of the borewells in Bengaluru had dried up. The city, on an average, required 2,600 million litres of water each day. However, it currently has only half of their requirement. The daily struggle has severely affected the lives of Bengaluru residents. The state of Karnataka will go into polling in two phases April 26 and May 7 for the Lok Sabha elections, the results for which are to be expected on June 4. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Accusing the Congress of being against the Other Backward Classes, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Saturday said even if the opposition party wants to do away with the reservation given to SC, ST and OBCs, the BJP will not allow that to happen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi belongs to the OBC community, he said, adding that it was Modi who implemented schemes for people of small backward classes. Shah was addressing an election rally in support of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the BJPs candidate and sitting MP from the Kota Lok Sabha seat. Even if the Congress party wants to remove SC, ST and OBC reservation we will not allow it. This is Modis guarantee, he asserted. The Congress is a party which opposes Other Backward Classes (OBC), Shah alleged. The Congress government did not implement the Mandal Commission report. During a discussion in Parliament on the reservation, Rahul Babas father Rajiv Gandhi spoke against it for two-and-a-half hours, he claimed. Shah said Modi worked to give constitutional recognition to the backward commission. We worked to give 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in all central institutions in the country. Modi, under whom respect for the country increased all over the world, also comes from the OBC community, he said. He said that before the Modi government, there was no scheme in the country for communities such as those of blacksmiths, tailors, carpenters and boat-makers but Modi spent Rs 13,000 crores and connected them with skill development and self-employment schemes. Urging people to vote for the BJP candidate, Shah said, Press the button of the lotus symbol on the EVM so hard so that electric shocks are felt in Italy. Earlier, in an election rally in Bhilwara, Shah said that Rajasthan was going to give all 25 Lok Sabha seats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third time. He also targeted former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, saying that he was stuck in the election campaign of his son Vaibhav Gehlot, the Congress candidate from the Jalore parliamentary constituency. The son is going to lose the election by a huge margin, the Union minister claimed, referring to Vaibhav Gehlot. The first phase of elections was held yesterday (Friday). All 12 seats of Rajasthan that voted in the first phase will go to Narendra Modi. Rajasthan is going to make a hat-trick of giving all 25 seats to Narendra Modi for a third time, he said. Shah also hit out at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, claiming that they go on vacations abroad every three months. Priyanka Gandhiji returned from Thailand after a vacation in the middle of the elections, he added. Shah said voting for Modi meant voting for the creation of Mahan Bharat. Modi fulfilled all promises he made in the last 10 years, he added. The Union home minister targeted Congress leaders for not attending the consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram temple, alleging that they were afraid of losing their vote bank. The public will never forgive those who did not visit Ram Lalla out of greed for vote bank, he said. Shah said that during the former UPA governments rule, terrorists used to infiltrate and carry out attacks. When the Modi government was formed, terrorists attacked again in Pulwama. They forgot it was not a Congress government anymore but a BJP government and that Narendra Modi is the prime minister. In just 10 days, Modi eliminated terrorists by conducting surgical and air strikes in Pakistan, he added. There is peace in Kashmir and the northeast. Naxalism is on the verge of ending. Modi has worked to secure the country and make it prosperous. In 10 years, Modi worked to bring the economy from number 11 to five. Make Modi the prime minister for the third time and India will become the third-largest economy, Shah said. The Union minister also highlighted the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission as an achievement of the Modi government. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Karnatakas Hassan is witnessing an interesting battle playing out ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the constituency. It is not only an electoral tussle between the BJP-JD(S) and the Congress, but a 40-year-old political feud between two families. Incumbent MP Prajwal Revanna of the JD(S) is facing Shreyas Patel of the Congress in this high-profile seat, where their grandfathers former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and ex-minister G Puttaswamy Gowda clashed in the past. In this battle royale, however, the grandsons are duelling it out in the scorching sun to gain control over this hot seat. As part of the understanding between the BJP-JD(S) alliance, the Hassan seat has gone to the JD(S). Prajwal, who is seeking re-election from the seat, is the lone MP from the party in the state. He is the son of Deve Gowdas elder son HD Revanna, who won the Hassan seat in 2019 with 1.5 lakh votes. His grandfather then gifted this seat to Prajwal in 2019 to make way for the new generation. The election campaign of Shreyas in the recently concluded assembly polls is said to have given a tough fight to Prajwals father, which paved the way for a Lok Sabha ticket for the young leader. The campaigns of both candidates are a stark contrast. Prajwal, who has represented the seat for five years, has been speaking of the development during his term; implementing schemes and programmes by the Narendra Modi-led central government and how his family, including his grandfather, has joined hands with the prime minister to secure the future of India. As a young parliamentarian, what impresses me is what I see in the two biggest leaders in the NDA PM Modi and Deve Gowda. I see a lot of Deve Gowda ji in the PM. Both have an immense amount of patience. Modi sir does not comment on anything. He is so sensible when he talks and does not offend anybody, and even the opposition says he is the best. Modi has not only won Indian hearts, he has also won the hearts of the opposition and I am an example of it, Prajwal said. The BJPs top leaders, including state president BY Vijayendra, have been actively campaigning with JD(S) leaders including Prajwal to make a point to the voters that the alliance between both the parties is real, and one that they can depend on. As the candidate travels through the assembly segments that make up Hassan, both JD(S) and BJP workers chant Modi matomme (Modi once more). Shreyas, meanwhile, is playing a different card. He has been appealing to people on two issues the guarantee schemes of the Congress and the political injustice meted out to his family. My mother stood for elections and faced defeat, my grandfather faced defeat, I too have faced it. Is this what we should get for working on the ground, being with the people? We must bring an end to this reign of the Deve Gowda family, which only comes to you and appeals for votes during elections. What have they done for Hassan? Holenarsipura, is this how a seat of a former prime minister should be? Is there any development there? Are there any industries or employment here? he asked. His grandfather, Puttaswamy Gowda, who lost as an Independent candidate against Deve Gowda in 1985, dealt a severe political blow to the senior JD(S) leader by winning from the seat in the 1989 assembly election and the 1999 Lok Sabha polls. The fight took on another form when HD Revanna and Puttaswamy fought for the Holenarsipura assembly seat in 1994 and 2004. On both occasions, Revanna won. On Puttaswamys death, his daughter-in-law SG Anupama contested against Revanna in the 2008 and 2013 assembly polls and lost both times. This is the injustice that Shreyas has been campaigning about. Prajwal, during his public events, has also been raising the Hindutva pitch. He appealed to people that the only way to save Hindus is to vote for Modi, BJP and the JD(S) in that order. He even took the alliance equation one step further by saying the BJP symbol is the lotus and that of the JD(S) is a woman labourer carrying a stack of paddy on her head. We have never given the woman a name. From now on, she will be called Kamala, said Prajwal amid cheers from BJP and JD(S) workers at Holenarsipura. Bhavani Revanna, who like her family members is a popular JD(S) leader in Hassan and makes a rare appearance in the media, has been campaigning for her son and asked the voters to look at the work done for Karnataka and for Hassan by Deve Gowda; how Modi has been as effective as a PM as Deve Gowda was during his term. People should vote for the BJP-JD(S) candidate Prajwal as we all want to see Modi lead the country for the third time. The welfare schemes and development under Modi ji have put us on the world map. We must vote for development, she told News18. Shreyas is hoping to ride on the success of the Siddaramaiah-led state governments five guarantees. It has reached every house, the money is in the hands of every woman in Karnataka. The schemes have been most effective and that will bring the Congress its win, he said. Vikas Gowda, a local businessman, said the Lok Sabha elections are not about local issues but one aimed at voting for Modi and the BJP. His family has supported the JD(S) for generations, but he strongly feels that only Modi and the BJP can save Hindus. This is about us Hindus. Only Modi can save our race and in the interest of safeguarding Hindutva, people should vote for Prajwal. As an MP, he has done a lot for the constituency. As a youngster, I am impressed, he said. Srinivas, a septuagenarian, said the fight in Hassan is Modi versus Siddaramaiah. The guarantees are an eyewash. They take from the husband and give it to the wife. If we want to see a future in the country, only Modi can bring that, he said. Shanthala, who works at a roadside restaurant, has a different opinion. She is happy with the Congress guarantees and says she gets Rs 2,000 in her hand, which makes her life easier. I travel by the free bus service to work, and can save some more money she said. The Congress is desperate to make a comeback in the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, which has been dominated by the family members of (JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda. The former PM has represented the seat five times and won from the seat six times. For the JD(S), these elections are a battle for survival and there is a lot at stake. Former chief minister and the younger son of Deve Gowda, HD Kumaraswamy, is also contesting from the Mandya seat that his son Nikhil Gowda had lost to Sumalatha Ambareesh. The wife of popular Kannada actor and former Congress minister MH Ambareesh, who stood as an independent candidate back then, also recently joined the BJP. It has been raining in most parts of Karnataka, giving respite to people from the unbearable heat. The rains had brought smiles to the ruling Congress, which is up against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP in the parliamentary elections, as the state grapples with water scarcity. The joy, however, was short-lived. The brutal murder of Neha Hiremath by her alleged friend Fayaz in Hubli has sparked outrage across the state, triggering panic in the Congress camp. The girls father Niranjan Hiremath is a Congress member of the Hubli-Dharwad City Corporation and has expressed shock over the casual statements made by Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah about his daughters gruesome death. The BJP, which had been fighting the elections on caste, seems to have sensed an opportunity to spin the Love Jihad angle and has gone all out against the Siddaramaiah government, alleging minority appeasement had led to killings of these kind. The BJP, which was not depending much on Hindutva in this election, was worried about Congresss caste realignment and the perceived success of five guarantees across the poor and lower class in the state. To make the election less Modi-centric, the Congress is harping on issues like Centres betrayal with the state, denial of revenue sharing, and successful implementation of five main guarantees within six months of coming to power. To beat the BJPs Lingayat card, the Congress has also fielded five young Lingayat candidates in northern Karnataka. The ground reports were suggesting a tight contest in most of the seats, even giving the Congress a clear lead on 8-10 seats in the absence of any serious communal issue. The Hubli incident, however, has cast a shadow over the political strategy and the Congress fears it can change the mood in favour of BJP, causing huge electoral damage to the partys prospects. Many in Congress feel that the reaction of the home minister and chief minister should have been measured and the tone has made it a communal issue, helping BJP return to Hindutva. What has happened is a huge tragedy. It is a barbaric act. It may be the act of a jilted lover. Only a thorough investigation can determine it. Some of our leaders have jumped the gun without realising the gravity of the situation. It has given an impression that we are soft on such heinous crimes, said a senior Congress leader. In 2014, it was Modi for a change. In 2019, it was Pulwama attack. In 2024, till two days ago, there was no big issue for the BJP. I am sure they wont let this issue die, another Congress leader said. The BJP has asked its cadre to protest against the Hubli incident and the governments immediate response to it. The chilling murder of a young girl will surely dominate the campaign closer to voting days and if the Congress fails to counter it effectively, then there can be disastrous results in the elections. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. The polling for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections concluded on Friday and the numbers issued on Saturday morning show that across almost all the 102 constituencies, the turnout was lower than in 2019. Only four seats reported a higher turnout than last time. The data from the Election Commission of India, analysed by News18, shows that the average turnout on the 102 seats was around 66.38% this time while in 2019 it was 70.71%. The exceptions Four seats where the turnout was higher than the last time are Shillong (11 percentage points), Bastar (1.3 percentage points), and Jorhat and Vellore (both 2 percentage points). In 2019, Shillongs turnout was 61.6%, which increased to 72.26% this time. In Assams Jorhat, the voter attendance improved to 79.48% from 77.57% in 2019. In Chhattisgarhs Bastar, the turnout this time was 67.56% and in Tamil Nadus Vellore it was 73.42%. Coimbatore (64.81%), Kallakurichi ( 79.25%), and Salem (78.13%) also reported a small increase in turnout less than one percentage point. The worst-impacted constituency was the sole seat in Nagaland where the voter turnout this time was 56.91%, down from 83% in 2019. In six eastern districts of the state, not even a single voter showed up. The people were following a shutdown call for Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT). These districts had more than four lakh voters out of the total 13.25 lakh in the state. A similar situation was seen in conflict-hit Manipur. The turnout in outer Manipur was 65.22%, down from 84.14% in 2019. Another northeastern seat reported a significantly low turnout Arunachal East at 76.37%. In 2019, the turnout here was 87.03%. In bigger states, where only a few seats had polling, the turnout dropped. In Uttar Pradesh, where eight seats saw voting, the average turnout was about 67% in 2019. This time it was about 60%. In Maharashtras five seats, the average turnout this time was 62.44%, down from 64.65% in 2019. Lakshadweep highest, Nawada lowest In terms of voter turnout, the lone seat in Lakshadweep saw the highest turnout at 83.88% while Bihars Nawada saw the lowest turnout at 43.79%. However, in both these seats, the turnout this time was lower than last time. In 2019, among these 102 seats, Arunachal East had the highest turnout at 87.03%. Nawada was the lowest turnout seat even in 2019, but its performance was better at 49.73%. The second round of polling for the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will be held on April 26. The counting of votes will be done on June 4, after the last round of polling on June 1. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. The Bengaluru South Lok Sabha constituency is often considered a high-profile and prestigious seat that boasts of big names like Narayana Murthy, Sudha Murthy, Anil Kumble, Kiccha Sudeep, Nandan Nilekani and others as its electorate. The seat, which has been a stronghold of the BJP, is witnessing a high-intensity campaign by the partys candidate Tejasvi Surya and Congress Sowmya Reddy. News18 caught up with Surya over a cup of hot filter coffee to discuss the issues and campaign in the constituency where the leader shared his views on the electoral battle as well as Karnatakas water woes. With the elections in Karnataka being reduced to a contest between Congresss five guarantees and Prime Minister Narendra Modis guarantee, Surya argued that the former would not work as people understand that this is an election to pick the prime minister of the country. Even the delivery of these Congress guarantees is patchy, especially in urban centres like Bengaluru. The track record of delivery and experience is something that the voter will contrast in case he is also a beneficiary of Modis guarantee. Our constituency has a large number of elderly and middle-class people, so we started expanding Jan Aushadhi Kendras. In 2019, we had 14 Jan Aushadhi Kendras, while today we have 132 the highest for a parliamentary constituency for the whole country. Two lakh people use it every month and the annual saving is about Rs 25 crore. People in the constituency call it Modi Medicals. Thats the kind of connect [we have]. There are two lakh Ayushman Bharat card holders in our constituency. In the last five years, 1.5 lakh free treatments have been given valuing Rs 431 crore, said Surya. When asked if the Union government can claim credit for projects like metro, airport terminal and suburban rail project, which see equal contribution from the state government with a majority of the funding being raised in the form of loans, he said: For all international projects, whether its the metro or suburban projects, the Union government stands as sovereign guarantee. All these big-ticket projects are state and central government funded projects to an extent. But without Centre giving a push, they never take off. The suburban train project is not moving fast because SPV has state government officers and most of them lack the technical expertise to lead it. I advocate that it be handed over to Indian Railways, he argued. The state government has accused the Centre of meting out step-motherly treatment to Karnataka in the tax devolution process but Surya does not buy the argument. In 10 years, Modi government has given 258 per cent more money than what was given by UPA government to Karnataka in 10 years, the MP said. When reminded that the tax collection too had increased significantly during these years and the state government says it is only fair to do a comparison in percentage terms with overall tax collection, Surya argued that the percentage is decided by the Finance Commission and not the Union government. If the 14th Finance Commission percentage of allocation was higher than the 15th, then why are you not giving credit? This is politics, he added. He also went on to say that the Finance Commission report doesnt mention grant for peripheral ring road. And it doesnt mention any special grant to any state, forget Karnataka. Drought Relief With Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman indicating that there could have been a slight delay in disbursing drought relief funds, the Congress has pounced on the opportunity and accused the Modi government of neglecting drought-hit Karnataka. However, Surya argues that Karnataka has Rs 650 crore under the SDRF for drought relief, which they can make use of. Before demanding more, let the state government tell what they have done with Rs 650 crore to alleviate concerns of drought. During UPA, Union government gave eight per cent of the amount asked for during drought. Under NDA, over the last 10 years, we have got 38 per cent on average of what was asked as drought relief. Which is more? They have submitted the report late and because of Model Code of Conduct, meetings couldnt take place, he said. Dont believe Mekedatu is the solution Certain pockets of Bengaluru, especially areas on the outskirts of the city, have been reeling under water shortage. The Congress government has pitched the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project across Cauvery as a solution but the Bengaluru South MP differs. He also placed the responsibility of getting a No-Objection Certificate on the state government. Personally, I dont believe Mekedatu is the solution. We have to maintain lakes better. If we control land sharks and break real-estate lobby, we will do better. The Congress says Mekedatu is not taking off because the Central Water Commission (CWC) is not giving the go-ahead. CWC needs an NoC from Tamil Nadu where Congress is in alliance with DMK as part of the INDIA bloc. Siddaramaih and DK Shivakumar should speak to Stalin and take NoC. DMK says they will oppose Mekedatu. You say you are champions of Kannada cause. Procuring NoC for Mekedatu is the primary responsibility of the state government. I would say the same even in case of a BJP government, he said. 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. In the 17 Lok Sabha elections held between 1951 and 2019, a total of 48,103 independent candidates have tried their luck but only 234 managed to make it to the House, while at least 47,163 lost their deposits. An independent candidate is one who contests an election but is not affiliated with any political party or association. The second Lok Sabha, elected in 1957, saw the highest number of independent candidates 42 followed by the first Lok Sabha in 1951 that elected 37 independent candidates to the House. The last time the number of elected independent candidates reached double digits was in 1989. Just one independent candidate was elected in 1991 the lowest till date. Since the 1991 elections, independent candidates in single digits have been winning, data from the Election Commission of India (ECI) shows. The analysis also shows that in every Lok Sabha election, the candidates of national parties took up more than 60 per cent seats, the upper sealing touching even 90 per cent a few times. The country has entered into poll mood, with the first phase of voting for the 18th Lok Sabha held on Friday. This time, in the first two phases, a total of 1,458 independent candidates are trying their luck 889 in the first phase and 569 in the second phase going for polls on April 26. In total, there are 2,823 candidates in the first two phases and almost 52 per cent are independents. Any individual in India can fight Lok Sabha elections. They just have to be above the age of 25 years and should not have been convicted. A valid voter in India can contest from any part of the county except autonomous districts of Assam, Lakshadweep and Sikkim. For fighting independently, a candidate needs to give at least 10 proposals for nomination. Also, a person cannot contest from more than two constituencies in Lok Sabha. Only Space For National Parties Since 1951, a total of 23,739 candidates from national parties contested the elections and 7,185 were elected. The number of candidates from national parties who lost their deposit was 8,545. Between 1951 and 1996, in every election, more than 400 candidates from national parties were making it to the House. The highest number of MPs from national parties was elected in 1980 when 485 candidates made it to the House. Since 1998, the number of national party MPs in the House had not crossed 400, with the highest touching 397 in 2019. The highest number of candidates fielded by national parties collectively stood at 1,855 (in 1991) while the highest number of independent candidates contesting one election was 10,636 in 1996. The second Lok Sabha elections, that saw the highest number of independent candidates making it to the House, also saw the least number of independent candidates contesting the elections. The number analysed by News18 also shows that since 1951, a total of 91,159 candidates have contested elections across parties and independents and 71,264 have lost deposits. Independent candidates make up for more than 66 per cent of this share. According to ECI rules, a candidate from general category contesting the Lok Sabha poll has to make a deposit of Rs 25,000 while filing the nomination. In the case of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the amount is half. The candidate loses the deposit if they fail to get a minimum of one-sixth of the total valid votes polled, otherwise they are eligible to take back the amount. In almost each election, of the total candidates who lose the deposit, close to half are independent. In 2019, a total of 6,923 candidates lost deposit and 3,449 were independent, while 670 were from the national parties. Before that, in 2014, 7,000 candidates lost deposit and 3,218 were independent and 807 from national parties. In 2009, a total of 3,806 independent candidates lost the deposit out of the 6,829. A total of 779 candidates were from national parties. The elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will conclude on June 1 and the counting of the votes will take place on June 4. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered better governance in the country and earned the trust of the people, said Vellappally Natesan, general secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam. In an exclusive interview with News18 Kerala in his hometown Cherthala in Alappuzha district, he added that the Ayodhya Ram temple is set to make a big impact among the masses and there is no point ridiculing the Bharatiya Janata Party for making a sweeping change across India with its Jai Shree Ram chants. Vellappally Natesan heads the 121-year-old social service organisation envisaged to promote the teachings of social reformer and spiritual leader Sree Narayana Guru. The 86-year-old is an influential leader of the state, especially among the prominent Ezhava community in the south and central parts. He said the outcome of the election is unpredictable but the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc will not rule India. INDI Alliance may improve its position, he said. However, it will not reach a position to rule the country as the alliance is not yet complete, he argued. According to Vellappally Natesan, the Citizenship Amendment Act is good. In Kerala, the Citizenship Amendment Act will not be reflected in the elections. The north Indian situation does not exist in south India, he said. His wife Preethi Natesan had inaugurated the election committee office of BJP candidate Sobha Surendran in Alappuzha. Vellappally, who called his wife a Modi bhakt, downplayed the inauguration ceremony and said she went there without proper knowledge of the function. Everyone has different political views at home, he said. His son Thushar Vellappally, leader of Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), a partner of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a candidate from the Kottayam Lok Sabha seat. However, Vellappally Natesan asserted that the SNDP has a neutral stand in the ongoing elections. SNDP has no political stand in the parliamentary elections. Members of all political parties are present in SNDP. As far as Kerala is concerned, there is no need to take a political stand. The community (in total) will not decide who to vote for. The need to take a political stand has not come up in the SNDP council either. Everyone can take a stand according to their politics, he stated. According to him, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) may benefit from the triangular contest in Kerala. LDF will get the benefit of the triangular fight. The inability of the government to pay the welfare pension and kit has certainly created antagonism against the government. Hence there is a feeling of an anti-incumbency factor against the state government. However, it may not convert into votes and hurt the LDF, according to previous experiences. It may not make a dent in the core Left votes. But it is doubtful whether LDF will get the old majority in many places, he said. He termed chief minister Pinarayi Vijayans stand on PM Modi, which invited criticism from Congress, a tactic. It is the chief ministers policy not to criticise Modi. Pinarayi Vijayan is the chief minister of Kerala, not the secretary of the party. There is nothing wrong in adopting the tactics for the good of the administration. The chief minister is conscious that the state will need central assistance. The party secretary can say anything about Modi. However, the chief minister has limitations, Vellappally said. He said there is a fierce triangular contest in Alappuzha where the ruling CPI(M)s lone Lok Sabha lawmaker from Kerala AM Ariff is pitted against Congress heavyweight KC Venugopal. Vellappally Natesan said BJP candidate Sobha Surendran will get more votes from the Congress-led United Democratic Front. Sobha Surendran is an Ezhava candidate. It will benefit Sobha if you tell me about her relationship with me, he said. He said now Thiruvananthapuram has a new look with the arrival of union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and there is a strong triangular fight. Unpleasant truths are not to be told in the middle of an election, he said in reply to a question on the Thrissur seat. It will be made public only after the election. Many people will dislike telling the truth. Hence it is better not to tell unpleasant truths, said Vellappally whose blunt statements stirred up many controversies in the past three decades. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that he will lose the Lok Sabha Election and is now worried about retaining his official MP residence after the June 4 results. Claiming that the Congress MP would struggle to win the polls, BJP spokesperson Jairam Shergill said that Rahul was busy playing hide and seek rather than focussing on the polls. Rahul Gandhi instead of fighting elections is busy playing hide and seek. Rahul Gandhi is only worried about whether he will be able to retain an MP house after 4th June or not. That is the tragedy of the Congress party, said Shergill, as quoted by news agency ANI. Shergill also taunted the grand old party questioning its ability to win even 40 seats in the Lok Sabha polls and expressed confidence that PM Narendra Modi would secure a third term as Prime Minister. In this election, voters had only two things in mind. Firstly, they wanted to ensure that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected for the third term. Secondly, they wanted to ensure the Congress party was completely defeated. The general sentiment in the nation was that people wanted the BJP to win with a clear majority, and for the Congress party, the question was whether they would be able to cross the mark of 40 seats, Shergill added. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Congress has accepted its defeat even before the Lok Sabha poll results are out, and took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying that just as he lost from Amethi in 2019, the Congress sahabzade will lose the Wayanad parliamentary seat this time. Addressing an election rally at Nanded in Maharashtra for the candidates of Nanded and Hingoli Lok Sabha seats, Modi accused the Congress of being a barrier in the path of development and that it cannot be trusted to work for the countrys progress. Notably, Rahul Gandhi is contesting the Lok Sabha election 2024 from Keralas Wayanad. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that the first phase of voting in the Lok Sabha polls on April 19 favoured the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Viksit Bharat, but he trained his guns on the Congress in Karnataka and asked people to be alert, claiming that the party was creating an unsafe environment for the countrys daughters, Hindus, and the common man. The thinking that the Congress is propagating is very dangerous. Our daughters are being attacked, bomb blasts are taking place in public spaces, there are attacks on those who are listening to bhajan-kirtan. These are not simple incidents. That is why I appeal to the people of Bengaluru and Karnataka that you should remain alert about Congress, he said while addressing a public meeting in Bengaluru after a whirlwind session of rallies in Maharashtra and Karnatakas Chikkaballapur. Continuing his attack on the Congress government, he highlighted how Bengaluru as a city has been thirsting for water and the ruling party in the state has converted it from a tank city into a tanker city and handed over the IT capital of India into the hands of the water tanker mafia. I have seen that the Congress and the INDI Alliance have been accusing Modi of false promises and hopes. But my focus is on the progress of Bharat, enhancing the global image of Bharat, because you the people are Modis parivar, said the leader while attacking the Congress for misleading the public. Outlining how he has come to the people seeking their support with his governments report card in hand, the Prime Minister said that the BJPs reign at the Centre has been able to uplift India from being included in the Fragile Five list of countries to one of the top five in the world. The PM said that the opposition INDIA bloc has been carrying around a warped tape recorder about its achievements but Modi is seeking peoples votes with a track record. Speaking about how Bengaluru has seen immense development under the BJP at the Centre, the PM also highlighted that only centrally funded projects were progressing in Karnataka while all other state-sponsored ventures had come to a grinding halt. He called the Congress anti-development, anti-youth, anti-investments, anti-entrepreneurs, anti-taxpayers, and anti-wealth creators. The Congress opposed Aadhaar, it opposed Jan Dhan, it criticised the Covid platform (CoWIN), mocked us when we spoke about developing a Covid vaccine, the PM said. The Prime Minister also hit out at the Congress party for allegedly trying to propagate a negative narrative against the BJP and Modis vision. Modi guarantees you 6G after 5G, the Congress says remove Modi. Modi guarantees you AI, the Congress says remove Modi. Modi guarantees you of putting a man in space through the Gaganyaan project after the success of Chandraayan. The Congress says remove Modi, said the PM before a cheering crowd at Bengalurus Palace Grounds. As part of his poll pitch, Modi spoke of how India will continue to progress in technology, defence, and space. Giving an example, he spoke of how India a few days ago delivered the first Brahmos missile to the Philippines and Asias biggest helicopter factory was built in Bengaluru, second only to the USA. Targeting largely the migrant vote bank in Bengalurus apartment buildings, Modi said his government brought in the RERA law to protect the interests of apartment buyers. He also said that income tax was abolished for those who were earning less than Rs 7 lakh a year. In 2014, the rate of 1 GB of data was Rs 250. Now it is Rs 10 for 1 GB. Your mobile phone bill has come down from Rs 5,000 to Rs 700, said the PM crediting his governments performance. Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, who welcomed the PM in the IT capital, assured him of winning all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state. With our alliance with the JD(S), we will win all 28 seats. The Congress government in Karnataka is running a Tughlaq Darbar, he said. The PM first visited Chikkaballapur, a Lok Sabha seat that is seeing a hot contest between the BJPs Dr K Sudhakar and the Congresss Raksha Ramaiah. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently visited the same constituency. Training his guns on the INDIA bloc, PM Modi said that the opposition parties in the alliance do not have a leader in the present or a vision for the future and have been at the centre of several scams. The first phase of voting has created much enthusiasm in the country, and I can see the same enthusiasm here in Chikkaballapur. The voting in the first phase has gone in favour of NDA and Viksit Bharat, the PM said. Earlier, former Prime Minister and the BJP-led NDA bloc partner HD Deve Gowda criticised Karnatakas Siddaramaiah government for having released a media campaign using a symbolic chombu (copper pot) to highlight that the BJP had not done anything for the people of the country. Under the 10 years of the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh and the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the Congress drained the country of its resources. The Coalgate, 2G spectrum scam, Railgate scam, there has been immense corruption. They gave the BJP and Modi ji an empty vessel having looted all, but he converted this very vessel into an Akshaya Patra for the poor and underprivileged. He uplifted all small and backward communities from poverty. That man who did it is Modi who is seated right next to me, the JD(S) leader said in Chikkaballapur. The CM and deputy CM speak about Modi in a poor light, it is bad politics. They should be ashamed of themselves. There are more than 34 programmes that have been given to the people of this country. I am 91 years old but my blood boils when I see these things. This is PM Modis second visit to Karnataka as part of the BJPs political campaign and he promised the people of the state to dedicate every second towards their welfare. I have worked day and night for your benefit. I have worked 24/7 with a vision for 2047, Modi said asking people to trust the BJP and vote for it once again. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. The Congress party in Wayanad faced a setback on Saturday as its District Congress Committee general secretary resigned from the party and joined the BJP. Addressing the media after joining the saffron party, P M Sudhakaran said present MP and Congress candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, Rahul Gandhi, was inaccessible to even the district leaders of the party. If he is inaccessible to me, imagine the situation of a common man. He was given five years. If we give another term, it will destroy the development prospects of Wayanad, Sudhakaran said. He also challenged Gandhi to announce that he will not contest from Amethi. Two other prominent personalities too joined the BJP today, the saffron party said in a release. The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front has fielded senior CPI leader Annie Raja from the Wayanad constituency. The BJP has given the ticket to its state chief K Surendran in the high range constituency. Recently, the UDF convenor of Kottayam District, Sji Manjakadambil, had left the Front and joined the NDA after forming a new political party. Kerala will vote on April 26 in the Lok Sabha elections. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan filed his nomination from the Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency on Friday, as the elections began with the first phase. While his supporters claim that it was his Ladli Behna Yojana that ensured the BJPs win in the recently concluded assembly polls, this is the first election in two that he is not the chief minister. But, does it bother him that he had to make way for Mohan Yadav even after delivering such a win? Chouhan said he is confident that the BJP will once again deliver a strong victory in the state, while the National Democratic Alliance will achieve its 400 paar aim set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. CNN-News18 caught up with the states longest serving CM on his campaign trail for the general elections. Excerpts from an interview: How do you see the elections shaping this time? Every Indian is proud to see their country develop. The Viksit Bharat slogan by Modi ji echoes with all Indians. That is why the prime minister is not only loved or respected, he is revered in the country. This is the reason that the elections this time are on a completely different tangent. The Lok Sabha tally will be 400 paar and, in MP, we will win all 29 seats But, dont you believe that for any healthy democracy, a healthy opposition is required? If you win all 29 in MP, wont the opposition space cease to exist? It is not the job of the BJP to strengthen the opposition. They have reached such a situation because of their own deeds. The opposition has completely severed itself from this countrys culture and sensibilities. It has reached a position where Sonia Gandhi does not have the guts to contest from Raebareli, while Rahul Gandhi has run away from Amethi. Is it the BJPs fault that the Congress is being forced to run away from seats that have the legacy of Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi? The Congress even opposed the pran pratishtha [of Ram Lallas idol in Ayodhya]. I agree that a healthy opposition must remain, but the Congress-led opposition in the country is to blame for the rejection they are facing from voters. Their allegations are that the opposition is being forced into a corner by central agencies like the ED, CBI and I-T. They are pointing to an undeclared emergency in the country, with arrests like Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejrwals. What do they know about Emergency and political arrests? I was only 17 years old when I was arrested during the Emergency. I was thrashed with batons leading to smashed knees and elbows. I can still feel the pain after so many years. One of our Jana Sangh leaders Hashmat Varsi was denied medical attention in the Bhopal jail; he ultimately died. Under the Defence of India rules, I was declared a threat to the country. How can a 17-year-old be a threat? That is how the Congress ripped the Constitution apart. So, how dare they accuse us today? But, if there are so many issues with the Congress, why is the BJP welcoming its leaders into its fold? The BJP is on the path of nation building. If someone wants to join us on that path, why should we stop them? A lot of Congress leaders were hurt by the partys stance on Ram Mandir. They opposed the decision on Article 370 and questioned the surgical strikes. The conscience of former Congress members did not allow them to continue in such a party. So, will you welcome Kamal Nath, too, if he chooses to join the BJP? That the party will decide. A proper analysis of pros and cons will be done if such a situation develops. So, according to you, will it be Kamal or Kamal Nath in Chhindwara this time? Kamal will bloom all over Madhya Pradesh. Former Bigg Boss stars Soniya Bansal and Shiv Thakare are all set to captivate the audience with their sizzling chemistry in the upcoming music video Koi Baat Nahi. The romantic melody, sung by Raj Bhatt, is currently in production in the scenic locales of Nainital. Recently, Shiv shared a few pictures from the filming location on Instagram and offered fans a glimpse into the duos enchanting on-screen romance. The first two pictures showcase the actor in a solo shot, exuding charm in his ensemble of blue cargo denim, a white T-shirt, and a vibrant red jacket. Meanwhile, the accompanying video beautifully captures the chemistry between the duo as they candidly pose and are completely engrossed in each others company. At one moment, Shiv can be seen holding Soniya close. Soniya radiates elegance and beauty in a stunning cream-shade dress. Alongside the post, Shiv wrote in the caption, Guess whats cooking in Nainital?? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shiv Thakare (@shivthakare9) Fans and followers are truly excited to see this duo on the screen. They flooded the comment section with love and admiration. One user wrote, Whatever is cooking we cant wait to get served, while another commented, Looks cool Bhai, excited for your new MV. Shiv also shared some additional videos from behind the scenes on his Instagram story. In the first story, the duo is seen seated at the breakfast table against the beautiful backdrop of mountains filled with trees. In the next story, a night scene unfolds with Shiv seated near a fountain, elegantly dressed in formal attire. In an interview with IANS, Soniya spoke about the song which is being shot in Nainital. She said, Raj Bhatt lent his voice to the song titled Koi Baat Nahi, which boasts a romantic backdrop. The pleasant weather in Nainital is providing respite from Mumbais scorching heat. She further elaborated on her bond with Shiv, expressing that he is a great co-star. Soniya added, We were part of the same reality show, Bigg Boss. We were in different seasons, but still, we bonded well. The actress described her look for the upcoming song as a fusion of formal attire and glamour. Keralas United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF) have alleged that at least four electronic voting machines (EVMs) registered votes in favour of the BJP in a mock polling in Kasargod on April 17. The mock poll was held as part of the commissioning of EVMs ahead of the Lok Sabha election that will take place in the state on April 26. It was when the machines were turned on for the mock poll that additional VVPAT (voter-verified paper audit trail) slips with the BJP party symbol reportedly came out. Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituencys LDF candidate and CPM leader M V Balakrishnan filed a complaint with District Election Officer Inbasekar K, to look into the errors. UDF candidate Rajmohan Unnithans agent Muhammad Nasar Cherkalam Abdulla urged the assistant returning office in Kasargod Lok Sabha constituency to change the faulty machines. The officials tested 20 machines. When all 10 options on the machine were pressed one time each, the VVPAT units gave two votes to the BJP in four machines. Nasar Cherkalam said, as quoted by Manorama, when the BJPs lotus was not pressed, the same four erroneous VVPAT units gave one vote to the party. Nasar Cherkalam said, as quoted by Manorama, what he found strange was neither the CPI-Ms hammer, sickle and star symbol, nor Congress hand symbol got extra votes during the mock trial. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state has called the allegations baseless. CEO Sanjay Kaul cited the report from Kasargod District Collector, saying the message not to be counted was written on the VVPAT slips. This means that each of these slips came out from four EVMs that shows the machines worked as per standards. Kaul stressed that all voting machines used in the Lok Sabha Elections are completely safe and error-free. Can EVMs be Manipulated? EVMs are standalone devices, not connected to any external unit or a system, so experts have ruled out any possibility of hacking them. The EVMs consist three components: The Ballot Unit (BU), on which the names and symbols of the candidates are given, the Control Unit (CU), which receives the vote and is placed on the presiding officers desk, and VVPAT, which is connected to the CU and BU. Since the BU is not directly connected to CU, the vote goes through VVPAT before reaching the CU. The Election Commission of India says when a voter presses a candidate button on the BU, the BU send the button number to CU, the CU then communicates with VVPAT to print the slip. The BU and CU are location blind, that is, they are randomized at least three times before reaching the booth. While VVPAT is location specific, and is fed with candidate information from external devices. The VVPAT has a customised programme written to recognise votes. Experts say that this programme can be bugged. Since the VVPAT is fed with information such as names of candidates, party names and symbols in its programme, it is possible to tinker with the code by providing additional details, a report by Manorama said. What is the VVPAT Protocol? In India, the voter does not get to verify the slip before the vote is cast. According to researchers, VVPAT protocol has three steps: it allows voters to approve VVPAT slip before casting the vote, second, it allows the voter to cancel the vote if there is any discrepancy, third, it allows a voter to vote from another machine. The Supreme Court had said five EVMs per assembly constituency should be cross-checked. This means, 20,625 EVMs across the country. About 11 lakh EVMs are used in the country. The court is hearing petitions seeking cross-verification of votes cast on EVMs with paper slips generated through VVPAT. When the court asked if there was any software in the VVPAT printer, the poll body replied in the negative. There is a 4 megabyte flash memory in every PAT which stores symbols. The returning officer prepares electronic ballot, which is loaded into the symbol loading unit. It will give a serial number, name of the candidate and symbol. Nothing is preloaded. Its not data, its image format. The Election Commission told the court that all voting machines pass through the mock poll process. Candidates are allowed to pick up randomly 5 per cent machines. The process is repeated on poll day. VVPAT slips are taken out, counted and matched. All machines have different kind of paper seals. At the time when a machine arrives for counting, seal number can be checked, an official said. The new logo of DD News, the news channel of the state-run Doordarshan, has sparked a debate a mere 48 hours after the unveiling of the new logo. DD Newss previous logo was in ruby red colour and the new logo is orange in colour. The change in the logo has made the news channel subject to criticism from the opposition parties who allege that Doordarshan is undergoing saffronisation. While our values remain the same, we are now available in a new avatar. Get ready for a news journey like never before.. Experience the all-new DD News!We have the courage to put: Accuracy over speedFacts over claimsTruth over sensationalism Because if it is on DD News, it pic.twitter.com/YH230pGBKs DD News (@DDNewslive) April 16, 2024 The broadcaster, according to government sources, has been changed as red and orange have more visibility and colour combinations that attract more attention. The sources added that many private channels have that colour as well combination as well. However, leaders of opposition parties questioned the timing of unveiling the new logo, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. As ex CEO of Prasar Bharati it hurts to see the saffronisation of Doordarshans logo just before elections!It will influence voters, by overlaying the colour one religion and Sangh parivar colour with a neutral Public Broadcaster and a biassed Govt/Regime! pic.twitter.com/g7m0PH9nMf Jawhar Sircar (@jawharsircar) April 20, 2024 Mamata Banerjee vs Amit Malviya on Doordarshan Logo Earlier today, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee called the move to change the colour of Doordarshan logo unethical and illegal. She called upon the Election Commission to take and action against the move, which comes during the ongoing Lok Sabha Election. How could the Election Commission of India allow this crude, pro-Saffron violation of the Model Code of Conduct when the people are in the electoral mode?! ECI must immediately stop it and reverse the change to go back to the original blue colour of the logo of Doordarshan, Mamata wrote. Thanks for not abusing. Your language off late has been crass and disgusting. The prospect of losing election is showing.On Doordarshans saffron colour it was tested way back in 1982. So, dont be shocked and find out who changed it to blue. This is nothing but home coming https://t.co/0PDQQe9Fbj pic.twitter.com/UzfBsrkigo Amit Malviya ( ) (@amitmalviya) April 20, 2024 In response, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya promptly replied that the change was tested years ago in 1982 calling the move homecoming for the national broadcaster. Thanks for not abusing. Your language off late has been crass and disgusting. The prospect of losing election is showing. On Doordarshans saffron colour it was tested way back in 1982. So, dont be shocked and find out who changed it to blue. This is nothing but home coming for the national broadcaster, Malviya wrote. The new logo was unveiled on Tuesday evening and DD News announced on social media site X via its official handle. While our values remain the same, we are now available in a new avatar. Get ready for a new journey like never before. Experience the all-new DD News! DD News posted on its official X handle along with a video of its new logo. We dare to put: Accuracy over speed; Facts over claims; Truth over sensationalism. Because if it is on DD News, it is the truth! DD News Bharosa Sach Ka, they further added. Leading the criticism of the broadcaster was All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar, who once served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Prasar Bharati between 2012 and 2014. Prasar Bharati is the statutory body that oversees Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR). Its quite inappropriate to see the national broadcaster has chosen the colour saffron for its branding, Sircar said in a video posted on social media site X. I consider this a transgression of the Model Code of Conduct, Sircar further added, questioning the timing of the change. It is using a particular colour, signifying a particular religion, over the state-funded machinery. A machinery, a network that is supposed to be completely neutral and at arms length, he further added. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Karnataka Congress Corporator, whose daughter was stabbed to death by her acquaintance inside BVB college campus in Hubballi, has said that she was murdered due to love jihad. Aggrieved Niranjan Hiremaths statement comes even as the Siddaramaiah government indicated that no such attempt of forced religious conversion was involved in the case. If this is not Love Jihad, then what is? Hiremath asked, adding that forced marital religious conversions have been spreading a lot. Incidents of this sort have been happening. I see various cases, and their cruelty is increasing. Why are youngsters going astray? Things have come to a point where I cannot hesitate to say this. Because I know the pain of losing a daughter. I have seen in various cases now, of parents losing children. I think this Love Jihad is spreading a lot, the Corporator said. ABVP Gherao Karnataka Home Ministers Residence Protesting against the murder, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers gheraoed Karnataka home minister G Parameshwaras residence in Bengaluru on Saturday. They were arrested and taken into police custody by the police officials stationed there. The protest comes as FIR of the murder case revealed that the accused constantly approached Neha Hiremath to marry him, and had even approached her parents to get her married to him. The complaint given by Geetha, Nehas mother, also reveals that Nehas father had spoken to accused Fayaz four months ago, asking him not to approach his daughter for marriage as she wants to study. In her complaint, Nehas mother also revealed that she had told her parents recently that Fayaz has threatened her of dire consequences if she didnt accept his proposal. What is Hubballi Murder Case? Hiremaths daughter Neha (23) was a first-year MCA student, who was killed by 23-year-old Fayaz, an MCA dropout. Police said that both of them were batchmates during their BCA course. The entire incident was caught on CCTV camera. According to the police, Fayaz went inside the college campus with a knife and stabbed Neha five-six times. During the attack, he too sustained injuries and was shifted to the hospital along with the victim. At the hospital, Neha was declared brought dead. During interrogation, he (Fayaz) claimed that the two of them had been in a relationship and that she had suddenly started avoiding him. It needs to be corroborated and verified, but he was arrested immediately, a senior police officer said. A case of murder has been registered, police said, adding that further investigation is underway. Narrating about the incident, Nehas father Hiremath said that his daughter had classes from 8 am. At around 4.30 pm, when she stepped out after completing her classes, this person approached towards her and stabbed her nearly six times inside the college campus and she died on the spot. He (the accused) was an old student and he had proposed my daughter but she rejected his proposal. She did not like him and she usually stayed away from all thisShe refused him saying they both belonged to different caste and that she did not wish to have any relationship with him. Out of anger, he stabbed my daughter, he told. Reactions in the Case Day after chief minister Siddaramaiah rejected accusations of love jihad, and said murder happened due to personal reasons, Niranjan Hiremath replied: The whole state and country witnessed what happened to my daughter. If they say that it is personal, what is personal in this? Are they my relatives? Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi, meanwhile, launched a scathing attacking attack on the Congress government in the state, saying that the C in the partys name stands for corruption, criminality, and communal violence. Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad, on the other hand, blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of communalizing the situation. BJP is getting an opportunity to communalize the situation. The best they do is communalize the situation. Spread poison. It is a very gruesome act. Police have arrested the accused. Whatever is the fact, will come out in public. We demand for strictest punishment for the accused. The BJP is taking a political advantage. Law and order issues and everything will be taken care of. The government is capable enough of taking care of it, he said. (With PTI inputs) Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. The mother of 23-year-old Fayaz, who allegedly stabbed a Congress Corporators daughter to death, has for the first time spoken to the media, even as deceaseds father claimed that love jihad was the motive behind the murder. Fayaz was under depression. He was sitting at home for one and a half years, Mumtaz, the MCA dropout accuseds mother, told News18 Kannada. Refuting Niranjan Hiremaths claim of an attempt of forced marital religious conversion, Mumtaz told reporters that Neha and Fayaz were in love. The mother claimed that the deceased herself took Fayazs number when he became University Blue in a body-building competition, and she made the first move. They were in love with each other I have known about this for the last year, Mumtaz told reporters. Fayazs mother, however, accepted that what her son did was wrong, and demanded that he be punished severely as per the rule of the land. A report in India Today quoted a tearful Mumtaz as saying, On behalf of my son, I seek forgiveness from all the people of Karnataka. I seek forgiveness from the parents of the girl as well. She is also like my daughter. I am not differentiating here at all. I know how they must be grieving. I am equally sorrowful. What my son did is wrong. No matter who it is, what is done is wrong, she was quoted. Earlier on Saturday, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah had also asserted that there was no love jihad angle surrounding the murder of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremaths daughter. He added that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was using the case for political gains. Its not love jihad. I condemn Nehas murder. We have already arrested him. We are trying to ensure strict punishment to the accused. Murder has happened during different times as well, one cannot deny that. It doesnt mean that we havent taken law and order seriously. We have taken it very seriously. Other states dont have the same peaceful system like in Karnataka. Be whatever incident, murder, robbery we condemn it and ensure punishment to them under the law. BJP is using this for their politics. A political party is using death for their politics is condemnable. It shouldnt be used for politics, Siddaramaiah said. A senior police officer had on Friday said, During interrogation, Fayaz claimed that the two of them had been in a relationship and that she had suddenly started avoiding him. It needs to be corroborated and verified, but he was arrested immediately. Nehas father Niranjan Hiremath, however, claimed, He (the accused) was an old student and he had proposed my daughter but she rejected his proposal. She did not like him and she usually stayed away from all thisShe refused him saying they both belonged to different caste and that she did not wish to have any relationship with him. Out of anger, he stabbed my daughter. If this is not Love Jihad, then what is? Hiremath asked, adding that forced marital religious conversions have been spreading a lot. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Elon Musks India visit, scheduled for April 21 and 22, has been postponed, the Tesla CEO posted on social media platform X, hours after CNBC-TV18 reported the development on Saturday, quoting multiple sources familiar with the visit. Musk was to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announce plans to enter the India market. Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year, he said. On April 10, Musk had posted on social networking platform X that he was looking forward to meeting PM Modi. Just a few weeks before the planned visit, the Indian government had notified a new electric vehicle manufacturing policy allowing the government to give duty concessions to electric car companies committing to Make in India. Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 20, 2024 At present, cars imported as completely built units (CBU) attract customs duty ranging from 70 per cent to 100 per cent, depending on the engine size and cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value. Among the large countries of the world, India has the highest import duties on cars. Sources had earlier said Musk was likely to present a roadmap for total investment of around 20-30 billion dollars in India. However, there were chances that the Starlink agreement may not happen during this visit. In an interview to news agency ANI, the prime minister was asked about how Musk had said he was a Modi fan. Look, the first thing saying that Elon Musk is a supporter of Modi is one thing, basically, he is a supporter of India. And I just met him. Its not like that, Modi said. Modi said he met Musk twice before once during a factory visit in 2015 and the other, most recently, during his state visit to the US last year. Recalling the factory visit in 2015, he said the Tesla CEO had cancelled his pre-scheduled commitment to meet him. He showed me everything in his factory. And I understood his vision from him. I went there just now (to the US in 2023) and met him again. And now he is about to come to India, the PM told ANI. In June last year, Musk had met Modi during the prime ministers US visit. The Tesla CEO had then said he planned to visit India in 2024, while expressing confidence that the company will enter the Indian market soon. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Makers of Bigg Boss OTT 3 have deleted the announcement post of the upcoming season of Salman Khans show. Earlier this week, Bigg Boss production house Endemol Shine India took to its official Instagram handle to announce Bigg Boss OTT 3. They shared a poster in which Salman was seen pointing towards the audience as he also asked, Who do you want to see in Bigg Boss OTT. However, the post has now been deleted. This has left netizens wondering if the makers are not planning a new season for Bigg Boss OTT. The first season of the show was hosted by Karan Johar when Divya Agarwal emerged as the winner. Salman Khan replaced KJo as the host for Bigg Boss OTT 2. The show was won by Munawar Faruqui. This is just a random post by endemol and no way does confirm #BiggBossOTT3 arrival. There are no plans of #BiggBossOTT3.If there is any further update we will post pic.twitter.com/MQWnCgehyZ The Khabri (@TheKhabriTweets) April 16, 2024 It should be noted that all this comes at a time when Salman Khan has also been making headlines for firing outside his Mumbai apartments. On April 14, gunshots were fired outside Khans Galaxy Apartments in Mumbais Bandra area. The Mumbai Crime Branch arrested the two accused from Gujarats Bhuj later and brought them to Mumbai. The accused were identified as Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal. Top Mumbai Police sources also told News18 that Lawrences gang was behind the attack and it was carried out by Rohit Godara, who operates the Bishnoi gang in Rajasthan. Later, Salman Khans security was also increased. The actor earlier had two PSOs. Now, two commandos, two escort vehicles and 11 cops under the Y+ category security have also been provided to him. Additionally, personnel in the security convoy will carry two automatic guns. While Salman Khan has not issued any statement regarding the firing as of now, his father Salim Khan recently spoke to India Today about the incident. Whats there to talk about ye jaahil log jo kehte hain maar denge tab pata lagega na (These illiterate people say youll learn your lesson when well kill you). Weve been given extra police protection. Theyve (Mumbai Police) assured protection for us and our friends. If theyve arrested two people today, that means theyre on it, he said. A 20-year-old man, who allegedly booked a cab from Bollywood actor Salman Khans home in the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was arrested on Friday. According to Mumbai police, the accused, identified as Rohit Tyagi is a 20-year-old man from Uttar Pradeshs Ghaziabad. As per news agency ANI, police stated that the accused had booked a cab in the name of Lawrence Bishnoi from Galaxy Apartment, the house of actor Salman Khan, to the Bandra Police Station. When the cab driver reached Galaxy Apartment at Salman Khans house and asked the watchman there about the booking, the watchman who was stunned at first, immediately informed about the booking to the nearby Bandra Police Station, cops said. Following the complaint, Bandra Police interrogated the cab driver and tracked the information about the person who made the online booking of the cab. Further police investigation revealed that the accused had booked the cab in the name of gangster Bishnoi as a prank. A case was registered against the accused following which the police arrested him from Ghaziabad. The man was then brought to Mumbai and presented before the court, following which he was sent to the custody of Bandra Police for two days. Further details on the matter are awaited. (with inputs from ANI) Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Munawar Faruqui is unwell and is reportedly hospitalised. On Friday evening, the Bigg Boss 17 winner took to his Instagram broadcast channel and shared a picture in which he was seen hooked to an IV drip. Lag gaye nazar, he wrote. Later on Saturday morning, the stand-up comedian seemingly shared update on his health when he asked his fans to pray for him. While details regarding Munawar Faruquis health are not known as of now, the viral picture of the comedian has left fans concerned. Get Well Soon Munawar is trending big on the microblogging site X (formerly known as Twitter) with fans sending their love-filled messages to Munawar. Wishing you a speedy recovery and a quick return to good health. Take care! one of the fans wrote. Bhai Hope u feel better soon and get back to your usual self with lots of love and positive energy, added another. Check out some of the posts here: Wishing you a speedy recovery and a quick return to good health. Take care! #MunawarFaruquiGET WELL SOON MUNAWAR pic.twitter.com/pFty3Frq9u Rajni (@RajniRajni2210) April 20, 2024 Bhai Hope u feel better soon and get back to your usual self with lots of love and positive energy@Razzakbhai8 @munawar0018GET WELL SOON MUNAWAR#MKJW #MunawarKiJanta #MunawarFaruqui pic.twitter.com/ZbROSUN0sK () (@sup35082) April 20, 2024 Munawar bhai, I pray to Allah that you get well soon. May Allah give you health and respect #MunawarFaraquiGET WELL SOON MUNAWAR pic.twitter.com/lF6SQDI0gf moinsha diwan ( I AM WAITING FOR HER ) (@AsimfanNo11) April 20, 2024 Munawar Faruqui emerged as the winner of Bigg Boss 17 earlier this year. After Bigg Boss 17, Munawar was also seen in a music video titled Halki Halki Si. It was a romantic track which also featured Hina Khan. In March this year, Munawar Faruqui was also detained with 14 others during a raid at a hookah parlour in Mumbai. The raid took place in Mumbais Bora Bazar. During the raid, the police found stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui and others smoking hookahs at the joint. We also have a video of their act. We detained Faruqui and others, but they were later allowed to go as the sections slapped against them were bailable, a senior police official told news agency PTI. All those who were detained, including Munawar, were reportedly booked under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act along with IPC sections 283 (danger or obstruction in a public way or line of navigation), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others). However, they were released in just a few hours. Priyanka Chopra, a remarkable and multi-talented actress, has smoothly transitioned between the worlds of Bollywood and Hollywood. Her diverse range of films and projects always highlights her acting prowess. Continuously capturing the admiration of her fans, Chopra recently delighted her followers with glimpses of her Swiss retreat on Instagram, taking a break from her hectic routine. On Saturday, Priyanka Chopra treated her fans to a visual delight with breathtaking photos from her latest getaway in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. The snapshots capture snow-capped mountains, picturesque selfies, and glimpses of the stunning views around her. In one image, she is seen at a cozy eatery. Alongside her Swiss album, she wistfully expressed, Oh to sojourn in Crans Montana even for a blink.. Can I please stay Fellow celebrities like Shibani Dandekar and Shilpa Shirodkar showered her post with compliments and heart emojis. Recently, Priyanka Chopra offered a peek into her life in France, sharing a series of photos that included behind-the-scenes glimpses of Heads Of State and a snapshot of her engrossed in the script of The Bluff. She also shared heartwarming moments with her daughter on set, showcasing her ability to balance her professional commitments with her motherly duties. As for her current projects, Priyanka is actively involved in shooting for Heads Of State, an upcoming action comedy featuring top talents like Idris Elba, John Cena, and Jack Quaid, under the creative direction of Ilya Naishuller. Additionally, she unveiled The Bluff last month, a project directed by Frank E Flowers. Priyanka Chopra was last seen in Russo brothers series Citadel. Priyanka Chopra is also set to start another production venture with Born Hungry, collaborating with Barry Avrich under her banner, Purple Pebble Pictures. Notably, the popular actress is back to her usual life after spending a long vacation with her family in India. Priyanka Chopra along with her musician husband Nick Jonas and daughter Malti Marie arrived in India and took part in several family functions, including her brothers Roka ceremony and cousin Mannara Chopras birthday party. They celebrated Holi with friends and family members in Noida before taking off for the US. A Ghaziabad resident was arrested for allegedly booking a cab in the name of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and sending it to Bollywood superstar Salman Khans residence at Galaxy Apartments in Mumbais Bandra area, where the actor resides with his father, veteran screenwriter Salim Khan, and mother, Salma Khan. Accused Rohit Tyagi, who was picked up from his hometown, intended it to be a prank, a police official told news agency PTI. On Wednesday, Tyagi allegedly booked a cab online for a journey from Salmans house to the Bandra police station. When the cab driver reached the address, he realised that it was a prank, and lodged a complaint. Taking serious note of the incident, Bandra police registered a case and traced Tyagi, arresting him under IPC sections 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 290 (public nuisance). A court has remanded him in police custody. Bishnoi was in news earlier this week after a motorbike-borne man fired at Salman Khans residence last Sunday. While the alleged shooter and his accomplice were arrested, police had said they were probing Bishnoi gangs role in the firing after Anmol Bishnoi, younger brother of the jailed gangster, claimed responsibility for the shooting outside Salman Khans house through a Facebook post. The accused, Vicky Gupta (24) and Sagar Pal (21), both residents of Champaran in Bihar, were arrested from Gujarats Bhuj on April 16 and were flown down to Mumbai. Accused Sagar Pal was influenced by the gangster lifestyle and to fulfil his dream, he came in contact with the gang, and from there he got the contract of firing outside Salman Khan, the accused were told that it was a big job and they would get good money, Mumbai Police said. According to sources, the investigation revealed that Anmol Bishnoi was in 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. According to the crime branch sources, Sagar Pal was trained to use the weapon around his village in West Champaran that was used in the attack. During the investigation, the accused further revealed that they conducted recce of Salman Khans farmhouse in Panvel 4-5 days before the firing incident. However, it was decided that the firing would take place at Bandra. Businessman and Shilpy Shettys husband Raj Kundra reportedly sold his Rs 80-crore Juhu flat to actor-wife for Rs 38 crore in 2022 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated a probe against him in a money laundering case. A report in Times of India quoted its sources as saying that the probe agency it was an internal arrangement of the couple to avoid the propertys attachment and it believes that Kundra is still the flats real owner. On Thursday, the ED issued a press release stating that the case pertains to alleged duping of investors through the use of crypto currency like Bitcoins. The agency alleged 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. The businessmans attached properties include a residential flat in Mumbais Juhu, a bungalow in Pune and equity shares in the name of Kundra. These assets are worth Rs 97.79 crore, the ED said. A lawyer for the couple said no prima facie case has been made out against his clients and that they would cooperate with the authorities. 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, advocate Prashant Patil said in a statement. Day after EDs revelations, Raj Kundra shared a cryptic post on his Instagram stories. There is a time to be a nice person. And theres time to say enough is enough, his post with a picture and quote read. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. The Bombay High Court has dismissed a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against late actor Sushant Singh Rajputs former house help, Samuel Miranda. The LOC was filed against Miranda by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prevent him from travelling abroad during the prosecution. However, Miranda recently sought to dismiss the plea saying he might feel the need to travel abroad for a holiday. As reported by India Today, dismissing the Look Out notice, the Bombay High Court bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Manjusha Deshpande argued that nothing was brought on record by CBI for the continuance of the LOC. Admittedly, till date no report has been filed by the CBI, that is, either a charge sheet or a closure report. It is not in dispute that the petitioner has joined the investigation and has co-operated with the same, the bench said. The High Court bench further stated that the right to travel is a fundamental right and noted that no apprehension that the petitioner will evade arrest or will not be available for trial, or is likely to abscond, or any other bonafide reason has been spelt out, in the said LOC. In February this year, the Bombay High Court also quashed Look Out Circulars issued against actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and their father Lt Col. Indrajit Chakraborty in connection with the alleged drugs case which was filed after SSRs death. Sushant was then found dead in his Mumbai apartment in June 2020. While some suspected to be a case of death by suicide, others had alleged foul play. In March this year, Sushant Singh Rajpurs sister Shweta Singh Kirti issued a video statement and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into the CBI probe regarding her actor-brothers death. In her statement, Shweta shared that its been 45 months since her brother passed away but they still do not have any update from the investigating agency. She argued that Prime Minister Modis help will not only fasten the probe but will also provide relief to howling hearts. Namastey. I am Shweta Singh Kirti. I am Sushant Singh Rajputs sister. I am recording this message for our Prime Minister Modi ji. I wanted to bring to your attention that this is the 45th month of Bhais passing away and we still dont know any updates on the investigation that is being conducted by the CBI. I would highly request your intervention into the matter because as a family and as a country, we are grappling with so many answered questions in this case, Shweta Singh Kirti said. Bollywood heartthrob Aditya Roy Kapur enjoys a massive fan following and is widely loved by all. All thanks to his charming looks and versatility. Starting his career by doing supporting roles alongside Bollywood stars like Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan, Aditya has truly evolved as an actor and carved a niche for himself in the film industry. Apart from acting, the Aashiqui 2 star often sets significant fashion goals with his comfortable yet stylish ensembles. Recently, Aditya was snapped at the Mumbai airport, bidding farewell to his hometown for a while. Several pictures and videos of the Malang actor went viral. In one such video, Aditya could be seen making his way to the airport. He wore a grey T-shirt paired with blue denim jeans and sneakers. He accessorised his look with a black cap and a shoulder bag. His latest airport appearance has grabbed the eyeballs of many. Well, thats not all, Aditya is also one of the most joyful actors too. He often engages in fun banter with the paparazzi and once again, during his latest airport appearance, the actor didnt disappoint them. In the clip, Aditya was seen hurrying towards the airport gate, but at that point paps requested him to walk slowly and said Adi aaj aaram se..aaram se" to which he agreed and said araam se". He quickly turned down his speed and walked extremely slowly, which looked quite hilarious. One of the paps also told the Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani actor, Aap bohot fast chalte ho (you walk very fast)," to which he replied, Fast chala kya (Do I walk fast)?" Another shutterbug added, Haan aap thode lambe bhi ho na." (Yes, you are a bit tall as well)" Meanwhile, on the work front, Aditya was last seen in the web series The Night Manager which premiered on the OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar. The show also starred Anil Kapoor and Shobhita Dhulipala in pivotal roles. The actor will be next seen in director Anurag Basus upcoming anthology film, MetroIn Dino. It is a sequel to the hit movie Life In a Metro and also stars Sara Ali Khan, Pankaj Tripathi, Anupam Kher, Ali Fazal, Neena Gupta, Konkona Sen Sharma and Fatima Sana Shaikh in the lead roles. The film is all set to hit the theatres on November 29. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ripped into Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, saying that the Wayanad MP will be forced to look for another safe seat after the Lok Sabha elections in his Kerala constituency. In an interview after the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, Modi touched upon a range of issues including allegations against central agencies, BJPs focus on southern states, and the countrys mood amid the election season. Congresss Yuvraj fled North and took refuge in South in Wayanad. After the Wayanad elections, Congress will announce another seat (for Rahul). Mark my words, the Prime Minister told Asianet Newsable in an interview released on the date he addressed two public meetings in Bengaluru and Chikkaballapura. In the last Lok Sabha elections in 2019, Rahul contested both Keralas Wayanad and UPs Amethi. In that election, he lost Amethi, once considered a Congress bastion, to now Union Minister Smriti Irani. This year, while the Congress has announced that Gandhi will fight from Wayanad, the party has yet to zero in on its candidate for Amethi. Addressing an election rally at Nanded in Maharashtra, PM Modi made similar remarks on Rahul, saying The Congress sahabzade sees a problem in Wayanad. He said, He (Rahul) is waiting for the voting on April 26, after which he and his gang will look for a safe seat because after Amethi, he will have to leave Wayanad as well. Will any voter waste their vote for such people? They will instead vote for Viksit Bharat (developed India). Congress has been a barrier in development of farmers, poor and womenCant trust the party will work for the countrys progress, he said. These remarks came as the Congress party in Wayanad faced a setback on Saturday as its District Congress Committee general secretary resigned from the party and joined the BJP. Addressing the media after joining the saffron party, P M Sudhakaran said present MP and Congress candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, Rahul Gandhi, was inaccessible to even the district leaders of the party. If he is inaccessible to me, imagine the situation of a common man. He was given five years. If we give another term, it will destroy the development prospects of Wayanad, Sudhakaran said. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Google is building steam to push itself in the industry where it is lagging behind in the AI race. And the companys CEO Sundar Pichai is adamant that it will not accept any kind of behaviour that disrupts focus on the work and its co-workers. Pichai was quoted in a blog post this week, where he warns Google employees to keep their focus on the work and keep the office space for building products and not as a personal platform. In the post, Pichai said, this is a business, and not a place to act in a way that disrupts coworkers or makes them feel unsafe, to attempt to use the company as a personal platform, or to fight over disruptive issues or debate politics, Pichai wrote. This is too important a moment as a company for us to be distracted. This isnt the first time when Google employees have staged in-office protests but the nature and the timing of the latest unrest is clearly not going down well with Pichai and Co. The company has a track record of working with governments over secret projects that raises the warning bells among its employees which eventually makes its way to the public as well. The recent firing episode involves Google and its reported deal with the Israel government over its cloud project. Google has laid off 28 employees after their involvement in a protest against the companys latest contract with the Israeli government. As reported by The Verge, the layoffs happened after nine employees were suspended and then arrested in the US earlier this week. These employees were clearly angered by Googles dealings with the Israeli government worth $1.2 billion. In an internal memo to employees, quoted in the report, 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. Snakes are considered some of the most dangerous animals found on our planet. Found in rainy, wet regions, encountering a snake could quickly turn into a serious situation, sometimes even fatal. However, did you know theres a country on this planet with no snakes? Snakes are found almost everywhere in the world, except the country of New Zealand. Amazingly, this country, also known as the snake-free country, is devoid of snakes, thanks to its geographical location. This country located near the South Pole does not lack reptiles, its just short of snakes. Interestingly, snakes are found around the countrys land mass, that is in the sea surrounding it, but never within the country. According to a report, the countrys land mass is too far for the reptiles to reach with ease. However, the question arises what if someone brought or smuggled the snake from outside? Theres a high possibility that many might consider doing it. As per reports, the countrys laws prohibit its citizens to keep a snake as a pet or even bring it from a foreign country. This law takes into account the safety of certain native animals and birds found in the country, as the snakes are predator animals and can be a threat to these animal species. Even in the zoos in New Zealand, you will not be able to find a single snake. The country is situated in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, which is a result of its detachment from the supercontinent Gondwanaland, which happened around 85 million years ago. Because of this, the countrys flora and fauna had an isolated growth. Theres another country on this planet, which is free of snakes, and it is Ireland. It is believed that the countrys patron saint, St Patrick, was the one who killed all the snakes. According to the legend, when the saint was undertaking a 40-day fast, he was attacked by snakes. Many believe that he chased them away to the sea. Eric Decker, a famous YouTuber, also known as Airrack, set himself on a unique mission recently. He decided to fly on every domestic airline in the United States for a week. Additionally, he recorded the experience and a set of rules laid down for this challenge. The YouTubers ambitious airline ranking challenge has now provided vital insights into how US aviation truly works. Eric decided that he would not leave the airport until this mission was complete. He would also buy good seats on each airline. The ranking for each flight is based on price, comfort, service, and other factors. However, the YouTuber met with the first obstruction at the beginning of this trip. His precisely planned schedule was thrown off track when the first three flights were delayed or cancelled. Eric continued with this mission and ultimately ranked the airlines. In the video, Eric said, Im ready to dedicate however many days of my life it takes to try every single airline in the country." Southwest Airlines granted him a coveted first-row seat owing to their open seating model, but a lengthy delay dropped them to the C-tier classification. Spirit Airlines, reportedly known for its low-cost rates, impressed the YouTuber with a clean jet, and polite crew, and therefore received a B-tier rating. Frontier Airlines also earned compliments, with the YouTuber praising a specific flight attendant and giving her a gift card. There were other companies ranked below in the scorecard. Horizon Airs excessive cabin temperature and subsequent cancellation resulted in an F-tier rating. Silver Airways also received an F since their flight was cancelled. Moving on, Delta Airlines provided a comfy seat, access to a lounge with numerous amenities, and complementary food, but their high price kept them out of the top tier. But Endeavour Air achieved an A-tier rating despite its high price. After a week of flying across the country, Eric Decker was eager to return home. He reserved a seat on American Airlines, anticipating a wonderful experience. However, he eventually gave up the seat to visit his mother, leaving American Airlines with an E-tier rating. A man was arrested in connection with a bomb threat late on Saturday morning that forced the evacuation of Denmarks second-largest airport, police said. Flights to and from Billund airport in central Denmark have been suspended. No time has yet been set for the resumption of flights. Following an alert about a bomb at Billund airport, police in southeast Jutland have arrested a man, Danish police said in a statement. The airport website highlights several cancelled flights that were due to leave in the early afternoon, to Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Barcelona. Police are investigating whether there is a link between this bomb threat and the bombing of an ATM in Billund at around 04:00 am (local time) on Saturday. Billund airport is near the headquarters of the manufacturer of Lego toy bricks and the Legoland theme park. (With agency inputs) The former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan said his wife, Bushra Bibi, was being fed food laced with toilet cleaner by Rawalpindis Adiala jail authorities, according to a report by Pakistan-based The Express Tribune. The claims were made during the hearing of the $235 million corruption case in front of justice Nasir Javed Rana. He said due to ingesting the toilet cleaner, the former first lady has faced health issues. Bushra Bibi is currently jailed at Bani Gala 71-year-old Khans home in Islamabad which was turned into a sub-jail since she was sentenced in the un-Islamic nikah case in February. Imran Khan said that Shaukat Khanum Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr Asim Yousaf had suggested carrying out Bushra Bibis tests at Shifa International Hospital but authorities prevented him from doing so. He claimed that authorities pushed for carrying out the test at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital. Bushra Bibi, on Monday moved the Islamabad High Court seeking a medical examination at the Shaukat Khanum Hospital, which is owned by Khans charitable organisation. Earlier this month, during the hearing of a corruption case in the Adiala jail, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: party founder Khan informed the judge that there had been an attempt to poison his wife and said that she had marks on her skin and tongue as a side effect of the poisoning. However, Bushra Bibis personal physician conducted a medical checkup and ascertained that she had not been given any poisonous substance. Meanwhile, a Pakistan court this week disposed of a petition filed by Bushra Bibi seeking her transfer to the high-security Adiala jail, where her husband is incarcerated. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb disposed of the petition after Bushra Bibis lawyers failed to appear before the court Questioning why Bushra Bibis counsels were absent. If they had won this case, Bushra Bibi would have gone to [Adiala] jail, but they (lawyers) themselves do not want Bushra Bibi to go to jail, the judge said. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Khan has been lodged in the Adiala Jail since August 2023. Earlier in January, Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14 years in jail in the Toshakhana reference case about the illegal sale of state gifts, which the former premier received during his term. At least 58 people going to a funeral died after their overloaded boat capsized in the Central African Republics capital Bangui, the head of civil protection said on Saturday. We were able to extract 58 lifeless bodies. We dont know the total number of people who are underwater, Thomas Djimasse told Radio Guira. According to witnesses and videos on social media, the boat was carrying more than 300 people some standing and others perched on wooden structures when it overturned on the Mpoko river on Friday. The vessel was heading to the funeral of a village chief but capsized shortly after setting off, with rescuers arriving 40 minutes after the disaster. Maurice Kapenya, who followed the boat in a canoe because there was no space on board, said he collected the bodies of some of the victims, including his own sister, with the help of fishermen and residents. Families were seen near the river on Saturday looking for their loved ones who were still missing. A person, identified as Maxwell Azzarello, on Saturday (local time) died from the injuries he suffered after he set himself ablaze outside the courtroom where former US President Donald Trump was facing charges in a hush money case, people speaking to US news media outlets said. Horrified witnesses and broadcasters saw and recorded Azarello taking out pamphlets, strew them around, take out and pour a liquid accelerant all over his body and set himself on fire on Friday. Video cameras stationed outside the Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial caught the gruesome scene and the aftermath as authorities tried to rescue him. CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC were all on the air with reporters talking about the seating of a jury when the incident happened and other news agencies, like The Associated Press, were live-streaming from outside the courthouse. The man, who police said had travelled from Florida to New York in the last few days, hadnt breached any security checkpoints to get into the park. Cops believe that the liquid accelerant he was using was a type of alcohol-based substance used for cleaning, according to a separate report by NBC New York. Was Maxwell Azzarello A Conspiracy Theorist? Maxwell described himself as an investigative researcher in his blog and social media accounts. He said he was an investigative researcher in a blog post on Substack just hours before he self-immolated. They were unsuccessful at first but were later able to douse the flames, allowing authorities to send him to the hospital. Azzarello, a Florida resident, was able to take a few steps while he was burning and walked till a police barrier as flames engulfed him. He fell down and cops from the New York Police Department (NYPD), who were present there due to the high-profile nature of the trial rushed with what appeared to be a fire extinguisher to douse the flames. Others also rushed with their jackets and other items to cover the fire. They were unsuccessful at first but were later able to douse the flames, allowing authorities to send him to the hospital. Bystanders as well as a CNN reporter said that smell of burning flesh covered the air and the mans flesh was seemingly sizzling due to the burns. The fliers that he dropped contained a link to his Substack account where he posted a blog explaining his action before he set himself ablaze. The blog was titled: I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial. He said his extreme act of protest was an act of drawing attention to what he claimed was an ongoing totalitarian con. (They were) almost like a conspiracy theory type of pamphlet, some information in regards to Ponzi schemes, and the fact that some of our local educational institutes are a front for the mob. His condition is not good, but as of now he is still alive, NYPD chief of detectives Joseph Kenny was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. We just right now labelled (him) a sort of conspiracy theorist, and were going from there, deputy police commissioner Tarik Sheppard was quoted as saying by the news agency. (The government is) about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologise for inflicting this pain upon you. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict, Maxwell wrote in the blog post before he set himself ablaze. In his LinkedIn profile he appears with a photo of former US President Bill Clinton and claims he has been self-employed since March of 2023. (The government is) about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologise for inflicting this pain upon you. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict, Maxwell wrote in the blog post before he set himself ablaze. In his LinkedIn profile he appears with a photo of former US President Bill Clinton and claims he has been self-employed since March of 2023. Azarello also filed lawsuits last year against Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, Binance, Peter Thiel, Mark Cuban, Richard Branson and Mark Zuckerberg, claiming that they made money for decades through fraudulent schemes. Each of the defendants has knowingly conspired, participated in, benefited financially from a decades-long fraudulent scheme, he claimed in his lawsuit. He was arrested twice last year for disturbing the peace in Florida. A missile fired in an apparent Israeli strike on air defences of Irans Natanz nuclear site had technology that enabled the weapon to evade the Islamic countrys radar defence systems, according to The New York Times (NYT). Iran did not detect intrusions into its airspace on Friday, including drones, missiles or aircraft, the newspaper said, citing two Iranian officials. The attack appeared to target an Iranian Air Force base near the city of Isfahan, deep inside the country, but without striking any strategic sites or causing major damage. The US outlet says that the warplane from which the missile was launched was far from Israeli or Iranian airspace and neither the jet nor the missile entered Jordanian airspace, in a calculated move to keep Amman out of any potential ramifications for the reprisal strike after it helped shoot down drones and missiles fired at Israel last weekend. Send a message The report said that Fridays Israeli strike in Iran overnight was beyond the scope of several small drones described by Tehran. The strike reportedly included at least one missile launched by Israeli Air Force warplanes that targeted an air defence radar site near Isfahan that was part of an array defending the nearby top-secret Natanz nuclear site. According to NYT, satellite imagery shows damage to the radar of an S-300 system at the Eighth Shekari Air Base in Isfahan. The attack was designed to send a message of how a wider attack could look. Israels use of drones launched from inside Iran and a missile that it could not detect, the Western officials said, was intended to give Iran a taste of what a larger-scale attack might look like, according to NYT. The attack, they said, was calibrated to make Iran think twice before launching a direct attack on Israel in the future. Read More: Toys Our Children Play With: Iran Foreign Minister Appears To Mock Israel, Downplays Isfahan Drone Attack Irans foreign minister has said Tehran was investigating an overnight attack on Iran, adding that so far a link to Israel had not been proven as he downplayed the strike. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the drones took off from inside Iran and flew for a few hundred meters before being downed. Theyre more like toys that our children play with, not drones, Amirabdollahian told NBC News. It has not been proved to us that there is a connection between these and Israel, he said. Iranian media and officials described a small number of explosions, which they said resulted from air defences hitting three drones over Isfahan in central Iran in the early hours of Friday. They referred to the incident as an attack by infiltrators, rather than by Israel. Amirabdollahian warned that if Israel retaliated and acted against the interests of Iran, Tehrans next response would be immediate and at maximum level. But if not, then we are done. We are concluded, he said. (With agency inputs) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused past governments of neglecting relations with West Asian countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where millions of Indians reside. Its unfortunate for the country that previous governments didnt pay attention to strengthening relations with West Asian countries. We did two things: oil imports and export of cheap manpower. This was not a wise outlook. Our path is now moving past from a buyer-seller relation to comprehensive development, PM Modi said in an interview released by Asianet on Saturday. While answering a question on Indias growing ties with Middle Eastern countries, he said, In 2015, I visited the UAE after becoming prime minister. You will be surprised to learn that in a country where nearly 25-30 lakh Indians reside including scores of people from Kerala not even a single prime minister visited that country in 30 years. If my countrys PM does such a thing, what sort of treatment do you expect for our Indian brethren living there? In the past 10 years, the Prime Minister underlined, he visited the Middle East region 13 times. Citing examples from Yemen and Sudan, Modi said better ties in West Asia helped India rescue its nationals from several crises in the Middle East. He recalled how his government managed to get 850 Indians released from a Saudi jail and also cited the rescue of the navy veterans from Qatar. The Prime Minister noted that his government has changed the perspective of foreign policy and made the Indian diaspora an integral part of it. Earlier this month, Modi stressed the need for a strong and stable government in India amid an increasingly volatile world marked by several conflicts and wars. During the release of BJPs election manifesto here, Modi also vowed to prioritise the safety of Indian nationals living abroad. Delivering an address at the BJP headquarters in the national capital ahead of general elections, Modi said, As the world reels under the clouds of uncertainty in the wake of global tensions and wars, the security of Indians living abroad during these difficult times is our priority. The need for a strong, stable, and a majority government (in India) increases manifold during such tough times, he added. Stay Ahead With all the Lok Sabha Election 2024 Related Real-Time Updates At News18 Website. Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the weapons that were used in the drone attack over Isfahan in central Iran in the early hours of Friday were more like childrens toys. What happened last night was not a strike. They were more like toys that our children play with not drones, Hossein Amirabdollahian was quoted as saying by US broadcaster NBC News. Amirabdollahian, who is currently in the US New York to attend a UN Security Council session, said Iran is not planning to respond to the attack unless Israel makes a significant move. As long as there is no new adventurism by Israel against our interests, then we are not going to have any new reactions, he was quoted as saying. Amirabdollahian also warned of a swift and severe response if Israel did choose to attack Iran. If Israel takes decisive action against my country (and) this is proven to us, our response will be immediate and to the maximum and will cause them to regret it, he further added. Tensions between Iran and Israel reached their highest point this year when Israel bombed an Iranian consular building in the Syrian capital of Damascus on April 1. The strike killed two high-ranking generals and five officers from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iran responded by launching an unprecedented, direct military attack on Israel involving more than 300 missiles and drones after 12 days. There was no major damage as nearly all of the missiles and drones were intercepted by Israeli air defence systems, US, UK and Jordanian jets. Amirabdollahian said the attack was a warning. We could have hit Haifa and Tel Aviv. We could have also targeted all the economic ports of Israel. But our red lines were civilians. We only had a military purpose, the Iranian foreign minister said. Israel retaliated on Thursday when it struck the military airfield near central Irans Isfahan. The Iranian media did not report any casualties and said that nuclear facilities in the area were not damaged. Former Israeli Intelligence official and regional analyst Avi Melamed said that the attack on Iran was meant to project deterrence. Israels strike early this morning on Iran projects deterrence, sending the strong message to Tehran that Isfahan, and the Iranian nuclear centres in its vicinity, as well as the entire country of Iran, are within range for Israeli counterstrikes should it further escalate, Melamed said. The attack, however, was met mostly with silence from top Israeli officials. News agency Reuters citing experts said that the public statements released after the attack indicate that both sides are looking to ease tensions. American officials also called for calm. We do not want to see this conflict escalate, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday. This photo taken on Jan 19, 2023 shows the US Capitol building in Washington, DC, the United States. [Photo/Xinhua] Global Times-US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for a steep hike to tariffs on steel and aluminum products from China as he delivered remarks at the United Steelworkers' headquarters in the "Steel City" of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Reuters reported. Biden aides said that the president was proposing raising to 25 percent the tariffs imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products, which currently face up to a 7.5 percent tariff. At a time when the US steel industry is focused on opposing Japanese company Nippon Steel's attempt to acquire US Steel, Biden's proposal to ratchet up pressure on the Chinese steel industry appears to be disconnected from the concerns of union steelworkers. On the one hand, it is highly questionable what role the strategy of targeting Chinese steel will play in revitalizing the US steel industry. On the other hand, US tariffs may weigh on Chinese steel imports, but they will be futile in containing China's steel industry. Indeed, US steel imports from China have already decreased significantly under the weight of tariffs. The US imported roughly $6.1 billion in steel products in the 12 months ended in February 2023, but just 3 percent of those imports came from China, according to ABC News, citing Census Bureau figures. Also, the American Iron and Steel Institute said that in 2023, 598,000 tons of steel were imported from China, down 8.2 percent from 2022 and accounting for only 2.1 percent of US steel imports. By comparison, the US imported 6.9 million tons of steel from Canada and 4.2 million tons from Mexico, the two biggest sources of foreign steel, according to media reports. Yet, despite the trade barriers, the remaining steel imports from China still represent some indispensable US demand for Chinese steel products. This is not just because of the price advantage of Chinese steel products. More importantly, China's steel industry has demonstrated a strong competitiveness in terms of both technology and quality. With the rapid development of Chinese manufacturing and the continuous improvement of the industrialization level, China's steel industry has made significant progress in technological innovation and product quality management, enabling its products to meet the increasingly stringent demands of the international market. In particular, the competitiveness of China's steel products has been in full display in the global infrastructure construction sector in recent years. For instance, when New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) was found to have ordered 150,000 tons of imported Chinese steel for renovations to the city's landmark Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in 2013, it was quickly engulfed in criticism. The MTA then defended its decision, stating that there's not a steel plant in America that can produce the type of high-tech steel plate it wants - a lighter and more resilient orthotropic steel deck. An MTA spokesperson even told the media that the agency went to "extraordinary lengths" to recruit a US steel manufacturer for the bridge job, but that higher prices and uncertain delivery schedules made an American purchase impossible. If anything, the example is sufficient to indicate the strength of Chinese steel products in terms of quality and performance, which can meet the needs of any high-demand infrastructure project. China's achievement in building the world's highest bridge is also a strong testimony to the competitiveness of its steel industry. Of the world's 100 highest bridges, 90 are in China, which all require steel products with the highest quality and the best performance in construction, according to media reports. There is no way the US can rely on protectionism to make US steel plants produce the best-quality steel products like China does. On the contrary, it can only make the American steel industry lag China's. Biden may have won some votes, but he does not have the power to bolster the entire American steel industry's competition against its Chinese peers. The US House of Representatives has passed a $95 billion legislative package providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, amid objections from a section of Republican lawmakers. This comes as leaders from Democratic President Joe Biden to top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell have been asking House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring it up for a vote. The legislation now proceeds to the Democratic-majority Senate, which passed a similar measure over two months ago. The Senate is expected to pass the measure next week, sending it to Biden to sign into law. Johnson this week chose to ignore ouster threats by hardline members of his fractious 218-213 majority and push forward the measure that includes some $60.84 billion for Ukraine as it struggles in its battle with Russia. The four-bill package also includes funds for Israel, security aid for Taiwan and allies in the Indo-Pacific and a measure that includes a threat to ban the Chinese-owned app TikTok and the potential transfer of seized Russian assets to Ukraine. Some Republicans have voiced strong opposition to further Ukraine aid, with some arguing the US can ill afford it given its rising $34 trillion national debt. They have repeatedly raised the threat of ousting Johnson, who became speaker in October after his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, was ousted by party hardliners. Its not the perfect legislation, its not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House, the Senate, and the White House, Johnson told reporters on Friday. This is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances to take care of these really important obligations. Earlier, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, who carries huge influence in the party, on April 12 voiced support for Johnson and in a Thursday social media post said Ukraines survival is important for the US. The bills provide $60.84 billion to address the conflict in Ukraine, including $23 billion to replenish U.S. weapons, stocks and facilities; $26 billion for Israel, including $9.1 billion for humanitarian needs, and $8.12 billion for the Indo-Pacific. (With agency inputs) A man who set himself ablaze outside the New York City court where former US president Donald Trump is standing trial has died of his injuries, police said early Saturday. Police had previously identified the man as Maxwell Azzarello from St. Augustine, Florida. Witnesses described seeing him throw pamphlets into the air on Friday just before dousing himself with an unspecified liquid and setting himself on fire in a park near the courthouse. The man, who wrote an online manifesto before self-immolating Friday afternoon, was rushed to treatment. Later a spokesman for the New York Police Department confirmed early Saturday that the man had died. My name is Max Azzarello, and I am an US media reports said that Azzarello was a self-described investigative researcher who spewed conspiracy theories about the elites in a lengthy manifesto. My name is Max Azzarello, and I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan, the lengthy manifesto reads. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup. According to the New York Post, the thirty-seven-year-old Florida man tossed a stack of pamphlets into the air, which included links to a Substack newsletter apparently authored by the self-immolator called The Ponzi Papers moments before he doused himself in gasoline and set himself ablaze in Collect Pond Park. The nearly 2,700-word manifesto he left behind was filled with conspiracy theories ranging from cryptocurrency to COVID and former President Bill Clinton. Totalitarian con Azzarello claimed to be an investigative researcher, aiming to draw attention to what he termed a totalitarian con orchestrated by government elites. He accused both Republicans and Democrats of fabricating crises to push for a fascist takeover. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup, he wrote. These claims sound like fantastical conspiracy theory, but they are not. They are proof of conspiracy. If you investigate this mountain of research, you will prove them too. To my friends and family Azzarellos rambling manifesto also mentioned references to popular culture, including The Simpsons, and alleged connections between high-profile figures like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. He voiced his suspicions about a secret kleptocracy and predicted an impending fascist coup. Azzarellos family was unaware of his trip to New York City, where he appeared outside the Lower Manhattan courthouse holding a sign proclaiming a fascist coup involving Trump and Biden. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict. Because these words are true, this is an act of revolution, he wrote. Ukraine launched a barrage of drones across Russia overnight, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said Saturday, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure. Fifty drones were shot down by air defenses over eight Russian regions, including 26 over the country's western Belgorod region close to the Ukrainian border, per the AP . Two peoplea woman with a broken leg and the man caring for herdied during the barrage, after explosions sparked a blaze that set their home alight, Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on social media. Drones were also reportedly destroyed over the Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Smolensk, Ryazan, and Kaluga regions across Russia's west and south, as well as in the Moscow region. Ukrainian officials normally decline to comment about attacks on Russian soil. However, many of the drone strikes appeared to be directed toward Russia's energy infrastructure. The head of the Kaluga region, Vladislav Shapsha, said Saturday that a drone strike had sparked a blaze at an electrical substation, while Bryansk Gov. Alexander Bogomaz and Smolensk Gov. Vasily Anokhin also reported fires at fuel and energy complexes. In recent months, Russian refineries and oil terminals have become priority targets of Ukrainian drone attacks, part of stepped-up assaults on Russian territory. Ukrainian drone developers have been extending the weapons' range for months, as Kyiv attempts to compensate for its battlefield disadvantage in weapons and troops. The unmanned aerial vehicles are also an affordable option while Ukraine waits for more US military aid. Meanwhile, Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with seven missiles, and air defenses downed two missiles and three reconnaissance drones, the Ukrainian air force said Saturday. Russian shelling also killed a 50-year-old man in the city of Vovchansk, said Gov. Oleh Syniehubov, head of Ukraine's Kharkiv region. A 60-year-old woman was also injured after shelling struck a nine-story apartment block, he added. (More Russia-Ukraine war stories.) Pregnant employees have the right to a wide range of accommodations under new federal regulations for enforcing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act that supporters say could change workplace culture for millions of people. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency in charge of enforcing the law, adopted an expansive view of conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth in its proposed regulations, including a controversial decision to include abortion, fertility treatment, and birth control as medical issues requiring job protections. The rules, adopted on a 3-2 vote along partisan lines, were published Monday and offer extensive guidelines for addressing more routine difficulties of pregnancy, such as morning sickness, back pain, and needing to avoid heavy lifting, per the AP. Labor advocates say the law will be especially transformative for pregnant women in low-wage jobs, who are often denied simple requests like more bathroom breaks. What to know about the law and the EEOC regulations: Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: Congress passed the law with bipartisan support in December 2022 following a decadelong campaign by women's rights and labor advocates, who argued that the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act did little to guarantee women would receive the accommodations they might need at work. The law stated only that pregnant workers should be treated the same as other employees, not that they deserved special consideration. To get their requests met, many pregnant workers therefore needed to demonstrate they had physical limitations covered under the Americans With Disabilities Act, often creating insurmountable hurdles. The House passed legislation Saturday that would ban TikTok in the US if the popular social media platform's China-based owner doesn't sell its stake within a year. That doesn't mean the app will go away anytime soon, the AP reports. The decision by House Republicans to include TikTok as part of a larger foreign aid package fast-tracked the ban after an earlier version had stalled in the Senate. A standalone bill with a six-month selling deadline passed the House in March as both Democrats and Republicans voiced national security concerns about the app's owner, the Chinese technology firm ByteDance. But the maneuver could speed up the TikTok crackdown's route through Congress, per the Washington Post, while putting pressure on the Senate. Negotiations between the chambers had produced a compromise measure, and the Post finds support increasing in the Senate. TikTok is "a spy balloon in Americans' phones" used to "surveil and exploit America's personal information," Republican Rep. Michael McCaul told the House in introducing the provision for debate on Saturday. The company could challenge the law in court, per the AP, possibly arguing that it deprives millions of TikTok users of their First Amendment rights. President Biden said last month that he would sign the TikTok bill if Congress passes it. (More TikTok stories.) The House on Saturday ended its monthslong standoff over foreign aid, approving a $95 billion package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The legislation put together by Speaker Mike Johnsonwhose job has been threatened by members of his caucus over the issuereceived help from Democrats, who broke out in cheers in the chamber. The package could be taken up by the Senate as soon as Tuesday, the New York Times reports. "We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well," Johnson said, per the AP. President Biden, who said he'll sign the bills, issued a statement thanking the lawmakers "who voted to put our national security first." Surveys indicate that most Israelis blame Netanyahu for the security failures that led to the devastating attack by Hamas fighters on communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7. Israel's longest-serving prime minister has repeatedly ruled out early elections, which opinion polls suggest he would lose, saying that to go to the polls in the middle of a war would only reward Hamas. "We're here to protest against this government that keeps dragging us down, month after month; before October 7th, after October 7th. We kept going down in a spiral," said Yalon Pikman, 58, who attended a march in Tel Aviv. Hamas-led gunmen seized 253 people during the Oct. 7 attack that killed around 1,200, according to Israeli tallies. Some hostages were freed in a November truce, but efforts to secure another deal appear to have stalled. Netanyahu has pledged to continue the Israeli campaign in Gaza, which local health authorities say has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, until all the hostages are brought home and Hamas has been destroyed. Last week's attack on Israel by waves of Iranian drones and missiles shifted attention from the conflict in Gaza and for many relatives of the remaining hostages there is a growing feeling that time is running out. "My mother is really strong. She's holding us together," said Sharone Lifschitz, 52, whose 85 year-old mother, Yocheved Lifshitz, was among the hostages released in November but whose father, Oded, remains in captivity. "But as time passes, the weight of what is happening - the way that those who could have returned them failed to return them - the sheer weight of that is weighing more and more on her shoulders. And her hope, too, is diminishing." Reuters Russia has stepped up its long-range aerial assaults on Ukraine's energy system and other targets in recent weeks, ratcheting up the pressure on Kyiv behind the front lines where Russian forces have been slowly advancing in the east. Russia denies targeting civilians and says the energy system is a legitimate target, but hundreds of civilians have been killed during airstrikes. In a wartime first for Ukraine, Kyiv's top military spy said Ukrainian forces had shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber from a distance of just over 300 km (180 miles) after the plane fired missiles in the overnight attack. "I can only say the plane was hit at a distance of 308 km, quite far away," Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), said in a BBC-Ukraine interview, parts of which were posted by the agency on the Telegram messaging app. He said they downed the warplane in the same way Kyiv shot down Russian A-50 early warning and control aircraft earlier this year. An intelligence source told Reuters the plane had been hit using a modified S-200, a Soviet-era long-range surface-to-air missile system. Unconfirmed social media footage showed a warplane with its tail on fire spiralling towards the ground. The Russian defence ministry confirmed a bomber had crashed in Russia's southern Stavropol region, hundreds of kilometres from Ukrainian-controlled territory, as it returned to base after carrying out a combat mission. But it said the crash appeared to have been caused by a technical malfunction. Of the four Russian air force crew members ejected from the warplane, two were rescued, one died and a rescue operation was under way for the fourth, the Russian regional governor said. ZELENSKIY SAYS DECISIONS NEEDED NOW Civilians in a five-storey residential building hit in Dnipro said they were shaken up. The building's top floor was partially destroyed and firefighters battled to put out a fire early in the morning. "My wife and daughter are in shock. They say they won't go back to the apartment and asked me to evacuate them somewhere because they won't be able to stay here anymore," said Serhii, a resident. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the site of the strike and called on Ukraine's allies to rush in supplies of air defences as Ukraine's stocks dwindle due to a slowdown in vital Western military aid. Ukraine's air force said it shot down 15 incoming missiles, including two Kh-22 cruise missiles and 14 drones overnight. Air defences shot down 11 of 16 missiles and nine of 10 drones targeting the Dnipropetrovsk region, governor Lysak said. Zelenskiy said more Russian missiles had struck the Black Sea port of Pivdennyi in the southern Odesa region on Friday afternoon, destroying grain storage facilities and foodstuffs they contained. Reuters The jury is set Four women and one man were added to the jury on Friday as five of the six alternates for the case. They will sit in the jury box and will hear the duration of the trial, but they will only be put on the jury should one or more of the 12 jurors be excused from the case. The final additions to the jury included a woman from Spain, a native New Yorker who is a fan of martial arts, a contract specialist, a woman who works for a clothing company, and a project manager for a construction company. All 18 of the jurors will meet as a group for the first time on Monday morning when the trial is set to begin. Five of the jurors came from an initial panel of 96 that was sworn in Monday, while the rest came from a second panel that did not begin answering questions until Thursday morning. The fourth day of jury selection played out similarly to the first three. Prosecutors focused their questions in the case on preparing the jurors to accept testimony from less-than-favorable witnesses, like Michael Cohen. Trump's attorneys, meanwhile, were almost singularly focused on a single question: What did jurors think about Donald Trump? The former president appeared less interested in the proceedings during much of the questioning by the district attorney's office, sitting back in his chair and fiddling with papers. But when his lawyers began asking jurors what they thought of him, the former president was turned toward the jury box, paying full attention. Final round of juror questions highlights emotional decision for potential jurors There were several emotional moments during Friday morning's questioning of potential jurors, with two jurors telling the judge in the middle of voir dire they no longer felt they could serve. One female prospective juror who works in sales for a trading company began crying when she was handed the microphone during the voir dire process. "I'm sorry. I thought I could do this. I wouldn't want someone who feels this way to judge my case either," she said, adding: "This is so much more stressful than I thought." Merchan invited her to come up to the bench to talk privately. He then excused her. At one point after that jury had left, another juror raised her hand and told the court she started feeling "high anxiety" as she sat and listened to a line of questioning about the credibility of witnesses. The woman said she was feeling "anxiety and self-doubt" as she asked to approach the bench. She too was excused. Everyone in the jury pool had the chance to be excused at the outset if they felt they could not be fair and impartial in this case, without further questioning by the judge. The jurors who took part in voir dire on Friday had known that Trump was the defendant in the case since Tuesday, giving them several days to weigh what it would be like to be on the historic panel before having to step into the jury box. But the excused jurors along with an empaneled juror who was excused earlier in the week after she expressed concerns that part of her identity was made public underscored how heavily trying a former president weighs on the justice system. Trump is still trying to stop his trial Despite seating a jury, Trump's legal team again tried to stop the trial in its tracks with another strategic appeal. The move shows how Trump lawyers are likely to continue to try to throw up procedural roadblocks in the criminal trial, even as it's already gotten underway. In a new motion filed Friday morning, Trump's lawyers once again asked an appeals court to temporarily halt the trial until they ruled on Trump's appeal to move the venue of the hush money trial out of Manhattan. Attorney Cliff Robert argued on Trump's behalf at a hastily scheduled hearing Friday afternoon. Robert, speaking in a different courtroom from where the trial was ongoing, told the judge that seating a jury in three days with so many potential jurors being dismissed for cause over bias is "untenable." Trump unsuccessfully appealed with the same request for a stay over the change of venue motion last week. The DA's team argued at that point that the motion was premature because jury selection hadn't happened yet. Robert said Friday that he had rightfully returned to renew Trump's request since a jury had been empaneled. Robert also pointed to the woman who asked to be dismissed on Thursday following media attention. Trump's lawyer argued that the juror's fears proved it's unfair for Trump to be tried in the city due to the publicity surrounding the former president. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office Chief of Appeals Steven Wu argued the record actually showed that "jury selection has worked." There's been a "robust process," he said, to ensure jurors can be fair and root out potentially biased jurors. A hearing on Trump's gag order violations set for Tuesday Despite Trump's attempts to delay, opening statements in his criminal trial will begin Monday morning. Then the trial will fully shift into details about Trump's alleged affair with an adult film star (which he denies) and the hush-money payment made to her in the run-up to the 2016 election. Prosecutors will lay out the theory of their case, followed by Trump's attorneys summarizing their arguments against the charges. After that, the first witness will be called. Prosecutors haven't said who it will be saying they don't want to see Trump posting about any witnesses ahead of time. On Tuesday, the morning will shift to Trump's discussion of witnesses in the case, as Merchan plans to hold a hearing on social media posts by the former president that prosecutors say violated his gag order. They're asking the judge to fine Trump $1,000 per post and remind him that violations of the gag order could result in imprisonment. CNN Social media platform X said on Saturday it would challenge in court an order from an Australian regulator demanding the company remove some posts related to the stabbing of a bishop in Sydney. Police charged a boy, 16, with a terrorism offence on Thursday for the alleged stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at a church in the New South Wales capital on Monday. Footage from the scene showed the boy restrained by the congregation and shouting accusations that Emmanuel had insulted Islam. X's Global Government Affairs posted on Saturday that the Australian eSafety Commissioner had ordered it "to remove certain posts in Australia that publicly commented on the recent attack against a Christian Bishop". TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain expressed disappointment at the UN Security Councils inability to pass a resolution granting Palestine full membership in the United Nations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people due to occupation, ongoing conflict, and dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza as reasons for the regret. The ministry reiterated the Palestinian peoples right to international recognition and full UN membership, emphasising the establishment of an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. This stance aligns with the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and relevant international resolutions. Bahrain emphasised that achieving Palestinian statehood is crucial for fostering just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the region, promoting freedom, justice, prosperity, security, and peaceful coexistence among all inhabitants. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain lawmakers are gearing up for a critical vote on a proposal set to reshape the landscape for foreign investors. Spearheaded by MPs Mamdouh Al Saleh, Mohammed Al Ahmed, Ahmed Qarata, Jalal Hassan, and Mahdi Al Shuwaikh, the proposal seeks to enforce a minimum capital requirement of BD100,000 for foreign companies looking to establish a presence in the country. The proposed amendment targets Article 345 of Decree Law No. 21 of 2001, addressing concerns within the Commercial Companies Law. This contentious issue is slated for debate and voting during Tuesday's session, promising a showdown among parliamentarians. Proponents argue that the measure is crucial for safeguarding the national economy and bolstering the position of Bahraini investors. They contend that the absence of a minimum capital requirement for foreign entities has adversely impacted the economy, particularly by undercutting the vitality of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Fierce opposition However, opposition to the proposal is fierce. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce voices concerns over potential repercussions, warning of adverse effects on the financial services industry, foreign capital companies, and overall financial activity. Additionally, it raises objections on the grounds of contradicting the government's strategic goals of attracting foreign investment and advancing economic reform. Support for the proposal comes from key business organisations such as the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the Bahrain Businessmen Association (BBA). Both advocate for the necessity of introducing a minimum capital requirement to curtail the negative impact on Bahraini SMEs and foster a more equitable investment landscape. According to BCCI, the absence of an investment ceiling for foreign ownership of commercial registrations has adversely affected Bahrain's vision pillars of fairness, competitiveness, and sustainability. BCCI argues that this scenario has fostered an unhealthy parallel market, undermining the position of Bahraini SME owners. BBA underscores the necessity of tackling the adverse effects stemming from the absence of a minimum capital requirement for foreign companies and institutions. Despite strong advocacy, the proposal faces an uphill battle. The Parliament's Financial and Economic Affairs Committee recommends its rejection, citing potential conflicts with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030 and concerns over its implications for economic growth and foreign investment attractiveness. The Committee is also worried that the proposal might hamper the Kingdom's economic growth trajectory and convey an unfavourable signal to international investors. This comes at a critical juncture when the national economy requires a dynamic investment environment to allure additional foreign direct investment. The veto override attempt of a widely supported bill to spend marijuana tax revenues on conservation and county road repairs failed Friday, nearly a year after it was scuttled at the end of the 2023 Legislature. The override went down with 41 state representatives voting in favor, as well as 24 senators, according to the Secretary of State's Office. The override required at least two-thirds of both the 100-member House and 50-member Senate to reverse the governor's veto. Sixty-eight lawmakers did not return a ballot. Despite Senate Bill 442's official demise, conservation funding remains a key distribution from Montana's marijuana sales tax revenues. Under existing law, 20% of those revenues go to Habitat Montana, the state's account for expanding public land access. State parks, trails and nongame wildlife each get 4% of the revenues, as well. Three percent or $200,000, whichever is less, goes to a special state account for veterans and surviving spouses. Marijuana tax revenues have reached about $50 million each year since recreational sales went live in 2022. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte had promised to veto SB 442 even before the Legislature passed it. With 130 of 150 legislators voting for the bill in the 2023 session, it appeared primed for approval once again if given a chance. But the legislation from Malta Republican Sen. Mike Lang has had a turbulent 12 months. Since the veto, the proposal has spent most of that time in the courts as conservation groups that supported the bill sought to overcome the veto "loophole" that precluded lawmakers from conducting an override poll. Recently, Senate Republicans have begun rekindling contempt for the courts over a series of rulings they felt have tread on their own branch's duties. By the time the override poll went out last month, it appeared the merits of SB 442 had become secondary to the interbranch dispute. GOP leadership in the Senate held a press conference after the Supreme Court's ruling that the poll on SB 442's veto would advance, denouncing the procedure "unconstitutional." Hoping to regain the narrative for the bill, Lang issued a letter to his peers urging them to see the court's ruling as advantageous to the Legislature, rather than subject to it. "The courts have not told the Legislature to do anything," he wrote in a letter published in Lee Montana newspapers last month. "The courts have simply directed the Secretary of the State and the Executive branch to comply with the Constitution, and that compliance simply gives the Legislature the opportunity to vote to override a bill that 130 of us supported." The bill had captured wide support during the 2023 session for its spending on local county road repairs, veterans and surviving spouses, and more. The bill had threaded the needle by finding inoffensive beneficiaries for a revenue stream many Republican lawmakers still philosophically object to. The Montana Association of Counties, Montana Wildlife Federation and Wild Montana each supported the bill during the session and later brought the litigation that paved the way for the override poll. Each said Friday they intend to pursue similar legislation at the 2025 Legislature. "Kicking the can down the road didn't solve any of the problems SB 442 would have addressed," said Noah Marion, political and state policy director of Wild Montana, in an emailed statement. "The historic coalition who supports SB 442 is not going away, and we expect to bring back similarly bipartisan and impactful legislation once again." Gianforte's office released a statement Friday praising the vote that ultimately upheld his veto. "I applaud the Montana Legislature for today rejecting radical judicial overreach, as the court sought to meddle in the legislative process," Gianforte said. "Legislators also made clear that we should continue using marijuana revenue to fund addiction and recovery services, law enforcement, veterans, wildlife habitat, and state parks and trails, just as Montanans intended when they voted for recreational marijuana at the ballot box in 2020." Gianforte had also made his own proposal last session to scrap funding most of those items with marijuana tax revenues, turning that funding instead to law enforcement and drug courts. Lawmakers never let that bill out of committee. Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, who had shared her fellow Republicans' concerns about the courts allowing the poll to move forward, said several legislators returned their ballots indicating their refusal to participate "in this unprecedented veto polling procedure." A handful of legislators returned their override packets with letters explaining they indeed supported SB 442, but refused to participate due to the courts' involvement in the process. House Majority Leader Sue Vinton, R-Billings and Rep. Jennifer Carlson, R-Churchill, submitted to Jacobsen letters with identical language: "I am declining to participate in a poll not governed by our Constitution," both letters said. "I look forward to voting on the content of SB 442 in a future, lawful process." Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, and House Minority Leader Kim Abbott, D-Helena, issued a joint statement on Friday highlighting how far the discussion had shifted from the bill's provisions. "Today, Republicans chose party loyalty over supporting veterans, public lands, and rural roads," the Democratic leadership said. "These issues unite Montanans across party lines, and SB 442 which deserves to be law today showed that we are still able to do good work for Montana. Unfortunately, when it came time to stand with Montanans, too many Republicans buckled under pressure from the Governor. These games are exactly what Montanans hate about politics." Zoom out Since January, Republicans have suffered three rulings against them that they felt were examples of judicial overreach. The first was a January ruling by the Supreme Court that the Legislature had disregarded constitutional rules so badly in passing Senate Bill 319 that the fees were warranted against the Legislature under a "bad faith" clause. Then the courts, in examining a legal challenge to the veto on SB 442, issued a ruling that the Legislature should not be denied an opportunity to override a governor's veto a matter of separation of powers that intended to tilt power back to lawmakers. Republicans with a supermajority in the Legislature, however, felt the remedy was theirs to address. "It's not the job of the judiciary to fill the gap because it wants to," Senate Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick said Thursday. "It's our job in the legislative branch to come up with a solution. I disagree fundamentally with the idea that the court gets to come up with a solution because of a perceived gap." Things went quiet for a few weeks, until the Supreme Court overturned the Republican attorney general's handling of a ballot initiative that would add the explicit right to abortion access in the Constitution if approved by voters. As a part of that ruling, the court said a normally required legislative hearing on the initiative was not necessary. Following those proceedings, Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, announced he would assemble a new legislative committee focused on the courts, even teasing a possible loss in funding for the judicial branch. For Fitzpatrick, the "bad faith" ruling "lit the world on fire." "That case has probably done more to fracture things between the judicial branch and the Legislature than anything else I've seen," he said. "Because of the 319 decision, there's probably enough votes now to (pass a bill to create) partisan judges. The problem is, the people that traditionally got up and defended the judicial branch are so angry now they're not going to do it anymore." The upcoming Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform has yet to schedule its first meeting. Solutions to address the issues raised by SB 442 can be hammered out by various rules committees and, ultimately, legislation. Fitzpatrick, the only GOP committee member who is a lawyer, said most of those ideas around that are conceptual at this point, but include putting more sideboards on sine die motions to adjourn the session to prevent surprises perhaps requiring consent from the Speaker or Senate President, or requiring an hour of notice before that motion is lodged. Perhaps most pertinent to the SB 442 fiasco would be determining what "in session" means when one chamber has adjourned before the other, as was the case when Gianforte's veto came down. "I think that one can be a nonpartisan topic," Fitzpatrick said. "I think Republicans and Democrats can look at that and say, let's look at that veto power." Next-gen telecom to turbocharge China's new productivity Xinhua) 15:30, April 20, 2024 BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China is pushing for the convergence of next-generation communication with technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to empower various industries and development of new quality productive forces. With innovation playing the leading role, new quality productive forces means advanced productivity that is freed from traditional economic growth mode and productivity development paths, features high-tech, high efficiency and high quality. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has reported that 5G applications have been successfully integrated into 74 of the 97 major sectors of the national economy. This includes significant advancements in key areas such as industry, mining, power, and healthcare, where 5G is being promoted on a large scale. Zhao Zhiguo, chief engineer of the MIIT, stated that 5G is currently progressing towards 5G-Advanced (5GA) or 5.5G, and there is an increased focus on the research and development of 6G and terabit optical networks. According to a research by Zhongtai Securities, 5G-A is poised to become a cornerstone for the low-altitude economy, offering comprehensive information services that include lifecycle management, intelligent decision support, security, and AI-assisted drone supervision. These capabilities are essential for the safe and efficient operation of low-altitude flights, a burgeoning sector within the economy and an example of developing new quality productive forces. New quality productive forces are driven by revolutionary technological breakthroughs, innovative allocation of production factors, and deep industrial transformation and upgrading. A prime example is the emergence of futuristic industries. The MIIT and several other departments have issued a guideline on the innovation and development of humanoid robots as part of efforts to encourage development of new quality productive forces, said Shan Zhongde, vice minister of industry and information technology. A research note from Guosheng Securities said the humanoid robot market is expected to surpass the trillion-yuan mark in market scale in the future, with 6G playing a significant role in this growth. It will be capable of supporting intelligent dialogue and training for robots by gradually enhancing their level of intelligence. The research suggests that 6G will boast features such as ultra-high speed, ultra-low latency, global coverage, massive connectivity, ultra-high reliability, and ultra-low energy consumption. It is expected to fuel development of game-changing technologies like quantum communication. Smart manufacturing is the core technology and main focus that will enable the transformation of China's manufacturing industry from being large in scale to becoming stronger in capability and competitiveness, said Shan. To this end, China is improving infrastructure including moderately and proactively planning for the deployment of information infrastructure such as 5G, computing power, and mobile Internet of Things (IoT). In March, the world's first 400G all-optical interprovincial backbone network officially became commercially available in China. Compared to the previous generation of backbone networks, its transmission bandwidth has increased by four times, and the energy consumption per bit has been reduced by 65 percent. Data volumes that would previously take ten minutes to transmit can now be completed in just over two minutes thanks to the new network developed by China Mobile. It is expected that by mid-2024, the company will fully realize high-speed interconnection between the eight hubs of an initiative channeling computing resources from the country's east to the west, establishing the world's largest 400G all-optical interprovincial backbone network. Zhao emphasized that the commercial operation of the 400G network will better support the efficient interconnection of computing power and data elements across entities, types, and regions. An industry report from a broadband development alliance indicates that China has built the world's largest and technologically leading "dual-gigabit" network infrastructure, achieving gigabit access in every city, 5G access in every county, and broadband access in every village. The telecom industry in China has developed rapidly in recent years. As of the end of March, the cumulative number of 5G base stations built nationwide has reached 3.647 million, with a 5G user penetration rate exceeding 60 percent, according to MIIT data. As China continues to lift market access restrictions in the manufacturing sector, it will also promote the opening up of sectors including telecommunications to create more trade and investment opportunities for foreign investors. In its latest move to expand opening up, China said that it will remove foreign ownership restrictions on some value-added telecom services provided within domestic pilot areas. By the end of March this year, 1,926 foreign-funded enterprises had been approved to operate telecommunications businesses in China. By aligning itself with high-standard international economic and trade rules, the country aims to stimulate the vitality of market entities and share the development dividends of its digital economy with the world, said Wang Zhiqin, deputy director of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) The rabbi who was serving a sentence in the infamous 1994 murder-for-hire plot on his wife has died in prison, officials confirmed on Friday. Fred Neulander, 82, was pronounced dead on Wednesday at 6:13 p.m. at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, NJ Department of Corrections spokesman Dan Sperrazza said. His cause of death has not been released. Earlier on Wednesday, corrections officers found him unresponsive in his cell in New Jersey State Prisons infirmary unit, a section of the prison for inmates who require medical care. Life-saving measures were attempted by prison staff before he was transported to the hospital. It was not clear on Friday evening what his condition was before Wednesdays incident. Neulander was the founding rabbi of the Congregation Mkor Shalom synagogue in Cherry Hill, which closed in 2022. The rabbi was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison in January 2003 after a jury convicted him of hiring two hitmen to kill his wife. The sentence was handed down about four years before Gov. John Corzine abolished the death penalty in New Jersey. The 52-year-old Carol Neulander was bludgeoned by the two men at the couples Cherry Hill home on Nov. 1, 1994. The hitmen received $30,000 for the kill and were told to make it look like a robbery that turned violent, according to the prosecution. The two killers Len Jenoff and Paul Daniels have both been released from prison after serving 23-year terms. The prosecution believed the rabbi ordered the hit so he could continue an affair he was having with another woman. Neulander tried to appeal his case twice, arguing that Jenoff lied when testifying against him. The appeal was denied by the New Jersey Appellate Court in 2012 and again by the state Supreme Court in 2016. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. With happy and humorous Yiddishisms printed on various products like the Shlep tote bag, the Man I Shivitz tank top, and the Soup with Balls t-shirt, the iconic, New Jersey-based Jewish food brand Manischewitz is embarking on a fresh rebranding effort to transcend the kosher aisle. We are trying to expand beyond our core kosher consumer and reach a younger audience, both Jewish and mainstream, Chief Marketing Officer Shani Seidman said, We hope our new and fresh rebranding appeals to the culturally curious consumer from all walks of life those who enjoy rich experiences. The new campaign features updated graphics, bold colors and inviting new look and feel to product offerings. Like tacos and pizza, the company hopes its new look will allow for a universal appeal. This gefilte fish is a real catch!courtesy of Manischewitz Manischewitz is not just about food; it is about stories, heritage, and a sense of belonging, Seidman said. Inspired by the inclusivity seen in brands with other cuisines, Manischewitz seeks to become an emblematic gateway to Jewish culture by offering Jewish food for all, one delicious product at a time. The brand was founded in 1888 in a small bakery in Cincinnati, to make Passover matzo. Later success paved the way for new products like chicken soup, macaroons, gefilte Fish, broths, noodles and potato pancakes. Today, the Bayonne company is adapting to the dietary needs of the modern consumer. This rebrand is not just a change in packaging but a renewal of our commitment to quality, tradition and inclusivity, Seidman said. The new campaign hit the stores just in time for Passover this coming Monday, April 22. Manischewitz will display the rebranded new graphics and colors across all products. They will also promote the new look on the Manischewitz website, in-store displays and social media. Like those happy and humorous Yiddishisms? Merchandise is available on the website. Karim Shamsi-Basha may be reached at kshamsi-basha@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter & Instagram. Find NJ.com on Facebook. It has been over 50 years since Smoke On The Water was released, and Deep Purple is finally ready to celebrate. Deep Purple will head out on their =1 More Time Tour " on Aug. 14 in Hollywood, Fla. and will wrap up on Sept. 8 in Scranton, Pa. While on tour, the iconic British band will perform two shows in New Jersey: one on Aug. 30 in Camden at the Freedom Mortgage Pavillion and the other on Aug. 31 in Holmdel at PNC Bank Arts Center. Deep purple will also perform at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, N.Y. on Sept. 1. Yes will join Deep Purple for the duration of the =1 More Time Tour, which will make the night of any rock music fan. Tickets to see Deep Purple are available on StubHub, Vivid Seats, TicketCity, SeatGeek and Ticketmaster. The cheapest ticket for their Aug. 30 show in Camden, before fees at the time of publication, is $38 on StubHub. For their Aug. 31 show, the cheapest ticket we could find is $29 on StubHub. First-time Vivid Seats users can save $20 on ticket orders over $200 by entering promo code NJ20 at checkout. TicketCity users can save $15 on orders over $400 using promo code TCITYSAVE15 at checkout. A complete list of Deep Purples tour dates is available here. Upcoming 2024 tours heading to PNC Bank Arts Center Deep Purple is not the only group heading to PNC Bank Arts Center while on tour. Here are a few more groups you dont want to miss out on: Third Eye Blind, Foreigner, Train and Creed. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicole Iuzzolino can be reached at niuzzolino@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. A Marlboro Memorial Middle School teacher that was accused of inappropriately touching a student in a school hallway was charged Friday with a petty disorderly persons offense, police said. Jenna Sciabica was charged with one count of harassment-offensive touching after a month-long investigation by Marlboro police with the assistance of the school district, officials said. The investigation began Mar. 13 after district administrators notified police about an incident that happened in public view in a hallway, according to a press release from police. Another staff member witnessed and reported the incident to administrators, officials said. Sciabica was accused of inappropriately touching the student over the clothes, and was immediately placed on leave by the district, school officials told police. Jenna intends to plead not guilty and vigorously defend herself in court, her attorney Mitchell Ansell said in a statement. We are confident that once a judge hears all the facts in this case, Jenna will be completely exonerated and her good name, character and reputation be restored. Ansell said Sciabica has never been accused of any prior allegations and has an exemplary record. He also said Sciabica has worked in education for 15 years and has known the alleged victim for three years. There was absolutely nothing illegal, improper or immoral about the interaction between Jenna and this student on March 13, 2024, Ansell added. Quite frankly, its outrageous and defamatory for Jenna to have been accused of committing a crime. According to police, the investigation included a review of surveillance camera footage, interviews and written statements. The Marlboro Police Department said they consulted the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office before charging Sciabica. Allegations about a teacher inappropriately touching a middle-school student first surfaced earlier this week after the parents of a student shared details about what happened at a Marlboro board of education meeting Tuesday. As soon as we became aware of the situation, action was taken, and the staff member in question was immediately removed from her position, Superintendent Michael Ballone wrote in a letter to district families Wednesday. The family of the alleged victims attorney, Nima Ameri, disputed the districts assertion in the letter earlier this week that immediate action was taken, stating the district did not act quickly enough to protect the student. Ameri said Saturday morning another family has reached out to him about other incidents involving Sciabica and challenged the thoroughness of the investigation. We think this was a sloppy rushed job to save face, Ameri said. The Marlboro school district endured a tumultuous week as the district closed Thursday and suffered a delayed opening Friday after bomb threats were emailed to a staff member. Police investigated the threats alleging at least two bombs were located at the middle school and district administrative offices. Municipal buildings were also temporarily closed as a result of the threats Thursday. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X Giant layers of rocks below the ground in western New Jersey have been shifting slightly sometimes once a day, sometimes a few times a day all because of a sizable earthquake on April 5 that rumbled in Hunterdon County and shook houses, stores and office buildings hundreds of miles away. The occasional shaking during the past two weeks has been caused by smaller earthquakes, known as aftershocks, and the number of those has now grown close to 100, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey, the government agency that monitors earthquake activity around the world. While many of the aftershocks in New Jersey are so small that few people have even noticed them, each quake is being closely monitored and providing vital clues to the USGS and a team of researchers from Rutgers University and several other universities. The main mystery they hope to solve is this: Where exactly in the ground did the April 5 quake occur? Based on past history and the initial data that emerged from seismometers, researchers are fairly certain that the initial magnitude 4.8 quake originated near the Ramapo fault, which runs diagonally from southeastern New York state across northern New Jersey and into eastern Pennsylvania. However, no one knows for sure whether the quake occurred directly along the main part of the Ramapo fault or on one of the many fissures connected to the fault, according to the USGS and Rutgers researchers. The Ramapo fault actually splits into different segments that form the border between New Jerseys Highlands and the Newark Basin, said Ken Miller, a distinguished professor of geology in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Rutgers. Sometimes its just lumped together and called the Ramapo fault system or the border fault. The main fault basically runs northeast to southwest, but some preliminary data indicated the initial quake in early April had a north-south movement, suggesting the trembler may have occurred on a splay, one of the branches that split off from the main fault, Miller said. Dara Goldberg, a research geophysicist for the U.S. Geological Survey, said its not a lock that the Ramapo fault was the culprit on April 5. She noted the Ramapo is just one of several known faults a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock in the Hunterdon County area. Two others are the Tewksbury fault and the Flemington fault. Dozens of seismic sensors have been installed in the Hunterdon County area of New Jersey to help researchers investigate the source of the April 5 earthquake and numerous aftershocks. Pictured here is a seismograph recording the seismic activity of an earthquake.Getty Images/iStockphoto Dozens of earthquake sensors To help pinpoint the source, strength and duration of the aftershocks, the USGS recently installed five new seismometers within a mile or two of Readington Township, the epicenter of the April 5 trembler. In addition, researchers from Rutgers, Columbia University, Yale University and the University of Texas are in the process of installing up to 100 smaller seismic sensors in the same general region, Miller said. Those narrow cylinder-shaped devices are placed about 9 inches into the ground, and can detect the location and magnitude of even the smallest earthquakes. Miller said all of those sensors should be in place within a few days, and most will remain in New Jersey for a few weeks. The five USGS sensors are expected to operate for several months. The USGS monitoring devices, known as aftershock kits, were deployed a week and a half ago and record strong motion and high frequency, the agency noted. The sensors will send data in real time back to the USGSs National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado for analysis, the agency said. Some of the kits will stand alone and others will be co-located with already-existing stream gauges monitored by USGSs New Jersey Water Science Center. Miller and Goldberg said each aftershock will provide clues into which specific fault or section of a fault caused the initial earthquake. Knowing details about the earthquake source addresses many research questions, Goldberg noted. For one, it helps us to understand the state of stress within the Earths crust in this location. Identifying more aftershocks helps to gain insight to the causative fault, as well as the structure of that fault with increasing depth. Understanding where earthquakes occur in the past can help improve seismic hazard models and indicate where earthquakes could happen again in the future, she added, both by using seismicity and delineating fault extents. This map shows the location of more than 90 small earthquakes, or aftershocks, that occurred in New Jersey following the magnitude 4.8 quake on April 5, 2024.U.S. Geological Survey More aftershocks to shake N.J.? The USGSs current forecast estimates a 1% chance of a magnitude 4 or larger aftershock and a 9% chance of a magnitude 3 or higher aftershock in the next month. Over the next year, theres a 3% chance of a magnitude 4 or higher and a 21% chance of a magnitude 3 or higher. Goldberg said the strongest aftershock in New Jersey so far a magnitude 3.7 that occurred in the early evening on the same day as the initial quake generated more than 12,000 reports from people who felt it. (That trembler was originally reported as a magnitude 4.0 but was later downgraded to 3.7 after new data was analyzed.) But some of the smaller aftershocks were also felt. We have received tens to hundreds of DYFI (Did You Feel It) responses for many of the aftershocks in the magnitude 2 range as well, Goldberg noted. The DYFI system allows citizens to report whether they felt any shaking, how strong it was and whether any damage occurred after any earthquake. There are many factors that go into whether a person will feel an earthquake, Goldberg said. One factor is magnitude, of course. Another is how deep the earthquake is (shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly). It also depends on the geology underfoot and what you might be doing when the earthquake strikes. The magnitude 4.8 quake on April 5 was the strongest earthquake centered in New Jersey since 1938, when an early morning quake of the same magnitude shook the Trenton area. The 1938 quake was felt as far north as Jersey City and as far south as Delaware. Cant see the aftershock chart? Click here. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality. The start of New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendezs bribery trial was pushed back a week to mid-May on Friday after lawyers agreed the extra days would aid trial preparation. U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein changed from May 6 to May 13 the start of jury selection during a pretrial hearing in Manhattan. Menendez was allowed to participate in the conference by telephone after his lawyers said a late night in the U.S. Senate on Thursday made it impossible for him to attend the Friday morning hearing. Menendez and two New Jersey businessmen have pleaded not guilty to charges that cash, gold bars and a luxury car were given to Menendez and his wife since 2017 in return for the Democratic senator carrying out political favors. Menendezs wife, Nadine, who also has pleaded not guilty, will not go on trial until July, at the earliest, because she faces medical issues. A third businessman, Jose Uribe, has pleaded guilty to bribery charges and agreed to testify against the others at trial. The criminal case last fall forced Menendez to give up his powerful role as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Earlier this week, lawyers for Menendez indicated in a court filing that they may seek exoneration at trial by claiming that he lacked criminal intent since his wife didnt disclose anything illegal to him about her dealings with New Jersey businessmen. Costco is offering a sweet membership deal that will give you an extra $40 to shop at its stores when you sign up online. This Costco membership deal includes a $40 shoppers credit when you sign up for a new one-year Gold membership for $60. You will receive a $40 digital Costco Shop Card via email within two weeks of signing up for your new Gold membership. The offer is exclusive to new members that havent had an active Costco membership in 18 months. Costcos Gold memberships include one membership card that can be used at any of Costcos over 1,300 worldwide locations or online. You will also receive a range of other benefits with your membership, including fuel discounts, pharmacy access, hearing and optical services, travel offers and more. Get your $40 Costco shoppers credit by signing up for a Gold membership online here. Costco sells a range of discounted merchandise at its wholesale stores, including groceries, housewares, electronics, pet supplies, fashion and beauty products. Members also have exclusive access to merchandise deals that Costco only offers in stores and on its website. While this Costco offer is for its Gold membership, the retailer does have an Executive membership that includes additional perks, such as 2% cashback on eligible purchases, discounts on Costco services, two membership cards and more. An Executive membership costs $120 a year. All Costco members qualify for the companys 100% satisfaction guarantee promise on all products, services and membership. Grab your $40 shoppers credit by signing up for a Costco Gold membership online here. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Dawn Magyar can be reached at dmagyar@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/. A man who conspired with others to defraud a state traumatic brain injury fund of more than $3 million has been convicted at trial. C.R. Kraus, 58, of Manville, was found guilty by a federal jury on five counts of healthcare fraud, four counts of tax evasion and conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey said in a news release on Friday. The New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Fund is a publicly funded program run by the New Jersey Division of Disability Services. Its mission is to assist victims of traumatic brain injuries when funding from insurance, personal resources or other programs are not sufficient to meet their needs. Kraus conspired with the former manager of the program, Harry Pizutelli, and another co-defendant, Maritza Flores, from 2009 to 2019, federal authorities said. During that period, Pizutelli orchestrated the distribution of fraudulent vendor payments to Flores, Kraus and others by creating and processing false invoices and internal payment vouchers, despite the fact that they provided no services to the TBI fund, officials said. As part of the scheme, Kraus received about $3.245 million in payments, which he used for personal expenses. He also lied on his annual tax returns, avoiding having to pay taxes on the income, federal prosecutors said. Stealing resources intended to help New Jersey residents who are already coping with serious challenges is especially egregious, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. My office, and our law enforcement partners, are always working to root out this kind of criminal activity and ensure the guilty face appropriate punishment. Flores received $940,000 as part of the scam, authorities said. Pizutelli and Flores have both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and tax evasion. They are scheduled to be sentenced next month. Kraus sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8, 2024. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. The hardcover copy of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" from a library sale had sat on the shelf many years before I picked it up last week. This has been my way with the classics: I try and give up only to come back to them later with renewed interest. So there's hope that I might finally get to Shakespeare. It says about myself, I guess, and might also typifies a kind of progress. Robert Jordan, a Spanish professor at the University of Montana, took a leave to fight the fascists in Spain. A dynamiter, he was to blow up a bridge behind the enemy line at the get-go of a major attack in three days. He turned to a guerrilla band in the nearby mountains, marshaled the team despite of its disillusioned drunkard leader, reported back on enemy maneuvers, and when the time came, successfully carried out his mission. Moving out with the survivors of the band, however, Jordan was injured at the hip, said goodbye to his love, and was left to face the pursuing enemies and his certain death. I was glad the end was short. I loved the style. Without an overflow of rare words, familiar words with rare meanings, or idiomatic devices, the clarity and elegance of the prose shine through and the landcapes and characters stand out in 507 pages of clean writing. For example, Hemingway would say simply "full lips" instead of "bee-stung lips," which some modern writers seem to prefer. His "A Farewell to Arms" spoke to me even in college. Here are two passages of Jordan's soliloquy for a taste: They trusted you on the language, principally. They trusted you on understanding the language completely and speaking it idiomatically and having a knowledge of the different places. A Spaniard was only really loyal to his village in the end. First Spain of course, then his own tribe, then his province, then his village, his family and finally his trade. If you knew Spanish he was prejudiced in your favor, if you knew his province it was that much better, but if you knew his village and his trade you were in as far as any foreigner ever could be. He never felt like a foreigner in Spanish and they did not really treat him like a foreigner most of the time; only they turned on you. Of course they turned on you. They turned on you often but they always turned on every one. They turned on themselves, too. If you had three together, two would unite against one and then the two would start to betray each other. Not always, but often enough for you to take enough cases and start to draw it as a conclusion. As the book is mine, I get to return to it as often as I like. VALPARAISO A 33-year-old man pleaded guilty Friday afternoon to neglect in the October 2022 death of his 2-year-old son in Valparaiso. Kyle Reyna appeared before Porter Superior Court Judge Mike Fish just a few days before what was supposed to be the start of his trial in the case and pleaded guilty to the felony count of neglect of a dependent. The proposed deal, which Fish took under advisement until the June 24 sentencing date, calls for Reyna to serve 10 years behind bars, followed by three years on home detention and three years on formal probation. Reyna told the court he had care of his son, Arcane Cobb, when on Oct. 5, 2022 the boy suffered injuries and was left unresponsive. Reyna, who was represented by defense attorney Clay Patton, said Friday he delayed calling 911 by up to 15 minutes, and both struck in the face and threw water on the child before seeking medical help. He further admitted to lying to a dispatcher when seeking help for his son. Reyna had initially reported to police that the child fell down stairs in the Valparaiso home, but a doctor at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital dismissed that explanation, saying the injuries "appeared to be the result of abuse," according to charging information. UPDATE: Porter County jury clears man in 2019 child rape case The accused was represented by defense attorney Russell Brown Jr., who was not immediately available Friday morning for comment. Cobb, who was found to have suffered bruising, a cervical spine injury and persistent unconsciousness, was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m. Oct. 10, 2022, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Reyna was a registered sex offender, according to the Porter County Sheriff's Department. Charges of sexual misconduct and child molesting were filed against him in August 2010, according to court records. Reyna reportedly told investigators at the time that he left his son unattended in the basement of the home for about 30 minutes. He then claimed to have found the child lying at the bottom of the stairs and said he assumed the child fell, according to police. The child was unresponsive and Reyna said "he tried waking him up by 'smacking him,'" according to police. He reportedly illustrated this to police by slapping his own face with both hands. When that failed to revive the child, Reyna said, he carried the boy upstairs, put him in a bathtub and threw cold water on him, charging information says. He then left the child unattended on a bedroom floor while seeking help from others in the house. Someone else at the house started performing CPR on the child while Reyna called 911. The child was taken to a local hospital and then transferred to Comer Hospital. Raymond Tony Craven was told by the U.S. Army to not wear his uniform when he returned to the U.S. from Vietnam in 1968. There was good reason for that at the time, he said. People werent very nice although no one had a right to call me names or spit on me or anything. That just shouldnt have happened. It still bothers me all these years later. The Israeli military struck Iran early on Friday in retaliation for an aerial attack on Israel last weekend, according to two Israeli and three Iranian officials, but the strike appeared to be limited in scope and the reaction from both Israel and Iran was muted. Iranian officials said that the strike had hit a military air base near the city of Isfahan, in central Iran, and that it had been carried out by small drones. They said the drones might have been launched from inside Iran, whose radar systems had not detected unidentified aircraft entering Iranian airspace. If the drones were launched within the country, it would demonstrate once again Israels ability to mount clandestine operations in Iranian territory. Iranian officials said that a separate group of small drones was shot down in the region of Tabriz, roughly 500 miles north of Isfahan. Israeli warplanes also fired missiles during the retaliatory strike, a Western official and two Iranian officials said. It was not immediately clear whether Irans defenses intercepted the missiles or where they landed. The Israeli military declined to comment. A senior U.S. official said that Israel had notified the United States through multiple channels shortly before the attack. All the officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. Addressing reporters at a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of 7 nations in Italy, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the United States had not been involved in any offensive operations in Iran. But he declined to comment further and would not even confirm the Israeli strike, referring instead to reported events. The House took a critical step today toward approving a long-stalled package of aid to Ukraine, Israel and other American allies. A majority of Democratic and Republicans lawmakers voted to advance the bills past a procedural hurdle, setting up the legislation to pass the House tomorrow. The measures, which are all expected to pass in the House with bipartisan support, provide $60.8 billion in aid to Ukraine, $26.4 billion for Israel and aid for Palestinians, and $8 billion for Taiwan and other allies. In order to steer around opposition from members of his own party, Speaker Mike Johnson broke down the package into three pieces, adding a fourth bill to sweeten the deal for conservatives. That bill would require TikToks Chinese owners to sell it within nine months, otherwise the app could be banned. After the House, the measures head to the Senate, which has already approved a similar package, and then to President Biden, who has vowed to sign them. Final approval would be an enormous victory in the long effort to fund Ukraine, and a defeat for the voices of isolationism in the Republican Party. In the month since federal authorities announced an outbreak of bird flu on dairy farms, they have repeatedly reassured the public that the spate of infections does not impact the nations food or milk supply, and poses little risk to the public. Yet the outbreak among cows may be more serious than originally believed. In an obscure online update this week, the Department of Agriculture said there is now evidence that the virus is spreading among cows, and from cows to poultry. Officials in North Carolina have detected bird flu infections in a cattle herd with no symptoms, The New York Times has learned information the U.S.D.A. has not shared publicly. The finding suggests that the infections may be more widespread than thought. Whether there are asymptomatic animals elsewhere remains unclear, because the U.S.D.A. is not requiring farms to test cattle for infection. It has been reimbursing farmers for testing, but only for 20 cows per farm that were visibly ill. This week, the department said it would begin reimbursing farms for testing cows without symptoms. The leader of a white supremacist group who admitted posting an online death threat targeting a Brooklyn journalist in a bid to silence coverage of the group was sentenced to around three and a half years in prison on Friday, federal prosecutors said. The white supremacist, Nicholas Welker, was sentenced to 44 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in September to conspiring to make interstate threats, prosecutors said. At the time of the threat, which he posted in an online public forum in August 2021, he was the leader of Feuerkrieg Division, a neo-Nazi hate group, prosecutors said. Mr. Welker, 33, of San Jose, Calif., issued the threat by posting a photograph of the journalist, whom prosecutors did not identify, with an image of a gun aimed at the persons head and the words race traitor plastered over the persons eyes, prosecutors said. The post included the name of the journalist and the persons employer as well as the phrase Responsible for stalking our boys for information, according to a criminal complaint. Are these your posts? the judge asked. The slight, silver-haired woman stood at a lectern in the icy-cold courtroom on the 15th floor of the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building. She blinked under the lights as she was questioned, standing about 12 feet from the man who had inspired the social media messages nearly a decade before. They were hers, she confirmed, and the judge directed her to read them aloud. It took her a moment to get to the crux of the first, which dated back to 2016. Lets be civil, she read. And try to protect the rights of the many at risk should we fail to stop the election of a racist, sexist, narcissist She interrupted herself. Oops. That sounds bad. It was just one of several such inquisitions this week as lawyers and the judge asked prospective jurors, who live in deeply Democratic Manhattan, to explain social media posts that were critical of him as president or as a candidate. The posts were apparently unearthed by researchers working for the legal team representing Donald J. Trump. Nevadas once-sleepy Republican primary for Senate, which has been dominated by Sam Brown, a U.S. Army veteran, was jolted to life in the past week, when a deep-pocketed rival took aim at the front-runner. Jeff Gunter, the ambassador to Iceland under former President Donald J. Trump, is unloading a $3.3 million advertising campaign with a MAGA message, according to his campaign, hoping to cut into Mr. Browns dominant lead over the crowded field. A television ad from Mr. Gunter that began airing on Wednesday called Mr. Brown the newest creature to emerge from the swamp, tying him to Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader, and deriding his primary opponent as Scam Brown. Mr. Brown, a veteran who was wounded severely in Afghanistan in 2008, consolidated party support after entering the primary last July, earned the endorsement of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and has appeared at fund-raisers around the country with prominent Republicans. He has lapped his competitors in fund-raising, pulling in $2.4 million in the most recent quarter, according to fund-raising reports. Happy Friday! Today, were looking at younger voters and other demographic groups who are generally crucial for Democratic victories in presidential elections but who may back other candidates or sit out this years election in greater numbers than usual. Ive asked my colleague Shane Goldmacher to kick things off. Jess Bidgood Like many of his fellow Democrats, Ben Tulchin, a former pollster for Senator Bernie Sanders, is worried about President Bidens chances against Donald Trump this fall. And like many Democrats, he is nervous about Bidens current level of support among some core Democratic constituencies. But Tulchin is warning any Democrat who will listen about one particular thing they might not have thought of: the possibility that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will wind up siphoning off two traditionally Democratic voting groups Latinos and younger voters this fall. Hes so worried that he paid for his own polling in two key battlegrounds, Arizona and Pennsylvania, which showed Kennedy drawing some of those voters away from Biden. He recently presented those findings to a consortium of Democratic groups and super PACs. More than 1,000 American military personnel will leave Niger in the coming months, Biden administration officials said on Friday, upending U.S. counterterrorism and security policy in the tumultuous Sahel region of Africa. In the second of two meetings this week in Washington, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell told Nigers prime minister, Ali Lamine Zeine, that the United States disagreed with the countrys turn toward Russia for security and Iran for a possible deal on its uranium reserves, and the failure of Nigers military government to map out a path to return to democracy, according to a senior State Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic talks. The decision was not a particular surprise. Niger said last month that it was revoking its military cooperation deal with the United States following a highly contentious set of meetings in Nigers capital, Niamey, with a high-level American diplomatic and military delegation. That move was in keeping with a recent pattern by countries in the Sahel region, an arid area south of the Sahara, of breaking ties with Western countries. Increasingly, they are partnering with Russia instead. A former Philadelphia police officer pleaded guilty on Friday to third-degree murder in the shooting of a fleeing 12-year-old boy in 2022, according to the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office. The former officer, Edsaul Mendoza, 28, also pleaded guilty to possession of an instrument of crime in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County before Judge Diana Anhalt, court records show. Mr. Mendoza, who is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, could face up to 40 years in prison. Mr. Mendoza fatally shot the boy, Thomas Siderio, during a foot chase on the night of March 1, 2022, after Thomas shot at an unmarked police vehicle that Mr. Mendoza and three other Philadelphia police officers were in, according to prosecutors. Mr. Mendoza had initially been charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and possession of an instrument of crime, according to prosecutors. William F. Pepper, who was the central figure in a decades-long effort to prove that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther Jr. was killed not by a lone gunman but by a vast government plot, a controversial stance that made him something of a celebrity among the countrys teeming subculture of conspiracy theorists, died on April 7 in Manhattan. He was 86. His wife, Mina Nguyen-Pepper, said the cause of his death, in a hospital, was pneumonia. He lived in Manhattan. James Earl Ray shot and killed Dr. King in Memphis on April 4, 1968. He was arrested two months later at Heathrow Airport in London, just before boarding a flight to Brussels and eventually to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), which at the time was under white rule. The first time the musician Judith Hill performed her anguished requiem Black Widow for an audience, she wept, right onstage. The songs title is an epithet that has been directed at her for years by tabloids and trolls because as a vocalist and artist, she had been close with two of pops biggest stars shortly before their deaths. She was Michael Jacksons duet partner and performed at his televised memorial in 2009. And for two years before Princes fatal overdose in April 2016, she was his protegee, collaborator and more. They shared what she has called an intense relationship; he told her he loved her. Princes sudden, accidental death derailed her promising career which he had been guiding and she spiraled into deep grief, depression and self-doubt as online cruelty rained down. It took years before she was able to face what happened, personally or musically. It was a deep wound, she said onstage at a recent showcase at Mercury Lounge in Lower Manhattan, after the soulful, fierce Black Widow. Then she brushed her tears away enough of that and soon started another number, Dame De La Lumiere, a detailed tribute to her mother and grandmother, with a rippling, urgent chorus that has become her anthem: Bad times make strong women. Weve been teenage girls, Lily Gladstone said. Which means that Gladstone and her co-star, Riley Keough, know what teenage girls can do. In Under the Bridge, a limited series now streaming on Hulu, Keough and Gladstone play a writer and a cop investigating the 1997 beating and murder of Reena Virk, a 14-year-old Indo-Canadian girl. Six teenage girls and one teenage boy, many of them Virks classmates, were eventually convicted. The case has inspired plays, poems, documentaries and several books, including Rebecca Godfreys 2005 literary nonfiction work Under the Bridge, which gives the series its shape and name. (The show also relies on a memoir by Virks father, Manjit Virk.) Though Godfrey died in 2022, before filming began, she worked closely with the shows creator, Quinn Shephard, on its development. Keough, who also produced the series, plays a version of Godfrey. Gladstone plays Cam, an invented character, a Native law enforcement officer who was adopted as a child by a white family. While Under the Bridge centers these women as adults, it includes scenes of the same characters as teenagers, drawing lines between the girls they were and the women they are. By voting to join the United Automobile Workers, Volkswagen workers in Tennessee have given the union something it has never had: a factory-wide foothold at a major foreign automaker in the South. The result, in an election that ended on Friday, will enable the union to bargain for better wages and benefits. Now the question is what difference it will make beyond the Volkswagen plant. Labor experts said success at VW might position the union to replicate its showing at other auto manufacturers throughout the South, the least unionized region of the country. Some argued that the win could help set off a rise in union membership at other companies that exceeds the uptick of the past few years, when unions won elections at Starbucks and Amazon locations. Its a big vote, symbolically and substantively, said Jake Rosenfeld, a sociologist who studies labor at Washington University in St. Louis. Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen has a problem: Too many people want what hes selling. Mr. Jorgensen is the chief executive of Novo Nordisk, the Danish drugmaker. Even if the company isnt quite a household name, the TV jingle for its best-selling drug Oh-oh-ohhh, Ozempic! might ring in your ears. Across the United States, Novo Nordisks diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, have soared to celebrity status and helped make the company Europes most valuable public firm. It cant make enough of the drugs. Mr. Jorgensens problem is one many top executives wouldnt mind, but the success caught him off guard. Last year, when the company was celebrating its centenary, Novo Nordisks revenue jumped by a third, to 232 billion Danish kroner, or $33 billion. Nobody had forecast this growth no analyst, nobody in the company, Mr. Jorgensen said in a recent interview at the companys headquarters in a suburb of Copenhagen. Nobody forecast a 100-year-old company would grow more than 30 percent, he said, seemingly torn between pride and amazement. For most of its 100 years Novo Nordisk has been focused on the steady business of treating diabetes, one of the worlds most prevalent chronic diseases. Even today, it produces half the worlds insulin. But the development of Ozempic and Wegovy has led to a bigger and bolder ambition to defeat serious chronic diseases. That includes treating, and even preventing, obesity, which is linked to other health issues like heart and kidney diseases. The crush of people at the rally was suffocating, although in India a crowd is no index of popularity. People may gawk and then go vote for the other guy and Gandhi is, after all, one of the countrys most recognizable men. Officially, he is no longer his partys president, but he is undoubtedly its face. At 53, with a well-salted beard and serious eyes, hes too old to be called Congresss scion, but he still wears the sheen of dynasty. His great-grandfather, the unflinchingly secular Jawaharlal Nehru, was Indias first prime minister. His grandmother, Indira, and his father, Rajiv, both became prime ministers; both were assassinated. His mother, Sonia, steered Congress into government in 2004 and 2009, but declined the top post. Then, on the heels of several corruption scandals, the mighty party 140 years old next year came unstuck. Out of 543 seats in the lower house of Parliament, Congress holds just 46, compared to the B.J.P.s 288. Gandhi embodies all this history: the triumphs as well as the failures. For the crowds, that is the fascination he exerts. One of Modis successes has been not just to trounce the Congress Party but also to persuade people that the party has weakened India and emasculated its Hindus. Through his cult of personality, Modi is fulfilling a century-old project, recasting India as a Hindu nation, in which minorities, particularly Muslims, live at the sufferance of the majority. Emblematic of this is a new law offering fast-tracked citizenship to people fleeing Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan as long as they arent Muslim. It is the B.J.P.s totemic achievement: the use of religion to decide who can be called Indian. Opposing this law or indeed resisting the B.J.P. in any way has proved difficult. Investigating agencies mount flimsy cases against critics of the government, as Amnesty International has frequently noted. (Amnesty itself halted its work in India in 2020, in the midst of what it later called an incessant witch hunt by the government.) Activists are regularly imprisoned, sometimes on the basis of planted evidence; journalists are sent to jail or otherwise bullied so frequently that India has slipped to 161st out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, just three spots above Russia. Pliant courts often endorse it all. Such is the mood in India that one of the plainest sentences in Congresss election manifesto is also one of its most resonant: We promise you freedom from fear. Many of the more than 100 Columbia University and Barnard College students who were arrested after refusing to leave a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus on Thursday woke up to a chilly new reality this week: Columbia said that their IDs would soon stop working, and some of them would not be able to finish the semester. The students who were arrested were released with summonses. The university said all of the 100 or so students involved in the protest had been informed that they were suspended. For some of those students, that means they must vacate their student housing, with just weeks before the semester ends. Yet whatever the consequences, several of the students said in interviews that they were determined to keep protesting Israels ongoing war in Gaza. Ellen Ash Peters, a legal trailblazer who was the first woman on the faculty of Yale Law School and the first female chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, and who wrote a landmark civil rights decision in 1996 desegregating public schools in Hartford, died on Wednesday at her home in West Hartford. She was 94. Her death was confirmed by her son James Peters. Justice Peters was a law-school professor until she was 48. She graduated first in her Yale Law School class in 1954 and, after clerking for a federal judge, returned to Yale as an assistant professor in 1956. She was made a full professor eight years later. In 1978, she was appointed an associate justice on Connecticuts highest court. I think a fair number of my colleagues expected me to teach for a few years and then disappear and have babies, she told The New York Times that year. Im not sure when I knew that was nonsense. Both her father and a grandfather had been lawyers in Germany, and after her parents fled with their family to New York in 1939 to escape Nazi persecution, her father encouraged her pursuit of the law. It was an era when very few women were lawyers, but, she said in 1978, it never occurred to me to be anything else. Last spring, Randy White was shot in the stomach when he was caught in the crossfire of a gunfight at an Atlanta gas station. The injury kept him in the hospital for a week, but his mental state was paid little consideration. Discharged with no meaningful plan to deal with the psychological fallout that would inevitably come, he found himself adrift. A few months later he was still struggling, so he moved back to Coney Island, where he grew up. I did bad stuff in New York, but I never got shot, he told me recently. There had been several arrests on drug charges, time spent in jail, a baby at 19, all preceded by a difficult childhood. I didnt have a family, like, with love, he volunteered. Perhaps unsurprisingly, returning to New York did not bring him the serenity he had hoped to find. Soon after he arrived, he was in a car accident. It was at this point that a friend suggested that he see a therapist. As it happened, there was a place in the neighborhood called the Trauma Recovery Center, operated out of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island, a longstanding social service organization. T.R.C.s, as they are known, came into being more than 20 years ago and have spurred something of a movement a means of helping victims of violent crime, specifically in low-income communities where a distrust of traditional mental-health treatment can be pervasive. A 2022 survey from the Alliance for Safety and Justice found that 74 percent of victims did not receive counseling to help them process what had happened, a matter both of reluctance and inadequate service. I thought I would follow up my Tuesday column on abortion rights with this report from The Associated Press, on the state of emergency services for pregnant women. One woman miscarried in the lobby restroom of a Texas emergency room as front desk staff refused to check her in. Another woman learned that her fetus had no heartbeat at a Florida hospital, the day after a security guard turned her away from the facility. And in North Carolina, a woman gave birth in a car after an emergency room couldnt offer an ultrasound. The baby later died. Complaints that pregnant women were turned away from U.S. emergency rooms spiked in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, federal documents obtained by The Associated Press reveal. The A.P. goes on to note that in states where lawmakers have either effectively banned abortion or issued extreme restrictions on the procedure, pregnant patients have become radioactive to emergency departments. Doctors do not want to risk fines, criminal charges and potentially jail time for ending a pregnancy, even when its medically necessary to save the life of the patient. The result, as The A.P. shows, is needless suffering: The staff at Person Memorial Hospital in Roxboro, N. C., told a pregnant woman who was complaining of stomach pain that they would not be able to provide her with an ultrasound. The staff failed to tell her how risky it could be for her to depart without being stabilized, according to federal investigators. While en route to another hospital 45 minutes away, the woman gave birth in a car to a baby who did not survive. In many states where abortion bans and restrictions have undermined maternal care, the laws have exceptions for rape, incest, certain fetal abnormalities and the life of the mother. In theory, those exceptions are supposed to give medical providers the leeway to end pregnancies when necessary. In practice, they arent worth the paper theyre printed on. When youve created a punitive legal environment for a medical procedure, it does not matter how many exceptions you write into the law. Youve created a world in which doctors will hesitate or refuse to perform that procedure, no matter what. Republican lawmakers do not seem too concerned with the fact that there are no real exceptions to their abortion laws. The laws, it seems, are working as intended. What I Wrote My Tuesday column was about the resurrection of Arizonas 19th-century abortion law and what it tells us about how democracy is going in the states. The states rights case for determining abortion access let the people decide falters on the fact that in many states, the people cannot shape their legislature to their liking. Packed and split into districts designed to preserve Republican control, voters cannot actually dislodge anti-abortion Republican lawmakers. A pro-choice majority may exist, but only as a shadow: present but without substance in government. My Friday column was on the United Auto Workers drive to unionize the auto plants of the South, which won a key victory on Friday, and how that fits into the history of the political economy of the region. Organized labor was and remains a threat to the political and economic elites of a region whose foremost commitment is to the maintenance of an employer-dominated economy of low-wage labor and its attendant social order. And in the latest episode of my podcast with John Ganz, we discussed the 1995 cyberpunk thriller Johnny Mnemonic. Serving as vice president in the most pro-life administration in American history was one of the greatest honors of my life. Of all our accomplishments, I am perhaps most proud that the Supreme Court justices we confirmed voted to send Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history, ending a travesty of jurisprudence that led to the death of more than 63 million unborn Americans. Since Roe was overturned, I have been inspired by the efforts of pro-life leaders in states across the country, including Indiana, to advance strong protections for the unborn and vulnerable women. But while nearly half of our states have enacted strong pro-life laws, some Democrats continue to support taxpayer-funded abortions up to the moment of birth in the rest of the country. Which is why I believe the time has come to adopt a minimum national standard restricting abortion after 15 weeks in order to end late-term abortions nationwide. Outside my office, there is a picture of the Slovenian Sphinx visiting the Egyptian Sphinx, taken during a 2018 photo shoot in Giza, nine months after Melania Trump was blindsided by the steamy news about her husband and Stormy Daniels. The pairing evokes the riddle of Melania: How much can she put up with from a husband who betrayed and humiliated her in the basest possible ways? As Donald Trumps hush-money trial begins, well be reminded of what a heel he is. And like Hillary before her, Melania will have to hold her head high as she stands by her Lothario. Melania will also put political and personal prospects above mere resentment. (She doesnt want Donald broke and in jail.) As her White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham wrote in her memoir, Melania wanted no Hillary comparisons. When the Other Women stories broke, Melania told Grisham she wanted to drive to Air Force One ahead of Trump. After more than 30 years in Los Angeles, Alfred Molina is enjoying his newly minted status as an Upper West Sider. My wife and I have bought an apartment here, and were slowly transitioning to New York, he said last month at Lincoln Center Theater before a rehearsal for the Chekhov classic Uncle Vanya, which opens on Broadway on Wednesday. Molina, 70, has been nominated for three Tony Awards, for Art, Fiddler on the Roof and, most recently, Red, in which he starred as the painter Mark Rothko in 2010. Vanya, in which he plays the pompous professor Alexander Serebryakov, is his return to a New York stage after nearly 15 years. The play is a chance to work with some fantastic people, he said of the cast, which includes Steve Carell as Vanya, Jayne Houdyshell as Vanyas mother, and William Jackson Harper as the local doctor Astrov. It is directed by Lila Neugebauer, and after Molina saw two other plays she worked on this year, Appropriate and The Ally, he said, they both just knocked me out, so it was a no-brainer. Going from Princess Diana, a lovely icon who generated waves of sympathy, to Vladimir Putin, an icy villain who generates waves of disdain, might be difficult for some writers. Not Peter Morgan. After pulling back the curtain on the British royal family for six seasons of The Crown, Morgan was keen to move on. He had an idea for a play about the oligarchs who, in the 1990s, helped propel an obscure Putin to power and then had to watch as their Frankenstein changed the course of Russian history in a disastrous way. The resulting drama, Patriots, which opens on Broadway on April 22, offered Morgan a different way to approach recent history, and a new challenge: switching from the royals, who are household names but not ultimately very powerful, to oligarchs, who are super powerful but not generally household names. Morgan enjoys writing about the vilified, giving them a fighting chance. In Patriots, he creates a jigsaw of four Russian men, their fates intertwining in the post-Soviet era, who represent a Byzantine spectrum of moral values. Three years after police officers in Northern California pinned a man face down for about five minutes as he begged for relief, prosecutors announced that the officers would face charges of involuntary manslaughter in the mans death. The charges against Eric McKinley, James Fisher and Cameron Leahy, all with the Alameda Police Department at the time, in the death of Mario Gonzalez, 26, were announced on Thursday, after a review by the Alameda County district attorneys Public Accountability Unit. The countys previous district attorney closed the investigation into the officers in 2022, saying that the evidence did not justify criminal charges. But Pamela Price, who was elected district attorney later that year, reopened the case a year ago. The new charges were announced just days after the countys Registrar of Voters announced that a recall campaign against Ms. Price had submitted enough signatures to proceed. David H. Pryor, a liberal Democrat who won two terms as governor of Arkansas and three in the United States Senate, and who paved the way for the political rise of his young ally Bill Clinton in an era of changing racial attitudes in the South, died on Saturday at his home in Little Rock. He was 89. His death was announced by his son Mark, himself a former two-term United States senator. Mr. Pryor was 12 years older than Mr. Clinton, and they didnt know each other well until they became accomplished politicians. But they had much in common. They both grew up in segregated small towns in Arkansas, raised by families of modest means and liberal outlook, who resisted pressures to scorn their Black neighbors. Mr. Pryors mother played the piano for services in a Black church, cooked meals for Black prisoners in a county jail and, at 56, became a missionary among the descendants of slaves in British Guiana. Mr. Clintons maternal grandparents, who raised him, ran a small grocery store and during the harsh winters sold goods on credit to people of all races. The House voted resoundingly on Saturday to approve $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as Speaker Mike Johnson put his job on the line to advance the long-stalled aid package by marshaling support from mainstream Republicans and Democrats. In four back-to-back votes, overwhelming bipartisan coalitions of lawmakers approved fresh rounds of funding for the three U.S. allies, as well as another bill meant to sweeten the deal for conservatives that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok. The scene on the House floor reflected both the broad support in Congress for continuing to help the Ukrainian military beat back Russia, and the extraordinary political risk taken by Mr. Johnson to defy the anti-interventionist wing of his party who had sought to thwart the measure. Minutes before the vote on assistance for Kyiv, Democrats began to wave small Ukrainian flags on the House floor, as hard-right Republicans jeered. The Senate early on Saturday approved an extension of a warrantless surveillance law, moving to renew it shortly after it had expired and sending President Biden legislation that national security officials say is crucial to fighting terrorism but that privacy advocates decry as a threat to Americans rights. The law, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, had appeared all but certain to lapse over the weekend, with senators unable for most of Friday to reach a deal on whether to consider changes opposed by national security officials and hawks. But after hours of negotiation, the Senate abruptly reconvened late on Friday for a flurry of votes in which those proposed revisions were rejected, one by one, and early on Saturday the bill, which extends Section 702 for two years, won approval, 60 to 34. We have good news for Americas national security, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic majority leader, said as he stood during the late-night session to announce the agreement to complete work on the bill. Allowing FISA to expire would have been dangerous. On a Monday in mid-March, the Wisconsin Republican Party gathered about 50 conservative activists on a Zoom call to train them in how to become poll workers, helping oversee and monitor the casting and counting of votes. Heavily Democratic areas of the battleground state were a key focus. Eau Claire, Madison, Milwaukee that type, Mike Hoffman, the state partys election integrity director, said as he ticked off places being targeted. Were keeping a close eye on you, he recounted telling one city clerk, according to audio recordings of the partys training sessions obtained by The New York Times. The Wisconsin training sessions are a small part of an expansive operation announced on Friday by former President Donald J. Trumps campaign and the Republican National Committee, which plan to dispatch more than 100,000 volunteers and lawyers to monitor and potentially challenge the electoral process in each battleground state. They will focus on every aspect of voting, including mail ballots, voting machines and post-Election Day recounts and audits. Shipments of American weapons could begin flowing to Ukraine again soon after a long-stalled aid package becomes law, U.S. officials say, with goods from the Pentagons stockpiles in Germany to be shipped quickly by rail to the Ukrainian border. The measure would provide the Ukraine war effort with about $60 billion. A sizable amount is set aside to replenish U.S. defense stockpiles, and billions more would be used to purchase U.S. defense systems, which Ukrainian officials say are badly needed. In a statement on Saturday after the House approved the aid package, President Biden urged the Senate to swiftly take up the measure to help meet Ukrainian forces urgent battlefield needs. It was expected to do so as early as Tuesday. For months, Ukrainian military officials have complained that political paralysis in the U.S. Congress had created critical munitions shortages in the war against Russia. Ukrainian troops on the front lines have had to ration shells, and morale has suffered. Inside a warming shelter, Laura Gutowski detailed how her life had changed since she became homeless two and a half years ago in Grants Pass, a former timber hub in the foothills of southern Oregon. Her husbands death left her without steady income. She lived in a sedan, and then in a tent, in sight of the elementary school where her son was once a student. She constantly scrambled to move her belongings to avoid racking up more fines from the police. I never expected it to come to this, Ms. Gutowski, 55, said. She is one of several hundred homeless people in this city of about 40,000 that is at the center of a major case before the Supreme Court on Monday with broad ramifications for the nationwide struggle with homelessness. After Grants Pass stepped up enforcement of local ordinances that banned sleeping and camping in public spaces by ticketing, fining and jailing the homeless, lower courts ruled that it amounted to cruel and unusual punishment by penalizing people who had nowhere else to go. The drone combat in Ukraine that is transforming modern warfare has begun taking a deadly toll on one of the most powerful symbols of American military might the tank and threatening to rewrite how it will be used in future conflicts. Over the last two months, Russian forces have taken out five of the 31 American-made M1 Abrams tanks that the Pentagon sent to Ukraine last fall, a senior U.S. official said. At least another three have been moderately damaged since the tanks were sent to front lines early this year, said Col. Markus Reisner, an Austrian military trainer who closely follows how weapons are being used and lost in the war in Ukraine. That is a sliver of the 796 of Ukraines main battle tanks that have been destroyed, captured or abandoned since the war began in February 2022, according to Oryx, a military analysis site that counts losses based on visual evidence. A vast majority of those are Soviet-era, Russian or Ukrainian-made tanks; only about 140 of those taken out in battle were given to Ukraine by NATO states. And Russia has so far lost more than 2,900 tanks, the Oryx data show, although Ukraine claims that the number exceeds 7,000. German Leopard tanks have also been targeted in Ukraine, with at least 30 having been destroyed, Oryx says. But the Abrams is widely viewed as one of the worlds mightiest. That it is being more easily taken out by exploding drones than some officials and experts had initially assumed shows yet another way the conflict in Ukraine is reshaping the very nature of modern warfare, said Can Kasapoglu, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute in Washington. Iraqs joint military command says one person was killed and eight were injured in an explosion early Saturday at a base used by an Iranian-backed armed group, Harakat al Nujaba, in Iraqs Babylon Province. In a carefully worded statement, Iraqs military did not attribute the explosion to an air attack with a missile or a drone. Air Defense Command confirmed that there was no drone or jet fighter in the airspace of Babylon Province before and during the explosion, the statement said. Privately, however, military officials say it appears that at least one projectile hit inside the Kalsu bases perimeter. A video taken shortly after the event and posted on social media showed damaged buildings and a large rubble-filled crater. A second video showed several parts of the base on fire. According to Iraqs joint command, the base is used by several elements of the Iraqi security forces including the Iraqi Army and police as well as the Popular Mobilization Forces, or P.M.F., an umbrella organization. The P.M.F. includes some brigades that are backed by Iran. The one stationed at this base, Harakat al Nujaba, has participated in attacks on U.S. installations in Iraq and Syria. More recently it has joined with other Iranian-backed forces in Syria and Lebanon to attack Israeli territory. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strike. The U.S. military, which has carried out strikes on Iranian-backed armed groups in Iraq in the past, said in a statement released shortly after the attack that it had not participated in strikes on locations in Iraq. The Israeli military declined to comment. The explosion came a day after Israel attacked a military air base near the city of Isfahan in central Iran, according to two Israeli and three Iranian officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. That attack, on Friday, appeared to be Israels first military response to Irans huge drone and missile attack on Israeli soil nearly a week ago. Falih Hassan contributed reporting from Baghdad. An Israeli airstrike on Iran on Friday damaged an air defense system, according to Western and Iranian officials, and appeared calculated to deliver a message that Israel could bypass Irans defensive systems undetected and paralyze them. The strike damaged a defensive battery near Natanz, a city in central Iran that is critical to the countrys nuclear weapons program, according to the officials. Even though the Israeli attack was in retaliation for Irans aerial barrage last week, it used a fraction of the firepower Tehran deployed. That attack, intercepted by Israel and its allies, caused minimal damage. The strike on Friday was the latest salvo in a series of tit-for-tat attacks between the two countries this month that have heightened fears of a broader regional conflict. The relatively limited scope of Israels strike and the muted response from Iranian officials, however, seem to have eased tensions. The two Iranian officials said the strike on Friday had damaged an S-300 antiaircraft system at a military base in the nearby province of Isfahan. The officials account is supported by satellite imagery analyzed by The New York Times, which showed damage to the radar of an S-300 system at the Eighth Shekari Air Base in Isfahan. It was unclear what sort of weapon struck the Iranian air defense system. Three Western and two Iranian officials confirmed on Friday that Israel had deployed aerial drones and at least one missile fired from a warplane. Previously, Iranian officials said the attack on the military base had been conducted by small drones, most likely launched from inside Iranian territory. Since the Hamas-led attack on Israel last October, the deadliest in Israeli history, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus political future has seemed bleak, with critics blaming him for the security failure and his poll ratings plummeting. But a confrontation between Israel and Iran this week including on Friday when Israel retaliated against last weekends missile barrage by Iran may have helped change the dynamic, at least for the time being. Now, Mr. Netanyahu is in his strongest domestic position since the October attack, even as his global standing ebbs amid anger at the conduct of Israels war in Gaza. This was his best week since October, said Mazal Mualem, a biographer of Mr. Netanyahu. Were all afraid of Iran, with all the nuclear forces that they may have. And thats the reason that, this week, we can see Bibi recovering, Ms. Mualem said, calling Mr. Netanyahu by his nickname. Mr. Netanyahus far-right coalition is still trailing the main opposition bloc in the polls, and he would still likely lose an election if it was called tomorrow. But the latest surveys show the gap has more than halved since October. His personal approval ratings have edged up to 37 percent, just five points fewer than his main rival, Benny Gantz one of the smallest margins since the start of the war. Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Saturday killed several civilians, including women and children, according to Palestinian state media, sending more fear through an area where over one million displaced Palestinians are crowded into tents and temporary quarters. For many weeks, Palestinians have been bracing for an announced Israeli ground offensive on Rafah, the southernmost part of Gaza, where more than half of the strips 2.2 million residents fled after being forced from their homes by more than six months of Israeli bombardment and a ground invasion. The airstrikes hit two family homes, killing 10 residents, and missiles and artillery also struck other areas of Rafah and the surrounding area, according to the Wafa news agency. The Israeli military would not immediately comment on the strikes. It has said the goal of its offensive in Gaza is to eradicate Hamas, the armed group that has controlled the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades. It was like an earthquake, Mohammad al-Masri, a 31-year-old accountant who is sheltering with his family in a tent in a large Rafah encampment, said of the shaking from the strikes. The first strike hit at a little past midnight, shaking the earth and lighting up the night sky, and a second one came soon after, he said. When we hear these strikes, we dont know what to do, he said. Everyone is saying the same thing, Where can we go? President Biden and other world leaders have urged Israel not to invade Rafah because it would make an already dire humanitarian crisis even worse. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not heeded those calls and claims a ground offensive is necessary to complete the elimination of Hamass battalions and to destroy its tunnel networks. Saturdays strikes stoked fears for Palestinians in Rafah that an invasion could be imminent. In a briefing to the Security Council this week, Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that Israels military offensive in Rafah would compound this humanitarian catastrophe. Rahaf Al-Madhoun, 17, was streaming live on TikTok to talk about the living conditions in Rafah when the first airstrike hit very close, she said. She stopped to collect herself before continuing. Then she described the terror sown by the strikes and the ever-present buzz of surveillance drones overhead. Were at a loss, I swear, she said. The fear itself is killing us. Rawan Sheikh Ahmad contributed reporting. Opinion Guest Essay A Cheat Sheet to the Middle Easts Web of Friends and Enemies At the U.N. General Assembly in September, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, brandished a map titled The New Middle East and asserted that Israels ties with Arab states were helping to create a corridor of peace from India through the Persian Gulf, via Israel, to Europe. A week later, the U.S. national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, declared, The Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades. A lot has changed in six months. The Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands ignored in those expressions of optimism has come back to the fore. Missiles are darting across the Middle East as the war between Israel and Hamas spills over into neighboring countries, with Iran and Israel exchanging direct missile and drone strikes for the first time. To keep track of what is going on between some of the key players, we sketched out a social network of friends, enemies and frenemies involved in the region. Examining the web makes it clear how snarled and precarious the current situation is. 1 of 12 Heres a simplified guide to the friendly, hostile and complicated dynamics between a handful of major countries and forces in the Middle East. 2 of 12 In one corner, so to speak, stand Israel and the United States. The U.S. government sends billions of dollars in arms and aid to Israel every year and has been the primary supporter of the countrys military. The nations closeness stretches back to Israels founding in 1948 and the Cold War, when Israel partnered with America to counter Soviet influence in the Middle East. Today, the benefits of rigid support for Israel are less obvious to the United States. Israel has built strong relations with China and has neither cut ties with Russia nor offered military support to Ukraine. 3 of 12 More consequentially, Americas support for Israel enables the countrys brutal treatment of Palestinians, which is deeply unpopular across the region and beyond. Iran, Syria and the Houthis, a political and armed group that controls much of Yemen, maintain a hostile position toward Israel (and vice versa). And Israel has formal diplomatic relations with just a handful of neighboring countries. Turkey Syria Lebanon Afghanistan Israel Iraq Iran Pakistan Egypt India Qatar Saudi Arabia Sudan Oman No formal relations with Israel Yemen Turkey Syria Lebanon Afghanistan Israel Iraq Iran Pakistan Egypt India Qatar Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Sudan Red Sea Oman No formal relations with Israel Yemen Ethiopia Turkey Syria Lebanon Afghanistan Israel Iraq Iran Pakistan Egypt India Qatar Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Sudan Oman No formal relations with Israel Yemen Ethiopia 4 of 12 Israels primary military engagement at the moment is with Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007. Hamas led the Oct. 7 attacks that killed about 1,200 Israelis. 5 of 12 For years, Qatar provided financial aid to Gaza at Israels encouragement and with American support. Mr. Netanyahus government now uses those payments to blame Qatar for helping Hamas stay in power a policy that he in fact supported. 6 of 12 While Israels relationship with Qatar is complicated, the United States counts the small, natural-gas-rich state as a friend and has a large air base there. Qatar has often coordinated with the United States as a mediator in various conflicts, including the current war between Israel and Hamas. Their friendship was tested in 2017 when then President Trump supported a blockade of Qatar led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Qatars relationship with Saudi Arabia improved after the blockade ended in 2021, and President Biden has worked much more closely with the country than his predecessor did. 7 of 12 The standoff with Qatar was just one of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans bold geopolitical moves in recent years: In 2015, Saudi Arabia launched a military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. Last year, Prince Mohammed helped welcome the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, back into the Arab League. Before the Oct. 7 attack, the Saudis were in serious talks, led by the United States, to recognize Israel. Arab outrage over Israels actions in Gaza has made progress toward a deal more difficult a development that Hamas, which is well versed in asymmetric warfare, may have anticipated when it attacked. 8 of 12 Israel has a major incentive to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia. Gaining the approval of the richest Arab state could open the door to recognition from other Muslim nations and, more importantly for Israel, deflect criticism of the countrys treatment of Palestinians. Saudi Arabia, for its part, would benefit from direct access to the Israeli military and technology sector. But its main interest in a pact with Israel is upgrading its relationship with Israels ally, the United States. 9 of 12 The Biden administration was initially cold toward Saudi Arabia and its ambitious crown prince. But as the United States focused more on China, Russia and Ukraine, the Arab oil juggernaut started to look like an indispensable partner in managing global and regional threats, such as Irans growing political power, and resumed nuclear efforts. Saudi Arabia shares many of the United States and Israels concerns about Iran but has kept its options open, resuming and deepening diplomatic ties with Tehran in a deal brokered last year by China. 10 of 12 The United States defeat of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Irans greatest regional adversary, and the power vacuums created by the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings have allowed Iran to increase its influence in the Middle East. Irans allies include the Houthis, militias in Iraq, President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and Hezbollah, a political and resistance movement in Lebanon. They have all maintained or gained strength in recent years. Together with Hamas, they constitute an axis of resistance against Israel and the United States. 11 of 12 While Israeli intelligence said it does not have evidence that Iran was directly involved in the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, Iran helps fund and train Hamas members. And many of Irans allies have become entangled in the subsequent conflict: Houthis have targeted ships in the Red Sea registered to Israel or its supporters and have been bombed by the United States in response. Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged intense fire across the Lebanese border, which could become the epicenter of a wider regional conflagration. Senior Iranian military officials were killed when Israel bombed the countrys embassy complex in Syria. Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes. 12 of 12 Given the largely antagonistic relations in the region, further provocations by Mr. Netanyahus hard-right government could be all it takes to tilt the Middle East into all-out war. Our network is far from comprehensive in its scope. Two of Israels neighbors with whom it has peace treaties Egypt, which is part of mediation efforts with Hamas, and Jordan are not featured here. In Jordan in particular, public outrage is palpable, often spilling into the streets. Anger rose a notch following Jordans cooperation (hesitantly acknowledged by its leadership) in responding to the April 13 Iranian drone and missile strike on Israel. Also excluded from the graphic are countries that normalized relations with Israel, including under the Abraham Accords: Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco. These ties have proved resilient under the strain of six months of war, and the inaction of these Arab states as Israel kills tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians lays to rest any naive notion that the Abraham Accords could help deliver Palestinian rights and freedoms. Readers may notice that the Palestinian node in our graphic shows Hamas rather than the Fatah-led Palestine Liberation Organization and its arm of limited governance in the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority. The Authority is deeply unpopular, and continues to cooperate with Israel even as Israel entrenches its control over the Palestinians while expanding illegal settlements. Calls for political change are rife in Palestinian society, at home and abroad. Excluding Hamas from future Palestinian political arrangements is an Israeli-U.S. pipe dream. Meanwhile, successive U.S. administrations have sought to pivot away from entanglement in the Middle East, especially in the wake of Americas disastrous invasion of Iraq, a trend accelerated by Americas sharper focus on China and now Russia. Both the Trump and Biden administrations had seen promise in a version of a Pax Americana with less of a direct role for the United States and deeper military cooperation with regional allies as deterrence, particularly against Iran and its axis. That, in turn, would necessitate closer cooperation between Israel and more Arab states. The human cost and horror of Israels actions in Gaza have diminished these possibilities. Moreover, the shattering of the myth of Israeli invincibility and the Israel Defense Forces intelligence and operational shortcomings since Oct. 7, combined with the Israeli governments growing extremism, render closer relations with Israel far less attractive for many Arab states. Countries in the region have also driven de-escalation on their own in recent years. The four-state blockade of Qatar, led by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, came to an end, and the Gulf states are all back on talking terms. Turkey (also not in our network) has mended fences across most of the region. The Saudi-led military action in Yemen has been winding down. In March 2023, China brokered a breakthrough, re-establishing ties between two of the regions heavyweights, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Our network also shows that America is still somewhat trapped in this region. (Imagine that we swapped out the United States for China or Russia; neither would be connected to any other node by a red line of hostility.) Americas options remain circumscribed while it continues a lockstep alliance with an Israel that appears unwilling to shift course on the Palestinian question and is increasingly internationally defined as an apartheid regime. Israels campaign in Gaza the killing of some 14,000 children, according to the Gazan health ministry, the devastation of cities and the humanitarian crisis, all while the United States has continued to arm Israel and support it at the United Nations may only exacerbate Americas troubles. Amid current tensions, its hard to imagine a transition toward regional de-escalation that would include rights and justice for Palestinians. But the magnitude of the current war in Gaza has upended calcified strategies, and that could be a harbinger of previously unlikely openings. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, X and Threads. How the House Voted on Foreign Aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan Votes on the Foreign Aid Bills Source: Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives The House passed a long-stalled foreign aid package on Saturday that gives funding to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, with a majority of lawmakers backing money for American allies across the globe. The package, which now goes to the Senate, is almost certain to become law. The Senate passed similar legislation in February. But in the face of distinct bases of opposition to different elements of the legislation, which threatened to tank the package as a whole, Speaker Mike Johnson advanced the foreign aid using a convoluted strategy: It split the package into three parts, each of which received its own vote, added a fourth bill with Republican priorities as a sweetener and melded it all together again once everything passed. The plan, laid out in a rule that passed on Friday, was concocted to capitalize on the pools of support for each part of the $95 billion package, while preventing opposition to any one piece from taking down all of them. How Different Factions Voted Note: Progressive Democrats are members of the House Progressive Caucus. Hard-right Republicans include members who were supported by the House Freedom Fund during the 2022 midterms, opposed Kevin McCarthys election as speaker in January 2023, or voted to oust Mr. McCarthy from the speakership last October. The fund is the campaign arm of the House Freedom Caucus, a hard-right faction founded in 2015. A majority of Republicans voted against Ukraine aid on Saturday, in a reflection of the stiff resistance within the G.O.P. to continuing to aid Ukraine against President Vladimir V. Putin of Russias invasion. The coalition that voted against the bill extended from right-wing members of the House Freedom Caucus to leadership, such as Representative Elise Stefanik of New York, the No. 3 House Republican. On Israel aid, on the other hand, most Republicans voted yes. Thirty-four right-wing Republicans also opposed aid to American allies in the Indo-Pacific, while Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, declined to take a yes-or-no position and voted present. Representative Bob Good, Republican of Virginia and the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, was one of the 21 members of his party who voted against the Israel package. Echoing one of the many grievances shared by hard-right Republicans who opposed all of the aid measures, Mr. Good said his support for Israels right to defend itself remains unshakeable but that he disagreed with a measure that would add to the nations debt. While all Democrats voted in favor of aid to Ukraine and all but Ms. Tlaib supported funding to Taiwan, 37 left-leaning Democrats defected to vote against the Israel aid bill. They said before the vote that they opposed unfettered aid to Israel that could be used in its offensive in Gaza. The opposition to the Israel aid represented a minority of Democrats, but reflected the deep resistance to unconditional aid and the divisions in the party on Gaza. Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland represented a notable new no vote among Democrats, and other standouts included Representatives Donald S. Beyer Jr. of Virginia, Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and John Garamendi of California. Still, 37 no votes, while a break from Washingtons ironclad support for the Jewish state, fell short of the opposition bloc progressives had hoped to muster. Thirty-nine Democrats had voted no on Friday on the rule to allow the foreign aid package to come to the House floor, a target that progressives just missed on Saturday on the Israel bill. Fourteen of those Democrats voted on Saturday in favor of aid to Israel, while 12 Democrats who voted to allow the package on the floor on Friday then cast votes against the funding itself. Twenty-five Republicans voted against the fourth bill, which included measures that could lead to a ban on TikTok in the United States and that would redirect funds from seized Russian assets to help aid Ukraine. Democrats put up a big vote 174 in favor of this bill, which was intended to sweeten the overall package for conservatives. RUSSIA CHINA INDIA Pacific Ocean MYANMAR INDONESIA Indian Ocean AUSTRALIA RUSSIA CHINA INDIA Pacific Ocean MYANMAR INDONESIA Indian Ocean AUSTRALIA Whats Happening in Myanmars Civil War? Myanmars military staged a coup in 2021, strangling democratic reforms and jailing much of the countrys civilian leadership. Three years on, the Southeast Asian nation is teetering on the brink of failed statehood. Insurgent groups, including pro-democracy forces and ethnic militias, are battling the juntas soldiers. Tens of thousands of people have been killed, and millions more are displaced. The resistance now controls more than half of Myanmars territory Areas of control Largely military junta control Largely resistance control Contested INDIA CHINA BANGLADESH Mandalay MYANMAR LAOS Naypyidaw Bay of Bengal Yangon THAILAND Areas of control Largely military junta control Largely resistance control Contested INDIA CHINA Mandalay MYANMAR Naypyidaw Yangon THAILAND Bay of Bengal Source: The map is a simplified adaptation based on an effective control map produced by the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M). The original map provides more granular details of the situation of control. The fighting, in forests and towns across Myanmar, gets little of the international attention claimed by the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Yet a decade ago, this nation wedged between India and China was touted as a rare example of a country peacefully transitioning from military dictatorship toward democratic rule. The army putsch ended any illusion of political progress. Myanmar has returned to a military reign of terror and the fractured reality of civil war. The lawlessness that thrives in conflict areas has radiated outward, with transnational crime networks using Myanmar as a base and exporting the products of their illicit activity worldwide. Soldiers from 8th Battalion of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force, an armed insurgent group, during their graduation ceremony in Karenni State in February. Adam Ferguson for The New York Times Why is there a civil war in Myanmar? The short answer: The military coup was met by widespread peaceful protests. Then the junta, led by Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, quickly reverted to its old playbook: jail, terrorize, kill. Pro-democracy forces took up arms, joining with militias that for decades had been fighting for the rights of ethnic minorities. The longer answer: Myanmar has been in turmoil practically since gaining independence from British rule in 1948. Some of the worlds longest-running armed conflicts have simmered in the countrys borderlands, where ethnic militias are seeking autonomy or simply freedom from the Myanmar militarys repression. A brief period of political reform, with a civilian government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate, did not make life much better for many ethnic minorities. After her political party trounced the military-linked party in Myanmars 2020 elections, a junta grabbed full control of the country again. Myanmars decades of political turmoil British colonial rule 1948 Gained independence, but ethnic rebels soon began insurgency. Parliamentary rule 1962 Military coup 1988 Nearly five decades of military rule Widespread pro-democracy protests followed by bloody military crackdown. 1990 Elections were held, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyis party won. But the military junta ignored the result. 2007 A democratic uprising led by Buddhist monks called for political change. 2011 Military began political reforms. 2015 Ms. Aung San Suu Kyis party won elections in a landslide. 2020 Ms. Aung San Suu Kyis party scored another victory. National civil unrest 2021 Military coup ended power sharing with civilian government. Parliamentary rule Nearly five decades of military rule National civil unrest British colonial rule 1948 1988 1990 2007 2011 2021 1962 2015 Widespread pro-democracy protests followed by bloody military crackdown. Gained independence, but ethnic rebels soon began insurgency. Military coup Elections were held, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyis party won. But the military junta ignored the result. A democratic uprising led by Buddhist monks called for political change. Military began political reforms. Ms. Aung San Suu Kyis party won elections in a landslide. Military coup ended power sharing with civilian government. British colonial rule 1948 Gained independence, but ethnic rebels soon began insurgency. Parliamentary rule 1962 Military coup 1988 Widespread pro-democracy protests followed by bloody military crackdown. Nearly five decades of military rule 1990 Elections were held, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyis party won. But the military junta ignored the result. 2007 A democratic uprising led by Buddhist monks called for political change. 2011 Military began political reforms. 2015 Ms. Aung San Suu Kyis party won elections in a landslide. 2020 Ms. Aung San Suu Kyis party scored another victory. National civil unrest 2021 Military coup ended power sharing with civilian government. A common goal of overthrowing the junta has led to unity between pro-democracy militias and armed ethnic groups. Together, these resistance forces have claimed significant territory from the Myanmar military. On April 11, they captured a key border town from the juntas forces, their biggest victory yet. Who exactly is fighting the Myanmar military? Hundreds of pro-democracy militias, ethnic armies and local defense forces. The sheer diversity of resistance groups battling the junta makes Myanmar the most fractured country on Earth, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, which tracks 50 high-level conflicts worldwide. Complicating matters, some of the rebel groups fight one another, too. More than 20 militias representing various ethnic minorities have been fighting for autonomy for decades. Some of these insurgent groups control territory in Myanmars resource-rich periphery. Ethnic militias exert control in different parts of Myanmar When ousted politicians and democracy advocates fled arrest after the coup, they found sanctuary in these ethnic rebel-held areas and formed a shadow authority called the National Unity Government. Tens of thousands of young people among them doctors, actors, lawyers, teachers, models, Buddhist monks, D.J.s and engineers escaped from the junta-held cities and formed more than 200 Peoples Defense Forces, pledging allegiance to the shadow government. Often trained by the ethnic militias, the P.D.F. is now fighting in more than 100 townships across the country. Hundreds of militias groups make up the Peoples Defense Forces There are 89 such groups in the Sagaing Region alone. MYANMAR There are 89 such groups in the Sagaing Region alone. MYANMAR Source: Myanmar Peace Monitor How successful have the rebels been? Since an alliance of three ethnic armies, backed by the P.D.F., began an offensive on Oct. 27, the resistance has gained significant ground. Rebels now control much of Myanmars border region, including a strategic trading town that was captured on April 11. A few days later, they fired rockets at the nations top military academy. Some of the fighting is taking place within striking distance of Naypyidaw, the bunkered capital that the generals built early this century. This year could be a turning point in Myanmars war, military analysts say. With each week, the juntas forces abandon more outposts. Myanmars military is overstretched and underprovisioned. Even at the best of times, its biggest asset has been numbers, not expertise. In February, the military brought in a draft, signaling its desperation for fresh recruits. Resistance soldiers riding in the back of a pickup truck in southern Karenni State in January. Adam Ferguson for The New York Times How are civilians affected? The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project says that the war in Myanmar is the most violent of the 50 conflicts it tracks. Since the coup, at least 50,000 people have been killed there, including at least 8,000 civilians, the group says. The militarys deadly attacks against civilians Note: Data as of March 15 Source: The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project More than 26,500 people have been detained for opposing the junta, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), a rights group. Myanmars military has bombarded the country with airstrikes on over 900 days since the coup, according to the Myanmar Peace Monitor, an exile group that tracks the war. Since the rebels October offensive, there has been a fivefold increase in aerial bombardment, according to Tom Andrews, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar. By the end of last year, more than 2.6 million people had been driven from their homes in a country of about 55 million, according to the United Nations human rights office. Nearly 600,000 of those internally displaced people fled after the fighting intensified in October. More than 18 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations, which says that a million had required such aid before the coup. Each month, hundreds of thousands of people are displaced by the fighting 200,000 people displaced 100,000 0 2021 2022 2023 2024 200,000 people displaced 100,000 0 2022 2024 2021 2023 Source: Myanmar Peace Monitor Note: Data as of April 2 United Nations investigators say that the juntas forces should be investigated for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and they cite reports of organized sexual violence, village burnings and the indiscriminate use of landmines. Such abuses predate the coup. In 2017, the military conducted what the United States says was a genocidal campaign against the Rohingya Muslim minority. Who lives in the country? Myanmar is an extraordinarily diverse nation whose borders were shaped by British imperialism rather than ethnic boundaries. Officially, 135 ethnic groups live in the country, and practically the only thing they agree on is that this figure is wrong. Myanmar has extraordinary ethnic diversity Kachin Naga Monewon Kokang Taang Wa Danu Shan Chin Shan Rohingya Inn Pa-O Lahu Kayan Karenni Rakhine Karen Mon Bamar (majority) No data Naga Kachin Monewon Kokang Taang Wa Danu Chin Inn Shan Pa-O Lahu Rohingya Kayan Karenni Rakhine Karen Mon Bamar (majority) No data Note: The Karenni are also known as the Kayah, the Karen as the Kayin, the Rakhine as the Arakan, and the Taang as the Palaung. Source: General Administration Department, Myanmar Some ethnic minorities have more in common with people in China, India and Thailand than with the Bamar, Myanmars largest ethnicity. Others come from princely states that were not under the full authority of a central administration until the middle of the last century. Still others, such as over a million Rohingya, have been rendered stateless because the military refuses to recognize them as rightful inhabitants of the country. What Myanmars ethnic minorities, particularly non-Buddhist ones, share is a long record of persecution by the military. Myanmars ethnic diversity is concentrated in the foothills of the Himalayas and the forested border regions that cradle the delta and lowlands through which the Irrawaddy River flows. Is it Myanmar or Burma? Its both. In 1948, the Union of Burma declared independence from British rule. In the Burmese language, the root of the words Burma and Myanmar are the same. In 1989, a year after the violent crushing of a pro-democracy movement, a junta renamed the country internationally as Myanmar, the name by which it is known locally. The generals argued that Myanmar was a more inclusive name, because it was not so explicitly linked to the nations Bamar ethnic majority. Nevertheless, the pro-democracy front, led by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, tended to refer to the country as Burma to show opposition to the military regime. Ethnic minority groups often called the country Burma when speaking English. The United States still officially calls the country Burma, but most foreign governments use Myanmar. After the 2021 coup, some exiled politicians and other pro-democracy activists who once called it Myanmar switched to Burma with an international audience. Most people, however, still refer to Myanmar. There is no commonly accepted word for the inhabitants of the country. Some refer to the Burmese of Myanmar, which seems a usage at cross-purposes. In Myanmar, the citizens are generally referred to as Myanmar, the word serving as both a nation and a nationality. Will Myanmar hold together? Three years after the coup, the center of Myanmar remains mostly under junta control, but the rest of the country is a kaleidoscopic array of competing influences, fiefs, democratic havens and drug-lord hideouts. Ethnic armed groups govern some areas. Administrators aligned with the National Unity Government have set up schools and clinics in others. No one is in charge in still other parts of the country, leaving residents lacking basic services and vulnerable to life in the margins. A soldier from the Pa-O National Liberation Army was treated at a secret hospital in Karenni State in January. Adam Ferguson for The New York Times The junta forces widespread use of landmines has made parts of Myanmar off limits. Within areas under the regimes control, more than 100,000 civil servants refuse to turn up for work as part of a long-running civil disobedience campaign. Many of Myanmars most educated people are in exile or living in the jungles. Others are in prison. The military is still the countrys largest and most influential institution, and a militarized culture pervades many areas that ethnic minorities control. The question is whether the Myanmar military will jettison Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, its supreme commander, if he is judged to be an impediment to the armed forces survival Myanmars history is filled with military men being pushed aside for other military men. With more and more of its soldiers dying, the military is facing an existential threat. Its possible that a junta, perhaps not even the current one but a new coterie, will try to negotiate cease-fires with the many armed groups arrayed against it. But given the Myanmar militarys history of turning its guns against its own people, trust will be difficult to find. The future of Myanmar will likely remain fractured, with no single authority in charge. Such a splintered state is likely to breed more chaos that will not be contained by national borders. Myanmar is again the worlds top opium producer, displacing Afghanistan. Some ethnic armed groups survive by churning out methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs. And the country is at the center of a cyber-scam industry that steals billions of dollars from unsuspecting people and kidnaps others to forcibly work the cons. Threats against elected representatives will undermine essential qualities of Irish democracy, Integration Minister Roderic OGorman said, after a protest outside his home. Gardai were called on Thursday after reports that up to 12 masked men were staging a protest, some with anti-migration placards and banners, outside the property. On Friday Mr OGorman said: I want to thank local gardai in Blanchardstown for their assistance yesterday. Ireland has a strong democratic tradition, where public representatives are accessible and accountable to the public. We debate and sometimes disagree, but do so in a way that is fundamentally respectful. I know that is valued by people across this country, and it is valued by politicians too. Threats and intimidation towards publicly elected representatives and those seeking election will undermine those essential qualities of Irish democracy. If we were to lose those, we would lose something very dear, and not easily recovered. Taoiseach Simon Harris said he was horrified by what he described as a chilling protest. He also said he was deeply uncomfortable that the situation was allowed to develop. Mr Harris said he spoke to Mr OGorman, of the Green Party in the coalition government, about the situation on Friday. I was utterly horrified to see the situation, he told reporters in Co Carlow. We all recognise the right to protest in a democracy but to see masked people gathering outside somebodys family home, I think that is extraordinarily chilling and quite frankly disgusting. I know that the gardai have to assess each of these situations, and as Taoiseach I dont wish to interfere in that, however, I feel deeply uncomfortable that the situation was allowed to develop outside the home of any person quite frankly, public figure or otherwise, government or opposition, and I hope in due course to have an opportunity to discuss this with gardai. Asked whether he was worried about the trajectory of this, given former taoiseach Leo Varadkar had protests outside his home last year, Mr Harris said he was worried to see an increase in the presence of people gathering outside peoples family homes. I think that is chilling in a democracy. I think it is worrying, I think it is disturbing, he said. Of course we see political discourse but there is an appropriate way to debate and raise issues, in the Dail, in council chambers, plenty of places to protest around Dail Eireann, constituency offices and the likes. But I also dont want to suggest that these people, small in number, speak for Ireland. My experience as a public representative, at a whole variety of levels in this country, has been that the overwhelming majority of people in this country, agree or disagree with your politics, are decent people. For four years, Teresa Brancato has helped hoist her husband onto a lift so he can use the bathroom, even though hes 10 inches taller and outweighs her by more than 100 pounds. Joe Brancato, 76, had a stroke in 2011 and has since used a wheelchair. The former electronics engineer has global aphasia, meaning his language skills have diminished to a handful of words. Hell say yes. Hell watch TV and shout score! whenever the Buffalo Sabres score a goal, said Brancato, 73, who retired from a school administrative job in Buffalo in 2015 to care for her husband. Social Security benefits cover the $1,500 a month the couple spends on home health aides. Medicare doesnt cover these services. Round-the-clock caregiving also means Brancatos health problems are a secondary concern to her those of her husband. Its hard. Its breaking us down, but were hanging on, she said. To lighten her monthly caregiving expenses, Brancato applied for a voucher from a program serving families like hers across New York State. 'You don't realize how little time caregivers have': Pilot projects in WNY, suburban Detroit aim to boost respite options The Exhale Family Caregiver Initiative supports 13 pilot projects funded through 2025 in Buffalo, Rochester and suburban Detroit designed to offer caregivers more useful tools as they navigate lives that challenge their own health and well-being. The New York State Caregiving & Respite Coalition supports family caregivers through training, education and access to respite resources. It also offers reimbursement up to $600 for respite care, aiming to provide financial relief and a break for some of the 4.1 million family caregivers statewide. New Yorks unpaid caregivers accrue 2.68 billion hours of uncompensated care each year, according to health officials. Throughout the nation, family caregivers spent more than $7,000 in out-of-pocket expenses in 2021, an AARP survey found. Many family members caring for ailing relatives struggle to find professional help because of the shortage of direct care workers, who often earn low wages. The scarcity of paid workers means caregivers often have to rely on family or friends to assist with feeding, bathing or scheduling of doctors appointments. Respite care can reduce caregiver stress, yet its often underutilized, according to a 2020 report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. Family caregivers face barriers to access respite care, including a lack of affordability, language or cultural differences and restrictive program design. Across the country, federal funds that boosted during the Covid-19 pandemic also have shrunk, dealing a blow to caregiver programs. Some states have scaled back their paid caregiver programs, while others have tightened eligibility criteria. The loss of money could impede the efforts of a national strategy released in 2022 to support family caregivers. Indiana recently announced plans to end its paid caregiver program because of a nearly $1 billion shortfall in the states Medicaid budget. In Ohio, caregivers can receive up to 40 hours of pay but must prove they cant hire an aide. Some local agency caregiver voucher programs remain active, although eligibility requirements vary and may provide only temporary relief in the absence of a long-term support system. How vouchers work How three caregivers battled burnout: 'Overload in every sense of the word' Tips for caregivers battling burnout. You're coping with all of these in-the-moment things but you also know you're losing your person. That never leaves your mind, says Darcy Thiel, a Buffalo mental health counselor. The voucher program provides up to $600 to offset the cost of at-home care, so unpaid caregivers can leave a loved one with a paid home aide and slip away to address their own needs. The New York State Office for the Aging administers related grants through the nonprofit National Family Caregiver Support Program, which in New York is housed at Lifespan of Greater Rochester. This moment in time is a really difficult time for caregivers, because theyre trying to navigate the health care system that has so many problems and issues, said Rebecca Hyde, coordinator of the the voucher program. Established in 2022, the vouchers are available statewide and support caregivers across the spectrum, such as kinship caregivers, grandparents, extended family members or unrelated adults who care for children and people with long-term chronic conditions. Eligible kinship caregivers could receive additional funding. Were looking for people sort of slipping through the cracks, Hyde said. To apply for a voucher, caregivers can request a paper application, which will be sent to them, or download one, in both cases online under the Caregiver Resources tab at nyscrc.org, email rhyde@lifespan-roch.org or call 585-287-6391. Applicants cannot be participating in another program that offers respite care. They must also obtain a referral from a health care professional. If approved, caregivers must track the respite care hours used. The median hourly rate of a home health aide last year in New York was $35 an hour. Based on this figure, the coalitions $600 voucher could cover 17 hours of care. To date, the program has supported about 460 caregivers in New York, and the coalition has awarded more than $350,000 in vouchers. Its my choice Vouchers are generally available for those who request one for the first time, but families shouldnt see this as a recurring source of funds. If funds remain, the coalition may offer a second voucher for caregivers whove already received one. The program aims to fill a critical resource gap. Some caregivers are on waiting lists for Medicaid, the federal health insurance program for people with low incomes. Similar to a Michigan voucher program, the New York program allows caregivers to choose who they want to hire. Its really reassuring for them to be able to hire someone they know and trust, Hyde said. While her husband clung to life at a Buffalo hospital, Brancato swiftly became a researcher on strokes. After he was discharged, she scrambled to put together a care regimen. Caregivers on the front lines logo This story was produced through the New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative's ongoing occasional series, Invisible Army: Ca You have to find out on your own, she said. Nobody tells you what to do. She found the voucher program online. Once accepted, she used the money to pay for home health aides, insisting on finding assistance for her husband inside the place he knows best. Medicare could have covered a temporary stay at a nursing home, but that wasnt an attractive option for Joe Brancato. He cant string sentences together, and nurses wouldnt be able to communicate with him like his wife can, she said. Peggy Gianadda, a 58-year-old caregiver in Kenmore, had an urgent desire for a break, although she doesnt think of her labor as burdensome. She wouldnt have it any other way. Im not complaining. Its my choice, she said. Gianadda cares for her mother, Anne, who has dementia. She prepares meals, distributes medications and gives showers, tasks which became so time-consuming shed cancel dinner dates with friends and recreational activities. The management of her mothers care was one of the levers that pushed Gianadda to retire from her job managing food service equipment for Buffalo Public Schools. She learned about the voucher program through a social worker at Erie County Senior Services. She hired a family member to assume some of her responsibilities and proceeded to get a massage, complete a shopping trip and exercise during her newly minted free time. The voucher helped immensely, she said. When someone gives you a break, you come home feeling very refreshed. Resources for caregivers in New York NY Connects: This statewide resource directory helps people search for local services by ZIP code or service. Visit nyconnects.ny.gov or call the helpline at 800-342-9871. Evidence-Based Caregiver Education and Training Portal: This state service offers free education and training for any caregiver in New York who creates an account at newyork-caregivers.com. Archangels: Its Caregiver Intensity Index Platform at archangels.me/for-caregivers helps caregivers understand their roles and lists free resources depending on their needs. A long-awaited and heavily criticized capping of radioactive material in the Seaway landfill site in the Town of Tonawanda is scheduled to begin next month, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The 89-acre Seaway site off River Road near the Riverview Solar Technology Park will be covered with more than 4 feet of material designed to contain the contaminated material at the landfill. The site operated as a landfill from 1930 to 1993 and a variety of municipal, commercial, construction and industrial wastes were dumped there. During the mid-1970s, materials from the World War II development of the atomic bomb containing radioactive residues were moved from a nearby site to the Seaway landfill and used as cover or grading material, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. A 22-acre cap covering the radioactive contaminated areas at the landfill will cost $17.6 million and be installed by Niagara Falls contractor Mark Cerrone Inc., according to Army Corps of Engineers. The work is expected to be completed in early 2025, according to the Army Corps of Engineers project manager, Richard Whipple. The site cleanup is part of the Army Corps of Engineers Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program, which targets sites contaminated from the nations early atomic energy program. Its a safe, very safe way of maintaining the human health and safety characteristics for the community of Tonawanda, Whipple told The Buffalo News at a public meeting on the project Thursday evening. The decision to cap the landfill was made by the Army Corps of Engineers nearly 15 years ago in October 2009. During a public comment period in 2008, no one in the community wrote in support of the plan to cap the landfill. At the time, those opposed to the plan to cap the landfill included the chief of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys radiation and indoor air branch, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officials, the Erie County executive, supervisors from the Town of Tonawanda, the mayor of the City of Tonawanda and Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, according to Army Corps of Engineers records. Instead, those commenters asked the Army Corps of Engineers to remove the contaminated material from the landfill. Removing the contamination from the landfill was an alternative remediation method the Army Corps of Engineers evaluated at the time. Consistent with the goals and objectives of both the County and Town of Tonawanda to protect public health, the environment and encourage redevelopment of the Niagara River corridor, we call for the USACE to pursue the implementation of Alternative 2 which calls for complete excavation and off-site disposal, County Executive Chris Collins wrote in his November 2008 letter to the Army Corps of Engineers. The removal of all contaminated soils will protect a primary source of fresh water, compliment cleanup actions at adjacent properties, eliminate MED (Manhattan Engineering District) radioactive contaminated wastes from the Niagara River corridor and facilitate efforts toward future regional redevelopment. Despite the objections, the Army Corps of Engineers went forward with the plan to cap the landfill because removing the waste could pose unnecessary risk to workers and the surrounding community by potentially generating hazardous dust, emissions and odors, according to the agencys record of decision in October 2009. The Army Corps of Engineers choice was also cheaper: The option community members, politicians and environmental organizations called for would cost an estimated $361 million because of the costs associated with removing the hazardous wastes. Capping the landfill was estimated at the time to cost a total of $35 million, according to the agencys 2009 record of decision. FUSRAP-related contaminants are not found in discrete, well-defined volumes but are spread throughout and, in some areas, under approximately 40 feet of non-FUSRAP-related refuse, which make excavation of hot spots within the landfill impractical, the Army Corps of Engineers record of decision said. The cap constructed over the hazardous waste will include several layers of soil and clays, along with a polyethylene geomembrane basically a thick layer of plastic to keep the waste underground. The polyethylene is designed to sit atop a layer of clay that will allow for gases traveling upward to be filtered out of special vents located on the landfill, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Water filtered down through the landfill is expected to be captured and transported to a wastewater treatment plant, according to the site plans. After construction of the landfill cap is completed, Whipple said the Army Corps of Engineers will regularly monitor the site for any erosion, air pollution or groundwater issues before turning the site back to the U.S. Department of Energy. The Seaway site is one of several historical landfills and industrial sites in Western New York polluted with toxic and radioactive wastes. Nearby is the Niagara Falls Storage Site in Lewiston. The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to hold a public meeting on Tuesday regarding the remedial plans for the former World War II-era storage site for radioactive residues and wastes from uranium ore processing. The Seaway site also neighbors the 55-acre former Tonawanda landfill located north of Interstate 290 and adjacent to homes on Hackett Drive. Partial cleanup of that landfill which has soil containing elevated levels of radioactive material, including uranium was approved by the Army Corps of Engineers in 2017. Theres also the old Simonds Saw & Steel Co. plant in Lockport, which is now owned by Guterl Specialty Steel Corp. and has 18 inches of soil contaminated with uranium and thorium used at the site in the World War II era. That projects cleanup, which is expected to cost $206.5 million, could get $57.5 million in funding for fiscal year 2025 from the federal government. 'You Change Your Testimony?': Elise Stefanik Rapid-Fire Questions Columbia University's President At today's House Education Committee hearing, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) grilled Columbia University President Minouche ... (Image by YouTube, Channel: Forbes Breaking News) Details DMCA As a life-long academic, I'm still smarting from watching Minouche Shafik, the president of Columbia University, being bullied during her nearly four-hour testimony before the Republican-led Committee on Education and the Workforce. The House committee was convened to uncover anti-Semitism on U.S. campuses in the context of students protesting the genocide taking place before our eyes in Gaza and on the West Bank. It was embarrassing to see President Shafik grovel before congress-members who evidently know nothing about higher education. Adopting her best baby fundie voice and attitude, she squirmed, smiled, and assured her interrogators that student "mobs" protesting Zionist genocide would be duly restricted and professors exposing students to Palestinian history and viewpoints would be fired. Previously, the committee exuding full redolence of the McCarthy era, had been successful in forcing the resignations of the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. The resignations resulted from the women's alleged failures to restrict student demonstrations on their campuses against the slaughter taking place in Palestine over the past six months. Evidently, the intention in grilling president Shafik was to add a third victim to their list of forced presidential resignations. While my disappointment with the Colombia president was real, my heart went out to the poor woman. She seemed intimidated, anxious to please, fawning, and frankly fearful of losing her job. Imagine having to answer questions like the one posed by Representative Lisa McClain (R Michigan). She demanded a "yes or no" answer to her question: "Are mobs shouting, 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,' or 'long live the infanttada (sic)' - are those antisemitic comments. Yes or no? In response, poor Ms. Shafik was at a complete loss for words. She shouldn't have been. As an academic, she should have had the wherewithal to say, "Ms. McClain, that's not a yes or no question. It's like the old saw, "'Yes or no, are you still beating your wife?' Or like my asking you, 'Tell me, yes or no, are you still accepting bribes from the military-industrial complex.' I mean, it's either a trick gotcha question or (with all due respect) an ignorant one. The answer is complicated. "For example, Benjamin Netanyahu has endorsed the slogan 'From the river to the sea' to define Israel's ambitions in Palestine. Yes, he has. You can Google it. Was Netanyahu's (as you put it) an anti-Semitic comment? Remember the Palestinians are Semites too. Or perhaps you've forgotten that." "Do you see the complications I'm talking about?' And as for your questions about Intifada. . .. (And by the way, it's pronounced 'in-teh-fah-dah' not 'infant-tah-dah') Do you know what the word means? Yes or no, do you? "In case you don't, let me tell you it refers to aggressive nonviolent resistance to illegal Zionist occupation of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem by the apartheid Israeli government. You can Google that too. "And even if such protests turned violent, are you familiar with Article 51 of the UN Charter? Yes or no. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator The Jews are closely associated with the word holocaust. The word is culturally attached to the Jewish people, recalling a terrible genocide in Europe in the WW2 era that killed millions. It wasn't the first genocide of modern times, that was committed on the Armenians and Syrian Christians in 1916, and it likely will not be the last genocide. We are currently watching the 2024 genocide in Gaza. Similarly, the Japanese are closely associated with the word Hiroshima, recalling the twin US attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that turned some 100,000 people instantly into ashes, and killed thousands more in the days that followed, mostly civilians. On March 25, US Representative Tim Walberg, Republican of Michigan, was speaking at a town hall meeting in Dundee, Michigan. He was asked a question about why US money is being spent to build a port to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. Walberg said, "It's (President) Joe Biden's reason. I don't think we should. I don't think any of our aid that goes to Israel to support our greatest ally, arguably maybe in the world, to defeat Hamas, and Iran and Russia and probably North Korea's in there and China too, with them helping Hamas. We shouldn't be spending a dime on humanitarian aid. It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick." After the video of Walberg's calling for the Palestinian people in Gaza to be nuked went viral on social media, Walberg spokesman Mike Rorke confirmed the validity of the video. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a Michigan chapter of the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned Walberg's call to end humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people in Gaza and instead nuke the civilian population into extermination. Humanitarian groups and the UN say a port is necessary because Israel has blocked seven land routes for food and medicine to get in to Gaza. The UN warns that famine is "imminent" in Gaza. The International Court of Justice last week ruled unanimously that Israel must allow humanitarian assistance to enter Gaza because "famine is setting in". Walberg serves as the US Congressional representative from Michigan's 5th congressional district. He has previously represented the 7th district from 2007 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2023. As the longest-tenured member from Michigan, Walberg is the current Dean of its delegation to the US House of Representatives. Walberg the Christian leader From 1973 to 1977, Walberg served as pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in New Haven, Indiana. He also spent time as a pastor and as a division manager for the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Walberg often talks about his faith guiding his politics. A graduate of three evangelical schools: Moody Bible Institute in Illinois, Tayler University in Indiana, and Wheaton College in Illinois. In February, Moody published a quote from Walberg, "Living out my biblical worldview and not succumbing to acquiesce in any way, shape, or form to anything that God condemns... I can't -- by silence or direct statement -- condone what God condemns." In an interview with World magazine, Walberg said, "Everything comes at me through the filter of my faith. It has to be that way if this is more than a religion." In April 2019, a Jewish group at the University of Michigan hosted Walberg speaking. Walberg spoke on how his religion guides his support for Israel. He said the main reason he fervently believes the US must support Israel is because he believes God supports Israel. "I read the Torah, I've read the entire Old Testament," Walberg said. "What God condemns, I condemn. Who God loves I will love. If I don't, I'm a sinner." Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Thich Nhat Hanh died January 22, 2022 at 95. "Thich Nhat Hanh's portrayal of the plight of the Vietnamese people during the Indochina Wars is required reading now as the United States and Europe continue to grapple with their roles as global powers-- and the human effects of their military policies. Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire is of special interest for students of peace and conflict studies and Southeast Asian history. It also gives the reader insights into the thought of the young Thich Nhat Hanh, who would later go on to found--in exile--Plum Village in France, the largest Buddhist monastery outside Asia, and influence millions with his teachings on the path of peace and mindfulness." (.sandmanbooks.com/book/9781952692031) Me and Thich Nhat Hanh (open letter to my brother): It's personal. I know you don't like (as in see the value in) Buddhism (or any religion), but what Thich Nhat Hanh said was, Buddhism, by spreading to the Western world, will eventually totally transform from its Eastern roots. It is not one shoe fits all, (my metaphor) but there will be as many kinds of Buddhism as Buddhists. He foresaw that the West would make Buddhism its own by individualizing the practice. This idea would have been very interesting to Jung who felt the same way you do about all religion, that it is impersonal and, for that reason alone, generally irrelevant to the modern world, which, because of its gigantic collective shadow, must individuate or destroy itself. I agree with you except that I have had so many (countless) spiritual experiences in my life that I had no choice but to take a different path from you. Now, at 73, I have a personal relationship with (Spirit / God / Nature ) -- that infinite intelligence behind creation that we in the Western world have no good name for because most of us have no direct relationship with our creator! So, without having studied the life and thought of this remarkable man (died Jan 22, 2022 at 95), I do not assume that I know something that T N H didn't know. Rather (as a struggling born-pacifist) I assume he knew something that I need to look at and try to understand, not as one on a spiritual path but as a Westerner who is repelled by his own Culture and violent traditions who, for the sake of his heart (and soul) needs to make peace with himself and the world that shocks, baffles and disgusts him on almost a daily basis. (Article changed on Apr 20, 2024 at 8:38 AM EDT) (Article changed on Apr 20, 2024 at 11:31 AM EDT) (Article changed on Apr 20, 2024 at 2:56 PM EDT) Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator In an unprecedented and dangerous escalation, Israel targeted the Iranian Consulate in Damascus on April 1. It has been many years since Israel has bombed targets inside Iran, and the diplomatic building, directly attached to the Iranian Embassy, is considered the same as an attack on Tehran. According to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, in 1961, articles 21 and 22 concern embassies and all types of diplomatic missions. According to accepted international norms and traditions, diplomatic premises are considered part of the sovereignty and territory of the sending states. Therefore, the attack on the Iranian consulate can be seen as an attack on Iranian territory. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on X their condemnation of the targeting of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, @KSAmofaEN. Saudi Arabia is the most powerful Arab country, and had come to a restored relationship with Iran, brokered by China in March 2023. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) condemned the Israeli aggression and mourned the commander of the Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria, General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and Brigadier General Mohammad-Hadi Haji-Rahimi, as well as IRGC officers Hossein Amanollahi, Seyyed Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sadaghat, Ali Agha Babaei, and Seyyed Ali Salehi Rouzbahani. Israel's F-35 fighter jets had launched six missiles from the occupied Golan Heights in a targeted attack on the Iranian Consulate's building. The Consulate and Embassy are situated in the upscale densely populated neighborhood of Mezze. All the neighboring buildings lost their window glass from the blast. Innocent Syrian civilians were injured while in their own homes at 5:00 pm, preparing to break their fast during Ramadan at 6:45 pm. Pedestrians were injured walking by as they shopped or returned home. A Syrian champion swimmer is hospitalized in very serious condition from wounds she received while walking in the street. The parked cars in the street were damaged and set ablaze. "The aggressor Zionist regime bears full responsibility for its consequences and the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its legitimate and inherent right under international law and the United Nations Charter to take a decisive response to such reprehensible acts," Zahra Ershadi, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, wrote late Monday in a letter to the UN secretary general. Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, confirmed on Telegram that a Security Council meeting to discuss the Israeli attack will be held on Tuesday at Russia's request. Iran will be preparing for a retaliatory response to the Israeli attack. The White House said the US was not warned in advance by Israel of the planned attack. US President Biden has warned Israel previously that the US does not want the Israeli war on the Palestinian people of Gaza to grow wider into a regional conflict that would certainly involve the US, as the military sponsor of Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Iran is the chief enemy of Israel, and he famously presented a cartoon drawing of a bomb in his speech to the UN General Assembly, warning countries to prevent Iran in obtaining a nuclear weapon. US President Obama made a deal with Iran, and it was working to contain Iran's capability to make materials to create a nuclear bomb, but US President Trump ripped up the US treaty, which included five other nations as signatories. Netanyahu lobbied Trump to tear up the deal, so that Israel could keep Iran in the hot-seat, as enemy number one. Netanyahu faces thousands of Jews in the streets in Israel protesting his refusal to make a ceasefire deal with Hamas and bring home the Israeli hostages in Gaza. Instead, Netanyahu is determined to keep the war going, which has killed over 32,000 people, mainly women and children. The Israeli public is now calling for him to resign, as they see he has brought the country to its knees in Gaza, and after almost six months of war, Hamas is not defeated, while Israeli soldiers and hostages are dying, and some may be starving inside Gaza. Netanyahu's strategy is to deflect. He seeks to create a bigger war to deflect from his domestic problems. His calculated strike on Iranian diplomatic property in Damascus was his first step to take the focus off Gaza, and get the US involved in a conflict with Iran. The US Congress will support this, even if the Biden administration is reluctant. The personal relationship between Biden and Netanyahu is at its lowest point. Biden had been asking Netanyahu to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza, and Netanyahu flatly refused. Biden had told Netanyahu that going into Rafah was a "Red Line", but Netanyahu has refused to change his military plans. Although Biden can stop the war in Gaza with just one phone call cutting off the free flow of US taxpayer-paid weapons to Israel, he refuses to. Which brings us to the conclusion: that the Gaza war, and the 32,000-plus lives lost, are the responsibility of President Joe Biden, and no one else. Even though voters from Michigan and Minnesota have already said they will not vote for Biden because of his complicity in the genocide in Gaza, still Biden is willing to lose the election to Trump for the sake of Zionism, which is a fascist political ideology hiding behind a religion. Experts warn that the international community should take actions to stop Israel from further aggravating tensions and violating international laws. The region and the US are on the brink of a war that could be avoided by the US, but probably Biden and the Congress will decide to follow Netanyahu into the abyss, all the while depending on the hardworking US taxpayer to foot the bill, and pay the bloody costs. Steven Sahiounie is a two-time award-winning journalist V%C3%ADctor Manuel Fern%C3%A1ndez-%28cropped%29. (Image by Wikipedia (commons.wikimedia.org), Author: Direccion de Relaciones Institucionales de la Universidad Catolica Argentina) Details Source DMCA Duluth, Minnesota (OpEdNews) April 19, 2024: My first OEN article was titled "Why Obama Should Shun the Pope's Views on Abortion" (dated October 10, 2009): Click Here In it, I made it clear that I regard the Roman Catholic Church's position that distinctively human life begins at the moment of conception as mistaken and untenable. Granted, a life-form begins at the moment of conception. But I do not think that that life-form is distinctively human life. Rather, I see distinctively human life as beginning at birth when the fetus emerges from the mother's womb and is viable. More recently, I have reflected on the doctrinally conservative Pope Francis' objections to gender theory in my somewhat lengthy OEN article "Walter Ong, Judith Butler, and the Vatican on Gender" (dated April 8, 2024): Click Here Next, I shifted my focus in my short OEN article "How Important Will the Abortion Debate Be in the 2024 elections?" (dated April 10, 2024): Click Here Now, in the present essay, I am still concerned about how important the abortion debate will be in the 2024 elections. However, certain recent events have brought home just how radical the Church's teaching about the moment of conception is. In February 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos (i.e., the life-forms produced at the moment of conception), produced through in vitro fertilization (IVF) are considered to be human children and that a person could be held liable for accidentally destroying them. Because in vitro fertilization is a widespread practice in the United States today, the ruling set off alarm bells, to say the least. See Kayla Epstein's BBC article "Alabama IVF ruling: What does it mean for fertility patients?" (dated February 22, 2024): Click Here Not surprisingly, the Roman Catholic Church has not only opposed legalized abortion, but also in vitro fertilization. See the online article "Each Life has Immeasurable Value from the Moment of Conception, says Bishop Burbidge on IVF Issues" (dated March 8, 2024): Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). The Clark County Sheriffs Office on Friday publicly released the names of the four officers involved in the fatal shooting last week of a suspected carjacker in Vancouver. The office also released body-camera footage showing the shooting. Deputies Jim Payne, Michael Gonzalez and Enrique Cordero, along with Sgt. Fred Harrison, confronted Benjamin Steven Woods in an American Legion hall in Vancouver on April 13, according to the sheriffs office. With about a month until the May 21 primary, the two men vying to serve as Multnomah County district attorney have traded accusations and made claims about crime rates, staffing and management. The Oregonian/OregonLive vetted statements made by District Attorney Mike Schmidt and challenger Senior Deputy District Attorney Nathan Vasquez in interviews, press releases and during debates. Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - Rights group Human Rights Watch said here Saturday that a bill before Gambias National Assembly to reverse a groundbreaking 2015 ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) jeopardizes the rights of women and girls in the country DeWitt Public Schools in Michigan decided to cancel a planned elementary classroom mini-lesson focusing on pronoun lessons and gender identity following community backlash. The lesson, initially designed as a voluntary activity for a first-grade class, aimed to foster greater understanding, compassion, and kindness regarding gender identity and pronoun usage. The district had notified parents and guardians beforehand, providing them with the option to opt out of their children's participation in the lesson. Michigan School Retreats on Gender Identity Pronoun A Michigan public school has decided to retract its plans for an elective mini-lesson on pronouns for elementary students due to the online harassment faced by its staff. The criticism against the lesson began recently and quickly gained traction online. The school, situated north of Lansing in DeWitt, responded by increasing police and administrative presence, as stated by the district. Various social media groups, including Libs of Tiktok and Moms for Liberty, amplified opposition by sharing an interview clip from WILX-TV with a parent against the lesson, though it wasn't clarified that participation was optional. The lesson aimed to introduce they/them pronouns to students who identify outside traditional gender pronouns. It was structured around the book "They, She, He, Me: Free to Be!" by Matthew Sg and Maya Christina Gonzalez, focusing on inclusive themes. The district emphasized that the lesson was intended to foster understanding and inclusivity among all students, aligning with its core values. Superintendent Shanna Spickard clarified that the goal was not to challenge or alter family beliefs but to create a safe and respectful learning environment. "The mini-lesson is not designed to challenge or alter family beliefs," she continued. "Instead, it aims to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment." School Administration Receives Online Harassment Superintendent Shanna Spickard of DeWitt Public Schools, through a Facebook post, disclosed that staff members had been subjected to inappropriate and threatening communications via calls, emails, and social media. Some staff members also faced doxxing, with personal details about their families and children shared online to intimidate them. Expressing concern, Spickard stated that despite the majority of these communications originating from outside our community, several staff members have expressed heightened anxiety, stress, and fear of attending school. The district has taken proactive measures by coordinating with local law enforcement and increasing both police and administrative presence. State Rep. Steve Carra, a Three Rivers Republican, voiced criticism of the lesson on Facebook, garnering significant engagement. "Hire me to teach the kids," Carra's post read, presenting a view opposing the lesson's content and emphasizing traditional gender norms. Carra added, "'Little Jack, you're a boy even if you pretend to be a girl. Other people shouldn't be forced to pretend along with you. Your pronouns are he/him.' Great, now back to reading, writing, and arithmetic." Spickard reiterated the district's collaboration with law enforcement and the heightened security measures in place. She added, "The goal of the voluntary mini-lesson was to help promote Dewitt Public Schools' vision of a safe, nurturing, and supportive learning environment where all learners can succeed." Regrettably, it has evolved into a significant disruption and detracts from their vision, creating feelings of insecurity among our staff, administrators, and students. Authorities in Texas stated that a 10-year-old boy has confessed to a formerly unresolved killing, revealing that he shot a guy he didn't know while the guy was asleep, as per a declaration issued by the Gonzales County Sheriff's Office on Friday. 10-Year-Old Boy Admits to Shooting Man While Asleep The boy, who was nearly eight years old at the time of the killing two years ago, underwent assessment at a psychiatric hospital. However, he cannot face liability due to his age at the time, according to Texas law, which necessitates a child to be at least 10 years old to face legal consequences for their actions. The boy is presently held in juvenile confinement for a separate circumstance containing a threat to another student on a bus earlier this month. Brandon O'Quinn Rasberry, 32, was shot in the head in 2022 while he slept at an RV park in Nixon, Texas. The boy's potential connection to the case came to light after authorities were alerted on April 12 this year about a student making threats on a school bus. Further investigation revealed the boy's prior statements indicating his involvement in the killing. During interviews at a child advocacy center, the boy gives details of Rasberry's death constantly with firsthand knowledge, including the details of the gun and the series of circumstances. He narrates taking the gun from his grandfather's truck and firing Rasberry before returning the gun to the truck. The boy indicated that he had no prior interaction with Rasberry and no motive for the shooting. Rasberry's body was found when he failed to report to work for two successive days. Following the revelation of the pistol at a pawn shop and the matching of shell casings to the gun, the boy was placed in emergency confinement due to the weight of the violation and concerns for his mental well-being. He underwent assessment and medications at a psychiatric hospital in San Antonio before being returned to Gonzales County and placed in juvenile confinement for the school bus incident. As of now, it remains ambiguous whether the boy's family has legal representation. Read Also : Maryland Teen Accused of Threatening School Shooting at Montgomery County School Rasberry Family Keenly Feels His Absence, Experiencing Profound Anguish A year after Rasberry's passing, the sheriff's office noticed the thorough agony of the victim's family, specifically during their first holiday season without him. Rasberry's case remained unresolved until April 12, when a principal from the Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District reported a 10-year-old boy threatened to hurt another student on a bus. Subsequently, the boy revealed to authorities that he had fatally shot a man two years prior. He described the event in detail during an interview with a child forensic interviewer, reciting that he shot Rasberry while the victim slept inside a trailer in Nixon, Texas. According to the sheriff's office, the boy, then seven years old, took a pistol from his grandfather's truck and entered Rasberry's mobile home, where he shot a single shot at Rasberry's head before shooting another round into the couch. He then returned the gun to its original spot. Nixon-Smiley Independent School District Superintendent Jeff Van Auken stated that the district has cooperated with the investigation and confirmed that the 10-year-old will not return to the elementary school campus. Requests for comment from Rasberry's loved ones remained unanswered at the time of the report. A miracle heart transplant has given a new hope to a 4-year-old girl with a congenital heart defect. A young girl of four years was released from Texas Children's Hospital on Thursday, April 18, following a lengthy wait of 1,025 days on the organ transplant queue, which equates to nearly three years. 4-Year-Old's New Life From Organ Transplant The medical team at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston gathered along the corridors on April 18 to bid farewell to Arctura, aged four, who underwent a heart transplant on March 29, with a cheerful parade. As per her parents and physician, Arctura was born with a congenital heart anomaly, identified as the most prevalent type of birth defect by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Arctura's situation, her heart's tricuspid valve did not form correctly, leading to issues with blood circulation through the heart. Furthermore, her heart was dilated, resulting in enlargement and affecting her lungs. Arctura's parents, Madelyn and Joshua Nowak, revealed to "Good Morning America" that discovering their daughter's condition during the 20-week anatomy scan was incredibly distressing. "That moment when they said something might be wrong with her heart, I knew immediately that this wasn't a little thing," Madelyn Nowak recounted. "The world slowed down and dropped out from under me. My entire reality changed in a matter of a minute." Born on April 1, 2020, in Tennessee, Arctura was swiftly transported to Texas Children's for ongoing treatment a few days later, spending the initial seven months of her life in the hospital. She underwent surgery to address her heart condition and was discharged in time for her first Christmas at home. However, the Nowaks observed a decline in Arctura's health over time: increased vomiting, signs of fatigue, and difficulty breathing. In 2021, Arctura was re-hospitalized at Texas Children's after experiencing heart failure. A Long Road of Recovery Ahead Dreyer explained the complexities of finding a suitable heart for Arctura, given her HLA sensitization, a condition that heightens the risk of organ rejection due to elevated antibody levels. "Part of what we had to do was look for a donor to which she was not sensitive to before transplant, which would have affected our ability to maintain immunosuppression in her and keep her from rejecting the new heart that she received," Dreyer elaborated. After nearly three years of waiting, Arctura became eligible for a donor heart. On March 29, she underwent an orthotopic heart transplant, a procedure that replaced her failing heart with a donor's organ, during an extensive surgery lasting eight to ten hours at Texas Children's Hospital. Following her transplant, Arctura's recovery has been promising, with her medical team gradually reducing her medication regimen. Dreyer expressed optimism about Arctura's future, noting her ongoing adaptation to post-surgical medications and the anticipated reduction in their dosage over time. Arctura herself expressed delight with her new heart, eagerly anticipating outdoor activities post-discharge, showcasing her resilience and enthusiasm for life's simple joys. The Nowaks and Dreyer are using Arctura's journey to raise awareness about organ donation, particularly poignant during National Donate Life Month. They highlight the profound impact of organ donation, not just for recipients like Arctura but also for donor families facing tragedy, emphasizing the transformative potential of such acts. Madelyn Nowak echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of Arctura's story in increasing understanding and awareness of congenital heart defects. Governor Jim Justice announced a significant development for West Virginia, as the state successfully avoided a clawback of $465 million in COVID-19 funding from the federal government. This decision has eased concerns previously raised by state lawmakers during the final days of the March legislative session. The governor, representing the Republican Party, expressed in a statement that federal authorities have granted a waiver for this funding, which constitutes a portion of the over billion-dollar federal aid received by the state to aid student support during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. West Virginia Secures $465M COVID-19 Education Funds The U.S. Department of Education (USED) has approved West Virginia's request for a Maintenance of Effort (MOE) waiver regarding federal Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. Governor Jim Justice and Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt received official confirmation of this approval late this week. To access the funding, West Virginia was required to maintain or increase its education funding levels compared to pre-pandemic times. This condition stipulated that the federal funds should supplement existing state investments in education rather than serve as a replacement. In prior years, such as 2020 and 2021, this requirement translated into a one-to-one match with federal spending. However, for the years 2022 and 2023, the federal government evaluated each state's education expenditure as a percentage of its overall budget. West Virginia received waivers for these regulations in 2022. However, as the state legislature finalized the budget in March, there was no approval for a waiver in 2023. This development disrupted the state's budget process and created uncertainty, leading lawmakers to consider passing a streamlined budget and reconvening later to address pending matters in May. Governor Justice expressed confidence in resolving this issue through negotiations with federal authorities. He pointed to ongoing investments in school services and teacher salaries since 2018, a period marked by strikes by school employees over school conditions. Ensuring Support for Children With the Approved Funds He commended the federal government's decision on Friday, expressing no doubts about the approval of the waiver. "This announcement came as no surprise and was never a real issue," remarked Justice. He highlighted the state's allocation of funds towards infrastructure projects and educational resources, aimed at enhancing students' math and reading abilities. Documents submitted to the federal government revealed an increase in per-pupil spending from $7,510 during Justice's inaugural year as governor in 2017 to $8,464 in 2024. Despite an overall rise in state spending from $4.9 billion in 2017 to $6.2 billion in 2023, the proportion allocated to education decreased. This reduction, particularly an 8% drop in the education sector's budget share from 51% in 2017 to 43% last year, drew attention from federal authorities. Governor Justice underscored the state's ongoing commitment to education, citing the approval of $150 million for the state's School Building Authority in the forthcoming fiscal year's budget, starting in July. Furthermore, Laura Jimenez, the Director of the Office of State and Grantee Relations at USED, noted in the approval letter that the supplemental appropriations exceed the FY 2023 MOE gaps for both elementary and secondary as well as higher education. She expressed gratitude for West Virginia's consistent dedication to education. Superintendent Blatt expressed satisfaction with USED's recognition of West Virginia's support for public education and ongoing efforts to enhance student learning and success. She highlighted initiatives such as teacher salary improvements, support for early learning classrooms, foster care programs, and post-secondary education priorities, all aimed at providing students with a strong educational foundation. The Unwritten Debates in Moroni 1 s Letter, written by Morgan Deane Abstract: Moroni 1 s letter in Alma 60 is not simply an angry and intemperate screed against the government; it also responds to arguments about just tactics (what modern readers would call ethics) taking place among Nephite leaders at this time. Moroni 1 s letter argues for his preferred strategies of active defense and ambush, while interpreting defeat as a failure of leaders. His rhetorical strategy is particularly noteworthy for associating his Nephite opponents hopeful trust in the Lord with the passive resistance of the king-men, and shifting blame for defeat away from his strategies and onto his political opponents. Overall, Moroni 1 s arguments exemplify sophistication and debate within Nephite thought. [Editors Note: This paper is adapted from chapters 46 of Morgan Deane, To Stop a Slaughter: The Book of Mormon and the Just War Tradition (self-published, Venice Press, forthcoming, 2024).] Interpreting Interpreter: Captain Moronis Hidden Debates, written by Kyler Rasmussen This post is a summary of the article The Unwritten Debates in Moroni 1 s Letter by Morgan Deane in Volume 61 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. All of the Interpreting Interpreter articles may be seen at https://interpreterfoundation.org/category/summaries/. An introduction to the Interpreting Interpreter series is available at https://interpreterfoundation.org/interpreting-interpreter-on-abstracting-thought/. The Takeaway: Deane suggests that Moronis letter to Pahoran argues implicitly against taking a passive approach to military threatsand in favor of placing the blame for defeat at the hands of political leadershipin response to debates that may have been taking place within the Nephite political and military hierarchy. An Exceptional Example of the Richness of Church History, written by Susan Easton Black Review of Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Emer Harris & Dennison Lott Harris: Owner of the First Copy of the Book of Mormon, Witness of the Last Charge of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2023). 235 pages, 67 illustrations, appendix, references, $29.00 (paperback). Abstract: Jeffrey Bradshaw has, in a single well-researched volume, provided a gift to those interested in the lives of early Church members. In Emer Harris & Dennison Lott Harris, Bradshaw brings out of obscurity the remarkable life of one of Martin Harriss brothers and illustrates the contribution of that life to the initial decades of the Restoration. In other news: I recommend this very brief TikTok item to you and to all your family and friends: David Whitmer Testifies of the Book of Mormon I routinely see a very great deal of online nonsense about Joseph Smiths legal and courtroom experiences. This should help raise the level of discourse on the subject: The Joseph Smith Papers Project Releases Legal Records: Case Introductions Do Latter-day Saints really attend church more often? Smartphone data may hold answers: A University of Chicago researcher found that about 1 in 345 Americans are weekly church-attending Latter-day Saints Slightly more than three weeks ago, I recounted the little story not for the first time about an encounter that my wife and I had with a sorrowing widower whom we met while we were visiting the cemetery in Southern California where the bodies of my parents rest. (See Elegiac Thoughts On Why It Matters So Very, Very Much.) As always, my Malevolent Stalker who is maliciously creative but not stupid (at least, not in the conventional sense) has attempted to twist that little story into a yet another redundant demonstration that Im callously cruel, hypocritical, and just generally depraved and of monstrously bad character. (Im not inclined to get into the details here. The myth that he has tried to create backed by revelations from supposed informants, no less is so convoluted that I honestly dont even quite understand what Im supposed to have done, or why I did it. Or didnt do it. Or something. Anyway, its bizarre, and its flatly false. But, weirdly, the Stalkers fictional tale even includes one of the regular commenters here, who apparently serves somehow among my lackeys. Maybe Ill tell my lackey; I think he would be amused.) Folks, gushes the Stalkers talentless Mini-Me wannabe while obsequiously licking his Masters boots, you just cant make this stuff up! To which the obvious answer is, Clearly, you can. Anyhow, one of the accusations launched in this particular Stalker attack on me is that, when I expressed happiness at the fact that as I believe Frenchy Morrell has finally been reunited with his wife, Wanda, who had died nearly three decades before, I was lying. (Since Im always lying, of course, Im not sure why this particular lie should be news. But then, I cant really make sense of the Stalkers thinking on any level, so why should I hope to understand him this time?) How does he know that I was lying? Because, being a Latter-day Saint, I know that Frenchy Morrell wont be reunited with his wife, since they werent sealed for all eternity in a Latter-day Saint temple. (I think, in fact, that Im supposed to feel contemptuously superior about this, and to rejoice in the inferiority of non-Latter-day Saints. Or something like that. I haven t really spent a lot of time studying the Stalkers demonology. I dont even know whether he genuinely believes it or whether its some kind of gaslighting joke and, after approximately two decades of it, I dont particularly care.) So I think that Ill state here what I actually think about this question: No, Frenchy and Wanda hadnt been sealed in a Latter-day Saint temple. But that doesnt mean that they wont see or know each other in the world of spirits. Absence of a temple sealing simply means that spouses are no longer married (till death do us part, after all) and that families arent organized any more as families. (But vicarious temple dealings can and will be offered to all who have gone on before us.) However, Ive read hundreds upon hundreds of accounts of near-death experiences in which those who have entered into the next life have been met upon their arrival by previously deceased spouses and other family members. So I have absolutely no doubt that Frenchy was greeted by Wanda, and that they were reunited after their long separation. Which is wonderfully good news. And eventually, they will be offered the opportunity to have their marriage made eternal. Finally, as is my frequent practice here, I close with something from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial How Religion Poisons Everything File: Zion with Gods Most Unlikely Children: My Journey to The Other Side Academy, written by our friend Joseph Grenny. At their request, my wife and I organized and accompanied Joseph and a number of other leaders of The Other Side Academy (TOSA), including Dave Durocher, on a tour of Egypt back in January. Just in case I havent been clear enough heretofore, please permit me to try again: Both my wife and I had already been deeply, deeply, deeply impressed by what is going on at TOSA and its related undertakings. And we came away from that Egyptian tour more deeply impressed than ever before. Its one of the most amazing things that Ive ever seen. Abel Dzidotor, the driver allegedly responsible for the train accident, has been sentenced to a six-month jail term - Citinewsroom reports. Dzidotor admitted guilt to three out of the four charges levelled against him. These charges include inconsiderate driving and causing unlawful damage. The first charge was for careless and inconsiderate driving, a violation of Section 3 of the RTA Act 683 (2004), as amended by Act 761 of 2008. Dzidotor pleaded guilty and received a sentence of 100 penalty units, equivalent to a potential 20-month prison term if not paid. The second charge was for unauthorized stopping, in violation of Section 19 of Act 683 of 2004, as amended by Act 761 of 2008. Dzidotor pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 penalty units, or a five-month jail term if unpaid. The third charge was for causing unlawful damage, contrary to section 172b of Act 2960. Dzidotor pleaded guilty and received a six-month sentence in hard labour. The fourth charge was for failing to produce a drivers license, contrary to regulation 47(2) of LI 21(80). Dzidotor pleaded not guilty, asserting that his license was within the damaged vehicle. He has been instructed to present the license to the court by May 9, 2024, or face potential consequences. The Ghana Police Service arrested the driver of the Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018 20 for allegedly causing the accident involving the newly imported train on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line on Thursday. The newly imported train from Poland was involved in an accident during a test run. In a statement, the Police said their preliminary investigation had established that the suspect driver left the said vehicle unattended on the railway line, leading to a collision with the train. The truck driver is said to have gone to deliver cement blocks when the truck got stuck on the rail after he was unable to use a pass-through under the bridge. Source: Citinewsroom Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Swiss renewable energy company NEK Umwelttechnik AG (NEK) has been developing in the past years six large-scale onshore wind farms in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, which are ready for implementation. The total capacity to be installed is approximately 1,300 MW through the six projects. These wind farms could produce about 3,400 GWh of green and cheap electricity each year for the Ghanaian population and the industrial sector. To supply energy to as many customers as possible, NEK has established recently in Accra a new renewable energy platform, which will provide to its customers cheap, sustainable, never ending, and clean electricity to cover the increasing electricity demand in Ghana and to overcome dumsor. The platform is called Anansi Green Energy Ltd. (Anansi). Anansi will assume, over time, all of NEKs wind farms and in addition will also undertake the development and operation of solar and biomass plants. This new platform will have several equity partners, lenders, and investors, including large and well-known international power companies and green funds. Ghanaian investors, lenders and key stakeholders and institutions will also be involved in the implementation and financing of Anansi. The platform will act as a captive industrial power generator by selling the green electricity directly to industrial offtakers. It is hoped, in the future, Anansi will be the vehicle through which Ghana can become a renewable hub for West Africa as a whole by also exporting renewable energy through the existing WAPP network to surrounding countries. Figure 1: Visualisation of one of NEKs planned wind energy projects in Ghana which will be integrated into the Anansi Green Energy Platform A lot of interested customers Anansi is now starting to discuss terms with several interested customers for the delivery of green electricity. The future demand both in the country and in surrounding markets for green energy will likely grow significantly. Although there will always be a need for baseload energy capacity in the planning of any energy sector, both for environmental and indeed affordability reasons it will be essential to create a structure through which renewable energy can be developed, without such relying on the public sector. Mining companies, the concrete sector, steel manufacturers, but also other industries and the mobility sector will demand cheap and green electricity, which can be delivered by Anansi in the very near future. Figure 2: Anglo Gold Ashanti. One of the big mining companies in Ghana which could be provided with clean energy through the Anansi Green Energy Platform. Source: https://www.anglogoldashanti.com/ No competition to VRA or ECG and no reliance on Government of Ghana Anansi will not become a competitor to ECG, VRA or NEDCo - nor will it be necessary for Anansi to have the traditional take or pay PPA with ECG or any support from the Government of Ghana. Anansi will be able to implement its projects without any reliance on the public sector at all. Indeed, the intent will be that Anansi will have, as its partners, VRA / ECG in providing baseload capacity to its customers. Figure 3: Visualisation of another one of NEKs wind energy projects in Ghana. The onshore projects alone could amount up to 1,300 MW installed capacity and are located predominantly in rural areas Green Energy as a Megatrend Green energy is enjoying unanimous support and gaining political and business momentum around the globe. The global energy sector is in the midst of a transformation. The global energy transition is now well underway, with ever-increasing clean energy investment and momentum for net-zero targets by mid-century. Energy security and sustainability nowadays go hand in hand and are top of the agenda for many governments worldwide. Africa is no exception, with the continent facing rapidly growing energy demand, critical energy access gaps, and an imperative for development. Africas imperative to accelerate its socio-economic development in a resilient and sustainable way could immensely benefit from accelerating clean energy deployment, as was stated at the COP28 summit last December. Failing to accelerate the development of renewables poses major threats to the continent already suffering the most from the impacts of climate change. Yet, while global renewable energy investments are reaching record-high levels, renewables are still critically underfunded in Africa, signalling urgent work ahead. This also applies for Ghana: Ghanas energy outlook shows an exponential soaring of future energy demand. Thermal generation continues to require high-cost fuel and remains subject to the risks inherent in the ability for such fuel to be continuously delivered. Ghana will require an accelerated development of renewable energy, but it will not be able to do so if there remains a reliance on typical grid connected IPPs with ECG as the sole offtaker and with full Government backing. It is not possible or reasonable for the public sector itself to assume such risks going forward. A different rule book now needs to be written, and Anansi has the potential to provide that new way forward right away. Figure 4: Ghana presents a good opportunity to integrate different renewable energy sources into one package. While the coastal region offers good wind conditions (here is one of NEKs met masts in Konikablo, Ghana, measuring the wind potential), it also offers adequate solar resources for the installation of Solar PV VALCO modernization and expansion plans Volta Aluminum Company Limited (VALCO) has announced its plan to expand operations and seek a strategic partner which would be prepared to invest around USD 600 million to revamp its operations. The goal is to reposition VALCO in a way that retrofitting will transform it from a loss-making entity into a best-in-class, profit-making and shareholder value-maximising entity, thus become the ultra-modern and best smelter in Africa. With the projection of the building of 4 operating bauxite mines and 2 refineries under the IAI Masterplan as well as the revival of the downstream sector, the modernisation and expansion of the VALCO smelter is timely, thus creating a new VALCO with much more significance than ever before. However, such plans require a lot of additional electricity, which at least for the time being is not available in Ghana. It is estimated that at the end of the retrofitting and extension program, VALCO will require more than 1,000 MW of installed electrical power. Where do we take this from? The volume of green electricity required by VALCO will be significant with the realistic and probably only solution being the electricity capable of being produced by Anansi. Anansi will look forward to creating a partnership with VALCO and VRA, which could allow VALCO to attract international investment which will require such available green electricity and will also otherwise allow VRA to significantly expand its operations. Green Energy, Green Hydrogen and E-Mobility Green energy from NEKs wind farms, as well as other solar plants and biomass facilities through Anansi will provide the cheapest generation costs for electricity in Ghana. While fossil power plants produce energy at approximately 15 US Cents per kWh, NEKs wind farms will produce energy for less than 8 US Cents per kWh in current pricing. There are possible further savings to these costs as well through the application of carbon credits. The renewable projects to be developed by Anansi will be long term and allow for certainty as to the all-in cost of energy as there will be no relevance or risk for possible fuel price shocks going forward. The available wind and solar irradiation will remain free, and Anansis customers will be able to benefit from such. In addition to green energy, Ghana should consider developing a Green Hydrogen and Green Fuels and an E-Mobility policy. The Government should consider key strategies and relevant road maps for the development of the energy carrier in the future. Green hydrogen and electric vehicles will need significant renewable resources to be available, otherwise, they cannot be called green. A strong political signal will trigger huge investments from abroad in the energy sector of Ghana and business activities relating to these future markets. The key for doing so is the implementation of renewable energy projects. Figure 5: With ongoing rural and urban development in Ghana, demand for mobility will increase even more in the coming years. The Anansi Green Energy Platform would be uniquely equipped to provide clean energy to an emerging e-mobility sector in Ghana. Here, a boundary survey is taking place as port of the project development work in connection with the planned wind farms of NEK Outlook Due to the heavily increasing demand for cheap and clean electricity in Ghana and abroad, much more renewable energy even than that capable of being produced in NEKs planned 6 onshore windfarms, and the other planned Anansi solar projects and biomass facilities will be required within the next 5 - 10 years. However, land for such further projects may also become a scarce asset, especially in populated areas. This is one of the reasons why NEK has decided to start the development of two (2) large offshore wind and solar facilities off the coast of Anloga and Ningo. These offshore wind and solar parks will have an installed capacity of approximately 3,100 MW and will generate more than 7,500 GWh of clean and reliable power per year. These installations do not require any fuel, LNG, gas, oil or other fossil, outdated energy sources - the fuel is the wind and the sun, which are never ending, home-made and always coming back to Ghana for free. Anansi Green Energy will play a huge role in the delivery of much needed green energy for Ghana already in the very near future. Now is the time for Anansi to create its positive green web in delivering sustainable and affordable energy to its customers, making Ghana a renewable energy hub in West Africa. Figure 6: Illustration of an Offshore Wind Farm combined with floating solar, which will be constructed by Anansi off the coasts of Ningo and Anloga Source: Dr. Christoph KAPP - Contributor Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Africa Center for Democracy and Socioeconomic Development, CDS Africa, strongly condemns the conduct of the youth of Tema New Town and the heavy-handed response of the naval personnel, resulting in the tragic deaths of two individuals on Saturday, April 13, 2024. The incident unfolded on the evening of Friday, April 12, 2024, during a street procession organized by the youth as part of the annual Kplejoo festival. This act of hooliganism which saw a section of the youth damaging the vehicle of the Eastern Naval Command was uncalled for and could have been handled properly by referring it to the police instead of resorting to violence. To worsen matters, a mob, suspected to be part of the participants in the festivities, later attacked the Tema Naval Base with stones and other implements to release their colleagues further aggravating the situation. This brutality on the part of the youth has the potential to strain relations between them and the military, as well as state security agencies broadly. It also poses a threat to public safety and therefore requires a swift investigation by the police to ensure that perpetrators are punished. CDS Africa therefore supports the call by the Tema Youth Association demanding a national probe into the issue. On the part of the military, this is not an isolated case as there have been several events in the past, involving the military and some communities, including the killing of two protesters in Ejura in the Ashanti Region of Ghana following clashes between a joint police and military team and a crowd of irate protesters. While these events continue to dint the image of the military, one would have expected that they used a better approach this time around and involved the police earlier instead of firing warning shots to repel the attack which resulted in the death of two civilians. As an organization committed to advocacy, we call upon all stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, and community leaders, to take decisive action to prevent its recurrence. We encourage the Ghana Armed Forces to provide continuous training and capacity-building programs to military personnel on topics such as conflict resolution, community engagement, and our democratic processes. We also reiterate the call on the Police to conduct thorough and impartial investigations and ensure perpetrators are held accountable for their actions, and appropriate disciplinary measures taken to ensure justice. We advocate for open channels of communication and dialogue between the military and local communities to build trust and understanding. CDS Africa reaffirms its commitment to working tirelessly to address the root causes of violence and conflict. We believe that only through collective action and solidarity can we create a world where peace and harmony prevail. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and their families. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Juapong Circuit Court has sentenced a 41-year-old truck driver, who abandoned his vehicle on the Tema-Mpakadan rail line, to a six-month jail term. Abel Dzidotor pleaded guilty to three counts of careless and inconsiderate driving, unauthorized stopping, and unlawful damage, resulting in his conviction before the court presided over by Judge Prosper Deu-Love Gormashie. For careless and inconsiderate driving, he was fined GH1,200. In default he will serve a jail term of 20 months. Unauthorized stopping incurred a fine of GH240 or five months' imprisonment, and unlawful damage led to a six-month imprisonment in hard labor. The sentences are to run concurrently. The case has been adjourned to May 9, 2024. Brief Facts Detective Chief Inspector Abel Anane narrated that the complainants, Engineer Dr. Divine Olitey and Kwabena Bonsu, both consultants of Ghana Railways Authority residing in Tema, reported that the accused, 41-year-old Dzidotor Abel, was the driver of a Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018-20. On Thursday, April 18, 2024, between 0900 and 1300 hours, during a site acceptance test of the new Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) 001 from Tema to Mpakadan, the train collided with the unmanned truck stuck across the railway line at an unapproved area in Abortia, a suburb of Juapong. The accused abandoned the truck without consideration for other road users, leading to irreparable damage to the truck and some degree of damage to the train. The prosecutor noted that the accused driver went into hiding at Tagadzi, where he was subsequently arrested and brought before the court. Source: graphiconline Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands, has ruled that the laws of Ghana shall apply to an international arbitration instituted by Australian mining company, Cassius Mining company, against the government of Ghana (GoG). Cassius is seeking about $300 million in damages with a claim that the GoG breached its contractual obligations and the laws of the country by not renewing its prospecting licence to enable it to engage in mining in the country. Ruling on the preliminary issues, the tribunal held that the seat of the international arbitration ought to be Accra, Ghana, and not London, United Kingdom as argued by Cassius Mining. The tribunal gave the ruling that the seat of the arbitration shall be Ghana and not in the United Kingdom after it upheld the submission of the Attorney-General (A-G) and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame. Under the rules of international arbitration, an arbitration is subject to the laws of the place or seat of arbitration and the seat of arbitration might be different from the venue where the arbitration proceedings take place. In the instant case, although the venue of the arbitration proceedings is London, the tribunal has determined that the seat of arbitration is Accra, Ghana. What this means is that the arbitration is subject to the supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court of Ghana and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act, 2010 (Act 798) of the country. A party aggrieved by the arbitral award or any decision by the tribunal can also challenge it by invoking the jurisdiction of the High Court in Ghana pursuant to Act 798. Jurisdiction However, the tribunal rejected the GoGs contention that it had no jurisdiction to entertain the action and also refused to stay proceedings of the arbitration as sought by the GoG. The tribunal further directed the parties to agree on the timetable for the hearing, and for them to also file their respective processes for the substantive case to be heard. Legal dispute Cassius Mining has been embroiled in legal battle with the government since 2018 over what it claimed was unfair treatment and breaches of mining laws by the GoGs failure to extend the term of the companys Prospecting Licence Agreement (PLA) after exercising its contractual right of extension. Per court records, on October 12, 2016, Cassius Mining Limited applied for a prospecting mining licence to explore minerals in Talensi in the Upper East Region. On December 28, 2016, the government, through the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, granted the mining firm a prospecting licence for two years, which was to expire in December 2018. On June 14, 2018, Cassius Mining alleged that the government had failed to uphold its part of the contract by not renewing the prospecting licence which was set to expire in December 2018. However, the A-G rejected the argument of the mining firm and submitted that it had no proper PLA as the purported licence was never ratified by Parliament as stipulated by Article 268 of the 1992 Constitution. Different forums The dispute has taken different dimensions starting from the PCA and the courts of Ghana. In March last year, the A-G successfully challenged the jurisdiction of the PCA to hear the dispute after Cassius Mining initially filed for arbitration under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Arbitration Rules before the PCA. Raising a preliminary legal objection, Mr Dame argued that the GoG had not consented to the PCA administrating the arbitration and also per the PLA, any dispute between the two parties must be resolved in Ghana in accordance with Act 798. The PCA upheld the objection by Mr Dame, declined jurisdiction over the dispute and refused to constitute a panel to hear the dispute. The current ruling means that the PCA will entertain the action but under the rules of Act 798 of Ghana. Injunction In July 2023, the Commercial Division of the Accra High Court placed an injunction on Cassius Mining Limited from going for international arbitration. The court, presided over by Justice Akua Sarpomaa Amoah, imposed the injunction upholding an application from the A-G. The A-G had argued that per the PLA, any dispute between the mining firm and the GoG ought to be settled by arbitration in Ghana in accordance with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act, 2010 (Act 798) and not by an international arbitration panel. In upholding the application for injunction, Justice Amoah held that Cassius Mining failed to convince the court that it would suffer greater hardship, if the arbitration was done in the country. On the other hand, the judge was of the view that the GoG stood to suffer greater hardship if the arbitration was done outside the country. The balance of convenience also tips in favour of the applicant (A-G) as allowing the respondent to resort to international arbitration is not only arbitrary but will incur costs on the Ghanaian taxpayer, Justice Amoah held. 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. Featured Video The spirit of Eid al-Fitr filled the air in Tamale as the KGL Foundation hosted a grand EidFest food drive at the Northern Regional Library, feeding over a thousand people. The celebratory atmosphere buzzed with excitement as community members came together to mark the end of Ramadan and share blessings with those in need. Dignitaries including the Chogu Satingle-Naa, Alhaji Dr. Alhassan Nagumsi, the Tandanwura Alhaji Gariba Amin, and the MCE of Sagnarigu Hon. Yakubu Ahmed Mohammed graced the occasion with their presence. Programs Manager of the KGL Foundation Sets the Stage The event commenced with a speech by the Programs Manager of the KGL Foundation, Mr. Nii Ankonu Annorbah-Sarpei. He warmly welcomed everyone and highlighted the significance of EidFest. "Eid al-Fitr is a time for gratitude and compassion," he declared. "Through this food drive, we aim to extend a helping hand to our brothers and sisters and celebrate the spirit of giving that lies at the heart of Eid." MCE of Sagnarigu Emphasizes Community Spirit Following the opening remarks, Hon. Yakubu Ahmed Mohammed, the MCE of Sagnarigu, took the stage. He commended the KGL Foundation for their initiative and emphasized the importance of community spirit, especially during Eid. "Ramadan teaches us the value of selflessness," he stated. "Events like EidFest allow us to translate those lessons into action and ensure that everyone in our community can celebrate this joyous occasion." Traditional Leaders Offer Blessings The Chogu Satingle-Naa, Alhaji Dr. Alhassan Nagumsi, and the Tandanwura Alhaji Gariba Amin, both revered traditional leaders, offered their blessings to the gathering. They praised the KGL Foundation for their commitment to social welfare and urged the community to embrace the spirit of Eid al-Fitr through acts of charity and kindness. A Day of Celebration and Giving Throughout the day, attendees enjoyed a festive atmosphere filled with music and camaraderie. The highlight of the event was the distribution of food and drinks and performances from cultural troupes from the Tamale enclave. EidFest by the KGL Foundation proved to be a resounding success. The event not only provided much-needed food assistance but also served as a powerful testament to the spirit of Eid al-Fitr - a spirit of togetherness, compassion, and sharing. 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. Featured Video The Majority in Parliament has urged Ghanaians not to waste their votes on the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its flagbearer, ex-President John Dramani Mahama because they have nothing new to offer them. According to the caucus, the NDC has not changed since 2016 when it lost the election by over one million votes. Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin told the media in Parliament yesterday, The only thing that has changed is its running mate. Even so, the running mate was part of the government and she was the main advisor on educational policy. She advised the government to the effect that Free SHS was not possible. So it is the same old team from the flagbearer through to the running mate and all their former Ministers with some in Parliament and others outside Parliament, he stated. The Majority Leader has called Ghanaians to vote against the NDC in the upcoming December elections because it offers no new ideas for the country. He claimed that since the NDCs flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, would only be eligible for one term, the party might experience a leadership crisis if it were elected. For him, a Mahama-led administration would lack a sense of urgency in governance due to the same reason: one term eligibility. Mr. Afenyo-Markin stated that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), offers a brighter future for the country than Mr. Mahama. We have the NDC candidate who has had the opportunity to serve as vice president and president. He has been vice president for three and a half years before, and hes been president for some four and half years. We know his track record. He is the same person with the same old team coming to tell us that they have something to offer, he asserted. And we dare say that from day one that the government will be in crisis because those party people will be struggling for who should be the next leader. Ghanaians need a stable government with focus. Dr. Bawumia offers a better future than John Mahama, he stressed. For the NDC running mate, the Majority Leader said Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang has no project to show in her home region, the Central Region, indicating that she has not been able to start on a single infrastructural project for people to earn their votes on December 7. Mr. Afenyo-Markin noted that, unlike the NDC, the NPP government has established landing beaches across the country, with the Central Region benefiting from the projects. 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 The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, (Chairman Wontumi) says Ghana will launch a rocket to space for the first time if Dr Mahamudu Bawumia becomes president. If Bawumia becomes president by his 8th year in office, we will announce that we are going to space, he said. According to Wontumi, Bawumia's leadership will see something new in Ghana. Watch Wontumi's view below. Ghana will announce its readiness to build rockets and go to space for the first time after Dr Mahamudu Bawumia wins this year's election. - Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Chairman Wontumi. pic.twitter.com/fhS0rC4OEb EDHUB (@eddie_wrt) April 19, 2024 Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, yesterday morning (April 19, 2024) paid a visit to the Madina market in the La Nkwantanang- Madina Municipality in the Greater Accra Region to commiserate with traders who were affected by the incident. He supported the traders whose shops were engulfed by fire with an amount of GH200, 000. The over 110 fire victims who lost valuables in the April 10, 2024 nights fire, would also receive support through the Womens Empowerment Fund of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA). Addressing the visibly high-spirited traders, Dr Bawumia said after he was briefed about the fire incident, he quickly asked that the situation should be assessed and estimates done by a contractor. He gave the assurance that the design would be ready so that work would start in earnest. At the engagement were market leaders, victims of the fire outbreak, fire officers, the police, officers from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other security operatives. While drawing the attention of the traders to the new designs of the market, Dr Bawumia who spoke in Twi announced that 120 stores and 78 small shops on the ground would be constructed. After the construction, traders whose goods were ravaged by the fire will be assisted by the GEA CEO, Kosi Yankey. You will be supported with the womens empowerment fund so that you can continue with your work. We have all your names, he announced, assuring that We want the contractor to work in earnest while Kosi Yankey, the CEO of the GEA, ensures you get the money. Other Trending Stories While sympathising with the fire victims, Dr Bawumia also used the occasion to advise all traders to buy into fire insurance so that in times such as fire outbreaks, the insurance companies would be at hand to support them. He also urged traders to engage the services of qualified electricians to undertake electrical connections in their shops. Kayayei Dr Bawumia further announced the construction of two hostels in Madina and Ashaiman and told female head porters, also known as kayayei, that the government had not abandoned them. We have not forgotten about you, we will support you. We are giving you hostels where you can stay and learn a trade, he told the kayayei and said many did not believe me when I said we will put up hostels for kaya0yei, but now, we have completed two of the hostels, one in Madina and another in Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region. He assured the kayayei that by May 4, 2024, the hostels would be inaugurated for them to occupy them. Unity, support The Greater Accra Regional Minister designate, Nii Kwartei Titus Glover, who together with other NPP officials accompanied the Vice-President to the Madina market, urged the traders to unite and support the contractor to carry out the work successfully. He promised to put the contractor on his toes to get the work done on time. Source: Graphiconline.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 A popular Ghanaian model Sandra Sorice is fighting off stigmatization and victimization in her line of business as a result of a media report in 2014 about a case in court where she was accused of defrauding an American businessman Reginald Beauvais who happened to be her ex-lover. Sandra Sorice and her driver, Yussif Ahmed Akpakli, were cited to have allegedly defrauded an American and his partners of GH 1,658,781.00 under the pretext of supplying them gold but failed to do so. Speaking to SMS News, the popular model said though she was taken to court, she was acquitted and discharged by a court of competent jurisdiction and cleared of all charges against her. She said 10 years after the case was quashed, people still use the media reportage on when she was arrested to victimize and malign her. " Now, people especially my competitors in the Model business across the world most especially in Europe use the case against me. They resort to the internet and find the media reportage on my arrest to make statements and allegations against me. This is affecting me", she cried out. Unfair treatment from the media Madam Sorice however expressed disappointment in how the media carried her story when it broke out and a lack of interest in how the case panned out. She mentioned that some media houses gave a lot of publicity to her case when she was initially sent to court but they failed to follow the case to the latter. You see, those media houses who reported on my case initially decided not to report on the final ruling in which I was acquitted of all charges and the case struck out. This has given enough impetus to my detractors to continue to use the issue against me. Concerns have been raised in recent times about the showing of faces of alleged criminals on social media, papers and television. Such acts according to some Lawyers infringe upon the human rights of accused persons and result in victimization and stigmatization when proven innocent The Ghana Police Service in 2021 announced its intention to stop displaying faces of suspects who are yet to be convicted. The Service in a Facebook post noted that the identities of suspects will only be displayed when the suspects are properly convicted before a competent court of law. State Prosecutors discontinue Sandra Sorice case A Chief State Attorney in an advice to the Director General of CID dated 24th March 2014 with reference number XA/55/12 and cited by Obuasi-based SMS Media, asked the CID to withdraw all the charges preferred against the two accused persons and stop the prosecution of the case. Authored by Matthew Amponsah, a Chief State Attorney, the prosecution advised that based on the merit of the case as presented by the parties involved, it was proper to give all parties fair and equal opportunities to put their cases across. " For this reason, it will not be fair to take criminal action against some while leaving others untouched". The advise went further to state that Reginald Beauvais would not be expected to be gullible and would have been expected to insist on making payment in the presence of his business partner Danilo knowing Danilo gave him the money and said Reginald's behaviour smacked of disloyalty and speaks volume of hiding something from Danilo. Lastly, knowing Sandra's role in the business, it was doubtful that she could turn around and swindle Reginald and others as alleged by Reginald. It was on record that Sandra was a partner and had contributed significantly to the business. BACKGROUND Reginald Beauvais and Sandra Sorice formed an amorous relationship after Reginald had come to Ghana to buy Gold. Their relationship was birthed at the Golden Tulip hotel where Reginald lodged immediately he came to Ghana. Coincidentally Sandra was lodged in the same hotel. They met and exchanged pleasantries. In the course of their discussions, Reginald revealed to Sandra his mission in Ghana was to buy gold. This convinced Sandra to also invest in the business. Their relationship progressed even after Danilo, a business partner of Reginald flew from America to join him in Ghana. At a point, the two love birds were said to have moved into the family house of Sandra at Trassaco, a plush residence in the heart of Accra. But things took a nose dive for the two lovers when the two accused eachother of theft resulting in the initial complaint by Reginald and subsequently officially petitioning the courts. 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. Featured Video By COLLEEN SLEVIN, The Associated Press DENVER (AP) A girl who wrote to God in her diaries, a boy with learning disabilities who was just learning to like who he was, and a teen who would spend every free minute fishing were among the 13 victims of the Columbine High School shooting remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time. As small candles flickered on 13 empty chairs, short biographies of Columbine students Rachel Scott, Kyle Velasquez and Corey DePooter and the other victims were read one by one. After each, the crowd of about 150 people replied together never forgotten, and a bell tolled. The youngest killed in the attack that has inspired dozens of copycat shootings was Steven Curnow, 14. The oldest was teacher Dave Sanders, 47, who shepherded students out of the cafeteria to safety and was shot as he tried to get students upstairs into classrooms. The others killed were Cassie Bernall, Kelly Fleming, Matt Kechter, Daniel Mauser, Dan Rohrbaugh, Isaiah Shoels, John Tomlin and Lauren Townsend. Sanders daughter, Coni Sanders, said her father changed the world forever by saving hundreds of students. The kids that he saved now have children and those children will have children, so generations from now people will know they exist because of his bravery, she said before the ceremony began. The gathering, set up by advocates including gun-safety organizations, was the main public event marking Saturdays anniversary, which is more subdued than previous milestone years. In addition to remembering those killed, the vigil at a church near the state Capitol also drew attention to those who were wounded and those who survived the shooting but suffered trauma. Daniel Mausers father, Tom Mauser, decided to set up the vigil after learning school officials did not plan to organize a large community event as they did on the 20th anniversary. Mauser, who became a gun safety advocate after the shooting, urged the crowd of about 150 people gathered at a church across from the state Capitol never to forget the victims of Columbine and to take some kind of action to reduce gun violence. And most importantly we ask you to never forget, never forget the victims of Columbine. The slain, the injured, the traumatized and their families. And especially never forget those who lost their lives, said Mauser, wearing his sons sneakers, a tradition he reserves for special occasions. Former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords is helped off the stage by Tom Mauser, who is wearing his son's shoes during a vigil remembering the 25th anniversary of the Columbine High School mass shooting, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Denver. Daniel Mauser was killed during the Columbine shooting. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)AP Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who began campaigning for gun safety after she was nearly killed in a mass shooting, attended and spoke about her long recovery, drawing a comparison to the small steps needed to make change in the world. Change doesnt happen overnight, and we cant do it alone. Join me. Lets move ahead together, she said, drawing a standing standing ovation. Nathan Hochhalter, whose sister Anne Marie was paralyzed when she was shot at Columbine, spoke about being trapped in a classroom at the school with about 30 students as they heard gunfire nearby. They were rescued about four hours later by SWAT officers who he said frisked them five times. Six months later, his mother, who had bipolar disorder, took her own life after asking to look at a gun in a pawnshop and shooting herself there. I just want to use this moment to let everyone know that its OK to ask for help, whatever your situation is whether, either as a survivor 25 years later or someone struggling with any part of their life. These things come in waves and they can hit you when you least expect it. You should all know that were all here for you and that youre not alone, Hochhalter said. NEW YORK (AP) A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said. The New York City Police Department told The Associated Press early Saturday that the man was declared dead by staff at a hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park around 1:30 p.m. Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. Emergency personnel respond to a fire at Manhattan's Collect Pond Park Friday, April 19, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Paul Liotta)(Staten Island Advance/Paul Liotta) A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed to the aid of the man, who was hospitalized in critical condition at the time. The man, who police said recently traveled from Florida to New York, had not breached any security checkpoints to access the park. The park outside the courthouse has been a gathering spot for protesters, journalists and gawkers throughout Trumps trial, which began with jury selection Monday. Through Friday, the streets and sidewalks in the area around the courthouse were generally wide open and crowds have been small and largely orderly. Authorities said they were also reviewing the security protocols, including whether to restrict access to the park. The side street where Trump enters and leaves the building is off-limits. Every child enters the world embodying two beautiful truths: They are made in the image of God, and they are wholly unique. Through a combination of nature and nurture, personalities take shape, interests and hobbies are discovered, and hopes and dreams are cultivated. During childhood, trusted adults provide a stable and enriching environment where children can flourish. But for a staggering number of childrenone in every 49, exceeding 1.5 millionparental incarceration disrupts their formative years; the emotional toll is devastating, leaving children vulnerable to trauma, separation anxiety, and daily struggles beyond their control. Seeing these profound needs, many organizations work to support the children of incarcerated parents, especially around the holidays. While such generosity is commendable, it often falls short of addressing the ongoing challenges these families face. But by investing in consistent, year-round outreach, churches can honor the inherent dignity and dreams of these children, equipping them with the resources and emotional support they need to hold fast to their hopes, break the cycle of trauma, and build brighter futures. The Human Cost of Incarceration While not incarcerated themselves, children of incarcerated parents often experience a similar sense of isolation and disruption. Karen Roscigno, who took custody of her grandchildren after her daughters sentencing, recalls how Riley and Angel would still cry for their mother years into her imprisonment. Roscigno says that families are "doing time alongside their loved ones, and for many like Roscigno, this sudden shift in responsibility can carry a significant emotional, physical, and logistical burden. The trauma of having an incarcerated parent also lingers long after release. Nine-year-old Devin and three-year-old Jordyn witnessed their mother, Johnna, being dragged away from their home by officers with guns drawn. Jordyn couldn't grasp why her mom wouldn't come home. When Johnna finally did so almost six years later, Jordyn and Devin struggled to accept her as an authority figure. They had spent so many formative years being raised by their grandparents, and now they had to readjust while Johnna faced challenges like finding housing and employment as she tried to reintegrate into society. Johnna, Devin, and Jordan eventually found their way, but the road was often bumpy, with the scars of Johnna's incarceration remaining even after she made her way home. These complex layers of readjustment and emotional turmoil often result in a desire for normalcy and stability that can be difficult to achieve due to systemic challenges and persistent shadows of the past. This necessitates comprehensive support systems that address both immediate crises and long-term healing. Connecting Children to Churches Similar stories are common among these families. And while seasonal programs like Christmas gift drives offer valuable temporary encouragement, these families need ongoing investment in their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Churches are uniquely positioned to provide comprehensive support to families of the incarcerated. As children often struggle with loneliness and isolation, the church can offer a sense of belonging. Changes in parental custody or the powerlessness experienced when a parent is incarcerated far away can create profound insecurity, while the church can provide stability and safety. Many congregations already address physical needs through outreach efforts like food pantries, clothing drives, and community events, combining practical resources with spiritual support. These regular interactions convey to families that they are not alone in their struggles, which is a valuable message for children of incarcerated parents. Stephen Wilson, prison ministries campus pastor at Gateway Church in Dallas, Texas, emphasizes the importance of further integrating people affected by incarceration into the full life of the church. Together, prison-specific programs and other church ministries can form a strong support network. Gateway participates in Angel Tree Christmas, allowing congregants to sponsor gifts from incarcerated parents to their children. This ministry allows the church to identify families, connect with them, and invite them to participate in ongoing activities. Gateway's holiday outreach touched one such family. In January, a mother supported by this ministry contacted the church again, facing difficulty paying bills. Gateway offered financial support and connected them with a local partner who donated furniture for their home. This act of kindness resonated deeply, leading the entire family to attend a Gateway service. On the way to church, one of the children expressed a desire to be baptized. Though initially hesitant due to it being their first visit, the mother learned it was Gateway's baptism weekend, and by the end of the service, the whole familymother and children alikewas baptized together. This ministry's impact went far beyond the Christmas season, allowing the family to enter into a relationship with Jesus and join a community of believers where they can grow in their faith and receive spiritual and practical support. Wilson personally understands the importance of including children of incarcerated parents in the full life of the church, having been incarcerated himself. The kindness shown by a local church to his children, then aged seven, five, and two, made a significant positive impact on their lives. The church ministered to his family in ways that addressed their specific needs without judgment. Wilson continues this approach, leading Gateway's congregants to partner with prison-specific programs like Angel Tree and incorporating those affected by imprisonment into all aspects of church life. Taking Action in Your Community Every action, no matter how seemingly small, contributes to a brighter future for the children of incarcerated parents. Here are practical ways you can help: Deepen your churchs understanding through personal stories. Begin by inviting members of your congregation who have personal or family experience with incarceration to share their stories. These firsthand accounts offer valuable insights and humanize the issue, fostering empathy and commitment. Build awareness and mobilize support for the cause. Organize educational events or discussions featuring experts on the impact of incarceration on families. This can raise awareness, build a supportive community spirit, and identify volunteers passionate about supporting this cause. Establish a partnership with Angel Tree. Collaborate with Prison Fellowship Angel Tree. They offer resources, guidance, and a framework to help your church minister to local families with a parent in prison. Angel Tree can guide you through the process, from providing gifts at Christmastime to understanding best practices for engaging with and supporting these families year-round. Your church can quickly transition from concern to active support, providing meaningful assistance to local children who need it most. Through collaboration with Prison Fellowship, the world's largest Christian nonprofit supporting prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, your congregation can connect with these vulnerable children and welcome them into your ministries year-round. Learn more about how you can extend the hope of the gospel to children with incarcerated parents. Posted Columbus Community Hospital has announced Chapters Books & Gifts for a one-day book fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, in the Platte and Prairie rooms. During the event, members of the public can browse a large selection of books for all ages, cookbooks, journals, games, puzzles, arts and crafts, graduation gifts, Mothers Day gifts and more. Proceeds from the event will help benefit medical advancement efforts at the hospital. For more information on the Chapters Books & Gifts sale, visit columbushosp.org. Natural disasters like storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding and wildfires often bring out the best in people as strangers reach out to help others in need. Unfortunately, the aftermath of a crisis also brings out contractors taking advantage of those who have already been victimized. Read moreBBB CONSUMER TIPS: Protect yourself from 'storm chasers' after a natural disaster If you dont hang out at the Statehouse, you probably werent surprised that an overwhelmingly Republican Legislature refused to elect a former Democratic gubernatorial candidate to an open seat on the S.C. Circuit Court on Wednesday. Indeed, nobody ought to be surprised that Republicans rejected former Rep. James Smith even though he was the only candidate left in the race and is more than qualified for the job. As much as I hate it, the fact is that picking judges is political. Presidents and governors, when they have a chance, pick judges they agree with politically. Voters also pick judges they agree with politically or at least the ones deep-pocketed special interests convince them they dont disagree with. And the two state legislatures that elect judges pick them based on politics. This is not new although it's still a relatively new thing that the U.S. Senate doesnt defer to presidents choices on nominees with no character defects. Its also not new that partisan politics plays a role in the S.C. Legislature: There werent many Republicans elected to judgeships when Republicans were the minority party, although there were some. The best we can hope for in any judicial selection system and the least we should be able to expect is that the political choice is made from among well-qualified candidates and without the grotesque conflicts involved in South Carolina's selection process. So: In pretty much any judicial selection system except the one we had perhaps as recently as Tuesday, James Smith wouldnt have even been a candidate for a vacant Circuit Court seat in South Carolina's 5th Judicial Circuit, regardless of his considerable legal talent and more than sufficient integrity and appropriate temperament for the bench. Whenever I meet fellow veterans, well often engage in some good-natured ribbing. I set up the first joke by announcing that Im an Air Force vet, which inevitably invokes the response, Oh, you mean youre a Chair Force vet. I understand that nickname because Air Force members occupy a lot of chairs doing heavily technical work in places like the Space Force and Cyber Command. I first met those seat-techies in 1994 while on my first active-duty assignment at Onizuka Air Force Station in Sunnyvale, Calif. Declassified that same year, Onizuka was dubbed the Blue Cube because of its shape, color and lack of windows. Outside the cube sat three parabolic dish antennas that the chair jockeys in blue jumpsuits used for flying military satellites. A few miles away, I sat in a chair in our chapel offices on Moffett Field, a Navy base acquired by the Air Force that same year. My workday often included planning worship, counseling and meeting with our staff. In these days before 9/11, chaplains, like most military officers, wore a simple uniform of a sky-blue shirt and dark-blue poly/wool pants that resemble blue Dockers. We called the ensemble our blues. Add the rank, name tag and a Protestant cross, and I became an instant chaplain. It was the same uniform Id worn for monthly weekend duty as a USAF reservist, so I quickly mastered the routine for daily wear. We had no one inspecting us for proper haircuts, uniforms or shoe shining. We were all friends and trusted professionals. With a 7:30 a.m. daily start, Id often suit up in my darkened bedroom on summer mornings, leaving the exhausted mother of our four children asleep. Early one morning I decided to bypass office work to make a few visits around the cube. I walked through classified work areas introducing myself and giving an encouraging word. I returned to the office before lunch with a feeling that I had done some good chaplain-type work. 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 Dominion, Santee Cooper and Duke Energy bristle when we compare H.5118 to the infamous Base Load Review Act that paved the way for the $9 billion boondoggle at V.C. Summer, saying this year's bill doesnt authorize a new nuclear design or force the Public Service Commission to grant rate hikes to pay for construction. Theyre right but theyre also missing the point. Whats reminiscent of the Base Load Review Act is rushing legislation into law without most legislators having a clue that it dismantled existing ratepayers protections or about pretty much anything else except the explanations utility executives spoon-fed them. It's the absence of sufficient public vetting, to uncover the unintended consequences or the intended consequences that lawmakers might not recognize until their colleagues start asking questions to tease them out. As several senators have pointed out, holding open public hearings, where critics can air their concerns and legislators can ask questions of them and of supporters, helps everybody learn more about the benefits and problems with legislation even when they dont realize they need that education. Senate Republican Leader Shane Massey, who with then-Democratic Leader Nikki Setzler led the yearslong unwinding of the mess at V.C. Summer, wisely advised his colleagues between those two meetings on Tuesday that the Senate should heed the lessons of that debacle and not allow themselves to be "held hostage by people saying if you dont give me exactly what we want when we want it, were gonna turn the lights out. Energy policy is indeed important, he said, which is why senators need to make sure they get it right. Mr. Massey called for modeling a more thorough examination of the bill on the one he and Mr. Setzler led: holding multiple hearings this fall to explore such basic questions as just how urgent the crisis is, just how much the new natural gas plant H.5118 aims to speed up is likely to cost ratepayers and what can be done to protect those ratepayers from having to pay for construction and a 9.9% profit for Dominion on yet another generating facility while were still paying for what he called that fraudulently failed plant. A 36-year-old Fremont man who had been reported missing since Tuesday was found dead Friday morning. Craver Blakemores body was found in Colfax County, according to a Facebook post from the countys Sheriff's Office. Blakemore was last seen on Tuesday afternoon in Fremont. The Nebraska State Patrol issued an Endangered Missing Advisory for Blakemore on Thursday. The State Patrol said Blakemore had a life-threatening medical condition that required medications that were unavailable to him during his disappearance. Law enforcement does not suspect foul play in Blakemores death. The State Patrol, Colfax County Sheriffs Office and Fremont Police Department continue to work together in Blakemores death investigation. PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-20 02:30:17 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 488 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Go High Level Pricing Offers Diverse Plans to Meet the Unique Needs of Agencies, Businesses, Enabling Customized Growth StrategiesLOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 19, 2024 / How much does Go High Level cost? Go High Level Pricing introduces a structured approach,emphasizing transparency and adaptability. 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This plan includes all features of the Unlimited Plan, with the addition of full white-label capabilities, enabling agencies to offer GoHighLevel Price under their brand, complete with custom pricing strategies.Optional Upgrades: Enhanced Features for Specialized Needs GoHighLevel acknowledges the diverse requirements of businesses in different sectors by offering specialized upgrades such as a White Label Mobile App (iOS & Android) at $1491/quarter, White Label Zap integration at $50/month, and HIPAA Compliance at $297/month. These add-ons provide businesses with advanced capabilities, including a fully branded mobile app, enhanced automation through Zapier, and compliance with strict data protection standards.Special Offer: Exclusive 30-Day Trial In a move to make its comprehensive suite of tools even more accessible, GoHighLevel is currently offering a special 30-day trial period, compared to the standard 14-day free trial available elsewhere. This extended trial period allows businesses to fully explore and evaluate the platform's capabilities before committing to a plan.For detailed information on GoHighLevel's transparent pricing and to start your special 30-day trial, please visitGoHighLevel Pricing Information ."This is an affiliate link, and I get commissions for purchases made through this link"About GoHighLevel: GoHighLevel is a forward-thinking business platform dedicated to simplifying business operations, improving client interactions, and fostering growth across various industries. With a strong commitment to innovation and customer success, GoHighLevel continues to be a key player in the digital marketing ecosystem, offering versatile solutions for businesses worldwide.Media contact name: Russell RabichevPhone: 866-647-2210Website: https://highlevelautomation.com Email address: russell@ highlevelautomation.com SOURCE: Internet Marketing Company PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-20 01:00:55 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 760 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / April 19, 2024 / Tocvan Ventures Corp. (the "Company") (CSE:TOC)(OTCQB:TCVNF)(FSE:TV3), announces it has filed an amended and restated offering document dated April 19, 2024 (the "Amended and Restated Offering Document") in connection with its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions, previously announced on April 10, 2024. The Amended and Restated Offering Document was redated after the Company satisfactorily addressed regulatory comments regarding available working capital. Other than a change of date, there were no amendments to the restated offering document. For more information about the Offering please refer to the Company's press release dated April 10, 2024. The Amended and Restated Offering Document can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.com and on the Company's website at tocvan.com . All prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.The Company expects to close the Offering within the upcoming days. The closing remains subject to the Company obtaining all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals. The Company will evaluate and may potentially close an additional tranche of the Offering as it deems strategic based on needs and fit with prospective investors.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.Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking StatementsNeither 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 4A4403-829-9877 bsutherland@ tocvan.ca The Howard Group Jeff WalkerVP Howard Group Inc.403-221-0915 jeff@ howardgroupinc.com SOURCE: Tocvan Ventures Corp The managing director of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Adesola Adeduntan, has resigned his appointment from the company after nine years of holding the top executive position. He was due to retire in December when his tenure would have been fully completed. I have however decided to proceed on retirement with effect from 20 April 2024 to pursue other interests, he said in a copy of his resignation letter seen by PREMIUM TIMES. First Bank is the flagship subsidiary of FBN Holdings, Nigerias foremost financial institution, which abruptly announced the cancellation of an extraordinary general meeting on Saturday morning after Mr Adeduntan resigned. The meeting had been earlier scheduled to be held virtually on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 10 am for the consideration and authorisation of the company to undertake a capital raise of up to N300,000,000,000, FBN Holdings said in its notification to the Nigerian Exchange. Mr Adeduntan joined First Bank in 2014, first as a chief financial officer and as an executive director. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Before this, he served at the Africa Finance Corporation as the pioneer chief financial officer/business manager and as a director as well. His range of expertise covers investment finance, commercial and investment banking, consulting and audit. He was once a senior manager at the auditing and professional services firm KPMG and held the role of Senior vice president & chief financial officer at Citibank Nigeria Limited. Perhaps the biggest upheaval of his career, a leadership tussle among vested interest at the bank in 2021 saw the power bloc of Oba Otudeko, FBN Holdings chairman at the time, and Ibukun Awosika, the then chair of First Bank, sack Mr Adeduntan, announcing a replacement in his stead. It took the supreme intervention of industry regulator the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to restore him to that coveted position with a verdict that his dismissal was in breach of corporate governance. READ ALSO:Femi Otedola emerges chairman of First Bank Holdings The CBN would later fire the duo of Mr Otudeko and Ms Awosika for the misconduct. Mr Adeduntan is a 1992 graduate of veterinary medicine from the University of Ibadan. He holds a Doctor of Science, Honoris Causa, from Cranfield University UK in addition to an MBA from the same institution. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Babajimi Benson, a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives (APC-Lagos) is leading a fight against the exploitation of young women by fertility clinics. In the first part of his interview with PREMIUM TIMES Bakare Majeed, Mr Benson spoke about insecurity, constitutional amendment and other matters. In this concluding part of the interview, the lawmaker speaks on his motion to end the exploitation of young women by fertility clinics. Excerpts: PT: Tell us about your motion on the exploitation of young women by fertility clinics due to a lack of regulations. Benson: It is about protecting the vulnerable people. You know we live in a challenging environment in Nigeria. And I noticed that for young ladies, it is also a challenge that affects the female gender. A lot of them are approached to sell their eggs. Donating eggs is okay but donating it with a form of inducement, where the donors are given between N100,000 and N150,000 to do it, is wrong. They then harvest from them and sell higher to other bigger people in the society. PT: Within Nigeria? Benson: Sometimes they export them to European, Asian or American countries. You find out that our young girls rather than do menial jobs will look at this as an easier way out. Assisted reproductive techniques are good but exploiting the donors is what we frown at. So thats what pushed me into sponsoring the motion. Because we now realise that it is a multi-billion dollar business and it is not regulated effectively in Nigeria. It involves the extraction of eggs from a womans ovaries, and transferring it to an egg bank. Fantastic! Good technology and good innovation but exploiting and milking vulnerable people in the guise of donation is what we want to be regulated. PT: What is the status of that investigation? Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Benson: The motion was passed to the committee on health and it is something I have vowed to follow up in this first quarter. So, I am not sure enough needle has been moved but I do know the needle will be moved shortly because there is still going to be a lot of pressure on the committee to fast-track it. PT: But there is a concern that legislative intervention by the National Assembly could take forever and sometimes such resolutions are not implemented. Benson: I think this one should be an exception because the world is watching us. I got a call from a Bloomberg correspondent the other day on this matter. It is a matter that the females will also be looking critically at. The women affairs ministry we have a Committee on Women Affairs and everybody is geared up to make sure that this industry is regulated, and regulated appropriately to be able to protect the very vulnerable people of the society. Trust me, it is something that we are going to ensure that thorough scrutiny is placed on. PT: Talking about regulations, we know that regulation and government bureaucracy often lead to high costs. What is the National Assembly going to do to protect the industry? Benson: That is part of the regulations we want to do. There is going to be a public hearing. People are going to come and we will look at the comparative studies in other jurisdictions. How they do it there and how they do it is that it doesnt infringe on the rights of the poor nor will it infringe on the rights of the rich. That is why we passed it to the appropriate committee. We intend to ensure a win-win position is achieved so that no one gets the wrong end of the stick, either the vulnerable or the non-vulnerable. PT: Many Nigerians believe that the problem is not the lack of laws, but the lack of enforcement, would this law be different? Benson: So enforcement has to do with the executive and our job is to prepare the law and make it available. It is the job of the executive to make sure the law is implemented or enforced. So it is also good to shout and put them under scrutiny, somebody who is supposed to be given a directive to ensure these people are treated. We need to expose these persons, we need to put them in public and be sanctioned. If there are no sanctions the law is as good as just papers they are written. PT: This statement you made raises a question on the oversight capacity of the legislature. We cannot absolve the National Assembly of blame in this. Benson: Yes, we should also monitor the executive, the people who are supposed to enforce or implement the laws and bring them out to the public if they are not doing a good job. PT: Is there a timeline for this investigation? Also, would this investigation produce a bill on regulating the sector? Benson: Yes, like I said, by the end of the first quarter, I am going to interact with the committee that is in charge. We need to also look at the law. Does the law permit this practice? Does the law adequately shield donors from exploitation? Those are the things we need to look at. Is there a law that needs to be passed? I understand the national health law also gives tacit approval to these exploitive activities. So we need to look at it and tighten it. And make it more effective and bring it to the worlds best practice. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Candidates sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) across the nation said they experienced minimal hitches on Saturday as the examinations continued for the second day. UTME, administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), is taken by candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions. This year, 1.9 million candidates registered for the examination, which started on Friday 19 April and would continue until Monday 29 April. Students who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES at CBT centres in Oyo, Enugu, Lagos and Federal Capital Territory, gave mixed feelings on the conduct of the examinations. Abuja, FCT At the Tudun Wada CBT Hub, Government Secondary School (GSS), Zone 4, candidates and officials who spoke to this newspaper said the process was devoid of hitches. Benjamin Samson from Gwagwalada said he arrived at the venue at 11 a.m. for his examination scheduled for noon. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES when he left the hall at about 2:50 p.m., he said the candidates were ushered into the hall some minutes after noon. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The JAMB-appointed supervisor for the venue said there were no challenges at the hall since the examination began on Monday. He said the illumination in the hall is not good enough and that he has called the attention of the management of the centre to replace some dead bulbs in the hall. In addition to that, some of the computer screens do not meet JAMB specifications. Theyre not wide enough, he said, adding that he doesnt want his name in print. He said JAMBs specification for the CBT centres is 17 inches wide screen but some of the computers in the hall are only 14 inches wide. There were no incidents of power outage or generator failure, he added. Though no candidates experienced difficulty at the centre, he said candidates whose examinations were rescheduled from other centres will take their test at the centre. This would be the fourth session instead of the initial three sessions the centre has daily, he said. Future Gate Model School At the Future Gate Model School in New Karu, students whose examination was slated for 9 a.m., were seen checking into the hall around 10:00 a.m. PREMIUM TIMES observed that the examination commenced around 10:20 a.m. However, officials did not allow candidates who came late to take the tests even when they pleaded. Sandra Lawrence was one of the candidates who came after the examination had already started. A teary-eyed Ms Lawrence pleaded with the facilitators who said there was nothing they could do. Please help me. I am just coming from the hospital. My mother is sick and I am the only child, therefore she sent for me. Please help me, she pleaded. However, the facilitators said they wouldnt capture her fingerprint as other candidates had already started their examinations. If it was last year we could have done something but this year, you mess up, we mess you up, one facilitator said with a stern face. One of the facilitators who pleaded not to be named, noted that there were a few cases where candidates examinations were rescheduled as the officials could not verify their fingerprints. He said most of the challenges encountered are with the first batch of students. As you can see, the second batch is writing and the third batch is presently undergoing accreditation downstairs so immediately after this batch is done writing, the next batch will check it. This is done to save us time. We arrived at 5:30 in the morning and we began verifying the first batch around 6: 00 a.m., he said. The whole process is going on seamlessly. We didnt have any network problems so far and this is the second batch for today. Some of the candidates interviewed at the venue also noted that the examination was conducted in a peaceful manner devoid of technical challenges. Edeoga Chidera said: I didnt encounter any challenges. The only challenge which was noted related to the Jamb procedures is that I found difficulty solving some of my mathematical questions. Aside from that, there was no problem whatsoever. Another candidate, Raphel Ode, the process was better than the previous times he sat for the examinations. There were no issues of the system going off or anyone having issues with thumbprinting. The whole process was peaceful, he said. Dantata Universal Services Meanwhile, at the Dantata Universal Services, GSS Zone 3, the JAMB-appointed supervisor, Zainab Muhammad, said only three candidates experienced difficulty at the centre since examinations began on Friday. She said the fingerprint machine could not capture the three candidates and that their details had been sent to the JAMB headquarters. She said the centre had two sessions on Friday and three sessions on Saturday. Every session has 200 students. So for five sessions now, that means over 900 (candidates sat the exams at the centre), she said. In Enugu, candidates hail JAMB for smooth exercise At Digital Learning Management Centre I which is located within the premises of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu, officials of JAMB told PREMIUM TIMES that there were no issues recorded so far at the centre. One of the officials who identified himself as Mr Alawo said the candidates were divided into batches and that each batch had a total of 250 candidates. But for this ongoing session, 240 people were accredited for the exam. Nine candidates were absent while one candidate could not be verified, he said. Mr Alawo said most of those who were absent were often individuals who had secured admission through alternative means and others who died after registering for the exercise. One of the candidates who sat the exam at the centre, Jephthah Kaant, said there was no technical issue during the exercise. Everything- the technical aspect, the network- was perfect, Mr Kaant, 23, who is seeking to study medicine, said. The candidate, who had written the same exam in 2020, said he observed some improvements in this years exercise. He praised JAMB for the improvements saying, They should keep up the good work. The situation was the same at Digital Learning Management Centre II within the same IMT premises. Chidinma Izundu, one of the candidates from the centre, said apart from the fact that there were no technical hitches; JAMB officials ensured that there was no form of malpractice during the exercise. Ms Izundu, 17, who had written the same examination the previous year, also observed that there was an improvement in this years exercise. There were improvements (in this years exercise). (This is) because, (for instance), last year, I wrote in this same centre. But this year, we started earlier than last year, the candidate, who is seeking to study pharmacy, said. When a PREMIUM TIMES reporter visited the Centre for Advanced Library and Information Management, another UTME centre, at about 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, some candidates were seen queuing up to enter the exam hall. Nehemiah Zaka, the supervisor at the centre, said two batches wrote the examination on Friday and that three batches would take part in the exercise on Saturday. Since then, we have not had any issue. No technical issues, no security issues, Mr Zaka said. Kosiso Eze, one of the candidates from the centre, said JAMB deserves praise for the smooth conduct of the exercise. Ms Eze, 18, who is seeking to study international relations, said the sitting arrangement also made it impossible for candidates to engage in malpractice in the exercise. You cannot even sit with somebody who is writing the same thing with you, she said of the sitting arrangement. Another candidate, Kosi Obiefuna, said the exercise was seamless. I was able to log in and there was no problem. There were no technical issues. Everything was flawless, 17-year-old Obiefuna, who is seeking to study medicine, said. Oyo State In Okeho, Kajola Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo state, the examination was well organised in the two accredited centres: DamDav CBT Centre I and II by the examination body. PREMIUM TIMES observed that the centres, which were established in 2019 are easily accessible, with well-equipped facilities to facilitate a smooth and effective examination process. The centres had candidates from various places in Oyo State, including Iseyin, Saki, Tede, Ilora, Ilero, Iwere Ile, Elekokan, and Irawo, among others. Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, the Centre Administrator for DamDav CBT Centres, Oluwaseun Abolarin, said the capacity for each centre is 250 candidates and unlike previous years, the centres will be having 450 per session. Yesterday, we had two sessions, making 900 candidates in total on Friday when the examination started. It was seamless and the candidates were calm and organised, he said. We even have extra systems, in case anyone packs up. According to Mr Abolarin, the only challenge is the epileptic power supply in Okeho. He said the centres run on generators, inverters and solar, which is very expensive. Candidates remark Two candidates, who identified themselves as Ali and Ayomide said they arrived in Okeho on Friday for their second UTME attempt on Saturday from Saki, Oyo State, which was about two hours. For Ali, unlike his first attempt in a centre in Iseyin where the system went off during the examination, he said The second experience was okay, they are well organised and the centre I used is well ventilated. Another candidate, Abdullah Alawiye, from Iseyin, Oyo, said it was his first attempt and he is hopeful for a good result. I was comfortable and everything went smoothly throughout the session, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A comprehensive and cohesive response is required to effectively address the menace of insecurity in northern Nigeria, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has stated. Mr Ribadu stated this in a lecture he presented on Thursday at the convocation ceremony of Usmanu DanFodiyo University, Sokoto. In the lecture, the NSA provided an elaborate analysis of the menace and highlighted the strategy of the President Bola Tinubu administration for addressing national security challenges generally. Mr Ribadu described insecurity in northern Nigeria as a complex web that is influenced by a blend of socio-economic, ethnic, and religious factors. He said banditry has deep historical roots in the region, and argued that the British conquest of the Northern Protectorate in 1903 and the subsequent amalgamation with the Southern Protectorate in 1914 were partly motivated by the desire to curb armed banditry and enhance regional security. Although economic motives often dominate discussions about this amalgamation, the need to improve security, especially in the largely ungoverned Muslim North, was a significant factor. Lord Lugard, the first Colonial Officer of the Protectorate, experienced numerous confrontations with armed bandits who used ambush tactics with devastating efficiency, underscoring the security challenges of the time. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Lugards encounters in areas like Nupeland, Kano, and Borguland, where he was wounded by bandits, highlighted the regions precarious security situation. Mr Ribadu said estimates suggest there are now over 300 bandit warlords, each commanding at least 50 fighters operational across different regions of Northern Nigeria. However, he said the menace has since undergone a significant transformation, exacerbated by widespread trafficking of small arms across the region and other parts of Nigeria. Previously confined to local skirmishes and cattle rustling, modern-day banditry in the region has escalated into a lucrative and deadly operation. This involves kidnapping for ransom and large-scale violence that destabilises entire communities. This evolution reflects broader socio-economic despair and a governance vacuum, realities that have allowed bandits to grow their tactics and access sophisticated weaponry. Addressing banditry today requires not only a security response but also an understanding and addressing of its deep-rooted causes, Mr Ribadu stressed. Drivers of insecurity He identified some of the factors driving insecurity in the region as land use disputes, changing livelihoods and climate change, reciprocal radicalisation, security sector challenges (inadequate security force capacity and professionalism, marked by under-resourcing and excessive force), access to arms, corruption and injustice, and regional overspill (Nigerias proximity to fragile states and the existence of numerous unofficial border crossings facilitates the movement of insurgent groups and bandits). Mr Ribadu lamented that the multifaceted insecurity issues confronting northern Nigeria are intricately linked to the regions low Human Development Index (HDI) scores, which encapsulate vital dimensions like education, health, and economic opportunities. This connection underscores a cyclic relationship where underdevelopment fuels violence, and vice versa, emphasising the intricate nature of the challenges faced. Ultimate solution To effectively address these issues, the NSA said a comprehensive and cohesive response is required. He said the ultimate solution has to be multifaceted, one that marries military, political, and socio-economic strategies with robust cross-border cooperation and deep community engagement. How Tinubu Administration is confronting2 challenges Mr Ribadu noted that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu provided a framework for comprehensively addressing the various aspects of insecurity. This agenda includes provisions for bolstering security forces, implementing community-based security initiatives, promoting socio-economic development, and fostering inter-communal dialogue to address grievances and foster reconciliation. Through the Renewed Hope Agenda, the government aims to tackle the underlying causes of insecurity by addressing issues such as poverty, unemployment, social marginalisation, and ethnic tensions. By implementing targeted interventions and reforms, the government seeks to create an environment conducive to peace and stability in Northern Nigeria. He said the president was also deliberate in appointing northerners to top security positions, aiming to involve those with proximity to the issues in the crafting of solutions. Aside from the NSA who is from Adamawa State, the Minister of Defence (Badaru Abubakar), Minister of State for Defence (Bello Matawalle) and the Chief of Defence Staff (Christopher Musa) are from the northern part of Nigeria. By championing an integrated strategy that equally prioritises prevention and the building of resilience, we hope to attain a pragmatic roadmap towards achieving stability and prosperity in Northern Nigeria. This comprehensive approach, aimed at mending the socio-political fabric of the region, sets a new precedent for addressing deep-seated security issues through collective determination, strategic action, and a commitment to inclusive governance, the NSA said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has appointed a chairperson for Living Trust Mortgage Bank, a publicly quoted company listed on the Nigerian Exchange, in which institutional and individual Nigerian shareholders hold stakes. The governor made the decision in what appears a contravention of Nigerian corporate governance law for such companies, which requires the members of such companies boards of directors to recommend a nominee for election by shareholders, after which the industry regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in this case, will then review and approve as appropriate. Based in Osogbo, Living Trust Mortgage lends for home purchase and other real estate ownership purposes, and has been listed on the Nigerian Exchange since 1970. Im not sure youve heard it before that a political authority appointed the chairman of a bank. Its not about the governor, its not about political power, Timothy Gbadeyan, the company secretary and head of corporate strategy, told PREMIUM TIMES. A letter dated 8 April, signed by Olawale Rasheed, the chief press secretary to Osun State governor, named Wale Bolorunduro, a former commissioner of finance, budget and economic planning on Osun State as a director and chairman designate on the board of Living Trust Mortgage Bank Plc. Governor Adeleke approved the appointment, while Teslim Igbalaye, the secretary to the state government, endorsed it, the document further revealed. The chairmanship role is not yet vacant, and no announcement of resignation or retirement has been made in respect of Adebayo Jimoh, a former CEO at Oodua Investment Company Limited, who currently holds the position. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Its by voting. So you have to nominate. Directors have different regimes. So after the tenure of lets say someone that is already existing before, so after the persons tenure has elapsed, whoever is eligible or someone they are trying to nominate, David Adu, senior advisor at the investment bank Meristem Securities, said. Once the nominations are made, they bring it to the shareholders at the AGM, and you vote and if the vote is successful, they now tender that to the CBN for the approval. The top hierarchy of the mortgage institution continues to face disruption from political interference after the state government, which previously owned the controlling stake in the entity sold a huge portion of its shares, clearing the path for Citi Trust Holdings to become the new majority owner in 2021, when the investor held as much as 60 per cent of the company. The 2023 audited annual report of Living Trust Mortgage Bank shows Citi Trust Holdings now holds 40.82 per cent, while Osun State Government owns 39.83 per cent. Members of the investing public hold 11.96 per cent of the remaining shares, the document states. Why these things are scary is because if we breathe here, we tell CBN. It is the most regulated sector of the economy, Mr Gbadeyan said. At the end of the day, the real appointment is going to emerge from the Bank, not from an outside forced power or authority. Osun State Government sold the shares that turned Citi Trust Holdings into the foremost shareholder of Living Trust Mortgage under the administration of Gboyega Oyetola, former Osun governor and now minister of Blue economy, after which the board changed the name of the institution from Omoluabi Mortgage Bank. To expand its capital base, Living Trust Mortgage is holding talks with international and domestic investors, the company said in a regulatory filing in March. Osun State and Citi Trust have shareholders agreement in place since 2019 that recognises Osun seed investment and as a founder. Both parties share board position by that agreement with Osun producing chairman, while Citi Trust produces MD, Mr Rasheed told PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday. Since 2019, Citi Trust has produced 2 MDs while the outgoing Chairman was produced by Osun state under Oyetola, the governors spokesperson added, referring to Mr Oyetola, the immediate-past governor of Osun State. An investment group owned by institutional and private investors, Citi Trust Holdings, has assets worth N45.6 billion, according to its latest earnings report, with interest in commercial banking, wealth management, investment bank, pension management among others. There are a number of factors that govern these things because they are not always very clear-cut and straightforward. It could be that you have a situation where, in the agreement, there is a structure between both parties, Mr Adu said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Violence broke out at Ward 1, Stella Maris College, Okitipupa, between rival supporters of two aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday. The aspirants are contesting to be the partys candidate for the November 16 Ondo State Governorship election. Accredited members of the party who had turned out early in their large numbers to elect the partys candidate for the governorship polls took to their heels when fracas broke out between the rival supporters. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accreditation and election process had not began when the violence erupted as voters scampered for safety. One of the accredited voters, who did not want to be named, told NAN that one of the agents of an aspirant, came to the ward, snatched the validation and accreditation papers and ran away. One of the agents came here, snatched the validation and acreditation papers and fled the venue in his car. They chased him, but could not catch him. This caused the violence, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later NAN reports that the security agents at the ward were unable to contain the violence and everyone fled the scene. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo on Saturday called on the federal government to urgently assist in tackling the menace of insecurity and incessant flooding in some parts of the State. The governor made the call when he received a delegation of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) at the Government House in Lokoja. Mr Ododo said that Kogi, as a transit state that borders 10 other states, was in dire need of improved financial intervention from the federal government to address challenges of insecurity and flooding. He said that as the gateway to both the northern and southern parts of the country, Kogi should be a safe haven for all travellers, hence the need for improved security. Findings revealed that the menace of insecurity and flooding in Kogi can impact other states bordering it if left unaddressed. This is the reason why we beg to be considered for improved funding from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission under the Stabilisation Fund to address emerging challenges in the state as part of ongoing special intervention by the federal government, he said. Responding, the Leader of the delegation from the Commission, Bako Shettima explained that the team was in Kogi to verify the justification for the disbursement of the Stabilisation Fund given the state governments request. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Shettima promised to look into the issues presented to the commission to address them. Its the hope of this commission to take proactive steps to meet the demands put forth by the Kogi government, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ododo later took the RMAFC delegation on a tour of some ongoing projects in the state. Some of the projects inspected included the 9 9-kilometre Zone 8-Zango-GYB Road, 5.5-kilometre Zone 8-Crusher Road, and the refurbishment workshop at the Kogi State Agricultural Development Project complex in Felele, among others. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF) Bello Adoke on Friday offered some insights into losses he suffered while facing prosecution by the Nigerian government in the last four years. His remarks came after he was exonerated of money laundering charges by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday. The acquittal is in step with an earlier decision of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, similarly freeing him of bribery charges exactly three weeks ago. The two court judgments in the last three weeks ended the two criminal trials he has faced since 2020. Mr Adoke recalled, on Friday, his ordeals grappling with an extensive backlash, including loss of job opportunities, over the allegations that culminated in his trials which began in 2020. He said the unwarranted retribution started since leaving office as the AGF in 2015. It has been a harrowing experience that has lasted for over nine years due mainly to the antics of the prosecution, which hurriedly filed charges against me to satisfy some narrow political interests but became reluctant to prove their case for want of evidence, he said in a statement that he issued after Fridays court judgement. During the nine gruelling years, Mr Adoke said, he became an object of a political witchhunt and scapegoatism as the EFCC needed to hang corruption charges on my neck Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The Malabu saga is at the heart of the two cases. It involved about $1.1 billion transferred by Shell and ENI through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete. Nigeria, the original owner of the OPL 245, was shortchanged in the complex web of transactions and ownership disputes that has dogged the oil asset since 1993 when it was first controversially awarded to Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, according to prosecutors and activists. The funds that were allegedly meant for Nigeria were used to bribe officials, they said. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Mr Adoke of benefitting fraudulently from the Malabu deal he helped to broker as the then AGF in 2011. The settlement agreement was meant to cede ownership of the OPL 245 to oil giants, Shell and Eni, after decades-long battle over it. Mr Adoke, who was justice minister under former President Goodluck Jonathans administration, was charged with bribery, among other sundry offences alongside a businessman, Aliyu Abubakar; Rasky Gbinigie; Malabu Oil and Gas Limited; Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited; Shell Nigeria Extra Deep Limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited over the Malabu oil scam. They were arraigned before the FCT High Court in Abuja in February 2020 on a 40-count amended charge. The EFCC would later admit that it lacked evidence against Mr Adoke in the case, leading to the courts decision to dismiss the charges three weeks ago. In the other case filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, EFCC accused him and Mr Abubakar of money laundering involving N300 million that was mentioned as proceeds of bribery in the FCT High Court case. The court similarly discharged and acquitted Mr Adoke on Friday, but ruled that his co-defendant still had case to answer. Campaign of calumny Mr Adoke said despite the legal advice from his successor, Abubakar Malami, the formal opinion of a petroleum minister, Ibe Kachikwu, both during the President Muhammadu Buhari administration as wel as well as a court judgement, exonerating him of wrongdoing in the Malabu saga, the EFCC went on to press corruption charges against him and other entities. He said the EFCC was relentless in its campaign of calumny within and outside Nigeria, with the attendant consequences being deprivation of job opportunities on account of the reputational damage he suffered. The former minister lauded his family and friends who came to his aid while the trial lasted. Mr Adoke expressed his faith in the Nigerian project, pledging to contribute his quota to the countrys development. However, Mr Adoke said he is weighing the option of suing the Nigerian government and individuals who contributed to his ordeal. While contemplating the next steps, I leave all my traducers to their conscience and the judgment of posterity. I am grateful to the Almighty Allah for divine mercies and blessings, my family for standing by me and enduring the public odium associated with trials of this nature, my friends for living up to the name and my lawyers for their forbearance and industry. Background In November 2019, the International Police Organisation, INTERPOL, arrested Mr Adoke in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), at the behest of the Nigerian government. He would later arrive Nigeria to face the charges. Mr Adoke was named in the $1.1 billion Malabu Oil scandal involving a settlement agreement that he oversaw as Nigerias attorney-general in 2011. Throughout his trial, he insisted that he did nothing wrong in the deal and embarked on a self-imposed exile in October 2015 over the matter. Fridays ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja brings to an end Mr Adokes trial in connection with the controversial Malabu Oil scam. The Malabu scandal involved the transfer of about $1.1 billion by Shell and ENI through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete. From accounts controlled by Mr Etete, about half the money ($520 million) went to accounts of companies controlled by Aliyu Abubakar, popularly known in Nigeria as the owner of AA Oil. Anti-corruption investigators and activists suspect he fronted for top officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration as well as officials of Shell and ENI. The transaction was authorised in 2011 by Mr Jonathan through some of his cabinet ministers and the money was payment for OPL 245, one of Nigerias richest oil blocks. The oil resources of the OPL 245 licence have remained undeveloped since the controversies began. Eni initiated international arbitration proceedings against Nigeria in September, alleging the Nigerian government has breached its obligations by refusing to let the firm develop the licence, which has now expired this May. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A total of 171,922 registered members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State are billed to participate in Saturdays governorship primaries to elect the partys candidate for the November election. The number represents the delegates for the direct primaries, which would be held in all the 203 wards of the state. The National Organising Secretary of the party, Muhammad Argungu, made this known in Abuja during the inauguration of a seven-man committee that would oversee the conduct of the primary election. The committee is headed by the Kogi State governor, Usman Ododo. He said while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sent the Certified True Copy of 173, 181 membership register to the party, a revalidation done by the party brought the figure down to 171, 922. All the 16 aspirants who purchased nomination and expression of interest forms had been vetted as provided for in the APC constitution. It was done to comply with the provisions of the Constitution and to ensure that all the aspirants were duly vetted for the primaries. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The aspirants had consequently been screened by the partys screening committee for the Ondo election, said Mr Argungu. Inaugurating the committee, the party chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, said after the completion of its work, the appeal committee would listen to complaints and attend to them. If there is any disagreement, then the appeal committee will listen and that is part of internal democracy, which we have to abide by as provided by our constitution. Members of this committee have been selected based on their experiences and integrity. The primary election committee is chaired by no other person but our new governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, he further said. Mr Ganduje, who noted that controversies were an integral part of democracy, urged the primary election committee to be focused and highly organised in discharging its mandate. He disclosed that the party had contacted relevant stakeholders including security agencies ahead of the election and that there were assurances of a peaceful environment. Responding, Mr Ododo, who was represented by his deputy, Joel Salihu, expressed his commitment to the task ahead. If there is any job not to be done, it must not be the one sent by Mr President and the National Chairman of the party and the party itself. Any work I am sent to do must be done. I have accepted to collaborate with all the committee members to produce the best candidate for Ondo gubernatorial election and in so doing, I will abide by the principle, doctrine and constitution of our great party, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has visited Okuama, a coastal community in the state where suspected residents ambushed and murdered 17 soldiers on 14 March. Those killed included the commanding officer of 181 Army Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain and 13 soldiers. The troops were on a peace mission in the area, when they were ambushed and killed, a development that led to the burning of houses in the community, forcing residents to flee for safety. In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, Mr Oborevwori assured the safe return of the indigenes who fled the community in the wake of the crisis. The governor further reiterated that innocent people in the area would not be made to suffer for what they know nothing about. Photos of the visit sent to PREMIUM TIMES shows the governor with a retinue of army personnel in front of a worship centre in the community. The governors visit came a day after the Nigerian army released the King of Ewu Kingdom, Clement Ikolo, who had been in detention following the killing. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The monarch had surrendered himself after he was declared wanted alongside seven other suspects by the army as a result of the killings. The army accused the royal father of playing a role in the murder of the 17 soldiers in the community. Meanwhile, the military board of enquiry constituted by the Defence Headquarters to investigate the killing had commenced sittings last week, this newspaper reported. The Okuama community was, however, not represented in the board. Governor Oborevwori had assured the panel that the state government would furnish them with useful information adding that it will also come up with a position paper to submit to the panel. The chairperson of the panel, David Ajayi, an air vice marshal, said the panel was on a fact-finding mission but not to apportion blame. Mr Ajayi said the report of the panel will help to ensure healthy communication and civil-military relationship and the revival of economic activities in the affected communities. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The oil-rich Rivers State has recorded a more than 100 per cent jump in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), Governor Siminalayi Fubara has said. Governor Fubara said this on Friday at a meeting with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Account in Port Harcourt, Boniface Onyedi, senior special assistant to Mr Fubara, told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Fubara, a former accountant general of the state who became governor in May 2023, said his administration has raised the monthly IGR of the state from N12 billion that he met on assumption of office to N27 billion, which amounts to an increase of over 100 per cent. So, we have to think outside the box, and rejig our internally generated revenue and I can tell you today that all the projects we are doing, we are not borrowing. We are very transparent, we are not hiding anything. That is why I can boldly say it. The least we get this period is between 26 billion and N27 billion. The highest they were doing before was between N12 Billion and N13billion. Governor Fubara further told the federal lawmakers that he inherited the challenges of non-promotion of civil servants for 11 years, suggesting that the immediate-past governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, did not conduct promotion exercise for workers in the state throughout his eight years in office. The wage bill for about 52, 000 workers of the state, Mr Fubara said, has increased from N5.3 billion to N8 billion after he assumed office and promoted civil servants in the state. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Rivers IGR before Fubara In terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Rivers State has the largest economy in south-south Nigeria and second nationally after Lagos State. Before Mr Fubara became governor in May 2023, the yearly IGR of Rivers State in 2022 was N172.8 billion in 2022, indicating an average monthly IGR of N14.4 billion according to Nigerias data bank, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). In 2021 Rivers State IGR stood at N123.3 giving an average of N10.3 billion and in 2020, the state IGR was N117.2 billion while that of 2019 was N169.6 billion. But Mr Fubaras disclosure that the states monthly IGR has jumped to N27 billion indicates that the state would generate an annual IGR of N324 billion if it is sustained. The governor during the meeting told the lawmakers that his administration was deploying the resources for the well-being of the people to reduce societal ills, emphasising that he was prioritising education, healthcare and agriculture. Monumental impacts University don In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, Anthony Egobueze, a political science lecturer in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, said the impact of the improved IGR of the state has been monumental, particularly in the area of the promotion of public and civil servants in the state, a development he said may have doubled the wage bill of the state government. You have civil servants that were stagnated without promotion for over eight years. In this case, he (Mr Fubara) has lifted the stagnation. He has also compelled council chairmen to promote local government workers which the exercise is ongoing. That is great and monumental as far as I am concerned. He has also awarded a contract for the dualisation of Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road, a dual carriageway and is going to impact on the economy of the people of the area because that is the core oil producing area in Rivers Stat, he said. The people around the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road, Mr Egobueze said, would feel the impact of oil production and extraction in their zone and reduce the stress of conveying agricultural produce from the area to the city. He said a lot of people will be employed in the state, a development he said, will take away poverty. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that OLUSEUN MARTINS OMOLE, aka Seun Omole, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his participation in a widespread scheme to defraud thousands of victims in the United States and elsewhere of thousands of consumer electronics and other goods totalling more than $12 million. Omole pled guilty before U.S. Judge Katharine H. Parker. According to the allegations contained in the indictment and complaint, the plea agreement, and other public filings and statements made in court: From at least in or about February 2018 through at least in or about March 2023, Omole participated in a criminal enterprise based in Nigeria (the Enterprise), which orchestrated various scams to defraud thousands of victims in the United States and elsewhere of more than $12 million in consumer electronics, including smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, and tablets, among other items. The scams perpetrated by the members of the Enterprise included (i) romance scams, in which Enterprise members sent electronic communications to victims feigning romantic intentions, gained their trust and affection, and took advantage of that goodwill to induce victims into sending consumer electronics and other money or property to Omole; (ii) online marketplace scams, in which Enterprise members sent electronic communications to victims feigning interest in buying consumer electronics, falsely represented to the victim that the items had been paid for, and instructed the victim to send the consumer electronics to Omole; and (iii) employment scams, in which Enterprise members posted phony jobs online and informed unwitting victims that they were hired before instructing victims to send electronics to OMOLE under the guise that those electronics were needed for the job (together, the Fraudulent Electronics Scams). During the relevant time period, Omole owned and operated a business corporation named Tobylink Impessions, Inc., a/k/a Tobylink Impressions, Inc. (Tobylink), which claimed to be a distributor, re-seller, and supplier of satellite communications equipment. In reality, however, Tobylink served as a vehicle through which OMOLE received thousands of fraudulently obtained goods from victims of the Enterprise before repackaging and shipping those items to various co-conspirators located in Nigeria. During his participation in the conspiracy, OMOLE received and sent more than $12 million in consumer electronics and other items to other members of the Enterprise, in exchange for the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars in fees that OMOLE charged other Enterprise members. OMOLE, 57, of Sugar Land, Texas, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, OMOLE agreed to pay restitution in an amount to be ordered by the Court and to forfeit an amount of U.S. currency to be ordered by the Court, as well as various consumer electronics and other goods seized by law enforcement. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. OMOLEs sentencing is scheduled for July 30, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman. Mr. Williams praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance with the investigation. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Offices General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry J. Fang is in charge of the prosecution. Source: United States Attorneys Office, Southern District of New York. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print On the other hand, the Israeli dog might have been long gone in the wilderness and can no longer hear the hunters whistle. It is like The Second Coming, William Butler Yeats famous poem: Turning and turning in the widening gyre/The falcon cannot hear the falconer;/Things fall apart;the centre cannot hold;/Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,/ And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,/Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born? Israel, on Monday, 1 April, attacked the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, killing 16 persons, including two Iranian Generals, Mohammed Reza Zahedi and Mohammed Hadi Haji Rahimi. There were no apologies. No sense of remorse. Rather, the Israeli Army Spokesman, Daniel Hagari, declared: The ones attacked were engaged in terrorism against Israel. The attempt in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to discuss the attacks were blocked by the United States, Britain and France. For Israel, the attacks were routine. After all, it had carried out over a dozen previous attacks against Iran, including within the country, and the Iranians had not responded. It, therefore, came as a shock when on 13 April, Iran, according to Israel, fired 185 armed drones, 110 ballistic missiles, and 36 cruise missiles into its territory. Like a beaten child with bruises but pretending not to be hurt, Israel claimed the attacks were of no effect because with its American, French and British allies, it shot down 99 per cent of the Iranian missiles. However, Israel imposed a media ban on the attacks when it was revealed that two of its bases, including the Nevatim military base, were hit. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later What Israel did not say was that the Iranians might have deliberately used very slow missiles that announced their take-off, some five hours before, thereby giving Israel and its allies adequate time to shoot them down. Secondly, that Iran has far more sophisticated missiles, like the hypersonic ones it unveiled in 2023, which travel at Mach-5 or five times the speed of sound. These modern missiles travel at a kilometre per second, with a complex trajectory and unpredictable manoeuvrability. Irans counter-claim that it retaliated the Israeli attacks based on Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, could not be faulted. That Article states: Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. These missiles can hit Israel in less than 17 minutes from Iranian territory. As such, it appears that Irans strikes were like a mere warning; a way of assuring its allies that it can strike Israel. Perhaps this reality is why the United States told Israel, point blank, not to respond. Rather, it tried to massage Israels ego. US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyahu that the Iranian attacks were a victory for Israel because there was no significant damage within Israel itself. This, he said, demonstrated Israels superior military capability. The attacks, in themselves, cost Israel five times more than it did Iran. The latter used cheap arsenal. The drones cost $50,000 each; the cruise missiles, $250,000; and the ballistic missiles an average of $5 million. So, the maximum cost to Iran was about $217 million. In contrast, Israel employed the Arrow and David Sling missiles, which cost $3.5 million and $1 million each. The defence overnight cost Israel, $1.1 billion. The realisation that Iran did not use its modern missiles might also have been the reason Israel did not respond immediately. Rather, it went wailing at the UN Security Council. Its UN envoy, Gilad Erdan, said the UNSC must sanction Iran for alleged terrorism. Irans counter-claim that it retaliated the Israeli attacks based on Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, could not be faulted. That Article states: Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. The joint response of Prime Ministers Giorgia Meloni of Italy, Japans Fumio Kishida, Justin Trudea of Canada, Britains Rishi Shunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Joe Biden, was a classic case of duplicity in diplomacy. They had not condemned Israels attacks on Iran, but found their voices when Iran retaliated. The leaders, who met virtually under the G7 canopy, said they unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms Irans direct and unprecedented attack against Israel. They expressed solidarity with Israel and rededicated themselves to its security. They gave the impression that Israel, like a spoilt brat, can go about attacking other countries, but that their victims have no right to self-defence. Their message is that only Israel deserves security, while countries like Syria and Iran, which are victims of its reckless attacks, have no right to defend themselves. In taking on various countries simultaneously, Israel reminds me of the African saying that if a dog has human backing, it can kill a monkey. The powerful countries using Israel as a hunters dog, also have a duty to put it on a leash so it does not constitute a danger to society. The hypocrisy in such statements was brought into sharp relief when the United Kingdoms Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, told Sky News presenter, Kay Burley, that Iran, by retaliating the attacks on it by Israel, was reckless and dangerous. But when Burley asked him how UK would react were any of its consulates to be attacked by another country, Cameron replied that it would be very strong action. In contrast to the G7, Cuba struck a more reflective pose. First, that the silence of the UNSC served as an incentive for the Iranian response Secondly, that de-escalating the on-going violence, requires an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Thirdly, that peace and stability in the Middle East is impossible, unless a comprehensive, just, and permanent solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is reached. But, why would Israel violate the territorial space of Syria and attack the diplomatic mission of Iran, conscious of the fact that it was technically attacking two countries? It could be a continuation of its policy of spreading terror in the region. Secondly, it might be an attempt to divert attention from its on-going genocide in the Gaza. Thirdly, it could be an attempt to suck in the US and its allies into its war in the region and widen the conflicts. Fourthly, it might be a move to draw out Iran which, after its peace deals with Saudi Arabia, is enjoying unprecedented support across the Muslim world. Conscious of Russias presence in Syria and commitment to supporting that country, Israels attacks can also be an attempt to provoke a Russian response and exacerbate the conflicts in the region. This way, the conflict in the region can be linked with that in Ukraine. If this were to be the case, then Israel would be playing the same proxy role as Ukraine, which is essentially, a cannon fodder. In taking on various countries simultaneously, Israel reminds me of the African saying that if a dog has human backing, it can kill a monkey. The powerful countries using Israel as a hunters dog, also have a duty to put it on a leash so it does not constitute a danger to society. On the other hand, the Israeli dog might have been long gone in the wilderness and can no longer hear the hunters whistle. It is like The Second Coming, William Butler Yeats famous poem: Turning and turning in the widening gyre/The falcon cannot hear the falconer;/Things fall apart;the centre cannot hold;/Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,/ And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,/Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born? Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print As such, I have no scintilla of doubt that the resolve by the Nigeria Customs Service and its Benin Republic counterpart to work together is one that will yield heaps of fruitful results. Nigeria, our dear country, is battling to rescue its fragile economy from the clutches of smugglers and other criminals, whose heinous activities, are wreaking the nations economy. It has always been said, in our local parlance, that two heads are better than one. This is to say that when several people come together, with their unique talents and individuals ideas, to work for a common cause, what they will achieve is going to be extraordinary, most definitely. The efforts of a single person has never, in the annals of history, supplanted the collective will of a majority. That is why individuals, people and nations form, and are part of unions, associations and organisations that are promoting set agenda, while also agitating or defending their interests. As such, I have no scintilla of doubt that the resolve by the Nigeria Customs Service and its Benin Republic counterpart to work together is one that will yield heaps of fruitful results. Nigeria, our dear country, is battling to rescue its fragile economy from the clutches of smugglers and other criminals, whose heinous activities, are wreaking the nations economy. At the moment, the illicit business of smuggling still thrives in the country, joining other negative factors to hinder effective, smooth and robust trade, in the country. This, however, is giving the Nigeria Customs and its Benin counterpart a migraine. To this end, a high-powered delegation led by the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, recently embarked on a crucial mission to meet with the Director General of the Customs Administration of Benin. The visit was targeted at strengthening the longstanding partnership between the two Customs organisations. The primary focus of the meeting, as outlined by the Adeniyi, was to deliberate on strategies aimed at amplifying trade activities between the two nations and ensuring the seamless implementation of recommendations previously discussed during their rendezvous in Cotonou. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Highlighting the significance of the collaboration, the CGC said, We are cognisant of the established framework for cooperation between our respective customs administrations. This framework was established at a higher level by the authorities of the heads of State, President Patrice Talon of Benin and His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, both expressing a desire to work together. It is upon this foundation that the customs of both countries are united in their efforts. Welcoming the delegation with open arms, Mrs Adidjatou Hassan Zanouvi, the director-general of Benin Customs Administration, reiterated their steadfast commitment to executing the mutually agreed-upon measures, emphasising the importance of thorough monitoring to ensure effective implementation. The collaborative endeavours between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Benin Republic Customs Administration, according to her, serve as a testament to their shared commitment to facilitating seamless trade operations and ensuring the efficient management of cross-border activities for the mutual benefit of both nations. Without mincing words, the collaboration between the Nigeria and Benin Customs presents a promising avenue to combat smuggling. This will also help to foster trade relations in the region. By forging a robust partnership, both agencies can pool their resources, intelligence, and expertise to effectively tackle the illicit flow of goods across their borders. But they must first establish joint task forces and be proactive in sharing real-time intelligence, so as to enhance the detection and interception of smuggling activities. The intelligence this writer is talking about involve the exchange of information on known smuggling routes, tactics employed by smugglers, and emerging trends in illicit trade. Again, harmonising customs procedures and regulations can streamline trade processes, making it easier for legitimate businesses to conduct cross-border transactions. And what is needed is the implementation of mutual agreements and adopting common standards for customs clearance, so as to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and incentivising compliance. Furthermore, adequate investment in technology and infrastructure along border areas can strengthen border security, while also enhancing surveillance capabilities. This may be in the form of deploying advanced scanning technologies to upgrading border checkpoints and enhancing border patrol operations. Above all, fostering dialogue and collaboration through regular meetings, workshops, and training programmes can build trust, while also enhancing coordination between the two customs agencies. Curbing smuggling activities while promoting legitimate trade, in a bid to foster economic growth and boost the economic stability of Nigeria and Benin is a noble cause. Our prayer is that the two Customs organisations working for its actualisation should succeed. No one will wish they fail, I am sure. Mahmud Abdulsalam writes from Abuja. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Thirteen persons have been reported dead and 40 injured in an accident on Friday at MRS Filling Station on Ahmadu Bello Way in the Kaduna metropolis. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. when a trailer transporting passengers and onions from Kano lost control and collided with an oncoming vehicle. Kaduna State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC), Kabir Nadabo, blamed overspeeding and overloading for the crash. Mr Nadabo, who participated in the rescue and clearance efforts, said 60 persons were affected by the accident. He said the injured were taken to Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital in the city. Mr Nadabo said the driver of the trailer fled after the accident but efforts were being made to identify him and the vehicles owner. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Eight children have died while two others are in critical condition after a pit caved in the Badariya area of Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi State on Saturday. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the pit caved in and collapsed on the children while they were collecting sand. Confirming the incident to BBC Hausa, as monitored by PREMIUM TIMES, the Chairman of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area, Dahiru Ambursa, said the children were Almajirai who went there to collect sand. Almajarai are children placed in the care of Islamic clerics to learn Quranic education. However, many of them are used for menial jobs and begging by the clerics. Mr Ambursa said the local government administration has sealed off the pits to avoid future occurrences. Weve sealed off all the pits with barbed wire. Weve also indicated that there would be no more activities around the place. As part of efforts to ensure compliance, weve directed village heads to inform people in their domains that they must not go to the place with the intent of collecting sand for any use, he said. Responding to journalists in Birnin Kebbi, the Islamic teacher of the children, Dan-Umma, said he instructed them to get sand from the pit to mend holes in their room. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later I assigned them to go to the top of the hill near the school to excavate clay and gravel to mend the holes inside their rooms against the upcoming flood. In the process, I was told a heavy chunk of the laterite fell on them. I immediately rushed to the scene of the incident where I confirmed seven of them were dead and one other who survived was rushed to the hospital in Birnin Kebbi, he stated. Sand mining is rampant in many parts of the country. A PREMIUM TIMES report showed how sand mining affects farming communities and degrades land in Kano State. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print After months of intense politicking, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State will file out on Saturday to choose among 16 aspirants seeking to fly the partys flag in the 16 November governorship election. The dust of campaigns has settled and the aspirants have given their best in rallying supporters. Some travelled to all the 203 registration areas and the 18 local government areas of the state to woo party men and women to vote for them on Saturday. Of the 16 aspirants that have been cleared for the primaries, some are serious contenders while others have been serial aspirants in previous governorship elections in the state. The aspirants The aspirants are incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; former APC National Vice Chairman (South West) Isaac Kekemeke; Olusoji Ehinlanwo; former member of the State House of Assembly, Olugbenga Edema; businessman and serving senator, Jimoh Ibrahim; Judith Omogoroye; Felix Ohunyeye, a retired major-general; Jimi Odimayo; Morayo Lebi and Diran Iyantan. Also cleared to contest in the primary are Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo; Mayowa Akinfolarin; former Commissioner for Finance Adewale Akinterinwa; former governorship candidate Olusola Oke, and Francis Faduyile, who is an academic. Aside from the incumbent governor, Mr Aiyedatiwa, and a few others, the aspirants are seasoned politicians and who have been angling to occupy the governorship position for a long time. Olusola Oke, Jimoh Ibrahim, Morayo Lebi, Isaac Kekemeke and Ifeoluwa Oyedele had been major contenders in the past two governorship elections, which featured the late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as the candidate of the party. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The aspirants boast of rich credentials in their respective fields of endeavour, just as their pockets are said to be relatively deep. While Mr Oke is an experienced politician who has been running for governor from the era of Olusegun Mimiko, Mr Aiyedatiwa is riding on the wings of incumbency and the power of office. The campaigns Given the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 for early primaries, the campaigns have been both intensive and expensive. The aspirants claimed they toured all the wards and local government councils to deliver their campaign messages. They made promises and held rallies. The major candidates drew crowds when they visited communities and towns across the state. The campaigns took off on a controversial note, from the claims of being announced as successors to Mr Akeredolu, put forward by Wale Akinterinwa and Mr Aiyedatiwa, both disciples of the Akeredolu political pedagogy, to the emilokan sloganeering of the Oke campaign train. The content of their messages were largely promises of what they would do if elected as governor. They all claimed competence to occupy the position. But will that win them votes on Saturday? Mr Aiyedatiwa has engaged in massive construction works within the state capital, Akure, and its suburbs since taking over after the death of Mr Akeredolu. These projects are seen by political observers as campaign statements to win the hearts of the people. Largely seen as a political underdog, the governor is not leaving anything to chance. His populist policies manifest in appointments of workers, promotions, payment of owed salaries, and granting endowments to agencies. He has also, like other aspirants, reached out to the communities in wards and party units to gain their trust. Although the aspirants are strong in their respective domains, analysts see the contest to be strictly between the governor and Mr Oke. Endorsements The build up to the primaries also witnessed endorsements by different groups, which raised the pitch of the contest to a new high. Some elders of the party under the name of Ondo State APC Aborigines, with representatives from the 18 local government areas of the state, gave themselves the task of conducting a screening of the aspirants based on criteria they contrived. After the process, they announced the governor as the preferred candidate. According to the group, Mr Aiyedatiwa possessed the qualities required to effectively govern the state more than his rivals. Expectedly, the other aspirants promptly rejected the conclusion of the elders, saying they had no mandate to select a preferred candidate on behalf of the party. Mr Oke, supported by others, cautioned the leaders of the group, accusing them of attempting to plunge the party into a crisis. The politics of endorsement also negatively affected the state House of Assembly as members went separate ways in deciding whom among the aspirants should get the backing of the House. During the governors official declaration of his intention to contest the primaries, the Speaker of the House, Olamide Oladiji, said 18 of the 26 members were in support of Mr Aiyedatiwa to pick the partys ticket. In protest, 13 members disowned him, alleging that the speakers endorsement of the governor was done without consultation with them. Their disagreement was followed by a no-confidence letter to the leadership of the party, accusing the speaker of disrespecting the House and the tenets of democracy. The members, who signed the no-confidence letter were majority leader Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi; parliamentary secretary MoyinOlorun Ogunwumiju; chief whip Oluwarotimi Fasonu; minority leader Olajide Oguntodu; deputy minority leader, Raymond Daodu, Akinsurojui Nelson, Akomolafe Temitope, Ifabiyi Olatunji, Agbulu Akeem, Christopher Ayebusiwa, Atinuke Witherspoon, Biola Oladapo, and Afe Felix. Mr Oladiji was severely rattled by the develooment until the intervention of the party leadership saved the day. Other groupings, some of which were created for the purpose of the election, profiteered in the battle for endorsements. A group, the South West Youth for Good Governance (SWYGG), was among the first to file their support for Mr Akinterinwa, saying he is the most qualified and suitable for the office of the governor of Ondo State. For Mr Oke, it was the Omoluabi Coalition Group, OCG, that endorsed him. Tunji Balogun, the coalitions DG, said he was the best candidate for the APC and had made indelible marks in the lives of many indigenes of the state. Those who did not get any groups endorsement were endorsed by their supporters in their localities. All South contest The fact that all the 16 aspirants in the fray are from the southern senatorial zone of the state made the contest even keener. Mr Oke waited for so long to fill the gap even when it was unlikely that the zone would be elected governor after Olusegun Agagu. Mr Ibrahim, as a serving senator, is drawing strength from his experience as a former governorship candidate and an incumbent senator. The battle grounds are in the north and central zones. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the late Mr Akeredolus loyalists are torn between Messrs Oke and Akinterinwa. Mr Aiyedatiwa had sought to neutralise this opposition by choosing his deputy from Owo, the hometown of the Akeredolu loyalists. A female APC supporter, Funke Adebowale, said the votes from the south would be shared by all the leading aspirants so that it would really not amount to much. Victory will not come from the south, she said. They know that they have to work hard to win in north and central. That is where the battle is. She added that Mr Akeredolu may have a leeway using his powers as governor and the reach of his commissioners and political appointees, which now cut across all the local government areas of the state. A penchant for manipulations The APC leadership adopted direct primaries for Saturdays election. According to a party supporter, Sunday Ode, the direct primaries eliminated the manipulations of delegates list by powerful politicians. He, however, said a new challenge reared its head with the just concluded revalidation of membership. There are fears that party bigwigs are using their influence to include new names on the membership list in order to favour their candidates. A few days to the primaries, seven of the aspirants raised the alarm over plots to scuttle the primaries through fake registration of members. The aspirants Messrs Ibrahim, Oke, Akinterinwa, Iyantan, Faduyile, Edema and Odimayo petitioned the national secretariat of the party to draw its attention to the alleged irregularities in the process of revalidation of members and the issuance of fake party slips ahead of the primaries. They alleged that while the revalidation committee had ended its work and returned to Abuja, majority of their members were yet to get their membership cards revalidated. Although they failed to mention any names of those involved, they alleged the irregularities were being perpetrated by one of the aspirants, warning that litigations could follow the exercise if the party leadership failed to arrest the situation. The arrest of a former chairman of Ondo NURTW and others over the registration of members of the party gave credence to the outcry of the protesting aspirants. The Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, who confirmed the arrest On Wednesday in a statement, said, On Wednesday, 17th 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 20th of 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. Two suspects have been arrested and are assisting the Police with necessary information to apprehend others involved in this cynicism. Although there were allegations of attacks on supporters, there has been decorum in the campaigns so far. Concerns were raised by Mr Akinterinwa and his campaign team, pointing fingers at the governors thugs in the attacks on his supporters in Ore and Owo. The governors campaign denied the allegations. However, the Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Oladipo, admonished the aspirants to caution their supporters to eschew conflicts before, during and after the primaries. While ordering a clamp down on troublemakers, he assured that the police would ensure safety and peaceful conduct of primaries on Saturday. Victory aftermath The APC governorship primaries in Ondo State have always been keenly contested. The primaries have also been characterised by allegations of manipulation of voter accreditation. Some aspirants have already expressed fears that the results may not be acceptable to them if their concerns are not addressed. Will the defeated aspirants back whoever emerges as candidate on Saturday? Steve Otaloro, director of publicity of the party, said the party would ensure a peaceful conclusion of the primaries. He urged the aspirants who raised concerns to channel their grievances appropriately so that the issues could be addressed amicably. We dont want a situation where a candidate will emerge and others would not back him, said Mr Otaloro. We must go into the election proper united and without rancour. That is our goal and we hope they (the aspirants) will keep this in mind. In view of the assurances of fair play from the party and its organising committee, members expect a strict adherence to the provisions of the partys constitution and the Electoral Act. This, they believe, is the only way for the APC to avoid rancorous primaries. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2024 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- Pathways LA, a leading Resource and Referral Childcare Agency and advocate for early childhood education and family support services, hosted its yearly fundraising event, "Seeds of Hope: Building Brighter Futures Dinner," on Saturday, April 13. The event attracted a diverse array of attendees, including elected officials, community leaders, advocates, child care providers, all united in their dedication to supporting early childhood education. Pathways LA presented the Bea Gold Corporate Award to Walmart Neighborhood Markets for their ongoing contribution to Pathways LA participants of programs, providing local community grants to support Pathways LA Family Engagement program. Pathways LA also presented the Bea Gold Compassion Award to Congressmember Jimmy Gomez, representative of California's 34th District (CA-34), and Founder Chair of the Congressional Dads Caucus. "Our impact goes far beyond the walls of our agency. It's about the ripple effect that investment in children has on entire communities," said Tamika Farr, Pathways LA Chief Executive Officer, "Research shows that a good early foundation for children sets them on a new trajectory- one of success, resilience, and fulfillment that extends to families creating an effect of empowerment, stability and hope." Through 'Seeds of Hope,' we are uniting our community through support for early childhood education and to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young children and families across Los Angeles. Special guest speaker Arrian Landaverde, alumni of the West Hollywood Preschool shared her story on the impact early childhood education had early on and served as influence to pursue a degree in Environmental Management and Protection with minors in both Biology and Spanish from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. The event took place at The Fig House, nestled in Highland Park. Designed as a gathering space, the venue was a representation of Pathways LA's 'Seeds of Hope' with its commitment to building a stable community among parents, child care providers, community partners and policymakers. The event was sponsored by the following companies and organizations: Silver Stem sponsors included, Insperity, Walmart Neighborhood Market, Hospitality Collaborative; Budding Bronze sponsors were Care Connect, Cushman & Wakefield, Gencare, Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, Meruelo Media, Wells Fargo; Community Partner Child Care Resource Center, Connections for Children, Drew CDC, EPIC, FastSigns, Pepperdine University School of Education Foster Grandparent Program, Options for Learning and YWCA Glendale Pasadena. Learn more at: https://pathwaysla.org/. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2187118/Pathways_LA_Logo_HORIZONTAL_RGB_preferred_Logo.jpg SOURCE Pathways LA NEW ORLEANS, April 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 20, 2024 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against agilon health, inc. ("agilon" or the "Company") (NYSE: AGL), if they: i) purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's shares between April 15, 2021 and February 27, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"), and/or ii) purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's shares pursuant or traceable to the Company's April 2021 initial public offering ("IPO"), and/or iii) purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's shares pursuant or traceable to the Company's May 2023 secondary public offering ("SPO"). These actions are pending in the United States District Courts for the Western District of Texas and Southern District of New York. Get Help Agilon health investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-agl or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuits Agilon and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On January 5, 2024, the Company disclosed that it was slashing its 2023 profit forecasts, specifically, lowering its 2023 Medical Margin expectation to "$340 million to $360 million, approximately $110 million below the previous guidance rangedue to $90 million in higher-than-expected medical costs" and that its Chief Financial Officer, Timothy Bensley would retire and be replaced later in the year. On this news, the price of agilon's shares fell $3.45, or 28.6%, to close at $8.63 on January 5, 2024. The first-filed case is New England Teamsters Pension Fund v. agilon health, inc., 24-cv-00297. A second case, Hope v. agilon health, inc., 24-cv-00305, extended the Class Period. A third case, Indiana Public Retirement System v. agilon health, inc., 24-cv- 2506, extended the Class Period and Class Definition. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. SOURCE ClaimsFiler Sixty-one years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. made a solo trip to Charlottesville. After accepting an invitation from Black students fighting for racial equality at the University of Virginia, King drove to UVa without bodyguards, entourage or fanfare. And on March 25, 1963, he graced Old Cabell Hall, where he spoke on the long fight behind him and ahead of him for civil rights in the U.S. On March 25, 2023, his eldest son, Martin Luther King III, accepted an appointment to a professor of practice at the UVa Center for Politics. Since then, he has spoken at Old Cabell Hall and given a public keynote address at an event commemorating the center's 25th anniversary. In his new role, professor King will guest lecture in a variety of classes throughout the univeristy based on his expertise and interests, collectively speaking to thousands of UVa students as well as participating in at least one public event during the semester. Professor King brings a wealth of experience in social justice, politics, human rights and much more, and were thrilled that he has chosen the Center for Politics. I know the students will enjoy getting to know him and learning from his vast experience in the public arena, Larry Sabato, the center's director, said in a statement announcing professor King's arrival. King recently spoke with The Daily Progress about his new role and his concerns about American politics. The interview has been edited for clarity and concision. There are lots of universities that would like to have you in a role like this. Why did you choose UVa, and did your fathers legacy at the school have any impact on your decision? Well, certainly, Im always cognizant of where my father went. But beyond that, UVa in my opinion is one of the finest institutions in our nation. And certainly, the Center for Politics probably is like no other. I just believe that under the leadership of professor Sabato, the Center for Politics has been an outstanding leader in our nation around politics, engaging young people and launching individuals who wanted to go into the political arena. Obviously, I come out of the modern civil rights movement. The last three years, Ive been working on a campaign to expand democracy, where it feels like the fibers of democracy have been shaken. The political process actually seems to be causing that because a basic fundamental right that all of us have equally is the right to vote. Instead of expanding voting rights, it feels as if certain communities have made it far more difficult to vote. My dad would say a voteless people is a powerless people. One step we must take is the short step to the ballot box. When you recently spoke at the center in a celebration of its 25th anniversary, you spent a lot of time focused on democracy, and youve already mentioned it here. Why is that? It seems like youre genuinely concerned about the state of American democracy. Absolutely. Former President Trump has said, "Im going to be a dictator." And Ive learned in life when people tell you who they are, believe them. Im very concerned about that. Because if he is reelected, he has a history of doing what he says hes going to do. Ive seen him and some of his cohorts directly attack and denigrate people. The civility in the political space is lost. We should always be able to discuss issues whether we agree or disagree. My dad and mom taught us how to disagree without being disagreeable. Now, the disagreeing becomes a scenario where if you dont agree with what some are saying, your life is threatened just because you dont agree with that position. The question I would have is, how is that sustainable in a society of human beings? Were not animals; its not survival of the fittest. It feels like were headed in some sense towards some degree of fascism, a dangerous direction for our nation to be headed in. Weve had democracy for a long time, or at least some level of democracy. We talk about making our nation a more perfect union. We must come together for that to happen. We cant do it when were at each others necks as it feels like we are right now. Whats top of mind for you as the election is approaching? Is it democracy? Its democracy. Our daughter is turning 16 years old. She has fewer rights now than she had the day she was born. What I mean by that is, in 2013, the Voting Rights Act was eviscerated by the Supreme Court. In 2020, there were hundreds of pieces of legislation probably voted on in at least 30 states to make it harder for people to vote, and particularly as it relates to communities of color. In 2022, history and books have been banned. A womans right to choose was eviscerated. Last year, affirmative action was eviscerated. Every child, every Black and Brown child, has less rights than their mothers and grandmothers, and really since the Black Codes were put on the books. It feels like were going backwards. And the goal for me is to make sure we as a nation move forward. Historically, the court was used to make advancements. It was not until reproductive rights and maybe even the Voting Rights Act was struck down that we went backwards. When the court is balanced, sometimes you go forward and sometimes you go backwards. When you have an imbalance in the court, which now exists at the Supreme Court level, then it feels like youre only going backwards. Im not sure what thats going to mean for the next few years. Youre going to be working with a lot of students closer to your daughters age than yours. What is your sense of how young people currently feel about the American political process? Some feel that its so complicated: "Why should I care? Why should I participate? Let me go on and develop my own set of skills and start a business. Let me not be concerned with politics." Hopefully people will embrace a position of "I want to be included. I want to be a part of the process. I want to be a part of making our nation a better nation." That is what the hope is, but there may be some who have a different position. And its fine to have that different position. As long as you are not denigrating and doing harm to others. A lot of what I am hoping to promote is student engagement. If a young person at 21 goes to college and is a member of the ROTC, at the end of four years that person becomes a commanding officer leading a platoon of troops. So if you can do that at 21 in the military, why then should you not offer yourself for city council or state legislative positions? We need the energy and vision of young people who bring new ideas to the table so that our nation can move forward. Its not just registering people to vote. It is voter education. Voter education with registration creates participation. We have a difficult time getting people to participate. Theres so much confusion that is going on in our nation between what the internet promotes and between what mainstream media promotes. But these are all tools that we need to find a way to use in a constructive way, not a destructive way. Just how concerned are you about the current state of American politics and democracy? Im extraordinarily concerned. And Im extraordinarily concerned because the former president has said to us, "I want to be a dictator, at least for a day." Thats a frightening proposition, because that is antithetical to democracy. Theres not a king here in this country. Theres not a monarchy. Thats not how we were founded. And so when you go against how we were founded, thats a danger to the preservation of democracy. Theres enough of what appears to be confusion that we could drift into a direction that we may not ever regain our full democratic stature and status. So Im extraordinarily concerned. And Im hoping that I can use my platform and profile to raise that consciousness enough. Theres always a silent majority, that maybe chooses not to participate, but we dont have the luxury of the majority sitting out this election. Now, I dont want to just have it just be this election. I would like to see people participate in the political process at large levels for every election cycle. Not just for the president, but for the governor, for the mayor and state legislative offices. Every time we have an election, wherever it is, whatever it is, people need to be engaged. And thats the thing that I promote. NEW YORK, April 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The automotive brake wear sensors market size is forecast to increase by a substantial growth between 2022 and 2027. The report estimates a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.04% during this period, leading to an increase in market size by a staggering USD 1,091.42 million. This growth is attributed to several factors including heightened concern for vehicle security, the imperative need to mitigate damage to braking systems, and a surge in demand for automotive vehicles globally. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Automotive Brake Wear Sensors Market 2023-2027 Charts & data tables about the market have been covered in this report. Download a sample report The market segmentation within the report encompasses various aspects such as application (passenger cars and commercial vehicles), product types (electronic brake wear sensors and disc brake wear sensors), and geographical distribution across North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. One of the key drivers identified for market growth is the heightened end-user concern for vehicle security. With consumers increasingly prioritizing safety, fuel efficiency, and emission reduction, the demand for safety-oriented technologies, including brake wear sensors, has witnessed a significant uptick. These sensors play a crucial role in alerting users about decreasing brake pad efficiency, thereby reducing the risk of accidents caused by brake failure. Furthermore, an emerging trend in the market is the integration of smart sensors, which combine multiple functionalities into a single chip. This integration not only enhances control and reliability but also eliminates the need for costly components like multi-pole ring magnets. The adoption of integrated smart sensor solutions is expected to further bolster market growth in the coming years. Get a glance of this market- Download a sample report However, the market faces challenges such as the improper tuning of sensors, which could lead to inaccurate alert information and potentially compromise driving safety. It's imperative for electronic system manufacturers to ensure proper tuning of sensors to maintain user trust and prevent undesirable consequences. In terms of market landscape, North America is expected to lead in market contribution, with the US accounting for a significant portion of growth. The region's advanced automotive industry, coupled with increasing awareness of passenger safety and vehicle security, will drive demand for brake wear sensors. Despite setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the successful vaccination drives and resurgence in investment in the automotive sector have fueled market recovery and growth. In conclusion, the Automotive Brake Wear Sensors Market is poised for substantial growth driven by factors such as increasing end-user concern for safety, technological advancements like integrated smart sensors, and regional market dynamics. With North America expected to lead the charge, the market presents lucrative opportunities for vendors and stakeholders alike. For more insights on the market - Download a sample report Analyst Review Brake wear sensors are innovative technological devices designed to monitor the condition of your brake pads. They detect when the brake pads are wearing out and alert you to replace them. This not only ensures safe driving but also helps prevent road accidents caused by malfunctioning brakes. With the rise of environmental concerns, there's also a growing demand for eco-friendly brake pads. Manufacturers are developing advanced braking technologies such as regenerative braking systems, which harness kinetic energy during braking and convert it into usable energy, reducing the overall environmental impact of driving. The automotive brake wear sensors market caters to a wide range of vehicles, from passenger cars to commercial vehicles, including electric and light commercial vehicles. Safety standards and regulations drive the adoption of these sensors, ensuring that vehicles meet stringent safety requirements. Brake wear sensors come in various types, including semi-metallic, non-asbestos organic (NAO), low-metallic NAO, and ceramic. Each type offers its own benefits in terms of performance, durability, and environmental sustainability. As automobile companies strive to enhance vehicle safety and address ecological concerns, the demand for advanced brake wear sensors is on the rise. From luxury cars to motorcycles, these sensors play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of drivers and passengers alike. In conclusion, the automotive brake wear sensors market is not just about technology; it's about saving lives and protecting the environment. By investing in innovative braking solutions, we can make our roads safer and contribute to a more sustainable future. For more insights on the market - Download a sample report Market Overview Automotive brake wear sensors are vital in modern vehicles, especially electric and commercial ones, ensuring safety and efficiency. These sensors monitor the friction between brake pads and discs, alerting drivers when they wear down, preventing accidents and costly repairs. As concerns about ecological impact grow, electric vehicles are becoming more popular, increasing the need for efficient braking systems. By detecting wear early, these sensors help reduce thermal energy and mechanical strain on axles and wheels, prolonging their lifespan. With the rising production of electric vehicles, the demand for reliable brake wear sensors is on the rise, driving innovation in this cutting-edge field of automotive technology. For more insights on the market - Download a sample report Related Reports: The remanufactured automotive parts market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.93% between 2022 and 2027. The size of the market is forecasted to increase by USD 11,021.22 million. This report extensively covers market segmentation by vehicle type (passenger cars and commercial vehicles), component (electrical and electronic parts, engine, transmission, wheels and brakes, and others), and geography(North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa). The automotive service market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.65% between 2022 and 2027. The size of the market is forecasted to increase by USD 351.69 billion. This report extensively covers market segmentation by type (mechanical services, exterior and structural services, and maintenance services), vehicle type (passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, two-wheelers, and heavy commercial vehicles), and geography (North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa). About US 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. Contact 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 LOS ANGELES, April 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS today announced the resignation of CEO John Sebree, who is leaving to pursue other opportunities. Sebree joined C.A.R. two years ago from Missouri REALTORS. A search committee will be formed and a nationwide search for Sebree's replacement will begin immediately. "On behalf of C.A.R.'s leadership team and the Board of Directors, I'd like to thank John for his contributions and service as CEO and State Secretary for our organization. We wish him well in his future endeavors," said C.A.R. President Melanie Barker. Barker and the leadership team have appointed Debra Ferrier, currently CEO of C.A.R.'s for-profit subsidiary Real Estate Business Services (REBS), to serve as interim CEO. Ferrier has been with C.A.R. for 37 years, serving first as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for C.A.R. and subsequently as General Counsel of C.A.R.'s business subsidiaries. She assumed the role of REBS' CEO in 2010. "We look forward to working with interim CEO Debra Ferrier, who is well-known throughout the industry, and who has a keen understanding of the priorities of the Association. We are confident in her abilities to guide the Association in the months ahead as we search for our next CEO," added Barker. "It is both humbling and exciting to be asked to step in and lead an organization I've been a part of for so many years," said Debra Ferrier. "I look forward to working with our leadership team, the Board, and the staff at C.A.R. in the months ahead during what is a very challenging time in our industry. I am confident that, together, we will navigate through the current environment and be even better positioned for the opportunities that lie ahead for our members, the industry and our organization." Leading the way in California real estate for more than 118 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with 180,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles. SOURCE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (C.A.R.) ATLANTA, April 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation presented 26 awards recognizing the best of preservation in Georgia during its 47th annual Preservation Awards ceremony in Athens, Ga. Security Federal Bank in Augusta received the Marguerite Williams Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation, presented annually to the project that has had the greatest impact on preservation in the state. Madison City Hall in Madison received the Michael L. Starr Award, presented to a project that best exemplifies the highest standards of historic rehabilitation and has a significant impact on the downtown of the city in which it is located. The Fox Theatre Institute in Atlanta received the inaugural Mark C. McDonald Award, which recognizes an outstanding organization that has demonstrated sustained commitment to historic preservation and has had a positive impact on preservation in their local community. The historic Lowndes County Courthouse in Valdosta received the Chairman's Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation, presented by the chairman of the Georgia Trust to a person or project of great preservation significance. The Trust presented the Mary Gregory Jewett Award for Lifetime Preservation Service to Mary Beth Reed of New South Associates for her lifelong career in preservation. The Camille W. Yow Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Alan Kachur of Woodstock. The Trust also presented one award for Excellence in Preservation Service, two awards for Excellence in Restoration, two awards for Excellence in Stewardship, and fifteen awards for Excellence in Rehabilitation. The Georgia Department of Transportation's "Statewide Cemetery Context," a context and handbook for the identification and evaluation of Georgia's historic burial grounds, received an award for Excellence in Preservation Service, which recognizes persons, groups, businesses and/or government entities that demonstrate exemplary activities and promotion of awareness in the field of historic preservation. Excellence in Restoration winners were the Visitors Club in Brunswick and the Cuthbert Water Tower in Cuthbert. Excellence in Stewardship winners were the Roswell Historical Society, along with Brandy and Jared Kirschner, for stewardship of the Hembree Farmhouse in Roswell. The other Stewardship Award went to the Coastal Georgia Historical Society for their stewardship of several historic collections and structures on St. Simons Island. Excellence in Rehabilitation winners were: Adairsville Church on the Square, Adairsville; Augusta Warehouse & Compress Co., Augusta; Force-Jackson House, Augusta; Foster-Thomason-Miller-Minnix House, Madison; Historic Oakland Cemetery Bell Tower, Atlanta; Jones Mercantile Building, Canton; McKey Building, Valdosta; Perkins-Cullum House, Augusta; Prontaut-Henry House, Augusta; Queen and Grant, Brunswick; Rudy York House, Cartersville; Sycamore Building and the Chapel on Sycamore, Decatur; Thomson Fire Hall, Thomson; Wheat Street Christian Education Building, Atlanta; and Whitfield House, Savannah. For over 45 years, the Trust has recognized preservation projects and individuals throughout Georgia who have made significant contributions to the field of historic preservation. Awards are presented on the basis of the contributions of the person or project to the community and/or state and on compliance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Founded in 1973, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is one of the country's leading statewide, nonprofit preservation organizations. The Trust works for the preservation and revitalization of Georgia's diverse historic resources and advocates their appreciation, protection and use. To learn more about the Georgia Trust and the Preservation Awards, visit www.georgiatrust.org. EDITOR'S NOTE: More details about each award winner, including hi-res images, can be found at https://www.georgiatrust.org/our-programs/preservation-awards/#awards. Hi-res images of the recipients at the awards ceremony will be available April 22. Contact: Traci Clark Rothwell 404.885.7802 [email protected] SOURCE The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation In appeal, a panel of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court judges ruled 7-0 to send the lawsuit back to lower court for reexamination, stating that City Hall does not have "'free reign' to act as it pleases in defiance of the law." PITTSBURGH, April 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court on Friday overturned the dismissal of a lawsuit that was filed to block the planned removal of Pittsburgh's Columbus statue, writing in a 24-page opinion that a lower court "erred" in its dismissal of the case in 2022. The 30-foot bronze and granite statue was designed by the Italian sculptor Frank Vittor and installed in 1958 in Pittsburgh's historic Schenley Park. (Credit: Andrew Stein, iStock) Philadelphia litigator George Bochetto filed the lawsuit, and subsequent appeal, on behalf of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), a not-for-profit cultural and fraternal organization that was founded in Pittsburgh in 1930; ISDA is a member of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO). "I am delighted the Commonwealth Court agreed that the dismissal of this lawsuit by the lower court was plain error and that, while the mayor of Pittsburgh has certain First Amendment rights, he does not have free reign to violate the law," said Bochetto. "I am also hopeful that the new mayor will sit down with me to reach a resolution without further costly litigation and a waste of taxpayers' money." The reinstated case will now go back before Judge John T. McVay, Jr. of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas "for further factfinding and decision," per the opinion. "The bronze Columbus statue in Schenley Park, casted in 1958 after years of meager donations from poor Italian immigrants, symbolizes the contributions and sacrifices of not only Italian immigrants, but of all immigrants, to the growth and success of the city of Pittsburgh. This history has the same right to be preserved and celebrated as does the history of all other groups," said Basil M. Russo, who is president of both ISDA and COPOMIAO. In December 2022, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court in a separate lawsuit sided with Bochetto when it blocked Philadelphia's former mayor from uprooting the city's 148-year-old Columbus statue from a public plaza. The outcome of that case weighed heavily in yesterday's Pittsburgh ruling (see pages 17 19). Columbus' History In 1892, U.S. President Benjamin Harrison organized the first national Columbus Day parade in New York City to ease a diplomatic crisis between the U.S. and Italy, which surfaced a year prior when the largest lynch mob ever to assemble on American soil murdered 11 innocent Italian immigrants in the streets of New Orleans. Given the massive success of President Harrison's NYC parade (attended by more than one million people), Italian Americans built Columbus statues across the U.S. through the 1900s to help fuel their assimilation. Pittsburgh's Columbus statue was constructed to pay tribute to this history. Today, the holiday honors Italian American pride and heritage. Over the past two years, Basil Russo and his Italian American peers have worked directly with White House officials to develop Columbus Day proclamations that explore the history behind the holiday. See the 2022 and 2023 Columbus Day Proclamations for further context. About COPOMIAO Formed in 1975 and based in NYC, the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO) is a collective of 63 of the most influential, cultural, educational, fraternal and anti-defamation groups in the nation. https://copomiao.org Contact George Bochetto, Esq. [email protected] Basil M. Russo [email protected] SOURCE The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. , April 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rise48 Equity, a leading multifamily investment group, today announced the acquisition of Mosaic Apartments in the DFW area of Texas. This 288-unit complex marks a significant milestone as the company's 50th acquisition since 2019 and its 10th in the Dallas MSA, further expanding their strong presence in Texas. Rise48 Equity has plans to revitalize Mosaic Apartments, soon to be rebranded Rise Fossil Creek, with an investment of over $7 million. Property renovations include: Rise Fossil Creek Apartments Platinum-level interior upgrades: New shaker doors, quartz countertops, plumbing fixtures, stainless steel appliances, vinyl flooring, and updated lighting. Transformative exterior: Fresh 3-tone paint, pool area improvements, leasing office & clubhouse upgrades, landscaping enhancements, a new LED-backlit monument sign, and new marketing banners. Rise48 Equity CEO and Co-Founder, Zach Haptonstall, said "We're excited to have acquired Mosaic Apartments off-market at a great basis. It's a very strong submarket and a great asset with a lot of upside. We want to thank our investors for partnering with us on this deal, and we will immediately begin to execute our business plan." About Rise48 Equity: Rise48 Equity is a multifamily investment group with offices in Dallas, TX, and Phoenix, AZ. Dedicated to empowering accredited and non-accredited investors, the company focuses on creating wealth-building opportunities while delivering exceptional living experiences for residents. Rise48 Equity's expertise in acquisition, repositioning, and capital management delivers strategic returns for its partners. Since 2019, Rise48 Equity has transacted over $2.19 billion and currently holds over $1.75 billion in assets under managementall overseen by its vertically integrated property management company, Rise48 Communities. Company Website: www.Rise48Equity.com SOURCE Rise48 Equity NEW YORK, April 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Globe Life Inc. ("Globe Life" or the "Company") (NYSE: GL). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980 The investigation concerns whether Globe Life and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On April 11, 2024, Fuzzy Panda Research ("Fuzzy Panda") published a report on Globe Life entitled "Globe Life (GL): Executives Disregarded Wide-Ranging 'Insurance Fraud' While They Received Millions in Undisclosed Kick-Back Scheme." In the report, Fuzzy Panda claimed to have "uncovered extensive allegations of insurance fraud ignored by management despite being obvious and reported hundreds of times," including policies written for dead and fictitious people. Citing interviews with former executives and sales agent, the report also alleged that third-party policy sellers known to have committed insurance fraud accounted for over 60% of new business for the Company's American Income Life division. On this news, Globe Life's stock price fell $55.76 per share, or 53.14%, to close at $49.17 per share on April 11, 2024. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: Danielle Peyton Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 646-581-9980 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP 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 Helsinki, April 20 : European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo have urged de-escalation amid Iran-Israel tensions. They made these comments at a press conference held at southeastern Finland's Lappeenranta airport on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported. The event followed a visit to the Finnish eastern border near the town of Imatra. "We must do everything possible to ensure that all sides refrain from escalating the situation in the region," said von der Leyen. She emphasised the necessity for stabilising in the region. Orpo expressed hope that both sides would avoid retaliatory attacks. According to local media reports, the purpose of their visit to the eastern border was to inspect a pilot fence, about three km long, built near the Imatra border crossing. Islamabad, April 20 : Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a phone talk with President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss enhancing cooperation to counter challenges associated with climate change, according to the Prime Minister's office. In the phone call, Sharif said the UAE leadership has confronted the challenges that have emerged from the recent rains in the country, calling for collective actions to combat the challenge of climate change, the office said in a statement on Friday. "Both countries should strengthen their collaboration in this field," he said, adding that Pakistan has also witnessed heavy rains in recent days, resulting in the loss of many precious lives, Xinhua news agency reported. The UAE observed unprecedented rainfall on Tuesday, marking the highest recorded rainfall in the last 75 years since climate records started in 1949, according to the country's National Centre of Meteorology. During the conversation, the UAE President expressed appreciation for good wishes from Pakistan and reciprocated the warm sentiments for the people affected by the rains and flooding in Pakistan. Both leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation in multifaceted areas, the Prime Minister's office said. At least 87 people have been killed and 82 others injured in separate rain-triggered incidents in Pakistan over the past week as heavy downpours continued to wreak havoc in parts of the country, the country's National Disaster Management Authority said on Friday. United Nations, April 20 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to "stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East," said his Spokesman. "The Secretary-General reiterates that it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement on Friday issued after reports that Israel had carried out strikes on Iranian targets, Xinhua news agency reported. "The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond," Dujarric added. Tehran, which last week launched large-scale retaliatory attacks on Israel following Israel's bombing of its consulate in Syria, has played down Friday's attack. Beirut, April 20 : Two Hezbollah fighters were killed and three civilians wounded in Israeli airstrikes on several villages in southern Lebanon, said Lebanese military sources. The military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Friday that the Israeli army destroyed a house in the village of Aita al-Shaab in the border area with two air-to-ground missiles. A Hezbollah fighter was killed in the attack, while two civilians were wounded. Another Israeli warplane targeted a two-storeyed house in the village of Blida in southeastern Lebanon, killing another Hezbollah member while injuring one more civilian, according to the sources. Israeli warplanes and drones carried out a series of airstrikes on five towns and villages in the eastern and central parts of the border region, causing damage to 17 houses, the sources added as quoted by Xinhua news agency report. Meanwhile, Hezbollah confirmed that it had attacked several Israeli sites. Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on October 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7 the same year. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon. The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 429 people on the Lebanese side, including 274 Hezbollah members and 76 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources. Tehran, April 20 : Iranians have staged nationwide rallies to express support for the country's retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets last week, media reported. In Tehran, demonstrators marched almost 1 km from the University of Tehran to Enghelab Square. They carried placards featuring slogans against Israel and the US, expressing support for the strikes launched on the night of April 13, Xinhua news agency reported. The procession also demonstrated solidarity with the Palestinians, asserting that Palestine would be "liberated". Similar rallies were also held in other cities, including Tabriz, Mashhad, and Isfahan, where participants called Iran's drone and missile attacks "legitimate defence". Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones toward Israel last Saturday, in response to the Israeli airstrike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital city of Damascus on April 1, which killed seven Iranians, including two veteran commanders. Paris, April 20 : The man who reportedly entered the Iranian consulate in Paris with explosive, has been taken out of the building and put under control, the Paris prefecture said. The police intervened around and in the building which houses the Iranian diplomatic representation in the 16th arrondissement after at least one witness alerted that he had seen a suspicious individual enter the building displaying an explosive, which seemed to be a grenade or an explosive belt, according to French television TF1. The BRI, an elite police unit specialising in serious criminal cases such as armed robbery and kidnapping, was deployed to carry out checks. No explosive has been found yet, reported BFM TV as quoted by Xinhua news agency report. The French government upgraded the country's terror threat level to its maximum in late March following the attack on a Moscow concert hall. Recent escalation of conflicts in the Middle East raised fresh concerns. Baghdad, April 20 : Two Iraqi military bases were bombed after midnight on Saturday by an unknown aircraft in Babil province, south of Baghdad, an Interior Ministry source told the media. The airstrikes were carried out by drones and targeted two bases belonging to the Iraqi paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces in the Mahawil area, in the northern part of Babil province, the source said, without giving further details. One of the two targeted bases was an ammunition warehouse of the Hashd Shaabi forces and the other was their tanks headquarters, the source added as quoted by Xinhua news agency report. The source also said that there were explosions heard in the Madain area, nearly 30 km southeast of Baghdad, but there was no immediate information about the blasts. Chandigarh, April 20 : The Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday said it has seized a China-made drone near the India-Pakistan border in Punjab's Amritsar district along with a packet of 500 gm of heroin. Acting on a tip off, the BSF troops carried out an extensive search operation in the suspected area. At about 4.45 p.m. on Friday, the troops successfully recovered one drone along with one packet of suspected heroin of 500 gm, the BSF Punjab Frontier said. The packet was wrapped in yellow adhesive tape, and a small torch was also found attached to the drone. The recovery took place in fields adjacent to Nestha village, nearly 300 km from Chandigarh. The recovered drone is a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic. A reliable input and prompt action of BSF troops once again successfully foiled an illicit attempt of narcotics smuggling through drone from across the border, the BSF said. The BSF, responsible for safeguarding the 553-km long varied, tough and challenging India-Pakistan border in Punjab, said in 2023 that it detected and shot down 107 drones and seized 442.395 kg of heroin. Besides, seizing 23 weapons and 505 rounds of ammunition, the BSF has killed three Pakistan intruders, apprehended 23 Pakistan nationals, including two smugglers, 14 Bangladeshi nationals, and 95 Indian suspects, including 35 smugglers, in different incidents. Last year, the BSF troopers of the Punjab Frontier handed over 12 Pakistani nationals, who had inadvertently crossed the International Border, to Pakistan Rangers. Braving innumerable challenges, including inclement weather conditions and the spate of smuggling, BSF men are guarding borders round the clock with unflinching dedication. New York, April 20 : A man set himself on fire outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was underway in the criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. The incident took place on Friday noon. The man was engulfed in flames and was rushed to hospital later, Xinhua news agency reported. The man threw pamphlets into the air and poured accelerant on himself, according to the reports. "I have set myself on fire outside the Trump trial," reads the heading of flyers left at the scene, according to a report by New York Post. The motivation behind the man's action was not clear. Starting from last Monday, Trump appeared in a criminal court in Manhattan, New York City, in the hush money case, making him the first former US President to stand a criminal trial. The trial is expected to last around six to eight weeks. Thank you for reading! To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99. New Delhi, April 20 : Elon Musk, on Saturday, confirmed that he will not visit India this month amid crucial Tesla quarterly results and will possibly visit the country later this year to announce his investment plans. In a post on X, the billionaire said that unfortunately, "very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed." "But I do very much look forward to visiting later this year," Musk added Last week, the billionaire had tweeted that he was looking forward to meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The SpaceX CEO was also set to meet representatives of Indian space companies during his India visit. Musk has a key conference call with analysts about Tesla's latest quarter (Q1) results, after the company reduced 10 per cent of its workforce, or around 14,000 employees globally. The layoffs at Tesla "gutted some departments by 20 per cent and even hit high performers," and the decision was apparently made "due to poor financial performance." Two high-profile Tesla executives -- Rohan Patel, VP of Public Policy and Business Development and Drew Baglino, Tesla's SVP of Powertrain and Energy -- have also quit. Tesla has just shelved plans to develop a low-cost EV for around $25,000. New Delhi, April 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the star campaigner of BJP, on Saturday, will address a series of election rallies in Maharashtra and Karnataka. PM Modi will address rallies in Maharashtra's Nanded and Parbhani at 10:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. respectively. After this, he will leave for Karnataka, where he will hold public meetings in Chikkaballapur at 3:45 p.m. and in Bengaluru at 5:30 p.m. In Maharashtra, BJP is contesting the Lok Sabha elections along with Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and the NDA in the state is facing the alliance of Congress, Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar's party. Meanwhile, in Karnataka, BJP has allied with former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda's party, Janata Dal (Secular). They are pitted against the ruling Congress party in the state. Kolkata, April 20 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are scheduled to address rallies at Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency of West Bengal on Sunday, insiders of the state unit of BJP said. Darjeeling is one of the three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal that will go to the polls in the second phase on April 26, the other two being Raiganj and Balurghat. BJP candidates had won from these three constituencies in 2019. State party insiders said that besides Darjeeling, Singh might also hold rallies for two other constituencies namely Maldaha Uttar and Murshidabad on the same day. Both these constituencies are scheduled for voting in the third phase on May 13. While the BJP candidate was elected from Maldaha Uttar in 2019, the Trinamool Congress wrested control in Murshidabad. State BJP sources said that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath might also come to the state for campaigning before the second phase of polls. However, the date of his meeting is yet to be finalised. Earlier, the Union home minister had addressed a rally at Balurghat in West Bengal on April 10. In that meeting, he accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of shielding the accused in the blast at Bhupatinagar in East Midnapore district in December 2022 by her attempts to incriminate the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths investigating the blast. He also accused the Chief Minister of always opposing constructive steps like the abolition of the "triple-talaq" system or the introduction of CAA to pursue her appeasement politics. Mumbai, April 20 : Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who was last seen in 'Kaagaz 2', recently spent time with some children in Lansdowne town of Uttarakhand. Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who was last seen in aKaagaz 2a, recently spent time with some children in Lansdowne town of Uttarakhand. The actor shared videos from his meet-up on social media, reminiscing about the memories he made with them during his time in Lansdowne. On Saturday, the actor took to his X (formerly called Twitter) and shared two videos along with a heartfelt note. In the first video, he can be seen driving the children of Lansdowne to their school while engaging in conversation with them. In the second video, he interacts with a different group of kids, asking them if they recognise him, to which one child responds that Anupam is a good man who feeds children. The actor wrote in his tweet: "LIFE LESSON - The best reward I could ever get was from a five-year-old Abhishek in the second video at the end! In these two videos, I got to see glimpses of my childhood spent in Shimla. I used to meet these children in Lansdowne. I used to see them going to school." Anupam said that conversing with the children made him feel relaxed and highlighted the innocence rarely seen in the kids who grow up in cities. "Sometimes I would even drop them to school in my car! Sometimes I would even sit with them and have tea and breakfast. I used to feel good and relaxed after talking to them. May God always keep these children happy. Now this innocence is rarely seen in children of big cities. #Children #SmallTown #Lansdowne #TanviTheGreat," he added. Thiruvananthapuram, April 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Congress party's 'Yuvraj' will contest from one more seat. Referring to Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi said this while speaking to Asianet TV channel. "The 'Yuvraj' (heir) in the Congress party has run away from north India and sought refuge in south India's Wayanad. He is waiting for the polls to end in Wayanad. The announcement that he will stand in another constituency will come after April 26," said the Prime Minister. PM Modi also slammed the ruling Pinarayi Vijayan government which has violated all democratic norms by making life tough for Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, and pointed out that the state government is not allocating funds to Raj Bhavan. The Prime Minister denied that agencies like CBI and ED are being used to target political opponents and added that they are doing their job to wipe out corruption. Kerala goes to polls on April 26. Mumbai, April 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the INDIA bloc leaders, saying that they have come together to hide their corruption and therefore the voters have completely rejected them in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a rally in Maharashtra for BJP candidate at Nanded, Prataprao Patil Chikhalikar and Shiv Sena nominee for Hingoli seat, Baburao Kohalikar, Modi said, aaINDIA bloc parties are fighting against each other in 25 per cent seats in the country. Can the country trust people who do not believe in their own leadership? If people who talk of putting each other in jail within their own fronts are elected, they will fight against each other in Lok Sabha as well,aa he commented. aaAfter June 4, leaders of the INDIA bloc will tear each othersa clothes," criticised PM Modi. The PM further said the first phase of voting was held in the country yesterday (Friday) and thanked all the voters, especially, the first-time voters. aaAfter the polls, many have analysed it down to the booth level. Looking at it, it seems that in the first phase, there was a one-sided vote in the NDA's favour. I appeal to the citizens of the country that you are ensuring the victory of NDA. I thank everyone for that. But to those who are not voting, I would like to say that you should vote for someone. But don't hold back from voting,aa he urged. aIt is true that there is scorching heat. It is time for marriage. There is farm work. But we see that the soldiers of the country are performing their duty on the border to protect the country even in a hostile environment. Similarly, voters should consider voting as a duty,aa said PM Modi. He took a swipe at the opposition for its successive defeats but urged them to awaken people to vote even if they lost the election. aaIf not today then tomorrow, if not tomorrow then the day after tomorrow, you (opposition) too will get success. Therefore, I want to motivate the workers of the losing parties,aa he added. PM Modi criticised Congress, and its 'Shehzada' (Rahul Gandhi) in particular. aCongress Shehzada is looking for a safe constituency other than Wayanad. After the polls in Wayanad on April 26, Shehzada will look for another constituency. As they (Congress) had to leave Amethi. Similarly, they will leave Wayanad too,aa he said. New Delhi, April 20 : Olympian Manu Bhaker soared high, as much as six points above the world record, to take the Women's 25M Pistol Olympic Selection Trial T1 (OST T1), literally demolishing the four-woman opposition here at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range on Saturday. New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Olympian Manu Bhaker soared high, as much as six points above the world record, to take the Womenas 25M Pistol Olympic Selection Trial T1 (OST T1), literally demolishing the four-woman opposition here at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range on Saturday. Anish Bhanwala then followed with an expected regulation win in the menas 25M Rapid-Fire Pistol (RFP) OST T1 as the first winners of the Rifle and Pistol Paris Olympic Trials 1&2 were identified on the day. Pistol ace Manu topped the Womenas 25M Pistol qualification finishing ahead of Esha Singh, Rhythm Sangwan, Simranpreet and Abhidnya. Manu was all class in the womenas final, her scores in the 10 series of five rapid-fire shots reading 4,4,5,5,5,5,4,5,5 and 5. When Esha was first to be eliminated on 23 after the seventh series, Manu was already on 32, six ahead of Rhythm and Abhidnya, who were tied at that stage. She was relentless and sure and with the maximum podium points added to the quota points she already had her Paris campaign has surely taken a big step forward. Esha Singh, however, will still lead the womenas 25M Pistol OST at the end of it, thanks to her 585 in qualifying, which helped her top the five-woman field on Friday. Manu will be just behind her in second with Simranpreet, Abhidnya and Rhythm completing the order. Anish also stamped his class in the menas RFP, finishing with 33 hits, a clear six ahead of Vijayveer Sidhu, who was second. Adarsh Singh took the third podium position with 23 hits. Bhavesh Shekhawat, after topping the qualifications finished fourth with 18 while Ankur Goel was first to exit with 10 hits to his name at that stage. Vijayveer currently edges out Anish on the top of that field, courtesy of a better qualifying score, who in turn is touch-n-go with Bhavesh at this stage. The OST T2 for the same events begin on Sunday with the qualification rounds, with the final slotted for Monday. Berlin, April 20 : A German warship ended its mission protecting merchant shipping from Houthi militants in Yemen and departed from the Red Sea early on Saturday morning. Berlin, April 20 (IANS/DPA) A German warship ended its mission protecting merchant shipping from Houthi militants in Yemen and departed from the Red Sea early on Saturday morning. The frigate was part of the EU's defensive naval mission Aspides and was deployed in the Red Sea in February to protect merchant ships from attacks by the militants in Yemen, who are protesting against the war in Gaza. The Red Sea is home to the most important sea route from Asia to Europe, which runs through the Suez Canal. Houthi militants, allied with Iran, want to force an end to the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. The frigate, with a crew of 240 on board, completed the mission at 5:50 am (0350 GMT) and left the area of operations, the Bundeswehr said. The crew on the Hessen repeatedly shot down drones launched by the militants in the German Navy's first mission of its kind. The vessel was deployed on February 23 after a series of attacks on merchant vessels. Major shipping companies began avoiding the Red Sea, part of the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe, impacting the global economy. The German Defence Ministry said the vessel safely escorted 27 merchant ships through the area of operation. In four cases, Houthi drones and missiles were successfully countered, the ministry said. In total, the frigate covered more than 11,000 kilometres in the area of operation. The crew provided medical first aid on two occasions, for a soldier from a partner nation and for a crew member of a merchant ship. The 143-metre frigate is equipped with anti-aircraft missiles and was designed for escort and maritime surveillance, with radar capable of monitoring airspace the size of the North Sea, according to the Bundeswehr. Also known as an air defence frigate, its weapon systems are capable of engaging targets at a range of up to 160 kilometres. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius called this the most dangerous naval operation in decades on a visit to the frigate days before the mission began. --IANS/DPA svn Bengaluru, April 20 : Members of the ABVP and Hindu activists on Saturday staged protests across Karnataka condemning the murder of MCA student Neha Hiremath. They also demanded capital punishment for the accused, Fayaz Kondikoppa. High drama prevailed at the residence of Home Minister, Dr G Parameshwara when members of ABVP tried to lay siege to the house. The protestors burnt the photos of accused Fayaz and demanded that he should be hanged. The police detained the members for staging a protest without permission and took them away from the spot. Hindu activists have staged protests over the murder in Ramanagar, Kalaburagi and Vijayapura districts. The protestors burnt tyres, effigies and photos of Fayaz. BJP MP, BY Raghavendra who is fighting the Lok Sabha election from the Shivamogga seat, stated on Saturday in the constituency that the accused had killed Neha after consuming ganja. After the incident the Congress government should have given protection to the family of Neha, instead, they have given protection to the family of the accused, BY Raghavendra said. "The Chief Minister and Home Minister have given statements that the case is a personal matter. By giving a personal angle, they want to twist the case," Raghavendra alleged. His comment came hours after the Home Minister apologized for his "in love" remark in the case. Talking to reporters, Home Minister Parameshwara stated on Saturday that, if at all his statements regarding the case had hurt the feelings of Neha's parents he would regret issuing of the statements. In another development, Neha's photos with Fayaz have come up on social media and gone viral. Meanwhile, her family has reacted strongly to the allegations that Fayaz and Neha wanted to marry. Niranjan Hiremath, Neha's father outrightly rejected the allegations in this regard. "There was no matter of marriage. Now, the tale is being created and told. The accused might have thought of getting married to my daughter. My daughter Neha had never thought about it and she would not have met the tragic fate if she was in agreement. I condemn this development," he stated. Geetha, the mother of Neha stated that her daughter was a bold and intelligent girl and said that everything about her relationship with the killer is false. "Our daughter's soul will rest in peace only if the murderer is hanged to death. First give protection to girls. What if our daughters who are sent to the college return in the form of dead bodies," she stated. Bengaluru, April 20 : The Congress government in Karnataka has switched to damage control mode in the backdrop of public outrage over the handling of MCA student Neha Hiremath's murder case. Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar said on Saturday: "Everyone involved will be booted into the prison. I was told that it was a personal matter. But, action will be initiated as per the law, and those involved will be kicked into the prison." "We have asked the Ministers to visit the victim's family. No mercy on anyone. Minority leaders have also spoken about it. The punishment will be given according to the law," state Congress President Shivakumar stated. When asked about the murder allegedly being a case of 'love jihad', Shivakumar stated that he couldn't explain a statement made by someone else. Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar visited the residence of the murder victim to pay her condolences on Saturday, during which, Niranjan Hiremath, father of the victim, broke down into tears and pleaded that the murderer be given stringent punishment. The Minister stated: "I have assured the parents that the community and I stand with the family. We will get justice for their daughter. There would be unbiased investigation and there shall be no doubt about it. This is a heinous act and incidents like this should be prevented. The police will be given a free hand in the investigation." Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara, who earlier stated that Fayaz, the accused, and Neha were "in love", regretted his statement and apologised to the parents of the victim. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy slammed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Dy CM Shivakumar over the matter. Kumaraswamy said: "Both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister have tarnished the image of a family that led a respectful life. Those statements were issued irrespective of the fact that she was the daughter of a Congress corporator. If these two great personalities are not able to protect their own corporator's daughter, how would they protect the state?" Meanwhile, the parents of the victim also slammed the Congress party and leadership, and asked them to not bring disrepute to their family at a time when their daughter was murdered and they were grieving. Amravati : , April 20 (IANS) The green but hot and dry Amravati (SC) constituency is among the few in Maharashtra that has elected women to the Lok Sabha four times since 1952, including a future President Pratibha Patil (1991), the first woman to hold the top post in the country. A seat that is being closely monitored, it was a traditional Congress stronghold which elected the party's candidates 10 times, plus in one by-election, while the (undivided) Shiv Sena nominees were elected 5 times, besides the RPI, CPI and an independent once each, with the Bharatiya Janata Party feeling left out so far. This time, the BJP is hoping Dame Luck may smile on the party -- through its comely candidate, NDA-MahaYuti-BJP's Navneet Kaur-Rana, an actress-turned-politician who is all set to enchant the electorate for the second time. After all, in 2019, Rana overcame the BJP's 'second coming' to get elected as the sole independent MP in the state, of course, with support of the (undivided) Nationalist Congress Party and other parties, to trounce the (undivided) Shiv Sena strongman Anandrao V. Adsul, a former Union minister, now with CM Eknath Shinde's party. Campaigning aggressively, this time Rana has locked horns with her chief rival MVA-INDIA Bloc-Congress' MLA Balwant B. Wankhade, while the third contender is Republican Sena's Anandraj Y. Ambedkar supported by his brother and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Y. Ambedkar, for the April 26 Lok Sabha polls. However, more than the challengers outside with formidable opponents who can divide the votes, Rana will have to look over her shoulders for the looming threat from within which could derail her prospects. A ruling MahaYuti ally, the Prahar Janshakti Party (PHP) founder Omprakash Babarao Kadu, alias Bachhu Kadu, has publicly vowed to "defeat" Rana at any cost and fielded its local heavyweight Dinesh G. Boob who has launched a blistering attack on his rival. Rana's campaign got off to a 'crying start' with the actress recounting her political struggles and hardships for the past 12 years since she entered electoral politics, how she was targeted in different ways by opponents and appealed for support to strengthen the hands of PM Narendra Modi in the LS 2024 elections. Canvassing for her, the PM, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and other top leaders have fervently appealed to the voters "to elect Rana with the highest margin in the state and create history for the Amravati (SC) seat". The 2024 elections are critical even for the Congress which elected its last candidate Pratibha Patil (1991-1996) here, after which the party has been relegated to the secondary position in all Lok Sabha polls for the past 28 years. The Amravati (SC) constituency comprises six assembly segments of which three are held by Congress, two by PJP and one by BJP. They are: Badnera (BJP, MLA Ravi Rana who is the sitting MP Navneet Kaur's husband), Achalpur (PJP, MLA Bachhu Kadu), Melghat-ST (PJP, MLA Rajkumar Patel), and the rest of the Congress - Daryapur-SC (MLA Balwant B. Wankhade, now LS contestant), Amravati (MLA Sulbha Khodke), and Teosa (ex-minister and MLA Yashomati Thakur). Nearly 18 big and small rivers criss-cross through the lush constituency, irrigating the largely agricultural economy, besides boasting of some good hill stations, the famed Melghat Tiger Reserve with many striped big cats prowling around and other wildlife sanctuaries plus multi-religious places of worship dotting the region. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) New Delhi, April 20 : Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, attending the Viksit Bharat Ambassador Srinagar meet-up event on Saturday, highlighted the country's transformational journey in the past ten years, saying that India is set to outclass Germany and Japan in next few years and will emerge as top three economies in the world. "Bharat cannot be Viksit without a Viksit Kashmir," he said addressing the Viksit Bharat event which was attended by more than 300 participants hailing from various backgrounds including writers, students, working professionals and notable figures. Recounting India's economic growth, Hardeep Puri said that India accounted for 25 per cent of global GDP in the 1700s but it gradually dipped to just 2 per cent by 1947, as documented by noted experts. "The country which once enjoyed 'sone ki chidiya' status lost its prowess during British rule and even after decades of Independence, remained under the Fragile Five category till 2014," said the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs. He added that the 'real' transition began under the Modi government and in the past ten years, the country has moved from the top 11 economies to the top 5 economies of the world. "The country is set to surpass Germany and Japan and will become the world's third-largest economy by 2027-28," he said. As per official estimates, India should become a 40 trillion dollar economy by 2040, which is currently hovering around 3.5 trillion dollar. The Union Minister also urged for the participation of all in the Viksit Bharat 2047 mission and said that the dream wouldn't be possible without the active support and coordination of the 'ambassadors' of change. He said that India is on the verge of leaving behind the US in terms of Metro Network. "Currently, India's operational metro network stands at about 950 kms. In the next 2-3 years, it will become the second largest metro network surpassing the US," the Union Minister told Viksit Bharat ambassadors. In specific reference to Jammu and Kashmir, he said that under the Smart project, more than 68 projects worth Rs 6,800 crores were conceived out of which those worth Rs 3,200 crore projects have already been completed. He also said that Jammu and Kashmir has more potential than Switzerland but it got 'left out' because of man-made crises and also emphasised that the Modi government was committed to its all-round development. Highlighting one of the government's key policies, the minister said that we are moving from women-centred development to women-led development. "In my 39 years of service as a diplomat, I have seen, wherever the country has moved from women-centred to women-led development, its GDP sees a jump of at least 20-30 per cent," he said while sharing a personal experience. He said that the government is working towards this objective and Awas Yojana, with houses registered in the name of women members of the household and 33 per cent reservation in elected bodies is part of the larger mission. He also gave an insight into how the welfare policies of the Modi government have brought an unprecedented change in people's lives. "Under Ujjawala Yojana, 32 crore have got LPG cylinders as compared to earlier 14 crore connections in 2014 while gas pipeline has been extended from 14,000 km to over 20,000 km in past ten years," he said. Baghdad, April 20 : An explosion at a military base of a powerful Iran-allied militia in Iraq left one militiaman dead and eight others injured, the Iraqi army reported on Saturday amid reports that the facility came under airstrikes. The casualties resulted from a blast and a fire early Saturday at Camp Kalsu in the province of Babil in Iraq, housing premises of the Iraqi security forces and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), the Security Media Cell added, according to Iraq's official news agency INA. A committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the blast and fire, it said, citing initial findings ruling out that military action was behind the incident. However, an Iraqi security official earlier said the Kalsu base had been struck by missiles or drones. The attack triggered a fire in the site that houses brigades of the PMU and Iraqi security forces, Babil security committee chief Muhaned al-Enazi added in televised remarks. "The fire was put out. An investigation is underway to determine if the attack was carried out by drones or missiles, and who stands behind it," the official said. The purported attack came a day after a suspected Israeli strike in the Iranian province of Isfahan, home to some of the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities. A pro-Iranian militia grouping accused Israel of being behind the alleged attack in Babil. The self-styled Islamic Resistance in Iraq Saturday claimed to have fired drones at a "vital target" on the southern Israeli coastal town of Eilat in response to the attack. The Israeli military did not comment. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq is an umbrella group for pro-Iranian militias operating together under this general name since the war in the Gaza Strip broke out in October last year. The grouping has also repeatedly claimed hitting US bases inside Iraq and Syria with drones and missiles. --IANS/DPA svn Kochi, April 20 : Kerala Leader of the Opposition (LoP) V. D. Satheesan on Saturday said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is a "coward" who lives in "perpetual fear" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kochi, April 20 (IANS) Kerala Leader of the Opposition (LoP) V. D. Satheesan on Saturday said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is a "coward" who lives in "perpetual fear" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Vijayan lives in perpetual fear of PM Modi because of numerous scams in which he is involved. His only agenda is to appease PM Modi that is why he is continuously attacking Rahul Gandhi," Satheesan said while talking to media persons. He said that during the CPI-M Kannur meeting in 2022, all CPI-M leaders attacked PM Modi however the Chief Minister kept mum and did not say anything against the Prime Minister. "It proves beyond doubt that Vijayan is a coward who tries to show he is bold," the LoP said. He alleged that Kerala Police is taking action against all those who criticise Prime Minister Modi on social media. "A case has been registered against Congress leader Shama Mohammed for criticising PM Modi. Such things do not even happen in BJP-ruled states," the LoP said. The Kerala Chief Minister has been criticising Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over many issues including the CAA. Kerala will vote on April 26 to elect 20 Lok Sabha members. Jerusalem, April 20 : At least two Palestinians have died and seven suffered gunshot wounds in an Israeli military operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm on the West Bank, the Palestinian health authority reported on Saturday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the operation had begun on Friday and was continuing into Saturday. It said the IDF forces were acting against armed opponents after being fired on and attacked with explosives. Four IDF soldiers had suffered injuries ranging from light to moderate, it said. Four more men had been killed, Palestinian media reports said, including the local commander of Islamic Jihad. There was no confirmation of the deaths, as Nur Shams has been cordoned off by the IDF. A number of Palestinians are reported to have been detained and considerable damage caused to roads, healthcare facilities and homes. Almost 450 Palestinians have died in the West Bank since the October 7 attacks mounted by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, most of them dying in IDF operations and others in attacks mounted on Israelis. In the Gaza Strip, the IDF bombed rocket launch ramps in Beit Hanoun in the north following a rocket attack directed towards Sderot across the border with Israel on Friday. Dozens of sorties were also flown targeting other targets in the Gaza Strip, the IDF reported. And in the north of Israel along the border with Lebanon, air raid sirens sounded, indicating a possible attack by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. --IANS/DPA svn Bengaluru, April 20 : In a major development, Niranjan Hiremath, father of Neha Hiremath who was stabbed to death on her college campus, has claimed that the investigation of his daughter's murder is being "misled," and warned that his family would "commit suicide" if it continues. Talking to the press about photos of his daughter Neha with the accused Fayaz Kondikoppa being released on social media, the Congress corporator stated that "the photos are fake and 101 per cent done to botch up the investigation." "We will write a letter in the name of the Chief Minister and Home Minister and commit suicide. We will also send the letter to the Governor. Instead of getting us justice for the murdered child, they are resorting to bringing disrepute to her and our family," Niranjan warned. "How come the photos that bring disrepute to my family and deceased daughter crop up all of a sudden? What is the police department doing about it? The killer is inside the prison, how come others are able to get these photos? Or has he been allowed to do all this sitting inside the prison?" questioned Niranjan. "The cybercrime wing must act and put those who are posting these photos in prison. The accused and my daughter had studied together for years and attended all the programmes. All of a sudden these photos at this juncture are coming up. This is the responsibility of the police department and the Home Minister. They should ensure these things are not done," said Niranjan. When asked about killer Fayaz and Neha having marriage plans, Niranjan stated that the boy might have had those feelings, but "my daughter did not have any such ideas on her mind." "My daughter Neha would never indulge in such dirty acts. Her photos have been edited. She had told me once that the accused was behind her, and I had advised her to strongly face it. She was a strong girl. The killer should not be alive, he should be hanged," Neha's mother, Geetha, said. Neha was stabbed to death on her college campus in Hubballi city on Thursday. The students had chased Fayaz, caught him and handed him over to police. Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said that any murder happens for "personal reasons." In addition to this, Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara had stated that the murder victim and the accused were "in love." However, he apologised for his statements following the outrage. In reponse to the outrage, Congress also started doing damage control and Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar visited the victim's house and spoke to them. Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar also made a call, however, the victim's father was not able to answer it. Nanded, April 20 : As he highlighted several significant initiatives that his government has taken for the welfare of Sikhs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the Congress, saying that the party has always opposed the community and is still taking revenge for 1984. "It is due to this that they oppose the CAA that aims to bring Sikh brothers and sisters to India, granting them citizenship," said PM Modi while addressing an election rally in Maharashtra's Nanded. Insisting that the historic city "reflects the purity of India's Sikh gurus", PM Modi said that it was his government that brought back the Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan and facilitated the building of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor. "We are guided by the principles of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Over the years, we have celebrated the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, and the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji," said PM Modi. It isn't the first time that top BJP leaders are highlighting the initiatives taken by the Centre for the welfare of the community or the significance of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that grants citizenship to Sikh refugees who suffered torture, forceful religious conversion and terrorism in neighbouring Afghanistan and Pakistan. Exempting GST on 'langar', constructing the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, making Sultanpur Lodhi a heritage city, establishing a chair in the name of Guru Nanak Dev Ji at a British university, and providing facilities for Sikh pilgrims to travel to Pakistan and many more such initiatives have been taken by the Modi government over the last 10 years. At the same time, the BJP also took on the Congress for the 1984 riots, stating that it was the Modi government that established an SIT and re-opened 300 cases, leading to the imprisonment of the guilty and ensuring justice for the riot victims, besides providing them financial assistance. Similarly, the party maintains that it was revocation of Article 370 that has given equal rights to the Sikh minority in Jammu and Kashmir. Last October, while addressing a felicitation programme organised by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for the "unprecedented work" done by the Modi government for the Sikh community, Home Minister Amit Shah reflected that the tradition of women empowerment started in the Sikh panth with Mata Khivi's langar. At the same time, the BJP leaders are also highlighting the steps the Modi government has taken to empower the Sikh youth with opportunities, stating that, before 2014, just 18 lakh students from the Sikh community had been given scholarships - a number that has risen significantly to over 31 lakh pre/post matric and merit-cum-means scholarships now. Sangli : , April 20 (IANS) A day after the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Sanjay Raut, set loose a rat - with broad hints suggesting ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as a possible claimant for the Prime Minister's post, here on Saturday. Sangli (Maharashtra), April 20 (IANS) A day after the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Sanjay Raut, set loose a rat with broad hints suggesting ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as a possible claimant for the Prime Minister's post, here on Saturday. Speaking to the media in Sangli during an election tour, Sanjay Raut said that "if Maharashtra gets an opportunity to lead the nation after the current Lok Sabha elections, then it should be welcomed by all." While avoiding a direct reference, the Sena MP said that the question was not whether Thackeray was in the reckoning for the post of PM, but "why can't he be a contender for the top job." "He is a former CM of a major state like Maharashtra and performed exceedingly well during the Covid-19 pandemic He enjoy mass goodwill and can take everybody along with him So what's wrong if his name comes up. But all these things are first discussed with the INDIA bloc before anything is finalised," pointed out Raut, albeit with a cautious rider. Expectedly, the statement evoked a sharp retort from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally, Congress state President Nana F Patole, who hit out at Raut for "changing his stance" daily, though the NCP(SP) has not yet reacted to the comment. "Till yesterday, Raut was seeming okay with Rahul Gandhi's name as PM, but today he has suddenly changed his opinion This does not augur well" said a peeved Patole. The tussle among the MVA allies was apparently music for BJP state President Ashish Shelar who attacked the Opposition alliance saying "they have no strong candidate for the PM's post, all the parties in INDIA bloc want to project their candidates and are trying to pull each other down." "Only PM Narendra Modi is capable of leading the country and has a strong developmental goal for the nation's progress The Opposition parties and their leaders are busy fighting among themselves, lacking a clear agenda and spoiling each other's chances," slammed Shelar. Justifying his contentions, Raut said in the past, senior leader and NCP(SP) President Sharad Pawar was also a strong contender for the PM's job, but owing to certain political circumstances he could not achieve it, "and we all regret it even now." However, attempting to nip any speculation in the bud, Raut announced that both Gandhi and Thackeray shall be seen sharing the dais at MVA-INDIA bloc rallies scheduled during the forthcoming four phases of LS elections in the state. "In the 2024 elections, the INDIA bloc will get between 300-310 LS seats, the BJP-NDA will be stuck between 180-200, at the highest at 230 Nothing can stop the INDIA bloc now," asserted a grim Raut. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) Mumbai, April 20 : Actor Sonu Sood, who is gearing up for his upcoming film 'Fateh', had a new partner in the gym for a workout on Saturday. Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Actor Sonu Sood, who is gearing up for his upcoming film aFateha, had a new partner in the gym for a workout on Saturday. The actor took to his Instagram and introduced his new gym buddy to his fans in a video. The video shows him in the company of a pip aPyare Mohana. The actor said that he is inspiring him to workout "harder". He also urged fans to adopt stray dogs. The actor also did biceps curls on a cable machine as he lovingly held the pup in one hand. Earlier this week, Sood was seen getting into a heartfelt conversation with a specially-abled fan, who travelled to Mumbai all the way from Jharkhand to meet the actor. The video, which went viral on social media, received heaps of praise from the netizens. On the work front, Sood is looking forward to the release of his upcoming actioner 'Fateh'. The film also stars Jacqueline Fernandez in the lead role. Sonu Sood had previously said that the audience would witness Hollywood-like action in the film, which took three years to be written and prepped. The cybercrime thriller is produced by Soodas Shakti Sagar Productions in collaboration with Zee Studios. Priyanka Chopra cant seem to get enough of her Swiss holiday: Can I please stay. Image Source: IANS News Mumbai, April 20 : Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who recently visited India with her husband Nick Jonas, is enjoying every bit of her Swiss holiday. On Saturday, the actress took to her Instagram and dropped pictures from her recent vacation in the Crans-Montana municipality of Switzerland. Crans-Montana is located in the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. In the pictures, the actress can be seen relaxing on her holiday as she shared several pictures of the snowfall and the snowclad mountains. In the pictures, PC can be seen dressed in comfortable winterwear. She wrote in the caption, "Oh to sojourn in Crans Montana even for a blink.. Can I please stay." Earlier, Priyanka Chopra Jonas had shared then and now pictures on her Instagram. The actress took to her Instagram and shared two pictures. While the 1st picture was of her after she won the Miss World title, the second picture was a recent one. The actress also poked fun at her styling from the 2000s and said that back then she was just trying to fit in. A Washington man accused of burglarizing several Corvallis restaurants was sentenced to prison by a Benton County Judge. A Place to Sleep, episode 7: Grants Pass It's a community that openly heckles and worse its homeless neighbors, many who have deep roots. And it may have a date with the Supreme Court. In a 24-count indictment, Fred Clifford Dodson III was charged with seven counts of burglary, eight counts of theft, six counts of criminal mischief, two counts of trespassing and a count of burglary tool possession. Dodson, 28, pleaded guilty on 10 counts: Felony first-degree burglary. Felony first-degree theft. Felony second-degree burglary (three counts). Misdemeanor second-degree theft (two counts). Misdemeanor second-degree criminal mischief (three counts). Judge Matthew Donohue sentenced Dodson to two years in prison and three years of post-prison supervision, according to court records. Dodson was also convicted in a second-degree theft case for stealing a bicycle, and another second-degree theft case involving Home Depot. Dodson was initially arrested for an unrelated incident March 2 and later connected to the burglaries, according to a probable cause affidavit. It was not clear how those connections were made. Around 10 a.m. Feb. 26, authorities responded to a burglary at El Sol De Mexico on Northwest Ninth Street, according to the affidavit, which states an employee came in that morning to discover someone had stolen the cash register. The employee reported that a patio door had been left unlocked. The restaurant owner told police the cash register had around $200 in bills and $20 in coins, the affidavit states, noting the cost to replace the register was estimated between $200 and $500. Police canvassed the area east of Highway 99W and discovered the register in a grassy area along the railroad tracks, according to the affidavit. It was found around 120 yards from El Sol De Mexico. Lying next to the register, an officer found a vape pen, staple remover and a lighter, along with various receipts and papers from the restaurant. The cash was gone, but the coins were left behind. The metal tray in the register was reportedly bent so badly it rendered the device unusable. Later that day, police obtained security footage from Spaeth Lumber & Hardware Store showing a suspect crossing the highway holding a large object the size of a cash register, the affidavit states. When Dodson was arrested, police matched his clothes to what the suspect in the video was wearing. According to the affidavit, Dodson admitted to the El Sol De Mexico burglary, telling an officer he entered through an unlocked door and took the register, dumping it across the highway. Dodson is currently held at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, according to Oregon Department of Corrections records. Shruti Choudhary: I see echoes of love shared by Laxmi and Narayan in Bulbul and Veer. Image Source: IANS News Mumbai, April 20 : Actress Shruti Choudhary, who essays the role of Bulbul in the television show 'Mera Balam Thanedaar', has shared that she sees the echoes of the timeless love shared by Goddess Laxmi and God Narayan between her character of Bulbul and Veer (essayed by Shagun Pandey). The narrative of the show unfolds between an underage bride, Bulbul (Shruti Choudhary), and a police inspector, Veer (Shagun Pandey). Despite their initial differences, the two embark on a journey to build a foundation of trust and navigate the complexities of married life. In a heartfelt revelation, the actress expressed her desire to find a life partner similar to her on-screen counterpart, Veer. Shruti Choudhary said: "When I imagine the perfect couple, God 'Laxmi' and 'Narayan' come to mind. I've always envisioned my partner embodying the virtues of Lord Narayan, and watching Veer's character in the show reflects many of those qualities." She added, "His caring and devoted nature towards Bulbul warms my heart. Veer consistently prioritises her happiness and well-being. In Bulbul and Veer, I see echoes of the timeless love shared by Laxmi and Narayan." In the ongoing plot, Veer surprises Bulbul with a college outfit, but she chooses a saree instead. Meanwhile, Kaveri and Drishti conspire against Bulbul, exposing Vardhan's role. Bulbul faces ragging at college, bravely disclosing her connection with Varnika. Veer witnesses her resilience and stands by her against Varnika's intimidation. 'Mera Balam Thanedaar' airs Monday to Friday on Colors. Alappuzha : , April 20 (IANS) Reacting sharply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark that the Congress party's 'Yuvaraj' (Rahul Gandhi) ran away from North India to South India, AICC general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal on Saturday said they never knew that it was Modi who was selecting candidates for the Congress. Venugopal, who is fighting it out from the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency, was reacting to the interview of PM Modi given to a TV channel wherein he belittled Rahul Gandhi. "Isn't Wayanad in India and didn't Modi contest from two seats in the past? It's surprising that Modi is saying such things and we never knew that it was Modi who was selecting the Congress candidates. Moreover what's wrong if Rahul contests from two seats," asked Venugopal. Venugopal further pointed out that Modi has become jittery and that's why he is often saying that the BJP-led NDA will win 400 seats. "Modi finally appears to have realised that he is on the back foot and is trying to instil confidence by repeatedly saying about crossing 400 seats. Everyone knows what the reality is going to be," added Venugopal. Meanwhile, veteran Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) legislator P.K. Kunhalikutty said there was nothing wrong with Rahul Gandhi contesting from two seats and their party general secretary PMA Salam said Vijayan was spreading canards that Rahul did not speak about CAA, in fact at Kozhikode addressing a mammoth rally he emphasised about CAA. "He spoke in English and it was translated into Malayalam too," said Salam. Vijayan since he began his election campaign has attacked Gandhi for not speaking a word on CAA. Srinagar, April 20 : IGP Kashmir V. K. Birdi on Saturday asked the security officials to fortify area domination tactics to cover vulnerable areas across the Valley. "We must critically evaluate and enhance existing strategies to thwart any potential terror activities and also revisit and fortify area domination tactics to cover any vulnerable areas effectively," IGP Kashmir told security officials during a joint security review meeting held along with IGP CRPF and GOC Victor Force in Srinagar. He also directed the security officials to work without any prejudice, take stern action against those violating the law, and ensure that law enforcement agencies are well prepared to respond quickly and effectively to any emergent situations. The meeting also discussed intelligence gathering, threat assessments, and emergency response protocols in addition to election preparedness efforts. The meeting also focused on devising strategies to ensure public safety and upholding the integrity of the electoral process. New Delhi, April 20 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday told a Delhi court that it will not withdraw the complaint against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan for "non-compliance" of its summons in connection with the money laundering case linked to the Delhi Waqf Board. Khan appeared through video conferencing before the judge on ED's complaint over non-compliance of its seven summons. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for ED Simon Benjamin further urged the judge to direct Khan to appear physically before the court. The court has listed the matter for scrutiny on April 27. Notably, the AAP legislator left the ED office in the national capital post-midnight on Friday after over 13 hours of questioning in the case. Recently, even the Supreme Court refused to entertain his plea seeking anticipatory bail. The top court had voiced its displeasure over the MLA skipping ED summons. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM), Divya Malhotra of Rouse Avenue Court, who took cognisance of ED's complaint on April 9, had issued summons to Khan on ED's complaint. On Saturday, SPP Benjamin said that the ED will not withdraw its complaint, unlike the application seeking issuance of a non-bailable warrant against the accused. "He committed the offence of non-compliance of summons; therefore, this complaint was filed," the SPP said. About ED questioning the legislator recently, it is noteworthy that Khan had arrived at the ED office on Thursday at 11 a.m. after he was directed by the Supreme Court to join the probe, and he had left the agency's office post-midnight on Friday after over 13 hours of quizzing in the case. The sources said that Khan was allowed to leave after questioning, however, he can be summoned again to join the probe. The probe agency has alleged that Khan, previously a witness, later became an accused in the case by seeking anticipatory bail and evading investigation. SPP Benjamin had earlier stressed on Khan's pivotal role in the matter, saying that his involvement surpasses that of other accused who have already been apprehended and charged. The ED had cited Khan's non-cooperation as a hindrance to the conclusion of the investigation. On March 11, the Delhi High Court refused anticipatory bail to the AAP legislator. The allegation is related to Khan's alleged wrongful appointment as Chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board. The ED had filed the chargesheet against Zeeshan Haider, his partnership firm Skypower, Javed Imam Siddiqui, Dawood Nasir, and Qausar Imam Siddiqui in the case. The case pertains to a property worth Rs 36 crore in Okhla being allegedly acquired with illicit funds, purportedly influenced by Khan, who reportedly handed over Rs 8 crore in cash. During the investigation, the ED considered FIRs filed earlier by the CBI, ACB, and the Delhi Police. The ED said that the property was bought at Khan's behest, and presented with evidence of Rs 27 crore cash transaction. Kolkata, April 20 : In a joint operation, the West Bengal Police and the South Bengal Frontier of the BSF seized fake Indian currency notes (FICN) with a face value of Rs 1,48,500 from a house close to the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Malda district. The raid took place on Friday after an input from the BSF's intelligence wing. Before carrying out the raid, troops of the 70th Battalion of the BSF deployed at the Sasni border outpost informed the state police to prevent any retaliation by the villagers. Malda goes to the polls on May 7 and any false allegations by the locals against the CAPF personnel may lead to a political slugfest in the state. "A search was carried out in the house of a person named Habibur in Sasni village where bundles of counterfeit Rs 500 notes were found hidden on the third floor. The owner of the house is absconding. In total, 297 fake notes of Rs 500 face value each were seized, which have been handed over to the local police for further legal processing," said A.K. Arya, DIG, BSF, and spokesperson for the South Bengal Frontier. "There will be no let up in our vigil and the perpetrators will face strict action," he added. New Delhi, April 20 : The mother of TV journalist Soumya Vishwanathan, who was shot on Nelson Mandela Marg while returning from work in her car in 2008, has filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court's order granting bail and suspending the life sentence of four men convicted in the case. New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) The mother of TV journalist Soumya Vishwanathan, who was shot on Nelson Mandela Marg while returning from work in her car in 2008, has filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Courtas order granting bail and suspending the life sentence of four men convicted in the case. The division bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Girish Kathpalia of the high court had delivered the order on February 12, noting that the convicts have been behind bars for nearly 14 years. The bench had said that their life sentence will remain in suspension till this court deals with their appeal against conviction and sentencing in the case. Now, the deceasedas motheras SLP is likely to be listed on April 22 before the top court. The Saket court had, in November last year, sentenced Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljeet Malik, and Ajay Kumar to life imprisonment, while the fifth convict, Ajay Sethi, was sentenced to three years imprisonment. Four of them -- Ravi, Amit, Baljeet and Ajay -- had sought suspension of the sentence during the pendency of appeals. Earlier in January this year, Malik and Shukla had filed appeals through advocate Amit Kumar against the trial courtas October 18, 2023, judgement convicting them and the November 25, 2023 sentencing. While convicting the accused, the court had said that the offence does not fall in the category of "rarest of rare" cases, and had refused to grant the request for the death penalty. Kapoor, Shukla, Kumar, and Malik were convicted under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) provisions and Sethi for receiving stolen property. The police had attributed the motive for her killing to robbery, and had invoked the stringent MCOCA against the accused. Malik, Kapoor, and Shukla were previously convicted in the 2009 killing of IT executive Jigisha Ghosh. For Ghosh's murder, the trial court sentenced Kapoor and Shukla to death and awarded a life term to Malik. Subsequently, in the following year, the high court commuted the death sentences of Kapoor and Shukla to life imprisonment while upholding Malik's life term in the Ghosh murder case. Bengaluru April 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that "big and powerful people" from within India and outside the country have united to defeat him in the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a massive gathering in Karnataka's Chikkaballapur city, PM Modi said that the first phase of voting has uplifted the spirit of the people in the country. "With the blessings of 'Nari Shakti' and 'Matru Shakti', Modi is successfully facing the challenges and marching ahead. The INDIA bloc does not have a leader for the future, and also does not have a vision for the future as well," PM Modi said. "The highest number of beneficiaries of Modi government's schemes are SC, ST and OBC families. During the tenure of the earlier governments, they lived in filth, did not get electricity and water, and they had lost hope from the government. Modi has rekindled their hopes on the government. The fact that 25 crore people are being lifted out of poverty in the country substantiates the fact," PM Modi said. PM Modi, speaking at the rally, also said that those who were earlier called at last are being placed on the frontline today. "A daughter from a tribal family went on to become the first citizen of the country," PM Modi said, adding: "Under the development for all objectives, the NDA government has prioritised the education of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and youth. "These sections are beneficiaries of Mudra Scheme which provides loans. It is being planned to increase the loan amount from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh," PM Modi said. He said that the Congress government has betrayed the farmers by stopping the Rs 4 crore subsidy given by the state government during the previous BJP government in Karnataka. "I am sure you will punish the anti-farmer Congress government," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister further said: "The poor people of this country did not think that they would get free ration. This has been turned into reality. Lakhs of families are availing of free treatment. In Chikkaballapur, 4 lakh families have benefitted from this. Free treatment would be given to senior citizens who are above the age of 70 years, up to Rs 5 lakh. "In the last 10 years, in Chikkaballapur and Kolar, 25,000 houses have been built. Three crore more houses will be built." PM Modi also said that the Nandi Hills, located close to Bengaluru, will be developed as a weekend getaway. "The NDA gets inspiration from Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda (founder of Bengaluru) to develop modern infrastructure," PM Modi added. Kolkata, April 20 : The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested a Customs Department official on Friday for leading a betel nut smuggling racket from Bangladesh. A departmental inquiry is already underway against Samir Shankar, the customs superintendent, based on allegations that he received Rs 40 lakh illegal gratification every month while being posted in the GST wing for allowing betel nut-laden trucks illegally through inspection checkpoints. The origin of the present case dates back to January 28, 2024, when the BSF apprehended two Bangladeshi trawlers in the Sundarbans area with nearly 70,000 kg of betel nuts on board. The FB Allahar Dan 271 and FB Allahar Dan 272 had entered Indian waters illegally near New Moore Island and were on their way to the Jharkhali ferry jetty in the South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal to offload the illegal cargo. The BSF nabbed the trawlers after a chase near Estuary Point and seized 1,152 sacks of betel nuts. Twenty-seven Bangladeshis were also apprehended during the operation. During interrogation, the Bangladeshis revealed the names of four Indian smugglers -- Amal Dhali, Prabhakar Mandal, Abhijit Ghosh and Raju. "On January 30, the BSF handed over the goods and apprehended people and their mobile phones to the DRI. Thereafter, the Indian smugglers were arrested by the DRI. After analysing call details, Shankar was arrested on Friday. He is allegedly the kingpin in this case. The arrest highlights the necessity of stringent measures to uproot corruption in government departments and ensure the sanctity of law and order. The BSF remains steadfast in its mission to combat smuggling activities and uphold the rule of law along the border regions," said A K Arya, DIG, BSF and spokesperson, South Bengal Frontier. Ravi Gandhi, Additional Director General, Eastern Command, BSF stated that the Force is working in close coordination with sister agencies, leaving no stone unturned to nab kingpins managing smuggling rackets across the border and putting them behind bars. Forces and agencies have evolved an effective mechanism of sharing real-time information about criminals leading to successful joint operations, he added. Kolkata, April 20 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that the opinion polls are sponsored by the BJP and asked people not to believe these poll surveys done by different agencies. "Do not believe in any poll survey. All these opinion polls are sponsored by the BJP. They had claimed that they would cross 200 seats during the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections. They could not do it. BJP will not be successful this time as well in West Bengal," the Chief Minister said while addressing an election rally at Malda on Saturday. She said that the Trinamool Congress has no alliance with the INDIA bloc in West Bengal. "I played the main role in the creation of the INDIA bloc. But in West Bengal, I saw BJP, Congress and CPI-M joining hands. You should not vote for any of them here," the Chief Minister said. She termed the long seven-phase election a "conspiracy" to benefit a particular political party. "We had a norm to complete the election process in May. However, this time it has been extended till June. BJP does not understand the sufferings of the common people," the Chief Minister said. On not allowing the Ayushman Bharat scheme in West Bengal, the Chief Minister said that if the West Bengal government had allowed the scheme, the state government would have to provide 50 per cent of the cost and only 50 lakhs of people would have benefited from it. "Our Swasthya Sathi scheme has benefitted ten crore people," the Chief Minister said. Kohima, April 20 : A day after abstaining from voting in the Lok Sabha elections in six districts of Eastern Nagaland, the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) and its associate body on Saturday lifted the indefinite total shutdown call given across the six districts. ENPO, the apex body of seven tribes from the six districts, and its associate organisation, Eastern Nagaland Public Emergency (ENPE), called for an indefinite shutdown in six Eastern Nagaland districts -- Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang -- from Thursday evening, more than 12 hours before the commencement of polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state. On Friday, election officials at 738 polling stations in the six districts waited for over nine hours, but none of the region's 4 lakh (approx) voters showed up to cast their votes, including the 20 MLAs from the area. The Naga organisations gave the call for an indefinite shutdown and abstention from the electoral process in support of their demand for a separate 'Frontier Nagaland Territory', or a separate state, comprising the six Eastern Nagaland districts. The Naga bodies on Saturday expressed "regret for all the inconvenience" caused by the shutdown call. On Friday, state Chief Electoral Officer R. Vyasan issued a show cause notice to the ENPO, indicating to take appropriate action under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for the abstention from voting call. In his reply to the CEO's notice, ENPO President R. Tsapikiu Sangtam said that consultations were held with the people of Eastern Nagaland, represented through the ENPO, before giving the call to abstain from voting. Sangtam maintained that the "shutdown was a voluntary initiative taken by the people of the Eastern Nagaland region". The ENPO chief also expressed regret over any misunderstanding or misinterpretation of their actions. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said on Friday that the state government has proposed the constitution of an autonomous body for the development of Eastern Nagaland and its people. Since 2010, the ENPO has been demanding a separate 'Frontier Nagaland Territory' or separate state comprising six Eastern Nagaland districts inhabited by seven backward tribes -- Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, and Yimkhiung. The ENPO and its allies had given a call to boycott the Assembly elections held in February last year but withdrew it later following an assurance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Lucknow, April 20 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday congratulated the boys and girls who passed the 10th and 12th examinations of the UP Board. He wished them a bright future and encouraged them to continue their hard work with dedication and patience. He wrote on his X account, "Hearty congratulations to all the students, who have passed the 10th and 12th class examinations of the Board of Secondary Education, Uttar Pradesh, as well as their parents and teachers. You all are the golden future of 'New Uttar Pradesh'. With your hard work, dedication, and patience, we hope you achieve success in every challenge life presents. May the blessings of Mother Sharda always be upon you all!" It is noteworthy that the UP Board declared the results of Class 10th and 12th, in which 89.55 per cent of students passed in Class 10 and 82.60 per cent of students passed in Class 12 (Intermediate) exam. Pinarayi Vijayan has joined hands with BJP to attack my brother: Priyanka Gandhi. Image Source: IANS News Thiruvananthapuram, April 20 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday said that the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has joined hands with the BJP to attack Rahul Gandhi. "We know why the Chief Minister is attacking my brother (Rahul Gandhi). He is involved in various scams which include gold smuggling, Life Mission, among others. The BJP government has done nothing against him," Priyanka Gandhi said while addressing massive election rallies in Chalakudy and Pathanamthitta. She said that the Chief Minister never attacks Prime Minister Modi as he has "compromised". She also criticised the Modi government for "destroying" the ethos of the country. "When the INDIA block will assume office, the CAA will not be implemented. Ensure that you cast your vote for Tharoor from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency," the Congress General Secretary said while the sitting Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also accompanied her. New Delhi, April 20 : A team of doctors on Saturday announced the successful treatment of a 63-year-old woman suffering from a large incisional hernia, measuring over 10 cm, as well as other comorbidities. A hernia is a medical condition where a portion of an organ, typically the intestine, is displaced and protrudes through a weakened area in the abdominal wall. This protrusion can lead to discomfort, pain, and possible complications if left unaddressed. The woman presented to Ramakrishna Hospital in Bengaluru had a complicated medical history, encompassing obesity, long-standing asthma, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. She also presented with symptoms of pain, vomiting, and bowel dysfunction persisting for two days. A CT scan revealed that the patient had experienced a significant reduction in abdominal space (loss of domain), with the hernia occupying approximately 40 per cent of the remaining abdominal cavity. Furthermore, signs of intestinal obstruction were identified, as evidenced by dilated small bowel loops. The hernial orifice was notably large, measuring over 10 cm. Remarkably, the patient had been aware of the presence of a sizable incisional hernia for nearly a decade, noting its progressive enlargement over time. "An incisional hernia is characterised by the displacement of part of an organ through a weak point in the abdominal wall, often involving the intestine, at the site of previous surgery. When the hernial defect exceeds 10 centimetres, it is termed a giant or massive hernia. As these hernias enlarge, other organs may protrude as well, leading to a decrease in the abdominal cavity's size and a condition known as 'loss of domain'," Dr. Rajeev Premnath, Laparoscopic Surgeon and Endoscopist at the Hospital told IANS. "Loss of domain presents challenges to surgeons due to the associated respiratory distress caused by pressure on the lungs," he added. Given the complexity and risks involved, a multidisciplinary team opted for surgical intervention following discussions with the patient and her family. "The surgical approach included an open abdominal procedure, incorporating hernia repair with mesh placement alongside abdominoplasty to address excess skin. To mitigate risks linked to general anaesthesia, the surgery was conducted under spinal and epidural anaesthesia," Dr. Premnath said. Following the surgery, several interventions were employed, including non-invasive ventilation to manage respiratory distress resulting from the diminished abdominal space. In addition, physiotherapy was administered to enhance respiratory function and mitigate potential complications such as atelectasis. The doctors also diligently managed her underlying medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. "After a two-week hospitalisation, the woman regained mobility independence and was discharged in satisfactory condition," said the doctor. "I am thankful for the care and attention provided by the doctor and the team during my hospital stay. The surgery and postoperative care greatly contributed to my improved mobility, and I am satisfied with the outcome," said the patient. a"IANS rvt/pgh New Delhi, April 20 : Ritesh Agarwal, Founder, and CEO of global hospitality chain OYO Rooms, on Saturday said this is the ideal time for global companies to come and start a business in the country, which offers a conducive atmosphere amid friendly government policies. In a post on X, Agarwal who is a popular 'Shark Tank India' judge, said that today, every global brand wants to be in the country. "From being the back office for the world to being the talent capital for the world, India has come a long way globally," he posted. "If you are a global brand or a startup or a business and India is not on your radar, you are probably missing out greatly," he noted. The hospitality and travel-tech company clocked a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 30 crore in the third quarter (Q3) of the last fiscal year (FY24). The company registered a profitable quarter with a PAT of over Rs 16 crore in the second quarter (Q2) of FY24. Jaipur, April 20 : Addressing an election rally after holding a roadshow at Nimbahera in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed that terrorists were offered biryani during Congress rule. "Even for Lord Ram, it was said that he wasn't born," he said while lashing out at the Congress. He added that those who can't respect the faith of a nation, those who cannot strengthen national security and are unable to take their heritage and culture forward have no right to come to power. The Congress is a party that is playing with the security and faith of the country, he stated. Under the Narendra Modi government, the country has grown by leaps and bounds. Narendra Modi needs to be brought back as PM as the country has already suffered due to communalism under the Congress, said the UP CM. He also referred to Pakistan and quipped that even if there is a sound of crackers, Pakistan says they have no hand in it. Yogi reached Nimbhaheda in the afternoon where he was given a warm welcome with state minister Jhabar Singh Kharrra receiving him. BJP state president CP Joshi and MLA Shrichand Kriplani were with Yogi during the roadshow which passed through the main roads to culminate at Shekhawat Circle. Here, he garlanded the statue of former CM Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and then addressed the gathering. Thiruvananthapuram, April 20 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday said that the foundations of the country stand at the threshold of "destruction" under the BJP government. "Our country made us proud for its foundation of incomparable spirituality, unbreakable resilience, unfailing enterprise and its immense ability to embrace diversity and thrive in it. However, these very foundations of our nationhood stand at the threshold of destruction today," Priyanka said while addressing a public rally in Chalakudy, Kerala. She said that the ongoing Lok Sabha election is a fight for the soul of this great nation. "It is a fight for a democratic India that stood valiantly against tyranny and inequality. It is a fight for the freedom we once took for granted. It is a fight for hope and it is a fight for all that is right," she said. She said that some people who owe allegiance to the Prime Minister speak haughtily about changing the constitution which was written with the blood of freedom fighters and martyrs. She said that the voices of dissent are being silenced, students are arrested for expressing their opinions, activists are raided and jailed, journalists are sacked, beaten, and imprisoned for reporting the truth and much of the media is controlled. "Government agencies that are meant to protect the law are turned into unlawful extortionists and used to silence dissent," she said. Priyanka alleged that the government "protects" rapists and "defends" the oppressors and abusers of women as the "government vilified" victims using administrations. "Public assets that belong to the people are handed to the Prime Minister's billionaire friends. Airports, ports, highways, vast tracts of public land and whole sectors of industry like cement, power and coal are virtually now being controlled by businessmen close to the Prime Minister," Priyanka said. She said that people in Kerala should recognise the ongoing general election as a fight for the soul of India. Niamey/Washington, April 20 : The US administration has agreed to withdraw around 1,000 troops from Niger over the months ahead, US media and television in the West African country have reported. The decision comes in response to a demand from the West African country's military junta, which cancelled a military cooperation agreement with the United States in mid-March. Amadou Abdramane, a spokesman for the junta, said the move was based on patronizing US attitudes and an alleged threat of reprisals by the US delegation. The deal had previously allowed US troops and civil contractors of the US Defence Department to operate in the country. The Washington Post reported that the US administration had opposed the step, which would affect efforts to combat terrorism in the region. It also places a question over the status of a US airbase built at a cost of $110 million just six years ago. The Sahel which runs through Niger and its neighbours has become a hotspot for Islamist terrorism, with attacks rising in Niger following a coup last year. The withdrawal is a considerable setback for the US, which had used the airbase to launch drones to monitor the vast region. Before the July 2023 coup, Niger was seen as the West's last democratic partner and an ally in the battle against terrorism and migration to Europe. Neighbouring countries Mali and Burkina Faso have also turned against the West and have improved relations with Russia. At the beginning of April, Russia sent an anti-aircraft system and 100 training personnel to Niger. --IANS/DPA dan/ London, April 20 : A Russian strategic bomber aircraft was likely brought down by the Ukrainian air force, according to an estimate by the British Ministry of Defence in an update on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter on Saturday, calling it "the first instance of a strategic bomber being shot down by Ukrainian Air Defence Systems." "It is highly likely that Russia has now sustained at least 100 fixed-wing combat losses to date," the ministry said. The Russian Air Force lost one of its Tupolev Tu-22M3 supersonic heavy bombers on Friday. While the Russian Ministry of Defence said there had been a crash likely caused by technical problems, Ukraine claimed that it was shot down. The commander of the Ukrainian air force, Mykola Oleshchuk, said this was the first time such an aircraft had been successfully shot down with a missile. --IANS/DPA dan/ Bengaluru, April 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday criticised the Congress-led Karnataka government over the recent incidents of crime in the state while indirectly referring to the murder of an MCA student and a Congress leader's daughter, Neha Hiremath. Speaking at a rally here in the Palace Grounds, PM Modi also appealed to the people to be careful and to be on the highest alert mode. Slamming the Congress, he said: "Here, our daughters are being attacked. Bombs exploded in markets. Assaults are launched for listening to bhajans and kirtans. These are not routine incidents. Against this backdrop, I appeal to the people of Bengaluru and Karnataka to remain on the highest alert mode from the Congress." Targeting the Congress government in Karnataka, PM Modi said that Kempe Gowda (founder of Bengaluru city) has built a beautiful city. "The Congress government has created such a situation that the tech city has been reduced to a tanker city. They have handed the city over to the water mafia," he said. PM Modi said that in Karnataka, only the projects of the Central government are running. He also said that Karnataka will soon get the bullet train. "Brahmos missiles have reached the Philippines. Mobile exports are setting a record. Can you imagine any of these things happening during the rule of the Congress party?" PM Modi questioned. The Prime Minister also said that the NDA is bringing "PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana". After this scheme is implemented, the power bills will be zero and people can earn as well, he added. "Be it agriculture or infrastructure, the budget is cut, and the Congress government is only focused on corruption. It created a ruckus over the HAL and tried to bring disrepute to Modi. HAL today is making record turnover and profit. Asia's biggest helicopter factory is in Karnataka. "Karnataka is a technology powerhouse. But the Congress is opposed to technology. The Congress opposed Digital India Mission, it objected and ridiculed Jan Dhan accounts... the Congress also opposed the digital authentication for ration and ridiculed the CoWIN platform. It also spread propaganda on Covid vaccines manufactured in India. "Whereas, we want to make India a green hub, electrical vehicle hub, semiconductor hub and global innovation hub. The only objective of the Congress and India bloc is to remove Modi. The Congress is anti-youth, investment, entrepreneurship, private sector and tax payer," PM Modi said. Addressing the gathering, PM Modi also said that since 2014, the voters have given record seats towards a strong government which in turn has made the country stronger. "Now, every country wants to strengthen its friendship with India. Investors are making a record investment. Today, India is not a follower, it has become the first mover. This change was possible with your one vote. In this election, the INDIA bloc is running the same old tape recorder. The Congress is only targeting Modi and Modi ka Parivar. I come from a poor family and understand better what the ease of living is," PM Modi added. "Urbanisation is increasing at a rapid pace. Quality of life is important. Social, physical and digital infrastructure are the fields in which NDA has been making record investments. One crore houses have been built. Among which 84,000 houses are built in Bengaluru," PM Modi said. "During earlier regimes, builders left things halfway. NDA brought new RERA legislation. Over 3,000 housing projects in Bengaluru are covered under this. The builders are now required to stick to their promises. You can't take customers for granted anymore," PM Modi said. London, April 20 : A prompt admission of Palestine into the United Nations is a move to rectify prolonged historical injustice, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a press conference with his Papua New Guinea counterpart Justin Tkatchenko, Xinhua news agency reported. The United Nations should work to play its due role in responding to global challenges, and the UN Security Council should do its duty to maintain international peace and security, Wang said, noting that the international community has profound dissatisfaction and disappointment at the United States over its sole veto recently to deny Palestine's full UN membership. An early full UN membership for Palestine is a move to rectify prolonged historical injustice, Wang stressed, adding that this is an international obligation due to be fulfilled by each UN member state. However, the United States once again openly stands opposite to international morality, and to the international community, leaving one more very dishonorable record in history, the Chinese foreign minister noted. A full UN membership for Palestine should not come as a result of Israel-Palestine negotiations, but as an equal precondition granted to Palestine for negotiations, serving as a key step towards realizing the two-state solution, Wang pointed out. It is not that conditions are not ripe for Palestine to fully become a UN member state, but that justice remains long overdue, Wang said, noting that the United States should act to show its claimed support for the two-state solution. London, April 20 : Any attempt to provoke camp confrontation in the South Pacific region does not serve the urgent needs of South Pacific island countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a press conference with Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko held here Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported. Wang said the Pacific island countries are the homeland of their people, not the "backyard" of any major power. The United States is trying to cobble together a "trilateral security partnership" and insisted on introducing nuclear submarines into this region, which violates the purpose of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty and poses a serious risk of nuclear proliferation, Wang noted. Recently, the United States and its allies even came up with pretexts to try to entice more countries to join their bloc, said the Chinese foreign minister. He said that China has consistently opposed the act of provoking camp confrontation in this region because it does not serve the urgent needs of the South Pacific island countries and runs counter to the global trend of development. Istanbul, April 20 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas' political bureau, in Istanbul on Saturday to discuss a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza war, state broadcaster TRT reported. The two discussed Israeli attacks on Palestinian soil, as well as steps for the "adequate and uninterrupted" supply of aid to Gaza and for a "fair and lasting" peace in the region, Erdogan's communication office wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. There was no mention of the Israeli hostages in official Turkish statements. Turkey is committed to diplomatic efforts for an "immediate ceasefire" and the end of "massacres" in Gaza, Erdogan told Haniyeh, the statement on X read. Erdogan urged unity among Palestinian factions for a path to establishing their own state. The Turkish leader also said the recent escalation between Iran and Israel should not divert global attention away from Gaza. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kaln joined the meeting, the report said. Earlier on Saturday, Fidan urged the "end of Israeli occupation" and a return to talks on a "two-state solution" during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart in Istanbul. Further details about the nature of the discussions were not immediately clear. Haniyeh met Fidan in Qatar on Wednesday for talks on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, according to the Turkish state news agency Anadolu. Erdogan publicly endorses Hamas. Earlier this week, he likened Hamas to Turkish independence fighters against Western armies in Anatolia in the 1920s, during a parliamentary address. In the same address, the Turkish leader attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over what he called an ongoing "massacre" in Gaza. Israel firmly rejects Erdogan's statements. Despite the president's verbal attacks, Turkey has recently stepped up its efforts to play a mediating role in the Gaza war. Negotiations mediated primarily by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have so far failed. The war began after more than 1,200 people were killed in the massacre carried out by Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups in Israel on October 7. Numerous people were also taken hostage from Israel to the Gaza Strip. There are still 133 people being held there, only some of whom are probably still alive. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza, with more than 33,000 people killed in the strip according to figures from the Hamas-run Health Ministry. In view of the high number of civilian casualties and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the strip, Israel is being increasingly criticized internationally - even by close partners. --IANS/DPA dan/ RAMALLAH, July 25, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on July 25, 2019. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday declared that the Pales. Image Source: IANS News Ramallah, April 20 : The Palestinian leadership in the West Bank wants to reconsider its bilateral relations with the United States following Washington's veto in the United Nations Security Council of full UN membership for Palestine. "The United States has violated all international laws and disregarded all promises regarding the two-state solution and achieving peace in the region," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the official Palestinian news agency WAFA on Saturday. The US must recognise that the region will not stabilise without a just solution to the Palestinian question issue, Abbas continued. "We will reconsider bilateral relations with the United States to ensure the protection of our people's interests," he said. He also criticised the Washington's support for Israel, for example by supplying the country with weapons during the Gaza war. Abbas, who is not very popular among Palestinians, described the US veto in the UN Security Council as disappointing and irresponsible. The Palestinian leadership would develop a new strategy to advance the Palestinian cause, he pledged. A resolution in favour of full membership for a Palestinian state at the United Nations failed in the UN Security Council on Thursday due to a veto by the US. The US government's position is that an agreement with Israel on a two-state solution is a prerequisite for recognizing full UN membership. An application for full UN membership for a state of Palestine had already failed in the Security Council in 2011. Of the 193 UN member states, 139 have so far recognized Palestine as an independent state. Germany is not one of them. Abbas had already threatened in the past to sever all ties with the US government, but nothing followed. A large majority of Palestinians want him to resign, surveys have showed. According to observers, the beleaguered Palestinian president is dependent on the US. Washington is counting on the Palestinian Authority, which Abbas heads, to be reformed and to take back control of the Gaza Strip after the ongoing war has ended. Hamas forcibly expelled Abbas' party from the coastal strip in 2007. --IANS/DPA dan/ Phnom Penh, April 20 : Four villagers were killed and two others were wounded in a landmine explosion in northeast Cambodia's Mondulkiri province on Saturday, a mine clearance chief said. Heng Ratana, director-general of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), said the war-left landmine erupted late Saturday afternoon, about 10 km from Sre Y village in Sen Monorom town, Xinhua news agency. "According to preliminary information, four persons were pronounced dead and two others were injured in the blast," Ratana wrote on social media. He added that there were children among the victims. Last month, an eight-year-old boy was killed and his two younger sisters were also seriously wounded in a landmine explosion in northwest Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province. Cambodia is one of the world's worst countries suffered from mines and unexploded ordnances (UXOs) as the results of three decades of war and internal conflicts from the mid-1960s until 1998. An estimated 4 million to 6 million land mines and other munitions left over from the conflicts. In a social media post on Feb. 27, Ratana said an estimated more than 4 million tonnes of aerial bombs and 27 million cluster bombs had been dropped on some 115,273 locations throughout Cambodia by more than 500,000 U.S. bombing missions between mid-1965 and 1973. From 1979 to 2023, landmine and UXO explosions had claimed 19,822 lives and either injured or amputated 45,215 others in the Southeast Asian country, according to an official report. Bathinda, April 20 : Former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu, the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Bathinda constituency in Punjab, on Saturday said the Central government's initiatives like AIIMS and Central University are just the beginning of a transformative journey. During her campaign in various areas of this Punjab town, including Adarsh Nagar, she said that in the future, under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bathinda will ascend among the country's top cities. While campaigning, she received a warm welcome, particularly from women, who adorned her with the 'tilak' and showered petals. She expressed disapproval of certain parties attempting to take credit for establishing AIIMS in Bathinda. "The idea behind establishing AIIMS and Central University in Bathinda stems from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision," she said. "PM Modi envisions transforming every small city into a smart city and that is why Bathinda has the potential to become the country's number one city in the near future," she emphasised. Highlighting the importance of the Sri Kartarpur Sahib corridor construction undertaken by PM Modi-led government, Parampal Sidhu said the respect given to the Sikh community through this initiative cannot be forgotten. She praised PM Modi-led government's effort in constructing the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which she believed is the result of decades of dedication by millions of Hindus. "Additionally, by commemorating the martyrdom day of the 'Chotta Sahibzaade', who were martyred by the Mughals in Sirhind," she said the government honoured the sentiments of the Sikh community. "My aim will be the voice of every Bathinda resident in Parliament," she said, while emphasising the Central government's initiatives such as the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and Ayushman Bharat, which aim to provide every needy household essential facilities. "The people understand that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi stand with every poor and needy in the country. PM Modi's scholarship initiatives for SC (Scheduled Castes) students have also reformed many lives." After conducting outreach programmes in several areas, Parampal Kaur, 59, also held meetings with party workers at the district office. During the meetings, each worker pledged to deliver the Central government's schemes to every citizen. On the occasion, her husband Gurpreet Singh Maluka, son of senior Akali Dal leader Sikander Singh Maluka, highlighted his family's three decades of service to Punjab and expressed his continued dedication to serving the people. The 2011 batch IAS officer along with her husband joined the BJP on April 11. The Bathinda seat is one of Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha constituencies. Over the years, the constituency has been a stronghold of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Currently, Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal's wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal is the sitting MP. The Congress Party has announced Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu as its candidates, while the state's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded Gurmeet Singh Khudian to contest from the Bathinda seat. In 2019, SAD's Harsimrat Kaur Badal won from the Bathinda seat, defeating her nearest rival Amrinder Singh Raja Warring of the Congress. Harsimrat Badal, a two-time MP from Bathinda, defeated Warring by a margin of 21,772 votes in the high-stakes poll. London, April 20 : China is ready to work with Papua New Guinea (PNG) to build a comprehensive strategic partnership of higher level and better quality, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko, Xinhua news agency reported. China always views and values PNG's role from a strategic perspective, Wang said, noting that PNG is the largest and most populous Pacific island country, with the most abundant natural resources in the Pacific island region. Located in the connecting belt between Oceania and Southeast Asia, PNG has a unique position and huge development advantages, and is fully capable of becoming a more prosperous country with more self-determination and more influence in the region and in the world, Wang said. China has always developed its ties with PNG from a long-term perspective, Wang said, adding that the current bilateral relations is the result of the joint guidance of generations of leaders and the joint efforts of friendly people in the two countries. Both countries should inherit it, take good care of it and carry it forward. China is ready to work with PNG to further implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and build a comprehensive strategic partnership of higher level and better quality, Wang said. China will continue to treat PNG as an equal, and firmly support the country in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and national unity, accelerating national revitalization and improving people's livelihood, and playing a bigger role in regional and multilateral affairs, Wang said. PNG is an important partner in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Wang said, noting that the Pacific country has participated in two Belt and Road forums for international cooperation consecutively and made positive contributions. The two countries have drawn up Belt and Road cooperation plans and established a working mechanism. Both sides need to implement them one by one and advance them in a timely manner, so as to ensure that the results of the cooperation will be tangible as soon as possible and bring benefits to the PNG people, Wang said. China is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with PNG and launch free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations as soon as possible, the Chinese foreign minister said. China is ready to strengthen its cooperation with PNG in such areas as trade and investment, infrastructure, agriculture, forestry and fishery, clean energy and climate change solutions, Wang said. China is also ready to create new highlights in its cooperation with PNG in such areas as information and communication technology, disaster prevention and reduction, and police affairs, pushing bilateral relations to higher levels, Wang said. As a developing country, China's exchanges and cooperation with South Pacific island countries are aimed at supporting and helping each other and achieving common development, without any selfish geopolitical interests, the Chinese foreign minister said. The South Pacific region should not become an arena of big power rivalry, and no country should treat the island countries as its "backyard," or engage in zero-sum competition and exclusive arrangements, Wang said. Instead, more should be done for the island countries and more benefits should be brought to their people, Wang said. For his part, Tkachenko said China is a close friend of his country. The leaders of the two countries have maintained close communication and established a high degree of mutual trust. Bilateral cooperation in various fields is progressing smoothly and bringing tangible benefits to people in both countries, Tkachenko said. The PNG government has long been firm in upholding and will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy, Tkachenko said, adding that the government understands and supports China's efforts to achieve national reunification. PNG is committed to promoting the development of bilateral relations to achieve greater results, the Pacific island country's foreign minister said. PNG looks forward to strengthening cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, education, police affairs, and disaster prevention and mitigation, and further facilitating people-to-people exchanges, Tkachenko said. He also sincerely thanked China for its selfless assistance to PNG in coping with the recent floods. PNG believes that China's cooperation with South Pacific island countries has promoted regional development, thinks highly of China's important role and fair stance in international and regional affairs, and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China, Tkachenko said. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern. After the talks, the two foreign ministers jointly attended the signing ceremony of various cooperation documents. New Delhi, April 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Mahavir Nirvana Mahotsav to commemorate the 2,550th anniversary of Lord Mahavir's nirvana on the auspicious occasion of Mahavir Jayanti at the Bharat Mandapam here on Sunday. Several prominent saints from the Jain community will grace the occasion and bless the congregation where PM Modi will also release a commemorative stamp and address the gathering. Bhagwan Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankar, illuminated the path of peaceful co-existence and universal brotherhood through Jain principles like Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity) and Aparigraha (non-attachment). Jains celebrate five Kalyanak's (major events) of every Tirthankar, including Lord Mahavir: Chyavana/Garbha (Conception) Kalyanak; Janma (Birth) Kalyanak; Diksha (Renunciation) Kalyanak; Kevaljnana (Omniscience) Kalyanak; and Nirvana (Liberation/Ultimate Salvation) Kalyanak. Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu in her message on the eve of Mahavir Jayanti urged everyone to spread love and harmony in the society and work with dedication for the development of the nation. "On the auspicious occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, I extend warm greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens, especially to the Jain community. Mahavir Jayanti marks the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir a" the epitome of non-violence and compassion," President Murmu said in her message. "This festival gives us the message of love and peace. Lord Mahavir showed the path of non-violence, celibacy, truth, and renunciation for creating an ideal and civilised society. His teachings will always remain relevant for the welfare of mankind," she added. Srinagar, April 20 : Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference President Sajad Lone on Saturday sought Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari's support in north Kashmir for the upcoming parliamentary elections. "It is high time we unite to represent the true will of the majority in north Kashmir. We extend our hand to Apni Party, seeking their crucial support in Baramulla, just as we vow to back them in Srinagar to defeat the forces that have long betrayed the precious mandate of Kashmiris," Sajad Lone said while addressing a press conference in Srinagar. Presenting statistical analysis Lone explained NC's stranglehold on north Kashmir. "Since 1975, with the sole exception of 1996 elections, an astonishing nine out of ten MPs from Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency have hailed from NC," he said. Lone attributed this to the fragmentation of votes, "While the NC's vote share has plummeted from a staggering 65 per cent in 1982 to a mere 29 per cent in 2019, they still emerged victorious due to the division among anti-NC votes," he said. He claimed that for every pro-NC vote, there are two and a half anti-NC votes and we must stop this division of votes. He appealed to Bukhari not to field any candidate from the Baramulla constituency. He said his party would not field any candidate against the Apni Party candidate in Srinagar in support of the Apni Party. Sajad Lone is fighting against former Chief Minister and NC Vice President, Omar Abdullah in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency. Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency goes to vote on May 20. Thane : , April 20 (IANS) In a shocker to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents, Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Bhiwandi East (Thane district), Rais Kasam Shaikh has quit from his post, on Saturday. Shaikh, who is one of the two SP lawmakers in the state, has handed over his resignation to Maharashtra SP President and MLA Abu Asim Azmi, he said in a social media post. The reasons he has claimed for the abrupt move are 'certain unresolved issues within the party' with which his loyalty runs deep, amid speculation that he may switch over to the ruling MahaYuti government. "I have consistently brought forward crucial party organisational and expansion-related concerns to the state leadership of our party over the past year. Despite my persistent efforts, these matters are yet to be resolved. However, I am committed to discussing them exclusively within the party's forums," Shaikh said in his post. Adding that his allegiance to the Samajwadi Party runs deep as it has offered him the opportunity to serve as an MLA, he has, and would always remain, a staunch supporter of the party. "My commitment to advancing the party's organisational strength and expansion remains steadfast, even if I am not an MLA. In light of the concerns I have raised, I have tendered my resignation as an MLA to the SP Maharashtra unit President. I hope that the leadership will take the decision in the best interest of the party," he said, signing off from the SP. A Thane Congress leader termed the development as of 'extreme concern', coming at a critical juncture when the parliamentary elections are underway in the country and the state, with Bhiwandi LS constituency scheduled for polling on May 20. Three days ago on April 17, Shaikh along with his party activists held a detailed meeting with the MVA-INDIA bloc's LS nominee from the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) Suresh G. Mhatre a.k.a. Balyamama to chart out his election strategy in the region that has a significant chunk of the Muslim minority population. Despite repeated attempts (by IANS), neither Shaikh nor Azmi were available for their comments in the matter. Gurugram, April 20 : A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing his wife to death on the intervening night between Friday and Saturday at a village under the IMT Manesar police station in aaGurugram, the police said. According to the police, Sharda Prashad, the accused who is a native of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, had since long been suspecting that his wife was having an extra-marital affair. The duo would get into frequent fights on the same issue. The police said that the accused had an argument with his wife over some issue and in a fit of rage, Prashad stabbed her in the stomach and fled the spot. On Saturday morning, the police recovered the blood-soaked body from the spot. The police then launched a hunt for the accused and nabbed the suspect from a railway station in Delhi. The police have also recovered blood-soaked clothes and a knife from the accused. Big B is shrouded in mystery in new 'Kalki 2898 AD' poster. Image Source: IANS News Mumbai, April 20 : A new poster from the upcoming sci-fi film 'Kalki 2898 AD' was unveiled on Saturday. The poster features veteran Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in a new avatar. In the poster, Big B is seen fully covered in bandages with not even his face visible. The new poster of the cinema icon has now been shared in different languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. The actor is looking up to a light source in front of a pillar inside an ancient temple. The pillar has stone carvings. The text on the poster reads, "Samay Aa Gaya Hai", leaving the audience excited about the film. For some, Big B's look in the film may serve as a strong reminder of another Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan's appearance from his blockbuster 'Jawan' in which he played dual roles. Big B's upcoming film also stars Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Disha Patani in pivotal roles. The film, helmed by Nag Ashwin, made waves after its groundbreaking debut at San Diego Comic-Con last year. The film is bankrolled by Vyjayanthi Movies, and is a mythology-inspired sci-fi spectacle set in the future. Imphal, April 20 : The Election Commission on Saturday declared the Lok Sabha elections held at 11 polling stations in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency as void and announced to hold repolling in these stations on Monday. Manipur's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Pradeep Kumar Jha, said on Saturday night that fresh polling will be held in these 11 polling stations under the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat. "All voters of these 11 polling stations are appealed to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday," the CEO told IANS. The opposition Congress has demanded repoll in at least 47 polling stations in Manipur, alleging that a large number of polling booths were captured and vandalised on Friday. Manipur Congress President K. Meghachandra Singh said the party has lodged a complaint with the Manipur CEO demanding repoll in 36 polling stations in the Inner Manipur seat and 11 polling stations in the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency. The CEO also said that 92-95 per cent of the displaced citizens presently staying in the relief camps cast their votes on Friday. "We are very happy with the high turnout among the displaced persons who communicated that they wanted to be part of the democratic exercise," Jha said. The Election Commission had set up 85 special polling stations for the ethnic violence-hit displaced voters in seven districts of the state -- Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Churachandpur, and Kangpokpi. Amid sporadic incidents of violence, 72.17 per cent of the 15.44 lakh voters, including 8.02 lakh women, exercised their franchise in Manipur's two Lok Sabha seats on Friday. Polling was held in the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat and 15 of the 28 Assembly segments of the Outer Manipur (ST) parliamentary constituency on Friday. Voting will be held in the remaining 13 Assembly segments under the Outer Manipur seat in the second phase on April 26. Tirupati : , April 20 (IANS) Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday promised free bus travel for women if TDP-JSP-BJP alliance comes to power in Andhra Pradesh in the next month's elections. Interacting with women on the occasion of his birthday at Gudur in Tirupati district, the former chief minister said women would be provided with the facility for free travel on Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses. Promising payment of Rs 4,000 welfare pension for all the eligible beneficiaries on the first day of every month, he said that the amount will be delivered at their doorstep. Naidu said that the TDP will take the responsibility to transform women as the most powerful section in the country through the 'Maha Sakthi' scheme. Alleging that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy deceived all sections of society, Chandrababu Naidu asked what happened to his promises of recruiting teachers through 'Mega DSC' (District Selection Committee) and a job calendar. Exuding confidence that the one-nation-one-election system will come into effect in 2029 for simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and Assembly across the country, the TDP chief said that 33 per cent reservations for women will be implemented then. He claimed that the TDP always gave priority to the welfare of women. He recalled that it was TDP founder late N.T. Rama Rao who gave a call that every woman in the state should be given proper education. He recalled that Padmavathi University was established by NTR with the sole intention to give proper and quality education to women. This apart, NTR also provided equal rights for women in ancestral property. Naidu said when he was the chief minister, he formed DWCRA groups for the self-respect of women. He recalled that Rs 10,000 each was extended as financial assistance for women under the Pasupu Kumkuma scheme besides providing interest-free loans to them. Mentioning that a woman is now holding the finance portfolio in the Union Cabinet, Chandrababu said that woman is the finance minister of every household. Stating he always spends his time for the uplift of the poor and the Telugu community, he felt that women are capable of holding the commanding positions in the world if they are educated properly. He alleged that many local leaders are looting the silicon reserves here and also sand reserves from Swarnamukhi river. He said that his idea is to set up industries in this area to provide a good future for the youth. Alleging that the entire state has been witnessing one scam or the other for the past five years, Chandrababu Naidu said that if the YSRCP is again in power, the people will become like slaves. "My wish is to make the state zero-poverty and I am giving my word to you all on the occasion of my birthday that I will make it a reality," he stated. --IANS ms/pgh Hyderabad, April 21 : The Cyberabad police arrested a techie for defrauding people in the name of investment into gold to the tune of Rs 6.12 crore. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) police station of Cyberabad busted the racket and arrested Ganta Sreedhar, a software employee hailing from Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati district and residing in Hyderabad. The police booked the 40-year-old under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 406 and 420 IPC and Section 5 of the Telangana Protection of Depositors of Financial Establishments Act - 1999. According to police, the accused lured the victims with the offer of good returns on investment in gold. K. Prasad, Deputy Commissioner of Police, EOW, Cyberabad, said the accused cheated 13 victims including colleagues at his office to the tune of Rs 6.12 crore. Acting on a complaint by one of the victims, police busted the racket. On February 22, 2024, the accused sent a message to the complainant about the gold investment scheme. The victim was told that he can buy gold at Rs 5,950 per gram for 100 to 200 grams and Rs 5,850 per gram for 300 to 500 grams by making payment to the shop account. If the amount is paid in cash the price will be Rs 5,850 per gram for 100 to 200 grams and Rs 5,750 per gram for 300 to 500 grams. The techie promised delivery of gold in about 25 days. When Prasad did not deliver the gold even after receiving payments, one of the victims approached the police. The police investigations revealed that the accused attracted his colleagues at OSI Digital, a software company where he was employed. Most of them started believing and wanted to invest in gold for better returns. The complainant got introduced to the accused in a family gathering. Since then, the accused person had been in regular contact with them by gaining their trust. The police officer said the accused had been working in the company for over 12 years. --IANS ms/pgh In Unjust Debts (New Press, June), Jacoby explains how the powerful use bankruptcy to evade accountability. When did you begin looking into bankruptcy? I fell in love with bankruptcy in law school; my first job was at a bankruptcy court in Chicago. I believed it was so important for our society to help people get back on their feet. Over time, Ive fallen out of love. The bankruptcy system has become less effective at helping families cancel debts. Congress was taken with arguments from the credit industry about personal responsibilitymade at a time when the credit industry was making record profits. Theres also evidence that African American families pay more for bankruptcy and are less likely to get it. There need to be structural change to address thatand the use of bankruptcy by what I call fake people. Fake people? Corporations, cities, nonprofit organizations, churchesall these entities use bankruptcy. On the one hand, Chapter 11 bankruptcy is necessary for small businesses to be able to get over hard times. But Congress made bankruptcy more difficult for small businesses. Instead, powerful players have been able to change the law bit by bit for their own benefit. The law got dismantled over time, and thats changed whos helped and whos hurt by the system. Now we are seeing bankruptcy used to handle issues like child sex abuse and the opioid crisis. How does that work? For instance, when Detroit and San Bernardino declared bankruptcy, survivors of police brutality who were owed damages ended up with the lowest rates of compensation of any claimant. These are people who didnt ask to be creditors, they didnt lend money to the city, and yet they were swept into the bankruptcy along with everybody else. Astoundingly, the families affected by the Sandy Hook shooting have been dragged into bankruptcy court multiple times as creditors, first by [gun manufacturer] Remington, and then because Alex Jones filed for bankruptcy after a judgment that he had defamed them by saying Sandy Hook was a hoax. The use of bankruptcy by nonprofits to manage liability for child sex abuse started with the Catholic Church in the 2000s; I think now over 35 Catholic dioceses have filed for bankruptcy for that reason. Is this a partisan issue? In 2005, when Congress made bankruptcy less forgiving for vulnerable families, that was on a bipartisan basis. But when I testified at a Senate Judiciary committee hearing in fall 2023, there was bipartisan anger at Johnson & Johnson for misusing the bankruptcy system to deal with allegations that its baby powder causes cancer. So, the parties often align, but theyre not seeing the big picture. Click Here to go to PublishersWeekly.com Strong Ties Anne Lamotts Somehow tops our hardcover nonfiction list. The Bird by Bird author brings her signature wit and warmth to these effervescent meditations on matters of the heart, according to our starred review. A topic that might feel trite in the hands of a lesser writer takes on fresh meaning in Lamotts, thanks to her ability to distill complex truths with a deceptive lightness. Known Quantity Fantasy author Leigh Bardugo got her start in YA with 2012s Shadow and Bone, the first of her popular Grishaverse novels. 2019s Ninth House marked her foray into adult fiction, launching a planned trilogy that continued with 2023s Hell Bent. Her new standalone adult title, The Familiar, is the #3 book in the country. Its a poignant romantic fantasy, per our starred review, in which two people with magical powers and sketchy pasts plot their escape from the Spanish Inquisition. TikTok Boom Wild Love by Elsie Silver is the #8 book in the country. The sizzling contemporary romance, per our review, launches her Rose Hill series, the authors first new line of books since Bloom acquired two previously self-published series in 2023: Chestnut Springs and Gold Rush Ranch. Silver went viral in August with a CapCut-edited video of actor Lola Tung saying, Oh my goodness, I love this question! in an interview (Silvers caption: when someone asks me what my books are about). Its been viewed 6.1 million times. NEW & NOTABLE The Wide Wide Sea Hampton Sides #3 Hardcover Nonfiction In what our starred review called an exquisitely crafted and novelistic portrait, Sides delivers a propulsive account the final expedition of Capt. James Cook (17281779), which culminated with his murder by native Hawaiians. Grown Woman Talk Sharon Malone #4 Hardcover Nonfiction Obstetrician gynecologist Malone offers a spirited debut guide to how women over 50 can take control of their health, per our review. Malones social insight elevates her advice, and the emphasis on advocating for oneself tackles an often-overlooked obstacle to receiving adequate treatment. Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Kaity Biggar By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 04/20/2024 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. 27 winner Kaity Biggar has announced when and where she and fiance Zach Shallcross plan to get married.Kaity took to Instagram on Wednesday, April 17 and conducted a Q&A session with her fans.When asked to spill some wedding details, Kaity shared that the wedding will take place in Texas.The nurse and Zach revealed in January that they were moving into their first house together, which they are currently renting , in Austin, TX.Kaity and Zach, who had both been living in Austin prior to , returned to the same city after the show aired in early 2023 on ABC. They hope to buy a house there together soon.Kaity also revealed that couple will be tying the knot in October 2025."We are meeting with a wedding planner next week!" Kaity gushed.One follower asked when Kaity and Zach will be returning to the TV screen, but Kaity replied, "[That] question is for @BachelorNation," along with a winking face.Kaity also shared her favorite thing about Zach during the Q&A."This man wakes up every morning and chooses to love me in the softest way. He tells me and shows me ALL the time how much he cares, loves, appreciates, and respects me as a partner, a friend, and a confidant," Kaity boasted about her man."He has the sweetest and purest soul a human could ever have. There's truly always a moment in the day where I look over at him and think to myself how lucky I am to be this man's future wife."In addition, Kaity said she and Zach will be going on a trip to Hawaii with Charity Lawson Joey Graziadei , and Kelsey Anderson in May.Kaity and Zach will also be taking a trip to Tulum, Mexico, just for themselves, in June.In October 2023, Kaity shared via Instagram Stories that nothing was "set in stone" yet for her wedding.The Canada native shared, "We toss around the idea of doing a destination wedding and we're totally open to exploring new ideas and new environments like maybe Canada, who knows."At the time, Kaity and Zach were also toying with the idea of getting married on a beach in Turks and Caicos.Kaity noted on the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast, however, that she and Zach don't want to spend "thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars on just a day."Zach elaborated on the podcast how the couple wants a "very small, very intimate" wedding with close family and friends in attendance."[We want to] make it fun for everyone," Zach explained last year. "We want to go somewhere cool and leave it at that. Make it a vacation for everyone."On 's 27th season, Zach was down to two bachelorettes -- Kaity and Gabi Elnicki -- during his final days in Thailand.Zach had admittedly slept with Gabi in their Fantasy Suite , but he ended up choosing and getting engaged to Kaity at the Final Rose Ceremony.Zach recently admitted on the "Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour" podcast that he wasn't completely sold on Kaity being his person until his time as the Bachelor was almost up."The actual moment when it happened, [when I decided on Kaity] was actually the day before our engagement ," Zach confessed to Susan Noles and Kathy Swarts earlier this month.Zach explained, "Throughout the whole process, I was very in my own head. I analyzed everything... I was checking off the boxes... I wasn't letting myself just take a step back and feel, 'Wait, where is my heart taking me? Who do I feel like that is my person? Who am I truly in love with?'"Zach concluded that when he finally took a step back, he was able to acknowledge that Kaity is his person and it was a "no duh" moment for him."[I realized], 'I just want to spend my time with her.' I was like, 'She makes me feel like no one else can ever make me feel,'" Zach said, adding how there was "no doubt" in his mind once he settled on Kaity being his winner and future fiancee.Zach also pointed out how an engagement is "a big deal" for him."I was not just going to propose to say I'm proposing at the end of this. Either I'm going to feel 100 percent confident or not [make] a decision like that for myself. So, for me, I did think about it too much, maybe," Zach confessed.Zach's revelation wasn't news to Kaity, who insisted on the podcast that she never condemned Zach for feeling confused in Thailand, nor did she allow herself to get mad about his last-minute decision."That's just the way the show works. Everything is very compressed," Kaity pointed out."And I don't blame him for having clouded judgement because Gabi is an incredible woman as well. So when you have two -- I'm going to toot my own horn -- but when you have two incredible women in front of you, that has to be hard."Kaity reasoned how a lead therefore can't possibly think "too much" about his or her final decision because an engagement is "so serious" and the commitment is real.Kaity then shared on the "Golden Hour" podcast how she and Zach's priority, at the moment, was buying a house by the end of this year."And then we'll obviously put some money aside for a wedding ," Kaity noted.Interested in more news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group We are here to give a sense of belonging to the Jewish students of Pullman, Hoexter wrote in an email. We saw that this is a crucial time to provide this service, as many Jewish students feel alone in the world. We can show them that they matter, that they have support, at the time that they need it most. A Seder is a festive ritual-filled dinner on the first night of Passover. The story of the liberation of the Jewish people from bondage in ancient Egypt will be retold, and the relevance and beauty of Passover will be shown, according to Hoexters email. This year, as we sit down to our Seder, we will be ensuring that everyone who wishes to celebrate Passover can do so, said Rabbi Yisroel Hahn, who directs Chabad of Spokane. Our goal is to lower the barriers to Jewish engagement and ensure everyone feels welcome and included, and has the opportunities and resources they need to celebrate the holiday. Those seeking more information about Mondays Seder at Pullman may call (412) 251-9719 or go to JewishSpokane.com/PullmanSeder. I, too, found myself struggling in my search for summer opportunities as I crossed my fingers while scrolling through LinkedIn and hoped someone would read my application. As a journalism student in the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication, I also had many programs from my college at my disposal, encouraging me to apply to certain media outlets and a plethora of professors to reach out to for help. My inbox is flooded each week with internship and job opportunity announcements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Congress has accepted its defeat even before the Lok Sabha poll results are out, and took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying that just as he lost from Amethi in 2019, the "Congress' sahabzade" will lose the Wayanad parliamentary seat this time. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the public meeting ahead of Lok Sabha Polls in Maharashtra's Wardha on Friday. Photograph: ANI Photo Addressing an election rally at Nanded in Maharashtra for the candidates of Nanded and Hingoli Lok Sabha seats, Modi accused the Congress of being a barrier in the path of development and that it cannot be trusted to work for the country's progress. Apparently targeting former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Modi said some INDIA bloc leaders who have been members of the Lok Sabha for several years, have left the Lower House of Parliament and found a seat in the Rajya Sabha as they have no confidence to contest elections. Referring to Rahul Gandhi, he said, "The Congress' sahabzade sees a problem in Wayanad. He is waiting for the voting on April 26, after which he and his gang will look for a safe seat because after Amethi, he will have to leave Wayanad as well." "Will any voter waste their vote for such people? They will instead vote for 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India). Congress has been a barrier in development of farmers, poor and women...Can't trust the party will work for the country's progress," he said. Modi referred to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's recent remarks against Rahul Gandhi, saying, "Even I can't make such comments." The agriculture crisis and farmers' problems did not arise in one day. They happened because of the Congress' flawed policies. But the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is committed to work for their welfare, he said, adding that he has been fixing the problems created under the Congress regimes earlier in the last 10 years. "Now, we have to work even harder," he said. "Congress survives on one family. But now the family can't vote for the party candidate. For the first time, the family will have to vote for a non-Congress candidate in the constituency where they live because they don't have a candidate," Modi added. Describing the INDIA bloc a grouping of selfish parties that have come together to protect their corrupt practices, he said the alliance has been rejected by voters in the first phase. The INDI alliance does not have a face to project whom the people see to entrust the country's future to, he said. They may claim anything, but the reality is that Congress leaders have accepted defeat even before announcement of polls, he added. Without naming Sonia Gandhi, Modi said, "Some INDI alliance leaders have left the Lok Sabha and entered the Rajya Sabha as they don't have the courage and confidence to contest elections. They are not even campaigning. Congress cant find candidates as well." The INDIA bloc parties are contesting the Lok Sabha polls against each other in 25 per cent seats. "Can you trust such people?" he asked people at the rally. "After June 4, an all-out fight will break out among the INDIA bloc members. You need to teach them a lesson in elections," Modi said. The prime minister thanked voters for coming out in large numbers to exercise their voting right in the first phase of elections. Next 25 years will be years of India's greatness in the world, he said. "I want to congratulate and thank people, especially the first-time voters. As per the information I have received, voting has been one-sided in favour of the NDA. I thank you with a bowed head," he said. Modi urged people to step out to vote in large numbers although there is heat, farmers are busy and the wedding season is on. "Soldiers always do their duty of protecting the country's borders irrespective of any season. By voting, you are not doing anybody a favour but securing the country's future," he said. In a sarcastic comment, Modi said he wanted to boost the morale of the opposition party workers as 0they should also encourage voters to come out to vote. "You (opposition leaders) are sure to lose the elections. But, some day you will get a chance. Despite the imminent loss you must encourage voters to vote in large numbers," he said. On the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, he asked that without the CAA what fate would have befallen Sikhs who came to India from Afghanistan. The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday accused the Congress government in Karnataka of misleading people over the murder of a girl on a college campus, alleging that it has prioritised the protection of its "vote bank" over the protection of women. IMAGE: Congress councillor Niranjan Hiremath has claimed that his daughter's murder is a case of 'love jihad'. Photograph: ANI on X BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde sought to draw a parallel between Karnataka's handling of Neha Hiremath's killing to the way West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allegedly shielded the Sandeshkhali case accused Shajahan Sheikh. "In a similar way, the Congress-led Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka is attempting to protect Fayaz who brutally murdered a Congress councillor's daughter Neha," he told reporters. He said Congress councillor Niranjan Hiremath has claimed that his daughter's murder is a case of 'love jihad' but Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is framing it as a love affair and attempting to mislead the public. The Congress government should punish criminals severely, regardless of the religion, he said. Tawde also mocked the opposition INDIA bloc, noting that Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy criticised Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Udhayanidhi Stalin after the polls were over in Tamil Nadu. Likewise, once the elections in Kerala are over, Congress leaders will start speaking against Kerala's ruling Left parties, he said. This is the true nature of their alliance, he said. In an interview, Reddy had flayed Stalin over his remarks on Sanatan Dharma. Tawde also claimed that TMC president Mamata Banerjee has said she will lead the INDIA bloc after the elections. "Have Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge accepted her claim," he asked. 'I think I have a better DNA than the Left' IMAGE: JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit. Photograph: ANI Photo With the appearance of rival political outfits, the Left in the Jawaharlal Nehru University has weakened and is forced to join hands since it struggles to win elections independently, varsity Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit said. Pandit, a former JNU student, said she used to contest against the Left as part of the Free Thinkers group a "neutral" students' body not affiliated to any political party. In an interview with PTI editors at the agency's headquarters, Pandit said nearly 1,500 NOTA votes were cast in the recently held JNU Students Union elections, an act that shows students are interested in neither the Left nor the Right. Pandit, who did her MPhil and then PhD in International Politics from JNU, said with time more political outfits like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Congress-backed National Students' Union of India, as well as Rashtriya Janata Dal, have made their presence on campus, which once used to be solely dominated by the Left outfits. The United Left panel comprising All India Students Association (AISA), Democratic Students' Federation (DSF), Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF) in March swept in the JNUSU election jointly with BAPSA for the first time in history, defeating its nearest rival the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. The Left had fought the elections together and had to support the BAPSA candidate at the last moment to prevent the ABVP from coming to power. "There is a weakening of the Left on campus. Earlier SFI, AISF stood independently. They didn't need any alliance to win elections. They could defeat any grouping. I was a Free Thinker at that time. We didn't have both ABVP and NSUI on campus. "Now their presence, including RJD's, has come up and the Left needs to have unity of 10-12 groups to win," Pandit said. "The general secretary in the JNUSU was not a Left candidate. She was from BAPSA. The left supported her to stop ABVP from coming in power. She doesn't listen to them, she says they supported me out of their own interest. This shows there is weakening of the Left on campus," she said. Pandit also said that the number of students represented from different states in JNU has significantly changed and those coming from the South have considerably gone down. "Although the number of students has gone up, we were only 3,000 at that time, now we are 10,000. Earlier all states were better represented. Now the highest comes from Bihar, followed by Odisha and UP. Students from Rajasthan and Haryana have also increased. However, the number of students from the South has gone down considerably," she said. Asked if it is hard being objective in the Left-dominated campus given her RSS affiliation, Pandit said she has better leftist credentials than those on campus. "I think everybody can have personal leanings and we can agree to disagree. That's the beauty of India. Also that way if you see I was born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg). I think I have a better DNA than the Left. My god parents were CPI stalwarts ," she said. Asked if she is liked and accepted as a "Sanghi VC" in the Left bastion, Pandit claimed "Yes, because they think people like me can also be there in the Sangh who have a broader, more flexible and inclusive view." She added, "I think the Left likes you when you are honest. I have never hidden my affiliation with the RSS. I am a proud Sanghi VC who brought the highest QS rankings to JNU." Pandit denied there has been any decline in the democratic culture of the university since she took over. "I don't agree that there's a decline in freedom on campus. If that was so I wouldn't have conducted elections. We even held teachers' union elections. I think the ecosystem (Left dominance) that was there earlier is being contested by other arrangements (presence of new political outfits) on campus now," she said. Responding to why the varsity thought imposing stringent measures to curb protests on campus was required, Pandit said the move was aimed at maintaining discipline. "When you are studying on the taxpayers' money, the taxpayers are going to question what type of products I am bringing out. So students have to be critical but factually critical. You can just brand and bring down anybody. We have set the areas of discipline. They can still protest on the Sabarmati lawns," she said. Recalling her student days, Pandit said, "During my period the top Left leaders were nationalists. We are just telling students to be responsible. You can't say anything and everything. JNU creates two illusions that everything is free and talk whatever you want and there is no consequence -- both of which do not exist outside the gate of JNU." Pandit, who came to JNU for the first time with "two plates and a ribbon" said the campus was nothing like she had seen before. "It was an eye opener for me just like many others who haven't seen urban spaces in their life. The government should fund more universities like JNU at state level." The Left outfits have been at the helm of affairs in JNU almost right from 1969 when the campus was established. The ABVP, currently the single largest opposition students' body on campus, had for a long time a negligible presence, barring a few electoral wins. Its star rose in 2015, when ABVP bagged a seat in the central panel of JNUSU, a year after the Modi government came to power. Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari has said the traditional boundaries of the land, sea, air, cyber and space domains are increasingly becoming "blurred", bringing about a "paradigm shift" in war fighting. IMAGE: IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari addresses a gathering at the felicitation ceremony of outstanding sportspersons of the IAF, in New Delhi, March 19, 2024. Photograph: Jitender Gupta/ANI Photo In a recorded video address that was played at the inaugural session of the three-day Indian Defence Space Symposium in New Delhi on Friday, the IAF chief also said for India to achieve its rightful place in the comity of nations, "becoming a spacepower to reckon with is not an option, but an imperative". The 'Gaganyaan' mission exemplifies the growing cooperation between the IAF, ISRO and other agencies involved in space exploration, he said. The integrated air drop test for the crew module are planned to be conducted by joint teams of the IAF and ISRO in the near future, the IAF chief said. "Successful landing experiments of the reusable launch vehicle are testimony to the joint venture and I am confident that we are on the right track," he said. Four 'astronauts' -- all fighter pilots of the IAF -- are currently under training as part of India's "Gaganyaan" programme. The IAF chief also said in order to "maintain our strategic autonomy", capabilities must be developed that would be necessary to "defend our interests in space". In his address, the air chief marshal underlined that with a massive surge of new technologies and opening up of space to private players, there is a "disruption in the established scheme of things". "New possibilities based on audacious financing are introducing new perspectives for innovative solutions and low-cost access to outer space," he said. However, with these new possibilities, "new threats" are also coming to the fore, the IAF chief added. "We are seeing the democratisation of space with increased private sector involvement. Civilian space travel, a dream 25 years ago, is a reality today," he said. Domain experts, senior officials from the armed forces and representatives of the space sector industry are taking part in the symposium that is being held from April 18 to April 20 at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. "With growing exploitation of space by private players and the military, space has definitely become the ultimate high ground," he said. "The traditional boundaries of the land, sea, air, cyber and space domains are increasingly becoming blurred, bringing about a paradigm shift in war fighting. I feel, in order for us to maintain our strategic autonomy, we must develop capabilities that would be necessary to defend our interests in space and guarantee not only the freedom of access but also the freedom of action," he asserted. The IAF chief said to "achieve our full potential in space", there is a requirement for greater public-private participation and interaction among all the stakeholders, including the armed forces. While the National Space Policy 2023 is in the "right direction" and will give a definitive impetus to "aatmanirbharata" (self-reliance), "we will need to work together and create a robust, thriving and vibrant space ecosystem in India," Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said. On Friday, April 19, 2024, at least four electronic voting machines were damaged at different polling booths in conflict-hit Manipur during the first phase of elections. The polling in the second phase will take place on April 26, 2204. Manipur has witnessed sporadic -- sometimes intense 00 ethnic clashes since May 3 last year between the majority Meitei community and the Kukis, resulting in the loss of more than 200 lives. IMAGE: A polling station that was damaged by a crowd in Khurai, Imphal East. Photograph: Reuters IMAGE: Belongings of a polling booth after being set afire by a crowd in Moirangkampu. Photograph: Reuters IMAGE: Police officers arrive at a spot of a shooting incident outside a polling station. Photograph: Reuters IMAGE: Unidentified miscreants destroyed the EVM at the Khongman polling booth. Photograph: ANI Photo IMAGE: A damaged EVM lies on the floor. Photograph: ANI Photo IMAGE: A view of a polling station. Photograph: ANI Photo IMAGE: The casings of a bullet can be seen. Photograph: ANI Photo IMAGE: A damaged polling station. Photograph: ANI Photo IMAGE: Police officers at the polling station. Photograph: ANI Photo IMAGE: The polling station. Photograph: ANI Photo Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com The first phase of voting for 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories was held on Friday with a voter turnout of nearly 64 percent. IMAGE: The world's shortest woman Jyoti Amge along with her family members show their ink-marked fingers after casting their vote for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, at a polling station in Nagpur, Maharashtra, April 19, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo The estimated voter turnout was recorded at 63.89 percent till 9:00 pm in the first phase of polling. According to an official release, the voting percentage is likely to go up when reports from all polling stations are obtained, as polling was scheduled until 6 pm in many constituencies. Also, voters who reached the polling stations until the end of polling hours were allowed to cast their vote. "Final figures will be known on Saturday after the scrutiny of Form 17A," the release said. As polling concluded, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people who voted in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. "First phase, great response! Thank you to all those who have voted today. Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today's voting. It's clear that people across India are voting for NDA in record numbers," Modi said in a post on X. The Elections Commission of India also said that the first phase of polling was "largely peaceful across 21 States and Union Territories." However, a few areas in West Bengal and Manipur witnessed sporadic incidents of violence and firing. The Election Commission said the polling for the first phase of the 2024 general elections recorded a high voter turnout despite the heat wave. As per estimated voter turnout data, Tripura recorded the highest turnout at around 80.17 percent, followed by West Bengal at 77.57 percent. Sikkim recorded around 69.47 per voter turnout. The voting concluded at 6 pm in 102 Lok Sabha constituencies. Polling was held in 21 states and union territories in the first phase. These are -- Arunachal Pradesh (two seats), Assam (five), Bihar (four), Chhattisgarh (one), Madhya Pradesh (six), Maharashtra (five), Manipur (two), Meghalaya (two), Mizoram (one), Nagaland (one), Rajasthan (12), Sikkim (one), Tamil Nadu (39), Tripura (one), Uttar Pradesh (eight), Uttarakhand (five), West Bengal (three), Andaman and Nicobar (one), Jammu and Kashmir (one), Lakshadweep (one) and Puducherry (one). Andaman and Nicobar recorded 56.87 percent, Arunachal Pradesh (67.15 percent), Assam (72.10 percent), Bihar (48.50 percent), Chhattisgarh (63.41 percent), Jammu and Kashmir (65.08 percent), Lakshadweep (59.02 percent), Madhya Pradesh (64.21 percent), Maharashtra (55.35 percent), Manipur (69.13 percent), Meghalaya (74.38 percent), Mizoram (54.23 percent), Nagaland (56.91 percent), Puducherry (73.50 percent), Rajasthan (56.58 percent), Sikkim (69.47 percent), Tamil Nadu (65.19 percent), Tripura (80.17 percent), Uttar Pradesh (58.49 percent), Uttarakhand (54.06 percent), and West Bengal (77.57 percent), as per the estimated voter turnout data. Meanwhile, a firing incident and clashes were also reported at a polling booth in Moirangkampu Sajeb Awang Leikai of Imphal during voting on Friday. One civilian was injured after the firing and clashes were reported at a polling booth in Moirangkampu Sajeb Awang Leikai of Imphal, Manipur, during voting in the Lok Sabha elections on Friday. Block level officer for Moirangkampu, Sajeb Surbala Devi, said, "Suddenly two men came here and asked for polling agents of the Congress and the BJP. They took the Congress agent outside by holding his hand. Then the two men fired shots from inside the car. One person got injured." The first phase has the highest number of parliamentary constituencies among all phases. The Lok Sabha polls will be held in India in seven phases, starting from April 19 to June 1 to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The results will be announced on June 4. The second phase will be held on April 26 and the remaining phases will be May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1 accordingly. The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday launched an information support force, a new wing of the People's Liberation Army, which he said will be a strategic branch, a key pillar and a vital power in modern warfare for the world's largest military. IMAGE: Chinese President Xi Jinping walks past members of the Chinese People's Liberation Army as he arrives for a ceremony to present flowers at the Monument to the People's Heroes to commemorate Martyrs' Day on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, September 30, 2023. Photograph: Florence Lo/Reuters Xi, 71, who also heads the Central Military Commission, the overall high command of the Chinese military, besides heading the ruling Communist Party of China and the Presidency, said that the establishment of the Information Support Force is a major decision made by the CPC and the CMC in light of the overall need of building a strong military. The Information Support Force was regarded as the revised version of the PLA's Strategic Support Force, established in 2015 by the Chinese military to deal with space, cyber, political and electronic warfare to fight what was described as "informationised wars". The leadership and structures of the PLA Space Force and the PLA Cyberspace Force have been rearranged accordingly, the CMC said. The announcement also marked the first time China has confirmed the existence of the Space Force and the Cyberspace Force, which were widely believed to be major parts of the Strategic Support Force, state-run China Daily reported. State-run Xinhua, which reported Xi's launching of the ISF, also stated that the CMC has cancelled the designation of the SSF, which observers say has been re-launched as the ISF. After presenting a flag to the force at its establishment ceremony in Beijing, Xi stressed that the information support force is a new, strategic branch of the military and a key pillar in coordinating the construction and application of the network information system. It will play a crucial role in advancing the Chinese military's high-quality development and competitiveness in modern warfare, Xinhua quoted him as saying. "This is of profound and far-reaching significance to the modernization of national defence and the armed forces and to the military's fulfilment of its missions and tasks in the new era," Xi said. "The Information Support Force is a brand-new strategic branch of the PLA and a key pillar of the integrated development and use of the network information system," he said. It plays an important role and bears great responsibility in promoting the PLA's high-quality development and the ability to fight and win in modern warfare," he added. Xi stressed that the unit must focus on its core task of using information assets to support combat operations. It must maintain information flow, integrate information resources, protect the information security, and integrate deeply into the military's joint operation system, he said. He also asked the new force to boost innovation, strengthen coordination and integration among different systems, cooperate with other forces, and bolster the sharing of assets. He said that it must form a network information system, that can support modern combat operations and has Chinese characteristics. Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for the defence ministry, told media later that with the latest overhaul, the PLA now has four services, namely the Ground Force, the Navy, the Air Force and the Rocket Force, and several sub-branches including the Space Force, the Cyberspace Force, the Information Support Force and the Joint Logistic Support Force. In response to a question about the newly declassified Space Force, Wu said that building the force is of great significance in strengthening the capability to safely travel to outer space, openly and peacefully develop space resources, and enhance governance and crisis management in space. "China's space policies are clear and plain. We are always committed to the peaceful utilization of space and stand ready to work with all countries with the same commitment to strengthen exchanges, deepen cooperation and contribute to lasting peace and common security in space," he said. When asked whether the Cyberspace Force is used for "militarizing the internet", Wu said cybersecurity remains a global challenge and poses a severe threat to China. "Developing the Cyberspace Force and tools for cybersecurity and defence is important for reinforcing national cyberspace defence, promptly detecting and countering network intrusions and maintaining our cybersovereignty and information security," he said. Xi ordered the force to resolutely obey the ruling Communist Party's command and make sure it stayed absolutely loyal, pure and reliable. Since he assumed power in 2012, Xi has revamped the military, reducing its size to around two million by retrenching three lakh troops and officers, besides overhauling the command structures of the PLA and creating a missile force called the Rocket Force. He also introduced the system of constant training of troops with real wartime exercises. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has suspended a PhD student for two years for indulging in activities which are "not in the interest of the nation" and referred to instances like him participating in a protest in Delhi under the PSF-TISS banner. IMAGE: TISS student Ramadas Prini Sivanandan. Photograph: Kind courtesy @ramadas_p_s/X Ramadas Prini Sivanandan (30), who is pursuing his doctorate in Development Studies, has also been debarred from entering the TISS campuses in Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad and Guwahati. In a notice sent to Prini Sivanandan dated March 7, TISS referred to instances like the screening of documentaries like Ram Ke Naam ahead of January 26 as a "mark of dishonour and protest" against the Ram Mandir consecration in Ayodhya. He has also been accused of screening a banned BBC documentary on the TISS campus last January and also organising the Bhagat Singh Memorial Lecture (BSML) by inviting "controversial guest speakers". It said that these issues are "very serious and it is discernible that you are intentionally and deliberately indulging in such unlawful activities in the name of freedom of speech and expression." "Your activities are not in the interest of the nation. Being a public institution, TISS cannot permit or tolerate its students indulging in such activities which are anti-national and bring a bad name to the nation. Hence all such activities fall under the category of serious criminal offence. "The committee recommended your suspension from the institute i.e. Tata Institute of Social Sciences for the period of two years and your entry shall be debarred across all campuses of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, which is accepted by the competent authority," the TISS notice dated April 18 reads. Ramadas, who hails from Kerala, said he will appeal against the suspension. The Progressive Student Forum, a Left-leaning student body Sivanandan is associated with, said the march referred to by the TISS was related to "anti-student policies in the form of the National Education Policy". It also said BSML has had the distinction of inviting well-known academics, scholars and human rights activists, including two Ramon Magsaysay awardees. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 46F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Columnist Nick Gier (Daily News, April 18) has assembled something of a laundry list of complaints about Christ Church, complaints that go back years, or even decades. Although I would prefer not to write in such a staccato fashion as I do below, I think that is probably the best way to answer the objections that were raised. Please bear with me. Nick says that my father wrote Principles of War in 1991, which is off by about 25 years. My father wrote it in the 1960s, when I was a boy. Nick then juxtaposes an article we published by Greg Dickison which defended the justice of the Mosaic code with my comments at the town hall the other night, where I said that we were interested in persuasion, not coercion. Anyone truly interested in what I believe about capital offenses and biblical law can read an article entitled Old Testament Law, which can be found at dougwils.com. The search bar will turn it up for you. He then brought up the time a number of us went to Tri-State during the Most Unnecessary Masking Panic. My daughter had called Tri-State to talk to someone there in managerial authority. My daughter told them that she always shopped for Christmas presents at Tri-State, but didnt want to wear a mask. She was told to please come, the city council was being dumb, this thing is killing us, etc. So I organized some of our people, not to storm Tri-State, but rather to go and within a very short space of time bless them with thousands of dollars worth of sales. (We did this for another store which shall remain nameless, and they were most grateful.) But this time, a masked customer made quite a scene about it, with the result that Tri-State closed. All in all, it was quite a failure, but it was a failed attempt to bless a business that was being harmed by our city council. On the Topless and Proud April Fool prank, I am afraid that I cannot take credit for it, as it was the work of an ingenious colleague. And although it was a prank, it did reveal the bankruptcy of much modern scholarship. A poster that promised a topless feminist lecturer talking about breasts as embodied intuitions, and people thought it was for real? There is less than meets the eye in headlines showing ASEAN has tilted toward Beijing in its rivalry with Washington. The famed quip There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned Lies, and statistics can be updated for the modern era with confusion, damned confusion, and opinion Polls in the wake of the 2024 State of Southeast Asia surveys of the regions elites published this month by a think tank in Singapore The annual report by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute has sparked some alarmist headlines. Majority in Southeast Asia would choose China over the U.S., survey suggests, Al Jazeera went with. Nikkei Asia intoned: Majority of ASEAN people favor China over U.S., survey finds. Guess what Chinese media ran with? Survey shows Southeast Asians favor China over U.S. Was this actually what the survey revealed? Yes, but only if one takes only a cursory flick through its pages to copy and paste some regional averages. The headlines were mostly generated by replies to question 31, an annual feature of the survey, which asks respondents: If ASEAN were forced to align itself with one of the strategic rivals, which should it choose? As a regional average, 61.1% of all Southeast Asian respondents said theyd pick the United States over China in the 2023 poll. This year, however, only 49.5% selected the U.S.. The 50.5% who said theyd pick China over the U.S. represents a 1 percentage point difference, notwithstanding the drop in U.S. favorability. In a survey in which pollsters interviewed 1,994 people, the difference between choosing China over the U.S. comes down to the opinions of about 20 people perhaps not a reliable measure of how a region of 660 million people regard the most important geopolitical issue of the day. Chinese Communist Party's foreign policy chief Wang Yi shares a light moment with some ASEAN Foreign Ministers during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 13, 2023. (Tatan Syuflana/Pool via AP) The survey calculates the average figures for ASEAN as a whole by equal proportion per country, so tiny Brunei, which reliably opts for China over the U.S., gets the same weighting as the far more populous and geopolitically-important Philippines, which is consistently pro-U.S. The question itself asks whether ASEAN, not national governments, should pick between the U.S. and China. It is hard to imagine such a weighty geopolitical decision could ever be taken by consensus in a 10-nation bloc whose members cannot agree on how to deal with the civil war in Myanmar. This makes the regional average worthless as a gauge since it presupposes an impossible outcome. Support for China? A closer look at the swing in support for China raises other questions. If China was becoming more popular, as replies to question 31 implied, we might expect to see Chinas popularity rise across the survey. But thats not the case. Question 38: How confident are you that China will do the right thing to contribute to global peace, security, prosperity, and governance? found that 29.5% of all respondents were confident or very confident. But, for the 2024 survey, it declined to 24.8%. To question 22: In your view, which country/regional organization is the most influential economic power in Southeast Asia? Some 59.5% said China, down again from last year. And of those who said China is the most important economic partner, 67.4% said they were worried about Chinas growing influence, again a higher percentage than last year. And on question 24: In your view, which country/regional organization has the most political and strategic influence in Southeast Asia? the percentage who said China, 43.9%, was up from last year. But 73.5% who said so were worried about Beijings growing regional political and strategic influence. Early in the survey, around half of all respondents expressed concern that ASEAN is becoming increasingly disunited, something this survey makes clear. Dig down into the questions, and one finds that sentiments in the region are equally split between the two superpowers. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris watches as leaders of ASEAN prepare to pose for a group photo during the ASEAN-U.S. Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept. 6, 2023. (Bay Ismoyo/Pool via AP) On the core question If ASEAN were forced to align itself with one of the strategic rivals, which should it choose? the regional average tilts in favor of China. But that regional average was massively skewed by a few countries. In the 2023 survey, some 58.9% of Laotians picked the U.S. over China. This always seemed to be a very odd result, because Vientiane is one of Beijings closest allies, and because around 80% of Loatian respondents favored China over the U.S. in the 2021 and 2022 surveys. The 2023 results were something of an anomaly. The 2024 results were also heavily skewed by Bruneians, who arent very influential on regional geopolitics. The number of respondents opting for the U.S. declined from 45% in 2023 to 29.9% in 2024. The percentage of Thais who would pick the U.S. over China fell from 56.9% in 2023 to 47.8%. In an outcome that likely reflects anger at Washingtons support for Israel in the Gaza War, the percentage of Malaysians picking Washington over Beijing dropped from 45.2% to 24.9% over the past year, while those in Indonesia plunged from 46.3% to 26.8%. Next year, when the 2025 poll is published, the results could easily be different. ASEANs divide A majority from Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and Thailand said theyd pick China over the U.S.. A majority from Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam chose the U.S. over China. By state, the regional bloc is equally split 5-5. U.S. policy makers might take some comfort in the fact that the pro-U.S. stalwarts in ASEAN have been consistent throughout the years. In this years survey, 61.5% of Singaporeans chose the United States over China, compared to 61.1% in last years survey. Some 79.0% of Vietnamese said Washington over China, compared to 77.9% last year. And 83% of Filipinos were pro-U.S., up from 78.8% last year. Chinese coast guard ships block Philippine coast guard BRP Cabra as it tried to head towards Second Thomas Shoal at the disputed South China Sea during a rotation and resupply mission on Aug. 22, 2023. (Aaron Favila/AP) But the pro-Chinese camp fluctuates. Laos swung out of it in last years survey. Indonesia and Malaysia only became China-over-America in the 2022 survey, but they were previously U.S.-over-China. Cambodians tend to swing back and forth. Bruneians have been the only group to consistently pick China over the U.S. since these surveys began. Three Southeast Asian states Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam are solidly pro-U.S. Only one is consistently pro-China (Brunei), and the others fluctuate each year. This actually should give Beijing more cause for concern than Washington. Americas stalwarts arent for turning. Beijings backers appear fickle and flighty. 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. The US secretary of state on Friday accused China of fueling Moscows war in Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken listens as President Joe Biden meets virtually with Chinese President Xi Jinping from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 15, 2021. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China on Wednesday, according to a senior State Department official, in a trip that comes as he and others in Washington accuse Beijing of fueling Russias war in Ukraine by helping to resupply its military. Blinken will travel to Shanghai and Beijing from Wednesday to Friday, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans ahead of time. The official said he could not yet confirm that Blinken would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping during the visit. The trip will attempt to build on recent diplomatic outreach to Beijing, the official explained, but would also necessitate clearly and directly communicating [American] concerns on bilateral, regional and global issues where China and the United States differ on policy. Among other issues, Blinken will raise deep concerns about alleged Chinese business support for Russias defense industrial base, the crisis in the Middle East and also in Myanmar, the issue of Taiwan and Chinas recent provocations in the South China Sea, he said. But the official played down the likelihood of results, with many of the differences between Washington and Beijing now deep-seated. I want to make clear that we are realistic and clear-eyed about the prospects of breakthroughs on any of these issues, he said. He also demurred when asked if Blinken would meet Xi on Friday, as is rumored. But he said more scheduling details will be released later. It's safe for you to expect that he'll spend considerable time with his counterpart Foreign Minister Wang Yi, he said. We are confident our Chinese hosts will arrange a productive and constructive visit. Fueling the Ukraine war American officials have since last week accused Chinese businesses of keeping Russias war effort afloat by exporting technology needed to rebuild the countrys defense industrial base that supplies its military. Speaking to reporters on Friday on the Italian island of Capri ahead of the Group of 7 foreign ministers meeting, Blinken said U.S. intelligence had not seen the direct supply of weapons from China to Russia but instead a supply of inputs required by Russias defense industry. The support was allowing Russia to continue the aggression against Ukraine, he said, by allowing Moscow to rebuild its defense capacity, to which so much damage has been done to by the Ukrainians. When it comes to weapons, what weve seen, of course, is North Korea and Iran primarily providing things to Russia, Blinken said. When it comes to Russias defense industrial base, the primary contributor in this moment to that is China, he explained. We see China sharing machine tools, semiconductors, [and] other dual-use items that have helped Russia rebuild the defense industrial base that sanctions and export controls had done so much to degrade. Beijing was attempting, Blinken said, to secretly aid Russias war in Ukraine while openly courting improved relations with Europe. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Xi in Beijing on Tuesday, and Xi is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris next month. If China purports, on the one hand, to want good relations with Europe, he said, it cant, on the other hand, be fueling what is the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War. The G-7 group, which also includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, also released a statement on Friday calling on China to press Russia to stop its military aggression. The seven foreign ministers also expressed their concern about transfers to Russia from business in China of dual-use materials and components for weapons and equipment for military production. In an email to Radio Free Asia, Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, did not deny Blinkens claims. But he said China is not a party to or involved in the Ukraine crisis and that the countrys position on the war is fair and objective. We actively promote peace talks and have not provided weapons to either side of the conflict, Liu said. At the same time, China and Russia have every right to normal economic and trade cooperation, which should not be interfered with or restricted. Not the only tension Blinkens trip will come amid a slew of other squabbles between the worlds two major powers bubbling since last years Xi-Biden talks. In a speech at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday, FBI Director Christopher Wray repeated claims he made to Congress earlier this year that Chinese hackers were targeting key U.S. infrastructure and waiting to wreak havoc in case of a conflict. On April 11, Biden notably warned Beijing that the United States would come to the aid of Philippine vessels in the South China Sea if they were attacked by China, calling the commitment ironclad. On the economic front, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who herself visited Beijing this month, has slammed Beijing for what she says is over-subsidization of green technology, with cheap Chinese exports crippling development of competing industries worldwide. Xi also expressed concerns to Biden during a phone call on April 2 about a bill that would allow the U.S. president to ban the popular social media app TikTok, which U.S. officials have called a national security threat, if its Chinese parent company does not divest. China, meanwhile, on Friday forced Apple to scrub social media apps WhatsApp and Threads, both owned by Facebook parent company Meta, from its App Store, citing national security concerns. Blinken will be joined on his trip by Liz Allen, the under secretary for public diplomacy and public Affairs; Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific; Todd Robinson, the undersecretary for narcotics and law enforcement; and Nathaniel Fick, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for cyberspace and digital policy. Junta sends in airstrikes to support 200 junta troops trapped by a river across from Mae Sot. Smoke billows across the border in Kayin, Myanmar, as Thai soldiers stand watch in Mae Sot, Thailand, April 20, 2024. UPDATED at 15:30 ET on April 21, 2024. Gunfire, artillery and exploding bombs could be heard early Saturday around Myawaddy, a Myanmar city on the Thai border across from Mae Sot, as an ethnic Karen army closed in on about 200 junta troops stranded near a bridge between the two countries, according to the Thai military and a Radio Free Asia reporter on the scene. The clash comes after the Karen National Liberation Army, an armed branch of the Karen National Union, on April 10 captured most of the juntas Infantry Battalion 275 stationed outside of Myawaddy. But 200 junta soldiers were left stranded at the customs compound at the No. 2 Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge across the Moei River that links the two countries. The setback is the latest in a series of battlefield losses suffered by the junta as various rebel groups push the military back across the country amid the countrys three-year civil war that was sparked by the juntas coup in February 2021. The clashes started at 3 a.m. on Saturday, Thai soldiers keeping watch along the river and local residents said. The fight centered around the customs house at the bridge as the rebels apparently were intent on wiping out the remaining junta troops, they said. The KNU opened the charge first, the junta troops fought back, a Thai soldier who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity told RFA. Residents are transported in trucks in Mae Sot, Thailand, as fighting intensifies between rebel and junta forces April 20, 2024. (Pimuk Rakkanam/RFA) Several days ago, the junta announced Operation Aung Zeya, aimed at retaking Myawaddy, a key city on a major trading route with Thailand. As the sun rose Saturday morning, the Myanmar Air Force deployed several sorties of Y-12, MiG-29 and MI-35 attack helicopters amid periodic exchanges of gunfire. Some residents at the bridge watched the planes with binoculars as a few stray rifle bullets whistled by, prompting them to duck. Smoke billowed into the sky following each artillery shell and bomb explosion. The casualties on both Karen and junta soldiers as well as civilians were not immediately known. Smoke billows after a junta MiG-29 jet struck a Karen position in Kayin, Myanmar, as seen from Mae Sot, Thailand, April 20, 2024. (Pimuk Rakkanam/RFA) An ambulance was seen driving in and out of the neighborhood near Thailands Yepu Hill overlooking the casinos in Myawaddy. Several hundred people -- mostly from Myanmar -- working near the river were moved by truck to a livestock ranch a few kilometers north of the No. 2 bridge for safety. Thai authorities gave them food and medical services. Residents also brought aid to a checkpoint near the shelter. Most media were not allowed to enter the camp Thailands foreign ministry said it was closely monitoring the situation with Thai security agencies on the ground on high alert. Thailand has been and will continue to provide further humanitarian assistance if necessary and will do our utmost to ensure the situation along the Thai-Myanmar border area returns to normalcy, Nikorndej Balankura, the ministry spokesman said in a statement. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Updated with details about people moved from near border area to camp. Le Tung Van, the 92-year-old head of an independent Buddhist community, has been under house arrest since 2022. Le Tung Van rests on a swing bed as a police officer visits him in the southern province of Long An in 2020. Investigators in southern Vietnam charged the 92-year-old leader of a Buddhist community with incest on Friday after gathering evidence including blood samples from members of the church, state media reported. Le Tung Van of the the Peng Lei House Buddhist Church in Long An province has previously been at the center of allegations of incest, fraud and abusing freedoms. In 2022, he was sentenced to five years in prison for abusing democratic freedoms. The provincial Security Investigation Agency said it launched the new case after receiving reports of Vans alleged incestuous behavior, according to the Vietnam News Agency. The new charge also comes a week after two of his defense lawyers were stripped of their membership in the Ho Chi Minh Bar Association a decision they warned could precede new action against Van. An attorney who spoke anonymously to Radio Free Asia for security reasons said Van hasnt been required to serve the 2022 prison sentence due to his old age and frail health. The attorney added that the new charges announced on Friday were vague and appeared to use old evidence. Police forcibly collected DNA samples from members residing in the Peng Lei Buddhist House Church at least three times in 2021 and 2022, including one occasion where they obtained blood samples in the name of COVID-19 testing. Days after the church was searched in January 2022, authorities announced the abusing democratic freedoms charge against Van. He was accused of taking advantage of religion and philanthropy for their own personal benefit, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Van was also charged with incest and fraud, but these charges were later dropped. The complaint was reportedly made by the government-recognized Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the state-backed religious entity, and a member of the Sanghas board of directors, according to the commission. Vietnam maintains strict laws on religious activity that require groups to be supervised by government-controlled management boards. The Peng Lei Buddhist House Church is an independent Buddhist community. Defense lawyers seek asylum Van was indicted in June 2022 after authorities accused him of directing other defendants to create videos and write an article that insulted Duc Hoa District Police and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, according to the commission. The five-year sentence was issued the following month. Van has appealed his conviction and sentencing, and hes been under house arrest since then. Authorities have continued to investigate the incest allegations. In October 2022, one of Vans defense attorneys, Dang Dinh Manh, criticized the way that blood samples were taken from Van and his family members. Samples should adhere to criminal procedural regulations and medical standards and the consent of the individuals or their legal guardians should be obtained, he said. Vans lawyers have also criticized authorities for preventing them from meeting with Van and other accused church members. Last year, Dang Dinh Manh and two other defense attorneys for the church Nguyen Van Mieng and Dao Kim Lan sought political asylum in the United States after they received a police summons related to accusations of abusing democratic freedoms during their legal defense of Van and the church. Last week, the Ho Chi Minh Bar Association announced its decision to revoke the membership of Dang Dinh Manh and Nguyen Van Mieng for not paying fees. Both lawyers told RFA last week that the decision could pave the way for authorities to take new action in their investigation of the members of Peng Lei Buddhist House Church. RFAs attempts to contact Long An Police at the provided phone number went unanswered on Friday. Additionally, RFA was unable to reach anyone from the Peng Lei Buddhist House Church to verify Fridays state media reports. Translated by Anna Vu. Edited by Matt Reed. Dozens of residents blocked the road outside the Armenian village of Kirants, near the border with Azerbaijan, on April 20, a day after a border deal between the two countries was announced. The protesters voiced their distrust of Armenian authorities amid expectations that the planned demarcation will bring the tense border closer toward their homes, including a portion of the same road. "We have seen a lot of cheating in this country, and we suspect it might happen again with the border," a protester told RFE/RL. 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 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. A court in the southern Russian city of Volgograd sentenced a 23-year-old woman to 10 months of compulsory labor on April 5 after convicting her of "rehabilitating Nazism." The charge stemmed from a 2023 social media video that prosecutors said contained "cynical actions that disregarded the norms of morality and ethics." In the video, Alyona Agafonova, a tourist from the mid-Volga region city of Samara, documented her visit to Volgograd and at one point, using a trick of perspective, playfully "tickled" the breasts of the enormous statue that dominates the city's memorial to the Battle of Stalingrad -- probably the most prominent icon of World War II anywhere in Russia. In court, prosecutors said she had "offended a symbol of the resilience of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War." The head of the investigations department of the Volgograd branch of the Investigative Committee, Vladimir Surkov, said the case should be a warning to others. "Anyone who wants to hype themselves in a similar manner should think about this and not do it," Surkov told a local news website. Under longtime President Vladimir Putin, the state has used its draconian laws on "foreign agents," terrorism and extremism, and treason to stifle political dissent, successfully marginalizing all opposition. But the 2014 law against "rehabilitating Nazism," which includes punishments of up to five years in prison, has been used for a different purpose, analysts say: To mold an increasingly militaristic society by sacralizing a mythologized version of the Soviet and ethnic-Russian contributions to the defeat of Nazi Germany -- and, by extension, to bolster Putin's false claims that Russia is confronting "Nazis" in Ukraine and the West. The law overshadowed a 2001 law against disseminating Nazi symbols, which Aleksandr Verkhovsky of Sova, a Russian group that monitors extremism, told the BBC in 2023 was a genuine attempt to combat far-right hate groups. Activist Aleksandr Cherkasov of the banned human rights group Memorial told RFE/RL that under the "rehabilitating Nazism" law, repressions are being carried out in the name of "historical memory, which has itself become a quasi-religion." 'How Many More Alyonas?' Agafonova was convicted despite publishing a public apology in July 2023. "I would like to sincerely apologize for my actions, which by no means were intended to ridicule the history of my country or the lives of those who fell for the sake of our future," she wrote, noting that her grandfather had been killed during the war. "I am a patriot and I love my country." She pleaded guilty in court and apologized again in her closing speech, arguing that the 13 months she spent in pretrial detention were adequate punishment. In addition to the 10 months of labor she was ordered to perform at a job assigned to her by the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) in Samara, Agafonova must give 10 percent of the salary she earns to the state, and she is barred from using social media for two years. Immediately after her video appeared, Agafonova was inundated with criticism and denunciations from self-professed patriots. The pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Talipov, which is run from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea by blogger Oleksandr Talipov, wrote that the incident illustrated "the problem with the patriotic education of our youths." "Can it really be that no schoolteacher in Samara or no one at the institute [she attended] was able to inculcate in Alyona a sense of respect for the glory of our grandfathers?" the channel wrote. "And how many more Alyonas are there in Russia?" Sociologist Maria Turovets, who left Russia in the wake of Moscow's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, told RFE/RL that the "rehabilitating Nazism" cases are a sop to "the active minority that welcomes them." "I tend to call them 'the party of fascism,'" she added. "The authorities are trying to anticipate and accommodate this minority." The statue Agafonova was accused of insulting is called Motherland Is Calling, an 85-meter behemoth that dominates the Mumayev Kurgan memorial complex to the Battle of Stalingrad on a site where some 35,000 Soviet victims of the battle, which marked the turning point of the war when German forces there surrendered in February 1943, are buried in mass graves. It was dedicated in 1967. 'At A Time Like This' Among the dozens of "rehabilitating Nazism" cases that have been filed in recent years, only a few seem to objectively fit the definition. In February 2022, a St. Petersburg professor was tried under the charge for allegedly denying the Holocaust in his lectures. The same year, a teenager in the Siberian city of Irkutsk faced the charge for allegedly writing numerous social media posts lionizing the World War II German military and the notorious SS. In some cases, the charge was brought against people who criticized Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's conduct of the war, particularly the 1939 Nazi-Soviet nonaggression pact. Much more commonly, the charge is used to prosecute actions that question Russia's "military glory." In February, authorities in the Altai region settlement of Staroaleiskoye filed criminal charges of "rehabilitating Nazism" against two teenaged boys who allegedly constructed a snow phallus next to a war memorial and posted photographs of it on social media. Many other cases involve people accused of "insulting" the black-and-orange St. George ribbon or the pro-government Z and V symbols that are used to show support for Putin's war against Ukraine and confrontation with the West. In fact, Cherkasov of Memorial said, one effect of the application of the law is to convey to such modern-day symbols a status equivalent to the status of the symbols of victory in World War II that has been carefully cultivated by the Putin government since he came to power nearly 25 years ago. Also in February, investigators opened a criminal probe on the charge against Rasul Akhiyaretdinov, a Bashkir activist who wrote in a social media post that the Motherland Is Calling statue is not dressed modestly enough for Muslim and Orthodox Christian standards because her breasts are visible. He called the presentation a "mistake of the Soviet Union" and urged that they "put a shawl on her shoulders." Like Agafonova, Akhiyaretdinov was savagely attacked by the so-called patriotic social media channels. Unlike Agafonova's, the investigation against him was closed after he publicly apologized. "Looking through the reactions, I understood that for many people this statue is not just a statue but the Motherland," he said in a social media video. "As a person who does not want divisions and conflicts in the Russian Federation, I apologize to all veterans of World War II and to those who didn't understand me correctly or were offended by what I said. Our country is going through difficult times. The war in Ukraine and other things. I think that at a time like this I should not have posted such a video." Roman Zaitsev, a lawyer in Volgograd, said the security forces like such cases because of the publicity and media coverage. "Earlier there was a political subtext or protest activity behind these cases, but now they are opened just for the sake of statistics," he said. "In the case of [Agafonova], it is completely unclear what she did to dishonor a burial place. You might consider her actions inappropriate, provocative, or stupid, but it is hard to see them as criminal." Yelizaveta Klochkova, of the OVD-Info group that monitors political repressions, agreed, saying the increased interest in such cases on the part of law enforcement and "denouncers" "is in complete accord with other general trends including the sacralization of World War II, the propaganda use of symbols associated with it, [and] the search for supposed Nazis or their supporters at home and abroad." "For security agents and denouncers, such cases are just a way of [meeting quotas] and attracting attention to themselves for 'exposing ideological crimes,'" Klochkova told RFE/RL. "There is a second aspect," said self-exiled Tatar political analyst Ruslan Aisin. "They need to scare people. The security forces are always hungry." Written by RFE/RL's Robert Coalson based on reporting by RFE/RL's Caucasus.Realities An exceptional residential County Roscommon farm of c. 96 acres with a well-presented significant period dwelling, gate lodge and selection of well-maintained outbuildings has come on the market. (click on the link below to take a look around) Mount Erris House, Erris, Boyle is on the market with Smith Auctioneers on the instructions of Rory & Pearl Anderson, due to their retirement. The main residence, centrally located on the farm, stands on an elevated site enjoying amazing views of the surrounding countryside. The residential County Roscommon farm comprises of c. 96 acres. Extending to 4300 sq. ft., this is a two storey over-basement property. The accommodation is arranged with beautifully proportioned space with three reception rooms, kitchen/dining, four large bedrooms, main bathroom, utility, WC and storerooms. The gate lodge at the edge of the property offers three bedrooms, kitchen/dining room, living room and bathroom in turnkey condition. The lands are of excellent quality and have been organically farmed and maintained in pasture to a high standard over the years. Situated just off the N4, the property has excellent road frontage, an underpass and development potential subject to planning permissions. The kitchen area has a range. Boyle is strategically situated at the foot of the Curlew mountains, only a 15-minute drive from Carrick-on-Shannon and 30 minute drive to the large urban centre of Sligo. The town is home to a 12th Century Cistercian Abbey, the King family's Georgian town house magnificently restored and one of the oldest stone bridges in Ireland. Lough Key Forest Park has for many centuries drawn people to its spectacular views, abundant wildlife, historic buildings, and evocative islands. This beautiful landscape is steeped in a history. The area has a rich and varied farming history with agriculture underpinning the local economy. The property has a number of reception rooms. For further details and to arrange a viewing contact Cian Smith MIPAV Auctioneer/Valuer, Smith Auctioneers Property House, The Crescent Boyle on 071 9662124 / 086 3502455. (click on the link below to take a look around) Funding has been provided for increased capacity at Castlerea Prison. There are also plans for the use of modular units and the refurbishment of existing buildings at the prison to boost space. Earlier this month, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee announced additional capital funding of 93m under the National Development Plan for Justice projects in 2024-2026. The funding will be used across the Justice sector together with a reallocation of existing funding to address a number of key priorities, including further increasing prison capacity, opening new Garda stations and delivering key technology projects for An Garda Siochana. Of the 93m funding allocation, 49.5m is being allocated to the Irish Prison Service in 2024-2026 to further increase prison capacity and address current capacity constraints in prisons. Preparatory work will commence this year on four key projects in Cloverhill, Castlerea, Midlands and Mountjoy prisons as part of an accelerated capital construction programme with construction expected to start on a phased basis in 2025 2027. When completed, space for up to 670 prisoners will be created. The Irish Prison Service is also currently advancing a number of short term projects which separately have the potential to provide an additional 95 spaces in 2024. Preparatory work will commence this year on these four key projects as part of an accelerated capital construction programme, a spokesperson for the department of justice said. The specifications for the capital works in Castlerea are currently in development, and once completed will provide further clarity on the spaces that can be provided there. This additional capital funding will also be used to advance short term projects currently being pursued by the prison service that are expected to deliver almost 100 spaces this year across the prison estate. One such short term project in Castlerea includes the use of modular units and refurbishments of existing buildings, the spokesperson said. These works will deliver additional accommodation for prisoners in 2024 and early 2025. Among these short term projects are plans to provide ten independent living units located at Castlerea Prison and the refurbishment of a house in the Grove at Castlerea providing an additional six prisoner spaces. The recommissioning of six cells in Castlerea will also provide an additional ten spaces, the Irish Prison Service said. The option of the delivery of an additional 28 standard and six disabled access cells providing up to 68 closed prisoner spaces at Castlerea Prisons Harristown Unit is also being explored. The Case of Engineer Ursu, a documentary about the quest for justice The Case of Engineer Ursu is a heart-wrenching documentary about the quest for justice and was recently launched in Romanian cinemas. Radio Romania International Corina Sabau, 20.04.2024, 14:00 For more than 30 years, Andrei Ursu has been trying to shed light on the death of his father, Gheorghe Ursu, who died in custody while being detained by the Securitate, the communist secret police, after he criticised Nicolae Ceausescus decision to halt the consolidation works of the buildings affected by the earthquake of 1977. Directed by Liviu Tofan and Serban Georgescu, The Case of Engineer Ursu is a heart-wrenching documentary about the quest for justice and was recently launched in Romanian cinemas. Liviu Tofan, who co-directed The Case of Engineer Ursu, is a film-maker and journalist who worked for two decades for the Romanian department of Radio Free Europe. He explained that the film tells in fact two stories: The title of the film, The Case of Engineer Ursu, follows the two Ursu engineers, father and son. Theirs are emblematic stories: that of Gheorghe Ursu for communist Romania in the 1980s and that of Andrei Ursu for Romania today, having fought in courts for 30 years to see that his father gets justice. Both stories begin with the earthquake of 1977, and one is about the failure of communist Romania, the other about the failure of the justice system in democratic Romania. Unfortunately, the second story, that of Andrei Ursu, is just as hopeless as that of Gheorghe Ursu. 35 years since the Revolution and were still waiting for a fair sentence in the case of the dissident Gheorghe Ursu, fair not only from a legal point of view, but also in a historical sense. Both Gheorghe and Andrei Ursu have extraordinary strength of character and are great raw models for us tody. The film revolves around them. Gheorghe Ursu was killed by the communist police and the Securitate because he refused to accept any form of compromise during the inquiry, and thats something we know from the archive of the Securitate. He categorically refused to implicate his friends and paid the price. He is a raw model of honour and integrity and never renounced his principles. And his son is a man who is sacrificing his life for an ideal. Andrei Ursu twice put his life in danger going on a hunger strike for what he believes in, and which is more important to him than his life. Thats the strength of the film: the strength of these two raw models. The documentary film was screened last summer, a few days before the High Court of Cassation and Justice announced its final sentence. Despite the carefully constructed case, the defendants were acquitted, and the film remains the only form of justice and recognition the dissident Gheorghe Ursu will ever enjoy. Liviu Tofan, the co-director of the film: A large section of the film is dedicated to Andrei Ursus struggle with the justice system. The film follows chronologically the difficulties and obstacles he encountered since 1990, in various forms: delays, rejections, prescription, and lots more. After 1990, one of the two men accused of Gheorghe Ursus death, Vasile Hodis, was no longer a Securitate officer, but he did work with the Romanian Intelligence Service, so he was still in the system, that same system that constantly fought Andrei Ursu. In 2000, Andrei Ursu went on hunger strike for the first time. The authorities realised he was willing to go all the way and handed the case over to the prosecutor Dan Voinea, who continued the investigation. Andrei Ursu went on hunger strike for the second time in October 2014, when the case had again reached a deadlock. The authorities again gave in, and the fact that elections were being held that year may have had something to do with it. Everything he had been denied was suddenly accepted. Thats when the two former Securitate officers Marin Parvulescu and Vasile Hodis were indicted for the first time. Until 2014, the system simply refused to investigate two officers of the former Securitate. Produced by Kolectiv Film together with the Gheorghe Ursu Foundation, Victoria Film, Follow Art Association and the Romanian Television, the documentary was already screened in 2023 as part of special events, at various cinemas across Bucharest and at film festivals around the country. April 20, 2024 A roundup of the latest local and international news NEWSFLASH Newsroom, 20.04.2024, 13:55 PLANES Three F-16 jet fighters Romania bought from Norway landed at the Air Base 71 in Campia Turzii, central Romania on Friday. This has been the second batch of these multi-role fighters Romania bought from Norway; the first batch arrived in November, last year. According to the National Defence Ministry, the 32 F-16s Romania is going to receive by the end of next year are meant to consolidate the countrys air defence adjusted to the regional security challenges. They are going to play a major role in keeping an allied posture of defence and deterrence on the eastern flank and will ensure transition towards the fifth generation, the F-35 planes Romania is going to get, as minister Angel Tilvar says. The Romanian air forces now boast 20 F-16 jet fighters. RATING In the past year agencies have reconfirmed Romanias sovereign rating and stable prospect, but there is room for improvement, such as the lower-cost access to funding on international capital markets and for attracting foreign investment the countrys Finance Minister Marcel Bolos says in a Facebook post. During a working visit he paid to Washington, the Romanian official held talks with representatives of famous rating agencies, such as Standard&Poors and Moodys on Romanias economic particularities and the strategies aimed at ensuring macro-economic stability. Bolos also attended the spring proceedings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. According to Bolos, in order to raise economic competitiveness and create an appropriate environment for durable investment, Bucharest is focusing on fiscal consolidation, on raising investment in infrastructure and education, on boosting private investment and the promotion of an effective and transparent economic governance. HOLIDAY The Romanian Black Sea resorts are stepping up preparations for the upcoming mini-holiday on May 1st and the Orthodox Easter, to be celebrated on May 5th and which actually opens the summer holiday season in Romania. Owners of hotels, restaurants and guest houses in the region are expecting a large number of tourists as many rooms have already been booked. According to Corina Martin, secretary general of the Federation of Employers Associations, over 80 thousand people are expected to spend the mini-holiday in the aforementioned seaside resorts. The largest number of tourists is expected in the resort of Mamaia. Between May 1st and 7th the resort will be hosting the International Electronic Music Festival, Sunwaves, which is expected to bring together roughly 6 thousand of tourists from abroad, a gastronomic festival and outdoor concerts given by Romanias top artists. WEATHER The weather is getting warmer in Romania with highs between 13 and 19 degrees Celsius and a noon reading in Bucharest of 13 degrees. The sky is overcast and rainshowers are expected in the south-east, in the south, center and to a lower extent in the rest of the territory. Heavy downpours have been forecast for certain regions in the countrys south-east whereas mixed precipitations are going to fall in the mountains. Snowfalls are expected at altitudes over 15 hundred meters. The wind is moderate but expected to intensify in the countrys south-eastern regions including the Black Sea coast. VISIT Over April 22 and 24, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis will be paying a formal visit to the Republic of Korea, upon the invitation of his counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol. The Republic of Korea is the first country in the Asia-Pacific area with which Romania raised its relations at the level of strategic partnership in 2008. On the occasion of Iohannis upcoming visit to Seoul, this partnership will be consolidated through a document, which sets the cooperation directions for the next 10 years. Relevant documents are expected to be signed in the field of defence, nuclear energy, investment and foreign trade, cooperation in emergency situations and disaster management, cooperation in the field of culture, mass-media, youth and sports. In the Republic of Korea, the Romanian president will be meeting representatives of the Romanian community and business environment and will be visiting an exhibition of Romanian traditional art. (bill) EUFAULA One hundred children will be left with nothing to do if the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Eufaula closes its doors and Scharon Peterson is striving to ensure that does not happen. Peterson is the Chief Executive of Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake Eufaula. This is a heartbreaking situation, she said this week. Last year we lost some funding from a major sponsor, and weve been scrambling to replace that. The club facing closing is the 22-year-old club located at 446 Sanford Ave. The club has only two months of funding left to keep its doors open at this critical location, Peterson said. This club is an afterschool haven for more than 100 children, and we are located about 100 feet from the elementary school in one of the communities that needs us most. There are four clubs under the Lake Eufaula umbrella. Another Eufaula club at 12 Engram St. and the Boys and Girls Clubs in Daleville and Abbeville, also under the umbrella of the Eufaula club, will not be affected, Peterson said. An open house at the Sanford Avenue club is May 3 from 5 until 7 p.m. and the public is invited to meet some of the club members, tour the facilities and see activities offered. Come see firsthand the positive impact the club has on Eufaulas youth and learn how you can help, Peterson said. The city and county have been supportive of the club, as has the Wiregrass United Way, Peterson said. We are extremely thankful to all of the generosity shown within our BGC communities. Support from our local community is great and our Annual Steak and Burger Fundraiser regularly generates 20% of our income, she said. With the addition of more children, expenses have escalated and the need for more funds becomes a never-ending struggle. Peterson said she needs to raise $50,000. Every dollar counts, especially with program fees of only $55 per week per child for the summer program, and $7.50 per child per month during the school year, she said. This is a crisis as over 100 children attend this location, leaving them to their own devices and often with no other place to go for after-school care or during summer break, she said. Please help spread the word, as the club is desperate to raise funds to stay open. The Sanford Avenue club has been open since 2022 after a group of concerned citizens two years earlier formed a seven-member steering committee that established a board of directors and started a fundraising campaign. The Eufaula City School system and Eufaulas Parks and Rec Department provided Sanford Gymnasium as the facility and churches provided the means to open to the public on July 9, 2002, under the management umbrella of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Alabama in Ozark, where it remained until 2009 when it became its own club. In August 2013, the Eufaula Housing Authority provided a second local site in the city. In 2014, a club opened in Abbeville in Henry County and in 2020, the Boys and Girls Club of Daleville in Dale County opened, both under the Eufaula management umbrella. Peterson said the Boys & Girls Club is more than just a place to stay off the streets, citing proven results as of May 2023: 97% of club teens expect to graduate high school; 92% of fourth graders who attend regularly met standardized testing reading proficiency, compared to only 72% of their Alabama peers; and, 98% of club youth regularly exercise at least 120 minutes during the week. These statistics paint a clear picture that the Boys & Girls Club is making a tangible difference in the lives of Eufaulas youth, Peterson said. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake Eufaula has impacted the entire communities it serves. For more information, call (334) 687-7030 or visit www.bgclakeeufaula.org. YouAi is a cutting-edge business tool that empowers users to create AI-powered applications without the need for any coding skills. With over 40,000 successful MindStudio AIs deployed in various job functions, this platform offers a wide range of features to automate and optimize different aspects of your business. One of the key highlights of YouAi is its user-friendly interface, which allows anyone to build powerful AI applications quickly and efficiently. Users can go beyond simple chatbots and create web applications with advanced features such as onboarding screens, menus, forms, workflows, and more. Additionally, the platform offers the flexibility to choose from multiple AI models, including well-known providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Mistral, and private models. Furthermore, YouAi enables seamless integration with other popular services such as Slack, Google, Calendly, and Twilio, making it easy to connect with existing tools and systems. Users can also fine-tune their AI applications by training them with custom datasets and utilizing Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) for better results. To support users in their AI journey, YouAi provides a comprehensive Learning Center with guides, tutorials, and reference materials. Additionally, users can access documentation, join the community on Discord to connect with other developers, stay updated on the latest news and updates, become an affiliate to earn commissions, and even pursue certification as a MindStudio developer. Overall, YouAi offers businesses a powerful tool to leverage AI technology and streamline their operations effectively. Whether you are looking to improve lead qualification, automate sales processes, or personalize marketing campaigns, YouAi provides the tools and resources needed to succeed in the AI-driven world. YouAi Features Create AI workflows to automate and optimize business processes Lead qualification and scoring Sales process automation Integration with CRM systems Personalized email campaigns Connect to various services like Slack, Google, etc. No coding required to build powerful AI applications Learning center with guides, tutorials, and reference materials YouAi Pricing YouAi offers three pricing plans: Starter (free with usage costs), Pro ($49 per member/month plus usage costs), and Enterprise (contact for pricing). Prices for AI models are token-based, with different models such as GPT-4 and Claude available at varying rates. Visit youai.ai for more. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter , Facebook and Instagram. A set of 632 main-belt asteroids (178 previously known and 454 unknown objects) has been identified in the archival images from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Citizen scientists from around the world contributed to the identification of this asteroid bounty. Professional astronomers combined the volunteers efforts with machine learning algorithm to identify the asteroids. Over 4 billion years ago, the eight major planets around our Sun formed by sweeping up debris from a vast disk of dust and gas surrounding the Sun. This is common to the planet birthing process, and the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope was the first to optically see similar disks surrounding newborn stars, providing a peek into the Solar Systems formative years. Now, 4 billon years later, the planet construction yard is still cluttered with leftover debris. Most of this ancient space rubble asteroids can be found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter within the main asteroid belt. We are getting deeper into seeing the smaller population of main belt asteroids, said Dr. Pablo Garcia Martin, an astronomer at the Autonomous University of Madrid. We were surprised with seeing such a large number of candidate objects. There was some hint of this population existing, 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. Because of Hubbles 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 the 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 Hubbles 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 can be seen by the human eye. Asteroid positions change with time, and therefore you cannot find them just by entering coordinates, because at different times, they might not be there, Dr. Merin said. As astronomers we dont 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. The results appear in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. _____ Pablo Garcia-Martin et al. 2024. Hubble Asteroid Hunter III. Physical properties of newly found asteroids. A&A 683, A122; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202346771 In December 2023 and February 2024, NASAs Juno spacecraft made extremely close flybys of Jupiters volcanic moon Io, getting within about 1,500 km (930 miles) of the surface and obtaining the first close-up images of the moons northern latitudes. Planetary scientists have now transformed the images collected during the flybys into animations that highlight two of Ios most dramatic features: a mountain and an almost glass-smooth lake of cooling lava called Loki Patera. Io is simply littered with volcanoes, and we caught a few of them in action, said Junos principal investigator Scott Bolton, director of the Space Science and Engineering Division at the Southwest Research Institute. We also got some great close-ups and other data on a 200-km- (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 Ios surface are as smooth as glass, reminiscent of volcanically created obsidian glass on Earth. Maps generated with data collected by Junos Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument reveal Io not only has a surface that is relatively smooth compared to Jupiters other Galilean moons, but also has poles that are colder than middle latitudes. During Junos 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 Jupiters northern polar cyclones. The data allow 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 Jupiters north pole, said Junos project scientist Dr. Steve Levin, a researcher at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 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. Vietnam's rice exports totaled US$1.43 billion in the first quarter of 2024, up 45.5% year-on-year. That amounts to 2.18 million tons in volume, reflecting a 17.6% increase from the same period last year. Meanwhile, the average export rice price also increased by 23.6% to $653.9 per ton. According to preliminary statistics from the General Department of Customs, in March 2024, Vietnams rice exports increased by 99.7% in volume and 90% in turnover compared to February 2024, reaching over 1.12 million ton valued at $709.6 million. The Philippines was the largest export market of Vietnamese rice in the first three months of 2024, reaching over 1.01 million tons, worth about $649 million. The exports accounted for 46.4% of Vietnams total volume and 45.5% of the total value. The export price to this market reached $641.7 per ton, up 27.3% compared to the first three months of 2023. Rice exports to Indonesia ranked the second, increasing sharply by 199.7% in volume and 308.8% in revenue to 445,326 tons and $285.06 million. The average export price surged by 36.4% to $640 per tonne. The third largest market was Malaysia with a growth of 28.8% in volume and 60.6% in turnover to reach 98,917 tons and $61.55 million, respectively. In 2024, Vietnam aims to maintain rice cultivation area of 7.1 million hectares and rice output of over 43 million tons, ensuring domestic consumption and export of over eight million tonnes of rice. The rice exports last year witnessed a breakthrough, with volume reaching 8.1 million tons worth $4.7 billion, up 14.4% in volume and 35.3% in value compared to the previous year. This is a record high export for Vietnams rice industry. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as of January 22, 2024, Vietnam had 161 eligible traders to export rice. The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) will auction SJC-branded gold bars on April 22, a representative of the central bank said on Friday. Speaking at a press conference on the SBVs operations in the first quarter of this year, Deputy Director of the SBV's Foreign Exchange Management Department Dao Xuan Tuan said the central bank will send a notice to 15 businesses which as eligible to buy gold bars on Friday afternoon. Preparations for the auction have been completed, the official said, noting that the sale is expected to boost the supply of the precious metals amid record high prices, thus ensuring the safe, stable, healthy, transparent and effective operation of the domestic market as requested by the Prime Minister. A minimum price will be set and bidders will have 30 minutes to determine the price and volume they want. The winning bids will be announced one hour after the auction closes. Prospective buyers need to place a deposit to join the auction no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day they receive the official notice. The last time the central bank sold gold bars was in 2013 when over 1.8 million taels were offloaded, with a total of 76 auctions. A tael equals 37.5 grams or 1.2 ounces. Gold bullion was traded at VND81.8 million VND (US$3,213) for buying and VND83.82 million for selling on Friday, a drop of about VND300,000 from the previous session. The central bank has sent documents to ministries and agencies, asking for their coordination in implementing the Prime Ministers instructions in gold market management. It also asked its branches in cities and provinces to work together with competent agencies in localities to intensify inspection and supervision over gold business, and handle any violation of regulations. Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung received an official reprimand from the Communist Party's Politburo Friday for violating the law and the Party's principles. The Party's decision-making body said Dung, also a member of the Party Central Committee, had violated principles of democratic centralism. Dung's "negligence in management" allowed the ministry and certain of its organizations and individuals to commit violations that threatened to cause huge losses to the state budget, and serious consequences that are hard to handle, the Politburo said. Vietnam's Communist Party has four modes of punishment for misconduct by official members: reprimand, warning, demotion and expulsion. Dung, 62, became the labor minister in April 2016. Former minister Pham Thi Hai Chuyen and former deputy minister Huynh Van Ti were also rebuked for similar violations. Chuyen was blamed for poor management that created conditions for the conduct of bidding packages by the notorious Advanced International Joint Stock Company (AIC) and businesses under its ecosystem. Over the last two years, AIC has been investigated for bidding violations at several units and localities. AIC Group was among Vietnam's 500 largest enterprises in 2012, with annual revenues of around VND10 trillion (US$406.75 million). The company operates in various fields including healthcare, education and real estate. AICs chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan was accused of several crimes, including bribery and bidding violations, but has been evading authorities and is internationally wanted. Two foreign tourists and a Vietnamese tour guide were injured after a ferry broadsided a boat carrying 42 passengers on the Tien River in the Mekong Delta Friday evening. The Hang Chau Tourist Express Boat vessel was coming from Phnom Penh in Cambodia when, at around 6 p.m, the collision occurred in Vinh Xuong Commune in An Giang Provinces Chau Doc City around a kilometer from the border. The ferry rammed into the middle of the boats starboard/port side, causing a large part of the vessel to break off and many standing tourists to fall down. Ferry slams into tourist boat carrying 42 foreigners in Mekong Delta river Tau cho 42 khach nuoc ngoai va cham pha tren song Tien A tourist boat collides with a ferryboat in An Giang Province, April 19, 2024. Video provided by a local resident The tour guide, 36, had his right arm cut off by a piece of metal and both legs broken. Two men from Germany and France, aged 57 and 67, had their left legs broken. All three were rushed to a local hospital. A tourist boat that was broadsided by a ferry in An Giang Province on April 19, 2024. Photo by Tran Thanh Que Chi, a ferry passenger, said the tourist boat had been traveling at a high speed before the collision. The captain had tried to slow down after noticing the approaching ferry, but was too late, he said. Many passengers panicked after the collision and some burst into tears, he added. Locals helped the captain remove the passengers out of the tourist boat, fearing the vessel could sink. A person injured in the collision is rushed to hospital. Photo provided by a local resident Bui Thai Hoang, a commune official, said the two foreign tourists were stable by Friday night after receiving emergency treatment. The tour guide's condition is more serious and he has been transfered to a bigger hospital. Hoang said the boat has been licensed for operating for more than 10 years and was running its registered route on Friday evening. A foreign tourist injured in the boat collision. Photo providedby a local resident According the boat operator's website, its vessels carry tourists every day, leaving Chau Doc for Phnom Penh at 7:30 a.m. and returning at 12:30 p.m. Each trip takes about 5 hours. Most of its passengers are foreigners. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Thursday evening, in the Grand Ballroom of the Richmond County Country Club, a special evening unfolded when three local leaders were honored by the College of Staten Island for their unwavering service to their community. The annual benefit, dubbed, Spring Into Giving, is the only annual event to raise much-needed funds to benefit all aspects of the college from support for students and faculty through program enhancements to infrastructure improvements. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New Yorkers have multiple chances to turn a few bucks into tens of thousands of dollars. The New York Lottery has various $3 scratch-off games with top-prizes of $60,000. As of Friday, there are seven tickets across four different $3 scratch-off games with guaranteed top prizes of $60,000. Here are the $3 scratch-off games with top-prize tickets of $60,000 still in circulation as of Friday, Apr. 19, according to New York Lottery data: LINE EM UP Top prizes remaining: 1 Odds of winning top prize: 1 in 2,072,160 LOTERIA Top prizes remaining: 2 Odds of winning top prize: 1 in 2,676,933.33 MATCH FOR CASH Top prizes remaining: 2 Odds of winning top prize: 1 in 2,036,880 XTREME CASHWORD Top prizes remaining: 2 Odds of winning top prize: 1 in 3,435,400 MORE INFORMATION For more information about the New York Lotterys scratch-off games, visit nylottery.ny.gov/scratch-off-games. The New York Lottery continues to be touted as North Americas largest and most profitable lottery, contributing $3.7 billion during fiscal year 2022-2023 to support education in New York state. New York Lottery revenue is distributed to local school districts by the same statutory formula used to distribute other state aid to education. It takes into account both a school districts size and its income level; larger, lower-income school districts receive proportionately larger shares of lottery school funding. More than 100 students at Columbia University were arrested on Thursday after setting up a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campuss Butler Lawns, which are designated zones for student protests by Columbias own policies. The encampment, organized by the Columbia University Apartheid Divest coalition (CUAD), Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), aimed to protest what they call the universitys continued financial investment in corporations that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and military occupation of Palestine, as per CUADs news release. NEW YORK, N.Y. Jury selection came to a close Friday in the Manhattan criminal trial of former President Donald Trump, and it wasnt without some notable moments. The week started Monday with Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan deciding some of what would be allowed into the trial before jury selection got started. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When asked why Lenny Manning, 74, of Annadale wanted to open a legal weed shop on Staten Island, he said, I was a Woodstock guy. And at the time, unbeknownst to this well-known Tottenville-based accountant, his future wife, the late Bonnie Manning, was also at the historic music fest. In fact, she can be seen in clips of the movie Bethel Woods. When they met after Woodstock, they shared their experiences with each other about the historic rock concert. With an instant connection, they wed and had three children and seven grandchildren. They moved to Staten Island in 1987. But in the years before her death in 2016, Mannings wife of 44 years used marijuana for medicinal purposes, he said. My wife, unfortunately, battled ovarian cancer for 20 years. She was in and out of surgeries and hospitals all the time. And she smoked marijuana until the end because thats the only thing that controlled the nausea, he said. WHY HES OPENING A WEED SHOP What was a recreational activity for Manning in his younger years has now become a way to secure a legacy for his children, and hes hoping the profits help put his grandkids through college. All my friends said, Are you crazy? You should be retiring now, said Manning. But I want my grandchildren to have their college education guaranteed. And I want them to have money to buy houses, said Manning. SYMBOLIC OPENING After weeding through a lot of New York state red tape, Manning secured his Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries (CAURD) program, and wanted his store opening to be on 4/20 or Weed Day. And Manning is no stranger to operating a business on Staten Island. In addition to his Tottenville-based accounting firm, he has owned a cell phone store, childrens party place, a music studio and a gas station, said Manning. Im an entrepreneur. It just keeps me busy, he said. The Weed Shoppe will be the second brick and mortar legal recreational dispensary to open on Staten Island. And there are also two weed delivery services operating in the borough. Already operating are The Flowery in Charleston, which opened in January. Both NugHub and High Stone offer delivery, and both owners are working on getting brick and mortar shops up and running. PRODUCTS Manning said the Weed Shoppe will offer a broad array of THC and Hemp products, including a line especially for women. We have picked award winning products. Were keeping it to very, very good stuff, he said. We also will have a hemp womans line with soaps and cremes. The Weed Shoppe is located 4906 Arthur Kill Road, and will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 4/20. Delivery and online orders will be available shortly via theweedshoppe.net. The store will be open Sunday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and X NEW YORK, N.Y. Emergency personnel responded to a report of a man on fire Friday outside the Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump is facing charges. The NYPD responded to Manhattans Collect Pond Park around 1:37 p.m. for reports of a man on fire, a spokesperson for the department said. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Judge Biju J. Koshy was named the new supervising judge for Richmond County Criminal Court, making him the first Asian American in the history of New York City Criminal Court to hold the key judicial post. The announcement was made by Chief Judge Joseph A. Zayas and First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Norman St. George this week. The appointment, made in consultation with Presiding Justice Hector D. LaSalle of the Appellate Division, Second Department, bestows Koshy with the duty of overseeing Criminal Court operations on Staten Island. In immediately assuming this position of authority, Koshy succeeds Acting Supervising Judge Alexander Jeong. I am proud to announce this historicand well-earnedappointment, Zayas said. Biju Koshy is a fair-minded and talented judge, garnering a reputation for his innovative and collaborative leadership, legal acumen, and outstanding work ethic. Judge Koshy has ably served the New York City Criminal Court in a variety of capacities for well over a decade. Additionally, as a long-time Richmond County resident and participant in many local civic organizations and activities, he has a deep understanding of the justice needs of the Staten Island community. JUDGE KOSHYS CAREER HISTORY Koshy was initially appointed to the New York City Criminal Court bench in 2021. Since then, he has effectively resolved hundreds of matters within Richmond County Criminal Court. The judge also presides over the Richmond County Criminal Courts Mental Health and Drug Treatment parts, which aim to provide those charged with misdemeanors with supportive services while seeking innovative yet compassionate solutions. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Koshy operated a private practice, and before that, he served as a senior court attorney to Richmond County Criminal Court Judge Raymond L. Rodriguez. It was in this role that the judge drafted decisions, reviewed search warrant applications and advised on legal issues, in addition to other duties. I am humbled and honored to receive this appointment and thankful to the New York State Courts leadership team for this opportunity. I have been privileged to work in the Richmond County Criminal Court for the past 14 years in various roles. I look forward to collaborating with our judges, court personnel, and our partners in justice to serve the needs of all those who come before the Criminal Court, Koshy said. Koshys legal career dates back to 2006, when he acted as a prosecutor in the Office of the Bronx County District Attorney. It was in 2010 that he joined the Office of the District Attorney in Richmond County. While in the office he worked as a supervisor, and then as deputy chief in the offices Criminal Court Bureau. Koshys ties to Staten Island are traceable to his teenage years. An alumnus of Monsignor Farrell High School, Koshy pursued a bachelors degree in business administration from Pace University. During his time at Pace, Koshy earned the colleges Presidential Scholarship and its Student Government Service Award. A graduate of Seton Hall University School of Law, he served as chair of the Seton Hall Law Honor Council, president of the International Law Society, and captain of the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Additionally, Koshy is the secretary of the Asian American Judges Association of New York and director of the Staten Island Historical Society. He was formerly the director of the South Asian Bar Association of New York and the Richmond County Bar Association. The Asian American Judges Association is thrilled to celebrate the appointment of Judge Biju Koshy as Supervising Judge of Richmond County Criminal Court, New York County Civil Court Supervising Judge Shahabuddeen A. Ally, the groups president, said. Judge Koshy is an eminently qualified jurist who brings much-needed diversity to the bench. Diversity and inclusion matters, at all levels. This is a good day for New York state. In acknowledging the work of the outgoing Jeong, Zayas said the following: We are greatly indebted to Judge Jeong for his astute leadership of and innumerable contributions to the Richmond County Criminal Court during his tenure. We are most fortunate, going forward, to benefit from his judicial expertise in Richmond County Supreme Court, where he continues to preside with distinction. Everything is copy. - Nora Ephron Recently quoted by Taylor Swift, this idea from the American writer Nora Ephron stopped me for a moment to reflect on its veracity--and I have to say, I agree. Everything that happens in a writers life becomes grist for the mill: good, bad, meh, silly, sad, heartbreaking. Everything. James Baldwin cautioned all writers to Just keep writing. Several authors have boldly stated that if you dont write every day, you cant consider yourself a writer. Stephen King has a routine, as does Anne LaMott (One hour, or one page, one passage, one day at a time). STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The first four months of 2024 brought about temperatures as high as 82 and as low as 15 degrees, as recorded by the Advance/SILive.com weather station. And although conditions gradually grow warmer as the year progresses, each month so far has brought temperatures well exceeding their average. In looking back over the stretch of time from Jan. 1 through April 18, heres a look at some of Staten Islands warmest days so far. Turning time back to winter, we reflect on a season with a return to snow (though not much of it), and above-average temperatures. JANUARY In a lot of ways, January encapsulates the bitter cold of winter; the warmth of the holiday season dissipates and what youre left with is a month of ice cold temperatures (traditionally). However, while January 2024 did feature some frigid temps, it also contained a few days where highs exceeded 50 degrees. The warmest of these days turned out to be Jan. 13, which blasted the Island with a spring-like warmth of 59 degrees, according to the Advance/SILive.com. For reference, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) online weather data for Central Park between 1991 and 2020 notes that the normal maximum temperature for that particular day is usually a cool 39 degrees; a staggering 20-degree difference. An honorable mention goes out to Jan. 9, which held a high of 57 degrees, as reported by the Advance/SILive.com weather station. FEBRUARY Moving on to the month of romance and groundhogs, February featured a fair share of mild days. Temperatures over the course of the 29 days of February leveled off with a high of 62 degrees on Feb. 28. NOAA Central Park data from 1991-2020 shows that the normal maximum temperature for this particular days sits at around 45 degrees; a 17-degree difference. Earlier that month, on Feb. 10, the Advance/SILIve.com weather station recorded a high of 59 degrees, an 18-degree departure from the usual Central Park high of 41 degrees. Its no wonder Staten Island Chuck called for an early spring. MARCH As temperatures generally trended above average in the winter, none reached the record-shattering highs that Staten Islanders experienced in March. Temperatures get warmer as the days draw nearer to summer, thats been established. However, on March 3, Staten Island saw an unforeseen high of 70 degrees, as reported by the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com. The first few months of 2024 brought about temperatures well above the average high to New York City. This file photo from March 3, 2024, shows the St. Patrick's Parade of 2024 in West Brighton. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon)(Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) Not only did that day exceed Central Parks maximum average high of 46 degrees (a more than 20-degree difference), it broke the all-time record high in Central Park for March 3 of 65 degrees; a figure recorded back in 1991, as reported by the National Weather Service (NWS). Then, just as winter made its way out the door, March delivered a final 74-degree beauty on March 14. This marked the warmest day of the month, and yet another outstanding departure from the average. NOAA Central Park Data shows that the high normally sits at a mild 49 degrees on March 14, a 25-degree difference. APRIL The review brings us back to spring, and the month of April has already gifted Staten Island with a couple of summer-like days. On April 9, the Advance/SILive.com weather station measured a high of 76 degrees, a temperature more customary to June. Then, just on Monday, April 15, we reached the highest point of the year at 82 degrees. Mondays high reached a point that rests 20 degrees above the normal high. Usually, April 15 features an average high of about 62 degrees, according to Central Park data. Thats not to say the entirety of April has been sunshine and swimwear. Just look at Thursday - the Advance/SILive.com weather station measured a cool high of 50 degrees; thats 13 degrees below the Central Park normal high of 63. With such a rollercoaster of temperatures so far, itll be interesting to witness just whats in store for the borough in the remainder of 2024. YES Network announcer Michael Kay found something curious about the Blue Jays in the Yankees most recent series in Toronto. When New York first met up with Toronto for a three-game set on Apr. 5-7, the Yankees won two of three games, outscoring the Blue Jays 17-14. On Monday, both teams kicked off another three-game series, this time New York lost two of three 12-11. This would indicate that both teams are pretty evenly matched. Thats not what Kay thinks. Want to bet on MLB? See the best NYC Sports Betting sites During Game 3 of the series this week, Kay and YES analyst John Flaherty were puzzled by the Blue Jays sudden ability to see Yankees pitches better. You know whats curious to me though, John (Flaherty), Kay said, via Awful Announcing. We just saw the Blue Jays in the Bronx, and what we watched was a completely different team than the one weve seen here in Toronto. The one in New York did not foul off the amount of pitches that this team does. Its like its a different team in this ballpark. Now, home-field advantage, there is something to that. But why would it manifest itself in the ability to foul off tough pitches? Stats from both series would indicate that not much changed from series one versus series two. In the first set, Blue Jays and Yankees hitters both had 24 hits apiece, and Toronto had one more strikeout (25) than the Yankees (24). In the second series, both teams again recorded identical hit totals (21) with New York striking out 27 times (27.8% of plate appearances) and Toronto 22 (24.7% of plate appearances). Maybe the Blue Jays, having seen the Yankees pitching for the sixth time, had a better idea of what to expect. Scouting reports improve with each game played against opponents. Manny Gomez may be reached at mgomez@njadvancemedia.com. Media firm WPP Media Limited has been punished by the Ministry of Information and Communications for various advertising violations, with one involving the illegal U-shaped line. WPP had placed advertisements of two brands in the movie "Flight to you," which was broadcast on YouTube on includes the U-shaped line, the Department of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information under the ministry said. China has used the U-shaped line to claim most of the South China Sea and illegally parts of maritime Vietnam. The claim has been internationally rejected and condemned. WPP also advertised three cosmetics products on YouTube that did not suit its permits, the department said. The company was fined a total of VND55 million (US$2,160) on Wednesday and ordered to remove the violating ads. The two men convinced him that if he started his own company, he wouldnt have to worry about being censored and his supporters would follow him to the new platform. Trump was intrigued enough to lend his name to the effort in exchange for a majority stake in the company. He didnt invest any of his own money. Wes Moss when part of The Apprentice, in 2004. Credit: Getty Images The parties drew up an agreement that authorised United Atlantic Ventures, a company set up by Moss and Litinsky, to put the plan in motion. In return, they were promised an equity stake in Trump Media. Moss and Litinsky, who were on Trump Medias board, were instrumental in negotiating the October 2021 merger agreement with Digital World, a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, that had raised $US300 million in an initial public offering. SPACs raise money in an IPO in order to buy an existing company such as Trump Media, allowing the operating business to go public. In February 2022, Truth Social made its debut, quickly becoming the former presidents main online megaphone. Things soon began to go south, not long after Trump appointed Devin Nunes, the former Republican congressman from California, as Trump Medias CEO. By that summer, Moss had resigned from the companys board; Litinsky had done so earlier. In their lawsuit, filed in Delaware Chancery Court, the two men claimed that their relationship with Trump Media had soured after Litinsky refused Trumps request to give some shares to his wife, Melania, long before the company began to trade. Trump Media has claimed in its lawsuit, filed in March in Florida state court, that Moss and Litinsky failed spectacularly at every turn. The suit blamed the men for the poor rollout of Truth Social, which was marred by technical glitches that Trump Media said had generated hostile press coverage. Trump Media also said some of the actions of Moss and Litinsky had contributed to an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission that delayed the merger. Christopher Clark, a lawyer for United Atlantic, said Trump Medias lawsuit against his clients was meritless. He said that if Trump Media had any claims against his clients, it should bring them before the Delaware court rather than in a separate lawsuit in Florida. This month, the judge in the Delaware proceeding, Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock III, questioned the rationale for filing a suit in Florida, saying he was dumbfounded. Samuel Salario, a lawyer for Trump Media, said that the companys complaint speaks for itself, and that Trump Media would prevail in court. The Apprentice contestant Andy Litinsky. Credit: Getty Images In their lawsuit, Moss and Litinsky claimed their right to 8 per cent of Trump Medias shares and the ability to sell them immediately. They alleged that Trump Media had unfairly barred their company, United Atlantic, from selling any shares for six months, just as the merger with Digital World was being completed. The timing of the action was punitive and retaliatory, Moss and Litinsky alleged. Trump Media has argued that the lockup is consistent with how other large shareholders are being treated and that, in any event, the two men forfeited their rights to those shares. The six-month lock-up imposed on United Atlantic is similar to a share-selling restriction that also applies to Trump and investors who backed Digital World before the SPAC went public in 2021. Legal experts said it was not unusual for founders of a company that went public to become embroiled in a battle over who should get the most shares. Its all about dividing the pie but not about the fate of the pie itself, said Usha Rodrigues, a professor of corporate law at the University of Georgia School of Law. Donald Trump is still going to be in control. Its just about sorting out the pieces. Moss and Litinsky arent the only ones fighting in court over their equity stake. Patrick Orlando, the former CEO of Digital World, is also suing to get more shares of Trump Media, claiming the SPACs board wrongly cast him aside a year before the merger was completed. Orlando was pushed out in the middle of the SEC investigation, in which regulators said early merger negotiations between Digital World and Trump Media had violated federal securities laws. The SEC did not charge him with any wrongdoing, and Digital World eventually reached an $18 million settlement with regulators. Loading Orlando and his lawyers did not respond to requests for comment. In claiming that Moss and Litinskys actions contributed to the regulatory investigation, the Trump Media lawsuit said the two men were apprehensive of how Orlando was conducting the merger talks but continued to negotiate with him anyway. The suit noted that after one meeting with Orlando in April 2021, Litinsky wrote in his notes: I get scared, is he wearing a wire? Its time to frock up and get back on the road: a new Priscilla movie is in the works, 30 years after the original was released. Stephan Elliott writer and director of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert confirmed in an interview with entertainment website Deadline that a sequel to the beloved Australian hit has been written. A sequel has been written for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. The original cast is on board, Ive got a script that everybody likes, were still working out deals its happening, Elliott said. Im not repeating myself, well start the new film in Australia, but by god, were going on one helluva journey. Advertisement Eating outVivid Sydney Five dishes you must try at Vivid Fire Kitchen, the outdoor barbecue spectacular Plus the line-up of international Michelin-starred chefs set to take over Sydney restaurants. Bianca Hrovat April 20, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share Adam Roberts doing a demonstration at Vivid Fire Kitchen. Edwina Pickles Fire sculptures, flame shooters and a line-up of internationally acclaimed chefs have set The Goods Line ablaze during the largest-yet installation of Vivid Fire Kitchen, open each night from now until June 15. Lennox Hastie (Firedoor, Surry Hills) will join chef and cookbook author Christine Manfield (Indian Cooking Class), Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt (Ekstedt, Stockholm), US television personality Jess Pryles (Pitmaster) and others for a series of fire-fuelled culinary demonstrations and food stalls lining the entire length of the repurposed railway track. For the first time as part of Vivid, beloved Sydney gelato purveyors, Messina, are hosting a pop-up, the Messina Milk Bar, selling gelato-infused chocolate bars, dixie cups, tailor-made milkshakes and spiders. Theres also bars along the route, with cocktails by Archie Rose and Starward, including winter-appropriate drinks like apple whisky hot toddies. Beef birria and chicken tacos with corn on the cob at Marus Kitchen. Edwina Pickles Advertisement Five dishes to try at Vivid Fire Kitchen Theres a lot more to choose from at Vivid Fire Kitchen this year, where a rotating line-up of vendors are serving everything from smoky barbecued skewers to beef birria tacos. Heres our pick of what to order: Brisket burnt ends ($19) caramelised in house-made hickory barbecue sauce and smoked mac and cheese ($12) from Smoky Sues . instagram.com/smokysuesofficial ($19) caramelised in house-made hickory barbecue sauce and smoked mac and cheese ($12) from . instagram.com/smokysuesofficial The meat box (300g for $35) with rump cap, incredibly tender chicken and chorizo sausage at Brazilian Flame . brazilianflame.com.au (300g for $35) with rump cap, incredibly tender chicken and chorizo sausage at . brazilianflame.com.au Prawn Arabes roll ($23) with char grilled garlic king prawns basted with chermoula sauce on a brioche roll with house-made herb butter, from Eat Lebanese . eatlebanese.com.au ($23) with char grilled garlic king prawns basted with chermoula sauce on a brioche roll with house-made herb butter, from . eatlebanese.com.au Beef birria tacos ($20 for two, with a bowl of beef consomme for dipping) and barbecued corn on the cob ($10) from Marus Kitchen . instagram.com/maruskitchen.au ($20 for two, with a bowl of beef consomme for dipping) and barbecued corn on the cob ($10) from . instagram.com/maruskitchen.au Creme brulee churro cones ($13), fried, filled and blow-torched to order at Mr Spanish Churro. instagram.com/mr_spanish_churro Pocket Rocket Z food truck with Balbir Sing and his son Kabir. Edwina Pickles Vivid Fire Kitchen was introduced as part of Vivids first food program in 2023, when it attracted 120,000 visitors overa month-long run at The Cut in Barangaroo. Festival director Gill Minervini says this year is even hotter. We are really amping up the atmosphere and ambience by using a lot more fire its going to be a major improvement on what weve done before, she says of the free, festival-long event. Cant take the heat? Then head to one of Sydneys participating kitchens Michelin-starred restaurants from Brazil, Singapore and the UK have sent their head chefs to Sydney for a series of pop-up residencies and collaborations during Vivid. Advertisement Manoella Manu Buffara, chef-founder of Manu Restaurant in Brazil, headlines the program with a residency at Ploos (The Rocks). Jaffa chocolate Berliner donuts at Vivid Fire Kitchen. Edwina Pickles Buffara (who also worked briefly at Noma) gained international recognition in 2022 when she becamethe Worlds 50 Best Latin American female chef of the year. The accolade recognised Buffara for her hyper-local, casual fine-dining menu; her role as the first woman to serve a tasting-only menu in Brazil; and her community projects, which have involved setting up a series of urban farms and beehives. It wont be the first time Buffara has taken her cooking overseas, having set out to defy international expectations of Brazilian cuisine by opening her second restaurant, Ella, in New York City in 2019. Advertisement We will use techniques and ideas from Manu in Brazil to bring a touch of Brazilian flavours to this pop-up, Buffara says. We are bringing to Australia the philosophy of sustainable resource use that we have already implemented in Brazil, integrating it with local flavours and ingredients. Max Coen (Dorian, UK), Sally Abe (The Pem, UK) and Ivan Brehm (Nouri, Singapore) will also host collaborative dinners at Freds (Paddington), The Charles Grand Brasserie (Sydney), and Aalia (Sydney), respectively. Over at Sydney Opera House, culinary director and Good Food contributor Danielle Alvarez will be back on the tools for two nights for Culinary Canvas. The three-course meal, overlooking the light installations of the harbour at Circular Quay, will be sound tracked by live performances by ARIA-award winning artist Katie Noonan. Chef Danielle Alvarez and sommelier Louella Mathews are working together for Culinary Canvas at Vivid Sydney. supplied Advertisement Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Ill tell you a little secret that will perhaps surprise you: I find Passover exhausting. There is so much preparation! My husband and I re-kosher our kitchen, clean it of all leavened products, and there is lots of cooking, cleaning, hosting, and time at synagogue. Passover celebrates the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt that took place more than 3000 years ago. As the Jewish people fled slavery in Egypt, they did not have time to properly bake their bread, so they ate unleavened bread. To commemorate Passover, Jewish people spend eight days eating matzah (unleavened bread) and remember the slavery and oppression of the Jewish people in Egypt. A family gathers around a seder table during Passover. Credit: iStock / Jodi Jacobson Out of all the Jewish festivals (and there are many!), Passover is the one that is most celebrated by Jewish people around the world. Kosher grocery stores do their best trade in the lead-up to the holiday, as thousands of extra people, many of whom do not usually keep kosher, come to buy products that their families will use over the festival. On the first two nights of Passover, most families will host a seder, a ceremonial meal that involves storytelling, songs and symbolic foods. With four cups of wine, three matzahs, a 15-step ritual including the maror (bitter herbs) and opportunities for children to ask questions through the Ma Nishtana, Passover is a full and long family affair. As the oldest of three boys growing up in the outer suburbs of Brisbane, where they rode bikes, created daredevil jumps and worried their mother, John Davies always felt it was his job to look out for his little brothers. He was there the day the youngest, Luke known to family and friends as Lukie boy pushed too fast and too high to outdo his elder brothers over a jump, and carried the bruised little boy home to safety. Luke Davies mother, Sandra, is hugged by a mourner after a memorial service. Credit: Dan Peled But he wasnt there the day Luke died. He could not have known what would happen that February morning, when a NSW Police officer allegedly shot Luke and his new boyfriend, Jesse Baird, at a Paddington terrace. Amid the anger, shock and confusion since the alleged murder, John said he wasnt there to be his brothers protector. Im sorry on this uncontrollable occasion I wasnt there for you, he wrote to his little brother. Visitors to Sydney beaches may no longer be able to find out whether it is safe to swim because of a row between local councils and the NSW government over who should pay for testing for water pollution. The Beachwatch program has monitored water quality since 1989, alerting swimmers to pollution at NSW beaches and other swim sites, such as faecal contamination from stormwater and sewage overflows. It also provides forecasts twice daily on water quality to identify health risks to swimmers at monitored sites. A member of the Cronulla Gropers swimming group at Cronulla beach. Credit: Sam Mooy Mayor Carmelo Pesce of Sutherland Shire said the program ensured people could swim without risking their health due to poor water quality caused by sewage pollution. A psychology service for the city and eastern suburbs most vulnerable says it was forced to shut its books to non-suicidal teenagers and adults after a doubling of demand in the states mental health crisis. Local doctors were informed last month that Central and Eastern Sydney Public Health Networks Psychological Support Service (PSS) would only be available to children under 12 and people requiring suicide prevention services until July 1. A mental health service for the vulnerable in central Sydney and the citys east has restricted referrals. Credit: iStock There has been a significant increase in demand for our PSS program this year, with clients accessing more than double the number of sessions than in previous years and funding available for this financial year has been depleted earlier than modelling predicted, the network said in a statement. Funded by the federal government, PSS provides free access to short-term psychological therapy for people experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns who are unable to access Medicare-subsidised psychology due to financial hardship. A steady stream of visitors paid tribute to the victims of last weeks mass murder at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday, as the shopping centre slowly returned to life. Watched by security guards in protective vests, shoppers laid floral bouquets, put on black ribbons and wrote messages expressing their sorrow in condolence books. A shopper signs the condolence book set up to mourn the victims of last weeks Westfield Bondi Junction tragedy. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone Feeling devastated for the innocent victims of this senseless attack and for the families and loved ones who are affected, one mourner wrote. Another message simply said: We love and miss you Dawnie. Rest in peace. Salman Rushdie was living under a fatwa for 33 years, so when he was attacked by a knife-wielding assassin at a literary talk in upstate New York in 2022, he wasnt totally shocked. 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 writes in his new memoir Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, published this week. So my first thought when I saw this murderous shape rushing towards me was, So its you. Here you are. In reading the coverage of the memoir, an account of a stabbing that has horrid resonance for Australians this week, I was struck by one detail. Rushdies attacker, it was reported, had only read a couple of pages of The Satanic Verses, the novel for which Rushdie earned his fatwa from Irans Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. The books alleged blasphemy relates to its treatment of the prophet Muhammed, but Rushdies assailant, who awaits trial for the stabbing, only knew that Rushdie was someone who attacked Islam. Blindsided. Thats how Thomas Kellys bereaved father Ralph described himself at the end of the parole process that resulted in his sons killer Kieran Loveridge walking out of Broken Hill prison late on Friday and the NSW government scrambling for answers about how the family was treated. Ralph Kelly with his wife Kathy Kelly, parents of Thomas, the victim of a one-punch attack in 2012. Credit: James Brickwood The corrections minister has ordered his department to review the support offered to the Kelly family, who were denied facts about Loveridges time behind bars before they made a submission to the parole authority. Loveridge, now 30, has spent the past 12 years behind bars after killing 18-year-old Thomas with a single punch to the head near the Coca-Cola sign in Kings Cross on a night out in 2012. The attack sparked Sydneys controversial lockout laws that placed restrictions on late-night entry to pubs and clubs, and led to strict mandatory sentences for alcohol-fuelled killings. Victorias planning tribunal has approved a controversial 14-storey apartment tower in Frankston, which will form a major part of the suburbs so-called Great Wall of high-rise development overlooking Port Phillip Bay. The decision is a blow to residents who mounted a fierce challenge to the development, arguing it would dominate the skyline. The stretch of land between Kananook Creek and Nepean Highway is at the centre of a major planning dispute in Frankston. Credit: Eddie Jim The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Friday approved the luxury Harbour tower by developer Urban DC, which will have 94 apartments and a ground-level cafe. The decision comes after a long-running fight over height limits along a stretch of land bordered by the Nepean Highway, Kananook Creek Boulevard, and Beach and Wells streets in Frankston. A separate but adjoining luxury apartment building of a similar height has also been proposed for the area. 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 Sometimes on a weekend, Gunditjmara man Richard Frankland will get in the car and set out for one of the sites where Indigenous people were murdered near his south-west Victorian home. The playwright, artist and musician calls these visits his pilgrimages. Its not a formal thing, Frankland said. I go out there and pay respect in my own way. Sometimes Ill take a dog. Sometimes a friend will come. Some places where atrocities occurred have earned gruesome names. They include Murderers Flat near Lake Condah and the insidious Convincing Ground, where whalers slaughtered Indigenous people in a dispute about a beached whale close to the town of Portland. Richard Frankland at the beach in Portland. Credit: Nicole Cleary Frankland, who lives on Gunditjmara country near Portland, said it was time to humanise more of these places with Indigenous names. He believes white Australians would also benefit. Who can we be tomorrow if we have a collective culture thats inclusive? he said. Its about what do we gain? We gain thousands of years of heritage. Advertisement Franklands desire to see more Indigenous language and respectful names comes amid a broader change slowly rolling across Victoria. The Moyne Shire recently began renaming Lubra Creek an offensive term for Indigenous women. Mayor Ian Smith said it would become part of a much bigger journey. He said the council was seeking feedback on the proposed name Thanampool Thookay Creek, which means women and children in the language of the Dhauwurd Wurrung. Smith said the proposed title honoured the Indigenous people murdered at the south-west Victorian creek at Caramut in 1842. Were hoping by putting this out to consultation it may draw out other areas that are sensitive to the Indigenous population, Smith said. Moyne Shire mayor Ian Smith at Lubra Creek, which will soon be renamed due to the racist origin of that term. Credit: Nicole Cleary The change began after the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation approached the council asking for the creek to be renamed in traditional language. But Smith said Moyne Shire was willing to work with other councils wanting to embark on similar journeys. Ive had discussions with other councils, and they are watching what were doing in Moyne, he said. Advertisement Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation chairperson Craig Molyneux said place names including Massacre Bay near Peterborough were deeply offensive to traditional owners. He called for the restoration of Aboriginal names. Weve lost a lot as far as language and place names go, he said. Were trying to piece that back together now. The Glenelg Shire, which borders Moyne and the South Australian border, conducted an audit of place names, roads, monuments and plaques. The shire did not provide figures but said it showed an over-representation of early European settlers and a significant under-representation of First Nations and female names. Suzannah Henty at the Yoorrook Justice Commission. Credit: David Callow A shire spokesman said the Henty name was identified as one of the most commonly used in shire assets that was offensive to Indigenous people. The Henty family were the first Europeans to settle in Victoria with Edward Henty and his brother Stephen arriving at Portland Bay in 1834, according to the State Library of Victoria. Loading Last month Suzannah Henty, a descendant of squatter James Henty, told the Yoorrook Justice Commission there should be a ceremonious destruction of monuments to her family due to links with massacres of Indigenous people. Advertisement Gunditjmara man Shea Rotumah said offensive names should be changed, including those celebrating historical figures who participated in massacres and other injustices. He also called for more dual place names in English and local Indigenous languages to express the importance of Aboriginal history, culture and overlapping stories with European heritage both good and bad. We both have different connections to this place, but the story of the land now contains us, he said. Gunditjmara man Shea Rotumah washing a whale bone. Credit: Rebecca Tobin However, Rotumah said monuments and plaques dedicated to pastoral settlements and early European agriculture completely overlooked Gunditjmara cultivation of the land, including kangaroo grass farming, which Indigenous people had done for tens of thousands of years. Loading Its an insult to steal someones land and name it after them[selves], he said. These are the microaggressions we deal with every day. Advertisement Last year the Hepburn Shire renamed Jim Crow Creek due to its association with racial segregation in the US to Larni Barramal Yaluk. The Moreland City Council, named after a slave plantation, was changed to Merri-bek City Council in 2022. But Victoria is scattered with monuments and place names with racist or violent origins, including cairns in Gippsland recognising pastoralist Angus McMillan, who was linked to several massacres of Indigenous people. As part of the $52.1 million Yoorrook Justice Commissions truth-telling inquiry into those killing times and other historical wrongs of Victorias frontier history which continue to reverberate in social, economic and political justice outcomes the commission this month examined matters related to waters, land and sky. Premier Jacinta Allan will appear before the Yoorrook Justice Commissionlater this month. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Premier Jacinta Allan will give evidence when the inquiry sits at the Coranderrk historic Aboriginal reserve at the end of April. It will be the first time a state premier has appeared before a formal, First Peoples-led truth-telling commission. Loading The subject of dual-naming policies and processes is expected to be raised in the commissions examination of witness evidence over the next fortnight. The findings and recommendations derived from evidence provided in the hearing block will be tabled along with the findings of the commissions other areas of inquiry in mid-2025. Advertisement Over the years, micro groups comprised of a handful of individuals from the far margins of the political spectrum have come and gone, he said. They often use names that conceal their true nature as fringe and unrepresentative. Journalist and author Michael Gawenda a former editor-in-chief of The Age urged journalists to be clear about the group when reporting its public statements. I am not saying they shouldnt be quoted but it should be clear who they represent and that they are not a mainstream Jewish organisation, he said. In some reporting, the Jewish Council of Australia is given equivalence to the [Executive Council of Australian Jewry]. That is just nonsense. The leader of one Jewish group has written in confidence to media outlets expressing concern about how the Jewish Council of Australia is being presented. Council members have been quoted as Jewish community spokespeople by this masthead, the ABC, the Guardian and Al Jazeera. The executive officers of the Jewish Council of Australia, human rights lawyer Sarah Schwartz, author and historian Max Kaiser and public policy expert Elizabeth Strakosch, rejected accusations that their organisations name was misleading and said the group has been transparent about its structure and aims. Schwartz said the council never claimed to be a representative body or to speak for all Jews. Jewish Council of Australia executive officer Sarah Schwartz. That was really important because we take issue with the fact that so many so-called Jewish representatives claim to speak on behalf of the entire Jewish community, she said. Schwartz said the council was named, in part, to acknowledge its resonance with a historic, left-wing Australian Jewish organisation the Jewish Council to Combat Fascism and Anti-Semitism. We are a council of experts on racism and antisemitism. Strakosch said criticisms of the council followed an established pattern of Jewish organisations labelling anyone opposed to Israels actions as not legitimate or a self-hating Jew. The criticisms we have received being called the Jew haters council, being told we should just go and join Hamas, being told we are antisemitic those things are not about how we are presenting ourselves, she said. They are about the things that we say. The council describes itself as a diverse coalition of Jewish academics, lawyers, writers and teachers formed in response to the rise in racism and antisemitism. Beyond the three executive officers, the membership of the council is not publicly disclosed, although it publishes the membership of a separate advisory committee that includes publisher Louise Adler and lawyer Josh Bornstein. Schwartz said the council received no funding and its members were unpaid. The council is in the process of registering its organisation as an incorporated, not-for-profit association. The councils purpose was made clear in its first newsletter, when it declared its support for Palestinian freedom and justice. We came together in the midst of Israels genocidal war in Gaza because of the abject failures of our so-called Jewish representative organisations to recognise the growing number of Jews who support an immediate ceasefire and Palestinian human rights, Strakosch wrote. One of the councils principal aims is to reframe the debate about antisemitism by disentangling Jewishness from the state of Israel. This idea that someone is critical of Israel or Zionism is somehow antisemitic and that legitimate criticisms of Israel are being shut down by accusations of antisemitism is one of the reasons the council was formed, Schwartz said. More contentiously, the council appears to blame Israel rather than Hamas or the broader pro-Palestinian movement for the circumstances confronting Australian Jews. The actions of the Israeli state right now are certainly not making Jews in Israel any safer and they are not making Jews in Australia any safer, Kaiser said. In fact, it would do a significant amount of good in reducing antisemitism and reducing racism if there was no longer an occupation in Israel/Palestine and there was a just solution there. These arguments are not abstract. On Friday, a group of Jewish women met with Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan at the Caulfield South synagogue where Shabbat prayers were last year disrupted by violent clashes between pro-Palestinian activists and police. Loading They recounted examples of hatred and harassment they had experienced since the start of the war in Gaza, which has led to the deaths of an estimated 34,000 Palestinians after Hamas October 7 terror attacks in Israel. On the same day, the Melbourne Law School building where Schwartz delivers lectures was plastered with stickers featuring a red line through Israels flag, which includes the Star of David. Australasian Union of Jewish Students president Noah Loven said pro-Palestinian activists were interrupting classes at the university and demanding that students declare their position on the war. He said it had prompted some Jewish students to withdraw from campus and study online. Former Victorian Labor MP Philip Dalidakis questioned how the public statements of the Jewish Council of Australia, which have described Israel as a rogue state and called on the Australian government to enforce sanctions against it, helped make Australia safer for Jews. Publisher Louise Adler. Credit: Eddie Jim Adler said she was impressed by the seriousness of the predominantly young scholars and lawyers who make up the council and were doing important work. This war is not good for the Jews, she said. It is not good for Israel, it is certainly not good for the Jewish diaspora. It is a disaster and a tragedy and I wish people who are part of the Jewish establishment would come out and say that. When this initiative is described as the Jew haters council, I cant but deduce that any suggestion that theres a diversity of opinion is to be refuted. Josh Bornstein, a workplace law expert who supports strong protections for free speech and against racism, said Jewish organisations had for too long sought to suppress debate within the Jewish community about Israel, Palestine and Gaza. One of the key methods of suppressing legitimate political expression has been to deploy false accusations of antisemitism, he said. The council is determined to expose the deception that is involved when those who criticise Israels treatment of Palestinians are labelled antisemitic. Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University associate professor David Slucki described the Jewish Council of Australia as an extension of the spectrum of Jewish political thought well established in the US and Israel. Loading I know there is a lot of strong feeling against them but if you situate them within modern Jewish history, it is not so different to have Jewish groups who have an array of political positions with regard to Jewish sovereignty and statehood. That is just part of the Jewish story. Whether the Jewish Council of Australias views about Israel reflect a tiny number or sizeable minority of Australias 100,000 Jews is open to debate. Aghion said support for Israel has never been more passionate. We are united and determined, and we stand with Israel during one of the most challenging times we have faced as a community, he said. Slucki said surveys conducted before October 7 indicated about 30 per cent of Jews in Australia did not identify as Zionists and the impact of the war in Gaza was yet to be reflected in any published studies. Tanya Pliberseks appointment as environment minister sparked widespread optimism among conservation groups, most of whom list new national laws as their top priority to fix what she declared were broken environmental protections. That was in March 2022. Last week, almost the entire conservation movement felt deep disappointment in the ministers failure to deliver on that promise. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek cant say when her nature positive plan will be completed. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Plibersek represents the socially progressive electorate of Sydney and is a senior figure in Labors green-tinged Left faction. She came to the portfolio with a reform agenda mapped out in Labors election campaign. That pledge included setting up an Environment Protection Agency to handle development decisions and enforce regulations, national standards that would rule out damage to critical habitats, and comprehensive changes to strengthen the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act. And what of the media campaign concocted by the couple, in which Higgins became the talent managed by her boyfriend, Sharaz? It revealed so much about our political classes. We still dont know why, shortly after theyd met, this pair decided to turn Higgins traumatic experience into a political circus. Its unclear why Sharaz didnt encourage her to take the matter to police directly, safely away from the public scrutiny which has nearly destroyed her. Perhaps the Labor friends Sharaz boasted about suggest that the real target of their campaign held an office higher than that of ex-staffer. It lifts the veil a little on a Canberra culture in which barely matriculated children conceive of themselves as miniature Mata Haris and Machiavellis. Loading You could hardly blame the Labor opposition for embracing the opportunity to use the story of a rape cover up to put pressure on the government. Nor should the craven reactivity of former prime minister Scott Morrison be relativised by the eventual finding of truth. By delivering an apology from the floor of parliament for a rape that had not yet been proven, Morrison showed himself as reckless to the rule of law as Lehrmann was to Higgins consent. But then what do political operatives care about the rule of law? Show me the scheming baby staffer and Ill show you the men and women wholl mismanage our country tomorrow. Of course, it wasnt just Morrison who was reckless to the rule of law. Some among the legal establishment have been accused of being equally casual towards this foundational principle. This case has pitted eminent jurists at odds with one another over what constitutes objectivity. Only Justice Lees diligence and transparency in running an open trial have restored some trust. If theres only one lesson for how Australia does law out of all this, it should be that open justice should be used much more widely. The case has created a whos who of sordid society and scandal. It has also delivered more morals than a compendium of Aesops fables. But has it served Higgins? I cant shake the feeling that the most unwelcome finding which Lee has left open for us to conclude, is that at the heart of this case is a woman who has been most shamefully immolated in service of other peoples vanities. The grand moral of this tale is yet to unfold. Athens: The Greek government has published a list of 198 untrodden beaches that it said are now off limits to bars, restaurants and large public gatherings in its latest attempt to contain development and address the backlash to the throngs of tourists that descend on the countrys coastlines each year. The move comes amid growing frustration among residents of some islands and parts of the coastal mainland that are popular with foreign visitors. Protests ballooned into a nationwide beach towel movement last northern summer as disgruntled locals complained that they were being pushed off their own beaches by businesses seeking to take advantage of a tourist boom that brought more than 32 million foreign visitors to Greece last year. On the countrys Cycladic islands, residents joined forces with authorities to push back against a wave of construction. Mandrakia, a traditional village in Milos, Greece. Credit: iStocl The conservative government has pledged to crack down on the development, and on seaside businesses that violate regulations. In February, it passed a law to regulate the use of the countrys coastline, imposing penalties of up to 60,000 ($100,000) for businesses occupying more than 50 per cent of beaches with umbrellas and sun beds. London: Prince Harry, second son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a United States resident. Four years after Harry and his American wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, decamped to a villa in southern California, a travel company he controls filed paperwork this week informing British authorities that he has moved and is now usually resident in the US. The formal acknowledgment underscores the princes increasing estrangement from Britain, after he and Meghan walked away from royal duties to pursue lucrative media deals in America. Since then, Harry has repeatedly criticised the royal family, including allegations of unconscious racism that were included in a Netflix series and his autobiography, Spare. Prince Harry at the F1 Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, last year. Credit: AP The paperwork was filed by Travalyst Ltd, a company at least 75 per cent owned by Harry and founded in 2020 to to promote global awareness of the importance of sustainable tourism. The documentation was received by Companies House, the government agency that oversees the incorporation of UK companies. Washington/Cairo: Irans foreign minister said Tehran was investigating an attack on Iran that rattled the world and global markets on Friday, but downplayed the strike saying, so far, a link to Israel has not been proven. Hossein Amirabdollahian told NBC News the drones took off from inside Iran and flew for a few hundred metres before being downed by the countrys air defences. Theyre ... more like toys that our children play with, not drones, Amirabdollahian said. People walk past a mural showing Ayatollah Khomeini, right, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, while holding a poster of Ayatollah Khomeini and Iranian and Palestinian flags in an anti-Israeli march after Friday prayers in Tehran. Credit: AP It has not been proved to us that there is a connection between these and Israel, he said, adding that Iran was investigating the matter but that media reports were not accurate, according to Tehrans information. Washington: The US House has swiftly approved $150 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other American allies as Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling Russias invasion. The $US61 billion ($95 billion) in aid for Ukraine passed in a matter of minutes in a strong showing as American lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of US support to the war-torn ally. Many Democrats cheered on the House floor and waved blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine. Aid to Israel and the other allies also won approval by healthy margins, as did a measure to clamp down on the popular platform TikTok, with unique coalitions forming to push the separate bills forward. The whole package will go to the Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately. We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well, said a weary Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage. PHILIPSBURG:--- Orco Bank Sint Maarten is proud to announce its sponsorship of a student delegation attending the Annual World Cultural Heritage Youth Symposium in Greece. The St. Maarten Youth Council Association, in collaboration with the Sint Maarten UNESCO National Committee and the Methodist Agogic Centre Comprehensive Secondary Education, is sending a delegation of students accompanied by two teachers to represent Sint Maarten at the symposium. The symposium, from April 17th to 20th, 2024, brings together young minds worldwide to explore and celebrate intangible cultural heritage. Orco Bank recognizes the importance of supporting youth development and cultural understanding and is delighted to contribute to this valuable initiative. At Orco Bank, we are committed to fostering a brighter future for our communities, said Mrs. Judy King Richardson, Country Manager for Sint Maarten at Orco Bank. Investing in our youth and their cultural education is paramount. We are thrilled to support this students participation in the World Cultural Heritage Youth Symposium and believe this experience will be instrumental in their personal growth and understanding of the world around them. For more information about Orco Bank, please visit their website at https://www.orcobank.com/. To stay abreast of daily posts and news, follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OrcoBank or LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/orco-bank/. X owner Musk says opposed to US ban of competitor TikTok San Francisco, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2024 Elon Musk on Friday came out against banning TikTok in the United States, even if it would mean less competition for his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, as the initiative sees fresh bipartisan momentum in Congress. The US House of Representatives is set to vote on Saturday on a bill that would force TikTok to divest from Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a nationwide ban. The measure, which has the vocal backing by many Democrats and Republicans, has also been written into a massive aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, which could ease its passage in both chambers of the US Congress. "TikTok should not be banned in the USA, even though such a ban may benefit the X platform," Musk said in a post on the social network he acquired in 2022. "Doing so would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression." A number of replies to Musk's comment on X expressed concern that a TikTok ban would set a precedent that could be used to target other social media and messaging services. Under the bill, ByteDance would have to sell the app within a few months or be excluded from Apple and Google's app stores in the United States. It would also give the US president the authority to designate other applications as a threat to national security if they are controlled by a country deemed hostile. TikTok slammed the bill, saying it would hurt the US economy and undermine free speech. "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," a company spokesman said. He added a ban would "trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the US economy annually." Western officials have voiced alarm over the popularity of TikTok with young people, alleging that it is subservient to Beijing and a conduit to spread propaganda, claims denied by the company and Beijing. Joe Biden reiterated his concerns about TikTok during a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in early April. The House of Representatives last month approved a similar bill cracking down on TikTok, but the measure got held up in the Senate. AI a 'fundamental change in the news ecosystem': expert Perugia, Italy, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 Artificial intelligence is shaking up journalism and in the short term will cause "a fundamental change in the news ecosystem", media expert David Caswell told AFP. A former employee at Yahoo! and BBC News Labs, the British broadcaster's innovation wing, Caswell spoke as industry leaders gathered in the Italian city of Perugia to discuss the biggest questions facing their trade. - How do you see the journalism of the future? - "We don't know. But what we are trying to do is to understand all of the possibilities or as many of the possibilities as we can. But I think there are some things that are becoming clearer: one is the fact that more media will probably be created and originated and sourced by machines. So machines will do more gathering in a lot of journalism, will do more of the producing, the audio, the video and the text, and will create the kind of experiences of consumption that consumers have. That is a very fundamental change in the information ecosystem in general, and the news ecosystem in particular. This is structurally different than the one that we're in now. We don't know how long it's going to take - it may be two, four, seven years. I think it's going to be faster because there is very little friction. People don't need news devices, new hardware, they don't need a lot of money as producers, they don't need technical expertise. All those things that were barriers in the previous generation of AI are no longer barriers, thanks to generative AI". What are the latest developments underway in newsrooms? "One class of development is in new tools that enables AI workflow, for example JP Politikens in Denmark focused on making their existing products and activities more efficient. But it is also a basis for transitioning their products, their workforce, the activities into this new AI world. There is a tool that Google has built -- the code name is 'Genesis' -- that they are testing with publishers. Some publishers are building their own. There will be platform versions of these tools. These are tools, you bring your news gathering on the left side: your PDF, transcripts, audios, videos.. roughly. It helps you do things like analysis, summaries, turn into scripts, audios. They're orchestrated by the tool. What the journalist is doing is coordinating the tool, verifying the content all the way through to the end, and editing. The job becomes using the tool, like an editorial manager of this AI tool. It technically works. But that's a different thing than putting it in a newsroom in a large operation and use it day in day out, months in, months out. That's a big question: is it going to be enthusiastically adopted, to be used in a way that isn't very productive in the long run or will that enhance the productivity of newsroom dramatically?" What is the cost? "In the last decade it was very expensive. It was very difficult: You need the data, you had to build a data warehouse, have an enterprise deal with Amazon or Google cloud, you had to hire data scientists, to have a team of data engineers. it was a major investment. Only the BBC, the New York Times, this level of organisations could really afford it. That's not true with generative AI. You can run news workflow through interfaces that you pay 20 dollars a month. You don't need to be a coder. All you need is motivation, enthusiasm and curiosity. There's lots of people in news organisations that would not have been involved in AI in the past because they did not have the technical background and now they can just use it. It's a much more open form of AI: both smaller newsrooms can do a lot with, and more junior individuals in more established newsrooms can do a lot with. I think it's a good thing, but it's also a disruptive thing. Often the internal politics in newsrooms are disrupted by that". At what stage of AI are we at? "AI has been around since the 1950s. But AI for practical purposes appeared with ChatGPT. It's going to be quite a while -- years -- before we really understand how to use them for valuable things. There are so many things that you can do with them. The risk to journalism is that other organisations, start-ups, tech companies will do things in news faster than the news world itself. Lots of start ups have no editorial component at all. They are swiping the content of news organisations, some are covering niches: they are monitoring press releases, social media channels, PDF from reports". What are the risks? "Journalism has not been doing well for the last 10 or 15 years, there hasn't really been a credible vision of the future for how this is going to play out just in the social media world. What AI does (is) it gives news organisations a chance to change that situation, to participate in a new ecosystem. It's good to be optimistic, getting engaged, exploring, having projects, experiments, maybe changing your mindset, that's positive. As Jelani Cobb, Dean of Columbia School of journalism, says: '+AI is unignorable force that journalism will have to organise itself around'. It's not going to adapt itself to journalism. reb/pel/ach YAHOO! GOOGLE Amazon.com US agrees to pull troops from key drone host Niger: officials Washington, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 The United States agreed Friday to withdraw its more than 1,000 troops from Niger, officials said, upending its posture in West Africa where the country was home to a major drone base. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell accepted the call to remove troops in a meeting in Washington with the prime minister of the junta, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, US officials told AFP on condition of anonymity. They agreed that a US delegation would head within days to the capital Niamey to arrange an orderly withdrawal. Nigerien state television earlier announced that the US officials would visit next week. Niger was long a linchpin in the US and French strategy to combat jihadists in West Africa. The United States built a base in the desert city of Agadez at the cost of $100 million to fly a fleet of drones. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Niger in March 2023 in an effort to show support and bolster president Mohamed Bazoum, a key Western ally. But the military four months later sacked Bazoum and soon kicked out troops from former colonial power France. The junta, like the military governments in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, has also sought closer relations with Russia. US agrees to pull troops from key drone host Niger: officials Washington, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 The United States agreed Friday to withdraw its more than 1,000 troops from Niger, officials said, upending its posture in West Africa where the country was home to a major drone base. The long-expected move effectively marks a new regional gain for Russia, which has ramped up its focus on Africa and backed military regimes in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell accepted the call to remove troops in a meeting in Washington with the prime minister of the junta, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, US officials told AFP on condition of anonymity. They agreed that a US delegation would head within days to the capital Niamey to arrange an orderly withdrawal, the officials said. Nigerien state television earlier announced that the US officials would visit next week. The State Department made no immediate public announcement and officials said no timeline was yet set to withdraw the troops. Niger was long a linchpin in the US and French strategy to combat jihadists in West Africa. The United States built a base in the desert city of Agadez at the cost of $100 million to fly a fleet of drones. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in March 2023 became the highest-ranking American ever to visit Niger, vowing economic support for one of the world's poorest countries and seeking to bolster elected president Mohamed Bazoum, a stalwart Western ally. But the military four months later sacked Bazoum and quickly kicked out troops from former colonial power France. Unlike its anger toward France, the junta initially sounded an openness to maintaining its longtime defense relationship with the United States. President Joe Biden's administration, however, has refused to mute concerns, insisting on the return of civilian rule and the release of Bazoum. Russian military instructors arrived in Niger this month with an air defense system and other equipment, state media said, after talks between military ruler General Abdourahamane Tiani and Russian President Vladimir Putin. - Nigerien message becomes clear - The Nigerien military had announced last month in a statement on state television that it was breaking off a defense agreement with the United States with immediate effect. But diplomats said the Nigerian leadership had sent mixed messages and the United States initially said it was awaiting confirmation. The United States puts a high priority on troops' safety, and concerns rose last week when thousands rallied outside the National Assembly headquarters chanting for US troops to leave. Despite maintaining dialogue with the junta, the United States has for months been preparing for the likelihood it will need to exit Niger. General James Hecker, the US Air Force commander for both Europe and Africa, said late last year that the United States was in discussions for "several locations" elsewhere in West Africa to station drones. While not publicly asking to station drones, the United States has pursued close cooperation with coastal democracies including Benin, Ghana and Ivory Coast. Western governments feared that the remote Sahel will offer a new hub for Islamist militants after jihadists overran much of Mali in 2012 as part of a rebellion by ethnic Tuaregs. With Niger seen as comparatively stable, the United States based its drones in Agadez, building the site known as Air Base 101. The United States resumed drone operations after the July coup in Niger but one of its main functions soon became surveillance for the sake of protecting the US troops based there. With support from both parties, the United States in recent years has been retrenching its once sprawling military network set up as part of the "war on terror" following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Representative Matt Gaetz, a hard-right Republican known for his brash statements, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Niger was an "extraordinary Biden foreign policy failure" and urged the safe withdrawal of troops. Taiwan's defence ministry detects 21 Chinese military aircraft Taipei, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 Taipei's defence ministry said it had detected 21 Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island since 8:15 am (0015 GMT) on Saturday, a month before Taiwan's May 20 inauguration of incoming president Lai Ching-te. "17 aircraft (of the 21) crossed the median line and its extension, entered our northern, central, and southwestern (air defence identification zone), and joined PLA vessels for joint combat patrol," it said in a statement. Taiwan's armed forces "are monitoring the activities with our joint surveillance systems, and have dispatched appropriate assets to respond accordingly." The median line bisects the Taiwan Strait, a narrow 180-kilometre (110-mile) waterway separating the island from mainland China. Beijing does not recognise the line as it claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory. It has also never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Under the administration of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, tensions between Beijing and Taipei have ramped up, as she and her government do not acknowledge China's claim. Her deputy, Vice President Lai, won elections in January despite warnings from Beijing that he would be the cause of "war and decline" for Taiwan. China regards Lai -- who used to be outspoken about Taiwan independence -- as a "dangerous separatist", though he has moderated his views in the past year. Taiwan's defence ministry detects 21 Chinese military aircraft Taipei, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 A surge of Chinese military aircraft was detected around Taiwan during a three-hour window on Saturday, Taipei's defence ministry said, a month before the self-ruled island's May 20 inauguration of incoming president Lai Ching-te. China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory, and has said it will never renounce the use of force to bring the island under its control. Tensions between both sides of the narrow 180-kilometre (110-mile) Taiwan Strait have ramped up since January when Vice President Lai -- regarded as a "dangerous separatist" by Beijing -- was elected as the island's incoming leader. Experts also said military drills between the United States and the Philippines which kick off Monday near the potential flashpoint of the South China Sea -- which Beijing claims in its entirety -- could have sparked the show of force around Taiwan. Taipei's defence ministry said since 8:15 am (0015 GMT) it had detected 21 Chinese aircraft around Taiwan, including J-16 fighter jets, Y-8 medium-range transport planes, and drones. "17 aircraft (of the 21) crossed the median line and its extension, entered our northern, central, and southwestern (air defence identification zone), and joined PLA vessels for joint combat patrol," it said in a statement posted on X around 11:30 am. Taiwan's armed forces "are monitoring the activities with our joint surveillance systems". Beijing, which does not recognise the median line bisecting the Taiwan Strait, sends warplanes and naval vessels around Taiwan on a near-daily basis. Experts say it is a form of "grey-zone harassment", stopping short of an outright act of war but enough to exhaust Taipei's armed forces. The record number occurred in September when Beijing's military sent 103 aircraft -- 40 of which crossed the median line -- in a 24-hour period. Under the two-term administrations of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, tensions between Beijing and Taipei have ramped up, as she and her government do not acknowledge China's claim. Her deputy Lai -- who used to be more outspoken about Taiwan independence but has moderated his views in recent years -- will come into power on May 20. Before the elections, Beijing warned he would be the cause of "war and decline" for Taiwan. - 'Grand chessboard' - Saturday's show of force comes a day after China activated two aviation routes that run close to Taiwan's outlying islands of Kinmen and Matsu -- which Taipei condemned as "unilateral measures" that would increase flight safety risks. China's aviation authority also said Friday the airspace around Fuzhou Changle Airport -- 30 kilometres from the closest outlying Taiwanese island -- would be "further optimised and adjusted" on May 16, four days before the inauguration. Political analyst Wen-ti Sung told AFP China "may be trying to show teeth to back up" the expansion of the new flight path. But he added that "China is playing on a grand chessboard", and the ramp-up in warplane activity could be about the South China Sea issue. On Monday, the United States and the Philippines will begin joint maritime exercises which will be held beyond Philippine territorial waters for the first time, "edging ever closer towards Taiwan Strait", said Sung. The exercises will simulate retaking enemy-occupied islands in areas facing Taiwan and the South China Sea. "By amping up military theatre near Taiwan, Beijing may seek to deter and dissuade further internationalisation of the Taiwan issue in the security realm," he added. Conflict expert Ou Sifu of Taiwan's Institute of National Defense and Security Research agreed that Saturday's activities were to send Beijing's message beyond Taiwan. This "political warfare will continue until May 20 and beyond," he told AFP. dhc/mtp Deadly blast at Iraq army base amid Israel-Iran tensions Baghdad, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 One person was killed and eight wounded in an overnight explosion at an Iraqi military base housing a coalition of pro-Iranian armed groups, officials said Saturday. The explosion hit the Kalsu military base in Babylon province south of Baghdad, where Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces, or Hashed al-Shaabi, is stationed. It comes days after Iran launched an unprecedented assault on Israel which reportedly responded with a drone strike on the Islamic republic, amid tensions fuelled by the Gaza war. The Iraqi security forces media unit said "an explosion and a fire" hit the Kalsu base in the early hours of Saturday, leaving one person dead and eight wounded. Air defence command reported "no drones or combat aircraft in the airspace of Babylon province before or during the explosion", it added in a statement. An interior ministry official had initially reported an "aerial bombing" on the site. In a statement, Hashed al-Shaabi said an "explosion" had inflicted "material losses" and casualties, without giving a number. The group confirmed its premises on the military base had been hit and that investigators had been sent to the site. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Responding to questions from AFP, the security sources did not say who may have been behind the attack. "The explosion hit equipment, weapons and vehicles," said the interior ministry source. - 'Odious crime' - Shortly after the explosion, the US military said its forces were not behind a reported strike in Iraq. "The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today," US Central Command (CENTCOM) posted on social media platform X, adding that reports that American forces had carried out a strike were "not true". The Iraqi military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject, said the overnight explosion had occurred in "warehouses storing equipment". When reached by AFP, the Israeli army said it "does not comment on information published in foreign media". The Hashed al-Shaabi is an integral part of the official Iraqi security apparatus under the authority of the prime minister. It brings together several pro-Iran armed factions, some of which have also carried out dozens of attacks in Iraq and Syria against US forces deployed as part of an international anti-jihadist coalition. "We will retaliate against whoever is behind this aggression," Hashed commander Abu Alaa al-Walai wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Those involved in this odious crime will pay the price." On Friday, strikes blamed on Israel targeted a military base near the city of Isfahan in central Iran. The explosion came in response to Tehran's unprecedented attack on Israel last weekend, in retaliation for a deadly strike on Iran's embassy in Damascus. Iraq's foreign ministry expressed "strong concern" on Friday over the blast in Iran, warning of the "risks of military escalation which threatens security and stability in the region." "This escalation must not be allowed to divert attention from what's happening in the Gaza Strip," it said. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani is in Washington, where he met US President Joe Biden this week. ak-tgg/ysm/dv China says AUKUS risks nuclear proliferation in Pacific Sydney, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 China's foreign minister on Saturday accused Western powers in the AUKUS security pact of provoking division and risking nuclear proliferation in the South Pacific. On a weekend visit to strengthen Beijing's ties with Papua New Guinea, Foreign Minister Wang Yi lashed out at AUKUS, which provides for the United States and Britain to equip Australia with nuclear-powered but conventionally armed submarines. The three-way AUKUS agreement "runs counter" to a South Pacific treaty banning nuclear weapons in the region, he told a news conference in Port Moresby. AUKUS also "raises serious nuclear proliferation risks", the Chinese foreign minister told reporters after meeting with his Papua New Guinea counterpart Justin Tkatchenko. In recent years, Beijing has tried to chip away at US and Australian influence across the South Pacific, including in Papua New Guinea. The Pacific Islands, while small in population, are replete with natural resources and sit at a geostrategic crossroads that could prove strategically vital in any military dispute over Taiwan. Australia is by far Papua New Guinea's largest donor, but Chinese firms have made solid inroads into markets in the impoverished but resource-rich nation. The Chinese foreign minister seized on a recent announcement by the AUKUS nations that they are considering cooperating with Japan on military technology. Under the AUKUS agreement, the partners plan to develop advanced warfighting capabilities such as artificial intelligence, undersea drones and hypersonic missiles. "The recent attempts to draw more countries to join in such an initiative of stoking confrontation between blocs and provoking division are totally inconsistent with the urgent needs of the island countries," the foreign minister said. Wang took a thinly veiled swipe at Australian and US relations with Solomon Islands, which held elections on Wednesday. - 'Not the backyard' - The Solomons' incumbent prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, has embraced China while his main challengers view Beijing's growing influence with a mix of scepticism and alarm. A new government has yet to be agreed among elected MPs. "We believe that the people of Solomon Islands have the wisdom and ability to determine the future of their country. Island nations belong to their people," Wang said. "They are not the backyard of any big country," Wang said -- an allusion to historic perceptions that Australia considered the South Pacific to be its backyard. State-backed Chinese news outlets have pushed reports that the United States might orchestrate riots to block Sogavare from returning to power. US Ambassador to the Solomons Ann Marie Yastischock has said such rumours are "blatantly misleading". Papua New Guinea's foreign minister welcomed the Chinese minister, saying they had "reached some understanding" in their talks. "PNG values China as an important bilateral partner," he said. Wang is scheduled to have breakfast with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape on Sunday, wrapping up a three-nation tour of Indonesia, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea that began April 18. NATO, EU chiefs welcome US House approval of Ukraine aid Brussels, Belgium, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 NATO and EU chiefs on Saturday hailed the US House of Representatives approval of a long-awaited $61-billion aid package for Ukraine's war effort and urged the Senate to quickly clear the bill. "I welcome the passing of this bill in the House of Representatives. It demonstrates the continued bipartisan support for Ukraine. This significant boost in aid will supplement the tens of billions of aid being provided to Ukraine by European Allies," NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. "I encourage the Senate to act quickly to send this bill to President (Joe) Biden," he added. The Western military alliance chief pointed to an agreement on Friday by NATO defence ministers to provide further military support to Ukraine, including for air defence. The United States has been the chief military backer of Ukraine, but Congress has not approved large-scale funding for its ally for nearly a year and a half. EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel also welcomed the US House approval. "Ukraine deserves all the support it can get against Russia. Now, we are asking the US Senate to vote as quickly as possible as lives are at stake. Transatlantic allies are united in support for freedom and democracy," von der Leyen said on X, formerly Twitter. The vote sent "a clear message to the Kremlin: Those who believe in freedom and UN charter will continue to support Ukraine and its people", Michel said on X. US lawmakers pass new Ukraine aid after costly delay Washington, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 US lawmakers have approved new funding to provide Ukraine with desperately needed military aid, but their months-long delay in doing so was costly, undermining Kyiv's fight against invading Russian forces. Ukraine has received only limited aid this year from the United States -- which has provided tens of billions of dollars in military assistance to Kyiv -- because money to replace items drawn from US stocks ran out and opposition from some Republicans prevented the approval of supplemental funding. The resulting gaps in assistance saw Kyiv's troops -- outnumbered and outgunned by Moscow's forces -- run short of key items such as artillery munitions, leaving them vulnerable. "We're already seeing things on the battlefield begin to shift a bit... in Russia's favor. We're seeing them make incremental gains, we're seeing the Ukrainians be challenged in terms of holding the line," US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told lawmakers earlier this week. The delay in approving new funding also created an opening for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is "trying to exploit this time period where there is doubt created about the US's resolve," Austin said. - 'Absolutely vital' - Supplemental funding for Ukraine was stalled for months due to opposition from some hardline Republicans in the House of Representatives. But lawmakers in the chamber on Saturday voted 311-112 to approve $61 billion for aid to Kyiv, with the Senate expected to quickly follow suit. The Pentagon said it would move fast to get aid to Ukraine if it was approved by Congress. "We are poised to respond quickly with a security assistance package" that would likely include "things like air defense and artillery capabilities," spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said. Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the passage of new military aid funding "is absolutely vital for continued Ukrainian resistance." As a result of the delay in approving it, "Ukraine has lost some territory, taken additional casualties, and been less able to fend off the air attacks," he said, noting that it has also "likely encouraged Putin to believe that he can outlast the West in a long war." Ann Dailey, a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, said Kyiv is "on the back foot," with its forces "desperately low on 155 artillery rounds" and "also struggling with air defense." The shortage of 155mm rounds has left Ukraine in the position of "not being able to engage in counter-battery fires" against Russian artillery, she said. - 'Untenable decisions' - "If the enemy is firing artillery at you... and you don't have sufficient rounds to engage in counter-battery fires... it's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to stay in a defensive position -- you're likely going to have to displace," said Dailey, noting that this is what happened in Avdiivka, a town that Russia captured in February. Air defense shortages meanwhile force Ukraine "to make untenable decisions about whether to sustain and protect their frontline to prevent further Russian advances or to protect their civilians and their industry," which are also being attacked by Moscow. The approval of the additional funding will allow the United States to fulfill repeated pledges to back Ukraine for "as long as it takes," and officials including President Joe Biden say it will also directly benefit US industry. "We'd be investing in America's industrial base, buying American products made by American workers, supporting jobs in nearly 40 states, and strengthening our own national security," Biden wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed this week, arguing for the approval of the aid funding. In addition to helping Kyiv's forces resist Russia's invasion, American assistance also undermines a US adversary at a relatively small cost, Cancian said. Military aid to Ukraine weakens Russia -- which the US has identified as an "acute threat" -- "without endangering any US forces and at a much lower cost than if US forces were engaged," he said. * FIRST NAME * LAST NAME * EMAIL Your email address * PASSWORD Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number Show * YEAR OF BIRTH You must be at least 18 years old to create an account 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 * Required fields I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice CREATE ACCOUNT I'LL TRY LATER Already have an account? SIGN IN By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. I traveled to China for the first time in October 2023. I visited Beijing and Shanghai, and traveled to parts of Guizhou province and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. I saw a modern, progressive and rapidly advancing country that invests heavily in efforts to preserve the fruits of poverty alleviation, environmental protection, and the socioeconomic development of its least-developed regions. China has pursued these national development programs in concert with a policy of international cooperation. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, which was launched in 2013, China is cooperating with more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations to help build an intercontinental network of railways, ports and airports, to the benefit of the people of all partner countries, regardless of their size and economic power. Europe would do well to recognize the opportunities for cooperation arising from China's domestic and global initiatives. The foreign, trade and fiscal policies of most European governments have long exploited the natural resources and labor of the Global South, mightily contributing to the global economic and social inequality as well as climate injustice. At the same time, economic and social inequality and poverty has increased in some of Europe's wealthiest countries in terms of per capita GDP. According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), children and youths in Austria, Germany, Denmark, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are particularly affected. In Switzerland, the richest country in the world in terms of per capita wealth, child poverty increased by 10.3 percent between 2012-14 and 2019-21. Today, one out of every five children in Switzerland is poor. Essential goods and services including food, decent housing, quality healthcare and education, electricity and gas have become unaffordable for a large number of Europeans. On the other hand, China has lifted about 800 million people out of poverty during the past more than four decades, including about 100 million between 2012 and 2020. In fact, China eradicated extreme poverty 10 years before the goal set by the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Poverty eradication, infrastructure development and ecological initiatives are achievements that, for a country of 1.4 billion people, set the stage for enormous opportunities for cooperation and exchanges on the economic, educational and cultural levels. Sadly, due to the distortions of Europe's mainstream media in their reporting on China and the commitments of European governments to policies of aggression, European countries miss these valuable opportunities. By aligning with the United States' foreign policy while stubbornly clinging to colonial policies, European governments are isolating themselves within the international community. This is most obvious in relation to the Ukraine crisis, with most European governments choosing the warpath rather than advocating for peace negotiations that take into equal account the legitimate claims of all countries involved. Sweden and Finland, two former neutral countries, have joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and my own country, Switzerland, is slowly giving up its neutrality to align more closely with NATO. European governments have greatly increased their arms expenditure since 2022, further reducing social services and investment in public infrastructure, thus expediting the immiseration of ever larger percentages of their populations in addition to heading toward a third world war with their eyes wide open. In contrast, the countries of the Global South, striving to move forward after freeing themselves from the shackles of colonialism and underdevelopment, look to China's example when it comes to successfully implementing the UN 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals domestically and internationally, including eradicating poverty, ending hunger, providing quality healthcare and education, protecting the environment, building sustainable cities and communities, and promoting worldwide partnerships and collaboration to achieve the SDGs so people across the world live in peace. European governments' respect for and cooperation with China and its domestic and international policies will benefit the people of Europe, both through the material advantages in trade, education and culture, as well as through fostering international relations based on peace and mutually beneficial development. In contrast, by following the US' lead of confrontation with and aggression toward China, Europe will only push the continent's people on to a foundering ship, while the tide of the Global South's aspirations for a better future continues to rise. Economic and political cooperation between Europe and China based on "mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual nonaggression, mutual noninterference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence", would be not only highly beneficial to the working people in Europe, but also necessary to promote peace and development for all humanity. At this moment, the candidate of the PSD-PNL (Social Democratic Party - National Liberal Party) alliance for the Capital City Hall is the physician Catalin Cirstoiu, and a meeting of the coalition on this topic will take place on Monday, said on Saturday the PSD chairman, Marcel Ciolacu. In connection with (PNL's head) Nicolae Ciuca's statement about the existence of a "Plan B" regarding the candidacy for the Capital City Hall, Ciolacu answered ironically that he also has a "Plan D"."We talk, we communicate (with Catalin Cirstoiu, ed. n.). (...) Mr. Cirstoiu is not a criminal, forgive me! (...) He is an exceptional physician, he is a dean at UMF (Medicine and Pharmacy University), a man who built professionally everything possible, he is in demand both in Romania and abroad for operations and he does not do simple operations! I understood, he was at a clinic (...), but these things we are going to work out within the coalition," Ciolacu explained.Asked by journalists if he thinks that doctor Cirstoiu is in a state of incompatibility, the PSD chairman said that he knows a person who is incompatible - Clotilde Armand (mayor of Bucharest's Sector 1, ed. n.)."I didn't see anything, a decision on Mr. Cirstoiu, I didn't see it! If ANI (National Integrity Agency,. ed. n.) has a document, let it solve it, let it complete the investigations (...) We'll talk on Monday, it's that simple, it's right, don't ask me to make decisions," Ciolacu added. The chairman of Forta Dreptei / Force of the Right, Ludovic Orban, declared, on Saturday, at the party's congress, that the true liberals are in this party and argued that Romania cannot be left "in the hands of (Social-Democrat PM Marcel, ed. n.) Ciolacu, (PNL's head Nicolae, ed. n.) Ciuca, (PSD Bucharest leader Gabriela, ed. n.) Firea, (Romania's president Klaus, ed. n.) Iohannis, in the hands of people who have little heart and little respect for Romanian citizens". Ludovic Orban claimed that those who joined the Forta Dreptei were threatened, blackmailed, kicked out, noting that "entrepreneurs woke up with controls from all state institutions", and the representatives of the liberal professions were put under "absolutely incredible pressure".According to Orban, those people who announced their intention to run for mayor from the three parties (forming the alliance, ed. n.), were brought, "by mafia-type threats", into the situation of giving up. Saint Louis Public Schools has unveiled a Verizon Innovative Learning Lab at the Academy of Entrepreneurship Studies Middle School at LOverture (AESM). The partners are also celebrating an additional lab coming to Pamoja Preparatory Academy. The labs are made possible by Verizon, through a partnership with Heart of America and the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University. The labs give students and teachers access to emerging technology such as augmented and virtual reality, 3D printing and artificial intelligence (AI). The new labs join those locations at Long Middle School and Yeatman-Liddell Middle School. Verizon collaborates with its nonprofit partners to provide free technology, free internet access and firsthand learning experiences to help students in under-resourced communities receive the education they deserve to help prepare them for todays digital economy. So many students across the nation lack the access to technology and resources they need to be successful in todays digital world, said Mario Acosta-Velez, Verizon East Region senior director of local engagement, corporate social responsibility and public policy. Source: Internet New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon highlighted the commitment during meetings at ADBs headquarters in Manila on April 19th 2024. We are grateful for this support from the Government of New Zealand for the ETMPTF, which is an important driver of the Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) program, said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa. As the climate bank for Asia and the Pacific, we believe ETM has the potential to be one of the largest carbon reduction programs in the world and a vital tool in the battle against climate change. Support from partners such as New Zealand is critical as we expand ETM across our region. The ETMPTF pools concessional funds from financing partners to finance critical groundwork such as feasibility studies for projects that align with ETM's objectives, including the early retirement or repurposing of coal and other fossil fuel plants and clean energy ventures. New Zealands grant is the third contribution to the ETMPTF, following support from Japan and Germany. New Zealands contribution to the ETM supports Southeast Asias ambition for an accelerated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, while ensuring this transformation is fair and equitable, said Mr. Luxon. ETM is a regional, transformative program that seeks to use concessional and market-based funds to retire or repurpose existing coal and other fossil fuel power plants on an accelerated schedule and replace them with clean power. ETM is one of several initiatives that aim to help Asia and the Pacific mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, such as extreme sea level rise and destructive weather events./. April 20, 2024: In 2016, the U.S. government agreed to provide Israel with $38 billion in weapons during the next ten years. The shipments cease after 2026 unless a new agreement is negotiated. The purpose of these massive arms transfers is to assist Americas primary and most reliable ally in the Middle East. Israel also has the most powerful military and the most robust and productive economy. Israel also leads the region in developing new technologies. Israel is the only nation in the region with nuclear weapons and locally made ballistic missiles to deliver them anywhere in the region. Israel has also developed the Arrow BMD (Ballistic Missile Defense) system to intercept any Iranian missiles fired at Israel. The religious dictatorship that has ruled Iran since the 1980s openly declares its goal to destroy Israel but does not have the means. One reason for that is the Iranian government runs a police state that is quick to accuse anyone who opposes the police state as traitors and imprison or murder them. This has led many Iranian scientists and engineers to leave the country for safer places like Europe or the United States. Most of the Iranian Jews, who had been in Iran for thousands of years, left, many of them settling in Israel. As a result of the Hamas attack on Israel, Iran ordered Hezbollah to fire some rockets into northern Israel. The response was violent as Israeli forces fired back at Hezbollah and began temporarily evacuating Jewish and Arab Israeli civilians from areas that were under fire from Hezbollah. About twenty percent of the Israeli population are Christian or Moslem Arabs. These Arabs are not conscripted into the Israeli military, but many join voluntarily. The Israeli Arabs know they are better off in Israel than in any nearby Arab nation and dont want to lose that. A few of these Israeli Arabs join anti-Israel groups and that activity is usually reported to the Israeli security forces by Israeli Arabs. The shipments of American weapons to Israel are done without much publicity. The Americans send their latest technology because they know that Israelis can, and often do, improve Americans weapons. Israel does this largely because they are constantly threatened by hostile neighbors, like Iran, who want to destroy Israel. This is a rough neighborhood, but it has been the Jewish homeland for thousands of years and since the late 1940s Jews are once again in control of their homeland. Israel made peace with Egypt, the largest Arab state in the region as well as Jordan and non-Arab Turkey. The remaining Anti-Jewish neighbors, mainly Iran, seek to destroy Israel. It wasnt always that way. Until the Iranian revolution of the 1980s, which was taken over by religious leaders, Iran was a constitutional monarchy and now many Iranians would like to have their democracy back, with or without the monarchy. Most Iranians are opposed to their current government, which is becoming more and more violent against any Iranians who complain about the corrupt and dictatorial rule of the religious leaders. Some of those complaints are expressed by leaving pro-Israel messages in public places. This enrages the government because they have not been able to find and eliminate these pro-Israeli Iranians. So desperate are the Iranians to harm Israel that Shia Iran has supported the Sunni Hamas terror group. For about two decades Hamas controlled the government in Gaza and used that to launch an attack on Israel in October 2023 that killed about a thousand Israelis. Hamas declared this a great victory despite the fact that Israeli counterattacks have sought to destroy any Hamas presence in Gaza. Most Palestinians, especially those in the West Bank, oppose Hamas which wants to replace the current corrupt Fatah government with a corrupt Hamas dictatorship. Hamas does not have enough support among Palestinians to do that and members are currently being sought out and captured or killed by Israeli forces operating in Gaza, the West Bank and in southern Lebanon where the Iran-backed Hezbollah Shia Arab militia has long controlled southern Lebanon and threatened to attack Israel with thousands of rockets and guided missiles imported from Iran over the last few decades. There once was a lot of pro-Israel Lebanese and a mutually prosperous economic relationship between Lebanon and Israel. Iranian aggression and support for the Hezbollah militia ended that and crippled the Lebanese economy and political system. The United States supplied the weak Lebanese government with weapons but that was not sufficient to enable Lebanese to expel Hezbollah. We apologize. A page no longer exists or an error has occured on our server. Return to Our Home Page April 20, 2024: In Israel, protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews could spell disaster for the current coalition government of left and right wing parties that was formed after October 7, 2023, through breakup of the prior right wing governments former coalition. The same Prime Minister led both coalition government. If this doesnt make sense, thats normal for Israeli politics. The protests stem from an upcoming move to conscript Haredi yeshiva students into the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). Yeshiva students, pupils of Jewish religious institutions, have historically been exempt from Israel's otherwise universal conscription, AND are given lifetime living stipends, including for their wives and minor children. The rationale is that their religious studies constitute a form of national service that protects the state from foreign enemies. If this doesnt make sense, thats normal for Israeli politics. The ultra-orthodox and extremely conservative and traditional Haredi remain opposed to military service for their Yeshiva students With the majority of Jewish Israeli men and many Jewish women required to serve in the military, secular Israelis have long rankled at the Haredi exemption. The sentiment has intensified since October 7, 2023, and Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza, which saw a massive mobilization of reservists and hundreds of IDF casualties. According to a recent poll, 64 percent of Israelis want the exemptions to end. On April 1st a High Court of Justice forced the issue by halting funds to yeshivas unless their students serve. This has proven a formidable challenge to Israels current coalition government, which contains elements that both strongly support and strongly oppose the exemptions. The Israeli military needs more soldiers because of the continuing fighting in Gaza and the need to upgrade security inside Israel, while the government cant afford to both keep ten percent of all Israelis on active duty and pay the living expenses of the unemployed Haredi, who compose 12 percent of Israels population. The Israeli government is trying to work out a compromise with the Haredi community and avoid forcibly inducting Haredi military age men, avoid the morale problems within the military over the recruitment of unwilling Haredi, and somehow ignore major impending financial problems. These are not new problems. Since 2000 the Israeli armed forces has suffered morale problems from recruiting more Haredi men while trying to accommodate the lifestyle needs of ultra-Orthodox Jews in the military. Politics and legal complications also present problems. Despite all that, Israel has been able to convince more Haredi to join and, in a growing number of cases, make the military a career or at least become officers and very active in the reserves. The most recent development has been exceptional Haredi recruits joining elite units and undergoing more intense training and accepting the possibility of close contact with women while carrying out their special operations. There are also combat units entirely composed of Haredi. Finally, the conscription exemptions Haredi men long enjoyed are, for all practical purposes, gone. What motivated this change in attitude was a new generation of Haredi men who paid more attention to the terrorist threats, especially attacks on places sacred to all Jews, like the Wailing Wall at the base of the hill that used to feature the last Jewish temple until it was replaced by a mosque over a thousand years ago. Most Haredi men still want to devote most of their time to religious studies but see mandatory service as more of an obligation than an assault on Haredi religious traditions. Haredi leaders arent bending on this but their young men seem to be doing so. Haredi are only 12 percent of the population, though they form a smaller portion of voters because Haredi have a higher birth rate and a higher percentage of Haredi are children, Haredi tend to vote as their rabbis order them to. This means there are several small but disciplined Haredi political parties that are often essential for the formation of a coalition government. There is a price; that the government must support key Haredi requests. This includes continued exemption from military service. Non-Haredi Jews, both male and female, are subject to conscription. This means Jewish men and women who reach 18 are subject to 32 months of military service for men and 24 months for women. About 30 percent of potential recruits are exempt from service, most because they are Haredi. About a third of those ineligibles are because of medical problems, criminal records or living abroad. Those who complete military service must serve in the active reserve for two decades or more. That means periodic periods of active service for training or dealing with national emergencies. This is a similar system to what Switzerland and Sweden use. Haredi are very poor because most men spend the bulk of their time unemployed in religious studies. Haredi believe their religious laws trump secular ones, and this increasingly brought them into violent conflict with the police and their secular neighbors. Most Haredi men do not serve in the military, and some Haredi sects believe that Israel should not even exist. Most Israeli Arabs, who comprise 21% of Israels population and voters, tend to agree with that. Almost a quarter of Israeli voters feeling that Israel should not exist makes it difficult to form majority coalition governments. Haredi also agree with extremely conservative Arabs about lifestyle choices, particularly regarding the status of women, and the Haredi sometimes riot about the latter. This is expressed as discipline problems with Haredi in military service. The largely secular government thought encouraging Haredi men to do military service which, as religious students, they have long been exempt from, would help make Haredi more accepting of non-religious Jews. This did not work initially, and the government has a lot of unhappy non-Haredi soldiers, especially females, to deal with. There is another problem. Israeli Arabs make up 20 percent of the population and also suffer from less education and more unemployment. The Haredi and Arabs make up over a third of the population and they are the least productive third. Most Haredi and Arabs do not serve in the military or pay much, if any, taxes. These two groups are causing a skilled labor shortage, since so many of their children do not study technical or business subjects but tend to concentrate on religious studies, or simply leave school as soon as they can. This labor shortage, and the rising cost of benefits for poor Haredi and Arab families, is causing political problems because the educated majority of Israelis are tired of the constantly rising taxes they have to pay. Then there is the problem of who serves in the military. Israeli Arabs can volunteer for military service do so, but still face much criticism in the Arab community. There have been some Haredi men in the military for decades and without problems. Until 2000 only a relatively small number of Haredi men voluntarily served. Israel exempted Haredi soldiers from many of the military lifestyle rules. For example, until a decade ago, it was common for ultra-orthodox recruits to be trained by female instructors, a practice that is common in Israel, where women are subject to conscription. But in the last two decades Haredi rabbis (clerics) increasingly insisted that the military change to accommodate Haredi recruits, and not the other way around. For example, Haredi are not supposed to have any contact with a woman unless they are closely related to them. After 2000 pressure from Haredi rabbis got Haredi politicians to force the government to change military regulations so that a Haredi soldier could request a male instructor, if his group was being taught by a woman. There were many rules like this that were quietly slipped into the military regulations. Haredi troops increasingly called for these rules to be enforced. The other 99 percent of the troops began suffering a morale hit as they were increasingly harassed by assertive Haredi troops. When commanders complained to politicians, even ones they voted for, they were told to favor the Haredi troops whenever possible. Most troops became aware of this and were not happy and expressed their anger when they voted. All this caused more popular opposition to the Haredi refusal to aid in the defense of all Israelis. To add to the torment there have been increasing instances where Haredi troops were caught collaborating with Israeli religious extremist groups, in order to foil police or army efforts to keep the peace. In these cases, some Haredi became untrustworthy as well as annoying. It's not just a military thing. The Haredi were becoming a serious problem outside the military. Violence by religious extremists is becoming more common. The most conservative religious Jews have increasingly used violence in the neighborhoods where they are becoming a majority. For example, they oppose the government allowing cars to park near Haredi neighborhoods on Saturday (the Sabbath). They also oppose billboard ads that feature women anywhere near where Haredi live and segregate women on buses in their neighborhoods. They want to segregate the military as well and that has aroused a lot of public opposition. Most Israeli soldiers are happy with the attention because for a decade they have been ordered to keep quiet about all the pro-Haredi regulations. An increasing number of commanders refused to be politically correct and proceeded to punish Haredi soldiers who disobeyed orders by claiming they were doing so for religious reasons. After 2010 non-Israeli voters elected more politicians who supported efforts to limit or end Haredi exemption from conscription and special treatment in the military. The first such law was passed in 2014, where the Haredi went to courts invoking laws and rules implemented when Israel was founded to give the then small Haredi community exemptions that allowed Haredi men to concentrate on Torah (religious) scriptures. Because of a higher birth rate, the Haredi percentage of the Jewish population grew from one percent in 1948 to 12 percent now and is headed for 15 percent or more in the next decade. Israeli courts initially agreed with the Haredi military exemptions, but new laws were passed to address court objections and exemption-ban laws modified until they could withstand court challenges. As of 2021 unfavorable court decisions became less of a problem and now Haredi are facing mandatory conscription, at least for men. Problems still exist, but the Haredi military-exemption laws do not. A member of the 3rd Marine Division observes his fire sectors during an Army-led exercise at Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, in November 2023. (Eric Huynh/U.S. Marine Corps) FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii The Army is proposing renewing a lease for almost 20,000 acres of state land on Hawaiis Big Island, despite the conclusion of an environmental assessment released Friday that such use could adversely impact Hawaiian cultural practices and environmental justice. The Army is seeking renewal of its lease for state land within Pohakuloa Training Area, a 132,000-acre live-fire training range made up of mostly federally owned land. The state granted the Army a 65-year lease in 1964 for 23,000 acres, and the Army has sought to renew the lease ahead of its expiration in 2029. The Army is proposing a lease renewal for 19,700 acres, roughly 14% less land than the original lease, according to the assessment. In April 2022, the Army released a draft environmental impact statement that considered several lease alternatives, from retaining the full 23,000 acres to leasing as little as 10,100 acres. That impact statement did not offer up a preferred alternative by the Army, but it did conclude that none of the alternatives posed significant adverse impacts to the environment. The lease renewal has faced opposition from local activists who say the Army has not properly maintained the state land as required under the lease and argue more broadly that the U.S. militarys footprint covers too much of the state. A Hawaii judge in 2018 ruled that state officials had failed to ensure the Army maintained the range and protected Hawaiian cultural interests as required in the lease in a lawsuit filed by Native Hawaii cultural practitioners. An online petition calling on Hawaiis governor and the board of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources to not renew the lease had more than 9,769 signatures as of Friday. The Army received hundreds of responses during a public comment period in 2022 concerning its draft statement, which were incorporated into and published with the just-released assessment. Many of those comments focused on concerns about land use, biological resources, cultural practices and hazardous substances. The Army maintains that the Pohakuloa Training Area, including much of the leased state land, is crucial to the nations security. The geographical location of Hawaii is a strategic one for national defense and rapid deployment of military forces, and the island plays a key role within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility to help achieve U.S. national security objectives and protect national interests, the second impact statement states. PTA is the only Army Major Training Area in Hawaii, making it the Armys primary ground maneuver tactical training area supporting home-station, joint, and multinational training in the State. Other service branches use the training area, particularly Oahu-based Marines. If granted the lease renewal, the Army proposes adopting mitigation measures to counter the findings of significant adverse impact regarding Hawaiian cultural practices, land use and environmental justice. For example, the Army would formalize a request process that would enable Native Hawaiians and cultural practitioners to promote and preserve practices and resources. The Army would also explore options to provide unlimited cultural access to specific locations to be determined in consultation with Native Hawaiians and cultural practitioners, the environmental assessment states. The Army is soliciting public comment on the second environmental assessment through June 7. It can be found at https://home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/PTAEIS. Written comments can be emailed to atlr-pta-eis@g70.design or mailed to ATLR PTA EIS Comments, P.O. Box 3444, Honolulu, HI 96801-3444. Chadian Special Anti-Terrorism Group trainees practice battlefield maneuvers during a border patrol exercise led by the U.S. Regionally Aligned Force from Fort Stewart, Georgia, on July 30, 2019. According to reports on Saturday, April 20, 2024, Chad has asked the U.S. military to withdraw its troops from the country. (Evan Parker/U.S. Navy) Chad called on the U.S. to withdraw its troops from an army base in the central African country thats one of the Wests few remaining outposts to fight a roiling jihadist insurgency in the region. The move comes a month after Niger another key Western ally in the region suspended its security agreement with the U.S., amid a series of coups that have seen military-ruled governments in the Sahel forge closer ties with Russia while cutting those with the West. Chad has alerted the U.S. to stop their activity at the base, according to a letter to the U.S. defense attache seen by Bloomberg. The letter, signed by the air force chief of staff Idriss Amine Ahmed, was verified by a foreign ministry spokesman, who declined to comment further. U.S. broadcaster CNN on Thursday reported that Chad had asked U.S. troops to leave the country, citing a separate letter sent to the U.S. defense attache. Chad hasnt asked U.S. forces to leave, a U.S. state department spokesman said. The U.S. and Chad have agreed that the period following the upcoming Chadian presidential election is an appropriate time to review our security cooperation. Chads Interim President Mahamat Deby, who seized power three years ago following the death of his father, is widely expected to extend his familys three-decade long rule in the May 6 polls. In January, Deby became the latest military ruler in the Sahel to hold a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and stress the need for sovereignty. Chads a free and independent country, Deby told French broadcaster France24 this week. Were not a slave looking to change his master. We intend to work with all nations that respect us. The military rulers of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, who all seized power over the past three years, have also cut security ties with former allies in the West amid an upsurge in anti-Western sentiment in the region particularly against ex-colonial power France that Russia has exploited. 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. U.S. Army Maj. Mamadou Sylla talks to Niger army basic training instructors as recruits disassemble and reassemble weapons on Dec. 7, 2021. According to reports on Saturday, April 20, 2024, the United States has informed Nigers government that it has agreed to withdraw U.S. troops from the country. (Carmen Daugherty/U.S. Army) NAPLES, Italy - The United States informed the government of Niger on Friday that it agreed to its request to withdraw U.S. troops from the West African country, said three U.S. officials, a move the Biden administration had long resisted and one that will transform Washingtons counterterrorism posture in the region. The agreement will spell the end of a U.S. troop presence that totaled more than 1,000 and throw into question the status of a $110 million U.S. air base that is only six years old. It is the culmination of a military coup last year that ousted the countrys democratically elected government and installed a junta that declared Americas military presence there illegal. The Prime Minister has asked us to withdraw U.S. troops, and we have agreed to do that, a senior State Department official told The Washington Post in an interview. This official, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive situation. The decision was sealed in a meeting between Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Nigers prime minister, Ali Lamine Zeine, during a meeting earlier Friday. Weve agreed to begin conversations within days about how to develop a plan to withdraw troops, said the senior State Department official. Theyve agreed that we do it in an orderly and responsible way. And we will need to probably dispatch folks to Niamey to sit down and hash it out. And that of course will be a Defense Department project. A Pentagon spokesman did not immediately offer comment. The United States has paused its security cooperation with Niger, limiting U.S. activities - including unarmed drone flights. But U.S. service members have remained in the country, unable to fulfill their responsibilities and feeling left in the dark by leadership at the U.S. Embassy as negotiations continued. The Sahel region, including neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, has become a global hot spot for Islamist extremism in recent years, and Niger saw such attacks spike dramatically following the coup. 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 last year, the arrangement included counterterrorism drones flights and U.S. and Nigerien troops partnering on some patrols. Nigers eviction notice last month 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. Efforts by top American officials to persuade Niger to get back on a democratic pathway so that U.S. assistance could resume have made little apparent headway. 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. 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. While the agreement to depart is a significant setback for U.S. officials seeking to maintain a continued military presence, the senior State Department official held out hope that the relationship with Niger could stabilize and bounce back. The prime minister repeatedly sought to emphasize that they value the historic partnership with the United States, and that they seek to maintain and deepen our partnership in other sectors, the official said. Dan Lamothe in Washington and Rachel Chason in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report. Tugboats guide the guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins to a berth at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Oct. 13, 2023. (Taylor Ardito/U.S. Navy) A sailor accused of giving classified information to an unidentified foreign government was convicted Friday during a general court-martial at Naval Station San Diego. Chief Petty Officer Bryce Pedicini, a fire controlman who had been assigned to the Japan-based guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins, was found guilty of attempted espionage, failure to obey a lawful order and attempted violation of a lawful general order, according to a statement from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. This guilty verdict holds Mr. Pedicini to account for his betrayal of his country and fellow service members, NCIS director Omar Lopez said in the statement. Adversaries of the United States are unrelenting in their attempts to degrade our military superiority. Pedicini pleaded guilty to a charge related to taking a personal phone into a secure room, but contested the espionage charges, San Diegos ABC 10 News reported Tuesday. Pedicinis sentencing hearing by a military judge is scheduled for May 7, the statement said. Court records show that an unidentified person posing as a Japanese defense researcher first contacted Pedicini through Facebook Messenger on Oct. 24, 2022, offering money in exchange for details about U.S. military capabilities and strategies in the region. As a fire controlman, Pedicini worked with everything from radars, fire control systems and computer systems to the Navys most advanced missile system, Aegis, which is used aboard guided-missile destroyers and cruisers, according to the Navys description of the job. Posing as a defense researcher is a tactic increasingly used by foreign adversaries to obtain classified and unclassified national defense information, the NCIS statement said. Court records and the NCIS statement refer to the adversary only as a citizen and employee of a foreign government. ABC 10 News identified the individual as a woman in an April 11 report, citing Prosecutor Leah OBriens statements in court. She convinced Pedicini to send classified information on a ballistic missile system and documents that outlined Chinese and Russian threats, OBrien said at the court-martial. The sailor first received $50 for filling out a survey and then $1,000 for the initial documents, according to ABC 10 News The woman told Pedicini she would send him more money based on the value and sensitivity of the information and specifically asked for classified information, according to court records provided by the Office of the Judge Advocate General. Pedicini ultimately handed over at least seven documents, identified as white papers in court records between November 2022 and February 2023 via Facebook messenger and other electronic means, including the encrypted instant-messaging service Telegram. In May, Pedicini sent photographs of material accessed through a computer screen connected to a Defense Department network used to transmit classified information. NCIS detained Pedicini on May 19 and interrogated him, according to the records. He said he wrote opinion articles for the woman sourced from Wikipedia and Google. Pedicinis defense attorneys during the court-martial said he copied and pasted information from Google, but prosecutors said he used a burner phone and Telegram to hide his actions, ABC 10 News reported. Although the overwhelming majority of Department of the Navy service members are honorable and faithful public servants, NCIS stands ready to expose those who are not, Lopez said in the statement. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken gestures, as he and his wife Evan Ryan board a plane at the U.S. Naval Support Activity base in Naples, Italy, Friday April 19, 2024, after the G7 foreign ministers summit on Capri island. (Ciro de Luca, Pool ) CAPRI, Italy - Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday he has made determinations related to a set of accusations that Israel violated U.S. laws prohibiting the provision of military assistance to policy or security units that commit gross violations of human rights. Blinken told reporters that the results of his decision would be made public in the coming days. It was his first acknowledgment that a panel within the department had reviewed serious charges against multiple Israeli units that receive U.S. aid. I made determinations. You can expect to see them in the days ahead, Blinken said. Blinkens remarks came in response to a report by the investigative news outlet ProPublica that the panel known as the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum had recommended to Blinken months ago that certain Israeli units be banned from receiving U.S. aid because of gross human rights violations. The incidents took place in the West Bank and mostly occurred before Israels war with Hamas, the outlet reported. The Leahy Laws refer to the landmark legislation by then-Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) that prohibit providing military assistance to individuals or security force units that commit gross violations of human rights with impunity. They have resulted in hundreds of foreign police and military units being blocked from receiving U.S. aid - in countries including Colombia, Mexico and Cambodia. Current and former U.S. officials have also told The Washington Post that several Israeli units including border police and special forces have come under scrutiny in the package awaiting Blinkens decision. The State Department has declined to specify which alleged violations were under review, but a number of controversial incidents have been compiled by watchdogs inside and outside the U.S. government. In one of the cases, an army unit is accused of bounding and gagging a Palestinian American citizen at a construction site, after detaining him at a late-night roadblock in the village of Jiljiliya. Omar Assad, 78, was found unresponsive in the early hours of Jan. 12, 2022. A medical exam released by the Palestinian Ministry of Justice described his cause of death as stress-induced sudden cardiac arrest due to external violence. He had been tightly bound and blindfolded, found with abrasions on his wrists and bleeding on the insides of his eyelids, the medical exam said. According to details of an Israel Defense Forces probe leaked to Israeli media, soldiers and officers at the scene told investigators they had gagged Assad and forcibly marched him to the construction site because they didnt want his shouting to alert others to the presence of the checkpoint. They denied that he showed any signs of distress and said he was alive when they left him. In another incident, an Israeli interrogator is alleged to have physically and sexually assaulted a 15-year old Palestinian boy, after he was detained by Israeli border police forces from his East Jerusalem home on Jan. 13, 2021. The boy was accused of throwing stones and molotov cocktails. Documentation by Defense for Children International - Palestine, a monitoring group, said that the abuse described in his testimony amounted to torture. Among the most significant units to face scrutiny is the Yamam, the elite unit of Israels border police that focuses on counterterrorism operations, including raids in civilian areas. A Washington Post investigation last year found that the unit had opened fire in a crowded street in the West Bank city of Jenin in March 2023, killing a 14-year-old boy and two militants, neither of whom were visibly armed. One of the men was shot multiple times after he was incapacitated - an apparent extrajudicial execution that experts said could violate Israeli law. Agents from the Israeli YAMAM unit acted as judge, jury and executioner when they shot and killed two Palestinian men in broad daylight in Jenin on March 16, 2023, a textbook example of an extrajudicial killing by Israeli forces who are used to operating with impunity, said Adam Shapiro, director of advocacy at Democracy for the Arab World Now, in July. The organization filed a submission on the case to the State Department, arguing that the case fit the criteria to trigger Leahy Law vetting and sanction. If the State Department does not apply the Leahy Law in this case, the law may as well not exist, Shapiro said. Rights groups say that the abuse of Palestinians in custody is commonplace, and that tactics used during urban raids frequently contravene international humanitarian law. Israels police and army insist that they operate within the law. When asked about the cases on Friday, Blinken said the Leahy legislation was a very important law. Its one that we apply across the board. And when were doing these investigations, these inquiries, its something that takes time. That has to be done very carefully, both in collecting the facts and analyzing them, he said. And thats exactly what weve done. And I think its fair to say that youll see results very soon. Israels military conduct as well as the billions of dollars of U.S. military assistance provided by Washington has come under increasing scrutiny as the death toll of Palestinians in Gaza climbs to 34,000, according to local health authorities. The Israeli assault into Gaza followed Hamass cross-border attack that killed 1,200 people and took more than 240 hostages. The United States provides Israel more than $3.8 billion of military aid per year and the Biden administration has flooded the country with thousands of bombs and artillery since Oct. 7. For the first time, President Biden in April threatened to condition aid to Israel if it did not take specific steps to protect aid workers and provide additional humanitarian assistance to the enclave. The Biden administration has been much more comfortable criticizing Israels policies in the West Bank than in Gaza, where the war is occurring and where thousands of Hamas fighters are believed to still be actively engaged. On Friday, the administration imposed sanctions on two entities accused of fundraising for extremist settlers in the West Bank who have assaulted Palestinians. Any new military call-up would be Russian President Vladimir Putins decision. (Alexey Druzhinin/Sputnik/AFP/Getty Images/TNS) (Tribune News Service) Russia is preparing to enlist more contract soldiers as it presses its invasion of Ukraine, aiming to avoid at least for now another mass call-up that could undermine popular support for the war. The Kremlin is anxious not to repeat the September 2022 mobilization, which shook public confidence and triggered an exodus of as many as a million Russians from the country, three people informed about discussions on the matter said. With as many as 30,000 new recruits a month, Russia could reinforce army ranks by 300,000 this year, said Ruslan Pukhov, head of the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies think tank. Bolstered by its advantage in ammunition, the Russian army is continuing to advance as Ukraines forces struggle because of delays in U.S. and European military aid and personnel shortages. To be sure, relying on a gradual influx of new troops to replace losses and build up numerical strength rather than simply calling up another 300,000 in one go limits Russias military options. Gaining control of Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, or capturing Zaporizhzhia in the southeast would likely require a major new fighting force. An assault on the strategic southern port city of Odesa would be an even tougher goal. Still, concerns are mounting that Russia may make major gains in the coming weeks by punching through overstretched Ukrainian lines, people familiar with the matter in the U.S. and Europe said. Russian troops are at the outskirts of their next key target in the eastern Donetsk region, Chasiv Yar, whose elevated position makes it crucial to Ukraines defense of the area. Ukraine at the same time is facing a daily barrage of missiles, drones and bombs that is knocking out important power infrastructure because of a lack of air defenses and hitting army positions. Looking to also bolster their frontlines, lawmakers in Kyiv approved a watered-down version of controversial legislation to recruit more troops. Russia has detailed plans to expand its armed forces to 1.5 million people from 1.15 million now, of which 650,000 have had combat experience in Ukraine, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in December. In January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyivs forces numbered just short of 900,000. The shape of the Russian offensive thats going to come is pretty clear, the former commander of the U.K.s Joint Forces Command, Gen. Sir Richard Barrons, told the BBC. We are seeing Russia batter away at the front line, employing a five-to-one advantage in artillery, ammunition, and a surplus of people reinforced by the use of newish weapons. The Russian Defense Ministry on April 3 said more than 100,000 new recruits had signed up so far this year, with as many as 1,700 people volunteering a day. Russias using generous financial incentives to attract people to the war. Since the beginning of the year, regional payouts to new contract soldiers have increased 40% to an average 470,000 rubles (around $5,000), according to calculations by Re: Russia, a Vienna-based research group set up by former government adviser Kirill Rogov. Thats in addition to a flat rate federal payment of 195,000 rubles. The Russian authorities are trying not to carry out a new mobilization, as long as they have the opportunity to avoid it, said Pavel Luzin, a Russian military expert whos a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation. Ultimately, any call-up would be President Vladimir Putins decision, and the Russian leader has stoked speculation the Kremlin is preparing the ground for a potential next mobilization of reservists by accusing Ukraine without evidence of involvement in the Moscow concert hall attack last month that killed more than 140 people, even as Islamic State claimed responsibility. For now, the army command is in part relying on getting some current conscripts to sign contracts, according to two people familiar with the situation. This spring, 150,000 Russians will be drafted for standard military service. The law allows those conscripts to be sent to the battlefield after four months of military service, said Luzin. However, that would violate repeated public pledges not to deploy conscripts to the war zone, so army officials are pushing them to switch to a professional contract, which they can do from the first day of their service under legislative changes approved last year. Everything happens on an absolutely transparent and voluntary basis, Andrei Kartapolov, a former deputy defense minister whos head of the lower chamber of parliaments defense committee, told RTVI channel. In fact, an increasing number of draftees are complaining of significant psychological and in some cases physical pressure, according to Idite Lesom, or Get Lost, a non-government organization that helps people who want to avoid being sent to fight in Ukraine. They put one boy into a pit and kept him there for several days without food until he agreed to sign a contract, said the groups head Grigory Sverdlin. The contracts are officially for one year, but can only be revoked by the Defense Ministry during wartime mobilization, so theyre effectively permanent until the conflict ends, he said. So far, Russias approach appears to be working. For the current strategy of inflicting a thousand cuts and broad pressure on Ukraine along the entire front, the available manpower and its replenishment through contract recruitment is apparently enough, said Pukhov, from the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. Russia probably cant consolidate control over eastern Ukraine by taking the well-defended cities of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk this year, he said. Still, Putins goal is to have the West reach the conclusion that Russia prevailing in Ukraine is inevitable and that we must stay on the sidelines, said Nataliya Bugayova, a non-resident fellow at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War. 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Ukrainian soldiers move ammunition last year on the outskirts of Chasiv Yar, in Donetsk Oblast. (Ed Ram/The Washington Post) The Pentagon has a massive infusion of military aid for Ukraine ready to go, U.S. officials said, once a long-delayed funding measure, which is expected to pass the House this weekend, clears the Senate next week and President Biden signs it into law. The Defense Department, which has warned that Ukraine would steadily cede more ground to Russian forces and face staggering casualties without urgent action on Capitol Hill, began assembling the assistance package well before the coming votes in a bid to speed the process, these people said. One official, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the Biden administrations planning, said that once the $95 billion foreign aid bill is finalized, it would take less than a week for some of the weapons to reach the battlefield, depending on where they are stored. The legislation includes about $60 billion for Ukraine, with most of the remainder slated for Israel and U.S. partners in Asia. It was not immediately clear how expansive the package will be, though it is almost certain to contain desperately needed ammunition for systems Ukrainian personnel rely on most, including 155mm shells used in NATO howitzers and munitions for medium-range rocket artillery. Since the war began, individual U.S. transfers have ranged in value from hundreds of millions of dollars to more than $2 billion. As the aid bill languished in Congress for months, officials in Washington and in Kyiv said Ukraines front-line units were rationing a rapidly evaporating stockpile of armaments and that soon Moscow would have a 10-to-1 advantage in artillery rounds. It is also probable the Pentagon will provide Ukraine with a fresh tranche of air defense equipment and ammunition, a vital need to combat Russias relentless campaign against the countrys civilian infrastructure. NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday he was convening with allies to discuss ways to bolster such capabilities, with a focus on the high-end Patriot system. A Pentagon spokesman, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, declined to comment. News of the planned transfer was reported earlier by Politico. The United States has provided nearly $45 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since early 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched Moscows full-scale invasion. Its last aid package, totaling $300 million, was prepared in March after the Pentagon identified unanticipated cost savings in recent arms contracts - an outlier after congressionally approved funding dried up last year and an intense political fight followed President Bidens request for more. U.S. Air Force personnel in Dover, Del., move pallets of explosive charges for 155mm artillery ammunition bound for Ukraine in October 2022. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post) U.S. support for the Ukraine war has bitterly divided the Republican Party, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) delaying consideration of the funding bill as he navigated strident opposition from far-right members of his caucus. With the help of Democrats, on Friday he muscled through a procedural measure that sets the stage for this weekends vote, though doing so could cost him his leadership post. In Ukraine, officials have growing increasingly frustrated by Washingtons paralysis as the battlefield situation has worsened due to ammunition and personnel shortages. In February, Ukrainian forces retreated from the eastern city of Avdiivka, ceding significant territory to the Russians for the first time in almost a year - a decision Ukrainian officials blamed on limited resources. Across the front line, Ukrainian troops are facing such severe ammunition shortages that they are rationing shells, leaving artillery units unable to protect the infantry by striking deeper into Russian-controlled territory to halt Russian advances. Russia has seized on these weaknesses, first in Avdiivka and more recently by pushing toward the town of Chasiv Yar, outside of Bakhmut. Aware Ukraine is also running low on air defenses, Russia has launched repeated missile and drone strikes on major cities and Ukrainian energy infrastructure, destroying energy facilities across the country, straining the electrical grid and stirring panic in residential areas. Again and again, Ukrainian officials have begged publicly for air defense they said could have prevented these strikes. Then this week, Russia struck the northern city of Chernihiv and the eastern city of Dnipro and surrounding villages, killing dozens of people and badly damaging infrastructure. Both attacks could have been averted, Ukrainian officials said, if Ukraine had the air defense supplies it needs. After the attacks, Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, pointed to what they called the double standard in the United States and other Western allies assisting Israel in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones last week while failing to adequately help Ukraine, which is under fire each day. American support has been in question for too long, Zelensky said Friday, addressing the Ukraine-NATO Council. When it comes to the defense of freedom, everything that is in question gives a clear answer to Putin. It prompts him to act whenever the West slows down. OGrady reported from Kyiv. Dan Lamothe contributed to this report. Former president Donald Trump appears at a Manhattan criminal court in New York on April 15, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) Former president Donald Trump has long cast President Biden as Sleepy Joe, accusing him of being too old and weak to do the job. Now Bidens campaign sees an opportunity to turn the tables. The campaign has increasingly put a spotlight on reports that Trump has appeared to doze off during his hush-money trial in New York, which started this week. A feeble and tired Donald Trump once again falls asleep in court, the campaign said Friday on X, responding to a New York Times live blog entry saying Trump appears to have fallen asleep in court again. Later Friday, Bidens campaign labeled Trump Sleepy Don in a news release saying he had a nightmare week that included getting some shut-eye. The digs are notable because Bidens campaign and the White House have otherwise avoided commenting on the trial itself. Trump has argued that the case is an attempt to interfere with the 2024 election, claiming without evidence that Biden has orchestrated it in the run-up to their November rematch. Trumps campaign fired back at the Biden campaign Friday, calling the Times report fake news from a reporter who wasnt even in the courtroom. Contrast that with Biden falling asleep constantly at meetings, and tripping and busting his ass while falling down numerous times, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement. The Times reporter who wrote the blog post, Maggie Haberman, said in an email that she was watching from an overflow room outside the courtroom. Unlike the Trump aides sitting rows behind him in the courtroom, I was in the overflow room and, along with other reporters, could see his entire face on a very large monitor through closed-circuit camera, Haberman said. The trial is the first of four that Trump faces with the 2024 election looming. In New York, he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a 2016 hush money payment meant to keep an adult-film actress quiet about an alleged sexual tryst. Trump is required to attend every day of the trial, which started Monday with jury selection. It is not entirely clear if Trump has fallen asleep in court. Washington Post reporters have been watching the trial from inside the courtroom - but seated behind Trump - and from the overflow room where there is a video feed. They have seen his eyes close multiple times this week. On Tuesday, during questioning of the jurors, Trump closed his eyes and his head occasionally dipped down. In another moment, Trump leaned back and his eyes appeared to be closed as his head occasionally tilted. On Thursday, Trump appeared to be resting his eyes while the judge, Juan Merchan, read extended jury instructions. When there were first reports that Trump was apparently dozing off in court - on the trials Opening Day - the Biden campaign responded playfully, using it to highlight a top issue for Democrats this election cycle. Wake Up Donald: After Stormy Abortion Ban Coverage, Trump Poll Memo Attempts to Hush Panic, read the subject line of a Biden campaign news release. The news release referred to a Trump campaign memo that downplayed the political potency of the issue of abortion in Arizona after a state Supreme Court upheld a near total abortion ban there last week. Bidens campaign told The Washington Post that it remained focused on issues beside Trumps trial. Our campaign and the President are focused on the American people - not Donald Trumps trials and tribulations, Biden campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa said in a statement. Were also not sleeping on the fact that campaigns are won by the candidate who remains focused on fighting for the American people - not distracted by their own grievances or pursuit of revenge and retribution. Still, the criticism of Trump comes as part of a sustained effort by the Biden campaign to amplify examples of the former president mixing up people, misstating facts or slipping over his words, as Biden officials fight back against concerns about Bidens own mental fitness. Even though Biden, 81, is only a few years older than Trump, 77, polls show voters are more concerned about Bidens age. At the White House, officials have repeatedly declined to comment on the case and suggested Biden is not paying close attention. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday, the first day of the trial, that she expected Biden to get an update at some point today but that he was focused on meetings with foreign leaders that day. Asked about the trial the next day, she said Biden was focused on a three-day tour of Pennsylvania that he was starting that day. Jury selection in Trumps trial concluded Friday afternoon, and opening statements are expected Monday. The trial, Trump said Friday afternoon on social media, is a Long, Rigged, Endurance Contest. Isaac Arnsdorf and Tyler Pager contributed to this report. A Border Patrol SUV drives at Otay Mountain on June 8, 2021 in San Diego, California. ( Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune) (Tribune News Service) A Border Patrol vehicle briefly went missing last month from the agencys Imperial Beach station. Inside the vehicle was a trained Border Patrol dog, at least one agents uniform, three firearms and other law enforcement equipment valued at more than $105,000. When San Diego police officers pulled over the stolen vehicle about four hours later, they found 34-year-old Shawn Errol Farrar, who is not a federal agent, behind the wheel and wearing the uniform, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in San Diego. Court documents show its at least the fourth time within the past two years that Farrar, who briefly served in the Marine Corps about 15 years ago, has allegedly gone joyriding in a government vehicle. Records show that on at least three occasions in 2022, Farrar allegedly stole Navy vehicles from local military bases. The most recent alleged theft occurred on the afternoon of March 29 at the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station off Boundary Road near the Tijuana River Valley. According to the criminal complaint, an agent left an unmarked vehicle idling in the secure parking lot to provide air conditioning for a dog in a kennel inside the vehicle. At some point around 4 p.m., Farrar entered the parking lot without permission and drove off in the vehicle, according to the complaint. Around 7:30 that night, San Diego police officers spotted the vehicle in the Mission Valley area. The driver did not initially stop but eventually pulled over. I went there, and they gave me this car, he allegedly told officers, according to the complaint. Then he changed his story, telling the officers that he climbed a fence to get into the stations parking lot. After his arrest, Farrar told police that he was a private contractor with his own investigative security firm and that hed driven from Imperial Beach to Camp Pendleton before returning south toward Mission Valley, according to the complaint. He also allegedly told a more elaborate and fantastical tale about how he acquired the vehicle, claiming that a Border Patrol agent allowed him in the front gate of the station and pointed him to the waiting vehicle. Farrar also said that he was told everything he needed to complete his assignment was inside the (Border Patrol) vehicle, a Homeland Security Investigations agent wrote in the complaint. Farrar stated the vehicle said USM on it, which he believed to mean US Military. Farrar stated he used to work for the military and thats how he got the uniform he was wearing and thats why he needed that car. A Marine Corps spokesperson confirmed Thursday that Farrar enlisted in March 2008 and served until April 2010. He left the service as a private, E-1, the lowest rank in the Marine Corps. Farrars premature discharge and rank at discharge are indicative of the fact that the character of his service was incongruent with Marine Corps expectations and standards, the spokesperson said in a statement. Due to the associated administrative processes, further details are not releasable. Farrar remained jailed Thursday at the George Bailey Detention Facility in Otay Mesa on a federal hold, according to Sheriffs Department jail records. Federal court records show he faces a felony charge of theft of government property, though he has not yet been arraigned. In July 2022, Farrar allegedly stole Navy vehicles on two separate occasions. Details about the first theft were not available. But a criminal complaint filed in Chula Vista Superior Court showed Farrar was charged with burglary, vandalism over $400, unlawfully taking and driving a Navy vehicle and concealing or withholding a stolen vehicle for incidents that occurred on July 12. About two weeks later, Farrar allegedly stole a Ford F350 pickup from Naval Base Coronado and drove it to a different, unnamed military base in the region. According to a citation filed in federal court, a military police officer at the second base received a radio call to respond to a parking lot where a man was claiming to have human remains. Farrar showed officers a box of bones he claimed to have found, according to the citation. The officers notified the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and a similar Marine Corps investigations unit, but wrote on the citation that nothing about the bones indicated they were human. Then about two more weeks later, on Aug. 11, Farrar allegedly stole a Humvee from Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Police officers spotted the stolen Humvee about 24 hours after it was first taken, and San Diego and Chula Vista officers briefly chased the vehicle along South Bay surface streets and into the Otay River valley, according to police and FOX5 San Diego. Officers arrested Farrar on suspicion of auto theft, failing to yield and on an active felony warrant. While sitting in the backseat of a police vehicle, Farrar told OnSceneTV that he was a former Marine whose job, in part, had been to penetrate bases for security purposes. Footage of that arrest showed a military-style backpack adorned with a Marine Corps pin and Farrars last name handwritten in marker. The records provided by the Marine Corps showed Farrar was a warehouse clerk assigned to a combat logistics regiment at Camp Pendleton. In connection with the stolen Humvee, Farrar was again charged in Chula Vista Superior Court, on charges of grand theft of an automobile and evading an officer with reckless driving. His court-appointed attorney from the county Public Defenders Office declined to comment Thursday. Farrar does not yet have an attorney in the federal case related to the Border Patrol vehicle. This story originally appeared in San Diego Union-Tribune. 2024 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A police booking photo shows Max Azzarello after a Florida arrest last year. (Daily News/TNS) (Tribune News Service) Max Azzarello, who set himself on fire outside Manhattan Criminal Court where former President Trumps hush money trial was being held, has died of his extensive self-inflicted injuries, cops said Saturday. The Florida resident set himself on fire inside Collect Pond Park across the street from the courthouse to draw attention to his rambling conspiracy theories about an upcoming apocalyptic fascist world coup at about 1:30 p.m. Friday, shocking onlookers making their way through the park. I was about 20 to 30 feet from him. I started yelling, This guys doing something, he might be doing something! Fred Gates, who witnessed the fire, told the Daily News. When the fire [started] it was just disbelief. I never saw anything like this, he said. Azzarello was rushed to the burn unit at New York Presbyterian-Cornell Hospital, where he died just before midnight, police confirmed. There was no indication Azzarello had any specific grievances related to the trial or Trump. Three NYPD police officers monitoring the press outside the courthouse and a court officer suffered smoke inhalation as they tried to extinguish the fire before the FDNY arrived, NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said Friday. Azzarello, described by authorities as a conspiracy theorist, posted a rambling manifesto just before the blaze began. I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan, the 37-year-old Floridian wrote. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup. A QR code on fliers he had on him directed people to where his manifesto was posted online, officials said. Azzarello recently arrived in Manhattan from Florida, cops said. Police had been in contact with his family, who said they didnt know he was in the city. Word of the self-immolation occurred as prosecutors and Trumps attorneys finished selecting the final alternate jurors for the hush money trial involving porn actress Stormy Daniels, which is expected to continue on Monday. His rambling screed touched on ponzi schemes, bank failures, the rise of cryptocurrency, the television show The Simpsons and Harvard University, which he called one of the largest organized crime fronts in history. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you, Azzarello wrote about his alleged self-immolation. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict. The NYPD was expected to review security procedures both inside and outside the courthouse following Fridays fire. The park was open to the public Friday afternoon so Azzarello did not breach the security protocols the NYPD made with court officers and the secret service, Maddrey explained. We will reassess our security with our federal partners, he said. 2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and his wife, Nadine, arrive at a Manhattan court on March 11, 2024, for an arraignment in the federal bribery case against them. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images/TNS) The bribery trial of U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and two businessmen was pushed back a week to May 13 by a judge who cited negotiations on a statement that averts the need to disqualify a co-defendants lawyer. U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein in New York moved the date at a hearing Friday, where the New Jersey Democrat is accused of accepting bribes of cash, gold bars and a car to help three businessmen and the Egyptian government. Menendez, 70, is also charged with acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. Menendez, a senator since 2006, has seen his support in New Jersey and the Senate crumble since he was indicted in September, forcing him to step down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. U.S. Rep. Andy Kim is the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for the seat in June. Menendez has said he may run as an independent. The senators wife, Nadine, has an undisclosed illness and will be tried separately. Menendez is prepared to blame his wife at trial for withholding information from him about gifts they allegedly accepted from businessmen seeking favors, court records show. Stein moved the trial after prosecutors and defense lawyers agreed on a factual statement, known as a stipulation, that allows an attorney for co-defendant Wael Hana to remain on the case. The judge said Wednesday that unless they could reach an agreement, prosecutors may have called the lawyer, Lawrence Lustberg, as a witness, forcing Hana to get a new lawyer. Menendez will be tried with Hana, an Egyptian American businessman, and Fred Daibes, a prominent New Jersey developer. While Lustberg represents Hana, he previously was the lawyer for Daibes in a New Jersey fraud case. One of the three main bribe schemes alleged by prosecutors accuses Menendez of seeking to influence that prosecution in exchange for cash and gold bars from Daibes. The seven-page stipulation, which will presented as evidence at trial, lays out efforts by Lustberg referred to only as Daibess Counsel to resolve the New Jersey case through a plea agreement. It also bolsters the indictment which said that in January 2022, Menendez and Daibes called Lustberg to complain that the lawyer had not been aggressive enough in attempting to get Daibess case dismissed. The stipulation said that before the call, Daibes told Lustberg that Menendez thought Lustberg was being a wuss in his approach and should have been pushing for a dismissal. Daibes pleaded guilty in April 2022 in a deal that called for a probationary sentence. Last October, a federal judge in New Jersey rejected that deal. 2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Criminals using high-powered cars to outrun gardai Organised burglary gangs are 'fleecing' homes and businesses around the country Organised burglary gangs have been fleecing homes and businesses around the country since the garda anti-burglary unit was disbanded last month. Dozens of properties have been targeted in the past week alone as the criminals use high-powered cars to avoid capture. A source said last night that the disbandment of the garda unit could not have come at a worse time. One of the gangs is using a high-powered silver Skoda Octavia with false registration plates. They are being investigated for an attempted burglary yesterday in Slane, Co Meath, and a botched break-in in Kilcock, Co Kildare, on Wednesday. In another burglary linked to the Octavia, an unknown quantity of jewellery was stolen from a house in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, on Thursday afternoon. The raiders, who were wearing masks, broke in the back door and then escaped with the valuables. At the other end of the country in the early hours of Wednesday, criminals travelling in a white BMW 1 Series evaded gardai several times as they drove dangerously at high speed on rural roads in Co Mayo and Co Galway. They were targeting a number of pubs and service stations. Gardai are investigating if this gang are linked to criminal Edward The Bullet Connors (49). Connors, a cousin of murdered Tallaght criminal Fat Andy Connors, is one of the countrys most prolific burglars and has dozens of convictions. Originally from Nurney, Co Kildare, The Bullet earned his nickname because of the high speeds he drove while fleeing gardai. He has links to a major burglary gang based mainly in Tallaght, Dublin. Gardai suspect the BMW that got away on Wednesday in the west is being hidden in Leinster. Officers were unable to keep up with it after a large amount of cigarettes was stolen from a shop in Hollymount, Co Mayo, shortly after 1.30am. The gang were later disturbed when they tried to break into a service station in Claremorris, and fled in the direction of Tuam, Co Galway. While in Co Galway, they burgled a pub at around 3am after disabling CCTV and alarm systems. They escaped with around 400 in cash and a large haul of cigarettes. Ninety minutes later, they were unsuccessful when they tried to break in to a pub in Ballinasloe, and it is believed they then travelled back to west Dublin. The gang are suspects in a number of recent burglaries in Co Sligo. A source said: Gardai were simply not able to keep up with them during the course of a number of hours. If the anti-burglary unit were still operational, this would have been a perfect job for them to respond to. These specialist officers had the vehicles and driving skills to be able to confront the reckless type of driving that was seen on Wednesday morning. There is a lot of disquiet that it no longer exists. Adam Glaza and Marcin Kuznick pleaded guilty to using threatening and abusive behaviour. Judge Bernadette Owens ordered Adam Glaza and Marcin Kuznicki (pictured) to return to court next month with 400 each for payment to the court poor box. Adam Glaza and Marcin Kuznicki both pleaded guilty to using threatening and abusive behaviour during an incident at Mullingar's Newbury Hotel in June 2023. Two men told a hotel worker to f*** off and a b**** after she asked them to leave when they began verbally abusing a group of Ukrainians. Adam Glaza, Flat 20 Castle Street, Mullingar, Westmeath and Marcin Kuznicki, 60 Farran Ashe, Mullingar, Co Westmeath pleaded guilty to using threatening and abusive behaviour at The Newbury Hotel, Dominick Street, Mullingar on June 18 last year. Sgt Orla Keenan told Mullingar District Court how gardai were called to the scene at around 7pm in response to reports of two intoxicated men who were causing annoyance in the hotel. She said a female staff member had asked the two accused to leave which they did before returning to the hotel minutes later. It was on the second occasion that the pair told the female staff member to f*** off when she asked them to leave, calling her a b*** in the process. The court was told it was during that interaction that the two men had been verbally abusive to a number of Ukrainian nationals who had been sitting in the bar. Judge Owens was told father of one, Glaza had seven previous convictions to his name, all of which were for road traffic related offences that dated back to 2016. His co-accused, Kuznicki, a father of three had five previous convictions, two of which were for public order offences. Upon hearing details surrounding the episode, Judge Owens said neither of the men covered themselves in glory with their behaviour. Defence solicitor Louis Kiernan agreed, saying his clients actions were not in keeping with what should have been a night of well-mannered socialising. He said both his clients, who had been in the country for a number of years had encountered a number of Ukrainian individuals which was when an exchange had taken place. Judge Bernadette Owens ordered Adam Glaza and Marcin Kuznicki (pictured) to return to court next month with 400 each for payment to the court poor box. It was something along the lines of why are you not at home fighting for your country? They were asked to leave and did but returned 15 minutes later which was when she (staff member) asked them to leave and it was on the second occasion there was that interaction which they regret. Judge Owens indicated she would stop short of handing a conviction down to both men on the provision they return to court on May 13 with 400 for payment to the court poor box. Judge Malone noted that she was not applying for bail, and Ms Shannon said, No, its for the best at the moment AN ALLEGED shoplifter accused of stealing more than 2,300 worth of beauty products from a Boots outlet in Dublin has been remanded in custody. Suzanne Shannon, 29, of Avondale House, North Cumberland Street, Dublin, was charged with theft of 1,009 worth of Aimee Connolly beauty products from the premises on Lower Rathmines Road on Friday. The mother of five was also accused of stealing various cosmetic products valued at 1,399 from the same pharmacy on February 3. She appeared before Judge Grainne Malone at Dublin District Court on Saturday when Garda Stephen Walsh said the woman replied sorry when charged. He also told the court that following her arrest for the theft on Friday, he became aware of the previous alleged incident. Judge Malone noted that she was not applying for bail, and Ms Shannon said, No, its for the best at the moment. The judge noted she was unemployed and granted her legal aid. She directed the defence solicitor to give the garda prior notice if Ms Shannon intended to move a bail application. The accused, yet to indicate a plea, was held in custody to appear again on Thursday. Malgorzata Pajak (43), who had a difficult relationship with alcohol, could not remember why she took the wine, a court heard. Malgorzata Pajak had a difficult relationship with alcohol, the court was told A nervous flyer had been drinking while on medication when she shoplifted bottles of wine in a Dublin Airport shop before a flight. Malgorzata Pajak (43), who had a difficult relationship with alcohol, could not remember why she took the wine, a court heard. Adjourning the case, Judge Treasa Kelly said she would leave Pajak without a conviction if she made a 100 charity donation. Pajak, a chef with an address at Cnoc Ard, Letterkenny, Co Donegal pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to theft on January 29. The court heard Pajak entered Wrights Food Fayre, took three bottles of wine worth 45 and left without paying She had no previous convictions. The accused was originally from Poland and had been in Ireland for 17 years, her solicitor Daniel Hanahoe said. Pajak had a difficult relationship with alcohol and been had flying back to Poland for treatment to deal with that. She was a nervous flyer, had combined alcohol with medication she was on and did not remember why she carried out the theft. The accused was now sober and asking to be left without a criminal record, Mr Hanahoe told the court. Youre old enough to know that if youre on medication, you cant drink, Judge Kelly told the accused. Putting the case back to a date next month, the judge said she would decide whether to apply the Probation Act or strike the case out when the money is paid to Merchants Quay Ireland. Gardai arrested 10 men on March 14 in Tragumna near Skibbereen and Leap village in west Cork and charged them with conspiring to import drugs into Ireland. A powerful three-engine inflatable 40-foot boat was extensively modified with "stealth capabilities" to ferry a crew from west Cork to meet a "mothership" at sea and return laden with drugs, the High Court has heard. Gardai arrested 10 men on March 14 in Tragumna near Skibbereen and Leap village in west Cork and charged them with conspiring to import drugs into Ireland. They were remanded in custody after District Court appearances last month. Due to the nature of the alleged offence, which could result in a life sentence, they had to bring bail applications to the High Court in Cloverhill in Dublin. They were listed before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor today, but seven had their applications adjourned until next Friday. Lorry driver Sean Curran (37), from Carrickyheenan, Aughnacloy, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, and two Spanish men, former Gibraltar Police employee Pedro Padio Ojeda Ortega (34) and construction worker Angel Serran Padilla (39), both from Malaga, proceeded with their applications. However, this evening, Ms Justice O'Connor refused and said she was not satisfied she could admit them to bail after hearing evidence submitted from defence and prosecution lawyers. She also noted evidence that gardai believed it was part of a "sophisticated" operation by an international criminal group. Garda Armed Support Units were posted to the courthouse for the duration of the proceedings today. Mr Curran, a father of one, was the only defendant who gave evidence. He said he would reside in the Republic at a family member's property and said, "I have no reason to run". He also said he had only driven a lorry and was only doing his job, and "I had no involvement with any of these boys in this group". Defence counsel Aoife O'Leary stressed that Mr Curran had ties to the jurisdiction and that Garda evidence of travel to "far-flung" destinations did not apply to any of the three defendants before the court today. She said he maintained he was working legitimately. Mr Ortega and Padilla proposed to reside at the address of a family friend in Co Cork. Keith Branagan BL, for the State, outlined that the objections to bail were due to the seriousness of the charges, concerns they would not turn up for trial and concerns of interference with evidence or witnesses if released. He contended that they had incentives not to turn up for their trial because of the seriousness of the case. Garda Inspector John O'Connell told the court that "a concerned citizen" had alerted gardai about vehicles at Tragumna Pier in the dark and early hours of March 12. There was a Land Rover, a camper van and an articulated truck with its trailer down and facing the pier, and several people were visible. Gardai conducted surveillance and were informed of the launch of a 40-foot rigid inflatable boat (RIB) equipped with three high-powered Yamaha engines. Almost 48 hours later, the three vehicles returned to the pier and the RIB returned without any drugs. The inspector claimed the 10 defendants loaded the returned RIB using a winch to load it back onto a modified trailer and into the truck. The truck got stuck due to the slant on the pier and was towed by the Land Rover and the camper van. It was alleged that the camper van departed with six men, including Mr Padilla and Ortega, but gardai intercepted it in Leap. The other four, including Mr Curran, the driver of the truck, were arrested at the pier in Tragumna. The court heard gardai recovered walkie-talkies, personal phones, and satellite "burner" phones and that 3,000 and 8,000 were spent on maritime clothing. The entire cost of materials, including the boat, travel, and accommodation, was estimated to be 700,000. It was alleged gardai recovered notes with timings and distance from accommodation to piers in west Cork. The inspector said people at a higher level in an international crime group organised what was termed in court as a "sophisticated operation". The court heard the RIB originated in Portugal and was brought via the Netherlands to Rosslare and from there to a yard in Omagh, Co Tyrone, where Mr Curran worked. When Mr Branagan asked if it had been adapted, the inspector said it had been "extensively modified" in Omagh and that the RIB had "stealth capabilities. Its lighting had been hidden, and the on-board navigation equipment and the driver's visor screen had been painted dark. Inspector O'Connell alleged the RIB went to collect drugs from a "mothership. He said the satellite phone was for contacting the mothership, and the RIB's movements coincided with contact from that phone, and "triangulation was involved". The RIB allegedly entered English waters but, due to a storm, missed the mothership and returned to Tragumna after about 48 hours. It was alleged that Mr Padilla and Ortega had been on the powerboat during the voyage but not Mr Curran. The judge noted that the two Spaniards travelled together to Ireland using their own national identity cards, and they told gardai they came for a holiday or to have fun. The judge noted that Mr Ortega had a background in mechanics and electronics. Cross-examined by the defence counsel, he agreed that no drugs were recovered and she submitted that other parties could remotely destroy evidence. The court heard Mr Curran's mother would stand 10,000 bail, Mr Ortega's wife would offer 4,000, and Mr Padilla's family had 5,000 available. Ms Justice O'Connor said they had the presumption of innocence but held they had no ties to the jurisdiction, and she was not satisfied they would attend their trial. The other seven men include Iranian-born Dutch citizens Ali Mazidi (46) and Kiumaars Ghabiri (55), both with addresses in Rotterdam, and Serbian Alexander Milic (36), with an address in Belgrade. Spaniards Antonio Gallardo Barrofo (55), also known as Juan Antonio Gallardo, and Raul Tabares (48), both with addresses in Cadiz, and Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz (43) and Anuar Rahui (41), all with addresses in Malaga, were also charged. The 10 are accused that, on dates between February 27 and March 14, they conspired with each other to import controlled drugs in excess of 13,000, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act. Marie Greene (35) was seen by gardai and found in possession of the drug. A drug user hugged a man to discreetly transfer a bag of cannabis after gardai arrested her on a street in central Dublin, a court has heard. Marie Greene (35) was seen by gardai and found in possession of the drug. Judge John Hughes gave her a four-month suspended sentence. Greene, with an address at a Dublin city hostel, pleaded guilty to obstructing a garda and possession of cannabis. Dublin District Court heard a garda on patrol at Dorset Street Upper on June 6, 2021, saw Greene and a man acting suspiciously. There was a warrant for Greene and she was arrested and put in the back of a patrol car. She hugged the man and took a small bag of a green herb in an attempt to discreetly transfer it, a garda said. Greene had 75 previous convictions. The man, who Greene had been in a relationship with, would be a lot more well-known to the gardai, her solicitor said. The relationship was not good. The man was now in custody and Greene was living in private rented accommodation, on methadone and on a waiting list for a treatment centre. The accuseds recidivism has diminished recently, her solicitor said. Mr Quinn has denied anything to do with or any knowledge of the plot to smuggle 2.5m worth of cocaine into Ireland through Rosslare A FORMER furniture businessman is set to go on trial in June charged over a plot to smuggle 2.5 million worth of cocaine through Rosslare Europort four-and-a-half years ago. John Quinn (61), a former director of the furniture company Jondol, was given a trial date of June 11th when he appeared before a court in Naas last week. Mr Quinns address has been previously given on court documents as Woodside House, Dunnstown Wood, Brannockstown, Co Kildare Mr Quinn has denied anything to do with or any knowledge of the plot to smuggle 2.5m worth of cocaine into Ireland through Rosslare Europort on November 3, 2018. When the matter previously came before Naas District Court in June 2021, Judge Desmond Zaidan was told the cocaine had been discovered by customs officers hidden in a concealed compartment in a container of pallets. The discovery was made after the container arrived at Rosslare port from Cherbourg, France. Read more Phone seized from businessman charged over 2.5m cocaine haul to be analysed Furniture tycoon denies "anything to do with" plot to smuggle cocaine worth 2.5 million into Ireland Detective Garda David McKinley of the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) said The container came in and it had it [the cocaine] concealed in the bottom of it. The shipment was stopped by customs and the container was searched and the cocaine was subsequently found in this container, he said. And what evidence, asked the judge, led you to the suspect Mr John Quinn? The detective said: The truck involved in the moving of the trailer out, we believe, was with Mr Quinn. It was paid for, it was in the hands, it was in the possession of Mr Quinn. Mr. Quinns solicitor Tim Kenneally said, in response to Det. Gda. McKinleys evidence, "In relation to what's just been said there, my client is denying anything to do with this Judge or any knowledge of it. I should put that on record." Quinns Kildare based furniture company Jondol Furniture Ltd, of which he was co-director with his wife Dolores, was wound down in 2012. The men are alleged to have started work without agreeing on a price An Irish-registered Toyota has been seized by police in the Isle of Wight after four men were arrested for suspected rogue trading. The incident happened on Thursday morning after residents called police over their fears for an elderly neighbour. The elderly woman was left feeling frightened by the incident in the town of East Cowes. The group of four males were detained by police on a street called Hefford Road whilst power washing roof tiles of the womans house. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the men had carried out their work without agreeing on a price, without providing a contract and without allowing a cooling-off period, according to the Island Echo Newspaper. Cops were called following reports that a pensioner had been quoted nearly 2,000 for roofing work and, after explaining she couldnt afford it, the work was started anyway and demands were made for 1,000. Another neighbour was also quoted 800 for work to be completed on his driveway, Police say. Hefford Rd Isle of Wight Island Echo reports that a number of addresses in the local area have been visited by the group today, where services such as driveway and roof cleans have been carried out. It is understood that detectives believe that other Isle of Wight residents may have been approached by the rogue traders. A spokesperson for Isle of Wight Police stated: We are aware rogue traders can be very persuasive and convincing in their approach, but remember having your roof cleaned is not an emergency, do not be taken in. "Please ask for a contract and make use of the cooling off period. For further information please see the (UK Trading Standards website) Once again thank you to our communities for reporting concerning activities, it is nice to know people still look out for their neighbours. Our message to online offenders has not changed - if you procure, access and transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted The Irishman had been living in Perth AN IRISHMAN has been jailed for almost a decade in Australia after repeatedly possessing and sharing child abuse material, even after he was out on bail for similar offences. Shea Patrick OHara (25), who is from Derry but based in Perth in Western Australia, persistently downloaded and shared horrendous videos and images including of infants and toddlers being abused even after he was first caught. He was sentenced by the Perth District Court on Thursday after earlier pleading guilty to 17 offences, which also involved hundreds of online conversations he had about abusing children. OHara was arrested the first time in July 2022 after the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children tipped off Australian authorities about a person in Australia accessing child abuse material. An Australian Federal Police (AFP) spokesperson said investigators linked OHara to the online accounts. When police interviewed him, he claimed a mobile phone in his pocket was not his, but one he had found a few days earlier and claimed he did not know the pin code to unlock it. OHara refused to provide access to the phone and was charged with failing to comply with police orders. Police seized the mobile phone for forensic examination and identified child abuse material on the electronic device. The man was charged with several online child abuse offences and faced court in October 2022, the spokesperson said. OHara was released on bail but astonishingly continued his sick ways and last year US Homeland Security alerted the Australian Federal Police that an online user in Australia was involved in online conversations about the sexual exploitation of children and transmitting child abuse material. Australian authorities were able to link the activity to OHara and Western Australia Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team comprised of AFP and local police - raided OHaras home in the Perth suburb of Thornlie last August. The investigation uncovered OHaras online activity including chats talking about incest and loving littlies while child abuse material was found on his phone. In January OHara pleaded guilty to 11 counts of transmitting child abuse material, five counts of possessing child abuse material and one count of failing to comply with an order. OHara was sentenced to nine years and eight months imprisonment. He was ordered to serve seven years and eight months imprisonment before being released on a recognisance release order to be of good behaviour for two years. AFP Detective Sergeant Karen Addiscott said the AFP worked closely with its national and international law enforcement partners to protect children from harm. Trading child abuse material and conversing online about abusing and exploiting children is not a victimless crime, she said. Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators. Our message to online offenders has not changed - if you procure, access and transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted. Famously shy at red carpet events, Cillian slipped inside without taking questions from the press. Emmet Scanlan with his daughter Kayla pictured at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy Cillian Murphy pictured as he arrived at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy Actress Eve Hewson has joked that she is dead inside as she learns to handle the inevitable rejection that is part and parcel of the film industry. Speaking on the red carpet at tonights Irish Film and Television Awards, the Bad Sisters actress quipped that she has developed a heart of stone and she learns to take knocks. I have like a heart of stone at this point. I cant feel anything anymore, she quipped. When I was younger I used to cry my eyes out but now I am just dead. Dead inside. Ms Hewson, who was nominated in the best actress category for her role in Flora and Son shared the advice that has sustained her in the industry. Eve Hewson pictured at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy One good piece of advice I got it kind of went on for years and years where you get close to a job and then you can get really heartbroken. someone once said to me that if you are getting close, its only a matter of time and I think that was really helpful because, you know, sometimes you can feel like you are getting rejected consistently but if you think I am getting a call back or a meeting with the director [it means] I might not be perfectly right for this role [but] if you are getting close it means you are good and you can take that as a little bit of encouragement to keep going. Killers of the Flower Moon actress Lily Gladstone was also in attendance and paid tribute to the special relationship that exists between Ireland and Native Americans. Caitriona Balfe pictured at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy In 1847, The Choctaw people collected money to send to the starving in Ireland during the Famine. Speaking on the red carpet, the Oscar nominated actress said the fact that the Choctaw tribe sent money to Ireland during the potato famine makes absolute sense. I think its wonderful. Choctaw, at the time, as a sovereign nation, were also struggling to feed their own. They were experiencing cultural survival through all of it. So there was an immediate recognition with what was going on here. And- in our fashion- we take care of each other. Its a real spirit of generosity. When you have wealth you demonstrate it by showing it and they didnt have much but what they had, they shared. Ms Gladstone said she plans to make a return journey to Ireland to visit a sculpture in Co Cork that honours the shared history but this weekend she will be taking the DART to the seaside. Just a little bit north of the city, I hear you get on the line and go up the coast and get some seafood, see the sea, spring in the air. Im going to spend a little bit of time out in the country before I head back to the States. Cillian Murphy pictured at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy Gladstone was among some of the biggest names in Hollywood who turned out for the ceremony, which is being hosted for the first time by Emmy-winning broadcaster Baz Ashmawy. Also in attendance was Oscar winning actor Cillian Murphy. Famously shy at red carpet events, he slipped inside without taking questions from the press. Kneecap were also having fun on the red carpet and said they would remain outspoken, despite their fame. Mo Chara said: There has been an attempt [to silence us] but it falls on deaf ears every time. If anything is successful they let you do what you want. Because the movie won the audience award at Sundance they cant really say f*** all. Sharon Horgan pictured at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy Meanwhile, Oscar-nominated actor Stephen Rea was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony for his outstanding contribution to the Irish and international screen industry. On the way into the venue he joked that he is getting the lifetime bereavement award. I am very proud, he said, When I started out in my career IFTA didnt even exist, but now it does exist give me the prize! Emmet Scanlan with his daughter Kayla pictured at the IFTA Awards 2024 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture: Brian McEvoy The annual awards ceremony welcomes Irish and International guests from around the world for a gathering of industry peers, to mark the incredible achievements of the Irish screen industry, at home and abroad. Highlights of the IFTA Awards ceremony will be broadcast on RTE2 this Monday, 22 April, at 9.35pm. Jasmine Duddy was found unresponsive at a house in the Galliagh area of Derry last year after taking deadly pregabalin tablets. A PSNI officer is facing possible disciplinary action following the drugs-related death of a young woman. Jasmine Duddy was found unresponsive at a house in the Galliagh area of Derry last year after taking deadly pregabalin tablets. The 21-year-old died a short time later. Her family later lodged a complaint with the Police Ombudsman about the PSNIs handling of the tragedy. Following an investigation by the Ombudsman, the Sunday World has learned an officer has been referred to the PSNIs professional standards department. The department, which deals with allegations of misconduct within the force, will now look at the case. A Police Ombudsman spokesperson said: We can confirm that a file relating to one police officer has been sent for consideration by the PSNIs professional standards department. There are no further details about the allegation or allegations against the officer. At the time of her death, Jasmine was on bail in relation to a number of charges. Id rather visit my Jasmine in prison than visit her grave, she said. Pauline Duddy at court protest Since Jasmines death, her mother has been campaigning for more jail time for drug dealers. Pauline recently met with senior members of the Department of Justice to discuss her demands. She has also launched an online petition and held a number of protests outside Derry courthouse, the latest of which took place on Wednesday. Jasmines death was one of four suspected drug-related fatalities in the city over a three-week period. Another spate of deaths among young people in the north west last August were also linked by police to a dangerous batch of pregabalin. While the main focus was in the north west, people in other parts of Northern Ireland are also understood to have died after taking the contaminated tablets. Pregabalin also known as Lyrica is usually prescribed by doctors to treat epilepsy and nerve pain. However, the drug is widely abused and dealers often lace the tablets with other substances which make them even more dangerous. In 2019, it was made illegal to possess pregabalin in Northern Ireland without a prescription. Following her daughters death, Pauline launched a petition demanding tougher prison sentences for drug dealers. At present, anyone convicted in the UK of supplying class A drugs such as heroin or cocaine could receive a maximum sentence of life in prison. Someone convicted of supplying class B or C drugs, which include illegal prescription drugs, could be jailed for up to a maximum of 14 years. However, Pauline claimed no one in Northern Ireland is being sent to prison for even close to the maximum sentence. These people are murdering our children and we need to have tougher sentences, she said. A recent BBC Spotlight programme was told young people here are being forced into sex and criminality to pay off drug debts. In some cases, it was alleged young women are being raped to either pay off or reduce how much they owe the dealers. Pauline said: Do we really want our daughters raped, our granddaughters raped? These vile people get these young people hooked and then expose them to rape and beatings to pay back their debt. It increases crime because these young people have to steal to pay back the drug debt so they are not raped. Appealing for people to support her campaign, the Derry woman said the scourge of drugs was everywhere. This is happening all around Northern Ireland and we need to stop it. I really dont care how up somebody thinks they are, this will affect everybodys family. She has also criticised the number of anonymity orders being granted in drug-related cases at the citys court. Statistics recently obtained by Aontu through a Freedom of Information request showed that between 2019 and 2023 across Northern Ireland, there were 329 criminal defendants with at least one drug offence who had either an anonymity order or reporting restriction order. The Derry court office accounted for 292 of those, compared to just 17 at Laganside courts in Belfast. The anonymity orders are generally put in place following a suggestion from a legal representative that a defendant may be at risk of attack by paramilitaries if their name and address is made public. However, those opposed to the orders say they are against the principle of justice being seen to be done. The figures obtained by Aontu detailing the number of anonymity orders granted for criminal defendants with at least one drug offence showed fewer than five such orders were granted in each of the Newtownards, Strabane, Antrim, Coleraine, Limavady, Ballymena and Dungannon court offices. Im getting a new eye and actually for the first time ever, I am not dreading it THE YOUNG woman who lost her eye in a cowardly unprovoked attack by a bunch of Dublin thugs has revealed that she has a new prosthetic eye. In a senseless crime that shocked the nation Alanna Quinn Idris was viciously hit in the face with the saddle of an electric scooter during an attack by four youths on her and a friend on the Ballyfermot Road, west Dublin, on December 30, 2021. The then 17-year-old was knocked unconscious and left with a shattered tooth, broken cheekbone, and a ruptured eyeball. Despite numerous reconstructive surgeries, she has lost vision permanently in her right eye as a result of the attack. In a recent post on TikTok she revealed that she had been looking forward to her surgery. Im getting a new eye and actually for the first time ever, I am not dreading it," she said. "Im actually looking forward to it. It is some different kind of feeling. Alanna Quinn Idris after the attack On Friday she posted a video to her followers revealing the prosthetic eye and wrote: New yoke say wha. Speaking before the surgery she explained how she had to have multiple surgeries since the attack. She told how she wasnt happy with the shape of a previous prosthetic eye designed for her. That might make me sound ungrateful but Im genuinely not trying to be, she said. I have a new doctor. He took the shape of my eye and its literally near identical to this (her other eye), the shape is a very important thing. He took a marker, looked at me, drew the pupil and said thats what it might look like when we get it back. I looked at myself in the mirror with the marker-drawn eyeball and after three years now of this and I actually saw my face, I saw my 17-year-old cute little face." Two men have been jailed in relation to the attack. In December Josh Cummins (19) of Raheen Drive, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Alanna Quinn Idris on December 30, 2021. He further pleaded guilty to a count of violent disorder and one of production of an article - a hurl - in the course of a dispute. He also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Louis O'Sullivan as part of the same incident. Cummins has no previous convictions and was aged 17 at the time. Sentencing him, Judge Pauline Codd described the attack as unprovoked, shocking and egregious. She said the group of men involved in the attack were cowardly and that there must be general deterrence from such intense street violence. Judge Codd noted that the consequences of violence, however brief, can be devastating and described Ms Quinn Idris as an immensely brave and positive person who showed maturity beyond her years. Often young men don't think of the consequences of their actions, she said, adding that when they commit violent acts they frequently do this as part of a herd mentality. Cummins was sentenced to five years with two suspended. Addressing journalists outside court, Ms Quinn Idris said the sentence was disappointing but that she was glad Cummins received a custodial sentence. She said: I appreciate what the judge has done for me, but added, I feel kind of let down. Ms Quinn Idris said she will remember the attack every day for the rest of my life and that she does not believe Cummins is remorseful. In March last year, Cummins' co-accused, Darragh Lyons (19), of Weir View, Glenaulin, Chapelizod, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for assault causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris. He also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Louis O'Sullivan and to violent disorder as part of the same incident. Another accused, described in court as 'Suspect A' is before the courts. The fourth male, 'Suspect B', has not been identified. During his sentence hearing, the court heard Lyons turned 18 on the day he punched Alanna in the face before later jumping over her unconscious body to attack her friend. During a moving victim impact statement, Alanna told court about the impact the attack has had on her life and said "sometimes I wish I never woke up from when I was hit." "I do not look or feel like the same person," She told the court. "The life I was supposed to live was taken away from me before I turned 18. "Nothing ever prepared me for the night of December 30. Life as I knew it came to an abrupt end. Geoff said he, his son Adam and two Polish men had taken the charter out to go fishing under the guidance of the vessels captain. A former bodyguard for pop star Rihanna has praised the crew of Kilmore Quay RNLI after he and his son were among five people rescued after their angling charter boat got into difficulty off the Wexford coast. Geoff Keating and his 14-year-old son Adam were on board the charter shortly after noon on Friday when a rope became entangled on the vessels propeller southeast of the Saltee Islands. The all-weather Tamar class relief lifeboat Victor Freeman was requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard at 1pm and it left the station, under the command of coxswain Trevor Devereux with four crew members on board, arriving on scene at 1.30pm. Rihannas former bodyguard and son rescued after boat got into difficulty A number of the responding volunteer lifeboat crew had left family confirmation celebrations to answer the call. Having checked all on board were safe and well, the lifeboat crew decided that the safest course of action was to establish a tow. Rihanna (Ian West/PA) The lifeboat was soon under way with the casualty vessel to the nearest available harbour at Kilmore Quay, arriving at 2pm. Weather and sea conditions were described as good at the time. Geoff Keating said he couldnt praise the crew of the RNLI vessel highly enough. A number of the crew on the RNLI vessel had been at a family members confirmation when they got the call out, he said. And they were to a man volunteers. Its incredible the service they provide. Dublin woman's High Court case against Rihanna alleging 'malicious falsehoods' to continue Geoff said he, his son Adam and two Polish men had taken the charter out to go fishing under the guidance of the vessels captain. It was a very professional charter and we were all instructed to put our life-jackets on before setting sail yesterday morning. The fishing was great and we were really enjoying ourselves. It was about 12.30pm when the captain discovered the propellor had gotten snagged on a loose rope in the sea. Effectively, we were adrift and he made the Mayday call. We were in good hands and within a very short time the RNLI crew were alongside us and made the call to tow us back to shore. It really is an incredible and very necessary service they offer and I just want to publicly thank them for what they did. The call-out came as four of the stations lifeboat crew are currently on passage from Poole in Dorset to Kilmore Quay, bringing home the stations permanent lifeboat Killarney which has recently undergone a major overhaul. With a total of nine lifeboat crew from the Kilmore Quay crew active on lifeboats on Friday, the station is renewing its call for interested people to consider becoming a volunteer at Kilmore Quay RNLI. Speaking on the call-out, Kilmore Quay lifeboat operations manager John Grace said: It was great to see all on board wearing lifejackets and having followed the correct procedures when they got snagged. Stray ropes or nets floating in the water can be a hazard to any vessel in this way. Grace went on to praise the lifeboat crew and encourage those interested to find out more about becoming a volunteer with the lifeboat station. We are lucky to have a dedicated volunteer crew here in Kilmore Quay to respond to call-outs, he said. Today some left a family occasion to go and help others in need. Its a selflessness and community spirit that we have here in our volunteers, and wed welcome more people through the door to carry out this important work. Anyone interested is welcome to come and talk to us and training is given. There is so much to get out of volunteering for the RNLI. The Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat crew involved in the call-out were coxswain Trevor Devereux, mechanic Declan Roche, Adam Kelly, Robbie Connolly and Jack Devereux. With a whimsical fusion of history and merriment, Tauranga Historic Village is being transformed into a lively tapestry of medieval splendour during the enchanting Shakespeare in the Village event on Sunday, April 21. Against the backdrop of the paved streets and turn-of-the-century buildings that give an age-old air, expect to be transported back in time to an era of chivalry, poetry and pageantry. From the spirited clash of medieval sportsmanship to the delicate twirls of the maypole, the village will be resonating with the spirit of Elizabethan England. Be prepared to engage in axe throwing, archery, and enjoy enthralling duelling and combat demonstrations, curated by Alex Holloway of NZ Screen and Stage Combat School. The festivals director Harry Oram says they recognised a chance to reinvigorate the communitys connection with classical literature and live theatre through a new festival. It was also a great opportunity to introduce fresh faces and innovative approaches to Shakespearean storytelling. The day-long Shakespeare in the Village celebration, now in its second year, begins at 10am with an opening ceremony will be a rich Shakespearean cultural experience. The Shakespeare Unplugged Exhibition, organised by Ann Dugmore in The Peoples Gallery - Toi Ka Rere, showcases local artists own unique interpretation of the bard, his plays, sonnets and the Elizabethan age. Ann and the Lightfoot Dance Troupe will also be demonstrating maypole and medieval Elizabethan dancing, alongside a childrens dress-up booth offering a delightful array of Elizabethan costumes. Lively performances will bring the works of Shakespeare to life. Highlights include artisan stalls, and a medieval market commencing at 11am. The poetry and performance workshops include a love sonnet poetry workshop led by Jenny Argante from Tauranga Writers, and a special screening of Shakespeare in Love. Adding to the festivals competitive spirit, a monologue and a scene competition will be held, with prizes of $500 and $1000 respectively. Open to all ages, this features both junior and senior categories, encouraging widespread community involvement. This years festival also includes a partnership with 16th Avenue Theatre, presenting Macbeth at the theatre from April 15 to 23. Shakespeare in the Village is being held from 10am - 6.30pm, on Sunday, April 21, at Tauranga Historic Village. Shama Watene, Tesia Dhall, Eliza Pattison and Leah Swindells. Photo: John Borren. Festival Details: Tauranga Shakespeare Festival, Sunday April 21 at The Historic Village, 159 17th Avenue West. Timetable 10am Opening Ceremony with Maypole Dancing Art Gallery Opens with Shakespeare Unplugged (Open all day) 10.30am Stalls and market opens includes variety of Shakespearean and medieval stalls, activities, riddles, food and drinks, and a kids costume corner 11am Games on the green (skittles and hobby horse) New Zealand Stage and Screen Combat School archery and axe throwing (additional fee) New Zealand Stage and Screen Combat School medieval combat demonstration 12pm Midday poetry workshop with Jenny Argante at the Village Cinema (Additional fee) Elizabeth bring-your-own picnic at The Incubator Creative Hub 2.30pm Screening of Shakespeare in Love at the Village Cinema 3.30pm Monologue competition at the amphitheatre (Cash Prize) 4.30pm 6.30pm Various performances of dance, theatre and music at the amphitheatre A street is flooding at Mount Maunganui on Saturday evening. Commons Ave, between Maunganui Road and The Mall is under water, with flooding across the whole street, onto footpaths and reaching over onto the edges of properties. The stormwater for the road runs out through a stormwater pipe into Pilot Bay, and has been known in the past to become blocked due to sand. Tauranga City Council says they have received a number of phone calls this evening about the flooding and are sending contractors out. The MetService forecast heavy rain on Saturday for the Bay of Plenty region, ncluding Rotorua, and Taupo. Periods of heavy rain with possible downpours and thunderstorms are forecast, from 8am to 11pm, today, Saturday April 20. "Amounts may approach warning criteria and may even exceed warning amounts in localised areas," says a MetService spokesperson. A heavy rain watch is also in place for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Waitomo, which is valid for 16 hours from 4am to 8pm today. Commons Ave flooded on Saturday night. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford. Attorney General Letitia James is attending todays funeral for Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen, who was killed on duty in Salina Sunday, according to the Rev. Paul Angelicchio. The funeral begins at 11 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 210 E. Dominick St., in Rome. James has so far not confirmed her role in investigating the shooting. The AGs office is tasked with investigating deaths of civilians at the hands of police officers. Their reports, which can take many months to complete, involve interviews with witnesses and a review of any video or audio of the incident, among other things. A small church in Rome is preparing to host thousands of mourners of Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen today. The funeral is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church at 210 E. Dominick Street in Rome. Mass will be led by the Rev. Paul Angelicchio. In addition to family, speakers will include Syracuse Police Captain Dave Metz and Officers Grant Prudhomme and Forrest Gilbert, who are close friends. The church can hold about 650 people. Another 200 can be seated in a room downstairs, where the ceremony will be livestreamed. Much of the church is marked reserved for Syracuse police officers and family members, according to Angelicchio. The countys Air 1 helicopter is expected to fly over the church. A motorcade of uniformed officers on motorcycles will escort Jensens body from the funeral home to the church. Nicholas J. Bush Funeral Home, 7751 Merrick Road in Rome is handling the funeral. Parking and seating is limited inside the church. Organizers are strongly encouraging members of the public to watch the services on the churchs You Tube account or Facebook page. Viewers on Facebook will have to ask the church for permission to join the private group. There will not be a screen set up outside the church. After the service, a processional will follow Jensens body to the cemetery. The burial is private. People are expected to line the streets to pay respects. Rome Police plan to close roads from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. today and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Services for Onondaga County Sheriff Lt. Michael Hoosock will be held Monday at the Expo Center at the state fairgrounds. Overflow crowds can watch the live stream indoors at the Coliseum or outdoors at Chevy Court. Contact Michelle Breidenbach | mbreidenbach@syracuse.com | 315-470-3186. Gov. Kathy Hochul is attending the funeral services today for Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen, who was killed on duty Sunday. The funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church at 210 E. Dominick St. in Rome. A Mass will be led by the Rev. Paul Angelicchio. In addition to family, speakers will include Syracuse Police Captain Dave Metz and Officers Grant Prudhomme and Forrest Gilbert, who are close friends. Parking and seating is limited inside the church. Organizers are strongly encouraging members of the public to watch the services on the churchs You Tube account or Facebook page. Viewers on Facebook will have to ask the church for permission to join the private group. There will not be a screen set up outside the church. The burial is private. Rome police plan to close roads from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Services for Onondaga County Sheriff Lt. Michael Hoosock will be held Monday at the New York State Fairgrounds. Both men were ambushed and shot to death Sunday by a gunman armed with a semi-automatic assault rifle. 82 1 / 82 Michael Jensen funeral Contact Michelle Breidenbach | mbreidenbach@syracuse.com | 315-470-3186. Rome, N.Y. Hundreds of Syracuse police officers, police chiefs, mayors, the governor and the state attorney general traveled to St. John the Baptist Church Saturday in Rome to say goodbye to Officer Michael Jensen, who was killed in a shootout last Sunday. Outside the small church where Jensen was baptized, officers from all over the state stood at attention in the cold wind under an enormous American flag hung from a ladder truck. Even with the dignitaries, hundreds of hats held over uniformed hearts and the painful circumstances of his death, Jensens family and friends filled the ceremony with intimate and colorful stories about his life and their love for him. Michael was so many things to so many different people and all that mattered, said Jared Groff, his sisters fiance. Jensen died Sunday after a shootout in the town of Salina. He went with other officers to investigate a car they had seen driving erratically earlier in the evening. A man opened fire with an AR-15, killing Jensen and Onondaga County Sheriffs Lt. Michael Hoosock. Hoosocks funeral will be held Monday at the New York State Fairgrounds. Jensens funeral Saturday was attended by Gov. Kathy Hochul, state Attorney General Letitia James and other public officials. Mayors, county executives, a congressman, several past Syracuse police officers and others paid their respects. Because the church could only seat 850 people, others were encouraged to watch the service online. Jensens family chose to celebrate his life at their home church. The Rev. Paul Angelicchio led the Mass. Angelicchio watched Jensen grow up, through baptism, first communion and confirmation. He is also the former Syracuse Police chaplain, who was on duty 34 years ago, when Wallie Howard was killed. The death of Wallie Howard was the first one that I ever did, he said. I hope this is the last one that I ever do. Jensen started his professional life in accounting, then decided to take the police exam. His mother Michelle, scared, went to talk to Angelicchio. When he said he was going to become a police officer, Michelle came right to me, says What am I going to do? This is what he wants, the priest said. They prayed for him. Jensens sister, his parents and his police partners who gave eulogies laughed and cried, sometimes at the same time. His sister ShelliAnn, said he would swap wasabi for guacamole and think it was hilarious when you spit it everywhere. Despite that, they were friends as well as siblings. Michael had planned to be man of honor at her wedding this fall. I shouldnt be an only child, she said. I love you brother. Jensen was a hero, a goofball, a lover and a teaser of dogs, a dear friend and a prankster, they said. They told his secrets after checking the statute of limitations. They told stories about him in the present tense, as if they were having beers together at Colemans, his favorite place. There was the time he flipped his police car and got sent to bike duty in the mall. Police Captain David Metz said he made Jensen sit with a toy car at Roll Call as punishment for driving too fast. Metz put on Jensens hat and a fake mustache as he spoke to the congregation. Officer Grant Prudhomme, a friend of Jensens dating back to their student days at Le Moyne College, recalled an incident in which Jensen answered a police call with his mother, Michelle, in the front seat of the cruiser. Mrs. Jensen had stopped to see Michael during his shift at Destiny USA, bringing cookies. Since her car was at the far end of the parking lot, he and partner Jimmy Zollo offered to give her a ride to her vehicle. Just then, they got a call that a shoplifter was running from the Macys store. They followed him, catching up and wrestling the thief to the ground on Wolf Street. Prudhomme also answered the call and remembers saying hello to Mrs. Jensen as she sat in the cruiser. She looked so terrified, he said. She looked white as a ghost. Later that day, she sent Prudhomme a text message, which he read in church. Grant, Im so sorry I couldnt talk to you but I was in shock, it said. I cant believe I got to see you in those circumstances. I was so afraid, I could not talk. But I hope youre doing well and that you have a wonderful day. The punchline on most of these stories was that Jensen came away with a smile and story to tell. It turned out, he loved working at the mall. At the end of what felt like a roast, Metz removed the mustache to tell a more serious story. Metz said he watched Jensens body camera footage because he needed to make sense of what happened last Sunday when the officers were gunned down. He said Jensen saved lives, including some of the officers in the room. He was among those who returned fire when police were ambushed. The gunman died. He said Jensens actions Sunday were the most heroic thing Ive ever seen in my entire life. The bravery, the courage he displayed was something that is truly remarkable, truly remarkable, he said. Contact Michelle Breidenbach | mbreidenbach@syracuse.com | 315-470-3186. Rome, N.Y. Thirty-three years ago, the Rev. Paul Angelicchio comforted Syracuse police officers when Detective Wallie Howard was slain on the job. Today Angelicchio will preside over the funeral for Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen, who was ambushed and killed on the job Sunday. This time, the sorrow hits even closer to home. Angelicchio, 72, grew up in Rome with members of the Jensen family. When Jensens Uncle Jimmy called Sunday night to say Jensen had been killed, Angelicchio felt the hit as both a former police chaplain and a friend of the family. I grew up right down the street. I graduated from school with Michaels uncle. His mom was in school with me. So the emotion has doubled, he said. Hours before Jensens funeral was to begin, Angelicchio was in St. John the Baptist Church making preparations. As police walked through the pews with a bomb-sniffing dog, the pastor reflected on the iron bonds that unite police officers at times of tragedy. When Wallie Howard was killed, Angelicchio was surprised by the tidal wave of response from police agencies around the country. Those memories came flooding back this week. The emotional loss of a brother, it just brought it back, he said. And the pain of the family. I remember Wallies mother and the pain that she went through. Howard, 31, was killed on October 30, 1990. That was the last time a police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty in Onondaga County. Jensen, 29, was the second Syracuse cop to be killed on duty. Howard joined the Special Investigations Division in May 1987 and, five months later, was assigned to the newly formed Central New York Drug Enforcement Task Force. Howard was killed while working undercover on a drug sting at Marios Market on South Salina Street. He was waiting to buy four pounds of cocaine with the $40,000 he had with him. Jensen and another officer, Onondaga County Sheriffs Lt. Michael Hoosock, were ambushed and killed Sunday in Salina by a gunman wielding a semi-automatic assault rifle. Angelicchio said he has visited the Jensen family every day this week. Today, he will say the funeral mass for their son. Just to see the emotions, you know. They may smile, and they cry. But youre there with them. And when you know them, its worse, he said. Staff writer Tim Knauss can be reached at: email | Twitter | 315-470-3023. Editors note: The churchs YouTube recording of the service is above. The service starts at about the 45 minute mark. Want to listen to a particular speaker? Heres a guide by timestamps to help you find them: 49:20: Jared Groff, engaged to Michaels sister, ShelliAnn 53:18: ShelliAnn Jensen, Michaels sister 57:52: Paul Jensen, Michaels father 1:03:13: Michelle Jensen, Michaels mother 1:16:16: The Rev. Paul F. Angelicchio 1:56:38: Officer Grant Prudhomme 2:11:58: Officer Forrest Gilbert 2:19:37: Captain Dave Metz Rome, N. Y. Hundreds of police officers, fighters and family have gathered today at a church in Rome for the funeral of Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen. The service started at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. John the Baptist Church at 210 E. Dominick Street in Rome. The services are closed to the public. You can watch the livestream from the church above. Jensen, 29, and Onondaga County Sheriffs Deputy Lt. Michael Hoosock, 37, were both killed in a Salina shooting Sunday after a traffic stop where the driver sped away. The shooter, Christopher R. Murphy, 33, of Salina, was also killed. Jensen was born in New Hartford to Paul and Michelle Jensen, according to his obituary. He was a native of Rome and graduated from Rome Free Academy in 2013. He attended Le Moyne College and got a bachelors degree in business in 2017 and his masters in business administration in 2018. He worked as an accountant for four years before officially joining the Syracuse Police Department in February 2022. He will be buried during a private ceremony at St. Johns Cemetery after the funeral service. There will be a procession from the church to the cemetery. The calling hours were held at the Nicholas J. Bush Funeral Home. Contact James McClendon anytime: Email | X | Facebook cheeku Newbie Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 18 Thanked: 149 Times Re: Journey of the 'Mooshak' , Tata Nano LX 2013 - A long term ownership review Important areas of assessment of the vehicle over the complete ownership period : If one reads the posts above, they probably give an impression that our Nano was plagued with a lot of issues, while that is true, there have been significant positives as well alongside and many memorable experiences that got me to review this car in detail. Having spent the longest time behind the wheel of this car (mainly because it was driven in traffic) , I will try to provide an honest view of all areas pertinent during the ownership period. Likes : - Driving position and view from the driver's seat - Small on the outside, big on the inside with interior space - Unique rear engine design and rear wheel drive. - Consistently good fuel economy in city with the AC on - Suspension setup - Light on the pocket for even the most major repairs. Part cost was low. - Good headlight throw for the segment. - Peppy engine at low speeds, rarely felt lack of power in city traffic - Chiller AC ( when it worked ) Dislikes : - The Tata ASC experience, most issues could have been ironed out at the very start instead of a FNG helping us out - Mechanical part longevity was poor leading to poor reliability. We seldom chose to drive it over 50+ km in a day. - The high maintenance costs due to regular repairs. - The NVH levels at the rear - The seat comfort and bolstering - The power steering weight at low speeds, it led to wrist workouts and now I really do have strong wrists. Section wise review : 1. Exterior styling : Catchy from the front and very subtle from the rear. Always loved the rear profile. 2. Build quality : Poor when it came to interior plastics but the exterior body held up well. 3. Usage pattern : Regular 15-20 km a day in traffic during initial ownership, just 3-4 long road-trips. The last few years involved multiple 2-3 km drives on weekdays. 4. Tyres : Smaller ones at front for ease of driving, prevented oversteer. Rear ones were of acceptable size. Stock MRFs were poor and bridgestone changed the experience significantly. 5. Interior comfort : Front - Poor side bolstering on seats, had to use a cushion for lumbar support, any drive longer than 1 hour required a stretch. Rear - Just a bench seat with lap belts, got the job done of ferrying people, the terms comfort and rear-seat were never used together in a single sentence. 6. NVH : Poor at the rear but acceptable at the front. Outside noise used to creep in through the wafer-thin glass panels and doors that lacked significant insulation. 7. Driving position : Great. This was a highlight. Didn't feel too low or too high, just right. 8. Ergonomics : Poor, have already mentioned the few misses, low positioning of power window buttons, seat adjustment lever, fuel lid placement at front under bonnet, rear seat folding mechanism. 9. MID : Nothing much to view except the speed , fuel indicator and 1 trip meter. Anything else lighting up meant that a breakdown was probably lurking around. The negative was that after a restart of the car, the trip meter fell back to the total odometer reading and we had to navigate back to it using the stalk. 10. Visibility, mirrors, glass area : Perfect sized, the only problem was the thick A pillar. 11.AC : chiller and never had to refill gas during the ownership. Very effective and could cool the cabin down in a minute or two even in the hottest of days. Blower noise was very high though. 12.Interior storage : Lacked spaces, door pads didn't have any space for bottles, if you tried fitting a 250 ml bottle, they would break. Lacked a glovebox until bought as an accessory, could never come around to finding one at the accessories store or at TATA. This was available with the new Twist XT model. 13. Gearshift and clutch - Gearshift had a notchy feeling with 1st gear, 2nd to 3rd was the smoothest. 14. Engine : Peppy at low rpms, weak at high rpms with a lot of noise but not much momentum 15. Handling : Easy to use in traffic and on straight roads, that's about it. Had to take it slow on curves, high amount of body roll. 16. Braking : Adequate in city but poor for emergency braking. Brake feel was wooden after initial bite. 17. Fuel efficiency : In city with AC on: 15-17 kmpl In city without AC: 17-18 kmpl On highway with AC always on and top speed of 65-70 kmph : 20+ kmpl consistently 18. Cost of upkeep and maintenance, service experience : This was one of the weak links in the ownership The upkeep cost, time invested was unexpected for the segment. The marutis and the hyundais practically needed just periodic service whereas when it came to the Nano, the folks at my FNG had started referring to me as "Nano saar" due to my weekly visits. Had to make regular visits to the workshop every few weeks for some part going kaput, part falling off, vehicle not starting etc. Thankfully, the Bosch FNG is located 100 meters from my home and the only positive is the relationship I built with them during the nano repairs. Now, these folks service all our cars that are out of warranty and perform everything to our satisfaction and I frequently chat with them for inputs on repairability topics. 19. Last but not the least, a question that wouldn't be put across for any other car but the nano, what did people think? The Nano didn't do well in the non-automobile circles due to its small car image, and in the automobile circles due to some of its quirks and misses. The ones who owned it, loved it and the ones who didn't could never figure how somebody could use the car every day. So, what was my experience of using this first for my college, then for work and then just for household chores? Most of my friends had a hearty laugh when they saw the Nano, the exterior styling and the noise from the engine resembled to that of an auto for them. These same folks would be surprised with the space on offer once they sat inside and would mention "Machha, it's good, machha " Some of my friends appreciated practicality (the car lovers) , we did numerous short drives with them and at times, these guys who had sedans and other hatchbacks used to borrow the keys of the Nano for the ease of driving it around. And then there were those who didn't bother at all. Gaddi hai, AC hai , jagah hai, aur kya chahiye ? Now, what about the folks near our home? Well, Nano grabbed eyeballs everywhere, first because nobody in our colony owned one and people didn't really understand as to why we had the Nano, why not an Alto or a Beat or an Indica vista? These were actual questions asked regularly even by our relatives. At some point, I had to realise that there was no use justifying the purchase when they never really would be convinced with its use-case. So, how was the Nano experience and why does it still hold a special space in our heart despite the numerous issues and unreliable nature? Because we are petrolheads, and when we drive this little piece of innovation which I still feel was ahead of its time, we would always remember it fondly. If I had any other car, seldom would anyone notice it or even remember it for standing out. The nano stood out in its own ways, among the sea of other commuter hatchbacks, it was liked by the folks at home even after all the problems surfaced but these are part of a car ownership, and our case may have been an outlier in terms of reliability. If we had the permanent space for 3 cars at home, the Nano would still be there tucked away in the corner, happily fulfilling its daily duties of handling the household chores. Signing off with a memorable click from the very first month of ownership If one reads the posts above, they probably give an impression that our Nano was plagued with a lot of issues, while that is true, there have been significant positives as well alongside and many memorable experiences that got me to review this car in detail. Having spent the longest time behind the wheel of this car (mainly because it was driven in traffic) , I will try to provide an honest view of all areas pertinent during the ownership period.- Driving position and view from the driver's seat- Small on the outside, big on the inside with interior space- Unique rear engine design and rear wheel drive.- Consistently good fuel economy in city with the AC on- Suspension setup- Light on the pocket for even the most major repairs. Part cost was low.- Good headlight throw for the segment.- Peppy engine at low speeds, rarely felt lack of power in city traffic- Chiller AC ( when it worked )- The Tata ASC experience, most issues could have been ironed out at the very start instead of a FNG helping us out- Mechanical part longevity was poor leading to poor reliability. We seldom chose to drive it over 50+ km in a day.- The high maintenance costs due to regular repairs.- The NVH levels at the rear- The seat comfort and bolstering- The power steering weight at low speeds, it led to wrist workouts and now I really do have strong wrists.Catchy from the front and very subtle from the rear. Always loved the rear profile.Poor when it came to interior plastics but the exterior body held up well.Regular 15-20 km a day in traffic during initial ownership, just 3-4 long road-trips. The last few years involved multiple 2-3 km drives on weekdays.Smaller ones at front for ease of driving, prevented oversteer. Rear ones were of acceptable size. Stock MRFs were poor and bridgestone changed the experience significantly.Front - Poor side bolstering on seats, had to use a cushion for lumbar support, any drive longer than 1 hour required a stretch.Rear - Just a bench seat with lap belts, got the job done of ferrying people, the terms comfort and rear-seat were never used together in a single sentence.: Poor at the rear but acceptable at the front. Outside noise used to creep in through the wafer-thin glass panels and doors that lacked significant insulation.Great. This was a highlight. Didn't feel too low or too high, just right.Poor, have already mentioned the few misses, low positioning of power window buttons, seat adjustment lever, fuel lid placement at front under bonnet, rear seat folding mechanism.Nothing much to view except the speed , fuel indicator and 1 trip meter. Anything else lighting up meant that a breakdown was probably lurking around. The negative was that after a restart of the car, the trip meter fell back to the total odometer reading and we had to navigate back to it using the stalk.Perfect sized, the only problem was the thick A pillar.chiller and never had to refill gas during the ownership. Very effective and could cool the cabin down in a minute or two even in the hottest of days. Blower noise was very high though.Lacked spaces, door pads didn't have any space for bottles, if you tried fitting a 250 ml bottle, they would break.Lacked a glovebox until bought as an accessory, could never come around to finding one at the accessories store or at TATA. This was available with the new Twist XT model.Gearshift had a notchy feeling with 1st gear, 2nd to 3rd was the smoothest.Peppy at low rpms, weak at high rpms with a lot of noise but not much momentumEasy to use in traffic and on straight roads, that's about it. Had to take it slow on curves, high amount of body roll.Adequate in city but poor for emergency braking. Brake feel was wooden after initial bite.In city with AC on: 15-17 kmplIn city without AC: 17-18 kmplOn highway with AC always on and top speed of 65-70 kmph : 20+ kmpl consistently: This was one of the weak links in the ownershipThe upkeep cost, time invested was unexpected for the segment. The marutis and the hyundais practically needed just periodic service whereas when it came to the Nano, the folks at my FNG had started referring to me as "Nano saar" due to my weekly visits.Had to make regular visits to the workshop every few weeks for some part going kaput, part falling off, vehicle not starting etc. Thankfully, the Bosch FNG is located 100 meters from my home and the only positive is the relationship I built with them during the nano repairs.Now, these folks service all our cars that are out of warranty and perform everything to our satisfaction and I frequently chat with them for inputs on repairability topics.The Nano didn't do well in the non-automobile circles due to its small car image, and in the automobile circles due to some of its quirks and misses. The ones who owned it, loved it and the ones who didn't could never figure how somebody could use the car every day.So, what was my experience of using this first for my college, then for work and then just for household chores?Most of my friends had a hearty laugh when they saw the Nano, the exterior styling and the noise from the engine resembled to that of an auto for them. These same folks would be surprised with the space on offer once they sat inside and would mention "Machha, it's good, machha "Some of my friends appreciated practicality (the car lovers) , we did numerous short drives with them and at times, these guys who had sedans and other hatchbacks used to borrow the keys of the Nano for the ease of driving it around.And then there were those who didn't bother at all. Gaddi hai, AC hai , jagah hai, aur kya chahiye ?Now, what about the folks near our home? Well, Nano grabbed eyeballs everywhere, first because nobody in our colony owned one and people didn't really understand as to why we had the Nano, why not an Alto or a Beat or an Indica vista? These were actual questions asked regularly even by our relatives. At some point, I had to realise that there was no use justifying the purchase when they never really would be convinced with its use-case.So, how was the Nano experience and why does it still hold a special space in our heart despite the numerous issues and unreliable nature?Because we are petrolheads, and when we drive this little piece of innovation which I still feel was ahead of its time, we would always remember it fondly.If I had any other car, seldom would anyone notice it or even remember it for standing out.The nano stood out in its own ways, among the sea of other commuter hatchbacks, it was liked by the folks at home even after all the problems surfaced but these are part of a car ownership, and our case may have been an outlier in terms of reliability.If we had the permanent space for 3 cars at home, the Nano would still be there tucked away in the corner, happily fulfilling its daily duties of handling the household chores. Last edited by cheeku : 19th April 2024 at 12:04 . kbnissan BHPian Join Date: Feb 2024 Location: KA 51 / KL 08 Posts: 28 Thanked: 72 Times Re: Emigrating to a Foreign Land! Thinking back to the decade I spent in the USA, few things that immediately come to mind: School fees I feel the public school system in the USA provides equitable education to all students. We have talked about education standards increasing in India. How many of us will enroll our kids into Govt schools? I am sure most of us are spending a bomb putting our kids through school. Infrastructure Take the highways for example. My hometown is 440KM away from Bangalore and if I start right now, I will reach home in about 9.5 hours and this is entirely highway miles. A similar distance in USA which we used to drive frequently in USA (280 miles from NE Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh) takes a maximum of 5 hours. Quality of life In India for us to have a really high QoL you are dependent upon the Bai / Maid. Ask your wives on how they would feel on QoL if the maids don't turn up for a few days. In USA, we were accustomed to doing things ourselves and it used to be a less of a chore due to all the convenient appliances. Even dusting was easier even if we left the windows open the entire day. Try that in India. Work pressure When your work hours stretch from 9 AM to 10 PM it kind of takes away a lot of sheen from Shining India experience. And moreover, if you are in the services industry, you get hit with the double whammy of having to work when USA has a holiday since it is a working day in India and having to work on India holidays since USA is working. Late night calls used to be minimal when I was working in USA for 10 years and is pretty much then norm since I moved back to India (more than a decade ago). So yes - While India has grown by leaps and bounds and the Quality of life is much better than a decade ago, I feel that USA or any western country is much better option when compared to India as it stands today. It will be different and India will be better - but that will still be a decade or two away. Ultimately the location where you decide to settle down / pursue career / raise family etc boils down to what is your life situation at any point in time. We need to learn to be flexible and take the curves on the road of life as it comes. Personally, I feel that in India you really need to be in the top 5% to have a seamless life when comparing to USA.Thinking back to the decade I spent in the USA, few things that immediately come to mind:I feel the public school system in the USA provides equitable education to all students.We have talked about education standards increasing in India. How many of us will enroll our kids into Govt schools? I am sure most of us are spending a bomb putting our kids through school.Take the highways for example. My hometown is 440KM away from Bangalore and if I start right now, I will reach home in about 9.5 hours and this is entirely highway miles.A similar distance in USA which we used to drive frequently in USA (280 miles from NE Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh) takes a maximum of 5 hours.In India for us to have a really high QoL you are dependent upon the Bai / Maid. Ask your wives on how they would feel on QoL if the maids don't turn up for a few days.In USA, we were accustomed to doing things ourselves and it used to be a less of a chore due to all the convenient appliances. Even dusting was easier even if we left the windows open the entire day. Try that in India.When your work hours stretch from 9 AM to 10 PM it kind of takes away a lot of sheen from Shining India experience. And moreover, if you are in the services industry, you get hit with the double whammy of having to work when USA has a holiday since it is a working day in India and having to work on India holidays since USA is working. Late night calls used to be minimal when I was working in USA for 10 years and is pretty much then norm since I moved back to India (more than a decade ago).So yes - While India has grown by leaps and bounds and the Quality of life is much better than a decade ago, I feel that USA or any western country is much better option when compared to India as it stands today. It will be different and India will be better - but that will still be a decade or two away.Ultimately the location where you decide to settle down / pursue career / raise family etc boils down to what is your life situation at any point in time. We need to learn to be flexible and take the curves on the road of life as it comes. A breakthrough in wearable technology is on the way, as researchers reveal a new fiber-like material capable of storing energy, potentially reinventing the capabilities of wearable devices. The latest advancements in wearable technology have propelled devices like Samsung's Galaxy Ring and Apple's Vision Pro, enhancing healthcare monitoring and enabling virtual work. However, the persistent challenge of limited battery capacity has hindered the full integration of various functions into these devices. In response to this challenge, a joint research team led by Dr. Hyeonsu Jeong, Namdong Kim, and Dr. Seungmin Kim has developed a novel fiber-like electrode material with the ability to store energy efficiently. Published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials, this groundbreaking research hints at groundbreaking developments for wearable devices. Making Fibers Capable of Storing Power The primary component of this innovation is carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs), which are known for their flexibility, lightweight nature, and exceptional mechanical and electrical properties. Previous studies primarily used CNTFs as current collectors with coated surfaces, which were deemed uneconomical and prone to material separation over time. However, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) overcame these obstacles by creating a fibrous electrode material that eliminates the need for active materials. By modifying the structure of CNTFs through acid treatment and powder-form manipulation, the researchers achieved remarkable results. The modified carbon nanotube fiber boasts 33 times more energy storage capacity, 3.3 times more mechanical strength, and over 1.3 times more electrical conductivity compared to conventional CNTFs. Moreover, this advancement enables mass production using wet spinning technology, ensuring scalability and accessibility. A customer is given a tutorial at the launch of the Apple Vision Pro at Apple The Grove in Los Angeles, California, on February 2, 2024. The Vision Pro, the tech giant's $3,499 headset, is its first major release since the Apple Watch nine years ago. What's Next? Dr. Kim Seung-min of KIST highlighted the significance of this achievement, stating, "We have confirmed that carbon nanotubes... can be used in a much wider range of fields." Dr. Hyeon Su Jeong, another co-researcher, emphasized the team's commitment to further research, aiming to apply the technology as a core material for atypical energy storage. Dr. Nam-dong Kim echoed this sentiment, revealing ongoing efforts to apply the technology to fiber-type batteries with higher energy density. The practical implications of this research are profound. Fiber-shaped supercapacitors incorporating the modified CNTFs exhibited exceptional durability, retaining nearly 100% of their performance when knotted and 95% after 5,000 bending tests. Furthermore, the integration of these fibers into the wrist straps of digital watches demonstrated resilience against bending, folding, and washing, opening doors to diverse applications in wearable technology. The implications extend beyond mere convenience; they hint at a future where clothing itself becomes a source of power for electronic devices. With the potential for large-scale production and seamless integration into everyday garments, the vision of clothing that charges devices while worn is inches closer to reality. Stay posted here at Tech Times. Senator Elizabeth Warren has ignited controversy by advocating for the dismantling of what she perceives as Apple's monopolistic grip on the smartphone market. Despite iPhone adoption reaching only half of the US population, Senator Warren remains steadfast in her criticism of Apple's practices. Allegations of Monopoly and Exclusivity Senator Warren recently aligned herself with Beeper, a messaging app that breached iMessage security protocols and leveraged Apple's servers without compensation. Now, she has intensified her critique by accusing Apple of maintaining a "stranglehold monopoly" and employing underhanded tactics to exclude non-iPhone users from certain features, such as group messaging via iMessage or (green texts). In her scathing remarks, Senator Warren alleges that Apple's refusal to extend certain iPhone-exclusive features to non-iPhone users is detrimental to interpersonal relationships. She points to the exclusion of non-iPhone users from group chats and other social interactions as evidence of Apple's monopolistic behavior. Its time to break up @Apples smartphone monopoly. Also, cmon, lets stop leaving green text people out of the group chats. Its just not right. pic.twitter.com/pr61Idf9yK Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 18, 2024 "It's time to break up Apple's monopoly now," she concludes. Criticism of Tap-to-Pay and Messaging Services Senator Warren further criticizes Apple's Tap to Pay system, arguing that the company unfairly profits from every transaction made using the feature. Despite acknowledging the involvement of payment processors like PayPal and credit card companies in transaction fees, she singles out Apple for condemnation. Moreover, Senator Warren's condemnation of Apple's messaging services, particularly iMessage, as a source of relationship strain overlooks the broader context of messaging interoperability issues between different platforms. While acknowledging Apple's commitment to supporting RCS to enhance messaging compatibility with Android devices, she maintains her stance against the perceived exclusivity of iMessage, 9to5Mac reports. Lack of Concrete Policy Proposals Despite her vocal opposition to Apple's practices, Senator Warren's statements lack substantive policy proposals or actionable solutions. While expressing support for the Department of Justice's legal actions against Apple, she falls short of presenting clear directives for addressing the alleged issues. Political Maneuvering or Genuine Concern? Some critics view Senator Warren's criticisms of Apple as opportunistic political posturing aimed at garnering attention and support for her re-election campaign. The absence of concrete policy initiatives and the absence of detailed plans for addressing Apple's dominance raises questions about the sincerity of her advocacy. In response to Senator Warren's remarks, Apple has maintained silence, refraining from engaging in a public exchange. In late March, Apple made a huge move to sue Andrew Aude, an iOS engineer who previously worked with the Cupertino giant. According to the lawsuit, Aude was accused of leaking insider data to news agencies. For such unknown reasons, he released confidential information about iPhones, the new Vision Pro, spatial computing, and other data that should only be kept private. There was a report where Aude went to the bathroom to delete any traces of evidence of leaks. It was in 2016 when he joined the iPhone maker as a key worker in battery optimization for iOS. The encrypted messaging app Telegram now allows USDT transactions directly on its blockchain. On Friday, Telegram launched USDT payments on The Open Network (TON), an integrated blockchain network it built that open-source developers now control. The TON blockchain powers many cryptocurrencies, including Tether's USDT stablecoin. The Telegram app now lets individuals send USDT using this blockchain technology. Users of the messaging app must utilize the search tool to find the wallet bot and set up a Bitcoin wallet to start transactions. After setup, you can use Tether's token to purchase USDT and transfer money. Pros and Cons According to CNBC, this move by Telegram might boost Tether's USDT cryptocurrency, a stablecoin replacing fiat currencies for digital currency transactions. The US dollar serves as a fiat currency for USDT and other stablecoins. To stabilize prices, they keep reserves equal to the token issue. Stablecoins have benefits, but regulators, investors, and experts have questioned their reserve transparency and sufficiency. Tether's reserve transparency and liquidity crisis resilience have drawn criticism. Even in volatile times for the market, Tether has continuously asserted that excellent reserves entirely back its token and has fulfilled withdrawal requests. Telegram On Track To Hit 1 Billion Users This comes as Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of the messaging app, expects Telegram to reach one billion active monthly users next year. "We'll probably cross one billion monthly active users within a year now," Durov told U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson in a video posted on Carlson's X account. "Telegram is spreading like a forest fire." Russian Durov founded the Dubai-based firm. Durov's 2014 departure from Russia was due to his defiance of orders from the authorities to close opposition groups on his social media site, VK, which he later sold, according to Reuters. Despite pressure from certain countries, Durov said Telegram, which has 900 million active users, should remain a "neutral platform" rather than a "player in geopolitics." Meta Platforms' WhatsApp, Telegram's main competition, has over two billion monthly users. Telegram may be listed in the United States once it becomes profitable, according to the Financial Times in March. Telegram has more influence than Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat, especially in former Soviet countries. Telegram has been a prominent source of unedited, explicit, and deceptive material from all sides of the war and politics since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In March, Telegram creator Pavel Durov announced that users could transform their accounts into corporate accounts for a monthly charge. This update lets users specify their location and hours, which is helpful for small companies like stores and cafes. Durov also mentioned on his channel that Telegram will include commercial features like AI-powered customer care chatbots, as reported by TechTimes. Pavel Durov said Telegram business accounts let users incorporate AI chatbots "as their invisible secretaries to manage responses to all or specific chats," boosting customer service automation. A new Japanese AI tool is being developed to determine whether workers, particularly college freshmen, will quit their jobs based on attendance, performance, and other factors. This upcoming model will predict their likelihood of leaving their current jobs, particularly if they are experiencing significant challenges or problems and looking to help both employer and employee. Japan's AI Tool Knows When Fresh Grads Will Quit Their Jobs Tokyo City University's Naruhiko Shiratori and a new Japanese start-up are now looking to upgrade their AI technology, which will soon help determine a fresh graduate who is about to quit their jobs. According to Channel News Asia, it is based on an existing AI that predicts a student from a college or university who is about to drop out of their studies. In Japan, there is a so-called recruitment day for businesses done at colleges and universities to hire graduating students, and it typically happens during the same time every year. According to statistics, one out of ten recruits quit their job after one year. With this tool, it will use the data from job interviews, characteristics, personal histories, attendance records, and more for the prediction model. Read Also: San Francisco Startup Ema Unveils Universal AI Employee Set to Transform Workflows Facing Difficulties? AI May Tell Your Boss About It The technology is already being tested on various partner companies in Japan, with the tool looking to determine recruits facing difficulties in their job and lives. Their bosses may offer support during these trying times instead of outright confronting them about their poor performance or watching them leave. The development seeks to create a model specific to a business's needs. AI Tools in Workplaces That Help In most cases where AI is applied in the workforce, it is not about the technology looking to steal people's jobs and dominate the different industries where it is used. Many AI developments already help in people's jobs, and Gen Z graduates are now looking at this massive integration as an opportunity to further improve their craft and use it as a competitive edge. Particularly, a renowned Big Tech company, IBM, is now putting massive importance on a collaborative approach with AI, and it aims to integrate more of the technology to improve its flow rather than replace humans. There are already certain tools that AI brings its expertise, helping employees deliver better outputs, with IBM focusing on training its workers to welcome the tech. Japan is known for being a country that has a workplace that faces depression, distress, conflict, and more, with its employees going through struggles and leading to decline. With the upgrade on this specific AI, researchers are looking to apply it to businesses and corporations to help them determine the fresh graduates that are about to quit, one that could help improve their state and work at the same time. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. The delegation from SOFAZ took part in the SimCorp Sovereign Wealth Fund Forum, held as a part of the SimCorp Global Summit in London on April 17. This inaugural Forum provided a unique platform for experts from sovereign wealth funds to discuss and exchange experiences regarding technological advancements and innovative solutions in data management, Trend reports citing SOFAZ. Vadim Pshenichniy, Director of the Risk Management Department at SOFAZ, presented on "Management of the National Wealth Fund: Case of SOFAZ", offering comprehensive insights into the Fund's investment portfolio, its contributions to the state budget, and its impact on the national economy. During his presentation, Vadim Pshenichniy emphasized the pivotal role of the "Simcorp" system in coordinating investment activities across SOFAZ's departments, highlighting its significance in portfolio management, performance metric measurement, report generation, and overall automation of investment operation within the Fund. It's noteworthy that the SimCorp Global Summit, an annual event attracting over 1000 professionals from the investment sector, aims to encourage organizations in this field to leverage the advantages offered by modern technology. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. We welcome the announcement that Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed upon the 1991 Alma Ata declaration as the basis for border delimitation between the two countries, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote on his page on X, Trend reports. "This is an important step towards concluding a durable and dignified peace agreement, he added. On April 19, 2024, the eighth meeting of the State Commission on the Delimitation of the State Border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and the Commission on the Delimitation of the State Border and Border Security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan was held. The meeting was held on April 19, 2024, at the border between the countries, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev and Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan. The meeting reached an agreement on the return of four villages in the Gazakh district to Azerbaijan. 'No to mining': activists demand closure of Guatemala gold mine Metapan, El Salvador, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2024 Waving banners and shouting "no to mining," environmental activists gathered in small boats on a lake between El Salvador and Guatemala on Friday calling for the closure of a Canadian-owned gold mine. Residents fear that the Cerro Blanco site, which has been granted permission by Guatemala to convert from an underground to open-pit mine, will contaminate Lake Guija. "All these extraction projects do is sell out our environment and our future," said Claudia Rodriguez, a 41-year-old member of an association of women environment defenders. "The goal is for Cerro Blanco to close, even if we have to give our lives for it," she said. The previous Guatemalan government in January gave approval to Canadian owner Bluestone Resources to turn Cerro Blanco into an open-pit mine, just days before right-wing president Alejandro Giammattei left office. The government of El Salvador expressed "serious concern" about the move. On Thursday, Guatemala's new government said it was seeking to reverse the decision due to what it called "anomalies." Opponents say the site poses a serious threat to the environment. "The use of chemicals in mineral extraction is greatly damaging our natural resources and the Cerro Blanco mine is no exception," Salvadoran environmental campaigner Ricardo Navarro said. "The use of chemicals in that mine will harm not only El Salvador, but also Guatemala and Honduras," he told AFP. Chemicals harmful to humans, animals and plants would pollute the Lempa river that flows through the three countries, Navarro said. Lake Guija feeds a tributary of the Lempa River, which starts in Guatemala, crosses part of Honduras and then enters El Salvador, where it is an important source of drinking water for the capital San Salvador. Videlina Morales, a 56-year-old anti-mining activist, said she feared for the future of the lake, which local fishermen rely on to earn a living. "We demand the closure of the Cerro Blanco mine out of respect for our natural resources," she said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls on Azerbaijan and Armenia to resolve all remaining bilateral issues to normalize relations, the Secretary General's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, Trend reports. The Secretary General closely followed the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He welcomes the agreement reached on April 19 between the relevant state commissions on the delimitation of the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Secretary General calls on the parties to continue delimitation and demarcation of the remaining sections of the border and resolve all outstanding bilateral issues for the full normalization of relations, Dujarric said. On April 19, 2024, the eighth meeting of the State Commission on the Delimitation of the State Border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and the Commission on the Delimitation of the State Border and Border Security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan was held. The meeting was held on April 19, 2024, at the border between the countries, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev and Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan. The meeting reached an agreement on the return of four villages in the Gazakh district to Azerbaijan. Picture your home like your cozy nest, where you feel safe and comfortable, surrounded by your family and all your favorite things. Now, think about being told that you have to leave that nest and go somewhere else because of something like a war, gangs, or hunger that makes it impossible to stay there. Being displaced from home means having to leave your nest suddenly and being unable to return for a while. Just like when you go on a trip and miss your bed, being displaced means not having your home, toys, or friends nearby. You have to stay in a different place, maybe with relatives, friends, or a particular shelter such as a displaced persons camp, until it's safe to return home. One in Six People in Sudan is Homeless Sudan is home to a population of 48.6 million, however, since April 2023, 7.7 million people have been displaced both inside and outside of Sudan due to safety concerns. To put it in simpler terms, it's like a playground where some kids can't play anymore because it's no longer safe. In this case, the 7.7 million people had to leave their homes due to a big fight or some other scary event that made it too dangerous for them to stay. Suppose you couldn't go back to your cozy room with your bed, toys, and all the things you love. Instead, you had to wander around, not knowing where you'd sleep tonight or if you'd have enough to eat. You wouldn't have a school to go to or friends to play with nearby. Being homeless in Sudan is kind of like that. It means many parents and kids there don't have a safe place to call home. Economic Crisis in Sudan Effects on Daily Life Things in Sudan are getting really bad. There's been a lot of fighting since April 2023, and it's causing big problems. More and more people don't have enough food to eat. In fact, the number of people who can't get enough food has gone up a lot since 2019. Now, there are almost 18 million people who don't have enough to eat, and nearly 5 million of them are in really bad shape. Why is this happening? Well, the fighting is making it hard for people to grow food or get to the stores to buy it. Prices for food, gas, and other stuff we need are going way up, and there's not enough food being grown to go around. Because of all this fighting, millions of people have had to leave their homes. Can you imagine having to leave your house because it's not safe anymore? It's making things even harder because there are now more people needing help, and there's not enough to go around. The fighting is also messing up the banks, which means people can't get the money they need to buy things. Everything is getting more expensive, and it's really tough for people who don't have much money. Being homeless in Sudan is tough. Kids and adults have to sleep in crowded shelters, on the streets, or even in makeshift tents. They do not have enough food to eat every day, and they might miss out on going to school because they're too busy trying to survive. Now, imagine if that happened to kids here in the USA. It would mean they couldn't go back to their warm beds or have the security of a home. They would feel scared, lonely, and uncertain about the future, just like kids who are homeless in Sudan. As a result, they were forced to seek refuge either within Sudan or in other countries. Despite its large, clever population, Sudan has faced many safety concerns that have resulted in people having to leave their homes to ensure their safety. Things to do to help Sudan's Homeless Displaced Kids Three things to do to help homeless kids in Sudan are creating awareness campaigns, letter-writing campaigns, and art projects. Awareness campaigns will help raise awareness about the situation in Sudan. Creating posters or presentations with facts, photos, and stories will help educate classmates, teachers, and family members. Kids become more aware of the world around them, including issues such as poverty, homelessness, or refugee crises, which may not directly affect their lives. Letter-writing campaigns empower kids to take action and advocate for causes they believe in. Write letters or create cards with messages of support and encouragement for children and families affected by the crisis in Sudan. Send these to local charities or organizations working on the ground to distribute to those in need. Being homeless and displaced in Sudan is like going on a tragic trip and missing your bed; being displaced means not having your home, toys, or friends nearby. Art Projects about Sudan have the ability to influence change through advocacy. Create artwork inspired by the people, culture, or landscape of Sudan to raise awareness and promote empathy. Display your artwork at school or in your community to spark conversations about the crisis. Art projects help kids understand that they are part of a larger community that extends beyond their immediate surroundings, and they have the power to make a positive impact on the lives of others, regardless of geographical boundaries. Spare a thought for Brad Banducci last week, who, just months after his disastrous walkout during an ABC Four Corners interview, has returned to the national spotlight for more highly-publicised criticism. Appearing at the Senate inquiry into supermarkets this week, the outgoing Woolworths CEO faced a heated exchange with Greens senator Nick McKim, who at one point was so frustrated by his unwillingness to answer a question, he told Banducci, Im not interested in your spin or your bullshit. This is a Senate inquiry; answer the question. While its logical a position such as CEO deserves higher pay than other roles, the disparity is getting harder to stomach. Credit: Dionne Gain. The scene was eerily reminiscent of Alan Joyces appearance at a Senate inquiry last year, where the former Qantas CEO defended the companys bumper profits despite complaints against the airline being at an all-time high and being embroiled in a High Court decision that ultimately declared workers had been illegally sacked, the settlement for which is estimated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. In both instances, footage of Banducci and Joyces appearances went viral, with the most common question on social media being, how the hell did these people become CEOs? A man yelled that the teenage suspect is not leaving here alive during a riot that engulfed Sydneys west in the hours after an alleged terrorist attack on Monday, as police announced further arrests after the melee. Two more people have been charged over the riot that erupted in Sydneys south-west following the stabbing of a religious leader at the Assyrian communitys Christ the Good Shepherd Church. Alleged rioter Sam Haddad is released on bail. Credit: Nikki Short Sam Haddad, 45, was arrested on Friday evening in Fairfield and was charged with two counts: one of rioting and one of threatening violence/causing fear in Wakeley on Monday evening. Police say the Fairfield electrician had significant involvement in the violence in which 2000 angry community members turned on police, throwing projectiles and damaging police cars in Wakeley. Zahid Safi had only just arrived in Australia when he was warned about the Liberal Party. It was during Friday prayers in Melbournes south-east when the Afghan-born refugee asked a fellow worshipper who the men in suits were at his mosque that day in 2013. Zahid Safi with wife Zinab Husseinkhil and three of his six children, Abdulbasit, 4, Rida, 1 and Wesal, 14. Credit: Paul Jeffers They told me it was election time, and it was a candidate from the Liberal Party and that they were against Muslims and immigrants, Safi told The Sunday Age. A decade on, the 36-year-old is on a mission to become the first Muslim MP to represent the Liberal Party in federal parliament. Hes been preselected to take on Labors Julian Hill in the south-east Melbourne seat of Bruce, where he lives with his wife and six children. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. The eighth meeting of the State Commission on State Border Delimitation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and the Commission on State Border Delimitation and Border Security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan was held on April 19, 2024, on the border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Mher Grigoryan, Trend reports. During the meeting, the commissions agreed that at the initial stage of the delimitation process, the parties had preliminary agreed on the passage of certain sections of the border line directly between the settlements of Baganis (RA) - Baganys Ayrim (AR), Voskepar (RA) - Ashagy Askipara (AR), Kirants (RA) Kheyrimli (AR), and Berkaber (RA) - Gyzylhajily (AR) to harmonize them with the legally justified inter-republican border that existed within the Soviet Union at the time of its dissolution. Commenting on this, Azerbaijani MP Sevinj Huseynova stated that the four occupied villages of the Gazakh district were returned without a single shot or bloodshed. "This is another present from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the Azerbaijani people. Naturally, it shows that the first step of the delimitation process has been taken, and it started exactly in the Gazakh direction. Azerbaijan insisted on the beginning of the delimitation process in this direction. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev raised the issue of the return of our border villages in 2020. Intensive work was constantly carried out in this direction, and today we have witnessed the logical completion of this process. The head of state, back in 2020, after the victory in the II Karabakh War, ensured the return of three districts to Azerbaijan without firing a single shot. This demonstrates that President Ilham Aliyev prefers a peaceful solution to the issue. The final restoration of Azerbaijan's sovereignty in Karabakh in September 2023, the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping contingent from Azerbaijani territories, and now the return of four villages without bloodshed are another victory in the series of victories we will celebrate," the MP said. She noted that the unfounded statements by France and several other Western countries that Azerbaijan was allegedly planning an attack on Armenia, that there were military targets on the territory of Armenia, etc., had gone away. "It is now clear to everyone that this was another dirty game and a fake propaganda campaign against our country. Nowadays, reaching such an agreement also testifies to the fact that, as a result of President Ilham Aliyev's resolute policy, Azerbaijan has prevented the EU and the US, as well as several Western states, from attempting to interfere in this process. Azerbaijan and Armenia were able to find a common language. This demonstrates that they can continue to solve these issues independently. Therefore, the withdrawal of the EU and the US, as well as several Western states, from these processes can contribute to faster peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus," she added. MP Elshan Musayev told Trend that April 19 is also written in golden letters in the history of Azerbaijan. "4 villages of Gazakh district, which are not enclaves, were returned to Azerbaijan. Moreover, without a single shot being fired, This shows that the peace process with Armenia has entered a real phase, serious steps have been taken towards delimitation, and a new, fertile ground has appeared for the normalization of relations between the two countries, ensuring stability in the region. Naturally, all these events are the result of the wise policy of President Ilham Aliyev. Thanks to him, today we have witnessed and continue to witness large-scale victories in Azerbaijan," the MP stated. He noted that the processes will undoubtedly continue in the future in the direction of ensuring the interests of the Azerbaijani state. Meanwhile, the ongoing developments also show that where there is no interference from external forces, mainly Western, subversive states such as France, things go more smoothly and faster. Because they complicate peace by spreading false propaganda, muddying the waters, and adding fuel to the fire. The return of four non-annexed villages of the Gazakh region proved that Azerbaijan and Armenia can solve many issues and take common steps towards peace without interference and mediation between them," the MP added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. On April 20, an official meeting was held at the headquarters of the Land Forces under the leadership of Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov. The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Defense - Commander of the Land Forces, Lieutenant General Hikmat Mirzayev, chiefs of departments and services, army corp and formation commanders of the Land Forces, Trend reports via the Ministry of Defense. An official meeting commenced with commemorating the memory of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the Shehids (Martyrs), who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The Minister of Defense delivered to the meeting participants the tasks assigned to the Azerbaijan Army by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev. The meeting discussed the current operational conditions on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conditional border, measures for combat training of military units and the state of military discipline. The Minister gave relevant instructions on improving the service-combat activity of military units, increasing vigilance, as well as constant preparation for accurate and timely execution of combat missions. The importance of paying special attention to the material-technical and engineering support of the units conducting combat duty in the difficult terrain and high-mountainous areas, as well as the improvement of the moral-psychological training was noted. Colonel General Hasanov assigned specific tasks for the relevant officers on the effective implementation of the process of delimitation of the state border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and taking the necessary measures in interaction with other state authorities in order to ensure security. The Defense Minister gave relevant instructions related to the provision of necessary technical support for the transportation of personnel, ammunition and military equipment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent temporarily stationed in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and currently leaving the country. At the end of the meeting, the importance of focusing on better implementation of the activities was emphasized. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel In a recent health scare, popular grocery chain Trader Joes has had to recall their Infinite Herbs brand of organic basil in stores across 29 states. The product was sold in 2.5-ounce clamshell packages from February 1 to April 6 this year. As a result, the company pulled the items off the shelves and destroyed them. FDA investigation links illness to Trader Joes organic basil The FDA launched an investigation after receiving reports of consumers falling ill after consuming the product. On their website, they announced that seven out of eight people with available information were linked to organic basil purchased from Trader Joes before becoming sick. Infinite Herbs identified as supplier Traceback data collected by the FDA determined that Miami-based Infinite Herbs, LLC was the supplier of the 2.5-oz organic basil packages sold at Trader Joes stores. Hospitalized consumer raises concerns One person who consumed the fresh basil has been hospitalized, raising more concerns about the severity of the issue. Although the exact cause for the sickness hasnt yet been determined, it appears the contaminated product was being delivered nationwide. The future of preventing foodborne illness outbreaks Food safety experts and researchers continuously strive to develop new ways to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases and ensure the safety of our food supply. With advancements in technology and an increased focus on traceability and transparency, it is anticipated that more effective solutions will be implemented in the future. Implementing blockchain for food safety Blockchain technology has been cited as a potential game-changer when it comes to maintaining transparency within the food supply chain. It can offer real-time information about products, their origins, and any certifications associated with them. This could facilitate faster responses to contamination cases by quickly locating the affected batchs origin. While the recent recall at Trader Joes highlights the importance of stringent food safety measures, it also provides an opportunity for companies to learn from these incidents and take proactive steps towards preventing future outbreaks. Both consumers and businesses must remain diligent in ensuring the highest possible standards of hygiene and safety are maintained throughout the entire supply chain. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. The current operational situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conditional border has been analyzed at an official meeting held at the headquarters of Azerbaijan's Land Forces under the leadership of Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, Trend reports. Moreover, the meeting analyzed measures for combat training of military units and the state of military discipline. The minister emphasized the importance of paying special attention to the material-technical and engineering support of the units conducting combat duty in difficult terrain and high-mountainous areas, as well as the improvement of moral-psychological training. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel 54.46% voter turnout in 41.4 oC Staff Reporter Despite enthusiasm among voters and the long queues at the polling centres, the total voting of Nagpur Lok Sabha tentatively reached 54.46% and that of Ramtek was registered at 52.38%. In last polls in Nagpur, the last count was 57.57% while in Ramtek, it was 65.79%. Senior citizens, women and first time voters made it a point not to miss the chance of becoming a part of this great democratic process. In Nagpur, there are 22,19,244 voters while Ramtek has 20,46,435 voters. The fate of all 26 candidates in Nagpur and 28 candidates in Ramtek was sealed in the Electronic Voting Machine on Friday. Office of the Returning Officer was compiling the final voting figures and the exercise was expected to continue well beyond midnight. The final voting per cent will be released on Saturday. Voters turned out in large numbers since 7 am and there was steady flow at polling centres throughout the day. The voting, that began at 7 am, picked up momentum in first two hours and by 9 am, it reached 5.82% in Ramtek and 7.73% in Nagpur. In Ramtek constituency, Umred registered 60.74% voting. Ramtek followed with 59.26%. In Nagpur, East-Nagpur registered highest voting per centage while Central Nagpur registered lowest. In East-Nagpur, 57.80% voters exercised their franchise. The voting per centage of other constituencies include Central Nagpur- 54.02, North Nagpur 55.15, South Nagpur- 53.00 and West Nagpur 53.56. In 2014, the final voting figure was 57.12%. A lot of senior citizens were seen coming to the polling stations to cast their votes. The centres in areas like Mominpura, Vaishali Nagar, Timki, Shanti Nagar, Khamla, Jaripatka, Bhagwan Nagar witnessed long queues throughout the day. Although the administration had made food and water arrangements for the staff on election duty, it was not possible for them to have it till 4 pm because of voters rush. At some polling booths, people got confused as the receipt of VVPAT machines was not getting out. Because of this problem, people were anxious whether their vote was registered or not. To increase the voting per centage and to make people feel at ease, different types of arrangements were made at some centres. At Sindhu Mahavidyalaya, the entrance was decorated with rainbow colours that made Vidya Kamble and her transgender friends feel happy. At some places, selfie points were installed where people were seen standing and taking photos. In Nagpur, there is a straight fight between Nitin Gadkari of Bharatiya Janata Partya and Vikas Thakre of Congress. In Ramtek the fight is triangular--Raju Parve of Shiv Sena (Shinde), Shyamkumar Barve of Congress and Independent candidate Kishor Gajbhiye. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Azerbaijan's Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, has issued relevant instructions related to the provision of necessary technical support for the transportation of personnel, ammunition, and military equipment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent temporarily stationed in the country's Karabakh region and currently leaving the country, Trend reports. The instructions were issued at an official meeting held at the headquarters of the Azerbaijani Land Forces. To note, on April 16, social media leaked footage indicating the withdrawal of Russian peacekeeping contingent military equipment from Azerbaijan, but no official remarks were published on the subject. Russian Presidential Spokesperson Dmitriy Peskov confirmed the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeepers from Karabakh on April 17. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Amit Shah files nomination from Gandhinagar seat GANDHINAGAR, UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday submitted his nomination papers for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat from where he is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and said the general election is all about giving a third term to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel when he submitted the nomination papers to Gandhinagar collector and district election officer M K Dave in the state capital at exactly 12.39 pm, considered as Vijay Muhurat. Talking to reporters, Shah said this general election is all about giving a third term to PM Modi so that he can make India a developed country by 2047. The Union Minister said Modis third term will be crucial because his first two terms went into correcting the mistakes made by the previous Congress-led UPA government. This election is all about making Modi our PM for the third time. Modiji has resolved to turn India into a developed country by 2047 and number one in all sectors. The next five years are crucial if we want to achieve that because the last 10 years went into filling pits (gadde) made by the previous UPA government, Shah said. The next 5 years would be used to create a strong foundation for Viksit Bharat, he said. Thanking the BJP for renominating him from the seat once represented by stalwarts Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, Shah said the seat holds significance also because PM Modi is a registered voter from here. I have been associated with this seat for the last 30 years. Before becoming an MP, I was an MLA from assembly segments that fall under this seat. Thanks to your love, I rose from a humble booth worker to becoming a member of parliament now. People of Gandhinagar gave me their blessings whenever I sought their votes, he said. Developmental works of more than Rs 22,000 crore were undertaken in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in the last five years, he said. Shah, a former BJP president, won from the Gandhinagar constituency by a margin of more than 5 lakh votes in the 2019 general elections. The opposition Congress has fielded party secretary Sonal Patel from Gandhinagar. Voting for all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held in the third phase on May 7. Shah on Thursday held three back-to-back roadshows covering nearly 20 km in Gandhinagar amid much fanfare. These roadshows traversed areas falling under the Sanand, Kalol, Sabarmati, Ghatlodia, Naranpura and Vejalpur assembly segments in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts, all part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. At the end of the last roadshow in Ahmedabad, Shah also addressed a large gathering in the Vejalpur area and appealed to voters to ensure the BJPs victory. An International platter BY ANIL SWAMY DINING out in an Italian restaurant in London posed many problems for a person like me, unfamiliar names and unknown western dishes are confusing and scary for most Indian travelers, visiting European Countries. I unsuccessfully pretended to keep up a face as if knowing all the dishes on the Menu, but my daughter understood my dilemma and explained certain dishes. I chose one with Mashed Aubergine with Garlic and Dried Tomatoes, sauteed in Paprika sauce. The dish served was well decorated with some cherry tomatoes sprinkled with some roasted crushed Cashews, walnuts and Almonds, with a Glass of Wine and Garlic Bread. As if laced with poison, I nibbled delicately but instantly jumped with Joy as it was none other than our own Baingan Bharta. I relished and finished my meal in no time. No other vegetable preparation has so many listed variants in our Country, other than Baingan Bharta. Honored as Baingan (Bhata) Bhorta in Bengal, addressed in UP, Bihar as Begun Bharta. Begun as locals say, doesnt contain any Gun(in Hindi), Chokha, a mouthwatering variant, with uncooked onions, garlic and green chilies mixed with raw mustard oil, its Sutta badnikai palya in Karnataka, savored lovingly. Hyderabadi Baingna Bhurta is loaded with spices and Red Chilies, Odia variant of the dish is also called Began Bharta but some households, raise it to an altogether divine culinary level by adding slightly sweetened curds seasoned with mustard seeds in mustard oil, in Maharashtras Vangee cha Bhareet is a delicacy preferred even by Royalties. But the basics of preparation is same, roast it on fire and after cleaning, minced to mix well with green chillies, onions, garlic, ginger either seasoned or raw with mustard oil. Some even add red chili powder, garam masala and lemon for a different taste. Every state, city, home boasts a different taste and ingredients of Bharta. Once while in Rajasthan an old colleague invited us for lunch. Apart from detailed spread, it was Baingan Bharta, which distinctly caught our attention. Cooked in Desi Ghee and served with a Silver foil(Vark). It was extremely spicy but mesmerizingly delicious. During my assignment in Laos, I was aghast to see locals roasting Mak Kheu (Eggplant) on charcoal. It goes well when mixed with Lam(Stew) or papaya salad and is also eaten with Sticky Rice but roasted and mashed eggplant dipped in variety of super spicy sauces are relished throughout Laos and Thailand. Walking back home after the Italian Dinner, since I was praising the Dish, my wife confirmed that even she can cook the Aubergine (Eggplant in UK) dish. Our American Son in Law jumped at the idea and requested her to prepare same while they host their friends at home on coming weekend. Baingan is an Indian origin powerhouse vegetable, contains high fiber, antioxidants and minerals and is low in calories and sodium, making it a perfect ingredient to aid digestion, gut health, weight loss and lowering blood pressure levels amongst other benefits and is an extremely popular in many countries. Most Indian housewives are born experts in preparing Bhareet or Bharta. So, my wife prepared this delicacy as the Main course for the weekend Dinner. Baingan Bharta, one of the easiest dish to cook, was ready, much before laying the table. One of their friends wife from Hongkong, arrived a bit early, had a delicate nose for the culinary aromas. Spoon tasting our Bharta preparation, she squealed with delight and requested us for a small helping and mixed it with diced roasted nonveg, added some sauces and honey and Lo! A typical Oriental Aubergine preparation was laid and It turned out to be delicious. Guess what? The discussion before the dinner was centered around Eggplant and a guest lady ventured to give it an Italian twist to Bharta and arranged Sliced potatoes and Tomatoes in a baking tray, spread Bharta on top, splashed some Extra Virgin Olive oil and topped with shredded Cheese and baked it crispy. To our surprise, this dish turned out to be another wonder winner. Our glorious Indian Baingan Bharta, is a Globe trotter and is on listed international platter. Gandhian vision.. Will shape Vidarbhas destiny: Narendra Modi Wardha Correspondent NOW, Vidarbha will come out of the vicious cycle of backwardness, declared Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public meeting organised at Chetna Ground of Talegaon Shyamjipant on Friday evening, amid thunderous applause from the mammoth crowd. Starting his speech in Marathi, PM Modi greeted everyone by saying Jai Gurudev. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Wardha Lok Sabha candidate Ramdas Tadas, Amravati BJP candidate Navneet Rana, MP Anil Bonde, MLA Dadarao Keche, MLA Sameer Kunwar, MLA Dr Pankaj Bhoyar, BJP District President Sunil Gafat, Praveen Pote, Atul Save, Pratap Adsad, Upendra Kothekar, Vijay Aglave, Raju Bakane, Ashok Shinde, Subodh Mohite, Kiran Paturkar, Vaishali Yerawar, Sumit Wankhede, Sarita Gakhre, Rajesh Bakane were present on the dais. Calling the Congress and INDIA bloc anti-development and anti-farmer, he said that the INDIA bloc struggles with a lack of substantial issues and accused it to resorting to politics of insults. Under the NDA government, rapid progress is underway, notably with the imminent completion of the Lower Wardha and Lower Pedhi Irrigation Projects, which promises to be a lifeline for farmers. Besides, Wardha, Sevagram, Pulgaon, Hinganghat are connected by trains. Wardha-Yavatmal-Nanded Railway has started. There is a railway track between Wardha-Ballarshah. Dhamangaon Railway Station is being redeveloped. The work of Sindis dryport is being completed, Modi said. Before 2014, there was a perception that nothing good can happen in the country. There was disappointment everywhere. Villagers thought that water, roads, and electricity could never reach their village...Jisko kisi ne nahi poocha, usko gareeb ke iss bete ne puja hai, Modi said. The condition of farmers in the country has remained bad for decades, he said adding, A stone laid in the familys name remained unfinished for generations, causing suffering in Vidarbha under Congress rule. Today, our government prioritises Vidarbhas needs, with Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar committed to serving you all. Describing Wardha as the land of a great confluence of spirituality and patriotism, Modi said that the huge presence of people there was a proof that target of Viksit Maharashtra and Viksit Bharat was not too far. Bapu had envisioned this dream before independence. Today, as the nation takes decisive strides, Wardhas blessings are crucial. Your overwhelming presence and strong backing from Wardha and Amravati, signify that the aim of a developed Maharashtra and India is within reach. Maharashtra echoes today: Phir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkar!, the PM added with confidence. He also spoke of the importance of Ashti in the freedom movement where the flag was hoisted for the first time. Listing the many development works done by his Government, Modi underlined his committment to bring the region out of its backwardness. We have separately identified the oranges of Amravati and turmeric of Wardha under One District One Product (ODOP) so that the farmers here can benefit from it. For financial assistance to farmers, money from PM Kisan Samman Nidhi is also being sent directly into the accounts, PM Modi said. Taking a dig at the Congress, he said that the party was aware that they would not be able to win in these elections and so Congress Prince is threatening dire consequences following the results of the elections. Their mindset of imposing Emergency hasnt changed. However, the country has made up its mind, he said. Urging people to again ensure resounding victory for the BJP by casting record-breaking votes, he asked people to become his ambassadors in esnuring the Modis guarantee reaches to all the needy. Incidents of gun fires, EVM damage, booth capturing in Manipur IMPHAL/CHURACHANDPUR, INCIDENTS of firing, intimidation, destruction of EVMs at some polling booths and allegations of booth capturing were reported from conflict-hit Manipur that recorded a turnout of over 68 per cent in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday. Both the BJP and the Congress accused each other of unleashing violence and breaching the election Model Code of Conduct. According to sources, the incidents of EVMs being destroyed were reported from at least four polling booths by unidentified miscreants in Imphal East and Imphal West. An EVM machine was set ablaze at Moirangkampu Sajeb in Khurai constituency in Imphal East district and a 65-year-old man was also shot at by some unidentified gunmen. There has also been vandalism in at least one more polling station, in Uripok in Imphal West, an official source said. He was standing near a polling station when some armed assailants opened fire. He has been taken to a hospital in Imphal for treatment, a police official said. Booth Level Officer for Moirangkampu Sajeb, Surbala Devi said, Suddenly two men came and asked for polling agents of the Congress and the BJP. They took the Congress agent outside by holding his hand. Then the two men fired shots at him from inside the car. In a separate incident, armed men also fired several rounds in the air near a polling booth in Thamnapokpi under the Moirang Assembly constituency in Bishnupur district, prompting voters to flee, police said. They said additional security personnel were rushed to the spot to contain the situation. Police officials also said that some unidentified armed men intimidated election agents of a particular political party at different places, including Uripok and Iroishemba in Imphal West district, and asked them to leave the polling stations. Incensed with the intimidation, voters at Iroishemba forcefully entered polling stations and destroyed election materials and equipment, the official said. At Kiyamgei in Imphal East districts Keirao constituency, armed men fired blank shots and intimidated some polling agents. Earlier in the day, an altercation broke out between voters and unidentified men at Khongman Zone 4 in Imphal East district, leading to damage to EVMs. Congress candidate Bimol Akoijam also got into an argument with police personnel in a polling station at Kyamgei Heibong Makhong High School in Imphal East, where he alleged that polling agents of his party were being threatened. BJPs state unit General Secretary K Sarat Kumar alleged that Akoijam, accompanied by his supporters, visited several polling stations and provoked officials. Akoijam, accompanied by his supporters, visited several polling booths and disturbed the election atmosphere. We have filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer and Returning Officer, he told reporters. The Congress also blamed the BJP for violence during voting in Inner Manipur. Kh Devbrata, working president of the State unit of the Congress, told reporters: We strongly condemn the acts of armed unidentified men entering polling stations and intimidating voters and indulging in proxy voting. We havent seen the government try to conduct the polling peacefully in a free and fair manner, Devbrata said. Girish Chodankar, the election in-charge of Manipur and Nagaland for AICC, wrote on X that violence and booth capturing by armed miscreants have been witnessed in several places despite a written submission to the Chief Electoral Officer of possible tension. They allowed frustrated BJP supporters to forcibly capture booths and prevent common people from exercising their voting rights, making a mockery of the elections. We have demanded repolling in such booths, he added. Several voters took to social media to claim that their votes were already found cast when they reached the poll booth. Manipur has witnessed sporadic, sometimes intense, ethnic clashes since May 3 last year between the majority Meitei community and the Kukis, resulting in the loss of more than 200 lives. While the Meiteis are now concentrated in Imphal city, the Kukis have moved to the hills. More than 24,000 displaced people living in the relief camps were identified by the Election Commission as eligible voters and 94 special polling stations were set up for them. No voting arrangements were made for those who left the northeastern state after the clashes. A group of women marched to a polling booth in the Churachandpur district, which was the epicentre of the violence last year. They flashed posters and raised slogans of No justice, no vote. Ahead of polls, several bodies and civil society organisations had launched campaigns pushing for an election boycott saying need the right to live before the right to vote. Israel attacks Irans Isfahan town TEL AVIV : ISRAEL has attacked Irans Isfahan town, after which the latter activated its air defence system and suspended flights. It comes few days after Iran had attacked Israel in response to an alleged attack on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus leading to the killing of seven top officers of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps including General Mohammed Reza Zahedi. Iranian air defences were activated in the skies over the area, according to Iranian semi-official Fars News Agency. Three explosions rocked the east of Isfahan and near the Isfahan International Airport. Israeli media reported that a missile strike targeted Isfahan town. It said that several senior officials were present in the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv on Friday morning. However, Iran said that there were no missile attacks but only drone attacks. Iranian state media on Friday reported that several small flying objects had been shot at in the skies over the central province of Isfahan. The Iranian media reported that flights to Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz had been suspended as of Friday morning. Speaking at the G7 meeting in Capri, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the US received last-minute information from Israel about the attack on Isfahan. United States officials declined to comment as of early Friday, but American broadcast networks quoting unnamed US officials said Israel carried out the attack. The New York Times quoted anonymous Israeli officials claiming the assault, which came on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis 85th birthday. Israeli politicians also made comments hinting that the country had launched an attack. Air defence batteries fired in several provinces over reports of drones being in the air, state television reported. Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi said crews targeted several flying objects. Iran asserts right to self defence over Israels aggression; slams UN for failing its duty: IRAN has exercised its inherent right of self-defence in response to what it termed the Zionist regimes heinous military aggression against its diplomatic premises in Damascus in Syria, according to a statement issued by the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India on Friday. The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a responsible member of the United Nations, emphasising its commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the rule of law, in response to the Zionist regimes heinous military aggression and unlawful use of force against diplomatic premises of Iran in Damascus, the Syrian Arab Republic on 1st April 2024, implemented its inherent right of SELF DEFENCE in accordance with the Article 51 of the UN Charter on 14 April 2024, the press statement read. G7 Foreign Ministers communique warns of new sanctions on Iran and urges de-escalation: GROUP of Seven Foreign Ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who chaired the meeting of Ministers of industrialised countries, said the agenda of the three-day meeting was changed on Friday to address the latest developments. Early Friday, Iran fired air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site near Isfahan after spotting drones. They were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehrans unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country last weekend. Italy, Indonesia laud Indias G20 presidency for placing Africa, Global South on global agenda NEW DELHI, SIX months after India passed the G20 baton to Brazil, the ambassadors of Italy and Indonesia have lauded New Delhis presidency of the bloc for bringing Africa and the Global South at the centre of international agenda. The success of Indias G20 presidency is precisely the capacity to preserve the role of G20 because that was at risk, Italys Ambassador to India Vincenzo de Luca said. He was speaking at a panel discussion held to release a book, titled Indias G20 Legacy: Shaping a New World Order. After G20 India, Global South and Africa have been in the centre of the stage, said the Italian envoy at the event last evening. On the Ukraine-Russia stand-off, the Italian envoy lauded not only Indias G20 presidency, but also Indonesias presidency of the grouping for finding a consensus formulation on the contentious issue. Indonesias Ambassador to India Ina H Krisnamurthy lavished praise on New Delhis G20 presidency for promoting inclusivity in the grouping. Induction of the 55-nation African Union as a permanent member of the G20 and managing to produce a leaders declaration overcoming deep divisions over the Ukraine conflict were seen as major milestones of Indias year-long presidency of the grouping of the worlds 20 big economies in 2023. Krisnamurthy lauded India for taking the lead to include the African Union as a full member of the G20 and increasing the inclusivity of the bloc. The envoy also praised India for undertaking the initiative to host two editions of the Voice of the Global South Summit which provided a platform for projecting interests and aspirations of the Global South in the G20 agenda. Indias G20 Presidency has left a historical footprint. You dont know how happy we were when the G20 New Delhi Declaration was adopted. It was not out of relief, but pride, she said. Edited by Manish Chand, the book comprises articles by diplomats and strategic affairs experts highlighting the legacy of Indias G20 presidency. The foreword to the book has been written by Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Indias then G20 Chief Coordinator. The contributors to the book included South Africas Foreign Minister GNM Pandor, Indias G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, Italian ambassador Luca and Brazils Ambassador to Kenneth Felix Haczynski da Nobrega. Senior diplomats, including Muktesh Pradeshi and Lakshmi Puri, singled out Indias G20 presidency for making the grouping people-centric. No other country has ever done a diplomatic endeavour at a pan-country level. Diplomacy became a part of our everyday lexicon. Even taxi wallahs, shopkeepers, barbers -- everybody became part of a great national endeavour, said Muktesh Pardeshi, currently a Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. Pardeshi supervised hosting of the New Delhi summit of G20. There was never seen before Jan Bhagidari participation of women actors from all, from the grassroots to top policy levels in this whole process. So it was not only the peoples G20, but this was also the womens G20, said Lakshmi Puri, Former Assistant Secretary General, UN. The book launch and two panel discussions on Indias G20 Legacy and Brazils G20 presidency were organised by Jindal School of International Affairs, India Writes Network and Centre for Global India Insights. New criminal justice laws signify watershed moment for our society: CJI New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Hailing the enactment of the new criminal justice laws as a watershed moment for society, Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Saturday said India is set for a significant overhaul of its criminal justice system. Speaking at a conference here on 'India's Progressive Path in the Administration of Criminal Justice System', he said the new laws would be successful if those, who are in charge of implementing them, adapt to them. These new laws have transitioned India's legal framework on criminal justice into a new age, the CJI said. He also said much-needed improvements have been introduced to protect the interests of victims and carry out investigation and prosecution of offences efficiently. "India is set for a significant overhaul of its criminal justice system with the upcoming implementation of three new criminal laws... These laws signify a watershed moment for our society because no law affects the day-to-day conduct of our society like the criminal law. "India is set for a significant overhaul of its criminal justice system with the upcoming implementation of three new criminal laws...These laws signify a watershed moment for our society because no law affects the day-to-day conduct of our society like the criminal law," he said. "The enactment of these laws by Parliament is a clear indication that India is changing and on the move, and needs new legal instruments to deal with the current challenges," the CJI said. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta were also present at the conference. The new laws -- the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act -- to completely overhaul the country's criminal justice system will come into effect from July 1. However, the provision related to cases of hit-and-run by vehicle drivers would not be implemented immediately. The three laws got Parliament's approval on December 21 last year and President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent on December 25. Referring to 248th Report of the Standing Committee of the Rajya Sabha on the Bharatiya Sakshya Samhita, the CJI said Indian criminal justice system has struggled to keep pace with the profound technological changes our socio-economic milieu that have radically re-imagined the way in which crimes manifest in the society. "The growing scope of technology and new age crime which use the digital landscape to create networks of collaborative units to commit crimes cannot be pinned to an investigative situs. This has presented challenges in investigation of crimes, admission of evidence and prosecution as well as justice delivery," he said. CJI Chandrachud said the new laws have transitioned India's legal framework on criminal justice into the new age and have introduced much needed improvements to protect victim interests and carry out the investigation and prosecution of offences efficiently. "The BNSS encompasses a holistic approach to deal with crimes in the digital age. It prescribes audio visual recording of search and seizures and the presence of a forensic expert at the crime scene for offences punishable with more than seven years imprisonment. "The audio-visual recording of search and seizures is an important tool for the prosecution as well as for protecting the civil liberties of citizens. The judicial scrutiny would safeguard the rights of citizens against procedural impropriety during search and seizures," he said. CJI Chandrachud said we must continuously introspect and protect the privacy of the accused as well as the victim when dealing with digitisation of proceedings and creating digital evidence. "In the digital age, the data and sensitive information of person's has gained paramount importance. This data can allow us to gain unparalleled efficiency and ease. However, the power which comes with personal data puts a corresponding duty to make systems which are immune to penetration and leakage of the data," he said. On the challenges of data leak in courts, the CJI said the safety of a person, the stigma attached to an accused, the threat perception of a witness will be compromised if the privacy of the stakeholders is not protected. "We must inspire public confidence in securing the privacy of our citizens to gain an overall efficiency and trust in the criminal justice system. Technology holds the key to a futuristic court system," he said. While the new criminal laws create provisions which are synchronised to our times, the CJI said we must also ensure that the infrastructure accompanying these procedures are developed adequately for the country to reap the benefits of the new laws. "This naturally means that we must heavily invest in capacity building of our forensic experts, conduct training of investigating officers, and invest in our court system. Key provisions of the new criminal law would only produce a positive impact if these investments are made as soon as possible," he said. CJI Chandrachud said our attention must be focused on improving investigations by allowing for multi-disciplinary investigating teams with law enforcement officers, and domain experts in the field of cyber-crime, and pattern recognition. "I expect that with the implementation of the new criminal laws, we will discover loopholes and areas which need to be addressed. Such debates would be helpful in enhancing the efficiency of our criminal justice systems. However, the ideological framework at the heart of our analysis must be justice oriented with a civil liberty centric approach which balances the interests of the victim and the accused," he said. Like Amethi, Congress' 'sahabzade' will also lose Wayanad LS seat: PM Modi's swipe at Rahul Gandhi Nanded, Apr 20 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Congress has accepted its defeat even before the Lok Sabha poll results are out, and took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying that just as he lost from Amethi in 2019, the "Congress' sahabzade" will lose the Wayanad parliamentary seat this time. Addressing an election rally at Nanded in Maharashtra for the candidates of Nanded and Hingoli Lok Sabha seats, Modi accused the Congress of being a barrier in the path of development and that it cannot be trusted to work for the country's progress. Apparently targeting former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Modi said some INDIA bloc leaders who have been members of the Lok Sabha for several years, have left the Lower House of Parliament and found a seat in the Rajya Sabha as they have no confidence to contest elections. Referring to Rahul Gandhi, he said, "The Congress' sahabzade sees a problem in Wayanad. He is waiting for the voting on April 26, after which he and his gang will look for a safe seat because after Amethi, he will have to leave Wayanad as well." "Will any voter waste their vote for such people? They will instead vote for 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India). Congress has been a barrier in development of farmers, poor and women...Can't trust the party will work for the country's progress," he said. Modi referred to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's recent remarks against Rahul Gandhi, saying, "Even I can't make such comments." The agriculture crisis and farmers' problems did not arise in one day. They happened because of the Congress' flawed policies. But the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is committed to work for their welfare, he said, adding that he has been fixing the problems created under the Congress regimes earlier in the last 10 years. "Now, we have to work even harder," he said. "Congress survives on one family. But now the family can't vote for the party candidate. For the first time, the family will have to vote for a non-Congress candidate in the constituency where they live because they don't have a candidate," Modi added. Describing the INDIA bloc a grouping of selfish parties that have come together to protect their corrupt practices, he said the alliance has been rejected by voters in the first phase. The INDI alliance does not have a face to project whom the people see to entrust the country's future to, he said. They may claim anything, but the reality is that Congress leaders have accepted defeat even before announcement of polls, he added. Without naming Sonia Gandhi, Modi said, "Some INDI alliance leaders have left the Lok Sabha and entered the Rajya Sabha as they don't have the courage and confidence to contest elections. They are not even campaigning. Congress cant find candidates as well." The INDIA bloc parties are contesting the Lok Sabha polls against each other in 25 per cent seats. "Can you trust such people?" he asked people at the rally. "After June 4, an all-out fight will break out among the INDIA bloc members. You need to teach them a lesson in elections," Modi said. The prime minister thanked voters for coming out in large numbers to exercise their voting right in the first phase of elections. Next 25 years will be years of India's greatness in the world, he said. "I want to congratulate and thank people, especially the first-time voters. As per the information I have received, voting has been one-sided in favour of the NDA. I thank you with a bowed head," he said. Modi urged people to step out to vote in large numbers although there is heat, farmers are busy and the wedding season is on. "Soldiers always do their duty of protecting the country's borders irrespective of any season. By voting, you are not doing anybody a favour but securing the country's future," he said. In a sarcastic comment, Modi said he wanted to boost the morale of the opposition party workers as 0they should also encourage voters to come out to vote. "You (opposition leaders) are sure to lose the elections. But, some day you will get a chance. Despite the imminent loss you must encourage voters to vote in large numbers," he said. On the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, he asked that without the CAA what fate would have befallen Sikhs who came to India from Afghanistan. Over 60% polling in first and biggest phase (L) Voters take selfie after casting their vote for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Jabalpur on Friday. (R) A voter carrying her child shows her finger marked with indelible ink after casting her vote in Meghalaya. (PTI) NEW DELHI : A VOTER turnout of over 60.03 per cent was recorded in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections covering 102 seats across 21 States and Union Territories amid sporadic incidents of violence at some places and an accidental explosion of a grenade launcher shell in Chhattisgarh that left a CRPF jawan dead. The Election Commission said, polling for the first and biggest phase of the seven-phase elections remained largely peaceful. Voters braved the heat in most parts while at some places, they waited patiently in pouring rain as the worlds largest poll exercise got underway at 7 am. The National Democratic alliance (NDA) under Prime Minister Modi is seeking a stronger majority for a third consecutive term, while the constituents of the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc are hoping for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections. Tripura recorded the highest turnout of 79.90 per cent, followed by West Bengal at 77.57, Puducherry 73.25 per cent, Assam 71.38 and Meghalaya 70.26 per cent. The tentative figure of voter turnout till 7 pm is likely to go upwards when reports from all polling stations are obtained, the EC said, adding voters reaching polling stations till the end of polling hour are allowed to cast their vote. In Maharashtra, a voter turnout of 55.29 per cent was recorded while the six Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 66.04 per cent. Uttar Pradesh witnessed 57.61 per cent voting, Mizoram 54.18, Nagaland 56.77 and Sikkim 68.08. In Chhattisgarh, 63.41 per cent voters cast their votes in the Naxal-hit Bastar Lok Sabha constituency where the CRPF jawan after the grenade accidentally went off while an officer was injured in an IED blast in another incident. For the first time in a Lok Sabha election, voters in 56 villages in Bastar cast their vote in a polling booth set up in their own village. Voters in six districts of eastern Nagaland stayed indoors following an indefinite shutdown call by an apex body of tribal organisations to press for its demand for a separate state. Assembly elections were also held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Among the voters were first-timers, many newly-wed couples who came in their traditional attires, physically-challenged people and some elderly persons carried on stretchers and wheelchairs. Minor EVM glitches were reported at some booths in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Assam. In West Bengal, polling was marred by violence in the Cooch Behar seat. TMC and BJP workers clashed with each other and lodged 80 and 39 complaints respectively related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assault on poll agents, sources from both parties said. In strife-torn Manipur, around an impressive turnout of 68.62 per cent till 5 pm was recorded. An altercation broke out between locals and unidentified persons in Thongju assembly constituency under the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat. In Tamil Nadu, where polling is spread over 39 constituencies, a voting percentage of over 62.19 was recorded. Voting was delayed by an hour in some polling booths in the state such as the one near Tambaram due to technical glitches in the electronic voting machines. Arunachal Pradesh saw 65.46 per cent of the total 8,92,694 voters exercising their franchise. Though the turnout was moderate in the morning hours due to inclement weather, it gathered momentum with weather conditions improving. In a few polling stations in the State, polling was delayed as the electronic voting machines (EVMs) developed technical snags which were later replaced, Chief Electoral Officer Pawan Kumar Sain said. Supporters of two candidates clashed near a polling station in the Bameng constituency in East Kameng district, Inspector General of Police (Law & Order) Chukhu Apa said, adding the situation was brought under control and polling is continuing. Incidents of EVM damage were also reported from three polling stations in East Kameng, Kurung Kumey and Upper Subansiri districts, the police officer said. Andaman and Nicobar Islands saw a voting percentage of 56.87 per cent.There were some minor EVM glitches but it was addressed immediately, officials said. Around 47.49 per cent of the 75 lakh voters in four Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar exercised their franchise. Braving incessant rains, 65.08 per cent of voters exercised their choice in the first six hours of polling in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur parliamentary constituency. In Rajasthan, 50.95 per cent voting took place while Uttarakhand saw 53.64 per cent polling. Over 16.63 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase. In the first phase, there are 35.67 lakh first time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years. Politicos actively take part in Festival of Democracy Staff Reporter Leaders and workers of all the political parties enthusiastically took part in the festival of democracy by casting their votes along with their families. After exercising franchise, they appealed to the public to exercise their voting rights in large numbers and expressed gratitude for their support and blessings. Early in the morning, politicians reached the polling booths with their families and stood in line to cast their vote. While the main contest on Jabalpur Lok Sabha seat is between BJP candidate Ashish Dubey and Congress candidate Dinesh Yadav, candidates from all parties are confident of their victory. After casting vote, BJP candidate Dubey said, We are winning all 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh and once again forming the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. Congress candidate Yadav stated that the public is determined for a change this time and Congress will win with a massive majority. Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Vivek Tankha responded to BJPs claim of crossing 400 mark by saying, I dont think BJP is even crossing 200 mark. State PWD Minister Rakesh Singh said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NDA is going to form Government at the Centre for the third time. Until pre-voting phase, everyone speculated that the voter turnout would be significantly low due to silence and lackluster election campaigns. However, after voting started in the morning, enthusiasm shown by voters dispelled that possibility. In previous Lok Sabha elections, voters turnout was 72 per cent. Despite extensive campaigning by BJPs Rakesh Singh and Congress Vivek Tankha, star campaigners from both the parties as well as senior leaders participating in roadshows, Congress lost the election with over 4 lakh votes. This time, BJP did not leave any stone unturned in the election campaign and besides Prime Minister Narendra Modis roadshows, National President J P Nadda also held rallies in support of the party. On the other hand, to support the Congress candidate, only State Congress President Jitu Patwari came to the city to hold rallies, which required the Congress candidate Dinesh Yadav to engage with local Congress workers in the election campaign. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. The return of the four villages by Armenia marks a long-awaited historic event and a significant diplomatic triumph for Azerbaijan, Executive Director of the Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future (PRCCSF) Khalid Taimur Akram told Trend. "The recent agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, whereby Armenia has agreed to return four villages it occupied during the first Karabakh war, is a historic development for peace in the South Caucasus. This achievement is a testament to President Ilham Aliyev's forward-thinking and pragmatic foreign policy approach," he said. The analyst pointed out that, with the agreement to implement the border delineation process based on the 1991 Almaty Declaration, both countries have laid the groundwork for further negotiations that will pave the way for sustainable development in the region and lay the groundwork for future cooperation and trust-building measures. "Azerbaijan's consistent willingness to pursue constructive dialogue underscores its dedication to resolving conflicts peacefully, thus promoting cooperation, stability, and security in the South Caucasus region. Rooted in principles of peace and prosperity, Azerbaijan's foreign policy emphasizes the pursuit of mutually beneficial solutions to all challenges. The decision to return them, made during the eighth meeting of border demarcation commissions is an important step towards reconciliation and the resolution of longstanding territorial disputes," Khalid Taimur Akram added. The expert also noted that, for lasting peace to be achieved, Armenia must abandon its anti-Azerbaijan stance and embrace a path of reconciliation, marked by genuine dialogue and cooperation. "As the process of border delimitation and demarcation continues, Armenia must remain steadfast in its commitment to constructive engagement and mutual respect," he highlighted. Previous Govts cheated SC, ST, OBCs in name of social justice: PM Modi AMROHA (UP), PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused previous Governments of cheating the SC, ST and OBC communities in the name of social justice, and said he is working towards achieving the dream of social reformers Jyotiba Phule, Dr B R Ambedkar and Chaudhary Charan Singh. The Prime Minister also took a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, saying the do shehzade ki jodi has been rejected by people. Addressing a poll rally here in support of Kanwar Singh Tanwar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Amroha Lok Sabha constituency in western Uttar Pradesh, Modi said, Previous Governments have only cheated the people of SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe) and OBC (Other Backward Classes) communities in the name of social justice. Modi is working day and night to achieve the social justice dream of Jyotiba Phule, Dr Ambedkar and (former prime minister) Chaudhary Charan Singh, he added. The Prime Minister addressed the rally as polling was underway in eight western Uttar Pradesh constituencies in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls. Amroha will go to polls in the second phase on April 26. In a veiled attack on Gandhi and Yadav, Modi said, The shooting of the film, do shehzade ki jodi (pair of two princes), is going on. But their film has already been rejected. Every time these people go out to seek votes from the people of Uttar Pradesh, they carry a basket of dynasty, corruption and appeasement. They do not leave any chance to attack our faith. Hitting out at the Congress candidate from Amroha, Danish Ali, the Prime Minister claimed that he has objections in saying Bharat Mata ki jai. Will a person, who cannot accept Bharat Mata ki jai, look good in the Indian Parliament? Should such a person be allowed entry into the Indian Parliament? he asked the rally. Slamming the Opposition, Modi said, The SP and the Congress declined the invitation to the Ram temples consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. People hankering for vote banks refused the invitation to the ceremony. They are not satisfied after refusing the invitation, so they abuse the Ram temple and Sanatan Dharma. The SP, for its vote bank, call Ram bhakts pakhandi (hypocrite). Those in the INDIA bloc hate Sanatan Dharma. The Prime Minister alleged that when he went under the sea to offer prayers in Gujarats Dwarka, where Lord Krishna had gone from Amroha, the prince of the Congress said there is nothing to pray under the sea. They are rejecting our faith only for their vote banks. Hitting out at Yadav and Bihars Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, he said, Those in Bihar who say they are Yaduvanshis, in Uttar Pradesh, the leader who takes the benefits of being a Yaduvanshi, I want to ask them, how can they sit with a party that insults Lord Krishna? How can you have an agreement with them? Accusing vote-bank politics for communal riots, Modi said, This vote-bank politics burnt western Uttar Pradesh in the fire of riots. The people of Uttar Pradesh can never forget that era of Goonda Raj. People had to migrate because of it. But Yogiji (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) got rid of criminals for your safety. We must ensure that these forces are not strengthened again in any manner. The Prime Minister began his speech with an appeal to people to vote. I appeal to everyone to exercise their right to vote given by the Constitution, he said. Modi emphasised that youngsters should especially go out and vote to secure their future and that of the country. Attacking the I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc, he said, Those in the INDI alliance are using their strengths to make villages backwards. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Adityanath on the dais. Rgaon: Battleground of prestige & power By G Ravindra Mudiraj Rajnandgaon, In Chhattisgarh, the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency witnesses a fierce electoral tussle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress. The contest here is not just a political showdown but a battleground of prestige and power, drawing national attention. In this electoral clash, BJP's Santosh Pandey, the incumbent, faces off against a formidable opponent in Bhupesh Baghel, a prominent political figure and OBC leader of Chhattisgarh and former Chief Minister. The matchup presents an intriguing contrast, with both candidates boasting impressive educational backgrounds, Pandey with a law degree and Baghel with a master's in Political Science. Baghels entry into the fray was unexpected, especially after his tenure as Chief Minister. Similarly, Pandeys candidacy in 2019 was sudden, propelled by the wave of Modi's popularity at the time. As the countdown to the election narrows to just seven days, the campaign trail, amidst scorching heat and wedding festivities, sees a slow but steady pace. Unlike previous elections marked by grand rallies and public spectacles, the current scenario is dominated by a digital battleground, with both BJP and Congress leveraging social media to sway public opinion. BJP, buoyed by its return to power in the state, employs various tactics to secure victory, while Congress, led by its IT cell and Baghel, launches an aggressive campaign to challenge the ruling party. Both parties highlight their respective achievements at the national and state levels, striving to woo voters across the sprawling constituency, comprising over three thousand villages. There is a historical precedent to the electoral saga in Rajnandgaon. Over the years, the Rajnandgaon seat has seen a seesaw battle between Congress and BJP candidates, with the Khairagarh royal familys members holding sway for a significant period. Rajnandgaon parliamentary constituency which saw 18 Lok Sabha elections since 1952, Congress candidates have emerged victorious 10 times, while BJP clinched victory on 7 occasions, and Bharatiya Lok Dal secured a single win. The members of the Khairagarh royal family have triumphed in this seat six times. In the current electoral showdown, the BJP has pinned its hopes on the sitting MP from the general category, while Congress has placed its trust in the prominent OBC leader and former Chief Minister. Historically, when Chhattisgarh was part of undivided Madhya Pradesh, the Congress held a firm grip on this Lok Sabha seat. Royal members like Virendra Bahadur Singh, Shivend Bahadur Singh, and Padmadevi Singh, associated with the Khairagarh royal family, dominated the political scene in Rajnandgaon. However, the path shifted with the victory of Bharatiya Lok Dal candidate Madan Tiwari. In recent times, the BJP has maintained its hold on this seat, including in the last elections. With the election drawing near Congress workers are actively engaged in distributing pamphlets door-to-door, informing residents about the party's manifesto promises, including the pledge to create 30 lakh jobs and various other schemes. Notably, initiatives like the Mahalakshmi Nyay Yojana, offering Rs 1 lakh per year to women, are being promoted, with forms being filled out to facilitate participation. Congress banks on the experience and grassroots support of Baghel. Meanwhile, BJP workers are also undertaking similar outreach efforts, canvassing doorto-door to inform constituents about the beneficial schemes implemented by their government and the Modi administration, and organizing rallies featuring key leaders like Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Both candidates have been making extensive visits to the constituency. As both camps intensify their efforts to sway the electorate, the outcome of this closely watched contest remains uncertain. Will Baghel and Congress manage to outmanoeuvre BJP's strategies, or will Pandey secure victory in the face of formidable opposition? With just seven days left for ballots, the political scenario of Rajnandgaon hangs in suspense, awaiting the verdict of the voters. Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi to be new Navy chief Delhi Bureau and Agencies : NEW DELHI : VICE Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi will be the new Navy chief by the end of this month succeeding incumbent Admiral R Hari Kumar. Admiral Kumar will retire from service on April 30. Vice Admiral Tripathi is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. The Government has appointed Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, presently serving as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff as the next Chief of the Naval Staff with effect from the afternoon of April 30, the Defence Ministry said. Born on May 15, 1964, Vice Admiral Tripathi was commissioned into the executive branch of the Indian Navy on July 1, 1985. A communication and electronic warfare specialist, he has had a long and distinguished service spanning nearly 30 years. Prior to taking over as Vice Chief of Navy, he had served as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command. Vice Admiral Tripathi has served in a variety of command, staff and instructional appointments. He has commanded INS Vinash. He has also held various important operational and staff appointments which include Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet, Director of Naval Operations, Principal Director Network Centric Operations and Principal Director of Naval Plans at New Delhi. As Rear Admiral, he served as Flag Officer Commanding of the Eastern Fleet. He also served as Commandant of the prestigious Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. India delivers BrahMos... supersonic cruise missile system along with 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 escalated owing to 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 the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russian Federations 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 Indias deterrence capabilities. The Indian Army has integrated multiple BrahMos regiments into its arsenal since 2007. Voters brave all odds as duty comes first Staff Reporter Braving sweltering heat and lone queues, senior citizens turned up in large numbers to cast their votes at various polling booths of Jabalpur Parliamentary Constituency during Lok Sabha Elections on Friday. Ditching the facility of voting from home, many senior citizens stepped out and cast their votes from polling booths. For 95-year old Gulab Kali Bai, a voter from Jabalpur East Constituency, voting is a sacred ritual she has never missed in her life. This is a legacy we are passing to our coming generations. Our country comes first and all other problems can be managed, she smiled. Even searing heat failed to dampened the spirit of 85-year-old Raghunath Singh who was partly paralysed and remained on wheelchair, still approached the polling centre to fulfill his duty towards the country. He said that the concept of home voting made him feel like he is incapable. Tikaram approached his polling centre on his wheelchair with urine bag intact, but the enthusiasm of using his franchise was clearly visible on his face. His son said that He didnt agree to choose home voting because he wanted to visit the booth and see people coming up for voting. Despite suffering from a critical disease, he was keen on voting and insisted us to get him discharge from the hospital. Barely able to walk, an elderly lady in her seventies said that she wanted to witness and feel the atmosphere inside the polling booth and hence she chose to vote from the booth. There were similar stories of senior citizens, many of them helped by their family members and scouts arriving at polling booths to cast their votes. Many were given wheelchairs at polling centres while others were provided chairs to wait for their turns. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Azerbaijan is achieving all its goals step by step, former military attache of Turkiye in Azerbaijan, Reserve General Yucel Karauz told Trend. Karauz made the remark commenting on the return of Gazakh district's four villages, previously occupied by Armenia, to the control of Azerbaijan. He emphasized that the return of the villages without any shooting is a historical event. "Yesterday marked a historic day for Azerbaijan. After winning the 2020 second Karabakh war, we witnessed how the country advanced in all areas and achieved its goals step by step," the former attache said. He highlighted that another victory was inscribed in the glorious history of Azerbaijan. This should be highly appreciated by both the countries of the region and the West. I hope that the processes of delimitation and demarcation will be completed in the near future, Karauz added. To note, the eighth meeting of the State Commission on State Border Delimitation between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the Commission on State Border Delimitation and Border Security between Armenia and Azerbaijan was held on April 19, 2024. The sides tentatively agreed on the passage of certain segments of the border line directly between the settlements of Baganis (Armenia) - Baganys Ayrim (Azerbaijan), Voskepar (Armenia) - Ashagy Askipara (Azerbaijan), Kirants (Armenia) Kheyrimli (Azerbaijan), and Berkaber (Armenia) - Gyzylhajily (Azerbaijan) to bring them in line with the legally justified inter-republican border that existed within the Soviet Union at the time of its collapse. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has received Iran's Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Seyyed Abbas Musavi on the conclusion of his diplomatic activity, a source in the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan told Trend. The parties expressed satisfaction with the current level of friendship and cooperation between the two states, based on historical roots. It was noted that significant steps have been taken to develop relations in political, economic, trade, and other areas. Bayramov also highlighted the development of relations between the two countries within regional and multilateral frameworks, and the effective work of regional formats such as 3+3. Musavi thanked for the support provided to him during his diplomatic tenure. He noted that during his time as ambassador, all possibilities were mobilized for the development of bilateral relations, emphasizing that the future ambassador would also spare no effort for furthering these relations. During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on other bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest. Bayramov wished the ambassador success in his future endeavors, added the ministry. To note, Musavi was the ambassador of Iran to Azerbaijan since 2020. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Turkish Foreign Ministry has welcomed Armenia's return of four occupied villages in the Gazakh district to Azerbaijan, Trend reports via the ministry's statement. "We welcome the agreement reached at the meeting of the State Commission on the State Border Delimitation between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the Commission on State Border Delimitation and Border Security between the two, regarding the return of four villages, which were occupied for 30 years, to Azerbaijan, and the continuation of delimitation work. This positive development, achieved through direct negotiations, is an important step towards the signing of a peace agreement," the statement reads. To note, the eighth meeting of the State Commission on State Border Delimitation between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the Commission on State Border Delimitation and Border Security between Armenia and Azerbaijan was held on April 19, 2024. The sides tentatively agreed on the passage of certain segments of the border line directly between the settlements of Baganis (Armenia) - Baganys Ayrim (Azerbaijan), Voskepar (Armenia) - Ashagy Askipara (Azerbaijan), Kirants (Armenia) Kheyrimli (Azerbaijan), and Berkaber (Armenia) - Gyzylhajily (Azerbaijan) to bring them in line with the legally justified inter-republican border that existed within the Soviet Union at the time of its collapse. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Fresh reports have emerged that the Nigeria Police Force has detained a female police officer who was the aide-de-camp to fleeing former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello. Reliable media reports indicated that the ADC was arrested alongside other police officers attached to Bello, and being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Their arrests and detention followed a Thursday night order by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, directing their immediate withdrawal from the former governor. Senior police sources, who preferred anonymity, disclosed that the officers were arrested on the suspicion that they aided and abetted Bellos escape from operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. It was recalled the anti-graft agency had gone to effect his arrest at his Abuja home on Wednesday. The ADC and the other police details attached to Yahaya Bello have been arrested and detained. They were arrested on the order of the IG, on the suspicion that they aided and abetted the former governors escape from the EFCC on Wednesday, one of the sources was quoted as saying. Another source said, Yahaya Bellos female ADC and other police officers attached to him were brought to the command this morning, and theyve been detained for aiding and abetting (the governors escape). The EFCC is investigating Bello over alleged laundering of the sum of N80,246,470,088.88. Residents of Okuama-Ewu, Ughelli South Local Government Area in Delta State, have filed a N200 billion lawsuit against the Nigerian Army at the Federal High Court in Warri for cordoning off their community, destroying their homes, dehumanising them, and accusing them of killing 17 military personnel. About 17 residents of Okuama-Ewu community, whose lingering land disputes with the Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area escalated, resulting in the intrusion of soldiers into the community on March 14, are suing the Nigerian Army, the respondent, for N200billion in general and exemplary damages. Victor Akemor, Madam Omotiwori Olarehor, Victor Odi, Okrika Emmanuel, Austin Eferemua, and Evelyn Edjekola are the applicants, who are primarily farmers, traders, and businessmen, who have applied for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights to a fair hearing, the dignity of the human person, private and family life, freedom of movement, choice of residency, and the right to own property. Pa James Ubredu, David Oghenewede, Lucky Orode, and Iwriogbo Best, as well as Felix Orhiunu, Bernard Michael, Oghenekobiruo, Vero Joseph, Ebikawe Emmanuel, Francis Uphurie, and Hon Belvis Adogbo, are also involved in suit no. FHC/WR/CS/41/2024 before Hon Justice I.M Sani. They are suing on behalf of themselves, members of the Okuama community, and the public interest. The petitioners' lawyers, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo, Akpokona Omafuaire Esq., Seprebofa Oyeghe Esq., O. L. Ofuasia Esq., and Ernest Ogbaga Esq., filed their application on Thursday. The reliefs sought against the Nigerian Army are as follows: A declaration of this honorable court that the respondents accusation, media trial, and sentencing of the applicants, and the residents of the Okuama community for the murder of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in, on March 14, without any police investigation, or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime without following due process of law, is a flagrant violation of the applicants rights. the residents of the Okuama communitys right to a fair hearing, which is, therefore, illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional. A declaration of this honourable court that the respondents deployment of troops for the invasion, and brutal reprisal attacks on the applicants and residents of Okuama community for the death of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in, without any police investigation, or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, and without following due process of law, dishing out collective punishment on them, killing, maiming, brutalizing, harassing, intimidating, coercing demolishing, destroying, razing, and burning down of their properties, leaving only the Anglican Church, the Okuama Secondary School, and the Aderha Primary School buildings standing, causing them to disperse and flee to various towns, villages, forests, bushes and creeks for safety, living the life of destitute under torturous, inhuman, degrading and excruciating condition without shelter, food, drinking water, medication, money or means of income, and clothes, exposed to weather, diseases, snake and mosquito bites, and other dangerous wild animals is a flagrant violation of the applicants, and the residents of the Okuama community have the right to the dignity of their human person, and, therefore, illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional. A declaration of this honourable court that the respondents troops invasion, and forceful eviction of the applicants, and the residents of the Okuama community from their homes in a manner that interfered, and robbed them of their privacy, family bond, and unity, causing them to disperse and live apart for the death of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in, without any police investigation or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, and without following due process of law is a violation of the applicants and residents of the Okuama community right to private and family life, and, therefore, illegal unlawful and unconstitutional. A declaration of this honourable court that the respondents cordon-off of the Okuama community, of the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, preventing, barring, prohibiting, and restraining the applicants, and residents of Okuama community from gaining access into their community, and homes to live their normal li, fe and carry on their normal business, and, thereby depriving them of their right to move freely in and out of their community and their right of choice to reside in Okuama community for the murder of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in, without any police investigation or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, and without following due process of law is a flagrant violation of their freedom of movement, and right of choice of place of residency, and, therefore, illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional. A declaration of this honourable court that the respondents troops razing and burning down of the properties of the applicants and residents of the Okuama community, leaving only the Anglian Church, the Okuama Secondary School and the Aderha Primary School buildings standing, forcefully and compulsorily seizing, and taking over possession of their land without any Delta State Government or Federal Government of Nigeria compulsory acquisition of the land and payment of compensation to the applicants and residents of the Okuama community, and without their input and the looting of the applicants, and the residents of the Okuama communitys moveable properties, the particulars which are contained in the affidavit in support of this application by the troops and neighboring villagers for the murder of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in without any police investigation, or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, without following due process of law, is a flagrant violation of the applicants and residents of the Okuama community right to own both moveable and immovable properties, and, therefore, illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional. A declaration of this honourable court that respondents troops entering into the Okuama community to perform the statutory and constitutional duties of the Nigerian Police Force on March 14, 2024, and the respondents troops invasion, brutal reprisal attack, killing, maiming brutalizing. harassment, intimidation, and coercion of the applicants and residents of the Okuama community for the death of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in without any police investigation or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, and without following due process of law through collective punishment on 15/3/2024 without due process, and the backing of law that led to the forceful eviction of the applicants, and the entire residents of the Okuama community from their homes, the demolition, destruction, razing and burning down of their buildings, properties leaving only the Anglian Church the Okuama Secondary School and the Aderha Primary School buildings standing, the looting of their movable properties causing them to disperse and flee to various villages, towns, bushes, forests and creeks for safety, where they now live as destitute under inhuman, degrading and excruciating conditions, the cordoning off of the Okuama Community land from the applicants and the residents, refusing them access into their community, and their rights to live there and the unlawful seizure and taking over possession of their land by the respondents troops, is an abuse of power. An order of this honourable court for the enforcement of the fundamental rights to the dignity of the human person, right to a fair hearing, right to private and family life, freedom of movement and right of choice of place of residence and right to own property of the Applicants and residents of the Okuama community, against the respondent, her servants, and agents and/or privies. An order of this honourable court restraining the respondent, her servants, agents, and/or privies from further violating fundamental rights to the dignity of the human person, right to a fair hearing, right to privacy, and family life, freedom of movement and right of choice of place of residency and right to own property of the applicants and residents of the Okuama community. An order of this honourable court compelling the respondent to stop her troops continued invasion and occupation of the Okuama community, enabling the applicants and residents of the Okuama community to take back possession of their land that has been illegally and unlawfully seized and occupied by the respondent to rebuild their community. An order of this honourable court compelling the respondent to stop her troops of the cordon off of the Okuama community to allow the applicants and residents of the Okuama community to have access to move freely in and out of their community and have their right of choice to reside there as Nigerian citizens." Xi presents flag to PLA's information support force Xinhua) 09:00, April 20, 2024 Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), speaks at the establishment ceremony of the information support force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing, capital of China, April 19, 2024. Xi also presented a flag to the force at its establishment ceremony. (Xinhua/Li Gang) BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has set up an information support force. Chinese President Xi Jinping presented a flag to the force at its establishment ceremony held on Friday in Beijing. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), stressed solid efforts to build a strong and modernized information support force. Xi said that the establishment of the information support force is a major decision that the CPC Central Committee and the CMC has made in light of the overall need of building a strong military. Xi stressed that the information support force is a new, strategic branch of the military and a key pillar in coordinating the construction and application of the network information system. It will play a crucial role in advancing the Chinese military's high-quality development and competitiveness in modern warfare. He ordered the force to resolutely obey the Party's command, and make sure it stays absolutely loyal, pure and reliable. Xi urged the force to integrate deeply into the Chinese military's joint operation system, carry out information support operations in a precise and effective manner, and facilitate military operations in various directions and fields. He also urged efforts to build a network information system that fulfills the requirements of modern warfare and features the Chinese military's own characteristics, as well as efforts to accelerate the development of integrated combat capabilities more effectively. Xi met with members of the leadership of the information support force and had a group photo with them. According to a decision made by the CMC, the information support force is directly led by the CMC, and the official designation of the Strategic Support Force is canceled. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), presents a flag to the information support force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) at its establishment ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, April 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Gang) (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. The Port of Amsterdam has sealed two deals related to green hydrogen and its derivatives, Trend reports. The first agreement involves a joint study agreement (JSA) between the Port of Amsterdam, Petronor, EnBW, and GasLog. This agreement aims to assess the technical and commercial feasibility of establishing a liquid hydrogen corridor linking Bilbao and Amsterdam. The second agreement is an MoU between Petronor/Repsol, KLM, and the Port of Amsterdam, focusing on exploring the potential for producing synthetic aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrogen-based synthetic aviation fuel (e-SAF) in Bilbao. Furthermore, one more agreement was struck between Evos and CEPSA. This deal aims to explore various methods for transporting hydrogen from southern Spain. In Amsterdam, Evos plans to use liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC) for transportation, with one of its terminals gearing up to receive and store LOHC in existing tanks soon. These agreements mark another milestone in the growing hydrogen ties between Spain and Amsterdam, building upon a previous partnership signed in June 2023 between the Port of Amsterdam, the Port of Bilbao in Spain, and other stakeholders. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is committed to working towards successful COP29 in Azerbaijan, said the IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, Trend reports. "Great meeting with Azerbaijan Finance Minister Samir Sharifov, Governor Taleh Kazimov, and COP29 President-designate Mukhtar Babayev. We are committed to supporting Azerbaijans development and climate goals and working toward a successful COP29 in Baku in November," she wrote on her page on X. This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 7080,000 foreign guests. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COP - the Conference of the Parties- is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel A betting racket was busted in the city again. Police have arrested three individuals so far in connection with the ongoing IPL matches between Mumbai and Punjab. The arrested individuals are identified as Praveen Kothari, Basant Kumar Bansal alias Dabllu and Manoj Agarwal. According to police sources, yesterday, they received a tip-off and raided an office in Hare Street, where they found evidence of this betting racket. Four mobile phones and screenshots related to betting were seized from the arrested individuals. Police are investigating whether there are more people involved with them. Previously, police have busted similar betting rackets during IPL matches. Lalbazar police had arrested two individuals from the Posta area of Kolkata earlier. The accused were found conducting betting through their mobile phones inside a shop in the Posta area. Police had also found substantial evidence from the seized mobile phones of the accused. Advertisement As chief minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the Border Security Force (BSF) works for the BJP on poll day, residents living ahead of the Indo-Bangladesh fence in Jalpaiguri today have expressed their satisfaction and happiness over the role of the BSF after casting their votes. Residents living ahead of the Bangladesh border thanked the BSF for their presence and proactive measures contributed significantly to creating a secure environment for voters, enabling them to exercise their democratic rights without any hindrance. The BSF troops deployed in North Bengal Frontier in Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha constituency have been lauded for their commendable service to the people during the Lok Sabha polls. Their dedication and commitment to duty were evident as they ensured the smooth conduct of the electoral process in the region, a senior BSF official said. Advertisement The BSF jawans went above and beyond their call of duty by assisting elderly and specially-abled voters to cast their votes. Their compassion and assistance played a crucial role in ensuring that every eligible citizen had the opportunity to participate in the democratic process, the official added. Trinamul Congress candidate Mahua Moitra filed her nomination papers from the Krishnagar parliamentary constituency before the district election officer Arun Prasad today. Accompanied by senior party leaders and supporters, Ms Moitra expressed confidence in securing a resounding victory, aiming to surpass her previous margin. Addressing journalists before filing her nomination, Ms Moitra reiterated her commitment to the constituents of Krishnagar Lok Sabha area, highlighting her proactive stance in advocating for local infrastructure projects. She underscored her efforts in petitioning the railway minister for crucial initiatives, including the establishment of railway lines from Krishnagar to Karimpur and the construction of an overbridge near Krishnagar railway station. Ms Moitra also emphasized the importance of including Krishnagar railway station in the prestigious group of 100 superfacility rail stations project. Advertisement Taking aim at the central government, Ms Moitra criticized what she described as a fascist force bent on compromising the nations interests. She condemned the alleged harassment by central agencies, namely the CBI and ED, attributing it to political vendetta. The nomination procession, marked by a kaleidoscope of colours and enthusiastic party members, commenced from Ms Moitras election office and culminated at the district collectorate office. Accompanying Ms Moitra were senior party figures, including Ministerm Ujjal Biswas and Sabhadhipati Tarannum Mir Sultana, signifying the unified resolve of the Trinamul Congress. Ms Moitras political journey has been characterized by fervent opposition to the ruling NDA government, both within and outside parliament. Elected to the Lok Sabha from Krishnagar in 2019, she garnered widespread acclaim for her vocal criticism of government policies. However, her tenure was marred by controversy, leading to her expulsion from the Lok Sabha in December 2023 amid allegations of corruption. Undeterred by the setback, Moitra has emerged as a pivotal figure within the Trinamul Congress, entrusted once again with representing the partys interests in the upcoming elections. Challenged by BJP candidate Amrita Roy, Moitra remains undaunted in her pursuit of securing victory for her party. As the electoral battle for Krishnagar intensifies, all eyes are on Mahua Moitra as she seeks to reaffirm her political relevance and secure a mandate from the constituents she has tirelessly served. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 20. Turkmenistan is modernizing facilities for receiving, storing, and shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced by the Turkmengaz State Concern, Trend reports. This was announced by Deputy Chairman of the Government of Turkmenistan, Batyr Amanov, at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. According to him, in order to reliably supply the necessary volumes of products, the state is taking effective measures to reconstruct the relevant structures. Amanov noted that the uninterrupted provision of these facilities with appropriate material and technical means currently contributes to improving the efficiency of their production activities. In turn, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, after hearing the report, stressed the importance of liquefied natural gas production in the country and its reliable transportation to world markets. The Head of State approved the proposals and instructed the Deputy Prime Minister to carry out appropriate work to improve the facilities for receiving, storing, and shipping this type of product. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan is actively investing in the development of its liquefied gas industry, as part of which the country is modernizing its production facilities and introducing advanced technologies. Recently, Amanov stated that from January through March of this year, the growth rate of liquefied natural gas production in Turkmenistan amounted to 9.4 percent compared to the first quarter of last year. Stay up to date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Sporadic incidents of violence marred the first phase of 18th Lok Sabha polls in three parliamentary constituencies of north Bengal today following political clashes between Trinamul Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party workers since morning, especially in Cooch Behar. The Election Commission received over 100 complaints of violence and intimidation from three Lok Sabha segments, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri. Voters were prevented by both the BJP and TMC from coming to polling booths in some areas in Cooch Behar and other segments. Advertisement Voter turnout was recorded on an average 50 per cent till 1 pm, 34 per cent turnout in Cooch Behar, 35 per cent in Alipurduar and 32 per cent in Jalpaiguri recorded around 11 am. At 3 pm it was 65.54 per cent, 66.23 per cent and 67.28 per cent respectively. Significantly, voters turnout was 80.80 per cent in Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha segment at 5 pm. Political clashes broke out last night in Dinhata Assembly segment in Cooch Behar. Trouble began this morning after one TMC block president was injured in a clash in Dinhata. TMC workers were accused of stone pelting in Chandamari where several people were minjured, including a BJP leader. On the other hand, BJP workers attacked TMC supporters at Chhotosalbari area in Sitalkuchi Assembly segment in Cooch Behar. Police recovered nine crude bombs from Falimari and one from Bhetaguri in Dinhata, where miscreants exploded several bombs last night. A polling agent of BJP was allegedly kidnapped in Sitalkuchi area. A BJP worker was injured in Mathabhanga area. An unnatural death of a CAPF personnel was reported, who was on polling duty at Beltala in Mathabhanga. According to hospital sources, Kumar Nilu (42), came from Bihar on polling duty. His fellow colleagues found him lying ill. Doctors declared him dead when he was taken to Mathabhanga sub-district hospital. Some temporary booth offices, belonging to both the BJP and TMC were set on fire and ransacked in different areas of three Lok Sabha constituencies, including Dabgram Fulbari area in Jalpaiguri. When TMC candidate Nirmal Roy described the incident as a conspiracy of BJP and claimed that the election was going on peacefully, trouble began in Dabgram Fulbari Assembly segment in Jalpaiguri LS constituency near Siliguri since late morning. An area, under Ward 33 of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, from where Mayor Goutam Deb was elected as a councillor, turned into a battlefield after the BJP MLA Shikha Chatterjee started visiting areas. Notably, Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb lodged complaint with the Election Commission and Siliguri Police Commissioner. Trouble began when the police decided to detain Ms Chatterjee as she was in Ward 33. As the police tried to drag her out, several BJP activists chased them and managed to escape from police clutches. Though the police tried to stop her car, the driver managed to leave the area. As Ms Chatterjee rushed to another spot after sometime in protest against booth jamming, she faced TMC workers ire. Finally, the police, accompanied by Central forces, brought the situation under control. On the other hand, North Bengal development minister Udayan Guha faced BJP backed womens ire after one BJP gram panchayet member was arrested by police. Notably, Mr Guha lodged a complaint with the police after the TMC block president was injured in a clash in the morning and threatened the police to arrest culprits within two hours. The Commission cannot avoid its responsibility, Mr Guha said. Significantly, TMC candidate Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, who claimed that the polling trend was in his favour, was prevented by BJP activists from entering the polling booth in his Assembly segment. The BJP candidate for Alipurduar Manoj Tigga, during his visits, alleged that TMC prevented polling agents from working in four polling stations in Tulsipara tea plantations area. Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from Cooch Behar throughout the day and even in the evening. A confident BJP candidate Nisith Pramanik said, Violence is TMCs political culture. If there is no TMC, there is no violence. State police are working as TMCs party cadres. Preparations for Durga Puja have started gaining steam in the city. A few days back, Tala Park 15 Palli in north Kolkata, unveiled its logo and their wall writing programme. In a tribute to unity in diversity, Indias unique identity, the club brought together women from the neighbourhood, representing the various religions. Club members said that they will unveil their theme for the Puja in June. The logo has been designed by a member of the club, which is in the shape of an inverted third eye with a conch shell in between. Advertisement Sonai Sarkar, Puja committee and club member said, Our logo has been designed by one of our members. Vote for Ma is the slogan for our wall writing. These days, political parties are writing walls with their slogans. We decided to write Goddess Durgas name. We have seen that club members all over the city have different party affiliations or are supporters. During the election, they have divided opinions on party lines. After the election, when they are back to their club activities or during Durga Puja, everyone comes together to put on a good show. This unity in diversity is our hallmark. Ma Durga is mother to all, be it for the Christian or Hindu or Muslim brothers. That is why on the day of our logo unveiling we are bringing all the community women together to vote for Ma Durga. Another member of the club said that members from the Christian and Muslim community live around the Puja ground and are part of Durga Puja. During elections, we see so much hatred and violence. If we vote for Ma, we vote for peace. She can only bring us together, added Mr Sarkar. The club organises many events like eye and health camp, blood donation camp, and other philanthropic activities for the benefit of the community. This year, Subal Pal is doing the pratima (idol) and the theme is by Srishti for this 84-year-old Puja. Last year the theme was zero (shunno). AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Saturday alleged that Sarath Chandra Reddy, labelled as the kingpin in the excise policy scam by the ED and identified as the main accused in the entire case, has purportedly offered a bribe amounting to Rs 60 crore to the BJP. This is a clear matter of quid pro quo. Sarath Chandra Reddy was released in exchange for a donation to the BJP, Singh alleged while addressing a press conference here. He further said that action should be taken against BJP leaders for extortion, advocating for their arrest. However, he pointed out that instead of pursuing BJP leaders, the ED arrested AAP leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Advertisement I was kept in jail for six months. The AAP leaders are being arrested on false charges. Despite over 500 raids conducted by the ED, not a single penny was recovered from either Arvind Kejriwals residence or Manish Sisodias house. No illicit properties or money was unearthed, yet Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia were arrested. Legal action seems to be selectively being taken against the AAP leaders, he said. I would like to express sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Supreme Court for ordering the SBI to release the details of electoral bonds. It is through these details that the real culprit in the liquor policy case has been revealed the BJP. It is the BJP who took bribe in the excise policy scam, Singh said. The AAP MP further claimed that Sarath Chandra Reddy, on getting the liquor contract in Delhi, had donated huge funds to the BJP. He (Sarath Chandra Reddy) had given several donations to the BJP between November 2021 and July 2022; On January 5, he gave Rs 3 crore; On January 12, he gave Rs 3 crore; On July 2, he donated Rs 1.5 crore, then again on July 12, he gave Rs 1.5 crore to the BJP. When Sarath Reddys contract was running in Delhi, he was feeding bribes to the BJP. When his house was raided on 9th November 2022, Sarath Reddy said that he had not given bribe to anyone, Singh said. Sarath Reddy was arrested on 10 November 2022. On 15 November 2022, he again donated Rs 5 crore to the BJP. Kamal Chhaap liquor scam party BJP, party with a difference, which calls itself the worlds largest party, took Rs 5 crore from Sarath Reddy after his arrest. This raises the question that when Sarath Reddy was in ED custody, how was his bank account running. How was he giving money to the BJP from his bank account during custody? the AAP MP asked. Singh further said that in a chargesheet filed on 6 January 2023, the ED identifies Sarath Reddy as the kingpin of the liquor scam, labelling him as the main perpetrator and the biggest beneficiary. On 20 January 2023, Sarath Chandra Reddy, during the hearing of his bail plea in Rouse Avenue Court, said that the ED is putting undue pressure and using force on him and his employees to sign pre-dictated statements. He claimed that the accusation of paying Rs 100 crore to Delhi government officials is completely baseless and false, the AAP MP said. Claiming a wipeout of Congress in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls itself, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the second phase, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress would be out of contention. In 2017, two boys came together, Rahul and Akhilesh. Even after this, a BJP government was formed in UP. In the Lok Sabha elections also both the boys are together, but a BJP government will be formed, he declared. Addressing a joint rally with RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary to seek support for Bollywood star and BJP candidate Hema Malini here on Saturday, he said while Rahul Gandhi was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Narendra Modi was born in a poor family. Advertisement These two are face-to-face now. Narendra Modi is not accused of corruption. On one hand, there is Rahul Gandhi, who is holidaying on a private island in Thailand while on the other, Narendra Modi, who does not take leave even on Diwali, is contesting the elections, Shah pointed out. He said Modi made Jai Shri Ram by building the Ram temple while the Congress Party kept the Ram temple issue pending for 70 years.Narendra Modi won the case during his five-year tenure, performed Bhoomi Pujan built a temple, and chanted Jai Shri Ram. Even in the matter of Ayodhyas life prestige, the Opposition parties did not succumb to the greed of their vote bank. Congressmen and Akhilesh Yadav say what does Congress and India have to do with it, Shah said while claiming that he is Vaishnav by birth and religion. He further said, Kashmir was waiting for the removal of Article 370 for 70 years. During Congress rule, terrorists used to come from Pakistan, carry out bomb blasts, and go away. But Narendra Modi ordered entry in Pakistan and eliminated terrorists by carrying out surgical strikes and air strikes. Narendra Modi has made the country safe and prosperous. Worked to bring the countrys economy from number 11 to number 5. If he becomes prime minister for a third time, India will become the third largest economy in the world, claimed. Shah said Chaudhary Charan Singh was the leader who worked to secure the land of the farmers of Uttar Pradesh. But Congress did not award him Bharat Ratna, but BJP honoured him with the prestigious award. He said in 2014 when the BJP made Hema Malini its candidate from Mathura, she was a well-known cine actress Now, she has become a Krishna devotee. Hema Malini sends some letter every month regarding the development of Mathura, he disclosed. Speaking on the occasion, RLD President Jayant Chaudhary said the Mathura region has its own distinct identity. The emotions of the people here are unique. People from every corner of the country come here with faith and devotion. He said Narendra Modi has given momentum to the country, but under the Congress government, schemes were made, trumpets were blown, but the schemes did not come to fruition. Whatever scheme is made in the Modi government, the public gets its direct benefits. The money reaches the beneficiaries accounts directly. There are no scams in the name of schemes, he said. Before the Corona pandemic, one-to-one and a half crore devotees used to come to Mathura every year. Now, more than six crore devotees from India and abroad are coming here every year. This is the result of the promotion that the BJP Government has given to religious tourism, he said while adding that after the construction of the Banke Bihari Corridor, poor labourers, and small traders would get its benefits. He said the credit for Chaudhary Charan Singh getting Bharat Ratna goes to the cooperation of the people of Mathura. I have been a fan of Hema Malini since childhood. I never thought in my childhood that I would have to contest elections face-to-face in 2014. Now, I will never contest elections in front of Hema Malini, whenever I contest elections from Mathura, she must come to campaign for me, he admitted. BJP candidate Hema Malini, in a brief speech, said under the leadership of Modi-Yogi, Mathura got a chance to develop a lot in 10 years. In 10 years, the country saw the trailer, and now the entire film will be shown. With the beautification of the railway station and development of Braj, devotees coming from all over the world are excited to see Braj, he said. Hema Malini announced that if the public elects her as representative for the next five years, a world-class cultural training institute would be built for the development and cultural upliftment of Braj Chaurasi Kos Parikrama. Besides, doubling of Mathura-Kasganj railway line will be done, rail connectivity between Mathura and Aligarh will be done, he added. CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday said the stance of Congress leaders in targeting the LDF and personally attacking Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is most unfortunate. Speaking to media persons in Alappuzha in Kerala on Saturday Yechuri said the INDIA bloc is formed to fight the BJP, but in Kerala, the Congress and UDF leaders are targeting the LDF and personally attacking Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhis speech in Kannur and Palakkad the other day, wherein he asked as to why Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has not been questioned or arrested by the Central probe agencies despite multiple corruption charges are being levelled against him, Yechuri said targeting the Chief Minister is inappropriate and most unfortunate Advertisement The Kerala Chief Minister was the first one to condemn Rahul Gandhis suspension from Parliament. We did not go by these sorts of politics they are going by. What is the meaning of saying why the Kerala Chief Minister is being spared when Delhi and Jharkhand Chief Ministers have been arrested. The UDF can attack the policies and positions of the LDF but targeting the Chief minister is most unfortunate, Yechuri said Terming the trend of Congress leaders attacking the Chief Minister as disturbing, the left leader asked the Congress that it must introspect and decide who is their main target If the BJP is the main target lets defeat them. If its main target is the LDF and the Kerala Chief Minister, then Congress is only helping the BJP, Yechuri said .He further said that CM Vijayan and left leaders in Kerala are not like the former Congress Chief Minister of Maharashtra who joined the BJP fearing arrest. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, while addressing rallies in Kannur and Palakkad asked as to why Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has not been questioned by the Central agencies despite multiple corruption charges are being levelled against him. Rahul Gandhi asked why the BJP and Central probe agencies are ignoring the serious allegations against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday accused the Congress-led UDF MPs of not speaking for the rights of people of Kerala in the parliament. Addressing an election rally in Vatakara, CM Vijayan said when the Centre was financially strangulating the state, the UDF members refused to meet the union finance minister and did not stand up for the rights of Kerala. Stating that the Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA) was the agenda of RSS , CM Vijayan asked how a political party like the Congress could decide not to mention it in its election manifesto Warning the public to not repose faith in the INDIA bloc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the Congress is such a vine that has neither roots nor it has land and it dries up one who supports it. Prime Minister said that Congress did not allow Maharashtra to develop adding that it was responsible for the problems in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a Vijay Sankalp meeting in Parbhani, Prime Minister Modi said, Beware of the Congress and the INDI Alliance! Congress is such a vine, that has neither roots nor land, it dries up the one who supports it, Congress was responsible for partition. Congress was responsible for the Kashmir issue. Congress did not allow the implementation of the Constitution in Kashmir on the pretext of Article 370! Congress snatched away the rights of Dalits. Congress never allowed Maharashtra and Marathwada to develop. Advertisement Prime Minister compared the media debate of the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and said that a clear shift has been noted in these five years as earlier media used to debate only about cross-border terrorism. In 2014, when I was contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time, what were the topics of discussion during that time? What were the topics covered in the newspapers? What were the topics discussed on TV? At that time, the talk was of the fear of terrorist attacks. Every day there was news of bomb blasts. Five years later, in 2019, the discussion of cross-border attacks stopped and the discussion of surgical strikes started, and Yeh toh Modi hai ghar mein ghus kar marega started he said. Prime Minister further said that the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state ignored the problems of Maharashtra. The entire area of Marathwada is of farming. Black cotton, soybean, and jowar bajra are important sources of income. But Congress and MVA did not understand your troubles. The biggest challenge in this area is irrigation. During the NDA government, the Jalyukt Shivar Scheme was launched but MVA stopped this scheme, PM said. Prime Minister also mentioned that Maharashtra is benefitting from the Centres schemes. Today everyone is getting medicines at an 80 per cent discount from Jan Aushadhi Kendras in Parbhani. More than 1.25 lakh women have been given Ujjwala gas connections here without any discrimination, he added. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena. Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra are being held in five phases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposition parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing ousting him from power.The results of the seven-phase polls will be announced on June 4. The second phase will be held on April 26 and the remaining phases will be May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1 accordingly. The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases. Expressing concern over the health of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged a conspiracy to push him to a slow death by not providing him with insulin and a doctor to consult on his fluctuating sugar levels inside the jail. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, senior AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that Kejriwal, who is a diabetic with Type-2 diabetes, requested the jail administration for insulin and video conferencing with his family doctor, but he was denied both these. I want to say with full responsibility that a conspiracy for the slow death of Kejriwal is underway, Bharadwaj claimed, citing readings of the blood sugar levels of the Delhi CM. Advertisement He pointed out that when a patient suffering from high sugar levels does not take medicine, there is a possibility of organ damage. This, he said could happen with Kejriwal, if such a situation arises, no one, even the LG, would be able to arrange for a lever or a kidney for the AAP chief. Hitting out at the Tihar administration, Bharadwaj alleged that they are denying insulin to the same person who provided free treatment to the people of Delhi, gave more than 500 Mohalla Clinics. He also accused the jail administration of planting news against the Delhi CM to cause doubts about claims on Kejriwals health.I am asking the people of Delhi can you trust the jail administration that is reluctant to give insulin to a sugar patient and spreading misinformation against him every day. He called it unfortunate that a chief minister has to approach the court for medicine instead of the jail administration and its doctors. On Friday, Kejriwals counsel the court that the CM is not being administered insulin to control his blood sugar levels ever since he was arrested. The situation, he said, was alarming. At a joint rally convened by the INDIA block on Saturday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav asserted that the first phase of polls on Friday had laid the groundwork for bidding farewell to the NDA government. The maiden joint rally held at the mini stadium here aimed to garner support for BSP MP and current Congress candidate from Amroha, Danish Ali. Speaking on the occasion, both leaders squarely blamed the BJP government for the problems facing the youth, farmers, and the common people. Akhilesh claimed that the BJPs farewell has begun with the resounding beats of the dholak in Amroha. Advertisement Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Amroha on Friday, where he highlighted the significance of dholak. Rahul said that after the formation of the coalition government, the youth, farmers, and women will reap the benefits. We have prepared a roadmap for everyone. Thats why the BJP shies away from conducting a caste census, he said, highlighting the central governments neglect of crucial issues concerning the youth. The Congress leader emphasised that caste census means an X-ray of India. He resolved that a caste census will be conducted once the coalition government assumes power, notwithstanding opposition from the BJP. He stressed that the nation deserves to know the level of participation of 90 per cent of the population. Rahul said that under the coalition government, MNREGA wages will increase to Rs 400 per day, and Anganwadi workers will receive double the honorarium. He reiterated that the INDIA bloc will ensure that the money given to industrialists is redirected to farmers and the poor. Furthermore, Rahul said, A scheme named Pehli Naukri Pakki will be introduced for the youth to ensure that the graduates among them have access to apprenticeship programmes. Claiming that farmers never get their due rights, he pledged that once the INDIA bloc assumes power, it would waive off farmers loans. Besides, a Farmers Commission would be established to implement schemes specifically designed to benefit farmers, he added. Rahul asserted that the Agniveer scheme would be abolished if the Congress formed the government. He highlighted the continuous leakage of papers and pledged to enact laws to prevent such occurrences. Rahul criticised the BJP for deceiving the youth in the name of employment and cited the existence of three lakh vacant positions nationwide. He promised to fill all vacant posts and lamented the cessation of employment and pension benefits for youth in the army under the Modi government. Furthermore, Rahul announced the implementation of the Mahalakshmi scheme, which involves compiling a list of all families. Under this initiative, one woman from each impoverished household would be selected, and the Congress party would deposit Rs 1 lakh into her account. The Congress leader highlighted the disparity between the waiver of loans for industrialists and the neglect of farmers loans, emphasising the disproportionate concentration of wealth where 22 people of the country possess assets equivalent to those of 70 crore citizens. He alleged that people had to suffer losses due to demonetisation. Rahul said that this is a battle of ideologies. He said that the INDIA bloc is protecting the Constitution and democracy, while the BJP is trying to undermine them. He criticised BJP leaders for expressing their intention to change the Constitution and highlighted PM Modis association with billionaires over the past decade. He pointed out that industrialist Adani had acquired control over various assets, including airports. SP president Akhilesh Yadav asserted that even traditional BJP supporters are openly protesting and opposing their partys policies. He emphasised that such traditional voters have now turned against the BJP. We will make the alliance candidate win at any cost, he remarked. Yadav claimed that the people had already rejected the BJP in the initial phase of the elections. He accused the BJP of deliberately trying to keep the youth unemployed, citing widespread paper leaks during examinations. The BJP government has plunged the future of the youth into darkness, he added. Describing the three new criminal laws the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam - as a watershed moment for the Indian society, the Chief Justice of India, Justice D Y Chandrachud, on Saturday said that the new criminal laws bring the much-needed improvement in the criminal justice system, ushering it to a new age. In his inaugural address at the day-long conference on Indias Progressive Path in the Administration of Criminal Justice System, CJI Chandrachud said, The newly enacted criminal laws have transitioned Indias legal framework on criminal justice into a new age. Much-needed improvements have been introduced to protect victim interests and carry out the investigation and prosecution of offences efficiently. The day-long conference was organised by the Ministry of Law and Justice. Advertisement Stating that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) encompasses a holistic approach to deal with crimes in the digital age, Chief Justice Chandrachud said that the audio-visual recording of search and seizures is an important tool for the prosecution as well as for protecting the civil liberties of citizens and the judicial scrutiny would safeguard the rights of citizens against procedural impropriety during search and seizures. Similarly, Chief Justice Chandrachud said that the presence of a forensic expert at the scene of the crime will enhance the efficiency of the investigating team and allow for crimes to be decoded with the aid of the latest advancements in forensic technology. He called for focusing on improving investigations by allowing for multi-disciplinary investigating teams with law enforcement officers, and domain experts in the field of cyber-crime, and pattern recognition. CJI Chandrachud said that while we make strides in this direction, we must now confront the challenges of fulfilling the aims of the new criminal legislations. Detailed rules need to be formulated on the type of devices to be used for recording, incorporating the principles of natural justice and lay down the consequences of not carrying out such recording, he said. Calling for heavy investment in capacity building, CJI Chandrachud said that while the new criminal laws create provisions which are synchronised to our times, we must also ensure that the infrastructure accompanying these procedures are developed adequately for the country to reap the benefits of the new laws. Referring to the BNSS provision, which says that trial in a criminal case must be completed in three years and judgment pronounced within 45 days after order has been reserved, CJI Chandrachud said that the stipulation is a breath of fresh air for addressing the issue of case pendency as well as the rights of the victim and the accused in a criminal case. However, he cautioned that if the court infrastructure and the prosecution lack material resources to harness technology and conduct an efficient and speedy trial, then the guarantees of the BNSS may run the risk of becoming merely directory and unimplementable. On one hand, the CJI said, that BNSS has adopted a citizen-centric approach to supply a copy of the First Information Report to the victim and to inform them about the progress of the investigation, including by digital means, on the other hand, it has made a positive development in protecting the fundamental rights of undertrial prisoners. Section 481 of the BNSS prescribes default bail for an accused person who has undergone one-third of the sentence, if convicted, for the offence charged against him. The BNSS, the CJI pointed out, prescribes that in cases where the punishment for the offence is seven years or more, the victim shall be given an opportunity of being heard before the withdrawal of the case by the government. Our laws and their implementation is an ever-evolving area. There is no finality to any law or the manner of its implementation. However, we must be willing to embrace positive changes to meet the needs of our times. I expect that with the implementation of the new criminal laws, we will discover loopholes and areas which need to be addressed, CJI Chandrachud said, exhorting to update the criminal laws with changing times and plugging the loopholes. The conference was also addressed by the Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent charge), Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Attorney General of India, R Venkataramani, and the Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, among others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said INDI alliance partners had come together merely because of action against their corruption, and Fridays Lok Sabha polling reports, therefore, did not surprise that people had rejected them completely, as they had also never projected their leader post-polls. Addressing BJP election rallies in Nanded and Parbhani in Maharashtra, he said the Congress can make any claims; the reality is that even before elections started, party leaders had accepted their defeat. The Congress leaders, who used to win Lok Sabha elections, left the Lok Sabha arena and entered Parliament from the Rajya Sabha route. This showed they had no confidence to face the Lok Sabha polls, he said. Advertisement The Prime Minister said an interesting fact about the INDI alliance partners is that they are fighting among themselves in the Lok Sabha polls. There are 25 per cent seats in the country where they are contesting against each other, making allegations against each other and threatening to send their rivals to jails. Can such parties be trusted by people, if they dont trust each other, he said. These parties will raise a storm in the Lok Sabha, should they win and come there. Therefore, it is necessary to teach them a lesson, Mr Modi said. He said the Congress Prince (Rahul Gandhi) appears to be sensing trouble in his Kerala constituency, Wayanad. He and his group are waiting for the 26 April voting in Wayanad, and then they will look for a safe seat for him, the Prime Minister said. The INDI alliance partners are also abusing each other, he said. The Kerala Chief Minister, who is an alliance partner of the Congress, abused the Congress Prince in such a way that none can imagine. Mr Modi said just as he ran away from his earlier constituency Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, he will have to go away from Wayanad also. Addressing in Parbhani, the Prime Minister said people should be careful about the Congress Aghadi alliance in Maharashtra. He said the Congress is such a wall creeper that has no roots or soil, whoever gives it support, it will eat it up. The Prime Minister said at the time of Independence, the Congress brought Partition; after Independence, it created the Kashmir problem, and on the excuse of Article 370, it did not let the Indian Constitution be implemented there, denying also Dalits of the region any rights. Mr Modi said the Congress never allowed the development of Maharashtra. The party always blocked schemes for the welfare of the poor, Dalit, deprived sections, labour, and farmers. The Congress opposed any scheme for the poor, like toilets, bank accounts, digital India, and UPI, brought by his government. A Congress leader used to say uneducated people will not benefit from digital technology, he recalled. Can such people be trusted for the development of the country, he asked. The Congress, he said, does not understand the problems of Maharashtra. The party for decades kept Maharashtra and Vidarbha regions starved of amenities like water; the region became poorer day by day. Mr Modi said his government enacted the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for Partition sufferers and those who came from Afghanistan, but the Congress opposes this and seems to be taking revenge for 1984. If Modi gives a guarantee, he said, it is fulfilled. Modi had guaranteed that Article 370 will be removed from Jammu and Kashmir, and it is history today. Muslim women have got freedom from Teen Talaq practice. Modi had given a guarantee that India will be taken out of its miserable economic condition and it is already the fifth-largest economy in the world, and now Modi has given a guarantee it will be the third-largest economy in the world. The Prime Minister said, Ram Lallas temple is ready in Ayodhya, but just see what INDI alliance people are saying. They are abusing Sanatan dharma and justifying their boycott of Pran Pratishtha at the Ram temple; they are even calling prayers at the temple pakhand (hypocrisy). Mr Modi said: The INDI alliance is insulting our faith, do they deserve to be pardoned. He said Modis guarantee will ensure a remedy for every injury given by the Congress. What has been achieved in the last 10 years is just a trailer, filling up the pits dug up by the Congress, he said. He said his government is inspired by Guru Gobind Singhs teachings to serve people. The Kartarpur corridor construction helped lakhs of pilgrims to visit the shrine. The NDA has worked with all its devotion to improve places connected with the Sikh religion. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and UN General Assembly's President Dennis Francis discussed cooperation within COP29 at a meeting in New York, the statement of Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry said, Trend reports. "Apart from exchanging knowledge and endeavors with the global energy community, Azerbaijan is concentrated on attaining significant outcomes in funding the realization of climate and sustainable energy pledges. Plans to host investment events to draw in capital for green energy, support for developing nations under the UN and COP structure, and encouragement of international collaboration in this area were discussed during the meeting with Dennis Francis," the statement noted. Francis expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan's participation for the first time in the UN General Assembly's Sustainable Development Week and highly appreciated the country's efforts in the field of economic transformation, sustainable development, and green energy. "The President of the General Assembly emphasized that the energy transition contributes to progress in achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also noted that Azerbaijan's extensive experience in holding large-scale events will contribute to the success of COP29 as well as to the fulfillment of green energy goals," the statement reads. This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 7080,000 foreign guests. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COP - the Conference of the Parties- is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. There are 198 countries that are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said here on Saturday that as the elections in 102 Lok Sabha seats, including eight in UP, spanning 21 states of the country have been completed, the prevailing trends demonstrate widespread support for the Modi Government nationwide. He highlighted that under the stewardship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a more secure environment has been fostered throughout the country. Addressing the media at his official residence, Yogi said, Half of the population fully acknowledges PM Modis security model. Under the leadership of PM Modi, India has provided the world with a model of good governance along with a secure environment in the country. Advertisement Attacking the TMC Government in West Bengal, the chief minister said in states governed by the BJP, a more effective security model under Modi jis guidance has been implemented. He cited the successful conduct of Ram Navami recently as a testimony to this. Conversely, in West Bengal, under the state governments appeasement policy, there have been attacks on Ram Navami processions, revealing ongoing efforts to undermine the Sanatan faith, he added. He remarked: The first condition for good governance is the rule of law. Under the prime ministers leadership, the BJP has strived to enhance the security environment across the nation and in various states. The trends observed in the first phase instill confidence that we will witness a similar picture in all seven phases as well. Before leaving for the election tour in Rajasthan, he said, The state will vote not for dynastic politics but for nationalism, development, security, and the Modi model of governance. He expressed his determination to win with a significant margin while endorsing the Modi model. I am anticipating my second round of election rallies in Rajasthan. Each time, I encounter a distinct level of enthusiasm among the people. This time as well, the people of Rajasthan will wholeheartedly support the BJP, ensuring 100 percent of the seats, added CM Yogi. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Vladimir Lenin, the architect of Russias 1917 Bolshevik revolution, politician and political theorist was considered as one of the most significant and influential figures of 20th century world history. Lenin was such a personality in history who brought about significant change in his country that reverberated around the world and impacted the lives of millions. He was the founder of the Russian Communist Party, leader of the Bolshevik Revolution and architect and first head of the then Soviet Union. He was born in Simbirsk (at present Ulianovsk), Russia on 10 April 1870. In November 1891, he passed his law examinations and graduated with a First Class degree. He moved to the then St. Petersburg in August 1893 and started working as a public defender and part of a group of revolutionary Marxists. At that time he was associated with revolutionary Marxist circles. While practicing law in 1892, he largely represented poor peasants, which led him to develop a hatred of the class bias he found in the Russian legal system. In the mid-1890s, he quit his law practice and settled in St. Petersburg. There he became associated with a group of radicals who were similarly impressed by the ideas of Marx as well as the influential Russian Marxist, Georgy Plekhanov. At the time of staying in St. Petersburg in 1893, he continued to write and distribute political pamphlets about socialism as well as tried to stir up rebellion among the working people. He, with other agitators, strived to form the League of Struggle for the emancipation of the working class and was soon arrested for his political activities. From prison in St. Petersburg, he was sent to Siberia from 1897 to 1900. Following his release, he moved through Russia and Europe, developing his thoughts on Marxism and quickly became recognized as a leading thinker and prominent figure in the international Marxist revolutionary movement. In 1903, Lenin argued with the leadership of the Russian Social Democratic workers Party. Advertisement The moderates, led by Martov (whose real name was Yuliy Osipovich Tsederbaum), wanted to keep the party open to all who agreed with its politics. The radicals, led by Lenin, insisted that only those truly committed to immediate revolution should be members. In 1903, Lenin became the leader of the Bolshevik faction of the Russian Social Democratic Workers Party following the split within the social revolutionaries. This was about the same time he published a pamphlet What is to be done? outlining his beliefs about the way towards a socialist state. The implications of Lenins vision for the Russian Marxists became evident in the second Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP) held in 1903. In 1904, Russia went to war with Japan. Following a string of military defeats, by the beginning of 1905 various segments of Russian society including students and liberal members of the nobility were calling for political reform. In October 1905, the emperor issued his October Manifesto, in which he made a number of political concessions, including a commitment to establish a popularly elected legislative assembly called DUMA. In December 1907, Lenin began his second extended stay in Western Europe, settling first in Geneva, Switzerland and then in Paris. In 1912, Lenin and his supporters organized a party conference in Prague. At this conference, Lenin formally broke from his Menshevik opponents and the rest of the RSDLP to form an independent Bolshevik Party. It was World War I that speeded up revolution in Russia. Lenin was still in Western Europe when the war began in 1914 and he saw the war as an opportunity to advance the international workers revolution he had worked for. When the February Revolution of 1917 led to the abdication of the Tsar and the development of the Russian Provisional Government, Lenin returned to St. Petersburg (now called Petrograd). By 1917 it seemed to Lenin that the prospect of revolution was rapidly receding and it was time for Soviets to take over power. He arrived in Petrograd on 16 April 1917, one month after the Tsar had been forced to abdicate. He put three demands which were known as Lenins April Thesis. On 25 October 1917, Lenin led his leftist revolutionaries in a successful revolt against the ineffective provisional government, an event known as the October Revolution. It was also known as Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution and it was a seizure of state power from the provisional government of then Russia. Lenin, a leader of the communist party, became the new head of the newly formed USSR. Lenin, founder of the Bolshevik political party was a successful revolutionary leader who presided over Russias transformation from a country ruled by Tsars (emperors) to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the name of the communist Russian State from 1922 to 1991. What Marx and Engels saw as glimmerings of revolutionary potential in Russia came to fruition with the genius of Lenins revolutionary theory and practice. His Ideology against the hierarchies and the capitalists would later become the foundation of modern anti-imperialism. Written in 1916, in the middle of the First World War, Lenins Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism is an essential work for understanding the phenomena of war and imperialism at present. According to Lenin, imperialism is not the result of nationalist values, ideas or policies but of concrete economic imperatives. His understanding is the way of understanding international politics today. The war of Ukraine is the consequence of the struggle between the two gangs of imperialists. Just as in Lenins time British hegemony was threatened by the rise of the new socialist USSR, we are witnessing the rise of China and Russia which are challenging US hegemony today. The death centenary year of the genius leader Lenin is an occasion for us to appreciate his great contributions to explain todays capitalism from the viewpoint of all oppressed nations all over the world. (The writer is Associate Professor and Head of the department of Political Science, Chapra Bangaljhi Mahavidyalaya, Nadia) A man set himself on fire outside Manhattan Criminal Court as jury selection was underway in the criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump, according to media reports and videos posted on social media. The incident took place on Friday noon. The man was engulfed in flames and was rushed to hospital later, Xinhua news agency reported. The man threw pamphlets into the air and poured accelerant on himself, according to the reports. Advertisement I have set myself on fire outside the Trump trial, reads the heading of flyers left at the scene, according to a report by New York Post. The motivation behind the mans action was not clear. Starting from last Monday, Trump appeared in a criminal court in Manhattan, New York City, in the hush money case, making him the first former US President to stand a criminal trial. The trial is expected to last around six to eight weeks. Job Title: Team Leader, EKN Protecting SRHR in West Nile, Uganda Organisation: International Rescue Committee (IRC) Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda About US: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the worlds worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 25 U.S. cities, we improve outcomes in the areas of health, safety, economic wellbeing, education, and power. Job Summary: IRC is seeking a Team Leader (TL) for an anticipated Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kampala (EKN)-funded 4-year project in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda to enable women, men, adolescents and youth achieve their Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights. The Team Leader will be responsible for ensuring that the proposed project is implemented in accordance with the project agreement, EKN regulations, and internationally recognized quality of assistance standards. The TL will work closely with IRC country program, regional, and HQ leadership to ensure that the project is implemented in accordance with IRC policies and principles. In addition, the Team Leader will be the primary representational link with EKN staff and will liaise with Embassy to provide project updates, discuss strategies, obstacles, performance plans, and progress against targets. The Team Leader will liaise with EKN activity officers, technical support staff, partner organizations, and implementers of other EKN-funded initiatives as required. The TL will represent the project to all key stakeholders, government officials, and donors at coordination fora and other related meetings, and will ensure that activity initiatives achieve the expected results. The position will be based in Uganda, either Kampala, Terego or Yumbe. Recruitment is contingent upon successful award of the project, and selection of final applicant is subject to EKN approval. The project is anticipated to begin in October 2024. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Provide strategic and administrative leadership and direction, define and implement activities to achieve the greatest impact toward goals and objectives. Provide technical leadership/oversight and project delivery to ensure activities are in line with the performance framework and meet all standard operational policies and procedures. Oversee development, review, and monitoring of yearly work plans, project strategy documents, implementation measures, knowledge management, and sustainability efforts to ensure long- and short-term impact goals are achieved. Manage consortium partnerships and maintain collaborative partner relations, ensuring that all partners are aware of the projects expectations and are actively involved in achieving the objectives while using the project management tools developed or adapted for the consortium. Support the Deputy Team Leader in managing partners and providing financial and operations support that optimizes resources through sound budgets, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to the donor. Report to EKN through both formal and informal debriefings, annual and semi-annual reports, ensuring timely submission of high-quality content. Maintain active and cooperative relationships with all key stakeholders, including government officials, project partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions. Represent the project and the organization in national, regional, and international fora, including technical conferences and policy briefings, and share information about project achievements and lessons learned within the organization and wider development community. Support project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: Bachelors degree (preferably MBCHB, Nursing, Development studies or Social science) and a Masters Degree in Public health or other relevant field. Equivalent experience may be substituted for graduate degree. 12 15 years experience in design and delivery of Public health or Social development programs; and experience managing international donor-funded development activities. Minimum of 10 years of project management with previous experience as Team Leader, Chief of Party, Project Director, Deputy Team Leader, Deputy Chief of Party, of institutional donor funded programs. Experience and ability to strengthen multisectoral approach and coordination; implementation experience of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights programming, Systems strengthening, Youth programming, inclusion of un-accessed & underserved population groups. Proven experience in administrative and financial management for large projects and significant knowledge of compliance rules and regulations of European donors preferably EKN Proven experience in developing and maintaining strong and effective partnerships. Strong negotiation skills and the ability to develop relations with local counterparts, donors, and other stakeholders. Substantial experience managing diverse sub-grantees/sub-contractors, including INGO, NGO, local FBO and private sector actors. Demonstrated innovation and success in staff capacity-building and in participatory, flexible, and gender-sensitive programming and implementation. Strong communication skills, both oral and written. Fluency in English required. How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested applicants should apply online at the link below. Click Here For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Date Posted 2024-04-20 Valid Through 2024-05-04 Employment Type FULL_TIME Hiring Organization International Rescue Committee (IRC) Uganda Job Location Kampala, Kampala, Kampala , 0256, Uganda Related Jobs BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. COP29 is crucial in planning aid to poverty-stricken countries, Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources and COP29 president Mukhtar Babayev said in an interview with the Associated Press, Trend reports. "The next Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is crucial for planning aid to poverty-stricken countries," he emphasized. According to him, Baku is the place where common ground will be found on how rich countries can provide financial assistance to poorer countries, which tend not to play such a big role in warming but are the most affected by climate change. "The conference in Baku should build on last year's successful agreement to divest from fossil fuels. And this fall's meeting should help countries come together in 2025 to strengthen plans to limit greenhouse gas emissions. We need to look at any possible actions or activities to bring the parties closer together. We see Baku as a bridge between the developing and developed worlds," Babayev added. This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 7080,000 foreign guests. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COP - the Conference of the Parties- is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel It was perhaps the biggest non-political visit to India after Rihannas Ambani pre-wedding serenade. And considering the political overtones it had acquired ever since the surprise announcement, it is no wonder that tongues are now wagging in salivation. Elon Musk took to his own microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday to declare that his much-anticipated India visit would be postponed, surprising many in exactly much the same way he did a bit more than a week ago when he announced he was travelling to India and looked forward to meeting PM Modi. Very heavy Tesla obligations was the reason he mentioned for the delay, though not many took it at face value. Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 20, 2024 With a stretched out general elections on in India, it had raised eyebrows across the board when the worlds richest man and the maverick behind global corporate behemoths like Tesla (electric vehicle), X (social media), SpaceX (space) and Starlink (internet from space) sprung a surprise India visit in early April. And equally, with its postponement. If political back rooms at one side of the spectrum were abuzz with whispers on how it was PM Modis masterstroke to get Musk to India and announce his big investment in the country through Tesla setting up EV manufacturing in the country (a government policy tweak last month had slashed import duties from 70% to just 15% for those promising investment in manufacturing of at least 4,000 crore rupees) and thereby give a boost to the ruling party campaign, the other side of the divide went full throttle once the news of the postponement came. (Musk) too has now read the writing on the wall and decided to put off his visit, said the spokesman of the main opposition party Congress, Jairam Ramesh. He went on to add that his party-led INDIA alliance, once it comes to power after the polls, will be welcoming him, hinting at a reversal of fortunes. In India, governments stop making policy decisions once the elections are announced and the model code of conduct comes into force. So it was anyway surprising that Musk, who was lobbying for getting his Tesla cars into India with discounts, chose this particular time. Many believed that the ruling dispensations manoeuvre was behind it, to score a brownie point without breaking the model code of conduct, by making Musk make the announcement of his investments. While no official confirmation on what really happened is yet available, the truth could well lie elsewhere. Teslas January-March 2024 results have been disappointing, with car deliveries declining by nearly 9% and growing threat of Chinese EV makers like BYD in the American market (They have all but sidelined Tesla in many other markets, including China). Investors and market experts are set to question him at an earnings call scheduled for April 23 about falling sales and the massive layoffs at Teslas plants in the US. There is also quite a possibility that the bureaucrats had warned the politicians that the guarantees and permissions Musk wanted, not just for Tesla but the clearance for his Starlink internet from space service to start operations in India, would flout the model code of conduct if they were announced right now. Or, knowing Musks propensity for shooting his mouth off through incoherent ramblings on X, some allege under the influence of psychotropic substances, might have been to blame for his announcement and its later withdrawal. Tesla CEO and Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk have postponed his trip to India, according to reports. Musk took to X to confirm the news, calling it "unfortunate". His post read: "Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year," Musk posted late on Friday. Musk's planned trip to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi had triggered speculations that India might give a licence for Musk's Starlink Inc to operate in the country. However, the Prime Minister's Office nor Musk has responded to reports regarding Musk's visit. Musk's India trip came into focus after the CEO posted on X, "Looking forward to meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India!". The visit was said to be linked to announce an investment of $2-$3 billion in India, with a possible roadmap for an investment of up to $20-$30 billion. He was also expected to make an announcement on his plans to invest and open a new factory in India during his visit to the country. Tesla has been lobbying India to reduce import taxes on electric vehicles even as it has been considering the idea of setting up a factory in the country. A Reuters report had earlier said Tesla officials are expected to visit India in April to look at sites for setting up a manufacturing plant. Sources said Tesla had also started production of right-hand drive cars at its German plant for exporting to India. With the election campaign now focusing on the second phase, the BJP has trained its guns on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with Home Minister Amit Shah taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi and Congress allies, calling them out on their previous statements on Kashmir. The BJP had also earlier mocked him for lacking the courage to file his nomination from Amethi. Amit Shah, while holding a roadshow in Udaipur on Friday after the first phase voting ended, mocked Rahul Gandhi for his earlier remarks that the removal of Article 370 will lead to 'bloodbath' in Kashmir. Addressing the rally, Shah said, "In Kashmir, (Peoples Democratic Party chief) Mehbooba Mufti and (Congress leader) Rahul Baba (Gandhi) used to say there would be bloodbath here once Article 370 is removed." "Rahul Baba, five years have passed (since the abrogation of Article 370). This is the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Leave alone the talk of the bloodbath, no one has the guts to throw a stone there," he added. Earlier the day, BJP spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, while asserting that people have rallied around Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a strong and decisive government, took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, mocking him as the "self-declared" leader of the opposition INDIA bloc. Trivedi said Gandhi has still not been able to gather the courage to file his nomination from Amethi, the Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh which had been a Gandhi family pocket borough before he lost to the BJP's Smriti Irani in 2019. Though there are speculations regarding Rahul's candidature from Amethi, there has been no official announcement yet. BJP chief J P Nadda, during his Kerala visit, too hit out at Rahul Gandhi, calling both him and Priyanka Gandhi "political tourists." "They come for the election and then vanish. How can you take their statements seriously?," Naddha commented on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's allegation that if there is no glitch in the EVMs, the BJP is not going to win more than 180 seats. "When they win in Karnataka, they have no issues with EVMs. When they ruled Rajasthan for five years, they had no issues with the EVMs," the BJP chief said. Nadda launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi accusing the Congress' Wayanad Lok Sabha candidate of believing in dynastic rule, which, according to him, is detrimental to Indian democracy. He alleged that Gandhi, who is facing a probe in the National Herald case, has no other option but to protect corrupt people. "Rahul Gandhi is driven by family politics and is implementing the same. The politics of appeasement is his motto. In Delhi, Rahul Gandhi is hand-in-glove with D Raja, whereas in Wayanad, he is contesting against his wife. This is why he is known as a man without any political stance," Nadda said. While campaigning for BJP-led NDA's Wayanad candidate Surendran, who will battle Rahul Gandhi and CPI candidate Annie Raja, Naddha said Rahul Gandhi was practising the policies of "divide and rule" and "vote-bank politics" in the country. "Rahul Gandhi believes in the politics of appeasement. He represents dynastic rule and engages in vote-bank politics," Nadda added. On April 3, 2013, Rahul Gandhi delivered his maiden industry speech while addressing India Inc. at the annual general meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). The hour-long address, broadcast on all major television stations, garnered significant attention from economists, diplomats, and investors eager to glean insights from the typically reserved and secretive Gandhi, who had been infrequent in public appearances until then. Clad in a white kurta pyjama and referring to notes on a piece of paper, Gandhi delivered his speech. Analogies and metaphors such as "China is a dragon. India is called an elephant, but we're not an elephant, we're a beehive" were sprinkled throughout the address, which received criticism from mainstream media and social media alike for having "too little substance. The BJP labelled him a "confused leader. However, something more significant was in motion. That day saw the derogatory salutation, "Pappu", getting stuck to Rahul Gandhi. Twitter and other social platforms exploded with tweets and memes under #PappuCII. Though allegedly initiated by the BJP IT cell, many "liberals" and cyber "leftists" also joined the bandwagon to mock Rahul Gandhi. It was a TV advertisement for a chocolate brand, 'Pappu Pass Ho Gaya,' that altered the connotation of the old Hindi nickname "Pappu" from meaning "innocent boy" to "dumb man. In October 2013, Amit Shah labelled Rahul Gandhi as "Pappu" as the BJP launched its election campaign with Modi as their prime ministerial candidate. "The Congress believes the prime minister's chair is Pappu's birthright. But this is a democracy; you need people's blessings, and people's blessings are with Narendra Modi. We have declared our PM candidate (Narendra Modi). Who will be the Congress candidate? Pappu? No, they won't nominate Pappu as their candidate as they fear losing," mocked Amit Shah. From then on, the nickname sparked discussions on multiple occasions. In 2017, Vinay Pradhan, a budding Congress politician from Meerut, faced expulsion from all party positions after referring to Rahul Gandhi as "Pappu" in a local WhatsApp group of the party, despite Pradhans purported intention being to praise the Gandhi scion. However, well before the "#PappuCII" campaign, veteran CPI(M) leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan had dubbed Rahul Gandhi as an "Amul Baby. This occurred during the campaign for the 2011 Kerala assembly elections. In 2019, just before the Lok Sabha elections, Achuthanandan reiterated this ridicule upon learning that Rahul Gandhi would contest polls in Kerala. He maintained that Rahul was still an "Amul Baby" as he "did not grasp the pulse of Indian politics. It took nearly a decade for Rahul Gandhi to dispel the "Pappu" and "Amul Baby" labels thrust upon him by his political adversaries. By the time he concluded his Bharat Jodo Yathra, which he commenced from Kanyakumari and concluded in Kashmir on January 30, 2023, the image of the 'Kurta-Pyjama wearing Pappu' had been effectively dismantled, and a new persona of 'white T-shirt wearing RaGa' emerged, earning praise from his party members and the liberal media. Many articles highlighted that the Yatra had reinvigorated party cadres and reshaped Rahul Gandhi's public perception, although concerns lingered about the Congress's organizational weaknesses and the entrenched high command culture within the party. Now, as Rahul Gandhi campaigns in Kerala to defend his Wayanad seat and support the victory of the Congress-led UDF, the derogatory monikers have once again become a topic of discussion. Interestingly, it wasn't the BJP or Modi who brought them back into the spotlight, but Kerala Chief Minister and CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan. In Kerala, the INDIA bloc is non-existent, and the primary contest occurs between the UDF and the LDF. Pinarayi and CPI(M) have been endeavouring to elevate the Citizenship Amendment Act as a major issue in the state's polls. Vijayan criticized Rahul Gandhi for his perceived silence on the matter and for contesting from Wayanad. Initially, Rahul Gandhi responded to Pinarayis attacks by questioning why he was being criticized incessantly. However, during an election campaign in Kannur on April 18, Rahul escalated his criticism of Vijayan. He stated, Two chief ministers are in jail. How come this is not happening to the Chief Minister of Kerala? I am attacking the BJP 247, and the Chief Minister of Kerala is attacking me 247. This is a bit puzzling. He (Vijayan) says that he is ideologically fighting the BJP, but I know that when you fight the BJP ideologically, they attack you with everything they have. However, there is no attack on the Chief Minister of Kerala. This is something people of Kerala should think about, suggesting a potential tacit understanding between the BJP and Vijayan. These comments triggered Vijayan, and while addressing a crowd at Kozhikode, the CM said: [Rahul] had been called a name in the past should not create a situation that shows that you have not changed. Though there was no clear reference as to whether Vijayan was alluding to Pappu or Amul Baby, CPI(M) cadres quickly propagated ridicule of the CM. The son of a prominent CPI(M) leader from Kannur even posted a picture of an Amul product with the caption: Old name Amul Baby. This controversy also led other key figures in the CPI(M)'s national leadership to speak specifically against Rahul, even though many had previously refrained from directly attacking him. Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat demanded that the Congress leadership be ready to address and rectify Rahul Gandhis statements. Meanwhile, the Congress leadership in Kerala is incensed against Vijayan. "A Chief Minister who shares camaraderie with Modi can call [Rahul Gandhi] anything," remarked opposition leader V.D. Satheeshan. Additionally, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala cautioned the CM against "stooping too low. Kerala stands as a battleground where both the Congress and the CPI(M) are desperate to secure maximum seats. It's evident that the political heat has strained even the mutual respect between the leaders of two key players in the INDIA Bloc, which must remain united to challenge the BJP-led NDA. It remains to be seen how these personal attacks and name-calling, focused on just 20 seats in Kerala, will unfold when these leaders once again consider matters from a national perspective. A day after 'drone attacks' in Iran's Isfahan threatened to blow up peace in West Asia, Iran has dismissed and downplayed Israel's alleged role in the incident, stating that there was no proof yet that there "is a connection between these and Israel." Though there are differing reports regarding the weaponry used - US officials hint at missile strikes but Iran claims they were small exploding drones - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the drones took off from inside Iran and flew for a few hundred meters before being downed. "What happened last night was not a strike," Amirabdollahian told NBC News in Iran. "They were more like toys that our children play with not drones." Amir-Abdollahian was in New York to attend a U.N. Security Council session. Amir-Abdollahian insisted that the vehicles caused no "damage and no casualties" to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency. According to Iranian media and officials, a small number of explosions were heard over Isfahan in central Iran in the early hours of Friday. This, they claimed, resulted from air defences hitting three drones. Iranian officials also claimed the attack was carried out by "infiltrators", rather than by Israel. Israel said it would retaliate after a strike on April 13 but has still not officially acknowledged that it was behind the attack in Iran in the early hours of Friday morning. Amir-Abdollahian said Iran was not planning to respond unless Israel launched a significant attack. "As long as there is no new adventurism by Israel against our interests, then we are not going to have any new reactions," he said but warned that if Israel did attack Iran, the response would be swift and severe. "If Israel takes a decisive action against my country and this is proven to us," he said, "our response will be immediate and to the maximum and will cause them to regret it." However, the US media reports continued to pin the attacks on Israeli Defence Forces, stating that "the strike reportedly included three missiles launched by Israeli Air Force warplanes that targeted an air defence radar site near Isfahan that was part of an array defending the nearby top-secret Natanz nuclear site." The missiles were fired outside of Iranian airspace, according to ABC News which quoted an unnamed US official. A report by the New York Times too said Israeli planes fired the missiles, and the attack "included more advanced firepower than initial reports indicated." The US has refused to comment on the issue. "Im not going to speak or speculate about any of the reports that are out there," Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said at her daily briefing. A 40-year-old Indian national has been sentenced to five years in the United States prison for selling controlled substances on dark web platforms. The druglord identified as Banmeet Singh is from Haldwani in Uttarakhand. He was ordered to forfeit approximately USD 150 million. Singh was arrested in London in April 2019 at the request of the US. In March 2023, he was extradited to the US. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering in January. Singh sold controlled substances, including fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax, ketamine, and tramadol, by creating vendor marketing sites on dark web marketplaces. According to statements made in court, he sold substances on dark web platforms like Slik Road, Alpha Bay, Hansa, and others. The customers were paid with cryptocurrency for drugs ordered from Singh using the vendor sites. Singh then personally shipped or arranged the shipment of the drugs from Europe to the United States through US mail or other shipping services, reported PTI. From 2012 through July 2017, Singh controlled at least eight distribution cells within the US, including cells located in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, and Washington, among other locations. The Department of Justice said that individuals in these distribution cells received drug shipments and then re-packaged and re-shipped the drugs to locations in all 50 states, Canada, England, Ireland, Jamaica, Scotland, and the US Virgin Islands. Over the course of the conspiracy, the Singh drug organisation moved hundreds of kilograms of controlled substances throughout the United States and established a multimillion-dollar drug enterprise that laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds into cryptocurrency accounts, which ultimately became worth approximately USD150 million, an official release said. New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) The Animal Welfare Board of India has directed the state government to ensure slaughter houses shut down operations for a day on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanthi on Sunday. The Board has written a letter to district collectors and Municipal Corporations requesting them to ensure closure of slaughter houses in those areas with a predominant population of the community celebrating the Mahavir Jayanthi. The Board has issued a directive following a Supreme Court's order in 2008 in a case between Hinsa Virodhak Sangh and Mirzapur Moti Kuresh Jamat & Ors, the letter said. The apex court had noted that "closure of a trade or business for a limited period is not an unreasonable restriction and is not a violation of article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India." London, Apr 20 (PTI) The foreign ministers of the G7 have reiterated their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region and emphasised that a growing China that plays by international rules would be of global interest. Terming China a key interlocutor in addressing global challenges, and that the G7 stands ready to cooperate with Beijing on areas of common interest, a G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting Communique on Friday said, Our policy approaches are not designed to harm China, nor do we seek to thwart Chinas economic progress and development. However, we are concerned that Chinas nonmarket policies and practices are leading to harmful overcapacity that undermines our workers, industries, and economic resilience. A growing China that plays by international rules would be of global interest, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, and the High Representative of the European Union said on the final day of the Ministerial meeting on Foreign Affairs that was held from April 17 to 19 in Capri, an island in Italys Bay of Naples. Reiterating the importance of ensuring a level playing field and a transparent, predictable, and fair business environment, the G7 Foreign Ministers said, Respect for the rules-based multilateral trading system based on market principles needs to be the hallmark of our relations, to protect our workers and companies from unfair and nonmarket policies and practices, including forced technology transfer or illegitimate data disclosure, which distort the global economy and undermine fair competition. The G7 bloc also declared to protect its workers and business communities from unfair practices, including those that lead to overcapacity, create supply chain vulnerabilities and increase exposure to economic coercion, as it recognised that economic resilience requires de-risking and diversification where necessary. The communique expressed serious concern about the situation in the East and South China Seas and reiterated G7s strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion and also about the increasing use of dangerous manoeuvres and water cannons against Philippines vessels. China claims most of the South China Sea as its own, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the strategically important maritime area. There is no legal basis for Chinas expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, and we oppose Chinas militarisation, coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea, it said and restated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to security and prosperity for the whole international community as it called for a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. The communique also mentioned that the Indo-Pacific region is a key engine for global growth, with more than half of the worlds population. The ministers reiterated their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on the rule of law, which is inclusive, prosperous, secure, grounded on respect for international law, notably the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms, and human rights, the communique said. Washington, Apr 20 (PTI) During the annual Spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank there was a widespread appreciation of the role played by India during its G-20 presidency in building consensus on a range of key global issues, a top Indian official has said. India hosted the G20 Summit in New Delhi from September 9-10. The summit adopted a 37-page consensus declaration overcoming major differences on the Russia-Ukraine war and took several steps to ensure the stability of the global economy. There is a widespread appreciation of Indian presidency of the G-20 in building consensus on several issues, relevant for global deployment, conducted of various meetings during the presidency as well as the leaders summit, Ajay Seth, Economic Affairs Secretary told PTI on Friday on the sidelines of the annual sprint meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Due to the ongoing Lok Sabha election, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is not attending the annual IMF and World Bank meetings. Instead, the Indian delegation this time is being represented by senior government officials, including RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, and the Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth. There is the recognition that India provides practical examples of following successful development paths. There was also an appreciation that the very effective conduct of monetary policies and responsive and responsible fiscal policies is leading to maintaining its financial stability in emerging economies, including India amid global conditions, Seth said. There are a few ideas given on sustainable finance about how the financing for climate action should be happening, he said in response to a question. On the sidelines of the Spring Meetings, the second meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors under the Brazilian Presidency was held on April 17-18. The two sessions discussed the topics of reimagining finance for a just transition and climate goals and international financial architecture for the 21st century. During the first session, the RBI Governor shared Indias experience such as the issuance of sovereign green bonds for about USD4 billion and the introduction of a framework for regulated entities to accept green deposits. On the sidelines of the Spring Meetings, the Economic Affairs Secretary also had bilateral meetings with counterparts from the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Brazil, and South Africa as well as the Chair of Financial Stability. Speaking in the session on reforming the international financial architecture, the RBI Governor underscored the need for sound macroeconomic fundamentals for managing volatility in capital flows. He emphasised the need for central banks to remain focused on ensuring price and financial stability. Seth appreciated the Brazilian Presidency for developing the 2024 MDB agenda based on the 2-volume report of the G20 Independent Expert Group on Strengthening MDBs that was prepared under the Indian Presidency of the G20. He also emphasised the need for MDBs to work together as a system as well as explore options to enhance the use of risk mitigation instruments. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov at a meeting in New York with Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Mary Burce Warlick discussed the draft Energy Efficiency Roadmap for Azerbaijan prepared by the Agency within the framework of the EU4Energy program, the statement of Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry said, Trend reports. "The importance of this document in terms of its contribution to the fulfillment of Azerbaijan's climate commitments was assessed," the statement noted. The sides exchanged views on priorities of the COP29 agenda, including the adoption of new global collective financial measures, cooperation on COP29, as well as activities on Azerbaijan's promotion of renewal of Nationally Determined Commitments (NDCs) on climate commitments (greenhouse gas emissions), and intensive cooperation with the IEA in this context. "Measures taken by Azerbaijan in connection with its accession to the Global Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Pledge and the Global Methane Pledge initiatives, as well as steps on energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, were considered," the information specified. Additionally, the sides discussed innovations related to the creation of renewable energy production capacities in Azerbaijan, their integration into the energy system, the utilization of offshore wind energy, and the implementation of green energy corridor projects in various directions. This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 7080,000 foreign guests. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COP - the Conference of the Parties- is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. There are 198 countries that are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Lahore, Apr 20 (PTI) Pakistans Punjab government on Saturday requested the federal government to suspend mobile internet services in the provinces 13 districts and tehsils on Sunday due to the key by-elections scheduled on nearly two dozen national and provincial assembly constituencies, a media report said. Geo News reported that the request has been made to maintain law and order in the province and avoid any untoward incident. The provincial home department in a letter to the Interior Ministry requested the suspension of mobile internet services for Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Sadiqabad, Kot Chutta, and Dera Ghazi Khan districts. Meanwhile, the tehsils where suspension is requested include Talagang, Chakwal, Kallar Kahar, Gujarat, Ali Pur Chatha, Zafarwal and Bhakkar, the report said. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the Punjab chief secretary, inspector general, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority chairman as well as other relevant officials, the report said. Mobile internet services were suspended during the day of general elections on February 8 as well despite assurances by the government of undisrupted network connectivity during polls. The services were suspended on polling day even before the start of voting time at 8 am. Social media platform X has also been suspended in Pakistan since February 17 when former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Chattha accused the chief election commissioner and the chief justice of being involved in rigging the February 8 general elections. After the February 8 elections, this is the first major by-election that will be held on 22 National Assembly and provincial assembly seats. These include five NA seats; 12 Punjab Assembly, two each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan assemblies, and one in Sindh, Geo News reported. In Punjab, NA-132 (Kasur) and NA-119 (Lahore) vacated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz will go to polls. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also gave up two of his provincial assembly seats in Lahore, PP-158 and PP-164, retaining his NA-123 seat in the National Assembly. In Sindh, NA-196 (Qamber Shadadkot) will also see a by-poll after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari vacated the seat. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the NA-44 (Dera Ismail Khan) seat was left vacant after provincial Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur retained his provincial assembly seat, PK-113, while by-polls will also be conducted in the NA-8 (Bajaur) constituency, which was left vacant after one of its candidates Rehan Zeb Khan was murdered ahead of the February 8 general elections, according to the report. Washington, Apr 20 (PTI) In one of the rarest instances, the Congressional Black Caucus has lined up to oust one of the sitting lawmakers, Indian American Congressman Shri Thanedar, who is seeking his re-election from the 13th Congressional District of Michigan. Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford and his immediate predecessor Joyce Beatty in a significant political move announced to endorse Adam Hollier over Thanedar in the Democratic primary. In the American political tradition, a sitting lawmaker is rarely opposed by their party leadership in the primary. The 13th Congressional District of Michigan has a black majority, and this was the first time that it did not have a black representing them in the House of Representatives. From the U.S. Army to Governor Whitmers cabinet, Adam Hollier has spent his life serving his community and his country. I know he will continue that service as an effective representative and put people over politics. Adam is the kind of leader who understands the importance of protecting our freedoms, fighting for our rights, and ensuring opportunities for everyone, Horsford said in a statement. Hollier "is exactly the kind of leader we need standing with us in Congress," said Beatty. "While some politicians would rather tweet than show up, Adam always steps up, shows up, and delivers results, she said. US media described it as an unusual development. Thanedar is the first Indian American to represent Michigan in Congress. He defeated his Republican opponent by 47 percentage points in 2022 and in the process, he broke a 67-year streak of a Black Michigander representing Detroit. In the first quarter, he raised USD5 million and garnered over 15 endorsements from influential elected officials and organisations. He has received endorsements from lawmakers Ami Bera, Judy Chu, Robert Garcia, Marcy Kaptur, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ted Lieu, Seth Magaziner, Brad Sherman, and Dina Titus. Human Rights Campaign, Labourers International Union of North America (LiUNA), National Education Association, Michigan Education Association, and Newtown Action Alliance have also endorsed him. "Together, we will continue to fight for progress, equality, and opportunity for all residents of Michigans 13th, he said in an earlier statement early this month. Thanedar said he remains committed to engaging with voters, listening to their concerns, and advocating for policies addressing the challenges of the community. Burnaby (Canada), Apr 20 (The Conversation) Israel has carried out a missile strike on Iran in retaliation for a recent barrage of missiles and drones launched by the Iranians towards Israeli soil. Notably, Israels strike against Iran appears to have been more symbolic than substantive. Nevertheless, the overnight Israeli strike is the latest escalation in tensions between the two countries. The hostilities boiled over after Israels April 1 attack on Irans embassy in Damascus, which killed a senior Iranian military leader. Israel, in eliminating a key figure in the Quds Force, sought to undermine Irans influence with its proxy forces in the region, most notably Hezbollah and the Houthi. Reputations at stake Iran soon retaliated. To do otherwise would have damaged the Iranian governments reputation among both its allies and its citizens. But the form that Iranian retaliation took is a key indication of Irans intentions. Its choice to mostly use slow-moving drones and cruise missiles, even though on a large scale, is demonstrative of its own relative weakness. Israels Iron Dome missile defence system and US military bases in the region made the likely impact of Irans attack minimal. Iran, in choosing a means to strike Israel that was easily countered, seemingly sought to symbolically strike back at the Israelis by providing an avenue for the cycle of violence to end by not inflicting significant damage. This effort, however, ignores the domestic situation within Israel that ultimately fuelled the countrys decision to strike targets in Iran in the early morning of April 19. The proxy dilemma Since the Iranian Revolution, Iran, through the Quds Force and its predecessors, has actively courted several proxy groups in the Middle East to increase its strategic influence. Most prominent among these groups is Hezbollah, a militant group turned political party based out of Lebanon. Hezbollah came into existence in response to Israels invasion of southern Lebanon in the 1980s, and received extensive support from Iran. Hezbollah has been a thorn in Israels side ever since, engaging in small-scale skirmishes along the border with Israel since the Hamas attacks on Israelis on October 7, 2023. While these proxy groups have increased Irans political influence and strategic options in the Middle East, they can simultaneously be a burden for the countrys leadership because they arent under Irans complete control. Furthermore, they can also create pressure on Irans leadership to radicalize their stances to avoid losing influence over these groups. For Iran, this presents a strategic dilemma. Much Iranian influence and prestige among its proxy groups is based on being seen as opposing Israel and the US and leading the so-called Axis of Resistance, a group of state and non-state entities centred in Iran that oppose Israel and the American presence in the region. Iran, therefore, has tried to thread the needle by appearing to support its proxies and oppose Israel and the US while simultaneously seeking to limit the damage that any provocations would cause Irans interests. Irans drone and missile strikes were designed to give Israel an off-ramp. This off-ramp, however, only works if one disregards Israels domestic politics. A coalition of many Israels government was in a tenuous position before the war in Gaza. The 2022 elections returned a fractured Knesset, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was only able to form a coalition government that included several far-right parties. The small size of his majority meant that far-right partners were able to demand concessions to support his government. The October 7 attacks initially unified Israeli society behind the government. The way Israel has conducted the war, however, has caused this support to decline in some circles. The governments inability to negotiate a release for the remaining hostages held by Hamas remains a festering wound in Israeli politics. Ironically, the decision of Israels political establishment to rally around the state exasperated these problems. National Unity, the chief opposition party, supported the government. National Unitys leader, Benny Gantz, formed a war cabinet with Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to direct the war effort. Gantz has emerged as a voice of moderation in Israels response to Iran. As a former chief of general staff of the Israel Defence Forces from 2011 to 2015, Gantz knows better than most people in government the many strategic problems Israel faces if tensions spin out of control. While acknowledging that Israel would retaliate for Irans missile and drone attacks, he stated Israel would do so in the place, time and manner it chooses. Gantz, by creating ambiguity in Israels response, actually worked to de-escalate the tension. Netanyahus hand forced? The smaller far-right parties in Netanyahus coalition that are outside the war cabinet, however, likely forced the prime ministers hand. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the ultra-nationalist Otzma Yehudit party, has stated that Israel needs to go crazy in its response. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that if Israels response resonates throughout the Middle East for generations to come we will win". Netanyahu, with a tenuous domestic position and needing the support of his far-right allies, likely felt he had to act. Whats next? From a strictly military standpoint, Israel has achieved a victory in its exchanges with Iran. It eliminated a leader of the Quds Force, and Irans retaliation did not manage to breach the defences of Israel or its allies. War, however, is said to be the continuation of politics by other means. In this case, Israels domestic politics trumped otherwise rational strategic calculations. Iran previously stated on several occasions that Israeli retaliation would be responded to in kind. Now, the world waits to see if Israels latest strike against Iran leads to a broader regional escalation. (The Conversation) PY PY Colombo, Apr 20 (PTI) The Catholic church here on Saturday reiterated its dissatisfaction over the nature of the investigations conducted by the Sri Lankan government in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 270 people, including Indians. Fr Cyril Gamini Fernando, the spokesman for the church, told reporters that he had presented a questionnaire to the police that had provided important information about the investigation. Fernando, who was summoned to the polices CID on Friday to record a statement over his public expression of dissatisfaction over the investigation, said the 8-point questionnaire pins police to investigate the alleged links between certain sections of the military intelligence with the local jihadi group, which carried out the attacks. His comments came ahead of the churchs commemoration of the victims on its fourth anniversary falling on Sunday. With major elections starting from later in the year, the most politically important issue of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks has once again come to the fore. The two major opposition parties last week separately met the Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, a bitter critic of the investigations. Both parties have pledged to reopen the case with permanent arms to handle the fresh probe. Nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) linked to ISIS carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and as many luxury hotels on April 21, 2019, killing nearly 270 people, including 11 Indians, and injuring over 500. London, Apr 20 (PTI) A local council in the seaside resort of Brighton in south-east England has approved plans for an annual multi-faith event to commemorate the role of Indian soldiers in the two World Wars at the towns India Gate memorial from this October. The India Gate was presented to the people of Brighton by the princes and people of India as a gesture of thanks for the care provided by the towns hospitals and is dedicated to the use of the inhabitants of Brighton. It was unveiled by the Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh, on October 26, 1921, and stands at the southern entrance of the Royal Pavilion one of three buildings in Brighton serving as a base hospital which treated these soldiers from undivided India wounded on the Western front. These included soldiers from the modern-day countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan. By holding a day of remembrance, the city can preserve the memories of the undivided India soldiers who fought for Britain in the war and ensure that this vital history is more widely understood and recognised by and for contemporary generations, notes the Brighton and Hove Councils report which was approved at a council meeting on Friday. Given the important historical context of the India Gate and increased interest in the recent history of the Pavilion estate, it is important that, as a testament to the international reputation of the city, this multi-faith event celebrates the undivided India story as well as embracing the India Gate and its story, it concludes. The India Gate, designed by Thomas Tyrwhitt, replaced a much lower gate that was erected by Brighton Corporation following its purchase of the Pavilion in 1850 and is described as a dome resting on four pillars in a style derived from Gujarat. According to historical records, in World War I (1914-1918) more than 1.5 million soldiers from pre-Partition India served in the British Indian Army of the colonial era, participating in major battles such as the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, Battle of Gallipoli, and the Battle of the Somme. In World War II (1939-1945), over 2.5 million soldiers from undivided India volunteered to serve in the British Indian Army, the largest volunteer army in history. The Royal Pavilion Indian hospital in Brighton that cared for the wounded from these battles is also marked by the Chattri memorial, which stands on the spot where Hindus and Sikhs were cremated. It is accompanied by a memorial maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and an annual remembrance ceremony is organised by the Chattri Memorial Group there every June. The local councils Culture, Heritage, Sport, Tourism & Economic Development Committee feels an annual memorial event at the India Gate in October would be a suitable addition to the current remembrance services and would additionally recognise the commitment of Muslim and Buddhist soldiers of undivided India. The details of the event will be determined and delivered by a committee of community leaders, in partnership with the Brighton & Hove Museums, and supported by Brighton & Hove City Council. The committee will also engage with local Armed Forces personnel and veterans, the Undivided Indian Ex-Services Association, and leaders from the wider South Asian community before further plans for the memorial are finalised. Rafah, Apr 20 (AP) An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory. Israel's war against the Islamic militant group Hamas has led to a dramatic escalation of tensions in an already volatile Middle East. The strike late Friday hit a residential building in the western Tel Sultan neighbourhood of the city of Rafah, according to Gaza's civil defence. The bodies of the six children, two women and a man were taken to Rafah's Abu Yousef al-Najjar hospital, the hospital's records showed. At the hospital, relatives cried and hugged the bodies of the children, wrapped in white shrouds, as others comforted them. The fatalities included Abdel-Fattah Sobhi Radwan, his wife Najlaa Ahmed Aweidah and their three children, his brother-in-law Ahmed Barhoum said. Barhoum also lost his wife, Rawan Radwan, and their 5-year-old daughter Alaa. "This is a world devoid of all human values and morals, Barhoum told The Associated Press Saturday morning, crying as he cradled and gently rocked the body of Alaa in his arms. They bombed a house full of displaced people, women and children. The only martyrs were women and children. No victims were registered from a second overnight strike in the city. Rafah, which lies on the border with Egypt, currently hosts more than half of Gaza's total population of about 2.3 million people, the vast majority of whom have been displaced by fighting elsewhere. Despite calls for restraint from the international community, including Israel's staunchest ally, the United States, the Israeli government has insisted for months that it intends to push a ground offensive into the city, where it says many of the remaining Hamas militants are holed up. Such a ground operation has not materialized so far, but the Israeli military has repeatedly carried out airstrikes in and around the city. The war was sparked by an unprecedented raid into southern Israel by Hamas and other militant groups on October 7 that left about 1,200 people dead, the vast majority of them civilians, and saw about 250 people kidnapped and taken into Gaza. Israel says about 130 hostages remain in Gaza, although more than 30 have been confirmed to now be dead, either killed on October 7 or having died in captivity. The Gaza Health Ministry said Saturday the bodies of 37 people killed by Israeli strikes were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours. Hospitals also received 68 wounded, it said. The latest figures bring the overall Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war to at least 34,049, and the number of wounded to 76,901, the ministry said. Although the Hamas-run health authorities do not differentiate between combatants and civilians in their count, they say at least two thirds have been children and women. The war has sent regional tensions spiralling, leading to a dramatic eruption of violence between Israel and its archenemy Iran that threatened to escalate into a full-blown war. On Friday, both Iran and Israel played down an apparent Israeli airstrike near a major air base and nuclear site in central Iran, indicating the two sides were pulling back from what could have become an all-out conflict. Over the past several weeks, an alleged Israeli strike killed two Iranian generals at an Iranian consulate in Syria and was followed by an unprecedented Iranian missile barrage on Israel. Israel has also faced off with the Hezbollah militant group, an Iranian proxy operating from Lebanon, with the two sides there frequently trading rocket and drone attacks across the Lebanese-Israeli border. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have also joined the fray, launching strikes against merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. Tension has also been high in the occupied West Bank. An Israeli army raid in the Nur Shams urban refugee camp that killed at least four people on Friday three militants and a 15-year-old boy continued into Saturday. The Israeli army said its forces had killed 10 militants in the refugee camp and the surrounding areas while the military and the Border Police had arrested eight Palestinian suspects. Nine of its officers and soldiers were wounded, it said. An Associated Press journalist at the camp said sounds of intermittent gunfire and explosions were still ringing out Saturday afternoon. The Palestinian Red Crescent said they were trying to reach a number of casualties in the camp but were being prevented by the Israeli army, which instructed their emergency teams to leave the area. The raid appears to be one of the largest that has taken place at the refugee camp since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7. At least 469 Palestinians from east Jerusalem and the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since October, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Palestinian health authorities said one of those killed Friday was a 15-year-old boy shot dead by Israeli fire. The Islamic Jihad militant group confirmed the deaths of three members, including one who it said was a local military commander. The Israeli military said four Israeli soldiers were slightly wounded in the operation. Saraya al-Quds, the military arm of Islamic Jihad, said its fighters had engaged in heavy gunbattles Saturday morning with Israeli forces in the town of Tulkarem, adjacent to Nur Shams. Residents in Tulkarem went on a general strike Saturday to protest the attack. The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, has a limited foothold in many of the territory's northern towns and cities, including Tulkarem and Jenin. Militant groups, including Islamic Jihad, are active in both cities, often clashing with Israeli soldiers during army raids. (AP) GRS GRS Islamabad, Apr 20 (PTI) Pakistan on Saturday decided to deploy army troops to maintain peace during key by-elections that are to be held in the country on Sunday to fill the seats vacated by various candidates or where elections were postponed due to the death of candidates. The general elections were held across the country on February 8 to elect representatives for the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies. But polls were cancelled for one National Assembly, two Punjab Assembly and one seat of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly respectively. Apart from those, candidates who had won more than one seat opted for a chosen seat after elections, leaving the Election Commission of Pakistan to organise by-election on 21 seats, including five National Assembly and 16 provincial assembly seats. Elections will be held on two seats of the National Assembly each in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and one seat in Sindh, whereas elections will be held on twelve seats of Punjab Assembly and two each of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan assemblies. In Punjab, NA-132 (Kasur) and NA-119 (Lahore) were vacated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, while Shehbaz also gave up two of his provincial assembly seats in Lahore. He, however, retained his NA-123 seat in the National Assembly. Due to the prevailing law and order situation, the ECP had asked the federal government to approve the deployment of Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces (CAF) troops to keep peace, which endorsed the move and announced that to use the armed forces units as a quick response force. The Ministry of Interior in its notification issued on Friday stated that the CAF and Pakistan Army units would be used as second and third tiers of security and they would be available with immediate effect till April 22 in all 21 constituencies. The exact number of troops, date/period, area and mode of deployment would be worked out by the ECP in consultation with all concerned stakeholders based on ground requirement/assessment. The date of de-requisitioning of the said deployment will be decided subsequently after mutual consultation among all stakeholders, the notification stated. Separately, the Punjab government had also asked the federal government to suspend mobile internet services in the provinces 13 districts and tehsils on April 21 to maintain law and order. The move comes despite severe criticism by media and political leaders of a similar step on February 8 when mobile services were suspended to keep peace. Dakar, Apr 20 (AP) The United States will begin plans to withdraw troops from Niger, US officials said Saturday, in what experts say is a blow to Washington and its allies in the region in terms of staging security operations in the Sahel. The planned departure comes as US officials said they were trying to find a new military agreement. The prime minister of Niger, appointed by the ruling military junta, Ali Lamine Zeine, and US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell, agreed on Friday that the two nations would begin to plan the withdrawal of American troops, the US State Department told The Associated Press in an email Saturday. US officials gave no timeline about their withdrawal. An American delegation to coordinate the details of the withdrawal process will be dispatched soon. Niger plays a central role in the US military's operations in Africa's Sahel region, an area on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Washington is concerned about the spread of jihadi violence, where local groups have pledged allegiance to al-Qaida and the Islamic State groups. Niger is home to a major US air base, in the city of Agadez, about 920 kilometres from the capital, Niamey, using it for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations. The US has also invested hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger's military since it began operations there in 2013. But relations have frayed between Niger and Western countries since mutinous soldiers ousted the country's democratically elected president in July. Niger's junta has since told French forces to leave and turned instead to Russia for security. Earlier this month, Russian military trainers arrived to reinforce the country's air defences and with Russian equipment to train Nigeriens to use. There was an attempt on the behalf of the US to revise the military agreement with Niger that would allow them to stay, US officials told the AP. But the agreement between Zeine and Campbell shows that the effort has failed. The loss of access to air bases in Niger is a major setback for the US and its allies in the region because of its strategic location for security operations in the Sahel, said Peter Pham, former US special envoy for the Sahel region. In the short term, they will be hard to replace, said Pham, adding that remaining European Union military presence would likely pull out of Niger following the news of a US departure. The rupture of relations between the two nations would impact the development and humanitarian aid funds destined for Niger, a country at the bottom of many indicators of well-being, Pham said. Insa Garba Saidou, a local activist who assists Niger's military rulers with their communications, told the AP that American troops could potentially return after negotiations and that the ruling Niger junta, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, wants to maintain a good working relationship with the US. The US should find a new mode of engagement that departs from the failed counterterrorism cooperation model of the past decade, and continues to press other states in the Sahel region on accountability and human rights abuses, said Hannah Rae Armstrong, a senior consultant on Sahel peace and security. The two officials said that Niger and the US would continue to work together on areas of shared interest. (AP) GRS GRS Islamabad, Apr 20 (PTI) A Pakistan court has accepted requests for a medical examination of the incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi and also directed an endoscopy for the former first lady at a private hospital within two days. Khan, 71, has been lodged at Adiala Jail at Rawalpindi after conviction in multiple cases while Bushra Bibi is currently jailed at Bani Gala -- Khan's home in Islamabad which was turned into a sub-jail since the couple was sentenced in the un-Islamic nikah case in February. During the hearing of the 190 million-pound NCA case at the Adiala Jail at the accountability court on Friday, Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, claimed that Bushra Bibi, 49, was given food mixed with toilet cleaner, The News International reported on Saturday. Khan said Shaukat Khanum Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr Asim Yousaf had recommended Bushra Bibis tests at the Shifa International Hospital but the jail administration was adamant on conducting the test at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) here. The court adjourned the hearing until April 23. Earlier, Khan told Judge Nasir Javed Rana that additional walls had been erected in the courtroom, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a closed court. The judge directed the jail administration to remove the additional barriers immediately and adjourned the hearing for an hour. The jail administration obeyed the order and removed the additional barriers within no time. On April 16, Islamabad High Court disposed of a petition filed by Bushra Bibi seeking her transfer to the Adiala jail as her lawyers failed to turn up before the court. A day later, Khan alleged that Army chief General Asim Munir was directly responsible for the imprisonment of his wife Bushra Bibi. 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, the PTI leader had threatened during a conversation with journalists at the Adiala Jail on April 18. Dubai, Apr 20 (AP) An Iranian attack on an Israeli desert air base last week as part of Tehran's unprecedented assault on the country damaged a taxiway, a satellite image analyzed by The Associated Press on Saturday shows. The overall damage done to Nevatim air base in southern Israel was minor despite Iran launching hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Israeli air defenses and fighter jets, backed by the US, the United Kingdom and neighboring Jordan, shot down the vast majority of the incoming fire. But the Iranian attack last weekend showed Tehran's willingness to use its vast arsenal of ballistic missiles directly against Israel as tensions remain high across the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. An apparent Israeli retaliatory attack Friday on Isfahan, Iran, and Tehran's low-key response to it suggest both countries want to dial back their long-running shadow war for now though risks of a wider conflagration in the region remain. The Planet Labs PBC image, taken Friday for the AP, shows fresh blacktop across a taxiway near hangars at the southern part of Nevatim air base, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Jerusalem. The daily newspaper Haaretz, which published lower-resolution images of the site Thursday, identified the hangars nearby as housing C-130 cargo aircraft flown by transport squadrons. The satellite image corresponds to footage earlier released by the Israeli military, which showed construction equipment working on the damaged taxiway. A hangar in the background of the video mirrors those seen nearby. Other images released by the Israeli military showed a crater in the sand and damage under what appeared to be a wall that it said came from the Iranian attack. The little visible damage seen at the air base in the satellite image directly contradicts Iran's efforts to portray the attack as a great victory to a public alienated by the Islamic Republic's cratering economy and its heavy-handed crackdowns on dissent in recent years. This operation became a sign of the power of the Islamic Republic and its armed forces," Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Friday. It also showed the steely determination of our nation and our wise leader, the commander of all forces. However, it does show Iran's arsenal has the ability to reach Israel, as the April 13 attack marked the first direct military assault on the country by a foreign nation since Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched Scud missiles at Israel in the 1991 Gulf War. (AP) NPK NPK BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Azerbaijan and the World Bank (WB) have discussed cooperation within the framework of COP29, the chairman of CBA, Taleh Kazimov wrote on X, Trend reports. "Pleased to meet WorldBank Senior Managing Director Axel van Trotsenburg and WB team during the Spring Meetings. We had a productive exchange of ideas about the Bank's current activities in our country, the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for the next period, and possible cooperation opportunities related to COP29," the publication says. This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 7080,000 foreign guests. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COP - the Conference of the Parties- is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn. Lahore, Apr 20 (PTI) Pakistans jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party on Saturday alleged that his nephew Hassan Niazi has been "abducted" from military custody and shifted to an undisclosed location to put pressure on him. The development comes days after Khan, 71, alleged that the Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir was directly responsible for the imprisonment of his wife Bushra Bibi. Over 100 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers have been in the Army's custody facing military trials for their alleged involvement in attacking key military installations in May last year following the arrest of Imran Khan in a corruption case. Khan, the founder of PTI, is facing more than 100 cases and has been lodged at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi for over eight months now. "We strongly condemn the abduction of Imran Khan's nephew Hassan Niazi and another young PTI leader Ibad Farooq from military captivity. We want the Supreme Court to ensure their immediate release and hold kidnappers accountable," PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan said in a statement. The spokesperson voiced great concerns over the shifting of both PTI leaders Hassan to an unknown place and said that around 100 innocent citizens have been kept in illegal military custody under the guise of a "May 9 false flag operation", who were being subjected to political revenge. "The inhuman treatment being meted out with the young PTI leaders is purely political because they have been facing the worst state oppression and brutality courageously for the last 10 months," he said. He said that the abduction of Niazi and Farooq was an open attack on the sanctity of law and justice and a violation of basic human and constitutional rights. "The trial of civilians under military laws is unconstitutional." The spokesperson further said it is shameful and condemnable to target Khan's nephew Hassan Niazi as political revenge to put pressure on the unlawfully incarcerated PTI founding leader. He went on to say that coercive and shameful tactics are being used against Ibad Farooq to punish his brother for contesting by-elections and to keep him away from the electoral process. The spokesperson demanded that the Supreme Court of Pakistan should take notice of the enforced disappearance and abduction of Hasan Niazi and Ibad Farooq, and ensure their earliest recovery and hold the abductors accountable. Earlier, Khan alleged that General Munir was directly involved in the sentence handed down to his wife Bushra Bibi. "If anything happens to my wife, I will not spare Asim Munir; I will not spare Asim Munir as long as I am alive. I will expose his unconstitutional and illegal steps," he had threatened. Thane, Apr 20 (PTI) The Navi Mumbai Police arrested ten Ugandan women for illegal stay in India, an official said on Saturday. Police raided a building on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday and found that the Ugandans were staying illegally without any valid documents in Ranjanpada area in Kharghar, he said. A case has been registered under the provisions of the Foreigners Act 1946 and the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950. Further investigation is underway, the official added. Betul (MP), Apr 20 (PTI) Twenty-one police and Home Guard personnel were injured when the bus carrying them overturned in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district in the wee hours of Saturday, an official said. These jawans were returning to their home district Rajgarh in the state after performing their election duty when the accident occurred near Baretha Ghat on the Bhopal-Betul highway, the official said. The incident took place around 4 am, Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Shalini Paraste said. "It happened when the bus carrying a total of 40 jawans, including five policemen and remaining home guard, was on its way to Rajgarh after their election duty in Chhindwara," she said. Eight of the personnel who received serious injuries are being treated in the district hospital at Betul, while those with minor injuries are being treated in Shahpur hospital, the police official said. The incident took place when the bus swerved to avoid a truck that crossed its path, she said. Polling for the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat was held on Friday. Mumbai, Apr 20 (PTI) The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has suspended a PhD student for two years for indulging in activities which are "not in the interest of the nation" and referred to instances like him participating in a protest in Delhi under the PSF-TISS banner. Ramadas Prinisivanandan (30), who is pursuing his doctorate in Development Studies, has also been debarred from entering the TISS campuses in Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad and Guwahati. In a notice sent to Prinisivanandan dated March 7, TISS referred to instances like the screening of documentaries like 'Ram Ke Naam' ahead of January 26 as a "mark of dishonour and protest" against the Ram Mandir consecration in Ayodhya. He has also been accused of screening a banned BBC documentary on the TISS campus last January and also organising the Bhagat Singh Memorial Lecture (BSML) by inviting "controversial guest speakers". It said that these issues are "very serious and it is discernible that you are intentionally and deliberately indulging in such unlawful activities in the name of freedom of speech and expression." "Your activities are not in the interest of the nation. Being a public institution, TISS cannot permit or tolerate its students indulging in such activities which are anti-national and bring a bad name to the nation. Hence all such activities fall under the category of serious criminal offence. "The committee recommended your suspension from the institute i.e. Tata Institute of Social Sciences for the period of two years and your entry shall be debarred across all campuses of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, which is accepted by the competent authority," the TISS notice dated April 18 reads. Prinisivanandan, who hails from Kerala, said he will appeal against the suspension. The Progressive Student Forum, a Left-leaning student body Prinisivanandan is associated with, said the march referred to by the TISS was related to "anti-student policies in the form of the National Education Policy". It also said BSML has had the distinction of inviting well-known academics, scholars and human rights activists, including two Ramon Magsaysay awardees. New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) The BJP on Saturday accused the Congress government in Karnataka of misleading people over the murder of a girl on a college campus, alleging that it has prioritised the protection of its "vote bank" over the protection of women. BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde sought to draw a parallel between Karnataka's handling of Neha Hiremath's killing to the way West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allegedly shielded the Sandeshkhali case accused Shajahan Sheikh. "In a similar way, the Congress-led Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka is attempting to protect Fayaz who brutally murdered a Congress councillor's daughter Neha," he told reporters. He said Congress councillor Niranjan Hiremath has claimed that his daughter's murder is a case of "love jihad" but Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is framing it as a love affair and attempting to mislead the public. The Congress government should punish criminals severely, regardless of the religion, he said. Tawde also mocked the opposition INDIA bloc, noting that Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy criticised DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin after the polls were over in Tamil Nadu. Likewise, once the elections in Kerala are over, Congress leaders will start speaking against Kerala's ruling Left parties, he said. This is the true nature of their alliance, he said. In an interview, Reddy had flayed Stalin over his remarks on Sanatan Dharma. Tawde also claimed that TMC president Mamata Banerjee has said she will lead the INDIA bloc after the elections. "Have Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge accepted her claim," he asked. Gurugram, Apr 20 (PTI) Police here have booked the outgoing councillor of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), his gangster brother, and 16 other persons after two rival families engaged in a bloody confrontation, leaving at least six injured, officials said on Saturday. The police have so far arrested 12 accused in the case. More than two dozen police personnel were deployed in Dhanwapur village, where the incident took place on Friday night, and the situation is now under control, DCP (West) Karan Goel said. Bullets were fired and four vehicles were damaged in the one-hour long clash. One of the groups also allegedly tried to crush two people with a car, the police said. MCG outgoing councillor Navin Dahiya along with his brother Sunil alias Tota, leader of the Tota gang, allegedly attacked his neighbour Dinesh Dahiya and his family with sticks, the police said. Tota had come out of jail on bail only three days ago, they said. A long-standing dispute was on between the families of Tota and Dinesh Dahiya over supremacy in their businesses of soil excavation and water supply, the police said. According to the police, Tota along with his gang members on Friday evening reached Dinesh's office in the Surat Nagar area and attacked him and two of his associates. Dinesh (50) was seriously injured in the attack and was admitted to Medanta hospital, they said. Following the attack on Dinesh, his family created a ruckus outside the house of Tota. On this, the henchmen of Tota reached Dinesh's house around 8.45 pm and opened fire in the air. A confrontation broke out between the two parties during which they pelted stones at each other. Five persons got injured and four vehicles were damaged in the scuffle, the police said. The police were called but the accused managed to flee the village by the time the cops reached. A police spokesperson said an FIR was registered against nine persons on the complaint of Dinesh's family member Himanshu Dahiya under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act at the Rajendra Park police station on Saturday. A cross FIR was lodged against nine others on the complaint of Monika, a member of Tota's family, the spokesperson said. The entire episode was captured in CCTV cameras. Based on the footage and other evidence, 12 accused, including 9 from one group and 3 from the other, were arrested Saturday late evening, the police said. The police are yet to reveal the names of the arrested accused. "Taking prompt action, we have arrested 12 accused from both the parties. We are analysing the CCTV footage and the other accused will also be arrested soon. A police force has been deployed in the village as a precaution," said DCP Goel. Surat, Apr 20 (PTI) The candidature of Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani from Surat Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat is in danger of being invalidated after his three proposers claimed in an affidavit to the district election officer that they had not signed his nomination form. DEO Sourabh Pardhi on Saturday sought clarification on the issue from Kumbhani and granted him time till 11am on Sunday before deciding the future course of action on his nomination form. Incidentally, the sole proposer for Suresh Padsala, the Congress' substitute candidate from Surat, has also denied he signed on the nomination form, prompting senior Gujarat Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil to allege it was the handiwork of the ruling BJP to push the opposition party out of the poll fray. During a hearing before the DEO on Saturday evening, both Kumbhani and Padsala sought time till Sunday before a final order is passed. "Proposers of main (Kumbhani) and the substitute (Padsala) candidates have denied having signed the papers. We have been given time till 11 am before the final order is passed and the party will give a detailed argument," Congress spokesperson Naishad Desai said. Kumbhani said his proposers Ramesh Polara, Jagdish Savaliya and Dhuvin Dhameliya were unreachable at present but exuded confidence he would be able to contact them soon. Speaking on the issue, Aam Aadmi Party leader Gopal Italia alleged Kumbhani's proposers have been kidnapped by the BJP. "They were pressured to submit affidavits denying they had signed on the nomination forms," Italia claimed. A complaint regarding their kidnapping has been submitted to the police and the DEO has also been informed about it, Italia added. The Congress and AAP are fighting the Gujarat Lok Sabha polls in alliance. The Congress has fielded candidates on 24 of 26 seats, while AAP is contesting from Bhavnagar and Bharuch. The Congress took all care to ensure there was no fault in the nomination forms, the party's Gujarat chief Gohil said. "Despite this, the BJP raised objections in 14 places to get them invalidated. In Surat, the BJP felt Congress will win so they used police to put pressure on the proposers to file affidavits about not having signed on the forms," Gohil said. "All four proposers, comprising three for the main candidate and one for the substitute candidate have made similar claims. It clearly shows the BJP has tainted democracy and used illegal and undemocratic means to remove Congress from the fray," he said. The Congress' legal team will take the matter to the High Court and Supreme Court, Gohil asserted. The people of Gujarat will reject such moves of the BJP, the Congress leader said. Hoshiarpur, Apr 20 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday slammed the BJP government at the Centre, accusing it of relying on "divisive tactics" to seek votes and neglecting its duty of serving the people. At a public rally to canvass for AAP's Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat candidate Raj Kumar Chabbewal, the chief minister said despite being in power at the Centre for the past 10 years, the BJP was seeking votes based on religion and caste as they could not give an account of the work done. The BJP has "failed" to deliver meaningful progress and development for the nation. Rather than addressing the pressing needs of the populace, the BJP has resorted to exploiting religious and caste identities to garner electoral support, Mann alleged. This strategy is detrimental to the social fabric as it was exacerbating divisions and hindering genuine progress, he said. Mann accused the BJP dispensation of cronyism, claiming that it has sold off valuable government institutions to its "favoured associates", enriching a select few at the expense of public interest. This is a "betrayal of the trust" placed on elected representatives, he said. Accusing the Central government of ignoring Punjab's interests, Mann said the Union government withheld Rs 5,500 crore of the rural development fund. The Punjab chief minister claimed that he was fighting alone to secure these funds for the state's development. He asserted that his government's industry-friendly policies have attracted around Rs 70,000 crore in investments from industrialists. This would boost the state's economy and provide jobs to the unemployed youths, the Punjab chief minister said. Referring to the arrest of his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the liquor policy scam case, Mann said the BJP can imprison the AAP supremo, but cannot suppress his ideas. New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) A day after polling for the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Saturday claimed that the INDIA bloc is far ahead of the BJP and an undercurrent in favour of the coalition is gaining strength. Polling in the first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories took place on Friday. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "BJP's Graph: South Mein Saaf, North Mein Half! Here's what we know after the first phase of voting: In the first phase, voting was held on 102 seats in 21 states. Ground reports clearly show the INDIA coalition far ahead of BJP." "We have swept Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, and performed strongly in Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh," he claimed. Ramesh further said that the BJP's performance in key states has been "remarkably poor". "The BJP leadership is in panic due to these trends - the PM's tweet is an indication of the desperation in their camp," he claimed. Ramesh said the BJP candidates have openly admitted that they will have to work hard this time because there is "no Modi hawa". He claimed that the PM has been "uninspiring" in his campaign speeches and interviews. "His (Modi's) attacks on INDIA are tired and jaded, and often bordering on the absurd. The PM has been unable to set the agenda for the election," Ramesh said. The rhetoric around "400 Par" and amending the Constitution have backfired on the ground, he said. The Congress' guarantees, backed by the strong performance of our state governments, are gaining traction across the country, Ramesh added. "The undercurrent is gaining strength. A wave is now brewing!" he said. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) under Prime Minister Modi is seeking a stronger majority for a third consecutive term, while the constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc are hoping for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections. Jaipur, Apr 20 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said Rajasthan is going to give all 25 Lok Sabha seats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third time. Addressing a poll rally in Bhilwara, Shah also targeted former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, saying that he was stuck in the election campaign of his son Vaibhav Gehlot, the Congress candidate from the Jalore seat. Vaibhav Gehlot is going to lose the election by a huge margin, the Union minister claimed. "The first phase of elections was yesterday (Friday). All 12 seats of Rajasthan that voted in the first phase are going to Narendra Modi. Rajasthan is going to make a hat-trick of giving all 25 seats to Narendra Modi for a third time," Shah said. He also hit out at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, claiming that they go on vacations abroad every three months. "Priyanka Gandhiji returned from Thailand after a vacation in the middle of the elections," he added. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 20. The volume of container transshipment through the Aktau seaport of Kazakhstan reached 7,400 TEU in the first quarter of 2024, Trend reports. According to Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ, a national company), this is 1,840 TEU, or 33 percent more than in the first quarter of 2023. At the same time, 6,400 TEUs from the aforementioned volume were processed along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor). This figure has climbed by 85 percent since last year. The Kazakh Aktau seaport is part of the Middle Corridor, which ensures cargo is dispatched to Azerbaijan's Baku port for further sale to European countries. The Kazakh government is pursuing a variety of projects to expand this port in order to increase future cargo traffic via the Middle Corridor. A huge container hub is being created at the port, cargo berths are being rebuilt, and dredging is happening. The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor. The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkiye before reaching Europe. The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes. Latur, Apr 20 (PTI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Latur Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, Sudhakar Shrangare, has declared assets worth Rs 23.48 crore, as per the poll affidavit filed by him. In the affidavit that he filed with his nomination form, Shrangare said he possesses eight luxury cars, including a BMW and a Mercedes-Benz. His wife Sangeeta owns assets worth Rs 4.76 crore, it says. The affidavit says that Shrangare has movable assets worth Rs 3.94 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 13. 89 crore. He also owns agricultural land, plots in Renapur, Akharwai, Khadgaon and also flats, plots, store houses, offices in Mumbai and other places worth Rs 10.67 crore, while the assets in his wife's names are worth Rs 3.15 crore. Shrangare started his political career in 2017 as a Zilla Parishad member. He contested his first Lok Sabha election in 2019 as the BJP candidate from Latur constituency and became an MP. The party fielded him from the seat this time again. He submitted his nomination form on Thursday in the presence of BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other prominent leaders. A total of 36 candidates are in the fray for the elections to Latur Lok Sabha seat to be held on May 7. Srinagar, Apr 20 (PTI) The PDP's Srinagar candidate on Saturday appealed to Kashmir's youngsters to consider the general elections as a "referendum" to send to New Delhi a message about their "dissatisfaction" with the Centre's decisions post August 2019. Waheed Parra, who is also the youth wing chief of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), said there is a need to send a message "that you (New Delhi) should not accept the silence of Kashmir as its acceptance". He told reporters during an election campaign at HMT in the city's outskirts, "I think the main aim and issue of this election, especially for us, is not about who is against us. The people in Srinagar, especially the youngsters of Kashmir, should not consider these elections as less than a referendum." "Do not think they (people of Kashmir) are happy with you (on decisions post August 2019). They are not. There are many reasons behind it. The future of the people, especially youngsters, is uncertain," he said. In August 2019, the Centre abrogated Article 370, which bestowed a special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. It also bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territories of Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir. Parra said, "They are scared. They do not understand how they will get the feeling of security. That's why I appeal to the youngsters of Srinagar because when they set a trend, it spreads throughout Kashmir." The people of Kashmir need assurances from Parliament about their identity and resources being safeguarded, the PDP leader said. "The election is not about winning or losing. The issue is whether we can send a message to New Delhi that the people of Kashmir are not happy and if we can convey our apprehensions that our land, identity, resources are in danger," Parra said. "We feel that all these things are in danger until the people of Jammu and Kashmir get a solid assurance from Parliament. Until we get it, there will be trouble," he said. Srinagar goes to the polls in the fourth phase on May 13. The Government should stage an inheritance tax raid on unspent pension pots and close other loopholes, says leading think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies Pension pots sit outside the inheritance tax net and pulling them into it could land the Government an extra 200million in revenue, its research claimed. Currently, the outstanding defined contribution pensions of loved ones who die before they reach 75 can be passed on tax-free, while the unused retirement funds passed on by those who die after age 75 are subject to income tax on withdrawals. But the IFS says the Government should end the pension perk and close other loopholes, imposing IHT on AIM shares and capping business and agricultural relief. Loophole: Pensioners with enough money to avoid using their pension pot can use it as a way to avoid inheritance tax The amount of money subject to the inheritance tax pension pot exemption is set to continue growing, the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned. It said the Government would gain 400million in tax revenue by 2029 to 2030, if defined contribution pension pots were included in estates. And the IFS said that the Government could raise between 1billion and 2billion 'in the coming decades' if pension pots were made taxable. The inheritance tax 'carve outs' were criticised by the IFS, which said they allowed the very wealthy to pay considerably lower overall rates. While passing on unused pension pots contributes to this, a large part comes from business relief and agricultural land being passed on tax-free. The IFS said: 'These reliefs are most heavily used by the biggest estates. As a result, despite a headline tax rate of 40 per cent, the effective rate of inheritance tax paid peaks at 25 per cent for estates worth between 3 million and 7.5 million, before declining to just 17 per cent on estates worth 10 million or more.' Inheritance tax is charged at 40% but only above tax-free thresholds. This means the average effective tax rate remains below that. But while it peaks for estates between about 3million and 5million, it then starts to fall substantially due to tax planning by the very wealthy A criticism of the exemption on pensions is that it means wealthier individuals, who don't need to rely on their pot to fund retirement, are advised to use it as a way to pass on wealth without the sting of inheritance tax. Mubin Haq, chief executive of abrdn Financial Fairness Trust said: 'A key factor undermining support for taxes is the public perception that there are loopholes a small minority are taking advantage of. 'That's the situation facing inheritance tax, with a myriad of reliefs available. Clamping down on a few of the main exemptions could increase the amount raised through inheritance tax by over one-fifth. 'That's over 2 billion in additional revenue by the end of the decade, which could fund our overstretched public services.' Unfair perk or fair exemption? Pension pots and IHT Currently, defined contribution pension pots the most common type of workplace pension in the UK can potentially be passed on tax-free when someone dies. Pensions sit outside of inheritance tax, which is charged at 40 per cent, but are potentially subject to income tax. For those who die before they reach 75, a pension pot can be passed free of on income tax for beneficiaries. Last year, the Government dropped plans to tighten rules on pensions inherited from those under 75. Those who die after the age of 75, will see their beneficiaries charged income tax on withdrawals from a pension pot that is passed on, which could be levied at 20 per cent, 40 per cent or 45 per cent. Poll If YOU were Chancellor, what would you do about inheritance tax? Raise the threshold Cut the 40% rate Change gifting rules Abolish it altogether It's fair, keep it the same Wealthiest should pay most, squeeze them more Something else (tell us in the comments) If YOU were Chancellor, what would you do about inheritance tax? Raise the threshold 1409 votes Cut the 40% rate 567 votes Change gifting rules 198 votes Abolish it altogether 2597 votes It's fair, keep it the same 144 votes Wealthiest should pay most, squeeze them more 348 votes Something else (tell us in the comments) 67 votes Now share your opinion Close the loopholes and lower the tax rate? The IFS argues that there are a number of other loopholes that should also be closed. It says this will make the system fairer and also raise money which could then be used to cut the main rate of inheritance tax from 40 per cent. Amongst the exemptions highlighted by the think tank, the ability to pass on agricultural land was highlighted. This was created to stop families being forces to sell farms, but has led to substantial investment in farmland by very wealthy individuals, who can then pass it on free of tax. Rather than this loophole being closed an extra exemption was added in the Spring Budget, allowing agricultural land that isn't farmed to be passed on tax-free. This was put forward as a way of supporting conservation efforts. Whilst only amounting to a loss of about 5 million in revenue per year, the IFS claims that the new exemption 'illustrates a key economic and political problem with an inheritance tax system that gives special treatment to some assets.' 'Once a relief is created, there are always arguments for expanding its scope to avoid some unfairness at the margin. The root of the problem is the creation of the special relief in the first place,' the IFS said. It said the Government loses 400million each year to agricultural exemptions. Losing out: The IFS says the Government could raise billions if its cuts inheritance tax loopholes David Sturrock, IFS senior research economist, said: 'Inheritance tax is littered with special reliefs and exemptions which make the tax unfair. The Spring Budget introduced yet another relief to this long list. '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.' Shares in the London Stock Exchange's AIM market are completely tax-free if they have been held for at least two years before someone dies. This was designed to support backing for smaller, riskier companies but has also created higher investment in these shares among wealthy older people to capitalise. Removing this could raise 1.1billion this tax year, says the IFS, rising to 1.6billion by 2029-30. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 20. Astana will host the Meeting of Defense Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, the press service of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Defense said, Trend reports. According to the information, the event will be held on April 26, 2024. The meeting is organized within the framework of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the SCO. The activities of the meeting are aimed at strengthening confidence-building measures in the military field, assisting in ensuring peace and stability in the region, and coordinating efforts aimed at countering new challenges and threats to regional security. Additionally, it is expected that the heads of defense departments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states, its secretary general, the director of the Executive Committee of the organization's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, and the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Belarus will arrive. To note, the next summit of the SCO heads of state will be held in Astana on July 34. The summit will be dedicated to 'Strengthening multilateral dialogue - striving for sustainable peace and development'. 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According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, the issue was discussed at a meeting between the Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to Malaysia, Anvar Anarbev, and the Director of the Department of Global Policy and Government Relations of the AirAsia airline Zamani Rafique. The ambassador emphasized that launching convenient and affordable direct flights would contribute to the development of tourism, trade, business relations, as well as cultural and educational exchanges between the countries. A representative of AirAsia expressed interest in expanding the list of flight destinations, including the possible launch of direct flights on the Kuala Lumpur - Bishkek route at affordable rates for citizens of both countries. The company also expressed readiness to visit Kyrgyzstan to explore cooperation prospects in the near future. AirAsia is a Malaysian budget airline. It is the largest budget airline in Asia, with its main flight destinations being countries and resorts in Southeast Asia and the Philippines. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 20. Kyrgyzstan and Turkiye will suspend the issuance of necessary permits for bilateral and transit transportation on May 1, Trend reports. According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz and Turkish carriers will be able to transport goods freely between both countries and in transit. The decision results from discussions between the Minister Tilek Tekebaev, and the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkiye, Gonul Abdulkadir Uraloglu, during Tekebaev's visit to Turkiye in February 2024. The Ministry of Transport also notes that significant relief for freight carriers has come from the increased quotas for entry into countries without cargo and permits for the import of goods from third countries. According to the State Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan, trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and Turkiye amounted to $77.393 million from January through February 2024, which is a 19 percent decrease year-on-year. Kyrgyzstan's exports to Turkiye reached $18.330 million, declining by 10 percent compared to the same period in 2023. The imports totaled $59.063 million, which is 21.4 percent less than in January-February 2023. The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced an investment of over 30 million, which will deliver 12 new community centres nationwide. Its the first time in the history of the State that a dedicated fund has been set up to deliver new-build community centres in Rural Ireland. The Minister made the announcement while visiting Newcastle in Galway, which after todays announcement, is to receive over 4.3 million to build a brand new community centre. The successful community centre projects, announced today, will receive capital grants of between 1 million and 6 million to build multi-functional centres in areas that currently lack community facilities. The Community Centres Investment Fund was launched in March 2023 to provide investment for new and ambitious community projects in our towns and villages. After providing funding of 45.8m to over 860 projects for refurbishments, Minister Humphreys decided to put a renewed focus on supporting communities that have no community centre at all. The projects being funded under the announcement are: Aras Lae, Maigh Cuilinn, Co. Galway - 6,000,000 Tullow Road Community Hub, Carlow Town 4,135,178. Newcastle Community Centre, Galway City 4,343,255. Rylane Community Centre, Co.Cork - 1,595,574 Ballina Scouting Den and Community Centre, Co Mayo - 1,152,193 Kilcloon Community Centre, Co. Meath - 1,915,000 Rockcorry Community Centre, Co. Monaghan - 2,667,785 Moneygall Community Centre, Co Offaly - 1,407,660 Ballymote Community Centre, Co. Sligo - 2,650,991 Kilglass Community Centre, Co. Sligo - 1,163,710 Ballymitty Community Development, Co. Wexford- 1,398,035 Riverchapel Community Centre, Co. Wexford - 1,797,919 Making the announcement, Minister Humphreys said: "Today, we are investing over 30 million in 12 new build facilities this will be transformational for our rural towns and villages. "Our community centres bring people of all ages together, whether it be for sporting, educational or social occasions. "They are vital for engaging with those who may find themselves marginalised and they give everyone in the community a great sense of belonging." These projects are all on brown or green field sites and have all the necessary planning and consents secured so they are already at an advanced stage and ready to commence following a tender process. This Fund targets areas without an appropriate facility to meet their communitys needs. The centres range in size from single storey to two-storey buildings and will be located in rural and urban settings across nine counties. The minister concluded: "When I launched this fund last year with a 20m allocation, I expected to approve 5 or 6 projects. Taking account of the quality of the applications and the identified needs, I am today approving funding for 12 of the applications received with funding of over 30m. "This funding will assist community groups striving to build their own community centre to service local needs and the level of interest has shown that these centres, when complete, will be the heart of many a community." The main goal of the far right is to stop the green transition, Eamon Ryan has told his partys pre-election conference. Speaking at the RDS in Dublin on Saturday, the Green party leader said an alternative politics based on fear and division is on the rise. Mr Ryan warned that disinformation and polarisation are posing a risk to Irish democracy. He said: I wouldnt define it as a right wing or conservative movement because it seems to have little regard for traditional values. Nihilism might be the better term. They seem to reject everything that is good with an anger that in the end will be corrosive and self-destructive. While thanking Integration Minister and Green party colleague Roderic OGorman for his work in providing emergency accommodation to people fleeing the war in Ukraine and others seeking international protection, Mr Ryan said: The gospel I grew up with never said the Good Samaritan should have walked on by. Similarly, the patriots we admired, from Tone to OConnell and Connolly to Pearse, all had an international perspective to their national pride. Noting that Mr OGormans house had recently been targeted by a protest involving masked men, he added: I dont think they would be at home with the simplistic idea that Ireland is now full. The Republic we adhere and aspire to is a tolerant one, respectful of every colour or creed, celebrating diversity and providing shelter to those in need. Mr Ryan also criticised a politics of scepticism, adding: We have our weakness undoubtedly but Ireland is not a bad country to live in. The Green leader said his party could deliver more affordable homes by reducing prices through restoration of vacant and derelict homes, as well as improvement in water, transport and energy infrastructure. In a speech which also addressed great danger in the world posed by war in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, Mr Ryan said democracy is at risk. Democracy is under threat in the United States where the prospect of another Donald Trump presidency looms large. Even in our European Union, the best suddenly seem to lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity. He said a loss of faith in multilateral cooperation has distracted people from the existential threat of climate change and the destruction of nature. We know that each of the last 10 months has been the warmest in recorded history. Average global air temperatures have gone above the 1.5 degree increase which scientists tell us is a tipping point, beyond which things could become unstoppable. In Ireland, we have seen the reality with endless rain over the last 10 months. Our fields are sodden, too wet to pick potatoes in the autumn or to sow grain in the spring. Cattle are still in their sheds. Around the world climate change is bringing havoc, causing conflict and forced migration. It is a sign of what is to come. Mr Ryan said war had shifted focus from bees to bullets, warning that the European Council presidencys draft strategy for the next five years effectively seeks to abandon the European Green Deal. He said: We cannot let this happen. We cannot give up on climate change. We cannot let our natural world collapse. We are at a critical point in history. If you believe that climate action cannot be delayed, then send a Green MEP to the European parliament. They may have the casting vote which tilts things back in the right direction. This is the key question in the European election. Will the far right whose main goal is to stop the green transition win the day? The Green leader said ignoring the reality of climate change will ruin the security of future generations. Mr Ryan said: A vote for the Greens will improve the quality of life for all our people. The beauty of what we do is that it benefits both people and planet. It is a vote to protect our childrens future and send a message to the wider world that this island of ours is still going green. And we are good at going green in this country. In particular, Mr Ryan said Ireland had halved its emissions per person over the previous two decades and that each month 1,000 additional households are experiencing warmer homes with lower fuel bills due to retrofitting grants. He said the party had also scrapped VAT on solar panels and abolished the need to get planning permission before their installation. On my first visit to Buffalo, N.Y., eight years ago, I remember looking up at the stunning art deco design of the City Hall, and at the large (and affordable) Victorian homes, and thinking, I need to move here. The citys beauty surprised me, but Buffalo was once a populous hub thanks to the Erie Canal, until a shift in transportation trends triggered the start of the citys downturn. But now, Buffalo is in the midst of a renaissance, which is reflected in its revitalized waterfront, a fast-growing food and drink scene, the Buffalo AKG Art Museums recent $195-million (U.S.) renovation, and the revival of historic sites. A collection of concrete grain elevators is now a 27-acre destination called Silo City, for example, and the former Buffalo Color plant has been transformed into a striking event space called the Powerhouse. On each visit to the city I go a few times a year I add to my list of local favourites. Here, a few recommendations for your next road trip. For dreamy pastries: Butter Block This year, the Culinary Institute of America-trained pastry chef Colleen Stillwell celebrates the 10th anniversary of Butter Block. She started the bakery as a pop-up in 2014, but in 2020, she set up this charming, sunny shop in Buffalos Five Points neighbourhood. Going through more than 450 pounds of French butter weekly, Butter Block sells a fine range of goods including maple bacon bow ties, kouign amanns, Danishes, pop tarts and eclairs but the most popular is their classic croissant. On a summer Saturday, the bakery can easily sell out of 500 of these flaky, buttery treats, which take three days to make. Arrive by 10 a.m. for the best selection. While youre here, head across the street to Remedy House (set to reopen this spring under new ownership), where you can grab a great latte and people-watch from the cheerful patio. For retail therapy: Elmwood Village The community vibes are strong in tree-lined Elmwood Village, the neighbourhood to stroll for charming, indie-owned shops. At Put a Plant On It, Johanna Dominguez sells not only greenery but also pieces from nearly 100 local artists, such as pottery by Olivia Caldwell, Alexandra Privitera and Darcie Rosinski. Be sure to say hello to the shops four resident birds, leopard gecko and Dominguezs dog, Woozle. For more shop-local goodness, hit up ShopCraft, a gallery and gift shop dedicated to the works of Buffalo artists, including stationery by Tiny Buffalo Designs Co., and soy wax candles by Niland Candle Co. For accessible art: Buffalo AKG Art Museums Public Art Initiative For more than a decade, the Public Art Initiative by this museum (previously known as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery) has been brightening up the city with public art projects, including wall murals by renowned street artists from around the world, like Eduardo Kobra and Felipe Pantone. The latest works, added in 2023, include Alyssa Capris storybook-inspired Leap, and Canadian artist Aaron Li-Hills What Is Here. Visit buffaloakg.org/community/public-art for a list of all the public art now on view (the locations are also Google-mapped for handy reference). For cocktails in a retro-cool bar: Graylynn Inside an impressive Main Street building that dates back to the late 1800s, youll find Graylynn, a European-style bistro and gin bar, complete with cosy booths and a handsome retro bar. The menu ranges from classics to signature cocktails, and a solid choice is the Peacock, made with Privateer gin, sugar snap pea, lime and black sesame salt. Pair your drinks with small plates, like the rum butter escargot. For an outdoor workout: Water bike the Buffalo Harbor and Buffalo River Its a touristy activity but also genuinely fun. Head Canalside the heart of the citys waterfront revitalization to rent your buoyant ride from Water Bikes of Buffalo. As you pedal your water bike on the Buffalo River, you can gawk at the towering concrete grain elevators, check out the ships as you pass the Buffalo Naval Park, and head toward Lake Erie for a peek at Buffalo Main Light, the 60-foot limestone lighthouse established in 1833. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 20. Kyrgyzstan has sent humanitarian aid to the flood-affected Orenburg region of Russia, Trend reports. The dispatch of 350 tons of humanitarian aid, as instructed by President Sadyr Zhaparov, was organized by the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations, according to the official data. The caravan, consisting of 20 cargo trucks, has departed on April 20, 2024, with plans for delivery through Kazakhstan to the Orenburg region. The aid package includes essential food items, household goods, and clothing, such as flour, sugar, rice, buckwheat, vegetable oil, water pumps, beds, mattresses, blankets, children's jackets, thermal underwear, rubber boots, and other items, aimed at assisting the residents of the affected region. On the evening of April 5, a flood began in the Orenburg region, affecting over 12,000 homes. Nearly 8,000 people have been evacuated. The flooding started after a dam breach in Orsk submerged Orenburg's settlements underwater. TV Programm heute Wer heute Fernsehen sehen will, greift entweder zur Programmzeitschrift oder vor allem bei jungeren TV-Zuschauern gang und gabe nutzt den Programmguide seines Vertrauens im Internet. Bei TV SPIELFILM gibt es mit der "TV Programm von heute"-Ubersicht eine praktische Zusammenstellung aller Sendungen des Tages. Von den Hauptprogrammen Das Erste, ZDF, RTL, Sat.1, ProSieben und kabel eins bis hin zu den Spartenkanalen, Dritten Programmen und Sport- oder Infokanalen: Wer das Programm heute kennen will, kann sich kinderleicht durch die Ansicht navigieren. TV heute: Vielseitig aber auch unubersichtlich Im Laufe der Jahre bevolkern immer mehr Sender die deutsche Fernsehlandschaft. Wer das Fernsehprogramm heute im Auge behalten will, muss uber einen breiten Blick verfugen. Der durchschnittliche deutsche TV-Haushalt empfangt mehr als 70 vollwertige Programme uber seinen Fernseher, insgesamt gibt es mehr als 400 Programme im deutschen TV. Landesweite, regionale und lokale Fernsehangebote dominieren das Programm heute. Mit dem Aufkommen von Streamingdiensten wie Netflix und Amazon oder der wachsenden Bedeutung des Pay-TV wird die Auswahl fur Fernsehen heute immer groer. Mit dem TV Programm von heute wahrt der Programmguide Ubersicht in Zeiten der Unubersichtlichkeit. Auch bei der Auswahl einer geeigneten Sendung hilft TV SPIELFILM: Wir geben Programm-Tipps fur jeden Tag, zeigen mit dem bestens bekannten Daumen, ob sich das Programm heute lohnt oder nicht. Die Kritiken und Tipps stammen aus der Redaktion und werden taglich gewissenhaft und mit geubtem Auge ausgewahlt und verfasst. Informationen bezuglich des Genres, der Schauspieler und der Altersfreigabe im TV sind ebenfalls ersichtlich. Die ubersichtliche Darstellung in Tabellenform gliedert die einzelnen Sendungen zeitlich und liefert einen schnellen Uberblick uber das tagliche TV-Programm. Fernsehen heute: Webseiten und Apps Eine weitere Moglichkeit sich nicht nur uber das TV Programm zu informieren, sondern auch direkt einzuschalten, besteht uber die digitalen Angebote von TV SPIELFILM. Mit den Apps oder uber die Internetseite kann direkt ins tagliche Programm geschaltet werden. Auch eine Verbindung zu den Streamingangeboten findet sich unter jeder Sendung: Wenn eine Serie auch uber Netflix, Amazon, Maxdome und Co. streambar ist, erfahrt ihr es im EPG von TV SPIELFILM. Der mobile Zugriff, aktuelle Informationen nach einem Programmwechsel und die Funktion, Sender nach eigenem Belieben zu sortieren, stellen weitere Vorteile fur das Fernsehen von heute dar. Hilfreiche Features sind auerdem die integrierte Suchleiste sowie eine Erinnerungsfunktion. Durch diese Funktion erhalt der Zuschauer die Moglichkeit, von ihm favorisierte Filme, Serien oder Dokumentationen fur das Programm heute auszuwahlen und auf eine Merkliste zu setzen. Kurz vor der Ausstrahlung wird der Nutzer uber das gewunschte Programm im TV heute informiert. In Moldova, Russian proxy forces continue their campaign to create conditions for justifying a potential aggression on the part of the Russian Federation. Thats according to the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank, Ukrinform reports. The summary states that on April 19, the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, a pro-Russian autonomous region in Moldova, appealed to the Moldovan parliament with a request to grant Russian language a special legal status as the language of international communication. The pro-Russian governor of Gagauzia, Yevgenia Gutsul, claimed to a Russian media outlet that the Russophobic Government of Moldova resists the initiative. "The Gagauzian appeal is likely part of Kremlin efforts to set information conditions to blame Moldova for discriminating against Russian speakers and justify future Russian aggression in Moldova as necessary to protect Russias compatriots abroad, ISW analysts believe. On the same day, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, during an interview with Russian state media, stated that the West had forced the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, to "openly drag Moldova into NATO, either directly or through unification with Romania", adding that the same had previously been done with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. The Russian minister also criticized Moldova and Armenias westward course, and called on these countries to reconsider their decisions, claiming that the West would force their citizens to fight in a potential war against Russia. ISW experts suggest that Lavrov's comparison of the government of Moldova with those of Armenia and Ukraine is likely a tacit threat. "ISW continues to assess that the Kremlin is likely trying to destabilize Moldovan society, attack Moldovas democratic government, and prevent Moldovas accession to the European Union," the think tank concluded. Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War emphasized that Russia intends to exploit Transnistria and Gagauzia to run hybrid operations in order to destabilize Moldova. Speaker of U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, met with Serhiy Haidarzhi, whose wife and child were killed in a Russian attack on Odesa on March 2. Member of Ukrainian Parliament Iryna Gerashchenko reported this on Facebook, Ukrinform saw. "Odessite, who lost his wife and young son during the Russian attacks, got to a meeting with Congress Speaker Johnson. He is known for his conservatism and piety. Serhiy's wife, who died along with their baby son, was a pastor's daughter. I am sure that the testimonies of victims of Russian aggression, priests who will tell about destroyed churches, parents who have lost their children are exactly the hard truth that we have to convey to the world. Congressmen must see and hear the tragedies of specific people, every day of delay with weapons against evil strengthens evil, bringing more victims, leaving Ukrainian women and children killed," MP Gerashchenko wrote. According to the lawmaker, another legislator, Pavlo Unhurian helped to organize the meeting. "This is people's diplomacy we need today so that Ukraine receives help," Gerashchenko said. As reported earlier, from March 1 to 2, Russian drones attacked Odesa in southern Ukraine. As a result of the attack, a high-rise apartment block was killed, where 12 people were killed, including five children. Anna Haydarzhi and her 4-month-old son Tymofiy were among the victims. Photo: Facebook Iryna Gerashchenko DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, April 20. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Tajikistans real GDP growth to reach 6.5 percent in 2024, Trend reports. This amount has risen from 5 percent expected in the IMF's October economic estimate. However, GDP is expected to fall to 4.5 percent by 2025. Meanwhile, the World Bank (WB) predicts Tajikistan's GDP to expand by 6.5 percent in 2024. The bank expects Tajikistan's economic growth to decline to 4.5 percent in both 2025 and 2026. Similarly, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) expects Tajikistan's GDP to rise by 6.5 percent this year and next. In addition, Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon highlighted the country's economic progress in his address to the Supreme Assembly at the end of 2023. He noted that Tajikistan's GDP increased by 8.3 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, reaching over 130 billion somoni ($11 billion). | By Brittney Brookins Amid a national atmosphere increasingly hostile to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, the University of Maryland School of Social Works (UMSSW) inaugural J.E.D.I. Summit, held April 11, 2024, carried a powerful message of resilience and resistance. This sentiment was accentuated by recent events surrounding the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, an event that sparked a flurry of derogatory comments against Mayor Brandon Scott, dubbing him the DEI Mayor in a pejorative context. These attacks, rooted in racism and a misunderstanding of DEIs role in leadership, underscored the urgent need for continued advocacy and education, setting the backdrop for the summits discussions. Attendees of the University of Maryland School of Social Work J.E.D.I. Summit listen intently as panelists discuss strategies for sustaining diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Illuminating the path forward for DEI initiatives under the theme No Turning Back: Sustaining Progress Toward Equity and Inclusion, the J.E.D.I. (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) event, a half-day filled with enlightening workshops and panels, provided a forum for discussing vital DEI strategies amid rising anti-DEI legislation and the growing inclination toward educational gag orders. Keynote speaker Jeremy C. Young, a leader in combating censorship in education, set a formidable tone, highlighting the importance of resisting oppressive legislation that hinders academic freedom and stifles diverse voices in higher education. His insights drew from his extensive experience at Freedom to Learn PEN America, underscoring the imperative to maintain a free and inclusive academic environment. Were currently seeing bills that particularly ban certain types of speech from faculty on campus relating to race and gender identity in U.S. history and particular ideas within those areas, Young said. This is censorship that bans speech not based on some sort of abstract principle, but a particular viewpoint expressed in the speech which ultimately suppresses the voices of those in minority identity groups. Moderated by Neijma Celestine-Donnor, JD, MSW, associate dean of DEI, UMSSW, the first panel delved into the complexities of defending and advancing DEI in the current climate. Panelist Tara Berrien, JD, assistant vice president of diversity and equal employment opportunity, Morgan State University, and Jasmine A. Lee, PhD, MSW, vice president of equity and inclusive excellence, Goucher College, shared insights into the daily battles faced by DEI practitioners. Lee articulated the resistance to DEI with a compelling metaphor: For those who have always held the entire pie, the idea of making space to share equitably can feel like a loss. But what were really talking about isnt taking away its correcting longstanding wrongs. This perceived loss is a significant part of the resistance we encounter. The second panel, titled Dialogue Not Debate: The Importance of Cultivating Courageous Conversations During Difficult Times, led by Julia Scott, assistant director of EDI programs, UMSSW, underscored the transformative power of open, honest dialogues in creating inclusive spaces. Panelists, including Melissa Zieve, MSW, senior director, Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies, discussed best practices for navigating challenging dialogues that foster connection and understanding across diverse groups. This panel emphasized how authentic conversations could transform professional and personal interactions, creating spaces where everyone feels valued and heard. The summit, resonating with the theme No Turning Back, served as a crucial platform for dialogue, strategy sharing, and a collective reaffirmation of the commitment to DEI in the face of growing adversities. Echoing the resolve of the day, Celestine-Donnor remarked, Let us defend our work by rooting it in the mission of our universities, in the missions of our disciplines, in our codes of ethics, and in what we do. This statement encapsulated the summits call to action: to persistently advocate for DEI, not as a separate agenda, but as an integral part of the very fabric of our educational institutions and professional practices. The collective message was clear despite the challenges, the commitment to building a more equitable and inclusive society remains unwavering and essential. In recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Education has faced significant challenges in processing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms. Calculation errors and incorrect tax data have affected a substantial number of submissions, leaving students and families uncertain about their financial aid status. However, amidst these challenges, efforts are underway to rectify the situation and provide clarity to those seeking assistance for higher education expenses. Addressing Processing Errors The recent revelation of errors in the processing of FAFSA forms has spotlighted the complexities involved in managing student aid applications. Undersecretary of Education James Kvaal has acknowledged the issue's magnitude, stating that approximately 200,000 forms were impacted by student aid index calculation errors. In comparison, about 330,000 forms contained incorrect tax data provided by the IRS. These errors collectively affected nearly 20 percent of submitted FAFSAs, necessitating reprocessing of the affected forms. Efforts to rectify the situation are underway, with the Department of Education reprocessing the impacted forms. However, while progress has been made in addressing the first batch of forms, those affected by tax errors present a more intricate challenge. Technical adjustments to the existing systems are required to facilitate the reprocessing of these forms, with an anticipated start date of May 1st. This timeline coincides with many colleges' deposit deadlines for admitted students, underscoring the situation's urgency. READ MORE : FAFSA Timeline Extended Again, Students To Face Delays In Financial Aid Adjustments Mitigating Impact and Providing Guidance Despite the complexities involved, the Department of Education is actively working to mitigate the impact of processing errors on students and families. Interim measures are being taken to ensure that aid forms can be processed promptly, encouraging institutions to utilize available information, including data from incorrect forms. While discrepancies in aid awards between incorrect and reprocessed forms may occur, the difference is expected to be minimal, typically amounting to a few hundred dollars. Moreover, efforts are underway to address errors resulting from student or contributor mistakes. Approximately 16 percent of all submitted FAFSAs contain such errors, necessitating corrective action. Students are urged to rectify discrepancies promptly by revisiting the FAFSA system and making necessary amendments. With a significant portion of rejected forms attributed to missing consent for tax data retrieval, correcting these errors is emphasized as a straightforward process, requiring only minutes to complete. Empowering Students and Promoting Engagement Amidst the challenges posed by processing errors, initiatives aimed at empowering students and promoting engagement in the FAFSA process continue unabated. The Department of Education's recent "FAFSA Week of Action" served as a rallying point for various stakeholders, including high school counselors, college-access nonprofits, and state government officials. The objective was to bolster FAFSA submissions, which have seen a notable decline compared to previous years. Undersecretary Kvaal reiterated that the importance of filling out FAFSA forms and making necessary corrections cannot be overstated. Despite the uncertainties and delays, students are encouraged to take proactive steps in securing financial aid for their higher education pursuits. Assurance is offered to those awaiting offers from colleges, with a reminder that support and resources are available to navigate the challenges of current circumstances. While the processing errors encountered in FAFSA submissions have presented significant hurdles, efforts to rectify the situation and provide guidance to students and families are underway. Through proactive measures, including reprocessing affected forms and advice on error correction, the Department of Education aims to ensure that students can access the financial aid they need to pursue their educational aspirations. Amidst the challenges, a message of empowerment and support resonates, emphasizing the importance of student engagement and resilience in navigating the complexities of the financial aid process. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 20. Turkmenistan considers it advisable to establish cooperation with the Japanese Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. company to bring the Markarbamid plant located in the Mary region of the country to its designed capacity, Trend reports. According to the official source, this was announced by Deputy Chairman of the Government of Turkmenistan Baymyrat Annamamedov at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. "Based on the instructions given by the head of state regarding the establishment of direct contacts with foreign manufacturing companies, it is considered advisable to establish cooperation with the Japanese Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. company in order to bring the plant to its designed capacity," he said. Annamamedov noted that in order to increase the production capacity of the Markarbamid plant, the necessary work is being carried out to establish a regular supply of the required raw materials and chemicals, spare parts and equipment, as well as maintenance and repair in accordance with the stipulated standards. After hearing the report, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov supported the proposal to establish direct relations with the Japanese company in order to ensure the smooth operation of the Markarbamid plant of the Turkmenhimiya State Concern and regular supplies of raw materials and chemicals used in production according to technological standards, instructing the Deputy Chairman to take appropriate measures. Meanwhile, at the end of September last year, the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, held a meeting with the senior adviser on strategic issues of the Japanese Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. company, Tatsuya Watanabe. Berdimuhamedov stated that Turkmenistan is ready to consider proposals for the implementation of new projects in the field of chemical and oil and gas industry development, in particular, to increase the production of phosphorus, ammonia, carbamide, and gasoline from natural gas. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2024) A delegation of the World Food Program called on the Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur here at CM Secretariat on Saturday. The delegation was led by World Food Program Country Director Ms. Coco Ushiyama. In the meeting, the issues related to the activities carried out under the World Food Program in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in the adjoining districts, were discussed. Discussions on further expanding the scope of cooperation between the provincial government and the World Food Program in various fields were also held. The two also agreed to further enhance cooperation in various fields. Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur said that the provincial government values the cooperation and collaboration of the World Food Program. The provincial government needs more support from other donor organizations including the World Food Program for merging districts, the CM added. The World Food Programs program of providing educational scholarships to the girls of the merged districts is commendable, CM said, adding that promotion of education in the merged districts and employing the people is the main priority. Special attention from the government and donor organizations is needed to bring the merged districts into the national stream, Ali Amin Gandapur told the delegation. He said that the infrastructure in these districts has been badly affected during the anti-terror operations, the Chief Minister informed the delegation. He said that farm-to-market roads need to be constructed in the merged districts. He said that special attention needs to be given to rehabilitation works in these districts. He said that provincial government is planning to construct small dams to ensure food security. To develop the agriculture sector in the province on modern lines, tunnel farming and other modern technologies have to be introduced, CM said, adding that the water resources of the province need to be used effectively for self-sufficiency in hydropower and agricultural commodities. We are working to put people on their feet by giving those jobs and for this purpose we need foreign investment, Ali Amin Gandapur said. The provincial government will provide all the facilities required by the investors, he added. The provincial government wants to establish food testing laboratories to ensure the quality of food items and in this regard, it needs the cooperation of donor agencies, the CM said. He said that measures are needed to protect people from flood damage in flood-affected areas. He said that the provincial government is making programs to strengthen the economy of the province by developing all sectors on modern lines. To implement these programs, he said the provincial government needs the support of donor organizations, Ali Amin Gandapur told the delegation. Speaking on the occasion Ms. Coco Ushiyama said that the World Food Program is working with the provincial government on various public welfare projects. She said that the World Food Program is working to provide educational scholarships to 30 thousand girls in the adjoining districts. She said that the institution is looking to further expand its partnership with the government. APP/ijz/1625 MIRPUR-AJK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2024) Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has awarded a multi-million Dollar contract for the supply of two critical transformers for the Mangla Refurbishment Project, paving the way for a major increase in power generation capacity and a stronger national grid. In a statement released by WAPDA on Friday, WAPDA has taken a major step forward in the Mangla Dam Project, awarding a contract worth US$ 6.28729 million for the design and supply of two 220 KV, 168.75 MVA Generator Step-up (GSU) Transformers for Unit No. 9 and 10. The contract was signed between WAPDA and Chinese contractor CHINT at a ceremony held at WAPDA House. The project which aims to refurbish the existing Mangla Hydel Power Station will increase its generation capacity from 1000 MW to 1310 MW, a significant increase of 310 MW. The average annual generation will also increase from 5 billion units to 6.6 billion units. The project is being funded by USAID, AFD France, and WAPDA's resources. The project is expected to be completed by 2027-28 and will play a vital role in strengthening the national grid and meeting the country's growing power needs. The contract signing ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials, including Member (Finance) WAPDA Naveed Asghar Chaudhry and Member (Power) WAPDA Jamil Akhtar. APP/ahr/378 Perugia, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2024) Artificial intelligence is shaking up journalism and in the short term will cause "a fundamental change in the news ecosystem", media expert David Caswell told AFP. A former employee at Yahoo! and BBC News Labs, the British broadcaster's innovation wing, Caswell spoke as industry leaders gathered in the Italian city of Perugia to discuss the biggest questions facing their trade. - How do you see the journalism of the future? - "We don't know. But what we are trying to do is to understand all of the possibilities or as many of the possibilities as we can. But I think there are some things that are becoming clearer: one is the fact that more media will probably be created and originated and sourced by machines. So machines will do more gathering in a lot of journalism, will do more of the producing, the audio, the video and the text, and will create the kind of experiences of consumption that consumers have. That is a very fundamental change in the information ecosystem in general, and the news ecosystem in particular. This is structurally different than the one that we're in now. We don't know how long it's going to take - it may be two, four, seven years. I think it's going to be faster because there is very little friction. People don't need news devices, new hardware, they don't need a lot of money as producers, they don't need technical expertise. All those things that were barriers in the previous generation of AI are no longer barriers, thanks to generative AI". What are the latest developments underway in newsrooms? "One class of development is in new tools that enables AI workflow, for example JP Politikens in Denmark focused on making their existing products and activities more efficient. But it is also a basis for transitioning their products, their workforce, the activities into this new AI world. There is a tool that Google has built -- the code name is 'Genesis' -- that they are testing with publishers. Some publishers are building their own. There will be platform versions of these tools. These are tools, you bring your news gathering on the left side: your PDF, transcripts, audios, videos.. roughly. It helps you do things like analysis, summaries, turn into scripts, audios. They're orchestrated by the tool. What the journalist is doing is coordinating the tool, verifying the content all the way through to the end, and editing. The job becomes using the tool, like an editorial manager of this AI tool. It technically works. But that's a different thing than putting it in a newsroom in a large operation and use it day in day out, months in, months out. That's a big question: is it going to be enthusiastically adopted, to be used in a way that isn't very productive in the long run or will that enhance the productivity of newsroom dramatically?" What is the cost? "In the last decade it was very expensive. It was very difficult: You need the data, you had to build a data warehouse, have an enterprise deal with Amazon or Google cloud, you had to hire data scientists, to have a team of data engineers. it was a major investment. Only the BBC, the New York Times, this level of organisations could really afford it. That's not true with generative AI. You can run news workflow through interfaces that you pay 20 Dollars a month. You don't need to be a coder. All you need is motivation, enthusiasm and curiosity. There's lots of people in news organisations that would not have been involved in AI in the past because they did not have the technical background and now they can just use it. It's a much more open form of AI: both smaller newsrooms can do a lot with, and more junior individuals in more established newsrooms can do a lot with. I think it's a good thing, but it's also a disruptive thing. Often the internal politics in newsrooms are disrupted by that". At what stage of AI are we at? "AI has been around since the 1950s. But AI for practical purposes appeared with ChatGPT. It's going to be quite a while -- years -- before we really understand how to use them for valuable things. There are so many things that you can do with them. The risk to journalism is that other organisations, start-ups, tech companies will do things in news faster than the news world itself. Lots of start ups have no editorial component at all. They are swiping the content of news organisations, some are covering niches: they are monitoring press releases, social media channels, PDF from reports". What are the risks? "Journalism has not been doing well for the last 10 or 15 years, there hasn't really been a credible vision of the future for how this is going to play out just in the social media world. What AI does (is) it gives news organisations a chance to change that situation, to participate in a new ecosystem. It's good to be optimistic, getting engaged, exploring, having projects, experiments, maybe changing your mindset, that's positive. As Jelani Cobb, Dean of Columbia school of journalism, says: '+AI is unignorable force that journalism will have to organise itself around'. It's not going to adapt itself to journalism. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Kyiv, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2024) Ukraine launched a wave of drones at Russia in the early hours of Saturday, setting a fuel depot ablaze, officials said, as both sides accused each other of deadly attacks on civilians. The governor of Russia's Belgorod region said cross-border Ukrainian attacks left at least three people dead, while a Russian strike killed two in Ukraine's northeast. A source in Ukraine's defence sector told AFP Kyiv targeted eight Russian regions in the "large-scale" drone attack, which was aimed at "energy infrastructure that feeds Russia's military-industrial complex". "At least three electrical substations and a fuel storage base were hit and caught fire," the source said, calling it a "joint operation" of Ukraine's SBU security service, army, and military intelligence. Russia's defence ministry said it had intercepted 50 Ukrainian drones overnight, some of them hundreds of kilometres from the border, including near the capital Moscow. Video on social media purportedly showed a large blaze burning at a fuel depot in Russia's western Smolensk region, an attack that the governor confirmed was caused by drones. "Air defence forces shot the aerial vehicles down. However, as a result of falling debris, a tank with fuel and lubricants caught fire," governor Vasily Anokhin said. Kyiv has ramped up strikes on Russian oil and gas facilities in recent months, part of what it calls "fair" retaliation on infrastructure used to fuel Russia's war. - 'Doctors did everything' - Ukrainian drones left two people in Russia's Belgorod border region dead, its governor said early Saturday, while shelling later in the day killed a pregnant woman. A residential building and a barn in the village of Poroz, less than two kilometres (one mile) from the frontier, were "completely burned down", governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Another building was severely damaged. "As a result of the release of two explosive devices, a private residential building caught fire. Tragically, two civilians died -- a woman who was recovering from a fractured femur, and a man who was caring for her," Gladkov wrote on Telegram. He later said Ukraine shelled the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka, killing a pregnant woman and her unborn child. "Doctors did everything possible to save both mother and child. But to the great grief, the woman and the unborn baby died from their wounds," he said. - 'We can't wait' - Ukraine meanwhile said Russia launched strikes at residential buildings in the northeastern city of Vovchansk, killing two people and injuring two others. "A direct hit was recorded on a nine-storey residential building. A woman and a man were injured. Both victims are 61 years old. At other addresses, two men aged 50 and 84 died as a result of shelling in the city," regional prosecutors said. The region's governor, Oleg Sinegubov, shared a photo showing a pile of rubble next to the collapsed section of a multi-storey residential block. Russia fired at least seven missiles at Ukraine overnight, two of which were shot down by air defences, Ukraine's air force said. Ukraine has in recent months pleaded for more air defences from its Western allies as it struggles to fend off a surge in deadly attacks on civilian infrastructure. The strike on its northeast comes a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky urged NATO to quickly deliver more aid to help his struggling forces, which have ceded ground to Russia in recent months. "This year, we can't wait for decisions to be made," he told NATO defence ministers. "We need seven more Patriots or similar air defence systems -- and it's a minimum number. They can save many lives and really change the situation," Zelensky said. bur-cad/imm (@ChaudhryMAli88) Mexico City, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2024) Two mayoral candidates were reported killed in Mexico on Friday, one in the country's northeast and another in the south, authorities said -- part of a wave of political violence ahead of June elections. In Tamaulipas, a state plagued by organized crime situated on the US border, a manhunt was launched for the person who stabbed candidate Noe Ramos, according to state attorney general Irving Barrios. Local media reported the center-right candidate, who was seeking reelection as head of the municipality of Mante, was walking through the streets to meet with residents when he was attacked by a man with a knife on Friday. Ramos subsequently died of his wounds, state security spokesman Jorge Cuellar told Milenio television. Meanwhile, in the southern state of Oaxaca, another mayoral candidate, Alberto Antonio Garcia, was found killed on Friday after going missing this week, according to the state prosecutor's office. Authorities had been searching for Garcia, a candidate with the ruling Morena party, and his wife, Agar Cancino, the current mayor of San Jose Independencia, after they were reported missing on Wednesday. Cancino was found alive on Friday, but Garcia was dead, the prosecutor's office said. For years, the spiral of violence linked to organized crime has claimed the lives of Mexican politicians from various parties, especially those who hold or are seeking regional positions. Since September 23, when the process for the June general elections began, 15 candidates for regional positions have been murdered, the consulting firm Integralia had reported before the deaths of Ramos and Garcia. Earlier this month, an aspiring mayor in one of Mexico's most dangerous cities, Celaya, was gunned down in the street during a visit to meet supporters. sem-dr/smw/sco TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 20. Uzbekistan plans to build a new cargo terminal at Tashkent International Airport, Trend reports. According to the Uzbek president's office, the construction of a new cargo terminal will increase cargo handling capacity to 300 tons per day. At the same time, Uzbekistan is currently reconstructing the airport's departure terminal. The project will be completed in three stages, improving security, customs control, and check-in capabilities. The existing throughput capacity of 1,200 passengers per hour will be increased to 2,400 passengers per hour. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan plans to develop a cargo terminal at Namangan International Airport as part of its modernization project. The project will also include the construction of catering and fueling complexes, as well as other economic buildings. The passenger terminal capacity is planned to expand to 1,000 passengers per hour. The cargo terminal will increase capacity for business, exports, and transportation. The United States is urging Cambodia to be transparent over a proposed $1.7 billion canal financed by China that is worrying Vietnam due to its potential impact on water resource management. "The Cambodian people along with people in neighboring countries and the broader region would benefit from transparency on any major undertaking with potential implications for regional water management, agricultural sustainability, and security," Wesley Holzer, a U.S. embassy spokesperson in Phnom Penh, told VOA Khmer in an email on Tuesday. The proposed canal has alarmed neighboring Vietnam because of how the project would affect its use of water downstream. Cambodia approved the 180-kilometer-long (111.8 miles) Funan Techo Canal in May. The $1.7 billion project, part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, would connect the coastal province of Kep with Kandal and Takeo provinces inland. The proposed design is 100 meters (109.3 yards) wide upstream and 80 meters (87.4 yards) wide downstream, with a consistent depth of 5.4 meters (5.9 yards). It is the latest China-financed infrastructure project in Cambodia. Phan Rim, spokesperson of Cambodias Ministry of Public Works and Transport, told VOA Khmer on Tuesday that the project is expected to be built by the end of this year as planned. The U.S. is urging Cambodian authorities "to coordinate closely with the Mekong River Commission [MRC] to provide additional project details and to participate fully in any appropriate environmental impact studies to help the MRC and member countries fully understand, assess, and prepare for any possible impacts of the project," according to the embassy spokesperson. Doan Khac Viet, deputy spokesperson for Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on April 11, "Vietnam is very interested in information about the Funan Techo Canal Project and has asked the Cambodian side to coordinate closely with the Vietnamese side and the International Mekong River Commission in sharing information and assessing the impact of the project." Brian Eyler, senior fellow and director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, said "the Cambodian government continues to say the canal does not connect to the Mekong River, but the specifications submitted by the Cambodian National Mekong Committee to the Mekong River Commission show the first and shorter section of the canal connecting to the Mekong River in Kandal Province near the Kandal container port." "If the canal is indeed used for irrigation, then Vietnam's concerns will intensify because the only way to provide irrigation from the canal is to take much more water out of the Mekong than what is specified in the notification document to the MRC," he wrote in an email to VOA Khmer on Tuesday. "So much remains unclear about this project and it seems to be moving forward at breakneck speed with zero room for appropriate levels of information dissemination and regional discourse," Eyler said. He added that the project seems "to be driving a wedge between Cambodia and Vietnam and forcing other countries to choose sides on whether they support Vietnam or support Cambodia." "The 1995 Mekong Agreement and the MRC were established to avoid these kinds of negative and potentially disastrous outcomes, he said. The MRC needs to be involved at all levels of this project, and currently it is not." In December, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet reassured Hanoi, saying the project "will not incur any negative impacts on the flow of the Mekong or other rivers while maintaining a stable environment, ecology and natural habitat for biodiversity." Rim Sokvy, an independent researcher in Cambodia, said the Cambodian government "will try its best to prevent the project from failing." "The project could contribute significantly to Hun Manet's image," he told VOA Khmer in an email on Tuesday. "If the project is going to fail, I don't think it is because Vietnam has been trying to oppose it. I think it is because of the withdrawal of China's support. However, I do not think that China will do so as Cambodia is its key ally." VOA Vietnamese contributed to this report. Editor's note: This report has been updated to clarify Brian Eyler's first quote. At least 13 Palestinians were killed in raid by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, Israeli and Palestinian forces said Saturday. Israel said its troops eliminated 10 terrorists and made eight arrests during the raid on Nur Shams refugee camp, which began early Friday. The Islamic Jihad militant group said three of its members died. Tulkarm Brigades group, which includes forces from numerous Palestinian factions, said its fighters exchanged weapons fire with Israeli forces on Saturday. At least three drones were seen hovering above Nur Shams while Israeli armored vehicles were rolling into the camp. AFP journalists heard bursts of gunfire, saw bodies lying in the street and houses destroyed by Israeli drones. The Israeli military said the fighting lasted more than 40 hours and that eight of its soldiers and a police officer were wounded. A teenage boy also died from gunshot wounds during the Israeli storming of the camp Friday, Palestinian authorities said. The Palestinian health ministry told AFP it had confirmed 11 injured during the raid, seven of them "wounded by live gunshots." It said a paramedic was shot while trying to get to the wounded was among them. The health ministry said medics had been alerted to "a number of killed and injured" inside the camp but said the Israeli army was "denying them access to tend to the wounded," which an AFP journalist confirmed seeing. Gunshots were heard and soldiers conducted door-to-door raids, the journalist said. Israeli forces say their frequent raids target Palestinian militants, but civilians are often caught in the crossfire. Elsewhere in the West Bank, a Palestinian ambulance driver was killed while evacuating the wounded from an attack by Israeli settlers near the village of Al-Sawiya, south of the city of Nablus. The Palestinian health ministry said the 50-year-old driver was killed by Israeli gunfire. There was no comment from the Israeli military. Israel strikes Rafah An Israeli airstrike in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah late Friday, killed nine people, six of them children, according to hospital authorities Saturday. Another overnight Israeli air assault struck the city of 2.3 million people on the border with Egypt that is hosting more than a million refugees from other parts of the enclave devastated by the Israeli offensive. The international community has called for Israels restraint on Rafah, and so far, Israel has not acted on its threats to launch an offensive on the city. It has not backed off its original position, however, that it intends to carry out a military offensive there. Israel maintains many of the remaining Hamas militants are holed up there. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday during a news conference at the G7 meeting in Italy that the Biden administration "cannot support a major military operation in Rafah." He said a major military operation on the city would have "terrible consequences" for the civilians remaining there. "First, there are currently somewhere around 1.4 million people in Rafah many of them displaced from other parts of Gaza. It's imperative that people are able to get out of the way of any conflict, and doing so is a monumental task for which we have yet to see a plan," the top U.S. diplomat said. In central Gaza another strike hit a house in the urban refugee camp of Bureji, killing at least one man and injuring two others, according to authorities at the al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in the city of Deir al-Balah. An Associated Press journalist witnessed the casualties. The bodies of 37 people killed by Israeli strikes Saturday were brought to hospitals in Gaza. Another 68 injured people were admitted to hospitals in the past 24 hours, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Saturday. The latest figures bring the overall Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war to at least 34,049, and the number of wounded to 76,901. Two thirds of the overall numbers have been children and women, according to the Hamas-run health authorities. Israel launched its offensive in response to the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures. Militants also took about 250 people as hostages. Hamas has been designated a terror group by the U.S., U.K., EU and others. 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. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. International affairs analysts see a foreign policy shift with far-reaching repercussions for the U.S. and China in Argentinas decision this week to buy American-made F-16 fighter jets and its early April announcement to partner with the U.S. military on a naval base at the southern tip of South America. Argentinas decision to purchase 24 F-16s from Denmark rather than go with a competing bid from China led some Chinese commentators to lament the setback. Beijing has been trying for more than a decade to sell Argentina JF-17 fighter jets China developed with Pakistan. The choice was somewhat inevitable given the pro-freedom, anti-communist position of recently elected Argentine President Javier Milei, said London-based Argentina specialist Christopher Ecclestone. Rick Fisher, a senior fellow at the Washington-based International Assessment and Strategy Center, said that until Milei took office, Argentina appeared to be on a path that was heading to increasingly deeper political, economic and military cooperation with Beijing - a path that threatened U.S. interests in the region and beyond. Had China succeeded in selling its jets to Argentina, as well as other weapons including armored vehicles, it would have gained entry into the countrys defense and security infrastructure, Fisher said, adding that other Latin American countries would have been encouraged to follow in its footsteps. Strait of Magellan Analysts said Mileis decision to partner with the U.S. more broadly, including on a naval base near the Strait of Magellan, was equally important. Chinas persistent efforts to partner with Argentina on development of the base had been widely reported. In a speech earlier this month, Milei said Argentina would coordinate closely with the United States on the development of the Ushuaia naval base. Mileis remarks were made after he flew from Buenos Aires to meet U.S. Army four-star General Laura Richardson in Ushuaia. Her visit to Argentina this month was her third since taking the helm at the U.S. Southern Command in October 2021. General Laura Richardsons visit to Ushuaia and Mileis trip there to hold a joint press conference was in itself a dramatic turn in Argentine foreign policy, Fisher told VOA. Fisher said Mileis actions since coming to office have reversed the momentum communist China has built up in Latin America, and he called it a pushback against Beijings global hegemonic ambition. The importance of the naval base in Ushuaia has everything to do with its location, experts say. It faces the Strait of Magellan and Antarctica further south, making it as strategically important as the Panama Canal. Had China secured control of the Strait of Magellan, it could potentially prevent the U.S. Navy from transiting military forces between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, Fisher said. Instead, Argentina making common cause with the U.S. at the bottom end of LatAm effectively blocks Chinas access to South Atlantic from the Western side, Ecclestone noted in a message posted on LinkedIn. US response In a sign that the United States is focusing greater attention on Latin America after years of watching China make inroads south of its border, Richardson detailed other U.S. arms transfers and investments that are planned or under way. In addition to the F-16 fighters and a C-130 Hercules transport plane that the U.S. gifted Argentina following an 11-month lease, she told Argentine media that 250 Stryker armored vehicles were on the horizon. Construction of a plant in Argentina for the maintenance of the Strykers has also been discussed, Richardson said. Other equipment that could help Argentina with maritime patrols, including P-3 surveillance planes and King Air aircraft, are also on the list, she said. Richardson also disclosed that the U.S. was about to finish building an emergency operation center in Argentina's western Neuquen province, where Beijing has been operating a deep-space station since 2018. Experts say the station functions like a Chinese overseas military base and is closely linked to electronic and space warfare, including tracking and surveillance, a charge China denies. Next were about to install computers, screens and other IT stuff, Richardson said in an interview with Infobae, the most visited news website in Argentina. Asked about Chinas inroads in Latin American countries 5G networks, Richardson urged countries to reflect on the nature of a communist government. If they dont treat their own people with respect, what makes us think they will treat our people with respect? She also pointed out that all state-owned enterprises dispatched abroad and engaged in strategic projects are required by laws dictated by the Chinese government to serve the interests and needs of the ruling Communist Party. The Pentagon has also approved funding for a seven-year program the Theater Maintenance Partnership Initiative aimed at helping nations maintain whatever equipment they buy from the U.S., Richardson said in the interview. Richardson said she didn't see why countries in Latin America couldn't rise to meet NATO standards for running and operating defense equipment. The United States is committed to partnering with the nearly 30 nations south of its border to strengthen their capabilities, she said. On that front, Buenos Aires is all in. On Thursday, Argentina sent a letter of intent to NATO requesting to become one of the organizations global partners. In another sign of reciprocity, the U.S. Embassy in Argentina announced Thursday that Washington was providing Argentina with $40 million toward its purchase of the F-16s. This is the first time Argentina has received U.S. FMF [foreign military financing] since 2003, according to the embassys press release. The Biden administration "cannot support a major military operation in Rafah," said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a news conference Friday at the G7 meeting in Italy. "First, there are currently somewhere around 1.4 million people in Rafah many of them displaced from other parts of Gaza. It's imperative that people are able to get out of the way of any conflict, and doing so is a monumental task for which we have yet to see a plan," Blinken said. "Not only getting them out of harm's way but making sure that they can be supported with humanitarian assistance." Blinken also said that even if people are largely out of harm's way, inevitably a major military operation would have "terrible consequences" for the civilians remaining there. A White House statement said that, in a discussion Thursday, Israeli officials had agreed to consider U.S. concerns about their planned military operations in the southern Gaza city. Israel continues bombarding Gaza Meanwhile, Israeli bombardment from the air, land and sea was reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure. In a briefing Thursday to the United Nations Security Council, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for greater humanitarian assistance to Gaza. "To avert imminent famine, and further preventable deaths from disease, we need a quantum leap in humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza," he said. " Delivering aid at scale requires Israel's full and active facilitation of humanitarian operations." Guterres also said Israel's commitments to improve aid access in Gaza have had "limited and sometimes nil" impact. The fighting, destruction of roads, and prevalence of unexploded ordinance pose significant risks for humanitarian workers struggling to provide aid supplies in Gaza, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs reported. "The agency warns that the only way to halt famine is through daily deliveries of food supplies," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations secretary-general, told reporters Thursday. "This requires conditions that allow humanitarian staff and supplies to move freely and the people in need to access assistance safely." The U.S. and Israel say access to aid has improved this month. Food trucks entered Gaza through the Erez crossing from Israel's Ashdod Port for the first time since Israel approved its opening for aid shipments, the Israeli military said Wednesday. The United Arab Emirates said Friday it had launched a major relief operation in the Gaza Strip's destroyed city of Khan Younis and plans to restore the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis so that it "can return to work," the WAM news agency said. Recent U.N.-led missions into 10 of Gaza's beleaguered hospitals found many "in ruins" with only a few carrying out any level of maternal health services and their vital medical equipment purposefully destroyed, according to Dominic Allen, the U.N. Population Fund representative for the State of Palestine. UNICEF also reports that every 10 minutes, one child is killed or injured in Gaza, based on figures by the Hamas-run health ministry, emphasizing the urgent need to increase medical evacuations of children. Iran calls veto 'irresponsible' On Friday, Tehran denounced the U.S. veto on Thursday blocking full United Nations membership for Palestinians, calling it "irresponsible" given the lack of opposition from any other Security Council member. Hamas also decried the decision, while the Palestinian Authority said it showed "the contradictions of American policy," which claims to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but at the same time "prevents the implementation of this solution." 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.N. chief Guterres warned of a potential escalation of the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East, pointing out that Israel's military offensive in Gaza has turned the Palestinian territory into a "humanitarian hellscape." 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 were women and children. Israel launched its offensive in response to the October 7 Hamas terror 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. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to China Tuesday for several days of talks with senior officials in Shanghai and Beijing. Blinkens second trip to China comes as the United States warns it against enabling Russia in Russias war on Ukraine, with Chinese firms directly supplying critical components for Russias defense industrial base. Other pressing matters on the agenda include counternarcotics, bolstering military-to-military communication, establishing talks on artificial intelligence risks and safety, and exploring ways to strengthen people-to-people ties, according to the State Department. A senior State Department official said in a briefing Friday the U.S. is realistic and clear eyed about the prospects of breakthroughs on any of the issues on the agenda. Some analysts said they do not anticipate any major advances to emerge from the talks. China aiding Russia in Ukraine war In a joint statement last week, foreign ministers from the G7 leading industrialized nations urged China to stop transferring dual-use materials and weapons components that Russia is using to advance its military production. U.S. officials said those materials include significant quantities of microelectronics, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missile technology, and nitrocellulose, which Russia uses to make propellants for weapons China cant have it both ways helping Russia and keeping good relations with Europe, Blinken told reporters at a press conference Friday in Capri, Italy. A senior State Department official told VOA during a virtual briefing Friday that the United States is prepared to take steps when necessary, against Chinese firms that severely undermine security in both Ukraine and Europe. The United States may sanction Chinese banks that facilitate the transfer of these materials, according to analysts. Washington has sanctioned Chinese individuals and companies that provide material support to Russia, and is enlisting European allies for similar measures. "In contrast to the United States, the European Union has not really sanctioned Chinese individuals or companies to the same degree," Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Stimson Center, told VOA. Grieco said the U.S. is working with other G7 members to garner more support from European nations to take similar actions. Beijing dismissed what Chinese officials labeled as Washington's attempt to smear or attack the normal relations between China and Russia. China maintains it regulates the export of dual-use materials to Russia in accordance with laws. The U.S. should not harm the legitimate rights and interests of China and Chinese companies," Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China's Foreign Affairs Ministry, said during a recent briefing. Taiwan Blinkens visit to China is scheduled just weeks before the inauguration of Taiwans president-elect Lai Ching-te on May 20. The U.S. is sending an unofficial delegation to attend his inauguration, which includes former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Laura Rosenberger, who chairs the American Institute in Taiwan. Blinken will underscore America's enduring interest in preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. During this important and sensitive time leading up to the May 20 inauguration, all countries will contribute to peace and stability, avoid taking provocative actions that may raise tensions and demonstrate restraint. That will be our message going forward, the senior State Department official said. Counternarcotics China remains the primary source of fentanyl-related substances trafficked through international mail and express consignment operations, serving as the main source for all fentanyl-related substances entering the United States, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It's in China's interest to cooperate in reducing and ending the flow of chemical precursors to the United States, the State Department official said. He added that the U.S. delegation traveling to China will get down to detailed implementation of the agreement reached in November 2023 to restart cooperation, particularly focusing on concrete progress between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries to curb the flow of these chemical precursors. Some analysts said the extent and durability of the cooperation is yet to be seen. China sees counternarcotics and more broadly international law enforcement cooperation as strategic tools that it can leverage to achieve other objectives, wrote Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institution. Even though Chinas current goal is to reduce tensions, Chinas drug cooperation is vulnerable to new crises in the bilateral relationship, she added. Blinkens visit to China is the latest in a flurry of high-level diplomacy aimed at stabilizing China-U.S. relations. It follows Treasury Secretary Janet Yellens recent trip to Guangzhou, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivans meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Munich in February, and U.S. President Joe Bidens talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Woodside, California, in November. China's foreign minister Wang Yi said Saturday the South Pacific region should not become an arena for major power rivalries and that its assistance to countries there is free of political conditions. The Pacific has become a source of intense competition for influence between Washington, which has traditionally viewed it as its backyard, and Beijing, which has targeted Taiwanese diplomatic allies there. Wang made the comments at a joint news conference with his Papua New Guinea counterpart during a visit to the country. "The South Pacific region should not become an arena for great powers to play games, and no country should treat the island countries as its own 'backyard' or engage in zero-sum games and exclusionary arrangements," Wang said. He said any attempt to provoke confrontation in the South Pacific region does not serve the needs of its people. "China's engagement and cooperation with the South Pacific island countries is dedicated to mutual support and assistance to achieve common development, without any geopolitical self-interest," Wang said. He added that China is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with Papua New Guinea and open negotiations for free trade agreements as soon as possible. State media Xinhua reported Wang saying that all parties should respect the choice of the people of the Solomon Islands and refrain from interfering in their internal affairs. The Solomon Islands' pro-China Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has retained his seat in a national election, local media reported late Friday. 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. Russia remained China's top oil supplier in March, data showed Saturday, as refiners snapped up stranded Sokol crude shipments. China's imports from Russia, including supplies via pipelines and sea-borne shipments, jumped 12.5% on the year to 10.81 million metric tons, or 2.55 million barrels per day (bpd) last month, according to data from the General Administration of Customs. That was quite close to the previous monthly record of 2.56 million bpd in June 2023. Seven Russian tankers under sanctions offloaded Sokol cargoes in Chinese ports in March, as Russia worked to clear a glut of stranded supply in the wake of tightened U.S. sanctions. More than 10 million barrels of the oil supplied by Sakhalin-1, a unit of Rosneft, had been floating in storage over the past three months amid payment difficulties and sanctions on shipping firms and vessels carrying the crude. Stockpiling of Russian crude for storage in strategic reserves by state-owned CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corporation) also boosted imports from Russia. Data from consultancy Kpler, forecast sea-borne shipments from Russia hitting a record high of 1.82 million bpd, including 440,000 bpd of Sokol and 967,000 of ESPO (Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean) oil pipeline. Russia was China's top supplier throughout 2023, shipping 2.14 million bpd despite Western sanctions and a price cap following the Kremlin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In coordination with other OPEC+ members, Russia opted to roll forward a voluntary reduction in crude oil output of 300,000 bpd into the first quarter of the year to support energy prices. Imports from Saudi Arabia, previously China's largest supplier, totaled 6.3 million tons in March, or 1.48 million bpd, down 29.3% on the same period last year. Riyadh has said it would extend its voluntary cut of 1 million bpd through the end of June, leaving its output at around 9 million bpd. The world's top exporter kept the March official selling price of its flagship Arab Light to Asia at $1.50 over the Oman/Dubai average as the Kingdom sought to secure market share. January-March imports from Malaysia, a trans-shipment point for sanctioned cargoes from Iran and Venezuela, soared 39.2% on the year to 13.7 million tons, or 3.23 million bpd. The data showed 375,296 tons of imports from Venezuela, following a rare shipment of 352,455 tons of Venezuelan crude in February amid a temporary relaxation of U.S. sanctions on Caracas. Sanctions were re-imposed from Thursday after the U.S. said President Nicolas Maduro had failed to meet his election commitments. Customs recorded no imports from Iran. German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs short videos of his three-day trip to China this week proved popular in posts on Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, which the European Union, Canada, Taiwan and the United States banned on official devices more than a year ago, citing security concerns. By Friday, one video showing highlights of Scholzs trip had garnered 1.5 million views while another of him speaking about it on the plane home had 1.4 million views. Scholz opened his TikTok account April 8 to attract youth, promising he wouldnt post videos of himself dancing. His most popular post so far, about his 40-year-old briefcase, was watched 3.6 million times. Many commented, "This briefcase is older than me." Scholtz is one of several Western leaders to use TikTok, despite concerns that its parent company, ByteDance, could provide private user data to the Chinese government and could also be used to push a pro-Beijing agenda. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has 258,000 followers on TikTok, and Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris has 99,000 followers. U.S. President Joe Bidens reelection campaign team opened a TikTok account in February, despite Biden himself vowing to sign legislation expected to be voted on as early as Saturday to force ByteDance to divest in the U.S. or face a ban. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who unsuccessfully tried to ban TikTok in 2020, in March reversed his position and now appears to oppose a ban. ByteDance denies it would provide user data to the Chinese government, despite reports indicating it could be at risk, and China has firmly opposed any forced sale. Kevin Morgan, TikTok's director of security and integrity in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, says more than 134 million people in 27 EU countries visit TikTok every month, including a third of EU lawmakers. As the European Unions June elections approach, more European politicians are using the popular platform favored by young people to attract votes. Ola Patrik Bertil Moeller, a Swedish legislator with the Social Democratic Party who has 124,000 followers on TikTok, told VOA, "We as politicians participate in the conversation and spread accurate images and answer the questions that people have. If we're not there, other forces that don't want good will definitely be there." But other European politicians see TikTok as risky. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Monday expressed his uneasiness about social media platforms, including TikTok, being "used by various threat actors for several purposes, such as recruitment for espionage, influencing through disinformation and fake news, or mapping regime critics. This is disturbing." Konstantin von Notz, vice-chairman of the Green Parliamentary Group in the German legislature, told VOA, "While questions of security and the protection of personal data generally arise when using social networks, the issue is even more relevant for users of TikTok due to the company's proximity to the Chinese state." Matthias C. Kettemann, an internet researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Media Research in Hamburg, Germany, told VOA, "Keeping data safe is a difficult task; given TikTok's ties to China doesn't make it easier." But he emphasized, "TikTok is obliged to do these measures through the EU's GDPR [General Data Protection Regulation] anyway from a legal side." But analysts question whether ByteDance will obey European law if pressed by the Chinese state. Matthias Spielkamp, executive director AlgorithmWatch, told VOA, "Does TikTok have an incentive to comply with European law? Yes, there's an enormous amount of money on the line. Is it realistic that TikTok, being owned by a Chinese company, can resist requests for data by its Chinese parent? Hardly. How is this going to play out? No one knows right now." Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report. This month, when a story claiming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had secretly purchased a $24 million castle from the British royal family went viral on China's Weibo social media platform, something interesting happened. A fake-news function on the platform debunked it as misinformation. Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Chinese social media platforms have been full of pro-Russia false claims and conspiracy theories, some of which the Chinese government has endorsed. Influential Chinese nationalist bloggers, as well as Russia's state media RT, regularly post and spread misinformation on Weibo. Less than 20 hours after RT posted the misinformation about Zelenskyy, Weibo attached a fact-checking note to the post. Public criticism of Russian state media is rare in China, but the fact-check function is part of Weibo's latest effort to regulate misinformation on the site. Weibo rolled out the feature, called Side Note, last August. Side Note allows qualified users to submit fact-checking notes on others' posts for Weibo to review. Over the past few months, users have added Side Note to posts from high-profile Weibo bloggers and foreign government-backed accounts, including RT and the U.S. Embassy in China. Weibo has tried to appear neutral when deciding what kind of misinformation to fact-check, debunking false claims from both liberal and nationalist influencers. But it has also used the feature to push Beijing's talking points on international issues. So far, Chinese government and state media accounts have not been subject to any fact-checking. Weibo's version of Community Note In July 2023, China's internet regulator told social media companies to crack down on false information. " 'Personal media' that create and publish rumors, stir up hot societal topics or matrix [linked cross-platform] publish and transmit illegal or negative information, creating a vile impact, are all to be closed, included in the platform database of blacklisted accounts, and reported to the internet information departments," said a memo from Central Cyberspace Administration of China. A month later, Weibo, one of China's biggest social media apps with a focus on news and current issues, came out with the Side Note feature. Like the Community Note function on X, Side Note lets qualified users take on the job of fact-checking, with Weibo getting the final say on approval or rejection. Other U.S. social media firms offer similar features. Facebook and Instagram offer "community standards" and "community guidelines," respectively, which flag posts containing disinformation. But unlike these firms, Weibo itself decides which posts stay up. The company says it selects qualified users from those with verified identities or high Weibo credit scores and is gradually expanding the feature to include more users. Side Note targets US Embassy Since January, posts by the U.S. Embassy in China have been tagged with Side Note at least three times. A post detailing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's expressed concerns about China's religious freedom received two notes, one accusing Blinken of having "no regard for facts." A February post sanctioning 17 Chinese companies for helping Russia's war effort in Ukraine got a note that included a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson's public remarks. And a post last month condemning Beijing for a collision between Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels got a Side Note message from Shen Yi, a prominent Chinese international relations professor with a strong nationalistic leaning. In the note, Shen accused the U.S. of spreading misinformation on multiple "global social media platforms" to "smear China's national image." Chinese government accounts immune Most posts tagged with Side Note belong to influencers, including nationalist bloggers. For example, Shu Chang, who runs the popular nationalist account Guyan Muchan, saw a Side Note added to a post last week claiming that schoolchildren in the U.S. have to learn how to use "bulletproof boards" in classrooms. The Side Note clarified that the photos were from a hurricane self-protection exercise. In recent years, nationalist bloggers like Shu have become some of the most traffic-drawing opinion leaders on Weibo. Eric Liu, who analyzes Chinese censorship at China Digital Times, says one shouldn't read too much into Weibo fact-checking Shu's post. "A lot of her stuff isn't state narratives. She sensationalized it herself," Liu told VOA. "Weibo doesn't really have to protect her. Plus, [fact-checking her posts] adds to the credibility of the Side Note feature." Liu, who worked as a censor for Weibo and other Chinese internet companies before moving to the U.S., pointed out that Weibo has not used Side Note to fact-check government accounts or false information from state media. In a November post, Weibo thanked users for submitting Side Notes. "Ever since Side Note went online, active participation from every Side Note-er has effectively lowered the negative impact of controversial content and biased information, helping all users access information that's truer and more comprehensive," the post said. But Liu doesn't think of Side Note as a feature that truly gives users the power to regulate speech on the platform, because Weibo remains the final arbitrator of what notes can be added to what posts. "Weibo's Side Note isn't something that netizens can fully edit, as it's still user-generated content," he said. "In the end, it still needs to be reviewed by censors." Weibo did not respond to VOA's request for comment. Evie Steele contributed to this report. More than 2,500 people were killed or injured in gang violence in Haiti from January through March, up 53% from the last three months of 2023, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) said on Friday. At least 590 were killed during police operations, BINUH said in a report. Several were apparently not involved in gang violence, some had impaired mobility, and at least 141 were killed by vigilante justice groups. Most of the violence took place in the capital of Port-au-Prince, while at least 438 people were kidnapped across the wider West Department and agricultural Artibonite region. The capital's port-side La Saline and Cite Soleil areas had the longest large-scale attacks. Gang members continued to perpetrate rapes against women and girls in rival neighborhoods, as well as in prisons and displacement camps, the report found. Hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced by gangs, the U.N. estimates. Despite criticism by the world body, countries such as the United States and neighboring Dominican Republic are still deporting migrants back into Haiti. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security told Reuters on Thursday that irregular migration of Haitians through the Caribbean "remains low," though many neighbors have evacuated citizens and bolstered their borders. Gang violence, which has worsened for years, escalated on Feb. 29 when unelected Prime Minister Ariel Henry traveled to Kenya to fast-track a planned international security support mission, but days later he resigned under U.S. pressure. With a new government yet to be installed, BINUH said, gangs have "changed their tactics" targeting attacks against public institutions and strategic infrastructure, such as the main port and largest airport. At least 22 police buildings have been looted or set on fire and 19 police officers killed or injured, it said, while blocked supply routes are exacerbating a healthcare and hunger crisis. The report repeated calls for faster deployment of the planned security mission, which Henry requested in 2022 and was approved over six months ago, but which has received limited pledges for both troops and funds and been put on hold pending a new government. It also called for updated sanctions, stronger efforts to block arms trafficking, secure routes to deliver key goods and rehabilitation programs for children recruited into gangs. Texas nurse Nick Nwoye had never heard of Fenton, Louisiana, before their police pulled him over. Its how a lot of people first learn about the town. "I was driving home to Houston a few years ago and had to pass through Fenton," he told VOA. "The moment I saw the speed limit had changed from 65 mph to 50 mph [105 kph to 80 kph], I began to slow down. But it was too late." Nwoye says a police car was waiting behind a tree. The officer turned on his lights and pulled him over. "He said I was driving 77 mph in a 50-mph zone [124 kph in an 80-kph zone], and theres no way I was," Nwoye explained. "The officer had this big smile on his face like, I got you, as if this was a game the police played." Deciding to challenge the ticket, Nwoye called the towns court to speak to the judge. Thats when he realized how difficult it would be to appeal the Louisiana fine. "You know who the judge was?" he asked, exasperated. "It was the mayor. The mayor was his own towns court judge. So on one hand, hes deciding whether or not I should have to pay, and on the other hand hes incentivized to have me pay because this is the money he needs to run Fenton." "He told me there was nothing he could do," Nwoye scoffed. "But why would he want to do anything other than have me pay the town?" Small town, big revenue Located in western Louisiana, about an hour drive from the Texas border, Fentons 226 residents have a city hall, a gas station, a library, a grain elevator, a Baptist church, a public housing complex and a Dollar General store. For such a small place, Fenton finds itself regularly in the news. At first glance, its notoriety might appear to come from being a "speed trap town" an area near a municipality in which the speed limit drops suddenly and drastically. Police officers wait for drivers to miss the speed change or fail to slow down in time and then pounce, writing them a costly ticket. When those tickets are paid, the revenue can be substantial. In Fenton, for example, the 12 months ending in June 2022 brought $1.3 million to the towns coffers from traffic violations. By comparison, that is about the same as Louisianas third-largest city, Shreveport. While speed traps are not illegal, some legal experts caution that a quirk in the judicial system used in small Louisiana towns unfairly disadvantages those seeking to challenge their fines. 'Write more tickets' "They have a real racket going on in Fenton," says Bo Powell, a retiree from Monroe, Louisiana, who was pulled over in Fenton in 2014. The non-profit investigative journalism group ProPublica obtained and published a recording of Fenton Mayor Eddie Alfred, Jr. telling police officers last September that they needed to write more tickets or there would be layoffs in town government. "Our main income is traffic tickets, and they aint getting written," said the mayor in the recording. "We need to write more traffic tickets." "Its like the whole village is a crime family," Powell tells VOA. "Everyone in that courtroom the mayor, the clerk, the police officer is paid for by these tickets. How is this legal?" But a "Mayors Court," as its called, is legal in the states of Louisiana and Ohio. Mayors Court Bobby King is city attorney for Walker, Louisiana. He helps train mayors on their responsibilities in Mayors Courts, which have jurisdiction over municipal ordinance violations including traffic fines, but not over felonies or juvenile offenses. "Mayors Courts are important for helping with managing a crowded docket of cases, and for providing a more economical option to smaller towns that cant afford to pay for a judge and a city court," King told VOA. "But the potential for bias due to revenue generation is definitely a valid concern." A just way forward Mayors Courts were more common before a 1972 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that a driver in Monroeville, Ohio, was denied a fair trial because the mayor who ruled against him was responsible for both law enforcement and generating municipal revenue. "However, that case wasnt a blanket ruling saying all Mayors Courts are unconstitutional," explained Eric Foley, an attorney with the MacArthur Justice Center, which litigates for civil rights in criminal justice. "The ruling said that the law must consider whether the mayors executive responsibilities for village finances might make him partisan to maintain the high level of contribution from the Mayors Court." Louisiana and Ohio concluded that a mayor could be an impartial judge. For Ohio, where one out of every six traffic tickets are issued in jurisdictions governed by a Mayors Court, a federal judge ruled in 1995 that a mayor could be considered biased if at least 10% of the towns revenue came from its Mayors Court. Louisianas Judicial College recommends that Mayors Courts exceeding that 10% threshold should hire a magistrate. "Its still a Mayors Court," says King, "but having someone else oversee cases could help ensure impartiality and fairness in the judicial process." Foley says its not a question of "whether theres a percentage of overall revenue before a Mayors Court becomes unconstitutional." "Rather, these kinds of courts just shouldnt exist," says Foley. "The financial conflicts of interest are too great. A Mayors Court is largely unaccountable to anyone, and they lack the safeguards we should expect in criminal proceedings." The Mayors Court in Fenton generates more than 90% of town revenue. After some resistance, Mayor Alfred agreed in December to appoint a magistrate to his court. "But why does a town of 226 people require its own court anyway?" asks Joanna Weiss, co-executive director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center. "The conflict is present in the existence of the court itself. The court, a key government function meant to protect everyones rights and responsibilities, is instead being used to meet a budget." Indigenous representatives from 35 countries issued a declaration Thursday criticizing the fact that they are too rarely consulted about mining that takes place on or near their lands, an issue that has become more acute with increased demand for minerals needed in the transition to a cleaner energy system. "We recognize and support the need to end fossil fuel reliance and shift to renewable energy as critical in addressing the climate crisis," the statement read. "However, the current trajectory of the energy transition fails to meet the criteria of justice, social equity, and environmental sustainability, particularly from the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples' rights and well-being." The document comes out of the Conference on Indigenous Peoples and the Just Transition which took place in New York last week. Indigenous leaders from the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Kenya, Australia and Norway among other countries attended. Lithium, nickel and cobalt are often used in batteries, which are key to both electric vehicles and extending production from solar and wind farms. Copper and aluminum are in higher demand as countries expand their electrical grids. Lesser-known rare earth elements are used in magnets in electric motors. Mining has left a legacy of environmental damage in many places for more than a century and is now expanding. The declaration also mentioned increasing criminal persecution and attacks against Indigenous leaders. The statement called out both the International Council of Mining and Metals, a trade group that says it represents a third of the industry, and the International Seabed Authority, for failing to respect Indigenous rights and conducting what it calls business as usual. Neither group responded to queries from The Associated Press. About half of energy transition minerals and metal projects are located on or near the lands of Indigenous and other subsistence farmers, according to a study published in 2022 by the journal Nature Sustainability. "We are those who generate the least impact on the planet," Ruth Alipaz Cuqui, an Indigenous leader from the Bolivian Amazon who attended the conference, told the AP in a phone interview. "But even so, we understand that we have to be part of this whole process." That participation should be comprehensive or else the energy transition will not be fair, she said. Alipaz Cuqui cited conflicts in the arid region of Uyuni, Bolivia, where local communities oppose the intense use of water to produce lithium. The project, still in its beginnings, is a joint venture between Bolivia and China. The Bolivian Ministry of Energy did not respond to a request for comment. The lead organizer for the conference was the Indigenous Peoples Rights International, a nonprofit registered in the Philippines and the U.S., with financial support from Nia Tero, a nonprofit that supports Indigenous rights, The Christensen Fund, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Waverley ST Foundation, and the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment, according to the event website. A huge blast at a military base in Iraq early on Saturday killed a member of an Iraqi security force that includes Iran-backed groups. The force commander said it was an attack while the army said it was investigating and there were no warplanes in the sky at the time. Two security sources had said earlier that an airstrike caused the blast, which killed a member of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and wounded eight others at Kalso military base about 50 km (30 miles) south of Baghdad. In a statement, the PMF said its chief of staff Abdul Aziz al-Mohammedawi had visited the location and "reviewed the details of the investigative committees present in the place that was attacked". The Iraqi military said a technical committee was looking into the cause of an explosion and fire at the base, which it said happened at 1 a.m. on Saturday (2200 GMT Friday). "The air defence command report confirmed, through technical efforts and radar detection, that there was no drone or fighter jet in the air space of Babil before and during the explosion," the military said in a statement. The incident in Iraq's Babil province occurred with tensions running even higher than usual across the Middle East, following what sources said was an Israeli attack in the Iranian city of Isfahan on Friday. Tehran has played it down and indicated it had no plans for retaliation. That incident came six days after Iran fired a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel in response to a presumed Israeli airstrike that destroyed part of Iran's embassy in Damascus, killing seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers on April 1. The PMF includes Iran-backed groups which, operating under the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, have attacked U.S. troops in the region and targeted Israel since the eruption of the Gaza war, declaring support for the Palestinians. Their attacks on U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq stopped in early February after a drone strike killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan, prompting heavy U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. But they claimed responsibility for an attack on the Israeli city of Eilat on April 1. The U.S. military's Central Command, in a post on X early on Saturday, denied what it said were reports that the United States had carried out airstrikes in Iraq. "The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today," it said. The PMF started out as a grouping of armed factions, many close to Iran, that was later recognized as a formal security force by Iraqi authorities. Every year, Alon Gat's mother led the family's Passover celebration of the liberation of the ancient Israelites from Egypt thousands of years ago. But this year, Gat is struggling with how to reconcile a holiday commemorating freedom after his mother was slain and other family members abducted when Hamas attacked Israel. Gat's sister, Carmel, and wife, Yarden Roman-Gat, were taken hostage in the October 7 attack. His wife was freed in November, but his sister remains captive. "We can't celebrate our freedom because we don't have this freedom. Our brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers are still in captivity and we need to release them," Gat said. On Monday, Jews around the world will begin celebrating the weeklong Passover holiday, recounting the biblical story of their exodus from Egypt after hundreds of years of slavery. But for many Israelis, it's hard to fathom a celebration of freedom when friends and family are not free. The Hamas attack killed some 1,200 people, while about 250 others were taken hostage. About half were released in a weeklong cease-fire in November, while the rest remain in Gaza, more than 30 of them believed to be dead. For many Jews, Passover is a time to reunite with family and recount the exodus from Egypt at a meal known as the Seder. Observant Jews avoid grains, known as chametz, a reminder of the unleavened bread the Israelites ate when they fled Egypt quickly with no time for dough to rise. But this year many families are torn about how or even if to celebrate. When Hamas attacked Kibbutz Be'eri, Gat, his wife, 3-year-old daughter, parents and sister hid for hours in their rocket-proof safe room. But fighters entered the house and killed or abducted everyone inside, except for his father who hid in the bathroom. His mother was dragged into the street and shot. Gat, his arms and legs bound, was shoved into a car with his wife and daughter. During a brief stop, they managed to flee. Knowing he could run faster, Roman-Gat handed him their daughter. Gat escaped with her, hiding in a ditch for nearly nine hours. His wife was recaptured and held in Gaza for 54 days. Passover this year will be more profound as freedom has taken on a new meaning, Roman-Gat told The Associated Press. "To feel wind upon your face with your eyes closed. To shower. To go to the toilet without permission, and with the total privacy and privilege to take as long as I please with no one urging me, waiting for me at the other side to make sure I'm still theirs," she said in a text message. Still, Passover will be overshadowed by deep sorrow and worry for her sister-in-law and the other hostages, she said. The family will mark the holiday with a low-key dinner in a restaurant, without celebration. As hard as it is in times of pain, Jews have always sought to observe holidays during persecution, such as in concentration camps during the Holocaust, said Rabbi Martin Lockshin, professor emeritus at Canada's York University, who lives in Jerusalem. "They couldn't celebrate freedom but they could celebrate the hope of freedom," he said. The crisis affects more than the hostage families. The war, in which 260 soldiers have been killed, casts a shadow over a normally joyous holiday. The government has also scaled back festivities for Independence Day in May in light of the mood and fearing public protests. Likewise, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, capped by the three-day Eid al-Fitr feast, was a sad, low-key affair for Palestinians. Over 80% of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced by the fighting, and Hamas health officials say nearly 34,000 people have been killed in the Israeli offensive. The scenes of suffering, devastation and hunger in Gaza have received little attention in Israel, where much of the public and national media remain heavily focused on the aftermath of the October 7 attack and ongoing war. After several months of fits and starts, negotiations on a deal to release the remaining hostages appears at a standstill making it unlikely they will be home for Passover. The hostages' pain has reverberated around the world, with some in the Jewish diaspora asking rabbis for prayers specifically for the hostages and Israel to be said at this year's Seder. Others have created a new Haggadah, the book read during the Seder, to reflect the current reality. Noam Zion, the author of the new Haggadah, has donated 6,000 copies to families impacted by the war. "The Seder is supposed to help us to relive past slavery and liberation from Egypt and to learn its lessons, but in 2024 it must also ask contemporary questions about the confusing and traumatic present and most important, generate hope for the future," said Zion, emeritus member of the faculty of Jewish studies at the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. The revised Haggadah includes excerpts from hostage families urging people not to hate despite their pain. It offers a guide for navigating the mixed feelings during the holiday, while posing existential questions about the Jews and the state of Israel. Some families say it's too painful to celebrate at all. The girlfriend of Nirit Lavie Alon's son was abducted from the Nova music festival. Two months later the family was informed by Israel's military that Inbar Haiman, a 27-year-old graffiti artist, was dead, her body still in Gaza. "It's impossible to celebrate a freedom holiday," said Alon. Instead of being with family this year, she's going to spend a few days in the desert. There will be no closure until all of the hostages are back, including the remains of those who were killed, she said. Ahead of Passover, some families are still holding out hope their relatives will be freed in time. Shlomi Berger's 19-year-old daughter, Agam, was abducted two days after the start of her army service along the border with Gaza. Videos of her bloodied face emerged shortly after the Hamas attack, one showing an armed man pushing her into a truck, another showing her inside the vehicle with other hostages. The only proof of life he's had since was a call from a released hostage, wishing him happy birthday from Agam, who she'd been with in the tunnels, he said. Still, he refuses to give up hope. "The Passover story says we come from slaves to free people, so this is a parallel story," Berger said. "This is the only thing I believe that will happen. That Agam will get out from darkness to light. She and all of the other hostages." Over last weekend, as Iran began its air assault against Israel, at home it announced new enforcement of the mandatory wearing of the hijab. The initiative is called the Nour (Light) Plan. The crackdown followed a statement by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who said that ignoring the hijab was a red line that should not be crossed. By Thursday, Voice of America was receiving reports, also circulating on social media, of an ongoing and pervasive deployment of special forces, law enforcement personnel and plainclothes agents of the Islamic Republic on the streets of numerous cities in Iran. Despite the detention of numerous women and girls, the civil resistance by women against government forces on the streets of Iran persists, garnering support from users on social networks. Fatemeh Heydari, the sister of Javad Heydari, a young protester who was killed during the nationwide protests of 2022 in Qazvin, took to the social media platform X. She referred to the detention of Aida Shakarami, the sister of another slain protester, Nika Shakarami, in the Women, Life, Freedom protests, saying: "The fight that Nikas started, Aidas continue." Gohar Eshghi, the mother of Sattar Beheshti, a laborer and blogger who died under interrogation during his detention, also spoke out. "The criminal oppressors of the Khamenei regime have arrested Aida Shakarami. Silence in the face of the war against the girls and women of our nation means complicity with the bloodthirsty oppressors," she said. Some observers, reflecting on recent statements by Khamenei, have underscored that the directive has come from the top. Among this group is Ehsan Soltani, a political analyst. "Two weeks ago, Soltani said, Khamenei officially declared that 'hijab is a religious obligation; whether you accept it or not, you must adhere to it.' For three decades, he either remained elusive or claimed, 'I am not an expert,' whenever a decision was made. However, this time, he personally stepped forward and issued the command for internal war." Since Khameneis statement, observers believe he is responsible for the extensive actions of government authorities. After the Supreme Leader stressed the imperative of escalating pressure to uphold what he termed "adherence to Islamic standards," the police commander declared that stringent measures would be enforced to ensure compulsory hijab beginning April 13. Voting got under way in the Maldives on Sunday in a parliamentary election likely to test President Mohamed Muizzu's tilt toward China and away from India, the luxury tourism hot spot's traditional benefactor. Among the first to vote was Muizzu, 45, who cast his ballot at the Tajuddin school in the capital, Male. Election chief Fuad Thaufeeq urged the 284,663 eligible voters to cast their ballots early. Polling stations across the archipelago will be open for 9 hours. Primarily known as one of the most expensive holiday destinations in South Asia, with pristine white beaches and secluded resorts, the atoll nation has also become a geopolitical hotspot in the Indian Ocean. Global east-west shipping lanes pass the nation's chain of 1,192 tiny coral islands, which stretch around 800 kilometers across the equator. Muizzu won last September's presidential poll as a proxy for pro-China ex-president Abdulla Yameen, freed last week after a court set aside his 11-year jail term for corruption. This month, as campaigning for the parliamentary elections was in full swing, Muizzu awarded high-profile infrastructure contracts to Chinese state-owned companies. His administration is also in the process of sending home a garrison of 89 Indian troops who operate reconnaissance aircraft provided by New Delhi to patrol the Maldives' vast maritime borders. The current parliament, dominated by the pro-India Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of Muizzu's immediate predecessor, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, has sought to stymie his efforts to realign the archipelago's diplomacy. "Geopolitics is very much in the background as parties campaign for votes in Sunday's election," a senior aide of Muizzu told AFP, asking not to be named. "He came to power on a promise to send back Indian troops and he is working on it. The parliament has not been cooperating with him since he came to power." Since Muizzu came to office, lawmakers have blocked three of his nominees to the Cabinet and refused some of his spending proposals. Splits in all the main political parties, including Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC), are expected to make it hard for any single party to win an outright majority. But Muizzu's prospects received a fillip with the release of his mentor Yameen from house arrest Thursday. A court in Male ordered a retrial in the graft and money-laundering cases that saw Yameen sent to prison after he lost a reelection bid in 2018. Yameen had also backed closer alignment with Beijing while in power, but his conviction left him unable to contest last year's presidential poll himself. He instead put forward Muizzu as a proxy, and after leaving the High Court, Yameen vowed to continue the anti-India campaign that helped his ally to victory. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Restored mangroves earn Pakistan millions of dollars in global carbon credit markets. But political turmoil is keeping Pakistan from using the funds to strengthen its defense against climate change. VOA Pakistan Bureau Chief Sarah Zaman reports from deep in the Indus River delta. Pakistan criticized the United States on Saturday for penalizing four international companies on charges they are aiding its ballistic missile program. Pakistan rejects political use of export controls, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch. The reaction came a day after Washington imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies and one Belarus-based firm for their alleged links to Islamabads missile development program. These entities have supplied missileapplicable items to Pakistans ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile program, the U.S. State Department said on Friday. It noted that the sanctions are part of U.S. efforts to disrupt and target proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery and strengthen the global nonproliferation regime. Such listings of commercial entities have taken place in the past as well on allegations of links to Pakistan's ballistic missile program without sharing any evidence whatsoever, Baloch said. We have pointed out many times the need to avoid (the) arbitrary application of export controls and for discussions between concerned parties for an objective mechanism to avoid erroneous sanctions on (the) technology needed purely for socio-economic development pursuits, she added. Baloch renewed Islamabads readiness to discuss end-use and end-user verification mechanisms so that legitimate commercial users are not hurt by discriminatory application of export controls. She asserted that Pakistan has in the past come across instances where mere suspicions led to the blacklisting of foreign companies. The U.S. identified the alleged suppliers to Islamabads ballistic missile program as China-based Xian Longde Technology Development Company Limited, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co. Ltd., Granpect Company Limited, and Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant. Under the U.S. executive order, all assets, properties, and interests in properties of the sanctioned companies located within the United States or controlled by U.S. citizens must be blocked and reported to the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC. The listing makes it illegal for any individual or entity within the United States, or any U.S. citizen to engage in any transactions involving property or interests in property of designated or blocked companies unless authorized by a specific or general license issued by OFAC or exempted. Without naming the U.S. or any other country, Baloch stated that the same jurisdictions" claiming strict adherence to the nonproliferation of weapons and military technologies would sometimes make exceptions "for some countries and have even waived licensing requirements to help them obtain advanced military equipment. Such discriminatory approaches and double standards are undermining the credibility of nonproliferation regimes and accentuating military asymmetries, which, in turn, undermine the objectives of regional and global peace and security, she said. This is leading to arms buildup (in the region)." Baloch was apparently referring to Washingtons close military and nuclear cooperation with Pakistans archrival India. The nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors have fought three wars, and their decades-old territorial dispute over the divided Kashmir region remains the primary source of mutual tensions. I have a sword hanging over my head, says journalist Asad Ali Toor. A vocal critic of Pakistans state institutions, Toor was arrested February 26 for, among other charges, running a malicious campaign against government officials. He has pleaded not guilty and is out on bail, awaiting trial. As Pakistan enters a third month of suspension of social media platform X formerly Twitter Toor, with nearly 300,000 followers, said disrupting access to the platform is an embarrassment for the state. What it has contributed, except controversy and embarrassment to the state of Pakistan, that we are a nuclear armed country, and we are threatened by a social media app? Toor said. X went down on February 17 in Pakistan, hours after a high-level government official, who later walked back his claim, declared he was involved in large-scale vote manipulation. Pakistan held general elections on February 8, but the results were marred by wide-spread allegations of rigging. On Wednesday April 17, when Pakistan marked two months of disruption in services, the Interior Ministry told the Islamabad High Court it sought the suspension of X based on information from intelligence agencies. The decision to impose a ban on Twitter/X in Pakistan was made in the interest of upholding national security, maintaining public order, and preserving the integrity of our nation," the ministrys report to the court stated. In March, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, or PTA, an independent regulator, revealed to the Sindh High Court that it shut down the platform at the request of the interior ministry. Until then, government officials had denied any ban on the use of X, citing the lack of formal notice. Pakistanis, including government ministers, have been using X through virtual private networks, or VPNs, raising questions about the practical value of the suspension. Access to the platform is often restored temporarily, causing confusion about the status of the ban. Criticism vs. fake news In recent years, Pakistani authorities have blamed social media for an alleged rise in the spread of fake news, and anti-state propaganda. Since May 9, 2023, when former Prime Minister Imran Khans supporters stormed military installations to protest his arrest, the government and the military have lashed out at social media more frequently. X is a politically active platform in Pakistan, despite a small user base. There, Khans diehard supporters and others openly call out the state-backed crackdown on the former prime ministers political party and criticize the militarys alleged interference in civilian matters. Toor criticized Pakistans top court on social media after it upheld a decision in January to deprive Khans party of its electoral symbol, and he says the state labels any news reporting against the establishment as fake news. What is the fake news? When people talk about the election? Which everybody says is a very controversial election. You start calling it fake news, Toor said. When anybody reports against the establishment, you call it fake news. Amber Rahim Shamsi, director of the Karachi-based Center for Excellence in Journalism, said there is some truth to the Pakistani governments claims of a rise in the spread of misinformation. Shamsis team runs a fact-checking platform called iVerify and recorded spikes in misinformation claims in the lead-up to the February 8 poll. But suspending X, she said, hurts rather than helps. It is also hindering the ability of journalists and independent fact checkers to, you know, monitor, trace and correct disinformation, misinformation, Shamsi said. She is also part of a group of four petitioners challenging the suspension of X in the Sindh High Court. Most of the false information, she said, is shared via Whatsapp, a popular private messaging app owned by Facebooks parent company Meta. Platform vs. user Justifying the suspension of X, Pakistans interior ministry told the high court the platform was not registered locally as a company and ignored requests by the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency to remove content maligning the chief justice of Pakistan. Haroon Baloch, a senior program manager at Bytes for All, a Pakistani think-tank that focuses on information and communication technologies, told VOA that requirement written into the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (2016) is an attempt to influence a company and gain access to users data. They [Pakistani authorities] wanted data of Pakistani social media users to be housed or hosted through Pakistan and not be hosted outside Pakistan, Baloch explained. Xs response After staying silent on the suspension, Xs Global Government Affairs account finally posted a brief statement Thursday. We continue to work with Pakistani Government to understand concerns, it said. Baloch said that for media freedom workers, engaging with X to seek support is almost impossible. Before [Elon] Musk took over, a team in Singapore was accessible but now theres no team looking into human rights or policy, he said. Last year in March, Musk famously tweeted that emails to Twitters press team will automatically get the poop emoji as a response. Bytes for All research indicates the global content hosting company Akamai may be helping Pakistan implement the ban by rejecting requests from users to connect to X. VOA asked Akamai if Pakistani authorities had requested help to block users. The company said via email that it was currently not aware of any such requests. Pakistans plan Responding to VOA while interacting with media, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said it was the governments prerogative to take actions in the best interest of Pakistan. Surely, the country will take its own decision in the light of different reasons, which were the basis of you know putting it off [suspending it], he said. Taking an apparent swipe at Washingtons efforts to ban TikTok unless it cut ties with its Chinese parent company, Dar said may I ask those countries that they also have put [a] ban on certain apps so, one country is OK, and Twitter banned in Pakistan is not OK? The Sindh High Court gave the interior ministry a week from April 16 to rescind its letter to suspend X. Shamsi is not hopeful access will be fully restored soon but said her petition has already had an important victory. We have been able to extract information from relevant ministries that the basis of the ban is a letter from the Ministry of Interior, and this was not information publicly available, she said. That revelation worries Baloch about the independence of the PTA. We can see its a clear influence on the regulator, he said. Both Shamsi and Toor say they believe the ban is driven by the Pakistani states aversion to dissent. They say it is a sign the state is failing to present a strong counter-narrative. [The] answer of fake news is not banning any platform, Toor said as he braces for a possibly prolonged legal battle. Answer [to] fake news is more credible news. As rebel forces across Myanmar continue making major gains against the countrys military regime on the battlefield, resistance groups are working behind the scenes to plan for the government they want to take the juntas place. It is not clear that the effort will succeed, and if it does not, some analysts fear a political vacuum if the junta-led government should fall. At a so-called Peoples Assembly in January 2022, nearly a year after the military seized power, upwards of two dozen resistance groups endorsed a two-part charter laying out their vision for a new order that would loosely bind Myanmars states together as a democratic and federal or union government. Since then, though, they have been struggling to agree on just what a federal union should look like and how to build it, analysts following the talks tell VOA. What has propelled them thus far is this least common denominator that everyone buys into: a federal democratic system, Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington told VOA in recent days. But once you actually get down to brass tacks and try to define what that is, everyone all of a sudden gets cold feet and doesnt want to attach their names. I think everyone is still kind of waiting this out, seeing what else they can get, he said. Some of Myanmars states are home to large ethnic minority populations, which together account for roughly a third of the countrys 54 million people. Rebel armies among the minorities, dubbed ethnic armed organizations, or EAOs, have been fighting Myanmars ethnic Burman-dominated military for control of parts of those states for decades. They have been demanding a federal union that gives their states more autonomy for just as long. The new charter is a bid to answer their call, but it remains vague on how the federal and state governments would share power in a new Myanmar. The charter calls the states the original owners of sovereignty and says the union shall consist of member states which have full rights to democracy, equality and self-determination. It adds that the specific powers of the union and of the states shall be determined, without elaborating. Where the power lies Among the EAOs, debate over the charter has mostly focused on how much power each state may want to grant the union or keep for itself, said Ying Lao of the Salween Institute for Public Policy, a Myanmar think tank. Another key player in the talks is the so-called National Unity Government, an alliance of civilian resistance groups including some of the mostly Burman lawmakers ousted by the 2021 coup. Disputes over the charter between the EAOs and NUG are deeper and ideological, Ying Lao said, about where political power in Myanmar actually lies. As the EAOs see it, she said, that power rests with the states, and the union has only the powers that they are willing to share with the union. Thats the kind of federalism they are looking for. But for the Bamar [Burman] political elite, they claim that sovereignty rests with the country, which is the union of Burma, and that the states have the powers that the union is willing to share with them. That dispute is echoed in the concerns some groups have with the charters second half, or Part 2, which lays out a rough roadmap for shifting to the full-fledged federal union envisioned in Part 1. It says the lawmakers ousted by the coup would serve as an interim legislature and sets no time limit. Analysts tell VOA that minority groups say that hews too closely to the centralized, Burman-dominated government they have been struggling for decades to replace. When it came time to endorse that part of the charter at the 2022 Peoples Congress, they said, some of the groups that endorsed Part 1 abstained. In the final days of a second Peoples Congress held earlier this month for resistance groups to keep planning for a future government, the NUG and ousted lawmakers pulled out. They claimed the event had gotten out of hand and that the issues some of the groups were raising were out of bounds. The NUG includes ethnic minority officers and takes pains to stress its inclusive credentials. Ying Lao said its actions, however, are reinforcing the impression among some that Burman elites still dominate. Many minority groups feel a faction of the NUG still has this Burma-centric, or what they call a chauvinistic mindset, Kim Jolliffe, an independent Myanmar analyst and researcher, told VOA. They support the [charter], but they dont fully have trust in the process, that its really going to be implemented, he said. Less talk, more action Many of Myanmars EAOs, including a few of the most powerful, are not even taking part in the charter talks, or are doing so only at arms length. Some are not waiting for the details to be worked out either, and they have started building whole new governments on their own in their home states. Armed and civilian ethnic Karenni groups in Kayah state were the first to declare an interim government replacing the military regime across their state in June. The Arakan Army EAO has been building its own government as well across the parts of Rakhine state it has battled to reclaim from the junta. Resistance groups elsewhere are following suit. A lot of the [EAOs], theyre saying now, were not going to get bound up in any more debates about the [charter], were just going to build our states, and were going to come together and then well decide what needs to be shared as a union of equals, Jolliffe said. Working out the details is going to be very messy, Abuza said. He noted he also worries that both the EAOs and NUG, which has its own network of militias fighting the Myanmar military across the country, will want to concede less politically as they gain ground against the junta on the battlefield. The junta may still be far from defeat. It continues to hold Naypyitaw, the capital, and main cities, and has the edge in funds and firepower. But the military is widely loathed and overstretched and has now lost control of most of Myanmars borders. Should the junta lose or collapse before the EAOs and NUG work out their political differences, analysts like Abuza say they worry about a federal power vacuum and the problems that could cause. Ying Lao is more sanguine. She says Myanmar has never really existed as a functioning union with a central government that meets the needs of its states, and it could continue to muddle along without one. Not getting that functioning federal union anytime soon, for the people on the ground, the situation will only get worse and worse. But whether this country will remain intact, Im sure it will, she said. But no one will have any real power in the country. Its going to be chaotic, for sure. Ingyin Naing in Washington contributed to this report. Wider access to abortion in Japan has largely remained elusive a year after the historic approval of medical abortion pills. In April last year, lawmakers approved the use of the two-step abortion pill MeFeego Pack for pregnancies up to nine weeks. Before that, women in the East Asian nation could only receive a surgical abortion in private clinics by designated surgeons that often charge as much as $370. Financial strain aside, women were often required to provide proof of spousal consent to receive an abortion, making it nearly impossible for them to make the decision on their own. Reports showed that even for single women, doctors still asked for permission of a male partner before agreeing to perform such surgeries. Despite the approval of the abortion pill, only 3% of all clinics with abortion services in Japan provide them a year after the pills approval, according to Kumi Tsukahara, independent researcher of reproductive health and rights, "and none of them have a Maternal Body Protection Law (MBPL) designated doctor," Tsukahara told VOA News. Under the MBPL, the controversial requirement for spousal consent before a doctor can prescribe oral abortion medication still exists its the same condition for gaining permission for a surgical abortion. "Unfortunately, there are no signs of change with regard to either," the expert said. In contrast to countries with better abortion access, Japans approved abortion pills cannot be administered more than once sometimes, multiple tries are necessary and the pregnant women will still need to resort to surgical abortion that involves a serious risk to their health. Since such surgeries are only allowed in private clinics and are considered profitable by designated doctors, they often charge the same price or higher for abortion pills as for a surgical abortion. Neither measure is covered by Japans national health system. "The high prices and low affordability depending on individual doctors, the inaccurate information given by doctors who cannot use drugs to guide people to conventional surgical procedures, the unjust situation and the states failure to respond, and the women are disempowered to have a sense of entitlement on their part," Tsukahara explained. Abortion rights activist Kazuko Fukuda, who spearheads a grassroots movement to push for womens rights to end pregnancies in Japan, echoed the sentiment. "The abortion rights [in Japan] didnt improve," Fukuda told VOA News. "Of course, this [approval of oral abortion] was better than nothing, but conservative politicians went against such pills before the approval. Its mandated that women have to stay in hospitals that provide beds until the end of the abortion, but designated private clinics dont usually have beds." Women in Japan are banned from taking abortion pills at home. They must be in hospitals and take the pills in front of the doctors as authorities fear that they might resell them. If violated, these women can be subject to imprisonment for up to a year. Male-dominated political scene Abortion is still a big taboo in politics, and real rights improvement will go a long way, Fukuda added. "News of women being arrested for giving birth alone and abandoning them is still very common -- we hear that just a few days ago. The government should repeal the criminalization of abortion. [Things dont work] as doctors are still afraid of being sued so they require signatures from boyfriends to prescribe abortion pills." Last year, Japan started a study, selling morning-after pills over the counter without prescription. However, the study suffers limited availability in many cities. Girls under 15 are not allowed to purchase them, and those ages 16 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent to buy the pills. Both experts VOA spoke with say that the information and availability of these contraceptive pills doesnt appear high in online searches the usual method for the targeted group to look for contraception. Japan ranked among the lowest of developed countries in a March report this year by the World Bank in terms of womens rights. Currently, women account for less than 10% in Japans lower house of parliament and 27% in the upper house. In local politics, only 15% of women are on the front line. The gender pay gap in Japan reached 40%, according to a report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Womens issues like abortion access or contraceptive measures are often not viewed as priorities for female politicians. "In the male-dominated politics, a lot of women have to become more conservative and look strong to be accepted so its really hard for women to liberal or supportive in this kind of thing [abortion and contraception in the parliament]," Fukuda said. Women blamed for low fertility rate Social stigma connected to abortion remains strong as Japan blames women for its low fertility rate. The country hit a record low number of births last year. "The Japanese government has attributed the decreasing number [fertility rate] to 'women who dont give birth,' women are made to feel socially guilty for trying to choose not to give birth. Of course, such an issue construction is itself highly biased and misogynistic," said researcher Tsukahara. Fukuda said that the governments support of favorable reproductive policies stops with women who dont want babies. "Anything against that [wanting babies] is not supported at all. Many people think that contraception is a taboo and even taking [morning after] pills can expose to judgment as a promiscuous woman. Its not easy for women to talk about it." An Iranian attack on an Israeli desert air base last week as part of Tehran's unprecedented assault on the country damaged a taxiway, a satellite image analyzed by The Associated Press on Saturday shows. The overall damage done to Nevatim air base in southern Israel was minor despite Iran launching hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Israeli air defenses and fighter jets, backed by the U.S., the United Kingdom and neighboring Jordan, shot down most of the incoming fire. But the Iranian attack last weekend showed Tehran's willingness to use its vast arsenal of ballistic missiles directly against Israel as tensions remain high across the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. An apparent Israeli retaliatory attack Friday on Isfahan, Iran, and Tehran's low-key response to it suggest both countries want to dial back their long-running shadow war for now though risks of a wider conflagration in the region remain. The Planet Labs PBC image, taken Friday for the AP, shows fresh blacktop across a taxiway near hangars at the southern part of Nevatim air base, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Jerusalem. The daily newspaper Haaretz, which published lower-resolution images of the site Thursday, identified the hangars nearby as housing C-130 cargo aircraft flown by transport squadrons. The satellite image corresponds to footage earlier released by the Israeli military, which showed construction equipment working on the damaged taxiway. A hangar in the background of the video mirrors those seen nearby. Other images released by the Israeli military showed a crater in the sand and damage under what appeared to be a wall that it said came from the Iranian attack. The little visible damage seen at the air base in the satellite image directly contradicts Iran's efforts to portray the attack as a great victory to a public alienated by the Islamic Republic's cratering economy and its heavy-handed crackdowns on dissent in recent years. This operation became a sign of the power of the Islamic Republic and its armed forces," Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Friday. It also showed the steely determination of our nation and our wise leader, the commander of all forces. However, it does show Iran's arsenal can reach Israel, as the April 13 attack marked the first direct military assault on the country by a foreign nation since Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched Scud missiles at Israel in the 1991 Gulf War. Will Israel and Iran heed the call of world leaders to de-escalate tensions that could potentially lead to a region-wide war. Iran vowed a massive response but has so far had a muted reaction. In another tense part of the world, U.S. and European leaders stress the urgency of air defense for Kyiv as Russin attacks intensify. After months of delay, U.S. lawmakers plan to vote on aid for Ukraine Saturday. And a look at a coordinated international effort to support Ukraines government in its investigation and prosecution of Russian war crimes since its invasion in February 2022. Indonesias elite counterterrorism police arrested eight suspected militants in recent days believed to be part of a new cell linked to Jemaah Islamiyah, an al-Qaida-linked group, authorities said Saturday. Police conducted raids in Central Sulawesi province between Tuesday and Thursday, said Agus Nugroho, the provincial police chief, adding that five suspects were arrested in the city of Palu, two in Sigi, and one in Poso which is a known extremist hotbed. Two laptops, several cellular phones and documents, including jihadi books were seized and suspects were being interrogated, Nugroho said. National Police spokesperson Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said the arrests were the result of information obtained from 59 suspected militants detained in Oct. 2023. (The eight) all actively participate in organization activities, particularly in military-style training and collecting funds for alleged plans of terror acts, Andiko told reporters at the National Police headquarters in the capital, Jakarta. He added that convicted leaders of the group and veteran fighters in Afghanistan were recruiting and training new members. Jemaah Islamiyah is responsible for several attacks inside Indonesia, namely, the 2002 bombings on the resort island of Bali that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. A court banned the group in 2008 and constant counterterrorism crackdowns, supported by the United States and Australia, have weakened it further. Last year, police arrested a total of 142 suspected militants, including four women, and fatally shot two others on southern Sumatra island. Militant attacks on foreigners in Indonesia have been largely replaced in recent years by smaller, less deadly strikes targeting the government, mainly police and anti-terrorism forces, and people militants consider to be infidels, inspired by Islamic State group tactics abroad. Employees at a Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to join the United Auto Workers union Friday in a historic first test of the UAW's renewed effort to organize nonunion factories. The union wound up getting 2,628 votes, or 73% of the ballots cast, compared with only 985 who voted no in an election run by the National Labor Relations Board. Both sides have five business days to file objections to the election, the NLRB said. If there are none, the election will be certified, and VW and the union must "begin bargaining in good faith." President Joe Biden, who backed the UAW and won its endorsement, said the union's win follows major union gains across the country including actors, port workers, Teamsters members, writers and health care workers. Twice in recent years, workers at the Chattanooga plant have rejected union membership in plantwide votes. Most recently, they handed the UAW a narrow defeat in 2019 as federal prosecutors were breaking up a bribery-and-embezzlement scandal at the union. But this time, they voted convincingly for the UAW, which is operating under new leadership directly elected by members for the first time and basking in a successful confrontation with Detroit's major automakers. The union's new president, Shawn Fain, was elected on a platform of cleaning up after the scandal and turning more confrontational with automakers. An emboldened Fain, backed by Biden, led the union in a series of strikes last fall against Detroit's automakers that resulted in lucrative new contracts. Next up for a union vote are workers at Mercedes factories near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, who will vote on UAW representation in May. Fain said he was not surprised by the size of the union's win Friday after the two previous losses. "This gives workers everywhere else the indication that it's OK," Fain said. "All we've heard for years is we can't win here, you can't do this in the South, and you can." Worker Vicky Holloway of Chattanooga was among dozens of cheering workers celebrating at an electrical workers union hall near the VW plant. She said the overwhelming vote for the union came this time because her colleagues realized they could have better benefits and a voice in the workplace. "Right now, we have no say," said Holloway, who has worked at the plant for 13 years. "It's like our opinions don't matter." In a statement, Volkswagen thanked workers for voting and said 83.5% of the 4,300 production workers cast ballots in the election. Six Southern governors, including Tennessee's Bill Lee, warned the workers in a joint statement this week that joining the UAW could cost them their jobs and threaten the region's economic progress. But the overwhelming win is a warning to nonunion manufacturers, said Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit who studies the union. "This is going to send a powerful message to all of those companies that the UAW is knocking at the door, and if they want to remain nonunion, they've got to step up their game," Masters said. Shortly after the Detroit contracts were ratified, Volkswagen and other nonunion companies handed their workers big pay raises. Last fall, Volkswagen raised production worker pay by 11%, lifting top base wages to $32.40 per hour, or just over $67,000 per year. VW said its pay exceeds the median household income for the Chattanooga area, which was $54,480 last May, according to the U.S. Labor Department. But under the UAW contracts, top production workers at GM, for instance, now earn $36 an hour, or about $75,000 a year excluding benefits and profit sharing. By the end of the contract in 2028, top-scale GM workers would make over $89,000. Thousands of Israeli demonstrators took to the streets Saturday to call for new elections and demand more action from the government to bring the hostages held in Gaza home, in the latest round of protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The protests have continued as the war in Gaza moves through its seventh month and amid growing anger over the government's approach to the 133 Israeli hostages still held by the Islamist movement Hamas. Surveys indicate that most Israelis blame Netanyahu for the security failures that led to the devastating attack by Hamas fighters on communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7. Israel's longest-serving prime minister has repeatedly ruled out early elections, which opinion polls suggest he would lose, saying that to go to the polls in the middle of a war would only reward Hamas. "We're here to protest against this government that keeps dragging us down, month after month; before October 7th, after October 7th. We kept going down in a spiral," said Yalon Pikman, 58, who attended a march in Tel Aviv. Hamas-led gunmen seized 253 people during the Oct. 7 attack that killed around 1,200, according to Israeli tallies. Some hostages were freed in a November truce, but efforts to secure another deal appear to have stalled. Netanyahu has pledged to continue the Israeli campaign in Gaza, which local health authorities say has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, until all the hostages are brought home, and Hamas has been destroyed. Last week's attack on Israel by waves of Iranian drones and missiles shifted attention from the conflict in Gaza and for many relatives of the remaining hostages there is a growing feeling that time is running out. "My mother is really strong. She's holding us together," said Sharone Lifschitz, 52, whose 85-year-old mother, Yocheved Lifshitz, was among the hostages released in November but whose father, Oded, remains in captivity. "But as time passes, the weight of what is happening the way that those who could have returned them failed to return them the sheer weight of that is weighing more and more on her shoulders. And her hope, too, is diminishing." Ukraine pummeled eight Russian regions with dozens of long-range strike drones, targeting oil refineries and energy facilities inside Russia, setting on fire a fuel depot, and striking three power substations, a Ukrainian intelligence source in Kyiv told Reuters on Saturday. "At least three electrical substations and a fuel storage base were hit, where fires ignited," the Ukrainian source said, citing social media videos showing fires burning at different locations. The source said the facilities were targeted for supporting Russian military industrial production. Russias defense ministry confirmed the overnight attacks and added that 50 of the drones were shot down, with 26 of them destroyed over Russias western Belgorod region bordering Ukraine. During the barrage, a man and a woman were killed there, while later on, during shelling in the area, a pregnant woman lost her life, Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on social media. Ten drones were shot over the Bryansk region, eight over the Kursk region, and two over Tula region, as well as one in each of the regions of Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga and Moscow, according to Russian authorities. Ukraines strikes come as a response to an intensified Russian airstrike campaign that has devastated Ukraine's energy system and many of its cities in recent weeks. Kyivs overnight drone attack was a joint operation conducted by Ukraine's SBU security service, the GUR military intelligence agency and the Special Operations Forces, the source said. Kyiv is waging drone airstrikes to compensate for its battlefield disadvantage in weapons and troops against Russia, while waiting for more U.S. military aid, the Ukrainian source told Reuterrs. US House passes Ukraine aid bill Ukrainians are anxiously awaiting aid from the U.S. for Ukraine, and the U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday passed with broad bipartisan support a $95 billion legislative package providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. It is expected to pass in the Senate before President Joe Biden signs it into law. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude Saturday, for the passage of the bill by the U.S. House of Representatives. "I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track," he wrote on social platform X, formerly Twitter. Zelenskyy added the $95 billion U.S. aid bill, about to be approved by the U.S. Senate "will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Saturday that passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of a bill on aid to Ukraine would "further ruin" Ukraine and result in more deaths in the conflict. Peskov also told Tass news agency that a provision in the legislation allowing the U.S. administration to confiscate seized Russian assets and transfer them to Ukraine for reconstruction would tarnish the image of the United States. Russia, he added, would respond with measures in its own interests. With the war in its third year since Moscows invasion of its neighbor in 2022, Russia is slowly advancing in eastern Ukraine. Just this year, Ukraine had been attacked by almost 1,200 missiles, more than 1,500 drones and 8,500 guided bombs amid delays in Western military assistance, Zelenskyy said Friday. Zelenskyy appeals to NATO Zelenskyy appealed to NATO members Friday, to step up arms deliveries to Ukraine struggling with diminished munition while Russia has air advantage and larger ground forces. NATO must decide if it is Kyiv's ally, Zelenskyy told a gathering of NATO defense ministers in Brussels via video link. "Our sky must become safe again," he added. His appeal to Western partners to provide at least seven more air defense systems came hours after Russia barraged the country with deadly drones and missiles. At least eight people, including two children, were killed in a Russian barrage on Ukraine's eastern Dnipropetrovsk region. But Ukraine said it had downed one of the long-range Russian bombers that launched the missiles for the first time. Zelenskyy compared Western efforts to defend Israel to those toward Ukraine's defense against Russia and said more could be done to help Kyiv repel Russian airstrikes. Ukraine could not defend itself without Western support, he told NATO ministers. "It is obvious that now, while Russia has air advantage and can rely on its drone and rocket terror, our capabilities on the ground, unfortunately, are limited," he said. Earlier Friday, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the bloc had agreed to give Ukraine more weapons including air defenses. "I expect new announcements on air defense capabilities for Ukraine soon," he added. Ukraine has faced a surge in devastating Russian attacks on its cities. Earlier this week, a strike on the city of Chernihiv killed 18 people. Earlier Friday, Zelenskyy said he had visited Ukrainian front-line troops and inspected new defensive lines in the war-battered Donetsk region. He also said Russia had struck two food export terminals at the Black Sea port of Pivdennyi Friday. This was "part of a deliberate Russian strategy to cause maximum damage to Ukraine and the countries that rely on Ukrainian agricultural goods, he said. VOA State Department Bureau Chief Nike Ching contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Two senior United Nations officials raised the alarm Friday that an attack on the North Darfur capital of El Fasher could be imminent and may trigger a deadly intercommunal conflict across Darfur. "In Darfur, recent reports indicate a possible imminent RSF attack on El Fasher, raising the specter of a new front in the conflict," U.N. political and peacebuilding chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council. The RSF are the Rapid Support Forces, the rebel militia that has been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for the past year. The two generals leading them were once allies in Sudans transitional government after a 2021 coup but have become rivals for power. The war began last April in the capital, Khartoum. It has since spread to other parts of the country, forcing more than 8 million people from their homes in search of safety. Nearly 2 million of them have fled Sudan to neighboring countries. Of those who remain, 25 million need humanitarian assistance. DiCarlo said clashes between the RSF and SAF-aligned members of the Joint Protection Forces have erupted in Mellit, a strategic town to the north of El Fasher. "Fighting in El Fasher could unleash bloody intercommunal strife throughout Darfur," she said. "It would also further impede the delivery of humanitarian assistance in an area already on the brink of famine." El Fasher is an established humanitarian hub. Fighting there would make it even more dangerous and complicated to store and deliver aid. "Beyond Darfur, greater Khartoum continues to be the epicenter of fighting between the SAF and the RSF," DiCarlo added. "Galvanized by recent gains, the SAF has intensified aerial raids in Khartoum, the Kordofan regions and parts of Darfur." The U.N. says the violence threatens 800,000 civilians living in El Fasher and risks setting off more violence in other parts of Darfur where more than 9 million people need humanitarian assistance. "On 13 April, following weeks of rising tensions and airstrikes, RSF-affiliated militias attacked and burned villages west of El Fasher," Edem Wosornu told council members. "Since then, there have been continuing reports of clashes in the eastern and northern parts of the city, resulting in more than 36,000 people displaced," the director of operations and advocacy in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. She said medical charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, has reported that more than a hundred trauma patients have arrived at their El Fasher facility in recent days but said the number of civilian casualties is likely much higher. Final battle for Darfur A report released Friday by the Yale University Humanitarian Research Lab says satellite imagery and open-source information indicates that the RSF is either close to El Fasher or already inside its eastern and northeastern neighborhoods. "At least 11 villages are confirmed burned to the ground on the western access on the approach to El Fasher," Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the lab, told VOA. He said it is their assessment that the RSF likely controls the north, east and west roads into El Fasher, and they have credible reports that the Sudanese army had to be re-supplied by air in the past week. "This suggests that SAF has already assessed that they do not have a ground route for resupply or escape," Raymond said. That means civilians are also trapped, including thousands of African Zaghawa, Masalit, Fur, and other non-Arab ethnic groups. "This is the final battle for Darfur," Raymond said. "If RSF is victorious, then they will be able to complete the genocide begun at the beginning of the 21st century, and all indications are consistent with the fact that they intend to." He said a victory in El Fasher would be pivotal, giving the RSF control over all the regional capitals in the Darfur region and creating a stronghold from which they can fight the remaining elements of the SAF for years to come. Darfur saw large-scale ethnic violence, crimes against humanity and genocide in the early 2000s when Arab "Janjaweed" militias targeted the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa. Thousands of Black college students expected this weekend for an annual spring bash at the largest public beach in the U.S. state of Georgia 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 weekend crowds of up to 48,000 people daily overwhelmed the 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 fistfights. Mayor Brian West, elected last fall by Tybee Island's 3,100 residents, said roadblocks and added police aren't just for limiting crowds. He hopes the crackdown will drive Orange Crush away for good. "This has to stop. We can't 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 island's 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 island's 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 Island's roughly two dozen police officers will be augmented by about 100 sheriff's 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 Island's police chief. Officials insist they're acting to avoid a repeat of last year's 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 haven't taken a stronger stand against Orange Crush because they feared being called racist. "We can't let that be a reason to let our citizens be unsafe and so we're 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 into a car and injured one person. Officials blamed the shooting on road rage. Orange Crush's supporters and detractors alike say it's 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 wouldn't be surprised if the crackdown was at least partly motivated by race. "I don't know what they have in store," Miller said. "I'm not going down there with any ill intent. I'm 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 he's concerned about "over-representation of police" at the beach party. At Nickie's 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." It's 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 it's promoted on social media by people who haven't 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 he's promoting a concert this weekend in Savannah, but nothing on Tybee Island involving Orange Crush. "I don't control it," Wigfall said. "Nobody controls the date that people go down there." Editor's note: The 22nd paragraph of this article has been updated to correct the name of an organization. This week the University of Southern California canceled the graduation speech of its senior class valedictorian at a time when there is a growing debate over the limits of free speech on American college campuses. USCs Asna Tabassum, a Muslim biomedical engineer major, was selected from among 100 outstanding students to address the graduating class of 2024 this May. However, the school withdrew the invitation for her to speak at the graduation ceremony citing safety concerns. Tabassum denounced the decision, which she attributed to her public support for Palestinian human rights. She said it is part of a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice. The school maintains it is a safety issue, not about free speech. School officials say they received an alarming number of violent threats after selecting her as speaker. USC is one of many American universities that have struggled with policies over free speech and campus protest since Octobers Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the continuing fighting in Gaza. After weeks or months of on-campus protests and rallies, schools have been taking more forceful action to punish protesters who administrators say have become disruptive. On Thursday at Columbia University in New York, police arrested more than 100 students who had gathered on campus for pro-Palestinian protests. The schools dean wrote that the protesters had been told several times that they were violating university policies and would be suspended. The students say they were exercising their free speech rights. At Washingtons American University, protests in all campus buildings have been banned by the schools president since January. Under the new policy, students may not hold rallies, engage in silent protests or place posters in any campus building. Protests and safety University students have a long history of engaging in political activism. From the Vietnam War to abortion rights, universities have played a key role in American political debates. However, students now say that schools like AU with a long-standing protest culture are silencing protesters with new rules. Arusa Islam, American University student body president-elect and current vice president, says the policies are preventing an open discussion about U.S. foreign policy. Indoor protesting was never a problem, it was never an issue before October 7th, Islam said. Students were allowed to put up posters in buildings and students were allowed to have a silent protest. And now we dont have that right anymore, she added. We have been silenced and it is affecting us greatly. American Universitys president, Sylvia Burwell, says the schools new policies are intended to ensure that protests do not disrupt university activity. Burwell also referred to recent events on campus that made Jewish students feel unsafe and unwelcome. She added, antisemitism is abhorrent, wrong, and will not be tolerated at American University. While administrators insist that they are making narrow restrictions in the interests of providing an education, critics say the policies have a far-reaching effect. At Cornell University, where new rules took effect in January, Claire Ting, the executive vice president of the Cornell Student Assembly, said the policies have had an unsettling effect on campus. The campus climate at Cornell has been tense surrounding free speech in recent times, Ting emailed VOA. Ting said that both students and faculty feel the policy has had chilling effects on free expression. Students report facing arbitrary, escalating punishment for violating the policy, with the policy itself lacking clear outlines for the consequences of civil disobedience, she added. In its new policy Cornell warns students that disciplinary action may be taken if protests impede people or traffic, damage school property or interfere with the schools operations in any way. In its campus-wide notice explaining the new guidelines, the school wrote that the new policy would ensure that expressive activity is allowed but must remain nonviolent. The Foundation for Individual Rights and expression, also known as FIRE, has tracked free speech issues on American campuses. FIRE and College Pulse have produced an annual survey, since 2022, ranking colleges based on their policies and what students say about the free speech climate on campus. This year the group reported that alarming numbers of students say they self-censor or find their administrations unclear on free speech issues. College campuses have always been places where students have been unafraid to express themselves and with the recent Gaza conflict after the 10/7 attacks, its been very heated on both sides of this issue, said Zach Greenberg, the senior program officer of FIRE. Harvard ranked last in this years survey. FIRE said the school punished some professors and researchers over what they had said or written, and students reported a poor climate for free speech on campus. The controversy came to Congress late last year, when Harvards president testified over complaints of widespread antisemitism. I dont think youd find many students on campus right now that would say we are the model for flourishing free speech and ideas exchange in the country, said J. Sellers Hill, president of Harvards school newspaper The Harvard Crimson. But I think youve really seen that be acknowledged by administrators and it seems to be something they are dedicated to taking on. As the head of The Harvard Crimson, Hill manages the papers 350 editors and 90 reporters, whove covered, in detail, the ongoing free speech/protests controversy and the resignation of former President Claudine Gay following her testimony to Congress. I think no one would dispute Harvard has work to do and progress to make, Hill said. I think its a tough sell, for me, that Harvard is uniquely in its own league in terms of intolerance of speech. That doesnt square with what I have seen on our college campus or on other college campuses around the country. I think Harvard is held to a higher standard. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Iran doesn't intend to enter into conflict with Israel unless the Israeli side takes new steps, Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian said, Trend reports. According to him, if Israel acts against Iran's interests, Iran's next response will be immediate and maximal. In response to reports of Israel's attack on Iran on the night of April 19, the Iranian minister noted that there were no attacks during last night's incident. "The quadcopters shot down in Isfahan were launched from within the city. These quadcopters are toys used by children in Iran. Regarding Iran's attack on Israel with missiles and UAVs, Iran simply wanted to make a warning. Iran could have targeted Haifa, Tel Aviv, and all of Israel's ports, but it targeted two military bases that were used to attack the embassy building in Damascus. Iran wanted to demonstrate to the world that it has the will to defend its interests and national security," noted the minister. As previously reported, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (SEPAH) attacked Israel with cruise and ballistic missiles under the code name Operation True Promise. The attacks were carried out in response to Israel's bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 1. This is the first direct military conflict between the two countries. On the morning of April 14, Iran announced the end of the operation against Israel. On April 19, the Iranian side announced that at nearly 03:00 (GMT +4), unmanned aerial vehicles were spotted over Isfahan. After that, with the help of an air defense system, they were 'destroyed in the sky'. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel One woman miscarried in the lobby restroom of a Texas emergency room as front desk staff refused to check her in. Another woman learned that her fetus had no heartbeat at a Florida hospital, the day after a security guard turned her away from the facility. And in North Carolina, a woman gave birth in a car after an emergency room couldnt offer an ultrasound. The baby later died. Complaints that pregnant women were turned away from U.S. emergency rooms spiked in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, federal documents obtained by The Associated Press reveal. The cases raise alarms about the state of emergency pregnancy care in the U.S., especially in states that enacted strict abortion laws and sparked confusion around the treatment doctors can provide. "It is shocking, its absolutely shocking," said Amelia Huntsberger, an OB/GYN in Oregon. "It is appalling that someone would show up to an emergency room and not receive care -- this is inconceivable." Its happened despite federal mandates that the women be treated. Federal law requires emergency rooms to treat or stabilize patients who are in active labor and provide a medical transfer to another hospital if they dont have the staff or resources to treat them. Medical facilities must comply with the law if they accept Medicare funding. The Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday that could weaken those protections. The Biden administration has sued Idaho over its abortion ban, even in medical emergencies, arguing it conflicts with the federal law. "No woman should be denied the care she needs," Jennifer Klein, director of the White House Gender Policy Council, said in a statement. "All patients, including women who are experiencing pregnancy-related emergencies, should have access to emergency medical care required under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)." Pregnancy care after Roe Pregnant patients have "become radioactive to emergency departments" in states with extreme abortion restrictions, said Sara Rosenbaum, a George Washington University health law and policy professor. "They are so scared of a pregnant patient, that the emergency medicine staff wont even look. They just want these people gone," Rosenbaum said. Consider what happened to a woman who was nine months pregnant and having contractions when she arrived at the Falls Community Hospital in Marlin, Texas, in July 2022, a week after the Supreme Courts ruling on abortion. The doctor on duty refused to see her. "The physician came to the triage desk and told the patient that we did not have obstetric services or capabilities," hospital staff told federal investigators during interviews, according to documents. "The nursing staff informed the physician that we could test her for the presence of amniotic fluid. However, the physician adamantly recommended the patient drive to a Waco hospital." Investigators with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services concluded Falls Community Hospital broke the law. Reached by phone, an administrator at the hospital declined to comment on the incident. The investigation was one of dozens the AP obtained from a Freedom of Information Act request filed in February 2023 that sought all pregnancy-related EMTALA complaints the previous year. One year after submitting the request, the federal government agreed to release only some complaints and investigative documents filed across just 19 states. The names of patients, doctors and medical staff were redacted from the documents. Federal investigators looked into just over a dozen pregnancy-related complaints in those states during the months leading up to the U.S. Supreme Courts pivotal ruling on abortion in 2022. But more than two dozen complaints about emergency pregnancy care were lodged in the months after the decision was unveiled. It is not known how many complaints were filed last year as the records request only asked for 2022 complaints and the information is not publicly available otherwise. The documents did not detail what happened to the patient turned away from the Falls Community Hospital. 'She is bleeding a lot' Other pregnancies ended in catastrophe, the documents show. At Sacred Heart Emergency Center in Houston, front desk staff refused to check in one woman after her husband asked for help delivering her baby that September. She miscarried in a restroom toilet in the emergency room lobby while her husband called 911 for help. "She is bleeding a lot and had a miscarriage," the husband told first responders in his call, which was transcribed from Spanish in federal documents. "Im here at the hospital but they told us they cant help us because we are not their client." Emergency crews, who arrived 20 minutes later and transferred the woman to a hospital, appeared confused over the staffs refusal to help the woman, according to 911 call transcripts. One first responder told federal investigators that when a Sacred Heart Emergency Center staffer was asked about the gestational age of the fetus, the staffer replied: "No, we cant tell you, she is not our patient. Thats why you are here." A manager for Sacred Heart Emergency Center declined to comment. The facility is licensed in Texas as a freestanding emergency room, which means it is not physically connected to a hospital. State law requires those facilities to treat or stabilize patients, a spokesperson for the Texas Health and Human Services agency said in an email to AP. Sacred Heart Emergencys website says that it no longer accepts Medicare, a change that was made sometime after the woman miscarried, according to publicly available archives of the centers website. Meanwhile, the staff at Person Memorial Hospital in Roxboro, North Carolina, told a pregnant woman, who was complaining of stomach pain, that they would not be able to provide her with an ultrasound. The staff failed to tell her how risky it could be for her to depart without being stabilized, according to federal investigators. While en route to another hospital 45 minutes away, the woman gave birth in a car to a baby who did not survive. Person Memorial Hospital self-reported the incident. A spokeswoman said the hospital continues to "provide ongoing education for our staff and providers to ensure compliance." In Melbourne, Florida, a security guard at Holmes Regional Medical Center refused to let a pregnant woman into the triage area because she had brought a child with her. When the patient came back the next day, medical staff were unable to locate a fetal heartbeat. The center declined to comment on the case. Whats the penalty? Emergency rooms are subject to hefty fines when they turn away patients, fail to stabilize them or transfer them to another hospital for treatment. Violations can also put hospitals Medicare funding at risk. But its unclear what fines might be imposed on more than a dozen hospitals that the Biden administration says failed to properly treat pregnant patients in 2022. It can take years for fines to be levied in these cases. The Health and Human Services agency, which enforces the law, declined to share if the hospitals have been referred to the agencys Office of Inspector General for penalties. For Huntsberger, the OB/GYN, EMTALA was one of the few ways she felt protected to treat pregnant patients in Idaho, despite the states abortion ban. She left Idaho last year to practice in Oregon because of the ban. The threat of fines or loss of Medicare funding for violating EMTALA is a big deterrent that keeps hospitals from dumping patients, she said. Many couldnt keep their doors open if they lost Medicare funding. She has been waiting to see how HHS penalizes two hospitals in Missouri and Kansas that HHS announced last year it was investigating after a pregnant woman, who was in preterm labor at 17 weeks, was denied an abortion. "A lot of these situations are not reported, but even the ones that are like the cases out of the Midwest theyre investigated but nothing really comes of it," Huntsberger said. "People are just going to keep providing substandard care or not providing care. The only way that changes is things like this." President Joe Biden and top U.S. health official Xavier Becerra have both publicly vowed vigilance in enforcing the law. Even as states have enacted strict abortion laws, the White House has argued that if hospitals receive Medicare funds they must provide stabilizing care, including abortions. In a statement to the AP, Becerra called it the "nations bedrock law protecting Americans right to life- and health-saving emergency medical care." "And doctors, not politicians, should determine what constitutes emergency care," he added. Idahos law allows abortion only if the life, not the health, of the mother is at risk. But the states attorney general has argued that its abortion ban is "consistent" with federal law, which calls for emergency rooms to protect an unborn child in medical emergencies. "The Biden administration has no business rewriting federal law to override Idahos law and force doctors to perform abortions," Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador said in a statement earlier this year. Now, the Supreme Court will weigh in. The case could have implications in other states like Arizona, which is reinstating an 1864 law that bans all abortions, with an exception only if the mothers life is at risk. EMTALA was initially introduced decades ago because private hospitals would dump patients on county or state hospitals, often because they didnt have insurance, said Alexa Kolbi-Molinas of the American Civil Liberties Union. Some hospitals also refused to see pregnant women when they did not have an established relationship with physicians on staff. If the court nullifies or weakens those protections, it could result in more hospitals turning away patients without fear of penalty from the federal government, she said. "The government knows theres a problem and is investigating and is doing something about that," Kolbi-Molinas said. "Without EMTALA, they wouldnt be able to do that." The U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday passed with bipartisan support a four-part, $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, putting the legislation on track for enactment following a long, difficult path through Congress. The legislation includes $61 billion for Kyivs ongoing war against Moscows invasion, as well as $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones, including Gaza, and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific region. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, structured the bills so that they can be combined into one after each bill is approved, to prevent opposition to any one piece from derailing the entire deal. Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer historys call, passing urgently needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure, President Joe Biden said in a statement Saturday. I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law, and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs, he noted. The Democratic-majority Senate is to take up the legislation early next week and then send it to President Bidens desk to be signed into law. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, confirmed in a statement on Saturday that the Senate would finish work on the supplemental with the first vote on Tuesday afternoon. To our friends in Ukraine, to our allies in NATO, to our allies in Israel, and to civilians around the world in need of aid: rest assured America will deliver yet again, he added. The bill imposing new limits on the social media platform TikTok was the first of the four measures to pass Saturday, with a vote of 360-58. That measure requires Bytedance, TikToks Chinese parent company, to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States. It would also allow the president to level new sanctions against Russia and Iran. The second bill, which passed with a bipartisan majority of 385-34 votes, provided billions in aid to the Indo-Pacific region. The $8 billion bill is intended to counter China through investing in submarine infrastructure and helping Taiwan through military financing. Watch related video by Arash Arabasadi: The third bill to pass was a significant aid package $61 billion for Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia. The bill passed with a vote of 311-112. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Congress for the passage of the aid bill. I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track, Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. The bill has important implications not just for Ukraine but for all of Europe, according to Steven Moore, founder of the Ukraine Freedom Project, which delivers humanitarian and military aid to the front lines. [Russian President] Vladimir Putin has made it clear that if he takes Ukraine, then NATO countries are next, he told VOA. This is not just about Ukraine. This is about standing up to a terrible human being who wants to subjugate the rest of Europe. This sends a message to Vladimir Putin, to Iran, to North Korea, and to China, that we are not abdicating our role as a leader in the world, added Moore, who is based in Kyiv. The bills passage in the House comes after a monthslong Republican effort to block additional aid to Ukraine. The Republican leadership, I think, delayed this unnecessarily, Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington state, told VOAs Ukrainian Service on Saturday. Smith said he expected the aid to be delivered to Ukraine almost immediately once the legislation is passed by the Senate and signed by President Biden. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Saturday that U.S. legislation providing military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan would deepen crisis throughout the world. The final measure to pass Saturday was a $26 billion aid package for Israel, including $9.1 billion for humanitarian needs. Biden reaffirmed support for the aid package earlier this week. Israel is facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine is facing continued bombardment from Russia that has intensified dramatically in the last month, he said in a statement. The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow, Biden added. 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. The weekend votes follow a rare show of bipartisanship Friday, when a coalition of lawmakers in the House helped the foreign aid package clear a procedural hurdle to advance the four-part legislation. That Friday vote passed 316-94. Johnson went ahead with the vote despite strong opposition from some factions of his party. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia threatened to try to force a vote to oust Johnson from the speakership if he went ahead with the Ukraine aid vote. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky has also called for Johnson to resign. Still, other members of the Republican Party support Johnson and the aid package. Youre never going to agree with every little aspect of legislation. Theres always going to be things you may quibble with, but the reality is that we need to get aid to our allies, Representative Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, told VOAs Ukrainian Service. The time for debate and discussion over this has long passed, and the time for action is here, he said. VOAs Kateryna Lisunova contributed to this report. Some information came from Reuters, the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse. U.S. officials are considering a request from Vietnam to be removed from a list of nonmarket economies, a step that would foster improved diplomatic relations with a potential ally in Asia but would anger some U.S. lawmakers and manufacturing firms. The Southeast Asian country is on the list of 12 nations identified by the U.S. as nonmarket economies, which also includes China and Russia because of strong state intervention in their economies. Analysts believe Hanoi is hoping for a decision before the November U.S. election, which could mean a return to power of Donald Trump, who during his previous term as president threatened to boost tariffs on Vietnam because of its large trade surplus with the United States. Under the Trump administration, the Department of Treasury also put Vietnam on a list of currency manipulators, which can lead to being excluded from U.S. government procurement contracts or other remedial actions. The Treasury, under the Biden administration, removed Vietnam from this list. On the eve of President Joe Biden's September visit to Hanoi, where he and Vietnamese Secretary-General Nguyen Phu Trong elevated the U.S.-Vietnam relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Vietnam formally asked U.S. Department of Commerce to remove it from the list of nonmarket economies on the grounds that it had made economic reforms in recent years. The Biden administration subsequently initiated a review of Vietnam's nonmarket economy (NME) status. The Department of Commerce is to issue a final decision by July 26, 270 days after initiating the review. "Receiving market economy status is the highest diplomatic priority of the Vietnamese leadership this year, especially after last fall's double upgrade in diplomatic relations," said Zachary Abuza, a professor at National War College where he focuses on Southeast Asian politics and security issues. He told VOA Vietnamese that the Vietnamese are really linking the implementation of the joint vision statement to receiving that status." The U.S. is Vietnam's most important export market with two-way trade totaling more than $125 billion in 2023, according to U.S. Census data. But Washington has initiated more trade defense investigations with Vietnam than with any other country, mainly anti-dumping investigations. Vietnam recorded 58 cases subject to trade remedies of the U.S. as of August 2023, in which 26 were anti-dumping, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in the U.S. Vietnam has engaged a lobbying firm in Washington to help it win congressional support for a status upgrade. A Foreign Agents Registration Act's statement filed to the U.S. Department of Justice shows that Washington-based Steptoe is assisting the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and supporting the Vietnamese government in "obtaining market economy status in antidumping proceedings." "I understand why Vietnamese are lobbying," said Murray Hiebert, a senior associate of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). "One reason is U.S.-Vietnam relations have come so far, and to hold the non-market [status] is a little bit disingenuous because most of the countries that have this status are countries like China, Russia, North Korea, who are not so friendly with the United States. So I think [the U.S. recognition of Vietnam as a market economy] would be a sign that relations have improved." US election key Both Abuza and Hiebert believe that Vietnam is pushing hard to secure the upgrade before the November U.S. election that could bring Trump back into office. "Trump began an investigation of Vietnam's dumping just before the end of his administration. He may again start that process," said Hiebert, who was senior director for Southeast Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce before joining CSIS. But Vietnam's campaign faces opposition from within the U.S. More than 30 U.S. lawmakers in January sent joint letters to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo urging the Biden administration not to grant market economy status to Vietnam. They argued that Vietnam did not meet the procedural requirements for a change of status and that granting Hanois wish would be "a serious mistake." The U.S. designated Vietnam as a nonmarket economy in 2002 during an anti-dumping investigation into Vietnamese catfish exports. Over the past 21 years, the U.S. has imposed anti-dumping duties on many Vietnamese exports, including agricultural and industrial products. In a request sent to Raimondo to initiate a changed circumstances review, the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade said that over the past 20 years, the economy of Vietnam "has been through dramatic developments and reforms." It said 72 countries recognize Vietnam as a market economy, notably the U.K., Canada, Australia and Japan. 'Unfairly traded Chinese goods' U.S. manufacturing groups have expressed opposition to Vietnam's request, arguing that Vietnam continues to operate as a nonmarket economy. In comments sent to Raimondo, the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AMM) said that Vietnam "cannot reasonably be understood to demonstrate the characteristics of a market economy." "There's still heavy intervention by the governing Communist Party [of Vietnam]," said Scott Paul, president of AMM. "There's a lot of indication that China may be using Vietnam as a platform to also export to the U.S., which is obviously concerning to firms here," he said. In a letter dated January 28, eight senators wrote "Granting Vietnam market economy status before it addresses its clear nonmarket behavior and the severe deficiencies in its labor law will worsen ongoing trade distortions, erode the U.S. manufacturing base, threaten American workers and industries, and reinforce Vietnam's role as a conduit for goods produced in China with forced labor." Many Chinese products have been found to be disguised or labeled as "Made in Vietnam" to avoid U.S. tariffs since Trump launched a trade war with China in 2018. Vietnam has promised to crack down on the practice. Abuza pointed out what he called a contradiction in U.S. policy. "Vietnam is too important to the United States economically in terms of trade and foreign direct investment, and we cannot look to Vietnam for supply chain diversification out of China if it doesn't have market economy status." Hiebert said the U.S. "should do this and get moving" as Vietnam is "one of the U.S.' best friends in Asia and Southeast Asia and help stand up to China." The United States on Friday sanctioned two entities accused of raising tens of thousands of dollars for extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank. In a statement, U.S. Treasury Department officials said the two sanctioned entities the Mount Hebron Fund and Shlom Asiraich generated $140,000 for settler Yinon Levi and $31,000 for settler David Chai Chasdai, respectively. U.S. officials said they sanctioned Levi and Chasdai in February in connection with West Bank violence Levi for leading a group of hard-line settlers who assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, burning their fields and destroying their property; Chasdai for initiating and leading a riot that involved torching vehicles and buildings in Huwara, resulting in the death of a Palestinian civilian. "Such acts by these organizations undermine the peace, security and stability of the West Bank," said Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo. "We will continue to use our tools to hold those responsible accountable." Also sanctioned Friday was Lehava founder Ben-Zion Gopstein, whose followers have engaged in violence in the West Bank, including assaulting Palestinian civilians. "We are deeply concerned about the escalation of violence in the West Bank in recent days," said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement Friday. Miller added that the U.S. was calling on Israel "to take all appropriate measures to prevent attacks by violent extremist settlers and hold those responsible accountable." The sanctions on the three entities will freeze all U.S. assets, prevent them from using the U.S. financial system, and ban Americans from working with them. Some information for this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press. The United States will withdraw its troops from Niger, a source familiar with the matter said late on Friday, adding that an agreement was reached between U.S Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Niger's leadership. As of last year, there were a little more than 1,000 U.S. troops in Niger, where the U.S. military operated out of two bases, including a drone base known as Air Base 201 near Agadez in central Niger at a cost of more than $100 million. Since 2018, the base has been used to target Islamic State militants and Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen, an al-Qaida affiliate, in the Sahel region. Last year, Niger's army seized power in a coup. Until the coup, Niger had remained a key security partner of the United States and France. But the new authorities in Niger joined juntas in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso in ending military deals with one-time Western allies like Washington and Paris, quitting the regional political and economic bloc ECOWAS, and fostering closer ties with Russia. In the coming days, there will be conversations about how that drawdown of troops will look, the source told Reuters, asking not to identified. The source said there would still be diplomatic and economic relationships between the U.S. and Niger despite this step. Earlier Friday, The New York Times reported that more than 1,000 American military personnel will leave Niger in coming months. Last month, Niger's ruling junta said it revoked with immediate effect a military accord that allowed military personnel and civilian staff from the U.S. Department of Defense on its soil. The Pentagon had said thereafter it was seeking clarification about the way ahead. It added that the U.S. government had "direct and frank" conversations in Niger ahead of the junta's announcement and was continuing to communicate with Niger's ruling military council. Hundreds took to the streets of Niger's capital last week to demand the departure of U.S. troops after the ruling junta further shifted its strategy by ending the military accord with the United States and welcoming Russian military instructors. Eight coups in West and Central Africa over four years, including in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, have prompted growing concerns over democratic backsliding in the region. The Israeli attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus was a clear violation of the Vienna Convention. No one disputed it. The Israeli justification that militia meetings were held there does not change this fact. The Iranian response to this attack, whatever one thinks of it, is therefore legitimate with regard to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. No one should dispute that. Remarks that Iran did not have the right to send aircraft through third-party airspace do not change this fact. Yet the UN Security Council has failed to agree to condemn the Israeli attack in Syria. It was also unable to judge the Iranian response. The speeches no longer come from the legal sphere, but from the political one. Thus, outside the UN Security Council, the Office of Argentine President Javier Milei expressed its solidarity and unwavering commitment to the Israeli State following the attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Argentine Republic recognizes the right of Nation States to defend themselves and firmly supports the Israeli State in defending its sovereignty, in particular against regimes that encourage terror and seek to destroy Western civilization." The prize for confusion goes without any doubt to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen who declared on X: I strongly condemn Irans blatant and unjustifiable attack on Israel. And I call on Iran and its proxies to immediately stop these attacks. All actors must now refrain from any further escalation and work to restore stability in the region. High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell added: The EU strongly condemns the unacceptable Iranian aggression against the Jewish state. This is an unprecedented escalation and a serious threat to regional security. For his part, deputy permanent representative of Russia to the UNSC Dmitri Polyanskiy posted on Telegram: Once again we are convinced that the cynicism of our Western colleagues and their selective blindness knows no bounds. Now, they dont even remember that they refused to prevent escalation by not supporting our proposed draft UN Security Council press statement condemning the Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate. As was the case with the beginning of our military defense in Ukraine, the history for them begins with the Iranian retaliation. And the Israelis predictably escalate in their signature manner: Israel is the victim, everyone else is to blame () And now this Franco-Saxon-Natanyakha gang will begin to rock the region, blaming Iran for all its sins. Havent we already seen all this before? This article was originally published on March 15, 2015. Weve republished it to coincide with The Jinx Part 2. The series finale of The Jinx, entitled What the Hell Did I Do?, had a lot to live up to. On Sunday, hours before the episode aired, news broke that Durst had been arrested in New Orleans on charges of first-degree murder in the death of his once best friend Susan Berman. By the end of this tense, revealing, and unbelievable hour, there was no question why. The episode begins with Jarecki wrangling one last interview with Durst. After a number of back-and-forths and broken meetings, Durst tells Jarecki the truth: Im at the point of not doing anything, period. And he hangs up the phone. This is the wisest choice he could have made. It is astonishing, in fact, that he ever participated in this series. When Durst was on the lam, he got caught and shipped back to jail in Texas because he shoplifted a sandwich, even though he had plenty of cash. His participation in The Jinx seems to follow the same strange, self-defeating pattern. If he had not volunteered to participate, its possible the documentary would never have been made, and the new evidence would never have come to light. Back in the real world, Durst did finally agree to sit down with Jarecki, and by the end, he unwittingly acknowledged on tape that he had killed them all. Durst reaches his breaking point all due to one incriminating piece of evidence: his own handwriting. We learned in episode three, The Gangsters Daughter, Berman was shot in her home in Beverly Hills in the back of the head. There was no sign of any kind of forced entry, the cops said. Whoever killed her had probably been let in by Susan Berman. Someone, presumably Bermans killer, sent the cops an anonymous letter alerting them to the presence of a cadaver at Bermans home addressed to the Beverley Hills Police Department, with Beverly misspelled. As we discovered last week in episode five in tandem, apparently, with the LAPD Dursts distinctively blocky handwriting was strikingly similar to the writing on the cadaver note. The most damning proof of this: In a letter addressed from Durst to Berman, found among her possessions, Beverley was written with the same misspelling. Durst was in California and unaccounted for at the time of Bermans death. He flew home from San Francisco immediately thereafter. Back in real time, Jarecki shows the incriminating handwriting evidence to Westchester DA Jeanine Pirro, who mutters Jesus and, later, son of a bitch. Dursts attorney, more restrained, says only, I see similarities and I see differences. Lawyers, am I right? A forensic examiner looks at the materials under a microscope and is interested, but says he needs to see more. The filmmaking team dutifully digs up a lease application completed by Durst. Presented with an abundance of letters, numerals, and computer screens to play with, the examiner declares the resemblance to be bang on. Characteristics are unique to one person and only one person. At this point, we get a rare view into the behind-the-scenes deliberation over how to best confront Durst about the note. Jarecki reflects that, up until now, he has given Durst the benefit of the doubt, and that he even likes him. Going into the second interview, he says he cannot be any different, and yet my feelings about it are completely different. I wasnt sure that Bob was guilty, and thats a big, big change. Its here that Durst begins dodging a meeting with Jarecki. He leaves on a trip, purportedly for Madrid. The three filmmakers argue about whether they can believe Durst is where he says he is; Jarecki, of the three, maintains that Durst is trustworthy. Are you fucking kidding me? says the cameraman, speaking for many of us watching at home. Of course, the team discovers that Durst is not even in Spain. Hes in Los Angeles. He makes dates to speak with Jarecki and cancels them. It looks like the final interview may never happen. Remember Sargeant Cody Cazalas? He told you hours and hours of footage ago: This man cannot be trusted. The team gets word that Durst was arrested in New York. Video footage shows Durst approaching his brother Douglass Manhattan townhouse, which is against the rules of an official order of protection, even though he never even makes it to the door. He is released on $5,000 bail, and his defense team needs Jareckis footage from when they first shot Durst outside the house for their case. Leverage! Now Durst is talking to Jarecki again and being cordial: I am ready to be filmed, if youre still interested in doing that. The teams prepares for the final interview, plots strategy, acknowledging that Durst is a smart fucker. At least theyre no longer underestimating him. On the morning of the final interview, Jarecki admits to being nervous. For years Ive been saying to people, Im not afraid of him. But now the full weight of what hes about to do upon him: confronting a man he believes to be a murderer. Jarecki shows Durst his evidence. Durst seems unperturbed. The writing looks similar and the spelling is the same, so I could see the conclusion the cops would draw. Definitely wrote this but I definitely did not write that. He sounds neither angry nor defensive, just tired. He looks tired, too, like he is overdue for an appointment with his plastic surgeon. Jarecki presses him gently to no avail. He shows him the image of the two envelopes one next to the other and asks, Can you show me which one you didnt write? Durst looks and looks, searching for an answer. At last, he says, No. The interview ends here, but the cameras keep rolling as Durst heads to the bathroom without taking off his mike. Just as he did once before when he was miked, he continues talking to himself out loud in the bathroom. He tells himself, still sounding calm, Youre caught. What a disaster. What the hell did I do? And then, at last, without emotion, Killed them all, of course. That popping sound you hear is Jeanine Pirro, somewhere, opening a bottle of Champagne, and Kathies friends and family finally getting the closure theyve been in search of for decades. The filmmakers give Durst the courtesy of the last word. The banging has arrived. For a sexy-history show there wasnt a lot, and I was getting anxious. But if you wanted to watch an early 17th-century king get railed by a series of handsome young men, wow, what a show this has turned out to be for you. Mary experiences a teenage nightmare when she walks into King Jamess court and everyone turns to look at her and then starts talking about how terribly shes dressed and how bad her makeup is. Or! Does she look terrible on purpose? Francis Bacon prompts questions. Also, Francis Bacon is there now! He is our mystery man from last week, the one who got Sir Davids information about Marys dirty peasant past after Sir David was murdered. Its fun to learn that the man who was responsible for my having to slog through science labs in high school was probably gay. Makes it slightly more tolerable in retrospect. And did you know Bacon courted Lady Hatton before she rejected him in favor of Edward Coke? Everyones all tangled up together on this show, literally and metaphorically (literally because of sex, you see). So why is Mary at court, whats going on with George, and whats that weird wax carving at the top of the episode? Is the director waving that Artemisia Gentileschi painting under our noses too much or just enough that I finally go Ohhhhhhhh? Well. After last week, when George sexily banged King James, we now find George relegated to orgy musician while Somerset asserts his dominance over James. Very few people are going to care if George is playing a cello or a viol, but Im 80 percent certain its a viol with a cello soundtrack. Mary knows about Georges difficulty in seeing the king, so she goes to court. She has Sandie do her makeup, which looks Elizabethan in the wrong way, and apparently, her dress is bad? We know this because everyone says its bad, including the king. This is why its important to remember that fashion is never a decadeslong monolith, and it changes frequently, especially back in the day at court. I have no idea about Jacobean fashion, though, so lets all just trust that Marys dress is terrible, presumably because its outdated. Later, she wears a dress that seems much more acceptable to the court, and I absolutely cannot tell the difference. George, pouting by the fire, asks Mary what happened to Sir David. She tells him not to worry about it. If I murdered someone, I also wouldnt tell George. The next time he got upset with you because you wouldnt listen to his sonnet, hed end up telling the first sympathetic person he encountered that you had done a murder, and then youd be arrested, all because George was butt-hurt about his poetry. Somerset and his wife Frances fake-kill James with a viol bow, and everyone at court thinks its hilarious, including James. The Somersets are the worst. Theyre the people at a party who have to have fun as loudly as possible so everyone knows how much fun they are definitely having. I do still like Somersets whole look, though, with his little beard and his earring, like a piratical fancy man. Amidst this, Mary approaches James and mentions how poorly hes being treated by the Somersets. Then she tries to jump on Lady Hatton and has to be escorted out so she can strategically vomit from being drunk. Again, this seems terrible, but it is maybe all on purpose? Perhaps the vomit is strategic not because of where it lands but because its happening at all. I dont know. Mary is playing 4-D chess, and I am furrowing my brow at Candyland. Frances, Countess of Somerset, had a previous husband, but she had their marriage annulled on the grounds of impotence. This man, the Earl of Essex, visits Mary to warn her not to get in Francess way. He claims he is only impotent because Frances used a spell. He also tells her that the Somersets murdered a man named Sir Thomas Overbury. Historically, this seems to be because Sir Thomas tried to stand in the way of the Somersets marriage, encouraging Somerset not to marry Frances. I would also tell my friend not to marry Frances. George meets Francis Bacon in a brothel, and Francis encourages George to stand up to Somerset. This seems like a terrible idea. George then has sex with a male sex worker and gets smallpox. Damnit, George. He tries to stand up to the Somersets in front of the king, but he is literally already sweating from this highly feared disease, and he passes out. The Somersets make fun of him because theyre the worst. As George is vaguely trying to accomplish one (1) thing, Mary is locating a witch, threatening her, and obtaining evidence from her to convict the Somersets of murder. Moms, am I right? This is all part of Marys plan, the final step of which is her son becoming the kings primary sex partner. What a strange family. We see a montage of all the Somersets accomplices being tried, convicted, and hanged. Francess maid, Miss Turner, is hanged! I was so surprised! Also, this all really happened! This show is shockingly faithful to historical events while maintaining its Starz-required sexiness. Im very impressed. Somerset panics and goes to a still-very-ill Georges bedside to plead with him to intervene with James. He pulls the unbelievable move of telling George that Somerset wasnt trying to keep him away from James; he was trying to keep James away from George because, in fact, Somerset is in love with George. Amazing. Complete and utter garbage, but he tries it. Then they bang in front of the fire. George still has smallpox, but okay! The banging scene is very good but too short, and at the end, George basically says, Im not interceding with the king; I just wanted, like my mother, to fuck you. Hey-oooo! The Somersets are on trial, and the weird wax figure being carved at the start of the episode is a poppet that Frances commissioned from the witch. Frances is found guilty! Somerset is found guilty! Frances is extremely pregnant, so this is very stressful, even though she is, as mentioned, the worst. In jail later, she delivers the baby, and they immediately take it away. As the parent of a tiny baby, this was very upsetting to watch (maybe also for non-parents? I have no memory of the before times), so be aware that this baby is Anne Russell, Countess of Bedford, and she is going to be fine and live until shes 68. (Please exercise caution in clicking that link, which contains historical spoilers.) Mary comes back to court looking amazing, and everyone is like, wow, what a transformation. Marys so powerful she Shes All Thatd herself. James comes up to her and asks if she can ever forgive him, and says they are both people who survive. She leads him over to George, whose viol/cello plays over a montage of his new status as primary kings fancy man. We see the aforementioned Gentileschi painting again, Judith Beheading Holofernes, which also features in the opening credits. For those not familiar with Italian art history (or Tumblr), this is a contemporaneous painting by a woman artist depicting the biblical (depending on your Bible) character Judith, who entered an Assyrian generals tent and cut off his head. Its very much Mary taking control and ending the Somerset reign. I love that it was painted at the same time as these events! Thats so neat! Francis Bacon accosts Mary and tells her he thinks her disastrous display at court was deliberate because James loves an underdog. Mary says she has never acted a day in her life. They both low-key threaten each other and then sit back and watch George play his undetermined instrument. So now George is on top! Again, both literally and figuratively. Im hoping for fancy man clothes, more single-ear pirate earrings, longer sex scenes, and more kissing between Mary and Sandie. Lets just gay up everyone; Pride Month is only, like, a month away. Photo: Kevin Winter/TAS23/Getty Images Ahem! Attention! Attention! [Taps yardstick on podium sexily.] The first official meeting of the Tortured Poets Department is officially in session. Weve all gathered here in Donna Tartts storage unit to discuss Taylor Swifts 11th studio album (not counting re-recordings). Does The Tortured Poets Department represent Swifts Dark Academia era? Which songs are about Joe Alwyn, and which are about Matty Healy? Who uses a typewriter, anyway? These are just some of the topics that anonymous Vulture staffers touch upon in their initial reactions below, broken down by track. [Hits play on Spotify, also sexily.] Shall we begin? Skip to: Fortnight | The Tortured Poets Department | My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys | Down Bad | So Long, London | But Daddy I Love Him | Fresh Out the Slammer | Florida!!! | Guilty as Sin? | Whos Afraid of Little Old Me? | I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) | loml | I Can Do It With a Broken Heart | The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived | The Alchemy | Clara Bow | The Black Dog | imgonnagetyouback | The Albatross | Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus | How Did It End? | So High School | I Hate It Here | thanK you aIMee | I Look in Peoples Windows | The Prophecy | Cassandra | Peter | The Bolter | Robin | The Manuscript Fortnight Ive heard of CHEATING in FORTNITE but this is ridiculous! Shes listened to a lot of Phoebe Bridgers. Post Malone getting the classic Taylor feature treatment (being completely unhearable on the song). Taylor references being put in an asylum at least twice on this album. Is this her Joker era? The Tortured Poets Department Still unclear to me if the Tortured Poets Department is more of a faculty library slash lounge for professors of poetry or more of an unofficial place for tortured poets to gather. Is it tied to an accredited university? I thought this song would flesh out the world of this institution, but I am left with more questions than answers. Its giving Bruce Hornsby. Who brings their typewriter to someones apartment? This is such a backhanded compliment to Charlie Puth. He didnt ask to be a part of this narrative! Finally, representation for people who eat a lot of chocolate in one setting. Maybe by tattooed golden retriever she just meant this? Im not ready for the Who are Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith? explainers. I wasnt prepared for this album to be this much about Matty Healy so hearing smoking, chocolate bars, tattooed golden retriever, and Charlie Puth in such rapid succession sent me into cardiac arrest. My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys owes so much to Boy-toy named Troy used to live in Detroit. Also all of this toy talk is foreshadowing that when she sings about the smallest man who ever lived, she is actually talking about a Lego. I might finally have to stop defending Jack Antonoff. This song would be really good if every word was replaced. Down Bad Im concerned about how much Taylor is bleeding in general on her albums. Here she is waking up in a pool of her own blood. Previously she has worn a blood-soaked gown. Im wondering if she has a clotting disorder Me: Taylors never gonna write a lyric about crying at the gym. Taylor: Hold on. This song sounds like Jack trying to make a song that sounds like Aaron Dessner. I really like the extended metaphor here and at the same time do believe Taylor has been abducted by aliens at least once. Taylor says fuck count: 18. So Long, London America, we won! I like how she explains that Joe was too Britishly depressed for her. Its too rainy there for his personality type. He should move to L.A. This is not a good track 5. It feels like Youre Losing Me was track 5 for this album, but she put it out too early. 2 graves, 1 gun? The London Boy Cinematic Universe has taken a turn! But Daddy I Love Him Give me Taylor snarling bitching and moaning on loop. She really said Fuck off, wine moms of TikTok. Cathartic! This is awesome. I want her to ruin her life. Her new Blank Space. Its been ages since weve seen an artist release a diss track targeting their own annoying fans. If August sounds like running through a field smiling, and Hits Different sounds like running through a field sobbing, then But Daddy I Love Him sounds like running through a field with a knife. This is the devastating 30-something daddys girl anthem Ive been waiting for: resolutely willful while imploring your parents to see your vision, to side with your love, now that youve reached the age where you think you finally know what you want, and the idea of having someones babies hovers somewhere between a plausible threat and your deepest secret desire. On repeat until I turn 35. Fresh Out the Slammer This is the nicest song anyones ever sung about a rebound. I like that deep reverb-y western guitar. Florida!!! Im supposed to believe that Taylor Swift has been to Destin? This is Shrek-core (complimentary). Its sort of No Body No Crimeesque, but its missing the wink. And why the three exclamation points? Regardless, I am obsessed with Taylors conception of what happens in Florida. Summary of my first three listens: No. No!!!!! Okay maybe. This song sounds like it was made by some sort of Eastern European pop star who has never actually been to America trying to make a Florence Welch sound-alike. All my friends smell like weed or little babies is something a Pans Labyrinth monster would say. Here is a list of theme-park mascots that Joe could have cheated on Taylor with: Clarabelle Cow Professor Toothsome, the steampunk chocolate proprietress of City Walk Chip, Dale, and their girlfriend (yeah theyre in a throuple already), Clarice Mrs. Incredible, and can you really blame him? Kevin the Minion Guilty As Sin? What if I roll the stone away? / Theyre gonna crucify me anyway isnt the correct timeline. First they crucify you, then, three days later, you roll the stone away. Go back to Sunday school! Upper-thigh tattoos are hot. This is Taylors best song about masturbation. Whos Afraid of Little Old Me? One of the best and most freakish choruses shes ever written. Levitating down the street makes me laugh every time I hear it. I think she is sweet but a psycho, as they say. Sounds like The Greatest Showman. I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) The sort of chunky, Tom Waits junkyard percussion is wasted on this subject matter, alas. Loml At this point in the album, Im convinced Taylor and Matty should work it out and get back together. Loss of My Life is a bar. This is cute, but I thought it was supposed to be about Meredith. I Can Do It With a Broken Heart This is poppy excellence. Carly RaemeetsMelodramaeraLorde mode suits Taylor. Love her energy here and the combination of the peppy Adderall delivery and despondent lyrics. Another reminder of what shes been saying since Reputation: You will never see the real me, unless I want you to. Dont ruin the magic of the tour by telling us you were miserable during it. I wish the outro was leading to a key change and one more go-around of the chorus instead of leading to The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived I do think she is saying Matty has a small dick here. The Jehovahs Witness line is objectively the funniest thing shes ever written. This feels more Joe than Matty, because you need years to build up this level of resentment. The audible sigh She sounds so tired at first. Then the momentous anger elevates her blood pressure. This is a Joe track through and through. He stole her time, and she will not be forgiving him for being a tiny little coward. Its the dark inverse of the promise from Peace. Shes not dying for him or his sins. Shes just dying inside. The Alchemy I like it, but my favorite kind of music is songs I can kind of ignore while writing. She is reaching Travis on his literacy level, and thats nice. How would I even begin to explain to myself ten years ago that Taylor Swift would write a bridge about the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl? Clara Bow This song makes me think the entire album is intentionally cringe. It is meant to be over-the-top earnest to the point of self-parody. That is the only explanation for some of the lyric choices. Anyway, this song sounds nice. The Black Dog Your location, you forgot to turn it off. Did Taylor watch Love Is Blind? Pointing out the relative youth of her exs new girlfriends once again proves to be one of the realest disses. Were you making fun of me with some esoteric joke? is devastating to those who think theyre smart and funny and are actually neither. I dont know about that. Didnt she just make a joke about her ex not being Dylan Thomas? The hypocrisy! imgonnagetyouback She shouldve named it anything else. Putting the title in Gen-Z lowercase did not help; it implicated her further. Jack Antonoff is on autopilot, but its not like thats a bad thing. Does the Department have a plagiarism policy? Shes wringing as much juice as possible from the titular double entendre, and its working. This is a juiced-up banger. The Albatross This one is about Jessica Alba. The lyricism is giving, He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died. Jackals and hackles really are two words that rhyme. This song starts a run of 12 straight Dessner songs (save one), and the album starts making more sense to me. All the Antonoff songs are like, What if Emily Dickinson was in Tron? Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus This is about dating a bi person. No, this is about a polycule. The inclusion of Marcus is the modern-day Ill tell [my friends] youre gay from the original Picture to Burn. How Did It End? I miss when she would write her own melodies instead of singing over Aarons ambient white noise. The Pavlovian response (complimentary) I have to anything Folklore-core delicate arpeggios, the feathery harmonies, a lone string accompaniment. This is your reminder that the Dessners wrote the songs for Cyrano and they all sucked and sounded just like this. Shes doing some subtle banaurnais and avaurcaidors indie-girl vowels on this one. So High School Taylor tapped into something so special on August with this 90s Liz Phair/Sixpence None the Richer sound, and she needs to release an entire album like this. So High School fits perfectly into the echelon of amazing driving-with-the-top-down songs. Aristotle / grand theft auto is an absolutely bonkers rhyme and convinces me that she is going to marry Travis. This brings me back to 1989, in a good way. I Hate It Here Taylor should only be allowed to use the word precocious one time per album. There is a really good song called Hate It Here by Pom Pom Squad where she actually sounds like she fucking hates wherever she is. Stream it here. All these dings on towns and mid-sized cities! Poet trapped inside the body of a finance guy is going to be such a popular line in Hinge profiles for recent college graduates in Murray Hill. thanK you alMee Its funny to picture Taylors mom writing death threats in the comments of Kims posts in 2016 from a finsta. This woman puts the B in subtle. No smoke for Kanye. Youd think hed at least get a stray. A lot of songs make more sense now knowing that Taylors target audience was the elementary-school-aged children of her opps. I changed your name and any real defining clues girl, we all know who youre talking about. Props for going with Aimee, a very realistic 2000s suburban Pennsylvania name. I lived across the street from an Aimee. Its so funny to do a diss track but make the actual music sound like Im on Top of the World by Imagine Dragons. Here is the actual problem: Because of internet companies obsession with san serif fonts, the capitalized i looks like a lowercase L. Kind of ruins the Kim thing and makes it read like the name of the person in the song is going to be Al Mee. We will all be AI Me if Silicon Valley gets their way with us. Maybe its a clue. I Look in Peoples Windows Thank you for writing an anthem about what its like to walk around brownstone Brooklyn! The whisper-light vocals work for me here a shade of Billie Eilish without feeling like cosplay. I like the way Taylors vocals are filtered here, but also I give it a year before some music supervisor pitches down the lyric I look in peoples windows and uses it in the trailer for a hokey psychological thriller. Deranged weirdo? Sound the Jughead alarm! At first, this song reminded me of Robert Pattinsons emo Batman, but I realized I was actually thinking of Hero Song by the Lonely Island. The Prophecy The Prophecy exists in the backwoods where evermore meets Midnights (3am Edition) a.k.a. the witching hour. I dont need money just someone who wants my company please stop calling Joe poor! Put some respect on her rap flow. And I look unstable / Gathered with a coven round the sorceress table is her hinting that shell be on The Traitors season three. Im still having trouble figuring out what the prophecy actually says. Cassandra This track list reads like an attendance sheet. Is this a companion piece to mad woman? When its Burn the bitch, theyre shrieking / When the truth comes out, its quiet. Ahem. The piano on this is kind of Weve been on the run / Driving in the sun / Looking out for number one / California here we come. Thats enough snake references. This would be so beautiful sung by Lana Del Rey nine years ago. Its so smart to have so much snake imagery in a song about a person with two Ss in their name. Peter Tin-foil hat: This is about Karlie Kloss. You said youd come and get me, but you were 25 really works with this timeline. This song feels like a sibling to Right Where You Left Me. I cannot believe it took this long for her to write a Peter Pan and the Lost Boys song. Loves never lost when perspective is earned Trying to figure out if this is wise or means nothing. The Bolter I immediately like this vibe. This is easy-breezy fun. Cant wait for (sped up) (reverb) YouTubers to find this one. Bring back guitar-strum Taylor for good! Robin This is very me going to church in middle school and learning worship songs. Im going to sing this one to my cat. It starts out as a Coldplay song and ends as Bright Eyes The 2020s version of the Taylor Swift guessing game is trying to figure out which of her friends kids this is about. This would be a good Greys Anatomy song. The Manuscript Finally, a song about what it was like directing the All Too Well (Ten Minute Version) music video. Taylor realized M.F.A. graduates made up a disproportionate amount of her fan base and wrote this song for them. But the story isnt mine anymore yeah, its Tavi Gevinsons. Wait, no, this would make a good Greys Anatomy song. Remember on Girls when a lot of people on the internet got mad when Hannah was accepted into the Iowa Writers Workshop, because they felt shed never be able to get in, despite the fact that she was, you know, a fictional character? This album reminds me of all of that. Photo: Casey Durkin/Bravo Bravo editors should be paid a million dollars an hour if theyre required to go through hours and hours of footage of Jax Taylor. They deserve, at the very minimum, a Nobel Peace Prize. This weeks The Valley decided to briefly turn into a Best of Kristen Doute clip show. It is so hard being an empath, Doute begins, as the screen cuts to her most empathetic moments over the years, like when she told her boss, Bye, suck a dick! and when she asked Ariana Madix, Are we suppose to lube it up before we shove it up his ass? when talking about their mutual disdain for Sandoval. Its delicately placed over emotional instrumental music as present-day Doute explains that she wants to fix everyones problems. As if that whole segment wasnt incredible enough, it cuts to Brittany Taylor in utter confusion. Hopefully, Doute can empathize with her reaction. #TheValley continuing to prove to be the best show on Bravo this year with this Kristen edit pic.twitter.com/zQzyv7lM9R Its About Bravo (@about_bravo) April 17, 2024 In the distant past, water disappeared on Venus, and now oxygen and carbon are being pushed out of the upper atmosphere. Scientists fear that a similar situation will happen on Earth in due course. ADVERTISIMENT This information was provided by representatives of the ESA/JAXA mission, which was heading to Mercury and flying past Venus. During the space visit, a short-term observation of the planet's induced magnetosphere took place, Nature Astronomy reports. What is an induced magnetosphere? Unlike Earth, Venus does not generate a magnetic field in its core. Instead, the planet is surrounded by a "weak, comet-like induced magnetosphere," Phys.org explains. This magnetosphere is created "by the interaction of charged particles emitted by the Sun (the solar wind) with electrically charged particles in the upper layers of Venus' atmosphere." "Around the magnetosphere is a region called the 'magnetosheath' where the solar wind slows down and heats up," it is explained further. At the beginning of its history, interaction with the solar wind led to the disappearance of water on Venus. What remained was an atmosphere consisting mainly of carbon dioxide, small amounts of nitrogen, and other trace elements, the report adds. ADVERTISIMENT What has the new study found? According to a report on Phys.org, "the discovery in a previously unexplored region of Venus' magnetic environment" shows that carbon and oxygen are moving at such an accelerated rate that "they can escape the planet's gravitational pull." It is noted that most of the heavy ions in the ionosphere of Venus are cold and slow moving. "This is the first time that positively charged carbon ions have escaped from Venus' atmosphere," said Lina Hadid, a CNRS researcher at the Laboratory of Plasma Physics (LPP) and lead author of the study. How this is possible: "These are heavy ions that usually move slowly, so we are still trying to understand the mechanisms at work here. Perhaps they are being torn away from the planet by an electrostatic "wind", or they may be accelerated by centrifugal processes," says Hadid. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, scientists from NASA and University College London (UCL) found that the strength of Venus' electric field can accelerate the heavy electrically charged component of water, oxygen, to speeds sufficient to escape the planet's gravity. Why is this new research important? Scientists say that these results have important implications for the evolution of Venus' atmosphere and, in particular, for the evolution of water on the planet's surface. Dominique Delcourt, an LPP researcher and principal investigator of the MSA instrument, was quoted by Phys.org: "Characterizing the loss of heavy ions and understanding their escape mechanisms on Venus is crucial to understanding the evolution of the planet's atmosphere and how it lost all its water." In addition, the European Space Agency (ESA) notes: "There are no human activities on Venus, but studying its atmosphere provides a natural laboratory for better understanding the greenhouse effect." ADVERTISIMENT Venus used to have "oceans like on Earth" The European Space Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have repeatedly explained how Venus lost all the water on its surface. According to the space agencies, at some point in its history, Venus began to retain too much heat. Venus is hotter than Mercury, which is closer to the Sun. The reason for this is a dense atmosphere that traps heat in the form of the greenhouse effect. This makes it the warmest planet in our solar system, with a surface temperature sufficient to melt lead. "It was once thought to have oceans, but excessively high temperatures turned the water into thick water vapor, trapping heat until entire oceans evaporated completely. Water vapor continues to escape from Venus' atmosphere into space today," the European Space Agency (ESA) said. ADVERTISIMENT Meanwhile, NASA explained that the "greenhouse effect" turned all surface water into steam, which then slowly escaped into space. Study co-author Moa Persson of the Swedish Institute of Space Physics said: "The latest results indicate that the loss of the atmosphere cannot fully explain the lack of water on the planet...". Is life possible on Venus? "The current surface of the volcanic rock is destroyed by high temperatures and pressure. When asked whether the surface of Venus can be habitable today, we can give a quick answer: a firm no," NASA explains. So why are researchers and astronomers interested in Venus? NASA says that although Venus is not currently habitable, the planet is in the Sun's "golden zone" and may have been habitable before the Earth. Impact on the Earth? "The proximity of Earth to Venus is a matter of perspective," NASA says. ADVERTISIMENT Meanwhile, ESA explains that in the very long term billions of years in the future a "greenhouse Earth" is the inevitable result of the aging Sun. "Our once life-giving star will eventually swell and grow brighter, injecting enough heat into the fragile Earth system to eventually become a true twin of Venus," the ESA says. The evil twin Venus is known as Earth's "evil twin" because the two planets are similar in many ways, but opposite in some aspects. NASA says that Venus is more of an opposite of the Earth than a twin. Venus is the second planet from the Sun and the sixth largest planet. It is the hottest planet in our solar system. It is similar in structure and size to the Earth. However, the planet rotates in the opposite direction, the day is longer than a year, and there is no semblance of seasons. ADVERTISIMENT Venus may have once been a habitable ocean, like Earth, but that was at least a billion years ago. "The atmosphere [of Venus] is so thick that the Sun is just a smear of light from the surface," NASA says. "Scientists believe that Venus was once very similar to the Earth, but has undergone irreversible climate change, which is often used as an extreme example of what happens under the greenhouse effect," the ESA said. Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. Dining chat: A waiter gave our anniversary bubbly to the table next to us. What should we have done? The right to disconnect gives employees the right to refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from their employer outside their working hours when that contact is unreasonable. Between its aim of enhanced work-life balance and the potential challenges it might create to the flexibility many have become accustomed to in modern workplaces, what will it look like in practice? In a world where technology can have us plugged in 24/7, establishing clear boundaries around after-hours communication through a legislated right to switch off could help promote a healthier work-life balance and in turn, improve psychosocial safety, an area attracting increasing attention from regulators. In a world where technology can have us plugged in 24/7, establishing clear boundaries around after-hours work could help promote a healthier work-life balance. Credit: Stephen Kiprillis Thats undoubtedly a win for us all. But weve seen considerable debate about the potential unintended consequence of this, with some concerned the right to disconnect will ultimately make our workplaces less flexible, limiting the luxury that many employees say has a positive influence on their wellbeing. Flexibility is a game-changer in todays job market. Its no longer a nice-to-have, but a strategic advantage for employers when it comes to attracting and retaining staff. Its good for diversity and inclusion, too. The April 20 Edition I first heard about a new artificial heart just over a year ago, when I was hosting a panel discussion on developments in cardiac disease treatment for the St Vincents Curran Foundation, which raises funds for St Vincents Hospital Sydney. Professor Chris Hayward was on the panel, and he talked about the new device and its potential to transform how cardiologists like him respond when this most fundamental of organs fails. He spoke, too, about how it had been designed by an Australian. The next morning I rushed into the office and told senior writer Amanda Hooton about it. What a great story, we both thought. Then we hit a roadblock: nobody would want to talk publicly about the new heart until it was ready to be implanted into a human. And nobody could say when that would be. What they could say was that it would happen first in the US. And that when it happened, it would be huge international news. The solution was for Amanda to start the story anyway, dropping in and out of it over many months as she found more and more people willing to talk about it. Today, finally, her piece appears. Has Timms device gone into a human yet? Not when this magazine went to print. But by the time you are reading this? Who knows. Editor, Katrina Strickland That was more than 20 years ago. Today, a burnished titanium device that carries the visible DNA of those kitchen-bench days is about to be implanted in a human. It may have already happened by the time you read this story. And if it works as many of the worlds foremost experts believe it will, the plumbers son will have rewritten medical history. Almost every day since, Daniel Timms has been working on this heart . In the early years, Gary helped him. Together they made a model of the human circulatory system out of pipes from Bunnings. As Timms has explained it, theyd go to the store on weekends, sit on the floor in the plumbing aisle, and connect bits and pieces while interested bystanders stopped to ask questions, which the duo answered by saying they were building a fish tank. (If they told the truth, people got too interested, and Daniel Timms an intensely non-attention-seeking sort of person found it too, well, attention-creating.) Then theyd take their selected pipes and valves and U-bends home and add them to the rig theyd set up on the kitchen bench. Timms mum Karen, a high-school science assistant, had to manoeuvre around it to get to the oven. Twenty years later, in 2001, Gary Timms, at just 50, had a heart attack. He survived, but in the aftermath, his son realised two things. One: his fathers heart was irrevocably damaged. Heart failure can take years to kill a person, but eventually Garys labouring, leaking heart would stop, and he would die. And two: perhaps he, Daniel Timms, by then a PhD student in biomedical engineering, could build a new heart to save him. Theres a picture of the pair from this time: one of those old, amber-toned images that is, somehow, intensely moving. Timms is two years old, sitting beside what appears to be an irrigation trench, his little body intently focused on the tall figure of his father. Gary Timms is crouching in front of his son, long fingers screwing something together. Look at this, mate. Can you see? This is how you do it. One day this may be one of those eureka stories everybody knows, like Newton and his apple; Fleming and his Petri dish; the Wright brothers and their aeroplane. Daniel and his dads plumbing. Because thats where Daniel Timms BiVacor total artificial heart began: in a backyard in Ferny Hills, Brisbane, filled with ponds and water fountains, built on the weekends by a small blond-haired boy and his dad, a plumber. Timms himself sometimes likens the artificial heart dream to the race to put a man on the moon. In the heady optimism of John F. Kennedys 1960s America, both dreams seemed well within the grasp of science. And indeed, the moon landing on the face of it the more complex undertaking, filled with potential catastrophe occurred, relatively speaking, both swiftly and with little loss of life. It was the heart that remained recalcitrant, as hearts so often do. More than 50 years after Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon, humans have yet to build a successful artificial heart. This, in a nutshell, is the point of a total artificial heart. To develop something that doesnt set up a storm of defensive reactions in the body that ends only with death; to offer patients something other than a life dependent on drugs, vigilance and luck. Thats why doctors are very cautious about doing a transplant in young patients, Daniel Timms will tell me. As one doctor said to me, I know that if I do a transplant on a young kid, Im consigning them to an early death. But at this point, theres nothing else you can do. Even if youre lucky enough to get one, heart transplant itself is no picnic. Recipients must take a daily cocktail of drugs, including powerful immunosuppressants, which are toxic. They make you vulnerable to infection, they can contribute to illnesses including cancer, and they are a significant part of the reason that heart transplant has only a 50 per cent survival rate after 10 years. You can have a second transplant, but then the odds are even worse. In the US, its estimated that 100,000 patients are in immediate need of either a VAD (a ventricular assist device, useful if only one side of the heart needs help) or a total heart transplant. In Australia, the numbers are much smaller in the hundreds but wherever you are, the outlook for severe heart failure is bleak. Drug therapy is limited, and though heart transplant is the gold-standard treatment, donor hearts are few and far between: only about 5000 become available globally each year. Heart disease is the biggest killer on earth. And heart failure, in which the heart doesnt pump enough blood to supply the bodys needs, affects more than 64 million people globally, including as many as 500,000 Australians. About 60,000 Australians are newly diagnosed with heart failure each year, and more than 1500 people are hospitalised every day. In this country, according to the Heart Foundation, on average, one person dies of heart failure every three hours. Why have these devices failed? Let us count the ways. Traditionally, artificial hearts have been based on Mother Natures version, with its chambers and valves which means theyve had multiple moving parts. Theyve been pulsatile pumping blood in pulses, just as the heart does. Theyve been large: too big for most women, and all children. All of them (bar the AbioCor, which was abandoned after $US250 million of investment when all 14 of its trial patients died) have had permanent drivelines, powering and controlling the heart from an external box the controller that must be worn 24/7. In the world of artificial hearts, the practical and ethical issues that caused this feud still exist today. Is such surgery outrageously hubristic or a valiant attempt to preserve life? None of the devices designed since 1969 including the SynCardia, the AbioCor, the Carmat have proven that life with an artificial heart is viable long-term. Some patients have survived for months, and in very rare cases, years. But all artificial hearts to date have been used temporarily, as bridge-to-transplant devices. And sometimes often their recipients have died before reaching this goal. Dr William (Billy) Cohn is an internationally renowned heart surgeon, device-deviser and present-day artificial-heart-Daniel-Timms-evangelist at The Texas Heart Institute. After that first operation, Cohn explained during a presentation in Texas recently , For the next 40 years [DeBakey and Cooley] didnt speak. They were in hospitals separated by a car park, and they became the two busiest heart surgeons in the world in the 1980s, their combined programs performed more heart surgery than was done in all of Europe. And they didnt speak. This heart was air-powered, connected by plastic hoses to a controller the size of a chest freezer, and made of two small chambers of rubbery plastic. It looked like a pair of very small bellows: the kind of thing youd use to stir up a goblin campfire. As a device, it was virtually untested: it had only been trialled in seven animals, and four of them had died on the operating table. Haskell Karp survived for 64 hours, long enough to receive a human heart transplant. He died 32 hours later of kidney failure and pneumonia. Haskell Karp, recipient of the first artificial heart implant, the Liotta-Cooley heart, recovering from surgery in 1969. Previously, the device had only been tested on seven animals. Karp survived 64 hours until a human heart transplant became available, but died 32 hours later. Credit: Getty Images The first attempt was made (like the moon landing) in 1969, in the unlikely city of Houston, Texas. For the previous decade, two American cardiac specialists, Dr Denton Cooley and his boss Dr Michael DeBakey, had been frontrunners in the artificial-heart race. One Friday in early April 1969, when DeBakey was out of town for the weekend, Cooley persuaded one of DeBakeys young surgeons, Domingo Liotta, to use the artificial heart Liotta had been developing under DeBakeys supervision. Using an operating theatre at the Texas Heart Institute (now one of the worlds leading cardiac treatment and research centres), they implanted it into a 47-year-old man called Haskell Karp. Today, in the offices of Daniel Timms company, BiVacor, in Huntington Beach, California, several artificial hearts are pumping. (Timms has been based largely in the US for more than a decade.) These BiVacor hearts are nothing like the human heart. They do not have chambers. In their base mode, they are not pulsatile which means a person implanted with one would have no pulse. They have no valves and only a single moving part. They are heavy (about 650 grams) but small small enough for some children and virtually all women. In animals, they cause far fewer blood clots than any previous artificial heart; so few that several animals implanted with them have not required blood-thinning medication. They intrinsically adjust to changes in blood flow, exertion and position when they are inside a living body. They do have drivelines and a controller, both of which Timms hates. But they also have something else. So far at least, they have an unblemished ability to keep on pumping. The human heart beats, on average, just over once a second. Thats about 70 beats a minute, 100,000 times a day, 37 million beats a year. No man-made device on earth has ever come close to matching that. Perhaps unsurprisingly, all have had basically the same set of problems. Every artificial heart so far has caused blood clots, which kill patients. All have made their recipients vulnerable to infections, especially through the drivelines, which kill patients. Their size has rendered them essentially useless to more than half the worlds population. And most fundamentally of all, theyve ultimately failed to do the one apparently simple in fact, profoundly difficult thing a heart is designed to do: keep pumping. But recently, the federal government has taken steps which might disrupt that story. In February (a month before its announcement about investment in domestic solar cell manufacturing, as it happens), the Medical Research Future Fund awarded $50 million to a single, multifaceted Australian biotech initiative: the Artificial Heart Frontiers Program (AHFP) for the development of devices to assist failing hearts. A multidisciplinary consortium led by Melbournes Monash University but based all around the country, the programs remit is partly to do research, but theres also an explicit goal to seed an entirely new Australian specialised industry, as the website puts it. In other words, to patent, manufacture and market locally invented, globally relevant heart-device technologies. Its a whole ecosystem, says cardiologist Professor David Kaye from Monash, who is one of the co-leads on the program. If you look around the world, I cant think of another program like this engineers and clinicians working together, with proper funding, governance, structure. Theres a gulp moment where out comes the heart and in goes a device that you hopes going to work. According to conventional wisdom, Australia simply doesnt have the cash to fund the massive costs of bringing biotech off the bench, as University of NSW biomedical engineer Dr Michael Stevens puts it, through development and trials. Nor do we have the specialised manufacturing infrastructure to actually make things here. Instead, we export our intellect the way we do our mining and agricultural products as a primary product, to be refined, manufactured, marketed and profited from overseas. Its also true that, historically, this understatement has not always served us well when it comes to world-changing technology. The phrase punching above our weight comes up several times during my research for this story, and its used, each time, to describe our national ability to come up with cool stuff in the fields of science and medicine: the CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea; Wi-Fi; the human papillomavirus vaccine; the solar cell. But then, when it comes to manufacturing, selling and profiting from our innovations, another phrase appears: some variant of now made and sold overseas. Australians, it seems fair to say, are slightly more understated than Americans and Daniel Timms is understated even for an Australian. Indeed, hes so quietly self-effacing that when I interview him, I spend our entire conversation in an agony of apprehension that my tape recorder wont pick up a word he says. Weve got eight of these, two years on, without a failure, Billy Cohn, now chief medical officer of BiVacor, explained during his presentation, his drawl even more pronounced than usual in his excitement. We have one pump thats been pumping for five years. This thing will pump until the Earth spirals into the sun! Carolyn Stone, the programs chief of operations, hopes it addresses the often siloed nature of research. Everyones incredibly good at their thing, she explains. The key to getting something to market is that youve got to bring all the pieces together. Its not just having brilliant people in the lab, youve then got to have experts to take it to clinical trials; people for development; people to get it into production and to the market. Thats the big challenge. To solve it, the AHFP has gathered what it hopes is an Avengers-style team of experts. As well as nationally recognised cardiologists David Kaye and Professor Christopher Hayward from St Vincents Hospital Sydney, there are people such as Griffith University associate professor Michael Simmonds, an expert on the way blood responds when it flows through man-made materials instead of living tissue. And University of Queensland professor Cara Wrigley, who understands that patients living with external controllers still need to take showers and get through airport security without their electronics shorting out or setting off a bomb alarm. And authorities like UNSW professor Nigel Lovell, who creates remote patient-monitoring platforms, and Dr Michael Stevens, who researches physiological control systems for cardiac devices; and Monash professor David McGiffin, whos investigating driveline infections and mini-pumps. Theres even Daniel Timms: BiVacor is one of the programs flagship devices it will receive $17.5 million of the $50 million total. This money will support the clinical studies of Timms heart; a ventricular assist device BiVacor also has in development; and various technologies that will support both. Its hoped, for instance, that some components of the BiVacor heart will be made in Australia. Dr Paul Jansz is set to perform St Vincents Hospital Sydneys first BiVacor implant, which he describes as the Mars expedition. Credit: Kate Geraghty Nothing like the AHFP existed when Timms started out, of course. But ironically, many of the people who are now part of it professionals with distinguished careers and international reputations have worked on BiVacor over the years, often as students, drawn in by Timms ability to attract other people as crazily committed as he is. Professor Shaun Gregory, for example, met Timms when he was a teenage undergraduate in Queensland; Timms was his PhD supervisor. Today, hes co-director of the AHFP and director of the Centre for Biomedical Technologies at Queensland University of Technology, as well as the president-elect of the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support. If you want to call us The Avengers fighting the common enemy of heart failure, he says, thats OK. Professor Shaun Gregory, director of the Centre for Biomedical Technologies at Queensland University of Technology: If you want to call us The Avengers fighting the common enemy of heart failure ... thats OK. Credit: Google Image John Fraser, one suspects, would don a superhero suit in a heartbeat. He is now, among other things, the director of ICU at St Andrews War Memorial Hospital in Brisbane, but he first encountered Daniel Timms two decades ago at Brisbanes The Prince Charles Hospital as a young intensive-care doctor. Sitting in his research office one day, he suddenly noticed an annoying plip-plop, plip-plop coming from next door. Eventually I went to have it out with the weirdo making the noise, and there was Daniel with his Bunnings pipes all over the bench, Fraser recalls. I said, Whats this? And he said, Its how a heart works. And I said, Umm, not really. Before long, however, Fraser was a convert to what Billy Cohn in Texas has called the cult of Daniel Timms. Today, he points out that he hasnt had anything to do with BiVacor (which he and Timms co-founded in 2008) for years and years. But back in the day, Fraser helped Timms whod been given a stipend and a single room for research at Prince Charles while still a PhD student with access to the institutions and networks of medicine. Today, those early years sound like a cross between a Boys Own adventure story and Spinal Tap: all Brisvegas barbecues and devices wrapped in protective underpants and surgeons banging tables and telling our heroes that pulseless hearts will never work. I went to have it out with the weirdo making the noise, and there was Daniel with his Bunnings pipes all over the bench. John Fraser, now a Brisbane ICU director The heart Timms was working on was closely based on the one hed first conceived as a student: a single spinning disc inside a metal casing that pushed blood through the body not in pulses, like a natural heart, but in a single continuous flow, like a plumbing pump. He and his dad had built a rough prototype (Gary Timms had machined the central disc on a mini lathe hed set up next to the TV) and tested it on their kitchen bench circulatory system. And it had worked, pushing water filled with tiny beads (representing red blood cells) around the system. But as Timms told The New Yorker in 2021, they also noticed beads getting stuck in an eddy under the disc. In the real world, this was a danger signal. Points of slow flow, in blood, are points where clots might develop. And clots can lead to strokes the great bane of all artificial hearts. Professor John Fraser first encountered Daniel Timms two decades ago at Brisbanes The Prince Charles Hospital. Timms reached out to a Japanese researcher working in magnetic levitation the process by which Maglev trains work. He had no money to pay for advice, so he went to Japan and worked on the researchers own project in exchange for help. He would do this again and again in the coming years, travelling to Germany, Taiwan, the US, wherever the experts he needed were based. And slowly, over years and years, he built a heart. Today, the BiVacor total artificial heart consists of a single titanium chamber with one moving part: a spinning disc (called the impeller) floating inside the casing. Because its suspended by Maglev technology (thank you, Japanese researchers), wear and tear is eliminated. This impeller simultaneously pumps blood to both the lungs and the body, because it has vanes poking out on both sides high on one side, like prongs on a barbecue fork, low on the other, like the blades of a fan. These prongs drive the blood first gently into the lungs, then powerfully into the body. Thanks to this design, the BiVacor has much larger spaces for the blood to flow than other artificial hearts which means theres fewer places for clots to form, and less likelihood of blood cells being smashed up (the technical term) by the mechanism itself. Some blood does leak around the edges of the floating disc but this, according to key engineers on the project, is a design feature, not a bug. The wash of blood around the disk [sic] cleans out the casing and ensures there are no areas where stagnant blood can form into dangerous clots. Loading Todays BiVacor heart also has a pulse. Its still not really understood what, if any, advantages there are to pulsatile blood flow in the body; and Timms the engineer seems sceptical about its necessity. But nonetheless, a few years ago it became clear they could create a BiVacor pulse simply by rapidly alternating the disc between high and low speeds. Was it done just to, well, placate doctors? Precisely. Timms smiles. There may be some advantages, there may not. But we can do it, so we thought, Why not? We can always turn it off. The BiVacor heart can also do something else. It continuously adapts its output to match a patients daily life. Our biological hearts are constantly adjusting as our bodies sit, stand, go to the loo, climb the stairs, jog. The BiVacors spinning disc can do a version of the same thing, moving along its central axis from left to right. This movement changes the efficiencies of the two sides of the disc, pumping more blood through the lungs and out to the body as we exercise, less as we sit reading a weekend magazine. No other artificial heart has ever been able to adjust to the living human body in this way. So. Could this heart be the Holy Grail of cardiac medicine: a permanent artificial heart? Titanium is biologically inert: no immunosuppressants required. One moving part: no wear and tear. A pulse if required. The potential to intrinsically adjust blood flow to daily life. In Timms heart of hearts (ahem) there seems little doubt. This, he believes, is the heart that will revolutionise current transplant survival rates. This is the heart that will work forever. I was talking to a doctor at the paediatric hospital in Texas, he explains. He wanted to do a study with us. And I was like, But its not a paediatric device: its too big for a toddler. And he goes, Daniel, I dont want it for a four-year-old. I want to put the transplant heart in a kid at four and I want them to grow up to be 12. And then I want to give them the BiVacor for the rest of their life. Speaking of life. Back in 2004, a year or two after Daniel Timms talked to the Japanese, his dad Gary needed a heart valve replaced at The Prince Charles Hospital. By this point, Timms had his stipend and his research room at the same hospital, and hed go and visit Gary on his breaks. John Fraser remembers Timms being at the hospital night and day, no holidays, no weekends; eating two-minute noodles and sleeping on the couch Fraser had bought him. Loading All the while, time was running out. Timms has subsequently said that he knew, realistically, that his artificial heart would never be ready in time to save his dad. But faced with the prospect of losing him, he couldnt help but try; couldnt help but hope. The heart has its reasons which reason knows not, after all. In 2006, Timms implanted his device into a sheep, showing it was workable. Soon afterwards, Gary became very ill. Timms was about to go to Europe to talk to pump engineers in Germany. As he told Forbes magazine, he asked his dad if he should go. Youve got to get there, said Gary Timms. This is what weve been working for. John Fraser, the intensive care specialist, still remembers the next two weeks. I brought Gary from the wards to ICU so I could look after him personally, and I was phoning Dan on a daily basis. Gary grew worse and worse. When the end was close, Timms flew home, but by the time he arrived his dad had a tracheotomy tube and was heavily medicated. And so there were no last words between father and son about hearts, mechanical or otherwise. After Gary Timms death in 2006, aged just 55, his son kept working. And working. And working. Daniel is someone who is brilliant, and someone who is incredibly stubborn and pigheaded, says Fraser. I mean that as a compliment. There are people with good ideas who have come and gone, and Daniel has had one vision and hes kept going. Stubborn pigheadedness has no doubt driven him. But so has love. In November last year, BiVacor received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implant its artificial heart into three patients. Today, in March, sitting in the cafe at St Vincents Hospital Sydney in jeans and trainers, Daniel Timms reckons the first implantation is probably three weeks away maybe a month. This means that by the time youre reading this story, it will either have already happened, or be just about to. The first implant will be at the Texas Heart Institute, the same place the worlds first artificial-heart operation was performed 55 years ago, and where Timms, now 45, seems to be regarded as a kind of beloved, albeit slightly odd, Aussie wunderkind. Still, when we meet, Timms doesnt seem like a man crazed with excitement at the achievement of his lifelong dream. Despite his terrifyingly quiet voice, hes articulate and funny but hes also self-contained, unusually focused and intent. Somewhere, not terribly far away, is still that small boy, watching and learning in a Brisbane backyard. Rather prosaically, hes back in Australia because he has to renew his US visa. American optimism, capital and appetite for risk has allowed him to refine BiVacors design in the past decade; to test it in live animals (an emotionally challenging part of cardiac device development); and to work towards the moment it can finally be placed in a person. This moment, in other words. As he told The New Yorker, this project has consumed his life. He hasnt married or had children: Ive been stuck on this. If it works, it works. You cant hide with this sort of thing. Daniel Timms And of course, the work isnt over yet. Unless theres some catastrophe in the US trial, and pending Australian ethics approval, the BiVacor heart will not only be implanted into Americans this year, but also a handful of Australians. In both countries, the operations will be part of a first-in-human early feasibility study, and the BiVacor hearts will only be used until human donor hearts become available for transplant. Status as a permanent replacement heart is still an unknown distance away perhaps until the BiVacor device simply functions so well that theres no need to replace it. Of course, theres no guarantee it will work. Human blood, for instance, is different to that of cows and sheep, the animals the heart has been tested in: perhaps the BiVacor heart will cause some unexpected haematological reaction or damage in humans. Perhaps there will be some unforeseen reaction in the body to the devices particular design, or its positioning, or the external controller. Perhaps it will, for some reason, just stop pumping. Nobody I speak to anticipates these things, but this is life and heart design after all. Unexpected things happen. Timms is clearly not expecting disaster, though he is anxious. For the core team, yes, its an anxious period, he says. But hes also focused on the next step. Once this study is done, all being well, well scale up the production, and we can do a clinical trial. And that might be 50 patients. And then were on the market and ready to sell. He gives a half-laugh. Because if it works, it works. You cant hide with this sort of thing. This is the Mars expedition, explains Dr Paul Jansz, head of the mechanical circulatory assist program at St Vincents, whos set to perform the first BiVacor implant in Sydney. Melbournes The Alfred hospital will also be part of the Australian BiVacor trial. Theres a quantum leap with this sort of technology, because youre cutting the heart out. So theres a gulp moment where out comes the heart and in goes a device that you hopes going to work. Of course we cut hearts out all the time when we do transplants, but we know weve got another one to put in. So therell be a certain leap of faith when we do one of these. Jansz has performed a number of first implants of devices. And there are always a lot of nervous engineers, a lot of people in the room. Im sure Daniel will be there, going, Oh, can you check that stitch? I would never say that, grins Timms. Still, you cant help thinking hell be more comfortable when this period is over, and he can start the next phase: making the device even better. Getting rid of the drivelines is a particular priority. Were going to take the electronics in the power box [controller], miniaturise them, and put them actually in on the [device], he explains. Then we can remove the driveline, and transfer power across the skin, like charging an iPhone. He sits back. And then the patient wont have a wire breaking the skin; then they can take off the power box and be more active and free. Sydney heart transplant candidate Ray Meneses thinks he would take a perfected artificial model. Credit: Wolter Peeters I think of the man I met yesterday, a 45-year-old father of three from Liverpool in western Sydney, Ray Meneses. Eight years ago, his heart suddenly began to fail: in 12 hours he went from the GP, where hed gone to discuss feeling breathless, to St Vincents emergency, where he was told he would need a heart transplant. During the work-up to go on the list, doctors discovered he had cancer lymphoma under one arm. No one can receive a transplant while having chemotherapy; nor could Meneses be placed on the list until hed been in remission for four years. He survived cancer; four years later, he went on the list. He waited almost another four years. In the meantime, he had an LVAD (left ventricular assistance device) implanted to help his heart pump he sits with the controller on his lap while we talk. This Australia Day, at last, St Vincents called: they had a donor heart for him. The happy end to this long, harrowing story, one thinks. No. When they called, Meneses had COVID-19 and was taking antivirals. And so he wasnt eligible for the heart. After he tells me his story, we sit in the uncomfortable hospital chairs for a while. I tell him about the BiVacor device. In a perfect world, if it was available with no drivelines, no controller, just the man-made version of six million years of evolution would he take it? Or would he keep holding on for a human heart? Meneses who appears to be an extraordinarily sanguine, hopeful person thinks about it for a long moment. I think I would take it, he says finally, seriously. I would take the artificial heart. I have waited so long. At the end of our interview, I ask Daniel Timms if his dads heart condition makes him, Daniel, more likely to have problems with his own heart. Probably, he smiles. When we first got to Texas Heart, Dr Cooley was still around the guy who did the very first artificial heart transplant. And someone once asked him, So, Dr Cooley, you are the most prominent heart failure specialist in the world. What can each of us do, ourselves, to prevent heart failure? And he said, Change your parents. Timms laughs, shaking his head. That was his answer. Loading There is no doubt the tragedy of Gary Timms early death changed the course of his sons life. But as Timms points out, theres nothing unusual in that. Its like, Mums incredibly proud of what weve done. But every time theres a news story or something, what she says is, Your dad must be really proud. It always comes back to that. Shes been by herself now for 20-odd years. And I imagine, a lot, what it would have been like if hed been around for those years. It would have been a totally different life for me, my mum, my brother, everybody. He pauses. People think its the patients that are benefiting the most from this technology. Theyre not. Its the family thats benefiting most. The toddler in the backyard, the PhD student, the history-making engineer all of them potentially free, in another life, of this particular form of heartbreak. Would the BiVacor heart have saved Gary Timms? Once his valve started to fail? asks Daniel Timms, with a crooked smile. That would be a perfect application. To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times. Ridesharing businesses are experiencing some significant cost increases, partly due to industrial relations rulings and other factors, and the more players there are, the harder it is for them to raise prices, Fels said. [With less competition], the possibility of reduced earnings rates for drivers also cant be ruled out. Uber is retaining its dominance in Australia. Credit: AP Jordan said there was no doubt Uber dominated the sector in a way that made it difficult for new players to establish themselves, but Didi had done so through slow and sustainable growth. He said Didis market share was 24 per cent in Melbourne, where it launched six years ago, and 21 per cent in Sydney, where it was rolled out in 2020. We dont have big high-profile ambassadors like Uber. We do it by running an efficient operation with affordable rides, he said. Ultimately were fighting with Uber for attention. Federal parliament this year passed laws that will empower the Fair Work Commission to set new minimum standards for the conditions and pay of workers in the so-called gig economy. They earn income through apps that provide services such as ridesharing and food delivery, which Uber also offers. Transport Workers Union acting national assistant secretary Emily McMillan said Olas collapse showed that the rideshare industry was highly insecure and in need of basic standards. We have a market thats cannibalising itself when new entrants cant survive, McMillan said Either they lower standards, which is exploitative and driving a race to bottom, or theyre coming in with higher standards and they just cant compete. Jordan said he was concerned the upcoming Fair Work changes could hurt competition in Australia. Loading Its essential the changes bring meaningful benefits for rideshare drivers but also ensure all platforms can retain a sustainable business model and not give a competitive advantage to the bigger player in the market, he said. If smaller players are disadvantaged then competition will reduce and rideshare will suffer. Uber has been embroiled in many high-profile legal stoushes globally, which have exposed how the San Francisco-based company reached market dominance by taking advantage of vulnerable workers, regulatory loopholes and aggressive undercutting funded by venture capital. In Australia, Uber last month agreed to pay a historic $272 million class action settlement. More than 8000 taxi and hire-car drivers joined the lawsuit, filed in 2019, claiming they lost income when Uber entered the Australian market in 2012. Loading A second civil proceeding is under way in the Supreme Court of Victoria with Taxi Apps creator of the GoCatch app suing Uber, alleging the company intentionally destroyed the rival through conspiracy, unlawful conduct and covert surveillance. Uber argues that GoCatch declined due to its own internal challenges and denies using spyware in the way alleged. Didi, too, has had its own troubles. In 2022, Chinas cybersecurity regulator fined Didi Global the equivalent of more than $1.8 billion for violations related to cybersecurity, data security and the protection of personal information. Despite years of controversy, frustration and even boycotts, drivers and riders return to Uber. Dr Marian Makkar, a senior business lecturer at RMIT, said this was a common phenomenon known as the attitude-behaviour gap. People may intend on stopping their use of Uber as it does not align with their values, but ultimately their actions are driven by other factors: convenience, finances, safety. To help encourage competition, she recommended that consumers split their business as much as possible between rideshare apps, taxis and public transport. An Uber spokesman said Australias broader point-to-point transport sector which includes taxis, public transport and car-sharing platforms remained competitive. Our focus remains on helping Uber riders get from A to B in a safe, affordable and reliable manner, while providing flexible earnings opportunities to thousands of Australian drivers, he said. Uber has long advocated for better protections for all Aussie platform workers, and we support recent legislation passed by the federal government that paves the way for industry-wide standards for gig workers. Sydney-based Rosalina Pirozzi quit driving for rideshare apps four years ago after she had to almost triple the hours she worked just to make ends meet. At its worst, she said she was driving 60 hours a week just to earn the same money shed been making years earlier. Rosalina Pirozzi decided to start her own business because rideshare driving was no longer financially sustainable. Credit: Dean Sewell When I first started, we earned decent money: I could pay the kids school fees and have a comfortable living but over time expenses kicked in such as insurances and vehicle registration increasing, fuel costs going up. Everything was going up except our rates. Pirozzi, who campaigns for better conditions and wages for rideshare drivers, now runs her own private driving business where her fees are double that of Uber. Still, its likely that Ubers influence will continue to grow. It has been positioning itself as the future Amazon of transport, rather than merely a rideshare app. University of Queensland honorary professor of planning Neil Sipe said its why taxis could now be booked from the app and in some countries Uber partnered with public transport agencies, deepening its grip on consumers. Rod Barton, a former taxi driver and MP of the Transport Matters Party. Credit: Jason South Rod Barton, a former Victorian MP and taxi driver who was involved in the class action lawsuit against Uber, said he was concerned the tech giant was on track to take control of the taxi industry. What punters dont understand is that booking a taxi through the app, they can charge anything they like, Barton said. We have a foreign company doing our essential services. 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 On Monday night, NSW Multiculturalism Minister Steve Kamper was at home with his wife Magda preparing a meal for their friend, Premier Chris Minns, whod been through a torrid 48 hours after the horrific stabbings at Westfield Bondi Junction last Saturday afternoon. Minns had flown to Tokyo to begin a family holiday but he never got to leave the airport before rushing home in the wake of the attack. Kampers plan was to offer his friend some brief respite, with a well-prepared steak and salad. But the plan was upended about 7.45pm, when they received shocking video of a second knife attack, this time on a bishop of an Assyrian Christian church in western Sydney, from the state MP for Fairfield, David Saliba. It was fortuitous, Kamper said later, that he and Minns were together. Swiftly, with the help of Multicultural NSW CEO Joseph La Posta, the pair set up a late-night Teams meeting with 11 faith leaders across western Sydney. A joint statement was agreed that went out shortly after midnight. Sixteen Islamic organisations followed suit, condemning what they called the heinous attack on the stricken cleric, Mar Mari Emmanuel, a deeply conservative and outspoken preacher who has a massive online following and an outsized profile among Sydneys Assyrian Christian community. We had the concerns, with many others, that this could have escalated dramatically if we didnt have the right voices and the responsible people within the faith communities making those statements, Kamper says. A teenager was arrested after Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and Father Isaac Royel were stabbed at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley on Monday night. Credit: X/@AustralianJA Advertisement I dont think I truly appreciated how valuable our interfaith work has been until [Monday] night, when I saw them all get together and stand behind each other, making clear, precise statements and sending important messages to their followers. Even as the groups statement was being drafted, police were struggling to contain a riot that had erupted outside the bishops church, the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, in Sydneys south-west (ironically on Welcome Street). Emmanuel had been in the middle of a live-streamed sermon when a 16-year-old boy walked casually towards him before pulling out a knife and raining blows on the clerics head. Loading An outraged mob swiftly gathered outside the church, arming themselves with makeshift projectiles and chanting bring him out as terrified paramedics sheltered inside. The ensuing battle left 50 officers injured and scores of police vehicles damaged. A week that began with a mass slaying segued two days later into a live-streamed alleged terror attack and then exploded into a terrifying riot on the streets of a normally quiet suburban enclave, leaving the city plunged into deep shock. As Minns acknowledged on Thursday morning, after a subdued visit to the Bondi Junction shopping centre where six people had been murdered and a dozen more injured on Saturday, there will be no instant snap-back to normal. From its affluent east to its multicultural west, the city has been dealt a psychological blow, and it will take weeks, if not months, for it to recover. Advertisement Yet, the repeated calls for calm and co-operation issued through the week by political and religious leaders seem to have settled some of the apprehension and anguish, at least for now. The reprisals that were feared against mosques and Islamic prayer halls after Monday nights knife attack have not eventuated. The streets of Bondi Junction in lockdown following the attack. Credit: Oscar Colman Everyone has so far breathed a sigh of relief, considering what could have been, says Australian Federation of Islamic Councils CEO Kamalle Dabboussy. There were concerns this may have tested our resilience and [led to] further marginalisation of the Muslim community. I believe that the concerns have eased. Nevertheless, police have deployed extra resources to guard mosques and places of worship over the weekend, attempting to counter continuing rumours of payback that have been travelling like poison through channels such as Whatsapp. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb, who has put in a sterling performance over recent days, was at pains on Friday morning to assure Sydneys faith communities they were safe, urging them not to be swayed by false alarms on social media. If we have current credible information, we will share it with you, she said. Police will be the source of truth. Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir, told the Herald his association had advised female staff to work from home on Friday, traditionally a day for prayer among Muslims. There were rumours circulating that women wearing hijabs [Islamic head coverings] could be singled out for attack, he says. Women are an easy target because of their head coverings. We are advising them to walk in groups. Advertisement A floral tribute at Bondi. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos That a measure of calm has descended is due, in no small part, to the rapid mobilisation of a broad coalition of religious and community leaders in the wake of Mondays attack. There have been several more interfaith meetings through the week, (including one on Thursday that managed the rare feat of bringing together the countrys two Grand Muftis, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed from the Australian National Imams Council and AFICs Sheikh Riad El-Rifai.) By Thursday morning, the injured bishop had recovered enough to directly address his followers from his hospital bed, imploring them to pray, to co-operate with the citys beloved police, and to resist any urge for revenge. The Lord Jesus never taught us to fight. He never said to us an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, Emmanuel told his followers. There remains disquiet among Islamic community leaders about the speed with which police declared the assault on Emmanuel a terrorist incident, given the young age of the attacker. They say he is a minor, a school dropout whose escalating behavioural and anger management problems have necessitated a referral to psychologists, according to his family. Everyone has so far breathed a sigh of relief, considering what could have been. Australian Federation of Islamic Councils CEO Kamalle Dabboussy Imams council spokesman Bilal Rauf told the Herald there was disappointment that there was a rush to designate it a religious terrorist event before the youth had been spoken to by police noting what he called the disparity with Bondi. Advertisement Kheir says: Weve got to put it into perspective. The act was heinous but having said that, its a 16-year-old boy; when you see those photos [of the aftermath] he is smiling; thats not a natural reaction. Community leaders are worried the rushed declaration feeds into negative perceptions of Islam. Loading But Minns and Webb say the swift declarations of Mondays crime as terrorism, and an equally swift declaration that Saturdays was not, were tied to the necessity of unlocking extra investigative powers. It was not signalling how the two attacks ranked in a hierarchy of horror. Bondi Junction attacker Joel Cauchi was a 40-year-old drifter from Queensland, a tormented soul whod struggled with mental health issues since being diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager, according to his father Andrew. Unsuccessful in forming relationships, he was seemingly in the grip of psychosis when he slaughtered six people He appeared to target women, who made up five of the six dead. However, police say there was no evidence he was acting from any ideological, religious or political motive, though they say they may never discover what triggered the attack. Advertisement You might add other background sources of community anxiety: the crescendo of climate change consternation, the drumbeat of global war talk, and the catastrophising in much of the reporting of all these problems. The net result? You cant take community cohesion for granted, summarises the prime minister. Nor community safety, as a corollary, Id add. The director-general of security, ASIOs Mike Burgess, has warned Australia of security threats external and internal. An enemy state, he says, is prowling Australias cyber systems for sabotage openings, and an enemy state constantly seeks to subvert the political system through influence networks. Illustration: Jim Pavlidis He was too diplomatic to name the hostile state, although the national defence strategy this week frankly named China as the source of destabilisation to which Australia must respond. But the ASIO chief nominated two internal sources of threat. First, Sunni violent extremism poses the greatest religiously motivated violent extremist threat in Australia. Second, there was, he said, a rising risk of extremist nationalist violence seeking to provoke a race war within Australia. In other words, neo-Nazis and their kin. The Bondi Junction murders, as far as we know, were psychotic, not political; random, not religious. But the background level of social stress cant be a calming influence on anyone, and potentially an aggravating influence on disturbed minds. And it magnifies the consequences of any outbreak. For Australia, a violently riven community is an existential threat. We are the most multicultural among the substantial developed nations, with double the US proportion of immigrants, for example. Albanese did his best this week to calm and console a shaken society. The opposition critiques of his performance that he should have named the terrorist as an Islamist sooner, for instance are querulous. But what to do to prevent further violence? Whats the policy agenda? The first point is what the government cant achieve. Australia cant stop the war in Gaza. Albanese says: We are not in control, we can have little impact on what is happening in Gaza or in Israel. We can promote social cohesion here and ensure what overwhelmingly a majority of Australians want which is for those conflicts not to be brought here. In that cause, what can be done? The Albanese government was already moving to civilise perhaps the greatest threat to civilisation the so-called social media companies that traffic in social misery. Meta, X, Google, Apple and Microsoft have opened a vector into the very heart of civilised societies for the most depraved and evil forces on Earth. Australias eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says that these enormous corporations are providing the holy grail for paedophiles. They can store videos and images of child sexual services for free and with no risk of detection. I cant tell you how important these end-user managed hosting services are, she told me last month. Loading Inman Grant points out that these businesses are actually doing less to prevent harm than they were doing 20 years ago. They wont even apply their own in-house scanning programs to filter out the most harmful content from their own platforms. The European Unions chief enforcement officer has had enough. The EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, who was in Australia for talks with Inman Grant, is proposing new laws for the EU: The internet companies have to be responsible for what kind of crimes they are enabling on their platforms. Beyond trafficking in paedophilia, the social misery companies are the primary vehicle for sowing distress, misinformation, extremism and conflict. Albanese identifies this industry as the first priority for action. He says Inman Grant has directed Facebook owned by Mark Zuckerbergs Meta and X owned by Elon Musk to take down extraordinarily distressing footage of both the Bondi murders and the violence at the church in south-western Sydneys Wakeley. These platforms also allowed falsehoods about the two incidents to be spread at scale, says Albanese, magnifying their consequences. He first spoke about the harm that social media does to democracy by driving polarisation in a 2019 speech he gave as opposition leader. Now, Albanese says, the government is prepared to legislate as necessary. Loading In other areas of policy, theres been a clamour of ideas in recent days. NSW Police is asking for greater powers to search people for knives, using portable metal detectors, as Queensland allows with its wanding law. Theyre also proposing that parents be held criminally responsible for their children carrying knives. Federally, Bill Shorten on Friday proposed that police patrol Westfield shopping centres, with the owners paying for their services. He didnt explain who should police churches. The civil liberty objections to all these ideas are obvious. I ask Albanese what policy responses are needed beyond social media reform. Mental health systems, deradicalisation programs, gun and knife controls, police and intelligence powers? His answer: All of the above. But Albanese resists the rush to instant solutions. What will happen after an incident like this is there will be a review. It needs to be a considered review. Its likely to be a joint state-federal review, he says, but thats yet to be decided. So we need to respond in a considered way. In order to achieve the best outcome rather than immediately jumping to conclusions, we need to ensure that we listen to all the experts out there. On the night of April 20, explosions were heard in eight regions of the Russian Federation. At least three power substations supplying the Russian military-industrial complex and a fuel storage base were hit. ADVERTISIMENT The nighttime explosions in Russia were the result of a joint operation by the SSU, the DIU and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. OBOZ.UA learned about this from its own sources in the special services. On the morning of April 20, the Russian occupiers from the so-called "Ministry of Defense" of the Russian Federation announced that they had "repelled" a drone attack over a number of Russian regions. 50 drones, Russia assured, were allegedly shot down over eight regions of the Russian Federation: Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga, and Moscow regions. The Russian Defense Ministry did not comment on the consequences of the attack, but according to OBOZ.UA's sources in the Ukrainian special services, at least three power substations and a fuel storage base were hit in Russia at night, where fires broke out. ADVERTISIMENT According to the sources, it was a joint operation of the SSU, the DIU and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The target of the attacks was the energy infrastructure that feeds the Russian military-industrial complex. The attacks caused problems with electricity and water supply in some areas. "The SSU drones have once again proved their effectiveness and demonstrated the result: they have successfully defeated the infrastructure that ensures the smooth operation of military facilities in Russia," the source said. ADVERTISIMENT According to the Russian edition of the vchkogpu, the Kardymovo oil depot in Smolensk region was on fire at night. It belongs to the Russian company Lukoil. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes! The tail-spin of violence between Israel and Iran is a bitter lesson on what happens when we let the law of the jungle smother the rule of law. Israels latest missile attacks on Iran followed the latters largely ineffective barrage of 300 missiles and drones against Israel over a week ago, which severely injured a seven-year-old child and damaged a military base. Irans strike was a response to Israels killing of two Iranian generals and eight others at an Iranian consulate in Syria earlier this month, seemingly to deter Irans support for Hezbollah. Both countries have snubbed calls from world leaders to de-escalate. Both claim to be the victim of the other. These retaliatory strikes are a frightening escalation of conflict in a region already on a knife-edge over Gaza and must cease immediately. Much Western political and media commentary has been partisan, reflexively taking Israels side over Irans. In contrast, international law does not take political sides, but applies the rules equally to all countries. When respected and enforced, international law is designed precisely to prevent retaliatory spirals of violence like the one the world is now trapped in. The actors of the Novy Channel's Zviazok series told us about the best Ukrainian cities where you can spend an unforgettable weekend. The stars shared special stories from their travels around Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT In particular, they talked about architecture and history. OBOZ.UA learned the recommendations of celebrities from the press service of the Novy Channel. Taras Tsymbaliuk As for architecture, the actor singles out Lviv with its historical monuments. During a trip to the Lion City, Taras Tsymbaliuk and his father visited Lychakiv Cemetery and the Franko House Museum. "Of course, I can't help but mention my hometown, Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi, where there is an architectural complex called Poniatowski Palac. Many famous people stayed there. Taras Shevchenko wrote his poems there. Ivan Nechuy-Levytsky and Adam Mickiewicz visited it," the artist said. ADVERTISIMENT Dmytro Vivchariuk The star notes that his favorite cities to travel to include Lviv, Odesa and Chernihiv. "I would really like to visit the historic Mariupol, Druzhkivka and Kupiansk, in the Zaporizhzhia region," Vivchariuk shared his dreams. Oleksandr Suhak "For me, the most favorite Ukrainian cities for traveling or relaxing, which are ideal on the energy level, are Lviv and Kamianets-Podilskyi," Suhak says, adding that he likes to visit them, although it does not always work out due to his busy schedule. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Toyota Ireland has announced the arrival of the all-new Toyota C-HR Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), which is available at dealerships across the country, priced from 45,315. The 2.0L PHEV joins the popular recent arrivals, 1.8 and 2.0L Toyota C-HR Hybrid models, which are already proving to be a big hit with Irish motorists. The Toyota C-HR PHEV combines Toyotas latest fifth generation hybrid technology with a bold fresh style and sustainability focused design for lower emissions, enhanced efficiency and performance, without compromising on the look or the driving experience. The Plug-in has a pure electric driving range of up to 66km, making it the ideal option for those who want to drive electric for their daily commute and can revert to hybrid for longer drives, thanks to its dual DNA powertrain. The bold style represents the next evolution of Toyotas design direction, with precision-cut lines, a new bi-tone paint, and flush door handles for a clean, sculptural exterior. The interiors on some grades feature ambient lighting alongside a 12.3 Toyota Smart Connect multimedia package and 12.3 fully digital combimeter. Zoe Bradley, Head of Marketing Communications and Corporate Affairs in Toyota Ireland, said: After the positive reception of the standout, bold Toyota C-HR Hybrid which arrived in Ireland earlier this year, were expecting equally high interest in the Toyota C-HR PHEV. With a pure electric driving range of up to 66km, the Toyota C-HR PHEV is well suited to daily commutes as well as longer journeys both of which benefit from the dual powertrain and fifth generation hybrid technology. "The Toyota C-HR PHEV delivers a class-leading balance of performance, efficiency and bold style. We encourage any interested buyers to contact their local Toyota dealership to schedule a test drive we expect the Toyota C-HR PHEV to firmly follow in the footsteps of the original Toyota C-HR, one of the most popular models in Ireland. Online reservations are available on Toyota.ie from 4th April where customers can get first access with a deposit of 500. For further information on the new generation Toyota C-HR PHEV, customers are encouraged to contact their local Toyota dealer to book a test drive. At a time when the threat of World War III is growing every year against the backdrop of military aggression in Ukraine, Israel, and the conflict in Thailand, the British are thinking about countries where they can safely wait out the so-called apocalypse. ADVERTISIMENT According to the Express, World War III could be the most destructive armed conflict in history, given the possession of nuclear weapons by nine countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, China, Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea. There is a good chance of survival in the five safest countries on the planet. New Zealand New Zealand has become a kind of safe haven in recent years. Millionaires choose it and build their premium bunkers there. For example, Silicon Valley billionaires Sam Altman and Peter Thiel have an evacuation plan to the island country in case of an apocalypse. Thanks to its developed urban centers and wealth of natural resources, New Zealand is an ideal place to create private shelters for the global elite. ADVERTISIMENT Chile Chile, South America, is far away from the main sites of military operations during World War II, so it is likely that a possible new world war will also be avoided. This country is one of the most economically stable nations in South America that maintains strong ties with countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States. Chile is rich in a variety of food crops and natural resources, as well as has a high level of infrastructure and modern technology, so you can expect peace and comfort while staying in the country. Greenland The island of Greenland is known to be remote, mountainous, and politically neutral, making it an ideal place to be in an emergency. Despite its harsh climate, Greenland has fertile land and excellent fishing grounds, which can be useful for sustaining life during a protracted war. ADVERTISIMENT Fiji Fiji is a country in the Pacific Ocean that is remote from the mainland. This nuance, as well as the potential lack of a military strategy, means that the country ranks high on the Global Peace Index. Fiji has several urban areas, many traditional villages, and access to natural resources such as minerals, fish, and dense forests. Iceland Due to its remoteness from the European mainland, Iceland is a fairly safe place to relocate to. Its access to renewable energy and natural resources makes it an attractive place to move to in the event of global problems. However, you should bring the warmest clothes with you as the temperature rarely reaches 14C in summer. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! By Rebecca Black and Cillian Sherlock, PA Threats against elected representatives will undermine essential qualities of Irish democracy, Integration Minister Roderic OGorman said, after a protest outside his home. Gardai were called on Thursday after reports that up to 12 masked men were staging a protest, some with anti-migration placards and banners, outside the property. On Friday Mr OGorman said: I want to thank local gardai in Blanchardstown for their assistance yesterday. Ireland has a strong democratic tradition, where public representatives are accessible and accountable to the public. We debate and sometimes disagree, but do so in a way that is fundamentally respectful. I know that is valued by people across this country, and it is valued by politicians too. Threats and intimidation towards publicly elected representatives and those seeking election will undermine those essential qualities of Irish democracy. If we were to lose those, we would lose something very dear, and not easily recovered. Taoiseach Simon Harris said he was horrified by what he described as a chilling protest. He also said he was deeply uncomfortable that the situation was allowed to develop. Mr Harris said he spoke to Mr OGorman, of the Green Party in the coalition government, about the situation on Friday. I was utterly horrified to see the situation, he told reporters in Co Carlow. We all recognise the right to protest in a democracy but to see masked people gathering outside somebodys family home, I think that is extraordinarily chilling and quite frankly disgusting. I know that the gardai have to assess each of these situations, and as Taoiseach I dont wish to interfere in that. However, I feel deeply uncomfortable that the situation was allowed to develop outside the home of any person quite frankly, public figure or otherwise, government or opposition, and I hope in due course to have an opportunity to discuss this with gardai. Asked whether he was worried about the trajectory of this, given former taoiseach Leo Varadkar had protests outside his home last year, Mr Harris said he was worried to see an increase in the presence of people gathering outside peoples family homes. I think that is chilling in a democracy. I think it is worrying, I think it is disturbing, he said. Of course we see political discourse but there is an appropriate way to debate and raise issues, in the Dail, in council chambers, plenty of places to protest around Dail Eireann, constituency offices and the likes. But I also dont want to suggest that these people, small in number, speak for Ireland. My experience as a public representative, at a whole variety of levels in this country, has been that the overwhelming majority of people in this country, agree or disagree with your politics, are decent people. The annual Heinrich Boll Memorial Weekend takes place on Achill Island from May 3rd to 5th with an international panel of writers and speakers. The opening event and registration takes place on Friday, May 3rd, at St Thomas Hall, Dugort, at 7pm with guest speaker Mr Christian Resch (Deputy Head of Mission of German Embassy). He will also present school essay prizes to students from Colaiste Pobail Acla. Anne Walsh Donnelly will read from her new work He Used To Be Me. Originally from Carlow, Anne now lives in Mayo where she writes poetry, prose and plays. Anne explores the rural Irish experience and her novel tells the story of Matt, a Mayo man who wanders the streets of Castlebar looking for claw marks. In lyrical prose, Anne explores the complex workings of Matts inner life. Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor with Channel 4 News, will give a talk entitled 'The Bulwark of Freedom: Reporting today's wars'. Lindsey has covered the major conflicts including the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 2011, she reported the uprisings in Egypt and Bahrain, as well as Libya. She has also reported extensively from Iran and Zimbabwe, and was Channel 4 News China Correspondent from 2006 to 2008. During the 2004 US assault on Falluja, she was embedded with a frontline marine unit, and in 1994, she was the only English-speaking foreign correspondent in Rwanda when the genocide began. Before becoming a journalist, she was an aid worker, first in Latin America and then in Africa. She is also the author of a number of acclaimed books. The weekend continues on Saturday morning, May 4th, at 10am with a guided walk with Micheal O'Briain. Micheal is passionate about nature and its conservation in Ireland and across the European Union. Following his studies of Brent Geese in Ireland and Canada for his PhD at University College Dublin he worked for the Irish Wildbird Conservancy (now BirdWatch Ireland), initially as its first Conservation Officer, then as National Director. He then spent almost 30 years working for the European Commission on EU and international nature and biodiversity policies, particularly on setting up Natura 2000, the EU-wide network of protected areas. He has a long-term interest in the birds and other wildlife of Achill which he has been recording over the past 16 years. After lunch, Lindsey Hilsum will present the Anne Shannon Memorial Writers workshop - a seminar on writing for journalism of interest for writers. Former Green Party leader John Gormley will give a lecture at the Memorial Weekend. Former Minister for the Environment John Gormley is also among the speakers on Saturday while poet Richard W. Halperin will read from his recently published Selected & New Poems, from Salmon Poetry. Richard W. Halperin holds American-Irish dual nationality and lives in Paris. His work is part of University College Dublins Irish Poetry Reading Archive. Since 2010, he has published four poetry collections via Salmon/Cliffs of Moher and 16 shorter collections via Lapwing/Belfast. On Saturday, there will also be a showing of the TG4 film Caillte san Ucrain, which investigates the story of Achill Island native, Finbar Cafferkey, who died on the frontline in Ukraine. The current affairs documentary is presented by investigative journalist, Kevin Magee, who travels to war-torn Ukraine to find out more about the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Cafferkey, 45, who was killed in Bakhmut on April 19th last year. The documentary examines the reasons behind his decision to enlist in a fighting unit in Ukraine and shows the impact of his passing on his family in Achill Island. On Saturday evening at St Thomass Church in Dugort, writers from Russia, Ukraine and Germany will read from recent works. Chaired Dr. Gisela Holfter of the University of Limerick. On Sunday, there will be a guided walk with Eoin Halpin, including a visit to Carrowgarve, the other deserted village. Located facing the wild Atlantic close to Ashleam Bay, this largely forgotten settlement was first recorded in mid-17th century. It is, in fact, like the better-known Slievemore Deserted Village, three interconnected villages, with the largest Baile as t-Sruthain surviving best. Following its decline, it ended as the booley of Mweelin, north of Dooega. The walking tour will explore the surviving remains of the settlement as well as the archaeology of the surrounding area. The terrain in the area is relatively rough, so appropriate clothing and footwear is a must. 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. Reading, PA (19601) 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. On the night of Friday to Saturday, April 20, a number of Russian regions were attacked by drones that targeted energy infrastructure facilities. Explosions were heard, and local authorities reported destruction and deaths. ADVERTISIMENT The situation was tense in Kaluga, Kursk, Bryansk, Belgorod, Lipetsk, Tula, and Smolensk regions, and the Russian Defense Ministry reported the "downing" of 50 drones. OBOZ.UA collected information about the explosions in the aggressor country. Belgorod region An explosion occurred in the city of Stary Oskol, Belgorod region. It was followed by a fire at a substation. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov also reported that a private residence in the village of Istobnoe, Gubkinsky urban district, was damaged. According to him, a private house caught fire in the village of Poroz, Graivoronsk city district, killing two people: a woman and a man. "According to preliminary data, as a result of several explosive device discharges, a private house and a barn completely burned down, and another house was heavily damaged," Gladkov wrote. ADVERTISIMENT Bryansk region The governor of the Bryansk region, Alexander Bogomaz, announced the destruction of six UAVs over the region. According to him, when the downed UAV fell, an energy infrastructure facility caught fire. It was a substation in Vygonychi. Kaluga region In the Maloyaroslavets district of the Kaluga region, a UAV damaged energy infrastructure near a power substation. "There were no casualties. Operational services are on site and repairing the damage," Governor Vladislav Shapsha said. Smolensk region The Governor of the Smolensk region Vasily Anokhin reported that a UAV attack on a fuel and energy facility took place in the Kardymovsky district. The drones were allegedly shot down, but the falling debris caused a container with fuel and lubricants to catch fire. ADVERTISIMENT Kursk region The governor of the Kursk region, Roman Starovoit, announced that five drones had been shot down over the region. Lipetsk region Governor Igor Artamonov reported the threat of a UAV attack in the Lipetsk region. Two hours later, he called off the attack and wrote the following, "I thank the military for the lightning-fast response to the threat. It was their planes you heard in the sky." Tula region Russian air defense allegedly shot down a UAV over the Tula region. No damage or casualties were reported, the Ministry of Regional Security said. Russian Defense Ministry's version On the morning of April 20, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the "cessation of the Kyiv regime's attempts to carry out a series of terrorist attacks using UAVs." The ministry, headed by Sergei Shoiga, claims to have shot down 50 drones, a little more than half of them over the Belgorod region. ADVERTISIMENT "Fifty Ukrainian UAVs were destroyed and intercepted by air defense systems on duty, including twenty-six over the territory of the Belgorod region; ten over the territory of the Bryansk region; eight over the territory of the Kursk region; two over the Tula region and one over the territories of the Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga and Moscow regions," the report says. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Recently, France announced that it had invited a Russian delegation to the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy during World War II, but without Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. In Ukraine, the organizers of the Mission Liberation commemorative events reacted to this step by claiming that such "legalization" of the aggressor is an encouragement to commit new murders and genocide. ADVERTISIMENT Therefore, Russia should be invited to any event only if you really want the aggressor to come with threats and tanks, as it has been doing for decades. Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, wrote about this in his profile on the X network. He reacted quite sharply to the news that the organizers of the commemorative events for the anniversary of the Normandy landings had decided to send an invitation to Russia, albeit without Putin, who will not receive an invitation due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "I will repeat the axiomatic things... I understand that some people would like to return to the "sweet pre-war time" where they were a little afraid of Russia, but actively and profitably did business with it, exchanged venal smiles, and attended each other's pretentious events. But no. This will not work. Because today the Russian Federation has thrown off all the decorative masks, put a grimace of hatred back on its face, and just wants to kill, attack, destroy," Podoliak wrote. ADVERTISIMENT He emphasized that those who, turning a blind eye to reality, tolerate the aggressor, not only push him to commit more crimes that he is committing right now but also invite him to new atrocities. "Any invitation from Russia to any event (summits, celebrations, games, discussions) is always aimed at stimulating aggression, encouraging murder, and maximizing the genocidal component of war. This should be realized when one really wants to see the face of the aggressive "Russian world" that demonstrably insults modern humanistic civilization with its actions. Then they will definitely come with threats and tanks," Podoliak emphasized. ADVERTISIMENT Operation Neptune, or the Normandy landings, was an amphibious assault that took place on June 6, 1944, in Normandy during World War II by the Allied forces of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and others against Nazi Germany. Recently, the Mission Liberation, which organizes commemorative events to mark the anniversary of the Normandy landings, announced its intention to invite Russia to the 80th anniversary of the operation. "Given the circumstances (Russia's war against Ukraine Ed.), Putin will not be invited. Russia, however, will be invited to be represented because of its role and sacrifices among the Soviet peoples, as well as its contribution to the victory of 1945," they explained. As a reminder, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said that "it is not in France's interest to talk to Russia." He made this comment after a telephone conversation between French and Russian officials voiced various versions of the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert hall with more than a hundred victims. As a result of this conversation, the French were once again convinced that Moscow is not above telling outright lies. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber . Do not fall for fakes! China's position on the war in Ukraine is not pro-Russian, it is pro-Chinese. Beijing does not benefit from either the loss or win of the occupying country Russia in this war, but it should finally realize that Ukraine is part of the European, not the post-Soviet space. ADVERTISIMENT This opinion was expressed by Pavlo Klimkin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in 2014-2019, in an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA. "China's position does not fluctuate between us and Russia. It cannot be interpreted so linearly. It is always pro-China," he said. That is why, according to the diplomat, when formulating its political position, Beijing will take into account, first of all, how it will affect its own economy, security and geopolitical interests. "China will take into account cooperation with Russia, the use of its resources, the use of Russia in confrontation with the United States, the possibility of destabilization on the border, etc." Klimkin explained. At the same time, he reminded that Chinese President Xi Jinping is to hold a series of meetings with Western leaders that can give him an understanding of "what Europe is willing to do" to support our country. ADVERTISIMENT "A lot will depend on understanding what Europe is willing to do. It is very important that the Chinese finally realize that Ukraine is part of the European, not the post-Soviet space, and that their entire geopolitics finally changes," the diplomat emphasized. As previously reported, the Global Peace Summit will be held in Switzerland on June 15-16. According to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, up to a hundred countries may be represented at the summit, including White House Chief of Staff Joe Biden. The British government has not used more than half of the funds raised for military aid to Ukraine. We are talking about the amount of 900 million pounds (over 1.1 billion US dollars). ADVERTISIMENT It should be noted that the reason was bureaucratic delays in issuing contracts. This was reported by The Guardian. The UK-led International Fund for Ukraine has nine countries among its donors. However, analysts say that the delivery of weapons to the front is slow due to bureaucracy. Only 404 million pounds out of 900 million pounds have been used in two years. It is noteworthy that 500 million pounds of the total amount came from the UK. British Defense Ministry officials have said that such delays are caused by the need to evaluate each of the huge number of defense companies that have applied for contracts. According to John Healey, a member of the British Parliament from the Labor Party, the UK is united in its support for Ukraine and against Russian aggression, but allies must act more decisively to speed up military support for Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT The International Fund for Ukraine was established in August 2022 to finance Ukraine's military training and equipment following the Russian invasion. It was conceived as a "flexible, low-bureaucracy fund" managed by the Ministry of Defense on behalf of an executive group that includes the United Kingdom, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Lithuania. The money has been allocated by Denmark (133 million), Iceland (3 million), Lithuania (5 million), the Netherlands (110 million), Norway (119 million), Sweden (26 million), Australia (26 million) and New Zealand (4 million). Currently, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps is actively seeking to attract more countries to participate in the fund. However, the fund's track record in allocating funds risks scaring off potential donors. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, the administration of US President Joe Biden expects that the supply of military aid to Ukraine will begin immediately after the bill with additional funding is approved by Congress. The US President promised that he would immediately sign the approved document. As reported by OBOZ.UA, the House of Representatives will vote on the aid package for our country on Saturday, April 20, at approximately 20:20-20:30 Kyiv time. The issue of aid to Ukraine comes right after the bill on aid to Israel. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Press Release April 19, 2024 SP ZUBIRI, PM LUXON MEET TO TALK ABOUT CLOSER ECONOMIC, SECURITY TIES BETWEEN PH, NZ 19 April 2024 Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri today met with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to discuss, among other things, a deeper engagement between the Philippines and New Zealand specifically in the area of economy and security. Zubiri said the meeting with Luxon, who is in the Philippines as part of his working trip across Southeast Asia, is a good opportunity to cultivate closer relations with New Zealand as a partner in development in the Indo-Pacific region. "We are especially interested in engaging New Zealand in deeper economic and agricultural cooperation," Zubiri said after the luncheon he hosted for the head of state in Fairmont Hotel in Makati. "We have a lot to learn from New Zealand's success as a global agricultural exporter. Coming from Bukidnon, which I always call the New Zealand of Mindanao, I am very eager to initiate more agricultural knowledge sharing, capacity building, and technology transfer initiatives between our countries," the Senate chief added. The Prime Minister came accompanied by a sizeable delegation from New Zealand's business sector. The Senate President and the Prime Minister also discussed bilateral security cooperation, with an emphasis on the fact that the Philippines and New Zealand are like-minded states, who share in the goal of upholding a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region. "We count on New Zealand as an ally in peacekeeping in the region, and toward this end, we hope to establish stronger security cooperation with them," Senate President Zubiri said. This discussion comes in the wake of the agreement between President Bongbong Marcos Jr,. and Prime Minister Luxon to sign a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by the end of this year, and also to establish a Comprehensive Partnership by 2026. For his part, PM Luxon said that as a trading nation, New Zealand is cognizant of the security issues in the region and how this is tied to the economy of Southeast Asia and its trading partners. "What affects you, affects us," he said. The Philippines is the Prime Minister's last stop in his tour of Southeast Asia before his return to New Zealand. Joining him are Simon Watts MP, Minister of Climate Change and Revenue, and Paulo Garcia MP, New Zealand's first Member of Parliament to come from Filipino descent. Representing the Philippine side at the meeting as well were Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, Senator JV Ejecito, Senator Mark Villar, Senator Cynthia Villar, Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Anti-Red Tape Authority Director General Ernesto Perez, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Jerome Oliveros, and Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand Kira Christianne Azucena. Last year, the Senate formed its own Philippines-New Zealand Parliamentary Friendship Association, headed by Senator Pia Cayetano. The lack of air defense capabilities in Ukraine allows Russian aviation to operate freely and without threat in certain critical areas of the frontline. In particular, Russian Air Force Su-25 and Su-34 aircraft operate freely at low altitudes near Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, striking at Ukrainian positions to support Russia's advance in the area. ADVERTISIMENT Analysts at the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) drew attention to this. They noted that some Russian "war bloggers" have been praising Russian aviation for allowing the occupiers to advance relatively quickly in the area since at least the end of March 2024. The analysts noted that the ability of Russian aircraft to operate at a depth of more than 100 kilometers in Ukrainian airspace near the front line without significant losses indicates that Ukrainian air defense in the area is currently insufficient to deter or prohibit Russian aircraft from operating on the front line. ADVERTISIMENT "AFU has to prioritize the allocation of their limited air defense assets in some areas of the frontline. This leads to significant costs, allowing Russian aviation to maintain more consistent and rapid successes on the ground, in particular near Chasiv Yar," the analyst says. Earlier, on April 19, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the allies had made specific commitments to supply Ukraine with more air defense systems. This will be announced in the near future. Earlier, President Zelenskyy once again called on partners to help our country with air defense systems. The air defense systems stored in warehouses in Western countries are urgently needed in Ukraine today, given that Russian missile terror continues. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes! ADVERTISIMENT Calls for urgent clarity of future of nuclear energy developments in North Wales This article is old - Published: Saturday, Apr 20th, 2024 MSs called for urgent clarity from the UK Government on the future of new nuclear energy developments in north Wales. Paul Davies led a debate on a committee report about nuclear energy and the Welsh economy, saying there is huge potential for the industry. The economy committee chair said nuclear power could provide an enormous economic stimulus, with thousands of jobs and billions of pounds worth of investment. Mr Davies described the UK Governments long-awaited decision to buy the Wylfa site on Anglesey as an important step forward. However, the former Conservative group leader said decisions on Wylfa and Trawsfynydd are urgently needed. Hopes dashed Mr Davies raised concerns that the UK Governments 2050 nuclear plan, which was published in January, did not mention either site. He welcomed the tone of the UK Government response to the committees report but cautioned that there are still no clear answers. Raising the importance of managing expectations, Mr Davies warned that people in north-east Wales have had their hopes dashed in the past. He said: People in north Wales want clarity on what the future holds for them. Certainty is the key to building confidence. Mr Davies also highlighted that new nuclear projects would bring in many workers from outside north Wales, placing additional pressure on local housing stock. Energy security Samuel Kurtz, the Conservative MS for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, raised the potential economic impact of small modular reactors (SMRs). He said: Just one SMR, for example, could provide 400 to 500 jobs while in operation, many in servicing and maintenance, plus the many jobs that would be created in construction. And many of these SMRs could be built. Luke Fletcher called for a wider inquiry on energy to weigh up the pros and cons of nuclear. Plaid Cymrus shadow economy secretary raised concerns that Welsh Government cuts to apprenticeship funding will exacerbate skills shortages. Clear commitment Jack Sargeant called for a clear commitment to new nuclear projects to give workers, the supply chain and training providers confidence to invest. The Labour MS for Alyn and Deeside raised concerns about the significant scale of the nuclear workforce challenge, with a shortfall of nearly 10,000 people. Rhun ap Iorwerth criticised the UK Government for failing to support the Hitachi Horizon project at Wylfa Newydd in his Ynys Mon constituency. The Plaid Cymru leader told the Senedd that apprentices who started on the Wylfa Newydd project moved out of the area to work at Hinkley Point. He said: The UK Government has made a mess of its nuclear plans, and the committee is right to note that we still dont have a clear idea of what those plans are. Bottomless pit Carolyn Thomas argued vociferously against nuclear energy, saying the industry is in retreat globally and uranium reserves are expected to be depleted by the end of the century. The Labour backbencher highlighted the spiralling costs of up to 46bn for Hinkley Point. She said: One nuclear station takes up to 17 years to build, with construction taking approximately ten years. On-costs and decommissioning costs are a bottomless pit. Ms Thomas, who represents North Wales, told the chamber that nuclear will never fill the energy gap on its own as she called for more investment in wind, wave and solar. She added: Investment and political will should be focused on achieving a sustainable future and that cannot be done with nuclear. Managing expectations Responding to the April 17 debate, Jeremy Miles said the Welsh Government is broadly supportive of nuclear projects but cautioned that costs must be borne in mind. Wales new economy secretary pointed out that powers over nuclear are reserved to Westminster, so the UK Government is responsible for driving new investment. Mr Miles said: Lets be clear: the responsibility for managing expectations lies principally in the hands of those capable of realising those expectations, which is the UK Government. But he stressed that new nuclear projects present opportunities for significant economic change, so the Welsh Government will seek to play its part. Mr Miles said Cwmni Egino, a Welsh Government-backed company, was established to progress potential new projects at Trawsfynydd. By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter Clean energy projects harming rural Wales, warns Conservative MS This article is old - Published: Saturday, Apr 20th, 2024 The building of renewable energy projects should not be at the expense of Wales rural communities, a Conservative MS has warned. James Evans, who represents Brecon and Radnorshire, said large-scale wind farms and pylons threaten Wales breathtaking landscapes and tourism industry. Despite his concerns, Mr Evans said he recognised that green energy is crucial to a sustainable future. He said: We cant ignore the potential harm that these projects can inflict on the very communities theyre supposed to help. Imagine this: you wake up to the consistent sound of a hum of a turbine blade. Some residents have described this sound as similar to a plane consistently being overhead. This isnt science fiction it is the reality for many living near wind farms. Voicelessness Warning that renewable projects can drastically change the countrysides character, Mr Evans raised concerns about shadow flicker from the colossal structures. Leading a short debate in the Senedd on April 17, the Tory highlighted a study that found a statistically significant negative impact on property values near onshore wind farms. Mr Evans said the most concerning aspect is a feeling of voicelessness among residents who are battling against big corporations like David and Goliath. He told the chamber: Many communities fear that they have little say in the decision-making process surrounding windfarm development. Consultations, if they happen at all, can often feel like a mere formality. Planning policies Mr Evans said Planning Policy Wales clearly states cables should be undergrounded but developers often say it is not financially viable. He told MSs: All these developments should be designed, in the first instance, to comply with Planning Policy Wales. They cannot use costs as an excuse to circumvent the planning policies here in Wales, and I think Welsh ministers need to be a lot stronger in following their own guidance. Mr Evans questioned the tangible benefits from developments for rural Wales, saying these are dwarfed by big returns for shareholders. He argued responsible development is key, calling for noise emission limits, turbines to be placed further from homes and more robust community consultation. Green rush Cefin Campbell, for Plaid Cymru, said his party has no objection to onshore renewables but Wales must question the size and scale of wind farm proposals. He raised concerns about a green rush with developers proposing to build pylons criss-crossing Powys, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. Russell George, the Conservative MS for Montgomeryshire, similarly argued against the over-proliferation of wind farms. His Tory colleague Samuel Kurtz raised the potential for floating offshore wind in the Cetlic sea, saying it is vital to minimise the disruption caused by associated onshore infrastructure. Janet Finch-Saunders, a fellow Conservative, who represents Aberconwy, also urged ministers to explore undergrounding as an alternative to overhead lines. Fair transition Jeremy Miles told the chamber the Welsh Government wants to see a fair transition, which strengthens the economy, creates jobs and supports social change. Wales new economy secretary emphasised that energy is crucial to the economy, with a target of 100% of electricity coming from renewable sources by 2035. Mr Miles reassured MSs that the planning process is rigorous, robust, transparent and, critically, affords opportunities for community engagement. He said: Communities will be heard and decisions will be made balancing the climate emergency and the needs of communities for the long term. Stressing that rural Wales is at the forefront of ministers thinking, Mr Miles announced plans to convene an independent advisory group on the future of Wales electricity grid. By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter Colleges celebration of education and diversity goes from strength to strength This article is old - Published: Saturday, Apr 20th, 2024 A celebration of education and diversity has gone from strength to strength in uniting communities across north east Wales. Launched last year, the Culture Collective is a student-led group organising events and activities at Coleg Cambria Yale in Wrexham. The latest was a showcase of arts, dance, music, literature, poetry, and fashion held at the colleges Ial Restaurant with ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) learners, supported by funding via the Welsh Governments Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan. More than 100 people in attendance were also treated to a tea-tasting session, with a selection of flavours on display from a wide range of countries including Japan and Algeria, and a performance by Big Ideas Wales Role Model Joseph George, who has Nigerian tribal roots. He came along in traditional dress and played drums while singing established songs, followed by Music student Michal Borkowski, who played classic Hungarian instruments. Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Coordinator Judith Alexander and Lead Chaplain Tim Feak have been at the forefront of the programme and are thrilled with the response so far. By showcasing our learners cultural diversity, traditions and interests it fosters respect and widens our understanding of our differences and things we have in common, said Judith. We are very fortunate to have such a diverse community within the college and are able to offer such opportunities to come together and broaden our own perspectives and experiences through food and the arts. Tim added: It was a special event and so inspiring to see the depth of skills, passion, and diversity that we have in our college. To see this celebrated and led by our students was wonderful. For a full list of events taking place this year, email judith.alexander@cambria.ac.uk or tim.feak@cambria.ac.uk. On the morning of April 20, Russian terrorists launched another missile attack on the Dnipropetrovsk region. Air Defense Forces destroyed an enemy target over the Novomoskovsk district. ADVERTISIMENT A fire broke out as a result of the fall of the Russian missile debris. The head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, Serhii Lysak, reported this on Telegram. Two vehicles and a private house were damaged as a result of the missile debris. Fortunately, no one was killed or injured. "In the morning, a unit of the East military group destroyed an enemy missile over Novomoskovsk district. The falling debris set a household building on fire. The fire has already been extinguished. A private house and two cars were also damaged. No one was killed or injured," the RMA reported. In addition, the Air Defense Forces shot down a reconnaissance drone over Kryvyi Rih district at night. At the same time, Russian occupants terrorized Dnipropetrovsk region with artillery. Nikopol district came under fire. The enemy fired at Nikopol with heavy artillery and drones. In addition, the Marhanets community was shelled. The consequences of the shelling are being investigated. ADVERTISIMENT On the evening of April 19, Russian troops attacked Zelenodolsk community in Kryvyi Rih district with an unidentified drone. A fire broke out at the site of the attack, which rescuers quickly extinguished. As a reminder, on the morning of April 20, Russian occupants attacked Zaporizhzhia's industrial infrastructure with missiles. The explosions in the city occurred at 5 am. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, it was reported that in the morning of April 19, Russians attacked Dnipro. An X-22 missile, designed to hit aircraft carriers, hit a multi-storey residential building on Vokzalnaya Square. Many civilians were killed and wounded. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes! On Monday, April 15, as part of a nationwide protest against the genocide in Gaza, hundreds gathered in downtown Chicago to show their support for the Palestinian people and call for an immediate end to Israels genocide in Gaza. The Chicago Police Department (CPD) responded with a major provocation by barricading the demonstration, preventing protesters from marching. The gathering in Chicago came amid a number of high-profile protests throughout the country earlier in the day when demonstrators blocked major highways. In San Francisco, opponents of genocide blocked the Golden Gate Bridge for several hours. In Chicago Monday morning, protesters blocked the highway leading to OHare Airport. These demonstrations were called on April 15, Tax Day, to protest US taxpayer dollars funding Israels genocide. In addition to the blocked highways there were walkouts in high schools and on college campuses in cities throughout the United States. When protesters arrived in Chicagos Federal Plaza, they were met with hundreds of cops who attempted to surround the demonstration, limit its size, and intimidate others from joining. After a rally in the plaza, the protesters attempted to march through the streets of downtown Chicago. These marches have become commonplace since protests against the genocide began six months ago. The march was eventually blockaded in between two buildings, with lines of cops at each exit preventing the march from going forward. Between the protest at OHare airport and the demonstration in the Loop, Chicago police arrested over 50 people on Monday. Some protesters may even be charged with felonies. Despite the police provocation the crowd was not deterred from continuing their demonstration. While the American ruling class and the mass media have attempted to normalize genocide, masses of youth and workers refuse to support the war policy of the Biden administration. Mondays police crackdown in Chicago was a testing ground for the plans being made to block protests during the Democratic National Convention this August. Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson is working closely with the Biden administration to erect a massive police state during the convention to stop any demonstrations from disrupting the conventions warmongering. Earlier this year, the Johnson administration denied permit applications for groups seeking to march and protest during the convention. On Wednesday, the Chicago City Council approved plans to erect a security zone around the sites of the DNC. The convention security operation is expected to resemble a military occupation. The plan includes blocking off whole neighborhoods surrounding the sites of the convention. The areas near the United Center and McCormick Place will be subject to police checkpoints and searches. Areas where protests are expected will be blocked off with barbed wire fences. Ald. Brian Hopkins, chair of the public safety committee, told the press, It isnt just to stop people from impeding traffic the way they recently did, stopping people from getting to OHare. Thats to prevent any kind of violence targeting the United Center or people that are going to and from the United Center. Over the weekend, a conference comprised of various protest organizations naming itself the Coalition to March on the DNC met to discuss plans for protests during the convention. The conference was led primarily by the United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) which has organized many marches calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Other groups at the conference included the Minnesota Anti-War Committee and the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. Hatem Abudayyeh, national chair of USPCN, said at the conference, Well be marching with or without permits. This DNC is the most important one since 1968, also in Chicago when Vietnam War protesters and the black liberation movement organized mass demonstrations that were violently repressed. He added that he expects The march on the DNC will be the largest mobilization for Palestine in the history of the city. While the March on the DNC conference undoubtedly drew out many looking to fight against imperialist war, it is clear that the political leaders of USPCN and the other groups involved are leading them into a dead-end. The character of the discussions focused purely on making appeals to Genocide Joe Biden and providing political cover to Brandon Johnson. After the city denied the permit applications to protest at the United Center, the Anti-War Committee Chicago, Students for a Democratic Society at UIC, and the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression filed a federal lawsuit in hopes of reversing the decision. Of Johnson, who is responsible for denying the permits, Abudayyeh said, we know that hes a community organizer and he came from the movement. So, were asking him and his administration directly to intercede here and to make sure that we get the permits to march within sight and sound of the United Center. He continued, And because hes a community organizer, he knows that he can also be a target of ours. A respectful target of ours, but we will ask him and we will continue to ask him and we will continue to press him and his office to make sure that they facilitate these marches and protests as well. Johnson, who is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America and other pseudo-left groups, is a close political ally of the Biden White House. Exactly one week before the police barricaded the pro-Palestinian protest downtown, Johnson met with Biden while the president was in the city for a campaign fundraiser event with the citys wealthiest individuals. The two undoubtedly discussed plans for the DNC and how Johnsons CPD would be mobilized to suppress popular opposition to the President and the Democratic Party. At the same time that protest groups are begging for Johnsons ear, it has become apparent that his office is engaged in a coverup of the murder of Dexter Reed by Chicago police officers in late March. Body camera footage revealed that CPD officers fired nearly 100 rounds at the 26-year-old in a broad daylight execution. On Wednesday, Johnson held a press conference with Police Superintendent Larry Snelling where it was revealed that the police unit that killed Reed had nearly 40 complaints filed against it but no action was taken to remove or discipline the officers. Snelling told reporters that the city has a system for tracking complaints against officers but that it would not be made available to the public or journalists. Snelling told the press that just because officers have complaints filed against them it does not make them bad officers. He then railed against the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) for issuing a statement that made clear the officers had no reason to stop Reeds car since he was not suspected of any crime. Snelling called COPA irresponsible for challenging the police cover-up narrative. Lessons must be drawn from these experiences. During the mayoral election Johnson was promoted by the DSA and progressive groups as being a figure who would transform Chicago politics and usher in a new era of social reforms. What has transpired since is nothing of the sort. At every turn Johnson has lined up with the right-wing business interests, covered up police murder, mobilized the CPD against opponents of genocide, and forced asylum seekers into disease-ridden shelters. A new political strategy and orientation is needed. The Democratic Partya party of big business and waris fundamentally hostile to the interests of the working class. It cannot be pushed or pressured into changing its fundamental class interests, which include its policy of unlimited funds for genocide in Gaza and war against Russia. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is putting forward an entirely different form of politics. On April 27, the SEPs candidate for US president, Joseph Kishore, will travel to Chicago to speak at the Chicago Public Librarys West Loop Branch on the pressing need to build a socialist movement in the working class. Only such a movement, the mobilization of the working class on a mass scale, can stop the genocide in Gaza, prevent a third world war, bring down the capitalist system and set about its replacement with a rational distribution of the worlds resources. Ann Arbor Public Schools meeting, April 17, 2024 At meetings across the district this past week, Ann Arbor Public School (AAPS) teachers, staff, students and community members spoke angrily against plans to lay off educators and other critical staff to address a $25 million budget shortfall. The fiscal crisis is primarily the product of the expiration of the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), compounded by a drop in enrollment and a purported accounting error. Last week, the AAPS Board of Education issued pink slips to members of the Association of School and Community Service Administrators (ASCA) and voted at an April 11 meeting to carry out layoffs across the district. The overflow meeting was marked with opposition; over 150 people submitted public comments in protest. Typical of the meeting were the comments of one para-educator, who spoke through tears, Its unbelievable what theyre doing. Why are students and teachers collateral damage caused by a mistake they didnt make? The Board was clearly taken aback by the passionate defense of jobs and education. It began to verbally walk back from its demand for immediate layoffs among student-facing staff which it previously said were inevitable. Nonetheless, it submitted its corrective budget plan to the State of Michigan on April 15, pledging to achieve a 5 percent fund balance. The Board also hurriedly announced plans to sell an undisclosed building for several millions. Additionally, financial consultant Marious Demetrious said an unstated number of positions in the central office would be eliminated. He claimed this would save $4.5 million, while a possible $1 million could be netted from moving existing employees into state categorical or federal grants. An AAPS eleventh grade student told the WSWS, I see a threat to all the amazing programs that schools have, and just not being able to allocate teachers to those programs. It really disadvantages a lot of students. I think its important to show that this issue really affects everybody, not just a certain district. A librarian in the district was further angered by the ploy of asking for educators input on cuts. Theyre having these meetings to make it look like they want input from teachers and the community. But I dont know that I trust how much that really matters to them. Their track record shows that we cant trust them, so why would we trust them now? Her husband added sarcastically, They were having us write on big pieces of paper, Give us your ideas! And youre supposed to sit together and talk. Another angry teacher called the meeting a waste of my time and verbal vomit. She demanded to know, Wheres the money going? The librarian showed the WSWS reporter photos of her school. This is a classroom for support staff. It used to be a custodians closet because we dont have enough room.' The nameplate of Custodians Closet was still on the wall, yet the door had childrens artwork on it and the open door revealed a classroom inside. 'To be shoved in a janitors closet without running water is very discouraging. We dont have a kitchen in our teachers lounge anymore because the kitchen is being used as space for support staff. She continued to thumb through her pictures, pointing out, This used to be one of the adult bathrooms, which we now have to use as a bathroom for special needs kids because theyre also shoved into a room that doesnt have a bathroom. That leaves three total toilets for all of the staff. Showing another photo, she added, They had to use this former storage space, and thats where the instrumental music meets. And that classroom is about 85 degrees (29 Celsius) on a regular basis. We have a theater teacher who has to teach right off the stage that is in the cafeteria. She doesnt have a classroom. Her husband spoke on the stark contrast between his wife and her colleagues working conditions and pay and those of administrators: Its top-heavy. Its the equivalent of CEOs. Theyve made themselves CEOs in the administration. And they think theyre what makes this a great school district. And then that BS they try to pull, making it seem like it was hiring teachers and giving them a raise [as if, thats the problem]? Theyve missed all these steps over the years. Most teachers cant live here now, he continued. Teachers basically gave them a bunch of money 15 years ago. They bailed the district out by taking a 3 percent pay cut, and the district never made up for it. He concluded, I think the teachers union was pretty lax on not getting right on this and fixing this. Its embarrassing. Other teachers spoke about the Boards lack of transparency and their constant refrain of were working on it. Another parent said the Board should open its accounts, adding, Not just the information [theyre] putting out, but the information you use to make the decisions. The Board has worked closely with the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA) bureaucracy to ram through the cuts and suppress protests. The AAEA, following the lead of the Michigan Education Association and the National Education Association, to which it is affiliated, has pledged cooperation with the Board and failed to threaten any action against layoffs or attacks on critical educational programs in the district. Instead of mobilizing the working class in defense of public education, the AAEA is advising the Board on helpful cost-saving measures, like limiting P-Card purchases and travel costs, while promoting the do-nothing slogan to teachers, Im not the problem. This has infuriated educators. A para educator told the WSWS, The union isnt doing anything, they dont answer any of our questions. We dont feel the slightest bit supported! Percy Brown [president of the AAEA-Para educators] refuses to communicate with us, he tells us he is working behind the scenes! What are we paying dues for? We feel completely unsupported. Another educator said the AAEA has failed to provide information to its members or discuss the pending cuts. She pointed to the lack of representation from the AAEA while so-called leaders reply to rank-and-file criticism with, Oh, you think I dont do anything, but its because Im in the back, I do things behind the scenes. She retorted: No, you dont! Members of the Michigan Educators Rank-and-File Committee (MERFC) pointed to the long role of the MEA and the American Federation of Teachers in forcing through concessions and layoffs. MERFC distributed a call-to-action among Ann Arbor teachers and staff at the community meetings, titled No layoffs! No budget cuts! Mobilize the working class to defend public education in Ann Arbor and across Michigan! The statement emphasized the bipartisan character of the years-long assault on public education and emphasized that the fight in Michigan is connected to struggles nationally and internationally and had to be conducted independently of the union apparatus, the Democrats and the Republicans. It urged Ann Arbor teachers to join the MERFC and warned, A far-reaching bipartisan restructuring of federal government spending is underway, prioritizing war and slashing social spending. The most recent US budget appropriated a record $886.3 billion for the military, amounting to more than half of the governments entire discretionary funding. The bipartisan budget signed last month by Biden includes his demand for a $500 million cut in the Department of Education budget. These statement were warmly received, with workers also drawing political conclusions. One parent emphasized, Maintaining them [social programs] always costs social mobilization; it's always an ongoing thing. Punctuated here and there by strikes to maintain public hospitals and universities. Another added, If theres a large enough working-class voice, that this is important. Right now, were getting short shrift of whats going on. Things crumble when we get the shrift. The legislature in Ontario, Canadas most populous province, voted Thursday to uphold a reactionary ban on wearing the kaffiyeh within the precinct of Queens Park, the seat of the provincial government. The movewhich followed the secret introduction of the racist ban by the Speaker of the Legislature, Tory MPP (Member of the Provincial Parliament) Ted Arnottattests to the ruthlessness with which Canadas ruling class is cracking down on any opposition to its backing for Israels genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. Protesters wear keffiyehs in a 2,000-strong march in downtown Toronto, October 28, 2023 Arnott surreptitiously banned the wearing of the traditional headdress of Palestinians and other Arab people in the legislative precinct, which is officially under the Speakers legal authority, sometime in late March or early April. The precinct includes the Legislature building itself, the surrounding grounds known as Queens Park, where large protests often occur on a range of issues, and the Whitney Block, the parliamentary office building. The unprecedented ban applies to members of the legislature, their staff and all members of the public. Arnott issued a private directive to members of the Legislative Protective Service, the legislatures special police force, to order MPPs, legislative staffers and members of the public to remove their keffiyehs without so much as a public announcement, let alone a debate or a vote. Arnotts action was reportedly prompted a few weeks previous by an MPP whose identity remains anonymous. This member complained to Arnott about independent Hamilton Centre MPP Sarah Jama, who always wears a keffiyeh to the legislature. When Jama described Israel as an apartheid state last October shortly after the far-right Netanyahu regime launched its genocidal onslaught on Gaza, the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) leadership threw her out of the partys legislative caucus. The ban only came to light after an NDP staffer who wore the keffiyeh every day was ordered by LPS officers to remove it in early April. NDP leader Marit Stiles subsequently wrote to Speaker Arnott on April 12 requesting that the order be rescinded. Arnott replied in an April 16 letter, stating that he had done his research and had concluded that the keffiyeh is a political symbol. The wearing of political symbols and signs, or T-shirts with political slogans, by MLAs and staffers is banned in the Legislature building, but not on the grounds of Queens Park or by members of the public. Arnott claimed further that his ruling was about upholding parliamentary decorum. Hard-right Premier Doug Ford, who since last October has routinely denounced anti-genocide protesters and smeared them as antisemites, made a public show of calling for the overturning of the ban. He was joined by Stiles and Ontario Liberal Party leader Bonnie Crombie, who all backed an NDP-sponsored motion Thursday to overturn the ban. The measure, which required the unanimous consent of the legislature to compel Speaker Arnott to reconsider his decision, predictably failed after a few Tory MPPs shouted no after the motion was read out and one, Robin Martin, formally voted against it. Aside from the political maneuvering and posturing, the entire episode underlines the degree to which any criticism of the imperialist-backed genocide, including by showing sympathy for the horrendous conditions facing the Palestinians in Gaza, is taboo within Canadas political establishment. Stiles supposed horror over the ban and her call for its rescinding, joined by Ford and Crombie, reflects concerns that such a blatant political provocation will fuel the already widespread opposition to Canadian imperialisms support for the genocide, and further discredit the fraudulent ruling class-incited furor over purported left-wing antisemitism. This was made clear after the failure of the vote. Rather than calling for protests against the draconian ban or its defiance, Stiles politely thanked Ford for being on her side on the issue, as the CBC put it, and urged him to talk to his people and get them to do the right thing. The NDP is politically complicit in creating the conditions under which a kaffiyeh ban could be imposed. It was Stiles personally who moved to expel Jama from the NDP caucus over Jamas description of Israel as an apartheid state, a designation which the United Nations and countless aid organizations support. Stiles actions gave the Ford government a free hand to censure Jama in the Legislature, preventing her from speaking on any issue until she apologizes. At the federal level, the NDP has continued to use its votes in parliament to keep the pro-war, pro-austerity minority Liberal government in office under their confidence-and-supply agreement. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unconditionally backed Israels massacre of the Palestinians, repeatedly invoking the Zionist regimes right to self-defence. The government dispatched over $28 million of weaponry to Israel in the first months of the genocide. At home, it has helped incite a vicious crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests. In March, the NDP acted out a political farce in the House of Commons, introducing a motion that called for the recognition of Palestines right to self-determination and an arms embargo on Israel, and condemned Israels continuing onslaught on the people of Gaza. The party then entered backroom talks with its Liberal allies to rewrite the motion so that it was transformed into a declaration of support for the genocide. The version ultimately adopted contained an explicit reference to Israels right to defend itself and called for a ceasefire only after Hamas has completely surrendered, i.e., the same formulations used by the Israel Defence Forces and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The passage calling for an arms embargo was gutted to make it totally ineffectual. The unrestrained support for Israels genocide by the political establishment has been accompanied by an intensification of state repression against protesters across the country. On Monday, 21 protesters were arrested by the police in Halifax, Nova Scotia, after they blocked traffic. The protesters held signs declaring, No business as usual during a genocide and Free Palestine. Later that day, 45 protesters in Montreal were arrested by the police after occupying a downtown bank to protest the genocide. Six protesters were detained Wednesday in Regina, Saskatchewan, after attempting to block a railway with a banner calling for an arms embargo. The resort by Canadas ruling elite to racist persecution of pro-Palestine protesters and ever-more aggressive forms of state repression is of a piece with authoritarian developments in all of the major imperialist centres. On Friday, April 12, 900 German police officers stormed the peaceful Palestine Congress in Berlin, dispersing the gathering and arresting organizers. Prominent speakers were detained on arrival at Berlin Airport and banned from speaking in Germany. In the United States, a state-led campaign to suppress opposition to the genocide on university campuses reached a new high-point Thursday with the arrest by the NYPD of over 100 students. The Canadian ruling class is at warjoining with its American allies in backing the Israeli genocide, threatening Iran, and using Ukraine as a proxy force to attack Russia and against the working class at home. Its actions against the anti-genocide movement, justified on the bogus claim that they are combatting antisemitism, are being coordinated with the ruling class in the other imperialist countries. The representatives of Canadian imperialism have no right to lecture anyone about antisemitism. Ottawa has time and again for decades aligned itself with the most far-right political forces to advance its global imperialist interests, including far-right Ukrainian nationalists who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II and helped carry out the Holocaust. The unanimous standing ovation given to Nazi war criminal and Waffen-SS member Yaroslav Hunka by the House of Commons last September, with Trudeau in the lead and supported by the ambassadors from all G-7 states, demonstrated the Canadian ruling elites true attitude towards the Jewish people. Its association of Israeli state criminality with the Jewish people as a whole is itself an antisemitic slander. As Ottawa participates alongside Washington in the US-NATO war on Russia and backs Israels genocide against the Palestinians to the hilt, the ruling class cannot tolerate any opposition to the rapidly developing third world war. In the summer of 2023, Ontario Labour Minister Monte McNaughton and Toronto City Councillor Brad Bradford campaigned to shut down meetings organized by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the youth movement of the Socialist Equality Party, to oppose the imperialist war on Russia. These same political forces are now engaged in a witch hunt against opponents of Israels genocide. Workers, students and youth must draw the requisite political conclusions and turn towards the building of a socialist, anti-war movement rooted in the international working class. Only by putting an end to the crisis-ridden, historically obsolete capitalist system will it be possible to stop the genocide of the Palestinian people and the third imperialist world war. On Tuesday, April 16, Google had nine of its employees arrested for staging sit-ins at the companys offices in New York City and Sunnyvale, California, to demand that Google cancel Project Nimbus. The $1.2 billion contract with Amazon and the Israeli government provides cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) to the Israeli military. In total, 28 workers were terminated for participating in the anti-genocide protest. The World Socialist Web Site is demanding the immediate reinstatement of all those fired and the dropping of any charges against those who were arrested. A person rides past the Google sign outside the companys offices in Sunnyvale, California, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Google has fired 28 employees, who were involved in protests over the tech companys cloud computing contract with the Israeli government. [AP Photo/Terry Chea] The World Socialist Web Site spoke Friday with Zelda (they/them), 23, who worked as a software engineer for Google and was one of the workers who were arrested and terminated in New York City. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Clara Weiss: Can you describe what happened? Zelda: On Tuesday, April 16, Google workers in the Sunnyvale office in California and one of the New York City offices began a sit-in at 12:00 p.m. EST and 9:00 a.m. PST. I can describe more about what happened in New York City. At 11:55 a.m., we announced the sit-in. We did worker testimonies, we did some readings of poems, including Refaat Alareers If I must die. Within the first hour, everything was pretty calm. There was a crowd that was growing; a crowd of Zionists also started to be present. Everyone who was involved in the sit-in was a Google worker. At one point, security said Thats enough; you have to leave. There were four of us who were saying, We are not leaving until this project [Nimbus] is dropped. Security is actually not allowed to put their hands on us so there was no way they would remove us. And there came a point when they said that law enforcement was being notified. Between that point and the point when the four of us were removed, we were there for 10 hours. Google seems to have arrested at the Sunnyvale office and the NYC office around the same time. In NYC those of us who were not going to get up until the project was dropped were basically just hanging out at the office. We engaged with supportive workers who would come by. We would always warn them that there is a potential for retaliation. The Google workers participating in the sit-in in New York City on April 16, 2024. [Courtesy of Zelda] We had just finished eating some food that friends had brought for us when NYPD showed up at around 9:45 p.m. We were quite surprised because we had not heard communication from friends outdoors that they had seen NYPD coming in. When they were escorting us down an elevator to the garage, it turned out that they had parked the NYPD van in the garage, likely because they did not want there to be video footage of Google workers being arrested as there was at Sunnyvale, where the arrest was live-streamed. We dealt with NYPD incompetence for three hours, and eventually we got released. We had a very supportive jail support group outside. It was very powerful to see that many people come together in support of what we were doing. CW: Can you speak more about Project Nimbus and Googles complicity in the genocide? Z: The Project Nimbus contract was signed in 2021 between Google, Amazon and the Israeli government to provide the Israeli military with cloud computing and AI, which includes facial recognition, sentiment recognition, tracking, etc. When this campaign launched in 2021, the name No Tech for Apartheid came from the very obvious use that this AI would have for the surveillance of the Palestinians. I found out about Project Nimbus about six months ago, and when I learned about the work of No Tech for Apartheid, I immediately became very involved. In terms of Googles ties to the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), for a long time we knew that the IOF were part of the negotiations over the contract. There was a lot of miscommunicationno, intentional lying, and a lack of transparencyby Google about the military nature of the contract. Calcalist reported that the Israeli military intervened and did not want to go with Oracle because they did not have the cloud computing needed for the military. And when they went to Google, I was very concerned that they were changing the messaging. Clearly, the IOF had geared the contract away from Oracle to Google because of its military cloud capabilities. Last Friday we found out from Time magazine that new deals were being discussed with the Israeli Defense Ministry. They were talking about building out the Israeli Defense Ministrys cloud architecture. It was spoken about very carefully even in this internal document [that Time magazine based its report on]. I am pretty sure that they said, Lets follow up on this somewhere else, not on the corporate channel. Like a lot of things that were seeing at Google, its very secretive. These were deals that were being discussed just a couple weeks ago in March, in the face of all the atrocities that we see being carried out against the Palestinian people. That created a lot more conviction for all of us who had been planning this action for months, because we got confirmation that Google was negotiating with the Israeli military despite multiple statements from their spokesmen to the contrary. And just last week Google also announced a new contract with the US Department of Defense. Increasingly we are seeing a move by Google toward militarization that just a few years ago had sparked opposition from workers and the creation of the network that we are still building. CW: What are the sentiments and views among Google workers about the companys ties to the Israeli military? Z: A lot of Google workers are afraid to speak up at work. Google expressed a lot of Israeli sympathy after October 7, and there was never any expression of Palestinian sympathy in the wake of the genocide. Because of that Ive noticed that workers are just very concerned about bringing any conversation about this to the workplace. I should add that another reason for the fear to speak up is that there are some Zionists, who have held a lot of control over the narrative around Project Nimbus. We were constantly told that opposing Project Nimbus was antisemitic and that any expression of anti-Zionism was also antisemitic. Antisemitism and anti-Zionism were being conflated. Workers might not know much about the long history of Palestinian oppression and resistance, and they were afraid of being called antisemitic. I know that nothing I have done in organizing opposition to Project Nimbus and building power at Google was antisemitic. But I think it is understandable that people might not feel ready for such actions without knowing more about the Palestinian cause for liberation. I have been very vocal about how messed up I thought the contract was, and I have spent a lot of time talking with everyone around me at the office. I started tabling in the office back in November, I wanted there to be a steady, vocal, visible presence of dissent for this contract, in the office. I realized that people do not know enough about Google complicity in the genocide. My focus with the tabling was to inform people about the project that Google has with the Israeli government. In my tabling, I had a handwritten sign that was taped to my laptop, and leaflets with informational material. Because I have been very present in the office, I think people started to talk a lot more to me. People were sometimes not surprised about the contract but did not know what to do about changing the way that Google works. Tech is definitely a more privileged base. There are some who did not want to think about the genocide and their complicity and their labor being one of the weapons in the genocide. The sit-in was meant to be a signal to workers: You cannot look away from the impact of your labor on the world. We withheld our labor, not only in response to this contract but also to add agency and control and direction to how our labor is used. I did the sit-in because I wanted to show to workers: You dont have to just do what you are being told. We should be valuing human lives over profit at all times. In the past few days, I have gotten an immense amount of messages in support of what I did. Many are very upset about what Google has done. I think that speaks to the power of an action like the sit-in. Workers are very riled up right now, not just because of Googles complicity in the genocide, Project Nimbus, but also because of how Google is retaliating against employees for speaking out against the contract. Especially this weekwe have been seeing students at Columbia a huge amount of fascist repression taking place due to the resistance that workers and students have been posing against these capitalist institutions that are way more about making money and profit, even if it means being complicit in war crimes and investing in weapons that are being used against the people of Gaza. I think the way forward is to continue to mobilize workers. Workers, above all, are the ones that have the power to stop the genocide. The past six months have seen a lot of direct action that have been somewhat disconnected from labor. We see how people are putting themselves on the line which is inspiring in ways, and its important to build resistance to power. But I think we need to bring that resistance to the workplace, and we need people deeply committed to not have their labor weaponized in ways that we do not agree with. The way forward is also beyond the traditional union system that we have, especially in the US. Google is an international corporation that itself supercedes the nation-state. I personally dont understand why our organizing has to be within the confines of the nation-state system. We have to be fighting the battle in the US, Canada, Britain, Australiathese are all countries where Google has offices. What will lead to the end of the genocide is an understanding and principled commitment to exercise worker power in the face of all these atrocities. Google AI depends on engineers. The same goes for weapons systems. Workers need to not build those weapons. I often think about the white phosphorus bombs being built and created here in the US, in Arkansas. How is it that the use of these weapons is a war crime, but their production is not? People often forget that our labor here in the United States absolutely has an impact on people throughout the world. There needs to be a working class solidarity that supersedes the nation-state system; it cannot be confined to working class solidarity nationally. Working class people everywhere have to be incredibly disciplined about making sure that our labor is not hurting other people throughout the world. CW: What situation are you facing now after being fired from Google? Z: It is quite stressful to think about finances, but I will say that I worked at Google, and I think that people who work in tech are actually in the best position to take the kind of risk that we took with our sit-in. The reality is that a lot of other people cannot simply stop working. We do not have the structures in place to ensure that people have healthcare, have a roof over their heads, have something to eat. There is working class people, and there is a ruling class. And even though at Google people make more money than the rest of the world. At the end of the day, we do not have control over our labor. I know that the doors have been closed by thiswhich is this job, and I would not be surprised if there are other jobs that I will not get because of this. I will just say that these are not meant to be jobs for me to work at. I am thinking a lot about the kinds of technology that are needed to serve for resistance purposes. A lot of our tech is terrifying to think about being in the hand of corporate power. I heard a few weeks about the NYPD having requested all information of a Twitter account being handed over about a subpoena. Twitter informed the owner of the account but that was a decision the company made, it is not a decision that the owner of the account could make. Twitter decided to inform the account, but what if Meta did not want to tell this person? There is this massive amount of data being collected and I fear a lot our reliance on corporate systems of engaging with the internet. I want to be able to carve out a space for technology to resist that and also teach people about what that technology could look like. We are building it irresponsibly without being conscious of what we are building. Im guided toward thinking about the things I am building [as a software engineer] and to reflect about it afterward. There is an absolute need for slow programming. People need to be slow and intentional. There is a real need to educate people about this. I recently watched the movie Oppenheimer, and I have so many thoughts about it. It feels very relevant right now when we are seeing AI being used for genocide. That is the weapons of mass destruction today. And I do not think enough people have made those parallels and realize that we are seeing this again now. CW: Thank you very much for the interview. Z: Thank you. The reason I like doing such interviews is that connection to other workers. I think they need to feel that they can trust fellow workers to take some risk and when they do what is necessary to end this genocide. With the selection of a jury, the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump in New York City begins in earnest. Opening statements could come as soon as Monday. Trump is charged with violating federal and state laws in connection with his alleged payoff of porn actress Stormy Daniels to keep her from going public about a sexual encounter between the two. The prosecution alleges violations of federal election laws and state laws by the then-Republican presidential candidate just weeks before the 2016 election. Former President Donald Trump appears at Manhattan criminal in New York, Friday, April 19, 2024. [AP Photo/Curtis Means] Of the numerous criminal cases against Trump, the hush money case is the only one that has come to trial. When compared to the federal case relating to the attempted coup of January 6, 2021, the state case concerning Trumps effort to overthrow the election result in Georgia, and even the criminal case over Trumps illegal mishandling of classified documents, the New York hush money case is analogous to the prosecution of Al Capone for tax evasion. It comes after four years of a feckless response by the Democratic Party and Biden to a massive state conspiracy to overthrow the Constitution. And it follows by only four days the indications from the right-wing majority on the Supreme Court that it is preparing to throw out many of the charges against those who participated in the violent assault on the US Capitol. The Biden administration and the Democratic Party have no interest in holding Trump to account criminally for his crimes against democratic rights because to do so would expose the broadand continuingsupport within substantial sections of the ruling class and the state apparatus for the attempted coup, further undermining the two-party political monopoly in the US. All of this, however, does not lessen the far-reaching significance of the fact that, for the first time in American history, a former president is being criminally prosecuted. The opening of the trial marks a new stage in an intense crisis at the highest levels of the American state that has been building for 50 years. This August will mark the 50th anniversary of the resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974 as a result of the crisis stemming from his campaigns break-in at the Watergate headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. Establishing a pattern that would persist in the following decades, Nixons crimes against democratic procedures and his refusal to abide by the constitutional framework were bound up with deep divisions within the ruling class over foreign policy. At that time, a faction within the Democratic Party opposed a continuation of the massively unpopular imperialist war in Vietnam and demanded a negotiated settlement. Nevertheless, the ruling class took extreme measures to prevent Nixons criminal prosecution. Gerald Fords pardon of Nixon undermined Fords own reelection bid in 1976. Fords successor, Jimmy Carter, ended up a one-term president under conditions of a massive upsurge of class struggle, including the record 111-day national coal miners strike. What sealed Carters demise was the 1979 Iranian revolution and seizure of US hostages. Ronald Reagans second term was undermined by the eruption of the Iran-Contra crisis. Once again, the pursuit of a counterrevolutionary and criminal foreign policyin this case, the dirty CIA contra war against Nicaraguainvolved the violation of US laws in the form of a secret operation run from the basement of the White House. Iran-Contra could have brought down the Reagan administration, but the Democrats decided to play down the crimes and keep Reagan in power. By the time of the election of Bill Clinton in 1992, the increasingly fascistic Republican Party was unwilling to accept the loss of an election. The impeachment of Clinton at the end of 1998 was an attempt to utilize a consensual sexual relationship to remove a twice-elected president from office. Two years later, the Supreme Court halted vote-counting in Florida in order to steal the election for George W. Bush, the loser of the popular vote. Democrat Al Gore and his party passively accepted the theft of the election, fearing the consequences of a challenge for the stability of the two-party system. The 2000 crisis marked the first direct suppression of votes in a presidential election. Justice Antonin Scalia argued in a concurring opinion in support of the five-to-four ruling in Bush v. Gore that the American people do not have a constitutional right to elect the president. Barack Obama came to power at the height of the sub-prime mortgage financial collapse and presided over a multi-trillion-dollar bailout of Wall Street. This was followed by new wars and military interventions in the Middle East, a program of targeted assassinations, including of American citizens, and the preparation for war against Russia over Ukraine in the form of the US-backed far-right Maidan coup of 2014. Trump took office in 2016 despite losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton. From the outset, the Democrats focused their opposition on Trumps failure to back the preparations for war against Russia, making his delay in military aid to Kiev the basis for Trumps first impeachment in December 2019. The second impeachment, in the immediate aftermath of January 6, was a half-hearted affair aimed at giving the Democrats the appearance of holding the exiting president to account, even as the incoming president, Biden, was calling for bipartisan unity and a strong Republican Party. Now, in the current trial in New York, factions of the ruling class aligned with the Democratic Party are seeking to use a sex scandal and relatively minor legal violations to settle accounts with Trump. They are not acting in response to Trumps assault on democratic rights or his reactionary social policies, but because on critical issues of foreign policythe NATO alliance, the war against Russia over Ukrainethey do not consider Trump a trustworthy steward of US imperialist interests. The trial could result in a hung jury, an acquittal, which could conceivably strengthen Trump, or a conviction. In the latter case, the trial will be widely seen as an attempt by the Democrats to preempt the election and its result will further delegitimize the existing political setup. Trump may well continue his campaign, rallying support as a political martyr. But even if a conviction forced the withdrawal of his candidacy, the fascistic Republican Party would find a replacement no less reactionary. In no case, however, will the outcome of the trial lessen the intensity of the political crisis or the escalation of war abroad and political reaction at home. Indeed, jury selection in the Manhattan courtroom unfolded at the same time that Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, with the full backing of Biden, was unleashing the NYPD to carry out the mass arrest of students peacefully protesting only miles away at Columbia University against the genocide in Gaza and the complicity of the university. The significance of the trial and the necessary political response of the working class have been clearly explained by Joseph Kishore, the presidential candidate of the Socialist Equality Party. In a statement posted on Twitter/X, Kishore wrote: In the conflict between the Democrats and Republicans there is no progressive or democratic faction. The working class must not be a mere bystander in this crisis. Not by looking to any faction of the state, but by developing an independent political movement of the working class against the entire capitalist systemin this way a path forward can be forged. Trump is a manifestation of the political putrefaction of the ruling class, not its cause. The intense divisions within the ruling class open up an opportunity for the working class to intervene against the entire reactionary political framework and the capitalist system it upholds. A positive outcome depends above all on the independent intervention of the working class on the basis of the fight for political power and socialism. Teachers and parents have expressed disgust over the announcement by the New South Wales (NSW) state Labor government that it will cut $1.48 million from resource-starved public schools this year and $1.4 billion over four years. The NSW education department has also frozen school accumulated balances, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars per schoolmoney put aside for infrastructure projects or to hire additional staff. Striking NSW teachers at Sydney rally in May, 2022. A teacher from regional NSW told the WSWS: It feels like the rug has been pulled out from under us. We were told last week that maintenance funding was frozen and repairs would only happen if there was a risk to safety. There is a hole in the plaster in my classroom. It will not be patched in the near future. Schools have had their disaster supplement funding stripped away overnight, causing our neighbour school to lose three permanent teaching staff and two teachers aides. Our school had three unfilled teacher vacancies that will no longer be advertised. Weve had our infrastructure funding that we were told we had until 2025 to spend, frozen overnight. A nearby school had a plan to extend the library, but that money has gone back to the government. Teachers are furious, they feel betrayed by the union who sold us all out. They told us to vote Labor in the election but didnt call a vote on the salary agreement, or a vote on a four-year strike ban. That was a reference to the NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) pay agreement with Premier Chris Minns government, which effectively gave a green light for funding cuts. Behind the backs of teachers, the union negotiated a deal that included an interest-based bargaining approach whereby the union would help the government find ways to identify savings and productivity gains. In 2021 and 2022, teachers had held three statewide stoppages to fight intolerable workloads and poor pay and conditions. In November 2022, the NSWTF leaders shut down all strike action, urging teachers to back the election of a state Labor government in May 2023, claiming it would improve pay and conditions. Instead, Labor has done the opposite. A teacher from metropolitan Sydney commented: I suspect there will be cuts to relief teachers and therefore teachers will be expected to do extra [classes]. Also, there would probably be cuts to support for learning difficulties. Another teacher posted on social media: So teachers will be expected to spend more of their own money to make up for shortfalls in school budgets to be able to deliver the curriculum that the state demands. Comments on the cuts have been censored on the unions Facebook page, but over 200 angry parents, educators and members of the general public commented on the Sydney Morning Heralds article on the cuts. I am appalled at the news that the NSW Labor government will cut funding to NSW public schools, one wrote. It is clear that this government does not see itself as the defender, let alone champion, of public education. What a travesty for the majority of our children who attend public schools. An educator wrote: I have principal colleagues in tears today trying to figure out how to make a few dollars go further. Spending plans have been in place since December and now its back to the drawing board again. The goalposts keep changing. Replying to this comment, another wrote: The goal posts are in the same position the destruction of public education. They are almost there. A parent commented: This is absurd. Nearly all private schools are overfunded by the public and nearly all public schools are underfunded. An educator told the media: [Cutting] funding further to a sector that is already underrepresented, understaffed, and facing impacts such as outdated infrastructure is going to have longer lasting consequences on schools, teachers, and the students and their families. In announcing the cuts, NSW Education Minister Prue Car even tried to present the Labor government as a champion of public education. Principals and deputy principals would be required to teach classes from one to three days a week. This, she claimed, would address the massive teacher shortages in public schools, which have caused the merging or cancelling of 10,000 classes per day, and reverse the declining student enrolments in public schools. This is a fraud. The cuts will accelerate the decline in enrolments, which began in the 1980s as the result of the deliberate weakening of public schools and the promotion of a user-pays education system by Labor and Liberal-National Coalition federal and state governments. In 2001, the state Labor government of Bob Carr seized upon the reduction in enrolments to close or amalgamate 10 Sydney public schools. Carrs 10-year premiership saw spending on public education as a proportion of the state budget drop from 25.7 percent to just over 20 percent. Labors next premier, Morris Iemma, took over where Carr left off. Teachers took strike action to oppose his plan to abolish the state-wide staffing system, a system which was underpinned by the conception that resources, including trained and qualified teachers, were distributed equitably by the government across the state. Individual public schools, increasingly constrained by ever-fewer resources, were made responsible for hiring teachers. Unsurprisingly, this hit schools in working-class areas hardest. A recent Save our Schools Australia report found that 34 percent of students enrolled in disadvantaged schools lack sufficient teaching staff, compared with 3 percent in an advantaged school. The next Labor premiers, Nathan Rees and Kristina Keneally, halved teachers sick leave, cut workers compensation and streamlined dismissal procedures. In addition, they implemented other cost cutting measures, such as making principals responsible for school maintenance and cleaning contracts. After Labor was ousted in 2011, Coalition governments for the next decade continued the dismantling of public schools while lavishly funding private schools. While educators and parents expressed their outrage last week, NSWTF president Henry Rajendra attempted to cover for the funding cut. Rajendra blamed the previous Coalition government, telling the media: It is now up to the current state government to rebuild the system by providing the additional permanent staffing and centralised support all public schools need and students deserve. Putting principals into classrooms will do nothing to alleviate the staffing shortage crisis. Surveys reveal that more than half of Australian school principals are seriously thinking of quitting their job. Unsustainable workloads, lack of time, teacher shortages, and student and teacher mental health problems are cited as sources of stress. Moreover, deputy principals already have a 50 percent teaching load, with the remaining time spent on ever-increasing administration demands. These cuts also flow from those being implemented by the federal Labor government. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare is maintaining federal-state education funding agreements under which public schools will lose $13 billion until the next review scheduled in 2030. The fight for high-quality public education with decent working conditions and pay for educators can only take place when teachers form their own rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, and take matters into their own hands. That requires a socialist perspective that rejects the subordination of education and other essential social services to the profit interests of the corporate and financial elite. We urge educators to contact the Committee for Public Education, the rank-and file network formed by the Socialist Equality Party, to discuss this perspective: Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/groups/opposeaeusellout Facebook: facebook.com/commforpubliceducation Twitter: @CFPE_Australia Protests continued at Columbia University for a third straight day Friday following the mass arrest of 108 students in a failed attempt to silence opponents of Israels genocide in Gaza. Hundreds of students continued to rally on campus around the South Lawn, where a protest encampment was destroyed by New York Police Department (NYPD) riot cops the previous day. Protests also continued outside the university gates, which have been sealed off to all those not directly affiliated with the university. Not satisfied with the results of the mass arrest, Columbia continued its brutal crackdown. Students participating in the peaceful Gaza Solidarity Encampment have not only been arrested and charged with trespassing, but Columbia has also moved forward with suspending them from the university, banning them from campus, evicting them from campus housing and confiscating belongings left at the encampment. Protesters outside Columbia University on April 19, 2024 The police raid of the campus was set off after a McCarthyite congressional hearing Tuesday in which Columbia President Nemat Shafik eagerly demonstrated her willingness to censor and intimidate students and faculty opposing the genocide. Under the bogus guise of opposing antisemitism, the Democrats, together with fascistic Republicans, have sought to make an example of university presidents deemed insufficiently aggressive in snuffing out opposition to Washingtons war aims. University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Harvard President Claudine Gay were the first casualties after previous hearings in December. With the genocidal assault on Gaza now involving direct confrontation with Iran, merging with the escalating war against Russia in Ukraine and threats against China, the ruling class is further intensifying its assault on democratic rights. Campuses around the country are moving forward with banning protests, firing pro-Palestinian faculty and expelling students who continue to oppose the US-backed assault on Gaza. However, resistance to these police state measures is also spreading. On Friday, hundreds of Yale students began an occupation of Beinecke Plaza to demand the university divest all ties to Israeli weapon manufacturing. Students at Boston University participated in a walkout Friday in solidarity with Columbia students who were arrested. At Miami University (Ohio) and the University of North Carolina, students erected their own Gaza solidarity encampments. The widespread opposition to the attack on students at Columbia is also reverberating among faculty. A statement of Columbia and Barnard chapters of the American Association of University Professors posted Friday affirmed continued support for our students right to protest and to speak freely, and for our colleagues right to teach and to write freely within their domains of expertise. We have lost confidence in our president and administration, and we pledge to fight to reclaim our University. A letter signed by dozens of Public Interest Honorees of Columbia Law School condemned the administrations repression of pro-Palestinian students and faculty and repudiated their titles. The letter stated: A university that suppresses dissent, free expression and academic inquiry, while betraying the principles of human rights and international law, places itself squarely on the wrong side of history and has no standing to give out lessons or awards in human rights. Therefore, we, the undersigned, withdraw our consent to display our names, images, and work on Columbia websites, promotional materials, or donor appeals, and decline to participate in events hosted by Columbia Law School and Columbia University until the ... student-led demands are met. Members of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in New York participated in the student protests outside Columbia Friday, which began at Frederick Douglass Circle Plaza and marched into the street, blocking traffic, to the University. On the way, NYPD had dozens of police cars out with sirens blaring and shouting at protesters to get off the street and threatening arrests. The protesters held their ground while yelling chants such as, Joe Biden is a war criminal. Once the protest arrived at the Broadway and 116th Street entrance of Columbia, dozens of police in riot gear kettled the crowd of a few hundred into a narrow area on the sidewalk lined with police barricades. Students and activists gave speeches to the crowd through a call-and-response method to amplify the speakers words due to the NYPDs ban on amplified sounds at protests. One student speaker said, We are on the right side of historyThis institution is so afraid of our message, both inside and outside of its walls, that it deploys a fascist police force to repress the voices of the majority of the world. This institution is a training ground for the ruling class. And the students have messed up its plans. Another protester, who spoke with the IYSSE, remarked, I think [the NYPD raid Thursday] is a direct reflection of the fascism that runs within our colleges administration. I think that what is happening with college students and student activists in general is reprehensible, and it should not be condoned in any way. People who come out here are doing so because theyre of conscience, and theyre doing whats right. Asked about the role of the Democratic Party, he responded, I think it shows that regardless of whatever party is in power, there is still an imperialist regime. And the different players within the political fieldMayor Eric Adams and other Democratic Party-affiliated officialstheyre just as much a part of the genocide that is happening right now as any. In a statement delivered at the protest on Friday, IYSSE representative Karsten Schneider stressed: The genocide in Gaza cannot be understood outside of its place in an emerging third world war. US imperialism is desperate to redivide the world. It aims to subjugate Russia in Ukraine, Iran in the Middle East and, ultimately, China. The pursuit of this war is incompatible with democratic forms of rule. Appeals to the Democratic Party are a dead end and can only lead to the demoralization and isolation of the protests. The fight in defense of democratic rights and against imperialist war and genocide must expand beyond the campuses. It must be rooted in the working class, independent of the Democrats and the union bureaucracies, waged through the means of class struggle and based on a revolutionary socialist program. The IYSSE, the youth movement of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP), is intervening in the protests to fight for an orientation of the movement against the genocide to the working class. Many of the political forces dominating the protests at present base themselves on conceptions that the Democratic Party can be pressured into reforms if only the protests can grow. SEP candidate for US President Joseph Kishore explained in a statement on the Columbia events the type of political perspective that is needed: The SEP asserts that the defense of democratic rights and opposition to war must be based in the working class, which produces all of societys wealth and therefore has the power to counter the reactionary conspiracies of the capitalist oligarchs. War abroad is at the same time a war on the working class at home. The SEP calls on workers to mobilize and demand an end to the persecution of students. The youth cannot fight this battle alone! They require the support of the working class as a whole. We endorse the call by Palestinian trade unions to stop production and the delivery of arms to Israel. We encourage working class action, including strikes and protests, to defend democratic rights and oppose the genocide. We call on students to turn to the working class, to take the fight against the genocide and the attack on democratic rights to the factories and workplaces. It is there that the social power exists to stop the genocide, stop the wars and end the imperialist-capitalist system! Effectively jeopardizing the right to organize any large protest in the US, the Supreme Court refused to intervene Monday to stop a lawsuit by a police officer seeking to hold a protest organizer liable for the act of one of the protesters. The Supreme Court of the United States is seen in Washington, March 26, 2024. [AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades] The case, Mckesson v Doe, was filed by an unnamed police officer against DeRay Mckesson, a Black Lives Matter activist, organizer, and podcaster. The officer claimed to have been injured when someone threw a rock or piece of concrete in the direction of police during the intense police crackdown on protests over the 2016 police murder of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Over several nights, formations of heavily armed police officers assaulted protesters and arrested nearly 200 people. There was no allegation that Mckesson personally authorized, intended or encouraged anyone to throw anything at the police during the protests. But the police officer sued Mckesson claiming that he was responsible anyway simply for having organized and directed the protest in the first place. Petitioning the Supreme Court based on his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly, attorneys for Mckesson had argued that he could not be required to pay money damages for actions by protesters he had no control over, whose actions he did not authorize or intend. In declining to hear the case, the Supreme Court formally expressed no view on the merits of the case, but the practical outcome of Mondays decision is that it leaves in place a series of extraordinary decisions by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which will allow the case against Mckesson to proceed. The Fifth Circuit, which hears appeals from federal district courts in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, has developed a reputation as the most far-right of the circuit courts of appeals, all of which are increasingly stacked with hard-right political operatives. The Fifth Circuits rulings in Mckessons case in particular constitute an outrageous provocation in defiance of clear law and precedent. In June 2023, the Fifth Circuit held that Mckesson had incited violence by organiz[ing] and direct[ing] a protest . . . such that it was likely that a violent confrontation with the police would result. In other words, Mckesson could be held liable even if he did not specifically encourage or authorize anyone to do anything violent. This formulation is especially cynical given that it is usually the police, not the protesters, who are responsible for confrontations becoming violent. According to the Fifth Circuit, Mckesson directed the protest at all times, and when demonstrators looted a grocery store for water bottles to throw at the assembled police officers, he did nothing to try to discourage this, even though he remained in charge. The Fifth Circuit also argued that Mckesson personally attempted to lead protesters onto a local interstate to obstruct traffic, a crime under Louisiana law. In deciding in favor of the officer, the Fifth Circuit overturned a 2017 decision by the district court that had originally dismissed the case against Mckesson on the well-settled grounds that protest leaders cannot be held liable for acts that they had not specifically authorized, directed, or ratified. Fifth Circuit Judge Don J. Willett dissented from a majority opinion in Mckessons case, arguing that Mckesson cannot be liable for violence unless he encouraged violence. It is not enough that he encouraged or committed unlawful-but-nonviolent actions that preceded violence. To spell it out, Willet continued, 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. And even putting that risk aside, large protestsjust like large concerts and large sporting eventstend to attract people looking for trouble. You might even say that violence is nearly always foreseeable when an organizer takes specific action by putting together a large-enough event. But if you do, it is hard to accept the majoritys theory. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) described the Fifth Circuit as endorsing a theory under which all protest leaders can find themselves on the hook for an unlawful act they did not intend, committed by an unidentified person they neither knew nor controlled, all because they were at the same protest. As for the allegation by the Fifth Circuit that Mckesson led a protest into a roadway in technical violation of traffic safety laws, the same could be said of Martin Luther King, Jr. numerous times during the Civil Rights period, together with countless protest leaders throughout US history. On this point, the Fifth Circuits decision echoes authoritarian policies in the process of being imposed at institutions like the University of Michigan, which vaguely ban anything that can be described as disruptive to normal university operations. In a statement accompanying the Supreme Courts decision not to hear the appeal, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the denial today expresses no view about the merits of Mckessons claim. This is true only in a technical legal sense, and is cold comfort in every practical and political sense. The deliberate refusal to halt the case, as the far-right majority on the Court certainly knows, gives a green light for similar lawsuits to be filed against protest organizers throughout the country, and especially in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The American legal system is notoriously costly, with hundreds of thousands of dollars of legal fees potentially accumulating over a period of years even for litigants who ultimately prevail. The case against Mckesson, for example, relates to events that took place as far back as 2016, but the case is still ongoing. The Supreme Courts refusal to halt the case gives state and local authorities, individual police officers, and well-funded far-right provocateurs a new tool for their arsenal: they can seek to bankrupt protest organizers with protracted litigation even if those lawsuits are not ultimately successful. These lawsuits can be brought even if the protest organizers who are being sued had nothing whatsoever to do with any violent activity by individual protesters (or for that matter, with provocateurs posing as protesters). Significantly, the legal issue in the case against Mckesson echoes the legal issue in one of the most famous episodes in the history of the workers movement in the US, namely the Haymarket Affair, a series of events that contributed to May Day becoming an international workers holiday. On May 4, 1886, there was a rally of thousands of workers in Chicagos Haymarket Square, demonstrating against the police killing of six striking workers the day before. As a formation of police officers attempted to disperse the crowd, a bomb exploded, leading to a bloody clash in which seven policemen and an unknown number of others died. In the wake of the incident, Chicagos most prominent working class leaders were rounded up and arrested, including a number who had spoken at the Haymarket rally itself. These leaders were charged and convicted for their role in the riot, even though the evidence never demonstrated any credible connection whatsoever between them and the bomb. Four of the eight leaders were executed on Black Friday, November 11, 1887. Mckesson, a one-time candidate for the Democratic nomination for Baltimore mayor, may have little in common politically with the socialist, anarchist, and labor militant Haymarket leaders, and unlike the Chicago Martyrs, he does not face the death penalty. But just as the victims of the Haymarket frame-ups had no demonstrable connection to the bomb that was thrown at the police in 1886, Mckesson has no demonstrable connection to a rock being thrown at the police in 2016. Allowing the case against him to proceed in the absence of any such evidence, simply because he organized the demonstration, has profoundly reactionary implications. The revival of the pseudo-legal framework of one of the most infamous travesties of justice in American history occurs amid mass disaffection from official politics and both capitalist political parties in the US, mounting labor unrest, and substantial and ongoing protests directed against the Biden administrations support for the Gaza genocide. On the same week that the Supreme Court handed down its ruling, the New York Police Department, acting on an invitation from Columbia University authorities, carried out mass arrests of students and young people staging a protest against the Israeli genocide in Gaza. Similar protests, accompanied by police efforts to suppress them, continue to break out around the country on an almost daily basis, with hundreds demonstrating yesterday at the University of Southern California against the cancellation of the speech of valedictorian Asna Tabassum on account of her prior statements critical of Israel. The Supreme Court, for its part, is increasingly seen as a discredited institution stacked with unelected political operatives. Having abolished the federal right to abortion in the summer of 2022 and currently embroiled in a historic corruption scandal, it is in the midst of carrying out a rampage against democratic rights across the board. In this context, the Supreme Court has signaled that it stands ready to ratify ever more anti-democratic methods to suppress popular opposition from the left. This was made especially clear by associate justice Samuel Alito during oral arguments in the case of an individual far-right insurrectionist on Tuesday. Pointing to a law against obstructing official proceedings that had been invoked against many participants in Trumps January 6, 2021 coup attempt, Alito provocatively asked whether pro-Palestinian protesters who blocked the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and disrupted traffic could be arrested and jailed under the same provision. The criminal provision in question carries with it a jail term of up to 20 years. As a consequence of the Supreme Courts refusal to act on Monday, McKessons case will be returned to lower courts for further proceedings. While Mckesson continues to face protracted litigation over his role in organizing a protest in 2016, the police officers who triggered that protest in the first placeone held the 37-year-old Alton Sterling down while two others shot himwere never prosecuted. The Trump Justice Department announced that no federal charges would be filed in May 2017, while Louisiana state authorities reached a similar decision in March 2018. A 6-year-old boy was orphaned by a Russian missile attack on Sinelnykove, Dnipro region, as the Russians killed his entire family. His mother, grandmother, 14-year-old older sister, and 8-year-old brother were killed in the attack. ADVERTISIMENT The boy's father died a year ago. This was announced by the head of the Dnipropetrovs'k Regional Council Mykola Lukashuk. "It is a tragedy that is hard to realize," he wrote. The child, who was made an orphan by the occupiers, was injured and is now in the regional hospital. The boy has shrapnel wounds to the jaw, burns, and a concussion. Currently, the life of the little Ukrainian is not in danger, doctors have managed to stabilize his condition. ADVERTISIMENT Lukashuk promised that the child would be helped with everything he needed. The boy has a relative on his father's side of the family - his own aunt. She is already aware of the tragedy and will arrange for guardianship. "There are no words that can describe this horror, anger and despair. Every Russian war criminal involved in the terror against Ukrainians will be punished fairly," the official added. As reported by OBOZ.UA, the terrorist state Russia fired missiles at Dnipro during a combined attack on Ukraine on April 19 in the morning, killing three and injuring 24 civilians. ADVERTISIMENT Kryvyi Rih, Synelnykove, and Pavlohrad also came under fire from the occupiers. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! From left, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (Democrat-New York), House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican-Louisiana) and President Joe Biden [AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite] In two crucial votes, the first late Thursday evening and the second on Friday, Democrats provided the necessary support to overcome objections from far-right Republicans and advance over $95 billion worth of military funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan in the House of Representatives. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has split the Biden administrations supplementary military funding request into three separate bills. He has also brought forward a fourth bill, dubbed the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act. The latter legislation would impose economic sanctions on Russia and Iran as well as organizations alleged to have engaged in trafficking fentanyl and Iranian commodities, such as oil. The sanctions bill also targets the social media platform TikTok. It would force the parent company, China-based ByteDance Ltd., to sell TikTok within a year, the alternative being a ban on TikTok in the US. Despite the fact that the critical procedural measures were introduced by Republicans, Democratic House members provided the swing votes needed to overcome objections from far-right Republicans. President Joe Biden has already indicated he will sign the war funding bills if they make it through Congress, which is expected to happen next week. The first vote took place in the House Rules Committee late Thursday evening. In a 9-3 vote, four Democrats joined five Republicans to pass the rules that set the terms of the war funding package, as well as the sanctions bill that targets Russia, Iran and TikTok. Normally, the majority party provides all of the votes required to adopt a rules package so as to bring legislation to the floor for a vote. If it fails to do so, the legislation in question normally does not advance. Thursdays vote marked the second time in the 118th Congress that Democrats bailed out Republicans in order to advance a bill to the full House. Last year, Democrats joined Republicans in providing the necessary votes to allow then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy to bring up for a floor vote a bill to raise the debt ceiling. Far-right Republican members of the House Rules CommitteeRalph Norman (South Carolina), Thomas Massie (Kentucky) and Chip Roy (Texas)all voted no on the rules package, not because they are anti-war, but because they oppose more spending without corresponding cuts to social programs. Had four Democratic members of the committeeTeresa Leger Fernandez (New Mexico), Jim McGovern (Massachusetts), Mary Gay Scanlon (Pennsylvania) and Joe Neguse (Colorado)also voted no, the rules package would have failed, delaying a vote on the war funding bills. But instead of voting no, the four Democrats joined their Republican colleagues Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (Pennsylvania), Michelle Fischbach (Minnesota), Nick Langworthy (New York), Austin Scott (Georgia) and committee Chair Michael C. Burgess (Texas) in voting to advance the bill to the House with few amendments. On Friday, the full House adopted the rules package from the committee, clearing the way for up-and-down votes on each of the bills beginning on Saturday. Fridays vote was 316-94, with the leadership in both parties, Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, voting in favor of the bill. Fascistic Republicans, including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, have endorsed a motion to vacate Speaker Johnson for bringing the bills to the floor. However, it is unlikely Johnson will lose the Speakers gavel, as Democrats, including Jeffries, have pledged to save him if he brings the war bills to the floor. Underscoring the fact that the number one priority of the Biden administration, and the Democratic Party as a whole, is global war, Democrats provided more votes for the bill on Friday than did the Republicans. The Democrats supplied 165 yes votes compared to the Republicans 151. Fifty-five Republicans voted against the rules package, while only 39 Democrats opposed it. The $95.3 billion war package closely mirrors the National Security Supplemental passed in a bipartisan vote by the Senate two months ago. However, unlike the Senate bill, the House will vote separately on funding for Ukraine, for Israel and for Taiwan. There are strong majorities in both House delegations to pass all of the bills, but small minorities in each party will vote against one or another of the separate military aid bills. The Israel bill includes $26.4 billion, most of which is slated to further arm Israeli in preparation for war with Iran. A small fraction of the aid is allotted to humanitarian assistance for Gaza. Another $8.1 billion is dedicated to preparing for war with China. This includes $4 billion in military aid to Taiwan and $3.3 billion towards submarine infrastructure and cruise missiles. The largest of the bills is the Ukraine weapons package bill. A total of $60.8 billion is earmarked for continuing the US-NATO war in Ukraine against Russia. Of the $60.8 billion, $23 billion is to be spent replenishing US arms reserves that have already been transferred to Ukraine. In an article published Friday by the Washington Post, unnamed Pentagon officials said the military infusion to Ukraine was ready to go. The New Voice of Ukraine reported Wednesday that the bill would include 155mm artillery shells used in NATO howitzer cannons and Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, which have been used to launch long-range strikes into Crimea. In a highly revealing exchange during an April 18 hearing, imperialist war propagandist Timothy Snyder and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, discussed their joint support for the Ukraine war bill. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, April 18, 2024. Ocasio-Cortez, in a video she shared on her social media account, began by thanking Snyder for his very illuminating opening remarks. She proceeded to solidarize herself with Snyder over their shared goals of defending democracy domestically and globally. The phony socialist then invited Snyder to opine on the necessity of passing aid to Ukraine as quickly as possible. Timothy Snyder Following Snyders war-mongering contribution, Ocasio-Cortez stated that US military assistance and broader global assistance to Ukraine should be one of our top geopolitical priorities, because it is the key in defending democracy geopolitically. Whether your interest is in China, whether the interest is in anywhere else, all of the focus here is in Ukraine and in supporting and ensuring that Putin and an authoritarian regime in Russia does not prevail... Concluding her full-throated support for virtually open-ended military aid to the far-right regime in Ukraine, Ocasio-Cortez added that anything that impedes the swiftness and the urgency of our ability to get that support to Ukraine is overall contributing to the volatility of our situation. On Friday morning, Israel carried out an airstrike on a military base in central Iran near one of its nuclear facilities, further widening the war in the Middle East instigated by the imperialist powers. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, with commanders and soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip, on December 25, 2023. Netanyahu has said Israel will continue with the offensive until a "final victory" achieves all of its goals. [AP Photo/Avi Ohayon/GPO] After decades of proxy conflicts throughout the Middle East, Israel and Iran have now each exchanged fire against one another from their own territory, setting a precedent for further escalation. Neither Iranian nor Israeli officials have admitted to the existence of the strikes, which were announced to the American press Thursday by White House sources on background. Commenting on the significance of the Thursday nights attack, the aggressively pro-war Wall Street Journal wrote, The strike is a message to Iran that Israel has the military capability to hit deep in its homeland, and not merely its proxy forces in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. Israel also showed it could hit a target near a nuclear facility despite the presence of the Russian S-300 missile defense system. The New York Times, for its part, wrote, The taboo against direct strikes on each others territory was now gone. If there is another round - a conflict over Irans nuclear advances, or another strike by Israel on Iranian military officers - both sides might feel more free to launch directly at the other. The article concluded, The signal sent by the decision to hit a conventional military target in Isfahan was clear: Israel demonstrated that it could pierce Isfahans layers of air defenses, many of them arrayed around key sites like the Isfahan uranium conversion facility. Fridays strike was the latest measure in a wave of escalation following Israels April 1 attack on an Iranian consulate in Syria that killed seven high-ranking Iranian military figures. US officials effectively endorsed the April 1 Israeli strike, with US deputy ambassador to the UN Robert Wood declaring that the consulate was in fact a terrorist base. After Iran retaliated against the strike on its consulate with an attack on an Israeli military base, the United States and its imperialist allies condemned Iran, imposed sanctions on it, and vowed effectively limitless support for Israel. In the subsequent week, US officials repeatedly made clear that a potential Israeli strike on Iran is an Israeli decision to make, effectively granting Israel a blank check to attack Iran. Notably, the strike took place just hours after the conclusion of a high-level US-Israeli discussion dealing with both Israels planned strike on Iran and its plans to assault Rafah, where over one million Palestinians are sheltering. In its readout of the meeting, the White House declared, The two sides agreed on the shared objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah. US participants expressed concerns with various courses of action in Rafah, and Israeli participants agreed to take these concerns into account. Behind the scenes, however, there are indications that the limited Israeli strike on Iran is in fact the prelude to a full-scale assault on Rafah. Both the Times of Israel and Haaretz, citing The New Arab have reported that the US has authorized Israel to assault Rafah as part of an agreement on Israels strike on Iran. The report in The New Arab claimed that Israel plans on dividing Rafah into four quarters, which will be conquered sequentially. Such an invasion would have disastrous consequences. In a statement Thursday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, In Gaza, six and a half months of Israeli military operations have created a humanitarian hellscape. Tens of thousands of people have been killed. Two million Palestinians have endured death, destruction, and the denial of lifesaving humanitarian aid; they are now staring down on starvation. An Israeli operation in Rafah would compound this humanitarian catastrophe. Haaretz, citing the Arabic newspaper Rai Alyoum, asserted this week that Egypt has deployed forces along the Egyptian side of the Philadelphi route and defined a neutral zone where displaced Gazans can go. According to the report, the zone is being readied to absorb 200,000 people and will have services, clinics, and food distribution points. If these reports are indeed correct, the United States not only gave Israel private authorization to carry out a strike on Iran, significantly escalating war throughout the region, but also authorizing it to carry out an assault on Rafah that would displace hundreds of thousands of peoplepotentially even onto the territory of Egypt. Whatever was said in private, the US said essentially the same thing in public, declaring that whether to strike Iran was entirely up to Israel and publicly declaring that the military defeat of Hamas in Rafah is a goal of the United States. This reality makes clear the close connection between the Gaza genocide and the US military buildup against Iran. As the World Socialist Web Site wrote on October 16, less than 10 days after the October 7 attack that was used as the pretext for the Gaza genocide, The US is using the present crisis to put into effect long-standing plans for a war with Iran, as the Middle Eastern front of the US war with Russia and war plans against China. The WSWS continued, The free rein given to Israel to commit mass murder against the population of Gaza, and the intensifying US war plans against Iran, must be seen in the context of the eruption of what is, in effect, the initial stages of a third world war. With Israel having launched an airstrike on Iranian territory and having presided over a genocide that has already killed 40,000 people in Gaza, these warnings are being rapidly confirmed. An inaugural National Defence Strategy released by the federal Labor government on Thursday accelerates a major Australian military build-up and is more explicit than previous official statements that the purpose is to prepare for a US-led war against China. The document outlines a $50 billion increase to defence spending over the decade, on top of already record military budgets, much of it directed to the acquisition of offensive weaponry. Australian military training exercise [Photo: Defence Australia] The strategy paper is the first since the release in April last year of a Defence Strategic Review (DSR). Commissioned by Labor shortly after it assumed office in May 2022, the DSR called for an overhaul of the entire structure of defence to ready it for a major war in the Indo-Pacific. As part of this, the DSR, whose recommendations were accepted in full by the government, mandated the development of a biannual defence strategy, modeled on similar war planning conducted by the Pentagon. The document begins by bluntly declaring: The Defence Strategic Review identified a new strategic reality for Australia. It observed that, while conflict in the Indo-Pacific is not inevitable, Australia faces its most complex and challenging strategic environment since the Second World War. Its entire thrust, however, is to prepare for such a conflict. This is framed in terms of deterrence, but Australias rapid military expansion, part of a US-led build-up throughout the region, clearly increases the likelihood of war. The prospect of such a conflict is presented in terms of a broader growth of tensions and war globally. The strategy notes that the optimism at the end of the Cold War has been replaced by the uncertainty and tensions. That is a reference to the bogus claims that the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union had resulted in an end of history, ushering in a new epoch of capitalist development presided over by American imperialism. Instead, the document points to flashpoints everywhere. That includes the war in Ukraine and what is described as conflict in the Middle East. The strategy repeats Washingtons talking points, denouncing Russias illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine. In reality, what is underway is a US-NATO proxy war, provoked and instigated by Washington and its allies. Under conditions of US-backed Israeli aggression against Iran, the document features prominently a denunciation of Iran as a threat to the global rules-based order. Israels genocidal war against the Palestinians in Gaza, backed by the imperialist powers, including the Labor government, is not explicitly mentioned. Turning to the Indo-Pacific, it states: Increasing strategic competition between the US and China is a primary feature of Australias security environment and will likely have the greatest impact on the regional strategic balance. While it has global implications, this competition is sharpest and most consequential in the Indo-Pacific. Unlike in previous years, the document breaks diplomatic norms of issuing accusations, without naming the accused. Instead it openly claims that China has employed coercive tactics throughout the region. The strategy then lists the US litany of allegations against Beijing, including over its territorial disputes in the South China Sea and its activities in the Indo-Pacific. In reality, these flashpoints have been deliberately inflamed by the US. Chinas military activities have had a primarily defensive character. They have been a response to a vast US build-up initiated in 2011 with a pivot to Asia, and since accompanied by open declarations from Washington that it is targeting China because it is the chief threat to American capitalisms geopolitical and economic global dominance. Having pointed to competition between the US and China in the region, the document hails the fact that The US is deepening its engagement with its Indo-Pacific partners and allies. It presents the US alliance as the pillar of Australian foreign policy, and the framework within which all other relations are being developed. That includes the AUKUS military pact with the US and Britain, as well as regional and bilateral agreements with other US allies such as Japan. In that context, the document codifies a new defence strategy, first pointed to in the DSR. It states: National Defence is a coordinated, whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach to meet the strategic challenges Australia faces, including the threat of conflict and the prospect of coercion. It is much broader than the previous military strategic concept of Defence of Australia: it harnesses all arms of Australias national power to establish a holistic, integrated and focused approach to protect our security and advance our Interests. The references to a whole-of-nation approach foreshadow the subordination of all aspects of society to the war drive. The document repeatedly references the need to align universities and sections of industry more directly with the needs of the military. It echoes previous statements by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the necessity of developing a war economy, including through secure supply chains, expanded domestic weapons production and select manufacturing. The document states that the new doctrine will be achieved by increasing the range and lethality of all branches of defence, as well as its interoperability, i.e., integration with the US war machine. Most of those capabilities that are outlined have been announced over the past year by the Labor government, particularly since the release of the DSR. They include an overhaul of the Navy, through the purchase of new warships, and a recalibration of the army, which will be oriented to preparing for littoral conflict in the Indo-Pacific. All branches of the military, it has already been announced, will be equipped with missiles, some of them medium-range which will eventually be capable of firing up to a thousand kilometres. The north of the continent will continue to be militarised, including through the expansion of existing bases. The region is being transformed into a launching pad for offensive operations throughout the Indo-Pacific, including with expansions of runways and the development of fuel storage capabilities to enable US bombers, as well as American and Australia fighter jets, to be deployed from there. The document touts AUKUS as the centrepiece of this expansion. That includes the plan for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the US at the beginning of the next decade, and then to build further vessels in collaboration with the British. US and British nuclear-powered subs will establish a permanent basing arrangement in Western Australia, on the Indian Ocean, far sooner. While it will become operational in 2027, the document notes that US subs have already begun rotating through the Stirling Naval Base near Perth. The strategy is presented as one of denial, with the argument being that adversaries will not take actions against US and Australian interests if they know they will be met with sufficient military force. Even within the document, however, the phony character of this line is clear, with operations and capabilities outlined that are of a plainly offensive character. They include, for instance: [A]mphibious capable combined-arms land system, enabled by Navy and Air Force combat capabilities and supported by Navys amphibious capability, to optimise the Army for littoral manoeuvre and control of strategic land positions And maritime capabilities for sea denial and localised sea control operations that provide Defence with the ability to deny the use of an area of the sea when needed and provide the ADF with freedom of action. Both are in line with AirSea Battle plans outlined by the Pentagon, which in addition to strikes on the Chinese mainland, would centre on control of key shipping lanes upon which Beijing relies for vital supplies. The increased funding for the military was described by Defence Minister Richard Marles as the biggest commitment, in terms of increasing the defence budget over the forward estimates, in decades. Some $5.4 billion additional monies have been allocated in the next four years, on top of existing spending, which is already just above $50 billion a year. That is to be followed by a $45 billion increase over the last six years of the decade. Defence spending is forecast to reach $100 billion, equivalent to 2.4 percent of national GDP, by 2034. As in the US and globally, vast sums are being allocated to the war machine. Labor, during its two years in office, has imposed the cost-of-living crisis of the backs of working people, while enforcing budget restraint in key areas of social spending, including the crisis ridden public healthcare and education systems. The further increase to defence spending means that the austerity offensive against the working class will only intensify. The response to the strategy has been mixed, with some media commentators close to the national security establishment issuing criticisms. This has included complaints that much of the additional funding is not in the forward estimates, and that many of the new offensive capabilities touted by the government will not be operational for at least several years. A comment in the Australian Financial Review complained that while the strategy outlined a whole-of-nation effort and the need to reverse a defence recruitment crisis, it did not mention mobilisation. That is a clear reference to discussions in the political establishment about the need for conscription. The strategy, as well as the response, underscore the fact that the ruling elite and its political representatives, above all Labor, are tobogganing towards a catastrophic war that would threaten the very existence of humanity. In New Caledonias capital Noumea on Saturday, April 13, two rival demonstrations took place, triggered by changes to the Pacific colonys electoral rolls that are being pushed through the French parliament. The protests followed weeks of unrest and rising tensions with demonstrations involving tens of thousands. Organisers claimed that as many as 58,000 pro-independence and 35,000 pro-France marchers took part in the latest protests, under heavy security surveillance with police reinforcements from France. If accurate, the figures account for 34 percent of New Caledonias population of 270,000 and are the largest such gatherings since the civil war conditions that erupted in the 1980s. Protest in Noumea, New Caledonia, April 2024 [Photo: CCAT] One of the marches was organised by a pro-independence coordination committee (CCAT) close to Union Caledonienne (UC), part of the pro-independence FLNKS umbrella that claims to represent indigenous Kanaks. The other was called by two right-wing pro-France parties, the Rassemblement and Les Loyalistes. The constitutional amendment proposes to change eligibility rules to allow citizens who have lived in the territory for at least 10 uninterrupted years to vote in local elections for the provincial assemblies and local Congress, or parliament. The change will open the door to up to an estimated 40,000 more voters, shifting the overall balance away from indigenous Kanaks as more French nationals become eligible to vote. Under the 1998 Noumea Accord, New Caledonias local elections restricted voting rights to citizens born or who had resided there before 1998. The Accord was brokered by the then Socialist Party government in Paris as a compromise between the independence and anti-independence factions. While setting out a long-term process for a series of independence referenda, the agreements also gave limited influence to a privileged Kanak layer. Money was poured into building a Kanak infrastructure, training public servants and establishing a base for this social layer in the lucrative mining industry. Now, under conditions of intensifying social and class conflicts, both factions of the ruling elite are seeking to exploit the latest constitutional moves to channel class anger into different forms of nationalism. Opponents say the measure could make indigenous Kanaks a minority on their own land and denounce the process as forced upon them by Paris. Congress Chairman Roch Wamytan told the pro-independence rally that the French State is no longer impartial. It has touched a taboo and we must resist. Unfreezing this electoral roll is leading us to death. The pro-France parties marching in support of the amendment meanwhile brandished French tricolour flags, sang La Marseillaise and claimed one man, one vote on their banners. Other signs read This is our home!, Unfreeze democracy and proud to be Caledonians, proud to be French. The Accord is entrenched within the French constitution, so a constitutional change is required. This process began with a vote in the French Senate on April 2 and has gone to the National Assembly for debate before a vote in Congress, a gathering of both Houses, with a required majority of three fifths to pass. New Caledonias provincial elections have been postponed from May to mid-December. The French government is determined to impose the measure as part of its efforts to tighten Paris grip on the colony following French President Emmanuel Macrons visit last July. Frances Home Affairs and Overseas Minister Gerald Darmanin, who initiated the constitutional process, has visited Noumea half a dozen times over the past 12 months to garner support for it. Macrons 2023 trip was designed to assert Frances imperialist interests as a Pacific power. It coincided with a surge of diplomatic manoeuvres across the region ramping up Washingtons warmongering against China. Frances strategically placed territory is vital to this agenda. The island hosts a major French military basewhich is to receive a boost to troop deployments and a new training academyand holds nearly a quarter of the worlds reserves of nickel, essential in the manufacture of stainless steel and in the defence industry. In Noumea, Macron bluntly told those in favour of separatism they should accept the pro-France victory in the final referendum on independence held in December 2021. After these three referendums, I do not underestimate the disappointed hopes of those who backed a completely different project, Macron said. But I say to them all, together we all have to have the grace to accept these results and to build the future together. The current tensions, however, reveal that none of the issues around independence have been resolved. Three referenda were held over five years. In the first two, 57 and 53 percent rejected independence. The final referendum was widely viewed as illegitimate. With a 40 percent voter turnout, it resulted in a 97 percent vote against secession after Kanaks boycotted the process amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Full independence has always been strenuously resisted by the French ruling class. New Caledonia has been on the United Nations so-called decolonisation list since 1986, when French elite troops brutally put down a Kanak insurrection. Frances voting record at the UN shows that Paris repeatedly abstains on resolutions on decolonisation and self-determination. The constitutional crisis comes at a time of escalating economic and social tensions. As global nickel prices tumble, New Caledonias crucial nickel mining and smelting industry is in turmoil, faced with increasing competition from emerging world producers such as Indonesia and China which are producing much cheaper nickel. Last month, one of the three major processing plants, Koniambo (KNS), was idled due to a decision by its major financier, the Anglo-Swiss giant Glencore, which is seeking a potential buyer for its 49 percent shareholding. The two other plants, Prony Resources and Societe le Nickel (SLN), are facing similar crises. The French government and its Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who visited New Caledonia in November 2023, are demanding that a nickel pact be signed by all local players. The plan which involves French financial assistance amounting to 200 million euros would be tied to far-reaching reforms to make New Caledonias nickel competitive under world market conditions. The industry until recently employed about a quarter of the total workforce. Hundreds of jobs have already been axed with thousands more at risk. Clashes have erupted between security forces and protesters opposed to the pact. On April 9, clashes involving firearms, teargas and stone-throwing went on for most of the day, blocking access roads to Noumea and the towns of Saint-Louis and Mont-Dore. Miners, processing workers, truck drivers, airport workers and others have repeatedly engaged in militant struggles to defend jobs and conditions. This has brought them into conflict with the entire ruling elite, including the privileged layer represented by the FLNKS, which seeks a larger slice of the economic pie and a greater political say. Workers struggles have been sold out by the trade unions. Noumea is a polarised capital, where many low-paid workers live in slum conditions. Kanaks, who make up 44 percent of the population are socially disenfranchised, with many living in primitive, subsistence circumstances in rural villages. As ordinary people reel from escalating living costs, both the local government led by President Louis Mapoua pro-independence Kanak politician from the National Union for Independence, part of FLNKSand the rival anti-independence forces all stand on the side of the business elite, opposing any meaningful measures to end poverty and inequality. The FLNKS is asking that the constitutional amendment be withdrawn and that a French dialogue missionsimilar to the delegations sent by Paris before the signing of the Noumea Accord headed by a high, recognised and independent officialshould come and negotiate a compromise. According to the FLNKS, dialogue, a consensual solution and a comprehensive agreement are still feasible. Paris, however, is unlikely to accommodate. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden expects that military aid to Ukraine will begin "immediately" after the bill with additional funding is approved by Congress. The US President promised that he would immediately sign the bill into law. ADVERTISIMENT This was announced at a briefing on Friday, April 19, by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She reminded that the US administration has repeatedly called on lawmakers to approve aid to Kyiv as soon as possible. When asked by journalists how soon Washington would start supplying Ukraine with military aid after the Congress' decision, Jean-Pierre said: "Immediately". "We have repeatedly said that Ukrainians have lost territory due to the inaction of the Congress. We are very grateful that Congress is moving forward and on a bipartisan basis. We want the aid package to be approved by Congress and the Senate and get to the president's desk. And he will sign it immediately," she added. Jean-Pierre noted that the United States cannot allow Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to achieve his goal of taking over Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT "We know what happens when you don't stop a tyrant and a dictator. And we cannot allow history to repeat itself again," she concluded. Earlier, Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova said that after the bill on assistance to Ukraine is passed in Congress, Washington will be able to quickly start supplying weapons to our military. According to her, it will be a matter of days or weeks. As reported by OBOZ.UA, the House of Representatives will vote on the aid package for our country on Saturday, April 20, at approximately 20:20-20:30 Kyiv time. The issue of aid to Ukraine comes right after the bill on aid to Israel. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The target of the Israeli strike on Iran on the morning of April 19 was an Iranian military base near a nuclear facility, not the facility itself, as previously reported by the media. The base is located near the city of Natanz in Isfahan Province. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by Fox News with reference to high-ranking military sources in the United States. The journalists' interlocutors clarified that several strikes were made on the main target of the Israelis. According to the sources, Iran's Russian-made air defense system was ineffective. "The Israelis hit what they intended to hit," the source said. According to the newspaper, Israel targeted air defense systems at the military base, which are used to protect nearby nuclear facilities. The IDF used missiles and drones to carry out the strikes. According to the source, the Israelis wanted to convince the Iranians that they "can reach out and touch" them. ADVERTISIMENT Early in the morning of April 19, Israel launched missiles in response to Iran's strike. Flights to Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz were suspended after reports of an explosion. Iranian authorities said that air defense systems were activated in several areas, "shooting down several drones" and denied information about a missile attack on the country. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that Iran's nuclear facilities were not damaged during the Israeli attack. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Another European Monarch Is Planning to Abdicate Find Out Who There might be another change of reign on the royal calendar in Europe Olivier Matthys/Getty (From left) King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Henri Grand Duke of Luxembourg and King Philip of Belgium at the Royal Palace in Belgium on June 5, 2018. Queen Margrethe of Denmark kicked off the year by making history as the first Danish monarch to voluntarily step down from the throne in nearly 900 years, and another sovereign is reportedly toying with the same idea. In a new interview with La Libre, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg said he "intends to retire at some point," but didnt reveal when it might happen. The throne is poised to pass to his eldest son and destined successor, Prince Guillaume. "All this is planned in family consultation. I find that it is very important to give young people a perspective," Grand Duke Henri told the French outlet in an interview published on April 16, his 69th birthday, according to The Daily Beast. "There are plans, it will happen," he continued and there already may be a date. Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Prince Guillaume of Luxemnbourg and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg attend the military parade of National Day on June 23, 2022 in Luxembourg. Related: Queen Margrethe Beams in New Portraits for Her First Birthday Since Historic Abdication When La Libre asked the duke if he had chosen a date for his abdication, he reportedly replied, "Yes, but I wont tell you that!" I am a happy man. But I could not choose my destiny, Grand Duke Henri was further quoted as saying. Henri acceded in October 2000 when his father, Grand Duke Jean, abdicated at age 79 following a 35-year reign. The head of state of Luxembourg (population: 672,050) is styled as Grand Duke or Duchess, and voluntary abdication has become somewhat of an informal pattern. Grand Duke Jean inherited the throne when his mother Grand Duchess Charlotte abdicated in 1964, and she stepped up into the royal role when her elder sister, Grand Duchess Marie-Adelaide, abdicated in 1919. Sylvain Lefevre/Getty (From left) Princess Stephanie of Luxembourg and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg arrive for the civil ceremony of Princess Alexandra's wedding to Nicolas Bagory on April 22, 2023 at Luxembourg City Hall. Related: Royal Baby Alert! Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg Is Pregnant with Her First Child Grand Duke Henri and his wife, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, are parents to five adult children, Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Prince Felix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra and Prince Sebastien and grandparents to seven. Prince Guillaume, 42, is next in the line of succession, followed his young sons Prince Charles, 3, and Prince Francois, 1, whom he shares with his wife, Princess Stephanie. The royal family of Luxembourg, which Forbes ranks as one of the wealthiest countries in the world, is further set to expand when Princess Alexandra and her husband Nicholas Bagory welcome their first baby, due this spring. Sylvain Lefevre/Getty (From left) Prince Louis of Luxembourg, Princess Claire of Luxembourg and Prince Felix of Luxembourg, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Princess Stephanie, Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg, Prince Sebastien of Luxembourg before the official dinner for National Day on June 23, 2018. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Whether his intentions of abdication loom near or far, Grand Duke Henri spent his 69th birthday in a dedicated way: at work. The royal and his wife paid a state visit to Belgium from April 16 to April 18 at the invitation of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, and they capped the first day with a glamorous banquet at the Royal Castle of Laeken. Grand Duke Henri and King Philippe, 64, are first cousins and share back-to-back birthdays. The two got the birthday festivities started by blowing out candles on a raspberry tart in a snap the Belgian Royal Palace shared to Instagram on April 15. Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Getty (From left) Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, King Philippe of Begium, and Grand Duchesse Maria Teresa of Luxembourg at a gala dinner at the Royal Castle of Laeken on April 16, 2024. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Barron Trump May Be Breaking This Trump Tradition With His Surprising First Choice for College The youngest Trump kid is about to make his first big step in life: where hell attend college. For quite some time now, people have wondered if Donald Trump and Melania Trumps son Barron Trump will be following in one of their footsteps during his collegiate years. Would he go to the Wharton School like his dad and siblings, or go to a college in his mothers home country of Slovenia? Well, it seems Barron may be making a different path for himself. A recent report from the Daily Beast said that New York University is actually at the top of Barrons list, meaning hed be back in his hometown and be only a few miles away from Trump Tower. More from SheKnows Despite his half-siblings going to schools connected to their father, NYU is truly shocking, and it may anger Donald, considering how much he holds Ivy League schools in high regard. However, things may change, and he may want to go somewhere else. Its still unknown what he wishes to study, but were sure hell be able to find the right place. Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Barron Trump. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. Back in Sept 2023, Donald claimed that The University of Pennsylvania, the Wharton School, was a possibility for Barron during an interview with Megyn Kelly. Barrons very tall about six-eight. And, hes a good kid. Hes a good-looking kid. Hes a great student, very good student, Donald said, adding that he and Melania are looking at the possibility of Barron attending the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Barron Trump. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. For those who dont know, Donald has five children in total. He and his first wife, the late Ivana Trump, welcomed three children named Donald Jr., born in 1977, Ivanka, born in Oct 1981, and Eric, in 1984. Donald and his second wife Marla Maples welcomed a daughter named Tiffany, born in Oct 1993. Donald Jr and Ivanka went to their dads alma mater, University of Pennsylvania, and Tiffany went for her bachelors. The only other sibling to not attend University of Pennsylvania is Eric, who attended Georgetown University (but so did Tiffany for her Doctor of Law). However, Donald has a connection to that university as well, but NYU? Not so much. Donald welcomed his fifth child named Barron, born in March 2006, with his current wife Melania, and now, his youngest is searching for the perfect college. Before you go, click here to see the biggest presidential scandals in US History. Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton Best of SheKnows Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Man Who Set Himself On Fire Outside Trump's Trial Reveals Shocking Motive In His Political Manifesto A man set himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump's trial took place today, citing political motives in a manifesto. The individual, identified as Max Azzarello, is alive but critically injured. Police witnessed him douse himself with a liquid before igniting. Responders at the scene helped extinguish the fire. Azzarello's pamphlets and social media posts hint at conspiracy theories, but officials don't believe he targeted anyone specific. Man Who Set Himself On Fire Outside Donald Trump's Trial Explains Reason In A Manifesto Instagram | Max Azzarello According to reports, a recently emerged manifesto attributed to the man who set himself on fire outside the lower Manhattan courthouse where Trump's hush money trial takes place appears to be purely driven by political motives. Identified as Max Azzarello, he allegedly maintains a Substack page titled "The Ponzi Papers," with his latest entry titled: "I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial." In the opening lines, Azzarello declares his extreme act as a means to spotlight a pressing revelation, writing: "My name is Max Azzarello, and I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery." He continued, boldly asserting: "We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup." The manifesto includes references to a complex conspiracy involving cryptocurrencies and governmental collusion, echoing themes from Azzarello's recent social media activity. "I hope you know how powerful you are. I wish you a hell of a lot more than luck," he concluded the lengthy manifesto. Man Who Set Himself On Fire Is 'Alive And Intubated' But In Critical Condition Instagram | Max Azzarello New York authorities have confirmed that Azzarello is alive but in critical condition. During an afternoon press briefing following the incident, chief of the New York Police Department, Jeffrey Maddrey, explained: "At 1.30 this afternoon we observed a male walk into the center of the park, he starts shuffling around his clothes, he opens up a book bag, takes numerous pieces of paper, he throws the pamphlets throughout the park and then he pulls out a canister and put some kind of liquid on himself, and he lights himself on fire." "Civilians, court officers, members of the police department, they run into the park, they make efforts to put him out, they use their coats, they use fire extinguishers. Eventually, the fire department of New York responders was able to extinguish the fire," Maddrey recounted. Eventually, responders from the New York Fire Department successfully put out the fire, and Azzarello was reported to be "alive and intubated" at the burn center of New York's Cornell Medical Center. The Shocking Scene As The Man Set Himself On Fire Outside Donald Trump's Court Trial A view from above of the man who set himself on fire in NYC. pic.twitter.com/8T1iJyFgQE Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) April 20, 2024 The incident unfolded just as Judge Juan Merchan was adjourning for lunch on the third day of Trump's fraud trial, near a section of the plaza where small groups of protesters had been gathering daily since the trial commenced on Monday, except Wednesday's break. Video footage broadcasted live showed Azzarello kneeling on the ground, his arms waving frantically as flames consumed him. Television commentators narrated the distressing scene as several police officers and a civilian rushed towards him. Amid the chaos, one individual attempted to smother the flames with a coat or blanket while another wielded a fire extinguisher. Azzarello remained motionless after the fire was extinguished and was subsequently attended to by paramedics. A bystander who witnessed the event expressed shock, stating, "He made a noise and he threw all those pamphlets. It's shocking. There are some people crying in the park. There's just nothing you can do." Donald Trump's Trial Was Likely Not A Direct Motivation For Max Azzarello's Actions MEGA Joseph Kenny, chief of detectives for the NYPD, remarked that Azzarello's pamphlets and social media posts suggested that the trial served as a backdrop rather than a direct motivation for his actions. Kenny described the pamphlet as propaganda-driven, stating: "The pamphlet seems to be propaganda-based, almost like a conspiracy-theory-type of the pamphlet, some information in regards to Ponzi schemes, and the fact that some of our local educational institutes are a front for the mob." Max Azzarello Labeled A 'Conspiracy Theorist' By The Authorities View this post on Instagram A post shared by Max Azzarello (@dipshit_secrets) Kenny revealed that Azzarello, who hails from St. Augustine, Florida, had no criminal history in New York and was not previously known to authorities. Tarik Sheppard, deputy commissioner of the NYPD, emphasized that detectives did not perceive Azzarello's actions as targeting any specific individual or group, including Trump or his supporters. "We just right now labeled him as a sort of conspiracy theorist, and we'll go from there, but the investigation will continue," he said. Adriano Pedrosa, artistic director of the 60th edition of the Venice Biennale, in front of the exhibitions central pavilion, which was intervened by Amazonian collective MAKHU. The historically excluded have taken the reins at the Venice Biennale. The foremost event in the world of contemporary art opens the doors of its 60th edition on Saturday in the Italian city with a celebration of the immigrant, the foreigner, the queer and the Indigenous, in the words of its Brazilian artistic director Adriano Pedrosa. The curator has devised an itinerary guided by a new ideal of the imperative decolonialization of culture. The vast majority of selected artists 200, from other historical eras, and 100, contemporary hail from the global south. Hardly any of them had present at the event before, and many are true unknowns. Pedrosas edition is an invitation to sit with all that has been ignored throughout the biennales 130-year history and, by the art world and society as a whole. Pedrosa, director of the Sao Paulo Art Museum (MASP), is the first Latin American to assume this role, one of the most coveted positions in the cultural sector. He is also the first openly queer curator to lead the biennale. And, the first to travel to countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola, Indonesia, Guatemala and Paraguay to search for artists, a list admirable in its geographic scope. I felt I had a mission, he said on Monday as he put the finishing touches on the exhibition. In truth, non-Western art and pieces made in collective have counted with high-profile presence in recent events, such as Documenta 2022 and the Sao Paulo Biennial 2023, which featured 80% non-white artists. But their prominence in a biennale as canonical and Eurocentric as Venice implies a certain consecration. It is natural that these are increasingly dominant themes, because they mark our current moment. I wanted to make a proposal that was very political, but also very poetic, says Pedrosa. A video installation by South African artist Gabrielle Goliath, in the Venice Biennales central pavilion. Jacopo Salvi At the Giardinis central pavilion, the nuclear white of its neoclassical building has been replaced by a colorful motif representing the flora and fauna of the Amazon, the work of the MAHKU collective of artists from the huni kuin culture, which originated on the border of Brazil and Peru. This editions theme, Foreigners Everywhere, denounces the displacement of subaltern identities, but also praises the creativity that emanates from their marginality. The biennales main exhibition, which traditionally consolidates a major art world trend, proposes an alternative genealogy of the art of the last two centuries (particularly, the 20th) through a back-and-forth exchange between historical eras that eludes the tutelary figures of European modernity. The south, for once, occupies the position of the north. This years itinerary opens with a tribute to the exiled people of the world, a work by Egyptian artist Nil Yalter, who will receive the biennales 2024 Golden Lion Award alongside Anna Maria Maiolino in recognition of their lengthy careers. In the next gallery, dozens of abstract objects created outside of Europe hang, from the asymmetric geometries of Turkeys Fahrelnissa Zeid to the sensuous volumes of Cubas Zilia Sanchez. They are hybrids of European teachings and local traditions, an artistic attitude that Pedrosa unironically compares to cannibalism. A little further on, a corridor strings together Louis Fratinos queer portraits with Dean Sameshimas photos of gay porn theaters and a series by Miguel Angel Rojas on cruising in a 1970s Bogota theater. Later comes the naif art of two Guatemalans, grandfather and granddaughter Andres and Rosa Elena Curruchich, who documented everyday life in their community. So too did Haitians Seneque and Philomene Obin, creators of delicate vignettes depicting their daily rituals, and Yanomami painters, whose works arrived from the Amazon. An installation by Maori collective Mataaho, in the Italian citys Arsenale. Marco Zorzanelli In the Italian citys Arsenale, a monumental historic complex of shipyards and armories, the Maori collective Mataaho welcomes visitors with a wink at the optical games of Brazilian artist Lygia Pape. Moroccos Bouchra Khalili invites several migrants to paint their routes of exile on a map. Spains Ivan Argote presents a decolonial fiction in which a monument to Columbus is transported in a truck through the streets of Madrid, observing the dazed reaction of passers-by. And Mexicos Barbara Sanchez Kane presents several military mannequins whose uniforms poorly conceal the fine lingerie they wear underneath. The tale of this biennale, which favors catalogue over interpretation, draws a world of invisible alliances between subjected individuals and groups of different kinds, who share only their transversal condition of exclusion. At times, the comparison becomes unintelligible, as in contrasting Aloises art brut, which inspired Breton and Dubuffet, with Liz Collins modern tapestries, fantasies of queer utopia. Or, upon confronting the anodyne portraits by Giulia Andreani alongside a delicate mural on textile by Madge Gill, an autodidact who painted under hypnosis during the first half of the 20th century. Adriano Pedrosa, biennial curator: Im aware of not having made an exhibition of landscapes, but rather, politics. I am not afraid of controversy, it is natural In another gallery in the same complex, Pedrosa has exhibited dozens of works by Italian artists who emigrated to the rest of the world on the legendary concrete-and-glass easels designed by Lina Bo Bardi, the Roman architect who went into exile in Brazil following World War II. It is possible to see the political commentary in this gesture regarding the Italy of prime minister Giorgia Meloni, to whom Pedrosa seems to offer a reminder of how her compatriots were themselves the undesirables in other places and times. Its a provocation, admits the curator. I am aware of not having made an exhibition about landscapes, of having chosen a political theme. I am not afraid of controversy, it is natural. It forms part of the process if you are interested in dealing with contemporary issues. The gallery dedicated to abstraction in the global south, with Ione Saldanhas hanging bamboos. Jacopo Salvi Geopolitical context has certainly entered into this edition of the biennale, as per usual in Venice. After the self-suspension of the exhibition of Israeli artist Ruth Patir, a hundred protestors demonstrated on Wednesday in front of the Israel and United States pavilions, which happen to be neighbors. The former was renamed the genocide pavilion by protestors. Hours earlier, the biennales new president, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, had said of its non-opening. To quote Magritte, this is not a pavilion. It is an artistic fact, it is the genius of art in knowing how to find a response, said the journalist and writer, who is a supporter of Meloni and Matteo Salvini, vice president of the Italian council of ministers, and was an ultra-right militant in his youth. If the biennale itself has maintained a much-criticized neutral stance, in various exhibitions, winks at solidarity with Palestine abound. A large mural work by Mexicos Frieda Toranzo Jaeger includes several watermelons, symbol of the Palestinian resistance. The Archivos de la desobediencia (Archives of disobedience) by Perus Daniela Ortiz contains such reference, as does Sandra Gamarras work in the Spanish pavilion, which displays a Paul B. Preciado quote that compares Palestine to a trans body, a colony whose extension and form are only perpetrated through violence. Politics are even found in the Vaticans pavilion, which has been installed in a womens prison on the island of Giudecca; the inmates themselves guide visitors through the exhibition. At the end of April, they will receive a visit from Pope Francisco. This is in itself a novelty: It will be the first time in its history that the biennale will receive the Catholic churchs highest authority. With all due respect, he is still just another foreigner. Translated by Caitlin Donohue. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Higher Forces Constructor: Enrique Henestroza Anguiano Editor: Amanda Rafkin April 20, 2024 What I Learned from Todays Puzzle DON'T SPEAK (35A: No Doubt song with the lyric "I know just what you're saying") "DON'T SPEAK" is a 1996 hit song by the rock band No Doubt, from their album, Tragic Kingdom. The song was written by No Doubt's lead singer, Gwen Stefani, and her brother Eric Stefani. Interesting fact: Although "DON'T SPEAK" reached the top of many charts, it did not chart on Billboard's Hot 100. This is because it was never released as a commercial single, and at the time that was a requirement for songs on the Hot 100. Random Thoughts & Interesting Things WHEN (1A: "___ Doves Cry" (Prince hit)) "WHEN Doves Cry" is a song from Prince's 1984 album, Purple Rain. "WHEN Doves Cry" was Prince's first song to reach the top Billboard's Hot 100 chart. In addition to singing the song, Prince also played all of the instruments on the song's track. Thanks for this earworm, puzzle. "Why do we scream at each other? / This is what it sounds like / WHEN doves cry..." TRIPE (15A: Menudo ingredient) In Mexican cuisine, menudo is a soup made of TRIPE in a broth with a red chili pepper base. TRIPE is the stomach lining from cattle, pigs, or sheep. It takes a long time to cook, making the preparation of menudo a lengthy undertaking. There is also a stew in Filipino cuisine known as menudo, but it does not include TRIPE. ASIA (16A: Nepal's continent) Nepal is a landlocked country in South ASIA. It borders India and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The capital of Nepal is Kathmandu. Most of Nepal is located in the Himalayas. Mount Everest, Earth's highest above-sea-level mountain, is located on the China-Nepal border. RELIC (18A: Buddha's Tooth, e.g.) According to Sri Lankan legends, when the Buddha died (543 BCE) his body was cremated, but his left canine tooth was retrieved from the funeral pyre by Khema, one of his disciples. The tooth is a venerated sacred RELIC. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth RELIC, located in Kandy, Sri Lanka, houses Buddha's Tooth. TAROT (25A: Deck with the Judgement card) A TAROT deck is the most commonly used deck for cartomancy (fortune-telling using a deck of cards). A TAROT deck traditionally contains 78 cards, which are divided into the Major Arcana (22 cards without suits), and the Minor Arcana (56 cards in four suits batons, coins, cups, and swords). Judgement is a Major Arcana card. ART (39A: "It's more an ___ than a science") I enjoyed this clue. "It's more an ART than a science," is a phrase that is used to describe something that is perhaps not as exact or quantifiable as people might think. SALLY (47A: Novelist Rooney) SALLY Rooney is an Irish novelist. Her books include Conversations with Friends (2017), Normal People (2018), and Beautiful World, Where Are You (2021). Her first two novels have been adapted for TV. SALLY Rooney has a new book, titled Intermezzo, that will be released in September. You know I am a fan of this answer! AVE (65A: Pennsylvania in D.C., for one) The White House is located on Pennsylvania AVE. in Washington, D.C. The abbreviation D.C. in the clue alerts solvers that the answer will be an abbreviation. HABIT TRACKER (10D: Record with daily checklists and streaks) A HABIT TRACKER is any system that helps you keep track of daily progress. It might be an online app, or a physical checklist. The idea of a HABIT TRACKER is to help visualize progress in developing a HABIT, and provide motivation. Do you have a streak for solving the USA TODAY crossword? That's a type of HABIT TRACKER. LION (12D: Simba or Kimba, in animation) Simba is a LION in Disney's animated movie The LION King. Kimba is a LION in the anime series Kimba the White LION. Kimba is new to me, but since the clue gives two examples, I was able to arrive at the correct answer by being familiar with Simba. My cat, Willow, is always happy to see her big cat relatives in the puzzle. The other day, Willow put herself in a basket. Willow in a basket ROSARIO (23D: "Ahsoka" actress Dawson) Ahsoka, also known as Star Wars: Ahsoka, is a TV series created for Disney+. The show is a spin-off from The Mandalorian. ROSARIO Dawson stars as the titular character. She also played the role of Ahsoka in The Mandalorian. PERU (30D: Arequipa's country) The South American country PERU is divided into 26 administrative units: 24 departments, plus the Constitutional Province of Callao and the Province of Lima. Lima is the country's capital. Each of the 24 departments of PERU are subdivided into provinces and districts. Arequipa is a department in southwestern PERU. Arequipa is also the name of a province in the Arequipa region, as well as the name of that province's capital city. The city of Arequipa is the second largest city in PERU, after Lima. GUAVA (53D: The "G" in Hawaiian POG juice) POG stands for Passion Orange GUAVA. POG juice was created in Hawaii in 1971. GETS (57D: "Whatever Lola wants, Lola ___") "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola GETS" is a song from the Tony Award-winning 1955 Broadway musical Damn Yankees. Many artists have done versions of the song, including Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Carmen McRae. The song has an interesting history. The saying, "Whatever Lola wants, Lola GETS," was inspired by Spanish dancer and courtesan Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld (1821-1861), better known by her stage name Lola Montez. ANI (59D: Singer DiFranco) ANI DiFranco is a singer-songwriter, activist, and feminist icon. Her lyrics are "often autobiographical, and strongly political." ANI DeFranco created Righteous Babe Records in 1990 in order to be able to release her own records without being beholden to a record company. All of her albums have been released on Righteous Babe. ANI DiFranco's most recent album, Revolutionary Love, was released in 2021. In February of this year, ANI DiFranco made her Broadway debut, playing the role of Persephone in Hadestown. Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis NATURE TRAIL (4D: Gentle hiking path with informational markers) WILL THAT BE ALL (7D: "Anything else?") HABIT TRACKER (10D: Record with daily checklists and streaks) The first word of each vertical theme answer that is, the HIGHER word can be placed after the words "FORCE of" to form a new phrase. Our HIGHER FORCES are FORCE of NATURE, FORCE of WILL, and FORCE of HABIT. I was familiar with the phrases FORCE of NATURE and FORCE of HABIT. I looked up FORCE of WILL to make sure I was on the right track with the theme, and discovered that FORCE of WILL is a trading card game. In addition to the answers I've already highlighted, I also enjoyed THE USUAL, BEAR CUB, and ROYAL PALACE. Thank you, Enrique, for this delightful puzzle. For more on USA TODAYs Crossword Puzzles This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for April 20, 2024 by Sally Hoelscher Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, waves during the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race at Circuit of the Americas, on Oct. 22, 2023, in Austin, Texas. Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident. Four years after Harry and his American wife, Meghan, decamped to a villa on the Southern California coast, a travel company he controls filed paperwork informing British authorities that he has moved and is now usually resident in the United States. | Nick Didlick Prince Harry, the royal fifth in line for the British throne, has formally confirmed that he is officially a U.S. resident, per The Associated Press. In paperwork filed with the British government this week, Harry listed the United States as New Country/State Usually Resident. The documents were submitted by Travalyst Ltd, a company Harry owns the majority of, according to The Guardian. He founded Travalyst in 2020 to promote global awareness of the importance of sustainable tourism. The paperwork was received on Monday by Companies House, a government-run organization which oversees the registry of companies in the United Kingdom, per AP. In February, Harry told ABC News Will Reeve he had considered getting his American citizenship. The American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind, but certainly is not something that is a high priority for me right now, Harry told Reeve. He also said living in the U.S. is amazing, adding, I love every single day. Harrys residency status update pulls the prince further from his royal family who remain actively engaged in their royal duties in the United Kingdom. In January 2020, Harry and his wife, Megan Markle, left their royal responsibilities behind and relocated their young family to California. He has since been stripped of the title His Royal Highness but remains in line for the throne, per The Royal Family. On several instances and through a slew of mediums Harry and Meghan have defended their decision to break up with royal life. Harry has aired his grievances about royal life during an ever-growing list of interviews (most notably the 2021 Oprah interview), a six-part Netflix series and a bestselling memoir, Spare. In spite of his attempts to explain his decision, Harry has struggled to reconnect with his brother, Prince William, and father, King Charles III. None of anything that Ive written, anything Ive included is ever intended to hurt my family, Harry said during a 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper. He shared his enthusiasm at repairing his familial relationships, but claimed his keenness is not mutual. During an interview with the ITV network, Harry told Tom Bradby that I would like to get my father back; I would like to have my brother back but that theyve shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile. As Sean Diddy Combs continues to deal with his ongoing legal woes, Jamal Shyne Barrow is speaking out about the infamous 1999 shooting at Club New York that both men were a part of. The harrowing incident led to Barrow being charged with three counts of attempted murder as well as criminal possession of a weapon. Ultimately, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. There has been a renewed interest in the shooting after Combs alleged violent behavior was revealed in numerous lawsuits last year. In a recent interview circulating courtesy Channel 5 Belize, Barrow addressed the pain he still experiences from the fateful night. It opens wounds. Everyone knew all along I was the fall guy, Barrow said. My political enemies tried to make me into this criminal. Everyone knew I took the fall. All this time, I was defending myself. I did not shoot those people. I maintain that I never shot nobody. On Dec. 27, 1999, shots were fired at Club New York in Manhattan. Three people were hit, while other attendees descended into chaos. The victims, who were all innocent bystanders, didnt suffer from life-threatening injuries. Combs, Barrow and Jennifer Lopez were all arrested in connection to the shooting. However, only Barrow was officially charged. Combs and Lopez were arrested on possible weapons charges but were never charged in connection to the shooting. One of the victims, Natania Reuben, has stated for years that it was Combs who shot her in the facenot Barrow. Im willing to have a doctor remove a part of the 9 mm bullet in my face so that they can use it as evidence if need be for this trial, Reuben stated last month in an interview with NewsNation. She filed a $130 million lawsuit for compensation against Combs in 2008 and it was settled in June 2011. It remains unknown if the case will be reopened, but hopefully Barrow finds solace in speaking his peace. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Everyone has a preference when it comes to coffee. Some see their simple cup of black java as the key that starts their engine in the morning. Others add a splash of milk or cream to liven things up, and even a dash of cinnamon is hardly uncommon. Then, there's sugar. Humans have been adding sugar to their coffee for around 400 years, and it's a trend that isn't likely to stop anytime soon, especially as corn syrup and other sweeteners continue to make their way into all types of foods. From a cup of home-brew with a cube of sugar to the syrupy-sweet drinks gracing menus the world over, sugar in coffee is not a surprise. Sugar isn't inherently bad, but like any other food, it's best in moderation. The American Heart Association recommends that adult men consume no more than 36 grams of added sugar a day, while the number is just 25 grams for women. Those numbers seem reasonable until you start digging into just how much sugar your favorite fast-food coffee drinks contain. We took a look at some of the most popular menu options out there, and while the list is plenty sweet, it might just sour you on a few of these beverages. Read more: 22 Fast Food Breakfast Menus Ranked From Worst To Best Starbucks Vanilla Latte Starbucks coffee cup - Somethingway/Getty Images Starbucks is the undisputed king of coffee shops, at least when it comes to volume. The chain boasts over 30,000 stores worldwide and serves an estimated 600 beverages per store each day. While today's menu includes an extensive mix of hot and cold coffees along with plenty of non-coffee options, the original Starbucks actually lacked a menu. It wasn't until the mid-1980s that the chain introduced its first espresso drink -- the Cafe Latte. Today, the Cafe Latte has company, with lavender, pistachio, cinnamon, and even olive oil-infused variations joining the family. If you're in the mood for a latte but aren't ready to take on the Oleato option, there's the Vanilla Latte. The drink may be delicious, but it's also full of sugar. A grande, which is a medium for non-Starbucks regulars, contains 35 grams of sugar. The good news is that if you'd like to cut down on sugar, there's a solid Plan B on the menu with the Skinny Vanilla Latte. This variation contains 16 grams of sugar thanks to a sugar-free syrup substitute. McDonald's Iced Coffee McDonald's iced coffee and beans - McDonald's For a fast food chain that made its name off of hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and toys in kid's meals, McDonald's has carved out a reputation for serving a solid cup of joe. From the start, coffee has been on the menu at the Golden Arches, only costing 10 cents a cup in 1940. These days, the classic black coffee is still an option, but to keep up with the likes of Starbucks and other chains, McDonald's has introduced the McCafe line. From macchiatos to mocha frappes, there are plenty of sweet options on the menu. Still, sometimes simple is better, which is where the classic Iced Coffee comes into play. Good for a pick-me-up on a hot day, the Iced Coffee is a staple, but it's also sweeter than you might think -- a medium drink contains 25 grams of sugar. While that's not as high as some flavored lattes, it's still a decent amount considering a single tablespoon of sugar is 12 grams, meaning this iced coffee contains more than two full tablespoons of sugar. The sweetness comes from a liquid sugar mix that contains both sugar and fructose, a natural sugar found in foods like fruits, vegetables, and honey. Thankfully, a sugar-free option is available if you choose an Iced Latte, made with espresso, milk, ice, water, and no sugar in sight. Dunkin' Butter Pecan Swirl Hot Coffee Served Black Dunkin' coffee cup - Dunkin' Dunkin' didn't coin the slogan, "American runs on Dunkin'" to suggest the U.S. is fueled by donuts -- that would be Canada. Instead, it chose this catchy slogan because it's the second-largest coffee chain in the world. Thankfully, you can safely enjoy a donut and a coffee without maxing out your sugar intake, but you might want to avoid the Butter Pecan Swirl Coffee served hot and black. At 36 grams of sugar in a medium serving, it's not the sugariest drink on the Dunkin' menu -- that distinction belongs to the Butter Pecan Swirl Frozen Coffee with Whole Milk coming in at 124 grams of sugar. However, it's still a lot of sugar for a cup of black coffee. If you're not sure whether to use your sugar allowance on a coffee or a donut, a Bismark will only cost you 34 grams. Wendy's Chocolate Frosty Cream Cold Brew iced chocolate frosty cold brew - Wendy's Ice cream and coffee are a match made in heaven. Creamy cold and bitter hot offset each other perfectly to create a treat that's been enjoyed by caffeine enthusiasts for decades. The Italian affogato combines espresso and ice cream and has spawned numerous imitations, including some of the frozen iced coffees on this list. Few frozen drinks are as famous in the U.S. as Wendy's Frosty, and thankfully, Wendy's knew a good pairing and combined iced coffee with its famous Frosty to create the Chocolate Frosty Cream Cold Brew. While it sounds delicious, there's no denying that anything with Frosty in the name will be packed full of sugar. Indeed, this drink contains 38 grams in a medium serving. If you're looking for lower-sugar alternatives on the Wendy's menu, you won't find many. The Caramel and Vanilla versions of the Frosty Cream Cold Brew contain 37 and 36 grams of sugar, respectively, which isn't much of a decrease. It's also worth noting the famous Frosty isn't actually ice cream but a "frozen dessert," since it contains less than 10% milk fat. That's okay though, there's still plenty to love about the Frosty and its Cold Brew spinoff. Krispy Kreme Iced Original Glazed Flavored Latte iced coffee with donuts - Krispy Kreme Much like Dunkin', Krispy Kreme knows there are few pairings better than coffee and donuts, which is why the chain doesn't skimp when it comes to its beverage menu, offering a bevy of options ranging from hot to frozen. In the middle, you'll find the Iced Original Glazed Flavored Latte. Billed as an "iced latte blended with Original Glazed flavor -- a taste of our iconic doughnut in a cup," the drink is the lovechild of a donut and a coffee. Of course, with a sweet pastry as a parent, this coffee is not short on sugar, sporting 26 grams of sugar in a 16-ounce cup. Most of the sugar content of this drink comes courtesy of the flavored syrup, but natural sugars also play a part. This latte is made with 2% milk which contains 12 grams of sugar per cup. It's not a ton, but like many of the frothy beverages on this list, those sugars add up and contribute to the total. Caribou Coffee Mint Condition Mocha Caribou Coffee mint condition mocha - Caribou Coffee Let's be honest; sometimes, a coffee run is more of an excuse to enjoy a thinly disguised dessert at 9 a.m. If that's your goal, you definitely want to check out the Caribou Coffee Mint Condition Mocha, served hot. The menu description alone is mouthwatering, "Real chocolate melted into steamed milk & combined with espresso and mint flavor and topped with whipped cream and chocolate mints." The only problem? This drink contains 75 grams of sugar in a medium serving. A fair amount of that sugar is likely from the whipped cream and candy topping, as is evidenced by the fact that the iced version of the drink contains 57 grams; still more than the recommended daily value, but a little better. On the flip side, the frozen version of the drink includes the toppings and clocks in at 117 grams of sugar. That's a treat that will tide you over for half the week. Tim Hortons Flavored Latte Supreme Tim Hortons coffee cup on coffee beans - Diane Labombarbe/Getty Images While the United States is hardly shy about its coffee consumption, the country doesn't crack the top 10 in the world based on the quantity of coffee enjoyed per person. In fact, only one North American country ranks in the top 10 and that would be Canada. If Canadians are grabbing a cup of joe, there's a good chance they're getting it at a Tim Hortons. The chain famous for donuts is also in the coffee game, offering a selection of hot and frozen lattes, mochas, and classics like cappuccinos and espresso shots. If you're looking to leave with your sugar levels intact, you may want to avoid the Flavored Latte Supreme. The drink contains 32 grams of sugar, but for just 15 grams, you can turn to a non-flavored latte or cappuccino instead. You can always use the excuse that you're saving your sugar count for a donut instead. Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights Iced Coffee Taco Bell Cinnabon iced coffee - Taco Bell When you hear Taco Bell, a number of words are going to jump to the front of your mind. Taco will probably be first, which is sort of cheating, followed by burrito, chalupa, and any number of other tortilla-wrapped delicacies. Coffee is probably not on that list, but like many fast food chains, the king of late-night food is now in the breakfast game, and a huge part of breakfast is coffee. Taco Bell's coffee menu is small compared to most, containing only the basics, hot and iced coffee with or without cream, and one fun drink, the Cinnabon Delights Coffee. With 22 grams of sugar in a regular size, this isn't the most sugar-filled drink out there, but it's hardly a health food. If you're craving that Cinnabon taste in a cup, you could instead turn to the International Delight's Cinnabon Coffee Creamer which contains 5 grams of sugar per tablespoon and can be enjoyed at home in your morning brew. Burger King Cafe Iced Mocha Coffee iced coffee in glass - Burger King While McDonald's has carved out an impressive caffeine niche with its McCafe product line, Burger King has kept its coffee menu compact with only a single sugary coffee: the Cafe Iced Coffee, available in mocha or vanilla flavors. From a sugar standpoint, these drinks are fairly middle of the road, with the vanilla clocking in at 27 grams of sugar in a medium while the mocha has a few more at 32 grams. What's more surprising than the amount of sugar in the drinks are some of the menu items that contain less sugar. For instance, a soft-serve ice cream cone only has 22 grams of sugar, the same as a slice of Hershey's Sunday Pie. For coffee lovers, the Cafe Iced Coffee is no doubt worth the extra sugar, but there are better options at Burger King for someone just craving a treat. Dunkin' Hazelnut Heartthrob Iced Coffee Dunkin' iced coffee - Dunkin' If it hasn't become evident by now, iced coffee tends to be pretty high in sugar. Creamers and syrups are the main culprits when it comes to added sugars in coffee drinks, which is what makes the Hazelnut Heartthrob Iced Coffee from the special DunKings menu so sweet. With 41 grams of sugar in a medium portion, this drink is plenty sweet, even if it left our reviewer underwhelmed. Unfortunately, if you're looking to enjoy a flavored Dunkin' iced coffee with a little less sugar, there aren't a ton of great options on the menu. The Cinnamon Vanilla Iced Coffee has 26 grams of sugar, which is enough of a difference to enjoy a medium and a frosted chocolate donut with sprinkles for the same 41 grams of sugar as the Hazelnut Heartthrob. After all, is it even a Dunkin' run if you don't grab a donut? Starbucks Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino Blended Beverage Starbucks caramel frappuccino drink - Starbucks It wouldn't be a proper coffee list if Starbucks weren't represented twice, and since our focus is on sugary drinks, here's one of Starbucks' sweetest concoctions. The Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino doesn't exactly sound like something your dentist or doctor would recommend, and for good reason -- a 16-ounce grande packs a whopping 60 grams of sugar. A quick look at the ingredient list makes it clear that while this drink is tasty, it's chock-full of sugar on every level. With a caramel sugar topping, caramel sauce, dark caramel sauce, whipped cream, and coffee frappuccino syrup, this is as much a dessert as it is a drink. The word "sugar" appears six times in the ingredient deck for this drink, while corn syrup appears in both the dark and regular caramel sauces. You can order the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino without the added toppings and save on some of your sugar intake, but if you're looking for a low-sugar option, this still isn't it. Read the original article on Mashed 72-year-old patient had COVID for record 613 days, accumulated over 50 mutations from virus before it killed him A Dutch man with the longest case of COVID infection ever recorded suffered from the sickness for a record 613 days, with the ailment mutating into a unique new variant that baffled medical researchers. The 72-year-old unnamed patient was diagnosed with the omicron variant in February 2022, according to Time, citing research from the University of Amsterdam. It is the longest time anyone has been infected with the virus, researchers said. The 72-year-old unnamed patient had COVID for a record 613 days before his death. ANP/AFP via Getty Images The patient, who had already been suffering from a blood disease before contracting COVID, immune system failed to produce enough white blood cells or antibodies to combat the virus despite receiving the vaccine multiple times. While most people can overcome the coronavirus in a few weeks, anything medical professionals tried to help cure the patient from the virus wasnt working. Doctors quickly found that his body had become resistant to Sotrovimab a monoclonal antibody for the early treatment of COVID-19 after taking over two dozen nose and throat swabs while they searched to find him treatment. They also discovered that the development of an anti-spike antibody in the first month was minimal and soon realized the patients immune system was incapable of ridding the virus. The patient died in the hospital in the fall of 2023 due to his weakened immune system and underlying blood disorder. The patients immune system failed to produce enough white blood cells or antibodies to combat the virus despite receiving the vaccine multiple times. Universal Images Group via Getty Images However, researchers found that the virus had mutated nearly 50 times while festering in his body and eventually created an ultra-mutated variant, according to the outlet. There were no signs that the Frankenstein-esque mutated variant infected other people. Though a 20-month-long covid that mutated seems frightening, Magda Vergouwe, the medical student from the Amsterdam University Medical Center who will be presenting the case next week at the ESCMID Global Congress in Barcelona, said, The duration of infection in this case is extreme. Prolonged infections in immunocompromised patients are much more common compared to the general community, Vergouwe said, according to The Sun. This underscores the risk of persistent infection as unique viral variants may emerge due to extensive evolution. There were no signs that the mutated variant infected other people. ANP/AFP via Getty Images She recognizes the fine line between protecting the world from dangerous new variants and providing humane, supportive end-of-life care to severely ill patients. We emphasize 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, Vergouwe said. Scientists studying genomic data in wastewater have also discovered evidence that humans may have had heavily mutated coronaviruses for more than four years but were unaware, according to Time. Vergouwe explained that the case is being added to reports of patients testing positive for the same infection for over a year, but she noted it was the longest case shes ever seen on record. The most extended case of COVID-19 ever recorded before this was from a British man who suffered from the virus for 505 days before dying. Research has shown that 24.4% of American adults who received a positive COVID-19 test have experienced symptoms that persisted for three months or longer. Previous research has found that long COVID was more common and severe in patients who were infected before the 2021 Omicron variant, unvaccinated or reinfected. Wine and tomatoes are two of life's great pleasures, so aren't we so lucky they go so well together? A big plate of pasta with tomato sauce and a bottle of wine is the dictionary definition of good Italian eating. But when it comes to the specifics of the wine, you might not be so confident. Most people already lack confidence when it comes to pairing wine and food given how much there is to learn, but Italian wine presents their own set of problems because Italy has a very regional wine industry that produces styles unfamiliar to the average American. You know pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon, but how does that translate to nero d'avola or montepulciano? To help us out with this, Tasting Table connected with Nathan Grunow, the wine director at Jovanina's Broken Italian, for his advice on how to pair Italian wines with tomato sauce. Like with spice and other bold flavors, Grunow says the key is finding a wine and sauce that can go toe-to-toe. "The two big things we think about are the sweetness and high acidity level of the tomatoes. The general rule of thumb is that you want to try to match the acidity level of the sauce," he told us, adding that he gravitates to varietals like Sangiovese, which is the primary grape in the Chianti blend, due to their bright, fresh qualities that complement most red sauces. Read more: 26 Types Of Pasta Sauce Explained Choose A Bold, Acidic Style From A Dish's Home Region red wine in Italian countryside - Andreyes/Getty Images Grunow says another great trick for wine and tomato sauce is learning where different types of wine come from. He says, "While tomatoes are grown throughout Italy, we've found that no one is quite as parochial about their tomatoes as Sicilians." He recommended wines from Sicily's Mt. Etna region, especially the reds with a high percentage of Nerello Mascalese grapes. How can you tell when you're getting wine from this area? Look out for labels with the term "Etna Rosso." Finally, one more interesting pairing Grunow recommends is Sicilian red blends, particularly ones that use Sicily's famous varietal Nero d'Avola, which he calls "dark fruited," and another local grape called Frappato, which balances out the blend with a bright fruity acidity. While the strength of acidity in the wines you are sipping with tomato sauce is important, Grunow also notes that there are broad ranges of taste that can work, explaining, "We've had more success recently with wines that, while at least minimally acidic, also give great earthy counterpoints to add to the tasting experiences." So while exploring the world of Italian wines can be overwhelming, learning just a few handy benchmarks about styles and Italy's tomato-growing regions ensures that you'll end up happy with your pairing. Read the original article on Tasting Table Adrien Moses Clark is working to expand his footprint in the Rochester tattoo scene. His Black-owned tattoo shop, Axe of Kindness, has an interesting business model: 10% of its gross revenue is donated to charity. Clark has brought in two other tattooers and this year went to the ROC City Tattoo Expo for the first time as AOK. His work and his reputation stand out even in a crowded Rochester business sector (every neighborhood has multiple tattoo shops). His studio is at 258 Alexander St. "AOK was born of a love of tattooing and the immense desire to answer a call from within to do more for the underprivileged, underserved, and all of those in need of help in our community," he wrote on the shop's site. Artist Adrien Clark sits in his former office that was converted to a tattoo room to make space for other artist in his shop on Alexander Street. Clark, 41, can draw in multiple styles but focuses on "mandalas, geometric work; styles rooted in traditional Japanese and traditional American tattooing, line work intensive and illustrative work." Bridget Martin, director of development at Bivona Child Advocacy Center in Rochester, said working with Clark has been wonderful. If more businesses in Rochester were on a mission to help locally, like Axe of Kindness, it would transform the situation for centers like Bivona, she said. "He is amazing," she said. "Adrien is an incredible supporter, because he truly understands our mission. Not only does he provide financial support, he uses his voice to inform others of the work we do. ... We could not ask for a better partner. "This community is lucky to have him in it." Adrien Clarks right-hand displays the City of Rochester logo, and the left is the state bird of New York, the Eastern Blue Bird. Why Axe of Kindness wants to make a difference in Rochester Colby June, from Ithaca, and Alice Bliss, from Indiana, also work out of AOK. They were working on excited customers recently at the Rochester tattoo expo, inking detailed designs with care. AOK added the other tattoers to its roster a little earlier than what might have been sketched in its rough business plan, but it was a great fit. And Clark said it slides into his longer-term plan for the shop. Adrien Clark uses an array of tattoo machines depending on the type of tattoo or just how he is feeling. "I knew eventually I would want to grow, but the plan initially was that it would just be me until I figure out whether or not I can keep the thing running before bringing somebody else in," Clark said. "You know I wanted to make sure that I can keep it running on my own and then bring other people in because I feel responsible for them to an extent as well." He's making it so far, with a good client list and happy reviews. The one-year mark was huge for his shop. Clark started the business with money he'd squirreled away and some credit lines. The shop is neat and trim, with sophisticated decor. There's room for multiple tattoers to work and a sitting area for clients. Adrien Clark sets the depth of a tattoo needle. They try to stand out in what is a saturated market in Rochester lots of artists who struck out on their own and lots of customers who came out of the COVID era with some extra money to spend. Where does he get most of his new customers? Instagram. More: I got a Rochester solar eclipse tattoo. Was it a good idea? Helping Rochester through a different kind of tattoo shop These are some of the groups that AOK supports with its efforts: Urban League of Rochester NAACP Willow Domestic Violence Center March of Dimes Bivona Child Advocacy Center Save the Children Planned Parenthood Out Alliance William Ramsey is an editor at the Democrat and Chronicle. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Black-owned Rochester tattoo shop gives 10% of its revenue to charity Passover this year beginning at sundown on April 22 and concluding at nightfall on April 30 will be celebrated by Tallahassees Jewish community who will join family and community Passover Seders the festive ritual-filled dinner on the first two nights of the eight-day holiday. Chabad of Tallahassee and FSU celebrates at a previous Passover Seder. Chabad welcomes participants to its user-friendly community Seders at 8 p.m. April 22 and at 9 p.m. April 23, 2024. Passover celebrates the miraculous exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Ancient Egypt some 3,330 years ago and is traditionally celebrated together with family and friends, making it the most observed Jewish holiday in the United States. In Tallahassee, Chabad of Tallahassee and FSU is ensuring that everyone will be able to celebrate Passover by sharing handmade shmurah matzah "the bread of healing" considered ideal for the Passover Seder with those celebrating at home. Other plans include sharing special holiday recipes with community members like the traditional charoset dip (and brisket, a food that while not part of the ritual, the holiday has become known for). Participants are being welcomed to its user-friendly community Seders at 8 p.m. April 22 and 9 p.m. April 23 in greater numbers this year marked with Jewish gatherings focused on unity, Torah learning and bringing light to banish darkness. As the Jewish community prepares to mark the Festival of our Freedom, were looking forward to welcoming the community to join us in celebration, said Rabbi Schneur, who directs Chabad of Tallahassee and FSU. Our goal is to lower the barriers to Jewish engagement and ensure everyone feels welcome and included, and has the opportunities and resources they need to celebrate the holiday. Chabad of Tallahassee and FSU celebrates at a previous Passover Seder. Chabad welcomes participants to its user-friendly community Seders at 8 p.m. April 22 and at 9 p.m. April 23, 2024. In 1954, the Rebbe Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, whose leadership inspired the founding of Chabad of Tallahassee launched the Shmurah Matzah initiative as part of an effort to create awareness and promote the observance of Passover. In keeping with his vision, an estimated 4 million hand-baked Shmurah Matzah will be distributed by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement this year. Additional information about the Passover holiday is available at ChabadTallahassee.com/Pesach. Tallahassee's Temple Israel is also holding special Passover-related events. Visit templeisraeltlh.org. What is the holiday of Passover? The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated this year from sundown on Monday night, April 22, until after nightfall on Tuesday, April 30. Passover commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and will be celebrated with festive Seder dinners on April 22 and 23. Other holiday observances include restricting the consumption of leavened products such as bread and pasta, instead eating unleavened Matzah. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee Jewish community prepares for Passover Seders On this day in history, April 20, 1898, President William McKinley asks Congress to declare war on Spain On this day in history, April 20, 1898, President William McKinley asks Congress to declare war on Spain On this day in history, April 20, 1898, President William McKinley asked Congress to declare war on Spain. The declaration requested by the 25th U.S. president was in response to an ongoing conflict between Spain and Cuba, the latter located less 100 miles off the coast of Florida, as that island country struggled for independence from Spain. On April 20, Congress passed a joint resolution that acknowledged Cuban independence, the U.S. Office of the Historian said. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, APRIL 19, 1951, GEN. MACARTHUR DELIVERS OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE SPEECH TO CONGRESS Congress also demanded that the Spanish government give up control of the island. Congress also indicated that the U.S. had no intention of annexing Cuba. Congress also authorized McKinley to use whatever military measures he deemed necessary to guarantee Cubas independence, the U.S. Office of the Historian noted. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Conflict seemed inevitable, as tensions between the U.S. and Spain had been brewing for some time and Cuba had attempted to overthrow Spanish colonial rule, according to History.com. Former U.S. President William McKinley was the nation's 25th president. To that end, Cuban rebels "received financial assistance from private U.S. interests and used America as a base of operations from which to attack," that site said. The Spanish military retaliated with brutal force, causing the death of more than 100,000 Cuban civilians. Many died in terrible conditions within Spanish concentration camps between 1895 and 1898, according to History.com. McKinley first tried to avoid conflict with Spain but American media, including publishing scion Randolph Hearst, chided McKinley as weak, said that site. The media also tried to incite the public to get behind launching a war, it continued. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, APRIL 18, 1934, FIRST SELF-OPERATED WASHATERIA OPENS IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS Headlines in the U.S. press included "Spanish Treachery!" and "Destruction of the War Ship Maine Was the Work of an Enemy!" according to PBS.org. The conflict continued to escalate into the spring of 1898. Former U.S. President William McKinley. The 25th president asked Congress to declare war on Spain. On April 11, 1898, two months after the battleship U.S.S. Maine was destroyed by an explosion in Havana harbor, McKinley sent a message to Congress asking for authority to use U.S. armed forces to end the civil war in Cuba, notes the National Endowment for the Humanities website. "Congress voted to support Cuban independence, to demand the withdrawal of Spanish troops from the island, and to authorize the use of force to achieve those objectives," that site reported. Spain broke diplomatic relations and declared war against the U.S., says Britannica.com and Congress formally asserted that a state of war existed. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, APRIL 15, 1865, PRESIDENT LINCOLN PASSES AWAY "In a whirlwind military campaign, the U.S. Army invaded Cuba and the U.S. Navy destroyed Spanish squadrons in the Caribbean and Manila Bay," the same site said. "At the request of the Spanish government, the French ambassador in Washington, Jules Cambon, approached the McKinley Administration to discuss peace terms," the United States Office of the Historian noted. Raynal and Bonne Map of Cuba, West Indies, in 1780. "Ultimately, a ceasefire was signed on August 12, 1898," it continued. The war officially ended four months later, when the U.S. and Spanish governments signed the Treaty of Paris on Dec. 10, 1898. "Apart from guaranteeing the independence of Cuba, the treaty also forced Spain to cede Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States," that site said. Spain also agreed to sell the Philippines to the United States for the sum of $20 million. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, OCT. 14, 1912, TEDDY ROOSEVELT SHOT IN CHEST, MAKES CAMPAIGN STOP MINUTES LATER "The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty on Feb. 6, 1899, by a margin of only one vote," the site says. William McKinley, born in Niles, Ohio, served as president from March 4, 1897, until his assassination on Sept. 14, 1901. Former U.S. President William McKinley, above. He was assassinated in 1901 and is buried in Canton, Ohio. Prior to serving as commander-in-chief, he won a seat in Congress at age 34, and was appointed to the Ways and Means Committee, says Whitehouse.gov. He served in the House for 14 years and was known as an expert on tariffs. McKinley had an "attractive personality, exemplary character and quick intelligence," noted Whitehouse.gov, adding that he was generally on the side of public interests versus private ones. McKinley died on Sept. 14, 1901, of "complications from bullet wounds" inflicted by Leon Czolgosz, "an anarchist who shot the president during one of his public appearances at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York," the Library of Congress said. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER On Sept. 23, 1901, Czolgoszs trial began and in just three days, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. He was executed on Oct. 29, 1901. McKinley was buried in Canton, Ohio. A memorial to him opened in that city later that year, according to the Library of Congress. For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle . Original article source: On this day in history, April 20, 1898, President William McKinley asks Congress to declare war on Spain Construction continues on the new Johnson Commons at LaVilla townhouse complex on the site of the Historic LaVilla neighborhood Friday, April 12, 2024. The first homeowners at Johnson Commons at LaVilla recently moved into the downtown neighborhood. Johnson Commons is a development of 91 townhomes built by Breeze Homes, in a partnership between Corner Lot and JWB Real Estate Capital. It is located next to the new Lift Evry Voice and Sing Park, the Emerald Trail and the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center. Construction continues on the new Johnson Commons at LaVilla townhouse complex on the site of the Historic LaVilla neighborhood Friday, April 12, 2024. Prices for these townhomes started at $299,900 and run over $400,000. About 32 of the 91 homes have been sold or under contract while another 47 were released for sale. "We are thrilled to welcome our inaugural homeowners to Johnson Commons," said Andy Allen, CEO of Corner Lot, in a news release. "This milestone signals not only the beginning of a new chapter for our development but also for the entire LaVilla community. These townhomes offer a unique blend of historic charm and modern convenience, providing residents with a truly exceptional living experience. Residents at Johnson Commons have access to a variety of amenities, including a pool, nearby parks, restaurants and cultural attractions in Downtown Jacksonville. "We are excited to be part of this historic moment for Downtown Jacksonville," said Alex Sifakis, president of JWB, in a news release. "The LaVilla District has a rich history, and we are proud to contribute to its revitalization. Our vision for Johnson Commons is to create a vibrant, inclusive community where residents can live, work and play. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Downtown Jacksonville to gain 91 new households with LaVilla townhomes Luis Granena Daron Acemoglu is an unbiased economist with a penchant for dismantling the cliches of mainstream thinking. This wild path, almost against the grain, is not new to him. He is the son of Armenians, a minority with a long history of struggle for survival in Turkey, his native country. His passion for observing the links between economics and politics comes from his adolescence, when the coup detat by Kenan Evrens military junta brought violence to the streets and poverty to Turkish households. He wanted to delve into the dictatorships consequences on the economy, but he had to study that interrelationship from far away. Acemoglu became increasingly critical of the situation in Turkey, and his father, fearing for his safety, advised him to leave the country. A few years ago, Mark Zuckerberg, a guy with more power than Alexander the Great, revealed that one of his favorite reads was Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty. Written by Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, the book reveals that prosperity is not a function of culture or geography, but of the policies dictated by a nations institutions. Thus, fact by fact, Acemoglu and Robinson scientifically demonstrated that market self-regulationthe famous laisser faireis really magical thinking, that what drives the economy is politics, and that what leads to shared prosperity is the democratic system. It was a planetary bestseller. It is likely that in recent months Zuckerberg has immersed himself in Power and Progress Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity, Acemoglus book with Simon Johnson. After in-depth economic, historical and social research, the two authors show that technological innovation in itself does not spur prosperity . Today we live better than our ancestors, but that is not because of successive technological inventions; rather, it is because civil society challenged the choices made by the elites and wealth was generated by distributing and making these technologies participatory. Acemoglu, 56, is clear on the fact that it is necessary to return to such actions now. If they were feasible during the very difficult years of the Industrial Revolutionwhen new production techniques enriched factory owners and impoverished workers, to the point of shortening their life expectancy, until they organized and demanded improvements in their working conditionsthey are also feasible now. You have to exercise democratic control over the direction of technology, Acemoglu says in email conversation. Period. It seems clear that sooner or later he will be awarded a Nobel Prize. Daron touches on many topics and all of them in a very brilliant way. Monica Martinez Bravo, an MIT-trained economist who studied under Acemoglu When he left Turkey, Acemoglu went to the UK, enrolled in economics at the University of York, and discovered that none of his subjects dealt with political issues. He then decided to do his own research, applying empirical, mathematical and conceptual tools to his analysis of human affairs. At the age of 25, he received his PhD from the London School of Economics and soon after was appointed assistant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he was warned that mixing economics with politics was an unwelcome heterodoxy. Almost surreptitiously, he continued his studies on these links. He is now a professor there, and one can safely say that political economy is currently in the mainstream at MIT. Acemoglus theses have long been listened to with great interest around the world. Last summer, Gita Gopinath of the International Monetary Fund quoted the economist to urge regulating AI in a way that benefits society. Paul Romer, a 2018 Nobel laureate for his research on the importance of innovation in economic growth, has confessed that the Acemoglus research led him to rethink his ideas, and senior officials at leading AI labs discuss his books among themselves. His capacity for work and analysis are legendary. It seems clear that sooner or later he will be awarded a Nobel Prize, but among his former students we sometimes jokingly say that the question in Stockholm will be to decide the area in which he will receive it, because Daron touches on many subjects and all of them in a brilliant way, explains Monica Martinez Bravo, an economist trained at MIT, where Acemoglu directed her doctorate, and the current secretary general for Inclusion at the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration. Against automatic thinking Not everything that is said should be taken as gospel. Against the more orthodox airs of American academia, Acemoglu brings a simple statement to his lectures: at the heart of the wildest capitalism there is an insurmountable error, which is that the human being does not need to consume; what he wants, more than anything else in the world, is to participate. He has proven it a thousand times in his studies. Everything is connected. Exploring the infinite relationships between work, ways of life and political systems, Acemoglu has studied the Sicilian Mafia as both the cause and consequence of an absent state structure, the innovation geared toward alleviating climate change in the energy transition, the connections among culture, democratic institutions and social balance, and between the rise of fascism and war, the danger of too much data, the impact of AI on the labor market, civil power in the case of the Arab Spring in Egypt, and the rise and decline of the general laws of capitalism, among many other issues. He is a visionary. Before a topic begins to generate academic literature he has already been studying it for some time, says Martinez Bravo. Those who know him well say he is a great teacher, that his knowledge is encyclopedic and that he is extraordinarily productive. Every year he publishes around fifteen research papers in the most reputable economics journals, generating around 20,000 citations per year. His numbers are out of this world, emphasizes Pascual Restrepo, Acemoglus former student and now his colleague in research related to the advent of robots in the labor market. Two years ago, in a debate with economics guru Martin Wolf, Acemoglus thesis made the former confess that economic studies separated from politics and social sciencethe economic practice rigorously followed for decadesare actually embarrassingly simple. And Wolf then gets to the heart of a major problem: We dont have a good model for studying society, he says. Thats what Acemoglu does: he forces you to rethink what you take for granted based on incontrovertible research. That is why, in these times of automatism and programming, Acemoglu warns against uncritical thinking and insists on reflecting on and deciding the human uses we want technology to provide us with. He argues that there is nothing wrong with automation, that it has been around since the middle of the 18th century and that, of course, it will continue, but that it must direct its powers toward improving human life. In the movie A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001, Steven Spielberg), the robot-prostitute played by Jude Law tells the robot-child (Haley Joel Osment) that, in these times, information is the most expensive thing. Thats true now, too. Amidst all the fake news and misinformation, rigorous knowledge, backed by data, such as that produced by Acemoglu, is worth its weight in gold. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition As calm as India is frenetic and as green as its neighbour is dusty, Sri Lanka has always been a major travel destination for those with hopeless wanderlust. The teardrop-shaped country offers something for every type of traveller; from backpackers and families to couples and groups of friends. Flights may set you back, but it's plain sailing on arrival with the pound sterling exceptionally strong against the Sri Lankan rupee. Tourism in the country is finding its feet once more, grappling not only with the after-effects of the pandemic but bouts of civil unrest and natural disasters that came before. Now is the perfect time to head to the beautiful south, especially as its greenest, south-eastern pocket has opened a new Hilton outpost with an eco-luxe focus. Hilton Yala was built around crucial elephant corridors (Hilton) Where? Set in the lush greenery of Yala (pronounced Yah-ley) National Park, the Hilton is one of a handful of hotels permitted in the sanctuary. Its a five-hour drive from Colombo International Airport so do stop at other Sri Lankan hot-spot towns if you can. If youve got the cash, a chopper or seaplane can whisk you here in around an hour. The nearest town is a very bumpy half an hour drive away, so if its peace and quiet youre after welcome to paradise. Newly opened in August 2023, humidity levels soar in April while September is the driest month. Both are times to expect a sub-optimal visit. The best time to visit? February to July, marking spring and early summer as the prime period for families and couples to book a stay. Style There are no fences separating wildlife from guests at Hilton Yala (Hilton) Set beside the Indian Ocean in dense jungle with no fences to separate residents from wandering wildlife, the Hilton turns the tables by making guests feel like the exhibits. We didnt see elephants wandering by on our visit, but a group of monkeys occupied a poolside table one evening, presumably for sundowner drinks. The reception is an elevated, airy space with cathedral-high ceilings, with the bar and restaurant divided by a staircase leading down to a buggy park. This is where youll be driven to your room (walking the paths alone is forbidden from 6pm to 6am in case of surprise animal encounters; youll have to sign a document agreeing to this at check-in). Nothing like signing your life away to kick off R&R. Food & Drink Breakfast is a buffet affair at Indian Ocean-facing Dhira restaurant, the modest spread of fruit, pastries and local cakes supplemented by cooked-to-order plates of hoppers, omelettes and other hot breakfast fare. Glass doors lead to a balcony for those who fancy eating in the open air (and can tolerate the cloying temperatures). Lunch and dinner are served in the same space, with a menu of Asian-inspired and grilled dishes to whet the appetite. Bespoke dinners on the beach can be organised by the Hiltons team (Hilton) Don't miss the bespoke Lanthaaruma dining experience, which changes location depending on nocturnal animal activity. We enjoyed ours on the beach lit by the glow of lanterns and a bonfire, but it can also be set up beside the pool. A tailored menu is cooked in an open kitchen, with everything from vegetable risotto to Sri Lankan-style surf and turf (gigantic prawns and juicy lamb chops) to feast on while rangers keep watch for gatecrashing elephants. Hospitality is second to none, with smiling staff, many recruited from the area, falling over themselves to accommodate any whim or need. Facilities Aside from the outdoor pool, theres also a gym and spa to unwind time in. Youll find plenty of massage options in the serene space to drain muscles of tension, from 30min sessions to tranquilising hour-and-a-half pampering treatments. Extracurricular This Hiltons biggest USP is, without question, its location. Guests come here first and foremost for a Sri Lankan safari. Yala is 130,000 hectares of wild protected land, home to a cornucopia of creatures, from Asian elephants and spotted deer, to herds of water buffalo and freshwater crocodiles. Leopards are the king of this jungle its the best place in Sri Lanka to spot one but the apex predators are notoriously shy so coming across the big cat is pure luck. Safaris, led by Hiltons delightful rangers, set off in the early morning to beat the queues and the worst of the heat. We passed at least 20 jeeps queuing to get into zone one (there are six zones), but the hotel organises park entry ahead of time so you can trundle straight into the action. Elephant sightings are common in the park (Hilton) While youre unlikely to spot anything to make your BPM race on the main road, jeeps soon peel off onto smaller paths to raise the chances of scrambling for your camera. We saw everything but a leopard on our four-hour safari, including elephants at play, rebuffed peacock flirting (he shook every feather, she remained aloof) and a croc crouched by a lake, its jaws pulled back into a devilish Cheshire cat grin. Until our ranger Praneeth explained the behaviour was to cool the brain in climbing temperatures, one might assume he was simply pleased to see us. The hotel also arranges guided bush walks around the resort so you can take things in at eye level. Archaeological and Buddhist temple trips are on the itinerary list too. Similarly set first thing in the morning, Hilton will pack jeeps with cold drinks and bento-style breakfasts to keep you fed and watered. A sunrise breakfast inside Yala National Park, Sri Lanka (Hilton) Aside from the wildlife, Hilton Yalas biggest asset is its rangers. The select team helped design the resort to safeguard crucial elephant corridors, keeping them active for the wandering giants. Theyre full of insider knowledge, from how climate change affects the parks residents to bush-harvested solutions for everyday ills. Head ranger Sajith Withanage swears by elephant dung as a hangover cure, disclosed as we skirted around sun-hardened pats of the stuff. Simply break off a chunk, burn it like charcoal and breathe in the emanating white smoke, he told us, eyes twinkling. Its good for stopping nosebleeds too, apparently. One wonders the circumstances in which this remedy was first revealed. Which room? Let the light in: nature stays in the spotlight at Hilton Yala (Hilton) Arranged on ground and first-floor levels around a tree-lined pool, suites are wrapped in grey slatted wood, the look purposely designed to mimic zoo cages. But oh! What cages to find yourself in. Plush and fully air-conditioned, the spacious rooms are fitted with swanky Japanese loos, sigh-triggering beds, smart lighting and floor-to-ceiling windows to keep the outdoors firmly in the spotlight. Top-floor rooms come with jacuzzis on the deck, while the ground-floor options boast private pools that make a welcome retreat from scorching midday temperatures. Best for...? Spotting Sri Lankas creatures, great and small. Details Rooms at Hilton Yala start from approx. 442 per night, including breakfast. hilton.com On TikTok, Bella Aguilar, 27, an expecting mother of one from California, virally reveals what life is like as a pregnant woman working at a maximum-security men's prison. Shes knocked up, theyre locked up. After working at a mens maximum security prison in California for nearly a decade, Bella Aguilar bumped into a situation that made the job extremely uncomfortable and depressing. The brunette had become pregnant. Its just not a very happy place to work at. I mean, we all know why its a prison, Aguilar, 27, a married mom of one, whos now 40 weeks pregnant with a baby boy, told Caters News. Aguilar claims being a pregnant female worker at a maximum security mens prison was a mentally-draining experience. @bellllaaboo / CATERS NEWS I felt like, sometimes when youre pregnant, you can already feel a bit depressed, she said, because youre not feeling like yourself. The millennial mommy-to-be, who held the title of maintenance supervisor, as well as health and safety coordinator at the prison since age 20, has given social media fans viral glimpses at her daily struggles as an expecting woman laboring amongst criminals. Welcome to a morning routine of somebody who absolutely does not love their job at all, groaned Aguilar in a trending TikTok post dedicated to her unglamorous pre-work routine. Her tasks include waking up at the crack of dawn, primping, packing a sad lunch, then making an hour-long hike to the penitentiary grounds in the dark of the morning. In a separate snippet, Aguilar lamented over the pangs of trying to hide her protruding belly in baggy clothes while also compiling with workplace uniform policies. On TikTok, Aguilar vented about the fking ugly work outfits she was forced to wear while pregnant. @bellllaaboo / CATERS NEWS I cant standthe attire, she griped. You cant wear blue jeans, sweats, leggings, yoga pants [or] anything like that. Yoga pants, leggings, sweats those are a pregnant womans best friends, said the fruitful fox of the form-fitting bottoms. Wearing maternity pants that are a size [too] big are just so f- -king ugly. Aguilar explained to Caters that shed initially tried camouflaging her bun in the oven while on the clock. She feared the optics of her changing body would attract unwanted attention from the wards. Im very little, Im five foot two, and I look very young, she said. So just being a young little girl thats pregnant inside of a mens prison its just going to bring some type of eyes to you, at least for a moment. However, despite the big-bellied belles best efforts at masking her mom-bod, Aguilars middle eventually grew beyond disguises. Aguilars bun in the oven became increasingly difficult to hide from the inmates. @bellllaaboo / CATERS NEWS It just got to the point where I couldnt hide it anymore and thats when we really cut back on the inmate contact, the carrying mother said, adding that shed only come in contact with about 65 prisoners twice a week. Still, she says even the most brief interactions with the convicts had become just uncomfortable. Kendra Capalbo, 46, a former social worker at Rhode Island Adult Correctional Facility, experienced similarly stomach-churning sensations during her tenure at the max-security jailhouse. Hearing the details of their crimes, said Capalbo, especially those involving women and children, and the rationale many of them used to justify their behavior, made it difficult to trust. Female correction officers at NYCs Rikers Island claimed theyve been verbally, physically and nearly sexually assaulted by detainees. I just felt like I was being watched more and its just already an uncomfortable environment to be in as a woman in general, being pregnant, just added to it. @bellllaaboo / CATERS NEWS Aguilar was lucky enough to not encounter any disrespect from jailers. But she says the threat of violence was always looming. We all know that being in a prison in general, theres always a chance of danger, she said. It is filled with prisoners who have done horrible things. However, I didnt feel particularly like a target because I was pregnant, Aguilar added. I just felt like I was being watched more and its just already an uncomfortable environment to be in as a woman in general, being pregnant, just added to it. Aguilar became overwhelmingly distressed. She ultimately left the troubling post and is now pursuing a career in beauty content creation. Working in a place like that, for me, personally was extremely depressing and hard on my mental health, she said. Now that I dont work there, I can say Im mentally so much happier. It's not often that a true mid-century modern home hits the market in New Jersey, especially one that is linked to notable East Orange architect Edward Bowser Jr., an apprentice for Le Corbusier who helped design the United Nations headquarters. Listed by Tamima Friedman and Daniel Rosenblum of Keller Williams NJ Metro Group, the home at 2 Shady Glen in West Orange hit the market on April 5 for $799,000. This home is just one of at least a dozen houses and buildings designed by Bowser Jr., known for home designs in areas like Montclair, Essex Fells, West Orange and Caldwell. Early in his career, Bowser Jr., one of New Jersey's first Black architects, had been an apprentice for Swiss-French architect and designer Le Corbusier from 1949 to 1950, and later became a pioneer of modern architecture. Most notably, he helped design the United Nations headquarters in New York. The home at 2 Shady Glen in West Orange, which was designed by East Orange architect Edward Bowser Jr. Built circa 1962, this three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is situated on a 0.43-acre property on a private dead-end road. The home consists of glass walls, a flat roof and a minimalist design that was common in the homes designed by Bowser Jr. Other features of the property include a brick wood-burning fireplace, wood beams and paneling throughout, a cook's kitchen, an ensuite bathroom with a soaking tub and a two-car garage with heat and air conditioning. Open houses were held for the home on April 13 and 14, and Friedman said people from all over the country came just to see the home. This included people who live in other properties designed by Bowser Jr., as well as the grandson of this home's original owner, who commissioned the property to be built in the first place. "It was kind of important that that happened because we've been trying to link Edward Bowser Jr. to this house, but without true paperwork from the town which had a fire that destroyed the documents we couldn't do it. I mean, we were sure that it was, but that made us 100% certain," Friedman said. "He even picked up his phone and had us talk to his father, who told us about when his mother had commissioned the home." The home at 2 Shady Glen in West Orange, which was designed by East Orange architect Edward Bowser Jr. Friedman said that the fact that this home had been so well maintained is another factor that made it stand out from other properties of a similar style. While there had been additions and repairs made to the property from previous owners, she said that all of the renovations were done in a way that still maintained the unique style and features of the home. Mike O'Brien, the home's seller who first purchased the property in 2018, said that he's always been a big fan of the mid-century modern style of architecture, which is what drew him to this home. "I've always loved this style, and there's very little of it in this area. I saw one or two others in this style in the area, but they were out of my price range at the time. Then, this one came on the market and the minute I saw the listing I knew it was my house," he said. "I came to the open house here and I couldn't leave. I was here after everyone else had left." The home at 2 Shady Glen in West Orange, which was designed by East Orange architect Edward Bowser Jr. During his time, O'Brien said his favorite part of the home was its spacious living room. He said this is particularly due to the home's flat roof and the floor-to-ceiling windows, which allowed the weather outside to add to the home's ambiance. From a blaze of color in the fall to a white snowscape in the winter, he said it offered an irreplaceable view. And, being able to hear the sound of rain hitting the roof added another peaceful element. "I take a small amount of pride in that I furnished it in a way that I think suits the room, I think my stuff blends in here nicely," he said. "The whole beauty of this room is the fireplace in the center. It's a room to listen to music. It's a room to play the piano, or to sit with a drink and read a book." The home at 2 Shady Glen in West Orange, which was designed by East Orange architect Edward Bowser Jr. As O'Brien's time in the home comes to a close, he said he doesn't want the home to go to somebody that's going to change all of its unique features, and instead love the property the way it is. "You can't call it a time capsule because it's been modified a few times with one extension or another, but this part of the house is really something special," he said. "It's really a work of art, and I hope they preserve that." Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay , on X @maddiemcgayy , and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: West Orange NJ: Home designed by Edward Bowser Jr. for sale Protect migrating birds in Indiana with these steps Billions of birds are migrating north as the weather warms, and many of them make the great trek at night. Bright, artificial lighting polluting the skies over cities can disorient the migrating birds causing them to call out in confusion and waste energy as they try to find their true path. The exhausted birds are then left vulnerable to other threats in their environments. Allens hummingbirds, wood thrushes and golden-winged warblers are priority species directly affected by light pollution during migration, according to the Audubon Society, and could benefit from a lights out program. A prothonotary warbler perches on a branch during an Eagle Creek Ornithology Center Sunday morning bird hike on Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, at Eagle Creek Park In Indianapolis. Local organizations promote bird-safe lighting The Amos Butler Audubon Society of Central Indiana and Bird Safe Indy are encouraging Hoosiers to turn off decorative, upward-facing and atrium lighting as the migrations pass by overhead. The groups suggest installing timers or even motion sensors to outdoor lights to minimize light pollution in the area. Backyard visitors: Hummingbirds are coming back to Indiana. Here's how to attract them to your yard Mayor Joe Hogsett promotes light reduction for birds The City of Indianapolis is actively encouraging residents and property owners to minimize lights between dusk and dawn from April 15-July 1 for the spring migrations and Sept. 1 through Oct. 31 during fall migration. Mayor Hogsett issued a proclamation to help prevent bird death and injury during these times. It is in public interest and safety that such birds as warblers, orioles, tanagers, grosbeaks, and other such birds be safe while passing through Marion County, the proclamation says. How to help birds at night The National Audubon Society published a list of ways to help birds migrating at night. These tips will not only protect these birds, but ultimately reduce energy consumption for homes and businesses. Turn off exterior decorative lighting Turn off pot and flood-lights Substitute strobe lighting wherever possible Reduce atrium lighting wherever possible Turn off interior lighting especially on higher stories Substitute task and area lighting for workers staying late or pull window coverings Down-shield exterior lighting to eliminate horizontal glare and all light directed upward Install automatic motion sensors and controls wherever possible When converting to new lighting: assess quality and quantity of light needed, avoiding over-lighting with newer, brighter technology Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Keep Indiana's migrating birds safe this spring with these ideas Queen Maxima of the Netherlands Gets Dramatic With Whimsical Statement Bows for Amsterdam Museum Visit With Queen Letizia of Spain Queen Maxima of the Netherlands made the case for statement bows during a state visit from the Spanish royals. The queen joined her husband King Willem-Alexander and daughter Princess Catharina-Amalia alongside Queen Letizia and her husband King Felipe of Spain for a visit to the Straat Museum in Amsterdam on Thursday. For the occasion, Queen Maxima wore a green dress with a large statement bow on her shoulder by Dutch fashion label Jantaminiau. The dress featured a checkered pattern of green and mocha hues, with the green color beaded onto the garment. More from WWD Queen Maxima of The Netherlands visits the Straat Museum on April 18. Queen Maxima also wore a pair of Gianvito Rossi suede pumps in a neutral hue with the dress. She carried a green clutch by Santesteban and accessorized her look with statement earrings and a glittering hair clip. Queen Maxima of The Netherlands visits the Straat Museum on April 18. Queen Maxima has fashioned a number of elegant looks for the Spanish royals state visit over the course of the last few days. During a reception at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on Wednesday, the royal wore a red ensemble by Maison Natan and coordinated her outfit with Gianvito Rossi heels. (L-R) Princess Catharina-Amalia of The Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands visit the Straat Museum on April 18. Often photographed alongside Queen Maxima over the course of the visit, Queen Letizia has kept up her appearances and maintained true to her fashion sensibility as well. The royal and her husband joined the King and Queen of the Netherlands and distinguished guests for a banquet on Wednesday night, for which Queen Letizia wore a royal blue gown designed by The 2nd Skin Co. She also wore a diamond loop tiara for the formal occasion. BORCULO, NETHERLANDS - MAY 06: Queen Maxima of The Netherlands arrives at the start of a regional tour of The Achterhoek on May 6, 2014 in Borculo, Netherlands. (Photo by Michel Porro/Getty Images) MIDDELBURG, NETHERLANDS - MAY 24: Queen Maxima of The Netherlands attends the Four Freedoms Award ceremony on May 24, 2014 in Middelburg, Netherlands. (Photo by Michel Porro/WireImage) APELDOORN, NETHERLANDS - JUNE 03: King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands arrive for dinner at the Loo Royal Palace on June 3, 2014 in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. (Photo by Michel Porro/Getty Images) View Gallery Both royal women have showcased their impeccable individual style over the course of the Spanish royals visit to the Netherlands. While Queen Maxima and Queen Letizia are clearly influenced by classic silhouettes and traditional styles, the two royal women have demonstrated their individual fashion sensibility throughout this significant occasion. Click the gallery below to see Queen Maximas style evolution. queen maxima of the netherlands style fashion outfits Launch Gallery: Queen Maxima of The Netherlands' Style Through the Years: Bright Colors, Whimsical Patterns & More Best of WWD SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) Families in Central Illinois can travel back 65 million years to the prehistoric age this weekend with the Dinosaur Adventure event in Springfield. At the Illinois State Fairgrounds, life-sized dinosaurs big and small will be on display, some of which visitors can interact with. Other activities include fossil digging, a prehistoric themed obstacle course, dinosaur rides, face painting and more. Museum of the Grand Prairie hosting Civil War stories event The event will be open on Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., as well as on Sunday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. More information and tickets can be found on the website. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Today, ramen in its many styles, is one of Japan's international symbols, with 121.2 billion global servings in 2022 alone. In addition to its general popularity, the dish has all sorts of uses; there's even a Japanese tourist train fueled by ramen. The roots of ramen date back centuries; there's evidence ramen noodles descend from a type of noodle known as keitai-men, which had existed for centuries (but with limited popularity, especially among the general population). But it wasn't until the late 1800s that those noodles were combined with Japanese and Chinese cooking techniques to create the ramen we know now. But ramen also wouldn't exist without a bunch of U.S. warships from the 1850s. (It's important to note that ramen was not invented by the U.S. Navy or any other American; it's a Japanese creation through and through, with some assistance from Chinese cooking ideas). However, the actions of the Navy during one of the most formative events in Japanese history -- the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry's black ships -- ultimately had a butterfly effect on its creation a few decades later. To understand why, you need to understand how Japan was closed off for centuries and how Perry's arrival opened the floodgates for immigration and international trade. Read more: 12 Vegetables And Fruits That Used To Look Very Different Japan Was Closed Off For Centuries Until The Navy Arrived Statue of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry - Felix Lipov/Shutterstock In the latter half of the 16th century, Japan was open to, if not universally welcoming, European Catholic missionaries. In the early 17th century, though, a series of edicts were issued by shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu that collectively formed a policy known as sakoku. These included prohibiting Christianity in 1614, forbidding Japanese citizens from entering and leaving in 1635, and barring the Portuguese from Japan in 1639. Together, they effectively sealed the country's borders to the outside world (apart from a small Dutch trading outpost in Nagasaki). This would hold for almost the entirety of the Edo Period (1603 to 1868) -- until the arrival of the U.S. Navy. In 1853, U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Edo Bay (the area around modern-day Tokyo and Yokohama) with a small fleet of steamships the Japanese came to refer to as "black ships" for the smoke they gave off. Perry's mission to open Japan to trade by any means necessary (including intimidation by firing a bunch of blank rounds at one point) was successful, culminating in the country fully opening its ports (and thus opening itself up to immigration) in 1859. Ramen Was As A Fusion Of Chinese And Japanese Cooking Ideas bowl of ramen - sasazawa/Shutterstock In the decades after Perry's arrival, Chinese immigrants particularly students began to arrive in the country in increasing numbers. They brought with them a love of Chinese broth-based noodle dishes that would fuse with Japanese cooking concepts into modern ramen. In addition to some form of keitai-men noodles, the inclusion of dashi, Japan's unique soup stock, and various toppings turned ramen into what it is today. The first dedicated Japanese ramen restaurant, Rairaiken, opened in 1910, and the country hasn't looked back since. So, while there may be differences between American and Japanese ramen, its modern form wouldn't exist without one country pointing some big guns at the other and telling them to open up because they had things to sell them. Next time you enjoy a nice bowl of ramen, be sure to thank Commodore Matthew Perry. Read the original article on Daily Meal A teen boy is dead after a shooting at a playground in McKees Rocks. Allegheny County dispatchers say police and medics were called to the 900 block of Third Street, near Third Street Park, at 4:02 p.m. on Saturday. Click here for photos of the crime scene. Police say they found a boy who had been shot multiple times when they arrived on the scene. The boy was taken to a hospital where he later died. He was identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiners Office as Ahsan Edwards, 15, of McKees Rocks. Allegheny County Police said the shooter came from the street and fired at the teens who were just sitting at a table, talking. It seems that a bunch of teenagers were hanging out at the park when shots rang out, said Lt. Nando Costa. They get up to run from the gunfire and one of them gets hit. Lt. Costa said the teenage boy was shot in the chest multiple times. Its sad. Its really disheartening to hear how these kids, these babies, mothers and fathers are burying their kids, said a mother who didnt want to be identified. Neighbors, including the mother of four, are fed up with the gun violence. Every time you turn around, its a friend; its a brother; its a cousin; its a sister; its an uncle, the mother said. Every time you turn around, its something going on around here. These kids cant even come outside and play. They cant come outside and walk. Its always something every other day, and it just needs to stop. A newly formed task force in McKees Rocks is working to curb crime. RELATED COVERAGE >>> Task force aims to eliminate violence in McKees Rocks area A violence intervention team is going door to door talking to kids to try To prevent any retaliation. The mother, however, said parents need to be more involved. Check them phones; check their emails; check their Facebooks, she said. See what type of activity they are into because this should not be happening. Babies should not be out here getting killed. The teen was a Sto-Rox student, according to Superintendent Megan Marie Van Fossan. The school district will have counselors on hand next week. There are no suspects in this case. Anyone with information is asked to call the Allegheny County Police Department at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Tips can be made anonymously. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: 2 children dead, 15 people hurt after vehicle crashes into birthday party at boat club Teen dead after shooting at playground in McKees Rocks Stephanie Sparks, former college golf star, host of Big Break reality show, dead at 50 VIDEO: Teen dead after shooting at playground in McKees Rocks DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts A person was rushed to the hospital after being shot at a strip mall in southwest Charlotte on Saturday night. MEDIC says it happened around 10 p.m. in the 200 block of Woodlawn Road. Google Maps shows there to be a strip mall with restaurants and stores. This embedded content is not available in your region. The police report says the shooting happened in the parking lot. A 20-year-old victim had life-threatening injuries from the shooting, MEDIC said. The victim did not know the suspect, according to the police report. READ MORE: Ex-wife shoots man to death at southwest Charlotte hotel, CMPD says \Channel 9 asked CMPD what led to the violence and if anyone will face charges. This is a developing story; check wsoctv.com for updates. (WATCH: Teen, accused of murder, out of jail; family outraged) A 10-year-old Texas boy confessed to the murder of a 32-year-old food worker who was shot inside his home in 2022, the Gonzales County Sheriffs Office announced Thursday. Brandon OQuinn Rasberry was found in his mobile home Jan. 18, 2022, after his employer, Holmes Foods, called his landlord because he had not shown up to work in two days, the sheriffs office said in the release. Deputies found Rasberry with a single gunshot wound to the head, the sheriffs office said. Detectives found no leads in a search of the area or forensic analysis of the victims cellphone data. Brandon OQuinn Rasberry via Facebook Facebook Medical examiners concluded that Rasberry had been dead for about two days before he was found, the sheriffs office said. In a statement shared with the Gonzales Inquirer, a local newspaper, a year after Rasberrys death, the sheriffs office said that the mans family was incredibly heartbroken and had just gone through their first holiday season without him. Rasberrys case went unsolved until April 12, when a Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District principal reported thata 10-year-old boy had threatened to assault and kill another student on a bus, according to the release. A school official later told a deputy that the 10-year-old said he fatally shot a man two years ago, authorities said. The boy was taken to a child forensic interviewer and described in detail how he killed a man inside a trailer in Nixon, Texas, when he was 7, the sheriffs office said. The child said that on Jan.16, 2022, he was visiting his grandfather, who lived in the same RV park as Rasberry. He said he hadnever met Rasberry and had only seen him walking around earlier that day, authorities said in the release. The boy took a pistol from the glove compartment of his grandfathers truck, deputies said in the release, went into Rasberrys mobile home while the victim was asleep and fired a single shot, striking him in the head. The child allegedly fired another round into the couch before leaving and returning the gun where he found it. The 10-year-old told the interviewer his grandfather later pawned the gun, which investigators say they were able to recover from the shop in Seguin, Texas, the release stated. Forensic analysis of the firearm determined that it was used in Rasberrys murder. After being released from psychiatric evaluation and treatment, the 10-year-old was booked on a charge of making a terroristic threat relating to the school bus incident, the sheriffs office said. Since Rasberrys killing occurred when the child was 7, the sheriffs office will not file charges. The Texas Penal Code states that a child does not have criminal culpability until they reach the age of ten years old. In a statement shared with local news station KSAT, Nixon-Smiley Independent School District Superintendent Jeff Van Auken said the district has been cooperating with the investigation and that the 10-year-old will not return to the elementary school campus. Loved ones of Rasberry did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for a comment. Related... A Palestinian youth mourns his relative killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at the morgue of the Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, early Saturday, April 20, 2024. An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory. Israels war against the Islamic militant group Hamas has led to a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, notably between Israel and Iran in recent weeks. Now attention returns to Rafah, where more than half of Gazas population of about 2.3 million people are sheltering, many displaced by fighting elsewhere. Relatives sobbed and hugged childrens shrouded bodies at al-Najjar hospital. Hamza my beloved. Your hair looks so pretty, a mourning grandmother said. The fatalities included Abdel-Fattah Sobhi Radwan, his wife Najlaa Ahmed Aweidah and their three children, his brother-in-law Ahmed Barhoum said. Barhoum lost his wife, Rawan Radwan, and their 5-year-old daughter, Alaa. This is a world devoid of all human values and morals, Barhoum told The Associated Press, crying as he cradled Alaas body. The only martyrs were women and children. Israel has insisted for months that it plans a ground offensive into Rafah, where it says many remaining Hamas militants are holed up, despite calls for restraint from the international community including Israels staunchest ally, the United States. Some Palestinians left an area of Rafah near the border with Egypt on Saturday after receiving an evacuation alert from the Israeli army. Guys, they will strike at 3:40. It is happening. What time is it now? one said. Minutes later, a strike hit. It was not immediately known whether anyone was killed. Also Saturday, an Israeli airstrike hit a house in the urban refugee camp of Bureji in central Gaza, killing at least one man and injuring two others, according to authorities at the al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, where an AP journalist saw the casualties. The war was sparked by an unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel by Hamas and other militant groups that left about 1,200 people dead, the vast majority civilians, and saw about 250 kidnapped and taken into Gaza. Israel says about 130 hostages remain in Gaza, although more than 30 have died. Frustration continues among many in Israel, and thousands of anti-government protesters in Tel Aviv again called for new elections and a deal to free remaining hostages. We dont know what to do anymore, so we are here crying and shouting for help, said one protester, Iris Milnar. The Palestinian death toll from the war is at least 34,049, with 76,901 wounded, the Gaza Health Ministry said, adding that the bodies of 37 people killed by Israeli strikes were taken to hospitals over the past 24 hours. The Hamas-run health authorities do not differentiate between combatants and civilians in their count but say at least two-thirds have been children and women. Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties, saying it embeds in the population. The war has sent regional tensions spiraling. On Friday, Israel and archenemy Iran played down an apparent Israeli airstrike near a major air base and nuclear site in central Iran, indicating they were pulling back from what could have become all-out war. A week ago, Iran fired an unprecedented missile barrage on Israel after an alleged Israeli strike killed two Iranian generals at an Iranian consulate in Syria. Israel continues to face off with Irans proxies, frequently trading rocket and drone attacks across the Lebanese-Israeli border with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched strikes against merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in what they call solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Tensions also are high in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 12 bodies were taken Saturday from the Nur Sham urban refugee camp, raising the death toll to 13 since an Israeli military operation began in the area Thursday night. It said they were killed as a result of the occupations aggression. The Islamic Jihad militant group confirmed the deaths of three members. Another killed was a 15-year-old boy. The Israeli army said its forces killed 10 militants in the camp and surrounding areas while eight suspects were arrested. Nine of its officers and soldiers were wounded, it said. At least 469 Palestinians from east Jerusalem and the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since October, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Elsewhere in the West Bank, the ministry said an ambulance driver was shot dead near Sawiya town while trying to reach Palestinians injured in clashes with Israeli settlers. The Palestinian Red Crescent said Mohammed Musa was shot in the chest. A wave of settler attacks began a week ago after an Israeli teen went missing and was found dead. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition 10-year-old says he killed man when he was 7, closing unsolved homicide, Texas cops say A 10-year-old said he killed a man when he was 7, leading deputies to close an unsolved murder from 2022, Texas authorities said. On April 12, investigators were called to the Nixon Smiley Independent School District about a boy who threatened to kill another student on the bus, according to an April 18 news release from the Gonzalez County Sheriffs Office. During an assessment following the incident, the boy told school officials that he shot and killed a man two years ago, the sheriffs office said. He provided, in detail, information that was consistent with first-hand knowledge of the homicide of Brandon Rasberry, authorities said. On Jan. 18, 2022, 32-year-old Rasberry was found dead in his trailer at Lazy K RV Park in Nixon with a gunshot wound to the head, the sheriffs office said. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide. Forensic analysis, cell phone data and evidence gathered at the scene did not result in any new leads, according to authorities. Investigators exhausted the few leads they had, and Rasberrys death remained unsolved until the 10-year-olds confession, the sheriffs office said. 2022 homicide of Brandon Rasberry The boy told investigators he was visiting his grandfather, who lived a few lots away from Rasberry, on Jan. 16, 2022. He told them he took a pistol from the glove box of his grandfathers truck and entered Rasberrys RV, where he saw him sleeping in his bed, the release said. The then-7-year-old fired the pistol, striking him one time in the head, before exiting the RV and returning the firearm to the glove box of the truck, according to the sheriffs office. The child stated he had never met Brandon, and did not know who he was although he had observed him walking around the RV earlier in the day, the sheriffs office said. The child was also asked if he was mad at Brandon for some reason or if Brandon had ever done anything to him to make him mad, the child stated no. The boy told investigators his grandfather sold the pistol to a pawn shop in Seguin, but authorities located it April 12, 2024, the sheriffs office said. On April 17, investigators transported two spent shell casings that were collected from the scene of the murder to the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms San Antonio Field Office for forensic analysis and comparison using National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, the sheriffs office said. Their analysis confirmed the pistol recovered from the pawn shop was the firearm used in the shooting death of Rasberry, authorities said. Charges According to authorities, Texas law states children cannot be held culpable for a crime until age 10. At the time of Rasberrys killing, the boy was 7, and therefore murder charges cannot be filed against him, officials said. The sheriffs office said the boy was placed on a 72-hour emergency detention before being evaluated and treated at a psychiatric facility in San Antonio. He was booked at the Gonzales County Sheriffs Office on charges of terroristic threat relating to the school bus incident. The child was placed in detention by Gonzales County Juvenile Probation to await his court date at a later time, the authorities said. Nixon is about a 75-mile drive south from Austin. Wife calls 911 for help, then cops shoot man dead amid mental health crisis, suit says Baby eagle found alone and hungry after storms until happy reunion. See the eaglet Teen turns tables on accused robbers when mom slips him a gun in Texas home, cops say Editors Note: A version of this story appeared in CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. As Earth Day approaches and the Wonder Theory newsletter celebrates three years of arriving in your inboxes, I look to the future with hope. We all start somewhere. Encouragement and the pursuit of knowledge help us grow. When Jane Goodall was a little girl, her mother nurtured the celebrated primatologists love of the living world. Now 90, Goodall nurtures that same appreciation through her Roots & Shoots program, which empowers young people to create change within their communities around the globe. Even as the world shifts in reaction to the climate crisis, Goodall remains hopeful that humanity can save the planet. Dont forget that you as an individual make an impact on the environment every single day, Goodall told CNN recently. And its up to you to choose what sort of impact you make. Ocean secrets Dr. Dean Lomax, (from left) Ruby Reynolds, Justin Reynolds and Paul de la Salle are shown with the fossil discovery in 2020. - Dean Lomax In May 2020, Ruby Reynolds, then 11, and her father, Justin, were searching for fossils on a Somerset beach along the English coast when she spotted something unusual. Now reassembled with the help of experts, the fossils Ruby found have revealed the jawbone of a giant ichthyosaur that roamed the seas 202 million years ago. And when it came to sheer size, the marine reptile likely rivaled the blue whale, currently the largest living animal. 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, she said. Meanwhile in India, paleontologists at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee unearthed evidence of a different massive reptile: a prehistoric snake that was longer than a school bus. A long time ago Archaeologists have pieced together the puzzle of a dramatic dynasty collapse after finding burned remains within an ancient Maya pyramid in Guatemala. The research team uncovered the scorched bones of four adults, as well as luxurious adornments and weapons, in a room beneath a temple, leading them to believe the people were of royal lineage. Its likely that a new type of leader arose during a time of political and societal change for the Maya, and the bones were burned as a sign of intentional desecration, the team said. Separately, two 5,500-year-old skeletons recovered at an archaeological site in southwest France belonged to women who were likely buried alive in a sacrificial rite using an Italian Mafia-style form of torture. Other worlds An artist's illustration depicts a concentric rainbow-like phenomenon called a glory effect detected in the atmosphere of the exoplanet WASP-76b. - ESA For the first time, astronomers have detected a rainbow-like effect called a glory on a planet outside our solar system. Scientists using the Cheops space telescope noticed an unexpected glow within the atmosphere on WASP-76b. An artists illustration depicts the phenomenon, which appears as colorful, concentric rings of light and has only ever been observed on Earth and Venus. The blazing-hot exoplanet, located 637 light-years away, is also intriguing because it has one side that perpetually faces a sunlike star, causing molten iron to rain down from its clouds. In a different study, scientists found that an ancient, cataclysmic collision with another planet created the telltale bright, white heart seen sparkling on Plutos surface. Across the universe The unusual wobble of a star led astronomers to what they have dubbed a cosmic sleeping giant in the Milky Way. The Gaia space telescope has detected the most massive known stellar black hole, or a black hole formed from the collapse of a giant star, in our galaxy. Named Gaia BH3, the celestial heavyweight has a mass that is nearly 33 times that of our sun, and its only 1,926 light-years away. Fantastic creatures A common eastern bumblebee queen is seen on an apple blossom. - Nigel Raine When scientists accidentally submerged a specific type of hibernating bumblebee in water, they made a remarkable discovery: Queen common eastern bumblebees can survive underwater for up to a week. Its possible that the queens, which hibernate through the cold season alone after male and worker bees die, enter a state of suspended growth called diapause, which helps them survive. Meanwhile, as billions of cicadas are set to emerge this spring after spending more than a decade underground, scientists expect some of the bugs to be manipulated by a zombifying fungus. The pathogen transforms the cicadas into saltshakers of death, as described by Dr. Matt Kasson, an associate professor at West Virginia University. Explorations Take a closer look at these surprising stories: Budget cuts threaten the program that could retrieve rare samples from Mars collected by the Perseverance rover. Now, NASA is soliciting creative methods to return them to Earth. Excavations in southern Australia have revealed three new species of giant kangaroo that lived millions of years ago, and one of them was about double the size of the biggest kangaroos alive today. NASA expected garbage it ejected from the International Space Station to burn up in Earths atmosphere, but a piece of space junk survived the fiery reentry process and smashed into a home in Naples, Florida. Camels once roamed across whats now Canada, but they crossed the Bering land bridge 17,000 years ago and completely readapted to live in the desert and humans can learn from their transformation. Like what youve read? Oh, but theres more. Sign up here to receive in your inbox the next edition of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland and Katie Hunt. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com 15-year-old fatally shoots cousin trying to take him home from party, Tennessee cops say A 31-year-old man died after his 15-year-old cousin fatally shot him in Tennessee, police said. The teen was at a birthday party at a short-term rental in Nashville, according to an April 19 news release from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The teens mom wanted him home by 8 p.m. so he would stay in compliance with his juvenile court probation, officers said. Around 9 p.m., the victim, identified as Barrington Moore, went to the party to pick the teen up and take him home, police said. Moore found the teen hiding in a closet and the two got into a fight, officers said. The teen later told police he fired a gun during the fight, officials said. Police didnt specify what the two were fighting about. Moore died at the hospital, and the teen was arrested and booked on a homicide charge, police said. Boyfriend left ominous voicemail minutes before woman shot dead, New Mexico cops say Man accused of fatally shooting longtime friend over $35, Georgia officials say Man shoots girlfriends ex 15 times then hides in blackberry bushes, OR officials say LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Las Vegas police said they arrested the teenage suspect in a homicide investigation earlier this week. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, at around 9:20 p.m. on April 9, dispatch received reports of a shooting in an apartment complex in the 2100 block of Club Pacific Way. Arriving officers found a teen suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Medical personnel responded and took the victim to a local hospital, where they pronounced him dead. Police said the teenager was involved in a fight with several other individuals in the complex. All suspects had left the scene before police arrived. Through investigation, detectives were able to identify a 17-year-old boy as the suspect in the case. On April 16, the suspect was arrested and booked into the Clark County Juvenile Hall for open murder. Police did not release the name of the suspect. The identification of the victim, as well as the cause and manner of death, will be released by the Clark County Coroners Office. Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521 or by email at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or on their website. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. 2,013 confetti cannons fired at the same time to break world record April 19 (UPI) -- A school in Australia set off 2,013 confetti cannons at the same time to celebrate its 40th anniversary and break a Guinness World Record. Students at St. Stephen's School in Western Australia sent confetti flying into the air Friday to break the record for the most people launching confetti cannons simultaneously. The previous record stood at 1,116 people, a target the students nearly doubled with 2,013. "A big thank you to everyone involved and well done to our students who were so amazing," the school said in a Facebook post. 2 elections set for El Paso County in May EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Depending on where you live in El Paso County, you might be going to the polls twice in May. On May 4, voters in San Elizario, in the Canutillo Independent School District, and in the Lower Valley Water District will all be going to the polls. Early voting in this election begins Monday, April 22 and lasts through Tuesday, April 30. Election Day is May 4. Canutillo ISD is asking voters to approve a $387 million bond to replace and consolidate several schools, make improvements to other schools and pay off debt. The Lower Valley Water District, which provides water, wastewater and solid waste services to residents in the southeastern part of El Paso County, is asking voters to approve a $35 million bond for different projects and improvements. In San Elizario, voters will be deciding on who serves as mayor and two alderperson positions. Then, on May 28, voters will decide a handful of races that went to runoff from the March Texas Primary. Early voting in the runoff goes from Monday, May 20 through Friday, May 24. Election Day is Tuesday, May 28. Four races in the Democratic Primary all went to runoff. These races are: House District 77: Norma Chavez vs. Vince Perez District attorney: Alma Trejo vs. James Montoya El Paso County sheriff: Bobby Flores vs. Oscar Ugarte Constable, Precinct No. 1: Frank Almada vs. Andrea Andi Baca In the Republican Primary, incumbent Tony Gonzales is facing Brandon Herrera in U.S. House District 23. This far-reaching district includes part of East El Paso County. Monday, April 29 is the last day to register for the runoff election. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. CHICAGO Two men are dead and a third is recovering in the hospital on Saturday after an early-morning shooting in South Chicago. Chicago police say it all unfolded just before 2 a.m. in the 2500 block of East 83rd Street. Two men were standing outside in the area when someone opened fire and both men were hit, police say. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland According to officers, a 42-year-old man, who was shot in the neck, was later pronounced dead on the scene. Officers later confirmed that a 37-year-old man, who suffered a gunshot wound to his chest, was found nearby in the 8300 block of South Colfax Avenue and pronounced dead. A third person, another 42-year-old man, sustained two gunshot wounds to his chest and was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Authorities have not provided details on what led up to the shooting and officers say no arrests have been made. An investigation into the shooting is now underway and authorities ask anyone with information to contact CPD Area Two Detectives at 312-747-8273 or dial 911. Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. UPDATE: 2 killed, 2 injured in Russian attack on border city of Vovchansk Russia attacked the city of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast on April 20, killing two men, injuring another man and a woman, the regional Prosecutor's Office reported. Settlements in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv Oblast are subjected to regular Russian attacks due to their proximity to the front line and the border with Russia. Russian forces reportedly attacked a nine-story building and house in Vovchansk, located around 50 kilometers northeast of Kharkiv and less than 10 kilometers from the Russia-Ukraine border, at around 8 a.m. local time. A woman and man, both aged 61, were injured, and 50-year-old and 84-year-old men were killed by Russia, according to the statement. The aftermath of Russian attack on Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast on April 20, 2024. (Ukraine's National Police) Russia recently intensified attacks against Kharkiv, which had a population of 1.4 million in 2021, with the use of missiles, glide bombs, and drones, destroying energy infrastructure and killing civilians. At the end of March, Russia reportedly destroyed all the electrical substations in Kharkiv, leaving Ukraine's second-largest city without a stable power supply. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov thinks his city is at risk of becoming "a second Aleppo" if left without help to obtain air defense systems. Read also: Bloomberg: Russia does not have capability to launch offensive on Kharkiv Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Police ask for communitys help after man dies in St. Petersburg double shooting ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) Two people have been shot in St. Petersburg, according to officials. The St. Petersburg Police Department said officers responded to a shooting in the 100 block of 80th Avenue Northeast at 1:18 p.m. Clearwater boat tour captain goes overboard with 30 passengers aboard, charged with BUI: affidavit Officers found a 17-year-old and a 21-year-old at the scene who were involved in the shooting. The 21-year-old, identified as Marcus Rivers, was pronounced dead at the scene. The teen was taken to a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound. He is currently in stable condition. What is very helpful for us is for the neighbors to check their home surveillance video specifically between the times of 1 p.m. and 1:30 pm today to see if there is anything out of the ordinary their home surveillance might of caught, Assistant Deputy Chief Antonio Gilliam said. Police said this was an isolated incident and there is no public threat. This remains an ongoing investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. On one summers day in 2022, Warda Seif roamed the streets of Yemens city of Aden under the blaring sun for two hours looking for a mobile phone repair shop to fix a software glitch in her device. She knew the problem could be sorted out within an hour, but when the male technicians asked her to share her password and leave the device for a day or two, she refused, and moved on to the next store. Her refusal may seem peculiar, but the risks she dreads are grave: Yemens conservative society is one of the worlds worst performing countries on the Gender Inequality Index, ranking 155 out of 156 countries in 2021. Deeply-ingrained patriarchal norms and gender roles dictate womens choices and actions, and place women as bearers of their families honor, making them easy targets of extortions and blackmails. And mobile phones store a lot of that honor in the form of personal images and confidential information, even if these images are neither explicit nor revealing. Widespread IT illiteracy amongst women and their reliance on strangers to set up their emails or fix their devices makes them prone to extortionists, said activist Mokhtar Abdel Al-Moez, founder of Sanad, a nonprofit organization with around 400 volunteer digital experts offering support to cybercrime victims since March 2020. Ultimately, Warda gave up, joining the ranks of many women who go for months, even years, without mobile phones because theyre unable to fix technical mishaps that can befall any device, and are unable to buy new ones. Rana Fadl, a 27-year-old in Aden too, worked in an international relief organization when her phone broke down in 2021. Unable to fix it herself or find someone trustworthy enough for the task, and since she could not afford buying another phone, she couldnt perform her job properly and ended up leaving it. My brother insisted I do not leave my phone in a strange males hand, she explained. Recent cases of female victims of extortion were too fresh to ignore. In late 2020, a brutal murder brought the issue of extorting women to the fore. Abdullah Al-Aghbary, a young man from Taiz, was reportedly beaten to death weeks into being hired in a mobile phone repair shop after he allegedly began collecting evidence of the stores male technicians using content from female clients phones to blackmail them. The crime coincided with a number of testimonies in the local press by women who fell victims to sextorting technicians. We receive between 15 to 20 cases of cybercrimes each day, said Al-Moez. Some women end up being dragged into prostitution in hopes their compliance would stop the blackmailer from publicizing their personal images, he explained. Others end up with mental and emotional scars, or face domestic violence, divorce or even commit suicide because theyre scandalized, or fear that, he said. One of the mobiles that Amal al-Suroori fixes, who has converted part of her house in Aden into a small workshop. Tech maverick In 2020, amidst a global pandemic and in the heat of Al-Aghbarys murder, Anisa al-Salami decided to end Yemeni womens dependence on male mobile phone technicians. The 29-year-old resident of Yemens southwestern city of Taiz had gone for four years without a phone after hers broke down. It just laid there, and Id look at it, frustrated that I cant do anything with it, or about it. Four years. Until I decided Id fix it on my own, she told El Pais. To achieve that, she did the frowned-upon act of breaking into the male-dominated field of IT and mobile phone repairing, by first studying at the Technical Institute for Computer Programming and Maintenance (TICPM), and then opening a shop to offer her services to women struggling to protect their privacy. I was criticized and mocked by relatives and strangers, but I decided once and for all that no woman should go through living without a phone because there arent any female technicians she can entrust with fixing her device, said al-Salami. In Yemen, whose years of turmoil and unrest have added to the layers of discrimination and inequality against women, the disparity between men and women in economic participation and opportunity is among the widest in the world, with only 28.2 percent of the gender gap bridged in 2021. Cultural, social and security restrictions bar women from participating in jobs or fields deemed unfit for them by society. I was defamed by male technicians who accused me of working for extorters, and are now refusing to sell me spare parts they monopolize, forcing me to buy the needs of my business all the way from Sanaa, at a great financial cost because of the difference in rates between the two cities, explains al-Salami, referring to the political hurdles and divisions splitting her country between two warring administrations, and adding to the challenges shes encountering as a business. Tahani al-Jaafari's repair shop, in his home. CEDIDA POR Tahani Al-Jaafari But because of the massive need, al-Salamis store in one of the commercial streets of Taiz, Yemens third biggest city, is bustling with clients that she hired other female technicians whom she trains to assist her. On some days, I can receive 10 clients or more mostly females at the store. They come from nearby and faraway places. Some men come too because they worry about the images of female relatives they have on their phones. I serve them all, as well as give guidance on online privacy protection, securing information, helping illiterate women set up their phones and show them the basics, she explained. Incredible step According to cyber security trainer Zainab al-Qadi, Yemeni women breaking into that sector is an incredible step that will help cut down extortion cases among women. This is not to say that sextortion of women stopped or that the issue is resolved, but women becoming technicians and fixers of their own devices will at least eliminate that risk for women, she told El Pais. Moez agrees, saying women penetrating this field is helping Sanads efforts immensely in combating such crimes, as theyre useful in dealing with victims of extortion. Eyeing al-Salamis success, a number of other women were inspired to walk into her footsteps. In a small corner of her home in Taiz, Tahani al-Jaafari set up a small shop to repair and fix phones of women who seek her expertise, having studied at TICPM, like al-Salami did. Its a small effort on my part, but its what I can offer to help women and protect them from what ended the lives of many of them, metaphorically and literally, said the 27-year-old. Women who fall victims of sextortion face grave consequences, against the backdrop of the societys austere conservative nature. Doing their utmost not to be scandalized, many comply with their sextortionists, giving money or sexual favors, and those who ultimately get discovered by their families face the imminent risk of domestic violence, death, or suicide. La tienda de reparacion de moviles de Anissa al-Salami en la ciudad suroccidental yemeni de Taiz, en 2020. CEDIDA POR Anissa al-Salami For that, Amal al-Suroori completed a programming course, and in May 2023, turned a small part of her home in Aden into a mobile phone repair shop to receive female clients. Mobile phones are a necessity, and buying a new phone each time yours freezes is ridiculous. And trust in male technicians no longer exists. So I learned this job to serve my interests, and those of others, she said. Picking up her phone after it was fixed by al-Suroori, 32-year-old housewife Azhar al-Jaafari said she is so relieved for the services women technicians are providing. Theyve taken such a heavy burden off our shoulders as women. I no longer panic each time my phone breaks, she said. This article was published in collaboration with Egab, a platform that works with journalists in the Middle East and Africa. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Mario Gonzalez, 26, is detained in Alameda in April 2021 in this still from an officer's body camera video, which goes on to show police pinning him to the ground facedown until he became unresponsive. (Alameda Police Department via Associated Press) Nearly three years after a Bay Area man died when police pinned him facedown, in a case that drew comparisons to the killing of George Floyd, the Alameda Police Department officers involved have been charged with involuntary manslaughter, authorities announced. The charges in the death of Mario Gonzalez, 26, came Thursday. Gonzalez died after an altercation with police on April 19, 2021. No charges were filed against the officers at the time. An initial autopsy cited "physiological stress of altercation and restraint" as one of four factors in Gonzalez's death, along with the "toxic effects of methamphetamine, morbid obesity and alcoholism. The Alameda County district attorney's Public Accountability Unit reopened the case in 2023, and a second autopsy determined that Gonzalez had died as "a result of restraint asphyxiation," according to the prosecutor. The case was brought by Dist. Atty Pamela Price. Elected in 2022, Price had promised in her campaign to reopen the inquiry, which had been closed without charges by previous Dist. Atty. Nancy O'Malley. The three officers, Eric McKinley, James Fisher and Cameron Leahy, were charged with involuntary manslaughter. Read more: Outrage grows as new video shows Latino man dying after Bay Area police pin him for 4 minutes Gonzalez's death drew comparisons to Floyd's 2020 murder in Minneapolis by then-Officer Derek Chauvin, a killing that set off nationwide protests against police brutality. Less than a year later, police officers in Alameda responded to a report of an intoxicated person and possible theft at a local park. Body camera footage released by the Police Department shows the officers' interaction with Gonzalez. In the video, Gonzalez struggles to answer their questions and appears dazed. After he fails to produce identification for the officers, they attempt to pin his hands behind his back to handcuff him. The officers determine that Gonzalez is resisting and push him to the ground, the video shows. "Were going to take care of you, OK? Were going to take care of you, one officer tells Gonzalez as they continue to restrain him. I think you just had too much to drink today, OK? Thats all, the officer continues. After learning his name, the officer adds, Mario, just please stop fighting us. Gonzalez can be seen facedown in wood chips, grunting and shouting as the officers hold him down. Read more: At least 11 Minneapolis officers were disciplined amid unrest after George Floyd's murder, reports show One officer puts a knee on Gonzalez's back and holds it there for at least four minutes, even as Gonzalez gasps for air. I didnt do nothing, OK? Gonzalez says at one point. An officer eventually says that Gonzelez is "going unresponsive," according to the video. The officers then roll Gonzalez over and perform CPR on him. He died at the hospital later that day. In its initial public comment on the case, the Alameda Police Department did not mention that Gonzalez had been restrained, saying only that "officers attempted to detain the man, and a physical altercation ensued. At that time, the man had a medical emergency." But Gonzalez's family saw the situation differently. The police killed my brother, in the same manner they killed George Floyd, his brother Gerardo Gonzalez told reporters at the time. Alison Berry Wilkinson, a lawyer who represented all three officers during the criminal investigation but who now represents only Leahy, called the case a "blatantly political prosecution." "The officers actions while taking Mr. Gonzalez into custody were reasonable, necessary, and lawful, and his tragic death was the result of drug toxicity, not criminal misconduct," she said. All three officers are still active in law enforcement and will surrender themselves in the case, Berry Wilkinson 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Three people were arrested for alleged sex abuse crimes against children in Sheridan, Oregon this week. According to the Yamhill County Sheriffs Office, the first pair of arrests was made on Monday based on a childs report. Then a separate arrest occurred Wednesday at a different residence thanks to a tip from a national organization that tracks down sex abuse crimes involving children on the internet. The two adults who were arrested Monday were 41-year-old Kevin Kemp and 36-year-old Shannon Kemp. Their arrests were based on a tip that a 16-year-old gave to investigators saying the two of them allegedly gave the teen alcohol and marijuana and engaged in sexual contact on multiple occasions. Nike headquarters to shed more employees in second phase of layoffs Based on this information, the Yamhill County Sheriffs Office Special Investigations Unit executed a search warrant at the home in the 200 block of Northeast Yamhill Street. Evidence that allegedly corroborated the childs report was seized. The Kemps were both arrested and lodged at the Yamhill County Jail and they were both charged with multiple sex abuse-related crimes. That includes second-degree sex abuse, contributing to a minors sexual delinquency, providing liquor to a minor and allowing the consumption of marijuana by an underage person on private property. The arrest that happened Wednesday was the culmination of a tip that the sheriffs office SIU team received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children with their internet crimes taskforce. The organization had located the digital fingerprint of an individual who allegedly uploaded child sex abuse material to an online server. Investigators figured out the files that were uploaded came from a device with the phone number of someone living in Sheridan. Music Millennium owner talks Record Store Day 2024 exclusives Using the authority of another search warrant, detectives combed a home in the 500 block of Southeast Sheridan Road. An electronic device was seized as evidence and detectives made an arrest. Brendan Haynes, 27, was booked into the Yamhill County Jail on six counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. In a release, the Yamhill County Sheriffs Office said they wanted to raise awareness about these crimes since April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. However, its unclear if the two cases were at all related. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. In this image from a body camera, Alameda Police Department officers attempt to take 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez into custody on April 19, 2021. The video later shows officers pinning Gonzalez to the ground face-down. Alameda Police Department via Associated Press Three law enforcement officers in the San Francisco Bay Area were charged Thursday in the 2021 death of a 26-year-old Latino father in police custody. Two years ago, prosecutors in Alameda County chose not to prosecute the officers, but they changed course this week after a new district attorney took office and a new autopsy report revealed more information about the death. Eric McKinley, James Fisher and Cameron Leahy were each charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Mario Gonzalez. Leahy and McKinley work for the Alameda Police Department, and Fisher was with the APD at the time but is now a Contra Costa County sheriffs deputy, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. On April 19, 2021, police received calls that a man was acting strangely and was talking to himself, according to a report from former District Attorney Nancy OMalley. When officers approached Gonzalez, he was alone in a park and there were alcohol bottles nearby. He spoke with officers for close to nine minutes, according to body camera footage later released by the police department. The officers then put Gonzalezs hands behind his back and put him on the ground face-down. At least one officer knelt on his back, the footage shows. Police initially stated that Gonzalez died at the hospital, but the video footage shows he stopped breathing during the arrest. One officer can be heard in the video saying Gonzalez had no pulse. Police initially described their interaction with Gonzalez as a scuffle while they tried to detain him. The charges were filed as Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price is reexamining cases of officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths. The office said it is investigating seven other cases. The September 2021 report on the initial autopsy referred to the death as a homicide but also cited the toxic effects of methamphetamine combined with the physiologic stress of altercation and restraint, obesity and alcoholism, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Prosecutors opened an investigation into possible misconduct by the three officers, but they were cleared in April 2022. The next year, after Prices election in November 2022, the Public Accountability Unit of the DAs office reopened and reexamined the case. A second autopsy determined that Gonzalezs death was caused by restraint asphyxiation. HuffPost reached out to attorneys representing the three officers but had not received a response as of Friday afternoon. Alison Berry Wilkinson, an attorney who represented the three officers, told local news station KQED-TV that the prosecution is politically motivated. The District Attorney waited until the 11th hour before the statute of limitations was set to expire to bring these charges just days after it was confirmed she would face recall, Wilkinson said. There is no new evidence. The city agreed in Decemberto pay a settlement of $11 million to Gonzalezs son, as well as an amount to his mother, to resolve two civil lawsuits filed against the city. Related... 3 officers charged in death of California man who was pinned on the ground for over 5 minutes 3 officers charged in death of California man who was pinned on the ground for over 5 minutes Three police officers have been charged in the death of a Northern California man who was pinned facedown on the ground for more than five minutes. The Alameda County District Attorneys Office announced involuntary manslaughter charges against the officers Thursday, the eve of the third anniversary of Mario Gonzalezs death. The announcement comes two years after the DAs predecessor, Nancy OMalley, concluded that the evidence did not justify charges against the Alameda police officers Eric McKinley, James Fisher and Cameron Leahy. An initial autopsy attributed the death to the toxic effects of methamphetamine and other significant conditions, including physiological stress of altercation and restraint, morbid obesity and alcoholism, the DAs office said in a statement Thursday. OMalley in March 2022 found the officers decision to detain and arrest Mr. Gonzalez, and their subsequent use of force was objectively reasonable considering the agency policies, the totality of the circumstances, and the officers stated rationale. Last year, the current DAs new public accountability unit reopened the case and a second autopsy concluded Gonzalezs death was a result of restraint asphyxiation, according to the statement. The charges were filed at the end of an extensive review of the case, the office of the current DA, Pamela Price, said. "We try to rebuild trust in a system that has not always been fair to folks, particularly in Alameda County," she added during a news conference. Alameda Police Department officers attempt to take Mario Gonzalez into custody in Alameda, Calif. (Alameda Police Department via AP file) One of the three officers involved is no longer employed by the department, and the other two have been placed on administrative leave, the city of Alameda said in a statement. Alison Berry Wilkinson, an attorney for the three officers, blasted the charges. "There is no new evidence. This is a blatantly political prosecution," she said in a statement to NBC Bay Area. Alameda police Chief Nishant Joshi, who conducted an independent review of all previous investigations and determined that Alameda police officers did not engage in any misconduct, said in a statement that he stands by that decision. However, he added that the department "will cooperate fully in this and all matters" related to the case in the wake of the DA's announcement. The police union and attorneys for Gonzalezs family were not immediately available for comment Friday. Gonzalezs death on April 19, 2021, drew comparisons to that of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody May 25, 2020. Gonzalez died one day before Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was convicted of murdering Floyd by holding him to the pavement with his knee for 9 minutes, 29 seconds. Gonzalez was 26 years old. Police released body-camera video that shows officers pinning him to the ground. The nearly hourlong video from two officers body cameras shows police talking to Gonzalez in a park after receiving 911 calls that he appeared to be disoriented or drunk. Gonzalez seems dazed and struggles to answer questions. When he doesnt produce any identification, the officers try to force his hands behind his back to handcuff him but he resists and they take him to the ground. In December, the city reached two settlement agreements with Gonzalezs family. One would pay $11 million to his estate and a second would pay $350,000 to his mother. The separate settlement agreements with the estate of Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. Gonzalezs mother, both of which are in the process of being finalized, are expected to provide that payment shall fully and forever discharge and release all claims and causes of action, the city said in a statement at the time. It was not immediately clear Friday if the agreements were finalized and how the charges will impact them. The officers could face up to four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Over 30 animals, including dogs, ducks, and a cat were rescued from a Middletown home this week. Middletown Police obtained a search warrant for a home on Hill Avenue. Our news partners at WCPO in Cincinnati reported that police had received complaints of drug use and drug trafficking at the home. >> PHOTOS: 30+ animals rescued from deplorable Middletown home The home also had a homeless encampment in the backyard. When police decided the home would need to be condemned, they called Middletown Animal Control who then called the Animal Friends Humane Society for help getting the animals, according to the organization. The humane society came and helped rescue 31 dogs, two ducks, and a cat. Ducks are going to rescue and all other animals are being sorted for us [to] decide who would do best in adoption, foster homes, or rescue, the humane society shared on social media. NONE of these dogs are available for adoption right now. They deserve time to decompress and learn how to exist outside of filth. >> Glad to see you guys; Video shows 81-year-man greet deputies after deadly shooting of Uber driver The organization shared photos of some of the animals online. They also share photos of the home, which police described as deplorable and unfit for habitation. Five people were arrested from the property, including three for only drug-related charges. Two others, Kenneth Currey and Morgan R. Marshall, were charged with cruelty to animals, according to Middletown Municipal Court records. 30 Rock actor says his heart goes out to students after visit canceled over lifestyle A 30 Rock actor said his heart goes out to students at a middle school in Pennsylvania after a scheduled event with him was canceled by the local school board. Maulik Pancholy, who is openly gay, said in a Thursday Instagram post he learned via social media that the school board of the Cumberland Valley School District in Pennsylvania voted 8-0 to cancel my scheduled author visit with the students of Mountain View Middle School due to concerns about my activism and what they called my lifestyle.' My heart goes out to the entire Mountain View Middle School community, and particularly to the students, said Pancholy, the author of two books for children that deal with LGBTQ themes, The Best At It and Nikhil Out Loud. In a letter dated Thursday to faculty, staff and administration that was obtained by television station CBS 21, the Cumberland Valley School Districts Administrative Offices noted a board decision to introduce and subsequently approve unanimously a motion on April 15, 2024, to cancel the visit of Mr. Maulik Pancholy to Mountain View Middle School on May 22, 2024. Without a real opportunity for administration to answer questions and/or provide guidance, the Board made a decision that has had significant ramifications for our school community, especially for our students and staff who are members of the LGBTQ community, the letter said. While the issue of political activism was cited, statements made publicly by individual board members identified Mr. Pancholys sexual identity as a factor, an identity shared by many members of our school community, the letter continues. In doing so, Mr. Pancholys personhood was reduced to a single aspect, and his ability to communicate a message of anti-bullying and hate was discredited. The Hill has reached out to members of the Cumberland Board School District School Board, Mountain View Middle School and the Cumberland Board School District Superintendent Mark Blanchard for comment. 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, Pancholy said in his post. Thats the power of books. They build empathy, he added. I wonder why a school board is so afraid of that? For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. People hold a sign reads "Not everyone wants to drink" at the rally and festival for the legalization of cannabis at the Brandenburg Gate. Paul Zinken/dpa Several thousand people gathered on Saturday at the historic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to celebrate the first day of action for Germany's new legal cannabis law. Around 4,000 participants gathered to smoke the formerly illegal substance for a "Smoke-In," according to the Berlin police. Artists played music on a stage in front of the gate and there were rallies. The long-time juvenile court judge and cannabis activist Andreas Muller greeted the crowd with: "Dear no longer criminalized cannabis users." It was a great day, he said, adding that Germany had taken the right path with legalization after a long period of prohibition. Photos showed people with large, inflatable joints or wearing clothes with cannabis leaves printed on them. Signs read "Not everyone wants to get high!" or "No plant is illegal." April 20 is a worldwide day of action for smokers of marijuana and hashish. In the United States the number 420 - representing April 20 in the US style of writing dates - has long been a symbol for cannabis consumption. For example when people advertise for a roommate they would say that the flat is 420-friendly if residents are okay with cannabis use. A man pulls on an oversized plastic bag at the rally and festival for the legalization of cannabis at the Brandenburg Gate. Paul Zinken/dpa People celebrate at the rally and festival for the legalization of cannabis at the Brandenburg Gate. Paul Zinken/dpa 4/20 activities, events to join in Portland this weekend PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) As residents of Americas second-best weed city, Portlanders may be seeking plans to commemorate 4/20: the unofficial high-liday of the marijuana world. While public consumption of the drug is illegal in Oregon, there are a few spaces celebrating the day in their own special ways. Three Portland bars nominated for prestigious Spirited Awards When: Saturday, Apr. 20 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Where: 17880 SW McEwan Rd, Lake Oswego, Ore. 97035 Musical performances, live glass blowing, free Voodoo Doughnuts and more are in store for the third annual Northwest Cannafest. Attendees will also have the opportunity to win swag and prizes from a spinning wheel. General admission tickets cost $20. When: Saturday, Apr. 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Where: Rhythms Community Studio, 1005 NW 16th Ave, Portland, Ore. 97209 The Pearl Districts Rhythms Community Studio is honoring Earth Month and 4/20 with a pottery painting party. The venue will provide snacks and painting utensils, but guests are asked to bring their own pot. When: Saturday, Apr. 20 from 1 p.m. 5 p.m. Where: Living Haus Beer Co, 628 SE Belmont St, Portland, Ore. 97214 This Belmont brewery is hosting a groovy party complete with a pint of beer and t-shirts to tie-dye on-site. Pre-sale tickets for the event are closed, but more merchandise will be available on the day of. Nike headquarters to shed more employees in second phase of layoffs When: Saturday, Apr. 20 at 3:30 p.m. Where: Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, Ore. 97212 The Hollywood Theatre is recognizing its favorite holiday by screening a variety of entertaining movies and shows. Featuring Portland animator Dan Ackerman and films from the legendary Nyback collection, this lineup will scandalize, titillate [and] fascinate. the venue said. When: Saturday, Apr. 20 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Where: Opaline, 105 NW 3rd Ave, Portland, Ore. 97209 Dance venue Opaline will host The Smoke Show, its second-ever mini-music festival with a lineup of talented producers and DJs from the Pacific Northwest. When: Saturday, Apr. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Where: Portland Pickles Public House, 3932 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, Ore. 97227 The newly-opened Portland Pickles Public House will hold a comedy roast inspired by Reefer Madness, the 1936 film advising people against marijuana use. Tickets for the event are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Timberline Lodge: From great depression job creator to ski resort icon When: Saturday, Apr. 20 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Where: Back 2 Earth, 3536 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, Ore. 97212 LGBTQ+ bar Back 2 Earths UwUtopia is about exploring what queer joy, and queer utopia might feel like through sounds, dancing, and friendships. Lite Drama and C Powers are among the DJs spinning for the night. Admission is $5. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. For 4/20, advocates call on Biden and Harris to go further on marijuana policy Folks are wanting to see the Biden administration, at the very least in its rhetoric, keep up the same energy that it did in 2020, Cat Packer, director of drug markets and legal regulation at Drug Policy Alliance, told theGrio. As millions of people around the globe celebrate the cannabis holiday known as 4/20, advocates are calling on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to do more on the federal level to redress the legal and societal harms of marijuana prohibition, and its disproportionate impact on Black and brown communities. It is a moral imperative that marijuana be decriminalized and descheduled, read a letter addressed to Biden and Harris from the Marijuana Justice Coalition, which is comprised of several advocacy groups including the Drug Policy Alliance, Southern Poverty Law Center and Center for American Progress, among others. The coalition notes that marijuana criminalization has been particularly devastating for Black and brown Americans. Black people are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people, despite similar rates of usage. Additionally, the letter points out that Blacks and Latinos make up over 85% of those sentenced for federal marijuana charges. Though the groups acknowledged the White Houses initial steps toward reforming federal marijuana policy, they are calling on the administration to live up to their 2020 campaign promise to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level. Folks are wanting to see the Biden administration, at the very least in its rhetoric, keep up the same energy that it did in 2020, Cat Packer, director of drug markets and legal regulation at Drug Policy Alliance, told theGrio. It really feels like were backtracking in this moment when we cant even get President Biden to say he supports decriminalization. The thing that would be necessary for him to fulfill his promise. A marijuana activist holds a flag during a march on Independence Day on July 4, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) As a candidate, Biden pledged to decriminalize marijuana and automatically expunge prior marijuana convictions. Since taking office, he signed a presidential proclamation in October 2022 issuing pardons for those convicted of simple possession of marijuana. In December 2023, the president expanded his proclamation to include additional offenses like attempted possession and simple use of marijuana. Biden also called on the Department of Health and Human Services to review the status of marijuana under the Controlled Substance Act, which ultimately recommended that the drug be moved from Schedule 1, which currently includes drugs like heroin and LSD, to Schedule 3, which would place it in the same category as anabolic steroids and codeine. The recommendation from HHS is currently under independent review at the Department of Justice, where the Drug Enforcement Agency will decide on whether to follow through on the HHS recommendation. The process could take months. During his State of the Union address in March, Biden mentioned his cabinets review of the federal classification of marijuana and his move to expunge thousands of convictions for the mere possession of the drug. No one should be jailed for simply using or have it on their record, the president declared. Days later, Harris convened stakeholders during a roundtable on marijuana reform, where she emphatically echoed Bidens sentiment. Nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed, Harris said. That increased rhetoric on marijuana reform and whispers in advocacy circles that further commutations will be announced by the White House led drug policy advocates to publicly push the administration to rethink its approach. The only way to actually fulfill that campaign promise is to decriminalize cannabis use and deschedule, said Packer, who said rescheduling would fall short of those promises. U.S. musician Fat Joe speaks with US Vice President Kamala Harris during a roundtable conversation about marijuana reform and criminal justice reform, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on March 15, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP) (Photo by KENT NISHIMURA/AFP via Getty Images) She added, It would be extremely significant if President Biden and Vice President Harris were to even just voice support for descheduling and decriminalization. Ultimately, the Biden-Harris administration appears to be making a political calculation by not going further on marijuana reform, Packer said. The distinguished cannabis policy practitioner said she thinks it is a missed opportunity for the White House, particularly considering Biden has signed two executive orders on racial equity that required all federal agencies to assess how federal policies and programs impact Black and underserved communities. Packer said what she and other advocates have noticed is that marijuana reform is missing from the administrations racial equity framework. That is probably a calculation thats based around some of the larger conversations that are happening in the country around folks trying to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, she said. I think that theres kind of this desire to position to the right a little bit and to take a conservative position on some of these issues. However, Packer noted that decriminalizing marijuana is now a bipartisan issue and that polls show most Americans support legalization for adult use. Recommended Stories When asked about the letter addressed by advocates to Biden on Friday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told theGrio that the president doesnt believe that anyone should be in jail or be prosecuted just for using or possessing marijuana. HHS concluded their independent review, which was guided by evidence, by science, which is what we believe here in this administration. And now the scheduling review is now with the Department of Justice, the Biden spokesperson said. Jean-Pierre declined to confirm whether additional pardons from the White House are imminent. As the nation anticipates the rescheduling of marijuana at the DOJ, advocates are also calling on the Biden-Harris White House to publicly push Congress to act on decriminalizing and descheduling marijuana through legislation. They also want to see the administration take discretionary actions like creating guidance for federal agencies to mitigate the policy harms under marijuana prohibition, whether Schedule 1 or Schedule 3. What does it look like for [Biden] to direct [Department of Housing and Urban Development] to issue guidance about what it would mean for even just medical patients, Packer said as an example. People who are using cannabis medically and legally as a part of the estate programs, so that they arent being kicked out of housing and families being disrupted? Packer said the concern she and advocates have about the looming rescheduling of marijuana to Schedule 3 is that leaders will act as if this was the thing thats going to be a solution when it is not. Folks in Congress and at the federal level will spend the next 10 to 20 years trying to implement Schedule 3, Packer said. There wont be enough air in the room to talk about all of the other issues that comprise cannabis policy and all of the stakeholders that continue to be impacted by prohibition. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post For 4/20, advocates call on Biden and Harris to go further on marijuana policy appeared first on TheGrio. NEW YORK (PIX11) Protesters, like the man who set himself on fire outside the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial, have been driven by climate change, war, and gay rights in other high-profile self-immolation incidents. Conspiracy theorist Max Azzarello, 37, torched himself in Collect Pond Park across from the Centre Street courthouse in Lower Manhattan at around 1:30 p.m. Friday, according to the NYPD. After officers used coats and fire extinguishers to put out the flames, Azzarello was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and was likely to die, police said. More Local News In a letter sent to PIX11 News, Azzarello identified himself as an investigative researcher and said he set himself on fire to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery. His letter referenced a conspiracy theory related to the United States government and its allies. A few months before Fridays incident, a protester pulled a similar stunt outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta in outrage against the Hamas-Israel war, authorities said. The person set up outside the building in the citys midtown neighborhood in December and used gasoline as an accelerant, police said. The protester, whose name was not released, was critically injured. In 2018, well-known gay rights lawyer David Buckel, 60, burned himself to death in Brooklyns Prospect Park to protest ecological destruction. Buckel was the lead attorney in a lawsuit involving Brandon Teena, a transgender man who was murdered in Nebraska. The case was portrayed in the 1999 movie Boys Dont Cry. Two years ago, Wynn Bruce, 50, a climate activist and Buddhist, set himself on fire in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Earth Day. Supreme Court police officers responded immediately but could not extinguish the blaze in time to save him, authorities said. Self-immolation ignited the Arab Spring 14 years ago. Mohammed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old fruit seller in Tunisia, set himself on fire on Dec. 17, 2010, to protest police harassment in his country. Bouazizi survived but was left disfigured. The incident sparked protests against poverty in Tunisia before spreading to other Arab countries. 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. This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. April 20 is already better known as 420 by all cannabis fans who see this date as the day to celebrate everything related to the plant. For decades, the number has been synonymous with marijuana culture, and now that more and more states have legalized its recreational consumption there are more celebrations across the country, which focus not only on having a good time but also on educating and taking action in places where its consumption is not yet allowed. One of the most interesting events is the Stoner 420 Race, a five-kilometer competition that will raise funds to end marijuana prohibition on a national scale; a mix between cannabis culture and sport. In other states there will be several festivals that will offer unique experiences to make the most of 420, these are some of the most relevant: El New York City Cannabis Parade & Rally in Nueva York Since the 1970s, 420 used to be celebrated in New York with groups of people gathering to smoke in Washington Square Park, and now the celebration has become massive, including a parade that goes through Broadway, a Rally in Union Square Park, as well as an After Party. Its quite a day of celebration, especially since the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act was passed in 2021. The event begins at 11 a.m. on the east side of Broadway between 32nd and 33rd Streets, with the parade departing at 12:30. The Rally which will include elected officials, activists and cannabis industry leaders will run from 1 to 5 p.m. in Union Square Park, where Redman, 420 Funk Mob and Immortal Technique will also perform. While the After Party will be a private event, New York City will have a variety of options for consumers around the city. A man shows up some weed. Pablo Monsalve (Corbis via Getty Images) SF Weed Week in San Francisco, California For many years, Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park was the place to party 420 in San Francisco. Unfortunately, this year the site will be officially closed to cannabis lovers. The city has asked people who want to celebrate not to attend the site, where an adult kickball game will now be held. Instead, locals will be able to enjoy seven days dedicated to cannabis with SF Weed Week, a new event that includes seven cannabis tasting events at marijuana lounges around the city, where consumers can sample innovative strains presented by their growers, some of whom are among the most recognized in California. The celebrations will end at a free 420 party at an art gallery in downtown San Francisco. More can be seen on the events official website. The National Cannabis Festival at RFK, Washington D.C. Despite the fact that in Washington D.C. consuming recreational cannabis in public is still illegal, on April 19 and 20 this festival will take place that mixes music, cannabis education, and exhibitors involved in the industry. Iconic hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan will be the headlining act on Saturday along with Redman, while Thundercat will close out the first day. The event was born in 2015 as a party that would celebrate the progress of marijuana legislation in Washington D.C. and across the country, including voices from activists, advocacy partners, community leaders, legislators and veterans groups. A man smokes weed. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez (VIEWpress / Corbis / Getty) Mile High 420 Festival in Denver, Colorado Denvers Civic Center Park will become the cannabis hub of Colorado with the Mile High 420 Festival, completely free for all attendees (although VIP tickets are also available for exclusive experiences). This event is entirely musical and will feature the iconic Afroman, responsible for I Got High, one of the most recognizable marijuana anthems, as well as other hip-hop and reggae acts such as Gucci Mane, Ohgeesy, Lexy Pantera and Zuri Marley. Although the event is free, attendees must get their tickets through the official website. It should be noted that in Colorado public consumption of marijuana, as well as possession of more than one ounce, is illegal, so consumption is not promoted within the festival. SweetWater 420 Fest in Atlanta, Georgia Pullman Yards will host SweetWater 420 Fest this year, featuring a great lineup of rock, jazz and EDM artists for the cannabis-loving crowd. Although the event has undergone some changes in recent weeks and several acts canceled their performances, the festival is still on for a two-day party. Grace Potter and Govt Mule will perform on the 20th, while Sundays party will continue with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and Big Gigantic, who will close the event. In addition to these festivals, several cannabis stores and communities in several states will hold similar events, offering product discounts (where legal), or cultural and educational proposals to promote legislation in favor of cannabis regulation. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition 420 celebration canceled at San Francisco's Hippie Hill? Not if a psychedelic church can hash out plan Marijuana fans converge on Hippie Hill for the annual 420 celebration of cannabis at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco in 2018. (Paul Chinn Getty Images / Getty Images) Budget cuts and financial woes forced San Francisco to cancel its annual 420 celebration at Golden Gate Park this year, but a self-described psychedelic church says it will step in to help support the thousands of people expected to still make the "religious pilgrimage." "Anybody who is going out to Hippie Hill on 420 to smoke a joint, they're doing that religiously, whether or not they realize it," said Church of Ambrosia Pastor Dave Hodges in a statement. "This is like a pilgrimage to Mecca." An annual hazy, smoke-filled celebration that goes back to San Francisco's Summer of Love in 1967, the cannabis-themed festival drew in thousands of people for music, food, comedy and, of course, weed. In 2022, the event attracted about 20,000 people. Read more: San Francisco just canceled its 420 fest. Marijuana fans thought it had gotten too commercial anyway But on March 26, the city announced the event at Golden Gate Park was canceled because of budget cuts that prevented the city's parks department from covering staffing for the event, and challenges in the cannabis industry that made sponsorships hard to secure. Despite the cancellation, many people were still expected to make the annual trek to the park for the celebration on April 20, a day observed by cannabis enthusiasts. City officials stressed there would be no stage, live music or booths, and encouraged people to instead celebrate 420 "in a place that's special and local to them." On Thursday, Hodges said the Church of Ambrosia had teamed up with the Haight Ashbury Merchants Assn. and nonprofit groups to provide a "safety net" for what they expect to be thousands of visitors. Calling the 420 annual event a "religious pilgrimage," the church said in a statement staff will be dispatched to the park to help visitors. They'll be fitted and identified with T-shirts with the words "Stoner Safety." "We see this as a religious event," Hodges said. Read more: Looking back at the absolutely unexpected and totally wild origin of 420 Although the event has been officially canceled, city agencies are still coordinating and have staff ready to deploy if necessary, said Daniel Montes, a spokesperson for San Francisco's Recreation and Parks Department. The agency has also been in contact with the church, and expects a sizable crowd. "We expect it to be busy and that's totally fine," Montes wrote in an email. "All of our parks are very busy on 4/20 when it's nice outside." The church, with locations in Oakland and San Francisco, describes itself as a nondenominational, interfaith religious organization that supports access to entheogenic plants, including cannabis and mushrooms. According to its statement, the church and Haight Ashbury Merchants Assn. will be providing more than 30 portable toilets, a medical tent staffed with four medics, a team equipped with the overdose-reversing drug Narcan, and a booth to hand out bottles of water. Read more: Looking to light up this 4/20? Weed entrepreneur Susie Plascencia recommends these 5 Latino-owned dispensaries Montes said some services the church is looking to provide, including tables and tents, require permits that the city has been unable to provide because of a volleyball and kickball event taking place at Hippie Hill on Saturday. The church has been notified of the requirement, he said. He also suggested the additional assistance was not necessary. "We appreciate the offer, but we're well prepared," Montes said. A spokesperson for Hodges did not immediately respond to questions Friday as to whether the services the church intends to provide have been permitted by the city. In the statement, Hodges said he is not encouraging people to attend the event. "The fewer the participants," he said, "the less likely that available services will fall short," the statement read. 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. 5 shot after Maryland high school senior skip day turns violent: 'What is the world coming to?' 5 shot after Maryland high school senior skip day turns violent: 'What is the world coming to?' Five people were shot in Greenbelt, Maryland, during a high school senior skip day party at a park, police said in a Friday evening press conference. The shooting happened at Hanover Parkway in Prince George's County. Hundreds of students were gathered for the party before shots rang out around 2:30 p.m., Greenbelt Police Chief Rick Bowers said. "My heart breaks for them. These are just kids trying to have a good time," Bowers said of the victims, who ranged in age from 16 to 18. LOUISIANA MAN ALLEGEDLY STALKS ESTRANGED WIFE, SENDS DEATH FLOWER BEFORE KILLING HER: POLICE At least five people have been shot in Greenbelt, Maryland. One of the victims was in critical condition, he said, while the others are in stable condition. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "This is a horrible, tragic, senseless act that happened today," he added. "There is no reason that this occurred. These were seniors or senior skip day." OHIO MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING, KILLING UBER DRIVER HE BELIEVED WAS SCAMMING HIM First responders at the scene. Greenbelt Mayor Emmett V. Jordan echoed Bowers' sentiment. "If a group of high school students can not get together and have a good time, what is the world coming to?" No arrests have been made. Bowers said no arrests have been made, but police believe there is one suspect who escaped when the shooting started. "I'm pretty upset by this," Bowers added as he, Jordan and the city manager vowed to catch the suspect while appealing to the public for help. Original article source: 5 shot after Maryland high school senior skip day turns violent: 'What is the world coming to?' LAFAYETTE, Ind. Discrepancies between former West Lafayette police officer Jake Forgey's written reports and his body-worn body camera led to his resignation in February, and so far, has resulted in 51 cases being dismissed. In March, West Lafayette Police Chief Troy Harris described Forgey's reports, alleging that Forgey "misrepresented, embellished, and put words in people's mouths." Forgey's involvement in any investigation taints the case, inviting those cases to be overturned should they be prosecuted or have been prosecuted. Prosecutors responded Friday to a Journal & Courier request for public documents, which asked for itemized court cause numbers of cases that involved Forgey that have been dismissed so far. Jake Forgey resigned from the West Lafayette Police Department on Feb. 20, 2024, after discrepancies were discovered between his reports and his body-worn video. Thirty-eight misdemeanor charges, 12 felony charges and one traffic citation were dismissed because of Forgey's involvement in those cases, according to documents provided by the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor's Office. Thirty-eight misdemeanors, 12 low-level felonies and one traffic citation have been dismissed. Most of the cases were drunken- or impaired-driving cases. Some were resisting and drug possession charges. Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Patrick Harrington did not comment Friday about Forgey or the circumstances surrounding the dismissals. However, in March after news of Forgey's resignation broke, Harrington said: "The process of reviewing (Forgey's) cases has been thorough and time consuming. The result is many cases have been dismissed, both felony and misdemeanor. "As Chief Harris stated, he asked us to review body camera video; and we reviewed several of the officers cases. Based upon our review, we have dismissed this officers cases where he was actively involved in the case investigation. We advised (West Lafayette police) of our decision. I thanked Chief Harris for his leadership and his departments high standards." Friday's release of the tally of dismissed cases might just scratch the surface. More: West Lafayette swears in two police officers to the force, first additions in five years More: 'Many cases' dismissed after West Lafayette officer resigns for inappropriate behavior "Please note there may be additional cases not included in this list under a current diversion agreement which will be dismissed," Tippecanoe County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Jason Biss said Friday in the response to the Journal & Courier's request to inspect public documents. Before being hired as a police officer on June 27, 2022, Forgey worked as a dispatcher. In March after news broke about Forgey's Feb. 20 resignation, Harris said, "This is simply not the behavior our community expects. We can't hide behind mistakes like this," Harris said. "We don't enjoy our department having to go through this." Reach Ron Wilkins or at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: 'Misrepresented, embellished' police reports results in 51 dismissals People hold flags during a demonstration against the tourism model under the slogan 'Canarias has a limit'. Europa Press Canarias/EUROPA PRESS/dpa Tens of thousands of people demonstrated against mass tourism on Spain's Canary Islands on Saturday under the slogan "The Canary Islands have a limit." A total of 55,000 demonstrators on the eight inhabited islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa demanded an upper limit on the number of tourists and called for affordable housing for locals, the state TV station RTVE and the newspaper El Pais reported. They waved posters that said: "Tourism increases my rent" and "Paradise is not made with concrete." The protesters were also calling for effective monitoring of the regulations for holiday rentals, a limit on the purchase of properties by people not resident on the islands and the introduction of an environmental tax for tourists. Some 2.2 million people live on the Canary Islands. Almost seven times as many foreign tourists visited the islands last year, with around 14 million visitors, mainly from the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands. There were also around 2 million Spaniards from the mainland who went on holiday there in 2023. Most foreign tourists travelled to the larger islands of Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Tourism is essential for the islands' economy. The industry accounts for 35% of economic output and secures 40% of jobs. However, only a few benefit from the boom. Of Spain's 17 autonomous communities, or regions, the Canary Islands are the second poorest. Activists emphasize that they are not fundamentally against tourism, but against the creeping destruction of the islands. The biologist and well-known documentary filmmaker Felipe Ravina recently said: "For years we have been promoting ourselves as a unique nature destination, but tourism is destroying the product we sell." People hold placards during a demonstration against the tourism model under the slogan 'Canarias has a limit'. -/EUROPA PRESS/dpa People hold banners and flags during a demonstration against the tourism model under the slogan 'Canarias has a limit'. Europa Press Canarias/EUROPA PRESS/dpa WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Getting steps in to support a good cause. April is recognized as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. The Junior Leadership Northeast Class of 2024 hosted a 5k at Kirby Park in Wilkes-Barre to benefit the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center. Everyones here for just the cause to help these children, and its a great day. a big crowd, and a lot of smiling happy people here to support this, said Edward Murphy from Harveys Lake. I just love helping the kids and it was really fun, Jance Wallace from Dallas. On Saturday nearly 90 runners and walkers of all ages put on their shoes and hit the pinwheel-lined pavement at Kirby Park. To support the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center in the Pinwheels 4 Prevention 5k. Today we planned a 5k for the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center which helps abused children. We really wanted to do this to help the community recognize what the child advocacy center does and really just spread awareness for child abuse, explained Ellie Wallace. Anything Goes youth addition kicks off Junior Leadership Northeast is a program through Leadership Northeast in Luzerne County, which brings together students from across NEPA to learn and engage in leadership, community service, and awareness. Each class plans projects to benefit local organizations and nonprofits. A lot went into planning this like getting the location, helping get the word out that were having a 5k, added Wallace. The team at the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center says theyre grateful to be chosen for the project. We are not a county agency. we are just an organization that helps abused children in Luzerne County, so everything that comes into our center is so appreciated, to keep our doors open that help these children, stated Shannon Peduto the executive director at the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center. Peduto says in 2023, more than 500 children across Luzerne County utilized the centers services. Were so appreciative because every dollar that is made today is going back directly to services to these children, continued Peduto. prizes were awarded to the first, second, and third-place winners. Raffle baskets were also sold at the event. The class raised over $2,000 in donations for the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. The Biden administration issued final guidance this week for enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Employers must grant staff certain accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images) Quality Journalism for Critical Times 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 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 were 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. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. 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 Florida Phoenix. A St. Joseph couple who documented their breach of the Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot one later running for school board after pleading guilty were sentenced Friday to 14 days of jail and three years probation. Steven and Kimberly Dragoo also were each fined $5,000 and must each pay $500 restitution for damage to the Capitol, which the government says totaled more than $2.9 million. The sentencing hearing was held before Judge Beryl A. Howell in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Dragoos faced a maximum sentence of six months in jail, five years probation and a $5,000 fine. The government had requested that Kimberly Dragoo, 55, be sentenced to 36 months of probation with 21 days of intermittent incarceration and Steven Dragoo, 66, receive 36 months of probation with 14 days of intermittent incarceration. The government also requested that each be ordered to perform 60 hours of community service. Defendants now recognize that they should have known their participation that day would add to Americans collective sense of insecurity, fear, and divisiveness, the Dragoos attorney, Bruce L Castor Jr. one of former President Donald Trumps lawyers in his second impeachment trial in early 2021 wrote in their sentencing memorandum. Defendants are good people who acted myopically and foolishly. The Dragoos were charged last June with four misdemeanors: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The couple pleaded guilty in August to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The government dropped the other three charges as part of the plea agreement. Kimberly Dragoo made headlines again last December when she announced she was running for the St. Joseph School District Board of Education. Reaction to her candidacy was fiery and divided, and she lost in the April 2 election, coming in eighth of the 10 candidates vying for three positions on the seven-member board. Howell had harsh words for the couple as she handed down their sentences, according to Scott MacFarlane, a CBS News congressional correspondent who attended the hearing and posted details on X, formerly Twitter. MacFarlane said Howell noted that what happened on January 6 was a very serious offense and it shook the foundation of our democracy. Howell told the Dragoos: I get the strong impression you both downplayed your conduct on January 6. He said Kimberly Dragoo told the judge that I love my country. Im a very patriotic person and that I was in the wrong place ... at the wrong time. Kimberly Dragoo also told Howell that shed been the victim of harassment after being charged in the riot. People come at me so bad. I have people who hate my guts. Im tired of it, MacFarlane quoted her as saying. Howell told them that their conduct had contributed to the injuring of more than 100 police officers, MacFarlane said. And, he posted that the judge added: You repeated the false story that the 2020 election was stolen. Thats been debunked You crawled through a broken window You went into the Capitol a second time! You guys were having a good time. You were having fun while people were locking themselves behind doors and hiding beneath desks. MacFarlane said Howell also grilled prosecutors, asking why the government didnt recommend fines for the Dragoos in addition to the restitution for damage to the Capitol. The $5,000 fine she assessed each of them was the maximum allowed. In their sentencing document, the Dragoos argued that jail time wasnt necessary. Instead, they asked for one year of probation. For people who have never been arrested in their lives, to have undergone the ordeal of being subjects of a federal criminal investigation, hiring private counsel, possible indictment, arrest, pre-trial release conditions, presentence investigations, guilty pleas, and pending sentencings, these things were and are shocks to Defendants, Castor wrote. Everything involving the investigation and prosecution of these defendants has served (to) deter them from ever again committing another crime, much less a crime against the United Statesbecause of the profound effect their arrest and prosecution has had upon them (and in their community) the public need have no fear from the Dragoos ever again. But the government, in its sentencing memorandum filed April 8, said Kimberly Dragoo showed a complete lack of remorse for her actions and continued celebration of the events of January 6 after that day. She deserved a more serious sentence, it said, because she continues to reject responsibility for her actions, going so far as to claim that she is innocent until proven guilty after pleading guilty to this offense. Since her August 11, 2023, guilty plea, the government said, Kimberly continues to claim she did nothing wrong, that January 6 was carried out by just a handful of bad actors, and is a victim of slander and fake news reporting. In signed statements entered with their guilty pleas, the Dragoos said they had flown to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021, to protest Congress certification of the Electoral College. That day, the statements said, Kimberly Dragoo posted a now-deleted picture on Facebook of the two on a plane going to D.C. The post said, Washington DC Trump Rally #Stop the Steal Here we go. The next morning, the documents said, the Dragoos attended the rally on the Ellipse. About 1:30 p.m., they headed to the Capitol with other protesters. While on the Capitol grounds, Kimberly Dragoo posted videos on her Facebook account in which she narrated what she was seeing on the northwest side of the building. In one video, the documents said, Kimberly Dragoo stated, They stormed the Capitol We got stuck in the crowd for like an hour Im not getting back in it again. Smoke was visible throughout the video, the documents said, along with temporary fencing marked with large lettering that said, AREA CLOSED. In another video posted on Kimberly Dragoos Facebook page, the documents said, she could be heard saying, This part is all barricaded and These people all went through it Theyre not supposed to be up here. Flash bang diversionary devices were going off during the video, according to the statements, and loud emergency vehicle sirens were wailing in the background. Police cars arrived, and gray smoke was seen rising from the area. From another location, the documents said, Kimberly Dragoo filmed a large group of Metropolitan Police officers arriving in riot gear to jeers and objects being thrown from the crowd. After filming those scenes, the statements said, the Dragoos moved across the Capitol grounds and onto the terrace outside the Senate Wing door. Around 3:15 p.m., Steven Dragoo took a picture of his wife posing just outside a broken window near the door, then both entered the Capitol through that window, the documents said. They exited less than two minutes later and saw officers trying to barricade the broken window and direct rioters out of the building. Capitol security video showed the Dragoos re-entering the Capitol around 3:23 p.m., this time through the Senate Wing door, their signed statements said. They walked with a crowd down a corridor and then retreated when confronted by a line of officers. The couple left through the Senate Wing door, the statements said. According to the governments sentencing memorandum, the FBI interviewed the Dragoos on Jan. 20, 2021, at the agencys St. Joseph office. During that interview both Dragoos admitted to being inside the Capitol, it said, and stated that they had not done anything wrong. Steven Dragoo said hed taken photos of his wife inside the Capitol, and she told the FBI that she tried to post her video footage and photos on Facebook on Jan. 6. Both Dragoos advised they had been following a Stop the Steal Facebook page, which provided them with details for their attendance at the Trump rallies in Washington, D.C., on December 12, 2020, and January 6, 2021, the sentencing memo said. Kimberly Dragoo told the FBI she had started a similar Stop the Steal Facebook page for Missouri, it said. Kimberly admitted she entered the U.S. Capitol through a broken window next to an open door near of the U.S. Capitol, where Steven photographed her climbing through, the document said. Kimberly thought it was funny and stated that she was curious about the broken window. Since January 6, 2021, Kimberly has not expressed remorse for her actions, nor despite pleading guilty to a federal crime has she accepted responsibility for her actions. The Dragoos sentencing memorandum said they recognize that the actions of the persons responsible for initiating a breach on the United States Capitol are objectively reprehensible. Those persons with violence on their minds and destruction (both physically and to the welfare of the nation) in their hearts deserve the indignation and contempt of their fellow citizens, Castor wrote. Mr. and Mrs. Dragoo, however, are not among those malevolent souls seeking to do the United States wrong. The Dragoos cooperated with investigators, Castor said, admitting without hesitation their presence inside the Capitol on January 6. He argued, however, that their involvement was minimal compared to what others did that day. Defendants participation was, relative to the actions of some of the group, minor and neither Mr. nor Mrs. Dragoo is alleged to have caused damage to the Capitol building nor engaged in violence against police or anyone else, he said. Neither has any criminal history, and each are citizens held in high regard by their community. The Dragoos sentencing memorandum included eight letters of support. We can attest to the fact that from their younger years to the present, they have always conducted themselves in an upright manner, well within all legal boundaries established by law, wrote Bob and Michele Beamon, who said theyd known the Dragoos since childhood. The Dragoos are also actively involved in their local church and Steve continues to teach a Mens Sunday School class to the present. And Kenneth C. Borden, executive director of the Kansas City Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association, said Steve Dragoo has always conducted himself in a professional manner. I can attest to Steves faith in God, his knowledge of good from bad and right from wrong, he wrote. I cannot fathom why he would be judged as something other than an upstanding, law-abiding citizen. At the sentencing hearing, MacFarlane posted on X, Howell expressed concern shared by other judges that some Capitol riot defendants are submitting character-reference letters from those who may not know the full details about their actions on Jan. 6. MacFarlane said Howell told the Dragoos: Not one of the letter writers seem to know what you did. LAKEWOOD, Ohio (WJW) Popular Mexican restaurant El Carnicero in Lakewood is closing its doors. The restaurants chef made the announcement in a post on social media on Friday. NE Ohio restaurant chain Two Bucks closes 4 locations in April Its time to say adios. Thanks to all of our wonderful guests, amazing coworkers + skillful purveyors, for the great memories, experiences + support of El Carnicero! the post reads. The restaurant has been in the area for 11 years, according to the post. We are extremely humbled that so many embraced ELC + that we were able to celebrate you + succeed as long as we have. Its been an honor being a small part of the Lakewood communitybut its time for a change, it says. The restaurant will remain open for regular business hours through Sunday, May 5, according to the post. CINCO de MAYO will be our final service + celebration. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) Both the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma received a total of $156,500 from Adventure Subaru on April 19. According to a press release, the Single Parent Scholarship Fund received $75,000 and Ronald McDonald House received $81,500. The donation is part of 2023 Subaru Share the Love Event and aims to support the Northwest Arkansas community. Doing Good: Single Parent Scholarship Fund NWA celebrates record year The release says both organizations were partners of the event which allows car buyers to dedicate a donation to support their local community. According to the release, Subaru of America donated $250 for every new vehicle bought from November 16, 2023, to January 2, 2024, and customers at Adventure Subru selected between four national charities or Sigle Parent Scholarship Fund or Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma. The release says Adventure Subaru also matched the $250 donation from Subaru of America. Those funds went directly to hometown charities. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. DUBLIN, Calif. (KRON) The federal Bureau of Prisons is in the process of closing one of its prisons in the East Bay known as the rape club. Inmates endured rampant staff-on-inmate sexual abuse inside FCI Dublin for years until the warden and several guards were arrested by the FBI and prosecuted. More than 600 female inmates are now in the process of being transferred out the East Bay to federal prisons outside of California. U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered prison officials to review each FCI Dublin inmates case before the inmate is moved to a new location. A painstaking review of each incarcerated womans status will ensure inmates are transferred to the correct location. This includes whether an inmate should be released to a BOP facility, home confinement, or halfway house, or granted a compassionate release, the judge wrote. The Dublin Prison Solidarity Coalition says women deserve to be freed from custody instead of transferring to another lockup. On Friday, a rally is being held in Dublin demanding freedom for FCI Dublins 605 inmates. The coalition told KRON4, The BOP announced the abrupt closure of FCI Dublin. Chaos unfolded inside the facility, traumatizing incarcerated people who have already been subjected to immense harm by the BOP, including rampant staff sexual abuse, retaliation, and medical neglect As soon as Judge Gonzalez Rogers learned about what was happening, she issued an order that people at Dublin needed to be evaluated for possible release and medically cleared before they could be transferred. Despite the Judges order, the BOP has plowed ahead with the transfers. The coalition said women are currently being shipped to BOP facilities across the country. Prison officials announced FCI Dublins sudden closure last week. The Bureau of Prisons previously promised to improve the prison, but the decision to shutter the facility represented an extraordinary acknowledgment that reform efforts have failed. Dublin prison guards hit with avalanche of sex abuse lawsuits So far, seven FCI Dublin employees including the former warden and chaplain, have been convicted of sexually abusing inmates. Some guards who abused inmates still have not been arrested, and remain working in the prison, according to a dozen lawsuits recently filed on behalf of several inmates. Last month, the FBI searched the prison again. On the same day, the new warden was booted and accused of retaliating against a whistleblower inmate. Dublin prison guard Dirty Dick charged with sexually abusing inmates Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters said despite unprecedented attempts to change the prisons culture and re-train the guards in hopes of preventing future misconduct, FCI Dublin was still falling below standards. Closing the prison was the best course of action, Peters said. Advocates with Dublin Prison Solidarity Coalition said they interviewed 140 women who were abused by at least 20 different FCI Dublin employees. Survivors stories make clear that staff specifically targeted noncitizens for abuse. Several women who were sexually assaulted by Dublin staff have already been deported and many others are currently facing deportation, advocates wrote. The Associated Press contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Mike Pence was the second most powerful man in the United States behind Donald Trump. who many consider one of the most dangerous men in the world during his time in the White House. The Republican former vice president distanced himself from Trump, leading to a rift that widened after the January 6 Capitol Hill riot by Trump supporters who refused to accept defeat by Joe Biden. Pence, a conservative Christian who resisted Trumps pressure to not certify the Democratic victory in 2020, gave up his bid for the White House last October . But he made it clear earlier this year that he cannot in good conscience endorse Trump. In a brief meeting with EL PAIS in Brussels, Pence said that he has no regrets about his vice-presidency and still believes that the Republican Party will win the White House and reaffirm American global leadership. He called on Europe and the world to trust in his country, despite everything. Its no surprise that, with our differences, I wont be backing Donald Trump this election. However, I could never vote for Joe Biden and will continue to advocate for what I believe the Republican Party should stand for. Every American should vote their conscience, as I will, Pence said. The former vice president was in Brussels for a brief visit ahead of Saturdays crucial vote in the House of Representatives on the $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that a handful of Republicans have been blocking for months. Pence, who openly supports the aid package, encountered uneasy European allies in Brussels because of Republican delay tactics and concerns about Trumps potential return to the White House. Pence has faced much concern in forums, interviews and private meetings about the delayed U.S. financial aid, which is hindering efforts to push back Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. He was also questioned about Trumps thinly veiled threats to allow Russia to do whatever the hell they want with NATO members who dont pay up. Pence was surprised and somewhat annoyed by Europes doubts about his country, and reassured long-standing allies that they can still count on the United States, regardless of the November election outcome. Our European allies should trust America, Pence said. I think many Americans understand our special role as leader of the free world. Despite challenges at home, I expect most legislators will support funding Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan this weekend. They will also take a firm stance against China and push for government divestment of TikTok. We will choose to emulate Churchill rather than Chamberlain. This will reaffirm our dedication as the leader of the free world. The conservative Christian expressed dissatisfaction with Trumps position on abortion restrictions during a speech at the German Marshall Fund (GMF) think tank in Brussels. Pence reiterated this sentiment to European Council President Charles Michel in a private meeting. Michel was appreciative of Trumps recent message to Congress that the survival of Ukraine is important to the United States, a recent shift in tone for the candidate. European impatience with Washingtons inaction has become widespread on social media. Meeting with skepticism in Europe is nothing new for Pence. As he mentioned during the GMF talk, his first trip abroad as vice president was to the Munich Security Conference. Ive been in warmer fridges, he joked. Back then and now, he believes that Europe did not grasp the Trump administrations strategy of pressuring some would say threatening U.S. allies to increase NATO spending. When we took office, only two NATO countries were meeting the commitment to spend 2% of their GDP on defense. By the time we left, many allies were on track to meet or exceed this level, he said in defense of what he calls a tough love policy. It was a strategy that laid the groundwork for allies to be better prepared to support Ukraine after the Russian invasion. Pence concluded, as long as we keep the promises we make, I believe in a bright future for NATO and for freedom. Even with Trump back in office? "Biden gave in to Maduro" There was no time for a lengthy Q&A with Mike Pence during our alloted five minutes with Mike Pence. But as we wrapped up, Pence said he was surprised we didn't ask about Latin America. Eager to discuss Venezuela, despite his impatient aides, Pence squeezed in two more minutes to criticize "dictator" Nicolas Maduro and Biden's "capitulation" to "socialism and dictatorship" in Caracas. "Our administration isolated Maduro, believing we were on a path to fair and free elections. Biden lifted the sanctions [partially reinstated recently] and gave in to Maduro who continues oppressing the opposition. I'm deeply disappointed," Pence said. He expressed his hope that the U.S. will "once again champion the cause of freedom in Venezuela" in the near future. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The University of Southern California (USC) is under fire after it revoked the right of its pro-Palestinian valedictorian to speak at graduation, revealing what critics say is a free speech double standard and kicking off whats expected to be a controversial year for commencement addresses. The school told Asna Tabassum she could not speak at commencement due to safety concerns after people were upset with her social media accounts, which have been accused of anti-Israel bias. While First Amendment experts say schools have full control over who can speak at their ceremonies, they believe USCs decision sets a bad precedent and deserves public outcry. USC has invoked safety concerns, and anytime that happens, universities must be very transparent and must be very clear about what those safety concerns are, and they need to show their work and demonstrate that they could not sufficiently address those safety concerns, said Graham Piro, the program officer for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Otherwise, they send the wrong message to campus because they say that if you express political views, that some find offensive, including the university, the university will take action to shut down an event, Piro added. Again, the university has the right to determine whos speaking, but it has to be very careful that it doesnt send a chilling message to campus and frankly, this is sending a very censorious message to campus. USC is a private school, so it is not bound by the same First Amendment requirements as other institutions, but free speech experts say even at public colleges, administrators have broad authority over who participates in the graduation ceremony. USC Provost Andrew Guzman said in a statement this week that Tabassum would not be able to speak due to safety concerns, but he did not specify what the threats were or why the school could not adequately secure the event. 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. We cannot ignore the fact that similar risks have led to harassment and even violence at other campuses, Guzman said. 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, he continued, adding, this decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech. There is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement. The issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period. The Israel-Gaza war is likely to overshadow many graduation ceremonies across the country, as debate over the conflict has been vibrant on campuses since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. A major part of that debate has been what phrases or chants should be allowed on campuses due to concerns of antisemitism. On her social media, Tabassum linked to a site that said there needs to be a complete abolishment of Israel and that Zionism is a racist settler-colonial ideology that advocates for a Jewish ethnostate built on Palestinian land. USCs Trojans for Israel was one of the campus groups that was outraged when Tabassum was announced as valedictorian. Trojans for Israel strongly supports the right to free expression including informed criticism of the Israeli government. However, rhetoric that denies the right of the Jewish people to self-determination or calls for the destruction of the only Jewish state in the world must be denounced as antisemitic bigotry, the group said in a statement on Instagram, calling on the university to reconsider their selection for valedictorian. But others argue that since the war broke out that free speech has been limited for pro-Palestinian voices. Over the last six months this has been going on. I would say for years, but especially for the last six months, it became very clear that students engaged in advocating for a free Palestine or equality for Palestinians are often targeted by their professors and the administration, said Hussam Ayloush, executive director for Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Los Angeles, which has been been working with Tabassum since her speech was put on ice. Theyre subjected to bullying, defamation, doxing and threats merely for expressing support for the Palestinian people, he added. Tabassum released a personal statement saying she has been subjected to a campaign of racist hatred, adding she feels her university has abandoned her. In a meeting with the USC Provost and the Associate Senior Vice President of Safety and Risk Assurance on April 14, I asked about the alleged safety concerns and was told that the University had the resources to take appropriate safety measures for my valedictory speech, but that they would not be doing so since increased security protections is not what the University wants to present as an image,' Tabassum said in her statement. Ayloush told The Hill that CAIR and Tabassum are looking into legal options but the university is also facing other consequences for its actions. The damage to the reputation and image of USC as one of the most prestigious universities in America, appearing to capitulate to threats from outside groups purely because of [] the human rights advocacy of their students for them is the biggest punishment they are facing, Ayloush said. The school did not respond to The Hills request for comment. Others say the university simply wanted to avoid a politically charged event and came up with a subpar excuse to avoid it. It just looks like the university changed its mind about having her as a speaker and didnt want to fess up to the reality that they picked somebody that they now regret picking and instead, wave it off to security concerns. It doesnt seem credible, frankly, said David Keating, president of the Institute for Free Speech. Commencement addresses frequently hit on controversial issues such as abortion in 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and this year will be no different. FIREs Piro expects speeches this year will be filled with controversy because of what a hot-button and controversial issue the Israel-Palestine situation is right now. And frankly, this event, as far as we know, the first of these sorts of incidents involving commencement this year, did not set a good precedent, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ahead of the upcoming Utah Republican Convention on April 27, one of the candidates for attorney general still has not been admitted to the bar in Utah, a requirement to assume the office. Candidate Trent Christensen has applied for reciprocity based on his admittance to the bar in Massachusetts. At this point, the bar has determined who will be sworn in come May. The Utah State Bar said it had a list of these applicants and all applicants on that list have already been notified. A Utah State Bar official said it would not speak about individual applicants and did not confirm or deny if Christensen will be included on the list. In a statement to the Deseret News, Christensen said he would take the bar exam in July. Earlier this spring, the Utah State Bar confirmed to the Deseret News that Christensen was not licensed to practice law in Utah. According to a letter from the Utah Lieutenant Governors Office, Christensen submitted his application for bar reciprocity in October 2023. As Utah Republican delegates are preparing to select the partys candidate for attorney general, the Deseret News asked the Utah State Bar if it would release the list of applicants before the convention and it declined to do so. The list will not be made public until May after delegates select a nominee at the convention. Christensen faces off against Derek Brown, Frank Mylar and Rachel Terry for the nomination. Christensen, Mylar and Terry all are candidates only seeking the nomination through the convention process. Brown has collected enough certified signatures to also now appear on the ballot for the June 25 Republican primary election regardless of what happens at convention. We are currently working through the proper channels to meet the criteria required to serve as your next Attorney General, if elected. We are in the process of meeting those requirements and have determined that the best pathway forward is to take the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) this July, Christensen said in a statement to the Deseret News. Utahns from around the state have expressed confidence in my ability to represent their values and lead them towards a brighter future, Christensens statement continued. Thank you for your support and I look forward to seeing many of you leading up to the Utah GOP State Convention on April 27th. Lets Make Utah Great Again! A Republican source with understanding of the process and rules told the Deseret News that the question right now is a political one and that there are various ways to provide recourse should it be necessary if the convention delegates select a nominee who ultimately is not admitted to the bar. This is now merely a political question for delegates to consider when casting their votes and for Republican voters to consider when casting their votes should he qualify for the primary, the source said. A communications specialist for the Utah Lieutenant Governors Office referred the Deseret News to an earlier letter issued by the office and would not comment further. The earlier letter, issued in response to a complaint filed by a state delegate, said that the Utah Constitution stipulated a person needs to be admitted to the state bar before holding the office, but not necessarily before the person becomes a candidate for office. The Utah Constitution states, To be eligible for the office of Attorney General, a person shall be 25 years of age or older, at the time of election, admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the State of Utah, and in good standing at the bar. The letter from the Utah Lieutenant Governors Office quotes the Utah Supreme Court which noted, The election code must be read against the background of the Utah Constitution; when it speaks to a persons eligibility for office, it is best understood to address general prerequisites to serve in an office, not individualized grounds for qualification or disqualification to appear on the ballot. This means that a candidate for attorney general who is not licensed with the bar may appear on the primary and general election ballots. Hypothetically, if Christensen was not admitted to the bar through reciprocity, a potential path forward to obtaining admission before November is to take the bar exam. According to the Code of Judicial Administration, an applicant could take the bar exam in another state in July and attempt to transfer the score to Utah. Such a person would have to achieve a score of 260 or above and cannot have been denied by jurisdiction on character and fitness ground. In that case, if a person successfully scored 260 or above and met the other eligibility criteria outlined, then they could be admitted to the Utah State Bar come October. Some states deadlines for signing up for the exam like Utah and Idaho have passed. There are other states including Oregon which still have a late filing deadline that has not passed yet. The U.S. took another step toward supporting Israels ongoing conflict in Gaza, as the House passed a bill to allocate more aid to the U.S. ally in a 366-58 vote Saturday. The bill allocates some $26.4 billion to Israel, including for support of the nations Iron Dome and Davids Sling defense systems. The legislation also includes over $9 billion in international humanitarian aid and refugee assistance, with some intended for Gaza. The aid is part of a multibillion-dollar package that rolls together aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, as well as a push to force the social media company TikTok to have an American company oversee its operations. The votes on aid to Ukraine and Taiwan, as well as the TikTok divestiture, had taken place earlier in the day and all passed. However, the vote on aid to Israel was not without controversy, as 37 Democrats voted against it a sign of how many members of their party are increasingly uncomfortable with or outright opposed to President Joe Bidens largely unflinching support for the actions of right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government. While there is still strong bipartisan support in Congress for Israel, a longtime U.S. ally, the subject of aid for its ongoing military campaign in Gaza has divided the Democratic Party and the American public. Israels campaign, launched in response to Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed over 1,100 people, has so far killed over 34,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children. Meanwhile, Israeli restrictions on humanitarian access to the territory, which has some 2 million residents, have contributed to what experts warn is widening famine in the region. The scale of devastation in Gaza has prompted large protests on the left, with demonstrators and progressive groups urging Biden to put humanitarian conditions on any aid that is given. Ahead of the vote, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said he would not vote for the bill. All of us have seen the tragedy in Gaza. We have seen how Prime Minister Netanyahus government has used American weapons to kill indiscriminately, to force famine. Over 25,000 women and children dead. Tens of thousands of missiles and bombs levied on innocent civilians. We cannot escape what we see before us every day, he said in remarks ahead of the vote. And when we see it, we have to decide what were going to do about it. Are we going to participate in that carnage or not? I choose not to. All of us have seen the tragedy of Gaza. We've seen how Netanyahu's government has used US weapons to kill indiscriminately and create famine. I will not participate in this carnage. When Congress votes on sending more offensive weapons to Israel today, I will vote no. 1/ pic.twitter.com/SJgcE8FSAJ Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) April 20, 2024 Following the vote, a group of 19 Democrats who had voted against the aid released a joint statement on their opposition to the bill and calling on the U.S. to help Israel find a path to win the peace. Our votes against [the bill] are votes against supplying more offensive weapons that could result in more killings of civilians in Rafah and elsewhere. We believe strongly in Israels right to self-defense and have joined colleagues previously in affirming our shared commitment, the statement read in part. All of us support strengthening the Iron Dome and other defense systems and we are committed to a sovereign, safe, and secure future for Israel. To protect that future, we believe the United States must help achieve a ceasefire that allows hostages to be freed, humanitarian aid to be delivered, and peace talks to begin. The statements signatories included Reps. Castro, Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar of Texas; Mark Takano, Ro Khanna, Barbara Lee and Judy Chu of California; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nydia Velazquez of New York; Chuy Garcia and Jonathan Jackson of Illinois; Pramila Jayapal of Washington; Becca Balint of Vermont, Jim McGovern of Massachusetts; Earl Blumenauer of Oregon; Hank Johnson of Georgia; Andre Carson of Indiana; Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey; and Jill Tokuda of Hawaii. The vote also follows an increase in tensions in the region, including an exchange of strikes between Israel and Iran, that has raised the threat of the conflict spilling out into a broader war. While the U.S. has publicly urged de-escalation, its uncertain if or how the U.S. will use its leverage as a key ally to Israel, or how the changing international calculus will impact the situation in Gaza. The votes display of dissent also comes after a rare show of bipartisanship. Earlier this week, Democrats moved to bolster House Speaker Mike Johnsons (R-La.) push to bring aid for Ukraine which was tied up with aid to Israel and Taiwan to the floor for a vote in the first place. Its a piece of political maneuvering that has the potential to harm Johnson as much as it helps. The bipartisan effort arrived after the speaker received pressure from factions within the Republican Party, including a threat to attempt to oust him by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), to avoid a vote on aid to Ukraine. Some Republicans, meanwhile, have already said that an effort to reach across the aisle may be even more reason to boot Johnson from the speakership. Related... The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) WASHINGTON Military and humanitarian aid could be on its way to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan within weeks after the U.S. House took a series of overwhelmingly bipartisan votes Saturday to approve $95 billion in emergency assistance and the Senate appeared poised to agree. The approval in a rare weekend session ended months of deadlock. House GOP leaders struggled with whether they should block or provide aid amid ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as mounting concerns about Chinas approach to Taiwan. The decision to debate aid to Ukraine, and pass the bill with a majority of the yes votes coming from Democrats, presents a risk to Speaker Mike Johnsons leadership role in the party, amid rising anger from far-right party members. The three bills as well as a measure to ban the popular app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it now go to the Senate as one package, where leaders hope to vote on the legislation as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden, who sent a supplemental spending request to Congress asking for the aid six months ago, is expected to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. House lawmakers supported $60.84 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, while cheering and waving small Ukrainian flags on the floor. One lawmaker voted present. Members voted 366-58 to approve the $26.38 billion Israel and humanitarian assistance bill. The $8.12 billion funding bill for the Indo-Pacific received backing on a 385-34 vote. One lawmaker voted present. The 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act that includes the TikTok bill passed following a 360-58 vote. Republican Rep. Dan Bishop (NC-09), who is running for state Attorney General, was the only member of North Carolinas U.S. House delegation to vote against aid to Ukraine. The entire NC delegation supported the Israel and humanitarian assistance bill. Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) The three emergency spending bills will provide significant boosts in funding for the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State, which will use that money to help Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as other allies. Ronald Reagan cited repeatedly Far-right Republicans railed against the bills, and the decision by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to hold a floor vote, while their colleagues in both parties said the funding would help protect democracies around the world, aid refugees fleeing war and bolster Americas defense industrial base. GOP lawmakers repeatedly referenced former President Ronald Reagans peace through strength foreign policy strategy, choosing the partys long-held standard-bearer over the isolationism championed by other leaders. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said the last few years have produced echoes of a dark time in world history that began nearly a century ago. In the 1930s, evil regimes bent on aggression, domination and even genocide took their first steps down a dark road that would eventually lead to world war, Cole said. Tragically, the democratic West turned inward then; standing idly by while fascist regimes began to take aggressive actions against their weaker neighbors. There was time then to put a stop to aggression, Cole added. If only we had had the fortitude and the wherewithal to stand firmly on the side of freedom. Actions today by China with respect to Taiwan, Irans aggression toward Israel and Russias invasion of Ukraine stand as a modern threat to democracy, leaving a choice for the United States and other democracies, Cole said. Peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement, Cole said. We cannot wish our way to national security and we cannot thrust our heads into the sand while aggressive nations threaten their neighbors. U.S. defense of democracy Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the emergency spending bills provided an opportunity for Congress to signal to the world that the United States defends democracies. We have a moment today to say No to tyranny, DeLauro said. We have a moment to take back the moral high ground for the United States and say, We do not walk away from an ally. We do not walk away from freedom. We do not walk away from human rights. We do not walk away from democracy. That is not the United States of America. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker through a motion to vacate that so far has attracted two more backers, argued during debate that Congress should enact new border security and immigration policy instead of foreign aid. The federal government continues to fund the military industrial complex and this is a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money, to continue to fund foreign wars, Greene said. And this is a business model the American people do not support, Greene added. They dont support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries, while this very government does nothing to secure our border. How the Ukraine aid would be spent Nearly $48 billion of the $60.84 billion total for the Ukraine aid bill would go to the U.S. Defense Department to provide weapons and supplies for Ukraines military, to replenish stockpiles of weapons and other equipment sent to Ukraine and to bolster U.S. Armed Forces European Commands operations. The U.S. State Department would receive nearly $9.5 billion in forgivable economic loans to dispense, $7.8 billion to send Ukraine defense equipment and $2 billion for security assistance. The U.S. Energy Department would get $149 million to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine, according to a summary of the bill. Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, chairman of the State-Foreign Operations spending panel, said that lawmakers had the choice to turn our heads away, and hope to appease this great evil, or we can stand with our allies and confront this nefarious scourge. History has taught us that appeasement does not work and it was attempted not that long ago, Diaz-Balart said. The Ukraine bill, he said, requires a clear strategy from the administration that defines and prioritizes U.S. national security interests and categorized the economic aid as a forgivable loan for the first time. Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus, gave an impassioned speech advocating the United States as a defender of democracy around the world, rejecting calls from some lawmakers to stop support for Ukraines defense against Russias invasion. For those who may naively think America can sit on the sidelines and seek isolation, please know this old adage If you take no interest in foreign affairs, foreign affairs will find you, Kaptur said. House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, urged support for aid to Ukraine, saying that China, North Korea and Iran are eagerly aiding and abetting (Russian President Vladimir) Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine, because they know a Russian victory there will seriously undercut American credibility and deterrence and leave our allies exposed. I fear Putin will use victory in Ukraine as a springboard to invade Eastern Europe, Rogers said. We cant let that happen. House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to reject amendments from Republican Reps. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Greene and Kat Cammack of Florida. Spartzs proposal would have removed several sections from the bill. Greenes would have zeroed out all the funding levels in the bill. And Cammacks would have removed all non-military funding in the bill, like economic aid. Funding for Israel The $26.38 billion Israel aid bill would direct $13 billion of that to the U.S. Defense Department to provide that country with funding for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. An additional $9.15 billion would go to the U.S. State Department for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other vulnerable populations with an additional $3.6 billion for security assistance to Israel, according to a summary. Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she has visited Israel three times since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Her visits bolstered her support for emergency spending for that country, she said. It is incomprehensible that the Israeli hostages captured on Simchat Torah are still in Hamas captivity as we approach Passover, she said. I rise to finally provide long overdue aid to our ally Israel as she fights to defend herself against threats on multiple fronts. Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan rebuked how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted the war in Gaza, saying that widespread bombings are a collective punishment of all Palestinians in Gaza. Pocan said that Netanyahus decisions not to accept a two-state solution, his refusal to listen to U.S. warnings against invading Rafah and his decision to strike Iran after the White House urged against it, all mean that Netanyahu should no longer be trusted with offensive weapons. Enough is enough, Pocan said. I support the people of Israel, who dont want bombs raining on them from extremists in Gaza, and the hostages must be released. I also support the Palestinians, who deserve human rights and dignity. The deaths of 35,000 people so far in Gaza, a figure provided by health authorities in Gaza, and the possibility that thousands more civilians will die from starvation and disease is unacceptable, he said. We are better than that, so is Israel. Im not sure Netanyahu is, Pocan said. And thats why I cant vote to provide him with more unconditional offensive weapons today. Indo-Pacific assistance The $8.12 billion bill for the Indo-Pacific would divvy up the funding to several entities, with $5.6 billion going to the U.S. Defense Department for integrated deterrence and the submarine industrial base. The U.S. State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for allies in the region, according to a summary. California Republican Rep. Young Kim spoke in support of providing additional support for Taiwan, saying that if Chinese leader Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security and our leadership globally. We need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us, Kim said. This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations. History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said the House was finally doing the right thing by approving the bills. Today moral courage and sound strategic thinking finally defeat the partisan cynicism and the political calculation of a small minority of this body who have held our national interest hostage, Beyer said. TikTok divestment The 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, a 184-page bill, bundles together numerous measures, including language that would ban the social media app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it amid national security concerns about that government having access to Americans data. Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said during debate that section of the bill wasnt about eliminating Americans access to TikTok, but forcing its parent company to sell the site. Its not really about TikTok, its about ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok and is indisputably controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, Krishnamoorthi said, noting this bill extends the time for divestment from six months to one year. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said forcing the sale of TikTok would protect American children from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party. It is a modern day Trojan horse of the CCP, used to surveil and exploit Americas personal information, McCaul said. That bill also includes the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, or Repo Act, that would allow the United States to confiscate Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in the United States and transfer them to assist in Ukraines reconstruction efforts, according to a summary. The post Aid to Ukraine, Israel overwhelmingly approved by U.S. House in bipartisan vote appeared first on NC Newsline. The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) WASHINGTON Military and humanitarian aid could be on its way to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan within weeks after the U.S. House took a series of overwhelmingly bipartisan votes Saturday to approve $95 billion in emergency assistance and the Senate appeared poised to agree. The approval in a rare weekend session ended months of deadlock. House GOP leaders struggled with whether they should block or provide aid amid ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as mounting concerns about Chinas approach to Taiwan. The decision to debate aid to Ukraine, and pass the bill with a majority of the yes votes coming from Democrats, presents a risk to Speaker Mike Johnsons leadership role in the party, amid rising anger from far-right party members. The three bills as well as a measure to ban the popular app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it now go to the Senate as one package, where leaders hope to vote on the legislation as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden, who sent a supplemental spending request to Congress asking for the aid six months ago, is expected to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. House lawmakers supported $60.84 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, while cheering and waving small Ukrainian flags on the floor. One lawmaker voted present. Members voted 366-58 to approve the $26.38 billion Israel and humanitarian assistance bill. The $8.12 billion funding bill for the Indo-Pacific received backing on a 385-34 vote. One lawmaker voted present. The 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act that includes the TikTok bill passed following a 360-58 vote. The three emergency spending bills will provide significant boosts in funding for the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State, which will use that money to help Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as other allies. Pennsylvania U.S. Reps. Summer Lee (D-12th District) and Scott Perry (R-1oth District), who are otherwise diametrically opposed on most issues, both voted against the Israel aid package. Perry and Rep. John Joyce (R-13th District) both voted against the Ukraine aid package; Rep. Dan Meuser (R-9th District) voted present on the Ukraine package. Ronald Reagan cited repeatedly Far-right Republicans railed against the bills, and the decision by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to hold a floor vote, while their colleagues in both parties said the funding would help protect democracies around the world, aid refugees fleeing war and bolster Americas defense industrial base. GOP lawmakers repeatedly referenced former President Ronald Reagans peace through strength foreign policy strategy, choosing the partys long-held standard-bearer over the isolationism championed by other leaders. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said the last few years have produced echoes of a dark time in world history that began nearly a century ago. In the 1930s, evil regimes bent on aggression, domination and even genocide took their first steps down a dark road that would eventually lead to world war, Cole said. Tragically, the democratic West turned inward then; standing idly by while fascist regimes began to take aggressive actions against their weaker neighbors. There was time then to put a stop to aggression, Cole added. If only we had had the fortitude and the wherewithal to stand firmly on the side of freedom. Actions today by China with respect to Taiwan, Irans aggression toward Israel and Russias invasion of Ukraine stand as a modern threat to democracy, leaving a choice for the United States and other democracies, Cole said. Peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement, Cole said. We cannot wish our way to national security and we cannot thrust our heads into the sand while aggressive nations threaten their neighbors. U.S. defense of democracy Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the emergency spending bills provided an opportunity for Congress to signal to the world that the United States defends democracies. We have a moment today to say No to tyranny, DeLauro said. We have a moment to take back the moral high ground for the United States and say, We do not walk away from an ally. We do not walk away from freedom. We do not walk away from human rights. We do not walk away from democracy. That is not the United States of America. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker through a motion to vacate that so far has attracted two more backers, argued during debate that Congress should enact new border security and immigration policy instead of foreign aid. The federal government continues to fund the military industrial complex and this is a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money, to continue to fund foreign wars, Greene said. And this is a business model the American people do not support, Greene added. They dont support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries, while this very government does nothing to secure our border. How the Ukraine aid would be spent Nearly $48 billion of the $60.84 billion total for the Ukraine aid bill would go to the U.S. Defense Department to provide weapons and supplies for Ukraines military, to replenish stockpiles of weapons and other equipment sent to Ukraine and to bolster U.S. Armed Forces European Commands operations. The U.S. State Department would receive nearly $9.5 billion in forgivable economic loans to dispense, $7.8 billion to send Ukraine defense equipment and $2 billion for security assistance. The U.S. Energy Department would get $149 million to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine, according to a summary of the bill. Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, chairman of the State-Foreign Operations spending panel, said that lawmakers had the choice to turn our heads away, and hope to appease this great evil, or we can stand with our allies and confront this nefarious scourge. History has taught us that appeasement does not work and it was attempted not that long ago, Diaz-Balart said. The Ukraine bill, he said, requires a clear strategy from the administration that defines and prioritizes U.S. national security interests and categorized the economic aid as a forgivable loan for the first time. Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus, gave an impassioned speech advocating the United States as a defender of democracy around the world, rejecting calls from some lawmakers to stop support for Ukraines defense against Russias invasion. For those who may naively think America can sit on the sidelines and seek isolation, please know this old adage If you take no interest in foreign affairs, foreign affairs will find you, Kaptur said. House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, urged support for aid to Ukraine, saying that China, North Korea and Iran are eagerly aiding and abetting (Russian President Vladimir) Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine, because they know a Russian victory there will seriously undercut American credibility and deterrence and leave our allies exposed. I fear Putin will use victory in Ukraine as a springboard to invade Eastern Europe, Rogers said. We cant let that happen. House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to reject amendments from Republican Reps. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Greene and Kat Cammack of Florida. Spartzs proposal would have removed several sections from the bill. Greenes would have zeroed out all the funding levels in the bill. And Cammacks would have removed all non-military funding in the bill, like economic aid. Funding for Israel The $26.38 billion Israel aid bill would direct $13 billion of that to the U.S. Defense Department to provide that country with funding for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. An additional $9.15 billion would go to the U.S. State Department for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other vulnerable populations with an additional $3.6 billion for security assistance to Israel, according to a summary. Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she has visited Israel three times since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Her visits bolstered her support for emergency spending for that country, she said. It is incomprehensible that the Israeli hostages captured on Simchat Torah are still in Hamas captivity as we approach Passover, she said. I rise to finally provide long overdue aid to our ally Israel as she fights to defend herself against threats on multiple fronts. Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan rebuked how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted the war in Gaza, saying that widespread bombings are a collective punishment of all Palestinians in Gaza. Pocan said that Netanyahus decisions not to accept a two-state solution, his refusal to listen to U.S. warnings against invading Rafah and his decision to strike Iran after the White House urged against it, all mean that Netanyahu should no longer be trusted with offensive weapons. Enough is enough, Pocan said. I support the people of Israel, who dont want bombs raining on them from extremists in Gaza, and the hostages must be released. I also support the Palestinians, who deserve human rights and dignity. The deaths of 35,000 people so far in Gaza, a figure provided by health authorities in Gaza, and the possibility that thousands more civilians will die from starvation and disease is unacceptable, he said. We are better than that, so is Israel. Im not sure Netanyahu is, Pocan said. And thats why I cant vote to provide him with more unconditional offensive weapons today. Indo-Pacific assistance The $8.12 billion bill for the Indo-Pacific would divvy up the funding to several entities, with $5.6 billion going to the U.S. Defense Department for integrated deterrence and the submarine industrial base. The U.S. State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for allies in the region, according to a summary. California Republican Rep. Young Kim spoke in support of providing additional support for Taiwan, saying that if Chinese leader Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security and our leadership globally. We need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us, Kim said. This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations. History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said the House was finally doing the right thing by approving the bills. Today moral courage and sound strategic thinking finally defeat the partisan cynicism and the political calculation of a small minority of this body who have held our national interest hostage, Beyer said. TikTok divestment The 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, a 184-page bill, bundles together numerous measures, including language that would ban the social media app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it amid national security concerns about that government having access to Americans data. Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said during debate that section of the bill wasnt about eliminating Americans access to TikTok, but forcing its parent company to sell the site. Its not really about TikTok, its about ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok and is indisputably controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, Krishnamoorthi said, noting this bill extends the time for divestment from six months to one year. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said forcing the sale of TikTok would protect American children from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party. It is a modern day Trojan horse of the CCP, used to surveil and exploit Americas personal information, McCaul said. That bill also includes the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, or Repo Act, that would allow the United States to confiscate Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in the United States and transfer them to assist in Ukraines reconstruction efforts, according to a summary. Update: This article was updated at 2:38 p.m. April 20, 2024 with details about how Pennsylvanias delegation voted. The post Aid to Ukraine, Israel overwhelmingly approved by U.S. House in bipartisan vote appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star. The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., is pictured on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) WASHINGTON Military and humanitarian aid could be on its way to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan within weeks after the U.S. House took a series of overwhelmingly bipartisan votes Saturday to approve $95 billion in emergency assistance and the Senate appeared poised to agree. The approval in a rare weekend session ended months of deadlock. House GOP leaders struggled with whether they should block or provide aid amid ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as mounting concerns about Chinas approach to Taiwan. The decision to debate aid to Ukraine, and pass the bill with a majority of the yes votes coming from Democrats, presents a risk to Speaker Mike Johnsons leadership role in the party, amid rising anger from far-right party members. The three bills as well as a measure to ban the popular app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it now go to the Senate as one package, where leaders hope to vote on the legislation as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden, who sent a supplemental spending request to Congress asking for the aid six months ago, is expected to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. House lawmakers supported $60.84 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, while cheering and waving small Ukrainian flags on the floor. One lawmaker voted present. Members voted 366-58 to approve the $26.38 billion Israel and humanitarian assistance bill. The $8.12 billion funding bill for the Indo-Pacific received backing on a 385-34 vote. One lawmaker voted present. The 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act that includes the TikTok bill passed following a 360-58 vote. The three emergency spending bills will provide significant boosts in funding for the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State, which will use that money to help Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as other allies. Ronald Reagan cited repeatedly Far-right Republicans railed against the bills, and the decision by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to hold a floor vote, while their colleagues in both parties said the funding would help protect democracies around the world, aid refugees fleeing war and bolster Americas defense industrial base. GOP lawmakers repeatedly referenced former President Ronald Reagans peace through strength foreign policy strategy, choosing the partys long-held standard-bearer over the isolationism championed by other leaders. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said the last few years have produced echoes of a dark time in world history that began nearly a century ago. In the 1930s, evil regimes bent on aggression, domination and even genocide took their first steps down a dark road that would eventually lead to world war, Cole said. Tragically, the democratic West turned inward then; standing idly by while fascist regimes began to take aggressive actions against their weaker neighbors. There was time then to put a stop to aggression, Cole added. If only we had had the fortitude and the wherewithal to stand firmly on the side of freedom. Actions today by China with respect to Taiwan, Irans aggression toward Israel and Russias invasion of Ukraine stand as a modern threat to democracy, leaving a choice for the United States and other democracies, Cole said. Peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement, Cole said. We cannot wish our way to national security and we cannot thrust our heads into the sand while aggressive nations threaten their neighbors. U.S. defense of democracy Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the emergency spending bills provided an opportunity for Congress to signal to the world that the United States defends democracies. We have a moment today to say No to tyranny, DeLauro said. We have a moment to take back the moral high ground for the United States and say, We do not walk away from an ally. We do not walk away from freedom. We do not walk away from human rights. We do not walk away from democracy. That is not the United States of America. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker through a motion to vacate that so far has attracted two more backers, argued during debate that Congress should enact new border security and immigration policy instead of foreign aid. The federal government continues to fund the military industrial complex and this is a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money, to continue to fund foreign wars, Greene said. And this is a business model the American people do not support, Greene added. They dont support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries, while this very government does nothing to secure our border. How the Ukraine aid would be spent Nearly $48 billion of the $60.84 billion total for the Ukraine aid bill would go to the U.S. Defense Department to provide weapons and supplies for Ukraines military, to replenish stockpiles of weapons and other equipment sent to Ukraine and to bolster U.S. Armed Forces European Commands operations. The U.S. State Department would receive nearly $9.5 billion in forgivable economic loans to dispense, $7.8 billion to send Ukraine defense equipment and $2 billion for security assistance. The U.S. Energy Department would get $149 million to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine, according to a summary of the bill. Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, chairman of the State-Foreign Operations spending panel, said that lawmakers had the choice to turn our heads away, and hope to appease this great evil, or we can stand with our allies and confront this nefarious scourge. History has taught us that appeasement does not work and it was attempted not that long ago, Diaz-Balart said. The Ukraine bill, he said, requires a clear strategy from the administration that defines and prioritizes U.S. national security interests and categorized the economic aid as a forgivable loan for the first time. Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus, gave an impassioned speech advocating the United States as a defender of democracy around the world, rejecting calls from some lawmakers to stop support for Ukraines defense against Russias invasion. For those who may naively think America can sit on the sidelines and seek isolation, please know this old adage If you take no interest in foreign affairs, foreign affairs will find you, Kaptur said. House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, urged support for aid to Ukraine, saying that China, North Korea and Iran are eagerly aiding and abetting (Russian President Vladimir) Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine, because they know a Russian victory there will seriously undercut American credibility and deterrence and leave our allies exposed. I fear Putin will use victory in Ukraine as a springboard to invade Eastern Europe, Rogers said. We cant let that happen. House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to reject amendments from Republican Reps. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Greene and Kat Cammack of Florida. Spartzs proposal would have removed several sections from the bill. Greenes would have zeroed out all the funding levels in the bill. And Cammacks would have removed all non-military funding in the bill, like economic aid. Funding for Israel The $26.38 billion Israel aid bill would direct $13 billion of that to the U.S. Defense Department to provide that country with funding for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. An additional $9.15 billion would go to the U.S. State Department for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other vulnerable populations with an additional $3.6 billion for security assistance to Israel, according to a summary. Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she has visited Israel three times since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Her visits bolstered her support for emergency spending for that country, she said. It is incomprehensible that the Israeli hostages captured on Simchat Torah are still in Hamas captivity as we approach Passover, she said. I rise to finally provide long overdue aid to our ally Israel as she fights to defend herself against threats on multiple fronts. Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan rebuked how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted the war in Gaza, saying that widespread bombings are a collective punishment of all Palestinians in Gaza. Pocan said that Netanyahus decisions not to accept a two-state solution, his refusal to listen to U.S. warnings against invading Rafah and his decision to strike Iran after the White House urged against it, all mean that Netanyahu should no longer be trusted with offensive weapons. Enough is enough, Pocan said. I support the people of Israel, who dont want bombs raining on them from extremists in Gaza, and the hostages must be released. I also support the Palestinians, who deserve human rights and dignity. The deaths of 35,000 people so far in Gaza, a figure provided by health authorities in Gaza, and the possibility that thousands more civilians will die from starvation and disease is unacceptable, he said. We are better than that, so is Israel. Im not sure Netanyahu is, Pocan said. And thats why I cant vote to provide him with more unconditional offensive weapons today. Indo-Pacific assistance The $8.12 billion bill for the Indo-Pacific would divvy up the funding to several entities, with $5.6 billion going to the U.S. Defense Department for integrated deterrence and the submarine industrial base. The U.S. State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for allies in the region, according to a summary. California Republican Rep. Young Kim spoke in support of providing additional support for Taiwan, saying that if Chinese leader Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security and our leadership globally. We need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us, Kim said. This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations. History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said the House was finally doing the right thing by approving the bills. Today moral courage and sound strategic thinking finally defeat the partisan cynicism and the political calculation of a small minority of this body who have held our national interest hostage, Beyer said. TikTok divestment The 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, a 184-page bill, bundles together numerous measures, including language that would ban the social media app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it amid national security concerns about that government having access to Americans data. Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said during debate that section of the bill wasnt about eliminating Americans access to TikTok, but forcing its parent company to sell the site. Its not really about TikTok, its about ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok and is indisputably controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, Krishnamoorthi said, noting this bill extends the time for divestment from six months to one year. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said forcing the sale of TikTok would protect American children from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party. It is a modern day Trojan horse of the CCP, used to surveil and exploit Americas personal information, McCaul said. That bill also includes the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, or Repo Act, that would allow the United States to confiscate Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in the United States and transfer them to assist in Ukraines reconstruction efforts, according to a summary. The post Aid to Ukraine, Israel overwhelmingly approved by U.S. House in bipartisan vote appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch. The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Jennifer Shutt | States Newsroom) WASHINGTON Military and humanitarian aid could be on its way to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan within weeks after the U.S. House took a series of overwhelmingly bipartisan votes Saturday to approve $95 billion in emergency assistance and the Senate appeared poised to agree. The approval in a rare weekend session ended months of deadlock. House GOP leaders struggled with whether they should block or provide aid amid ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as mounting concerns about Chinas approach to Taiwan. The decision to debate aid to Ukraine, and pass the bill with a majority of the yes votes coming from Democrats, presents a risk to Speaker Mike Johnsons leadership role in the party, amid rising anger from far-right party members. The three bills as well as a measure to ban the popular app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it now go to the Senate as one package, where leaders hope to vote on the legislation as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden, who sent a supplemental spending request to Congress asking for the aid six months ago, is expected to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. House lawmakers supported $60.84 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, while cheering and waving small Ukrainian flags on the floor. One lawmaker voted present. Members voted 366-58 to approve the $26.38 billion Israel and humanitarian assistance bill. The $8.12 billion funding bill for the Indo-Pacific received backing on a 385-34 vote. One lawmaker voted present. The 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act that includes the TikTok bill passed following a 360-58 vote. The three emergency spending bills will provide significant boosts in funding for the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy, and State, which will use that money to help Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan as well as other allies. Ronald Reagan cited repeatedly Far-right Republicans railed against the bills, and the decision by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to hold a floor vote, while their colleagues in both parties said the funding would help protect democracies around the world, aid refugees fleeing war and bolster Americas defense industrial base. GOP lawmakers repeatedly referenced former President Ronald Reagans peace through strength foreign policy strategy, choosing the partys long-held standard-bearer over the isolationism championed by other leaders. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said the last few years have produced echoes of a dark time in world history that began nearly a century ago. In the 1930s, evil regimes bent on aggression, domination, and even genocide took their first steps down a dark road that would eventually lead to world war, Cole said. Tragically, the democratic West turned inward then; standing idly by while fascist regimes began to take aggressive actions against their weaker neighbors. There was time then to put a stop to aggression, Cole added. If only we had had the fortitude and the wherewithal to stand firmly on the side of freedom. Actions today by China with respect to Taiwan, Irans aggression toward Israel and Russias invasion of Ukraine stand as a modern threat to democracy, leaving a choice for the United States and other democracies, Cole said. Peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement, Cole said. We cannot wish our way to national security and we cannot thrust our heads into the sand while aggressive nations threaten their neighbors. U.S. defense of democracy Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the emergency spending bills provided an opportunity for Congress to signal to the world that the United States defends democracies. We have a moment today to say No to tyranny, DeLauro said. We have a moment to take back the moral high ground for the United States and say, We do not walk away from an ally. We do not walk away from freedom. We do not walk away from human rights. We do not walk away from democracy. That is not the United States of America. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker through a motion to vacate that so far has attracted two more backers, argued during debate that Congress should enact new border security and immigration policy instead of foreign aid. The federal government continues to fund the military-industrial complex and this is a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money, to continue to fund foreign wars, Greene said. And this is a business model the American people do not support, Greene added. They dont support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries, while this very government does nothing to secure our border. How the Ukraine aid would be spent Nearly $48 billion of the $60.84 billion total for the Ukraine aid bill would go to the U.S. Defense Department to provide weapons and supplies for Ukraines military, to replenish stockpiles of weapons and other equipment sent to Ukraine and to bolster U.S. Armed Forces European Commands operations. The U.S. State Department would receive nearly $9.5 billion in forgivable economic loans to dispense, $7.8 billion to send Ukraine defense equipment and $2 billion for security assistance. The U.S. Energy Department would get $149 million to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine, according to a summary of the bill. Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, chairman of the State-Foreign Operations spending panel, said that lawmakers had the choice to turn our heads away, and hope to appease this great evil, or we can stand with our allies and confront this nefarious scourge. History has taught us that appeasement does not work and it was attempted not that long ago, Diaz-Balart said. The Ukraine bill, he said, requires a clear strategy from the administration that defines and prioritizes U.S. national security interests and categorized the economic aid as a forgivable loan for the first time. Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus, gave an impassioned speech advocating the United States as a defender of democracy around the world, rejecting calls from some lawmakers to stop support for Ukraines defense against Russias invasion. For those who may naively think America can sit on the sidelines and seek isolation, please know this old adage If you take no interest in foreign affairs, foreign affairs will find you, Kaptur said. House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, urged support for aid to Ukraine, saying that China, North Korea, and Iran are eagerly aiding and abetting (Russian President Vladimir) Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine, because they know a Russian victory there will seriously undercut American credibility and deterrence and leave our allies exposed. I fear Putin will use victory in Ukraine as a springboard to invade Eastern Europe, Rogers said. We cant let that happen. House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to reject amendments from Republican Reps. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Greene, and Kat Cammack of Florida. Spartzs proposal would have removed several sections from the bill. Greenes would have zeroed out all the funding levels in the bill. And Cammacks would have removed all non-military funding in the bill, like economic aid. Funding for Israel The $26.38 billion Israel aid bill would direct $13 billion of that to the U.S. Defense Department to provide that country with funding for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. An additional $9.15 billion would go to the U.S. State Department for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other vulnerable populations with an additional $3.6 billion for security assistance to Israel, according to a summary. Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she has visited Israel three times since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Her visits bolstered her support for emergency spending for that country, she said. It is incomprehensible that the Israeli hostages captured on Simchat Torah are still in Hamas captivity as we approach Passover, she said. I rise to finally provide long overdue aid to our ally Israel as she fights to defend herself against threats on multiple fronts. Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan rebuked how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted the war in Gaza, saying that widespread bombings are a collective punishment of all Palestinians in Gaza. Pocan said that Netanyahus decisions not to accept a two-state solution, his refusal to listen to U.S. warnings against invading Rafah and his decision to strike Iran after the White House urged against it, all mean that Netanyahu should no longer be trusted with offensive weapons. Enough is enough, Pocan said. I support the people of Israel, who dont want bombs raining on them from extremists in Gaza, and the hostages must be released. I also support the Palestinians, who deserve human rights and dignity. The deaths of 35,000 people so far in Gaza, a figure provided by health authorities in Gaza, and the possibility that thousands more civilians will die from starvation and disease is unacceptable, he said. We are better than that, so is Israel. Im not sure Netanyahu is, Pocan said. And thats why I cant vote to provide him with more unconditional offensive weapons today. Indo-Pacific assistance The $8.12 billion bill for the Indo-Pacific would divvy up the funding to several entities, with $5.6 billion going to the U.S. Defense Department for integrated deterrence and the submarine industrial base. The U.S. State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for allies in the region, according to a summary. California Republican Rep. Young Kim spoke in support of providing additional support for Taiwan, saying that if Chinese leader Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security and our leadership globally. We need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us, Kim said. This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations. History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said the House was finally doing the right thing by approving the bills. Today moral courage and sound strategic thinking finally defeat the partisan cynicism and the political calculation of a small minority of this body who have held our national interest hostage, Beyer said. TikTok divestment The 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, a 184-page bill, bundles together numerous measures, including language that would ban the social media app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it amid national security concerns about that government having access to Americans data. Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said during debate that section of the bill wasnt about eliminating Americans access to TikTok, but forcing its parent company to sell the site. Its not really about TikTok, its about ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok and is indisputably controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, Krishnamoorthi said, noting this bill extends the time for divestment from six months to one year. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said forcing the sale of TikTok would protect American children from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party. It is a modern day Trojan horse of the CCP, used to surveil and exploit Americas personal information, McCaul said. That bill also includes the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, or Repo Act, that would allow the United States to confiscate Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in the United States and transfer them to assist in Ukraines reconstruction efforts, according to a summary. The post Aid to Ukraine, Israel overwhelmingly approved by U.S. House in bipartisan vote appeared first on New Hampshire Bulletin. The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) WASHINGTON Military and humanitarian aid could be on its way to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan within weeks after the U.S. House took a series of overwhelmingly bipartisan votes Saturday to approve $95 billion in emergency assistance and the Senate appeared poised to agree. The approval in a rare weekend session ended months of deadlock. House GOP leaders struggled with whether they should block or provide aid amid ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as mounting concerns about Chinas approach to Taiwan. The decision to debate aid to Ukraine, and pass the bill with a majority of the yes votes coming from Democrats, presents a risk to Speaker Mike Johnsons leadership role in the party, amid rising anger from far-right party members. The three bills as well as a measure to ban the popular app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it now go to the Senate as one package, where leaders hope to vote on the legislation as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden, who sent a supplemental spending request to Congress asking for the aid six months ago, is expected to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. House lawmakers supported $60.84 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, while cheering and waving small Ukrainian flags on the floor. One lawmaker voted present. Members voted 366-58 to approve the $26.38 billion Israel and humanitarian assistance bill. The $8.12 billion funding bill for the Indo-Pacific received backing on a 385-34 vote. One lawmaker voted present. The 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act that includes the TikTok bill passed following a 360-58 vote. North Dakota Republican Kelly Armstrong voted no on the Ukraine funding but yes to the other three bills. The three emergency spending bills will provide significant boosts in funding for the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State, which will use that money to help Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as other allies. Ronald Reagan cited repeatedly Far-right Republicans railed against the bills, and the decision by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to hold a floor vote, while their colleagues in both parties said the funding would help protect democracies around the world, aid refugees fleeing war and bolster Americas defense industrial base. GOP lawmakers repeatedly referenced former President Ronald Reagans peace through strength foreign policy strategy, choosing the partys long-held standard-bearer over the isolationism championed by other leaders. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said the last few years have produced echoes of a dark time in world history that began nearly a century ago. In the 1930s, evil regimes bent on aggression, domination and even genocide took their first steps down a dark road that would eventually lead to world war, Cole said. Tragically, the democratic West turned inward then; standing idly by while fascist regimes began to take aggressive actions against their weaker neighbors. There was time then to put a stop to aggression, Cole added. If only we had had the fortitude and the wherewithal to stand firmly on the side of freedom. Actions today by China with respect to Taiwan, Irans aggression toward Israel and Russias invasion of Ukraine stand as a modern threat to democracy, leaving a choice for the United States and other democracies, Cole said. Peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement, Cole said. We cannot wish our way to national security and we cannot thrust our heads into the sand while aggressive nations threaten their neighbors. U.S. defense of democracy Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the emergency spending bills provided an opportunity for Congress to signal to the world that the United States defends democracies. We have a moment today to say No to tyranny, DeLauro said. We have a moment to take back the moral high ground for the United States and say, We do not walk away from an ally. We do not walk away from freedom. We do not walk away from human rights. We do not walk away from democracy. That is not the United States of America. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker through a motion to vacate that so far has attracted two more backers, argued during debate that Congress should enact new border security and immigration policy instead of foreign aid. The federal government continues to fund the military industrial complex and this is a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money, to continue to fund foreign wars, Greene said. And this is a business model the American people do not support, Greene added. They dont support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries, while this very government does nothing to secure our border. Biden wrote in a statement released after the vote that the bills would deliver critical support to Israel and Ukraine; provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and other locations impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world; and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia, Biden wrote. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the House for passing the assistance in a social media post. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it, Zelenskyy wrote. The vital U.S. aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. How the Ukraine aid would be spent Nearly $48 billion of the $60.84 billion total for the Ukraine aid bill would go to the U.S. Defense Department to provide weapons and supplies for Ukraines military, to replenish stockpiles of weapons and other equipment sent to Ukraine and to bolster U.S. Armed Forces European Commands operations. The U.S. State Department would receive nearly $9.5 billion in forgivable economic loans to dispense, $7.8 billion to send Ukraine defense equipment and $2 billion for security assistance. The U.S. Energy Department would get $149 million to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine, according to a summary of the bill. Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, chairman of the State-Foreign Operations spending panel, said that lawmakers had the choice to turn our heads away, and hope to appease this great evil, or we can stand with our allies and confront this nefarious scourge. History has taught us that appeasement does not work and it was attempted not that long ago, Diaz-Balart said. The Ukraine bill, he said, requires a clear strategy from the administration that defines and prioritizes U.S. national security interests and categorized the economic aid as a forgivable loan for the first time. Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus, gave an impassioned speech advocating the United States as a defender of democracy around the world, rejecting calls from some lawmakers to stop support for Ukraines defense against Russias invasion. For those who may naively think America can sit on the sidelines and seek isolation, please know this old adage If you take no interest in foreign affairs, foreign affairs will find you, Kaptur said. House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, urged support for aid to Ukraine, saying that China, North Korea and Iran are eagerly aiding and abetting (Russian President Vladimir) Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine, because they know a Russian victory there will seriously undercut American credibility and deterrence and leave our allies exposed. I fear Putin will use victory in Ukraine as a springboard to invade Eastern Europe, Rogers said. We cant let that happen. House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to reject amendments from Republican Reps. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Greene and Kat Cammack of Florida. Spartzs proposal would have removed several sections from the bill. Greenes would have zeroed out all the funding levels in the bill. And Cammacks would have removed all non-military funding in the bill, like economic aid. Funding for Israel The $26.38 billion Israel aid bill would direct $13 billion of that to the U.S. Defense Department to provide that country with funding for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. An additional $9.15 billion would go to the U.S. State Department for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other vulnerable populations with an additional $3.6 billion for security assistance to Israel, according to a summary. Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she has visited Israel three times since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Her visits bolstered her support for emergency spending for that country, she said. It is incomprehensible that the Israeli hostages captured on Simchat Torah are still in Hamas captivity as we approach Passover, she said. I rise to finally provide long overdue aid to our ally Israel as she fights to defend herself against threats on multiple fronts. Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan rebuked how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted the war in Gaza, saying that widespread bombings are a collective punishment of all Palestinians in Gaza. Pocan said that Netanyahus decisions not to accept a two-state solution, his refusal to listen to U.S. warnings against invading Rafah and his decision to strike Iran after the White House urged against it, all mean that Netanyahu should no longer be trusted with offensive weapons. Enough is enough, Pocan said. I support the people of Israel, who dont want bombs raining on them from extremists in Gaza, and the hostages must be released. I also support the Palestinians, who deserve human rights and dignity. The deaths of 35,000 people so far in Gaza, a figure provided by health authorities in Gaza, and the possibility that thousands more civilians will die from starvation and disease is unacceptable, he said. We are better than that, so is Israel. Im not sure Netanyahu is, Pocan said. And thats why I cant vote to provide him with more unconditional offensive weapons today. Indo-Pacific assistance The $8.12 billion bill for the Indo-Pacific would divvy up the funding to several entities, with $5.6 billion going to the U.S. Defense Department for integrated deterrence and the submarine industrial base. The U.S. State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for allies in the region, according to a summary. California Republican Rep. Young Kim spoke in support of providing additional support for Taiwan, saying that if Chinese leader Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security and our leadership globally. We need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us, Kim said. This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations. History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said the House was finally doing the right thing by approving the bills. Today moral courage and sound strategic thinking finally defeat the partisan cynicism and the political calculation of a small minority of this body who have held our national interest hostage, Beyer said. TikTok divestment The 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, a 184-page bill, bundles together numerous measures, including language that would ban the social media app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it amid national security concerns about that government having access to Americans data. Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said during debate that section of the bill wasnt about eliminating Americans access to TikTok, but forcing its parent company to sell the site. Its not really about TikTok, its about ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok and is indisputably controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, Krishnamoorthi said, noting this bill extends the time for divestment from six months to one year. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said forcing the sale of TikTok would protect American children from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party. It is a modern day Trojan horse of the CCP, used to surveil and exploit Americas personal information, McCaul said. That bill also includes the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, or Repo Act, that would allow the United States to confiscate Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in the United States and transfer them to assist in Ukraines reconstruction efforts, according to a summary. The post Aid to Ukraine, Israel overwhelmingly approved by U.S. House in bipartisan vote appeared first on North Dakota Monitor. The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) Policy, politics and progressive commentary WASHINGTON Military and humanitarian aid could be on its way to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan within weeks after the U.S. House took a series of overwhelmingly bipartisan votes Saturday to approve $95 billion in emergency assistance and the Senate appeared poised to agree. The approval in a rare weekend session ended months of deadlock. House GOP leaders struggled with whether they should block or provide aid amid ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as mounting concerns about Chinas approach to Taiwan. The decision to debate aid to Ukraine, and pass the bill with a majority of the yes votes coming from Democrats, presents a risk to Speaker Mike Johnsons leadership role in the party, amid rising anger from far-right party members. The three bills as well as a measure to ban the popular app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it now go to the Senate as one package, where leaders hope to vote on the legislation as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden, who sent a supplemental spending request to Congress asking for the aid six months ago, is expected to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. House lawmakers supported $60.84 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, while cheering and waving small Ukrainian flags on the floor. One lawmaker voted present. Members voted 366-58 to approve the $26.38 billion Israel and humanitarian assistance bill. The $8.12 billion funding bill for the Indo-Pacific received backing on a 385-34 vote. One lawmaker voted present. The 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act that includes the TikTok bill passed following a 360-58 vote. The three emergency spending bills will provide significant boosts in funding for the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State, which will use that money to help Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as other allies. All four members of Nevadas U.S. House delegation voted for all of the bills. Ronald Reagan cited repeatedly Far-right Republicans railed against the bills, and the decision by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to hold a floor vote, while their colleagues in both parties said the funding would help protect democracies around the world, aid refugees fleeing war and bolster Americas defense industrial base. GOP lawmakers repeatedly referenced former President Ronald Reagans peace through strength foreign policy strategy, choosing the partys long-held standard-bearer over the isolationism championed by other leaders. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said the last few years have produced echoes of a dark time in world history that began nearly a century ago. In the 1930s, evil regimes bent on aggression, domination and even genocide took their first steps down a dark road that would eventually lead to world war, Cole said. Tragically, the democratic West turned inward then; standing idly by while fascist regimes began to take aggressive actions against their weaker neighbors. There was time then to put a stop to aggression, Cole added. If only we had had the fortitude and the wherewithal to stand firmly on the side of freedom. Actions today by China with respect to Taiwan, Irans aggression toward Israel and Russias invasion of Ukraine stand as a modern threat to democracy, leaving a choice for the United States and other democracies, Cole said. Peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement, Cole said. We cannot wish our way to national security and we cannot thrust our heads into the sand while aggressive nations threaten their neighbors. U.S. defense of democracy Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the emergency spending bills provided an opportunity for Congress to signal to the world that the United States defends democracies. We have a moment today to say No to tyranny, DeLauro said. We have a moment to take back the moral high ground for the United States and say, We do not walk away from an ally. We do not walk away from freedom. We do not walk away from human rights. We do not walk away from democracy. That is not the United States of America. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker through a motion to vacate that so far has attracted two more backers, argued during debate that Congress should enact new border security and immigration policy instead of foreign aid. The federal government continues to fund the military industrial complex and this is a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money, to continue to fund foreign wars, Greene said. And this is a business model the American people do not support, Greene added. They dont support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries, while this very government does nothing to secure our border. Biden wrote in a statement released after the vote that the bills would deliver critical support to Israel and Ukraine; provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and other locations impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world; and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia, Biden wrote. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the House for passing the assistance in a social media post. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it, Zelenskyy wrote. The vital U.S. aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. How the Ukraine aid would be spent Nearly $48 billion of the $60.84 billion total for the Ukraine aid bill would go to the U.S. Defense Department to provide weapons and supplies for Ukraines military, to replenish stockpiles of weapons and other equipment sent to Ukraine and to bolster U.S. Armed Forces European Commands operations. The U.S. State Department would receive nearly $9.5 billion in forgivable economic loans to dispense, $7.8 billion to send Ukraine defense equipment and $2 billion for security assistance. The U.S. Energy Department would get $149 million to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine, according to a summary of the bill. Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, chairman of the State-Foreign Operations spending panel, said that lawmakers had the choice to turn our heads away, and hope to appease this great evil, or we can stand with our allies and confront this nefarious scourge. History has taught us that appeasement does not work and it was attempted not that long ago, Diaz-Balart said. The Ukraine bill, he said, requires a clear strategy from the administration that defines and prioritizes U.S. national security interests and categorized the economic aid as a forgivable loan for the first time. Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus, gave an impassioned speech advocating the United States as a defender of democracy around the world, rejecting calls from some lawmakers to stop support for Ukraines defense against Russias invasion. For those who may naively think America can sit on the sidelines and seek isolation, please know this old adage If you take no interest in foreign affairs, foreign affairs will find you, Kaptur said. House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, urged support for aid to Ukraine, saying that China, North Korea and Iran are eagerly aiding and abetting (Russian President Vladimir) Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine, because they know a Russian victory there will seriously undercut American credibility and deterrence and leave our allies exposed. I fear Putin will use victory in Ukraine as a springboard to invade Eastern Europe, Rogers said. We cant let that happen. House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to reject amendments from Republican Reps. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Greene and Kat Cammack of Florida. Spartzs proposal would have removed several sections from the bill. Greenes would have zeroed out all the funding levels in the bill. And Cammacks would have removed all non-military funding in the bill, like economic aid. Funding for Israel The $26.38 billion Israel aid bill would direct $13 billion of that to the U.S. Defense Department to provide that country with funding for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. An additional $9.15 billion would go to the U.S. State Department for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other vulnerable populations with an additional $3.6 billion for security assistance to Israel, according to a summary. Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she has visited Israel three times since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Her visits bolstered her support for emergency spending for that country, she said. It is incomprehensible that the Israeli hostages captured on Simchat Torah are still in Hamas captivity as we approach Passover, she said. I rise to finally provide long overdue aid to our ally Israel as she fights to defend herself against threats on multiple fronts. Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan rebuked how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted the war in Gaza, saying that widespread bombings are a collective punishment of all Palestinians in Gaza. Pocan said that Netanyahus decisions not to accept a two-state solution, his refusal to listen to U.S. warnings against invading Rafah and his decision to strike Iran after the White House urged against it, all mean that Netanyahu should no longer be trusted with offensive weapons. Enough is enough, Pocan said. I support the people of Israel, who dont want bombs raining on them from extremists in Gaza, and the hostages must be released. I also support the Palestinians, who deserve human rights and dignity. The deaths of 35,000 people so far in Gaza, a figure provided by health authorities in Gaza, and the possibility that thousands more civilians will die from starvation and disease is unacceptable, he said. We are better than that, so is Israel. Im not sure Netanyahu is, Pocan said. And thats why I cant vote to provide him with more unconditional offensive weapons today. Indo-Pacific assistance The $8.12 billion bill for the Indo-Pacific would divvy up the funding to several entities, with $5.6 billion going to the U.S. Defense Department for integrated deterrence and the submarine industrial base. The U.S. State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for allies in the region, according to a summary. California Republican Rep. Young Kim spoke in support of providing additional support for Taiwan, saying that if Chinese leader Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security and our leadership globally. We need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us, Kim said. This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations. History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said the House was finally doing the right thing by approving the bills. Today moral courage and sound strategic thinking finally defeat the partisan cynicism and the political calculation of a small minority of this body who have held our national interest hostage, Beyer said. TikTok divestment The 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, a 184-page bill, bundles together numerous measures, including language that would ban the social media app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it amid national security concerns about that government having access to Americans data. Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said during debate that section of the bill wasnt about eliminating Americans access to TikTok, but forcing its parent company to sell the site. Its not really about TikTok, its about ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok and is indisputably controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, Krishnamoorthi said, noting this bill extends the time for divestment from six months to one year. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said forcing the sale of TikTok would protect American children from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party. It is a modern day Trojan horse of the CCP, used to surveil and exploit Americas personal information, McCaul said. That bill also includes the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, or Repo Act, that would allow the United States to confiscate Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in the United States and transfer them to assist in Ukraines reconstruction efforts, according to a summary. The post Aid to Ukraine, Israel overwhelmingly approved by U.S. House in bipartisan vote appeared first on Nevada Current. KYODO NEWS - Apr 20, 2024 - 21:13 | All, Japan Corrosion has been found on the inside of tanks used to store treated radioactive water at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, its operator has revealed. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said there are no problems with the strength of the tanks, but added that some of the more than 1,000 containers at the plant were installed over 10 years ago and have aged over time. A TEPCO official said the operator will continue to inspect the tanks. The firm began releasing the treated water containing tritium from the plant into the Pacific Ocean in August 2023 despite backlash from local fisheries and China. In March, corrosion and peeling paint were spotted in three empty tanks that have been in use since 2016 at the plant, which suffered meltdowns following the devastating earthquake and ensuing tsunami in March 2011. As it is impossible to check the inside of tanks currently containing treated water, other than with the use of underwater robots, TEPCO conducts annual exterior inspections to detect any abnormalities. Tanks that have been used for more than 10 years also have the thickness of their steel plates measured using ultrasonic waves to assess their strength, TEPCO said. The Japanese government and TEPCO have said that the treated water released from the Fukushima plant is diluted to reduce the levels of tritium to less than one-40th of the country's national safety standards. Related coverage: Japan begins release of 5th batch of Fukushima treated water TEPCO begins loading nuclear fuel into idle Japan reactor Japan, China hold "expert dialogue" over treated water release Demonstrators gathered in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, March 27, 2022, as part of a national day of action. They called for more efforts by the United States and other nations globally to stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began over a month ago. (Photo by Marisa Demarco / Source New Mexico) WASHINGTON Military and humanitarian aid could be on its way to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan within weeks after the U.S. House took a series of overwhelmingly bipartisan votes Saturday to approve $95 billion in emergency assistance and the Senate appeared poised to agree. The approval in a rare weekend session ended months of deadlock. House GOP leaders struggled with whether they should block or provide aid amid ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as mounting concerns about Chinas approach to Taiwan. The decision to debate aid to Ukraine, and pass the bill with a majority of the yes votes coming from Democrats, presents a risk to Speaker Mike Johnsons leadership role in the party, amid rising anger from far-right party members. The three bills as well as a measure to ban the popular app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it now go to the Senate as one package, where leaders hope to vote on the legislation as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden, who sent a supplemental spending request to Congress asking for the aid six months ago, is expected to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. How they voted House lawmakers supported $60.84 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, while cheering and waving small Ukrainian flags on the floor. One lawmaker voted present. The Michigan delegation was divided 7-5, with U.S. Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Caledonia), Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet), Lisa McClain (R-Bruce Twp.), Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) and Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland) voting no. U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Twp.) crossed over to vote with Democrats. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) was not at session due to a health issue. Members voted 366-58 to approve the $26.38 billion Israel and humanitarian assistance bill. The Michigan delegation was split 10-2, with U.S. Reps. Dan Kildee (D-Flint) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) voting no. The $8.12 billion funding bill for the Indo-Pacific received backing on a 385-34 vote. One lawmaker voted present. Ten Michigan lawmakers voted for the bill, with James not voting and Tlaib voting present. The 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act that includes the TikTok bill passed following a 360-58 vote. Ten Michigan lawmakers voted for the bill, with James not voting and Tlaib voting no. This is a pivotal moment in our nations history. For months, our democratic allies have pleaded for assistance from the United States to shore up democracy globally, and for months, House Republicans have turned their backs and refused to act, said U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids) in a statement. Today, Im happy that the House finally came together to deliver much-needed aid to our allies while strengthening our national security. This package sends a strong, clear message that the United States will always support and stand with its allies during times of crisis. The three emergency spending bills will provide significant boosts in funding for the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State, which will use that money to help Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as other allies. Ronald Reagan cited repeatedly Far-right Republicans railed against the bills, and the decision by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to hold a floor vote, while their colleagues in both parties said the funding would help protect democracies around the world, aid refugees fleeing war and bolster Americas defense industrial base. GOP lawmakers repeatedly referenced former President Ronald Reagans peace through strength foreign policy strategy, choosing the partys long-held standard-bearer over the isolationism championed by other leaders. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said the last few years have produced echoes of a dark time in world history that began nearly a century ago. In the 1930s, evil regimes bent on aggression, domination and even genocide took their first steps down a dark road that would eventually lead to world war, Cole said. Tragically, the democratic West turned inward then; standing idly by while fascist regimes began to take aggressive actions against their weaker neighbors. There was time then to put a stop to aggression, Cole added. If only we had had the fortitude and the wherewithal to stand firmly on the side of freedom. Actions today by China with respect to Taiwan, Irans aggression toward Israel and Russias invasion of Ukraine stand as a modern threat to democracy, leaving a choice for the United States and other democracies, Cole said. Peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement, Cole said. We cannot wish our way to national security and we cannot thrust our heads into the sand while aggressive nations threaten their neighbors. U.S. defense of democracy Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the emergency spending bills provided an opportunity for Congress to signal to the world that the United States defends democracies. We have a moment today to say No to tyranny, DeLauro said. We have a moment to take back the moral high ground for the United States and say, We do not walk away from an ally. We do not walk away from freedom. We do not walk away from human rights. We do not walk away from democracy. That is not the United States of America. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker through a motion to vacate that so far has attracted two more backers, argued during debate that Congress should enact new border security and immigration policy instead of foreign aid. The federal government continues to fund the military industrial complex and this is a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money, to continue to fund foreign wars, Greene said. And this is a business model the American people do not support, Greene added. They dont support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries, while this very government does nothing to secure our border. Biden wrote in a statement released after the vote that the bills would deliver critical support to Israel and Ukraine; provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and other locations impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world; and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia, Biden wrote. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the House for passing the assistance in a social media post. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it, Zelenskyy wrote. The vital U.S. aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. U.S. President Joe Biden welcomes President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House on Dec. 21, 2022 in Washington, DC. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images. How the Ukraine aid would be spent Nearly $48 billion of the $60.84 billion total for the Ukraine aid bill would go to the U.S. Defense Department to provide weapons and supplies for Ukraines military, to replenish stockpiles of weapons and other equipment sent to Ukraine and to bolster U.S. Armed Forces European Commands operations. The U.S. State Department would receive nearly $9.5 billion in forgivable economic loans to dispense, $7.8 billion to send Ukraine defense equipment and $2 billion for security assistance. The U.S. Energy Department would get $149 million to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine, according to a summary of the bill. Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, chairman of the State-Foreign Operations spending panel, said that lawmakers had the choice to turn our heads away, and hope to appease this great evil, or we can stand with our allies and confront this nefarious scourge. History has taught us that appeasement does not work and it was attempted not that long ago, Diaz-Balart said. The Ukraine bill, he said, requires a clear strategy from the administration that defines and prioritizes U.S. national security interests and categorized the economic aid as a forgivable loan for the first time. Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus, gave an impassioned speech advocating the United States as a defender of democracy around the world, rejecting calls from some lawmakers to stop support for Ukraines defense against Russias invasion. For those who may naively think America can sit on the sidelines and seek isolation, please know this old adage If you take no interest in foreign affairs, foreign affairs will find you, Kaptur said. House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, urged support for aid to Ukraine, saying that China, North Korea and Iran are eagerly aiding and abetting (Russian President Vladimir) Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine, because they know a Russian victory there will seriously undercut American credibility and deterrence and leave our allies exposed. I fear Putin will use victory in Ukraine as a springboard to invade Eastern Europe, Rogers said. We cant let that happen. House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to reject amendments from Republican Reps. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Greene and Kat Cammack of Florida. Spartzs proposal would have removed several sections from the bill. Greenes would have zeroed out all the funding levels in the bill. And Cammacks would have removed all non-military funding in the bill, like economic aid. Funding for Israel The $26.38 billion Israel aid bill would direct $13 billion of that to the U.S. Defense Department to provide that country with funding for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. An additional $9.15 billion would go to the U.S. State Department for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other vulnerable populations with an additional $3.6 billion for security assistance to Israel, according to a summary. Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she has visited Israel three times since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Her visits bolstered her support for emergency spending for that country, she said. It is incomprehensible that the Israeli hostages captured on Simchat Torah are still in Hamas captivity as we approach Passover, she said. I rise to finally provide long overdue aid to our ally Israel as she fights to defend herself against threats on multiple fronts. Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan rebuked how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted the war in Gaza, saying that widespread bombings are a collective punishment of all Palestinians in Gaza. Pocan said that Netanyahus decisions not to accept a two-state solution, his refusal to listen to U.S. warnings against invading Rafah and his decision to strike Iran after the White House urged against it, all mean that Netanyahu should no longer be trusted with offensive weapons. Enough is enough, Pocan said. I support the people of Israel, who dont want bombs raining on them from extremists in Gaza, and the hostages must be released. I also support the Palestinians, who deserve human rights and dignity. The deaths of 35,000 people so far in Gaza, a figure provided by health authorities in Gaza, and the possibility that thousands more civilians will die from starvation and disease is unacceptable, he said. We are better than that, so is Israel. Im not sure Netanyahu is, Pocan said. And thats why I cant vote to provide him with more unconditional offensive weapons today. Indo-Pacific assistance The $8.12 billion bill for the Indo-Pacific would divvy up the funding to several entities, with $5.6 billion going to the U.S. Defense Department for integrated deterrence and the submarine industrial base. The U.S. State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for allies in the region, according to a summary. California Republican Rep. Young Kim spoke in support of providing additional support for Taiwan, saying that if Chinese leader Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security and our leadership globally. We need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us, Kim said. This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations. History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said the House was finally doing the right thing by approving the bills. Today moral courage and sound strategic thinking finally defeat the partisan cynicism and the political calculation of a small minority of this body who have held our national interest hostage, Beyer said. Photo Illustration by Drew Angerer/Getty Images TikTok divestment The 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, a 184-page bill, bundles together numerous measures, including language that would ban the social media app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it amid national security concerns about that government having access to Americans data. Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said during debate that section of the bill wasnt about eliminating Americans access to TikTok, but forcing its parent company to sell the site. Its not really about TikTok, its about ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok and is indisputably controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, Krishnamoorthi said, noting this bill extends the time for divestment from six months to one year. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said forcing the sale of TikTok would protect American children from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party. It is a modern day Trojan horse of the CCP, used to surveil and exploit Americas personal information, McCaul said. That bill also includes the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, or Repo Act, that would allow the United States to confiscate Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in the United States and transfer them to assist in Ukraines reconstruction efforts, according to a summary. The post Aid to Ukraine, Israel overwhelmingly approved by U.S. House in bipartisan vote appeared first on Michigan Advance. A bed of tulips is shown in bloom outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) WASHINGTON Military and humanitarian aid could be on its way to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan within weeks after the U.S. House took a series of overwhelmingly bipartisan votes Saturday to approve $95 billion in emergency assistance and the Senate appeared poised to agree. The approval in a rare weekend session ended months of deadlock. House GOP leaders struggled with whether they should block or provide aid amid ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as mounting concerns about Chinas approach to Taiwan. The decision to debate aid to Ukraine, and pass the bill with a majority of the yes votes coming from Democrats, presents a risk to Speaker Mike Johnsons leadership role in the party, amid rising anger from far-right party members. The three bills as well as a measure to ban the popular app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it now go to the Senate as one package, where leaders hope to vote on the legislation as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden, who sent a supplemental spending request to Congress asking for the aid six months ago, is expected to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. House lawmakers supported $60.84 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine on a 311-112 vote, while cheering and waving small Ukrainian flags on the floor. One lawmaker voted present. Members voted 366-58 to approve the $26.38 billion Israel and humanitarian assistance bill. The $8.12 billion funding bill for the Indo-Pacific received backing on a 385-34 vote. One lawmaker voted present. The 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act that includes the TikTok bill passed following a 360-58 vote. The three emergency spending bills will provide significant boosts in funding for the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State, which will use that money to help Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as other allies. Ronald Reagan cited repeatedly Far-right Republicans railed against the bills, and the decision by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to hold a floor vote, while their colleagues in both parties said the funding would help protect democracies around the world, aid refugees fleeing war and bolster Americas defense industrial base. GOP lawmakers repeatedly referenced former President Ronald Reagans peace through strength foreign policy strategy, choosing the partys long-held standard-bearer over the isolationism championed by other leaders. Oklahoma Republican Rep. Tom Cole speaks with reporters following a closed-door meeting of the House Republican Conference inside the Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. Oklahoma Republican Rep. Tom Cole speaks with reporters following a closed-door meeting of the House Republican Conference inside the Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said the last few years have produced echoes of a dark time in world history that began nearly a century ago. In the 1930s, evil regimes bent on aggression, domination and even genocide took their first steps down a dark road that would eventually lead to world war, Cole said. Tragically, the democratic West turned inward then; standing idly by while fascist regimes began to take aggressive actions against their weaker neighbors. There was time then to put a stop to aggression, Cole added. If only we had had the fortitude and the wherewithal to stand firmly on the side of freedom. Actions today by China with respect to Taiwan, Irans aggression toward Israel and Russias invasion of Ukraine stand as a modern threat to democracy, leaving a choice for the United States and other democracies, Cole said. Peace through strength cannot be delivered through appeasement, Cole said. We cannot wish our way to national security and we cannot thrust our heads into the sand while aggressive nations threaten their neighbors. U.S. defense of democracy Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the emergency spending bills provided an opportunity for Congress to signal to the world that the United States defends democracies. We have a moment today to say No to tyranny, DeLauro said. We have a moment to take back the moral high ground for the United States and say, We do not walk away from an ally. We do not walk away from freedom. We do not walk away from human rights. We do not walk away from democracy. That is not the United States of America. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort to remove Johnson as speaker through a motion to vacate that so far has attracted two more backers, argued during debate that Congress should enact new border security and immigration policy instead of foreign aid. The federal government continues to fund the military industrial complex and this is a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money, to continue to fund foreign wars, Greene said. And this is a business model the American people do not support, Greene added. They dont support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries, while this very government does nothing to secure our border. Biden wrote in a statement released after the vote that the bills would deliver critical support to Israel and Ukraine; provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and other locations impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world; and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia, Biden wrote. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the House for passing the assistance in a social media post. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it, Zelenskyy wrote. The vital U.S. aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky holds an American flag gifted to him by U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi 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. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky holds an American flag gifted to him by U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi 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. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) How the Ukraine aid would be spent Nearly $48 billion of the $60.84 billion total for the Ukraine aid bill would go to the U.S. Defense Department to provide weapons and supplies for Ukraines military, to replenish stockpiles of weapons and other equipment sent to Ukraine and to bolster U.S. Armed Forces European Commands operations. The U.S. State Department would receive nearly $9.5 billion in forgivable economic loans to dispense, $7.8 billion to send Ukraine defense equipment and $2 billion for security assistance. The U.S. Energy Department would get $149 million to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine, according to a summary of the bill. Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, chairman of the State-Foreign Operations spending panel, said that lawmakers had the choice to turn our heads away, and hope to appease this great evil, or we can stand with our allies and confront this nefarious scourge. History has taught us that appeasement does not work and it was attempted not that long ago, Diaz-Balart said. The Ukraine bill, he said, requires a clear strategy from the administration that defines and prioritizes U.S. national security interests and categorized the economic aid as a forgivable loan for the first time. Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus, gave an impassioned speech advocating the United States as a defender of democracy around the world, rejecting calls from some lawmakers to stop support for Ukraines defense against Russias invasion. For those who may naively think America can sit on the sidelines and seek isolation, please know this old adage If you take no interest in foreign affairs, foreign affairs will find you, Kaptur said. House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, urged support for aid to Ukraine, saying that China, North Korea and Iran are eagerly aiding and abetting (Russian President Vladimir) Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine, because they know a Russian victory there will seriously undercut American credibility and deterrence and leave our allies exposed. I fear Putin will use victory in Ukraine as a springboard to invade Eastern Europe, Rogers said. We cant let that happen. House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to reject amendments from Republican Reps. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Greene and Kat Cammack of Florida. Spartzs proposal would have removed several sections from the bill. Greenes would have zeroed out all the funding levels in the bill. And Cammacks would have removed all non-military funding in the bill, like economic aid. Funding for Israel The $26.38 billion Israel aid bill would direct $13 billion of that to the U.S. Defense Department to provide that country with funding for the Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. An additional $9.15 billion would go to the U.S. State Department for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and other vulnerable populations with an additional $3.6 billion for security assistance to Israel, according to a summary. Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she has visited Israel three times since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which killed more than 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. Her visits bolstered her support for emergency spending for that country, she said. It is incomprehensible that the Israeli hostages captured on Simchat Torah are still in Hamas captivity as we approach Passover, she said. I rise to finally provide long overdue aid to our ally Israel as she fights to defend herself against threats on multiple fronts. Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan rebuked how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted the war in Gaza, saying that widespread bombings are a collective punishment of all Palestinians in Gaza. Pocan said that Netanyahus decisions not to accept a two-state solution, his refusal to listen to U.S. warnings against invading Rafah and his decision to strike Iran after the White House urged against it, all mean that Netanyahu should no longer be trusted with offensive weapons. Enough is enough, Pocan said. I support the people of Israel, who dont want bombs raining on them from extremists in Gaza, and the hostages must be released. I also support the Palestinians, who deserve human rights and dignity. The deaths of 35,000 people so far in Gaza, a figure provided by health authorities in Gaza, and the possibility that thousands more civilians will die from starvation and disease is unacceptable, he said. We are better than that, so is Israel. Im not sure Netanyahu is, Pocan said. And thats why I cant vote to provide him with more unconditional offensive weapons today. Indo-Pacific assistance The $8.12 billion bill for the Indo-Pacific would divvy up the funding to several entities, with $5.6 billion going to the U.S. Defense Department for integrated deterrence and the submarine industrial base. The U.S. State Department would receive $2 billion in foreign military financing for allies in the region, according to a summary. California Republican Rep. Young Kim spoke in support of providing additional support for Taiwan, saying that if Chinese leader Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security and our leadership globally. We need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us, Kim said. This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations. History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said the House was finally doing the right thing by approving the bills. Today moral courage and sound strategic thinking finally defeat the partisan cynicism and the political calculation of a small minority of this body who have held our national interest hostage, Beyer said. TikTok divestment The 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, a 184-page bill, bundles together numerous measures, including language that would ban the social media app TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells it amid national security concerns about that government having access to Americans data. Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said during debate that section of the bill wasnt about eliminating Americans access to TikTok, but forcing its parent company to sell the site. Its not really about TikTok, its about ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok and is indisputably controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, Krishnamoorthi said, noting this bill extends the time for divestment from six months to one year. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said forcing the sale of TikTok would protect American children from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party. It is a modern day Trojan horse of the CCP, used to surveil and exploit Americas personal information, McCaul said. That bill also includes the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, or Repo Act, that would allow the United States to confiscate Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in the United States and transfer them to assist in Ukraines reconstruction efforts, according to a summary. The post Aid to Ukraine, Israel overwhelmingly approved by U.S. House in bipartisan vote appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator. Ukrainian air defenses downed two missiles and three reconnaissance drones during a Russian attack overnight on April 20, reported Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk. Russia launched a total of ten missiles and drones overnight, targeting Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv oblasts. According to the Air Force's report, two out of two Kh-59/Kh-69 guided cruise missiles, two Orlan-10 and one Supercam drones were downed by Ukrainian forces. Russian troops also launched three Iskander-K cruise missiles and two S-300/400 missiles, Oleshchuk said. The missiles were launched from Russia's Belgorod Oblast and the Black Sea respectively. In the morning, Russian forces attacked Odesa Oblast with ballistic missiles from occupied Crimea, hitting an infrastructure facility, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said. No casualties were reported. Another missile strike launched against Odesa Oblast on April 19 injured a civilian and damaged port infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that two food export terminals were damaged, including one owned by a Singaporean company. Stocks of air defense ammunition in Ukraine are low as the country awaits much-needed U.S. military aid, the funding of which will be voted on on April 20. In the meantime, Russia has stepped up targeted attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, overwhelming local air defenses and destroying some of the country's largest thermal power plants. Read also: Opinion: A look at the drone arsenal Russia uses against Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Air-raid warning issued in Kyiv and many of Ukraine's oblasts; explosion rocks Kherson The morning of 20 April began with air-raid warnings in many oblasts of Ukraine, including Kyiv, and an explosion rocked the city of Kherson. Source: an air-raid warning map; Ukraines Air Force; Roman Mrochko, Head of Kherson City Military Administration Details: Ukraines Air Force reported a threat of the use of ballistic missiles in these areas. Mrochko said that a "loud explosion" had been heard in Kherson. People are asked to stay in shelters. Support UP or become our patron! LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) A Limestone County attorney pleaded guilty to harassment on Wednesday for an incident with a victim in a domestic violence case. Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the conviction and sentencing of John Totten, 50, of Athens. Totten pleaded guilty to one count of Harassment, a Class C misdemeanor. As part of the plea agreement, he was sentenced to 90 days in county jail, but that jail time was suspended and he was ordered to serve one year of probation. Originally, Totten faced tampering with a witness and obstruction charges, court documents show. Marshalls office said Totten was representing someone accused of domestic violence when he met with them and the victim before a court hearing. He then reportedly told the victim to stay at his office. Later, when the victim came to the courthouse, Totten confronted her verbally and told the victim to leave the courthouse, causing her to be fearful of showing up at the courthouse, the attorney generals office said in the announcement. After pleading guilty to the misdemeanor, Totten was sentenced pursuant to the plea agreement to 90 days in the county jail, which was suspended and ordered to serve one year of probation. Marshall thanked the Criminal Trials and Investigations Divisions for their work on the prosecution of this case, as well as the Investigations Unit of the Limestone County Sheriffs Office. Victims of domestic violence should not fear harassment from attorneys who represent their attackers, said Attorney General Steve Marshall. Attorneys should especially be held to the strictest moral and ethical standards as they carry out their roles in our judicial system. Those who violate these standards will face criminal prosecution in accordance with the law. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. A panel on "Northern Indigenous Leadership: Our Future, Our Vision for Success," is held at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024, in Anchorage. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT) A panel on "Northern Indigenous Leadership: Our Future, Our Vision for Success," is held at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024, in Anchorage. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT) ANCHORAGE, Alaska Indigenous leaders want a seat at the table and to be seen and heard. Nothing about us without us. Thats the message Indigenous leaders shared at an Arctic symposium that organizers say brought in participants from 30 countries. Six Inupiaq, Tlingit and Athabascan leaders kicked off Arctic Encounter 2024 with a plenary session entitled Northern Indigenous Leadership: Our Future, Our Vision for Success. Organizers say the three-day symposium drew about a thousand leaders in diplomacy, research, science, the military and business to the Denaina Convention Center in Anchorage. Dr. Pearl Kiyawn Nageak Brower, Inupiaq, is CEO of Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation and Affiliate Research Professor at the International Arctic Research Center, and at right is Kasannaaluk Marie Green, Inupiaq, speaking at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024, Anchorage, Alaska (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT) Dr. Pearl Kiyawn Nageak Brower, Inupiaq, is CEO of Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation and Affiliate Research Professor at the International Arctic Research Center, and at right is Kasannaaluk Marie Green, Inupiaq, speaking at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024, Anchorage, Alaska (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT) Kasannaaluk Marie Greene, Inupiaq, is president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, which is made up of members from Greenland, Canada, Russia and the United States. She told an audience of about 150 people her goal is to continue to fulfill the vision of the councils founder, Eben Hopson, Inupiaq: to have our Inupiat people at the international level come together to strengthen our unity, to work together in harmony as we come together and address our concerns, our common concerns, our challenges, and what we need to be doing going forward as we continue to build that unity. Greene said Hopson expressed at the founding meeting of ICC in 1977 the need to to be promoting our language, our culture, our customers, who we are as Inuit and to promote and work with our governments, to ensure that we have the policies, long-term policies in place and to also address our interests at the international level. She added that Hopson challenged us to do what we can to protect our homeland, to protect the Arctic and thats a privilege being in this role that I have. She said communications need to be honest and respectful toward governments, but we have got to be expressing our concerns about the change of the climate that were now experiencing in the Arctic. Apagzuk Roy Agloinga, Inupiaq, is president and CEO of the First Alaskans Institute, an Alaska Native policy and advocacy nonprofit. (Our) people have always lived in this land, he said. We have a passionate and deep connection to every place. And the fact that we are able to make decisions about education, about the economy, about any kind of policy that impacts us, is really critical. At left, Apagzuk Roy Agloinga, Inupiat, is president and CEO of the First Alaskans Institute, an Alaska Native policy and advocacy nonprofit with at right, Morrie Lemen, Jr., Tlingit, is executive director of the federally recognized tribe, the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope. They spoke at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024, in Anchorage. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT) At left, Apagzuk Roy Agloinga, Inupiat, is president and CEO of the First Alaskans Institute, an Alaska Native policy and advocacy nonprofit with at right, Morrie Lemen, Jr., Tlingit, is executive director of the federally recognized tribe, the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope. They spoke at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024, in Anchorage. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT) Agloinga said the institute plans to build on the training and education previous First Alaskans leaders have provided on the importance of subsistence, an effort he said that helped lead to the appointment of three subsistence users to the federal Subsistence Board. One of the things that weve done, of course, is a lot of advocacy around protecting our ways of life and have such an amazing working group with about 200 people who are from across the state. That work was brought to the forefront, he said, so that we can really work closely with our communities to identify ways so that they can continue protecting subsistence that will always continue to be a major priority for us, and we want to make sure that our community understands what the issues are and how to move forward. Agloinga said youth leadership is also a key area for the Institute. Our youth are pretty amazing and the youth that participated in (our) Elders and Youth conference really already show tremendous leadership in their region. We want to make sure that those young people are able to get as much support as they can, as much education as they can, as much knowledge as they can about the issues that are so important to us as Native people in Alaska so that they can continue the fight for self-determination and really understand what that means. Aaron Schutt, Koyukon Athabascan, is CEO of the Alaska Native regional corporation Doyon Limited. He told the audience the Doyon region is about the size of the country of France, and home to about 40 communities, and 25 village corporations. Doyon has about 20,500 shareholders. Aaron Schutt, Koyukon Athabascan, is CEO of the Alaska Native regional corporation Doyon Limited. He spoke at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT). Aaron Schutt, Koyukon Athabascan, is CEO of the Alaska Native regional corporation Doyon Limited. He spoke at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT). We were able to select and retain about 12.2 million acres within our very large homeland, Schutt said. We share about 4 million of those acres with our village corporations where they own the surface and we own the subsurface and we have about 8.2 million acres that we own outright like all the other Native companies. Our job is to make money, train and employ our shareholders, and then, most importantly, steward our land base. We have our land. We have our people. We have to have economic success in order for our people to thrive, in order for us to steward the land. The federal government doesnt give us any moneyWe have trespass, fire, gravel, wildlife, all these issues that are very important to our people, that we have economic success in order to take on all of those issues. He quoted a former chief who would often say, Were doing well; we can do better. Dr. Pearl Kiyawn Nageak Brower, Inupiaq, is president/CEO of the Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation, and Affiliate Research Professor at the International Arctic Research Center. She said like the other village, urban and regional corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corp represents a distinct Alaska Native community village tribe. But each has an important land base and each has had to learn how to traverse the for-profit environment. The Ukpeagvik corporation has about 3,800 shareholders and stewards about 229,000 acres of ancestral lands. We employ about 4,700 people and about a quarter of those are here in Alaska, Brower said. We are the ninth largest company by revenue in the state and were hoping to be the eighth after the end of this year. So our mission is really we bring our Inupiaq values to the services and products that we provide to enhance the lives of our shareholders. She said of shareholders, Theyre us. Theyre our aunts and our uncles, theyre our grandparents, theyre our parents, theyre our children, our grandchildren, and what that looks like into the future. I think we also have challenges in the market and in policy. Nothing about us without us is just how we have to move forward. Brower added, I think as Indigenous people, right, we are the best ecologists. We are the best scientists for our region. We are tethered to our place. We care about our land. We want it to be there for future generationslisten to the people, listen to those who have lived off this land and learned the stories and heard the stories and been taught about this place for generations. Morrie Lemen, Jr., Tlingit, is executive director of the federally recognized tribe, the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope. He said the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was a dramatically different approach to federal Indian policy. It created a fragmented system of the Alaska Native representation and delivery of services that required a coordinated approach to effectively serve Alaska Native people. It also resulted in landless groups, which ICAS is one of. Speaking of his vision of success, he said The first thing that comes to my mind is self-determination. We determine our future by building our own, growing our own leaders based on millennia of tradition. Listen to us. I challenge the audience every time you think about the Arctic, think about the people first. What we have identified as our needs, not what you think we need. The North Slope approach to leadership is centered at the local level. Theres a trust that the residents of our villages know what is best for their village and we support them, not supplant them. At ICAS, we work to uplift, empower, and grow the tribes and our tribal citizens within our region. Tara Katuk Mac Lean Sweeney, Inupiaq, is vice president for external affairs, at ConocoPhillips Alaska, an oil company that has had a presence in Alaska she said for 50 years, and we continue in our commitment to the state. Tara Katuk Mac Lean Sweeney, Inupiaq, vice president for external affairs at ConocoPhillips Alaska, spoke at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024, in Anchorage. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT) Tara Katuk Mac Lean Sweeney, Inupiaq, vice president for external affairs at ConocoPhillips Alaska, spoke at the Arctic Encounter Symposium on April 10, 2024, in Anchorage. (Photo by Joaqlin Estus/ICT) She said life has changed in Alaska over the years. I grew up on the cusp of development and was 16 when we finally had the infrastructure to have a flush toilet in our home. And there are many communities throughout Alaska that still dont have the infrastructure to afford that luxury, and its important to remember. But what development has provided to Indigenous communities across the North Slope is opportunity, opportunity for education, opportunity to live in thriving communities that have police and fire protection, opportunities for work and career, career advancement. So our goal and our focus at ConocoPhillips really is to develop Alaska resources safely and responsibly and responsibly really means a number of things: Effective stakeholder engagement. It also means transparency and respect in the process. But effective stakeholder engagement means that local voices have a seat at the table, that they help guide the process, the projects through the conception phase all the way to the production phase. And so for me, when you ask me what success looks like, that would be my answer. The three-day conference continued with sessions ranging from energy, governance, and wildfire management, to oil spill response, security, and waste management, as well as media, leadership, thawing permafrost, food security, science, education, health, shipping, and geopolitics. ICT originally published this article. ICT is an an independent, nonprofit, multimedia news enterprise. ICT covers Indigenous peoples. The post Alaska Native vision for the future: Self determination appeared first on Alaska Beacon. Russell "Texas" Bentley, an American citizen who had been fighting on the side of the Russians and working for Russian propaganda since 2014, has died in the temporarily occupied city of Donetsk. A Russian tank crew detained him after a strike on a military unit, and he was never seen alive again. Source: Russell Bentley's wife, Lyudmila Bentley, on Bentleys Telegram; Margarita Simonyan, a Russian propagandist and editor-in-chief of the RT TV channel Details: Simonyan reported on the death of the "war correspondent" for the Russian propaganda project Sputnik without giving details of the circumstances of his death. Bentley was 64 years old. At the same time, Bentley's wife, Lyudmila, who is a local, wrote on 15 April on his Telegram that Bentley had been "harshly detained" by Russian soldiers from the 5th Tank Brigade. She claimed that this happened on 8 April in the Petrovskyi district of Donetsk. She said that Bentley was supposedly detained when he was filming the aftermath of a strike on a military unit on Avtobazivska Street. Men in camouflage apparently mistook him for a spy and took him to military investigators. Bentley was wanted in the US for drug trafficking. Support UP or become our patron! American sniper in Ukraine says his unit prefers Soviet-era rifles because bullets are easier to find and can be taken from the Russians An American sniper in Ukraine says his unit prefers AK-74 rifles over Western ones. That's partly because they can get more bullets when they attack a Russian position. Ammunition and other supplies from the West have dried up, leaving Ukraine running short. An American veteran fighting in Ukraine says soldiers in his unit prefer to use Soviet-era rifles over modern ones because it's easier to find ammunition, including by taking it from the Russians. Jonathan Poquette is serving as a sniper in Ukraine, and he said his unit preferred AK-74 rifles, which are chambered for 5.4539mm rounds. "The reason why our unit in particular preferred the AK-74 platforms is because that weapon system is plentiful for the Ukrainians and Russians," he said. He said that type of bullet was more likely to be available at Ukrainian positions as many Ukrainians would fight with that rifle. Ukraine, once a part of the Soviet Union, fights with a lot of Soviet-era weaponry that has long been in the country. Poquette said that there were, of course, other ways to get the necessary rifle ammo, explaining that "if you go and you attack a Russian position and you need to resupply, the Russians are usually going to have 5.45." A Ukrainian serviceman firing an AK-74 assault rifle at a frontline near Bakhmut, Ukraine, in March. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via REUTERS Poquette is a member of Chosen Company , a unit of fighters within the Ukrainian army's 59th Motorized Brigade. The force is technically a reconnaissance unit, but it also executes both front-line assault operations and defensive actions. He was injured in January and has been in recovery and training in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city, since the incident. He said the prolific availability of older rifles among Ukraine's soldiers was also partly an issue with Ukraine's planning. "The West has donated a lot of Western rifles that use 5.56," Poquette said, referring to the standard 5.56X45 mm NATO round, "but the problem is that the Ukrainians didn't necessarily consolidate those weapon platforms very good in certain areas." Ukraine has used captured Russian tanks and weaponry to fight back against Russia's invasion. This has also included ammunition from defeated Russian soldiers or that fleeing Russians have left behind. The Kalashnikov AK-74 was first designed in the 1970s, and an updated version, the AK-74M, was first adopted by the Russian army in 1991. According to the weapon's manufacturer, the latter is still widely used across the Russian military as a standard service rifle. Poquette said the problem with some of the weapons donated by Western countries was that they were often chambered in 5.56, and ammunition from the West had been in pretty short supply lately. Ukraine's ammunition shortages Ukraine is suffering from extensive shortages of ammunition and weaponry that have had serious ramifications all along the front lines. The US recently gave Ukraine thousands of small arms and about 500,000 rounds of Iranian ammunition taken from smugglers, but it's only a stopgap measure. Shortages have been exacerbated by Republicans in the US stalling further aid for the past six months. That's despite most of that money being funding that would go back into the US economy as so many American defense companies would get the work, particularly to replace systems sent to Ukraine. A Ukrainian serviceman with an AK-74 assault rifle after returning from the front line in the town of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region of Ukraine in March 2023. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak Soldiers say this means that they've had to ration their ammunition and, in some cases, have had nothing to fire for a day, leaving them unable to hit Russian targets that they can reach. Sometimes when another team takes over a position, the incoming forces ask for the departing team's ammunition and grenades. Some of Ukraine's biggest shortages right now are in air defense and artillery, which are leaving cities defenseless and making front-line combat much tougher to sustain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that Russia had 10 times as many artillery shells as Ukraine. He said that unless aid from the US resumed, Ukraine would have "no chance of winning." It's a stark warning, one that experts have echoed; Frederick Kagan, the director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, said that if Ukraine were to lose, the US and its allies would face a Russia more easily able to invade NATO if it chose to do so. Letting targets go Poquette said his unit had been having to get more and more selective with its targets, even holding fire with what were once game-changing weapons. He said the Ukrainians weren't firing their US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, like they used to, adding that the unit had to stop hitting targets that they would have hit earlier in the war because of a shortage of rockets. Ukrainian troops firing M142 HIMARS rockets toward Bakhmut in May 2023. Serhii Mykhalchuk/Getty Images He also said his unit had been having to send infantry out to fight small groups of advancing Russian soldiers rather than using indirect fire to take them out, putting Ukraine's soldiers at greater risk. Europe has been trying to increase Ukraine's ammunition supply, but many of its international partners say that there isn't enough to spare on the continent and that not enough new ammo is being produced. A Czech Republic-led initiative has been attempting to source ammunition from outside the European Union. The country's president said this week that the first 180,000 rounds had been contracted and would be delivered to Ukraine's front lines "in the coming months." Poquette said Ukraine needed artillery and ammunition more desperately than it needed more-advanced equipment such as tanks from its partners. He said what mattered most right now was "ammunition, grenades, claymores, or other types of mines, rockets, various different rocket systems." "What can one tank do?" he asked rhetorically. "Not as much as 50,000 artillery shells, 5,000 mortar shells." Read the original article on Business Insider Americans split on whether Trump will, should be convicted in hush money case: Poll Americans are split on whether former President Trump will be convicted in his New York hush money case, according to a poll released Friday. The Economist/YouGov poll found that 24 percent of Americans think the former president is going to be convicted of a crime in the case, 36 percent said they dont think the former president will be convicted and 39 percent said they werent sure. The same poll found that 43 percent of Americans think Trump should be convicted of a crime in the case, 37 percent say they think he shouldnt be and 20 percent are unsure. Trumps New York hush money trial began Monday, marking the first criminal trial of an American president. The former president has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to reimbursements to his former attorney, Michael Cohen, who paid a porn actress $130,000 prior to the 2016 election to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump, which he denies having. Following the second day of jury selection in his trial, Trump referred to the reimbursements as a legal expense, putting some blame on his accountants. I was paying a lawyer, and we marked it down as a legal expense some accountant. I didnt know, Trump told reporters. Mark it down as a legal expense. Thats exactly what it was. And you get indicted over that? A recent Yahoo News/YouGov also found 57 percent of Americans saying falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to a porn star is a serious crime. Thirty percent said the same crime is not serious, while 14 percent said they are not sure. The Economist/YouGov poll was conducted April 14-16 and has a margin of error of 3.2 percent and features 1,574 respondents. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Taking the Tube When it came to finding shelter, our early ancestors simply had to make do. Case in point? In the deserts of Saudi Arabia, some of them apparently sought refuge from the oppressive heat by living in the underground remnants of volcanic activity. As detailed in a new study published in the journal PLOS One, archaeologists have discovered the remnants of human habitation in a lava tube, where molten rock once tunneled its way through the Earth a fascinating example of old-meets-new, since scientists have recently suggested that astronauts could build a base inside similar structures on both the Moon and Mars. The nearly mile-long lava tube, known as Umm Jirsan, is the first to be excavated in the country, yielding in another first compelling evidence of humans living in these subterranean features in the Arabian Peninsula. Inside its cragged innards, the researchers uncovered both animal remains and human bones, as well as stone tools dating back to at least 7,000 years ago. "This is really the first clear evidence of people occupying these caves," study co-author Mathew Stewart, a paleontologist at Griffith University in Australia, told The New York Times. Cool Crib It's not hard to understand what makes the lava tube an appealing spot, even if its dark, spooky depths may look a little unwelcoming. Above, the landscape is a "hot, dry and flat basalt desert" Stewart told New Scientist. "But when you are down in the lava tube, it's much cooler. It's very sheltered and it would have been a great place of refuge," he added. Archaeologists faced their own challenges with the heat. Combined with the dry, arid climate and harsh winds, the desert makes for a poor environment for preserving organic materials. This has made it difficult to accurately document how neolithic humans migrated and settled throughout the Arabian peninsula. This was ample incentive to look downwards. In the surrounding area, the researchers had previously discovered rock art in the mouth of another lava tube. Umm Jirsan harbored even more secrets. Alongside human bones, the researchers found the bones of animals that were likely brought there by humans. Shards of obsidian tools tools fashioned out of extremely sharp volcanic rock were also uncovered, along with a shard of pottery. This probably wasn't an underground village, however. The evidence points to the lava tube being occupied in intermittent phases. With its cool interior, it served as a waypoint along pastoral routes, Stewart said, "linking key oases and facilitating cultural exchange and trade." Permanently settled or not, Umm Jirsan was undoubtedly a significant source of refuge to the nomads and travelers of the day. With any luck, it will also represent a leap in our understanding of the ancient history of the region. More on archaeology: Scientists Alarmed to Discover Microplastics in Ancient Archaeological Dig KYODO NEWS - Apr 20, 2024 - 17:00 | All, Japan, World Japan is considering establishing a new framework for dialogue involving like-minded nations to discuss international regulations on the appropriate use of generative artificial intelligence technology, a government source said Saturday. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to reveal the plan to launch a "Friends" meeting on AI issues at a ministerial council meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development scheduled for May 2 to 3 in Paris, the source said. Through the framework, Japan will call for wider support for the "Hiroshima AI Process," an initiative launched last year by the Group of Seven nations to facilitate discussions on the creation of global rules, according to the source. The move comes as the world has been looking into how to harness rapidly developing generative AI tools, including ChatGPT, while fears grow that the spread of disinformation through the misuse of AI could threaten democracy and political stability. The source said Japan aims to play a leading role in international AI rulemaking that would push for both the development of the technology and its regulation. The creation of the Hiroshima AI Process was agreed at the G7 summit chaired by Kishida in Hiroshima in May. In December, G7 digital ministers drew up a comprehensive policy framework of the process and this was agreed by the G7 leaders during a teleconference the same month. It is the first overall international scheme that includes guiding principles and a code of conduct not only for developers but also for users. The nonbinding guidelines are aimed at promoting safe, secure and trustworthy advanced AI systems, according to the Japanese government. Recognizing the necessity of setting universal rules and gaining broad support from governments and private actors as early as possible, Japan views that an OECD gathering, where new global challenges are discussed, is suitable for demonstrating the importance of the Hiroshima AI Process, the source said. At the third Summit for Democracy forum in March hosted by South Korea, Kishida said AI-generated fake images, video footage and audio content have made it difficult for people to distinguish between true and false information, hindering their ability to make political choices. Related coverage: G7 sets out guiding principles for AI developers to address risks WASHINGTON A third House Republican has signed onto an effort to oust Speaker Mike Johnson from power, giving his opponents the votes they would need to remove the Republican leader unless Democrats step in to save him. Rep. Paul Gosar, of Arizona, signed onto the "motion to vacate" authored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia, both Republicans said Friday. If brought to the floor as a privileged resolution, it would force a vote within two legislative days on whether to oust Johnson as speaker. A simple majority vote would be needed to succeed. Rep. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, joined the motion to vacate earlier this week but has said he doesn't want to force a vote on it, instead pushing for Johnson to resign. The three Republicans and other hard-right members of the conference are furious at the speaker for bringing up votes to provide aid for Ukraine, particularly without U.S. border security provisions attached. We need a Speaker who puts America first rather than bending to the reckless demands of the warmongers, neo-cons and the military industrial complex making billions from a costly and endless war half a world away, Gosar said in a statement Friday. If brought to the floor, those three Republican votes would be enough to remove Johnson as speaker if all Democrats vote against him. Some Democrats have indicated they would step in to save Johnson, but Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Friday that "the pre-requisite to the conversation" about saving Johnson is that the foreign aid bills pass "in totality." The addition of a third Republican on the motion to vacate is a huge blow to Johnson, raising the likelihood that he is either ousted from power or that he's saved by Democrats, which could further undermine him within the conference. Johnson is done," said one Republican who supports the speaker. "Its sad. Greene "has the votes," said another Republican. The member said they believe Democrats will vote to save Johnson especially after the way the aid packages were structured, which drew the ire of some conservatives. Massie said the intention isn't to force a vote to oust Johnson but instead to show their numbers and get the speaker to resign on his own. That would avoid weeks of chaos on the floor, where the House must hold consecutive votes to install a speaker, and instead allow Republicans to meet behind closed doors and choose a new leader before Johnson voluntarily vacates the chair, Massie told reporters. The strategy all along has been to ask the speaker to resign in a fashion like John Boehner resigned, where John Boehner cleaned the barn and said, 'Im leaving and youve got plenty of time to replace me,'" Massie said. "So, in that circumstance, we didnt end up with the speaker-less House. ... Just like when you leave a job, you give two weeks' notice, were looking for Mikes notice. Massie suggested that a vote to oust Johnson could result in Republicans ending up in the minority; the balance of power is so close in the House that it wouldn't take much movement to elect Jeffries as speaker. Voting to remove Johnson would lead the House to hold vote after vote "sometimes two times, three times a day," Massie noted. Thus voting for Jeffries just to end the chaos might start to look appealing to a handful of Republicans. If Johnson would do it in the manner that John Boehner did it, theres no chance to go into the minority because its not fought out on the floor. ... Jeffries is not on the ballot when we do this in conference," Massie stressed. "And so thats the goal. He added that he had 12 people in mind who could do a better job than Johnson. And now there are three. Thank you to @RepGosar for cosponsoring my motion to vacate Speaker Johnson! pic.twitter.com/ODzoKVeCdA Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) April 19, 2024 Greene has not indicated if or when shell try to force a vote on the motion to vacate. Gosar announced that he had joined the effort to oust Johnson just after the House voted to advance the package of four foreign aid bills one for Ukraine, one for Israel, another for Taiwan and a fourth that attempts to counter China by providing a pathway to ban TikTok in the U.S. as well as other national security priorities. Johnson called the House package of foreign aid bills the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances, noting that Democrats control the Senate and the White House. He said that a discharge petition from Democrats to force the House to take up a Senate-passed foreign aid package would have happened imminently if the House had not acted. The reality here is that if the House did not do this ... we would have had to eat the Senate supplemental bill, he told reporters. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com CREVE COEUR, Mo. The Archdiocese of St. Louis is planning to close three elementary schools after the 2023-24 school year, announcing plans to shut down a third school on Friday. St. Monica Catholic School in Creve Coeur will close at the end of the current school year. The Archdiocese previously announced plans last month to close Little Flower School in Richmond Heights and St. Roch School in St. Louis at the end of the school year. While providing Catholic Education in St. Louis County for more than 100 years, St. Monica School has faced ongoing challenges due to inconsistent and declining enrollment, said Reverend Mitchell T. Rozanski, Archbishop of St. Louis, via a news release Friday. This trend means that continuing to provide quality education at St. Monica School would require support that would negatively impact the parishs finances and impede other crucial parish ministries. These are the most-borrowed books at St. Louis-area libraries The Archdiocese says only 120 students would have been enrolled at the school for the 2024-25 school year had it continued to stay open. The Archdiocese adds that the decision came after consultation with parish and archdiocesan leaders to explore possible cost-reducing options, and that it plans to offer assistance to staff, faculty and students affected. FOX 2 first learned of the possibility of school closures late last year due to low enrollment and budgeting outlooks. Plans for other schools remain to be determined. According to FOX 2s December 2023 report, the Archdiocese says more than 80 schools are less than 65% full, fueling an average yearly deficit of $600,000 per parish. Around 26 schools under the Archdiocese of St. Louis umbrella were reportedly notified of the possibility of closing last year. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been exonerated by a Department of Justice review that found investigators did not intend to target traditional Catholics as potential "racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists." The Justice Department Inspector General review noted, however, that analysts "incorrectly conflated" an investigative subject's religious views with his alleged domestic terrorism activities. Findings from the 120-day review, which was handled by Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz and ordered by Congress, were outlined in a letter sent to members of Congress on Thursday. An FBI Richmond, Virginia, internal memo, titled "Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities," was leaked in January 2023 and drew instant criticism from Republicans, who demanded immediate answers from the agency. According to the inspector general's report, the memo, which has been dubbed the "Richmond Product," was circulated amid an investigation of a potentially violent individual who was identified in the report as "Defendant A" and has since been arrested. GOP SENATORS DEMAND THE FBI 'REPAIR THE DAMAGE' TO ITS CREDIBILITY OVER ANTI-CATHOLIC MEMO DEBACLE READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP The Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters building is seen in Washington, D.C., on July 3, 2023. Though Defendant A was not been identified in the report, the dates and details of the case match the case against Xavier Lopez, who was indicted on federal weapons charges last June. The FBI had been monitoring the suspect since 2019 due to his extremist views on social media, according to the inspector general's review. The review stated that the suspect expressed neo-Nazi rhetoric and described himself as a "Catholic clerical fascist." The FBI said he wrote in a letter to a family member that he needed to "build guns, explosives, and other forms of weaponry" in order to "make total war against the Satanic occultist government and the Zionist devil worshiping bankers who control it." The indictment against Lopez did not mention the church he attended or that he was monitored ahead of his arrest in November 2022, when a search of his apartment uncovered Molotov cocktails and firearms he was not allowed to possess. Lopez was on probation at the time after pleading guilty to felony vandalism for slashing tires. Though the investigation was appropriate, the inspector general's review criticized aspects of the memo warning about potential extremism within certain Catholic churches that was shared by the FBI's Richmond field office. "The [FBI Inspection Division] report found that although there was no evidence of malicious intent or an improper purpose, the [memo] failed to adhere to analytic tradecraft standards and evinced errors in professional judgment, including that it lacked sufficient evidence or articulable support for a relationship between RMVEs (Racially Motivated Violent Extremists) and so-called RTC (Radical Traditional Catholicism) ideology; incorrectly conflated the subjects religious views with their RMVE activities, creating the appearance that the FBI had inappropriately considered religious beliefs and affiliation as a basis for conducting investigative activity; and reflected a lack of training and awareness concerning proper domestic terrorism terminology," the inspector general noted. One of the FBI analysts involved in the creation of the memo maintained that the goal was to enable FBI Richmond to conduct outreach to these "faith communities to make them aware of what we would call warning signs to radicalization, for the protection of everybody." The inspector general noted in his assessment that he and his team "did not find evidence that anyone ordered or directed" the individuals responsible for crafting the memo "to find a link between RMVEs and any specific religion or political affiliation or that there was any underlying policy direction concerning such a link." The inspector general said a review of text messages and other conversations had between those who crafted the memo at the time "did not identify any evidence of discriminatory or inappropriate comments by them" about the church in question in the FBI's investigation "or individuals who practiced a particular religious faith or held specific political beliefs." The inspector general also noted that he and his team did not find evidence that the FBI took any investigative steps involving the church except to monitor the suspect's interactions. Investigators said they interviewed church members about the defendant's alleged intent to incite violence. CATHOLIC VOTERS RESPOND AFTER 'DEVOUT' BIDEN ONCE AGAIN SIDES AGAINST HIS CHURCH Findings from the 120-day review, which was handled by Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz and ordered by Congress, were outlined in a letter sent to members of Congress on Thursday. "We found that FBI Richmond used these investigative techniques to obtain information about Defendant A and not to prepare the Richmond DP or collect intelligence more generally," Horowitz wrote. Based on findings by the FBI Inspection Division, the inspector general noted that the FBI "instituted corrective actions, including expanding training on analytical tradecraft standards and domestic terrorism terminology, enhancing review and approval requirements for intelligence products involving a sensitive investigative matter, and formally admonishing the employees involved." "We did not assess, and therefore do not comment on, the corrective actions taken by the FBI," he said. Following Horowitz's report to Congress, the FBI released a statement applauding him for his work and concluded that it aligns with their past remarks on the incident. "We thank the Department of Justices Office of Inspector General for its review. The FBI has said numerous times that the intelligence product did not meet our exacting standards and was quickly removed from FBI systems," the agency said. "We also have said there was no intent or actions taken to investigate Catholics or anyone based on religion; this was confirmed by the findings of the OIG." "The FBIs mission is to protect our communities from potential threats while simultaneously upholding the constitutional rights of all Americans. We do not conduct investigations based solely on First Amendment protected activity, including religious practices," it added. FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5, 2023. Lopez was indicted in June 2023 in federal court on one count of possessing ammunition while a convicted felon and one count of possessing destructive devices. In March of this year, he pleaded guilty to possessing destructive devices. His sentencing is scheduled to take place in September. Horowitz noted that there were preliminary discussions with the FBIs Domestic Terrorism Strategic Unit to draft a similar memo to send to more field offices, but "those discussions ended following the [memo] becoming public." Fox News' Thomas Phippen, Jake Gibson and Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report. Original article source: Anti-Catholic FBI memo's origin revealed as bureau absolved of 'malicious intent' Barnard College has suspended Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, after she participated in a pro-Palestine protest on campus. Hirsi revealed the suspension Thursday in a post on X. An organizer with a student-led "Apartheid Divest" campaign, Hirsi wrote that she had "received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide. Hirsi had taken part in a protest encampment that was cleared by police, who arrested more than 100 demonstrators. Hirsi attends Barnard College, a women's college that is part of Columbia University. In a statement, Barnard said students had been asked to leave the encampment and advised "that they would be subject to sanctions at Barnard if they did not leave the encampment." According to the school, students were informed that they would receive interim suspension if they did not comply. U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to X to question Hirsi's punishment, which came a day after a House hearing where lawmakers questioned Columbia officials about the school's response to a rise in antisemitism since Hamas Oct. 7th attack on Israel. "How does a student with no disciplinary record suddenly get to a suspension less than 24 hours after a nonviolent protest?" Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "What merits asymmetric crackdowns on Palestinian human rights protests?" As we keep more and more personal data on our phones, iPhone and Android devices now have some of the most advanced encryption technology in existence to keep that information safe from prying eyes. The easiest way around that, of course, is for someone to gain access to your phone. This week, a federal court decided that police officers can make you unlock your phone, even by physically forcing you to press your thumb against it. In November 2021, Jeremy Payne was pulled over by two California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers over his car's window tinting. When asked, Payne admitted that he was on parole, which the officers confirmed. After finding Payne's cellphone in the car, officers unlocked it by forcibly pressing his thumb against it as he sat handcuffed. (The officers claimed in their arrest report that Payne "reluctantly unlocked the cell phone" when asked, which Payne disputed; the government later accepted in court "that defendant's thumbprint was compelled.") The officers searched through Payne's camera roll and found a video taken the same day, which appeared to show "several bags of blue pills (suspected to be fentanyl)." After checking the phone's map and finding what they suspected to be a home address, the officers drove there and used Payne's keys to enter and search the residence. Inside, they found and seized more than 800 pills. Payne was indicted for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In a motion to suppress, Payne's attorneys argued that by forcing him to unlock his phone, the officers "compelled a testimonial communication," violating both the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable search and seizure and the Fifth Amendment's guarantee against self-incrimination. Even though the provisions of his parole required him to surrender any electronic devices and passcodes, "failure to comply could result in 'arrest pending further investigation' or confiscation of the device pending investigation," not the use of force to make him open the phone. The district court denied the motion to suppress, and Payne pleaded guilty. In November 2022, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Notably, Payne had only served three years for the crime for which he was on paroleassault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer. Payne appealed the denial of the motion to suppress. This week, in an opinion authored by Judge Richard Tallman, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled against Payne. Searches "incident to arrest" are an accepted part of Fourth Amendment precedent. Further, Tallman wrote that as a parolee, Payne has "a significantly diminished expectation of privacy," and even though the conditions of his parole did not require him to "provide a biometric identifier," the distinction was insufficient to support throwing out the search altogether. But Tallman went a step further in the Fifth Amendment analysis: "We hold that the compelled use of Payne's thumb to unlock his phone (which he had already identified for the officers) required no cognitive exertion, placing it firmly in the same category as a blood draw or fingerprint taken at booking," he wrote. "The act itself merely provided CHP with access to a source of potential information." From a practical standpoint, this is chilling. First of all, the Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that police needed a warrant before drawing a suspect's blood. And one can argue that fingerprinting a suspect as they're arrested is part and parcel with establishing their identity. Nearly half of U.S. states require people to identify themselves to police if asked. But forcibly gaining access to someone's phone provides more than just their identityit's a window into their entire lives. Even cursory access to someone's phone can turn up travel history, banking information, and call and text logsa treasure trove of potentially incriminating information, all of which would otherwise require a warrant. When they drafted the Fourth Amendment, the Founders drew on the history of "writs of assistance," general warrants used by British authorities in the American colonies that allowed government agents to enter homes at will and look for anything disallowed. As a result, the Fourth Amendment requires search warrants based on probable cause and signed by a judge. Tallman does note the peculiar circumstances of the case: "Our opinion should not be read to extend to all instances where a biometric is used to unlock an electronic device." But, he adds, "the outcomemay have been different had [the officer] required Payne to independently select the finger that he placed on the phone" instead of forcibly mashing Payne's thumb into it himself. The post Appeals Court Rules That Cops Can Physically Make You Unlock Your Phone appeared first on Reason.com. Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the last shah of Iran - Clara Molden for The Telegraph/Clara Molden for The Telegraph The West needs a Reagan-Thatcher style leadership pairing to confront Tehran because the current policy of appeasement has failed, Irans exiled crown prince told The Telegraph. Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of the last shah of Iran, is the founder and leader of the National Council of Iran, an exiled opposition group, and a prominent critic of Ayatollah Ali Khameneis Islamic regime. He said there had been a weak approach by Western leaders on both sides of the Atlantic towards the Islamic Republic and called for a reset of Europes relationship with Tehran, starting with proscribing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terror organisation. The prince, 63, also implicitly criticised Rishi Sunak for not doing enough to counter threats and intimidation of Iranian journalists based in London. The regime is trying to harm or threaten not only dissidents, but even British citizens, he said, referring to the stabbing of Pouria Zeraati, the Iran International television host, outside his Wimbledon home last month. What was being gained from not being willing to respond in some form? he asked. The West needs a Reagan-Thatcher style leadership pairing to confront Tehran, the prince said - Gary Hershorn/Reuters He argued that the root cause of Irans malign influence across the Middle East particularly its antagonistic role with regards to Israel was the Wests policy of appeasement. That has always been based on expecting a behaviour change by the regime that hasnt panned out, he said, adding that what was needed was a revival of an era where there was some stronger leadership that changed the world in a very significant way: Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher at the end of the Cold War. Right now you see what [Vladimir] Putin is doing in Moscow, you see what the Chinese are doing, he added. What is [being done] to counter that in terms of decisive, strong, co-ordinated leadership in the West? I dont see any. The prince spoke to The Telegraph in an discreet apartment building in a smart corner of downtown Washington earlier this week, before Israel struck an Iranian air defence radar system near the city of Isfahan in retaliation for Tehrans assault. The US capitals suburbs have been home to him, his wife and three daughters for decades, though he has previously referred to it as a temporary place to live, amid hopes he may one day return to his homeland. The prince left Iran in 1977, aged 17, to undergo air force training in America. Two years later, his father Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was deposed during the Islamic Revolution and the royal family has been in exile ever since. Following his fathers death in 1980, the prince declared himself the new shah of Iran in exile, although as Irans royal family was a constitutional monarchy, he was never formally appointed. Dressed in a smart dark suit, with an expensive-looking watch adorning his wrist, the princes retinue refer to him as his majesty. So do his most devoted followers among the several-million-strong Iranian diaspora. He has previously said he has no aspirations to restore the monarchy in Iran, but he remains an important figurehead for opposition figures and Iranians in exile. It is a role he takes seriously, saying we as he discusses Iranians plight during the interview. Over the past few decades, he made rallying opposition against Irans theocratic regime his lifes work, regularly travelling across Europe and America to campaign for a secular and democratic Iran and advocate for its oppressed citizens. He became visibly frustrated when asked about ongoing diplomatic attempts with Tehran. Theres still some people in the Western world who think that they still have that dialogue within the status quo and are hoping maybe we can revive this deal or maybe we can cut this agreement, he said, leaning forward in his chair and using hand gestures to stress his point. This is basically kicking the can down the road, he added. Diplomacy has failed. Appeasement has failed. Any continuation of the same, frankly, is insanity. When asked which Western leaders he was thinking of, the prince did not want to single out individuals. However, he did say that Tehrans revenue had swelled in the last two years amid the Biden administrations failure to enforce sanctions. The exiled prince said the West needs to take the same approach with Tehran as it did with South Africa under apartheid. Finally the world said you know what, this is no longer tolerable or acceptable, he said. I think the scenario is similar in the case of Iran, except that while South Africa was having a racial policy, this is a terrorist-promoting regime. Its not just a matter of being repressive. Its actually a threat to the world. It is a point he has been making all week on US cable news following Irans unprecedented direct strike on Israel, which involved more than 300 drones, rockets and missiles. After almost a half-century living in the shadow of exile, he is optimistic that the end is closer for Tehrans rulers now than at any other point in the last 45 years. The last shah of Iran died in 1980 - AP Regimes that are confident dont start bashing their own people or killing children or doing what theyre doing, he said, referring to the recent brutal repression of peaceful protests sparked by the 2022 death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman detained for not wearing her hijab properly. Thats a sign of weakness and insecurity. Underscoring the dangers of his position, however, is the coterie of bodyguards and aides who sit nearby in the elegant living room-cum-study that looks out on to a terrace with a panoramic view of the Washington skyline. It is Irans Gen Z that he believes offers the best hope for regime change. These kids today, they follow Twitter, they follow Instagram or X or whatever other platforms, theyre not cut off from the world, he said. They say: why shouldnt I have the same opportunities that some young girl or boy has today in Doha or in Abu Dhabi or in Dubai? They are trying to do their best but theyre denied every possible opportunity. Thats not tenable. And they talk about this, they voice their ideas, the fact of how united they are as a nation. Everything that this regime has tried to destroy in Iran is now coming as a retaliation to what has been done to them, manifesting itself in such a beautiful way, he said. With a smile, he added: Thats what gives me hope, what gives me energy. 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. Swiss archaeologists excavating a site in Gebenstorf discovered a sprawling Roman encampment in Canton of Aargau, Archaeology News reported, which is much larger than previously anticipated. The site itself is being eyed for residential development, leaving excavators scrambling to preserve its history. An aerial view of the excavation site. Cantonal Archeology, Canton Aargau The dig, which kicked off earlier this month, was expected to turn up a relatively paltry amount of Roman artifacts. Archaeologists had thought it would be a quick and simple task to excavate all of the artifacts before redevelopment commenced, but now thats looking increasingly unlikely. Early excavations indicated that larger structures were present, as archaeologists found wall foundations and Roman building debris among other artifacts of the era. There had been small discoveries of Roman items dating back as far as the 17th century, but it wasnt until two investigations in 2017 and 2023 that the presence of a structure was confirmed. These stone foundations, discovered circa 2019/2020, were the first indication to archaeologists that the grounds contained more artifacts than they anticipated. Cantonal Archeology, Canton Aargau However, the site was much bigger than any preliminary reports indicated. It spans roughly 34,400 square feet, encompassing the entirety of the planned construction site and much of the surrounding area. Within the community is an ancient Roman cemetery which houses fallen soldiers from the nearby Vindonissa camp, where military officials lived. Located less than two miles from the military camp, its thought that this newly found settlement housed the families of military members. This was a fairly typical set-up of that era, where civilians would be housed slightly outside the proper military complex. A wall angle made of lime blocks discovered during the most recent excavation. Cantonal Archaeology, Canton Aargau The construction of an apartment buildingcomplete with an underground parking garageon the site has been halted, as officials are now requesting ample time to exhume and review the rest of the artifacts in the area. Officials are planning two phases for the excavation, one which will last from April to November of this year, and another from March until May of 2025. After that, it will be determined if construction can move forward. Hopefully, as the dig just kicked off, well have several more months of exciting archaeological discoveries. ARCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) More than 80 years after the Attack on Pearl Harbor, a sailor killed in the attack is being laid to rest in his hometown of Arcola. Charles Darling Brown was one of 2,400 Americans killed in the attack that led the U.S. to formally enter World War II. When his remains were recovered, the U.S. Navy could not positively identify them as his; as a result, he was buried as an unknown in Hawaii. But a recent Department of Defense project to identify missing servicemembers remains found a match between DNA samples from the Brown family and remains that were disinterred from their resting place of 75 years. Now, 82 years after his death. Browns remains will be brought home to be buried. Operation Honor Guard 2024 A service record provided by the U.S. Navy shows Brown enlisted in 1938 just one week after he turned 19. After training at Naval Training Station San Diego, Brown was assigned to the battleship USS West Virginia as an electrician. He reached the rank of Electricians Mate 3rd Class by the time of his death at the age of 22. On Dec. 7, 1941, the West Virginia was moored in Pearl Harbor when the Imperial Japanese Navy launched its infamous attack against the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The battleship was hit by seven torpedoes and two bombs and almost capsized, but counterflooding by the crew resulted in the ship leveling as she sank to the shallow harbor floor. Brown and 105 of his shipmates perished in the attack. His brother Harry was also aboard the West Virginia; he was wounded but survived and returned to active duty. Local newspapers, digital clippings of which were provided by the Navy, reported that Browns parents were told a week after the attack he had been lost in action, before revising that to say he was alive, but missing. He was pronounced dead at a later date. As repair crews salvaged the West Virginia and rebuilt her for further service in the war, Browns remains were recovered, but they could not be identified as his. He and other Pearl Harbor unknowns were buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, nicknamed the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. Supreme Court gives some military veterans more generous educational benefits 75 years later, Brown and his shipmates were disinterred from the Punchbowl by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in an effort to identify their remains. The DPAA started on another battleship at Pearl Harbor the USS Oklahoma and successfully identified 355 out of 388 sailors. A sailor from Auburn was among those from the Oklahoma who were identified. The success of the Oklahoma project led the DPAA to expand its work to other ships at Pearl Harbor the morning of the attack, including the West Virginia. So far, more than a dozen of Browns shipmates have been identified, including Keith Tipsword of Moccasin. Using DNA samples submitted by the Brown family, along with Navy medical and dental records, DPAA personnel identified Browns remains in 2022. On Saturday, Brown will be buried for the final time with full military honors in Humbolt, just miles away from where he grew up. A rosette will also be placed next to his name on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl to indicate that he has been accounted for. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. (pictured in 2021), on Friday joined Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's, R-Ga., resolution to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson after the House voted to open debate on a new foreign aid package. Johnson again had to rely on support from House Democrats to get the measure passed. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI April 19 (UPI) -- A third House Republican is seeking to strip the gavel from the hands of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., on Friday announced he will cosponsor Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's resolution to oust Johnson from the speaker's post in the wake of the House advancing a $95 billion foreign aid package with Democratic support. Gosar, in his statement backing Johnson's ouster, referenced his opposition to sending money to Ukraine over providing more funding for border security. "Rather than spending the resources to secure our southern border and combating the invasion of 11 million illegals and despite repeated promises there would be no additional money going to Ukraine without first securing our border, the United States House of Representatives, under the direction of the speaker, is on the verge of sending another $61 billion to further draw America into an endless and purposeless war in Ukraine," Gosar wrote. Gosar joins Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who voiced his support for Greene earlier this month. It's still unknown when Greene might force the vote to remove Johnson. Some Republicans speculated she's waiting to gather a larger number of like-minded representatives. Other Republicans such as Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., have indicated they might join in on the effort. While Greene this week has been vocal in her disapproval of Johnson's approach to the Ukraine debate, she stopped short of forcing the vote then. "I'm a responsible person," she said Thursday. If the matter of Johnson's removal does come to the floor, he would need to reach out again to Democrats to keep his job. Some centrist Democrats who were supportive of the foreign aid bills have said they would be open to the task. "I would be one of the first to raise my hand and say that I want to be part of that conversation, to see if we can really govern together or be in a position where he's able to govern and bring those bipartisan bills," Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, told Politico. "I have said over and over that bringing us bipartisan bills is such a huge part of this role as speaker right now, and that those bills will pass. We just need them." Johnson already is at odds with the GOP over his willingness to negotiate with Democrats to pass a federal spending plan and to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Photo by A. Martin UW Photography | Getty Images As an Arizonan and mother of three, it has been truly sad to witness recent legislative hearings that have been held and the bills that have advanced relating to science and public health. The legislative leaderships mistrust of medical institutions and public health officials is palpable, and one need only tune in to the Ad-Hoc Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee hearings to feel the anti-science sentiment and conspiracy theories seep deep into your bones. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the anti-vaccine movement liked to claim that any number of ailments a child might have were attributable to childhood vaccinations. Since the pandemic, the rhetoric has exploded and anti-vaccine advocates have evolved into blaming nearly any ailment anyone has on vaccines (including routine childhood immunizations), but especially the Covid-19 vaccine. I am not saying that adverse reactions to vaccines are not real, whether that be a legacy vaccine or a newer vaccine. But true vaccine injuries are exceedingly rare fewer than one in a million vaccinated people suffer a serious side effect. When you compare that to the number of unvaccinated or vulnerable people who are at risk for harm or death from an outbreak of disease, its clear that vaccines save lives against a myriad of diseases. Period. Hard stop. That is the truth. Unfortunately, guess who does not care? Many Arizona Republican legislators. If you have not been at the state Capitol during public health hearings, let me paint you a picture. You will hear various conspiracy theories stated as fact, and scarily, actual words that data doesnt matter or the science is on both sides, accompanied by nods of agreement from GOP legislators. Both of those statements are untrue. Vaccines are effective at preventing infectious disease not only for those who receive the vaccine, but for our communities. High immunization rates keep schools open where students can learn and allow parents to stay at work. Community immunity, as it is called, also provides opportunities to immunocompromised children and others who cannot receive a vaccine themselves to participate as active members of society. And while individuals have the right to choose to forgo vaccines for themselves or their children, the spread of misinformation from a state legislative body threatens to lower our communitys immunization rates increasing risk for spread of infectious disease based on lies. Arizonans value individual liberties. And we already have some of the easiest to obtain exemptions from school vaccine requirements in the country. Employees have rights when it comes to potential vaccine requirements from their employers. Yet the Legislature and anti-vaccine zealots continue to hold hearings chock-full of lies and advance anti-science bills. This is not freedom. This is the deliberate misuse of tax dollars to spread demonstrable lies. The average Arizonan might think, Im vaccinated, my kids are vaccinated, I dont have any pre-existing conditions, so what do I care what these people think? Well, this culture of lies and fear surrounding vaccines and science has an often-overlooked real effect outside of the health of the unvaccinated individual. An attack on vaccines is an attack on science, the medical field, innovation, the economy, and ultimately the people. We need to stop being so narrow-minded when it comes to scientific and medical misinformation and think that it doesnt affect us. At some point down the line, you may either be thankful that Arizona created a culture that values innovation because we have a cure for your rare disease, or kicking yourself in the pants wondering why you didnt fight harder to encourage elected officials to value and invest in medical and scientific advancement, including vaccines. I suggest we all truly think about how this culture of fear is going to harm Arizona long-term, and lets hold our elected officials accountable when they attack research and science, and ultimately how affordable, accessible, and quality our healthcare system and community will be in the future if we continue down this path. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post Arizonans deserve better than vaccine conspiracies and downright dangerous rhetoric appeared first on Arizona Mirror. COLOMBO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) on Saturday morning successfully launched military drones for the first time to aid rescue operations to locate a fishing boat that had gone missing with three people on board. The MNDF said in an online post that they used the three drones that were brought to the country last month. The MNDF said the diving boat "Farihi 2" was reported missing at 23:30 hours on Friday night, and they recovered the boat on Saturday evening thanks to the drones. Maldives in March introduced Turkish-built Bayraktar TB2 drones into service while standing up a new Air Corps tasked with monitoring the sea areas. Arkansas senators say Clinton airport exec. killed by ATF with no bodycam: 'Violation of its own policy' Arkansas senators say Clinton airport exec. killed by ATF with no bodycam: 'Violation of its own policy' Both U.S. senators from Arkansas are pushing for answers from the Justice Department about a federal law enforcement search warrant execution last month that ended with an airport executive shot dead. Sens. Tom Cotton and John Boozman are seeking answers in the death of Bryan Malinowski, the executive director of the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock. Malinowski was shot on March 19 when agents with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) attempted to serve a search warrant at his home. Malinowski, 53, was wounded during a gunfire exchange with agents and died days later, the ATF said. 1 DEAD, 9 INJURED IN ARKANSAS BLOCK PARTY SHOOTING Bryan Malinowski, the former executive director at the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, was shot and killed when federal agents were serving a search warrant at his Little Rock, Arkansas home. "The Department of Justice confirmed to us last night that the ATF agents involved in the execution of a search warrant of the home of Bryan Malinowski werent wearing body cameras," Cotton and Boozman said in a joint statement. "We will continue to press the Department to explain how this violation of its own policy couldve happened and to disclose the full circumstances of this tragedy." "Mr. Malinowskis family and the public have a right to a full accounting of the facts," the Republican lawmakers added. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Bud Cummins, the attorney for the Malinowski family, noted that the ATF adopted a policy in 2022 that requires the use of body cameras during the execution of search warrants. "This policy provides parameters for the use of BWCs [body-worn cameras] by TFOs [task force officers] to the extent that a state or local law enforcement agency requires their use by its officers during federal task force operations," states a Department of Justice memo dated June 2, 2022. Cummins said the policy was created in response to the shooting of Breonna Taylor, the Louisville, Kentucky EMT worker who was killed as officers attempted to execute a search warrant. "It is astounding for ATF to now claim they simply ignored this clear policy. It obviously raises more questions than it answers," Cummins told Fox News Digital. As agents were attempting to serve the warrant in the early morning hours, Malinowski allegedly opened fire. An agent was shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Malinowski was shot in the head by returning gunfire and died two days later. "As is standard practice, this matter is under review by state and local authorities in Arkansas," Kristina Mastropasqua, an ATF spokesperson, told Fox News Digital. "The Department of Justice does not comment on pending matters." Malinowski was under investigation for allegedly selling firearms without a license, some of which were used in crimes, authorities said. Between May 2021 and Feb. 27, 2024, Malinowski allegedly purchased more than 150 guns, which he then allegedly resold. Images taken by an undercover ATF agent of Bryan Malinowski selling firearms at a gun show in Arkansas Malinowski purchased the firearms legally and allegedly checked a box on purchase forms that indicated the firearms were for him. However, he allegedly resold the weapons at gun shows where he acted as a vendor. "At worst, Bryan Malinowski, a gun owner and gun enthusiast, stood accused of making private firearm sales to a person who may not have been legally entitled to purchase the guns," Malinowski's family said days after he died. Original article source: Arkansas senators say Clinton airport exec. killed by ATF with no bodycam: 'Violation of its own policy' Arkansas senators John Boozman, Tom Cotton say ATF agents did not wear bodycams during Malinowski raid, call for full disclosure WASHINGTON, D.C. Two Arkansas lawmakers in Washington, D.C. are calling for action following the death of a Little Rock airport executive after a search warrant was served on his home on March 19. Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and John Boozman (R-AR) called for action after they said they discovered that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents who executed the search warrant were not wearing body cameras. The senators say this is a violation of ATF and Justice Department policy. Attorney of former Little Rock airport exec Bryan Malinowski releases video events ahead of deadly ATF raid The Department of Justice confirmed to us last night that the ATF agents involved in the execution of a search warrant of the home of Bryan Malinowski werent wearing body cameras, they said in a joint statement. We will continue to press the Department to explain how this violation of its own policy couldve happened and to disclose the full circumstances of this tragedy. The senators added that Malinowskis family and the public have a right to a full accounting of the facts. Malinowski was killed after a shootout with ATF agents who were serving a 6 a.m. search warrant at his Little Rock home. Malinowski, executive director of the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, died of his injuries on March 21. In the search warrant affidavit, the ATF asserted that Malinowski was selling guns without a license. The agency has not disclosed information about the March 19 incident since the event. Released search warrant affidavit shows details of ATF case against Little Rock airport executive Bryan Malinowski Attorney for the Malinowski family, Bud Cummins, stated the guns were being sold legally, using a provision in the law popularly known as the gun show loophole. State Sen. Mark Johnson, who, along with other legislators, held a news conference Thursday asking for ATF body camera disclosure, said it is troubling to find out that agents did not wear cameras. It bothers me a lot, Johnson said. Johnson explained that law enforcement has qualified immunity, meaning they are not liable in certain circumstances, but, if they didnt follow the rules they shouldnt have immunity, Johnson said. A spokesperson with the ATF shared a statement on Friday night. As is standard practice, this matter is under review by state and local authorities in Arkansas. The Department of Justice does not comment on pending matters, the statement said. Attorney speaks on gun show loophole explained as cause for ATF raid on home of Bryan Malinowski Attorney General Tim Griffin posted on social media Friday afternoon, thanking Cotton and Boozman for their calling for ATF disclosure. An Arkansas State Police spokesperson confirmed that the agency is investigating the officer-involved shooting aspect of Malinowskis death. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The Arkansas Supreme Court recently broadened the list of people who are allowed to bring guns into a courthouse. The Thursday decision by the court overturned a decision by the Pulaski County Circuit Court that lawyers were barred from carrying guns into the courthouse. The decision clarified that while lawyers could bring guns into a courthouse, courtrooms were not part of the decision. Arkansas Supreme Court rules for West Memphis Three defendant Damien Echols for additional DNA testing The case originated in one brought by attorney Chris Corbitt who wanted to be able to bring guns into a Pulaski County courtroom. Corbitt was no longer a party in the case due to procedural issues, but the other plaintiffs, Robert Steinbuch, Ben Motal and all persons similarly situated did give the justices the opportunity to clarify what law applied and ultimately approve officers of the court, attorneys, being able to bring guns into courthouses. In the opinion penned by Justice Shawn Womack, the court stated it would review the issue of bringing guns into courtrooms only when it is brought before it. Arkansas Supreme Court races could give Gov. Sanders more influence over court Justice Karen Baker concurred and dissented in part, stating in her opinion that the attempt to distinguish courtrooms and courthouses is a distinction without a difference, citing Arkansas law. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Eric Jens (left) and Layton Wanna (right) led a transfer ceremony for two Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate boys in September, 2023. (Photo: Jenna Kunze) The Department of Justice has requested a 10-day extension to respond to a lawsuit that will likely determine whether or not the United States Office of Army Cemeteries is required to follow a process designed by federal law in returning the human remains of nearly 200 Native children. The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) filed the lawsuit against the Army on January 17, 2024, on behalf of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. The tribe is seeking the return of the remains of two of its children who died and were buried at the federal governments flagship Indian boarding school more than 120 years ago. The Army has 90 daysor until April 23to respond to the suit. However, according to an attorney for the Winnebago Tribe, the DOJ requested the extension on Monday, April 15. In the lawsuit, the tribe alleges that the Army has failed to follow the federal law called the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), instead deferring its own process in returning some of the more than 200 Native American and Alaska Native childrens remains in its care. Listed as defendants in the lawsuit are: The U.S. Army, the Office of Army Cemeteries, and three individual employees who oversee the Office of Army Secretaries and the cemetery where the children are buried. At the center of the lawsuit is a disagreement between the tribe and the Army as to whether or not NAGPRA applies to the cemetery at the site of the former Carlisle Indian Industrial School. The Carlisle Main Post Cemetery, which is now operated by the Army, is where Winnebago citizens Edward Hensley and Samuel Gilbertalong with roughly 180 other Native American children from tribal nations across the United Statesare buried. Congress passed NAGPRA in 1990 to provide a process for federal agencies and institutions that receive federal funds to repatriate or transfer certain Native American cultural items, including human remains, back to their respective tribal nations. The rules set a clear 90-day timeline for repatriation and provide guidelines for institutions to initiate tribal consultation. It also allows tribes to decide themselves who will claim children who are culturally affiliated to them. Instead of following NAGPRA, the Army contends it can follow its own policy, which sets different guidelines, defines who can request the return of a child buried at Carlisle (their closest living relative), and defines the timeframe. In the spirit of cooperation, the Tribe agreed to an extension as requested by the Army, according to Danelle Smith, an attorney representing the Winnebago Tribe in the suit. But we look forward to moving this case forward as expeditiously as possible so Samuel and Edward can finally come home, Smith said. The Office of Army Cemeteries told Native News Online that, while the lawsuit is handled by the Department of Justice, the OAC is committed to working with all tribes and families for the return of the remaining Native children buried at Carlisle. The Army has, at Army expense, previously returned to their families, 32 children from the Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery and has the necessary documents to return an additional 29 over FY24 and FY25, OAC spokesperson Olivia Van Den Heuvel told Native News Online. Editor's Note: This story has been updated with a response from the Office of Army Cemeteries. About the Author: "Jenna Kunze is a staff reporter covering Indian health, the environment and breaking news for Native News Online. She is also the lead reporter on stories related to Indian boarding schools and repatriation. Her bylines have appeared in The Arctic Sounder, High Country News, Indian Country Today, Tribal Business News, Smithsonian Magazine, Elle and Anchorage Daily News. Kunze is based in New York." Contact: jkunze@indiancountrymedia.com The Seminole County Sheriffs Office on Friday arrested a man they are calling a person of interest in the carjacking and murder of a Homestead woman in Central Florida last week. Authorities have also arrested a woman who is the girlfriend of one of the last people investigators believe the victim, Katherine Altagracia De Aguasvivas, spoke to before she was killed. The sprawling investigation into the bizarre murder spans several counties and now includes detectives with several sheriffs offices and federal agents with the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations. Jordanish Torres-Garcia, 28, was taken into custody Friday in Orange County on an existing federal weapons possession warrant. Jordanish Torres-Garcia Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma, whose agency is leading the investigation into the April 11 murder of Aguasvivas, told reporters on Friday that Torres-Garcia owns the green 2002 Acura that is connected to her killing and that is connected to the murder of a tow truck driver in Orange County the day before. Lemma said that Torres-Garcia bought the car from a dealership called Buy Here, Pay Here through Facebook Marketplace, and that the clothes hes photographed wearing in his profile picture match ones worn by the masked gunman seen in a cellphone video getting out of the Acura and into Aguasvivas Durango last Thursday at an intersection in unincorporated Seminole County. That Durango was found later that day in a construction site, torched, with a womans body burned inside. Police believe the woman is Aguasvivas, who was 31. Witnesses said they heard multiple gunshots before the grisly scene was discovered and spent bullet casings were found on the ground. Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasviva of Homestead. Police and U.S. Marshals arrested Torres-Garcia as he was walking into an Orange County business, Lemma said. Hes not going to be released, Lemma said, noting the federal charges. Investigators still dont know who the other person was in the Acura, Lemma said. When Aguasvivas was killed last week, her husband, Miguel Aguasvivas, told investigators that she traveled to Central Florida to visit relatives. However, her brother, Luis Fernando Abreu, told investigators this week that he discovered she was in the area to deliver money and other stuff for a friend, Lemma said. Cocaine arrest may be connected The other arrest in the case this week was the result of Abreu doing his own digging, Lemma said. Through an iCloud account, Abreu was able to contact a man named Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez, 27, who appears to be one of the last people Katherine Aguasvivas spoke to on the phone as she was driving on I-4 through the downtown Orlando area, Lemma said. Abreu called the person through Facetime and screen-shotted his image and sent it to Seminole County detectives, Lemma said, adding Abreu does not know Crespo Hernandez. Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez Detectives ran that photo through a police database, and it almost 100% matched a mugshot of Crespo Hernandez for a 2019 arrest in Orange County. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the Casselberry home where Crespo Hernandez lives with his girlfriend, Monicsabel Romero Soto. No one was home when investigators searched the home. Inside, detectives found fentanyl and a gun, Lemma said. While detectives were serving the warrant, Homeland Security Investigation agents called them and said that Soto and another person who lives in the Casselberry home took delivery through the mail of three kilograms of cocaine in Osceola County, Lemma said. Monicsabel Romero Soto Soto is now in federal custody on cocaine charges, said Lemma. As of Friday evening, detectives were still looking for Crespo Hernandez, who faces fentanyl trafficking charges. So far, three people have been arrested over the course of the week-long investigation into Katherine Aguasvivas murder. Deputy arrested On Sunday, Seminole County detectives arrested Orange County Deputy Francisco Estrella Chicon. Hes accused of illegally accessing the personal and professional profile information belonging to the lead Seminole County detective on the case and sending that information to Miguel Aguasvivas. Investigators say Miguel is childhood friends with Estrella Chicons wife and called her when he was driving from Homestead to Seminole County with Abreu to answer questions about his wifes death. This is the Dodge Durango Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvias was driving. Lemma said Miguel is not a suspect or person of interest in the case, but he believes he knows more than hes told investigators so far. He and her brother, Luis, are cooperating, but I am incredibly skeptical of their cooperation, Lemma said Friday. Estrella Chicon was arrested on charges of 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 and was released on a total bond of $15,000 Thursday. The murder 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, investigators say. Tuskawilla is a large suburban community with fountains gracing its entrance off Tuskawilla Road. Before stopping at the red light, she called Miguel, 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 armed with a semiautomatic rifle and wearing a black hoodie and a Halloween mask got out of the Acura behind her, walked up to her window, pointed the gun at her and hopped into the back seat of the Durango. The green Acura sedan from which the Seminole County Sheriffs Office say the carjacker emerged. The Durango, with the Acura in tow, 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. Investigators maintain Katherine Aguasvivas was targeted, but still do not have a motive. Same car, same ammunition The green Acura is also connected to the shooting death of Juan Luis Cintron Garcia, 39, in Orange County the day before Katherine Aguasvivas was killed. Cintron Garcia was a tow truck driver who towed the Acura from an apartment complex, where it was illegally parked, on March 19, investigators said. He was shot dead at his home, and detectives say the scene was littered with spent 10-millimeter bullet casings the same type of ammunition found where Aguasvivas body was discovered, investigators say. ASCENSION PARISH, La. (BRPROUD) Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment signed the transfer of assets of the sewer treatment system on Thursday, April 18. This marks a step in fixing the sewer problem in Ascension Parish. National Water Infrastructure (NWI) has bought the parishs sewer system for $9.2 million, parish officials said in a news release. This deal solidifies a partnership that began in 2021 as a franchise agreement under a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA). Ascension Parish officials approved the sale to NWI by a majority vote in April 2021. The Ascension Parish Council then sanctioned the sale in July of the same year. The agreement starts the Ascension Parish Regionalization Project (APRP). The APRP aims to address challenges posed by the parishs sewer infrastructure. This infrastructure consists of separate package treatment plants. Baton Rouge groups can apply for Summer of Hope community funding Under the deal, NWI will build and run a new regional sewer treatment plant in the parishs industrial area. The plant will combine over 75 collection systems and shut down 70 treatment plants. These plants are currently in the parishs strained waterways. Phase 1 will remove over 3.5 Million Gallons Per Day (MGD) of sewer discharge from ditches and waterways. This will improve the areas water quality, officials said. The APRP requires no investment by the parish. NWI will invest over $185 million to build, run and keep sewer infrastructure. It will pay the parish a $9.26 million purchase price, according to the release. The project will help the environment and the community. The APRP will provide sewer capacity and benefit public schools, the news release said. 10 schools will get access to the system. Five will be tied in upon project completion. This will remove sewer treatment plants and discharges on school grounds. APRP will save the parish over $4.1 million per year, officials said. Long-term projections say it will save $73.2 million over the next 30 years. This will happen without any tax increase. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now BRProud Breaking News Alerts NWI is proud to finalize this purchase and start delivering on our investment in building a modern consolidated sewer system for Ascension Parish, ultimately improving the local waterways and offering enhanced system operations for decades to come, said CEO of National Water Infrastructure Tom Pertuit. As a Bernhard Capital Partners portfolio company, we have assembled a world-class team to implement this project, and we are committed to excellent customer service and keeping the community apprised of our progress. This represents a solution to a longstanding problem and an investment in the long-term sustainability and growth of our community. Ensuring clean water has been a top priority for this administration, said Cointment. Todays milestone brings us closer to achieving cleaner waterways, healthier ditches, and improved canals. It underscores our longstanding commitment to this vital goal. This is a huge first step. Latest News For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) Angelo State University senior and music major Selah Rose Kjar has received a 2023-2024 Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award from the Presser Foundation in Philadelphia, an accolade that includes a $3,000 scholarship and the title of Presser Scholar. The award is granted to students selected by their music faculty during their final year of study who have achieved a high level of music and academic excellence, demonstrated leadership and contributed to an inclusive community. It is considered to be the most prestigious undergraduate honor in music that one can receive at ASU. The music faculty at Angelo State are proud of Selahs accomplishments and of her contributions to the ASU music program, Stephen Emmons, professor of music, said. She has a bright future as a musician and educator, and we wish her the best in her future endeavors. Ballinger student wins $2,500 to attend national conference Kjar, a graduate of Water Valley High School, will graduate from ASU in May with her Bachelor of Music degree with all-level teacher certification. Following her graduation, Kjar will take up the post of head band director for the Eden Consolidated Independent School District. Her primary instrument is clarinet, and she has performed as a member of the ASU Ram Band, ASU Wind Ensemble, ASU Symphony Orchestra, ASU Symphonic Band and ASU Woodwind Ensembles. She has also performed on her secondary instruments, trombone and tuba, with the ASU Symphonic Band. With the ASU Ram Band, Kjar was first chosen to be a section leader and then to be the student assistant to Jonathan Alvis, director of bands. As part of that leadership team, she also taught her fellow students in music and drills and helped run rehearsals. She has also served as a counselor and team member for the annual ASU Summer Music Camp since 2021. In addition to the Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award, Kjar has received the ASU Performing Arts Scholarship, San Angelo Area Foundation Scholarship and San Angelo Community Band Scholarship. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com. Aftermath of Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on 19 April. Photo: Mykola Lukashuk on Telegram It was revealed that an entire family was among the people killed in the Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. A 6-year-old boy became an orphan. Source: Mykola Lukashuk, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Council Quote: "A little 6-year-old boy outlived his entire family. His mother, grandmother, elder sister aged 14 and 8-year-old brother were killed by a Russian missile today in the settlement of Synelnykove. His father died a year ago. The boy is in hospital in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast at the moment. He sustained shrapnel wounds of the jaw, burns, a concussion But our medics have stabilised his condition. His life is no longer in danger." Aftermath of Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on 19 April Photo: Telegram channel of Mykola Lukashuk Details: Lukashuk reported that the boy has an aunt who will get custody of him. Background: Two people were killed in a Russian attack on the city of Dnipro on the morning of Friday, 19 April, and six more were killed in the city of Synelnykove, including two young children; 29 other residents of the oblast were injured. Four private houses were partially destroyed in Synelnykove, eight more were damaged. A company was damaged in the town of Pavlograd. Support UP or become our patron! A man wrapped in a blanket lies on the table for table tennis at an apartment block that was partially destroyed by the Russian missile attack on Dnipro. -/Ukrinform/dpa Eight people were killed after Ukraine's industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk was bombarded from the air by Russia early on Friday, Ukrainian authorities said, but there was some success for Kiev with a Russian supersonic bomber allegedly shot down. Ukraine, which has called for extra weapons from Western allies to repel Kremlin forces, is being targeted almost every night by Russian missiles as Moscow tries to up the ante after months of front-line stalemate in the two-year conflict. At least two people were killed and 15 injured in the regional capital of Dnipro, Governor Serhiy Lysak announced on Telegram. A five-storey residential building was hit and the state-owned railway said rail facilities had been targeted. The main railway station in Dnipro was closed and long-distance trains were diverted. According to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, six people were also killed in the town of Synelnykove - including two children - after several family homes were hit. A factory was also damaged in Pavlohrad and an infrastructure building in Kryvyi Rih, officials added. According to Lysak, the air-defence system over Dnipropetrovsk was able to shoot down nine Russian missiles, but others got through. Since Soviet times, Dnipro and other cities in the region have been home to Ukraine's defence industries. To the south, the Dnipro River forms the southern front line of the war and Russian troops had shelled the Nikopol district across the river with artillery, Lysak added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Dnipro on Friday, from where he wrote on Telegram, "We are working with our partners to provide additional air-defence systems for Ukraine." He also visited a command post near the embattled city of Chasiv Yar on the eastern front in the Donetsk region - and awarded medals to soldiers. Chasiv Yar, not far from Bakhmut, which was captured by the Russians almost a year ago after heavy fighting, is considered to be the Kremlin army's next target following a drawn-out invasion that began in February 2022. Hundreds of kilometres away in the south-west of the country, the port city of Odessa was attacked with missiles from the Black Sea, the Ukrainian Air Force said. Local military administrator Oleh Kiper said that the strike had damaged port infrastructure and injured one person. According to regional media reports, several powerful explosions rang out across the city. Later, thick smoke rose from the site of the attack. Earlier on Friday the Russian Air Force acknowledged it had lost one of its Tupolev Tu-22M supersonic heavy bombers but said the crash was due to technical reasons. In contrast, Ukraine said that it had shot the plane down. Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers shared spectacular but unverified videos on social media which allegedly showed the long-range bomber spinning in the air with its engine on fire. The commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk, announced that this was the first time such an aircraft had been successfully brought down with a missile. The claims of both sides could not be independently verified. In a dig at the West whom he accuses of being slow to deliver weapons, especially air-defence systems, Zelensky later wrote on Telegram that the skies over Ukraine could be defended just as well as the skies over Israel if foreign partners supplied more weapons. Debris covers the ground at an apartment block that was partially destroyed by the Russian missile attack on Dnipro. -/Ukrinform/dpa A general view of the destruction following a Russian missile attack. -/ukrin/dpa An attorney asked a federal appeals court on Friday to block a controversial Florida law signed last year that restricts Chinese citizens from buying real estate in much of the state, calling it discriminatory and a violation of the federal governments supremacy in deciding foreign affairs. Attorney Ashley Gorski, representing four Chinese nationals who live in the state, told a three-judge panel from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that Florida is unlawfully restricting housing for Chinese people. The law bars Chinese nationals and citizens from other countries that Florida sees as a threat from buying property near military installations and other critical infrastructure. She compared it to long-overturned laws from the early 20th century that barred Chinese from buying property. It is singling out people from particular countries in a way that is anathema to the equal protection guarantees that now exist, Gorski told the court. But Nathan Forrester, the attorney representing the state, told judges Charles Wilson, Robert Luck and Barbara Lagoa that the law lines up with the Biden administrations national security concerns, including threats posed by the Chinese government. It is not about race, Forrester said. The concern is about the Chinese government, and that is what this law is designed to do. The concern is the manipulation of the Chinese government. This case comes nearly a year after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law, which prohibits citizens of China and some other countries from purchasing property in large swaths of Florida. It applies to properties within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of military installations and other critical infrastructure. The law also applies to agricultural land. At the time, DeSantis called China the countrys greatest geopolitical threat and said the law was taking a stand against the Chinese Communist Party, a frequent target in his failed attempt to land the Republican presidential nomination. The law also affects citizens of Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Russia and North Korea. However, Chinese citizens and anybody selling property to them face the harshest penalties. Luck and Lagoa both served on the Florida Supreme Court in 2019 after being appointed by DeSantis. Later that year, Luck and Lagoa were appointed to the federal court by then-President Donald Trump. Wilson was appointed to the court in 1999 by then-President Bill Clinton. Throughout the arguments, Luck expressed skepticism of whether Gorskis clients had standing to bring the lawsuit, asking how they specifically had been harmed. Gorski replied that the law prevents Chinese citizens from getting home mortgages in Florida and that it declares some kind of economic war against China. She said it could have significant foreign policy implications. Congress vested only the president with the authority to prohibit a transaction because it is a major decision with significant foreign policy implications, she said. But Luck pushed back, saying the state used U.S. policy as its guidepost in drafting the law. Florida took it from what the federal was doing and piggybacked, he said. Forrester noted that the Biden administration didnt file a brief in support of Gorskis clients. Wilson pointed out that Florida has nearly two dozen military bases and that critical infrastructure is a broad term. He asked Forrester whether those restrictions would leave any place in Florida that someone from the barred countries could buy property. Forrester said maps were still being prepared. In the original complaint filed to the Tallahassee district court last May, the attorneys representing Yifan Shen, Zhiming Xu, Xinxi Wang and Yongxin Liu argued the law violates the U.S. Constitutions equal protection and due process clauses by casting a cloud of suspicion over anyone of Chinese descent who seeks to buy property in Florida. But U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor, a Trump appointee, refused to block the law, saying the Chinese nationals had not proved the Legislature was motivated by an unlawful animus based on race. ___ Associated Press writer Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. China-Britain Business Council Chair Sherard Cowper-Coles (3rd R) speaks at the China-Midlands Cooperation Forum in Coventry, Britain, April 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ying) COVENTRY, Britain, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Participants at a roundtable discussion in Britain have called for continued mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Britain, arguing that those who talked about "decoupling" fail to understand "the absolute importance" of a pragmatic economic relationship between the two countries. China is committed to pursuing its own path of modernization, advancing high-quality development and cultivating new quality productive forces, Chinese Ambassador to Britain Zheng Zeguang said at the China-Midlands Cooperation Forum held Thursday in Coventry, a city in central England known for its thriving motor industry. China has introduced a series of new measures to expand domestic demand and promote high-standard opening up, Zheng said. Since the beginning of this year, the Chinese economy has continued to improve, with a year-on-year growth of 5.3 percent in the first quarter, making a good start of the year. China will expand market access in multiple sectors and continue to foster a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, which will bring new opportunities for foreign investment in China, Zheng said. Some Western politicians, under the pretext of safeguarding economic security, are clamoring for "decoupling" and "de-risking" from China and any country that does so will only hurt itself and will not stop China's development, Zheng noted. China-Britain economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature, Zheng said, calling on business communities from both sides to seize opportunities and take actions. He encouraged British companies to invest and develop business in China and bring more high-quality products and services to the Chinese market. Also on Thursday, the Chinese ambassador toured the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese automaker Geely headquartered in Coventry. "The iconic London black cab maker is a fine example of collaboration between China and UK businesses," Zheng said in a message shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. For his part, China-Britain Business Council Chair Sherard Cowper-Coles strongly refuted the "decoupling" rhetoric, arguing that those who talked about "decoupling" fail to understand "the absolute importance" of a pragmatic economic relationship between Britain and China. "What matters in the relationship between our two countries is the two-way flow of ideas, of investment, of human resources, and the flow of goods as well," he said at the forum. Cowper-Coles said he will lead a senior delegation to China later this year to carry forward the dialogue and the promotion of trade between the two countries, "which in the end is about the happiness, wealth and jobs for working people across this country." Adam Taylor, founder and CEO of Petshop.co.uk, one of Britain's largest online pet shops, told Xinhua he looks forward to working with more Chinese partners and tapping into the huge potential Chinese market. Taylor, whose business involves selling various brands of pet food, toys and accessories direct to the pet owners stores, told Xinhua that he has found "a similar sort of entrepreneurial passion" while working with his Chinese partners. "It's always been very enjoyable and insightful. I think there's a great opportunity of benefits and mutual beneficial partnership," he said. Chinese Ambassador to Britain Zheng Zeguang (3rd L) addresses the China-Midlands Cooperation Forum in Coventry, Britain, April 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ying) Authorities identify woman who was found dead in trash can in Sunland The identity of a woman who was found dead in a trash can on Tuesday morning has been released. She was identified by the Los Angeles County Coroners Office as 32-year-old Heather Haas. Haas decomposing body was found inside a bag that was stuffed into a trash can with the lid sealed shut around 10:30 a.m. Neighbors had initially called police to report an odd odor, according to preliminary information. A homicide tent covers a trash can where a body was found in Sunland on April 16, 2024. (KTLA) Los Angeles Times Festival of Books returns to USC amid commencement speech controversy Video from Sky5 showed law enforcement officers investigating the black trash can, which appeared to have been placed along the curb as if it were waiting for normal trash pickup, but authorities later confirmed that the trash can did not belong to the neighborhood. It is not known how long Haas body was in the trash can before being found, and how she died remains under investigation. Man struck, killed by vehicle on 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles No suspect description has been released, and anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-275-5273. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in Wisconsin are searching for 16-year-old Colin T. Robaidek, who was last seen on Wednesday after leaving a note to family stating his intentions to leave his residence voluntarily. According to the Eau Claire Police Department, on April 17, Robaideks parents contacted police after the 16-year-old had not gone to school or returned home. Green Bay PD investigating east side shooting, 16-year-old hospitalized During the investigation, it was discovered that Robaidek left a note stating his intention to leave home voluntarily. His parents say this behavior is uncharacteristic, and they are also concerned about recent statements he made about the stress he was experiencing. Robaidek was seen on video surveillance leaving his residence in the 2200 block of Windsong Court alone on his bicycle shortly before 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Additionally, he was seen on business security cameras on American Boulevard heading east. Since then, Robaidek has not been in contact with family or friends. Authorities describe Robaidek as 61 and 190 pounds. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and sweatpants, carrying a black North Face backpack, and riding a dark gray Trek bicycle. As a part of this investigation, the Eau Claire Police Department has utilized many avenues to bring Colin home safely. These include interviews of friends and family, repeated phone pings, searches of social media accounts, reviewing business security surveillance video, drone searches with thermal imaging, and public assistance messaging. After a review of public safety cameras, Colin Robaidek was seen on April 17 using the bike trail to travel through Eau Claire. The area where he was last observed on camera was on the Chippewa River State Bike Trail along North Hastings Way near Hogarth Street. He was riding alone north toward the Village of Lake Hallie. Image of Colin Robaidek on April 17 at around 1:00 p.m. (Eau Claire Police Department) Image of Colin Robaidek on April 17, 2024. (Eau Claire Police Department) Style of backpack Colin Robaidek is carrying. (Eau Claire Police Department) Type of bicycle Colin Robaidek is on. (Eau Claire Police Department) Wings of Hope has assisted in advanced searches of Eau Claire County bike trails, wooded areas, and waters. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Eau Claire County Sheriffs Office, Altoona Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Northstar Search and Rescue, and the Eau Claire Area School District are also assisting in these efforts. Police say additional efforts will include canine tracking with assistance from Northstar Search and Rescue, aerial observation from a Wisconsin State Patrol air unit, continued drone searches, and further review of social media accounts. We are aware of numerous residents and neighborhood associations offering assistance with search efforts, said the Eau Claire Police Department. We are thankful for public support. At this time, there is no specific geographic area to focus on, so we ask all community members to be vigilant and report information. The Eau Claire Police Department continued to say that residents can help by reviewing home security videos. Additionally, residents are asked to respect others private property if they organize a search party in their neighborhoods. Never search alone; carry a phone; be cautious when conducting searches, as safety is critical. State Patrol: One dead, another airlifted following crash in Manitowoc County Anyone with information on Robaideks whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Eau Claire Police Department at (715) 839-4972. No additional details were provided. Local 5 News will continue to follow this incident as it progresses. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Saturday looks good! Well see partly sunny skies with a few more clouds in our southern counties. High temperatures will dip to around 60 degrees with a northwest breeze kicking in. Overnight lows will drop back into the mid to upper 30s, which will introduce the risk for frost in sheltered spots. Only 1 type of tick carries Lyme disease in WV; what to look out for Sunday is another nice day, albeit a bit on the cool side, with partly sunny skies and high temperatures below average, as we only climb into the mid 50s with our northwest breeze persisting. Temperatures overnight into Monday will drop into the mid 30s, so expect a frost to be possible in many areas as we head into Monday. Monday continues our sunny but cool trend. We should be in the mid 60s for high temperatures this time of year but we will struggle to reach 60 degrees despite plenty of sunshine. Temperatures will once again dip back into the mid to upper 30s overnight into Tuesday, so a few areas of frost are possible again. Tuesday sees our temperatures warm up as our next system approaches. Well make a run at 70 degrees under plenty of sunshine, with clouds increasing late. We could see a storm or two by dusk as a cold front pushes in. Wednesday brings a good risk for showers to the region with a cold front crossing. Showers at this point look most likely during the first half of the day, with high temperatures in the low 60s. What causes the morning frost on your windshield? Thursday sees a return of sunshine with high pressure in control. High temperatures will be in the low 60s. Looking ahead, its a slightly cooler and slightly less active pattern in terms of severe weather ahead. Friday provides rain shower chances with another system approaching. Well see temperatures in the mid 60s for highs. Saturday looks to provide the best chance for rain during this timeframe, with a low pressure system crossing, with highs in the mid 60s. Sunday is drier, but a few showers are still possible, with highs in the 60s. Help us with our growing community of weather photos with #weathertogether. Head to our website and search for the Weather together tab and upload your photos of weather going on around our region. We are in spring forest fire season in West Virginia this means dont burn between 7 AM and 5 PM through May 31st. Low humidity values during the daytime, along with breezier and warmer conditions will at times increase the fire threat, hence the burn ban during most of the daytime. Follow all regulations or be faced with potential consequences, such as fines! In Virginia, the spring fire season continues through April 30th dont burn before 4 PM. TONIGHT Decreasing clouds. Lows in the low 40s. SATURDAY Partly cloudy. Highs around 60. SUNDAY Partly sunny. Cool! Highs in the mid 50s. MONDAY Mostly sunny. Highs around 60. TUESDAY Increasing clouds, late day showers. Highs in the upper 60s. WEDNESDAY Showers likely, especially early. Highs in the low 60s. THURSDAY Mostly sunny. Highs in the low 60s. FRIDAY Few showers. Highs in the 60s. SATURDAY Showers likely. Highs in the 60s. SUNDAY Isolated showers. Highs in the 60s. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. AUSTIN (KXAN) A wildlife rescue in Texas treated a special type of patient for the first time last week: a baby bald eagle. Several people found and brought the eaglet to Austin Wildlife Rescue (AWR) after severe storms knocked down a tree branch containing its nest last week. Rescue staff checked the baby for injuries and provided it with fluids and nourishment. Coney Islands Luna Park extends hours for spring break After clearing the eaglet for release and being informed that its parents were still in the area, AWR partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife to renest it. Austin Wildlife Rescue (AWR) treated a special type of patient for the very first time last week: a baby bald eagle | Courtesy Jules Maron Austin Wildlife Rescue (AWR) treated a special type of patient for the very first time last week: a baby bald eagle | Courtesy Jules Maron Austin Wildlife Rescue (AWR) treated a special type of patient for the very first time last week: a baby bald eagle | Courtesy Jules Maron Austin Wildlife Rescue (AWR) treated a special type of patient for the very first time last week: a baby bald eagle | Courtesy Jules Maron Its always important to us to renest whenever feasible, since babies always do best when they can be cared for by their parents, AWR Executive Director Jules Maron said in a statement to KXAN. Bald eagles are especially important to keep with families, so we were so happy for the opportunity to renest. Using a make-shift nest fashioned from a laundry basket and nesting materials, officials lifted the eagle about 30 feet back into the tree. Maron then secured it with rope and zip ties. Its definitely a little nerve wracking trying to balance on a ladder, secure a nest, and handle an angry baby bird of prey, but we have a pretty good method to our madness, Maron said. Landowners continued to check on the eaglet after its renesting. The AWR has reported that one of the eaglets parents has been seen multiple days at the new nest caring for the baby. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. BART must fix all elevators and escalators, according to lawsuit SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) On Thursday, disability rights advocates concluded their seven-year-long class action lawsuit with the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART). The settlement agreement promises a series of improvements to its accessibility services, most of which are focused on elevator and escalator repairs and emergency preparedness, the settlement states. I am proud of what we accomplished through this settlement and happy that BART is prioritizing the needs of the disability community, said Ian Smith, a BART rider who uses a wheelchair. SFPD seizes 13 pounds of narcotics, makes 13 arrests in one-day operation The suit was filed in April 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of the group Senior and Disability Action in San Francisco and the Independent Living Resource Center of San Francisco, along with two people with mobility issues. The plaintiffs were represented by Disability Rights Advocates, or DRA, a national nonprofit legal center. Plaintiffs from DRA alleged that they and other people with mobility disabilities are denied full and equal access to the BART system and are provided a level of service vastly inferior to that which BARTs non-disabled customers enjoy, the complaint said. Elevator and escalator improvements A November 2017 study conducted by Vertical Transportation Excellence (VTX) showed that over 40 BART elevators, as well as another 40 escalators, were in need of renovation in both San Francisco and Oakland stations, impeding any BART passenger who could not take the stairs, the settlement states. The settlement requires BART to fix all of its elevators and escalators within the next 15 years and will make efforts to add more elevators once renovations are done. The settlement also expects elevators to be repaired within one hour of being out of service, except on weekends and holidays. Staffing improvements Aside from renovations, BART will be upping oversight to its elevators. In partnership with SFMTA, the two parties will hire a third-party company to provide elevator attendants to prevent elevator vandalism and soiling, the settlement states. According to the settlement, elevator attendants will be found at the Civic Center, Powell, Embarcadero, and Montgomery stations. BART plans to increase staffing in hopes of responding within 30 minutes of a soiling complaint, taking priority over all other janitorial tasks, the settlement said. Elevator attendants aside, BART plans to both increase staffing, especially graveyard shifts, as well as improve training toward emergency preparedness. Some of the improvements include: Better evacuation training Updates to the website and print materials related to emergency evacuation Increasing access to evacuation equipment Improving emergency drills and alerts and Increasing access to call boxes Providing more signage and paths for emergency travel Ensuring fair gates are accessible and in order bart-settlementDownload This settlement secures long-overdue improvements to the BART system and ensures accessible public access that will benefit all riders. Perhaps more importantly, it reaffirms the equal dignity of people with mobility disabilities, said Laura Alvarenga Scalia, Staff Attorney at Legal Aid at Work. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Minister President of Bavaria Markus Soeder is pictured in Passau. Soeder calls for a "completely different Iran policy." Peter Kneffel/dpa Bavarian Premier Markus Soder has again called for an EU-wide ban on the emission of CO2 from cars from 2035 to be withdrawn in the runup to elections to the European Parliament in June. "The ban on combustion engines for 2035 is wrong and so must be revoked," Soder told the Sunday edition of the mass-circulation Bild newspaper in remarks released ahead of publication. "Our vehicle makers are global leaders in making combustion engines. It is for that reason absurd to shut down a working technology and to leave it to other countries in the future," Soder said. He also criticized a decision to cease paying subsidies to buyers of electric vehicles. "Instead of banning and cutting expenditure, we should be permitting and promoting. The federal government should reintroduce the buyer's subsidy for electric cars," Soder said. Soder has made a policy U-turn on the issue. In 2007, he called for a ban on combustion engines from 2020, saying: "Green engines create new jobs." A recent poll has shown 61% of German opposed to the 2035 ban with just 24% in favour. EU member states and the European Parliament passed the measure banning CO2 emissions from new cars from 2035 a year ago. BBB warns of third-party travel sites that promise great deals but end up with big charges Our sister station WSB-TV looked into travel websites that promise great deals but come with lots of extra charges after you book Caphenia Smith said she got a confirmation email from third party booking site Best Ticket Fare that showed her flight times on American Airlines for her trip to Raleigh for the price she paid -- $114. I got to the counter and American Airlines had no idea who I was, Smith told WSB-TV Consumer Investigator Justin Gray. It was only in the airport when she called Best Ticket Fare for help that she was told she didnt have a confirmed seat and shed have to pay more than $200 extra for that. She was flying standby. These people have hidden fees. These people do not have any intentions of honoring your ticket. When you pay that low rate, it is the catch. Its the bait, Smith said. Read: Sheriff: Person of interest in deadly carjacking, kidnapping in custody; search underway for 2 more The Better Business Bureau gives Best Ticket Fare an F rating. BBB reviewer Todd S. wrote last month, Do not book any airline tickets with Best Ticket Fare!! This is a scam! They call you the day after you book a flight and try to tell you that your price has increased. The BBB recently issued a scam alert for third-party travel websites and extra charges. Many of the sham third-party sites call back after you book demanding more money for things like baggage or confirmed seats. Read: Man who set self on fire outside Trump trial is from St. Augustine, authorities confirm Once you make that payment, youll receive a call from the company saying theres been a sudden price increase or that you have to pay an extra charge to complete a booking and a company would never do these things, Taelore Hicks from BBB of Atlanta said. Smith ended up paying American Airlines an extra $200 for a seat on the flight that she thought shed already booked. They (Best Ticket Fare) were trying to get more money from me to get out. And I said, absolutely not. Id rather pay it to American Airlines. And thats how I was able to get back home, Smith said. The BBB said you need to do your research on any third-party website before booking and check all flight details directly with the airlines. Read: SUV crashes into 7-Eleven injuring pedestrian, employee Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Bear Cub Rescued From Pond After Being Yanked Out Of Tree For Photos At least one black bear cub was left a bit traumatized after being pulled out of a tree, along with another cub, by people seeking photos. Video shot by a witness outside an apartment complex in Asheville, North Carolina, on Tuesday showed a group of people pulling two struggling cubs out of the low branches of a tree and attempting to pose with them for photos. At one point, one of the cubs can be seeing struggling free and running away while a person chases it. Staffers from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission were called to the scene after a cub bit one of the people, the wildlife agency said in a press release Thursday. A cub was then located sitting alone, lethargic and frightened in a retention pond at the complex, NCWRC biologist and bear specialist Ashley Hobbs said in the press release. The cub was wet and shivering and was favoring one of its front paws, indicating a possible injury. The cub was obviously a bit traumatized, after the ordeal, Hobbs told the Asheville Citizen Times. The bear cub rescued from the retention pond was transported to a wildlife rehabilitation center. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission The cub was taken to the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and is now doing well, CBS News reported. The bear will stay at the rehabilitation facility until its old enough to be released back into the wild. The other cub wasnt found, but Hobbs told the Citizen Times that this isnt necessarily a bad thing, and may indicate that it found its way back to its mother. Its common for bear mothers to stow their cubs in a safe place like a tree while they forage for food, she said. The witness who shot the video told the news outlet that she did so after the group of people ignored her pleas to stop bothering the bears. Those who were taking photos with the cubs will not face charges, according to a state wildlife official. While dangerous and unfortunate, it appears to be an isolated event, an NCWRC spokesperson told The Associated Press on Friday. The spokesperson added that wildlife officers and biologists talked to the people who harassed the bears about why its important to leave cubs alone. People who try to capture or handle a cub are not only risking the cubs safety, but their own if the mother bear is nearby, as she may try to defend her cubs, Colleen Olfenbuttel, an NCWRC game mammals and surveys supervisor, said in the agencys press release. The release noted that while it may seem obvious, people should never approach bears of any age or try to take photos with them. It often does not end well for people or the bear, as we saw in this incident, Olfenbuttel said. Related... BEL AIRE, Kan. (KSNW) An affordable senior living complex opened on Friday in Bel Aire, but before doors opened, it was already full with a large waitlist. Homestead Affordable Housing has launched 14 projects like this one across the state in an effort to meet the needs of low-income seniors looking for a place to live. The one in Bel Aire has 36 units, which are already full. The non-profit now has 170 people on the waitlist, searching for an alternative. Recognizing the growing need. City puts resources into affordable housing for disabled residents Were doing everything we can to make the units more affordable rent, said Homestead Affordable Housing President Tom Bishop. Bishop said their 14 properties in Kansas provide the opportunity for low-income seniors to live comfortably. The lowest targeted rent is 30% of area median income. For one bedroom, I think thats $305 a month, said Bishop. George and Regina Wilson were the first ones to move into the property. They said their former homeowner raised the rent, and they could no longer afford the monthly payment. They said they are now thankful to have their new community in Bel Aire. It really took the stress away. When they put that key in our hand, it was really a blessing, said Regina Wilson. Monica Cissell, with the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging, said multiple factors are causing stress on seniors to afford housing. As they grow older and maybe have more medical expenses or changes, maybe a spouse dies or an injury, can really change their income and impact the amount of money they have to pay for their rent or mortgage, said Cissell. The bishop believes the lack of housing will not be correctly addressed unless more communities like these are built. City invests in new Affordable Housing Fund program Whether its here, or Haysville, or Kechi, these communities really do need affordable senior housing all around the state, said Bishop. He said they already have plans drawn up to add 36 more units to the Bel Aire property in the next year, but it will be dependent on approved state funding. Bishop said, even if it goes through, it will hardly make a dent in the number of people they have waiting. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. BAGHDAD, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A Shiite militia in Iraq on Saturday claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Eilat in Israel a few hours after unknown drones hit a military base of paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces in central Iraq. The group, known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, said in an online statement that its fighters conducted a drone attack on "a vital site in Eilat area within the occupied territories." The statement did not provide any detail regarding casualties, but stressed that the attacks were carried out "in solidarity with the people of Gaza" and underscored its commitment to continue targeting "enemy's strongholds." Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 7, 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has launched multiple attacks on Israeli and U.S. bases in the Middle East. Bernal to retire early, allowing Sanchez to take over as county attorney Bernal to retire early, allowing Sanchez to take over as county attorney EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Longtime El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal will be retiring earlier than expected and that will allow Christina Sanchez, who won the Democratic Primary and is running unopposed in November, to take office early. The El Paso County Commissioners Court approved this move on Monday, April 15. Sanchez will take over the office on June 7. Bernal has served as county attorney since 2009. Last year, Bernal announced that she would not be seeking a new term. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. A group of caribou from the Western Arctic Herd swim across the Kobuk River during fall migration in 2017. Much of the debate over the Ambler road and the associated mine development concern impacts to the herd, one of the largest in North America. (Photo by Matt Cameron/National Park Service) A group of caribou from the Western Arctic Herd swim across the Kobuk River during fall migration in 2017. Much of the debate over the Ambler road and the associated mine development concern impacts to the herd, one of the largest in North America. The Biden administration has determined that the road would cause unaccepable harm to caribou and salmon habitat, among other resources. (Photo by Matt Cameron/National Park Service) Citing what they characterized as unacceptable risks to wildlife habitat, water quality and the Native communities that depend on natural resources, the Biden administration on Friday rejected the controversial plan to put a 211-mile industrial road through largely wild areas of the Brooks Range foothills. The decision came in a supplemental environmental impact statement released by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, a branch of the Department of the Interior. The document selected the no action alternative as its policy choice for the Ambler Access Project, meaning the BLM does not intend to issue a permit allowing the road to cross through lands managed by the agency. The BLM also made final a set of new rules that codifies and strengthens environmental protections in the 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, or NPR-A, on the western North Slope. The reserve, the largest federally owned land unit in the nation, allows for multiple uses; roughly half is available for oil leasing, while other areas have been preserved for their importance to wildlife and Indigenous culture. The NPR-A has been the site of new oil discoveries, including the massive Willow deposit, which ConocoPhillips is developing into a field that is expected to produce up to 180,000 barrels a day after production starts in 2029. In a statement, President Joe Biden said both actions are part of a broader policy intended to meet the urgency of the climate crisis, protect Americas lands and waters, and fulfill our responsibility to the next generation of Americans. Alaskas majestic and rugged lands and waters are among the most remarkable and healthy landscapes in the world, sustaining a vibrant subsistence economy for Alaska Native communities, Biden said in a statement. These natural wonders demand our protection. I am proud that my Administration is taking action to conserve more than 13 million acres in the Western Arctic and to honor the culture, history, and enduring wisdom of Alaska Natives who have lived on and stewarded these lands since time immemorial. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in another statement: Todays announcements underscore our commitment to ensure that places too special to develop remain intact for the communities and species that rely on them. There is no question, using the best available science and incorporating Indigenous Knowledge practiced over millennia, that these decisions will help biological, cultural, historic and subsistence resources, safeguarding the way of life for the Indigenous people who have called this special place home since time immemorial. The BLMs decision on the Ambler Access Project reverses an action by former President Donald Trumps administration. The Trump Department of the Interior granted a right-of-way allowing the project in 2020. Litigation followed the Trump administration decision, and in response to the lawsuits the Biden administration launched its supplemental environmental impact statement process. That report, issued in draft form in October and final form on Friday, found that the Trump administration had vastly understated the roads expected impacts to wildlife habitat, permafrost, water quality and the resources that Indigenous people need. In its final supplemental impact statement, the BLM concluded that none of the development alternatives would be safe for the environment or subsistence resources. The Ambler Access Project has been deeply divisive in Alaska. It would provide the transportation access necessary to conduct commercial mining in the remote Ambler region of Arctic Northwest Alaska, where several exploratory mine sites hold copper and other valuable metals. It would cross through sensitive terrain, notably the range of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd, one of the largest caribou herds in North America. It would also cross rivers and streams important to salmon runs. The road proposal is sponsored by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, a state-owned development agency that intends to issue bonds to finance construction. The company that would be the main beneficiary is Ambler Metals LLC, a joint venture of Trilogy Metals Inc. of Canada and South32 of Australia. Most political leaders, along with business organizations and some Alaska Native groups are enthusiastic supporters, citing potential economic benefits of the mining activity it would enable. Environmentalists, hunting groups and several Alaska Native tribal governments and organizations oppose it, citing threatened degradation of the environment and the lifestyles of people dependent on it. Some critics also question the economic soundness of a state-financed road to benefit private corporate interests. Reactions from both sides On Friday, road supporters blasted the decision while opponents celebrated. In a statement, Ambler Metals vowed to continue to fight for the road. The administration had made a politically motivated decision, said the statement. In doing so, the Department of the Interior is depriving Alaska Native communities of thousands of good-paying jobs and millions of dollars of badly needed tax revenues and economic investment, as well as preventing the United States from developing a domestic supply of minerals that are critical for clean energy technology and national security, Kaleb Froehlich, Ambler Metals managing director, said in the statement. The decision overlooks Alaskas proven track record of safe and responsible production of minerals and it violates the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, added. We remain committed to this important project and will continue to push forward using all possible avenues, he said in the statement. Criticism also came from various industry groups. By denying access and the necessary right-of-way across federal lands, the BLMs action essentially abandons these critical minerals, undermining not just regional economic growth but also national interests, Deantha Skibinski, executive director of the Alaska Miners Association, said in a statement issued jointly by business organizations. This decision exposes a glaring hypocrisy: the Biden administration has repeatedly acknowledged the need for minerals and has touted sourcing them domestically. Unfortunately, it appears the Administration is content to rely on cobalt sourced through child and slave labor in Africa and China rather than supporting ethical, sustainable mineral production in Alaska. Alaskas congressional delegation, including its lone Democratic member, criticized both Alaska policies announced on Friday. Closing off NPR-A is a huge step back for Alaska, failing to strike a balance between the need for gap oil and natural gas and legitimate environmental concerns, and steamrolling the voices of many Alaska Natives in the decision-making process, Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, said in a joint statement issued by the three-member delegation. The Ambler Road decision is premature, as real conversations among stakeholders in the region are ongoing. Alaska has a wealth of natural resources that can be responsibly developed to help boost domestic manufacturing and innovation in the end, it should be up to Alaskans to decide what they want developed in their regions. Both of Alaskas U.S. senators on Thursday characterized the administrations then-pending decisions as illegal. But road opponents said the decision was correct. Among those hailing the news were the Tanana Chiefs Conference, a consortium of Interior Alaska tribes and a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration approval. This is a historic win for the Alaska Native community. It reaffirms that our voices matter, that our knowledge is invaluable, and that our lands and animals deserve protection, Brian Ridley, chief of the Tanana Chiefs Conference, said in a statement. The Biden Administrations choice to reject the Ambler Road Project is a monumental step forward in the fight for Indigenous rights and environmental justice. Frank Thompson, first chief of the Evansville Village Tribal government also a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the road approval had a similar message. Today is a happy day. Today is a day that our future looks bright without the threat of 168 trucks driving by per day, without the increased pressures on our subsistence resources and imminent adverse risks to our traditional way of life and sacred Cultural Resources, Thompson said in a statement. The Brooks Range Council, a group formed in 2012 to fight the project, celebrated as well. Frankly, I am elated that the robust environmental safeguards Alaska is known for worked to stop this disaster before it could start, said John Gaedeke, the groups chairman and a second-generation guide in the region. The Biden Administration assembled a team of agencies that saw what all of us in the region identified as a cultural, environmental and financial Chernobyl of a proposal. The post Biden administration rejection of Ambler road project both panned and celebrated in Alaska appeared first on Alaska Beacon. US President Joe Biden has said that the adoption of assistance to foreign countries by the House of Representatives sends a "clear message" to the whole world about America's leadership. Source: Voice of America Quote from Biden: "Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage." Details: Biden stressed that lawmakers showed unity, defending the interests of the United States in the world. "At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer historys call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure," Biden said in a statement. The US president called on the Senate to quickly vote on the bill and "to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law, and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs." Part of the legislation adopted by the House of Representatives includes an aid package for Ukraine worth more than US$60 billion, with the total package amounting to about US$95 billion for assistance to Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel and humanitarian aid to residents of the Gaza Strip. Of the total US$60.8 billion for Ukraine's security, about US$23 billion will be used to replenish US weapons, stockpiles and facilities, and more than $11 billion will be used to finance the ongoing US military operations. Support UP or become our patron! President Biden celebrated the historic vote Friday for workers at a Tennessee Volkswagen plant to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. Congratulations to the workers at Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on their historic vote for union representation with the United Auto Workers, Biden said Friday in a statement. The accolades come after factory workers at the Chattanooga, Tenn., Volkswagen plant voted Friday evening to join the UAW, in a decision that could signal even further momentum in organized labor following a year of high-profile strikes and major contractual wins for workers. I was proud to stand alongside auto workers in their successful fight for record contracts, and I am proud to stand with auto workers now as they successfully organize at Volkswagen, the White House statement said. Biden became the first sitting president in U.S. history to join the picket line on behalf of UAW workers during a UAW strike last year involving the Big Three Detroit automakers Ford, General Motors (GM) and Jeep-maker Stellantis. Biden, who received the UAWs endorsement for his reelection bid in January, has also billed himself as the most pro-union president in American history. The votes results were announced just two days after governors for six Southern states, including Tennessee, came out against the union vote in a letter. The push posed a threat to jobs and values, the governors of Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama argued. 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, the group wrote. Biden slammed the letter in his statement Friday, calling it an attempt to influence workers votes by falsely claiming that a successful vote would jeopardize jobs in their states. Let me be clear to the Republican governors that tried to undermine this vote, the president added. There is nothing to fear from American workers using their voice and their legal right to form a union if they so choose. The Friday vote made workers at the Volkswagen Chattanooga plant the first Southern autoworkers outside of the Big Three to win their union, the UAW cheered in a press release announcing the vote. The UAW also took to social media platform X to celebrate the votes success, writing in a post that, Volkswagen workers just made history! #StandUpUAW. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. President Joe Biden will deliver an abortion-focused speech in Florida next week, capitalizing on a looming abortion ban there to make a broader case for reproductive rights. At a campaign event in Tampa on Tuesday, Biden is expected to tie the 2024 election to access to reproductive rights across the country, a campaign aide confirmed to POLITICO. NBC News first reported Bidens planned speech. The Biden campaign has hammered former President Donald Trump over abortion in recent weeks, after Trump announced this month that he would defer to state-level abortion laws. In quick succession, a number of state-level cases put Trump and the GOP on the defensive on the issue. In Arizona, the state Supreme Court reinstated an 1864-era abortion ban, while in Florida, a six-week ban, approved by the state Legislature, will soon go into effect. Bidens addressing of abortion head-on is also significant, as the devout Catholic has often displayed discomfort with the issue. Instead, hes regularly leaned on other messengers, including Vice President Kamala Harris and women who have been directly affected, to argue for abortion rights. His campaign has released several testimonial-style ads that feature women sharing personal stories about abortion. Since the overturning of Roe, whenever reproductive rights have been on the ballot, they have won, and this November will be no different, Morgan Mohr, the Biden campaigns senior adviser for reproductive rights, said in a statement. While Donald Trump continues to brag about unleashing these extreme and dangerous bans, President Joe Biden is running to restore reproductive freedom. Floridas conservative-leaning Supreme Court this month upheld the states six-week ban, which is set to go into effect on May 1. The law will effectively end access to abortion in the Southeast. Thousands of patients from across the South travel to Florida from neighboring states with stricter abortion laws to receive the procedure, though that practice will end with the implementation of the law. Florida voters will also have a chance to protect abortion this November if 60 percent of them support an abortion initiative that will appear on the ballot. The initiative will allow abortions up to the time of viability, which is generally considered around 24 weeks. President Joe Biden will deliver a speech in Florida on Tuesday denouncing the states new six-week abortion ban and other efforts to restrict abortion access across the country, according to Biden campaign aides who shared details of the trip first with NBC News. At the event, which is scheduled to take place in Tampa about one week before the state law is set to go into effect, the president will talk about the stakes of this election for reproductive freedom across the entire country. Biden will also tie Floridas restrictions on the procedure to other consequences of Roe v. Wade being overturned in 2022, including the Arizona state Supreme Court decision last week that upheld a near-total abortion ban dating from 1864, according to the aides. From Arizona to Florida, more and more Americans are seeing up close the devastating impact of Trump overturning Roe v. Wade, Morgan Mohr, senior adviser for reproductive rights for the Biden-Harris campaign, said in a statement. While Donald Trump continues to brag about unleashing these extreme and dangerous bans, President Joe Biden is running to restore reproductive freedom. Since the overturning of Roe, whenever reproductive rights have been on the ballot, they have won, and this November will be no different. The event is significant for Biden: While voicing full support for abortion access, he has often looked to Vice President Kamala Harris to be the administrations most prominent voice on the issue. Since the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision overturned the federal right to abortion in June 2022, Harris has held more than 80 events across 20 states focused on reproductive freedom, including delivering a speech last week in Arizona criticizing the ban in that state and tying in former President Donald Trumps role in allowing abortion restrictions to take place. On Tuesday, though, Biden will take center stage on the issue. The president is expected to attack Trump for saying he is proud of appointing the Supreme Court justices who made overturning Roe v. Wade possible, as well as for other comments related to recently enacted state abortion bans. Biden is also expected to say that if re-elected, Trump and his allies will enact a federal abortion ban, though Trump has recently claimed that he would not do so, saying instead that he wanted the issue left to the states. Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris campaign has been hammering Republicans as more and more states restrict abortion. The campaign has rolled out emotional ads focused on the issue and has used women affected by the abortion restrictions as campaign surrogates across the country. Bidens trip to Tampa is part of the campaigns broader effort to nationalize the fallout and the conversation around state abortion bans. The campaign sees Floridas abortion ban as especially salient because, once in effect, the six-week ban will affect the entire Southeast, given that many women in states with stricter abortion bans have traveled to Florida to get abortions. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com 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. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) The Biden administration is redefining sex discrimination to offer new protections to LGBTQ students and staff at school. Catherine Lhamon the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education calls the Title IX updates which also expand avenues to report sexual misconduct at schools, the most comprehensive since 1975. For the first time all schools and educational programs that receive federal funding will face consequences if they fail to promptly respond to discrimination complaints based on gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. The Department of Education received more than 240,000 public comments before releasing the rule Friday. School communities, parents, students, educators, districts, universities asked for change to make it more malleable, more flexible, more responsive, more protective, and we think we meet the moment, said Lhamon. The new rules go into effect August 1st and extend to afterschool programs and all areas within the schools control, including locker rooms and bathrooms. The rule published Friday reads, with some limited exceptions, schools must not separate or treat students differently based on sex in a manner that subjects them to more than de minimis harm and that preventing a student from participating in school consistent with their gender identity causes such harm. If a student experiences a hostile environment at school based on sex, then the law protects against that hostile environment, said Lhamon. Conservatives including Missouri Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), took to Twitter to call the rules insane and extreme. The rules make no mention about how schools should handle sports. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) says schools need to be able to ban trans gender women and girls from playing in womens and girls sports. Im hoping that they follow the scienceuntil they have rule, the rule that they put forward will stand, and there will be confusion and misinterpretation, Miller-Meeks said. The Department of Education says it is working on a separate plan to tackle what it calls the complex issue of sports. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. Standing outside Joe Bidens church in this seaside town, the Rev. William Cocco mulls a question the president has grappled with over his long political career: How does a practicing Catholic defy church teaching and come out in favor of abortion rights, as Biden has done? I think its very difficult to reconcile that, Cocco said in an interview this month after he presided over a service at St. Edmond Roman Catholic Church. Life is a gift from God. Biden would have been at Mass that day, lining up for communion with the other parishioners, but he hurried back from his vacation home for meetings about Iranian plans to attack Israel. An irony of Bidens final campaign is that one of the most vexing issues he has ever confronted personally abortion is now central to his political survival. Bidens campaign and his entire party have made abortion a defining issue in his re-election bid, hoping to rally female voters alarmed by Republican efforts to roll back reproductive freedoms. The young Catholic politician who once said the Supreme Courts Roe v. Wade ruling that safeguarded abortion rights went too far and who to this day remains uneasy with the procedure is casting himself as the only thing standing between women and strict national abortion bans. He vows to chisel Roes protections into law if hes re-elected and secures friendly majorities in Congress, quashing a GOP-led push to forbid most abortion procedures. On Tuesday, Biden is scheduled to give a speech in Tampa, Florida condemning the state's new six-week abortion ban. Jennifer Klein, director of the White Houses Gender Policy Council, recalls Bidens reaction upon hearing that the Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Thinking through the decision in the Oval Office, he was angry, Klein said in an interview. He went quickly to the fact that this had never been done before and the Supreme Court had never overturned a fundamental freedom. He also went immediately to what might come next: If they take away this right, what other rights would be under attack? Biden may have little choice but to put abortion rights front and center. He is running about even with Donald Trump in the polls, despite Trumps myriad legal troubles. Voters largely dont know about Bidens legislative victories, nor do they credit him with strong economic growth, opinion surveys show. Biden needs something to jolt the electorate and galvanize voters who may feel his candidacy is uninspiring. Many allies see abortion as the answer. Polls suggest that voters already trust him on the issue. Asked which of the two candidates is closer to their views on abortion and same-sex marriage, 48% of registered voters in Pennsylvania a key swing state chose Biden, compared with only 35% who picked Trump, a Franklin & Marshall College poll this month found. Hoping to ensure women retain access to abortion and, as a bonus, juice voter turnout in November, Democrats have been filing ballot measures that would enshrine abortion rights in Arizona and other battleground states. And Bidens campaign has gone all in, churning out ads, news releases and social media posts casting him as a stalwart defender of the abortion-rights movement. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat who has pushed reproductive rights as a top issue in his state and founded a nonprofit group that is supporting abortion referendum efforts in multiple states, predicted abortion could absolutely decide Novembers election. Theres a strong portion of the Biden coalition that is motivated on the issue and a strong group of people who might otherwise have stayed home but for the fact that the Dobbs decision [overturning Roe] came down and now this is a major threat to people all over the country, Pritzker said in an interview. Bidens 50-year evolution from Roe skeptic to Roe adherent mirrors that of many Americans and the Democratic Party itself. The partys presidential platform in 1972 the year Biden was first elected to the Senate carried not a single mention of abortion. By 2016, the year Hillary Clinton was the partys nominee, the platform was chockablock with vows to defend abortion rights to the hilt. Joe Biden at his desk (Guy DeLort / WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images) The issue has been particularly fraught for Biden, an 81-year-old steeped in Catholic teachings and reliant on religious faith to cope with unthinkable tragedy: the deaths of two children and his first wife, Neilia. One of the things that carried him through his numerous difficulties is his Catholic approach of giving yourself to the Lord, said Ted Kaufman, a longtime Biden confidant and his former Senate chief of staff. On a human level, Biden has never fully overcome his misgivings about abortion. Thats evident even in the language he occasionally uses. Two years ago, talking to reporters before he boarded Air Force One, Biden referred to the procedure as aborting a child rather than a fetus, a clue about the point at which he believed life began. Still, his stance is that he wont impose his personal views on Americans who believe differently. In 1974, the year he said in an interview that Roe. v. Wade went too far, he also voiced opposition to a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, albeit with some ambivalence, a hometown news report at the time shows. A column in the Morning News of Wilmington in January 1974 said Biden told a group of anti-abortion activists: "I am not sure my stand against such a constitutional amendment is right, nor am I sure the anti-abortionist stand is right, but right now I think I am more right than you are." Lauren Hitt, a campaign spokesperson, said in a prepared statement: Joe Biden has opposed abortion bans since the 1970s. As a senator, he voted repeatedly to protect Roe, and as President, he has used his full executive authority to fight back on extreme MAGA attacks on reproductive freedom. Biden described the tensions between faith and policy last year at a Maryland fundraising event. I happen to be a practicing Catholic, he said. Im not big on abortion. But guess what? Roe v. Wade got it right. A look at his record shows that his path has had its share of starts and stops. As a senator in 1982, he voted in a committee meeting in favor of a constitutional amendment that would have given states the power to restrict abortion if they chose, effectively overturning Roe v. Wade. At the time, Biden said his aim was to push the vote to the Senate floor, where it would finally be resolved. The measure never got that far, and when it came up again the next year, he voted against it. In 2019, as the Democratic front-runner for the presidential nomination, he reversed his long-held position in favor of the so-called Hyde Amendment banning federal funding for abortions. That about-face came at head-spinning speed. One day, his campaign said he supported the Hyde Amendment; the next day, amid blowback from fellow Democrats, he dropped that position. He justified the switch by saying he could no longer support the policy because Republicans were restricting access to abortion in poor neighborhoods. Joe Biden is an Irish Catholic kid from Scranton, said John Carr, founder of the Initiative on Catholic Life and Social Thought at Georgetown University. He seems to stay with Catholic orthodoxy until he thinks the political or other costs are too high. Biden recognized early on that his nuanced position wary of abortion at his core, accepting of abortion rights in the public square was bound to cause him grief. He told fellow Sen. Abe Ribicoff of Connecticut in 1973 that his stance would most likely please no one, according to his 2007 memoir, Promises to Keep. That proved prescient. In Bidens first year as president, conservative Catholic bishops argued that he shouldnt receive communion given his backing of abortion rights. He met privately with Pope Francis at the Vatican in October of that year, and afterward he said the pope had assured him that communion shouldnt be withheld. Kathleen Sebelius, who was health and human services secretary in President Barack Obamas administration, said in an interview that she sympathized with Bidens predicament. Im born and raised Catholic and went to Catholic schools for 17 years of my life, said Sebelius, a former governor of Kansas. I understand this issue. Ive been called out by the archbishop. I was ordered not to take communion. Ive been on the personal side of this and the political side of this, and I understand the struggle that those of us who are raised in a faith community and then live in a political world deal with, she added. Its not easy. I think Nancy Pelosi [the former House speaker, who is also Catholic] understands that. I think Joe Biden understands it. Its not a simple choice. Whatever Bidens journey, most advocates say they now have full confidence that he is a reliable champion of abortion rights. When Biden left the Senate in 2009, he had a 100% rating from what was then called NARAL Pro-Choice America, a group promoting abortion access. Biden is not the same man as he used to be when it comes to abortion rights, said Ilyse Hogue, former president of the organization. I dont think hes been hiding his agenda just to win a second term and then secretly plans to turn around and become this anti-choice guy. Im not worried about it at all. Some still dont believe Biden goes far enough to promote reproductive rights. Renee Bracey Sherman, founder and a co-executive director of We Testify, an abortion rights advocacy group, said Biden should use his megaphone to remove the stigma tied to abortion instead of airing his personal doubts. She pointed to recent surveys indicating that 6 in 10 Catholics support abortion rights. Hes the president of the United States; hes not the pope of the United States, Bracey Sherman said. Im sorry, hes allowed to have his personal feelings. But at the end of the day, he is the president, and he is supposed to defend the Constitution and people in this country who need abortions. Bracey Sherman said her organization reached out to the Biden administration multiple times offering to bring Catholics who have had abortions into the White House to share their stories but has yet to hear back. He makes it seem as though hes the one whos following the Catholic teachings, she said. But what about the rest of the Catholics in America who do support access to abortion and have abortions? Elections are a choice. Even Biden detractors say theyre fully aware that the only realistic alternative at this point is Trump, whom they view as an extremist on the issue. Abortion looks to be one of Trumps glaring vulnerabilities. He has boasted about his role in overturning Roe v. Wade through his appointment of three conservative Supreme Court justices during his single term. There is a fundamental question and a fundamental difference between the president and Donald Trump and their belief on whether the Constitution affords women a right to choose. Donald Trump does not; Joe Biden does, said Kate Berner, a former Biden White House official. Trump recently said abortion decisions should be left to the states after he was criticized that he has been murky about what he believes. Even so, he sought to dissociate himself from a recent state court ruling in Arizona upholding a 19th century law imposing a near-total abortion ban. Disavowing Arizonas strict anti-abortion measure isnt so easy for Trump. The reason it can take effect springs directly from the votes of conservative Supreme Court justices whom Trump worked to install. The fact is that he announced he was going to stack the court with justices who could be counted on to overrule Roe v. Wade, said Laurence Tribe, a Harvard Law School professor emeritus. He succeeded in that. They did it. That led to the revival of laws like Arizonas, even if Trump says: Oops, Im sorry thats the consequence. It doesnt make me look good politically. Biden was at the White House last Sunday, dealing with the fallout from Irans attack on Israel. When hes in Washington on the weekends, hell often attend services at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown, the church frequented by the nations first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy. A Black Lives Matter banner hangs from a fence outside. Biden wasnt in the pews that day; he was attending a virtual meeting with U.S. allies about the Iranian attack. The Rev. Patrick Earl led the Mass and greeted congregants at the doorway afterward. He said in an interview that Biden is a good presence during services, recalling how he once left his seat to congratulate a boys family celebrating his First Communion. Earl said he understood Bidens position, even if it conflicts with church teaching. As the political leader of a very varied country, you cant just say, Youve got to believe as I believe,'" he said. "You just cant." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) A bill in the statehouse to ban Illinoisans from owning more types of wild animals passed one chamber of the Illinois General Assembly Thursday. The bill, filed in January by Rep. Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove), would make it illegal to own servals, kangaroos, wallabies, and caracals, as well as all hybrid animals with those species. Current owners of savannah cats, a cross-breed of a serval with a domesticated cat, in the state would be grandfathered into the new law. Didech said the bill is important after servals were accidentally set loose last year in Vernon Hills and Decatur. People who encountered the animals described them as aggressive, and law enforcement and animal control officials requested the change, the Democratic lawmaker said. I am pleased that we are one step closer to keeping these wild, dangerous animals out of residential neighborhoods in Illinois, Didech said in a statement to WCIA. HB 4446 has been a collaboration between law enforcement, animal control professionals, and Illinois veterinarians. I am grateful for my colleagues in the House who voted yes to pass this important bill. Central IL animal experts say why you should think twice about housing wildlife Amendments to the bill allows federally licensed facilities (like exhibitors, research facilities and animal transporters) and veterinary hospitals to keep dangerous animals. Any film or TV production can also use dangerous animals legally if they employ a handler or similar company. Republicans did not support the bill and criticized it as unnecessary compared to other bills the General Assembly were considering. Bans on kangaroos and exotic cats made the cut while Republican bills to reduce taxes, hold criminals accountable and strengthen families were blocked by Democrats, Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savana), the House Minority Leader, said in a statement earlier this month. The priorities of this chamber are upside down. The bill passed with a 67-34-3 vote. It now heads to the Senate. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Aerial photos taken on May 18, 2022 shows paddy fields in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Spring farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei) HARBIN, April 20 (Xinhua) -- An agricultural service station in Youyi County in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, displaying an array of agricultural drone models, has emerged as a popular hangout spot for local farmers. Serving as a service center for Chinese drone maker DJI, the agricultural station features the latest addition to its lineup -- the T60 model -- known for its heavy load capacity and one-click take-off feature. "Many interested buyers came to see the T60 drone priced at about 55,000 yuan (about 7,604 U.S. dollars) since its market launch in October last year," said Lu Jian'an, head of the store. The store offers maintenance and software upgrades for purchased drone products, Lu added, as he flew a T60 drone to help a buyer test its performance capabilities. It also buys back outdated models from farmers. "We added fertilizer into the drone's sprinkler to test its spraying functionality, which completed the task in less than 30 seconds," Lu explained to the buyer. According to Lu, the store has sold more than 80 units of the new model. Zhu Jiayu, a local farmer, said that he visited the store for software upgrading of his T50 drone to prepare for rice planting work in early May. "Thanks to this drone, I don't need to hire helpers for spraying fertilizers and pesticides in fields," he said, adding that he can also earn extra income by offering his services to assist other farmers with spraying tasks using the drone. Heilongjiang's grain output amounted to 77.88 billion kg in 2023, sustaining first rank in China for 14 consecutive years. Agricultural experts believe that the per-unit yields of grain crops in the province still have room for improvement. Meanwhile, low-altitude aircraft manufacturers are eyeing the market to help boost grain production efficiency. Harbin United Aircraft Technology Co., Ltd., based in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang, in early April kicked off construction of its industrial base for producing large unmanned helicopters. "Our parent company, Shenzhen United Aircraft Technology Co., Ltd., selected the site for the base in January," said Sun Liye, general manager of the company, expressing his gratitude to the local government for its support. The company's TD550 model unmanned helicopter, with a flight range of eight hours and a load capacity of more than 200 kg, can be used to assist fire fighting, forest and grass inspection, agriculture and forestry plant protection, transportation and delivery. Upon its completion in 2027, the 2.5 billion yuan project will establish research, modification and manufacturing facilities dedicated to unmanned helicopters, with an annual output value expected to reach 1 billion yuan, according to Sun. Han Jun, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, said in February that the low-altitude economy is an emerging industry in China with wide applications in the industrial, agricultural and service sectors. As China's important grain barn and forest base, Heilongjiang not only serves as a significant market for the low-altitude economy but has also set its sights on fostering the development of low-altitude aircraft industries. 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, North Carolina and South Dakota. | Charlie Litchfield Although avian influenza doesnt spread easily to humans, health experts worldwide are worried that the pathogen is mutating in ways that could make human spread more likely. Thats worrisome in part because H5N1 infection, the designation for bird flu, can be deadly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the risk to humans is currently low. But health officials want to make certain it stays that way. So far, just two cases of bird flu in people have been detected in the U.S.: one mild case in Texas this year marked by red, miserably itchy eyes and another in Colorado in 2022. But there are outbreaks in wild birds, poultry flocks and now cattle in at least eight states. Recently, health officials told people not to drink raw milk, after a French news agency reported the pathogen was found in some. The World Health Organization said that since 2003, 889 human cases have been detected worldwide, and 463 of them were fatal. According to CNN, This flu strain was first detected in birds in 1996 and has primarily been a threat to farmed and wild fowl, but in the past two years, an increasing number of mammals have tested positive with the virus, indicating that the virus is looking for new hosts and moving closer to people. During a 2020 outbreak in poultry, tens of millions of birds were killed, per The Guardian. The virus was detected in both dairy cows and goats this year. Before that, officials noted an outbreak among mink in Spain. As Deseret News reported, a year ago officials were considering vaccinating chickens and turkeys against avian influenza. The big worry is that as the infection moves through ducks and chickens but now increasingly mammals that that virus now evolves and develops the ability to infect humans. And then critically, the ability to go from human-to-human transmission, Dr. Jeremy Farrar, chief scientist at WHO, said in a media briefing Thursday when he was asked about avian flu. The CDC said bird flu doesnt easily spread to humans, but those who come in close contact with infected animals can get it. Whats reassuring amid the worry is that while the pathogen is very active right now, it doesnt seem to be changing fast in ways that promote spread to humans. But public health officials see the possibility that could change. The public health agency also noted that samples of the virus taken in the recent human case found it is susceptible to flu antiviral drugs. CDC has already made a candidate vaccine virus that could be used to make a vaccine if needed. How does bird flu spread among cattle? It is still unclear how the cows were infected whether by contact with birds, or via feed made from litter waste but litter has been associated with previous outbreaks of disease, including botulism, the Los Angeles Times reported. The article added, Poultry litter causing the bovine cases of avian flu is considered very unlikely, though not impossible, quoting Veronika Pfaeffle in a joint statement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. PBS reported that agriculture officials in at least 17 states have restricted dairy cattle importation from states where the virus has been detected. Officials believe cows likely have been infected by exposure to wild birds, the article said, but cow-to-cow spread cannot be ruled out. The article noted that cows showing signs of infection, such as reduced milk production and lethargy, are being tested for avian flu and are separated from other animals. The animals appear to recover within two weeks, PBS reported. Food supply worries? In an advisory in late March, the USDA, CDC and FDA jointly said that contamination of the pasteurized milk supply is not a concern, as dairies are required to send only milk from healthy animals into processing for human consumption; milk from impacted animals is being diverted or destroyed so that it does not enter the human food supply. The notice added that pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses like influenza in milk. Any milk in interstate commerce for human consumption must be pasteurized. FDAs longstanding position is that unpasteurized, raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to consumers, and FDA is reminding consumers of the risks associated with raw milk consumption, the agencies wrote. Bird flu is far from the only concern. Bird flu in humans has only been found with close contact to infected animals. Symptoms range from mild eye redness or mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms to severe, such as pneumonia, per CDC. People with bird flu can have symptoms similar to other respiratory illnesses, including cough, fever, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue and trouble breathing. Diarrhea, nausea or seizures are much less common. Only lab testing can confirm bird flu in humans. New Birth of Freedom Council votes to end summer camp program at Hidden Valley Scout Reservation LOYSVILLE, Pa. (WHTM) The New Birth of Freedom Council says theyve voted to discontinue summer camp programming at Hidden Valley Scout Reservation starting in 2025. New Birth of Freedom Council says on April 16 their Executive Board voted to discontinue the program and designated Camp Tuckahoe as their new summer resident camp location due to costs and split attendance between the two camps among council members. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Severe Weather Alerts Hidden Valley will continue to operate year-round for campsite and cabin use, training courses, and other special events. Based on more than 830 acres near Loysville in Perry County, the camp hosted five weeks of summer camp and has been operating since 1927. This decision was difficult and heartbreaking, knowing how strongly many of our leaders and Scouts feel about our camps, said Council President Jan Wagner. Many of our board members feel the same way. Unfortunately, the simple reality is there are not enough Scouts in our council today to support the operation of two summer camp facilities. We cannot simply wish away the growing financial losses we are experiencing. These losses are unsustainable. Despite our best hopes, summer camp attendance has continued to decline, and the Board needed to act to stabilize the situation. Changes coming to Real ID in Pennsylvania The Council says theyre seeing fewer youth members with 5,455 on their roster at the end of 2023. In addition, the council says their combined operating deficit over the past two years was $455,664, with our camping operations accounting for $337,405 of that shortfall. Last year, more than 89% of the councils operating deficit (more than $153,000) at attributed to camping operations. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania The Council released a presentation highlighting issues theyre facing and says they will hold a webinar to answer questions. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Bishop Fisher: I do need to be out there more BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Bishop Michael Fisher has heard the criticism. But the Diocese of Buffalo is in bankruptcy and faces payouts of at least $100 million, which was the suggested contribution to almost 900 survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, employees, volunteers, Boy Scout leaders, and others. Churches are closing or being merged. Catholic schools are running out of money. Fewer Catholics are turning to priesthood. As a result, there are fewer than 110 priests for the 160 parishes. That has made it more difficult for parishioners to form spiritual bonds with clergy when they dont even know who will give mass any given week. Younger people are not going to church, and fewer children attend Catholic schools. And some parishes are seeing fewer Catholics in the pews. As a result, Sunday donations have dropped by 22% over the years. These challenges are on Fishers plate. But now, hes feeling the wrath of some Catholics, who believe Fisher has alienated the flock by focusing too much on finances and bankruptcy, and less on the spiritual health of Catholics in the pews during the worst crisis the Diocese has faced. These Catholics are also not pleased that the Diocese has spent $15 million in legal fees since 2018 to defend itself in legal matters. The critics have formally requested a review of Fishers tenure by the Vatican and asked for his removal. What choice do we have? Fisher said in a rare television interview with News 4 Investigates. We had to defend ourself in terms of the Attorney Generals suit and now we have the Chapter 11, which I want to get out of, but its going to take a lot of resources to do that. Bishop Michael Fisher Fisher was appointed Bishop on Dec. 1, 2020, by Pope Francis. Fisher said he had never been to Buffalo and was not up to speed on any of the monumental challenges it faces. He only had an inkling, of what he was about to step into, he said. In fact, his first day, he was told he would be named a defendant in a lawsuit by the Attorney General. And oh, by the way, we have Chapter 11, Fisher said. When I said yes to the Holy Father as I said, I didnt ask any questions, what was going on here? Youre kind of focused on where youre at. It was disheartening: Bishop Michael Fisher responds to call for his ousting Despite this, Fisher said he would have still taken the job. The criticism and calls for his removal have led him to reflect more on his time here in Buffalo. Im a priest, he said. Being with people is what I enjoy, what I love. And do I do it perfectly? No. And I know I need to get better at getting out there. I never feel that I give enough time but I mean, like I said, Im pretty stretched. Im only one bishop. Fisher told News 4 Investigates that he is open to a form review of his tenure. He does not have anything to hide, he said. Fisher said he accepts blame for not communicating more about the Dioceses mission to the masses. And he said he is working through what he described as being a pretty shy person. Its hard for me to do these kind of interviews, Fisher said. I just want to speak from my heart, and answer as truthfully as I can. Im not an extrovert whos out there wanting to be in the spotlight, but I do know that as a shepherd of this community, I do need to be out there more and look for those opportunities that Im able to share what were doing when I can. But the challenges facing the Diocese really concern him. Attracting more younger people to the church is on his mind. However, he said he has a lot of nieces and nephews that show him there is a spiritual hunger in this generation. He wants younger generations to see the church as a beacon of hope and safe place for them to build a relationship with the gospel. I know that the young people are searching and hungering for that and we need to make sure that they know that this is a place that they can find that, Fisher said. We have to relate to them. Its about developing healthy relationships and communication with our young people The sacrifices and pain are not over, Fisher said. He doesnt have any playbook to guide him through these new challenges. But the Diocese is developing a long-term plan for a path to renewal, but is still dealing with the short-term plan to get out of this crisis. When youre looking at the vitality of a parish, youre looking at the pastoral and the spiritual care which is always preeminent in my mind and in my thoughts, Fisher said. Dan Telvock is an award-winning investigative producer and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2018. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. Luke Moretti is an award-winning investigative reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2002. See more of his work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a story about a Black cemetery in Buckhead, a prosperous Atlanta community in 2023. The cemetery broke ground almost two centuries ago, in 1826, as the graveyard of Piney Grove Baptist Church. The church has been gone for decades; the cemetery now sits on the property of a townhouse development. It is overgrown, with most of its 300-plus graves unmarked. The article describes how some of the burieds descendants and family members are trying to get the property owner to clean up and take care of the cemetery. Audrey Collins is one of those descendants. Her grandmother, Lenora Powell Thomas, is buried there, and a photograph of her grandmothers headstone accompanied the article. The headstone is not one of those polished markers that you are probably used to seeing. It is small, perhaps 18 inches tall. It has a rough, poured concrete base with a plaster inset, which includes the name of the funeral home, the name of Collins grandmother and the date of her death. Her name reads, Mrs. Lenora Thomas. Those first three letters Mrs. might be the most important on the headstone. The courtesy titles Mr., Mrs. and Miss rarely appear on headstones; usually it is just the first and last name. But here, they serve an important function, reminding viewers of how Black Americans came up with creative ways to retain their dignity and weather the dehumanizing effects of racism. Unworthy of honorifics In September 1951, the Savannah Tribune, a Black newspaper, complained about a couple of items that had recently appeared in the white press. One was a report of a white woman who was convicted of operating and maintaining a lewd house. The newspapers put Mrs. before her name. The second item was an announcement of the principals in the citys colored schools. The names of the female principals were given without the courtesy titles of Miss or Mrs. The difference was literally Black and white. When you hear about life in the Jim Crow South, you might think of segregated schools, city buses and lunch counters. But subtler slights were part of everyday life. White Southerners refused to refer to African Americans with the courtesy titles Mr., Mrs. or Miss, depriving them of their dignity. In the late 1970s, Benjamin Mays, president of Atlantas Morehouse College, recounted how Mr. and Mrs. and Miss were signs of social equality. They didnt call you that. This denial of Black dignity was pervasive. A 1935 study of 28 Southern white newspapers found none that used courtesy titles for Black Americans. In a 1964 article, the Atlanta Daily World noted that in the telephone book Miss or Mrs. appeared before the names of white women; for Black women, it was just Susie Smith or Jenny Davis. Civil rights activist Mary Hamilton was arrested in Jackson, Miss., in 1961 while participating in the Freedom Rides. Two years later, she would be arrested again and held in contempt of court for refusing to respond to a lawyer who called her Mary. Wikimedia Commons Only in the 1960s did this begin to change. Mary Hamilton, a civil rights activist, was arrested at a demonstration in Gadsden, Alabama, in 1963. In the courtroom, the prosecutor asked her a question, addressing her as Mary. I wont respond, Hamilton said, until you call me Miss Hamilton which is how he had been addressing white women on the stand. The judge ordered her to answer the question, and, when she refused, he sentenced her to a few days in jail for contempt of court. Her appeal reached the Supreme Court, which ruled that judges and lawyers do have to use Miss and other honorifics for Black witnesses, just as they do for white people. Dignity in death In the 1940s, Black funeral directors in Atlanta came up with a way to combat this dehumanization: grave markers that anointed their dead with the courtesy titles that white society had denied them. There are hundreds of headstones like Mrs. Thomas in older Black cemeteries in the Atlanta area. Most of those markers were made by Eldren Bailey, an artist who worked in concrete and plaster. They are beautiful in their simplicity. And they all clearly say Mr., Mrs. or Miss. Tombstones for Mrs. Annie R. Summerour, Mr. Walter I. Summerour and Mr. Charlie Price in the graveyard of Mount Zion AME Church in Kennesaw, Ga. David B. Parker, CC BY These grave markers were sold as part of a funeral package, so they each bear the name of one of a dozen or so African American funeral homes in Atlanta: Hanley, Cox Brothers, Ivey Brothers, Haugabrooks, Sellers, Murdaugh and others. One historian noted that black funeral directors not only regularly participated in the ght for racial equality but also made signicant contributions to the cause. That was certainly true of Geneva Haugabrooks, who established the Haugabrooks Funeral Home in 1929. She was active in the Atlanta Negro Voters League, and she supported the Negro Motorist Green Book. In 1953, the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP honored her for the valuable work she has done locally and nationally. I do not know who came up with the idea of using honorifics in these markers. Perhaps it was Mrs. Haugabrooks, whose funeral home appears on some of the oldest. In any case, I believe they are worth preserving and remembering, as they restored, in death, a sense of dignity to people who had been denied it in life. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: David B. Parker, Kennesaw State University Read more: David B. Parker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Black Woman Behind Trumps Silly Chick-fil-A Stunt, What's Up With Clarence Thomas? Tim Scott Now Needs the Black Support and More Annoying Political News ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 10: Former U.S. President Donald Trump meets with people during a visit to a Chick-fil-A restaurant on April 10, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Trump is visiting Atlanta for a campaign fundraising event he is hosting. - Photo: Megan Varner (Getty Images) Former President Donald Trump has attempted to ratchet up his public appeal to Black voters in recent months as Black support for President Joe Biden continues to soften. In his most recent attempt to bond with Black voters, Trump visited an Atlanta Chick-fil-A on his way to a fundraiser event on April 10. - Jessica Washington Read More NOV 1, 2018 : Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl speak to the media about alleged allegations against Robbert Mueller at the Holiday Inn in Rosslyn Va - Photo: John Middlebrook/CSM via ZUMA Wire (AP) Right-wing operatives who were found liable for making threatening robocalls to Black voters will now have to pay up. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman will pay up to $1.25 million in damages for their targeted harassment of Black New Yorkers. - Jessica Washington Read More Photo: Drew Angerer (Getty Images) After being absent from hearing oral arguments on Monday, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas returned to the bench on Tuesday. No explanation was given for why he was missing; Chief Justice John Roberts shared that Thomas would not take part shortly after the court sat for arguments in a public corruption case. - Candace McDuffie Read More Photo: Curtis Means (Getty Images) Jury selection in Donald Trumps hush money criminal trial has now entered day two and there has been no shortage of ridiculous moments. The trial will not be televised, so theres no video footage or photos of the proceedings. - Candace McDuffie Read More 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. - Jessica Washington Read More For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Blinken will be the latest top US official to visit China in a bid to keep ties on an even keel FILE - Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, accompanied by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, walk to meet the media after a bilateral meeting at the State Department in Washington, Oct. 26, 2023. Blinken will travel to China, the State Department announced Saturday, April 20, 2024, as the rivals attempt to keep ties on an even keel despite severe differences over issues ranging from the path to peace in the Middle East to the supply of synthetic opioids that have heightened fears over global stability. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China this coming week as Washington and Beijing try to keep ties on an even keel despite major differences on issues from the path to peace in the Middle East to the supply of synthetic opioids that have heightened fears over global stability. The rivals are at odds on numerous fronts, including Russias war in Ukraine, Taiwan and the South China Sea, North Korea, Hong Kong, human rights and the detention of American citizens. The United States and China also are battling over trade and commerce issues, with President Joe Biden announcing new tariffs on imports of Chinese steel this past week. The State Department said Saturday that Blinken, on his second visit to China in less than a year, will travel to Shanghai and Beijing starting Wednesday for three days of meetings with senior Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Talks between Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected, although neither side will confirm such a meeting is happening until shortly before it takes place. The department said in a statement that Blinken would discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues," including the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. He will also talk about progress made in resuming counternarcotics cooperation, military-to-military communication, artificial intelligence, and strengthening people-to-people ties" and will reaffirm how important it is for the U.S. and China to be "responsibly managing competition, even in areas where our two countries disagree, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. The trip follows a phone call this month between Biden and Xi in which they pledged to keep high-level contacts open, something they had agreed to last year at a face-to-face summit in California. Since that call, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has visited China and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has spoken by phone with his Chinese counterpart. Meetings at lower levels also have taken place. Despite those encounters, relations are rocky. The U.S. has recently become more vocal in its calls for China to stop supporting Russias military-industrial sector, which Washington says has allowed Moscow to boost weapons production to support the war against Ukraine. We see China sharing machine tools, semiconductors, other dual-use items that have helped Russia rebuild the defense industrial base that sanctions and export controls had done so much to degrade, Blinken said Friday. Now, if China purports on the one hand to want good relations with Europe and other countries, it cant on the other hand be fueling what is the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War. Blinken also has pushed for China to take a more active stance in pressing Iran not to escalate tensions in the Middle East. He has spoken to his Chinese counterpart several times since the Israel-Hamas war began six months ago as he has sought China's help in getting Iran to restrain proxy groups it has supported, armed and funded in the region. That topic has taken on new urgency since direct back-and-forth attacks by Iran and Israel on each others soil in the past week. Also high on the agenda for Blinken will be Taiwan and the South China Sea. The U.S. has strongly condemned Chinese military exercises threatening Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province and vowed to reunify with the mainland by force if necessary. Successive U.S. administrations have steadily ramped up military support and sales for Taipei, much to the anger of Chinese officials. In the South China Sea, the U.S. and others have become increasingly concerned by provocative Chinese actions in and around disputed areas. In particular, the U.S. has voiced objections to what it says are Chinese attempts to thwart legitimate activities by others in the waterway, notably the Philippines and Vietnam. That was a major topic of concern earlier this month when Biden held a three-way summit with the prime minister of Japan and the president of the Philippines. By Simon Lewis and Michael Martina WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. is prepared to act against Chinese companies supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, a senior U.S. official told reporters, highlighting it as an issue Secretary of State Antony Blinken will raise on his trip to China next week. U.S. officials have warned in increasingly stark terms about what they say is China's assistance in retooling and resupplying Russia's defense industrial base after early setbacks in its invasion of Ukraine, saying that continued support is a top risk to stable relations between Washington and Beijing. Briefing reporters ahead of Blinken's planned visit to Shanghai and Beijing from April 24-26, the senior State Department official said U.S.-China relations were "in a different place" than a year ago, when ties had sunk to a historic low point after the U.S. downed a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon. But calmer relations did not mean the U.S. would sacrifice its capacity to strengthen alliances and defend its interests, the official said. "We're prepared to take steps when we believe necessary against firms that ... severely undermine security in both Ukraine and Europe," the official said when asked what leverage Washington had to convince Beijing to stop aiding the Russian war effort. "We've demonstrated our willingness to do so regarding firms from a number of countries, not just China," the official said, noting that Russia had bolstered its weapons-producing capacity with China's help. "We will express our intent to have China curtail that support," the official said. Blinken's visit will be his first to China since June, when the United States was trying to restore high-level engagements that Beijing began curtailing after a 2022 trip by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, the democratically governed island China claims as its territory. The U.S. has been bracing for Taiwan's May 20 presidential inauguration and will urge restraint by Beijing even as China's military has ramped up activity near the island. "You can expect that the Secretary will underscore both in private and public America's abiding interest in maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the official said. Taiwan's government rejects China's sovereignty claims, and the U.S. is the island's most important international backer despite maintaining only unofficial ties. Blinken will also raise the crisis in the Middle East, China's provocations in the South China Sea, the crisis in Myanmar and North Korea's "threatening rhetoric and reckless actions," the official said, downplaying the prospect of breakthroughs on any of the issues. Senior State Department officials including its top narcotics official Todd Robinson will join the trip. They are expected to discuss efforts to curb the flow of deadly fentanyl chemicals from China to the U.S. The U.S. and China launched a joint counter-narcotics working group in January. But a U.S. congressional committee said this week that China's government was directly subsidizing production of illicit fentanyl precursors for sale abroad and fueling the U.S. opioid crisis. The official did not answer a question on the alleged subsidies. China says it is cracking down on fentanyl and precursor chemicals, but it also says the U.S. crisis is a problem of demand, not supply. Critics in Washington argue the Biden administration has not put enough pressure on Beijing over fentanyl-related substances, which are the leading cause drug of overdoses in the United States. (Reporting by Michael Martina and Simon Lewis; Editing by Don Durfee and Edwina Gibbs) Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China in the coming week as the Biden administration tries to ensure that the US-China relationship stays the course, even as the US expresses strong concerns about Chinas support for Russia. This is Blinkens second trip to the country as top US diplomat. He visited last year in an effort to stabilize relations following a period of immense tension between Washington and Beijing after an American fighter plane shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon that was detected over sensitive US military sites. President Joe Biden spoke on the phone with Xi earlier this month, marking the first conversation between the leaders since their historic in-person summit in November. We are in a different place than we were a year ago when the bilateral relationship was at a historic low point, a senior State Department official said. Blinken will meet with senior Chinese officials in both Shanghai and Beijing during his April 24-26 visit, the official said. The official said Blinken has three primary objectives for his trip to China. First, making progress on key issues; second, clearly and directly communicating concerns on bilateral regional and global issues; and third, responsibly managing competition, the official said. Blinken plans to reiterate our deep concerns regarding the PRCs support for Russias defense industrial base, as well as its human rights abuses and unfair economic and trade practices, the official said. Blinken will also discuss the situation in the Middle East. The US has repeatedly called on China both publicly and privately to press Iran to exercise restraint as tensions simmer between it and Israel. And of course, the secretary will discuss challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including PRC provocations in the South China Sea, as well as North Koreas threatening rhetoric and reckless actions, the official said. Blinken, he continued, will also reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. During Blinkens trip to China last June, he met in Beijing with top officials, including President Xi Jinping. US officials framed the trip as an effort to resume normal channels of communication with China in an effort to avoid conflict between two of the globes great powers. Blinken also met with top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in July for what was described by the US as candid and constructive conversation. The call came amid heavy global turbulence the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as North Koreas nuclear capabilities, were topics of discussion. The two also spoke about issues that have strained the Washington-Beijing relationship, including Taiwan, Chinas recent provocations in the South China Sea and Beijings human rights abuses. CNNs Nectar Gan, MJ Lee and Donald Judd contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Bob Marleys sons go on tribute tour for their father. There are two shows in Washington No one can deny the massive cultural impact Bob Marley had. His music is still consistently listened to, his face and likeness is on merchandise everywhere, and a movie about his life is in theaters now. For decades, Bob Marley has remained an icon. Several of the reggae superstars sons are continuing his legacy, amassing 22 Grammys between the five of them: Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian. This fall, the Marley brothers will perform together for the first time in two decades, on a 22-show tour across North America, and tickets are now available for general sale. Heres what to know. Marley Brothers tour in Washington The Marley Brothers: The Legacy Tour, produced by Live Nation, begins in Vancouver, BC on Sept. 5. Then they head to Ridgefield near the Washington-Oregon border on Sept. 6, with a performance at the RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheatre. The brothers go to Auburn after, at the White River Amphitheatre on Sept. 8. Shows include a mix of original songs and classic Bob Marley hits, according to the press release from Live Nation. The tour is meant to celebrate their fathers music, influence and legacy. As the world nears what would have been Bob Marleys 80th birthday in 2025, theres no greater homage than experiencing his music live through his sons, who carry on his enduring influence across popular culture, the press release states. Tickets are available now, starting at $55.35 per ticket in both Washington locations. VIP tickets are also available. Criminal Intent In a shocking testimony, a Boeing whistleblower is accusing the company of lying and covering up safety problems and says his claims come from firsthand knowledge. During the first day of Congressional hearings about the company's recent and highly-publicized safety issues, former Boeing manager Ed Pierson claimed, incredibly, that his ex-employer is lying and covering up key evidence. "I'm not gonna sugarcoat this," said Pierson, one of two whistleblowers who testified before the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, per the Seattle Times. "This is a criminal coverup." The Senate inquiry has been spurred on by a spate of incidents involving Boeing jets that captured the public's attention starting in January, when a "door plug" on a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines blew out mid-flight. In the aftermath, there have been several other incidents involving the aerospace company, including further evidence of its planes falling apart and another of its whistleblowers being found dead under suspicious circumstances. #Receipts Shortly after the Alaska Airlines fiasco, the National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation into the incident and found that bolts had been missing from its construction after it had been removed during the manufacturing process to replace some broken rivets. Boeing has insisted that there is no documentation of any such removal, but according to Pierson, that's a bold-faced lie. "Records do, in fact, exist," he said. "I know this because I personally passed them to the FBI." When asked how he had come across the files, the whistleblower who left the company in 2018 prior to a major 737 crash told the subcommittee an insider, who he did not name, gave him the documents earlier this year. "For the last couple months, there's been talk that there's no records, and that's obviously not the case," Pierson said. "It has been available for months." Puff Piece While Pierson's claims are sweeping, some are suggesting he may be exaggerating. People familiar with the matter told the Seattle Times that the whistleblower may be referring to entries from the company's Shipside Action Tracker, an informal database that tracks assembly issues. In an interview with FlightGlobal, an aviation news site, NTSB spokesperson Jennifer Homendy also refuted the severity of Pierson's claims. "I believe the whistleblower has the ship-side tracker, which we already have, [and] is not the documents we are looking for," Homendy said. "Were looking for other documents that dont exist." With that context in mind, the senators that sit on the investigations subcommittee will now have to determine how accurate Pierson's claims are but given that they also spoke to Sam Salehpour, another Boeing whistleblower alleging that his employer is "putting out defective airplanes," they at least won't have to rely on the ex-manager's testimony alone. More on Boeing: Secretary of State's Boeing Plane Breaks Down, Forcing Him to Drive BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China's automobile exports jumped 33.2 percent year on year in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024, industry data shows. The country exported over 1.32 million vehicles during the period, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Specifically, some 307,000 new energy vehicles (NEV) were exported, up 23.8 percent year on year. In March alone, China's automobile exports rose 37.9 percent from the same period last year, and its NEV exports soared 59.4 percent, the data also shows. Former national security adviser John Bolton criticized President Biden for putting enormous pressure on Israel to not do more to Iran Friday, after the country launched retaliatory strikes on Israel following an attack earlier this month in Syria. Early Friday, the Israeli military struck close to a major air base and nuclear site in Iran. The strike seemed to be a response to the drone and missile strikes that took place last weekend. I think what Israel did, as far as it went, was fine, Bolton said Friday on the Cats & Cosby radio show, hosted by John Catsimatidis and Rita Cosby. I think they were under enormous pressure, I mean, enormous pressure, from the Biden administration not to do more, and I can appreciate that, its a difficult position to be in. But even within the war Cabinet in Israel, people believe that opposition leader Benny Gantz wanted to go further, he continued. And I think they should have. I think Iran was very, very lucky here. Despite Israeli officials previously threatening a strong response to Irans recent attack, it was relatively small. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had even warned that [t]he state of Israel will do whatever is necessary to defend itself in a meeting of his Cabinet. Analysts said that the relatively miniscule response from Israel had its foundations in trying to halt the current conflict between the Middle Eastern nations from escalating further. The goal was to restore deterrence and discourage any further Iranian attack on the Israeli homeland, Richard Haass, the president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote. But the Israeli action was also calibrated to make it easy for Iran not to respond. Israels government is not trumpeting what took place. In an interview with NBC News Friday evening, Irans Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian questioned Israels role in the incident, saying the military doesnt have proof that they were behind the attack. He also noted that while Iran wouldnt retaliate for Fridays strike, they will take action if it happens again. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Welcome, folks, to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch's weekly news recap. The weather's getting hotter -- but not quite as hot as the generative AI space, which saw a slew of new models released this week, including Meta's Llama 3. In other AI news, Hyundai-owned robotics company Boston Dynamics unveiled an electric-powered humanoid follow-up to its long-running Atlas robot, which it recently retired. As Brian writes, the new robot -- also called Atlas -- has a kinder, gentler design than both the original Atlas and more contemporary robots like the Figure 01 and Tesla Optimus. Turning our attention to YouTube for a moment, Dom and Amanda wrote about how Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), the famed gadget reviewer, shouldn't be blamed for the fate of AI startup Humane AI, whose product, the Ai Pin, Brownlee gave a scathing review of earlier this week. They point out that Humane is a well-funded company with plenty of funds in the bank to burn, and find that critics of Brownlee -- who accuse him of being unfairly harsh -- have misplaced their rage. And Rebecca and Sean report on layoffs at Tesla, which they say hit high performers and gutted some departments. The cuts were largely due to poor financial performance; Tesla's seen its profit margin narrow over the past several quarters as the EV price war persists. Lots else happened. We recap it all in this edition of WiR -- but first, a reminder to sign up to receive the WiR newsletter in your inbox every Saturday. News X charges for posting: X CEO Elon Musk is planning to charge new X users a small fee to enable posting on the social network in an effort to curb what he describes as a "bot problem." Change ransomware: An extortion group has published a portion of what it claims are the private and sensitive patient records on millions of Americans stolen during the ransomware attack on Change Healthcare in February. Tesla adjusts prices: In more Tesla news, the automaker ditched EV inventory price discounts in what CEO Elon Musk characterized as a move to "streamline" sales and delivery. Tesla also dropped the price of its advanced driver assistance package, Full Self-Driving, to $99 per month in the U.S. Mars free-for-all: Devin reports that space startups are licking their lips over NASA's decision to convert its $11 billion, 15-year mission to collect and return samples from Mars into essentially a commercial free-for-all. Waymo problems: Six Waymo robotaxis blocked traffic moving onto an on-ramp in San Francisco on Tuesday. Its not the first time Waymo vehicles have caused a road blockage, notes Rebecca -- but this is the first documented incident involving a freeway. Analysis Google Cloud bets on generative AI: Ron writes about how Google Cloud is investing heavily in generative AI, as evidenced by the string of announcements during Google's Cloud Next conference earlier in the month. Generative AI in health: Generative AI is coming for healthcare -- but not everyones thrilled. Some experts don't think the tech is ready for prime time. Airchat, for talking: Anthony breaks down the hype over Airchat, an app launched by former AngelList founder Naval Ravikant and ex-Tinder product exec Brian Norgard that focuses on voice, not text. The U.S. House of Representatives on April 20 passed a key foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and other allies after months of political infighting and a deteriorating situation on the battlefield. Over two months have passed since the Senate passed a similar bill on foreign assistance, and Democratic and Republican lawmakers, along with U.S. President Joe Biden, have been calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the bill to the House for a vote. The aid package provides $60.84 billion to assist Ukraine, including $13.8 billion for Ukraine to buy advanced weapons, $13.4 billion for replenishing U.S. stockpiles, $11 billion to support U.S. allies in the region, and another $13.8 billion to purchase U.S. defense systems for Ukraine. Another $9 billion will be allocated to the war-torn country as economic assistance in the form of loans that can be forgiven by the president with Congress's approval. According to CNN, 101 Republican House members voted in favor of the Ukraine aid bill, 112 voted against, and one voted present. Meanwhile, among Democrats, 210 House members voted yes, with none opposing the bill. The Senate is set to begin considering the House-passed bill on April 23 before it will be sent to President Biden for signing. Biden has already signaled that he would sign the bills once Congress passes them. Ukraine has repeatedly called on the U.S. to pass the much-needed aid amid dwindling air defenses and ammunition on the battlefield. A recent increase in devastating Russian attacks on critical infrastructure has highlighted Ukraine's growing need for assistance. "The responsibility for the delay lies squarely on the shoulders of the House Republicans," Bruce Stokes, a visiting senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, said in a written comment to the Kyiv Independent. "While it is true that 55% of Republicans say we give too much to Ukraine, only 37% of the American public hold that view, so this delay was pandering to their base. The blood of countless Ukrainians are on the hands of the Republicans for putting narrow domestic political concerns above the needs of the Ukrainian people." President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 16 that Russian forces had managed to destroy the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant (TPP) in Kyiv Oblast because Ukraine had run out of missiles to defend it during an attack. Read also: Speaker Johnson advances aid bills, but time running out as Ukraines supplies dry up The House voted on three separate bills on April 20 on aid to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region, which is intended to address Chinese aggression in the region and a fourth one on national security priorities. In addition to aiding Ukraine, the bills include $26.4 billion to aid Israel and $8.1 billion to be spent on Indo-Pacific security. The fourth bill caters to Republican priorities, including sanctions on Iran, the potential transfer of seized Russian assets to Ukraine, and a measure that could lead to a ban on TikTok. The combined total of the three House bills amounts to approximately $95 billion, mirroring the sum included in the Senate bill passed back in February, with the adjustment that $10 billion in Ukraine economic aid is structured as a repayable loan. The approval of the U.S. aid package comes at a critical time for Ukraine, marked by the increasingly deteriorating situation on the front lines, where Russia has recently made significant gains. The delay in the U.S. defense aid for Ukraine earlier contributed to the loss of the key front-line city of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast. "The months-long delay only raises anew the question in foreign minds whether the U.S. is a reliable partner," Stokes, a visiting senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, said. "Final passage allays some of those concerns, but the concern will not go away, nor should it." Stokes added that more aid will be needed in 2025 and beyond: "...I have serious doubts as to whether it will be forthcoming in the amounts Ukraine will need." CIA Director William Burns recently said that with military assistance, Ukraine could hold its ground through 2024, challenging Russias recent advances and potential major offensive expected in late spring or in the summer. However, there is a significant risk of Ukrainian defeat without this aid, and "the picture is a lot more dire." Read also: Why some far-right Republicans are hell bent on ending further aid to Ukraine While Ukraine faces troop shortages and remains in dire need of weaponry, Russia is likely mobilizing around 30,000 people every month, according to the U.K. Defense Ministry, and is reportedly firing shells at a ratio of around 7:1 to those of Ukraine. Critics of Ukraine aid have argued that the U.S. has already sent sufficient funds to Kyiv and should focus more on domestic issues, while supporters have emphasized that the bill would help job growth in the U.S. and support the country's defense industry. The passage of the new aid bill to Ukraine will directly benefit at least 71 American cities across the U.S. Providing additional aid to Ukraine would also facilitate the replenishment of U.S. stockpiles with weapons that have been continuously sent to Ukraine over the past two years. Washington is Ukraine's largest provider of weapons and military equipment. The U.S. has sent Ukraine over $44 billion in defense aid since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. Zelensky thanked the U.S. House for approving the Ukraine aid bill in his evening address on April 20. "We appreciate every manifestation of support for our state and our independence, our people and our lives, which Russia wants to bury in ruins," said Zelensky. "Certainly, we will use American support to strengthen both our nations and bring a just end to this war - a war that Putin must lose." He added that the U.S. had "showed its leadership from the first days of the war." "This kind of American leadership is vital to the preservation of an international order based on rules and predictability of life for all peoples." President Biden also issued a statement after the vote, emphasizing that the passage of the foreign aid package sends "a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage." "It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia," said Biden. "I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law, and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs." Read also: Opinion: The threat to American hegemony is real Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) The non-partisan group Equal Ground stopped in Pinellas County Saturday, kicking off its voter education and mobilization tour. Florida has really been the incubator, said Genesis Robinson, the groups interim executive director. Its been the breeding ground for a lot of fascist and racist policies if were being honest. We are organizing our community to say enough is enough. Tampa police arrest man who killed moped driver in hit-and-run, officials say Equal Ground hopes to combat what it describes as extremist legislation, ensuring black Floridians understand their rights and how to make their voices heard in November. There are over 2 million Black voters in the state of Florida, and we want them to recognize their power, Robinson explained. We want them to recognize theres power in their vote if their vote was not important or critical, the state and the powers that be wouldnt be working so hard to take it away. Why rally in Florida? Political analyst Tara Newsom said if the groups goal is to get on the forefront of where voter suppression is, she said the Sunshine State is a good place to start. It is not a surprise to many marginalized voters that Florida is the heart of this, she explained. Basically what we have in Florida is this story, and the story is: if you dont look like those in power, you are not invited to democracy. This comes as President Joe Biden prepares to visit Tampa Tuesday to denounce Floridas six-week abortion ban. His campaign said Bidens choice to visit Florida is a strategic one. Joe Biden and the rest of the country are looking at Florida as a bellwether state, and were starting to shift away from the deep red that DeSantis ushered in into a much more purple, Newsom explained. This is what we expect when we go too far in one direction. I think were going to be really watching the state of Florida to sort of be a litmus test for the rest of the country, she continued. To find out more about Equal Ground, click here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) A mangled mess sits atop the key bridge as investigators, piece by piece, are recreating the circumstances that led to the March 26 container ship crash and collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Six construction workers were killed when the bridge collapsed in a matter of seconds. According to the Washington Post, on Monday FBI agents boarded the ship to ask tough questions about whether the crew knew the vessel had potential mechanical problems that would have made it unsafe in the harbor. Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R) of Virginia Beach is also concerned about theories on whether a ship could be used as a weapon. It was concerning. I know that that ship was in Hampton Roads at our port the day before. So of course, were concerned for the security of not only our port but for the Atlantic fleet that we that we home right there, you know, at the entrance to our port, said Kiggans, a former Navy pilot. Federal agents boarded the 985-foot Dali early Monday with search warrants that will allow them to collect ship data on what happened before during and after the fatal crash. A recent New York Times report says Virginia is among the states that have deteriorated protection around critical bridges. While the FBI reviews the facts, logistics experts are evaluating the parts and personnel needed to keep products moving. Thats where the Port of Virginia is playing a major role. Port officials say for April the port will process an estimated 19-thousand containers of diverted cargo that will be moved by truck. Kiggans says Virginia is eager to help its neighbor to the north. So Im thankful for the extra efforts at the port in Norfolk for taking up the slack. But of course, our job is to be mindful of security at the port site and know that they are already doing a good job, Kiggans said. This member of the Armed Services Committee calls for the protection of the regions and the nations most critical assets. But perhaps this is just a reminder of just the importance that Hampton Roads plays our proximity to our East Coast Navy and that we always need to be mindful of making sure we have the right security measures in place to prevent anything like this from happening in the future, Kiggans said. To handle the additional cargo Virginia International Gateway and the Pinners Point container yard are now open at 3 am; that is three hours early. The facilities that normally close on weekends, now open at 7 am on Saturdays to handle the diverted cargo. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Rates of smoking in the UK have fallen from of 45.6 per cent to 11.2 per cent since 1974 - Getty Is a cigarette ban the hill the Prime Minister is willing to die on? It seems so. Rishi Sunaks flagship phased smoking ban, which would prevent anyone born after 2009 from buying cigarettes, passed its first hurdle in the Commons on Tuesday despite nearly half of Tory MPs abstaining or voting against it. Sunak is understood to see the ban as a key part of his legacy. Under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the legal age for the purchase of cigarettes would rise annually, eventually wiping smoking out entirely. It would also include a ban on disposable vapes. The move would be the first of its kind in the world, after New Zealand withdrew plans for similar legislation earlier this year. It is a source of deep division within the Conservative party, with leadership hopefuls and two former prime ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson speaking out against it. Some critics have labelled it profoundly unconservative. Others argue the war on smoking is one that the UK has essentially already won. So, have the Tories given themselves a political headache over a problem that was already on its way to being solved? Or does an outright ban, popular among voters, have merit? Turning the tide on tobacco Cigarettes are on their way out, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, which show that since 1974, rates of smoking have been cut from 45.6 per cent to 11.2 per cent. (And of those who still smoke, almost half 45.4 per cent intend to quit.) The proportion of the population who have never smoked has increased from 37.4 per cent in 1974 to 62.1 per cent in 2022, and will continue to rise. In almost every group the picture is one of steady decline. Given the direction of travel, some are concerned an outright ban could backfire, making smoking seem rebellious and cool for a generation who do not smoke anyway (only one per cent of those aged 11-15 now do so regularly) and leading to a black-market boom. It also creates the farcical scenario where, at some point in the future, a 41-year-old will be able to buy whatever they want in the off-licence but a 40-year-old will be banned from buying a pack of cigarettes. Its unworkable, its authoritarian, its unnecessary and its going to be counterproductive, says Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs. I dont see what moral justification there is for it when were talking about adults. If people want to do things that harm their health, they should be free to do so Smoking was on its way out anyway. What do voters think? A clear majority of voters support Sunaks ban. The health burden from smoking remains high: smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of disability and death in the UK, claiming 80,000 lives a year and costing the NHS billions. According to recent polling conducted by Savanta for The Telegraph, almost six in 10 people (59 per cent) supported the policy, while just one in five (20 per cent) opposed it. Yet critics within the Conservative party have dismissed Sunaks plans to snuff out smoking as an illiberal gimmick. Kemi Badenoch, Penny Mordaunt and Suella Braverman did not support the legislation. Former prime minister Truss called it a profoundly unconservative move by the health police; Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg dismissed the policy as absurd. How did the UK succeed? Ideological arguments about the merit of a ban aside, it is true that the UKs clamp-down on smoking has been a success story to date. The chance that a person is a smoker in the UK has been steadily decreasing since records began. Telegraph analysis of WHO data shows the UK has cut smoking more than any other western country since 2000, with the exception of Austria, Sweden and Norway. It currently has the third lowest smoking prevalence in the West. Previous government measures to crack down on smoking have been successful, including increased taxation. The Marlboro Man has long been replaced by an advertising ban and graphic photographs of diseased lungs on cigarette packets. A 20-a-day smoker will now spend 16 per cent of their income on cigarettes, compared with eight per cent in 2000, Telegraph analysis of ONS figures shows. Since the indoor ban was enforced in 2007, together with a ban on purchasing tobacco for under-18s, cigarettes have increased in price from 5 for a pack of 20 to 15.50. The Government now raises 10 billion from taxes on smoking, which is equivalent to 1,663 per smoker, up from 449 in 2000, according to Telegraph analysis of ONS and HMRC figures. As a result, todays teenagers barely smoke. According to data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the proportion of 14-year-olds who smoked regularly fell from seven per cent in 2011 to one per cent in 2021; among 15-year-olds, it fell from 11 per cent to three per cent in the same period. A generation ago, 50 per cent of school children would have tried smoking, now it is 12 per cent. This is, of course, partly because they have swapped cigarettes for e-cigs. Young people today are far more likely to buy a candy-coloured vape than a pack of Marlboro Golds. But surely it is a victory that smoking is seen almost universally as uncool. The demand just isnt there; even Marlboro itself has promised to switch from selling cigarettes to smoking gadgets, not out of concern for its customers health, but to protect its bottom line. Who is still lighting up, and where? Across the UK, smokers are most likely to be young men. Geographic hotspots include some of the most deprived parts of the country. Within the Conservative Party itself, several prominent figures all of whom voted in favour of the ban have openly admitted to being smokers or are known to be so. They include Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, who reportedly has a smoking hut on the roof of his office; Johnny Mercer, Richard Holden and Robert Halfon. Tory bigwigs who have given up include Sajid Javid, who stopped smoking when he became health secretary, and Laura Farris, Minister for Victims and Safeguarding. Farris said that taking up smoking at age 12 was one of my biggest regrets actually Ive got two young kids now and the fact that they will never be able to walk into a shop and buy a packet of cigarettes is something I welcome. Since records began, rates of smoking have been higher in men than in women and they remain so, at 14.6 per and 11.2 per cent respectively. The other characteristics of a smoker remain unchanged: smoking is still most prevalent among those aged 25-34, and rates are highest in the local authorities of Kingston Upon Hull and Blackpool, two of the most deprived in England. As has always been the case, smoking is more common among people who are unemployed or in manual occupations compared with managerial and professional jobs. However, there is one anomaly: while smoking is in decline across the board, a 10-year study from University College London found that more middle-class women under 45 have started smoking over the past decade. Researchers suggested the cost of living crisis may have affected more disadvantaged womens finances and so their desire to smoke. Despite this, rates of vaping among all women aged 18-45 have tripled in a decade. When smoking dies out, we will be healthier for it. But a phased ban could be a blunt tool given it was already running out of puff. 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. Britain could pledge new air defence package for Ukraine in weeks Britain is preparing a new air defence package for Ukraine to be delivered within weeks after Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded for more protection from the West. The Ukrainian president held talks with Nato defence ministers on Friday that he had demanded in response to missile and drone attacks from Russia that left dozens dead in recent days. Speaking after the meeting, Jens Stoltenberg, Nato secretary general, told reporters that he expected new announcements on air defence capabilities for Ukraine soon. The Telegraph understands that Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, did not make a specific pledge at the latest meeting of the Nato-Ukraine Council. But defence sources have indicated that Britain is preparing a new package of support to bolster Ukraines air defences. Speaking via video link, Mr Zelensky said at least seven Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, its second-largest, did not have reliable air defences. The Ukrainian president called on Nato allies to deliver US-made Patriot batteries to protect them. Ukraine wants to be supplied with the Patriot system, known to be successful in countering Russian ballistic missiles - Sebastian Apel/US Department of Defense At least 1,200 rockets, including ballistic missiles, and 1,500 Iranian-made Shahed drones had been launched by Russian forces since the beginning of the year, he added. In a stark warning over support for Ukraine, Mr Zelensky accused Nato of not doing enough to counter Russian aggression against his country. Dear friends, the world has seen so far an alliance that does not have equals in countering terror, he said. Israel was not left alone and almost 100 per cent of the strikes against it were neutralised. Its a convincing efficiency of the air shield of Nato countries your air defence, your combat aviation, everything that now works in the skies of the Middle East and [against] not only Iranian drones and rockets but also several dangerous myths, especially the myth that Nato members actions in defence of a third country from drones and rockets involves Nato in the war. Western governments have refused since the early days of the war in Ukraine to directly intervene and shoot down Russian-fired missiles and drones amid fears doing so would lead to direct confrontation with Moscow. In recent months, Russia has stepped up its long-range campaign against Ukrainian energy infrastructure, leading to fears the war-torn nation may soon struggle to generate its own power. Mr Zelensky earlier this week revealed missiles had struck and destroyed a vital power plant on the outskirts of Kyiv because his forces had run out of air defence ammunition. Nato allies pledge money Ukraine is calling for both the Patriot and Franco-Italian Samp/T system, each of which are known to be successful in countering Russian ballistic missiles. Mr Stoltenberg said there were many Nato allies that didnt operate either system but had pledged money to help buy them for Ukraine. British defence sources would not speculate on whether the UK would contribute financially to such an effort. The British military does not operate either system. It is thought to be more likely that the Government will donate another batch of ASRAAM short-range air-to-air missiles, which are manufactured in the UK and designed to be fired from Typhoon fighter jets, but converted to be fired from the ground by the Ukrainians. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: The UK is fully committed to providing further air defence systems for Ukraine we have delivered nearly 2,000 air defence missiles, with the most recent package of around 200 missiles announced at the end of 2023 and delivered in recent months. Germany last week pledged its third Patriot battery to Ukraine, and launched an initiative to find more countries willing to donate their systems to Kyiv. Mr Stoltenberg said Nato officials had mapped all of the air defence systems available to the alliance and said there were spare Patriots that could be donated to Ukraine without compromising its security. There are systems that can be made available to Ukraine, he told reporters. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. In 1991, Margaret Thatcher warned against taking the peace dividend of the end of the Cold War for granted. All too often, she said, democracies rush to cut back defence and increase domestic public spending. Today, as Russia makes gains in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East risks further escalation, her words sound prophetic. For 30 years, successive governments lavished ever greater sums on the NHS and the welfare state while spending on our Armed Forces was whittled down to a miserly 2 per cent of GDP, and sometimes less. That era is now well and truly over. Geopolitical tensions have reached levels not seen since the end of the Cold War, and failure to act swiftly will leave Britain in the unenviable position of realising the true value of defence when it is already too late. Over, too, is the era when it was sufficient to pledge a rise in defence spending from 2 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent. A great deal more will be needed. As the axis of evil between Russia, China and Iran coalesces, we must take a more realistic view. Nonetheless, many politicians still appear to subscribe to the fallacy that voters care little about defence, or that they are too preoccupied to reward any party for defence spending. As Penny Mordaunt writes in these pages, such arguments are wrong. The electorate well understands that military might both acts as a deterrent and gives Britain a voice to which our allies will listen. And at such a dangerous juncture, voters will also understand that we cannot continue to run our military on the cheap. It is no longer enough to set an arbitrary target for spending, but to work out what capabilities we need for the defence of our interests, and then to provide whatever funding is needed. During the Cold War, defence spending often hovered around 5 per cent of GDP. While we will not need to spend this much, it hints at the scale of the increase that should be aimed for. It would be wrong, however, to presume that such spending would be funded by higher taxes. Far greater effort must be put towards squeezing public spending, and to reviving economic growth by cutting red tape. It is also true that the defence debate must focus on more than the total spend. Few could argue the MoD has consistently deployed what funds it has to effective use. We have failed to buy military equipment off the shelf, instead collaborating with Europe to reinvent American wheels from scratch. Such projects are unsuited to the more dangerous times we find ourselves in. We must now do everything in our power to ensure we have a military our opponents fear. That will only be achieved by at last providing the money and attention it requires. 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. How Britains stolen Range Rovers and Rolls-Royces ended up on the streets of Moscow Police have recovered millions of pounds worth of stolen luxury cars, such as this Rolls-Royce found in an industrial site in Tilbury - Essex Police Upon first inspection, the red shipping container sitting in an Essex storage site would have looked unremarkable but the police officers who opened it up knew better. Acting on a tip, they emptied out stacks of bicycles and white goods to reveal the real, hidden cargo: three stolen Range Rovers, wrapped up in mattresses and rugs, worth a combined 170,000. More have followed since that discovery in June 2022 and the tempo is increasing. Other discoveries include: Bentley, Audi and Toyota cars worth 250,000 sandwiched into a container together; a 300,000 Rolls-Royce Dawn, nestled among the remains of 13 other chopped up cars; and high-end Lexus Saloons stacked like cards on top of one another. Last year, Essex Polices stolen vehicle intelligence unit intercepted more than 60 containers like this before they were exported, carrying 240 cars worth around 13m. They are almost always disguised under false papers and usually headed for destinations in the Middle East, Africa or Asia, fuelling a lucrative trade in luxury cars and parts that organised criminals are only too pleased to facilitate. 'Sanctions are driving the need for cars and car parts in Russia very hard', one expert says - Essex Police Why the recent upsurge? At least part of the answer is thought to lie in the conflict raging 1,000 miles away in Ukraine, which has triggered a string of Western sanctions against Russia. These sanctions aim to not only hurt the Russian economy but also deprive Vladimir Putins cronies of the Western luxuries they enjoy so much, not least the expensive cars they drive around Moscow. It is forcing them to pay more for both their vehicles and the parts to maintain them, which must now be obtained through more complex and riskier means. One way they are avoiding these sanctions is simply by shipping vehicles to neighbouring ex-Soviet countries and then sending them on to Russia, according to reports. However, the crackdown is also thought to be fuelling a black market that has prompted gangs to employ blunter tactics: the theft of vehicles from British streets. to be transported to Russia via intermediate destinations. The cars can be shipped whole or they can be broken down into parts to be put back together upon arrival. The sanctions are driving the need for cars and car parts in Russia very hard, and that desperation is part of the reason we are seeing more vehicles going out via the Middle East, says Mike Briggs, an insurance industry veteran who is now UK president of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI). Its a real problem for them at the moment because anything you see on Russian roads will eventually need spare parts. The black market there has always been rife, but now it is getting bigger because of the sanctions, because people still want their luxury carsand in fact, being able to still get them even now is actually likely to improve your status within Russia. There was a 48pc increase in vehicle thefts in the year to the end of September 2023, according to the Crime Survey of England and Wales, rising from 72,000 to 106,000 incidents. The way criminals typically steal cars goes something like this: a gang receives an order for a certain model of car or parts from an overseas buyer. They then go hunting for what they need in a big city, such as London, Birmingham or Manchester. Once they have found their prey with families and wealthy foreign drivers seen as soft targets they break into the car, jam and remove any tracking devices they can find, and then park it up somewhere to wait and see whether anyone comes looking for it. If no one comes, the gangs then strip the car for parts or ready it for export via a container that is often loaded with other metal goods to disguise the real cargo and confuse X-ray scanners It is then shipped to locations such as Dubai or the Democratic Republic of Congo. One reason why so many of the cars get through is that only a tiny proportion of containers are ever checked, says Iain McKinlay, chairman of the National Association of Stolen Vehicle Examiners. By one industry estimate, fewer than five in every 100,000 containers leaving Britain are searched. This is partly because of how disruptive searching more of them would be to trade. Nationally, there are thought to be just four full-time police officers dedicated to checking containers at Britains ports. Another issue is that many vehicle thefts and recoveries require cross-border cooperation by different police forces but typically only one will get the credit in statistics, creating few incentives for forces to go the extra mile. Frustratingly, criminals also cannot be arrested for carrying equipment used to break into cars, while prosecutions for attempting to smuggle or chop up the cars are few and far between, McKinlay adds. Business owners often claim they didnt know the vehicles were stolen. If you get caught with a 5,000 quantity of drugs, youre going away to jail for a very long time, the former detective constable explains. But if you get caught with a stolen vehicle worth 70,000, youll likely just get a slap on the wrist. So the gangs have identified theres a lot of money to be made and that the risk versus the reward is really negligible. An industry insider said: Vehicle crime is almost decriminalised in the UK now. They point to figures showing less than 1pc of recorded thefts ever lead to charges. This is what visibly frustrated the chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover Adrian Mardell in February, when he complained that authorities were effectively giving gangs a free pass by failing to check enough of the shipping containers leaving Britain. The British car maker is so concerned that it has actually started providing its own funding, understood to be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, towards police intelligence work to help ensure the problem is tackled. However, as a shipping source points out, it would be impractical to check every container. If you did, you can bet that JLR and the other car makers would be among the first to complain, the source notes. Instead, checks must be intelligence-led i.e., based on tip-offs and police investigatory work unless a new technology solution can be found that allows containers to be checked effectively and swiftly without needing to be opened. A spokesman for the British Association of Ports said: Border security and combating illicit trade falls to government agencies who take a risk-based and intelligence-led approach to checks. This balances interests of legitimate trade and helps keep costs down for traders. The ports industry is always open to constructive discussions about how we can continue to bear down on smuggling and organised crime, but this must be done in a proportionate manner. One potential way to direct more resources to this issue could be to adopt a model used by some US states and Australia, where a small percentage of every car insurance policy goes towards funding anti-vehicle theft police operations, says McKinlay. That might prove controversial if it pushes up policy costs. But it may prove cheaper in the long run if insurers dont need to cover as many claims, McKinlay argues. The cost of vehicle theft and theft from a vehicle hit record levels in 2023, with insurers paying out 669m for claims, according to the Association of British Insurers. The lobby group says it takes vehicle theft seriously and is exploring partnerships with the police to help with the recovery of stolen vehicles from ports, as well as with car manufacturers on prevention. Ultimately, observers say more resources must be directed towards the problem to have an impact. In Canada, border authorities have done precisely this, setting up a new taskforce with money from insurers that recently targeted the Port of Montreal in a raid earlier this month. Through searches of 390 shipping containers, they discovered 598 stolen cars worth a total of about 20m. In the UK, a conference hosted by Toyota in Derby this July will bring together the UK Government, police, car makers and other industry figures to try to address the problem here as well. To stop the flow of luxury cars to Russia, says Briggs, we need more training, more police and more technology. This is just business for the gangs. And so long as there is a market and they can get these cars for nothing, why wouldnt they do it? The Home Office said it was cracking down on the use of electronic devices used to steal vehicles by making it an offence to possess them, through new laws in the Criminal Justice Bill that is working its way through Parliament. A spokesman said forces were also being given more funding to hire frontline police officers, adding: We have made great progress in tackling vehicle crime, which is down 39pc since 2010. 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 Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) PORT MORESBY, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to work with Papua New Guinea (PNG) to build a comprehensive strategic partnership of higher level and better quality, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko. China always views and values PNG's role from a strategic perspective, Wang said, noting that PNG is the largest and most populous Pacific island country, with the most abundant natural resources in the Pacific island region. Located in the connecting belt between Oceania and Southeast Asia, PNG has a unique position and huge development advantages, and is fully capable of becoming a more prosperous country with more self-determination and more influence in the region and in the world, Wang said. China has always developed its ties with PNG from a long-term perspective, Wang said, adding that the current bilateral relations is the result of the joint guidance of generations of leaders and the joint efforts of friendly people in the two countries. Both countries should inherit it, take good care of it and carry it forward. China is ready to work with PNG to further implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and build a comprehensive strategic partnership of higher level and better quality, Wang said. China will continue to treat PNG as an equal, and firmly support the country in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and national unity, accelerating national revitalization and improving people's livelihood, and playing a bigger role in regional and multilateral affairs, Wang said. PNG is an important partner in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Wang said, noting that the Pacific country has participated in two Belt and Road forums for international cooperation consecutively and made positive contributions. The two countries have drawn up Belt and Road cooperation plans and established a working mechanism. Both sides need to implement them one by one and advance them in a timely manner, so as to ensure that the results of the cooperation will be tangible as soon as possible and bring benefits to the PNG people, Wang said. China is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with PNG and launch free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations as soon as possible, the Chinese foreign minister said. China is ready to strengthen its cooperation with PNG in such areas as trade and investment, infrastructure, agriculture, forestry and fishery, clean energy and climate change solutions, Wang said. China is also ready to create new highlights in its cooperation with PNG in such areas as information and communication technology, disaster prevention and reduction, and police affairs, pushing bilateral relations to higher levels, Wang said. As a developing country, China's exchanges and cooperation with South Pacific island countries are aimed at supporting and helping each other and achieving common development, without any selfish geopolitical interests, the Chinese foreign minister said. The South Pacific region should not become an arena of big power rivalry, and no country should treat the island countries as its "backyard," or engage in zero-sum competition and exclusive arrangements, Wang said. Instead, more should be done for the island countries and more benefits should be brought to their people, Wang said. For his part, Tkachenko said China is a close friend of his country. The leaders of the two countries have maintained close communication and established a high degree of mutual trust. Bilateral cooperation in various fields is progressing smoothly and bringing tangible benefits to people in both countries, Tkachenko said. The PNG government has long been firm in upholding and will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy, Tkachenko said, adding that the government understands and supports China's efforts to achieve national reunification. PNG is committed to promoting the development of bilateral relations to achieve greater results, the Pacific island country's foreign minister said. PNG looks forward to strengthening cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, education, police affairs, and disaster prevention and mitigation, and further facilitating people-to-people exchanges, Tkachenko said. He also sincerely thanked China for its selfless assistance to PNG in coping with the recent floods. PNG believes that China's cooperation with South Pacific island countries has promoted regional development, thinks highly of China's important role and fair stance in international and regional affairs, and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China, Tkachenko said. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern. After the talks, the two foreign ministers jointly attended the signing ceremony of various cooperation documents. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko witness the signing of cooperation documents after their talks in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) A Brunswick doctor was killed Thursday night in what authorities believe to be a murder-suicide. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said in a news release it was called in at around 6:44 p.m. by someone outside of the county about a woman being shot at a home in Hortense on Buffalo Road. Hortense is near the Wayne-Glynn county line. The caller gave the 911 dispatcher the names of the persons involved, a woman named Marsha Certain and a man named Tracey Sanna, WCSO said. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Certain is listed on the Southeast Georgia Health Systems website as a cardiologist. The Jesup Police Department responded to the home along with Wayne County deputies and set up a perimeter. Officers called out to Sanna over a PA system, and he tried to leave the home out of the back door, but went back inside when he saw police, the release said. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] A gunshot was heard once Sanna went back into the home. Police went inside the house and found Certain and Sanna dead. Southeast Georgia Health System President & CEO Scott Raynes issued the following statement about Certain, who had worked for the health care system since 1987: We are very saddened by the tragic loss of Dr. Marsha Certain. In addition to being a well-respected member of our medical staff since 1987, Dr. Certain helped to lead our cardiology program on the Brunswick Campus along with her brother, Dr. Mitchell Jones; her son, Dr. Matthew Certain; and Dr. Wade Strickland. In addition to championing for advanced cardiology services and technologies in Glynn County, she was instrumental in increasing access to heart care in Camden County. Dr. Marsha Certain served as a member of the Glynn-Brunswick Memorial Hospital Authority from 2001-2004 and held many positions on the Brunswick Campus Medical Staff during her 37 year tenure, including Chief of Medical Staff from 1996-1998, and member of the Health Systems Foundation Board 1994-1998. When she began her medical training, cardiology was a male-dominated field, but that didnt deter Dr. Certain. She credited the encouragement and support she received from her father, Dr. Hurley Jones, the first cardiologist to practice in Glynn County, as the reason for her educational and professional success. Dr. Certains patients greatly enjoyed having a female cardiologist; she understood the importance of building a personal rapport and relationship with her patients as well as with her colleagues, staff and fellow team members. Our Health System has lost a dedicated physician and employee, our community and patients have lost an outstanding health advocate, and her family and friends have lost a vibrant, loving member of their lives. Dr. Certain will be greatly missed and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, patients and coworkers during this incredibly difficult time. Action News Jax knocked on nearby neighbors doors to ask about the incident, but no one answered. Anyone with any information in this case is asked to contact Detective Crane with WCSO at 912-427-5970. To report criminal activity and remain anonymous, call 912-427-5992. 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. Former Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) went after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for her anti-Ukraine position in an interview on CNN Friday. Moscow Marjorie has reached a new low, Buck said in an interview on CNNs Erin Burnett OutFront with anchor Erica Hill. You know, during the Russian Revolution, [Bolshevik Revolution leader Vladimir] Lenin talked about American journalists who were writing glowing reports about Russia at the time as useful idiots. And I dont even think that Marjorie reaches that level of being a useful idiot here, Buck continued. She is just mouthing the Russian propaganda, and really hurting American foreign policy in the process. During a House Oversight Committee meeting Wednesday, Greene noted news stories and displayed photos she said showed neo-Nazis in Ukraine. She brought up her concern over how it is seen as misinformation to discuss the Nazis in Ukraine and their recruitment efforts that go all around the world. Greene, who also filed a motion in late March to vacate against current House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), argued against foreign aid during an appearance on former White House aide Steve Bannons War Room podcast Thursday, saying she wants an America First economy and that we are going to demand it from our Republican leaders. I dont care if the Speakers office becomes a revolving door, continued Greene, who has filed a motion to oust Johnson from his current role. If thats exactly what needs to happen, then let it be. But the days are over of the old Republican Party that wants to fund foreign wars and murder people in foreign lands, while they stab the American people in their face. On Friday, the House advanced legislation to send aid to Ukraine alongside other U.S. allies. The lower chamber went in favor of the foreign aid rule in a 316-94 vote, allowing for debate on four bills that put together military aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, alongside humanitarian aid for Gaza and other war zones. Its not the first time Buck has referred to Greene as Moscow Marjorie. The Colorado Republican coined the nickname earlier this month when disagreeing with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthys (R-Calif.) assessment of Taylor Greene as a very serious legislator. My experience with Marjorie is, people have talked to her about not filing articles of impeachment on President Biden before he was sworn into office, on not filing articles of impeachment that were groundless made on other individuals in the Biden administration, he told Erin Burnett in a separate CNN interview. And she was never moved by that. She was always focused on her social media account, Buck continued. And Moscow Marjorie is focused now on this Ukraine issue and getting her talking points from the Kremlin and making sure that she is popular and she is getting a lot of coverage. The Hill has reached out to Greenes office. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A bumpy ride: CEO of MacPaw, developer of apps for Apple devices, on business during war Russias full-scale war on Ukraine has dealt a devastating blow to the countrys economy. While the country has begun to bounce back from an initial 29% drop in GDP, its estimated that at todays level of growth, the countrys GDP wont return to pre-war levels at least until 2030. Some areas of the economy, however, have proved more resilient than others, and remarkably some companies are even finding opportunities amid the disaster of war. Thats according to Oleksandr Kosovan, the founder and CEO of MacPaw, a software development company headquartered in Kyiv that develops and distributes software for Apples macOS and iOS operating systems. The war has led to an increase in cybersecurity startups and investment opportunities in this area, Kosovan told the Kyiv Independent in a recent interview. Oleksandr Kosovan, a Ukrainian technology entrepreneur and investor, serves as the Founder and CEO of MacPaw, a software development company known for creating CleanMyMac, Setapp, The Unarchiver, ClearVPN, and various other applications designed for macOS and iOS platforms. (Courtesy of MacPaw) The IT industry (as a whole) remains Ukraine's only fully operational export branch, despite the war, even increasing export volumes and its contribution to GDP. In fact, in 2023 IT services totaled $8 billion, accounting for 41.5% of Ukraine's total exports and 4.9% of its GDP, as per a recent Lviv IT Cluster report. There's also been a rise in IT specialists' salaries, which also indicates the sector's resilience. This resilience in turn means the Ukrainian IT market has retained its appeal to global investors. Moreover, Ukrainian developers were already well known worldwide for their skills and strong work ethics, making Ukraine a promising hub for software development even in wartime. Stable development MacPaw, founded in 2008 and the maker of CleanMyMac X, Setapp, ClearVPN, and other popular apps for Mac computers and devices, is perhaps emblematic of the sector as a whole. In 2022, the first year of the full-scale war, its staff actually increased by 22%, and last year saw its personnel grow a further 14%, bringing its total workforce to over 540. Its also branching out to new areas in July 2023, MacPaw marked its 15th anniversary with the launch of Moonlock, a cybersecurity division focused on Mac user safety and enhancing security features. Since 2008, MacPaw has launched more than ten products, and every fifth Mac on the planet has at least one MacPaw app, Kosovan says. He is also a co-founder of the SMRK Venture Capital Fund, which provides venture investment for Ukrainian IT startups. SMRK has invested in companies like AJAX, Preply, Esper Bionics, and Deus Robotics. MacPaw experienced growth in certain areas while maintaining stability in others, Kosovan says. MacPaws software has been downloaded in over 180 countries, with the United States representing 41% of the companys user base, closely followed by Europe at 40%. The remaining 19% are users from various other countries, showcasing the global appeal of MacPaw products. The company took a step to strengthen its international presence still more in September 2023, when it opened an office in Boston to connect it with its key markets. However, Kosovan says that MacPaw's achievements extended beyond product development. Read also: Here are 3 Ukrainian female tech leaders worth getting to know The MacPaw Foundation, supported by users worldwide and Ukrainian backers, has played a significant role by contributing over $9 million in aid to Ukrainians, he says. These contributions reflected the resilience and adaptability of Ukrainians, maintaining effective global services and aiding the recovery of their home country. MacPaw has also allocated $1 million to the Promprylad.Renovation innovation center in Ivano-Frankivsk, in western Ukraine. This initiative aimed to support local businesses, encouraging their sustained contribution to Ukraine's economy during and after the war. MacPaws contribution brought the total investment in the project up to $1.5 million. Resilient team Still, Russias full-scale war on Ukraine has brought challenges and changes to Kosovan and his team. The last couple of years have been the most challenging period for both MacPaw and myself, Kosovan says. I had to make decisions with life-altering consequences. The MacPaw team underwent significant changes, with many specialists relocating and adapting to remote work. Around 70% of the team chose to stay in Ukraine, Kosovan says. Men of fighting age, from 18 to 60, are not permitted to leave the country during wartime. But Im nostalgic for the times when the team worked together from one peaceful office in Kyiv. As a company, MacPaw pivoted to meet the challenges head-on, preparing for various scenarios and developing contingency plans to ensure the Kyiv office would stay operational. It also took strategic measures such as halting sales in Russia and Belarus, and providing free access to ClearVPN to Ukrainian users to help protect them from cyberattacks. And despite all the disruption, MacPaw is still managing to develop new products like anti-spyware tool SpyBuster and Together App a tool used for keeping remote-working company teams connected. And of course, corporate social responsibility took on a new dimension, with the MacPaw Foundation redirecting funds to support those affected by the war. The temporary humanitarian storage at the MacPaw's office in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 31, 2022, the early months of the full-scale Russian invasion. (Courtesy of MacPaw) In turn, Kosovan is also grateful for the support his company has received from customers and people worldwide, which he said had helped to keep the business afloat. Its been a bumpy ride, marked by adaptation and resilience, to maintain pre-war performance levels, he says. Losses from war Luckily, MacPaw hasnt suffered any direct physical losses due to Russias war and bombing campaigns in Ukraine. We have been, however, significantly impacted by indirect losses stemming from disruptions to business operations, and having to divert resources to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion, Kosovan says. Its challenging to maintain productivity amidst regular air alerts, mobilization, blackouts, and the general recession in Ukraine's economy. The most significant loss came from the postponement of major product releases due to uncertainties in quality and timelines amid potential blackouts. A lot of time and resources also went toward developing Business Continuity Plans to prepare for various scenarios, including the possibility of a complete loss of Internet connections in Ukraine. In terms of the financial impact, Kosovan estimates that MacPaw has lost approximately $50 million due to the Russian aggression. But the company's business model was independent of the Ukrainian market or sales in Russia or Belarus, with most of our customers coming from the U.S. and Europe. And our data and infrastructure were hosted on secure cloud providers like Amazon Web Services. Plans and development As for plans for MacPaw's development in 2024, during the ongoing war, Kosovan says the company will continue with its global strategy, while adapting to new realities and global trends. The primary focus remains on integrating AI into products, and enhancing security and privacy solutions for customers in existing and new offerings, he says. Read also: Talking Business in Ukraine: Conversation with Uklon, Ukraines leading ride-hailing service MacPaw aims to grow the Boston office to at least 30 team members by 2025. The focus will be on international recruitment and supporting specialists already abroad with resident permits. Globally, the significance of cybersecurity has increased, and resultantly MacPaw's Moonlock division has been dedicated to developing user-friendly cybersecurity tools, exemplified by the Moonlock Engine technology which enhances the CleanMyMac app. Weve got ambitious plans, but theyve needed a lot of thought to navigate the complexities of the ongoing war, Kosovan says. The vision for 2024 and beyond is to sustain, grow, and evolve, making sure MacPaw stays at the forefront of technology while contributing positively to society. Kosovan also underlines MacPaw's commitment to staying in Ukraine and investing efforts in its recovery and development. Supporting Ukraines advocates and its defenders will be a core commitment until victory is achieved, he says. He is optimistic that Russia will be held accountable for its crimes, with the Kremlins international assets being redirected to rebuild Ukraine. Kosovan envisions a scenario similar to the Marshall Plan, contributing to Ukraine's economic recovery, attracting millions of Ukrainians back home, and providing an opportunity to rebuild the country with modern infrastructure. Employees during a meeting in the MacPaw's office in Kyiv, Ukraine prior to the full-scale Russian invasion.(Courtesy of MacPaw) In the meantime, Kosovan has set MacPaw the ambitious goal in 2024 of regaining its pre-war annual growth rate of 40%. Focus areas will include the new Moonlock cybersecurity products, new generation AI-infused products, and major product releases. The company aims to be at the forefront of industry shifts, expanding geographically by hiring internationally, Kosovan says. And despite the ongoing challenges, MacPaw remains committed to playing a pivotal role in shaping the industry's future. Business climate Meanwhile, the current business climate in Ukraine is tough, Kosovan admits. The robustness and resilience of businesses has become crucial for survival, with significant hurdles such as issues with law enforcement, corruption, the ongoing war, attacks on civil infrastructure, mobilization efforts, and economic pressure to increase taxes. A lot of good works been done on economic reforms, anti-corruption, and business regulation, but there are still some challenges that hinder domestic and international companies from operating and thriving. Read also: Talking business in Ukraine: Conversation with Monobank, countrys largest online bank In particular, Kosovan says theres a need for more effective dialogue on the government's National Revenue Strategy: The countrys business associations oppose it, complaining that they were left out of the consultation loop when the strategy was drawn up. Theres a need for a genuine dialogue between the government and the business community, and the government needs to foster a cooperative relationship between law enforcement and businesses, Kosovan says. He says Ukraines Digital Transformation Ministry should act as a mediator between business and the government, as it is an institution thats trusted by business. MacPaw team photographed during Dignity and Freedom Day in Kyiv, Ukraine, Nov. 21, 2023. (Courtesy of MacPaw) Businesses need to be vocal, united, and proactive, he says. The government needs to be more receptive to businesses needs, and play a supportive role in fostering growth. A cooperative relationship, based on mutual respect, is going to be essential for there to be prosperous businesses and a good future after the war. Read also: The 21-year-old Ukrainian CEO running a global tech firm in war-torn Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A house burns near Ono, Calif., in a 2020 wildfire. Two more companies, Tokio Marine America Insurance Co. and Trans Pacific Insurance Co., have joined a growing number of home insurance providers that have pulled out of the wildfire-prone state. (Ethan Swope / Associated Press) Two more insurers are pulling out of California's troubled homeowners insurance market, straining a marketplace that already has seen the pullback of several other companies that have cited increase costs related to wildfire risks. Tokio Marine America Insurance Co. and Trans Pacific Insurance Co. submitted filings to the California Department of Insurance stating they will not renew 12,556 homeowners policies with a premium value of $11.3 million starting July 1. Also not being renewed are 1,624 dwelling fire and liability policies with a premium value of $1.7 million typically sold to owners of rental properties, as well as personal umbrella coverage. The companies, subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Tokio Marine Holdings, are completely exiting the homeowners marketplace. Several major insurers, meanwhile, including State Farm, Farmers and Allstate, have limited their exposure in California by cutting back on the number of new policies they issue or tightening underwriting standards. State Farm, for example, announced in March it would not renew 72,000 policies. In deciding to pull out of the so-called personal lines market, Tokio Marine cited as its reason that its "technology supporting the personal lines business is at the end of its useful life. Due to the small size of our personal lines book and the undue financial burden of the cost to update necessary automation, we are unable to continue supporting our personal lines operation," the company said in filings with the Department of Insurance. Department spokesman Michael Soller said the the decision would have a limited impact on the market due to the small number of policies. Tokio Marine Holdings, a unit of Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi, did not respond to an emailed request for comment. California's homeowners insurance crisis has been building for years as climate change and extreme weather have contributed to catastrophic fires that destroyed thousands of homes. There is now an effort in Sacramento to fix the problem through a series of reforms that have put the insurance industry and consumer advocates at odds. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is seeking to make the market more attractive for insurers by allowing them to include the costs for reinsurance and future wildfires in their premiums. Consumer advocates worry the methodology for estimating the costs of future fires will not be adequately transparent and burden homeowners with excessive premiums. They also oppose passing on reinsurance costs to homeowners. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Call for change rings on following rally for shot at school bus in Hogans Creek Members of Jacksonvilles Hogans Creek community showed up to the University Plaza Apartments Saturday morning to call for change, signs in hand and frustrations high. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< This comes just days after Action News Jax reported a school bus full of children was hit by gunfire at an apartment complex while headed to Young Kids in Motion Academy. Carole Houston was driving that bus filled with over 30 children, some as young as 5 years old, and told Action News Jax on Saturday the only thought going through her mind when a bullet went flying through her driver-side window. Save my babies was the only thing I could think of. I didnt care about the bus running into the building. I didnt care, said Houston. Theyre only babies. Theyre our future. Its just really scary. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Although nobody was hurt in the incident, Meltonia Wright, the owner of Young Kids in Motion Academy, told Action News Jax that this points to a larger issue in Jacksonville. All the senseless shootings, killings, that are taking place in the city, that has sparked the fire in us, she said. Read: JSO: Two suspects arrested in crossfire shooting that hit school bus with kids on board Now, following Saturday mornings rally, the call to action remains not just to stop the violence in Jacksonville, but to fix the broken community at the heart of it. We have to educate properly. We have to fix the broken family unit and put people back together, explained Pastor Harry Ford. Its proven that when everybodys a family and everyones together, theres less crime inside of that particular family. The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office has since arrested 23-year-old Nailah Doles and 17-year-old Jayden Mobley in connection to the shooting, with both facing 31 counts of attempted murder. Read: JSO: Two suspects arrested in crossfire shooting that hit school bus with kids on board [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. A Camp Lejeune Marine died during a training event in North Carolina on Thursday evening, the service said in a statement posted to social media and provided to Military.com. The Marine, who was part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, was not named in the statement to adhere to the service's next-of-kin notification process. Public identification typically occurs 24 hours after a family is notified of a death. "The incident is under investigation and additional information will be released as it becomes available" on the unit's social media account, the statement said. The 24th MEU belongs to II Marine Expeditionary Force, which is based out of Camp Lejeune. Read Next: 15% Enlisted Pay Hike, Other Proposed Quality-of-Life Improvements Get Big Boost from House Lawmakers The statement did not list a cause of death or whether it was related to a firearm incident. The statement said the incident occurred in Carteret County, North Carolina, on the state's eastern coast. Earlier this week, the 24th MEU was conducting a composite unit training exercise, or COMPUTEX, at Onslow Beach in the state. That training included non-combatant evacuation operations, according to online posts from the unit. The COMPUTEX was in conjunction with sailors on the USS Wasp, which is part of the amphibious ready group, or ARG, of the same name. The statement from the Marine Corps on Friday did not specify which training event the death occurred at, only that it happened "in the late evening" of April 18. Officials said more information would be released by the II MEF account on X, formerly Twitter, when it became available. Last year, a Marine was killed during a night training exercise at the service's School of Infantry-West at Camp Pendleton, California. The school is one of two infantry schools in the Marine Corps and is the second stop for Marines entering the infantry military occupational specialty, or MOS. Lance Cpl. Joseph Whaley, who was attending the school's Basic Reconnaissance Course, was killed due to a negligent discharge, according to a Navy safety report. In March, Military.com reported that the commanders of SOI-W and the Reconnaissance Training Company were relieved for "lack of trust and confidence," that month; a specific reason for the firings was not provided by officials at the time, and it is unclear if they were connected to the training death. II MEF, the parent unit to 24th MEU, recently returned from training in the Nordic countries as part of a NATO force exercising there. Related: Negligent Discharge Killed Marine Training at Camp Pendleton Last Month, Navy Report Indicates Canadas gold heist: Inside one of the biggest thefts in the annals of crime The largest gold heist in Canadian history was carried out with remarkable ease: A fraudulent shipping document for a load of farm-raised Scottish salmon was used to brazenly snatch $14.5 million in gold bars and nearly $2 million in bank notes. The precious cargo arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport from Zurich, Switzerland, a year ago last Wednesday. It was hauled nearby to a secure Air Canada cargo warehouse, where, hours later, a hulking white box truck backed into a loading dock. The truck driver wore dark clothing, a high-visibility vest and a face mask. He stepped out with a clipboard holding a duplicate of a consignment bill for a seafood shipment picked up the previous day. A forklift loaded a tightly sealed container into the back of the five-ton truck, where the driver nudged the load with his body to make sure it was secure. He pulled down the rear door and drove away. This story is a sensational one, Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said Wednesday in announcing charges against nine suspects in the heist. One which we jokingly say belongs in a Netflix series. A truck driver with a fraudulent waybill for a seafood shipment picks up the container. - Peel Regional Police The heist actually was a sophisticated caper allegedly involving Air Canada insiders. It morphed into an international operation that, in the words of one official, worked a kind of reverse alchemy to turn gold into guns trafficked from the US intended for use by criminals on the streets of Canada. This isnt just about gold. This is about how gold becomes guns, said the official, Nando Iannicca, head of the Peel regional government, which is responsible for the airport. It turns into people who are harmed or killed. In September, the man who allegedly drove the truck in the gold theft was arrested following a traffic stop in Pennsylvania with a cache of 65 guns purchased in Florida and Georgia with proceeds from gold melted down after the heist that he allegedly intended to smuggle into Canada. Keeping those guns off the streets of Canada saved lives without a doubt, Duraiappah said. This is a dotted line to peoples well being anywhere in this country wherever those firearms ended up. Details of the heist were gleaned from statements and interviews with Canadian and US law enforcement officials, court documents and surveillance footage and images released by police. Theft rivals Canadas great maple syrup heist In the annals of Canadian crime, only the great maple syrup heist of 2012 in which millions of dollars worth of the sweet stuff were stolen from a warehouse holding Quebecs strategic syrup reserves garnered as much attention around the world. That heist was the subject of an episode on a Netflix series. The gold heist is almost out of an Oceans 11 movie or CSI, Patrick Brown, the mayor of Brampton, a city near Toronto Pearson International Airport, said as he stood with a group of police officers and other elected officials in front of the truck used in last years heist. At 3:56 p.m. on April 17, 2023, a plane from Zurich landed in Toronto with a shipment of 6,600 gold bars weighing nearly 900 pounds and about $1.9 million in bank notes. The gold bars from a precious metals refining company in Switzerland were destined for a bank in Toronto. The bank notes were headed to the Vancouver Bullion & Currency Exchange. At 6:32 p.m., the suspect in the white box truck arrived at the Air Canada warehouse with a copy of an airway bill that had been printed out earlier at the same facility. Police say a five-ton, white box truck was used in the theft. - Peel Regional Police The document said the shipment came from a seafood company in the United Kingdom that according to the company website specializes in the finest Atlantic salmon. Its destination was one of Canadas largest seafood distribution companies, which caters to luxury hotels and restaurants as well as chain and independent retailers. Instead of a load of farm-raised seafood, the truck driver pulled away from the loading dock with loot. They needed people inside Air Canada to facilitate this theft, Peel Regional Police Det. Sgt. Mike Mavity said. Anyone that worked at that business would likely have known that it was a high value commodity and not obviously just seafood, Mavity told CNN, referring to the way the shipment was wrapped and labeled. At about 9:30 p.m., a Brinks security company armored truck arrived with the actual waybill for the shipment of pure gold and bank notes. Air Canada employees couldnt find the container and an internal investigation was started. The theft was reported to Peel police at 2:43 a.m. Investigators tracked the truck on video For weeks after the heist, investigators leading what police dubbed Project 24 karat painstakingly went over surveillance video from more than 200 businesses and residences along the side roads and highway route the truck had taken. Were trying to find businesses that their video cameras obviously are focused on the highway, but capture the highway in the background. And we could perhaps sometimes see just a little snippet of the truck passing by and then we just kept following it, Mavity said. Every time the highway would meet a major intersection, wed have to go to video of that intersection and see if the truck got off. If it didnt we keep leapfrogging along. So it was very, very time consuming. These sort of investigations, its not like TV at all. Investigators were able to track the truck on separate snippets of video for about 20 miles before it vanished as the vehicle wound up way into rural Canada. I think they must have definitely thought they got away with it, Mavity said in an interview. Early in the investigation, days after the theft, a 31-year-old former Air Canada manager who police later identified as one of two alleged inside men in the heist led officers on a tour of the warehouse. He appeared stressed. The ex-manager resigned last summer, traveled to Dubai and is now believed to be in India. We didnt understand what the cargo warehouse looked like. And we had a lot of questions on how the goods came in, and then moved through there and went out, Mavity recalled. An officer actually noticed that he was sweating profusely and thought it was kind of strange but didnt think anything of it, Mavity said of the former manager. We had our suspicions at the time but, as far as our investigation, we werent in a position to act on those suspicions yet. Last year Brinks sued Air Canada over the theft, claiming millions of dollars in damages after an unidentified individual presented a fraudulent waybill at the warehouse and absconded with the cargo, according to the statement of claim. No security protocols or features were in place to monitor, restrict or otherwise regulate the unidentified individuals access to the facilities, said the statement, adding Air Canada accepted the fraudulent document without verifying its authenticity in any way. Air Canada, in a statement, confirmed two employees charged in the theft worked at the warehouse. One was suspended, the other resigned. In its legal response to the Brinks lawsuit, Air Canada has denied it was careless and its security lax. As this is now before the courts, we are limited in our ability to comment further, the statement said. In a statement, the Brinks company thanked Peel Regional Police and said, We will continue to cooperate with them as this investigation continues to unfold. Something that you dont see everyday A big break in the case came on September 2, 2023, when the 25-year-old man who allegedly drove the truck in the gold heist was arrested in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Canadian police had identified him as the truck driver early in the investigation but had not been able to locate him. A Pennsylvania state trooper stopped a rental car for a minor traffic violation. The driver bolted on foot and, after he was caught, troopers found 65 guns including two fully automatic handguns converted to machine guns in the car. The man has been charged with conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms into Canada. Authorities contacted police in Canada after finding the drivers name in a law enforcement database. That kind of set everything in motion in terms of his whereabouts, what his activity was at least in the states, which then led to some cooperation with the Canadian law enforcement agency, said Eric DeGree, special agent in charge of the Philadelphia field division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Obviously 65 firearms is something that you dont see every day So thats kind of how they got us involved. Police in Pennsylvania seized 65 illegal guns destined for the streets of Canada. - Peel Regional Police Eleven of the firearms were stolen, one had an obliterated serial number and five were ghost guns, which are assembled to make homemade weapons. Had he not been stopped by that Pennsylvania state trooper I dont know if he would have been intercepted at the border, Mavity said of the man arrested in Pennsylvania. Each illegal handgun, purchased for a few hundred dollars in the US, can be sold on the streets of Canada for up to $6,000. The buyers could be anyone from a street gang or drug traffickers all the way to more coordinated individuals, Duraiappah said. Theyre not just the typical type of firearms that are used at a pharmacy robbery or a carjacking. Without a doubt, you know, not knowing where they would have ended up in Canada, one or all of them would have been used in the facilitation of another crime. Canadian Investigators learned a Toronto jeweler charged in the heist allegedly helped melt down the gold bars, which had serial numbers, in smelting pots seized by the police. The gold was then sold to buy guns across the border. Only six crude bangle bracelets made of pure gold and worth about $65,000 remained of the 6,600 gold bars. Less than a week after the gold heist, the truck driver was using an encrypted messenger app to arrange with another suspect his illegal entry into the US to buy firearms, according to an indictment filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The exchanges included travel arrangements and accommodations and photos of large amounts of Canadian currency wrapped in rubber bands, with the message,Just picked up the change for you going to exchange the change to USD, the indictment said. Another exchange in August 2023 had the truck driver discussing the purchase of several firearms for 3500, with one suspect responding: Get itGood to go. There were photos of firearms and large amounts of cash. That same month, a text message from the driver talked about the acquisition of 45 stick, presumably referring to firearms. Another suspect expressed concern about the truck driver getting pulled, the indictment said. US law enforcement officials are still trying to identify the source of the stolen guns. Of the nine heist suspects who Canadian investigators said had been enjoying a lavish lifestyle, including trips to Dubai and India five were arrested and released because they could not be held on bail on the theft charges. They were ordered to appear in court at a later date. On August 30 and 31, the indictment said, surveillance footage from a U-Haul storage facility in Atlanta captured the truck driver carrying a backpack. Two days later, on September 2, the same backpack was found in the truck of his rental car with more than 30 firearms inside. This investigation isnt done, Peel Deputy Police Chief Nick Milinovich said. Still, Duraiappah said, his investigators in recent days have been joking about what actors would play them in a Netflix series. CNNs Paula Newton and Fabiana Chaparro contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Cannabis is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, this year estimated to rake in more than $64 billion globally as more and more regions unravel marijuana prohibition. Germany became the third European country to legalize weed on April 1 this year, though only in limited amounts, while voters in states like Florida and Nebraska may decide to legalize the plant, potentially joining the roughly 74% of Americans who live somewhere cannabis is legally sold. While the drug has a long history of villainization due to racist and anti-scientific drug policy, most people today recognize the drug is safer than alcohol and tobacco (though certainly not harm-free) and that prohibition fails to accomplish much aside from feeding the prison-industrial complex. Marijuana, whether medical or recreational, is big business, and as is typical with large industries, that means it has outsized impacts on the environment. Much of the modern cannabis industry relies on unsustainable agricultural practices. This means, in effect, that the world's favorite green drug can have a decidedly un-green carbon footprint. In 2021, researchers from Colorado State University analyzed the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) generated by cannabis as it is typically grown throughout the United States. Their study in the journal Nature Sustainability indicates that indoor cannabis production is energy intensive and leaves a significant carbon footprint. Depending on one's location, cultivating just a single kilogram of cannabis indoor releases between 2,283 and 5,184 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent. "The significant energy requirements and GHG emissions associated with indoor cannabis production imply that as energy costs and environmental regulations become stricter in response to climate change, the costs associated with cannabis production could increase," said corresponding author Dr. Jason Quinn, operator director of Colorado State's Energy Institute. In addition to worsening global warming, Quinn said these conditions could ultimately reduce marijuana quality and make it more expensive. Even advocates of responsible cannabis use recognize the climate change risks associated with the plant. Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a cannabis specialist and instructor at Harvard Medical School, said that while cannabis is viewed by some as natural and healthy "it does, indeed, have a large carbon footprint." Citing the Natural Sustainability article, Grinspoon noted that the more sustainable practice of outdoor cultivation may become difficult as Earth's temperatures continue to increase. "Sunny, outdoor areas to grow cannabis, in places across the globe, are becoming too hot, dry [and] desertified to sustain vegetation," Grinspoon said. "This will worsen every year that we fail make progress on carbon emissions. Also, increasingly, there are droughts and competition for water resources, which farmers need to grow cannabis outside." That problem factors into the cost of marijuana, which both Quinn and Grinspoon predict will rise as our planet continues to heat. The good news is that this problem is solvable. Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes. "Yes, there are ways to grow cannabis and be mindful of the environment," Janice Mackey, information officer at the California Fish and Wildlife Department (CDFW), told Salon. "Those in the regulated market work with state regulators to limit environmental impacts with their cultivation activities. Even the smallest adjustments can make a big difference on the ecology of a farm." Mackey added that CDFW has a cannabis grant program that assists farmers with projects like conserving water, improving roads and protecting habitats. When farmers have gone above and beyond compliance requirements, the CDFW has profiled them for their achievements. "CDFW is committed to working with cannabis cultivators of all sizes to help them navigate through state regulations," Mackey said. "CDFWs Cannabis Program consists of permitting, enforcement, grants, land stewardship, environmental monitoring and outreach all in an effort to protect the environment and help the regulated market succeed." Grinspoon said that as long as cannabis is cultivated outside, the plant will have a lower carbon footprint since there will be less of a need for the use of electricity or natural gas. "It is also important to regulate pesticides and nutrients so that the cannabis isn't contaminated, nor is the groundwater," Grinspoon said. "There also is produced a lot of plastics and other waste, particularly in the packaging, which can be improved." Legalizing marijuana will make it easier for the government to effectively regulate the industry so that it is environmentally sound. That's because criminal grow operations typically don't care if it causes pollution or how much energy they consume. "As cannabis becomes legal, it will be more coherently regulated, and it will be much easier to safely and effectively institute environmental regulations on the production and distribution of cannabis," Grinspoon said. "It also becomes a lot safer for consumers as the cannabis itself is tested and regulated for mold, heavy metals, fungus, dangerous pesticides, etc." If one must cultivate marijuana indoors, the Nature Sustainability paper urges them to do so with energy-efficient technologies like LED lights and high-efficiency HVAC systems, both of which significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The paper also suggests optimizing air charges per hour to reduce energy consumption. At the same time, the paper emphasizes that growing marijuana outdoors is much preferable from an environmental standpoint. There is at least one other reason to grow marijuana outside, assuming climate change does not make that unfeasible. Planting marijuana crops outdoors may do more than minimize the crop's negative effect on climate change; it might actually help reduce climate change itself. Research scientists from Hudson Carbon, a New York-based research center which studies carbon storage, found that hemp cultivation is "carbon-negative," meaning that it stores more carbon than it emits. Roughly speaking, if [the US] did 50 million acres of hemp, we would be sequestering a couple hundred million tons of carbon per year on that acreage, Ben Dobson, the founder and president of Hudson Carbon, told Earth.com. An Oklahoma City federal court judge dismissed a lawsuit that the families of three transgender students had filed in 2022 to challenge a law regulating school bathroom use by biological sex. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY A lawsuit challenging an Oklahoma law affecting transgender students use of school restrooms has been appealed after being dismissed in Oklahoma City federal court. The families of three transgender students sued the Oklahoma State Department of Education in 2022 to overturn Senate Bill 615, which they said is unconstitutional and a Title IX violation. SB 615 required school restrooms to be used according to a persons biological sex, not their gender identity. A single-occupant restroom also must be available as an alternative. On Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma appealed U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishmans decision to throw out the lawsuit. Last month, Dishman fully dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. The dismissal was mildly surprising because it means the judge didnt just disagree, but found the plaintiffs claims to be meritless, said Devraat Awasthi, an ACLU legal fellow working on the case. The ACLU of Oklahoma has appealed Dishmans decision to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. SB 615 is a law that elevates the privacy and safety interest of cisgender students above those of transgender and nonbinary students, and that violates the Constitutions promise of equality under the law, Awasthi said. Thats a promise that all Oklahomans care about, and I think that we are vindicating that important commitment by bringing this appeal. Dishman ruled in favor of the state Attorney Generals Office, who contended treatment based on gender identity doesnt amount to sex discrimination under Title IX. The three plaintiffs dont present a danger to fellow students, the judge wrote in her court order, but she decided striking down the law could create a safety issue. If the Court adopted Plaintiffs position, any biological male could claim to be transgender and then be allowed to use the same restroom or changing area as girls, Dishman wrote. This is a major safety concern. However, if Plaintiffs arguments were adopted, it would put school officials in the position of either having to conduct a subjective analysis of the sincerity of an individuals gender identity or merely take their word for it. The Attorney Generals Office declined to comment on the case. State Superintendent Ryan Walters speaks during an Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting Aug. 24 in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Brent Fuchs/For Oklahoma Voice) One of the defendants was state Superintendent Ryan Walters, the head of the state Education Department. He has been one of the most vocal advocates of outlawing school bathroom use by gender identity, saying it puts female students at risk. The (U.S.) District Court was correct in recognizing the real physiological differences between men and women, and the real interest of parents in protecting their kids, Walters said in a statement. Oklahomans strongly oppose the radical left trying to force young girls to share bathrooms with boys, and I will always fight to protect our students. Walters also has been a supporter of Oklahoma laws that prohibit gender-affirming medical care for minors and that block transgender girls from playing in womens sports. He pursued new rules at the Education Department to prevent students from retroactively changing prior school records to match their gender identity. Laws like these embolden bullies and put transgender students at risk, Awasthi said. He pointed to the death of Nex Benedict, a nonbinary student from Owasso who had reported bullying. A medical examiners report found Benedict, 16, died by suicide on Feb. 8, a day after the student was in a fight in a school restroom. I think an important facet of laws like this in general is it gives cover to bullies and to bigots in our society because it makes them think their kind of discriminatory intent is supported by the state, Awasthi said. It kind of gives almost permission for that kind of horrible treatment to occur in our public schools. Walters called this argument around Benedicts death a grotesquely distorted radical, progressive, Democrat narrative in a Fox News opinion piece he published on Thursday. Walters editorial repeatedly referred to Benedict as a girl, despite the Benedict family having said this is an inaccurate description of who the student was. About a dozen other states had passed similar bathroom bills by the time Oklahomas governor signed SB 615 into law. Legal challenges have succeeded in overturning similar legislation elsewhere in the country. The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand two rulings from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals that affirmed students rights to use the restroom that matches their gender identity. New rules the U.S. Department of Education introduced on Friday include gender identity protections in Title IX. A co-author of SB 615, Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, said several Oklahoma lawmakers worked on the bills language to give that safety and that security to the kids. He said the legislations authors chose not to borrow bill language from other states. I think that might have helped some in it being able to stand up (in court) because we had so many different eyes on it and so many people working on it, West said. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post Case challenging Oklahoma transgender bathroom law appealed after federal judge dismisses it appeared first on Oklahoma Voice. In case you missed Donald Trump's hush money trial, here are this week's highlights NEW YORK The historic first criminal trial of a former U.S. president got off to a wild start. Between Donald Trump nodding off, jurors being selected only to drop out, and Trumps alleged repeat violations of a gag order prohibiting him from speaking publicly about trial participants, its clear the six-week trial will be an unprecedented chapter in the history of both politics and criminal justice. Trump has been charged with 34 felony counts for allegedly falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, Playboy model Karen MacDougal and a Trump Tower doorman. The first week was focused on jury selection, with three panels of prospective jurors, totaling around 300 people, brought in and questioned to form a jury of 12 with six alternates. This coming week is expected to see opening statements and the first witnesses as the court examines how Trump allegedly made the hush money payments in a bid to influence the results of the 2016 election just as the nation stares down the next one. Here are the highlights from Week 1 of the trial, in case you missed it. Monday The first day of the trial kicked off with several legal blows for Trump, who nodded off points during the trial. Outside the courthouse, dozens of MAGA supporters outnumbered by members of the media came out in support of Trump, along with a few counter-protestors. Judge Juan Merchan denied Trumps teams second motion to recuse himself from the case because his daughter is employed by a political firm that works with Democrats. To say that these claims are attenuated is an understatement, Merchan said. The court will not address this matter further. Prosecutors also asked the judge to hold Trump in criminal contempt of court for continuing to post comments about witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels, including a post where Trump attacked Cohen as a liar and a sleazebag. Assistant District Attorney Chris Conroy said Trump should be fined $1,000 for each Truth Social post in violation of the order. Merchan said hed weigh the violations at a hearing set for next Tuesday. And then the trial was off to its official start, with the first batch of jurors sworn in just after lunch. By the days end, the group was down to just around 30 who said they could be fair and impartial toward the former president. Tuesday The first jury members were sworn in, establishing the first Manhattanites who will determine whether Trump is convicted as a felon. The three women and four men included an oncology nurse, a corporate attorney; an English teacher who respected that Trump speaks his mind"; an IT worker who said he found Trumps ability to walk into a room and set everyone off was fascinating; and a software engineer and recent college grad. The day also saw the first but almost certainly not the last more contentious moment between Trump and Merchan. The judge said he spotted Trump acting up as a woman was summoned for further questioning. He was gesturing, and he was speaking in [their] direction, the judge said, scolding Trump through his lawyer. I wont tolerate that I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. Wednesday Trials day off. As is standard practice during longer trials like this one, which is scheduled to last six weeks, judges often reserve one day per week to work on other cases. Judge Merchan chose Wednesday to preside over Manhattans Mental Health Court. Thursday Several more jurors were selected, bringing the total to 12 jurors and one alternative. One of the 12 jurors follows Trump on Truth Social and has read The Art of the Deal, while another confessed 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. Two jurors were also dismissed: One told the court she was frightened after her friends and family had guessed she was on the panel from her description in media reports and worried about her ability to remain impartial. The other excused juror who earlier called Trump fascinating and mysterious was excused after it was discovered a man with the same name was arrested for tearing down right-wing political posters in the 90s. Prosecutor Conroy also said that Trump had violated his gag order seven more times since Monday. The most disturbing instance, the DAs lawyer said, was a Truth Social post made Wednesday night that reads: They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury. Its ridiculous, Conroy said. It has to stop. Friday Court proceedings went uninterrupted in the afternoon after a shocking self-immolation in front of the courthouse. One court officer was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, Al Baker, a spokesperson for the court, said. Just before the incident, jury selection wrapped as five more alternates were selected, rounding out the panel of 12 jurors and six alternates. Four women and one man were selected as the last alternates Friday afternoon, including a woman who said I dont believe in watching news and an audio expert who offered to help solve microphone issues in the courtroom. The jury of 12 men and women with a total of six alternates will begin hearing the case Monday. Emotions ran high in the courtroom as several prospective jurors shed tears or voiced concerns about serving as jurors for the highly scrutinized trial. I think, possibly, I have really bad anxiety, one woman told the court. The more days that go on and more and more people in my life know that Im here without me even telling them, they just put pieces together. ________ A student choir performs during an event organized by Confucius Institute of Transilvania University of Brasov to mark the UN Chinese Language Day in Brasov, central Romania, April 19, 2024. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua) BRASOV, Romania, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Confucius Institute of Transylvania University of Brasov, Romania, hosted on Friday a series of activities to celebrate the international Chinese Language Day. Attendees were treated to a diverse array of performances, including Chinese and Romanian song renditions, guzheng performances, and demonstrations of Tai Chi and martial arts. The event, themed "Chinese: Building a Bridge for Mutual Learning among Civilizations", also featured the screening of an award-winning video work titled "My Story with China: The Sino-Romanian Friendship through My Eyes" and a cultural lecture on the theme of "Dao" in Romania. Zhang Lili, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Romania, voiced her hope for more students to join Confucius Institutes to learn Chinese, fostering a deeper understanding of Chinese history and culture and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between China and Romania. Corina Micu, Coordinator of the International Relations Office at Transylvania University of Brasov, highlighted the profound cultural significance of International Chinese Language Day, noting that language serves as a window to understanding culture, facilitating deeper exchanges and understanding among different peoples. Stefan Ciocanel, a second-year student at the adult class of the Confucius Institute, highlighted the pivotal role of language in cultural exchange, citing his six-month China tour last year as enriching his understanding of Chinese culture, sparking a strong interest in tea culture, traditional Chinese medicine, and clothing. Serban Toader, a Chinese language teacher at the Faculty of Literature at Transylvania University, encouraged young people to visit China, deepen their understanding of Chinese culture through language exchange and firsthand experiences, and thereby establish closer friendships and connections. During the day, the attendees also participated in a Chinese lecture on "The Categorization of Words in Chinese Grammar" and experienced activities such as brush calligraphy and paper cutting brought by the Confucius Institute teachers. The event attracted around 100 attendees, including students and faculty from Transylvania University, local high schools, enthusiasts of Chinese language and culture, as well as representatives from other Confucius Institutes and Chinese companies. Since its establishment in March 2012 with the participation of China's Shenyang Jianzhu University, the Confucius Institute at Transylvania University has trained thousands of students. A student performs during an event organized by Confucius Institute of Transilvania University of Brasov to mark the UN Chinese Language Day in Brasov, central Romania, April 19, 2024. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua) A student performs during an event organized by Confucius Institute of Transilvania University of Brasov to mark the UN Chinese Language Day in Brasov, central Romania, April 19, 2024. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua) People attend an event organized by Confucius Institute of Transilvania University of Brasov to mark the UN Chinese Language Day in Brasov, central Romania, April 19, 2024. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua) Colleen Delsack, 47, of Alexandria, Va., has Botox injected by a medical provider in this file photo in Arlington, Va., on June 5, 2009. Counterfeit or mishandled Botox has been linked to 19 bad reactions that in some cases have hospitalized people with botulism. | Jacquelyn Martin Counterfeit or mishandled Botox has been linked to 19 bad reactions that in some cases have hospitalized people with botulism. Now national public health organizations are warning people to be sure they know the source of any Botox injection and only get the cosmetic treatment from licensed individuals. Botox injections contain botulinum toxin and are sometimes used to paralyze muscles for a period of time. Cosmetically, its most often used to reduce wrinkles. The Mayo Clinic said they are also used for neck spasms, sweating, overactive bladder, lazy eye and other conditions and might help prevent migraine headaches. It, too, cautions people to select the person who will provide a Botox injection carefully. With 19 people affected in at least nine states nine of those individuals hospitalized officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are emphasizing the need to avoid injections from unlicensed or untrained individuals or those given in non-health-care settings, including homes and spas. Which states have reports about fake Botox? Cases linked to bogus Botox have been reported in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Washington. Investigations are ongoing into the source of the products. Four of the nine received botulism antitoxin after they tested positive for botulism. The other five tested negative. Per the CDC, botulism is a rare but serious illness from Clostridium botulinum that attacks nerves and makes breathing difficult, paralyzes muscles and can kill. While the bacteria can be naturally occurring and generally harmless, in certain conditions it can become extremely dangerous. One of the most common sources of botulism is food that has been improperly home canned, preserved or fermented. Those affected have reported symptoms including blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, fatigue and general weakness, per the CDC and FDA, which notes some people have trouble lifting their head after receiving an injection of bogus Botox. The FDA said anyone experiencing any of those symptoms after receiving an injection of botulinum toxin products should call their doctor or go to an emergency room. These incidents have occurred when counterfeit Botox is injected by licensed and unlicensed individuals and/or in non-medical or unlicensed settings, per the FDA advisory. The products appear to have been purchased from unlicensed sources. Medications purchased from unlicensed sources may be misbranded, adulterated, counterfeit, contaminated, improperly stored and transported, ineffective and/or unsafe, the notice read. Spotting the counterfeit Botox Both agencies offer tips to reduce the risk of getting a fake injection that could be harmful, including: Ask if the product has received FDA approval and whether the products source is reliable. If your state has a tool that lets consumers look up licensing, do so. The FDA noted several similarities between the counterfeit products and FDA-approved Botox, which is made by AbbVie in 50-, 100- and 200-unit forms. The agency said that theres no indication that the reported adverse events are related to AbbVies FDA-approved Botox, which should be considered safe and effective for its intended and approved uses. The agency further noted that the counterfeit product is packaged in a counterfeit carton and vial and might contain these markings: The outer carton and vial are labeled C3709C3. The active ingredient is Botulinum Toxin Type A, instead of OnabotulinumtoxinA. The marked unit indicates 150-unit doses, which are not something AbbVie or Allergan (an AbbVie company) make. The outer carton is not solely in English. Consumers can see photos of the bogus Botox online on the FDA counterfeit announcement page, which also contains information about reporting adverse reactions to any medication. This is not the first time that faux Botox has caused problems. Back in 2005, a company was charged with crimes after as many as 1,000 people received the counterfeit injections, as The Associated Press reported. At that time, health experts were saying people should avoid Botox parties. In 2006, a husband-and-wife doctor team was sent to prison for selling dangerous bootleg Botox. Celebration of life held in honor of K9 Bruce following unexpected passing SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The Salt Lake City Police Department honored K9 Bruce who unexpectedly passed away at three years old with a celebration of life and end of watch service. He was a police bloodhound who died on Sunday, March 17, from a medical condition that was previously unknown to his handler, family and the SLCPD. PREVIOUS: SLCPD honors K9 after unexpected passing at 3 years old Dogs today have become more closely intertwined with our human activity, said Chief Mike Brown. They are service animals, used for hunting, and, like K9 Bruce, they are frontline responders and play a critical role at keeping our city safe. K9 Bruce played a vital role in supporting public safety throughout Salt Lake County. His calm demeanor and friendly disposition meant he could interact with anyone compassionately and safely. As a police dog, K9 Bruce helped build community trust. An undated photo of Salt Lake City Police K9 Bruce. (Salt Lake City Police Department) An undated photo of Salt Lake City Police K9 Bruce as a puppy. (Salt Lake City Police Department) The service was led by the Salt Lake City Police Departments K9 squad, which is part of the Departments Special Operations Division. SLCPD command staff, sworn members, professional staff and members of the community attended the ceremony in remembrance of K9 Bruce. Several people shared stories about him, including how he earned the nickname Barbeque Bruce, how much he loved Spam, and how each time hed get a capture, his handler would leave a note for his family. A photo of memorial decoration including a picture of K9 Bruce and his handler and K9 Bruce as a puppy (SLCPD photo April 17, 2024). A photo of memorial decorations including a picture of K9 Bruce (SLCPD photo April 17, 2024). A photo of the SLCPD K9 Squads sergeant talking about K9 Bruce (SLCPD photo April 17, 2024). K9 Bruce was born in Iowa in November 2020 and joined the SLCPD when he was eight weeks old. He lived with his handler and became a beloved member of the family. During his service, K9 Bruce successfully found 31 people and often helped other jurisdictions with his handler. They were deployed for countless calls for service including searching for violent offenders, fugitives and missing persons. K9 Bruces handler remains a part of the SLCPDs K9 Squad. His new K9 is a 10-month-old bloodhound named Bruno that is currently undergoing training. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. US Central Command (CENTCOM) is refuting reports claiming the U.S. conducted airstrikes in Iraq following a blast at a military base in the country that killed a member of an Iraqi security force. We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today, CENCTOM said in a Friday night post on the social media platform X. Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today. A blast at Kalso military base, around 30 miles south of Iraqs capital city Baghdad, in early hours on Saturday local time, killed one member of Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and left eight wounded, according to Reuters. A technical committee of the Iraqi military said it was investigating the cause of the explosion, with the force commander referring to it as an attack, according to Reuters. The army said it is doing a probe into the incident. The air defence command report confirmed, through technical efforts and radar detection, that there was no drone or fighter jet in the air space of Babil before and during the explosion, the Iraqi military said in a statement, according to Reuters. Two security sources said prior that an airstrike caused the explosion at the base, per Reuters. The military base housed pro-Iranian militia. The PMF contains Iran-backed groups that have advanced Irans interest in the Middle East. The blast comes just days following Israels early Friday strike on Iran, which followed Tehrans missile and drone assault on the country on April 13, which Iran said was in retaliation for Israels airstrike in early April on the Iranian Consulate in Syria, which left several IRGC officers dead. The Hill has reached out to CENCTOM for further comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. BOISE, Idaho (ABC4) The triple murder trial of Chad Daybell continued Friday with jurors hearing more about the self-styled religious visionarys doomsday beliefs and seeing several private messages he sent to his now-imprisoned wife. Daybell, 55, is charged with murder, insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit murder and grand theft in connection to the death of his former wife, Tammy Daybell, and the killings of 7-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan. The childrens mother, Lori Vallow Daybell, was sentenced to life in prison last year in connection to the killings. CONTEXT A complete timeline for the Daybell, Vallow murders Daybells defense is working to show that Vallow Daybell was responsible for the deaths and drew Daybell, a self-published writer of doomsday fiction based loosely on LDS teachings, into an extramarital affair. On the other hand, prosecutors are arguing that Daybell and Vallow Daybell constructed an elaborate apocalyptic belief system to justify killing people in their way and benefiting from life insurance and social security payments. Text messages between Daybell and Vallow Daybell Doug Hart, a former FBI agent in Idaho, testified on Friday with an exhibit he created featuring several text message exchanges between Daybell and Vallow Daybell. In these, Daybell appears as a spiritual visionary to a small group of religious people. He could deem an individual to be either spiritually dark or light, giving them a precise numeral grade for either category. Among the messages presented to the jury were fictionalized passages written by Daybell describing his connection to Vallow Daybell. He wrote that theyd been married in past lives and would soon be together again as they had a special mission to complete before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. They were exchanging these messages while Tammy Daybell was still alive and just days after Vallow Daybells former husband, Charles Vallow, was fatally shot by her brother, Alex Cox. Neither Daybell nor Vallow Daybell showed any signs of grief or sorrow following Charles Vallows death, Hart told the court. They were only upset that Charles Vallows $1 million life insurance policy went to his sister and not Vallow Daybell. Its a spear thru my heart, Vallow Daybell wrote in a message to Daybell. In another message, Daybell pondered if the beneficiary on Vallows policy was changed after two bullets were put in his chest. Hart said the two would engage in sexting, noting that when they did meet up in person at religious conferences, they clearly had a physical, sexual affair. Daybell referred to Lori Vallow as his goddess lover, and told her that permanent freedom is coming, the texts show. Daybell would later marry Lori Vallow in Hawaii just weeks after his wifes death. Former friend said Daybell deemed children to be zombies Melanie Gibb, a former friend of Vallow Daybell, took the stand for the second day Friday morning, telling the court how Daybell and Lori Vallow believed that people could be possessed by dark spirits and become zombies. When questioned by prosecutor Lindsey Blake, Gibb said that only Daybell was able to tell if someone was a zombie. Shortly before their deaths or disappearances, Daybell told those in his inner circle that Tammy Daybell, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan were zombies, Gibb said. The two childrens bodies were found in shallow graves on Daybells property in June of 2020, months after other relatives reported them missing. Daybell told police his former wife was battling an illness when she died in October of 2019, but an autopsy later found she died of asphyxiation. Gibb told the court that after she met Vallow Daybell that they would take part in casting rituals to remove dark spirits from possessed people. These rituals involved praying for the spirits to leave, and violence was not used, Gibb said. However, once a spirit left a person, another would take its place. Daybell trial comes to brief halt over discussion on whether prosecutor can be called as witness According to what Daybell and Vallow Daybell believed, if a dark spirit left a person, their body would naturally die, Gibb told the court. She added that Daybell never indicated any intention to hurt anyone who was thought to be possessed. When asked by Daybells attorney, John Prior, if Gibb thought someone might die from a casting, she said: I had no idea about what the result would be. Testimony in the trial is expected to continue next week, beginning with more from Hart, the FBI investigator. The entire trial process could take more than two months. While Daybell has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, if he is convicted, prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty. The Associated Press contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Here are the changes to the university senate that will be presented to UK board next week The University of Kentucky university senate will lose its policy-making power and a new advisory board will be created under the proposed shared governance model announced Friday. Its the next step in what has been an ongoing process and debate between faculty and administration. President Eli Capilouto will present the new governance structure to the board of trustees April 25 and 26. His proposed structure moves the university senate from a policy-making body to an advisory faculty senate. The Student Government Association and the staff senate would remain as advisory bodies at UK. Items that the university senate currently approves, like new courses, curriculum or academic programs, would instead be approved by departments or colleges, then the provost, before going to the board for approval. Giving more decision-making power about curriculum and courses to the colleges and departments has been a focus for Capilouto throughout this process. Our current structure and the guiding principles of our institution in the form of the (governing regulations) dont do that, now, Capilouto said in an email to faculty on Friday evening. We need rules and structures for shared governance that help, not hinder, our progress. As difficult as change can be, its time to act. At the February board meeting, trustees gave Capilouto the authority to recommend changes to the universitys governing regulations. Since then, the university senate and senate council, which has authority to create broad education policy and academic standards for UK, has passed multiple resolutions calling on Capilouto to slow the process and delay making a recommendation to the board. University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto will propose a new governance structure for the university at board meetings next week. The university senate, which currently holds policy-making power, would become an advisory board, and decisions about courses and curriculum would be approved by the provost. Capilouto has said the change is needed to make the university more nimble, and would align the universitys structure with more common governance models. UKs structure has stayed relatively similar since the university senate was founded in 1917. The number of students and employees has significantly changed since then, when UK had 719 students and under 300 employees, UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said. Since the last board meeting, two drafts of what Capilouto will present to the board next week have been distributed to campus for feedback, with the third proposal sent out Friday evening. You have reinforced to me that, collectively, we have the power to make changes that matter, Capilouto said. You have given us the imperative to do so. We have the moral responsibility, too, to act with what weve learned and what we know. Thats what learning institutions do. They gather knowledge and use that knowledge to make things better. I believe thats what we are doing together. Student, faculty and staff advisory boards Under Capiloutos proposed model, the university senate which is currently made up of faculty, students and administrators would become a faculty senate, made up solely of faculty members. The student government association and staff senate would also be advisory boards, along with the creation of a presidents council. That council will be made up of 12 people split evenly between students, faculty and staff members, to be nominated by their peer groups for a one-year term. The individual senate groups will have the ability to decide how to vote in members, and if changes will be made to current processes. The groups will have one year to develop how they want to select members to advisory boards. The proposal will have two votes before the board: one at next weeks meeting, after which there will be a month for gathering feedback, with a second review at the June meeting. UK looks to change role of faculty senate. Employees worry it will take away authority After the February board meeting, Capilouto met with more than 1,000 faculty, staff and students about new governance structure ideas. The university also opened an online feedback form. The proposal has the support of the Student Government Association, which passed a resolution saying the body supported the new principles for shared governance. The university senate has opposed Capiloutos proposed reorganization nearly every step of the way, most recently in a resolution on April 8 that said the body had no confidence that his proposed changes are in the best long-term interests of the University or the Commonwealth. The senate has also expressed concerns about UK hiring Deloitte Consulting for feedback on governance, which was presented to the board as the basis for making changes to the universitys structure. The Herald-Leader has filed an Open Records Request for documentation of Deloittes research on the faculty senate, but has not yet received all requested records. The proposal also makes changes to the universitys governing regulations, updating and clarifying the rules about how the university operates. It moves some current governing regulations, like policies and procedures, or historical information about the universitys operation, into administrative regulations. CHESTER, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Chester officials are working to make the city look and feel better for its neighbors. Theyve been using its million-dollar stash of American Rescue Plan Act funds to improve certain areas across the city. City Administrator Malik Whitaker says they still have more than $440,000 left to spend out of the $1 million originally provided. The federal ARPA funds are intended for projects and services in relief from the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We spent probably about half of the money, Whitaker said. Municipalities have until the end of the year to allocate funds. By the end of 2026, all of them must be used. Over the past year and a half, city officials agreed to use that money to demolish old and unsafe homes, a new pool system and heating-and-air unit at the citys aquatic center, and upgrade public safety equipment to help law enforcement get criminals off the streets quickly. So really wise investment leverages the funds around a lot of different things and just really, really excited about how well the city has used this money to meet some of their big goals, some of the capital project goals, Whitaker said. Seven items are left on the citys list of upgrades and repairs. Theyll spend $32,000 on the Margaret Foote Parks and Recreation Center for window repairs. Further, $12,000 will replace Aquatic Center doors and bathrooms, and more than $100,000 will fund new signage and an HVAC system at the new police department headquarters. The police headquarters is moving into a former bank building. The transfer and remodel are set to be completed in May. Officials also allocated $7,500 for the economic development strategic plan. Whitaker says the Chester Development Association has extended an offer to the city to go in 50/50 on the cost of using Creative Economic Development Consulting for a municipal plan. Just this whole need for recreation spaces and public safety and improvements to the city is all a part of our larger plan to make Chester a great place to live, work, and play, Whitaker said. He says these upgrades are exciting because of the opportunity to promote economic development and promote public safety. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. CHICAGO A Chicago man accused of injuring a 19-year-old in a shooting at a South Side gas station on Wednesday is now facing felony charges. 35-year-old Donell Payne, a Near West Side resident, is facing three felony charges, including attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with the discharge of a firearm, and aggravated battery on a peace officer, according to Chicago police. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Authorities say the charges stem from an alleged shooting that unfolded just after 7 p.m. in the 7900 block of South Lafayette Avenue, in Chatham. 35-year-old Donell Payne, a Near West Side resident, is facing three felony charges in connection with a shooting in Chatham on Wednesday. Officers say a 19-year-old man was hit by gunfire and suffered serious injuries. Officers quickly caught up with Payne in the 12200 block of South Sangamon Street where he was taken into custody less than an hour after the alleged shooting. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Authorities say Payne appeared in court on Saturday for a detention hearing. Currently, it is unclear what led to the shooting and authorities have not provided an update on the victims condition. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. Teenage activists held a rally Friday afternoon demanding urgent action from government officials to slow climate change, calling it a public health emergency that affects every breath we take and every sip we drink. Dozens gathered in Pritzker Park in the Loop before marching nearly a half-mile to Chase Tower, urging Chase Bank and other financial institutions to divest from the fossil fuel industry. Last year was the warmest on record globally, and the 10 warmest years since 1850 have all occurred in the past decade, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Illinois climatologists have also said that warmer temperatures in winter are strongly tied to climate change, with less snowfall in Chicago. Young demonstrators carried signs that read Dont be a climate fool and End climate change while chanting, The tides are rising, so are we. Protesters also sang a parody of the song Radioactive by Imagine Dragons, saying, Were waking up to melting poles, making hot what once was cold. The march was organized by the Chicago chapter of Fridays for Future, an international movement started in 2018 by Greta Thunberg and other young activists who protested a lack of action on climate change in Sweden. Youth voices are the most powerful in calling for change, said Natasha Bhatia, one of the Chicago chapters founders. Everyone has a climate story. When we share them, when we speak out together, we truly have the power to create change and protect our planet. Particularly in an election year, the 18-year-old said climate change must remain a primary concern among voters and candidates. Whether its attending a protest or organizing climate education at schools, she said young people should have support so their voices are heard. Bhatia started the group alongside Danica Sun after she watched a documentary her sophomore year about ocean acidification, a consequence of increasing carbon dioxide emissions that can hurt fish, oysters and other creatures. Now a Hinsdale Central High School senior, Bhatia said it opened her eyes to the urgency of climate change and how little action is being taken. I just knew that I wanted to use my voice to make a change, she said, adding that she sometimes coordinates permits during her lunch break. More than a dozen other environmental groups, including Chicago Climate Youth Coalition and Sunrise Movement, joined Fridays for Future Chicago at the protest. The march was held in different cities throughout the country as well, each calling on political leaders in wealthy nations to rein in the fossil economy and limit global heating. For Mahima Krishnan, 15, its important to protest and make the right people listen to fight for a future that isnt characterized by poor economic outcomes and quality of life due to climate change. She called for investment in clean energy, sustainable transportation and resilient infrastructure. Krishnan said she also wanted President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency and curb oil production. According to Bloomberg, White House officials recently renewed talks to invoke a national climate emergency in a move that could unlock federal powers to stifle oil development. We demand access to quality health care, clean air, safe water and nutritious food for all, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy sophomore said. Its time to empower communities, especially the most vulnerable, to adapt and thrive in the face of climate challenges. Shreshta Ghanta, 15, added that young people wont stand by while our future is compromised, saying they will fight to create one that is green and thriving for all. The time to act is now, she said. We will not be bystanders in the destruction of our planet. We will be the leaders that save it. rjohnson@chicagotribune.com The aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa on 20 April. Photo: Odesa Oblast Military Administration A Russian missile attack on Odesa has destroyed homes and left two adults and a three-year-old child injured. Source: Oleh Kiper, Head of Odesa Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram; Defence Forces of Ukraines South 20 , The aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa on 20 April. Photo: Odesa Oblast Military Administration Quote: "Fires have broken out in a residential area following the latest missile strike on Odesa. Houses were destroyed, and a woman and her child were inside one of them. They were rescued. Two adults reportedly suffered minor injuries but declined to go to hospital. The injured three-year-old child has been hospitalised. Medics are providing the necessary care." The aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa on 20 April. Photo: Odesa Oblast Military Administration Details: Emergency workers and public utilities continue to deal with the aftermath of the attack. Update: The Defence Forces of Ukraines South later said that Russia deployed a tactical aircraft over the Black Sea to launch missiles (likely Kh-59s) on Odesa Oblast. Ukraines air defence downed three missiles. The missile debris caused a fire, which was quickly extinguished by Ukrainian firefighters. Four houses and a gas pipeline were damaged. One house was destroyed. Five civilians were injured, including a child, who has been hospitalised. Three people declined to go to hospital. Background: Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles against Israel on the night of 13-14 April in retaliation for an earlier IDF strike on Irans consulate in Syria. Israel said that Iran and pro-Iranian forces in the region had fired over 300 aerial targets on Israel during the attack, including 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles. Israel said it had shot down almost all of the Iranian missiles and drones. The US military said they destroyed more than of the 80 drones and at least six of the ballistic missiles that were launched over Israel from Iran and Yemen. The UK also said it helped Israel shoot down Iranian drones. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron explained that unlike in the case of Israel, which London assisted in shooting down Iranian drones, the UK cannot assist Ukraine in shooting down Russian drones in order to avoid "NATO troops directly engaging Russian troops". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that other countries could help Ukraine defend itself in the face of Russian attacks just as they helped Israel during the Iranian strikes. The White House said that the US would not intervene in Russias war in Ukraine and will not shoot down aerial targets as it and its allies did in Israel. Support UP or become our patron! Azerbaijans energy minister, Parviz Shahbazov, met with the President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, in New York, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by Energy Minister on his official "X" account. "We had fruitful discussions on developing Azerbaijan-UN relations on different platforms, implementing the SDGs, Green Energy Transition and cooperation in fight against Climate Change within COP29," minister added. People are seen among the rubble of a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, April 20, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) GAZA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. In a press statement, the ministry said the Israeli army killed 37 Palestinians and wounded 68 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 34,049 and injuries to 76,901, since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out last October. The statement noted that some victims remained under the rubble amid heavy bombardment and a lack of rescue crews. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. People walk past a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, April 20, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua) People are seen among the rubble of a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, April 20, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua) A man stands among the rubble of a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, April 20, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) Palestinians walk past destroyed buildings after Israeli strikes in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, April 20, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. In a press statement, the ministry said the Israeli army killed 37 Palestinians and wounded 68 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 34,049 and injuries to 76,901, since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out last October. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) This photo shows the rubble inside a building after Israeli strikes at the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, April 20, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. In a press statement, the ministry said the Israeli army killed 37 Palestinians and wounded 68 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 34,049 and injuries to 76,901, since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out last October. (Xinhua) This photo shows a view at the Nuseirat refugee camp after Israeli strikes in central Gaza Strip, April 20, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. In a press statement, the ministry said the Israeli army killed 37 Palestinians and wounded 68 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 34,049 and injuries to 76,901, since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out last October. (Xinhua) This photo shows a view at the Nuseirat refugee camp after Israeli strikes in central Gaza Strip, April 20, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. In a press statement, the ministry said the Israeli army killed 37 Palestinians and wounded 68 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 34,049 and injuries to 76,901, since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out last October. (Xinhua) This photo shows a view at the Nuseirat refugee camp after Israeli strikes in central Gaza Strip, April 20, 2024. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 34,049, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. In a press statement, the ministry said the Israeli army killed 37 Palestinians and wounded 68 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 34,049 and injuries to 76,901, since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out last October. (Xinhua) DF-17 hypersonic ballistic missile could reach Taiwan in just six to eight minutes from China - ZOYA RUSINOVA/GETTY IMAGES CONTRIBUTOR China will be re-calibrating its plan to seize Taiwan to take into account lessons learned from Irans failed attack on Israel, defence experts say. Beijing, which has a history of military cooperation with Tehran, will be looking at ways to break through the highly advanced technology and effective alliance that led to 99 per cent of Iranian drones and missiles being intercepted. Rupert Hammond-Chambers, the president of the US-Taiwan business council, said: They will be picking apart what transpired, not just in the way in which the Iranians attacked but also how we responded the Israelis and the coalition that supported them. The kill rate for the drones and the missiles was extremely high, almost perfect. The walk-away for the PLA [Peoples Liberation Army] will be that the Americans and their allies have the technology to significantly blunt an attack. A barrage of drone and missile strikes would be a critical part of any conventional attack on the island of 23.5 million. Taiwan still remains outmatched and facing a huge threat from medium-range ballistic missile systems China has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in upgrading its military capabilities, including a rapidly expanding arsenal of thousands of short to intercontinental range ballistic missiles and an estimated 500 operational nuclear warheads. A recent purge by Xi Jinping, Chinas president, of the top ranks of the strategic rocket force overseeing this growing stockpile has raised questions about whether widespread corruption could undermine efforts to modernise the armed forces and Chinas war readiness. Taiwan, on the front-lines of Chinas formidable military build-up, still remains outmatched and facing a huge threat from medium-range ballistic missile systems along the south-eastern Chinese coast. The arsenal is reported to include the DF-17 hypersonic ballistic missile that, say experts, could reach Taiwan in just six to eight minutes. Taiwans defence capabilities were progressing in the right direction with investment in US-made PAC-3 missile defence systems and its own missile programmes, and it would soon have the largest F-16 combat aircraft fleet in the region, said Mr Hammond-Chambers. But the X-factor in a Taiwan Strait conflict would be whether Taipei could rely on its partners for help in the same way Israel did. The Jordanians, the Brits, the States and the Israelis all worked together to negate the Iranian attack. To what extent do we have that in place in North Asia? said Mr Hammond-Chambers. Its coming but Ive not seen that yet that common operating platform that allows for seamless interoperability. Japan, a supportive neighbour, is building up its own F-35 fighter jet fleet and the United States, Taipeis largest arms supplier, has significant forward-deployed forces near Taiwan. Taiwan would rely on allies, including Japan, for help against China, - SAM YEH/AFP Washingtons Taiwan doctrine of strategic ambiguity should be switched to strategic clarity as a better deterrent, argued Mr Hammond-Chambers. According to the Times of Israel, the US-based Arms Control Association reports Iranian missiles are largely based on North Korean and Russian designs and enhanced with Chinese technology. Fu S Mei, the director of the New York-based Taiwan Security Analysis Centre, said Beijing had likely learned from Irans failed assault about the feasibility of intercepting slower-moving drones and cruise missiles launched over significant distances that allowed sufficient reaction time. But he said the Chinese leadership may not be too concerned if they believed their own missiles and drones were of better quality, with greater precision and ability to penetrate air defences. These missiles are also likely to fly less than half the distances, thus affording significantly less reaction time and battlespace for engagement by the defences, he said. Shorter range requirements would lower costs, allowing the deployment of a larger number of missiles. Taiwan, too, could learn from Israels successful defence model, which combined robust integrated air and missile defence system (IAMDS), appropriate sensors, and integrated command and control with assistance from allies. Taiwan already possesses many of these key components but needed to improve battle management systems and find ways to secure assistance from the US and other regional partners, he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Black and white image of the moon's cratered surface, with a blurry and distant earth in the background. A pair of small experimental satellites have begun tests related to future lunar communication and navigation services for China's moon ambitions. The Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2 satellites launched toward the moon along with the Queqiao-2 lunar communications relay satellite on a Long March 8 rocket on March 19. The latter spacecraft will support a major mission the upcoming Chang'e 6 lunar far side sample return effort, which could launch as soon as next month but the former are intended as a pathfinder for future lunar infrastructure. China's Deep Space Exploration Lab (DSEL) stated on April 13 that Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2 had carried out tests of high-reliability transmission and routing between Earth and the lunar surface. Related: China to launch 1st-ever sample return mission to moon's far side in 2024 black and white image of the moon's cratered surface, with a blurry and distant earth in the background One of the pair also transmitted an infrared image showing the heavily cratered far side of the moon , including a view of a distant planet Earth. The Tiandu pair entered lunar orbit on April 3 and are flying in formation around 124 miles (200 kilometers) apart. Tiandu-1 weighs 134 pounds (61 kilograms) and is equipped with a Ka-band dual-frequency communicator, a laser retroreflector and a space router. Tiandu-2 weighs 33 lbs (15 kg) and carries communication and navigation devices. RELATED STORIES: How China will land astronauts on the moon by 2030 China names the spacecraft that will put its astronauts on the moon (video) China working on new moon rover for 2026 mission to lunar south pole DSEL stated that the test satellites will conduct further lunar communication and navigation technology experiments. The results will guide the design and construction of the planned International Lunar Research Station ( ILRS ) and a Queqiao satellite constellation for lunar communication, navigation and remote sensing. Sinking Feeling A new study has discovered that a staggering number of Chinese cities are sinking into the Earth. According to the study, which was conducted by a team of over 50 Chinese scientists using radar observations and published this week in the journal Science, almost half of China's 82 major cities are experiencing rapid subsidence. Subsidence, or the scientific term for the Earth's surface effectively sinking in on itself, is a serious issue. Not only does it present obvious infrastructure and safety dangers, but as NPR notes, sinking land is also known to expedite the problem of already-rising coastlines. And by these researchers' estimates, the extreme sinking observed in China could mean that about a quarter of the nation's coastal regions are below sea level by the year 2120. Combine the problem of sinking cities with China's massive population, and as the researchers point out in their study, you have a recipe for a human and infrastructural disaster. "Even a small portion of subsiding land in China," the researchers write, "could therefore translate into a substantial threat to urban life." Global concern Subsidence isn't just a problem in China. Countries worldwide are experiencing a concerning level of land sink, and in January, a satellite-based study revealed that US' major East Coast population centers are similarly caving into the Earth, as are gulf cities like New Orleans and Houston. "This is a big problem," Robert Nicholls, a professor of climate adaptation at the University of East Anglia in England who wasn't involved with the study, told NPR. "The scale is large." "Without doubt," he added, this new study "brings home that this is not a local problem. This is a national, or even international, problem." But while land sinking is an international problem, cities in Asia might be uniquely at risk. As Nicholls reportedly told NPR, Asian cities are commonly constructed on river deltas, which are particularly susceptible to subsidence. The Indonesian capital city of Jakarta, for example, was built on a river delta and is sinking beneath sea level at a deeply alarming rate. In short, subsidence is a growing threat. And while mitigating subsidence is a complicated fix, this latest study highlights just how important those mitigation efforts might just be for protecting land for future generations. "Our results underscore the necessity of enhancing protective measures," the researchers write, "to mitigate potential damages from subsidence." More on subsidence: Satellites Show the East Coast Is Sinking Two hunters who ate meat from a population of deer known to have chronic wasting disease or "zombie deer disease" developed similar neurological conditions and died, raising concerns that it can pass from animals to humans. Found in deer in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming in the 1990s, chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been recorded in free-ranging deer, elk and moose in at least 32 states across all parts of the continental U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deer infected with CWD may be called "zombie deer" because the disease leads to weight loss, lack of coordination, stumbling, listlessness, weight loss, drooling, and lack of fear of people. The 2022 case did prove that CWD could infect humans. But scientists and health officials have been concerned that CWD could jump to humans as mad cow disease did in the United Kingdom in the 1990s. In 2022, scientists in Canada published a study, based on mice research, suggesting a risk of CWD transmission to humans. Here's what you need to know about chronic wasting disease and whether you need to worry about it. Researchers identify troubling case involving 2 deaths Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have reported how two hunters who ate venison from a deer population known to have CWD died in 2022 after developing sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), which is a neurological disease like CWD. The second man to die, who was 77, suffered "rapid-onset confusion and aggression," the researchers said, and died within a month despite treatment. "The patients history, including a similar case in his social group, suggests a possible novel animal-to-human transmission of CWD," they wrote in the case report, which was presented earlier this month at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology and published in the peer-reviewed journal Neurology. The researchers did not say where the men lived or hunted. But the highest concentration of CWD-infected deer can be found in Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Wyoming, according to CDC and US. Geological Survey reports. Because of the difficulty in distinguishing between the diseases, the researchers said the case does not represent a proven case of transmission. However, "this cluster emphasizes the need for further investigation into the potential risks of consuming CWD-infected deer and its implications for public health," they wrote. Chronic wasting disease was discovered in Pennsylvania's free-ranging white-tailed deer in 2012, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. 'Zombie deer disease': What to know about chronic wasting disease and its spread in the US. What is 'zombie deer disease'? What are prion diseases? Also known as chronic wasting disease, "zombie deer disease" is a prion disease, a rare, progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that affects deer, elk, moose and other animals, the CDC says. In prion diseases, the abnormal folding of certain "prion proteins" leads to brain damage and other symptoms, according to the CDC. Prion diseases, which usually progress rapidly and are always fatal, can affect humans and animals. Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD) and variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (vCJD), which is a form of mad cow disease, are prion diseases found in people. Mad cow disease is an example of a prion disease that can spread from cattle to humans, and some researchers have likened "zombie deer disease" to it. For instance, with mad cow disease, it usually took four to six years from infection for cattle to show symptoms, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Deer may have an incubation period of up to two years before the onset of symptoms. So, the animals could have the disease but look normal until the onset of symptoms, such as weight loss, notes the U.S. Geological Survey. The development of vCJD in humans in the wake of mad cow disease its official name is bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE through eating meat from contaminated cattle has concerned scientists about the possible transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) to humans. Can 'zombie deer disease' be transmitted to humans? Even though there has been no known confirmed case of deer-to-human transmission of "zombie deer disease,' concerns have risen since officials found CWD in a dead deer in Yellowstone National Park in November. "As of yet, there has been no transmission from deer or elk to humans," Jennifer Mullinax, associate professor of wildlife ecology and management at the University of Maryland, told BBC. "However, given the nature of prions, CDC and other agencies have supported all efforts to keep any prion disease out of the food chain." Should CWD transmit to humans, it could create a "potential crisis" similar to what mad cow disease caused, Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told BBC. "However, its important to note that BSE and CWD prions differ structurally, and we do not yet know whether the pathology and clinical presentation would be comparable if CWD transmission to humans were to occur," he said. Meanwhile, chronic wasting disease continues to spread to more states; the most recent is Indiana. The disease was detected this month in a male white-tailed deer in the northeastern part of the state, which borders part of Michigan, where CWD had been detected earlier, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. The U.S. Geological Survey updated its tracking of chronic wasting disease on Friday to include 33 states (adding Indiana), as well as four Canadian provinces and four other countries (Finland, Norway, Sweden and South Korea). Contributing: Sara Chernikoff and Julia Gomez Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider. What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Zombie deer disease': Study of 2 hunter deaths raises concerns Sherrilyn Ifill, a professor at Howard Law School and former president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, spoke about the promise and reality of the Brown v. Board of Education decision issued by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954 declaring unconstitutional the nation's separate-but-equal education system. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) Sherrilyn Ifill, a professor at Howard Law School and former president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, spoke about the promise and reality of the Brown v. Board of Education decision issued by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954 declaring unconstitutional the nation's separate-but-equal education system. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) LAWRENCE Former NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund president Sherilyn Ifill said the nation should celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision by the U.S. Supreme Court as overdue recognition of the necessity to end legal apartheid in the United States. Ifill, speaking to a diverse audience Friday at the University of Kansas, warned the upcoming May 17 anniversary of the decision declaring racial segregation in public education to be unconstitutional would be celebrated during an era in which forces dedicated to derailing growth of multiracial democracy and citizenship were gaining ground. She pointed to recent court decisions against race-informed college admissions and the advancement of legislative challenges in Kansas and other states to diversity, equity and inclusion programs on higher education campuses and within private businesses. Brown was not just about schools or even just about race, she said. Brown was critical to the uniquely American project of creating a healthy multiracial democracy in which equality and justice are part of the defining national identity. Ifill, a distinguished professor at Howard Universitys law school and selected to start a new center there focused on the 14th amendment, said the 1954 decision didnt simply address subordination of Black children through legally sanctioned segregation in a country with a deep history of genocide and enslavement. An intellectually thoughtful person wouldnt define a country with rigid laws compelling racial apartheid as a functioning democracy, she said. The Supreme Court also spoke powerfully 70 years ago about the importance of education to development of citizenship and operation of a democracy, Ifill said. Its one of the most powerful, unequivocal statements in Brown. And, for the life of me, I dont know why were not saying that at this time, she said. The court went on to describe education as the most important function of state and local government. I dont hear us saying that either. Ifill, who served as president and director of the NAACP legal defense fund from 2013 to 2022, said education didnt guarantee a well-formed citizen. She said some the most anti-democratic and harmful attacks on equality under the Constitution were shaped by graduates of the nations finest schools and colleges. Failure to fully implement the idea of Brown as a vehicle of education, citizenship and democracy placed the nation in peril given the U.S. Supreme Courts manifestly dangerous opposition to Brown, she said. Those who have long been arrayed against it are feeling their strength and feeling that they can ultimately overcome this vision, Ifill said. The NAACP provided legal counsel to plaintiffs in the consolidated school segregation lawsuit that prompted the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown. The landmark ruling was the Legal Defense Funds most celebrated victory in a long battle for civil rights. In the Brown decision, all nine justices voted to overturn the separate but equal doctrine handed down in 1896 through the Supreme Courts finding in Plessy v. Ferguson. In this earlier decision, justices held state-mandated segregation laws didnt violate the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Ifill said she was disturbed the Brown decision was being perverted by the U.S. Supreme Court to push back against race-influenced admissions. Such attacks, she said, repeated the canard that the Constitution was colorblind document. The project now is to hollow out Brown and to leave its husk so that it can be available for use of those forces that have always been arrayed against the promise of Brown, Ifill said. She spoke during a two-day conference sponsored by KU and the National Park Service on Brown v Board at 70: Looking Back and Striving Forward. On Saturday, participants were to have an opportunity to visit the Brown v. Board National Historical Park in Topeka. The post Civil rights attorney: Legal action to hollow out Brown v. Board moves at deliberate speed appeared first on Kansas Reflector. QINGDAO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The 19th biennial meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) will open on Sunday in the port city of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province. Themed "Seas of Shared Future," the four-day meeting will see over 180 navy representatives from 29 countries in attendance, Qu Tao from the office of the PLA Navy staff department told a press briefing in Qingdao on Saturday. Qu said the WPNS has grown into an important platform for navies of various countries to engage in communication, enhance mutual trust and deepen cooperation. The Chinese navy is willing to work together with its counterparts to promote global and regional marine governance, tackle maritime safety risks and challenges, and advance building a marine community with a shared future, Qu said. HEBER SPRINGS, Ark. Authorities said an Arkansas inmate taking out the trash just before midnight also took himself out of custody and many people in Cleburne County are now questioning how he could do so in the first place. Jared West is currently awaiting trial on the charges of first-degree battery, fleeing, tampering and violating a no-contact order. An affidavit for his arrest states he has been convicted of four or more felonies and should be sentenced as a habitual offender. Cleburne County deputies searching for trusty who they say walked away from jail The US Marshals Fugitive Task Force, the 16th Drug Task Force and the Heber Springs Police Department joined the Cleburne County Sheriffs Office in a search that started Thursday night. As of Friday afternoon, it is still ongoing. That is big news. We dont have that hardly happen around here, Ellen Hobgood said. Hobgood owns an art studio downtown is not far from the jail. She says someone should have been assigned to watch him, especially considering why he was arrested. Specifically, an affidavit for his arrest claims he shot his girlfriend in the back with a pellet gun cracking a rib and bruising a lung. When somebody does physical violence to another human being its pretty sad, and if he did that, he may do it again, and it may be even worse, Hobgood said. Former Crawford County deputy Levi White pleads guilty to use of excessive force Friday afternoon Cleburne County Sheriff Chris Brown addressed peoples concerns in a statement. We look at a wide array of information before someone is selected for a trustee role. And in most instances, we start them out with small projects, always supervised, to see whether or not they could potentially work out as a trustee. Some make that cut, and some dont. We dont typically allow any of the trustees out after dark if theyre unsupervised, but there are occasions that do warrant them to be out. Were still looking into all the details surrounding Inmate West leaving, but we are confident we will find him quickly and bring him back to jail. We are currently working with the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force, the 16th Drug Task Force, and Heber Springs PD to try and locate Inmate West. One of the biggest challenges for jails is balancing this very thing: We have to try and balance keeping them locked up and away from society to prevent further harm from being done to the public, with the need and desire to help them rehabilitate and return to normal life in society. The goal of the Criminal Justice system is always to return people back into society as productive members of their communities; sometimes thats possible, sometimes its not. The trustee program for us has been a way to help some of the inmates start that process of returning to society with the possibility of not reoffending, and for some, that has been a successful endeavor. Programs like the trustee program and the community service (work release) program are beneficial, not only for those select inmates, but also for the county. Trustees cook, clean, help do maintenance, and other tasks around the Jail and Sheriffs Office, as well as picking up trash, and helping with other projects around the county. We are constantly reviewing and adjusting the trustee program, and its parameters, and will be doing a complete reevaluation of the program as a result of this incident to see where we can improve going forward. At the end of the day, I am responsible for every employee and every inmate here. As a result, I bear the responsibility for West escaping, but we have a great team of employees who are working as hard as they can to bring him back to answer for these crimes. Cleburne County Sheriff Chris Brown Man killed in North Little Rock apartment shooting Kathy Shelton also works in Downtown Heber Springs and said she trusts the sheriff and his team to bring West in and learn from this. They felt comfortable with him, but that wont be the case anymore, Shelton said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Could the world now be more dangerous than it was during the Cold War? Those who lived through that infamous time before the collapse of the Soviet Union will recall that there was a general expectation not a vague fear but a literal expectation that there would be a third chapter in the 20th centurys saga of world wars, and that it would be a final life-extinguishing event. Then, with astonishing suddenness, the Communist empire imploded, apparently taking with it the apocalyptic threat of a global nuclear cataclysm. Liberated from this mortal danger, the Western countries proceeded to turn their swords into ploughshares. Trading in their spending on defence for bountiful domestic projects presented a vision of heaven on earth. Not only would we have indefinite peace abroad, but a peace dividend at home in the form of expanded social welfare and renewed infrastructure. A generation on, where are we? In a volatile, anarchic void where the great superpower stand-off has given way to regional conflicts which threaten to explode in uncontainable ways. As I write, it is unclear whether the strikes and counter-strikes between Israel and Iran will ignite wider conflict, or are deliberately designed to avoid it. Who is equipped to analyse this? What the West faces now is like nothing that the late 20th century anticipated. Back then, when two overwhelmingly powerful blocs competed for world domination, the confrontation revolved around a comprehensible argument. This was a dispute about how people should live: which system, communism or capitalism, was most conducive to the greater good which was generally taken to mean human happiness and fulfilment. There were sincere adherents in both camps who, at various points, changed sides because they had been persuaded by the opposing view, or become disillusioned with their original ideals. Of course, the purity of the ideological positions became corrupted by the eternal frailties of personal greed or the temptations of power. But nonetheless, at its heart this was a recognisable debate about what made life worth living. Communism and capitalism were both products of the Age of Reason. Their followers understood the force of evidence and the need to persuade, which is why the tools of propaganda and infiltration became so crucial. So this was a fight (to the death, so we thought) about how life could be made better more comfortable, more rewarding for more people. How does this compare with the struggle between Islamism and the West? The Iranian state, which presents itself as the embodiment of the purest form of Islamic doctrine, not only persecutes, and occasionally murders, those who defy its repressive commands, but sponsors forces in the region (and beyond) who seek to impose those commands on other populations. Communism did this too at one time. But it did so in the name of an idealised better life. Extreme Islamism is a cult which, according to its own statements, regards this life as having no value. You may recall the statement from the terrorists who perpetrated murderous attacks in Western cities: that they would inevitably triumph because, you love life, we love death. So our love of life the motivating force of the previous global power struggle had now become our greatest weakness. There can be no point in disputes about what is most valuable in life when life itself is considered without value. How do you argue with such a belief? How do you even begin to come to terms with the meaning of it? This is not a political battle in any sense that we can recognise: it is a confrontation between the modern era and a Dark Age whose principles are unintelligible within the moral frame of reference that prevails in the West. But it is not just Iran itself and its peculiar interpretation of Islam that presents a mortal challenge. Its rulers have joined an alliance with Russia, which has reinvented itself as the spiritual guardian of the Eastern Orthodox church, China, whose government is running an imperialist form of state capitalism that calls itself communist, and North Korea, which operates an absolutist totalitarian regime that harks back to medieval Asia. What do these disparate societies have in common? Only one thing: the wish to undermine and ultimately destroy the West. From their various and often contradictory philosophical positions, they come to a useful agreement: the liberal democratic way of life, which permits social freedom and economic self-determination, must be defeated. For Iran, this is to do with religious prohibitions, particularly the treatment of women whose personal liberty is anathema to fundamentalist Islam. For Russia, it is the embittering legacy of the lost prestige and influence of the Soviet dissolution. For China it is a ruthless determination to displace Americas domination of the world economy. What North Koreas bizarre ruling family want, apart from their own perpetuation, is difficult to see, but they are making themselves indispensable by providing armaments for some of the most unsavoury military actions of the moment. All of this certainly does seem to suggest that there is more danger today than when the developed world was carved up into spheres of influence that could be carefully monitored through back channels. The worst moments of the Cold War over the Berlin Wall and the Cuban Missile Crisis were defused by backroom operations; while the great powers may have been openly antagonistic to one another, they shared an understanding of what government whether it was democratic or authoritarian was for. Above all, they accepted as a basic proposition that everybody wanted to live. It is that fundamental desire for a life worth living which will because it must get us through this frightening time. It is the direction of travel that matters. There are no hordes of migrants risking everything they have, to get into Russia or Iran or China. The young for whom the lust for life is most urgent are rebelling against the regime in Iran, and they are leaving Russia in such numbers that it is producing a demographic crisis. The most basic and essential human instinct will not be defeated. 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. Col. Ralph Pucketts celebration of life ceremony to be televised on Saturday morning COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) Today, Columbus, Fort Moore and the U.S. Army Ranger community is saying farewell to a legendary soldier. Col. Ralph Puckett who passed away on April 8 will be honored in a celebration of his remarkable life at the National Infantry Museum. One group honored Col. Puckett at Zero Dark Thirty yesterday morning on post at Fort Moore with a special PT program. Col. Puckett, a Rangers Ranger, received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on Hill 205 in Korea back in November 1950. The PT event for Ranger Regiment and the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade simulated the physical stresses that Rangers would have endured on Hill 205 more than seven decades ago. A steep grade near the Lawson Army Airfield known affectionately as Cardiac Hill was the backdrop. The workout was almost 90 minutes and involved buddy carries, trail running, hill sprints, crawling, and just Rangering. But like Col. Pucketts life, there was a lesson in the physical push. Pucketts 8th Army soldiers disobeyed his order to leave him wounded and distressed during a Chinese counterassault that day. They pulled him to safety. Heres how 1st Sgt. Tyler Fillion of the 75th Ranger Regiments Ranger Selection Company termed it. He lived to 97 because he never stopped giving. He never stopped letting things be meaningful. He never stopped trying to make a contribution to the people around him, said Fallion. And he was worth going back up that hill, even though he told his guys, Hey, leave me. He was worth going to get. So, I hope that all of us use that as an example and say, Hey, am I worth going up there to get? And if Im not? Why are the reasons why Im not? And we and we recalibrate ourselves. In a fitting tribute, they played pearls of wisdom from Col. Puckett over a loudspeaker as those Rangers attacked Cardiac Hill. Col. Pucketts Celebration of Life starts at 11 a.m. Saturday morning at the National Infantry Museum. You can watch it live on WRBL. You can also see it livestreaming right here on our website. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. DENVER (KDVR) U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson hopes to vote on separate foreign funding aid measures for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. The measures total $95 billion. A key procedural vote gained approval Friday to move ahead with the bill, Democrats joining Republicans in a rare assist. Johnson said recent intelligence convinced him that Ukrainian aid is critically important. We cant play politics of this. We have to do the right thing, and Im going to allow an opportunity for every single member of the House to vote their conscience and their will on this, and I think thats the way this institution is supposed to work, Johnson said. On Colorado Point of View this week, U.S. Rep. Jason Crow said out of all the foreign funding aid measures, money for Ukraine is his top priority. Ukraine is running out of ammunition, literally, said Crow, the Democrat who represents Colorados 6th Congressional District. Im not using that as a figure of speech. Theyre running out of ammunition. New law ensures Colorado renters will not be evicted without cause But U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert voiced frustration with the House speakers plan. These foreign aid bills include nothing for the border, said Boebert, the Republican representing Colorados 3rd Congressional District. They include nothing for the American people. Is this some kind of sick joke? Crow called her response a sick joke: Frankly, she doesnt really understand whats going on here, he said. There are more Republicans who stand by and support Speaker Johnson than theres just this few small group of extremists who continue to try to blow everything up to try to oust Speaker Johnson from the speakership, grind Congress to a halt, which does not serve Coloradans, does not serve the American people, Crow added. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis shakes Rep. Javier Mabrey's hand after signing House Bill 24-1098 into law on April 19, 2024. (Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline) Colorado landlords will now need a specific reason to evict or not offer a lease renewal to a tenant under a new law signed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis on Friday. It is a victory for tenants-rights organizers and progressive legislators who seek to include renters in the conversation about how to address the states housing and affordability issues. Colorado is the sixth state to enact such a policy. Everybody here wants to prevent unnecessary evictions and save families money. And House Bill 1098 does these things while placing no financial burdens on landlords. This is the right thing to do, Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Denver Democrat, said at the bill signing in the governors office, surrounded by a crowd of housing advocates. The bill was backed by Mabrey, House Majority Leader Monica Duran of Wheat Ridge, Sen. Julie Gonzales of Denver and Sen. Nick Hinrichsen of Pueblo, all Democrats. The new law codifies what is known as for cause eviction, meaning that a landlord cannot evict or decline to renew a tenant without a defined reason. That makes it easier for tenants to stay in their homes if they choose. This is one of the biggest protections we can have to prevent displacement and to prevent discrimination for families. Cesiah Guadarrama Trejo, of Colorado Homes for All Landlords can lawfully evict a tenant in the middle of the lease for nonpayment of rent, destruction of property, a substantial lease violation or interference with the quiet enjoyment of other tenants. The substantial part of the law is around non-renewals at the end of the lease term. A non-renewal is only allowed if the property is being sold, demolished, substantially renovated, turned into a short-term rental or the landlords family plans to move in. Landlords need to give a 90-day notice for a so-called no-fault eviction in those cases. In practice, the new law aims to prevent discriminatory or retaliatory evictions and non-renewals of tenants who raise issues about living conditions or cause other perceived problems, but still follow the rules of their lease. Imagine being a respectful neighbor, paying your rent on time and doing everything right. But your roof leaks and the landlord wont fix it, Hinrishsen said. That tenant could reach out to the local housing authority to put pressure on the landlord to make repairs, but that could create tension and lead to the landlord refusing to renew their lease. Do you take that risk or do you just stay silent? That is not a choice that Coloradans should have to make. And under this bill, they will no longer have to make that choice. A shift toward renters Opponents argue that the law will make it harder for landlords to operate in the state and disagree with the premise that a lease non-renewal is the same as an eviction. Supporters say, however, that the financial and emotional impact are the same. A for-cause eviction bill died on the Senate calendar last year after the House passed it. Sponsors and advocates regrouped and came back this year with a more narrow version of the bill, and amended it further after negotiations with the governors office. The version signed into law, for example, does not require any relocation assistance from landlords, and the protections only kick in after someone has lived in their unit for a year. Still, many of the introduced provisions stayed intact throughout the legislative process, said Cesiah Guadarrama Trejo, the co-chair for advocacy group Colorado Homes for All. The new law is proof that the conversation around housing has shifted towards renters. This is one of the biggest protections we can have to prevent displacement and to prevent discrimination for families, she said. We know this is just the beginning of long-term continued work that we have to do in housing. The coalition, she said, wants to see policies in the future that hold corporate landlords accountable and address rapidly increasing rent costs. The Legislature shot down a bill last year that would have let municipalities set rent control measures. Polis signed another housing bill into law Monday that prohibits residential occupancy limits. That law takes effect in July. The Legislature is still working through various land use bills with just over two weeks until the end of session. Last weekend, the House approved bills to allow accessory dwelling units and spur transit-oriented housing development in cities primarily along the Front Range. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post Colorado governor signs for cause eviction bill into law appeared first on Colorado Newsline. Pro-Palestinian student protesters resumed a third day of demonstrations Friday at Columbia University, saying their resolve has strengthened despite mass suspensions and arrests. This is the moral thing to do, said Eliette, 25, who uses they/them pronouns and declined to give their last name out of fear of retaliation from the school. The Columbia graduate student was one of 113 people arrested Thursday after the university asked police to break up a tent encampment students had set up early Wednesday on its south lawn in support of Gaza. Columbia President Nemat Minouche Shafik said in a memo to police that the protesters had ignored multiple written and verbal warnings to disperse and were trespassing and damaging campus property, among other violations. The students who were arrested were peaceful and did not resist, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said at a news conference. Eliette said protesters were sitting in a circle and linking arms when they were detained around 1:30 p.m. The student was released from police custody at about 8 p.m. Thursday and was back at the protest Friday morning. Students who protested in the encampment are on the right side of history, Eliette said. This is extremely historic. Johanna, another graduate student who was arrested and also feared retaliation, said she was loaded onto a Department of Correction bus and taken to the NYPD headquarters, where she waited in line for about eight hours to get processed, with her hands zip-tied behind her back. My shoulders and wrists are still bruised, still hurt from being in handcuffs for that long, she said. It was just hours and hours. Pro-Palestinian student protesters resumed a third day of demonstrations on April 19, 2024 at New Yorks Columbia University. (Isabella Farfan / NBC News) The protesters were eventually brought into jail cells in groups of about three, Johanna said. She said she was released shortly after 10:30 p.m. Thursday. Johanna said she has not received any notice about a suspension from her school. I am definitely afraid of it, she said. But it wont stop me from doing whats right. A growing number of demonstrators joined her Friday as protesters continued to occupy the campus space, where tents have been replaced by large blankets. Many protesters were sitting in prayer Friday afternoon. Barnard College and Columbia did not say how many students were suspended or how long the suspensions would last. Under Columbias new policy on demonstrations, which was implemented in February, students can protest in certain outdoor areas on weekdays from noon to 6 p.m. with prior approval. A Columbia spokesperson said that Wednesdays encampment was not authorized. We have rules regarding the time, place, and manner that apply to protest activity, and we will continue to enforce those, the spokesperson said Friday. We remain in regular contact with our students and student groups and are committed to ensuring the core functions of the University continue. Barnard did not immediately respond to a new request for comment. In a statement Thursday, the school said it prioritizes students learning and living in an inclusive environment free from harassment. Isra Hirsi, the 21-year-old daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar and a Barnard student, was among the more than 100 people arrested Thursday, according to police. Hirsi said on social media that she was suspended. Omar, D-Minn., a Somali refugee who made history as one of the first two Muslim American women elected to Congress, said in a post on X Friday that she was "enormously proud" of her daughter, adding that Hirsi had a history of organizing and is "now pushing her school to stand against genocide." "Stepping up to change what you cant tolerate is why we as a country have the right to speech, assembly, and petition enshrined in our constitution," Omar wrote. Pro-Palestinian student protesters resumed a third day of demonstrations on April 19, 2024 at New Yorks Columbia University. (Isabella Farfan / NBC News) Tensions over free speech have erupted on some U.S. college campuses since the war between Israel and Hamas started in October. This week, the University of Southern California canceled a Muslim students valedictorian speech claiming security concerns. Last week, a University of California, Berkeley, professor confronted a Muslim student during a dinner for graduating law students. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com DENVER (KDVR) It brought the nation to its knees, but now that weve gotten back up how have things changed; what have we learned? reads an inscription on the Columbine Memorials Wall of Healing. On April 20, 1999, two students walked into Colorados Columbine High School and killed 12 students and one teacher, leaving over 20 other people injured. While history has chosen not to repeat the names of the shooters, the community knows the 13 victims will not be forgotten. A quarter of a century later, the memories of those lost continue to be honored. Those victims Steven Curnow, 14; Daniel Mauser, 15; Daniel Lee Rohrbough, 15; Kelly Ann Fleming, 16; Matthew Kechter, 16; John Tomlin, 16; Kyle Albert Velasquez, 16; Cassie Rene Bernall, 17; Corey DePooter, 17; Rachel Joy Scott, 17; Isaiah Emon Shoels, 18; Lauren Townsend, 18; and William Dave Sanders, 47 were remembered Friday night at a vigil near the Colorado State Capitol. It has been 25 years since the Columbine High School shooting. We remember the 13 lives lost. FILE A woman stands among crosses posted on a hill above Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., in remembrance of the people who died during a school shooting on April 20, 1999. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) A visitor moves through the Columbine Memorial, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Littleton, Colo. Trauma still shadows the survivors of the horrific Columbine High School shooting as the attacks 25th anniversary approaches. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) In this photograph taken through a fisheye lens, people visit the Columbine Memorial, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Littleton, Colo. Trauma still shadows the survivors of the horrific Columbine High School shooting as the attacks 25th anniversary approaches. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) A visitor looks at the plaques on the wall of healing at the Columbine Memorial, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Littleton, Colo. Trauma still shadows the survivors of the horrific Columbine High School shooting as the attacks 25th anniversary approaches. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) At the vigil, small candles flickered on 13 empty chairs, and short biographies of the Columbine students were read one by one. After each, the attendees including former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was almost killed in a 2011 mass shooting replied together never forgotten and a bell tolled. Sanders daughter, Coni Sanders, said her father changed the world forever by saving hundreds of students. The kids that he saved now have children and those children will have children so generations from now people will know they exist because of his bravery, she said before the ceremony began. The House votes for possible TikTok ban in the US, but dont expect the app to go away anytime soon The gathering, set up by advocates including gun safety organizations, was the main public event marking Saturdays anniversary, which is more subdued than previous milestone years. Daniel Mausers father, Tom Mauser, decided to set up the vigil after learning school officials did not plan to organize a large community event as they did on the 20th anniversary. Mauser, speaking at the event, urged the world to never forget the victims of Columbine, nor the injured, the traumatized and their families. Thirteen chairs with candles sit empty at a vigil for the 13 victims of the Columbine school shooting, held on Friday, April 19, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) Nathan Hochhalter, whose sister Anne Marie was paralyzed after she was shot at Columbine, spoke about being trapped in a classroom at the school with about 30 students as they heard gunfire nearby. They were rescued about four hours later by SWAT officers who he said frisked them five times. Six months later, his mother, who had bipolar disorder, took her own life after asking to look at a gun in a pawnshop and shooting herself there. I just want to use this moment to let everyone know that its OK to ask for help, whatever your situation is whether, either as a survivor 25 years later or someone struggling with any part of their life. These things come in waves and they can hit you when you least expect it. You should all know that were all here for you and that youre not alone, Hochhalter said. Tim Hernandez hugs Kallie Leyba as former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, second from right, hugs Anne Marie Hochhalter, right during a vigil remembering the 25th anniversary of the Columbine High School mass shooting, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) The victims of Columbine have also been honored at Littletons Clement Park, where a memorial was installed in 2007. Personal statements from the families of those lost are inscribed on each, and also available to view online. In addition to Fridays vigil, Columbine students, staff and alumni are planning a day of service to honor and remember those killed. We invite you to join over 1,000 Columbine students, teachers, families and community members in remembering the lives lost, reflecting on the lives forever changed, and committing to the power of service in your own community, the organizers write. The Associated Press contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Young women head to a library near Columbine High School where students and faculty members were evacuated during the 1999 shooting (AP) The haunting images have been seared into the minds of generations across the globe since the day footage broke from outside a town in the Colorado foothills that most had never heard of: Littleton. Students were running for their lives from Columbine High School as gunmen stalked the halls and set off bombs. One desperate teen hung from a window. Nearby homeowners were taking in fleeing children as law enforcement flooded the school, eventually finding the two perpetrators dead of self-inflicted gunshot wounds in the library. News cameras and the snowballing behemoth of 24/7 cable captured almost all of it. Viewers couldnt stop watching and then couldnt forget. There had been school shootings before, but none like this and none beamed directly into the living rooms of horrified families all over the world. Twelve students and one teacher were dead; 24 others were injured, mowed down in a middle-class high school on an uneventful Tuesday: 20 April 1999. What had happened seemed unthinkable, a tragic and condemnable one-off. It wasnt. Students run from Columbine High School run under cover from police 20 April 1999 in Littleton, Colorado (AFP via Getty Images) Twenty-five years later, Columbine survivors, the relatives of the dead and the wider, still-traumatised local community have watched in horror as the same type of attacks happen over and over and over again. As of April 2024, there have been almost 400 school shootings since that devastating day in 1999. A lot of people will say to me, Gee, are you shocked that were still having these school shootings? And my answer is, unfortunately, no because its happening in our grocery stores, our hospitals, in our shopping malls, in our homes, says Tom Mauser, whose 15-year-old son, Daniel, was killed at Columbine. Why do you think it wouldnt happen in our schools? Theyre a reflection, he tells The Independent. Then you have this problem of social media I think thats something thats happening in schools that doesnt happen in the general population, just such fuel on the fire. Mauser, 72, has become an outspoken gun control advocate in the years since his sons murder. He is speaking on his way home from a trip to Washington DC, where he joined Colorado congressmen, survivors and other advocates in a demand for more gun violence prevention after Rep. Jason Crow introduced a resolution in remembrance of the shooting. On Friday hes attending a vigil he helped organise near the Colorado State Capitol. The actual day of the anniversary, he says, is reserved for family. The only thing we do is we go to Daniels grave, put flowers, and we try to go out and do something that gets our mind off it, he says. He and his wife still live in the same house where they raised Daniel, a straight A student, very shy, very inquisitive boy who loved to play board games, according to his father. Tom Mauser, wearing the shoes of his 15-year-old son, Daniel who was murdered during the Columbine school attack in 1999 surveys the memorial opened in 2007 in a park behind the high school (AFP via Getty Images) You just dont expect to not have your child with you anymore, Mauser says. To me, hes still 15. I dont go there, in terms of what hed be doing today, what hed be like. Hundreds, if not thousands, of their neighbours in Littleton, Jefferson and Arapahoe Counties will be turning out on Saturday for community projects to honour the victims with an annual Day of Service. Columbine High School remains in the same location. Jefferson County officials quickly dropped a proposal five years ago to raze and rebuild the school itself an idea posited to deter morbid tourism that instead hit an emotional nerve for too many but a memorial in an adjacent park opened in 2007. The surrounding area has changed dramatically in the past quarter-century, expanding from a sleepy suburb surrounded by undeveloped land to a residential sprawl growing endlessly in size and price. The school uses a Littleton postal address but is technically in Jefferson County, a point of contention for more than two decades with officials in Littleton. The well-heeled Main Street USA vibe of a picturesque town full of boutique shops and restaurants is set against the stunning backdrop of the Rockies. When news teams and cable vans arrived in April 1999, very few people would have seen these huge uplink trucks before, Susan Thornton, Littletons mayor pro tem at the time, tells The Independent. (Officials were hiring for a city manager in April 1999 and had three finalists; one withdrew after the shooting because his wife deemed Littleton too dangerous, she says a taste of the citys inextricable link with the tragedy to endure.) A boy looks through the fence at the Columbine High School tennis courts four days after the attack by two student shooters that killed 12 teens and one teacher, injuring 24 more (AP1999) Not only were locals taken aback by the media onslaught, but they were also irate and many still are at incorrect narratives. Journalists mixing up Littleton and Jefferson County, whose school system ecompasses Columbine, was one more minor, irritating example. Other wrong narratives that have persisted through the years are more dangerous. When I go out and talk to people, and I ask point-blank, I say: How many of you feel the motivation for the two killers doing what they did is because they were picked on and bullied? Frank DeAngelis, longtime principal of Columbine and the man who helmed the school in April 1999, tells The Independent. And Ill tell you, a majority of people raise up their hands. Now, I am not saying Columbine was perfect, but what scares me is the fact that there are people saying theres kids out there saying What they did was wrong, but I get picked on, too, and they were sticking up for people like me. And that scares me as motivation for these things to be carried out. DeAngelis, who recites the name of the 13 dead every morning when he wakes up, was one of the few to view the basement tapes made by the two killers which have never been released. They did not talk about being bullied, he says. They talked about survival of the fittest. They talked about Nazism. They talked about a hitlist. They went on and on and on and on. A woman embraces her daughter after they were reunited following the Columbine shooting in April 1999 (1999 AP) DeAngelis remained principal at Columbine until 2015. Hed initially promised all students enrolled at the high school in April 1999 that hed see them through graduation before leaving; he later extended that, crediting his priest with telling him he must have been spared for a reason and was needed to rebuild the community. I went back and said, Im going to stay until every kid who was in elementary school graduated, he says. I wanted to be their principal and give them their diploma. As DeAngelis continued to lead and support the Columbine community, however, he also became a de facto leader in another unfortunate network: Principals whose schools have endured similar attacks. For years, as DeAngelis has watched shooting after shooting hit towns across the country, hes also counselled other school heads in the aftermath. Everybody deals with it differently, and not every situation is the same, he says, noting that hed already helmed Columbine for years at the time tragedy struck and had an established support system. Ive had principals come up and say, Frank, I can no longer do this. Its affecting me. And I say, No, you have to do what you need to do to take care of yourself. Former Columbine High School principal Frank DeAngelis has gone on to counsel the growing numbers of principals whose schools have also been attacked as the scourge of shootings continues across America (AFP via Getty Images) He implements his own advice too; DeAngelis has been in counselling since the shooting and emphasises its importance. It taught him to utilise two religious medals around his neck a crucifix and a miraculous medal of the Virgin Mary which he touches upon news of the latest shootings. He rattles off the dates of the incidents with barely a thought. I remember when Im sitting at my computer, hearing about Parkland, and I saw those kids running out of the building with their hands up; it really took me back to 1999, he says. It wasnt February 14, 2018. All of a sudden, I grasped the medals around my neck, saying, This is February 14, 2018. This is not 1999. And so that gets me back to where I need to be. No one affected by Columbine and there are far further ripples of victimhood than most people realise can believe the frequency and severity with which these shootings continue to happen. Beverly Kingston, now director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado Boulder, had just been accepted into a PhD programme at the institution when the Columbine attack occurred. Shed already been working in youth violence prevention beforehand and became heavily involved in post-Columbine research upon her arrival in Colorado. There was no way she could have predicted the continued scourge of such attacks, she says and, 25 years later, the lyrics from U2s 40 How long to sing this song? often play in her head when she hears about the latest shootings. Sometimes my initial response is anger; sometimes its numbness, she tells The Independent. A view of Columbine High School from Rebel Hill at the Columbine Memorial, taken days before the 25th anniversary of the fatal attack (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) She became director of the CU Boulder centre in 2012, the same year as the Sandy Hook massacre. Journalists and others came to her for answers following that elementary school atrocity, which left 20 students and six adults dead. She reached for her copy of a 2001 governmental report commissioned after Columbine by the Clinton administration and Congress as she considered how to respond. I just broke down crying, because I couldnt believe this quote, she says, again taking the report from her shelf and reading aloud to The Independent from the preface the main conclusion that as a Nation, we possess knowledge and have translated that knowledge into programs that are unequivocally effective in preventing much serious youth violence. Eleven years after that report, she said, she could not believe that, here we were, that we could allow Sandy Hook to happen. Much did, of course, change and prompt new protocols after Columbine; studies have shown that there were missed signs in more than 90% of such shootings, and countless schools across the nation have put in place behaviour threat assessments and reporting systems. Kingston watched and helped as Colorado, in the immediate years after Columbine, created and implemented Safe2Tell an anonymous reporting tool that can be used by peers and members of the community. The idea is, if you see anything thats a safety concern, make a report you can make a tip through the app, you can go online, you can make a call, she says. And it has a 24/7 answering point, and it has trained people answering the calls. Still, though, she emphasises that more robust uptake of preventative programs supporting people who are hurting has yet to occur. Darrell Scott, whose daughter Rachel was one of the victims in the massacre at Columbine High School, pictured in 2024 (AP) A lot of the things that also happened after Columbine was a focus on crisis response, security, and thats not prevention, she says. Thats not addressing the root causes of why someone would get a grievance and would be motivated to attack a school. And were going to do a lot better as a society when we make a decision then put resources behind addressing these root causes of violence. And when we do that, well not only prevent these shootings, but well also be helping our young people be on a positive trajectory for their lives. The years since Columbine have seen the violence come to her own backyard, even closer than Littleton; she was deeply rattled by the 2021 King Soopers supermarket attack in Boulder that left ten dead. The daughter of Tom Mausers family friends was also there; traumatised, she was helped by counselling through a group set up by Columbine survivors. The ripple effects of the violence are endless. DeAngelis talks about everything from survivors guilt among teachers who werent at Columbine on the day of the shooting to residents around the school who witnessed the carnage. He was brought in to speak after the same King Soopers shooting and noticed the same patterns being replicated. There were people that were living in the neighbourhood that werent necessarily in the grocery store, but they saw everything that was happening, he says. They said, Every time I look out my window, theres this makeshift memorial with people walking by with flowers Im traumatised and I keep reliving that day. Kingston, for her part, sounds both exhausted and exasperated after decades of research into preventative programs proven to help. I am just spread so thin, trying to write for grants, trying to talk, influence policy, trying to communicate in a way that gets peoples attention, she says. We need some of the best minds from advertising and communication as thought partners We have yet to implement these things. I mean, its unbelievable. Theyre bipartisan solutions, she says Theyre not about guns or no guns. Theyre about putting infrastructure in place to prevent violence. Pallbearers carry the casket of Columbine High School student, Matthew Kechter, out of St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church in Littleton, one week after the 1999 shooting (AP 1999) Tom Mauser, for his part, thinks the gun narrative has lost its way. I am not anti-gun I am anti-gun violence, he says. Because thats what this is about. Gun violence. Its not about confiscation or anything radical like that. While hell be laying flowers on Daniels grave on Saturday, Kingston will be lighting a candle and taking time for reflection. DeAngelis will be back at Columbine, at the gym, honouring one of the most awe-inspiring stories from the tragedy. As the two shooters stalked the halls 25 years ago, the principal tried to shepherd a group of girls to safety in the gym only to find the doors locked. He fumbled desperately with his overladen key ring, grabbing one from the 30 or so. As the shots got closer, the key worked and the girls were saved. Remembrance, support and prevention has become a mission in the lives of so many those who remain determined to fight despite the ongoing national scourge. I feel like I have to keep going to do the best that I can to get out what we know works, Kingston tells The Independent. And I think about the survivors and the suffering that is created by this horrendous violence. It feels like I just have to do it. I guess its like a calling that we have to do everything we can. And Columbines long-time principal, 25 years after the day that forever entered his schools name into the public lexicon, will recite their names as he does every single morning. Cassie Bernall. Steven Curnow. Corey DePooter. Kelly Fleming. Matthew Kechter. Daniel Mauser. Daniel Rohrbough. Dave Sanders. Rachel Scott. Isaiah Shoels. John Tomlin. Lauren Townsend. Kyle Velasquez. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) pushed back on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes (R-Ga.) motion to vacate against Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), saying it is not the right business model. Now Mike Johnson walked into a bad situation, Comer said Friday in an interview with Fox Newss Martha MacCallum. Its gotten a lot worse since hes been here. But changing Speakers is not the right business model. His comments come as Greene has ramped up her threat against the Speaker in light of his efforts to provide additional aid to Ukraine. She filed the motion to vacate against Johnson back in late March and has gained at least three GOP co-sponsors. Earlier this week, the Georgia Republican said she doesnt care if the Speakers office becomes a revolving door. In an appearance on former White House aide Steve Bannons War Room podcast, she said she wants an America First economy and that we are going to demand it from our Republican leaders. Comer appeared to disagree, saying Friday that Johnson should remain Speaker, at least until the end of the current session. Then, he said, we can re-huddle, and decide which direction to go in next year. He also acknowledged he thought the motion to vacate that resulted in the historic ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) late last year was a mistake. He added that the move really disrupted the House Republican Conference in a bad way. Also asked about former Speaker Newt Gingrichs (R-Ga.) recent comment that the motion to vacate was totally stupid, as it would be difficult to find 218 supporters, Comer seemingly agreed, standing behind Johnson. But right now, as you mentioned, theres not going to be another candidate that 100 percent of our conference is gonna rally behind, the lawmaker said. Still, Comer said he was opposed to the Ukraine aid provisions within the foreign spending package introduced by Johnson nearly a week ago. The pressure on the Speaker to pass additional assistance for the embattled country has been strong. With the help of Democrats, to some conservatives dismay, the House advanced the group of bills that would send more aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region, among other priorities. They are different aid bills. With respect to Ukraine, Im totally opposed to that, Comer told MacCallum. I dont believe the hard-working, tax-paying people in Kentucky want to see their hard-earned tax dollars go to Ukraine. Weve already given Ukraine a lot of money. We certainly hope Ukraine defeats Russia, but I believe America has already gone above and beyond, he added. And weve got our own border we have to worry about, and that should be the No. 1 priority. The Hill has reached out to Greenes office for comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The community is invited to welcome the Mission 17 Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico and El Paso to honor the nations war veterans, according to a news release sent by the City of El Paso. The City says the community is invited to bring their signs, flags and well wishes at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27 to the main lobby of the El Paso International Airport to greet the veterans as they arrive. The Honor Flight is bringing home over 30 Korean War and Vietnam War veterans to El Paso after they have visited Washington, D.C. to see different memorials built to honor and remember veterans. This trip provides closure, healing and the welcome home these heroes deserve, read the news release. For more information visit, HonorFlightNM.org. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko attend a joint press conference after their talks in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) PORT MORESBY, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday that he had in-depth and friendly talks with his Papua New Guinea (PNG)'s counterpart Justin Tkachenko with broad consensus reached on bilateral ties. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a joint press conference with Tkachenko following a meeting between the two ministers. Wang and Tkachenko unanimously believed that China and PNG should continue mutual trust and support, and unswervingly maintain and develop the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Wang noted that since the establishment of China-PNG diplomatic relations, China has always regarded PNG as a significant partner and close friend, viewed the bilateral ties from a strategic perspective and enhanced the exchanges between the two countries on equal footing. China firmly supports PNG in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as adopting a successful development path that suits the country's national conditions, said Wang, also appreciating PNG's adherence to the one-China principle, and backing to China's core interests and major concerns. Wang and Tkachenko unanimously agreed to constantly focus on development, pay heed to people's welfare, and promote mutually beneficial cooperation in all spheres. Wang said that PNG was the first Pacific island country to sign the memorandum of understanding and cooperation plan on Belt and Road cooperation, and has become China's largest trading partner, investment destination and project contracting market in the region. With the joint efforts of both sides, important progress has been achieved in implementing the outcomes of Prime Minister James Marape's visit to China in October last year. In key areas, such as disaster prevention and mitigation, information and communications, agricultural products trade, and energy, the two sides are determined to push for practical cooperation with higher quality, faster speed and better results, said Wang. Speaking of the recent flood disasters in PNG, Wang expressed empathy for the situation, saying that China has extended emergency humanitarian aid to PNG and will send a batch of relief supplies next week. Wang and Tkachenko also unanimously advocated that the domestic affairs of Pacific island countries should not be interfere, their right to independent development should not be denied, and the environment of peace and stability must be secured. The Chinese foreign minister underlined that Pacific island countries have the right to pursue friendly cooperation with all development partners. China and the Pacific island countries are members of the Global South and also developing nations. It is right and proper for the two sides to help each other and deepen South-South cooperation. China regards Pacific island countries as indispensable partners in building a community with a shared future for mankind and has always upheld the "four full respects" policy for their sovereignty and independence, will, cultural traditions and efforts to seek strength through unity when forging ties with Pacific island countries. China has provided assistance to Pacific island countries with no political strings attached or impositions, and the aid has never come as lip-service, said Wang. The Chinese foreign minister called on the international community to pay more attention to the specific situations and legitimate concerns of the Pacific island countries, focus on issues of their greatest concern, such as climate change and improvement of people's livelihoods, and contribute solid solutions and actions for their good. Wang stressed that non-intervention in the domestic affairs of other countries is a basic norm of international relations established by the United Nations Charter and a guarantee for the survival of developing countries. As the Solomon Islands is holding a general election, Wang expressed wish for a smooth and safe process there, saying that all parties should respect the choice of the people of the Solomon Islands and refrain from interfering in their domestic affairs. The people of Solomon Islands have the wisdom and ability to decide the future of their country, said Wang. On average, more than 200 Americans are dying every day from fentanyl. Its the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-45. This week, grieving parents held up photos of their children who died from the dangerous drug during a House hearing that revealed new findings from a bipartisan investigation that blames China for fueling the fentanyl crisis in the U.S. >> Family Dollar, Dollar Tree to close 35 Ohio stores this weekend; Heres the list of closures April Babcocks 25-year-old son Austen died from fentanyl in 2019. She now advocates for change through a nonprofit she started to help others but also added shes frustrated by the slow-moving action by government officials. Were sick of it. Were tired of funerals, said Babcock. Im not fighting for my son. Hes dead. Im fighting for the living to continue to live. This week, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Community Party (CCP) released a new report following a months-long investigation. The report said the CCP directly subsidizes the manufacturing and export of illicit fentanyl materials and other synthetic narcotics through tax rebates and said it gave monetary grants and awards to companies openly trafficking illicit fentanyl materials. Thats despite many of those substances being illegal under Chinas laws. The Chinese Communist party is telling us that it wants more fentanyl entering our country, said Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Committee Chairman. It wants the chaos and devastation that has resulted from this epidemic. Its estimated that 97 percent of illegal fentanyl entering the U.S. comes from the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Committee Ranking Member. The CCP has not taken enough action. This lack of action is simply unacceptable. >> Several stolen cars seized as part of multiple DEA, FBI raids in Dayton The report also says China has warned targets of investigation when U.S. law enforcement gets involved. Rather than investigating drug traffickers, PRC security services have not cooperated with U.S. law enforcement and have even notified targets of U.S. investigations when they received requests for assistance, the report said. Lawmakers also pointed to findings showing while there were more than 76,000 fentanyl deaths in the U.S. in 2022, there were zero reported in China that year. This is not an accident. This is a hostile act by a hostile nation, said Sam Chapman, a father who attended the hearing. Chapmans 16-year-old son Sammy died from fentanyl he got through social media in 2021. We asked Chapman what actions he would like to see Congress take in response to the findings. I believe we should be sanctioning China and not remove those sanctions until the precursor chemicals stop being sent into our atmosphere, said Chapman. >> Coroner IDs 2 men killed in crash involving car, semi near Dayton bank Lawmakers behind the report are pushing for economic penalties. The United States must impose strong punitive measures that create economic, trade, and legal incentives so that the PRC companies end their involvement in the global illicit fentanyl trade, the report said. The United States must make clear that they can be part of global commerce or they can continue aiding the global illicit fentanyl trade, not both. In response to the report, a Chinese official did not directly address the allegations of China subsidizing the production of fentanyl precursors. The official did say China has cracked down on illegal smuggling, manufacturing, and trafficking of fentanyl. The grieving parents we spoke with arent buying it. This is an intentional act by China. It is an undeclared war on the United States, said Chapman. Chinas the head of the snake, said Babcock. Theyre getting away with poisoning Americans without firing one shot. On average, more than 200 Americans are dying every day from fentanyl. Its the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-45. This week, grieving parents held up photos of their children who died from the dangerous drug during a House hearing that revealed new findings from a bipartisan investigation that blames China for fueling the fentanyl crisis in the U.S. April Babcocks 25-year-old son Austen died from fentanyl in 2019. She now advocates for change through a nonprofit she started to help others, but also added shes frustrated by the slow-moving action by government officials. Were sick of it. Were tired of funerals, said Babcock. Im not fighting for my son. Hes dead. Im fighting for the living to continue to live. This week, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Community Party (CCP) released a new report following a months-long investigation. The report said the CCP directly subsidizes the manufacturing and export of illicit fentanyl materials and other synthetic narcotics through tax rebates and said it gave monetary grants and awards to companies openly trafficking illicit fentanyl materials. Thats despite many of those substances being illegal under Chinas own laws. The Chinese Communist party is telling us that it wants more fentanyl entering our country, said Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Committee Chairman. It wants the chaos and devastation that has resulted from this epidemic. Its estimated that 97 percent of illegal fentanyl entering the U.S. comes from the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Committee Ranking Member. The CCP has not taken enough action. This lack of action is simply unacceptable. The report also says China has warned targets of investigation when U.S. law enforcement gets involved. Rather than investigating drug traffickers, PRC security services have not cooperated with U.S. law enforcement and have even notified targets of U.S. investigations when they received requests for assistance, the report said. Lawmakers also pointed to findings showing while there were more than 76,000 fentanyl deaths in the U.S. in 2022, there were zero reported in China that year. This is not an accident. This is a hostile act by a hostile nation, said Sam Chapman, a father who attended the hearing. Chapmans 16-year-old son Sammy died from fentanyl he got through social media in 2021. We asked Chapman what actions he would like to see Congress take in response to the findings. I believe we should be sanctioning China and not remove those sanctions until the precursor chemicals stop being sent into our atmosphere, said Chapman. Lawmakers behind the report are pushing for economic penalties. The United States must impose strong punitive measures that create economic, trade, and legal incentives so that the PRC companies end their involvement in the global illicit fentanyl trade, the report said. The United States must make clear that they can be part of global commerce or they can continue aiding the global illicit fentanyl trade, not both. In response to the report, a Chinese official did not directly address the allegations of China subsidizing the production of fentanyl precursors. The official did say China has cracked down on illegal smuggling, manufacturing and trafficking of fentanyl. Grieving parents we spoke with arent buying it. This is an intentional act by China. It is an undeclared war on the United States, said Chapman. Chinas the head of the snake, said Babcock. Theyre getting away with poisoning Americans without firing one shot. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Gift card displays, such as this one in a CVS in Harlem, N.Y., have been a source of concerns for lawmakers hoping to combat gift card fraud. Card draining, or stealing numbers from poorly packaged cards, is one of the costliest and most common consumer scams, and states are trying to combat it with consumer alerts, arrests and warning signs on store displays. (Photo by Robbie Sequeira/Stateline) Gift card displays, such as this one in a CVS in Harlem, N.Y., have been a source of concerns for lawmakers hoping to combat gift card fraud. Card draining, or stealing numbers from poorly packaged cards, is one of the costliest and most common consumer scams, and states are trying to combat it with consumer alerts, arrests and warning signs on store displays. (Photo by Robbie Sequeira/Stateline) When Denise Brown peruses the tightly packed gift card display at her local CVS in Harlem, New York, she sees the perfect present for her grandson: a Sony PlayStation gift card. Others, acting in bad faith, see these gift card displays as easy money in one of the countrys costliest and most common consumer scams: card draining. Scammers drain a gift card by obtaining the bar code, CVV number, PIN number or activation code from beneath the slim cardboard packaging. They reseal the card, wait for a consumer to buy it and load it with money, and then spend the balance before the consumer can. In 2023, card draining and other gift card-related fraud made up $217 million of the record-high $10 billion in money lost from scams nationwide, according to the latest data released by the Federal Trade Commission. State attorneys general and legislatures are trying to combat gift card scams with consumer alerts, arrests and warning signs on store displays. Some are even telling gift card makers how to package their products. Retailers and card manufacturers, though, are pushing back saying the micromanaging isnt necessary and would hurt small businesses. Gift cards, which are easy to find at almost any big-box retailer, are a popular gift for holidays, birthdays and graduations. Scammers love gift cards because theyre money that can be easily moved, often irreversibly, with few protections for consumers, according to fraud specialists. Maryland state Sen. Benjamin Kramer thinks new packaging requirements might help. He authored a bill that would require secure packaging to conceal the bar code and other information that could be used to activate it. Maryland lawmakers approved Kramers bill earlier this month and sent it to Democratic Gov. Wes Moore. Once they see these displays, con artists get all the numeric information off those gift cards and then put them back, Kramer, a Democrat, told Stateline. Thats the scam. Because then the consumer comes, puts $500 onto the gift card and it immediately gets drained by the scammer, whos got all that information from when they pulled the gift card off the rack. Kramer said trying to legislate against ever-evolving frauds and scams is like a game of Whac-A-Mole. Story continues Scammers are always very creative in how they scheme to get their money, he said. This fraud is becoming more and more prevalent. Card draining is only one way that scammers capitalize on the popularity of gift cards. Some fraudsters, instead of grabbing information from gift card displays, masquerade as government officials or a friend in an emergency and intimidate victims into buying gift cards and giving them the card numbers and PINs, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Brown thinks the notices posted at the CVS checkout counter are a good idea, especially for older adults like her. Im not too wise on how people are scamming these days, Brown said. I dont want to be taken advantage of, because I know a few friends who have been hoodwinked out of a few hundred dollars. States step in According to a 2022 survey conducted by AARP, the advocacy group for older adults, 34% of U.S. adults said they or someone they know had been targeted by scams seeking payment by gift card. Of those who were targeted, 24% followed through by purchasing gift cards and sharing the activation numbers with a scammer. A quarter of respondents said theyd given or received gift cards that had been drained. If we can educate and assist consumers in spotting a scam, we can further empower them to stop a scam. Suzan DeCamp, president of AARP Nebraska In the past few years, several states have acted against the scams. In 2021, New Jersey enacted a law requiring sellers of gift cards to train employees to identify and respond to gift card scams. New York in 2023 enacted a law that requires retailers to post notices warning consumers of gift card fraud. A Rhode Island law enacted last year also requires warning signs, and it imposes a $250 civil fine on retailers who dont comply. This year, Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are considering similar legislation, with varying civil fines and penalties. Will this legislation end gift card scams? No, but it could make a significant difference. If we can educate and assist consumers in spotting a scam, we can further empower them to stop a scam, Suzan DeCamp, president of AARP Nebraska, testified at a state Senate hearing earlier this year. We have an epidemic of fraud plaguing Americans, particularly older Americans, and we all need to do our part, DeCamp said. But Christian Reyes, who works at a Best Buy in the Bronx, was skeptical that most shoppers would notice warnings posted at checkout counters. Checkout lines already have so much going on that I dont think the average person even notices that those signs are even there, Reyes said. And I dont think Im trained or well-versed enough to spot someone, at the moment, being scammed to buy a gift card. Reyes, who has been working at Best Buy for the past two years, said he has not received any training on gift card scams. Opposition from retailers Meanwhile, retail and industry groups that receive steady revenue from the roughly $200 billion Americans spend on gift cards every year have pushed back against some of these measures. A Walmart in Washington, D.C., displays signs at its checkout counters to warn consumers about gift card fraud. Barbara Barrett/Stateline In Maine, retailers helped defeat a bill that would have required them to provide verbal or written warnings of gift card scams. Nate Cloutier of HospitalityMaine testified at a March hearing that the bill targeted retailers including a $500 penalty for non-compliance without adding meaningful protections for consumers. Curtis Picard, president and CEO of the Retail Association of Maine, testified that the bill was wider ranging than it needs to be. These scams most often take place at retailers where multiple cards are sold, or that sell some specific types of cards like iTunes, Google Play or other brands that are recognized across the country or across the world, Picard testified. It is not likely that these scams are targeting smaller, Maine-based or regional retailers. In the hearing on the Nebraska bill, Rich Otto, testifying on behalf of the Nebraska Retail Federation, argued that the legislation unfairly singled out gift cards. Theres nothing in this bill that targets payments through Bitcoin or other digital assets, peer-to-peer payments, nothing that targets social media sites that are complicit in the process of the scammer being able to reach out to the customer and those getting scammed, Otto said. Businesses that sell gift cards want to help customers from being scammed. Under the Maryland legislation, retailers who want to sell gift cards that are not in secure, enclosed packaging must only sell chip-enabled, numberless cards that can be safely activated by the consumer via the card issuers website. InComm Payments, a major manufacturer of gift cards, has been a prominent opponent of that bill. InComm is best known for its so-called open loop gift cards which often appear under Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover branding that can be used at any store. InComm spokesperson Anthony Popiel said the Maryland bill would bind gift card issuers into packaging rules that couldnt be changed without further legislative action. InComms packaging also has come under fire in California, where San Francisco last year filed a lawsuit alleging that lax security features in its packaging made it easy for scammers to access activation information. The lawsuit also alleges that InComm has routinely refused to refund scammed consumers, as required under state law. InComm denies the allegations. While the vast majority of cards we sell are not impacted by fraud, our highest priority is supporting our customers who have been affected, InComm said in a statement to Stateline. Stateline originally published this article. Like the Alaska Beacon, Stateline 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. The post As consumers lose millions to gift card scams, lawmakers pressure businesses appeared first on Alaska Beacon. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man was arrested Tuesday, accused of stealing hundreds of thousands from people, including seniors. In a release from the Nevada State Contractors Board, it was announced that Guadalupe Derek Carbajal, 43, had been arrested, accused of collecting approximately $250,000 from homeowners over the course of two years without doing any work. Carbajal was the general manager of Lifetime Power, a Las Vegas solar company, according to the NSCB release. Court records show Carbajal faces seven theft-related felony charges, including multiple counts of theft of $100,000 or more from an older victim, theft of $25,000 or more from an older victim, and one misdemeanor charge. 8newsnow.com Investigators obtained a 2015 police report in which law enforcement officials say Carbajal was arrested after a collision at Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane near the Las Vegas Strip, where a person was substantially injured. The report indicated that when officers spoke to police, he was uncooperative, and tests showed him at a .08 blood alcohol content or higher. Carbajal was arraigned on the theft-related charges Wednesday. He is due in court again on May 16 for a preliminary hearing. The NV State Contractors Board recommends getting three bids for any work you plan to have a contractor do and to check each license on their website. If the contractor you are considering using is not licensed, the Board advises against using that person or paying that contractor any money. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. The Senate passed reauthorization of the controversial surveillance law known as FISA just hours before a midnight expiration deadline Friday. President Biden is expected to sign it urgently. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, first passed in 1978, outlines how federal agencies can collect foreign intelligence on American soil. But critics are wary of the law, which provides authorities sweeping power, including warrantless searches, in certain cases. A heavily redacted court ruling released in 2023 also found that the FBI, NSA, and CIA, misused FISA authority to search a database for private information from Americans. Some of the misuse stemmed from investigations into January 6 rioters and Black Lives Matter protestors. Senator Schumer kept the Senate in session late into Friday night to pass the controversial legislation and vote on six amendments. "Allowing FISA to expire would have been dangerous. Its an important part of our national security toolkit and helps law enforcement stop terrorist attacks, drug trafficking, and violent extremism," Schumer said of the 60-34 vote. I thank all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their good work. The bill was pushed through the House of Representatives in a bipartisan vote despite Donald Trumps message to Republican congress members to "KILL FISA" in a post on Truth Social. The two-year extension passed by both houses of Congress will allow agencies to freely collect digital communications from foreigners outside of the United States, including when they communicate with a U.S. citizen. BITHLO Linda Gonzalez, 57, is six months clean from fentanyl for the first time in years thanks to a program known as medication-assisted treatment. Shes moved from the woods to a camper. Shes in the process of getting dental work, reactivating her drivers license and will soon start looking for a job. Shes excited to meet her 3-year-old granddaughter, work again and reconnect with her family. Fentanyl is so much stronger, and I know so many people that have died over the years. Its sad. Im very lucky to be here, she said. I just want to get my life back together. Medication-assisted treatment, which combines behavioral therapy with drugs, is considered the gold standard for treating drug addiction. It helps people stay sober and reduces the risk of fatal overdose by about 50%. But its difficult to access such treatment in Central Florida because of its low availability, insufficient funding, and the stigma associated with needing it, advocates and providers say. The region has an opportunity to change that with the expansion of Floridas Coordinated Opioid Recovery Network. We are not seeing the expansion of medication-assisted treatment in Central Florida yet the way we need to, said Andrae Bailey of Project Opioid. But this can be our opportunity. CORE creates a network of care for people addicted to opioids with an emphasis on medication-assisted treatment. Based on a model pioneered in Palm Beach County by Dr. Kenneth Scheppke, it expanded to 12 Florida counties in August 2022. On April 8, Gov. Ron DeSantis revealed during a news conference in Seminole County that the network was growing to 17 additional counties including Seminole, Orange, Lake and Polk. The CORE network really aims to stop that revolving door of addiction and overdose by providing individuals with the tools and resources to choose an alternative path forward to sustainable recovery, DeSantis said. The problem is nationwide. In 2021, only 1 in 5 of the 2.5 million people ages 18 and older with opioid use disorder got medication-assisted treatment. Only 1 in 3 got any treatment at all, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers. Help offered in Bithlo Gonzalez lives in Bithlo in east Orange, one of the countys poorest communities. Twice a month, she travels down the road to a clinic where she gets a two-week supply of a drug called suboxone. She places a strip of the medication on her tongue twice daily. It combines naloxone, a drug that blocks the effects of opioids and prevents overdose, and buprenorphine, a synthetic opioid that takes away withdrawal symptoms and cravings. This clinic was established in September by Tim McKinney, CEO of United Global Outreach, a grassroots effort to improve Bithlo. It is the first local place for people there to get medication-assisted treatment for opioid abuse. Its just been transformational, McKinney said. In a very short time, Im seeing people that literally were on my top five most likely to overdose and die list getting well. Over 8,000 Floridians 800 in Central Florida died of overdoses in 2022, according to Project Opioid. Their deaths are almost all a result of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Expanding CORE According to the DeSantis administration, the initial 12 CORE network counties emergency medical providers connected 25,000 overdose patients to long-term recovery. They have handled 607 fewer EMS-related calls for drug overdoses since the program began. Many Central Florida counties also saw reductions in overdoses in the last year, despite not being part of the CORE network. But CORE has the potential to ramp up prevention efforts even more, advocates say. [CORE asks] how can we change what weve normally done to make it more accessible, said Maria Bledsoe, CEO of Central Florida Cares Health System, which oversees safety-net behavioral health care and substance use treatment for Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Bailey said the states program has all the right ingredients to solve the problem, and he hopes Central Florida will use it to fight the fentanyl crisis effectively. The CORE program lays a foundation, but the decisions are not made at the state level. Theyre made at the county level, and theyre made potentially as a region, he said. This is one of those times where they must figure out how to have a regional approach And if they dont, it could be a huge missed opportunity for our community. Finding funding Most low-income people who are addicted to opioids dont have insurance in Florida, where childless adults do not qualify for Medicaid. There arent enough providers offering medication-assisted treatment to the uninsured to meet demand, in large part due to limited funding. The clinic where Gonzalez got care has been funded by Dr. Todd Husty, medical director of Clear Futures, a medication-assisted treatment provider in Seminole County. He and his partners are frantically trying to secure grant money but its a laborious process, and theres no time to waste. All the complications that come with grant money and being eligible, etcetera, etcetera, there are a lot of fiery hoops to jump through, Husty said. My group and I have decided they need it so bad, were just going to suck it up and well just pay for it for the time being. With COREs expansion comes more money: Orange and Seminole get $1 million a piece, on top of the millions in opioid settlement money already coming their way, to carry out the program. COREs requirements include having a place open around the clock where people can get treatment. It also recommends the establishment of therapy and peer-led support groups and training first responders in administering drugs like buprenorphine. Thomas Hall, director of the Orange County Drug-Free Coalition, said Orange County hopes to carry out as many of COREs recommendations as possible, if not all, depending on funding. I would love to say in the next year, well have all of [COREs] recommendations underway, Hall said. I dont think thats realistic, but we will certainly be well on the way of having a plan and some services in place. He said the county hopes to start offering soon medication-assisted treatment at the Orange County Medical Clinic, which serves low-income residents who are uninsured or underinsured. The county also is creating a mobile medication clinic for outreach and telehealth. Hes aiming to open that in about September. Getting buy-in Husty said COREs emphasis on medication-assisted treatment could battle misconceptions among some medical providers. It helps to get buy-in from the medical community, because its a real-life program that works, and I think thats what people were waiting for, Husty said. For him, buprenorphine is a miracle drug. Its cheap, easy to self-administer, has few side effects, and doesnt require as many visits to the doctor as methadone, which has been around longer but can only be doled out by certified methadone clinics where patients often must return daily to get more pills. Yet some health-care providers are reluctant to prescribe maintenance medications like buprenorphine and methadone because they, too, are opioids. Both can be abused. But when correctly administered in a clinical setting, they do not give the same euphoric high as heroin or fentanyl, Hall said. They allow people to rebuild their lives without being distracted by cravings or withdrawal. One piece that I hear a lot about is, well, its just trading one drug for another. Hall said. And I think about people who are hypertensive or they take medication to lower their blood pressure. We dont say anything to them about like, oh, well, you shouldnt be on that. You should learn to relax.' Ccatherman@orlandosentinel.com Muhammed Faris, who was the first cosmonaut from Syria and second Arab to fly into space, has died at the age of 72. Faris' death on Friday (April 19) was reported by Syrian media. According to the reports, he died as a result of a long illness in Turkiye, where had been living as a refugee since 2012. Selected in 1985 as part of the Soviet Union's Interkosmos program, Faris lifted off on his first and only spaceflight on July 22, 1987. Launching on board Soyuz TM-3 with cosmonauts Aleksandr Viktorenko and Aleksandr (Pavlovich) Aleksandrov, Faris became the 12th foreign national to fly on a Russian spaceflight and the first to visit the space station Mir. Over the course of the week-long mission, Faris carried out observations of Syria from orbit and took part in science investigations, including material processing and biological experiments. "We are now flying over our lovely country, Syria," said Faris in a live broadcast from Mir. "At this happy moment, I'm sending all my deepest respect and love ... to all my people everywhere." Related: Mir space station: Testing long-term stays in space blurry photo of a man with a mustache wearing a blue vest and headphones Faris was also the first person to carry dirt from Earth into space. "I brought with me a vial carrying soil from Damascus," he said in a 2015 interview with The National, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) newspaper. On July 30, 1987, Faris landed back on Earth on Soyuz TM-2 with Viktorenko and Aleksandr Laveykin, the latter a member of Mir's second resident crew. It was the first time that a Mir crew launched on board one spacecraft and landed on another. Faris logged a total of 7 days, 23 hours and 4 minutes in space. He was the 209th person to fly into space and the 202nd to orbit Earth, according to the Association of Space Explorers' Registry of Space Travelers. "It would take me days to describe the feeling of going up there, seeing planet Earth, seeing Syria from above and that sense of pride of accomplishing something historic for my country and for the Arabs," he told The National. Muhammed Ahmed Faris was born on May 26, 1951, in Aleppo, Syria. He graduated from the military pilot school in Aleppo in 1973 and became a pilot in the Syrian Air Force specializing in navigation. Faris trained for his spaceflight alongside another member of the Syrian Air Force, Munir Habib, who never flew into space. Faris was named a Hero of the Soviet Union and was awarded the Order of Lenin for his role in the Interkosmos program. a man with a mustache wearing a white spacesuit poses in front of a blue background RELATED STORIES: Roscosmos: Facts and information abotu Russia's space agency The legacy of the Mir space station Saudi Arabia's 1st female astronaut hopes kids follow in her footsteps After his mission, Farris returned to Aleppo and continued to serve in the Syrian military, rising to the rank of general, until 2012 when he defected and fled with his family to Turkiye. Living in exile, Faris said he looked forward to the day when the current Syrian regime would be replaced, so that he and many others could return home. "It is important to remember Syria for its long and rich history, its many pioneers and how it conquered many frontiers, including the final frontier of space," he said. Faris was married to Gind Akil and had five children. Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2024 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that countries that maintain close relations with Russia also have doubts about the expediency of the war of aggression that Russia is waging in Ukraine. Source: German international broadcaster and media outlet Deutsche Welle (DW); European Pravda Details: Scholz noted that there was almost no head of government in the world who believed that this war made any sense for Russia. "This also applies to those who are very close to Russia," he said. DPA reported that Scholz pointed out that during his recent visit to China, he agreed with the Chinese leadership on the need to hold an international peace conference, which is scheduled to be held in Switzerland, to end the war unleashed by Russia. He believes that talks with Chinese officials about the war in Ukraine during his recent trip gave a "very important impetus" to diplomatic efforts to achieve peace. "Diplomatic efforts are something that are indispensable in this time-consuming process, and I am grateful that Germany and I personally have also been able to contribute," Scholz said. He added that diplomatic efforts are "still a plant that needs a lot of watering... but it is something that exists and that we are nurturing." Background: Earlier, Scholz said that he would continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, but at the same time he wanted to intensify diplomatic efforts to end the war unleashed by Russia. The inaugural Peace Summit a two-day high-level conference on resolving the war in Ukraine will be held in Switzerland on 15-16 June. Russia had already said it would not participate in the talks. President Zelenskyy said that some "representatives of the continents" would hand over the details of the peace plan developed in Switzerland to Russia. Support UP or become our patron! Couple says their viral eclipse wedding was all luck: 'It's a relief it happened correctly' Taryn Elliott, 38, and Rhett Kamm, 52, consider themselves "lucky." On April 8, 2024, the couple got married while the radiant solar eclipse reached totality. Wedding footage capturing the moment has gone viral. On Instagram, their wedding planner, Alexa Kay, from Alexa Kay Events, shared footage of the couple getting married during the celestial event. The video, which has amassed over 12 million likes and a cool 57 million views on TikTok, has resonated with fans worldwide. "How amazing that they did that!" one person commented on Instagram. Another jokingly compared Kamm and Elliott's wedding to "Twilight" character Bella Swan's and said, "Not even the 'Twilight' movie wedding was this cool." Eclipse Wedding (Courtesy Luke Payne Photography) But, if Bella actually did get married to Edward during a total solar eclipse, she might have felt even more anxiety on her wedding day on top of the whole, you know, marrying a vampire thing. In an interview with TODAY.com, Elliott and Kamm said their nuptials were "nerve-racking." They said the only thing they felt when watching the moon pass over the sun was a great sense of "relief" because everything had gone exactly as planned. "There was a lot of luck involved," Kamm says. "It was like a relief that it happened correctly." Elliott explained that the weather in Dallas wasn't looking good in the lead-up to the wedding. Earlier in the day, the forecast had predicted thunderstorms. She feared that all the planning she and Kamm had put into their nuptials would be ruined in the blink of an eye. "It was just a miracle that the clouds kind of parted at the right time and we were able to see everything. It was cool," she says. Eclipse Wedding (Courtesy Luke Payne Photography) Just moments before the eclipse happened, Kamm and Elliott paused their wedding so their guests could take in the view. Each attendee was given a special pair of eclipse glasses that allowed them to gaze up at the luminescent sky. It was then that both Elliott and Kamm cried while watching the moon eclipse the sun. "We did our vows up until about five minutes before totality and then paused everything so everyone could just watch it and experience it," she says. "Honestly, that was the coolest part about the wedding. It was amazing to stand up there and listen to all our friends and family's reactions to the eclipse. They were cheering and crying and gasping. It was really cool to be able to experience that with all of them." Eclipse Wedding (Courtesy Megan Kay Photography) After the ceremony, the newlyweds went to their reception, which was themed after Vincent van Gogh's famous painting "The Starry Night" and "Alice in Wonderland." The reception spoke true to their shared love of stargazing and astronomy. "Its something weve always enjoyed doing together," Elliott, who has a degree in physics, says. They've witnessed eclipses before as a couple. In fact, it was their first date. In 2017, the Arizona-based couple traveled to Casper, Wyoming to watch the eclipse. When they got engaged in 2022, they wanted to pay homage to the beginnings of their romance and get married during the next eclipse hitting the U.S. and the last to do so was on April 8, 2024. "It just kind of made sense," Kamm says. "It totally felt right because the last eclipse brought us together and it really was one of the most magical experiences ever. It is such an incredible, full-body experience that's so humbling," Elliott adds. "You really feel connected to the universe, but small at the same time. It's just so cool." Kamm, who works as a pilot and a chef, met Elliott, an intellectual property attorney, in 2017, when she sought flying lessons at his job. He says he loved the fact that she was into science and had a wiener dog. "As we flew together, it became apparent that her desire to learn didnt just extend to flying. She was and is still an extremely curious person," he says. "As I got to know her over time, Ive come to realize that isnt just a part of who she is, its what she is and it makes her fascinating to be around." As for Elliott, she says she was drawn to Kamm's wit. Eclipse Wedding (Courtesy Megan Kay Photography) "From the first moment I met Rhett, I valued his intelligence, his kindness, and his humor," she says. "Hes an extremely talented pilot, and it was great seeing how much all his staff liked and respected him." "I started liking him the more we talked in between flying. Spending time together at the eclipse and dinner after, we just clicked laughing together and talking about a wide range of topics for hours," Elliott adds. "The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. Hes smart, sweet, handsome, fun, interesting and talented." After fulfilling their dream of getting married during the eclipse, the pair are now planning what they're going to do for the next one. Elliott says she already has something in mind. "The next one goes through Spain and I have family that lives there. I've been wanting to go back and visit, so we'll probably try to plan something around that," she says. "And then the one after that goes through Egypt which would be something really cool to see." This article was originally published on TODAY.com BAGHDAD, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Unknown drones bombed a base housing headquarters of Hashd Shaabi Forces in Iraq's central province of Babil early Saturday, killing one person and injuring seven others, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua. The drones targeted the vast military site, known as Camp Kalsu, which houses bases of the Iraqi army, federal police, and Hashd Shaabi forces in the Mahawil area, in the northern part of Babil province, the source said. The airstrikes killed a Hashd Shaabi fighter and injured five fighters and two Iraqi soldiers, in addition to causing a huge fire in the attacked targets, the source said, citing initial reports. The death toll could rise as ambulances were still rushing the injured to hospitals, while rescue teams and fire trucks were working to put out fires. No statement has yet been issued by the Iraqi government regarding the airstrikes, but the Hashd Shaabi Forces said in a brief statement that an investigation team had arrived at the scene, and more details would be revealed later. Meanwhile, Abu Alaa al-Walai, Secretary-General of the Iranian-backed Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades, which is part of the Iraqi Hashd Shaabi Forces, said in an online statement that "a response will be given to whoever is behind the sinful attack on the Hashd Shaabi base after completing the investigation." CHICAGO Police in Chicago are asking for help in the search for a 70-year-old man who has been missing for nearly four months. 70-year-old William Burton has been missing since Wednesday, Dec. 27, and Chicago police say he may be in need of medical attention. According to officers, Burton was last seen in Rogers Park, on the citys Far North Side. The missing man is also known to frequent a CTA station in the 7500 block of North Paulina Street, as well as the Evanston area. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Authorities say Burton, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs around 150 pounds, has grey hair and brown eyes. CPD searching for 70-year-old man missing for nearly 4 months In a photograph provided by Chicago police, Burton is seen with a short beard and an earring, however, it is unclear if he had either at the time of his disappearance. Officers did not provide details on what type of clothing the missing man was last seen wearing. 2 killed, 1 critically injured in early-morning South Chicago shooting Chicago police notified the public about Burtons disappearance in a news release on Friday. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of 70-year-old William Burton is asked to contact the CPD Area 1 SVU at 312-747-8380 or dial 911. Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) A bridge over Blue Mesa Reservoir 18 miles west of Gunnison was closed indefinitely on Thursday due to cracking. The closure will delay travelers from other towns in western Colorado hoping to reach Gunnison and surrounding areas. State inspectors identified anomalies in the bridge, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. In a release, CDOT said, This inspection was required because of known issues with similarly constructed bridges elsewhere in the country. This requirement was created by the Federal Highway Administration. UPDATE: A routine inspection late last week revealed a tiny crack only about four inches long in the steel of the bridge. CDOT crews took a closer look and studied the bridge with a sonar device revealing a much bigger crack inside the steel. Officials dont know when the bridge will reopen. CDOT says more testing needs to be done to find out the true extent of the damage. Locals will be allowed over the bridge to reach their homes on the other side, but other drivers will need to plan an alternate route. The recommended alternate routes are I-70 through Vail to the north adding six hours of travel time or U.S. 160 through Pagosa Springs to the south adding seven hours of travel time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. Salvage work continues on the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Baltimore. The FBI confirmed that agents were aboard the Dali conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) BALTIMORE (AP) Salvage crews at the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore are turning their focus to the thousands of tons of debris sitting atop the Dali, a massive cargo ship that veered off course and caused the deadly catastrophe last month. An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 tons of steel and concrete landed on the ships deck after it crashed into one of the bridges supporting columns and toppled the span, officials said at a news conference Friday. Crews will have to remove all that before refloating the stationary ship and guiding it back into the Port of Baltimore. Officials displayed overhead photos of the ship with an entire section of fallen roadway crushing its bow. So far, cranes have lifted about 120 containers from the Dali, with another 20 to go before workers can build a staging area and begin removing pieces of the mangled steel and crumbling concrete. The ship was laden with about 4,000 containers and headed for Sri Lanka when it lost power shortly after leaving Baltimore. Its owner recently initiated a process requiring owners of the cargo on board to cover some of the salvage costs. Six members of a roadwork crew plunged to their deaths in the collapse and two bodies remain unaccounted for. We cannot forget a true and hurting fact, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said during the news conference. There are still two Marylanders lost and still waiting to be returned with their families for closure. As the salvage operations continue alongside federal and law enforcement investigations, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said getting the bridge rebuilt is an urgent priority. The 1.6 mile (2.6 kilometer) span connected working-class communities on either side of Baltimores harbor, allowing steelworkers and longshoremen to easily traverse the Patapsco River without driving through downtown and providing a vital route for East Coast truckers. This is not about nostalgia. This is about necessity, Moore said. You cannot have a fully functioning Port of Baltimore if the Key Bridge is not there. Moore said he met with leaders in Congress from both parties in Washington on Thursday to talk about funding to rebuild the bridge. He said all of them seemed to understand its importance. I know we are going to get this moment right, because were choosing to work together, Moore said. That was a strike to our nations economy. President Joe Biden, who visited Baltimore in the aftermath of the collapse, also called on Congress to authorize the federal government to pay for 100% of the cleanup and reconstruction. That would require bipartisan support, and some hardline congressional Republicans have already suggested controversial demands to offset the funding. In the meantime, crews are also working to reopen the ports main channel, which has been blocked since the collapse. Using massive floating cranes, theyve carted away about 1,300 tons of steel and counting, without any injuries to workers in the process, officials said. The effort remains on track to open a temporary access channel that would allow most maritime traffic through the port to resume by the end of the month, restoring commerce to one of the East Coasts busiest maritime transit hubs. Until that happens, unemployed port workers and others are receiving financial assistance through a network of local, state and federal programs. This is a community that was literally forged out of steel, said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, who grew up in suburban Dundalk, practically in the bridges shadow. That same steel resolve will help us meet this moment, reopen our port and rebuild the Key Bridge. ___ Associated Press reporter Brian Witte contributed to this report from Annapolis. Jay Scott reacts as Outagamie County Circuit Court Judge Mark Schroeder reads his sentence Friday at the Outagamie County Courthouse in Appleton. Scott, 52, pleaded guilty in January to carjacking, theft of moveable property between $2,500 and $5,000 and felony bail jumping. APPLETON A 52-year-old man will spend the next three decades in prison for carjacking a woman at knifepoint from the Fox River Mall, then driving the vehicle with the woman and her 4-year-old son in the backseat. At Jay Scott's sentencing hearing Friday afternoon, Outagamie County Circuit Court Judge Mark Schroeder told Scott it is never "enjoyable as a judge" to inform a person they will spend the rest of their life in prison, but will likely be the case for him. Scott became visibly emotional when he heard the sentence, then turned in his seat to glare at people seated in the gallery, causing security staff to order him to face forward. Schroeder sentenced Scott to 30 years in prison, followed by 10 years of extended supervision. He will not be eligible for release from prison until he is in his 80s. The judge said he believes Scott has "extensive" rehabilitative needs, but that those need to be addressed while Scott is incarcerated. "That's not an easy thing, and it may be impossible, I'm not naive," Schroeder said. However, the judge said, out of prison Scott is a danger to the public. Scott pleaded guilty in January to carjacking while possessing a dangerous weapon, theft of moveable property between $2,500 and $5,000 and felony bail jumping. Three other felony charges kidnapping, abducting a child, and armed robbery were dropped. He previously had a sentencing hearing set for February, but it was pushed back. What happened? Around 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2, Scott approached a 31-year-old woman in the parking lot of the Fox River Mall while she was was helping her 4-year-old child into his car seat. According to a criminal complaint, the woman said she was near Macy's, by the mall's north entrance. She recalled seeing saw a man ride by on a bicycle, then loop back around. When she turned around, he was standing near her holding a knife, she said. The woman told investigators the man told her "I'm not going to hurt you, just get in the car," and said he wanted money, according to the complaint. The woman got into the vehicle's backseat, holding her child in her lap, Outagamie County Assistant District Attorney Julie Duquaine said at the sentencing hearing. The woman gave Scott her purse, which had money and a check inside. He drove the woman and her child to two banks in the area, trying to get her to withdraw money, but she was not able to at either location, the complaint says. At one point, Scott drove through a roundabout and the woman tried to open the door, she told investigators. Scott asked her what she was doing. Then, at a red light, she jumped out of the car with her child. The woman said the car was stopped, but she believed Scott started to move it as they were exiting. She had "scuff marks" and an open wound on her leg, as well as an injury to her head, while the child had "black and blue markings along with scuffs" on his face, according to the complaint. Near the intersection of Interstate 41 and West Winneconne Avenue in Neenah, the woman yelled for help while holding her child. A pickup truck briefly stopped, but then drove away. Then, a stranger stopped, let the the woman and her child into her vehicle, and drove them to a nearby parking lot to wait for police. When police arrived, they called an ambulance to transport the woman and child to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah. At the hospital, they were seen for injuries, and the woman spoke to investigators. Police located the stolen vehicle and pulled it over on State 21 between Spring Road and 37th Avenue in the town of Rushford. They arrested Scott and confiscated $1,844 in cash and a check for nearly $900 written out to the woman, according to the complaint. They also found the woman's phone on the side of the road, after it issued an emergency notification when Scott threw it out the window, attorneys said at Friday's hearing. Jay Scott is escorted out of the courtroom Friday after his sentencing hearing at the Outagamie County Courthouse in Appleton. What sentences did attorneys recommend? At the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Duquaine recommended a sentence of 25 to 30 years of initial confinement followed by 10 to 15 years of extended supervision. It was the same recommendation given by the officer who conducted the presentence investigation. Duquaine pointed to Scott's lengthy criminal history dating back to 1988, and the fact that he was on work release from jail at the time of the carjacking. He was charged in 2020 with two felonies for interfering with a custody order for his children, and went to Outagamie County Jail regarding that case in July. Those charges were dismissed when he pleaded guilty to the carjacking in January, but Schroeder considered them as a factor in sentencing Scott. A woman gave a victim impact statement about that case in court at the sentencing. The woman and child from the carjacking were not in attendance Friday, but the woman wrote a letter to Schroeder, requesting a maximum sentence for Scott. Duquaine also said this incident was not only extremely traumatizing for the woman and her young son, but also for the public who learned about it. She said it is "the type of situation that scary movies are made of." Duquaine noted that Scott told investigators he targeted the woman who stands a foot shorter than him, at 5 feet because she was alone. "This is a crime against all women," Duquaine said. "He is the reason women walk with keys between their fingers." Scott's attorney, Jennifer Kelley, requested a sentence of 10 years behind bars, followed by a "lengthy" period of extended supervision. She noted that while he had multiple convictions as a teen and young adult, there was a period of time when Scott was able to avoid legal trouble while holding down a steady job and being a father. Kelley said Scott had recently began taking drugs, including crack cocaine, methamphetamines and heroin. He also had a head injury from a motorcycle accident shortly before the carjacking that Scott said impacted his memory. Before the sentence, Scott gave a tearful statement to the court. "I'd just like to say that I'm taking responsibility for what I did and it was wrong," he said. "I've hurt many people in the process." Scott said he hurt both the victims of the carjacking and his own children, who will continue to be impacted by his absence. Before delivering his sentence, Schroeder said he relates to some of Scott's history, including losing his father unexpectedly as a child. He said he acknowledges and is empathetic to the fact that Scott experienced trauma in his childhood that likely played a role in some of his behaviors later in life. However, Schroeder noted that Scott's criminal behaviors did not stop after he fully matured into adulthood, and he is convicted of a Class B felony, which is an extremely serious category of crime in Wisconsin, second only to homicide. Schroeder also told Scott it was "not anything more than luck" that the woman and child did not die while escaping because they believed their lives were in danger. "I feel sorry for you, Mr. Scott. But I feel sorry for the people you terrorized," Schroeder said, adding that he cannot give Scott the chance to do it again. Contact Kelli Arseneau at 920-213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @ArseneauKelli. This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Man sentenced to 30 years in prison for Fox Valley Mall carjacking COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) A local university and the Muscogee County School District are working together to help graduating educators. Students exiting Columbus State Universitys teacher educator program are the beneficiaries of the CSU Teaching Contract Guarantee. The guarantee ensures students graduating from the educator program at CSU have a guaranteed contract with MCSD for the upcoming school year. It is a program that has been going on for the last three years, which MCSD Superintendent David Lewis said has so far been fruitful. We have hired many. Many teachers from Columbus State University they do their internship here so its a very easy transition from CSU coming right into our schools, Lewis said, explaining the partnership began after CSU had established a trend of producing high-quality educators. The MCSD superintendent added the contract guarantee is also a way to combat teacher shortages. He hopes it may also become a recruitment tool for CSU to bring students into its teaching program. Coffeeshop owners hope for community support after unexpected partial closure This year, seven CSU students will be the beneficiaries of the contract guarantee, including Jay Maldonado, who specializes in teaching history. Maldonado, who grew up attending multiple Columbus-area schools explained the contract guarantee did not stop her from going on a job hunt. She said she sent in her application wherever she could that had open teacher positions. I felt that I am good enough to where they would take me and that confidence is something that I built up at CSU and with the connections I have made at CSU, Maldonado said. She continued, I view to the contract as more of a safety net just in case there were no open positions for a history teacher in a middle- or high school. Columbus Museum to reopen with silent disco and more Maldonado is currently working as a student-teacher at Northside High School but has accepted a position at Double Churches Middle School for the fall, a position which she secured by her own merit. She will be teaching eighth-grade Georgia Studies. For the young educator, it is a bit of a full circle moment, having previously attended both schools as a student in the past. Moving forward, Lewis said he hopes the program with attract more students outside of the Columbus area to join CSUs teaching program. After CSU teachers earn a position at an MCSD school, CSU also offers a mentorship program, where young educators may access guidance from CSU staff for the first three years of their teaching career. Associate Dean for Education in the College of Education and Health professions at CSU Jan Burcham said, Its not a thing where we just let them go, but we continue to work together with them and with Muscogee County. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. CT gang member admits to role in two fatal shootings, other acts of violence A Connecticut man has pleaded guilty to a federal racketeering charge for his role in four gang-related shootings, including two involving fatalities, according to federal authorities. Antwan Hill, also known as Bandz, 21, of New Haven, appeared in federal court in New Haven this week, where he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut. The charge stems from Hills role in the Exit 8 street gang, which is named for the area off of Interstate 91 in New Haven accessed from Exit 8. According to federal officials, Hill admitted that he took part in four shootings between 2020 and 2022. On Sept. 26, 2020, Hill and another Exit 8 gang member shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang, officials said. Then on May 19, 2021, Hill and other Exit 8 members conspired to kill rival gang members, including one who was shot and killed that day, officials said. Federal officials said Hill and another Exit 8 member shot and killed someone on July 5, 2021. And on April 12, 2022, Hill and another Exit 8 member shot and attempted to kill rival gang members. Hill will be exposed to as many as 20 years in prison when he faces sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. He has been in custody since August 2023. According to federal officials, authorities learned of the shootings Hill was involved in during an investigation conducted by numerous agencies into an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The agencies investigating include the ATF, FBI, DEA and the New Haven Police Department. They have been working closely with the U.S. Attorneys Office and New Haven States Attorneys Office as well. According to investigators, younger members of Exit 8 have recently been identifying themselves with the word Honcho, which was the street name of an Exit 8 member who was killed on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020. Investigators said they found that Hill and other Exit 8 gang members engaged in drug trafficking and used firearms that were shared among members. Since June 2018, the gang is believed to be responsible for at least three killings and 16 attempted killings, according to officials. Gang members often stole vehicles, sometimes from another state, to commit violent acts. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a statement. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Messages of condolences quickly started coming in on Saturday after the announcement that long-time Arkansas political figure David Pryor had passed away. David Pryor, former Arkansas governor, U.S. congressman and senator, and former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, death was announced on Saturday morning. He was 89 years old. David Pryor, former governor and senator of Arkansas, dies at age 89 After spending more than half a century in public service, the impact of his loss was felt by many current and former political leaders. FILE Former President Bill Clinton, left, is greeted by David Pryor, former senator and past dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, Dec. 13, 2006, in Little Rock, Ark., after Clinton spoke to the first graduating class of the school. Former Arkansas governor and U.S. Sen. David Pryor, a Democrat who was one of the states most beloved political figures and remained active in public service in the state long after he left office, has died. He was 89. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File) Former President Bill Clinton reflected on his lengthy career, nobility to serve and was one of Americas greatest advocates on many topics. Hillary and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend David Pryor, one of Arkansas greatest servant leaders and one of the finest people I have ever known. As state representative, U.S. representative, governor, and senator, he fought for progressive policies that helped us put the divided past behind us and move into a brighter future together. He was always one of Americas greatest advocates for the elderly, waging long battles to lower the cost of prescription drugs and to improve nursing homes and in-home care to help more people live in dignity. David made politics personalfrom his famed retail campaigning to his ability to calmly and confidently explain tough votes to his constituents. He was honest, compassionate, and full of common sense. He really loved the people he represented, and they loved him back. I first met him and Barbara in 1966 when David was running for Congress, and over the next 58 years he would be my mentor, confidant, supporter, and above all, friend. Having him and Dale Bumpers in the senate when I was president was an extraordinary gift. I never felt far from home, and always trusted the unvarnished advice he gave, especially when the going got tough. Ill also always be grateful that he served as the inaugural dean of the Clinton School of Public Service, where his very presence embodied the nobility and joy of public service. I will miss David very much, but we can all take comfort in knowing his legacy will live on in the work of the Pryor Center, in the citizen service of his family, and in all those living better lives because of his service. Hillary and I send our love and prayers to Barbara; David, Scott, and Mark; his grandchildren; and all the other people who also loved him. Former President Bill Clinton Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders recalled on how honored she was to have Pryor in attendance to her inaugural address and how his legacy will live on. Bryan and I are mourning the death of a dedicated Congressman, Governor, and Senator, David Pryor. His career defied easy definition: a man with deep roots in Ouachita County who reached the heights of influence in Washington; a Solid South Democrat who stood strong against the Faubus machine; the architect of an Arkansas political dynasty who was just as comfortable in a Camden lumber yard as the Cambridge quad. David Pryors charisma and moderate politics made him a force at the ballot box for decades. While the Senator and I came up in different political parties, I, like all Arkansans deeply appreciated his diligent stewardship of Arkansas and our interests during his time in public life. And we can all thank him for his role in burying the divisive racial politics that infected Arkansas government before his tenure. I was honored that David joined me for my inaugural address and sat on the State House floor for my first address to the legislature. I remember meeting his son, Mark, when he served as Attorney General and I was elected Attorney General of Arkansas Girls State. He was kind and welcoming to me, and I know he learned that from his parents. Davids legacy lives on in Arkansas and U.S. government and also through his wonderful family. On behalf of all Arkansans, Bryan and I share our deepest condolences with Davids wife Barbara, their son, former U.S. Senator Mark Pryor, and the entire Pryor family. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson touched on Pryors dedication to Arkansas. David Pryor was the quintessential public servant. He gave up other opportunities to serve Arkansas throughout his life and the public debate was elevated because of his service. Our prayers are with Barbara and the Pryor family. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) similarly shared he had dedicated his life to serving the Natural State and America. David Pryor was a true gentleman and a statesman who dedicated more than a half century of his life to the service of our state and nation. His example served and will continue to serve as inspiration for our fellow Arkansans. I extend my deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and loved ones for whom I pray his memory will always be a cherished blessing. Sen. Tom Cotton U.S. Representative Steve Womack (R-AR) shared that his legacy will no doubt live on for generations. Im deeply saddened to hear of the passing of David Pryor. A lifelong public servant, he served in the U.S. House and Senate, in the state legislature, and served as Governor of Arkansas. He dedicated himself to bettering the lives of Arkansans in each critical position he held. Mr. Pryor was the epitome of a statesman for the Natural State, and his legacy will no doubt live on for generations. My prayers are with his family during this difficult time. Rep. Steve Womack FILE Former U.S. Sens. David Pryor, foreground, and Dale Bumpers, both D-Ark., laugh at a joke during a meeting at the Governors Mansion, Sept. 18, 2013, in Little Rock, Ark. Former Arkansas governor and U.S. Sen. David Pryor, a Democrat who was one of the states most beloved political figures and remained active in public service in the state long after he left office, has died. He was 89. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File) Former Arkansas governor and U.S. Sen. David Pryor walks into the Arkansas House chamber at the state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark. on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 with state Sen. Clarke Tucker for the swearing in of Sarah Huckabee Sanders as governor. Pryor died on Saturday, April 20, 2024 of natural causes at the age of 89. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo) FILE David Pryor, dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, poses, Jan. 24, 2006, at the school in Little Rock, Ark. Former Arkansas governor and U.S. Sen. David Pryor, a Democrat who was one of the states most beloved political figures and remained active in public service in the state long after he left office, has died. He was 89. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File) Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., accompanied by Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., left, and Sen. David Pryor, D-Ark., meets reporters on Capitol Hill Friday Oct. 27, 1995 to discuss the budget and nursing homes. On Thursday, Senate Republican leaders, bowing to pressure from Republican moderates, agreed to restore most federal nursing home standards for Medicaid patients to the pending budget reconciliation bills. (AP Photo/John Duricka) Skip Rutherford, former Dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, noted that it was a pleasure working for Pryor and his wife, Barbara Pryor, has been a profile in courage. David Pryor was Arkansas at its best. It was a pleasure working for him. It was a privilege working with him. Throughout his health challenges, Barbara Pryor has been a profile in courage. We loved DP and we love BP. Skip Rutherford U.S. Representative French Hill (R-AR) noted that the former congressmans contribution to Arkansas are immeasurable and is grateful for his long friendship. It is with great sadness that I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of former U.S. Senator David Pryor, who passed away this morning at the age of 89. Senator Pryors contributions to the state of Arkansas are immeasurable and his legacy will be long remembered across the state. Senator Pryor was a dedicated public servant whose commitment to the people of Arkansas was always his focus. During his time as U.S. Representative, Governor, and Senator for Arkansas, he worked tirelessly to improve the lives of all Arkansans. I am grateful for my decades long friendship with the Pryor family and for Senator Pryors six decades of public service. Martha and I are keeping his family and friends in our prayers during this time. Rep. French Hill U.S. Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR) reflected that it was clear Pryor was dedicated to Arkansans having served as a congressman, senator and governor. I am deeply saddened to hear that former U.S. Senator David Pryor passed away this morning. Having served as a Congressman, Senator, and Governor, it is clear he was dedicated to Arkansans and worked to improve their lives. My prayers are with his family during this difficult time, and I hope they can be at peace knowing that he lived a long and fulfilling life. Rep. Rick Crawford As many of the above quotes mentioned, Pryors dedication to Arkansas and its institutions showed during his career. The Arkansas House of Representatives posted to social media that the members were saddened to hear of the passing of a former member and reflected on his early start to public service by sharing his original composite photo and stationary from 1961. David Pryor original 1961 Arkansas House composite David Pryor original 1961 Arkansas House stationary After leaving politics, Pryor became the director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2000. In 2004, he was the inaugural dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. During Pryors time as dean, school representatives said he was integral in launching the nations first Master of Public Service degree program. Current Dean Victoria DeFrancesco Soto shared Pryor was the epitome of a public leader and will be missed dearly. The Clinton Schools founding Dean, Senator David Pryor, was the epitome of a public service leader. His commitment to bridging divides and bringing people together to solve problems continue to be core to the Clinton School of Public Service. We will miss him dearly and will continue to uplift his legacy of service, education, and leadership. Dean Victoria DeFrancesco Soto Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin took to social media to share his well-wishes to Pryors family, friends, colleagues and all those he touched in his long history serving the people of Arkansas as well as his mentioned history in higher education. I am saddened by the death of former Governor, Senator and Congressman David Pryor. The state has lost one of its most respected public servants. A native of Camden, he was first elected to the Arkansas House in 1960. Following his political career, he served as director of Harvard Institute of Politics, dean of the Clinton School of Public Service and member of the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees. I pray for his family, friends, colleagues and all those he touched in his long history serving the people of Arkansas. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin Pryor is the only person in Arkansas history to have served in the State Legislature (1960-1966), the United States House of Representatives (1966-1973), as governor of Arkansas (1975-1979), and in the U.S. Senate (1979-1997). The Associated Press contributed photos to this story. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Dad Says School Told Daughter She Was Valedictorian but Took It Back Days Later Due to 'Miscalculation' Maya Veliz, who was previously announced as valedictorian, found out over a week later she was actually third in her class, her dad tells PEOPLE Jorge Veliz Maya Veliz Maya Veliz, a senior at Blue Ridge High School in Texas, was told she was no longer the school's valedictorian over a ranking "miscalculation." her father tells PEOPLE She said she feels like the school keeps saying that they respect her and she's a big part of the community, but it makes her feel like she's not, Jorge Veliz explains The school district said in a statement that "plans have been initiated to ensure that a mistake like this does not take place in the future" A Texas high school senior learned her valedictorian title was pulled just weeks before graduation due to an apparent ranking miscalculation, according to her father. Instead of graduating at the top of her class, Maya Veliz, a student at Blue Ridge High School, found out she was ranked third, her father, Jorge Veliz, tells PEOPLE in an interview on Friday, April 10. Jorge says that the school told his daughter on March 28 that she would be her class valedictorian. She was handed her transcript where it said she was number one along with her GPA, he says of that special moment. Then on April 8, Jorge and his wife received a phone call from the schools principal. He's like, Well, there was a miscalculation on Maya's GPA, which now [means] she will no longer be number one. She'll be number three, he recalls. Related: Florida Mom of 7 Graduates College as Class Valedictorian with Perfect GPA: 'Incredibly Honored' The update from the principal prompted questions for the family. Jorge says that after Maya transferred from another school in Frisco as a junior in 2022, the family had been in touch with Mayas school counselor to make sure that her grades were correct. Jorge Veliz Maya Veliz [The counselor] had told us, Oh, don't worry. Maya's on the good road. The only way that I can foresee Maya not being valedictorian is if Maya fails her courses completely, " her father says, noting that's not what happened here. She hasn't failed anything. She's been taking dual credits, AP honors and anything that's available," he adds. "We even asked if it was necessary for her to take any extra courses, and [the counselor] told her, No, everything is good. Related: Twin Brothers Named High School Valedictorian and Salutatorian After Sister Graduated at Top of Her Class However, according to Jorge, per a Blue Ridge Independent School District policy that had been in place since 2017, Maya wouldnt be given credit for some of the courses she took at her previous school prior to her transfer to Blue Ridge High because they weren't offered to the students in that school district." "Well, some of those courses are in the [Blue Ridge ISD] catalog, but they're saying that they don't have any teachers to teach [them]," he claims. "So they kind of contradicted themselves on the policy. 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. When asked about the miscalculation and the school's policy, the district told ABC affiliate WFAA that "Blue Ridge ISD has investigated this private student matter and communicated with the parents. The district reviews academic achievement, grade calculations, and class rank during this time period each year in accordance with applicable state law and board policies EIC and EIC Local." "Miscalculations were originally made when finalizing GPA and Class Rank; then corrected to ensure compliance with both of those board policies. All students affected have been notified," the district continued. They added that "plans have been initiated to ensure that a mistake like this does not take place in the future. Any further specific student information cannot be discussed pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act." PEOPLE has reached out to the school district as well as Blue Ridge High's principal for comment. Jorge Veliz Maya Veliz In an earlier interview with WFAA, Maya said that learning the news so close to graduation was simply "gut-wrenching." Her dad wonders why that issue was brought up even after the school initially said that Maya was selected as valedictorian. He also says there has been a lack of transparency and the family has hired an advocate to help them look into the matter. There's conflicting information about what triggered the reevaluation of the transcripts, he tells PEOPLE. As for how his daughter has been feeling since the news, Jorge says that Maya is mad and feels let down by the school. She's worked her butt off, he says. She used to be a dancer, and she put that dream to the side to dedicate her time to school because she knew it was going to be a hard task managing both." Now, he says she's asked herself if it was all really worth it. Related: Jimmy Kimmel Lets Valedictorian Finish Speech After Being Cut Off at Graduation for Criticizing School There are also questions about what her next year at college will look like. Jorge said that Maya accepted an offer to attend the University of Texas with the understanding that her first year at the state school would be tuition-free as a reward for being named valedictorian. We [as her parents] know how draining school loans can be, he says. That's one of the reasons why she selected to go there. As for the ceremony itself, Maya won't be attending nor will her relatives, including those from other parts of the country, as well as Guatemala and Switzerland, who had already made hotel reservations. She said she feels like the school keeps saying that they respect her and she's a big part of the community, but it makes her feel like she's not, her dad explains. So she said that she'd rather not go and have them deal with explaining why she's not there." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. The newly appointed Commander of the Danish Defence, General Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard, paid an official visit to Kyiv. Source: European Pravda, citing Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on Facebook Details: Syrskyi said that during their meeting, they discussed the urgent needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces across various fronts and explored avenues and opportunities for further support from the Danish government. Quote: "Taking the opportunity, I thanked the Danish government and people for their consistent support of the Ukrainian military," he noted. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also emphasised that the partnership with Denmark, one of NATO's founding members, remains a significant source of support for Kyiv. "Since the first day of the full-scale invasion, Denmark has stood by Ukraine for the defence of democracy and freedom," Syrskyi emphasised. Background: In early April, Denmark dismissed Chief of Defence Staff Flemming Lentfer due to his failure to report equipment malfunctions during last month's attack on a Danish frigate deployed in the Red Sea. He was replaced by Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard. Denmark allocated 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. 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 and drones and manufacture missile components. Support UP or become our patron! Danish commander-in-chief meets Syrskyi, Umerov to discuss further assistance for Ukraine Commander-in-Chief of the Danish Armed Forces Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard visited Kyiv and met his counterpart Oleksandr Syrskyi and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on April 20, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief wrote on Facebook. Wiggers Hyldgaard was appointed in early April. His predecessor, Flemming Lenfter, was dismissed on April 3 as he failed to report malfunctioning weapon systems during Houthi militants' drone attack on a Danish frigate in the Red Sea, reportedly putting the crew of 175 at risk. During the meeting, Wiggers Hyldgaard, Umerov, and Syrskyi discussed Ukraine's needs on the front lines as well as further assistance from the Danish government. "From the first day of the full-scale invasion, Denmark has been standing on Ukraine's side, on the side of democracy and freedom defense," Syrskyi wrote. Ukraine's commander-in-chief also thanked the Danish government and its people for the continued support of Ukrainian forces. "The partnership with Denmark, one of NATO's founding states, remains a significant (source of) support for us," Syrskyi added. Denmark, one of Kyiv's key supporters throughout Russia's full-scale invasion, recently announced a 2.2 billion kroner ($313 million) military aid package for Ukraine. It was the 17th Danish military aid package for Ukraine since 2022. Denmark also became the first state to buy weapons and equipment for Ukraine's Armed Forces from a domestic manufacturer as part of a military aid package. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), which tracks international aid for Ukraine, Denmark is the fourth largest provider of military aid to Kyiv, committing around 8.4 million euros ($9 billion) as of January 2024. Read also: Denmark announces $5.8 million in aid for Ukraines energy infrastructure Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. BAGHDAD, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi military said Saturday that it launched a thorough investigation into a huge explosion occurring after midnight at a military base in Iraq's central province of Babil. A technical committee from the civil defense and other relevant parties was formed to find out the cause of the explosion and fire at a military base known as Camp Kalsu, in the northern part of Babil province, according to a statement from the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command. The preliminary information, issued by the U.S.-led international coalition forces in Iraq and the Pentagon, indicated that there is no air activity or military action throughout Babil province, said the statement. In addition, reports from the Iraqi Air Defense Command confirmed that there were no drones or aircraft in the airspace of the province before and during the explosion, it said, noting that further details will be released after the investigation. The explosion occurred at about 1:00 a.m. local time (2200 GMT on Friday) and was followed by a fire in Camp Kalsu, which houses bases of the Iraqi army, federal police, and Hashd Shaabi forces, leaving one Hashd Shaabi fighter killed and eight others injured, including a soldier, according to the latest reports. Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command said Saturday in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, "The United States has not conducted airstrikes in Iraq today." The U.S. media CNN quoted an Israeli official as saying that Israel was not involved in the attack on the Kalsu military base in Iraq. Abu Alaa al-Walai, secretary-general of the Iranian-backed Sayyed al-Shuhada Brigades, which is part of the Iraqi Hashd Shaabi Forces, said in an online statement that "a response will be given to whoever is behind the sinful attack on the Hashd Shaabi base after completing the investigation." KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) Friday marked the deadline for residents of the Westside Inn in Kingsport to vacate the premises or face eviction. Those living at the motel were given a letter on March 19 from the operator, telling them they had to leave by April 5. A temporary restraining order was filed by legal representatives of the residence, which ultimately resulted in the deadline being pushed back to April 19. PREVIOUS: 150 could face homelessness with closure of Kingsport motel The motels operator, C. P. Patel, previously told News Channel 11 that running the Westside Inn had been becoming increasingly difficult over the past several years. He said multiple residents were months behind on rent, among other issues. The Tennessee Department of Health found in a 2023 inspection that conditions at the property were not up to standard, an observation corroborated by residents. The United Way of Greater Kingsport reports there were an estimated 80 guests at the Westside Inn when the closing letters were sent. Another non-profit, Hunger First, found roughly 150 people residing at the motel. Multiple organizations in the Kingsport area mobilized to help find temporary or permanent lodging for residents. The United Way of Greater Kingsport told News Channel 11 in a statement Friday that shelters were preparing to care for as many people and families as they could. The goal is to assist previous guests from Westside Inn to live lives more fully self-sufficient, healthier and with educational access to community safety net resources, the United Way stated. The goal is to not only assist them in finding shelter and housing options but to help them have the opportunity for a better quality of life. PREVIOUS: Kingsport city staff, non-profits work to relocate Westside Inn residents As of Friday, the United Way reported that 25% of motel guests were both elderly/disabled and low-income and have been offered an option for additional assistance. Help has been offered to those in the form of case management and other means. The United Way told News Channel 11 some guests had been moved to permanent housing with the help of agencies and others were able to find lodging on their own. In addition to the United Way, other organizations that have assisted those at the motel include Frontier Health, Goodwill Industries of Tenneva Area, Inc., the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Ballad Health, the City of Kingsport, the Salvation Army, Hope Haven and Family Promise. Both the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Alderman and the Sullivan County Commission have approved tax increment financing for a proposed new Friendship Hyundai dealership at the Westside Inn property. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) A man who shot and killed a womans former boyfriend Wednesday night in Georgetown County will not be charged because the cirumstances of the incident fall under the states Stand Your Ground law, authorities said. Jamar Edward McClary died in the self-defense shooting at the Arbor Place apartments on N. Beech Street in Andrews, according to the Georgetown County Sheriffs Office. News13 is not identifying the man who shot him because he is not facing any charges. Jazwon Gamble Photo: Georgetown County Sheriffs Office Authorities are still looking for a man suspected of being involved in the shooting. Jazwon Gamble, 28, of Salters in Williamsburg County, is wanted for attempted murder after allegedly shooting into the apartment after witnessing the deadly shooting. Investigators said the shooting happened when the two men got into an argument after McClary came to the womans apartment. During the argument, authorities said McClary threatened to shoot the man and reached for a gun in his pocket. However, the man drew his own gun and shot him first. The sheriffs office said investigators interviewed witnesses, reviewed surveillance footage from the apartment complex and collected physical evidence, including McClarys firearm. The man who shot shot McClary later gave a statement to deputies at the sheriffs office and surrendered his own firearm. Investigators spoke with the Deputy Solicitor of the 15th Judicial District to review facts of the case, the sheriffs office said in a news release. The solicitor determined circumstances fall under the Stand Your Ground law. While the investigation is still ongoing, based on current information and evidence there will be no charges filed against [the man]. * * * * * * 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. Death of Missouri doctor whose body was found in Beaver Lake ruled a suicide CASSVILLE, Mo. (KNWA/KFTA) The Arkansas State Crime Lab medical examiner ruled the death of Dr. John Forsyth as a suicide. Body of missing Missouri doctor found in northwest Arkansas, family says According to KY3 in Springfield, Mo., the investigation with the Benton County Sheriffs Office is still open. Forsyth was last seen at 7 a.m. on Sunday, May 21, 2023, before failing to show up to work at Mercy Hospital in Cassville, Mo. His vehicle was later located at the Cassville Aquatic Center. A Missouri doctors death is steeped in mystery and speculation. Authorities arent talking Several law enforcement agencies searched about a 9-mile radius around the park. Police at the time did not believe foul play was suspected. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. Israeli military units drive through the Nour Shams refugee camp. The operation lasted more than 24 hours. The Israeli armed forces have killed more than five Palestinians and injured dozens during their raid in the Palestinian refugee camp Nour Shams. Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa At least two Palestinians have died and a further seven suffered gunshot wounds in an Israeli military operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm on the West Bank, the Palestinian health authority reported on Saturday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the operation had begun on Friday and was continuing into Saturday. It said the IDF forces were acting against armed opponents after being fired on and attacked with explosives. Four IDF soldiers had suffered injuries ranging from light to moderate, it said. Four more men had been killed, Palestinian media reports said, including the local commander of Islamic Jihad. There was no confirmation of the deaths, as Nur Shams has been cordoned off by the IDF. A number of Palestinians are reported to have been detained and considerable damage caused to roads, healthcare facilities and homes. Almost 450 Palestinians have died in the West Bank since the October 7 attacks mounted by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, most of them dying in IDF operations and others in attacks mounted on Israelis. In the Gaza Strip, the IDF bombed rocket launch ramps in Beit Hanoun in the north following a rocket attack directed towards Sderot across the border with Israel on Friday. Dozens of sorties were also flown targeting other targets in the Gaza Strip, the IDF reported. And in the north of Israel along the border with Lebanon, air raid sirens sounded, indicating a possible attack by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. Israeli military units drive through the Nour Shams refugee camp. The operation lasted more than 24 hours. The Israeli armed forces have killed more than five Palestinians and injured dozens during their raid in the Palestinian refugee camp Nour Shams. Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Israeli soldiers stand guard and surround a house where armed Palestinians are staying during a raid. The operation lasted more than 24 hours in which the Israeli forces killed more than five Palestinians and injured dozens during the raid in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nour Shams. Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Air defenses in Russia's Bryansk, Kaluga, and Smolensk Oblasts intercepted several drones overnight on April 20, which fell and started a fire at three separate energy facilities, according to regional officials. Bryansk Oblast Governor Alexander Bogomaz said that debris from a drone that was intercepted over the Vygonichsky District fell on an energy facility, causing a mass fire. At least six drones were also intercepted over the Suzemsky and Vygonichsky districts. Russian-affiliated Telegram channels later posted photos of a mass fire at the substation in Bryansk. Later that night, Kaluga Oblast Governor Vladislav Shapsha reported that a drone explosion near a substation in the town of Maloyaroslavets resulted in "slight damages" to the energy infrastructure. Finally, at around 2:00 a.m. local time, Smolensk Oblast Governor Vasily Anokhin alleged Ukrainian drones targeted a fuel and energy facility in the Kardymovsky District. Air defense forces reportedly intercepted the drones, but fallen debris started a fire at a fuel storage tank. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims of Russian authorities, and Ukraine does not usually comment on alleged attacks on Russian soil. Over the course of the night, more than 50 drones were reportedly intercepted over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Smolensk, and Ryazan regions. Two people were said to be killed as a result of drone debris falling on a residential home in the Belgorod region. Kyiv has not publicly commented on the attack, and the Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. Read also: Ukraine war latest: First Russian Tu-22M3 bomber downed, strikes in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kill 7 Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. JAY, Okla. The Delaware County Election Board voted unanimously to retain Ray Thomas on the ballot for Delaware County Sheriff. Incumbent Sheriff James Beck and Thomas will square off in the Primary Election set for June 18. James Beck Ray Thomas Both men are Republicans, and the winner will assume the top law enforcement spot in Delaware County. Beck challenged Thomass candidacy saying he was not legally qualified to run for sheriff because of decades of using two different versions of his first name. One of Becks challenges centered on Thomass license with the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training also known as CLEET. A CLEET license shows an individual is licensed for law enforcement and private security in Oklahoma. Thomas received his CLEET certification using the name Thurman and signed under oath this was his legal name. However, while also under oath, Thomas filed in 2024 his sheriffs candidacy papers, stating is legal name was Therman. So which is it? said Kenny Wright, Becks attorney during the two-hour hearing. There is no CLEET record of a Therman Thomas, Wright said. Never in my life have I had an issue with my name, Thomas said when questioned by Wright. Chase McBride, Thomass attorney poked holes in Wrights question saying, CLEET identifies each law enforcement officer by number not by name. LEGAL DOCUMENTS Testimony before the Election Board showed Thomass legal name on his birth certificate is Therman Ray Thomas. However, his first social security card obtained when he was three years old shows the spelling Thurman Ray Thomas. As a child and into his early adulthood, Wright presented evidence Thurman was used on all legal documents, including voter registrations in Oklahoma and Arkansas. When Thomas renewed an expired drivers license he was required to use his birth certificate as supporting documentation. From then on, Thomas used Therman on most all legal documents, including when he filed his candidacy for sheriff in 2024. Wright questioned why on his 2022 candidacy records he used the name Thurman and on his 2024 candidacy records he used the name Therman. Thomas didnt have an answer for Wrights question other than he sometimes forgot which name to use because for years he used the name Thurman. After years of spelling it Thurman, it was a habit, Thomas said. I never tried to hide anything or do anything outside the law. I never corrected it, Thomas said referring to legal documents spelled Thurman. I never thought about it, Thomas said. Not including arresting reports as a deputy, a review of legal documents and social media accounts shows Thomas used the spelling Thurman on most of the state, county and federal documents and used the spelling Therman on a handful of documents. Before casting their vote to keep Thomas on the ballot, Lawrence Knowles, the Delaware County Democrat chairman and Cheryl Hein, the Delaware County Republican vice-chairman said Thomas had taken steps to correct the name. I think Mr. Beck is scared of him, said Chase McBride, Thomass attorney in his closing arguments for the reason for the dispute in Thomass candidacy. The mix-up spelling of a name doesnt disqualify Thomas from running for sheriff, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. 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. The House votes for possible TikTok ban in the US, but dont expect the app to go away anytime soon 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 Queen City News. The Tri-Cities transit board made a smart decision by not putting a sales tax reduction on the November ballot An even wiser action would be for Ben Franklin Transit to shelve this misguided idea permanently. Political preening is the only reason some board members want to ask voters to trim the small transit tax by one-tenth of a cent. That would allow politicians ones who dont necessarily have transit users best interests at heart to proclaim theyve cut taxes. Some folks have complained about seeing empty buses roll by. They seize on that as a rationale for reducing funding, and thus service. Such comments reveal a basic misunderstanding of regional transit, whose role is to serve the entire region. That includes providing access in areas that have fewer potential riders to fill the buses, take Dial-A-Ride and use other transit services. These residents need transportation just as much as anyone else does. Ben Franklin Transit can be their lifeline to jobs, stores, educational institutions, medical appointments, family visits, churches, civic engagements and other activities. Public transit is a critical ingredient of a healthy community. In fact, an excellent transit system capable of carrying workers from throughout the region to a worksite is part of the Tri-Cities appeal to companies interested in locating here. A sales tax reduction would undercut that argument while providing minuscule financial benefit to residents. The transit agency depends on sales taxes for more than two-thirds of its operating revenue. That dependence reflects the reality that fares alone are insufficient to operate a comprehensive transit system. High fares are counterproductive, driving away potential riders, so public subsidies are both necessary and appropriate. After all, our state and nation subsidize other forms of transportation from highways to local street construction. With the current sales tax, the agency collects 6 cents on a $10 purchase. Only one other major transit district in Washington has a lower rate. Reducing the rate to 5 cents would save the average taxpayer less than $2 per month according to the Ben Franklin Transit Citizen Advisory Network and cost transit services more than $100 million. Its no wonder that the citizens group recommended against the proposed ballot measure, as did hundreds of other residents who weighed in. Reducing the tax rate also reduces the amount that visitors to the Tri-Cities contribute to the system. Few tourists ride transit, but they do pay sales taxes. The financial elephant in the room is Initiative 2117 on the Nov. 5 ballot. It would repeal the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act and ban state agencies from implementing any type of carbon tax credit trading, also known as cap and trade or cap and tax scheme. If Washington voters approve the initiative, Ben Franklin Transit would lose several million dollars a year from Move Ahead Washington a loss totaling $70.5 million during the next 13 years. Even if voters reject the initiative, cutting the sales tax would cost the community because maintaining current sales tax levels is one requirement for receiving the state money. Less revenue obviously would force service reductions, including fewer hours or days of operation. That, in turn, could trigger the loss of some federal matching funds, further undercutting our regional transit system. And when people dont have easy access to health care and other services, their health goes down and the economic toll on society goes up. Taxpayers have a right to demand the system run efficiently, and Ben Franklin Transit has been working to reduce costs. But taxpayers also should demand the transit board heed its responsibility to strengthen the system, not shave the sales tax for cheap political gain. Democrats are building a significant financial edge in the battle for the US House of Representatives, outraising their GOP counterparts and placing big fall ad reservations as Republicans grapple with the fallout of ongoing leadership battles. House Democrats official campaign committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, announced this week that it hauled in a record-breaking $45.4 million during the first quarter of the year, outraising its Republican counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee, which brought in $33.4 million over the same period. The DCCC also touted a war chest of $71.1 million, while the NRCC said it had about $55.9 million in cash on hand, funds each committee will use to support candidates in key battleground states with control of the House up for grabs. Meanwhile, a pair of super PACs aligned with the House leadership of both parties also announced their most recent quarterly fundraising totals this week, showing Democrats with another advantage. House Majority PAC, the Democratic super PAC, said that, along with its affiliated organization, House Majority Forward, it had raised $37 million in the quarter for Democrats House effort. Their GOP counterparts, the Congressional Leadership Fund, along with its affiliate, American Action Network, announced a combined fundraising haul of $30 million in the first quarter. The groups are set to play pivotal roles in the upcoming House contests, devoting tens of millions of dollars to independent expenditures. Democrats also have a fundraising edge when it comes to the candidates themselves. First-quarter FEC filings showed that in 20 of 22 races rated as toss-ups by the Cook Political Report its most competitive category the lead Democratic candidate outraised the lead Republican candidate. Many of the Democratic candidates, hauling in millions, hailed from highly competitive seats in California and New York, critical sections of the House map. Adding to the pressure, House Republicans are still dealing with the fallout from leadership fights as they seek to defend their razor-thin majority. During his first full quarter as speaker, Mike Johnson struggled to keep pace with the fundraising of his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted last year. Johnson hauled in $20 million for House Republicans in the first quarter, while McCarthy raised at least $30 million for the party in the first quarter of the previous two years. And the leadership drama appears poised to drag on. With less funds to distribute to the party than his predecessor a key lever of influence Johnson faces threats to his job as he has sought to advance legislation on Capitol Hill. Story continues Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has led an effort to potentially oust the speaker amid disputes over foreign aid and the renewal of a foreign surveillance law. Johnson has said he will not resign, and on Thursday, he took the extraordinary step of relying on Democratic votes to move advance a package providing foreign aid for Ukraine and Israel. Greene left the US Capitol on Friday following the vote without moving to oust Johnson. Meanwhile, a conservative dark money group, American Prosperity Alliance, launched new ads this week targeting three House Republicans who had voted to oust McCarthy, slamming their voting records. It is spending about $700,000 on the ad campaign, which is set to run through the rest of the month, another example of costly intraparty divisions. Democrats, for their part, are prepping massive fall advertising reservations. House Majority PAC, the lead Democratic super PAC, announced earlier this month plans to spend $186 million on advertising campaigns targeting a series of key battleground races. The group, whose 2024 investment surpasses the $102 million initially reserved in ads in the 2022 cycle and the $41 million in the 2020 cycle, said it was making its largest investment ever to flood key districts with an aggressive ad campaign, including attacks against Republicans on abortion and the collapse of a bipartisan border security deal. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Democrats are taking extraordinary steps to prevent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from hindering their efforts to keep the White House in November. From rallying Kennedys family around President Biden, to dumping opposition research and holding press briefings about how he helps former President Trump, Democrats watching Kennedy qualify for more state ballots are pulling out all the stops to prevent him from hurting Biden in the fall. Theres no education in the second kick of the mule, said Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist who has advised Bidens presidential campaigns. In 2016, we saw the impact that third-party candidates had on the election. And we also saw potentially a fault line of not educating enough [about] what votes for those candidates could mean long term for the country. Were now feeling the results of the 2016 election in 2024, he added. Kennedy has made some notable decisions in recent weeks that have caught Democrats attention, including choosing a wealthy running mate in Nicole Shanahan and announcing he would not run on the Libertarian Party ticket. Democrats looking to preserve Bidens electoral coalition are concerned by his strategy. When Kennedy was hurting for money, they took solace that he may not go the distance, noting how expensive it is to petition for ballots in each state. And when he was toying with a Libertarian bid, they also optimistically hoped hed chip into Trumps base instead of Bidens. With both challenges now in the rear view, Democrats are focusing on what could come next. There will be a clear choice facing voters this November and the more they learn about RFK Jr, the more they will recognize that a vote for him is a vote for Donald Trump, said Matt Corridoni, a spokesperson with the Democratic National Committee, which has now dedicated a new department to helping stop Kennedys White House bid. Were going to make sure hes playing by the rules and were going to make sure voters are educated about his extreme positions and who is propping up his spoiler candidacy, Corridoni said. Kennedy contemplated running as a Libertarian for much of his candidacy, giving himself the option in case things didnt work out in the Independent lane. But on Sunday, he shot down the idea definitively, saying its not part of his calculations and expressing confidence hell be on enough ballots for a third-party November showing. Were not gonna have any problems getting on the ballot ourselves so we wont be running Libertarian, Kennedy told ABC News this weekend. Just a few days later, he qualified for the most consequential state yet Michigan bringing his battleground total up to four states, along with New Hampshire, Nevada and North Carolina. His campaign counts nine states in total on the ballot. Democrats have started pushing back hard. Biden was seen with members of the Kennedy family this week, who banded together to back the incumbent president. While Biden doesnt criticize Kennedy, hes taken some not-so-subtle steps to show voters that RFK Jr. is an outlier among members of his political dynasty. His own family is endorsing President Biden today because they know that his ideas are dangerous and he will only help Donald Trumps reelection, said Rahna Epting, the executive director of MoveOn, which has led the anti-Kennedy crusade among the Democrats progressive wing. As an independent, Kennedys supporter base is not neatly defined, but Democrats say he most likely will draw from Bidens voters. That thinking has worried pro-Biden Democrats who see their mission this election as preserving democracy from a second Trump presidency. Kennedys campaign creates a wrinkle in all of that and inspired an outpouring of Democratic resources to focus on ruining his effort to get to the general election. Youre starting to see the various corners of the Democratic square intersect and come together at a critical time in the campaign season because its so important for base consolidation to happen, Seawright said. A lot of people should have this notion of sitting on ignorance and shouting on substance, he said. Kennedys path now hinges on a more detailed state-by-state strategy that ballot experts say is difficult but can be done with enough time and money. He effectively took care of the financial issue by choosing a vice president with a recent history of helping fund his campaign. The pick of Shanahan, a tech patent attorney and multimillionaire from Silicon Valley, was seen by Democrats and Kennedy allies alike as the mark of a more serious campaign with the potential to go until the fall. This week, Shanahan poured $2 million toward Kennedys campaign right after he unveiled her as his running mate, furthering Democrats suspicions that he tapped her in part to help fund what is projected to be a very expensive bid for nationwide ballot access. Though he denies choosing Shanahan for her money, Kennedy is nonetheless reaping the rewards. His Michigan ballot access win started his new goal of ticking off multiple states in rapid succession. Were going to add probably two to three states a week, he told ABC News. The Hill reached out to Kennedys campaign for comment. The amount of Shanahans money, which is a point of speculation among Democrats, is seen as the most helpful contribution to his bid. While Democrats groan about an anti-establishment candidate funneling millions to fuel his campaign, Kennedy allies view it positively. I would say shes a billionaire, a source familiar with Kennedys operation speculated to The Hill. Shanahan herself has not publicly confirmed her net worth or liquid assets. Importantly, the money comes in handy to propel the tactical matters of the campaign, which for an independent look different from the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees. You can hire foot soldiers to collect signatures if need be, the Kennedy ally said. And then you can also hire the most high powered, intelligent flood gate piped-in ballot access political attorneys to fight all these fights that the two parties are putting up. Democrats are also trying to make the connection between Kennedy and Trump more explicit, hoping to build a narrative around his views like vaccine skepticism and questioning of other scientific and medical advancements. More recently, his tickets stance on womens rights has come into question, and Democrats are looking to position him more in the Republican camp on issues like abortion and IVF. Robert Kennedy Jr. is leading an anti-IVF, anti-vaccine and anti-abortion ticket that has no path to winning 270 electoral votes, said Epting, whose group builds popular grassroots support around those social issues. Trump, for his part, is playing his own hand with Kennedy. Hes been more outwardly complimentary of the independent, giving him credit for running and cheering on his bid. The former president said this week he knows him very well and previously said he believes Kennedy will hurt Biden in the upcoming rematch. Democrats are urging each other to come together, arguing the Trump political operation is working to build him up. We can do more than one thing at the same time, said Seawright about the Democratic Partys strategy. Quite frankly, so far we have the resources to be able to do it. We have the players on the field that have the ability to be able to do it. At this point in the cycle, its true about education, he said. Educating the American public on not only what weve done but whos fighting against that and who will remove that. Educating the public on the threats that exist today and how deeper and wider those threats can become realities, he said. But also educating on the consequences of having an electorate thats split. This cycle doesnt present a one-off opportunity, Seawright added. Its not an either/or. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. DAR ES SALAAM, April 20 (Xinhua) -- For Zema Ayubu Saidi, a 21-year-old student at Tanzania's University of Dar es Salaam, her fascination with Chinese culture has led her to immerse herself in Chinese books at the Confucius Institute library. She reads about modern Chinese society, literature, food, and her favorite, giant pandas. Saidi, majoring in education in both Chinese and English languages, believes that reading Chinese books not only teaches her about China but also opens up a window to the world, as Chinese is one of the most spoken languages globally. The Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, established in 2013, aims to be a leading Chinese language training and testing center in Africa, promoting cultural and academic exchange between China and Tanzania. "I'm obsessed with Chinese culture because of the long-term friendship between Tanzania and China, and because of my love for Peking Opera, delicious Chinese food and lovely giant pandas," Saidi said, expressing her desire to visit China in the future. Since starting university a year ago, she has read eight Chinese books borrowed from the Confucius Institute library. Ahead of World Book Day on April 23, students at the University of Dar es Salaam praised the institute's library for its wide selection of Chinese books. Zhang Xiaozhen, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, said the Confucius Institute library provided convenience for Chinese learners to expand their knowledge about the Chinese language and Chinese culture. "We have various books ranging from teaching materials, examination books, reference books, children's reading materials, Chinese culture, ancient Chinese literature, modern Chinese literature, politics, economics, and audio-video products," Zhang said, adding that students can choose what they like to widen their knowledge. Jackson Laswai Barth, a first-year student, said learning Chinese opens up new opportunities and allows him to explore different aspects of Chinese history, culture, and tradition through the books available at the library. "I also decided to learn Chinese because the language is an opener to new opportunities," said Barth. "I hope many Tanzanians will consider learning Chinese to broaden their horizons. The Chinese language is rapidly expanding, and with more Chinese people investing in Africa, knowing the language can open up numerous opportunities." TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Multiple law enforcement agencies are searching for a driver who almost rammed into a Hillsborough County deputys car and led a chase into Pasco County. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office, the incident began at about 10 a.m. when an HCSO deputy tried to pull over a Ford-250 that was believed to be connected to a burglary. Polk County man killed after semi-truck jackknifes into car However, officials said the truck driver refused to stop and instead tried to ram the deputys patrol car, causing him to swerve off the road. Deputies followed the driver north on I-75 to SR-56 into Pasco County, where the individual abandoned the truck and ran into the woods. The HCSO Aviation and K9 units along with other agencies have set up a search perimeter to locate the truck driver.. This is a developing story. Stay up to date on the latest from News Channel 8 on-air and on the go with the free WFLA News Channel 8 mobile app. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Tirso Neri, 44, was charged with possession of pornography and transportation of child pornography. Broward County Sheriff's Office Tirso Neri A Disney Cruise Line employee faces criminal charges on allegations he possessed child sex abuse material. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security took Tirso Neri, 44, of the Philippines, into custody at the Port Everglades port in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Monday. He has been charged with possession of pornography and transportation of child pornography, per a federal criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE. Neri worked on the Disney Dream ship. According to the complaint, authorities discovered sexually explicit photographs and videos of young children on two of his cellphones: a Samsung Galaxy and an Oppo smartphone. The child sex abuse material was found in December after the ship docked in Fort Lauderdale. The cruise started in the Bahamas. Authorities discovered on the Samsung a folder titled with the name of an apparent victim that contained numerous sexually explicit pictures and videos of an Asian girl who appeared to be under 18 years of age, per the complaint. Authorities said the folder appeared to have been downloaded around August 2019. Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Disney Cruise Line 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. Neri told authorities that he belonged to several social media chat groups and had downloaded adult pornography. However, when authorities asked Neri about folders found on the Samsung phone that allegedly contained child sex abuse images, Neri claimed sometimes he obtains folders in the chat groups and saves them to his phone without looking at them and then deletes them after, per the complaint. Authorities said they conducted forensic examinations on the phones and found numerous images of child sex abuse material on Neris Oppo smartphone, including videos that were saved in a folder titled Private. It is unclear if he has entered pleas or retained an attorney. Disney Cruise Line could not be reached for comment. 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. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Disneylands gas-powered Autopia vehicles will be gone by 2026 Autopias gas-powered cars will be replaced with electric vehicles at Disneyland come 2026. The Happiest Place on Earth shared the news with the Los Angeles Times, who first reported the story. Earlier this month, Disneyland shared that Autopia, a gas-powered attraction located within Tomorrowland, would be electrified, but it stopped short of sharing when the switch would occur. Disneyland clears major hurdle in $1.9B expansion plans After the news broke, various electric vehicle activists launched a campaign to pressure Disney to commit to EVs not hybrids and to phase out gasoline within two years. On Friday, Disney announced they are planning to do just that. In a statement to the L.A. Times, a Disney spokesperson shared that electrification means fully electric it does not mean hybrid or any other version of a gasoline combustion engine. The statement also shared that within the next 30 months, the park will do away with the current engines used in the Autopia vehicles. That means by fall 2026, Disneyland guests will be able to experience an updated version of the famed attraction. Still, Disney didnt share when the electrified version of the attraction would open or when the ride would temporarily close, if needed, to implement the new changes. Disneyland Resort to revamp entry gates at both theme parks The last time Autopia underwent a major transformation was in 2016 when Honda became the rides sponsor, according to Disneyland News Today. The classic attraction, popular among young guests who get to experience driving for the first time, is as old as Disneyland itself, opening with the theme park in 1955. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Nearly 30 years after three boys were found dead, the Arkansas Supreme Court has ruled new DNA testing of evidence from the crime scene can proceed, overturning a circuit court which had denied a request by one of the men convicted of the crime. Damien Echols, one of the West Memphis Three teenagers convicted of the triple murder in 1994, initially petitioned for further DNA testing and was denied in 2022, based on the grounds he was no longer in custody at the time of his request. I thank the Arkansas Supreme Court for opening the DNA testing door that might finally reveal the truth about this case, Echols told CNN in a statement through his lawyer, Stephen Braga. Braga, who leads Echols defense team, said their next step will be trying to reach an agreement with the prosecutor and get this testing done in the most expeditious and reliable manner possible. Applying the law The 4-3 Supreme Court decision ruled Echols request was legal within the Arkansas Code Annotated Act 1780, according to court documents. Under the state law passed in 2001, a person convicted of a crime can request forensic DNA testing, or other tests that may become available through advances in technology, to demonstrate the persons actual innocence, the court ruling stated. Mr. Echols and I are quite happy with the Arkansas Supreme Courts ruling because it opens up the possibility that key evidence in the case can now be tested with the most advanced technology possible, Braga told CNN. For Mr. Echols, this is the next step on his journey to do everything possible to identify who killed these three little boys, since he knows that he did not. At trial, prosecutors argued Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr. killed 8-year-old Cub Scouts Steve Branch, Chris Byers and Michael Moore in West Memphis, Arkansas, as part of a satanic ritual, with Echols as the ringleader. The childrens bodies were found left in a ditch, hogtied with their own shoelaces. The men were released in 2011, after serving 18 years in prison, when they signed Alford pleas, in which they maintained their innocence but acknowledged prosecutors had sufficient evidence to convict them. In 2022, Echols attorneys filed the petition for new DNA testing, saying it might serve to identify the killer(s) and bring justice to the case. Echols petition asked the judge to approve testing with what is known as the M-Vac wet vacuum system, a technologically advanced method not available when the evidence was previously tested. The petition was denied. No one knows, of course, whether additional testing of the ligatures (shoelaces) with the new M-Vac DNA collection technology will lead to the recovery of new DNA samples for testing or not, the 2022 petition argued. But one thing for certain is that such evidence will definitely not be found if testing with this new technology is not done. The Arkansas Supreme Court reversed and remanded the circuit judges ruling, which stated Echols was not entitled to request additional testing because he was no longer in custody. The Supreme Court held the circuit court had erroneously interpreted Act 1780. In a dissenting opinion, Justice Barbara Webb said the courts ruling obliterates any sense of finality in our criminal justice system. Their interpretation of Act 1780 means anyone who has ever been convicted of a crime whether or not they be in State custody can seek DNA or other scientific testing even if such testing would not prove that individuals innocence, Webb said. Attorney General Tim Griffin echoed Judge Webbs concern. We are disappointed by the decision, which undermines finality in long-closed criminal cases and will result in unserious filings, Griffin said in a statement. I hope the legislature will address the issue expeditiously. Yearbook photos of Steve Branch, Chris Byers and Michael Moore presented as state's evidence. - Court documents No prior DNA links to the suspects DNA tested between December 2005 and September 2007 from a shoelace used to bind Moore and a hair recovered from a tree stump near where the bodies were found, failed to link the men to the crime. The state Supreme Court ruled in November 2010 all three could present new evidence to the trial court in an effort to clear them, something preempted by the plea deals. The hair found in the shoelace was consistent with Branchs stepfather, Terry Hobbs, while hair found on the tree stump was consistent with the DNA of a friend of Hobbs, according to the documents. Police have never considered Hobbs a suspect and he maintains he had nothing to do with the murders. Three witnesses who resided next to one of the victims filed affidavits in October 2009 with the Arkansas Supreme Court saying they saw the second-graders with Terry Hobbs the night before the bodies were found by police. The statement from the witnesses contradicted Hobbs statements to police and in court he never saw his stepson, Steve, on the day of the murder. Prosecutors argued at trial, punctures and cut marks on the victims showed the crimes were part of a satanic ritual. After the three were convicted, some forensic examiners argued the marks were from animal bites. The prosecution relied on the confession of Misskelley, a 17-year-old with learning disabilities and an IQ of 70. He confessed after an unrecorded, three-hour interrogation by police without his parents or an attorney present. Misskelley, who was tried separately, later recanted his confession. Echols and Baldwin said at the time they were targeted for being different from the rest of their peers in the small town where they lived. They read different books, wore different clothes and had different haircuts. The evidence against us was our personal preferences in music, Baldwin said. I remember at one point during the trial, they lifted up a record, a Blue Oyster Cult record, and I think (prosecutor) John Fogleman said this was found in Damiens girlfriends mothers house. Critics of the case against the men argued no direct evidence tied them to the killings, and a knife recovered from a lake near the home of one of the men could not have caused the boys wounds. The killings were the subject of the Paradise Lost documentary trilogy, which raised questions about the evidence in the case. The films, released in 1996, 2004 and 2011, drew attention from musicians including Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits and Henry Rollins, who pushed for a review of the case. The third film was nominated for an Academy Award. CNNs Steve Almasy contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Whats happening Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre that saw two teenagers open fire, killing 12 students and one teacher. In 1999, it was the worst mass school shooting in U.S. history. As the tragedy unfolded on live television, it sent shockwaves through the nation, sparking an intense debate over gun control. Since Columbine, there have been 404 school shootings, according to Washington Post data. Three of them have surpassed the death toll of Columbine, in places like Newtown, Conn., Parkland, Fla., and Uvalde, Texas all of which have happened within the past decade. While youth homicides are far less likely to happen in schools (compared to other locations), parents and policymakers have demanded more safety action following these high-profile school shootings. Many schools have turned to an increase of school lockdown drills, a rare practice before Columbine. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The purpose of a standard lockdown drill is to protect students and faculty from threats within the school. It can extend to things beyond an active shooter, like someone who is at risk for violence, or a wild animal that found its way inside. There are specific steps for a lockdown drill that include: locking the door, turning off the lights, keeping quiet, staying out of sight by avoiding windows and doors and not responding to a knock on the door. These drills can range from general lockdowns to ALICE drills (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) that teach how to throw objects or rush the shooter to an extreme active shooter drill with simulated gunfire and masked shooters. Some drills are announced, while others are unannounced, leaving students in the dark until they happen. Lockdown drills are mandated in more than 40 states, and are seen by many as commonplace as fire drills. Students in more than 95% of public schools practice the procedures. Why theres debate Some research has shown that lockdown drills can be an important tool for students and staff to use in emergency situations: The more they practice, the better they will get at remembering to carry out the steps. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Jaclyn Schildkraut, executive director of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, says the more extreme active shooter drills simulating an active shooter are giving lockdown drills a bad reputation. In a 2020 research paper, she wrote that repetition of lockdown drills can help save lives. This is particularly important as [emergency] drills ... are designed to build muscle memory, which allows a person to perform certain functions in chaotic situations, such as an active attacker, when their mind is still trying to process what is taking place. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) also supports this view; according to its website, Lockdowns can save lives and are considered best practice in crisis response. Jillian Peterson, an associate professor of criminology at Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minn., told CNN that while the rate of mass school shootings has remained fairly consistent over time, the response has increased. What's changed is also the fact that we've started running our kids through these lockdown drills, starting at 4 or 5 years old, Peterson said. In Minnesota, it's five a year, so you run through 70 of them by the time you graduate. And that really, I think, normalizes this and makes it feel like it's a very present problem, when you're rehearsing and preparing for it all the time. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement While less than 2% of gun deaths a year occur on school grounds, one in seven K-12 parents said their child expressed to them that they were worried or concerned about feeling unsafe at their school, according to a 2023 Gallup poll. Between 2018 and 2019, Schildkraut and fellow experts conducted lockdown drills and training in a Central New York school district. After the drills, Schildkraut found that while attitudes toward emergency preparedness improved, overall feelings of safety in schools did not. Specifically, students taking the survey at the end of the project were significantly less likely to report feeling safe at school or in various parts of the building, the researchers wrote in their findings. With the near-universal practice of school lockdown drills in place in the U.S., a debate has emerged around whether the constant stress from lockdown drills does more harm than good. The NASP has also weighed in on the psychological effects, saying, Depending on circumstances, some lockdowns may produce anxiety, stress, and traumatic symptoms in some students or staff, as well as loss of instructional time. Some critics also argue that theres little evidence that these lockdown drills actually work. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, There is almost no research affirming the value of these drills for preventing school shootings or protecting the school community when shootings do occur. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement While there is little high-quality research on the mental health risks of lockdown drills, a 2021 study conducted by Georgia Tech researchers in partnership with Everytown for Gun Safety analyzed social media posts in 114 schools in 33 states before and after lockdown drills. The researchers discovered that following the drills, anxiety, stress and depression among students increased by 39%-42%. The authors wrote, We provide the first empirical evidence that school shooter drills in their current, unregulated state negatively impact the psychological well-being of entire school communities. Whats next It remains to be seen how best to ensure that students feel prepared for a crisis without inflicting trauma or harmful psychological effects on them. According to a Pew Research Center poll released this month, 69% of teachers say improving mental health screening and treatment for kids and adults would be extremely or very effective at preventing school shootings, while about half (49%) say that having police officers or armed security present in schools would be highly effective. Perspectives When done right, lockdown drills can help save lives Drills should be planned by a multidisciplinary team that includes administrators, educators, safety specialists, school-based mental health professionals, facilities personnel and others responsible for comprehensive emergency preparedness. This team can identify and plan for students with different developmental levels and attend to mental health needs before, during and after the drills. Jaclyn Schildkraut and Amanda Nickerson, Washington Post ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Announcing lockdown drills can minimize harm The National Association of School Psychologists recommends announcing lockdown drills so that students can focus on gaining knowledge and skills for emergency preparedness. Despite the data, principals may choose to hold unannounced drills using the vague wording of drill requirements. The principals may be well-meaning but unaware of the harm unannounced drills cause. Grace Weeks, a recent college grad who studied the long-term effects of childhood trauma, Daily Press Schools need to be prepared, but not to the extent of simulating active shootings When you simulate those kinds of situations, you dont know the trauma histories of your students and your staff members, and that could be a trauma trigger. Melissa Reeves, past president of the National Association of School Psychologists, to CNN Even with lockdown drills, some still feel unprepared for what to do outside the classroom The issue that worries me is that we are utterly unprepared for an assailant to enter the campus while we stand with our friends, eating lunch and making jokes. I feel lost as I walk through the quad during passing period. I wonder if the sound of a gunshot was to explode nearby, what should I do. Student Emily Ito, Los Angeles Times ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Prepare school faculty and staff for drills, but spare the students It is one thing to prepare the faculty and staff for what to do and how to instruct students in the case of a violent episode; it is quite another to involve children whose innocence need not be compromised. Furthermore, it is far from certain that students would recall what they had learned during occasional lockdown drills amidst the panic associated with the real thing. James Alan Fox, Detroit Free Press More mental health services need to be offered There are no mental health resources for the before, during and after [lockdown drills]. None of this is what any of us signed up for, and its exhausting that nothing is being done about it. Sara Rezvi, a former public school teacher who now directs an after-school program, to the New York Times Stop active shooter drills and treat mental health Things like increased access to in-school mental health services and regular threat assessments are ways that school administrators can keep their students safe without the mental health impacts that active shooter drills have on many students. Parent Jara Alvarez-Del-Pino, Indianapolis Star ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Shootings on school grounds statistically happen where lockdown drills arent needed My analysis, as a professor of criminology, of the K-12 school shooting data for the past three years indicates that nearly 90% of the shootings did not take place inside the school itself, but in parking lots, athletic fields or school buses, where lockdown drills and metal detectors are not relevant. James Alan Fox, USA Today On Nov. 30, 2021, a 15-year-old boy killed four students and injured seven others in a shooting spree at Oxford High School in Michigan. He pleaded guilty to all 24 charges against him and was sentenced to life in prison. Just three days after the shooting, Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald made the historic decision to charge the shooter's parents, Jennifer and James Crumbley, with involuntary manslaughter. The Crumbleys are the first parents ever to be charged, then convicted, in the United States for a mass shooting committed by their child. In a new hourlong documentary premiering April 18 on Hulu, "Sins of the Parents: The Crumbley Trials," ABC News Studios offers exclusive behind-the-scenes access as the prosecution builds their case over a two-year period. PHOTO: In this Feb. 8, 2022, file photo, Jennifer Crumbley, left, and James Crumbley, right, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, appear in court for a preliminary examination on involuntary manslaughter charges in Rochester Hills, Mich. (Paul Sancya/AP, FILE) "I know we have a legal duty as parents to protect other people from dangerous kids," McDonald says in the documentary. "This is about parents who largely ignored their son, neglectedhis cries for help. And then bought him a gun," said chief assistant prosecutor David Williams. MORE: Jennifer and James Crumbley, parents of Michigan school shooter, sentenced to 10 to 15 years for manslaughter The shooter's journal entries revealed that he blamed his parents for his mental decline, stating that they didn't listen or get him a therapist. During the trials, evidence showed how the Crumbleys were engaged with their son's interest in guns. While investigating Ethan's parents, McDonald and her team uncovered a text message sent by Jennifer Crumbley to her son. The text read, "LOL, I'm not mad. You have to learn how not to get caught." Jennifer Crumbley did not appear to be angry with him after learning that he had been researching bullets in class. Testifying in her own defense, Jennifer Crumbley said, "You know, as a parent, you spend your whole life trying to protect your child from other dangers. You never would think you have to protect your child from harming somebody else." James Crumbley's defense attorney, Mariell Lehman, warned that the prosecution's argument could set a dangerous precedent, blurring the line between parent and criminal. "I think that if somebody is made out to be a bad parent, thentheir behavior can be contorted into criminal behavior," Lehman says. "I think that James Crumbley wasmade out to be someone that he's not." A jailhouse phone call with James Crumbley is one of several which the prosecution has said were threatening against the Oakland County prosecutor. "When I get out of here, I am f------ on a rampage, Karen. Yes, Karen McDonald, your a-- is going down and you better be f------ scared." Crumbley's defense attorney characterized those remarks as venting, noting that some statements were from years before the trial began. The Crumbleys were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 10-15 years in prison. After the trial, Judge Cheryl Matthews said the Crumbleys showed a lack of concern toward guns and glorified their possession and use. The story about parents who ignored their son's cries for help and bought him a gun started on Nov. 26, 2021, at an Oxford gun store. James Crumbley purchased a Sig Sauer 9-mm. handgun with his son. Entries from the child's journal revealed he had been wanting his parents to buy him a gun. That same day, he posted on Instagram that he had received his "new beauty today," Chief Assistant Prosecutor David Williams said. The next day, he went to the gun range with his mother, and surveillance footage captured him showing her how to use the firearm. Two days later, a teacher caught him researching ammunition and left a voicemail for Jennifer Crumbley expressing concerns. "I'm calling from Oxford High School," the voicemail said. "One of the teachers had sent an email to the office because she was concerned. He was on his phone looking at bullets." Jennifer Crumbley was initially concerned when she texted her son about the disturbing voicemail she had just listened to, evidence presented by the prosecution showed. After he downplayed the situation, she reassured him she wasn't angry and advised him to be more careful. On Nov. 30, 2021, he turned in math homework that included drawings. The school's counselor texted what they felt were disturbing drawings to Jennifer Crumbley and called her to come into the school. She responded, saying she couldn't come in. After the conversation, Jennifer Crumbley texted her husband James about the situation. She told him she was concerned, and James Crumbley responded that he was very concerned after seeing his son's drawings. VIDEO: Preview of 'Sins of the Parents: The Crumbley Trials' (ABCNews.com) "Eventually, they both came in," Marc Keast, Oakland County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, said. "The school counselor told them, I think you need to get him services. You need to take him home. And both Jennifer Crumbley and James Crumbley said they couldn't do it. They're being told by a school counselor that this is suicidal ideation." Jennifer Crumbley's lawyer, Shannon Smith, challenged this after Jennifer Crumbley told her on the stand that the school counselor told he didnt believe her son was harmful. He told us that he didn't feel my son was a risk and actually gave him the option if he wanted to stay at school or go home, Jennifer Crumbley said. My son wanted to stay at school. And then I said, I'm going to go back to work. Prosecutors said during the trial that neither Jennifer nor James Crumbley mentioned to the counselor that they bought him a gun four days earlier, and they did nothing to look for it. Approximately 90 minutes later, their son shot and killed Hana St. Juliana, 14, Tate Myre, 16, and Madisyn Baldwin and Justin Shilling, both 17, and injured seven others. After the shooter's actions gained widespread attention, McDonald's investigation shifted from him to his parents once it was discovered where he obtained the gun. "As soon as I heard that they were called to the school that day," McDonald said, "the messages about " LOL don't get caught." Those were very, very concerning to me. And so, when they presented the case on the shooter, I addressed that: 'What about the parents?'" During a press conference, McDonald stated, "It is egregious that a parent could read those words and know that their son had access to a deadly weapon that they gave him. It is unconscionable, and I think it is criminal." "When you get down to the actual elements, their big defense has been that they locked their weapon," McDonald said. "First, they went to the substation and were asked at least two or three times where the weapon was, and they never said it was locked." James Crumbley told the police that he had hidden an unloaded gun in his bedroom armoire. Based off evidence that was presented to the jury, Jennifer Crumbley was the last adult to have possession of the gun, and the video of her walking out of the shooting range with the gun is the last known evidence of its whereabouts prior to the shooting. The jury found her guilty based on this key factor, as stated by the jury's forewoman to the media. MORE: Parents of Michigan shooting victims speak before James, Jennifer Crumbley sentenced for son's attack Jennifer Crumbley was found guilty on Feb. 6, 2024, on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter. As soon as Jennifer Crumbley's trial ended, James Crumbley's trial started. His defense was different from Jennifer Crumbley's due to him making the 911 call that his gun was missing and having no knowledge of his obtained access to a gun he had hidden. "It boils down to reasonable foreseeability and whether or not James had knowledge of what his son was capable of or what his son was planning," defense attorney Mariell Lehman said. "He had no knowledge that his son had obtained access to the firearms that James thought he had responsibly hidden and prevented his son from having access to." McDonald and her team focused on how James Crumbley was not shocked that his son obtained the gun. "When you think about what he knew about the gun, about his son, and then he sees that drawing, what do you do? Williams asked. "And any responsible person is going to do a couple of things. They're going to ask him what's going on, and they would look at that drawing and say, my God, that's the same gun we just bought him." A month later, James Crumbley was also found guilty on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter. "No amount of years in prison is going to make their grief or pain any less," McDonald said. "It's not going to bring anybody back." Doc on school shooter's parents reveals how prosecutors built case originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Critics are calling the Manatee County Commissions recent meeting on the impacts of illegal immigration a political stunt and a diversion from other important local issues. However, local officials and stakeholders shared eye-opening information, including statistics about how undocumented immigrants are more likely to become victims of crime, the high costs of medical treatment and how it affects the school district. In a politically charged opening, Manatee County Chief of Staff Andrew Butterfield criticized the federal governments border policies and highlighted an increase in overdose deaths. Butterfields introduction paved the way for county officials, including Supervisor of Elections James Satcher, Public Safety Director Jodie Fisk and Director of Community and Veterans Services Lee DePalo to discuss how illegal immigration hits home. Immigrations impact in Manatee County Hard data on the number of undocumented immigrants in Manatee County is hard to come by. Nobody seems to have a handle on exact numbers, whether school officials, healthcare providers or law enforcement officers. There has been no surge in crime in Manatee County because of what is happening at the U.S. southern border. Theres not been a big increase in traffic violations or fentanyl overdoses, either. Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells says he has not seen a big spike and hes been closely tracking it since 2017. Dealers are every race white, Black, Hispanic, you name it, Wells said. Sheriff Rick Wells presents during a special Manatee County Commission meeting Tuesday, April 16, 2024 on the impacts of illegal immigration in the county. State Attorney Ed Brodsky agreed that whats happening on the border is not driving local crime stats. We havent seen a big spike in crime, he said. Undocumented immigrants are vulnerable to becoming crime victims themselves. Some are victims of sexual or domestic abuse within the family and are fearful of reporting the crime to law enforcement authorities because of their immigration status. Sometimes the abuser is the primary breadwinner, and the family is fearful that if the person is arrested, the family would be left destitute. Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge during a special Manatee County Commission meeting Tuesday, April 16, 2024 on the impacts of illegal immigration in the county. In addition, because immigrants dont always put their money into a bank account, they become vulnerable to being robbed, Wells said. Brodsky concurred. It is a real problem. Because of their status, it makes them more vulnerable to being victims of crime, he said. Both Brodsky and Wells said more needs to be done to send a message to immigrant families dealing with crime issues that help is available. Charlie Bishop, Manatee County administrator, said his staff would help create public service announcements that aim to let crime victims know they can reach out for help without fear of being punished because of their immigration status. Manatee Memorial Hospital CEO Tom McDougal presents during a special Manatee County Commission meeting Tuesday, April 16, 2024 on the impacts of illegal immigration in the county. Healthcare impacts Tom McDougal, CEO of Manatee Memorial Hospital, said he did not have conclusive data on the number of undocumented immigrants seeking care, as most patients do not disclose their immigration status. But the hospitals annual cost for free care has grown from $8.9 million in 2021 to $16.4 million in 2023. Among those using the hospital emergency room, 6% said they were undocumented immigrants. The actual percentage of undocumented immigrants in the ER could be double or triple that, McDougal said. Manatee Memorial, which is providing indigent care, is doing so without a contract with Manatee County Government, he said. I cant afford to keep doing this without being compensated, McDougal said. Chad Choate of the School District of Manatee presents during a special Manatee County Commission meeting Tuesday, April 16, 2024 on the impacts of illegal immigration in the county. Manatee School District Chad Choate, chairman of the Manatee County School Board, said the federal government does not allow the district to collect data from families on their immigration status. At the end of the day, well do what we have to do to teach every child who walks through the door, he said. At the end of the nearly two-hour meeting, Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, said that a lot of the issues presented Tuesday arent necessarily ours, concluding that thought needs to be given to what can we do to alleviate the situation? County Administrator Charlie Bishop during a special Manatee County Commission meeting Tuesday, April 16, 2024 on the impacts of illegal immigration in the county. Democrats respond to illegal immigration meeting But some noticeably absent voices had more thoughts to share about how immigration impacts the Bradenton area and whether local officials should tackle the subject. Chris Wetherington, Manatee County Democratic Party chair, swiftly issued a press release condemning the special meeting on immigration. Commissioner and Chair Mike Rahn listens as Sheriff Rick Wells presents during a special Manatee County Commission meeting Tuesday, April 16, 2024 on the impacts of illegal immigration in the county. Instead of engaging in political theatrics, the commissioners should prioritize tackling urgent local issues such as the dire need for infrastructure improvements, unchecked overbuilding, environmental degradation, assaults on womens rights, censorship attempts including banning books, and the dangerous revisionism of history, Wetherington said. It is disappointing to witness our elected officials prioritize divisive rhetoric and partisan gamesmanship over the well-being of Manatee County residents. If the Board truly cares about immigration reform, we urge them to direct their efforts where they can make a meaningful impact: advocating for bipartisan immigration reform at the federal level, he said. In a text message to the Bradenton Herald, Commissioner Mike Rahn, chairman of the Manatee County Commission, called the Democratic Party clueless about how illegal immigration affects residents. Commissioner Jason Bearden during a special Manatee County Commission meeting Tuesday, April 16, 2024 on the impacts of illegal immigration in the county. Local business leader lobbies Congress Bradenton restaurateur John Horne has previously spoken out on the need for a process that would allow immigrant workers to fill jobs without fear of repercussions. Restaurants, farms and construction are all sectors that are dealing with a shortage of workers. This week, Horne was in Washington, D.C., with the National Restaurant Association to talk to legislators, including U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, and U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, about immigration issues. One of the problems with the E-Verify law that became mandatory for employers with 25 or more employees, starting July 1, 2023, is getting an appointment with the Department of Homeland Security. Horne said he heard of someone trying to follow the legal immigration process, but the soonest appointment is in 2036. I think the county should send a strong letter to Rubio, Scott and Vern instead of having this meeting. I dont know why they are doing this, Horne said. There are a lot of things the county commission needs to focus on. Local advocates push immigration reform C. J. Czaia, a Bradenton personal injury attorney and long-time advocate for immigration reform, agrees that it takes too long to get a hearing, anywhere between eight and 12 years due to staffing challenges. We need Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration law. I know so many people who just want to work and go home, Czaia said. The last significant immigration reform bill went into law during the administration of President Ronald Reagan, Czaia said. Evelyn Almodovar, executive director of UnidosNow, responded with an email to the Bradenton Herald on the Manatee County Commissions special meeting on the impacts of immigration. Evelyn Almodovar, executive director of Unidos Now, said in an email that while the goal of ensuring public safety and resource allocation is important, conflating immigration status with criminality and costs on taxpayer money perpetuates harmful stereotypes and fuels anti-immigrant sentiment. The reality is that the vast majority of immigrants, regardless of their legal status, are not criminals and contribute positively to our society. Latinos last year contributed more than $3.2 trillion to the GDP as this group owns more than 4.5 million businesses and employ over 2.9 million people, she said. Many of us (of) Latin American descent choose to teach our children Spanish at home as their first language to preserve our heritage. This does not mean that our students are undocumented. In 2022, Manatee County English Learning Students (12.8%) are less than those with disabilities (15.3%) and out of those English learning students, only a small percentage (0.5%) are considered migrants according to the Florida Department of Education, she said. I look forward to contributing to any future conversation regarding our families and helping highlight the vibrant cultural tapestry that defines Manatee County while we work together to find common sense solutions to our regional ever-growing population, Almodovar said. Read the full story on Backfire News Dogs Keep Destroying Dealerships Cars They say everything is bigger and in turn better in Texas. But after seeing a pack of dogs rip apart cars at a Houston-area dealership, were not so sure about life in the Lone Star State. After all, you might be trapped in a Buc-ees by one of these canine gangs and forced to watch Fido chew apart your cheap Hyundai bumper as you sit helplessly snacking on some beef jerky. Or at least that could happen. People trust Google Maps way too much. Back to the story, the Cypress dealership originally thought a pack of wolves attacked its stock of cars on the lot. Maybe thats a common problem in Texas? We dont think so but are really starting to wonder why so many people live there. Anyway, as ABC13 Houston reports, the culprits are in fact stray dogs and theyve attacked the dealerships cars a few times. That seems like odd behavior for dogs or even wolves since their natural enemy isnt the automobile, but were not biologists so we cant even tell you what a dog is, at least not under oath. One theory about why these attacks are happening is that cats are hiding in the dealerships cars. The dogs are trying to kill the cats and so they tear apart all those lovely plastic parts that are like chew toys for canines. Wed love to see them try this with the new Cybertruck, which we hear is bulletproof or arrowproof or something. As mentioned in the report, the owners or the dealership dont seem to know what to do. They contacted police who let them know its a civil matter between them and the dogs. No, were not making that up. Dealership employees are understandably scared. Have these guys thought of contacting Cesar Millan? We hear he can whisper and naughty dogs listen. Instead, police recommended hiring a private investigator to find the dogs owner so the dealership can sue. Its not a bad idea. In the meantime damages are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yikes. Federal agents on Friday delivered multiple grand jury subpoenas to Village Hall in Dolton seeking records pursuant to the ongoing corruption investigation involving embattled Mayor Tiffany Henyard, several sources confirmed to the Tribune. The subpoenas, which two sources said do not name Henyard, come just days after Dolton chief administrator Keith Freeman, a close ally of Henyard, was charged with bankruptcy fraud in U.S. District Court as part of a related investigation. A spokesperson for the FBI confirmed in a written statement that agents were conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity in Dolton on Friday, but declined to comment on the nature of any investigation pursuant to Department of Justice policy. One of the sources said the investigation into Henyard is still in its early stages, and no charges are imminent. The visit by authorities did not appear to be a full-scale raid at Village Hall, and it was not clear whether agents left the building with any records or other documents. Four trustees who are at odds with Henyard have hired former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to act as a special investigator to investigate Henyard, including alleged reckless spending by the mayor that trustees say is driving Dolton into a multimillion-dollar deficit. They also want Lightfoot, who is being paid $400 an hour, to look into a village-financed trip to Las Vegas, purportedly made to bring commercial business to the village that included Henyard, as well as other village officials and employees. Separately, Freeman, a top aide to Henyard in the village and at Thornton Township, where she is supervisor, was charged in a federal indictment with bankruptcy fraud. Freeman is alleged to have tried to shield assets from creditors and even denied working for the village during a meeting with creditors in his case, according to the complaint. Also, a Dolton village employee recently named Henyard, the village, Thornton Township and a village official in a federal lawsuit that accuses the village official of performing non-consensual sex with the employee after she had blacked out during the trip last May to Las Vegas led by the mayor. The suit states the employee was with the village official after dinner and began to feel disoriented and blacked out and didnt remember the events of the night until waking up in the officials bed. A second plaintiff in the suit, identified as a police officer and member of Henyards security detail, alleges in the suit the official in a video call that evening showed the employee partially undressed in the officials hotel bed. The official then moved the camera to various private areas of (the employees) body displaying them on screen, according to the lawsuit, and at times moving or removing articles of clothing as he transmitted the images. The security officer alleges the official later said the sex he had with the employee was unprotected. The officer shared that information with the employee, who later included that information while recounting the events of the night to Henyard, according to the lawsuit. But, according to the lawsuit, the employee was fired shortly after bringing the accusation against the official to Henyard. And the security guard alleged within days of telling Henyard about his interactions with the trustee, he was removed from his role in the mayors security detail and demoted to patrol duty. Lightfoot was hired at a special Village Board meeting called April 8 by trustees Kiana Belcher, Tammie Brown, Jason House and Brittney Norwood, who have accused Henyard of misspending village funds and keeping trustees in the dark about the true condition of Dolton finances. An attorney, Lightfoot does not work for a law enforcement agency and would not have any authority to subpoena village records. She said at that meeting she urged the full cooperation of the mayor, her staff and others in her probe. Lightfoot acknowledged that she would not be welcomed with open arms by Henyard and her administration. Im expecting there will be some roadblocks, she told the audience. I am a very determined person. If there is not some level of cooperation, we are prepared to do what is necessary to get to the facts, Lightfoot said. Its expected that Henyard will ultimately, perhaps at the next regularly scheduled Village Board meeting May 6, veto the trustees action to hire Lightfoot. A law firm working for the village had sent a letter to the trustees, or more specifically a law firm working on their behalf, saying that any action by the trustees to hire Lightfoot would be overstepping their authority. Under the terms of her hiring agreement, Lightfoot will provide regular updates to trustees, and when her billing totals $30,000 will give a full summary of her investigation to trustees. Trustees have said that in preparing Doltons new budget for the next fiscal year, they intend to include money to pay for Lightfoots services. The four trustees at the meeting where Lightfoot was hired also voted to override a prior veto by the mayor of a resolution adopted by the trustees calling for outside agencies to investigate Henyard. RAMALLAH, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that solving the Palestinian issue will promote stability in the Middle East region. In an interview with Palestine's official news agency WAFA, Abbas described the United States' veto in denying Palestine's full membership in the United Nations as "disappointing, irresponsible, and unjustified," which is "a blatant aggression against the rights of the Palestinian people," and "a challenge to the will of the international community." The United States vetoed a draft UN resolution advocating for full membership for Palestine. Britain and Switzerland abstained, while the remaining members of the Security Council voted in favor. Meanwhile, Abbas condemned the United States' continued support for and weapon and fund supplies to Israel, with which, Abbas said, Israel "kills our children, demolishes our homes, and opposes us in the international community, harming security and stability in the region and the world." The president stressed that stability in the Middle East will not be achieved without a just solution to the Palestinian issue, which "cannot be broken, liquidated, or subjugated." He urged the U.S. administration to review its "wrong" policies, and realize that the policy of supporting Israel in its aggression against the Palestinian people "will not bring security and peace to anyone." A man lighting himself on fire was captured on camera by CNN during the networks live coverage of Donald Trumps trial in New York City on Friday. Though details are still emerging, the Associated Press reports that emergency crews rushed the individual away on a stretcher after extinguishing the blaze outside the court room where the jury had just been selected in Trumps trial. It was a group effort to put out the fire, with multiple people seen rushing over to help contain it. More from TVLine Laura Coates was reporting for CNN, visibly horrified by what she was seeing. A man has now lit himself on fire outside of the courthouse in Manhattan where we are waiting for history to be made, she said as the camera panned over to the terrifying scene. We are watching multiple fires break out around his body. We have seen an arm thats been engulfed in total flames. UPDATE: The New York Police Department has identified the victim as Maxwell Azarello of St. Augustine, Fla. During a press conference on Friday, NYPD officials said that Azarellos family was unaware he was in New York City. After throwing a number of pamphlets around the public park where he set himself on fire, he allegedly used an alcohol-based cleaning product as an accelerant and then lit a flame to set it ablaze. Per the New York Post, the pamphlets contained a link to a substack post titled, I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial. Trump currently faces 34 felony counts after being indicted on charges of falsifying business records, including hush-money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to remain silent about their alleged extramarital affair in advance of his first run for president. Those payments were passed off as genuine business expenses by Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen. Watch footage of the disturbing incident, as broadcast by CNN, below: Just minutes after the full jury was selected in Donald Trump's New York hush money criminal trial, someone appears to have set themself on fire outside the courthouse, per CNN's @thelauracoates. pic.twitter.com/skRj1dXD9t The Recount (@therecount) April 19, 2024 Best of TVLine Get more from TVLine.com : Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Newsletter A jury of 12 has officially been impaneled in the historic hush money trial against the former president, paving the way for lengthy arguments to begin Angela Weiss - Pool/Getty Donald Trump sits down for the start of jury selection in his first criminal trial on April 15, 2024 Twelve jurors have officially been impaneled in Donald Trump's "hush money" case, advancing his first criminal trial into its next phase: opening statements. Since April 15, Manhattan prosecutors and Trump's defense counsel have been rigorously questioning potential jurors and slowly narrowing down a pool of several hundred candidates in an effort to find a dozen New Yorkers who can judge the former president fairly. On Friday, the court announced that jury selection was complete. For their own protection, the jurors' identities will not be publicly revealed. Related: Would You Make It onto Donald Trumps Jury? Experts Identify the Ideal Juror, and What Theyll Be Asked Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Judge Juan Merchan's Manhattan courtroom, where Donald Trump's hush money trial is unfolding Criminal trials progress in stages. After jury selection comes opening statements, when each side will preview its case and make an important first impression on the jury. Following that, the prosecution will present its case, then the defense. Once all witnesses have been called and all evidence has been presented, attorneys on both sides will offer closing arguments and the jury will begin deliberating on a verdict. The entire process is expected to take several weeks, likely stretching into June. Related: Ari Melber Previews What's at Stake in Donald Trump's Hush Money Trial and How He'll Defend Himself (Exclusive) ANGELA WEISS/POOL/AFP via Getty Former President Donald Trump arrives at court for the first day of his criminal trial on April 15, 2024 Though colloquially branded as Trump's hush money trial, the unprecedented case against the former president is at its core about an alleged scheme to deceive voters ahead of the 2016 election. Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, allegedly in an attempt to conceal hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. But Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is not only focused on the white-collar aspect of the charges. With this trial, he will paint a portrait of a presidential candidate who went through multiple legally dubious means to hide information from the public days before they went to the polls. Related: The Biggest Bombshells from the Donald Trump Indictment, from Hush Money Payments to 'Friends in High Places' "New York prosecutors must prove this was an intentional, lying plot," MSNBC host Ari Melber previously explained to PEOPLE. "Trump's team has two main defenses: They can argue prosecutors have totally overreached ... that [they] stretched a law to 'supersize' this into a big felony case, when there shouldnt even be a trial. Second, they can argue Trump was not fully in the loop." AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah Donald Trump walks up to Manhattan Criminal Court on April 15, 2024, for the start of his trial If the jury decides to convict Trump on any of the 34 counts in New York, he faces up to four years in prison per count. Judge Juan Merchan, who has repeatedly clashed with Trump's legal team, would be tasked with determining the former president's sentence in that situation. He could choose to hand down a shorter sentence, or even probation, if he deems the full prison sentence too harsh. Even if Merchan were to follow the strictest sentencing recommendations for each count, he would very likely allow Trump to serve the terms concurrently. Related: Every Crime Donald Trump Has Been Charged With A felony conviction would not disqualify Trump from running in the 2024 election. There's no precedent for what happens if an imprisoned presidential candidate actually wins the election, but many legal experts believe that in that scenario, Trump would receive a Get Out of Jail Free card so that he could fulfill the duties of president. Presidents do not have the power to pardon state-level crimes. 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. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. 'We don't have to be disagreeable,' governor says as Legislature takes up tough issues Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks in March during one of his news conferences at the state Capitol. During Gov. Kevin Stitt's news conference Friday at the state Capitol, he highlighted the "Oklahoma Standard" that was born out of the Oklahoma City bombing 29 years ago, encouraging acts of service, honor and kindness. We can have our disagreements. We can talk about policy, we can debate the best things, but we dont have to be disagreeable. We dont have to be hateful and degrade people, he said. However, discussion quickly shifted to unresolved legislative issues over which debate is likely to be contentious, if not disagreeable. One topic was the immigration bill that passed the House on Thursday and how it would affect undocumented people who have already been in Oklahoma for decades. The other was whether Oklahoma can afford to cut the state income tax. The House has included a cut in its proposed budget, which Stitt has said he favors. But the Senate seems firmly opposed. Stitt said he would consider vetoing any state budget plan forwarded to him without an income tax cut. If youve really got enough money to spend lets give every single Oklahoman a pay raise. Its their money anyways, he said. On immigration, Stitt said the issue was one of resources. More: What is at the root of the state budget impasse between the Oklahoma House and Senate? According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are about 90,000 undocumented people in Oklahoma. We dont have the resources to take care of and give free medical care. We do that with our U.S. citizens. We dont have the resources to do that for 10 million illegal folks, the governor said. However, he said it wouldnt be his intent to separate families. Stitt said he was not sure if hed sign the bill if it reached his desk, noting there were too many variables. Stitt said he is an advocate for more H1-B visas at the state level. We need to understand and have a great workforce and be able to have a better immigration visa process to do the jobs that we need done, he said. He highlighted the relationship with the Pakistani Doctors Association, adding that it should be easier for medical professionals to work in the country. Currently, the bill does have an exemption for people under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (known as DACA), asylum seekers, or those who do have a lawful presence in the United States as granted by the federal government. More: Stitt, Holt condemn hate in OKC bombing remembrance event: 'We must each be ambassadors of kindness' Stitt said he planned on meeting with the consulate general from Mexico on Monday to figure out how we can stop the curve, make sure that people are following the law. He said he hopes to learn from the meeting and help the Legislature design the immigration bill. We have to have a better immigration policy and we want people that want to be part of the American dream and be part of our culture and work hard, he said. Only 3% of people will receive a green card in fiscal year 2024. Nearly 34.7 million applications are pending, according to a 2024 report from the Cato Institute. Legal immigration caps plus uncapped categories permit only about 1.1 million green cards. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Gov. Stitt highlights Oklahoma Standard, focuses on budget, immigration A drunk driver who was arrested in a crash that killed an Arlington ministry student was sentenced this week to 10 years in prison, according to Tarrant County court documents. Bryan Lizarzaburo Penafiel, 24, received his sentence Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle. He was arrested on June 26, 2022. Lizarzaburo Penafiel was driving a 2007 BMW 328i and was speeding eastbound on East Arbrook Boulevard when he ran a red light and hit a 2008 Ford Focus that was northbound on South Collins Street, according to Arlington police. The Ford was being driven by 23-year-old Keymon Jones. He was visiting his family in Arlington from Illinois, where he was studying ministry. He was on his way to pick up his mother, Angel Jones, and give a sermon at an Arlington church, according to his family. The collision caused the Ford to roll and Keymon Jones was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Based on their investigation, Arlington police believed Lizarzaburo Penafiel was intoxicated at the time of the crash. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was booked into the Arlington city jail after being released by the hospital. Today's top stories: After guilty verdict in Fort Worth capital murder, defendant shouts to jury in outburst Fort Worth ISD could close these seven middle schools. Heres why Fort Worth parents allege toddler son neglected at school Get free alerts when news breaks. Two days after the deadly crash, Lizarzaburo Penafiel posted bail on a $20,000 bond and was required to use an interlock device a breathalyzer with a camera while driving, according to court documents. According to KDFW-TV and social media posts, Keymons family reported him missing when he never showed up to pick up his mom. They called hospitals and retraced his steps. After a day of searching, during which the family even passed the intersection where Keymon Jones was killed, Angell Jones was notified that her son had died in the accident. The victims mother told KDFW at this weeks hearing that the family hoped for a longer sentence for the man who killed her son. I know God has a purpose for him and for all of us. It has damaged my life for the worst, Angell Jones told KDFW. That will never ever fill the hole in my heart. Erika Lopez holds a photo of her late husband, Alberto Lopez, and 10-year-old daughter, Lucero Lopez, at her apartment in Anaheim. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Erika Lopez would give anything for her 1-year-old daughter, Estrellita, to know her father. She holds the little girl in front of framed pictures of her husband on the wall of the bedroom in their Anaheim apartment, pointing out the man who loved her mother so well that he'd bring her a red rose nearly every day after work. She shouts one of the first words in her budding vocabulary "Papa! Papa!" and pats the pictures with her tiny hands. On Jan. 25, 2023, Lopez's husband, Alberto Vicente Lopez, and their 10-year-old daughter, Lucero, were killed when a drunk driver crashed into the van they were riding in on their way home from church. Lopez, who was also in the van, along with their now 9-year-old son Anebel, was seven months pregnant with Estrellita at the time. Erika Lopez and her family were riding in a van on the way home from church when it was struck by a black sedan driven by a drunk driver in January 2023. Lopez's husband and daughter died, along with another van passenger. (OnScene.TV) "She will never meet her sister. She'll never know what it's like to run up to her dad and give him a hug," Lopez told The Times in Spanish. Lopez, 33, wiped tears from her eyes as she spoke about her husband and daughter and the lives they might have lived. Nothing will bring them back, she said, but for more than a year she's waited for justice and some acknowledgment of the shattered dreams she had for her family. Inside a Santa Ana courtroom on Thursday, Superior Court Judge Larry Yellin handed down the criminal justice system's measure of the tragedy. Mario Armando Paz Jr. pleaded guilty to three felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two felony counts related to driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, along with sentencing enhancements. Yellin immediately sentenced him to 11 years in state prison, about half the time he might have faced behind bars if he'd been found guilty by a jury. The reduced sentence is an acknowledgment that Paz accepted responsibility for his actions early in the court process, Yellin said. A woman sitting in the back of the courtroom clutched a rosary and prayed quietly in Spanish as the judge spoke. The court had raised the possibility of an 11-year term at prior hearings, when Paz had indicated his desire to plead guilty. Lopez strongly opposed the reduced sentence. "It's not enough," Lopez, tears streaming down her face, told Yellin in a statement to the court before he handed down the sentence. "My daughter is not coming back in 11 years." Yellin nodded. There's no number he could hand down as a sentence that would ever bring back her husband or daughter, he responded, lamenting that he wished he had that power. Erika Lopez weeps while talking about the accident that took the lives of her husband and older daughter in 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) "My heart as a person breaks for you," he said. "The tragedy of this room is we can't fix anything." Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer called the sentence "beyond reprehensible" in a statement to The Times on Friday. "This was not an accident. It was not a mistake. The only mistake involved in this case is the ridiculously light 11-year-sentence Judge Yellin handed the defendant, who should be spending more than twice that amount of time behind bars for killing three human beings," Spitzer said. Unwelcome memories of the moment her family was ripped apart are seared in Lopez's mind. She remembers how happy they were as they left their church in Yorba Linda that evening. Alberto, 36, Lucero, Anebel and her sister-in-law piled into a van along with other churchgoers to make their way home after Bible study. They rode through the city streets into Placentia, where they entered the intersection of Melrose Street and Orangethorpe Avenue. A sedan driven by Paz slammed into the side of the van. Alberto was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene, as did another church member. Lopez said her husband suffered a devastating head injury. She knew he was gone the moment she saw him, but still, she sat on the sidewalk next to his body and pleaded for him to survive. Lucero was taken by ambulance to a children's hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Three other passengers with serious injuries were taken to UCI Medical Center for treatment. The crash was so violent that the rear axle was ripped off the van. Shattered glass was strewn across the intersection as police investigated the scene. Paz, then 24 years old, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. His blood alcohol level was 0.14, or 75% higher than the legal limit, according to court records. Erika Lopez holds her 1-year-old daughter, Estrellita, who was born a few weeks after her father and sister were killed when a DUI driver slammed into the van the family was riding in. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) Paz's attorney declined to comment on the case. In seeking to raise Paz's bail before trial, Placentia Sgt. Frank Garza wrote in a declaration that "there is no indication that he understands the seriousness or gravity of the tragedy he caused." "The defendant showed no remorse and was only concerned with his tools that were left inside of the vehicle he was driving," Garza wrote. In the courtroom on Thursday, Paz spoke softly when acknowledging the terms of his guilty plea and sentence. He looked straight ahead as Lopez delivered her remarks at a podium behind him. Before the sentence was imposed, Deputy Dist. Atty. Brian Orue told the court that he opposed the 11-year term. He noted that Paz had previously been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in January 2021 in Tustin, but charges were not filed in the case. "What the people pray for is that Mr. Paz learns his lesson and we never see him back here," Orue said during the hearing. As the courtroom emptied out, Lopez sat on one of the wooden benches that line the courthouse hallway. Estrellita, wearing a fluffy pink dress and two white flowers in her hair, slept soundly in a car seat near her mother's feet. With her head in her hands, she wept. 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. Duke Universitys move to end full ride scholarship for Black students gets mixed reaction from former scholars Duke Universitys decision to end a full ride scholarship program for Black students has received both support and criticism from former recipients of the award. The university announced earlier this month that the Reginaldo M. Howard Memorial Scholarship would be replaced by the Reginaldo Howard Leadership Program, which will be open to all Duke undergraduates. In an announcement published on Dukes website, the university said it told current scholarship recipients that the transition was necessary due to the legal landscape related to race-based considerations in higher education. We are reimagining the Reginaldo Reggie Howard Scholars program to expand the impact of Howards legacy to many more Duke students with a commitment to leadership and social justice, Duke University spokesman Frank Tramble said in a statement to CNN. The Reginaldo Howard Leadership Program will elevate the experience of our Black students by enriching their academic connections with faculty, providing funding for internships and research, strengthening community ties, and developing scholarly programming that highlights Black excellence through the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture. Last year, the Supreme Court struck down race-based college admissions. Craig Vincent, a former Reginaldo Howard Memorial scholar who graduated in 2016, told CNN Friday that he was disappointed in the universitys decision to end the scholarship. The scholarship, Vincent said, was critical to attracting talent to the university. He added that scholars have gone on to become CEOs, authors and have earned PhDs. It felt a little bit like the university was reducing the scholarship down to the race of the people that were in it, Vincent said. Where they kind of made the interpretation that this was only a scholarship for Black students and there was nothing else unique or interesting about the folks that made up this pool and therefore they chose to eliminate it. That was very saddening to me. Wilton Alston, another former scholar who graduated from Duke in 1981, told CNN he initially felt anger, sadness and loss about Duke ending the scholarship but ultimately decided to support the new leadership program. I decided it made sense to give the leadership program a chance, and more importantly, engage in the future plans for developing the program, Alston said. The scholarship program targeted exemplary students of African descent and paid full tuition, room and board for recipients, according to the programs website, which has now been archived. The scholarship, established in 1979, was named after Dukes first Black student body president, who was killed in an automobile accident during his sophomore year. Duke isnt the only North Carolina college making changes or reevaluating diversity programs. Earlier this week, the University of North Carolinas Board of Governors, voted to repeal and replace the schools existing diversity and inclusion policy. The board oversees 16 public universities and one high school in the state. The new policy which goes to the full board for a final vote in May will emphasize the universitys commitment to non-discrimination and institutional neutrality, Andrew Tripp, senior vice president for legal affairs for the university and board of governors, said during a committee meeting. The Reginaldo M. Howard Memorial Scholars Program has supported 234 students since it was first created, Tramble said in the statement. Tramble said current scholars will still receive their scholarship until they graduate from Duke. Under this new model, the redefined Reggie program will support hundreds of students each year through a variety of methods including need-based financial aid, leadership programming, and more, Tramble said. The removal of the scholarship at Duke also comes as diversity, equity and inclusion programs at colleges, along with race-based internships and scholarships, are being targeted by Republican lawmakers and conservative activists across the country. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A destroyed ATM stands in a shopping center in Neu-Hohenschoenhausen after perpetrators have blown it up. Dutch gangs targeting cash machines with explosives have shifted their focus to Germany, police reported in The Hague on Saturday. Paul Zinken/dpa Dutch gangs targeting cash machines with explosives have shifted their focus to Germany, police reported in The Hague on Saturday. Last year, the gangs struck eight cash machines in the Netherlands, by contrast with the 367 hit across the border in Germany, the report said. It added that 137 Dutch nationals had been arrested over the course of the year for blowing up cash machines in Germany. "It's become an export product," a police spokesman said, adding that the gangs had hit cash machines in Switzerland, Austria and Belgium as well. Measures taken in the Netherlands to prevent these attacks have been relatively successful. The bank notes stolen in this way are rendered useless as they stick together automatically after an explosion. The number of cash machines in the Netherlands is also much lower, as cashless payment is much more common. Police in the two countries are cooperating increasingly closely, and hits on German cash machines by the Dutch gangs have fallen from a peak of 442 in 2022. Over the first quarter of this year, the gangs hit 56 cash machines in Germany, a figure well down on last year's. Sixteen Dutch nationals are to go on trial in Bamberg in northern Bavaria next week on charges of blowing up some 90 German cash machines and stealing around 7 million ($7.5 million). From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch The conservative movement is obstructionist by nature. How could it be otherwise? It was conceived, famously, with a pledge to stand athwart history, yelling Stop. For most of the past 50 years, the basic narrative of domestic politics has imagined liberal Democrats seeking to expand government and conservative Republicans mobilizing to thwart them. That narrative is more fiction than fact, as a glance at federal spending under Republican administrations will demonstrate, but the attitudes it describes abide. A felt duty to obstruct is part of the modern rights political DNA. Obstruction is tricky business in a representative democracy, though. All stakeholders in a democracy believe (or claim to believe) that the majority is entitled to work its will and that the minority is entitled to make its objections known. Members of Congress can and should oppose legislation that hurts their constituents by voting against it when it comes to the floor. Thats not obstruction, its democracy in action. Obstruction is when members use their procedural leverage to prevent legislation they oppose from reaching the floor for a vote in the first place, especially if they have reason to believe the legislation would pass. Denying the majority the ability to work its will in that case may be democratic in a formal sense, by comporting with parliamentary procedure, but it sure aint democratic in substance. On Thursday night, three Republicans on the House Rules Committee used their procedural leverage to try to prevent Mike Johnsons Ukraine aid bill from being considered by the full House. Thomas Massie, Chip Roy, and Ralph Norman each voted no, which normally would have been enough to kill the legislation. In this case, however, the panels Democratic minority voted yesa remarkable act of bipartisanship given the tradition on the committee that the minority always votes no if doing so would defeat the rule. Less than 12 hours later, the full House voted overwhelmingly316 to 94to advance the legislation toward final approval. Nearly three times as many Republicans supported that effort than opposed it. And no one was surprised by that outcome: Massie, Roy, and Norman surely knew that a majority of the full House and very likely a majority of their own party would back the legislation if it made it out of committee and onto the floor for a vote. They tried to block it anyway. Has the duty to obstruct gone too far? In answering that question, we shouldnt be sanguine about the good ol days. The longest filibuster in Senate history came in 1957, when Strom Thurmond, then a Democrat, spoke for more than 24 hours against the first federal civil-rights legislation in more than 80 years. When he finished, the bill passed with supermajority support. Seven years later, a group of Southern senators held the floor for weeks to delay the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That bill also passed with a supermajority margin. If youre looking for horror stories about the duty to obstruct having gone too far, its hard to top racists obstructing equal rights for African Americans. Thats pretty far! Even so, using procedural tactics to thwart the will of the majority does seem to have become normalized to an unusual degree in our era. The filibuster is the supreme example. No longer do senators have to hold the floor to block a popular bill, as Thurmond did. Its commonplace for legislation that enjoys the support of a majority of senators to be abandoned because a determined minority has conspired to deny it the 60 votes needed for cloture. The duty to obstruct has produced a de facto supermajority requirement for passage in the upper chamber, one that appears nowhere in the Constitution. Thats pretty far. Obstruction is harder in a body like the House, where the majority is assured of prevailing if it has the good sense to stick together. If it doesnt, and the current majority plainly doesnt, we end up with bizarre spectacles in which the speaker consistently moves major bills under suspension of the rules in order to bypass obstructionists from his own party on the Rules Committee. Suspension requires two-thirds of the House to support a bill for passage. Which means, amazingly, the House too has adopted a de facto supermajority requirement lately for must-pass legislation. The most outlandish example of the duty to obstruct metastasizing is probably the motion to vacate the chair. Until last year, never once in American history had a speaker been ousted on such a motion; that Rubicon was finally crossed in October, and as I write this the number of House Republicans willing to repeat the process at Mike Johnsons expense has reached three and counting. Decapitating your own leadership because it dared to advance a bill supported by the vast majority of the House and a majority of your own conference is way past haywire on the obstruction scale. The obstructionist tendency has even infected the majority in a few extraordinary cases over the past 10 years. Just this week, Senate Democrats quashed the Houses impeachment articles against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on a party-line vote without holding a trial. In 2016, Senate Republicans refused to hold hearings on Merrick Garlands nomination to the Supreme Court and kept the vacant seat open for months instead. In both examples, the majority sensed electoral advantage by short-circuiting the peoples business and seized it. So, yes, I think the duty to obstruct has gotten meaningfully worse in our era, distorted beyond reason to normalize brinkmanship that would have dumbfounded earlier generations in many respects. We had a near-coup in the United States three years ago, you may recall, when Republicans mobilized to try to stop the Democrats presidential victory from being certified. As a measure of truly deranged congressional obstructionism, that will hopefully never be topped. But why is the duty to obstruct getting worse? The answer to that question starts with another question: In a representative democracy, who does a member of Congress represent? Their constituents, you might say, and of course thats true. But its not that easy. As Wyomings sole representative in the House, Liz Cheney voted to impeach Donald Trump for his dereliction of duty after the 2020 election. Most voters in that state opposed impeachment. So why did Cheney vote the way she did? Clearly, she believed her highest duty of representation was to represent the constitutional order, not the majority in Wyoming. Thats an unusually high-minded example of a member rethinking the nature of their constituency but it illustrates how fluid the concept of representation can be. To take another example, one recent poll found 61 percent of Republicans nationwide oppose further aid to Ukraineand yet, judging by Friday mornings floor vote, a strong majority of House Republicans is prepared to approve that aid. Who, exactly, are they representing by doing so? It cant be that Republican voters in every last one of their districts deviate from the national trend by supporting Ukraine aid. It must be that those House members are reimagining who their highest constituency is in this moment. Its the American people writ large, perhaps. Or its a majority of the voters in their district, not just the Republicans among them. Or its the entire Western liberal order, which cant afford to lose a fight to an authoritarian like Vladimir Putin. Representation is an inherently slippery concept, potentially describing a duty to ones district or state, ones party, ones nation, ones international coalition, or something even gassier. The reason the duty to obstruct has become more robust in our era, I think, is because members have been incentivized to re-imagine who their constituencies are and to prioritize them over more traditional versions. Heres a notable Q&A between Politico and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who was asked why Mike Johnson is having such a hard time pacifying the MAGA bloc of his conference. Do you ever look at the House and think, If I was speaker, I could get these knuckleheads in line? You cant keep them in line, because the technologys changed. They have the ability to make noise, they have the ability to go on television, and they have an ability to use the internet to raise money from [people] who only know who they are because they saw them on television, so what do they care? Whom does Marjorie Taylor Greene truly represent? Is it the voters of Georgias 14th District or is it a national constituency of post-liberal populists who watch Newsmax intently, donate generously to her political efforts, and amplify her daily musings on social media? It used to be said that all politics is local. In the modern media environment, however, its closer to the truth to say that all politics is national. Many ill effects flow from that. The nationalization of politics gives every dispute the feel of an existential clash between great warring tribes, which tends to polarize the participants. Those participants then get more aggressive about exploiting their tribal advantages, which produces, among other things, extreme partisan gerrymandering of House districts. That in turn means most members will be reelected ad nauseam by their districts so long as they protect their activist flank in primaries. Between the radicalizing effects of nationalization on tribal partisans and the electoral incentives that radicalization creates for representatives, a figure like Greeneor Matt Gaetz, or any number of MAGA typeshas every structural reason to extend the duty to obstruct as far as she can. Her many constituencies, inside and outside her home district, will love her for it. Theres also something intrinsic to modern populism thats expanding that sense of duty. Greene, Gaetz, and the rest of the usual suspects dont define their political enemies strictly by partisan affiliation. They imagine their tribe differently: Its the so-called uniparty or establishment against whom theyre pitted, not just Democrats. Remember who it was that vowed to eradicate Trump skeptics from the GOP a few months ago. And how much more respectful Gaetz can sound when discussing far-left populists than some members of his own party. Obstructing bipartisan business in Washington is basically the raison detre of populism. As such, go figure that adherents tend to practice their duty to obstruct with unusual zealousness, forcing the House and Senate to resort to supermajority thresholds to conduct basic business. And go figure that traditional Republicans, cast as uniparty enemies, might come to view those populists as enemies in return. That helps explain why so many of them are prepared to support Ukraine aid despite the opposition of their base, I think. They regard the populist bloc as a pernicious and hostile adversary, not just another faction of their own party, and refuse to genuflect to its influence over Republican voters on a matter as momentous as the war in Ukraine. They might also suspect that the duty populists feel to obstruct democratic business stems from something deeper and more malevolent than driving a hard bargain on legislation. The authoritarian project profits from democratic dysfunction, after all, and there are an awful lot of authoritarian-curious Republicans out there standing athwart classical liberalism, yelling stop. For the Greenes and Gaetzes of the world, obstruction is an end in itself, not just a means to some policy purpose. Perhaps traditional Republicans have come to feel a duty of their own to obstruct the post-liberal agendaat least on matters where Donald Trump isnt bullying them, as he did after the 2020 election. Which, if so, has led them to lay aside their usual obstructionist impulses toward the other party temporarily and to cooperate with Democrats against the common enemy to the right. For the moment, the age of obstruction has produced a surprising new era of bipartisanship. Hows that for irony? If we agree that the duty to obstruct has gone too far, it follows that we should ask when its appropriate. It has to be appropriate sometimes, no? Those who believe that procedural tactics to block legislation are always wrong are invited to explain why legislative business in Congress shouldnt be conducted via petition instead. Why not just let members circulate proposals to each other and deem anything that draws 218 signatures in the House or 60 in the Senate as passed? We take for granted that the majority in each chamber should control the floor yet thats inherently obstructionist. The minority in the House and Senate surely have some good ideas for legislation that most of the American public would support, yet we accept that those ideas wont receive a vote. The majoritys right to obstruct popular elements of the minoritys agenda trumps all. In any legislature, there must be an opportunity for obstruction. Imagine the next Congress, with Republican majorities in both chambers, advancing some sort of Enabling Act for President Trump. You wouldnt want Democrats powerless in that case. Im inclined to propose that members should always allow legislation related to policy to come to the floor and should reserve their obstruction tactics for matters of grave civic or moral import. But thats an unsatisfying standard, as grave civic or moral import is in the eye of the beholder. According to Greene, for instance, the most repulsive, disgusting thing happening in Congress right now is the unipartys attempt to save the Ukrainian people from being pulverized and persecuted. Its of grave moral import that we not use American tax dollars to impede dissolute Russian fascists. See how quickly that standard breaks down? Even if we could agree on a more elegant standard, it wouldnt deter obstructionist brinkmanship for long. The fundamental problem of our era is that both sides believe the other wants to turn America into a banana republic and both have some reason to believe thatalthough one has a lot more reason than the other. To blithely declare that the majority in a representative democracy is entitled to work its will is to evade the uncomfortable question of whether that logic should apply if the majority itself is fundamentally immoral or anti-democratic. So long as that suspicion exists, it will nourish the duty to obstruct that each tribe feels. No wonder so many Americans expect things to get ugly in November. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. East Hartford Police Department adds five new officers among its ranks Five new officers will be joining the ranks of the East Hartford Police, the department announced. I am pleased to welcome these five new officers to the East Hartford Police Department. We wish them the best of luck as they protect and serve our community. said East Hartford Mayor Connor Martin. As a CALEA-accredited law enforcement agency, East Hartford is proud to provide our new recruits with high quality training, which will help them become a valuable asset to our community. Many of the new hires have backgrounds in criminal justice and some of them bring prior military experience, according to police. All five officers will begin their training immediately, police said in a press release. Officer Alyssa Rivera, 25, is joining the department after receiving a bachelors degree in resource economics. Previously, Rivera worked as a security officer at Pratt and Whitney. Officer Elenis Rodriguez, 24, is joining the department while serving in the Army National Guard. Rodriguez studied criminal justice at Tunxis Community College and has experience as a paralegal. Officer Cristal Santiago, 27, is joining the department as a former member of the Hartford Police Explorers program. Santiago studied criminal justice at Manchester Community College and is a native of East Hartford. Officer Akwasi Wiredu, 25, is joining the department after two years of experience in information technology for the town of East Hartford. Wiredu has a bachelors degree in computer science from Central Connecticut State University. Officer Trey Ayotte, 21, is joining the department after spending the last three years serving in the Army National Guard. We are thrilled to welcome our new officers to the East Hartford Police Department family, said Chief of Police Mack Hawkins. Each of them bring unique skills and experiences that will enhance our ability to serve and protect the residents of East Hartford. We look forward to their contributions to our department and the community. With the new hires, the East Hartford Police Department now has 125 officers among its ranks, according to Public Information Officer Marc Caruso. Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com Read the full story on The Auto Wire New Edge Mustang Gets Wrecked By A Cop Crystal meth and a New Edge Mustang: those are two things we see go together a little too often for our comfort. While fans of this much-maligned generation of Fords pony car might be sensitive to such connections, screaming something like whaddabout Charger drivers? we sadly have yet another example to back up stereotypes, this one out of Arkansas of all places. This is what happens to meth traffickers in Georgia, apparently. Thats right, in the land of brutal state police PITs a guy in a New Edge Mustang, perhaps high on meth but apparently with some baggies of it onboard, decided to run from a routine traffic stop. What got the troopers attention was an expired registration, but upon running the plate it also came back that not only had the little ponys registration lapsed by a year and a half, it wasnt insured. Definitely the best thing to do when youre in such a predicament and a cop comes rolling up behind you with lights and sirens going is to pull over and be as nice as possible while taking your citations. Instead, this guy decided to show what his car could do, which sadly isnt much. Now we can chalk his swerving all over the road up to possible intoxication and maybe even attribute the lack of real speed to that as well. But lets be honest: this wasnt a great showing for the New Edge Mustang. Its fans will argue it normally could do so much better in a police chase or track event and maybe theyre right. But we see too many of these kinds of videos and its just not helping with the cars image. After all, the chase is over quickly after the trooper makes contact, pushing the suspect into the dirt before ultimately giving him a nice PIT that leaves the New Edge Mustang disabled. Its a brutal ending to a sad chase. Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook. Members of the Association of Chinese Women in Slovenia dance during an event celebrating the United Nations Chinese Language Day in Ljubljana, Slovenia, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhou Yue) LJUBLJANA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Slovenian Confucius Institute and the Ethnographic Museum collaborated to host a celebration of the United Nations' Chinese Language Day on Saturday. The program, which took place in front of the museum in the center of Ljubljana, was opened by welcoming addresses in Slovenian, English, and Chinese, made by the Slovenian and Chinese directors of the Confucius Institute, Danijela Voljc and Lu Tingyao. The Association of Chinese Women in Slovenia presented a traditional Chinese dance, followed by a presentation of traditional Chinese costumes by Chinese children living in Slovenia. The program ended with a Tai Chi performance by Master Zhou. Voljc emphasized the significance of celebrating Chinese culture as a means to learn about and appreciate diverse cultures. Over a hundred attendees also enjoyed complimentary access to the museum's exhibition, featuring artifacts from various countries, including traditional Chinese attire and furniture. Voljc highlighted the efforts to disseminate knowledge of Chinese language and culture through Confucius classrooms, with over 700 Slovene children currently enrolled across the country's five largest cities. The museum is gearing up for a special exhibition featuring several Chinese artifacts collected over a century ago by Slovenian navy officer Ivan Skusek during his stay in China between 1914 and 1920. Skusek's collection, donated to the museum in 1963, includes a wooden model of an ancient Chinese gate assembled by Chinese experts last year. This exhibition, set to open on May 23 for a year-long duration, will prominently feature the gate as its centerpiece. It wont be easy to find another Florida governor who inflicted so much cruelty on its people as quickly as Ron DeSantis did with a single signature. One of the worst single actions by the 2024 Legislature, House Bill 433, prohibits all local governments from taking any steps to protect outdoor workers from heat or from requiring their contractors to pay employees more than the Florida minimum wage of $12 an hour. People are already dying from extreme heat in Florida at a time when every year and virtually every month sets new records. Farmworkers have been the most conspicuous victims, but roofers, delivery drivers and indeed everyone who works outside are the losers, because no state or federal standards exist to sufficiently protect them, and now there will be no local laws either. Miami-Dade had been considering a countywide heat protection ordinance after the deaths of farm workers at Homestead and Parkland, which spooked Floridas ruling class to kill that idea in its cradle. A needless death in Broward In Parkland, a 28-year-old Mexican immigrant who took a job picking vegetables died on New Years Day 2023. A farm labor contractor from Okeechobee was cited for exposing workers to a heat index of above 90 degrees without water, shade or periodic rest periods. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said the contractor faced a maximum of $15,625 in penalties under federal law. Thats how much the United States decided that young laborers life was worth. The first day of 2023 was this young workers last because this employer failed to take simple steps to protect him from heat exposure, a known and dangerous hazard, OSHA said. For the Legislature and DeSantis to strip away basic heat protections in the face of vehement public opposition more than 90 organizations pleaded for HB 433 to be vetoed demonstrates yet again how Florida has become less of a democracy and more of an oligarchy. A pay-to-play culture The state maintains the democratic facade of elections, but entrenched special interests and their campaign money largely determine whos able to run for public office and what they are allowed to do with it. This broken system can be fixed, but it will likely require Floridians to vote for change in overwhelming numbers. Florida journalist Jason Garcia, whose blog Seeking Rents closely follows the money in Tallahassee, calculated that from Sept. 1 to Jan. 9, when the session began, Floridas two most powerful business lobbies, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida, contributed $2 million to legislators, nearly all of it to Republicans, and $1 million more to the Republican Party committees that bankroll legislative campaigns. Thats when HB 433 was brewing. The bills first draft called on the Florida Department of Commerce to recommend heat safety rules for the Legislatures approval if OSHA doesnt adopt any by July 1, 2028. That didnt make the final cut. Chamber lobbyists advised legislators on the language of HB 433, and in a self-congratulatory post-session message, the Chamber crowed that it led the fight for the preemption of inconsistent and dangerous workplace safety standards. The Chambers long-time CEO, Mark Wilson, whose own dinner-table vegetables could have been picked by a laborer exposed to hellish conditions, called Florida the national model for economic growth, quality of life and competitiveness. Quality of life? For whom? A perversion of preemption Preemption bills like HB 433, which strip cities and counties powers of self-governance and reserve exclusively to the Legislature the authority to regulate Floridas privileged industries, have just about swallowed the home rule provisions of Floridas 1968 Constitution, approved by voters. The point of home rule, as an enlightened 1968 Legislature recognized, is that the best government is the one closest to the people. During his first year in office, Floridas governor sensibly vetoed a bill that would have prohibited local governments from banning plastic straws. But that Ron DeSantis disappeared long ago and has allowed the Legislature to monopolize control over vacation rentals, cruise ship berths, home-based businesses, how city ordinances are passed and even natural gas stoves, amid many other preemptions. The workplace bill goes beyond simply forbidding heat-protection ordinances. It prevents local governments from asking how they protect their workers from heat or giving preference for that. It also forbids any local scheduling law, such as one that might guarantee domestic workers time off for their childrens graduations or doctors visits. As Floridas Legislature was intentionally leaving workers exposed to lethal heat, the city council in Phoenix, Ariz., the nations hottest city, voted unanimously for a protection ordinance much like what Miami-Dade might have adopted. A since-discarded Florida tourism slogan claimed the rules are different here. How true. How sad. How dangerous. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board includes Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson, Opinion Editor Krys Fluker and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney, editorial writer Martin Dyckman and Anderson. Send letters to insight@orlandosentinel.com. By Mayela Armas CARACAS (Reuters) - As time was running out, Venezuela's opposition chose low-profile former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez to run against President Nicolas Maduro in a July election that political analysts said will require Gonzalez to build name recognition among voters. The stakes are high for the July 28 vote as the U.S. has made holding fair elections a condition of lifting sanctions on the South American nation. Initially named as a placeholder while the opposition struggled to confirm candidates, Gonzalez' candidacy was finalized on Friday, a day before a Saturday deadline to replace him with someone else. As Venezuela holds a presidential election for the first time since 2018, political analysts said 74-year-old Gonzalez, who was ambassador to Argentina at the turn of the century, will have an arduous path. "He is a little-known candidate and his challenge will be to make himself known," said Ricardo Rios, who directs local consulting firm Estrategia y Poder. While the opposition had hoped to land on a unity candidate, the alliance finally decided to back Gonzalez who spent much of his career behind the scenes in the foreign ministry in the 1990s and more recently as an international relations adviser to the opposition coalition. "Edmundo is very professional, discreet and has very firm democratic convictions. He's not a fan of using bombastic or radical words," said Jesus Torrealba, former secretary general of the Democratic Unity Board opposition alliance, now known as Unitary Platform. Opposition leader Jose Guerra praised Gonzalez for his extensive knowledge of international, economic and political issues and said he speaks French and English along with his native Spanish. "He is very tolerant and listens," said Guerra, adding: "He will have a difficult campaign." The opposition struggled to name its candidate as several other potential contenders were either barred from office or prevented from registering. Venezuela's top court upheld a bar on Maria Corina Machado, who won October's primary vote with a landslide, from holding public office. Machado then named a replacement, Corina Yoris, who was herself unable to register on the electoral council's online system by a March deadline. Just two opposition candidates were able to register, a provincial governor and Gonzalez. A survey of 1,200 people April 1-3 by local pollster More Consulting found that 46% of those interviewed planned to vote for a candidate backed by Machado, while 22% would vote for Maduro. Meanwhile, the United States this week re-imposed sanctions it had eased on Venezuelan oil, saying the government has failed to comply with the terms of an electoral agreement it signed with the opposition six months ago. (Reporting by Mayela Armas; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) El Paso Diocese to host night of prayer in effort to reach out to young people El Paso Diocese to host night of prayer in effort to reach out to young people EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The Diocese of El Paso is hosting a night of prayer and worship on Saturday, April 20 that is reaching out to young people and calling on them to possibly seek the priesthood and/or a religious life within the church, the Diocese said in news release. The event, called Adsumus 2024, will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Catholic Pastoral Center, 499 St. Mattews St. Adsumus 2024 aims to bring together youth and young adults in a collective embrace of prayer and music, all directed towards discerning and responding to Gods calling in their lives, according to the news release. Adsumus comes from the Latin Here we are, We stand in your presence. Organizers hope that this event becomes more than just a gathering but a testament to the faithfuls willingness to hear the Lords call and embark on the journey of discipleship, the news release said. The event is being held in conjunction with the churchs annual observance of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, commonly known as Good Shepherd Sunday. Father Ivan Montelongo, director of Vocations for the Diocese of El Paso, said: I hope that little by little we can foster a culture of vocations, in which every Catholic, as a missionary disciple, naturally seeks to respond to Gods calling in his or her life. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The U.S. House of Representatives passed in four separate votes on Saturday, April 20 a series of national security bills to provide support for allies and humanitarian aid for Gaza. The package includes roughly $61 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, $8 billion for allies in the Indo-Pacific, and a package of additional national security measures that features a potential ban on the popular TikTok app. House approves aid for Ukraine, Israel after bitter battle Here is what members of the congressional delegation representing the El Paso and Las Cruces region had to say: U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas The unrest and conflict around the world require Americas global leadership, and today I voted in support of the bipartisan national security supplemental package which stands with our allies, prioritizes democracy abroad, and funds critical national security priorities in Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, and Israel and the Middle East. The supplemental package would provide much-needed funding to assist Ukraine in defending itself against Russias unprovoked war of aggression, transfer long overdue military assistance including weaponry and equipment, and protect our national interests in the region. Democracy and decency are on the line and the U.S. will continue to stand with our ally and stand up to Putin. Additionally, the package bolsters the national security efforts of our Indo-Pacific neighbors in their path to maintain peace in their region. The funding provides investments into world-class nautical and military infrastructure including improving a US submarine industrial base, supports key priorities to forge strong relations with our allies, and plants the seeds for the growth of stability and democracy. Just days ago, Americans watched as the United States and other allied nations helped defend Israel against Iranian aggression. Following those attacks and as regional tensions increase in the Middle East, the package supplies substantial and life-saving defensive weapons systems including the Iron Dome and Davids Sling to Israel, ensuring its ability to defend itself not only against Hamas and Iran, but against Hezbollah and Irans terroristic proxies, while staving off wider regional conflict. It also increases counterterrorism operations in the region and replenishes the United States domestic weaponry stockpiles. Also included in this package, and critically important to me, is $9.2 billion in desperately needed humanitarian aid including for Gaza and war-torn countries, where famine is ravaging civilian populations. But my support for the Israel package comes with my continued calls on the administration to use its leverage with Israel to allow more life-saving humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and to hold the Netanyahu government accountable for any violations of international humanitarian law or NSM-20. U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas As a 20-year Navy veteran, I will always fight to safeguard our national security, both at home and abroad. My votes today reflect my love for this country and my commitment to defend it from all enemies, foreign and domestic. I strongly supported the End the Border Catastrophe Act because it would have closed asylum loopholes, reinforced border security infrastructure, and delivered more resources to enforce against illegal immigration. As usual though, partisan politics got in the way, keeping many of my colleagues from voting yes to put America first and secure our border. On Friday, Gonzales issued the following statement on supporting foreign aid legislation that passed on the House Floor Saturday. America is the leading global superpower when we act, the world watches. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, I served in Iraq and Afghanistan to combat the rise in global terrorism that threatened America and our allies. Years later, threats against our homeland have escalated once again, and our allies are engaged in conflicts with nations that despise America and what we stand for. If we fail to support our allies, China, Russia, and Iran will only become more powerful. Today, I voted in support of bringing foreign aid legislation to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote. We are a beacon of freedom and a friend to nations around the world who have stood by our sidewe do not let our allies bleed out on the battlefield. U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-New Mexico Today, I voted to pass long-overdue, bipartisan legislation that reaffirms Americas commitment to its allies, strengthens national security efforts and provides much-needed aid to Gaza. We must stand with Ukraine to prevent further Russian aggression and prevent hostilities from Russia and China. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I understand the threats that our U.S. allies face and the steps we must take to protect our homeland. Support for our allies must always be in line with our American values. We must put a stop to the exponential loss of innocent lives and address the current humanitarian crisis in the region, which is why I supported the overall package. This legislation includes critical humanitarian assistance for Gaza, and I remain committed to demanding a lasting, effective ceasefire and a two-state compromise. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The man who allegedly kidnapped his 2-year-old son and prompted an amber alert last month is now a wanted fugitive, according to the El Paso County Sheriffs Office. Most Wanted Fugitives: Week of April 19, 2024 Amber Alert mom: He was going to murder us The Sheriffs Office, along with Crime Stoppers of El Paso, released the Most Wanted Fugitives for this week and Miguel Angel Montoya is currently wanted for alleged harassment. Montoya was booked into the El Paso County Downtown Jail on Friday, March 15 after allegedly kidnapping his son and was charged with assault family violence, unauthorized use of motor vehicle, and aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon. His bonds totaled to $235,000. Montoya posted a cash or surety bond and was released on Wednesday, April 3. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Elderly woman killed in Russian attack on outskirts of Kherson Russia attacked the outskirts of the city of Kherson from the occupied left (east) bank of the Dnipro River on the evening of 19 April, killing an 80-year-old woman. Source: Roman Mrochko, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, on social media Details: The attack was launched at about 20:00 on 19 April. During the attack the woman was outside and received fatal injuries. The details of the incident are being specified. Background: The Russian forces are constantly attacking the city of Kherson from the left bank of the Dnipro River. On 13 April they struck the port infrastructure of the city. The Russians also struck residential quartiers of the settlements of the region, damaging an apartment block and 17 private houses. A pre-school was also struck. Five people were injured due to Russian aggression. Support UP or become our patron! Endangered sea turtles return to gulf thanks to Clearwater Marine Aquarium Endangered sea turtles return to gulf thanks to Clearwater Marine Aquarium CLEARWATER, Fla. (BLOOM) Two endangered green sea turtles, Challah and Gypsum, were returned to the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday after months of care at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, officials said. Challah, a juvenile turtle, was rescued from Redington Shores on Dec. 4 with injuries from a suspected shark attack. Despite significant damage to its shell, Challah was in good condition upon recovery, the aquarium said. Dive into Discovery: A day at the Clearwater Aquarium After extensive rehabilitation, including specialized wound care and cold laser therapy, Challahs injuries healed, leading to its release after clearance from aquarium veterinarians and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Gypsum, a subadult turtle found near south Anclote on Feb. 7, showed signs of extended debilitation, with its body covered in algae and barnacles. Initial examinations revealed gastrointestinal issues due to ingested fishing line, which Gypsum later expelled naturally. Despite missing its right front flipper from a prior injury, Gypsum recovered fully and was also cleared for release. Clearwater Marine Aquarium welcomes new otter, Opie, to exhibit We are thrilled to see Challah and Gypsum return to their natural habitat, said Dr. Shelly Marquardt, CMAs staff veterinarian. Their successful rehabilitation underscores our staffs commitment to marine life conservation. The release marks another success for the aquariums mission to rehabilitate and conserve marine wildlife. The public can visit and learn about other marine animals undergoing rehabilitation at CMA. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Fighting in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine is bringing instability in the oil market heading into summer. The Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA), took action to make a more affordable gasoline blend available. A motorist pumps gasoline at a Mobil gas station following Russias invasion of Ukraine, in West Hollywood, Calif., Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The EPA issued an emergency fuel waiver on April 19 to allow the sale of E15 gasoline this summer. Typically, E15 isnt allowed to be sold after June 1 in most of the country. The U.S. Government delayed allowing year-round sales of the blend to 2025. Its something members of Congress from Iowa and Illinois have been pushing for years to happen. Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks is among them. Ive got several bills on year-round E15. These bills are to make it voluntary. No state has to offer year-round E15. We already know the EPA has already cleared it. Its unknown why the EPA would have delayed the implementation until 2025, so getting the waiver for this year, I think, is appropriate, Miller-Meeks said. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) also applauds the Biden Administrations decision to sell E15 gasoline during summer driving season. Im glad President Biden heeded our call to help lower prices at the pump for working families by allowing for the sale of E15 fuel during the coming summer months through this temporary waiver, Duckworth said. E15 fuel helps our nation reduce reliance on foreign oil while bringing down gas prices across the country, and by expanding the availability of homegrown biofuels were not only helping families keep more money in their pockets, but also strengthening our national security, reducing emissions and driving economic opportunity here at home. Committing to our agriculture industry and supporting our Midwest farmers is a critical element of our transition to lower emissions. Im glad that the President acted to strengthen and support renewable fuel, and I hope we can make this change permanent. The waiver takes effect May 1 and will continue for 20 days. The EPA intends to renew the waiver as long as its necessary. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. With the arrival of the warm spring season, it's now a prime time for tea leaf picking in some tea-producing regions of China. Three international students have traveled to Yangzhou in eastern China to learn about the art of tea roasting. Produced by Xinhua Global Service EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) In honor of Earth Day, the El Paso Community Colleges (EPCC) Valle Verde Campus will host a free Terra Week job fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, April 26 at the campus located at 919 Hunter Drive. Flyer courtesy of EPCC EPCC says employers from industries such as government, conservation, engineering, manufacturing and green tech will be on hand with job or internship information. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, met Hamass leader for talks on Saturday amid reports the terror group was seeking to move its political headquarters from Qatar. Turkish TV showed Mr Erdogan and Ismail Haniyeh warmly embracing at the meeting in Istanbul, during which they discussed humanitarian assistance to Gaza and sanctions that Ankara recently announced against Israel. The meeting comes amid reports that Hamas is on the lookout for a new base for its operations abroad after Qatar signalled that it no longer wants to host the group. Doha is reportedly frustrated at the lack of movement in ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel since the terror group launched a brutal attack on Oct 7, killing around 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages. Qatar is in the process of a complete re-evaluation of its role, said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, the Qatari ruler, earlier this week. There are limits to this role and limits to the ability to which we can contribute to these negotiations in a constructive way. Hamas could look to relocate to Turkey Hamass political hierarchy has been based in Qatar since 2012, where the Gulf kingdom has put them up in luxury hotels as it has taken on a role as a mediator. But Hamas has reached out to Oman and at least one other country in the region in recent days to ask if they could relocate there, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The meeting between Mr Haniyeh and Mr Erdogan has raised suspicions that Turkey may be looking to fill the gap left by Qatar. Hakan Fidan, the Turkish foreign minister, visited Doha on Wednesday in a sign that Ankara is seeking to deepen his ties with Hamas. The terror group has had a second, smaller office in Istanbul since 2011 and Turkey has long supported the Islamist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is an offshoot. Mr Erdogan has long refused to call Hamas a terror group, instead branding it a liberation army, and since the Oct 7 attack he has been one of its most vocal supporters. Even if only I, Tayyip Erdogan, remain, I will continue as long as God gives me my life, to defend the Palestinian struggle and to be the voice of the oppressed Palestinian people, the Turkish strongman said ahead of the meeting. Mr Haniyeh was in Istanbul on Oct 7, but was reportedly asked to leave after photos emerged showing Palestinian gunmen celebrating after killing hundreds of civilians. Shortly afterwards, Ankara recalled its ambassador to Israel and Israel extracted its diplomatic team from Turkey. Unlikely Israel will accept Turkey as mediator In January, Mr Erdogan announced that he was helping provide documentation for South Africas case against Israel in the International Court of Justice accusing the Jewish state of genocide. Mr Erdogan has also compared Benjamin Netanjahu, the Israeli prime minister, to Hitler over the tactics employed by the Israeli army in Gaza. Earlier this month, Ankara announced sanctions against Israel on goods including steel, aluminium and cement, saying the export ban would be lifted when Israel agreed to a ceasefire. Israelis have responded by boycotting Turkish fruit and vegetables. Any products including the word Turkish such as Strauss Groups Elite Turkish Coffee have also had to rebrand amid the backlash, instead using slogans such as long live Israel on its packaging alongside the Israeli flag. As a result, it is unlikely Israel would be willing to accept Mr Erdogan as a mediator in the conflict. Doha is widely seen by the Israeli government as too biased to be impartial, and many are hoping that if they do step aside, Cairo will step into the role instead. Egypt should have been the main mediator from the beginning, a member of the hostage negotiation team in Israel told The Telegraph. They dont align with the Muslim Brotherhood mentality and have no vested interests with Hamas like Qatar and Turkey do. Both countries have for years supported Hamas and both align with the Islamist ideology Hamas holds. 04:04 PM BST Thank you for following todays live blog Thank you for following our live coverage of the Middle East crisis. We will be back with the latest updates tomorrow. 04:03 PM BST What happened today Were ending our live coverage of the crisis in the Middle East for today. Here is what happened today: A member of Iraqs Popular Mobilisation Forces was killed and eight wounded in a reported bombing of an Iraqi military base housing a coalition of pro-Iranian armed groups. At least nine people, six of them children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, according to hospital authorities. Irans foreign minister said that Fridays attack on Isfahan was not conducted by Israel and the weapons involved were mere toys Ten Palestinian militants were killed in an ongoing Israeli raid in the West Bank, according to the Israel Defence Forces. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Hamas political leader, amid reports that the group is considering moving its political headquarters from Qatar. 03:34 PM BST Pictured: Satellite photo shows Iranian damage to Israeli air base A satellite photo shows a repaired taxiway after the Iranian drone attack on Israel last week damaged part of Nevatim air base. Israel, the United States and their allies shot down 99 per cent of more than 100 drones and dozens of cruise and ballistic missiles in an unprecedented show of force on April 13. However, at least five ballistic missiles were not intercepted, hitting the Nevatim air base in the Negev desert in the south of Israel, as well as striking another airbase in the Negev. Satellite photo of a repaired taxiway after Iranian attack on Israel's Nevatim air base - Planet Labs PBC/Planet Labs PBC 03:16 PM BST Ten killed in ongoing Israeli raid in West Bank Ten Palestinian militants have been killed in an ongoing Israeli raid in the West Bank, according to the Israel Defence Forces. Israeli troops have been carrying out a counter-terrorism operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp area near the Palestinian city of Tulkarm for over 40 hours, the military says. At least 10 gunmen have been killed and eight wanted Palestinians have been detained, according to a IDF statement reported by AFP, whilst eight Israeli soldiers and a police officer were injured in the raid. The army also reports that the troops destroyed a bomb-making lab and seized firearms. Tulkarm Brigades group, which includes militants from numerous Palestinian factions, said its fighters were still exchanging fire with Israeli forces on Saturday. Operations carried out by Israeli forces continue in Nur Sharms in the West Bank - Issam Rimawi/Anadolu via Getty Images 03:07 PM BST Palestinian Authority to reconsider US ties after veto of bid for full UN membership, Abbas says The Palestinian Authority will reconsider bilateral relations with the US after Washington vetoed a Palestinian request for full United Nations membership, according to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The move by the US effectively denied Palestines recognition as a state from the UNs perspective. A US state department spokesman described the Palestinian statehood motion as premature, adding that there are unresolved questions as to whether the applicant can meet criteria to be considered as a state. 02:43 PM BST Pictured: Aftermath of Israeli airstrike on the Radwan family house in Rafah The Israeli airstrike on the Radwan family house in Rafah, Gazas southernmost city, killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said on Saturday. The strike hit the house in the western Tel Sultan neighbourhood of Rafah on late Friday, according to Gazas civil defence. The Abu Yousef al Najjar Hospitals records show the bodies of six children, two women and a man were taken to the areas main morgue. Among those killed were Abdel-Fattah Sobhi Radwan, his wife Najlaa Ahmed Aweidah and their three children, his brother-in-law Ahmed Barhoum said. Mr Barhoum also lost his wife, Rawan Radwan, and their 5-year-old daughter, Alaa. This is a world devoid of all human values and morals, Mr Barhoum told The Associated Press on Saturday morning, with the report describing him crying as he held Alaas body in his arms. Search and rescue efforts after an Israeli attack on Ridwan family house traps many Palestinians under rubble at Tel al-Sultan district of Rafah, Gaza - Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu 01:42 PM BST People attend the funeral ceremony for Damian Sobol, volunteer for World Central Kitchen People attend the funeral ceremony for Damian Sobol, a volunteer for World Central Kitchen, at the Main Cemetery in Przemysl, southeast Poland. Sobol died after an Israeli missile strike on Gaza killed seven aid workers on April 1, including three British citizens. People attend the funeral ceremoy for Damian Sobol at the Main Cemetery in Przemysl, southeast Poland - Darek Delmanowicz/EPA-EFE/ Shutterstock 12:43 PM BST Home secretary writes to Metropolitan Police and Mayor of London over officers openly Jewish remark James Cleverly, the home secretary, has written to the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor of London, after an officer stopped a man who was wearing a traditional kippah cap from crossing a road during a pro-Palestinian march because he was openly Jewish. The charity Campaign Against Antisemitism released the video on Thursday which showed a police officer preventing Gideon Falter, the charitys chief executive, from crossing a road in London due to a pro-Palestinian protest calling for a halt to Israels military offensive in Gaza on April 13. The footage shows the police officer telling Falter he was concerned his presence could prompt a reaction because he was quite openly Jewish. The home secretarys letter remains private, but a Home Office spokesperson said: We welcome the Met Polices apology, and recognise the complexities of policing fast-moving public protests, but simply being Jewish or of any other race or religion should never be seen as provocative. Anyone of any religion should be free to go about their lives and feel safe doing so, the spokesperson added. 12:27 PM BST Pictured: Blast hit a pro-Iran military base Fire and smoke rising after an alleged bombing overnight on the Kalso Iraqi military base - AFP The aftermath of the blast on the Kalso military base in Babylon province, south of Baghdad - @Natsecjeff/X 12:07 PM BST US House of Representatives to vote on $95 billion Israel and Ukraine aid package The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is to vote on, and is expected to pasS a $95 billion legislative package providing security assistance to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, despite objections from party hardliners. More than two months have passed since the Democratic-majority Senate passed a similar measure. The aid package would split the funds between the three nations. While a significant proportion of the aid is reserved for Ukraine, a total of $26.38bn (21.2bn) would be provided to support Israel. The aid would go towards bolstering Israels missile and rocket defence systems, enhancing weapons productions and supporting other services provided to Israel, in light of recent attacks. The bill would reserve $9.1bn for humanitarian needs, although it would prohibit funds to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). 11:44 AM BST Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers discuss how to boost aid to Gaza Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said he addressed the grave situation in Gaza and how to step up humanitarian aid during a meeting in Istanbul today with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry. We have discussed what more we can do to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, and what can be done in the long run for a two-state solution, Fidan told a joint news conference with Shoukry. Meanwhile, the Egyptian foreign minister urged both Iran and Israel to exercise restraint, according to Reuters, amid soaring tensions in the Middle East. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan meets with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Istanbul, Turkey - Murat Gok/Anadolu via Getty Images 11:27 AM BST IDF claims attacks on northern Gaza The Israel Defence Forces has said it attacked targets overnight in the Beit Hanoun area in northern Gaza. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Israeli Air Force says it initiated the attack after intercepting a launch, which crossed from Beit Hanoun towards the Southern Israeli city of Sderot. The Air Force claims to have hit dozens of targets over the past day, including armed terrorists, military infrastructures and military buildings. During the last day, IDF aircraft and fighter jets attacked dozens of targets in the Gaza Strip - @IAFSite/X 10:59 AM BST Israels attack drones were toys, says Iran foreign minister Fridays attack on Isfahan was not conducted by Israel and the weapons involved were mere toys, according to Irans foreign minister. Last night was not a strike [it was] more like toys that our children play with - not drones. said Hossein Amirabdollahian, Irans foreign minister, speaking with NBC News in New York, where he was attending a UN Security council session. Israel launched a retaliatory strike against Iran on April 19, with explosions reported near a military base in the central city of Isfahan. Amirabdollahian also said that Iran did not intend on responding unless there was a significant attack by Israel, warning that if Israel takes a decisive action against my country the Iranian response will be immediate and to the maximum and will cause them to regret it. The recent heightening of tensions between Israel and Iran began after an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1, and the subsequent attack from Iran on April 13, which involved more than 300 drones and missiles. Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian - NBC/NBC 10:45 AM BST At least nine killed in strikes on Rafah, including six children, says Gaza hospital authorities At least nine people, six of them children, have been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, according to hospital authorities. The strike hit a residential building in Gazas southernmost city, which currently contains than half of Gazas total population of approximately 2.3 million people, the majority of whom have been displaced by ongoing fighting. Locals carry out search and rescue efforts after an Israeli strike in the Tel al-Sultan district of Rafah, Gaza - Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu 09:54 AM BST Why war may be the best chance to kick out the Iranian regime For decades, Iran and Israel have prepared for the unthinkable, and diligently avoided allowing it to happen. A full-scale showdown between the Middle Easts superpowers would be devastating for both, and plunge the entire region into all-out war. Now, finally, that war may be breaking out. Early on Friday morning, Israel carried out its first ever overt strike against Iranian territory, on an airbase in Isfahan, a clear retaliation for Irans own first ever direct missile strike against Israel on April 14. Will this cycle of tit-for-tat violence escalate into direct, all-out fighting? Or, like duelists who have both fired their pistols, will both sides accept that honour has been satisfied? Just hours before the reported strike, Irans foreign minister had warned of a decisive, definitive, and regretful response if the Israelis hit Iranian assets. The ball is now in Irans court. Whatever happens, the pressure is on a brutal theocratic regime that has held power since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. It knows that war could unite Iranians or fatally split them, and that as a result it is facing a crisis that could define it or destroy it. Four factions are jockeying for influence. But only one man will decide what happens next. Read Roland Oliphant and David Childs full report here. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps 09:41 AM BST Gaza death toll rises to 34,049, Gazas health ministry says The death toll in Gaza has risen to 34,049, after 37 people were killed in the past 24 hours, Gazas Hamas-run health ministry has said. It added 68 people have also been wounded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total injured to 76,901. 09:27 AM BST Hamas leaders looking at leaving Qatar amid growing pressure in hostage talks Hamass political chiefs are considering moving their base of operations out of Qatar, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, as the country comes under increasing pressure from US legislators to get Hamas to agree to a hostage deal with Israel. The report chains that Hamas have contacted two regional countries, including Oman, about the prospect of relocating its political base. Qatar has been helping to mediate ceasefire discussions between Israel and Hamas along with Egypt and the United States. However, Hamas has rejected the last five ceasefire proposals offered by Israel. The talks have already stalled again with barely any signs or prospects for them to resume any time soon, and distrust is rising between Hamas and the negotiators, an Arab mediator is quoted as saying in the report. 09:05 AM BST Member of Iraqs Popular Mobilisation Forces killed and eight wounded in bombing on Iraq military base, security sources say One member of Iraqs Popular Mobilisation Forces killed and eight wounded in a bombing overnight on an Iraqi military base housing a coalition of pro-Iranian armed groups, two security sources have reported, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP) The explosion hit the Kalso military base in Babylon province, south of Baghdad, where Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces is stationed, according to an interior ministry source and a military official. In a statement, the group said an explosion had inflicted material losses and casualties. The security sources would not identify who was responsible, or say whether it had been a drone strike. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the alleged attack. NEW - reported airstrike on an #Iraq military base & weapons depot in Iskandariya in #Babil province. Footage here & elsewhere shows clear signs of secondary detonations of weaponry/ammunition therein.pic.twitter.com/uG9AXZuRW2 Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) April 19, 2024 08:35 AM BST Iran downplays Israel attack in sign of cooling tensions Iran has no plans to retaliate after Israel fired missiles in a show of force on Friday morning. Israel reportedly targeted the air defences of a key nuclear plant near Isfahan with drones, according to US officials. Tehran played down the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation - a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war. Irans foreign minister said the drones were mini-drones and that they had caused no damage or casualties. The limited scale of the attack and Irans muted response appeared to signal a successful effort by diplomats who have been working to avert all-out war since an Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel on Saturday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters there were no plans to respond against Israel for the incident. The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed. We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack, the official said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Turkish President Erdogan meets with Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Istanbul Turkish President Erdogan meets with Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Istanbul ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and reach a fair and lasting peace in the region during a meeting with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul on Saturday, his office said. It was the first meeting between Erdogan and a Hamas delegation headed by Haniyeh since Israel began its military offensive in the Gaza Strip. Haniyeh's visit to Turkey took place three days after he met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Doha. "Issues related to Israel's attacks on lands of Palestine, particularly Gaza, efforts for adequate and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and a fair and lasting peace process in the region were discussed," the Turkish presidency said in a statement. The visit took place amid escalating regional tensions following Israel's reported attack on Iran this week. "Erdogan stressed that Israel should not benefit from the developments (between Iran and Israel) and that it is important to make efforts that will draw attention to Gaza again," the statement added. NATO member Turkey has denounced Israel's offensive in Gaza following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel and called for an immediate ceasefire. Erdogan has called Hamas a "liberation movement" while slamming the West for what he calls its unconditional support of Israel. Ankara has also imposed trade restrictions on Israel. In Saturday's meeting, Erdogan told Haniyeh Turkey continues its diplomatic efforts for a permanent ceasefire as well as the establishment of an independent state of Palestine, according to the statement. Erdogan also told Haniyeh "it is vital for Palestinians to act in unity," the statement said. Palestinian militant group Hamas seized control in Gaza in 2007, a year after sweeping elections, following a brief civil war with Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, reducing the PA's rule to the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Efforts to reconcile the two sides have so far failed over thorny power-sharing issues. (Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Helen Popper) As the city of Milwaukee comes off the heels of celebrating its annual 414 Day, this entrepreneur and philanthropist is back to showcase his love for the place that raised him through his new work with Adidas. Milwaukee is home, Eric Shake James told Blavity when speaking about the place hes known all his life means to him. Its a great city. I just feel like its very underrated and overlooked. Ahead of the holiday, Shake, who is also the owner and founder of CLICKS, a boutique sneaker store that started as a vision of the legendary Run-DMC member Jam Master Jay, shared his connection to the Adidas brand as the two joined forces in the community to honor the city. Despite his humble beginnings, Shake recalled the first time his mother saved her money to purchase his sneakers, his first pair of Adidas. Photo: Adidas Photo: Adidas That was the first time I got my hands on a pair of Adidas, and it felt so cultural; thats where the love started, he shared. Shake has not only since partnered with the brand to spearhead events in the city for 414 Day, but through the Adidas Cornerstone Community initiative, they are offering footwear design workshops for local middle school students. Together, they hosted a 414 Day party that featured performances from hip-hop royalty like Brooklyn Queen, Lil Kim and a DJ set by Mr. New York. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SHAKE (@shakejmj) Ive been doing nonprofit work with Adidas since 2008, and it kind of started with about 50 pairs of shoes. It was on a whim that I called, Shake said. Because I usually call and get a pair for myself or a couple pair for the family, but this particular time I called and told them I wanted to do a back-to-school drive, and they were like OK, what do you need? I told them 50 pairs of shoes and they were like, What else? Then I added in backpacks and hats, and they threw it all in there for me. Adidas has been helping me bridge that gap to speak to the youth and help them realize sometimes kids just need to know that somebody loves them. Their parents love them, but they need to know that somebody else loves them and cares about them and wants to see them do well, and this partnership between me and Adidas has been helping to do that. Through his J.A.Y. Academy, Shake and the leading apparel company have hosted more than 15 community-driven events since 2020 and continue to achieve impactful milestones together. Shake helped to create the 414 Rivalry Low to pay homage to his city, infusing the limited-edition sneaker with key Milwaukee elements like a cream city brick textured tongue, three green stripes with red accents that represent the NBAs Milwaukee Bucks and more. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SHAKE (@shakejmj) He said creating the concept for the shoe was a breeze, especially since it involved highlighting all of the things that Milwaukee is known for. Were known for that cream city brick, that vintage cream city brick where I have one of my stores, which is a long story, but there was a fire back in the 1800s, a big warehouse fire. And so the only thing that survived the fires was the cream city brick, Shake explained. When they restored the buildings, all of them had the cream city brick in them, and that became one of the things that we were known for. So I was like, I gotta figure out a way to put the cream city brick in there. Then, Im a big Bucks fan, so I had to reach out to their ownership to talk to them about it, and it was the easiest conversation ever, he continued. They got their lawyer on the phone, and it took about an hour to draft up the agreement, and then that happened, so thats where those colors come in. I wanted to use those vintage Bucks colors. Were also known for cheese, so I wanted to add that in and tell that story to have that representation. Lastly, in the insole, I used other things that we are known for like bowling, beers and things like that. We are kind of like a little party city, so I wanted to have representation for what Milwaukee is through the sneakers. As he looks toward the future, Shakes commitment to the city of Milwaukee continues, as he revealed that his J.A.Y. Academy will officially open its doors in the first physical location in late August. Israeli settlers try to block the road at the site of a shooting attack in Huwara area. The European Union is imposing sanctions on radical Israeli settlers in the West Bank for the first time over acts of violence against Palestinians, diplomats confirm to dpa. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa The European Union has imposed sanctions on radical Israeli settlers in the West Bank for the first time, targeting four individuals for acts of violence against Palestinians. The agreement was finalized on Friday by a written procedure that allows member states to make decisions on urgent matters without sending ministers to Brussels. The law giving effect to the sanctions and detailing those targeted was published in the EU's statute book a few hours later. The sanctions target four individuals and two organizations. Those subject to sanctions will no longer be allowed to enter the EU or do business with EU citizens, and any assets or accounts they have in the EU will be frozen. The measures were imposed under an EU sanctions regime designed to punish human rights abuses. The first new name on the EU sanctions list is Neria Ben Pazi, who "established four of the most violent outposts in the West Bank," the legal text says. The term "outposts" refers to settlements not authorized by the Israeli government. Ben Pazi is accused by the EU of repeatedly attacking Palestinians in Wadi Seeq and Deir Jarir. The second name is Yinon Levi. The sanctions notice says he "has taken part in multiple violent acts against neighbouring villages from his residence in the Mitarim farm illegal outpost." Also now under sanctions is Meir Ettinger. According to the EU, he is "a leading figure of the Hilltop Youth, a radical youth group consisting of members known for violent acts against Palestinians and their villages in the West Bank." The fourth is Elisha Yered, who's also associated with the Hilltop Youth, the sanctions note says. The two organizations now subject to EU sanctions are the aforementioned Hilltop Youth and Lehava, which "is a radical right-wing Jewish supremacist group," the EU says. The EU decision follows similar moves by the United States and Britain. In March, the US sanctioned three individuals - including Ben Pazi - and two outposts, including Levi's Mitarim farm. In February, the British government imposed sanctions on four individuals, including Levi and the leader of the other outpost sanctioned by the US. Diplomats told dpa the sanctions would ideally lead to the Israeli authorities taking a harder line against settler violence against Palestinian villages and olive groves. The sanctions have been on the table for a long time, but they needed the consent of all 27 EU member states, and the Hungarian government blocked the move until last month. Part of the agreement meant imposing new sanctions against Islamist groups. While the EU has long condemned the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal, this is the first time it has taken punitive measures against settlers. The US government imposed its own sanctions later Friday due to the violence of radical Israeli settlers against Palestinians, the US Treasury Department announced in Washington. The sanctions are aimed at two organizations that have reportedly provided financial support to two extremist settlers who have already been sanctioned. The men "generated tens of thousands of dollars for extremists responsible for destroying property, assaulting civilians, and violence against Palestinians," explained Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo. "Such acts by these organizations undermine the peace, security, and stability of the West Bank." At the same time, the US government sanctioned a man named Ben-Zion Gopstein. He is considered a close confidant of the radical Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Gopstein is the founder and leader of a radical right-wing Jewish group called Lehava. As a result of the sanctions, possible assets of those affected are blocked in the United States. US citizens or people who are in the US are prohibited from doing business with the sanctioned organizations and individuals. Banks that do business with them may also face sanctions. During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The number of settlers in the area, which lies between the Israeli heartland and Jordan, has now risen to around half a million. Including East Jerusalem, there are even as many as 700,000. The settlers live among around 3 million Palestinians, who claim the territories as part of their own state. In 2016, the UN Security Council labelled these settlements a violation of international law and called on Israel to stop all settlement activities. Everything you need to know about the Russian Tu-22M3 bomber plane and how Ukraine said it shot one down in war first Ukraine said it had shot down a Russian supersonic Tu-22M3 plane. It marks the first time Ukrainian forces have successfully taken down one of the bomber planes. Here's everything you need to know about the Tu-22M3 and how Ukraine says it shot it down. Ukrainian intelligence said on Friday that it had shot down a feared Russian Tu-22M3 bomber plane for the first time as it launched a combat mission on Ukraine. The Tu-22M3, which has the NATO codename "Backfire," is a "long-range supersonic missile carrier bomber," according to its manufacturer Tupolev's website. The Soviet-era plane, made from alloys of aluminum, titanium, and magnesium, as well as "high-strength and heat-resistant steels," made its maiden flight in 1977, with the most up-to-date version entering service in 2018. It is designed to take out sea- and ground-based targets using guided missiles and aerial bombs. Tupolev describes the Tu-22M aircraft series as a "conventionally designed aircraft with a variable-swept low wing." A weeklong ambush Image appearing to show the Tu-22M3 aircraft after crashing. Vladimir Vladimirov Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR), told BBC Ukraine that the Tu-22M3 carries Kh-22 missiles, which he said "have perhaps brought the most destruction" to Odesa in southern Ukraine. The Kh-22 missile was originally designed to target ships and is capable of carrying either a nuclear or a conventional warhead. Budanov added that his forces had been ready for the bomber. "For a week we were, put it this way, lying in ambush. We were waiting for it to reach the right line," he said. The HUR said the operation led to "the first successful destruction of a strategic bomber in the air during a combat mission during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine." A video circulating on social media appeared to show the bomber in flames and falling from the sky. On the night of April 19, 2024, Russia launched a combined missile and UAV attack against Ukraine. As a result of a special operation, for the first time, the anti-aircraft missile units in cooperation with the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine destroyed the Tu-22M3 pic.twitter.com/9sVpXDqnqY WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) April 19, 2024 Despite Russia's claim that the bomber had crashed, the British Ministry of Defence said in an update on the Russia-Ukraine war on Saturday that "it is almost certain that reports of a S-200 missile (SA-5) being used are accurate and that this was another successful Ukrainian action against the Russian Air Force." It added that it was "highly likely that Russia has now sustained at least 100 fixed-wing combat aircraft losses to date." Read the original article on Business Insider Ex-Indiana Teacher Accused of Creating 'Fight Club' for Students to Beat Up Classmate, 7, with Disabilities Julious Johnican was among several staff named in the lawsuit alleging disturbing abuse of a student Getty A lawsuit alleges that a school staff member told the boy he was "demonically possessed" Julious Johnican allegedly accidentally exposed the abuse to the boy's mother while trying to show her a video of his classroom, per the suit On two occasions, Johnican allegedly held the boy while others assaulted him, per the suit A former Indiana schoolteacher has been accused of inciting and urging his 2nd-grade students to attack a classmate with disabilities, according to a lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE. Julious Johnican, of the George Washington Carver School No. 87 in Indianapolis, Ind., is among several school staff members named in the suit filed Tuesday by the boys mother. The lawsuit alleges that during the 2023-24 school year, Johnican allegedly engineered several attacks when the boy was "thrown to the ground, struck, slapped, and hit in the head repeatedly," including two occasions when Johnican allegedly held the boy as the attackers punched, hit, and kicked him. Johnican has not been charged with a crime. A spokesperson for Indianapolis police tells PEOPLE that they are investigating the claims made in the suit. Another teacher allegedly told the boy that students with special needs "were demonically possessed," and that he needed to be baptized. The lawsuit alleges Johnican abused the boy for "his own amusement" and as a "disciplinary measure," adding that the teacher created a reprehensible fight club type" environment in the class. The boy began complaining about the alleged abuse to his mother soon into the school year. When the mother tried address it with Johnican, he allegedly "dismissed" her claims, painting the boy as a liar and as someone with mental illness, per the lawsuit. The suit alleges that Johnican himself accidentally exposed the abuse during a meeting with the boy's parents to discuss his conduct. While trying to show the boy's parents a video of the "classroom environment," he accidentally played a video of the alleged abuse itself, per the lawsuit. When the parents tried to grab the phone, Johnican accidentally increased the volume. The parents allegedly realized he had been "encouraging the beating of their disabled seven-year-old," the suit claims. Indiana Public Schools Superintendent Aleesia Johnson, the school's principal Mary Kapcoe, the assistant principal, a substitute teacher and a behavioral consultant are also named in the suit. 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. A spokesperson for Superintendent Johnson did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comments. The phone number listed on the school's website was no longer active as of Friday afternoon. 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. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. PHILADELPHIA (AP) A fired Philadelphia police officer pleaded guilty Friday to murder in the shooting of a fleeing 12-year-old boy, who prosecutors have said was on the ground and unarmed when the officer fired the fatal shot. Edsaul Mendoza also pleaded guilty to possession of an instrument of crime as part of a plea deal with the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office. A sentencing date has not been disclosed. The Associated Press left a voicemail message for Mendozas lawyer seeking comment Friday. Mendoza had been charged with first- and third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter in the shooting of Thomas T.J. Siderio in March 2022, with the Philadelphia District Attorneys office saying at the time that video contradicted the officers version of events. Police have said the boy had first fired a shot at an unmarked police car, injuring one of four plainclothes officers inside. Mendoza, a five-year veteran of the force, was fired a week after the shooting by then-Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, who said his conduct violated department policy. Siderio threw a gun down about 40 feet (12 meters) before he was shot and then dropped to the ground, either tripping or obeying a command to get down, according to authorities. The four officers had been in an unmarked car, looking for a teenager they wanted to interview related to a firearm investigation, police have said. They saw Siderio and an unnamed 17-year-old, and maneuvered the car around the block and next to them to initiate a stop. Prosecutors said Monday that almost at the same time the officers turned their red and blue lights on, a shot came through the back passenger window and ricocheted around the car. One officer was treated for injuries to his eye and face caused by broken glass. Mendoza and another officer on the passenger side got out and fired one shot each, according to police. Mendoza then chased Siderio down the block, firing twice and striking the boy once in the back from what prosecutors say was relatively close range. Siderios family sued Mendoza and the city in January, saying his death was the result of an abysmal systemic policy failure within the police department. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- In the coming decade, China's agricultural sector will witness the full development of new quality productive forces, accompanied by an accelerated pace of agricultural transformation and upgrading, according to a report released on Saturday. The China Agricultural Outlook Report (2024-2033), released at the 2024 China Agricultural Outlook Conference held at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, reviewed the market situation of China's major agricultural products in 2023, and provided an analysis of the production, consumption, trade and price trends in the country's agricultural sector over the next decade. China's grain production in 2023 reached 695 million tonnes, an increase of 1.3 percent compared to the previous year. The country's annual grain production has remained stable at over 650 million tonnes for nine consecutive years, according to the report. Significant strides have been achieved in the high-quality development of agriculture, with the nationwide creation of over 1 billion mu (about 66.67 million hectares) of high-standard farmland, promoting the construction of high-standard farmland, the report said. China's grain yield per hectare will reach 5,933 kg in 2024, up 1.5 percent compared to the previous year, and grain production is expected to hit 704 million tonnes, increasing 1.3 percent from 2023, according to the report. With new breakthroughs in biological breeding technology, widespread promotion of high-yield and efficient technology models and continuous improvement of farmland quality, it is expected that China's grain yield per unit will increase by 10.7 percent by 2033, reaching 6,438 kg per hectare, the report said. China's annual grain production is expected to reach 766 million tonnes in 2033, with an average annual growth rate of 1.1 percent, according to the report. As the incomes of Chinese residents steadily rise and nutrition and health concepts become more widespread, the structure of food consumption will continuously improve, leading to a shift towards healthier, greener, more diverse and personalized agricultural product consumption, the report said. China's agricultural trade structure will also continue to optimize, with diversified import sources and a sustained growth trend in agricultural trade, the report added. One of the titans of Arkansas politics, David Pryor, died on Saturday at the age of 89. Pryor, a Democrat, served several terms as a congressman, two terms as Arkansas governor, and two decades as a U.S. senator before retiring from elected office in 1995. Along the way, Pryor began a political dynastyhis son, Mark, became a U.S. senatorand was a key figure behind the rise of Bill Clinton, Arkansas most famous modern son. First running for office in 1966, Pryor represented a new generation of Southern Democrats. He was a liberal who opposed segregation and was an early advocate for environmentalism. In 1974, Pryor won the Democratic primary for Arkansas governor by defeating former Gov. Orval Faubus, the pro-segregation Democrat who gained international notoriety for calling in the National Guard to block Black students from attending Central High School in Little Rock. As governor, Pryor made his biggest mark by appointing significant numbers of Black and female officials to the state government, according to The New York Times. But one of his lasting legacies was the elevation of Clinton, whom he tapped to serve as his Attorney General while governor. In 1978, when Pryor won a U.S. Senate seat after being term-limited from the governorship, Clinton won the election to succeed him in Little Rock. Ultimately, Pryor became one of Clinton's biggest supporters in his campaigns for president. Political observers in Arkansas credit Pryor with helping it remain Democratic long after other Southern states flipped to the Republicans in the decades after the civil rights movement, according to the Washington Post. But Arkansas is solidly Republican now. Pryors Senate seat is now held by archconservative Sen. Tom Cotton. Mark Pryor, who lost to Cotton in 2014, confirmed the news of his father's death; no cause was given. He told the Times that President Joe Biden called on Friday to speak with the Pryor family. 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. An ex-Wall Streeter who's been to all 50 states picked 5 he enjoys visiting but would never live in Lee Abbamonte has been to all 50 states at least three times. Courtesy of Lee Abbamonte Lee Abbamonte, 45, is one of the most well-traveled people in the world. A financier turned travel blogger, he's visited every country in the world and all 50 states. Abbamonte shared five states he enjoyed visiting but could never see himself living in and why. When you're on vacation, the allure of being somewhere new can sometimes trick you into thinking it would be a perfect place to call home even if it isn't. That's not an issue if you're as well-versed in travel as Lee Abbamonte. Abbamonte, a 45-year-old travel blogger, has visited every country in the world (plus the North and South Poles) and all 50 states multiple times apiece. He spent over 20 years living in New York City but is now based in California, his favorite state in the US. Abbamonte loves to explore other corners of the US, but he's seen enough to know that he wouldn't necessarily pick up and move to a different state, even if he did enjoy visiting. Here are five states that Abbamonte enjoyed visiting but could never see himself permanently moving to and why. Alaska is a dream to visit, but the winters are too cold and there aren't a lot of people. Alaska. Toby Harriman/Getty Images Abbamonte said Alaska is one of the top three most beautiful places he's visited in the world, neck and neck with the Himalayas in Asia and Patagonia in South America. As someone who appreciates nature and wildlife, he loves visiting the national parks in Alaska, which has more than half of all the national parks in the US. He also finds Alaska's cities "interesting." "The capital of Juneau is beautiful," he said, because there are "so many glaciers up there." But as fond as he is of Alaska, he couldn't see himself living there for two big reasons: the lack of sunlight in the winter and the small population. In some areas, like the northern city of Utqiagvik in the north, there is no sunlight for 67 days of the year, according to travel-advice website Alaska.org. However, residents get more than 80 days of round-the-clock sunshine in summer. About 39 million people live in California, where Abbamonte now lives. But Alaska is the eighth-least populated state, with 733,406 residents, according to the census. "I wouldn't want to live there," he said. "But to visit, especially in the summer, it's like a dream." He loves visiting Maine's coast in the summer but isn't keen on some parts of the state that aren't by the water. Maine. Denis Tangney Jr/Getty Images "Maine is another one that I absolutely love in the summer," Abbamonte said, adding that he's always gravitated to the state's coastal areas, including Acadia National Park and Kennebunkport. But, similar to Alaska, he can't imagine living there through the colder months. In certain parts of Maine, winter temperatures can plummet to below zero. He also said he isn't particularly drawn to parts of the state that aren't by the waterfront. Plus, it takes a while to get to Maine from other parts of the US, he added. "That's just another place I probably wouldn't live," he said. "It's a little too far away from everything else." Abbamonte has a soft spot for Wyoming but thinks living there would be isolating. Wyoming. benedek/Getty Images Wyoming is another state that Abbamonte fell in love with because of its abundant outdoor options. He loves Jackson Hole and national parks like Grand Teton and Yellowstone, although he thinks the latter can get a little overcrowded. Outside the national parks and the valleys, however, Abbamonte said he found the state too vast and sparsely populated for his liking. "Not a lot of people, not a lot going on," he said, adding that he thinks he'd run out of people to talk to. "I could never live there." Minnesota is another state he enjoys visiting for its lakes, but he couldn't live there because of the harsh winters. Minnesota. Brad Lukoskie/Getty Images Abbamonte is particularly fond of Lake Superior, which runs along the northern coast of the state near the border with Canada. He thinks it's "just spectacular." Minnesota is, after all, known for its lakes. "They call it the land of 10,000 lakes . There's a lot of water there, and it's all very beautiful," he said. But picking up and moving to Minnesota isn't on the agenda for Abbamonte, mostly due to subzero temperatures in the winter. "Great state. But those winters? I just couldn't do them," he added. West Virginia has "great nature," but isn't set up to accommodate frequent flyers like Abbamonte. West Virginia. John Baggaley/Getty Images Abbamonte said West Virginia is one of the most nature-rich states in the US. It is also home to one of the newest national parks in the country, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, which he called "really nice." However, he "wouldn't go there to live," mostly because it's not as easy to travel in and out of as other places in the country. West Virginia only has regional airports, he added, which makes traveling elsewhere in the country or abroad tricky. That's a deterrent for someone who travels as much as he does. Read the original article on Business Insider Former White House ethics lawyer Jim Schultz said he thinks the New York judge in former President Trumps hush money case will still find his social media posts quoting others as violating the gag order in the case. Hes referencing the jurors. Hes pushing out something that someone else said, Schultz, who served under the Trump administration, told CNN News Central anchor Sara Sidner on Thursday. But the bottom line is, it applies to him, right? So, I think the judge is gonna see this as a violation of the gag order, and get ready, theyre gonna continue and continue and continue, Schultz said. Sure, the judge can fine him, he could admonish him. He could do a lot of things in the courtroom. Hes not gonna throw him in jail. This trials still gonna continue, Schultz added. And youre still gonna hear from Donald Trump on Truth Social. Schultzs remarks come after Trump took an indirect swing at prospective jurors in the case Wednesday, quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters. The former president, under the expanded gag order, is prohibited from making or directing others to make public statements about any prospective juror or any juror in this criminal proceeding. In his post, Trump quoted Watters saying: They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury. Schultz wasnt the first legal expert to question whether the move would be considered a violation of the order. Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin made the same inference earlier this week. I think its false, but more importantly, its clearly, I think, an attempt to intimidate jurors, Toobin said. 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. The trial, which began Monday, is the first criminal trial of a sitting or former president in U.S. history. Jury selection was completed Friday, and the trial will continue next week. The case is centered on allegations that Trump falsified business records to conceal a hush money payment made to an adult film star to hide an alleged affair ahead of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. TAMPA, Fla. The nightlife and dining scenes in Tampa just got more exciting with the opening of two new venues by Proper House Group: Alter Ego and Ash. Both establishments are located in the bustling Water Street Tampa district and promise to offer unique experiences to their patrons. Alter Ego: A New Nightlife Experience Alter Ego, opened on April 19, 2024, is set to redefine Tampas nightlife with its music-forward cocktail lounge concept. The venue blends top-tier DJs, inventive mixology, and soulful hospitality. According to Ty Rodriguez, one of the PHG partners, Alter Ego is designed to be a monochromatic and moody space that offers an intimate and immersive music experience. Were giving guests the chance to interact with the music in an unparalleled, sexy atmosphere, Rodriguez explained. Cheesecake Factory unveils spring menu: Food Review The lounges design, a collaboration with Gin Design Group, features sleek, backlit architectural forms against luxurious upholstery, creating an inviting yet provocative environment. Music Director Justin Layman, also known as DJ Casper, is set to bring in some of the nations most sought-after DJs. The opening lineup includes DJ Epik, Angelica Rose, Rich Medina, and Spreadsheets, with more to be announced. Ash: Italian Flair Meets Modern Ambiance Just steps away, Ash also celebrated its grand opening on the same day, bringing a fresh Italian-inspired dining concept to Tampa. Led by Chef Ferrell Alvarez, Ash promises a playful yet sophisticated dining experience. The restaurants atmosphere is enhanced by custom furnishings, arched lighting, and textural touch points throughout its open kitchen and dining areas. Tasting Tampa: Kura Sushi food review The menu at Ash is all about bold, unconventional flavors. Highlights include Binchotan grilled Corbacci peppers, house-made Malfade pasta with Dungeness crab, and a 22-ounce Sakura pork chop Milanese. Beverage Director Jon Howard oversees a bar program that features a robust selection of Italian-forward cocktails. Community and Quality Both venues underscore Proper House Groups commitment to innovation and excellence in the Tampa Bay area. The group, known for its range of acclaimed dining venues like Rooster & the Till, has become a significant player in the local culinary scene. Josh Taube, CEO of SPP, expressed excitement about the expansion, stating that both Alter Ego and Ash build on PHGs ongoing achievements and add a unique flavor to the district. Sunda New Asian: Bringing modern southeast Asian flavors to Midtown Tampa Whether looking for an electrifying night out or a sophisticated dinner, Tampa residents and visitors can now enjoy these latest offerings from Proper House Group. Reservations are recommended for both venues, with Alter Ego open Sunday to Wednesday until midnight and extended hours on weekends, and Ash operating from Tuesday to Sunday, with plans to open daily this summer. For more details or to make a reservation, visit www.alteregotampa.com and www.ashtampa.com. Follow me for more like this including reviews! For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. NEW YORK (PIX11) Crews are working on both sides of the Hudson River to build the Gateway Tunnel Project. The $16 billion project will add two new tracks for NJ Transit and Amtrak and double the available capacity between New York and New Jersey. Exclusive look inside Gateway Tunnel construction PIX11 News was given an exclusive tour of the construction site at Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen, NJ. Managers have also completed an important round of paperwork. Gateway Development Corporation CEO Kris Kolluri called the submission the last milestone on the path to fully funding the project. The pace of progress has been unprecedented, and Gateway has never missed a submission deadline during this process, he said. The federal government is paying for half with the states of New York and New Jersey funding the balance. For the next two years, work will continue on both sides of the river. A giant machine will dig the new structure under the river. It is set to open in 2035. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. In December 2021, the principal at Eagle Point Elementary School in Broward County, Florida, received an anonymous bomb threat. Using a silent panic alarm app on her phone, she alerted police and within seconds her image appeared on multiple screens in the Broward County Sheriffs Office. The sheriffs office was able to immediately give her instructions to evacuate the school, and call the fire department and the bomb squad. We were able to coordinate the whole thing within seconds, Capt. Michael Riggio with the Broward County Sheriffs Office told CNN. Thankfully, the threat was unfounded. It was called in by an elementary school student as a joke, the sheriffs office said. The school district, which serves more than 251,000 students, adopted a silent panic alarm system in the wake of the February 14, 2018, mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that claimed 17 lives. Florida has since raised the minimum age to buy firearms from 18 to 21 under a law that also allows for some teachers to be armed. Despite the impassioned pleas for more thorough gun reform that followed the Parkland shooting, the number of school shootings in the US has climbed steadily each year since 2018, with the exception of 2020, when many schools were closed due to Covid-19, according to CNNs analysis of events reported by the Gun Violence Archive, Education Week and Everytown for Gun Safety. Florida adopted Alyssas Law in 2020, named in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, who was 14 when she was killed in the Parkland shooting. The law requires public schools to install a silent panic alarm system in schools that is directly linked to law enforcement. In the absence of gun reform, proponents of Alyssas Law say a silent panic alarm system can reduce response time in the face of gun violence or a medical emergency. Since then, only a handful of states have followed suit. Five states New Jersey, New York, Texas, Tennessee and Utah have also approved legislation requiring or encouraging silent panic alarm systems in schools. Some schools have adopted apps that allow staff to report an emergency with a few clicks on their phones. Others have opted to provide staff with literal panic buttons, often attached to an ID badge that is always on their person. The panic buttons or apps can often send precise location information to law enforcement and initiate a school-wide alert or shelter in place notice. Advocating for Alyssas Law In 2018, Alyssas family founded Make Our Schools Safe, a nonprofit that advocates for the adoption of Alyssas Law across the United States. On February 14, I texted my daughter Alyssa. I told her to run and hide that help was on the way, and then unfortunately, that help didnt get there fast enough, Alyssas mother, Lori Alhadeff, told CNN. Time equals life and if we can get help on the scene as quickly as possible, we know that we will save lives. Alyssas Law legislation has been introduced in Nebraska, Arizona, Virginia, Oregon, Georgia, Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, according to Make Our Schools Safe. There have also been several attempts to introduce legislation at the federal level. They think its a great idea, Alhadeff said, but they want to know how its going to be funded, so it is a budget concern. However, what I would say is this: We need to make school safety a top priority in every school district. Alhadeff says her familys story and those of others who have lost loved ones to gun violence in schools often makes the difference when advocating for legislation. She recently traveled to Utah and spoke with Rep. Ryan Wilcox and other state legislators before they made the decision to add the panic button requirement to a state school safety bill, backed by $100 million in funding. Funding is generally built into the laws at a state level. Florida allocated $6.4 million in recurring funds to help schools implement panic button systems. Brent Cobb, CEO of Centegix, a company specializing in safety technology, told CNN the cost of outfitting a school with his companys panic button systems is about $8,000 a year. Panic button systems can be helpful, but theyre just one of multiple safety measures, like perimeter security, that schools need to keep students safe, Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, a nonprofit group of school-based security professionals, told CNN. Canady says his early days working as a school resource officer in the US coincided with the 1999 Columbine High School massacre that killed 13 people in Colorado. We didnt have this kind of technology at that time, so it was a bit of a guessing game, he said. Now, if you hear shots fired, you know where theyre exactly coming from, is the shooter moving somewhere else this kind of technology can help us narrow down where we need to look. Canady says there needs to be a structure in place so schools and law enforcement agencies know how to respond to reported emergencies. The last thing we want to do is hand out a piece of technology without any policy or procedure in mind just push it if you have a problem, he said. Alhadeff says the ultimate goal is to see Alyssas Law implemented nationwide. Think about our banks. Every bank has a panic button. Every federal office has a panic button. Why wouldnt we want to make panic buttons in every one of our schools across this country? Alhadeff said. The Broward County school district implemented silent panic alarm systems in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. - Saul Martinez/Getty Images Linking schools to first responders While panic button systems are often installed to protect staff and students from potential gun violence, the systems have more often been used in cases of medical emergencies, according to Centegix. The company released a report in January showing of about 15,000 alerts sent within Texas schools, 98% were for everyday incidents related to health and behavioral emergencies. The report cites incidents of cardiac arrest and seizures on campus, where a panic button was used to quickly get help. Cobb says Centegix has been able to cater its services to help meet the needs of individual communities, figuring out how best to quickly link school personnel with law enforcement. The Broward County school district opted for the SaferWatch app, according to Broward County Public Schools Chief Safety and Security Officer Jaime Alberti. The company told CNN its used by 2,000 schools and 200 law enforcement agencies nationwide. In Broward County, the app connects the sheriffs office to cameras in the schools. It also allows school staff to report emergencies to law enforcement and has an anonymous tip reporting function that is open to students and other community members in the district. Alberti says the district has an operation center that runs 24/7 to sift through and follow up on tips, for instance, of people threatening to commit an act of violence on campus. Many of those tips end up being false alarms, Alberti says, but the districts partnership with the Broward County Sheriffs Office allows them to investigate and follow up with the appropriate resources. Capt. Mike Riggio told CNN the tip reporting function has been critical for getting ahead of threats before theyre acted on. The departments threat assessment unit has hired behavioral health licensed therapists to assess people who may want to commit acts of mass violence and connect them to mental health providers in the community. I think there are still not a lot of places in the country that have quite the relationship we do, Riggio said. In our real time crime center, we have sworn detectives and crime analysts who work together. And now that we have cameras when things happen, were on those cameras right away. We have eyes into the school. Youre at a school on the other side of the county, you hit that panic alarm, within 5 seconds, its going off in our crime center, he added. That peace of mind is paramount in a community still healing from the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Alberti said. Its still very present. Its still very painful, he said. So were double checking. Were triple checking. When I go to sleep at night, theres people up working to make sure that student threats are being handled. For schools operating without the extra bells and whistles of cameras or high-tech threat reporting or even those without panic button technology Alberti said the foundation of this safety partnership can be replicated just about anywhere. Some things are free. Lock your doors. Stay aware of your surroundings. Those things are everybodys responsibility. We own the whole house. We dont just own a part of the house, he said. CNNs Alex Leeds Matthews contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com FAA looking for air controllers in Albuquerque and across the U.S. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Across the nation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is looking to hire thousands of air traffic controllers. In New Mexico, control towers are looking for staff as well, the FAA says. The safety of the U.S. Aviation system is due in large part to our skilled and dedicated air traffic controllers, so hiring and training new controllers is a major priority, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a press release. We are encouraging anyone interested in a new challenge and rewarding safety career to explore this opportunity. Online college classes have increased in New Mexico, report shows Each airport control tower has staffing level standards they try to meet. For example, for enroute flights to Albuquerque, FAA targets having 219 control staff, their latest workforce plan says. To become a flight controller, you first have to complete training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Then, you will be assigned to a tower or radar facility somewhere in the U.S., so you have to be willing to travel. More info on becoming an air traffic controller, you can go to this link. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. The Federal Aviation Administration is instituting new rest rules for U.S. air traffic controllers to address fatigue issues that may be degrading air safety. Controllers will now be required to take 10 hours off between shifts and 12 hours off before a midnight shift. The mandate will take effect in 90 days, FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said in a statement Friday. "In my first few months at the helm of the FAA, I toured air traffic control facilities around the country and heard concerns about schedules that do not always allow controllers to get enough rest," he said. "With the safety of our controllers and national airspace always top of mind for FAA, I took this very seriously and were taking action." In a statement following the release of the new mandate, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said that while it appreciated the FAA's attempt to address the fatigue issue, it was alarmed that the agency did not coordinate the new rules with them. It also warned said the new rules could backfire given current staffing shortage issues. "NATCA is concerned that with an already understaffed controller workforce, immediate application of the Administrators new rules may lead to coverage holes in air traffic facilities schedules," it said. "These holes may affect National Airspace System capacity. Requiring controllers to work mandatory overtime to fill those holes would increase fatigue and make the new policy nothing more than window dressing." The new mandate comes amid heightened scrutiny of U.S. air safety. On Thursday, the FAA announced it was investigating a near-miss incident at Washington's Reagan International Airport. A string of near-miss incidents last year led acting Administrator Billy Nolen to convene an emergency summit on U.S. air safety systems. Whitaker, who took over as FAA chief in October, commissioned a study on fatigue within weeks of taking office. The subsequent 114-page report found, among other things, that sleep loss, especially in the context of night work and rotating shifts, "engender known safety and performance decrements that can lead to errors, incidents, and accidents." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Otokar, Turkeys global land systems manufacturer, aims to make its imprint in South America by participating in FIDAE 2024, the leading South American Airshow, from April 9 to 14, in Santiago, Chile. During the exhibition, Otokar will display scaled model of ARMA 8x8, the wheeled armoured vehicle with proven track records in diverse geographical conditions and climates around the world. Currently more than 500 ARMA vehicles serve in the inventories of nine users in five countries. Visitors of Otokar stand will have chance to have detailed information about Otokars own design and production of armoured military vehicles family along with its turret systems and also, they will be informed its distinctive capabilities in land systems such as expertise in technology transfer and local manufacturing. A global player in defence industry Otokar designs and manufactures a wide range of defense industry products including 4x4, 6x6, 8x8 tactical wheeled armoured vehicles, tracked armoured vehicles, unmanned tracked armoured vehicles as well as turret systems, using its own technology, design and applications. Otokar products are recognised for their survivability, superior mobility and modularity. As a listed NATO and United Nations supplier, more than 33,000 Otokar military vehicles are serving in more than 40 countries on five continents. Otokars combat proven wheeled vehicles serve in challenging terrain and extreme weather conditions, and demonstrated their performance in various operations. Otokar reflects the experience it gained in different climates and geographies around the world to its vehicle development and testing activities. Otokar stands out with its ability to respond quickly to ever-changing requirements and needs of end users thanks to its design, test, and manufacturing capabilities. Otokar analyses different needs and expectations of its users, simulate these requirements in house and develop solutions that meet the requirements in the fastest manner thanks to its excellence in R&D, engineering and testing. In the last year, the R&D spending corresponded to 4% of the Otokars revenue. Otokar in Fidae Being the regions one of the leading exhibitions, FIDAE is particularly important for Otokar to meet its current users and develop partnerships with potential users to increase its presence in the South America. It is also an important event for establishing industrial cooperation opportunities in order to create local added value operations in the entire region where Otokar has a well-established and proven track record. ARMA 8x8 Wheeled Armoured Vehicle ARMA 8x8 is a combat-proven modular platform with amphibious capabilities for various missions. ARMA meets survivability, protection level, and mobility requirements of modern armies. In addition to its high mission payload capacity and spacious interiors, ARMA 8x8 also draws attention with its low silhouette. The armoured monocoque body with high ballistic and mine protection allows the integration of variety of mission equipment and weapon systems in different specifications up to 120 mm. ARMA is a platform suitable for Infantry Fighting, Command and Control, Air Defence, Engineering, Ambulance, Recovery, Support, and similar missions.--TradeArabia News Service HARBIN, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Dongning City in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Friday released 400,000 salmon fry into the Suifen River, in a bid to sustain stocks of the rare fish. The river, originating in Jilin Province, serves as a major spawning ground for salmon. The fish migrate to the Pacific Ocean through the river and return three to four years later to spawn after they reach sexual maturity. By late April, the river temperature becomes optimal for the survival of salmon fry, many of which have been nurtured for approximately six months prior to release, said Shan Jun, a fishery official in Dongning. Fishery authorities in Dongning have released approximately 15 million salmon fry over the past 36 years in an unremitting endeavor to increase fish stocks in the river. The local authorities have also implemented a series of measures, such as reducing fishing, initiating a fishing moratorium, and setting up aquatic germplasm resource reserves to improve and restore the ecological condition of the river. Too Late Now Earlier this month, Facebook's algorithm flagged 21 posts from the Auschwitz Museum as going against its community standards and now its parent company Meta is eating crow. In a Facebook post, the Poland-based memorial said that after Meta's content moderation algorithm moved some of its posts down in the feed over strange claims of violating community standards, the company has apologized, though not directly, for the error. "We mistakenly sent notices to the Auschwitz Museum that several pieces of content the museum posted had been demoted," a Meta spokesperson told The Telegraph. "In fact, that content does not violate our policies and was never actually demoted. We offer our sincere apologies for the error." In an April 12 post, the museum announced the erroneous flags and charged the social network with "algorithmic erasure of history." "The posts, which serve as tributes to individual victims of Auschwitz, have been unjustly targeted by this platform's content moderation system and 'moved lower in the Feed', citing absurd reasons such as 'Adult Nudity and Sexual Activity,' 'Bullying and Harassment,' 'Hate Speech,' and 'Violence Incitement,'" the post reads. Indeed, as screenshots show, none of the posts in question had any such content, instead showing portraits of Auschwitz victims and short descriptions of their lives and identities prior to their murders at the hands of Nazis. Image via Aushswitz Museum/Facebook Common Problem While the flags have since been rescinded, many are sounding the alarm about how this kind of AI-powered system cuts humans out of the curation of important messages. .Shortly after the museum revealed the flags, Polish digital affairs minister Krzysztof Gawkowski trashed the site for such an egregious mistake, calling it a "scandal and an illustration of problems with automatic content moderation" in a translation of his post on X-formerly-Twitter. Gawkowski's demand for Meta to further explain itself was echoed by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, which said in a statement to The Telegraph that the company's apology didn't go far enough. "Meta needs to explain why its algorithm treats genuine Holocaust history with suspicion," the representative told the British newspaper, "and what it can do to ensure that these stories continue to get told and shared." It's bad enough that Meta's content algorithm flagged such important historic information as problematic but within the context of its other major AI moderation issues, which includes auto-translating "Palestinian" to "terrorist" and allegedly promoting pedophilic content, this is a particular affront. More on Meta AI: Meta's AI Is Telling Users It Has a Child Emma Webber (centre), whose son Barnaby, 19 was killed in the Nottinghamshire knife attacks, said families of the victims remain 'resolute that we will not be silenced or stopped in our pursuit of appropriate justice' The families of three people stabbed to death in Nottingham say they are glad a date has been set to review the sentence handed to killer, Valdo Calocane. Calocane, 32, stabbed students Barnaby Webber, 19, Grace OMalley-Kumar, 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, with a dagger in Nottingham in the early hours of June 13 last year, and attempted to kill three others. In January, he was given an indefinite hospital order for manslaughter by diminished responsibility, after Nottingham Crown Court heard he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Mr Webbers family called the hospital order a huge insult. Victoria Prentis, the Attorney General, said in February she would refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal for reconsideration, after concluding it was unduly lenient. Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby, said the families were advised on Friday that a date for the hearing has been set for May 8 at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Three Court of Appeal judges will hear arguments from the senior treasury counsel representing the Attorney General and Calocanes barrister. We remain resolute Mrs Webber said the Coates, Webber and OMalley-Kumar families were now putting their trust in the office of the Attorney General to present an open, challenging and much more thorough representation than witnessed before. She said: We trust that it will be proven, as we strongly believe, that whilst Calocane is clearly mentally unwell he was present and culpable enough at the time leading up to, during and after the attack to prove there was intent on his part. This is an important step for our united families, however we still have a great deal ahead of us with the numerous investigations into the failures of both Nottinghamshire Police Force and Nottinghamshire Health Trust. We remain resolute that we will not be silenced or stopped in our pursuit of appropriate justice and proper accountability. Mrs Webber also criticised the grandiose theatrics of Calocanes barrister, Peter Joyce KC, in mitigation during the defendants sentencing hearing. Mr Joyce said schizophrenia had stalked down a man of previously impeccable character and behaviour. He described Calocane as a man who prior to being smitten by mental illness was wholly law-abiding, was hard-working, put himself through university and was doing his very, very best to become a meaningful member of society. Mrs Webber said on Friday: We are confident that the grandiose theatrics of the offenders barrister, Peter Joyce, which we so painfully witnessed at the hearing in Nottingham in January, will carry no sway with such an esteemed panel. 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. Bryan Kohberger, a former criminal justice Ph.D student, is accused of murdering four University of Idaho students in Nov. 2022 August Frank-Pool/Getty Bryan Kohberger The family of one of the University of Idaho students found stabbed to death in November 2022 is not impressed with accused killer Bryan Kohbergers new alibi. Kohberger, 29, is accused of murdering four college students at their home in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13, 2022. This week, the former criminal justice Ph.D student, filed an official alibi in court claiming that he was out driving around and looking at the stars the night of the murders. Prosecutors allege Kohberger snuck into students' house that night and stabbed Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, to death with a knife. Kohberger was a graduate student and a teaching assistant at Washington State University at the time of the killings. After a police search that lasted several weeks amid high-profile media coverage, Kohberger was arrested in December, 2022, at his familys home in Pennsylvania and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary. Investigators say they've tied Kohberger to the crime scene through DNA and cell phone pings. Police also seized a white Hyundai Elantra the same vehicle authorities were searching for throughout the seven-week manhunt from Kohberger's familys home where he was arrested. Related: Idaho Murder Suspect: What We Know About Bryan Kohberger Zach Wilkinson-Pool/Getty Bryan Kohberger Authorities have not detailed an alleged motive in the attack, and Latah County Magistrate Judge Megan Marshall issued a gag order to restrict details about the case from becoming public. But this week, Kohbergers defense team filed his official alibi claiming the accused killer "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," according to documents obtained by local KREM 2 and other outlets. "He drove throughout the area south of Pullman, Washington, west of Moscow, Idaho including Wawawai Park, Kohbergers lawyers claim. Related: Idaho Murders Suspect Bryan Kohberger's Alibi Claim Declared in New Court Filing Zach Wilkinson-Pool/Getty Bryan Kohberger But Kohbergers explanation for why he was in the area that night isn't convincing, according to Goncalves family. The family released a statement shortly after the alibi was made public. We have been waiting on this information for months and it has finally arrived, the statement read, according to KREM 2. It is so hard not knowing anything about the case and you find you have to cling to dates, motions and hearings in order to figure out anything. A big part of this has been waiting on the Alibi information. Now that it is here we feel even more confident in the prosecution of the Defendant. Related: Bryan Kohberger's Cheek Swab Allegedly Matched DNA Found at University of Idaho Murder Scene: Prosecutors The family continued: 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 also in direct conflict with the Probable Cause affidavit that states that the Defendants phone was turned off between 2:47am and 4:48am. 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. Related: How Strong Is Idaho Murders Suspect Bryan Kohberger's Alibi? Legal Expert Weighs In (Exclusive) The family then thanked the public for its support over the last year and a half. Meanwhile, Idaho prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in Kohbergers case. Neama Rahmani, a legal expert who has worked as a former federal prosecutor, recently told PEOPLE that Kohberger's claim is "a weak alibi defense." "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 added. "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?" For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. NEWAYGO, Mich. (WOOD) The shooting death of a 5-year-old boy by his 6-year-old cousin with their grandfathers shotgun has pitted one side of a family against the other. Braxton Dykstra was shot April 1 at the home of his grandparents on his moms side in Newaygo Countys Garfield Township. His dads side is now demanding justice, wondering why, nearly three weeks after the shooting, criminal charges havent been filed. My sons gone. Something needs to be done, Braxtons father Domynic Dykstra told Target 8 Friday. I dont care if theyre the grandparents. Yes, theyre grieving, but it was their negligence. Gun never loaded, owner said after 5-year-old shot Braxton was shot and killed by his young cousin, who had picked up his maternal grandfathers 12-gauge shotgun. This has definitely torn a wedge between both families, definitely, Shawn Dykstra, Braxtons grandmother on his dads side, said. I understand that everybody involved is going through pain and grief, but somebody needs to be held accountable for taking our baby, and he cant come back, she said. The owner of the gun, identified by relatives as the grandfather on the moms side, has told police he used the pump-action, 12-gauge Remington shotgun for protection and to shoot critters. Braxton Dykstras family can be seen in the reflection of the back window of his truck, where Braxton is memorialized. (April 19, 2024) He said it was unloaded and the safety was on when he left it in a corner of his bedroom, where the kids were watching a movie, according to a report obtained by Target 8. He told police he had no idea how it got loaded. Troopers said they found no gun lock or safe for storing firearms in the house. Anybody who uses a gun for self-defense, that guns loaded, Shawn Dykstra said. If it wasnt loaded, what was the purpose of having the safety on that he said he had on? A 6-year-old does not know how to turn a safety off on a gun, and Im sorry, I do not believe that a 6-year-old child loaded that gun. Lost a big part of me: Dad picks up ashes after son, 5, shot A young witness told police the cousin picked up the gun, said, Im going to shoot you, then accidentally pulled the trigger. Braxton was struck by birdshot. 5-year-old Braxton Dykstra. (Courtesy family) Michigan State Police turned over its investigation to the Newaygo County Prosecutors Office on April 9, eight days after the shooting. A new state law 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. We want to know whats taking so long, Braxtons father said. Im getting angry that nothings getting done. And you put a law out there, thats the law, action needs to be taken. The office manager at the Newaygo County Prosecutors Office said the case was still under review to determine if charges should be filed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. FAMU Hosts Jazz Concert As It Unveils New Julian And Nat Adderley Music Institute | Jon Feingersh Photography Inc Florida A&M University hosted a musical event in honor of two important figures in jazz history on Thursday evening. The university held a concert in honor of the Adderley brothers as it unveiled its new Julian Cannonball and Nat Adderley Music Institute. The celebration kicked off at 7:30 p.m. at FAMUs Lee Hall Auditorium. It featured performances by the universitys Jazz Ensemble, which included Nat Adderley Jr. The concert followed a ribbon-cutting ceremony during which the new institute was unveiled. The evening was entirely open to the public. Lets make this a joyous celebration and fill Lee Hall Auditorium to capacity for an outstanding evening of music, FAMU President Larry Robinson said, according to The Tallahassee Democrat. The name of the music institute was approved in December and marks the first time FAMU has named an academic program after specific individuals. This is a very fitting thing to do, and its long overdue for us to honor Cannonball and Nat Adderley, FAMU Band Arranger Lindsey Sarjeant told the news outlet. The Adderley brothers had family ties to FAMU. Their parents taught at the university in the 1940s before the brothers enrolled as students. Cannonball studied band education, while Nat studied sociology with a minor in music. Both were members of the Marching 100 band and played the alto saxophone and the cornet respectively. The Adderley brothers went on to carve their own space in soul jazz history, with hits such as Mercy, Mercy, Mercy which was featured on jazz and soul charts in 1967. Other hit songs include This Here, Work Song and Walk Tall. Two men accused of taking part in a home invasion robbery of a Newport Coast mansion that ended in gunfire this week were armed with a firearm, zip ties and a rope, according to Orange County Superior Court records. Authorities allege that Andrew Miguel Rosas, 24, was one of the men who entered the gated community on Vista Luci early that morning intending to commit a robbery. Rosas, of Pomona, along with another man who has not been identified, were wearing dark clothing and masks when they were dropped off at the home, according to court papers. Rosas, who was arrested Tuesday, is facing charges of first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, carrying a loaded firearm in public and conspiring to commit a crime, all felonies. He has not yet entered a plea. Newport Beach police were summoned to the $5-million luxury estate on Vista Luci at 4:45 a.m. Tuesday by a 911 call reporting a home invasion in progress. The caller told authorities that one of the residents shot a suspect while he was inside the home. The injured man and another suspect fled, police said. Read more: A home invasion in Newport Beach ends with an apparent suicide When officers arrived, they found Rosas, who had gunshot wounds, lying in the street, police said. A handgun was nearby. A second suspect was later found in bushes near the home with what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Orange County Sheriffs Department has not released the persons name because it hasnt been able to notify next of kin, officials said Friday. Rosas, who remains hospitalized, appeared in court on video this week, court records show. Rosas recently served time in Los Angeles County jail after pleading no contest to a felony count of taking a vehicle without consent in October 2022. He was sentenced to two years in jail, according to court records. Police have said there is a connection between the targets of the home invasion and the suspects but have declined to elaborate on the relationship. Prosecutors wrote in court papers that Rosas was working in concert with two conspirators. Property records indicate that the home had been rented for $31,000 a month in January. It is not clear how the group gained access to the neighborhood, which has a guard at the entrance. 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. Read the full story on The Auto Wire Felon In Jeep Takes Georgia Police On High-Flying Pursuit Footage of a chase involving a wanted felon in a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee fleeing from Georgia State Patrol and local police in East Point has finally been released. We say finally because the high-flying pursuit thats almost too wild to believe unless you see it went down way back on January 2, 2023. This guy really showcased the performance capabilities of the Jeep in the worst way possible. Did a trooper pull over the wrong Dodge Charger? You be the judge here. The chase starts off normal with multiple units chasing down the Grand Cherokee. Then to nobodys surprise the suspect leaves the pavement behind and tries losing his pursuers behind. That doesnt entirely work as two police cruisers try pinning him in, but the guy uses the Jeeps power to wiggle out and the chase snakes through the city streets once more. At one point, you see the Jeep Grand Cherokee literally flying through the air, landing hard in the parking lot of a Piggly Wiggly as one police cruiser hits it and a second joins in the dogpile. Police push the SUV sideways for some distance, showing theyre serious about getting this deadly threat off public roads. But the felon behind the wheel has no intention of giving up despite his getaway vehicle being battered and falling apart. As he drives away, the cruiser we get the dashcam footage from does a hard PIT, spinning the Jeep around and into the road where more police await. The next time we see the suspects vehicle, its tangled up in wires as its rolling over a fallen utility pole. Finally, the chase is done but a standoff ensues as officers draw guns and order the wanted felon out of the Jeep. He finally does and to watch one of the officers who looks like an ex-NFL lineman pick him up as if he were a ragdoll finishes one of the craziest police chases weve seen in some time. Were sure the mess this felon made wasnt fun for city employees to clean up. https://youtu.be/CV_Z3yQWN3U Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook. When Battalion Chief Ashley Brackett began her firefighting career 10 years ago, none of the men at Travis County Emergency Services District No. 12 had ever worked with a woman. After she joined the agency as a firefighter, she said, they didn't know if she could do the job and were worried about how to act with a woman on the team. But as she put in the time and effort, she said they realized she was "more than capable of keeping them safe on a fireground." "Within our own department, the cultural shift was getting some of those senior guys, with firm beliefs in tradition, to understand that just because you are a woman doesnt mean that you dont have what it takes to be in this field," Brackett said. "Breaking gender roles has been the name of the game all along. There are men in the world that would never be able to handle the demands of this career." In Central Texas, there are still just a handful of female firefighters, many of whom never work a shift with another woman. Despite the low numbers, they say the women who came before them knocked down many barriers, and they are proud to serve as role models and to work to improve female representation in their departments. Ashley Brackett, battalion chief for Travis County Emergency Services District No. 12, talks to her team during forcible entry training March 18 in Manor. Brackett put in the time and effort to prove to the male firefighters that she is "more than capable of keeping them safe on a fireground." According to a report by the National Fire Protection Association, 17,200, or about 5%, of all firefighters in 2020 were women. The Austin and Pflugerville fire departments have a higher percentage of women, with 7.5% and 10.3%, respectively. Travis County ESD No. 12, which serves 95 square miles of northeastern Travis County, has six women, while the Round Rock Fire Department has four, or 2.9% of its firefighters. At the Georgetown Fire Department, which, like many, also provides ambulance service, there are two female firefighter/paramedics. At Lake Travis Fire Rescue, the department has three women out of 100 firefighters. Being the only woman in her training class to become a firefighter is what motivates paramedic Victoria Piedra to do better as she works to prove herself. One of 10 female members of the Georgetown Fire Department, Piedra, 24, said her male counterparts make up for that by creating a welcoming environment and by not judging her based on her gender but rather her work. But she said she is very aware that she might not work with another woman while on a shift. More: How Amanda Zurawski has fought for women's reproductive health care in Texas "I was a little discouraged because I know that I was going to be the only female a lot of the times," Piedra said. "But I feel like I just adapted, and I made sure that I made my presence known." Paramedic Victoria Piedra moves a bag of medical gear in an ambulance at Georgetown Fire Station No. 5. Piedra said that whenever she is on call, she makes it a point to talk to any girl who might be staring at her. She wants to show them a woman in uniform so they can see themselves in that role. Austin fire specialist Sara Coon, 39, said that as a woman you have to accept that you are going to be one of a few female firefighters. When there is more than one woman in a station, she said, it is great to have someone who understands and relates to the issues you might be going through as a woman. "Some of the smaller departments around here only have one female," she said. "I can't imagine (being) the lone wolf that no one understands or gets." Austin Fire Department spokesperson and firefighter Rachael Lewis, 33, who has worked with the department for four years, said there has been a culture shift, and that women going into a male-dominated profession is now more socially acceptable. According to the Austin Fire Department, 92 of its 1,228 firefighters are women. Lewis said many departments now have uniforms made for women and bathrooms specifically for them. She said there is a slow but steady increase in the number of women, and that as more join, there will be less judgment. "The women before us really paved the way for women firefighters being accepted into this culture," Lewis said. "Now we are given a space to be seen as equal. We're given a lot more space to be taken seriously." Georgetown firefighter and paramedic Priscilla Coffman, 31, has been working for the department for seven years and was the third woman the department had ever hired. Coffman said that when she started, the men were a bit wary and did not know how she would react to them or to the demands of the job. But she said the male firefighters now do a good job of not treating her and the other women differently and of helping make everyone feel like family. "After I showed that I can do work and I'm not afraid of doing work and putting in the hours, I think then they accepted me as a sister," she said. "It's just overwhelmingly better." Physical demands won't slow them down Carrying ladders, hoses, 70 pounds of gear and someone else's body weight can be physically demanding, but the female firefighters said those challenges can easily be overcome by learning new techniques that help those with smaller frames. "Anybody can do this job as long as you're willing to push yourself," Coffman said. "To me, it doesn't matter if you're male or female, (as long as) you can do the job." Priscilla Coffman, a firefighter and paramedic, suits up for drills at Georgetown Fire Station No. 5. "Anybody can do this job as long as you're willing to push yourself," she said. When it comes to lifting heavy stuff, men can rely more on their upper body strength. The women said they have to learn to use quick motions or hold a ladder or person in a different position. More: Texas Children's opens its Pavilion for Women Coon said she learned to overcome the physical challenges because at the Austin academy, women who had graduated would come in to help. She said what she learned she now teaches at the academy to help the next generation. "Having the women before us that would come up and pull us aside that makes a world of a difference," Coon said. "I teach a lot at the academy, and so being able to pass that on is really helpful (for them)." Amy Hansen, 29, has been a firefighter with Travis County ESD No. 2, also known as the Pflugerville Fire Department, for four years. She said that when it came to the physical challenges, she struggled with finding ways to get the job done without having anyone to teach her. Once she figured out how to carry a ladder or a co-worker in a way that worked for her, she said, the rest was easy. Zulema Dominguez, a firefighter for Travis County ESD No. 12, conducts a downed firefighter extraction training in Manor. Dominguez said the best part of the job is being a role model for girls, including her daughter. A matter of earning respect Juliana Barajas, 26 a wildland firefighter with Lake Travis Fire Rescue since 2021, said gaining the respect and trust of the public as a woman can be challenging. She said when looking for answers, the public will usually approach her male counterparts. When she explains that she is the crew's supervisor, she said, they still have doubts. For Round Rock Fire Department driver Misty Walden, 29, the biggest challenge about being a female firefighter is earning respect from those in the station who might have an archaic view of women. Walden is one of four women in the department, the most it has had since 2014. More: How an Austin church provides extra help for women experiencing homelessness | Grumet Misty Walden, a driver and acting lieutenant, reads a report at Round Rock Fire Station No. 2. It took time for her to earn male firefighters' respect for her tactical decisions. Walden is serving an acting lieutenant while the lieutenant at the station is out on maternity leave. She said that when she started, it was hard making tactical decisions while driving to a scene that the men under her supervision would accept and respect. Now, she said, it's easier as she knows they respect her because she has put in the work. "If you really work hard, anybody can do it," Walden said. "You just have to be willing to put yourself out there and get uncomfortable so that you can get better." Advantages of being a female firefighter Women can have advantages over male firefighters, from being able to access a small entry point to often having a better bedside manner. Whenever they have to answer a call involving a pregnancy or a child in Georgetown, Piedra and Coffman both said they know they can make that person more comfortable than their male counterparts. "A dude's mentality, I have come to learn, is solve the problem, do it, leave," Walden said. "(Women) are like, 'Do you need anything else?' Or 'let me help you,' in a nurturing kind of way." Acting Lt. Misty Walden talks to the team at Round Rock Fire Station No. 2. "You just have to be willing to put yourself out there and get uncomfortable so that you can get better," she said of earning respect from her male colleagues. Zulema Dominguez, of Travis County ESD No. 12, said she can connect with female patients in ways her counterparts cannot. "I take pride in being able to go on a scene and make that female comfortable," she said, "and having that communication with her, because we relate as women." Coffman said she believes having a female firefighter in the station also might help the men open up about any mental issues they may be having. "We all have our different strengths and weaknesses," said Coon, of the Austin Fire Department. "As a crew together, the diversity of it is super helpful to (better) serve citizens." Women rare in leadership roles According to the National Fire Prevention Association, only several hundred women nationwide hold the rank of lieutenant or captain, and about 150 are district chiefs, battalion chiefs, division chiefs or assistant chiefs. Coon said it makes sense that there are not many women in leadership positions as female firefighters are still rare. But she said as she works toward a promotion, it can be hard to find a female mentor. The Austin Fire Department has 18 women at the rank of lieutenant, one battalion chief, a division chief and a captain. In comparison, the department has 212 male lieutenants, 35 battalion chiefs, six division chiefs and 72 captains. "As I'm promoting up through the ranks, I have to figure it out on my own, what works, what doesn't," she said. "Men in this department, a lot of them are our biggest cheerleaders, but I can't do it like them, and so I can't get tips and tricks. But it's just kind of figuring it out on my own." Hansen, who was the first woman in the Pflugerville Fire Department to be promoted to driver after passing a test and an interview, said she is working to become a lieutenant and thinks she would be good at it. With children at home, 34-year-old firefighter Cordelia Brazziell of the Pflugerville Fire Department said she is not thinking about being promoted anytime soon but said it is great to have examples like Hansen. "It makes me so happy to just have that representation," Brazziell said. "It makes me feel like I can do it, too." As the first female supervisor of a wildfire crew at Lake Travis Fire Rescue, Barajas said she hopes her presence can help bring change. More: How two women helped Austin become the birthplace of roller derby | Truly Texan "I very much want to keep encouraging and empowering other women to go for leadership roles," she said. Brackett, 35, is one of few female battalion chiefs nationwide. She said she hopes to use her position to serve as a mentor to help members of Travis County ESD No. 12 achieve their goals. Ashley Brackett, talking to engineer Preston Muston during forcible entry training in Manor, is a rarity as a female battalion chief. "Being a battalion chief is a huge honor and milestone in this career that some people will never have the privilege of attaining," she said. "Being a battalion chief is a huge honor and milestone in this career that some people will never have the privilege of attaining," Brackett said. As acting lieutenant, Walden is closer than most to getting to a position with power to make change. "I want to be there," Walden said. "I do want to make changes. I do want other females to be, 'Well, she did it; I can do it. Representation for young girls Walden said girls visiting her station in downtown Round Rock are always more impressed to see a woman in uniform than even a firetruck. "It does my heart good," she said, "to know that there are little girls that are like, 'I want to do that. I'm so happy you do that. For Dominguez, the best part of the job at ESD No. 12 is being a role model for girls, including her daughter. She said it is an honor to wear a firefighter's uniform and to see the faces of realization on young girls when they see her in one. "Being that role model to her and then bringing it out to my community, it's a perk for me," she said. "I'm a role model to other girls, females, women, and allowing them to know we can do this." Piedra said that whenever she is on call, she makes it a point to talk to any girl who might be staring at her. She said she wants to show them a woman in uniform so they know that could be them too. Lewis said it is important to plant the seed in girls' minds that they can do anything they want. She said that as part of the Austin Fire Department's recruiting team, she will go out to schools and just be a female presence in uniform. "I love expressing that to them to show that representation early to break those barriers," she said. "I love that we can tell them, show them, 'You can do this, too. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Female firefighters in Central Texas still rare but thriving A 22-year-old Ferndale man who used multiple Snapchat accounts in an attempt to set up meetings to sexually abuse a young girl in 2023 was arrested last week after a federal investigation revealed he requested and received child pornography from a 13-year-old girl in August 2021. Eduardo Orduna-Botello was charged March 21 in the Western District of Washington in U.S. District Court with one count of receipt of child pornography. A federal arrest warrant was issued the same day. Orduna-Botello was arrested April 10 and booked into the Whatcom County Jail shortly after 1:45 p.m. He was transferred to federal custody the following day around 8 a.m., federal court and jail records show. Orduna-Botello was released on his personal recognizance following his first appearance in federal court on April 11. A federal appearance bond was issued the same day. The bond includes special pre-trial release conditions Orduna-Botello must comply with, including limited travel within the Western District of Washington, surrender of all passports, prohibitions on weapons, accessing digital devices and the internet, maintaining employment, no contact with the victim or witnesses, and no contact with anyone under age 18. Orduna-Botello will also be required to have his location monitored by GPS, participate in a pre-trial support group or undergo a mental health evaluation, and comply with any recommended treatment. If Orduna-Botello fails to follow the conditions, a warrant will be put out for his arrest, according to court records. His next appearance is scheduled for April 25 in federal court. Investigation started In April 2023, a Snapchat user with numerous followers received a chat message from an account, later identified as belonging to Orduna-Botello. During the conversation, Orduna-Botello, who was using a fake name on his account, asked the user if they had kids, and later requested a photograph of the users daughter. The user then blocked Orduna-Botellos account, according to court records. Minutes later, Orduna-Botello began using a second Snapchat account, also under a fake name, to message the user. Orduna-Botello included a link to the first accounts profile and asked why the user had blocked him. Using his second account, Orduna-Botello then told the user that he would give them $10,000 for two hours with the users 12-year-old daughter, and would buy something from the user, according to federal court documents. The user then blocked Orduna-Botellos second account and called the Whatcom County Sheriffs Office to report the incident. A sheriffs detective asked if the user would be willing to unblock Orduna-Botellos first account, and encouraged the user to keep the conversation going. The user cooperated, and the user and Orduna-Botello began chatting again on Orduna-Botellos first Snapchat account, the court records state. The sheriffs office then worked with the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Investigations team. An undercover HSI agent assumed the users identity, with the users permission, and began chatting with Orduna-Botello. The undercover agent and Orduna-Botello exchanged messages, from roughly April 19, 2023 to June 21, 2023, in which they negotiated the details of Orduna-Botello sexually abusing the users children, including setting a price, time and place to meet. The undercover agent arranged multiple meetings at various locations across Whatcom County with Orduna-Botello, but he didnt show up to the meetings. During the undercover agents conversations with Orduna-Botello, the user informed the undercover agent that a third Snapchat account, suspected to be Orduna-Botellos, contacted them. Using the third account, which was not using a fake name, Orduna-Botello told the user he was 21, that he lived in Ferndale, asked the user what they were selling, and sent two pictures of himself. The user then blocked the third account, court documents state. Later the same day, a fourth Snapchat account, which didnt use a fake name and was suspected to be operated by Orduna-Botello, added the user on Snapchat by search. A Homeland Security summons sent to Snapchat later confirmed that all four Snapchat accounts were being operated by the same IP address. The third Snapchat account also included a verified email address with Orduna-Botellos name, and his phone number, according to court records. A Homeland Security summons sent to Comcast revealed the IP address associated with the Snapchat accounts matched Orduna-Botellos home address in Ferndale. The information provided by Comcast also showed that all four Snapchat accounts had been accessed several times from that residence. HSI was also able to confirm Orduna-Botello was likely the person operating all four Snapchat accounts based on other various information he had shared during his conversation with both the user and the undercover agent, including his age, and references to his birthday and employment, court records state. On June 22, 2023, HSI agents executed search warrants for Orduna-Botello, his home and his vehicle. Orduna-Botellos cell phone was found in his car and seized. In an interview with HSI agents in front of his home, Orduna-Botello discussed the four Snapchat accounts he had been using. When asked if he was using any additional accounts, he allegedly told the agents he wasnt using any others and that the four accounts likely wouldnt be found on his phone, as he had stopped that, according to court records. Snapchat accounts searched HSI agents obtained federal search warrants for the four Snapchat accounts on May 19, 2023. A search of the accounts revealed Orduna-Botello was chatting with numerous Snapchat users who identified themselves as minors, including a 13-year-old girl, court documents state. Using his third Snapchat account, Orduna-Botello chatted with a 13-year-old Whatcom County girl for roughly two weeks in late August 2021, and requested the girl send him self-produced child pornography, according to federal court records. During the time Orduna-Botello was messaging the girl, he asked her where she was from, attempted to convince her to meet up with him to engage in sexual intercourse and told her he would pay her for her services, the court documents state. When the girl told Orduna-Botello that she was young, he responded that he would wear a condom and get her Plan B, the records state. Orduna-Botello told the girl he was 20 years old, and she responded by telling him she was under 14 years old. He then told her Keep it low key dont tell no one, court documents state. Orduna-Botello later convinced the girl to send him non-pornographic pictures of herself, before requesting pornographic pictures, which the girl sent. He responded by sending her his phone number. (That number later matched the number of the cellphone taken from Orduna-Botellos vehicle in 2023). Orduna-Botello also requested pornographic videos from the girl, which she sent, according to court records. The HSI investigation revealed the girls mother filed a report with the nonprofit National Center for Missing and Exploited Children detailing Orduna-Botellos conversations with her daughter. During an interview with a federal crime analyst in March of this year, the girl confirmed the person in the pictures and videos she sent to Orduna-Botello was her, and that she was 13 years old at the time, court documents state. Resources Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org Brigid Collins Family Support Center professionals are on-call between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, to answer questions about children, families, abuse prevention or treatment at (360) 734-4616. Child Protective Services: Washington state hotline for reporting child abuse and neglect, 866-829-2153. Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org. Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015. Tlils Taaaltha Victims of Crime: 360-325-3310 or nooksacktribe.org/departments/youth-family-services/tlils-taaaltha-victims-of-crime-program/ Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips. WWU Consultation and Sexual Assault Support Survivor Advocacy Services: 360-650-3700 or wp.wwu.edu/sexualviolence/. If you or a child is in immediate danger, call 911 and make a report to law enforcement. To report child abuse or neglect call 1-866-END HARM. Gabonese Minister of Foreign Affairs Regis Onanga Ndiaye delivers a speech during a seminar marking the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations between Gabon and China in Libreville, Gabon, April 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Zheng Yangzi) LIBREVILLE, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Since establishing diplomatic relations, Gabon and China have achieved win-win cooperation across various fields, with results beneficial to both peoples, Gabonese Minister of Foreign Affairs Regis Onanga Ndiaye said Friday. Onanga made the remarks at a seminar marking the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. More than 150 representatives attended the seminar, including Zhu Xiaole, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Gabon, Gabonese Minister of Media and Communication Laurence Ndong, and Minister of Water and Forests Maurice Ntossui Allogo. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the Gabon-China relations have been rich and dynamic, said Onanga, highlighting the decision of the two heads of state to elevate the relationship to that of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership last year. "The Gabonese government welcomes this level of cooperation with China, which in recent years has become one of the major players in the economic development of African countries," said Onanga, calling on both countries to reaffirm the South-South partnership for shared prosperity. Delivering his speech at the event, Zhu noted the two economies are highly complementary, and China has been Gabon's largest trading partner for 11 consecutive years since 2013. Many Chinese companies have invested in various sectors in Gabon, creating jobs and boosting local economic and social development, Zhu added. The Gabonese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Gabon jointly organized the seminar themed "Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between China and Gabon: Opportunities and Prospects." COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) The last suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of 39-year-old William Brown back on Jan. 8 and Columbus Police released additional details pointing to the suspect being involved in two other crimes. Jovan Green, the sixth suspect connected to the deadly shooting was arrested by the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office on Friday. Thats within 24 hours since the last three suspects connected to the shooting were arrested. Javon Green was taken into custody on Pembrook Drive in Columbus and turned over to Columbus Police. The police department says that during the investigation into Browns murder, CPDs violent crime unit looked into other cases and found that Green was involved in two other crimes. Sergeant D. Baker who police say was assigned to a case involving an elderly woman being robbed on March 7, determined that Green participated in the incident and obtained warrants for robbery and financial transaction card fraud. Sergeant R. Vardman with CPD took on a case where a juvenile female was physically assaulted while working at the McDonalds located on Buena Vista Road. Green was eventually identified as the suspect and warrants for Cruelty to Children and Battery were obtained. Following Greens arrest, CPD says he has a preliminary hearing set for April 24 at 9 a.m. Previous Reports: UPDATE: CPD makes second arrest in deadly Fort Benning Rd. shooting WANTED: Columbus police search for third murder suspect in Fort Benning Road shooting Armed and dangerous murder suspects wanted by Columbus police in Fort Benning Road shooting For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. An inferno erupted at the historic Oregon hotel featured in Stanley Kubricks famous horror flick The Shining, officials confirmed early Friday. The three-alarm fire broke out late Thursday night in the attic of the Timberline Lodge, called the Overlook Hotel in the 1980 classic starring Jack Nicholson. Firefighters across multiple agencies including those from Hoodland, Clackamas, Gresham and Estacada were called to the hotel and ski resort around 9:30 p.m., after employees spotted the flames, according to a post on X from the Clackamas Fire Department. They battled the blaze for hours before confirming it was under control by 11:12 p.m. A spokesperson for the Lodge told The Oregonian that the fire was completely extinguished before midnight, adding that crews continued to douse the building with water afterward to keep it saturated amid high winds. No injuries have been reported in connection with the flames. All guests and staff at the hotel, located about 60 miles east of Portland, were safely evacuated and have since been accounted for. The fire was kept to the roof and part of the attic, and didnt spread any further. Crews are clearing the scene, the Clackamas Fire Department said online. The U.S. Forest Service will be conducting the investigation with the help of federal resources. While a cause for the fire has yet to be determined, John Burton, marketing director for the lodge, speculated it could have been the result of embers from the chimney blowing in the wind. Preservationists were also called to the scene and could be seen taking artwork and furniture drenched in the fire-fighting effort out of the building, which was constructed in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration. It was designated as a national historic landmark in 1977, and it is one of Oregons most popular tourist attractions. Timberline Lodge became a pop culture fixture after the late Kubrick used it for exterior shots in his 1980 film,The Shining, which was based on Stephen Kings book of the same name. LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) State Police released new details about the fire that broke out at Freys Pallets in Lancaster County on Tuesday afternoon. A State Police Fire Marshal determined the fire started from a burn barrel on the property that employees were using to burn scraps of wood, according to a State Police spokesperson. It was ruled accidental. The wind, combined with the thousands of dry wood pallets, contributed to the rapid growth and intensity of the fire, State Police say. Photo of fire at Freys Pallets LLC, via Quarryville Fire Company Facebook Photo of fire at Freys Pallets LLC, via Quarryville Fire Company Facebook Photo of fire at Freys Pallets LLC, via Quarryville Fire Company Facebook Photo of fire at Freys Pallets LLC, via Quarryville Fire Company Facebook Fire at 900 block of Heights Road, photo via Robert Fulton Fire Company Facebook Fire at 900 block of Heights Road, photo via Robert Fulton Fire Company Facebook Fire at 900 block of Heights Road, photo via Robert Fulton Fire Company Facebook Fire at 900 block of Heights Road, photo via Robert Fulton Fire Company Facebook About three acres, including two pole barns, were burned by the fire, and State Police stated the fire marshal determined the estimated loss to be about $600,000. A fire truck was also reportedly damaged by the fire. Several firefighters reportedly had minor burns from the high intensity of the heat. Man convicted of Lancaster County robbery found dead in state prison Smoke could be seen for miles most of the afternoon as over 50 different crews responded to the three-alarm fire that broke out around 3:12 p.m. At first, it was reported there was a trash fire but as crews responded a large column of smoke could be seen and there was a report that a large area of pallets was burning. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Severe Weather Alerts Traffic was gridlocked for hours, as crews had the area closed off throughout most of the afternoon and well into the later evening. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Can I be fired for smoking weed in off-hours? Grow cannabis at home? California laws to know Saturday marks a special holiday for fans of cannabis culture. April 20, known as 4/20, is celebrated by marijuana enthusiasts across the globe. Although cannabis use is legal in California, there are a number of laws in the Golden State governing how it can be cultivated and consumed. Heres a roundup of our latest cannabis-related coverage: A man takes a picture of one the cannabis plants on display at the first Cannabis Awards and Exhibit at the California State Fair during media day on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. Can I grow cannabis at home? Passed by California voters in 2016, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act allows adults 21 and older to legally grow, possess and use cannabis for recreational use. You can grow up to six plants at your California residence for personal use only. Plus, those cultivating cannabis at home cant use volatile solvents butane or propane to process it, according to the California Department of Cannabis Control. Breaking the rules about residential cannabis cultivation can result in a fine or imprisonment. READ MORE: Can I get fired for smoking weed in my off-hours? California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2188 into law in 2022, banning employers from firing, penalizing or creating employment conditions for workers based on cannabis use off the job or away from the workplace. The law went into effect on Jan. 1. However, it only applies to some jobs. READ MORE: Aaron Grove, right, owner of Elk Grove CBD, helps customer Ray Tamayo on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Elk Grove prohibits marijuana dispensaries from operating in the city limits. Marijuana sales are prohibited in Elk Grove. Would the city ever reconsider? Whats the difference between edible cannabis and smoking weed? Smoking marijuana and consuming cannabis-laced edibles can both lift your mood, but there are some key differences between the two. Smoked or vaped marijuana enters the lungs and is absorbed into the bloodstream, according to cannabis education site Leafly, while edibles are processed in the stomach and liver. That means edibles feel stronger and the effects will last a lot longer. Smoking weed and ingesting cannabis also have varying effects on your health. READ MORE: Chandler Hale, a manager at All about Wellness in Sacramento holds some of the cannabis-infused edible gummies and fruit chews Tuesday, March 22, 2022. Cooking with cannabis? How edibles have changed Since California legalized the recreational sale and use of cannabis, marijuana-infused food has become more creative and accessible. Sacramento dispensaries sell everything from cannabis-injused hot sauce and buffalo jerky to weed lollipops, dulce de leche truffle bars and dark chocolate mocha malt balls. Meanwhile, major beer brands such as Pabst, Lagunitas and Anheuser Busch-InBev offer flavored seltzers that are alcohol-free but include THC. You can even cook with gourmet food with cannabis, experts say. READ MORE: What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com. DEKALB COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) Illinois now has federally recognized Indian Nation within its state borders. The U.S. government illegally auctioned 1,280 acres of northern Illinois land belonging to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation 175 years ago while the chief was in Kansas. Now, the U.S. Department of Interior has announced the government returned portions of the Shab-eh-nay Reservation land into a trust for the nation, officials announced Friday. Prairie Band has sought to continue our history as an original part of DeKalb County and right historical wrongs, said Prairie Band Chairman Joseph Rupnick, who also is the great grandson of Chief Shab-eh-nay. We have been asking for this recognition and for what is rightfully ours for nearly 200 years, and we are grateful to the U.S. Department of Interior for this significant step in the pursuit of justice for our people and ancestors. Now that the the federal government placed the land into a trust, it can be labelled as Indian country which means the Nation can exercise sovereignty. Illinois bill would ban schools from using Native American mascots, logos Local leaders say the recognition helps the Tribe cherish the rich history and culture of the original inhabitants of DeKalb County. 175 years ago, our federal government unlawfully sold the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nations land in Illinois, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) said. In Congress, Ive been working in partnership with the Nation to correct this historic injustice. The decision to put portions of the Shab-eh-nay Reservation into Trust is an important step to returning the land that is rightfully theirs, and I am so honored to represent the first federally-recognized reservation in Illinois. All current homeowners on the land will continue to retain the titles to their land and can live in their homes undisturbed, Prairie Band officials said. The Potawatomi nation is currently evaluating potential uses of the land, but have no immediate changes. Prairie Band officials hope the U.S. government takes further steps to rectify past injustices. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Flagler County Sheriff's Office stated deputies found a 40-caliber Glock pistol which had been reported stolen in Hollywood, Florida, during a traffic stop on Thursday on Interstate 95. Two men were among four arrested in a pair of traffic stops after Flagler County Sheriffs deputies found a gun, marijuana, masks and window punches, spare license plates and gloves in an SUV, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. Flagler County Sheriffs Office Master Deputy Kyle Gaddie noticed the SUV had illegal tinted windows when it was parked at the Circle K on State Road 100 about 3:15 a.m. Thursday, according to the Sheriffs Office. He also noticed that the men in the SUV were interacting with two men in a Chevrolet Malibu. Gaddie stopped the SUV on northbound Interstate 95. Paul Copeland, 39, of Port St. Lucie, was driving the SUV. Copeland had served prison time for a second-degree murder conviction in 2003. His passenger was Alphonso Williams, 38, of Opa-Locka. Copeland told Gaddie that they were enroute to Georgia. But Gaddie smelled a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle, the Sheriffs Office stated. Copeland said he had a small amount of marijuana, the Sheriff's Office stated. Deputies searched the SUV and found various commercial-grade packages of marijuana, and a bag containing 3.5 grams per bar of psilocybin mushrooms, the Sheriff's Office stated. Deputies also found a marijuana grinder and digital scale. Flagler County Sheriff's deputies searched an SUV during a traffic stop on Thursday, April 18, 2024 and found various commercial-grade packages of marijuana and a bag containing 3.5 grams per bar of psilocybin mushrooms, the Sheriff's Office stated. Deputies also found two concealed license plates from New York and Illinois. Neither tag had been reported stolen . In the center console, deputies located a Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun which had been reported stolen in Hollywood in Broward County. Deputies also found two sets of gloves, a pair of binoculars, three full-coverage facemasks, two sets of goggles, various power tools, and two spring-activated window punches. Black electrical tape had been placed to conceal the rented SUVs vehicle identification plate and rental vehicle barcode. Copeland was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft firearm, possession of marijuana 20 grams or less, possession of drug paraphernalia/equipment, and possession of a hallucinogen. He was transported to Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, which is the county jail the sheriff calls the "Green Roof Inn." Besides the murder conviction, Copelands criminal history includes attempted murder, firing a weapon shoot/missile into a vehicle and other charges, the Sheriff's Office stated. His passenver, Williams was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana less than 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia. Williamss criminal history includes armed burglary, domestic battery by strangulation and battery on a law enforcement officer and drug-related charges. Williams was arrested and transported to the jail where he was later released on $1,000 bond. Second vehicle stopped Deputies stopped the Chevrolet Malibu after the driver failed to come to a complete stop as it was leaving the Circle-K, the release stated. Virgil Woodson, Jr. 28 of Opa-locka, was the driver and his passenger was Miquel Reddick, 32, of Miami. During a search of the vehicle, deputies found two open "commercial-grade marijuana bags." Deputies also located indicators of criminal activity including one of the gloves matching a pair found in the SUV, binoculars, and a matching spring-loaded window punch. Woodson admitted to knowing the two men in the Durango, but he denied they were traveling together. Both Woodson and Reddick were arrested on charges of possession of marijuana under 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were transported to the jail and later released on $1,000 bond each. Both have extensive criminal histories. Woodson had prior arrests on charges which included home invasion with a firearm, other deadly weapon and armed robbery. Reddicks prior criminal history includes a charge of homicide/manslaughter with a firearm, first-degree arson and firearm possession on school property. Four violent offenders clearly up to no good made the fatal mistake of stopping in Flagler County, said Sheriff Rick Staly. . . .three were released on bond but at least the convicted killer is being held at the Green Roof Inn. I commend Master Deputy Gaddie for his observation and pro-active patrols. There is no telling how many crimes were prevented by catching these south Florida criminals before they could prey on our community. They found out we dont play games here in Flagler County. The Sheriff's Office stated it is continuing the investigation. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Flagler Sheriff: 2 arrested after deputies find gun, masks, gloves FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) A Florence man is accused of forcing his way into a juveniles home in December and raping her, according to arrest warrants obtained by News13. Dewayne McClain, 52, is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, burglary, grand larceny of $5,000 or more and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. It happened at about 2 a.m. on Dec. 9, according to the warrant. McClain allegedly forced the girl into a bedroom where he handcuffed her and raped her. McClain is also accused of taking an envelope that had $9,600 in cash before leaving, the warrant shows. Florence police told News13 they received information on Thursday on where McClain may be. He was arrested and booked into the Florence County Detention Center just before 3 p.m. Thursday. McClain is also a registered sex offender in South Carolina, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. He was convicted on April 20, 2009, for first-degree criminal sexual conduct and 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. FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) The Florence Police Department will host a Unity with the Community event Saturday that will be held in the 300 block of West Evans Street in front of the Florence City Center. The event seeks to bridge the gap between law enforcement officers and the community. It will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be held in one central location. Previously the event was held at three separate parks throughout Florence including: Levy Park, Iola Jones Park, and Northwest Park. Over 50 vendors and sponsors will be present at the event along with locally based organizations and community outreach program the police department offers. This will also be a great time for citizens to connect with law enforcement and build relationships in a setting outside of the normal police interactions, the department said in a news release. We like to use this event to express the police departments servanthood and customer service traits, which isnt always easy during our typical calls for service. Food and drinks will be provided and PDRTA will be providing transportation from the three parks mentioned to the event and back on a rotating schedule. * * * Taylor Ford is a digital journalist for News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2023. Taylor is a Florence native and covers the Pee Dee out of News13s Florence Bureau. Read more of Taylors work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. Lawyers for state education officials on Thursday filed a notice that they will appeal a court ruling that blocked enforcement of a 2023 law requiring a transgender teacher to use pronouns that align with her sex assigned at birth. WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS The 2023 law restricts educators use of personal pronouns and titles in schools. Katie Wood, a transgender Hillsborough County teacher, and AV Schwandes, a nonbinary teacher fired last year by Florida Virtual School, sought preliminary injunctions as part of a lawsuit challenging the restrictions. Read: Sheriff: Person of interest in deadly carjacking, kidnapping in custody; search underway for 2 more The challenge alleged the law violates the teachers First Amendment rights and runs afoul of a federal civil-rights law. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker on April 9 issued a preliminary injunction blocking state education officials from enforcing the law against Wood, but the injunction does not apply statewide. Attorneys for the Florida Department of Education and other defendants had asked Walker to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the Legislature has discretion to promote the states pedagogical goals and vindicate parental rights. Read: Man who set self on fire outside Trump trial is from St. Augustine, authorities confirm Thursdays notice by the defendants attorneys did not provide details of the appeal filed at the Atlanta-based U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, as is typical in such instances. Walkers decision, which also denied a preliminary injunction request by Schwandes, said that the law violated the First Amendment. This time, the state of Florida declares that it has the absolute authority to redefine your identity if you choose to teach in a public school. So, the question before this court is whether the First Amendment permits the state to dictate, without limitation, how public-school teachers refer to themselves when communicating to students. The answer is a thunderous no, the judge wrote. Read: This court cannot pretend: Judge sets precedent, upholds dead womans guilty conviction Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. HARBIN, April 20 (Xinhua) -- An agricultural service station in Youyi County in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, displaying an array of agricultural drone models, has emerged as a popular hangout spot for local farmers. Serving as a service center for Chinese drone maker DJI, the agricultural station features the latest addition to its lineup -- the T60 model -- known for its heavy load capacity and one-click take-off feature. "Many interested buyers came to see the T60 drone priced at about 55,000 yuan (about 7,604 U.S. dollars) since its market launch in October last year," said Lu Jian'an, head of the store. The store offers maintenance and software upgrades for purchased drone products, Lu added, as he flew a T60 drone to help a buyer test its performance capabilities. It also buys back outdated models from farmers. "We added fertilizer into the drone's sprinkler to test its spraying functionality, which completed the task in less than 30 seconds," Lu explained to the buyer. According to Lu, the store has sold more than 80 units of the new model. Zhu Jiayu, a local farmer, said that he visited the store for software upgrading of his T50 drone to prepare for rice planting work in early May. "Thanks to this drone, I don't need to hire helpers for spraying fertilizers and pesticides in fields," he said, adding that he can also earn extra income by offering his services to assist other farmers with spraying tasks using the drone. Heilongjiang's grain output amounted to 77.88 billion kg in 2023, sustaining first rank in China for 14 consecutive years. Agricultural experts believe that the per-unit yields of grain crops in the province still have room for improvement. Meanwhile, low-altitude aircraft manufacturers are eyeing the market to help boost grain production efficiency. Harbin United Aircraft Technology Co., Ltd., based in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang, in early April kicked off construction of its industrial base for producing large unmanned helicopters. "Our parent company, Shenzhen United Aircraft Technology Co., Ltd., selected the site for the base in January," said Sun Liye, general manager of the company, expressing his gratitude to the local government for its support. The company's TD550 model unmanned helicopter, with a flight range of eight hours and a load capacity of more than 200 kg, can be used to assist fire fighting, forest and grass inspection, agriculture and forestry plant protection, transportation and delivery. Upon its completion in 2027, the 2.5 billion yuan project will establish research, modification and manufacturing facilities dedicated to unmanned helicopters, with an annual output value expected to reach 1 billion yuan, according to Sun. Han Jun, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, said in February that the low-altitude economy is an emerging industry in China with wide applications in the industrial, agricultural and service sectors. As China's important grain barn and forest base, Heilongjiang not only serves as a significant market for the low-altitude economy but has also set its sights on fostering the development of low-altitude aircraft industries. NEW YORK A Florida man set himself on fire in a park across from Manhattan Criminal Court Friday where former President Donald Trumps hush money trial continues, according to a report. Court officers and cops monitoring the press outside raced over to help put out the fire, which erupted in a penned-off section of Collect Pond Park across the street from the courthouse at about 1:30 p.m. I was about 20 to 30 feet from him. I started yelling, This guys doing something, he might be doing something! Fred Gates, who witnessed the fire, told the Daily News. When he when the fire (broke out) it was just disbelief, he said. I never saw anything like this. Authorities at a press conference identified the man as Max Azzarello, of St. Augustine, Florida. He remains in critical condition at New York Presbyterian-Cornell Hospital. Azzarello, described by authorities as a conspiracy theorist, posted a rambling manifesto just before the blaze began. I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan, he wrote. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup. The man, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, had signs made of oaktag in front of him and was handing out fliers when he suddenly threw all the paper in the air, witnesses said. (It was a) very scary, active scene, Politico reporter Emily Ngo wrote as she posted graphic video of the fire on X. Did not hear him say anything before he dosed himself with a fluid. The flames reached about 8 feet high as firefighters and other first responders extinguished the blaze, images from the incident show. After the fire was extinguished, EMS rushed him to a hospital for treatment. He was responsive when he was removed, but he is very, very badly burned, Ngo said. A 73-year-old man walking through the park heard a clattering of the papers when they hit the ground then saw something he wished he hadnt. The papers were kind of stiff. That drew my attention, the man, who identified himself as Dave, said. I saw him take out a can of liquid and put it over his head. He doused himself real good at which point I thought This is going to be awful.' Dave said, recalling the horrific scene. He then took out a lighter and lit himself on fire. It took first responders a while to put out the blaze, Dave said. He was fully aflame, he said. It was pretty bad. I dont want to talk about it. Word of the self-immolation occurred as prosecutors and Trumps attorneys finished selecting the final alternate jurors for the hush money trial, which is expected to start on Monday. No one in the courtroom knew what had happened outside until they took a short break, court officials said. Gates said the man was quite calm as he took two gas cans out of his backpack. (He) put them down on the ground, just slow, calm, Gates recalled. Then he took a bunch of fliers out of his backpack, throw them into the air and then he picked up one (can) and dumped it on himself and then he picked up another and dunked the other half of himself and by that time I was running. The man set himself on fire as reporters milled around the park, waiting for an update from inside court. Azzarello remained in critical condition Friday afternoon. A court officer was also rushed to the hospital after he was injured trying to put out the fire. An investigation into the incident was continuing Friday. The manifesto released online, which is linked to a QR code on one of the fliers, touched on Ponzi schemes, bank failures, the rise of cryptocurrency, the television show The Simpsons and Harvard University, which he called one of the largest organized crime fronts in history. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you, Azzarello wrote about his alleged self-immolation. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict. Despite this horrific turn of events, the trial was proceeding Friday, Al Baker, a spokesman for New York State Courts said. The entire court is impacted by this. The court officers rushed to help aid the man. Everyone who works in this building every day, their heart goes out to this incident. The judge himself has expressed concern for him, but in terms of the timing, and the process that is unchanged, the court proceeding will continue. _______ NEW YORK A Florida man set himself on fire in a city park across from Manhattan Criminal Court where former President Donald Trumps hush money trial was being held Friday to draw attention to an array of conspiracy theories including his belief that Ivy League colleges were fronts for the mob, authorities said. There was no indication, however, that the man, Max Azzarello, had any specific grievances related to the trial or Trump. Court officers and police monitoring reporters and photographers outside the courthouse raced over to put out the pillar of fire that enveloped Azzarello, 37, in a penned-off section of Collect Pond Park across the street at about 1:30 p.m. I was about 20 to 30 feet from him. I started yelling, This guys doing something, he might be doing something! Fred Gates, who witnessed the fire, told the Daily News. When he when the fire (broke out) it was just disbelief, he said. I never saw anything like this. Authorities at a news conference identified the man as a resident of St. Augustine, Florida. He remained in critical condition Friday. Azzarello, described by authorities as a conspiracy theorist, posted a rambling manifesto just before the blaze began. I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan, he wrote. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup. A QR code on fliers he carried directed people to where his manifesto was posted online, officials said. Azzarello recently arrived in Manhattan from Florida, police said. Dressed in a grey T-shirt and dark pants, Azzarello calmly walked to the center of the block-long park before he suddenly threw all his pamphlets into the air, NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said. He then takes a canister and pours some kind of liquid on himself and lights himself on fire, Maddrey said. The male takes a couple of steps while hes on fire and eventually falls into a police barrier and falls down to the ground. Azzarello caught fire, as did a small patch of concrete where some of the accelerant, described as an alcohol-based liquid used for cleaning, had spilled, Maddrey said. The flames reached about 8 feet high as first responders tried to put out the blaze, images from the incident show. They used coats, they used fire extinguishers, Maddrey said. Eventually, the FDNY responds and was able to extinguish the fire. EMS rushed Azzarello to New York Presbyterian-Cornell Hospital, where he was in critical condition Friday afternoon. Three police officers and a court officer were also taken to area hospitals suffering from smoke inhalation, fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said. A 73-year-old man who had been walking through the park heard a clattering of the papers when they hit the ground then saw something he wished he hadnt. The papers were kind of stiff. That drew my attention, the man, who identified himself as Dave, said. I saw him take out a can of liquid and put it over his head. He doused himself real good at which point I thought This is going to be awful.' Dave said, recalling the horrific scene. He then took out a lighter and lit himself on fire. It took first responders a while to put out the blaze, Dave said. He was fully aflame, he said. It was pretty bad. I dont want to talk about it. Word of the self-immolation occurred as prosecutors and Trumps attorneys finished selecting the final alternate jurors for the hush money trial involving porn actress Stormy Daniels, which is expected to continue on Monday. Gates said Azzarello was calm as he took two gas cans out of his backpack. (He) put them down on the ground, just slow, calm, Gates recalled. Then he took a bunch of fliers out of his backpack, threw them into the air and then he picked up one (can) and dumped it on himself and then he picked up another and dunked the other half of himself and by that time I was running. An investigation into the incident was continuing Friday. A LinkedIn page in Azzarellos name indicates he went to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between 2005 and 2009. He also earned a master's of city and regional planning from Rutgers University. His rambling screed touched on Ponzi schemes, bank failures, the rise of cryptocurrency, the television show The Simpsons and Harvard University, which he called one of the largest organized crime fronts in history. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you, Azzarello wrote about his alleged self-immolation. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Azzarellos fliers were propaganda based. (It was) almost like a conspiracy theory type of pamphlet, Kenny said. It had information in regards to Ponzi schemes and that some of our local education institutes are fronts for the mob. Theres a bit of a conspiracy theory going on here. Azzarello has no criminal record in New York and he wasnt on anyones radar, police said. We do not believe he was targeting any person or group, Kenny said. Hes a conspiracy theorist. Surveillance cameras recorded Azzarello walking into the park. Detectives were investigating how he made his way to the park and were also looking for his car, Kenny said. Detectives have reached out to Azzarellos family, who said they didnt know he was in the Big Apple, Kenny said. The NYPD was expected to review security procedures both inside and outside the courthouse following Fridays fire. The park was open to the public Friday afternoon so Azzarello did not breach the security protocols the NYPD made with court officers and the Secret Service, Maddrey explained. We will reassess our security with our federal partners, he said. Despite the horrific turn of events, court proceeded Friday, Al Baker, a spokesman for New York State Courts, said. The entire court is impacted by this. The court officers rushed to help aid the man, Baker said. Everyone who works in this building every day, their heart goes out to this incident. The judge himself has expressed concern for him, but in terms of the timing, and the process that is unchanged, the court proceeding will continue. _______ Governor Ron DeSantis is picking a fight with the devil or at least The Satanic Temple. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Legislation signed into law Thursday would permit school districts to allow volunteer chaplains on campus, but DeSantis said Satanists are not welcome to participate. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The Governors comments could set the stage for a legal battle. The devil will likely be in the details as far as how districts choose to implement chaplain programs. Under the new law, volunteer chaplains would be permitted to offer students guidance and spiritual advice with parental consent. RELATED: Satanic Temple eyes participation in proposed Florida school chaplain program Theres some students where, you know, they need some soul craft and that can make all the difference in the world, said DeSantis. The legislation doesnt prohibit any particular religions from participating in the program, but DeSantis made it clear one religion isnt welcome: The Satanic Temple. The is not a religion. That is not qualifying to be able to participate in this. So, were going to be using common sense, said DeSantis. The Temple responded in a social media post. Despite DeSantis contempt for religious liberty, the Constitution guarantees our equal treatment under the law, & DeSantis is not at liberty to amend the Constitution by fiat, at whim, said Lucien Greaves, co-founder of The Satanic Temple. Devon Graham with American Atheists noted the Satanic Temple is recognized as a religious organization by the IRS. Which is really all that matters in the US. They are indeed a church and so they can offer up whomever they want as long as they can pass a background check, said Graham in an interview with Action News Jax in February. RELATED: The Satanic Temple files lawsuit after school board blocks programs creation But The Satanic Temple isnt the only group that may consider dragging the law into litigation hell. The ACLU also opposed the measure as it made its way through the legislature. In an article posted to the ACLUs website, the organization argues the school chaplain law violates the separation of church and state, and could lead to students receiving inadequate or even harmful counseling. But DeSantis argued its the ACLU that is attacking religious liberty, by advocating for the exclusion of religion from the schools. They think you should not have the same access to come to campus that any other student organization or other types of group would have. That its an inferior status. The First Amendment was enacted to prevent that, said DeSantis. The bill takes effect July 1st. It will be up to individual districts to decide whether to implement chaplain programs. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Following the UAWs wins against the Detroit Three, Tenn. Volkswagen workers vote to join the union People celebrate at a United Auto Workers vote watch party on April 19, 2024 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With over 51% of workers voting yes the UAW won the right to form a union at the plant. | Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images After the United Auto Workers (UAW) won big contracts last year resulting from its stand-up strike against the Detroit Three Ford, General Motors and Stellantis President Shawn Fain vowed that the union would take that momentum into organizing foreign auto companies in the U.S. On Friday night, the UAW scored its first victory with Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., voting to join the UAW, the the National Labor Relations Board confirmed. That marks the first time that southern autoworkers outside of the Detroit Three have won an organizing drive. According to the union, the vote was 73% in favor and 27% against. This election is big, said Kelcey Smith, a worker in the paint department at Volkswagen. People in high places told us good things cant happen here in Chattanooga. They told us this isnt the time to stand up, this isnt the place. But we did stand up and we won. This is the time; this is the place. Southern workers are ready to stand up and win a better life. President Joe Biden, who walked a Michigan picket line in September in support of the UAW strike against the Detroit Three, sent out his congratulation Friday night for the historic vote. I was proud to stand alongside auto workers in their successful fight for record contracts, and I am proud to stand with auto workers now as they successfully organize at Volkswagen, Biden said. Across the country, union members have logged major wins and large raises, including auto workers, actors, port workers, Teamsters, writers, warehouse and health care workers, and more. Together, these union wins have helped raise wages and demonstrate once again that the middle-class built America and that unions are still building and expanding the middle class for all workers. President Joe Biden, alongside UAW President Shawn Fain, speaks on the UAW picket line at Willow Run Redistribution Center in Belleville, Mich., Sept. 26, 2023 | White House photo However, six Republican governors Bill Lee of Tennessee, Kay Ivey of Alabama, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Henry McMaster of South Carolina and Greg Abbott of Texas wrote a letter opposing the union drive. The reality is companies have choices when it comes to where to invest and bring jobs and opportunity. We have worked tirelessly on behalf of our constituents to bring good-paying jobs to our states. Unionization would certainly put our states jobs in jeopardy, the letter said. Biden, who is seeking reelection this year and likely faces former President Donald Trump, blasted the GOP governors for attempting to influence workers votes by falsely claiming that a successful vote would jeopardize jobs in their states. Let me be clear to the Republican governors that tried to undermine this vote: there is nothing to fear from American workers using their voice and their legal right to form a union if they so choose. In fact, the growing strength of unions over the last year has gone hand-in-hand with record small business and jobs growth alongside the longest stretch of low unemployment in more than 50 years. I will continue to stand with American workers and stand against Republicans effort to weaken workers voice, Biden continued. The UAW said that 5,000 workers at Mercedes-Benz in Vance, Ala., will vote to join the UAW on May 13 to 17. Following the Detroit Three strike, over 10,000 non-union autoworkers have signed union cards in recent months, with public campaigns launched at Mercedes, Volkswagen, Hyundai in Montgomery, Ala., and Toyota in Troy, Mo. Workers at over two dozen other facilities are also actively organizing, the union said. We saw the big contract that UAW workers won at the Big Three and that got everybody talking, said Zachary Costello, a trainer in VWs proficiency room. You see the pay, the benefits, the rights UAW members have on the job, and you see how that would change your life. Thats why we voted overwhelmingly for the union. Once people see the difference a union makes, theres no way to stop them. The UAW had unsuccessfully tried in 2014 and 2019 to unionize the Chattanooga plant. This gives workers everywhere else the indication that its OK, Fain said. All weve heard for years is we cant win here; you cant do this in the South, and you can. The post Following the UAWs wins against the Detroit Three, Tenn. Volkswagen workers vote to join the union appeared first on Michigan Advance. Following US Palestine veto at UN, Abbas to rethink bilateral ties Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends a meeting at his official residence In Ramallah. Christoph Soeder/dpa The Palestinian leadership in the West Bank wants to reconsider its bilateral relations with the United States following Washington's veto in the United Nations Security Council of full UN membership for Palestine. "The United States has violated all international laws and disregarded all promises regarding the two-state solution and achieving peace in the region," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the official Palestinian news agency WAFA on Saturday. The US must recognize that the region will not stabilize without a just solution to the Palestinian question issue, Abbas continued. "We will reconsider bilateral relations with the United States to ensure the protection of our people's interests," he said. He also criticized the Washington's support for Israel, for example by supplying the country with weapons during the Gaza war. Abbas, who is not very popular among Palestinians, described the US veto in the UN Security Council as disappointing and irresponsible. The Palestinian leadership would develop a new strategy to advance the Palestinian cause, he pledged. A resolution in favour of full membership for a Palestinian state at the United Nations failed in the UN Security Council on Thursday due to a veto by the US. The US government's position is that an agreement with Israel on a two-state solution is a prerequisite for recognizing full UN membership. An application for full UN membership for a state of Palestine had already failed in the Security Council in 2011. Of the 193 UN member states, 139 have so far recognized Palestine as an independent state. Germany is not one of them. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., is seen in the U.S. Capitol after the House passed the foreign aid package on April 20, 2024. - Credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images After months of delays, the House of Representatives passed a foreign aid package that would send funding to Ukraine and Israel and encompassed a ban on TikTok in a Saturday vote, despite the vocal opposition from some far-right members of Congress to the former. All 210 Democrats present for the vote sided in favor of the Ukraine aid bill to help the beleaguered nation currently at war with Russia, while 112 Republicans voted against it. The vote comes after intense pressure on Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), who faces threats of being removed from his post by a contingent of MAGA Republicans. More from Rolling Stone This is the third betrayal by Mike Johnson, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) said to CNN on the steps outside Congress shortly after the vote, calling it a foreign war package that does nothing to help America. Marjorie Taylor Greene is very angry with Mike Johnson: And then, Speaker Johnson did this bullshit in here on the House Floor pic.twitter.com/7pKQnn0Pi3 Acyn (@Acyn) April 20, 2024 The widespread support by Democrats to provide aid to Ukraine has fanned the flames against Johnson by Republicans, who have a slim majority in the chamber. During the chamber vote, several Democrat lawmakers waved Ukrainian flags, angering some Republicans. All Democrats waiving Ukrainian flags on your House floor when the bill passed sending another 60B of your treasure to fund the war machine, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana) wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 100% deficit money. Borrowed on the backs of your children. Wake up America. All Democrats waiving Ukrainian flags on your House floor when the bill passed sending another 60B of your treasure to fund the war machine. 100% deficit money. Borrowed on the backs of your children. Wake up America. pic.twitter.com/p0ZhDsLY36 Rep. Clay Higgins (@RepClayHiggins) April 20, 2024 Saturdays aid package would disburse nearly $61 billion to Ukraine, $26.4 billion to Israel, and $8.1 billion to the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan. Part of the aid package included a ban on TikTok in the United States unless the social media app is divested from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. By tying the TikTok ban to a foreign aid bill, the House can force movement by the Senate to vote on the issue, which has stalled since the House first passed a ban last March. The Israel aid bill, which also includes humanitarian aid to civilians in conflict zones that include the Gaza Strip, also passed the house vote Saturday with 58 votes against it: 21 Republicans and 37 Democrats. Several Jewish members of Congress, including Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) and Becca Balint (D-Vermont) were among those to vote against the aid to Israel. Many of the Republicans who voted against Israel aid, such as Greene, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Arizona) opposed the aid package unilaterally. The United States taxpayers should not be funding lethal, unconditional military aid to a government that has created a catastrophic humanitarian disaster in Gaza, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-California), one of the dissenting votes, said in a statement. Best of Rolling Stone A viral video with more than 17,000 likes on Instagram claims that eight foreign nations maintain military bases on U.S. territory. We all know that the United States has military bases all over the world, right? But which countries have their bases on American soil? the video asks. Germany has a base in Virginia. Italy maintains a training base in Texas. The Netherlands has one in Arizona. Singapore operates a base in Idaho. The United Kingdom has four bases located in Nevada, California, Georgia and South Carolina. The video is misleading: The U.S. is not home to any independent foreign military bases. However, some U.S. military bases host detachments of foreign militaries, and many are used to train foreign military personnelpredominantly pilots. One of the most prominent locations for foreign military training is Texas Sheppard Air Force Base, which hosts the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program (ENJJPT). First opened in 1981, the ENJJPT program provides pilot training for 14 NATO member nations, such as Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey, with the goal of improving the standardization and interoperability of the treaty organizations air forces. Upon graduation from the programs 55-week course, pilots undergo country-specific training in either their home countries or at other bases in the U.S. Dutch pilots, for example, trained specifically on the F-16 fighter aircraft for more than three decades at Morris Air National Guard Base in Arizona, and now utilize Arizonas Luke Air Force Base to train on the newer F-35 aircraft. Similarly, the British Royal Air Forces (RAF) XVII Test and Evaluation Squadron, which was established to help bring F-35 aircraft into service, is based at Edwards Air Force Base in California. British forces also train at Californias Camp Roberts and Fort Hunter Liggett, and the RAFs No. 39 Squadronwhich operated the RAFs unmanned aircraft programwas based out of Creech Air Force Base in Nevada until July 2022, when it was disbanded. A number of non-NATO allies also train pilots in the U.S. Singaporean airmen are stationed at Idahos Mountain Home Air Force Base as part of the 428th Fighter Squadron, an integrated training unit. Under the Peace Carvin V program, Singaporean pilots train and qualify on the F-15 fighter aircraft at the base alongside their American counterparts. Unlike most other foreign nations, the German military does maintain a permanent presence in the country, though not in a combat capacity. The German Armed Forces Command, located in Reston, Virginia, serves as the administrative and logistical hub for all German military activity in the U.S. and Canada, such as coordinating pilot training and running Germanys Liaison Office for Defense Materiel USA/Canada. The facilities in Reston support the German soldiers based or deployed (e.g. training) in the U.S. (about 1000), a spokesperson for the German embassy told The Dispatch Fact Check in an email. If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. Former Arkansas governor and U.S. senator David Pryor, a Democrat, died on Saturday at the age of 89 of natural causes in Little Rock, Ark. Pryor was regarded as one of the most prominent voices of the Democratic Party in the state. Prior to leading the state as a governor, Pryor kickstarted his career in politics in 1960 with his election to the Arkansas House of Representatives. He served in the state legislature until 1966 when he was elected to Congress after winning a special election. He held various offices for over three decades throughout his career in public service. Pryor served in the House of Representatives until 1973. After leaving the lower chamber, Pryor became the governor of Arkansas in 1975, winning two terms as the state leader. He was elected to the Senate in 1979, winning three terms in the upper chamber. He decided not to run for reelection in 1996 and announced his retirement in early 1997. Pryor made his mark on Capitol Hill for his work on behalf of senior citizens, often investigating nursing homes while serving as a member of Congress. He helped create the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. As a chief sponsor, the legislation was designated to expand taxpayers rights when involved in a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Former President Bill Clinton praised Pryor as one of the states greatest servant leaders and one of the finest he had ever known. Clinton said that Pryor, throughout his various posts, fought for progressive policies that helped us put the divided past behind us and move into a brighter future together. David made politics personal from his famed retail campaigning to his ability to calmly and confidently explain tough votes to his constituents, Clinton said in a Saturday statement. He was honest, compassionate, and full of common sense. He really loved the people he represented, and they loved him back. Republican officeholders, including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R), also mourned Pryors death. Bryan and I are mourning the death of a dedicated Congressman, Governor, and Senator, David Pryor, she said in a post on social media platform X. His career defied easy definition: a man with deep roots in Ouachita County who reached the heights of influence in Washington; a Solid South Democrat who stood strong against the Faubus machine; the architect of an Arkansas political dynasty who was just as comfortable in a Camden lumber yard as the Cambridge quad. She said Pryors charisma and moderate politics made him a force at the ballot box for decades. While the Senator and I came up in different political parties, I, like all Arkansans deeply appreciated his diligent stewardship of Arkansas and our interests during his time in public life, she said in the post. And we can all thank him for his role in burying the divisive racial politics that infected Arkansas government before his tenure. Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton said that Pryor was a true gentleman and a statesman who dedicated his life in public office to serve the country. His example served and will continue to serve as inspiration for our fellow Arkansans, Cotton said in a statement. I extend my deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and loved ones for whom I pray his memory will always be a cherished blessing. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A former Bellingham Police Department officer has sued the city of Bellingham over a former mayors COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees, alleging that the city discriminated against him due to his religious beliefs when it fired him for failing to comply with the vaccine mandate. Joshua D. Wilson filed a civil employment lawsuit April 3 in Whatcom County Superior Court against the city. Wilsons lawsuit argues that the city violated the Washington state law against discrimination, which prevents employers from firing people from employment on the basis of religion or creed, according to court records. Wilsons lawsuit states he has bona fide religious beliefs that prevented him from taking the COVID-19 vaccines, and that he informed the city of those beliefs, but that the city discriminated against him when it failed to reasonably accommodate him and subsequently fired him, court documents state. Wilson is seeking general and special damages, including lost wages and benefits, attorneys fees, declaratory relief that the city and Bellingham police failed to implement policies and procedures that encouraged engaging in a meaningful analysis of what accommodations could be made for people asserting their religious beliefs against being vaccinated, a judgment that the citys acts and practices are in violation of state law, and declaratory relief that the citys accommodation process failed to meet the minimum standards required by law, according to the records. Wilson is one of four Bellingham police officers who have sued the city over the vaccine mandate, and one of five total city workers who have sued in county court, according to more than 100 pages of court documents obtained and reviewed by The Bellingham Herald. The other worker who has sued is a former Public Works employee. Mandates issued Former City of Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood issued an executive order Sept. 21, 2021 requiring all city employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 3, 2021 as a condition of employment. The order required volunteers and contractors entering into new agreements where individuals would be working inside city facilities to also be vaccinated. The order stated that employees seeking reasonable accommodations for legitimate medical reasons or sincerely held religious beliefs may apply for an accommodation no later than close of business on October 15. Employees who were not vaccinated, or had not been granted an exemption and accommodation, by the deadline would be deemed not meeting a condition of employment. Customary discipline steps will be followed that will most likely end in termination of the employee, Fleetwoods mandate stated. Gov. Jay Inslee also issued a proclamation roughly a month prior, on Aug. 9, 2021, requiring all government employees, on-site independent contractors, volunteers, goods and services providers, and appointees of designated state agencies to also be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Roughly 160 city employees at the time were subject to Inslees order, including firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and fleet mechanics, according to a previous city press release. Fleetwood rescinded the vaccine mandate, no longer requiring city employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, on Feb. 13, 2023, The Herald previously reported. As of Dec. 7, 2021, a total of 27 city employees lost their jobs for failing to comply with the state and city vaccine requirements. Six employees resigned, 17 were dismissed for violating the citys new terms of employment, and four were dismissed for violating Inslees vaccination order for state employees, teachers and health care workers, such as firefighters. Twelve of the 27 employees came from the Public Works Department; eight from Bellingham police and four from the Bellingham Fire Department. (Its unclear which departments the other three came from.) The Herald is aware of at least one additional employee who was terminated after the December deadline and has asked the city for a final, updated total number of employees who resigned, retired or were fired as a result of the vaccine mandate. The Herald has also asked how many of those employees have since been re-hired. Wilson and the three other former Bellingham police employees who have sued Clark S. Bourgault, Michael P. Scanlon and Jonathan C. Weiss are represented by attorneys Harold H. Franklin Jr. and Tracy Tribbett of the Pacific Justice Institute, a California-based conservative legal defense nonprofit focusing on defending religious freedom, parental rights and civil liberties, according to its website. The Pacific Justice Institute was designated as an anti-LGBTQIA+ hate group in 2014 by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Shannon A. Franks, a former Public Works employee, has also sued the city, Fleetwood and Public Works Director Eric Johnston, both in their professional and personal capacities. Franks is represented by local attorney Carrie M. Coppinger Carter, whose firm focuses on employment and personal injury cases, including wrongful termination, discrimination and retaliation cases, according to the firms website. The Herald has asked the city, Franklin Jr. Tribbett and Coppinger Carter for comment. COVID-19 cases Whatcom County reported 36,651 documented cases of COVID-19 within the first two years of the pandemic from roughly March 2020 to February 2022 according to a data report from Whatcom County Health and Community Services, formerly known as the Whatcom County Health Department. The county reported 295 COVID-19 related deaths, and 1,485 COVID-19-associated hospitalizations, the county report states. Infection and positive case data is limited because most people are testing at home and positive home tests are not reported to the health department, Marie Duckworth, a spokesperson with the county health department, said. Positive case data over the past few years was focused on hospitals and emergency departments, Duckworth said in an email to The Herald. In general, health departments are moving away from counting individual cases of COVID-19 because many people now have some form of immunity from the virus through vaccination, prior infection, or both. We know much more about the virus than we did when the pandemic first started including risk factors for severe disease and how people can protect themselves, Duckworth said in an email to The Herald. We now have medications, vaccines and high-quality masks that are effective against the virus. We also have much greater individual and population immunity to COVID-19 through vaccination and recovery from prior infection. Duckworth said health organizations are now moving away from counting individual cases and are instead focusing on population-level data, and reducing the risk of severe disease among high-risk groups, such as older adults, people with pre-existing health conditions, people who are unvaccinated, and people who are immunocompromised, who are all at higher risk of serious disease and death than the general population. Wilsons lawsuit In Wilsons lawsuit, which is the most recent of the four lawsuits against the city to be filed, he alleges that the city failed to reasonably accommodate his sincerely held religious beliefs against vaccination, and in doing so, discriminated against him and violated his state and federal rights as a member of a protected class. Wilson was a former corporal who had been with Bellingham police since June 17, 2002, according to public records obtained by The Herald. Wilson applied for a religious exemption to the citys vaccine mandate in early October 2021, stating that he had a sincerely held or bona fide religious beliefs and convictions that prevented him from taking the COVID-19 vaccination and that his bona fide religious beliefs and convictions were in conflict with the City of Bellinghams vaccination policy, the lawsuit states. Wilsons request for a religious exemption included details on why his religious beliefs were in conflict with the vaccination requirement and why he was seeking an exemption. I must walk in faith, conscientiously object to these vaccines and follow the Bible. Yet, my deep love and care for others makes me determined to seek alternatives such as wearing a mask, social distancing and regular testing, if needed. Every individual has the right to exercise their freedom, especially in moral and religious matters. We must respect the dignity of each person by refraining from forcing them to act contrary to their conscience, Wilson wrote in his request, according to the lawsuit. As one of the few persons of minority working for BPD and as someone who has experienced racism and hatred up-close, I feel it is of paramount importance that we prohibit discrimination against medical conditions and sincerely held religious beliefs. Wilson stated he believed that wearing a mask, social distancing and conducting regular testing would be appropriate accommodations. Wilson also stated he would be willing to wear more protective masks, including N95s, and use a separate room to write his case reports so he could social distance while at the police station, court documents state. Wilsons lawsuit states the city accepted his sincerely held religious beliefs in a letter in late October 2021, but denied his request for a reasonable accommodation. His lawsuit alleges the city failed to hold an interactive and engaging analysis of the job prior to denying the Plaintiffs requested accommodation, according to court records. Wilson was then fired by the city on Dec. 3, 2021, the records state. The Plaintiff applied for a religious exemption from the vaccine due to his sincerely held religious beliefs. No meetings were held to determine if an accommodation for people of faith who held sincere religious convictions against ingesting the COVID-19 vaccines were made. These actions show a premeditated determination to deny accommodations and a failure on the part of the City to afford employees of faith an interactive accommodation process, the lawsuit alleges. Citys response In its April 12 response to Wilsons lawsuit, the city denied it discriminated against Wilson, denied it violated his rights and denied it failed to provide reasonable accommodations, court documents show. The city also denied that it instructed employees to request accommodations. The city admitted Wilson applied for a religious exemption from the vaccine mandate, and that it acknowledged his sincerely held religious beliefs, but denied that it granted Wilson a religious exemption or that it failed to conduct an interactive analysis of Wilsons job prior to denying his requested accommodation, according to court records. The city also denied that its actions showed a premeditated determination to deny accommodations or engage in an interactive accommodation process for employees of faith who asserted their religious beliefs, court documents show. The citys response to the lawsuit stated it has exercised reasonable and due care in all respects relative to the subject of this litigation and that its actions were taken for legitimate, non-discriminatory, and non-retaliatory reasons. It denied that it was responsible in any way for Wilsons alleged injuries and damages, and alleged that he cant prove the necessary elements of his claims and allegations against the city, and that his claims may be barred by the statute of limitations, court documents state. At all times material to this action and the allegations set forth in the (lawsuit), (the city) acted lawfully and in good faith and without any intent to deny (Wilson) any rights under federal, state or local law. (The city) adequately engaged in an individualized, iterative and interactive process to determine whether it could accommodate (Wilson) absent undue hardship, the citys response states. The city alleges that Wilsons requested accommodations were unreasonable and/or posted undue hardship on the city, and that the accommodations would have infringed on the rights and safety of other employees, according to the records. Wilsons alleged damages were caused in whole or in part by (Wilsons) own conduct, the citys response states. The city asked that Wilsons lawsuit be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it could not be brought back before the court. It has also asked for attorneys fees and costs to be awarded to the city as allowed by law, and any other relief the court deems just and proper, according to the records. Other lawsuits Scanlon and Weiss, both former Bellingham Police Department employees, were the first to file a lawsuit against the city. The pair jointly filed a civil lawsuit Dec. 15, 2022 in Whatcom County Superior Court against the City of Bellingham and the Bellingham Police Department. Scanlon is a former sergeant who had been with the department since Jan. 1, 1993, while Weiss is a former detective who had been with the department since Nov. 1, 2016, according to the public records obtained by The Herald. Bourgault, also a former Bellingham Police Department employee, was the third employee to file a lawsuit, the second against the city. Bourgault filed a civil tort lawsuit March 9, 2023 in Whatcom County Superior Court against the city of Bellingham and the Bellingham Police Department. Bourgault is a former police officer who had been with the department since March 10, 2008, according to the public records obtained by The Herald. The lawsuits allege many of the same violations that Wilsons lawsuit describes, including that the city discriminated against them due to their sincerely held religious beliefs against getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Like Wilson, Scanlon, Weiss and Bourgault allege the city accepted and granted their religious exemptions from the then-mayors vaccine mandate for city employees but denied them reasonable accommodations and subsequently fired them after they asserted their religious beliefs as a member of a protected class, according to court records. Their lawsuits allege the city violated the states law against discrimination and their federal rights against discrimination from employers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex and national origin under the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, court documents state. Scanlon, Weiss and Bourgault are seeking general and special damages, including lost wages, benefits and any other lost income. They are also seeking nearly identical additional remedies that Wilson is seeking in his lawsuit, the records show. In its March 16, 2023 response to both Scanlon and Weisss lawsuit and Bourgaults lawsuit, the city denied the allegations that it discriminated against Scanlon, Weiss and Bourgault due to their religious beliefs or that it violated their religious and civil rights when it fired them from their jobs. Like in Wilsons lawsuit, the city acknowledged Scanlons, Weisss and Bourgaults religious beliefs, but denied that it granted them religious exemptions from the vaccine mandate or that it failed to provide them with reasonable accommodations or engage in an interactive accommodations process, according to court records. The city also alleges that Scanlon, Weiss and Bourgault failed to engage in the interactive accommodation process, court documents state. The city has asked the court to dismiss Scanlon and Weisss lawsuit, and Bourgaults lawsuit, with prejudice. Public Works suit Franks, a former Bellingham Public Works Department employee, was the fourth city employee to file a lawsuit against the city, the third. Franks and his wife, Janine, filed a civil tort lawsuit Aug. 10, 2023 in Whatcom County Superior Court against the city of Bellingham, former mayor Seth Fleetwood and Public Works Director Eric Johnston, both of whom were sued individually and in their professional capacities, according to court records. Franks lawsuit alleges the city, Fleetwood and Johnston violated the states law against religious discrimination; that they retaliated against him for opposing unfair practices and/or asserting his constitutionally held rights; that their actions violated public policy and constitute retaliation and wrongful discharge and that the city is liable or Fleetwood and Johnstons deliberate, negligent and/or reckless acts or omissions because they were city employees at the time they took such actions, court documents state. Franks lawsuit also alleges that the city know or should have known that Fleetwood and Johnston presented a risk of harm to other employees employment status because of discrimination based on religion, age and retaliation for asserting legal rights, such as opposing mandates violating ones religious beliefs, and targeting employees granted religious exemptions with discriminatory and retaliatory treatment, and that the citys failure to adequately supervise its agents and mandates was the cause of Franks alleged injuries, according to court records. Franks was hired April 20, 2010, as a maintenance technician in the public works department. He was initially responsible for repairing and replacing broken equipment, and was later promoted in February 2015 to a plants maintenance electrical specialist, according to the lawsuit. He was responsible for planning and scheduling work for his crew, monitoring emergency work requests, writing work orders and assigning work to individuals on the crew. Franks lawsuit states his work did not require site visits or in-person interactions with vendors, and that by 2021, he was working independently at remote locations throughout Bellingham. Franks lawsuit also states that he personally did not visit work sites, which was routine and past practice prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that he didnt work directly with the public and hadnt worked with a city vendor for years prior to the COVID-related closures. Franks lawsuit alleges the city violated Fleetwoods vaccine mandate by continuing to use unvaccinated contractors by grandfathering in contractors already working under pre-existing contracts, but that the mandate did not allow for any grandfathering exemption for city workers. Franks lawsuit also alleges the city and Fleetwood allowed visitors to city property whose vaccination status was unknown, that people living in tiny home transitional living villages on city property were not required to be vaccinated, and that the mandate failed to exclude employees who were not interacting with the public or serving in other high-risk interactions, according to court documents. Defendants Bellingham and Fleetwoods COVID-19 mandate never intended to grant exemptions or exemption related accommodations from Defendants COVID-19 mandate for its employees who requested them, including Plaintiff Franks, the lawsuit alleges. Franks, who had sincerely held religious beliefs against COVID-19 vaccination and related mandates, applied for a religious exemption and associated accommodation. Franks lawsuit states he was granted a religious exemption in late October 2021. The same day his exemption was granted, Franks emailed the citys human resources director to begin the interactive accommodation process under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. Franks requested the city allow him to continue to work from home as an accommodation, the court documents state. In early November 2021, the human resources director told Franks she had spoken with representatives from the citys public works and legal departments and that the city claimed his position had not been 100% remote in the past year and that it could not be remote in the future. The city then requested Franks provide an alternative accommodation proposal, according to court records. Over the next several days, Franks attempted to continue to work with the city. He again requested to be allowed to work from home, which he said he had done for roughly the past year. If that wasnt an option, he requested he be allowed to return to work wearing personal protective equipment, observe social distancing, get periodically tested for COVID-19 and self-monitor for symptoms, or that he work a modified shift or be re-assigned, court documents state. The city ultimately denied Franks requests for accommodations and informed him in late November 2021 that it intended to terminate his employment with the city for failing to comply with the citys vaccine mandate. In a scheduled meeting to discuss Franks termination, Franks lawsuit alleges Johnston, the public works director, repeatedly stated the only accommodation the city would consider would be for Franks to get vaccinated, the court records state. Defendant Bellinghams mandatory vaccination policy provided Plaintiff Franks, in theory but not in practice, the illusory ability to obtain a religious exemption from the vaccine mandate. Defendant Bellinghams refusal to abide by the granted exemption and provide the reasonable, de minimus accommodation of Plaintiff Franks sincerely held religious convictions is the product of Defendants animus towards, and discrimination against, Plaintiff Franks because of his religious beliefs, the lawsuit claims. Franks was then fired from his position with the public works department. There is nothing different or unique about Defendant Bellingham that allows Defendant Bellingham to refuse to accommodate its religiously-exempt employees, especially those with no contact with the public, while its peers are able and willing to accommodate their similarly situated employees, Franks lawsuit states. Due to Defendant Bellinghams unlawful actions in denying Plaintiff Franks a reasonable accommodation for his granted religious exemption, Franks was faced with an immediate choice by Defendants Bellingham and Johnston to either: (a) receive a COVID-19 vaccine in direct violation of his conscience and sincerely held religious beliefs; or (b) be terminated from employment with the City as a consequence of exercising his fundamental and statutory rights to refuse administration of the COVID-19 vaccines. Franks is seeking damages for lost compensation, including unpaid wages and benefits; general damages for emotional distress, suffering, physical injury, loss of enjoyment/quality of life, and injury to reputation; any tax relief thats warranted; attorneys fees, costs of the lawsuit and any expenses incurred, and any other relief the court deems just and proper. City response In its Aug. 30, 2023, response to Franks lawsuit, the city denied that it discriminated against Franks based on his religious beliefs, or that it retaliated against him, according to court records. The citys response stated that while Franks lawsuit described some of the details of his job duties, it did not cover all of them, and that Franks job duties did require site visits, in-person interactions with vendors and was not a fully remote position, the records show. The city also denied that Fleetwoods vaccine mandate permitted employees to seek an exemption to the mandate, but that it did allow employees to seek accommodations. The city also denied Franks allegations that it continued the use of unvaccinated contractors, or that the mandate never intended to grant exemptions or exemption-related accommodations for employees who requested them, according to court records. The citys response said Franks did comply with seeking an accommodation and that it did acknowledge his sincerely held religious beliefs, but denied it ever granted him an exemption from the mandate, the records state. The city also denied that Johnston, the public works director, repeatedly told Franks in a meeting that the only accommodation the city would consider would be for him to get vaccinated, court documents state. Like its responses to the lawsuits filed by Wilson, Weiss, Scanlon and Bourgault, the city stated it was not responsible for Franks alleged injuries and damages, that he cant prove the allegations hes made against the city, and that the accommodations requested were unreasonable and/or presented undue hardship for the city, and would have infringed on the rights and safety of other employees. The city also claimed it exercised reasonable care and that its actions were done for legitimate, non-discriminatory and non-retaliatory purposes, according to court records. Plaintiffs alleged damages were caused in whole or in part by Plaintiffs own conduct, the citys response states. Plaintiffs may have caused and contributed through their own comparative fault, intentional conduct, actions, negligence, or other failures, to any injuries or damages suffered. The employees conduct may have constituted, without limitation, contributory fault, and negligence, the court documents state. The city has also asked that Franks lawsuit be dismissed with prejudice. UNITED NATIONS, April 19 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed Friday's agreement on the delimitation of the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, said his spokesman. The secretary-general has been closely following the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and he welcomes Friday's agreement between the respective State Commissions on the delimitation of the state border between the two countries, said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for Guterres, in a statement. Guterres encourages the parties to continue the delimitation and demarcation of the remaining sections of the border and tackle all outstanding bilateral issues toward achieving full normalization of relations, said the statement. Armenia has reportedly agreed to return four villages to Azerbaijan, an important step in the normalization of relations between the two countries. Former Crawford County deputy pleads guilty to use of excessive force FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) A former Crawford County deputy changed his plea during a hearing on Friday to guilty and will now await sentencing for using excessive force during an arrest in 2022. Levi White pleaded guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law causing bodily injury and has chosen to be sentenced by a magistrate judge. His sentence will be no more than 10 years in prison, no more than $250,000 in fines, and no more than 3 years probation. White along with codefendant Zachary King were accused of allegedly using excessive force while arresting a man in Mulberry in 2022. The deputies and a Mulberry police officer were seen in a viral video posted to social media beating a man while handcuffing him. Former Crawford County deputy pleads guilty to use of excessive force The deputies were suspended and later fired. The videos from this incident are a shocking display of the violent deprivation of civil rights committed by these officers, U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas said in a news release. No person in police custody should ever feel threatened or should ever experience violence at the hands of those who are sworn to protect the public. We will continue to vigorously pursue justice in cases involving the violation of civil rights in the Western District of Arkansas. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging White and King with federal civil rights offenses for using excessive force on the man. After todays hearing, White was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals until sentencing which could take up to 4 months. Whites lawyer tried to argue against incarceration but was denied by the judge. However, the judge said they could appeal his decision. King pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of deprivation of rights under the color of law. He could face up to one year in prison, and a $100,000 fine. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper called Irans silence deafening after Israel struck near a major air base and nuclear site in the city of Isfahan early Friday. This morning, the silence from both sides, frankly is deafening, Esper, who served under former President Trump, told CNNs Wolf Blitzer on Friday. That nobodys talking about what happened. So, I think, this appears to be the end of it right now. But well see, he continued. Irans air defense batteries were activated after reports of explosions near the air base, but both sides have downplayed the significance of the strike in the hours since. Israeli officials told The New York Times that it was a limited response aimed to avoid escalating tensions with Iran, especially because it did not cause significant damage to Iranian military sites. An Iranian official told Reuters that there were no plans to respond against Israel. During a press conference in Capri, Italy, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. has not been involved in any offensive operations when asked about the suspected Israeli airstrikes, calling them reported events. Italys foreign minister said the U.S. told Group of Seven ministers that it had been informed at the last minute by Israeli officials about the drones, but there was no sharing of the attack by the U.S. Esper said he thinks the Israeli strikes, which were in response to Irans retaliatory attack last Saturday, was merely to send a message about the countrys capabilities. The message being we can touch you, we can reach deep into Iran and we can hit very sensitive sites because Isfahan, as your reporters noted earlier, is where theres a significant part of the Iran nuclear complex, he said. The air base in Isfahan has been home to Irans feet of American-made F-14 Tomcats. The facility also operates three Chinese-supplies research reactors and handles fuel production for the countrys civilian nuclear program. Tensions remain high after Iran sent some 300 ballistic and cruise missiles and explosive drones to Israel. It was largely defeated by Israels defense system but caused concerns that the conflict will grow, following an Israeli strike that killed high-ranking Iranian commanders in Syria. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) The former president is attending a private fundraising event for RNC Co-Chairs Michael Whatley and Lara Trump on Saturday afternoon in Charlotte. Police are warning the public to expect traffic delays around Charlotte Douglas Airport and Uptown from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. READ MORE | Trump coming to Charlotte this week for private fundraising event Admission for the event ranges from $5,000 to $250,000. The location of the event has not been announced publicly. Donald Trump is holding a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, later in the evening. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Former Sheriff Under Investigation for Misuse of $7 Million in Military Surplus and Classic Cars Read the full story on Backfire News Former Sheriff Under Investigation for Misuse of $7 Million in Military Surplus and Classic Cars Jamey Noel, the former Clark County sheriff, along with his wife Misty, is facing multiple felony charges amidst an ongoing investigation into the misappropriation of $7 million worth of military surplus equipment and personal gain from the sales of classic cars. The investigation, initiated in June last year, has recently unveiled further evidence linking the Noels to the illegal sale and storage of government property. Investigators from the Indiana State Police (ISP), along with the Defense Criminal Investigative Services, discovered that between January 2015 and December 2022, Noel had received a substantial amount of surplus military property, which was then partly sold for personal profit. Recent search warrants executed on properties in Deputy, Indiana, revealed 26 government, civilian, and military shipping containers, some of which contained surplus property presumed to be sold or stored unlawfully. Additional inquiries led to the uncovering of surplus military storage containers and toolboxes at the residence of a Clark County jail employee, given to him by Kenneth Hughbanks, a close associate of Noel and former Scott County sheriff. Hughbanks, who has yet to face charges, is also implicated in the scheme, particularly concerning a consulting arrangement with Noel worth $262,000, which was not fully reported in tax filings. Further developments in the case include the discovery of an old hardware store in Scottsburg, purportedly owned or rented by Hughbanks, filled with classic cars, including a 1957 Chevrolet linked to Noel through a questionable transaction that netted him $9,500. Jamey Noel faces 25 felony charges, including theft, tax evasion, and corrupt business practices, while Misty Noel is charged with ten felonies related to theft and tax evasion. The ISP's investigation has highlighted a pattern of misconduct involving the use of Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association (UTVFA) funds for personal gain, including unauthorized purchases and the sale of vehicles belonging to the UTVFA, ultimately profiting from these transactions. The extensive probe into Noel's actions sheds light on a disturbing misuse of public resources and trust, raising significant concerns about the oversight of surplus military equipment and the ethical conduct of public officials. As the investigation continues, authorities are determined to uncover the full extent of the Noels' activities and ensure justice is served. A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection employee has pleaded guilty to his wifes kidnapping that resulted in her death. The United States Department of Justice announced that 38-year-old Eddy Reyes admitted to orchestrating his estranged wifes 2016 kidnapping after suspecting she had an affair. The victim identified as 21-year-old Claudia Sanchez Reyes died a short time after the kidnapping. Eddy met Claudia in El Salvador in 2014. The pair got married and he helped Claudia and their son move to Southern California. Court documents show that the victim filed a restraining order against Eddy in 2014 and 2016, citing several incidents of domestic abuse. In 2016, Eddy suspected Claudia of having an extramarital affair and decided to kill her. The DOJ says Eddy contacted his estranged brother, identified only as P.O., who was a former gang member and grave digger in El Salvador about killing Claudia. Authorities say P.O. is now deceased. Court documents say that on May 6, 2016, Eddy called Claudia while she was at work and said he wanted to take her to dinner. He told her not to take an Uber home from work and that he would pick her up. He rented a Hyundai Santa Fe and came to Claudias workplace at around 8 p.m. He informed his estranged wife that the vehicle was a gift for her. The DOJ says that instead of taking Claudia out to eat, Eddy drove her to his mothers home in Orange. Once they entered the garage, Eddy closed the door and P.O. jumped out from hiding in the rear of the vehicle. P.O. then struck Claudia multiple times and strangled her with a seatbelt. Eddy and his brother-in-law went to great lengths to cover up the crime. The former federal employee admitted in court that he had turned Claudias phone off following the murder. Eddy drove to the Santa Anta apartment he shared with Claudia and turned the phone back on. He then impersonated Claudia and texted her co-worker that she wouldnt be attending work that day. P.O. also contacted a paralegal from a law firm working on Claudias divorce case saying their services were no longer needed. After that, Eddy texted Claudias mother pretending to be the victim and informed her that she was leaving her husband and abandoning their son to be with another man. He also said she was disconnecting her phone permanently and wished her a Happy Mothers Day. Eddy filed a missing persons report with authorities, which ultimately led to his arrest. Detectives began an investigation and spoke with Claudias co-workers, who informed them that they heard the victim arguing with Eddy shortly before he came to pick her up on the evening of the kidnapping. Detectives located a drop of Claudias blood in the rented SUV and a cadaver dog indicated that a dead body had been in the Hyundai Santa Fe. Eddy was subsequently arrested and admitted to the crime. He will be sentenced on Aug. 2, and if convicted, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Four Three Percenter militia members were sentenced to prison Friday over charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. Erik Scott Warner, 48; Felipe Antonio Martinez, 50; Derek Kinnison, 42 and Ronald Mele, 54, all hail from California, according to the release. The four men were sentenced Friday to prison, for periods of time that ranged from 21 to 33 months. All defendants were convicted of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and obstruction of an official proceeding, both felony offenses, following a 17-day jury trial, the release said. Warmer and Kinnison were also convicted on felony charges of tampering with documents or records, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia said. In addition to the felony convictions, all four men were also found guilty of misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, the release said. U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered each defendant to pay $2,000 in restitution and complete 36 months of supervised release in addition to their prison terms, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. Per evidence at trial, the men coordinated and conspired together to arrange travel from California to Washington, D.C., to collect weapons, and to obstruct Congress certification of the Electoral College prior to Jan. 6, according to the release. The men went to the Capitol following former President Trumps Stop The Steal rally at the Ellipse in D.C. on the date of the attacks, according to the release. As the four men approached the Capitol at approximately 2:00 p.m., Kinnison announced, This is the storm of the Capitol, as they moved through the crowd, the release continued. By approximately 2:10 p.m., Warner had joined rioters ascending the northwest stairs to the Upper West Terrace, at a location police had been defending moments earlier. As he ascended the stairs, carrying bear spray and a thick wooden flag pole like a baton, Warner called out for the rioters to hold the line. Martinez, Kinnison, and Mele came up against a police line on the northwest lawn, and Mele called out for the crowd to Push! Push! Push! as the officers on the lawn were surrounded, assaulted, and forced to retreat, the release said. Warner was able to get into the Capitol by way of a broken window. Martinez, Kinnison, and Mele learned via phone that Warner got in, and Martinez said, We have to get up there,' according to the release. All three men then moved together to ascend to the Upper West Terrace to join Warner, the release said. As they ascended the northwest stairs, Mele shot a selfie style video, in which he proclaimed, Storm the Capitol! The group stormed the Capitol wearing plate carriers and other tactical gear and carrying knives and cans of bear spray. The FBI arrested the men in June 2021, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia said. Three Percenters are part of the militia movement, which supports the idea of a small number of dedicated patriots protecting Americans from government tyranny, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The Three Percenter concept, created in 2008, is based on an inaccurate historical claim that only three percent of Americans fought in the Revolutionary War against the British, according to the ADL. Many Three Percenters are not associated with any particular groups, but they may join or form traditional militia groups. They also often form non-paramilitary groups or online networks, according to the ADL. Over 1,300 people have been charged in almost every state in connection with the breach of the Capitol, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia noted in the release. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri. When a Republican colleague threatened to read aloud from a 2-foot stack of books including a biblical guide to leadership and a tome by anti-tax activist Grover Norquist to protest inaction on his bills last week, Missouri state Sen. Rick Brattin quickly took up the cause. Seizing on a chance to hijack the planned schedule, Brattin spoke for about 45 minutes, accusing the leaders of his own Republican Party of ignoring some bills and making things really frustrating for ultra-conservative members. He often waved his arms for emphasis, as other senators sat flipping through papers, waiting for the session to begin. It leads to things coming to a halt in this chamber, he said. I wish we would do things people actually want. Brattin is chair of Missouris Freedom Caucus, a group of Republican legislators who aim to push their party further to the right on issues such as immigration, voting access and transgender restrictions. But some other Republicans say members of the Freedom Caucus gum up the legislative works and are more interested in publicity and grandstanding than conservative policymaking. Frustrated by such tactics, Missouri Senate leaders stripped four Freedom Caucus senators, including Brattin, of their chairmanships and parking places earlier this year. Its hard to do stuff even when everybodys acting in good faith, said Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, a Republican. Rowden derided the Freedom Caucus members as swamp creatures who all too often remind me more of my children than my colleagues. He added that last weeks delay was a mix-up and that the bills at issue would come to the floor. They did that repeatedly, day after day for two weeks, basically, Rowden said in an interview last week at his spacious desk in his high-ceilinged office across the hall from the Senate. It became necessary for us to do something that would indicate that were not going to let four guys run the place; its just not how this works. The Missouri Freedom Caucus claims at least six senators and is approaching a dozen House members. There are similar chapters in 10 other states so far that are officially part of the State Freedom Caucus Network, an outgrowth of the congressional group that has held up deals and helped oust speakers in the U.S. House of Representatives. The state chapters are proposing conservative legislation and slowing measures they dont like, even bills that were once considered routine and noncontroversial. And its members in many states, including Missouri, are running for higher office. But regardless of whether they succeed on legislation, they excel at getting publicity and drawing attention to themselves. That is by design, Andrew Roth, president of the Washington, D.C.-based network, told Stateline. What we try to do is push conservative policy, he said. If we win, we win. If we lose, were exposing the fake Republicans for who they are. They will then have to answer to their constituents. We feel like we win either way. The national organization provides the state caucuses with support and funding. That includes the salary of each state director, none of whom is a legislator, according to Roth. The state directors pay attention to whats going on in state government even when the legislatures are not in session and the mostly part-time lawmakers are home tending to other business. They can alert the more than 160 members to issues and either get them to call a news conference or draft legislation to be considered in the next session to highlight their priorities. What we try to do is push conservative policy. If we win, we win. If we lose, were exposing the fake Republicans for who they are. We feel like we win either way. Andrew Roth, president of the State Freedom Caucus Network Tim Jones, a former Missouri House speaker who is now director of the states Freedom Caucus, said in an interview that since the parking spaces kerfuffle, the caucus has picked up five new members in the House. Its not meant to be a publicity stunt for anybody, he insisted. Its supposed to be the conservative North Star of the General Assembly. Sen. Bill Eigel, a Missouri caucus member who is running for governor, said taking his parking spot is kind of the height of pettiness, but that he wont be deterred. They are trying to silence us, just like they are trying to silence Donald Trump, Eigel said in an interview. Unfortunately for them, its not going to work. Were going to continue to be bold. Eigel said he parks down by the river now, a few blocks away from the underground Capitol garage. His wife is happy that the extra walk means hes getting in a few more steps each day, he quipped. Pushing to the right Like most other Republicans, Freedom Caucus members across states have championed school vouchers, pushed to send state troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to pursue migrants crossing into the country illegally, and opposed large state budgets and transgender medical care for minors. But the Freedom Caucuses formed because some Republicans saw the rest of their party as not conservative enough. That has led to intraparty conflict in many GOP-dominated state capitols. In Missouri, for example, the Senate passed a bill that would make it harder to amend the state constitution, if voters approve the measure, after leaders it stripped a provision backed by the Freedom Caucus to ban non-citizens from voting. The Missouri Constitution already restricts voting only to citizens, but Freedom Caucus members argued the ban could be made even more explicit. Democrats disagreed and staged a filibuster that tied up the Senate; Republican leaders eventually agreed to take the provisions out, drawing the Freedom Caucuss ire. Eigel would like the House to put the tougher provisions back in. Still, he claims credit for the Senate victory. If the Freedom Caucus doesnt stand up and cause a ruckus, the [ballot] initiative petition doesnt move, he said. In Idaho, Republican leaders removed some Freedom Caucus members from committee leadership late last year. And in South Carolina, some Freedom Caucusers who refused to sign a loyalty oath pledging not to campaign against other Republican members, which is against party rules, were dumped from the House Republican caucus. Matthew Green, a politics professor at the Catholic University of America who has studied the state Freedom Caucuses extensively, said in an interview that the state caucuses are arguably more important than the U.S. House Freedom Caucus for policymaking. In a forthcoming paper, Green found that state legislative conservative caucuses precursors of the current Freedom Caucuses began to form as early as 2017, driven by lawmakers who found the GOP in their states insufficiently conservative. But since 2021, the caucuses have formed at the behest of the national State Freedom Caucus Network, illustrating how national interest groups and elected officials can contribute to state-level polarization, he said. His study also found that lawmakers who lack power and influence are more likely to join the caucuses. These caucuses, Green said, have been able to move [the] partys agenda further rightward, especially if the caucus constitutes a sizable proportion of the party. Delaying tactics can force Republican leaders to act on some issues, he said. Seems like if the Freedom Caucus is disruptive and confrontational, they can win battles. Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Missouri, said the Freedom Caucus members in Missouri take advantage of unlimited debate to slow the legislature down to a snails pace. Given the rules it is relatively easy for them to gum up the process when they are unhappy with the way things are going, he wrote in an email. That means even bills with broad GOP support have not made it all the way through the process, he wrote. The animosity is not restricted to Missouri. In South Carolina, Green said, theres basically a civil war going on in the supermajority Republican Party. Members of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus refused to pledge not to fund challengers to GOP incumbents; that flouted a 2006 law that prohibited special interest caucuses from raising money and becoming otherwise involved in political campaigns. Only major caucuses organized by political party, race, ethnicity or gender the Democratic, Republican, Black and Womens caucuses were allowed political operations. The ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus argued that was unfair in a suit against the legislatures Ethics Committee. Last year, a federal judge agreed. Rep. RJ May, one of the leaders of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus, said that the law was a way to sign away our First Amendment rights. The establishment attempted to weaponize the rules, he told Stateline. May said that one of the reasons the Freedom Caucus formed in South Carolina is that the majority Republicans dont follow the party platform and are too willing to compromise. The push gained steam, he said, when GOP legislative leaders began to only allow floor amendments from leadership, not rank-and-file lawmakers. People in South Carolina are sick and tired of leaders saying one thing at home and doing something different in Columbia. They say they are for reducing the size of government, but they vote for budget after budget that increases the number of agencies. May said his caucus has had some victories, such as championing a bill that passed the House to ban gender-affirming care for minors. (The bill is awaiting action in the Senate.) Caucus members also claim credit for reducing the states spending bill, though many of its members amendments were rejected, such as a move to give grants to churches and nonprofits to bolster the foster care system. May echoed leaders in Missouri and elsewhere by saying that passing a bill is not necessarily the goal. We have the effect of moving the body to the right, he said. House Speaker Murrell Smiths staff did not respond to requests for comment. Nor did he comment for local media stories about the caucus. The farm team Most of the Freedom Caucuses formed in states with Republican supermajorities. An exception is Pennsylvania, where the governor is a Democrat and Democrats control the House, while Republicans control the Senate. The Freedom Caucus there has filed a lawsuit accusing Democrats, including President Joe Biden and Gov. Josh Shapiro, of unconstitutionally wresting power from the legislature over expanding access to elections in the state. Just last week, a federal judge dismissed the suit. Pennsylvania Rep. Dawn Keefer, the Republican Freedom Caucus chair, who is running for the state Senate, had no immediate comment on the ruling to local media. Nor would she comment for this story. In Arizona, Freedom Caucus members, led by chair Sen. Jake Hoffman, spearheaded a drive that resulted in the state Board of Education delaying until next year a proposed new handbook governing how parents use state-funded educational savings accounts to send their kids to private schools. The new handbook was designed to tighten the rules for using the accounts. Hoffman said parents had not been given sufficient input. The new rules would have restricted the use of the funds for summer programs and required more updates for use of the money for students with disabilities. He called for a robust stakeholder working group to give input into the rule changes. The Board of Education maintained it had consulted parents and other interested parties. Nonetheless, it caved after concerns from families and Freedom Caucus members. Holding news conferences, filing lawsuits its all part of the State Freedom Caucus Network playbook, according to its director, Roth. Our members consider themselves the farm team of the House Freedom Caucus, he said. We also provide them communications support, legal support and get them connected with legal groups to help them file lawsuits. Back in Missouri, roiling the entrenched GOP leadership is exactly what Freedom Caucus members are doing, Eigel said. Were shaking the status quo just by going through a lot of bills that are brought to the floor and asking a lot of questions that can frustrate folks that are expecting a much easier route to get their special interest priorities to the legislative chamber, he said just before last weeks Senate session that featured Brittons delay tactics. I suspect that if you are watching today, youre going to see a lot of questions. And there were. This story was originally produced by Stateline which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. The post Freedom Caucuses push for conservative state laws, but getting attention is their big success appeared first on Daily Montanan. French bakery in Norfolks Neon District is moving to Ghent La Brioche, a French bakery in Norfolks Neon District, will have a new address soon. Its moving into the former Colley Discount Pharmacy in Ghent, according to an article on WAVY.com. The boulangeries lease is ending soon and owners Jacqueline and Yvan Devulder hope to take advantage of the Ghent neighborhoods foot traffic. The area also seems to have better parking. A new place could mean more changes. La Brioche may extend its hours, offer additional to-go items and fully utilize its beer and wine license. The delicious croissants, eclairs, macarons and other tasty treats will remain the same. La Brioche is projected to open in June at 1415 Colley Ave. The man who doused himself with accelerant and set himself ablaze outside Donald Trumps Manhattan trial on Friday published an online manifesto, declaring that he self-immolated to warn the world about an apocalyptic fascist world coup. The self-immolating conspiracy theorist was identified by cops as Max Azzarello, a 37-year-old from St. Augustine, Florida, who was in critical condition on Friday afternoon. He declared online that his act was an extreme act of protest ... to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery. His Substack manifesto is a dizzying document that rails against cryptocurrency, New York University, the Clintons, and the worlds governmentswarning readers that they are victims of a totalitarian con akin to a massive Ponzi scheme. !! A person just self-immolated outside Manhattan court, where Trump trial underway. Police slow to respond in part because of barricades around park pic.twitter.com/Pg86yITzPo Emily Ngo (@emilyngo) April 19, 2024 During a Friday afternoon press conference, the NYPD said that around 1:35 p.m., Azzarello removed multiple pamphlets and an alcohol-based accelerant from his book bag. He then doused himself in the accelerant and set himself ablaze, falling onto a police barrier and collapsing to the ground, engulfed in flames. The true history of the world: haunted carnival edition, one of the pamphlets he possessed read. Our only goal is to replace our criminal government and replace it with one that serves all. NYU is a mob front, another pamphlet claimed. Associates of Azzarello told The Daily Beast that hed gone a little haywire in recent years, with his posts to Facebook growing more and more unhinged. The Trump Trial Self-Immolation Is Part of a Startling Trend [He is] a very personable guy, not an idiot when youre sitting around talking with him, but over the course of the last few years hes become more and more involved with the thought process that everything is a conspiracy against the common person, his former landlord, Larry Altman, told The Daily Beast. Authority is not doing anything to help you. Despite him showing signs of going off the rails, Altman added that Azzarello gave no indication he might do something as radical as setting himself ablaze. I would find it difficult to believe he was burning himself because he didnt like Trump, Altman said. He might be burning himself because he doesnt like authority in general and maybe he was feeling the trial was a show trial .. I dont know. I cant even imagine him going that far. He has been unwell, said one family friend, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation. They said Azzarello was living in St. Augustine and working as a consultant but previously lived in New York. He was very intelligent and a very strong-willed person who was extremely kind. He was a kind guy. He had a big heart. He just battled with some mental illness. John-Martin McGhee, who grew up with Azzarello, told The Daily Beast that hed most recently seen Azzarello two months prior. He said his look was hobo chic, but that he acted like his normal self. He seemed fine, we were all at a wake [but] there wasnt an odd amount of emotion, he said. A LinkedIn for Azzarello showed he worked on the campaign of Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) in 2014. Bera emailed a statement to The Daily Beast, saying, I recall that Max worked on one of my early campaigns. This is tragic news and my thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time. The page also showed he had stints at OpenTent, Eigen X, Goliath Technologies LP, and Strong Towns, though his employment there could not be immediately confirmed. Social media for Azzarello was filled with talk of conspiracy, including on his Instagram pagewhere he posted a story that merely said I love you a dozen times on Friday afternoon. Also on that page was a photo of him and Newt Gingrich from 2015, in which he was wearing a Bernie Sanders eat the rich shirt. Other posts appeared more normal, including him showing off different trips to Oakland, California. Azzarellos Facebook listed his job as being an independent researcher who works at The Ponzi Papers, which is the name of his Substack account. His last post to Facebook was on March 20, when he shared photos of conspiracy pamphlets with the caption, If youre wondering what the futures history books will say, its this! What a time to be alive. Azzarello was arrested in St. Augustine three times between Aug. 19 and Aug. 24, 2023. One of those arrests was for allegedly throwing a glass of wine at the wall where an autograph from Bill Clinton was in the lobby of the Casa Monica Resort & Spa. The hotel estimated that caused between $400 and $500 worth of damage. His second arrest also came at the hotel, where Azzarello was cursing loudly and removing his clothes, police alleged. His third arrest was for allegedly defacing different signs in St. Augustine, including one for a construction site and a Little Free Library. In a mugshot taken by Florida cops, Azzarello is seen sticking his tongue out and closing his left eye. Max Azzarello sticks his tongue out and closes one eye in a 2023 mugshot. St. Augustine Police Department Records show Azzarello also filed a federal lawsuit against the Clinton Foundation last April that included Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Sam Bankman-Fried, and over a dozen others as c0-defendants. He alleged theyd each participated and benefited financially from a decades-long fraudulent scheme. The lawsuit fizzled out after Azzarello failed to show cause for why a court should take up the suit, which was officially dismissed in October. His Substack manifesto frequently mentioned the Clintons and the Clinton Global Initiative, linking them to Jeffrey Epstein and sex trafficking. He also parroted the popular QAnon conspiracy that all politicianson both sides of the aislework together to maintain a world order that keeps them in power. What does this revelation tell us? That our government is conning us completely, he wrote. That Bill Clinton was secretly on (former CIA Director) George H.W. Bushs side, and that the Democrat vs. Republican division has been entirely manufactured ever since: Clinton is with Bush; Gore is with Bush; Trump is with Hillary, and so on. When they present themselves in public, they are acting as characters that are against one another, practicing kayfabe as wrestlers do. The manifesto mentions Trump on only four occasions, including the above. The other three instances were in its headline, first sentence, and when discussing Trump associates Josh Kushner and Anthony Scaramuccis ties to cryptocurrency. Multiple reporters, including those speaking on a CNN live broadcast, said the stench of the flames lingered for several minutes after Azzarello set himself ablaze in Collect Pond Park. Azzarello was rushed to the hospital at 1:41 p.m., the New York City Fire Department said. In horrifying footage, Azzarello was seen in a seated position, engulfed by flames. Moments later, his body appeared to twitch on the ground as first responders rushed over with fire extinguishers. Onlookers also jumped in to help, scrambling to put out the flames with their coats, police said. Others screamed and ran out of the park, which is across from the Manhattan courthouse where the final jurors in Trumps criminal hush-money trial had just been chosen Friday afternoon. Even minutes after the blaze was put out, smoke was still rising from the cement. Ash and white material also littered the street. The incident happened right before court proceedings broke for lunch. Trump has posted multiple times since the incident on Truth Social, but has yet to address Azzarello. 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. Just before todays White House press briefing when one of your correspondents more recognisable colleagues, Peter Doocy of Fox News, was seen delivering a breaking news update about a gruesome scene unfolding 230 miles to the north. Outside the New York courthouse where former president Donald Trump was standing trial, a man had handed out a number of conspiracy-laden pamphlets to bystanders and then, to their collective horror, set himself ablaze. Video shared on social media showed the man standing still as the flames burned him before eventually collapsing, while police officers ran to discharge fire extinguishers onto his burning body. Moments later in Washington, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked to react to the macabre events taking place on that Manhattan sidewalk. Ms Jean-Pierre replied that it was very sad news and a developing situation about which she had nothing to report other than to refer further questions to local authorities in New York. I dont have anything beyond what you are reporting. Its just happening. Its developing, she added. Your correspondent has been on the White House beat for nearly a decade now and can report that its not surprising that the presidents top spokesperson would not have been fully briefed on a self-immolation incident in another city which took place minutes before she was set to start her daily press briefing. At the point at which she spoke, the man had not yet even been identified by the NYPD. But what was unusual was the press secretarys seeming inability to discuss anything about an incident of a more global import that took place last night. Despite repeated requests, Ms Jean-Pierre repeatedly declined to answer questions about Israels apparent retaliatory strike on the Iranian city of Isfahan, the location of an Iranian airbase and a nuclear facility. She even went so far as to warn the press corps in advance that she would not be addressing the strikes. Instead, she simply reiterated statements made by Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier in the day, when, at a press conference alongside the Italian foreign minister, he said the US had no involvement in the strike. The attack appeared to be Israels response to a large but largely unsuccessful Iranian missile and drone strike over the weekend. I know theres a lot a lot of interest in reports from the Middle East overnight, and we understand that. Im going to say it now, though: I know you all will certainly ask me about it, that we do not have any comment on the reports at this time, she said. Ms Jean-Pierre would not even offer an answer as to why she was left unable to comment. The White Houses relative silence stood in stark contrast from the relative openness it exhibited earlier in the week, when a trio of top defence officials were made available to brief reporters about American involvement in the successful defence Israel had launched against the more than 300 separate munitions launched its way by Iran. In the wake of that defensive success, which reportedly saw 99 per cent of the Iranian rockets and drones shot down, President Joe Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the win and asked him not escalate further. But Mr Netanyahu whose continued longevity on the Israeli political stage seems tied to his ability to prolong the state of war that has existed in the country since October 7th has never made a habit of showing much deference or respect for American presidents. At least, not when those presidents are members of the Democratic Party. Instead of heeding Mr Bidens advice not to escalate matters, the embattled Israeli leader who, like Mr Trump, is facing a criminal trial and must remain in power to avoid prison chose instead to send Israeli munitions into Iran. At the end of it all, the Israeli attack on Iran has left a usually open White House uncharacteristically silent. If the point of saying nothing is to deescalate the situation by not inflaming tensions in Tehran, such reticence will be understandable in hindsight. But given the state of tensions between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu, we may never get an explanation for why the White House had nothing to say about the Israeli retaliation. MILAN/NANCHANG, Italy/China, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The industrial robots autonomously choose the timber colors, and delicately handle the materials, while intelligent AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) carts transport them. Meanwhile, real-time production data updates are displayed on the LED screen. In the mountainous terrain of southern China, within the Nankang District of Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, the intelligent material preparation center hums with activity around the clock. Unlike typical furniture factories with roaring chainsaws and flying sawdust, this facility operates with precision along standardized production lines. Over 10,000 kms from Nankang, the Nankang furniture exhibition hall made its debut at the Milan Design Week in the fashion capital. Throughout the week, the exhibition showcased original furniture pieces embodying Chinese characteristics, including tearoom decorations, bamboo seats, and mahogany dining tables, meticulously arranged. Guided by prominent Italian designers, the exhibition hall's display and decor fostered a cultural exchange ambiance between China and the West, drawing in a greater number of visitors. Marco, an Italian citizen in his 70s, was "very surprised" to see furniture products with Chinese characteristics in Milan. "Italy prides itself on high-quality furniture manufacturing, but the exhibits from China are special, and I think it's a good exchange for both sides to see more different styles of products," he said. Since its establishment in 1961, the annual Milan Furniture Fair has held a prestigious status in the industry, captivating designers worldwide each spring. Seven furniture enterprises from Nankang organized a collective participation, showcasing their products under the banner of "Nankang Furniture." The exhibited furniture, crafted from materials like ash wood, mahogany, and rattan art, spanned diverse styles including new Chinese, Nordic, and modern aesthetics. As per local government officials in Nankang, all displayed products hold appearance patents, embodying the essence of original design. "Milan is one of the most developed regions in the world for furniture manufacturing. As a manufacturer, it has always been my dream to take my products to Milan," said Deng Wangqiang, chairman of Jiangxi Aiyang furniture company. Over the last two decades, Deng has observed significant transformations in the Nankang furniture industry. At the turn of the century, much like nearly 100,000 Nankang carpenters, he sought employment in Guangdong Province. Subsequently, he returned to his hometown to establish a furniture factory. "The primary impediment to our expansion was productivity," Deng stated, citing the example of a wooden bed that once required three days for a carpenter to craft. Over the past decade, the Nankang furniture industry has progressively embraced intelligent manufacturing. "It's been a gradual but inevitable progression in the industry's development. Each year sees improvements," Deng remarked. Presently, a Nankang factory specializing in bed production with 30 workers can manufacture up to 30,000 units monthly, marking a hundredfold increase in production efficiency. Today, China stands as the world's foremost furniture manufacturing nation, with Nankang emerging as one of its premier furniture manufacturing hubs. In recent years, Nankang has expedited the development of a pivotal node along the Belt and Road Initiative, establishing and operating China's eighth inland open port. According to He Shanjin, Secretary of the Nankang District Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the district hosts over 10,000 manufacturing and ancillary enterprises, employing over 500,000 individuals. In 2023, the industrial cluster's primary business revenue surpassed 270 billion yuan (37.29 billion U.S. dollars). "The Chinese and Italian furniture industries exhibit strong alignment and complementarity. We aspire to establish a new conduit for collaboration within the furniture sector," He remarked. During the Milan Furniture Fair, the China-Italy (Jiangxi) economic and trade cooperation and exchange roundtable took place, culminating in Nankang District's signing of an agreement with the Italy-China Friendship Association to establish an international furniture industrial park. The 62nd edition of the Milan Furniture Fair featured nearly 2,000 exhibitors and 185 brands from 35 countries. According to Giuliano Noci, Vice-Rector for China at Politecnico di Milano, the furniture fair serves as a crucial bridge. "Establishing such commercial cooperation is highly significant. From this perspective, I believe Jiangxi and Italy can foster extensive collaboration, especially in light of this event," Noci said. Family members, friends and colleagues gathered Saturday at New Horizon Church International to mourn the loss of veteran firefighter Gerald "Buster" Bates, who was killed April 7. Inside the church at the altar, Bates' body was in an open brown casket with an American flag draped over it. The open casket sat in the middle of a row of red, white and blue roses. Bates served at the Jackson Fire Department for nearly 10 years, stationed at JFD's station 5. He also worked at the Byram Fire Department. Bates graduated from Forest Hill High School in 1994. Shortly before the service began, Gerrica Denise Bates and Mary Gerallisa Bates Geralds two daughters stood over Gerald's body and shed tears. Daughters Gerrica and Mary Gerallisa Bates lay flowers on their father, veteran firefighter Gerald Bates, at New Horizon Church International in Jackson, Miss, on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Gerrica and Mary said their final goodbyes by closing the door of Gerald's casket. "My dad brought joy and happiness into every room," Mary said before speaking to her dad. "You may be gone, but your memories are still here in my heart. You will never be forgotten. This is not goodbye; this is see you later. I love you, Dad." On April 7, Bates, 49, was shot and killed during a domestic dispute and Tammie Williams, 41, faces a murder charge for the incident that occurred inside a South Jackson house in the 200 block of Ferguson Drive. Family members said Bates and Williams had a cohabiting relationship for more than 10 years. At the time of the incident, Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade said firefighters went to conduct a wellness check on Bates at the Ferguson residence. That is when authorities found Bates dead. Bates succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. Williams, who armed and barricaded herself inside the home for more than an hour after the shooting, faces charges for murder. Her bond was denied. 'Our dear brother:' City officials on death of Jackson fireman killed in domestic dispute During the Saturday ceremony, tears, laughs, memories and heartfelt speeches filled the sanctuary with more than 100 people as family members shared the impact Gerald had on their lives and others. Byram Firefighter and Jackson Fire Captain Robert Elbert laughs as Jackson Fire Captain Karlen Bogen tells a story about Gerald Bates helping him out of a hole in a burning building during Bates' funeral at New Horizon Church International in Jackson, Miss, on Saturday, April 20, 2024. "'You remember when I saved your life?'' Bates would say to him often, Bogen said. Angela Bates, Gerald's sister-in-law, shared memories of Gerald's "kind heart" and "infectious laugh," painting a picture of a man who was loved and respected by many people who knew him. "To know him is to truly love him. You couldn't help but to love Buster," Angela said. "He brought so much joy into our lives. The outpour of love that we have witnessed of the last couple of weeks has simply been astounding, and it speaks volumes to Buster's character." "I say to my brother-in-love, rest well. You will never be forgotten. We love you eternally," Angela said. Fellow firefighters who spoke at the funeral service described Geralds personality as that of a "comedian" and spoke of how much loyalty and unwavering commitment Gerald had for his job. "Buster informed his sister that he would always come by my office, and he would try to make me laugh. And being the fire chief, you sometimes just can't let your guard down," said Byram Fire Department Chief Fred Green. "But he would come by and try to make me laugh, and I said, 'Haha, alright Buster.' Then, I would close the door, fall out laughing and say, 'This guy is something else.'" More on: Family of Dau Mabil question Capitol Police investigation, compare death to Emmett Till Jackson Fire Department Chief Willie Owens said, "To all firefighters, Gerald was a good example of a person who was always happy-go-lucky. He was always smiling. We should all want to live our lives like Gerald did." Samuel Harrion, Gerald's JFD coworker and friend, said, He was a great guy. He loved being a fireman, and he loved to serve. Im really going to miss him. I thought I could speak more of him, but Im just too heartbroken at the moment." Ledireada Kent, human resource officer for the City of Bryam, said the following people sent a resolution: Jackson Fire Department, Byram Fire Department, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, House of Representative D-63 Stephanie Foster, House Speaker Jason White, House of Representative D-69 Grace Butler-Washington, House of Representative D-68 Zakiya Summers, Councilman Kenneth Stokes and Hinds County Tax Collector Eddie Fair. As Geralds casket was rolled out of the church by Westhaven Memorial Funeral Home staff, some members of the Jackson Fire Department, Byram Fire Department and Jackson Police Department gave Bates and his family one final salute. The casket of veteran firefighter Gerald Bates is put into a hearse for transport to the burial after the service at New Horizon Church International in Jackson, Miss, on Saturday, April 20, 2024. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson veteran firefighter Gerald Bates funeral PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) Drivers all across the Hampton roads region have probably notice a recent climb in gas prices, but why? According to AAA, tensions in the Middle East and lackluster demand for gasoline paired with decreasing oil prices are to blame. Oil prices could reach uncharted waters if the Israel-Hamas war escalates, the World Bank says The situation overseas with war in both the Middle East and Ukraine has the oil market on edge, AAA spokesperson Ryan Adcock said. But this is also the time of year we may see a bit of a lull in gasoline demand between the end of spring breaks and Memorial Day. So, the national average for gas may waffle a bit with small increases, some flat days, and even some price dips. The national average for gas prices sits at $3.67 right now, which is a 21 cent increase from last month. According to the Energy Information Administration, the demand for gas rose slightly while total domestic gasoline stocks decreased, contributing to the overall increase in price. Gas price averages can be found below: April 18, 2024 Week Ago Month Ago Year Ago National $3.67 $3.63 $3.46 $3.67 Virginia $3.52 $3.49 $3.37 $3.53 Hampton Roads $3.55 $3.48 $3.36 $3.56 Richmond $3.55 $3.53 $3.37 $3.52 To view gas prices for your area, click the link here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Gaza officials say Israeli strikes on Rafah kill at least 9, including 6 children Palestinians take what is left of their belongings from their destroyed house following overnight Israeli airstrikes in Rafah Saturday. The Hamas-run Gaza Civil Defense said the Israeli strike left at least nine dead, including six children. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI April 20 (UPI) -- Nine people, including six children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza Strip refugee haven of Rafah on Saturday, local Palestinian officials said. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense in Gaza, told the Palestinian WAFA News Agency the nine who died in the Rafah airstrikes were inside an apartment in the as-Salam neighborhood. The airstrikes caused massive and significant damage to the neighboring homes and buildings, according to the report. More are buried in the rubble, which rescue workers are searching, while a tenth casualty was reported a separate strike in another part of Rafah on Saturday. Meanwhile, an "intensive bombardment" in the northern and central areas of the Gaza destroyed the enclave's largest pharmaceutical factory in Deir al-Balah city, local officials told China's state-run Xinhua news agency. Israeli airstrikes targeted several areas throughout the Gaza Strip early Saturday, killing at least nine, Palestinian officials said. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI Leaders in Israel earlier announced the Israeli Defense Forces would invade Rafah despite international protests and warned civilians to evacuate the area ahead of the most recent airstrikes. IDF leaders say four remaining Hamas battalions are sheltered in Rafah and vowed to conduct a ground offensive in the city along the Egyptian border. Smoke billows on the horizon following an overnight Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Saturday. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI The hostilities continue despite international calls for a cease-fire after IDF forces declared war on Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel in which Hamas militants killed about 1,200 Israeli civilians and kidnapped hundreds more. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Saturday the war has claimed 34,012 Palestinian lives in Gaza. Israeli Defense Forces conducted several airstrikes throughout the Gaza Strip early Saturday, killing at least nine, including six children, according to Palestinian officials. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI More than 34 years ago, hunters in a wooded area in Daviess County found the body of a man who had been shot multiple times, beaten and had his hands and feet cut off. For decades, Kentucky State Police said, attempts to identify the homicide victim were unsuccessful. At one point, an incorrect identification was made, according to previous media reports. But Friday night, state police announced that they finally know the mans name. The man, William Dennis Mathews, of Louisville, was identified through genealogy testing with the help of the Trans Doe Task Force, state police said in a news release. Mathews would have been 37 years old when his body was found on Jan. 7, 1990. The Daviess County Sheriffs Office had previously published photos and renderings of the man, whose body was found about 40 feet into the wood line off Pleasant Valley Road near South Hampton Road in the Philpot community, according to the sheriffs offices website. Lee Bingham Redgrave and Anthony Redgrave, who run the Massachusetts-based Trans Doe Task Force, said in an interview Friday night that they became involved in the case at the request of the medical examiners office. Their organization is focused on finding and researching cases of LGBTQ+ missing and murdered persons, especially focusing on unidentified individuals who may have been transgender, according to its website. The Redgraves said theyve helped solve upwards of 40 cases. In this case, the researchers said they do not have any indication that the victim was a member of the LGBTQ community. While the Trans Doe Task Force aims to work on LGBTQ+ cases, when a victim is a Doe and we do not know their identity or how they identified, we can only rely on clues that a case might fall under our umbrella of services, the Trans Doe Task Force said in a statement in which they offered condolences to Mathews loved ones. Not every Doe we identify will turn out to be LGBTQ+ (please see the case of Bill Lewis). Regardless, we are very happy to have been able to provide information to assist with the identification of a person whose name was unknown for far too long. Anthony Redgrave said the Trans Doe Task Force has a general policy of taking all cases in which help is requested, because even if theres a question of whether the person might have been part of the LGBTQ community, they want to help, and because historically, biases sometimes meant those cases were deprioritized. Its just a fact that old cases need a second look, Lee Bingham Redgrave said. Even before the medical examiner reached out, the Redgraves said the Daviess County case had been on their radar because of the mutilation of the body, which they said could have been an extreme attempt to conceal the victims identity. Thats frequently a red flag that it might have been a hate crime, Lee Bingham Redgrave said. The researchers said they do not have any information about why the victims hands and feet might have been removed in this instance. The positive identification in the case began with good DNA, stored well, Lee Bingham Redgrave said. We were able to get some good data out of it. A bioinformatician someone who combines the disciplines of computer science and genetics filtered the data from the DNA sample into a format that could be used with the GEDmatch.com database, where people can upload their genetic testing data. In order for the information to be used in cases like this one, users must give permission for their data to be shared with law enforcement, the researchers said. This is how peoples privacy is maintained, Lee Bingham Redgrave said. Everyone sharing data does so willingly. From there, the genealogical researchers try to construct the family trees of the closest matches to the victim, looking for common ancestors and descendants. Maybe someone doesnt have a death date, Lee Bingham Redgrave said. If they find a potential match, the researchers go about trying to find proof of life. Once they provide law enforcement with a potential identification, they said its up to law enforcement to confirm it and take the investigation from there. Anthony Redgrave said people interested in helping with their cause should upload their data to the GEDmatch.com website. Make your tree public, he said. State police asked that anyone with information about this case call KSP Post 16 at 270-826-3312. Georgia's ruling party says "foreign agents" bill can be repealed when Georgia is offered EU membership Georgias ruling party, Georgian Dream, has said it will abandon or repeal the foreign influence transparency law [which would compel civil society organisations with foreign funding to register as "organisations working in the interests of a foreign power" ed.] when Georgia receives an offer to join the European Union. Source: Irakli Garibashvili, leader of the Georgian Dream party, cited in Georgia Online; European Pravda Details: Garibashvili said that if Georgias EU membership bid is approved, the law could "easily" be repealed. "I want to put this simply: when the country is ready and we are told that we will join the European Union tomorrow, this law could be repealed, revised, amended, and a new one could easily be passed instead. So dont worry, everything is okay," Garibashvili said. He added that the bills adoption would not affect the pace of Georgias EU accession, because the EU "is not prepared for expansion". Background: On 17 April, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that nothing was preventing the controversial law from being passed, despite the disapproval of the West and the Georgian public. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said she would veto the law, but acknowledged that it would most likely be passed by parliament. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said it was outraged at the Georgian prime ministers statement that the foreign agents bill is designed to protect Georgia from "Ukrainisation". Support UP or become our patron! German vice chancellor urges allies to supply more weapons to Ukraine after his visit to Kyiv German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who has recently visited Kyiv, urged partner countries to supply Ukraine with more weapons. Source: German newspaper Tagesschau, citing Habeck, as reported by European Pravda Details: The vice chancellor said Ukraine knows this is a challenging stage, "but it is a stage." Habeck stressed that it is not easy for him to constantly speak about weapon systems, military equipment and the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine. "At the beginning of my term, I would not have wanted and could not have imagined that I would be giving you an interview in which I would advocate for supplying more military equipment. But we need to realise once again why this war is being waged. Putin does not want to allow democracy in Ukraine and wants to destabilise it," Habeck stated. The vice chancellor stressed that if Ukraine loses, the war will continue and "therefore, we once again call on everyone who wants to defend democracy to support Ukraine now". Background: Earlier, Habeck noted that German companies are ready to immediately join the recovery of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which was severely damaged by Russian attacks. On 13 April, Germany announced the urgent transfer of one Patriot air defence missile system to Ukraine. In a letter to dozens of countries, Germany's foreign and defence ministers announced a global initiative to find additional air defence equipment for Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! 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. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Armed rebels of the Iran-backed Houthi militia take part in a demonstration against the USA and Israel. A German warship ended its mission protecting merchant shipping from Houthi militants in Yemen and departed from the Red Sea early on Saturday morning. Osamah Yahya/dpa A German warship ended its mission protecting merchant shipping from Houthi militants in Yemen and departed from the Red Sea early on Saturday morning. The frigate was part of the EU's defensive naval mission Aspides and was deployed in the Red Sea at the end of February to protect merchant ships from attacks by the militants in Yemen, who are protesting against the war in Gaza. The Red Sea is home to the most important sea route from Asia to Europe, which runs through the Suez Canal. Houthi militants, allied with Iran, want to force an end to the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. The frigate, with a crew of 240 on board, completed the mission at 5:50 am (0350 GMT) and left the area of operations, the Bundeswehr said. The crew on the Hessen repeatedly shot down drones launched by the militants in the German Navy's first mission of its kind. The vessel was deployed on February 23 after a series of attacks on merchant vessels. Major shipping companies began avoiding the Red Sea, part of the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe, impacting the global economy. The German Defence Ministry said the vessel safely escorted 27 merchant ships through the area of operation. In four cases, Houthi drones and missiles were successfully countered, the ministry said. In total, the frigate covered more than 11,000 kilometres in the area of operation. The crew provided medical first aid on two occasions, for a soldier from a partner nation and for a crew member of a merchant ship. Armed rebels of the Iran-backed Houthi militia take part in a demonstration against the USA and Israel. A German warship ended its mission protecting merchant shipping from Houthi militants in Yemen and departed from the Red Sea early on Saturday morning. Osamah Yahya/dpa A German warship ended its mission protecting merchant shipping from Houthi militants in Yemen and departed from the Red Sea early on Saturday morning. The frigate was part of the EU's defensive naval mission Aspides and was deployed in the Red Sea in February to protect merchant ships from attacks by the militants in Yemen, who are protesting against the war in Gaza. The Red Sea is home to the most important sea route from Asia to Europe, which runs through the Suez Canal. Houthi militants, allied with Iran, want to force an end to the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. The frigate, with a crew of 240 on board, completed the mission at 5:50 am (0350 GMT) and left the area of operations, the Bundeswehr said. The crew on the Hessen repeatedly shot down drones launched by the militants in the German Navy's first mission of its kind. The vessel was deployed on February 23 after a series of attacks on merchant vessels. Major shipping companies began avoiding the Red Sea, part of the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe, impacting the global economy. The German Defence Ministry said the vessel safely escorted 27 merchant ships through the area of operation. In four cases, Houthi drones and missiles were successfully countered, the ministry said. In total, the frigate covered more than 11,000 kilometres in the area of operation. The crew provided medical first aid on two occasions, for a soldier from a partner nation and for a crew member of a merchant ship. The 143-metre frigate is equipped with anti-aircraft missiles and was designed for escort and maritime surveillance, with radar capable of monitoring airspace the size of the North Sea, according to the Bundeswehr. Also known as an air defence frigate, its weapon systems are capable of engaging targets at a range of up to 160 kilometres. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius called this the most dangerous naval operation in decades on a visit to the frigate days before the mission began. German Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock speaks to journalists after the meeting of the G7 foreign ministers. Britta Pedersen/dpa German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed her anger at reports that she had a row with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza. "My office and the German ambassador in Israel have already addressed this," Baerbock said while in Italy for a meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized democracies. "We have been told that (they) regret the publication, the source of which is unclear, and we have nothing further to add." A journalist from the Israeli TV station Channel 13 had reported that a heated argument erupted after Baerbock objected to being shown Israeli government photos that positively depicted conditions in the Gaza Strip. "The German ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, was in contact with the prime minister's staff and made it clear what we think of such distorted reports," Baerbock said. "We are not commenting about confidential talks," Baerbock emphasized. Earlier on Friday, both the Foreign Office in Berlin and Seibert described reports of an argument between Baerbock and Netanyahu on Wednesday as "misleading" and claimed that "key points" in the reports about the hour-long meeting are incorrect. The Foreign Office did not specify what aspects of the reports were allegedly incorrect. Moriah Asraf Wolberg, the Israeli TV station's diplomatic correspondent, reported that Baerbock responded to the Israeli footage from the Gaza Strip depicting markets filled with food by offering to show Netanyahu pictures of starving children on her cell phone. Netanyahu reportedly replied that she should look at photos of the markets and also of people on the beach in Gaza, as there were no cases of hunger there. According to the Channel 13 report, Baerbock advised him not to show the pictures as they did not correspond to the reality in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu, in turn, is said to have loudly replied that the photos were real and that Israel was not showing an invented reality like the Nazis. In 1942, for example, the Nazis had a film crew shoot a propaganda film with scenes of everyday life in the Warsaw ghetto, where Jews were forced to live in abysmal conditions. Baerbock reportedly asked Netanyahu whether he was accusing doctors working in Gaza, as well as the international media, of lying about the situation. The images of the market stalls filled with fruit and vegetables were published this week by COGAT, an Israeli agency within the Defence Ministry responsible for contacts with the Palestinian Territories and humanitarian aid. The images show markets in the north of the coastal area, which is particularly affected by food shortages. According to COGAT and aid organizations, some food recently arrived in the area, although aid workers and residents say it remains far from enough. The images of several Palestinians bathing on the beach at Deir al-Balah in the centre of the Gaza Strip, which Netanyahu also mentioned at his meeting with Baerbock, recently went viral on the internet and in the Israeli media. Gazans told dpa that the people were cooling off in the sea in view of the current high temperatures and also showering there due to the lack of water in Gaza. "I have no fans, air conditioning or electricity with which we could cope with this situation," said Areej Nassar, who is staying in a tent in Deir al-Balah. During the day, the temperatures in the tent are unbearable, which is why she and her young children bathe in the sea. She also washes the family's clothes there, she said. Al-Balah said she fears disease due to the lack of clean water. "The people outside think that we are enjoying the sea water," 55-year-old Samir al-Ayoubi told dpa. "We have to shower every day and we can only find water in the sea." The father of five has pitched his tent on the shore of the beach after fleeing the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip to escape a planned Israeli military assault. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), the rate of food trucks entering the Gaza Strip in March and April was only half as high as in January. "At the moment, too few trucks are still coming in, there are still long waiting times at the checkpoints and the ongoing fighting does not allow for the safe distribution of aid throughout the country," said Martin Frick, head of the Berlin office of the UN World Food Programme. Baerbock said during her visit to Israel on Wednesday that there was still not enough aid reaching the area, especially via important land crossings from Israel. She once again called for an increase in aid deliveries and the safe distribution of goods on the ground. The United States, Israel's most important ally, also recently demanded that Israel rapidly expand the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza. In response, the Israeli war Cabinet decided at the beginning of April to open the Erez border crossing in the north of the coastal region and temporarily open the port of Ashdod for aid deliveries. Israel argues that there is enough aid coming into the Gaza Strip and that supply problems are due to issues with the distribution of food on the ground. German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said on Friday that allied support for Ukraine needs to increase as the country faces growing pressure from attacking Russian forces. Speaking on the second day of his visit to the country, Habeck said that Ukraine had a right to expect promises from Western supporters to be kept, and reassured Ukrainians that German support would be "reliable and long-term." The Ukrainian government's specific requests from Germany related to the military and energy sectors, he said, adding that Berlin was looking into the possibility of supplying gas turbines and parts of power plants. Discussions also addressed whether renewable energy like solar power systems could address Ukrainian needs. "A large power plant is a target, but 1,000 solar roofs are difficult to hit and 30 wind turbines are also difficult to hit," said Habeck, who also serves as Germany's economy minister. On Thursday, Habeck met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the military situation, as well as German economic development and business investment in the country. German leaders have been publicly campaigning for NATO allies to supply Ukraine with additional Patriot air-defence systems, and last week pledged to send an additional Patriot system from German military stocks. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels on Friday that several allies had made "concrete commitments" to send further air-defence weapons for Ukraine, including Patriot systems. Ukraine is suffering badly from Russian air attacks with drones, missiles and glide bombs. In response to a question about stalled military aid for Ukraine from the United States, Habeck said that Germany, as the strongest economic power in Europe, had "a new task." He called for an increase in arms production, noting that weapons are in demand both for Ukraine and for the German military. Habeck began Friday in a bomb shelter in Kiev because of the threat of incoming Russian missiles and drones, as an air-raid alarm was triggered at 4:40 am (0140 GMT). Habeck and his entourage spent about an hour and a half seeking shelter in the underground car park of their hotel before the all-clear signal was given. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, several missiles were initially headed for northern Ukrainian areas but then veered off course. Later during his trip on Friday, Habeck came within sight of the aftermath of a Russian missile strike, as a huge column of smoke rose over the port city of Odessa. Several missiles had apparently hit the nearby seaport of Pivdennyi on the Black Sea. When Habeck's delegation passed the area around three hours later, a column of smoke could still be seen in the sky. Habeck left Ukraine in the evening and travelled to neighbouring Moldova, where he plans to meet Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean and other government representatives before returning to Germany. German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck enters the bunker during an air raid on the sidelines of a visit to a hospital rebuilt with German aid. Kay Nietfeld/dpa Ghostly city: How Russias war in Ukraine is taking a toll on its own Belgorod region Deserted streets, shuttered shops and silent restaurants. Damaged buildings and craters from missile strikes pockmarking the asphalt. Arrows on house facades signposting the nearest bomb shelters and stock of emergency supplies. The once-tranquil city of Belgorod, some 25 miles north of Russias border with Ukraine, has been transformed into a kind of ghost town, its eerie silence interrupted by the regular wail of missile warning sirens a reminder that the war raging in neighboring Ukraine looms ever closer. Reporting from the region is complicated by media restrictions and government control over press freedom. Many Russians are afraid to speak openly for fear of prosecution. Against that backdrop, residents of Belgorod have shared with CNN their struggle to navigate an uncertain future in the city, where everyday life has been irrevocably altered by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched by Russia in February 2022. Conversations were conducted by phone and audio messages. Belgorod has been the launch site for many rocket and missile attacks on Ukraine, and a key military hub for Russias invading forces. In 2023, after a year of strikes on its towns and cities, Ukraine changed tactics and expanded its operations more overtly onto Russian territory, putting Belgorod region firmly in its crosshairs. In recent weeks, the Belgorod region has been subject to almost daily shelling and drone attacks. Russian authorities blame Ukraine and report having repelled the attacks, while also admitting destruction and casualties caused by them. The Belgorod region has borne the brunt of the war compared to more distant Russian regions, which have been relatively untouched. The governor of Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on March 23 that 24 people had been killed and 152 injured in the span of less than two weeks. Alarmed Belgorod At the peak of the shelling of Belgorod, Timur Khaliullin, the 36-year-old organist for the Belgorod Philharmonic, took a rollerblade ride through the city centers deserted streets to show others what it looked like, in a video titled Alarmed Belgorod. Khaliullin points to the sealed-off doors of shops and restaurants and the arrows leading to shelters, emergency kits and basements where residents can take cover. Just as he reaches the central square and puts on his rollerblades, the sirens go off. Can you hear that? Thats how frightening the sirens sound. Its an air raid alarm. It means there will be incoming fire now, I need to take cover, Khaliullin says from behind the camera. He seeks refuge inside one of the empty, white-painted concrete boxes positioned at regular intervals throughout the square, each marked with the word Shelter. Screens stationed around the square instruct residents on proper conduct during shelling, offer guidance on administering first aid and echo patriotic encouragements. One of the messages reads, The battle for Russia persists. Victory will be ours! As the sirens stop, Khaliullin resumes his rollerblade ride, filming empty streets, and people waiting at the bus stops. According to locals, those traveling by public transport often spend hours standing at stops until the all-clear signal sounds, allowing buses to run again, and the city to resume its life until the next missile threat. Women wait at a bus stop protected by sandbags following recent Ukrainian shelling in Belgorod, Russia, January 12, 2024. - Rueters This is not how the city always looked. Describing her hometown of Belgorod pre-war, 25-year-old volunteer Natalia Izotova painted a charming picture. Its a small, cozy southern town with lots of trees and lots of greenery, which gets very hot in the summer, she told CNN. Its such a quiet, tiny place where everyone simply lives their life and tries to change something for the better in every way they can. Born and raised in Belgorod, Izotova said despite the terrible fear she experiences every time the sirens go off, she is hesitant to leave, bound as she is by her work with a local charity helping people with special needs. You live in a very large cocoon of misunderstanding and fear. At the same time, you dont really want to leave the city. But the Belgorod you remember no longer exists. Now that the city has emptied out, far fewer people dare to step outside unless they have to, she said. They still try to venture onto the streets, but its all getting gloomier. The city is becoming more ghostly. Deadly shelling In mid-March, amid escalating Ukrainian attacks and with warning sirens sounding four to five times daily, Gladkov, the regional governor, announced the closure of malls and schools, and the cancellation of classes for two days in several regions, including the city of Belgorod. Videos emerging from Belgorod showed scenes of chaos as people drove through thick smoke and burned-out cars, as well as damaged buildings and residents fleeing with their belongings amid the sounds of explosions and distant air-raid sirens. The main squares tiled pavement bears shrapnel damage - a reminder of a shell that fell on December 30 during one of the most devastating attacks. Toys and flowers have been placed on the steps nearby in memory of those lost. Following a major air attack on Ukraine by Russia overnight into December 29, Kyiv retaliated a day later by targeting the Belgorod region. At least 25 people were killed, including three children, and 113 were injured that day, Gladkov said, making it the deadliest shelling within Russia since the war began. Ukrainian shelling on December 30, 2023 caused multiple casualties in the city of Belgorod, authorities said. Kyiv's strike followed a major Russian air attack on Ukraine. - Emil Leegunov/Anadolu/Getty Images This is the darkest day weve had recently, 24-year-old Elizaveta, who asked to be identified only by her first name for safety concerns, told CNN. She was among those who witnessed the December 30 attack. As she left her job at a beverage chain store near the city center, she heard explosions. At first, everyone thought it was the usual sound of air defense operations. And then I saw it all: everything on fire, covered in smoke, buses stopped running, and taxis werent moving either because the roads were completely blocked, she recalled. At some point, the city just died, no one expected this. Many people perished, and the entire city mourned and continues to mourn to this day. Life there has not been the same since, she said. Her store has seen fewer customers, with many people afraid to step out of their homes. Lifeless city Like many others in Belgorod, Elizaveta has family in Kharkiv, across the border, with whom she has not spoken since they fell out in the first few months of the war. Kharkiv, Ukraines second largest city, has suffered a recent increase in Russian attacks. Here in Belgorod, many of us have relatives on both sides of the border. People from Belgorod frequently visited Kharkiv, and vice versa. Its truly disheartening to see such a rift between people who were once so closely connected, Elizaveta told CNN. I long for a return to normalcy, when people feel less fearful and regain a sense of security. The city is lifeless: stepping out to the streets at any hour you dont see anyone or any vehicles, its as if youre on a deserted island. Local residents stand in a front of an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on April 4, 2024. - Yevhen Titov/Reuters Vasily, a 27-year-old human relations manager who asked only to give his first name for safety reasons, described a pervasive sense of anxiety that accompanies his fellow residents every time they set foot outside the house, the fear of shelling or missile attacks weighing heavily on their minds. By the end of March, the disruptions caused by the attacks had become so predictable that setting a morning alarm seemed redundant. You dont even need to set an alarm anymore because like clockwork, at 8 in the morning, were met with another shelling, another missile launch, air defense operations or other war-related operations, he told CNN. Looting amid chaos As the situation deteriorated, essential services began to falter. Shops and eateries were closing their doors, and food deliveries were becoming increasingly sporadic. Confronted with the reality of living in a conflict zone, Vasily, like many other residents, contemplated leaving the city but decided to stay because his wife is enrolled at a local university. Swathes of people in Belgorod are opting to move either further away from the region or entirely out of it, basically, anywhere far from the border where it should potentially be less dangerous, Vasily said. While the authorities have never ordered a general evacuation, Gladkov disclosed on March 30 that 5,000 children had been evacuated to more secure regions, including St. Petersburg, Bryansk and Makhachkala. In total, the authorities were planning to relocate approximately 9,000 children to other regions due to ongoing shelling, state media reported. Deserted areas have witnessed an escalation of crime and disorder. In early April, the head of the Grayvoron district in Belgorod region sounded the alarm over a rise in looting incidents, with the highest number of such cases reported in the districts border settlements. The authorities have since said they aim to restore the border territories in time for Victory Day on May 9, when Russia commemorates the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Meanwhile, the border villages in Belgorod region remain largely abandoned and in a state of disrepair, and authorities dont seem in a hurry to encourage residents to return home. Specialists remove the body of a victim near a shopping center heavily damaged by a missile strike in what local authorities called a Ukrainian military attack, in Belgorod, Russia, on February 15, 2024. - Reuters As the war drags on, those who remain in Belgorod become less optimistic about the future. Considering that Russia is fighting in a way that what is left behind is scorched earth, I have a great fear that scorched earth may be left from the territory around Belgorod as well, Vasily said. Volunteer Izotova voiced a similar sentiment, describing the overwhelming sense of abandonment that has loomed large since the December 30 attack a feeling that has only grown more pronounced in recent weeks. In one of his latest references to the Belgorod region, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his appreciation and admiration for its residents courage and pledged support to it and other border regions. Despite that assurance, according to Izotova, many residents of Belgorod still feel neglected by the media, authorities and the broader Russian population, which appears oblivious to the war. The challenges faced by Belgorod appear to have been overlooked, she said, which in turn has led even those who oppose the war to feel that sympathy should no longer be extended only to the Ukrainian victims. While panic, fear and uncertainty persist, people are still trying to offer help. I think our main task right now is to assist those facing hardship both Ukrainians (suffering from the Russian aggression) and victims of the conflict within Russia, Izotova said. It is important not to remain silent or divert attention to comparisons of suffering, but rather to acknowledge the reality of war and remember who instigated it. Russia is entrenched in perpetual sorrow, experiencing it internally while also imposing it on others. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com I get it. Gildon hates home electrification. He doesnt need to mislead us about it | Opinion Gildon is misleading TCH readers on electrification The op-ed by Sen. Chris Gildon appearing in the April 7 Tri-City Herald is misleading at best. The inflated Building Industry Association of Washington cost estimate for homeowners to convert from gas to electricity is largely based on worst-case assumptions. Mr. Gildon also neglects to mention the availability of up to $4,600 in federal tax credits, and up to $14,000 in federally funded rebates per household that specifically offset the costs of electrification. The senator does not mention $77,600,000 in Climate Commitment Account funding for similar rebates that will be available later this year. There is no consideration of savings that accrue over time from use of heat pumps instead of natural gas for home heating and water heating. The low cost of clean electricity in the Tri-Cities yields savings as much as $500/year for a modest 2,000 sq. ft. home. In many homes, where equipment is near end of life and in need of replacement anyway, only the differential cost for installing heat pump vs gas equipment should be considered. The recent op-ed by Steve Ghan and Senator Matt Boehnke (Tri-City Herald, April 14) addresses many misconceptions regarding home electrification options, costs and effectiveness. Bruce Rathbone, Richland U.S. needs to end its special relationship with Israel Contrary to international law, Israel recently bombed the Iranian embassy in Syria and killed three Iranian commanders and five other people. Instead of criticizing Israel for this action, our president has warned Iran not to retaliate. Despite Israels lobbying our congress to the contrary, we do not need to go to war with Iran who has not done us any harm. However, it is time to rethink our special relationship with Israel. It has morphed from a beleaguered little democracy surrounded by enemies to a thuggish, racist and rogue regime that employs apartheid, torture,and arbitrary imprisonment. It also continues to occupy territories seized by its military. Currently, it has killed over 30,000 civilians in its current war with Hamas and is terrorizing Palestinians in the West Bank. Our continuing alliance and support of Israel has been very bad for the U.S. and alienated our country throughout much of the Muslim world. We do not need to follow this country into its continuing craziness. The U.S. should quit giving Israel three billion dollars a year (which helps to finance their military aggression and to lobby our congress) and treat it like any other country, based on actual American national interests. Bill Petrie, Richland Election integrity talk is hot air The future one-term speaker and one-term president speaking about election integrity laws is like O.J. and Charlie Manson speaking on strengthening murder laws. Its too late after you already broke all the laws. Roy Harmon, Benton City Does BFT really need those busses? According to their website, Ben Franklin Transit operates 71 full-size busses. With the exception of Benton Franklin County Fair time, I have rarely seen more than five riders, and its usually less than two riders at any given time on any bus at any time of day. Why does BFT need 71 full-size buses on the streets when a Honda Civic or a Dodge Caravan or maybe one of those big Ford passenger vans would suffice? Louie D. Smith, Pasco Our goal is to get students to see problems as opportunities Ten teams of Lake County high school students did their best to pitch their problem-solving entrepreneurial ideas to a panel of judges Friday at Purdue Northwest as part of the Innovate WithIN regional pitch competition. Don Wettrick, CEO of STARTedUP Foundation, who organizes the event in cooperation with Purdue Northwest and the Purdue Society of Innovators, said this is the seventh year for the competition. Six regional events are held and the winners from those rounds go on to compete for the state title along with $25,000 in company seed money and scholarship funds on June 21 at Butler University. Wettrick said the local anchor school is Hobart High School, where the competition started, and as word of the competition spread, more schools have become involved. This year there were three teams from Munster, two from Lowell, two from Hobart, and one each from Hanover Central, Hammond and Lake Central high schools. More than 3,000 Indiana high schoolers sent in applications for consideration. That number was whittled down to 10 in each region. The winner of each region plus four wild cards will compete for the state title. Our whole goal is to get students to see problems as opportunities, Wettrick said. Whether students go into entrepreneurship after their experience or choose a different path, the skills they learn help change the way they look at the world, he said. Jason Williams, manager director of the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest, said there were 600 applicants in Northwest Indiana alone. The quality of the applicants and the number of applicants continues to grow, Williams said. Along with the growth of the competition is the growth of an ecosystem of support that is spreading around it, providing mentorship and assistance after the contest ends. Dr. Rachel Clapp-Smith, dean of Purdue University Northwest College of Business at PNW, said it is inspiring to see the innovation brought out in the competition by the regions youth. She described the university as fertile ground for entrepreneurship. She said the solutions to tomorrows problems can be found in the minds of todays high school students. I know I am probably going to see a CEO, a future change maker, a future business leader here today, Clapp-Smith said. One by one the teams took the stage to talk about the problem their business would fix. Ashton Verbish from Hanover Central High School explained what brought him to his idea of SafetyGlow, an emergency lighting system for disabled semi-trucks. As a newer driver who lives in Cedar Lake and often uses local highways and interstates, he said he noticed how difficult it is to see semi trucks that have pulled over on the shoulder. The three triangles they are required by law to put behind their trucks are difficult to spot in the few seconds a vehicle moving 40-plus miles an hour has to see something approaching at night. His solution is a band of flashing lights that can be attached from corner to corner on the back of the truck to form a large X. Noah Kaiser and Mikel Ivy from Hobart High School pitched their product Safe Trips, a product designed to keep youth accounted for when they are on classroom trips or with other organizations or businesses. The team said their idea stemmed from an incident where Kaisers younger brother was hiding and the family could not find him. They have devised a bracelet and are working on an app that allows teachers or event organizers, for example, to provide each child with a GPS bracelet. The bracelet is registered to the child and the teacher and parent can track the childs location. After the event, the bracelet is returned and can be reassigned for future use. The Munster High School team behind Wringo walked away with first place. Ameen Musleh, Vasili Papageorge and Conner Gomez wowed the judges with their perfect solution designed to help instill confidence and reduce anxiety among people who have sweaty hands. Wringo is a product the user holds in their hand for 15 seconds and it leaves hands dry and natural for 30 minutes. The Wringo team will head to Butler University in June to make their pitch at the state competition. There also are four at-large positions in the six districts that will be filled with the top four scoring teams district-wide after the top six winners are named. Williams said the 10 teams heading to state will be announced Friday. There will be a pep rally for the state finalists on June 7 at the Lake County Corn Dogs game in Crown Point. cnapoleon@chicagotribune.com Goodyear Blimp spotted over the Jacksonville area on its way to PGA Tour event in Hilton Head, S.C. Looking over Jacksonvilles skies on Friday, you may have seen the famous Goodyear Blimp. Several people posted on Facebook that they saw the blimp from downtown Jacksonville and Nassau County. Action News Jax reached out to Goodyear and the blimp team said they headed north from their South Florida base in Pompano Beach on Thursday. The blimp spent the night at the Herlong Recreational Airport and was back in the air Friday. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] This weekend, the Goodyear Blimp will fly over the RBC Heritage PGA Tour event in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Then, the blimp will head back home to South Florida on Monday/Tuesday, so keep an eye out over Jacksonvilles skies again to catch a glimpse of the blimp! [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. A GOP political operatives conviction over steering illegal Russian contributions to former President Trumps 2016 campaign was upheld by a federal appeals court on Friday. The District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the appeal of Jesse Benton, a veteran political operative. Benton was convicted in late 2022. He had been charged with helping to orchestrate an illegal donation to the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) for a Russian national, Roman Vasilenko. Bentons consulting firm received $100,000. The operative created a fake invoice on which he said the fee was for consulting. He then arranged for Vasilenko to meet with Trump at a fundraiser without revealing his nationality to the campaign or the former president, according to court documents. Benton kept $75,000 for himself and used the remaining $25,000 to contribute to the campaign, according to a Justice Department release. He listed himself as a contributor for the donation, concealing the actual source of the funds when filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Benton had been pardoned in an unrelated case by Trump, and argued that pardon should have prohibited the jury from hearing about his previous election crimes before deciding to convict him with new ones. The court rejected that. Benton also argued that he was improperly charged, saying it should be under campaign finance laws, not falsifying records statutes. This argument was also rejected by Judge Karen Henderson, a George H.W. Bush appointee, one judge on the three-judge panel. The government is free to exercise its discretion to prosecute under either or both statutes, Henderson wrote. Benton worked for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). He was previously convicted in 2016 for paying an Iowa state senator to support Ron Paul in the 2012 presidential election. He was then sentenced to two years in prison. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. PORT MORESBY, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A prompt admission of Palestine into the United Nations is a move to rectify a prolonged historical injustice, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a press conference with his Papua New Guinea counterpart Justin Tkatchenko. We literally sold our middle class out to China so that rich people could make money selling you cheap garbage from China, Ohio GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno said in an ad released last summer. It was meant as a condemnation of wealthy elites ties to China, but in retrospect, it sounds more like an admission. Moreno, a multimillionaire who made his fortune in part as an owner of car dealerships, has repeatedly claimed he refused to sell a Chinese-made General Motors SUV, the Envision, as part of his principled defense of the U.S. auto industry. But that wasn't exactly true and Moreno is facing backlash for it. Labor leaders in Ohio, including those who support Democratic Sen. Sherrod Browns re-election bid, are teeing off on Moreno for lying about selling the model. A spokesperson for Moreno told Spectrum News, In response to the closure of the Lordstown Plant here in Ohio [in March 2019], Bernie made a decision to stop any new inventory of Envisions from being sold at his dealership. After he sold off the inventory he already had on the lot, he refused to take orders for more Envisions. There is zero contradiction here. To be clear: China is a major player in the global economy, so it's incredibly common for any business to have some sort of connection to the country. But right-wingers have been rabid in pushing conspiratorial rhetoric and accusations that such connections represent some nefarious national security threat. And that could come back to bite them at the polls this fall. Moreno isnt the only one being taken to task for his hypocrisy. Hes one of multiple wealthy Senate candidates backed by Republicans who, despite the partys vehement anti-China rhetoric, has made a killing doing business with the country. As David Corn reported for Mother Jones, Florida Sen. Rick Scott has demanded that the United States stop buying [Chinese] stuff and stop investing in China, and hes explained his stance by saying you dont do business with your enemies. But Corns post laid out Scotts history of promoting Chinese investment in Florida, as well as his extensive personal business ties to China, which have enabled him to net himself and his family millions of dollars. (Scott is the richest member of Congress.) His Democratic opponent has sought to capitalize on Scott's apparent China hypocrisy. Scott told Mother Jones that "hell be happy to put his record up against the China-loving Biden admin and the Democrats who are all pushing Bidens pro-China agenda," but did not address any of the outlet's reporting on his investments. Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, GOP Senate candidate and multimillionaire Dave McCormick, who has embraced hawkish anti-China rhetoric as well, has been exposed for previously leading an investment firm that plunged millions of dollars into companies that developed military equipment for China. For years now, news outlets have reported on McCormick's former business, Bridgewater Associates, and its extensive investments in China. But its holdings in producers of Chinese military equipment got more attention last week, thanks to a report from Bloomberg. McCormick told Bloomberg that the company he led was only acting within the governments parameters. The private sector follows the governments lead, he said, and in the case of Bridgewater, once the government issued its executive orders [on sanctions], Bridgewater complied with all its terms. Donald Trump, a former McCormick critic who just endorsed the candidate last week, has been quoted as saying McCormicks Chinese business investments show hes aligned with special interests and globalists. These are the supposedly stellar candidates Republicans are promoting to voters. Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida are all states where the GOP is working hard as it tries to retake the Senate this fall. Republicans havent helped their cause by backing candidates who oppose Chinese interests except where they coincide with their own. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Gov. Roy Cooper and other state leaders have agreed to have talks with Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden about his concerns that state jail inspectors are unfairly targeting him and coming to inaccurate conclusions after people died in his jail. McFadden previously voiced his concerns about the amount of data an inspector requested at a recent semi-annual inspection of the Mecklenburg County Detention Center. The sheriff also alleges that state inspectors are misreading data, leading to inaccurate conclusions about whether jail staff are making safety rounds required by law. In a press release Friday, McFadden reiterated his concerns and shared letters he sent to the governor, Attorney General Josh Stein and state Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley requesting conversations. The sheriffs office has reported two deaths in Mecklenburg jails this year. Jails in North Carolina are inspected by the NC DHHS twice per year for compliance with state regulations. They are also inspected following a report of a death in the jail. An inspector will look to ensure safety regulations and proper protocol were followed. McFadden has been critical of the health department and two jail inspectors for much of this month. At an April 10 press conference, the sheriff said that the inspectors seemingly target his detention center and apply extra scrutiny to it. The Charlotte Observer has asked McFadden and his communications staff to provide details on specific reports in which he believes jail inspectors were unfair or mistaken in their conclusions. The sheriffs office had not done that as of Friday. The Department of Health and Human Services has said little about the sheriffs complaints, and declined to make jail inspectors available for an interview. No detention center is perfect. Our detention center is not perfect, but we always strive to be, McFadden said in the press release. It is, however, imperative that the inspection process is conducted fairly and without bias to maintain public trust and ensure the safety and well-being of both staff and residents. Observer staff writer Ryan Oehrli contributed to this report. SPRINGFIELD, Il. Gov. J.B. Pritzker called for an evolution of the leadership at the CTA, as embattled agency President Dorval Carter has looked to Springfield for solutions to a looming budget crisis. Carter has found himself in the hot seat as the CTA struggled in recent years to provide frequent, reliable and safe service. At the same time, the Illinois General Assembly is weighing a sweeping set of recommendations about what Chicago-area transit could look like in the future, including whether the CTA should be consolidated with Metra and Pace into one agency and how to address a transit fiscal cliff expected when federal pandemic aid runs out. Thursday night, from his ceremonial office in the Illinois State Capitol, Pritzker said changes were needed at CTA, and thats going to take some new leadership and additional leadership. I think that there needs to be an evolution of the leadership in order for us to get where we need to go with CTA, he said, during an unrelated news conference. Though CTA is based in Chicago, Pritzker has some measure of control over the agency, appointing three of the transit boards seven members. And the recommendations under consideration by lawmakers have heightened the importance of Carters relationship with state officials. The recommendations come as the regions public transit agencies face a combined $730 million budget hole once federal COVID-19 relief funding starts running out, which could be as soon as 2025. The agencies have warned that failure to plug the hole could lead to catastrophic service cuts and fare increases. So the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning drafted a set of recommendations, sent to lawmakers in December, to address public transit funding, governance and the experience of riding buses and trains, proposing $1 billion or more in new public funding annually, options to revamp oversight of the regions transit agencies and other suggestions. Many of the suggestions are likely to be politically contentious, which makes the CTAs relationship with lawmakers crucial during negotiations. CTA recently has faced a range of challenges, including so-called ghost buses and trains, long wait times and concerns about personal safety, both real and perceived. Carter has come under fire as complaints have mounted, drawing the attention of some elected officials. Chicago aldermen tried for a year to require Carter and CTA officials to regularly testify before they succeeded. Later, in February, they brought him before City Council as part of a new requirement that CTA officials appear for quarterly committee hearings. Pritzkers comments about Carter reflect the latest sentiments out of Springfield about how state officials believe the CTA needs improvement under his leadership. Just last week, the Illinois Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation related to a serious collision in November between a CTA train and snowplow near Chicagos border with Evanston that left at least 16 people injured, seven of them CTA employees. The measure, which now moves to the House for consideration, would require annual reports from the CTA, Illinois Department of Transportation, Regional Transportation Authority and Metra detailing the safety recommendations made over a one-year period from the National Transportation Safety Board, as well as the status of their implementation. The reports, which would spell out the recommendations and the transportation agencies progress in following them by Dec. 31 of each year, must be viewable to the public online as well as to the General Assembly. Sarah Freishtat reported from Chicago. ____ Michael Gove is under pressure to scrap health and safety regulations that are forcing homebuilders to shrink the size of windows to stop people falling out. Developers up and down the country are building gloomier and darker homes due to rule changes brought in by the Government two years ago. Upstairs windows in new-build homes must now be at least 1.1 metres (3.6ft) from the floor, leaving younger children unable to see outside. The regulations were introduced over fears that hotter summers brought on by global warming will lead to people opening their windows more frequently, putting them at risk of falling out. Mr Gove ordered officials to review the controversial rules last year, and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities carried out a consultation with housebuilders, which closed last month. The outcome of the review is expected soon, with insiders hopeful the strange window rules will be axed. Nicholas Boys Smith, chairman of the Create Street think tank on urban design, said the regulations have incentivised the building of extremely small windows. People are not able to look out of their windows if they are sitting down, he said. This means, in a normal-sized suburban house, first-floor rooms are darker and less pleasant. Its making it nearly impossible to create houses that fit in with their 20th century, Edwardian, Georgian or Victorian predecessors. The majority of Englands most beloved buildings would violate these regulations. The Telegraph has been shown a number of examples of new homes built adhering to the rules, including a development in Didcot, Oxfordshire, where windows on the upper storeys appear squashed, seemingly as a result of the regulation changes. Building regulations mean new homes are being constructed with increasingly small windows Mr Boys Smith, who says fewer sash windows are being incorporated into new designs, added: There can be ways round some of these regulations but these cost money and take time, care and love. Our fear is that many housebuilders wont invest in these for more budget properties, meaning that lower-income neighbourhoods will take most of the hit. Michael Gove was 100pc right to announce a review of these foolish regulations. I hope that the Government is able to scrap or materially improve them. Most developers trying to refrain from installing small first-floor windows instead install bars across the glass to prevent people falling out, or seal the lower sections of windows shut so they cannot be opened. The height of window sills on upper floors already had to sit at least 80cm above the storeys floor level, but the 2022 rules increased this requirement to 1.1 metres. A government report used to justify the changes warned that openings which are intended to be open for long periods to reduce overheating risk might pose a higher risk of falls from height. Rico Wojtulewicz, spokesman for the National Federation of Housebuilders, said the window regulations are making it difficult and unviable to deliver unique and beautiful homes. Local authorities and building control dont fully understand the regulations so there is a lot of confusion out there, he said. The industry raised these concerns years ago and we simply werent listened to, so its good that the Government may be listening now, before every building is subject to these rules. Results of the Government consultation are expected to be revealed in the coming days or weeks. It did pose the question of bringing existing buildings into the fray, by suggesting that change of use buildings should also conform to the 1.1 metre rule. This would widen the scope to office block conversions or a house being split into multiple flats, for example. However, critics of the stringent window regulations are confident the Government will water down its rules, or scrap them entirely. A source said: They are rethinking it, and I would be surprised if Michael Gove wants to go down in history as the man who did this. A spokesman for the Housing Department said: We have recently closed a call for evidence on building regulations, including on windows and their safety. We are now considering the responses and will publish the Government response in due course. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Government official insists dirty power source cannot be replaced: 'It will never work' A South African energy official has voiced a commitment to coal, even as unreliable plants are unable to handle energy demands, resulting in periodic blackouts, according to multiple reports. In an interview with Bloomberg, Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said that abandoning coal in favor of renewables is a "mistake" that would worsen electricity shortages. "It will never work," he said in the report, adding, "coal is going to be around for a long time; for a longer time than many people expect it will be." As a result, much of the population experiences poor air quality without power. Meanwhile, an abundance of untapped, electricity-producing sun rays continue to shine on the country with great potential. What's happening? South Africa is an intersection of poverty, poor air quality, and apparent backward thinking when it comes to sustainable energy. While wealthy among nations on the continent, more than half of South Africa's population live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Worse yet, the State of Global Air report from 2019 states that "air pollution is the eighth leading risk factor for premature death" in the country. But the government seems intent on keeping the coal burning, despite outages of up to 12 hours a day when plants break down. Mantashe told Bloomberg that mistakes in the country's energy sector during the last three decades, including delayed power plant projects and flawed designs, are complicating matters. "That is one of those mistakes, and we are learning out of it," he said in the story. Why is it important? For a global energy transition to be effective, buy-in needs to come from leaders on every continent. The World Health Organization estimates that 99% of the planet's population is breathing air below its quality standards. A dogged reliance on fossil fuels compounds the problem and impedes efforts to steady the planet's overheating, already being marked by disasters around the globe. Meanwhile, the state of California, which has nearly twice the population of South Africa, recently celebrated having its supply of wind, hydro, solar, and geothermal energy produce enough energy to exceed 100% of the state's electricity demands during 25 days of a 32-day stretch. With battery reserves factored and considering the extensive job opportunities the transition would provide, there aren't many reasons to resist replacing coal with renewable energy sources. What can be done to help? South Africa is rich in sunshine. Soly, an international clean energy tech company, notes that the country has 2,500 hours of sun-filled skies each year. In fact, Soly considers South Africa to hold "huge sun energy potential." If the country's leaders invest in smart solar projects instead of ill-planned and inadequate fossil burners, fewer blackouts and cleaner air could be the result. What's more, unique breakthroughs in solar-farm tech are making large-scale sun-catching and power storage easier. Islands of floating panels can move with the sun to maximize solar generation while limiting land use, for example. It will take an ambitious effort among South African energy officials to realize the potential of sunlight and other renewable power sources. "Given the relatively new status of the solar industry in South Africa, it's crucial to acknowledge the abundant sunlight the country receives compared to other global regions," Soly's website states. Anyone can join the effort to promote renewable energy by staying educated on the topic and advocating for sustainable policies, even in your hometown. Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. In a report earlier this year, it recommended that the Government 'take a more proactive and leading role in communicating a positive vision of the EV transition to consumers'. - AFP The Government has promised to proactively promote a positive vision of electric cars to boost the market in response to a call from a House of Lords committee. The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee said that it had heard from experts, including Government ministers, that a campaign of misinformation had undermined the rollout of electric cars. The sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2035, and the Government wants electric cars to make up 80 per cent of new sales this decade, from 15 per cent currently. In a report earlier this year, it recommended that the Government take a more proactive and leading role in communicating a positive vision of the EV transition to consumers. Government taking proactive action Responding to the inquiry on Friday, the Government said it agreed with the recommendation, and was taking proactive action to counter inaccurate information presented by the media on the subject of EVs. The Government will continue to work with industry to communicate the many benefits of transitioning to EVs, it said. Examples presented to the committee of damaging messaging included a comment piece from Rowan Atkinson in the Guardian in which he said he felt duped by EVs. Mr Atkinson said our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end, and thats no bad thing. Mr Rowan Atkinson (pictured), said 'our honeymoon with electric cars is coming to an end, and that's no bad thing.' - Getty Images Europe The proportion of electric cars sold in the UK shrank compared to last year, according to figures in March, although the overall number increased. Peers had also called for the Government to drop tax on public charging to 5 per cent, in line with electricity in the home, as costs have risen higher than petrol in some instances. But the Government rejected the suggestion, saying that reducing the tax would impose additional pressure on the public finances. Rejected call to introduce targeted subsidies It also rejected a call to introduce targeted subsidies for the purchase of electric cars. Peers said the rollout was stalling as upfront cost barriers put EVs out of reach of the majority of drivers. The Government said battery costs were coming down. Baroness Parminter, Chair of the inquiry said: Whilst we welcome the Governments acceptance of some of the recommendations in our report, it is particularly disappointing that it is not committing to incentivising the purchase of more EVs, equalising the VAT differential between public and domestic charging, or addressing our concerns about barriers to charging in multi-occupancy buildings. If implemented, these recommendations would help people to adopt EVs and ensure a smoother journey towards net zero. Peers will keep urging the Government to do more, as otherwise the EV revolution is a non-starter. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Russian attacks have destroyed and damaged at least 116,000 residential buildings, including over 7,000 high-rise apartment blocks, in Donetsk Oblast since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022, the regional governor, Vadym Filashkin, told the Kyiv Independent in an interview published on April 19. 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. "Marinka is completely destroyed, Vuhledar barely exists. There are many such places along the front line. Bakhmut and Avdiivka are almost gone. Lyman, Toretsk, Niu-Iork, and the Ocheretyne community are 80% destroyed, Krasnohorivka is 70-80% destroyed," Filashkin said in the interview in late March. The scale of destruction and damage is unclear, as the Ukrainian government has no full access to some territories in the embattled region. Russia controls around 60% of Donetsk Oblast and illegally annexed it along with Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts in the fall of 2022. According to the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration's previous data, between 2014 and 2022, 14,656 residential buildings, including 1,140 high-rise blocks, were damaged or destroyed in Ukraine-control parts of the region that Russia first invaded a decade ago. A thorough assessment of the damage to the region's heavy industry, which previously accounted for about 20% of Ukraine's industrial output, has yet to be conducted. "No big business left in Donetsk Oblast, unfortunately. Large enterprises have been almost completely destroyed. There is little left of the coal industry. Only small and medium-sized businesses remain," said Filashkin. Meanwhile, 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: No region in Ukraine endures hell like Donetsk Oblast, governor says of Russias war Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Editor's note: This article has been updated with the latest number of casualties reported by the regional governor. Russian forces hit a residential area in Odesa with a missile attack, wounding eight people, including two children, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper reported on April 20. Ukraines southern regions, such as Odesa, are frequent targets of Russian attacks, damaging civilian infrastructure and causing multiple casualties among civilians. The April 20 missile attack caused fires and destroyed several houses, from one of which a woman and a child were rescued, Kiper said on Telegram. Two people received minor injuries, and a child was hospitalized, according to Kiper. Later, he said that, according to clarified data, eight people were wounded in the attack, including another child aged four and an 80-year-old woman. A Russian missile strike against Odesa the day before reportedly injured a civilian and damaged the citys port infrastructure. Read also: How thousands of Ukrainian children cope with losing parents to war Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. PORT MORESBY, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A prompt admission of Palestine into the United Nations is a move to rectify prolonged historical injustice, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a press conference with his Papua New Guinea counterpart Justin Tkatchenko. The United Nations should work to play its due role in responding to global challenges, and the UN Security Council should do its duty to maintain international peace and security, Wang said, noting that the international community has profound dissatisfaction and disappointment at the United States over its sole veto recently to deny Palestine's full UN membership. An early full UN membership for Palestine is a move to rectify prolonged historical injustice, Wang stressed, adding that this is an international obligation due to be fulfilled by each UN member state. However, the United States once again openly stands opposite to international morality, and to the international community, leaving one more very dishonorable record in history, the Chinese foreign minister noted. A full UN membership for Palestine should not come as a result of Israel-Palestine negotiations, but as an equal precondition granted to Palestine for negotiations, serving as a key step towards realizing the two-state solution, Wang pointed out. It is not that conditions are not ripe for Palestine to fully become a UN member state, but that justice remains long overdue, Wang said, noting that the United States should act to show its claimed support for the two-state solution. Lisa Rinna in the house! Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star gave Miami Beach Pride some serious celeb cred on Sunday. The soap opera vet turned beauty entrepreneur/supermodel apparently had a blast as Grand Marshal for the annual LGBTQ+ festivals parade. The 60-year-old Bravolebrity, rocking a cowboy hat and pinstripe outfit, posted a few snaps of the fest on Instagram. Posing with the TV queen was special guest June Diane Raphael, of Grace and Frankie fame. What a great day! Thank you so much for having me! she wrote. Rinna told the Miami Herald that she hadnt been to the area in a while, but did manage a few years back to dine at Carbone in SoFi, which was yummy and fun. Her favorite memory goes way back to the archives. The mother of two (who is married to L.A. Law actor Harry Hamlin) remembered visiting Miami Beach when the iconic, now shuttered Delano Hotel opened in 1995. We stayed for the weekend and that was pretty fabulous, she said. Speaking of pretty fabulous, Rinna just got a shout-out from her ex boss, Andy Cohen, on his SiriusXM show. The media mogul said he was impressed by how well she has pivoted since her exit from the Housewives franchise last year. I did not have it on my bingo card that Lisa Rinna would become, not only a model, but she is walking in couture campaigns in Paris, Cohen gushed. She has become a real player in the fashion industry.... Ive got to give it up to her. Rinna at the time explained why she left. Who wants to leave a job? she told The Evening Standard. But I think we all knew it was time. Eight years of that kind of show What more could I have done, besides generate more memes? Greeces Left-wing opposition leader has been mocked for claiming a divine cross appeared during his baptism as an infant. Stefanos Kasselakis, the 36-year-old head of the Syriza party, claimed this week that the oil in his baptismal font had magically coalesced to form the shape during his christening service decades earlier. The mystical sign meant that he was destined to either become a priest, or very important, he said his parents were told at the time. He achieved the latter first making a fortune as a banker with Goldman Sachs, then becoming a shipowner and finally emerging from relative obscurity last September to win the leadership of Syriza, Greeces main opposition force. Comebacks from political rivals were swift. Nikos Androulakis, the leader of the socialist Pasok party, joked that when he was christened, a green sun the symbol of his party was seen to form. Euclid Tsakalotos of the New Left party also weighed in, saying that a hammer and sickle had been sighted at the baptism of his party leader. Mr Kasselakis comments also raised eyebrows within his own party, parts of which are uncomfortable with his banking past and close ties to the US, where he lived for more than 20 years. They feel he is sharply at odds with the partys gritty, Leftist traditions. This reference to miracles was slightly shocking, prominent Syriza member Giorgos Tsipras said. The (Greek) Left never had miracles in its political discourse. Someone who is rationalist does not talk about these things. Damaging split The alienation felt by some Syriza members led to a damaging split in November when 11 MPs abandoned the party to form a rival group. The Left-wing faction accused Mr Kasselakis of abandoning its core ideology and instead embracing Trumpian practices and Right-leaning populism. Mr Kasselakis was elected the leader of Syriza after the party suffered a humiliating loss in a general election last summer. The election was won by the governing New Democracy party, led by Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Mr Kasselakis has said he wants to build the equivalent of the US Democratic Party in Greece and has frequently made pro-business statements. He has also claimed credit for a landmark new law legalising same-sex marriage and adoption passed by the government in February. 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. UPDATE: Green Bay Preble High and Danz Elementarys secure the building has been lifted FRIDAY, 4/19/24 1:54 p.m. GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) Officials with the Green Bay Area Public School District (GBAPS) say that both Preble High School and Danz Elementary have lifted the secure the building. A Facebook post from the GBAPS states that students at both schools will be dismissed on time. Around 12:30 p.m., the Green Bay Police Department responded to a shooting near Mills Street and Village Street, which is in the vicinity of both Preble High and Danz Elementary. However, no official word has been provided as to whether or not the two incidents were related. Water main break isolated on Green Bays Finger Road, flooding should recede Local 5 will update this story if new details are released. Original story: Green Bay Preble High School under lockdown due to outside community concern FRIDAY, 4/19/24 1:10 p.m. GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) Green Bay Preble High School is currently under a secure the building lockdown due to what school officials are calling an outside community concern. A Facebook post from Preble High School is calling the lockdown a precautionary measure and says that students will not be released until the situation is resolved. State Patrol: One dead, another airlifted following crash in Manitowoc County Officials with the school will send a message and update its website and social media when the secure the building is released. Danz Elementary in Green Bay also posted on its Facebook that they are also in a secure the building lockdown. Around 12:30 p.m., the Green Bay Police Department responded to a shooting near Mills Street and Village Street, which is in the vicinity of both Preble High and Danz Elementary. However, no official word has been provided as to whether or not the two incidents were related. No other information is known at this point. Local 5 will 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. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) ripped Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), and her House colleagues for advancing a massive foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Greene, who has opposed sending more money to Ukraine, expressed her anger at Johnson, for whom she already introduced a motion to vacate last month. She reacted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys post on the social media platform X, where he thanked the House Speaker for the decision that keeps history on the right track following the vote in the lower chamber. The hard-right Georgia Republican slammed Johnson for passing a foreign aid bill, which the majority of Democrats voted for, and called the speaker a traitor to the entire country. Zelensky thanks Speaker Mike Johnson (D-Ukraine) for sending $61 BILLION of your hard-earned tax dollars to fuel a foreign war, Greene said in a Saturday post on X. Johnson once again passed a bill with the help of Democrats while the majority of the Republican majority voted against it. Not only is Mike Johnson a traitor to our conference, hes a traitor to our country. House passed a $95 billion foreign aid package on Saturday after months of fierce debate. The legislation contains around $61 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in war-torn zones, including the Gaza Strip, $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific region and a package of national security measures that also includes a potential ban on social media app TikTok. Her motion to vacate the speakers gavel has amassed support this week with endorsements from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), but Greene has not stated when she would force a vote on it. Triggering the ouster resolution has been made more difficult since Johnsons leadership was endorsed by former President Trump during their joint press conference in Florida last week. Besides Johnson, Greene blasted her conferences colleagues for opposing her amendment related to funds for Kyiv. She shared a list of 139 GOP members who voted against her amendment. Here are the 139 Republicans who just voted against my amendment to strip every penny of your tax dollars from Mike Johnsons $61 BILLION Ukraine war spending bill, Greene said in Saturday post on X, minutes before the foreign package passed and is now on its way to the Senate. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests praised the Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo for releasing a list of people disqualified from working with kids but is hoping for even more information to be added to the list. It is always helpful for survivors when these lists are posted, especially for those who may be suffering alone and in silence, the organization wrote in a Friday release. The list includes people who have been credibly accused though not necessarily convicted in a court of law, violated a child-protection policy after warnings, failed as a mandated reporter to report allegations of abuse of minors, failed to act to prevent abuse they knew was happening, gave pornography to minors, possessed or used child pornography, physically abused minors or directed sexual abuse or sexual assault of minors. It does not clarify which people are accused of which acts. Kalamazoo Diocese releases list of those disqualified from working with kids We cannot help but worry that it is all too easy for the parishioners and the public to assume that the clergy, or even the non-clergy on the list, did not commit life-changing and heinous crimes. Thus, we believe it is extremely important for Bishop (Edward) Lohse to identify which people fall into which categories, SNAP wrote. Melanie Sakoda, survivors support director for SNAP said Thursday 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 Sakoda. 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. 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. More than half of the U.K.'s 900 million pound (over $1 billion) military fund for Ukraine remains unused due to bureaucratic delays in handing out contracts, the Guardian reports. The British Ministry of Defense manages a coalition of about nine countries called the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU). The IFU is a funding mechanism that was created in August 2022 and uses financial contributions from nine other countries to procure military equipment for Ukraine. Some of the other countries in the initiative include Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Iceland, and Lithuania. The IFU has been criticized for its slow provision of weapons to the frontlines. Of the more than $1 billion that's been donated by Western countries over the last two years, of which $600 million came from the U.K., only about $500 million has been committed or spent. Some British officials even admitted that some of the materials that were purchased would not reach Ukraine until Spring 2025. Delays have reportedly been caused by a need to assess each of the massive numbers of defense companies that have received contracts. A spokesperson from the Ministry reportedly told the Guardian that "thousands of responses have been received from industry to IFU requirements, each of which has had to be individually reviewed." Defense Secretary Grant Shapps is actively trying to recruit new countries to join the fund but the initiative's negative record for distributing cash appears to be deterring potential donors. Delays in Western aid have become a major issue for Ukraine's military, especially as critical ammunition shortages continue to undermine advances on the battlefield. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also called on international partners to expand provisions of air defense systems amidst increased Russian aerial attacks over the last few months. Read also: Ukraine war latest: First Russian Tu-22M3 bomber downed, strikes in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kill 7 Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greenes conspiracy theories, vitriolic language, and xenophobia have made her a darling of the right and a pariah on the leftand now, shes gained admiration from Russian state television. Greenes attempts to block aid to Ukraine, her criticisms of NATO, and her beliefs that the United States should withdraw from the alliance have drawn plaudits from TV hosts in Russia, The Daily Beast reported Friday. She believes that Americans should help Putin win. Yes, you heard that right. To help him win in Ukraine, says host Evgeny Popov in one clip. Yet again, Marjorie Taylor Greene's comments are being used by Kremlin propagandists on Russian state TV. State TV host and State Duma member Evgeny Popov is interpreting her statements to mean that she wants Americans to help Putin win in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/nYLntOYdtb Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) July 2, 2022 Its a new development for Greene, who previously was mocked in the country for confusing gazpacho with Gestapo and claiming that Jewish space lasers caused the California wildfires. Russian TV even said her words were proof of mental debilitation in Western politics. But Greene may be happy to know that her echoing of Russian propaganda in the House of Representatives has paid off, despite the fact that the issue of aid to Ukraine has divided the Republican Party. It looks like former Representative Ken Buck was right on the money when he called her Moscow Marjorie. Some experts have even suggested that Russia is buying off American politicians just like they do in Europe. Greene wouldnt be the only Republican to spew Kremlin talking points, but she seems to be the most popular so far. As the new darling of Russian state TV, shes filling a void left by Speaker Mike Johnson, who in recent days has come out in support of aid in Ukraine after months of blocking it. Johnson was so beloved on Russian television for blocking aid to Ukraine that one TV host called him Our Johnson. Green also appears to have usurped erstwhile Fox News host Tucker Carlson, whose February interview with Putin fell flat, ending Russian TVs love affair with him. Russias praise of Greene, and other conservative personalities before her, is just further proof that postDonald Trump, a large part of the Republican Party has pledged its allegiance to Vladimir Putin. German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck makes a press statement on the fringes of his visit to a hospital rebuilt with German aid. Kay Nietfeld/dpa German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck came within sight of the aftermath of a Russian missile strike during his trip to Ukraine, as a huge column of smoke rose over the port city of Odessa on Friday. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, several missiles had hit the seaport of Pivdennyi near Odessa on the Black Sea. The attack occurred at around 3 pm (1200 GMT). When Habeck's delegation passed the area around three hours later, a high column of smoke could still be seen in the sky. Zelensky had reported the impact in a speech broadcast to the NATO-Ukraine Council in Brussels. The governor of the Odessa region, Oleh Kiper, stated that one man had been taken to hospital with shrapnel injuries. There had also been a fire, he said. There were three air-raid alerts during Habeck's stay in the Mykolaiv region in south-eastern Ukraine. Two other alerts were for possible missiles fired from the direction of the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula. Habeck had to go to an air-raid shelter three times during the day, the first time before his departure from Kiev in the early morning. Habeck left Ukraine in the evening and travelled to neighbouring Moldova, where he planned to meet government representatives before returning to Germany. German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck enters the bunker during an air raid on the sidelines of a visit to a hospital rebuilt with German aid. Kay Nietfeld/dpa It can happen again: Judge set to preside over Trump trial delivers her toughest Jan. 6 sentence to date U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has handed down her harshest Jan. 6 sentence to date five-and-a-half years to Scott Miller, a Maryland man and former Proud Boys leader who assaulted multiple officers in a violent attempt to breach the Capitol. Chutkan based her sentence, delivered on Friday, in part on Millers aggressive actions at the Capitol but also on his private writings that called for racial and religious violence against minorities and Jews. She said the evidence of his violent ideology his embrace of Nazism and his purported belief that Washington, D.C., residents should be executed troubled her despite Millers insistence that he had disavowed those beliefs soon after Jan. 6. Chutkans 66-month sentence narrowly edges two 63-month sentences she handed down to Robert Palmer and Mark Ponder, who similarly joined some of the most egregious violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6: the brutal hand-to-hand combat at the mouth of the buildings Lower West Terrace tunnel. Chutkan, who is in line to preside over the criminal trial of Donald Trump for his bid to subvert the 2020 election, emphasized her belief that the Jan. 6 mob attack was close to as serious a crisis as this nation has ever faced. She lauded officers who, though outnumbered and ill-equipped, fought to protect the building. They faced horrendous circumstances. They were assaulted, spat on, beaten, kicked, gassed, Chutkan said. They are patriots. Chutkan also worried that the conditions that caused Jan. 6 still exist. It can happen again, the Obama-appointed judge said. Extremism is alive and well in this country. Threats of violence continue unabated. Miller, who has been jailed since pleading guilty, was joined in court by his family including a wife who is 20 weeks pregnant with the couples first child. His wife, a mental health counselor, told Chutkan she had been working with Miller since Jan. 6 to steer him away from the disgusting views and groupthink she said led him to Jan. 6. She described his depression and anxiety. Miller also addressed Chutkan, telling her he had cut ties with the Proud Boys and had shed his previous extremist beliefs. I want to be a good example for my child, he said. Chutkan echoed that sentiment after imposing her sentence, acknowledging the hardship it would cause his wife and future child, who didnt ask for any of this. Having a child is a life changing event, Chutkan said, noting that children really dont care about what you did. They just love you. She said she hoped Millers child would be a clarifying moment in his life and continue him on a path away from violent ideology. Every person, she said, is capable of redemption. A premier L.A. County teaching hospital has fired one of its highest-ranking doctors following a two-year investigation that found he regularly gawked at the genitalia of anesthetized patients and never disclosed that he was being paid by a medical device company whose products he used on patients. Staff members at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a public hospital run by the county, told investigators that Dr. Louis Kwong sometimes looked under the surgical covers of Black males who were under anesthesia and discussed the "genitals of the day," according to his discharge notice, which was obtained by The Times. Kwong also discussed his favorite sex positions and his preference for auto-erotic asphyxiation, his colleagues told investigators. Additionally, investigators found that Kwong, an orthopedic surgeon, received more than $700,000 from the medical device company Zimmer Biomet, which makes joint replacements, without reporting the conflict of interest to the county. He flew twice on the companys private plane to its Indiana headquarters with medical residents from the hospital, according to the Feb. 27 notice informing him of his firing. The discharge notice makes no mention of the gun that Kwong, a volunteer deputy sheriff, had allegedly carried in the operating room and other parts of the hospital, according to a lawsuit filed by colleagues in October. The notice does say that he violated county policy by bringing a personal knife into the operating room on at least one occasion. Your inappropriate, disparaging comments and actions were offensive, and created an uncomfortable, hostile, and demoralizing work environment for others, Griselda Gutierrez, the hospitals chief medical officer, wrote in the notice. Much of the misconduct described in the notice had been reported years ago to the county, raising questions about the inaction of hospital leaders. Kwongs secretary complained more than a decade ago that her boss would remark on the grooming of anesthetized patients' pubic hair, The Times previously reported . A doctor flagged Kwongs conflict of interest with Zimmer Biomet to the health departments chief medical officer in 2016, according to emails reviewed by The Times. Yet the hospital didn't launch an investigation until fall 2021, when it said accusations against Kwong were first officially reported. Kwong was placed on paid leave the following spring, as Sheppard Mullin, a law firm hired by the county, spent more than two years investigating him. County policy requires departments in most cases to keep paying an employee who is on leave during an investigation. The slow pace allowed Kwong to receive more than a million dollars without working. In 2023 a year in which Kwong didnt work a single day he was the eighth highest paid county employee, according to salary records posted this month. Read more: Allegations of sexual harassment, armed surgeon roil top L.A. teaching hospital Between 2021 and 2023, the county received seven more complaints about Kwong, according to his discharge notice. Harbor-UCLA, which treats largely poor and uninsured patients from around the South Bay, has been on probation since last summer after residents complained to an organization that oversees teaching hospitals of an unprofessional and toxic work environment in the orthopedics department, which Kwong chaired. The hospital is one of just six teaching hospitals across the nation that is on probation. Kwong appealed his firing March 20 to the Civil Service Commission, a county body that can overturn disciplinary decisions. In a letter to the commission, Kwong's attorney said her client denied or had no recollection of nearly all the allegations of inappropriate conduct and believed he was at risk of becoming the countys scapegoat. Dr. Kwong disagrees with the Countys decision to terminate his employment and denies the manufactured allegations against him, attorney Michelle Finkel Ferber wrote in an email to The Times. Dr. Kwong looks forward to defeating these sensationalized claims through the appeals process, not in the press. Besides his consulting work for Zimmer Biomet, Kwong was dinged by the county for not disclosing his employment with the Lundquist Institute, a private research facility next door to Harbor UCLA. Many Harbor doctors also work as scientists at the institute. Zimmer Biomet and Lundquist not only compensated you for your work but provided you with financial incentives for business referrals, which created a clear conflict of interest since the Department had contracts with them, the notice said. Your decision to hide your employment with these companies for 6 years demonstrates your propensity for dishonesty. In a letter appealing Kwong's discharge, Ferber said her client was never compensated by the Lundquist Institute, and there was no intent to conceal the relationship with Zimmer Biomet. The lack of disclosure was based on a misunderstanding of county policy, the attorney wrote. The letter also stated that Kwong preferred Zimmer Biomet devices over other implants based on their clinical record and performance outcomes. Kwong's decisions regarding implant choice are governed by what is best for addressing the patient's reconstruction needs, the letter said. Some doctors say Kwongs affiliation with both the Lundquist Institute and Zimmer Biomet was hardly a secret. Until recently, a Google search for Dr. Louis Kwong brought up his page on the Lundquist Institutes site as one of the first results. Kwong was also listed as an affiliate doctor on Zimmer Biomets website, according to the discharge notice. The Lundquist Institute has since taken down Kwongs page. The Times could no longer find Kwong on Zimmer Biomets website. According to the discharge notice, the countys internal investigators began examining Kwongs relationship with Zimmer Biomet after a complaint in 2021. But emails obtained by The Times show the issue was flagged for the county five years earlier. On July 26, 2016, Tim Ryan, a former doctor with Harbor-UCLA who has since sued the county, emailed several colleagues screenshots from ProPublicas Dollars for Docs portal, which shows payments disclosed by medical device companies to doctors. Ryan sent entries for several county doctors, including Kwong, whose showed he had received payments from Zimmer Biomet. Ryan's email was forwarded to Hal Yee, chief medical officer for the Department of Health Services. Let's discuss, Yee responded. I am concerned about both [conflict of interest] and failure to disclose. The Department of Health Services did not immediately respond to questions about the steps it took to follow up. Two years later, Kwong posted a photo on his Facebook page of himself and his residents in front of a small plane, writing that he was on his way to Warsaw, Ind., where Zimmer Biomet is headquartered. The same image was later posted on a bulletin board at Harbor, according to a photo of the board viewed by The Times. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, which acts as a safety net for poor and uninsured patients from around the South Bay, has been on probation since last summer. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) After joining the county in 2007, Kwong ascended through the orthopedic department, nabbing the plum assignments of department chair and program director for residents. He received glowing performance reviews his last two years on the job, according to his discharge notice, with evaluators noting that he had far exceeded expectations. But his rise was dogged by complaints that often went ignored. In 2013, Maria Garibay, then a medical secretary, told the county's human resources department that Kwong would have discussions with his staff about the women he operated on and "the variations in which they groom their pubic areas." In 2019, a medical student accused Kwong of entering an operating room to peek under the hood and look at a patients genitalia. The comments, posted on a site used to rate orthopedic programs, were flagged for the hospitals director of risk management, who responded that they had started working on this. Some doctors say the 10-year delay in addressing complaints not only put the hospital in jeopardy but allowed a culture rife with racism and inappropriate behavior to fester. According to Kwongs discharge notice, three people told investigators that residents referred to Black patients as BAP, which reportedly stood for Black Angry Patients. Two doctors stated that Kwong compared two Black residency candidates as brother versus brother. During a meeting, a resident stated that a Black candidate "looked like he raped cheerleaders," the notice stated. Another doctor used a racial slur in a text message. The notice also paints a picture of a department with a locker-room atmosphere, where Kwong and some of his staff were fixated on the genitalia of patients. Male genitalia were shown at an annual end-of-year "roast," a doctor told investigators, where it "was commented that certain female residents like it on top." A technician once told the surgical team to "check out" an anesthetized patient's penis because it was "very large," leading Kwong to lift the surgical drapes, the notice said. A doctor heard Kwong discuss whether a patient was a "grower or shower," and a physician assistant said Kwong joked about looking at genitalia of Black male patients while they slept. Staff also told investigators that Kwong compared conducting a hip replacement to finding the G-spot, made a sexual innuendo about hammering a patient and commented on the fat rolls of female patients. Some of these allegations about the orthopedics department burst into public view last year after three doctors sued the county, saying they were tired of watching complaints against Kwong stall. Jennifer Hsu, one of the three doctors, said she had been told nothing about Kwong's departure despite sitting for hours in interviews with investigators. They've been extremely opaque it appears deliberately so, she said. The Department of Health Services declined to answer questions about Kwong including whether he was given a severance payment or could receive a pension and would confirm only that he no longer worked with the county. The department said in a statement that it could not comment on personnel matters but that Harbor-UCLA has zero tolerance for misconduct by staff. We have established clear channels for reporting allegations of misconduct so they can be thoroughly investigated, the department said. We wish to express our gratitude to those who utilized this process to bring their concerns to our attention. To Garibay, the statement rings hollow. In the aftermath of her 2013 complaint, she said, she was transferred to a different office, away from Kwong. They just brushed everything underneath the carpet, she said. I want everyone to know how dirty the county did me. 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. BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The assets under the management of China's public offering funds reached 29.2 trillion yuan (about 4.11 trillion U.S. dollars) by the end of March, data from the Asset Management Association of China showed. Compared to the end of February, the figure saw a decrease from 29.3 trillion yuan, the data showed. Of the 146 fund management companies, 49 are foreign-funded and 97 are domestic firms. Harrison Barnes looks ahead to tonights Play-In finale with his Kings and the Pelicans Harrison Barnes looks ahead to tonights Play-In finale with his Kings and the Pelicans NEW ORLEANS (KTXL) Following the teams morning shootaround in New Orleans, Kings forward Harrison Barnes talks about Friday nights matchup with the Pelicans, Sacramento needing to snap an 0-5 streak against the Pels to avoid elimination and the emergence of Keon Ellis. Fridays Play-In game between the Kings and the Pelicans tips-off from New Orleans at 6:30 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. Full Nelson NASA's administrator is once again making outrageous claims about China's space capabilities and in the process, fueling the off-world rivalry between the two. "We believe that a lot of [China's] so-called civilian space program is a military program," Administrator Bill Nelson said during remarks on Capitol Hill this week, per The Guardian. "And I think, in effect, we are in a race." The comments, as the website notes, came during a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee which means that Nelson was making them while asking for money for NASA, which has requested a whopping $25.384 billion for its 2025 funding. "China has made extraordinary strides, especially in the last 10 years," Nelson continued, "but they are very, very secretive." Big Talk It's unclear from the reporting about the administrator's comments what evidence his claims are riding on. This is not, as we mentioned, the first time Nelson has made such bold accusations about our sometimes-ally. Sworn in in May 2021, Nelson has for much of his tenure warned that China could usurp America's space advantage at any moment and has used similarly bold claims to demonstrate that point. Just a year into the job and during another House Appropriations Committee hearing the administrator straight-up accused China of stealing American spacecraft designs. "Yeah, they're pretty good at stealing," Nelson told the subcommittee in May 2022, "and I think that's incumbent upon us to take cybersecurity very, very seriously." Just a few months later, he claimed in an interview with a random German newspaper that China wants to "steal" the Moon as well, which prompted a response from the rival nation. "The US side has constantly constructed a smear campaign against China's normal and reasonable outer space endeavors," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in a press statement, "and China firmly opposes such irresponsible remarks." Moon Money While there certainly is no love lost between Nelson and his Chinese counterparts, the incendiary discourse between these space race rivals generally seems to originate on the American side. Last fall, Nelson again claimed that China plans to hoard lunar resources for itself, which would go against the United Nations' binding space treaty of 1967 and in his more recent remarks, he reiterated those remarks while begging for more money. "The latest date they've said they're going to land [on the Moon] is 2030, but that keeps moving up," Nelson told Congress, per transcription from Sky News. "It is incumbent on us to get there first and to utilize our research efforts for peaceful purposes." At this point, the lengthy list of receipts of this sort of recurrent rhetoric coming from the top of NASA does make one wonder: is China on the offensive, or is America? More on NASA: NASA Admits Space Station Junk Crashed Through Man's Roof NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJMN) High school students from across the Upper Peninsula with an interest in the trades gathered in Negaunee Township on Friday for skills competition. Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters & Millwrights Training Center hosted its annual Construction and Welding Skills Challenge. Nine teams from schools and career tech centers across the U.P. constructed a pre-designed childrens playhouse and competed in coinciding aspects of Career and Technical Education. On the welding side, 44 students participated. Weve held this competition since 2007, so weve been around for quite a while, said Michael Smith, Executive Director, UP Construction Council. The reason that we put this on is so many of our CTE students, theres not a competition for them. So if youre not an athlete, or youre not musically inclined, or do some other event after school, theres no competition for you. So we created one for those students that are really highly focused on CTE programs and they want to compete. What a better way to to build a project and see who has bragging rights for the entire year. A team trophy was awarded to the best team, to be retained until the next Skills Challenge. Individual medals were also awarded to the top three teams. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com. California man goes missing after hiking in El Salvador, family pleads for help finding him A previous version of this story incorrectly stated which officials the missing man's family is asking for help. The family is speaking to officials in El Salvador. A Los Angeles family is pleading with both officials in El Salvador and the U.S. to help find their brother, father, husband and son who went missing while hiking in El Salvador last month. Jose Tomas Lainez, 54, left for El Salvador on March 23 and set out to hike in the San Vicente area with his nephew, his mother, a cousin, a guide and the guides wife, said his sister, Maria Roberts. They were hiking in San Vicente, where their mother grew up, his sister said, adding that they were set to see a river in the area. During the hike, Lainez left the group and was never seen again. Sunday will mark one month since he has been missing and still, nothing. Family members have been in contact with both the FBI and the National Civil Police of El Salvador, Roberts told USA TODAY. Theyve also reached out to the U.S. Embassy, Roberts said. The FBI deferred USA TODAY to the National Civil Police, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment. When asked whether the U.S. Embassy was involved, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State said the agency is aware of reports of a U.S. citizen missing in El Salvador. "When a U.S. citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities and the family as they carry out their search efforts, and we share information with the family however we can," the department said. "The Department of State has no higher priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad. We stand ready to provide appropriate assistance to U.S. citizens in need and to their families." Tragedy while hiking: California woman falls 140 feet to her death while hiking on with husband, toddler in Sedona Missing hiker wandered off during hike Lainez and most of his siblings were born in El Salvador, where their mother grew up. Their mother was on vacation there when Lainez decided to go and join her on her trip. The group had a guide with them who promised to show them a river. The guide had said to them that the river was beautiful, it had a lot of water, Roberts said, adding that after the hike, theyd meet up with an aunt who had prepared lunch. But when they were halfway through the hike, Lainez noticed that the guide had left the group of six, now down to five. Remaining were Lainez, his mother, his nephew, a cousin and the guides wife. Now sweaty from the hike, the group found the river, only to realize it was mostly dried up. They stopped to wet their feet and faces. Roberts said her mother wanted to take a picture of Lainez, only she captured a video by mistake. Its the last footage she took of him because just a few minutes later, he was gone. The rest of the group followed suit and trekked two hours to get back, thinking he was just a few minutes ahead of them. He was nowhere to be found though, alarming the group. The last time anyone in the group saw Lainez was between 12:30 and 12:40 p.m., his sister said. By 5:00 p.m there was still no sign of him. Family wants help from U.S. officials Roberts, Lainezs sister, said she and other family members in the U.S. encouraged their mother to file a police report. We know our brother, Roberts said. We know his temperament and we know that he would have never left and left my mom without saying Hey, Im leaving. He's not that type of person. Officials didnt initially allow them to file a report, citing the 24-hour period required before missing person cases are filed. The family went to a different police station to file a report. By the time the report was filed, it was dark out, closer to 10 p.m. or so and police didnt have the tools they needed to search. There were no lamps or flashlights to conduct the search, she said. This is the valley, she said. It's not like there's light. The next morning the search starts. Since he went missing, police have been searching in groups, sometimes with 20 people and sometimes with as many as 100. Still, its not enough to find her brother, not for such a vast area, Roberts said. She doesnt think police in El Salvador have the guidance and capability they need to execute a proper search for her brother, so she wants U.S. officials to help. A missing person's poster for Jose Tomas Lainez, a 54-year-old Los Angeles man who was hiking on March 24, 2024 in El Salvador when he went missing. Family is frustrated with search for missing hiker Roberts said communication with the National Civil Police in El Salvador has been subpar and their system doesnt seem to be as efficient as it is in the U.S. Thats why the family has reached out to the U.S. government to ask for help finding her brother. When a person goes missing (in the U.S.), it goes national, she said. Theres an Amber Alert. Theres something. They dont have those resources over there so you're basically fighting against the ocean on your own in these waves because that support is not there. Roberts said police have interviewed the guide who was with the group the day her brother went missing but she hasnt been told of any evidence or findings. Jose Tomas Lainez, a 54-year-old Los Angeles man who was hiking on March 24, 2024 in El Salvador when he want missing. She said dealing with the U.S. Embassy has been difficult for her mother because as far as she knows, there is no single person in charge of the case. Her mother calls and has to speak to different people and explain everything all over again. She cant believe the family is having such a hard time getting help from both El Salavdor and the U.S. to find her brother. You would think that because my brother is a U.S. citizen that we would be getting more support, she said. What we keep being told is, we have to follow the laws of El Salvador, but they dont have the capability to do a search like this. Jose Tomas Lainez, a 54-year-old Los Angeles man who in March 2024 went missing while hiking in El Salvador. Missing hiker is adventurous, loves history, family says Roberts said her brother was born in El Salvador and came to the U.S. as a preteen. He works for a school district in Los Angeles, supervising bus drivers. He loves history, hiking and finding waterfalls and rivers. Hes a big traveler and visiting El Salvador is special to him because of their mothers connection to it, she said. He wanted to learn more and listen to those stories that she had of her childhood in that area, she said. She said the circumstances surrounding her brothers disappearance are odd and someone out there likely has information. I just don't feel that I'm getting the support that I need to find my brother, she said. Somebody knows something. My brother didnt just disappear into thin air without somebody seeing something or knowing something. Were just a family thats very desperate and our hearts are shattered, she said. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hiker missing in El Salvador for 3 weeks, wandered off from group NEW YORK Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams celebrated Friday after securing tools in the state budget to crack down on unlicensed cannabis shops, and offered a blunt message to the illicit sellers: City and state authorities are coming after them. This is your warning, declared Adams, carrying a padlock at a joint news conference with Hochul in Midtown Manhattan. You will be locked out if you attempt to continue to sell illegal items. Hochul vowed the citys sprawling gray market of cannabis shops would face a reckoning, saying that illegal shops had correctly assessed they would largely face consequences for flouting the states cannabis retailing laws. The insanity stops right now, said Hochul, a Democrat. Im using the power of the state budget to give us the tools we need at the state and local level to shutter these illegal shops once and for all. Hochul and state lawmakers negotiated a package in the state budget that would deliver an arsenal of weapons to curb the spread of the illicit marijuana market. It would allow the city to use its police department to close 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. Adams had pushed hard for the state to offer an explicit expansion of city authority to crack down on the shops. But he crowed that the legislative text allowing the revocation of various licenses a plan targeted at bodegas violating the rulings went further than he could have ever imagined. This is a part of the bill that we could only have hoped for, Adams said. To this point, the city and state have struggled mightily to fight off the illegal shops, which popped up across the city after the state legalized recreational cannabis in 2021. The state has licensed legal sellers at a glacial pace, allowing the illicit market to flourish. City Hall has estimated that more than 2,500 cannabis shops are operating citywide. As of earlier this month, there were 40 legal dispensaries in the city, according to the state Cannabis Management Office. Many of the unlicensed shops target children and attract crime, according to officials. Adams and Hochul both acknowledged that New Yorkers are frustrated. But they promised change. The governor underlined that the state intends to accelerate the licensing process. Last month, she commissioned a comprehensive review of the states licensing system that is now wrapping up. Well weed out the illegitimate shops, and clear the way for the licensed owners so they can grow their budding businesses and realize their dreams, Hochul promised. Here in New York City, I have no doubt that enforcement will start immediately." ________ On a bonny day this week, we climbed the hill which looks down on the port of Dover. The sunlit coast of France was clearly visible, just the sort of weather beloved of illegal immigrants crossing from France. Indeed, 534 of them a record crossed in similar conditions last Sunday. But as we walked, we were mostly looking in the opposite direction, working up through mud, brambles, trees and wild garlic to a double fence, its outer row formed of high metal spikes, its inner row of wire. In between the two, security cameras peered at us. Behind this perimeter, we knew, lay the enormous premises of GXO Logistics, a company which, its website says, engineers faster, smarter, leaner supply chains. What interested us, however, was a supply chain which, thanks to the Government, is not faster, smarter or leaner, but is simply not allowed. Some kind readers may remember that, in this space three months ago, I told the story of Ukraines intrepid efforts to take the fight across the Dnipro river, an area of Ukraine which Vladimir Putins armies currently occupy. Since last year, Ukrainian forces have maintained three bridgeheads there. They have been able to do this only by ferrying men and munitions through the narrow channels of the great rivers delta and tributaries. They also bring back the wounded and, sad to say, the dead. For all this, they need light, small, shallow-bottomed craft, as inconspicuous as possible to evade Russian attention. Russian air superiority makes the journeys extremely dangerous. To procure such boats, and the engines which power them, Ukraine needs the worlds help. In this effort, the British people have been more generous than any other. Organisations such as MissionUkraine.uk with which I travelled in Ukraine last year to hand over a SUV repurposed as a front-line military ambulance are helped by British donors and volunteers to get such boats cheap, drive them out to Ukraine and there make them river-worthy before delivering them to the military units. The Ukrainians idea, expressed with historical panache, is to turn the small boats of the illegal immigrants into the little ships of the resistance to Russia. After all, none of the boats arriving in Britain goes back: they are the people-traffickers one-way taxi service. The Border Force and the Home Office have no use for them. Why not give them to a friend who desperately needs them? Rishi Sunak keeps saying that Britain will do whatever it takes to ensure Ukrainian victory. Here is something which, from a British point of view, takes very little. All we need to do is hand them over. Yet the Home Office is curiously cagey, not wanting to say what happens to the small boats or even where they are. Which was why we our photographer, Paul Grover, Dmytro Tomkin from MissionUkraine and I were climbing up above Dover and why, when we got to the double fence, Paul sent up a drone. By that means, we found several rows, neatly laid out and labelled, of what we were looking for. Through the fences, I counted 20 RIBs, 62 inflatable boats (all deflated and folded) and 131 engines. This was a big haul, but nevertheless a small proportion of what must have accumulated after dumping almost 30,000 people on our shores last year and more than 5,000 this year even before the summer migration has started. The one thing we do know is that the Home Office firmly rejects the little ships scheme. Since it was first publicly floated in January, several MPs and many individuals and organisations have written to the Home Office asking it to release the boats. Yesterday, the Home Secretarys spokesman said that the Ukrainian government has not asked for the boats. That is untrue. It did so, via its embassy, in February. Ukraine also offered to take the boats at its own risk. There was some official muttering at first about how the vessels needed to be kept for evidence in criminal trials. This seems unlikely since the people-traffickers, working abroad, are almost never caught. That excuse has died away. The stated reason for rejection has now boiled down to one thing. Here, from a letter to an MP, is the standard reply from Michael Tomlinson, the minister of state for countering illegal migration: I am sorry to say that the flimsy rubber inflatables used by migrants to attempt crossings of the Channel are not seaworthy. In fact, these vessels are lethally dangerous craft which endanger the lives of anyone using them. We have seen at least one fatal incident per month involving these small boats, and I have seen their unseaworthiness myself. Mr Tomlinson goes on: The idea that these boats could be repurposed by the Ukrainians to ferry wounded soldiers across the Dnipro, while well intended, simply would not work. These boats are dangerous for fit and healthy people to use, let alone those whose condition would prevent them from reacting when the boats inevitably flounder. (I think Mr Tomlinson means founder.) I said above that the Home Office rejection was firm. This letter shows that it is also ignorant and insulting. Who knows better than the Ukrainians what such boats can and cannot do? Mr Tomlinson tells them that they would not work for ferrying the wounded. He seems unaware that such boats, supplied by others, have been doing exactly that for months. The Ukrainian forces need them because, as I say, there is no alternative. At any one time, they could use a total of about 900 boats, but they have not mustered nearly that number yet. They know exactly how perilous it is to travel in these small craft. Indeed, after three or four weeks service, each boat is scrapped because of damage from bullets and shrapnel. If Mr Tomlinson would only see a Ukrainian delegation, they might ask him politely how else he would suggest getting the wounded out of the front line. Besides, they can short-circuit his objections about seaworthiness. They know the boats are not yet fit for the Dnipro (though, by the way, the river crossing is a 20th of the width of the English Channel). The job of organisations like MissionUkraine.uk is to repair and adapt the boats and engines for their new purpose. Naturally, they will reject all boats which cannot be so repurposed. They know what will work for them. Might not their judgment be better than Mr Tomlinsons? These ministerial letters are so wilfully stupid that I cannot believe they are setting out the full reasons for rejection. The replies feel like bureaucratic pig-headedness about health and safety which cannot possibly apply when fighting the Russians. We are sadly used to such attitudes, of course, but what is so puzzling is that the Government is failing to look at this issue politically. After many months of pushing, even the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, belatedly agreed to allow Ulez scrappage cars to be sent to Ukraine. Why are the Tories lagging him? Here, staring the Government in the face, is a virtually cost-free opportunity to assist our beleaguered ally and turn to good use the detritus of its failed attempts to stop illegal migration. The hostility of the Home Office and the total inertia of the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, are truly bewildering. 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. Horrified witnesses yelled for help as Max Azzarello set himself on fire outside Trump trial: video A person, who police identified as Max Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida, is covered in flames outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial is underway, in New York, U.S., April 19, 2024. Horrified witnesses desperately called for help as self-described investigative researcher Max Azzarello lit himself on fire in a park outside the Manhattan courthouse where President Donald Trumps hush money trial is taking place, shocking footage shows. The chilling video shows one man off-camera beginning his plea for police right before Azzarello ignited himself into a ball of flames just as jury selection concluded in Trumps historic case. Police, police, theres a guy lighting himself on fire, 25-year-old William Schoeffler screamed as Azzarello doused himself with an accelerant. Hes lighting himself on fire, hello. The shocked onlookers calls for help became more urgent as flames began to quickly erupt, according to the video obtained by The Post. Police! Police! Fire! Holy sh-t, holy sh-t, Schoeffler screamed as other witnesses also began screaming. Seconds later authorities swarmed the scene to help the 37-year-old man as he lay on the ground with severe burns throughout his body. One bystander was holding a woman who was in tears. Cops directed the witnesses to move away as they waited for EMS to arrive. Horrified witnesses desperately called for help as Max Azzarello lit himself on fire in a park outside the Manhattan courthouse where President Donald Trumps hush money trial is taking place. REUTERS Schoeffler told The Post that once Azzarello lit himself on fire, there was little anyone could do. He also said he was on his lunch break when he struck up a brief conversation with Azzarello about ten minutes before the self-immolation. At first I thought it was just some generic protest. Once he lit himself, it was literally five or six seconds from when he threw the pamphlets, lit himself, and there is nothing you could do, Schoeffler, 25, said. I just started screaming for the cops, trying to get someone in there. Once he lit himself, there was nothing you could do, take off a jacket and throw it over it, the flames were massive. Even the cops they brought out an extinguisher, but the fuels have burnt off once the cops got there. The chilling video shows one man off-camera beginning his plea for police right before Azzarello ignited himself into a ball of flames just as jury selection concluded in Trumps historic case. Via REUTERS After about 50 cops reached the scene, it took another few minutes to load his body into the ambulance. As of Friday evening, he was in critical condition at Cornell University Hospital. He was shaking a little bit on the ground. It was crazy, Schoeffler said. Schoeffler, who founded a start-up, said he spoke beforehand to Azzarello, who was promoting his Substack that outlines a vast doomsday conspiracy and railed against elected officials. Something about all the politicians are very corrupt, and talking to him, it wasnt anything of note, it didnt make any sense, the Manhattan resident said. The shocked onlookers calls for help became more urgent as flames began to quickly erupt, according to the video obtained by The Post. Melissa Bender/NurPhoto/Shutterstock He said Trump and Biden are both corrupt, but that theyre both the same, and that theyre running some kleptocracy, and after a while I just walked away. As Schoeffler was talking to another man, he heard a bunch of pamphlets get tossed into the sky that drew attention to Azzarello. I thought he was protesting, and he basically was immediately dousing himself with some sort of fuel, and then immediately set himself on fire with a lighter, he recalled. He was just standing there, and after a minute hit the ground. By the time the cops got there, all of the fuel had burnt off of his body, and you could see his skin. He didnt make too much noise, he was very quiet. Pretty horrifying. The pamphlets that Azzarello tossed in the air had a link to a Substack page with a headline I have set myself on fire outside Trump Trial that includes a bizarre and rambling 2,649-word manifesto filled with conspiracy theories. Map of where Max Azzarello set himself on fire during Donald Trumps hush money trial. He recently arrived in New York City from the Sunshine State, though his family was unaware of his trip, cops said at a press conference. He had a protest sign that said that all politicians were corrupt, and theyre all fascists, and then the back of the sign said something about Substack, his own channel that you were supposed to follow him on, Schoeffler said. He looked like an unemployed journalist, honestly. I didnt think he was harmful, I just thought he was writing about whatever. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) A judge overseeing the Horry County murder case of ex-deputy coroner Chris Dontell has agreed to remove himself from the case. Judge Benjamin Culbertsons decision came after an April 5 hearing on Dontells request to have him step down, according to a court document obtained by News13. No reason was given for the decision. Dontell and Meagan Jackson are facing murder charges in the death of Gregory Vincent Rice in October 2020. Rices body was found in the Pee Dee River on Nov. 8, 2020, according to authorities who said he had been shot multiple times. Horry County Clerk Renee Elvis said such a decision by the judge is not uncommon but it doesnt happen every week, either. If they know anything about the case that they feel they couldnt be (or even the perception of them being) fair they likely will recuse themselves, Elvin said. It is just a process to try and keep each case as fair and impartial as is humanly possible. Dontell is scheduled to stand trial for murder starting on June 24. Jackson, the mother of Rices four children, was in court last week as prosecutors sought to revoke her bond in the case. The judge has yet to rule on the request. News13 reached out to Culbertson via e-mail on Friday morning to ask for more information about his recusal. A member of his staff confirmed that they received the message, but we have not yet received a response. * * * 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. Los Angeles General Medical Center is again asking the publics help to identify a patient. The Boyle Heights hospital is currently treating a woman who was found unresponsive at an apartment complex in downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services says the woman is believed to be between 40 and 50 years old with a thin build standing 5 feet 1 inch and weighing only 86 pounds. Los Angeles General Medical Center is asking the public's help to identify a woman who was found unresponsive in downtown L.A. on April 18, 2024. (Los Angeles General Medical Center) She has dark brown or black hair and blue eyes, officials said, as well as a small tattoo on her right forearm. She was brought to the hospital Thursday after she was found at the Ford Apartments at 1000 E 7th St. in downtown Los Angeles. Hospital trying to identify man found unresponsive in downtown L.A. Due to patient confidentiality laws, the hospital is unable to provide details about her medical condition. Anyone who might recognize the woman or has information that can lead to her identification is urged to contact Cesar Robles, a clinical social worker at L.A. Generals Department of Social Work, at 323-409-6884 or 323-409-5254. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Representatives of the Italian business community said Friday that the 7th edition of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) will create opportunities for Italian enterprises to enter the Chinese market. #GLOBALink Produced by Xinhua Global Service House lawmakers in both parties joined forces Saturday to send a massive package of foreign aid to the Senate, ending a long and bitter stalemate over the fate of the legislation and all but ensuring the delivery of billions of dollars in new help to embattled allies across the globe. The rare weekend votes were the culmination of months of fierce debate within the House GOP conference over how or even if Congress should step in with another round of military help for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan while providing humanitarian aid for civilian victims in Gaza and other war-torn regions around the globe. The debate had split House Republicans into warring factions, pitting Reagan-minded traditionalists who support strong interventions overseas to counter the imperial designs of Russia and China against a newer brand of America First conservative who fought to limit the foreign spending and focus instead on domestic problems, particularly the migrant crisis at the southern border. In the end, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) defied his conservative critics, pushing to the floor a series of four bills providing the overseas assistance but detaching those funds from a separate border security bill, which failed on the floor during Saturdays votes. He framed the aid as a simple, but crucial, continuation of Americas responsibility to democratic allies under siege from despots. I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important, Johnson said this week. I really do believe the intel and the briefings that weve gotten. I believe Xi and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, he added. My son is gonna begin in the Naval Academy this fall, this is a live-fire exercise for me as it is so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this, we have to do the right thing. Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) said Johnson had reached the decision to charge ahead by a method thats become routine for the devoutly evangelical Speaker: he turned to prayer. I think he was torn between trying to save his job and doing the right thing, said McCaul, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee who has pushed for months for more Ukraine aid. Weve told him whats at stake here, and you want to be on the right side of history. And hes a man of faith. He doesnt wear it on his sleeve, but he, obviously, the night before he made a decision, reached out for guidance, and the next day he made the call. Passage of the foreign aid bills marked a moral victory for the inexperienced Speaker, who took the gavel less than six months ago. The package passed with four separate votes includes roughly $61 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, $8 billion for allies in the Indo-Pacific, and a package of additional national security measures that features a potential ban on the uber-popular TikTok app. But its come with political risks, provoking conservatives who were already furious with his penchant for reaching across the aisle to seal deals with President Biden on major legislation opposed by the Speakers right flank, including bills to fund the federal government and extend the spying powers of Washingtons intelligence agencies. Those mounting frustrations have spurred a pale but not powerless effort to remove Johnson from the top job, which has gained steam in recent days as the Speaker made steps toward sending aid overseas. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed a motion to vacate late last month, which Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) endorsed this week. Greene has not yet said when she plans to force a vote on her ouster resolution, and her path forward was muddied last week after former President Trump endorsed Johnsons leadership dealing a blow to the Georgia Republican, who considers Trump a close ally. Still, even some of Johnsons allies are bracing for the possibility that Greene might pull the trigger. With a lot of this behind us, you know, we can move forward with some more normalcy, I hope, said Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Unless we have a motion to vacate, which is foreseeable. Johnson, for his part, has brushed off the threat especially in the face of moving aid for Ukraine underscoring the important role the U.S. has in supporting Kyivs leaders at a critical moment in their battle against Russia. 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. I could make a selfish decision and do something thats different, but Im doing what I believe to be the right thing. Hardline conservatives, however, fundamentally disagreed with that assessment. And while they were frequently grouped together during the debate, they had different reasons for their opposition. Some were spending hawks wary of piling billions of dollars more on the federal debt. Others were isolationists, in the mold of Trump, who want to focus U.S. resources more squarely on domestic problems. Another factor driving the opposition was less visible: A number of conservatives, particularly those most closely allied with Trump, simply dont trust Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and are reluctant to help him. Zelensky had refused Trumps entreaties in 2019 to launch an investigation into Joe Biden and his familys business dealings in Ukraine a request that led directly to Trumps first impeachment at the hands of House Democrats later that same year. Yet the single greatest issue fueling the conservative outcry related to the migrant crisis. Johnson had initially demanded that any new foreign aid be accompanied by provisions to bolster security at the southern U.S. border. But he went on to reject a Senate-negotiated border deal that was linked to foreign aid, and later abandoned his border requirement altogether in favor of a strict focus on assistance for allies overseas a move that left conservatives incredulous. How much sense does it make to secure other countries and not secure America, asked a frustrated Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.). Johnson has been careful to hear out the concerns of his conservative critics, hosting meetings in his Capitol office, delaying his initial plans for voting on the foreign aid package this week, and tacking a border vote onto Saturdays calendar. In an effort to appease his right flank, Johnson also proposed a series of changes to the Senate-passed bill he called them innovations that featured a number of Republican national security and foreign policy priorities. That GOP wish-list includes new sanctions on Iran; a potential ban on TikTok; and several proposals to ease the financial burden on U.S. taxpayers by providing part of the Ukraine aid in the form of a loan, while empowering the president to seize Russian assets and use them to help pay the enormous cost of Ukrainian reconstruction. He also split the foreign aid priorities into separate bills, giving lawmakers in both parties a chance to vote yes or no on each specific measure rather than as a full package. In large part, Johnsons strategy failed to bring along the conservative critics: more than half of the GOP conference voted against the Ukraine funding, leaving Democrats to carry the vote. And the four bills will now be packaged together and sent to the Senate, angering the hardliners even further. But if Ukraine aid divided Republicans, sending assistance to Israel fractured Democrats, though to a lesser degree. Saturdays vote came just over six months after Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israel that sparked a war in the Middle East a conflict that has splintered House Democrats, pitting staunchly pro-Israel Democrats against progressives who have sounded the alarm about the mounting deaths and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Israel bill included nearly $9.2 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza, Ukraine and other war zones in the world, a provision Democrats had demanded as a condition of their support. But the money was not enough to get some liberals on board, who opposed the Israel bill Saturday largely because it did not place conditions on aid for Jerusalem. I believe that we need to have conditions enforced on U.S. military assistance, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told reporters. We have to ensure that human rights are protected and international law is adhered to. Those conditions are not presently in this bill. Saturday was the third time in six months that Johnson tried to move assistance for Israel through the House. The first attempt, in November, was successful but fell largely along party lines, with the chamber approving $14.3 billion for Israel while also proposing the same amount in cuts to the IRS a provision that sparked staunch Democratic opposition. The Senate refused to take up the measure. Then in February, the House torpedoed a standalone Israel aid bill, with many Democrats opting against the $17.6 billion bill as the Senate worked towards a full foreign aid package. On Saturday, they finally secured the elusive aid. The package now goes to the Senate, which is expected to pass it in the middle of next week. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) Richard Lewis, who serves as the funeral director for both Callahan Edfast and Martins Mortuary, explained the current regulations and requirements for being a funeral home director in the state of Colorado. Surprisingly, there are no regulations or requirements in the state for this profession. This lack of oversight has led to a series of horrific cases, such as the Return to Nature Funeral Home just outside Colorado Springs, where the owners stacked almost 200 bodies, and Sunset Mesa in Montrose, which sold body parts without consent. Respected and accredited funeral homes in Colorado have had to self-regulate and hold each other accountable due to the absence of regulations. However, legislators have now passed House Bill 24-1335 by a 57-3 vote, which would require strict logs, requirements and processes to be followed and closely monitored by the state. These requirements include chain of custody logs, meaning that any time someone comes into contact with the decedent, there must be a login with the reason stated, along with the date, time, and location. The bill will require routine funeral home inspections at any hour, expand the Department Of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) ability to set new rules, make failure to respond to complaints a reason for discipline and allow DORA to suspend licenses of those who do not comply with orders after an investigation. The Senate version of this bill is still awaiting passage. If both bills pass, representatives will combine them into a cohesive final bill for Colorado. The aim of these bills is to ensure that families and their deceased loved ones are treated with respect and dignity. Another bill in the Senate, S.B. 24-173, will also require funeral directors to be licensed, which would involve schooling or 6,500 hours of funeral services. Richard Lewis notes that other states have required this for some time, but Colorado has not had any type of licensing or background checks. House Bill 24-1335, sponsored by Rep. Matt Soper of Delta, expands and continues portions of DORAs mortuary science code set to be repealed on July 1. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. The House is convening Saturday to decide whether to approve a package of legislation providing military aid for Israel, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific region, as well as humanitarian relief to Gaza. In an unusual bipartisan vote, Democrats joined with many Republicans to allow the bills to clear a procedural step on Friday, when a bloc of GOP conservatives opposed the bills. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has become the target of harsh criticism from a faction in his own party for what they consider an unacceptable willingness to compromise with Democrats. Saturdays session begins at 9 a.m. EDT, and voting is slated to start at 1 p.m. EDT. Watch the live video above. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. From the Dispatch Politics on The Dispatch Happy Friday! Rep. Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky introduced an adorable new Capitol Hill reporter Thursday. The competition for scoops just got a little tougher. Up to Speed Former President Donald Trumps campaign this week requested that down-ballot candidates give at least 5 percent of their earnings from fundraising appeals that use his name, image, or likeness to Trumps joint fundraising committee with the Republican National Committee, Politico reported Wednesday. Any split that is higher than 5 percent will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trumps campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations, Trump campaign senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles added in a letter dated Monday. Notably, candidates would send the money to the joint fundraising committee, which Dispatch Politics has previously reported is not likely a major source of payment for Trumps legal fees. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. qualified for the ballot in Michigan after the Natural Law Party named him its candidate for the November election. Michigan is the eighth state in which Kennedy has gained ballot access, the Detroit Free Press reported Thursday. Some Democrats fear Kennedy could siphon votes away from President Joe Biden in the key swing state and make it easier for Trump to win there. Biden, meanwhile, attended an event in Philadelphia Thursday where members of the Kennedy familyincluding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s sister Kerryendorsed the president. The Democrat-controlled Senate on Wednesday dismissed articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that the Republican majority in the House passed in February on the grounds that the secretary failed to enforce immigration law and undermined public trust. Democrats contended that Republicans impeached Mayorkas simply because of a policy disagreement, while GOP senators railed against Majority Leader Chuck Schumers choice to hold a vote to dismiss the charges without conducting a trial. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican of Kansas, announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection in November after serving two terms in Congress, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. He will serve out the rest of his time in the House. LaTurner joins a significant number of Republicans who have resigned or retired this term. As Dispatch Politics observed last month, the number is not quite record-breaking compared to other Congresses, but the number of resigning and retiring Republicans who were seen as rising stars in the party is notable. Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin will likely stay past his scheduled resignation date to help pass aid to Taiwan, Israel, and Ukraine this weekend, representing a much needed vote for Speaker Mike Johnsons agenda. Gallagher had initially planned to resign today, further shrinking the GOP majority until one of two Republicans vying to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy wins the runoff for the special election next month. Mike Johnsons Unusual Coalition Takes Shape House Speaker Mike Johnson arrives for a news conference in the U.S. Capitol after the House passed the foreign aid package rule on Friday, April 19, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) This week, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson came out forcefully in favor of U.S. aid to help Ukrainians fight the Russian invasion of their countrya move that could cost Johnson his speakership without the support of House Democrats. Im doing here what I believe to be the right thing. I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important, Johnson said at a press conference on Wednesday. I really do believe the intel and the briefings that weve gotten. I believe Xi [Jinping] and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. I think theyre in coordination on this. I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. I think he might go to the Balkans next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland or one of our [other] NATO allies. To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys. After months of dragging his feet on Ukraine aid, Johnsons rhetoric was surprising to some political observers. From the earliest days of his speakership, Johnson had warned Putin would push beyond Ukraine if not stopped there, but he also insisted any Ukraine aid package be paired with legislation to beef up security at the U.S. southern border. On Thursday, Johnson finally stated the obvious about immigration politics: We want the border to be a part of every single thing we do here, but its just a matter of math. I just dont have the votes. If I put Ukraine in any package, it cant also be with [the] border because I lose Republican votes on that rule to bring the legislation up for a floor vote. My friends dont get that. Those friends, of course, are the populist wing of the House GOP, including many members of the Freedom Caucus. Late Thursday night, three hard-right House RepublicansChip Roy of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Thomas Massie of Kentuckywere so outraged by Johnsons move that they voted in the Rules Committee against bringing legislation to the floor that would allow separate votes on aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Under the rule, a fourth bill requiring TikTok to be sold by its Chinese owner also would come up for a vote, and the four bills would then be joined together for a vote on final passage. A separate vote on border security, not tied to foreign aid bills, also will be held. In an incredibly rare move, House Democrats provided the votes to pass the bill out of committee late Thursday night. On Friday, the House approved the rule 316-94with a coalition of 151 Republicans and 165 Democrats voting yessetting up final passage of the legislation this weekend in the House. Johnsons wheeling and dealing to get Ukraine aid over the finish line has exposed the fissures within the House GOP over the issueand how he will likely need the support of Democrats to remain in his job. At the very fringe of the House GOP caucus are members adamantly opposed to any military aid to Ukraine. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Paul Gosar of Arizona have threatened to bring a motion to vacatethe procedure that eight House Republicans and all House Democrats used to oust Kevin McCarthy from the speakership in October 2023. But House Democrats are signaling theyd have Johnsons backat least for now. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California told The Dispatch on Thursday: I have to think that if the speaker does the right thing and brings up Ukraine funding, there are going to be a lot of members of our caucus that dont want him punished for that. But thats a conversation well have as a caucus before we make any decisions. Would House Democrats be willing to protect Johnson from a motion to vacate for the rest of the year? We want a governing and governable House and so, you know, our actions will be taken consistent with wanting to deliver for people, Schiff replied. A much larger faction of Republicans opposes the foreign aid billbecause, they say, they still want to use Ukraine aid as leverage to get something done on the U.S. borderwhile also opposing the motion to vacate. New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drewwho told The Dispatch on Thursday he was sympathetic to Ukraine but wanted the bill tied to U.S. border security and focused solely on military aid to Ukrainesaid he nevertheless opposes ousting Johnson. I dont agree with a lot of what [Johnson] is doing but he was dealt a bad hand, Van Drew said. I think the prudent thing to do would be to have that contest [for speaker] in November after the election, Virginia Rep. Bob Good, who supported the motion to oust McCarthy, told reporters on Thursday. Good urged Johnson to bring up H.R. 2the House GOPs border bill passed on a party-line vote in 2023tied to a smaller Ukraine package that included only military aid. I think the right thing to do is pass Israel [aid] alone and tie Ukraine to something positive on the border, GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio told The Dispatch on Thursday. Why should the House hold Ukraine aid hostage to border security but not Israel aid? Because everyones for Israelwe need to help our dearest and closest friend, Jordan replied. When Freedom Caucus members in January 2023 were negotiating with McCarthy on what it would take for them to vote to make him speaker, one key demand was that there would be an open amendment process that would allow the House to work its will. So why are so many Freedom Caucus members so strongly opposed to letting a majority of the House hold separate votes on Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan? The majority should be able to work its will if youre going to follow actual regular order, which this is not, Roy told The Dispatch. If you want to put Ukraine on the floor right now with a straight up-or-down voteoffer amendments, open ruleOK, lets have at it. I dont think we should without securing the border first. I think there are political consequences of that. But for me if youre going to put a package together, which this ismake no mistake about it, this is a packagethen you should include the border in it because that was your promise to the American people. When Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz was asked why the majority of the House shouldnt be able to vote on Ukraine aid, he replied: A majority of Republicans didnt [support Ukraine aid] last time we voted on it, including Mike Johnson. Its important to remember, of course, that the loudest voices opposing Ukraine aid are not representative of the party as a whole. In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump grumbled that Europe was not providing more aid to Ukraine while still acknowledging the U.S. has an interest in the conflict: As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! Saturdays vote will reveal just how large or small the pro-Ukraine faction of the House GOP remains two years after the start of the war. New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith, who supports aid, told The Dispatch he thinks the conference is about evenly split. California GOP Rep. Darrell Issa said of aid to Ukrainians: We need to pass it before theyre all dead. Issa expressed frustration with his colleagues opposed to even holding a vote, telling The Dispatch: Ive never lobbied against having a vote. Ive lobbied for amendments being allowed. Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday: To be clear, [Johnson is] being threatened for even allowing a vote to come to the floor. For allowing the constitutional process to play out as intended by our Founders. Thats a wild thing to consider, especially when his enemies consider themselves conservative. They are not conserving the constitutional process our Founders created, thats for sure. Conserving Putins gains on the battlefield, is more like it. But theres no doubt that in a very narrowly divided House, a critical mass of Republicans now oppose Johnson. Gaetz, who sponsored the motion to vacate the speakership in October, crowed at the time that he had made MAGA Mike Johnson speaker. Gaetz told The Dispatch on Thursday that Johnson was still clearly an improvement over McCarthy because he allowed an impeachment vote on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Unfortunately, Mike Johnson did not provide an improvement over Speaker McCarthy on spending and foreign policy, he added. Does Gaetz think the speaker is no longer MAGA Mike Johnson? Its, uh, to be seen, I guess, Gaetz said. Later, outside the Capitol, Gaetz was asked who could do a better job than Johnson. I dont know, Gaetz told reporters. Miss [Lauren] Boebert could do better, he quickly added, referring to the Colorado congresswoman standing by his side. Trump on Trial: What to Expect Next Week Weve reached the end of the first week of Donald Trumps Manhattan hush-money trial with the seating of 12 jurors. Now that the preliminary processes of the historic criminal trial are largely over (alternative jurors are still being selected), Judge Juan Merchan has said opening statements could begin as soon as Monday. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to payments he made to his former lawyer Michael Cohen. Cohen then paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 in October 2016 just before the presidential electionas part of an agreement that the adult-film actress would not discuss publicly an affair she alleged she had with Trump in 2006. Over at The Collision this week, Sarah and Mike previewed what to look out for once the prosecution and defense get to the meat of their arguments: 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. Trump has some paths to beating the rap here, and it may all stem from the unreliability of Cohen, now the prosecutions key witness: 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. Be sure to read the whole newsletter, and if you dont already, subscribe to The Collision for reporting and analysis of this and all of Trumps legal issues. Notable and Quotable I want to commend Speaker Mike Johnson, who I consider a personal friend, for demonstrating moral courage in this moment, in a very difficult time. Former Vice President Mike Pence, commenting on Speaker Mike Johnsons travails to pass Ukraine aid, April 18, 2024 Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. The House on Saturday approved a series of bills providing tens of billions of dollars in foreign aid to embattled U.S. allies overseas, breaking a months-long impasse that bitterly divided Congress and sending the package along to the Senate. The legislation marrying military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with humanitarian assistance for Gaza marked a victory for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who had taken the politically risky step of bringing the proposals to the floor over the objection of hard-line conservatives, some of whom want to boot him from power. That decision has endeared the Speaker to Ukraines supporters in both parties, who argued the need for an aggressive strategy to help Kyivs beleaguered forces counter Russias imperial designs in Europe. But its heightened the tensions between Johnson and his right flank, which was already furious with the Speaker for his willingness to negotiate bipartisan deals with President Biden and felt betrayed that GOP leaders dropped demands for tougher border security. Here are five takeaways from Saturdays monumental votes. Ukraine, Israel, Gaza finally get their aid The focus on the political machinations of moving the foreign aid package through Congress has, at times, overshadowed the situation on the ground in the hot spots where the new assistance is poised to flow. Yet recent developments in those war-torn regions have fueled the urgency surrounding that aid on Capitol Hill, and in the end convinced Johnson that moving the aid military and humanitarian alike was worth the risk to his leadership perch. In Ukraine, for instance, Kyivs defenders are running on threadbare weapons systems as Russian forces have made recent territorial advances dynamics that led CIA Director Bill Burns to warn this week that Ukraine will lose the war by years end without additional U.S. support. In Israel, recent strikes from Iran have highlighted the vulnerability of Tel Avivs position in a region hostile to its very existence. Taiwan is facing new threats to its sovereignty from a Chinese Communist Party that has long had imperial designs on its island neighbor and has been emboldened by Russias invasion of Ukraine. And in Gaza, where more than half the population consists of children, more than 34,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces as they seek to root out the Hamas terrorists who conducted the Oct. 7 massacre. The House-passed foreign aid package addresses each crisis, providing roughly $61 billion for Ukraine; $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid in Gaza and elsewhere; and $8 billion for Taiwan and other U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific. We have a responsibility not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans to do what is necessary to defend democracy wherever it is at risk in the best interest of the free world, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said. An evolution for Mike Johnson that comes with a risk The months-long path to passing Ukraine aid in the House was an evolution of sorts for Johnson, who began that journey being skeptical of Kyiv and ended it as a supporter who put his job on the line to muscle through billions of dollars in assistance. The last time the House weighed in on aid to Ukraine $300 million in September Johnson opposed the proposal. Nearly seven months later, the Louisiana Republican helped lead the push to get $61 billion in assistance for Kyiv on the House floor, in defiance of conservatives who have threatened to force a vote on his ouster. [R]ather than spending the resources to secure our southern border and combating the invasion of 11 million illegals and despite repeated promises there would be no additional money going to Ukraine without first securing our border, the United States House of Representatives, under the direction of the Speaker, is on the verge of sending another $61 billion to further draw America into an endless and purposeless war in Ukraine, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), who signed on to a motion to vacate this week, wrote in a statement. Johnson, for his part, has referenced the intelligence briefings he has received as Speaker to help explain why he reversed course on Ukraine aid and was willing to put his gavel at risk to secure the assistance. I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important, Johnson said this week. I really do believe the intel and the briefings that weve gotten. I believe [Chinese President Xi Jinping] and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. Pro-Ukraine Republicans took note of his transformation and are thankful for it. He showed courage today. Hes going to go down in history as saying, Im gonna do the right thing, I dont care about the vacate [motion], said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a moderate leadership ally. And thats what leaders are made of. Democrats step in to help Johnson The minority party in the House tends to be relatively powerless, consigned to a role of thrashing futilely against the current while the majority leaders have their way with the workings of the floor and the legislative agenda. In this Congress, however, those precepts havent held. The Republicans small and shrinking majority combined with the unusual willingness of hard-line conservatives to buck their leadership on procedural votes that were once routine has empowered Democrats with unusual sway over the workings of the lower chamber. Those dynamics were on full display this week throughout the foreign aid debate. When three conservative members of the House Rules Committee opposed the rule governing the four-bill package, Johnson spoke with Jeffries, and the pair secured a deal to have Democrats on the panel make up the difference. Later, when 55 conservatives voted against that same rule on the floor, it was again Democrats who took the rare step of crossing the aisle to pass the measure and allow final votes on the foreign aid bills. The most bipartisan rule in my career, said a chuckling Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. The inability of Johnson and his leadership team to move those measures with Republican support empowered Jeffries and the Democrats, helping them secure policy victories and ensuring that the final product would look much more like the Senate-passed package than conservatives wanted. We have some fence-mending and some party discipline to do, McCaul said. The threat to Johnson has dimmed, but not died The threat to Johnsons gavel still exists three Republicans are in favor of a motion to vacate but its potency has decreased after conservatives cast doubt on the idea, former President Trump endorsed the Speaker, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) waffled on when she will force a vote on the resolution. After months of railing against the prospect of sending additional aid to Ukraine and watching the House approve that very assistance Greene declined to force a vote on her motion-to-vacate resolution, letting lawmakers leave Washington without putting her ouster effort in motion. Im actually gonna let my colleagues go home and hear from their constituents because I think people have been too obsessed with voting for foreign wars and the murder industry here in America, and actually understand how angry Americans are, Greene told reporters minutes after the Ukraine aid vote. When you have the strongest, loudest voices in the Republican movement and grassroots furious, calling for Mike Johnson to be vacated, the people here, my colleagues, have not heard the message, she added. So Im looking forward for them to go home, hearing from the folks back at home. But even if Greene were to defy Trumps vote of confidence and trigger a vote on Johnsons ouster, Democrats would likely swoop in and save the Speaker. A number of Democrats in recent weeks have said they would protect Johnson from a conservative coup if he moved Ukraine aid, which he did on Saturday. Still, however, some Republicans see a motion to vacate on the horizon. With a lot of this behind us, you know, we can move forward with some more normalcy, I hope, McCaul said. Unless we have a motion to vacate, which is foreseeable. TikTok on the chopping block Johnson made a number of changes to the Senate-passed foreign aid bill which he called innovations to try and assuage conservative concerns, including adding a provision that could lead to a ban of the popular app TikTok. The House overwhelmingly passed a bill in March stipulating that TikToks China-based parent company, ByteDance, must divest itself of the app within roughly five months of the law going into effect or face a ban from U.S. app stores and web hosting services, legislation that faced an unclear fate in the Senate. But now, a modified version which gives ByteDance a year to divest, kicking the deadline past the November election is on its way to Senate passage and, after that, President Bidens desk, a resounding accomplishment for proponents of banning TikTok who have raised concerns about national security risks the app poses in the U.S. This legislation also defends our interests at home by including my bipartisan legislation to protect Americans against the national security threat posed by Chinese Communist Party control of TikTok, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), who delayed his resignation to stay for the foreign aid vote, wrote in a statement shortly after the package passed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. More than six months since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamasand as Israel continues to bombard GazaCongress moved forward on Saturday with a $26 billion proposal to provide security assistance to Israel and offer some humanitarian relief to Palestinians. By an overwhelming vote of 366 lawmakers in favor and 58 against, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the so-called Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024. The specific bill was approved as part of a broader package providing U.S. aid to Ukraine and Taiwan, along with other national security priorities. Dems Trapped Between Israel and Gaza on the Campaign Trail The majority of the Israel package goes toward supporting the country as it pushes forward with its military campaign to eradicate Hamas, which has sparked international outcry over high civilian casualties. More than $14 billion in the bill is earmarked to support Israeli and American military activities in the Middle East region, with an additional $5.2 billion for Israels air and missile defense systems. There is $9.2 billion in the legislation to provide humanitarian relief to Palestinians in the form of food, water, and medical care, though some of that funding will be made available to other populations facing hardship due to war. Thirty-seven Democrats, nearly all progressives, voted against the legislation, expressing grave concern about U.S. support for Israel's military campaign and offering a blank check to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The bill has broad bipartisan support and the backing of President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it into law. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The House of Representatives has approved sending $60 billion to Ukraine for its defense against Russias invasion, an issue that has roiled Speaker Mike Johnsons already perilously slim majority. The aid package passed 311 to 112, with more Democrats voted in favor than Republicans and just 101 Republicans voted for the bill while 112 voted nay. In a dramatic moment toward the end of the vote, Democrats began passing around Ukrainian flags in violation of House protocol, according to the lawmaker presiding over the vote, Rep. Marc Molinaro. The left side of the aisle exploded in cheers when the timer on the vote reached zero, earning admonishment from Molinaro, who told them the flag-waving was in violation of the rules and called it "inappropriate," to which Democrats jeered. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., took to the microphones to chide, "Put those d--n flags away," earning more verbal backlash from Democrats before the chamber was called to order for the next vote. DEMS SAVE JOHNSON'S $95B FOREIGN AID PLAN FROM GOP REBEL BLOCKADE House lawmakers are in session on a rare Saturday working to pass Johnson's $95 billion foreign aid plan, which also includes aid bills for Israel and the Indo-Pacific, as well as a bill with other national security measures. In a decisive victory for the Louisiana Republican, all four bills passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP The close margins within the GOP alone show what a divisive topic Ukraine funding has become for the right. Speaker Johnson backed the bill sending more money to Ukraine for it's defensive war against Russia's invasion over two years ago A growing number of fiscal conservatives have been skeptical about the U.S.s continued financial involvement with Ukraine, while others have raised questions about corruption within Kyivs government. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's proposal to strip all funding related to Ukraine from the Ukraine funding bill predictably failed Saturday in a 71 to 351 vote. More traditional Republicans and national security hawks warn that Ukraines victory is critical to preventing a wider conflict between NATO and Russia, warning that its President Vladimir Putin is rapidly forming a second "axis of evil" with Iran and China. Johnson, who like his conservative colleagues was skeptical of Ukraine aid before becoming speaker, gave a sober warning earlier this week. "I really do believe the intel and the briefings that we've gotten that I believe [Chinese President Xi Jinpimg] and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. And I think they're in coordination on this. I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. I think he might go to the Balkans next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland or one of our NATO allies," he told reporters. "To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys," he said. HOUSE TAKES KEY TEST VOTE FOR JOHNSONS $95B FOREIGN AID PLAN AFTER DEMS HELP IT ADVANCE Johnson said Russian President Vladimir Putin is part of a new "axis of evil" But his support for foreign aid, particularly Ukraine, is also threatening to cut short his tenure as House speaker. Greene filed a resolution for a House-wide vote to oust Johnson, known as a motion to vacate, last month in protest of his work with Democrats on government spending and foreign aid. Two more House Republicans Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., formally backed her resolution this week. "[R]ather than spending the resources to secure our southern border and combating the invasion of 11 million illegals and despite repeated promises there would be no additional money going to Ukraine without first securing our border, the United States House of Representatives, under the direction of the Speaker, is on the verge of sending another $61 billion to further draw America into an endless and purposeless war in Ukraine," Gosar said in a statement on Friday. "I have added my name in support of the motion to vacate the Speaker. Our border cannot be an afterthought." TENSIONS ERUPT ON HOUSE FLOOR AS CONSERVATIVES CONFRONT JOHNSON ON $95B FOREIGN AID PLAN Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an opponent of Ukraine aid, threatened to oust Johnson Greene told reporters on Saturday after the vote, "This is the third betrayal of Mike Johnson," citing his earlier government funding agreement and renewal of a key government surveillance tool. She then added, "And then he did this bulls--t in here on the House floor, a foreign war package that does nothing for America. It's unbelievable. I'm thankful that America gets to see who this man is." Meanwhile, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., conceded that Johnson could "maybe" lose his job over pushing his foreign aid package over the line but praised the speaker for doing "the right thing" despite the risk. "Wehad intelligence that if we didn't get this done soon, Ukraine was in a bad situation," Bacon said. House leaders do not have to put Greene's resolution up for a vote unless she files it as "privileged," at which point it's required that lawmakers act on it within two legislative days. Greene did not indicate when she might do that. Several Democrats, however, have indicated that they were open to helping save Johnson's job if he put the Ukraine aid bill on the House floor. The bill with roughly $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific overwhelmingly passed 385 to 34 earlier on Saturday. Original article source: House passes $60B Ukraine aid bill as GOP rebels threaten to oust Johnson Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks to reporters Saturday after the House passed a long-sought $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI April 20 (UPI) -- The Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Saturday passed a long-delayed $95 billion foreign aid package that includes funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in a familiar fashion drew on Democratic support to push through the foreign aid plan that for months had been stalled by hardline GOP members. Johnson split the package into four separate bills, aiming to give spurned Republican colleagues the opportunity to vote with their "conscience" on the measures they disliked. The most contentious bill, a $61 billion military aid package for Ukraine, passed in a 311-112 vote, with Democrats overwhelming GOP opposition to the measure. The other three measures passed with less friction. The $26.4 billion bill to support Israel passed with a 366-58 vote, and the $8.1 billion package to support Indo-Pacific allies against China passed with a 385-34 vote. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson split the $95 billion foreign aid package into four separate bills for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as well as a bill to earmark frozen Russian assets to fund future Ukraine aid, in an attempt to let Republicans "vote with their conscience." Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI The fourth bill included a provision to allow the sale of the frozen assets of Russian oligarchs to finance future aid to Ukraine. The bill also would potentially force Chinese tech company ByteDance to sell TikTok, which Republicans and Democrats fear could pose a national security threat. That bill passed in a 360-58 vote. With all four bills approved, they will be combined into a single package and sent to the Senate, which will need to vote "yes" before it heads to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature. Biden in a statement responded to the House's approval of the spending bills, saying they come "at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia." He then called on the Senate to quickly pass the bill, "so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs." The House-passed bills are similar to another $95 billion aid package the Senate passed in February. A key difference in the House bill is that it designated $10 billion of the Ukraine funding as a repayable loan to appease some Republicans. The Senate's bill has sat idle in the House while Johnson balanced pleas from Democrats with Republican attacks on his speakership. Johnson, instead, unveiled the House's spending bills earlier this week. "This is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances, to take care of these really important obligations," Johnson said of his plan on Friday, noting the House otherwise would have had to "eat" the Senate's bill. Three far-right Republicans so far have called for Johnson's ouster. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona on Friday announced his intent to join Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Thomas Massie of Kentucky in their attempt to hold a vote to remove Johnson as speaker. Greene hasn't yet indicated if and when she plans to force the vote. Some Republicans speculated she could be waiting to garner more support for the measure. House Freedom Caucus chair Bob Good, R-Va., said on Friday while he does not support Johnson as speaker, trying to oust him six months before the election is not a wise move for Republicans. "I think we ought to have a contest in November, a deliberative process to select, hopefully, the speaker of the House majority. But I don't think it'd be a wise course of action to do that now," he said. For now, Johnson's speakership appears to be safe. Some centrist, pro-Ukraine Democrats have said they would defend Johnson in a vote to oust him. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Friday that the Senate would "move expeditiously" to approve the House bill and send it to Biden. The United States has so far sent roughly $111 billion in military, humanitarian and other aid to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion more than two years ago. WASHINGTON The House passed a bipartisan bill 360-58 on Saturday that slaps new sanctions on Iran and Russia and it could lead to a ban on TikTok in the U.S. Tucked inside the 184-page sanctions bill is a provision that forces TikToks Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its stake in the popular video platform to a U.S.-based entity within a year or face a ban. Specifically, it gives ByteDance nine months to divest, and it gives the president the option to tack on a three-month extension. Lawmakers in both parties have raised national security and data privacy concerns with TikTok. Supporters of the social media app have questioned the constitutionality of restricting Americans rights to free speech. Last month, the House overwhelmingly passed a standalone bill aimed at potentially blocking TikTok in the U.S., but it didnt seem to have the votes to pass in the Senate. This time looks different, in part because the TikTok provision is now part of a much broader bill with more support. Beyond that, the previous House bill gave ByteDance six months to divest, and at least one key Democratic senator who opposed that bill is on board with the new proposal because of the extended time frame for divestment. Im very happy that Speaker [Mike] Johnson and House leaders incorporated my recommendation to extend the Byte Dance divestment period from six months to a year, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, said in a Wednesday 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, Cantwell said. I support this updated legislation. The issue has divided 2024 presidential hopefuls. President Joe Biden has already said hed sign legislation targeting TikTok if Congress passes it. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has flip-flopped, first saying he would support a ban and more recently saying never mind, he supports the social media app. In a Friday tweet, TikTok called it unfortunate that lawmakers are threatening to ban its services in the U.S. and warned that doing so could hurt the U.S. economy. 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 tweeted. Related... TikTok Faces Potential U.S. Ban As Joe Biden Signs National Security Bill; CEO Vows Court Fight And Says Facts And The Constitution Are On Our Side UPDATE: President Joe Biden signed a massive national security bill that requires that ByteDance divest TikTok or face a ban on app stores as soon as nine months from now. Biden gave remarks after signing the bill, highlighting the $95 billion outlay for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. More from Deadline He did not mention the provision on TikTok, the popular social media platform that has raised concerns that the Chinese government would get access to user information. In a video posted on X/Twitter, TikTok CEO Shou Chew said that the new law was obviously a disappointing moment, but it does not need to be a defining one. Rest assured, we are not going anywhere, he said, adding that they would challenge the law in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on side, and we expect to prevail again, he said. ByteDance has nine months to sell TikTok or face a ban, but the president can also extend that timeframe by three more months. NBC News reported that Bidens presidential campaign plans to continue using the app, despite the new law. The president himself appeared in a social media video tied to Super Bowl Sunday. TikTok response to potential ban. https://t.co/dl0hEkaYqb Ted Johnson (@tedstew) April 24, 2024 PREVIOUSLY: The Senate passed legislation that will force ByteDance to divest TikTok of face a ban on app stores. The TikTok restrictions were part of a $95 billion national security package that includes aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. President Joe Biden plans to sign the bill. The vote was 79-18. In a statement, Biden said, I will sign this bill into law and address the American people as soon as it reaches my desk tomorrow so we can begin sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine this week. The need is urgent: for Ukraine, facing unrelenting bombardment from Russia; for Israel, which just faced unprecedented attacks from Iran; for refugees and those impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world, including in Gaza, Sudan, and Haiti; and for our partners seeking security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. TikTok has suggested that it would challenge the legislation in court, as it has waged a lobbying campaign focused on the notion that the potential ban would take away free speech rights of the platforms creators. But lawmakers have focused on TikToks Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and the potential for the Beijing government to demand user data. In an interview today with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that ByteDance is beholden to the Chinese government and so when Americans stop and think about how do they feel about the power, the access, the capability, the control that TikTok has, they need to be thinking about it in terms of how do they feel about that same power, access, capability, control in the hands of TikToks parent in Chinese government, and ultimately in the Chinese intelligence service. PREVIOUSLY, April 27: The fate of TikTok in the United States is even more uncertain as the House today voted on a package that requires that parent ByteDance divest its popular social media platform or face a ban on app stores. Lawmakers passed the bill 360-58, part of a series of votes to break a six-month standoff over a $95 billion aid package to Ukraine as well as to Israel and to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific. House members overwhelming passed the additional funding to those countries and regions, including $60.8 billion to Ukraine. That part of the legislative package passed the House 311-112. The TikTok portion of the legislative package revises previous legislation by extending the time by which Chinese-owned ByteDance could sell the platform. A previous bill that cleared the House earlier this year gave ByteDance less than six months to do so. The potential TikTok ban was part of a bill that included a long list of national security priorities, including the authorization of the sale of Russian assets and mandatory sanctions of Hamas. The Senate is expected to take up the package of bills, including Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan aid, next week, perhaps as soon as Tuesday. The package also includes humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Prospects appear to be good for passage, and it is unclear what TikTok will do next, and whether it or users would challenge the legislation on First Amendment grounds. The company said in a statement earlier this week, 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. But revisions to the previous legislation helped convince a key lawmaker, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), to support the new legislation. She said in a statement that extending the divestment period is necessary to ensure there is enough time for a new buyer to get a deal done. TikTok has 170 million users in the United States. Lawmakers have warned of the prospect of the Chinese government getting access to users data. TikTok has denied such a scenario, while emphasizing the fact that ByteDances investors include American investment entities. The $60.8 billion in aid to Ukraine has been held up since last year, as a group of hard-right Republicans oppose further funding of the countrys war with Russia. In February, the Senate passed a $95 billion national security package that included aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but has languished in the House as Speaker Mike Johnson faced a revolt from members of the Republican caucus. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), an opponent of the Ukraine aid, has filed a motion to vacate Johnson from the speakers chair, but she has not yet forced a vote on his removal. Greene told CNNs Manu Raju said that she was not moving forward yet on whether to remove Johnson, and instead wanted lawmakers to go back home during a recess next week to hear from their constituents. This is the sellout of America today, she said, cursing once on air as she talked to Raju and other reporters live from the steps of the Capitol. Johnson did scold Democrats for waving mini-Ukrainian flags on the floor after that portion of the aid package passed, but told reporters of the overall national security package, If we turn our backs now, the consequences could be devastating. Make no mistake, this is not a blank check like the Senate supplemental bill was, he said. Still, a majority of the Republican caucus voted against additional aid to Ukraine, with 101 GOP members voting yes and 112 voting no. All 210 Democrats present voted for it. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Ulsan Port Authority (UPA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pacific Environment (PE), an international environmental organisation, to accelerate the transformation of shipping ports into eco-friendly ports. The MoU was signed during UPAs Shipping Port Decarbonisation Networking Reception on April 17 during Singapore Maritime Week. The reception was attended by more than 32 organisations including major port officials, shipping lines, and climate environment non-profit organisations from all over the world including the US, Asia, the UK, and Australia, confirming the high level of interest in decarbonisation in the maritime sector and beyond. Soon-yo Jeong, Vice President of Operations, UPA and Shannon Wright, Executive Director, PE attended the signing ceremony of the Agreement to Accelerate the Transition to Green Shipping Ports, one of the main events of the reception. Green shipping routes Through this agreement, the two organisations agreed to actively cooperate to support the design and development of decarbonisation policies for shipping ports in the Asia-Pacific region and the construction of green shipping routes. In addition, it will support policy analysis and development to solve climate issues, such as the use of clean energy in the maritime sector and the end of marine plastic pollution; promote eco-friendly fuel bunkering at Ulsan Port; develop safety standards and train port workers; and share best practices and jointly hold workshops in future cooperation areas. In addition, Jeong presented Ulsan Port's strategy for building an eco-friendly energy logistics hub and sales of eco-friendly ship fuel supplies such as methanol and ammonia, which were well received by the attendees. Carbon neutrality goal With the adoption of the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) carbon neutrality goal, decarbonisation of shipping ports has become a necessity rather than an option, said Jeong. Ulsan Port will further strengthen port infrastructure development, system improvement and mutual cooperation with stakeholders to promote the supply of carbon-free ship fuel such as green methanol and ammonia. In July 2023, Ulsan Port became the first in the world to supply green methanol to a container ship and in February 2024, it successfully supplied green methanol fuel to the worlds first commercially operated ultra-large (16,200 TEU) container ship. In addition, the port plans to build a clean hydrogen and ammonia terminal at Ulsan New Port by 2030 to store ammonia to produce and supply hydrogen.--TradeArabia News Service ISTANBUL, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met on Saturday with Head of the Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh in Turkiye's largest city, Istanbul. The meeting, which commenced at 2:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT), was held behind closed doors at the Dolmabahce presidential working office, as reported by the NTV broadcaster. Both leaders were anticipated to discuss the ongoing Israeli attacks and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, as well as ceasefire efforts, the NTV added. Haniyeh recently suffered the loss of his three sons in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on April 10. The House on Saturday passed military aid bills for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, more than six months after President Joe Biden initially submitted his massive foreign aid request to arm all three security partners. The roughly $95 billion package includes $48 billion in Ukraine security aid, which passed 311-112 as some Democrats cheered and chanted Slava Ukraini while waving Ukrainian flags prompting Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to tell them to put those damn flags away. The exchange prompted Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., to chide both the flag-wavers and Luna for violating House decorum. The package includes another $14 billion in Israel military assistance passed 366-58 and $4 billion in weapons funding for Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies passed 385-34. It also includes economic and humanitarian aid as well as a fourth bill passed 360-58 that contains Iran sanctions, Russian asset seizures to rebuild Ukraine and a provision that could potentially result in a ban on the popular social media app TikTok. China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are working together in a new axis of evil to harm our alliances and undermine our national security, House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said on the floor ahead of the vote, invoking former President George W. Bushs 2002 reference to Iran, Iraq and North Korea. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also labeled China, Russia and Iran as an axis of evil earlier this week after reversing course on Ukraine aid. Were in dangerous times, Johnson told reporters on Tuesday after deciding to advance the whole package. I regard myself as a wartime speaker, in a literal sense. Johnson who voted against previous aid packages for Kyiv had resisted holding a Ukraine vote for months. He failed to pass a stand-alone Israel aid bill in February after the White House threatened to veto it given the lack of support for Kyiv. The speaker reversed course following Irans missile and drone attack on Israel last week. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told senators to remain in town through the next several days to consider the package. The Senate already passed similar legislation 70-29 in February. But increased Republican resistance to Ukraine aid from former President Donald Trump and others, as well as growing skepticism to unconditional Israel assistance from some Democrats, prompted Johnson to split the package up into multiple votes. Nonetheless, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., have threatened to force a vote ousting Johnson from the speakership over the Ukraine aid bill when the House returns from recess later this month. A band of right-wing Republicans successfully ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., with a similar move last year, plunging the House into weeks of chaos as the party struggled to select a new leader. But some Democrats have said they would be willing to help save Johnsons speakership following his decision to advance Ukraine aid. The White House has said Biden will ultimately sign the House package, stating This funding would ensure that critically needed U.S. weapons and equipment continue to follow to the battlefield as the Ukrainian people defend their sovereignty against Russian aggression, while continuing to strengthen and modernize our defense industrial base here at home. Ukraine has received a cumulative $113 billion in economic and security aid since Russias 2022 invasion, while Israel receives an annual $3.8 billion in military assistance and the fiscal 2024 government funding bill provided Taiwan with $300 million in Foreign Military Financing. The House voted down several amendments that would have curtailed or outright abolished Ukraine aid funding, including from Greene as well as Reps. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., and Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., a Ukrainian-American lawmaker. At the same time, the House by voice vote passed a symbolic amendment from Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., encouraging the State Department to allocate $500 million in Foreign Military Financing to the Philippines. The Taiwan aid bill provides a total of $2 billion in Foreign Military Financing for Indo-Pacific allies and partners. The House passed another amendment from Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., by voice vote requiring the Pentagons annual China military power report to assess Beijings investments in emerging technology. The package also includes $3.3 billion in submarine industrial base funding as the Columbia and Virginia class programs remain behind schedule. Additionally, it provides $2.4 billion for U.S. Central Command to support its operations in the Middle East and another $542 million for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Although the Houses aid package is similar to the Senates previous bill, it makes some minor adjustments. For instance, it adds a provision directing Biden to transfer long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems to Ukraine a longstanding request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CIA Director Bill Burns said Thursday that Ukraine could likely hold its ground if Congress passes another aid package for Kyiv but warned the picture is a lot more dire without one. There is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024, or at least put [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement, said Burns. WASHINGTON The House approved a set of long-awaited foreign aid bills on Saturday that would send funds to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region after months of it being stalled by Republican infighting. Passage of the bills also could cost Speaker Mike Johnson his leadership position and status as second in line to the presidency. The bills mostly mirror an earlier foreign aid package the Senate passed this year. But this one is broken up into pieces as an attempt by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to appease his conference by allowing GOP lawmakers to pick and choose what aspects of the bill they support. Johnsons foreign aid plan includes three bills that separately fund Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region, along with a fourth bill that includes various GOP-backed foreign policy priorities as a sweetener to entice Republicans to back the proposal. Those provisions would include seizing frozen Russian assets to fund the Ukrainian war effort along with legislation that could result in a nationwide ban on the popular social media app TikTok. All bills passed the House on a bipartisan basis, but the legislation funding Ukraine proved to be the most contentious as U.S. support for Kyiv continues to fall among the House GOP ranks. The House passed the bill providing roughly $60 billion in Ukraine by a vote of 311-112. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., walks towards the House Chamber on Capitol Hill on April 19, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Israel bill also proved to be problematic among progressive Democrats who have called for conditioning aid to the country over its conduct in the war-torn Gaza Strip as international aid organizations warn of incoming famine in the territory. Lawmakers approved more than $26 billion in Israel funding and humanitarian assistance in the region by a vote of 366-58. Aid to the Indo-Pacific region aimed at deterring China was far less controversial, and lawmakers passed about $8 billion to the region by a vote of 385-34. The sweetener bill also passed, 360-58. All four bills will be compiled into one package to send to the Senate, which is expected to approve the legislation as well. President Joe Biden has vowed to sign the package immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we wont let Iran or Russia succeed. The final package was a long time coming and came together after months of dithering by Johnson, who was under intense pressure by leaders from both sides of the aisle to advance foreign aid. At first, Johnson sided with ultraconservative lawmakers who insisted that any assistance abroad must be paired with significant changes to border and immigration policy to address the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. But in recent days, the speaker appeared to have shifted in his views of foreign aid, delivering remarks to reporters on Wednesday about the urgent need for the U.S. to show support for its allies. Providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important. ... I really do believe the intel in the briefings that weve gotten. I believe Xi (Jinping) and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. I think theyre in coordination on this. I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed, Johnson said. To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Johnson continued, adding that his son is entering the U.S. Naval Academy this fall. This is a live-fire exercise for me as it is so many American families. This is not a game. This is not a joke. Passage of the foreign aid package also appears like it will leave Johnsons speakership in peril. Conservative firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., along with two other Republicans, are seeking to oust the speaker for working with Democrats to pass legislation. Greene has declined to offer a timeline for when she would move to remove the speaker but has previously suggested she would do so the moment the House passes Ukraine aid. Regardless, Johnson said his philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may and that he was willing to take personal risk for his job if it meant Congress could pass foreign aid. A small group of bipartisan negotiators in the Senate cobbled together a foreign aid package that did include sweeping changes in border and immigration policy that looked ready to clear the upper chamber earlier this year, but at the behest of former President Donald Trump, who opposed the bill, congressional Republicans ultimately killed the deal. The Senate later passed the foreign aid package completely stripped of changes in border policy and as months went by, Senate leaders from both parties called on Johnson to pass the deal immediately. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., departs Capitol Hill following a vote on April 19, 2024 in Washington, DC. The speaker ultimately opted to split the bill into several different components with slight modifications to win Republican support, including converting direct financial assistance to Ukraine as a loan that can eventually be forgiven by the U.S. In an attempt to placate the hard-right who were incensed by the speakers decision, a fifth bill that resembled a strict partisan bill Republicans passed last year to address the southern border referred to as H.R. 2 was offered a vote on the floor, but failed to garner the support necessary to pass. Conservatives derided the bill which appeared to be a peace offering as an attempt from the speaker to save face. What happens next in the lower chamber is uncertain, as House lawmakers began a weeklong recess right after passing the foreign aid package on Saturday. Once they return to Capitol Hill, Johnson is expected to enter a political fight for his life as Greene, backed by other conservatives, threaten to supplant him. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House passes aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan. Johnson's job at risk. House passes military aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. How members from KS, MO voted Rep. Eric Burlison is adamantly opposed to sending additional money to Ukraine. He supports sending money to Israel. He supports sending money to Taiwan, but thinks the Biden administration will transfer the money over to Ukraine. So on Saturday morning, as the House voted on a series of bills that would send military and humanitarian aid overseas, Burlison split his votes. Ukraine is not an ally, they are not a formal ally of the United States, Burlison said. Israel is an ally of the U. S. and it serves the best interest of the U.S. for Israel to be there and for Israel to exist. Burlison, who represents the Springfield area, wasnt alone. Five lawmakers from Kansas and Missouri voted for all four packages one bill each for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and a fourth bill that imposes sanctions on Russia, China and Iran and includes a provision that could ban TikTok. But six split their votes Burlison and Missouri Reps. Mark Alford, Cori Bush and Jason Smith and Kansas Reps. Ron Estes and Tracey Mann. All of the bills passed with bipartisan support. The Ukraine aid bill passed 311-112, the Israel aid bill passed 366-58, the Indo-Pacific bill passed 385-34 and the sanctions bill, which included the TikTok provision, passed 360-58. The legislation will now head to the Senate, but as just one bill, not four standalone bills. At the end of the day its disingenuous because theyre all getting pushed back together, Burlison told the Star Friday. The House bills come two months after the Senate passed a similar National Security package and nearly seven months after the White House first asked for the foreign aid. It has long been stalled by House Republicans who have come out in opposition to sending more money to Ukraine. The White House quickly celebrated the passage of the bills. Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage, President Joe Biden said in a statement. At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer historys call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday the Biden administration would quickly move to get weapons to Ukraine after the Senate passes the bill and its signed by the President. It is critical, it is critical, Jean-Pierre said Friday. They have been losing ground because of Congress inaction. The bill would send $60.8 billion to Ukraine, $23.68 billion to Israel and $8.12 billion for military aid in the Pacific including nearly $2 billion to Taiwan for defense. It also contains language that attempts to force a sale of TikTok within about nine months with a possible three month extension or else the app would be banned in the U.S. Lawmakers in the House and Senate have called the popular social media app a threat to national security out of fears that China can access its vast troves of user data. The House already passed a similar bill to force the sale of TikTok, but it stalled in the Senate, where some Democrats raised concerns about whether it would hold up to legal challenges. Jean-Pierre said Friday that the House and Senate made improvements to the bill before it was included in the national security supplemental. And while the app would be banned if ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, doesnt sell to a non-Chinese owner in 270 days, with a possible three month extension, Jean-Pierre called it a divestiture bill. Lets see where this goes, Jean-Pierre said. We support the package as it currently stands. We see it as a divestment not a ban. For months, the national security supplemental was stalled as Republicans wanted the foreign aid to be tied to tougher immigration laws at the southwestern border, but rejected a bipartisan border agreement in the Senate. Hard-right members of the Republican conference said they would try to remove Johnson as House Speaker if he were to bring Ukraine aid to the House floor, where it had bipartisan support. Already, three Republican lawmakers have signed on to a motion to remove Johnson. Burlison, who is a member of the hard-right House Freedom caucus, said he isnt sure whether hed vote to remove Johnson from his leadership post. Im not convinced that theres someone behind him who would be better, but Im also not happy, Burlison said. So I havent made up my mind about that. The more controversial vote on the package came Friday morning, when members took a preliminary vote on the package. It passed with bipartisan support 316 to 94, with 55 Republicans voting against the package. Only four representatives from Kansas and Missouri voted against the preliminary measure Missouri Republicans Alford and Burlison, Kansas Republican Mann and Missouri Democrat Bush. Alford quickly left the House chamber after voting against the bill. Im not feeling good about it, Alford said, in reference to the security package. Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, stuck around on the House floor with several Democrats out of concern that someone would try a back-door way to defeat the measure. Instead, he emerged from the House chamber happy. He said the vote showed that Johnson was willing to govern with the majority of the House, rather than letting bills get derailed by vocal, but small, opposition in the House. I know theres a lot of tension on the floor and theres also a lot of frustration, Cleaver said. However, today is one of the biggest days I have experienced since the beginning of the turbulent era. We have gone back to majority rule. How they voted Heres how the members voted on the sanctions/TikTok bill, the Taiwan aid bill, the Ukraine aid bill and the Israel aid bill, in order. A yes vote indicates support. Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids (D) Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes Rep. Ron Estes (R) Yes, Yes, No, Yes Rep. Jake LaTurner (R) Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes Rep. Tracey Mann (R) Yes, Yes, No, Yes Missouri Rep. Mark Alford (R) Yes, Yes, No, Yes Rep. Eric Burlison (R) Yes, No, No, Yes Rep. Cori Bush (D) No, Yes, Yes, No Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes Rep. Sam Graves (R) Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R) Not Voting Rep. Jason Smith (R) Yes, Yes, No, Yes Rep. Ann Wagner (R) Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes On Saturday, the House of Representatives voted to approve a bill that would require TikTok to be sold to a non-Chinese company. If approved by the Senate and signed into law by the president, it would give TikTok-owner ByteDance one year to sell if that doesnt happen, the wildly popular social media video app would be banned in the United States. The ban was packaged alongside aid for both Israel and Ukraine. Controversy over the Ukraine funding has put pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson and led members of his own party to threaten a vote to remove him from the speakership. It is expected that ByteDance will challenge the the measure, which passed by 360-58 vote, in court on the basis that a ban would deprive millions of users in the United States of rights afforded to them by the First Amendment. Any legal challenge could also give the company more time to find a buyer for the app. The bill is an unusual one for American lawmakers, who have never targeted one specific company before. Members of both political parties have raised concerns about whether or not ByteDance could be forced to give Chinese authorities access to sensitive data. It also included a hefty $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan. The question of sending another round of aid has been a source of contention in the House GOP in recent weeks and resulted in a fracture of the Republican caucus, wherein more traditional Republicans supported sending funds to help counter threats from Russia and China, and their more conservative counterparts, whose America-first approach called for less foreign spending. Ultimately, Speaker Mike Johnson brought four bills for overseas funding to the floor, a move meant to challenge ultra-conservative leaders. Earlier this week, Johnson explained part of his reasoning: To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall this is a live-fire exercise for me as it is so many American families. This is not a game. Its not a joke. We cant play politics with this, we have to do the right thing. To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys. My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall, Johnson said. https://t.co/w8nchJtKsU Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) April 18, 2024 Ultra-conservative leaders have taken issue with the aid package for three reasons: some want American money to be spent on American issues at home, others want to stop adding to the national debt, and a third group arent interested in helping Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after the impeachment of Donald Trump. Some Democrats have also expressed concern about the aid package, but for a different reason. Of the $26 billion allocated for Israel, $9.2 billion is for humanitarian aid for Gaza. Some Democrats have called for more money for the besieged territory. The post House Passes Potential TikTok Ban Alongside Israel, Ukraine Aid appeared first on TheWrap. It all comes down to this. After months of fighting between the parties, across the chambers and within the House Republican conference, the lower chamber is poised Saturday to approve a massive new round of foreign aid, combining billions of dollars in military help for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with billions more in humanitarian assistance for Gaza and other war zones around the globe. Passage would mark a huge victory for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who had rejected a Senate-passed foreign-aid package in February and has agonized since then over how to move the more conservative version he promised through the House in the face of fierce opposition from hardliners occupying his animated right flank. The legislation hes proposed attempts to thread a delicate needle, keeping much of the Senate proposal intact in order to secure crucial Democratic support while adding a series of Republican national security priorities designed to temper the conservative outcry. Those GOP provisions, combined into their own package, include new sanctions on Iran; efforts to reduce the impact of the aid package on deficit spending; and a potential ban on TikTok amid concerns over the blockbuster companys ties to Chinas Communist Party. To sweeten the deal further, Johnson has split the package into four distinct pieces, each scheduled to receive a separate vote a design thats won praise from lawmakers in both parties who have supported parts of the Senate bill but not others. Johnsons piecemeal approach grants them the opportunity to go on record supporting their favored aid provisions while rejecting those they oppose. Still, the Speakers decision to champion new foreign aid has come with stark political risks, infuriating conservatives who were already up in arms over his willingness to cut deals with President Biden on big-ticket legislation like extending federal funding and reauthorizing government surveillance powers. House advances Ukraine, Israel aid as Dems help Speaker Johnson, GOP The debate has not sparked a direct challenge to Johnsons gavel. But Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) last month had introduced a resolution to remove him from power a motion since endorsed by two other GOP lawmakers and it remains unclear if passage of the Ukraine aid will prompt her to force the measure to the floor for a vote. The House gavels in at 9 a.m. to begin what is sure to be a fiery floor debate, with voting expected to begin at around 1 p.m. On the schedule are a series of amendments, that will each receive a separate vote; the border bill, which is not expected to win the two-thirds majority needed to pass by the procedural vehicle under which its moving; and finally the four foreign aid bills: Israel, Indo-Pacific, Ukraine and the grab-all package of national security bills. Follow along with live updates below. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The House of Representatives on Saturday passed a series of foreign aid bills that allocate $60.8 billion for Ukraine, $26.4 billion for Israel and $8 billion for Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies. Another bill, passed by a vote of 360-58, would force the sale of TikTok and imposes strong sanctions on Iran, China and Russia. An amendment to that bill requires the Treasury Department to submit a report on Iranian assets and sanction exemptions. The four bills will now be sent to the Senate as a package. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday that the Senate will take up the bills on Tuesday afternoon. The bill providing $8 billion in security aid for the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan, passed overwhelmingly in the House by a vote of 385-34-1. Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan was the only member who voted present. The House passed the Ukraine foreign aid bill by a vote of 311-112-1. The House passed the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act by a vote of 366-58. Democrats briefly waved Ukrainian flags during the vote, an action that prompted House Speaker Mike Johnson to remind them it was a violation for members to wave flags on the floor. Earlier, a GOP border security bill failed by a vote of 215-199. It was considered under suspension and did not reach a two-thirds majority. This bill was separate from the four foreign aid bills. After Democrats helped Johnson avoid defeat and advance the legislation on Friday, lawmakers considered amendments and held debate on Saturday before voting on final passage. President Joe Biden thanked House members for passing foreign aid package for Ukraine and Israel and said that the package comes at a "critical inflection point" for those nations. "It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia," Biden said in a statement Saturday. Biden also pointed to the "desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti" included in the funding. Biden hailed the work of leaders in the House and the bipartisan group of lawmakers who he said "voted to put our national security first," and called on the Senate to get the package to his desk. "I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs," Biden added. MORE: A TikTok ban is wrapped in Speaker Johnson's foreign aid package: What happens next? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy applauded the passing of the bill with bipartisan support in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. "I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it," Zelenskyy said in a statement. He added, "The vital U.S. aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. We hope that bills will be supported in the Senate and sent to President Biden's desk. Thank you, America!" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also thanked the House for approving aid. "The US Congress just overwhelmingly passed a much appreciated aid bill that demonstrates strong bipartisan support for Israel and defends Western civilization. Thank you friends, thank you America!" Netanyahu said in a Tweet on X. Could the Speaker get ousted? Johnson's push to get the aid across the finish line has angered some of his conference's far-right members, causing a growing threat to his speakership. A third Republican, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, announced Friday he was joining a looming motion to oust Johnson just after the aid bills advanced. Georgia's Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced the motion last month, accusing Johnson of "standing with the Democrats" after he worked across the aisle to avoid a government shutdown. After Johnson unveiled his plan to forge ahead on foreign aid, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky became the second hard-liner to back Greene's cause. Massie called on Johnson to resign, a suggestion Johnson flatly rejected. PHOTO: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson talks to reporters just after lawmakers pushed a $95 billion national security aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies closer to passage, at the Capitol, April 19, 2024. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) All three lawmakers have expressed frustration on Johnson moving ahead with foreign aid without addressing immigration. Though earlier this year, a bipartisan border deal was produced by a group of senators but was quickly deemed dead on arrival by former President Donald Trump and Johnson. "Our border cannot be an afterthought," Gosar said in a statement. "We need a Speaker who puts America first rather than bending to the reckless demands of the warmongers, neo-cons and the military industrial complex making billions from a costly and endless war half a world away." MORE: Johnson says he won't change rules for ousting speakers after warnings from GOP hard-liners Green did not move to oust the Speaker on Saturday before the House adjourned until April 29, although she claimed her coalition against Johnson is growing. "I'm actually going to let my colleagues go home and hear from their constituents, because I think people have been too obsessed, with voting for foreign wars and the murder industry, here in America that actually understand how angry Americans are," Greene said Saturday. Johnson said Friday that the bills are "not the perfect legislation" but are "the best possible product" under the circumstances. It remains to be seen when, or if, the hard-liners force a vote on the motion to vacate the speaker's chair. If they do, Democrats would potentially need to step in to save Johnson's job. Several Democrats told ABC News Saturday that they're open to saving Speaker Johnson -- if Greene makes good on her threat to call for a vote to oust him -- if Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries gave them the okay, or at minimum didn't oppose the move. ABC News White House correspondent MaryAlice Parks asked the administration if President Joe Biden discussed that possibility with Speaker Johnson in their phone call earlier this week. "We do not get involved when it comes to leadership in, whether it's the Senate or in the House," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded. "We're very mindful. That is something that the members, in this case the members in Congress, have to decide on." ABC News' Jay O'Brien contributed to this report. House approves $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Hungry bear busts into chocolate shop and digs into 50-pound bag of sugar, video shows Security camera footage captured a black bear with an apparent sweet tooth breaking into a Michigan chocolate shop. On April 16, around 10:30 p.m., the bear broke into Grocers Daughter Chocolate in Empire and took only a 50-pound bag of sugar from the shop, Ring camera footage shows. The door was locked when the bear yanked it open, unbelievably, co-owner Jody Hayden told McClatchy News. Defying cliches, the bear passed up the five gallons of honey in the shop that evening, Hayden told the Glen Arbor Sun. Thankfully he did nothing but enjoy the sugar! Hayden said. The bear can be seen in the security footage lying down just outside the shop calmly enjoying its sweet treat. According to the Glen Arbor Sun, the bear had visited the shop for five consecutive nights, so for the safety of the bear and the community, it will be relocated to a rural location 60 miles outside of Empire. Hes safe and were fully bear-proofed now, Hayden said. The bear returned the next night to find the door bolted shut, the Glen Arbor Sun reported. Empire is about a 155-mile drive northwest from Grand Rapids. Coyote hit by car gets lodged in the grille and survives, Illinois photos show Spooked elephant escapes circus and thunders through traffic in Montana, video shows Secretive creature evades capture for weeks in Kohls shoe department in Colorado Donald Trump, largely confined to a Manhattan courtroom for most of the past week, will reemerge on the campaign circuit Saturday in North Carolina, where the stakes of the Republicans trial-to-trail presidential campaign are especially high. The former president will rally with supporters in Wilmington and hold a fundraiser in Charlotte, capping an unprecedented week in American politics as the first criminal trial of a former president kicked off. The trial, which will determine whether Trump illegally sought to undermine the 2016 election through a scheme to pay off women with whom he allegedly had extramarital affairs, is expected to begin with opening statements on Monday. The task ahead in New York for Trump is clear: Convince seven men and five women on the jury he is innocent of the 34 charges he faces. In battlegrounds like North Carolina, the challenge for Trump is less straightforward but similarly daunting: He must persuade voters in these states to overlook whatever details emerge from his New York trial when determining the countrys next president. That includes evidence of alleged hush money payments as well as testimony from his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, a former Playboy playmate and an adult film star. Appearing in Greensboro, North Carolina ahead of the states primary last month, Trump remarked on his legal peril at length. He told the crowd that the 91 charges he then faced (its now down to 88) were not legit. He baselessly claimed the case against him in New York, which was brought by the Manhattan District Attorneys Office, was being run by the Department of Justice for election interference knock out your political opponent. The one thing they didnt know is the people of our country hear about it from me, Trump asserted then. Trump handily won the primary days later during a convincing Super Tuesday performance. Yet, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley managed to win support from 23% of Republican primary voters in North Carolina, with many in Trumps party saying they could not overlook the vast legal challenges he faces. Three in 10 GOP voters said Trump would not be fit for the presidency if he was convicted of a crime a troubling sign for the former president in a state he won over President Joe Biden by only 1.3% four years ago. Trumps campaign pointed to poll numbers that showed two-thirds of Americans dont believe he has broken any laws. Polling shows the American people see right through the Stalinist tactics employed by Crooked Joe and his allies, Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told CNN in a statement. President Trump and our team will continue fighting for truth in the courtroom, while working to earn votes on the campaign trail. Throughout the dramatic first week of his trial marked by a series of stunning moments, including potential jurors brought to tears by the intense pressure of their duty and a man who set himself on fire outside the courthouse Trump made clear he intends to make sure people continue to hear about the case from him. In theatrical news conferences in front of courthouse cameras and aggressively posting on social media, Trump repeatedly lashed out at the judge overseeing the case and tested the boundaries of the gag order intended to keep him from intimidating jurors and witnesses. Without cameras inside the courtroom, Trump has also challenged the narratives that have emerged from those watching the proceedings. In a fundraising text to supporters, Trump claimed he stormed out of the courtroom during the first day of the trial a statement not supported by those who witnessed him walk out. Trump posted on Truth Social that I was PRAYING not sleeping!! when multiple news outlets reported the former president appeared to doze off during the proceedings. The judge overseeing the case, Judge Juan Merchan, is requiring Trump to appear in the courtroom during the trial, which could last several weeks. Court is in session every weekday except Wednesdays, leaving Trump with smaller windows to travel, making weekend events like Saturdays Wilmington rally a focal point of his campaign calendar. Im supposed to be in New Hampshire. Im supposed to be in Georgia. Im supposed to be in North Carolina, South Carolina. Im supposed to be a lot of different places campaigning, Trump told reporters outside the courtroom this week. But Ive been here all day on a trial that really is a very unfair trial. Trumps statement, however, overlooks that the former president has often voluntarily appeared at proceedings for his civil cases rather than campaign. Trump also kept a notably light political schedule throughout the GOP primary when the legal cases against him had yet to reach this stage. Regardless of where Trump is spending his time, his campaign insists it is readying a robust operation, including paid teams and volunteers in every battleground state. Our aggressive and experienced operation is focused on turning out votes and highlighting the contrast between Joe Bidens weakness and failures with President Trumps record of success, Leavitt said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com SPRINGFIELD, Ill. The Illinois Senate recently passed Senate Bill 2637, aimed at banning certain additives and chemicals in food products. Similar legislation may be proposed in Missouri. The Illinois bill, which Senator Willie Preston introduced, targets additives such as titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye No. 3 that are present in commonplace items like candies, sodas, and snack foods. Consumer advocacy groups highlight the presence of these chemicals in popular products like Mountain Dew, packaged breads, and some candies like Skittles. The bill also proposes further studies on the health impacts of other common additives such as BHA and BHT. These are the most-borrowed books at St. Louis-area libraries The Illinois legislation mandates that food manufacturers and distributors phase out these chemicals and find safer alternatives by January 1, 2028. It sets penalties for non-compliance and has sparked significant opposition from the Illinois Manufacturers Association and the National Confectioners Association. These groups argue that such state-level regulations contradict federal oversight by the FDA, leading to inconsistent standards that could confuse consumers and increase food costs. This type of ban was recently enacted in California. There are also laws banning many of these additives in Europe. The Illinois bill now moves to the House for further consideration. The Missouri bill is expected to be proposed this summer. Summary of the Missouri bill: Beginning January 1, 2027, this bill prohibits any person or entity from manufacturing, selling, delivering, distributing , holding, or offing for sale a food product that contains brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, or red dye 3. Anyone who violates the prohibition is liable for a civil penalty of up to $5000 for a first violation or $10,000 for subsequent violations. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Illinois now home to federally recognized tribal nation following historic decision by U.S. Department of the Interior DEKALB COUNTY, Ill. Illinois is once again home to a federally recognized tribal nation, following a major announcement by the U.S. government. The Department of the Interior announced Friday that it placed portions of the Shab-eh-nay Reservation land into trust for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. It is now the only federally recognized Tribal Nation in the state. 1,280 acres of Prairie Bands Reservation land was illegally auctioned off by the U.S. government in 1849, when Chief Shab-eh-nay traveled to visit family in Kansas, from his home reservation, in what is now DeKalb County. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Officials say placing the land into trust transfers the legal title to the U.S., which holds it in trust for the Prairie Band. It also confirms the land as an Indian country and solidifies jurisdictional boundaries, which ensures that the nation can exercise sovereignty over the land. 175 years ago, our federal government unlawfully sold the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nations land in Illinois, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) said. In Congress, Ive been working in partnership with the Nation to correct this historic injustice. The decision to put portions of the Shab-eh-nay Reservation into Trust is an important step to returning the land that is rightfully theirs, and I am so honored to represent the first federally-recognized reservation in Illinois. Officials said Friday that the decision is seen as not only an acknowledgment of past wrongs, but also as a commitment to preserving and cherishing the rich history and culture of the original inhabitants of DeKalb County. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Prairie Band has sought to continue our history as an original part of DeKalb County and right historical wrongs, Prairie Band Chairman Joseph Rupnick said in a news release on Friday. We have been asking for this recognition and for what is rightfully ours for nearly 200 years, and we are grateful to the U.S. Department of Interior for this significant step in the pursuit of justice for our people and ancestors. Officials said all current homeowners will retain the title to their land and will be able to live in their homes undisturbed. According to officials, no immediate changes for usage have been decided and the nation will continue to evaluate the land for potential uses. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. TOKYO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Self-Defense Forces said late Saturday that they could not contact two of its helicopters around the Izu Islands, local media reported. Illinois is now home to a federally recognized tribal nation after the U.S. Department of the Interior placed portions of the Shab-eh-nay Reservation into trust, according to a statement Friday from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. The federal government illegally auctioned off 1,280 acres of the Prairie Bands reservation land 175 years ago, the Nation said. At the time, Chief Shab-eh-nay had been traveling from his home reservation in DeKalb County to visit his family in Kansas. We have been asking for this recognition and for what is rightfully ours for nearly 200 years, and we are grateful to the U.S. Department of Interior for this significant step in the pursuit of justice for our people and ancestors, said Prairie Band Chairman Joseph Rupnick, the fourth great-grandson of Chief Shab-eh-nay. The 1833 Treaty of Chicago forced Native Americans off their land, but legal disputes continued for years The legal title of the land has been transferred to the U.S. government, which holds it in trust for the Prairie Brand. The move establishes jurisdictional boundaries and allows the Nation to exercise sovereignty, the statement said. The Nation is headquartered in Kansas. Other Midwest states including Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa already have federally recognized tribal lands. The decision to put portions of the Shab-eh-nay Reservation into trust is an important step to returning the land that is rightfully theirs, and I am so honored to represent the first federally-recognized reservation in Illinois, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood said. The Nation is seeking the least disruptive path to recovering the land, according to the statement. All current homeowners will retain the title to their land, and the Prairie Band is still evaluating potential uses for the area. The move to put the land into trust for Prairie Band will hopefully be the first of many steps by the U.S. government to rectify historical injustices against indigenous peoples across the country, according to the statement. I'm a DACA recipient in college. My story is more common than you think: It's the future. As young Latinos are one of the nations fastest-growing populations in the United States, the time has come to show that we have the exact same career expectations, dreams and ambitions as our peers. In Arizona, Proposition 308 is an opportunity for more students, regardless of immigration status, to access in-state tuition while demonstrating we belong in the education system and can access a path to grow and thrive. The legislation enables anyone who has lived in Arizona for two or more years and graduated from an Arizona high school to attend the states colleges. Students who meet eligibility requirements can access affordable tuition and are eligible for financial aid, including grants, scholarships or tuition waivers. My immigration status was a liability Maria Leon on Election Day in 2022, when Arizona voters approved Proposition 308 allowing qualifying non-citizen Arizona high school graduates to receive in-state tuition at Arizonas community colleges. Before Proposition 308 passed in 2022, the uncertainty of my immigration status became a liability in the pursuit of education. After graduating high school in 2015, I went to Paradise Valley Community College, a public community college in Phoenix. As a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, I had access to in-state tuition. But two years later, the Justice Department announced the ending of DACA, the Obama-era program that allowed undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children to remain in the country. And in the spring of 2018, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld a 2006 voter-approved law that restricted state-funded services and benefits, including in-state tuition, to people who have legal status. Enrollment in Maricopa Community Colleges plunged 40% that fall. U.S. immigration system fails: Defendants are excluded from the right to legal representation in immigration court. It's time to change that. This led me to join Aliento, a local community organization that advocates for the well-being of undocumented, DACA and mixed immigration status families. Alientos advocacy efforts contributed to the passing of Proposition 308 with campaigns that involved legislators, community members, friends, families and leaders. I'm working to become a doctor. Undocumented and DACA students like me are the future. After Arizonans approved Proposition 308, I was finally accepted into a competitive program. As a proud Latina and a nursing student who struggled to enroll in college with the dream of becoming a doctor, Ive learned the importance of organizations such as Aliento, using ones own voice and joining conversations to ensure more young students receive opportunities like those that Proposition 308 provides. How much does college really cost? Why the college application process isn't adding up for students and how to help them The 2021 American Community Survey found that more than 408,000 undocumented students are enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, making up 1.9% of all college students in the country. This estimate represents a decrease of 4% since 2019, when 427,000 undocumented students were enrolled. Proposition 308 means hope for hundreds of students to pursue their dreams. It recognizes the value and potential of youth to build a stronger economic future for our state. Since its passage, eligible students tuition has been reduced by more than 150% since the start of the 2023 spring semester. Let's open more doors for students of all backgrounds Expanding this access to higher education still faces many challenges, such as misinformation, discrimination, stereotypes and inequality. This can only be remedied when community members rely on each other and work together with common goals for an inclusive education and the well-being of youth. 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. Therefore, we need the support of universities, colleges, legislators, media, fellow students and the general community to open more doors for students experiencing a disconnect between high school, college and noncollege education programs. This can be done through outreach efforts to successfully raise awareness about the benefits and eligibility for in-state tuition, including scholarships from the likes of Helios Education Foundation, Arizona Community Foundation, the three state universities and Maricopa Community Colleges. Maria Leon is a recipient of Arizonas Future Fellowship of Aliento and an advocate for accessible and equitable higher education. Empowering more students to enroll in college can translate into massive benefits to Arizona and our country. It is our states effort to tackle societys education challenges and provide pathways to success for students of all backgrounds. Our goal is to solidify the progress that was made for students. As more students fill classrooms and schools, more students can share their dreams and touch hearts with our stories, so that people know we belong in the United States, our country, and the opportunities it has to offer. Maria Leon is a recipient of Arizonas Future Fellowship of Aliento and an advocate for accessible and equitable higher education. This column was originally published in The Arizona Republic. 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 Arizona Republic: My immigration status made college a challenge. It shouldn't be Central governance has broken down in Haiti. Credit: Getty Images Quality Journalism for Critical Times Haitian advocacy groups denounced the Biden administration on Friday, a day after the government deported dozens of Haitian nationals, despite the surge in gang violence that has erupted in the Caribbean nation over the past several months. Yesterday ICE ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) conducted a repatriation flight of around 50 Haitian nationals to Haiti, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told the Phoenix in an emailed statement on Friday afternoon. Individuals are removed only if they were found to not have a legal basis to remain in the United States. The flight is being severely criticized by Haitian advocacy and immigrant rights groups. This deportation shows how disrespectful the Administration is towards Haitian migrants, said Nattacha Wyllie, founder and executive director of the Haitian American Art Network, in a written statement. They removed U.S. citizens out of Haiti because of the deadly crisis, yet the Biden administration decided to start deporting Haitians back. This is not about following the rules, especially since the U.N. has recommended not deporting Haitians for over a year. The Biden administration is showing that they do NOT care about the lives of Haitian immigrants. This deportation flight is another example of the hypocritical position of the Biden administration towards Haiti granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) on the basis that deporting people to a country gripped by violence and unrest is inhumane to only authorize deportations at the most violent time in the history of Haiti, added Tessa Petit, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, also in a written statement. The Haitian deportation flight came a week after South Florida Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and two other members of Congress held a telephone conference call asking the federal government to provide more protections for Haitians in the U.S. who have fled the country amid the violence. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security added that the government will continue to enforce U.S. laws and policy throughout the Florida Straits and the Caribbean region, as well as at the southwest border. U.S. policy is to return noncitizens who do not establish a legal basis to remain in the United States. The post Immigrant groups blast the resumption of deportation flights to Haiti appeared first on Florida Phoenix. As India kicks off the world's biggest election, which starts on April 19 and runs through June 1, the electoral landscape is overshadowed by misinformation. The country -- which has more than 830 million internet users and is home to the largest user base for social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram -- is already at the highest risk of misinformation and disinformation, according to the World Economic Forum. AI has complicated the situation further, including deepfakes created with generative AI. Misinformation is not just a problem for election fairness -- it can have deadly effects, including violence on the ground and increase hatred for minorities. Pratik Sinha, the co-founder of the Indian non-profit fact-checking website Alt News, says there's been an increase in the deliberate creation of misinformation to polarize society. "Ever since social media has been thriving, there is a new trend where you use misinformation to target communities," he said. The country's vast diversity in language and culture also make it particularly hard for fact-checkers to review and filter out misleading content. "India is unusual in its size and its history of democracy," Angie Drobnic Holan, the director of International Fact-Checking Network, told TechCrunch in an interview. "When you have got a lot of misinformation, you have a lot of need for fact-checking, and things that make the Indian environment more complex also are the many languages of India." The government has taken steps to address the problem, but some critics argue that enforcement is weak, and the Big Tech platforms aren't helping enough. In 2022, the Indian government updated its IT intermediary rules to require social media companies to remove misleading content from their platforms within 72 hours of being reported. However, the results are unclear, and some digital advocacy groups, including the Internet Freedom Foundation, have noticed selective enforcement. "You don't want to have laws or rules that are so vague, that are so broad that they can be interpreted," said Prateek Waghre, executive director of the Internet Freedom Foundation. Google and Meta have made announcements about limiting misleading content on their platforms during Indian elections, and restricted their AI bots from answering election queries, but have announced no significant product-related changes or stringent actions against fake news. Moreover, just before the Indian election, Meta reportedly cut funding to news organizations for fact-checking on WhatsApp. Now fake news is proliferating on social media. Doctored videos of celebrities asking citizens to vote for a particular political party and fake news about the Model Code of Conduct applied to public programs and private chats were well spread online before the election began. Hamsini Hariharan, a subject matter expert at the U.K.-based fact-checking startup Logically, which also has a local presence in India, told TechCrunch about the trend of "cheapfakes" content generated with less sophisticated measures of altering images, videos, and audio being widely shared across social media platforms in India. Last week, 11 civil society organizations in India, including the nonprofit digital rights groups Internet Freedom Foundation and Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC.in), urged the Indian election commission to hold political candidates and social media platforms accountable for any misuse. Hariharan underlined that the scale and sophistication of misinformation and disinformation have drastically increased over the last five years since India's last general election in 2019. The key reasons, she believes, are the increase in internet penetration -- it's grown from 14% in 2014 to around 50% now, according to World Bank data -- and the availability of technologies to manipulate audiovisual messages, low media literacy, and the mainstream media losing some of its credibility. Logically noticed a particular spike in attempts to cast doubt about electronic voting machines. Its analysts saw older claims, particularly videos and text from Supreme Court hearings about voting machines, being circulated without sufficient context. There were even some posts about these machines being banned, faulty or tempered with, along with hashtags such as #BanEVM circulated among Facebook groups with thousands of followers. Sinha of Alt News agreed that misleading online content has rapidly risen in the country. He noted that social media companies are not helping to limit such content on their platforms. "Is there a single report that's been published in four years as to how their fact-checking enterprise is doing? No, nothing, because they know it is not working. If it was working, they would have gone to town with it, but they know it's not working," he told TechCrunch. Holan believes there is much room for product changes that emphasize accuracy and reliability. "The platforms invested heavily during COVID in trust and safety programs. And since then, there's clearly been a pullback," she said. Meta and X did not answer why there have been no significant product-related updates to restrict misleading content and the amount of investments made for fact-checking in India. However, a Meta spokesperson noted the existence of a WhatsApp tip line, which was launched in late March, and an awareness campaign on Instagram to identify and stop misinformation using the platform's built-in features. "We have a multi-pronged approach to tackling misinformation that includes building an industry-leading network of fact-checkers in the country, including training them on tackling AI-generated misinformation," the Meta spokesperson said in an emailed statement. X did not answer a detailed questionnaire sent to the generic press email ID but said, "Busy now, please check back later." Rye Lane and Industry star David Jonsson is working with Baby Reindeer producer Clerkenwell Films to develop his first scripted series, which is in development under the working title, Hype. As Deadline reports, Hype will a be comedy-drama series that chronicles four friends in East London who attempt to enter the world of fashion retail. According to the report the dramedy will explore Black cultures influence on British fashion through the lives of the friends, who embody a culture of hustle. Its important to me to put a lens on interesting stories, stories that represent where Im from and what I seem, Jonsson told Deadline in a statement. As an actor, its usually your job to jump into other peoples visions, so its cool to be creating my own. Jonsson will write, star in and executive produce the series. Petra Fried, Joint Managing Director of Clerkenwell, said that the scripst for the series were funny and emotional, as well as unbelievably good. Deadline states that Clerkenwell will take the project to market shortly. Though his acting career has skyrocketed in recent years, his writing and directing chops have been developing for years, as he is an alum of Warner Bros. Creative Talent program, among other things. Hell soon be seen on the big screen in 20th Century Studios Alien: Romulus. An informant who has spent most of the last three decades in and out of lockups has helped send two men to prison for life in separate cases in Georgia and is now a target of lawyers who say he made false claims in an attempt to spare himself time behind bars. Sterling Flint, 54, was a key witness against Sonny Bharadia, who was found guilty of a 2001 sexual assault near Savannah. Flint testified against Bharadia as part of a deal with prosecutors in which he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge related to the crime. Flints DNA has since been found on a glove used by the attacker. In 2009, six years after Bharadias conviction, Flint was taken into custody outside Atlanta and questioned about a load of suspected stolen goods in a car he was driving. Unsolicited, Flint provided an incriminating statement against Erik Heard, who had just been arrested in the fatal shooting of a young mother. Flint offered to obtain more information if he was released on bond. Flint later disavowed that statement at Heards trial, but a jury found Heard guilty. Lawyers at the Georgia Innocence Project are trying to get Bharadia and Heard freed, saying both cases were deeply flawed. In courtrooms a hundred miles apart, they have made Flint part of their arguments. A judge recently granted Bharadia a new trial; a decision on Heards request for a new trial remains pending. Sterling Flint has reckless disregard for the truth and he has reckless disregard for the consequences for what he says, which makes him extremely unreliable, said Olivia Vigiletti, a lawyer who volunteers with the Georgia Innocence Project. She added: The harm that Sterling Flint has done to these two men is exactly why law enforcement should be wary of relying on a witness who has every incentive to fabricate testimony in order to help their own case. NBC News could not reach Flint and tried to contact him through relatives, including an aunt who said she would forward the request but did not respond to follow-up messages. Sterling Flint has been in and out of prison seven times since the 1990s. (Georgia Department of Corrections) In his 2009 interview with officers, Flint defended himself, saying he was no bad person, according to a transcript of the interview. The use of informants in criminal cases, particularly those with an incentive to provide incriminating information about a suspect, is a contentious issue in the United States, with defense attorneys and civil rights advocates arguing that informants can be unreliable and cause innocent people to end up in prison. Researchers have found that juries tend to believe informants and are often unable to tell when they are mistaken or lying. A 2011 study of 250 wrongful convictions found that 52, or 21%, involved informants. Some states, including Connecticut, Florida, Illinois and Texas, have taken measures to regulate the use of informants. If authorities use an informant, they need to make sure they can corroborate what the person is telling them, especially in cases where the informant is seeking to get something in return, said Summer Stephan, the district attorney for San Diego County and the incoming president of the National District Attorneys Association. You still have to solve crime and hold people accountable, but not at the risk of compromising justice or having someone wrongfully convicted, Stephan said. Flints statements werent the only pieces of evidence used to convict Bharadia and Heard; both cases also involved witnesses pointing out their faces and the faces of alleged accomplices on photo arrays. Both mens lawyers have said the photo arrays were suggestive and flawed. For years, researchers have demonstrated the fallibility of eyewitness identification, particularly among traumatized victims. There are also questions about crime-scene evidence. In Bharadias case, it took years to get the DNA testing that pointed to Flint. In Heards case, it took years for his lawyers to find that fingerprints lifted from the victims front door did not match his. In both cases, the mens lawyers say their prior lawyers failed to adequately raise issues around that evidence. Georgias Office of the Attorney General has defended the convictions and argued against either man receiving a new trial. The office declined to comment. The district attorneys office in Chatham County, which prosecuted Bharadia, did not respond to requests for comment. The prosecutor who tried Bharadias case did not respond to requests for comment. Tasha Mosley, the district attorney in Clayton County, where Heard was prosecuted in 2012, said she could not comment because no one who worked on the case remained employed there. The lead prosecutor on the case, now in private practice, did not return a request for comment. Flint has spent a significant portion of his life behind bars, including seven prison stints since the 1990s, mostly for burglaries and theft, according to Georgia Department of Corrections records. In 2009, as he was telling officers that he had information about Heard, he also said hed been diagnosed with skin cancer, did odd jobs, lived one step from homeless, was mourning the death of a brother, and was worried about the effect of his arrest on his family, including a daughter, according to a transcript provided by the Georgia Innocence Project. Eight years later, when Flint was facing a drug charge in Fulton County, his lawyer told a judge that hed known Flint for years and described him as a family man, a writer and the owner of a small security company. Hes imperfect, as we all are, the lawyer, Carey Johnson, said, according to a transcript of the hearing. But that being said, I can say he is, I consider him, a good guy. Around noon on Nov. 18, 2001, a woman returned from church to her apartment in Thunderbolt, Georgia, and found a man burglarizing it, according to court records. The man, wearing batting gloves, pushed her into a bedroom, took off her clothes, tied her to a bed, threatened to kill her, sexually assaulted her and fled. When she freed herself, she noticed several things had been taken from her apartment. She spoke to the police the next day. Later that week, Bharadia called police to report that Flint, an acquaintance, had stolen his car, records say. As police investigated, they visited a friend of Flints in Savannah. The friend showed police items she said Flint had left in her house, including things reported stolen during the sex assault as well as a pair of batting gloves that matched the victims description of what the attacker had worn, court records say. A detective in Thunderbolt found out about this discovery and put Flints picture in a photo array for the assault victim, according to court records. She picked out photos of Flint and another man as possibly being the assailant. Flint was arrested, and he told police he had received the stolen items from Bharadia. At the time, Bharadia was a sheetmetal worker living with his parents and was on parole for operating a stolen-car chop-shop, his lawyers said. Sonny Bharadia before his 2003 conviction. (Courtesy Georgia Innocence Project) The detective put Bharadias picture in a photo array that did not include Flint, records show. This time, the victim identified Bharadia as her attacker. That photo array disappeared from the case file prior to Bharadias trial and was never recovered, court records say. But the detective used the identification to obtain a warrant for Bharadias arrest for the assault. Flint was charged with burglary and theft by receiving stolen property. He pleaded guilty to the second charge in exchange for the first charge being dismissed. And he agreed to testify against Bharadia. At Bharadias trial, Flint testified that Bharadia gave him the items found in his friends house. The victim identified the blue and white batting gloves as the ones worn by her attacker, and she told the jury she was sure that Bharadia was the person who assaulted her. The jury convicted Bharadia of burglary, aggravated sodomy and aggravated sexual battery. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Bharadia says Flint incriminated him to avoid more serious trouble. (Courtesy Georgia Innocence Project) Years later, Bharadia got a court order for DNA testing on the batting gloves. In 2012, the results came back: a single male DNA profile taken from the gloves matched Flints. For another decade, both sides argued over whether the DNA result was grounds for Bharadia's conviction to be tossed. His fortunes turned last week, when a Gwinnett County Superior Court judge ruled that Bharadia did deserve a new trial. The judge, Laura Tate, said she agreed with Bharadias argument that his past lawyers had failed to properly handle issues related to DNA testing, failed to raise questions about the missing photo arrays and the reliability of the eyewitness identification and failed to challenge the truth of Flints statements. Its unclear how soon a new trial can take place. The state has 30 days to appeal the order. In August 2009, after Flint had served time for the receiving stolen property charge, he was picked up in Cobb County in a car filled with goods suspected of being stolen. As detectives questioned him, Flint steered the conversation to another topic: an arrest in a murder case that had recently been on TV. A young mother, Sherveecka Pitts, 22, had been shot in a home invasion; her 17-year-old sister had witnessed it, and picked Erik Heard out of a photo array. Flint told the detectives he had overheard the suspect on the street alluding to committing the killing, according to a transcript of the interview provided by the Georgia Innocence Project. Flint identified the man as Charles Black, which was an alias of Heards, authorities said at the trial. The Cobb County detectives brought in two detectives from Clayton County who were investigating the murder. Flint offered to find out more if he was able to post bond and be released, according to the transcript. If I can get outta here and this is I swear to you guys, I could take you, you know, and you could hear things, Flint said. Whatever I need to do. Wire up. Ill wire up for you and get all the information you need. Neither Flint nor the detectives agreed to any arrangement in the conversations covered in the transcription. But toward the end, Flint asked, Do I get a bond? and a Cobb detective responded, Yeah, you get a bond. The murder case against Erik Heard was based in part on Flint's statements about him to detectives. (Courtesy Georgia Innocence Project) Flints statements remained crucial to the case against Heard who had two young children and sold marijuana, according to his lawyers when he went to trial three years later. Prosecutors submitted a video of Flints 2009 meeting with detectives into evidence. But when Flint was called to testify about it, he claimed that he did not remember any of it. I actually know nothing about this, nothing at all, Flint said from the witness stand. Im ambivalent, I dont know him, I dont actually care what happens to him, but Im not going to sit here and lie. I mean, I really dont, I dont care what happens to him. I dont know him. Prosecutors appeared caught off guard by Flints reversal. So even here in this last two minutes youve changed your story? Assistant District Attorney Jason Green said. Thats correct, Flint replied. The jury saw portions of the video several times. The victims sister also testified that she was 100% confident Heard was the killer. The jury convicted him, and Heard was sentenced to life in prison. In a petition for a new trial, the Georgia Innocence Project claims that investigators and prosecutors made several mistakes including a reliance on a flawed sketch drawn from the recollection of the victims sister and the use of a suggestive photo array in which Heards face stood out among the others. Heards lawyers also accused prosecutors of withholding evidence that his fingerprints did not match those recovered from the victims front door. Finally, Heards lawyers focused on Flints apparent bid to exchange information for freedom and his recantation on the witness stand. They described Flint in a court filing as a jailhouse informant who provided unsubstantiated information to police in exchange for a promise that he would be released from jail on serious felony charges, and who later fully recanted his false statements implicating Heard. In court filings, the state Attorney Generals Office pushed back on the Georgia Innocence Projects arguments, saying that Heard should not be given a new trial. The office denied withholding evidence and also said some of the Georgia Innocence Projects arguments should have been raised sooner or had previously been raised and dismissed. NBC News was not able to reach members of Sherveecka Pitts family, including the sister who witnessed her murder. Back in 2009, as Flint, facing prison, told detectives he had information about the killing, he said he didnt mean any harm. Whenever he had enough money, he said, he bought kids ice cream. Im not a good dude, but Im not a bad dude, you know? Flint said. I got a conscience. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) An inmate at the Cleveland County Detention Center (CCDC) has died on Friday after suffering a medical incident. According to the Cleveland County Sheriffs Office, William Kenneth Moore, 36, was being active and interacting before laying down in his bunk around 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. with no issues detected during in-person site checks. At approximately 10:55 p.m., five minutes after in-person site checks were logged, a medical alert was issued for Moore, who was found unresponsive at his bunk. Car accident closes northbound I-35 near 33rd St. in Edmond At 10:57 p.m. medical and detention staff were in his cell and quickly administered CPR while EMS services were dispatched. Moore was then transported to Norman Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead, just before midnight. There were no signs of physical trauma to Moores body according to the medical staff and his cause of death will be determined by the Medical Examiners office. Cleveland County Sheriffs Office requested assistance from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) and will work together during the investigation process. Moores next of kin was notified of his passing prior to the news release from the sheriffs office. Moore was booked at the CCDC on December 13, 2022 after being arrested for aggravated trafficking of illegal substances and firearms violations. He was convicted and sentenced to some of the charges and has been waiting for a transfer to the Department of Corrections. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Inmate at Mount Olive convicted of Second-Degree Murder of another inmate MOUNT OLIVE, WV (WVNS) An inmate at Mount Olive Correctional Center was convicted of Second-Degree Murder after stabbing another inmate multiple times. Man charged with attempted murder after shooting in Raleigh County On April 16, 2024, 55-year-old Charles Redman pleaded guilty to the felony offense of Second-Degree Murder. He faces ten to 40 years in prison. Members of the West Virginia State Police received a report around 8:45 p.m. on November 20, 2020, about a stabbing at the Mount Olive Correctional Center in Fayette County. Troopers were informed that an inmate was stabbed multiple times by another inmate. The victim later died at the Montgomery General Hospital. Mercer County man receives maximum penalty for sex crime against a minor Prison video showed Redman was in the main floor of the residence hall sitting at a card table. The victim tried to sit beside Redman which led to him punching the victim. The victim, who video shows was not the aggressor in the incident, got up and went to an upstairs hallway where video showed that Redman followed and then stabbed him. Investigators later found a piece of metal around eight inches long that was covered in blood. The West Virginia State Police determined that the DNA found on the weapon was that of the victims. Mercer County man pleads guilty to drug crimes in Fayette County The victim received four stab wounds, lacerations, and abrasions. The autopsy report showed the victim died due to the stab wounds. Redman admitted that he stabbed the victim to a relative during a recorded phone call, and to officers at the correctional center. Redmans sentencing is scheduled for July 8, 2024. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. RAMALLAH, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said that the Palestinian Authority will reconsider bilateral relations with the United States "in light of its unyielding support for Israel," the official news agency WAFA reported Saturday. He made the remarks in an interview with WAFA after the U.S. vetoed a draft United Nations resolution advocating for full membership for Palestine in the organization. Abbas denounced the U.S. move as "disappointing, regrettable, shameful, irresponsible, and unjustified," saying it was a blatant aggression against the rights of the Palestinian people and a challenge to "the will of the international community." He stressed that "we will reconsider bilateral relations with the United States to ensure the protection of the interests of our people, our cause, and our rights." The president also slammed U.S. support for Israel in its aggression against the Palestinian people by providing Israel with weapons and funds, stating that it "will not bring security and peace to anyone." He noted that the "hostile positions" taken by the U.S. "have generated unprecedented anger among the Palestinian people and the region's populations," potentially pushing the region towards further instability and chaos. Abbas underscored that it is only with a just solution to the Palestinian issue that stability could be promoted in the region, adding that the Palestinian leadership "is going to develop a new strategy to protect Palestinian national decisions independently and follow a Palestinian agenda rather than an American vision or regional agendas." (Photo by Douglas Burns) The rich history of art as protest is a forceful feature of a progressive-leaning Iowa organization thats been elevating the medium in the months ahead of what is expected to be among the most contentious of American elections. The art is as strong as the passions for politically minded people, from liberal to independent, gathering for so-called Progress Iowa art jams. The events include one specifically tied to protest-art making led by multimedia artist Julie Russell-Steuart, the former chairperson of the Iowa Democratic Partys Disability Caucus and an entrepreneur. Julie Russell-Steuart, a Democratic Party activist and entrepreneur, is leading progressive efforts to develop more powerful protest art in Iowa. (Photo by Douglas Burns) The news media likes to show images, Russell-Steuart, 55, said. Visual messages have a lot of power. She added, Its all about developing a voice, developing people who feel like they have agency. In the era of push-button art, artificial intelligence-generated creativity, Russell-Steuart is getting artist-activists involved in more traditional methods, which she sees as creating community and building personal investments through flesh-and-blood work. The way Julie Russell-Steuart co-creates paths for creative political action in group settings is absolutely incredible, said Jen Sinkler, a communications organizer for Progress Iowa. I feel lucky to have witnessed the works that emerged because of how she teaches. More than a dozen activist-minded people gathered one recent weekend at the Progress Iowa offices in downtown Des Moines to use and old-school provisional press in an event Sinkler and Russell-Steuart helped organize. Why use an old-school press when so much technology is at both artists and activists fingertips? These are things where people need to say, Oh, thats important to me,' Russell-Steuart said. An example of the history of protest art that spotlighted the AIDs crisis. (Photo by Douglas Burns) Labor activist and photographer Jeannie McCrea said creating art is a profound way of delivering messages. Julies poster-making class allows a path in creating posters, McCrea said. Its a way to make a statement on a canvas to create social change. This art poster creation is then out there as a reminder and every time its viewed is replacing an original energy. She added, Creating posters is a way an individual can create something, a statement, that will stand on its own. Making them together in Julies class made you feel like youre part of a movement and part of humanity. Expressing art in creating these posters was very transformative. Jerry Uhlman of Carlisle, a retired telephone company employee, said theres a reason he worked on art critical of U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa. As a representative of Iowa hes never around, hes not approachable, hes not somebody people can get ahold of easily and talk to compared to some in the past, Uhlman said at a weekend poster-making event. Nunns office pushed back on that. Protest poster criticizing U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn. (Photo by Douglas Burns) Zach puts Iowans first and has hosted dozens of open forums across all 21 counties in the Iowa Third Congressional District, said Emily Tuttle, a spokesperson for Nunn. Nunn represents 21 counties, including Polk County, with a reach through a swath of southern Iowa. Zachs record of wins for Iowa speaks for itself. While some may try to throw mud and smear his name, Zach will continue to fight for Iowans and continue to deliver results, Tuttle said. For her part, Russell-Steuart plans to keep teaching the power of the art form for a variety of purposes, causes. We are doing something that kind of gets the ball rolling, said Russell-Steuart, who is hard of hearing. She has launched an organization, America Needs Access, thats aimed at making social media more accessible to people with disabilities. The hand-producing aspect where you are making something you have your hand in is so much better than pushing a button, Russell-Steuart said. This column was originally published by Douglas Burns blog, The Iowa Mercury. It is shared here through the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Editors note: Please consider subscribing to the Iowa Writers Collaborative and member authors blogs to support their work. The post Inside angle: The power of hand-made political protest poster art in a digital age appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch. Idaho Health and Welfares internal review which was announced after the Idaho Harm Reduction Projects offices were raided by police discovered a distinct disconnect between leadership and the staff members operating the syringe exchange program, according to an investigative report obtained by the Idaho Statesman. Controversy surrounding Idahos needle exchange programs began earlier this year after the Boise Police Department served search warrants on the Idaho Harm Reduction Projects Boise and Caldwell offices, seizing packaged drug paraphernalia as part of an investigation into their distribution. Police have declined to provide additional information. Idaho Harm Reduction Project, a nonprofit that received funding from Health and Welfare, offered a variety of services, including a legal needle exchange program and medical services such as STI, HIV and Hepatitis C testing. Several other organizations throughout the state offer similar services, including the safer-syringe program. In the ensuing month, it was discovered by the Statesman that employees from Idaho Harm Reduction Project admitted during a September conference to illegally distributing the packaged drug items which included snorting kits, bubble pipes that are used for methamphetamine, and heroin pipes, commonly referred to as hammers. Lawmakers challenged the necessity of needle exchange programs, repealing the law that legalized the program in the first place. The Idaho Harm Reduction Project has closed. Sometimes you just have to do radical work in harm reduction and offer supplies that are a little bit outside the law, Idaho Harm Reduction Projects MacKinzie Pierce told participants during a September panel at the Intermountain West Harm Reduction Conference in Salt Lake City. The eight-week Health and Welfare internal investigation prompted by Gov. Brad Little found that while the agency didnt directly purchase pipes, it did in some cases reimburse needle exchange programs for their purchases, according to an 11-page report, which found implied support for purchasing pipes or other injection alternatives. The report was provided to the Statesman upon request by Health and Welfare. Based on emails, along with the conference presentation, Health and Welfare also determined that the Idaho Harm Reduction Project handed out injection-alternative kits that included drug paraphernalia and an instruction card on how to use specific drugs safely. Not all of the safer-syringe programs gave out injection alternatives, the report added. As part of its review, Health and Welfare implemented a smattering of recommendations and saw the resignation of a key employee who supported the program, according to the report. Health and Welfare said it reviewed over 6,000 emails, interviewed employees, researched needle exchange programs, conducted on-site visits to five needle exchange programs, and reviewed contracts, training, grants and other related documents. The agency added training, plans to review its oversight practices especially for politically sensitive programs, and is requiring employees to watch legislative hearings regarding the programs they manage. Additionally, Health and Welfare ended its contract with the Idaho Harm Reduction Project but will resume funding and support to other programs until the Needle Exchange Act is repealed in July. The review revealed many opportunities for improvement and reaffirmed the importance of some endeavors DHW already had underway, Health and Welfare Interim Director Dean Cameron said. Little called the investigation an intensive review that fully uncovered what happened, according to a letter acknowledging the completion of the investigation, which the Statesman also obtained from Health and Welfare. He thanked Cameron for the prompt and thorough attention and said he felt confident the agency took appropriate, decisive and corrective actions. We are proud that Idahos laws stand strongly against illegal drug use, Little wrote in the letter. Idaho is not Seattle, San Francisco and Left Coast states that condone and support drug use. This embedded content is not available in your region. Health and Welfare reimbursed exchange program purchases Health and Welfare Program Manager Monica Young said in the report that the passage of the Needle Exchange Act in 2019, which allowed people to obtain clean needles through the exchange program, permitted employees to obtain supplies that they needed to operate their programs but didnt define supplies. This left employees to question what was appropriate to purchase, she said, adding that Health and Welfare staff didnt ask leadership for direction or clarity. Young was directed to conduct the review by Cameron. Needles, along with pipes, were never decriminalized as paraphernalia, which means people can still be charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Research has pointed to smoking being a safer alternative to using drugs than injecting. Health and Welfares leadership was unaware that injection alternatives like pipes, along with fentanyl strips and cookers, were being reimbursed, and endorsed by Health and Welfare staff, according to the report. Cookers are containers used to prepare drugs before injecting them that are commonly given out in needle exchange programs. A peer support specialist for the Idaho Harm Reduction Project said during a September panel that along with handing out supplies at its offices, the organization mailed injection alternatives throughout the state. Its unclear how often these items were reimbursed as many of the invoices particularly from the Idaho Harm Reduction Project lacked specific details, the report said. This is something Cameron identified during a legislative committee meeting as an area where Health and Welfare could improve, adding that the agency plans to provide more detailed invoices going forward. A staff member from the Idaho Harm Reduction Project said during the conference that the health department was supportive when it came to the syringe program, but for the alternatives, the group used funding from grants and other donors. In one instance early into the program implementation, Health and Welfare staff directly purchased $516 worth of cookers but didnt continue doing so as they werent sure if that was allowed. There were also concerns that federal funds might have been inappropriately used to reimburse cooker purchases, the report said. All of the organizations that Health and Welfare visited had been operating for decades before needle exchange was legalized, offering other harm reduction services including testing and therapy, and providing a food pantry and free clothing. Those programs told Health and Welfare that they work with community organizations, including law enforcement, and have been operating legally. Young said Health and Welfare wasnt able to visit the Idaho Harm Reduction Project because the organization closed its doors after the raid. Attempts to contact the Harm Reduction Project by the Statesman have been unsuccessful. The division came between Health and Welfare program staff, who believed that legalizing needle exchange meant that evidence-based harm reduction methods were appropriate, and leadership who thought the state only legalized the exchange and wasnt providing an endorsement for widespread harm reduction activities, according to the report. Young added that the independence and decision-making by the syringe program staff members was unprecedented. I speculate that with the syringe exchange program beginning at the onset of the pandemic, leadership was focused on statewide pandemic response rather than (safer-syringe programs) operational details, Young wrote, leading to an environment where the inconsistent interpretations manifested other challenges. Expert: Safer smoking supplies can reduce injection use There was also a concern outlined in the report that Health and Welfare staff printed documents for the Harm Reduction Project. Health and Welfare previously confirmed that a state employee, who the agency declined to identify, printed pamphlets for the Idaho Harm Reduction Project that detailed step-by-step instructions on how to safely use several drugs. Thats something that the agencys leadership does not support or condone, Health and Welfare spokesperson Greg Stahl said. If leadership had known, they would not have been approved, he added. But Brown University School of Public Health Professor Brandon Marshall told the Statesman that the distribution of harm reduction products like pipes along with instructions in plain and clear language is considered best practice. This is really important because injecting drugs is linked with much higher rates of overdose, skin and soft-tissue infections and hospitalizations, Marshall said in a phone interview. So increasingly,distributing safer-smoking supplies is seen as a way to help people transition away from injecting and towards a safer mode of use. Additionally, smoking substances comes with its own adverse health risks, so people should have access to clean equipment, he said. With the rise of fentanyl-laced drugs, Marshall said, the risk of overdose is higher than its ever been, especially for people who might not have used drugs as frequently or are transitioning the way they use drugs. Its more important than ever to be expanding harm reduction programs and to be reaching people who are at risk for overdose across the country but in some Western locations in particular, Marshall said, referring to the increase of certain drug use throughout the West. Some states including Rhode Island, where Marshall is located have fully legalized the distribution of drug paraphernalia, along with items like fentanyl test strips. Other states have what Marshall called a patchwork of laws at a local level. Marshall said hes concerned about the risk of HIV outbreaks in Idaho, pointing to a study he conducted that found shuttering syringe programs increases the risk of an outbreak by as much as 60% among people who inject drugs. He added that the closure of harm reduction programs isnt unique to Idaho, despite the unprecedented federal support for the programs from the Biden administration. Yet in some places, we are seeing pushback and I think a lot of that comes from a lack of understanding of what these programs aim to do, their public health benefits, and then all the misconceptions about what they are doing, Marshall said. This embedded content is not available in your region. Irans foreign minister dismissed the Friday morning strikes on his country, which hit near a major air base and nuclear site near the city of Isfahan, casting doubt on their origin and downplaying their impact. What happened last night wasnt a strike, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in translated comments during an interview on NBC Newss Top Story with Tom Llamas. The foreign minister positioned the strikes as inconsequential, saying Iran quickly downed the drones, which he described as being more like toys that children play with. He also questioned Israels role in the incident, saying the military doesnt have proof that they were behind the attack. Israeli officials claimed responsibility for the strikes Friday morning but referred to them as ineffective. When asked by Llamas if Iran was warned of the strikes beforehand, Amir-Abdollahian once again minimized their effects, saying, It wasnt worth telling us before it happened. The foreign minister also noted that Iran wont retaliate, but will take action if Israel strikes again. If Israel wants to do another [] our next response will be immediate and at the maximum level, Amir-Abdollahian said. He also said, If not, then were done. Israel and Iran both appearing to downplay the importance of the strikes will likely help ease growing concerns of escalation in the region following Irans April 13 drone and missile assault on Israel. Those strikes were in retaliation to Israels April 1 airstrike on the Iranian Consulate in Syria The White House, which has remained quiet about the recent strikes, urged Israel to use caution earlier this week as the country vowed to respond to Irans strikes. Iran President Ebrahim Raisi had also made threats regarding a response by Israel, warning even the tiniest assault would result in massive and harsh response. Amir-Abdollahians comments suggest, however, that the potential tit-for-tat escalation some feared may be avoided. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. "Pages of history" features excerpts from The News Journal archives including the Wilmington Morning News and the Evening Journal. April 21, 2004, The News Journal Coastal waters in trouble; growth in Delaware and nation contribute to problems Thirty years of coastal changes are clear from Fenwick Island to Lewes, where million-dollar houses now stand on land that in the 1950s supported a thriving fishery. Today, those towns share the struggles of many coastal communities in the nation: coping with rapid growth, improving sewage treatment and supporting a thriving tourism industry. They are part of a coastal development boom that a federal commission says poses a mounting threat to coastal waters.... Front page of The News Journal from April 21, 2004. In a 500-page preliminary report on the nations coastal waters issued Tuesday. The commissions recommendations include: Increased efforts to reduce ocean pollution from land-based sources such as farms, housing and industrial sites. Better coordination of federal agencies that deal with ocean issues, partly by establishing a National Ocean Council and a Presidential Council of Advisers on Ocean Policy. Growth along Delawares coast has outpaced the national average. In Sussex County, the overall increase in population between 1990 and 2000 was 38 percent, according to the U.S. Census. The bulk of that growth came along the coast where the population grew by 59 percent. Recent news on coastal Delaware: March land use decisions in Sussex: New housing developments and apartments coming April 24, 1975, The Morning News Senate OKs aid, troops to help evacuation from Vietnam The Senate yesterday overwhelmingly approved $250 million in humanitarian aid and funds to evacuate endangered Americans and Vietnamese from South Vietnam, with authority for the president to use the armed forces if necessary to take people out. In the House, a corresponding $327 million measure was in fierce dispute and was debated late into the night. Both bills reached the floor exactly 13 days after President Fords urgent request for $250 million in humanitarian aid and $722 million in emergency military aid to shore up the crumbling South Vietnamese army. Front page of The Morning News from April 24, 1975. The Senate bill also permits the president to use U.S. armed forces if necessary to take the people out, but they can only be used for evacuation of endangered south Vietnamese incidentally to rescue operations for Americans. President Ford declared last night that the Indochina war was over for the United States, and he called on Americans to write a new agenda for the future. In a prepared speech that a White House spokesman billed as the first of the post-Vietnam era, the president said that America can again regain the sense of pride that existed before Vietnam. But it cannot be achieved by refighting a war that is finished as far as America is concerned, he said. April 25, 1980, Evening Journal Hostage rescue bid fails; 8 dead in Iran U.S. military forces undertook a desperate raid to rescue American hostages in Tehran, Iran, but the mission collapsed in equipment failures on a remote desert airstrip far from its target, President Jimmy Carter said today. Eight U.S. servicemen died in a collision of retreating aircraft. Front page of the Evening Journal from April 25, 1980. Carter, on television, somberly told an awakening nation that there was no clash with Iranian forces and no evidence Iran knew of the mission until after it was over and U.S. forces were withdrawn. Defense Secretary Harold Brown said the mission was called off when three of the eight rescue helicopters had difficulties. The secretary said that, in the withdrawal, a helicopter and a transport plane collided, killing the eight servicemen and burning four others. Iranian radio said the militants holding 50 Americans hostage in Tehran were meeting to discuss their response to the rescue mission. State Department officer Mark Johnson said nothing had been heard from the militants occupying the U.S. Embassy who have repeatedly threatened to kill the American hostages if even the smallest military action were taken. In his remarks, Carter emphasized that the rescue effort was a humanitarian mission. It was not directed against Iran. Catch up on history: U.S. at war in Iraq, MLK leads voting march: News Journal archives, week of March 17 April 27, 1973, The Morning News FBI chief linked to burning of files in Watergate probe L. Patrick Gray III, acting director of the FBI has told friends that he destroyed documents taken from a central figure in the Watergate case after it was suggested at a White House meeting that the papers should never see the light of day. Gray, who has been notified that he can expect to appear before a federal grand jury, has said he placed in his FBI burn bag files handed to him at a session June 23 with John D. Ehrlichman, assistant to the president for domestic affairs, and John W. Dean III, counsel to the president. The front page of The Morning News from April 27, 1973. The files had been obtained from E. Howard Hunt Jr., a former consultant to the White House who was indicted and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to spy on the Democratic opposition during last years campaign. Five men had been arrested in the Watergate Hotel complex 11 days before the White House meeting. Their arrests led to the later implication of Hunt. Gray, under close questioning by friends, has insisted that neither Dean nor Erhlichman informed him of what was in the Hunt files and that he destroyed them without examining their contents. Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Hostages in Iran, Watergate: News Journal archives, week of April 21 Tensions between Israel and Iran have reached an unprecedented high in recent days. Last Saturday, Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones on Israel in response to an Israeli airstrike earlier this month that killed several Iranian military officers. Israel responded Friday with a targeted operation in Iran that was limited in scope, a source familiar with the matter said. As a conflict that could further destabilize the Middle East unfolds, here's what to know. Follow live updates after Israels strike on Iran What did Israel's recent attack on Iran look like? Iran is currently assessing the damage from Friday's attack, a source familiar with the situation told NBC News, but a nuclear facility in the central Iranian city of Isfahan is safe. Israeli armored personnel carriers . (Amir Levy / Getty Images) The United States has claimed it was not involved with the Israeli attack on Iran, and U.S. officials publicly encouraged restraint in the days leading up to it. On Friday at a news conference during a G7 meeting in Italy, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. was intensely focused on de-escalating the situation. Why did Iran attack Israel on April 13? Iran's attack on Israel was in response to a deadly Israeli airstrike on April 1 at the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria. Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force, was among several officers killed in the strike. Iran's retaliatory attack on Israel left minimal destruction because the vast majority of the more than 300 drones and missiles it fired were shot down by Israeli, U.S. and European forces before reaching Israeli territory. Israel vowed to retaliate for the Iranian strikes, the first-ever direct military attack by Tehran on the Jewish state. What are Iran and Israel's nuclear capabilities? Iran's nuclear capabilities are still unknown. The 2015 Iran nuclear deal brokered by the Obama administration and several other nations limited the country's nuclear capabilities, but the Trump administration withdrew from the accord. A man crosses a street as motorists drive past a billboard depicting Iranian ballistic missiles in service. (AFP via Getty Images) Israel has not confirmed whether it has nuclear weapons, but it's widely believed the country has the technology to produce such equipment. Who are the leaders of the two countries? Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been the supreme leader of Iran since 1989. Ali Khamenei was also the country's third president from 1981 to 1989. Ebrahim Raisi is Iran's current president. In Iran, the supreme leader, not the president, is the head of state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has served three separate tenures as prime minister since 1996. He has drawn fierce criticism in recent months for his failure to stop the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people. He has also been criticized for his handling of the war against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 33,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials. Who are their allies? Irans allies include proxy groups in the region such as Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis. The country also has broader support from Syria and ties to other countries in the Middle East and beyond.Israel, also, has alliances with some countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Israel is a "major non-NATO ally," which means member countries are not committed to standing by it if it is attacked, though Israel does have military ties to countries within NATO, like the U.S., and beyond. The U.S., Britain and Jordan claim to have helped defend Israel itself during the April 13 attacks. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com (Bloomberg) -- The US House passed new sanctions on Irans oil sector set to become part of a foreign-aid package, putting the measure on track to pass the Senate within days. Most Read from Bloomberg The legislation would broaden sanctions against Iran to include foreign ports, vessels, and refineries that knowingly process or ship Iranian crude in violation of existing US sanctions. It would also would expand so-called secondary sanctions to cover all transactions between Chinese financial institutions and sanctioned Iranian banks used to purchase petroleum and oil-derived products. The legislation, which is set to be included in a $95 billion package providing funding for aiding Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, passed by a vote of 360-58 on Saturday. It was pre-negotiated with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and the White House said it supports it. About 80% of Irans roughly 1.5 million barrels of daily oil exports are shipped to independent refineries in China known as teapots, according to a summary of similar legislation. While the sanctions could impact Iranian petroleum exports and add as much as $8.40 to the price of a barrel of crude they also include presidential waiver authorities, according to ClearView Energy Partners, a Washington-based consulting firm. President Joe Biden might opt to invoke these authorities, vitiating the sanctions price impact; a second Trump Administration might not, ClearView wrote in a note to clients. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in October rejected a widely-held notion that the US had gradually relaxed some sanctions enforcement on Iranian oil sales as part of efforts for a diplomatic rapprochement. --With assistance from Erik Wasson. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Iranian foreign minister dismisses Israeli strike as 'toys,' says there'll be no retaliation Iranian foreign minister dismisses Israeli strike as 'toys,' says there'll be no retaliation Iran's top foreign affairs official dismissed weapons launched against the country by neighboring Israel as "toys" and said there was no plan to retaliate. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian downplayed the Israeli strike during an interview on Friday, hours after the impact. "What happened last night wasnt a strike," Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told NBC News. "They were more like toys that our children play with not drones." IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAKES NO MENTION OF ISRAELI STRIKE DESPITE THREATENING COMPLETE DESTRUCTION Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian photographed during a meeting at United Nations Headquarters. "As long as there is no new adventurism by Israel against our interests, then we are not going to have any new reactions," he added. Amir-Abdollahian also stated that the Iranian regime is not completely convinced the strike came from Israel, though he failed to offer alternative theories. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "If Israel takes a decisive action against my country and this is proven to us, our response will be immediate and to the maximum and will cause them to regret it," the foreign minister said. IRANIAN 'NUCLEAR ENERGY MOUNTAIN' IS 'FULLY SAFE' AFTER ISRAELI STRIKE: STATE MEDIA Israel carried out limited strikes in Iran early Friday in retaliation for Tehran firing a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel last Saturday. A well-placed military source told Fox News that the strike was "limited." There have been no reports of large-scale damage or casualties. Explosions were reported in the Isfahan province, which is where Natanz, one of Iran's nuclear facilities, is located. Following the attack, Iranian state media stated that the nation's atomic sites were "fully safe" and had not been struck by the missiles. The International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations affiliate watchdog organization, later confirmed "there is no damage to Irans nuclear sites." Original article source: Iranian foreign minister dismisses Israeli strike as 'toys,' says there'll be no retaliation Iranian foreign minister says it will not escalate conflict and mocks Israeli weapons as 'toys that our children play with' Iran's foreign minister on Friday refused to acknowledge that Israel was behind the recent attack on his country and described the weapons that were used as more like children's toys. "What happened last night was not a strike," the foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, said in an interview with NBC News' Tom Llamas. "They were more like toys that our children play with not drones." Amirabdollahian, who spoke to NBC News in New York where he was attending a U.N. Security Council session, said Iran was not planning to respond unless Israel launches a significant attack. "As long as there is no new adventurism by Israel against our interests, then we are not going to have any new reactions," he said. But the foreign minister warned that if Israel did attack Iran, the response would be swift and severe. "If Israel takes a decisive action against my country and this is proven to us," he said, "our response will be immediate and to the maximum and will cause them to regret it." Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian during an interview with NBC News on Friday. (NBC News) The recent cycle of violence between Israel and Iran began on April 1 when Israel bombed an Iranian consular building in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killing two generals and five officers in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran responded 12 days later, launching an unprecedented, direct military attack on Israel involving more than 300 missiles and drones. The assault caused no significant damage, however. Nearly all of the missiles and drones were intercepted by Israeli, U.S. and other allied forces. Amirabdollahian said the attack was intended to be "a warning." "We could have hit Haifa and Tel Aviv," he said. "We could have also targeted all the economic ports of Israel." "But our red lines was civilians," he added. "We only had a military purpose." Although Iran has been locked in a shadow war with Israel for decades, with Iran arming and training proxy forces hostile to Israel in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, the Iranian aerial barrage marked the first time Tehran had staged an overt military attack on Israel. In the days that followed, the Biden administration urged Israel to exercise restraint and not conduct a retaliatory attack that could trigger a full-blown war between the two longtime adversaries. Israel, though, retaliated on Thursday night, striking a military airfield near the city of Isfahan in central Iran. Nuclear facilities in the area were not damaged, according to Iranian state media, and there were no reports of casualties. The attack was downplayed by Iranian state media and met with mostly silence from Israeli officials. The limited scope of the strike and the lack of public statements afterward appears to indicate that both sides are looking to ease tensions, experts said. U.S. officials called for calm. "We do not want to see this conflict escalate," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday. The Biden administration has accused Iran of being complicit in Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel, citing Tehrans years-long effort to arm and train Hamas militants in the Gaza strip. Iran touts its support for Hamas but the government has said it did not order or coordinate the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people. In his interview, Amirabdollahian said Iran had no prior knowledge of Hamas' attack. He also said Hamas was not a terrorist organization but a liberation movement opposed to Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. He called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu "unhinged" and blamed the Israeli government for the stalled hostage negotiations. He accused Israel of making excessive demands to compensate for its failure to meet its objectives in the war in Gaza. "It has not been able to destroy Hamas or to arrest the leaders inside Gaza, has not been able to disarm Hamas, has not been able to destroy the weapons and equipment," Amirabdollahian said. "Therefore it had to resort to killing women and children," he added, "and now at the negotiating table, they are trying to get what they could not get on the ground." Still, the foreign minister said he hopes that a deal will be reached soon for the release of the hostages as part of a broad settlement. Hamas is "ready to go ahead with the release of the prisoners within the format of a humanitarian political package encompassing everything." "I think now is a good time," he said. "There is a good chance for this." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian has come out in favour of easing tensions in the Middle East in remarks to Iranian media in New York on Saturday, following tit-for-tat attacks between Israel and Iran. "War and military tensions are of no benefit to any party in the region, and so fundamental solutions must be found," Amirabdollahian said. All sides needed to focus on a political solution, he said. Israel had to cease "its war crimes" in the region, Amirabdollahian said. Humanitarian aid and an exchange of hostages for prisoners in the Gaza conflict would then become possible, he said at the end of a trip to the United States. While in New York, where he joined several sessions of the United Nations, Amirabdollahian emphasized that Iran would not react to attacks on military targets in Iran's central Isfahan Province on Friday that have been attributed to Israel. "Neither damage nor victims were caused by the small drones shot down near Isfahan," Amirabdollahian was quoted as saying. The foreign minister described the attacks as an attempt by pro-Israeli media to show Israel's military dominance. "The small downed drones were rather like the toys that our kids play with," he is reported to have said. But he warned that Iran would respond "vehemently and firmly" to a real Israeli attack. Friday's attacks on Isfahan, where Iran maintains key aspects of its nuclear arms industry, have widely been seen as a response to last weekend's mass attack by Iranian drones and missiles on Israeli territory. That attack was in turn seen as a response to an attack on the Iranian embassy compound on April 1, which has been attributed to Israel. Iraqs Parliament on Monday postponed voting on an anti-prostitution bill that contains an amendment penalizing same-sex sexual relations and wife-swapping with life imprisonment or death, Reuters reported. The proposed legislation encountered widespread international condemnation along with warnings of catastrophic consequences for diplomatic and trade relations if signed into law from unnamed sources. A vote on the bill was listed as the second item on the legislatures agenda before it was postponed. Two unidentified lawmakers told Reuters the delay was due to time constraints and disagreement on amendments, although some speculated the vote was postponed to avoid controversy ahead of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudanis visit with President Joe Bidens visit in the Oval Office today. Unnamed diplomats said Iraq was warned that passage of the bill would have dire consequences for their country. It would be very difficult to justify working closely with such a state at home, an anonymous source identified as a senior diplomat told Reuters. We were very, very direct: if this law is passed in its current form, it would have catastrophic consequences for our bilateral and business and trade relations. Iraqs proposed anti-LGBT law would threaten the lives of Iraqis already facing a hostile environment for LGBT people, Rasha Younes, senior LGBT rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement last year criticizing the legislation. Iraqi lawmakers are sending an appalling message to LGBT people that their speech is criminal and their lives are expendable. Iraq does not presently have specific laws banning same-sex sexual relations, but such issues are often governed by a haphazard network of local religious and cultural laws that deal harshly with members of the LGBTQ+ basis. ISTANBUL, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday met with visiting Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul on the Gaza conflict and relevant peace efforts. According to the Turkish presidential office, the two leaders discussed Israeli aggression against Palestinian territories, the necessity of guaranteeing sustainable and unimpeded humanitarian aid delivery to the Gaza Strip, and matters concerning a fair and enduring peace process in the region. In assessing the recent tension between Israel and Iran, a regional spillover from months of heavy Israeli strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza, Erdogan cautioned against "recent events" to grant Israel any leverage, urging a concerted effort to refocus attention on Gaza. Erdogan called for a more effective presentation of Palestine's just cause and realities, in contrast to Israel's attempts to mislead international public opinion. "Turkiye persists in its diplomatic endeavors to bring the plight of Palestinians to the forefront of the international community's attention and has consistently emphasized the imperative for an immediate and enduring ceasefire to halt the ongoing atrocities," he was quoted in a statement by the presidential office as saying. The president highlighted Turkiye's commitment to providing humanitarian aid to Palestine, saying over 45,000 tons have already been delivered to the region. Erdogan added that his country also imposed various sanctions on Israel, including trade restrictions. IRGC threatened to kill my wife before stabbing me Iranian journalist Pouria Zeraati, who was stabbed outside his home in Wimbledon, south-west London - Paul Grover/Telegraph At first, I thought I was being robbed. That was before I realised I hadnt had anything stolen. The man acting suspiciously before me on the street asked me if I had 3 in change. Suddenly, another man was holding me incredibly tight. In a moment, the first man stabbed me four times in my right leg. They fled in the afternoon daylight. But they left behind my watch, my wallet, my AirPods and my smartphone, which I used to call the police. I was sitting on the pavement near my car outside the home I share with my wife on a quiet road in Wimbledon, London. The trouser on my right leg, which I could not move, was turning a dark red. Soon it and my shoes would be soaked in blood. Then it clicked. This was not a particularly brutal mugging. It wasnt a random attempted murder by a pair of psychopaths either. I was held helpless. He could have stabbed me anywhere the heart, the brain, the throat instead the knife went into my leg. Pouria Zeraati recovering in his hospital bed after the stabbing - Unpixs It was a message from the repressive regime that rules Iran; a warning. Later I learned that both men had got into a waiting blue Mazda and sped off. The three suspects, including the driver, left Britain soon afterwards. There are reports they could have been Eastern European criminal thugs hired for the job by Tehran. My name is Pouria Zeraati. I am a presenter on Iran International, a TV station broadcasting from Britain to Iran and the Middle East. On March 29, I thought I was going to die on the streets of London; a British-Iranian murdered on the orders of a regime that cannot tolerate independent voices in the media or alternate points of view. A 36-year-old husband who would not be able to start the family he dreamt of with his wife. I remember the ambulance and police arriving, as I felt dizzier and dizzier. A neighbour had called my wife, Oldouz Rezvani, who was out. Id lost a lot of blood Oldouz arrived in a taxi. She was terrified when she saw the state her blood-soaked husband was in. Id lost a lot of blood. At the hospital, I was drifting close to unconsciousness but knew a series of scans would reveal if my life was in the balance. Mercifully, scans showed that nothing vital had been severed. I needed surgery but I would live and, physically, Im feeling better every day. But other scars take longer to heal. In the months that followed, I have had plenty of time for reflection in my new life under 24-hour police protection and in a safehouse. It isnt glamorous like in the films. I miss seeing my friends, going out, shopping, doing things at the drop of a hat. I am still broadcasting my show but precautions, which I cant detail here for obvious reasons, have to be taken. But I wont be intimidated. Ive long been used to threats on social media. Theyve increased since the nationwide protests against the compulsory wearing of the hijab shook the regime. Threats at fever pitch After I interviewed Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, in his first-ever interview with an Iranian platform in March last year, the threats hit a fever pitch. It is not the first time Tehran has sent me, or my colleagues at Iran International, a warning. In 2022, my wife, who is Iranian but not a journalist, was confronted by men in broad daylight in London. They told her in Farsi that they knew where we lived and were coming for us both. ITV has revealed plans by Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to assassinate two of our presenters. Even so, I never seriously thought that the IRGC would go so far as to attack a British national on the streets of the UK. The truth is that this is not an attack on just me. Or should I say, only me. Its an attack on journalism; its an attack on those wanting a free Iran; its an attack on our channel, which is very popular in Iran. It is also an attack on a British citizen on British soil and an attack on the values of a country that has been my home since I moved here in 2007 to study. The Government needs to understand that. And I personally believe it needs to proscribe the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, as the US has done. Western civilisation is in danger Sanctions have been imposed against this group in the past but they clearly have not worked. The whole of Western civilisation is in danger because of the threat the IRGC poses. Now, proscribing the group as a terrorist organisation probably wont change that but it will give government officials the power and legal base to take action to stop them promoting their ideology here in the UK. It will also send a clear message to the regime in Iran that enough is enough. In the US, it has helped to cut off some of the IRGCs funding and it will help prevent some of their hostile activities outside of Iran. I hear the arguments that this should not be done so Britain can maintain its embassy in Tehran and direct contact with the regime. But what has been the effect of having direct talks with the Iranian regime? Has it been effective? No. Look now at what is happening between Iran and Israel. Its my personal opinion that Iran is an extremist regime whose best friend is Vladimir Putin and which oppresses its own people. Look at the protests, which continue. I think Iranians and Israelis have a common enemy the Islamic Republic. Proscribing the IRGC will tell the majority of Iranians who are fighting against the regime that Britain is on their side. I have no doubt that one day Iran will be free again. We have a civilisation that has lasted for at least 7,000 years of recorded history. This theocratic regime has only been around for 45 years and it has failed to suppress Irans true culture. There is an Iranian saying light will overcome the darkness. 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. There is good reason to believe fish, amphibians, molluscs and insects are sentient, according to a new declaration signed by three dozen scientists. The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness argues that current scientific research indicates such widespread animal consciousness is a realistic possibility and that scientists and policymakers must take that into account when considering risks to those animals. The declaration was published Friday at an event at New York University, where scientists engaged in active and at times heated debate about the state of the science on animal consciousness, and the wisdom of releasing such a statement at all. The problem of considering animal consciousness is that it immediately brings us into contact with serious imaginative limitations, signatory Jonathan Birch, a philosopher at the London School of Economics, told attendees. Thats a problem wrapped into the titles of many classic papers and books that wrestle with the subject, from philosopher Thomas Nagels seminal 1974 paper What Is It Like to Be a Bat? to primatologist Franz de Waals 2017 book Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? Many scientists and philosophers have argued that humans limitations as a species with a dense internal monologue, a reliance on sight and a culture built on spoken language can blind us to how sentience might work in other species. Sometimes these imaginative limitations lead people to doubt whether the scientific evidence can bear on these questions at all, Birch said. But I think thats wrong, he added. I dont personally think that other animals will have a verbal inner monologue in the way that I do. But equally, there are probably forms of consciousness other animals have that we lack, like the subjective experience of a bat navigating a dark forest using echolocation. The declaration is brief just three paragraphs and its wording is very restrained. It stops short of arguing that animal consciousness is certain or proven. Instead, it argues that decades of literature now show strong scientific support for the idea that mammals and birds are conscious, and the realistic possibility of consciousness in creatures from reptiles to octopi, crabs and insects. As long as such a possibility exists, the signatories agreed, we should consider welfare risks and use the evidence to inform our responses to these risks. Support for this idea was not universal among event attendees. One scientist in the front row told Birch that he worried the declaration would be perceived as irresponsibly overstating the evidence. Im not sure this declaration is a good idea, he said. All scientists, he said, are familiar with articles that summarize research that people do not trust because they feel they are cherry-picking the data, they are relying on studies that are not objective. But Birch argued the declaration was in fact quite conservative. This is not a work of advocacy. It is describing the state of science as fairly as we can. He added that while the signatories themselves disagreed on the dimensions of animal consciousness and its ethical implications, they agreed big steps have been taken in the last 10 years, and that these needed to be part of the conversation. The report follows more than a decade after the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness found that mammals, birds and other animals had the capacity to exhibit intentional behaviors and that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Scientists understanding of animal consciousness has advanced in the interim. Per a summary of the recent research in Quanta Magazine, we now know, for example, that octopuses feel pain and cuttlefish remember details of specific past events and that zebra fish show signs of curiosity. In the insect world, Quanta noted that bees show apparent play behavior, while Drosophila fruit flies have distinct sleep patterns influenced by their social environment. Meanwhile, crayfish display anxiety-like states and those states can be altered by anti-anxiety drugs. One line of research has followed the increasing evidence of self-awareness in fish and reptiles. Reptiles, in particular, are ancestral to both mammals and birds, the two orders for which there is the strongest evidence of sentience. If we accept that mammals and birds are conscious, then either consciousness evolved at least twice in each of those lineages separately, or its ancestral to all of the animals, in which case reptiles are probably conscious as well, said Anna Wilkinson, who studies amphibians at the University of Lincoln. Speaking to whether reptiles or fish experience pain a big question in considering their welfare Wilkinson acknowledged that recent research shows that fish have different neural structures than mammals. But she argued that just because birds cannot fly without feathers that doesnt mean that bats cannot fly. They dont have feathers they just achieve it through a different mechanism. It seems unlikely that the kinds of consciousness that reptiles have are similar to the kinds of consciousness that mammals have, she added. And this is a challenge that I think we need to rise to. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Friday's strike came in response to Iran's first ever direct attack on its arch rival last weekend, after decades of shadow war - Arash Khamooshi Israeli fighter jets fired missiles at Iran in a muted show of force early on Friday morning, reportedly targeting the air defence systems of a key nuclear plant in the country. The attack was aimed near the central city of Isfahan, home to an Iranian military base, a major missile production complex and several nuclear sites, according to US officials. Fridays strike came in response to Irans first ever direct attack on its arch rival last weekend, after decades of shadow war. Israel had vowed to hit back after Iran launched more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles, an attack which was itself in retaliation to the April 1 bombing of an Iranian consulate in Damascus which killed seven military officers. The retaliatory action on Friday appears to have been very limited in scope and calculated to avoid escalating the regional tensions into a wider war, though fears of a miscalculation remain. Tehran almost immediately played down the attack as reckless fireworks, claiming no damage was caused, while Israel stayed silent. Israel has not publicly claimed credit Israel has not publicly claimed credit, although Italys foreign minister Antonio Tajani told reporters at a G7 summit that the Jewish state had alerted Washington at the last minute. Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, was tight-lipped at the G7 foreign ministers summit in Capri, but stressed the US was not involved in any offensive operations. Mr Blinken said Washington, along with the rest of the G7, was committed to de-escalating and to trying to bring this tension to a close. The White House has remained unusually silent, with Joe Bidens spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, refusing to comment on the attack at a press briefing last night. Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, called for calm heads to prevail in a statement on Friday. That message appears to have been heeded for the time being. One Israeli official said the attack was intended to send a message, while another described it as carefully calibrated to avoid escalation. Direct state-to-state strikes over Meanwhile a regional intelligence source with knowledge of Irans thinking said that direct state-to-state strikes between the two regional powers were over. Three Iranian officials told The New York Times that small drones carried out the attack, possibly launched from inside Iran, and that radar had not detected unidentified aircraft entering Iranian airspace. However, according to one senior US official, three missiles were fired from Israeli fighter aircraft outside of Iran. The Israelis were targeting an air defence radar site protecting the Natanz nuclear complex, reported to be Irans primary uranium enrichment facility, the official told ABC News. An initial assessment suggested the strike had destroyed the air defence station, but the report had yet to be completed, the official said. The strike was intended to send a signal to Iran that Israel has these capabilities, but was not looking to escalate the situation, according to the official. Irans soft rhetoric in response suggests it has no current plans for retaliation. The media supporters of the Zionist regime attempted to spin a narrative victory from another defeat, said Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Downed small drones no financial or human damage However, the downed small drones had no financial or human damage. Israels decision to hold back from broader and immediate action this week came amid competing pressures on Benjamin Netanyahus government to deliver a blow that would punish Iran without provoking further escalation. The Israeli Prime Minister has been under pressure from the US and Europe to moderate the countrys response, while hardliners at home demanded a sharp rebuke of Tehran. Gulf countries had been increasingly worried about the situation. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had publicly called for maximum self-restraint to spare the region from a wider war. Regional neighbours including Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAEs message was relayed forcefully through direct security and diplomatic channels, one senior regional intelligence source said. Israels plans to hit back were reportedly postponed twice as a result. As Irans barrage unfolded last weekend, two members of the war cabinet, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, both former armed forces commanders, were reported to have called for an immediate response. The war cabinet agreed to hold off following a call with President Joe Biden and in the face of differing views from other ministers, according to two Israeli officials. Israels options ranged from strikes on strategic Iranian facilities, including nuclear sites or Revolutionary Guards bases, to covert operations, targeted assassinations and cyber attacks on strategic industrial plants and nuclear facilities. Direct and destructive strike on strategic sites The countrys war cabinet ultimately ruled out the most drastic options: a direct and destructive strike on strategic sites including Irans nuclear facilities. The sun had yet to rise on Friday morning when some residents in the Iranian city of Isfahan were startled awake by buzzing sounds, then blasts. Explosions began sounding overhead at 4am in central Iran according to eyewitness accounts and Iranian state media where a major military base and the regimes primary nuclear facility is located. I rushed out as I was worried about any attack in recent days; I saw a big boom, and then a few small ones, said Ali, who lives in eastern Isfahan, in a telephone interview. The sky became orange, he said. We hear these sounds usually as they test air defence systems regularly, but this one was more than that, and too early. What surprised Ali before dawn would soon become known to the world. Explosions heard and countrys air defence systems activated The first major public indication that something was afoot came about an hour later from Iranian state media which reported that explosions had been heard and the countrys air defence systems activated. US officials soon began privately confirming to news organisations that Israel had launched missiles from within Iranian territory, without providing more information on the extent and location of the operation. Only a single word came from Israels far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who posted on X, lame. Hossein Alizaden, a former Iranian diplomat, told The Telegraph the strike holds little political value until Israel acknowledges it was behind it. Anyone could claim responsibility, even MEK, for example, he said, referring to the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran, an Iranian opposition group. Israels reluctance to claim responsibility is likely because it could provoke Iran to retaliate, sparking a cycle of strikes between the two countries. As the sun tipped higher into the sky on Friday, Iranian state broadcasts moved seamlessly to cast the day just as any other. This mornings explosion in the sky over Isfahan was caused by the activation of air defence systems in response to a suspicious object. There was no accident or damage, said General Abdolrahim Mousavi, commander-in-chief of Irans army. Experts are currently conducting investigations. Further information will be provided once the results are available. Several quadcopters taken out State television also claimed that several quadcopters had been taken out, and that all was well. Airports in the capital Tehran, and the cities of Shiraz and Isfahan were shuttered and then reopened a few hours after the attack, according to Irans civil aviation organisation. However, concerns remain that the incident could lead to a serious escalation in the Middle East, where tensions remain high as the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip recently tipped beyond six months, and hit a death toll of some 35,000. Israels decision to strike in Irans central Isfahan province, a strategic military hub, and suggestions it launched strikes from within Iranian territory, if true, could be as much about psychological warfare as it was about causing physical damage. Israel has a lot of experience operating in Iran, said Jason Brodsky, policy director of the United Against Nuclear Iran, an advocacy group. Israel has a long history of mounting covert operations inside the Islamic Republic. So that experience has informed what it did overnight in the Islamic Republic. One of the targets appeared to have been the Shekari 8 Air Base in Isfahan, a base for Irans regular army, rather than one used by its feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). I think that they may have viewed the Islamic Republic as less likely to retaliate if they attacked an army base versus an IRGC base, said Mr Brodsky. That it happened around the birthday of Irans supreme leader Ali Khamenei, was curious, though experts said it had little significance beyond an interesting coincidence. Iranian authorities yet to assess full impact of action Iranian authorities are yet to assess the full impact of the action and to calculate its response. I believe both sides are now posturing to claim achievements they can sell to their domestic audiences, said Mr Alizaden. Iran can tell its citizens that it attacked and claimed responsibility, while Israel can assert that it targeted the Isfahan base, he said. I think both sides are now content with claiming achievements, and its unlikely to escalate into a regional conflict. That Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi also chose not to cut short his trip to the central province of Semnan, indicated that the country was not on high alert. For many months now, the Islamic Republic has indicated along with other Middle Eastern countries that there is little appetite to escalate into all-our war. But given the long-running Iran-Israel rivalry, both sides have had to maintain appearances with a show of strength. As such, world leaders on Friday rushed to urge absolute restraint. In a statement, Mr Sunak said: We have condemned Irans reckless and dangerous barrage of missiles against Israel on Saturday and Israel absolutely has a right to self-defence. But as I said to Prime Minister Netanyahu when I spoke to him [this week] and more generally, significant escalation is not in anyones interest, what we want to see is calm heads prevail across the region. De-escalation remains the order of the day in the near future, said Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor. And we will also talk about this with all our friends and allies, and work together with them in this direction. 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. Israeli fighter jets fired several missiles at an air defence installation protecting an Iranian nuclear facility during Friday mornings attack, a senior US official said. The salvo was launched from outside of Iranian territory and aimed at a radar site near the central city of Isfahan that is tasked with protecting the Natanz nuclear complex, according to the unnamed official cited by ABC News. The official described it as an Israeli attempt to display its capability to strike Iran without escalating the situation. An initial assessment of the strike stated that the air defence station had been destroyed, the official said, while adding that the report had yet to be finalised. The Natanz complex is reported to be Irans primary uranium enrichment facility. G7 leaders urged restraint from both Israel and Iran following the attack, with Rishi Sunak calling for calm heads to prevail. Tehran meanwhile sought to play down the extent of the strike, with foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian saying it caused no damage or casualties in Isfahan. Iran has indicated it has no plans for retaliation. Israel has made no public comment on the incident. 10:29 PM BST What happened today Were ending our live coverage of the crisis in the Middle East for tonight. Here is what happened today: Israeli fighter jets fired missiles at Iran in a muted show of force early on Friday morning The attacks reportedly targeted the air defence systems of a key nuclear plant in the country The attack was aimed near the central city of Isfahan, home to an Iranian military base Tehran almost immediately played down the attack as reckless fireworks Italys foreign minister Antonio Tajani told reporters at a G7 summit that the Jewish state had alerted Washington at the last minute Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, said Washington was committed to de-escalating and to trying to bring this tension to a close. Read more 10:09 PM BST Satellite imagery shows damage to site targeted by Israel Satellite images have revealed damage to an Iranian radar site in Isfahan that was purportedly the target of an Israeli air strike on Friday, according to the Times of Israel. Israeli fighter jets hit the installation, which is tasked with protecting the nearby Natanz nuclear complex in central Iran, with several missiles launched from outside Iran, according to an unnamed US official. CNN earlier released satellite images that it said showed no apparent damage to the facility. 09:25 PM BST Netanyahu reprimands security minister for calling Iran strike lame, Israeli media says Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly dressed down Itamar Ben-Gvir, the hard-Right Israeli security minister, after Mr Ben-Gvir described Israels strike on Iran as lame. According to Channel 12, an Israeli TV station, Netanyahu told the security minister that his actions had harmed national security. After reports of Israels limited strike on Iran emerged early on Friday, Mr Ben-Gvir quickly dismissed his countrys operation with a single-word post on X that roughly translates to lame. Mr Ben-Gvir had previously called on the Israeli military to go berserk on Iran. 08:35 PM BST Macron meets Lebanese leaders to discuss ending Hezbollah-Israel clashes Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has discussed a French proposal to end border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel with the Lebanese prime minister and army chief. In a statement, Najib Mikati, the Lebanese prime minister, thanked Mr Macron for his efforts to stop the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and support the army with equipment and expertise to enable it to fully carry out its tasks. The French proposal envisions increased support for the Lebanese army and the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters from six miles of the Lebanon-Israel border. Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Israeli army have engaged in clashes across the Lebanese border since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7. Hezbollah wields significant power in Lebanon, where it operates a political party and an armed wing strong enough to rival the Lebanese military. 08:15 PM BST Israel strikes Syrian army position An Israeli strike hit a Syrian army position in the south of the Arab republic on Friday, according to the Syrian government and the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The Israeli enemy carried out an attack using missiles... targeting our air defence sites in the southern region, Syrias defence ministry said in a statement. The SOHR, which has been described as pro-opposition in Syria, corroborated the Syrian governments statement and said Israel had targeted an army radar position in the southern province of Daraa that had detected Israeli warplanes. Israeli strikes on Syria have increased since Israels invasion of the Gaza Strip in response to the October 7 Hamas attacks. 07:42 PM BST White House has no comment on reports of Israel striking Iran Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, has said she had nothing to share about reports of an Israeli strike on Iran. We do not have any comment on the reports at this time, Ms Jean-Pierre said as she opened a White House press briefing on Friday. Im not going to speak or speculate about any of the reports that are out there. Im not going to comment. Im just going to leave it there, Ms Jean Pierre added when questioned by a reporter on the Israeli strike. 07:24 PM BST Satellite images show no extensive damage at targeted Iranian facility Satellite images of an Iranian facility purportedly targeted in an Israeli strike on Friday do not show any extensive damage, CNN has reported. The US broadcaster obtained images of the location after the strike had taken place, and said no destroyed buildings or large craters were visible. An unnamed US official, according to ABC News, earlier said that an initial assessment of the strike found that the target had been destroyed, but that the report had yet to be finalised. 06:38 PM BST Met Police apologises after openly Jewish comment The Metropolitan Police has apologised after footage emerged of officers threatening a man near a pro-Palestinian march with arrest after describing him as openly Jewish. In a statement posted on X, the Met Police said: It was a poor choice of words and while not intended, we know it will have caused offence to many. We apologise. Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, was wearing a kippah skull cap when officers prevented him from crossing the path of the pro-Palestinian demonstration. In an exchange that was filmed and uploaded to social media, the officer can be heard saying to him: 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. You can watch footage of the incident here. 06:14 PM BST Iran says Israeli mini drones caused no damage or casualties Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian foreign minister, has said that Israeli mini drones fired at the city of Isfahan did not cause any damage or casualties. In a statement made to envoys of Muslim countries in New York, Amir-Abdollahian also claimed that pro-Israeli media was trying to make victory out of defeat. ABC News reported on Friday that 3 missiles fired from Israeli fighter jets were used during Israels attack on Iran, and that an initial assessment said the strike had been successful. 05:56 PM BST US considers new $1 billion weapons deal for Israel The US is considering more than $1 billion in new weapons deals for Israel, the Wall Street Journal reports. The proposed weapons transfers which would include tank ammunition, tactical vehicles and mortar rounds would be among the largest the US has provided to Israel since it invaded Gaza in response to the October 7 Hamas attacks on southern Israel. The proposal is likely to face opposition from the growing number of Democrats in Congress who want to cut back weapons supplies to Israel in order to pressure the country into taking measures to prevent civilian deaths in Gaza. Separate to the package, Congress is set to vote this weekend on a pair of bills for security assistance to US allies that would include $26 billion for Israel, a proportion of which would be weapons deals. Washington has said it delivers weapons to Israel in part to bolster Israels long-term defence. 05:23 PM BST Israel kills senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander in West Bank raid The Israeli military killed a high-ranking Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander during a raid in the West Bank, Palestinian media has reported. Muhammad Jaber, known as Abu Shujaa, was the commander of Islamic Jihads local wing in Tulkarem, the reports said. Four Israeli soldiers are said to have been wounded during the raid. Palestinian Islamic Jihad is considered to be the most extreme member of the Alliance of Palestinian Forces. You can read more about the terror group here. 05:14 PM BST Watch: French police arrest man who threatened to blow himself up in Iranian consulate in Paris 04:30 PM BST UN must do more to protect merchant shipping, industry leaders urge The United Nations must do more to protect merchant shipping and sailors as attacks escalate in the Middle East, shipping industry leaders have told the UN secretary general in a letter signed by 16 maritime associations. The move came following the seizure of the MSC Aries by Iranian commandos on April 13, a vessel that Iran claimed was linked to Israel. The world would be outraged if four airliners were seized and held hostage with innocent souls onboard. Regrettably, there does not seem to be the same response or concern [for ships and their crew members], the letter said. The UN has not yet responded to a request for comment. 03:59 PM BST Israel used target missiles in Iran attack, reports suggest Reports have suggested that the Israeli air force used Blue Sparrow missiles to attack Iran, one of the least escalatory responses possible, writes Dominic Nicholls The medium-range air-launched ballistic missile was originally designed to be a target for other air defence systems. A relatively old system, it would have been visible on radar for much of its flight, given the lack of stealth technology. However, with a modular warhead section that can hold high explosive, it is possible to convert Blue Sparrow missiles into weapons in their own right. Israel would likely retain its state-of-the-art weaponry for the most important missions only, fearful of giving the Iranians the chance to reverse engineer any novel technologies. 03:51 PM BST Alleged Israeli missile debris found in Iraq Iraqi media has published photographs of what it claims is the debris of an Israeli missile fired at Iran early on Friday morning. The missile remains were reportedly found by members of an Iran-aligned Shia militia. The booster of an air-launched missile, likely Israeli in origin, reportedly found in Iraq - Twitter 03:31 PM BST Israeli far-Right activist targeted by US sanctions The US has sanctioned Benzi Gopstein, the leader of Jewish supremacist group Lehava, in a move aimed at targeting violence instigated by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory. Under Gopsteins leadership, Lehava and its members have been involved in acts or threats of violence against Palestinians, often targeting sensitive or volatile areas, the US state department said. Mr Gopstein, who is an ally of Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, has previously said that the burning of Christian churches in Israel is justified. In January, he was convicted for incitement to racism. 03:10 PM BST Watch: Muted Iran signals it will not retaliate 03:07 PM BST Police arrest man who threatened to blow himself up inside Iranian embassy in Paris French police have arrested a man who falsely claimed that he was wearing an explosives belt while inside the Iranian consulate in Paris on Friday morning. A police source said the man was seen at about 11am entering the consulate, which is located in the Iranian embassy building, carrying what appeared to be a grenade and explosive vest. Read the full report here. 02:58 PM BST Israels aggression risks regional conflict, says Hamas Israels aggression towards Iran is an escalation against the entire region, Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, has said. We call for expanding the scale of the engagement against the [Israeli] occupation in response to the war of genocide in Gaza and the escalation in the region, Mr Abu Zuhri told Reuters. Hamas leaders have frequently praised Iran for its financial and military support. 02:53 PM BST Inside Irans top secret nuclear energy mountain This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows Iran's nuclear site in Isfahan - AP/Planet Labs PBC When explosions were heard in the Iranian province of Isfahan early Friday morning the thoughts of many Middle East watchers turned to a very particular target, writes Sophia Yan. The Natanz complex, Irans primary uranium enrichment facility, has been the subject of deepening Western interest as Iran seeks to expand its nuclear abilities. The Nuclear Threat Initiative, a non-profit security organisation, estimates that the Natanz complex itself consists of three underground buildings, two of which are designed to hold 50,000 centrifuges. Six buildings are above ground, two of which are 2,500-metre halls used for gas centrifuge assemblies. As of October 2022, Iran had installed 4,000 advanced centrifuges at its various enrichment facilities, a 44 per cent increase in a matter of months, according to a report by the Institute for Science and International Security. Read Sophias full report here. 02:48 PM BST Pictured: Iranians demonstrate against Israel A worshipper chants slogans as she holds an Iranian flag during an anti-Israeli gathering after Friday prayer in Tehran - Vahid Salemi/AP An Iranian Shiite Muslim cleric raises a clenched fist as others carry pictures of Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during an anti-Israel demonstration - ATTA KENARE/AFP 02:39 PM BST Join the conversation in the comments below 02:34 PM BST Netanyahus war cabinet splintering as security minister calls attack on Iran lame Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has repeatedly criticised the Israeli government over its war in Gaza and escalating tensions with Iran - AMIR COHEN/REUTERS An Israeli minister has described Fridays attack on Iran as lame, in a sign of the growing rift in Benjamin Netanyahus war cabinet, writes Jotam Confino. Multiple explosions believed to be caused by the interception of drones were reported early on Friday morning over the Iranian city of Isfahan, home to a major air base and nuclear site. The US later confirmed that Israel had launched a retaliatory assault in response to last weeks attack by Tehran, which involved more than 300 drones, rockets and missiles. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the hard-Right national security minister, quickly dismissed his countrys operation with a one-word post on X, formally Twitter, using the Hebrew slang word that literally translates as Scarecrow. Read Jotams full report here. 02:27 PM BST UN chief says high time to stop dangerous cycle of retaliation Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, has said that it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East. In a carefully worded statement that did not mention Israels latest attack on Iran, Mr Guterress spokesman said: The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond. 02:24 PM BST Israel has just handed Iran a major victory What is the point of retaliation? Not revenge, for that is no way to conduct serious foreign policy. Not domestic politics, for drumming up popular support is not a reason to send a nations sons into action. No, the point is security. The point is to create a deterrent, writes Jake Wallis Simons By this measure, did the Israeli strike on Isfahan achieve its objective? It is too early to tell, but the first indications are that if no further action is to follow, it was unlikely to do so. If there is one adjective that has been attached to the assumed Israeli retaliation in recent days, it is limited. It has been used by the Americans, it has been used by the Israelis, and it was used by the British diplomats I spoke to who returned from Israel on Thursday. Limited is all very well; it plays nicely to the international community who are congenitally bent on holding Israel to a draw. But it will hardly strike fear into the heart of the Iranian regime. Read Jakes full column here. 02:15 PM BST Pictured: G7 leaders meet amid Middle East crisis Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (left) walks with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Lord Cameron - ALESSANDRO DI MEO/Shutterstock Pro-Palestinian activists clash with police, as they try to embark on a ferry to protest G7 meeting at Capri - REUTERS Lord Cameron (left) speaks with Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani - GREGORIO BORGIA/AFP 02:08 PM BST US: Our message is de-escalation Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, has pointedly underscored the fact that the US had no involvement in Friday mornings strike. Americas top diplomat, like officials in the White House here in Washington this morning, was tight-lipped on the attack. Speaking from the G7 foreign ministers summit in Capri, Italy, Mr Blinken gave only a brief response to questions from reporters. The United States was not involved in any offensive operations, he said, adding: Avoiding conflict remains our focus. Mr Blinken said the US, and the rest of the G7, was committed to de-escalating and to trying to bring this tension to a close. 01:50 PM BST Iran ready for any further air attacks, says army chief Iran is ready for any further air attacks, the countrys army chief has said. Kioumars Heydari, the commander of Irans ground forces, said the country remains vigilant of any potential aerial threats. If suspicious flying objects appear in the sky of the country, they will be targeted by our powerful air defence, he said, according to state-owned media. Even though last nights objects were suspicious, our countrys defences reacted intelligently. Mr Heydari also said Irans April 13 attacks on Israel showed that the Islamic republic has the upper hand in the region and can establish security without the interference of any foreign power. 01:40 PM BST Tehran signals no retaliation against Israel A senior Iranian official has said there are no plans to retaliate against Israels strike. The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed. We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack, the official, who was not named, told Reuters. The officials remarks come as Ebrahim Raisi, Irans president, today hailed Tehrans retaliatory strike against Israel last week but failed to mention the explosions heard in Iran this morning. Last weeks operation showed our authority, our peoples will of steel and our unity, Raisi told hundreds of people in Semnan province, east of Tehran. Analysts have interpreted Irans claims that the attack was carried out by domestic infiltrators, rather than by Israel, as a means of avoiding the need to retaliate. Hossein Dalirian, Irans space agency spokesman, said there was a failed and humiliating attempt to fly quad-copters, which were shot down, but denied Iran had been attacked from abroad. There have been no air attacks from outside the borders against Isfahan or other parts of the country so far, he wrote on Twitter. Todays strikes coincided with the birthday of Ali Khamenei, Irans supreme leader. 01:26 PM BST World demands end to missile strikes after Israel attacks Iran World leaders have called for absolute restraint after Israel escalated its conflict with Iran by launching strikes near a military base. Ursula von der Leyen, the chief of the European commission, said it is absolutely necessary that all sides refrain from further action after explosions were reported early this morning near Irans Isfahan air base, which sits close to a major nuclear facility. Antonio Tajani, the Italian foreign minister, called for absolute de-escalation, following Iranian reports it had shot down three drones in the area, while prime minister Rishi Sunak said he wants to see calm heads prevail across the region. US intelligence reports of an Israeli missile strike have been dismissed by Tehran, which downplayed the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation. Isreal has not confirmed the strikes. China voiced opposition to any actions that further escalate tensions, in an apparent criticism of Israels retaliatory strike 01:21 PM BST Israels desparate attempt failed, says Iranian MP An Iranian MP has blasted Israels attack as a desparate attempt and a failure. Mehdi Toghyani, an Iranian MP from Isfahan - the site of Israels morning strikes - said the desperate attempt from Israel had failed and brought new disgrace for them. Suggesting that the attacks were orchestrated by Israel with the help of local agents, Mr Toghyani emphasised Tehrans defensive capabilities. Let them know that we are at peak readiness to protect our dear Iran, he said. 12:38 PM BST Catch-up: Why did Israel attack Iran and could it spark all-out war? Israel struck Iran on Friday morning in an attack that dramatically raises the stakes in a simmering conflict, writes Benedict Smith. Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have defied Western calls for restraint, sparking fears of another major escalation in the Middle East. As Israel and Iran trade strikes and counter-strikes, concern is mounting that a regional war could erupt. But how likely is it that a third world war could break out? Read the full analysis here. 12:36 PM BST West sent de-escalation messages to Iran via Turkey Western states have sought to send Iran messages via Turkey in recent days to reiterate appeals for de-escalation, a Western diplomat said. After Irans retaliatory attack on Israel last weekend, Turkeys foreign ministry confirmed contacts with Iran and the United States in a statement, saying Ankara had called for restraint and warned of a regional war if tensions escalated further. In recent days we have sought to send Iran messages via Turkey - particularly reiterating the message of de-escalation, a Western diplomat told Reuters, when asked about messages carried to Tehran by Ankara. John Bass, a senior US official, travelled to Ankara earlier this week and met Turkeys top diplomat Hakan Fidan. They ... discussed the critical importance of preventing further escalation or a wider conflict in the region, a US official said. 12:22 PM BST Netanyahu has done what the world warned him not to Israels strike on Iran on Friday morning will not come as a surprise to Western observers but it will cause great concern in Washington and London as the region tips closer towards an all-out war. Following Irans attack on Israel on April 13, itself a response to an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate, Israel was clear a response would be required. That night, Joe Biden talked down Benjamin Netanyahu from launching an immediate response, warning him that America would not support or join in any offence against Iran. The president reportedly told the Israeli leader to take the win from his stunningly effective air defences, which restricted the effect of the Iranian strikes to a damaged plane and a battered runway. Read the full analysis here. 12:02 PM BST G7 opposes Israeli invasion of Rafah G7 foreign ministers have opposed Israels planned full-scale military operation in Rafah owing to the catastrophic consequences the invasion could have on more than 1.5 million Palestinians currently sheltering in Gazas regions southernmost city. We reiterate our call for a credible and actionable plan to protect the civilian population there, G7 foreign ministers said, adding that an unacceptable number of civilians had been killed in Israels war in the enclave so far. We deplore all losses of civilian lives and note with great concern the unacceptable number of civilians, including thousands of women, children and persons in vulnerable situations who have been killed in Gaza, the statement read. 11:52 AM BST G7 calls on all parties to avoid escalation G7 foreign ministers have urged all parties to work to prevent further escalation in the Middle East, following Israels attack on Iran this morning. In light of reports of strikes on April 19th, we urge all parties to work to prevent further escalation. The G7 will continue to work to this end, the Group of Seven nations said in a statement after a meeting on the Italian island of Capri. 11:36 AM BST Germany and Russia call for restraint Germany has pleaded pleaded for restraint on both sides following Israels attack on Iran. De-escalation must be the advice of the hour, said Steffen Hebestreit, a government spokesman, adding: We must prevent a conflagration at all costs, and this appeal goes to all sides. Moscow also said that it does not want escalation, following the strikes near an Iranian air base. There have been telephone contacts between the leadership of Russia and Iran, our representatives and the Israelis, Sergei Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, told reporters. We made it very clear in these conversations, we told the Israelis that Iran does not want escalation. 11:27 AM BST Israel attack carefully calibrated Israels morning attack on an Iranian military base was carefully calibrated to signal Israels ability to attack Iran on home soil, reports suggest. The impact of the strike near Irans Isfahan air base is not yet clear, with Tehran officials downplaying the incident, reporting no damage has been caused. Two source with inside knowledge of Israels attack have said the strike was designed to send a message to Tehran, the Washington Post reported. Military analysts have suggested Israels intention was to hit back following Irans massive missile and drone attack last week, but to avoid further escalation. 11:17 AM BST Pictured: No response from Iran following Israeli strike An anti-Israel billboard with a picture of Iranian missiles is seen on a street in Tehran - Majid Asgaripour/REUTERS Military personnel stand guard at a nuclear facility in the Zardanjan area of Isfahan, Iran - REUTERS/WANA 10:57 AM BST Direct strikes between Israel and Iran are over, says intelligence source Direct attacks between Israel and Iran on each others soil are over, a regional intelligence source has said. The unnamed source, who has knowledge of Tehrans potential reaction, said that Iran was not expected to respond to the strikes, CNN reported. It comes as Iranian government officials have so far sought to downplay the impact of Fridays attack. 10:47 AM BST Explosions were caused by air defence, says Iran Irans military chief has said explosions in the sky above Isfahan were caused by anti-aircraft systems. Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said the Irans air defence shot down a suspicious object that did not cause any damage. Experts are investigating this incident and will inform about the matter after receiving the results, he said, according to Iran state media, without commenting on whether Israel was behind the attack. His remarks echo those of a Siavash Mihandoost, Irans military commander in Isfahan, who said earlier that there was no damage or incident following the attack. See post at 9.05am for further details. 10:31 AM BST Watch: Iran emergency vehicles in action Iranian emergency services arrive at the scene of this mornings strike. 10:08 AM BST Israel officials mocking themselves says Iran Iranian state media has ridiculed a social media post by Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israels hard-line national security minister, stating: The Israeli authorities are mocking themselves! Mr Ben-Gvir earlier wrote a one-word post on Twitter, which roughly translates as lame, in an apparent effort to mock Israels strike near an iranian military base this morning. The Minister of Internal Security of the Zionist regime wrote to the reports about the Isfahan incident: Weak! Tasnim, an Iranian state-affiliated news agency, wrote on Twitter. Yair Lapid, Israels opposition leader, slammed Mr Ben-Gvirs comments as unforgiveable and accused him of tarnishing Israels international reputation. Never before has a minister in the security cabinet done such heavy damage to the countrys security, its image and its international status, Mr Lapid wrote on Twitter. In an unforgivable one-word tweet, Ben Gvir managed to mock and shame Israel from Tehran to Washington. 09:42 AM BST Update: Israeli missiles strike Syrian army positions Israeli missile strikes this morning targeted a Syrian army position in the countrys south, Syrias government has confirmed. In a statement, Syrias defence ministry said: the Israeli enemy carried out an attack using missiles... targeting our air defence sites in the southern region and causing material damage. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the strikes took place at a time when the Israeli air force was flying intensively over the Daraa region without Syrian air defences taking any action. See post at 6.31am for further details. 09:31 AM BST EU chief urges restraint Ursula von der Leyen, the chief of the European commission, called for restraint to avoid further escalation in the Middle East following Israels morning strike. We have to do everything possible (so) that all sides restrain from the escalation in that region, Ms von der Leyen told reporters during a visit to Finland. It is absolutely necessary that the region stays stable and that all sides refrain from further action. 09:29 AM BST Watch: Explosions over Iran Footage posted online shows flashes over Isfahan earlier this morning, reportedly capturing Irans air defence systems intercepting Israeli drones. 09:26 AM BST Iranian media shows calm scenes following attack Iranian media has published footage and images of calm scenes this morning in Isfahan, where air defences were activated following reports of explosions just a few hours ago. Footage of the area showed residents walking near local landmarks such as the Naqsh-e Jahan square and along the Zayandeh Rud river, while normal traffic was reported in the city, according to the ISNA news outlet. In the northwest city of Tabriz where explosions were also reported footage showed normal traffic flow and pedestrians in parks and on the streets, CNN reported. 09:17 AM BST US embassy in Israel restricts diplomats movements The US embassy in Israel has restricted government employees and their families from travelling outside of three major cities until further notice, amid heightened regional tensions follow Israels strike on Iran. Out of an abundance of caution following reports that Israel conducted a retaliatory strike inside Iran, US government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv...Jerusalem, and Beer Sheva areas until further notice, a security alert on the missions website read. Due to a complex security environment that can change quickly, the embassy may further restrict or prohibit travel to parts of Israel, Jerusalems Old City and the occupied West Bank, the advisory added. 09:05 AM BST Isfahan to hold pro-Gaza demonstration after Israel attack Isfahan residents will hold a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, just hours after reports of explosions near the city following an Israeli strike, the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported. With the city back to normal, residents will march across the city after the Friday prayers, ISNA said. Iranian state-owned media has said operations at Isfahans Shahid Beheshti airport, which were suspended this morning, are back to normal. Irans military chief in Isfahan, Siavash Mihandoost, said there was no accident or damage in the region following the explosions, ISNA reported. It comes as analysts suggested Iran is attempting to downplay the significance of the attack in an attempt to de-escalate. 08:54 AM BST World reacts to Israels attack The world has so-far been divided in its response to Israels attack on Iran this morning, with Western nations largely supporting Israels right to defend itself, and neighbouring Arab nations condemning the strikes. Britain Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, called for calm heads to prevail as he reaffirmed Israels right to defend itself. We have condemned Irans reckless and dangerous barrage of missiles against Israel on Saturday and Israel absolutely has a right to self-defence, he said. But as I said to Prime Minister Netanyahu when I spoke to him [this week] and more generally, significant escalation is not in anyones interest, what we want to see is calm heads prevail across the region. France Frances deputy foreign minister said: Israel is right to defend itself within international law. Germany De-escalation remains the order of the day in the near future, said Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor. And we will also talk about this with all our friends and allies, and work together with them in this direction. Russia Moscow has claimed it told Israel that Iran does not want escalation. There have been telephone contacts between the leadership of Russia and Iran, our representatives and the Israelis, Sergei Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, said. We made it very clear in these conversations, we told the Israelis that Iran does not want escalation. Italy Antonio Tajani, Italys foreign minister, has called for absolute de-escalation in the Middle East. We invite everyone to be cautious to avoid an escalation, he told RAI news. The Netherlands Hanke Bruins, the Dutch foreign minister, described developments in the Middle East as deeply worrying and said we are closely monitoring the situation. It is of paramount importance that further escalation is prevented, she wrote on Twitter. Oman Oman hit out at Israels retaliatory strike, condemning repeated Israeli military attacks in the region. China Lin Jian, Beijings foreign ministry said: China opposes any actions that further escalate tensions and will continue to play a constructive role to de-escalate the situation. Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japans chief cabinet secretary, said: Japan is deeply concerned about the situation in the Middle East and strongly condemn [sic] any actions that lead to the escalation of the situation. Japan will continue to make all necessary diplomatic efforts to prevent the situation from worsening further. Turkey Turkeys foreign ministry has also called for de-escalation, saying the priority of the international community should be to stop the massacre in Gaza and to ensure lasting peace . Egypt Egypts foreign ministry has said it is deeply concerned about an escalation of hostilities following Israels attack. Sweden Tobias Billstrom, Swedens foreign minister, said: There has to be an end to the exchange of blows and escalation. This is something we from the governments side take very seriously and are following very closely. Jordan We warn against the danger of regional escalation. We condemn all actions that threaten dragging the region into war, Jordans foreign ministry said. Israeli-Iranian retaliations must end. The inhumane war on Gaza must end now. The focus of the world must remain on ending the catastrophic aggression on Gaza. 08:31 AM BST No immediate plans for retaliation, says senior Iran official Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate against Israel, senior Iranian official tells Reuters, hours after Israel launched a direct attack on Iranian soil. The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed, the Iranian official, who was not named, told Reuters. We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack. 08:17 AM BST Mapped: Where the strikes took place 08:09 AM BST Israel has a right to defend itself, says Cabinet minister Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary, has said Britain recognises Israels right to defend itself while pushing for de-escalation in the region, following Israels overnight strikes on Iran. Where we are as a Government is recognising very clearly that Israel has a right to defend itself, Mr Stride told Times Radio. At the same time though, we are pressing our Israeli allies and others in the region to really work hard towards de-escalation. He added that Lord Cameron is in conversation with G7 counterparts in Italy this morning, who will be focused on exactly that, and the importance of de-escalating tensions in the region. 07:54 AM BST Hard-right Israeli official labels attack lame Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israels hard-right national security minister, has issued a comment on Twitter, appearing to mock the Israeli attack, simply saying Lame. Tally Gotliv, a fellow hard-right member of the Knesset, also appeared to comment on the strike on social media, describing it as a source of pride. Good morning, people of Israel. This is a morning in which the head is held high with pride, he wrote. Israel is a strong and powerful country. May we regain the power of deterrence. The Israeli prime ministers office is yet to comment on the strike near an Iranian air base. 07:47 AM BST Iran suspends flights amid Israeli strikes Flights in Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz were suspended for over two hours this morning. The countrys civil aviation authority later reported the flights were back to normal by early Friday. Iran clears airspace after Israeli strike - FlightRadar 07:39 AM BST Iran attack was inside job, state media reports Iranian media has dismissed claims this mornings attack came from abroad, despite widespread reports it was launched by Israel. Irans Tasnim news agency quoted informed sources as saying that there are no reports of an attack from abroad against Isfahan or any other part of Iran. An Iranian analyst speaking on state TV argued separately that drones, which Iran has claimed it shot down, were flown by infiltrators from inside the country. 07:11 AM BST No damage to Irans nuclear sites, says UN atomic watchdog Israels strike on Iran has caused no damage to Irans nuclear sites, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed. The agency is continuing to monitor the situation very closely and called for extreme restraint from all sides, stressing that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts, it wrote on Twitter. The Iranian state-owned news network Press TV also said that there was no sign of explosion or damage at a nuclear site near the city of Isfahan, where explosions were reported following an Israeli strike this morning. Western officials told US media Israel had launched missiles, while Iran said it shot down drones around the Isfahan air base close to the nuclear facility. IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to #Iran's nuclear sites. DG @rafaelmgrossi continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts. IAEA is monitoring the situation very closely. pic.twitter.com/4F7pAlNjWM IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) April 19, 2024 06:49 AM BST Pictured: Israels early morning strike on Iran Smoke billows in the air as Israel strikes Iran - Twitter via Mario Nawfal 06:46 AM BST US embassy in Israel imposes travel ban for families and staff The US embassy in Israel on Friday imposed travel restrictions on its employees and their families following news that Israel had struck Iran. Out of an abundance of caution following reports that Israel conducted a retaliatory strike inside Iran, US government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Beersheva areas until further notice, a security advisory read. 06:40 AM BST Warning for ships to stay alert in case of UAV activity British security firm Ambrey warned merchant vessels transiting the Arabian Gulf and Western Indian Ocean on Friday to stay alert in case of increased uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) activity in the region. The warning comes amid reports of uncrewed aircraft being involved in Israels retaliatory strike against Iran. 06:31 AM BST Israel hits military position in Syrias south Israels strikes targeted a Syrian Army position in the countrys south, a war monitor said. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the strikes targeted a radar installation of the Syrian Army between the provinces of Sweida and Daraa provinces. A military source told Syrias SANA news agency that the missile strike occurred at 2.55am and caused material losses. 06:25 AM BST Irans ageing defences make them highly vulnerable Ageing air defences, including old American and Russian warplanes that date back to the 1970s, have left Iran highly vulnerable to an Israeli attack. They are built largely around Russian S-200 and S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems or a range of locally-produced equivalents such as the Bavar-373, Khordad, Raad, Sayyad and Talash. Some of the American and Russian warplanes are from the 1970s era of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. The obsolete systems are in stark contrast to Israels formidable defence weapons, which helped prevent major damage from occurring during Irans missile and drone attack last weekend. 06:17 AM BST Commander: Defence systems targeting suspicious object caused explosions Air defence systems targeting a suspicious object was the cause of explosions heard overnight in Isfahan, a senior commander of Irans Army, Siavosh Mihandoust, said. He reiterated Irans position that no damage was caused in the overnight attack. Iranian state TV showed what they claimed was a live picture of the city of Isfahan amid reports of explosions - AFP 05:54 AM BST US had advance warning on Israels retaliatory strike The United States received advance notice of Israels reported strike on Iran, but did not endorse the operation or play any part in its execution, reports quoted officials as saying. NBC and CNN, citing sources familiar with the matter and a US official, said Israel had provided Washington with pre-notification of the strike. 05:49 AM BST Flights cancelled into Tehran Flydubai has cancelled flights to Tehran on Friday and turned back flight FZ 1929 due to the closure of the airport, the carrier said in a statement. International flights into Irans Imam Khomeini International Airport have also been cancelled until 7am GMT, according to Iranian news agency Mehr. 05:39 AM BST Australia tells citizens to leave Israel Australia has urged its citizens to leave Israel, warning there is a high threat of a military response to its strike on Iran. Theres a high threat of military reprisals & terrorist attacks against Israel & Israeli interests across the region, its foreign ministry said in a statement. The security situation could deteriorate quickly. We urge Australians in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories to depart if its safe to do so. 05:33 AM BST Iran may be downplaying strikes to avoid war Iran may be downplaying this mornings Israeli strike to avoid escalation, an expert has suggested, after the countrys state media reported there was no damage from Friday mornings attack. Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils Middle East Programs, said the reaction from Iran suggests a retaliatory strike is not imminent. Tehran is trying to downplay the Israeli response, as evidenced by the coverage by state media, which attempted to show that all was safe and calm, she told The Telegraph. However, citizen journalist footage of air raid sirens going off and air defence responding in Isfahan suggests this was not some minor event. This downplaying of events by Tehran may actually be a tactic to prevent them from feeling the need to retaliate directly against Israel again, she said. In essence, this could potentially be a restoration of deterrence. 05:30 AM BST Why Israel attacked Iran and could it spark all-out war? As Israel and Iran begin to trade strikes and counter-strikes, it has fuelled fears that a regional war could break out amid growing instability in the Middle East. With the Ukraine-Russia war entering its third year, the global order seems to be fraying. Some believe it could snap altogether, and that these conflicts relatively confined, so far could tip into a world war. Read our explainer by Benedict Smith on whether the Middle East crisis could push the world into a major conflict 05:24 AM BST Explosions were air defence systems, says Iran The explosions heard in Isfahan were a result of Irans air defence systems being activated, an Iranian official has told Reuters. The official added that no missile attack had been carried out against Iran. Iran has been quick to downplay reports of an attack and Iranian media said no major damage has occurred. Reports indicate there was no major damage or large explosions caused by the impact of any air threat, the official IRNA news agency said. A man watches TV reports in Iran following explosions - Anadolu 05:08 AM BST Watch: Emergency vehicles rush to air base amid explosions Video has emerged on X of fire trucks and emergency vehicles rushing to an air base in the city of Isfahan, where explosions reportedly sounded on Friday morning. The vision has not been independently verified, but it has been widely circulated on social media. Fire Trucks and other Emergency Vehicles have reportedly begun to arrive at 8th Tactical Airbase of the Iranian Air Force in the Isfahan Province. pic.twitter.com/qR4VTmf5dT OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 19, 2024 05:01 AM BST Iran previously threatened to build nuclear bomb Iran previously threatened to build a nuclear bomb if it was attacked by Israel in retaliation. Tehran also warned it would hit Israeli atomic facilities if Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes against Irans nuclear sites. Both Iran and Israel are yet to comment on Friday mornings strike, where explosions were reported near a military base in the Iranian city of Isfahan. But the world will be on edge as it awaits news on how Iran will retaliate. Iran had vowed to retaliate immediately if hit, and at a maximum level. 04:49 AM BST Rishi Sunak to give speech on Friday morning Rishi Sunak is giving a major speech on Friday morning in London. Downing Street has prepared an announcement on sick note culture and Mr Sunaks plans to reform workplace illness. However, the event is now likely to be dominated by the events in the Middle East. Mr Sunak was among the G7 leaders who had urged restraint from Benjamin Netanyahu after the Iranian attack on Israel on April 13. 04:38 AM BST Analysis: Netanyahu has done just what the world told him not to Israels strike on Iran on Friday morning will not come as a surprise to Western observers but it will cause great concern in Washington and London as the region tips closer towards an all-out war. Following Irans attack on Israel on April 13, itself a response to an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate, Tel Aviv was clear a response would be required. That night, Joe Biden talked down Benjamin Netanyahu from launching an immediate response, warning him that America would not support or join in any offence against Iran. The president reportedly told the Israeli leader to take the win from his stunningly effective air defences, which restricted the effect of the Iranian strikes to a damaged plane and a battered runway. However, that advice has not been heeded universally by Mr Netanyahus colleagues. Read the full analysis here 04:29 AM BST Israel military refuses to comment Israels military said on Friday that we dont have a comment at this time when asked about its strikes on Iran. The military separately announced that sirens sounded in northern Israel, along the border with Lebanon, but these were a false alarm. 04:25 AM BST Iran downplays attack as news agency says nuclear facilities completely secure Irans space agency spokesman Hossein Dalirian said several drones had been successfully shot down and there were no reports of a missile attack. There are no reports of a missile attack for now, Mr Dalirian said on X. The Tasnim news agency also added the nuclear facilities in Isfahan were completely secure. Three explosions were heard near the Shekari army airbase in the northwest of Isfahan province. Now state media is downplaying events, saying it was just some drones that were shot down and that all is "safe and calm" in Esfahan, Iran. (Air defense systems appeared to have been used and air raid sirens had gone off earlier) pic.twitter.com/slem5zZxDi Holly Dagres (@hdagres) April 19, 2024 04:22 AM BST Israeli military: Sirens in northern Israel a false alarm Warning sirens that sounded early on Friday in northern Israel were a false alarm, the Israeli military said. The sirens went off shortly after reports emerged of Israels strikes in Iran. 04:17 AM BST Washington silent as officials scramble to assess Israeli attack Both the White Houses National Security Council and the Pentagon are refusing to comment on the record about tonights strike in Iran. Several American news outlets have received briefings from sources inside the administration, but the message put out to reporters has been that officials are aware of the reports and are assessing the situation. We have not yet heard from Joe Biden, who is back in Washington after a visit to Philadelphia this afternoon. Mr Biden will be expected to convene his national security team in the White House situation room. Previously, he met with his closest officials, plus Lloyd Austin, the Defence Secretary, Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State, and William Burns, the director of the CIA. 04:13 AM BST Fears that strikes have hit nuclear facility Reports have emerged that Israels strikes have hit a nuclear facility in Isfahan. Irans Natanz nuclear site, the countrys primary enrichment facility, is located in the city. It houses both the commercial Fuel Enrichment Plant and the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, and is so deep in the earth that it is likely beyond the range of a last-ditch US weapon designed to destroy such sites, according to experts. But the Mizan News agency said the nuclear facilities in Isfahan were completely safe. The report of some foreign media about the incident in this facility is incorrect. 03:52 AM BST Explained: Why has Israel hit Iran in retaliatory strike Israel told the US earlier today that it planned to respond to Irans attack on April 13, according to a report by Bloomberg. Israeli officials have been clear for some time that an attack on Iran would take place, but the Tel Aviv government did not say when the strike would take place. Debate has raged for some time about whether the strike should be on Iranian soil, or directed at its proxy groups elsewhere in the Middle East. There have also been reports this evening of explosions in Iraq and Syria, but they have not yet been linked directly to Israeli military activity. 03:43 AM BST Drones shot down near Isfahan air base, IRGC claim Iranian journalists are reporting that the IRGC is claiming to have shot down several drones around the Isfahan air base where the strike reportedly took place. There is little detail yet about the nature of tonights strike on Iran, but initial reports suggest Tel Aviv may have used a combination of drones and missiles-- the same tactic Iran used against Israel last week. The IRGC uploaded this video of it intercepting Israels strikes: #BREAKING: #Israel has conducted missile strikes on #Iran, according to a senior U.S. official multiple explosions are being reported. Credit: @rawsalerts UPDATE: The IRANIAN Revolutionary Guard Corps uploaded this video intercepting ISRAELI missiles above Iran. More soon pic.twitter.com/F4ClOvJz47 Deep Truth Intel (@DeepTruthIntel) April 19, 2024 03:36 AM BST Irans state TV: Big explosions heard in Isfahan Big explosions were heard near Isfahan, Irans state TV reported on Friday. News sources are reporting hearing big explosions in Isfahan province, it said. Meanwhile, Mehr news agency reported that flights to Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, and airports in the west, northwest and southwest have been suspended. #UPDATE Iran's state TV reports "big explosions" have been heard near the central city of Isfahan, as a news agency said flights were suspended over the capital Tehran and other cities. "News sources are reporting hearing big explosions in Isfahan province," state television pic.twitter.com/G7IgrO4ZmB AFP News Agency (@AFP) April 19, 2024 03:31 AM BST Isfahan is home to major airbase for Iranian military Explosions reportedly occurred near an air force base that lies northeast of Isfahan, according to the Fars news agency. The city of Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military and sites associated with its nuclear program, including Natanz, a centrepiece of Irans uranium enrichment program. It is located some 350 kilometres (215 miles) from Tehran. 03:25 AM BST Iran activates air defence system Irans air-defence system has been activated in Isfahan and several other cities amid Israels strikes. Irans air defence has been activated in the skies of several provinces of the country, the official IRNA news agency said. 03:09 AM BST Flights divert around western Iran as explosions heard Commercial flights began diverting their routes early on Friday morning over western Iran amid reports there had been explosions heard over the city of Isfahan. Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai diverted flights about 4:30am local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed. It is understood the sound of explosions rang out over Isfahan near its international airport. Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military, as well as sites associated with its nuclear program. Irans government offered no immediate comment. 03:06 AM BST Welcome to our live blog In breaking news overnight, Israeli missiles have struck a site in Iran. Follow our live news blog for the latest updates and developments today. 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. Israel says 10 gunmen have been killed in fighting in West Bank An Israeli armored military vehicle and a heavy machinery move on the road as operations carried out by Israeli forces against Nur Shams Refugee Camp two days ago continue in Tulkarm. Mohammed Nasser/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa The Israeli army and border police have reportedly killed at least 10 gunmen in a major military operation in the West Bank. Eight Israeli soldiers and a member of the undercover Yamas special unit of the Magav border police were also injured in fighting in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm, an army spokesman said on Saturday. The Israeli forces were shot at and attacked with explosive devices, he said. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported 14 deaths during the two-day military operation, including a 16-year-old youth. However, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Saturday that there was hardly any information from the sealed-off city, where the internet had also been switched off. The information from both sides could not initially be independently verified. According to the army, a total of eight wanted suspects were detained, explosive devices were defused and numerous buildings were searched. In addition, an explosives workshop was destroyed and numerous weapons were confiscated, including pistols and M16 assault rifles, it said. The local commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, Mohammed Jaber, was among those killed, according to Palestinian media reports, which were not officially confirmed at first. Palestinian media also reported that the Israeli army had caused severe damage to roads, water and power lines and destroyed numerous homes during its operation. Later, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that a 50-year-old Palestinian ambulance driver was shot dead in confrontations between settlers and Palestinians on Saturday evening. He was driving injured people out of a village that had previously been invaded by settlers, it said. Clashes broke out between the settlers and Palestinians. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, two Palestinians were also injured by gunfire. It was initially unclear who exactly killed the driver of the ambulance. Citing a paramedic, WAFA reported that armed settlers and Israeli soldiers had fired shots. The army did not initially comment on the incident when asked. Citing army sources, Israeli media reported that the military was investigating whether the bullet fired at the ambulance was fired by civilians or the security forces. The various statements could not initially be verified. Since the beginning of the Gaza war, there has been an increase in violence by settlers against Palestinian residents of the West Bank and clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians. The EU imposed sanctions for the first time on Friday due to the violence by radical Israeli settlers against Palestinians. At the same time, the US government responded to the growing tensions in the West Bank with further punitive measures against radical settlers. During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The number of Israeli settlers in the area, which lies between Israel's heartland and Jordan, has now risen to around half a million. Including East Jerusalem, there are 700,000 settlers living in the midst of around 3 million Palestinians. They claim the territories as part of their own state. In 2016, the UN Security Council labelled these Israeli settlements a violation of international law and called on Israel to stop all settlement activities. Almost 450 Palestinians have died in the West Bank since the October 7 attacks mounted by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas from the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, most of them dying in IDF operations and others in attacks mounted on Israelis. In the Gaza Strip, the IDF bombed rocket launch ramps in Beit Hanoun in the north following a rocket attack directed towards Sderot across the border in Israel on Friday. Dozens of airstrikes were aimed at targets in the Gaza Strip, the IDF reported. And in the north of Israel along the border with Lebanon, air-raid sirens sounded, indicating a possible attack by the Iranian-backed Shiite Hezbollah militia. Smoke rises from a building as operations carried out by Israeli forces against Nur Shams Refugee Camp two days ago continue in Tulkarm. Mohammed Nasser/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa As open fighting between two of the Middle Easts best-armed players worsens, more than a million Palestinian lives hang in the balance. Israel on Thursday attacked Iran, in retaliation for an April 13 attack from Iranian drones and missiles, which was itself a retaliation for the Israeli bombing of an Iranian consulate on April 1. Iran downplayed the significance of the strike, with state media saying it caused no major damage. The U.S., Israels military lifeline, did so too. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters the Biden administration has not been involved in any offensive operations and seeks de-escalation and [to] avoi[d] a larger conflict. The state-on-state strikes between Israel and Iran, a prospect that risks sparking an all-out war, are over, a regional government source argued to CNN after the latest Israeli strike, saying Iran was unlikely to respond. Multiple national security analysts agreed Israels move seemed carefully calibrated, ostensibly in line with the priorities of the U.S. and of anxious neighboring countries. Still, the two countries indisputably moved closer to head-on conflict through their unprecedented tit-for-tat in recent weeks. The U.S. will celebrate a small success. But the spiral is still spinning downward: rules are being rewritten on the battlefield, wrote Emile Hokayem, an analyst at the International institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank, on X. As the potential for extremely costly miscalculation persists, questions remain open: Is this the full extent of Israels response to Iran? Will the two now continue their longstanding bids to weaken each other through clashes elsewhere, perhaps in already bruised Lebanon? Its hard to see how the spiral stops until another question is answered: What about Palestine? Rafah, the town in southern Gaza where nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering, is the only section of the strip Israel has yet to invade its sweeping, hugely controversial campaign. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says an attack on Rafah is vital to shield Israel from the Gaza-based militant group Hamas. Washington says it cannot support that plan without a serious strategy for evacuating and helping civilians a strategy Israel has yet to provide, the White House confirmed in a Thursday statement, after a high-level meeting between U.S. and Israeli officials. The Biden administration is casting its attempt to temper the Rafah operation as distinct from its bid to prevent an Israel-Iran war. But to other observers, its impossible to separate the two. President Joe Biden is simultaneously the only outside world leader with the power to force a change in course for Israel, and a longtime ally of Israeli leadership who may be loath to seek their restraint, particularly as the country is in active conflict with Iran. Calling the resurgent Israeli-Palestinian conflict the beating heart of this increasingly regional problem, Monica Marks, a professor at New York Universitys Abu Dhabi campus, told HuffPost on Friday: The thing to watch for is whether Netanyahu bought more wiggle room on the Biden administrations expectation for Israel to make humanitarian plans regarding Rafahs civilians. Israels actions suggest it continues to see moving on Rafah as inevitable. Sources told multiple media outlets preparations had already begun, with leaflets directing civilians to flee already printed and scheduled to be dropped on Monday, though Israeli sourced told CNN the Iran attack had caused a delay. On Monday night, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant held a military briefing on Rafah, and at Thursdays U.S.-Israeli summit, both sides agreed discussions about the offensive would continue. The prolonged uncertainty is chilling for civilians in Rafah, which constitutes the last remotely functional section of Gaza. The vast majority of Palestinians are barred from leaving the territory for neighboring Egypt. Describing widespread anticipation of an Israeli ground invasion and constant anxiety due to the ongoing airstrikes, Ghada Alhaddad told HuffPost she has witnessed panicked civilians Rafah to try to return to other parts of Gaza, only to find little but wreckage there. The lingering sense of fear has left many unsure of where to go next, said Alhaddad, who works for the charity Oxfam. Displaced Palestinian children line up to receive food in Rafah on April 19, 2024. MOHAMMED ABED via Getty Images As decision-makers in governments remain vague about their plans, the outside players helping Palestinians survive amid food shortages, bombardment and displacement fear the worst. Representatives of five major aid groups told HuffPost this week that even the meager support they are able to currently provide to Palestinians would plummet if Rafah is attacked, and they have yet to see either realistic plans for addressing the civilian toll of an assault or effective Israeli steps to bolster humanitarian relief for Gaza. Biden has pushed harder for increased aid since an Israeli attack killed seven relief workers on April 1. The conditions for us to provide an adequate humanitarian response are not there right now let alone if the conditions become more challenging because we dont have access to Rafah and people are put into a catastrophic situation, said Tess Ingram, a UNICEF spokesperson who returned from a visit to Gaza on Monday. Scott Paul of Oxfam America told HuffPost he and his colleagues fear geopolitical discussions will distract from measures to protect Palestinians, at least 34,000 of whom have been killed since Israels offensive began. Theres a widespread concern that it will be difficult to deescalate regional tensions and keep the focus on a population on the brink of famine, Paul said. Were very worried that Palestinians will get the short end of the stick. Seeking anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations, a source at a humanitarian organization said they had little faith in the U.S. to moderate Israels approach to Rafah. You just cant look to the Biden administration for signals, because the Israelis have proven time and again that just because assurances are given to the U.S. side doesnt mean theyre going to be held to them, said the source. They described aid groups as in purgatory as conditions for Palestinians decline and as the trajectory of the conflict remains unclear, and said Israel is deploying a purposeful level of ambiguity. Spokespeople at Israels embassy in Washington and for the White House National Security Council did not respond to requests for comment for this story. Known Knowns Experts surveyed by HuffPost this week described three certainties for Israel, the Biden administration and the prospects of limiting Palestinian suffering. Israel remains determined to pursue Hamas in Rafah beyond the attacks it has already launched on the town most recently, an airstrike on April 18 that killed 10 members of a family, including five children. Within Israel, there is popular dissatisfaction with Netanyahu over issues like his failing to bring home Israeli hostages captured in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, that initiated the current fighting. But worsening tensions with Iran could bolster Israelis feeling that security should be the countrys top priority. Tackling the groups remaining forces in Rafah is necessary, argued Neomi Neumann, the former head of research at the Israeli Security Agency, or Shin Bet. If we dont deal with this, Hamas will manage every time to revitalize and become strong this is the oxygen for Hamas, said Neumann, now a visiting fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank, referring to Israels fears that Hamas will resupply itself through Gazas southern border region with Egypt. Iran is a danger, she said, but at the same time, we need to finish the Gaza issue. To demilitarize the Gaza Strip, Israel could use non-military means, Neumann noted, like using political agreements and technological safeguards along with Egypt and the U.S., and bringing in the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu and Israeli hardliners see PA rule in Gaza as unacceptable, casting the body as corrupt and Palestinian autonomy in the region as a reward for terror, but Neumann called it the least bad option, compared to Hamas or direct Israeli control of the strip. The Biden administration has pinned its hopes on the PA and argues it can be reformed. Theres a reason to be skeptical of how firm the U.S. will be on the PA and related American plans for the region: its track record. Throughout his career, and particularly since Oct. 7, Biden has prioritized backing Israel. Critics say this has made him unwilling to deploy U.S. leverage to prevent Israeli violations of human rights and other destabilizing actions. But as Israel enters a new level of conflict with Iran widely seen in American politics as an enemy country Biden may prove especially deferential to Netanyahu. I think the U.S. will have to sit harder on Israel to totally prevent any Rafah invasion, said Marks of NYU. The revival of hawkish talk about Tehran since its strike on Israel has already made it that much harder to push the Israelis toward compliance with international law and to create pressure on aid-related issues, argued the humanitarian organization source. Can the Biden administration and Congress find a way to stop Israels war in Gaza and scale a humanitarian response in Gaza while enabling [Israelis] to defend themselves against Iran? Sure, if they properly staffed up and stopped half-measures, they could walk and chew gum, the source said. For now, it looks like the latter may take priority over the former. But Bidens oft-stated resistance to a regional conflict could yet convince his team they must halt an Israeli offensive. The administration has been pretty consistently holding the line on Rafah because they know its a game-changer, said Matt Duss, the executive vice president of the Center for International Policy think tank. Bidens policy has been to try and keep the catastrophe contained within Gaza. Its an indefensibly callous and dangerous policy, but theyve been consistent about it. Egypt, which worked with Israel to impose a years-long blockade on Gaza, has repeatedly warned Israel and the U.S. about a Rafah assault, fearing it would push Palestinians to cross the Egyptian border en masse. Other U.S.-aligned governments in the region, like Jordan, are facing domestic pro-Palestinian activism that has made some officials worried about the stability of their regimes. The third reality: Too little humanitarian aid is getting to people who need it in Gaza, and the flow is increasing too slowly, despite some claims of progress. Israeli authorities have touted an increase in how many trucks of supplies they permitted into Gaza this month through the two currently open crossings into the region, at which Israeli personnel inspect all incoming material. On Friday, top White House Middle East official Brett McGurk told a public briefing with Jewish Americans there have been pretty significant changes in Israels treatment of aid an assessment that was not shared by any of the aid workers HuffPost for this story. Were interested in outputs, not inputs, which to say is the lowering of malnutrition. ... Were interested in no civilian casualties, were interested in no indiscriminate bombing. Those are the outputs were interested in, and the administration signaled theyre also interested in those things, said Bill OKeefe of the charity Catholic Relief Services. We want to make sure they dont just get caught up in inputs: there have been some increased trucks, thats great, but there have been increased trucks before, and then that comes down. And on April 9, United Nations spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters that Israel was counting half-full trucks that enter its screening sites not the number of repacked, fully-loaded trucks that actually enter Gaza, which aid workers believe to be lower. Meanwhile, multiple humanitarian officials told HuffPost they have no more details about plans for two additional points for supplying aid to Palestinians the Erez land crossing and the Ashdod port two weeks after Netanyahus cabinet approved their use. The road leading from Erez to populated parts of northern Gaza requires extensive repairs before it can be used, and Israel has not greenlighted the opening of another land route, at Karni, Marks said. Meanwhile, Israels one currently open crossing into Gaza, Kerem Shalom, is closed on weekends. Calls for increased staffing and screening capacity there have yet to be answered, several aid workers said; neither have appeals for Israel to ease its policy of refusing to let in many aid supplies on the grounds that theyre dual-use and could also be used by militants. Global attention needs to be not on volume but types of aid and services: Can you get in tubing to do nasal feeding, the right types of food, staff to access clinics? Marks added. We still havent had that kind of results-based response, as opposed to volume-based. Israel could, for instance, make an immediate difference by restarting electricity supplies to Gaza, Paul noted. Several humanitarian officials also described continued challenges in transporting equipment and personnel to northern Gaza, where famine is already underway. UNICEF struggled to send fuel and food north from Rafah last week in convoys Ingram participated in, she said, as authorities delayed trucks in holding areas and directed them to a heavily congested route. Israeli officials also maintain extremely limited hours at the checkpoint separating southern Gaza from the north. These curfews, we run up against them all the time, Ingram continued. Once she did reach the north on Sunday, she was appalled: People were approaching our vehicles, fingers to the mouth. We went to Kamal Adwan hospital, which is treating malnourished children. It is cruel that this is being inflicted on children when there is food and nutrition treatments and other aid. Undo Everything An Israeli attack on Rafah would force many traumatized Palestinians to abandon what little refuge they have found. Abood Okal, a Palestinian American who spent weeks in Rafah with his wife and child before being permitted to leave on Nov. 2, told HuffPost his sister Eman, her husband and their three children are now living in the space where the Okals had been staying. They share a bathroom with 40 other people in a distant family friends house and can only communicate with their relatives every 3-4 days, when Eman is able to get a network signal. Conditions in the other places Palestinians could flee to resemble those where Okals other sister, Asma, is staying: in a small tent in Al Mawasi, an overwhelmed coastal community where thousands of families from Rafah may move amid an Israeli offensive. Her children have contracted hepatitis A, one of many diseases that are spreading rapidly in Gaza, and she can only communicate with the outside world around once every two weeks, Okal said. Soraya Ali of Save the Children, who visited Gaza earlier this month, told HuffPost she saw how people are living beyond Rafah in Deir Al Balah, in central Gaza. She witnessed a makeshift toilet facility shared by 200 people, dozens of people living in unbearably hot improvised tents crafted from plastic, sticks and tarpaulin and children spending their days roaming the streets seeking food and water. In Khan Yunis, another town north of Rafah, the streets are full of unexploded bombs and Israeli attacks have destroyed infrastructure that was functioning a few months ago, said Ingram, who visited last week. It is unrealistic to imagine that somebody could move back there and be safe, she told HuffPost. Additionally, people who have been living in Rafah and would now consider moving have already endured overcrowding and shortages of essentials for months. Oxfams Alhaddad mentioned one example: She has run out of heart medication for her mother. Youre starting already weakened, OKeefe said. Relocating civilians, he said, is a matter of providing not just food or shelter (which the Israeli military appears to be working on, by ordering tens of thousands of tents) but also water, sanitation and health equipment. We do not see how to safely provide for those people in order to allow for some sort of invasion of Rafah, he added. For humanitarian groups, major fighting in Rafah would make providing assistance to Palestinians nearly impossible. Its the only place there is a semblance of an aid response, Ali said. If a ground incursion happens in Rafah, it would undo everything. Since the start of the war, aid organizations have developed storage and distribution facilities there, as well as accommodations for visiting staff serving Gazas population. Between the added disruption to civilians lives and the worsening lack of aid supplies, full-on fighting in Rafah would be the deadliest chapter of this conflict yet, Ali said. Related... An Israeli airstrike in Gaza's south kills at least 9 Palestinians in Rafah, including 6 children A Palestinian youth mourns his relative killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at the morgue of the Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, early Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ismael Abu Dayyah) RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory. Israel's war against the Islamic militant group Hamas has led to a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, notably between Israel and Iran in recent weeks. Now attention returns to Rafah, where more than half of Gazas population of about 2.3 million people are sheltering, many displaced by fighting elsewhere. Relatives sobbed and hugged children's shrouded bodies at al-Najjar hospital. Hamza my beloved. Your hair looks so pretty, a mourning grandmother said. The fatalities included Abdel-Fattah Sobhi Radwan, his wife Najlaa Ahmed Aweidah and their three children, his brother-in-law Ahmed Barhoum said. Barhoum lost his wife, Rawan Radwan, and their 5-year-old daughter, Alaa. "This is a world devoid of all human values and morals, Barhoum told The Associated Press, crying as he cradled Alaa's body. The only martyrs were women and children. Israel has insisted for months that it plans a ground offensive into Rafah, where it says many remaining Hamas militants are holed up, despite calls for restraint from the international community including Israels staunchest ally, the United States. Some Palestinians left an area of Rafah near the border with Egypt on Saturday after receiving an evacuation alert from the Israeli army. Guys, they will strike at 3:40. It is happening. What time is it now? one said. Minutes later, a strike hit. It was not immediately known whether anyone was killed. Also Saturday, an Israeli airstrike hit a house in the urban refugee camp of Bureji in central Gaza, killing at least one man and injuring two others, according to authorities at the al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, where an AP journalist saw the casualties. The war was sparked by an unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel by Hamas and other militant groups that left about 1,200 people dead, the vast majority civilians, and saw about 250 kidnapped and taken into Gaza. Israel says about 130 hostages remain in Gaza, although more than 30 have died. Frustration continues among many in Israel, and thousands of anti-government protesters in Tel Aviv again called for new elections and a deal to free remaining hostages. We dont know what to do anymore, so we are here crying and shouting for help, said one protester, Iris Milnar. The Palestinian death toll from the war is at least 34,049, with 76,901 wounded, the Gaza Health Ministry said, adding that the bodies of 37 people killed by Israeli strikes were taken to hospitals over the past 24 hours. The Hamas-run health authorities do not differentiate between combatants and civilians in their count but say at least two-thirds have been children and women. Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties, saying it embeds in the population. The war has sent regional tensions spiraling. On Friday, Israel and archenemy Iran played down an apparent Israeli airstrike near a major air base and nuclear site in central Iran, indicating they were pulling back from what could have become all-out war. A week ago, Iran fired an unprecedented missile barrage on Israel after an alleged Israeli strike killed two Iranian generals at an Iranian consulate in Syria. Israel continues to face off with Iran's proxies, frequently trading rocket and drone attacks across the Lebanese-Israeli border with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched strikes against merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in what they call solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Tensions also are high in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 12 bodies were taken Saturday from the Nur Sham urban refugee camp, raising the death toll to 13 since an Israeli military operation began in the area Thursday night. It said they were killed as a result of the occupations aggression." The Islamic Jihad militant group confirmed the deaths of three members. Another killed was a 15-year-old boy. The Israeli army said its forces killed 10 militants in the camp and surrounding areas while eight suspects were arrested. Nine of its officers and soldiers were wounded, it said. At least 469 Palestinians from east Jerusalem and the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since October, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Elsewhere in the West Bank, the ministry said an ambulance driver was shot dead near Sawiya town while trying to reach Palestinians injured in clashes with Israeli settlers. The Palestinian Red Crescent said Mohammed Musa was shot in the chest. A wave of settler attacks began a week ago after an Israeli teen went missing and was found dead. ___ Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Jack Jeffrey in Jerusalem contributed. ___ Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war LILONGWE, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Malawi are urging local farmers to tap into the tobacco and soybean markets in China to boost the country's foreign exchange reserves and strengthen the economy. Alfred Mwenifumbo, controller of Agriculture, Extension and Technical Services, made the call during the Agriculture Investment Conference on Friday in Lilongwe, which was part of the Agriculture, Tourism and Mining Week declared by President Lazarus Chakwera to showcase investment opportunities in these sectors. Malawi's tobacco industry, largely driven by smallholder farmers, could benefit greatly from the Chinese market, Mwenifumbo said. He encouraged large-scale farmers to join the industry to improve the quality of Malawian tobacco and compete with other countries. Additionally, he highlighted the untapped potential for soybeans in China, stressing the need for Malawi to exploit this market opportunity. The official suggested that Malawi could significantly increase its forex earnings by 20 to 30 times if more commercial farmers with large landholdings entered the industry and accessed the Chinese market, noting that existing investors are ready to support local farmers in expanding their operations to seize market opportunities. The conference also discussed the investment potential in crops such as macadamia nuts, groundnuts, wheat and maize, highlighting their significant returns. Israeli beauty queen who served on frontlines of war assaulted in NYC by Hamas-loving psycho A beauty queen who has been serving on the front lines of the Israel-Hamas war since the Oct. 7 massacre was assaulted during a pro-Hamas protest in Times Square, The Post has learned. Welcome to New York, Miss Israel. A beauty queen who has been serving on the front lines of the Israel-Hamas war since the Oct. 7 massacre was assaulted during a pro-Hamas protest in Times Square, The Post has learned. Noa Cochva, who was crowned Miss Israel in 2021, was smashed in the face with the butt of a protest placard during the March 30 rally, video showed. Miss Israel, Noa Cochva, was attacked in Times Square by a crazed Hamas supporter. Courtesy of Noa Cochva Cochva, 25, had been in the Big Apple for several weeks speaking and doing advocacy work for Israel and was in Times Square that day with fellow Israel advocates who had come to demonstrate as well. We just saw a huge pro-Palestinian rally, and we wanted to go and do our own thing . . . And then they recognized us when they saw our flag and they threw down our flag . . . and they came down and one of the guys hit me. I had a black eye, I have never had a black eye before, she said. Cochva, who is a combat medic in her homeland, received treatment in an ambulance after the assault. Police on the scene told the beauty queen we cant do anything, she said. I had a black eye, I have never had a black eye before, she said. Courtesy of Noa Cochva I feel like if youre a police officer, and you see a woman get hit in the face, you should probably find the guy because thats your job. After first letting the issue go, she decided to press charges on April 10. After initially saying it had no report on file, the NYPD eventually confirmed the details of the incident to The Post, adding that there had been no arrests and the investigation was ongoing. Noa Cochva said the NYPD had been less than helpful. Courtesy of Noa Cochva Cochva competed in the Miss Universe pageant in 2021, which was held in Eilat, Israel. When shes not cutting ribbons and waving to fans, shes on the front lines serving just outside Gaza treating wounded soldiers. Before the Oct. 7 massacre of Israeli civilians, Cochva, who was trained as a medic during her mandatory military service when she turned 18, had been studying to become a pastry chef. She claims to have treated dozens of IDF soldiers since the war began. When shes not a beauty queen, Noa Cochva is on the front lines of Israels war against Hamas. Courtesy of Noa Cochva Cochva has treated dozens of IDF soldiers since the war began, she said. Brian Zak/NY Post When youre talking with soldiers . . . theres stages that you have to go through to help them to come back to life because their mind is still in Gaza, she said. Shes also treated Hamas terrorists. As a combat medic, you take an oath to swear to save every persons life, no matter if hes an enemy or a loved one, she said. Her service has seen some bright moments too which sometimes come when wounded soldiers, high on painkillers, realize they are being treated by a certified beauty queen. We have a lot of funny comments, Cochva said recalling one soldier in particular. As a battlefield medic Noa Cochva has saved dozens of lives since the war began. Courtesy of Noa Cochva I was treating him. I remember after opening his eyes, he was like, Did I die and go to heaven? Because youre an angel.' Cochva urged Americans not to be taken in by Hamas propaganda often published in sympathetic American media outlets. Theres so many things that Im hearing about people saying there wasnt any rape people saying there is no proof, Cochva said. I dont understand how in 2024 after the MeToo movement that people can actually say that they dont believe women. DUBAI/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's apparent strike on Iran after days of vacillation was small and appeared calibrated to dial back risks of a major war, even if the sheer fact it happened at all shattered a taboo of direct attacks that Tehran broke days earlier. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet had initially approved plans for a strike on Monday night inside Iranian territory to respond forcefully to last Saturday's missile and drones from Iran, but held back at the last-minute, three sources with knowledge of the situation said. By then, the sources said, the three voting members of the war cabinet had already ruled out the most drastic response - a strike on strategic sites including Iran's nuclear facilities whose destruction would almost certainly provoke a wider regional conflict. More: Maps show Israel's reported airstrike on Iran in a back-and-forth between enemies Israel launches strike on Iran Facing cabinet divisions and strong warnings from partners including the United States and in the Gulf not to escalate, and aware of the need to keep international opinion on Israel's side, the plans to hit back were then postponed twice, the sources said. Two war cabinet meetings were also delayed twice, government officials said. Netanyahu's office did not respond to requests for comment for this story. Before the attack, a spokesperson for the government's National Public Diplomacy Directorate cited Netanyahu as saying Israel would defend itself in whatever way it judged appropriate. Reuters spoke to a dozen sources in Israel, Iran and in the Gulf region, as well as the United States, who described six frantic days of efforts in the Gulf, the U.S. and among some of Israel's war planners to limit the response to Iran's first ever direct attack on its arch rival after decades of shadow war. "We warned against the grave danger inherent in further escalation," Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told Reuters, saying a wider regional conflict would have catastrophic consequences and risked diverting global attention from Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. Safadi said his country, which borders Israel, had "made it clear to all it will not be a battleground for Israel and Iran. This firm position was unequivocally delivered to all." Most of the sources asked not to be named to speak about sensitive matters. The eventual strike on Friday appeared to target a Iranian Air Force base near the city of Isfahan, deep inside the country and close enough to nuclear facilities to send a message of Israel's reach but without using airplanes, ballistic missiles, striking any strategic sites or causing major damage. Iran said its defense systems shot down three drones over a base near Isfahan early on Friday. Israel said nothing about the incident. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States had not been involved in any offensive operations, An Iranian official told Reuters there were signs the drones were launched from within Iran by "infiltrators," which could obviate the need for retaliation. A source familiar with western intelligence assessments of the incident also said initial evidence suggested Israel launched drones from inside Iranian territory. Iran's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. "Israel tried to calibrate between the need to respond and a desire not to enter into a cycle of action and counter reaction that would just escalate endlessly," said Itamar Rabinovich, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington. He described the situation as a dance, with both parties signaling to each other their intentions and next steps. "There is huge relief across the Gulf region. It looks like the attack was limited and proportionate and caused limited damage. I see it a de-esclation," veteran Saudi analyst Abdelrahman al-Rashed told Reuters. Biden calls Israeli leaders The decision to hold back from broader and immediate action this week underlined the competing pressures on Netanyahu's government in the aftermath of the more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles fired by Iran on Saturday night. As Iran's barrage unfolded, two members of the war cabinet, Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, both former armed forces commanders, wanted to respond straight away before agreeing to hold off following a call with U.S. President Joe Biden and in the face of differing views from other ministers, two Israeli officials with knowledge of the situation said. A spokesman for Gantz, a centrist who joined Netanyahu's emergency government following the Hamas-led attack on Israel last October, did not respond to a request for comment. The U.S. State Department declined to comment to questions about Israel's decision-making. Washington was working to de-escalate tensions, Blinken said on Friday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Aryeh Deri, the head of one of the ultra Orthodox parties in Netanyahu's coalition, who has observer status in the war cabinet and who has generally been wary of drastic moves, was firmly opposed to an immediate strike against Iran, which he believed could endanger the people of Israel given the risk of escalation, a spokesperson for his party said. "We should also be listening to our partners, to our friends in the world. I say this clearly: I see no shame or weakness in doing so," Deri told the "Haderech" newspaper. Israel's options ranged from strikes on strategic Iranian facilities, including nuclear sites or Revolutionary Guards bases, to covert operations, targeted assassinations and cyber attacks on strategic industrial plants and nuclear facilities, analysts and former officials in Israel have said. Gulf countries had been increasingly worried the situation would spill into "a grave regional conflagration which might be beyond anyones control or ability to contain," said Abdelaziz al-Sagher, head of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had publicly called for maximum "self-restraint" to spare the region from a wider war. Sagher said Gulf countries had warned the United States of the risk of escalation, arguing Israel should conduct only a limited attack without casualties or significant damage that could provoke a major reprisal. This messaging "was relayed forcefully" in the last few days by the Jordanians, Saudis, and Qataris through direct security and diplomatic channels, one senior regional intelligence source said. The governments of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE did not immediately respond to requests for comment. By Thursday, four diplomatic and government sources in the region were expressing confidence that the response would be limited and proportionate. Ahead of the overnight Israeli strike, one regional source, who had been briefed on Israel's thinking, said the response would aim to minimize or completely avoid casualties and was likely to target a military base. Flying F-35 fighter jets from Israel to Iran, or launching missiles from Israel would almost certainly violate the airspace of neighboring countries, angering Arab states who Netanyahu has long sought to cultivate as strategic allies, said a Gulf government source with knowledge of the issues. He couldn't "just fly F-35 fighter jets across the region and bomb Iran or its nuclear sites," the source said. Iranian officials had warned a major Israeli attack would trigger immediate retaliation. Iran's options to respond included shutting down the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes, urging proxies to hit Israeli or U.S. interests, and deploying previously unused missiles, a senior Iranian official said. While satisfying Israel's moderates at home, its neighbors and international partners, the measured strike, when it came, was met with dismay from hardliners in Netanyahu's cabinet. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, whose ultranationalist party is a key prop in Netanyahu's coalition, posted a single word on X, Feeble." Additional reporting by Reuters reporter, Dan Williams and Andrew MacAskill in Jerusalem, Suleiman Al-Khalidi in Amman, Maha El Dahan in Dubai, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis and Steve Holland in Washington This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel's Iran attack dialed back after pressure from US A woman walks past La Tienda Mexicana in Whitewater, Wis., on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Whitewater has seen a wave of migration from the southern border of Mexico. City officials estimate that there are about 800 to 1,000 migrants from Nicaragua and Venezuela living in Whitewater. An earlier version of this article was published in the On the Trail 2024 newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox on Tuesday and Friday mornings here. To submit a question to next weeks Friday Mailbag, email onthetrail@deseretnews.com. Hello, friends. If you want to watch something inspirational, heres a clip from the Vaticans resident astronomer, explaining why hes both a man of science and of faith. 3 things to know Trump-Kennedy 2024? Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed this week that Donald Trumps emissaries asked him to be the former presidents VP. Several sources told me that those conversations occurred as recently as last week and a call between Kennedy and Trump to discuss was in the works, before Kennedy backed out. Read more here. The great debate question: Will Trump and Joe Biden appear on a stage together this year? Trump keeps challenging Biden to debate, and Biden is noncommittal. The Atlantics David Frum argues that Biden shouldnt normalize Trump by debating him; the Deseret News editorial board says America needs a debate from the two major-party candidates. Both opinions are worth considering. Read Deserets here. Will Trump endorse in the Utah Senate race to replace Mitt Romney? The verdicts out. But several people in Trumps orbit including Kari Lake and Tommy Tuberville are moving to endorse Riverton mayor Trent Staggs. Read more here. The Big Idea Debunking the migrant crime myth A few weeks ago, I attended a Trump rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The focus of my visit was to write about the religious ritual of the rally the praying, the pleas for divine guidance, the Christian iconography. You can read more about that here. But my ears perked up midway through Trumps speech when he began talking about immigration. Id driven to Green Bay from Whitewater, Wisconsin, a small town in the southern part of the state, where Id spent several days writing about the growth of the immigration population there. In many ways, it felt like a microcosm of Americas current immigration debate, with all the common actors: concerned law enforcement, pent-up politicians, kind-hearted locals, and of course, the immigrants themselves. Whitewater, population 15,000, has welcomed somewhere between 800 and 1,000 new immigrants over the last few years, and the city has been, in many ways, a hallmark of handling the challenges of immigration in productive, humane ways. But Whitewater has also become a political lightning rod. During Trumps speech, I was surprised to hear Trump mention the town by name. Look no further than the small town of Whitewater, Wisconsin, he said. Their police force is being diverted from traffic stops to migrant crime our favorite term, migrant crime. Its a new category of crime. There were a few issues with Trumps claims. Much of what he said about Whitewater wasnt true, several community organizers told me. Even his pronouncement about the rise of crime in the city is questionable. I have a full story on Whitewaters immigration surge, and what it says about the larger border debate, coming on Monday. Today, I want to dive a bit deeper on Trumps idea of migrant crime across the country. Over the past few months, weve seen a number of high-profile crimes committed by immigrants. In January, two New York police officers were assaulted outside of a migrant shelter. In February, a University of Georgia student, Laken Riley, was murdered by an undocumented immigrant. And earlier this month, a man who was in the country illegally killed a U.S. Senate adviser in a car wreck. All of these horrible incidents have received prominent space in the news. Trump mentions them in his speeches; Biden, too, spoke about Rileys death in his State of the Union. Often, they are used to conflate increased immigration with increased crime, suggesting that immigrants are more likely to be criminals. Many Americans believe this: A plurality think that immigrants make the U.S. economy and crime worse, but improve our food, art and music. When it comes to immigrants and crime, the data doesnt support this. Social science literature has long held that immigrants are less, not more, likely to commit crime in the U.S. (Remember that an immigration violation is a civil, not criminal, offense.) A recent Stanford University study looking at data since 1880, found that immigrant groups consistently had much lower incarceration rates than the native-born population. Today, immigrants are 30% less likely to be imprisoned than white Americans; when Black Americans are included, immigrants are 60% less likely. A study from the libertarian Cato Institute backs this up: In Texas, immigrants regardless of their legal status are half as likely to be convicted of crime than their native-born counterparts. While much has been made of immigrant crime in major U.S. cities this year, the data there is lacking, too. NBC News reviewed 2024 crime data from each of the major cities targeted by Texas Gov. Greg Abbots Operation Lone Star, which transported migrants from the border to Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. In each of those cities but D.C., crime is down year over year. Nationwide, the homicide rate has plummeted since 2020, even as immigration levels are at record highs. No matter how the data is measured at the individual, neighborhood, city, state or national level more immigration corresponds with lower crime. For those who are still skeptical, consider this: Second-generation immigrants have even higher crime rates than their parents meaning, when immigrants have children in the U.S., those childrens crime rates catch up to the native-born rate. Its the dark side of assimilation. Why is this? Thats the question that social scientists are trying to answer. Its possible that undocumented immigrants, for fear of deportation or other immigration enforcement acts, are more vigilant than native-born Americans in avoiding criminal activity. Some point to the culture in immigrants home countries; others suggest a self-selecting process inherent by the immigrants who are drawn to the U.S. Whatever the case may be, the data is clear: Immigrants are less likely to commit crime than native-born Americans. That says nothing about the economic or social benefits of immigration only that the claims that migrant crime is disproportionately sweeping the country are likely misguided. Weekend reads Two sides of your coins: Is the American economy bad or good? Or, perhaps better asked, are the people responding to constant polling that show widespread discontent with the U.S. economy misinformed? Thats the case that Jonathan Chait makes here, and argues perhaps with a touch of arrogance that people just believe things that arent true. (More here: Paul Krugman Is Right About the Economy, and the Polls Are Wrong New York Magazine.) But the Financial Times editorial board digs into the data, and suggests that the economy isnt in tip-top shape: Unemployment may be down, but more Americans are working multiple jobs; the cost of living is up; consumer spending numbers are being propped up by the wealthiest Americans: Americas robust national economy hides its weak spots (Financial Times). Trumps social media company, Truth Social, went public last month. Ever since, its stock has been plummeting. Thats led some investors including longtime Trump supporters to waver. Others are stalwart as ever: This isnt just another stock to me, one said. I feel like it was God Almighty that put it in my lap. Small-time investors in Trumps Truth Social reckon with stock collapse (Drew Harwell, The Washington Post). Will Ukraine and Israel get more U.S. aid, at critical junctures in both wars? The House is set to vote on aid packages, and Biden made an impassioned plea for both in an op-ed this week. There are moments in history that call for leadership and courage, Biden wrote. This is one of them. Moment of Truth on Ukraine and Israel (Joe Biden, The Wall Street Journal). See you on the trail. Editors Note: The Deseret News is committed to covering issues of substance in the 2024 presidential race from its unique perspective and editorial values. Our team of political reporters will bring you in-depth coverage of the most relevant news and information to help you make an informed decision. Find our complete coverage of the election here. Picasso in 1966 at his home in Mougins, where Marcello Santelia's father is recorded as having visited him in 1955 - TONY VACCARO/GETTY IMAGES Paintings and drawings said to be previously unseen works by Pablo Picasso and worth more than 150 million are at the centre of a bitter legal dispute over their authenticity. An Italian businessman with links to the UK is being taken to court in Italy accused of trying to pass off fake works as genuine, in what could be one of the most sensational art fraud cases in years. Prosecutors in Rome brought the charges against Marcello Santelia after he tried to obtain an export licence for the sale of one of the works. Mr Santelia, 76, vigorously denies the accusations, maintaining that the 36 paintings and drawings are genuine Picassos which he inherited from his father Giovanni, an art dealer and friend of the artist. Marcello Santelia, who insists his collection is of genuine Picassos Prosecutors at Romes central court, the Tribunale di Roma, will seek to prove that Mr Santelia committed fraud by knowingly trying to sell a fake work when the case opens on Monday. They launched their investigation into the authenticity of the collection after he tried to sell one of the pieces, a portrait of Picassos lover and muse Dora Maar with the title Dora Maar con cappello [with hat]. If genuine, such a painting by Picasso would be expected to fetch several million pounds at auction. But questions were raised over its provenance and authenticity after Mr Santelia applied to the Italian authorities for an export licence to take it out of the country for auction in London. Mr Santelia, who ran a construction company in Worcester before moving back to his native Italy, will call a number of expert witnesses in his defence to testify as to the authenticity of the works, which are said to have been produced by Picasso between 1943 and 1956. It is understood the Picasso Administration, the Paris-based body which holds the rights to all of the artists work, will give evidence for the prosecution. Picasso surrounded by artworks at his home in Mougins - GJON MILI/LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES Salvatore Nocera, Mr Santelias solicitor, told The Telegraph: My client is accused of falsifying the work of Picasso, but we have proof that these works are real. They are 36 drawings, prints and oil paintings that Marcello Santelia inherited from his father Giovanni, who was an art dealer who knew Picasso. Giovanni Santelia received the pieces from Picasso himself. Marcello Santelia wanted to export one of the works, a painting of Dora Maar, and sought to obtain an export licence for it. But the prosecutors intervened and after an investigation declared it to be a fake, along with the others. We dispute this. Mr Nocera says evidence will be presented in court showing that the works have been authenticated after being scientifically examined by experts. One of them will be Professor Alberto Bravo, an Italian expert in graphology and handwriting who is expected to testify as to the authenticity of the Picasso signatures on the works. Diarist wrote of visit to Picasso home Mr Santelia was the director of Worcester-based building firm Radnage Construction from 2014 until the firm was dissolved three years later. He now lives in the town of Nocera Inferiore, in southern Italys Campania region. It is understood his father Giovanni is said to have brought the works back to the family home in Nocera Inferiore after buying them from Picasso, a friend of his, at some point during the 1950s. The diary of one English traveller, Pete Smith, records a visit Giovanni Santelia paid to Picassos home in Mougins, south east France, during Christmas 1955. On Dec 13 that year, Smith wrote in his diary: Rogers to collect Santelia Giovanni en-route to meeting Pablo [Picasso] in Mougins for Christmas. The following day he recorded that Picasso gave his guests some of his work, writing: Arrive Mougins with Roger, Santelia Giovanni and Pablo. As always he has pictures for all of us to take home. A painting of Picasso's lover and muse, Dora Maar, sold in 2006 for $85m. The painting which sparked the investigation is also said to have Maar as its subject - PETER FOLEY/EPA A London-based associate of Mr Santelia said: These are very significant works of art which Picasso sold to Marcellos father Giovanni, who brought them back to Italy. Until now they have remained in his private collection. The most expensive Picasso painting ever sold at auction is Les Femmes dAlger (Version O) (1955), which generated a record 143 million at Christies in 2015. Frederick Mulder, a London-based art dealer who specialises in Picasso prints, said: If these works are indeed authentic Picassos they would be of great significance for admirers and collectors everywhere. Picasso produced many prints in his lifetime, but there would be huge interest - particularly in any paintings among the collection. 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. Firefighters battled a restaurant fire in southwest Atlanta, according to officials. A spokesperson for the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department says they were called to 226 Northside Drive SW around 11:30 a.m. The address points to Dat Fire Jerk Chicken, a Jamaican restaurant. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Firefighters say when they arrived, they could see heavy flames coming from the building and began fighting the fire from the exterior. They were able to contain the fire to the front of the building. Northside Drive was shut down in the area as they fought the fire. TRENDING STORIES: Fire officials say there have been no reports of injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Jamaican Rum Brand Wray & Nephew Launches Fund To Support Black Businesses | Photo: vesi_127 via Getty Images Wray & Nephew, the Jamaican rum owned by Italian liquor brand Campari has launched a new grant program to support Black business owners living in the UK. In the past several months, diversity and inclusion has been a hot topic in the UKs beverage industry. Wray & Nephew has created a new funding initiative, which was added to Wray Forward, the brands professional development assistance effort, according to The Drinks Business. The program was founded in partnership with Foundervine, a company that believes in backing Black business by making resources that are fundamental to any start-up enterprise accessible to entrepreneurs of color living in underprivileged communities. Black founders face numerous limitations, including restricted access to capital, networks and opportunities, Izzy Obeng, co-founder of Foundervine, said in an interview with The Drinsk Business. In 2024, were aiming to help more Black founders and entrepreneurs by breaking down these barriers and providing tailored support and resources. Were delighted to be working with Wray & Nephew to equip Black founders with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape successfully. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Foundervine (@foundervine) There will be three pricing tiers for winners with the highest amount offered to be $3198, the second-highest $1,599 and the final grant being $532. Small business owners will have the opportunity to win these grants through an evening series Wray Forward will host called Pitch Nights, where founders have the chance to network and collaborate to scale their organizations. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Foundervine (@foundervine) In addition to finding an inclusive community of like-minded people, grant and program participants can attend the nine Building Business Workshops of their choice that have experts sharing information in the areas of personal branding, securing partnerships, having a law-abiding business and more. According to data discovered by done by the Greater London Authority, Black-owned businesses only make up 4% of businesses in the UK even though they employ over 70,000 citizens per Foundervine. Furthermore, Wray & Nephew did research that concluded 68% of Black founders feel there arent many resources extended to them on their independent practice journey, and that 1:5 entrepreneurs of color have uphill battles when it comes to fundraising reported The Drinks Business. Story continues The Drinks Trust, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the Wine and Spirit Trade Association are teaming up with the Equity Diversity & Inclusion sector in the drink industry to ensure advancements are being made. To learn more about the work Way Forward is doing, visit the website. Jeezy Monaco Jeannie Mai, Jeezy Monaco Jeannie Mai custody, who has custody of Jeezy daughter?, Jeannie Mai custody, Jeezy custody, Jeezy Jeannie Mai divorce, Jeezy divorce, Doed Jeezy have custody of his daughter?, Who has custody of Jeannie Mai daughter? theGrio.com The rapper claims that Mai has blocked FaceTime calls from his number and prevented him from any significant parenting with their 2-year-old daughter. Jeezy does not want primary custody of his daughter with estranged wife Jeannie Mai. Legal documents obtained by People magazine show that the rapper real name Jay Wayne Jenkins is seeking to share joint legal custody and joint physical custody of the minor child and that the specific parenting time schedule be determined by the Court consistent with the best interest of the minor child. Jeezy claimed he and Mai put an informal custody plan in place last year, but it fell apart at the start of 2024. He alleges his estranged wife has since blocked FaceTime calls from his number and says he hasnt had any significant parenting with their daughter. Back in October 2019, before they wed and eventually split, happy couple Jeannie Mai (left) and Jeezy Jenkins attend the Tyler Perry Studios grand opening gala in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo: Paul R. Giunta/Getty Images) The rapper said he agreed to move to the basement of their shared home when they separated. However, he claimed Mai has since moved out of their house with Monaco, and he is unaware of where their child currently resides. According to People, Jeezy claimed that Mais travel schedule isnt suitable for Monaco, noting that the media personality enlisted her mother and brother to care for their daughter most of the time. He accused his estranged spouse of withholding his time with Monaco for nearly two months. Jeezy claimed he was only able to exercise parenting time with the minor child overnight from April 8 to April 9 in Dallas, where he noticed Monaco was lethargic, appeared to be exhausted, and seemed to be underweight. Recommended Stories Jeezy previously claimed that Mai was gatekeeping their daughter and preventing him from spending enough time with her. However, Mai denied the allegations, claiming she was concerned for Monacos safety. It is essential to clarify that Ms. Jenkins insistence on reasonable safety measures being put in place, such as safely securing and locking away all firearms that have been unsecured in the past, Mais attorney shared in a subsequent filing, theGrio reported, as well as having familiarity and properly trained caregivers is absolutely not gatekeeping, but rather a responsible effort to prioritize their daughters well-being. Prior to last weeks filing, the rapper requested a judge to address temporary custodial arrangements between him and Mai. Never miss a beat:Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post Jeezy walks back custody demands amid divorce with Jeannie Mai appeared first on TheGrio. Jeffries: Biden not weighing in on whether Democrats should save Johnson Jeffries: Biden not weighing in on whether Democrats should save Johnson House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Friday the White House is not advising Democratic leaders on whether to save Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from a conservative coup if one emerges. A number of Democrats are already on record saying theyd help keep Johnson in power if his hard-line detractors try to topple him over frustrations with his bipartisan deal-making a Democratic rescue mission Jeffries has acknowledged, though without endorsing it himself. On Friday, Jeffries said President Biden has not weighed in on the issue. Asked if that means the White House is leaving the decision entirely up to House Democrats, Jeffries didnt hesitate. Thats correct, he said. And that was also the case in October of last year a reference to the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), which was supported by every voting Democrat. The Democrats approach to Johnson has been different. After Johnson was threatened by conservatives for cutting deals with Biden on federal spending and government surveillance, a number of Democrats said theyd vote to save the Speaker if one of those hard-liners brings a removal resolution to the floor. Their stipulation? He would have to usher a foreign aid package including billions of dollars for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and humanitarian aid in Gaza through the House, where it has been stuck for months. This week, Johnson brushed aside his conservative critics to champion that foreign aid legislation, which advanced through the House on Friday and is expected to win final passage on Saturday with broad bipartisan support. Its unclear if Johnsons decision to defy his right flank will result in a bid to remove his gavel. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has already introduced a motion to vacate resolution, which has the support of two additional Republicans: Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Paul Gosar (Ariz.). But Greene has not said when or even if she intends to force a vote on the measure. Complicating her decision, former President Trump recently endorsed Johnsons performance as Speaker, saying hes doing a very good job. And a number of Johnsons other conservative critics are opposing the Speakers removal, citing the absence of a clear-cut successor and the political perils of launching an internal leadership battle so close to Novembers elections, when control of the House is up for grabs. Still, with the fate of the foreign aid legislation still to be decided, there remains a chance that Greene or another hardliner might push a motion to vacate resolution to the floor. Jeffries, in recent months, has predicted there are enough Democrats willing to swoop in and table that resolution that Johnson would survive the coup attempt. Jeffries has characterized his prediction as an observation, not a declaration a statement he reiterated on Friday. And he emphasized that any final decisions on a motion to vacate strategy would be made only after a rigorous conversation with the House Democratic Caucus. But first things first, he said. We still have to get the national security bills over the finish line. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Jeffries hopes Supreme Court will have compassion in case that could criminalize homelessness The House minority leader told theGrio it would not be a shock to anyone if the high court ruled against unhoused Americans, who are disproportionately Black and brown. Next week, the U.S. Supreme Court will take up a case that will determine whether to criminalize unhoused people for sleeping on the street. TheGrio caught up with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., following his weekly press conference on Friday. He told theGrio, It would not be a shock to anyone if the conservative majority decided to criminalize homelessness. The New York congressman said the Supreme Court has already stripped reproductive freedom from the women of America and detonated affirmative action. Jeffries added that by doing so, the court is undermining the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our society. However, the House Minority leader hopes the justices will have compassion and make a decision that aligns with the desire of most Americans. If the court decided to criminalize the unhoused population it would have devastating effects on Black and brown people. In a previous interview with theGrio, Donald Whitehead Jr., executive director for the National Coalition for the Homeless, said white men make up the largest demographic of the unhoused community. However, Black and brown people are disproportionately impacted by homelessness. African Americans make up 13% of the general population and make up around 40% of the homeless population, said Whitehead. FILE Sotero Cirilo stands near the tent where he sleeps next to other homeless people in the Queens borough of New York on April 14, 2021. The City Council unanimously approved a Homeless Bill of Rights in April 2023 that would make New York the first big U.S. city to establish an explicit right to sleep in at least some public places. If Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, allows the measure to become law, it could be a notable departure for the city which has for years sent police and sanitation crews to clear homeless encampments as they arise. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) The majority-conservative court will hear oral arguments on Monday in the case of Grant Pass v. Johnson. The justices will answer the legal question of whether cities across the nation are engaging in cruel and unusual punishment and subsequently infringing on unhoused individuals Eighth Amendment rights by controlling where they sleep. In 2023, members of the homeless community filed a class action complaint against the city of Grant Pass, located in Oregon. The plaintiffs argued the city has enforced unconstitutional ordinances that mandate when and where they can rest. The ordinances in question prohibit unhoused individuals from using cardboard boxes, pillows, or blankets while sleeping on public streets, sidewalks, or alleyways at any time. The law also forbids those experiencing homelessness from sleeping in their cars in a parking lot for two or more hours between midnight and 6 a.m. A district court originally took on the case and issued a permanent injunction to bar the city from enforcing the ordinances during certain times of the day and at certain locations in the city, The city appealed the injunction, yet the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the lower courts ruling. As a result, the city of Grant Pass petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court, which granted certiorari. U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., told theGrio that it would be inhumane if the court ruled to criminalize the unhoused population. U.S. Supreme Court members are shown in Oct. 2022: (back row, from left) Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, (front row, from left) Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. and Associate Justice Elena Kagan. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP) It would capture how our democracy is continuing to be degraded by fascist far-right wing Supreme Court looking to maintain the caste system in America, said Bowman. Instead of building more homes, were putting more people in jail. On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., held a press conference in front of the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to urge the justices not to criminalize homelessness. Bush told theGrio that if the court rules against unhoused individuals it will send a message that their lives dont matter and that they are less than the rest of society simply because they dont have a house. She told reporters that increasing housing and making housing affordable is the right solution, not criminal punishment. U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., agreed with Bush. She told theGrio that affordable housing is necessary to quell homelessness and that despite what critics say, shelters are not always the solution. Sometimes shelters arent available and some arent safe, said Bonamici. She added that is why it is important to have services available to ensure that people are safe and secure. Congresswoman Bush said that in the event the court renders an unfavorable decision in a few months, she and other members of Congress will continue to work with nonprofit organizations to come up with a solution to protect the unhoused population. Recommended Stories Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post Jeffries hopes Supreme Court will have compassion in case that could criminalize homelessness appeared first on TheGrio. New Jersey man charged with tying up 7-Eleven employee at knifepoint, robbing 2 locations A New Jersey man is facing charges of kidnapping and robbery after tying up a 7-Eleven employee and stealing from two separate locations this month, the Bergen County prosecutor said Friday. The first incident occurred on April 8, when Tymear Haskins, 23, of Wallington, allegedly gained entry to a 7-Eleven at 358 Main Ave., armed with a large knife. Haskins reportedly confronted an employee who was outside the store and had him convince his co-worker to open a locked side door, prosecutors said. Once inside the store, the suspect restrained one employee with a cord and ultimately confined the other employee to a back office. The suspect threatened to kill the worker if he didnt comply. After fleeing the scene with roughly $2,300, Haskins turned up at another 7-Eleven location less than two weeks later, on April 17. Armed again with a large knife, Haskins reportedly entered the store at 11-13 Central Ave., in Passaic, and demanded the employee hand him money from the cash register. He then fled the scene in what police later determined was a vehicle previously reported stolen in Paterson. Haskins was brought into custody Thursday after Wallington Police and the Bergen County Special Investigations Squad located the vehicle at an apartment building where Haskins lived. He was subsequently charged with first-degree kidnapping, two counts of first-degree armed robbery and four counts involving unlawful possession of a weapon, among other charges. Haskins was remanded to Bergen County Jail, pending an initial court appearance in Hackensack. Law enforcement on Friday also announced the arrest of 24-year-old Devon Delgado, of Lodi, and charged him with third-degree hindering for allegedly helping Haskins remove and dispose of the license plates from the stolen car. He was released on his own recognizance, prosecutors said. PHNOM PENH, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodia-China cultural tourism exhibition is scheduled to be held in the northern part of Bayon Temple in Cambodia's famed Angkor Archaeological Park, said the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism in a statement released on Saturday. Interspersed with the event to take place at the cultural site located in Cambodia's northwestern Siem Reap Province will be a joint martial arts show titled "When Shaolin Meets Bokator at Angkor Event", according to the statement. Organized by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Siem Reap Province and China's Henan Province, the exhibition serves as part of the implementation of the Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year 2024, it added. "The event aims to jointly promote tourism between Siem Reap province and Henan province, featuring a joint performance between Shaolin and Bokator," the statement said. The ministry said it is confident that the event will contribute to attracting more Chinese people to visit and invest in Cambodia, and to the successful implementation of the Visit Siem Reap 2024 campaign and the Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year 2024. The Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year 2024 was launched in January, aiming to further deepen the friendship between the two peoples. Cambodian Tourism Minister Sok Soken said the Southeast Asian country received 5.4 million international tourists, including some 540,000 Chinese tourists, in 2023. "I'm strongly confident that the Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year 2024 will become a new driving force to attract more Chinese tourists and investors to Cambodia, contributing further to deepening the bonds of friendship between the peoples of the two countries," he said. Convicted killer Robert Durst reminded The Jinx director Andrew Jarecki of someone else prone to lying: former US president Donald Trump. Jarecki spoke to The Independent ahead of the release of The Jinx Part Two, the sequel to his 2015 hit series about the multiple murder allegations against realty heir Durst, which is set to air on Max this Sunday. In the first series, Durst lies to Jarecki about being in Madrid in order to get out of an interview, although it later transpires he was in Los Angeles. Bob is like a Trump in that way, hes very good at dodging something, Jarecki said. The Germans have this word Blitzluge a lightning lie something you can pull in a second. And so I know Bob was sitting in a restaurant in Los Angeles, listening to some Spanish music and said: Im sorry I cant do the interview, Im in Madrid. Trump, 77, is currently facing criminal trial in New York City over charges of falsifying business records to conceal payments to an adult film star ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Robert Durst (left) and Donald Trump (Getty Images) Dursts conviction in 2021 for the 2000 murder of his best friend Susan Berman was partially brought about thanks to The Jinx. While wearing a microphone for the series, Durst was caught unwittingly telling himself in the bathroom: What did I do? Killed them all, of course. Less than 24 hours before The Jinx finale aired, Durst was arrested on first-degree murder charges relating to the death of Berman. The millionaire was first suspected of killing his wife, Kathleen Durst, after her mysterious disappearance in 1982; though, her body has never been found. In 2001, he was arrested for the murder of his neighbour Morris Black only to be acquitted of all charges after claiming he acted in self-defence. In January 2022, Durst died aged 78 of a cardiac arrest after just four months in prison, having suffered a litany of medical issues. The Jinx Part Two looks at the aftermath of the documentary becoming a national news story in 2015, through to Dursts eventual conviction and death. The Jinx Part Two will air in the US on Sunday 21 April at 10 pm ET/PT, with new episodes debuting weekly on HBO and streaming on Max. UK viewers can watch weekly episodes exclusively on Sky Documentaries and NOW from Monday 22 April. John Chapman to stand trial beginning Monday for the murder of Jaime Feden Jury selection gets underway on Monday in federal court in Las Vegas for the murder trial of John Chapman. It was a case that captivated the Pittsburgh area and made headlines around the country. Nearly five years ago, 33-year-old Bethel Park woman, Jaime Feden was found murdered in the Nevada desert, about an hour and a half from the hustle and bustle of the Las Vegas strip. >> Timeline of Bethel Park womans disappearance, mans alleged confession of her murder Her body was found tied to a signpost in the desert off of U.S. Route 93, by a dad and his son, who were returning home from an antiquing trip on Oct. 5, 2019. The body was considered a Jane Doe at the time. >> What you need to know about Bethel Park womans death, man charged in her disappearance In mid-November, neighbors of Feden, on Timberidge Drive in Bethel Park, filed a missing persons report. They said not only had they not seen Jaime Feden in roughly two months, but they noticed a man going in and out of her townhouse. Friends also grew increasingly concerned when they believed someone who wasnt Jaime, was sending them messages from her social media account. That day, a welfare check was done at Fedens townhouse and what investigators found was troubling enough that they arrested John Chapman. Inside that townhouse, there was no sign of Feden, but Chapman was pretending the townhouse was his and he had what federal prosecutors called a kill kit, including a backpack with duct tape, zip ties, Fedens cell phone and fake law enforcement badges. The next morning, Nov. 15, at 6 a.m., Chapmans then-wife, Maureen Chapman said she was woken up to a phone call from Chapman in a holding cell at the Bethel Park Police Department. >> Ex-wife of man suspected of murdering Bethel Park woman in 2019 speaks out He said, Hon, I murdered a woman, because I had to, Maureen told us. >> Man who allegedly confessed to local womans murder now saying he didnt do it Maureen said Chapman told her a woman was missing and police were going to frame him for kidnapping and murder. What she didnt know is that two months earlier, in late September, Chapman was accused of tricking Feden into believing she was his girlfriend. Federal prosecutors say he took her to Vegas under the guise of a house-hunting trip and photoshoot in the desert. Maureen said she was told Chapman was going to Vegas on a work trip. He took her truck, which became evidence in a federal murder trial and was impounded, leaving Maureen without a vehicle. On Nov. 22, 2019, Fedens body was identified through dental records. This came nearly two months to the day from the time investigators believed she was murdered. >> Who is Jaime Feden: Bethel Park woman who was kidnapped, killed in Nevada desert Now, after nearly five years of COVID-19 and court delays, Chapman will stand trial beginning Monday. 11 Investigates will be in the courtroom when family, Bethel Park Police detectives and exs of Chapman, testify. Maureen is expected to be the prosecutions star witness. His confession is probably the only thing I do believe, Maureen tells 11 Investigates. Neighbors of Feden will be watching closely, including Jean DiDolce. She believes the death penalty should be on the table. >> Man indicted in death of Bethel Park woman Jaime Feden That man should never breathe another breath, DiDolce said. Because that was sickening. And to do it to someone who couldnt help themselves - just, no. Feden had a rare disease called VATER syndrome, which affected her development. She was 4 feet, 1 inch tall and 75 pounds. DiDolce says she believes Chapman targeted her because of her disability. Absent from the courtroom is ex-wife Kelly Murray. She will not be testifying but says shell be watching closely, for Jaime. I want him to admit the truth, Murray said. The truth about everything. >> Trial date set for John Chapman, suspect in murder of Jaime Feden Federal public defenders are representing Chapman. Its not clear who, if anyone, will testify for the defense. The entire trial is scheduled to last two weeks. 11 Investigates will be there as folks from the Pittsburgh area take the stand and testify in a case thats nearly five years in the making. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: American Idol alum and Grammy award winner Mandisa dead at 47 according to reports Primanti Bros. offering 2 cent sandwiches in recognition of Coolest Thing Made in Pa. repeat win Pittsburgh tow truck driver accused of charging 27 customers nearly $300K for short-trip tows VIDEO: Sewickley Bridge to close for 10 days DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Speaker Mike Johnson ultimately succeeded in passing foreign aid Saturday, after months of fierce infighting over sending additional funds to Ukraine. Whether he can survive a looming effort to boot him from the speakership still remains to be seen. Johnson had plowed ahead with the votes to send money to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan despite rising conservative anger passing every part of the foreign aid plan with widespread Democratic help. Some Republicans are openly entertaining the idea of backing the ouster threat led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), but those already backing the effort opted to wait on triggering the vote. Instead, they indicated members should go back home and hear from their constituents. That could go two ways for Johnson. Tempers could cool as lawmakers return to their districts for a week and focus on their constituents and reelection bids. Or members, particularly in deep-red districts, hear more from an angry base prompting more members to entertain action against Johnson. Greene and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, the second Republican to back ousting Johnson, are betting its the latter. And they reiterated their promises on Saturday that Johnson will ultimately face a choice: resign or face a referendum. The pressure is already building, Massie said after the slew of votes Saturday. It's going to be inevitable, especially now that he's chosen his path with the Democrats. Like once you go there, it's hard to go back. Despite the intense fury among conservatives, some say they still wont support the so-called motion to vacate. But if Johnson gets booted and goes for the gavel again, or tries to run to lead the GOP again next term, they said they wouldnt support his bid. I'm so furious, said Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who took particular issue with House Democrats waving Ukrainian flags on the floor as that aid bill passed. This whole bill package is an absolute sham and disgusting, and I blame Speaker Mike Johnson for that bill even being on the floor. I will never support Speaker Mike Johnson as speaker again. That's for certain, she added. The vote on Ukraine became so contentious that some Republicans, also taking umbrage with the Ukraine flags on the House floor, started to boo them. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) ran up to a microphone to tell her colleagues across the aisle: Put those damn flags away. In a further sign of rising tensions, lawmakers lingered in the chamber after votes on the foreign aid package closed anxious to see if Greene or Massie would move to trigger an attempt to oust Johnson or force other protest votes. Members of the House Freedom Caucus also huddled in the center of the chamber following the vote, but ultimately did not call for additional votes. Johnson, meanwhile, defended his strategy on the foreign funding package after the votes, once again brushing off the threat from members of his right flank to try to strip him of his gavel. I dont walk around this building being worried about motion to vacate. I have to do my job. We did. Ive done here what Ive believed to be the right thing, Johnson said. You do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may. And other GOP colleagues praised Johnsons bravery, indicating they hope Democrats will show him some goodwill meaning, help protect his speakership for ignoring his conservative critics and passing foreign aid. I'm so proud of Mike Johnson for being brave and for allowing us to vote on some really important issues today. So I would hope that the Democrats will continue to do the right thing, said centrist Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.). We've seen him come a long way. To me, it is a true profile in courage to put the interests of the nation above his own himself and his career, said Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas), whose bill was among those that passed Saturday. It was a gutsy call, but he knew it was the right thing. My stock in him went way up. Still, Johnson is in a precarious position. If Greene triggers a vote, he will need Democrats to protect him. And even if they do, the GOP rebels could try to oust him multiple times, forcing the minority party to decide if they would continue to save him. House Democrats didnt discuss the motion to vacate during their caucus meeting before the vote Saturday, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has indicated theyd meet as a party to discuss a course of action if it comes up. But many Democrats are likely to back Johnson against the ouster threat now that the foreign aid package has sailed through the House. I think [Greene] is a paper tiger, quipped Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.). We did the right thing today and we did it together, said Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). Thats a good sign for going forward if we continue to do that. We can't allow a small, willful, nihilistic group to impede the ability of the House of Representatives to do business. Other House Republicans, meanwhile, said they arent holding their breath on Democratic assistance. They feel theyve seen this film before with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. I've kind of given up on those guys seems like they're willing to help the country as long as it doesn't help the Republicans, said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.). But Johnson will have to rely on at least some Democratic votes, especially with the imminent departure of Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), who was slated to resign from Congress on Friday but opted to stay a day later to vote on the foreign aid bills. With Gallagher gone, Johnson can only afford to lose one of his own members on an ouster vote before needing help across the aisle. Several Republicans havent yet said how they would handle such a vote, meaning that the conservative band of rebels could grow before Greene brings up her resolution. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), who flirted with trying to oust Johnson earlier this year, declined to say how he would handle an ejection attempt, but didnt pull punches on Johnsons handling of the foreign aid package. The votes today were a disaster, he said. There are a lot of people around the country who are very frustrated with what transpired this week. Nicholas Wu and Anthony Adragna contributed to this report. The University of Southern California has chosen to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this years [commencement] ceremony, which is set to take place May 10. This includes Wicked director Jon M. Chu, who was slated as commencement speaker, and honorary degree recipients Billie Jean King, Maria Rosario Jackson and Marcia McNutt. In a memo released Friday, USC said the decision was made to keep the focus on our graduatesGiven the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program, university leadership has decided it is best to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this years ceremony. More from Variety The statement continued, It is important that our full attention be on our remarkable graduates. We will be celebrating their accomplishments in a way that reflects the unity we love so much about our Trojan Family. This announcement came less than a week after USC sparked controversy by barring its valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, a first-generation South-Asian American Muslim student, from delivering her commencement address. As reported by the New York Times, USC provost Andrew T. Guzman said the university removed her speech from the ceremony over substantial risks relating to security and disruption at the commencement. He said over the weeks approaching the May 10 date, discussion related to the selection of our valedictorian has taken on an alarming tenor. USC also cited concern from on-campus Jewish groups, like Trojans for Israel, as a reason to not let Tabassum speak. The outcry came after she shared a pro-Palestinian link on social media. In an official response from Tabassum, she stated, 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. 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. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. JONESBORO, Ark. Jonesboro police said Friday that one person was arrested in connection to what officers believe was a senior prank at Jonesboro High School. According to the Jonesboro Police Department, an officer noticed a group of people in the schools parking lot shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday night. Deputies: Student arrested in Watson Chapel School District threats Police said that they found eggs and debris outside of the school and more damage throughout the hallways. Image provided by the Jonesboro Police Department Officers said that one person was arrested in connection with the incident and is facing charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental operations, criminal trespass and criminal mischief. Cement-filled toilets and dead fish: NC school district bars more than 80 seniors from graduation over pranks Authorities said that 13 adults and four juveniles were cited and released. The police department said that detectives will work with the Jonesboro School District to investigate the incident. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) A judge has granted a $100,000 bond in the case of the man connected in a shooting that happened in the parking lot of Trader Joes in Baton Rouge. Jace Boyd, 28, was arrested after the shooting death of Danny Buckley, 61, in August 2020. Buckley was reportedly panhandling for money in the Trader Joes parking lot when he approached Boyd in his vehicle. Buckley then approached a woman in the parking lot again, asking for money, and Boyd approached him and asked the man to leave people alone because he was scaring them. When police arrived at the scene, Boyd told them he had shot Buckley after a confrontation. He originally posted a $300,000 bail after his arrest. Baton Rouge police arrest man in connection to deadly shooting According to court documents, he was indicted on second-degree murder and illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities. He was found guilty of manslaughter on April 8, court documents said. His sentencing date is scheduled for June 11, and hes asked to be released on bond until his sentencing. The judge also ordered that when released on bond, Boyd must wear a GPS tracking device and remain at his parents home in West Baton Rouge Parish. Court documents said he could only leave home with permission from the court or for a sentencing date, must have a GPS monitor and cant possess a firearm. Latest News For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com. A Washington, D.C., judge issued a dire warning Friday about the effects of the January 6 attack. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan sentenced Scott Miller, a former Proud Boys leader who fought with multiple police officers while trying to storm the Capitol building, to 66 months in prison. This is one of the longest sentences that Chutkan has given. She cited Millers actions at the Capitol, as well as evidence that he held Nazi beliefs and thought that Washington, D.C., residents should be executed. Previously, the longest sentences Chutkan had handed down related to the insurrection were 63 months long, given to two other violent offenders at the Capitol. Chutkan described the storming of the Capitol as close to as serious a crisis as this nation has ever faced. It can happen again, Chutkan, who is expected to preside over Donald Trumps criminal trial for trying to overturn the 2020 election, said Friday. Extremism is alive and well in this country. Threats of violence continue unabated. Those threats have become normalized in Republican discourse, with right-wing figures across the country invoking violence and urging their supporters to arm themselves. The man behind it all, Donald Trump, has yet to face any consequences thanks to the Supreme Court holding up his case over questions of presidential immunity. Since the January 6 attack, Trump has not toned down his own rhetoric, saying that 2024 could be the last election we ever haveand his far-right supporters could try to make that a reality. Not to mention that many Republicans still believe in conspiracies about the Capitol riot, a sign that the right isnt concerned about inciting political violence, let alone the violence itself. In short, Millers sentence shows that the consequences for political violence in the U.S. right now only come after the fact, and do not deal with those who incite it beforehand. This does not bode well for the aftermath of the 2024 elections, no matter how they go. WASHINGTON Four California men who were associated with the "Three Percenter" militia group and convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack were taken into custody Friday after a judge ordered them to serve sentences ranging from 21 to 33 months in federal prison, far below what the government had requested. Erik Scott Warner, Felipe Antonio Martinez, Derek Kinnison and Ronald Mele were all found guilty of felony obstruction of an official proceeding and other charges after a trial last year. One of their co-defendants, former California police chief Alan Hostetter, was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison in December. The trials featured testimony from co-defendant Russell Taylor, who pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal with the government. The felony charge they were convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding is currently before the Supreme Court, where some of the justices seemed skeptical of the way the government had used the charge. A decision in that case is expected in the coming months. If the Supreme Court guts the charge, two of the defendants could end up only serving 12 months in prison on their misdemeanor convictions. The men communicated over a "The California Patriots DC Brigade" Telegram chat and brought weapons on their trip to Washington to participate in Jan. 6, according to evidence shown at trial. They kept a shotgun in their car, and Kinnison and Mele claimed they stored five handguns in their hotel room "despite understanding that it was illegal," the government said. Were packing light just a scatter gun and a pistol a piece," Martinez joked, according to prosecutors. Mele took photographs of the handguns, holsters, ammunition, and magazines they brought into their hotel room. (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia) Prosecutors had sought lengthy sentences for the foursome between 6.5 and eight years in federal prison, but Judge Royce Lamberth landed on much lower sentences within the guidelines range. Warner received 27 months after telling Lamberth that he "got caught up" in the mob and was sorry for his conduct. "I shouldn't have been there," he said, apologizing to his family for putting them "through hell." Martinez received 21 months in prison after he said he was "very sorry" and apologized for his conduct, telling Lamberth that he would "never see me back here." Kinnison was sentenced to 33 months in prison. He spoke about his love of God, family and country and said he admired the "Judeo-Christian principles that the country was founded upon." He said that he did repent for his sins and ask forgiveness for his sins and that he was praying for Lamberth and the prosecutors on the case. Mele was also sentenced to 33 months. Prosecutors said he "awarded" his co-conspirators a "Capitol Action Badge" a few weeks after Jan. 6, which prosecutors described as a "crudely modified version of a real military reward." He said Jan. 6 "gave this country a black eye" that was still tender. Mele said he had pulled himself away from politics and that the experience of going through trial and seeing videos of some of the horrific violence at the Capitol had "opened my eyes." He said that he didn't condone what happened, calling it "asinine." Capitol Action Badge. (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia) The government had sought eight years in prison for all the defendants except for Martinez, who they said should serve six and a half years. The stakes, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mariano argued, could not be much higher, and the defendants here were in a rare class of Jan. 6 defendants who worked together and had a plan and were convicted in a criminal conspiracy. They came to Washington with everything a soldier going into battle needs, he noted. "We are 262 days away from Jan. 6, 2025," Mariano said Friday, arguing that the sentence imposed "needs to consider January 6, 2025, 2029, 2033, and so on." More than 1,387 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol attack, with more than 984 defendants having been convicted. Of the more than 859 defendants who have been sentenced, more than 520 have been sentenced to periods of incarceration of a few days behind bars to 22 years in federal prison. The overwhelming majority of Jan. 6 defendants in custody either admitted to their criminal conduct or were found guilty at trial; only about 15 defendants in pretrial custody. CORRECTION (April 20, 2024, 4:01 p.m.) A previous version of this story misstated the number of men associated with the Three Percenter militia group who were taken into custody. It was four, not three. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com JALALABAD, Afghanistan, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Work for the construction of a healthcare center has started in east Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, local media TOLOnews reported on Saturday. The healthcare center to be built in the Surkhrud district and at a cost of 500,000 U.S. dollars will provide health services to people suffering from heart problems, the report said. Welcoming the step as vital for reviving the local healthcare services, residents have called for the construction of various infrastructure facilities for people's well-being, he added. As part of the efforts to rebuild war-torn Afghanistan, the Afghan caretaker government, besides launching development projects, has called upon domestic and international firms to invest in the country and create job opportunities for the poverty-stricken Afghan people. Gamaly Hollis spent nearly a year in jail for violating an order to stay away from a Miami-Dade police officer who shot her mentally ill, knife-wielding son six times, killing him in their small Kendall apartment as she watched from a few feet away. On Friday, a Miami judge agreed to free her, over the objections of prosecutors and a local police union. But Hollis legal troubles are far from over: she still faces charges of stalking and resisting arrest charges that could lead to a maximum sentence of nearly two years imprisonment if shes convicted. And her pending release comes with conditions. Hollis either has to come up with $1,000 in bond which her defense attorney said she doesnt have or agree to house arrest. The latter also is far from a certainty, because after spending a little less than a year in jail, Hollis has lost her apartment and her job. Shes worried shell lose her car, too in which she intended to live. She said it is about to be repossessed. Read More: Grieving mom jailed, accused of stalking Miami-Dade cop who killed her mentally ill son Shes indigent. She has spent 364 days in jail with credit time served. Shes lost her house, Assistant Public Defender Chandra Sim argued during Friday afternoons motion to modify Hollis bond. Sim said that keeping her car is critical for Hollis ability to work selling avocados and other produce seven days a week from 7 a.m. to to 8 p.m. Hollis was in her small Peppermill Apartments home on June 15, 2022 when a neighbor called 911 to report an argument between her and her son, Richard Hollis, who suffered from severe mental illness and police body cameras showed was holding two knives when they broke down the apartment door. The call for help ended tragically, with Officer Jaime Pino shooting Richard Hollis six times, killing him. The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing following investigations by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office which are standard procedure in police-involved shooting deaths. But in the immediate aftermath of the shooting Gamaly Hollis began a personal campaign to, as she has expressed it, inform her Kendall neighbors that a dangerous officer remained in their community. She sought him out at the Hammocks division police station, confronted him when he was working at a crime scene and posted pictures to her Facebook page that she acquired from his social media account. Judge Cristina Rivera Correa talks to Public defenders Robert Keilson (left) and Chandra Sim during a hearing of a Mom named Gamaly Argentina Hollis, who is being held in jail after being accused of stalking a Miami-Dade cop who killed her mentally ill son. The hearing took place at the Gerstein Justice Bldg in Miami on Thursday, March 7, 2024. Their face-to-face confrontation occurred on Aug. 22, 2022 at an unrelated crime scene. Police and prosecutors say Hollis rolled down her car window and shouted at Pino. She started to yell in Spanish that Im a killer, that Im an assassin, that I killed her son, Pino later testified. Hollis was ordered to leave, and did. But she returned to the scene, where another young man with mental illness was in handcuffs. For that, she was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking, resisting arrest and trespassing. The stalking charge was reduced to a misdemeanor, and the trespass charge was dismissed. Hollis attorneys with the Miami-Dade Public Defenders Office are asking for the remaining charges to be dismissed, arguing they violate her First Amendment rights to question a shooting she believes was unnecessary. They contend Hollis poses no real threat to Pino, or anyone else. At Fridays hearing before Miami-Dade County Court Judge Cristina Rivera Correa, prosecutors, however, argued they both Pino and the local Police Benevolent Association union have grave concerns about releasing Hollis, who has never expressed regret or remorse for her actions in calling attention to her sons death. Prosecutors initially said they were open to releasing Hollis on house arrest, but changed their stance upon learning that she is now homeless. Without an address, the prosecutors argued, she is ineligible. While Hollis is out on bail if she is able to post the $1,000 bond her lawyers will continue to argue that Rivera Correa should dismiss the stalking and resisting arrest charges altogether. The judge heard arguments for and against a motion to dismiss on Thursday, and asked lawyers to submit written arguments by April 24. An additional hearing on that request is set for June 17. It is my understanding that there is a request that there not be a monetary bond imposed and it goes without saying that the state would object to that, Assistant State Attorney Alec Kohn argued. That dispute pivots, at least in part, on whether Rivera Correa agrees that Hollis has a protected, First Amendment right to speak freely to, or about, the officer who shot her son. This Court must not allow the State Attorneys Office to weaponize Floridas stalking statute in this case, Sim, the assistant public defender, wrote in the 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 prosecution is arguing it is okay to prosecute Ms. Hollis because of Facebook posts. If that is not in bad faith, Im not sure what is, Sim said at an earlier hearing on Thursday. The jail term Hollis just completed arose from one such Facebook post. On April 8, 2023 Hollis posted a picture of Pinos house, with his marked patrol car in front after a judge had ordered her to cease all contact with Pino, including on social media. For that, Hollis was ordered to spend 364 days in confinement. One more day in her sentence would have delivered her to a Department of Corrections prison, as opposed to the Miami jail. Former President Donald Trump arrives at Manhattan criminal court in New York, Friday, April 19, 2024. The jury selection in Trumps criminal case was completed on Friday. | Spencer Platt The jury in former President Donald Trumps criminal trial was completed on its fourth day. Twelve jurors and six alternates will hear the case against the 2024 presidential front-runner. Emotions ran high as potential jurors teared up during questioning Friday. One woman claimed her father is a close friend of Trumps political opponent, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and added that she works with but has no connection to attorney Michael Cohens son. The hush money case accuses Trump of hiding documents during his 2016 presidential campaign. The documents in question reportedly reveal that Trump paid his former lawyer, Cohen, $130,000 to stop adult film star Stormy Daniels from going public about their alleged affair. Cohen and Daniels are both prosecution witnesses in the case. I feel so nervous and anxious right now, the juror said to the court and began to cry, per Fox News. I dont want to waste the courts time, she added. I thought I could do this. This is so much more stressful than I thought it was going to be. Another female potential juror who had served time in prison also got emotional when questioned and added that while living in New York, she had been called to jury duty multiple times. She initially expressed concerns to the courtroom about being ineligible because of a prior conviction in a different state. Despite her criminal record not being the cause, she was ultimately disqualified for not having the necessary documents. What you just did is something that most people in this courtroom would not be able to do, so thank you, Judge Juan Merchan said to her, per CNN. Fire breaks out in front of the courthouse As the court was being dismissed following instructions from Merchan that they would return Monday morning for opening statements, a fire broke out at Collect Pond Park across the street from the courthouse. Officials reported that a man entered the park at approximately 1:30 p.m., distributed pamphlets promoting conspiracy theories, covered himself with a flammable liquid and then set himself on fire. It is believed that he had recently traveled from Florida to New York. We are very concerned. Of course we are going to review our security protocols, Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said, per The Associated Press. Following the incident, the NYPD gave updates that the man, identified as Max Azzarello, lit himself on fire, and was later placed in a burn unit and is in critical condition. Al Baker, a spokesman for the court system, says the trial schedule would not be affected by the man setting himself on fire. He said a court officer was taken to the hospital because of the effects of smoke inhalation, according to The New York Times. Court continues into Friday afternoon Merchan ordered Trump and his defense team to return to court Friday afternoon for issues related to the case, including a Sandoval hearing. A Sandoval hearing is a pretrial proceeding used in New York in criminal cases. The judge determines what evidence of a defendants prior uncharged crimes or other misconduct the prosecution can admit during a trial, particularly when the defendant chooses to testify. The prosecutors in the criminal case reportedly have a list of questions they plan to ask Trump if he testifies. That list includes the civil fraud case in which a judge recently ruled against Trump and his companies, finding that they carried out a years-long scheme to use false financial data to borrow money at lower rates, per The Washington Post. They also listed the findings in E. Jean Carrolls two civil lawsuits against Trump, in which one jury concluded that Trump sexually abused and defamed Carroll and awarded her $5 million in damages, while a second jury weighing the defamation added more than $80 million in damages to that total. The New York District Attorneys office will seek permission from Merchan to cross-examine Trump on these issues. A Dallas jury awarded over $1 million in lost wages and benefits late Thursday to Ronald Burke, a former assistant information services director for the city of Fort Worth. Burke filed a wrongful termination suit against the city, alleging that he was retaliated against after he and another colleague, William Birchett, reported concerns about corruption to former police chief Joel Fitzgerald, who is also suing the city. They said the city was not complying with federal cyber security procedures involving an FBI database Fitzgerald warned city officials that noncompliance could take away the police departments ability to share information about criminals. Attorney Stephen Kennedy, who is representing Fitzgerald, said he is pleased with the jurys decision in Burkes case, but added that the decision has no legal impact on the trial for Fitzgerald. Every case is different, and weve got to prove every case on its merrits, Kennedy said. A city of Fort Worth spokesperson said in an email: Were disappointed in todays verdict but we respect the decision of the jury and thank them for their service. Burke also sued to get his job back, and Kennedy said the court will make a determination in future hearings. Fitzgerald, whose trial is scheduled for October, was fired in May 2019 shortly after he reported the concerns about the database to the city. City offficials accused Fitzgerald of having an increasingly lack of good judgment, citing his mismanagement of the police departments budget and relationships with other department heads. Fitzgerald also had a heated argument with a police union official at a conference in Washington, D.C., before he was fired. But in July of 2019, the Texas Workforce Commission found that there was no evidence that Fitzgerald committed workplace misconduct. A court later ordered the city to change Fitzgeralds discharge to honorable. Earlier this month, the City Council voted 10-1 to spend an additional $1.1 million to fight Fitzgeralds federal lawsuit which was filed in Dallas. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Jurors next week will begin deciding the fate of two men charged with murder in what a prosecutor called the incredibly brutal killing of a Ridgecrest man in 2022. Closing arguments wrapped Friday in the trial of Brian Coykendall, 34, and Erwin Moore Jr., 30, and the jury will return Monday morning to start deliberating. Both men are charged with first-degree murder and face life terms in prison if convicted. Prosecutor Christine Antonios has said the two had an agreement to kill Matthew Ian Peterson. Peterson, 43, and Coykendall had once been friends, but when Peterson went to jail Coykendall started dating his girlfriend. If Peterson returned, Antonios said, Coykendall planned to get rid of him. Peterson was severely beaten and shot once in the back of the head on March 4, 2022. When found, his hands were bound behind his back. The evidence, including phone calls and text messages, suggests Coykendall and Moore had an agreement in place in which Moore who lives outside the county would drive to Ridgecrest and assist Coykendall in the slaying when Peterson showed up, the prosecutor said. She pointed to lies the defendants made. Everything Coykendall told investigators during his initial interview was false, Antonios said. Coykendall never mentioned self-defense when arrested. If Petersons death resulted from an act of self-defense, she said, thats the first thing he would have told investigators. He would have been shouting it from the rooftops if that was actually true, Antonios said. But its not. Deputy Public Defender T. Alan Rogers, Coykendalls attorney, told the jury Antonios was quick to paint the defendants as liars. But he said the biggest liar in this case was Peterson. Peterson gave two of his best friends completely different stories as to why he was visiting Ridgecrest that day, Rogers said. He manipulated and deceived others, doing his best to conceal his real reason for returning to get his girlfriend back. Rogers described Peterson as obsessed with his ex. He wouldnt let her go, the attorney said, arguing the killing happened in self-defense. Defense attorney Mark Anthony Raimondo, representing Moore, said this case isnt about a crime, but a tragedy. He said his client went from being an honorable U.S. Marine to on trial for his life. Moore is nonviolent and has saved several lives during his time in the Marine Corps, Raimondo said. He wouldnt participate in a murder, he said. Peterson, however, was a convicted felon, a violent alcoholic who previously assaulted and raped the ex-girlfriend, Raimondo said. Raimondo has previously said Moore rushed to Ridgecrest the day of the homicide because Coykendall a former Marine with apparent post-traumatic stress disorder called him and said he urgently needed help, and didnt provide more details. Moore, believing his friend was experiencing a crisis incident, immediately got in his car and went to his aid, Raimondo said. When Moore arrived, the attorney said, Coykendall started fighting Peterson. Moore tried to intervene, a gun fell from his waistband and a struggle over the weapon ensued, Raimondo said. It went off, he said, and Peterson was hit. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) A jury on Thursday convicted a man for the shooting death of a 19-year-old in downtown Albuquerque in 2022. Casper Rickords was convicted of first-degree murder and armed robbery with a firearm enhancement. In October 2022, Rickords and Melvin Robinson murdered Isaac Torres during an armed robbery at the Albuquerque Transportation Center at 1st Street and Central Avenue. Feds: Cannabis seizures in New Mexico to continue According to the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office, the crime happened when Rickords and Robinson were trying to rob Torres. When Torres tried to get away, Rickords shot the victim in the forehead. At sentencing, Rickords faces life in prison plus 14 years. Robinson was sentenced by Judge David Murphy to the maximum of 40 years in prison after he pleaded no contest. The two individuals were also linked to another murder. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. NEW YORK A full jury has been selected in former President Trumps hush money case, setting the stage for opening remarks to begin Monday. After nearly 200 prospective jurors were screened by the judge, Trumps lawyers and Manhattan prosecutors, a total of 12 jurors and six alternates were selected Friday to hear the first criminal case of any former U.S. president. Weve now completed jury selection for this case, Justice Juan Merchan said. Trump is accused of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money deal with an adult film actress ahead of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty. The jury is a melting pot of Manhattanites, with residents from Harlem to Chelsea, physical therapists to investment bankers and immigrants to lifelong New Yorkers. Jury selection took four days, the process somewhat complicated by Trumps controversial political reputation, deep ties to New York City and coverage in the media. The final five alternates were selected early Friday afternoon, alleviating the need to bring in a third panel of 96 prospective jurors who were standing by in the courthouse. The judge thanked court staff for working into what is normally the lunch hour to bring the process to a swift completion. After being seated, the jurors were sworn in. They were ordered to return Monday morning, when the judge indicated he expects opening statements will begin. Roughly 100 New Yorkers excused themselves at the onset after admitting that they did not believe they could be fair and impartial to Trump. Around 50 New Yorkers excused themselves on each of the first two full days of jury selection after admitting that they did not believe they could be fair and impartial to Trump. Others suggested they knew people who knew Trump or were familiar with his contributions to the city, offering neutral and positive assessments of the former presidents time in the city. And, of course, most knew his politics. He was our president, said one prospective juror who was ultimately seated on the jury. Everyone knows who he is. One individual, who was struck by the district attorneys office, said he admired Trumps rise as a businessman and politician, proclaiming that he forged his way and kind of made history. Another person, who was ultimately selected to sit on the jury, said Trump seems very selfish and self-serving. Some prospective jurors old social media posts about the former president including from the heat of the 2016 and 2020 elections came back to haunt them. A woman apologized to the former president for the tone of posts she made years earlier, among them one decrying Trump as racist, sexist narcissist; she was struck for cause by the judge. Another person was dismissed over a post that read Get him out, and lock him up, referring to Trump. Other potential jurors asked to be relieved of their duty over anxiety of serving on the high-profile case. This is so much more stressful than I thought it was going to be, an excused juror said. The jurys selection means opening remarks could begin as early as Monday morning, with witness testimony following shortly after. Prosecutors will make their case first. To prove Trump guilty, they must convince the jurors that the former president who faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his ex-fixer, Michael Cohen, made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before 2016s Election Day did so with the intent to defraud and to commit or further another crime. Theyll attempt to portray the payment to Daniels as a small piece of a broader catch-and-kill scheme to quash negative gossip about Trump ahead of the election. Trump denies the salacious allegations and has pleaded not guilty. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Barring any further unexpected developments, opening arguments in Donald Trumps criminal trial will start in Monday. A full panel of jurors including 12 members of the panel and six alternates was chosen on Friday afternoon, after a bizarre but quicker-than-anticipated jury selection process which began on Monday. Justice Juan Merchan said that selection was finished after the court spent Friday choosing a final five alternate jurors. Later during the Friday hearing, Merchan sternly told Trumps attorneys that they had to stop filing pre-motions and motions asking him to reconsider rulings he had already made around the case. Were going to have opening statements on Monday morning, Merchan said. This trial is starting. Overall, the panel represents a cross-section of Manhattan. The foreperson described himself as working in retail; other jurors include a schoolteacher, attorneys, and a physical therapist. Its a roughly equal mix of men and women on the panel of twelve. While they tend to be highly educated (seven jurors have advanced post-graduate degrees), they fall across the spectrum: one juror, a security engineer, completed high school; the foreperson, a male, completed some college. The main panel also includes two attorneys and two people with MBA degrees. The jurors are mostly middle-aged, but include some outliers: a retired wealth manager, a retail worker on the younger side. The process of selecting the group saw two already-seated jurors be excused. One, an oncology nurse, did so voluntarily, telling Merchan that she had been inundated with texts from friends and family members asking if she was a juror assigned to the case. The other failed to disclose on the jury questionnaire that he and his wife had both had prior run-ins with the law; that juror reportedly called Merchan cowardly for dismissing him. The process also saw Trump and his attorneys call the pools impartiality into question, suggesting throughout that fairly anodyne expressions of political perspective were evidence of disqualifying bias. Of the prospective jurors who went out of their way to state that they believed nobody is above the law, none made it onto the final panal or became one of the alternates. One juror serving as an alternate specified that he believed Trump has so far been treated fairly by the judicial system. The alternates represent an equally diverse group of professions they include a former EMT, an estimator for a construction firm, an investment analyst, a creative for a clothing company, and the former employee of a company which focused on the Hispanic market. They also include a wide range of educational attainment, including one alternate with an associates degree, another who completed high school, and others with higher education. Now that the panel is selected, opening arguments are scheduled to begin on Monday morning. That will mark the start of the prosecutions case, which they expect to last several weeks. Merchan has allowed prosecutors to keep their witnesses and the order in which they will appear undisclosed for now. But filings and statements in court show that prosecutors will likely call major figures from the hush money scandal, including Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, tabloid executives, and others. Before opening arguments begin on Monday, Merchan said, he will rule on what prosecutors will be able to ask Trump about if he chooses to take the stand. A hearing on that question was held Friday afternoon. Prosecutors want to be able to use several civil court cases that hes defended against and one he filed but which resulted in sanctions for him to impeach his credibility. Selecting a jury was the last milestone before the meat of the first criminal trial of a former President can commence. It will see Trump continue to spend weeks under the constraints of a criminal defendant, sitting before a judge and jury waiting to decide whether hes guilty of business records violations in connection with an attempt to interfere in the 2016 election. Nearly simultaneously with Merchan announcing the jurys selection, a man set himself on fire outside of the courthouse. It cast a sickly smell over the scene as the assembled press filed out. Jury unable to reach verdict in trial of man accused in Florence murder FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) A Lauderdale County jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the trial of man accused of murdering a 48-year-old woman on Valentines Day 2021. 39-year-old Roydricker Lamar Bullock was originally charged with murder after Patrice Denice Lott was found dead inside her Florence home on North Royal Avenue in February 2021. An indictment by a grand jury in March 2022 upgraded the charge to capital murder. Limestone Correctional Warden and his wife facing drug charges Bullocks capital murder trial began on Monday. Court documents say the jury began deliberating on Friday around 2 p.m. after closing statements and a brief lunch recess. Court records state that the jury notified the court two times they were deadlocked before they were read dynamite charges before they told the court they were hopelessly deadlocked, no positions had changednor would changeand that they were at a 100% impasse. According to court documents, Bullock stabbed Lott, causing her death during a burglary. Shortly after Lott was found dead, the United States Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Task Force helped find and arrest Bullock at his home in Greene County, Alabama. Bullock was taken to the Lauderdale County Detention Center, and his bond was initially set at $150,000. Bullock will remain in custody without bond, court records show. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Kansas highest court has ruled in favor of a woman who tried to get her drivers license back. However, at least one Kansas Supreme Court justice believes the decision is absurd. At the heart of the issue, the justices were asked to decide if the woman, who was legally drunk, was driving a car while it was stuck in the mud. The case dates back to Jan. 24, 2021, in Sumner County. Court documents say the womans husband drove a vehicle into a house and then got the vehicle stuck in mud. The woman was a passenger but got into the drivers seat as her husband tried to push the car from the rear. When law enforcement officers arrived, they saw the woman with her hands on the steering wheel and pressing the gas pedal. The tires were spinning, but the vehicle was not moving because of the mud. Abducted baby found in Abilene Both the husband and wife were arrested for DUI. Court documents show the woman submitted to a breath alcohol test, and the result was .156, almost twice the legal limit. She was notified that the Kansas Department of Revenue would suspend her driving privileges because she was operating a vehicle while under the influence. The woman argued that since the vehicle was not moving, she was not operating or driving it. She took her reasoning to the Department of Revenue, Sumner County District Court, and the Kansas Court of Appeals and lost. But on Friday, a majority of the Kansas Supreme Court agreed with her, saying the evidence presented only established that she attempted to operate the vehicle. Guess how many people drive over 100 mph in Kansas The justices said the word operate, used in Kansas statute, is synonymous with drive, which requires the vehicle to move. Since there is no evidence that the vehicle moved, they said the woman did not operate it. Justices Caleb Stegall and Melissa Taylor Standridge disagreed with the majority. Stegall called the decision absurd. I fail to understand how causing the actual movement of the mechanical mechanisms of the drivetrain of the car, done with an intent to steer the vehicle out of a ditch, does not satisfy the Legislatures intent behind the word operate,' he wrote in his dissenting opinion. Todays outcome falls far outside the plain meaning of the statute and produces what I believe to be an absurd result. Justice Evelyn Z. Wilson defended the opinion of the majority. The Legislature has not made our task so simple. Instead of a simple binary choice, the Legislature has also included the term attempted operation of a vehicle for our consideration, she wrote. While operation may be plain language on its own, the attempted modifier requires additional consideration that cannot be answered by a broad appeal to common sense.' For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. An Afghan security force member checks a man in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, April 21, 2024. One person was killed and three others injured as an explosion rocked western Kabul city on Saturday, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, April 20 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and three others injured as an explosion rocked western Kabul city on Saturday, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said. "A sticky mine targeted a car in Kot-e-Sangi locality of Police District 3 today, killing the driver and injuring three others," local media TOLOnews quoted Zadran as saying. All the victims were civilians, the spokesman said, adding that police have reached the area and launched an investigation. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack. Afghan security force members conduct security checks in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, April 21, 2024. One person was killed and three others injured as an explosion rocked western Kabul city on Saturday, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) An Afghan security force member checks a man in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, April 21, 2024. One person was killed and three others injured as an explosion rocked western Kabul city on Saturday, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Afghan security force members check a car in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, April 21, 2024. One person was killed and three others injured as an explosion rocked western Kabul city on Saturday, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) An Afghan security force member stands guard in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, April 21, 2024. One person was killed and three others injured as an explosion rocked western Kabul city on Saturday, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake cant seem to make up her mind. Does she believe that Arizonas Civil War-era total ban on abortion is a great law and that abortion is the ultimate sin, as she said on the campaign trail in 2022? Or does she think that every woman should have choices when they get pregnant, as she insisted in a recent campaign video? In the wake of a state Supreme Court decision re-animating the 1864 law that prohibits abortion at any point in pregnancy for any reason except to save the life of the mother, Lake initially issued a statement declaring it abundantly clear that the pre-statehood law is out of step with Arizonans views on abortion. She called on state officials to come up with an immediate common sense solution. Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) had already offered one. The states top law enforcement officer announced her office would not enforce the ban, which snaps back into effect in June. The law declares anyone who provides, supplies, or administers an abortion be punished with up to five years in jail. But, last weekend, Lake suggested county sheriffs should enforce the 1864 abortion ban: We can have that law, but its not going to be enforced with the people we have in office, Lake reportedly told the crowd at a Mohave County Republican Party event. The only people who can enforce that law are our sheriffs. And we need to start asking the sheriffs if theyre willing to enforce that. I dont think they are. The comments were first reported by The Copper Courier. Lake made these remarks just days after posting a video declaring, A full ban on abortion is not where the people are. In that same video, she said she wants to make sure that every woman who finds herself pregnant has more choices, adding that there must be exceptions made for rape and incest exceptions the 1864 law does not contain. Voters may have a chance to weigh in on the matter, but not until November, when a ballot measure that would protect the right to abortion until the point of fetal viability, around 24 weeks, is expected to appear on the ballot. In the meantime, at least one county attorney has expressed interest in prosecuting people under the 1864 law. And there are undoubtedly some Arizona sheriffs that would be willing to answer Lakes latest call. As the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting has written, the state has become ground zero for the so-called constitutional sheriffs movement, whose adherents are already becoming accustomed to picking and choosing which laws they want to enforce. The movement, which more than half of the states sheriffs have aligned themselves with, according to ACIR, is premised on a radical ideology that the sheriffs power within his or her county is superseded by no state or federal government entity but is guided by the sheriffs interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. Nullification, or refusing to enforce laws or mandates a sheriff deems unconstitutional, is a core part of the ideology. Earlier this week, the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association convened in Las Vegas for a training session that included talks by Trump associates Mike Flynn, Patrick Byrne and Mike Lindell. At the same event, Lake told the crowd, Theyre going to come after us with everything. Thats why the next six months is going to be intense. She went on to suggest supporters would need to strap on a seatbelt, a helmet, and the armor of God, before adding, And maybe strap on a Glock on the side of us just in case. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Demi Anderson comforts her fiancee, Chris Fielding, at the Columbine Memorial next to Columbine High School on April 20, 2021, in Littleton, Colorado. Twelve students and a teacher were killed in the Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999, which at the time was the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images) The slaughter of children at Columbine High School occurred before the advent of phone cameras, but graphic images of the massacre reached millions of TV screens in real time, and this raw view of the violence imparted to the event an unusual kind of sociopolitical power. The live shot of the grievously injured teen Patrick Ireland hurling himself to safety from a blown-out second-floor window is an indelible emblem of the days horrors, and the gasping disbelief in the voices of news anchors trying to narrate such unspeakable images remain seared in the countrys collective memory. As that memory ages, it becomes ever more clear that Columbine at its core is about a singular American scourge: guns. Columbine became the archetypal school shooting. But far from prompting a sane response, which would have involved immediate enactment of common-sense regulations to help prevent subsequent tragedies, national leaders, especially Republicans, consistently failed to implement necessary gun violence prevention measures. The result is that school shootings have proliferated, and U.S. gun deaths in recent years have reached record highs. As Coloradans mark 25 years since the April 20, 1999 Columbine shooting, those who campaign for gun violence prevention policies and oppose firearm fanatics brainlessly standing in the way of progress offer apt tribute to the 13 people murdered that day. In the hours after Columbine, the policy debate in Colorado took a momentary turn toward reason. The Republican trifecta in state government that year was in the midst of loosening gun laws, such as by allowing more people to carry concealed weapons, when the massacre induced the bill sponsors, Rep. Gary McPherson and House Majority Leader Doug Dean, to withdraw support. The change of heart was short-lived. The first sign that gun zealots would remain unmoved in the face of Columbine came when the National Rifle Association, perhaps the single most bloodstained non-government organization in the nations history, went ahead with its planned annual convention in Denver just days after the massacre, and its representatives delivered a message of defiance. If anything, Republicans in Colorado and beyond have only hardened their crazed position on gun freedoms, and, since Columbine, conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court in several Second Amendment rulings have warped gun rights into an American suicide pact. But theres some cause for optimism. It's really just in the last couple of decades that the gun lobby has started to make assault weapons something that they wanted to sell to the general public. They inserted these into the narrative around the Second Amendment and gun ownership. U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colorado Colorado Democrats now enjoy trifecta control in state government, and in recent years, theyve enacted a raft of gun violence protection measures, including a red flag law, a gun purchase waiting period and safe storage requirements. More measures are advancing this year, including an assault weapons ban. (At least three of the firearms used by the two Columbine killers are defined as assault weapons in either the federal assault weapons ban in effect at the time of the shooting or in the proposed state ban.) Colorado is leading the way to a survivable American society. But the most broad and durable protections can come only from the federal government, which so far is way behind states like Colorado. Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, whose district includes Columbine High School, is among the national leaders who are pushing for gun violence protections in Congress. Crow is no stranger to firearms. He got his first hunting rifle at 12. He is a former Army Ranger who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he carried an assault rifle. He supports the implementation of a new federal assault weapons ban. Its really just in the last couple of decades that the gun lobby has started to make assault weapons something that they wanted to sell to the general public. They inserted these into the narrative around the Second Amendment and gun ownership, he said this week during an interview with Newsline. That has morphed into this notion that gun ownership isnt about sporting, and it isnt about home defense, it isnt about passing something down, an heirloom in the family. But theres this extreme element that says its about fighting the government, countering government tyranny. Part of the purpose of a federal assault weapons ban, besides reducing gun deaths, would be to send a message about that class of firearms, he said. Theyre for the military. Theyre for law enforcement. This is not what we ever talked about in the history of our country. This is not a part of our culture. And you dont need them and you shouldnt have them, he said. Crow, a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force in the U.S. House, has introduced the Colorado Loophole Act, which would prevent out-of-state residents from buying long guns and shotguns without a home-state background check. The legislation is partly a response to a 2019 episode when a Columbine-obsessed Florida teen traveled to Colorado and was able to buy a shotgun the moment she arrived, causing widespread alarm and school closures before she was found dead. During a news conference on Tuesday to mark the Columbine anniversary, Crow articulated whats at stake. We had a chance after Columbine to say, Never again, and mean it, he said, standing outside the U.S. Capitol. Instead, he noted, a nauseating series of school shootings followed. Twenty-five years after Columbine, gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens everywhere in America. He called on federal lawmakers to do more to save lives. And he made a point to name the people who lost their lives at Columbine: students Cassie Bernall, Steven Curnow, Corey DePooter, Kelly Fleming, Matthew Kechter, Daniel Mauser, Daniel Rohrbough, Rachel Scott, Isaiah Shoels, John Tomlin, Lauren Townsend and Kyle Velasquez, and teacher Dave Sanders. Coloradans have only begun to honor their legacy with policy reforms that protect high school students in 2024, and members of Congress have an even longer way to go. The role of constituents is to maintain the capacity for outrage even as Columbine-like violence has become routine in schools, grocery stores, concerts, nightclubs, houses of worship and other public places throughout America. They must keep saying, for as long as it takes, Never again. Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com. Follow Colorado Newsline on Facebook and Twitter. The post Keep saying it: Never again appeared first on Alabama Reflector. Keir Starmer cannot be trusted with our nations defence. To stop him, we Conservatives must demonstrate we can be. When it comes to our nations defence, there are quite a few myths: the public dont care about it, there are better uses of public funds and of course guns or butter, the idea that you can either spend on defence or on communities. These arguments are as old as they are wrong. Investment in our military is returned many times more than official estimates can show. For decades its been a creator of new technology and a generator of vital skills. The chief return on our military though, is in what doesnt happen. We dont get invaded. We dont get pushed around by bullies. Our goods dont get intercepted as they travel between ports. No one thanks the military for what doesnt happen. We just take it for granted. Because of them we can sleep soundly in our beds. They are our insurance against the unforeseen and the unimaginable. These are times, though, when you dont need much imagination. Another tyrant is on the loose in Europe. Iran is raining drones and missiles on one of our closest allies. How we respond to these threats is not only important to deter future Russian and Iranian aggression, but also deter other nations our competitors, who are watching. This is a defining moment for our country and our allies. Another myth is that it doesnt matter whos in charge. That mood is evident in recent polling which hints at my partys lead on defence disappearing. Who should you trust? Youve heard the rhetoric, lets examine the facts. Since the 2020 Spending Review, the Conservative Government has committed an additional 24 billion to the defence budget. Its the largest sustained increase since the end of the Cold War. We have already committed to reach 2.5 per cent GDP. Critically an extra 3 billion will be spent to ensure our nuclear deterrent, and the equipment programme now stands at 289 billion. In defence, as in so many areas, we were left to clean up Labours mess. Liam Foxs heroic efforts to retain and regenerate necessary capabilities worked. Proper oversight of operations was re-established, with deeper and more sophisticated reviews of the threats we faced. We built new partnerships a new Atlantic charter, Aukus and the global combat air programme with Italy and Japan to name just a few. Our resolve and commitment to Nato has never been in question, and has led the way in getting other nations to step up. Weve got new tanks, warships, and fighter jets, and were deepening stockpiles. Applications to join the Armed Forces are at their highest in years, and we have transformed the reserve service. We are also the first UK government to have a minister for veterans sat around the Cabinet table. We did all of this because we know it is our duty to do so. We were probably helped in that focus by the fact that the overwhelming majority of the veterans in the House sit on our benches. And Labours record? In 2007, they considered shutting one or more key naval bases. In the 2005 election they disenfranchised large swathes of our Armed Forces by changing how they could register to vote without properly notifying them of the fact. By 2010, the Royal United Services Institute notes, the black hole in the defence budget and equipment programme stood at 74 billion. Until last year, Labour had a shadow minister for peace and disarmament. The current shadow international development secretary praised a report calling for them to morph into human security services to dampen down violence. This is both ignorant of their current peacekeeping role and of the fact that to win peace you sometimes have to do more than ask people to chill out. We all remember how Ed Milibands actions in the 2013 vote removed the possibility of Armed Forces being used in Syria. That naivety gave the green light to the disastrous consequences that followed. And Labour still harbours deep internal divisions on foreign policy. With Keir Starmer in charge, we could never have acted so decisively in defending Israel as we did last weekend. Right now we should be prioritising Nato, Keir Starmer is planning an EU defence pact that would undermine it. Six senior members of his front bench, including the shadow deputy prime minister and the shadow foreign secretary voted against renewing our Continuous At-Sea Deterrent. Just think about that for a moment: Labour frontbenchers who aspire to oversee UK foreign policy voted to scrap our only safeguard against nuclear weapons. Labour doesnt get this fundamental duty. Although friend of Hamas and Hezbollah, Jeremy Corbyn, is no longer in charge of the Labour Party, those that supported him are. And one of them is leading it. Corbyn would not have had to ask our submarines to surface and return home to end our nuclear deterrent. He would simply have had to walk into No 10 for its credibility to fail. Anyone who supported him to become prime minister then is not fit to be prime minister now. Total commitment to Trident is more than spending on submarines. It is the unwavering commitment to the doctrine, policy and duty that sits behind it. Keir Starmer and his party have demonstrated time and time again that they do not possess that. In this increasingly dangerous world, this is no time to give Labour the opportunity to make us less safe again. After a pandemic and economic turmoil, people feel vulnerable. They want the government to have the competence and capabilities to guarantee their safety and their interests. They want a government that understands its first duty to them. That is what this Government provides, and what Labour has no plan to deliver, only hollow rhetoric. It is clear Keir Starmer and Labour cannot be trusted with our nations defence. To stop them, Conservatives must and will build on our record, backing our Armed Forces and ensuring that we keep this country and its people safe. We know our first duty. For the sake of our nation we must now do 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. Former Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) on Friday knocked Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for acting completely irresponsibly amid her opposition to delivering aid to Ukraine. Greene has threatened to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over his support for passing a bill that provides aid to the country in its war against Russia. Shes also shared false claims about the presence of Nazism in Ukraine, echoing some of the talking points embraced by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Buck, who left Congress last month after announcing that he wouldnt seek another term, used his Moscow Marjorie nickname for the Georgia Republican during an interview with CNNs Erica Hill. Well, Moscow Marjorie has reached a new low, Buck said, after Hill showed footage of Russian TV personalities claiming that Greene is running Congress and believes that Americans should help Putin win. He added that during the Russian Revolution, American journalists who were writing glowing reports about Russia at the time were called useful idiots, and I dont even think that Marjorie reaches that level of being a useful idiot here. Buck said that Greene is mouthing the Russian propaganda and really hurting American foreign policy in the process. Shes acting completely irresponsibly, Buck said. When history looks at this period of time, Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukraine is fighting for its freedom, and we should be with the freedom fighters in this war. H/T Mediaite Related... Heard of Eagle Pass, Texas? Of course you have! Eagle Pass is where Texas governor Greg Abbott made his stand against the Biden administrations handling of the immigration issue at the southern border. Eagle Pass is where Abbott and the state took over a park to prevent migrants from crossing the Rio Grande River. Concertina wire lined the riverbank, only to have migrants try and work their way through it. A court ultimately said border patrol agents could remove the wire to allow access to the park, where the service typically launched boats to patrol the river. Kendall P. Stanley But that hasnt stopped Abbott from installing more wire along the river. But this isnt about Abbott going on a tear around Eagle Pass; its about the eclipse, believe it or not. Eagle Pass was the first American city where the eclipse started its trek across the country. Spotting an opportunity (and given the history of other towns where eclipses occurred) the city started promoting itself as the place to be to view the eclipse. Promoters even came up with a three-day music festival. Room rates at local motels went sky-high. Given the back and forth between the governor and the feds, and plenty of folks complaining they were the epicenter of the massive wave of illegals entering the area, etc., it soon became a situation where people decided that maybe Eagle Pass wasnt the best place to watch the eclipse. Dont want to be right on the border, eclipse or no eclipse. And then this happened according to a report in The Daily Beast: The producers of the music festival named it 57 South Music Fest, after U.S. Highway 57 South, which reaches the border at Eagle Pass and the designated venue, city-owned Shelby Park. The scenic 47.4-acre grassy expanse on the banks of the Rio Grande River has been the site of successful carnivals and events, including an annual international friendship celebration. The 57 South producers posted what seemed like a formula for a resounding success. 17 Bands, 3 Nights, 2 Stages, & 1 Total Eclipse April 5-7, 2024 The city posted its own appeal: If youre a music lover and a celestial enthusiast, then theres no better time to start planning your trip to Eagle Pass, Texas! But nobody foresaw that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott would seize control of the park on Jan. 10 as the base for Operation Lone Star, a $10.5 billion political stunt in response to the invasion of migrants at the southern border. He ordered Texas Army National Guard soldiers, supported by state law enforcement officers, to place steel shipping containers and string razor wire along the waters edge. He barred federal Border Patrol agents from the site of the planned music festival. Kiss that influx of money goodbye. And thank the governor for all his help in bringing a tourist boom to Eagle Pass. Hopefully the next time he has a bee in his bonnet to do things off the cuff he might consider the impact his battle with the feds might have on the citizens of Texas. Remembering the cheerleader There are plenty of people who boost their town whenever they can but in the end there was only one Fran Foster who could claim the title of the best. Heres a little bit of Frans life as recounted in her obituary: Over the years, Fran held many jobs including as a telephone operator for "Ma Bell" and as one of the first females for their "Miss Dig" program, then as the Welcome Wagon Lady, and eventually selling advertisements for the Phone Guide. She flourished in any position where she could be social and involved in community outreach. She joined the PTA, was President of Music Boosters, was involved with the Midshipmen Drum and Bugle Corps, and a member of Telephone Pioneers. She was a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, even winning an award as a "Chamber Enthusiast." While married to Jim, she joined the Fire Belles and Bucket Brigade, both groups for wives of firemen that helped to raise funds and support the department and community in various ways. On the Fourth of July, you could find her on the spinning ladder above the Epsilon Jass Band playing on an antique fire truck going down many a parade route. Beyond her involvement throughout the community I knew Fran from work with the Phone Guide. She was a fierce enthusiast for the work we did at the News-Review and shed talk up anyone who was nearby about what a community asset we were. Put all that together with a million-dollar smile and an unmatched joy for life and you had a woman that wasnt just a resident of the community, but an institution in it. You dont find that special someone in every community but Im proud to say that in Petoskey, we had Fran. Kendall P. Stanley is retired editor of the News-Review. He can be contacted at kendallstanley@charter.net. The opinions expressed in this column are those of the writer and not necessarily of the Petoskey News-Review or its employees. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Kendall Stanley: Thanks a lot, governor! Robert F. Kennedy Jr. survived the first legal challenge to his ballot access from the Democratic Party. Hawaiis state Democratic Party failed to meet its burden of proof to boot Kennedys newly formed We the People Party from the ballot, according to an order from the Office of Elections late Friday. While Hawaiis four electoral votes are not likely to be consequential in the general election, this first victory against a challenge is a sign that efforts to keep the independent candidate off the ballot mostly undertaken by Democrats so far face long odds of success. The challenge, filed by the state partys chair, also tested the ability of Kennedys campaign team to withstand these coming legal battles. In this case, Kennedys side didnt even have legal representation. I'm going to ask you to bear with me. I'm not an attorney. I'm just a mom with a lot of kids, and I'm doing this because I want to make their future a little bit brighter, Kim Haines, the chair of Kennedys third-party bid in Hawaii, said during a hearing, which was held on Zoom earlier this month. Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, are both attorneys. Neither was present for the hearing. At numerous points during the proceedings, hearing officer Aaron Schulaner was forced to explain procedures to Haines and Michael Moskowitz, who defended their party against William Meheula, the state Democratic Partys lawyer. This included when it was appropriate to make objections, when to ask questions of the witnesses called and when it was permissible to make statements. One witness from the Kennedy side was also instructed that she could not ask questions of the opposing sides counsel during her testimony. Despite these challenges, Schulaner upheld the We the People Party registration. The state Democratic Party has 30 days to appeal. In Hawaii, as in some other states, the signature threshold to get a new third party on the ballot is lower than for independent candidates. So the Kennedy campaign started a new third party called We the People Party, forming a central committee and gathering 862 signatures. It has launched the We the People Party in several other states as well to take advantage of the lesser requirements, including vote-rich California. The Democratic Party tried to object to the formation of the party, not by challenging any of the signatures it gathered, but instead through a technicality in the We the People Party bylaws. The new third partys rules stated that its party officers shouldnt be members of any other political party. Moskowitz and Susan Alden, who both hold leadership positions, were alleged to be Democrats. But the state party failed to provide enough evidence showing their party affiliation as well as sufficient documentation about why this conflicting party affiliation would be disqualifying, hearing officer Aaron Schulaner wrote in his decision. Hawaii does not have partisan voter registration. Another We the People Party leader was also no longer a registered voter in Hawaii, which the party alleged made him ineligible to take on the role for the partys formation according to state law. But the We the People won again on this claim. A single non-voter would not be sufficient to cause any political party to no longer be considered an association of voters, Shulaner wrote on this issue. The state Democratic Party did not respond to a request for comment after the decision. A Madison County elementary school student was charged with second-degree terroristic threatening for allegedly saying they would bring a gun to school and shoot others, according to the Madison County Sheriffs Office. The incident happened at Glenn Marshall Elementary School in Richmond. The sheriffs office said the student returned from a disciplinary action on Wednesday after making threats to shoot others in the school the following day. A sheriffs office sergeant met with the student who said the threat was a joke, according to the sheriffs office. An investigation determined the students and staff at the school were not in immediate danger. Second-degree terroristic threatening is a class D felony in Kentucky when tried as an adult. The sheriffs office said additional disciplinary action is being handled by Madison County Schools. Thanks to Madison-County Sheriff KY for their help in resolving this situation so quickly. We are lucky to have local law enforcement who are so dedicated to the safety and welfare of our students, staff, and community, Madison County Schools said in a Facebook post. EL CAJON, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Comedian Kevin Hart is bringing his Brand New Material stand-up tour to the San Diego area this weekend. Harts shows are taking place Sunday, April 21 at 6 and 8 p.m. at The Magnolia in El Cajon after the shows originally scheduled to take place in early February had to be cancelled. Related: Comedian Kevin Hart bringing Brand New Material stand-up tour to San Diego this February Limited tickets are still available for both shows. All tickets purchased for the February shows will be honored for the new date. If you cannot attend, refunds can be given. After the El Cajon shows, Hart is hitting the road for more tour stops. You can catch him back on the West Coast at Netflix Is A Joke Presents: Kevin Hart on May 10 at the Hollywood Bowl. Indiana Jones, Derek Hough and more: May shows at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park Harts newest standup tour, Acting My Age, kicks off June 29 in Westbury, N.Y. On the West Coast, the tour will stop in Las Vegas, Nev. on July 12 and 14, Seattle, Wash. on Aug. 23, Portland, Ore. on Aug. 24, Spokane, Wash. on Aug. 25, and Oakland, Calif. on Oct. 25. View the full list of tour stops here. Tickets went on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday. The April 21 shows at The Magnolia will be a phone-free experience; electronics will be prohibited. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Port officials opened a third temporary shipping channel on the northeast side of the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge on Friday. The final of three alternative paths for boats around the wreckage of the bridge has a depth of about 20 feet and will allow limited access for commercially essential vessels, according to a Key Bridge Unified Command news release. The newest channel has a 300-foot horizontal clearance and a 135-foot vertical clearance. With the third channel open, officials estimate the temporary routes will allow about 15 percent of pre-collapse commercial activity, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. David OConnell said in the release. Unified Command opened the first temporary channel, measuring about 11 feet deep, on April 1. Gov. Wes Moore said Friday that crews working on the collapsed bridge had removed about 1,300 tons of steel from the Patapsco River and 120 containers from the Dali, the cargo ship that struck the bridges support column on March 26. Even as Moore and other officials were giving updates on recovery efforts, a large piece of the bridge was being lifted from the waterway, said Rear Admiral Will E. Watson of the Key Bridge Response Unified Command. I believe we are rigging it up right now, Watson said. This is great news as it keeps us on track to open a limited access channel by the end of the month. Floating the Dali is another step needed to clear the channel, Moore said. The freighters bow is stuck in the river bottom weighted down by large pieces of the bridge. Crews have removed more than 120 of the ships 4,000 containers. The goal is to remove 140 containers. Removing the containers is going to help us build a staging area to access the pieces of the bridge that are on top of the Dali, Moore said. Moore, a Democrat, expressed approval that the bridge recovery work had been completed to date with no injuries. I know its been times we can just swell with pride watching how remarkable this team and response has been, Moore said. But, I can not and will not shake that we have two souls unaccounted for. Six construction workers died on March 26 when the Key Bridge collapsed after being struck by the Dali. Four of the bodies have been recovered, but the search for the last two continues, Moore said. The six people who died when the Key Bridge fell that are not just names on a paper, Moore said. We think about them every single day. On relief to businesses and workers, the state has offered help for losses from the Key Bridge collapse while businesses and community organizations have raised more than $15 million. The state has approved aid to 58 businesses in one week to prevent layoffs while recovery continues through its worker retention program. Maryland also will provide weekly income for port workers, who have lost work and income because of the bridge collapse, with the Port of Baltimore Worker Support Program. The program gives a $430 weekly payment to those who regularly worked at the port before the collapse and need assistance due to a loss of job hours and income. Sun reporter Jean Marbella contributed to this article. The Israeli military struck near a major air base and nuclear site in Iran early Friday, in what appeared to be its first military response to Tehrans attack over the weekend. Iranian officials claimed the strike, which included at least three drones, hit its military base near the city of Isfahan, in the countrys center. But they also said the attack was ineffective, appearing to downplay the incident. Israel, meanwhile, also had a muted reaction to what it said was a limited response to Tehran to avoid escalating tensions between the two countries. Here are the key takeaways from the attack: Strike was calibrated to avoid escalation Israels strike follows the unprecedented Iranian drone and missile assault on the country on April 13, which Tehran said was retaliation for Israels airstrike on the Iranian Consulate in Syria on April 1. While Israel and Iran have long waged a shadow war, Tehrans strike which included hundreds of missiles and drones, nearly all of which were intercepted was the countrys first direct military attack on Israel. Israeli officials for the past week had threatened a powerful response, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brushing off allies calls for restraint. 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 during a meeting of his Cabinet. But Friday, following the relatively small drone attack, Israeli officials were mostly quiet. Iran President Ebrahim Raisi had also warned that the tiniest assault on his country would trigger a massive and harsh response. But hours after Israels attack, no public calls for retribution had emerged. The relatively small Israeli response was calculated to prevent the tit-for-tat from further spinning out of control, analysts said. The goal was to restore deterrence and discourage any further Iranian attack on the Israeli homeland, wrote Richard Haass, the president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations. But the Israeli action was also calibrated to make it easy for Iran not to respond. Israels government is not trumpeting what took place. And Ali Vaez, director of Iran Project at the International Crisis Group, said Israel merely sought to demonstrate to Iran what it could do, without really doing it. By opting to respond in a limited manner, Israel has remained within the gray zone of covert operations, allowing Iran to absorb the attack without the need to retaliate and further escalate while signaling to Tehran that its much larger overt operation failed to deter it, Vaez posted on the social platform X. Warning shot toward Irans nuclear facilities The area Israel chose to strike hosts a number of Iranian military sites, including four small nuclear research facilities, the nearby Natanz uranium enrichment site, an air base that contains fighter jets and a missile production factory. A Russian-made S-300 air defense battery is also thought to be in Isfahan. While Israels strike hit the air base, Iran said it did not cause any significant damage to the location and also didnt affect the nuclear complex. And satellite images obtained by CNN showed no apparent destruction to the military location. But the attacks specific location and retrained scope seemed to be a clear message from Israel to Iran: We can hit you where it hurts, according to former Defense Secretary Mark Esper. This wasnt about destroying Iranian infrastructure or killing Iranians, it was really about sending a message, Esper said in CNN on Friday. The message being that we can touch you, we can reach deep into Iran, and we can hit very sensitive sites. Other defense experts made the same assessment. Irans response to the Damascus strike was a massive escalation. What were seeing so far tonight is a very restrained response from Israel with a poignant message: Israel can hit anywhere it wants in Iran and doesnt need 350 missiles and drones to do it, Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, wrote on X. US stays on the sidelines Prior to Israels strike, President Biden advised Netanyahu to show restraint in any response to Irans earlier drone and missile attack, suggesting a counterattack may not be necessary because of the successful interception of Irans missiles and drones. But U.S. officials were not convinced Israel would do nothing, and reportedly asked the ally for advance warning of any planned retaliation. Following the Friday strike, the White House kept quiet about the incident, reflecting its desire to keep some distance from its allys actions. Im not going to speak or speculate about any of the reports that are out there, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Friday. We do not want to see this conflict escalate. We continue to consult with our allies and partners, including in the region, to reduce further risk of escalation in the region, she said. Other American officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, sought to make clear that Washington had nothing to do with Israels choice. The United States has not been involved in any offensive operations, Blinken said Friday at a meeting of the foreign ministers of Group of Seven countries in Capri, Italy. You saw Israel on the receiving end of an unprecedented attack, but our focus has been on, of course, making sure that Israel can effectively defend itself, but also de-escalating tensions, avoiding conflict. And that remains our focus, he added. Laura Kelly contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. This photo shows a ceremony to mark the upgrade of the Yili European Innovation Center and establishment of the Yili Maternal and Infant Nutrition Institute Global (YMINI Global) in Wageningen, the Netherlands, April 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo) WAGENINGEN, the Netherlands, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Ten years ago, dairy giant Yili Group established China's first overseas dairy research hub in the Netherlands. This center has undergone significant upgrades and boasts a state-of-the-art laboratory and a global research institute dedicated to maternal and infant nutrition studies. On Thursday, the Wageningen University & Research (WUR) hosted a ceremony to upgrade the Yili European Innovation Center and establish the Yili Maternal and Infant Nutrition Institute Global (YMINI Global). More than 130 representatives from Chinese and foreign dairy associations, educational and academic research institutions, the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, and the business community attended the event. "We are proud that Yili, as the leading dairy company in Asia, chose to establish the (Yili) European R&D Center on the campus of University Wageningen 10 years ago in 2014," said Sjoukje Heimovaara, president of the Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research, referring to the predecessor of the Yili European Innovation Center. She said the two sides have engaged in extensive cooperation in dairy product research and talent development over the past decade, making significant contributions to advancing dairy and food science. Heimovaara described Yili as "one of the respected partners in the Wageningen ecosystem," and emphasized its contribution to dairy-related innovation projects. She noted their collaborative efforts in translating cutting-edge scientific advancements into new products, and expressed anticipation for continued partnership and collaboration. Liu Chunxi, executive president of Yili Group, emphasized that innovation is the core driving force behind Yili's development. Yili officially inaugurated its high-standard laboratory at the ceremony, which is now ready for use. The laboratory has advanced testing instruments and production equipment, enabling integrated operations for product research, efficacy verification, and pilot production. It will serve as an innovation platform for research cooperation between Yili and its partners. In 2014, Yili and WUR jointly established the Yili European R&D center. The center was upgraded in 2018 to the Yili European Innovation Center. This photo shows the Yili European Innovation Center at the Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in Wageningen, the Netherlands, April 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo) (KRON) South Monterey County investigators released new information about a horrific mass shooting that targeted a birthday party in King City, as well as a double homicide in Soledad. On March 3, a crowd was gathered in the front yard of a home on 2nd Street in King City to celebrate a birthday party. Three masked gunmen jumped out of a car and opened fire on party-goers. Eleven people were shot, including four who died from gunshot wounds. On February 4, two cousins were shot and killed on Los Coches Road near Soledad. Deputies described the double homicide as a case of mistaken identity. The cousins had no ties to gangs, and no criminal background. This week, investigators said they connected the King City shooting to the Soledad shooting. The Monterey County Sheriffs Office said over 50 search warrants have been served in an effort to track down the killers. On Thursday, officers served additional search warrants in Greenfield. There have been several ancillary arrests related to these crimes as investigators work towards solving these murders. Several persons of interest have been generated and all leads are being investigated. While we can confirm the suspects in this case have gang connections, the Sheriffs Office cannot stress enough the innocence of all victims, MCSO wrote. South Monterey County man convicted of stabbing lambs at high school Witnesses helped move the investigation forward, deputies said. The publics help has been instrumental in making these connections. Further details cannot be released at this time as this investigation is ongoing, MCSO wrote. King City officials are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunmen. Anyone with information relating to the South Monterey County killings is encouraged to call Monterey County Detective Arras Wilson at 831-759-7203, King City Sgt. J. Partida at 831-537-8415, or Detective Sergeant Nicholas Kennedy of the Monterey County Sheriffs Violent Crimes Unit at 831-755-3773. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. A coalition of former lawmakers on Saturday sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) thanking him for moving forward with the foreign aid package the House is set to vote on. We recognize the political peril this decision carries and are deeply grateful for your determination to put the interests of our countrys national security ahead of political expediency, the lawmakers, including former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), wrote in the letter. There is a cacophony of misguided narratives being advanced from across the political spectrum. Our allies deserve the certain and stalwart support that comes from partnering with the greatest country the world has ever known. Your call for America to reemerge as the country that defends freedom and confronts tyranny is a clarion one for our time, they added. This is not a debate of American security versus international security, but rather one of confronting threats to American security wherever they rear their evil head. The letter comes as the House prepares to vote on a series of bills that would provide funding for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region, among other national security interests. The lower chamber advanced the spending package on Friday despite vehement opposition from conservatives, opening up the door for debate on the legislation. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has also hit Johnson with a motion to vacate over additional funding for Ukraine, which the Speaker moved forward with the support of Democrats. At least two other GOP lawmakers have backed her resolution, but Greene has not moved to force a vote on whether to oust Johnson or said when she plans to do so. The former lawmakers pushed back against the internal division in their letter, warning it is only a distraction for the enemy. These forces of evil are not only attacking our friends and allies, they are attacking America itself through our allies, the letter reads, pointing to the conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Further, they are counting on our internal political divisions to provide the distraction that allows them to get away with it. We must ensure that calculation proves woefully misguided. Now is the time to acknowledge that our freedom to engage in robust debate and even dissent hinges on our courage to stand together against our common threats, they continued. The world needs America now more than ever to unite our allies and defend our friends who are under direct attack from our enemies. The letter was signed by more than 30 former lawmakers and other advocates for additional aid to Ukraine. Republican divisions have become routine this Congress, as conservatives have sought to press GOP leaders to fight harder for Republican priorities the dynamic that led to the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last October. But, the signatories said the decision to pass more aid to the embattled country is based on a choice: Supporting our allies to ensure victory or risk being drawn into a larger scale war that, as you say, will draw in American troops. Some will continue to say this funding is about international security. Saying something does not make it so, the lawmakers concluded. The threats currently facing our allies are a threat to America itself, and we must meet the moment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Heres what to know about transition-related health care, which Texas has banned for children Protesters opposing bills that would limit transgender kids access to puberty blockers and hormone therapies rally at the Texas Capitol on March 1. Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune For the second consecutive legislative session, some Republican Texas lawmakers in 2023 pushed bills that sought to limit the kind of health care treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy that leading medical associations support for trans children and young adults. In June 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 14 and Texas joined 17 other states restricting transgender minors from accessing puberty blockers and hormone therapies. Nearly 30,000 13- to 17-year-olds in Texas identified as trans in a federal survey published in 2022 and this is likely an undercount. [Texas lawmakers pursued dozens of bills affecting LGBTQ people in 2023. Heres what passed and what failed.] The stigma and discrimination trans people face often contribute to higher rates of stress and mental health problems compared to cisgender people, several studies have found. Experts say transition-related health care is often lifesaving and can be medically necessary for some people. Transition-related care is an umbrella term referring to a range of social practices, hormone therapies, mental health treatments and medical procedures that support a persons gender identity. Trans adults, under the care of doctors and mental health professionals, decide what types of medical care and practices, if any, make the most sense for them as individuals. Trans kids make those same medical decisions with permission from their parents and under the care of doctors and mental health care professionals. Legislative debates centered on the age at which such care should be provided and what science and medical experts say about the treatments. Doctors and trans Texans said much of the political rhetoric surrounding the legislation misrepresented who was receiving such care and what treatments kids typically undergo. Many trans Texans wondered why their access to care which is often lifesaving was up for debate in the first place. In my experience, trans people just want to live their lives, said Marvin Bellows, a Texas counselor whose clients include trans and queer youth. Thats even a common joke in trans communities: We have an agenda thats to live. The Texas Supreme Court heard a legal challenge to the new ban on gender-affirming care for kids in January 2024. Transgender A transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not completely align with the sex assigned to them at birth. Cisgender A cisgender person is someone whose gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to them at birth. Gender dysphoria Gender dysphoria is the medical term for the distress someone experiences when their gender identity doesnt match their body. Not all transgender people experience gender dysphoria. But trans people often use the term for the discomfort they feel when they are referenced by or treated as the wrong gender, or view themselves as not looking or feeling like the gender they are. Gender euphoria, conversely, is a feeling of comfort and joy when gender identity and expression match. Transition-related health care Transition-related care is an umbrella term referring to a range of practices and therapies from social behavior to health care treatments that affirm a transgender persons gender identity. It includes talking with a therapist or counselor, using the correct pronouns, taking medications that pause puberty or receiving hormone therapies. This is often also called gender-affirming care. Transgender adults make individual decisions about which combination of practices and treatments, if any, work for them. They consult with medical professionals about therapies and procedures. Before Senate Bill 14, parents, doctors and mental health care professionals were also involved in making decisions about the practices and treatments that make the most sense for transgender children. Most transgender American adults say transitioning has made them more satisfied with their lives, according to a KFF/Washington Post survey released March 23. Studies have found that transgender youth who take puberty blockers are significantly less likely to experience lifelong suicidal ideation than those who want the care and dont get it. And studies show psychological trauma is reduced and life satisfaction increases when people who want transition-related hormone therapy get it. Major medical associations support transition-related care. They include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the Endocrine Society, the World Medical Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. The bottom line is, gender-affirming care is something that is evidence-based. There are multiple medical organizations that have reviewed the literature, said Texas Pediatric Society president Louis Appel. Its not a one-size-fits-all approach. These are complicated issues that really are best dealt with in the context of the physician-patient-family relationship. Providers overwhelmingly follow a care timeline set up by major national and global medical organizations. For example, the Endocrine Society, among other health organizations, recommends waiting until a teenager can give informed consent usually around age 16 to start hormone therapy. Major medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and the Endocrine Society have published guidelines on age-appropriate timelines for care. Cisgender teenagers, together with their parents or guardians, are currently deemed competent to give consent to various medical treatments, an Endocrine Society statement says. Transgender teenagers should be afforded the same legal rights. Social transitioning Social transitioning happens when a transgender person starts presenting and introducing themself in a way that aligns with their gender identity. For a lot of people, this is whats known as coming out. It can look like a new haircut or trying out a new name, said Landon Richie, a Texas college student who is a trans man and a policy associate for the Transgender Education Network of Texas. In addition to counseling, this is pretty much the only option for care available to young trans people before puberty. The experience of being around others who understand and accept me for who I am is lifesaving not only for myself, but for so many other people, Richie told reporters last month. It can also include using certain pronouns and wearing clothes that express ones gender identity. Recent studies show that young people who socially transition are overwhelmingly likely to keep identifying that way. A growing bank of evidence also shows that social affirmation using the right name and pronouns, receiving support and experiencing a sense of community can decrease rates of depression and suicidal ideation, said Jason Rafferty, who authored the American Academy of Pediatrics 2018 policy statement on gender-affirming care. The real understanding that I think is coming from the data is that any support really helps build resiliency, Rafferty said. Mental health care One of the first steps to accessing puberty blockers, hormone therapies and other transition-related care is talking with mental health care providers. Industry standards guide behavioral health professionals to look at how long their clients have been experiencing gender dysphoria and whether it is likely to continue as they make recommendations for children, said Marvin Bellows, president of the Texas Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex and Gender Expansive Identities, a division of the Texas Counseling Association. Providers are dissuaded from pushing young people to come out, socially transition or begin medical treatments. The exploration process is one of affirmation and acceptance, no matter what the conclusion is, Bellows said. That way, the client doesnt feel pressure to identify in any particular way. Physicians and insurance will often request letters of support from a patients behavioral health providers before starting puberty blockers or hormone therapy, Bellows said. And some request a more ongoing relationship for example, having a mental health care provider meet regularly with a patient to check on how they are doing and collaborate with a physician if any issues come up. Providers also shouldnt recommend transition-related care to kids if its not safe for them, whether thats due to an unsupportive social environment or a number of other factors, Bellows said. Puberty blockers In some cases, physicians can prescribe puberty blockers to pause puberty and allow an adolescent more time to understand their gender identity, according to the Texas Medical Association. Puberty is not a neutral process, said Jason Rafferty, who authored the American Academy of Pediatrics 2018 policy statement on gender-affirming care. Your body produces hormones, whether its estrogen or testosterone, which will facilitate certain effects, which will dictate from a gender perspective, how youre seen and perceived. Physicians have been using puberty blockers with cisgender patients since the 1990s to pause early puberty. That is when puberty changes occur too soon in a child, such as those younger than 10. Puberty blockers are used off-label for transgender patients. Off-label use when physicians prescribe FDA-approved drugs for an unapproved use is both common and legal. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported 1 in 5 prescriptions were written for off-label use in 2015. While a young transgender person is using puberty blockers, health care professionals monitor their physical and psychological health, according to the TMA. During that period of time, family members and the youths health care team discuss whether that person will stop using the blockers and continue puberty in their sex assigned at birth or begin using prescribed hormone therapy for example, estrogen for trans girls or testosterone for trans boys. The effects of puberty blockers are reversible after a person stops using them, major medical associations agree. Providers must advise adolescents on the risks of puberty blockers before beginning treatment, including potential effects on bone mineralization, according to the Endocrine Society. Depending on the mental health of the patient, the benefits of treatment can heavily outweigh potential side effects, two doctors and a counselor told The Texas Tribune. Hormone therapy Hormone therapy enables transgender people to experience puberty in a way that more closely aligns with their gender identity. It can entail trans women taking estrogen and trans men taking testosterone. It is best practice for providers to wait to recommend hormone therapy until a person is considered competent to consent to the treatment. Thats usually possible at 16 years old, according to the Endocrine Society. Physicians calculate potential risks and complications with a patients family and behavioral health team before starting any treatment. After starting, physicians meet regularly with patients to monitor hormone levels and run other tests. Hormone therapy is partially reversible if a patient decides to stop treatment. Physicians must tell patients prior to beginning treatment that certain effects of hormone therapy, including breast growth or a deeper voice, are irreversible, according to the Texas Medical Association. Some cisgender people also receive hormone therapy. Cisgender women use it to relieve symptoms associated with menopause and cisgender men use it when they experience low testosterone levels. Transition-related surgery Minors can sometimes undergo surgeries on their breasts and chests but only around ages 16 or 17, and only in specific circumstances after doctors weigh a patients situation with family support, said Jason Rafferty, who authored the American Academy of Pediatrics 2018 policy statement on gender-affirming care. Accessing puberty blockers at the start of puberty can help trans people avoid transition-related surgery later in life. Cisgender people also get the same or similar surgery, like when they have breast augmentations and breast reductions. Texas Pediatric Society president Louis Appel said hes not aware of minors in Texas having bottom surgery, an umbrella term for surgery that involves genitals. Standards of care dictate that bottom surgery shouldnt happen until a person is 18, Rafferty said. Detransition Sometimes, people decide to stop gender-affirming care. Not very many trans youth detransition. Research published in Pediatrics found that of the 300 young people who identified as trans at the start of a five-year study, 2.5% identified as cisgender by the end. The most common reason for detransitioning is that transition efforts didnt cause the social relief a person was looking for, said Marvin Bellows, a Texas counselor whose clients include trans and queer youth. That can happen as a result of anti-trans discrimination, unsupportive families or a number of other factors, Bellows said. Rapper Kodak Black will face nothing more than a parking ticket in one case after a Broward judge dismissed the second and last criminal charge against him Wednesday stemming from police finding a substance in his Bentley last year. In December, Black, whose legal name is Bill Kapri, was found asleep on a Plantation road in a black Bentley with its tail lights on. Police say they found a white chunky substance on the rapper. The rapper was charged with oxycodone possession and evidence tampering, along with a traffic citation for being double parked. Broward Circuit Court Judge Barbara Duffy dismissed the evidence tampering charge on Wednesday. Brad Cohen, who is representing Black, said, We are pleased that the judge recognized the valid arguments for this illegal arrest by dismissing the last count of the indictment. This is a case that should have never been filed. Duffy already dismissed the drug possession charge in February, writing that prosecutors could not refute or negate the fact that Blacks prescription for oxycodone was filled by a pharmacy. Smarter decisions need to be made at the Broward State Attorneys Office regarding filing decisions and how matters are handled, Cohen said. Black is still entangled in a separate drug trafficking case. In 2022, he was pulled over in his purple Dodge Durango by the Florida Highway Patrol. State troopers found 31 oxycodone tablets inside the car. Recent legal wins Earlier this year, Black was released from the Miami Federal Detention Center after spending two months in the downtown lock-up. He had been held for violating his probation on a gun-buying conviction in 2019. Black pleaded guilty to lying on a background check form when he purchased handguns at a Hialeah weapons store, federal court records show. He was sentenced to 46 months in prison, though it was commuted by former President Donald Trump in January 2021, shortly before Trump left office. In late February, U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez revoked Blacks probation but then sentenced him to time served at the detention center, paving the way for his immediate release. At a brief hearing, Martinez expressed concern for Black, saying he has wasted his good talent by excessively using prescription drugs. Please straighten out your act, Martinez told the rapper. Kremlin: US House passage of Ukraine aid bill will hurt Ukraine, cause more deaths U.S. House votes on $95 billion Ukraine-Israel package on Capitol Hill in Washington (Reuters) - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that U.S. House of Representatives' approval of security aid to Ukraine would lead to more damage and deaths in the conflict there. The decision "will make the United States of America richer, further ruin Ukraine and result in the deaths of even more Ukrainians, the fault of the Kyiv regime," Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. The Kremlin has been locked in conflict in Ukraine since invading it more than two years ago. The House approved a legislative package providing $60.84 billion to Ukraine, including $23 billion to replenish U.S. weapons, stocks and facilities. The package now goes to the U.S. Senate, which passed a similar measure two months ago, for expected approval next week. It then is passed on to President Joe Biden to sign. Peskov also said that provisions in the legislation allowing the U.S. administration to confiscate seized Russian assets and transfer them to Ukraine to fund reconstruction would tarnish the image of the United States. Russia, he said, would enact retaliatory measures. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the approval of U.S. aid for Ukraine was expected and grounded in "Russophobia". "We will, of course, be victorious regardless of the bloodsoaked $61 billion, which will mostly be swallowed up by their insatiable military industrial complex," wrote Medvedev, one of Russia's most vociferous hawks as deputy chairman of the Security Council. Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said the approval of aid in the legislation to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan would "deepen crises throughout the world". "Military assistance to the Kyiv regime is direct sponsorship of terrorist activity," Zakharova wrote on Telegram. "To Taiwan, it is interference in China's internal affairs. To Israel, it is a road straight to escalation and an unprecedented rise in tension in the region." (Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Sandra Maler and Cynthia Osterman) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Some KRQE employees got the opportunity to head to Hodgin Elementary on Friday morning to hand out new shoes to students. Each student got a new pair of shoes, a free book, and snacks. Story continues below This has touched a lot of students hearts. They have been very excited. Not only is it a relief for families, we have several siblings here as well, so they are going to go home with new shoes. They have built relationships with every single volunteer that I have seen with these kids, said Tonya McCullough with Hodgin Elementary School. So far, more than 29,000 pairs of shoes have been donated to kids at Title 1 schools, thanks to the generous support of KRQEs viewers. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. The Los Angeles City Council signed off on a deal to assist residents of the Hillside Villa Apartments in Chinatown, where dozens of tenants have been facing steep rent increases. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to spend nearly $15 million to spare many tenants of a Chinatown apartment building from major rent hikes, even as several of those residents demanded the city do more to erase their unpaid back rent. On a 14-0 vote, the council agreed to use city funds to limit rent increases for the next 10 years at the Hillside Villa Apartments, where residents have been in a battle with their landlord since 2019, when previous restrictions on the building's rents expired. The agreement approved Friday would roll back rent hikes in many of Hillside Villa's units. In addition, tenants with unpaid back rent would avoid eviction proceedings by signing an agreement promising to gradually repay the landlord over the next six years at 3% interest, according to the city's report. Tenant advocates and some residents of Hillside Villa denounced the deal, saying many cannot afford to pay. Residents in 48 of the building's 124 units still owe a combined $1.4 million in back rent, according to Ann Sewill, who heads the city's Housing Department. For years, a major portion of the building's tenants have participated in a rent strike, withholding payments in an effort to counter steep rent increases. Some of those debts were erased in recent years by city and state COVID-19 relief funds. The tenant advocates said more help is needed. Appearing before the council, one speaker said the repayment requirement would be a "death sentence" for the building's low-income residents. Another called the agreement a "slap in the face." "We're really, really dissatisfied with this deal," said Rosasela Hernandez, a 17-year Hillside Villa resident. "We're still at risk of being evicted." Read more: L.A. cuts tentative deal to provide $15 million to spare Chinatown tenants from steep rent hikes Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, whose district includes Chinatown, said this week that she had persuaded the owner to delay the start of the six-year repayment period by six months. She said she also intends to use $250,000 of her office's discretionary funds to erase the first year of unpaid rent debt at Hillside Villa, a move that could delay the start of the repayment process until late 2025. Hernandez said she is looking for other funding sources to cover the remaining back rent. "We're going to look under every rock and every opportunity and every pathway to try to find the resources to close that gap," she said. "That's inside this building, that's outside of this building." Thomas Botz, managing member of 636 NHP, the company that owns the building, said the unpaid rent ranges from less than $5,000 for some households to nearly $91,000. After Friday's vote, Botz praised the council member for working to find a resolution. "I admire that she stands up for the tenants and is trying to be there for them," he said. "She really went to bat for them." Housing officials reported last week that they had struck a deal with Botz to use city money to roll back rent for many Hillside Villa tenants to 2019 rates. Hillside Villa had served for 30 years as affordable housing as part of an agreement with city officials. Those rent restrictions expired five years ago, prompting Botz to increase rents, in some cases doubling or tripling the amount. Tenant activists responded by urging the council to purchase Hillside Villa using eminent domain, a process used by government agencies to acquire private property. Protesters went to city officials' homes to demand they force a sale. In 2022, the council voted to begin an effort to purchase the building. Sewill, whose home was picketed multiple times, eventually came out against that idea, saying the cost of acquiring the property from an unwilling seller, then fixing and refinancing it, would reach nearly $93 million, or $748,665 per unit. Not every household in Hillside Villa will get city assistance. Seventeen of the building's units are occupied by residents who are paying market rate. An additional 68 units already have been subsidized by Section 8 rental vouchers although some of those tenants have also withheld rent, Botz said. As part of the deal, Botz will have an additional 10 years to repay a $3.5-million redevelopment loan at 1% interest. A second, $1.85-million loan will eventually be forgiven, as long as the landlord adheres to the terms of his agreement with the city, housing officials 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. A leading barrister and peer has called on judges to quit their membership of the male-only Garrick Club saying: its not complicated but is an issue of impartiality. Baroness Kennedy KC, made the comments after it emerged that one of the High Courts most senior judges had resigned from the controversial members club amid mounting pressure on the judiciary to quit their memberships. The Judicial Office confirmed that Sir Julian Flaux, the Chancellor of the High Court, resigned from the Garrick Club in the wake of the mounting controversy. He is the fifth senior judge who has been identified as a member and who has quit his membership. Last month, the full membership list of the London gentlemens club, which was founded in 1831 and is one of the oldest of its kind in the world, was leaked, prompting renewed anger at its continued refusal to admit women. The names on the leaked list included Cabinet ministers, many other senior figures in the judiciary, including a Supreme Court judge, five Court of Appeal judges, eight High Court judges and about 150 KCs. It also featured dozens of members of the House of Lords and 10 MPs, as well as three bishops, including two retired and one serving, and 14 reverends and around 150 men identified on the list have the title Sir and 40 have the title Lord. As a result of the leak, first reported by The Guardian, Simon Case, the head of the Civil Service, and Richard Moore, the MI6 chief, quit their membership of the club, along with four senior judges: Sir Keith Lindblom, Nicholas Cusworth, Sir Ian Dove and Sir Nicholas Lavender. Now Baroness Kennedy, who is a leading barrister and an expert in human rights law, civil liberties and constitutional issues and a Labour member of the House of Lords, has called for other remaining judges to also quit their membership. She said: There is a misunderstanding by many about the central issue here, which is about the ways in which justice is done and seen to be done. If people appear before a judge they have to be confident of his/her impartiality and anything which points towards discriminatory views has to be avoided. Its not complicated. It is not an attack on individual judges. Asked if she thinks that the remaining members of the judiciary who have been identified as Garrick Club members should also quit their membership in light of this, she said: I think it would be a sensible course. Unless a vote is about to take place and they commit to supporting the introduction of women. Getting to two thirds is the current challenge as I understand it. The Labour peer also called for the UK to follow a US-style system in which judges should not belong to such clubs. She added: What I fear will happen is that there will be growing challenges to judges seeking their recusal in certain kinds of cases. I dont think thats good for the judiciary or public confidence. Her comments come after two senior judges were recused from cases as a result of their Garrick Club membership. Sir Jonathan Cohen, the High Court judge, was removed from overseeing a case involving an alleged rape victim, amid concerns that she would be prejudiced by his membership of the male-only club. Phillip Havers KC, another Garrick Club member, also recused himself from a case after he was appointed as the judge to handle disciplinary hearings against Charlotte Proudman, a barrister, for expressing frustration at the echoes of a boys club attitude that she claims were contained in a family court judgment that was not in favour of her client. Many have been identified as members but are still not believed to have resigned their membership. This includes: High Court judges, Sir Robert Hildyard, Sir Christopher Butcher and Sir Nicholas Hilliard; Supreme Court judge Lord Richards, Court of Appeal judges, Lord Justice Moylan, Lord Justice Coulson and Lord Justice Haddon-Cave. The membership leak also revealed the King to be among hundreds of establishment figures in its ranks, as well as Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, and Dominic Grieve, the former attorney general, as well as the actor Brian Cox and Matthew Macfadyen, his Succession co-star. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A fire engine is parked outside the Company No. 5 fire station in Lake Charles. (Natalie McLendon/Louisiana Illuminator) LAKE CHARLES Staffing at city fire stations is one-third below ideal levels, as a year-old lawsuit over inadequate pay lingers over the departments efforts to recruit new firefighters. Officials say the safety of residents and businesses arent at risk, but firefighters at one station have been forced to relocate while their air-conditioning is not working. Jared Chandler, Firefighters Union 0561 liaison, told the Illuminator the optimal number of full-time employees for the department is 182 a number that city Public Information Officer Katie Harrington confirmed. There are currently 37 LCFD job vacancies, with 34 of them in fire suppression, she said. We are definitely lacking in personnel, as is shown by the number, Chandler said. Members of the Firefighters Union Local 561 say the inability to fill those jobs stems, in part, from a complicated compensation structure. The union filed a lawsuit March 3, 2023, in local state court claiming multiple instances when the city paid new firefighters more than those with higher ranks. The city implemented a new salary system in January 2023 that increased firefighter pay based on their position and years of service. However, the system doesnt adhere to state law, according to the lawsuit. Louisiana law requires firefighters receive 2% annual increases in pay after reaching three years of continuous service for up to 20 years. It also lists the minimum salary increases for specific firefighter ranks. The lawsuit names Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter, City Administrator John Cardone Jr. and all City Council members as defendants. Assistant City Attorney Christopher E. John denied the allegations in his response to the unions court complaint. Litigation is ongoing, and the next court date isnt available on record. The unions requests include that the city adopt an equitable pay schedule for firefighters that maintain(s) the minimum salary differential between ranks, including 2% annual increases mandated by law. They also ask for an end to lump sum payments and compensation owed for back pay and pension payments. Lake Charles firefighters have been outspoken before about being paid commensurate with their duties and experience. Their union staged a days-long picket line in front of City Hall in July 2022 over wages as low as $11.17 per hour. By December that year, the City Council had adopted a new pay matrix and amended it in January this year. Public records the Illuminator obtained indicate that, as of January, the annual salary for an entry-level Lake Charles firefighter is $33,503, or $11.51 per hour for an average 56-hour workweek. The city also pays $600 monthly supplemental pay for all new firefighters during their first year of service. Upon completing the first year, the state pays the $600 monthly supplement. Lake Charles is actually on par with pay for entry-level firefighters in Baton Rouge, who make a little over $33,200 per year for a 56-hour workweek in a city with nearly three times the population and twice the land area. Kenner, which has about 15,000 fewer people than Lake Charles and only a third of the area, pays its firefighters a starting salary of $22,287 for 40 work hours per week, with an hourly wage of less than $9.00. Kenner has faced a similar lawsuit from its firefighters over their compensation. The fire recruit classification for the New Orleans Fire Department has a starting base salary of $40,896. Fire Chief Delton DC Carter says the department currently employs 123, not including support staff, and that the department can always use more personnel. We have maneuvered staffing so that we have been able to continuously provide the level of service needed for our run area, Carter said. Since I have been chief, I have never felt like we have provided inadequate staffing or an inadequate level of service or care for our run area. Carter has been in charge of the Lake Charles Fire Department since 2022 and joined its ranks in 1999. While the Lake Charles firefighters unions lawsuit alleges inadequate pay, some members say inadequate facilities are also an issue. For at least 56 days, Fire Station 5 in the southeastern section of the city had no functioning air conditioning. District F City Council member Craig Marks said in a Facebook post the city has been working on the HVAC problem at the station since February. Marks also said Station 5 firefighters were temporarily relocated while the AC issues were being addressed. Sources who wished to remain anonymous out of concern for their job security said a used air conditioner was temporarily placed in Station 5, and its firefighters were relocated to another station. As of last Saturday, no firefighters have been on shift at Station 5 except to clean the facility, the Illuminator determined. There are eight fire stations in Lake Charles, and the city has a joint services agreement with Calcasieu Parish to occupy two stations in Ward Three that were previously staffed with volunteers. According to the citys website, Lake Charles Insurance Service Office (ISO) fire rating is currently a Class Two, the next-to-highest rating. Carter said the city has maintained this fire rating for more than 40 years. It was not always at a two, but we were eventually able to move up to that, Chandler said. Your citys fire rating directly affects peoples insurance premiums, and there are many factors that determine that rating, one of them being the amount of personnel a department has and its response times. Lake Charles covers the cost of city fire protection from its general fund, as opposed to a dedicated tax or fee that some municipalities and parishes collect for their fire departments. Harrington said fire protection costs account for nearly 26% of general fund expenditures, second only to city police (27.8%) and just ahead of public works spending (25%). Across all of city government, salaries and wages make up 39% of general fund spending. The citys current budget for fiscal year 2023-24, which began Oct. 1, lists expenditures totaling $22.8 million for the fire department a 6% increase from the prior year. Salaries, overtime, retirement contributions and other fringe benefits account for 73% of department spending, down from 86% five years ago. A fire engine is parked outside the Company No. 5 fire station in Lake Charles. A fire engine is parked outside the Company No. 5 fire station in Lake Charles. (Natalie McLendon/Louisiana Illuminator) Regarding recruitment, Chandler said the Lake Charles Fire Department has a great deal of difficulty as the lowest-paid department in the area. Even when we do get recruits, a lot of the time we lose them after hiring them to surrounding stations, Chandler said. According to employees at the Sulphur Fire Department, their entry-level base salary exceeds $36,500 for a 40-hour workweek. The Lafayette Fire Department indicated recruits can expect to make about $34,600 starting pay for a 50-hour average work week that comes to an hourly wage of $13.30. The Carlyss Fire Department, just southwest of Lake Charles, uses a combination of volunteer and career firefighters. Chief Mark Ware Jr. said the starting salary for career firefighters is $42,000 for nearly 40 hours a week, including incentive pay. Carter advised those who enter the firefighting profession dont do so for the compensation. A career in the fire service, like any public safety career, is a calling to be answered, Carter said. The recruitment challenges we face are similar to those faced nationwide at this time. However, we are seeing an increased interest as of late. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post Lake Charles lacks firefighters while union lawsuit seeks better pay appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry attend a joint press conference in Istanbul, Turkiye, April 20, 2024. Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers emphasized that the military confrontation and crises in the Middle East could potentially widen to a larger area, underscoring the necessity for urgent action.(Photo by Safar Rajabov/Xinhua) ISTANBUL, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers emphasized that the military confrontation and crises in the Middle East could potentially widen to a larger area, underscoring the necessity for urgent action. Hakan Fidan and Sameh Shoukry met in Turkiye's Istanbul on Saturday to discuss current regional challenges and bilateral relations. "Conflicts, incomprehension, and violence must not continue," said Shoukry at a joint conference with Fidan. "There is a possibility that the conflict may spread. The tension between Iran and Israel has increased... We have called for restraint," he noted. The Egyptian foreign minister also noted that the strain between Iran and Israel diverted the international community's attention from the "tragic situation" in Gaza, underscoring the significance of delivering aid to the region. Shoukry called for the immediate opening of six Israeli crossings with Gaza for humanitarian aid, stressing that any failure to do so constitutes a violation of international law. "It is very important that a ceasefire is established first and that the Palestinian people receive the humanitarian aid they need," he remarked. Fidan, for his part, noted that everything that happens in Palestine could trigger global fault lines and expand across both Eastern and Western spheres. "The disruption of logistics chains and the surge in prices are just the tip of the iceberg. To curb the proliferation of crises, proactive measures are imperative to address these issues at their core," the Turkish minister said. "Our priority should be the end of the Israeli occupation and the realization of the two-state solution formula. Without this resolution, yesterday's attacks from Yemen, today's Iran-Israel tension, tomorrow's potential for another war, and the day after's risk of civil unrest will persist," he said. Meanwhile, the two ministers also underscored the profound and constructive relations between Turkiye and Egypt, emphasizing their positive impact on the region. "We are committed to elevating our political, economic, cultural, and security relations to a superior standard. Our strong ties will contribute significantly to the security and stability of the region," Shoukry said. In February, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made his first visit to Cairo in over a decade, aiming to revitalize ties with Egypt after more than a decade of estrangement. (Photo illustration by Getty Images) Ever wonder where your taxes go? Each year, the Institute for Policy Studies releases a tax receipt so you can find out. One item always stands out: the Pentagon and the contractors who profit off it. In 2023, the average taxpayer spent $2,974 on the Pentagon. Of that, just $705 went to salaries for the troops, who often have to rely on programs like food stamps. A much larger sum $1,748 went to corporate Pentagon contractors. Thats more than the average Americans monthly rent, $1,372. From Lockheed Martin (the top federal contractor and longtime weapons maker) to SpaceX (which Elon Musk runs when hes not spewing racist and anti-semitic tropes), these corporations dont need your support. And they arent operating with your well-being in mind. Enriching them comes at the cost of better health care, education, clean air and water, disaster management, and more. Here are just five examples from the average tax bill. 1. Pentagon contractors ($1,759) vs. the Child Tax Credit ($110). In 2024, the Pentagon budget is set to increase by $27 billion, bringing the departments budget to about $825 billion. About half of that will go to for-profit contractors. Meanwhile, an expansion of the Child Tax Credit during the pandemic succeeded in cutting the child poverty rate almost in half progress that was almost immediately reversed when the expansion expired in late 2021. Lifting kids out of poverty can have lifelong effects on their health, education, and employment. Isnt that worth more than a tiny fraction of our spending on military contracts? 2. Lockheed Martin ($249) vs. renewable energy ($11). Lockheed Martin is perhaps best-known as the maker of the always over-budget, never-quite-ready F-35 jet fighter, which has spontaneously caught fire three separate times. Despite claims that programs like this are job creators, Lockheed recently made moves to cut jobs. Meanwhile, despite the necessity of addressing climate change and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, the average taxpayers contribution to renewable energy programs tops out at just $11. 3. Boeing ($87) vs. the Federal Aviation Administration ($23). From commercial flights that crashed to others that fell apart in midair, Boeings commercial safety record lately has been abysmal. Yet the company is also among the top five Pentagon contractors. Among other military aircraft, its the maker of the V-22 Osprey that crashed and killed eight service members in November. Story continues The FAA, of course, is the understaffed, underfunded government regulator responsible for the safety of commercial flights. Maybe we should spend more on regulating companies like Boeing than subsidizing them? 4. Federal prisons ($32.29) vs. substance use and mental health programs ($31.69). With about 2 million people incarcerated nationally, about one in three Americans will have an immediate family member who has been in prison or jail. Your federal income tax dollars support this system, which often treats substance use and mental health challenges as issues best confined to a prison cell. By contrast, help for substance use disorder or mental health issues can still be profoundly hard to get, as any affected person or family member will tell you. What if we spent more on treating these health conditions than punishing them? 5. Foreign militaries ($112) vs. wildfire management ($14). From Afghanistan and Iraq to Ukraine and now Gaza, it feels like the U.S. is always either starting a war, fighting a war, or subsidizing a war. These wars are increasingly unpopular and theyre not making us any safer. Meanwhile, a growing number of Americans have experienced the direct or indirect effects of wildfire in recent years. These disasters cost upward of $394 billion each year. Isnt that threat worth addressing? Pentagon contractors want us to think we need what theyre selling, but wrong-headed priorities like these mean were actually worse off. Spread the word: every taxpayer deserves better. This commentary from the Institute for Policy Studies was distributed by OtherWords.org. The post Last year, you spent more than a months rent on Pentagon contractors appeared first on Arkansas Advocate. That definitively onomatopoeic word has been bounding about this week: smacking. The very sound of the word delivering pain. I hear the word smack and feel the need to duck. This time its doctors the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health issuing a report to say that smacking can be damaging to childrens behaviour, health and wellbeing. Smacking is already illegal in Scotland and Wales and the report argues that it should be in England and Northern Ireland, too. Im sure this is correct. There is no upside to the physical punishment of children. Nevertheless, when I hear the word, hear debate on the subject, it just makes me think aside from the sound of pain of my failings as a parent. Not that I smack. I gave it up some time ago. It was a moment of pathetic poignancy and of pitiful guilt (mine). A child of mine was being naughty, irritating, consistently needling me so I slapped the back of their hand. The child howled then continued to do the annoying thing and like the most annoying of annoying things, I cant for the life of me remember what it was. So I said, If you do that again I promise I will smack your other hand. Then the child stopped, looked up at me and offered that hand. This crushed and destroyed me and Ive not smacked since. Although, boy, Ive been tempted to. Because Im just a parent, Im not a professional. Im not trained in child-rearing, management, in sleep-deprivation coping mechanisms, in patience and anger management. But I also shun the books, the tomes by the experts, the advice columns and, worse, the dinner party conversations. I believe in the make-it-up-as-you-go-along, common-sense approach. I mean, my parents brought myself and my siblings up and they didnt have training. Corporal punishment at school is slightly different. I was slippered and caned at my prep-school but never at home and it was part of the schools fabric of daily life. As regularly as meal times, so was the corporal punishment. Everyone knew about it, our parents knew, and everyone, including us boys accepted it and got on with it. And most of us coped and were very happy little boys. We were naughty or in my case lazy, we were thrashed for it and that was better than doing lines. Im not sure it did most of us any long-term harm. But, looking back on it now, the idea of a 45-year-old man beating an eight-year-old does not, er, sit quite so well. As the Royal College of Paediatrics report says, children deserve protection from assaults from adults. For me, the one person who elevates the care of children to an art form is our nanny, whom my wife and I employ to look after our two youngest children so we can work. For her, it is a constant and rewarding endeavour. She teaches them at every turn, using any event, however minor, as an excuse for a lesson in anything from wildlife to behaviour. And she never raises her voice and seems incapable of a flash of anger, even if pelted with a missile or taunted by a young person seemingly in training to be a professional irritant. She would agree with the writer Carla Naumburg whose book is entitled: How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids: Effective Strategies for Stressed-Out Parents (whose work I have read purely for journalistic research purposes) and who argues that one of the best ways of coping with kid crises is to get silly. Which, at last, is something that I know I can do. I can be very silly. Lord, Ive lost jobs and been at the centre of international media storms for my silliness. (Some of you might recall the time I said something silly to a vegan) And I have the main tool to do it, which is confidence. Confidence lies at the heart of parenting. Because we are always unsure as to the outcomes of our actions. Will our chats, our cooking, our idea of a day out, a holiday, actually turn out to be the thing that screws them up? There is so much wretched advice out there, that we tread the boards of child-rearing as if dancing across hot coals. But now I know, from an expert, that I can deploy silliness, the one thing that Im famously good at, to diffuse tension, to deliberately undermine ones own authority as a way of diverting the ankle-biting annoyance. I can do faces very weird faces voices, very stupid ones, or impersonations, or accents and I am a pro at walking around like an idiot pretending to bump into walls and doors. Get ready nippers, Im coming for you with both idiot barrels fully loaded. This minister of silliness cant wait for the nanny to clock off at 6.15pm and employ his big guns of anarchic foolery. But perhaps I should also just keep a copy of this article for the future. When my kids do a little unresolved trauma therapy and they realise what screwed them up, wrecked their ability to form friendships and relationships. It was their dad, with his ridiculous silliness. If only he had just smacked us 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. Latvias Prosecutors Office has charged a Latvian citizen on suspicion of travelling to Ukraine to commit acts of sabotage. Source: European Pravda, with reference to Delfi Details: The mans name is Ivan Tarabanov, and his trial in Riga City Court is scheduled for 7 June. Tarabanov is accused of attempting to illegally participate in an armed conflict and travelling for the purpose of terrorism. He is currently in custody. Tarabanov travelled to Ukraine to take part in the war, violating Latvian law, in January 2022. He received an assignment from a person who introduced himself as Aleksandr, and who remains unidentified, to conduct a sabotage operation involving arson in Ukraine. Tarabanov travelled to Ukraine to carry out the plan. The prosecutors office did not disclose any further information. Before being referred to the Prosecutors Office, the case had been investigated by the State Security Service of Latvia (SSSL). The SSSL is currently verifying whether several other Latvian citizens were illegally involved in the war in Ukraine on the side of the Russian armed forces. Background: Earlier in April, the Latvian state police opened a criminal case against a man aged around 22 for publicly supporting Russias war crimes and glorifying Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in the centre of the Latvian capital, Riga. The Latvian state police also detained two Latvian citizens who tore down a Ukrainian flag from a building in Riga. Support UP or become our patron! New law ensures Colorado renters will not be evicted without cause DENVER (KDVR) Gov. Jared Polis signed a measure into law on Friday that will prevent no-fault lease terminations in Colorado. The law is designed to protect renters from a landlords whims, retaliation and discrimination. Jinxs Law creates stricter punishments for cruelty to law enforcement animals Our For Cause Eviction legislation clearly defines in state law when and why landlords can evict tenants to prevent discriminatory and retaliatory evictions, said Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Democrat representing Denver and prime bill sponsor. Mabrey said the law creates stability for both landlords and renters because it does not prevent landlords from tenants who have violated a lease or are behind on rent, or where a landlord is leaving the business. With this legislation becoming law, we will save Colorado families money and help keep roofs over their heads and roots in their community, Mabrey said. Eviction rates in Denver and Colorado have been on the rise, exceeding recession-era rates and reaching record numbers in 2023. FOX31 previously reported that almost 13,000 evictions were filed in Denver in 2023, while in 2022, there were 8,863. Thats a nearly 45% increase. Too many families know firsthand the fear and uncertainty that comes with being evicted from their home, as well as all the difficult consequences that arise because of it, said Senator Julie Gonzales, a Democrat representing Denver. We must do more to protect vulnerable renters from being evicted without reason. Our new for cause eviction law will improve housing stability, prevent displacement, and keep more of our neighbors in their homes, and I am pleased to see it get signed into law. Some of the exceptions to the law allow for no-fault lease non-renewal because of substantial repairs, conversion projects or selling the property. Some other exceptions to the For Cause Eviction law include rentals in the landlords primary residence, short-term rentals, mobile homes and housing provided to employees by their employers. Abortion rights group turns in ballot signatures Unnecessary and arbitrary evictions have devastating consequences for Coloradans, which is why we passed legislation to clearly outline reasons landlords can file for an eviction, said House Majority Leader Monica Duran, a Democrat representing Wheat Ridge, in a release. Evictions make renters more vulnerable to homelessness, and having an eviction on your record can make it nearly impossible to find housing. Sen. Nick Hinrichsen, a Democrat representing Pueblo, noted there are many situations that this law applies to, such as major repairs like a roof leak that the landlord refuses to repair. Do you report it to your local housing authority, so there will be accountability on the landlord to fix it? Or do you keep quiet, knowing that, if you do that, your landlord might not renew your lease? Hinrichsen asked. This is just one example of the many cases this bill addresses, to ensure that tenants who are doing the right things dont lose their housing for arbitrary reasons. It creates stability and financial security for good tenants and their families. The law ensures that the lawful reasons a landlord could evict a tenant include failure to pay rent promptly, destruction of property, interfering with the right to quiet enjoyment or a substantial violation of the rental agreement. Additionally, the bill increased the required amount of time that a management company has to give notice before entering a mobile home from 48 hours to 72 hours. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. A small tractor clears water from a business as floodwaters block a street in Barre, Vermont, in July 2023. Heavy flooding last year devastated many Vermont communities. Now, state lawmakers are backing a climate Superfund bill that would force fossil fuel companies to pay for climate change-caused damages based on their emissions. (Charles Krupa/The Associated Press) A fast-emerging field of climate research is helping scientists pinpoint just how many dollars from a natural disaster can be tied to the historic emissions of individual oil companies analysis that is the centerpiece of new state efforts to make fossil fuel companies pay billions for floods, wildfires and heat waves. When a flood or wildfire hits, researchers in attribution science run computer models to help determine whether the disaster was caused or intensified by climate change. As those models become more precise, other scientists are working to measure how specific companies, such as Exxon Mobil or Shell, have contributed to climate change through their historic greenhouse gas emissions. This is a growing field, and its a game changer for addressing climate change, said Delta Merner, the lead scientist for the Science Hub for Climate Litigation at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a climate-focused research and advocacy nonprofit. It has a role to play in litigation and in policy, because it gives us that precision. For the first time, some state lawmakers are trying to turn that advanced modeling into policy. Under their proposals, state agencies would use attribution science to tally up the damages caused by climate change and identify the companies responsible. Then, they would send each company a bill for its portion of the destruction, from heat waves to hurricanes. This science is evolving rapidly, said Anthony Iarrapino, a Vermont-based attorney and lobbyist for the Conservation Law Foundation who has been a leading advocate for attribution-based policy. This is something that couldnt have been done 10 years ago. [Lawmakers] are benefiting from this shift in focus among some of the most talented scientists we have out there. Lawmakers in Vermont and four other blue states have proposed climate Superfund bills, which would create funds to pay for recovery from climate disasters and preparation for sea level rise and other adaptation measures. Oil and coal companies would pay into those funds based on the percentage of emissions theyve caused over a set period. The legislations name references the 1980 federal Superfund law that forces polluters to pay for the cleanup of toxic waste sites. This is a growing field, and its a game changer for addressing climate change. It has a role to play in litigation and in policy, because it gives us that precision. Delta Merner, lead scientist, Science Hub for Climate Litigation States climate proposals come after years of lawsuits by state attorneys general against many of those same companies. They claim the companies knew years ago that fossil fuel use was causing climate change, but misled the public about that danger. While the courtroom fights are far from resolved, some advocates think its time for lawmakers to get involved. There have been a lot of lawsuits trying to get these companies to pay for some damages, and the industrys message has been, This is a task for legislatures, not the courts, said Justin Flagg, director of environmental policy for New York state Sen. Liz Krueger, a Democrat. We are taking up that invitation. Oil industry groups object to the methodologies used by attribution scientists. Industry leaders say lawmakers are acting out of frustration that the lawsuits have been slow to progress. The science isnt proven, said Mandi Risko, a spokesperson for FTI Consulting and a contributor to Energy In Depth, a research and public outreach project of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, a trade group. [The state bills] are throwing spaghetti at a wall. Whats gonna stick? Oil companies also assert that climate Superfund bills, if enacted, would force the penalized companies to raise gas prices on consumers in those states. A legislative push The push for climate Superfund legislation began with a federal bill in 2021, backed by U.S. Senate Democrats, that failed to pass. Lawmakers in a handful of states introduced their own proposals in the following years. Now, Vermont could soon become the first to enact a law. Vermonts measure would task the state treasurer with calculating the costs of needed climate adaptation work, as well as the damage inflicted by previous disasters such as last summers devastating floods. The program would collect money from companies that emitted more than 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide around the world from 1995 to the present day. Those companies with a certain threshold of business activity in Vermont would be charged according to their percentage of global emissions. We can with some degree of certainty say how much worse these storms are [due to climate change], said Democratic state Sen. Anne Watson, the bills sponsor. That really is the foundation for us to bring a dollar value into a piece of legislation like this. Environmental advocates say the bill is a pioneering attempt to use the latest science for accountability. This is one of the first instances of climate attribution science being at the center of legislation, said Ben Edgerly Walsh, climate and energy program director with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, an environmental nonprofit. That reflects the maturity of this field. Walsh said the measure, if passed, is expected to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars. The bill was approved by the Senate earlier this month in a 26-3 vote, and a House version has been co-sponsored by a majority of that chambers members. Republican Gov. Phil Scott has not said whether he would sign it into law, but he has said he would prefer to see larger states go first. Exxon Mobil deferred an interview request to the trade group American Petroleum Institute. The institute did not grant an interview with Stateline, but pointed to the comments it filed with Vermont lawmakers last month. The group said its members lawfully extracted fossil fuels to meet economic demand and should not be punished for that after the fact. The letter also questioned states authority to impose payments for emissions that were generated overseas. Meanwhile, New York lawmakers are currently negotiating a budget that could include a climate Superfund policy. A measure that passed the Senate at the end of last year would seek to collect $75 billion over 25 years to pay for the damages of climate change. Its not intended to be punitive, its intended to pay for our needs, said Flagg, the New York Senate staffer. Its going to be a lot of money, and $75 billion is only a small portion of that. The proposal applied to companies with a presence in New York responsible for more than 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide between 2000 and 2018. In Massachusetts, Democratic state Rep. Steve Owens introduced a similar bill last year. While the measure failed to advance, Owens said lawmakers are becoming familiar with the concept. Is this fraud that we can litigate or something that we can legislate? he asked. That question was not settled in time for this session. Were going to keep working to get people used to the idea. Lawmakers in California and Maryland also have introduced climate Superfund bills this session. Challenges ahead If legislatures in Vermont and elsewhere pass climate Superfund bills, the state officials who carry them out are expected to rely heavily on researcher Richard Heedes Carbon Majors project, which has tallied the historic emissions of 108 fossil fuel producers using public data. We know enough to attribute temperature response, sea level rise, build a reasonable case and apportion responsibility among the major fossil fuel producers, said Heede, whose project is part of the Climate Accountability Institute, a Colorado-based nonprofit research group that has received funding from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. But that hasnt been tested in court. Heede said that more than 70% of carbon emissions from fossil fuels can be linked to just over 100 companies, but noted that many large emitters, such as Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, are owned by international governments that are unlikely to face accountability from U.S. state governments. Last year, a study looking at temperature and water vapor data found that much of the area burned by wildfires in the West over the past several decades was tied to emissions produced by the largest fossil fuel and cement companies. That research by the Union of Concerned Scientists Merner and others was published in Environmental Research Letters. Similar research, looking at storms and heat waves, can show how much of an events intensity and economic damage can be pinned on climate change. Backers of the state bills say they expect strong legal challenges from oil companies if their proposals become law. Pat Parenteau, an emeritus professor of environmental law at Vermont Law School, has supported states climate lawsuits, but cautioned that climate Superfund bills will likely face similar legal delays if enacted. The companies are gonna litigate the hell out of it, he said. Throw something more at them, but dont for a minute think theres something magical about it. He urged Vermont to wait for bigger states, such as New York, to pass the first climate Superfund bills and face the ensuing legal onslaught. Advocates acknowledged the bill will face legal challenges, but said thats not a reason to pause their efforts. Vermont is already paying through the nose for the climate crisis, Walsh said. The sooner we pass a law like this, the sooner we could actually see these companies be held financially accountable. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Stateline 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 Lawmakers hope to use this emerging climate science to charge oil companies for disasters appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator. People exit a voting center during early voting in the states' presidential primary election, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Freeport, N.Y. In Long Island's Nassau County, a handful of Latino residents and a local civil rights organization allege that a redistricting map drawn by the county Legislature dilutes the voting power of Black, Latino and Asian residents. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez) FREEPORT, N.Y. (AP) Weihua Yan had seen dramatic demographic changes since moving to Long Island's Nassau County. Its Asian American population alone had grown by 60% since the 2010 census. Why then, he wondered, did he not see anyone who looked like him on the county's local governing body, the 19-member Nassau County Legislature? Last year, he decided to do something about it and ran for one of the seats. He pulled together a campaign team that knocked on 10,000 doors and developed what they believed would be a solid strategy focusing on their potential base: white Democrats and people of color, especially Asian voters. The strategy worked to drive voter turnout, but it didn't help Yan win. His bid to become the first Asian American on the county's governing body fell short, and he thinks he knows why. Minority residents and voter advocates blame a redistricting process overseen by the county Legislature, which has a Republican majority. They say the county political map drawn after the 2020 census was done to mostly preserve the existing power structure, and in doing so prevented minority voters from electing a board that was more representative of the area's burgeoning diversity. The county is now facing a lawsuit over those maps. Four Latino residents and a local civil rights organization sued the Legislature earlier this year, claiming it manipulated the mapmaking process to dilute the influence of the county's Black, Latino and Asian communities. Whites are just 56% of the county's nearly 1.4 million people but comprise nearly 80% of its governing body. Yan isnt part of the lawsuit, but said he supports its goal. When I look at Nassau County, theres been an increase in population of Asian communities ever since I moved here 16 years ago, he said. However, there was not a single elected office held in Nassau County by Asian Americans. So for me, we really have to make sure that we have our own true representation. The action against Nassau County is one of at least four lawsuits that have been filed under New York's Voting Rights Act, which was enacted two years ago. New York is among at least seven mostly Democratic-controlled states that took action to protect voting rights after lawmakers became frustrated by the tide of new voting restrictions in many Republican-led states after the 2020 election and the failure of voting rights legislation in Congress. The lawsuits, which include challenges filed against Mount Pleasant, Cheektowaga and Newburgh, help dispel a longstanding narrative that racial voting discrimination happens only in the South or in deeply Republican states. New York is not immune from racial inequity and racial vote dilution simply because it may tend to vote more in a progressive way than Southern states, said Perry Grossman, who is director of voting rights at the New York Civil Liberties Union and helped write the new state law. Under the federal Voting Rights Act, some states and local governments were required to get approval in advance from the U.S. Department of Justice before making voting-related changes because of their history of discrimination. That practice, known as preclearance, was effectively ended by a 2013 Supreme Court ruling. Although Nassau County wasnt subject to the preclearance provision, it had a history of racial segregation since the early 1900s, especially related to housing and policing, according to the lawsuit. The Ku Klux Klan held rallies and burned crosses throughout Nassau County in the 1920s. Drastic differences remain today between communities that are affluent and mostly white and ones that are more diverse, said Lucas Sanchez, co-executive director of New York Communities for Change, which is a plaintiff in the Nassau County lawsuit. Long Island is a place that was built on the principle of exclusion, that was built on the principle of segregation, he said. The map, as it stands, keeps us away from the table, denies us seats at the table, and this is why were a part of this lawsuit. Mary Studdert, spokeswoman for the Nassau County Legislature Republican Majority, said the current map conforms to the law and is a result of public feedback that combines communities of interest. The lawsuit paints a different picture. It says the map splits minority communities or combines them with others that are starkly different, diluting the political power of their voters. The lawsuit cites the village of Freeport, which is nearly 44% Latino and 32% Black. Under the county's map, part of the village was folded into a district that includes Merrick, which is predominantly white. The district's representative more than likely will always be someone from Merrick, said Maria Jordan-Awalom, a plaintiff who is Latina and a Freeport resident. She said a dearth of parks and poor roads is one way to distinguish Freeport from Merrick. She also referenced a local Black Lives Matter protest in 2020 as an example of the towns differences. She and at least 100 demonstrators marched along what she called an imaginary wall between Freeport and Merrick. Local media reported on a public outcry from Merrick residents, some telling the protesters to go back West to Freeport. Were not connected in any way, said Jordan-Awalom, who also is president of the Freeport School Board. For the decision-makers to make this choice, to connect us and lump us with this community that doesnt even want to be a part of our community and doesnt want to have any relationship with us as residents, its just mind-boggling. The village of New Hyde Park, which also was mentioned in the lawsuit, provides another example showing how the redistricting process has diluted the voting power of minority communities. Nearly a third of its residents are Asian, but it was stripped from the district where Yan lives during the latest round of map-drawing. Added instead was Manhasset, which is overwhelmingly white. Yan plans to run again, but the district's boundaries dont seem to give him a successful route, advocates said. I don't want this opportunity to pass because, win or lose, I've always wanted to make sure that Asian Americans have the right representation, Yan said. Without people representing us, we dont have a voice at the table. Redistricting experts expect more lawsuits under the new state voting rights acts, especially if current litigation succeeds. But Grossman, of the Civil Liberties Union, hopes the challenges become more of a lesson that pushes jurisdictions to focus on improving parks, libraries, schools and other amenities in minority communities. My hope is that what these initial cases do is provide the foundation for a lot more collaborative resolution because my strong preference is not to see taxpayer money going to litigation, he said. I hope that local governments in New York and elsewhere see state voting rights acts as an opportunity to do better. ___ The Associated Press coverage of race and voting receives support from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation. See more about APs democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Mathew Locke enters the courtroom for a hearing Thursday. He is charged in the deaths of a West Brookfield mother and three children. Authorities say his DNA was found on one of the bodies of the slain children. WORCESTER Six years after Sara Bermudez and her three children were found stabbed to death inside their West Brookfield home, the family relative accused of their murders, Mathew P. Locke, is nearing trial, with prosecutors recently detailing a possible motive and other evidence they believe jurors should hear. In documents and arguments in Worcester Superior Court, prosecutors last week listed graphic detail about their case against Locke. They maintain that evidence suggests the former Ware man killed his cousins family with extreme atrocity after using and searching for cocaine. Bermudez, a 38-year-old homemaker, and her three children 8-year-old Madison, 6-year-old James and 2-year-old Michael were found stabbed to death inside their home at 10 Old Warren Road on March 1, 2018. Bermudez's husband and the childrens father, Moses Bermudez, was working in California at the time. Locke, Moses cousin, was arrested weeks after the killings, when authorities charged him with lying to them four times, including making up a story that Bermudez had suggested the street gang MS-13 could be culpable. Locke, now 37, was formally charged with murder six months after the killings; authorities said his DNA was found on one of the bodies of the slain children. In court documents and a hearing Thursday, prosecutors provided additional details about the evidence, much of it graphic, that they will be seeking to admit at trial. Assistant District Attorney Terry J. McLaughlin said in court Thursday that Lockes DNA was found in the genital area of both female victims. He also said the victims were killed with extreme violence and burned. McLaughlin was approved to show jurors a limited number of photographs of their stab wounds and thermal injuries. In the courtroom, Locke who has been in jail since his 2018 arrest stared mostly ahead as the prosecutor spoke, his hands cuffed in front of him. Mathew Locke and his lawyer, Jeffrey A. Brown, in court Thursday. Prosecutors wrote in court documents this month that Lockes attack on the female victims appeared to include a sexual component. They said Sara Bermudez and her daughter were found partially nude, had been repeatedly stabbed including in the area of their genitals and were positioned in a particular way. The positioning, prosecutors wrote, was remarkably similar to separate photographs they said they found on Lockes cellphone that reveal a unique interest with naked female genitalia that is posed and exposed in a particular and unique way. Prosecutors are seeking to admit the photographs found on Lockes cellphone into evidence against him. They were set to argue that motion and several others Thursday but did not after Superior Court Judge Janet Kenton-Walker agreed the trial should be delayed from May to September. Sept. 26 date set The trial had been slated for May 6, but Jeffrey S. Brown, Lockes lawyer, argued Thursday it should be pushed back to allow his expert extra time to review new DNA reports recently obtained from the DAs office. McLaughlin told Kenton-Walker that the State Police Crime Lab offered several months ago to retest DNA evidence in Lockes case using new, more advanced technology it acquired. McLaughlin said he took the crime lab up on the offer but acknowledged he did not tell Lockes lawyer about it at the time. McLaughlin said while the new testing generated new reports, none of the material conclusions surrounding Lockes DNA match changed. However, Brown said he was unfamiliar with the new technology and needed more time to analyze the results. Kenton-Walker ruled that the omission constituted a late disclosure under court rules, and agreed to push back the trial. Jury selection was set for Sept. 26. Judge Janet Kenton-Walker talks with lawyers during a hearing in the Mathew Locke case Thursday. 'Nobody's got more bodies than I do' Other motions filed recently by prosecutors include one in which they alleged that Locke has implicated himself in the crime and stated that cocaine was a motive. In a motion seeking to admit evidence of motive, prosecutors said they intend to present testimony that Locke, among other statements, admitted to a fellow inmate that he, while on a multiday cocaine binge, went to get cocaine from a relatives house when that relative was in California; that the relatives wife caught him looking for the cocaine and that he did what he had to do to not get caught; that he committed murder over cocaine, and that he burned down the house. Court documents from 2019 on file in the case indicate a fellow inmate of Lockes alleged to authorities that hed overheard Locke once say hed broken into a West Brookfield home to steal money and drugs, and had gotten into a confrontation that didnt end well. The inmate also alleged that, after another inmate stated he had a couple bodies on his resume, Locke replied, Nobodys got more bodies than I do. The inmate further alleged that Locke once told him he committed a home invasion in Ware, during which he beat the (expletive) out of a guy and stole money and drugs. A month before the West Brookfield killings, William Dziedzinski the 67-year-old boyfriend of the grandmother of Lockes child was found bludgeoned to death in his home at 24 Clinton St. in Ware. Charges have never been announced in the Feb, 2, 2018, death, which happened not far from Lockes Ware home. Court documents show Locke had been accused of breaking into 24 Clinton St. in the past by his childs mother, with whom hed had a tumultuous relationship. Before murder charges were announced against Locke, Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., while not saying whether the cases were related, said work on the Bermudez case included collaborating with authorities in Hampshire County who were investigating Dziedzinskis death. Ware is outside Worcester County and thus not in Earlys jurisdiction. A spokesperson for Early referred questions on Dziedzinskis death Friday to Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan. A spokesperson for Sullivan, Laurie Loisel, said Friday her office doesn't comment on open investigations. Brown, Locke's lawyer, declined to comment Thursday. There is no indication in court papers filed publicly that Worcester prosecutors are seeking to admit anything about Dziedzinskis death into Locke's murder trial. They are, however, seeking to admit evidence of a past arson for which Locke was convicted in Maine. Prosecutors: Maine arson relevant In that case, Locke was sentenced to nine years in prison, prosecutors wrote, after admitting to setting fire to a home in Lubec occupied by his estranged girlfriend, her young children and their father. Locke, after serving two years of the sentence the rest was suspended was sent back to jail in 2015 for violating probation, prosecutors wrote, and spent much of the time between 2015 and the 2018 West Brookfield murders in jail. Prosecutors argued the proximity of the fires and the fact they were both set using flammable liquids at the homes of people he knew weigh in favor of admitting evidence of the Maine conviction at trial. While Kenton-Walker didnt rule on that motion Thursday, she did allow a separate motion filed in court to compel the testimony of a family member of Lockes, Jacob Locke of Maine, to testify at trial. In their motion seeking the order, prosecutors said they have reason to believe that Jacob Locke was living with the defendant and aware that he was not home during the time of the murders in this case. Police alleged in 2018 that Mathew Lockes car was last seen leaving his home and returning later on the evening of Feb. 28, 2018 the night they allege the murders took place. In court Thursday, First Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Travers said prosecutors intend to play surveillance video of a vehicle making its way to the home the night of the murders at trial. Prosecutors also allege in recent court documents that Locke, in addition to making incriminating statements to inmates, made admissions to police that he used cocaine on the night of the murders and had had a physical altercation over a bag of cocaine. Other evidence, they wrote, includes testimony from multiple family members of Locke regarding his drug use, including testimony from a sister of Locke that he used to steal from her, that he had been using drugs since at least October of 2017, and that he goes out the night he gets paid and returns home broke one or two days later because he had been drinking and doing drugs. In addition to four counts of first-degree murder, armed burglary and arson, Locke will be tried for the four counts of withholding evidence from a criminal proceeding for which he was initially charged. Father to testify Kenton-Walker Thursday approved a request by prosecutors to have Moses Bermudez introduce photographs of his family at trial to establish their identities. Sara Bermudez was recalled in her obituary as a homemaker with a love for God and her family. She and Moses started their family in El Salvador before moving to California and then Massachusetts to enjoy the beauty of the country and to be surrounded by their loving family. Madison enjoyed being the true princess, with a smile on her face; James was always running around playing and laughing at his own inside jokes; Michael was the joy and reflection of his siblings. The family enjoyed many outings to Chuck E. Cheese, the obituary said. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Mathew Locke nears trial in slaying of Sara Bermudez, 3 kids in W. Brookfield In his first public comments since the University of Texas at Austin laid off around 50 employees that used to work in diversity, equity and inclusion programs, President Jay Hartzell tried to explain the fragility of the moment. Like universities across the state, UT-Austin has scrambled to comply with Senate Bill 17, the new state law banning DEI offices, programs and training at public universities. After closing a multicultural center and ending a scholarship for undocumented students, Hartzell believed the flagship university was in compliance when the ban went into effect in January. But Hartzell now felt the initial changes would not be enough to placate Republican legislators, who have put higher education under a microscope, he said on a Zoom call with faculty on Monday. The legislative climate toward higher education has been moving. And it's moved even since the bill was passed in June, Hartzell said. We have to make choices to worry about the long-run future of the university. Many faculty had turned their cameras off. Instead of faces, Hartzell stared back at red-and-black virtual backgrounds in the Zoom grid that readNo DEI=Not Our Texas, a form of silent protest from the faculty. At a time when Republicans have become increasingly critical of the culture at higher education institutions, Hartzell and other university leaders must balance the concerns of the students and faculty who breathe life into their campuses, and Republican leaders that provide critical funding that keep the lights on. State legislators have already identified enforcement of the DEI ban as a legislative priority for the upcoming session. SB 17 is part of an effort from conservatives to get higher education in Texas to veer away from what they call an overly liberal direction. The lawmakers believe DEI programs and training have indoctrinated students with left-wing ideology and forced universities to make hires based on their support of diversity efforts rather than on merit and achievement. Leaders like Hartzell are trying everything they can to preempt interference from the state, with many campuses believing their administrators have gone far beyond whats required. That has created a climate across Texas in which students and faculty fear what comes next. State pressures State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, the laws author, warned university leaders in a March letter they could lose millions in state funding if they fail to comply with SB 17. They should be prepared to explain how they are in compliance to the Senate Committee on Education at a May hearing, Creighton said. From my standpoint, and the members of the Senate Education Committee, it's important that we feel comfortable knowing that the discriminatory DEI efforts are no longer in place, Creighton told The Texas Tribune. He said his office has received reports of efforts to subvert compliance but did not offer specific examples. In the letter to school leaders, the Conroe Republican had a litany of questions for the University of Texas System, the Texas A&M System, the University of Houston System and others. Among the questions the schools have to answer by May 3: How has your institution ensured that there are no DEI offices or officers on campus, or no individual or organization performing the duties of a DEI office or officer? and How has your institution worked to ensure that DEI training is not required for students, staff and faculty? Creighton is ready to escalate a fight for the states political heavyweights. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, has singled enforcement of the DEI ban as a high priority in the upcoming session. Gov. Greg Abbott also said last month that more laws will be passed to make sure schools are stripping DEI from their campuses. We're monitoring what our universities are doing, Abbott said at a summit of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank. Conservative lawmakers and activists in Texas and across the country have increasingly railed against higher education. In their view, universities have lost their way, taken over by a mob of far-left administrators, faculty and students pushing liberal agendas and silencing conservative perspectives. One of the most damaging, discriminatory and weaponized outcomes of DEI units on our university campuses were the leftist political oath that applying professors would have to agree to sign before they can even get an interview, said Creighton. We're headed in a much better direction. University of Texas doubles down Because of heightened scrutiny from the state, presidents within the UT System are facing internal pressures from the board of regents, who are appointed by the governor. At the Zoom call with faculty, Hartzell said regents have been adamant that we need to not only comply with the law, but also act in ways that restore and raise public confidence. It's not just Are we compliant with SB 17 in the short run? but also What are the choices we make and how do we demonstrate to our state and others that we are good stewards of the resources for which we've been entrusted?, Hartzell said. UT-Austin laid off 49 employees, Hartzell said, and disbanded the Division of Campus and Community Engagement, an office that was dedicated to supporting students who struggle the most to access education. Last week, the University of Texas at Dallas followed in the flagship universitys footsteps. Twenty staffers were told their positions would be eliminated. Our actions ensured that we were fully compliant with SB 17 as of January 1, 2024, the effective date of the legislation. Since then, we have continued to evaluate our SB 17 response, UTD president Richard C. Benson wrote in a letter to the campus. The layoffs at both universities came as a shock to many. Benson had told The Dallas Morning News last year that no one will lose a job at UTD because of the DEI ban. And students and faculty believed UT-Austin finished making changes to comply with SB 17 last year, when all DEI roles were eliminated and people in those roles were asked to resign, retire or transition into other positions on campus. In many ways, the language of the new bill hinted stringent enforcement practices would be coming. As part of SB 17, a state auditor is expected to conduct compliance audits at least once every four years at each institution, and schools have to prove to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that they are in compliance before they can spend any state money. As part of those enforcement practices, UT-Austin has already received an out-of-compliance note from the coordinating board, according to Andrea Sheridan, the deputy to the president for governmental affairs and initiatives. We were able to make the adjustment and correct it and everything worked out fine. But a lot more of these are coming in, Sheridan said. As Texas higher education agency continues to collect complaints of non-compliance with SB 17, Sheridan wonders how this will factor into the state audit. Staff fear theyre next A day before Creighton sent out his letter to universities, students at College Station exited their lecture halls and seminars to be met with a protest from their peers: DEI till we die! DEI will die! Texas A&M University closed the Office of Diversity last year, reassigning staff that supported the office. The university also said at the time hiring practices and training requirements would be revised to comply with the new law. There has been little to no subsequent communication from A&Ms administration about the potential for more changes. Its hard to not assume the worst, Autumn Borowski, a sophomore at Texas A&M and a protest organizer, said. Part of the reason that we protested was because we want more communication from A&M and that still has not been given to us, Borowski said. Some days, Borowski feels emboldened. Other days, she just feels anxious. Students are all scared of faculty being fired, even professors being fired because of SB 17, Borowski said. Thinking that those effects might carry on over to A&M is very, very scary. The anxiety is also palpable 100 miles away among current University of Houston staff, Jamie Gonzales said. She used to work at the LGBTQ Resource Center, which the college shut down to comply with SB 17. The University of Houston was one of the first to respond to the state law back in August. The college also replaced its multicultural office with a center for student advocacy. Staff members at University of Houston after what happened with UT have some real fear around are they going to be firing people, said Gonzales. Because the senators are pressing for more to happen, people have a real fear of losing their jobs. Annie Xia contributed reporting for this story. The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Disclosure: Texas A&M University, Texas Public Policy Foundation, University of Texas - Dallas, University of Texas at Austin and University of Houston have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. 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! The legal downside to Trumps very political trial strategy: 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, senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett explains how Donald Trump has already hobbled his legal team one week into his criminal trial. Plus, "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker breaks down how foreign affairs has defined Joe Biden's presidency. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. How Trump has hobbled his legal team before the first witness is even called at his historic trial By Laura Jarrett For the better part of the last year, former President Donald Trump has sought to turn what would ordinarily amount to significant legal trouble into a political asset. Four indictments and one mugshot later, hes successfully managed to dodge any dip among his supporters. Yet now that he stepped into a no-frills Manhattan courtroom this week for the start of his first criminal trial, the legal downside of his political strategy has come into sharp view. Do you have a news tip? Let us know The rules of criminal procedure dont change, no matter the defendant, even for a former president. And the courtesies and customs recognized between seasoned prosecutors and defense lawyers begin to break down, if not completely collapse. In a telling moment near the end of a long day in court Thursday, Trumps lead attorney, Todd Blanche, asked if he could get the names of the first three witnesses the prosecution intends to call. Thats a routine and reasonable request. But the prosecutor, Joshua Steinglass, rebuffed him. Why? Because Mr. Trump has been tweeting about the witnesses, Steinglass said. Were not telling them who the witnesses are. Im sorry. Judge Juan Merchan, who has been the subject of his own wave of attacks from the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, then said: I cant fault the People for that. The issue came up again late Friday afternoon, and the prosecution agreed to turn over the name of the first witness to the defense on Sunday. But the implication remains: Trumps legal team is facing a distinct strategic disadvantage with less time to plan cross-examinations of the states witnesses. In other words, instead of being able to focus all weekend on prioritizing the expected testimony of just a few witnesses, all are up for grabs. And its all because Trump has been railing against multiple witnesses online, and has only ramped up his vitriol in recent days, notwithstanding a court order directing him not to do so. This is the year the legal and political lives of Trump have been on a collision course. The only difference is, now the side thats feeling the burn is his own team. Trump trial latest: Jury selection completed during a tense day inside and outside the courtroom By Adam Reiss, Lisa Rubin and Dareh Gregorian Opening statements are set to begin next week in Trumps criminal trial after the final members of the jury were seated Friday, following a dramatic day in which two prospective jurors broke down in tears, an appeals court judge rejected the former presidents request for a stay, and a man set himself on fire in front of the New York City courthouse. Were going to have opening statements on Monday morning. This trial is starting, Merchan said towards the end of the day, after successfully seating the remaining five alternate jurors that were needed. The case the first-ever criminal trial of a former president will be heard by a panel of 12 jurors and a total of six alternates. Its expected to last roughly six weeks. The five alternates ultimately selected Friday include an unemployed married woman whos into art and described herself as not political, an audio professional, a contract specialist, a clothing company executive and a construction company project manager. It took four days of jury selection to find the 18 jurors. Around the same time the judge declared we have our full panel inside the courtroom in the early afternoon, a man set himself on fire outside the courthouse. A spokesperson for the NYPD said the man was in critical condition. He appears to have had pamphlets describing a conspiracy involving cryptocurrency that he threw around before setting himself ablaze, police said. Read more from the fourth day of the Trump trial here Volodymyr Zelensky and Joe Biden. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images file) A pivotal moment for Biden, Ukraine and Congress By Kristen Welker A pivotal moment has arrived for President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Can the GOP-led House pass the aid Ukraine says it needs in its two-year-old war against Russia? If it does, is it already too late to help? How much longer does Ukraine need assistance? And how much is riding on the outcome of the 2024 election, given Trumps past opposition to this aid? These are among the questions that I plan to ask Zelenskyy on Sunday when I interview him on Meet the Press. The congressional fight for Ukraine aid has also underscored an important point about the Biden presidency: Its been largely defined and unsettled by events overseas. It began with the botched and deadly U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. Then there was Russias invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. And then came the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack in Israel, which has led to a six-month war. Just in the past week, we saw Iran launch missile strikes and drones at Israel, while Israel responded Thursday night by carrying out what appears to be a limited response inside Iran. We dont want to see this escalate. ... Were not looking for a wider war with Iran. ... I think, you know, the coming hours and days will tell us a lot, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told me last Sunday. How foreign affairs has defined Bidens presidency has carried over with Russias invasion of Ukraine and with the current congressional drama over whether the U.S. will continue to provide Ukraine with the funding it needs. All of it creates a fraught backdrop as the 2024 race heats up. 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 An escaped lemur that spent weeks on the lam near Corpus Christi has been captured and could be bound for a non-profit lemur sanctuary more than 500 miles away on the Texas High Plains near Lubbock. King Julian outside an Aransas Pass residence. Named "King Julian" by Aransas Pass locals, the wayward lemur's story has garnered both local and national attention as the community tried to aid him and his partner after they were found roaming around the Gulf Coast, according to a news release from the Ringtail Ranch lemur sanctuary. Spencer Bell of Aransas Pass found Julian and another lemur on April 1 on his boat. Bell quickly shared the situation on Facebook, where his post was met with some skepticism due to it being April Fools Day. Nevertheless, Bell and his neighbors fed the lemurs to keep them nearby until the owners were located; however, the primates had other plans. They soon started exploring the community on their own. Unfortunately, Julian's partner was found dead in a shallow body of water - a suspected case of drowning. Finally, on April 17, Bell was able to capture Julian, who was then turned over to the custody of Aransas Pass Animal Control, according to the release. Julian was taken to The Texas Zoo in Victoria, where he was placed on hold because he may be someone's pet. Per the zoo's policy, the owner has 10 days to collect Julian before he is surrendered to Ringtail Ranch. To note, it is a Class C Misdemeanor to own a lemur within the city limits, enforceable by a $500 fine. Ringtail Ranch serves as a refuge for dangerous and unmanageable captive-bred lemurs. Dig Deeper: Lemurs in Lubbock: Here's how to visit Ringtail Ranch, how it started When lemurs are taken from their parents and raised by humans, they become very aggressive, Jeanna Treider, founder and president of Ringtail Ranch, said in the release. Lemurs are the most endangered mammals in the world and werent designed for captivity. Found only in Madagascar, the number of wild lemurs is dwindling due to deforestation, and according to the release, it is not uncommon to find them for sale in pet stores. Treider says there are more lemurs in captivity in Texas than in the wild. Because of their unique requirements and behavioral issues, they cant be rehabilitated and rehomed, Treider said. They have the emotional needs and intelligence of a human toddler. When we take in a lemur, were committing to caring for it for the rest of its life, which can be thirty years or more. However, the refuge's responsibility when accepting lemurs is costly, with Treider estimating it costs the security between $12,000 and $15,000 to take in a healthy lemur. This is due to the lemur needing a new habitat to be quarantined, veterinary visits, spayed or neutered and any special care they need due to medical conditions. "It sounds absurd, but the U.S. genuinely has a huge, out-of-control lemur problem. You wouldnt believe how many reports we get of lemurs on the loose somewhere in Texas, or Oklahoma or Ohio," Treider said. "Whether they escaped or were released, its our responsibility to ensure these endangered primates get proper care so they dont starve, die from exposure, or attack someone. King Julian would be the 53rd lemur the refuge has accepted since its opening. To support the Ringtail Ranch, individuals can schedule wildlife encounters, make a tax-deductible donation at ringtailranch.com, or help with vet bills at Live Oak South. According to the release, Ringtail Ranch is a USDA-certified 501(c)(3) non-profit rescue facility; all proceeds directly fund the care of lemurs. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Escaped Aransas Pass lemur may be surrendered to Lubbock sanctuary Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (Rakez) is set to participate in Hannover Messe, one of the worlds largest manufacturing industry trade fairs, taking place from April 22-26, 2024, in Germany. The participation, Rakez said, underscored its strategic focus on the German market and the economic zones commitment to supporting investors in expanding their operations into the United Arab Emirates (UAE). During the exhibition, Rakez team of business set-up experts will be engaging with global investors operating in various sectors including industrial manufacturing, automation, research and development, Industry 4.0 and many others, who are interested in exploring the vast business opportunities Ras Al Khaimah offers. This initiative is part of Rakezs ongoing efforts to support the growth and expansion of innovative industries within the MENA region and to capitalise on Ras Al Khaimahs position as a thriving business hub within the Emirates. Ramy Jallad, RAKEZ Group CEO, said: Our participation at Hannover Messe demonstrates our dedication to showcasing the extensive business opportunities available in Ras Al Khaimah for German investors in diverse sectors. With nearly 1,000 German companies and thousands more from across Europe already thriving due to our customised services and innovative solutions, we are intensely focused on further facilitating their success. Our office in Germany reinforces this commitment by providing localised support, ensuring German firms have the resources they need to successfully enter and prosper in the UAE market. Highlighted among the thriving German companies in Rakez are Maico Gulf, a manufacturer of ventilation equipment; Knauf RAK, a manufacturer of gypsum products; Haver Middle East, specialising in heavy machines and machinery repair; Inoclad Middle East, specializing in building, steel construction, and cladding works; and EuroEstates Properties Services, providing specialised real estate services. Rakez stand will showcase its business set-up solutions that can help companies efficiently access Middle Eastern and global markets. TradeArabia News Service by Xinhua writer Zeng Yan GENEVA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Three decades ago, during the nascent stages of the Internet, mobile phone addiction was unheard of, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) remained a concept confined to the realm of science fiction. To say that the times have changed rapidly is perhaps the greatest understatement of a lifetime. As anticipated, AI took center stage this week at the annual UN session on science and technology in Geneva. Attended by scholars, industry leaders, and heads of UN agencies, the event at the Palais des Nations featured a plethora of panel discussions with attendees delving into strategies for harnessing the potential of AI while also addressing its inherent risks. Experts agreed that AI-powered tools are capable of spectacular feats. With such frontier technologies, the world is embracing an era brimming with technological advancements and innovations that promise to push the boundaries of what is possible. However, the risks are real, too, ranging from cybercrime to the danger of disinformation and hate speech. The biggest one, as UN's trade and development chief Rebeca Grynspan put it, is the risk of leaving billions of people in the developing world behind, with cutting-edge AI technologies ending up in the hands of a few. She warned that a widening digital divide may breed new forms of marginalization fueled by algorithmic bias, lack of digital literacy and dwindling state capacities. Fortunately, there are solutions. Governments worldwide are moving to establish a robust regulatory framework around AI. Such momentum is good, but not enough. As noted by Maxime Stauffer, co-founder and CEO of Simon Institute for Longterm Governance, there is arguably a gap at the international level. A global governance framework is needed for this rapidly developing suite of technologies and its use by various actors. To ensure that AI guardrails translate into tangible progress, all stakeholders, from industry leaders and policymakers to academia, should actively engage in the critical norms-setting process. More investment is needed to fill data gaps and improve quality. Data is the "essential oil" behind most frontier technologies, including AI, an economic resource crucial in the future for all decision-making. In particular, accurate and timely data enables researchers to understand complex issues, identify trends, measure progress toward development goals, and design more effective and targeted interventions. However, developing countries often face challenges in data collection due to limited resources, infrastructure and capacity, according to a delegate from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN's tech agency. Digital literacy should not be ignored, either. ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin disclosed that an estimated 2.6 billion people had no Internet access in 2023. Countless others are on the "wrong side" of the digital divide, struggling with slow Internet speeds, inadequate skills, affordability issues and other challenges. These disparities underscore the urgent need for comprehensive efforts to bridge the digital divide. Access to the Internet is not just a matter of convenience; it's increasingly becoming a fundamental requirement for participation in modern society, education, and economic opportunities. Governments, international organizations, and private sector entities must collaborate to expand Internet infrastructure, improve affordability, and provide training programs to enhance digital skills. Initiatives aimed at fostering digital literacy and empowering marginalized communities are crucial steps towards creating a more inclusive and equitable digital world. Humanity is navigating uncharted waters as AI and other frontier technologies have been seamlessly woven into the fabric of daily lives. Harnessing their power for good instead of evil requires guardrails and preparedness. And that's never an understatement. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) 8 On Your Side is taking a look into the interlocking companies of one Pinellas County businessman. We have told you the founder of a St. Petersburg nonprofit stands accused of taking and not repaying $100 million from the trusts of vulnerable people. Leo Govoni is a businessman operating mainly out of Pinellas County. He founded the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration 24 years ago. Govoni has strong ties to the community, to attorneys and local universities. $100M missing: Who approved loan in the first place? It might not be today, but tomorrow sometime, youre going to have to answer for what you did, and I hope its soon, said Nicalea Gonzalez, Amoras mom. Gonzalez of Riverview is speaking directly to those who played a role in depleting her daughters trust at the center. I hope they take the person and people that have done this or started this process accountable 100%, she said. Nine years ago, when Amora was 5, she was in a car crash that left her severely injured. Stomach issues and walking issues, she had to start all over again, walk, talk everything, said Gonzalez. Amora received a settlement, and that money was placed in a trust at the center in 2015. She doesnt have half of what she had in there and its not okay, said Gonzalez. The center filed for bankruptcy in February. According to the Chapter 11 filing, its leadership learned its founders, Leo Govoni and his business partner, John Staunton, loaned $100 million to Govonis company, Boston Finance Group, over an 11 year span. The center said that money is still missing. The case is now in federal bankruptcy court. It gives me hope that finally we get somewhere where somebody is going to tell us answers, said Gonzalez. Rick Scott demands answers after $100M goes missing from trust fund The bankruptcy filing claims several Govoni-owned businesses played a role in the missing $100 million from the center, including Austin Colby and Boston Settlement Group. A state records search shows Govoni has dozens of companies in Tampa Bay, many of which operate on 49th Street North in Clearwater on the same property as Big Storm Brewing, which is run by Govonis son, LG. LGs LinkedIn shows he served as vice president of his dads company, Boston Finance Group, from May 2009 through February 2013. In March of 2023, Govoni filed a brochure with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of another one of his companies, Boston Asset Management. On the face of it, it looks like a very credible filing, said Harry Margolis, partner at Margolis, Bloom & Augustino. They reported on what they do how they charge what their fees are. $100M gone: What families should know after special needs trusts drained Margolis practices estate law and special needs planning in Massachusetts. This case has sparked his attention and hes been studying it for months. I think he was crafty in a way, said Margolis. The filing lists 20 of Govonis businesses. It reads, BAM is one entity within a diversified corporate organization controlled by Mr. Govoni that includes entities whose businesses could cause a perceived or real conflict of interest. The fact that there were there were so many interlocking companies, perhaps could raise a red flag, but on the surface, it looks like a well-written, credible report, said Margolis. It also said The Center is not a related entity. However, we maintain a close business affiliation and professional relationship with the Center, a Florida not-for-profit corporation offering specialized trustee services for special needs and pooled trusts and professional trust administration. Pursuant to Florida trust law, The Center delegates its money management services for its trust clients to us under a separate agreement and for separate fees. Leo Govoni, CEO of BAM, founded The Center. The Center maintains its own offices separate from our offices. Due to The Centers relationship with us (i.e., Mr. Govoni is a founder of The Center and both Mr. Govoni and Mr. Walrath were Directors of The Center until May 2009) there is an inherent potential Conflict of Interest when The Center uses us for professional money management services. However, as a Trustee, The Center has a fiduciary duty (and owes a duty of loyalty) to its beneficiaries to strictly adhere to the Florida Trust Code and abide by these rules and not allow his/her judgment or the influences of a third party to control his/her actions. While we believe that The Centers delegation of investment functions to BAM meets all fiduciary duties under both state and federal statutes, The Center is not obligated to use us for professional money management services. Continued heartbreak for families with drained special needs trusts 8 On Your Side asked the SEC if they are investigating BAM or Govoni and a spokesperson replied, the SEC doesnt comment on the existence or nonexistence of an investigation. Investigator Brittany Muller has been trying to get in contact with Govoni, so she went to BAM in Clearwater, where global Litigation Services also operates out of. LG answered the door and directed Brittany to talk with his fathers attorney. Those attorneys with Trenam Law have previously told me no comment. Credit: Stetson University College of Law Govoni and Staunton were featured in Stetson Lawyer magazine in 2008. The photo is from a dedication ceremony when the College of Law named a suite after them. The two served as members of Stetsons Elder Law Advisory Board. He under wrote a professorship at Stetson University School of Law and that by doing that I think he bought a lot of credibility, said Margolis. Margolis said and that gave credibility to the Center, which grew to be one of the largest trust administrators in the country and people like Gonzalez trusted that her daughters money would be safe there. Whoever and however, anybody can help us please do because this is not only affecting adults, but its affecting children people that rely on others to help them and we need help, said Gonzalez. No more trusts: Fort Myers womans special needs trust drained, new trustee named for non-profit thats missing $100M We also reported that this allegedly didnt start unraveling until Govonis daughter, Caitlin Janicki, left an unsigned letter at the Center following her resignation in April 2022. Janicki had been serving as the centers Vice President. Govonis wife, Jane, teaches at USFs College of Education. We have not been able to reach this family, and as mentioned, Govonis attorneys has previously told us no comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. New York Attorney General Letitia James has asked Judge Arthur Engoron to void the $175 million bond in Donald Trump's civil fraud judgment, citing concerns that the bond company doesn't have the funds. In a filing on Friday, James said Knight Specialty Insurance Company, which underwrote Trump's bond, has not been able to show that it has enough collateral to back it. She described KSIC as "a small insurer that is not authorized to write business in New York and thus not regulated by the states insurance department," and said the company had never written a surety bond in New York or in the past two years in any other jurisdiction. James office is seeking to have Trump put up a replacement bond within seven days of a ruling. A hearing is set for Monday. KSIC is part of the Los Angeles-based Hankey Group of Companies, owned by billionaire Don Hankey. Several of his companies have run into trouble with federal regulators in the past. Hankey is also a major stockholder in a San Diego financial company that had refinanced some of Trump's loans when other banks refused to do so, NBC News reported. Trump's struggle to secure a bond for his civil fraud judgment was well documented, despite his protests that he had cash in hand. A week before the deadline to post his bond, his lawyers pleaded for a stay in the $454 million judgment, telling Engoron that theyd been rejected by 30 surety companies that would not accept real estate as collateral. An appeals court handed him a lifeline at the last minute, lowering the bond amount to $175 million. Trump posted bond days later, which has put KSIC and Hankey himself under a microscope. Earlier this month, Hankey told Reuters that he didnt expect the legal and media scrutiny that came with putting up Trumps bond. We thought it would be an easy procedure that wouldnt involve other legal problems and its not turning out that way, he said. We probably didnt charge enough. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com To the editor: Well, isn't this interesting. It's often a conservative speaker who gets canceled after being invited to speak at a college for "security" reasons. Now, it's a pro-Palestinian speaker, USC valedictorian Asna Tabassum. ("USC got it wrong in canceling valedictorians speech. Heres what the school should do now," Opinion, April 17) Isn't it about time nobody got canceled out of fear of a violent reaction on the part of some students or other protesters? If Tabassum is OK with speaking even under those conditions, why can't the university show the same courage? Even if USC's security argument is honest, in my opinion it's still cowardly. Some of the greatest people in history would never have become great had they backed down from making themselves heard out of fear of the consequences. Phil Hyman, Van Nuys .. To the editor: USC had the good sense to invite Tabassum to present the traditional valedictorian address to its graduating class of 2024 and the bad judgment to rescind that invitation on the claimed basis of security trumping free speech and tradition. As pointed out by op-ed article authors David N. Myers and Salam Al-Marayati, security seems an unconvincing reason, especially when USC and other universities invite many famous, controversial speakers, including presidents. Tabassum, a stellar biomedical engineering major (and a Muslim), says she will devote her knowledge to creating tools to improve the health and life of all human beings. As a proud graduate of USC's Keck School of Medicine, I applaud her humanitarian vision and am saddened by USC's failure to honor that vision. Robert Vinetz, Los Angeles .. To the editor: The naivete of USC President Carol Folt and Provost Andrew Guzman is appalling. To have apparently not checked every single online posting of the 100 qualified finalists for the position of valedictorian was a major oversight. In today's world, most job applicants are carefully screened prior to an interview. Now this student has become a kind of spokesperson for her cause, and she will receive far more attention than deserved. Aviva Monosson, Los Angeles .. To the editor: The question is not about free speech, but whether it's the right forum. Graduation is supposed to be a happy day that focuses on the students and their futures. It shouldn't be a forum for making political speeches on issues happening halfway around the world, and where the entire audience is forced to listen whether they want to or not. USC should set aside a space where people on all sides can choose to debate Mideast issues. Stewart Chesler, Granada Hills .. To the editor: Let me add my voice to those who say, "Let her speak." As a Jewish USC alumnus and someone who is very pro-Israel, I stand firmly in the belief that this issue falls squarely in the realm of free speech. This idea was never more eloquently expressed than by the French philosopher Voltaire when he said, "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." USC's statement, "Our north star is protecting the safety of our community," while poetic, is disingenuous. USC's north star seems to be money and taking as much possession of as much land in the community as it can buy. Richard Agata, Los Angeles .. To the editor: The USC valedictorian's speech was effectively canceled last Oct. 7, when Israel was attacked. USC is a private institution and can limit who speaks at its events. The valedictorian can give her speech on Figueroa, if she so desires. William Carroll, Carlsbad .. To the editor: As an alumna of USC who earned a doctorate in 1976, and as a retired college faculty member, I urge the university to reverse its cancellation of the valedictorian's speech. With her speech not yet written, Tabassum has been quoted as saying that she wanted to touch on "how we must continue to use our education as a privilege to inform ourselves and ultimately make a change in the world." We live in a world of dissent, divisiveness, attack and retaliation. Graduates should be equipped to navigate media reports, public discourse and academic analyses, knowing how to find the truth and reject half-truths and falsehoods. Fear should not be the motivating factor in taking action to "change the world." This issue is broader than security. USC should model courage in the face of opposing viewpoints, honesty in upholding Tabassum's ability to deliver the commencement address, and fidelity to the educational values of expressing truth, thinking independently and fearlessly expressing one's values. Lenore Navarro Dowling, Los Angeles .. To the editor: I actually laughed out loud when read this in Myers' and Al-Marayati's op-ed article: "Universities should resist the toxic political culture that locks is on our echo chambers, where we are exposed only to those views that are to our liking." I've never read so many complaints in The Times' Opinion section when conservative speakers have been canceled. A more honest quote would've been this: "We certainly believe in universities exposing students to those views that are to our liking and very much believe that any opposing views should not be heard at all." Milt Hausner, Sherman Oaks .. To the editor: I'm a 96-year-old World War II veteran and Jewish. Let her speak! Morton Miller, Los Angeles This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. From left, Libertarian presidential candidates Dr. Charles Ballay, Lars Mapstead and Mike ter Maat smile for a photo after a debate at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News The group of three dozen voters gathered in Salt Lake City in the Hilton DoubleTree ballroom have a plan to alter the course of American politics. Libertarians still a small minority of the American electorate 52 years after the party began hold the solution to the countrys spiraling debt and division, attendees lamented, if only they could get the countrys attention. The three presidential candidates at the front of the room a down-to-earth doctor, an eccentric entrepreneur and an economist-turned-cop argued they could do just that. Speaking Friday evening at Utahs first-ever Libertarian Party presidential nomination debate at the partys state convention, the unassuming White House hopefuls argued over the best way for a limited-government movement to try to change the shape of the nation come fall 2024. Libertarians plan to stop the two-party system in its tracks Lars Mapstead, the founder of Friend Finder Networks, laid out his strategy to send a middle finger to the duopoly of Republican and Democratic parties by snatching just a few Electoral College votes in Maine and Nebraska, where electors are allocated proportionally. Doing so could prevent either of the major party candidates from securing the 270 votes needed to win and would turn the outcome of the election over to the U.S. House of Representatives where each state delegation would get one vote to cast for their preferred candidate. The candidate who received a majority (26) of states would become the next president. Im trying to wake people up to getting rid of the Democrats and the Republicans and saying that we can actually throw a wrench into this election system, Mapstead said. This would get people in America to Google What is a Libertarian? As the party nominee, Mapstead said he would commit $1 million of his own money to spread the Stop 270 message a proposal that would achieve victory for a Libertarian Party. But just what victory means for a party whose best-ever showing was 3.3% of the popular vote in 2016 was itself a subject of debate among the candidates. From left, Libertarian presidential candidates Dr. Charles Ballay, Lars Mapstead and Mike ter Maat during a debate at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Attendees listen during a debate between the Libertarian presidential candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Mike ter Maat, one of the Libertarian presidential candidates, speaks during a debate between the Libertarian presidential candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Lars Mapstead, one of the Libertarian presidential candidates, wears a pin reading Unrig the system during a debate between the Libertarian presidential candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Dr. Charles Ballay, one of the Libertarian presidential candidates, speaks during a debate between the Libertarian presidential candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Signs for the candidates are pictured during a debate between the Libertarian presidential candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Mike ter Maat, one of the Libertarian presidential candidates, speaks during a debate between the Libertarian presidential candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Dr. Charles Ballay, one of the Libertarian presidential candidates, talks to attendees after a debate between candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Dr. Charles Ballay, one of the Libertarian presidential candidates, speaks during a debate between the Libertarian presidential candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Attendees listen during a debate between the Libertarian Party presidential candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Lars Mapstead, one of the Libertarian presidential candidates, speaks during a debate between the candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Mike ter Maat, one of the Libertarian presidential candidates, shakes hands with an attendee after a debate between candidates at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Mike ter Maat, one of the Libertarian presidential candidates, speaks during a debate at the state Libertarian Party convention at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 19, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Our campaign is not about gimmicks, said Mike ter Maat, an economics professor and former Florida police officer. This is about disrupting the way American politics works. This election cycle, maybe more than any other, represents an opportunity for Libertarians to capture the imagination of the American voter, Ter Maat believes. Unlike 2016 or 2020, voters know exactly what they can expect from a Joe Biden or Donald Trump second term. And as the Republican Party continues its departure from fiscal conservatism and the Democratic Party distances itself from anti-war dovishness, Americans are looking for a third option grounded in budgetary and foreign policy principle ready to present a credible candidate, Ter Maat said. We are going to be rolling out policy with the expectation that someone is going to pay attention to us because they recognize that our campaign can fulfill this role, Ter Maat told the assembled Libertarian party members. The partys policy proposals dont have to be extreme like end the fed or legalize drugs, or other Libertarian talking points to get the publics attention, according to Charles Ballay, a practicing ENT doctor. I think this party needs to realize that being a fringe candidate does not work, Ballay said. We have the power to say We are the adults in the room. But the candidates positions Friday night largely reflected a Libertarian mindset that is alien to much of the political mainstream. Mapstead vowed to leave the presidents 9,000 appointed bureaucratic positions empty. Ter Maat promised to immediately withdraw from NATO. Ballay said the government should completely remove itself from health care. Will RFK Jr. spoil Libertarians attempt to spoil the election? Another stumbling block to blowing up the 2024 election is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s intention of doing the same. Though Kennedy briefly flirted with the idea of seeking the Libertarian Party nomination, he said on Sunday he was not contemplating joining the Libertarian ticket, The Hill reported. Kennedy, who consistently garners 10% support in national polls and recently secured ballot access in key battleground states, threatens to take a lot of the wind out of Libertarians electoral sails, Ballay said. But Libertarians would rather stand by their principles of individual autonomy and non-aggression than pursue a populist path to temporary recognition, said Spike Cohen, a well-known activist within libertarianism and the partys 2020 vice presidential nominee. If the Libertarian Party were to abandon libertarianism for a higher share of the vote, then we shouldnt exist, he told the Deseret News. The Libertarian Party presidential debate Friday took place as part of the partys state convention. The day included various speakers and panels on school choice and the future of the liberty movement. On Saturday, the states party members will elect 14 national delegates to travel to Washington, D.C., on Memorial Day weekend to vote for the partys next presidential candidate. Unlike their major party counterparts, Libertarian delegates are not bound by a primary or preference poll to vote a certain way at the national convention. Over thirty candidates beside Mapstead, Ter Maat and Ballay are running for the Libertarian Party presidential nomination, including Chase Oliver, a former U.S. Senate candidate who helped cause a runoff in Georgias 2022 special election. Our recent feature on places now deemed off-limits by the Foreign Office (10 great destinations lost to modern travellers) triggered a flurry of correspondence from readers. Scores of you got in touch to recount trips to Roman ruins in Libya, souks in Damascus, jungles in Venezuela and enthralling cities in Iran. The glut of emails revealed two things: how extraordinarily well travelled many Telegraph readers are, and how tragic it is that so much of the world has been struck from travel maps in recent years due to war, unrest and extremism. Here we present just a small fraction of your responses. Beetle mania In 1978, we were living in Sokoto, Nigeria, and visited neighbouring Niger for our summer holiday. We travelled with our 10-month-old baby and two other families, driving in convoy for 300 miles in VW Beetles. We crossed the border and continued through the Sahel to Niamey, Nigers capital. At the Nigeria/Niger border - Dee Murray On arrival, the hotel staff denied having received our reservation letter, and we were given a room with a broken window. Apart from that, it was pure luxury: French food and a swimming pool. My diary extract for July 19 1978 reads: Went to the museum, zoo and Hausa village, saw artisans at work and visited the shop beautiful leather and silverware. Visited the large market, then Le Petit Marche. Another highlight was walking halfway across Pont Kennedy and watching locals doing their laundry in the wide Niger River. Dee Murray, Shropshire Niger: not your typical summer holiday - Dee Murray Bargain hunting in Caracas Fifty years ago we were a young expatriate family living in Caracas, Venezuela. Our son was born there, at a clinic run by two brothers an obstetrician and a paediatrician. Caracas was paradise, with a perfect climate. Our middle-class standard of living there has never been matched since, and Britain was held in high regard, remembered as having fought with Simon Bolivar in his struggle to liberate Venezuela from Spain. A Venezuelan river crossing - Keith Pickering Our cars eight-litre engine consumed 2s-worth of petrol a week, and weekends were spent on white, sandy beaches on a coast stretching for thousands of miles. We have indelible memories of the German-speaking Colonia Tovar, and of being flown by a business friend in his own plane, soaring above the surreal, tepui-filled Canaima National Park and the Angel Falls. We treasure our photographs to this day. Keith Pickering, London The daughter of Keith Pickering during the South American sojourn - Keith Pickering Persian hospitality Iran or Persia, as our guide Farad referred to it provided an experience like no other. In our two weeks crossing from Turkey to Turkmenistan, he took us to places both famous (such as Isfahan, and Persepolis) and less so (cave villages and Roman ruins). Memories abound, such as being invited to his parents house for an exquisite evening meal with his extended family, staying in a subterranean hotel, and sitting late at night under the arches of an ancient bridge in Isfahan, listening to locals singing songs of old Persia. The stunning city of Isfahan - Ed White In this land of history, we walked in the steps of the Old Testament, visiting the tombs of Cyrus, Darius and Xerxes. We were welcomed by people with great zest for life surrounded by some of the most beautiful and fascinating history. Ed White, Gloucestershire Reader Ed White at the Tomb of Cyrus the Great - Ed White Leptis Magna by wheelbarrow It was all because of a banana box. We had stopped at a roadside stall on the way to Leptis Magna, at the mouth of the Wadi Lebda in Libya, and I had somehow managed to trip over a semi-hidden box of bananas and break my ankle. My friends were very concerned that my tour of the ancient ruins was over before we had even arrived. However, there was a wheelbarrow abandoned in the parking area. The man guarding the public lavatories gave me a square of carpet from his chair because the wheelbarrow was wet from recent rain. Meanwhile, another kind person pumped up the wheelbarrows flat tyre. My wonderful Libyan guide then pushed me around the amazing archaeological site, through water-filled ruts and squelching mud, and even summoned a friend to help lift me and my wheelbarrow up steps and over rocks. My personally guided tour of spectacular Leptis Magna was a great if painful success. Jill Selwood, West Sussex Leptis Magna - Corbis Documentary RF An adventurous quartet Four of the places featured in your article Ive been fortunate enough to visit. My family was posted to Sudan in the early 1980s, and a small group of us travelled to the Meroe pyramids from Khartoum, including our four young children, camping under the stars en route. The pyramids were majestic, set among the golden sands but their tops had been blown off, reportedly by the Italian adventurer, Giusseppi Ferlini, as it was thought there might be gold hidden inside. There were no tourists in the deserted landscape, just a few of our friends and their families, who all lived and worked in Khartoum or Omdurman. The Meroe pyramids - Getty Timbuktu is another place Im familiar with, as I was a volunteer teacher in Mali from 1965-66. I and a few other volunteers made use of our Christmas and New Year holiday by trying to get to Timbuktu. It proved to be an incredible journey by local buses to Mopti, after which we boarded an engine-less boat, amid a throng of Malians, their pots and pans and animals. We were towed along the Niger River for several days, disembarking at Kabara where an ancient vehicle picked us up and transported us the last 10 miles. Palmyra I have also visited. My husband was posted to Jordan and we often travelled to Syria (despite the long hours and vast amount of paperwork such a long journey involved). Damascus was a favourite haunt, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, where one would have to climb down to the bakeries with their Roman floors. It is such a fascinating city. We visited Palmyra, where we climbed a steep hill topped by a crumbling castle in the dark, to watch the sunrise light up the ancient stones. Finally, we also went to St Petersburg in 2002, to visit our son. He was working as a volunteer with Medecins Sans Frontieres in Ingushetia, Russia. We met up with him in Moscow and travelled on the overnight train to St Petersburg a wonderful city to explore, especially the Hermitage. I feel so privileged to have visited all these intriguing destinations, now lost to modern travellers. Thank you for reigniting my memories. Toni Duncan Iran under canvas September 1973 I joined a band of fellow travellers at Heathrow Airport for a camping adventure around Iran. We flew via Istanbul to Erzurum in eastern Turkey, where we piled into two Ford Transit vans, passing Mount Arafat before crossing the border into Iran. Iran was then a Western ally and ruled by the Shah, whose portrait was seen in every shop and cafe. Heading south past villages that made us feel welcome, we saw families travelling with their worldly goods, herding their flocks to the winter pastures, and swam in the Persian Gulf. Travelling north, we visited the rose city of Shiraz, mighty Persepolis, beautiful Isfahan with its teeming bazaars, and the modern metropolis of Tehran, before heading back into Turkey and home. Six years later, the Shah was deposed and Iran turned against the West but those three weeks will live long in my memory. Richard Howell, West Sussex Intricate architecture in Shiraz - The Image Bank RF Magnificent mosques and Gaddafis jeep In autumn 2009, we embarked on a Mediterranean cruise that took us to two countries that are now, alas, out of bounds to British travellers. Visiting Tripoli in Libya now seems like a surreal dream, but we really did see Colonel Gaddafis jeep incongruously displayed among the museums ancient artefacts. The highlight of Libya, though, was the extensive remains of the great Roman city of Leptis Magna; its sheer scale took our breath away. Krak des Chevaliers - Mike Redman From Libya we sailed to Syria, for a day in Damascus which enabled us to visit the magnificent Umayyad Mosque, where the head of John the Baptist rests. After a memorable lunch at Leilas restaurant, we followed in the footsteps of St Paul, down Straight Street to the home of St Ananias. But the crowning glory of the cruise was undoubtedly Krak des Chevaliers, the spectacular 13th-century archetype of all European castles. Sadly, it was a holiday never to be repeated. Mike Redman, Isle of Wight I could buy spices, a goat or a Kalashnikov Yemen, huge mountains, towering into a dusty blue sky, fertile valleys full of lush plants. Visiting this country was enchanting, wandering around markets heaving with every kind of merchandise. I could buy spices, nuts, vegetables, a goat or a Kalashnikov. Dinner in a fish restaurant in Taiz, where a little boy scrubbed the fish with a dirty rag before it was thrown into a fiery furnace and eaten off newspaper, with the sun, a brilliant red orb, setting in the background and the sound of the call to prayer echoing around the city. Next, Sanaa, with its beautiful ancient, many-storied clay buildings, ornately decorated in creamy white, inhabited for more than 2,500 years. It felt like stepping back into the past as we watched a camel driving a wheel to mill grain, in a little cavern amongst many others containing craftsmen and their wares, comprising a 2,000-year-old shopping centre. Jane Gregory, Kent Not so dry Yemen Off-limits travel? North Korea? Libya? Where do I start? My most surreal experience was in alcohol-free Yemen in the 1980s. We set out with our guides in two 4x4s for a long days drive that included a visit to the abandoned coastal town of Mocha (famous for its coffee). En route, we drove off-road to an isolated rock in the desert. From behind it, traders appeared and took our orders but not for coffee. After exploring the town, we headed back to the same rock from which our alcoholic orders were again dispensed. Mine was several cans of Heineken labelled Only for export to Puerto Rico. We smuggled them into the next (dry) hotel we stayed at. Michael Green, West Yorkshire Falling for Venezuela When they chased the last of the chickens off the runway, we were finally cleared for take-off and our Dakota thundered into the air. Vertical tepui mountains loomed unnervingly alongside as we flew down the valley. But at last, there it was, its full height obscured by wispy clouds: Angel Falls. Anna Smith on her trip to Venezuela - Anna Smith This was just one of the wonderful experiences of our trip to Venezuela in 1998. We had trekked over the savannah, camping at the foot of Mount Roraima, climbing up through the orchids and hummingbirds of the cloud forest, across the face of the mountain, before emerging into the moonscape on the top. We waded along a riverbed of yellow jasper, met illegal miners deep in the forest, crossed into Brazil, heard the Easter Day sermon in Caracas cathedral and lazed on Caribbean beaches. These are vivid and happy memories of a special time. Anna Smith, Suffolk Mount Roraima - Alamy Hindu Kush hike Hitchhiking in 1968, two friends and I arrived in Afghanistan for an epic trek in the Hindu Kush, years before the Russian invasion. We hired a horse and a porter to carry our gear and travelled perilously beside flooding rivers and past lapis lazuli mines made famous by the mask of Tutankhamun. Steady progress led us to the Anjuman Pass at 14,500ft. I sold my binoculars to a wealthy Afghan on his horse and our descent began. Nomads plied us with fresh yoghurt as we sat among deep-blue gentians. Lower down, where the streams coalesced, there were apricot and mulberry groves a vision of paradise. Water mills, still working, straddled the nascent rivers. Geoff Simmons, Herefordshire Syrian snapshot In November 1991 the cruise ship Orpheus docked at Latakia in Syria, to be met by a band and TV crew, as the first tourist ship to dock after the restoration of diplomatic relations. Over the next few days we were welcomed wherever we went. The highlights for me were Aleppo, Apamea and Krak des Chevaliers. Watching the destruction of Aleppo on TV brought back to mind not just the sights, but also the people, who greeted us with smiles everywhere. The only downside was the endless display of posters of Assad senior, which decorated every blank wall or pillar. Many of these experiences are lost, possibly forever, but remain in my memory and photographs. Mairi Macdonald, Warwickshire Syria was once a popular option for adventure travel - Mairi Macdonald Surreal Korea In 2013 we fulfilled an ambition to see the Arirang Mass Games in North Korea. They were spectacular, and the trip was extraordinary. We stayed on the 30th floor of the vast Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang, with only a few other guests. At night the view was strangely dark, with few lights in the blocks of flats. The Arirang Mass Games - Corbis News The most sombre place we visited was the Kumsusan Memorial Palace the mausoleum for Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. Their embalmed bodies were reached by a travelator filled with silent North Koreans, softly sobbing. After a visit to Mount Kumgang, we returned to the Koryo only to be checked back into the same suite, beautifully cleaned. Bizarrely, our half-finished bottle of water and two glasses were in the same place as when we left. Gwen Godfrey, London The women of Iran Iran, 2019 we were a diverse group of eight Western women with a young, female Iranian guide. Such contrasts: oppression and fear, but extraordinary antiquities, buildings, food and culture. So many women eager to talk to us and tell us, in lowered voices, about their hatred of the veil; so many children keen to practise their English. So many vivid memories: amazing Persepolis; pomegranate juice from the huge Tehran bazaar; the rose windows in the Shiraz mosque; an impromptu concert late at night under the arches of one of the Isfahan bridges, and, above all, the centre of World Heritage-listed Yadz, a maze of wonderful ochre buildings. A violin workshop in Tehran - Deborah Terry Peering through a dusty window revealed a woman making violins. Welcoming us in, she gave us tea and described her craft and a fulfilling life, her instruments and her escape to the wider world. And our guide? Now building a new life in Germany, without her husband and parents, but with freedom. Deborah Terry, London Mesmerising Niger Niger in West Africa had never suffered from overwhelming tourist hordes. Indeed, it was always rather forgotten, outshone by neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso as backpacker destinations for the more intrepid traveller. Transportation and accommodation were basic in the extreme necessitating, for example, travelling on lorries in more remote areas and overnighting in courtyards of large compounds. The rewards were extraordinary in terms of the scenery encountered in the desert, the ancient Songhai trading city of Agadez and the timeless Touareg camel trains still following the old trans-Saharan routes of their ancestors. Alas, this country is now cursed by the vicious insurgents of Boko Haram, who together with the latest military junta, have condemned Nigeriens to a bleak future. I hope that, one day, another generation can experience this mesmerising country. Andrew R Williams, Middlesex 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. LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) The warden at Limestone Correctional Facility and his wife have been arrested and are facing drug charges, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC). Warden Chadwick Crabtree and Melissa Crabtree were arrested at their home on Friday by ADOCs Law Enforcement Services Division, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys SWAT and the Limestone County Sheriffs Office on several bench warrants. Alabama wants people to go back to work, heres how the state plans to help Both the Warden and his wife are charged with second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, manufacturing of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were taken to the Limestone County Jail. Court documents show the arrest of Chadwick Crabtree was made in connection with an incident in Limestone County on Sep. 1, 2022. The complaint says the charges are connected to the manufacture of psilocybin mushrooms, a form of psychedelic mushroom. [Chadwick] Crabtree has been placed on Mandatory Leave without pay pending further personnel action, ADOC said. Chadwick Crabtree, an Elkmont native, has worked with ADOC over 20 years, and previously served as warden at the Birmingham Community Based Facility for women inmates, ADOCs website shows. He is listed on its website as a Warden III, which is the highest rank an officer can have at a prison. ADOC said its law enforcement division also searched Chadwick Crabtrees office at the correctional facility. The investigation is ongoing and officials said further charges may be pending. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Early Friday morning local time, Israel launched a limited attack on Iran, prompting a muted response from the Islamic Republic and criticism from a far-right Israeli official who said the attack did not go far enough. Citing three Iranian officials, The New York Times reported that the Israeli attack struck a military air base near the city of Isfahan in central Iran. The Israeli military declined to comment on the strike. The relative quiet suggests the two sides are seeking to avoid further escalation after Iran last weekend attacked Israel with a swarm of drones and missiles, itself a response to an earlier Israeli attack on its embassy in Syria. While Benjamin Netanyahu ignored pleas from world leaders to not retaliate at all, it's possible that Friday's strike was far more restrained than the Israeli prime minister would have desired. Indeed, the response was criticized by some in the Israeli cabinet. Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right Israeli national security minister, described the attack using the Hebrew term "dardaleh," which is "slang for weak, disappointing, or poor," the Jerusalem Post reported. The Biden administration had urged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to show restraint. On Friday, the U.S. distanced itself from the Israeli strike. While it's fair to guess Netanyahu crossed their line, it's also possible that this Israeli strike was far more "restrained" than Netanyahu would have wanted "The United States has not been involved in any offensive operations,' U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, the BBC reported. "The United States, along with our partners will continue to work for de-escalation." Trump and Duda during the meeting on 17 April. Photo: Getty Images Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda believes that a meeting between Polish President Andrzej Duda and US presidential candidate Donald Trump has helped change Trump's attitude towards Ukraine. Source: LRT, citing Nauseda in an interview with journalists in Vilnius, as reported by European Pravda Quote: "I've been hearing lately about a different rhetoric from Trump himself and the US governments readiness to take necessary and long-awaited decisions. I think this visit [Duda's visit to New York ed.] and the talks with Trump were positive, they yielded a positive result, and I'm very happy about this achievement by Mr Duda." Details: Nauseda mentioned that he discussed Dudas upcoming visit to New York and meeting with Trump with him at the recent Three Seas Initiative conference. Background: Duda and Trump had a private meeting in New York on Wednesday, 17 April. Trump's campaign team said the former president had discussed the war in Ukraine and defence spending by NATO member states over dinner with Duda. Support UP or become our patron! Enforced isolation during Covid lockdowns, leading to a lack of exercise, has been blamed for lower mobility and an increase in falls for the elderly - tomazl/E+ A top British medical professor has blamed lockdown for a concerning jump in the number of potentially deadly falls suffered by people, The Telegraph can reveal. Figures for 2022 the latest full calendar year available show that the number of calls for ambulances because of falls was more than 16 per cent higher than in each of the previous two years, indicating worrying after-effects of the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. Angus Dalgleish, professor of oncology at St Georges Hospital, Tooting, south-west London, said he had become aware of many people who have fallen over unexpectedly, several with serious injuries and that many of these cases are almost certainly related to the detrimental effects of lockdown. He added: Immobility, lack of exercise, lack of sunshine and Vitamin D3 all make muscles weaker and the nervous system less able to compensate. In the UK, falls are the most common cause of injury-related death in those aged 75 and over, and, according to the NHS, they are the number one cause for older people in the UK having to go to A&E. Freedom of information requests were submitted to the 13 ambulance trusts in Great Britain for 2020, 2021 and 2022, asking for the numbers of calls to them requiring attendance for falls. The figures show that the calls rose slightly in 2021 but then jumped severely in 2022. In 2022, there were 1,134,653 calls about falls. In 2020, the figure was 971,020 and in 2021 it was 973,316. Prof Dalgleish said: All the science, and even the NHSs own guidance, demonstrates the importance of remaining active as we age. By restricting our opportunities to do this and in the early lockdowns even limiting the amount of time we could exercise we imposed rules, which had a significant detrimental effect on health outcomes and, despite its aims to protect the NHS, could in fact have resulted in people needing hospital treatment they may otherwise have not. We must learn from this: keeping mobile and active is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle at any age, but especially as we grow older and lose muscle mass. Senior GP Dr Graham Barter said: By encouraging the elderly to limit their activity and rest excessively, you are going to cause weakness and muscle loss. We need muscles at any age, and particularly when we are older, to help maintain our balance and mobility. A 2021 Age UK report found that 17 per cent of older people believed they were more unsteady on their feet than before the pandemic. Five per cent of falls cause fractures and the cost of fragility fractures to the UK is 4.4 billion each year, of which 1.1 billion is the cost of social care. The ambulance figures were sought by The Access Group which provides software to the NHS, local authorities and social care providers, and also pioneers technology that puts vulnerable people in touch with healthcare workers. Vicky Mudd, Access health support and care clinical director, said: These statistics show the huge pressure being placed on emergency services and the costs which could be refocused to support the NHS elsewhere. We should be looking to address how we support people who are vulnerable to falls and the staff who work in our health and social care services. Technology-enabled care can help prevent a crisis, by using reactive alarms and digital insights to analyse activity and patterns of behaviour. For example, data from digital devices such as personal alarms and hydration cups can monitor trends and activity, flagging a potential hazard before an incident happens, such as a person being dehydrated, leading to an increased likelihood of a fall. Devices can also raise alarms to provide assistance, ensuring timely support can be delivered when needed. Real-time data, sensors to enable trend analysis and location-mapping of an individual are all features that technology can deliver now to give individuals the confidence to be independent, knowing that help is at hand if needed. 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. London drivers could pay per mile so that Sadiq Khan can hit net zero target Mr Khan has become locked in a fierce row with his Conservative challenger Susan Hall over pay-per-mile charging - JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP Drivers in London could have to pay-per-mile charges by the end of the decade in order to achieve Sadiq Khans accelerated plan to hit net zero, documents reveal. In an official report, the Mayor of London said that his ambitious plans for decarbonisation were only possible by charging drivers. Mr Khan recommitted to the plans, published two years ago, last week. With less than a fortnight to go before the mayoral election on May 2, Mr Khan has become locked in a fierce row with Susan Hall, his Conservative opponent, on whether he plans to introduce pay-per-mile charging. Last week, The Telegraph reported that the Mayors official transport strategy continues to include a commitment to investigate proposals for the next generation of road-user charging, despite Mr Khan having had opportunities to update the legally mandated document that was first published in 2018. Mr Khan has been adamant that he has ruled out introducing pay-per-mile charging but the Tories say the mayor has himself admitted that his target to achieve net zero in the capital by 2030 relies on road user charging. Mr Khan first proposed the 2030 goal for London a full 20 years ahead of the Governments 2050 target for the country in 2020, enshrining it a year later in his 2021 re-election manifesto. He restated the goal in his latest manifesto, published on Thursday, which says: We have an ambitious target of making London a net zero-carbon city by 2030 faster than any comparable city. To help him get to the target, Mr Khan previously commissioned research by the sustainability consultancy, Element Energy, which in January 2022 published a report on the potential pathways to carbon neutrality. Net zero-carbon city The report said that all scenarios would benefit from London-wide road user charging being introduced as early as possible, with charging one of the key early building blocks of any package. Mr Khan ended up picking an accelerated green pathway that involves reaching 22 per cent residual emissions by 2030, which would have to be offset. The element energy report says this needs London-wide road-user charging from the mid-late 2020s. In his formal response to the report, which was also published in January 2022, Mr Khan said: The scale of reductions required a 27 per cent reduction in vehicle kilometres according to the accelerated green scenario is only possible with some form of road user charging. He went on: Such a system could abolish all existing road user charges such as the Congestion Charge and Ulez (Ultra Low Emission Zone) and replace them with a simple and fair scheme where drivers pay per mile, with different rates depending on how polluting vehicles are, the level of congestion in the area and access to public transport. The Tories also point out that Mr Khans 2023 book, Breathe, says we have plans to introduce a new, more comprehensive, road user charging system. At an election hustings last week, Mete Coban, a Hackney Labour councillor, said that Breathe was a personal book, it is not the manifesto for London and that Sadiq has ruled out pay-per-mile for now. Ms Hall told The Telegraph there was no doubt that he will put [pay-per-mile] in. Weve seen all the evidence, she said. But a spokesman for Mr Khan said: Sadiq has repeatedly and categorically ruled out pay-per-mile for as long as he is mayor. It will not be introduced in London, despite misleading statements from the Tories saying otherwise. The road-user charging scheme was originally proposed by Boris Johnson as mayor and by Rishi Sunak as chancellor. Sadiq has repeatedly ruled out any such scheme while he is mayor. 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. CARACAS, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The unilateral coercive measures imposed on Venezuela by the United States have led Venezuelans to be determined and to unite in the construction of a new model of a diversified economy, said Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez on Friday. "We have achieved political independence, but we must go further, we must move towards economic independence," Rodriguez said in Caracas on the occasion of the 214th anniversary of the proclamation of independence in 1810. "And if anything has put this crude and immoral economic blockade against Venezuela to the test, it is the determination of this people for economic independence," she said. The vice president affirmed that the determination of the Venezuelan people is concretized in the consensus of the construction of a new diversified and plural economic model. "The national union is also expressed in great consensus, which is the rejection of rude, savage, unilateral coercive measures," said Rodriguez, adding that Venezuela is not subordinated to the mandates of the United States. A look at what's in the $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the House FILE - 155 mm M795 artillery projectiles are stacked during manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pa., Thursday, April 13, 2023. The Pentagon could get weapons moving to Ukraine within days if Congress passes a long-delayed aid bill. That's because it has a network of storage sites in the U.S. and Europe that already hold the ammunition and air defense components that Kyiv desperately needs. The House approved $61 billion in funding for the war-torn country Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) A look at what's in the $95 billion package passed by the House on Saturday that will provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel, replenish U.S. weapons systems and give humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. Senate passage is expected this coming week. President Joe Biden has promised to sign the package as soon as he gets it. The broad spending breakdown: about $61 billion for Ukraine and replenishing U.S. weapons stockpiles. The overall amount provided to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons would be $13.8 billion. Ukraine would receive more than $9 billion of economic assistance in the form of forgivable loans. about $26 billion for supporting Israel and providing humanitarian relief for people in Gaza. About $4 billion of that would be dedicated to replenishing Israels missile defense systems. More than $9 billion of the total would go toward humanitarian assistance in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war. about $8 billion for helping U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region and countering China. More than $3.3 billion would go toward submarine infrastructure and development, with an additional $1.9 billion to replenish U.S. weapons provided to Taiwan and other regional allies. A Los Angeles man with a history of associating with a violent white supremacist group has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison. Ryan Scott Bradford, 35, of Reseda, was sentenced Friday to 57 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition and possessing eight conversion devices that allow for semi-automatic firearms to function as machine guns. He previously pleaded guilty to the federal weapons charges in January. Bradford is a known associate of an extremist white supremacist group in the San Fernando Valley, prosecutors said in a criminal affidavit filed last year. Using an online moniker that referenced his affiliation with the group, Bradford would post racist messages targeting Jewish people, including calling for mass murder and genocide of Jews, according to the United States Department of Justice. He also posted links on the messaging platform Telegram, which included instruction manuals for hand grenades, information about biological warfare, and calling for an Aryan Revolution. The DOJ said he also offered to make firearms and firearm parts for others using 3D printers. Bradfords home was raided last July by the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Los Angeles Police Department. Reseda federal search warrant During that search, authorities recovered 116 rounds of various ammunition (which Bradford was prohibited from possessing due to a previous burglary conviction), two machine gun conversion devices for a semi-automatic AR-15-type firearm, and six fully automatic gun conversion devices for handguns known as chips or switches. Those conversion devices are of high concern for federal law enforcement officials because they can be easily made using a 3D printer. Reseda Raid When authorities raided Bradfords home, they discovered two 3D printers, one of which was emblazoned with Nazi symbols. They also recovered body armor with SS bolts, the insignia of the Schutzstaffel, Hitlers personal police force. Glass containers holding explosive components were also recovered during the search, officials said. Prosecutors argued that Bradford had been involved in the illegal manufacture of guns for years and that the number of guns he was manufacturing was not insubstantial, which they say indicated he was working to arm himself and other like-minded individuals. 3D printed gun This violent extremist not only made numerous threats to kill Jews, but also was amassing weapons capable of carrying out acts of violence, said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada in a news release issued Friday. Hateful behavior of this sort has no place in our society, and we will continue to use all the tools available to protect the community from violence driven by racially motivated ideology. Mehtab Syed, acting assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles Field Office, said its Joint Terrorism Task Force takes violent threats seriously and will investigate and arrest those who take part in criminal activity. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. The Louisiana Legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit the use of the word "free" to describe giveaways of government products, services and benefits. (Getty Images) The Louisiana House voted 55-46 this week to ban the use of the word free when referring to government benefits, products or services, though similar descriptions such as provided at no cost or complimentary would still be permissible. Its a bill that Ive nicknamed my Dont Say Free bill, said Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Schriever, sponsor of legislation, in a hearing earlier this month. If were going to move forward in society and have people not be dependent on the government for everything, then we need to begin to change the vocabulary. The use of the word free is rather insulting to all taxpayers because its not free, she said. Its been paid for by all of us. House Bill 265 would prohibit state and local government entities from using free when the word refers to a benefit, product or service financed with public funds. Amedee held up marketing campaigns for free food from food banks, free blood pressure screenings at health clinics and free counseling for alcohol dependency as examples of when she thought the word free was used inappropriately. She also doesnt approve of using free in the description of public suicide prevention services, vaccines, ultrasounds and over-the-counter overdose treatments when they have been paid for with public money. No government program is actually free. The taxpayer always pays, said Amedee, one of the leaders of the Louisiana House Freedom Caucus. We should be honest and use appropriate language. It could say: At no cost to you for example, she said. Democratic legislators balked at the bill. I dont like this bill, Rep. Ed Larvadain, D-Alexandria, said during the committee hearing. I dont want us controlling language. I dont like us telling people what words to use. Out of all the bills, this is the most peculiar bill I read, he said. What is the difference between free and at no cost? House Democratic Caucus Chairman Matthew Willard of New Orleans during the House debate on the bill. By moving away from the use of the word free, it brings awareness that someone is paying for this for you, Amedee said. Amedees legislation could cost public money to implement. Government agencies might have to change websites, branding and printed marketing products to remove the word free and replace it with similar language. There has been no estimate about what those public might be yet. The Pelican Institute, a conservative Louisiana think tank, supports the legislation. A few conservative Republican legislators suggested the bill might cut down on public waste. People will go pick up a free lunch and never eat it, just because it is free, Rep. Les Farnum, R-Sulphur, said. The Louisiana Senate needs to approve the legislation before it can become law. The post Louisiana House votes to ban free to describe government giveaways appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator. The head teacher at a south London school said parents and teachers considered 'moving out of the area' because of the LTN - Jamie Lorriman A low-traffic neighbourhood that brought gridlock to public transport caused a 30 per cent surge in school pupils arriving late as they navigated heavy traffic and fumes, a head teacher has revealed. The head at Julians Primary School in Streatham has said parents and teachers were so worried about health implications caused by road closures funnelling traffic on to boundary routes that some considered moving out of the area. The comments about the Streatham Wells LTN introduced by Labour-run Lambeth council in October have emerged in response to a series of freedom of information requests to the school. Sam Linton, the head of school, said that in the seven weeks before the LTN was introduced, 554 pupils arrived late. But over a six-week period after the LTN was set up, there were 717 late arrivals. She wrote: So one less week but over 150 more late arrivals. Ms Linton said teachers stood at the school gate every morning and at the end of the day and would see how congested the road was, with traffic often stopped outside the school, particularly during busy periods for the school. She added: The children would have to navigate through this heavy traffic and fumes to enter the school. Parents/carers would raise their concerns about the health implications and discuss the possibilities of moving out of the area. She said the LTN had caused such stress to teachers struggling to get to work that some staff have been looking outside of London for teaching posts. The Telegraph has revealed how a head teacher at nearby Bishop Thomas Grant School said teachers ran patrols after a surge in muggings of pupils on ghost town streets created by the LTN. Although Lambeth council suspended the LTN in March over concerns public transport had been affected, campaigners now insist it should be banned completely. Public transport was found to have ground to a near halt on the A23, a main artery out of south London. LTN impacted staff attendance Ms Linton wrote that the main road was gridlocked [and] air quality was definitely negatively affected by the LTN. She added: The LTN significantly impacted on staff attendance and punctuality. This then had a knock-on effect of ensuring that staff were available to cover classrooms until their teacher arrived in school as they would often not arrive until after the start of the school day. Ms Linton said the councils consultation process was limited, adding that a planned meeting in 2022 was not very well attended because of a lack of advertising by the borough. She said Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Lambeths cabinet member for clean air, did not turn up to a meeting about the LTN amid concerns parents were angry about the scheme. Instead, she went to another school and released a pro-LTN film, Ms Linton said. The council wrote to Ms Linton, urging her not to broadly circulate details of another meeting to avoid the session circulating on social networks. Ms Chowdhury failed to respond to a request for a comment. The Telegraph also revealed Lambeth had issued a record 50 million in fines to motorists after introducing seven controversial LTNs since the council embraced the Tory LTN policy in 2020. Lucrative greenwash Sheila OReilly, who submitted the freedom of information request, said: Lambeth couldnt care less about schools or post-Covid-era stressed teenagers and teachers trying to return to structure and routine or parents trying to organise work, life and children. If Lambeth is content to throw whole communities under a bus to serve a very lucrative greenwash then shame on them. A Lambeth council spokesman said the LTN was introduced to reduce road danger and make the neighbourhood safer and healthier and the community and schools were fully engaged. He added: During the planning for, and when in place, we carried out lots of school and nursery visits to discuss the trial LTN. That included six school visits by our cabinet lead and offers of more visits to other schools in Streatham. Local ward councillors from the council also talked with schools in the area about the trial. The investments that TfL and the council are making on the A23, and the Streatham to Peckham healthy route, will set the conditions for future changes to make Streatham a clean, vibrant and climate resilient place where people can lead healthier, happier lives. 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. Lviv doctors save life of Ukrainian defender with shrapnel in his heart A one-and-a-half-centimetre fragment of Russian munition literally stuck in Roman's heart. Photo: First Medical Union of Lviv Doctors in Lviv have removed a one-and-a-half-centimetre fragment of Russian munition from a defenders heart. Source: Unbroken National Rehabilitation Centre Details: 42-year-old Roman Kliza from Volyn Oblast became a patient of cardiac surgeons at St Panteleimon's Hospital and the Amosov Institute. Before Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Roman worked as a driver abroad. After the outbreak of the full-scale war, he joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces and was an aerial reconnaissance man. Roman was seriously wounded in December 2023. A team of cardiac surgeons from St Panteleimon's Hospital and the Amosov Institute saved Roman. Photo: National Rehabilitation Centre Unbroken "We got to our positions and were just approaching the dugout when a drone flew towards us. I don't remember anything else," Roman recollects. That day, one of his brothers-in-arms was killed, and Roman was taken to hospital. He was in a coma for nine days. He woke up in a hospital in the city of Dnipro. "Local doctors did everything possible to save the man's life. As a result of a severe mine-blast injury, he had damaged a part of his right brain. But more critical was the fact that one of the fragments was lodged in the man's chest, just a millimetre from his trachea," the medics said. Cardiac surgeons removed the fragment without damaging vital structures. Photo: National Rehabilitation Centre Unbroken After Roman's condition was stabilised, he was transported to Lviv, where doctors conducted an examination and drew up a plan for surgery. Roman is currently undergoing rehabilitation. Photo: National Rehabilitation Centre Unbroken Roman is currently undergoing rehabilitation because of the brain damage that left his left arm paralysed and his walking and coordination impaired. The sessions with a physical therapist have yielded results, and Roman was able to take his first steps within a week. "What motivates me the most is seeing the results. Every day I take a few more steps, which gives me hope," Roman says. Roman was seriously wounded in December 2023. Photo: National Rehabilitation Centre Unbroken In the near future, Roman will undergo neurosurgery to restore his skull defect. Individual 3D titanium plates are being made for him at the moment. Background: Lviv paediatric neurosurgeons performed complex brain surgery on a 4-year-old patient from Northern Ireland who was suffering from severe seizures. Support UP or become our patron! A green streak of light zooms among the stars above a set of antenna dishes in the desert. Come Monday morning, April 22, the first good meteor shower in nearly four months reaches its peak: The annual Lyrid meteors. Unfortunately, 2024 will not be a good year to look for these "shooting stars." There is going to be a significant handicap in the guise of a bright waxing gibbous moon, just one day before full phase. Located about 10-degrees to the west (right) of the bright bluish star Spica in the constellation of Virgo, the moon will be in the sky for much of the overnight hours of April 21-22, likely squelching a view of all but the brightest Lyrids. Related: Lyrid meteor shower 2024: When, where & how to see it TOP TELESCOPE PICK: A Celestron telescope on a white background Want to look at awesome stuff in the night sky? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide. We also should stress that this is not a rich display, certainly not to be compared to the December Geminids or the Perseids of August. The number of meteors that might be seen by a single observer looking skyward under dark, clear skies normally is in the 10 to 20 per hour range. But many of these meteors tend to be brilliant and appear to move fairly fast, streaking through Earth's atmosphere at an average velocity of 30 miles (48 km) per second. About a quarter of them leave persistent trains. Within a day on either side of the maximum, about 5 to 10 Lyrids can usually be seen each hour under good skies. Related to Thacher's Comet The Lyrids are actually the legacy of a long-departed comet bearing the name of Thatcher. This modestly bright comet was discovered in April 1861 by New York amateur astronomer, A.E. Thatcher. The orbit of the Lyrids strongly resembles that of comet Thatcher which has an orbital period of about 415 years. They are cosmic rubbish; tiny bits and pieces shed by this comet on previous visits to the sun. The Earth's orbit nearly coincides with the comet around April 22 each year. When we pass that part of our orbit, we ram through the dusty debris left behind by the comet. a bright light streaks among stars in the night sky We call these meteors "Lyrids" because their paths, if extended backward, appear to diverge from a spot in the sky not too far to the south and west of the brilliant bluish-white star Vega, in the constellation of Lyra the Lyre, or Harp. Vega does not begin to make its appearance until around 9 p.m. local daylight time when it rises above the northeast horizon. By 4 a.m. it climbs to a point high in the sky more than two-thirds up from the horizon to the point directly overhead. Rather than risk a strained neck or shoulders we would recommend lying down on a long lounge chair where you can get a wide-open view of the sky. Bundle up too, for while it won't be a cold as on a winter's night, nights in April can still be quite chilly. Read more: Here's how to see 'horned' comet 12P/Pons-Brooks at its brightest this week (video) several constellations are traced with blue lines in the sky. dim green lines jet out like rays from a point labeled Lyrids in the center left. The wide angle horizon below bows downward. An oldie, but (sometimes) a goodie Among all the meteor showers, the Lyrids are the oldest known, having been first recorded by the Chinese in 687 B.C. when "many stars flew from the northeast." There have been other noteworthy Lyrid showers recorded such as in 15 B.C. (China), 1136 (Korea) and 1803 when many townspeople in Richmond, Virginia, were roused from their beds by a fire alarm and witnessed meteors that seemed to fall from every point in the heavens, resembling a shower of skyrockets. In 1922, an unexpected Lyrid rate of 96 was recorded, and in 1982 rates surprised observers by reaching 80 per hour. So, the bottom line is that although the Lyrids are admittedly a weak display, they have also had a history to surprise observers, so it's always one to watch. Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium . He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine , the Farmers' Almanac and other publications. How much bleeding is considered dying? The Supreme Court is set to make a major decision April 24 that could have wide-ranging effects on physicians like me and put womens lives on the line. This is a question I found myself asking late at night earlier this year. My patient had lost about half a liter of blood. Her baby still had a heartbeat, was still moving around on my bedside ultrasound, despite having no fluid to do so in, holding on as best as he could. The mothers heart rate began to rise not dangerously high, but higher than her baseline. Her temperature was slightly elevated, but not yet a true fever. Her blood pressure was lowering, but she was still conversational. At 20 weeks gestation, there was nothing we could do to save her baby. At 20 weeks pregnant in Missouri with its extreme ban on almost all abortions, there are no easy ways out of this situation. Our team knows where a woman like this patient is headed, as we have seen many times before. If we do not intervene, she will continue to bleed as the placenta is coming undone. She will develop a fever, her uterus becoming infected, which will spread to her blood and threaten her life. Her uterus is too small, too weak to labor on its own at this point. The standard of care would be to immediately offer pregnancy termination abortion. This is a choice, and the patient will always be allowed to say no. Based on her own personal beliefs, she may decline until it is truly the only option. In Missouri, we must be careful about our wording. I feel shame admitting that I approach the situation in fear of losing her life, but also of losing my job, which has taken so much of my life the past 14 years. I want to put all my effort into saving her life, into saving the life of the fetus if that is her wish. I am angry that I must think of my own legal consequences alongside my recommendations. Ultimately, those who have put these limitations on my work have never felt the pain of these moments: sharing bad news, holding women as they cry, looking at them as they get sicker and sicker, knocking on the door of death. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear the case of Idaho v. United States, which challenges that hospitals must stabilize individuals prior to transport, including when those cases involve emergency abortions. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act established this guideline in 1986 however, specifics regarding abortion care were not included. How common is the need for an emergency abortion? Much more common than you may think: Several have occurred within our city limits so far this year, and there have been many more around the country. These are individuals who knock on the door of death prior to proceeding with an abortion. All patients that I have taken care of in these situations strongly desired their babies. Their hearts break along with their bodies. We cry together, with a shared understanding of what could have been, what we both wanted to happen. Another mothers newborn cries down the hall, adding to our sorrow. My job as an obstetrician isnt a job it is a vocation. It is impossible and heartbreaking and beautiful, and above all I am grateful to be able to walk alongside my patients through the best and worst days of their lives. My ability to offer lifesaving care is in the hands of the Supreme Court, and I anxiously await the justices decision. Lucy Smith is an OB-GYN in Kansas City. BRIAR CREEK TOWNSHIP, COLUMBIA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Police arrested a man they say set fire to the former Briar Creek Township Police Station. On February 8, first responders were called to a fire at the former Briar Creek Township Police Department building on Red Rock Road. According to a state police fire marshal, the blaze was intentionally started. As police surveyed the area on the night of the fire, an officer said they encountered 30-year-old Brandon Gumpy from Berwick walking in the middle of Lake Road near the old police station. The officer states he asked Gumpy why he was walking around the middle of Lake Road, and Gumpy explained that he was walking home from the Giant in Berwick when he saw the fire and called 911. 63-year-old to spend at least 15 years in prison for drug charges Investigators say there was no way Gumpy could have walked from the Giant to Lake Road in the time he claimed to have done it. Police said they searched Gumpys backpack and found a lighter, cigarettes, a laptop, and a bottle of tea. Over the next two months, police continued to investigate the fire and learned Gumpys story was inconsistent. Further investigation led them to learn that Gumpy had been telling multiple people he lit the building on fire to prove a point to his ex-girlfriend. On April 9, law enforcement said they received surveillance video that contained Gumpy allegedly admitting to lighting the old police station on fire along with four other supposed buildings. Gumpy has been charged with two counts of arson, two counts of reckless burning or exploding property having a value exceeding $5,000, one count of risking catastrophe, and one count of criminal mischief. Gumpys bail is set to $150,000. His next court date is April 29. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. CENTREVILLE St. Joseph County Prosecutor David Marvin and Undersheriff Jason Bingaman have provided details related to the arrest of a man who allegedly sexually assaulted two girls under the age of 13. During a press conference Friday at the sheriffs department training center, Marvin said Miguel Hernandez-Ruiz, a Mexican national, is charged with first-degree home invasion and two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. St. Joseph County Prosecutor David Marvin and Undersheriff Jason Bingaman addressed reporters Friday afternoon with details related to the arrest of a suspect who allegedly assaulted two girls under the age of 13 in Fawn River Township last month. Hernandez-Ruiz, 26, was extradited to St. Joseph County this week from Ft. Wayne, Indiana, where he was taken into custody following the March 20 incident at Sweet Lake Mobile Home Park in Fawn River Township. He is being held with no bond at the county jail in Centreville. Prior to elaborating on the case, Marvin prefaced his comments with a reminder. I want to remind everybody that anybody whos in our justice system, there is a presumption of innocence (and) thats no different with this case, Marvin said. We have an individual who is now in custody but the Fifth Amendment protects him and I have the burden as the prosecutor to prove beyond a reasonable doubt anything that I charge him with. Marvin said Hernandez-Ruiz was arraigned Friday afternoon, just a few hours before the 4 p.m. press conference, which included Capt. T.J. Baker and Sgt. Paul Hernandez, who was the lead investigator in the case. Marvin said ensuring Hernandez-Ruiz gets a fair trial is paramount, so he declined to elaborate on a number of questions. Marvin quickly reiterated the relevant facts and details will be presented in court. Hernandez-Ruiz is being represented by Three Rivers-based attorney Ross Truckey. Marvin declined to clarify whether the suspect knew the victims or their relatives. He said evidence to clarify their relationship will be introduced in a trial setting. He also did not confirm whether Hernandez-Ruiz had been to the residence prior to March 20. Bingaman said his deepest concern centers on the victims. We have a couple of minors who were sexually assaulted, so, for them and their families, our thoughts are with them, Bingaman said. Its our intention for crime victims to see justice and to reassure our community that it is safe and secure. He said the 12-day investigation featured a strong and ultimately successful partnership with authorities in Allen County, Indiana. In particular, Bingaman acknowledged Ft. Wayne Police vice and narcotics unit in the apprehension. He also recognized Sturgis Police Department for its critical role during the initial investigation. Authorities said video surveillance footage was instrumental in helping identify the vehicle allegedly driven by Hernandez-Ruiz the night of the incident. Hernandez-Ruiz, a Sturgis resident, is also being held on an immigration detainer, Bingaman said. He stated the suspect came to the United States in 2021 and his work visa expired in December that year. Hernandez-Ruiz failed to return to Mexico upon its termination, Bingaman noted. We continue to work with the prosecutors office to make sure the due process is going to happen for the suspect and the victims in this case, Bingaman said. Bingaman said if the suspect is found guilty, he would serve his time in the United States before deportation to his home country. Bingaman added he believes Hernandez-Ruiz has family in Ft. Wayne, possibly explaining why he fled there following the incident. Hernandez-Ruiz is scheduled for a preliminary examination conference April 30. This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Man accused of sexual assault of 2 girls back in St. Joseph County Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) has been a great stock for investors to own over the years, but more recently the stock has struggled and is down about 25% from its 52-week high. However, the coffee giant is still in growth mode, and the recent underperformance represents a great time for long-term investors to purchase the stock. Let's examine the reasons behind the stock's struggle and the potential for it to rebound. Why is Starbucks stock down? Starbucks' U.S. operations have been performing quite well. For its fiscal year ended October 2023, the company saw its North America revenue rise 13.7% to $26.6 billion, while its North American same-store sales climbed 9%. That strength continued in its fiscal first quarter. North American revenue rose 9%, with same-store sales up 5%. However, Starbucks has seen challenges in its second-largest market of China. Its same-store sales rose only 2% in fiscal 2023, as people in the country struggled to come out of COVID-related lockdown. Same-store sales rebounded to a 10% in fiscal Q1, but the company had to resort to promotions and discounts to draw in Chinese customers, as evidenced by the 9% decline in average ticket it saw. Increased competition in China has worried investors. Luckin Coffee surpassed Starbucks last year as the largest coffee shop in the country, while selling its coffee at much cheaper prices. Upstarts such as Cotti Coffee are also making inroads, while tea house Tea'stone is giving the tea-drinking country an upscale experience based around the nation's favorite hot beverage. Image source: Getty Images. Starbucks' growth opportunities Despite its issues in China, Starbucks remains very much in growth mode. It plans to expand its global footprint to 55,000 stores by 2030, with 35,000 of those locations outside of the U.S. At the end of 2023, the company operated 38,587 stores globally and had 20,656 locations outside of North America. So it still has a lot of store growth in front of it despite its large size. China still remains a big part of its plans, with the coffee shop operator looking to have 9,000 stores in the country by the end of 2025. It ended 2023 with just under 7,000 locations in China. Starbucks also isn't sitting still in China. It's looking toward local innovations to help drive growth. In February, for example, it introduced pork-flavored coffee in the country ahead of Spring Festival. The company has also recently opened a Coffee Innovation Park and an Innovation and Technology Center in China to help drive product and technological innovations in the country. Story continues Outside of expansion, Starbucks is also looking to drive $3 billion in cost efficiencies over the next three years, or about $1 billion a year in savings. About $2 billion of the savings will come from cost of goods sold, and the rest from things like staff and scheduling efficiencies. It will then look to reinvest those savings into new store growth and remodels. The combination of store growth and cost savings should lead to strong continued earnings growth from the company in the years ahead and lead to a higher stock price. An attractive valuation Starbucks currently trades at around a 21.5x forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is quite attractive given the growth opportunities the company has in front of it. It is looking to grow its store base by over 42% by 2030, while growing its comparable-store sales in the mid-single-digit range. When combined with its cost-saving initiatives, earnings should grow even faster. If China begins to recover -- and the country's Q1 GDP growth did show improvement -- Starbucks could be on track to surpass current expectations this year. Regardless, though, the company has a long runway of growth in front of it and is now trading at one of its most attractive valuations in years. This looks like a good time to scoop up some shares of this growth stock. Should you invest $1,000 in Starbucks right now? Before you buy stock in Starbucks, 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 Starbucks 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 $466,882!* 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*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2024 Geoffrey Seiler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Starbucks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 Growth Stock Down 25% to Buy Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool Man charged 25 years after woman strangled to death behind middle school, officials say Decades after a woman was strangled to death behind a Rhode Island middle school, a man has been charged in her killing, officials say. Kevin Williams, 53, was charged with murder in the 1999 killing of Kathleen ODowd Boleman, the Rhode Island Attorney Generals Office said in an April 18 news release. The passage of time does little to lessen the pain felt by those who have lost a loved one at the hands of another, particularly when such crimes go unsolved for many years, Attorney General Peter F. Neronha said in the release. Williams is accused of strangling Boleman, 41, behind a Providence middle school on March 11, 1999, prosecutors said. Though detectives believed Williams may have been a suspect early on in the investigation, prosecutors said they didnt have enough evidence to bring charges against him. However, prosecutors said Providence police detective Angelo Avant took up the case again in recent years, combing through evidence, speaking with witnesses again and finding new witnesses. Avant then presented the case to a grand jury, which led to Williams indictment, prosecutors said. He was arrested on April 16 and arraigned the following day, according to prosecutors. Williams, who is being held without bail, is expected to appear in court again on April 24, prosecutors said. Brother found sister stabbed to death in 1978. Now man is going to prison, officials say DNA links man to the sexual assault of 2 girls in Rhode Island 35 years later, cops say Driver saw skeletal remains near highway almost 40 years ago. Now police seek killer FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A man who was responsible for shooting a CHP officer from Sacramento is arrested in Fresno, the California Highway Patrol announced on Friday. CHP says on Friday, a K-9 Sergeant located the suspects vehicle traveling southbound on Interstate 5 and Shields Avenue in Fresno County. Central Division Air Operations helicopter and additional ground units responded to the location as the sergeant continued to follow the vehicle. According to officers, just north of Highway 198, the Central Division H-40, two units from Coalinga, and an additional K-9 unit were positioned at the rear of the suspects vehicle before making an enforcement stop where the suspect complied. The driver and the passenger, CHP says, exited the vehicle without incident and were detained. The suspect, Manuel Martinez, was confirmed to be one of the occupants of the vehicle, and he was transferred into the custody of the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. Man dies after setting himself on fire outside Trump trial courthouse Man dies after setting himself on fire outside Trump trial courthouse MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) A man has died after setting himself on fire outside the Lower Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial, authorities said. The man, later identified as 37-year-old Max Azzarello, was declared dead by staff at a hospital Friday night, according to the NYPD. Azzarello walked into Collect Pond Park around 1:30 p.m. on Friday, opened a bookbag, and threw pamphlets containing conspiracy theories into the air, according to NYPD Chief of Department James Maddrey. Police said he used an alcohol-based accelerant to light himself on fire. Jury selection complete in Trumps hush money trial The man, who police said recently traveled from Florida to New York, had not breached any security checkpoints to access the park. The incident happened across the street from the courthouse that has been a gathering point for protesters and media outlets covering jury selection for Trumps hush money trial. The area was searched for possible bombs. No devices were found, police said. A full jury of 12 people and six alternates had been seated in Trumps hush money case just minutes before the fire, drawing the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president a step closer to opening statements. Charline Charles is a digital journalist from Brooklyn who has covered local news along with culture and arts in the New York City area since 2019. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here. This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Man driving wrong way on Hwy 180 in Fresno arrested, deputies say FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A man has been arrested under suspicion of reckless driving and driving on a suspended license, the Fresno County Sheriffs Office said. Sheriffs officials say a deputy witnessed a black Mercedes driving recklessly near Highway 180 and McCall Avenue in Fresno on Friday around 3:30 p.m. According to deputies, the car was traveling southbound in the northbound lane, endangering the lives of other motorists. Deputies attempted to make a traffic stop, but the driver, identified as 22-year-old Yadwinder Brar of Fresno, refused to pull over. Sheriffs officials say Brar led deputies on a chase where he reached up to 100 mph. Brar eventually pulled over after being pursued for a little more than a mile. Deputies contacted and arrested him on suspicion of evading police, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license. His car was towed to a storage facility. Deputies say Brar has since posted bond and been released with a notice to appear in court. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. Man Who Drowned Ex-Girlfriend in Toilet in Fit of Jealous Rage Gets Life in Prison Robert Holton was convicted of murdering Kayla Gloster, 22, when he learned she had been spending time with another man, say prosecutors Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Robert Holton A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of stabbing, beating and drowning his ex-girlfriend in a toilet bowl in a fit of jealous rage, prosecutors said. On Thursday, Robert Holton was sentenced to life in prison for the November 2013 murder of Kayla Gloster, 22, of Homestead, NBC Miami reports. He was spared the death penalty by jurors, the Miami Herald reports. The sentence came down after Holton was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree arson for stabbing Gloster and then drowning her because another man was interested in spending time with her, prosecutors said, WFLA reports. On the day Gloster was killed, Holton had gone to her apartment where he and Gloster had sex, prosecutors said in court, the Herald reports. After he learned she had spent time with another man, He beat her, Miami-Dade Assistant State Attorney Scott Warfman said, the Herald reports. He stabbed her. He strangled her, and he drowned her. He also set fire to her mattress, authorities said. 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. Hed been rejected for years by the object of his affection and obsession, he said. He was found guilty in a third trial after two mistrials, the Herald reports. Tony Moss, one of Holtons attorneys, said he was glad the jury spared his clients life. There was much more to Robert Holton and his worthiness to life than his actions on that particular occasion, Moss said, NBC Miami reports. Obviously the jury agreed with us and we are very happy about that. Justice was served, Glosters mother, Tangela Johnson, said, NBC Miami reports. Today was a win. I really didnt have a preference of what it was either life or death. Im satisfied the big victory was guilty. Glosters grandmother, Caron Dixon, was glad Holton is heading to prison. He has to suffer just like my baby suffered, she told NBC Miami. Hes got to suffer. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Man engaged in sex acts with teen, then got job as teacher at her school, Florida cops say A man is accused of engaging in sex acts with a teen he met online, then resumed them when he became a teacher at her Florida high school. Jaime Hernandez Cabrera, 25, resigned from his position and now faces charges, officials said. Hernandez Cabrera began talking to a 16-year-old through social media when he was 24, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office. He engaged in sex acts with the girl from November 2022 to June 2023, deputies said in an April 19 news release. Then he got a job teaching agriculture at Durant High School in August and resumed sex acts with the student in September, according to school officials and law enforcement. This continued for about six months, with the last incident occurring in March 2024 on school property during school hours, deputies said. Deputies responded to the school for an unrelated incident April 11 and said they learned about the sex acts then. Hernandez Cabrera turned himself in April 18 after a warrant was issued for his arrest, deputies said. As a father, I understand the concerns of parents who are hearing about this situation, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said. I want to reassure you that our detectives, along with the schools administration, are taking every possible step to ensure the safety and well-being of every student. Hernandez Cabrera is charged with four counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and four counts of sexual battery (familial or custodial authority) (authority figure over student), records show. His attorney information was not available in Hillsborough County records as of April 19. Durant High School is in Plant City, about a 25-mile drive east from downtown Tampa. If you have experienced sexual assault and need someone to talk to, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline for support at 1-800-656-4673 or visit the hotline's online chatroom. Naked teacher found in SUV crashed by teen driver fleeing sheriff, Nebraska cops say Teachers sex acts with student discovered when girlfriend sees texts, Texas cops say Student rolls car trying to assassinate target with a squirt gun, Illinois cops say Man lights self on fire outside Trump trial courthouse NEW YORK A man set himself on fire in a park across from Manhattan Criminal Court Friday where former President Donald Trumps hush money trial continues, according to a report. Firefighters and emergency medical technicians were called to the scene about 1:15 p.m. after the man burst into flames inside a barricaded area at the park. (It was a) very scary, active scene, Politico reporter Emily Ngo posted on X. Did not hear him say anything before he dosed himself with a fluid. The man had some large oak tag cards in front of him when he decided to self-immolate, Ngo said. After the fire was extinguished, EMS rushed him to an area hospital for treatment. He was responsive when he was removed, but he is very, very badly burned, Ngo said. The incident occurred as prosecutors and attorneys for Trump wound down their first week in the historic hush money trial involving porn actress Stormy Daniels. _______ Man sentenced for leading $150M drug ring on dark web how Ohio was affected ***Watch previous coverage above.*** (WJW) A man who led a massive, multi-million dollar drug ring on the dark web, impacting all 50 states and several other countries, was sentenced to prison on Friday. Banmeet Singh, 40, of India, was sentenced to five years in prison. He was also ordered to forfeit about $150 million in cryptocurrency accounts, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Court documents say Singh created vendor marketing sites on dark web marketplaces like Silk Road, Alpha Bay and Hansa. Woman charged with shooting city employee at Cleveland Public Works garage Customers would use cryptocurrency to buy drugs like fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax and ketamine, which Singh then shipped from Europe to the U.S., court records say. Investigators say Singh controlled eight U.S. distribution cells between 2012 and July 2017. Some of the cells were located in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, and Washington. The drugs were then distributed across all 50 states, as well as Canada, England, Ireland, Jamaica, Scotland and the U.S. Virgin Island, the DOJ says. Court records say the drug ring, worth roughly $150 million, moved hundreds of kilograms of controlled substances around the U.S. over the years. Teen caught driving 100 mph in 60 mph zone Singh was arrested in London in April 2019 before being extradited to the U.S. in March 2023. Earlier this year, Singh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. NBC4 reported in January that seven others had been charged in connection to the drug ring, including two people convicted in the Southern District of Ohio. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Man Who Set Himself On Fire Outside Donald Trump's NYC Trial Has Reportedly Died The man who set himself on fire outside Donald Trump's NYC hush money trial courthouse, Max Azzarello, has reportedly died. Azzarello was initially rushed to a nearby hospital and "intubated" after first responders successfully put out the fire on his body. He has now been branded a "conspiracy theorist" and even left behind a political manifesto detailing his motive for self-immolating. Max Azzarello Has Died After Self-Immolating Outside Donald Trump's NYC Hush Money Trial Instagram | Max Azzarello According to a report, Azzarello eventually succumbed to his burn injuries and was declared dead by the staff at the area hospital he was rushed to after self-immolating outside the courthouse where Trump's hush money trial was being held. Azzarello reportedly traveled from Florida to New York and had been protesting outside Trump's trial, with placards implying that he was against both the former president and current President, Joe Biden. Eyewitnesses outside the courthouse saw Azzarello throw pamphlets he was holding into the air before dousing himself with a liquid and setting himself ablaze. At the time of the shocking incident, CNN reporter Laura Coates, who was on the scene, stated that a "man has set fire to himself" and switched the network cameras to show the fire in the park across the street. Coates revealed that the entire area, which descended into chaos due to the shocking incident, was heavy with the smell of burning flesh. The Man Who Set Himself On Fire Left Behind A Manifesto Revealing His Motive Instagram | Max Azzarello After Azzarello was rushed to a hospital, a political manifesto detailing his reason for self-immolating surfaced. He allegedly maintained a Substack page titled "The Ponzi Papers," with his latest entry titled: "I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial." In the opening lines, Azzarello deemed his actions an "extreme act of protest" to spotlight a discovery he had made. He wrote: "My name is Max Azzarello, and I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery." He Claimed The 'Government Is About To Hit Us With An Apocalyptic Fascist World Coup' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Max Azzarello (@dipshit_secrets) In Azzarello's lengthy manifesto, he boldly asserted that "we are victims of a totalitarian con, and our government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup." The manifesto includes references to a complex conspiracy involving cryptocurrencies and governmental collusion, echoing themes from the late man's recent social media activity. "I hope you know how powerful you are. I wish you a hell of a lot more than luck," Azzarello concluded. Azzarello's social media page was also riddled with claims about the government plotting against its citizens and a video of him calling for "a revolution." The Scene After Max Azzarello's Self-Immolation Took Place A view from above of the man who set himself on fire in NYC. pic.twitter.com/8T1iJyFgQE Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) April 20, 2024 The sickening incident unfolded just as Judge Juan Merchan was going on recess for lunch on the third day of ex-president Trump's criminal hush money trial, near a section of the plaza where small groups of protesters had been gathering daily since the trial began on Monday. Video footage from the scene showed Azzarello kneeling on the ground, with his arms waving wildly as flames consumed his flesh. Television commentators narrated the incident as several police officers and civilians rushed towards him to help extinguish the fire. Amid the chaos, one individual attempted to smother the flames with a coat or blanket while another wielded a fire extinguisher. Azzarello looked motionless after the fire was extinguished and was subsequently attended to by paramedics. One of the bystanders who witnessed the event expressed shock, stating, "He made a noise, and he threw all those pamphlets. It's shocking. There are some people crying in the park. There's just nothing you can do." The Man Who Set Himself On Fire Has Been Branded A 'Conspiracy Theorist' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Max Azzarello (@dipshit_secrets) Shortly after the fire incident, Azzarello was branded a conspiracy theorist by the authorities, who likely took into account the information on the pamphlet he had on him before setting himself on fire and his online activity. The NYPD chief of detectives, Joseph Kenny, noted that Azzarello, who hails from St. Augustine, Florida, had no criminal history in New York and was not previously known to authorities. Tarik Sheppard, deputy commissioner of the NYPD, emphasized that detectives did not perceive Azzarello's actions as targeting any specific individual or group, including Trump or his supporters. "We just right now labeled him as a sort of conspiracy theorist, and we'll go from there, but the investigation will continue," Sheppard said, per The Guardian. Man Who Set Himself on Fire Outside Donald Trump Trial Is Dead The man, who set himself on fire on April 19, has been identified by authorities as Maxwell Azzarello, 37 David Dee Delgado/Getty Max Azzarello A man who set himself on fire outside Donald Trump's trial at a Manhattan courthouse has died from his injuries, police say. The man, who authorities have identified as 37-year-old Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine, Florida, died in hospital, New York City Police confirmed to PEOPLE on April 20. Azzarello suffered severe burns sustained after self-immolating on April 19 outside the courtroom where Trump's trial on hush money charges is taking place. Police said in a news conference after the incident on April 19, per CBS news, that at 1:30 p.m. Azzarello entered Collect Pond Park, which is located directly opposite the courthouse where Trumps trial is taking place. He threw up pamphlets" in the air before pulling out a canister, dousing himself in a liquid police believe was an accelerant and setting himself on fire. He then took a few steps and fell to the ground, police said. Azzarello was tended to by civilians, court officers, members of the police department who ran in the park and used their coats and "fire extinguishers" before the FDNY responded and were able to put the blaze out, Chief of the New York Police Department, Jeffrey Maddrey, said. Azzarello was transported to a Cornell burn center in critical condition. Maxwell Azzarello/Instagram Azzarello, 37, has been identified as the man who set himself on fire outside the New York City courthouse where Trump's trial is taking place Related: Man Sets Himself on Fire Outside Donald Trump's Manhattan Trial The NYPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. During the April 19 press conference, authorities added that there were three NYPD officers and one court officer who suffered minor injuries from being exposed to the fire and who were in stable condition. Witnesses and family members informed authorities that Azzarello had traveled to New York from Florida earlier in the week. Some other family members, however, shared with authorities that they werent aware of him making the trip. Everyone involved in the trial inside the courthouse was also informed of the incident, authorities said. According to NBC News, the incident took place just before the court took a lunch break. Azzarello didnt breach security checkpoints to access the park as it is public to visitors, police stated during the April 19 press conference. The park has been attracting protesters and reporters all week amid Trumps trial, which started on Monday, April 15. On the afternoon of April 19, reporters from various outlets including Fox News, CNN and MSNBC detailed the incident on social media from the park, from where they had been reporting live about the trial. One Fox reporter said, "There's a fire that has started, as you can see live we wonder if a person is on fire." They then asked the crew, "Do we have a fire extinguisher in the truck?" SPENCER PLATT/POOL/AFP via Getty The incident took place during Trump's trial on the afternoon of April 19 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. A 73-year-old witness and local resident told NBC News of the incident, I heard this clattering, that caught our attention. Then he pulled out a can. There I thought, this could be awful. Im old enough to remember the Vietnam War. Freelance photojournalist Ed Quinn added to the outlet, I heard someone scream, Hes going to light himself on fire. I see him dumping gasoline on his face, very deliberately. He had [a] gray t-shirt on. It soaked his face. It soaked his shirt. Boom, he went up. Women were begging, screaming, put it out, put him out, he added. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. This article will discuss the 15 Best Everyday Colognes in 2024. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global perfume industry and key players in the perfume industry and go directly to the 5 Best Everyday Colognes in 2024. According to the most recent data by Technavio, the size of the US perfume market is expected to increase by $3,029.11 million between 2022 and 2027. Throughout the projected period, the market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 9.12%. You can read about it in our article on 20 Best Fresh Colognes for Men in 2024. Our estimate suggests that the perfume industry in the US stands roughly at $13 billion as of 2021. Global Perfume Industry: According to Grand View Research, the global perfume market was valued at $50.85 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to surge at a CAGR of 5.9% between 2023 and 2030. The latter research reports that the expansion is being fueled by a greater emphasis on personal grooming and a growing demand for luxury and exotic fragrances. Moreover, consumers are spending more on premium fragrances as disposable incomes rise and living conditions improve, propelling this sector ahead. Another key point to note is that perfumes have become a vital part of the cosmetics and personal care markets, contributing to people's pride and confidence in the face of a growing personal care trend. However, the aforementioned research points out that the unfavorable impacts of artificial chemicals used for perfumes are projected to impede growth during the projection period and may limit product acceptance. Furthermore, the expanding global market for perfume products made with natural ingredients is anticipated to present substantial prospects for this industry's expansion. The pandemic had a really detrimental effect on the industry. For example, LVMH Group, a major perfume manufacturer, saw a 20% fall in revenue in 2020 compared to 2019. The client base is also anticipated to grow as a result of manufacturers' diversifying product offerings. For instance, Chanel's fragrance portfolio includes a variety of perfume items, such as parfum and Eau de parfum spray. Companies are aggressively pursuing and investing in advertising techniques, as well as in technology, to attract customers and expand their reach. For example, L'Oreal Groupe in 2018 invented a tool called dubbed cockpit to assess the productivity level and real-time return on investment of its media investments. This technology allowed for better decision-making while developing performance strategies. These factors have helped businesses better analyze the effectiveness of their products and create products that satisfy consumers. Thus, it is fueling the expansion of this worldwide perfume industry. Story continues In 2022, Europe's revenue share in the global perfume market was the highest, at over 35.10%. The leading nations supporting the expansion in the region are the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. Grand View Research reveals that Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY) was positioned as the top participant in the German perfume market in 2020. France is the home to many renowned scent brands. With the largest production and export values, the nation has been leading the European market. Throughout the projection period, Asia Pacific is anticipated to increase at the fastest rate. Key Players in the Perfume Industry: Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY), is one of the major players in the perfume industry, with an annual revenue of $5.55 billion in 2023. The American company Coty Inc. has been actively pursuing acquisitions in the cosmetics and fragrance industry. Buying the majority of Kylie Cosmetics, a well-known beauty company started by Kylie Jenner, was one of Coty Inc.'s noteworthy acquisitions in 2023. For $600 million, Coty purchased a 51% ownership share in Kylie Cosmetics. Through this strategic decision, Coty Inc. was able to demonstrate its dedication to industry growth and innovation while also strengthening its position in the cosmetics and fragrance sectors. Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY) a leader in the fragrance industry, and Etro, a prestigious Italian luxury fashion brand, announced their strategic partnership in February 2024. The goal of the partnership is to use Coty's vast knowledge and global distribution network in the beauty sector to develop and launch Etro's signature fragrance lines. This demonstrates how companies are working together to utilize mutual strengths, broaden product offerings, and enter new markets. Since the historic launch of Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) 's debut fragrance in 1953, ELC has continued to hold the top spot in the industry for prestige and high-end scents. It had a whopping annual revenue of $15.91 billion in 2023. Today, renowned brands including Jo Malone London, TOM FORD, Estee Lauder, Le Labo, Clinique, KILIAN PARIS, Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, AERIN Beauty, and Aramis are part of the company's extraordinary and varied scent portfolio. In 2023, Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) successfully acquired the Tom Ford brand. With this acquisition, Tom Ford Beauty hopes to bolster its expansion goals, especially in the luxury fragrance and beauty markets. Making it the largest transaction for Estee Lauder and its first acquisition in the fashion industry, the deal valued Tom Ford at $2.8 billion. To maintain continuity and further develop the Tom Ford label as a premium worldwide brand, ELC licenses the Tom Ford trademark to Zegna Group for fashion and accessories and Marcolin Group for eyewear as part of the acquisition. With that said, here are the 15 Best Everyday Colognes in 2024. 15 Best Everyday Colognes in 2024 withGod/Shutterstock.com Methodology: To pick out the 15 Best Everyday Colognes in 2024, we searched the internet for the best everyday colognes and ranked them based on their number of appearances in our sources, so each appearance got one score. Then we ranked the list based on the aggregated scores. In the list, we have also included each perfumes price for the quantity. In tie-breaker situations, we consulted product reviews and then curated the perfumes for our list. Weve also mentioned the prices for these perfumes for particular spray bottles with varying capacities. Weve mostly relied on Sephora and Nordstrom for this. Please note, however, that we cant guarantee the accuracy of prices, in case prices vary from region to region. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. 15. Chanel DEAUVILLE Les Eaux De Chanel Eau De Toilette Insider Monkey Score: 5 Price: $113 for 1.7 o.z Chanels Deauville Les Eaux De Chanel is a fragrant citrus fragrance featuring green basil and zesty orange. It leaves behind a warm and subtle woody trail. This fragrance is as energizing as a walk through the French countryside. It is one of the hottest colognes right now. 14. Acqua di Parma Colonia Eau de Cologne Insider Monkey Score: 6 Price: $212 for 3.3 o.z This is a modern, sophisticated, and classic unisex perfume. Acqua di Parma Colonia Eau de Colognes fragrance is based on sunny Sicilian citrus fruits. Moreover, it consists of a combination of floral essences such as lavender and damask rose, which mix with woody notes of vetiver, sandalwood, and patchouli in the base. It is among the best cologne of all time. 13. Commodity Milk Expressive Eau de Parfum Insider Monkey Score: 8 Price: $145 for 3.4 o.z Milk's warm notes of skin musk, tonka bean, and mahogany wood are enhanced with white cedar. This sensual fragrance is as light as a feather and clings to you like a second skin. It is one of the most favorite unisex perfumes in 2024. 12. Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille Eau De Parfum Insider Monkey Score: 9 Price: $295 for 1.7 o.z Both men and women can enjoy the amber spicy scent of Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille. This fragrance is the brainchild of perfumer Olivier Gillotin. For this perfume, tonka bean, dried fruits, and woody notes make up the foundation notes. On the other hand, vanilla, cacao, and tobacco blossom are the middle notes. Most importantly, tobacco leaves and spicy notes are the top notes of this scent. It is one of the best-smelling men's colognes. 11. Acqua Di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Fico Di Amalfi Eau De Toilette Insider Monkey Score: 9 Price: $59.99 for 30 ml Acqua di Parma is an Italian lifestyle and fashion brand that is owned by LVMH. This gender-neutral scent was originally launched in 2006. Moreover, the top notes include grapefruit, bergamot, citron, and lemon; the middle notes include fig nectar, jasmine, and pink pepper; and the base notes include fig tree, cedar, and benzoin. 10. Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne Spray Insider Monkey Score: 10 Price: $165 for 3.4 o.z For everyday wear, Jo Malones Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne Spray is suitable because it is light and subtle. An air of depth is added to this scent when earthy and fragrant tones are combined with woodsy qualities. The crunchiness of sea salt adds texture and a sense of freshness to this scent. 9. Byredo Bal DAfrique Eau De Parfum Insider Monkey Score: 10 Price: $225 for 1.7 o.z We also have the Byredo fragrance Bal D'Afrique Eau de Parfum on our list. The scent was developed by Jerome Epinette and released in 2009. This perfume has gentle citrus notes like Amalfi lemon and African orange flower alongside tangy sensations like black currant, tagetes, and bergamot. 8. Byredo Gypsy Water Eau de Parfum Insider Monkey Score: 11 Price: $225 for 1.6 o.z Gypsy Water is described as a bouquet of aromatic, woodsy, and balsamic tones that will provide a warm and comfortable perfumed experience. This particular perfume has a hint of citrus and fragrant top notes that include juniper, lemon, pepper, and bergamot. Byredo is one of the high-end perfume brands. 7. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau De Parfum Insider Monkey Score: 11 Price: $205 for 1.2 o.z This amber floral scent, Baccarat Rouge 540 is offered for both men and women by the luxurious and one of the most expensive brands, Maison Francis Kurkdjian. In 2015, Baccarat Rouge 540 made its debut. This fragrance was created by Francis Kurkdjian. Saffron and Jasmine are the top notes, while Amberwood and Ambergris are the middle notes, and Fir Resin and Cedar are the foundation notes. It is one of the 10 long-lasting perfumes. 6. The Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace Eau de Toilette Insider Monkey Score: 12 Price: $165 for 3.4 o.z Maison Margiela is widely recognized as a high-end luxury brand. The brand itself is known for its exceptional quality and craftsmanship. When it comes to this perfume, there is no doubt that it is a sentimental scent that embodies the coziness of a winter hearth. It has notes of chestnut accord, red berries, clove oil, cashmeran, and vanilla, giving it an aroma of crackling flames and roasted chestnuts. Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best Everyday Colognes in 2024. Suggested Articles: Disclosure: None. 15 Best Everyday Colognes in 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey. Man who set himself on fire outside Trump hush money trial dies, NYC police say NEW YORK Max Azzarello, who set himself on fire outside Manhattan Criminal Court where former President Donald Trumps hush money trial was being held, has died of his extensive self-inflicted injuries, police said Saturday. The Florida resident set himself on fire inside Collect Pond Park across the street from the courthouse to draw attention to his conspiracy theories about an upcoming apocalyptic fascist world coup at about 1:30 p.m. Friday, shocking onlookers making their way through the park. I was about 20 to 30 feet from him. I started yelling, This guys doing something, he might be doing something! Fred Gates, who witnessed the fire, told the Daily News. When the fire (started), it was just disbelief. I never saw anything like this, he said. Azzarello was rushed to the burn unit at New York Presbyterian-Cornell Hospital, where he died just before midnight, police confirmed. There was no indication Azzarello had any specific grievances related to the trial or Trump. Three NYPD police officers monitoring the press outside the courthouse and a court officer suffered smoke inhalation as they tried to extinguish the fire before the FDNY arrived, NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said Friday. Azzarello, described by authorities as a conspiracy theorist, posted a rambling manifesto just before the blaze began. I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan, the 37-year-old Floridian wrote. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup. A QR code on fliers he had on him directed people to where his manifesto was posted online, officials said. Azzarello recently arrived in Manhattan from Florida, cops said. Police had been in contact with his family, who said they didnt know he was in the city. Word of the self-immolation occurred as prosecutors and Trumps attorneys finished selecting the final alternate jurors for the hush money trial involving porn actress Stormy Daniels, which is expected to continue on Monday. His rambling screed touched on ponzi schemes, bank failures, the rise of cryptocurrency, the television show The Simpsons and Harvard University, which he called one of the largest organized crime fronts in history. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you, Azzarello wrote about his alleged self-immolation. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict. The NYPD was expected to review security procedures both inside and outside the courthouse following Fridays fire. The park was open to the public Friday afternoon so Azzarello did not breach the security protocols the NYPD made with court officers and the secret service, Maddrey explained. We will reassess our security with our federal partners, he said. _______ "Someone has set himself on fire in the protest area here at the Donald Trump trial," a Fox News reporter said during a live broadcast Friday ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images New York police guard the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City where former US President Donald Trump is attending his tria A man set himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse in which Donald Trump's trial on hush money charges is taking place. On Friday afternoon, various reporters took to social media to share that a man had self-immolated outside the courtroom, though details were scant. Politico reporter Emilo Ngo wrote on X that police were initially slow to respond because of heightened security placed around the area due to the former president's presence within the building. "A person just self-immolated outside Manhattan court, where Trump trial underway. Police slow to respond in part because of barricades around park," Ngo wrote. Outlets including Fox News, CNN and MSNBC were reporting live on television at the time of the incident, with a Fox reporter saying, "There's a fire that has started, as you can see live...we wonder if a person is on fire." 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. ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images The reporter then quickly apologized for showing the fire to viewers, saying "Do we have a fire extinguisher in the truck?" to the network crew, before reporting that responders had "put jackets" over the body of a man. "They are now putting fire extinguishers to extinguish the fire," the reporter added. "Someone has set himself on fire in the protest area here at the Donald Trump trial," the reporter added during the live broadcast. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via Getty Former US President Donald Trump, center, returns from a break at Manhattan criminal court in New York, US, on Monday, April 15, 2024. Jury selection beings Monday in Trump's criminal trial where he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged scheme to silence claims of extramarital sexual encounters during his 2016 presidential campaign. Related: Air Force Member Dies After Setting Himself on Fire Outside Israeli Embassy in Protest of Gaza War CNN's Laura Coates was also reporting live at the time of the incident, telling viewers "we are watching a man who is fully emblazoned in front of the courthouse today." "We have seen an arm that has been visible that has been engulfed in total flames," Coates added. The New York Times reported that it was a "young man" who "threw multicolored pamphlets in the air before lighting himself on fire," adding that "it took several minutes for police officers to rush to the scene." The Times reported that the man collapsed before being smothered with a detective's coat to extinguish the flames and was taken away in an ambulance and "still moving" as officers asked him his name. The motivations for the incident remained unclear. In February, a U.S. Air Force member died one day after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., in what appeared to have been a protest of Israel's military offensive in Gaza. This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. NEW YORK A person has self-immolated outside the Manhattan courthouse where former President Trumps first criminal trial is ongoing, police confirmed to The Hill. Max Azzarello, 37, walked into a park outside the courthouse where protests of Trumps trial have taken place this week and threw conspiratorial pamphlets in the air before pouring an accellerant on himself and setting himself on fire, New York Police Department spokespeople said at a press conference Friday. The incident drew a heavy emergency response. Ambulances lined the block where he set themself on fire. (Zach Schonfeld) Police said Azzarello, 37, traveled from Florida to New York sometime earlier this week, police said. They labeled him a conspiracy theorist and indicated that the incident was not intended to target any individual or group including Trump or the protestors outside the courthouse. On various social media accounts, reviewed by The Hill, Azzarello espoused conspiracy theories about the U.S. government and prominent individuals. Police acknowledged the social media posts and said the accounts will be scrubbed. The man is in critical condition but alive and intubated, police said. Three NYPD officers and one court officer had minor injuries from the fire but are all fine. Videos of the situation posted on the social media platform X showed at least one person attempting to pat down the fire with a suit jacket, before another individual with a fire extinguisher put out the fire. A witness told PIX11 News they were standing next to a man when he poured a flammable liquid on himself, told her to stand back and then lit himself on fire. The witness said he made statements of a political nature before the incident. In the same timeframe that the incident occurred, a full jury panel was officially selected to hear the case. With 12 primary jurors and six alternates seated, the trial can move into opening remarks on Monday. Police said they are very concerned about the fact that an Azzarello was able to self-immolate in such close proximity to the trial, adding that they intend to review their security protocols even though the Florida man did not breach the security protocols. The officials also said that a bomb squad swept the area around the Manhattan courthouse and that nothing was found. Local police are continuing to work with Secret Service. Well make decisions if we need to tighten up security, maybe well shut down the park this is something that well determine once we talk with all our partners, with the court officers, to make sure that, with everything going on the gravity of the event going on right now we have ample security, a police official said. The jury selection process lasted four days. Several prospective jurors, who were ultimately excused, expressed anxiety about serving on the high-profile panel given the media attention it is expected to receive. Before moving on, Trumps lawyers will discuss his possible trial testimony at a hearing this afternoon, where the judge will decide which topics prosecutors can cross-examine the former president about if he takes the stand. The process is intended to enable Trump to make an informed decision about whether to testify. The topics span 13 different court determinations involving Trump in other cases. Trump is accused of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money deal with an adult film actress made ahead of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty. Updated 3:50 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Members of New York City Fire Department (FDNY) inspect the scene in the aftermath of a man setting himself on fire, in the park across from the NYS Criminal Courthouse. According to US media reports, a man set himself on fire in a park opposite the courthouse in New York during the ongoing criminal trial of former president Donald Trump. Andrea Renault/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa According to US media reports, a man set himself on fire in a park opposite the courthouse in New York during the ongoing criminal trial of former president Donald Trump. The man poured a liquid over himself and set himself alight, according to unanimous reports from various media outlets, including the New York Times and CNN. Bystanders had screamed and tried to help, the reports said. After a short time, police officers arrived and extinguished the flames. The man was then carried into an ambulance and driven away. It was initially unclear why he set himself on fire. The incident took place in Collect Pond Park, directly opposite the courthouse where the criminal trial of Trump is currently taking place. The courthouse is extensively cordoned off and numerous police officers are on permanent duty there. Dozens of media representatives with cameras and broadcast vans are gathered around it. Opponents and supporters of Trump are allowed to gather for demonstrations in the park, but so far only a few have done so on the days of the trial. The grounds are surrounded by barricades, but there are also open entrances. Members of New York City Fire Department (FDNY) inspect the scene in the aftermath of a man setting himself on fire, in the park across from the NYS Criminal Courthouse. According to US media reports, a man set himself on fire in a park opposite the courthouse in New York during the ongoing criminal trial of former president Donald Trump. Andrea Renault/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Man Who Set Himself On Fire Outside Trump NYC Trial Dies In Hospital; Self-Immolation Captured On CNN In Real Time Update 2nd UPDATE, 8:59 PM: Approximately 10 hours after Max Azzarello set himself on fire across the street from Donald Trumps criminal trial in Manhattan, the 37-year-old man has died. Azzarello passed away about an hour ago from his burns and other wounds, law enforcement sources confirmed Friday night to Deadline. More from Deadline The Florida residents extreme act of protest was a result of his theories of a not-so secret kleptocracy ruling America, as his website declared. Self-described Independent researcher Azzarello had been under care Burn Unit at Weill Cornell Medicine in NYC after self-immolationalizing just after 10:30 am PT, the NYPD revealed on Friday afternoon. Earlier, the horror of the incident today was captured live on CNN. The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned cable newser was broadcasting outside the courts where the former presidents hush money case was taking place when Azzarello poured an apparent liquid over himself and caught ablaze. Azzarello had been seen protesting on the streets around the Manhattan Criminal Court as recently as April 18. The Trump trial was on a break when Azarello lit himself on fire. While there was brief discussions among court officials, the NYPD and Secret Service about whether the case would need to be moved for security reasons, the trial picked up Friday afternoon with a fully seated jury and alternates. Opening arguments in the Trump case are set to start Monday. UPDATE, 12:10 PM: The man who set himself on fire outside Donald Trumps hush money trial in New York City is alive but in critical condition, according to the New York Police. His condition is not good, but as of right now he is still alive, an NYPD official added. The man is at the Burn Unit at Weill Cornell Medicine in Manhattan. The individual has been identified as Max Azzarello, it was revealed at a police press conference Friday on the site of the incident. Pamphlets found near where the St. Augustine, Fla., man in his 30s poured a liquid on himself give a website where calls himself an Independent researcher who is worried about an apocalyptic fascist world coup. No further information was given on whether the incident will impact the former presidents criminal proceedings just across the street. We do know that the trial is starting up again after a lunch break and that Trump is in the courtroom. Accordingly, the Secret Service is aware of the situation of the self-immolation, and has been consulting with police and court officials, we hear. Police say the security area set up around the Manhattan Criminal Courts was not violated by Azzarello. PREVIOUSLY, 10:45 AM: A man has set himself on fire outside the New York City courthouse where the Donald Trump trial is underway. The incident was covered by CNN in real time, with anchor Laura Coates, outside the courthouse, at first telling viewers that there was an active shooter before quickly saying that a man has set fire to himself, as the network cameras then turned to show the flames in the park across the street. A man has emblazoned himself outside the courthouse, she said. She then reported the smell of burning flesh. There is chaos and it is happening, Coates said. The reason behind why the man lit himself on fire is also unknown. Pamphlets found nearby included information on a website apparently written by a man who referred to himself as an investigative researcher and who has been posting on the trial. I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial, the site headline read. The site referred to the self-immolation as an extreme act of protest over the state of modern capitalism. After showing the flames for about 15 seconds, CNN turned back to Coates, and she recounted what she was seeing to viewers. I see a person whose body appears to be on the ground surrounded by officers. The fire is still burning, Coates said during the harrowing moment. She was joined by Evan Perez. We have no idea who this person is or the why. A minute before we saw this happen, you heard shouts happening, she said. You saw a Trump flag that was running from the area. About 50 seconds in, she said that she could see arms that continue to be engulfed in flames. She said an EMT officer was taking off his backpack and trying to render aid. You can continue to smell the burning of flesh, the burning of an agent, she said. Trump has not left the courthouse, where he has been watching jury selection. Around the time that the incident occurred, the final of six alternates had been sworn in, joining with the 12 jurors. There has been a break in the proceedings, and a law enforcement source said that discussions are underway on whether they will continue this afternoon. We are still gathering information, a NYPD spokesperson told Deadline this morning of the incident. The department is expected to release information on what happened later today. Two NYPD officers acted promptly to extinguish the man on fire in the park. The police officers are unharmed. The condition of the man who set himself on fire is unknown at the moment, though we know he was taken to a hospital about 20 minutes after the incident happened. The terrifying incident occurred just as Trumps criminal trial was starting an afternoon break. Networks have set ups outside the courthouse for correspondents and legal experts to talk about the case. While first referring to fire breaks out on their lower third, the news cablers all covered the incident live. MSNBC and CNN stayed on the Trump trial and the man setting himself on fire, Fox News cut to the White House press briefing from Karine Jean-Pierre. The press secretary spoke on neither the fire nor Israels reported multi-pronged attack on Iran last night. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Police have identified a man shot and killed by Gwinnett County police at a busy shopping center Thursday night. Channel 2s Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson was on Jimmy Carter Road Friday, where police said two counties were searching for Steven Scott on robbery and other charges. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Police shot and killed Scott, 39, after he opened fire on officers during a traffic stop. A bullet flew into a nearby Waffle House during the chaos. I guess it was supposed to be a routine traffic stop or something because there were flashing lights, witness Willie Nelson said. (He) shot the gun, boom, boom, boom, then he pulled off all you heard was tires. TRENDING STORIES: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the officer used a pit maneuver to stop Scott, then returned fire. Another of the bullets went into a detectives unmarked car who was nearby. The bullet went into the seat but missed the officer. Police suspected Scott was part of a Gwinnett County robbery and he already had warrants out for him for an April 7 gas station robbery in Hall County. The charges included armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and other charges. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Witnesses were relieved no bystanders in the shopping center were caught in the crossfire. Anything could have happened, Nelson said. Bullets dont have no names when they travel. The GBI has taken over the investigation. A search for a man suspected of shooting at a California Highway Patrol officer Wednesday in south Sacramento ended Friday in Fresno County, where authorities took him into custody during a traffic stop. The 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in the Wednesday afternoon shooting in the 7700 block of Southland Way, said Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a Sacramento County Sheriffs Office spokesman. The CHP officer was responding to call Wednesday at a Southland Way home, when the suspect reportedly shot at the officer. No injuries were reported in the shooting. Authorities believed the suspect fled into the home after the shooting. Sheriffs deputies and CHP officers surrounded the home, located in a residential neighborhood a few blocks south of Gerber Road in Sacramento Countys Vineyard neighborhood. Nearby homes were evacuated as authorities worked to get the suspect to come out of the home and surrender. The Sheriffs Office SWAT team was called to the scene, along with armored vehicles to safely approach the home. Sheriffs officials entered the home a few hours later, but nobody was found inside. They searched nearby yards and other areas in the neighborhood Wednesday night, but the suspect was not found, authorities said. Gandhi said detectives with the sheriffs Major Crimes Bureau initially tracked the suspect into Yuba County, before they tracked the man into Fresno County where he was taken into custody during a traffic stop in Coalinga. The sheriffs spokesman said the Yuba County Sheriffs Office assisted in the investigation. Man tackled outside of Florida Walmart for exposing himself to women: deputies Man tackled outside of Florida Walmart for exposing himself to women: deputies TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A man accused of exposing himself to women at a Florida Walmart was caught on camera getting tackled by deputies at the entrance to the store after leading them on a brief foot chase. The Lee County Sheriffs Office responded to the Fort Myers Walmart, located at 14821 Six Mile Cypress Parkway, on Thursday. Deputies comb Pasco County woods for pursuit suspect The loss prevention officer at the Walmart told officials that Jawahn Lynell Jennings, 35, was following women around the store while inappropriately touching himself. When deputies approached Jennings near the clothing section, he immediately bolted, leading them on a brief chase through the store. As Jennings was trying to exit, deputies tackled him to the ground and placed him into handcuffs. ERs refused to treat pregnant women, leaving one to miscarry in a lobby restroom You want to be a disgusting pervert and try to outrun MY deputies?! My 4th Precinct will help you out the door, and lead you right into the Marceno Motel, Sheriff Carmine Marceno said. While Jennings remains in our custody, Ill make certain hes covered up in a red jumpsuit. According to the sheriffs office, Jennings is a registered sex offender from a 2020 incident out of Connecticut. He has been charged with indecent exposure. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Man who used riot shield to 'obstruct and intimidate' police on Jan. 6 pleads guilty A "Don't Tread on Me Flag" favored by MAGA supporters is seen in a trash can after a pro-Trump mob stormed and occupied the U.S. Capitol Building in clash with U.S. Capitol Police in Washington in January 2021. The U.S. Attorney's Office said more than 1,387 people have been arrested and nearly 500 have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement related to Jan. 6. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI April 19 (UPI) -- A South Carolina man on Friday pleaded guilty to charges related to his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Tyler Bradley Dykes, 26, of Bluffton, S.C., pleaded guilty to two felony charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and agreed his use of a police riot shield constituted a dangerous weapon, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia. Dykes was among the people near the front of the mob that pushed a line of Capitol police officers to the east entrance before breaking into the Capitol building, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Dykes then pushed his way to the front of the mob, grabbed and officer's riot shield and forcibly took it away, leaving the officer vulnerable to pepper spray from the other rioters, according to authorities. He continued to use the shield once the mob had broken into the Capitol building, deploying it to "obstruct and intimidate" police officers, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Leading up to the riot, Dykes subscribed to several Telegram groups that alleged the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump and anticipated events that would take place on Jan. 6, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The office said one Telegram group Dykes was a part of called for the violent overthrow of the government, quoting Adolf Hitler, among other things. Dyke's sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 19. The U.S. Attorney's Office said more than 1,387 people have been arrested and nearly 500 have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement related to Jan. 6. In this article, we will take a look at the 15 fastest declining countries in Asia. If you want to skip our discussion on the population trends in Asia, you can go directly to the 5 Fastest Declining Countries in Asia. The Asia-Pacific region is home to a population of over 4.8 billion people as of 2020. The region is home to China and India, which are the two most populous countries in the world, with over 1.4 billion people each. According to recent data from the United Nations (UN), the region's population is growing by 0.64% per year, but this growth rate is slowing down. The composition of the total population is expected to shift in the future due to different speeds of population growth in the subregions. For instance, in 1980, 42% of the region's population lived in East and North-East Asia, but by 2050, only 31% of the population will live there. Instead, almost half of the region's population will live in South and South-West Asia by 2050. The Pacific is the fastest-growing subregion, and its share of the total population is expected to grow from 0.8% in 1980 to 1.1% in 2050. Its important to note that despite having a shrinking population with negative or bare minimum population growth, several countries in our list of the fastest declining countries in Asia are also among the top 10 fastest growing economies in Asia. These include China and Armenia. Despite efforts to control population growth, economic activity in these countries continues to boom. This is primarily because the total population in these areas still remains substantial, providing a large labor force and consumer base to drive economic growth. China is the fastest-growing Asian country based on GDP. However, due to strict policies for population growth, including the one-child policy in the past, the Chinese population has seen a major decline in recent years. This decline was first noticed in 2022, when there was a difference of 850,000 in the Chinese population from the previous year. This marked the first population decline in the country in over 60 years. The one-child policy was lifted in 2016 and replaced by a two-child policy. However, with the passage of time, Chinese authorities have had a shift in opinion about restrictions on fertility and reproduction and are encouraging people to get married and have more kids. This is because around 15% of the countrys population is aged 65 or older, and the fertility rate stands at 1.45 children per woman. A stable population requires a fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman, which China falls short of. According to the French Institute for Demographic Studies, if no changes occur, the Chinese population will drop to 1.3 billion by 2050 and may further decrease to less than 800 million in 2100. Story continues Japan and South Korea are facing similar challenges. Japan and South Koreas population is decreasing rapidly every year. The fertility rates in both countries are low, with South Korea having 1.1 children per woman and Japan having 1.4 children per woman. The future looks concerning, with Japan's population expected to decrease to 104 million in 2050 and then to 72 million in 2100 from the current 126 million. Japan witnessed a record decline in 2023, with a staggering decrease of 837,000 people within a year. This roughly translates to losing 100 people an hour. Despite efforts to encourage high fertility, Japan has struggled to reverse its declining population growth since 2005. The government has expressed concerns about the impact of low fertility on its economy and social welfare systems. In South Korea's case, the figures are expected to drop from 52 million today to 46 million in 2050 and then to 24 million in 2100. The primary cause for this drop in fertility rates and population growth rates is urbanization and modernization. This declining population trend is common in most high-income countries across the globe. This is because urbanization leads to long working hours and high living costs, which discourage people from starting families. Despite experiencing recent declines in population, some of the countries in Asia are projected to play important roles in the global economy in the future as well. For instance, China is forecasted to capture a significant share of 22.68% and achieve a GDP of $101 trillion by 2100. The Chinese economy is supported by various companies such as Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA), Tencent Holdings Limited (OTC:TCEHY), and JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:JD). Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) and JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:JD) offer two of the most popular e-commerce platforms in China. Meanwhile, Tencent Holdings Limited (OTC:TCEHY) operates as a multimedia company. Here's what Artisan Partners said about Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) in its Q4 2023 investor letter: Pretty much all of our holdings rose during the quarter. Only one stock declined by more than a couple of percentAlibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA), which was down 9% for the quarter and 12% for the year. This investment continues to be a disappointment. We estimate the shares are trading at around 5X EBITAa valuation normally reserved for a company with evaporating profits. While its true Alibaba is underperforming its peers in the market, the fact is it remains the market leader in its core businesses, and the business is still growing. In the most recent quarter, revenues grew 9% and profits grew 26%. Its not evaporating. The management seems to be making meaningful changes designed to enhance shareholder value, including structural changes to improve profitability and restore its competitive position. It is monetizing non-core assets and making improvements in capital allocation. A lot of good things are happening that are not yet recognized in the share price. There are reasonsprimarily geopoliticalfor this, but at the current valuation, we could easily see the shares double and they would still be cheap. 15 Fastest Declining Countries in Asia christian-joudrey-9bdt03k4ujw-unsplash Our Methodology To shortlist the fastest declining countries in Asia, we consulted high-authority sources such as the World Bank, the United Nations, and the CIA. We used these sources to gather the latest population data for Asian countries and shortlisted 15 countries with declining population growth rates. All countries in this list have a population growth rate lower than the world average population growth rate. The countries are ranked in descending order of their annual population growth rate as of 2022, sourced from the World Bank. It is important to note that while some of these countries have positive population growth rates, they are still observing a decline in their total population as compared to previous years. You can also check out the 50 Most Populated Countries in the World in 2024 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. 15 Fastest Declining Countries in Asia 15. Indonesia Population Growth = 0.64% With a population of 275 million, Indonesia has an average annual population growth rate of 1.1%. The countrys last recorded population growth rate was 0.64% in 2022, signifying a drop in population growth. Projections suggest that this trend will continue, leading to a further decline in the population growth rate in the coming years. 14. Bahrain Population Growth = 0.61% Bahrain has seen a significant decline in population growth rates. The country's population growth rate has declined from nearly 3.5% in 2016 to 0.61% as of 2022. 13. Cyprus Population Growth = 0.59% With a population of 1.25 million, Cyprus stands as the third most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea. Cyprus has maintained an average annual population growth rate of 1.3%. In 2022, the growth rate was recorded at 0.6%. Projections from the United Nations suggest that this growth rate will further decrease to 0.20% by 2050. 12. Kuwait Population Growth = 0.44% With a population of 4.3 million and an average annual population growth rate of 3.6%, Kuwait has experienced a decline in population growth in recent years. However, there has been an improvement from the previous population growth rate, which was -2.5% in 2021. 11. North Korea Population Growth = 0.37% Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, or North Korea, has maintained an average annual growth rate of 0.5%. The current population growth is slightly below this average at 0.37%. According to UN projections, the population is expected to decline in the upcoming years, reaching -0.28% by 2050, with an estimated population of 25.8 million. 10. Sri Lanka Population Growth = 0.27% Sri Lanka has been experiencing a steady population decline since 2011. The country has an average annual population growth rate of 0.8%. The current population growth is on a downward trend and is projected to reach 21.8 million by 2050. 9. Qatar Population Growth = 0.26% Qatar makes up about 0.03% of the world's population. The average annual growth rate in Qatar is 6.5%, with the growth rate peaking in 2007 at 21%. The population growth in Qatar is expected to drop to negative before going up to 0.8% in 2050. 8. Thailand Population Growth = 0.13% The current population of Thailand is 71 million, with a growth rate of 0.13% in 2022. Thailand has experienced a steady decline in population growth since 1965, and it is expected to decrease further in the coming decades, reaching -0.51% in 2050. The average annual population growth between 2000 and 2022 has only been 0.6%, making Thailand one of the fastest declining countries in Asia. 7. Georgia Population Growth = 0.10% Georgia has an average annual population growth rate of -0.4%, with a population of 3.7 million. The countrys annual population growth rate is projected to decrease further to -0.43% by 2050, with an estimated population of 3.4 million. 6. Azerbaijan Population Growth = 0.04% Azerbaijan has an average annual population growth rate of 1.1%, with a population of 10.1 million. The countrys population growth rate in 2022 was 0.04% and is expected to drop to -0.20% by 2050. Click to continue reading and see the 5 Fastest Declining Countries in Asia. Suggested articles: Disclosure: None. 15 Fastest Declining Countries in Asia is originally published on Insider Monkey. The speaker of the House of Representatives was accused by conservative critics of betraying America after he forced a vote on aid for Ukraine, ending months of deadlock in Congress. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been one of Mike Johnsons fiercest critics, issued fresh calls for his removal from the speakers chair on Sunday, hours after lawmakers approved a $60 billion (48.5 billion) aid package for Ukraine. The bill, which was one of four to be heard in an unusual Saturday session of the House, passed with the support of Democrats. Mr Johnson has faced calls from three Republican representatives to resign, after he said he was willing to work with Democrats to pass the Ukraine bill and other legislation to support Israel and Taiwan. Following the vote, Ms Taylor Greene said on X: Mike Johnson betrayed America once again. Describing the Ukraine funding as a proxy war against Russia, she added: House Republicans and the American people would be stronger without his disloyalty and betrayal of his principles. Now its time for my colleagues to go home and hear from their constituents. We need a new speaker of the House! Mike Johnson speaks to reporters after the bills passed - Anadolu/Anadolu In a press gaggle after the vote, she described the speaker as a lame duck. Her call for a motion to vacate, which would remove Mr Johnson, is publicly supported by two other Republicans, Thomas Massie and Paul Gosar. Mr Johnson has said he will not resign the speakership, which he won after the deposition of his predecessor Kevin McCarthy in October. I am not resigning, he told reporters on Tuesday. And 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. Republicans have suggested a motion to vacate could be brought as soon as next week. It is unlikely to pass, and would require the support of Democrats, who voted for Mr Johnsons motion on Ukraine funding. Donald Trump, the GOP nominee and political figurehead of the so-called MAGA wing of the party in Congress, threw his support behind Mr Johnson in a press conference last weekend. Hes doing a really good job under very tough circumstances, he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Uno Reverse! Remember when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) came under fire for talking about a bizarre and antisemitic conspiracy theory that Jewish space lasers were to blame for the devastating 2018 California wildfires? Well, in a fittingly deranged flip of that debacle, Greene now says she wants to use the same laser technology that Israel uses for the United States' Mexican border in order to keep away undocumented migrants from getting into America, Business Insider reports, drawing online ridicule from people who were quick to compare her scheme to her notorious Jewish space laser theories. Greene posted her call for border lasers in a post on the social media platform X-formerly-Twitter, while also including a screenshot of her proposed amendment for the border lasers to a funding bill of $26.38 billion for Israel. Funding for the bill includes money earmarked for Israel's experimental Iron Beam air-defense system, which uses lasers to take down aerial targets. "America needs to take our national security seriously and deserves the same type of defense for our border that Israel has and proudly uses," said Greene in the post. https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1780767303732199917 Dystopia Now Her call for Israeli lasers drew some ridicule on X. "If one more person makes jokes about my Jewish Space laser Amendment I'm going to call the Gazpacho and have them sent to Mars to mine Bitcoin until the end of the Age of Aquarius! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! ~ @RepMtg, (Weirdo-GA)," wrote one user. "The American public made fun of MTG for four years over 'Jewish space lasers.' She denied saying it and skirted the issue. Today, she doubles down," wrote another. Setting aside the online jokes, the Southern border is already a staging ground for high-end dystopian technology that's meant to keep away migrants or asylum seekers. Last year, Axios reported that America is busy building a virtual, high-tech wall at the border. It includes surveillance towers decked out with cameras monitored using artificial intelligence, which has already drawn scrutiny from critics who question its efficacy. BI reports that Greene's amendment for Israeli space lasers may not pass, but the notion of even adding lasers to deter away migrants crossing the border just shows what little regard Greene has for desperate refugees who are often fleeing terrible violence at home. More on space lasers: Space Force Boss Says Weird New Weapons Are Headed to Orbit From the Wanderland on The Dispatch Irritated by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes tireless dedication to serving Moscows interests, Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz offered an amendment to the Ukraine aid bill that would have renamed her office the Neville Chamberlain Room. It was an ugly, stupid, juvenile insult. Say what you will about Marjorie Taylor Greene, she is no Neville Chamberlain. Neville Chamberlain was an honorable and decent man, a patriot and a statesman who led the United Kingdom during the first months of World War II before serving honorably in Winston Churchills war cabinet for the few months he had left to live before dying of cancer. He retired, as it were, at the end of September 1940, and he was dead by November 9, having labored through the excruciating pain of intestinal cancer as the Blitz raged overhead. When Churchill, acting on behalf of the king, offered the dying Chamberlain the Order of the Garter, Chamberlain declined. I prefer to die plain Mr. Chamberlain, like my father before me, unadorned by any title, he said. Marjorie Taylor Greene is no Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain came late to national politics. He was about to turn 50 when he was elected to the House of Commons. (No British prime minister ever has been first elected to Parliament later in life.) He had failed at one business and prospered at another, and much of his political career had been spent in unglamorous municipal government, first as a city councilman and planning commissioner and then as mayor of Birmingham during the austerity of the Great War. He cut spending, reduced the scope of his own office, and cut his own expense account by half as a seemly wartime measure. His performance in office was enough to get him appointed director of national service. In the position, he oversaw Britains military conscription while securing an adequate workforce for war-production industries. He disagreed with the prime minister, David Lloyd George, and resigned from the prestigious and influential post. Marjorie Taylor Greene is no Neville Chamberlain. After the war, Chamberlain decided to run for the House of Commons and won a seat with a 70 percent majority. He was a legislative workhorse but declined a ministerial appointment under Lloyd George. He worked his way up to the position of chancellor of the exchequersecretary of the treasury, approximatelyand narrowly turned back an electoral challenge from Labour candidate Oswald Mosley, the future leader of British fascism. By the early 1930s, Chamberlain had helped to lead the United Kingdom from a position of debt-ridden near-ruination to a budget surplus. He quipped that the country had turned the last page of Bleak House and opened the first chapter of Great Expectations. Marjorie Taylor Greene is no Neville Chamberlain. As prime minister, Chamberlain miscalculated in what turned out to be the most consequential decision of his political career. He believed, wrongly, that he could buy off Adolf Hitler and thereby avoid an unprofitable war with a continental tyrant. Avoiding unprofitable wars with continental tyrants has historically been a considerable part of British foreign policy, and it has often been the right policy. It wasnt the right policy vis-a-vis Nazi Germany. It fell to Chamberlain to admit his error and to announce the declaration of war. He forthrightly addressed his fellow countrymen on the radio: This country is at war with Germany. You can imagine what a bitter blow it is to me that all my long struggle to win peace has failed. We and France are today, in fulfillment of our obligations, going to the aid of Poland, who is so bravely resisting this wicked and unprovoked attack upon her people. We have a clear conscience. We have done all that any country could do to establish peace. Now may God bless you all and may He defend the right. For it is evil things that we shall be fighting against, brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution. And against them I am certain that the right will prevail. Honor even in disappointment. Standing by his pledge to help an occupied people resist a wicked and unprovoked attack from a tyrant. Telling the truth about it. No, Marjorie Taylor Greene is no Neville Chamberlain. What was Winston Churchills judgment? He eulogized his former rival in Parliament: It fell to Neville Chamberlain in one of the supreme crises of the world to be contradicted by events, to be disappointed in his hopes, and to be deceived and cheated by a wicked man. But what were these hopes in which he was disappointed? What were these wishes in which he was frustrated? What was that faith that was abused? They were surely among the most noble and benevolent instincts of the human heartthe love of peace, the toil for peace, the strife for peace, the pursuit of peace, even at great peril, and certainly to the utter disdain of popularity or clamour. Neville Chamberlain made the wrong decision at the most important juncture of his public life. But he was an authentic statesman who put service over self, even at the cost of his reputation, personal fortune, and health. For most of the worldand particularly for Americans, who care so little for historyall that remains of Neville Chamberlain is his worst mistake. But he did what he thought was right, received very little thanks for it in the end, and never stopped working for his country until the last few weeks of his life, when he was physically unable to continue. He died, as he wished, plain Mr. Chamberlain. Marjorie Taylor Greene is no Neville Chamberlain. Not on her best day. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. Corrections officers for the Richland County Jail are trained not to put their feet on inmates when trying to restrain them, a former supervisor testified Friday. Jamaal O'Dell worked for the sheriff's office for 20 years, retiring as a lieutenant in 2020. He was the supervisor the night of an incident involving inmate Alexander Rios and other corrections officers. Rios, 28, died following a struggle with several officers after he ran past them and out of a holding cell on Sept. 19, 2019. One of those officers was Mark Cooper, 57, who is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and a single count of reckless homicide in connection with the incident. Drew Wood, from the Ohio Attorney General's Office, asks a question of a witness in the Mark Cooper retrial on Friday in Richland County Common Pleas Court. In the background is a video from the county jail. His retrial is taking place in common pleas court. In November, Judge Brent Robinson declared a mistrial after jurors could not reach a verdict on any of the counts. Cooper, described at the time as weighing 250 pounds, can be seen in video putting both feet on Rios' back and later kneeling on his upper back area, near the neck. The state maintains Cooper's actions led to the inmate's death. Outside the jury's presence, Robinson read O'Dell his Miranda rights, even though the state said it has no intention of pursuing any charges against the retired lieutenant. Former corrections lieutenant reviews jail video of struggle Drew Wood, representing the state for the Ohio Attorney General's Office, went through a jail video with O'Dell, asking him questions at different points. Rios was in a holding cell after reportedly saying he was going to harm himself. He was in the jail on a warrant. Wearing a suicide smock, Rios was standing on a dividing wall when O'Dell tried to get him to comply. "I spoke to him at length and decided that him being in that cell was not safe for him," O'Dell said, adding he thought Rios might need medical attention because he was behaving erratically. O'Dell said the goal was to put Rios in a restraint chair. O'Dell started recording on a camcorder, a practice the local jailers use when entering a cell. "We gave him an opportunity to comply first," O'Dell said. On the video, Rios can be seen rushing past corrections officers, into the book-in area. Several of them struggled to subdue Rios in an incident that went on for nearly five minutes. Late in the incident, Rios still reportedly had his hand on a cuff. When Rios' hands were cuffed and his legs were shackled, corrections officers told him to get to his feet. But Rios was limp by that time. The video showed him turning blue. O'Dell said corrections officers tried to revive Rios with a defibrillator until a squad from the Mansfield Fire Department arrived. Rios was later taken to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital. His family took him off life support eight days later. Former Richland County sheriff's Lt. Jamaal O'Dell demonstrates what was happening in a struggle with inmate Alexander Rios during the retrial of Mark Cooper on Friday afternoon. On direct examination, O'Dell said deadly force was not used in the struggle. Wood asked him if putting feet on an inmate's back is an acceptable form of restraint. "In a normal use of force, no," O'Dell said. Defense attorney asks about body scanner video In the afternoon session, defense attorney James Mayer III cross-examined O'Dell and focused on the body scan video. Rios can be seen taking something from his jail jumpsuit, then setting it by behind the scanner. The corrections officer was not paying attention to Rios, prompting Mayer to ask O'Dell what should have happened. The defense theory is that Rios was under the influence of methamphetamine during the struggle. "The officer should have alerted the inmate and asked for another officer or supervisor," O'Dell said, adding the furtive movements warranted a strip search. Regarding the violent struggle between Rios and corrections officers, O'Dell said he had never experienced such an incident in his 20-year stint at the county jail. "He (Rios) was presenting an unusual amount of strength," O'Dell said. "... He resisted until the very end." Cooper was not present at the beginning of the encounter, then was inadvertently hit in the hand by a taser. Mayer seemed to imply on the stand that was a reason the defendant put his feet on Rios instead of using his hands. On redirect, Wood referenced O'Dell's comments about resisting until the end. Wood pointed out that two officers were standing by while their counterparts struggled with Rios. O'Dell had previously said that if Rios had agreed to "cuff up" while in the holding cell, the struggle would have never happened. Wood asked if it was "kind of silly" to keep going back, pointing out that if Rios hadn't been in jail, he wouldn't have been involved in the incident, either. Wood further asked about the jail's policy regarding use of deadly force. According to the policy, deadly force "must be limited to what is known or reasonably known by the officer." Since Cooper wasn't there at the beginning, Wood seemed to suggest he didn't know details about what led to the fight. Jurors submitted a couple questions for O'Dell. One wanted to know why corrections officers weren't supposed to put their feet on an inmate. "We don't want to create a situation that creates maximum harm to someone," O'Dell said. "If the situation is out of control, other tactics could be considered." Alexander Rios' mother takes witness stand The final witness Friday was Toni Mould, Rios' mother. She described her son as funny, sweet and kind. Rios' struggles with addiction began in high school. In the summer before his death, Rios was clean, his mother said, but he seemed "a little different" in the days leading to his arrest. After the incident at the jail, Mould went to the hospital to see Rios, who was hooked up to a ventilator. She said he was unconscious and shaking uncontrollably. Wood asked her what happened when the family decided to take Rios off the ventilator. "He gasped for air, and then he passed," she replied. The retrial will not resume until Tuesday, with the state presenting its final witness, expected to be lead investigator Eric Lehnhart from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. mcaudill@gannett.com 419-521-7219 X: @MarkCau32059251 This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Manslaughter trial of ex-Richland County Ohio Jail officer continues Officer Tori Murdoch was honored by Marshall Police Chief Mike Boone April 15 for his quick actions in a 16-year-old Madison County girl's abduction after she was transported by three Western North Carolina men to near Richmond, Virginia. MARSHALL - Marshall Police Chief Mike Boone recognized one of his officers April 15 for his actions after a 16-year-old Madison girl was reported missing last month. Officer Tori Murdoch was recognized by Boone during his report to the Marshall Town Board April 15 at Town Hall. According to Boone, on March 22, a 16-year-old girl was reported missing after leaving Madison High School, and had last been seen near the Marshall Ingles. Boone said the 16-year-old girl was abducted and transported to near Richmond, Virginia, by three Western North Carolina residents - two adult females and one adult male. The three North Carolina men were detained and charged March 22. A fourth man, a Virginia resident, is still at large but has charges pending in Virginia and through the Madison County Sheriff's Office, Boone said. After the girl's parents called Madison County 911 dispatch, Madison County Sheriff's Office law enforcement officers protested the jurisdiction of the case, according to Boone. "Officer Murdoch, instead of arguing with them, he didn't hesitate, he just started working the case," Boone said. "Officer Murdoch is a great asset to this department, and never gives less than 100%." According to Boone, Murdoch charged and arrested the three individuals for transporting the girl out of state. Murdoch worked with Marshall Police Sgt. Kenny Brown, as well as the Henrico County Police, near Richmond, Virginia. The girl was returned home the same night, Boone said. Marshall Police Chief Mike Boone, right, recognized Officer Tori Murdoch in the Marshall Town Board's April 15 meeting. If it weren't for Murdoch's swift actions, that may have not been the case, Boone said. "The young lady was located that night, several hours later, but that night, and she was returned home safely," Boone said. "Because of what Officer Murdoch had done, there's no doubt she would not have been returned that night. Tori just grabbed the bull by the horns and took off with it. If he hadn't done that, she would have made it to her, well, she was close to her destination, where this guy was luring her." Murdoch said the situation was "stressful," given the nature of the case. "I kept having to scroll, like 20 to 30 miles. The only thing we could do was to ping her phone, and then have to scroll 20 to 30 miles to look up what agency that was, call them and get an actual person on the phone, have something sent over on the computers," Murdoch said. "A bunch of times, probably three or four times, by the time we did that, boom, they blow through, until I finally got somebody on the ground, an officer on his phone." Murdoch said the defendants "drove all over the place like a pinball," and were eventually apprehended in a church parking lot. "You can imagine, every law enforcement agency along the way that he's contacting, and then you're pinging again in a different location," Boone said. "So, it wasn't just calling one agency and saying, 'Hey, you're looking for this vehicle.'" Murdoch commended a Madison County E911 dispatcher for his work in helping to locate the girl. "This kid up at dispatch, he was doing some incredible stuff. He was like a NASA comptroller," Murdoch said. "He drew a line on the screen, and makes a triangle. I hear him say, 'I guarantee you they're behind that church there,' and we got 'em." According to Boone and Murdoch, it is unclear if the girl's abduction is connected to a larger trafficking operation. "We don't know for sure if it was part of a trafficking operation, but it wasn't good either way," Murdoch said. "Again, it's one thing if your son goes doing some type of stuff. But this is completely different." This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Murdoch honored after quick actions in local 16-year-old's abduction Mary Trump, former President Trumps niece, joked that shes concerned narcolepsy runs in the family after rumors of her uncle falling asleep in court this week came to light. The former president seemed to doze off during his first day of the New York hush money criminal trial. The New York Times Maggie Haberman reported Monday that the former president appeared to nod off a few times amid a court appearance, his mouth going slack and his head drooping onto his chest. Im a little worried that narcolepsy runs in the family, Trump said on The Dean Obeidallah Show on SiriusXM Wednesday, in a clip highlighted by Mediaite. Trump said that she thinks that we cant underestimate the extent of the depth of the narcissistic injury her uncle is suffering amid the trial. One, hes in a situation in which has no control, and worse, he is under the control of somebody else, Trump continued. There is somebody else in that room with all of the authority, and he has none. So, thats already problematic for him. The hush money trial began Monday, marking the first criminal trial of an American president. The former president has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to reimbursements to his former attorney, Michael Cohen, who paid an adult film actor $130,000 prior to the 2016 election to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump, which he denies. Following the second day of jury selection in his trial, the former president referred to the reimbursements as a legal expense, putting some blame on his accountants. I was paying a lawyer, and we marked it down as a legal expense some accountant. I didnt know, Trump told reporters. Mark it down as a legal expense. Thats exactly what it was. And you get indicted over that? For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Maryland Board of Public Works will vote on whether to award $2.9 million in compensation to a Baltimore man who served 31 years in prison before he was exonerated. Gary Washington, 63, was convicted of first-degree murder and use of a handgun in a crime of violence in the 1986 fatal shooting of Faheem Ali and sentenced to life in prison. After a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge vacated his convictions in 2018, he was freed from prison and the Baltimore City States Attorneys Office dismissed the charges against him in early 2019. The three-member Board of Public Works composed of Democrats Gov. Wes Moore, Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman and State Treasurer Dereck Davis is scheduled to vote Washingtons compensation at its May 1 meeting, according to an agenda posted online Friday. An administrative law judge found that under the statute, Washington is entitled to $94,991, or the current median household income in Maryland, for each of the 31 years or 11,459 days he was erroneously confined. Key to the ruling that led to the reversal of his conviction was testimony from a 12-year-old witness, Otis Robinson, who recanted in 1999 and said police forced him to identify Washington falsely. In a federal lawsuit filed in 2019 against five former Baltimore Police officers, Washington said detectives investigating Alis death coerced Robinson and a 13-year-old girl into testifying by threatening to take them away from their parents. Robinson said police told him: If I didnt cooperate, I would never see my mother again, according to Washingtons lawsuit. A U.S. District Court judge ruled in favor of the officers last year, finding that legal questions about Robinsons credibility were long settled and could not be used to continue the lawsuit. Washingtons attorneys have since appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, where it is still pending. Although the original lawsuit named five detectives, the Baltimore Police Department, the mayor and the city council, only claims against three officers remain as part of the ongoing appeal. Renee Spence, Washingtons attorney in that case, declined to comment Friday. If the state board approves Washingtons compensation, he would receive the first payment by June 4 and the rest in installments over two and a half years. The Maryland Department of Budget and Management approved that expedited payment timeline, according to the boards agenda. Washington would become the 14th person to receive compensation under the Walter Lomax Act, a 2021 law the Maryland General Assembly passed to clarify how money should be awarded to people wrongfully convicted of crimes. The law was named for Walter Lomax, who spent nearly 40 years behind bars for a murder he didnt commit and then fought for years to receive compensation from the state. The board has awarded more than $9.2 million since the Lomax Act went into effect, not including compensation given out before that to 11 people after 2017 legislation expanded the eligibility of wrongfully convicted people, according to the board. An administrative law judge granted Washingtons petition for compensation in January, finding that Washington did not shoot and kill Ali and was not involved in the crime as an accomplice or accessory. After the Baltimore City States Attorneys Office requested that a judge review that finding, Baltimore Circuit Court Associate Judge Troy K. Hill upheld the administrative law judges decision on April 5. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) You can catch a ride on some forms of public transportation for free Monday in Maryland in honor of Earth Day. Montgomery County is offering free bus rides on Monday in honor of Earth Day, the countys government said. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) said that Ride On, Ride On extRa, Ride On flex and Flash would all offer free rides on April 22. When will national parks have free entry this year? MCDOT said that it hopes to encourage the use of public transportation with this offer. In celebration of Earth Day, I encourage all residents and visitors in the County to take advantage of the free fare to try out our Ride On transportation system as an alternative to driving, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement. By choosing public transportation, you can reduce your carbon footprint, and you could read or relax and let someone else worry about the driving. The Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) is also offering free rides on any transit operated by MTA. You can find out more about bus routes, fees and more online. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. A Maryland teenager was arrested after law enforcement officials uncovered a plot to commit school shootings, officials said Friday. Andrea Ye, 18, of Rockville, who goes by Alex, allegedly wrote a 129-page manifesto detailing the strategy to commit a mass shooting at Thomas Wootton High School in Montgomery County. Ye was arrested on Wednesday. Investigators uncovered the alleged plot through a review of Ye's writing and internet searches, authorities said. In the manifesto, Ye allegedly wrote about targeting an elementary school and expressed a desire "to be famous." "Ye also wrote that he wanted to become a serial killer instead of a mass murderer because serial killers are romanticized a lot more," Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones told reporters during a Friday news conference. ARREST MADE IN 2017 MURDER OF DC POLICE OFFICER Parker noted that ggAndrea Ye, known as Alex, was arrested for allegedly plotting to commit a mass shooting at his high school and an elementary school, authorities said. In the manifesto, Ye said he wanted to target his former elementary school because "little kids make easier targets," authorities said. He spent time on Discord chats with others who glorified school shootings, authorities said. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "He clearly had mental health issues, and I think it would be worth our while to figure out when could we have known, or when should we have possibly intervened," Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said. "We may have intervened at the right time, but at a very late time in the process. Hopefully this will lead us to look deeper into what we do for mental health support." Ye, a former student at Wootton High School, allegedly also targeted an elementary school for a potential shooting. Ye was hospitalized in December 2022 after threatening to "shoot up a school," and the following month clinicians reported that the teen was talking about "suicide by cop." "This is an example of the outstanding results of the FBI and local law enforcement partnering up and collaborating efforts to protect the communitys most cherished members - children," Nicole Parker, a former FBI agent and Fox News contributor, told Fox News Digital. Parker noted that Saturday will be the 25th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting in which 12 students and one teacher died. "What a tragedy as it was the first large mass school shooting in my recollection," she said. "Law enforcement has not been successful in stopping many school shootings since then but I am grateful and relieved to learn this Wootton High School shooting was prevented due to solid police work." Authorities first learned of Ye when the manifesto was shared by someone who knew Ye at a psychiatric facility with Baltimore County police in March. The tipster is referred to as "Witness-One" in charging documents. Ye claimed the manifesto was a fictional account of a school shooting. The tipster told investigators that they noticed similarities between the story's transgender main character and Ye, the documents state. His internet search history revealed search terms like "gun ranges near me" and searches about school shootings, including the massacres at Sandy Hook, Connecticut and Parkland, Florida. During a search of the family home, a gun belonging to Ye's father was found but Ye didn't appear to have access to the weapon, Jones said. "This could well be a case where the difficulty to get guns prevented him from getting a gun when he wanted it, and possibly prevented him from acting as soon as he would have preferred to act," Elrich said, referring to Maryland's strict gun laws. Ye was formally enrolled at Wootton High School but had not physically attended a Montgomery County Public Schools institution since the fall of 2022, Fox DC reported. He has been taking lessons through the virtual program Online Pathways to Graduation. "Andre Ye hadnt attended school classes in person in quite some time," Parker said. "That particularly stood out to me. This could have led to feelings of isolation which may have contributed to decisions and motivations for planning these potential targeted violent acts." Ye has been charged with making threats of mass violence and is currently being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit and was awaiting a bond hearing. Authorities said security has been increased at schools across Montgomery County, particularly Wootton High School. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Maryland teen allegedly plotted school shootings in 129-page manifesto with transgender main character Tents and demonstrations are popping up on college campuses across the country after Columbia University students protest of the war in Gaza resulted in the arrests of more than 100 people. Pro-Palestinian students and faculty among others, including students from NYU kicked off their demonstrations on Wednesday, erecting tents and posting signs on Columbias campus in upper Manhattan. Their ongoing efforts, dubbed the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, are in protest of continued financial investment in corporations that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and military occupation of Palestine, according to a news release from its organizers, the Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a student-led coalition of more than 100 different organizations. On Thursday, hundreds of NYPD officers descended on Columbias South Lawn in Morningside Heights at the request of President Minouche Shafik. They arrested 108 people, all of whom are now facing trespassing charges. Two of them were additionally hit with counts of obstructing police. The protesters, however, have remained undeterred and their on-campus occupation continued on Saturday. Their resolve has since inspired others to take action against the war in Gaza, including the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, who launched a rally of their own on Friday. The UNC SJP said they stand in solidarity with Columbia students who were unjustly detained for peaceful protesting by setting up an encampment on their own university. They said they were immediately informed that erecting their own tents were in violation of campus policy. In an attempt to avoid their tents from being seized, students put their tents on chairs as to comply with administration, the SJP said. When police and UNC facility crew came to forcibly remove the tents, protestors collectively lifted up their tents and marched around the quad. Hundreds of miles away, the SJP at Ohio State announced their own emergency rally in solidarity with Columbia students. Despite efforts from the administration to quash the demonstration in New York, the group said, Columbia students have bravely occupied their campus in peaceful protest. The Boston University SJP similarly praised those occupying the Columbia campus while announcing an emergency protest. What is happening at Columbia University is but a microcosm of a larger war being waged on campuses across North America a war waged by a fascist, McCarthyst ruling elite long hellbent on destroying our movement for Palestinian liberation, the group said on social media. They will fail in their efforts, and we will be victorious. Until then, the struggle continues. Harvards Palestine Solidarity Committee meanwhile announced a student walkout in solidarity with steadfast Columbia students. We stand in solidarity with Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine while remaining firm in our calls for Harvard to DIVEST from the occupation of Palestine, the group said. Yale students, who have been staging their own demonstrations all week, also voiced their support while calling on their administrators to pull their money from military weapons manufacturers. The series of protests and demonstrations are only the latest in the months since Hamas terrorists invaded Israel in the early hours of Oct. 7. The group launched thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip, clearing the way for hundreds of armed terrorists to devastate neighborhoods and military bases along Israels southern border. Some 1,200 people were killed during the initial raid. The attack triggered an onslaught of Israeli airstrikes and ground assaults, resulting in the deaths of at least 34,000 Palestinians, according to figures from the Gaza Health Ministry. ______ If you have $1,000 to invest and are looking at the energy sector, don't go for broke by betting on big price gains. Instead, step back and consider the longer-term history of this inherently volatile sector. What you really want to own are companies that have proved themselves capable of benefiting from the industry's ups while handily surviving its downs. On that score, two of the best energy options today are ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX). Here's why. When oil went to zero During the early days of the pandemic, there was massive uncertainty in the world. Countries basically shut down their economies in an effort to slow the spread of the illness. The energy market, worried that there would be a massive drop in demand, reacted swiftly. Oil and natural gas prices fell. At one point, West Texas Intermediate prices, a key U.S. oil benchmark, actually fell below zero! There were technical reasons for this, but negative prices effectively meant that producers were paying people to take their oil. In fairness, that's not particularly common in the energy sector. But it does highlight the emotional swings that can take place in oil and natural gas markets. The really interesting thing about this period, however, is that ExxonMobil and Chevron both supported their dividends despite the financial headwinds they faced. The chart below shows their quarterly and annual earnings over the pandemic period. XOM EPS Diluted (Quarterly) Chart On a quarterly basis, you can see the volatility in their financial results. In the annual data, you can see that both Exxon and Chevron wound up losing money because of the turbulent energy markets. But, as noted, their dividends were not cut, unlike the case with peers BP (NYSE: BP) and Shell (NYSE: SHEL), which both ended up cutting their dividends. XOM Dividend Chart What's so special about Exxon and Chevron? From a business basics point of view, Exxon and Chevron aren't materially different from other integrated energy majors. Both have globally diversified businesses. Both have assets that span from the upstream (drilling) through the midstream (pipelines) and on to the downstream (chemicals and refining). Each of these three industry niches have different revenue and profit dynamics, which work together to soften the industry's peaks and valleys. For most investors, picking an integrated energy major is going to be the best choice in the sector. That said, Exxon and Chevron do have one important thing that separates them from the pack: incredibly strong balance sheets. The two have the lowest debt-to-equity ratios relative to their closest peers. Exxon's debt-to-equity ratio is around an 0.18 multiple today, with Chevron coming in at an ever better 0.12. Story continues XOM Debt to Equity Ratio Chart But look at the pandemic period on the graph above, and you will notice that all of the oil majors took on debt (which resulted in a rise in their debt-to-equity ratios) to survive that difficult stretch. Exxon and Chevron had much more leeway on their balance sheets to do so, putting them in a stronger position to deal with the extreme adversity felt during that time span. That is what easily allowed them to continue supporting both their businesses and their dividends through the height of the pandemic. And given that they still have industry-leading debt-to-equity ratios, they continue to be the best positioned to deal with future adversity when -- and not if -- it arrives. You should probably go with Chevron today It wouldn't be a mistake for long-term investors to buy Exxon right now, which is the larger of the two companies and has a longer track record of annual dividend increases (42 years). For those who want the biggest and best, Exxon is probably the pick. However, Chevron has increased its dividend annually for 37 years and currently has a nearly 4.2% dividend yield compared to Exxon's 3.2%. Both should easily survive whatever the volatile energy market throws at them, but Chevron just looks cheaper right now. So if you have $1,000 to invest and think the energy market is the place to put it to work, don't think exclusively about upside potential. Think about balancing the upside you see against the downside that the historically cyclical industry will inevitably experience. When you do that, the best option is to pick financially strong and diversified giants like Exxon and Chevron that have proved they can survive the industry's volatility while still rewarding investors well for sticking around. Should you invest $1,000 in Chevron right now? Before you buy stock in Chevron, 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 Chevron 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 $466,882!* 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*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2024 Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends BP and Chevron. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 No-Brainer Oil Stocks to Buy With $1,000 Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool Nearly every member of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation signed onto a letter sent Friday to the heads of Steward Health Care, UnitedHealth Group and Optum Health casting serious skepticism that Optums purchase of the floundering Stewards physician network will benefit the Bay State. A slew of state and federal lawmakers have raised concerns with a potential sale of Stewardship Health to for-profit insurer Optum since it was announced about four weeks ago. But in Fridays letter spearheaded by U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, eight of nine member of Congress from Massachusetts specifically said they are worried that UnitedHealth is seeking to acquire Stewards physicians to offset lower operating margins at Optum, potentially compromising the autonomy of physicians who may be pressured to prioritize efficiency over personalized care. The absorption of doctor practices is part of a vast, accelerating consolidation of medical care, leaving patients in the hands of a shrinking number of giant companies or hospital groups, the letter, signed by every member of the delegation except U.S. Rep. Richard Neal of Springfield, said. It later added, There is also a worry that Optum may direct patients from the expanded physician network to its own urgent care or surgery centers, potentially disregarding what is best for patients. The proposed deal would involve the sale of Stewardship Health Inc., the parent of Stewardship Health Medical Group Inc., which employs primary care physicians and other clinicians across nine states, to OptumCare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. The letter asks for specific information about the proposal, including the number of new physicians Optum will acquire in Massachusetts if the sale is completed, the amount of money Optum will pay for the Stewardship network, what portion of the proceeds will be used to pay off Steward debt, whether any of the proceeds will be reinvested into Massachusetts hospitals, how patient data will be protected, whether physicians affected by the sale will continue to practice in the same insurance networks, and more. The lawmakers asked for responses by next Friday, April 26. A Steward spokesperson did not have a response Friday afternoon and Optums spokespeople did not immediately respond to News Service outreach. The Health Policy Commission, whose job it is to monitor health care spending growth, plans to review the proposed sale to, among other things, understand which Steward physicians are involved in the transaction, and what the relationship will be between the physicians and Stewards hospitals, according to a presentation given to the commissions board last week. But the agency said it did not have the documents necessary to begin its 30-day preliminary review. An HPC spokesperson said Friday that the agency has begun examining the proposal based on available information, however, key information from the parties is still outstanding. The filing that triggers the 30-day clock on the HPCs review cannot be completed until the HPC gets the definitive agreement and other requested information and documents, HPC Communications Director Mickey ONeill said. Once that filing is complete, ONeill said the HPC will have 30 days to determine whether to conduct a more comprehensive review, known as a Cost and Market Impact Review (CMIR), of the transaction. The proposed sale cannot be completed until after the HPCs review and any concurrent review by state or federal antitrust authorities, ONeill said. MassCare, which pushes for single-payer health care, announced a series of rallies to be held next week as it calls for Stewards hospitals to remain open in Massachusetts. State government and hospital operators have begun talking about what could happen, and what contingencies could be enacted, were any Steward hospitals to close imminently. Many have suggested that the State of Massachusetts use its power of eminent domain to take over the hospitals and once again run them as public hospitals. An idea worthy of immediate debate!, Executive Director Kimberley Connors wrote in an email. 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 Mass. exodus: More people are moving out of the Bay State, report says If youve thought about moving out of the Bay State to another part of the country, youre not alone. Each year, tens of thousands more individuals are moving out of Massachusetts than are moving into the state, according to a new report released this month. The report released by Boston Indicators, the research center at the Boston Foundation, analyzes the outmigration from Massachusetts over the last two decades to other areas in the United States. The analysis found that over a two-year average of 2021 and 2022, people who left Massachusetts were predominantly white, middle- and high-income earners, and college-educated. And most concerning, researchers found, is that Massachusetts is losing more working-age adults, with higher numbers of people ages 25 to 44 leaving than any other age group. They are recent graduates, young professionals, folks looking to start a family or buy a home. But for reasons weve discussed previously, many of these individuals are simply leaving, likely due in part to high housing costs, researchers wrote. Since about 2009, Massachusetts has been losing individuals at all income levels, researchers wrote. These losses are more concentrated among middle- and high-income earners, whose paths diverged markedly from low-income earners around 2017. Since then, the loss of low-income earners plateaued for a few years and ticked less negative in 2022. One reason at play here may be high housing costs, the report found. These have grown precipitously from 2018, with prices for typical homes increasing 20 percent in 2021 and 33 percent in 2022, researchers wrote. The availability of lower cost housing elsewhere, combined with remote work opportunities brought on by the pandemic may have had a hand in drawing away Massachusetts residents. The result? People are likely driven out of Massachusetts for financial reasons to live elsewhere in the country, according to researchers. White or a person of color, low-, middle- or high-income, college educated or not, for many Massachusetts residents, it may be cheaper and easier to build a life somewhere else, researchers wrote. And this loss of talent, creativity, and capital compounds on those remaining; in diminished services, less political representation, and reduced vibrancy. If Massachusetts wants to improve the value proposition, then we must find a way to tackle the issues that are driving people from the state, researchers wrote. To view the report, visit the Boston Indicators website. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A colony of honeybees set up camp in the wall of a woman's home in Homestead, Pennsylvania. A Pennsylvania homeowner found herself in a potentially sticky situation when she discovered thousands of honeybees buzzing in the walls of her home. They had become a real nuisance in recent weeks, her neighbors had started to complain. Even the mailman had threatened to stop delivering the mail, which is why she reached out to HoneyBee Blues, a business that specializes in swarm removal and hive removal just outside of Pittsburgh. Joe Kellems, HoneyBee Blues co-owner, told USA TODAY Friday that the situation is actually very common. I think a lot of people dont realize it until its too late because a lot of times, they are up in between the first and second floor. Thats above everybodys eyesight so people dont always look up until, again, its too big of a problem. And by that time people like us are needed to come out, locate them and get them out safely, he said. Kellems said he and his business partner, Dawan Johnson, field these kinds of calls regularly. And even more, now, with all the news stories that have come out since they treated the home on April 8. Heres what we know. Four hours and thousands of honeybees later The pair traveled to Homestead, a borough seven miles southeast of downtown Pittsburgh, to get a better look. They told the woman that they would be providing the service free of charge, which is something they have done quite a few times. We try to help out the best we can, offering our services for free for people down on their luck, or unable to afford the cost of service. Its a bad situation when you walk in and somebodys got a giant colony of bees and theyre barely able to afford to get by themselves, Kessems said. It took the HoneyBee Blues team four and a half hours to get this colony outside of their client's home on Monday, April 8, 2024. They also like to make the interaction as personal as possible because were cutting into their home to get these bees out. They got suited up, covering their scents with smoke before entering the home. HoneyBee Blues even got some good press out it, offering complimentary service in exchange for permission to feature her home on TV. Kellems says they wouldve done it for free even if the local reporter hadnt come out. Judging by that, its going to be a big hive. I would say 4 to 5 feet high. Its probably 12 inches wide. Its probably the third biggest one weve done. I would say theyve probably been there for over two years, Kellems shared with KDKA-TV. It took about more than four hours to remove between 5,000 and 8,000 honeybees from the home, working slowly to avoid agitating the bees. Kellems uses a thermal imager to figure out where the bees are inside of the structure before coming up with a game plan. The thermal imager helped him locate the wood studs placed behind the wall, then moves to the chunk of wall in between the studs so he can reattach it easily. And once I take that material off, the bees are are usually hanging at the top of the framing and inside the wall or the braces as I go across, Kellems said. They then have to figure out the best way to cut the honeycomb out of wall, cutting it out piece by piece. They set up a couple of boxes, placing pieces of the comb inside. Kellems, say they wait and hope that the bees will go into one of the boxes. The bees fan the pheromones of the queen about so the rest of the bees are able to find the new hive location. Clean up is the last step in the removal process, picking up any stray pieces of comb, sucking up any loose bees in a vacuum and cleaning any honey that may be inside the wall. They also use insulation material to stuff the opening the bees may have used to get inside the wall, preventing them from establishing another colony. Kellems did take the bees home, integrating them on his bee farm. Kellems says the client was very thankful after it was all said and done. She was so happy. She was definitely feeling the stress So, she was very happy to get them out of there and very thankful for what we were able to do for her. Home maintenance is essential, easy to prevent situations like this The best thing you can do to prevent a situation like this from happening to you is to make sure all your window seals are are sealed up. Its a lot of normal, basic things that dont get kept up on. And a lot of times thats exactly how the bees get in If theres a broken seal on a window or on a doorframe or anywhere, thats where they go 100% of the time," Kellems said. "It's been very rare that I've I've found it in in a different place. Dont hesitate to reach out to a local beekeeping organization if you find yourself in a similar situation. There will always be someone who is willing to come out and help, Kellems said. It's a stressful [situation] but it's not the end of the world, he said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pennsylvania homeowner finds thousands of bees inside walls of house Max Azzarello, the Florida man who set himself on fire outside Manhattan Criminal Court where former President Donald Trumps hush money trial was being held, has died of his extensive self-inflicted injuries, cops said Saturday. Azzarello set himself on fire inside Collect Pond Park across the street from the courthouse to draw attention to his rambling conspiracy theories about an upcoming apocalyptic fascist world coup at about 1:30 p.m. Friday, shocking onlookers making their way through the park. Azzarello was rushed to the burn unit at New York Presbyterian-Cornell Hospital, where he died just before 11 p.m. Friday night, police confirmed. There was no indication in his treatise that Azzarello had any specific grievances related to the trial or Trump. Azzarello, described by authorities as a conspiracy theorist, posted his rambling manifesto just before the blaze began. I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan, the 37-year-old Azzarello wrote. This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery: We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup. Attempts to reach his family were unsuccessful Saturday, although friends and colleagues mourned his death on social media. Longtime friend Chris Barnhart told the Daily News that he and Azzarello bonded over shared world political views. He just wanted to see a better world, he said. I see a lot of talk from people about him being unstable or insane, and I dont think thats it. I think he was desperate. I think he was desperately trying to make sense of the constantly deteriorating American Dream, and figure out why our political leaders Democrat and Republican both arent putting our needs first. Azzarello wanted peace above all, he added. Didnt matter who you were or what you did. You could spit in his face and hed still extend a hand, he said. Because he understands what so few Americans do: that we shouldnt be fighting each other. While Azzarello lived in Florida, his immediate family lived in Brooklyn and Long Island. Cops were trying to determine where he was staying before he was caught on camera walking into Collect Pond Park Friday. Relatives said they didnt know he was in the city, the NYPD said. Azzarello has no arrest record in New York, but had several run-ins with the law in Florida last year, authorities said. On Aug. 19, he was arrested on criminal mischief charges for throwing a glass of wine at a framed photo of former President Bill Clinton at the Casa Monica Resort & Spa, causing about $500 worth of damage. Days later, he was arrested for disturbing the peace for screaming and scaring the customers at the Casa Monica while only clad in his underwear, cops said. He was also taken into custody at a United Way in St. Augustine after he allegedly broke and defaced a construction sign he stole from a pickup truck, police sources said. On Facebook, Azzarello wrote he spent three days in a psych ward in August before his run-ins with the law even began. If youve ever seen One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and you feel for so many of the mentally challenged people, its a whole lot like that, he wrote about his time in the psychiatric hospital. Im often very shy around new people, and Im infinitely grateful for the patients who had no problem breaking social mores and making damn sure I was a part of their community. Word of the self-immolation occurred as prosecutors and Trumps attorneys finished selecting the final alternate jurors for the hush money trial involving porn actress Stormy Daniels, which is expected to continue on Monday. Trump has not commented on Azzarellos death on his Truth Social webpage. The NYPD was expected to review security procedures both inside and outside the courthouse following Fridays fire. The park was open to the public Friday afternoon so Azzarello did not breach the security protocols the NYPD made with court officers and the secret service, Maddrey explained. We will reassess our security with our federal partners, he said. A gentle soul whose mothers death sent him into decline: How Max Azzarello came to set himself on fire outside Trump trial Max Azzarello, 37, who died after setting himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump is on trial, had recently started posting anti-establishment conspiracy theories online, including a lengthy article on Substack which blasted politicians, and billionaires and even made reference to The Simpsons. The manifesto-style document warned of an impending apocalyptic fascist world coup. At 1.30pm ET on Friday 19 April, he entered a park outside the New York courthouse, where Donald Trumps historic criminal trial is taking place, and set himself on fire. The horrific incident lasted several minutes before the flames were extinguished by police officers and court staff. Police told NBC news that he was declared dead by the hospital after he was admitted with severe burn injuries. No time of death was given by the police. His friends described Azzarello as a gentle and very personable man. Some struggled to see how his final act was committed by the person they once knew so well, while others noted how his mothers death had seemed to leave an indelible mark, driving him to support conspiracy theories and go a little haywire. Who is the victim? In his lengthy post, Azzarello described himself as an investigative researcher. Police said that his drivers licence showed he was born in 1987 and was a native of St Augustine, Florida. A registered Democrat, he attended the University of North Carolina from 2005 to 2009, according to public records and his LinkedIn page. He then obtained his masters degree in city and regional planning in 2012 from Rutgers. Those close to Azzarello described his as kind, creative, and well-informed albeit concerned about the world. Steven Waldman, Azzarellos friend from high school, described him to the New York Times as one of the most intelligent people he knew. While at Rutgers, Katie Brennan, a former classmate, recalled him dotting hallways with encouraging Post-it notes for his classmates and singing karaoke versions of Frank Sinatra and Disney songs, the Times reported. He was super curious about social justice and the way things could be, Ms Brennan said. He was creative and adventurous. Maxwell Azzarello pictured protesting outside Donald Trumps trial at Manhattan Criminal Court one day before self-immolating near the same location (Getty Images) By 2013, Azzarello worked as operations director for the campaign of Tom Suozzi, his LinkedIn profile reveals. The now-Congressman was at the time running for Nassau County Executive. Since then, he worked in marketing, sales and technology roles, some of which were based in Philadelphia, his profile shows. Years later, Azzarello moved to St Augustine, Florida, his social media indicates, working as a self-employed research investigator, consistent with his online post. But at some point this month, between April 13 and April 19, seemingly unbenownst to his family, he arrived in New York City. The April dates fall almost exactly two years after his mother died. Thats when everything changed for Azzarello, his friends said. That was around the time when he became more outspoken, Mr Waldman told the Times. They were close, and they had a good relationship. He was heartbroken. Some told The Daily Beast that he had gone a little haywire as of late, pointing to concerning social media posts. In June of 2023, he reportedly tagged Ms Brennan and others in what she called a manifesto that he had penned. Alarmed by his writing, she called him immediately and eventually alerted one of his family members. By August, the Times wrote, he posted on Facebook about visiting a mental health facility: Three days in the psych ward, and all I got were my new favorite socks. In the following days, he displayed a series of unstable episodes. He had dinner at St Augustines Casa Monica Hotel, where he apparently found a years-old autograph left on the wall by former president Bill Clinton; Azzarello threw a glass of wine at it, according to police. Although he admitted to police what had happened, and they apparently dismissed it as a one-off incident, days later, he returned the hotel clothed in only underwear and stood outside, yelling into a bullhorn, the outlet wrote. A few days later, he vandalized the outside of a United Way office and then entered a strangers truck, the Times reported. Despite his multiple arrests in Florida, Azzarello did not have a criminal history in New York, police said. His former landlord, Larry Altman, told the Daily Beast that Azzrello was a very personable guy but over the last few years, he had become more and more involved with the thought process that everything is a conspiracy against the common person. Mr Altman also told the Times that Azzarello had political views that I would not consider mainstream. He called our government and the world government a Ponzi scheme. The police-involved episodes of recent years and inclination toward conspiracy theories set the scene for Fridays act in New York City. He had apparently been spotted outside the Manhattan criminal courthouse on Thursday and Friday. Those who knew him previously didnt see the act outside the courhouse as consistent with the Max Azzarello they once knew. Carol Waldman, Azarrellos friend Stevens mother, called Azzarello a kind and a gentle soul. She told the Times that he was a real wonderful, terrific young guy who had his whole life ahead of him. His beliefs Azzarello had a long history of posting conspiracy theories and railing against the rich and powerful, according to NYPD officials, who had begun to comb through his social media profiles. Azzarello reportedly threw pamphlets in the park before self-immolating on Friday (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) His lengthy Substack post called out a string of people, social media companies and institutions. He also labelled the Covid-19 pandemic as an economic doomsday device. In the document, Azzarello said that the act of self-immolation was an extreme act of protest. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you. he wrote. Elsewhere in the lengthy post, Azzarello also referred to late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, cryptocurrency, and episodes of The Simpsons. At one point he compared himself to Lisa Simpson. Azzarello posted on social media about what he was planning to do (Social media) NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters at a press conference. The pamphlets [thrown by Mr Azzarello seconds before the incident] seem to be propaganda-based almost like a conspiracy theory type of pamphlets. Some information in regards to Ponzi schemes, and the fact that some of our local educational institutes are a front for the mob. So a little bit of a conspiracy theory going on here. The incident Police said that Azzarello had not breached any security protocols before the incident, as the park Collect Pond Park was open to the public at the time. Seconds before setting himself on fire, he tossed a stack of colourful pamphlets into the air. A fire extinguisher remains on the scene outside the park where Azzarello self-immolated on Friday (AFP via Getty Images) A man who witnessed the shocking incident, which occurred just minutes after the final jurors were selected in the former presidents criminal case, and identified himself as Dave, was visibly shaken. Papers clattered on the ground and that caught our attention well my attention anyway and I kinda wondered well what are those papers, Dave told The Independent. He added that people around him were horrified and became screaming. The incident happened so quickly that nobody was able to stop it. Its awful to see that. Azzarello was taken by the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) to a burn unit at NewYork-Presbyterian Cornell Medical Center. He was in critical condition and was later declared deceased by the hospital staff, NYPD said. According to the fire department, six first responders, including a minimum of three NYPD officers and one court officer, sustained minor injuries while addressing the incident. The House of Representatives on Saturday passed a bill that would ban TikTok unless Chinese company ByteDance sells the platform. The bill was attached to a larger foreign aid plan, almost guaranteeing the Senate would approve it. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI April 20 (UPI) -- A potential U.S. ban of the popular social media video app TikTok inched closer to reality Saturday after the House passed the legislation tucked within a long-sought foreign aid package. The bill, if ultimately approved by Congress, would give Chinese tech company ByteDance up to a year to sell TikTok or else the app will be banned in the United States. The House passed the bill with a bipartisan 360-58 vote. It now heads to the Senate where a similar version, which only gave ByteDance six months to divest the app, has stalled. Previous efforts aimed at TikTok have failed, but this time the bill was attached to a package of hotly contested foreign aid bills that would give a combined $95 billion to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The House on Saturday voted separately to approve all four bills before combining them into one bill for the Senate to approve. "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," Tiktok said Wednesday in a post on X. TikTok for weeks has called on users to urge Congress not to pass the legislation. Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have expressed fears that the Chinese Communist Party could force the app to hand over user's personal information. There is yet no public evidence the Chinese government is using the app to spy on U.S. citizens, although TikTok has mishandled user data for top advertisers, according to the Wall Street Journal. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., opposed the legislation on the grounds that it would restrict Americans' right to free speech and could impact business owners who rely on the app. The first social media ban in the United States also could ignite an intense legal battle. TikTok has indicated it would sue to block the legislation. Melania Trump has given a rare interview to Fox News urging the country to unite as the 2024 campaign heats up and her husband, former President Donald Trump, faces a hush money trial in New York. The former first lady has so far shied away from the trail during the 2024 campaign but on Saturday will attend a Mar-a-Lago event hosted by the LGBT+ group the Log Cabin Republicans, focused on its get-out-the-vote programme aimed at gay voters in battleground states. We must unite in our effort to establish a society where equality is the everyday experience of every American, Ms Trump told Fox News Digital ahead of the event. Individual freedom provides a unifying set of principles, and ultimately establishes our American way. She added that when America succeeds, it blossoms into a magnificent place where everyone can practice their beliefs, share new ideas, and express individualism this is when we are our best. Ms Trump is working with former US Ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence Richard Grenell the first openly gay member of a presidential cabinet. Melania attended a fundraiser earlier this month (AP) If you work hard and have a little bit of luck and Gods grace, you can do anything you want in America regardless of your skin colour, socio-economic situation, or sexual orientation, he told Fox News Digital. We want what every American wants, to be treated equally not differently. He added that the Republicans have become increasingly welcoming of gay conservatives over the last 20 years. But we made the most progress when Donald Trump and Melania Trump moved into the White House, he claimed. Gays and lesbians are no longer reflexively leftist. Ms Trump had been almost entirely absent from Mr Trumps campaign events until earlier this month. She was spotted on Easter Sunday after lunch with their son Barron. On 6 April, she attended a fundraiser with Mr Trump at the Palm Beach home of hedge fund manager John Paulson, which the former president claimed raked in $50m. She also appeared beside Mr Trump in March to vote in the Florida primary. Melania voted with the former president in March (AFP via Getty Images) Shes a private person, a great person, a very confident person, and she loves our country very much. At the appropriate time shell be out there, Mr Trump told NBCs Meet the Press in September. Asked what she would be working on if she became first lady again, Ms Trump told Fox News Digital: The safety and well-being of American families remains my top priority. She added that its essential we provide the highest level of care to our next generation, to ensure they not only thrive but reach their full potential. In private comments, she has called Mr Trumps hush money trial a disgrace and said its comparable to election interference according to The New York Times. Melania Trump Returns to Politics, Hosting Her First 2024 Fundraiser for a Conservative Gay Group While her husband's campaign espouses anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, sources say Melania will capitalize on her less inflammatory track record to court the Log Cabin Republicans, which advocates for an LGBTQ-inclusive GOP Alex Wong/Getty Melania Trump attends a D.C. naturalization ceremony as a guest on Dec. 15, 2023 Melania Trump is stepping back into politics after taking time away, hosting her first major event of the 2024 election cycle at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, April 20. She will be courting the Log Cabin Republicans, who advocate for LGBTQ inclusion in a party that's routinely done the opposite. The former first lady, 53, recently hinted at a return to the campaign trail while visiting at a Florida polling place alongside her husband, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. Standing beside Donald to welcome Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Mar-a-Lago in March and then again in April for a glitzy campaign fundraiser Melania appeared largely disinterested. Related: Trump's Political Appearances Are 'Uncomfortable' for Melania: 'She Simply Wants to Be Left Alone' (Exclusive) GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Donald and Melania Trump arrive at a Florida polling station to vote in the Republican presidential primary election on March 19, 2024 A social source believes that with events and organizations that she personally cares about, Melania will be more engaged. Melania does what she believes in and makes up her own mind, the source tells PEOPLE. Another social source agrees Melania is not an insecure woman. She doesnt care what anyone says about her, or what they think about who her friends are, that source tells PEOPLE. Related: Rush Limbaugh Says Trump Told Him to 'Never Apologize' for Going After Pete Buttigieg's Sexuality A source in the design world adds that Melania has gay friends and works with gay professionals, and that nobody should be surprised by her wanting to host the Log Cabin Republicans even if their message appears incompatible with Donald's political track record. Related: 4 Times Melania and Donald Trump Clashed at the White House, According to New Book Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Donald and Melania Trump greet reporters following a 2016 GOP presidential debate in Detroit The April 20 fundraiser that features Melania will serve as a kickoff for Log Cabins "Road to Victory" program, which will target voters in critical swing states, where residents overwhelmingly support LGBTQ rights. The former president, of course, has long pushed an anti-LGBTQ agenda rooted in hate-fueled culture wars. In Donald's 2016 RNC speech, he vowed to do "everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens" from violence and oppression a promise he reneged on with actions like his transgender military ban, Supreme Court nominations and increasingly inflammatory language that contributed to a slate of legislation across the nation walking back LGBTQ freedoms. Related: Everything Donald Trump Has Said About the LGBTQ Community as President Announces Trans Military Ban What's more, his allies' Christian nationalist roadmap for a second term, called Project 2025, aims to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ people, erase evidence of transgender people, promote the "traditional" family structure, target drag art and pursue research into new conversion therapy methods. Yet in the face of far-right leaders' overt plans to go on the offensive toward LGBTQ people, the Log Cabin Republicans appear open to helping Donald's campaign. Related: Recapping President Donald Trump's Four Years in Office Chip Somodevilla/Getty Donald Trump takes the stage during a New Hampshire primary night event on Jan. 23, 2024 Sources close to Melania believe she will be an asset to conservative voters with socially liberal views and says that Donald approves of her capitalizing on that strength. Donald says what he has to, so dont believe everything he espouses on social issues, a political source tells PEOPLE. Its hard to know his true feelings on anything because he says what the group he is talking to wants to hear. Related: Supreme Court Closes Out Pride Month with Major Blow to LGBTQ+ Rights, Opening Door for Broader Discrimination Another political pundit says that since Donald tries to have it both ways, Melania has her work cut out for her. The Log Cabin Republicans have long been a fan of Melania's, giving her the Spirit of Lincoln Award in 2021 and saying she has a "passion for equality and believes in human rights." I have known the former first lady for 20 years and went to her wedding, Robin Bernstein, the retired ambassador to the Dominican Republic under President Trump, tells PEOPLE. She has total acceptance. 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. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 countries that export the most tobacco in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global tobacco market, the most popular cigarette brand in the world, and the various sustainability initiatives taken by some major players in the tobacco industry, and go directly to the 5 Countries that Export the Most Tobacco in the World. Tobacco was first used by the people of pre-Columbian Americas. Archeological studies suggest that the Maya people of Central America started using tobacco leaves as far back as the 1st century BC, mainly for smoking in sacred and religious ceremonies. By the time Columbus arrived in the New World in 1492, the Native Americans were already cultivating and smoking tobacco in pipes, cigars, and snuff. Although Cristopher Columbus brought with him a few tobacco leaves and seeds back to Europe, most Europeans didn't get their first taste of the plant until the mid-16th century, when adventurers and diplomats like France's Jean Nicot for whom nicotine is named began to popularize its use. Tobacco was introduced to France in 1556, Portugal in 1558, Spain in 1559, and finally England in 1565. By the early 17th century, smoking was common in all of Europes maritime nations, and their colonial empires soon carried tobacco all over the world. Global Tobacco Market: According to Research and Markets, the global tobacco market is expected to reach $1.049 trillion by 2030, with a CAGR of 2.5% from 2024 to 2030. The market is fuelled by a growing demand from developing nations, coupled with the rising proliferation of next-generation products (NGPs) across the globe. The high marketing expenditure and discounting of products undertaken by major tobacco companies is also adding to the growth of the industry. While tobacco consumption is leveling off and even decreasing in some countries, the number of people smoking is still increasing globally, and smokers are smoking more than before. An estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide use tobacco products, 80% of whom are in low- and middle-income countries. With an annual consumption of over 2 million tons, China is the Country with the Highest Tobacco Consumption in the world. Most Popular Cigarette Brand: Marlboro, produced by Philip Morris International, is the No. 1 Cigarette Brand in the World. Marlboro Gold Shorts and Marlboro Gold 100's have also been known to be the Best Cigarettes for Women, meanwhile, the Marlboro Light brand has been placed among the Best Cigarettes for New Smokers. Story continues Sustainability in the Tobacco Industry: The modern consumer has become increasingly aware of the climate emergency we unfortunately find ourselves in, and actively seeks out sustainable brands, even if it means paying extra. So, as tobacco manufacturers find themselves in an increasingly competitive market, committing psychologically and economically to reducing their impact on the planet may also be the only means to make their businesses sustainable in the long run. With a presence in over 180 markets, Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) is one of the Largest Tobacco Companies in the World by Market Cap. As part of its harm reduction strategy, the industry giant is investing not only to be a predominantly smoke-free company, but is also trying actively to reduce the environmental impact of its operations. In 2021, Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) revealed its Low-Carbon Transition Plan, aiming for carbon neutrality in its direct operations (Scopes 1 and 2) by 2025, and net-zero across its entire value chain (Scopes 1,2, and 3) by 2040. The company is also making notable efforts to halt deforestation, aiming to achieve zero net deforestation in managed forests by 2030. As a result of such continuous efforts, Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) has been a consistent name on CDPs Climate A-List for the last ten years now, and it even made it to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the first time this year. Similarly, British American Tobacco p.l.c (NYSE:BTI) is also a leading multi-category consumer goods company that provides tobacco and nicotine products to millions of consumers around the world. The London-based company signed-up to the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign in 2021, aiming to halve carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. In 2022, 32.9% of British American Tobacco p.l.c (NYSE:BTI)s global direct energy usage came from renewable sources, including biomass, and 39 of its operation sites were functioning on 100% renewable acquired electricity and 26 were even generating their own renewable energy on-site, preventing over 36,000 tons of carbon emissions annually. British American Tobacco p.l.c (NYSE:BTI) is included among the Top High Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. With that said, here are the Top Tobacco Exporters in the World. 20 Countries that Export the Most Tobacco in the World Methodology: To collect data for this article, we have referred to the UN Comtrade Database, looking for the Largest Tobacco Exporting Countries in the World. The following countries have been ranked by the total dollar value of their exports of HS Code 2401 Tobacco, unmanufactured; tobacco refuse in 2022. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. 20. North Macedonia Tobacco Exports in 2022: $115,448,790 North Macedonia has a long tradition of cultivating and exporting oriental tobacco, mainly of the types Prilep, Jaka, and Basma. Due to the large number of families working in tobacco agriculture, it also receives the largest share of crop subsidies, comprising on average a quarter of total agricultural subsidies for the period 2008 2019. 19. Zambia Tobacco Exports in 2022: $132,930,007 Tobacco farming is very widespread in Zambia, with an estimated 20,000 households across the country involved in the sector. The countrys tobacco exports have soared rapidly over the last few decades, from $1.4 million in 1995 to almost $133 million in 2022. 18. France Tobacco Exports in 2022: $143,031,271 The area dedicated to tobacco cultivation in France has decreased swiftly over the last few years, from 3,149 hectares in 2016 to 1,205 hectares in 2021, mainly due to the phaseout of EU tobacco subsidies in 2006. However, several banks still continue to support the tobacco industry, investing $733 million in the business in November 2023 alone. 17. Mozambique Tobacco Exports in 2022: $150,547,913 Tobacco cultivation has been considered a mainstay of Mozambiques economy and the country exported $49.4 million of it in the first nine months of 2023, nearly 25% less than the previous year. Most of this tobacco is grown in the regions of Tete and Niassa, representing over 89% of the countrys total production. 16. Tanzania Tobacco Exports in 2022: $178,523,613 Tobacco has been grown in Tanzania since the 1950s and is an important source of foreign exchange for the country. The East African country produced 125 million kg of tobacco in 2023 and for the first time, more than 50% of this produce was bought and sold abroad by local companies. Tanzania sits among the Top 3 Countries that Sell the Most Tobacco in Africa. 15. Philippines Tobacco Exports in 2022: $183,816,011 First introduced in the 1950s, tobacco is widely grown in various provinces in the Philippines, with the industry supporting over 2 million jobs nationwide. The country exported 53% of its total tobacco produced in 2022, while 47% was supplied to local tobacco manufacturers. 14. Dominican Republic Tobacco Exports in 2022: $187,320,997 Tobacco has been cultivated in the Dominican Republic for centuries and the country produces some meticulous tobacco strains, like Criollo, Piloto Cubano, and Olor Dominicano etc. DR is also world famous for its top quality cigars, putting it among the Countries that Produce the Best Tobacco in the World. 13. Greece Tobacco Exports in 2022: $221,458,102 Tobacco is an important cash crop in Greece and the country is a major supplier of high quality oriental tobacco, as well as flue-cured Virginia, and some Burley. However, the sector faced major setbacks last year, mainly due to farmer retention and the adverse weather conditions. Greece is included among the Countries that Export the Most Tobacco in Europe. 12. Belgium Tobacco Exports in 2022: $241,250,308 Despite the EUs push to decrease tobacco farming and fight cancer, the bloc continues to subsidize tobacco farmers with millions of euros through its Common Agricultural Policy. Illicit tobacco continues to be a big problem in Belgium, with almost 10% of the total cigarettes smoked in the country being illegal, costing the national exchequer over $270 million in customs duties and VAT in 2022. 11. Turkey Tobacco Exports in 2022: $261,113,663 Tobacco was introduced to the Ottomans by the Spanish in the 17th century, and the country is now the worlds largest exporter of aromatic oriental tobacco a small-leafed variety which is sun-cured. Turkish tobacco is especially favored by pipe enthusiasts for its mildness, lower carcinogens, and aromatic flavor. 10. Indonesia Tobacco Exports in 2022: $266,025,607 Indonesia is renowned for its rich variety of leaf tobaccos. The country produced over 237,000 tonnes of raw tobacco in 2021, most of which came from just three provinces East Java, Central Java, and West Nusa Tenggara. With over 220,000 hectares dedicated to cultivating the cash crop, Indonesia is placed among the Top Tobacco Growing Countries in the World. 9. Argentina Tobacco Exports in 2022: $268,491,792 Argentina stands among the Top Tobacco Producing Countries in South America, with the country producing 95.6 thousand tons in 2022, representing approximately 1.7% of the global production of tobacco of 5.8 million tons. Belgium, China, and Germany are among the main export markets for Argentinian tobacco. 8. Italy Tobacco Exports in 2022: $337,301,267 With an annual production of 50 million kilograms, Italy is the Largest Producer of Leaf Tobacco in the EU. Most of this crop is cultivated in the regions of Campania, Umbria, Veneto, and Tuscany. 7. Germany Tobacco Exports in 2022: $366,408,131 Tobacco farming was an important part of the German economy in the past, with thousands of farmers engaged in cultivating the crop in the 1950s. Fast forward to today, and youll find less than 100 tobacco farmers in the entire country, mainly due to the phasing-out of the EU subsidies and over-regulation of the sector. The major part of German tobacco goes to the Middle East, where it is consumed in sheeshas. Due to its minor local production, Germany has to resort to acquiring hundreds of millions of dollars worth of tobacco from abroad every year, putting it among the Top Tobacco Importing Countries. 6. Malawi Tobacco Exports in 2022: $407,581,156 Tobacco is the backbone of the Malawian economy, historically generating about 70% of the countrys export revenue but now accounting for over 50%. In 2015, tobacco farming took up more than 5% of all of Malawi's farming land the highest percentage anywhere in the world at that time. Malawi ranks 6th in our list of Top Tobacco Exporting Countries. Click to continue reading and see the 5 Countries that Export the Most Tobacco in the World. Suggested Articles: Disclosure: None. 20 Countries that Export the Most Tobacco in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey. (Bloomberg) -- Mexicos leading presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum said she expects Petroleos Mexicanos, the worlds most indebted oil producer, to refinance its bonds ahead of upcoming maturities in 2025. Most Read from Bloomberg By necessity it has to be in 2025, because there is a maturity of part of the debt coming up in the next year, and we have to work on that, she said in an interview on the sidelines of Mexicos annual banking convention in Acapulco. Most likely the current Pemex CEO and the president are going to leave us with a long-term plan. Analysts and investors agree that Pemex stands as one of the greatest challenges Mexicos next president will inherit. The companys debt burden stands around $106 billion, including $6.8 billion due in 2025. Sheinbaum, a former Mexico City mayor from the ruling Morena party, has positioned herself as a natural successor to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The popularity of AMLO, as the president is known, has helped her lead the race with 58% of voting intention, according to the Bloomberg Poll Tracker. Mexicans will pick their new president on June 2. Read More: To see the latest update from Mexicos polls, see the Bloomberg Poll Tracker She added that her team would have to build on the plan left by the current administration and management, and establish a timeline for Pemex to develop other business options. We have to work on two fronts: on the one hand, the refinancing of the debt, and allow that refinancing to be associated with the production of oil, the refining of oil, she said, and at the same time, the entry of Pemex into other energy sources or other types of electricity generation. Pemexs oil and gas output has withered to less than half of what it was two decades ago. Slashing debt is key to increasing production, since money that could be spent fixing aging infrastructure is instead being used to cover interest payments. The companys debt load is so large that has hindered its market access, and refinancing the bonds could prove costly as global rates remain high. The company has roughly $8.8 billion in debt due in the remainder of 2024, according to its latest earnings presentation. Lopez Obradors government has promised to cover the majority of it. Sheinbaum said that she would look to appoint a chief executive for Pemex who has both financial expertise and experience in the oil sector. She said that she had someone in mind for the position, but that she would only reveal the name at the right moment. Pemex Strategy Lately, Pemex has relied on tax breaks and cash injections from the government to remain afloat. AMLO has lavished support on the company, granting it as much as 1.37 trillion pesos, or around $80 billion, over the course of his administration. An environmental engineer and former Mexico City mayor, Sheinbaum outlined her energy strategy last month, including a roughly 1.8-million-barrel daily cap on Pemexs oil production in coming years a slight increase from about 1.5 million now while the government focuses on sparking growth in green energy. Read More: Mexicos Next Leader Will Inherit Oil Giants $106 Billion Debt New Projects The companys future plans, including participating in the extraction of lithium, are financially viable, Sheinbaum said in the interview. The funding for energy initiatives would come in part from the private sector and in part from extra revenue from projects executed during Lopez Obradors administration, such as the purchase of plants from Spanish firm Iberdrola. Her administration would also look for ways to improve Pemexs environmental record, confronting problems such as methane emissions. We have to advance in what would be a vision of decarbonization of the economy, to what point oil production will continue and until when, she said. Natural gas is going to continue to be a very important fuel in the future. --With assistance from Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Paola Vega Torre and Rafael Gayol. (Updates with details of Pemex debt load, more comments from Sheinbaum starting in eighth paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Mexicos leading presidential candidate wants to revitalize the nations troubled state oil company with a new focus on clean energy. But first, Claudia Sheinbaum knows she has to fix Petroleos Mexicanos $106 billion debt problem. Most Read from Bloomberg We have to work on two fronts: on the one hand, the refinancing of the debt, the frontrunner said at Mexicos annual banking convention in Acapulco Friday. At the same time, the entry of Pemex into other energy sources or other types of electricity generation. Pushing Pemex to embrace new and cleaner technologies would be a substantial shift from its traditional oil-and-gas focus under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Bondholders warn its unlikely to succeed unless the company and government address Pemexs financial woes, slash its debt and boost flagging production. Pemex doesnt have the cash for green energy projects, said Adriana Eraso, a corporate analyst at Fitch Ratings in New York. Only in very rare cases are renewables profitable enough to make up for revenues generated from fossil fuels. Sheinbaum said Friday she expected Pemex to refinance its bonds ahead of upcoming maturities in 2025, a plan that may free up cash for the company to play a role in Mexicos energy transition. Read More: Mexico Presidential Frontrunner Sees Pemex Refinancing Debt Most likely the current Pemex CEO and the president are going to leave us with a long-term plan, Sheinbaum said. Cleaning up the image of Pemex the most indebted company in emerging markets and the worlds most indebted oil producer has potential global resonance as banks and investors increasingly eye companies committed to environmental, social and governance metrics. A new direction for the beleaguered driller could also transform Mexico, which recently surpassed China as the largest US trading partner amid a potential nearshoring boom. One of the realities Sheinbaum faces is that global oil majors are dialing back their green ambitions as returns on renewable investments sag. Companies including Shell Plc and BP Plc have cut their emissions reduction targets, citing uncertainty in the pace of change in the energy transition. Unlike other oil majors, however, Pemex doesnt have much financial breathing room to undertake a green shift. Its facing billions in late payments to service providers and its infrastructure is crumbling after years of underinvestment, causing a slew of accidents, oil spills and methane leaks in recent years. Sheinbaum, an environmental engineer and former Mexico City mayor who looks poised to replace Lopez Obrador, first outlined her energy strategy last month, on a national holiday commemorating the expropriation of foreign oil assets in 1938. Her plan would cap Pemexs oil production in coming years at around 1.8 million barrels a day an increase from about 1.5 million barrels now while the government focuses on sparking growth in green energy. Shed do that by broadening Pemexs scope to include technologies such as lithium extraction and electric-vehicle infrastructure, and by empowering state power company Comision Federal de Electricidad to invest in renewable resources and bolster electricity transmission networks. Sheinbaum would spend about $13.6 billion on new projects to boost Mexicos use of renewable energy while still adding gas-burning power plants. Shed also increase wind and solar power generation, modernize hydroelectric stations and add about 3,850 kilometers (2,390 miles) of transmission lines. Her blueprint also reflects a sustainability plan recently released by Pemex to attract ESG investors by slashing its greenhouse-gas emissions. Critics fault Sheinbaums aim to keep financially distressed state entities at the center of Mexicos energy sector, leaving private companies by the wayside. Its a strategy that AMLO, as the current president is known, relied on to promote energy sovereignty. Since 2018, hes rolled back the pro-market reforms of his predecessor and invested billions in growing Mexicos domestic fuel-refining capacity. Sheinbaums recent statements have deviated from promises she made regarding a more private sector-friendly approach in the pre-campaign period, said Alejandro Schtulmann, research director at Mexico City-based political consultancy EMPRA. Sheinbaum said Friday that there must be clear rules for private sector investment in Mexicos energy sector, and that public sector investments in Pemex would take time to bear fruit. A Pemex spokesman didnt respond to a request for comment. Pemexs oil and gas output has also withered to less than half of what it was two decades ago. Slashing debt is key to turning around the companys finances, since money that could be spent fixing aging equipment is instead being used to cover unpaid bills and interest payments. The company has lately relied on tax breaks and cash injections from the government to stanch the financial bleeding. AMLO has lavished support on Pemex, granting it as much as 1.37 trillion pesos (around $80 billion) over the course of his administration, which hasnt reversed the companys decline. While investors expect government support to continue under Sheinbaum, she has said little about what she would do to address Pemexs financial problems over the long term. Shell also be up against strained public finances. Mexico is facing its largest budget deficit since the 1980s as AMLO spends big at the end of his presidential term, according to Oscar Ocampo, an energy analyst at IMCO, a nonprofit that focuses on competitiveness. AMLO entered office with a much easier financial situation than Sheinbaum will inherit, Ocampo said. To be sure, Sheinbaum is still in campaign mode. Polls show her more than 20 percentage points up on opposition rival Xochitl Galvez, who is proposing a corporate restructuring for Pemex that would include selling assets and closing refineries, as well as opening the energy sector to private investment. The frontrunner hasnt strayed from AMLOs stance of keeping state-owned companies at the forefront of Mexicos energy sector, but that strategy may change if she wins on June 2, said Luis Maizel, a senior managing director at LM Capital Group in San Diego, which holds about $18.5 million in Pemex bonds. Well see Sheinbaum grow eight feet taller when she takes over, Maizel said. Mexico needs more energy and doesnt have enough money. Shell have to lean on the private sector. (Updates with additional comment from Sheinbaum in the sixth paragraph. An earlier version corrected the year in the 15th paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Six Memphis Fire Department employees had their cars broken into on Saturday morning. At 6:22 a.m., officers were called to a theft at MFD Station 50 located at 4255 E Raines Road. Residents say police searched the wrong home after cell phone store robbery When they arrived at the station, six MFD employees were interviewed and told officers that their personal vehicles had been vandalized. Officers observed shattered door windows on all six vehicles. Though they all had been ransacked, only one vehicle was missing property. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Michigan lawmakers are now required to file disclosure reports: How to find them Thanks to a voter-approved ballot measure in 2022, elected officials and political candidates in Michigan are now required to publicly disclose information on their employment, assets, interests in state government and more. Those disclosures were released for the first time April 15, and are publicly available on the Michigan Secretary of State's website. Here's how to find them. Michigan political disclosures are available online To see your elected official's disclosure, visit the Michigan Secretary of State's campaign finance website at michigan.gov/sos/elections/disclosure. Then, click on "Personal financial disclosure filing information" and scroll down to "Public search and viewing page." There, you can look up disclosures for an official or a candidate by their name, or just browse through listings for each office required to file. Financial disclosures: What we learned and didn't from Michigan politicians' first-ever filings What officials and candidates are required to disclose Under Michigan law, here's what political candidates and elected officials must disclose: Employers Sources of earned and unearned income Real property Assets Liabilities Securities/investments Positions in organizations Blind trusts Employment agreements Interests with state contracts Elected officials must also disclose gifts, travel payments, and payments made in exchange of honoraria provided by registered lobbyists. There are spousal disclosure requirements, as well. Candidates and elected officials must also disclose their spouse's employer and occupation, if their spouse is a registered lobbyist, securities their spouse jointly owns with the filer and if their spouse is a state vendor or has an interest in a state contract. Unsure who your state lawmakers are? Here's how to find out Michigan has 110 House districts and 38 Senate districts. On each chamber's website, you can find your elected official by entering your address: Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) @arpanlobo. Looking for more on Michigans elections this year? Check out our voter guide, subscribe to our elections newsletter and always feel free to share your thoughts in a letter to the editor. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan politicians file disclosures for first time: How to find them A Michigan school district canceled its plan for an elementary classroom mini-lesson on gender identity and pronouns after receiving backlash from community members, Dewitt Public Schools Superintendent Shanna Spickard said Friday. The lesson was announced by the district as a voluntary activity for one first grade class outside of the school curriculum to promote greater understanding, compassion, and kindness regarding gender identity and the use of pronouns. The district said it informed parents and guardians in advance of offering the lesson to allow the opportunity for families to opt out of having their children participate. School district staff members reportedly received inappropriate, angry, and threatening phone calls, emails, and social media messages after the announcement, and several staff members had their personal information posted online to harass and intimidate them, Spickard said. While the vast majority of these inappropriate communications have originated outside of our community, several staff members have expressed feeling anxious, stressed, and even afraid to go to school, she said. This is unacceptable. Spickard said the district is in contact with local law enforcement, and there is an increased police and administrative presence on grounds as precautionary measures. The goal of the voluntary mini-lesson was to help promote Dewitt Public Schools vision of a safe, nurturing, and supportive learning environment where all learners can succeed," Spickard said. "Unfortunately, it has become a major disruption and distraction to that vision in which our staff, administrators, and students feel unsafe." On Wednesday, two days before the cancellation, the district reminded community members that the gender identity and pronoun lesson is voluntary and would only be offered for one first grade classroom. The mini-lesson is not designed to challenge, persuade, or alter family beliefs. Instead, it aims to promote a safe and respectful learning environment where all our students feel valued, the district stated. Community members had mixed reactions to the announcement. They dont need to learn about anything thats personal or sexualized or gender-specific at 5 years old, DeWitt parent Brandi Strahan told NBC affiliate WILX, which covers the Lansing, Michigan, area. A former DeWitt parent also told WILX: Even if people dont understand it, its all about inclusion and making every kid feel safe and welcome in any district. Spickard said the decision to cancel plans for the mini-lesson was not made lightly, and that the development would please some and disappoint others in the school community. For more from NBC Out, sign up for our weekly newsletter. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Mike Johnson Came to Ukraines Aid. Will Democrats Come to His? Mike Johnsons speakership has been building to this make-or-break moment. On Saturday, after months of dithering, the House finally approved aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The aid for each of those countriesprovided in different formspassed individually, with a complex Venn diagram of lawmakers coming together on each of the bills. But there was one constant for all the bills: Republican opposition. The Israel bill passed 366-58, with 193 Republicans and 173 Democrats for the bill, and 21 Republicans and 37 Democrats opposed. The Taiwan bill passed 385-34, with just progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) voting present. All 34 votes against the bill came from Republicans. But most troublingly for Johnson, the Ukraine aid measure passed 311-112, with all 210 Democrats in attendance voting for the bill, and all 112 of the no votes coming from the GOP. As the bill passed, Democrats on the House floor waved Ukrainian flags and cheered in solidarity with the U.S. ally. They tried to hand flags out to Republicans, but only a few accepted. Mike Johnson Should Tell Marjorie Taylor Greene to Bring the Smoke After the vote, conservative Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) told Democrats to put those damn flags away. (All of the bills will be combined together, including with a bill to force the sale of TikTok and other national security priorities, before the package is sent to the Senate for one up-or-down vote.) Ukraine aid has cast a shadow over Johnsons entire six-month speakership. It also might mark the end. Just days before Johnson took the speakers gavel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky begged Congress for more munitions to defend itself from Russias brutal invasion. There seemed to be a real urgency in the situation, and Congress was positioned to act. Hamas had just attacked Israel earlier in the month, and there was a real desire to show support for the U.S. ally, which hadnt yet begun its aggressive bombing campaign. Naturally, congressional leaders saw an opportunity to combine Ukraine aid with Israel, packaging two important priorities together to win over lawmakers who might have been reluctant about one or the other. But Johnson was just beginning his speakership. He didnt want to upset some Republicans who were adamantly opposed to spending another dime on Ukraine, never mind the facts about the form of the aid or where it was really being spent. Johnsonan untested and little-known conservativewas suddenly sitting atop a fractured GOP conference, delicately balancing the desires of a diffuse group of lawmakers. Inaction became a hallmark of his speakership. But over the last six months, as Johnson has tried to find a functional GOP majority that can pass any Republican priority, hes had to come to a brutal truth: There is no Republican majority. On virtually any bill Republicans want to pass without Democratic support, there seems to be at least a few GOP lawmakersbecause it goes too far, because it doesnt go far enough, or just because theyre mad about other thingswho refuse to go along with the team. Johnson has had to confront the uncomfortable reality that, if hes going to pass a bill as speaker, he has to do so with Democratic votes. Why Are Republicans Playing Politics With Ukraine? And now, as Republicans line up against him to remove him from his job, hes facing an even starker reality: To remain speaker, he will need Democratic votes. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) introduced a motion to remove Johnson about a month ago, and has since then, shes been joined by far-right Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ). The trio has suggested that more Johnson detractors would come out from hiding once Johnson passed Ukraine aid. (The reality is, they dont even need more Republicans to vote against him, if Democrats also vote against Johnson, as they did in every round of voting when Kevin McCarthy was speaker.) All Johnson did was give Ukraine aid a vote, with the bill passing overwhelmingly. But the modern GOP has come to expect the speaker to block certain bipartisan priorities from getting an up-or-down. Its one thing to give legislation that will fail a vote on the House floor, but its heresy to give something a vote that will actually passthat is, if a small conservative minority deems it insufficiently conservative. The one thing Johnson did violate with the Ukraine voteever so slightlywas the so-called Hastert Rule, named after disgraced former GOP Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), who was later convicted for sexually assaulting boys decades before his time in the Speakers office. Hastert started a majority of the majority rule for putting bills on the floora standard which Hastert himself broke a dozen times when he was in charge. Regardless, GOP Speakers have generally tried to live by that standard (even though every Republican Speaker since has broken the rule). But if theres one argument the conservatives pissed off with Johnson and the Ukraine aid vote can make, its that one. But Johnsons patience for those rules had finally run out. He put his foot down, spoke publicly about his belief that this was the right thing to do, and said he was prepared to let the chips fall as they may. He brought up four separate foreign aid billswhich also included unprecedented restrictions on TikTokin the name of famed World War II-era British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, calling out the fecklessness of Churchills predecessor, Neville Chamberlain, notorious for appeasing Adolf Hitler. Johnson knew he would face a Republican backlash for that decision, and he appears fully prepared to live with the consequences of his actions. But just as the Ukraine decision may break Johnson, it also may make him. Former Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), deferred to Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) when asked about if Democrats should save Johnson. But if there was any indication of what she thought Democrats should do, she said Johnson took the House to a place that is historic despite objections from his own members. She added that the motion to remove Johnson disregards any respect for the institution, because you should be able to resolve your differences. The institution really needs to be respected, Pelosi told The Daily Beast. And if people are doing something wrong, then the chair should be vacated, but if its a difference of opinion, thats democracy. At least two DemocratsReps. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL)have already said they wouldnt vote to remove Johnson if Republicans intend to throw him overboard because of the Ukraine vote. You need to demonstrate that this chaos caucus doesnt have the power that they think they have, Suozzi told The Daily Beast. We cant allow them to punish him for doing the right thing. The top Democrat on the Armed Services CommitteeRep. Adam Smith (D-WA)also indicated Democrats would have Johnsons back. Mike Johnson Is Gambling His Speakership on Ukraine. He May Lose. Former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said after the vote that nobody should penalize the speaker for doing the right thing. The right thing is what 350 people voted forgive or take, he said. But what was, I think, a very positive day for our country, positive day for the House, and certainly a wonderful day for Ukraine. As Democrats line up to defend the speaker, Johnson is, in effect, ceding power to Jeffries. That has always been part of the calculus of other embattled GOP speakers; if you rely on Democratic votes to save your speakership, youre no longer, really, the Republican speaker. That may make Johnsons position untenableparticularly in the long-termbut for now, there are Republicans rallying around him. Former speaker candidate Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) told The Daily Beast that if Johnson leans on Democrats to stay in power, so be it. Theres nobody in the Republican conference today that can get 100% of the vote from the Republican conference, Scott said. And if they take him out, by definition, they have given the Democrats control over who is the next Speaker of the House. Other GOP members are holding out hope that Johnsons right flank hates him less than the eight Republican rebels who removed McCarthy. I think they dont distrust him as much as they did McCarthy, Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) told The Daily Beast. But he has been prone to fits and starts. For now, the motion to vacate the chair hangs over Johnsons head, and its unclear how many Republicans would support an effort to remove himor how many Democrats would save him. Its entirely possible the actual numbers come to mean a great deal. Johnson may be able to preserve some important optics if some Democratsor perhaps all Democratssimply sit out the vote to remove him. That way, no Democrat would have to actually vote for Johnson, and it would be unclear how close his detractors are to actually removing him. But either way in that scenario, the message would be the same: Johnson is speaker because of Democrats. And its unlikely Democratsor Republicanswill forget that. 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. Military identifies NC-based Marine who died in training incident near Camp Lejeune Military identifies NC-based Marine who died in training incident near Camp Lejeune RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) U.S. military officials have identified a North Carolina-based Marine who died during a late-night training exercise this week. The incident happened just after 11:05 p.m. Thursday near Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Carteret County, according to a Saturday afternoon news release from the U.S. Marine Corps. Sgt. Colin Arslanbas, who had enlisted four years earlier, died less than three weeks after his promotion to the rank of sergeant, the news release said. Arslanbas, age 23, was assigned to the Maritime Special Purpose Force with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, officials said. U.S. Marine with Maritime Special Purpose Force, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) with Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, make landfall during Intelligence Interoperability Exercise II off the coast of Marine Corps Outlying Landing Field Atlantic, North Carolina, Nov. 15, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan Ramsammy) Arslanbas, of Missouri, enlisted in the Marine Corps on March 16, 2020. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant on April 1. Words cannot convey our sorrow for the tragic loss of one of our MEU family members, Col. Todd Mahar, 24th MEU commanding officer, said in the news release. Arslanbas served as a Reconnaissance Marine with the Maritime Special Purpose Force, stationed on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. U.S. Marines with Maritime Special Purpose Force, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune conduct open-sea rigid-hull inflatable boat operations during Amphibious Squadron, MEU Integration in the Atlantic Ocean, Dec. 9, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan Ramsammy) His decorations include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal. The 24th MEU family mourns the loss of an outstanding Marine and leader. We offer our deepest condolences and unwavering support to his family during this most difficult time, Mahar added in the news release. Officials said the deadly training incident is under investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. More than five decades after a decorated World War II veteran-turned-milkman was murdered "execution-style" on his route, testimony from his killer's ex-wife solved the cold case . Hiram "Ross" Grayam had been shot multiple times when investigators searching the area via airplane spotted his milk truck deep in the woods in Vero Beach, Florida, in April 1968, the Indian River County Sheriff's Office wrote in a Thursday news release. The Purple Heart recipient had witnessed the liberation of two concentration camps and survived the Battle of the Bulge before he was shot dead, CBS reported. SKELETAL REMAINS FOUND AT ILLINOIS HOME IDENTIFIED AS WOMAN MISSING SINCE 2008 Grayam's murder went unsolved until this year, when the ex-wife and a friend of Thomas J. Williams' sister told Florida authorities he'd confessed to Grayam's killing before his own death in 2016. "These folks said, I would have never said anything to you before, as long as he was alive, he was a threat to me and my family, we would have never told you, but the fact that he is now dead gave them the courage to come forward," Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said at a press conference this week. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X "Two independent witnesses, who both say this guy confessed to killing the milkman to them, independent of each other, (they) dont know each other," Flowers said. In 2006, rumors that Williams was responsible for the locally infamous cold case circulated he wrote in a letter to the editor to an area news outlet "saying that he had been accused of the murder, but he denied having knowledge of it, that he wasnt involved in it," the sheriff said at the press conference. BODY THAT WASHED ASHORE IN 1992 ID'ED AS BUFFALO MAN WHO DIED GOING OVER NIAGARA FALLS The department is still looking for a second man they believe was involved. Soon after Grayam's disappearance on April 11, 1968, a witness told deputies that she saw the milkman talking to two men walking alongside the road before they all left together in the Borden Milk Company truck. SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER "She said that Mr. Grayam engaged them in conversation, and announced that he would be back shortly," Flowers said. Grayam's son, Larry, who was 16 when his father was killed, recalled his shock. MICHIGAN WOMAN CONVICTED OF HUSBAND'S 2002 KILLING AFTER EXTRADITION FROM ITALY "A deputy came to the door and told my mom that dad had not returned in his Borden Milk Company truck to the yard in Fort Harrison and had talked to her. Then he wanted to talk to the kids I was the oldest one there," Grayam's son told Fox News Digital on Friday. "We went outside in the yard, he wanted to know if there were good relations between my mother and my father they wanted to try to see if my father just took off somewhere," he said. "At 16 years old I called him an idiot," the younger Grayam recalled. "I said 'Do you think if he was going to run away, he would do it in a yellow and black and white truck instead of his own truck?" GET REAL TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB "They knew he carried cash most people paid the milk man in cash then, they knew he'd have it," Grayam's son said of the killers' potential motives. "Initially, their thoughts were an armed robbery It was [also] about a week after Martin Luther King Jr. had been killed racial tensions were the highest that I've ever seen." Now, detectives are asking residents of Gifford, the town where Grayam was last seen by witnesses, to come forward if they know anything about the second man or Grayam's final movements. "The Cold Case Unit continues to pursue every new lead," the sheriff's office wrote in their statement. "Armed with the latest technology and new partnerships, they stand as beacons of hope for families like the Grayams, ensuring that no victim is forgotten, and no crime is unpunished." "I'm hopeful, but it's doubtful unless somebody comes forward that he has confessed to, if we open up an additional line of evidence," Grayam's son said of finding the second culprit. "Witness's memories change, a whole host of things could happen." Original article source: 'Milkman Homicide' of Florida WWII veteran solved by killer's ex-wife A new federal rule is aimed at reducing coal miners' exposure to silica dust, a leading cause of black lung disease (Getty Images). It was a celebratory moment years in the making when acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, flanked by miners and advocates, announced the rollout of a new rule limiting silica dust exposure for miners in Uniontown Tuesday. For years, advocates for mine safety had urged the federal government to adopt strict rules around the substance that has led to an increase in severe black lung cases among young miners. Finally, one was announced. For too long, we accepted this as just the way things are for people who work in mines, Su said in Uniontown Tuesday. 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. Mine safety advocates largely agree the rule is a positive change. But some are concerned that it still leaves too much power in the hands of mining companies instead of regulators, and lacks clarity when it comes to how it should be enforced. Overall, the rule is a step in the right direction, which is what weve been asking for for many years now, said Erin Bates, a spokesperson for the United Mine Workers of America. But coal operators are going to have to be held accountable at the end of the day. In recent years, severe cases of black lung disease have become more common. One of the major causes is silica dust. Contact with the substance is becoming more prevalent as the Appalachian region has been so aggressively mined that miners are digging into more narrow coal seams. Silica dust is produced when miners break through the rock surrounding those seams. The new rule creates a limit for levels of silica dust exposure and requires mining companies to actively monitor it. The new limit, 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, is half of what is currently allowed, and has long been called for by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, along with others. But the rule largely relies on mining companies themselves to measure the quality of air in their mines and to alert regulators when silica dust levels exceed the new limit. This is in part, Bates said, because the Mine Safety and Health Administration simply doesnt have the funding to regularly sample air in mines across the country. Still, she likened the rule to asking drivers to enforce the speed limit. How often is a driver going to call the police and say, hey, you know, Im really sorry, Bates said. I was going 75 in a 55. Go ahead and write me a ticket. But the fact that theres something in place that we can fight with and we can use is huge, Bates said. Every time we find a violation, we can point back to this rule Before, when we found that there were high levels of silica dust in our mines, there was nothing we could do. (Getty Images) Rebecca Shelton is the Director of Policy of the Appalachian Citizens Law Center, a group that has advocated for silica dust regulation. I got into this work through being from Kentucky, really, Shelton said. Everyone knows someone who has black lung, it seems. I think thats something that is a fairly foreign or detached concept for most people in this country: that somebody in your family has a disease related to their occupation and occupational hazards. Like Bates, Shelton believes the rule is a positive step, but is concerned about enforcement. And Shelton worries that the Mine Safety and Health Administration may not be up to the task of enforcement, even when companies do report silica dust levels above the established limit. Something weve been pushing for for a long time is for MSHA just to have the funding they need to hire more inspectors, Shelton said. There has been a decline in the number of inspectors, especially for the coal mining industry over the last decade It makes it harder to do more rigorous enforcement. A November 2023 report published by the US Office of Inspector General found that MSHA was struggling to keep up with its work enforcing regulations. When announcing the final rule, Su noted that the agency was hiring an additional 270 inspectors to help enforce it. The rule will take effect in one year for coal mines, and in two years for all other types of mines. I think we are going to have to figure out how we are going to watchdog the implementation of this rule, and find our path forward there, Shelton said. She added that the lack of specified thresholds for penalties for mine operators found in violation of the rule would add to the difficulties of enforcement. Willie Dodson, a field coordinator with Appalachian Voices, a group that works closely with Sheltons, said in a statement that one major source of concern was that the rule does not require mine companies to close their mines when silica dust levels are too high. Without strong enforcement mechanisms, and without any prohibition against miners being forced to work in excessive dust, Im not sure that this will actually reduce levels of black lung, Dodson said in a statement. This rule gives MSHA too much discretion where there should be automatic enforcement actions. The rule gives MSHA the authority to take a number of actions if silica dust limits exceed the new limit, from financial penalties to shutting down unsafe mines. A spokesperson for the Department of Labor told the Capital-Star that it is willing to take all available actions if a mining company does not take action in a reasonable period of time to lower silica dust levels. Sam Petsonk, a West Virginia lawyer and advocate for mine safety, was optimistic about the prospects of enforcement. He believes the rules language is stricter than other similar regulations that had come before it. This rule is a stronger dust protection rule than MSHA ever promulgated before when it comes to the stringency of the limit and the tolerance for violations, he said. Petsonk believes the language of the rule will allow MSHA to take action against coal companies much more quickly than previous rules limiting other harmful airborne substances in mines. As an example, he pointed to a 2014 rule regulating coal dust levels that generally required the collection of multiple dangerous air samples before regulators could act. This rule, he said, would only require one. Petsonk also praised MSHA for adding language to the rule requiring mining companies to regularly come up with plans for how they will limit silica dust exposure and submit those to regulators. This rule acknowledges that the operator has to engineer a better way of avoiding extreme silica exposure, Petsonk said. Thats a real innovation. Thats something thats new in this rule. But Petsonk understands that enforcement of the rule will come down to who is in charge of the agency. For the moment, he believes the current administration is committed to enforcing the rule to the fullest extent possible. I always believe in the adage, trust, but verify, Petsonk said. And he believes that the current rule, along with what he saw as the agencys willingness to adapt it in light of criticism received during its public comment period, is at least the start of verification. Bates, the UMWA spokesperson, is less certain than Petsonk. She says the union is concerned that the rule could allow mining to continue even in mines where excessive levels of silica dust are measured. While it requires mining companies to take corrective actions when silica levels are high, one such action it notes is requiring miners to wear appropriate respirators. The union would prefer work in a mine where levels were too high be stopped altogether until it can continue safely. We strongly advocated for the agency to not require respirators when the miners were exposed to levels of silica that are above the exposure limit, Bates said. Honestly, we believe that if there is overexposure the work should stop completely. Bates pointed to one other aspect of the rule she found troubling. In the final published rule, MSHA included studies on the potential efficacy of the new, 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air silica dust limit. The studies also looked at how effective an even lower limit of 25 micrograms per cubic meter would be. Generally speaking, those studies found that the lower limit would expose only half as many miners to what it deemed excessive risk for disease. But thats not where the agency landed. Its absolutely not a surprise, Bates said. At the end of the day, the most important thing is the miners lives. It is a shame that 30- and 40-year-olds are contracting this disease. To Bates and others, the knowledge that stricter regulations would result in fewer miner deaths is only proof that theres more work to be done. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post Mine safety advocates agree new silica dust rule is progress, but some worry its not enough appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star. The miscarriage was inevitable. Could she have had an ER abortion? Supreme Court to decide WASHINGTON A woman 18-weeks pregnant arrived in an Idaho emergency room in distress. Her condition hourglassing membranes was so dire, a miscarriage was inevitable. Doctors feared running afoul of Idahos abortion restrictions if they provided the treatment that is standard in these situations: offering an abortion because the infection risk was high and the fetus would not survive. The patient could not travel to another state; she would likely miscarry during the trip and might bleed to death. So, she waited. Several days later, the woman was in the emergency room where, after delivering a still-born baby, she was hospitalized to prevent a rapidly developing infection from spreading. Doctors with the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare shared that case and others in a filing with the Supreme Court ahead of Wednesdays oral arguments into whether a federal law requiring hospitals provide emergency treatment overrides state abortion restrictions. These bans have broken down the safe system of health care that we had in place for our pregnant patients, said Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, an Idaho doctor who spoke at a news conference organized by the National Womens Law Center, which also filed a brief to the court. Idaho officials say the ban reflects the will of state residents. They accuse the Biden administration of unlawfully trying to override it. The administrations radical interpretation of federal law is nothing more than a reckless disregard for Idahos right to protect life, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador said in a statement. Related Supreme Court arguments on abortion pill could unify judges Showdown between Biden and states with abortion bans The consolidated cases, Idaho v. United States and Moyle v. United States, are a showdown between the Biden administration and states that have enacted strict abortion limits after the Supreme Court in 2022 erased the right to an abortion. Its the high courts first chance to weigh in on the state laws restricting abortion that have gone into effect since deciding Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. And it comes one month after the court heard a challenge to a commonly used abortion drug and as the abortion issue continues to remake electoral politics, including in Arizona where a near-total ban from 1864 is back in play. The federal law at issue, passed in 1986 to prevent hospitals from turning patients away if they couldnt pay, is one of the few tools President Joe Biden had to respond to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Biden directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make it clear doctors must provide abortions if needed in emergency situations to prevent death or serious illness. The law applies to any hospital receiving federal funding, such as through Medicare. Its outrageous, and its dangerous, Biden said of doctors delaying emergency care because of the need to consult with a lawyer about whether the care is allowed under state law. Lower courts are divided Texas quickly sued the administration. Weeks later, the Biden administration sued Idaho, claiming that its near-total abortion ban directly conflicts with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Doctors who violate Idaho's law while trying to comply with the federal law can be imprisoned and lose their medical license. The issue has divided the lower courts. The Louisiana-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Texas, ruling in January that the administration cant use EMTALA to require Texas hospitals provide emergency care abortions. Conversely, a federal district judge in Idaho said the state couldnt enforce the part of its ban that applied to emergency care when a patients health is at risk. That decision was overridden by three Trump-appointed judges on the California-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals only to be later reversed by the full circuit. In January, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and allowed Idaho to fully enforce its law in the meantime. Organ failure, uncontrollable bleeding and permanent reproductive damage How the justices decide the case could potentially affect abortion restrictions in more than 20 states. Even when bans include medical exceptions, the exceptions can be too vague to provide the certainty needed by patients and doctors, according to opponents of the bans. By contrast, the Biden administration says, the federal law is clear that hospitals that receive federal funding must provide necessary stabilizing treatment when the health of the mother is in danger not just when shes on the brink of death. Consequences of inaction can include infection, organ failure, uncontrollable bleeding and permanent damage to the reproductive system. Idaho argues the federal requirement applies only to treatments available at a hospital and abortion is not available in Idaho under most circumstances. In sum, EMTALA leaves the question of specific treatments for stabilizing care to state law, the state wrote in its main brief previewing its oral arguments. Twenty-two states have told the court they back Idahos position. Also on the docket Supreme Court to hear biggest homeless rights case in decades. What both sides say. Federal law doesn't mention abortion Idaho also argues that while the federal law never specifically mentions abortion, it does provide explicit protection for unborn children. For example, the laws definition of an emergency medical condition includes one that places the health of the individual (or, with respect to a pregnant woman, the health of the woman or her unborn child) in serious jeopardy. The Biden administration and their backers counter that Congress added that language to make it clear hospitals must provide care to an unborn child even if the womans own health is not at risk. That language was added in order to expand access to care for pregnant people, not to limit it, said Katie OConnor, director of federal abortion policy for the National Womans Law Center. 'Is she bleeding enough? Is she septic enough' Complaints that pregnant women have been turned away from hospitals spiked after Dobbs, according to an investigation by The Associated Press. Most emergency medical workers see pregnant patients during virtually every shift, according to the major medical associations supporting the administration, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. While not all pregnancy complications require immediate intervention, many are dangerous. Cases of ruptured membranes too early in a pregnancy for a fetus to survive occurred, on average, just over once a week at St. Lukes Health System in Idaho last year. Such situations put a patient at high risk of infection, sepsis and hemorrhaging. Before Idahos ban went into effect, doctors acted as quickly as possible to preserve the womans health and her future reproductive ability, said Dr. Jim Souzas, the hospitals chief physician executive. Since then, theres a lot of second guessing and handwringing, he said. `Is she sick? Is she bleeding enough? Is she septic enough for me to do this abortion and not risk going to jail and losing my license? Three ambulances are parked in front of the emergency room at Childrens Health of Orange County on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. When Idahos law was paused last year for emergency medical conditions, only one pregnant patient was transported to another state for care. But after the Supreme Court, in January, put the law fully into effect, six patients with emergency conditions have been transferred to other states where they could get abortions, according to Souza. Doctors are leaving Idaho Doctors are also leaving Idaho, which already had a shortage of physicians. Two hospitals have closed their labor and delivery services. Its not hard to understand why, Gustafson said. Because, really, how many physicians are willing to subject themselves to the risk of jail time and civil financial penalties for doing their job? But state officials defending the ban told the Supreme Court that if they side with the Biden administration, doctors would become essentially unregulated, with their own medical judgment superseding all state laws regulating the practice of medicine. The whole point of Dobbs was to restore to the states their authority to regulate abortion, Labrador and the states other attorneys wrote in their final brief. Yet the administration seeks to thwart Idahos exercise of self-government on this important topic. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court tests Idaho abortion ban against federal EMTALA If you are trying to create generational wealth through your investments, you should probably try to find boring and reliable companies. Look for businesses that have proven they can keep chugging along through good times and bad, since life always gives you both. On that score, Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), and Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) all have 50 or more annual dividend increases behind them. Here's why you might want to own all three for the long term. 1. Procter & Gamble is always looking to justify its value With a market cap of $155 billion and an investment grade rated balance sheet, Procter & Gamble, or P&G as it is also known, is both large and financially strong. That's important because it gives the company the foundation it needs to invest heavily in research and development. The company's consumer staples products are largely found at the higher end of the market. It wants to ensure that its toilet paper, toothpaste, and laundry detergent, among other things, offer enough value to justify their high prices. Image source: Getty Images. The company also has the financial wherewithal to support its products with sufficient marketing that draws customers to stores and with efficient distribution that gets its products into people's hands. Retailers see the company as a valued partner with brands that they can't afford not to have in their stores. As for investors, the company's core strengths have resulted in P&G earning its place among the Dividend Kings, with an impressive 68 consecutive annual dividend increases. That makes P&G a boring, necessity business that has survived and thrived for decades -- exactly what you'll want to own if you are trying to create generational wealth. The dividend yield today is roughly 2.5%, which is about average for the stock. A yield above 3% would be more attractive, but if you are OK with paying a fair price for a great company, it probably wouldn't be a bad time to buy the stock. 2. Coca-Cola is a Warren Buffett favorite While it is a mistake to simply buy a stock because some other investor does, even if they are a professional, saying that Warren Buffett has owned Coca-Cola for decades is still pretty notable. At its core, the company sells flavored liquids, but that doesn't do justice to the brand value and business that has been created here. Coke is a global icon, the company has a massive distribution network, and it has the financial strength to support its products with strong advertising. Like P&G, it is a valuable partner to retailers around the world. Coca-Cola is very large, with a market cap of $250 billion, and it has an investment-grade rated balance sheet. Notably, while it isn't always at the leading edge of its industry, it has a long history of buying smaller companies with up-and-coming products. It then plugs those products into its industry-leading distribution system to boost growth. The story is roughly similar to that of P&G, only Coca-Cola sells beverages. Coca-Cola's dividend yield is currently around 3.3%, which is toward the higher end of the historical yield range. A yield above 3.5% would be more appealing, but the current price is still pretty attractive if you plan to hold the stock for the long term. The dividend, meanwhile, has been increased annually for 62 consecutive years. 3. Hormel is on the sale rack Hormel is a protein-focused food maker. It is smaller than P&G and Coca-Cola, with a market cap of "only" $18 billion. However, the stock's 3.3% dividend yield is near the highest levels in the company's history. If you have a value focus, Hormel looks like it is on sale right now. The dividend has been increased annually for 52 consecutive years, so like the two companies above, it, too, is a Dividend King. Consistently increasing a dividend like that doesn't come about by accident. But every company eventually has to deal with hard times. Hormel is doing that right now, as it faces weak pricing power, adverse effects from the latest avian flu, a slow pandemic recovery in China, and weak demand for nuts. Any one of these issues alone wouldn't be too big a deal, but all of them at the same time have investors worried that Hormel has lost its way. History suggests this reliable dividend payer will muddle through to better days. Management is, indeed, working on cutting costs, product innovation, and streamlining the business to improve results. In the meantime, investors willing to buy and hold will have a chance to add a historically well-run company while it is offering a historically large yield. That's a great way to build generational wealth if you have the stomach for a little near-term uncertainty. If you're thinking in generations, think boring At the end of the day, there's really nothing exciting about the businesses that P&G, Coca-Cola, or Hormel run. The key is that they have proven that they can do boring things very well over long periods of time. If you are looking to create wealth that you can pass down to the next generation, these are the types of foundational companies you will want to have in your portfolio. Should you invest $1,000 in Procter & Gamble right now? Before you buy stock in Procter & Gamble, 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 Procter & Gamble 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 $518,784!* 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*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2024 Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Hormel Foods and Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Stocks That Could Create Lasting Generational Wealth was originally published by The Motley Fool OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)- Its been 29 years since a bomb went off in the Alfred P. Murrah Building in downtown Oklahoma City, killing 168 people, including 19 children. Timothy McVeigh and his two co-conspirators planted a Ryder Truck by the federal building and inside the vehicle was a powerful bomb made out of a deadly cocktail of agricultural fertilizer, diesel fuel, and other chemicals. At precisely 9:02 a.m. on April 19, 1995, the bomb exploded. Not only did it reduce a third of the federal building to rubble, but it damaged or destroyed more than 300 nearby buildings. McVeigh was found 48 hours later by the FBI and ultimately executed for his acts of terrorism in June 2001. Oklahoma Christian University breaks ground on Survivor Tree Memorial Plaza The Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum hosted a ceremony in remembrance of the bombing Friday morning. Violence is what gave us this scar in our downtown. This pool, these chairs, this place beautiful and peaceful. But we know that a building and a street are supposed to be here. It is a scar that will never fully heal. David Holt, Oklahoma City Mayor The ceremony opened to the public for seating at 8:30 a.m. and began 15 minutes later with the sounds of bagpipes. Music was provided by brass instrument players from the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the National Anthem was sung by three-time Grammy-nominated musical group, Point of Grace. Following the introduction, at 9:02 a.m., Oklahoma City Chief of Police Wade Gourley led 168 seconds of silence. Speakers at the ceremony included: U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland Deputy Homeland Security Advisor, Caitlin Durkovich Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt Once the ceremony concluded, friends and families of the victims placed flowers and trinkets at chairs memorialized for their loved ones. Theres always the heartbreak that lurks in the background. But its a time of just remembrance and appreciation for everyone who helped the people who found her, who took care of her. And then the people with the memorial and the staff who make this possible and do such a great job with the grounds and with the museum inside, said Cindy Farrell Ashwood. April 19 Remembrance Ceremony to honor those lost in 1995 Ashwoods sister, Susan Susie Farrell was 42 years old and worked in the Department of Housing and Urban Development on the eighth floor of the Alfred P. Murrah building. She, of course, lived here in Oklahoma City, loved cats, loved dance and loved her job. We became very close friends and our love of horses and dogs and cats and all the critters and I actually live now in the house that we grew up in that we call the farm just outside of Chandler, added Ashwood. Ashwood said she hopes the legacy her sister leaves behind is one of kindness and empathy. [I want her to know] how much we all love her and miss her. My dad recently died just about a month ago, and before he went on hospice, he said I looking forward to seeing Susie. This is the first time we have been here without dad. That makes this day even harder. But theyre together, said Ashwood. Another life stolen far too soon is Teresa Lea Taylor Lauderdales. She also worked in the Department of Housing and Urban Development but on the seventh floor of the Alfred P. Murrah Building. Her family told News 4 it took first responders 10 days after the bombing before they could find Lauderdales body. I miss her, said Lauderdales dad through tears. Standing beside Lauderdales dad was her lifelong best friend or as her family described their relationship: partners in crime. I miss you every day and I love you just as much as I ever did. I wish she was here, said Lauderdales best friend. Shawnee still in early stages of rebuild 1 year after devastating tornado This tragic April anniversary and the courageous efforts of first responders all point to one thing the state will carry forever and thats the Oklahoma Standard. It was NBCs Tom Brokaw that coined the phrase and how he saw something in Oklahomans he hadnt seen in covering events around the world and he began to call it this Oklahoma Standard. Other national media began to follow him because they were here covering the story. They saw Oklahomans taking care of other Oklahomans and couldnt quite believe how good the people were to them, stated Oklahoma City National Museum CEO and President Kari Watkins. Evil tried to tear us apart. Evil took the lives of 168 individuals and injured hundreds more. We looked evil in the eye and we came together as one Oklahoma. We showed our strength, our resilience and our courage. Out of the rubble of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building came the Oklahoma Standard. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon will take place from April 26 through April 28. If youre interested in signing up, click here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. WELD COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) The family and friends of a missing Weld County mother of four are at their wits ends. Kaysey Yoder has been gone for three months without a trace. Now her loved ones have started fundraising to help with the search. They are trying to stay positive as they explore new avenues for answers. I will never give up until I find my best friend, Anna Green said. I will never give up. Jan. 14 was the last time Yoder was seen leaving her home on Appy Road in Eaton. Her loved ones refuse to give up hope on bringing her home. The more days that pass, the more you start to get that feeling that something bad happened, and that has been really hard to deal with, Green said. Kaysey Yoder In an effort to find answers, they are trying a new approach. We have reached out to a few private investigators, Green said. They do ask for a retainer fee to even get started. So we have started up a GoFundMe to try to get enough money to get the retainer fee so we can get some more help in this. Green said she worries because the day before Yoders disappearance, she had a mental health crisis. She told me the day before, she had gone and walked across the street to one of those concrete irrigation inlets and she laid down in it. She said she was going to lay there and wait for herself to freeze to death, Green said. Green said Yoders husband followed her footprints in the snow to find her. She said Yoder kept saying that he rescued her. Constant wondering, and that constant fear of what happened have been going through my mind, Green said. New law ensures Colorado renters will not be evicted without cause The Weld County Sheriffs Office has followed up on a few leads they received, but theres not much more to go on. What I have heard from police is they have other cases that they need to work on and they have followed all the leads they gotten, but the leads have slowed down recently. The other thing too with Kaysey being an adult and the fact that she did leave, I guess they say willingly, theyre not able to do anything like warrants for her or anything for her phone records. Were just kind of in limbo right now, Green said. Maybe a private investigator can think of things or come up with things that maybe police havent thought of or just be able to make progress. She said time is of the essence to find the 35-year-old mother of four. They miss her so much, Green said. Her son Payton, hes 16 years old. He has microcephaly. You can tell he misses his mom so much. On April 11, it was Kayseys birthday, and she and her son Haven actually have the same birthday. It was so sad for him to be blowing out those candles without her. She has hope that new avenues can bring new information. I believe that if we can get somebody that is a professional investigator involved, they would be able to come up with some answers, she said. Shes such an important part in my life, and I will do whatever I can to try to bring her home. Private investigators help find missing people FOX31 wanted to find out if private investigators have success in finding missing people and spoke to Ryan Zahn with Metro Private Investigators, a Denver-based company. He said private investigators can succeed in locating missing people. In fact, he said he helped one of his clients find their loved one on Friday afternoon. He said although it varies on a case-by-case basis and can be hit or miss, professionals can typically focus on one case at a time and form connections. He said it takes time. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Meanwhile, Green said she is thankful for the communitys support and everyone who has helped in the efforts to bring Yoder home. If you can even just share the GoFundMe or if you are able to donate, we are so grateful. But just getting that out there to hopefully get as much help as possible, my best friend Kaysey really does deserve it, Green said. Anyone who has seen Kaysey Yoder or knows her whereabouts is asked to call the Weld County Sheriffs Office at 970-356-4015 or text/call the anonymous tip line at 720-712-8635. She is 35 years old and has hazel eyes. Her hair color is platinum blonde. She weighs about 110 pounds and is 5-foot-9. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Mississippi Power is preparing for this years hurricane season just over a month away and for hurricane seasons for years to come. Starting next week, wooden poles in the most storm prone areas of Biloxi and Gulfport will be replaced with steel or concrete poles designed to better withstand wind and surge from tropical storms. The work installing steel poles will begin on Switzer Road in Gulfport and crews from Mississippi Power and companies contracted to do the work will continue east toward Biloxi. Concrete poles will be installed starting on Maples Drive in Gulfport. More than 250 power poles will be upgraded in these two projects that are expected to be complete by the end of the year. When complete, more than 8,000 power poles are targeted to be converted to steel and concrete across the Coast. Much stronger steel and concrete power poles are replacing wood poles in the Mississippi Power service area most prone to high winds and storm surge during a hurricane. The work starts next week and eventually 8,000 poles will be retrofitted. Some lanes or roads will need to be closed during the work, said Jeff Shepard, spokesman for Mississippi Power. A team of safety specialists will be on the scene while work is being done to ensure motorists slow down so crews are safe and to minimize the inconvenience for drivers. The cost of the poles varies depending on size and the price of materials as the project progresses, Shepard said. The expense of the upgrades are figured into the rates over the years the work is done. Delivering reliable power is how we bring value to our customers. Its what they expect from us, said Melvin Roland, vice president of power delivery and division operations. The project is protection for more than hurricanes. When a tornado tore through downtown Moss Point in 2023, Shepard said, 75 poles had to be repaired or replaced over two days. The poles are the most time consuming part of restoring power, he said, since they have to be replaced, new equipment needs to be installed and new wires run. Our grid investments have helped our customers avoid more than 5 million outage minutes since the beginning of 2023, Roland said, which helps the company achieve reliability for more than 191,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey gives his first remarks after being sworn into office in January at the Missouri Supreme Court in Jefferson City. 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. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey this week accused Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas of offering an open invitation for illegal aliens to come to Missouri. The Republican attorney general issued a vague legal threat in a letter to Lucas, arguing that his previous comments regarding Kansas City welcoming migrant workers were wildly irresponsible. But the core of Baileys legal argument focused on Missouri laws surrounding illegal immigration, while Lucas comments centered on migrant workers who are in the U.S. legally. Legal experts and Missouri Democrats who spoke with The Star were quick to point out this discrepancy, saying that Baileys letter had no real legal merit. Many accused Bailey of using his office for political reasons as part of a Republican effort to draw attention to the southern border with Mexico. In my opinion, theres no legal issue here for the attorney general to address at all, said Chuck Hatfield, a Jefferson City-based attorney who worked in the attorney generals office under Democrat Jay Nixon. After reading the attorney generals letter, I dont think he identifies anything that the mayor has done that would violate a law. Baileys legal threat followed comments Lucas made on social media saying, All are welcome in Kansas City. Lucas linked to an article in which he said that the Kansas City economy would benefit from workers seeking asylum or other legal status in the U.S. but who are stuck in crowded shelters in cities such as New York awaiting work permits or other documentation. The Kansas City mayor also posted a follow up, emphasizing that he was talking about persons who are lawfully present, with lawful work permits, and the lawful ability to come to our community. The Biden administration authorized expedited work permits for some eligible migrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua for humanitarian reasons. People who obtain those permits are allowed to temporarily live and work in the U.S. legally. Baileys letter comes as Republicans have made illegal immigration a top issue ahead of the 2024 election. Bailey has joined lawsuits related to issues at the southern border and testified in favor of impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the federal governments handling of immigration. Bailey, in his letter, pointed to a Missouri law that makes it a felony to transport people who are in the U.S. illegally and another law that bars businesses from hiring individuals who are in the country illegally. Make no mistake, my office will do everything in its power to take legal action against any person or entity found to be in violation of these statutes, Bailey wrote. Jazzlyn Johnson, a spokesperson for Lucas, in a statement on Friday pointed to the fact that the Kansas City Police Department is under state control, arguing that the only way Kansas City could ever become a so-called sanctuary city is if the Missouri legislature directs the police department to stop enforcing federal law. Missouri lawmakers, Johnson said in the statement, tried and failed to do so, referencing a state law that declares certain federal gun laws invalid. A federal judge struck down the law in 2023 but Missouri has appealed the decision. Beyond that, Andrew Baileys letter is a political campaign press release with no legal effect, because, as he knows, he has no ability to supersede federal law, Johnson said. The mayor will continue to follow all state and federal laws while also building a Kansas City that welcomes all. Rep. Peter Merideth, a St. Louis Democrat, called Baileys letter a hateful political stunt that emphasized a fearmongering and bigoted narrative against immigrants. Merideth, an attorney by trade, pointed to the fact that Bailey currently faces a tightly-contested Republican primary for a full term as attorney general. But legally its a completely meaningless letter, he said. Pure political garbage. Rep. Emily Weber, a Kansas City Democrat, was also quick to point out that Lucas was not talking about illegal immigration in his comments about Kansas City accepting migrant workers. Were talking about migrant workers, not immigrants. Were talking about migrant workers that have a Visa, Weber said. She accused Bailey and other Republicans of fear-mongering by using words such as immigrants and illegal. This rhetoricis just going to harm more and more people, she said. But Sen. Mike Cierpiot, a Lees Summit Republican, said he was supportive of Baileys letter in an interview with The Star. Cierpiot said he did not have any problems with legal immigration, but he said hes never read about cities being overrun by legal immigrants with work permits. Theres a lot of cities in this country that are having problems with this illegal immigration thing, he said. If this makes more Democratic governors and Democratic mayors call Biden and say shut the damn border, thats a good thing. Hatfield, the Jefferson City-based attorney, said the letter came down to the simple idea that Bailey disagreed with Lucas comments. He said there was nothing illegal in what Lucas said, pointing to his First Amendment rights. He never says that the mayor is aiding and abetting a violation of the law because hes not doing that. He never says that anything the mayor said was actually illegal, he said. He just says that he doesnt like the mayors position on welcoming immigrants to Kansas City. And hes certainly entitled to have that opinion, but its not a legal issue at all. The Stars Daniel Desrochers contributed to this story. Mixed drinks election could bring new businesses to Thorndale THORNDALE, Texas (KXAN) Thorndale voters will soon decide on a proposition allowing for the legal sale of mixed drinks if passed. Thorndale Mayor George Galbreath said a citizen petition circulated, bringing enough signatures together to put Proposition A on the ballot. He said if passed, the ability to make mixed drinks sales could attract new businesses to the city. The two restaurants that Ive talked to that are interested. That was one of the questions, because thats where some of their income comes from, Galbreath said. Julaine Graham owns and operates Schroeders Place just on the outskirts of Thorndales city limits. She said the business was founded 77 years ago by her father, the menu offering burgers and brews. Graham said out of the handful of restaurants in Thorndale, no one serves liquor or mixed drinks. Unfortunately, we dont have a lot to offer yet, Graham said. Graham is alluding to the anticipated growth from nearby cities soon to be home to huge industries like Samsungs semiconductor plant in Taylor. Businesses will start moving in. We need good restaurants, places that serve food, Graham said. Galbreath said along with that population, a 100-home subdivision is also being built nearby. He said if that audience is retained through new restaurants inside city limits, that could have a positive impact on Thorndales economy. We have the quick-food places, but we dont have actually a sit-down restaurant right now. And so much of that goes to Rockdale or Taylor. For some of our citizens, it would just help them stay here, Galbreath said. Early voting begins Monday, April 22. For more on other ballot issues going before Thorndale voters, visit the citys website here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) A Mobile man was sentenced to prison after police found a firearm at his residence during a search warrant in 2022. 2 accused of faking winning scratch-off lottery ticket: Escambia County Sheriffs Office According to a press release from the United States Attorneys Office Southern District of Alabama, U.S. District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced 40-year-old David Bailey of Mobile to 120 months in federal prison. This comes after, according to court documents, Bailey was arrested by the Mobile Police Department on October 26, 2022, following a search warrant of his residence. During the search, it was reported that police found a firearm on a couch, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, an ecstasy pill, and a bottle of promethazine syrup. Bailey allegedly admitted to ownership of the firearm and was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty to the charge, according to reports. The case, investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department, was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods a program aimed at bringing together law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and make communities safer. Alabama has bought the Foley Beach Express Bridge heres what that means for drivers U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case, the release said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) A Florida man was arrested Thursday in connection with a robbery that occurred Wednesday, according to the Mobile Police Department. Grim details surround violent and bloody Mobile homicide; three suspects in court Justin D Pompey (Photo courtesy of the Mobile County Sheriffs Office) 38-year-old Justin Pompey, of Panama City, was arrested and taken to Mobile Metro Jail Thursday, according to an MPD news release. The release said officers were called to the 5400 block of West Highway 90 for a report of a robbery. INCIDENT LOCATION: This embedded content is not available in your region. When officers arrived, they found that a man, now identified as Pompey, allegedly approached the victim armed with a knife and demanded money. 2 accused of faking winning scratch-off lottery ticket: Escambia County Sheriffs Office Pompey allegedly assaulted the victim during the robbery and then left before police got there. The victim was taken to the hospital for their injuries. Pompey faces a charge of first-degree robbery, according to the Mobile County Metro Jail log. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova's pro-European government faces a new challenge from its restive pro-Moscow Gagauzia region after its leaders denounced proposed judicial reforms and demanded enhanced status for the Russian language. Gagauzia's 140,000 residents, mainly ethnic Turks who adhere to Orthodox Christianity, have had uneasy relations with central authorities since Moldova threw off Soviet rule in 1991. On Friday, Gagauzia's local assembly rejected judicial reforms which would shut down an appeal court in the region and called for special status for Russian, alongside Moldova's sole state language, Romanian. Under Moldova's constitution, Gagauzia's leader, or bashkan, is automatically a member of the government in the country lying between Ukraine and Romania. But President Maia Sandu refuses to sign an enabling decree on grounds that the current bashkan, Yevgenia Gutul, was elected on the ticket of a banned pro-Russian political party led by fugitive businessman Ilan Shor, convicted of mass fraud. Prime Minister Dorin Recean stood by the judicial reforms and said the courts would uproot what he called criminal elements running the region. "The judicial system will do what it has to and bring to account all members of these groups," he told a television interviewer on Friday evening. "There are absolutely no grounds for confrontation. Our goal is to build Europe." Sandu has identified Russia as the biggest threat to her country and called a referendum for later in the year on joining the European Union alongside a presidential election. Gutul is deeply suspicious of the EU plan, accuses Sandu of victimising her region and has made two trips to Russia in the past month and asked Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin for help. Political analyst Vitalie Andrievschi said the region's demands, including its call for improved status for the Russian language, were part of a campaign endorsed by the Kremlin -- and Shor -- to disrupt political activity in Moldova. "They need this to stir things up in a year with a presidential election and referendum on the agenda in order to undermine stability and divide the country," he told Reuters. (Reporting by Alexander Tanas, Editing by Ron Popeski and Sandra Maler) Mom in disbelief after son killed over parking spot in Bronx Mom in disbelief after son killed over parking spot in Bronx MORRIS HEIGHTS, the Bronx (PIX11) A mother is in disbelief after her 19-year-old son was stabbed to death during a dispute over a parking spot in the Bronx on Thursday. Police arrested 45-year-old Vladimir Lopez German in the stabbing death of Dominic Aguliera, apparently after a dispute over a parking spot. It happened near Featherbed Lane and Inwood Avenue in Morris Heights Thursday morning. Man fatally punched during fight on Brooklyn street: NYPD Lopez German went to Agulieras apartment and asked him to move his car after the 19-year-old allegedly double-parked and blocked Lopez Germans car in, according to sources. An argument escalated to Lopez German allegedly stabbing the teen in the chest. Aguliera stumbled into a deli for help. His mother said he died in his fathers arms. Aguliera was his mothers youngest son. The mother is devastated and described her son as a good person who did not deserve to die this way. She said the death of her son will change her life forever. Aguliera was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Lopez German has been charged with murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon. Neighbors who live in the area said parking is a chronic problem on the block and sometimes leads to disputes, even fights, but no one expected to hear someone losing their life over a spot. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Money exchange houses have become targets of extortion by cartels SAN DIEGO (Border Report) A man is now in custody for setting fire to a money exchange house earlier this week in Tijuana. The Baja California attorney generals office says the suspect involved works with a gang that has been extorting money from currency exchange businesses throughout the region in recent months. Others are being sought for their role in the arson incident and the ongoing extortion attempts. Its evident this type of behavior is aimed at creating fear in this industry, said Maria Elena Andrade Ramirez, Bajas A.G. The arson attempt was a message to others now being extorted. AG investigates cartel-on-cartel drug seizure in Baja Andrade Ramirez also told reporters on Thursday her office is looking into several reports of organized crime demanding payments from money exchange houses. She added that just in the last month, three other exchange businesses were attacked by vandals using Molotov cocktails. Andrade Ramirez is encouraging business owners to report anyone who is demanding money from them. Feds target Sinaloa cartel boss sending tons of fentanyl to US If they dont want to file a formal complaint, at the very least they can approach us for an informal meeting where we will tell them what their options are and how we can offer protection. She said business owners can also file anonymous complaints that will be investigated. Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border According to the news weekly Zeta, Tijuana is not the only city in Baja where organized criminal groups extract floor fees or extortion money from merchants. Groups like the Sinaloa cartel are targeting seafood vendors in the port city of Ensenada with a monthly 20,000- to 60,000-peso fee ($1,100 to $1,600) depending on the size of the business, Zeta said in an investigative report published this week. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. In this article, we will be taking a look at the 30 cities with high quality nursing homes in the US. If you do not want to learn about the growth trends in the US nursing care market, head straight to the 5 Cities With High Quality Nursing Homes in the US. Driving Forces and Growth Trends in the U.S. Nursing Care Market The nursing care market in the United States has been growing and is expected to reach $692.19 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 6.47% during the forecast period of 2023-29. The market size stands at $475.15 billion as of 2023. The aging population and the prevalence of chronic diseases are the main factors that have been driving the U.S. nursing care industry. Out of the entire population, about 54 million people are 65 years of age or older (16.5% of the total) and have been facing high risks of chronic illnesses like diabetes, Alzheimer's, cancer, and heart problem which increases the need for special nursing care. Moreover, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the national healthcare spending in the United States is expected to increase by an at least of 5.5% per year between 2018 and 2027, reaching $6.0 trillion by 2027. Also, according to Genworth Financial Cost of Care Survey, the average annual cost of a private room in a nursing home in the US stood at $108,405 in 2021. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claimed in 2018 that 15,600 for-profit facilities with 1.7 million beds make up the largest nursing home sector in the United States. With an average of 85 residents per day as opposed to 32 residents per day in residential care facilities and 65 participants per day in adult daycare centers, these facilities provide services to more than twice as many individuals as residential care institutions. Future of Nursing Homes: Challenges, Opportunities, and Key Players Nursing homes suffered greatly during and post COVID-19 epidemic, becoming tragic locations of infection and death. The increase in labor expenditures from 8% to 18% put a pressure on already tight budgets. However, the true cost was expressed in terms of lives lostnearly 133,000 of them included both citizens and devoted employees. Nursing professor Jasmine Travers of NYU, who is also very sympathetic, described the destruction as a "9/11 moment for nursing homes." According to WHO, one-fifth of the world's population will be over 60 by 2050 which drives up the demand for nursing homes. The market for long-term care facilities in the US alone was estimated to be $175.9 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 3.2%, reaching $232.5 billion by 2030. Similarly, the global market for nursing homes which was valued at $284.5 billion in 2020, is expected to increase by 4.8% per year between 2021 and 2027, reaching $345 billion by 2027. Story continues On the other hand, if we talk about companies that are actively working on establishing the US nursing home industry, companies like The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG), Sabra Healthcare REIT, Inc. (NASDAQ:SBRA), and Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCSG) stand out, among others. The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENSG) is a major player in the healthcare sector, managing 299 institutions including rehab centers, senior living communities, and nursing homes over 14 states. Their revenue increased by 23% in 2023, reaching $3.73 billion, and their adjusted earnings per share increased by 15%, reaching $4.77. The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENSG) anticipate even higher results in 2024, estimating $5.29 to $5.47 in earnings per share on $4.13-4.17 billion in sales, or an annual growth rate of almost 11%. Since 2022, they have also gone on a bit of an acquisition binge, acquiring 54 facilities, mainly in strategic locations like Arizona, Texas, and South Carolina. They might even become the largest operator of nursing homes in the country as a result of this. Additionally, they have strategically spun off their real estate and other businesses into distinct entities like CareTrust REIT Inc. and The Pennant Group to increase value and focus. Similarly, Sabra Healthcare REIT, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBRA) is also a prominent player in the real estate investment market which specializes in healthcare buildings, including assisted living communities, senior housing complexes, and behavioral health institutions, in both the United States and Canada. Sabra Healthcare REIT, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBRA) has been very active lately, renovating a residential treatment facility in South Carolina and adding Recovery Centers of America to their portfolio. Sabra's enterprise value is estimated at $5.7 billion. Sabra Healthcare REIT, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBRA)'s portfolio comprises two mortgages and 17 mental health assets, with a combined investment worth of over $800 million. They reported $625 million in revenue in 2023. 30 Cities With High Quality Nursing Homes in the US Minerva Studio/Shutterstock.com Our Methodology Weve ranked the cities with high-quality nursing homes in the US based on multiple metrics. We assessed the number of beds, health professionals, Insurance, and treatment expenses and assigned rankings to each city based on all these factors. Then we averaged the rankings and assigned scores based on the average rankings. The top city got a score of 1 (30/30 = 1), the 2nd city got a score of 0.96 (29/30 = 0.96), and so on. Here is our list of the 30 cities with high-quality nursing homes in the US. 30. Aurora, Colorado Insider Monkey Score: 0.03 one of the America's best nursing home care is available in Aurora, Colorado, but it is a little more expensive because of the city's above-average cost of living. For instance, St. Andrew's Village charges more than $7,500 a month for specialty treatments including memory care and rehabilitation. The main payers for short-term and long-term care, are Medicare and Medicaid. Out-of-pocket and private insurance choices are also available. 29. Orlando, Florida Insider Monkey Score: 0.06 The cost of a nursing home in Orlando, Florida is more than the state average; a semi-private room typically costs $9,125 per month, while a private room costs more than $10,000. Medicaid helps pay for accommodation, board, and medical care in nursing homes, covering roughly 23.2% of Florida's senior population. There are enough of nursing facilities in Florida to provide the approximately 86,000 beds that the state's 72,161 seniors require, with an occupancy rate of 85%. 28. Jacksonville, Florida Insider Monkey Score: 0.1 The nursing homes in Jacksonville, Florida are accommodating a total of 71,622 people indicating the growing need of nursing care is due to the rise in state's elderly population. Medicare provides only 20 days of full coverage and 80 days of 80% coverage beyond that. Most importantly, individuals or families are on their own for any payments that exceeds 100 days 27. Rochester, New York Insider Monkey Score: 0.13 Due to 15 years of static Medicaid rates, nursing facilities in Rochester, New York are in financial distress with each person suffering a daily shortage of $110. Over 6,700 beds in the state are unavailable because of personnel shortages. Rochester's average daily cost of nursing home care is $308, which is more than Central New York's $264. The situation has been made worse by the fact that Medicaid only covers roughly 75% of resident days and that payment rates haven't kept up with growing costs. 26. Jamaica, New York Insider Monkey Score: 0.16 With 226 beds and a non-profit status, the Jamaica Hospital Nursing Home in Jamaica, New York, is notable for its exceptional performance in both long-term care and short-term rehabilitation and stands among the cities with high quality nursing homes in the US. It's a feasible choice for many as Medicare pays for up to 100 days of short-term rehabilitation following hospital stays. Strong performance indicators that demonstrate the quality of its care include a 57% return-home rate following discharge and low rates of hospitalization due to falls and infections. 25. Brooklyn, New York Insider Monkey Score: 0.2 Nursing care in Brooklyn, New York, hold a reputation for providing excellent care. The daily expenses reported by the New York Department of Financial Services range from $340 to $390 which translates to an average of $124,100 to $142,350 per year. 24. Casper, Wyoming Insider Monkey Score: 0.23 While prices in Casper, Wyoming, for nursing homes are often more than the state average, the facilities provide one of the best care in the state. Medicaid usually pays for 83% of costs plus additional payments; however, recent cost hikes have reduced coverage to 6572%. Casper's semi-private room costs $8,867 a month, which is marginally more than the state average of $6,996. Essential services are offered by individual facilities such as the Casper Mountain Rehab and Care Center and the Life Care Center of Casper, the former of which has 120 licensed beds. 23. Tucson, Arizona Insider Monkey Score: 0.26 Some of the best nursing facilities in the country, like Cascades of Tucson and Woodland Palms Memory Care Community, are located in Tucson, Arizona, and provide both skilled nursing and rehabilitative services. The average monthly cost of nursing homes is about $6,601, which is a little more than the $6,540 state average. The city has a substantial senior populationabout 19.8% of its 548,574 citizens are 65 years of age or olderso the need for long-term care services is still high. 22. Glendale, Arizona Insider Monkey Score: 0.3 Compared to state and national norms, Glendale, Arizona, offers seniors cheaper options for reputable nursing facilities, with monthly costs averaging $3,975, Which makes Glendale stand among the cities with high quality nursing homes in the US. Since 15% of people under 65 do not have health insurance, many seniors probably pay for nursing home expenditures through Medicare, Medicaid, or other insurance. 21. Houston, Texas Insider Monkey Score: 0.33 The nursing home sector in Houston, Texas provides services to a sizable elderly population. Nursing care can be somewhat costly, with an average monthly cost of $7,130a 6.3% premium over the national average. The state's nursing home occupancy rates fell from 72.8% to 62.7% in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, which also affected Houston which emphasizes how crucial it is to take industry dynamics into account when analyzing pandemic implications. 20. Dallas, Texas Insider Monkey Score: 0.36 Seniors living in Dallas, Texas, have access to reasonably priced and superior nursing homes. These prices are significantly less than the national average, with a typical yearly cost of $56,940 for a semi-private room and $78,475 for a private room. With more than 93,000 residents as of 2014, Texas has the third-highest number of nursing homes in the US. More than 60% of Texans over 50 support increasing money for long-term care, and over 70% support paying nursing home employees more. 19. Rapid City, South Dakota Insider Monkey Score: 0.4 A deliberate effort has been made in Rapid City, South Dakota, to satisfy the increasing need for nursing home care. To better serve the community, organizations like Golden Living and the Good Samaritan Society have stepped in to provide beds as a result of initiatives like requests for proposals. 18. Fargo, North Dakota Insider Monkey Score: 0.43 Superior care facilities can be found in Fargo, North Dakota, although their costs are marginally more than the state average. In Fargo, a semi-private room costs, on average, $11,693 per month; the highest monthly cost for a private room in the state is $13,155. Though they come at a high cost, Fargo's assisted living facilities offer superior care and services; nine of them employ over 1,000 people and bring in $75 million a year, making Fargo stand among the cities with high quality nursing homes in the US. 17. Bismarck, North Dakota Insider Monkey Score: 0.46 Seniors in Bismarck, North Dakota pay almost $10,646 every month for a semi-private nursing home room. With 74,100 residents, 17.3% of whom are seniors, are driving the demand for nursing care facilities. Costs are further increased by a shortage of healthcare professionals, mainly nurses. 16. Cheyenne, Wyoming Insider Monkey Score: 0.5 When considering other parts of the state, Cheyenne's nursing home rates are quite low; a semi-private room typically costs $8,783 per month, while a private room costs $9,726. Residents frequently depend on government programs like Medicare and Medicaid to pay for these costs, and the sector is greatly aided by them. 15. Sioux Falls, South Dakota Insider Monkey Score: 0.53 Sioux Falls stands fifteenth among the cities with high-quality nursing homes in the US. A semi-private room typically costs $7,650 per month. Medicaid is essential for low-income people because it pays for over 132,000 South Dakotans' nursing home costs, which include lodging, healthcare, and counseling. The largest company in the area, Jenkins Living Center, employs 359 people and generates $13.1 million in revenue. 14. Grand Rapids, Michigan Insider Monkey Score: 0.56 Grand Rapids, Michigan, is home to some of the best nursing facilities in the state, including St. Ann's Home, Porter Hills Health Center, Beacon Hill at Eastgate, and Spectrum Health Rehabilitation and Nursing Centers. The average monthly cost of assisted living is $4,696, with projections of $5,057 in 2024. Monthly charges for memory care are $6,633 and for independent living, $3,039. 13. Miami, Florida Insider Monkey Score: 0.6 The average monthly cost of nursing home care in Miami, Florida is $9,095 for a semi-private room. Approximately 23.2% of Florida's senior population is supported by the approximately 5 million people who are enrolled in Medicaid. With more than 600 registered nursing homes and 72,161 seniors residing there, Florida has an occupancy rate of almost 85%. 12. Overland Park, Kansas Insider Monkey Score: 0.63 Overland Park's average monthly cost of assisted living is $4,333, which is less than both the state and national averages. Approximately 6.2% of residents under 65 lack health insurance which suggests that many seniors likely rely on Medicare, Medicaid, or other health insurances to help them pay off their nursing home expenses. 11. Springfield, OH Insider Monkey Score: 0.66 The median daily cost of a semi-private room at a nursing home in Springfield, Ohio is $224, which is marginally less than the $235 national average. Prices range from $201 to $263 per day, with the highest rate estimated to cost approximately $95,995 yearly. Ohio's nursing home expenses are predicted to increase by 7% throughout the following five years. Medicare pays for half of the costs for days 21100 in a skilled nursing facility and covers the first 20 days of care. 10. Honolulu, HI Insider Monkey Score: 0.7 Nursing home care expenses in Honolulu, Hawaii, are significantly more than the national average; a semi-private room typically costs $11,543 a month, which is 49% more than the national average. Medicare pays for skilled nursing stays that are up to 100 days in length, whereas Medicaid, with stringent qualifying requirements, serves as the main payer for longer-term inpatient care. 9. Glendale, CA Insider Monkey Score: 0.73 In Glendale, California, senior living options cater to various budgets, from independent cottages to skilled nursing apartments. Assisted living averages $4,500 monthly, exceeding the national average. Top-rated nursing homes like Glen Park at Glendale, Windsor, and Twelve Oaks offer specialized care specifically tailored to seniors' needs that ranges from memory impairment support to all-inclusive living arrangements. 8. Colorado Springs, Colorado Insider Monkey Score: 0.76 High-quality care is provided by Colorado Springs' nursing facilities, while the cost is marginally more than the national average. Monthly averages for semi-private rooms are $8,669 and private rooms are $9,414, depending on the facility and level of care required. 7. Topeka, Kansas Insider Monkey Score: 0.8 The expense of a nursing home is often lower in Topeka, Kansas. Semi-private room costs an average of $212 per day, $23 less than the state median, for a median yearly cost of $77,362. There are five nursing facilities in the Topeka metro area, with Mission Village Living Center and Topeka Lutheran Home Association being the largest and earning the most money. Nevertheless, smaller businesses have difficulties; their share of total revenue is only 5.1%. 6. Evansville, IN Insider Monkey Score: 0.83 The average monthly cost of assisted living in Evansville, Indiana, is $3,250 to $5,255, depending on the facility, which is comparable to the state average. Usually, memory care services raise these costs by 20% to 30%. The average hourly charge for in-home care is $25; the cost of home health care services is somewhat higher. Click to see and continue reading the 5 Cities With High Quality Nursing Homes in the US. Suggested Articles: Disclosure. None: The 30 Cities With High Quality Nursing Homes in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey. MONTOUR FALLS, N.Y. (WETM) The village of Montour Falls will be awarded a $175,000 grant to continue to complete its clean energy projects after it reached its clean energy goal, as announced by Mayor James Ryan. The village will be awarded the grant after it reached 7,000 points as part of the NYSERDA Clean Energy Initiative. This grant will add to the $1.5 million in total funding that the Sustainable Montour Falls initiative has received since it began in 2017. Town of Woodhull to receive almost $5 million to replace natural gas pipelines Since then, Montour Falls has achieved Clean Energy Community designation in October of 2018 and was nominated a Bronze Climate Smart Community in October of 2019. Sustainable Montour Falls has completed over $700,000 in projects with another $1.2 million in projects that are planned to be completed in the next 18 months. To view all of Sustainable Montour Falls projects and initiatives, visit the Village of Montour Falls website. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. More Body Parts Believed to Belong to Teen Murdered While on First Date Wash Ashore in Michigan The grisly discovery comes as the family of murder suspect Maxwell Anderson release a statement facebook Sade Robinson More body parts that authorities believe belong to a missing woman have washed up on a beach along Lake Michigan, police said. On Thursday, April 18, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office shared a press release to Facebook stating that more human remains had been found on a beach in South Milwaukee that investigators believe belong to 19-year-old Sade Carleena Robinson. "The torso and arm, found at 7:37 AM by a citizen walking the beach, are believed to be that of Sade Robinson, 19, whom MCSO investigators believe was murdered by Maxwell Anderson, 33, of the 3100 block of S. 39t Street in Milwaukee, on or about April 2," the Sheriff's Office wrote in its latest press release. PEOPLE previously reported that 33-year-old Maxwell S. Anderson was charged April 12 in connection with the death of Robinson, per a Sheriff's Office statement. Authorities alleged he killed her after they went on their first date on April 1, and her body parts have been discovered in different parts of Milwaukee. Just days after Robinson was last seen headed out with Anderson to a local restaurant, authorities issued a critical missing warning. The following morning, Robinson's car was found on fire near her home, per a criminal complaint obtained by Wisconsin Public Radio. That same day, a human leg, now believed to be Robinson's, was discovered in a Cudahy, Wis. park, less than 10 miles away from Milwaukee, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement at the time. The next day, investigators found another body part near the scene of the car fire, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Over the next several days, more and more body parts would be discovered in the vicinity. In a previous statement, the sheriff's office alleged that Anderson killed Robinson on April 2 and mutilated her remains, and set fire to her car in an attempt to obscure potential evidence of the killing." Related: Body Parts of Teenager Were Found Strewn Across Wisc. Cities After She Went on 1st Date; Suspect Charged Anderson was charged with first degree homicide, mutilation of a corpse and arson, online court records show. Per the latest press release, all three crimes are felonies and he faces a combined sentence of life imprisonment. He is due back in court on Monday, April 22 for a preliminary hearing. Anderson's family released a statement to local Wisconsin outlets on Thursday, including FOX 6. "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. We are shocked and devasted (sic) by her senseless death," Anderson's father Steven wrote in the statement. facebook Sade Carleena Robinson "To Sade's mother and father, words cannot express our sorrow for the incomprehensible pain and grief you are going through. We join the entire community in celebrating Sade's life." 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 add that the investigation is still ongoing, and although the limbs discovered so far are all believed" to be Robinson, they have been "not yet formally confirmed." "Our thoughts and prayers and the full support of this agency remain with Robinson's family and loved ones, as they grieve and process her tragic loss," the Sheriff's Office added. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. After more than three months, some I-5 protesters have been charged 104 days after protesters blocked all lanes of Northbound Interstate 5 in Seattle, six of them have been charged. The charges are misdemeanors such as disorderly contact and criminal trespass. They were filed Friday in King County District Court. Five more people are still under investigation for possible charges. On Jan. 6. protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza blocked I-5 near Olive Way in Downtown Seattle for around 5 hours. Washington State Patrol says there were far more protesters than they could immediately remove. There are normally about 6 troopers patrolling the area. Dozens more were called in to assist, but that additional response took time to materialize. WSP issued a dispersal order which protesters eventually complied with. No one was arrested that day. KIRO 7 asked the King County Prosecutors Office why it took so long to file charges. We saw a similar protest at SEA airport on Monday and most of those arrested have already been charged. The difference in this case is that none of the protesters were arrested at the protest and had not been identified. Investigators had to search through photos and videos of the protest and match faces seen at the protest to drivers license photos. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends a ceremony to receive credentials from new foreign ambassadors at the Kremlin. -/KREMLIN/dpa After more than two years of intense fighting in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday reasserted Moscow's claimed right to rule over its neighbour. At most, the future of western Ukraine is unclear, Lavrov told several Russian broadcasters in an interview in Moscow. Otherwise, there will only be a Ukraine "that is truly Russian, that wants to be part of the Russian world, that wants to speak Russian and educate its children," he said. There was no question of any alternative, according to Lavrov, 74, who has served as foreign minister since 2004 and is a staunch supporter and confidant of President Vladimir Putin. Russia does not want to attack NATO states, as is claimed in the West to scare voters, Lavrov said. "But if they want to push NATO's borders to our borders, then we will of course know how to prevent that in Ukraine." Like other senior members of the leadership, Lavrov said Russia was ready for talks with Ukraine, but only under specific conditions. There would be no ceasefire during possible negotiations, talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are pointless, and Kiev would have to move away from his peace formula, he said. In the autumn of 2022, Zelensky drew up 10 points that included the withdrawal of Russian troops, reconstruction and reparations, and the prosecution of war criminals. Most artefacts rescued after fire at Copenhagen's Old Stock Exchange A general view of the old stock exchange. The historic stock exchange in the Danish capital Copenhagen is on fire. picture alliance / dpa Almost all of the art treasures survived the devastating fire in the Old Stock Exchange in Copenhagen, its owner, the Danish Chamber of Commerce, has said. The head of the chamber, Brian Mikkelsen, told the Ritzau news agency on Friday, when Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visited the site of the disaster in the Danish capital, that they had saved 99% of the artefacts. Ritzau reported on Saturday that emergency services were still working to remove the scaffolding surrounding the building for restoration work. A fire broke out in the building, which was built 400 years ago, on Tuesday. The cause of the fire is unclear. Half of the Old Stock Exchange burnt down, leaving only the outer walls. These collapsed on Thursday afternoon. Several streets and the area surrounding the historic stock exchange building remained cordoned off. The Old Stock Exchange, which now houses the Danish Chamber of Commerce, is home to a large art collection. The building has not been used as a stock exchange in the true sense of the word for a long time. Since the collapse of parts of the facade, rescue workers have been attempting with great caution to save what remains of the building. From the G-File on The Dispatch Dear Reader (even those of you who read the six lessons of the Austrian economic school this past week), I rarely sit down to write an ambitious G-File. I dont mean that I write the ambitious G-Files standing up; I mean that I usually start with something minor and then things get out of hand. Its sorta like I say to myself, Ill just have this one mozzarella stick, from the all-you-can-eat buffet and a few hours later find myself bloated and sweaty, belt unbuckled, with a nervous wait staff wondering if they should call somebody to remove the dude wallowing in his own crapulence. But today, Im heading into the buffet eyes open. Whether the trip will succeedon my terms or yoursI have no idea. But here we go. And let me warn you in advance: This is going to be a long one because I have some stuff I need to get out of my cabeza. I want to offer a provisional answer to the social question. For students of Western intellectual history, the social questionsoziale Frage, question sociale, sociale vraagstuk in German, French, and Dutch, respectivelywas arguably the central topic in the wake of the Enlightenment. I have no estimate for how many tens of thousands of essays, books, papal pronouncements, speeches, sermons, reports, and other tracts were dedicated to the social question from the beginning of the 19th century through the middle of the 20th (and even to the present). Virtually all revolutionary and reform movements conceived of themselves as the living embodiment of their answer to it. What was the question being asked? Essentially, How should we live? The key word here is we. Because the social question aimed at how all of society should be organized, de novo. This was a live question because the Old Order was clearly on the way out, even if various monarchs, emperors, and theologians hadnt gotten the memo yet. Normally, Im interested in the philosophical arguments about all this. But I want to focus on something different: Numbers. In the 1830s and 1840s, the Industrial Revolution was firing on all cylinders. Along with the smokestacks and indoor plumbing, a flood of data came with the flood of industrial laborers and sewage. In Revolutionary Spring, a magisterial history of the revolutions of 1848, Christopher Clark writes that The Social Question that preoccupied mid-nineteenth-century Europeans was a constellation of real-world problems, but it was also a way of seeing. That way of seeing was born of the new science of statistics that illuminated every aspect of public policy in ways never imagined before. The measurement of correlations based on large datasets allowed the exposure of provocative causal claims, about the effect, for example, of income on mortality, Clark writes. Once this paradigm shift in social understanding had taken place, there was no going back. Clarks discussion of this shift is brilliant and illuminating, but I think he might be underselling it. I think the explosion in statistical thinking had a causal role in the idea that God was dead, as Nietzsche would infamously claim a generation later. The ability to see society as an organic body or machinethe metaphors variedstemmed from the fact that statistics granted experts what they thought was an omniscient view of the inner workings of the economy. Datasets were like X-Ray glasses, engineering schematics, or microscopes, allowing experts to see how things really worked. This way of seeing things created a whole class of social scientists who believed they now had the tools required for masteryto borrow Walter Lippmanns phraseover the operations of society. Auguste Comte coined the term sociology in 1838 to describe this new scientific approach to studying and perfecting society. Social scientist didnt appear until the 1850s and social engineerwhich was not a derogatory termemerged in 1899. Statistical analysis was intoxicating. Believing they now had a Gods eye view of society, many started to assume they had God-like powers to guide, shape, and ultimately design society. To the practitioners of such a science would fall the task of divining and managing the needs of a future society, Clark writes. And elsewhere he notes, this was the era in which the term Utopia ceased to denote an impossible place in the present and came to denote a possible place in the future. Karl Marx is simply the most famous of the firstbut not the lastgeneration of experts and intellectuals who believed they now had the tools to do the things they thought God would do if He existed or actually cared about the organic mass of humanity called society. For understandable reasons, this is when the obsession with economic inequality emerges. After all, the relatively recent end of serfdom or quasi-serflike status in many nations turned laborers into visible economic units. Notions of political equalitywhich had emerged a bit earlierunavoidably bled into the publics understanding of economic inequality. What good are equal political rights when the poor starve? When reading about this period, the pundit in me often screams at the revolutionaries and reformers: Why do you care about inequality now? I mean its not like there werent plenty of poor people under feudalism. Indeed, as a share of society, there were more poor people. But this misses a crucial point. In the Old Order, the status of peasants and serfs was Gods will. The Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution introduced the idea that mankind was the master of its fate. The rich were rich because they were aristocrats, and aristocrats were divinely anointed. There had been a kind of social contract that made specific communities of poor people the quasi-parental responsibility of some lord, baron, or king. But the Industrial Revolution created a new wealthy class that could not invoke divine right or Gods will to justify their status. (Though for a while, the nouveau riche did buy aristocratic titles, which really pissed off the old guard aristocracy.) The philosophical ideas of political and economic liberty that made this new prosperity possible invited new claims that wealth and power were unjustly held. A merchant who made his own fortune was seen as less legitimate. The bourgeois were often hated from above and below as upstarts with undeserved privileges that came with wealth. If how society should be organized is an open question, surely we can organize it in a better way, where people arent merely politically equal, but economically equal too. This is the difference between the social question and the political question. Liberals thought the political question was more important, and they prioritized constitutions, democracy, and civil rights as the answer to it. Communists (not just the Marxists and certainly not the Bolsheviks, most of whom werent born yet), socialists, republicans (in France), and other leftist radicals may or may not have agreed with the liberals on aspects of the political question. But it was the social question, and their utopian schemes to answer it, that aroused their passion. Anyway, I dont think readers will be surprised when I say I think the communist types were wrong in their utopian ambitions. But we should be fair. The social scientists were right about all sorts of things: about the need to improve public health through better hygiene, worker safety, child labor, and countless other important reforms. They were also often right on how to reform such things. They werent all gnostic metaphysicians and political totalitarians. Still, I think this way of thinking is alive and well today. Its morphed and evolved. It uses different vocabulary. It resides in different sorts of people and leads to different arguments. But this idea that society can be remade from start, from above, endures. We see it on the post-liberal left and right, and among technocrats and social justice warriors. Its captured in that treacly George Bernard Shaw quote, Some men see things as they are and ask, Why? I dream things that never were and ask, Why not? One of my chief gripes with John Rawls veil of ignorance is the question-begging assumption that the best way to think about how to organize society from scratch is to start from the fallacy that we can design society from scratch. Creating a perfect world on paper, where everybody has the same interests and desires and is willing to work hand-in-hand cooperatively is actually pretty easy. Getting it off the drawing board is impossible. The Curse of Zero-Sum Thinking Lets change gears. I was reading about a new study on zero-sum thinking. In economics, theres the zero-sum fallacy. In short, its the view that an economic benefit for one person is an economic loss for another. For all of Marxs modern vocabulary, he believed in pre-modern folk economics. Economic exchanges, for Marx and countless others of his era, always involved a winner and a loser. Thats the heart of Marxs labor theory of value. And its ridiculous. If youre hungry, you might buy a cheeseburger. The guy making cheeseburgers has many cheeseburgers. You give him money. Hes happy to get your money. You are happy to get a cheeseburger. Everybody wins. If you stole a cheeseburger, that would be zero-sum. The same holds at scale. If a thousand people buy cheeseburgers, the owner of the burger joint gets richer, and the burger buyers dont get poorerthey get cheeseburgers. In fact, the more cheeseburgers the guy makes, the more incentive he has to make the cheeseburgers cheaper because his unit costs decrease. If he tries to hike prices, customers go down the street and buy cheaper burgers. I could illustrate this with a lot more sophistication, but I think most readers understand the basic point. But zero-sum thinking stops being a fallacy when theres a static or fixed number of cheeseburgers. You go through the drive-thru and order cheeseburgers for the four people in the car. But, because they always screw you at the drive-thru, they only put three in the bag. This is how the social question crowd looks at economics: Since theres a finite amount of wealth, everyone deserves an equal share. If were all equal, if we all have the same rights, why should they get more wealth than us. Or me. One of my ideological fixations is that a lot of modern ways of thinking are actually pre-modern ideas dressed up in new-fangled clothing. Socialism is a fancy version of the folk economics of the tribe. According to the tribal mind, everyone should share in provisions equally. Never mind that real tribes didnt work this way. The big man or the hunter got the best slices of the mastodon. But this is the way we think about families. Pretty much all decent families operate on some version of Marxs utopian vision of from each according to their ability to each according to their need. Everyone is equalin the ways that really matterin the family. The kid with special needs isnt told to suck it up. If society or the nation is really just an extended family, it should operate like one. I think this was the underlying basic assumption behind Babeuf, Marx, Saint-Simon, Comte, and countless others. We sometimes get distracted by all of the historic and political connotations of the word socialism. We think of bad political movements or specific economic programs and not the core psychological concept behind it. The key word is social. Its resonance gets lost, but when people talked about socializing resources they meant treating all of society like a giant family. And why wouldnt you? The old hierarchies of nobility, caste, and class were losing their hold on the intellectuals (it would take a while longer for the masses) and they were convinced a new age of possibilities was dawning. Why assume the new aristocracies of wealth are the only way to organize society? I have no idea if I have any readers left at this point, but Im going to press on. The study I was reading about wasnt really about economics (though I think economic illiteracy is part of the problem). Its about culture and politics. Heres the abstract for Zero-Sum Thinking and the Roots of U.S. Political Divides: We investigate the origins and implications of zero-sum thinking the belief that gains for one individual or group tend to come at the cost of others. Using a new survey of a representative sample of 20,400 US residents, we measure zero-sum thinking, political preferences, policy views, and a rich array of ancestral information spanning four generations. We find that a more zero-sum mindset is strongly associated with more support for government redistribution, race- and gender-based affirmative action, and more restrictive immigration policies. Furthermore, zero-sum thinking can be traced back to the experiences of both the individual and their ancestors, encompassing factors such as the degree of intergenerational upward mobility they experienced, whether they immigrated to the United States or lived in a location with more immigrants, and whether they were enslaved or lived in a location with more enslavement. The authors find, unsurprisingly, that people with zero-sum mindsets are much more in favor of government programs that redistribute wealth, which partially explains why zero-sum thinkers are slightly more likely to be Democrats than Republicans. But they note: While a zero-sum mindset generally correlates with stronger alignment with the Democratic Party (and weaker alignment with the Republican Party), it is not primarily a partisan issue. Instead, it helps explain variation in views within parties. And thats where things start to get interesting. This study shows how the zero-sum economic fallacy can fuel a cultural oneand vice versa. People with zero-sum mindsets, whether Democrat or Republican, are more likely to oppose increased immigration. This makes intuitive sense. If you see jobs as a finite resource, the argument that theyre taking our jobs becomes more persuasive. And in fairness, I think the causality can go both ways. If you live in a working-class community and you see immigrants taking jobs, that can trigger a zero-sum mindset to take over. And lets not single out working-class people. Affirmative action in higher education is something of a static-pie situation; there are only so many slots at Harvard or Yale. The policy of favoring some groups over others feels very zero-sum to applicants (and their parents!) when you believe, rightly or wrongly, that you were denied a slot because practitioners of racial distributivism decide they have too many Asians, whites, Jews, whatever. The authors write: We highlight that zero-sum thinking can help us understand some (perhaps puzzling) policy and political preferences in the United States. It helps rationalize why certain groups who stand to gain economically from government redistribution white, rural, and older populations tend to oppose government redistribution, while those who stand to lose urban and younger populations tend to support it. Identity politics is a culturally zero-sum way of thinking about society. Whats good for that group comes at the expense of my group. This is an ancient human sentiment, found across cultures and history. It drives historic enmities and rivalries between ethnic groups, nation-states, religions, and economic classes. It has always been an indispensable component of antisemitism, and I would argue its what drives a good deal of Israel hatred. Indeed, its ancient because it stems from human nature. Its an evolved trait. Its also a sin. Envy, which Thomas Aquinas defined as sadness for the good fortune of others, has always been a major psychological component in the appeal of redistributive politics. Envy has hobbled whole societies. Helmut Schoeck writes in his brilliant, Envy: A Theory of Social Behavior that in primitive societies, No one dares to show anything that might lead people to think he was better off. He adds: Innovations are unlikely. Agricultural methods remain traditional and primitive, to the detriment of the whole village, because every deviation from previous practice comes up against the limitations set by envy. But we dont need biblical concepts to see this sort of thing. Shorn of euphemism, machine politics is full of zero-sum tribalism. A party boss who rewards the Irish but screws the Italians is practicing identity politics. And patronage jobs are nothing if not zero-sum. In the decade after 9/11, a lot of people on the right got very, very, worked up over communities in America that were allegedly trying to establish Sharia law. I never really figured out how real this was. But in retrospect, it seems that at least part of the panic over it had less to do with a national security threat and more to do with a zero-sum fear that a win for Muslims was a loss for Christians. Maybe because of my Jewish heritage, I never completely understood this fear. I dont feel like I lose anything when, say, Amish people create a new community somewhere under Amish rules. People living the way they want, so long as they abide by the law and the Constitution, doesnt come at my expense. We tend to think, for understandable reasons, that identity politics is a left-wing thing. It certainly is a big part of left-wing thinking. But theres a hell of a lot of the same kind of thinking on the right; we just use different language to describe it. White identity politics is real, but it gets more pejorative languageracism, white supremacy, etc. Similarly, feminism is considered a robust political and philosophical project, but male chauvinism or mens rights is usually looked at with scorn and ridicule. Christian nationalists play many of the same games as Islamic activists, but critics of the Christian radicals are treated as enlightened by mainstream elites while critics of the Islamic radicals get called Islamophobes. And, duh, antisemitism is one of the oldest forms of pernicious identity politics. Right now the right and left are ensorcelled by cultural zero-sum thinking. The fight in Congress unfolding as I write this is driven in large part by a handful of mulish right-wingers who think a win for Democrats is a loss for Republicans. Left out of the equation is the fact that what the Democrats are trying to do is help the majority of Republicans score a win for America. You can disagree on policy terms, but Marjorie Taylor Greene is not making a policy argument. Shes making a tribal one. Giving the Democrats a win is a zero-sum loss for Republicans. This is the culture war in miniature. Legions of people have convinced themselves that a loss for them is a win for us. Schadenfreudejoy at the misfortune of othersis the other side of the coin from envy. This is what trolling is: Making one of them sad or angry is a source of joy for us. Tearing down statues, hurling epithets, glorying in the deaths of Jews, drinking liberal tears, celebrating their misfortunes or being outraged by the good fortune of them, is a motivating passion for the left and right on cable news and social media. I understand that presidential elections are, in fact, zero-sum within the confines of an election. Only one can win. If one wins, the other loses. And I understand that a lot of people think that if they win not only will we lose, but America will be over. But this is the fruit of the zero-sum mind. And its nonsense. Unless, of course, the people who believe it are determined to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. So here is my provisional answer to the social question. Kobayashi Maru the test. The moment you agree to participate in a no-win game, you agree to lose. When we ask the social question, we agree to search for an answer that doesnt exist. Its a utopian question because the people who ask it demand a utopian answer. The answer to the political question is liberal democratic capitalism. And that means the only possible answer to the social question is plural. There is no one right answer because people are free to live as they see fit within the rules laid out by the liberal political order. The Amish answer to the social question is the right answerfor the Amish. This isnt a call for libertarianism or libertinism on steroids. Freedom must allow for people to live, work, and play in groups, communities, associations, with rules more robust than do whatever you want. But freedom also means that if youre part of some group where people do not live the way you want to, you have the freedom to leave it. You dont have the right to bend it to your individual demands and desires. Google can fire, and universities can expel, radical brats. And radical brats can quit Google or transfer out of Columbia. In economics and culture, freedom is the enemy of and answer to the zero-sum mindset. Illiberals in all parties are not content to live the way they want to, or even to merely argue against those living the wrong way. They want to impose the right way to live on everybody, in part because in their zero-sum vision, if the wrong people thrive the right people suffer. But also because they see power as zero-sumeither we have it or they do. And that is the most intolerable thing of all for such people. Various & Sundry Canine Update: So the nearly 20-year-old Honda Element conked out at the dog park last week. I ended up having to walk the girls back to the house, which is fine, except I only had one leash for the Dingo. But Pippa has become quite a good girl about heeding instructions at crosswalks and the like. Because it took a few days to get it fixed, we had to confine ourselves to a lot of neighborhood walks. Zoe is fine with that; she likes to mark her territory. But, no doubt because of the omnipresence of mean dogs, Pippa is always reluctant and will only carry her ball. We finally got the car back and things are getting back to normal with morning sorties and fetching sessions. Poor Pippa also had to go to the vet this week for some glandular tending (less said about that the better). She was so upset about the trip she wouldnt look at us for a while. But shes fine now (and smells much better!). Gracie has gotten into the habit of settler-colonizing the Fair Jessicas lap every night. This arouses ample jealousy from the Dingo. Also, the Dingo is becoming ever more promiscuous with her arooing. Im a little disappointed with both Zoe and Gracie because we confirmed this morning we have a mouse problem. Mice set up shop behind our stove and in the fuse box area in my office. If their defense, I dont think theyve ventured into the house proper. No droppings attest to that. Still, having a fearsome cat and a killer Dingo should be enough to dissuade vermin to live anywhere near chez Goldberg. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. MPD searching for man who shot at two teens in South Memphis MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Memphis Police Department is searching for the suspect responsible for shooting at two juveniles in South Memphis earlier this month. According to reports, on April 1, officers responded to a shooting in the 200 block of East McLemore Avenue at 2:40 p.m. Police say two juveniles were walking in the area when a dark-colored Saturn Vue stopped near them. The driver allegedly got out of the car and started shooting at the two victims. Father blames weak system after sons convicted killer arrested again The suspect then got back into the car and drove southbound on Latham from McLemore. Reports say the back window glass was missing on the suspects vehicle, and that area was partially covered in tape. The suspect has long dreadlocks and was wearing a white t-shirt, according to MPD. If you have any information regarding these, call Memphis CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. GILES COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) A Lynnville family has renewed hope for closure exactly three years after their loved one was shot and killed outside of their home. Jim Grimes was killed while feeding the animals on his property along Buford Station Road, leaving the small community in disbelief and a widow fighting for justice. I think about him every dayI still talk to him every day, Dawn Grimes said as she teared up. NOVEMBER 2022 | Technology opens new leads in Giles County homicide investigation The reality, however, is Dawn hasnt heard her husbands voice since April 19, 2021, the day she was robbed of her future with Jim: Even though hes not physically here, he is. According to Giles County authorities, they have a person of interest in the case, but they have yet to make an arrest. I want to remind people, theyre still out there. It could happen tonight to your family, to your loved ones, so we cant give up. We cant stop pursuing this. Weve got to make sure these people are brought to justice so that this cant happen again, Dawn explained. APRIL 2023 | Theres always hope: No arrests made in Giles County murder two years later Sheriff Kyle Helton along with the Grimes family vowed to never give up, saying several cold case groups have joined their efforts as they center in on a conviction for the person who killed Jim. Weve got new eyes, new equipment, new evidence. I have renewed hope, Dawn stated. Ive never given up hope, I never will give up hope, but I have a renewed sense of hope that we might be coming to a close fairly fairly soon, but its in Gods hands, its on His timetable, and I believe that there is a reason why its taken us this long to get to where we are, and God knows, and eventually our killers will know, as well. Roughly 200 homicide investigators across the country are assisting in the case, according to Helton. SEPTEMBER 2023 | Spring Hill honors Giles County man murdered in 2021 Theres no quit in me, and theres no quit in the group and the people that are working on this case. Theyre not going to give up, Dawn told News 2. Loved ones are gathering Friday night on the Grimes property in remembrance of Jim. He was a God loving, God fearing; loved his family, loved his community. Hed do anything for anybody. He was the most kind and considerate, and as a husband, I knew he loved me, Dawn explained, adding that she never wants Jim to be forgotten. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com A $1 million reward is still on the table for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in Jims case. If you have any information, youre asked to call the Giles County Sheriffs Department at 931-638-2358 or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Hoping to expand your vinyl collection? Youre in luck. Portlands independent music shops are now preparing for Record Store Day on Saturday. The inaugural event was held in 2008, after record store owners pushed for a yearly celebration of all things vinyl. According to Music Millennium owner Terry Currier, major music labels sent around 50 exclusive records to stores around the world. 4/20 activities, events to join in Portland this weekend But this year, he estimates over 400 exclusive vinyl albums will be available for purchase. As a newly independent band looking to support independent music stores, Paramore is the ambassador for Record Store Day 2024. The alternative rock band is offering a record with remixes of its latest album This Is Why, and a 12-inch record in which David Byrne and Paramore cover each others songs. Music Millennium will also sell a mini record player, complete with recordings of The Beatles iconic performances on the Ed Sullivan show. Portland-formed band The Dandy Warhols will release a live album as well. The Burnside record store will be open from 8 a.m. through 10 p.m., and early arrival is highly suggested. Northbound lanes of Interstate Bridge to close Saturday In the past, its not been uncommon for the first people to get in line the day before Record Store Day, Currier said. Usually when I drive in and get in about five in the morning, theres 60 to 100 people in line and, when we open the doors at [8 a.m.], theres usually 250 to 300 plus in line, Currier said. The owner told KOIN 6 his store will offer free muffins, coffee, music, socks and custom posters to the first customers to arrive. Founded in 1969, Music Millennium is one of the regions oldest record stores. Its seen vinyl albums rise and fall in popularity over the years, but more recently, some younger music enthusiasts have turned to physical media. Currier believes customers in their late teens will fuel record sales for years to come. REI Co-op opens in Beaverton with largest gear, apparel assortment in Oregon Its looking like independent record stores have a future, he said. Find a full list of the Portland businesses participating in Record Store Day above. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk spoke out against the effort to ban TikTok in the U.S., saying it would be in conflict with the First Amendment and it is not what America stands for. Musk added that while the ban would likely benefit the social platform X which he purchased in October 2022 he doesnt support the ban. In my opinion, TikTok should not be banned in the USA, even though such a ban may benefit the X platform, Musk wrote Friday. Doing so would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression. It is not what America stands for. The Tesla CEOs position on the issue comes just days after House GOP leaders unveiled a bill centered on national security priorities, which includes language that would prohibit TikTok use in the U.S. if its Chinese parent company ByteDance fails to divorce its operations from the Chinese Communist Party within 12 months. The modified provision would extend ByteDances time to sell the app from six months to a year, an adjustment that was welcomed by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). Cantwell announced Wednesday she would support the modification, a key development for the legislation to get more support in the upper chamber. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversarial Controlled Applications Act, the initial bill to ban the platform, was introduced last month. It passed the House only a week after it was introduced, but has gotten pushback, even from former President Trump. Im very happy that Speaker [Mike] Johnson [R-La.] and House leaders incorporated my recommendation to extend the ByteDance divestment period from six months to a year, Cantwell said Wednesday. 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. Musks position on the ban aligns him with progressive Democrats, who have voiced similar concerns regarding the legislation potentially encroaching on the free speech of users. President Biden has said that if the TikTok bill passes through both chambers, he will sign it into law. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In this article, we take a look at 30 countries that receive the most aid from UNDP. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of UNDP funding, you can directly go to the 5 Countries that Receive the Most Aid From UNDP. Understanding UNDP Aid The United Nations Development Programme offers aid to respond to several needs, which include tackling development challenges such as eradicating poverty, providing emergency relief during natural disasters, and supporting countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. According to the 2022 UNDP Funding Compendium, the agencys strategic plan from 2022-2025 includes lifting 100 million people from multidimensional poverty, providing clean energy to 500 million people, and aligning $1 trillion for the SDGs. You can also look at the 30 countries that receive the most foreign aid from the US. The aid flows into UNDP as voluntary contributions from member states, private sector organizations, multilateral organizations, and other sources. The contributors can either offer unrestricted regular funding (regular resources or core funding) or choose to aid a particular development project or cause. Through help from its funding partners, UNDP managed to deliver $4.8 billion in aid in 2022, meeting 95% of its planned targets. In total, UNDP received contributions of $4.9 billion in 2022. Within this, $591 million was for regular resources, whereas $4.3 billion was toward other resources earmarked for specific themes or projects. 41% of this total amount, $2 billion, came from donor country governments. 35%, or $1.7 billion, was donated by multilateral partners. The remaining 24%, or $1.2 billion, came from program country governments. Overall, UNDP saw a 7% decrease in annual contributions from 2021 to 2022. Aid in Numbers - 2022 While the overall annual contributions decreased, UNDP also saw some positive milestones during 2022. The agency recorded a 42% increase in its four funding windows, having received $119 million for them in 2022. UNDPs funding windows are poverty, climate, governance, and gender equality. Germany was the biggest contributor to funding windows, donating $42 million to climate and $14.1 million to governance. The aid delivery of $4.8 billion was also the highest recorded to date. Six countries signed new multi-year pledges to contribute regular resources, including Switzerland, Sweden, and New Zealand. Furthermore, ten partners, including the United States, Japan, Norway, and Austria, increased their regular resource contributions. You can also check out the 25 countries that gave the most foreign aid in 2023. In 2022, UNDPs most significant donor country resource partners were Japan, Germany, and Argentina, who donated $389 million, $385 million, and $295 million, respectively. The biggest resource partner overall was the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), which donated $461 million in 2022. Due to the ongoing crises in countries like Ukraine, Yemen, and South Sudan, they were some of the largest receivers of other resources from the UNDP in 2022. You can also take a look at countries that have provided the highest military aid to Ukraine. Private Sector Contributors In 2022, private sector companies, NGOs, foundations, and academic institutions contributed a total of $64 million to UNDP, which was a 7% increase from 2021. More than half of this amount, $38 million, came from the top ten contributors, which included companies such as The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930). In total, private sector companies contributed the biggest chunk of this $64 million, donating $33 million in the year. The second largest contribution segment was of foundations, which collectively donated around $25 million. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930) donated $3 million to UNDP in 2022, according to the UN agencys official compendium. However, the companys partnership with this particular UN agency dates back to 2019. Back then, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930) and UNDP partnered to create the Samsung Global Goals App, which informs people about the Global Goals and urges them to take action. Since then, nearly 300 million Galaxy devices have installed the app. Furthermore, it has also enabled the Galaxy user community to generate $10 million in donations for UNDP. People have the option to use the app to donate an amount of their preference to any of the 17 SDGs. For each donation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930) doubles the amount with an equal donation from the company. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) donated $2 million to UNDP in 2022, but it has donated even larger amounts in the past. In 2020, The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) Foundation donated almost $120 million and partnered with UNDP to improve the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the ventures in this partnership was to supply emergency medical equipment in Armenia, as asked by the local government. In 2022, UNDP announced that the Foundation would partner up with it to supply drinking water to residents of Khilol Makhalla in Uzbekistan. The Foundation has been working with UNDP in Uzbekistan for more than twelve years, during which time they have worked on water shortage issues and financial empowerment for women. Theres a reason that billions of dollars in aid flow into agencies such as UNDP each year. Countries around the globe rely on this funding in order to solve the several development challenges they have been facing. Based on this context, here are 30 countries that receive the most aid from UNDP for their local development needs. 30 Countries that Receive the Most Aid From UNDP 30 Countries that Receive the Most Aid From UNDP Our Methodology In order to curate this list of 30 countries that receive the most aid from UNDP, we consulted the World Bank dataset for net official flows from UNDP in 2022. The net official flows refer to the gross disbursements of any grants and loans offered to a particular country in a year, minus any repayments of earlier loans. The countries are organized in ascending order of aid received. Further information for each country has been added from UNDPs official website and reports. Based on this methodology, here are 30 countries that receive the most aid from UNDP: 30 Countries that Receive the Most Aid from UNDP 30. Gambia Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $4,832,682 The UNDP has several programs in Gambia that are working to enhance democratic governance, the rule of law, private sector development, and justice. The agency is also working to improve early-warning climate systems in the country, which currently cover only 50% of national territory. 29. Benin Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $4,839,183 In 2022, Benin had a net official flow of $4.8 million from the UNDP. One of the agencys ventures in the country included organizing youth training on circular economy so that young individuals could be educated on increasing entrepreneurial and technical capacity in poultry farming and aquaculture. 28. Nigeria Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $5,264,263 Nigeria is one of the nine countries supported by the UNDP Anti-Corruption Innovation Initiative, which enables countries to implement digital anti-corruption solutions in public service delivery. The agency is also aiding stabilization in the area through the Lake Chad Regional Stabilization Facility. 27. Haiti Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $5,670,918 Haiti is one of the countries that receive the most aid from UNDP, having a net official flow of $5.6 million in 2022. Haiti is one of the countries that UNDP supports through its Rule of Law and Human Rights Global Programme. Under this initiative, the agency delivers technical and financial support to Legal Assistance Offices (LAOs) to aid them in the provision of legal services. 26. Bangladesh Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $5,939,234 At COP28 in 2023, UNDP Bangladesh won the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) Award for its Local Government Initiative on Climate Change (LoGIC) Project. Bangladesh is one of the countries that receive the most aid from UNDP. 25. Rwanda Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,025,703 The justice sector in Rwanda is one of the worlds public service delivery systems that receives support from UNDPs Anti-Corruption Innovation Initiative. In 2022, Rwanda had a net official flow of $6 million from UNDP. 24. Sierra Leone Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,284,543 Sierra Leona ranks 25th on our list of countries receiving the most UNDP aid. In 2022, the country had a net official flow of $6.2 million from the UNDP. 23. Nepal Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,597,065 Nepal received disaster management support from the UNDP after the earthquakes of both 2015 and 2023. The agency aided the country in rebuilding infrastructure and improving disaster risk management. 22. Zimbabwe Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,757,430 In 2022, the UNDP worked on several projects in Zimbabwe, including the Anti-Retroviral Treatment Programme for HIV, the Solar for Health initiative, and the creation of green job opportunities. 21. Tanzania Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $6,967,607 UNDP currently has 37 open projects in Tanzania, which are being funded by a total of 18 donors. Within the SDGs, SDG 15 (Life on Land) has the highest budget allocation, amounting to $1.97 million. Tanzania is one of the countries receiving the highest aid from UNDP. 20. Liberia Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,030,863 The UNDP has several ongoing projects in Liberia, working to provide electoral support, fiscal decentralization, advocacy against gender-based violence, reduction in prison overcrowding, and environmental management. 19. Burkina Faso Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,102,292 Burkina Faso is one of the countries UNDP supports through its Regional Stabilization Facility in Liptako Gourma. These facilities provide support to vulnerable groups such as internally displaced individuals. 18. Togo Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,121,179 Togo is one of the countries where villages are benefitting from the GEF Small Grants Programme, which installs solar systems and trains students to become solar technicians. With a net official flow of $7.1 million, Togo is one of the countries receiving the most UNDP aid. 17. Chad Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,131,575 The Lake Chad Regional Stabilization Facility began in 2019, with Chad being one of the countries it supports. In 2022, Chad had a total net official flow of $7.13 million from the UNDP. 16. Uganda Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,339,811 UNDPs Anti-Corruption Innovation Initiative supports environmental resource management in Uganda, which is one of the nine countries that are a part of this program. With 78% of Ugandas population being under 30, UNDP is also running several youth development initiatives in the country, including training and job opportunities. 15. Yemen Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,419,036 Since 2021, UNDP has benefitted around 205,000 Yemeni residents with its legal empowerment, community safety, gender justice, and detainee protection initiatives. On February 1, 2024, the UN launched a $2.7 billion donation appeal, which is the money it will require to support the millions of Yemenis affected by war and conflict. 14. Sudan Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,504,510 A recent study from UNDP emphasizes the looming food insecurity in Sudan. The report was released on April 10, 2024, and elaborated that 59% of rural households were facing moderate or severe food insecurity in Sudan. Sudan's net official flow from the UNDP was $7.5 million in 2022. 13. Central African Republic Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,797,839 Central African Republic ranks 14th on our list of countries that receive the most aid from UNDP. In 2022, the country had a net official flow of $7.7 million from the UN agency. 12. Guinea Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $7,930,337 Guinea is one of the countries that receives a high volume of aid from UNDP. In 2022, the country had a net official flow of $7.9 million from the agency, which ranks it 13th on our list. 11. Madagascar Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $9,263,237 The UNDP is working on several specialized projects in Madagascar. One example is the project to phase out mercury from industrial plants by reducing mercury-containing devices and emissions. The agency has also contributed to advancing the country's healthcare waste management system. 10. Niger Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $9,517,628 UNDP supports Niger through both of its Regional Stabilization Facilities, in Lake Chad and Liptako Gourma. Niger is one of the countries that receive the most aid from UNDP, ranking tenth on our list. 9. Mali Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $9,672,414 UNDP is helping local agencies in Mali protect 21,000 hectares of land that has been degraded due to armed conflict. This initiative restores land productivity, helping all those whose livelihoods have been impacted due to years of fighting. 8. Mozambique Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $11,386,345 Mozambique is one of the countries where UNDP has utilized eMonitor+, its AI-powered digital system. The system has been used to track online violence against women in politics. Mozambique is one of the countries receiving a high influx of aid from UNDP. 7. Burundi Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $11,857,215 UNDP has been addressing gender-based violence in Burundi by establishing centers for survivors of gender-based violence, as well as rapid response systems for the protection of women. 6. Democratic Republic of Congo Net Official Flows From UNDP (2022): $12,170,304 Along with Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of two countries where the justice sector is being supported by UNDPs Anti-Corruption Innovation Initiative. With a net official flow of $12 million from UNDP in 2022, DRC ranks sixth on our list of countries that receive the most aid from UNDP. Click to continue reading and see the 5 Countries that Receive the Most Aid from UNDP. Suggested Articles: Disclaimer: None. 30 Countries that Receive the Most Aid from UNDP is originally published on Insider Monkey. Soon after construction began at Hinkley Point C, I stood in a massive hole on the Somerset coast watching millions of tonnes of concrete being poured all around me. As this took place, EDFs public affairs team assured me and my constituents living a few miles downwind that the nuclear reactors that would fill that hole would be protected by a dome so strong it would withstand earthquakes and even a direct hit from a commercial airliner. With 9/11 and Fukushima both in the not too distant past this was reassuring but I didnt give it another thought until I sat in the Ministry of Defence, seven years later, fretting over the air defence and ballistic hardening of the Zaporizhzhia power plant in eastern Ukraine. The grim reality is that in war centres of industry, political decision makers, financial markets and critical infrastructure all make appealing targets for an adversary with little regard for the Geneva Convention. Sadly, weve seen this repeatedly demonstrated in the way Russia and Iran have launched complex airborne attacks against centres of population and key civilian infrastructure. This forces us to be clear eyed about the degree to which we can secure the UKs airspace and defend against the sort of attacks weve seen on Kyiv and Jerusalem if as is no longer improbable we were to find ourselves at war. The answer is that we do have a set of capabilities that together allow us to thwart most threats although, as RUSIs Jack Watling and Sidharth Kaushal set out in their paper this week, there is a great deal to do to develop the command and control that fuses fixed radar with other sensors and matches them to the disparate systems that exist on warships, Typhoon fighter jets and on the back of trucks. Nobody in the MOD would disagree too much with their analysis. Indeed as youd expect, the Chief of Defence Staff had reflected on our homeland defence months ago, and ordered a review of our systems and how they can be integrated to give the best possible protection. It was the first time that this had been looked at in a very long time. While it shows that weve got enough to guard against a one-off attack with enough notice to put ships, planes and trucks in the right place as we did for the London Olympics with a Type 45 destroyer on the Thames, Typhoon fighters at RAF Northolt, and Army air defence batteries across East London we dont have the fully integrated air and missile defence system that we urgently need to be confident of a secure homeland if under sustained attack while, and while our armed forces were elsewhere as part of a NATO military response. In those circumstances, the air defence batteries would be protecting our troops on the frontline, our destroyers would be protecting aircraft carriers or shipping on key sea lanes, and our fighter jets would be shooting down the enemy and bombing targets on the ground. They simply cant be in two places at once and even if we had twice as many of all of them, such is the complexity of the modern air threat with suicide drones, bombs dropped from planes, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles, it really would be much more effective to invest in a fully integrated system to defend us. Such systems are incredibly expensive and with many more centres of population across a much bigger territory, a British Iron Dome would need to be even more sophisticated and capable than Israels. Thats why, in the end, well need to strike a balance between building more of our critical national infrastructure to a standard where its hardened against air attack, as I saw at Hinkley C, alongside an air defence system that protects our key military, industrial, financial and political centres. Within the system we do build, will be electronic counter-drone technologies on which the UK is already a world leader indeed the MoD announced this week that well be deploying some of those capabilities this summer to assist our French friends in protecting the Paris Olympics. Id expect that also within the system we develop will be newly emerging directed energy weapons where we are again leading following the successful demonstration of Dragon Fire earlier in the year. Beyond that, we would have missile batteries connected to myriad sensors with a lightning fast command and control system to protect us from the more conventional missile and aircraft threat. The first priority of Government is the defence and security of the homeland. The Integrated Air and Missile Defence System is vital to achieving that in the face of the complex air threats we may well face, but it will take at least five years, perhaps ten, for the system to be fully delivered. With the threat rising daily, we cant delay any longer before investing. 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. Society is, slowly but surely, beginning to wake up to the horrors caused in the name of gender ideology. Children have been harmed. Women have been erased. Free speech has been attacked. Reality has been undermined. Thankfully, the tide is starting to turn. The Secretary of State for Health, Victoria Atkins, made a landmark statement before Parliament. NHS England has halted the prescription of puberty blockers. Numerous sporting bodies have preserved fair competition for women. Many gender-critical litigants who suffered for speaking out have been vindicated in the Courts. However, we are not out of the woods yet. Not by a long way. We still dont understand why more young people than ever, particularly young girls and those who are same sex attracted, are presenting with a mental health condition causing them to believe they were born in the wrong body. There are schools that continue to teach children that it is possible to change their sex. State and non-State institutions alike remain signed up to Stonewalls biased schemes. Corporations continue to promote and glorify medical transitioning in their advertisements, in shameless pursuit of profit. Therapeutic bodies continue to push a model of unconditional affirmation on clinicians. Private gender clinics continue to encourage vulnerable clients to transition. Those who raise concerns continue to be labelled as bigots and silenced, threatened or cancelled. I know this only too well I was expelled from my Masters degree in Psychotherapy and removed from my role as a counsellor at Childline all because I expressed concern about child safeguarding. Equally, there are those out there who seek to keep us shackled to gender ideology. We witnessed this through the number of NHS clinics which withheld material from the ground-breaking Cass Review. Schools are even being advised by activist groups to ignore the government guidance for children questioning their gender within schools. Clearly, guidance and reviews are simply not enough. That is why I, along with over 130 prominent signatories, have written to the Prime Minister, demanding a public inquiry into the failure of societal institutions to safeguard children from harm. An inquiry that considers these issues holistically is the only answer to an ideology that has managed to infiltrate an entire society. Crucially, a statutory public inquiry will be able to legally compel evidence and make concrete recommendations to ensure real change is brought about. This letter has been signed by parliamentarians, clinicians, therapists, lawyers, social workers, detransitioners, academics, journalists, campaigners, and commentators. Reading the full letter, you may be surprised by some of the names who, under normal circumstances, have nothing in common with one another. Our letter has signatures from across the political spectrum, including Conservatives, Labour, Reform, Green, Social Democratic Party and Alba. That is because this issue is not about left or right. It is about right and wrong. The stakes could not be higher. Children and young people have been left scarred, emotionally and physically, in the name of gender ideology. Some have been left infertile. Others have lost parts of their bodies that they can never get back. As a society, we have failed in our duty of care towards children. We must secure justice for those who have been harmed. Crucially, we must ensure that no child again suffers the same fate. Rishi If you are reading this. Please do the right thing and set up a public inquiry as a matter of urgency. Our childrens wellbeing depends on 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. N.J. Dad Dies Weeks After Killing Son, 9, and Setting Car on Fire with Boy Inside Manuel Rivera died less than a month after killing his son Christian Naszier Rivera, per police Kristyne Felicies/GoFundMe Christian Naszier Rivera Manuel Rivera had been accused of murdering his son Christian Naszier Rivera Manuel left a suicide note and video apologizing to his wife in the March incident Christian was killed following a domestic dispute between his mother and Manuel, per reports The man who police say killed his 9-year-old by setting a car on fire behind a school in New Jersey has died after he sustained grave injuries in the same incident, authorities say. Manuel Rivera, of Sayreville, N.J., was pronounced dead on Wednesday, weeks after police say he set a car on fire with his son inside, the Middlesex County prosecutor's office announced, according to My Central Jersey, NJ.com and CBS News. The child, who died in the March 28 incident, has since been identified as Christian Naszier Rivera. It wasn't clear if the boy died prior to the fire or in the fire. Manuel, 43, was initially charged with aggravated arson, PIX 11 and ABC 7 NY reported at the time, citing officials. Authorities had since charged him with additional offenses of murder, endangering the welfare of a child and desecration of human remains, according to the prosecutors office, NJ.com, My Central Jersey and CBS News reported. Kristyne Felicies/GoFundMe Christian Naszier Rivera is being remembered as a 'bright and shining super star' On the evening of March 28, police responded to a fire behind a high school in Sayreville and found Manuel next to a burning car, authorities said at the time. Manuel had sustained burn injuries and a self-inflicted cut across his throat, per authorities, NJ.com reported. The car had been doused in gasoline and responding officers found Christians body inside, per authorities, as initially reported by NJ.com, ABC 7 NY and NBC New York. A few minutes after the fire, police responded to a domestic dispute call from a female who claimed Manuel had left the house with Christian and had threatened to kill the child and himself, according to a probable cause affidavit reviewed by NJ.com. Manuel reportedly left a suicide note in the back of their residence, per authorities, NJ.com and My Central Jersey reported. In a recorded video, he expressed remorse to his wife over his actions and requested she cremate him and Christian, the affidavit said, according to the outlets. Manuel said he will see [his wife] in the afterlife, the affidavit stated. Related: New Jersey Father Accused of Setting Car with 9-Year-Old Sons Body Inside on Fire 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. In a GoFundMe set up to assist Christians mother, the boy was honored as the bright and shining super star of the family. Christian would light up the room whenever he entered, reads part of the GoFundMe. "A charismatic, smart, loving son and brother, who will be greatly missed by his family, friends and community." Manuels cause of death was not immediately clear from the initial reports. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. 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. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. The New Jersey rabbi convicted for causing a grisly, headline-grabbing tragedy 30 years ago has died in prison. Fred Neulander, 82, who was serving a lifetime prison sentence for hiring two hit men to murder his wife Carol in 1994, was declared dead on Wednesday. He was found unresponsive at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, and his death was announced on Friday by the state Department of Corrections. Neulander had led Congregation Mkor Shalom in Cherry Hill, a suburb of Philadelphia, for two decades when he plotted to murder his wifeall so he could pursue an affair with a local radio personality. Carol Neulander, a beloved community presence with whom Fred shared three children, was beaten to death in her home with a lead pipe by two men the rabbi had hired. The scene was meant to look like a robbery gone wrong, but the police quickly got suspicious because the house looked normal otherwise, according to the Inquirer. One of the hit men, Len Jenoff, testified during Neulanders trial that he wanted to come home one night and find his wife dead on the floor. In 2002, Neulander was eventually convicted of murder charges and sentenced to a life sentence without the possibility of parole, as the jury could not agree on the death penalty. In 2016, Neulander attempted to overturn his convictiona plea that was rejected in New Jersey appeals court. The case has been the subject of various documentaries; in 2022, a Los Angeles theater staged a musical based on the story. 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. In our top science stories this week, reporter Ed Cara explores the similarities and differences between todays popular obesity drugs and fen-phen, a briefly trendy weight loss aid that was pulled from the market after doctors discovered dangerous side effects. NASA confirmed that a chunk of debris that crashed into a Florida home came from a battery pallet ejected from the ISS, and archaeologists found evidence that humans used a lava tube as a shelter over thousands of years. Rose Pastore An artists concept of Loki Patera, one of Ios lava lakes. - Gif: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS Two recent flybys of Jupiters moon Io by NASAs Juno spacecraft revealed a couple of stunning surprises: a remarkably steep mountain and islands in the middle of a burbling lava lake. - Isaac Schultz Read More For some people, Ozempic and its ilk are simply the latest iteration of a well-worn cautionary tale: too-good-to-be-true weight loss aids that will inevitably prove to be dangerous and even deadly. - Ed Cara Read More The pallet packed with old nickel-hydrogen batteries, photographed shortly after being released by the Canadarm2 robotic arm. - Photo: NASA Well, this is awkward. A NASA investigation confirmed that a small piece of trash tossed from the International Space Station (ISS) survived atmospheric reentry and ended up in a Florida home. This is a rare case of space junk causing damage on Earth, and the homeowner may be seeking legal action. - Passant Rabie Read More The mouth of the Umm Jirsan lava tube. - Photo: Green Arabia Project Three needs are famously fundamental to survival: food, water, and shelter. According to new research, ancient humans had at least two of those three needs met by a nearly mile-long lava tube about 77 miles (125 kilometers) north of Medina, Saudi Arabia, for at least 7,000 years. - Isaac Schultz Read More The Lyrids meteor shower, as viewed from the International Space Station in 2012. - Photo: NASA/JSC/D. Pettit We havent experienced a major meteor shower since the Quadrantids ended in early January, but the annual meteor drought has officially ended with the Lyrids now in action. Heres what you need to know about this yearly light show and how to watch it. - George Dvorsky Read More A Zepbound injection pen from Eli Lilly. - Image: oleschwander (Shutterstock) The newest weight loss drug on the market, Zepbound, might also help keep peoples snoring down. On Wednesday, Eli Lilly announced the preliminary results of two Phase III trials testing its drug tirzepatide for people with both obesity and obstructive sleep apnea. - Ed Cara Read More The ISS is home to a unique population of microbes. - Photo: NASA The International Space Station is home to crews of astronauts conducting research in low Earth orbit, but it also hosts mutated bacteria that are thriving under the harsh conditions of space. - Passant Rabie Read More A member of the Chaunax genus, a group of anglerfish commonly known as sea toads. - Photo: ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute under CC BY-NC-SA Much of the oceans life remains a mystery to us, but an international team of scientists has just filled in a few blanks after a 40-day expedition to the Salas y Gomez Ridge. The ridge is a lengthy corridor filled with over 100 underwater mountains that extends from Chile to Rapa Nui, more commonly known as Easter Island. - Ed Cara Read More It could be worse. At least these Escherichia coli bacteria dont have fangs. - Illustration: Kateryna Kon (Shutterstock) Eat your heart out, A24: Some real-life bacterial germs are literally hungry for our blood, new research suggests. Scientists have found evidence that certain disease-causing bacteria, including strains of Escherichia coli, are chemically attracted to the serum in our blood as a source of food. The horrifying findings seem to explain why these bacteria tend to cause life-threatening sepsis. - Ed Cara Read More Depiction of the binary system, in which a star orbits the unusually large stellar black hole. - Image: ESO The supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the Milky Way, but a newly spotted object takes the crown for the most massive stellar black hole known in our galaxy, weighing in at an impressive 33 times the mass of our Sun. - George Dvorsky Read More For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana. Since then, 38 states have legalized marijuana for medical use, with 24 statesand the District of Columbialegalizing it for recreational use. In Tennessee, both medical and recreational marijuana use are illegal, and that doesnt appear to be changing anytime soon. This year, Rep. Jesse Chism (D-Memphis) once again filed a bill that would add three nonbinding questions related to the legalization of marijuana on the November 2024 ballot. Chism attempted to get those questions on the ballot for all Tennesseans last year but the bill failed in a House subcommittee. This year the bill didnt make it out of a Senate subcommittee and was taken off notice in the House. Have breaking come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Given the status of marijuanas legality in the Volunteer State, it shouldnt come as a surprise that in a recent study from Clever Real Estate looking at the best and worst weed cities in the US, two Tennessee locations ranked among the worst. Based on the research, Nashville was named the 6th worst city for marijuanathe same spot Music City ranked in the 2023 report. Memphis landed at 9th on the list. According to the data, Nashville has 0.9 dispensaries per 100,000 residents. By comparison, the national average is 2.4. Clever found the average price for an ounce of high-quality marijuana is about $318. In Nashville, one ounce of high-quality weed costs residents an average of $363.55, which is 14% higher than the national average. MAP | Where marijuana is and isnt legal in the US The study also ranked cities by their Pot Passion scores (which is based on Google Trends data for 12 cannabis search terms made over a 12-month period). Nashvilles score (51) is 16 points below the national average of 67. Recreational marijuana is illegal in all of the bottom 10 cities. Medical marijuana is illegal in nine of the cities as well. The only place where marijuana is currently legal for medical use is Birmingham, Alabama, which was named the 5th worst weed city in the US this year. But that is a better ranking for the Magic City than in 2023 where it landed at the top of the list. Tennessees other city on the listMemphiscame in at 9th. While Nashville claimed the 6th spot again this year, the Home of the Blues dropped seven spots from the 2023 list where it was named the 2nd worst pot city in the country. The Legal High: Tennessees Delta 8 Debate | READ MORE Louisville, Kentucky, was named as the worst weed city for 2024, but the Bluegrass State will soon have legal marijuana for medical purposes. Last year, Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 47 which legalizes medical cannabis in the commonwealth starting Jan. 1, 2025. On the flip side, Denver was named the best weed city in the US. It reclaimed the title from last years #1 city Portland, Oregon, which fell to 2nd. You can see the full list of best and worst weed cities here. Will marijuana ever be legal in Tennessee? Tennessee is surrounded by eight states; six of those states have legalized marijuana use in some form. Despite extremely high support, cannabis is still outlawed in Tennessee. Currently, cannabis is on the same schedule as heroin, LSD, and peyote, and the federal government cannot study it. If it were to move down to Schedule II or III, that would change. For context, fentanyl is a Schedule II drug. Theres been a push from Republicans and Democrats alike to change the scheduling status of cannabis in Tennessee. When the federal level does what it has to do, I think our state will be a little more flexible, Rep. Torrey Harris (D-Memphis) told WKRN News 2s Chris OBrien last month. Some of those changes, not everyone will be adherent to it, but if it does change, then at least well follow what the law says. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com According to Pew Research Center, 88% of US adults believe marijuana should be legal in some form. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. NATO Secretary General comments on downing of Russian Tu-22: Ukraine has the right to self-defence NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasised that Ukraine has the right to strike military targets outside its borders for self-defence, and Russian military aircraft are included in this category. Source: Stoltenberg at a press conference following the virtual meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, as reported by European Pravda Details: Stoltenberg emphasised that this is an aggressive war which Russia wages against its neighbour, Ukraine. "Ukraine has the right to self-defence, and that includes also striking legitimate military targets outside Ukraine. So to down Russian planes which are used to attack Ukraine is part of Ukraines right for self-defence." On the night of 18-19 April, Ukraines Defence Intelligence reported that one of the Tu-22M3 strategic bombers which carried out a missile strike against Ukraine was downed as a result of a special operation in cooperation with the country's Air Force. Stoltenberg previously stated that Ukraine, as a country defending against aggression, had the right to strike "legitimate military targets" outside its borders. Support UP or become our patron! NC accused in lawsuit of letting people with mental disabilities languish in local jails North Carolinas lack of assessment and treatment services results in people with severe mental disabilities languishing in county jails while waiting months for psychiatric services, a lawsuit contends. The federal complaint contends the long waits also burden county jail administrators, which dont have the resources, staff or training to deal with people with serious mental disabilities. Often people with severe mental and cognitive disabilities, who have challenges following jail rules and staying calm, end up isolated, or in restraints, the lawsuit states. Use of these measures, especially if prolonged, often increases the risk of further decompensation and self-harm, the lawsuit states. Civil rights advocacy organizations the ACLU of North Carolina Legal Foundation, Disability Rights North Carolina and a private law firm filed the lawsuit Thursday against the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and its secretary, Kody Kinsley. The lawsuit asks a judge to confirm the state is violating the constitutional rights of people who are suspected or found to be mentally incapable of proceeding to trial. The lawsuit also asks a judge to order the state to increase services and develop a remedial plan. North Carolina experienced an increase in demand for mental and behavioral health services in recent years, while state psychiatric hospitals are facing unprecedented staffing shortages, Health and Human Services spokesperson Kelly Haight Connor wrote in an email. The impact of increased need and limited space has overwhelmed state hospitals, for those in jail and others who need beds, Haight Connor wrote. In response, the department has been investing in new programs, such as a 2022 Mecklenburg County pilot that partners with other agencies to help individuals deemed unable to proceed to trial to receive treatments while in jail. Too sick for trial The complaint centers on people who end up staying in jail for months or years if there are concerns that they are too sick to understand the court process or defend themselves due to mental disabilities. Those individuals wait on average two months for an assessment to be completed and nearly five months for treatment at a state psychiatric hospital, the lawsuit states. While waiting they remain in jail, sometimes longer than they would be if convicted. In 2023, there were 197 people on the wait list for the 82 beds at forensic hospitals available to those in jail, according to the lawsuit. As of March 28, there were 159 people in jail waiting for a bed in one of the three state psychiatric hospitals, Haight Connor wrote. Burden on local jails Eddie Caldwell, executive vice president of the North Carolina Sheriffs Association, said jails are meant to detain people before trial, not to provide mental health services. So you can imagine the difficulty of dealing with and trying to help people who have mental illness without having adequate resources to do it, he said. Whats needed, Caldwell said, is a regional facility for people with mental-health disabilities and substance abuse issues, he said. Instead, Caldwell said, those individuals are just sitting in jail. People with mental-health disabilities are especially vulnerable to manipulation and threats, which is compounded by sometimes overcrowded jails, the lawsuit states. Last year, WFAE in partnership with PBS Frontline published a series on North Carolinas mental health system, including individuals in jails waiting for assessments and mental health services,that found that the median wait from incarceration to hospitalization was 313 days in the 34 counties they studied. The lawsuit is one of at least three that includes Disability Rights accusing the state of violating constitutional rights due to a lack of appropriate services for people with mental disabilities. Last week, Disability Rights and the Department of Health and Human Services settled a complaint on services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Also last week, a judge dismissed the states push to end a lawsuit that contends DHHS is warehousing foster youth at psychiatric facilities. Virginia Bridges covers criminal justice in the Triangle and across North Carolina for The News & Observer. Her work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The N&O maintains full editorial control of its journalism. A Salisbury middle school student has been charged with jumping on a bus drivers back and assaulting the person after a fight broke out between students Tuesday afternoon. The driver was in the process of dropping off students from Erwin Middle School in Rowan County around 2:40 p.m. when a fight broke out among three students. As the driver attempted to intervene, one student jumped on his back and tried to reach around him to hit another student, striking the bus driver in the face in the process, according a Rowan County Sheriffs Office news release. The driver sustained a minor injury to his nose and did not require medical treatment, according to the news release from the Rowan County Sheriffs Office. None of the students were injured. Officers from Salisbury Police Department responded to the scene along with a school resource officer from Erwin Middle School. Although Salisbury PD arrived at the scene because they were in the city limits, the school resource officer came and took the lead on the case, Linda McElroy, communications director for the city of Salisbury, told The Charlotte Observer. The school resource officer at the scene is employed by the Rowan County Sheriffs Office. The students were referred to juvenile court, and one was charged with the assault on the bus driver. The students were all released to their parents at the scene of the incident. Rowan-Salisbury School System declined to comment whether any disciplinary action has been taken. Nearly 50 pounds of meth hidden in ice chest full of fish seized at border, feds say Authorities confiscated nearly 50 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in an ice chest of fish earlier this week at the Southern border in California, federal officials said. The incident occurred Sunday before 9 p.m. at the Calexico West Port of Entry and involved a 34-year-old man who drove his sedan through the SENTRI lane, according to a Wednesday statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, also known as CBP. SENTRI stands for the Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection, a CBP program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States." Confiscated drugs (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) After the sedan went through the SENTRI lane, CBP officers decided the driver and vehicle needed further inspection. During an additional inspection, CBP officers used the ports imaging system to screen the vehicle, which had irregularities within an ice chest found in the vehicles trunk, CBP said. A K-9 team responded and found drugs, CBP said. CBP officers discovered and extracted a total of 25 packages from the ice chest. The contents of the packages were tested and identified as methamphetamine with a total weight of 47.13 pounds, the agency said. Drug traffickers will go to great lengths in attempt to deceive our officers, Calexico Area Port Director Roque Caza said in the statement. Im proud of our highly trained officers working diligently every day to combat these dangerous drugs that have claimed so many lives. The driver, whose name was not released, was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations. The drugs and vehicle were seized by CBP officers from the San Diego Field Office, CBP said. Sundays confiscation of drugs is the result of Operation Apollo, CBP said. The program is a counter-fentanyl effort that began on October in southern California, and expanded to Arizona in April. The initiative focuses on intelligence and partnerships to target fentanyl smuggling into the country, CBP said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com GE Vernova's Grid Solutions business, a leader in advanced grid technologies, and Sonelgaz, Algeria's national electricity and gas company, are expanding existing capabilities at GE Algeria Turbines (GEAT) for the deployment of grid solutions. GEAT is a joint venture founded in 2014 between Sonelgaz and GE Vernova that has manufactured skids and turbine auxiliaries, as well as rolled out gas turbines, steam turbines, and control systems in Algeria. One-of-a-kind facility for GE Vernova on the African continent, it is located in Ain Yagout, Batna. GE Vernova had recently announced its spin-off from General Electric (GE) and trading as an independent company on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GEV. In addition to the GEAT joint venture with Sonelgaz, the US group has a strong legacy of contributions to the development of Algerias energy sector, providing power generation, transmission, and distribution solutions, as well as digital applications, and employs over 300 people in the country. Announcing the expansion, GE Vernova said this strategic agreement, effectuated through the amendment of their existing joint venture, represents a significant step towards achieving Algeria's energy objectives. It demonstrates a shared commitment to accelerating sustainable energy development, localizing industrial capabilities, and promoting economic growth. Given the development needs of Algerian power grids, Sonelgaz and GE Vernova agreed, under an amendment to the shareholders agreement entered into in 2014, to diversify GEAT's core business by directing it towards the manufacture of high and extra-high voltage substations, stated the US group. Other power grid automation equipment and solutions for efficient and reliable power transmission are also expected to be supplied by the joint venture, enabling the integration and complementary use of renewable energy sources, it said. The localization of this industrial production has the potential to further strengthen national engineering capacities and create additional job opportunities in Algeria, it added. Philippe Piron, President and CEO of GE Vernova's Electrification Systems businesses, said: "We are honoured to expand our relationship with Sonelgaz. Through this collaboration, we aim to roll out advanced Grid Solutions technologies in Algeria, which will modernise the country's grid, enhance its efficiency, and accelerate the country's energy transition." "By expanding our relationship to include grid solutions, we are committed not only to localizing grid production but also to fostering the growth of local talent and creating job opportunities," he stated. This collaboration with GE Vernova's Grid Solutions business marks an important step in Algeria's energy transition, as well as in the development of the country's capacity to produce equipment for the transmission grid. It is the cornerstone of contributions by both parties Sonelgaz and GE Vernova to improve the infrastructure of the Algerian network, ensure better access to electricity transmission facilities throughout the country, improve efficiency and enable the connection of renewable energy production facilities. Sonelgaz CEO Mourad Adjal said: "In collaboration with GE Vernova, we are confident in both partners' abilities to build a more resilient and efficient energy grid for the future. This new trajectory of collaboration between the two parties is in line with the orientations of the country's highest authorities in terms of national integration." With almost 50 million inhabitants spread across Africas largest country by area, Algeria is diversifying its energy mix to include renewable sources, such as solar and wind, to meet the growing demand for energy and transition to a lower-carbon future. "The tieup will enable the progressive domiciliation of the manufacture of equipment and materials (high and very high voltages) for electricity transmission structures,' noted Adjal. "This means the transfer of knowledge, know-how and expertise in these fields, which is totally new in our country, as well as an increase in the national potential for exporting this type of equipment in the long term, which will contribute considerably to reducing the country's import bill," he added.-TradeArabia News Service LumiNola / Getty Images According to the Small Business Association, there are over 33 million small businesses in the United States that collectively employ 61.7 million Americans. Check Out: How To Earn $4,000 a Month in Passive Income Learn More: 6 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money Even the strongest businesses have room to save money, especially when there is so much available technology to help automate and streamline business practices. There are always places where you can trim expenses, and technology can help you do that. Whether you work in a large office with dozens of employees or at home on your own, here are some tips that can help. Read Next: 9 Bills Frugal People Dont Pay Sponsored: Protect Your Wealth With A Gold IRA. Take advantage of the timeless appeal of gold in a Gold IRA recommended by Sean Hannity. Automate Your Books If youve owned a business for any amount of time, you know how important it is to keep your books updated. Running payroll, categorizing expenses and making sure invoices go out can take a lot of time. There are many different online bookkeeping and payroll tools that can save you time. For example, with most bookkeeping software, you can track automatic expenses and set up rules that sort your expenses into different categories without you having to lift a finger. This saves time and labor expenses. Use Free Tools When Possible Depending on the size of your team, you might be able to use several free tools before moving to paid versions. For example, you can use Skype or FaceTime to video chat instead of paying for a Zoom subscription. Other tools, like Google Analytics, are free to use. There are also many other free services regarding email, cloud storage and more. Create an Eco-Friendly Office If you have a brick-and-mortar office, there are many ways to save money on electric costs for instance, by switching to LED lights and automating lights to turn on and off at different times of day. You can also use smart thermostats to save on energy costs. Additionally, using cloud computing and transferring files with Google Drive, for example, can save money on printing costs in addition to being more environmentally friendly. Pay for Cybersecurity Some necessary business expenses might be pricier upfront but can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. For example, paying for cybersecurity software or cybersecurity insurance is a worthwhile expense because it can save your business thousands of dollars in fees if you face a security breach. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 4 Frugal Tips To Use Technology To Save Serious Cash ROCHESTER - Major changes to a prominent lake face renewed scrutiny as some residents and neighbors say they're concerned the city is moving too fast to potentially remove a nearby dam, irrevocably changing the lake's shape. They worry the Silver Lake Dam, first built in 1937, could lose its historic significance. They worry Silver Lake could revert back to being just another part of the Zumbro River. And they worry the city hasn't been forthcoming with more project details, including a grant proposal to fund the project using state dollars. "Probably the main thing that concerns us is just a feeling that this grant proposal ... really was not very appropriate," said Greg Munson of the Friends of Silver Lake, a group that has long advocated for the lake and nearby park. Lake supporters and critics plan to rally outside of city offices at the Olmsted County Government Center at 5 p.m. Monday, an hour before a Rochester City Council meeting. They hope Rochester will provide more answers on what could happen to Silver Lake. City officials say they don't want to get rid of the dam, just tweak it. They plan to slightly shrink Silver Lake to about 85% of its size to improve water quality in the area. And the grant proposal made to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council last summer followed years of lobbying for other kinds of state funding. Lessard-Sams "is specifically set up to complete habitat restoration projects and address impacts such as this," Deputy Public Works Director Aaron Luckstein said. "That funding source has actually been used for several other dam modifications throughout the state." Silver Lake Park, just northeast of downtown, is one of Rochester's premier parks. The lake itself was created in the 1930s as part of a work project to create a recreational space, though a nearby power plant later used the lake for cooling. The plant shut down more than a decade ago. Rochester has eyed improving the lake for years. A 2019 study showed tweaking the dam would allow for more fish and mussel migration over a 16.5 mile stretch of the Zumbro River. The city plans to dredge Silver Lake to remove sediment, tweak the dam to allow cascading pools as well as better control in case of flooding, and provide more walkable paths including a nearby pedestrian bridge and a trail extension. Yet the project has stalled without funding. Workers were supposed to remove sediment from the lake last year, but that didn't happen. And while the city knows it will have to modify the dam, there aren't design plans in place showing what parts will be changed or removed. Luckstein said the city is trying to schedule construction to take place all at the same time, contingent upon the Minnesota Legislature's approval this year of $2.6 million in Lessard-Sams funding. Dam supporters say the city didn't follow state procedures to apply for that money, since the council didn't specifically approve of the proposal. But Luckstein points to a 2022 City Council decision to include the project in its state bonding requests, saying the council has reviewed the project several times in the past before making it a legislative priority. Even if the city gets funding this year, it will take some time before work can start on Silver Lake. The city needs to go through project reviews with the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Staff also need to hire consultants for project designs. And Rochester will have to work with the dam's status as a local landmark. Parts of the dam have historic protections and can't be altered. Luckstein said the city doesn't expect to have shovels in the ground until 2026. And while critics argue the project won't expand fish migration because of similar dams nearby, Luckstein said the Silver Lake dam work could lead to similar projects to tweak other area dams. Critics say they hope the city will be more forthcoming with information in the future. They take issue with some of the surveys city staff have done to garner support for the project, arguing the dam and lake changes could significantly change the area. They're concerned the city may extend its plans too far without oversight. "That whole new system may not survive and the city might in the end say, well, just make it a river, and let's not worry about the rest of it." Munson said. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Two people were killed Thursday night, April 18 during a house fire in El Pasos Lower Valley. El Paso Fire received a call about a Condition 2 fire shortly after 8 p.m. to a house fire located on Barton Street near North Carolina Drive. Fourteen units and two dozen firefighters responded to the scene, effectively knocking down the flames in 20 minutes without further injuries, according to an El Paso Fire spokesperson at the scene on Thursday night. 2 dead after house fire in El Pasos Lower Valley Our KTSM crews spoke with neighbors who said the people who were killed were an elderly married couple, who have lived there for many years. I havent felt this way since I lost my first patient years ago. It it hits you different. Ive lost patients in the hospital and its fine because we have all the tools. We know that we did everything we could, but out here, Im taking it very hard, said Dashawn Watson, a neighbor who tried to help one of the people killed in the fire. Watson said he worked at an emergency room for six years. He had never met the victims of Thursday nights fire, but he tried saving the man who died from the flames, who he explained was laying down by the front door. At one point, he was even able to grasp his hands as the flames burst out of the windows and door, but he was unable to pull him out. He believes the woman who died was trapped further inside the house. They were a beautiful couple. They loved each other so much. He would always say he didnt want to die and leave his wife alone, said Nelly Ornelas, who told KTSM crews she was a close friend of the couple and often visited them. I went over to the house right now and almost broke down. I feel so sad that they wont be there any longer. But they left together, Ornelas said. Ornelas said she visited the couple earlier in the day before the fire happened and spoke with the woman that died. Its so strange. I couldnt believe it. I could not sleep all night just wondering how this was possible. I spoke with her yesterday and she seemed fine, and now theyre gone, Ornelas said. She added that the couple couldnt move around much as they were both very sick, and doesnt believe the couple had any kids or other family members in the city, but has heard that family from Chihuahua are on their way. First, you have to figure out who lived there. And once we found out it was Mr. Nielson then it came closer to home because everybody knew him. Fifteen years, Ive known this guy, a really nice guy that kept to himself and everything, said neighbor Bobby Grayson. Grayson said the couple had lived at an apartment further down the street years before, and that nowadays the man that died always had oxygen tank and frequently was picked up by ambulances for emergencies. El Paso fire marshals and El Paso Police have been investigating the cause of the fire, and have yet to confirm the names of the people that were killed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Netflix True Crime Documentary Accused Of Using Photos Generated Or Manipulated By AI A new Netflixtrue crime documentary is accused of using photographs of a woman that were generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence. What Jennifer Did features several photos of Jennifer Pan, a Canadian woman involved in a murder-for-hire plot to kill her parents. The images show Pan dancing and flashing peace signs in a red halter dress. Both of Jennifer Pan's hands appear to be misshapen and missing fingers in this photo shown on Netflix's "What Jennifer Did." Netflix But theres something bizarre about two of the photos, as Futurist noted when pointing out the womans peculiar fingers, hands and teeth human features that AI notoriously struggles to render accurately. Executive producer Jeremy Grimaldi insisted in an interview with the Toronto Star that the photos are genuine. Any filmmaker will use different tools, like Photoshop, in films, he told the Star. The photos of Jennifer are real photos of her. The foreground is exactly her. The background has been anonymized to protect the source. In one picture, both of Pans hands are misshapen. Her right hand appears to be missing a pinky finger and crisscrossed by strange brown lines. The fingers forming the peace sign are the only recognizable digits of her left hand. In a second image, one of Pans two front teeth seems unusually long while the other recedes into her gums noticeably different from her smile in a third image, which doesnt show signs of being altered. One of Pan's two front teeth seems unusually long in this image, while the other recedes into her gums noticeably different from her smile in a third image, below, that doesnt show signs of being altered. Netflix Jennifer was bubbly, happy, confident and very genuine, a high school friend says in the documentary over a slideshow of the pictures. A third photo of Jennifer Pan does not appear to be manipulated. Netflix The photos of the vivacious woman in a cocktail dress provide a sharp contrast to Pans appearance and timid demeanor in a video of her first interview at a police station. There, she wears plain, baggy clothes and glasses, her long hair pulled back in a messy braid. Grimaldis 2016 book about the case, A Daughters Deadly Deception: The Jennifer Pan Story, includes a number of photographs, but none that show Pan wearing the red dress in the disputed images. Grimaldi did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment. HuffPost also reached out to Netflix and a representative for director Jenny Popplewell, but did not hear back by the time of publication. Related... The Netherlands has allocated more than 200 million euros (roughly $210 million) to new initiatives for quick delivery of air defense and artillery ammunition for Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said on April 19. Ukraine has been facing increasingly critical ammunition shortages, compounded by intensifying Russian attacks and delays in U.S. assistance. "Air defense equipment and artillery ammunition are desperately needed in Ukraine. The situation may turn critical," Ollongren said during an online meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council. President Volodymyr Zelensky requested the gathering earlier this week amid Russia's intensifying aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities that continue to highlight the growing shortage of sufficient air defense systems. "The resources to which the Netherlands is now contributing are already on the European continent and will go to Ukraine as quickly as possible. We must now all do everything we can to support Ukraine," the Dutch defense minister noted. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support us Specifically, the country is devoting 150 million euros ($160 million) to Germany's Immediate Action on Air Defense initiative. The Netherlands has also allocated 60 million euros ($64 million) for the purchase of short-range air defense hardware, for example, to counter Russian drones. The Netherlands has further contributed to the Estonian initiative to buy artillery shells for Ukraine from existing stocks. Previously, the country pledged 250 million euros ($266 million) to the Czech plan to buy artillery rounds outside of Europe. Following the council meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the allies have pledged to provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems. President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Ukraine needs a minimum of seven Patriot systems, which would "save many lives." 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. Zelensky said earlier that the Trypillia plant was destroyed because Ukrainian forces had run out of missiles to defend it. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The previous speed limit of 130kmph was reduced in 2019 - Lourens Smak/Alamy The Netherlands is considering reversing an unpopular speed limit imposed because of EU climate targets, after a study showed it barely lowered nitrogen emissions. Geert Wilders won Octobers general election, but has since been mired in lengthy coalition talks, as the countrys four biggest political parties struggle to reach agreement. One emerging area of possible consensus is revoking a 2019 cut in the motorway speed limit from 130kmh (81mph) to 100kmh (62mph). The reason why we are hearing about this is that it is probably the only thing all four parties can agree on, one Dutch official told The Telegraph. The old speed limit was slashed when Dutch courts ordered the government to cut air pollution, and in particular nitrogen emissions, to meet EU net zero targets. Talk of restoring the old limit has been given impetus by a study that showed the lower limit, which only applies between 6am and 7pm, reduced nitrogen emissions by at most 0.2 per cent, on paper. The potential coalition partners are reported to have submitted questions to the ministries concerned about changing the law, after the current caretaker government ruled out lowering the limit in a debate last month. We cannot afford that luxury, said Christianne van der Wal, the outgoing nitrogen minister. The nitrogen bath is so full that it cant take even a small additional drop. Mr Wilders, dubbed the Dutch Trump has called for the Netherlands to leave the Paris climate agreement, and the other parties are also keen to roll back the measure. Mark Rutte, who is still caretaker prime minister, said it was a rotten measure as he imposed the new limit for years ago at the behest of the courts. The cut put the Netherlands alongside Cyprus with the lowest motorway limits in the EU. The Dutch nitrogen crisis halted new construction projects in the midst of a housing crisis. It led Mr Rutte to propose compulsory farm buyouts to reduce nitrogen emissions. That precipitated a string of tractor protests that inspired similar populist uprisings against EU green rules across Europe. In March 2023, the BBB, a Dutch farmers party, won a shock landslide victory in regional elections which had become a referendum on Mr Rutte, the leader of the conservative VVD. The government fell soon afterwards in a row over migration policy and Mr Rutte, the longest serving Prime MInister in Dutch history, announced he would not run again. A knife-edge election In the run-up to Novembers general election, the BBB lost ground to a new radical centrist party led by Pieter Omtzigt, a campaigning centre-Right MP. In a knife-edge election, Mr Wilders, the leader of the hard-Right Freedom Party, won a shock victory. Dilan Yesilgoz, Mr Ruttes successor as VVD leader and his hardline former justice minister, had led the polls with a campaign in which she vowed to crack down on migration and limit family reunification for asylum seekers, before losing ground to Mr Wilders. The VVD came a narrow third behind an alliance of Left-wing and Green parties led by Frans Timmermans, the former commissioner in charge of climate change, which is not part of talks to form the Right-wing coalition. Political reporter Leendert Beekman told Dutch radio that the timing of the leak was suspicious, so soon after Mr Wilders had quit one round of talks on migration in frustration. It seems like a distraction from what really matters: asylum and migration, he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. More than 200,000 had been allocated for the delivery of air defence and artillery shells to Kyiv, Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren said at the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting on Friday 19 April. Source: Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands, as reported by European Pravda Details: During the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting, Ollongren emphasised that Ukraine requires air defence and artillery ammunition, otherwise "the situation threatens to become critical." Quote: "The equipment now supplied by the Netherlands is already on the European continent and will be delivered to Ukraine as soon as possible. Now we must all do whatever we can to help Ukraine," she continued. Among other things, 150 million from the package will go towards Germany's initiative to find air defence equipment for Ukraine. Another 60 million will be spent on short-range air defence systems, specifically to counter drones. The Dutch Ministry of Defence has recently declared its support for the Estonian proposal to promptly provide artillery ammunition to Ukraine from existing stocks, having previously committed 250,000 to the Czech initiative to purchase shells. Earlier, Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that some members announced specific obligations to supply further military assistance to Ukraine at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on 19 April. Stoltenberg also said that he expects new announcements of support containing air defence for Ukraine in the near future. Support UP or become our patron! Whats next for Tri-Cities Latina lawmaker ousted from her WA seat by redistricting? A Pasco state senator says she doesnt plan on moving anytime soon to run in a new legislative district after a boundary change effectively ousted her from the 15th District. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco, sent a news release this week endorsing a fellow Republican in the neighboring 14th Legislative District, clarifying that she does not plan to move across town in Pasco this year in order to run in that district. She didnt say if she eventually plans to challenge a longstanding Republican in the 16th District where she now lives. The Eastern Washington Latina still has two years left on her term representing the 15th despite the fact that she now lives in the new 16th. Last month, U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik in Western Washington approved new legislative boundaries following a 2023 decision to fix voting maps after finding the boundaries drawn by state redistricting commission had cracked apart Yakima Valley Latino communities. The 14th District seat will be up for election this fall. Torres spoke about her future in the Legislature in this weeks statement. I wish I could move into the new (Legislative District) 14, but family obligations prevent me from doing so, she said in the statement provided by the Washington Senate Republican Campaign Committee. Because of my decision not to move, my deepest hope is that Sen. Curtis King (R-Yakima) will run and continue being the great senator serving the 14th District as he has for the last 17 years, she said. King serves as ranking member on both the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee and Transportation Committee, and also serves on the chambers Rules Committee. He works hard and is greatly respected by both parties, Torres said. There is no better candidate for the job .... Torres could run for the 16th Districts senate seat, but that position is currently being represented by Senate Republican Deputy Whip Perry Dozier, who plans to run for re-election this year. Torres won election to her first term in the Washington Legislature in 2022, replacing retired Sen. Jim Honeyford. She previously served on the Pasco City Council and works as a manager at Western Governors University. The court ruling and new map have become a lightning rod for Washington state politicians, with Republicans and Torres denouncing it as partisan gerrymandering and a mockery of the Voting Rights Act, and Democrats blessing the decision as a benefit to Central Washington Latinos. Race for WA 14th, 15th districts The new map will have a widespread impact on legislative district races later this year. Thirteen of Washingtons 49 legislative districts saw changes with the court-appointed map, and five state lawmakers found their properties and homes drawn out of the district they represent. More than a half-million voters were moved between districts, too, according to the Washington State Standard. The Washington Legislature is made up of 147 lawmakers in the state House and Senate. Each legislative district elects two representatives and a senator to represent it. They are part-time, paid positions, convening in January in Olympia for either a 60-day or 105-day session. The filing period for candidates wanting to run for office this year begins Monday, May 6, and ends Friday, May 10. That paperwork must be submitted with the Washington Secretary of States Office. So far, nine candidates have filed fundraising paperwork with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission to run for five seats in the 14th and 15th legislative districts. The candidates in the Yakima Valley which include four incumbents have so far raised more than $360,000 from contributors. Lasniks new map is expected to give Democrats a double-digit point advantage over Republicans in the new 14th Legislative District, which encompasses downtown and east Pasco, downtown Yakima, the Yakama Indian Reservation, Sunnyside and Grandview. So far, three Democrats have announced their candidacy for the 14th. That includes Sunnyside resident Chelsea Dimas and Raul Martinez, who are running to become the districts representative, and Yakima resident Maria Beltran. On a party-line vote, Republicans in the New Hampshire Senate recently approved a bill that would require abortion providers to share certain data about the procedures they perform with state public health officials. Forty-six other states already have similar laws in place, making New Hampshire an outlier in the dissemination of abortion statistics. I've heard debates on the floor many times that we just dont have the information, we dont have the data, Republican Sen. Regina Birdsell said on the Senate floor last week. Well, guess what: This will do it. New Hampshire State House, Concord, N.H. But for Democrats, the proposal, which was added late in the legislative process and therefore not subject to a public hearing, is the GOPs latest attempt to chip away at abortion rights and curtail personal freedoms. Ever since the Dobbs decision, we have been living in a dystopian horror show with control of pregnant bodies the main plot line, Democrat Sen. Debra Altschiller said during debate on the measure. Scene from an anti-abortion rally in Manchester, New Hampshire in June of 2022. New Hampshire Republicans have tried unsuccessfully numerous times in recent years to require abortion providers to release certain statistics. The latest effort calls for providers to share the date and location of each abortion, the method used, including if a medication was prescribed, as well as share the state of residence of the pregnant patient, and the gestational age of the fetus. The state Department of Health and Human Services would then publish data annually on abortions in New Hampshire, though the bill doesnt clarify if the information would be released in an aggregated form, or if the county or even the zip code of the provider would be disclosed. Democrats argued that level of data shared publicly could put providers at risk for harassment or other targeting; they also questioned how gestational age should be determined by the provider, since the bill lacks any detail. This amendment would potentially require a government-forced, potentially medically unnecessary, intrusive trans-vaginal ultrasound, Sen. Becky Whitley said during a debate last Friday that grew tense at times. That should send chills down the spine of every woman in the state. Senate Majority Leader Sharon Carson, a Republican, rose to her feet, saying she was baffled by the claim. I cant believe what Im hearing here. I really and truly cannot, said Carson. Theres no requirement for any kind of testing here. No ultrasound, no nothing. Carson accused Democrats of spreading misinformation about the bill, and in a statement this week reiterated that an ultrasound is not the only way providers could determine age in compliance with the bill. In practice, providers say ultrasounds are performed before abortions when it makes sense for the patient. But there are other ways to determine gestational age, including using the date of the last menstrual cycle. States including Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont permit abortion providers to estimate the age of the fetus using that information. Scene from an anti-abortion rally in Manchester, New Hampshire in June of 2022. A tool for sound policy, or for scoring political points Abortion providers in New Hampshire say they arent opposed to producing and sharing protected, anonymized data, as long as it is used to advance public health policy. However, where we need clarity whenever we consider the request to supply abortion data is really we need to know specifically or with some clarity, what the anticipated public health benefit is and how the data may be used, said Sandi Denoncour, executive director of Lovering Health Center in Greenland. Abortion rights supporters point to what they see as a history of states using reporting requirements to bog down abortion providers with paperwork. Other states have also required providers to collect invasive or what they see as irrelevant information about the patient, including their history of contraceptive use. They're not really being used for public health purposes, said Rachel Jones, a researcher with the Guttmacher Institute, one of the countrys leading research institutions on abortion. They're being used to further stigmatize abortion and increase the burden on the facilities that provide this care. While New Hampshire, along with California, Maryland and New Jersey are the only states that dont have reporting mandates, Guttmachers website does maintain abortion statistics for procedures performed in New Hampshire. In 2023, Guttmacher estimates there were 2,400 abortions performed in the state. That data is based on voluntary reporting by local clinics, including Lovering Health Center and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. Those clinics willingly share aggregate abortion numbers, they said, because they trust Guttmacher to use the data for research purposes. After clearing the state Senate on a party line vote, the bill mandating reporting statistics now heads to the New Hampshire House, where it will get a full public hearing and could be amended. Gov. Chris Sununu has previously said he supports the state collecting data. These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org. Editor's note: State Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, is the wife of Howard Altschiller, Seacoast Media Group's executive editor. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH abortion data collection bill latest reproductive rights fight New Hampshires cannabis legalization effort has reached a tricky crossroads. A year after Gov. Chris Sununu announced he would support a legalization approach that meets a number of strict conditions, the New Hampshire House has passed a bill. That bill, which cleared the House 239-136 last week, is now in the hands of the Senate. But the governor has already raised issues with the bill, arguing that it does not follow his vision of establishing retail cannabis outlets that are tightly controlled by the state. New Hampshires cannabis legalization effort has many moving parts in the legsilature. Now, House Bill 1633 is in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and senators, House members, cannabis advocates, and representatives of the governors office are working to find a compromise that might please all sides and not fall afoul of federal laws. Heres the latest on the state of cannabis legalization. What is Sununus position on cannabis? After years of wavering between skepticism and outright opposition to cannabis legalization in New Hampshire, Sununu surprised many in May 2023 when he released a statement saying he would sign a legalization bill if it met certain criteria. In order to win Sununus support, the bill would need to include a retail model that allowed legal sales only at specific outlets overseen by the state, the governor stated. That approach would include measures to keep cannabis outlets away from schools; prohibit marijuana miles, or areas where cannabis stores are concentrated; allow towns to decide whether to permit a cannabis outlet; and provide state control over marketing, messaging, distribution, and access. Some legalization advocates have opposed that approach, seeing it as unnecessary interference with the free market that would keep costs high. What has the House done? The House has passed a number of versions of the cannabis legalization bill this term, as lawmakers quarrel over how closely to adhere to Sununus vision. The legislation that left the House last week, HB 1633, would allow the state to license up to 15 retail establishments. The 43-page bill would legalize the use and purchase of cannabis for anyone 21 or older, and create a commission to license and regulate retail outlets. Sununus issue arises from how those outlets would be managed by the state. The House has adopted a licensing model. The governor prefers a franchise model, which would allow the state to dictate the marketing, layout, and appearance of the cannabis outlets, similar to how fast-food companies allow people to open franchises but require that stores follow brand guidelines. The state would essentially be an operational partner, like McDonalds to a McDonalds franchise, said Karen OKeefe, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, an advocacy organization. To Sununu, the retail license model does not give the state sufficient control over sales. Governor Sununu has been crystal clear about the framework needed for a legalization bill to earn his support, focusing on harm reduction and keeping it out of kids hands, the governors office said in a statement last week. The legislation passed today doesnt get us there but the Governor looks forward to working with the Senate to see if we can get it done. Why did the House deviate from Sununus position? To some House lawmakers and cannabis legalization advocates, the question of whether to adopt a franchise or license model is not academic: It could have real legal implications for the state. Here we are in the world of cannabis, where everything is changing federally under our feet as we try to legalize it here in New Hampshire, said Tim Egan, an advocate representing the New Hampshire Cannabis Association. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has regulatory power over franchised businesses, and requires a certain level of disclosure by companies that are selling franchise rights to others in order to prevent unfair practices. While 24 states have legalized cannabis, New Hampshires state-run retail system would be a first in the U.S. That lack of precedent has made some legalization supporters concerned that a franchise model could allow the FTC to step in and shut down the state-run stores, given that cannabis is still illegal under federal law. Concerns over state liability have pushed some to argue that the licensee model is better. Early on, people that knew something about franchise law said, Just dont do this; you cant do this, said John Reagan, a former Republican state senator from Deerfield who now lobbies in favor of legalization. Youll be in a paralyzed situation, and wont be able to get anything done. Others have raised concerns about how close the franchise model could put the state to the cannabis sales themselves. That could raise the possibility for lawsuits, OKeefe said. The state could potentially face a lawsuit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), under the premise that it is engaged in sales of an illegal drug. Or it could face litigation over the impossibility pre-emption, the doctrine that prevents an employee from needing to follow both a state law and a federal law if the two conflict. Meanwhile, many states that have legalized have already faced difficulty navigating how to collect revenue from retail sales without falling afoul of banking regulations. New Hampshires franchise model could invite similar headaches, Egan said. Whats next for the bill? HB 1633 has arrived at the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is holding a hearing on April 25. But even before the committee takes it up publicly, stakeholders and senators are already meeting to attempt to finesse the bill to Sununus liking. To be successful, senators will need to thread a needle: Tweak the House bill just enough to win the governor over, but not so much that it transforms the state model and loses support in the House. If the Senate passes a bill that the House does not immediately accept, it could go to a committee of conference, which advocates worry could doom its chances. Amid those stakes, a potential compromise to the bill has emerged, Egan and OKeefe say. The proposal would create the franchise model the governor asked for, but include a trigger clause that would implement the licensee approach should the franchise approach be struck down in court. That could allow the state to carry on retail sales even if the federal government intervened. I think that would be a great way to bridge the gap, OKeefe said. If (the governor) thinks the franchise model is going to work, then if it works, it works. But if it doesnt work, then you can address the Houses concerns there. For now, discussions are ongoing with Sens. Daryl Abbas, Becky Whitley, Cindy Rosenwald, Tim Lang, and Rep. Erica Layon, according to Egan. Legalization supporters have attempted a variety of legislative models over the past decade, only to see them struck down by the Senate. But for advocates, with Sununu declining to run for reelection, legalization could be now or never. If the goal is to get it done, this is the window, said OKeefe. There is no guarantee that next year there will be a governor that will sign any bill. This story was originally published by the New Hampshire Bulletin. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH cannabis legalization has tricky path ahead: What to know AAR Corp., a leading provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators, has started construction on an 80,000-square-foot expansion of its maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Will Rogers World Airport. This is a view from its present facility. AAR Corp., a provider of commercial and government aviation services, is expanding its airframe maintenance, repair and overhaul work with a new three-bay hangar at Will Rogers World Airport, in part to support an increased commitment from Alaska Airlines. The 80,000-square-foot hangar and warehouse space will accommodate all 737 variants, including the Boeing 737-10. It is expected to be in operation by January 2026. The expansion will create 200 jobs, according to AAR, which is based in Wood Dale, Illinois. Funding for the expansion includes $20 million in state and federal grants to the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, plus rent concessions from the airport. It was Will Rogers' share of nearly $250 million in state and federal funding granted by the Legislature in 2022 for aerospace investment. The allocation included money from the state PREP fund, for Preserving Rural Economic Prosperity, and ARPA, the American Rescue Plan Act. The expansion is possible because of collaboration among AAR, Alaska Airlines, the Oklahoma City Airport Trust, and state and local representatives "who are passionate about expanding aviation in Oklahoma," said John M. Holmes, AARs chairman, president and CEO. "We are especially excited about creating 200 additional full-time careers with AAR, which we expect to fill through local technical schools and workforce development partners who create opportunities through aviation-centric programming, such as Choose Aerospace, Holmes said at a recent groundbreaking ceremony. Choose Aerospace is a nonprofit based in Jenks that aims to generate interest in aerospace careers. JE Dunn Construction Co., based in Kansas City, Missouri, is leading the construction from its Oklahoma City office. "This groundbreaking isn't just about constructing a hangar. It's about cultivating an excellent experience for all involved. JE Dunn is honored to bring our construction expertise and leadership and partner with the Oklahoma City Airport Trust to support the business growth happening in our city, said Jason Bishop, JE Dunns vice president for Oklahoma City. Newmark Robinson Park reports these commercial real estate transactions RBI Properties LLC paid $2 million to Domain Development for industrial properties at 16538 and 16542 N May Ave. Brent Conway with Newman Robinson Park represented the buyer and Paul Stuke with Plains CRE represented the seller. Burgess & Niple Inc. leased 5,660 square feet of office space at Oklahoma Tower, 210 Park Ave. Conway and Bill Cohlmia with Newman Robinson represented the tenant. ATC Drivetrain LLC leased 65,015 square feet of industrial space at 3421 N Lincoln Blvd. Brett Price, Kris Davis and Karley Harper represented the landlord and Gerald Gamble with Gerald L. Gamble Co. represented the tenant. Story continues Also: Terry Klaus, Klaus Realty, reports this transaction: Joe Todd Jackson Revocable Trust paid $795,000 to RJR Investments LLC for a 7,000-square-foot metal industrial building on 0.7 acres at 804 Messenger Lane in Moore. Klaus and Randy Lacey and Chris Zach with CBRE Group handled the sale. Sign Up: Weekly newsletter Real Estate with Richard Mize Senior Business Writer Richard Mize has covered housing, construction, commercial real estate and related topics for the newspaper and Oklahoman.com since 1999. Contact him at rmize@oklahoman.com. Sign up for his weekly newsletter, Real Estate with Richard Mize. You can support Richard's work, and that of his colleagues, by purchasing a digital subscription to The Oklahoman. Right now, you can get 6 months of subscriber-only access for $1. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: New AAR maintenance hangar underway at Will Rogers World Airport Proof of routine childhood vaccinations would no longer be required before kids are enrolled in child care, under a bill being considered by New Hampshire lawmakers. The bill, which passed the New Hampshire House last month, is one of several attempts lawmakers have made to roll back public health measures in recent years. New Hampshire currently requires kids to be immunized against certain diseases before they can be enrolled in child care. Depending on their age, that includes polio, measles, chickenpox and hepatitis B. (The COVID-19 vaccine is not required, and exceptions are made for religious or medical reasons.) Proof of routine childhood vaccinations would no longer be required before kids are enrolled in child care, under a bill being considered by New Hampshire lawmakers. During a Senate hearing Wednesday, April 17, health officials warned against lifting vaccination requirements for child care enrollment, saying that could lead to fewer kids getting routine childhood immunizations and contribute to outbreaks of preventable diseases. Infectious diseases that were once eliminated from the U.S., such as measles and polio, are now making a comeback because of under-immunization, said Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state epidemiologist. He pointed out that measles was eliminated from the United States in 2000. But this year, there have been over 120 cases nationwide. None of those cases were in New Hampshire. But Chan said the state has seen a concerning drop in the number of children getting the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine. In the 2022-23 school year, 89.4% of New Hampshire kindergartners had the MMR vaccine the lowest rate in New England and below the national average. Because measles is so contagious, at least 95% of a population needs to be vaccinated to create herd immunity and prevent outbreaks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As vaccination levels decrease, this is putting our children and our communities and our child care agencies at risk, Chan said. The current state law says no child can be admitted or enrolled in any school or child care agency without documentation theyve had the required vaccinations or qualify for an exemption. The bill would remove child care agencies from that requirement, as well as a requirement that they keep immunization records for every child. Republican Rep. Ross Berry of Manchester, one of the sponsors, said the bill is about eliminating a needless paperwork requirement that he called burdensome for child care providers. Berry, who runs a child care center, disputed the idea that the bill removes the vaccination requirement itself, as opposed to just the reporting requirements. But Chan and other officials with the Department of Health and Human Services disagreed. They said that, in their reading, the bill actually does get rid of vaccination requirements for child care enrollment and even if it didnt, they argued those requirements would be meaningless without any way of ensuring compliance. Health officials said lifting vaccination requirements could also put federal funding for child care at risk. The bill is currently in the New Hampshire Senates Health and Human Services Committee. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, New Hampshire lawmakers have proposed various measures to limit public health powers at the state or local level. On Wednesday, state senators also heard testimony on a bill that would prohibit school districts from imposing mask mandates, which has also passed the House. Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed a similar bill in 2022, citing the importance of local control. These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH public health officials: Don't change child care vaccination rules FILE - Sculptures created by French artist Prune Nourry, Inspired by ancient Nigerian Ife terracotta heads, titled "Statues Also Breathe," and representing the remaining 108 Chibok still in captivity are displayed in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. The Nigerian army says a girl who was seized from her school along with hundreds others during a raid by extremists ten years ago in northeastern Nigeria has been rescued together with her three children. Lydia Simon was among 276 girls seized from their school in Nigerias Chibok village in April 2014. About 82 of them remain in captivity. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, File) ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) Nigerian soldiers rescued a woman who was abducted by extremists a decade ago while she was a schoolgirl in the village of Chibok, the army said Thursday. Her three children were also rescued. Lydia Simon, who is five months pregnant, was rescued by Nigerian troops in the Gwoza council area of Borno state, where the 15-year insurgency by Islamic extremists is concentrated, according to a statement from the army. Her age wasn't immediately released by authorities, but she is most likely in her 20s. The statement was accompanied by a picture of Simon and her children, who appear to be between the ages of 2 and 4. She has yet to be reunited with her family. Simon was among 276 girls seized from their school in Chibok in April 2014 at the height of the extremist violence in the region. About 82 of them are still in captivity. The first of a series of mass school kidnappings in the West African nation, the Chibok abduction shocked the world and triggered a global social media campaign tagged #BringBackOurGirls. The Nigerian army didn't say how she was freed other than that she was rescued in a hot spot known as Ngoshe, 130 kilometers (74 miles) north of the Borno state capital of Maiduguri. Some Chibok parents and security analysts have said there is little evidence to show there is a special military operation to free the women. Those who returned in recent years were mostly found abandoned in the forests. Some of the recently freed women were either raped by the insurgents or forced into marriages, according to Chioma Agwuegbo, an activist who was part of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. We have heard their stories about the amount of trauma and violence they have faced. Somebody who was kidnapped 10 years ago is not returning as the same person, Agwuegbo said. Villagers in Chibok joined Simons family as they waited for when they would be allowed to see her. The government has not told us anything (and) we are waiting for an official call," said Yakubu Nkeki, chairman of the Chibok girls parents association. A New Jersey rabbi behind bars for hiring hitmen to kill his wife so he could pursue an affair with a Philadelphia radio personality was discovered dead in the prison where hed been serving a life sentence for murder. Fred Neulander, a former senior rabbi at a synagogue in Cherry Hill, was found unresponsive earlier this week inside an infirmary unit at the New Jersey State Prison, according to a statement released Friday afternoon by the state Department of Corrections. After staff administered CPR, 82-year-old Neulander was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead on Wednesday at 6:13 p.m., the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. His cause of death has not been released. Neulander had been in prison since 2002, when he was handed a life sentence in connection with the slaying of his wife, Carol Neulander, who was also the mother of his three children. She was found bludgeoned to death inside the home they shared in Cherry Hill back in 1994. Police said Carol was on the phone with her daughter when the attackers entered the residence. While the crime scene was staged to look like a robbery, investigators noted nearly on that nothing in the home appeared to be disturbed or missing, a detail they found suspicious at the time. Neulander, once a prominent member of his community, was the founding rabbi of Congregation Mkor Shalom, a Reform Jewish synagogue in Cherry Hill. It closed in 2022 after merging with another synagogue in the area. In 1992, Neulander met Elaine Soncini, an on-air at radio host for WPEN-FM, when he officiated the 1992 funeral of her husband, Ken Garland. During Neulanders high-profile murder trial, Len Jenoff, a former Collingswood resident, testified that both he and Paul Michael Daniels, were offered $30,000 to kill Carol. He said Neulander wanted his wife out of the picture because shed been getting in the way of his affair with Socini, who also took the stand during the trial. Both Jenoff and Daniels, who later confessed to taking the job so he could get money for drugs, were both released from prison in 2014. Neulander had long denied his involvement in his wifes murder, but he did confess to having an affair. My behavior was appalling in my marriage and Im going to have to live with that for the rest of my life. It was arrogant and it was selfish, and that burden, I will just carry for the rest of my life, Neulander told NBC10 in 2012. I knew better. I should have behaved better. Its just that simple. _______ NJ Rabbi Fred Neulander, who paid hitmen $30K to kill wife so he could be with his mistress, dies in prison On the left, Fred Neulander, on the right, Carol Neulander. A New Jersey rabbi who paid $30,000 for two hitmen to kill his wife three decades ago so he could be with his Philadelphia radio personality mistress has died in prison. Fred Neulander, 82, was found unresponsive in an infirmary unit in the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton on Wednesday, the state Department of Corrections announced. He was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead sometime before 6:13 p.m., the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. As of Saturday morning, no cause of death had been released. At trial in 2001, prosecutors argued Rabbi Fred Neulander wanted to get rid of wife Carol to continue his two-year affair with Philadelphia radio host Elaine Soncini. AP Carol Neulander, 52, was murdered on Nov. 1, 1994. AP Neulander founded the Congregation Mkor Shalom Reform Jewish synagogue in Cherry Hill in 1974. The rabbi and his wife, Carol Neulander, 52, were well-known in the community through both the shul and Classic Cakes, the popular bakery Carol co-founded, CNN reported. The mother of 3 had just returned from the bakery when she bludgeoned to death with a lead pipe in the couples Cherry Hill home on the evening of Nov. 1, 1994, the outlet said. The scene was staged to look like a robbery gone wrong, but investigators were puzzled by the fact that nothing else in the house was moved or taken, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Len Jenoff confessed to killing Carol Neulander at her husbands request. AP Neulander was indicted for the murder in 1999, but the case did not come together until the following year, when private investigator Len Jenoff told police that the rabbi paid him and another man, Paul Daniels, $30,000 to kill his wife. At trial in 2001, prosecutors argued that the rabbi wanted to get rid of Carol to continue his two-year affair with Philadelphia radio host Elaine Soncini. Soncini, who was Catholic, had even supposedly converted to Judaism to be with the rabbi, whom she met when he performed funeral rites for her late husband. Neulander was convinced his marriage to Carol was over, but believed divorce would bring him shame in the community, prosecutor James Lynch suggested. Fred Neulander was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison in 2002. AP On the night of the murder, Neulander made a point of being seen by others at the synagogue to have a solid alibi for when Carol was killed, Jenoff testified. The case became a media sensation, and was aired in full on CourtTV. When the first trial ended in a hung jury, the 2002 retrial was moved from Camden County to Monmouth County to downplay the local scrutiny. Following the retrial, Neulander was convicted of Carols murder. He narrowly avoided the death penalty and was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. Soncini testified against Neulander at both trials, as did two of his three children. Paul Daniels admitted on the stand that he and Jenoff took money from Fred Neulander for killing his wife. AP The middle child, Matthew Neulander, then 29, referred to his father as Fred on the stand, and testified that he heard him tell Carol that their marriage was over shortly before the killing. Two years after Neulanders conviction, the case was immortalized in the true crime book The Rabbi and the Hit Man: A True Tale of Murder, Passion, and Shattered Faith by PBS contributor Arthur Magida. The murder of Carol Neulander was also the basis for several documentaries and even a musical, A Wicked Soul in Cherry Hill, that ran briefly in Los Angeles in 2022, the Inquirer noted. Jenoff and Daniels were released from prison in 2014, the Inquirer said. The state appeals court rejected Neulanders bid to overturn his conviction in 2016. Congregation Mkor Shalom merged with another synagogue in the early 2000s and is now known as Congregation Kol Ami. Fred Neulanders leadership of the congregation ended many years ago under well-publicized circumstances that ran counter to the values our congregation holds dear, Kol Ami Rabbi Jannifer Frenkel said in a statement to the Inquirer on Friday. Rather than dwell on the past, we at Congregation Kol Ami choose to focus on our future, she added. No charges against MPD officers after deadly shootout; use of force justified, D.A. says MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Shelby County District Attorney will not pursue criminal charges against Memphis Police officers involved in a shootout that ended in the death of one officer and one suspect, Steve Mulroys office announced Friday. Following a swift yet thorough review conducted by our Justice Review Unit, DA Mulroy concurred with their findings that the officers use of force was justified, a statement from Mulroys office stated. They were responding to gunfire directed at them, presenting a clear and immediate threat to their lives. Given these circumstances, their actions were deemed both reasonable and justified. Nine Memphis Police officers were relieved of duty with pay during the investigation into a shootout that killed one officer and an 18-year-old suspect, a source with the Memphis Police Association said. ORIGINAL STORY: Memphis Police officer and suspect dead after shootout; multiple officers injured The officers were relieved the day of the incident last Friday, as is routine procedure, said a representative with MPA, a union representing police officers. Two of those officers who were relieved of duty had been injured in the shooting, an MPA representative said. More officers were on the scene but were not involved to an extent that would lead to them being relieved, he said. A Memphis Police Department spokesman confirmed that several officers had been routinely relieved of duty. The officer who was killed was identified by MPD as Joseph McKinney. Officials honor Memphis Police officer killed in shootout Reports say the officers are at home and will be debriefed about what they saw. They will also have the chance to talk with a psychologist, especially since getting the news that McKinney may have been killed by an officers bullet. It may have been from a friendly fire incident. Its weighing extremely heavily on the officers involved. And so, you know, they are having to deal with the stress, said MPA President Matt Cunningham. The suspect who was killed was identified as Jaylen Lobley. Another suspect, 17-year-old Devaron Taylor, was also injured and left in critical condition. Cunningham was unable to go into detail about what exactly happened to lead up to the shooting, including who shot first. Although, he did confirm that the two teens had weapons. I can tell you they were armed and that shots were fired that night, but who fired first? I dont know, he said. Also on Friday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that charges against Taylor had been upgraded to include Second-Degree Murder and Reckless Homicide. Teen in officers shooting faces murder, homicide charge The Shelby County District Attorneys Office said Friday that information still indicates McKinney was killed by friendly fire, but they believe Taylors actions led to the shooting. MPA President Matt Cunningham agreed with the D.A.s statement. Regardless, what happened on the scene that night was the result of the suspects actions. They made the decision to become violent with police and police had to respond, said Cunningham. A second officer was taken to a hospital after the shooting incident but was reported in non-critical condition. A third officer was grazed by gunfire, but treated at the scene. Taylor is charged with 13 counts of Criminal Attempt First Degree Murder, 13 counts of Assault Against First Responder, and 13 counts of Aggravated Assault. District Attorney Steve Mulroy announced Wednesday that he plans to charge Taylor as an adult. On March 5, Lobley was arrested and charged with two counts of auto theft, unlawful possession of a weapon, prohibited weapon machine gun, and two counts of vandalism related to broken car windows and key reprogrammer in his possession. But he was released from jail without bond. Back in 2022, Taylor was charged with three counts of aggravated robbery, according to juvenile court records. What happened at Jaylen Lobleys bond hearing before shootout with police For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. 'No region in Ukraine endures hell like Donetsk Oblast,' governor says of Russia's war Local authorities in Ukraines eastern Donetsk Oblast have stopped assessing the damage of Russias war. Daily barrages of attacks make doing so both futile and extremely dangerous. Russian forces launch up to 2,500 attacks daily at the embattled regions towns and villages located along 165 miles of the front line, according to Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin. The entirety of Donetsk Oblast is under heavy fire. Even in rear cities, the enemy has been striking people with guided aerial bombs, Filashkin told the Kyiv Independent in an interview. Nowhere in Ukraine is louder today than eastern Donetsk Oblast, which Russia has swarmed with its forces and military hardware since Februrary 2022 and even before after its troops invaded part of the region in 2014. Russian forces use all types of conventional weapons in the region, ranging from hand grenades to ballistic missiles, gliding bombs, and heavy flamethrower systems, considered to be one of the strongest non-nuclear weapons ever developed. The situation on Ukraine's eastern front has significantly worsened due to a lack of ammunition plaguing the Ukrainian military. Russia has intensified its offensives along the Lyman, Chasiv Yar, and Porkovsk axes for further advance towards key cities like Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk. Ukrainian infantry soldiers of the 23rd Mechanized Brigade walk to board an armored fighting vehicle MaxxPro to head toward the frontline in the Avdiivka direction, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine on April 3, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Roman Pilipey /AFP via Getty Images) The Kyiv Independent spoke with Filashkin about the difficulty in evacuating civilians in front-line areas, building up fortifications to prevent further Russian advances, and the devastation the war has wrought on Ukraines once-industrial powerhouse of a region. Exodus Every tenth Ukrainian of the countrys estimated pre-war population of over 40 million lived in Donetsk Oblast before Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014. The whole region is now a ghost town. Before the full-scale war, 1.9 million people were residing in (Ukrainian-controlled parts of) Donetsk Oblast. Now it's up to 525,000. Around 70% of those staying are women and elderly, said Filashkin, a Mykolaiv-born official appointed in late 2023 after a four-year stint as deputy governor. Despite controlling 60% of the region, Russia illegally annexed Donetsk Oblast along with Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts in the fall of 2022. It is unclear how many Ukrainians reside in Russian-occupied areas as many fled through Russia the only way to escape the occupied area either settling there or moving through it to get to mainly European countries. Read also: EXCLUSIVE: Escaping forced conscription in Russian-occupied Donetsk Ukraine and Russia offer starkly contradicting accounts. Kyiv has said roughly 300,000 people resided in the occupied areas of Donetsk Oblast as of summer 2022, while Moscow claimed the population exceeded 2.5 million. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (2nd R) meets with the Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin (2nd L) in Donetsk Region, Ukraine on April 19, 2024. Filashkin, reported on the elimination of the consequences of Russian shelling and the restoration of water supply in the settlements. He also spoke about ensuring educational activities in the region and the construction of school shelters. (Presidency of Ukraine/Anadolu via Getty Images) The governor said that the authorities are still trying to evacuate roughly 70,000 civilians, including 2,000 children, that remain on the front lines in the oblast. There has been mandatory evacuation of Donetsk Oblasts entire population, and forced evacuation from the (front-line) Tortsk, Marinka, and Ocheretyne communities, Filashkin said, adding that authorities also launched a forced evacuation of 24 kids from four settlements in the Kurakhove community. We call on people to evacuate. Our goal is saving lives. Daily Russian attacks often result in casualties. A total of 1,930 people have been killed in Donetsk Oblast since February 2022, and 4,808 others have been injured, according to the governor. The actual casualty numbers are expected to be much higher as its currently impossible to calculate casualties in Russian-controlled Volnovakha and Mariupol, a port city largely destroyed during a months-long siege. The local authorities, the White Angels units of Ukraines National Police, and emergency servicemen evacuate locals from red-zone high-risk areas while the military steps in when the situation becomes very difficult, said Filashkin. Civilian riding a bike in Krasnohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on February 2, 2024. (Olena Zashko/The Kyiv Independent) While the majority of internally displaced locals over 500,000 people moved to safer places within the region since 2014, now, everyone heads even further westward. Filashkin said Donetsk Oblast Military Administrations established dozens of humanitarian hubs in 17 regions across Ukraine. As soon as people step off the (train), they get financial aid. Then the receiving (region) takes care of their accommodation and provides assistance, said the governor. However, there are those who want to stay home in the front-line towns while Russian forces get closer. Delaying the decision to evacuate may result in death or life under occupation. Few people (among those who stay) want to evacuate. This is an issue for us. When things get really hot, people will request help, but it may be impossible to reach them, Filashkin said, recounting that several locals sought evacuation from besieged Avdiivka and Russian forces fired on the only escape route. Read also: Ukraines angels who look after, evacuate civilians left in front-line Donbas Destruction Russias war is ubiquitous in Donetsk Oblast with many places lying in ruins resembling spitting images of World War II. Marinka is completely destroyed, Vuhledar barely exists. There are many such places along the front line. Bakhmut and Avdiivka are almost gone. Lyman, Toretsk, Niu Iork, and the Ocheretyne community are 80% destroyed, Krasnohorivka is 70-80% destroyed, said Filashkin. Daily barrages make it nearly impossible to assess the true extent of the devastation, let alone embark on large-scale reconstruction efforts. Local authorities have only been able to count a fraction of the housing destruction. Broken windows in a civilian housing in Krasnohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on February 2, 2024. (Olena Zashko/The Kyiv Independent) The governor said Russias war has destroyed and damaged at least 116,000 residential buildings, including over 7,000 high-rise apartment blocks. Repair works are swiftly carried out, prioritizing essential power lines and running water, shattered windows, and patching up rooftops where people still reside. Now, 70 settlements near the front line are without electricity. Energy workers try to do everything possible to restore power and water supplies to people after each enemy shelling," Filashkin said. A thorough assessment of the damage to the region's heavy industry, which previously accounted for about 20% of Ukraine's industrial output, has yet to be conducted. However, the industrial outlook is bleak as all major plants and factories are destroyed and corroding in the open air. Read also: I still imagine being there: A trip through memories of Ukrainian cities in tatters from Russias war No big business left in Donetsk Oblast, unfortunately. Large enterprises have been almost completely destroyed. There is little left of the coal industry. Only small and medium-sized businesses remain, said Filashkin. Despite the destruction, the governor remains optimistic about post-liberation reconstruction in the region, foreseeing the emergence of new plants, factories, and infrastructure. Fortifications The only big construction underway in Donetsk Oblast so far is fortifications built up to hinder the Russian offensive. Ukraine is building 1,240 miles of fortifications across three lines of defense, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 11. While he wouldnt say how long the defensive lines in Donetsk Oblast are exactly, Filashkin says they are within proximity to the Russian forces. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (front) meets with the Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin (rear) in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on April 19, 2024. (Presidency of Ukraine/Anadolu via Getty Images) We have a very small distance from the enemy there. Why? Weve pushed the third defense line as close as possible to the second because we want to hold onto every piece of our land, said the governor. Filashkin says the regional military administration also aims to save the lives of construction workers, who work constantly, as the Russian forces often target the second and third defensive lines. He didnt specify how. The governor also said the fortifications are reinforced with installed concrete and wooden dugouts, trenches, and other non-explosive barriers. The enemy did not advance further because our guys had a place to settle down, said Filashkin. He declined to divulge further information on fortification construction, citing the threat of gliding bomb attacks targeting construction sites. Donetsk Oblast is very dangerous Thank God, no region endures the same hellish experience as Donetsk Oblast. Ukrainian servicemen drive a quad bike on a road that leads to the town of Chasiv Yar, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine on March 30, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The eastern city of Chasiv Yar is facing a "difficult and tense" situation, a Ukrainian army official said on March 25, 2024. If Russia took Chasiv Yar, it could step up attacks on the strategic city of Kramatorsk that is already facing growing bombardment. (Roman Pilipey /AFP via Getty Images) Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. North Carolina is the next Florida. For Democrats, its a warning. For at least some Republicans, its a promise. Under a Republican supermajority, North Carolina has taken a sharp right turn. Policies like the Parents Bill of Rights and a potential DEI ban at public universities mimic similar actions taken by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his states ultraconservative legislature. That turn could become even sharper if Mark Robinson becomes North Carolinas next governor. Robinson himself has said that, if he is governor, he would push to make North Carolina more like Texas or Florida. I think thats one of the reasons why this state is going to be focused on this race, because were at a crossroads, Robinson recently said on a podcast. Are we going to go left? Are we going to go the way of California? Are we going to go the way of Florida, Texas, Arkansas or other conservative states? Of course, Joe Biden and Josh Stein winning North Carolina still wont make us anything like California. But could we become a much redder state if they lose? Much like Florida, North Carolina is a supposed presidential and U.S. Senate battleground state that has remained out of reach for Democrats in recent election cycles. Despite being a state that decided the 2000 election and elected Barack Obama twice, Florida now looks a lot more purple than red. The question is whether North Carolina is walking that same path. While optimistic Democrats may fantasize about North Carolina being like Georgia, which has swung blue in pivotal federal contests, Florida may be a more apt comparison, said J. Miles Coleman of the University of Virginias Center for Politics. Its a comparison hes been making since after the 2020 election. Part of what has kept North Carolina on the redder side of purple is its changing demographics, Coleman said. While its easy to think that demographic changes will eventually favor Democrats due to growth in urban areas, the metro areas arent the only parts of North Carolina experiencing rapid growth. Growth in some of the states fastest-growing counties such as Brunswick County along the coast is driven by an influx in retirees who lean more conservative. The same is true of Florida, which is a major retirement destination for northerners seeking warmer weather. Democrats in North Carolina and Florida havent done the best job of turning out their own voters, which causes them to underperform in statewide elections. 2022 was a disappointment for Democrats in both states: DeSantis won reelection in a landslide and Democrats lost yet another expensive U.S. Senate race in North Carolina. Coleman said election results show similar trends of Democratic performance falling in rural parts of both states eastern North Carolina and the Florida panhandle, for example. Mac McCorkle, a Duke University professor and former Democratic consultant, said Florida is a cautionary tale for North Carolina, but one thing that separates the two is Republicans who know how to govern. Guys like Phil Berger, theyre getting it, McCorkle said. They dont fight Medicaid expansion and just give the Democrats a huge issue to bludgeon them with. They dont repeat their HB2 mistake. They dont go all the way on banning abortion. But with people like Robinson and Michele Morrow on the ballot in November, McCorkle questions whether Republicans will be able to stay on that path which could give Democrats the opportunity to win over voters in exurban counties who might be less accepting of extreme candidates. Unlike Florida, which may very well continue to trend Republican, Coleman expects North Carolina to remain a competitive, if slightly right of center, state. But he agrees that the outcome of the upcoming election could change that. If North Carolina elects someone as extreme as Mark Robinson, I would definitely think that it is trending a little more Republican, Coleman said. I think just the tone that would set would definitely have an impact on its reputation. ELIZABETH CITY A police officer shot a man early Saturday morning who was suspected of shooting another man in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Both men died. The officer, while on foot patrol in the 200 block of North Poindexter Street, heard several gunshots, according to police. Based on an investigation, police say Bryan Christopher White, 33, of Belvidere, North Carolina, shot Cory Christopher Revelle, 39, of Elizabeth City. Shortly after the shots were fired, the officer approached White and told him to drop his weapon, but he did not comply with the officers commands, police said. The officer shot him at approximately 1:57 a.m., police said in a news release. Additional officers arrived and conducted life-saving measures on White and Revelle, who both had gunshot wounds. Emergency Medical Services transported both men to Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, where they later died from their injuries. The Elizabeth City Police Department is investigating the homicide. The North Carolina State Bureau Investigations is investigating the shooting involving the police officer. The police department is urging anyone with additional information to contact the Elizabeth City Police Department at 252-335-4321, the Crime Line at 252-335-5555 or FUSUS Text-a-Tip at 252-390-8477. Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com North Korea says it tested new warhead and anti-aircraft missile A picture released by the North Korean State News Agency (KCNA) on 20 April 2024 shows a "super-large warhead" power test for a strategic cruise missile and a test-fire of a new anti-aircraft rocket near the Yellow Sea. -/YNA/dpa North Korea said on Saturday it had tested a "super-large" cruise missile warhead and a new anti-aircraft missile. A power test of a super-large warhead designed for the Hwasal-1 Ra-3 strategic cruise missile and a test launch of the Pyoljji-1-2 anti-aircraft missile took place on Friday, state media reported. "Through the test launch, a certain goal was attained," KCNA reported. It said Fridays tests were part of North Korea's regular military activities and had "nothing to do with the surrounding situation." UN resolutions prohibit North Korea from testing ballistic missiles of any range, some of which are capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Tests of cruise missiles are not subject to sanctions on Pyongyang. Such weapons, however, can also be used to deliver nuclear warheads. Against the backdrop of the conflict over North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, tensions on the Korean Peninsula have increased significantly once again. The United States and South Korea have stepped up their military cooperation, including joint manoeuvres, in response to multiple tests of nuclear-capable missiles by Pyongyang over the past two years. Michael Schollhorn, CEO Airbus Defence and Space, speaks during a ceremony at Wunstorf Air Base. The head of the defence unit of European aerospace giant Airbus has expressed understanding for the decision by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz not to provide Ukraine with the German-made Taurus cruise missile. Julian Stratenschulte/dpa The head of the defence unit of European aerospace giant Airbus has expressed understanding for the decision by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz not to provide Ukraine with the German-made Taurus cruise missile. Speaking to news magazine Der Spiegel, Airbus Defence and Space chief executive Michael Schollhorn said that technical solutions could be found to avoid direct German participation in programming the missiles in Ukraine, in remarks published on Saturday. "But I can comprehend the political arguments," he added. Scholz has come under pressure from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and from hawks within his three-party coalition to provide Ukraine with the modern air-launched missiles, which have a reported range of 500 kilometres. "German troops may not be linked in any position or at any location with the targets that this system reaches. Not even in Germany," Scholz told a dpa editorial conference in February. Scholz indicated that he believed that the German-Swedish missiles could only be used with participation by German military technicians. Turning to the Eurofighter combat jets made by a consortium that includes Airbus, Schollhorn called for a decision on ordering a further 50. "We need a reliable commitment from the German government that the fifth tranche is coming, otherwise we will lose the supplier companies," he said. The German government had still not drawn the necessary consequences from the changes caused by the war in Ukraine, he said. He was referring to Scholz's promise of a major "Zeitenwende" in Germany's defence policy shortly after Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago. A view of the Airbus logo on the facade of the company's headquarters in Bremen. Mohssen Assanimoghaddam/dpa The New York attorney generals office has asked a judge to void the $175 million bond former President Trump secured to put off paying the larger monetary damage award in his civil fraud case. State lawyers said in court filings Friday that the former president and his co-defendants the Trump Organization and its top executives, including his two eldest sons failed to prove the surety Trump used to obtain the bond actually has the money to back it. They also say the defendants did not show that sufficiently secure and ascertainable collateral backs the bond. Based on the foregoing, the People respectfully request that the Court deny Movants motion to justify the surety, declare the Bond to be without effect and order that any replacement bond be posted within seven days, along with such other and further relief the Court deems necessary and appropriate, lawyers with New York Attorney General Letitia Jamess (D) office wrote in a 26-page filing. Trumps bond was secured by the California-based Knight Specialty Insurance Company. State lawyers argued Knight is a small insurer that is not authorized to write business in New York and, until Trump, had never before written a surety bond in New York. The company has a total policyholder surplus of just $138 million, the filing says. Under New York state law, companies like Knight cant expose themselves to liabilities like a bond or any potential loss greater than 10 percent of their surplus. Based on KSICs policyholder surplus in its most recent annual financial statement of $138,441,671, the limitation of loss on any one risk that KSIC is permitted to write is $13.8 million, the lawyers wrote. The face amount of the bond exceeds this limitation by $161.2 million. The state also argued that because Trump still has access to the $175 million in cash he placed in an account as collateral, the court should find that he and his codefendants failed to meet their burden to demonstrate that the Bond is sufficiently collateralized by identifiable assets.' Judge Arthur Engoron ruled earlier this year that Trump, the Trump Organization and top executives conspired to alter Trumps net worth for tax and insurance benefits. He ordered them to pay a combined $464 million, plus interest. Trumps bond ensures that Jamess office cant collect the multimillion-dollar judgment against the defendants while they appeal and pauses other penalties. The bond amount was originally set at the full judgment amount, but an appeals panel agreed to lower the price when Trumps lawyers said it would be impossible for the former president to secure a full bond. The judge is expected to hold a hearing Monday to discuss the issues raised by the attorney generals office. The hearing is set to run in parallel to opening statements in Trumps New York criminal trial. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. New York Attorney General Letitia James is pushing the judge in former President Donald Trump's civil fraud case to void the $175 million bond that Trump previously posted to appeal his New York civil lawsuit. In her 26-page filing obtained by Fox News Digital, James questions whether the insurance company has sufficient funds to back it up. Trumps bond was posted by California-based Knight Specialty Insurance Company (KSIC), but James argued that the insurer was "not authorized" to write business in New York, stating it is a small insurer that is not authorized to write business in New York and is not regulated by the states insurance department, had never before written a surety bond in New York or in the prior two years in any other jurisdiction, and has a total policyholder surplus of just $138 million. The company has a total policyholder surplus of just $138 million, the filing states. According to New York state law, smaller businesses like KSIC are not permitted to expose themselves to liabilities, like a bond, or any potential loss greater than 10 percent of their surplus. NEW YORK AG TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER TRUMP FRAUD RULING: 'JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED' New York Attorney General said she is "prepared" to ask the judge to seize former President Donald Trump's assets if he cannot pay the $354 million judgement handed down in his civil fraud case. "Based on KSICs policyholder surplus in its most recent annual financial statement of $138,441,671, the limitation of loss on any one risk that KSIC is permitted to write is $13.8 million," the lawyers wrote. "The face amount of the bond exceeds this limitation by $161.2 million." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP James also wrote in the filing that "KSIC is not qualified to act as the surety under this standard because its management has been found by federal authorities to have operated affiliated companies within KSICs holding company structure in violation of federal law on multiple occasions within the past several years." "KSIC does not now have an exclusive right to control the account and will not obtain such control unless and until it exercises a right to do so on two days' notice," the filing read. James also wrote that the Court should not rely on KSICs financial summary attached to the bond as evidence that KSIC has sufficient capacity to justify writing a $175 million bond. "That is because KSIC sends 100% of its retained insurance risk to affiliates in the Cayman Islands, where lax regulations allow KSIC to use this risk transfer to reduce the liabilities it carries on its books in a way that artificially bolsters its surplus, a practice New York regulators have dubbed "shadow insurance" and about which they have sounded the alarm," the filing read. For these reasons, James writes that the Court should deny the Motion and require Defendants to post a replacement undertaking within seven days of the Courts ruling. NY AG LETITIA JAMES BOOED AT FDNY CEREMONY WITH CHANTS OF 'TRUMP! TRUMP! TRUMP!' Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James and former President Donald Trump. In September, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization had committed fraud while building a real estate empire by deceiving banks, insurers and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing. The judge also prohibited Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or legal entity in New York for two years. The former president has repeatedly slammed the case against him and denied any wrongdoing, calling it a "witch hunt." James brought the lawsuit against Trump, accusing Trump and the Trump Organization of fraudulent business practices. James claimed Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric, as well as his associates and businesses, committed "numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation" on their financial statements. Trump has pleaded not guilty on all counts. CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The judge is expected to hold a hearing Monday to discuss the issues raised by the attorney generals office. The hearing is set to run in conjunction with opening statements in Trumps New York criminal trial. Fox News' Brooke Singman and Timothy Nerozzi contributed to this report. Original article source: NY AG Letitia James asks judge to void Trump's $175M bond in civil fraud case At a new popup restaurant in New York City, Nepali spices and hand-wrapped momos highlight the traditions and culture behind the cuisine of the North Face region in the Himalayas, an area many only associate with extreme sports and puffer coats. Nichi Pandey, 22, and Steven Li, 23, childhood friends who grew up in Maryland, wanted their new restaurant, the Orange Peel Cafe, in the Lower East Side to tell the story of the Nepal-Chinese border and its people. The North Face refers to the north side of Mount Everest, also known as Sagarmatha in Nepali. Over 50 million people live in the Himalayas, which spans about 1,550 miles across the continent and borders five countries: Nepal, China, India, Bhutan and Pakistan. The north side of Everest is largely uninhabited and separates Nepal and China. The area is most associated with the North Face clothing brand, but Pandey, who is Nepali, and Li, who is Chinese, wanted to honor their two distinctive cultures with the popup, which is in place through the end of May. Steven Li and Nichi Pandey, co-founders of Orange Peel Cafe. (Manaal Shareh) Pandey said he thinks the culture of the area is overlooked. In some ways, it is disrespectful people dont appreciate the cultural aspect of it because they want the glory of climbing this mountain. The areas mountainous terrain and harsh weather conditions have bred innovative cooking techniques and ingredients that are shared by both Nepal and China. The Orange Peel Cafe a nod to peeling away and slowly revealing flavors exemplifies these shared aspects in their weekly changing menu. They serve turmeric fried rice, reminiscent of rice served in tea houses throughout the Himalayas, pan fried pork ribs with sticky rock sugar sauce and what they refer to as a childhood snack of boiled eggs pan-fried with turmeric and chili flakes. And then there are, of course, momos homemade and steamed-to-order dumplings filled with beef or tofu accompanied by Nepali spices like cumin and Timur pepper, a relative of Szechuan pepper found in the Himalayas. Roasted spiced eggplant served with toasted flatbread. (Manaal Shareh) We started to realize, number one, a lot of the cooking is the same, but also, number two, in terms of this region, and because Nepal is the country that is smashed in between China and India and has a lot of influence from both, there are a lot of techniques and dishes that even though we call them different things, theyre really actually the same thing and I think that thats a powerful and cultural statement, Pandey said. Steven and Nichi both recalled coming up with a pork rib dish to add to their menu as they discussed both the Nepali and Chinese way to prepare them, they realized the flavors and preparation techniques were not all that different. They both prepare the dish by cooking the pork ribs twice: first, poached in water, then fried with sauce and aromatics. Now, this dish is the newest addition to their evolving menu. Nichis Moms mango pie topped with fresh fruit and cream. (Manaal Shareh) Preservation methods, like pickling, fermenting and smoking, are big in Himalayan culinary culture due to the harsh winter temperatures, and they can be found across both cultures. Foraging the surrounding area is also widely common, as gathering produce from beyond the mountain range is much harder. Approximately 100,000 people visit Everest every year to try to scale the treacherous mountain, with the surrounding region relying on such tourism. The north face of the mountain is always notoriously the hardest side to scale so as were embarking on a difficult endeavor, it seems fitting that it would be like climbing the north face of a mountain, Pandey said. Nepal has a rich history, being one of the only countries in the region to never have been colonized by the West. The country itself is geographically around the size of the state of New York but is ethnically diverse, with dozens of languages and dialects spoken. Due to its geographic location between India and China, there has been a natural culinary fusion among the countries. It all comes together in a way that historically and culturally developed separately, but when it gets to your table and you eat it it feels familiar to the both of us, Li said. Hand-wrapped momos ready for steaming to order. (Manaal Shareh) This article was originally published on NBCNews.com The NYPD says pro-Palestine protesters were "peaceful," but Columbia University had them arrested Columbia University officials, gambling that a show of force would dissuade pro-Palestine protesters from continuing to mobilize, sent New York City police on Thursday to clear out the protesters' encampment on campus. Police detained more than 100 students with summonses for trespass, all of whom now face the risk of suspension and eviction by the university. The gamble, however, may have backfired. Not only are more protesters taking over a different campus location, with donated pizzas in tow, per the New York Times, but students from other universities are gathering on their own campuses in solidarity with the detained Columbia students. The demonstrations are the latest in a wave of student protests that have called for economic and academic divestment from Israel over its military offensive in Gaza, which has killed around 35,000 people so far, and longstanding discrimination toward Palestinians that critics say amounts to a policy of apartheid. The arrest and suspension of Rep. Ilhan Omar's daughter, a student at Columbia-affiliated Barnard College, drew further attention to the crackdown. Columbia President Nemat Shafik, in her request for NYPD assistance on Wednesday, wrote that she had "determined that the encampment and related disruptions pose a clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University. But after the arrests, NYPD John Chell appeared to contradict that assessment, saying later Thursday that "the students that were arrested were peaceful, offered no resistance whatsoever, and were saying what they wanted to say in a peaceful manner." New York Mayor Eric Adams, who approved of the request for police assistance, has stood by the embattled Columbia president. "Students have a right to free speech. They do not have the right to violate university policies and disrupt learning on campus," Adams said during a news conference on Thursday. But others, including defenders of academic freedom, have criticized Shafik's actions as a violation of students' rights to political expression. In an interview with the Times, CUNY professor Angus Johnston, an historian specializing in student activism, recalled the 1968 antiwar protests at Columbia University and how student demonstrators back then had taken over whole buildings and offices. The pro-Palestine protesters' takeover of a lawn, by contrast, "is the least disruptive way of occupying space on a campus." Cracking down on peaceful protests could provoke an escalation, Johnston warned. Im really worried about a spiral in which suppressing protest is going to lead to more aggressive protest," he said. OCSO: Deputy shoots a man who was holding a gun towards people An Orange County deputy shot a man at an apartment complex on Friday night who was holding a gun and pointing it at several residents, the Orange County Sheriffs Office said. Deputies said they responded to a call around 10:30 p.m. at the Indigo Winter Park Apartments on U.K. Circle. Deputies said upon arrival they heard one gunshot and encountered the man, who was still holding the gun. Read: Only on 9: Video shows suspects involved in Taft shooting, possibly connected to Seminole carjacking OCSO said a deputy then fired their service weapon, shooting the man. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Read: Sheriff: Person of interest in deadly carjacking, kidnapping in custody; search underway for 2 more The deputy who shot the man is on temporary paid administrative leave pending a review from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The FDLE is investigating this shooting and said it will turn over its findings to the State Attorneys Office for review. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. MEMPHIS, Tenn. People in Hughes, Arkansas are going into the weekend with no active police department. The state has designated the department as inactive and has removed it from service. WREG was told it was not in compliance with law enforcement training standards. Two agents with the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training were in Hughes to meet with Mayor Lincoln Barnett on Friday. However, they would not go into detail on what was discussed. Hughes, AR police department designated not in compliance, removed from service Mayor Barnett, who left City Hall without commenting, did assure residents on Facebook Wednesday that he planned a series of meetings with the State on the matter. And then I am scheduled to also go before the Commission in May to have our department returned to active status, Mayor Barnett said. Even though the police department is inactive, most people in the community dont seem too concerned. Its a positive place to live even though there are problems but those problems can be corrected and my hope is that they will be, sooner rather than later, said Danny VanWinkle of Hughes, Arkansas. Others say with or without an active police department, life goes on. Volunteers at the Hughes Christian Outreach food pantry were helping more than 200 families in need on Friday. They say they miss the additional help of the officers in blue. A few times the police officers came over to help us with deliveries and things like that because we do home shut in too, said Belinda Joshaway, Director of Hughes Christian Outreach Program. Hughes AR mayor wants to reactivate police department Joshaway misses the added protection but has faith that she will be alright while the department is inactive. We feel safe here, she said. A lot of time Im here by myself but the people know us so Im okay with that. WREG reached out to the state for more details on the morning meeting. A spokesperson with the Arkansas Department of Public Safety says the details of the meeting were not complete. Earlier this week we were told the St. Francis County Sheriffs Department would actively patrol Hughes and be available for assistance. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. (KRON) The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is searching for a minimum-security incarcerated person who walked away from Vallecito Conservation Camp in Angels Camp on Friday. Jonathan LealBetancourt, 26, was discovered missing at 3 a.m. on Friday during a head count. Subsequently, the corrections launched a campus search and notified multiple local agencies. Jonathan LealBetancourt, Photo: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Thousands of Tesla Cybertrucks recalled for unintended acceleration LealBetancourt is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 219 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair. The CDCR said it is unknown what LealBetancourt was wearing when he walked away. It is possible that he was wearing either gray sweatpants and a gray T-shirt or orange pants and an orange long-sleeve shirt. LealBetancourt was serving a five-year, four-month sentence for first-degree burglary, receiving stolen property, vehicle theft, and buying/receiving stolen vehicle/trailer/construction equipment. He was admitted from Alameda County in June of last year. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Ohio officer indicted after allegedly turning off bodycam during interactions with women A federal grand jury indicted a former Ohio police officer for allegedly removing or turning off his body camera while having interactions with two women, WBNS-10 reported. Former Columbus Division of Police officer Nicholas Duty, 35, of Pickaway County, has been charged with destroying or altering records related to a criminal investigation. >> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ohio police officer relieved amid state, federal criminal investigation According to federal investigators, Duty allegedly turned off his body camera while having interactions with two women, one of which was a sexual encounter. The alleged incidents occurred on Oct. 31, 2023, and March 22, 2024. Duty was working when the alleged incidents occurred. He was in a marked police car, wearing an official uniform and an assigned body camera, WBNS-10 reported. Investigators said Duty was required to comply with the divisions body camera policies. >> Family Dollar, Dollar Tree to close 35 Ohio stores this weekend; Heres the list of closures The indictment also suggests that Duty deliberately impeded, obstructed, or influenced a federal investigation. Duty was arrested on Friday. Later that day, he appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to his two federal charges. He could face up to 20 years in prison, according to WBNS-10. On March 24, the division relieved the officer of his duties. The Columbus Division of Police holds itself to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. Any violations of law, or actions inconsistent with our Core Values will be met with swift and appropriate disciplinary measures, including criminal charges. Our obligation is not only to uphold the law but also to earn and maintain the trust of the communities we serve. The Columbus Division of Police acknowledges the gravity of the situation and recognizes the importance of accountability in fostering positive police-community relations. While incidents such as these are regrettable, they serve as reminders of our ongoing commitment to uphold the principles of justice and fairness. As the case progresses, the Division will remain fully cooperative with all investigating authorities. Statement from Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert We will continue to follow this story. OKLAHOMA A Quapaw man is charged in federal court with sexual abuse of a minor. Dylan Boyd, 27, is charged with four separate counts in connection to allegations dating back to November of 2020. FOUR STATES CRIME According to court papers a teenage girl told a specialist with the Department of Children and Families, Boyd assaulted her at a home in Quapaw. DCF then contacted the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service who began investigating Boyd. Boyd has prior convictions for aggravated indecent liberties with a minor and violation of the Kansas Offender Registration Act. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Olympics-WADA says 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive before Tokyo Games but it accepted contamination finding (Reuters) -The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed reports on Saturday that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned drug before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but it accepted the country's findings that this was due to substance contamination. Multiple media reports said the swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), which is found in heart medication, months before the COVID-delayed Games began in the Japanese capital in July 2021. CHINADA, China's anti-doping agency, called the reports "misleading" and said the positive results had been inadvertent. CHINADA said the swimmers had tested positive for "extremely low concentration" of TMZ after inadvertently being exposed to the substance through contamination and should not be held responsible for the positive results, according to a statement reported by China's state news agency Xinhua on Sunday. The Chinese anti-doping agency said it had investigated the matter "from various respects" and kept WADA and World Aquatics informed. "WADA agreed with our conclusion after thorough review," CHINADA said. The Chinese Swimming Association did not respond to an email from Reuters seeking comment. WADA said it was notified in June 2021 of CHINADA's decision to accept that the swimmers returned adverse analytical findings, or AAFs, after inadvertently being exposed to the drug through contamination. The global anti-doping body, which has the authority to appeal the rulings of national doping agencies, said it reviewed the decision and consulted scientific experts and external legal counsel to test the contamination theory presented by CHINADA. "WADA ultimately concluded that it was not in a position to disprove the possibility that contamination was the source of TMZ and it was compatible with the analytical data in the file," the anti-doping body said in a statement. "WADA also concluded that ... the athletes would be held to have no fault or negligence. As such, and based on the advice of external counsel, WADA considered an appeal was not warranted." China's 30-member swimming team won six medals at the Tokyo Games, including three golds. Without mitigating circumstances, athletes who fail doping tests are usually subject to bans of two to four years for a first offence and life for a second. World Aquatics, the sport's global body formerly known as FINA, said it was confident the positive tests were handled "diligently and professionally." "With regard to the AAFs ... they were carefully considered by the FINA Doping Control Review Board," it added. "Materials relating to the source of the AAFs were subject to independent expert scrutiny retained by FINA. "World Aquatics is confident that these AAFs were handled diligently and professionally, and in accordance with applicable anti-doping regulations, including the WADA Code." POSITIVE TESTS The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) criticized WADA and CHINADA for their handling of the matter. "It's crushing to see that 23 Chinese swimmers had positive tests for a potent performance-enhancing drug on the eve of the 2021 Olympic Games, as reported by the New York Times," USADA CEO Travis Tygart said in a statement. "It's even more devastating to learn the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency secretly, until now, swept these positives under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world. "All of those with dirty hands in burying positive tests and suppressing the voices of courageous whistleblowers must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the rules and law." WADA told Reuters it was considering legal action against USADA and Tygart for accusing it of a cover-up. "The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is astonished by the outrageous, completely false and defamatory remarks made by the CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Travis Tygart who has made very serious accusations," WADA said in a statement. "It is implicit in his statement that Mr Tygart does not accept the finding of environmental contamination in this case although he cannot say why." WADA said that in the past it had accepted USADA's similar conclusions of contamination involving a number of U.S. athletes and has no choice but to refer the matter to its legal counsel for further action. TIGHTER SCRUTINY News of the AAFs could lead to tighter scrutiny of China before this year's Paris Olympics, where the Asian country is expected to contend for medals alongside powerhouses the United States and Australia. One of the most high-profile cases involving TMZ is that of China's Olympic gold medallist Sun Yang, who was suspended for three months in 2014 after testing positive for the drug. Sun said he was prescribed the drug to treat chest pain. He is currently serving a separate doping ban. Prior to the 2008 Beijing Games, a number of Chinese swimmers had been involved in doping cases. In 1994, seven Chinese swimmers tested positive for dihydrotestosterone at the Hiroshima Asian Games. Four years later four Chinese swimmers failed pre-competition testing for the diuretic triamterene before the world championships in Perth, and Yuan Yuan was disqualified from Perth after being caught with 13 vials of muscle-building human growth hormone at Sydney airport. She was banned for four years and her coach was banned for 15 years. In 2003, Li Ning was suspended for two years and her coach was banned for life after a positive test for banned steroid testosterone. Five years later, backstroke swimmer Ouyang Kunpeng and his coach were banned for life after a positive test for an illegal substance. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar and Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru, Steve Keating and Rory Carroll; Editing by Peter Rutherford, Hugh Lawson, Ken Ferris and William Mallard) TORONTO, April 20, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Almonty Industries Inc. ("Almonty" or the "Company") (TSX: AII / ASX: AII / OTCQX: ALMTF / Frankfurt: ALI) is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated March 22, 2024, it has closed three tranches of its non-brokered private placement through the sale of 4,263,263 units ("CDN Units") at a price of CDN$0.55 per CDN Unit, raising gross proceeds of CDN$2,344,795, and 1,525,000 Chess Depository Interests units ("CDI Units") at a price of A$0.62 per CDI Unit, raising gross proceeds of A$945,000. Each CDN Unit is comprised of one common share and one share purchase warrant with each share purchase warrant being exercisable into one additional common share of the Company at a price of CDN$0.74 per share for a period of 24 months from the date of closing. Each CDI Unit is comprised of one CDI, with an underlying common share, and one unlisted option exercisable at A$0.84, for a period of 24 months from the date of closing. Proceeds from the Placement will be applied towards general working capital, including accelerating the downstream project planning and further investigation of the Moly due to increasing interest in the material domestically. Lewis Black, Mark Trachuk, Daniel DAmato and Andrew Ryu (the "Insiders") participated in the private placement and, as such, the private placement is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). As such, the Company will rely on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that participation in the Private Placement by insiders will not exceed 25% of the fair market value of the Companys market capitalization. About Almonty The principal business of Toronto, Canada-based Almonty Industries Inc. is the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten concentrate from its Los Santos Mine in western Spain and its Panasqueira mine in Portugal as well as the development of its Sangdong tungsten mine in Gangwon Province, South Korea and the development of the Valtreixal tin/tungsten project in northwestern Spain. The Los Santos Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2011 and is located approximately 50 kilometres from Salamanca in western Spain and produces tungsten concentrate. The Panasqueira mine, which has been in production since 1896, is located approximately 260 kilometres northeast of Lisbon, Portugal, was acquired in January 2016 and produces tungsten concentrate. The Sangdong mine, which was historically one of the largest tungsten mines in the world and one of the few long-life, high-grade tungsten deposits outside of China, was acquired in September 2015 through the acquisition of a 100% interest in Woulfe Mining Corp. Almonty owns 100% of the Valtreixal tin-tungsten project in north- western Spain. Further information about Almontys activities may be found at www.almonty.com and under Almontys profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Story continues Legal Notice The release, publication, or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published, or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions. Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. These statements and information are based on managements beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and reflect Almontys current expectations. 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 Almonty to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: any specific risks relating to fluctuations in the price of ammonium para tungstate ("APT") from which the sale price of Almontys tungsten concentrate is derived, actual results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdictions in which Almontys operations are located and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, forecasts and assessments relating to Almontys business, credit and liquidity risks, hedging risk, competition in the mining industry, risks related to the market price of Almontys shares, the ability of Almonty to retain key management employees or procure the services of skilled and experienced personnel, risks related to claims and legal proceedings against Almonty and any of its operating mines, risks relating to unknown defects and impairments, risks related to the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, risks related to governmental regulations, including environmental regulations, risks related to international operations of Almonty, risks relating to exploration, development and operations at Almontys tungsten mines, the ability of Almonty to obtain and maintain necessary permits, the ability of Almonty to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements, lack of suitable infrastructure and employees to support Almontys mining operations, uncertainty in the accuracy of mineral reserves and mineral resources estimates, production estimates from Almontys mining operations, inability to replace and expand mineral reserves, uncertainties related to title and indigenous rights with respect to mineral properties owned directly or indirectly by Almonty, the ability of Almonty to obtain adequate financing, the ability of Almonty to complete permitting, construction, development and expansion, challenges related to global financial conditions, risks related to future sales or issuance of equity securities, differences in the interpretation or application of tax laws and regulations or accounting policies and rules and acceptance of the TSX of the listing of Almonty shares on the TSX. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to, no material adverse change in the market price of ammonium para tungstate (APT), the continuing ability to fund or obtain funding for outstanding commitments, expectations regarding the resolution of legal and tax matters, no negative change to applicable laws, the ability to secure local contractors, employees and assistance as and when required and on reasonable terms, and such other assumptions and factors as are set out herein. Although Almonty has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240419612371/en/ Contacts Lewis Black Chairman, President and CEO Telephone: +1 647 438-9766 Email: info@almonty.com One arrested, dozens cited after senior prank involving eggs and trash, cops say A senior prank at an Arkansas high school led to several people being cited and one facing multiple criminal charges, police said. Jonesboro police said they noticed a group of people at the high schools parking lot late at night on Thursday, April 18. As officers reached the school, they found eggs and debris on the ground, according to an April 19 Facebook post. As administrators and police entered the school to investigate, they found trash scattered throughout the hallways, photos show. Thirteen adults and four minors were cited, according to police, but multiple others had left the school. Police said the senior prank was misguided and that they plan to pursue legal consequences for those involved. Superintendent Kim Wilbanks told KAIT the accused students will be able to graduate. McClatchy News reached out to the superintendent on April 19 and did not immediately receive a response. Jonesboro is about a 130-mile drive northeast of Little Rock. Cop on duty turns off body camera during sexual encounter with woman in Ohio, feds say Woman pregnant 33 weeks before care center noticed, officials say. 3 workers suspended 19-year-old vanishes on date. Then severed leg is found in park, Wisconsin cops say One of the oldest-known meteor showers can be seen near Tri-Cities right now. What to know Its been nearly two weeks since the solar eclipse provided Americans with one type of celestial event, but dont stop looking at the skies yet another event is on the way. Fortunately, this celestial event doesnt require glasses and is viewable over multiple days: the Lyrid meteor shower. Even better, while this months solar eclipse was only a partial eclipse in the Evergreen State, Washingtonians will be able to watch the Lyrids in their full glory. Heres what to know about the Lyrid meteor shower and when to catch it. What is the Lyrid meteor shower? The Lyrid meteor shower is one of the oldest-known meteor showers, according to NASA. The Chinese first observed it in 687 BC, meaning humans have been aware of it for about 2,700 years. The meteors in this shower are known to be fast and bright, with generally about 10-20 viewable per hour. They originate from Comet Thatcher, a comet that orbits around the sun every 415.5 years, according to NASA. Every year, the Earth passes through the debris trail left behind by Comet Thatcher, causing bits of debris to collide with our atmosphere and appear as bright flashes in the sky. The showers radiantwhere the meteors appear to come from in the night skyis near the constellation Lyra, which is why the showers name is derived from it. Lyra is a smaller constellation but can easily be found by looking for the star Vega, the fifth-brightest star in our sky and the second brightest in the Northern Hemisphere. The easiest way to find Vega is to look directly overhead, according to EarthSky, and to locate the brightest star closest to the zenith, which is the spot right above you. Vega rises above the horizon at around 9:45 p.m., which is when youll start being able to see the meteor shower, but chances to see a meteor will increase into the morning hours. NASA recommends looking for the meteors slightly away from the zenith. This is because the meteors spotted around the zenith will be short-lived, while meteors further away typically last longer and look more spectacular. When are the Lyrids viewable? The Lyrid meteor shower is viewable from April 15 to 29, according to NASA, meaning they started shooting across the sky in the early hours of Monday morning. It will continue through next week until Monday, April 29. The best time to spot the Lyrids is shortly before midnight and through the early morning hours. While the meteor shower usually only produces 10-20 meteors per hour, some years have been particularly active and treated stargazers to up to 100 meteors per hour at its peak. The meteor shower will peak in the early hours of April 23. Unfortunately, that also coincides with a nearly full moon, with about 96% of the moon illuminated, according to Time and Date. This means more light pollution and a less likely chance of viewing meteors. Where can you watch the meteors near Tri-Cities? The website Light Pollution Map shows where exactly you can escape light pollution, but here are some other options close to Tri-Cities: On top of Badger or Candy Mountains Jump Off Joe Butte, just south of Tri-Cities Around the Top of the World park in Richland The next chance to watch a significant meteor shower in Tri-Cities will be the Perseids from July 14 to Sept. 1, with the peak coming Aug. 11-12. This month marked a formal goodbye to my dear friend and colleague, an indefatigable fighter for social justice and renowned champion of education reform, Dr. Ramona Edelin. Celebrating her life and work, many attended her memorial service in Washington. It was in the nations capital that I first met Ramona. I was in the process of opening Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School, named for my mother, who was a teacher and is an inspiration to me. I alighted upon Ramona, with her considerable advocacy, activism and academic expertise, as well as strong leadership skills, as a potential board member. Back then, Ramona was president and chief executive of the National Urban Coalition, a position she held from 1988 to 1998, presiding over many initiatives, including one promoting math and science education among children of color. Ramona and I were extremely concerned about the state of the District of Columbias public school system, especially how it failed children growing up in the citys most underserved neighborhoods. Families with means were fleeing for suburban schools, leaving behind those parents and guardians who lacked such options. Help fund stories like this. Donate now! The D.C. Council had just passed the 1995 School Reform Act, allowing charter schools tuition-free public schools run independently of the city system to open. In those days, public charter schools were a novel concept. While D.C. law had established equal per-student local funding for students at charter and traditional public schools, payments were often delayed a cause of many sleepless nights for public charter school pioneers. In the end, Ramona did not join our board. She did, however, become a powerful voice for equality in per-student funding and access for charters to surplus city school buildings, which came to be enshrined in D.C. law. These issues required Ramonas persistence and hard work throughout this part of her career, as the District continued to divert public money outside the per-student funding formula to traditional schools. The city also continued to sell or lease school buildings that it couldnt fill to private developers for condominiums. In all these struggles, Ramona stood by our side, at one point even leading a lawsuit against the city with two public charter school co-defendants. She championed the cause of children whose families would otherwise have lacked choice, and worked with public charter schools as our enrollments grew. Related Edelin: D.C. Charter Students Are Locked Out of a Million Square Feet of Available School Space. New Campaign Aims to Change That Today, the charters educate nearly half of D.C.s public school children and have raised student performance and graduation rates. This has prompted reform of the traditional system and given families choices that are a world away from what was available in the mid-1990s. Without the support of stalwarts such as Ramona, the charter reform would not have blossomed as fully. Our pre-K-6 school, which started with a class of 35 children in 1998, now has over 500 on two campuses. Our bilingual immersion school has a mission of community service and teaches students to be global citizens, assisted by study tours to Martinique for those studying French and to Panama for those studying Spanish. We also have an International Baccalaureate program and are a feeder school for D.C. International Public Charter School, which specializes in French, Spanish and Mandarin immersion. All this progress owes much to Ramonas rock-solid support for the charter movement, a commitment that clearly traces back through the influences on her life. This began with her teacher and librarian mother, the first woman to earn a doctorate in library science from Columbia University, after graduating from Atlantas Fisk University, a historically black college. Ramona followed in her footsteps, graduating from Fisk as well. Foreshadowing a lifetime of activism, Ramona was taken on her first demonstration protesting racially discriminatory hiring practices at age 3. She was profoundly affected by attending a segregated school and by the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision integrating the nations public schools. At age 17, Ramona attended the 1963 March on Washington, later recalling how she had saved up her money over the summer to take the bus from Atlanta to D.C. After graduating with her bachelors degree in philosophy in 1967, Ramona moved to England with her U.S. Air Force husband and continued her education by obtaining a masters degree in philosophy from the University of East Anglia in 1969. Returning to the States, she earned her doctorate at Boston University with a dissertation making the case that famed scholar and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois should be considered a philosopher as well as an economist and historian. Ramona took Du Boiss activist-academic tradition into her professional life, teaching at Emerson College and establishing the nations first African-American studies department, at Northeastern University, in 1973. However, it was after moving to Washington, D.C. to begin a career at the National Urban Coalition that activism became the focus of her professional life. Other roles included executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and President Bill Clintons appointee to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She was CEO and president of the coalition when I met her. It was while leading the coalition that Ramona was instrumental in coining the term African-American in 1988. And it was in her work as executive director of the D.C. Association of Chartered Public Schools that she helped shape the educational landscape that we know in the District today. Ramona liked to quote Du Boiss prescient prediction that the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line, adding, Its up to us to be sure thats not the problem of the 21st century. Inspired by Ramonas legacy of fighting for social justice, our school has created the Founders Award for Excellence and Community Service. The first of these will be awarded to Ramona posthumously at this years graduation ceremony. Opinion: The Indian election issue that will impact the world (and no one is talking about) Editors Note: Aditya Valiathan Pillai is a fellow and coordinator for adaptation and resilience at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative, an independent climate change research organization based in New Delhi. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. Read more CNN Opinion. Its hard to truly comprehend how difficult and relentless a problem climate change is for a country as large as India. One way would be to rig a drone with a very large battery pack and fly it from one end to the other. Start in the south in Bangalore, Indias Silicon Valley, in the fall of 2022. Fly very, very slowly northwards until you reach the Himalayas just before the national elections that started this week. You would witness a country in constant convulsion. Soon after take off, youd see the swish houses and gleaming towers of Bangalores new tech and corporate elite submerged amid September 2022s monsoon rains. Just a little further north and a few months on in March 2023, record breaking fires tear through Karnataka states forests, the smoke obscuring vision for days. Then, on to the heaving, humid metropolis of Mumbai at summers onset in April 2023 to find over a dozen people dead, mostly women, due to heat exposure at a large public gathering. Next, entire stretches of Delhi under water from flooding in July. That same summer, hospitals in the sunburnt state of Uttar Pradesh, home to over 240 million people, fill with listless, heat-stroked workers. Finally, the anticipated visual reprieve of the Himalayan snow caps that never comes instead replaced by an almost snowless winter that continues into 2024. Livestock wander the cracked bed of a dried-out pond amid a heatwave that hit New Delhi in the summer of 2022. - Amarjeet Kumar Singh/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images The impacts of Indias extreme weather are not neatly contained within the countrys borders. This is a global worry. When India introduces wheat export bans due to a heat wave or slows its vaunted IT exports because Bangalore is underwater, the lives of seemingly unconnected millions across the world are affected. India is the worlds third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, after China and the US. It is also the worlds fastest-growing major economy. How India handles climate change, then, is everyones concern. But while climate is mentioned in the election manifestos of the two main parties the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress it will, perhaps surprisingly, not feature as a major issue in Indias six-week-long national election that started this week. Thats unlike in Australia, the UK and US, among others, where elections can be significantly influenced by climate policy positions. This is because climate politics looks different in the developing world; it will shape Indian elections in definitive but under-the-radar ways. Climate impacts do shape voter demands though this tends to filter through as anxieties about livelihood and continued welfare support, rather than in a neatly defined area of politics labeled climate. You can see it in farmers asking for loan waivers and irrigation facilities after years of drought, in urban families demanding reduced electricity prices to offset cooling bills and in calls for more penetrating social welfare. A boy takes a dip in a water container outside his slum dwelling in New Delhi, in May 2023. - Kabir Jhangiani/NurPhoto/Getty Images Here in the worlds most-populous country, the average Indian does not emit very much at present. Indias relatively low per-capita carbon emissions of 1.9 tons per person are less than half of the global average of 4.7 tons per person and several times lower than developed economies. This duality low per-capita emissions and a rapidly growing economy also shapes Indias climate policy. The incumbent government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has both pushed the rapid deployment of renewables and domestic green manufacturing to create jobs, while continuing to rely on fossil fuels to power the economy. Thats fairly similar to previous governments. Leaf through the BJP and Congress election manifestos and you will find several dozen pledges across sectors that could be filed under climate policy, with a roughly even split between the two parties (though their emphases predictably differ). But these are listed across several chapters and rarely mention the word climate (though each has a separate chapter on sustainable development). Similarly, stump speeches throughout this campaign season have not featured climate change as a central issue. Parties do however focus on climate-adjacent developmental issues including expanding entitlements for the poorest (which could also help with weather shocks), creating jobs through green manufacturing and reconfiguring Indian agriculture. The flooded banks of the Yamuna river along the Taj Mahal in Agra, in July 2023. Flooding and landslides are common and cause widespread devastation during India's treacherous monsoon season, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity. - Pawan Sharma/AFP/Getty Images But politics here seems to reflect the relative insignificance of climate change as a conceptual category in the Indian voters mind. When tens of thousands of farmers marched through Maharashtra in 2018 after several years of drought across parts of the state, they protested against rising agricultural debt, declining productivity, pests and inadequate irrigation. This was a climate protest in all but slogan. Take for example a Muslim woman I spoke with a few years ago from the poorer reaches of North Bengal. Her small house in an informal settlement in Delhi was engulfed in a summer fire, and then a few years later her family home in Bengal was damaged in a monsoon flood. She supports a large family of children and grandchildren as a house cleaner in Delhis rich neighbourhoods. Despite the fingerprint of climate impacts on her past, her main demands in previous elections were for regular water (which she gets once in two weeks from a water truck), cheaper electricity (she told me she pays around three times the price her rich employers pay because of an illegal connection), and cheaper health care. Elections turn, then, on meeting developmental exigency. The headwinds of climate change are absorbed by the electoral machine and emerge as end-of-tailpipe policies rather than grand climate strategy. This pattern of climate politics is reinforced by seemingly low recognition in India of climate change as a problem. In a 2022 survey of over 4,500 individuals across the country, over 50% of respondents said they knew little or nothing about climate change. Interestingly, recognition of climate change increased to over 80% in that survey when respondents were supplied with a short description of the phenomenon. The hotch-potch of ad hoc policy fixes that emerges around climate issues will only get the country so far. It fails when put to the long-term test. Mobilizing large amounts of public finance to redesign cities to trap less heat and flood less, for example, requires a genuine public debate about a climate-ravaged future. Immediate investments are necessary to dull the blow tomorrow. The climate crisis also deepens the case for global cooperation. Indias climate-outages are going to be hard for trading partners and global markets to ignore as its economy grows. Domestic politics that focus on immediate developmental goals rather than long-term climate-proofing creates a gaping hole that global adaptation finance must fill. This has a moral dimension, too. The climate impacts buffeting India today are largely because of the historical emissions of developed counterparts. Global resilience must be a priority in an interconnected world. The climate impacts buffeting the most populous nation on earth arent just a domestic issue theyre an international one. Tamanna Dalal, of the Sustainable Futures Collaborative, assisted the author with research. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com As the various criminal proceedings against Donald Trump have traveled at times tortuous routes in recent years, a frequent refrain has been that he is escaping consequences for some of his most serious alleged misconduct. But this week he finally faced the start of a criminal trial, in the New York courtroom of Judge Juan Merchan. And as proceedings turn to opening statements Monday, what we have seen so far suggests that the artful dodger of accountability may have finally met his match. In Merchans courtroom, our countrys bedrock principle that no one is above the law is flourishing. In this first week of proceedings, the jury selection process proved resilient and, despite challenges, moved much faster than many thought. As one of the authors recently outlined in a new book on the trial, the court will need to seat 18 jurors in total: 12 who will sit on the jury and six alternates, in case any of the regular jurors drops out or is discharged. Any adult resident of New York County is a prospective member of the jury pool. Merchan has so far managed this trial just as judges all over the country run their criminal courts each day. First, he took the jurors in batches, in this case panels of 96 individuals. Merchan accelerated what could have been a drawn-out process by asking the panel whether they felt they could be impartial; more than half said they could not and were immediately dismissed. The same happened again on Thursday, with more than half of the group excused. Some may feel that the large number of the pool proactively admitting to bias is proof that Trump cannot get a fair trial in Manhattan. In fact, it proves just the opposite. The jury selection process is a time-tested institution of our legal system. In most criminal trials, at least some members of the jury pool admit bias, whether based on the nature of the charges or on strong opinions they hold about elements of the case, and are dismissed. For those who remain, lawyers on both sides have the opportunity to probe for bias and strike jurors to winnow down the pool to those who can be fair and impartial. Thats exactly what Trumps attorneys and the prosecution did here. At Trumps trial, each juror answered more than 40 questions, ranging from the biographical (Are you married?), to the case-specific (Have you ever read Michael Cohens book?). The attorneys then questioned each prospective juror to determine whether there were grounds to challenge a juror for causebecause their answers show they cannot be fair and impartial. Here, Trumps attorneys grilled the jury pool on old social media posts the attorneys had unearthed from their accounts. This tactic met with success, as Merchan dismissed a number of prospective jurors out of an abundance of caution on the grounds that their prior posts may compromise their impartiality. Beyond this questioning, each party also gets 10 peremptory challenges for the regular jurors (and two for each alternate seat), essentially a no-questions-asked ability to strike a prospective juror. Even with both sides dismissing jurors both for cause and through peremptory challenges, after only three days of jury selection, by the end of the week a full 12-person jury and six alternates had been seated. It helped that the judge kept the former president on a tight leash when jurors were in the courtroom. While Trump may broadcast his tirades against the legal system and American elections to millions around the world on Truth Social (and faces a contempt hearing for possible gag order violations as a result), inside the courtroom he must follow the same rules as any other criminal defendant. For example, when Trump carried on while one of the jurors was being interviewed this week, gesticulating and speaking audibly, Merchan forcefully responded, establishing, I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. True, there was an unusual and concerning complication Thursday morning. First, a juror selected Tuesday asked to be excused, after media reporting on individual jurors had led her family and acquaintances to ask if she was on the jury. Merchan granted her request, cautioned reporters to use common sense and ordered restrictions on some identifying information about jurors. Then, the prosecution raised questions about the candor of a second juror, who compounded matters by failing to show up on time to answer additional inquiries. He eventually appeared, and after questioning he too was excused. By mid-morning we were down to five jurors and it looked like the momentum of the prior days might be lost. But Merchan got the proceedings back to a perfectly ordinary jury selection process in this extraordinary trial. Lo and behold by the end of Thursday, the first 12 jurors were seated and the first of the six alternates. By Friday afternoon, the remaining five alternates were seated, and Merchan could declare, We have our full panel. Tragically, that moment of normalcy was punctuated by a protester who set himself on fire outside the courthouse. But we must not allow that heartbreaking moment to detract from what happened in court this week. Every American can be proud that this first week of the first criminal trial of a former president was, for the most part, business as usual. By commencing this high-pressure proceeding in the usual manner and ensuring jurors are unbiased as well as unintimidated, Merchan is demonstrating that, in America, we aspire to equal justice for all. As one prospective juror put it earlier this week, Nobody is above the law whether a sitting president, a former president or a janitor. The more-or-less nuts-and-bolts process we saw unfold this week paves the way for a prompt opening of the case and shows that accountability is coming for Donald Trump at last. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Opinion: She was immortalized by Joni Mitchell - and if you love comics, she touched your life Editors Note: Roy Schwartz is a pop culture historian and critic. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and at royschwartz.com. The views expressed here are his own. View more opinion at CNN. Traveling between New York and Los Angeles in the 1960s, Trina Robbins hobnobbed with rock stars like Jim Morrison and Joni Mitchell, who even sang about her in Ladies of the Canyon. Trina takes her paints and her threads/And she weaves a pattern all her own, sang Mitchell. Roy Schwartz - courtesy of Roy Schwartz Robbins, arguably the most influential female comic book artist in history, died on April 10 in San Francisco following a stroke, at age 85. As a groundbreaking artist, writer, editor and activist, she helped reshape comics into a more inclusive place for women, as well as other underrepresented voices. Together with Art Spiegelman, Harvey Pekar and Robert Crumb (with whom she would clash) she helped redefine what comics could be, as well as by and for whom. Born in Brooklyn in 1938 to Jewish immigrants from Belarus and raised in Queens, Robbins grew up reading comics but drawing fashion. By her mid-twenties shed found success as a dress designer, opening her own boutique in the trendy East Village in 1966. Robbins started dabbling in comics around 1969, creating a handful of strips for the newspaper The East Village Other, as well as designing the iconic costume for the horror-camp heroine Vampirella for Warren Publishing. It wasnt until she moved to San Francisco in 1970 that she became a dedicated comic book artist. She joined the burgeoning underground comix scene, which eschewed superheroes in favor of real-world topics like sex, drugs, racial and economic inequality, systematic injustice, urban decay, environmentalism and politics. But comics were a boys club, an industry that had always been male-dominated and by the 1960s had become male-oriented (this wasnt always the case), even in the indies. So together with cartoonist Barbara Willy Mendes, in July 1970 Robbins published It Aint Me, Babe, a one-shot anthology that was the first comic completely made by women. The cover read womens liberation, above a protest march of comic icons like Olive Oyl, Wonder Woman, Mary Marvel and Little Lulu. Artist Trina Robbins joined the staff of America's first Women's Liberation newspaper, the Berkeley-based 'It Ain't Me, Babe in 1970' showing past issues at Alta's home in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, January 22, 2015. - Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images It reportedly sold 40,000 copies, a massive hit for an independently produced comic. With the publishers encouragement, Robbins then co-created Wimmens Comix in 1972, the first comic book series edited, written and drawn entirely by women. Published more or less annually, it was also the longest running, lasting until 1992. Unflinchingly feminist, the series included landmarks like Sandy Comes Out, the first explicitly lesbian story in comics. In 1986, Robbins made the jump to mainstream comics, becoming the first woman to draw Wonder Woman in her own comic amazingly, more than four decades since the characters creation. Yet, for all her success, it wasnt enough. Robbins wanted recognition for the female cartoonists who came before, but were overlooked by an industry focused on honoring male artists like Charles Schulz and Jack Kirby. She started researching and writing, co-writing or editing books including: Women and the Comics (1985), A Century of Women Cartoonists (1993), The Great Women Superheroes (1996), From Girls to Grrrlz: A History of Womens Comics from Teens to Zines (1999), The Great Women Cartoonists (2001), Pretty in Ink (2013), Flapper Queens: Women Cartoonists of the Jazz Age (2020) and Dauntless Dames: High-Heeled Heroes of the Comic Strips (2023), becoming an influential historian of the field. She was also a pioneer of Jewish representation in comics. While largely created by Jews, the industry tended to avoid explicitly Jewish subject matter until the 1970s, when Robbins and other underground creators produced autobiographical and cultural works. I dont know if its in the genes, I dont know if its the heritage, but theres a thing about Jews and communication, she told JWeekly in 2005. Highlights include a 1978 short comic on the Triangle Shirtwaist fire for the Jewish feminist magazine Lilith, illustrating Hirsh Glicks poem The Partisans Song about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising for a 1985 issue of Wimmens Comix, the meta comic series Go Girl! about a Jewish teen superhero in the 1990s, and graphic novels like Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer (2011) and A Minyen Yidn: A Bunch of Jews (And Other Stuff) (2017), an adaptation of her fathers Yiddish short story collection. All the while, Robbins was a dedicated and effective advocate for women artists, opening the door for creators and readers alike. In the early 1990s, she co-founded the nonprofit Friends of Lulu, which promoted female creators, pushed publishers to produce more comics for female readers and helped retailers attract more women as customers. Trina was a trailblazer, said Karen Berger, founding editor of DC Comics imprint Vertigo and editor of Dark Horse imprint Berger Books. She was at the forefront of advocating that more comics should be created by women, for girls and women. With the explosion of graphic novels aimed at female middle grade and young adult readers today, Id say her vision came true, and then some. Robbins tackled other social issues through her comics. In 1990 she edited the one-shot anthology Choices: A Pro-Choice Benefit Comic for the National Organization for Women. She continued with several similar fundraisers, the last one being 2023s Wont Back Down: An Anthology of Pro-Choice Comics, created in reaction to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, with profits donated to Planned Parenthood. In fiction, her other socially-conscious works include 2008s Freedom Songs: A Tale of the Underground Railroad. Trina was a firebrand. She advocated for women in and out of comics, said Alisa Kwitney, author and comic book writer and editor. She seemed as vibrant and enthusiastic and creative as a woman in her twenties. Robbins was inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2013, the comic book industrys equivalent of the Academy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. She was an exceptionally prolific artist, scholar and activist. Any of these accomplishments are enough to secure an iconic place in the story of comics, the combination is impressive beyond probability. And Trina led other lives, in other corners of popular culture as well, Paul Levitz, former president and publisher of DC Comics, said. We wont see her like again. Robbins is survived by her longtime partner Steve Leialoha, her sister Harriet, her daughter Casey and her granddaughter. She is also mourned by a community of professionals and fans who cherished her. The next biography of a comic book icon, female or otherwise, should be of her: the trailblazer who weaved a pattern all her own. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Editors Note: Amy Bass (@bassab1) is professor of sport studies at Manhattanville University and the author of One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together and Not the Triumph but the Struggle: The 1968 Olympics and the Making of the Black Athlete, among other titles. The views expressed here are solely hers. Read more opinion on CNN. Fridays midnight release of The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swifts 11th album, means that yet another era has begun and a record-breaking one at that. Swifties, who are now more than familiar with football jargon (at least when it comes to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Taylors beau) can finally put away the grill and the drinks, lock the car, and leave the parking lot for the stadium. The tailgate is over: its game on for Taylor Nation. I am one of them, and the anticipation along with the revelry has been an extended family affair. Amy Bass - Courtesy Rodney Bedsole Having secured tickets to an epic night of the Eras tour last spring at Gillette Stadium, my daughter Hannah and I made a pilgrimage from New York to attend the show with my lifelong best friend Sarah and her daughter Maggie. We were two moms with decades of concerts from Def Leppard to U2 to Lizzo under our belts, and our teen daughters, with whom we have danced to the likes of Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA. The thing is, after that night at Gillette, I thought we were on the other side of Swift mania for a while. I was wrong. When more dates were announced, Maggie somehow got a code and purchased four seats for us in are you ready for it? Vancouver. A mere 2,500 miles away. The seats are terrible, Sarah told me. It would be ridiculous to do this, we reasoned. I was very close to getting Hannah to agree it was too much. But Maggie was not to be dissuaded and Sarah and I realized this might be the last great thing we do before these girls of ours leave our houses and head to college, to jobs and to lives that will be even more of their own than they are now. We are not alone in this. The broader Swiftie community serves as a connector for all kinds of relationships, from best friends to parents and kids, creating a landscape for communication, bonding and the rites of passage that can be so difficult, perhaps especially for teenage girls like our daughters. An absurdly brief trip to Vancouver via literally planes, trains, and an automobile was set. All things Swiftie, then, were settled. Or so we thought, until February. Thats when Swift, at the Grammys no less (where she won a historic fourth Album of the Year award for Midnights), announced The Tortured Poets Department would be coming on April 19. In the days leading up to the big night, Swifties speculated that the artist would reveal the long-awaited re-release of Reputation, her sixth album, which many felt would be the next Taylors Version, a series of re-recordings that allowed her to regain rights to her material after Big Machine, her original record company, sold her masters. Swifties dug into Taylor math, which often revolves around the number 13, the date of her December birthday. Indeed, 13 days before the Grammys, her friends, including Kelce, had changed their profile pictures on social media to black and white, the colors of Reputation. She showed up on the Grammys red carpet in a white dress with black accents. Her website went down, replaced by a black screen and seemingly meaningless words in white, including Error 321 and DPT:321 and hneriergrd, which Swifties unscrambled as red herring. The speculation was overwhelming: A fax error? A countdown? A blind alley? No. It was the new album. With a smile and what looked like a peace sign, she left the stage, the albums cover immediately going up on her Instagram site. The pregame anticipation on this one has been intense, starting with how and when she recorded this, her fourth album in four years, while prepping and executing the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. Her work ethic makes the rest of us mere mortals feel inadequate at best. She writes, like Lin-Manuel Mirandas Alexander Hamilton, as if she is running out of time. But the bigger question was what who this record was about, and all paths led to the 2023 end of her six-year relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn. The easiest clue, of course, is the title itself, a seemingly savage take on Alwyns WhatsApp chat with his friends entitled The Tortured Man Club. The release date, too, holds value. While fans locate Swifts split from Alwyn to be anywhere from February to early April, 2023, it was on April 19 that she went to dinner with friends Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, who subsequently unfollowed Alwyn on social media. The date also, of course, marks the anniversary of the split of the 13 American colonies (13, dont forget) from Great Britain in 1775 with the Battle of Lexington and Concord, starting a war against a perceived tyranny that would end in independence for the oppressed. An album about liberation? Freedom? Separation? A break from a British boyfriend? A date chosen because 256 days remain in the year, and if you add those numbers up you get 13? When the track list emerged, all eyes went to track five, which is where Swift has always located her heart, producing gut-wrenching tracks such as Dear John on Speak Now, My Tears Ricochet on Folklore and the epic All Too Well on Red, which allegedly details in excruciating detail her breakup with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. This time around, we have So Long, London, cowritten with The Nationals Aaron Dessner, whose last track five with Swift was on Evermore, the devastating Tolerate It. So, what has my cohort of Swifties made of all this? My best friends daughter, the teen I thought might be done with all this for a while (as we wait for Vancouver), might actually be the Swiftie of all Swifties, a Taylor archivist of sorts (with a brother who was born on December 13). Where does all of this fit, I asked her whats the long game? In true Gen Z fashion, she responded a few hours later with an extensive, masterful, complex slide deck presentation that would undoubtedly nab her an A in Harvards Taylor course. She contextualized the theories some rational, some out there, but all relevant because in Swiftie world, nothing is coincidence and everything is intentional and concluded that this was, indeed, Swifts first break-up record since Red (see Gyllenhaal). Suddenly Youre Losing Me, a bonus track from Midnights, which is about the things that keep you up at night, seemed like a precursor, a song about the beginning of an end, especially when longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff referred to recording the song back in 2021. More clues came when a pale gray and pink Pop-Up Library exhibit sponsored by Spotify went up at The Grove in Los Angeles, seemingly a poetry library filled with Swifts manuscripts. Its one thing to be a puzzle to your fans its entirely another to make a puzzle for your fans. Swift has created musics version of I Spy novels for this generation, encoding notes in her lyrics, creating everything from complex numerologies to word searches. The relentless hunt for Easter eggs across social media suddenly took physical form in this exhibit: from the 72 (the number of months Swift was with Alwyn) card catalogue drawers, six (the number of years Swift was with Alwyn) of which are open and filled with lace and dead flowers to a bust of the goddess Diana, the original statue crumbled on its way to London in the 6th century because of neglect. Even statues crumble, Swifts TTPD billboard says in New Yorks Times Square, if theyre made to wait. When it was finally midnight, game time, all members of my own Swiftie family were in our own homes listening to the same thing, track by track, unpacking words and music, texting thoughts and questions (Who is Dylan Thomas? My name is in a song! My name is too!). I went to track five first, which everyone else found to be heresy. But it confirmed an awful lot of what everyone suspected: Swifts voice at its most vulnerable with the words And Im pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free. Was it about Alwyn? Yes. Was it about other things, including (especially?) Matty Healy? Also, yes. Is The Alchemy about Kelce? Oh my. Yeah. Maybe. Probably. As we continued to listen and yes, Fridays a school/work day but who needs sleep??!! alongside all of the Swifties posting emotional selfies and TikToks with their hands slapped over their mouths in awe, shouty caps pronouncing their love for this track or that, we found (we thought) answers to many questions, and had new questions that needed answers. This record is as messy as it is emotional. It felt like the initial speculation all those months ago were somewhat vindicated. Perhaps what we thought were peace signs from Swifts gesture at the Grammys to a sculpture in The Grove exhibit were actually twos. In many ways, Reputation and TTPD felt like two sides of the same relationship, their inverted black and white color schemes creating a yin and a yang, and while the first contains her first love songs to Alwyn from Delicate to Gorgeous the latter creates needed closure, maturity even. And at 2am, with the drop of the rest of what is now an old-fashioned double album, the two symbolism took on yet another layer of meaning. Two albums, not one. 31 tracks. And yes, 31 is 13 backwards and that, too, is no accident. Check out the erratic capitalization of track 24, Thank you Aimee if you doubt that Swift is masterminding it all. For my merry band of Swifties, there are no accidents. Just puzzles to gleefully solve, together, for as long as we can. Once we have spoken our saddest story, we can be free of it, Swift wrote on X (formerly Twitter) just after midnight. And then all thats left behind is the tortured poetry. For my group of four, what is left to ponder as we continue to digest this record, together, in the coming months is what might be our last concert road trip, our last stab at a mother-daughter journey. Maybe wherever they land, there is a seminar on Taylor Swift. Then maybe we can study for the final exam together. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Orange deputy sheriff accused of illegally sharing the personal information of a Seminole detective investigating the carjacking and killing of a South Florida woman was released from jail Thursday on a $15,000 bond. Deputy Francisco Estrella, 33, is charged with illegal interception of communications, illegal disclosure of communications, disclosure of confidential criminal justice information, among other crimes. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The accusations stem from Estrella looking through law enforcement databases to search for the name of the detective who told 31-year-old Katherine Guerrero De Aguasvivas husband she was carjacked and kidnapped April 11 at gunpoint in Winter Springs. Her car was later found with bullet holes and on fire in Osceola County with her body inside. According to an affidavit, Estrella also called the detective using an alias, Francisco Archuela, to ask about the case after being asked by Guerrero De Aguasvivas family including husband Miguel Aguasvivas. The detective, suspecting something was amiss, reached out to the Orange County Sheriffs Office and was pointed to Estrella. After Seminole County deputies searched Aguasvivas phone, they found recordings of Estrellas conversations with the detective, as well as photos of her drivers license profile found on the database. Estrella turned himself in Sunday to the John E. Polk Correctional Facility where he was booked. Seminole Sheriff Dennis Lemma said investigators likely would not have found out about Estrellas communications with Guerrero De Aguasvivas family, who he said are friends with Estrellas wife, were it not for the search. The Sheriffs Office on Monday announced Estrella, who they hired in September 2022, was suspended as the criminal case makes its way in court. It is completely unacceptable for any law enforcement officer to misuse the power and authority of their job, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said. 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. Estrellas arrest came as Seminole County investigators piece together the mystery of why Guerrero De Aguasvivas was targeted by the carjackers which video shared with reporters shows were tailing her white Dodge Durango in a green Acura later recovered by Orange County deputies. While a heavily-redacted incident report released this week was scant by way of new details, it noted that passengers in the Acura tried to wave down the woman before reaching the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road. The video shows a masked man knocking on Guerrero De Aguasvivas window before hopping into the backseat, with the pair then driving off followed by the Acura. Lemma said the woman had driven up from Homestead supposedly to see family, but none were found living in that area nor were relatives living in Central Florida expecting her. The Acura is possibly tied to a shooting in Orange County that killed a tow truck driver in the Taft neighborhood the day before Guerrero De Aguasvivas was kidnapped, according to the Orange County Sheriffs Office. The victim, Juan Luis Garcia Cintron, was shot at dozens of times and a car similar to the one in the carjacking in Seminole was seen fleeing the scene. The bullet casings found at that shooting were from 10-mm rounds, similar to those found at the scene of the fire in Osceola County. No suspects in either case have been identified, but Lemma questioned why Aguasvivas, who he said is not a person of interest, didnt immediately call 911 when his wife called to tell him she was being followed. Its also not clear why Estrella, who was asked to look into the detective who reached out to Aguasvivas, went to such lengths to provide information from a confidential database. Corey Cohen, Estrellas attorney, told WOFL-FOX 35 his client did not know the family well but he did it in the effort to try to help. He has no other connection to this family, Cohen told the station. He doesnt know them. He doesnt know what activities they were partaking in that led to this. OU is expanding its top-ranked aviation school with nine new aircraft, which just arrived Shown is one of the airplanes from the new fleet that arrived for the OU aviation school. NORMAN With music from the movie Top Gun blaring and its president decked out in aviator sunglasses and an OU Aviation T-shirt, nine airplanes bought by the University of Oklahoma for its top-ranked School of Aviation flew into Max Westheimer Airport on Friday morning. The addition of the new Piper single-engine airplanes increases OUs capacity for flight training, with a fleet of 28 planes now available, OU President Joseph Harroz said during an unveiling ceremony as the planes flew overhead. OU public relations officials wouldnt allow reporters to ask questions of Harroz following the event, such as how much the university spent on the aircraft. But the university previously announced a three-year, $10 million plan to replace its current fleet, which is aging. The nine aircraft that arrived Friday were delayed they were supposed to have arrived this past December. OUs School of Aviation, established in 1947, operates out of the university-owned airport. The school already has 15 Piper Warrior III aircraft, one Cessna 152 Aerobat plane, two Twin Engine Piper Seminole planes and one King Air C-90 B Turbo Prop plane. In 2022, Flying magazine credited OU as having the best aviation college nationwide. OU President Joseph Harroz speaking at Friday's ceremony at Max Westheimer Airport. What do you do when youre number one? You double down, Harroz told supporters gathered on the airport tarmac. We committed to not just celebrate (being) first in the country, not just replacing our fleet, but doubling it and doubling the spots we have in our program. We know that being number one comes with not just the benefit of the talking points, but the obligation of service. OU is investing millions of dollars in its aviation program. In 2022, OU said it planned to more than double its enrollment in the School of Aviation from 250 to as many as 600 over a four-year span. In January, university regents approved a $5 million budget to build a new hangar and update utility infrastructure at the airport. Construction has started on the hangar, which will be 10,000 square feet. The project also will include utility infrastructure capable of supporting future hangar development nearby. In March, U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, announced he had secured $36.5 million in federal appropriations to support improvements at Westheimer Airport that include extending and strengthening the runway, developing a new taxiway and additional hangar space, and creating safer ingress and egress passageways. Cole called the airport an essential part of the local economy. Also last month, OU regents approved a professional pilot-helicopter track option for its bachelor of science in professional studies degree program. Two helicopters previously purchased by the university for use in its fixed-wing helicopter aviation program also were displayed during Fridays ceremony. Enrollment for that program is expected to begin this fall. OU also is working with Norman Public Schools in the development of the Oklahoma Aviation Academy, an aviation immersion high school that also is located at Westheimer Airport. Expansion aims to help fill need for aviation workers in Oklahoma The aviation and aeronautics industry has about 120,000 employees and a $44 billion economic impact annually on the state, said Grayson Ardies, the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics. Oklahoma has numerous large aviation-related employers including Tinker Air Force Base, Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Altus Air Force Base, the American Airlines maintenance facility in Tulsa, the Federal Aviation Administration Academy in Oklahoma City, Boeing and others. State Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman whose district includes OU attended Friday's ceremony and said the state is investing heavily in aviation to help meet those workforce needs. She's supportive of OU's role in that effort. Our budget is heavy in aviation, Boren said. Weve got two or three tax credits around aviation going on right now. At the state level, theyre treating aviation as the next big industry in Oklahoma. If you think about it, with Enid, Altus and Tinker, when you have that many Air Force bases, then its just natural that youre going to have this overlap with the private industry and the employment workforce development piece. They go together. During his remarks, Harroz said the new airplanes come equipped with modern avionics, such as moving map GPS and a glass cockpit, and are certified for flying under visual and instrument flight rating. They also have automated engine and systems management, an autopilot system and more powerful and fuel-efficient engines than the other airplanes in OUs fleet. OU senior Ben Arnold, a senior at the University of Oklahoma, speaks during the unveiling of the new airplanes. Arnold, of Flower Mound, Texas, is a certified flight instructor who plans to become a professional pilot. The new planes will allow for better experiences for students because they are technically advanced, said Ben Arnold, a senior from Flower Mound, Texas, who is a certified flight instructor with a goal to become a professional pilot. Im super excited, because the amount of training were going to be able to do now, with that many students that were adding on, its just going to be amazing to fly more and have more capacity in training, Arnold told The Oklahoman. Well have the newest fleet (compared) to other schools. Arnold said the planes can fly 15 to 20 knots faster, then they can climb up a few thousand more feet. At higher altitudes, youre more efficient with fuel. You might be able to get better wind direction or speed so you can fly more efficiently, and with greater speed, you can go farther distances. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU celebrates arrival of new planes for its top-ranked aviation school Over a dozen people rescued after Miami apartment complex goes up in flames, officials say A boarded-up three-story Miami apartment complex caught fire in the early morning hours of Saturday. The building was thought to be unoccupied, but firefighters quickly realized otherwise, rushing into action and saving over a dozen people. Around 3 a.m., Miami Fire Rescue raced to the complex at 921 SW Seventh St. as multiple calls came in reporting a fire, Miami Fire Lt. Pete Sanchez said. Firefighters arrived to heavy smoke and flames shooting out of the second and third floors, he said. The building had boarded windows and doors on the first floor, leading firefighters to believe it was unoccupied. Over a dozen people, including a child, are without a home after a three-story apartment complex caught fire. Miami firefighters rescued them from the blaze. @MiamiHerald pic.twitter.com/BdhmQa7KjO Devoun Cetoute (@devoun_cetoute) April 20, 2024 Further investigation revealed otherwise, however. Firefighters extended hose lines and ascended to the fire floor for an aggressive fire attack, Sanchez said. Simultaneously, a search was conducted for victims, which was deemed all clear. Miami firefighters rescued over a dozen people, including a child, from a three-story apartment complex that caught fire, officials said. Fourteen residents, including a child and several pets, were rescued and are now displaced. One occupant was treated for minor burns but refused to go to the hospital, Sanchez said. The American Red Cross is assisting with the needs of those displaced. The Miami Fire Investigations Unit is still investigating the cause of the fire. The City of Miamis Building Department is also assisting. Iraq's Camp Kalsu, shown here in 2011 while it was still a U.S. military forward operating base, was rocked by a series of explosions overnight Saturday in which one person was killed and eight injured. The victims were members of the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces. File Photo by Capt. Michael Lovas/U.S. Army April 20 (UPI) -- Overnight explosions at an Iraqi military base not far from the capital Baghdad on Saturday left one person dead and at least eight others with degrees of injuries, officials said. The explosions occurred around 1 a.m. local time Saturday, killing and injuring members of an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia, the Popular Mobilization Forces. "An explosion and fire occurred inside (Camp Kalsu) north of Babil Governorate on the international line, which includes the headquarters of the army, police, and Popular Mobilization Forces," Iraq's Security Media Cell said on X. "A specialized higher technical committee from civil defense and other relevant groups was formed to determine the causes of the explosion and fires at the site and surroundings of the accident area." The United States said it was involved in the explosions despite claims to the contrary. The explosions Friday at Camp Kalsu, 20 miles from Baghdad, come Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani visits the United States. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI In a post on X, U.S. Central Command denied it had launched air strikes on Camp Kalsu, a joint military base 20 miles south of Baghdad that previously served as a forward operating American military base. "We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today," CENTCOM said. "Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today." President Joe Biden meets with Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani in the Oval Office on Monday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI Iraqi officials also acknowledged officials that the U.S. military was not involved. "Two statements were issued by the international coalition forces in Iraq and the official spokesman for the Pentagon indicating that there is no air activity or military action throughout Babylon, while the Air Defense Command report confirmed, through technical efforts and radar detection, that there is no drone or fighter plane in the airspace of Babylon before and during the explosion," the government said. The base was an U.S. military joint forces base until 2011 when it was handed over to the Iraqi military. Iraq has said it wants American and other Western military forces out of the country after U.S. forces in January carried out a drone strike in Baghdad that killed the leader of an Iranian proxy group. The operation drew prompt condemnation from Iraq, which later called it "a clear aggression and violation of Iraqi sovereignty." Saturday's explosions came after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani visited Washington, D.C., where he met with U.S. President Joe Biden. The two leaders discussed the future of the 2,500 U.S. troops stationed there amid renewed ISIS threats and growing tensions in the Middle East. (CANON CITY, Colo.) Bri Naylor and Nick Yatsko, Co-Owners of Solsage Food Truck in Colorado Springs announced on social media Friday, April 19, that their family and food truck would be relocating to Canon City. According to the Facebook post, Bri and Nick will continue to serve large city events in El Paso County and will be keeping current commitments through this summer, including competing at the 719 Battle of the Food Trucks on June 2. The post gave a short recap of the last five years since the couple moved to Colorado, including when they started their food truck adventure. Its hard to believe its been almost four years since we towed that beaten-up taco truck from Walsenburg and got to work fixing it up in our front yard, the post read. The owners also thanked the local community for its tremendous support. We truly love Colorado Springs and were humbled and grateful for the folks who have believed in us, encouraged us, and continued to come back year after year. To keep up with all things Solsage Food Truck head to the website at solsagefoodtruck.com. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. A University of Oxford college that traditionally hosts a St Georges Day celebration has been accused of replacing it with Eid for the second year in row. Magdalen College had held an annual formal dinner to remember Englands patron saint, attended by dons, students and fellows. But this year only a banquet for Eid, the Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan, has been advertised. This is despite the college sparking a fierce row last year over the same move. The Telegraph has seen records showing that a St Georges Day formal dinner was held at Magdalen every year between 2016 and 2019, and insiders said it stretches back decades. Eid banquet The internal college calendar now only shows an Eid banquet, being held on April 21, with no special event scheduled for the festival on April 23. In an email to students and dons, the colleges vice-president the Reverend Professor Robert Gilbert said we will celebrate Eid with a festive dinner in the Hall. He added: We will sit together in the body of the Hall, and the meat will follow Muslim customs: the meat dish will be Halal and no alcohol will be served. There will therefore be no dessert. Please sign into dinner in the usual way to enjoy this celebration... Cultural dress is both welcome and encouraged, or black tie/equivalent. Joyful occasion He asked that college members please do join us on this joyful occasion. The move has raised eyebrows among some within the college who say that both Eid and Christian-linked festivals should be celebrated given its religious heritage, founded in 1458 by William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester. One source told The Telegraph: It looks like Eid is here to stay at Magdalen. Theres no sign of anything but Eid. The college did not respond to requests for comment. Its internal calendar shows that a normal lunch and dinner is planned for April 23, as with every day, but there is no information about St Georges Day. The college said last year that the Eid dinner was a request made by Muslim students and promised to still fly the St Georges Day flag. It remains unclear whether it is doing so this year. Extra significance The Eid dinner may take on extra significance this year in light of the Israel-Palestine war, which has led Oxford bosses to warn that there is no place for anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian discrimination, or hate directed towards any faith, race, nationality or ethnic group. Last year, the college hosted an Eid dinner on St Georges Day itself, which led to some academics accusing its president Dinah Rose KC of a barking mad decision. While the college claimed last year that it does not have a St Georges Day tradition, dinners were held for the occasion every year between 2016 and the pandemic. In 2018, for example, the former college vice-president invited lecturers to celebrate St Georges Day with a formal hall and high table at 7.30pm with a special English menu accompanied by Grace and English Music by the Clerks followed by an oration. St Georges Day is celebrated across the country on April 23 each year on the anniversary of the patron saints death in 303 AD, also known as The Feast of Saint George. 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. Police entered and blockaded the conference, as Nigel Farage was on stage speaking - YVES HERMAN/REUTERS Oxford dons have accused the university of allowing political diversity to wither away after its head of equality celebrated the Belgian polices attempt to shut down a conservative conference. Vernal Scott, who has led Oxfords equality and diversity unit since October 2023, hailed the closure of the National Conservatism Conference on Tuesday in a since-deleted post on X, formerly Twitter. Police entered and then blockaded the conference, at which Nigel Farage and Suella Braverman were speaking, to shut it down after a court order claimed the event could be homophobic, offend minorities or incite public disorder. I applaud the mayor and police of Brussels for their decision to close down this conference, Mr Scott wrote online. Vernal Scott took to Twitter to 'applaud' Brussels police for intervening in the event The court order, which was later reversed, was condemned by No 10 as extremely disturbing and by Mrs Braverman as an undermining of free speech by the Brussels thought police. Now the University of Oxford has been drawn into the row after Mr Scott, who was previously head of diversity and inclusion at Essex police, made his widely-condemned remarks. Prof Lawrence Goldman, an emeritus fellow at St Peters College, told The Telegraph that Mr Scott does not understand the meaning of his job title. Vernal Scotts comment sums up the problem in our universities, which have focused on increasing social diversity while allowing intellectual and political diversity to wither away, he said. Theyve ceased to be places where the full range of ideas is represented and can be discussed, which means theyre no longer fulfilling the function of a university. Is it any wonder that universities, Oxford among them, are no longer to be trusted to uphold freedom of expression when their staff make comments like this? Suella Braverman, who spoke at the conference, said the closure undermined 'free speech' by the 'Brussels thought police' - OMAR HAVANA/GETTY IMAGES EUROPE Sir Noel Malcolm, a senior research fellow at All Souls, said: Its very troubling to think that someone appointed to promote diversity has such a narrow concept of what diversity is. At a university, one of the most important forms of diversity is diversity of opinion. Students will never learn the basic habits of respectful argument, on objective grounds, with people whose views differ from their own, if they are encouraged to think that the best way to deal with such people is just to silence them. Yuan Yi Zhu, a tutor at Harris Manchester College, said: Given the recent freedom of speech and academic freedom controversies at the University of Oxford, it is worrying that one of the universitys senior administrators seems to take the view that political speech, however unpopular, can and should be suppressed in this manner. Toby Young, the director of the Free Speech Union, said Mr Scott had rejected diversity by choosing to offer his backing to tinpot authoritarians determined to silence dissent. He said: Shouldnt a champion of diversity at Britains oldest university be championing diversity of thought instead of cheering on tinpot authoritarians determined to silence dissent? I suggest he reads his employers own free speech policy, which is extremely good. Advocating the suppression of free speech Prof Matt Goodwin, who attended the conference, said: What this shows is how intolerant many people within the elite universities really are. I find it deeply troubling that somebody whose role is supposedly to promote equality and inclusivity at one of our most prestigious universities is also advocating the suppression of free speech, simply because he happens to disagree with the views being expressed. This is the complete opposite of what we should be exposing our universities to, which is generous, vigorous debate. The Office for Students (OfS) said it could not comment on individual cases but plans to launch a new free speech complaints procedure on Aug 1. Arif Ahmed, the higher education regulators director for freedom of speech and academic freedom, has previously vowed to make sure universities are places where debates can be conducted in a vigorous and free way. The University of Oxford distanced itself from Mr Scotts remarks, saying they do not represent the views of the university. The University of Oxford has a robust freedom of speech policy that applies within the university context stating that all lawful voices or views should be given a hearing, a spokesman said. These views were expressed by a member of staff but in their personal capacity about a non-university event. Mr Scott was approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. PANAMA CITY (AP) The public portion of a trial of more than two-dozen associates accused of helping some of the worlds richest people hide their wealth came to an unexpectedly speedy conclusion Friday when a Panamanian judge said she would take the two weeks of trial arguments and testimony under advisement. The trial came eight years after 11 million leaked secret financial documents that became known as the Panama Papers prompted the resignation of the prime minister of Iceland and brought scrutiny to the then-leaders of Argentina and Ukraine, Chinese politicians, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others. Judge Baloisa Marquinez noted Friday that the case included more than 530 volumes of information. The public trial had been expected to run to the end of the month. The judge has 30 working days to issue a verdict. Those on trial include the owners of the Mossack Fonseca law firm that was at the heart of the 2016 massive document leak. Jurgen Mossack attended the trial, while his partner Ramon Fonseca did not for health reasons, according to his counsel. Panamanian prosecutors allege that Mossack, Fonseca and their associates created a web of shell companies that used complex transactions to hide money linked to illicit activities in the car wash corruption scandal of Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. This whole process from eight years ago until now has had a lot of consequences for my family, on my personal situation and truly has been a great injustice not just for me but for all of the people who have worked with me, Mossack testified Friday. I trust your honor will know how to evaluate all that has been said here. Mossack had said at the start of the trial, as he has for years, that he was not guilty of the money laundering charges. According to Panamanian prosecutors, the Mossack Fonseca firm created 44 shell companies, 31 of which opened accounts in Panama to hide money linked to the Brazilian scandal. Fonseca has said the firm, which closed in 2018, had no control over how its clients might use offshore vehicles created for them. Mossack Fonseca helped create and sell around 240,000 shell companies across four decades in business. It announced its closure in March 2018, two years after the scandal erupted. The firm's documents were first leaked to the German daily Suddeutsche Zeitung, and were shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which began publishing collaborative reports with news organizations in 2016. The reputational deterioration, the media campaign, the financial siege and the irregular actions of some Panamanian authorities have caused irreparable damage, whose consequence is the complete cease of operations to the public, the firm said in a statement at the time. The Mossack and Fonseca were acquitted on other charges in 2022. PARIS, Ill. (WCIA) Two brothers from Paris have been sentenced to prison after they pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. The Illinois Attorney Generals Office announced on Friday that Robert Poter, 47, and Toby Poter, 39, pleaded guilty to the Class 2 felony. The brothers were sentenced to 10 and five years in prison, respectively. Danville man pleads guilty to selling meth in community These guilty pleas ensure both child predators are held accountable and unable to exploit other children in the community, said Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. My offices Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is committed to continued collaborations with the Edgar County Sheriffs Department and the Edgar County states attorney to keep communities safe. Officials with Raouls office said their investigators, with the assistance of the Edgar County Sheriffs Office, conducted a search of the brothers home last year and found evidence of child pornography. Both have been in custody at the Edgar County Jail since then. IL State Police holds domestic violence training in Africa The Edgar County States Attorneys Office co-prosecuted the case with Raouls office. Child pornography is not a victimless crime. The Edgar County States Attorneys Office is committed to keeping children and their families safe from the lasting negative impact the crime can have on them and the community, said Edgar County States Attorney Philip Dobelstein. We are pleased and proud to have worked with the Attorneys Generals office to secure an outcome in this case that makes Edgar County and the state safer as a whole. The case is part of Raouls work to collaborate with local and federal law enforcement agencies to prosecute those who download and trade child pornography online. His office runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which investigates child exploitation and train law enforcement agencies. Its one of 61 ICAC task forces across the country, and since 2019, Illinois has received almost 41,000 tips and arrested more than 720 sexual predators. Online child sexual exploitation can be reported at www.cybertipline.com For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Last month, Vice President Kamala Harris toured Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, site of a 2018 mass shooting, with families of the 17 victims of the massacre and vowed to do more to curb gun violence. Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jaime in the shooting, was one of the parents who pushed for elected officials to take the tour and meet with the families about tackling gun violence. He spoke with ABC News' Rachel Scott shortly after the visit. PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris pays her respects to the victims of the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School at the memorial on the campus after meeting with their families in Parkland, FL, March 23, 2024. (Marco Bello/Reuters) ABC NEWS LIVE: I do want to start with you telling me about your push to get the vice president here. Where did that come from? FRED GUTTENBERG: I guess about 10 months ago, when the building was turned over from the state attorney to the school district, one of the other dads, Max Schachter, had this idea of walking through political people to see what's happening in that building, or what happened in that building. The blood is still there, the DNA is still there. The shards of glass are still there, the books and all the coursework, it's still out there on the desks as if the kids just went out for a fire drill. It's all still there. And we wanted to walk people through so that they could receive the lessons of why something like this happened. And a day of mass carnage, leading to 17 dead and 17 injured, but not only why it happened [but also] what kinds of things can we do to stop the next one. MORE: Harris says US has not ruled out 'consequences' if Israel invades Rafah And I reached out to the Office of Gun Violence Prevention folks, which are an amazing group of people, and the vice president's office, and I told them what we were doing. And I said, "I'd really like you all to come." This was scheduled to be a three-hour day. She was here, not three hours, [but] almost five. Because she wanted to know about those we lost. She wanted to know about the work that we're doing. Today was an incredibly consequential, meaningful day. ABC NEWS LIVE: You told me that this building is going to be demolished. GUTTENBERG: Yeah. ABC NEWS LIVE: And that this was sort of the final chapter. GUTTENBERG: The final lesson. ABC NEWS LIVE: The final lesson. GUTTENBERG: Yeah. The vice president can now go forward and talk specifically about what she saw in this building and relate it to what she needs to do [and] what we need to do as a country. Whether it's on gun safety policy, whether it's on school construction, any of those things. She saw it today. She can talk about it now. PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the media as family members hold portraits of their loved ones who were killed during the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, March 23, 2024. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) ABC NEWS LIVE: What do you believe needs to be done? We know that the president signed the most comprehensive gun safety legislation into law in decades. But still, that did not go as far as the president and the vice president were hoping. GUTTENBERG: I wish we could have gone further. And I hope people vote in the next election to ensure we get to go further. But it went, and it got a lot of things done. I'll give you this. I'll just tell you this, for the first time in months, the homicide rate related to gun violence, for the first time in years, is trending down. I was just at the FBI facility in West Virginia, where they conduct threat assessment and background checks last month. And they're doing the new enhanced under 21 background checks which are a part of that legislation. And they were talking about the abundance of young people now that they've been able to stop from getting a weapon because of that new enhanced under-21 background check. MORE: Video VP Harris discusses Parkland shooting, arrival of Israeli delegation Red flag laws save lives. Let me be clear, had a red flag law been in place in Florida before February 14, 2018, in all likelihood, this shooting never happens. Had a red flag law been in place before February 14, 2018, I'd be visiting my daughter at the University of Florida, not at a cemetery. ABC NEWS LIVE: I do want to ask you about your daughter and just what we should know about her and how you have been able to cope with the loss of a daughter so young. GUTTENBERG: My daughter will forever be the toughest person I ever knew. And if you saw the way she died on the third floor, running down the hallway for her life, because she got locked out of a room knowing there was a shooter at her back with an AR-15. And she made it to within 1 second of her life, turning into the stairwell. It does not surprise me that she was fighting for her life that way. She's the toughest person I've ever known. I get through every day because she stands on my shoulders pushing me forward. I get through every day because I know no matter how hard this fight is, I will never ever, ever have anything as hard as what she did running down that hallway. I am her voice now. My daughter was 14 when she was killed. Forever 14. She should be 20 now. And I have a dream now of ending gun violence in America and I'm dedicating my life to it. MORE: Parkland school shooting 6 years later: Remembering the 17 victims ABC NEWS LIVE: You've been through that building. You've walked that hall. What was that like for you? GUTTENBERG: When you walk through it, you see the blood of the victims still there. You see DNA of the victims. It's still there. I sat in the spot where my daughter took her last breath. And for me, it's something I'll never ever get over, I'll never comprehend how it was possible. I'll never forgive those who failed to deal with the reality of gun violence, because we were listening to too many of the wrong people. And I will do everything I can to ensure we fire every single elected person who continues to fail on this issue. All I want to do is stop the next one. PHOTO: Fred Guttenberg, a father of a victim of the 2018 Parkland shooting, speaks with ABC News. (ABC News) ABC NEWS LIVE: We are now in a critical election year. What do you want Americans to know heading into this election year? GUTTENBERG: What I want America to know is there is only one president and vice presidential candidate they're the ones running for re-election, President [Joe] Biden and Vice President Harris, who stand for doing something about gun violence So here's what I want America to know. This is not an election to sit home. If you're any of the many people across this country who think I'm gonna stay home on my couch, I don't need to vote. Yes, you do. Let me be clear: If there's anybody in your life that you love, and because of that, you want to reduce gun violence, you know how to vote and you know you need to vote. Parkland dad reflects on Harris tour of Stoneman Douglas site originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Editors note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal. Parliament House the LGBTQ+ nightlife brand that closed its North Orange Blossom Trail resort in late 2020 will open not one but two new locations. Branded signage has been added to the building at 2000 N. Orange Ave., the former site of M Lounge, which closed in early 2022. A person on site directed Orlando Business Journals inquiry to owner Don Granatstein, who was not immediately available for comment. The new location, north of Lake Ivanhoe and across from another LGBTQ+ hotspot Savoy Orlando, is called PH Ivanhoe. Read: American Idol alum and Grammy award winner Mandisa dies at 47, reports say Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journals website. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. If you haven't done so already, start the countdown now: In 2030, NASA intends to pull the plug on the International Space Station (ISS), deorbit the ISS, and allow it to first burn up in the atmosphere, then plunge into the sea. And yes, I know, various members of the international consortium that built the ISS have been predicting its demise for years. At one point, in fact, the ISS was supposed to be deorbited in 2023. But here we are in 2024, and it's still up there. That just serves to highlight the fact that the clock is ticking on the ISS, and its end is near at hand. Three options for replacing the ISS What will replace the ISS when the clock does finally strike midnight? That's actually an excellent question. At last report, there are still at least four options being floated: First and most famously, Jeff Bezos-backed Blue Origin will collaborate with Boeing , Redwire , and Sierra Space to build an Orbital Reef space station to replace the ISS. Two other privately owned space companies, Vast Space and Axiom Space, have independent plans to build space stations in orbit. Last but not least, privately held Voyager Space is now partnered with both Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) and Airbus (OTC: EADSY) to build a space station to be known as Starlab. That's the one we're going to talk about today. A truly international space station Of the three teams discussed, the most "international" of the teams vying to replace the International Space Station is Voyager's. In addition to American aerospace company Northrop, Voyager's team also includes the European aerospace champion Airbus. As of last week, it will also include an industrial leader from Japan: As the companies announced earlier this month, Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation (OTC: MSBHF) is taking an equity stake in the Starlab project. Mitsubishi's role in the project isn't entirely clear at this point, but it still brings a lot to the table. A bona fide industrial heavyweight, Mitsubishi boasts $91 billion in market capitalization and nearly $130 billion in annual revenue, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence -- nearly twice the revenue of Airbus and four times that of Northrop. The additional financial firepower could prove invaluable to the Starlab team as they work to build and launch their space station's first module to orbit (atop a SpaceX Starship rocket) in 2028. Mitsubishi also brings relationships with a related company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (both companies are part of the Mitsubishi Group of companies, and thus at least loosely affiliated), which has its own defense, space, and aerospace business that also builds rockets. Story continues What it means to investors Developments attracting Mitsubishi as a partner, signing the SpaceX launch contract, and landing former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine as a director all suggest that, at this point Starlab is the company making the most progress toward getting a full-scale ISS replacement in orbit first. Exciting News! Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine joins the #Starlab Space BOD. His expertise will guide us toward building a continuously crewed, free-flying space station & growing the commercial #LEO economy. Welcome aboard, Jim! https://t.co/Qs6BmKahtM -- Starlab (@Starlab_Space) January 11, 2024 In contrast, Starlab's rivals at Orbital Reef haven't posted any updates on their progress in the past six months. And to be honest, Blue Origin, the lead company on the Orbital Reef project, probably has its hands full right now as it works to beat SpaceX to a moon landing, get its New Glenn rocket ready for its first launch, and simultaneously finalize a purchase of space launch giant United Launch Alliance. Adding a new space station to the mix might be a bit more than Blue Origin can juggle right now. Granted, that doesn't mean Starlab is guaranteed to succeed, either. To date, the project has received just $217.5 million in financial support from NASA -- probably far less than it will cost to build an ISS replacement. (The ISS itself cost more than $100 billion to build). That being said, the more heavyweight companies Starlab can attract to its team (the better it can spread around the cost), the better Starlab's chances of success are. And the more heavyweight publicly traded companies, like Northrop, Airbus, and now Mitsubishi, that sign up with Starlab, the better investors' chances of having a way to own a piece of Starlab when it succeeds. Should you invest $1,000 in Mitsubishi right now? Before you buy stock in Mitsubishi, 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 Mitsubishi 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 $518,784!* 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*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2024 Rich Smith 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. America's Next Great Space Station Gets a Vote of Support From Japan was originally published by The Motley Fool Parts of King County are receiving additional funding to go towards homelessness assistance Tukwila and Burien are receiving around another $3 million in funding from King County officials that will towards homelessness assistance. This additional funding will bring up Tukwilas total to $4 million over just the past few days. The funding came from a one-time grant from King County. Two million of it will be used to put towards constructing a new shelter for unhoused families. On Wednesday, the county announced that Tukwila will be getting $2 million to specifically address the migrant situation in the area. There are four non-profits in the area that will split the money to work with a group at Riverton Church to help those who need long-term housing and set them up with new lives in Washington state. Representatives at their desks in the Alabama House of Representatives on April 18, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Top row: Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Killen. 2nd row: Rep. Mike Kirkland, R-Scottsboro (left) and Rep. Brock Colvin, R-Albertville. 3rd row (l-r): Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield; Rep. Parker Moore, R-Hartselle and Rep. Bryan Brinyark, R-WIndham Springs. Bottom row: Rep. Russell Bedsole, R-Alabaster (left) and Rep. Ben Harrison, R-Elkmont. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) Here is a list of the legislation that passed the Alabama Legislature this week. Tuesday, April 16 House HB 384, sponsored by Rep. Ron Bolton, R-Northport, increases a fee for service documents by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriffs office related to civil matters to $60. It passed 18-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 427, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, authorizes the probate judge of Lamar County to set and collect a mail fee for the renewal of motor vehicle license registrations and business licenses by mail or online. The bill passed 11-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 428, sponsored by Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Dothan, authorizes the Henry County Commission to require permits for outside events that charge a fee. The bill passed 10-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 430, sponsored by Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, increases salary of the Houston County sheriff to $130,800. The bill passed 10-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 431, sponsored by Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Dothan, allocates a portion of a fee collected from the Houston County Circuit Clerks office to the district attorneys office. The bill passed 13-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 306, sponsored by Rep. Donna Givens, R- Loxley, defines the Stapleton Landmark District within Baldwin County lines and prohibits most local annexations of territory in the district. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 65-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 311, sponsored by Brett Easterbrook, R-Fruitdale, authorizes the Legislature to fix, alter and regulate court costs in Choctaw County and to provide for their distribution. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 66-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 87, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollingers Island, authorizes an airport authority to form legal business entities or ventures necessary for operation. The House concurred with Senate changes on a 101-0 vote. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 161, sponsored by Rep. Parker Moore, R-Hartselle, makes it illegal for someone to create or alter a private image of a person without the persons consent. The House concurred with Senate changes on a 98-0 vote. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. Three men talking Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan (left) and Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark (right) speak with a colleague on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on April 16, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) HB 127, sponsored by Rep. Philip Pettus, R-Killen, makes it illegal for someone subject to electronic monitoring to knowingly alter, disable, deactivate, tamper with, remove, damage, or destroy any device used to facilitate electronic monitoring. The House concurred with Senate changes on a 103-0 vote. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 42, sponsored by Rep. Donna Givens, R-Loxley, sets a minimum sentence of life in prison for those convicted of trafficking individuals who are minors. The House concurred to Senate changes on a 103-0 vote. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill on Wednesday. HB 147, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, appropriates $1 billion from the Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund for the current fiscal year. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 144, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, a supplemental appropriation bill, allocates about $651 million from the ETF to various state agencies. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 163, sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, establishes the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences in Demopolis, a four-year residential high school. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 145, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, is the Education Trust Fund budget, appropriating $9.35 billion for the support, maintenance and development of public education in Alabama for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. The bill passed 102-1. It goes to the Senate. HB 146, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, provides a 2% pay raise for state education employees. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 148, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, allocates nearly $15 million from the ETF for Tuskegee University for the 2025 fiscal year. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 149, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, allocates nearly $1.2 million for Talladega College for the 2025 fiscal year. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 150, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, allocates $409,000 for Southern Preparatory Academy, a military boarding school. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 329, sponsored by Rep. Chad Robertson, R-Heflin, increases and revises the at-large membership of the Jacksonville State University board of trustees to include four at-large members, two of whom reside in Alabama and two of whom reside outside of this state. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 421, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, specifies that a polygraph device does not include equipment or devices used for the purpose of computer voice stress analysis. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 412, sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, updates procedures for appointing staff judge advocates and clarifies differences between general and special courts-martial. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 390, sponsored by Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, gives the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission the power to license and regulate medical cannabis cultivators, and requires the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries to cooperate with the commission. The bill passed 95-4. It goes to the Senate. HB 257, sponsored by Rep. Joe Lovvorn, R-Auburn, creates the Alabama Adventure Awaits sales tax holiday for outdoor equipment. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 100, sponsored by Rep. Adline Clarke, D-Mobile, increases penalties for a crime committed against an election official. The bill passed 95-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 379, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, revises the nomination procedure for boards of equalization in certain counties. The bill passed 70-0. It goes to the Senate. A woman in a pink suit speaking with another woman Rep. Rolanda Hollis, D-Birmingham (right) speaks to Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on April 16, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) HB 335, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, requires a public auction to take place between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and consolidates three separate fees on tax lien purchases into one. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 318, sponsored by Rep. Kenyatte Hassell, D-Montgomery, allows the Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners to enter into the Social Work Licensure Compact as a means of providing uniformity in licensing requirements and interstate practice. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 407, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Killen, revises language on overtime tax exemption and exempt amounts paid as overtime compensation in accordance with the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 320, sponsored by Rep. Russell Bedsole, R-Alabaster, makes it unlawful for a person to knowingly disclose, make use of or permit the use of certain law enforcement records of a child charged with a criminal offense. The bill passed 94-1. It goes to the Senate. HB 290, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, requires each local board of education and governing body of a nonpublic school to develop and implement a cardiac emergency response plan. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. SB 168, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, includes a single commercial entity, such as a restaurant or retail store, for the purposes of commercial development. The bill passed 97-0. Gov. Kay Ivey signed it into law Thursday. HB 382, sponsored by Rep. Marcus Paramore, R-Troy, updates the competitive bidding process. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 392, sponsored by Rep. Ben Robbins, R- Sylacauga, prohibits the Department of Revenue from transferring any ownership interest in a deceased owners motor vehicle with some exceptions. The bill passed 93-5. It goes to the Senate. SB 59, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, requires public high school students to receive instruction in CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) as part of existing health education requirements. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 92, sponsored by Rep. Troy Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, requires a plaintiff in an action for damages from asbestos exposure to specify the basis for each claim against each defendant and provide additional, more detailed information relating to the asbestos exposure. The bill passed 102-1. It goes to the Senate. Senate Two men talking Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road (left) speaks with Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro in the Alabama Senate on April 16, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) SB 291, sponsored by Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, requires some municipal officials to complete training courses on the powers of municipalities and the duties of local governments. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 231, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, prevents companies from receiving economic incentives if they voluntarily recognize a union. The bill passed 23-5. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 167, sponsored by Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, withdraws any economic incentives awarded to a company found to engage in human trafficking or violate child labor laws. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 294, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, allows public schools to hire volunteer chaplains. It passed 30-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 248, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, renames the Investigation and Intelligence Division in the Department of Corrections the Law Enforcement Services Division and adds correctional canine classifications. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. HB 71, sponsored by Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, allows certain emergency medical services technicians and paramedics to purchase hazardous duty time for prior eligible service. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 246, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, allows a parent to claim religious exemptions from school vaccinations with a statement made to a local board of education. The bill passed 24-5. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 235, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, makes it illegal to knowingly disclose, use or permit the use of some law enforcement records of a child charged with a criminal offense. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 230, sponsored by Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, defines the term pore space and sets regulation for underground storage of carbon dioxide. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 278, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, provides compensation for education employees injured on the job. The bill passed 28-0, with one abstention. It goes to the House of Representatives. A man in a suit at a podium Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, speaks in the Alabama Senate on April 16, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) HB 233, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Sorrells, R-Hartford, requires off-road vehicles to receive a certificate of title. The bill passed 28-1. It returns to the House of Representatives for concurrence with Senate amendments or a conference committee. HB 187, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, extends a deadline for an electing pass-through entity to decide whether to be taxed as such. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 89, sponsored by Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-Indian Hills, ends elections of Shelby County library board members and gives the county legislative delegation the power to appoint them. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 292, sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, increases the monetary threshold of work considered general contracting from $50,000 to $100,000. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. HB 121, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns, R-Vestavia Hills, provides whistleblower protections for county and municipal governments. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 164, sponsored by Sen. Randy Price, R-Opelika, limits some liability for bovine owners. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 229, sponsored by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, increases the number of at-large trustees for Jacksonville State University. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 286, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, gives the Secretary of Commerce the power to appoint and set the salary of the director of the Alabama Film Office. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 260, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, adjusts the laws around tax lien auctions. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 219, sponsored by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, authorizes the creation of the Agriculture Exhibition Center Corporation for the Alabama Farm Center. The bill passed 26-0, with four abstentions. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 299, sponsored by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, adjusts the rules for legislative staff and public agencies on spending and access to certain areas. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB287, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, updates the Alabama Code of Military Justice, including setting procedures for situations where a military judge for a general court-martial cannot proceed. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. Thursday, April 18 House A man wielding a gavel Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, gavels the Alabama House of Representatives to order on April 18, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) HB 444, sponsored by Rep. Marcus Paramore, R-Troy, adds definitions and directions on how the City of Troy Investment Trust Fund makes investments. The bill passed 19-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 445, sponsored by Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Linden, establishes a $5 annual issuance fee for each motor vehicle tag issued in Marengo County. The bill passed 20-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 446, sponsored by Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Linden, increases the Marengo County coroners expense allowance to $1,000 and further provides for a mileage allowance. The bill passed 14-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 346, sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, establishes the Alabama Workforce Housing Tax Credit Act and provide tax credits to developers for housing projects. The bill passed 103-0 and goes to the Senate. HB 358, sponsored by House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, establishes an employer tax credit, child care facility tax credit and nonprofit child care provider grant program. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate. SB 247, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, renames the Secretary of Labor and Department of Labor the Secretary of Workforce and Department of Workforce and expands duties to include oversight of all current workforce development programs. The bill passed 102-0 and goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 252, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed, R-Jasper, establishes the Alabama Growth Alliance, a public corporation to provide economic development recommendations. The bill passed 97-0. It goes back to the Senate for concurrence with House amendments or a conference committee. Two men standing on the floor of the House Rep. Tim Wadsworth, R-Arley (foreground) listens to a presentation in the Alabama House of Representatives on April 18, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Behind Wadsworth is Rep. Brock Colvin, R-Albertville. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) SB 253, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chasteen, R-Geneva, would create an alternative diploma pathway for students focused on career education. The bill passed 102-0. It goes back to the Senate for concurrence with House amendments or a conference committee. HB 418, sponsored by Rep. Mike Kirkland, R-Scottsboro, would increase the threshold cost for one construction project from $50,000 to $100,000 to be considered a general contracting and requires licensing by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 292, sponsored by Rep. Penni McClammy, D-Montgomery, provides for the remote enrollment of special needs children of active duty military personnel; the transfer of certain records and for comparable services. The bill passed 101-1. It goes to the Senate. HB 334, sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, provides that work loss compensation for victims of violence includes loss of income for victims of human trafficking as a result of their exploitation. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 285, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, replaces the International Symbol of Access with the Dynamic Accessibility Symbol on a distinctive license plate for disabled individuals. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate. HB 332, sponsored by Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, allows warrants for certain violations to be sworn and issued by a judge or magistrate remotely, digitally, via video link, or by telephone. The bill passed 102-1. It goes to the Senate. HB 44, sponsored by Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, requires custodial agencies to ensure that certain information regarding a detained individuals emergency contacts and legal directives is included in the individuals custodial record. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate. Senate A woman in a white suit surrounded by two men Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile (center) speaks with Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham (left) and Sen. Jack Williams, R-Wilmer on the floor of the Alabama Senate on April 18, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama R SB 168, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, allows commercial entities to acquire land for single commercial enterprises. The Senate concurred with House changes. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 139, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, extends the operations of the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering to Oct. 1, 2028. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB270, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, sets timelines for public agencies to respond to open records requests. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 94, sponsored by Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Enterprise, exempts honeybees and their byproducts from sales tax. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 192, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, codifies the legislative sessions of 2023. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 238, sponsored by Sen. Randy Price, R-Opelika, expands the usage of the Mortgage Guarantee Fund. It passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 283, sponsored by Sen. Jay Hovey, R-Auburn, requires drivers to yield right of way and exercise care with first responders on sidewalks. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 152, sponsored by Sen. David Sessions, R-Grand Bay, allows the State Pilotage Commission to have sole authority to regulate maritime data in Mobile Bay. The bill passed 26-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 183, sponsored by Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, allows full-time students to complete state assessments online, with conditions. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 323, sponsored by Sen. Randy Price, R-Opelika, prohibits counties from distributing tobacco taxes to entities foreclosed on or have declared bankruptcy. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 20, sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, creates the Bon Secour Landmark District in Baldwin County. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 86, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, adjusts the jurisdiction and control of the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education and Tuscaloosa City Board of Education. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 156, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, allows the Autauga County Board of Education to use private insurers for school property and buildings. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 193, sponsored by Sen. Jack Williams, R-Wilmer, creates a $39,000 a year expense account in the current term of the Mobile County Sheriff; provides for the repeal of the account at the start of the sheriffs next term in office in January 2027, and increases the sheriffs salary by $39,000 a year effective January 2027. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. Men in suits applauding Senators applaudoutgoing Alabama District Attorneys Association Director Barry Matson in the Alabama Senate on April 18, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. In foregorund, from left to right: Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville; Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro; Sen. David Sessions, R-Grand Bay; Sen. Jack Williams, R-Wilmer and Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale. The Senate passed a resolution honoring Matson, who is retiring. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) SB 261, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, authorizes the Legislature to fix court costs by law in Cherokee County. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 262, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, authorizes the Legislature to fix court costs by law in Etowah County. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 263, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, sets a $35 process fee in Etowah County to go to a local sheriffs fund. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 267, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, clarifies that law enforcement officers in the Marshall County Sheriffs Office and not all employees must complete training and continuing education courses. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SB 268, sponsored by Sen. Jack Williams, R-Wilmer, sets qualifications for the Mobile County Sheriff and requires the sheriff to complete 12 hours of continuing education. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House of Representatives. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post What passed in the Alabama Legislature: April 16-18, 2024 appeared first on Alabama Reflector. In his battle for Ukraine, Pavlo Petrychenko used not only weapons but also his voice. A renowned Kyiv activist, he fought for the prosecution of corrupt Ukrainian officials, demanding justice for his fellow activists, including Kateryna Handziuk, who was murdered in 2018. As a team member of the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation, Petrychenko helped establish a volunteer center in Kyiv to support the military until he decided to join the Armed Forces himself two months into the full-scale war. Petrychenko was among the troops who had liberated part of southern Kherson Oblast in the fall of 2022 and participated in the heavy fighting in eastern Donetsk Oblast. In late March, as he was fighting for Ukraines freedom at the front line, Petrychenko initiated another battle for the better future of his country the one against online gambling and its negative influence on soldiers. He created a petition to ban gambling and access to online casinos for military personnel during martial law. It gained all the necessary signatures shortly, prompting President Volodymyr Zelensky to sign a decree on April 20 to restrict online gambling in Ukraine, which includes banning it for the military until the end of martial law. Petrychenko initiated the fight but did not witness its result. On April 15, just a day before his 32nd birthday, he was killed in combat in Donetsk Oblast. Pavlo stood up to Russia in different roles. He wasnt afraid to tell the truth and fought against the fifth column as a civic activist. When it wasn't enough, he took up arms and defended the country and all of us, Serhiy Prytula, Ukrainian volunteer, former TV host and politician, told the Kyiv Independent. More than 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion, according to Zelensky. "Ukraine consists of the lives and dreams, the will and achievements of such men and women," Zelensky said on April 16 after expressing his condolences to Petrychenkos family. "We all need to remember that Ukraine is its people, the people who genuinely and truly care about its future." Petrychenko was buried in Kyiv on April 19. Hundreds, both soldiers and civilians, gathered to pay their last respects. People have influence Petrychenkos fight for Ukraines independence started long before Russia launched the full-scale invasion. He took an active part in the 2013-2014 EuroMaidan Revolution, one of the most pivotal events in modern Ukraines history when thousands took to the streets to topple pro-Russian then-President Viktor Yanukovych. Although the revolution changed a lot in Petrychenkos life, it was not a "turning point" for his beliefs, as he stood for the "ideals and values of the Maidan" even before it occurred, says his friend and Prytula Foundation team member Melaniya Podolyak. Pavlo Petrychenko burns the poster with the Former Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov's name on it at the rally in front of the Ministry of Internal Affairs building protesting the inaction of the investigation in identifying the orderers of Kateryna Handziuk's murder in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 4, 2020. (Stas Yurchenko / Personal archive) Pavlo Petrychenko(R) and numerous activists at the rally in the support of Serhiy Sternenkos case near the residence of the President of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 8, 2021. (Herman Krieger / Watchers.Media) "It (the revolution) helped him realize that regular people can influence things, and it introduced him to the community (of activists)," Podolyak says. Petrychenko did a lot trying to make Kyiv and the Darnytskyi neighborhood where he lived a better place, "starting from organizing small public initiatives to clean local lakes and parks to leading protests against illegal construction," says his friend, war veteran Pavlo Yakimchuk. He was a very bright person, confident, determined, and with zero tolerance for corruption and anything illegal. When Petrychenkos good friend, Kherson activist Kateryna Handziuk, was doused with acid in 2018, leading to her death of chemical burns three months later, he became one of the loudest voices calling for justice for her. An advisor to the Kherson mayor and an acting head of affairs of the Kherson City Council's executive committee, Handziuk was attacked near her home after she had publicly accused top local officials of profiteering from the illicit wood trade in the region. Pavlo Petrychenko and other activists and friends of Katia Handziuk on her birthday in Kyiv, Ukraine on June 17, 2020. (Herman Krieger / Watchers.Media) Petrychenko was one of the leaders of the "Who ordered (the murder of) Kateryna Handziuk?" public initiative, demanding proper investigation and prosecution of the suspects. The public pressure finally led to a Kyiv court finding former head of the Kherson Oblast Council Vladyslav Manher guilty of ordering the attack and his assistant Oleksii Levin of organizing it. They were sentenced to 10 years in prison each. "This is a collective victory for the entire civil society in Ukraine. Thank you all," Petrychenko wrote on X following the courts decision. Podolyak says he had a "heightened sense of justice" and cared deeply for regular Ukrainians. At the same time, he never boasted or talked about his own achievements. Everything he did was truly driven by his steadfast belief that Ukraine could and should be changed for the better," she says. Pavlo Petrychenko at the rally in support of Serhiy Sternenkos case near the Shevchenkivskyi Court in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 15, 2020. (Stas Yurchenko / Personal archive) "He dedicated his entire life, his whole life, to consciously trying to change something in this country. Thanks to him, many important things happened." I don't know many like him, maybe one in 2 million, maybe one in 20 million," Yakimchuk says. Truth on our side Just a few weeks before the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Petrychenko took charge of the Kyiv headquarters of Prytulas new political party. Prytula ran for parliament in 2019 with the Voice party, which brought together new-generation politicians in Ukraine. However, he left the party after it sank into internal disagreements and announced the creation of his own political project just a month before the invasion. "We started collecting signatures for the party's registration, and we were supposed to go public in March. We were preparing for the formal convention. But somewhere deep down, I understood that by March, we would be occupied with something entirely different," Petrychenko said in an interview with LB.ua in June 2022. Instead of the political party, he helped Prytula build a volunteer center in Kyiv. Prytula Charity Foundation has eventually become one of the largest in Ukraine, crowdfunding millions of dollars for Ukrainian defenders. To help achieve that, Petrychenko worked non-stop until one day in April when he came to speak with Prytula. "He told me: 'I think I did everything here, and it would be right for me to go and fight,'" Prytula recalls. Petrychenko joined the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, specializing in aerial reconnaissance. "He believed that drones were the future. He became a top figure in this area and knew everything about FPV (first-person-view) drones," says Yakimchuk. Petrychenko was a very empathetic person who deeply cared about his fellow soldiers and struggled with the loss of his friends, says Podolyak. One of them was another prominent Kyiv activist, Roman Ratushnyi, 24, who was killed in combat in Kharkiv Oblast in June 2022. Podolyak says Petrychenko often praised others for bravely fighting but never bragged about himself, even though he was awarded a number of military decorations, including the "Cross of the Brave," which is given "for a heroic act that involves danger to life." (L-R) Activists Roman Sinitsyn, Roman Ratushnyi, and Pavlo Petrychenko in front of the Pechersk District Court, where the pre-trial restraint was imposed on the participants of the rally in support of another activist, Serhiy Sternenko, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 23, 2021. (Herman Krieger / Watchers.Media) Petrychenko recognized the threat of online gambling before the full-scale war, according to Podolyak. Seeing its impact on the fellow soldiers, despite constantly being on the front line, he decided to act. On March 29, he created a petition on the presidents website, asking to introduce a bill that, among other things, would ban gambling and access to online casinos for military personnel during martial law. "For many of them (service personnel), gambling becomes the only way to cope with stress, and therefore quickly causes dopamine addiction and weakens their self-control," Petrychenko wrote. He also said that many Russian online casinos can "access personal data of the military and other Ukrainians, which threatens national security." The petition collected a total of 26,042 votes, passing the required minimum to be reviewed by the president. Zelensky ordered the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and other law enforcement agencies to "gather data and find a solution." "We are currently preparing an agenda for the National Security and Defense Council to discuss the threats to the security of our state and society posed by the proliferation of online casinos and the lack of control over this area," Zelensky said on April 16, the day after Petrychenko was killed. "All ways of manipulating people and harming the society's interests in this area must and will be stopped." The fight against online gambling started by Petrychenko eventually resulted in a victory. On April 20, Zelensky signed a decree on counteracting the negative effects of online gambling, tasking the Commander-in-Chief and the leadership of military units to prohibit military personnel from accessing gambling facilities and online casinos. Petrychenko's friends now hope he will be awarded the Hero of Ukraine title, he highest national honor issued by the president. Honor guard carry a portrait while people light hand flares during funeral ceremony for serviceman Pavlo Petrychenko in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 19, 2024. Petrychenko, 31, was a participant in Euromaidan, an active participant in the initiative Who ordered the murder of Katya Handziuk and organizer of actions in support of activist Serhii Sternenko. He died in the Donetsk Oblast during a combat mission. (Oleksii Samsonov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images) "I would like (Ukraines Western allies) to understand that whenever they tell us to conduct reforms and change the country, with the loss of such people as Petrychenko, it would be increasingly difficult for us to do," says Prytula. He should have turned 32, and he should have lived a long life and had children who would follow in his footsteps, he says. But it will never happen because there is Russia, and it wants to destroy us. In one of his last interviews, Petrychenko said Ukrainians "can not back down" and that the spirit "plays a big role." "We just need to push forward and push forward as much as we can, and they (Russian troops) will crumble. Because in this war, the truth is on our side." Note from the author: Hi! Daria Shulzhenko here. I wrote this piece for you. Since the first day of Russia's all-out war, I have been working almost non-stop to tell the stories of those affected by Russias brutal aggression. By telling all those painful stories, we are helping to keep the world informed about the reality of Russias war against Ukraine. By becoming the Kyiv Independent's member, you can help us continue telling the world the truth about this war. Read also: Fallen activist Roman Ratushnyi and his battle for a better Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Administrators from Pennsylvania's Cumberland Valley School District argued Maulik Pancholy would remind students to treat "all people with dignity and respect" Monica Schipper/Getty Maulik Pancholy on May 06, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Ten Cumberland Valley School District have expressed "disappointment" after the school board's unanimous vote to disinvite actor Maulik Pancholy, who is openly gay, from an anti-bullying assembly due to his activism and lifestyle. On Monday, April 15, the Pennsylvania school district's board unanimously voted to cancel the former 30 Rock stars speaking engagement at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Penn. Pancholy, who was scheduled to speak to students on May 22, portrayed Alec Baldwin's devoted assistant in the sitcom and currently delivers keynote speeches about diversity and inclusion. Following the school boards vote, the district's superintendent, Mark Blanchard, and nine other administrators wrote a letter obtained by PEOPLE to express their disappointment in the vote. Ali Goldstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Maulik Pancholy in "30 Rock." Related: Penn. School Board Cancels Gay 30 Rock Actor's Anti-Bullying Talk Because of His Political Activism and 'Lifestyle' The Board made a decision that has had significant ramifications for our school community, especially for our students and staff who are members of the LGBTQ+ community, read the letter, dated Thursday, April 18. 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. The letter continued to condemn the boards actions, alleging that the members reduced Pancholys personhood to a single aspect, adding how the vote discredited the speakers ability to communicate a message of anti-bullying and hate. Jon Kopaloff/Getty Maulik Pancholy on March 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. The statement also noted that because Mountain View Middle School is a public school, officials have a responsibility to serve the entire community and protect those who sit under our umbrella of influence. No one should be made to feel that who they are is less than anyone else, read the statement. Mr. Pancholy's visit would have reinforced for our students the importance of treating all people with dignity and respect, even if we disagree with or do not understand something about them." As the letter concluded, the 10 board officials reiterated that they believed Pancholy, 50, should not have been disinvited: We believe that Mr. Pancholy's assembly should have been allowed to happen and that all of our staff and students should be proud to be part of a school community that values who they are. Related: Gay Woman Alleges Discrimination from National Guard Over Her Short Hair and Lack of Jewelry, Makeup Mountain View Middle School, PA 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. Pancholy also expressed his gratitude for the Mountain View Middle School communitys outpouring of solidarity, love, and support from the community in a statement he shared via Instagram on Thursday, April 18. "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," he wrote. Pancholy also directly addressed the students: "To each of you: I see you. I appreciate you. You matter. No one can take that away from you." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. A 13-year-old Pennsylvania middle school student is accused of launching an unprovoked attack against a classmate this week, Upper Gwynedd Police confirmed to Fox News Digital. The student allegedly came up behind the 12-year-old victim in the cafeteria on Wednesday and started violently hitting her on the head with a Stanley cup, FOX 29 reported. Surveillance video of the incident viewed by FOX 29 showed the students head bleeding. She was taken to a hospital after the alleged assault with serious injuries. Pennbrook Middle School parent Sarah Batory told FOX 29 her son witnessed the alleged attack and texted her about it. JENNIFER AND JAMES CRUMBLEY SENTENCED IN SON'S MICHIGAN SCHOOL SHOOTING A student at Pennbrook Middle School could face charges following an alleged unprovoked attack on a classmate this week. "Mom, Im scared," she said of his text. "I cant even tell you what its like to get a text message like that when your kids at school." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP She added, "Hes been a mess ever since. I just feel like there had to be multiple failures along the way for this to happen." Another mother said she had previously reported the student, who could face charges over the incident, to school counselors because the 13-year-old had threatened her daughter. The student allegedly used a Stanley cup in the attack. "If it were taken serious, by multiple complaints, that little girl wouldve been in school today." She added that her daughter is "traumatized." COLUMBINE SHOOTING VICTIMS TO BE HONORED AT 25TH ANNIVERSARY VIGIL IN DENVER School officials sent a note to parents on Wednesday night, saying that resources would be available to students who witnessed the incident and that the principal planned to meet with the students Thursday to discuss the incident. The alleged attack happened at Pennbrook Middle School. Fox News Digital has reached out to the North Penn School District for comment. Original article source: Pennsylvania 13-year-old accused of attacking fellow student with Stanley cup at school ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A Pennsylvania tow truck operator is facing charges for allegedly inflating tow costs by allegedly charging accident services fees and other deceptive practices. The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals office says Vincent Fannick was charged with more than 100 felonies and misdemeanors, including 27 counts each of insurance fraud, theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, and securing execution of documents by deception. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Severe Weather Alerts During an investigation alongside the Allegheny County Police Department, the Attorney Generals office says Fannick allegedly charged customers insurance companies with exorbitant tow costs by, initially, not revealing prices on invoices, then charging accident services fees for his service. Additional fees cost 27 people more than $100,000. One customer reported being charged $11,390 by Vinces Towing for a short tow trip they didnt request. Of that total, the Attorney Generals office says the customer was charged $4,250 as an accident services fee. Changes coming to Real ID in Pennsylvania The Attorney Generals office says vehicle owners insurance companies were charged between $9,460 and $13,105 for single, short-trip tows. In one case, a customer was charged $9,805 for towing a vehicle one-third of a mile. 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 Michelle 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. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Morning Weather Fannick was arraigned and bail was set at $25,000 with a preliminary hearing set for May 3. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) A Pensacola man was arrested after he was found masturbating in a public area near children playing outside, according to an Escambia County Sheriffs Office arrest report. Pensacola man arrested on drug trafficking, firearm possession charges: ECSO Roderick Hardaway (Escambia County Sheriffs Office) 60-year-old Roderick Dwayne Hardaway, of Pensacola, was arrested Thursday for indecent exposure and sexual offender violation. The arrest report said deputies were called to a Walgreens on North 9th Avenue Wednesday for a report of lewd and indecent exposure. INCIDENT LOCATION: This embedded content is not available in your region. When they arrived, deputies talked with a woman who said she had seen a man in his Buick sedan masturbating, according to the arrest report. Deputies were also told that while the man was masturbating, he was allegedly watching a group of kids, between the ages of 5 and 10, nearby playing, the report said. Alabama has bought the Foley Beach Express Bridge heres what that means for drivers The woman said she made eye contact with the man and grabbed her phone to take a picture, after which he allegedly sped out of the parking lot, according to the report. She managed to take a photograph of the Buicks tag number, which allowed deputies to determine that Hardaway owned the car, the arrest report said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. The Pentagon has stated that it is ready to promptly send a military aid package to Ukraine after the US Congress approves the relevant bill. Source: Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder, as quoted by Voice of America journalist Ostap Yarysh on Twitter, European Pravda reports Ryder also said that this package, in particular, will include air defence equipment. Quote: "As we've done in the past, we can move within days... The package would likely include things like air defence and artillery capabilities," the official said. Update: Politico also reported that the Pentagon was preparing a package which would include artillery and air defence. Unnamed American officials stated that there so far has been no final decision on the package which may become the first after the voting in the Congress. The representatives of Ukraines Defence Ministry are working on the content of the package which would quickly undergo the bureaucratic procedure after the law is adopted and signed by the US president, one of the officials reported. "They will have that recommendation to the secretary very quickly, and that gets to the president shortly thereafter," the official said. The source revealed that a lot of American weapons are already in storage all across Europe, and can be sent to Ukraine immediately. Some types of armament can be delivered to Ukraine in a few days, others may be delivered in several weeks. Previously: On 19 April, the US House of Representatives held a procedural vote on four foreign aid bills, including one on Ukraine, which allows them to be brought to the floor of the House later. The House is expected to vote on the package of bills on Saturday, 20 April. On that day, members of the House will consider all the amendments that previously passed the procedural committee and then put each bill to a vote in turn. Support UP or become our patron! People gathered in Pittsburgh to race rubber ducks during an event that helped raise money for people with disabilities. The 3rd annual Steel City Duck Derby was held on Lake Elizabeth in Allegheny Commons on Saturday. Organizers say 10,000 ducks were put in the race. Proceeds from the event went towards Partners for Quality, which helps raise money for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. All the money we raised today actually goes right back out to the people we support, said Maggie Rothenberger, CEO of Partners for Quality. We had a lovely time, the park was full and were so happy to give back to the community. City Councilman deemed April 20 Steel City Duck Derby Day to ensure that the event will go on every year. Click here to learn more about Partners for Quality. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Passenger killed in early-morning Parkway East crash Primanti Bros. offering 2 cent sandwiches in recognition of Coolest Thing Made in Pa. repeat win Pittsburgh police searching for at-risk missing 12-year-old girl VIDEO: Sewickley Bridge officially closes for 10-day repair project DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A former Cirque du Soleil performer left paralyzed in an accident during the companys O show claims the act where he nearly died was rushed into production, according to a lawsuit the 8 News Now Investigators reviewed. Kyle Mitrione, a former diver in the show, filed the lawsuit Thursday, accusing Cirque du Soleil of placing him in harms way during a performance at the Bellagio Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. The show, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last fall, features a 1.5-million-gallon pool and 85 performers, some who dive from heights of 60 feet, the lawsuit said. On June 28, 2023, Mitrione, who was 35 at the time, was part of a new act called The Island, which involved a floating stage, the lawsuit said. During the act, performers dive into the pool while lifts move a platform. The staging was different than previous acts, the lawsuit said. During the act, Mitrione dove backward headfirst from the platform, which was out of position, striking a lift, the lawsuit said. The collision left him with permanent, debilitating, catastrophic and life-altering injuries. Specifically, the Island act required performers to dive into the pool while the lifts were being utilized in the vicinity of the diving performers, the lawsuit said. To do so, choreographers would coordinate and sequence the movement of the floating stage with the underwater technicians and divers, in order to prevent a diver from inadvertently striking the lifts. Stage technicians both above and below the water relied on verbal, lighting or sound cues to move the equipment while performers, like Mitrione, relied solely upon musical cues, documents said. According to the lawsuit, the Island act started about two weeks before the June 2023 incident involving Mitrione. During that time, there were numerous instances and concerns of divers striking and/or nearly striking the lifts as a result of the shows choreography being out of sync, the lawsuit said. Six days before Mitriones incident, another diver suffered a near miss. There were no other audio and/or technical cues to advise the diving performers if it was safe to perform their respective dives, the lawsuit said. Thus, if the stage and underwater technicians fail to properly maneuver the Island stage, diving performers, such as [Mitrione], are not informed of the possibility for catastrophic failure and inadvertently diving into the lifts. A photo from Cirque du Soleil celebrating the shows then-24th anniversary. (Cirque du Soleil) After the incident, paramedics rushed Mitrione to the hospital where he underwent emergency surgery, the lawsuit said. Mitrione was left with neck and spinal fractures, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Cirque more than $30,000 after the incident, records said. The company was contesting the fine as of Friday. The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $50,000, including the cost of medical care and punitive damages. Representatives for Mitrione nor Cirque immediately responded to requests for comment Friday. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. DALLAS (AP) The United Auto Workers' overwhelming election victory at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee is giving the union hope that it can make broader inroads in the South, the least unionized part of the country. The UAW won a stunning 73% of the vote at VW after losing elections in 2014 and 2019. It was the union's first win in a Southern assembly plant owned by a foreign automaker. Union President Shawn Fain said the pundits all told him that the UAW couldn't win in the South. But you all said, Watch this, he told a cheering group of VW organizers at a union hall in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Friday night, when the UAW victory was clear. "You guys are leading the way. Were going to carry this fight on to Mercedes and everywhere else. However, the UAW is likely to face a tougher test as it tries to represent workers at two Mercedes-Benz plants in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. A five-day election is scheduled to start May 13, where the unions campaign has already become heated. The UAW has accused the German carmaker of violating U.S. and German labor laws with aggressive anti-union tactics, which the company denies. They are going to have a much harder road in work sites where they are going to face aggressive management resistance and even community resistance than they faced in Chattanooga," said Harry Katz, a labor-relations professor at Cornell University. "VW management did not aggressively seek to avoid unionization. Mercedes is going to be a good test. It's the deeper South. Late last year, the UAW announced a drive to represent nearly 150,000 workers at non-union factories largely in the South. The union is targeting U.S. plants run by Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Subaru, Mazda, Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW and Volvo, along with factories operated by electric-vehicle makers Tesla, Rivian and Lucid. The union's last defeat at VW in Chattanooga came at a low-water mark in the middle of a federal investigation into bribery and embezzlement under a previous president. Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit who studies the UAW, said the union flipped the script by installing new leadership, touting the rich contracts it won last year from Detroit automakers after strikes at targeted factories, and exploiting a climate that is now more favorable to unions. He said the union was also adept at translating signed pro-union authorization cards into votes partly by pushing for a quick election. Now the public and media eyes are going to be on Chattanooga and how quickly the UAW can translate this into a contract, he said. If the union can't quickly get a good contract, it risks losing some of the momentum it gained with Friday's election win, he said. Story continues Unions in other industries are already moving ahead with organizing campaigns in the South and trying to learn from the UAW's playbook. The Association of Flight Attendants, which has tried and failed to win over cabin crews at Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, hopes to collect enough signatures to force another election at Delta by year end. The union's president, Sara Nelson, said she was not surprised at the UAW win after strikes that led to record contracts last year. I've been talking about this for a long time that strikes and taking on the boss is going to spur organizing, and that's exactly what we saw here, Nelson said. Nelson is trying to secure an industry-leading contract at United Airlines that she can use to court Delta crews. In the meantime, crews at startup Breeze Airways, many of whom live in the South, will vote next month whether to join her union. The White House issued a statement from President Joe Biden congratulating the UAW. Biden who joined a UAW picket line in Michigan during the union's strike against Ford, GM and Stellantis plants last year praised the success of unions representing autoworkers, Hollywood actors and writers, health care workers and others in gaining better contracts. Together, these union wins have helped raise wages and demonstrate once again that the middle-class built America and that unions are still building and expanding the middle class for all workers, Biden said. Biden criticized six Southern Republican governors, including Bill Lee of Tennessee, who told autoworkers this week that voting for union representation would jeopardize jobs. Sharon Block, a law professor at Harvard University who worked for the Biden administration on labor and other issues, said the governors warning rang hollow after nonunion Tesla revealed that it plans to lay off 10% of its workers after disappointing sales results. She said VW workers saw the governors' open letter as an empty threat and a cynical ploy, and they ignored it. Workers for a long time have been told that you cant organize in the South. And many workers, even not in the South, may work in industries where theyve been told for a long time you cant organize, Block said. What the UAW showed last night is that we need to go and rethink all those negative statements." ___ Associated Press writer Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report. Long before Copa Airlines chose to begin nonstop flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Panama City this summer, the airport chose Copa Airlines. RDU officials saw that 275 people a day were flying between the airport and Central and South America, making connections through other airports. They began looking for a carrier that could serve those customers with nonstop flights to the region and settled on Copa, which has a good reputation and the largest airline hub in the hemisphere south of the United States. So well before the COVID-19 pandemic, RDU officials began wooing Copa in what the airlines CEO Pedro Heilbron describes as a dance that went on for years. To be very honest, we did not have Raleigh-Durham on our map until the RDU people started talking to us and selling the region to us, Heilbron said in an interview Friday. And then we looked at the data. Copa saw the regions strong business community as well as the states growing number of Hispanic residents who were flying to places the airline serves in Central and South America. It saw tourists going to Panama, but also the potential for tourists from Latin America to explore a new U.S. destination. And it saw a significant number of Latin American students who attend Triangle universities. Copa flies to 15 other U.S. cities, mostly the logical places, Heilbron said, such as New York, Los Angeles and Washington. The more RDU kept pitching North Carolina and the closer the airline looked at the numbers, the Triangle began to make sense. We try to make winning bets, so were very careful, he said. Heilbron spoke Friday at a forum in Cary put on by RDU and the Regional Transportation Alliance, an arm of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. It was a chance to help introduce an airline that few people in the Triangle had ever heard of a few months ago, said Michael Landguth, RDUs president and CEO. As we started to socialize this in our community, what I started to recognize is that if you were from Central America or South America or have flown through those areas, the Copa brand was well known, Landguth said. But if youre from North Carolina or the eastern United States, maybe not as much. Copa stood out to RDU in part because of its large and strategically located hub at Tocumen International Airport, from which the airline serves 85 cities throughout the Americas. Another was the airlines attention to detail, particularly its on-time performance, Landguth said. Hands down, the airline that stands out if youre going to Central America and South America, it is Copa Airlines, he said. They have won award after award after award for being on time. Copa initially plans to fly between RDU and Panama City four days a week Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday starting June 21. The airline typically begins with less-than-daily service in new markets but hopes to expand as demand grows, Heilbron said. The flights take a little over four hours on a Boeing 737-800 with 160 seats. The flight from Panama will arrive about 2:30 p.m., with the return flight scheduled to leave RDU at 4:20 p.m. Heilbron said he expects that RDU will eventually get nonstop flights to other large cities in Central and South America in part based on Copas experience. There will be cities that see that Copas doing so well, he said. Maybe the RDU team wont have to fight so hard to convince them, because Copas having success. BLOXOM, Va. (WAVY) A person died in a house fire Friday morning in Accomack County. Onancock Fire Chief Mike Rydberg says crews were called for a fire with reported entrapment at 27245 Nelsonia Road, about midway between Bloxom and Nelsonia, just before 10 a.m. Friday. Rydberg says Parksleys fire units arrived first for the two-story home and started making a path to get inside the home. However, the heavy fire that engulfed the whole first floor slowed firefighters ability to get inside. Firefighters respond to a fatal fire in the Bloxom area of Accomack County on April 19, 2024 (Courtesy of Parksley Volunteer Fire Department) Firefighters respond to a fatal fire in the Bloxom area of Accomack County on April 19, 2024 (Courtesy of Parksley Volunteer Fire Department) Firefighters respond to a fatal fire in the Bloxom area of Accomack County on April 19, 2024 (Courtesy of Parksley Volunteer Fire Department) Once crews were able to make their way in, they found a single occupant on the first floor. That person was pronounced dead at the scene. Rydberg said Virginia State Police were also notified and fire investigators are still looking into the cause. Crews from Bloxom, Saxis, Atlantic, Melfa, as well as staff from the Accomack County Department of Public Safety and NASA Wallops Flight Facility, all responded to the incident. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. The Travis County, Texas, district attorney in Austin, Jose Garza, is the subject of a petition seeking his ouster under the provisions of the state's recently enacted "rogue prosecutor" law. Photo by Larry D. Moore/Wikimedia Commons April 20 (UPI) -- A citizens' petition seeking the removal a progressive district attorney in Austin under Texas' recently enacted "rogue prosecutor" statute is proceeding after a ruling by a local judge this week. Dib Waldrip, presiding judge of Texas' 3rd Administrative Judicial District, on Friday allowed a petition seeking the removal of Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza for "official misconduct" to proceed. He assigned Bell County Attorney Jim Nichols as the prosecuting attorney in the case. Travis County resident Mary Dupuis filed the petition on April 8. In the document, she cites Garza's handling of police use-of-force cases, arguing the DA has "indiscriminately" pressed charges against law enforcement officials and presented those charges to grand juries. She also cited Garza's refusal to prosecute certain crimes. The prosecutor has been public about his refusal to prosecute charges related to abortion or certain drug offenses. The petition was filed under House Bill 17, which took effect in September and allows courts to remove district and county attorneys for "official misconduct," which under the bill covers refusal to prosecute certain criminal offenses. When Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill last year, he said the intention was to "hold rogue district attorneys accountable" after progressive DAs, including Garza, said they would not prosecute people seeking an abortion, which is banned under Texas law. Elected district attorneys, however, still have significant discretion over what cases they pursue. Garza also faced a petition calling for his removal in December filed by Jason Salazar. But a felony drug charge against Salazar disqualified him from seeking the DA's removal under the law. The Salazar petition was written by Martin Harry, a former Republican candidate for district attorney who lost the election to Garza in 2020. AUSTIN (KXAN) A petition filed in the 455th Travis County District Court on April 8 calling for the removal of Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza was accepted for consideration Friday afternoon by Dib Waldrip, the 433rd District Judge in Comal County and Presiding Judge of the 3rd Administrative Judicial Region. Waldrip, who was appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to serve as the Presiding Judge of the 3rd Administrative Judicial Region in 2022, was assigned to the case on Apr. 10. Additionally, Waldrip appointed Bell County Attorney Jim Nichols to represent the State as a qualified and appropriate prosecuting attorney from within the region. According to the court records, Nichols was selected by Waldrip after considering available options in accordance with Texas statute stating the county attorney of the jurisdiction serves as counsel for the State in actions to remove an officer, except when such an action seeks removal of a prosecuting attorney. Nichols will investigate the allegations against Garza before the matter is brought before Waldrip, who will decide if the case moves forward to a jury trial. Garza will remain in his official capacity pending a jurys verdict. On Saturday, Garza sent a statement to KXAN: Every day, our office works to bring justice to Travis County and keep people safe. Last month, a few billionaires and MAGA Republicans and their dark money PAC failed to stop our progress at the ballot box. Now, one month later, their allies are wasting taxpayer money trying to undermine the decision of the voters of Travis County. They failed once, and theyll fail again. A citation issued by the court requires Garza to appear May 16 in a Travis County district courtroom for a hearing on the case. Comal Countys court administrator told KXAN that right now, Judge Waldrip wont comment on this pending case before him. KXAN reached out to Abbott and Nichols about the matter and will update this story once a response is received. The petitions allegations The petition argues incompetency and official misconduct related to the policies enforced by Garza about the who and what criminal offenses his office prosecutes. Specifically, the petition references three issues supporting these allegations: Defendant singles out law enforcement officials by automatically, indiscriminately, presenting charges against them to grand juries; Defendant maintains a do not call to testify list of law enforcement officials who he deems unfit to testify and disqualifies from serving as witnesses for the State of Texas; and, Defendant refuses to prosecute a class or type of criminal offense under state law. Texas may soon have a process to remove local prosecutors who wont pursue abortion, election cases The 21-page petition goes on to detail policies and evidence that allegedly show violations of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure such as presenting cases to grand juries that are not supported by probable cause and discriminatory practices specific to law enforcement officers. Tonight is a watershed moment for public safety in Austin. A Travis County resident has filed a substantive petition under HB17 alleging serious and provable violations of state law which, if proven, must result in DA Garzas removal from office, said Save Austin Now co-founder Matt Mackowiak. This is the beginning of the end for DA Garzas reign of terror for our community, ignoring the wishes of crime victims, attacking law enforcement and enabling criminal activity through an indiscriminate refusal to uphold his oath and prosecute violent crimes. We want to thank the petitioner for her courage and seriousness. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. (COLORADO SPRINGS) The Pikes Peak Region is home to the largest small-business celebration in Colorado and it all kicks off at the end of this month. Small Business Week begins on Monday, April 29, and goes through Friday, May 3, and features an awards celebration, followed by three days of workshops for small businesses and networking opportunities. According to the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Small Business Week of the Pikes Peak Region began 16 years ago in partnership with the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC and the Better Business Bureau. Then, in 2012, the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado and the Pikes Peak SBDC created the weeklong event, which would become the largest small business celebration in the state. DETAILS: 2024 Small Business Week Dates: April 29 May 3, 2024 Theme: The Year of AI Events: Monday, April 29: Awards Ceremony & Kickoff BASH Tuesday, April 30: Virtual Workshops Wednesday, May 1: Marketing Panel Thursday, May 2: Small Business Listening Tour Friday, May 3: Networking with Meet & Greet of the Weeks Panelists & Speakers More details on the events listed above, along with ticket information can be found by clicking on the Small Business Week link above. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. A pink moon over Kansas, then a meteor shower. Dont miss these sights in the night sky Kansas stargazers will get the chance to see a full pink moon peak soon. The pink moon gets its name not from the hue of the full moon, but because wildflowers bloom in April. Specifically, the flower moss pink inspired the name, according to the Old Farmers Almanac. Along with the pink moon, Aprils full moon is also referred to as the sprouting grass moon, egg moon, fish moon and other names, according to NASA. Heres when to catch a glimpse this year in Wichita. When will the pink moon peak in Wichita? The pink moon will peak at 6:49 p.m. Central Daylight Time Tuesday in Wichita, but you might catch a better view later as the sun sets at 8:12 p.m. The moon will appear full from Monday morning to Thursday morning, NASA reports. The National Weather Service forecasts Tuesday night will be partly cloudy in Wichita, with a low around 47 degrees Fahrenheit. The Kansas Astronomical Observers will hold a meeting from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Lake Afton Public Observatory, and visitors are welcome. You can search for more local astronomy events online at the Night Sky Network. We are sharing some of our favorite tips for capturing the moon at its best using your iPhone - It's actually way more fun than you might think! Learn about each moon phase here: https://t.co/DosGImJUY6 pic.twitter.com/50t9ZTDN3h The Farmers' Almanac (@FarmersAlmanac) April 15, 2024 Kansas stargazers will get to enjoy a meteor shower in early May when the Eta Aquarids make their way across the sky. The meteor shower will peak the night of May 4, according to publication Space.com, and should be more visible than the 2023 Aquarids because the moon wont interfere as much. Wichita saw a temperature drop during the peak of Mondays eclipse. Heres what happened More full moons in 2024 If you dont get a chance to see this months pink moon, youll still have eight more opportunities to see a full moon in 2024. Heres this years full moon calendar, with information from Space.com: May 23: Flower moon June 21: Strawberry moon July 21: Buck moon Aug. 19: Sturgeon moon (supermoon and blue moon) Sept. 17: Harvest moon (supermoon and partial lunar eclipse) Oct. 17: Hunters moon (supermoon) Nov. 15: Beaver moon (supermoon) Dec. 15: Cold moon Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Farmers Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources. A pink moon will peak soon over Pennsylvania, then a meteor shower. When to see it all A full pink moon will peak above State College soon, and Pennsylvania stargazers can also look forward to a variety of upcoming local astronomy gatherings. The pink moon gets its name not from the hue of the full moon, but because wildflowers bloom in April. Specifically, the flower moss pink inspired the name, according to the Old Farmers Almanac. Along with the pink moon, Aprils full moon is also referred to as the sprouting grass moon, egg moon, fish moon and other names, according to NASA. Heres when to catch a look at the pink moon this year in State College. When will the pink moon peak in State College? The pink moon will peak at 7:49 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time Tuesday in State College, but you might catch a better view just a little later as the sun sets at 7:59 p.m. The moon will appear full from Monday morning to Thursday morning, NASA reports. The National Weather Service forecasts Tuesday night will be mostly cloudy in State College, with a 70% chance of precipitation and a low around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Showers are likely after 8 p.m., the NWS forecasts. We are sharing some of our favorite tips for capturing the moon at its best using your iPhone - It's actually way more fun than you might think! Learn about each moon phase here: https://t.co/DosGImJUY6 pic.twitter.com/50t9ZTDN3h The Farmers' Almanac (@FarmersAlmanac) April 15, 2024 The Central Pennsylvania Observers will hold a free, public stargazing event from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. May 3 at Tudek Park. The organization also holds public astronomy meetings the first Thursday of each month at the South Hills Business School in State College. Pennsylvania stargazers will get to enjoy a meteor shower in early May when the Eta Aquarids make their way across the sky. The meteor shower will peak the night of May 4, according to astronomy publication Space.com, and should be more visible than the 2023 Aquarids because the moon wont interfere as much. You can also look forward to the Central Pennsylvania Observers annual Black Forest Star Party Sept. 6 to Sept. 8 at Cherry Springs State Park. The event has a $40 entry fee for adults, and the host organization asks people to review star party etiquette before attending. Pre-registration is required. More full moons in 2024 If you dont get a chance to see this months pink moon, youll still have eight more opportunities to see a full moon in 2024. Heres this years full moon calendar, with information from Space.com: May 23: Flower moon June 21: Strawberry moon July 21: Buck moon Aug. 19: Sturgeon moon (supermoon and blue moon) Sept. 17: Harvest moon (supermoon and partial lunar eclipse) Oct. 17: Hunters moon (supermoon) Nov. 15: Beaver moon (supermoon) Dec. 15: Cold moon Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Farmers Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources. North Dakota Rep. Brandon Prichard, R-Bismarck, attends a special session of the Legislature on Oct. 23, 2023. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor) Plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging North Dakotas ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors seek to question two lawmakers about their motivation for sponsoring the legislation. Attorneys for Gender Justice, the advocacy group representing the plaintiffs, in March sought to order Rep. Bill Tveit, R-Hazen, and Rep. Brandon Prichard, R-Bismarck, to appear for depositions on April 5. Tveit was the primary sponsor of the bill during the 2023 session, while Prichard was a co-sponsor. Rep. Bill Tveit, R-Hazen. (Photo provided by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly) Deputy Solicitor General Katie Carpenter on April 4 responded on behalf of Tveit and Prichard with a motion to quash the subpoenas, arguing the lawmakers would be required to testify on important privilege and public policy concerns that are protected by speech or debate clauses in the U.S. and North Dakota constitutions, as well as other state laws. Generally speaking, speech or debate clauses protect legislators from being sued or criminally prosecuted for things they say during legislative proceedings. Carpenter also claimed that the subpoenas were unduly burdensome and that Gender Justice didnt give the lawmakers enough notice to comply with the order. In a reply filed Thursday, the plaintiffs asked the court to deny the motion, disputing the deputy solicitor generals interpretation of the protections as overbroad. The plaintiffs argue the lawmakers cant be shielded from the subpoenas because the plaintiffs attorneys only plan on questioning Tveit and Prichard about social media posts the lawmakers made about the ban not statements made in the course of official legislative business. Plaintiffs seek to question the Representatives about their public statements made on social media regarding the Health Care Ban and bias against transgender and LGBTQ people generally and to authenticate such posts, the reply states. The plaintiffs quoted multiple social media posts by Prichard containing anti-LGBTQ views including one Jan. 2 post on X, formerly Twitter, where the lawmaker wrote The LGBTQ agenda is evil and bad for North Dakota and asked, What even is a queer? The plaintiffs also countered that the Attorney Generals Office never reached out to them about the subpoenas and that they would have been open to rescheduling the hearings had the state asked. Court records indicate that Prichard was served on March 26, but that attempts to serve Tveit were unsuccessful. Prichard told the North Dakota Monitor he believes hes being subpoenaed because he spoke in favor of the legislation on the House floor and was a boisterous supporter of it during committee discussions. Prichard said he would prefer not to be deposed because he believes the Gender Justice attorneys are seeking a gotcha moment that would help their case. If the court orders him to comply with the subpoena, he will, Prichard said. Tveit did not respond to requests for comment by publication. The case is overseen by South Central District Court Judge Jackson Lofgren. The legislation at the center of the legal battle was signed into law by Gov. Doug Burgum in April 2023. A group of families and doctors filed suit against the state in September, claiming the law is unconstitutional. The plaintiffs have argued in court filings that the law discriminates against transgender adolescents by withholding treatments that are still available to other kids for other medical reasons. They also claim the policy violates parents right to make medical decisions for their children. Attorneys for the state have said previously that the law, which was adopted by North Dakotas Republican-dominated Legislature with more than two-thirds support from lawmakers, should stay in place because it protects children. The policy makes it a class A misdemeanor to administer medications, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, to children as gender-affirming care. Providers convicted of doing so could face up to 360 days in jail, fines of up to $3,000 or both. The new law also makes it a class B felony to perform transition-related surgery on a minor. Anyone convicted of violating this provision of the legislation could face up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $20,000 fine. In hearings on the bill, health care professionals testified that transition-related surgeries are not performed on minors in North Dakota. The ban states minors who were receiving gender-affirming care before the legislation took effect may continue receiving treatment, though the plaintiffs have said the exemption is too vague to have legal teeth. As a result, North Dakota doctors are not providing gender affirming care to any minors, even those who were pre-existing patients, the plaintiffs say. Both parties are waiting for Lofgren to decide whether to suspend enforcement of the law while the case proceeds. The plaintiffs motioned for a preliminary injunction on the legislation in 2023, arguing that the law poses irreparable harm to children who need gender-affirming care but can no longer access it. Witnesses testified for and against the motion at a January hearing in Bismarck. Amy Dalrymple contributed to this report. The post Plaintiffs in gender-affirming care lawsuit seek testimony from lawmakers about anti-LGBTQ bias appeared first on North Dakota Monitor. Planned Parenthood refuses to hand over records of transgender procedures on children Planned Parenthood refuses to hand over records of transgender procedures on children Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, Missouri is appealing a judge's ruling that required the clinic to hand over patient files exposing whether puberty blockers and transgender procedures were performed on children. The clinic filed the appeal in the 22nd Judicial Court in St. Louis on Friday, arguing that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey's civil investigative demand was "improperly issued" because it did not reference Planned Parenthood in the 54 requests. Missouri's Merchandising Practices Act allows Bailey to obtain patient documents because they do not fall under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protections, St. Louis Circuit Judge Michael Stelzer ruled earlier this month. But Planned Parenthood claims the civil investigative demand was "improperly issued in reliance" of the merchandising act. ARIZONA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS NEAR-TOTAL ABORTION BAN "The sworn affidavit directed to Washington University's complaint of practices being investigated by the Missouri AG did not explicitly or implicitly reference [Planned Parenthood] in any way whatsoever," the appeal read. Bailey has "weaponized" the attorney general's office to "carry out a political campaign," Richard Muniz, interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, told Fox News Digital. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "Were asking the court of appeals to put a halt to Baileys pretextual and lawless investigation, because Missourians should not have to live in fear of having their essential and lifesaving care dismantled or their private health information scrutinized by politicians," Muniz said. The Planned Parenthood CEO added the clinic will not back down from "this sham investigation." The appeal comes as Bailey is issuing a series of investigations into how transgender health clinics have offered services to kids. Bailey singled out Planned Parenthood for its part in dragging out the investigation. DETRANSITIONER BLASTS GOP GOVERNOR'S VETO OF BAN ON GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE FOR MINORS: COMPLICIT IN THIS Planned Parenthood filed an appeal to prevent Missouri AG Andrew Bailey from obtaining patient files that could expose trans procedures on kids. "Its disappointing that Planned Parenthood doesnt want to comply with our investigation that merely seeks to ensure children werent experimented on without parental consent," Bailey told Fox News Digital in a statement Friday. "As a father of four, this fight to protect children is personal for me. We will not let up. I look forward to prevailing in court on this matter once again." Of the three clinics Bailey has won against in court, only one has handed over documents: Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. A Planned Parenthood clinic in Great Plains has filed an appeal to keep their documents private while a St. Louis-based Planned Parenthood in St. Louis has yet to send Bailey's office any of its patient documents. According to the court opinion, Planned Parenthood attempted to block Bailey's inquiry and argued that Bailey's office "failed to show" how they were "directly involved in his investigation" of transgender clinics. Last year, Bailey launched a multi-agency investigation into the Washington University Transgender Center (TGC) at St. Louis Childrens Hospital after a whistleblower went public and accused the hospital of lying to parents of patients. MISSOURI LAW BANNING GENDER-CHANGING TREATMENTS FOR MINORS TAKES EFFECT The AG's inquiry into the TGC "seeks all records for all patients treated at the TGC, among other requests seeking private and protected health information. These records involve more than 1,000 patients." Jamie Reed said in an affidavit submitted to the attorney general's office in early 2023 that she was employed as a case manager at the children's hospital from 2018 until November 2022. She accused hospital employees at the transgender center of lying to the parents of patients, among many other issues. Just a few months later, Missouri enacted a law outlawing puberty blockers , hormones and gender-transition surgeries for minors. Original article source: Planned Parenthood refuses to hand over records of transgender procedures on children Planning on celebrating 4/20? Heres what to know about marijuana punishments in Idaho While neighboring states allow recreational and medical marijuana use, Idaho remains strictly bud-free. In total, 21 states across the U.S. have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 have OKd medical use. Idaho is one of just four states yet to even decriminalize marijuana, along with Wyoming, Kansas and South Carolina. But with several weed-friendly states only a short drive from Boise, what happens if someone crosses state lines with marijuana in their possession? As people nationwide celebrate 4/20 the annual acknowledgment on April 20 from cannabis enjoyers as the day to celebrate the drug heres what to know about Idahos strict marijuana laws. What does the law say about marijuana in Idaho? The possession, growing, selling, distribution and use of marijuana all are illegal in Idaho. State law is tough on marijuana offenses. Fines can run in the thousands, plus years in jail. Heres how the penalties shake out for manufacturing, transporting and possessing marijuana in Idaho: Less than 3 ounces for personal use Misdemeanor with a minimum fine of up to $1,000 and up to one year incarcerated. 3 ounces to 1 pound for personal use Felony with a maximum fine of $10,000 and up to five years incarcerated. 1-5 pounds or 25-50 marijuana plants with intent to distribute Felony with a minimum fine of $5,000 and at least one year incarcerated. 5-25 pounds or 50-100 marijuana plants with intent to distribute Felony with a minimum fine of $10,000 and at least three years incarcerated. More than 25 pounds or more than 100 marijuana plants with intent to distribute Felony with a minimum fine of $15,000 and at least five years incarcerated. The maximum number of years of imprisonment for possessing marijuana in Idaho is 15, and the maximum fine is $50,000. What happens if you cross Idaho state lines with pot? Idaho law is pretty straightforward: It is illegal to possess marijuana in the state, so it doesnt matter that it was purchased legally in another state. If you bought products in Oregon or Washington state and then traveled to Idaho with it, you broke the law. As soon as it crosses Idaho state lines, its considered contraband. Its not only a marijuana possession charge youll have to worry about, either. You could be charged with drug trafficking, which is a federal crime, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. What if youre caught with weed at an Idaho airport? The Transportation Security Administration is not looking for drugs when they screen fliers, but if officers find marijuana or other drugs, they will refer the matter to law enforcement. TSAs screening procedures are focused on security to detect potential threats to aircraft and passengers. When TSA officers are screening for weapons or other harmful items and find an illegal substance, it will be reported, according to the TSA. Can you consume marijuana and then travel back to Idaho? Yes, but only if youre not driving and dont have any marijuana in your possession. Under Idaho Code Title 18 Chapter 80, driving while intoxicated can apply to drugs as well. A first-time driving under the influence charge is a misdemeanor in Idaho and could carry a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail and a drivers license suspension of up to 180 days. A third-time offender within a 10-year span will be charged with a felony, a maximum fine of $5,000, up to five years in jail and a drivers license suspension of up to five years following release from prison. Even if the broader market extends the bull market it is currently in, it doesn't mean you can't find good dividend stocks. You just need to be more selective. If you are a long-term investor looking for buy-and-hold income stocks you should do a deep dive into Chevron (NYSE: CVX), NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE), and Dividend King Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK). Here's a quick look at each. 1. Chevron has an industry-leading foundation Chevron is one of the largest integrated energy majors on the planet. Its business spans from oil production to transportation to processing. And it has a globally diversified portfolio. That diversification helps to soften the inherent volatility of the energy sector. However, there are other companies that have similar businesses, including ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM). What sets Chevron apart is its financial strength. A look Chevron's balance sheet shows that its debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12 times is lower than that of any of its closest peers. That's important because during energy downturns Chevron takes on leverage so that it can continue to support its business and its dividend. Simply put, it has more leeway to do that than the competition. It is worth noting that the company has increased its dividend annually for 36 consecutive years and has a fairly generous 4.1% dividend yield. By comparison, the company with the next strongest balance sheet, Exxon, is only offering a 3.1% yield. 2. NextEra Energy is like buying two companies in one NextEra Energy is one of the largest regulated utility companies in the United States. And it is one of the largest producers of solar and wind power in the world. The company's regulated assets, which include Florida Power & Light, provide a strong, though relatively slow-growth, foundation. The clean energy side is the growth platform. Together they have allowed the utility to increase its dividend at a 10% annualized clip over the past decade, which is huge dividend growth for a utility. Management is expecting that level of dividend growth to continue through at least 2026. Here's the interesting thing: Both of its core businesses are advantaged. Florida Power & Light has long benefited from migration to the Sunshine State. More customers means more revenue and more opportunity for regulator-approved capital investments. And renewable power has a long runway for growth as the world slowly transitions away from carbon fuels. This side of the business has 36 gigawatts of capacity, with plans to expand that by another 32 to 41 gigawatts by 2026. This combination of businesses has allowed NextEra Energy to increase its dividend annually for 29 years, and this dividend growth stock currently has a historically attractive 3.2% dividend yield. Story continues 3. Stanley Black & Decker is out of favor, for now Stanley Black & Decker is a Dividend King with 56 annual dividend increases behind it. The last couple of years, however, have been very difficult for the company, with adjusted earnings declining from a record $10.48 per share in 2021 to just $1.45 in 2023. Management has been working on a turnaround, which makes this stock most appropriate for more aggressive investors. Notably, however, the shares are down some 55% from their 2021 highs. That drop has pushed the dividend yield, which is around 3.2% today, up toward all-time highs. The big story is that the cost-cutting, streamlining, and debt reduction efforts are going to start bearing fruit in 2024. The company is projecting adjusted earnings to, finally, start rising again. The current company outlook calls for an adjusted earnings range of $3.50 per share to $4.50 per share in 2024. Backing that up has been a steady improvement in the company's margins. There's still time to jump aboard this recovering Dividend King if you act now. There are bull market options for all kinds of dividend investors Chevron, NextEra Energy, and Stanley Black & Decker are just three examples of attractive dividend stocks you can find today. What's interesting about this trio is that they offer different things for different types of investors. Chevron is a high-yield rock in a stormy industry. NextEra Energy is a dividend growth machine in a typically slow-growth sector. And Stanley Black & Decker is a fallen angel that looks like it will start earning back its wings very soon. Should you invest $1,000 in NextEra Energy right now? Before you buy stock in NextEra Energy, 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 NextEra Energy 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 $518,784!* 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*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2024 Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Stanley Black & Decker. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chevron and NextEra Energy. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Bull Market Buys: 3 Dividend Stocks to Own for the Long Run was originally published by The Motley Fool 20 people were arrested during a climate change protest at Hanscom airport on Saturday morning. According to State police, at least 20 people conducted a protest at Hanscom airport breached a security perimeter, and trespassed on the tarmac. Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion Boston (XR) disrupted were protesting over the proposed expansion of 17 new private jet hangars, Extinction Rebellion Boston said in a release. According to Extinction Rebellion, the expansion would accommodate a 300% increase in private jet services and is currently under consideration by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). Based on a comprehensive analysis of private flights traveling to and from Hanscom Field over an 18-month period, the expansion would primarily serve the wealthiest travelers in the region, many of whom frequently take short-hop flights to recreational and luxury destinations. Many flights are as little as 15 minutes, traveling from Concord to Boston Logan International Airport. The protest was peaceful, non-violent, non-destructive act of civil disobedience. Police made 20 arrests for trespassing, disorderly conduct, and potentially other related charges. We're out here because Hanscom expansion would negate carbon benefits from 70% of solar power in Mass. Hanscom already produces 72,000 tons of emissions/year, while an average MA resident produces 8 tons. @Massport needs to REDUCE airfield usage to meet MA's 2030 emission goal. pic.twitter.com/OlXrXgApS1 Extinction Rebellion Boston (@XRBoston) April 20, 2024 This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said three men and a 16-year-old teenager were shot in Northeast D.C. on Friday afternoon. MPD received a call about the shooting in the 1200 block of Mt. Olivet Rd. at around 12:20 p.m. in the parking lot of Circle Seven Express convenience store. Wootton High School remains open after school shooting threat Assistant Police Chief Darnel Robinson said in a news conference that medics took the three men to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening injuries. The teenaged boy who was hit by gunfire walked into the hospital, he said. Several shots rang out before the vehicle fled towards, continuing on Mount Olivet, Robinson said. Were going to continue to work with community members, as many of them have zero tolerance. Victoria Hardin, who lives in a building behind the store, said there was rapid gunshots that she didnt know what it was at first. When I saw the emergency supervisor ambulance, I knew that somebody was in great danger, Hardin said. DCs Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking client data breached, Tyler Technologies says MPD released a photo of a car they believed was involved in the incident and said they found it within the city: (The Metropolitan Police Department) Robinson said all aspects of the case are under investigation. I was born and raised in this neighborhood, so its frightening, said Gabrielle Williams, whose grandmother lives in the area. She said she fears for her grandmothers safety because of the violence. Im just a loss for words, Williams said. National Museum of American History received bomb threat Hardin said shes moving out of the area soon because of the constant chaos. It is the final straw, she said. I just wish I had never moved here. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call (202) 727-9099 or text 50411. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Police were called to Weymouth High School Friday night after carnival festivities got out of hand. Fiesta Shows, the company producing the Weymouth Spring Carnival, told Boston 25 News there was no shooting on school grounds but police were called due to crowd control issues. For generations, we have prided ourselves in creating a family-friendly environment and the safety of our guests is our top priority. We maintain a large police and fire presence on-site as part of our normal security procedures to ensure that our patrons are safe at all times. We are pleased that none of our guests or employees were injured in this incident. We feel bad for the good citizens and families of Weymouth that were enjoying their time at the carnival when this occurred, Fiesta Shows said in a statement. The carnival was cancelled for the rest of the weekend. Boston 25 News has reached out to Weymouth police for more info. 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 How have we got to a point where a police officer thinks it legitimate to tell a man he cannot cross a street on which a pro-Palestinian demonstration is taking place because he is openly Jewish? For months, Jewish groups have warned that the centres of Britains cities have become no-go zones for Jews because of the hate marches. A shocking video lays bare the extent to which the police appear to be complicit. Gideon Falter, the head of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, did not threaten the pro-Palestinian demonstrators. He has stated that he was not part of any protest or counter-protest, and was simply exercising my right to walk around my home city. But one officer told him he was worried about the reaction to his presence. Another warned him that, if he did not leave the area, he would be arrested. Mr Falter has made clear that his issue is not with the individual officers but with the shameful policy adopted by the Met. It has done almost nothing as anti-Semitic slogans have been chanted on the capitals streets, and notoriously said that calls for jihad had a number of meanings. Clearly, it recognises that the marches pose a danger to Jewish peoples safety. But its reaction is not to seek to ban the protests or to curtail them. It is to tell a Jewish man that he should go elsewhere. It is hard to imagine that an officer would make such a statement about a member of another minority group. The Met released a statement yesterday, saying the use of the term openly Jewish was regrettable. But it also appeared to criticise what it described as a new trend counter-protestors appearing along the march route to express their views, calling them provocative. Obviously, this will have public order implications, but it is intolerable that the Met seems to regard its role as facilitating extremist anti-Israel demonstrations while cracking down on those who voice their opposition to terrorism. A man was even arrested last month for carrying a Hamas are terrorists sign at a protest. As the former home secretary Suella Braverman has noted, it appears that theyve picked a side. It is wrong, she says, that one group of people cannot exercise their rights to enjoy London peacefully in order to allow another group to express their hatred and intimidation freely. Indeed. This cannot be allowed to continue. If the Met refuses to put its own house in order, the Government has a duty to intervene. It is disgraceful that the police seem to think it preferable to restrict Jewish peoples freedoms than to confront the anti-Semites in our midst. 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. TOPEKA (KSNT) Police are releasing the identity of the Capital Citys fifth homicide case Saturday. The Topeka Police Department (TPD) announced in a press release the victim of a deadly shooting Friday was Cody P. Cooper, 22, of Topeka. His death is being investigated as the fifth homicide case for Topeka in 2024. This embedded content is not available in your region. Police were called around 8 a.m. on April 19 to the 3700 block of SW Park South Court on reports of a shooting. Officers arriving at the scene found a person, later identified as Cooper, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was later declared dead by first responders. The TPD later said Coopers death is being investigated as a homicide. Murder charges filed in deadly Topeka stabbing attack If you have any information regarding this shooting, send an email to TPD at telltpd@topeka.org or call 785-368-9400. You can make anonymous tips to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers by calling 785-234-0007 or by clicking here. 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. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. Police looking for 2 men who stole $3K worth of power tools from Petaluma Friedmans (KRON) The Petaluma Police Department is looking for two men who allegedly stole $3,000 worth of power tools from a Friedmans Home Improvement store. According to Petaluma PD, officers responded to the Friedmans location on Tuesday just before 7 p.m. Officers were advised that a theft had just occurred. Friedmans staff told police that two men had loaded two shopping carts with Milwaukee power tools and ran out of the store. Former Leigh High School student says teacher forced her to get abortion They were last seen fleeing the area in a black Jeep Cherokee SUV, according to police. Arriving at the scene, officers canvassed the area but were unable to locate the men. The monetary loss to Friedmans was estimated to be $3,000, police said. Photos of the suspects were collected from the stores surveillance cameras. Photo: Petaluma PD Photo: Petaluma PD Officials are asking for the publics assistance in identifying and locating the suspects. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Petaluma Police Department. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Thieves made off with as much as $30 million in an Easter Sunday burglary from the GardaWorld cash storage facility in Sylmar. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The Los Angeles Police Department responded to three separate alarms at GardaWorld's Sylmar cash storage facility on the day that thieves stole as much $30 million from its vault during the biggest heist in the city's history. Despite the officers' presence at the property in the early hours of Easter Sunday including around the time it is believed the sophisticated burglary was carried out the criminals remained undetected, according to three law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation of the incident. During at least one of the responses by a patrol car, GardaWorld was alerted, according to the officials, but the Montreal-based security services company did not register the intrusion. The Times has previously reported that GardaWorld did not learn of the crime until opening the vault the following day, April 1. It wasn't until then, officials said, that LAPD investigators were notified that a substantial amount of money had been taken. The sequence of events, partly disclosed in an LAPD call-for-service log obtained by The Times, raises questions about the security GardaWorld maintained at the Roxford Street property, which is used to process and store cash for the company's L.A.-area customers. The timeline also reveals details of the complex crime, which is believed to have been carried out by a crew that breached the one-story building via its roof. Jeffrey Zwirn, a longtime security consultant, said the success of the heist appeared to be the result of "a systemic failure." "The physical and the electronic security appear to have had a deficiency that was either not checked by the alarm company, and/or the security command center and/or the security director designated with making sure the system was more than adequate in light of its high-risk environment," he said. GardaWorld did not respond to requests for comment. Read more: In one of L.A.'s largest cash heists ever, burglars steal as much as $30 million from vault According to the police log, the LAPD responded to 13 alarm calls at the building in the year prior to the heist, and all of them were determined to be false alarms. Notably, one occurred just before 11:30 p.m. on March 30, the night before the heist. A patrol car arrived at the warehouse minutes later and deemed it a false alarm. Another alarm rang at the building at 4:36 a.m. on Easter, according to the log. Hours later, the log shows, a police car was dispatched to the property, a supervisor was notified and a report was written. The log does not indicate what the police found. However, a resident at the neighboring Tahitian Mobile Home Park previously told The Times that FBI agents visited her the day after the burglary and asked if she saw or heard anything suspicious around 4 a.m. on Easter. (The woman said she was asleep at the time and did not.) At 7.22 a.m., another alarm rang at GardaWorld's warehouse and a police car responded about 45 minutes later; the LAPD log shows it was considered a "valid alarm." Finally, an alarm rang at 3:51 p.m. and a police car arrived around 4 p.m. in response. This was deemed a false alarm, according to the log, the details of which were first reported by TMZ. According to Aria Kozak, chief executive of L.A.-based security services company Elite Interactive Solutions, the false alarms triggered before the heist could have been the result of criminals testing the security apparatus at the building. "In that particular case, the false alarms could just be a little window into the criminal activity," he said. "They are very capable and smart and they will look for the soft or weak spot." Read more: Neighbor heard odd noises amid heist of up to $30 million from Sylmar vault Law enforcement agencies have remained extraordinarily tight-lipped about the investigation. LAPD Capt. Kelly Muniz declined to discuss the timeline of the crime, explaining that the probe was being handled by the FBI. An FBI spokeswoman said she could not disclose when the agency responded to the heist and declined to provide details of the inquiry. The burgled GardaWorld facility, hemmed in by active train tracks and the mobile home park on two sides, is situated in a scruffy section of Sylmar where locals have said that street crime is a scourge. And neighbors have said that strange things occurred in the area over the weekend. A park resident has said that she heard a strange mechanical sound coming from the GardaWorld property over Easter weekend. Her home offers a view of a portion of the warehouse where thieves also breached the side of the building. A KABC-TV News video aired April 3 showed a large cut on the side of the structure that was covered by a piece of plywood. And the owner of a nearby convenience store said its Wi-Fi was down much of Easter and mobile phone calls failed, too. Its unclear whether that was connected to the heist, but Wi-Fi jammers have become a common tool of theft gangs because they knock out many security cameras. Given the amount of money stored at the Roxford Street facility, such anomalous activity should have been detected by GardaWorld or an alarm service provider, according to security industry experts. Read more: Shattered windows, slashed tires and GPS trackers: L.A. freeway heists shock jewelers Security consultant Jim McGuffey, who previously held senior positions at Brink's and Loomis, called the heist "a very professional job." Nonetheless, he said, "there is no way this should have happened." "A well-protected facility that houses that kind of money ... normally in those facilities they have two separate alarm systems, they have sensors throughout the facility, cameras on the inside and outside," he said. "No matter how you penetrate the building, a sensor detects that activity and sends an alert. That's why it was such a shock." Zwirn added that such a property would typically include an alarm system that would be triggered by the presence of wireless signal jamming. "While these perpetrators were sophisticated ... based on what we know, this should have been a detectable event," he said. "The question is why no one responded to what should have been a detectable event." 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. UPDATE 4/21 , 2:29 P.M.: On April 21, the aunt of the girl who went missing on Friday reported that the girl had been found. MORE INFORMATION: Midvale girl found over the weekend MIDVALE, Utah (ABC4) The Unified Police Department is asking for help locating a missing girl out of Midvale. $20K in reward money offered for Wyoming wolf torture info She was last seen Friday around 1 p.m. wearing tan pants, a baggy white shirt, and black converse, with a brown shoulder bag. Police said Aaliyah is also known to take the TRAX. If you find her or have information on her whereabouts, please call dispatch at 801-840-4000. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Police seize nearly half a pound of methamphetamine in Salt Lake City SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Salt Lake City Police seized nearly half a pound of methamphetamine after a traffic stop early Friday morning. Shortly after 3 a.m. on April 19, SLCPD officers stopped an SUV near 1500 South West Temple St. for not having a license plate. Police said the driver, identified as James Castro, 52, did not have a valid drivers license or insurance. Officers also found that the passenger, identified as Caroline Campbell, 45, was not wearing a seatbelt. Man dies after being hit by train in South Salt Lake Police impounded the car, and during an inventory, found over 200 grams the equivalent of nearly half of a pound of methamphetamine. Along with the drugs, police also found scales and packaging material consistent with the intent to distribute. Castro was booked into Salt Lake County Jail on possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a vehicle without insurance, and driving on a denied license. Campbell was also booked into Salt Lake County Jail on possession of a controlled substance. 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. Sohrab named new chief medical officer at Mercy Dr. Sadaf Sohrab Dr. Sadaf Sohrab has been tapped to lead Mercy Springfield Communities as chief medical officer, according to a press release. Although a pulmonologist, Sohrab previously served as regional chair of the cardiovascular service line for Springfield Mercy Communities. She had held several positions with Mercy in her 15-year career with the Springfield-based health system. Sohrab started as chief medical officer April 12. According to the release, Dr. Sohrab is a trusted leader in Mercy's community of physicians. She has garnered experience in both the inpatient and outpatient setting, giving her a unique understanding of the care needs Mercy physicians must meet. I'm deeply honored to step into this role to serve the community I love, Dr. Sohrab said. I look forward to collaborating with providers, nurses and our hospital co-workers who inspire me daily. With healthcare evolving at a rapid pace, now is the moment to steer strategy toward impactful change. City of Joplin hires first director of communication and marketing Drew Douglas After serving seven years as the city of Nixa's public information officer and director of communications, Drew Douglas will begin his new role as director of communications and marketing for the city of Joplin. Douglas will begin the new role on April 22. He will be tasked with overseeing planning, coordination, and management of all the city's public information, civic engagement, media relations, and marketing efforts. Douglas has served the city of Nixa since January 2017. There, his focus was to expand proactive communications, government transparency, and internal communications efforts. He also facilitated public engagement programs. won awards for video production, and coordinated a major rebranding and website redesign. Prior to working in Nixa, Douglas was a journalist with KY3 in Springfield, WOAI in San Antonio, and KWTK in Waco, Texas. He currently serves as President of the southwest Missouri chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Hart joins Springfield board at Arvest Bank Dr. Algerian Hart Arvest Bank has announced it has added Dr. Algerian Hart to its board in Springfield in a press release. "His background in diversity and inclusion aligns well with Arvest's mission, and we look forward to seeing how his ideas impact communities across the region," said Jason England, president of Arvest Bank. Hart is the vice president and assistant to the president for Inclusion Engagement at Missouri State University, where he has been a kinesiology professor since 2019. Prior to MSU, he was an administrator and professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is also professor emeritus at Western Illinois University. Story continues Hart also serves as a board member for the Rise and Reach Foundation, a member of the advisory council for Springfield Advocates for Youth, and a member of the Springfield branch of the NAACP Health Committee. He earned his doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Washington State University and is actively involved in the Springfield community. Webster County land specialist wins multiple real estate awards Brian Utecht A Webster County Realtor is racking up multiple industry and company awards for his sale of rural properties in 2023. Brian Utecht, a land specialist with Whitetail Properties Real Estate, serves 15 counties in Missouri. Among his achievements, Utecht was recognized in Land Magazine as a Land Star Award Top Producer for ranking in the top 5% of all rural land sales in the Midwest last year. Utecht was also honored with two awards by the Realtors Land Institue at its recent National Land Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. He was named regional Broker of the Year for ranch sales and won an APEX Producers Club award, which recognizes real estate agents with at least $5 million in qualifying land sales last year. Utecht also earned RLI's Accredited Land Consultant designation, which requires successful completion of a rigorous educational program, a good track record of transaction performance, and a commitment to professional growth. In recognition of his accomplishments, Utecht was named by Whitetail Properties as companywide agent of the year for 2023. He is one of more than 350 Land Specialists for Whitetail Properties in the U.S. he has more than 20 years of experience representing buyers and sellers of farm, ranch, recreational, timber, and lake properties. I am very honored by these awards, which show our company is going in right direction with our values and belief system that puts clients first, Utecht said. Awards like this build trust in our ability to serve buyers and sellers of rural land in a highly professional way. Holiday Inn Express & Suites wins IHG Spirit of True Hospitality Excellence Award The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Springfield-Medical District, owned by JKD, Inc. and managed by Rolling Oaks Hospitality, has been awarded the InterContinental Hotels Group Spirit of True Hospitality Excellence Award for 2023. The honor is awarded to properties that exemplify exceptional hospitality, service excellence, and dedication to guest satisfaction within the IHG portfolio. According to a press release, the award reflects the hotel's performance in several areas, including guest satisfaction, service quality, cleanliness, and overall guest experience. The hotel was the only award winner in Springfield and one of only two winners in southwest Missouri. Learn about government contracting at efactory program Small firms often struggle to gain visibility and win big accounts. With this in mind, the Missouri Small Business Development Center at Missouri State University, part of the efactory, is planning a program during National Small Business Week to help those businesses score government contracts. Government Contracting: What You Need to Know will be held 9 a.m. to noon on May 3 at the efactory inside the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center. The half-day seminar will include a lineup of state and federal contracting experts to provide insight and resources to help small businesses understand the benefits of government contracting. Missouri APEX Accelerator will also discuss their no-cost services to help position businesses, evaluate readiness, and compete for government contracts, if ready. As businesses look for ways to expand into new markets, many times the governmental marketplace is overlooked. While not every business is ready to sell to the federal, state and local governments, billions of dollars are spent every year purchasing goods and services, said Allen Waldo, CPP, Missouri APEX Accelerator counselor. This is an excellent opportunity to hear directly from the State of Missouri and to learn more about federal contracting. Registration is at no charge to attendees, but pre-registration is required. At Government Contracting: What You Need to Know, participants will learn about: The State of Missouri Supplier Diversity Program, presented by Diana Hilliard, Office of Equal Opportunity; Contracting Opportunities with the Missouri Department of Transportation, presented by Kami Sanders, External Civil Rights Division; and How to Get Started with or Increase Federal Contracting Opportunities, presented by Waldo. Heritage Bank of the Ozarks appoints Boyer as president Lance Boyer has been appointed to president at Heritage Bank of the Ozarks in Lebanon, Camdenton, and Plato. Boyer previously held the role of executive vice president, chief financial officer, and chief operations officer. Kim Light remains CEO, but he will transition the president's responsibilities to Boyer. Boyer will also maintain the title of CFO. Boyer's career in the financial industry began at the federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City, later transitioning into a 14-year career at Central Bank. He serves on the National Association of Free Will Baptist Board of Retirement, Community Development Corporation, and Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce boards. As president, Boyer will oversee day-to-day operations of Heritage Bank of the Ozarks, serving as a visible representative of the bank in the community. Light will continue to Serve as CEO, working closely with Boyer to ensure a smooth transition. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Mercy appoints chief medical officer, Joplin hires marketing director Polish protesters end blockade of two checkpoints on border with Ukraine The movement of Ukrainian lorries at the Shehyni-Medyka and Krakivets-Korczowa checkpoints on the border with Poland has resumed. Source: Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda Details: The Border Guard of the Republic of Poland informed Ukrainian border guards that the protest in front of the Shehyni-Medyka and Krakivets-Korczowa checkpoints had ended on 20 April, after 09:00 Kyiv time. The registration and passage of lorries across the border in both directions are being carried out as usual. The State Border Guard Service said more than 1,700 lorries are currently waiting to enter Ukraine at these checkpoints. Drivers and hauliers are asked to consider this information when planning international transport and to monitor the status of checkpoints on the official resources of the State Border Guard Service. Demchenko said that as of the morning of 20 April, two checkpoints remained blocked for Ukrainian lorries: Yahodyn-Dorohusk and Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne. At these two checkpoints, Polish farmers are not allowing lorries to enter Poland at all and are only allowing a certain number to cross into Ukraine. In total, approximately 650 lorries are currently in queues in Poland opposite these checkpoints. Support UP or become our patron! TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) President Joe Biden is set to visit Tampa on Tuesday to denounce Floridas six-week abortion ban, which goes into effect on May 1. The President will also discuss the stakes of this election for reproductive freedom across the entire country, according to a release from the Biden-Harris campaign. A nightmare: Tampa Bay lawmakers, advocates respond to Sen. Scotts stance on abortion rights Florida Democrats are seizing on the legislation to generate support, pointing to Republican opponents pro-life records. Democrats credited their successes in the 2022 midterms to reinvigorated support for abortion rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. From Arizona to Florida, more and more Americans are seeing up close the devastating impact of Trump overturning Roe v. Wade. While Donald Trump continues to brag about unleashing these extreme and dangerous bans, President Joe Biden is running to restore reproductive freedom. Since the overturning of Roe, whenever reproductive rights have been on the ballot, they have won, and this November will be no different. Morgan Mohr, Biden-Harris campaign senior advisor for reproductive rights Bidens choice to visit Florida is a strategic one, according to his campaign. Floridas six-week ban will send shockwaves through the Southeast, including in the important swing states of Georgia and North Carolina. Women from states with more restrictive abortion laws frequently seek care in Florida. 6,566 out-of-state residents travelled to the Sunshine State for an abortion in 2023, according to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. 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 abortions up to the point of viability, as determined by a physician. Tampa Bay lawmakers and abortion rights advocates gathered in downtown Tampa on Thursday to denounce the six-week ban and pro-life candidate Rick Scott, who is up for reelection this year. Speakers urged voters to show up to the polls in support of Amendment 4 and to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. TALLAHASSEE When President Joe Biden comes to Tampa on Tuesday, hell be talking about the issue that has reinvigorated his campaigns presence in Florida: abortion. Biden is coming to Florida just a week before the states six-week abortion ban will take effect. In an email, his campaign highlighted concerns about how the new law will affect access to abortion for women across the southeastern United States. It said Biden will make remarks in Tampa on the stakes of this election for reproductive freedom across the entire country. Florida voters in November will get to decide on a proposed constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights. The Biden campaign has seized on that ballot issue, releasing a memo earlier this month calling Florida winnable. The campaign has also released advertisements attacking former President Donald Trump for his role in appointing justices that overturned Roe v. Wade, which had provided federal protection for abortion. While Donald Trump continues to brag about unleashing these extreme and dangerous bans, President Joe Biden is running to restore reproductive freedom, Morgan Mohr, the Biden-Harris campaign senior adviser for reproductive rights, said in an email Friday. Since the overturning of Roe, whenever reproductive rights have been on the ballot, they have won, and this November will be no different. Bidens odds in Florida are still doubtful, as Florida has swung to the right and as polls show Biden trailing Trump in the state. Republicans also have a steady lead over Florida Democrats when it comes to voter registration numbers. But Biden-Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez told reporters in early April: Were going to compete and were going to make sure that Donald Trump has to compete in the state of Florida. As Trumps stance on abortion has come under fire, he has said abortion should be left to the states, despite previously suggesting he would support a federal ban with rape and incest exceptions. Biden was most recently in Tampa in February 2023, when he came to Florida to talk about health care costs and tout his accomplishments. Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau reporter Lawrence Mower contributed to this report. CHICAGO The Chicago Transit Authority continues to struggle across a number of service fronts, and now the most prominent voice in Illinois politics is calling for a change at the top. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker threw his hat into the ring of CTA critics Friday, calling out CTA President Dorval Carter amid the transportation agencys ongoing struggles with service, staffing, ridership and reliability. I was late to work earlier this week because there was some sort of massive delay, said one CTA rider. The smell sometimes is a little questionable. It always be nasty, said another CTA rider. Between sometimes insidious smells and dubious delays, CTA data shows combined bus and rail ridership has lagged behind pre-pandemic levels, dropping from an average daily ridership of 1.3-million people in Dec. 2019, to 836,000 in Dec. 2023. This coincides with a decline in services across several CTA train lines. Just one example, since 2020, service on the L CTAs Blue Line has been cut by 22%. Theres a lot of delays. Sometimes busses get all crammed, a CTA bus rider told WGN News. Or like theres 30 minutes to wait for one, especially at night. They need to have more security for the people who rob because a lot of people are afraid, said another CTA bus rider. Moonlighting: Northwestern University scientists uses lasers to study lunar soil At least five members of the Chicago City Council have called for Carters firing, which has come alongside the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board demanding change at the CTA as well. With the chorus of criticism growing louder, Pritzker added his voice to the fray. Look, a lot of changes are going to have to take place, theres no doubt, at CTA, Pritzker said. And I think thats going to take some new leadership, and additional leadership. When asked if his new leadership comment meant Carter should be fired, Pritzker replied, I know you all have tried to use the word fired here. I think that there needs to be an evolution of leadership in order for us to get where we need to go with the CTA. As a part of Pritzkers role as Governor, he appoints three of the seven board members who oversee the CTA. Pritzker acknowledged thats not enough to almost single-handedly make a change at the top happen, but those on the board will be working together to weigh their best options moving forward. I have appointments at the CTA, but theyre not a controlling majority, Pritzker said. But the people that we appoint, of course, will be working with the others who are on the board to evaluate and make changes in management. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has not weighed in directly on Carters future, having only said hes evaluating the situation. SCOTUS rules against VA in GI Bill case, giving some veterans full access to educational benefits On Carters end, he set a goal to have two-million daily riders on the CTA, but said the transportation agency needs more resources. Complicating matters, a fiscal cliff looms for the CTA A projected $730 million budget gap Once COVID funding expires in 2026. Were going to have to consider the plan that the CTA should have come forward with already, which we havent seen, Pritzker said. But that may include changing fares and other things that will help us deal with what is clearly going to be a fiscal cliff here. The CTA provided WGN News with the following statement: The CTA has been a good steward of COVID relief funding it has received through the CARES, CRRSAA, ARP and ARP Discretionary federal funding programs. CTA was allocated a total of $2.2B, which has enabled CTA to continue to provide service. However, that funding is expected to be exhausted in late 2025. In the Chicago region, the three regional transit operatorsCTA, Metra and Paceanticipate a cumulative $730M budget shortfall by 2026. The concerns over a possible fiscal cliff are real. Since 2015, the CTA has identified more than $1 billion in cost savings and non-farebox revenue growth, all without impacts to service or safety-sensitive positions. Historically, and over the last 25 years, Illinois State capital funding has been intermittent, with funding available every other five-year period. Neither fare increases nor service cuts will fill the anticipated annual budget gap CTA is facing, which are currently estimated at $500M and growing. And though CTA ridership has consistently increased over the past two years, its currently just above 60% of pre-pandemic levels. CTA recognizes that without additional revenue streams, it may be faced with drastic service cuts, employee layoffs, or other unwanted cost-saving measures. CTA will continue working closely with its regional sister agencies RTA, Metra and Paceto engage local and state officials on pursing a variety of new, long-term funding solutions that not only help support day-to-day operations, but also capital funding that can be used to match and unlock the unprecedented federal funding made available as part of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure law. Since well before the end of the pandemic, the Chicago Transit Authority has worked diligently to attract customers back to public transit and we continue to do so every day. The upward ridership trends, decreasing crime rates and improved service reliability that CTA is experiencing are evidence that our efforts have been productive. Weve also restored bus service to near-pre-COVID-19 levels and are adding rail service as we increase staffing levels to meet the growing need. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. Private schools may have been included in Cambridge University scheme for deprived teens Private school pupils may have been flagged for inclusion in a Cambridge University scheme designed to help deprived teenagers, an investigation has found. Applicants from schools that have sent fewer than five pupils to Oxbridge in the past five years are identified as part of the universitys widening participation system. An investigation by Varsity, the student newspaper found that schools flagged up under the policy included Gordonstoun, the Kings alma mater, and an online school set up by Harrow. Freedom of Information requests showed that the university flagged at least 289 private schools for low participation in Oxbridge when assessing applications. Widening participation is designed to aid applicants from under-represented backgrounds, which includes those from the lowest socioeconomic groups, Cambridge University has said. The scheme means that a candidates application is considered in the context of their school and geographic background. The universitys admission guidance states that it flags applicants from schools where fewer than five pupils have been made an offer by Oxford or Cambridge over the past five years. Planning to scrap target This isnt a measure of the quality of the school/college or the relative performance of an applicant, the guidance states. Instead it makes our assessors aware that the applicants school/college may be less able to advise them on applying to Cambridge and to prepare them for the interview process. Cambridge is planning to scrap its state school target, introduced for the five academic years leading up to 2024-25, with the ambition of increasing the proportion of state-educated undergraduates from 63.4 per cent to 69.1 per cent. The university has beaten its target, with the proportion of new students from state schools increasing to 72.9 per cent in 2022-23, compared with 68.1 per cent at Oxford. Cambridges next access and participation plan (APP), which is being drawn up for the years 2025-26 to 2028-29, will focus on how to increase the number of students from deprived socio-economic backgrounds, under-represented regions of the country, and under-represented ethnicities. A spokesperson for the university said: All applicants to the university are considered holistically and no one piece of data is considered in isolation, in line with the admissions policy. An applicants schooling is taken into account, particularly if they come from a school which has not seen many applications to Cambridge, alongside other socio-economic factors to indicate disadvantage of opportunity. The new APP is being drafted now in line with Office for Student guidelines and is subject to further discussion around the collegiate university. It will continue to reflect the universitys commitment to widening participation. 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. Students occupy the campus ground of Columbia University in support of Palestinians in New York City, on April 19, 2024. Credit - Alex Kent AFP/Getty Images One day after Columbia University called on law enforcement to arrest more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters, students continued to occupy part of the campus lawn. Dozens of police stood outside the university gates on Friday. Inside, it looks like a massive picnic. Chants from the loudspeaker go between Free Palestine and reminders to clean up and get food if protesters get hungry. Marie Adele Grosso, a 19-year-old Barnard College student was among those arrested Thursday. She was back at the encampment Friday, wearing a keffiyeh, despite receiving an email telling her she was currently suspended on an interim basis. The college has not yet determined whether she has violated the Barnard College Student Code of Conduct. Grosso says she is banned from campus housing, cannot use her meal plan and is unsure where she will stay for the night. University officials say she has 15 minutes to collect her belongings. But shes determined to keep protesting. The only moral thing is to do whatever we can, she says. Not everyone is on her side. Avi Lichtschein, a pro-Israeli protester, showed up outside the campus gates with an Israeli flag and his dog. The days of Jewish people or Israeli people feeling intimidated are over. You can have your rally, its wonderful. I can hold my Israeli flag, he says. Lichtschein, who grew up in New York and has relatives in Israel, says he is planning to move to Israel with his family in the near future. Its not out of fear, its more a sense of supreme pride, he says. There are only a handful of counter-protesters; they are vastly outnumbered by hundreds of pro-Palestinian supporters. A spokesperson for Columbia University said Friday that students who participated in the encampment are suspended but did not provide an exact number. We are continuing to identify them and will be sending out formal notifications, they said. The spokesperson also stated that the encampment has been dismantled and they expect protests to continue. We have rules regarding the time, place and manner that apply to protest activity and we will continue to enforce those, the spokesperson said. While the tents are no longer set up, protesters appear to still have plans to sleep on the lawn. A large pile of blankets and sleeping bags sit on a blue tarp. Read More: USC Faces Backlash Over Alleged Censorship of Pro-Palestinian Valedictorians Speech The New York Police Department arrested 113 people on Thursday. Charges included resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct. The police were invited onto campus by President of Columbia, Minouche Shafik. Shafik wrote in an April 18 letter to the New York City Police Department that the encampment raises safety concerns for the individuals involved and the entire community. Police maintained that the protest was peaceful. The students that were arrested were peaceful, offered no resistance whatsoever and were saying what they wanted to say in a peaceful manner, said John Chell, NYPD Chief of Patrol. After police arrested students on Thursday, more protesters took their place in campus demonstrations. Some of those who were arrested returned. The arrests marked the first time the university has called the cops on student protesters since 1968, during anti-war protests against the Vietnam War. Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, posted on X Thursday that she was 1 of 3 Barnard College students who were suspended. Hirsi is an organizer with Columbia University Apartment Divest, a coalition of student organizations calling for Columbia to divest in Israel. On Wednesday, Rep. Ilhan Omar grilled Shafik during a congressional hearing about antisemitism. Omar asked about an alleged chemical attack on pro-Palestinian protesters, as well as why students had been evicted and harassed. There has been a rise in targeting and harassment against antiwar protesters, Omar said Thursday. Shafik said at Wednesdays congressional hearing that the university had suspended 15 students. Antisemitism has no place on our campus, and I am personally committed to doing everything I can to confront it directly, she said. Despite the arrests Thursday and requests from Shafik to disperse students, demonstrations continued Friday, with no signs of letting up. Around 5 p.m., a few dozen Muslims prayed on the lawn; some used the Keffiyeh as a hijab. Their non-Muslim peers surrounded them with blankets to give them privacy. Eliette, a graduate student at the Columbia School of Social Work and non-binary queer Korean, got arrested Thursday. (They asked for their surname to be withheld out of fear of getting doxxed.) The NYPD said there were no threats; that says it all, they said at the encampment on Friday. The protester says the movement has been full of joy and camaraderie. They say it was important to them not to be on the wrong side of history and mention that being an American citizen and living off-campus helps them feel more protected. The Columbia Spectators editorial board slammed the university administration Thursday for conflating pro-Palestinian campus activism with antisemitism and failing to protect students. Hundreds of campus affiliates stood witness as the NYPD disgracefully arrested over 100 of our classmates, friends, and colleagues for peacefully protesting, they wrote. At least three legal observers were arrested, according to Columbia University Apartheid Divest. They accused police of denying access to health services for a student who fainted outside of the encampment. The NYPD did not respond to a request to comment about these incidents. Shafik said in an April 18 statement that she called law enforcement out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbias campus. Celeste, an Arab Columbia University student, said Thursday during a press conference that the universitys response to protests made her feel unsafe. Whose safety are we prioritizing when we call the police on campus? she said. It just seems at this point that Arab students are valued as less. (Celeste asked to withhold her last name out of concern for her safety.) Ilan Cohen, a Jewish Columbia student, said at the press conference that he is horrified by the implications these crackdowns carry for (his) own safety. The idea that censorship, repression, silencing, firing are occurring on our campus in the name of my safety doesn't make me safe. It alienates me, Cohen said. If anything. I'm part of a growing group of young American Jews who are horrified and the actions of today solidified that beyond belief. Congressman Jamaal Bowman said at a Friday press conference that Columbia appears to be folding to pressure from right-wing Republicans to suppress freedom of expression. Bringing in the NYPD to arrest students demonstrating for peace leads us down a very, very dark path, he said. Maryam Alwan, a Palestinian American and lead organizer of Columbia Universitys Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, first arrived at the encampment at 4 a.m. Wednesday, ahead of Shafiqs testimony before Congress. I have never had such a communal experience in my entire life, she says. Alwan feels that the entire student body is enraged. Theyre losing control because weve been watching a genocide unfold on our screens every single day and they have ignored every Democratic means by which we have tried to make our voices heard, she says. (Israel denies that a genocide is occuring but South Africa has brought a case of genocide to the International Court of Justice. ) Alwan says students watched a Palestinian film on a projection screen and people danced. Alwan keeps refreshing her email inbox, nervous that she may receive a suspension notification. So far, she has not. Im probably going to join the camp, regardless of whether or not Im suspended, she says. Write to Sanya Mansoor at sanya.mansoor@time.com. Prosecutor's Office: At least 545 children have been killed since beginning of full-scale invasion At least 1,843 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 20. According to the prosecutors' calculations, at least 545 have been killed, and 1,298 children have suffered injuries of varying severity. Most of the casualties among children, 529, were reported in Donetsk Oblast. Another 346 cases were confirmed in Kharkiv Oblast, 150 in Kherson Oblast, 135 in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, 130 in Kyiv Oblast, 108 in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and 104 in Mykolaiv Oblast. Over the past day, an 8-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl were killed due to a missile attack on the Synelnykove district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. A 6-year-old boy was also reported to have been hospitalized with severe injuries. On April 19, Russian troops attacked the village of Solonchaky in Mykolaiv Oblast as well. The artillery shelling wounded a 14-year-old boy. Russia's war of aggression has taken a staggering toll on Ukraine's civilian population. The U.N. said on April 10 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. Concord Medical Services Holdings (NYSE:CCM) Full Year 2023 Results Key Financial Results Revenue: CN537.4m (up 14% from FY 2022). Net loss: CN297.7m (loss narrowed by 39% from FY 2022). CN6.81 loss per share (improved from CN11.21 loss in FY 2022). All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Concord Medical Services Holdings shares are down 13% from a week ago. Risk Analysis It's necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with Concord Medical Services Holdings (at least 3 which are concerning), and understanding these should be part of your investment process. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. A public restroom 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. Manhattan BP calls for more bathroom accessibility in subway stations 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 PIX11. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Lansing Police Department has released body camera video of last weeks officer-involved shooting. Two officers and the suspect were shot in the legs. The video shows the suspect grabbing an officers gun, but the suspects family says theres not enough information. The shooting happened last Wednesday, on the 2000 block of Holmes Road at a traffic stop. Police say the suspect, 28-year-old Andrial Ortiz, tried to run away. They say they thats where the struggle with police began. Video released April 19 shows four officers attempting to subdue Ortiz as the traffic stop turned into a wrestling match. Ortiz is heard saying Youll have to kill me, while struggling with officers who were attempting to get him in handcuffs. At this point in the video, police say He has a gun, and a gunshot rings out. At this point, the video abruptly cuts off. Police withheld all video of officers, who they say then shot back at the suspect. Ortiz family say they arent happy with this lack of disclosure. They say police are withholding this information on purpose. Andrials brother, Antonio Ortiz, said police are leaving the picture incomplete. Just still some pieces missing to it, you know, especially with them stopping when the first shot was fired, and actually, did he shoot them? said Antonio Ortiz. We know our brother was shot three times in the leg, not oncewed just like the police department to tell the truth, and just dont show half it; show all of itthats it. Lansing police release video of officer-involved shooting. (Still: Lansing Police Dept.) 6 News also reached out to former Eaton County Sheriff, Rick Jones, who reviewed the video and maintains that the Lansing Police Departments actions were justified. Cutting off the video was necessary, Jones said, as the investigation is ongoing. From viewing the video, I believe the violent suspect know he was going for a gun, and intentionally harmed the officers, Jones said. Obviously, he was very violent when the officers tried to make a legal arrest. Lansing police are a very professional police departmentI am confident that the Michigan State Police will exonerate them once the investigation is complete. Antonio Ortiz went on to say that his family believes it was the detectives fault that the altercation ended that way. Lansing police have declined any request for questions or comment. Lansing Mayor Andy Schor released a statement saying, LPD and my administration do our best to provide information to the public, while ensuring the integrity of the investigation by MSP. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) A specialized Florence County Sheriffs Office unit that conducts traffic stops along major interstates used its power to target a Black man, nearly escalating a minor infraction into a narcotics charge, a newly filed lawsuit claims. Thats the argument of a Florida man suing the agency for unlawful seizure and negligence. His complaint was filed Wednesday in Florence County Common Pleas Court and names the Florence County Sheriffs Office as defendant. Samuel Smith was pulled over along Intestate 95 in September 2023 by Tyler Nicholson, a part of the offices criminal enforcement unit, for allegedly driving his 2007 Mercedes five miles over the 60 mph limit. Nicholson asked for Smiths drivers license, registration and proof of insurance, declining to tell the man why he was pulled over first a violation of the state Criminal Justice Academys introductory training class, according to the lawsuit. Former Lake View police officer sues town over 2023 firing The decision to ignore protocol was intentional, because his traffic stop was never about traffic safety or the violation of any traffic laws, according to the lawsuit. Sheriffs Office spokesman Maj. Michael Nunn told News13 the agency doesnt comment on pending litigation. The lawsuit alleges that criminal enforcement unit vehicles lack in-car recording systems to intentionally not preserve video evidence such evidence would support that Plaintiff was targeted for the traffic stop because he was a Black man, driving a Mercedes with Florida tags, the suit alleges. Smith began recording the interaction for his own safety and protection after he was asked to get out of the car and refused to consent to a search, a move that he said upset the deputy. About three minutes into the stop, Smith asked for Nicholsons supervisor, which was refused. Nicholson then told him to sit in the front passenger seat of his vehicle, which Smith declined to do. Smith is then told to stand next to Nicholsons front passenger window as he enters the drivers side and continues to ask the man questions, which he refuses to answer. Its a practice the criminal enforcement unit relies on regularly, hoping to catch people giving inconsistent answers to support manufactured probable cause for vehicle searches, according to the lawsuit. Nicholson then called K9 deputy Tommy Rauch, whose dog conducted a free air sniff and hit on Smiths car for possible narcotics. At the time of Nicholsons request for Rauch to respond with his dog, Smith has done nothing more than allegedly commit a minor traffic violation; ask to be told the reason for the stop; begin recording the stop for his own safety; assert his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches; and in response to unnecessary interrogation from Nicholson, assert his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, the suit claims. Rauch told Smith everything was being recorded on body cameras, but his device wasnt activated until after the dog supposedly detected drugs in Smiths car, according to the lawsuit. According to Florence County Sheriffs Office procedure, deputies and any backup are required to use their body-worn cameras during traffic stops. What follows is a comical search where they proceed to pull all of Smiths belongings, which had been meticulously packed tightly in an organized manner, out of his trunk, laying them on the ground, while they search for contraband that does not exist, the lawsuit states. At several points, deputies used a crow bar to pull up portions of the cars interior. The vehicles center console was also broken during the search. At 9:26 a.m. nearly a half hour after he was initially pulled over Smith is handed a warning ticket and sent on his way after deputies haphazardly loaded everything back into the car. Smith is asking to be compensated for emotional and physical injury, mental anguish and distress, apprehension and anxiety, out-of-pocket expenses and property damage to his car. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. A summer program designed to support youth in the Tarrant County Juvenile Services system has been discontinued after Judge Tim OHare raised questions about the programs advocacy for racial equity. OHare attended a meeting of the Tarrant County Juvenile Board on Wednesday and called attention to the Big Thought for Creative Solutions Summer Program after reading information on the organizations website. He raised concern that the program was politicizing our children. OHare read two statements on the website that said: We advocate on issues and policy changes related to racial and economic equity, and, We position youth as equal partners in the enhancement and expansion of Big Thought direct to youth programs so that programs are more effective and established with a racial equity lens. Some judges on the board shared OHares concerns. They asked to see the programs curriculum and for additional time to learn more about the program before a vote. Bennie Medlin, director and chief juvenile probation officer for Tarrant County Juvenile Services, said a vote was needed Wednesday if the program was to begin in the summer. The next board meeting is not until July 17. The board voted overwhelmingly to discontinue the program. The program has been a part of the Tarrant County Juvenile Services for three years. Big Thought is a nonprofit organization located in Dallas that has existed for over 30 years, integrating arts and cultural performances into classrooms, summer learning and juvenile justice intervention. It has a partnership with Fort Worth ISD for work at the Metro Opportunity School to help students with discipline and academic achievement. Creative Solutions is a program by Big Thought that uses visual, performing and digital arts to help youth in the juvenile justice system tap into their inherent potential by improving job skills, promoting a positive self-image and increasing social and emotional development, according to Big Thoughts website. Big Thought offers its program at no cost for Tarrant County Juvenile Services. A representative of Big Thought could not be reached for comment. OHare spoke during the Juvenile Board meeting about a vote by the Tarrant County commissioners last year against giving state funds to Girls Inc., a nonprofit that helps nearly 20,000 girls in Tarrant County every year with health, education opportunities and workforce preparedness. It has operated in Tarrant County since 1976 and primarily focuses its work in Northside and Diamond Hill. At the time, OHare said he disagreed with the ideology behind the organization, including its support for gender transition with children, removing the stigma around abortion and other items that OHare said could be interpreted as anti-police. In a Tarrant County commissioner meeting in October, OHare said he disagreed with the county funding an organization so deeply ideological and encourages the children that they are teaching to go advocate for social change. Estella Williams, Fort Worth NAACP president, said OHares lack of knowledge about the value of programs like Girls Inc. and Big Thought is disappointing. Williams said OHare should take time to understand the diversity of the people he represents and the programs helping them. The bottom line is when you dont know then, instead of you making the assumption, then you should try and learn, Williams said. For him to make those assumptions about Girls Inc., how sad is that? JERUSALEM - Just a week ago, some residents of Irans central province of Isfahan - a nuclear weapon and missile production hub of the Islamic Republic - cheered the Iranian rockets fired into Israel. In the early-morning hours of Friday, the Isfahan authorities were jolted by Israeli strikes that triggered their air defense systems in the cities of Isfahan and Tabriz after three explosions went off near an important military airbase close to Isfahan. It is unclear how much damage Israels strikes inflicted. Irans regime reported no casualties. Potkin Azarmehr, a British-Iranian expert on Iran, told Fox News Digital, "What my sources are saying is that there is no damage to the airbase, but Israel proved it can jam Irans air defense and bypass it to the extent that they didnt even manage to sound the alarm despite Isfahan being in the heart of Iranian territory." He continued that "Isfahan is the epicenter of Irans air defense. If they couldnt detect the attack, serious questions about the reliability of Irans air defense must be asked." IRAN'S 'NUCLEAR ENERGY MOUNTAIN' IS 'FULLY SAFE' AFTER ISRAELI STRIKE: STATE MEDIA Eyewitness footage shows what is said to be the moment of an explosion at a military industry factory in Isfahan, Iran, January 29, 2023, in this still image obtained from a video. Pool via WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters. Azarmehr noted, "When the Pakistan Air Force retaliated after Iran missile attack, there was no air defense." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Isfahan is a top-priority strike location for Israeli forces, because the area is one of the central features of the regimes illicit atomic weapons program. It is where the powerful Shahab medium-range missiles are made. Isfahan was the testing ground back in late October for the country's missile system, which proved capable of reaching Israel last week. Israeli strikes against Irans regime are typically shrouded in ambiguity to avoid any fingerprints on the missions and to leave Tehrans rulers guessing. In January, 2023, Israeli drone strikes allegedly hit a weapons factory inside Isfahan. The drone attack last year was said to be executed by Israels foreign intelligence service, Mossad. The Jerusalem Post reported that Friday's response was meant to be internalized as "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Israel retaliated where they were attacked." Iranian pro-government supporters hold a giant Palestinian flag at Palestine Square in Tehran, on April 14, 2024, in a celebration of Iran's early-morning IRGC attack on Israel. Iran fired over 100 drones and ballistic missiles on Saturday, April 14, 2024, in retaliation for an attack on a building attached to the country's consular annex in Damascus that killed seven members of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on April 1, 2024. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack on April 5, 2024, in Tehran. Isfahan is also a hotbed of antisemitism and Holocaust denial. At an April Al-Quds day demonstration, the last Friday of Ramadan, Iran promoted the destruction of Israel. The Imam of Isfahan, Ayatollah Yousef Tabatabainejad, declared, "It is our obligation to support the oppressed Muslims who have been oppressed, and we hope that, with divine providence in this path of resistance, we will be able to wipe the Zionist regime off the face of the earth." In 2016, the Islamic Association of the University of Isfahan announced a cartoon contest that aims to mock and deny the Holocaust. Sheina Vojoudi, an associate fellow at the Gold Institute for International Strategy, told Fox News Digital that "Isfahan is of great strategic importance in Iran. There are military and nuclear bases in Isfahan, and it shows how the regime is concentrated in this city and the rockets that were fired at Israel were also fired from one of the bases in Isfahan." REPORTS OF ISRAEL'S RETALIATORY STRIKES AGAINST IRAN PROMPT REACTIONS FROM LAWMAKERS: 'RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF' Vojoudi, an Iranian dissident who opposes the Islamic Republics government, added that the "attack on Isfahan means that this city is one of the main points where the regime can pose a threat to Israel and, of course, to the Iranian people because of the intense activities of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The regime's nuclear activities have almost ruined the lives of the people of Isfahan and increased the rate of cancer in Isfahan." An Iranian long-range Ghadr missile displaying "Down with Israel" in Hebrew is pictured at a defence exhibition in the city of Isfahan, central Iran, on February 8, 2023. (Photo by MORTEZA SALEHI/TASNIM NEWS/AFP via Getty Images) While the U.S. and allies seem to be content with Israel's reaction, other experts say an opportunity has been wasted. "This is a missed opportunity. Israel needed to impose a serious cost on Iran to restore deterrence. I worry that this pin-prick reprisal will instead teach Iran that it can get away with large-scale attacks on U.S. partners without serious consequences," said Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Councils Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and the Councils Director of Studies. Original article source: Radical Iranian province hit by Israel highlights regime's weaknesses The officers eyes reflect our collective anger Middletown, N.J.: On Wednesday, you published a photo and an article about the senseless killing of NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller from the arraignment of Lindy Jones, the driver of the car that the alleged killer, Guy Rivera, was riding in. Jones claimed he did not know Rivera and had just picked him up to give this stranger a ride. Yet, they both had illegal guns with them. That is for the legal system to sort out, along with a jury of their peers! But if you look at the court officers and the many police officers who packed the courtroom, you can clearly see the rage in their eyes. It shows the rage that these officers rightfully should have for a suspect in the shooting and killing of one of their own. Jones might not have pulled the trigger but he was clearly involved in this travesty of justice. The officers are of all different races and probably creeds (though a photo cant show what religion they are), but that should not matter, as they lost one of their own, a young man who was married and had a 1-year-old son who will never get to know his dad. Last month at the arraignment of Rivera on first-degree murder, the police were there in force also, and their eyes told the story. Every New Yorker, in fact every American, should feel the same way. Yes, the ayes are correct as their eyes show how all of us law-abiding citizens should feel about this travesty of justice and the loss of a young man who happened to be an NYPD officer. Herb Hanrahan Spurious critique Palm Coast, Fla.: To Voicer Martin Posner and all you other far-left misguided souls: Ill say this once: Donald Trump was invited to the wake by the family! And you are the one spewing garbage with your ridiculous personal insults. How about you ignore personalities (I dont care for him personally, either) and actually compare their accomplishments in office. As far as I can see, President Biden has none. Douglas Weinberg Price point Carle Place, L.I.: To Voicer Anil Pandit: Charities ask for $19 per month because it is considered the sweet spot, where they are likely to get the best bang for their advertising buck. Ask less and it costs too much to process the donation, and asking more will turn people off; $19 sounds so much better than $20. BTW, this took me all of 12 seconds to uncover, courtesy of a brand new invention: Google. Rudy Rosenberg Carnival of cruelty Fort Erie, Ontario: Re Elephant on the loose after escaping circus in Montana (April 16): Its reported that this is Viola the elephants third escape attempt. How much more self-evident must it be before we accept that elephants do not want to live in chains and in fear of being smacked with bull hooks in circuses? This madness must end. Philip Tripp Step up or shut up Bronx: Marjorie Taylor Greene should either shut her big, stupid mouth or run for speaker of the House if she thinks she can do a better job. Anna Maria McCorry Off the mark Mineola, L.I.: To Voicer Peggy Smith, who asked where our American values have gone: You are seriously brainwashed and misled by your leftist liberal party. While you are questioning and condemning Jan. 6, you fail to mention the anti-American protests that are going on right here in America. You conveniently dont mention Dearborn, Mich., and Chicago, where chants of Death to America are being spoken loudly. But let me guess, you probably believe Bidenomics is working, too. What a joke that is! James Formato Still at it Bronx: Theres a lot of talk about being able to do your job in your senior years. Johnny Gilbert, the Jeopardy! announcer every night, is 95. John Cirolia T.M.I. Manhattan: I am so very tired of seeing Donald Trumps mug day in and day out. You include a picture of him in every article you print (either scowling or in shooting-off-his-mouth mode). I truly cant stand the sight of this man any longer. Then, Sunday morning, Im reading the lowdown on the characters in his hush money trial (Brace yourself, NYC, its Don vs. porn star, April 14) in which you proceeded to describe his private parts in way too much detail; my breakfast promptly came up. In the future, I beg that you save those gory details for those interested enough to read Stormy Daniels book. As an aside, I bet he rues the day he decided to take that trip down the golden escalator. Megalomania at its best! Patricia N. Ravel Just a taste Redondo Beach, Calif.: Why not start with putting Trump in jail for an hour? John Chevedden Unfair criticism New Port Richey, Fla.: When Israel defends itself against others that attack it first, all you hear are negative comments from other people and countries. They order Israel to stop, to give warnings before attacking (which they do) and to provide sustenance to people who hate them. When they try to negotiate with the enemy, the enemy rejects the negotiations but Israel gets the blame. I dont understand this at all. How come the same provisions are not being demanded from the Russians and Vladimir Putin in regards to their invasion of another country? Would the United States give in to those demands if another country attacked it? I dont think so. Therefore, I will definitely stand by Israel, the most maligned country on the face of this Earth. Denise Goldsmith Conditions apply Sanford, Fla.: I agree with much, if not most, of Rabbi Joshua Davidsons excellent piece Why this rabbi stands by Israel (op-ed, April 18). I thoroughly disagree with the premise of his statement regarding support for Israel: It only tilts towards Israel when Israel is vulnerable or compliant. Support for Israel has always been U.S. policy. The fact that Israeli vulnerability has been significantly reduced is due to that very policy. The Iron Dome is one example. The conditional caveat: He who pays the piper calls the tune. U.S. support and aid is conditioned upon the use and potential misuse of that aid as determined by America. The U.S. has a large seat at the table of Israeli military policy. If Israel resents that influence, the solution is simple: Dont ask for, or accept, military and other aid. Bruce McMenemy Disabled disrespect Staten Island: Im tired of seeing cars without disability decals or license plates continuously parked in disability parking spaces. Most of Staten Island is unique in that theres very little parallel parking by stores, and the ingrates (you know who you are) who park in disability spaces without the proper decals make it difficult for those of us who have a disability to find a spot close to the store. What do you think the city gives out disability decals for? After living in all the boroughs except for Manhattan, I can honestly say that Staten Islanders are the worst violators of this. But it doesnt come as a complete shock. Most Staten Islanders voted for Trump. Own up to it, folks. Frank DeLeo Meager fee Bronx: There are approximately 280,000 New York notaries counting on our state legislators to push Senate Bill S4166 to Gov. Hochuls office so that the notary fee can be raised to $5 in the current legislative session. A backward state such as Alabama has raised the notary fee there from 50 cents to $5. New York notaries deserve at least $5 for the vital work they do in the face of modern-day, post-pandemic pressures. Most customers even admit that the current $2 fee is too little. Also, most signers still prefer to do traditional in-person notarizations in the Bronx and lower Westchester over the more expensive remote online notarization process. In the Bronx especially, it is quite difficult to find an in-person notary since most banks here no longer perform notarizations. Stephen Reich "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." This story is a collaboration with PopularMechanics.com. One hundred and fifty years ago this month, on April 6, 1874, the legendary illusionist Harry Houdini was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. Or so he claimed. The man we call Houdini was actually born Erich Weisz on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary. He did grow up in Appleton, as one of seven children to Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weisz and his wife, Cecelia, so Houdinis professed Wisconsin heritage isnt a total fabricationjust a little bit of misdirection, like he would use in one of his famous sleight-of-hand tricks. From the very beginning, Harry Houdinis life was never quite what it seemed. And, as it turns out, neither was his death. Harry Houdinis Cause of Death Harry Houdini, the worlds most famous magician, died in Room 401 of Grace Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, on October 31, 1926fittingly, Halloween. The 52-year-olds cause of death was, as Biography has previously noted, peritonitis from a ruptured appendix. picture alliance For many fans, it was hard to believe. After all, defying death was a signature element of Houdinis act. When he began his career in 1894, his magic [was] met with little success, but Houdini soon drew attention for his feats of escape using handcuffs. Biography has attributed Houdinis escape skills to both his uncanny strength and his equally uncanny ability to pick locks, noting that rather than rely on a gimmick, Houdinis feats would involve the local police, who would strip search him, place him in shackles, and lock him in their jails. He escalated his performances from handcuffs and straitjackets to locked, water-filled tanks and sealed packing crates. His escape acts eventually incorporated elaborate props, such as his renowned Chinese Water Torture Cell and the Milk Can Escape. Donaldson Collection - Getty Images Just as audiences were amazed by Houdinis incredible escapes and puzzled over the secrets behind his tricks, many found it hard to believe that a ruptured appendix could take the life of a man who so regularly seemed to cheat death on stage. In the same way that a volunteer from the audience might search a box used in a sawing-a-woman-in-half trick for a trap door, people started to seek explanations other than the official cause of death to make sense of Houdinis sudden demise. As the U.S. transitioned from the 19th to the 20th century, Americans often looked for clear-cut explanations for tragedies, preferring to pin the blame on a single culprit rather than accept the inexplicable. Someone, or something, had to be responsible, and this quest for accountability led to popular scapegoats. For example, we still blame Mrs. OLearys cow for starting the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, even though it was officially cleared of any wrongdoing in 1997. And the 1997 blockbuster Titanic perpetuated the false narrative that J. Bruce Ismay, the highest-ranking White Star Line official to survive the ships sinking, was a coward who contributed to its fatal encounter with the iceberg. However, as the Titanic Historical Society points out, the reality is quite different: The truth was Ismay helped with loading and lowering several lifeboats and acquitted himself better than the behavior of many of the crew and passengers. So, the official cause of Harry Houdinis death was a ruptured appendix. But early 20th century Americans craved a more sensational story, one that pointed a finger at a culprit. And they got two versions: an explanation that implicated a mysterious man, and another that hinted at a sinister conspiracy. The Man Who Killed Harry Houdini You might have heard the simplified version of how Houdini died: He was unexpectedly punched in the stomach. However, the identity of the person who delivered the fatal punches isnt widely known, which has led to many myths and fabrications. Some say the puncher was a professional boxer (he wasnt), while others suggest he was a hitman hired by fraudsters or Spiritualists (theres no evidence to support this). Apic - Getty Images You would expect that, nearly 100 years later, the man who allegedly dealt the abdominal blows that killed the worlds most famous magician would be infamous, with his life examined as closely as those of Lee Harvey Oswald or Mark David Chapman. However, surprisingly little information is available about J. Gordon Whitehead. We know that at the time of the incident, Whitehead was a student at McGill University. Houdini had given a lecture at the university a few days earlier and had invited some students to see him in his dressing room on October 22 at the nearby Princess Theater. As HISTORY recounts: At some point, a student named J. Gordon Whitehead arrived and asked Houdini if it was true that he could resist hard punches to his abdomena claim the magician had supposedly made in public. Houdini, reclined in a seat at the time, said that was true. Then, as witness Sam Smilovitz described, Whitehead swiftly delivered four or five terribly forcible, deliberate, well-directed blows before the magician had time to prepare. The punches left Houdini in noticeable pain, which persisted in the days to come. Less than two weeks later, Houdini would be dead. But what happened to Whitehead? Shop Now The Man Who Killed Houdini amazon.com The most comprehensive research on J. Gordon Whitehead can be found in Don Bells 2005 book, The Man Who Killed Houdini. It reveals details not included in the widely accepted story of Houdinis death, including other occasions in Montreal where Houdini withstood punches prior to the encounter with Whitehead. Bell also visited the grave of Whitehead, who died three decades after the incident with Houdini, and found the only known photograph of the man associated with Houdinis death. Despite Bells thorough investigation, information about Whitehead remains scarce. And so, the limited facts available leave ample room for suspicion, suggesting that Whitehead could have been more than just an impulsive college student... and that he might not have acted alone. Who Wanted Harry Houdini Dead? In our modern times, spiritualism has become a catch-all term, a philosophical descriptor for belief in anything beyond the material world. But in the early 20th century, Spiritualism was big business. The shadow of death loomed large in America during the late 1800s. The Civil War had taken more than 620,000 lives from both the North and South, leaving countless people yearning for a way to connect with the souls of their lost loved ones and to hold onto the hope of an afterlife. Print Collector - Getty Images Spiritualism, a movement that involved mediums holding seances to speak to the dead, blossomed in America at the time thanks to a combination of contemporary religious philosophies from thinkers like Emanuel Swedenborg and Franz Mesmer, and parlor trick showmanship, as these mediums relied on signs like knocking on walls and conveniently snuffed-out candles to show their paying customers that spirits were present. By the end of the war, an article on AustinTexas.gov notes, ... a reported 11 million people subscribed to Spiritualism and 35,000 were practicing mediums. In the wake of the Civil War, Spiritualism was as widespread as it was lucrative. And like any other aspect of American life in the so-called Gilded Age, if there was an unregulated way to make a profit, unscrupulous figures would flock to it. Harry Houdini personally detested Spiritualists, making it his lifes mission to debunk them. As Biography reported: As president of the Society of American Magicians, Houdini was a vigorous campaigner against fraudulent psychic mediums. Most notably, he debunked renowned medium Mina Crandon, better known as Margery. Margery, a 36-year-old who claimed to have psychic powers, drew Houdinis scrutiny because she was a frontrunner for a $2,500 Scientific American magazine prize. This prize was promised to any medium who could convincingly demonstrate psychic abilities under controlled tests. By 1924, the income potential for mediums had grownit wasnt just about taking money from grieving people anymore. With a legitimate publication like SciAm offering over $45,000 in todays money for real psychic proof, the incentive for those staging fake supernatural events increased dramaticallyperhaps enough to be willing to kill. Houdini was on the committee that examined Margerys psychic claims and he strongly condemned her as a fraud. Before Scientific American could formally dismiss her, Houdini proactively released a pamphlet discrediting her, and even staged a public expose at Bostons Symphony Hall to reveal her deceit, all with his own money. Getty Images Houdini put his proverbial, and literal, money where his mouth was when it came to debunking Spiritualists. It takes a flimflammer to catch a flimflammer, he once told the Los Angeles Times. But Houdinis campaign against fraudulent psychics didnt just cost him money; it also cost him his friendship with author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a devoted Spiritualist. Houdinis efforts also cut deeply into the income of the organized crime groups that profited from the unregulated Spiritualist industry, which exploited grieving people. This has led some people, including Bell, to speculate that Whitehead might have been following orders from those involved in the Spiritualist scam, suggesting his punches werent accidentally lethal, but were deliberately meant to kill Houdini. Indeed, in 2006s The Secret Life of Houdini, authors William Kalush and Larry Sloman take this speculation a step further, asserting that Houdini wasnt fatally punched by Whitehead at all, but rather, that he had been slowly poisoned over time, a tactic they say Spiritualists had previously used to silence their opponents. As evidence, Kalush and Sloman point out that an autopsy was never conducted on Houdini, which means the exact cause of his death was never officially confirmed. Shop Now The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero amazon.com $12.89 How Did Harry Houdini Actually Die? J. Gordon Whiteheads punches didnt directly cause Harry Houdinis ruptured appendix. A 2013 article in the World Journal of Emergency Surgery noted that blunt abdominal trauma leading to appendicitis is rare. If someone wanted to murder Houdini, trying to burst his appendix with punches would be a poor plan of attack. Additionally, the suggestion that Houdini might have been poisoned, based solely on the absence of an autopsy, is speculative at best. It essentially argues that without an autopsy, you cant rule out poison, which certainly isnt the solid evidence Houdini would have demanded when investigating a claim. So, what really killed Harry Houdini? Much like trying to figure out a magic trick, its best to not get swept up in the fanciful story the magician is telling, and instead, keep an eye on the hand hes hiding at his side, out of the spotlight. Donaldson Collection - Getty Images Harry Houdini was seated when Whitehead struck him. Why? Because several days prior, as HISTORY notes, during a performance on October 11, 1926, Houdini had fractured his left ankle while performing his Chinese Water Torture Cell, and hobbled his way through the rest of the show. Houdini was in Montreal despite his doctors advising against it. Determined that the show must go on, he chose to endure his pain in private, which is why he was sitting down in his dressing room when the McGill students visited. If Whitehead played any real role in Houdinis death, it was that his punches gave Houdini a reason to dismiss the abdominal pain he felt afterward. Houdini used this excuse to reassure himself and his worried wife, Bess, which led him to continue his tour to Detroit. He ignored the true cause of his symptomsa ruptured appendix, not the punches. Houdinis determination to perform meant he delayed seeking medical help until it was too late. By the time surgeons operated to remove his appendix, the infection had spread too far. Was Houdinis Death Really The End? In his life, Houdini escaped from milk cans, water tanks, and prison cells. But in the act of dying, did Houdini achieve the ultimate escape, one of his soul from the flesh-and-blood prison of his own body? In spite of his many crusades against Spiritualists, Houdini didnt completely discount the possibility of life after death. And if anything at all could endure after his heartbeat ended, it was his love for Bess, the girl from Coney Island who stole his heart and became his stage assistant and devoted lifelong companion. Getty Images Houdini and his wife did in fact experiment with otherworldly Spiritualism when they decided that the first of them to die would try to communicate from beyond the grave with the survivor, Biography noted. They devised a secret code that only they knew: The surviving partner would participate in yearly seances with different mediums, hoping to find one who could genuinely reach the dead and deliver the secret message that only their departed loved one would know. The surviving spouse had to hope to hear, Rosabelleanswertellpray answerlooktellanswer answertell. The first word was the title of a song the couple would perform in the early days of their routine together in Coney Island (a love song with a story that isnt quite so romantic a century later), and they developed the rest of the code words for the mentalist portions of their performances, where each word corresponded with a letter, in this case spelling out, BELIEVE. In the 10 years after Houdinis death, Bess held annual seances, but she never heard that phrase. Before her 1943 death, Biography wrote, Bess Houdini declared the experiment a failure. As the World Journal of Emergency Surgery article suggests, its highly unlikelybut not impossiblethat a fatal flurry of punches struck down Houdini. And its highly unlikelybut not impossiblethat anyone was behind the death of Houdini besides Houdini himself, neglecting his health in favor of putting on a good show. And the Houdinis failed experiment suggests that its highly unlikelybut not impossiblethat a conscious part of the magician survived beyond October 31, 1926. The enduring interest in these theories, and the fact that people continue to explore them nearly a century after Houdinis death, drive home the magicians true lasting legacy: He made us all reconsider what we would otherwise deem impossible. You Might Also Like SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) Voters in Illinois were largely anywhere but at the polls on Election Day. Only 19.07% of all registered voters in the state voted in the March 19 primary, the Illinois State Board of Elections found after certifying the results Friday. Thats the lowest in all presidential primaries since 1972. Of the states voters, 58.69% cast a Democratic ballot, while 40.16% of Illinois voters cast a Republican ballot. First Tribal Nation now federally recognized in Illinois The only race on all ballots was for the office of President. 91.48% of voters in the Democratic primary voted for Joe Biden while 80.50% of voters in the Republican primary voted for Donald Trump. Complete vote totals for all races can be found on the State of Board of Elections website. The general election is November 5. Early voting begins in Illinois on September 26. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said Saturday that Ukraine will likely fall if the U.S. is unable to approve more aid to the embattled country amid its war with Russia. Now, if we dont get this aid passed, Ukraine will likely fall, Bacon told NewsNations Morning in America. The Russians are they got huge munitions factories. Theyre being armed by North Korea, Iran and China. It stands to reason that Ukraine needs help against all of this support that Russias getting. The Nebraska Republican warned that Russia could expand its quest if Ukraine were to collapse in the fight. He added that he believes the Kremlin is already threatening other nations, such as Moldova, Latvia and Estonia. If Ukraine falls, you will likely see Moldova immediately collapse, and become part of Russia again, he said naming the other nations, and accusing Russia of calling them fake states. He added, I just think we gotta stop the bully now, cause its gonna get worse if we dont stand up to it. The comments come a day after the House advanced a foreign aid spending package that would provide funding for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. The lower chamber voted Friday in favor of the rule to allow debate on the bills, which also include humanitarian aid and a potential TikTok ban, in a 316-94 vote. The House is expected to vote on the package Saturday afternoon, despite hard-line conservatives opposition to providing Ukraine with more funding. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has already put forth a motion to vacate against Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over the bill, which was advanced in coordination with Democrats. While a timeline for bringing a vote for the potential ouster has not been named, Greene has garnered the support of at least three other Republicans. Retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman stressed the importance of the U.S. passing new aid for Ukraine Friday, adding that it would give the Eastern European country a big boost of morale. I think the U.S. coming through with aid is going to be critical, Vindman said in an interview with MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell Friday. That is gonna be a big boost of morale, and also depress Russias morale. 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. Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Democrat Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, was suspended alongside other students for participating in a pro-Palestinian protest on the Columbia University campus. I have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings, the 21-year-old wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. I just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide. Two other Barnard students, 18-year-old Maryam Iqbal and 21-year-old Soph Dinu, were suspended alongside Hirsi, according to The New York Times. Over 100 people were arrested and issued summonses for trespass on Thursday, police said. The protest began on Wednesday when students set up an encampment on the universitys South Lawn. They occupied the space for 30 hours before Nemat Shafik, the president of Columbia University, notified law enforcement and authorized police to disperse protesters. 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 isra hirsi (@israhirsi) April 18, 2024 I have determined that the encampment and related disruptions pose a clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University, Shafik said in a letter to the NYPD. The president said protestors were trespassing, refused to disperse and damaged campus property. NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban noted that the students were arrested peacefully and saying what they wanted to say in a peaceful manner. Hirsi said she was an organizer with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the student group that has been advocating for Columbia to cut ties with companies that support Israel. 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 Barnard notified students at the encampment that they would face sanctions if they did not disperse, according to NBC News. The university said they were placed on interim suspension but did not specify the number of students concerned or how long the suspension would last. Now and always, we prioritize our students learning and living in an inclusive environment free from harassment, the university said in a statement. U.S. "overcapacity" narrative aims to hit Chinese industries: FM spokesperson Xinhua) 09:08, April 20, 2024 BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. "overcapacity" narrative aims to hit Chinese industries, which is another example of U.S. economic coercion and bullying, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday. Spokesperson Li Jian made the remarks when asked to comment on China's "overcapacity" issue hyped up by the United States recently. Blaming China for "overcapacity" is not new, Lin noted at a regular news briefing, saying that years ago, the United States accused China of "overcapacity" for exporting many high-quality, low-cost products. Now it is sticking the label of "overcapacity" to China's export of new energy products. "The United States exports 80 percent of its chips, especially advanced chips, and it is a large exporter of pork and agricultural products. Is that 'overcapacity' according to U.S. logic?" Lin added. In fact, the ratio of export to production for Chinese new energy vehicles is far lower than that of Germany, Japan and Republic of Korea. This is certainly not "dumping extra products into the global market," he said. Lin said that "overcapacity" may look like an economic issue, but truth is, the United States is using it to hit Chinese industries and give the United States itself an unfair advantage in market competition. It's another example of U.S. economic coercion and bullying. He noted that in today's world, supply and demand are both global, and the capacity of each country is determined by comparative advantage. This must be seen from an objective, dialectical and rational perspective based on the laws of economics. China's leading edge in new energy is gained through strong performance, technological innovation and full-on market competition, he added. "A sick person doesn't get well by forcing others to take the medicine," said Lin, adding that those who use "overcapacity" to justify protectionism have nothing to gain, but will only destabilize global industrial and supply chains, harm emerging sectors and hinder global climate response and green transition. "We urge the United States to abandon the hegemonic mindset, keep an open mind, play fair, observe market economy principles and international trade rules, provide a truly world-class, market-oriented and law-based environment for trade and economic cooperation, and work with the rest of the world to advance inclusive economic globalization that benefits all," said the spokesperson. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) China Southern Airlines (China Southern) held a special event to celebrate the inaugural flight of its Beijing Daxing Riyadh route, marking the first scheduled passenger service operated by a Chinese airline connecting the Chinese mainland directly with Saudi Arabia, a report cited the China Southern Airlines as saying. The event was attended by China Southern's senior management, representatives from the Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP), the Saudi Tourism Authority, and key industry partners, Saudi Press Agency, said. In addition to the Beijing Daxing Riyadh route, China Southern introduced other international routes connecting to the Belt and Road Initiative countries and regions. The event highlighted the transit services and advantages at Beijing Daxing International Airport, in-flight catering, and customised cabin offerings. The new route is an important manifestation of the deepening cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia in the economic, trade, cultural and tourism fields and proves China Southern's firm commitment to facilitating the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Vision 2030, Zhang Dongsheng, Deputy Director General of the Commercial Steering Committee of China Southern, expressed. "It will not only greatly promote the people-to-people exchanges, and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, but also build an air bridge for the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples". Majid Khan, CEO of Saudi Arabia's Air Connectivity Program (ACP), said: "Today marks a significant milestone with the inaugural flight of China Southern, the first Chinese carrier to land in Saudi Arabia. This momentous occasion signifies the start of a new era of connectivity between the two countries, offering a robust avenue for mutual growth. ACP, alongside the Kingdom's air connectivity ecosystem, has played a key role in forging this partnership. Together, we have created new and exciting opportunities for both Chinese and Saudi travellers seeking to explore the diverse attractions the two nations offer. "This flight further strengthens the bridge between Saudi Arabia and China. We are excited about the prospects our collaboration with China Southern brings and the lasting connections it will create". China Southern has introduced 14 non-stop international and regional routes from Beijing Daxing to destinations including London, Amsterdam, and eight cities within the Belt and Road Initiative countries and regions, such as Almaty and Bishkek, providing 74 round-trip flights every week. The carrier will soon expand its network to Dhaka, in line with the Civil Aviation Administration of China's goal of building multi-functional international aviation hubs. This expansion aims to enhance air connectivity with the Belt and Road Initiative countries and regions, facilitating the development of a seamless Air Silk Road. The inaugural Beijing Daxing Riyadh flight was operated by an Airbus A330-300 aircraft, carrying 240 passengers. To provide an experience of "Affinity and Refinement" for passengers, China Southern transformed the maiden journey into a themed flight celebrating the new route. Delicate cabin decorations showcased both Beijing's characteristics and Saudi culture, creating an immersive travel experience. The cabin crew engaged passengers in fun activities, capturing the special moments of the maiden flight together. Beijing Daxing-Riyadh flights operate every Tuesday and Saturday. The Riyadh-bound flight CZ5077 departs from Beijing Daxing International Airport at 15:10 Beijing time, and arrives at King Khalid International Airport at 20:10 local time, with a flight time of approximately 10 hours. The return flight CZ5078 departs at 22.10 local time and lands in Beijing at 12 the following day, with a flight time of about 8 hours and 50 minutes. Passengers travelling on this new route can enjoy international baggage through check-in service, among other products and discounts. PPG Industries Inc showcases resilience with a robust balance sheet despite a slight dip in net sales. Strategic acquisitions and a focus on innovation position PPG for potential market expansion. Environmental liabilities and market volatility remain as potential threats to PPG's financial health. PPG's commitment to research and development underpins future growth opportunities. On April 19, 2024, PPG Industries Inc (NYSE:PPG), a global leader in coatings, filed its 10-Q report, revealing a comprehensive overview of its financial performance for the first quarter of the year. Despite a slight decrease in net sales from $4,380 million in 2023 to $4,311 million in 2024, PPG demonstrated a strong financial position with net income rising from $264 million to $400 million, and earnings per share increasing from $1.12 to $1.70. This financial resilience is a testament to PPG's strategic management and its ability to navigate market challenges effectively. Decoding PPG Industries Inc (PPG): A Strategic SWOT Insight Strengths Robust Financial Health: PPG Industries Inc's financial health remains a cornerstone of its competitive advantage. The company's net income saw a significant increase from $264 million in 2023 to $400 million in 2024, indicating a strong profit-generating capability. This financial robustness is further underscored by a notable rise in earnings per share, from $1.12 to $1.70, reflecting the company's efficiency in translating sales into profits. PPG's ability to maintain a solid balance sheet, even with a slight dip in net sales, speaks to its operational excellence and cost management strategies. Strategic Acquisitions and Market Position: PPG Industries Inc's strategic acquisitions, such as the purchase of selected Akzo Nobel assets and the Comex acquisition, have bolstered its position as the world's largest producer of coatings. These acquisitions have not only expanded PPG's product portfolio but also its geographical footprint, enabling the company to tap into new markets and customer segments. The company's less than half sales coming from North America highlight its diversified global presence, reducing reliance on any single market and spreading risk across various regions. Weaknesses Decrease in Net Sales: The recent 10-Q filing indicates a slight decrease in net sales, from $4,380 million in 2023 to $4,311 million in 2024. This 1.6% decline, driven by lower sales volumes, suggests potential challenges in market demand or competitive pressures. While PPG's financial health remains strong, it is crucial for the company to address the underlying causes of this sales dip to ensure sustained growth and market share retention. Story continues Environmental Liabilities: PPG Industries Inc faces environmental liabilities that could pose financial risks. The company may be subject to loss contingencies related to environmental matters estimated to be as much as $100 million to $200 million. These potential costs, associated with environmental remediation and compliance, could impact PPG's financials if they materialize. It is imperative for PPG to manage these liabilities proactively to mitigate any adverse financial effects. Opportunities Expansion into Emerging Markets: PPG Industries Inc's strategic focus on expansion into emerging regions presents significant growth opportunities. The company's global footprint and acquisitions in new markets position it well to capitalize on the rising demand for coatings in developing economies. By leveraging its existing presence and exploring further strategic partnerships or acquisitions, PPG can enhance its market share and revenue streams in these high-growth areas. Innovation and R&D: PPG's commitment to research and development is a key driver of future growth. The company's investment in innovation allows it to stay ahead of industry trends and develop new products that meet evolving customer needs. This focus on R&D not only strengthens PPG's product offerings but also enhances its competitive edge in the market. Threats Market Volatility: PPG Industries Inc operates in a market that is subject to economic fluctuations and competitive pressures. The recent decrease in net sales highlights the company's susceptibility to such volatility. PPG must remain vigilant and adaptable to changing market conditions to safeguard its financial performance and market position. Regulatory and Compliance Pressures: The coatings industry is heavily regulated, with stringent environmental and safety standards. PPG's environmental liabilities underscore the potential risks associated with non-compliance or regulatory changes. The company must continue to invest in compliance measures and sustainable practices to avoid regulatory penalties and maintain its social license to operate. In conclusion, PPG Industries Inc (NYSE:PPG) exhibits a strong financial foundation and strategic foresight, with its robust balance sheet and focus on innovation and market expansion. However, the company must navigate the challenges of a slight sales decline, environmental liabilities, and market volatility. By leveraging its strengths and addressing its weaknesses, PPG can capitalize on the opportunities ahead while mitigating potential threats. The company's strategic acquisitions and R&D investments are poised to drive future growth, ensuring PPG remains a dominant force in the coatings industry. This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., praised her daughter Friday, a day after the Ivy League college student was arrested in New York City while participating in an anti-Israel protest. "I am enormously proud of my daughter @israhirsi," Omar wrote on X. "She has always led with courage and compassion, from organizing a statewide school walk out on the 20th anniversary of Columbine at the age of 15, to leading the biggest youth climate rally at our nations Capitol at 16, and now pushing her school to stand against genocide. COLUMBIA STUDENT SUSPENDED AFTER ALLEGED FART SPRAY ATTACK DURING ANTI-ISRAEL RALLY SUES SCHOOL Rep. Ilhan Omar's daughter, Isra Hirsi, left, said Thursday she was suspended from Barnard College after her involvement in an anti-Israel protest on Columbia Universitys campus in New York City. "Stepping up to change what you cant tolerate is why we as a country have the right to speech, assembly, and petition enshrined in our constitution." Isra Hirsi was among more than 100 people arrested and issued a summons for trespassing Thursday after protests at Columbia University. Hours earlier, she said she had been suspended from Barnard College for "standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP ARREST OF ILHAN OMARS DAUGHTER AT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTEST WAS POLITICAL, FELLOW 'SQUAD' MEMBER SAYS "Those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated," Hirsi wrote on X. "We will stand resolute until our demands are met. our [sic] demands include divestment from companies complicit in genocide, transparency of @Columbias investments and FULL amnesty for all students facing repression." Isra Hirsi departs 1 Police Plaza in Lower Manhattan Thursday, April 18, 2024. Hirsi, the daughter of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, was arrested during an anti-Israel protest at Columbia University. Dozens of anti-Israel activists began protesting at Columbia University Wednesday morning, creating an encampment on the main lawn in protest of Israel's war against Hamas. The school asked the New York Police Department to help clear out the encampment. In a message to students, Columbia President Minouche Shafik said these "extraordinary steps" were necessary "because these are extraordinary circumstances," adding that protesters "violated a long list of rules and policies." Omar questioned Shafik this week during a hearing in Washington about antisemitism on college campuses. Original article source: Rep. Ilhan Omar 'proud' of daughter after NYC arrest at anti-Israel protest Republican lawmaker hits out at colleagues: 'They would like to see Russia win' A U.S. Republican lawmaker on April 18 hit out at members of his own party who are opposed to sending military aid to Ukraine, saying they "would like to see the Russians win." In an interview with C-SPAN, Don Bacon laid out the dire situation Ukraine finds itself in on the battlefield, saying if the bills do not pass, "the Russians will be in Kyiv." After months of delays and several versions of the foreign aid bill derailed by political infighting, House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled his plan earlier this week to vote on the package as four separate bills on April 20. Yet some members of the Republican party notably Marjorie Taylor Greene continue to criticize support for Ukraine and have threatened to try to ouster Johnson if he goes ahead with the bill. "Unfortunately, a few of my colleagues would like to see the Russians win. I don't know why that is the case. I think it's a terrible thing," Bacon said. GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw on threats to oust Johnson: "I guess their reasoning is they want Russia to win so badly that they want to oust the speaker over it. I mean that's a strange position to take... I think they want to be in the minority too. I think that's an obvious reality." pic.twitter.com/aPDGrgAGPm Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 18, 2024 "Ukraine wants to be free. They want to have a free market economy. They want to be part of the West, and it can be a game changer for Europe, for Ukraine, to do that." These sentiments were also expressed by his Republican colleague Dan Crenshaw earlier in the day. "I guess their reasoning is that they want Russia to win so badly that they want to oust the Speaker over it," Crenshaw said, adding: "I mean, its a strange position to take." According to Bloomberg, House Democrats have said they will support Johnson's series of bills and could also shield Johnson from an attempt by the conservatives to oust him. 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: Ukraines ambassador cautiously optimistic about upcoming US aid vote Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Rescue operations end in Dnipro with 3 killed, 24 injured after Russian missile attack Search and rescue operations at the sites of a Russian missile attack on Dnipro concluded on April 20, the State Emergency Service said. The attack reportedly killed three people, including two women and a man, and wounded 24 others. Russian troops struck downtown Dnipro on the morning of April 19, partially destroying a five-story building and damaging the railway station, authorities reported. First responders rescued 12 people, according to the report. Houses and infrastructure were also hit in the Synelnykove district and the city of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. A total of eight people, including an eight-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, were killed, and 34 others were injured in Russian attacks on the region on April 19, the State Emergency Service reported. Escalating Russian strikes and resulting civilian casualties underscore Ukraine's dire need for additional air defense systems. Speaking after the strikes, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv needs concrete decisions from its partners on air defense, not only discussions. Read also: UN rep condemns Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Rescue workers find body of third person killed in Russian missile attack on Dnipro The rescue workers of the city of Dnipro have found the body of the third person killed in the Russian attack on a residential building. Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration Quote: "The third person killed in Dnipro. Rescue workers found the body of a man who lived on the fifth floor, on the third floor." Details: In total, the Russian strike on 19 April claimed the lives of eight people, two of them children. Background: Two people were killed in the Russian attack on the city of Dnipro on the morning of Friday, 19 April, six more were killed in the city of Synelnykove, including two young children, and 29 other residents of the oblast were injured. Four private houses were partially destroyed in Synelnykove, eight more were damaged. A company was damaged in the town of Pavlograd. It was revealed that an entire family was killed in the Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, orphaning a 6-year-old boy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the site of the Russian attack on the city of Dnipro, where he held a meeting to discuss the strengthening of the region's protection. Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov declared 20 April a day of mourning for those killed in the Russian missile strike on the city. Support UP or become our patron! Residents of deadly mobile home fire in Lakewood last year are suing owner of nearby vacant property Seven residents of a Lakewood mobile park are now suing an owner of a vacant property nearby following a deadly fire last year. The lawsuit is claiming that VGU Washington Estates did not secure their land or clear the vegetation beforehand which ended up causing the fire. It happened on Aug. 4, 2023, around 3:30 p.m. Lakewood fire kills 2 and leaves remaining residents with nothing Authorities said that the fire was caused by transients when winds drove the flames into Jamestown Estates Park. Two men were killed in the fire and nine mobile homes were destroyed. Five other mobile homes also sustained damage. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The suspect involved in a Southaven cell phone store robbery is still missing Friday night, but new information suggests Memphis and Southaven Police may have searched the wrong home in connection to the crime. Police say they tracked the suspect to a home on Airways and Lamar after he allegedly robbed a Southaven MetroPCS Friday afternoon. It was later reported that the suspect was not located at the home, and the police crisis team left the scene. Police surround house on Airways, but suspect not found WREG spoke with people at the home who say they did not even know the suspect. William Dukes, his uncle, and his sister live at the home. Dukes said that police not only searched his house but also put him and his sister in handcuffs and placed them in the back of a police car. Dukes says Memphis police picked him up from his job and took him back to his house where police were waiting. They just let me know that it was a phone stolen. They didnt let me know what happened, how it got stolen, or where it got stolen from, he said. Officers say an employee was tied up during the robbery at a Stateline MetroPCS. Police later released a photo of the alleged suspect. Memphis Police say they tracked the stolen property from the robbery to Dukes home. While on the scene, WREG saw a woman who was placed in handcuffs. That woman was Dukes sister, Laquisha Parks. They asked questions and they were asking me do I know anything about the phone and I just told them I didnt know, said Parks. Arrest made months after man beaten, sexually assaulted by group Police did show a search warrant, but according to Dukes and Parks, they did not find the suspect or the stolen property. However, they did leave behind damage. Door knobs were broken, and debris was still on the floor. Dukes says that while they were able to clean up what was left, the aggressive police action is still fresh in their minds. It made all of us feel traumatized, he said. Dukes is now calling on officials like Mayor Paul Young to step in as he is calling for answers from both Memphis and Southaven Police. I want my uncle to feel safe, and my sister to feel safe in our home because we have nothing to do with whats going on, he said. All Memphis Police are saying about their response is that they were called to assist in a search for the suspect. We have not received a comment from Southaven Police. WREG will provide updates as soon as they are available. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Donald Trump violated his expanded gag order seven more times since Monday, prosecutors told the judge presiding over the former president's hush money trial in New York, according to court pool reports. The prosecutors' accusations came in a new motion asking for the court to include the Trump social media and campaign website posts in question in next week's hearing on alleged gag order violations. Judge Juan Merchan earlier this week scheduled the hearing for next Tuesday in response to prosecutors' Monday request that Trump be held in contempt of court for three earlier posts criticizing potential witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress whose silence about an alleged sex scandal Trump is accused of buying ahead of the 2016 election. Its ridiculous. It has to stop, Christopher Conroy, a prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorneys office, said Thursday, according to The New York Times. "I think its fair to say that Trump is determined to continue to leverage the legal proceedings against him to maintain his public persona and rally his supporters, and his modus operandi has always been to attack," Jennifer Laurin, a University of Texas School of Law professor, told Salon. The most recent instances of Trump's online statements seem "to be testing the outer limits of Judge Merchan's order" in that they're reposts of others' content, she added. Merchan last month imposed a gag order on Trump that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors as well as their families. He expanded the order earlier this month to cover his and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's family members after Trump vaulted a series of social media attacks on the judge's daughter. In their Monday motion, prosecutors asked the judge to fine Trump $1,000 for each alleged violation totaling $3,000 for the three prior posts and to order the former president to delete the posts and warn him that "further violations could result in jail time," according to online legal analysis forum Just Security. New York law authorizes up to 30 days in jail for contempt. On Thursday, Manhattan prosecutors outlined Trump's potential latest violations: Seven posts linking to articles calling Cohen, a "serial perjurer" and quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters' allegation that "undercover liberal activists" are deceiving the court in order to be seated on the jury, a pool report noted, per Axios. "Defendant is indisputably aware of the April 1 order and has recent experience in New York courts regarding the scope of orders restricting his extrajudicial statements," Conroy wrote in the filing, adding: "Defendant's decision to specifically target individuals whom this Court's order protects is a deliberate flouting of this Court's directives that warrants sanctions under Judiciary Law 751." NYU law professor Ryan Goodman took note of the timestamps of Trump's alleged violations that the district attorney's office flagged. Three of the former president's posts were made on Monday, the first day of trial, at 9:12 a.m. and 10:26 a.m. Eastern and on Tuesday at 1:50 p.m. Eastern, according to the filing's exhibits. "To make these statements or have these statements made from within the courthouse would be to amplify the 'contempt' of and for the court," Goodman wrote Thursday on X, formerly Twitter. "New York law also gives special powers to a judge in enforcing their orders (e.g., gag order) if the violation occurs in the 'immediate view and presence of the court,' he added. "I don't think these alleged violations do so, but the fact that they might come close is significant." 3/ New York law also gives special powers to a judge in enforcing their orders (e.g., gag order) if the violation occurs in the "immediate view and presence of the court." I don't think these alleged violations do so, but the fact that they might come close is significant. Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) April 18, 2024 Pace University law professor and former New York prosecutor Bennett Gershman agreed, telling Salon that Trump is "playing games with the court, the prosecutors and the legal system" by violating his gag order "with impunity." "The prosecutors called Trumps attacks 'ridiculous.' But it is Trump and his army of followers, including his media toadies, who love him for the way he is 'ridiculing' the legal system," Gershman said. "Trump is literally, not just legally, showing contempt for the court, the trial, and the law," he continued, arguing that a $3,000 fine as a penalty is "laughable" because, to Trump, "his relentless attacks are well worth it." One of the former president's lawyers, Emil Bove, argued that Trump's online posts didn't "establish any willful violations" of the gag order and argued that reposting other people's public comments shouldn't amount to a violation, Axios notes. Bove argued instead that Trump's posts underscored some of the "ambiguities" in the gag order. But Loyola Law School professor Laurie Levenson told Salon she believes the court "anticipated," to an extent, how Trump may attempt to get around the order. If Trump had posted someone else's statement with a comment of his own challenging it as "wrong," it "might be" perceived by the court differently, but "that's not what he's doing." "He can think he's clever in using someone else's statements, but he's essentially adopting those and promoting them," she said. The question for the court at Tuesday's hearing "will be whether Trumps repost is Trumps own 'statement' about the witnesses discussed in the content of the post and whether it was sufficiently clear that the repost qualified as a statement to merit a finding of contempt,'" Laurin added, noting that the law of contempt requires an order "be clear and explicit" in order for a violation of it to be a basis for a contempt finding. Merchan did not rule Thursday on whether to include the new possible violations, instead indicating he will wait until after the hearing to decide, the Times reported. Still, the fact that Merchan set the hearing on the alleged violations means "the court really is taking it seriously," Levenson said, explaining that a hearing allows the judge to have a "complete" record should the defendants seek appellate review of his rulings after trial. Tuesday's hearing, Laurin said, will be an "adversarial proceeding" with prosecutors presenting evidence of Trump's statements and argument about why they constitute gag order violations, and Trump's lawyers opposing the contempt finding. She expects Trump's lawyers to argue both that the former president's statements didn't "violate the express terms of the order" and are protected by the First Amendment. The latter point, she notes, Merchan has already established is not the case. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. "It is less clear whether Judge Merchan will opt to find Trump in contempt, or instead give him 'one more chance,' as it were, by clarifying that reposted content on social media is a 'statement' within the meaning of the order," she said. Levenson and Gershman argued, however, that Merchan finding Trump in violation of the gag order and held in contempt is "likely." "If this was just a one off, then I think it would be much less likely that the court would find a violation. But, I mean for repeated incidents, the odds just are at least one of these the court will find in violation of the gag order, and repeated conduct itself seems more aggravating," Levenson said. "So the real question is what is the court do about it?" Finding a penalty that would incentivize Trump to change his behavior would be "hard," she said, arguing that the former president wouldn't take a $1,000 fine "particularly seriously." Gershman predicted Trump will be made to pay the "paltry fine" the judge is likely to impose and then "continue to revile the system and revel in his notoriety." Whatever Merchan may decide, Levenson said she expects the judge will want to "nip this conduct in the bud" before witnesses appear at trial. "The problem for Trump is that he's built himself a reputation as a rule breaker," Levenson said, adding: "He hasn't acted in deference to the court. He's basically always been in the attack route, and you can do that until there's a court order, and then it's going to backfire on you." Road work to close a portion of road in Athens Township ATHENS TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WETM) The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has announced that a portion of Route 4018 in Athens Township will be closed next week to accommodate a pipe replacement project. The work will begin on Tuesday, April 23, when maintenance crews will close Wolcott Hollow Road between Farr Road and Route 4021 on Chapel Road while they replace deteriorating pipes. Two-year roadwork project to begin in Liberty on Monday A detour will be in place using Route 4020 on Mile Lane Road and Farr Road in Ridgebury and Athens townships while the work is being done. The work is expected to be completed by Friday, April 26, weather permitting. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is weighing in on who he wants to see win his partys runoff next month to be the nominee for lieutenant governor. Robinson, who is running for governor this year, told a crowd of supporters hes voting for Hal Weatherman, according to a video clip posted on Facebook in late March. Weatherman faces Forsyth County District Attorney Jim ONeill in the runoff election on May 14. Now, Im not telling you who to vote for. Im just telling you who Im gonna vote for when I go. The only person that Im in support of being lieutenant governor is standing right over here, said Robinson, gesturing to Weatherman. Robinson went on to say he and Weatherman, who served as chief of staff to former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, have had a great relationship since 2018. I have not made a public endorsement of him, but he certainly is a guy that I would love to see in that seat. Talk to your friends, when they ask you about that race, you can tell them thats the guy that Im gonna vote for and I hope that you do too, Robinson said. CBS 17 has reached out to Weathermans and ONeills campaigns for comment. This is Weathermans first campaign for statewide office. ONeill previously ran for attorney general in 2020, narrowly losing to Democrat Josh Stein. Weatherman was the top vote-getter in the initial 11-candidate primary on March 5, but he fell short of the 30-percent threshold necessary to avoid a runoff. The winner of the runoff will face Democratic state Sen. Rachel Hunt in November. Its no surprise that an extreme politician like Mark Robinson is throwing his support behind a running mate like Hal Weatherman who wants to ban abortion, defund public education, and wreak havoc on North Carolinas economy, said Kevin Holst, executive director of the Democratic Lt. Governors Association. Hal Weatherman is looking to continue the dangerous Mark Robinson legacy in the Lt. Governors office, which is why Rachel Hunt is the only candidate for the job For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. As Charles Carroll Park gets a new look as part of the planned overhaul at the waterfront, it will also get a new identity one the mayor says is more fitting of the city and its diverse history. Mayor Malik D. Evans announced Wednesday night during the "state of the city" address that officials would rename the park, a move first endorsed in 2021 by a City Council vote. "Were shedding old, antiquated, and in this case, undeserved and racist histories," he said. "Charles Carroll was not a Rochesterian, and is not a figure we choose to continue to commemorate." Charles Carroll Park is fenced off as it is part of a Roc the Riverway revitalization project in downtown Rochester Friday, July 4, 2020. Evans said the downtown park along the Genesee River will be changed to Austin Steward Plaza, who he identified as the city's first prominent Black business owner. "An entrepreneur who not only gained freedom from slavery, but opened a successful business, operated the first school for Black children in Rochester, and wrote his memoir, Twenty-two Years a Slave and Forty Years a Freeman," the mayor said. "Thats the history we need to celebrate. Thats the mindset we want to lift up and let it serve as inspiration." A new name for a Rochester park? City Council looks to rename Charles Carroll Park, other sites, due to slaveholding Who is Charles Carroll? The grave of Charles Carroll located in the Williamsburg Cemetery in Mount Morris Tuesday, July 7, 2020. Charles Carroll was born into one of the wealthies families in America in 1767. The Maryland family owned over 1,000 people in slavery, derviving much of their money and influence from the work of these indivduals, according to historical research. He was one of three men who would be credited with founding what would become Rochester with their land purchase in the Genesee Valley. The men, all from Maryland, were said to have brought slaves with them to New York when they settled here. State of the City in Rochester Mayor highlights reduced crime, greater investment in 'state of city' address Who is Austin Steward? File - Austin Steward was an entrepreneur who gained freedom from slavery, opened a business, operated the first school for Black children in Rochester, and wrote his memoir, Twenty-two Years a Slave and Forty Years a Freeman. The renovated downtown plaza will be named after him. Steward was born in 1793 in Virginia, where he began his life in slavery and first came to New York as an enslaved person. As a free man, he would come to Rochester where he opened a general store, which would be the first Black-owned business in the city. Here he would also become an antislavery activist. It's been reported he also "briefly conducted the first school for Black children." His memoir was first published in 1861. What is the plan for the park in Rochester's downtown? The upgrades to the park are underway and part of the multiyear, multiphase Roc the Riverway revitalization project. The plan envisions a better connected riverfront by renovating and reimagining the 3.4 acres and improving access to downtown. Convention Center renovations Rochester Riverside Convention Center set for renovations in 2024 The plaza reconstruction aims to maximize river views, improve walkability and safety and highlight recreation and open space and public art, according to the city. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Rochester's Charles Carroll Park to be renamed for city Black leader Key Insights The projected fair value for Murphy USA is US$420 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Current share price of US$417 suggests Murphy USA is potentially trading close to its fair value Our fair value estimate is similar to Murphy USA's analyst price target of US$424 Does the April share price for Murphy USA Inc. (NYSE:MUSA) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow. We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. If you still have some burning questions about this type of valuation, take a look at the Simply Wall St analysis model. See our latest analysis for Murphy USA The Calculation We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$492.0m US$478.9m US$454.5m US$509.2m US$514.7m US$522.1m US$531.0m US$541.0m US$551.8m US$563.3m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x3 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ 1.08% Est @ 1.44% Est @ 1.70% Est @ 1.88% Est @ 2.00% Est @ 2.09% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 7.6% US$457 US$414 US$365 US$380 US$357 US$337 US$318 US$302 US$286 US$271 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$3.5b The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.3%) 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 7.6%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = US$563m (1 + 2.3%) (7.6% 2.3%) = US$11b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$11b ( 1 + 7.6%)10= US$5.2b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is US$8.7b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$417, the company appears about fair value at a 0.6% 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 Important Assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Murphy USA 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 7.6%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.150. 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 Murphy USA Strength Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows. 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 for the next 2 years. Current share price is below our estimate of fair value. Threat Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the American market. Looking Ahead: Although the valuation of a company is important, it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For Murphy USA, there are three fundamental aspects you should assess: Risks: For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Murphy USA that you should be aware of before investing here. Future Earnings: How does MUSA'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 American 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. A Ukrainian attack on Russia's Belgorod Oblast overnight on April 20 killed two people, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced on Telegram. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims of Russian authorities, and Ukraine does not usually comment on alleged attacks on Russian soil. According to the governor, the town of Poroz, located less than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the border with Ukraine's Sumy Oblast, was reportedly struck by Ukrainian drones. Explosive devices were allegedly dropped on a residential home, which immediately caught fire. Two people who were in the house at the time, a man and a woman, were killed. Two residential homes and a barn were burned down, according to Gladkov. Gladkov and other Russian officials have repeatedly claimed over recent months that the city of Belgorod and its surroundings have come under attack by Ukrainian forces. Read also: Ukraine war latest: First Russian Tu-22M3 bomber downed, strikes in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kill 7 Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian defenders have confirmed the aftermath of Russia's attacks on the night of 19-20 April and said the Russians had targeted Zaporizhzhia's industrial infrastructure with ballistic missiles and hit an infrastructure facility in Odesa. Source: Defence Forces of Ukraines South; Odesa Oblast Military Administration Details: It is noted that the Russians attacked industrial infrastructure facilities in Zaporizhzhia with ballistic missiles. There were no reports of casualties, and details are being confirmed. The Russians targeted Odesa with ballistics launched from temporarily occupied Crimea on the morning of 20 April. An infrastructure facility was hit. Information on the extent of the damage and casualties is being confirmed. The Russians also fired Kh-59 missiles from tactical aircraft on Odesa Oblast in the early hours of 20 April. Both targets were shot down over the Black Sea, and three Russian reconnaissance drones were destroyed in Kryvyi Rih districts and Mykolaiv and Odesa oblasts. Support UP or become our patron! The Russian army launched a missile attack on civilian infrastructure in Sumy on the evening of 19 April. Source: Sumy blast Military Administration Quote: "Today, 19 April, the Russians attacked civilian infrastructure in the city of Sumy with a missile. All relevant services are at the scene. No one is thought to have been injured." Background: An air-raid warning was issued in most oblasts of Ukraine on the evening of 19 April because of the threat of ballistic weapons. Several explosions were heard in Sumy. Support UP or become our patron! Russian leader Vladimir Putins spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has claimed that the US aid to Ukraine approved by the House of Representatives "will kill more Ukrainians" and enrich the United States. He also warned that the United States "will have to answer for the confiscation of frozen assets of the Russian Federation". Source: Dmitry Peskov in comments to TASS; Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova; Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, on Telegram Quote from Peskov: "The decision to provide aid to Ukraine was expected and predictable. This will further enrich the United States and further ruin Ukraine, with more Ukrainians killed due to the fault of the Kyiv regime." Details: Peskov also declared that if the United States confiscates frozen Russian assets, it "will have to answer for it". "Any time limits here will be unlikely. And we will do it in the way that best suits our interests," Peskov threatened. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan approved by the US House of Representatives "will exacerbate global crisis phenomena". Zakharova called support for Ukraine "direct sponsorship of terrorist activities", support for Taiwan "interference in China's domestic affairs", and support for Israel "a direct path to an unprecedented escalation" in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russias Security Council, called the House of Representatives' approval of aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan "a vote by gleeful American freaks for continuing the civil war between the divided people of our previously united country" and a vote for increasing the numbers of casualties of the war that Russia is waging against Ukraine. Medvedev also said he hoped the United States would plunge into a new civil war as soon as possible, which would "lead to the collapse of the United States". Background: On 20 April, the US House of Representatives approved a bill to provide about $61 billion in military aid for Ukraine. In total, the US$95 billion package provides security assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The US House of Representatives also voted in favour of a bill that would see the expansion of sanctions against Russia and allow Russian assets to be confiscated in favour of Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! Russian troops attacked the Dnipro district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on April 20, killing a 54-year-old man, local governor Serhii Lysak reported. According to Lysak, the man was killed while he was repairing a car near the scene of the attack. The Russian strike also caused a fire, but emergency services extinguished it as of 4:35 p.m. local time. Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is regularly the target of Russian attacks on civilians. Russian troops on April 19 carried out a missile attack, hitting the regional center of Dnipro and the Synelnykove district. The rescue operations in Dnipro ended the next day, with three killed and 24 injured. The five-story building and the railway station in the city's downtown were partially destroyed. In the Synelnykove district, a total of five, including an 8-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, were killed, and 10 others were injured due to the recent strike. Read also: Zelensky visits Dnipro after Russian strike, calls for air defenses from partners Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian forces attacked five communities in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast, injuring four people, the regional administration reported on April 19. At least 33 explosions were recorded. The communities of Bilopillia, Yunakivka, Krasnopillia, Seredyna-Buda, and Berestivka were targeted. Four civilians were injured in Bilopillia as a result of the shelling. The Russian military struck the communities using artillery fire, aerial missile strikes, drones, mines, and mortar shelling. The town of Bilopillia, with a pre-war population of about 16,000 residents, experienced the most attacks, with 19 explosions recorded in the area. The community is located eight kilometers south and 25 kilometers west of the Ukraine-Russian border. Russian strikes against Sumy Oblast have become increasingly destructive in recent months. Amid intensified attacks, Ukrainian authorities ordered the evacuation of children from 52 settlements in Sumy Oblast on April 5. Shelling is a daily occurrence for the communities near Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia, with residents in the region's vulnerable border settlements experiencing multiple attacks per day. Read also: Ukraine war latest: First Russian Tu-22M3 bomber downed, strikes in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kill 7 Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian forces took out 5 out of 31 US Abrams tanks in Ukraine in 2 months NYT The New York Times has reported that Russian forces have taken out five M1 Abrams main battle tanks out of 31 that were sent to Ukraine from the US last autumn. Source: The New York Times, citing a senior US official Details: The NYT cited Colonel Markus Reisner, an "Austrian military trainer who closely follows how weapons are being used and lost in the war in Ukraine", as saying that at least three other tanks were substantially damaged since being deployed to the front in early 2024. According to Oryx, a military analysis site that counts losses based on visual evidence, a total of 796 Ukrainian battle tanks have been destroyed or captured since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, while Russia has lost 2,900 tanks. The NYT said that drones can be used to take out tanks. "The drone combat in Ukraine that is transforming modern warfare has begun taking a deadly toll on one of the most powerful symbols of American military might the tank and threatening to rewrite how it will be used in future conflicts," the NYT wrote. Despite their powerful capabilities, tanks are not invincible; they are most vulnerable where their heavy armour is the thinnest: at the top, where the rear engine block is located, and in the space between the hull and turret. For many years, tanks have been a prime target for mines, explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank guided missiles. "The drones that are now being used against tanks in Ukraine are even more accurate. Known as first-person view drones, or FPVs, they are equipped with a camera that streams real-time images back to their controller, who can direct them to hit tanks in their most vulnerable spots," the NYT said. Colonel Reisner also said that the FPVs have in several cases been sent in to "finish off" tanks that had already been damaged by mines or anti-tank missiles to prevent them from being retrieved from the battlefield and repaired. Support UP or become our patron! Russell Bentley, a pro-Kremlin American man who fought against Ukraine in 2014, was killed in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan claimed on Telegram on April 19. Bentley had previously been reported as missing. Simonyan did not provide any details on his death, and the Kyiv Independent cannot verify the news. Bentley, age 64, was a U.S. military veteran and self-identified supporter of Russian occupation forces in Ukraine. Local occupation authorities claimed Bentley went missing on April 8 after a district in occupied Donetsk Oblast was shelled by Ukrainian troops. His wife reportedly told the Mash Telegram channel that he went to see if other residents needed help after the strikes and never returned. Bentley's wife then claimed that he had been abducted by Russian soldiers amid allegations that he was spying for the U.S. Bentley originally took up arms with Russian proxy forces in eastern Ukraine in 2014, fighting against the Ukrainian military during Russia's invasion of Donbas under the call sign "Texas," according to Russian state media. Bentley then reportedly left the army to produce propaganda videos for Russia's state-owned Sputnik news agency and obtained Russian citizenship. Rolling Stone released a controversial interview with Bentley in March 2022, where he described how he shifted his political beliefs toward communism. Bentley was also a convicted felon in the U.S., having been charged with drug trafficking in the 1990s. He briefly served time in prison before allegedly escaping in 1999 and remained a fugitive for almost 10 years before he was recaptured and put back in prison. In the Rolling Stone interview and other media appearances, Bentley referred to himself as an "information warrior" and repeated Russian propaganda talking points about Ukraine and the West. Read also: 10 years of war: A timeline of Russias decade-long aggression against Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Key Insights Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, EDAG Engineering Group fair value estimate is 13.30 With 10.95 share price, EDAG Engineering Group appears to be trading close to its estimated fair value The 14.33 analyst price target for ED4 is 7.7% more than our estimate of fair value Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of EDAG Engineering Group AG (ETR:ED4) by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. Check out our latest analysis for EDAG Engineering Group The Model We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (, Millions) 7.70m 15.1m 22.5m 26.8m 30.3m 33.2m 35.5m 37.3m 38.6m 39.7m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ 18.91% Est @ 13.41% Est @ 9.55% Est @ 6.86% Est @ 4.97% Est @ 3.64% Est @ 2.72% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 9.8% 7.0 12.5 17.0 18.4 19.0 19.0 18.5 17.7 16.7 15.6 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = 162m The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (0.6%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 9.8%. Story continues Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = 40m (1 + 0.6%) (9.8% 0.6%) = 434m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 434m ( 1 + 9.8%)10= 171m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is 333m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of 11.0, the company appears about fair value at a 18% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf Important Assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at EDAG Engineering Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 9.8%, which is based on a levered beta of 2.000. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for EDAG Engineering Group Strength Debt is not viewed as a risk. Dividend is in the top 25% of dividend payers in the market. Weakness Earnings growth over the past year underperformed the Auto Components industry. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow for the next 3 years. Current share price is below our estimate of fair value. Threat Dividends are not covered by cash flow. Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the German market. Next Steps: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For EDAG Engineering Group, we've put together three additional factors you should further research: Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with EDAG Engineering Group , and understanding it should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does ED4's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the XTRA every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Explosions were heard in the city of Zaporizhzhia a few minutes after an air-raid warning was issued on the night of 19-20 April. Ten of Ukraines oblasts were under threat of a Russian attack. An explosion also rocked the city of Odesa at around 07:00. Source: Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration; Ukraines Air Force Quote: "There is a threat of high-speed missile strikes on Zaporizhzhia Oblast and other oblasts of Ukraine where the air-raid warning has been issued." alerts.in.ua Map: alerts.in.ua Details: Ukraines Air Force reported that a missile, presumably a Kh-59, was flying towards Poltava Oblast. It later changed its course to the city of Dnipro. Update: 05:41: There was a threat of the Russians using their aircraft. 05:55: Ukrainian defenders reported that a missile, presumably a Kh-59, was flying towards Odesa Oblast from the Black Sea. 06:45: Ukraines Air Force reported that a missile was flying towards Odesa Oblast. Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne reported that an explosion had rocked the city of Odesa. The all-clear was given at 07:21. Support UP or become our patron! Russian missile strike on Odesa: 2 children injured as number of casualties rises photo The aftermath of the Russian missile strike on Odesa on 20 April. Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Eight civilians were injured in the Russian missile strike on Odesa on Saturday, 20 April, including two young children aged 3 and 4. Source: Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine on Telegram , The aftermath of the Russian missile strike on Odesa on 20 April. Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Quote: "Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out a missile strike on Odesa around 16:30 on 20 April. Eight Odesa residents sustained injuries of varying degrees of severity as a result of the attack, including two children born in 2021 and 2020. The victims are receiving medical treatment. At least 20 private residential houses were damaged." Details: The Office of the Prosecutor General also said that the site of the attack is still being inspected and the exact extent of damage incurred is yet to be determined. A pre-trial investigation overseen by the Odesa Oblast Prosecutors Office was initiated in the criminal proceedings on the violation of the laws and customs of war (Art. 438.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Previously: It was earlier reported that a Russian missile attack on Odesa on 20 April destroyed several homes and left four adults and a three-year-old child injured. Support UP or become our patron! The organizers of a poetry competition in Russia open to all writers regardless of nationality or citizenship have explicitly banned entries from members of the transgender community. The rules for the Andrei Dementyev All-Russian Poetry Prize were posted on the website of the House of Poetry of Andrei Dementyev, a small cultural center in the city of Tver northwest of Moscow. The competition is named in honor of Russian poet Andrei Dementyev, who died in 2018. The Andrei Dementyev All-Russian Poetry Prize purports to be open to all poets without regard to the applicants citizenship, nationality, profession and place of residence, according to the groups website. However, the competition does not welcome trans writers or those who show disrespect to Russian history. On the official application for the poetry contest, the seventh question directly asks if the applicant has changed or cheated their gender, depending upon the translation. The reason for the question becomes clear after reading a separate list of entry requirements, where the contests organizers officially declare their ban on transgender poets. In order to preserve traditional Russian society and religious ideas shared by multiple denominations about marriage, family, motherhood, fatherhood, and childhood, citizens who have changed their gender are not allowed to participate in the Competition. Additionally, entries demonstrating disrespect for Russian history or containing obscene language will not be accepted. Russia has grown increasingly hostile to the LGBTQ+ community under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin in recent years. Last year the Russian Supreme Court declared the undefined International LGBT Social Movement an extremist organization allegedly operating to corrupt traditional social values within its borders. A series of raids and arrests followed the declaration. A woman was sentenced to five days in custody for wearing earrings with Pride colors last month. The crime was revealed in a staged videotaped encounter with a man objecting to her earrings that took place on January 29. (@) In February, Russian police and undercover agents raided a Moscow nightclub featuring an unofficial gay night, kicking and beating patrons as they lay prone on a snowy sidewalk and also making nine arrests. On the same day, a convention in Tula dedicated to My Little Pony closed early after it was raided by police. The authorities were in search of illegal LGBTQ+ content. Due to the depletion of Ukraines air defences at the front, Russian aircraft are supporting consistent and rapid Russian successes, including near the town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: Military analysts believe that Ukraine's air defences remain limited and degraded, allowing Russian aircraft to operate freely and without threat in certain critical areas of the front line. The ability of Russian aircraft to operate at depths of over 100 kilometres in Ukrainian airspace close to the front line without significant losses is an indication that Ukrainian air defences in this area are currently not sufficient to constrain or deter Russian aircraft from operating on the front line. Ukraine's ability to conduct long-range attacks on Russian strategic aircraft engaged in combat could temporarily limit Russian air operations, as it has done with tactical aircraft in the past. However, this Ukrainian strike capability cannot compensate for the critical shortage of air defence assets across the country. The Ukrainian forces have to determine how to allocate their limited air defence assets. This comes at a significant cost. To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 19 April: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov signalled Russias intent to seize Kharkiv City in a future significant Russian offensive operation, the first senior Kremlin official to outright identify the city as a possible Russian operational objective following recent Ukrainian warnings that Russian forces may attempt to seize the city starting in summer 2024. Ukrainian officials announced that Ukrainian forces downed a Russian aircraft as it conducted missile strikes against Ukraine for the first time on the night of 18-19 April, demonstrating a capability that may constrain how Russia conducts its strike campaign against Ukraine. Ukrainian air defence capabilities remain limited and degraded, however, allowing Russian aircraft to operate freely without threat on certain critical areas of the front. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine requires Western provisions of artillery ammunition, air defence materiel, long-range artillery and missile systems, and fighter aircraft as Ukrainian constraints continue due to delays in US military assistance. Pro-Russian Moldovan actors continue to set conditions to justify possible future Russian aggression in Moldova as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov compared Moldova to Ukraine and Armenia. Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Donetsk City. The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to expand the newly reformed Leningrad Military District (LMD) in preparation for an anticipated future large-scale conventional conflict with NATO. Russian officials continue to forcibly deport and Russify Ukrainian children as Ukrainian authorities work to return deported children to Ukrainian-controlled territory. Support UP or become our patron! A man was killed on 20 April as a result of the Russian military strike on the Dniprovsky district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Source: Serhii Lysak, the Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote: "The enemy attacked the Dniprovskyi district. A 54-year-old man perished. At the time of the attack, he was repairing a car nearby." Details: As a result of the strike, a fire occurred, which has already been extinguished. Support UP or become our patron! Russians destroy agricultural products on their way to Asia and Africa in Odesa Oblast port Russian missile attack on the Pivdennyi (Southern) post in Odesa Oblast on the afternoon of 19 April destroyed containers with agricultural products which were supposed to be exported to Asia and Africa. Source: press service of the Ministry of Restoration of Ukraine Quote: "Two terminals specialising in shipping of agricultural products were struck in the Pivdennyi port. One of the terminals belongs to the world famous Singapore company Delta Vilmar, which has been operating in Ukraine since 2004 and also owns several plants for processing of agricultural products. These are over US$300 million of investments and almost 1,000 [peoples] jobs." Details: The Ministry of Restoration notes that this is the 39th Russian attack on port infrastructure facilities in Odesa Oblast. In total, 215 facilities, 153 means of transport and 8 civilian vessels were damaged and partially destroyed, and 26 civilians were injured. Background: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russian forces had struck the Pivdennyi seaport on the afternoon of 19 April, hitting port facilities with missiles. Support UP or become our patron! The Russians finance a significant number of programmes aimed at "re-educating" Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories. Source: Ukrinform, citing Kateryna Rashevska, an international lawyer and expert at the Regional Center for Human Rights, during the presentation of the analytical note "Anniversary of the arrest warrants for Putin and Lvova-Belova for the deportation of Ukrainian children: what has it achieved and what comes next?" Details: Rashevska stated that Russia's approaches have changed: whereas previously they would relocate children permanently to Russian territory, now they only temporarily transport them to Russia or Belarus within "re-education" programmes. These are short-term trips lasting two to three weeks, such as "Cultural Map 85+4", "University Changes", and "More Than a Journey". The temporary relocation period is used to teach the children Russian alternative history. The human rights advocate asserts that "insane amounts" of money are spent on these trips and gifts. Quote: "This so-called re-education constitutes multiple violations of international humanitarian law. We generalise them under terms like militarisation, russification and political indoctrination of Ukrainian children. They (Russia) have created many programmes under which this is happening. And all of these programmes are exclusively targeted at children from the so-called new regions of the Russian Federation, that is, from the occupied territories of Ukraine," Rashevska noted. The expert says that the case of the deportation of Ukrainian children relies on Article 8 of the Rome Statute, a provision that establishes a list of war crimes. During the presentation of the analytical note, Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) Commissioner for Human Rights, urged diplomatic representatives of partner countries to increase pressure on the Russian Federation and to support Ukraine, particularly within the framework of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. Quote: "We continue to look for new ways and tools to hold the Russian military and political leadership accountable," said Iryna Suslova, Representative of the Ombudsman for Children's Rights. Ukrainian human rights activist Olha Aivazovska also noted that the list of perpetrators needs to be expanded. "There are many more individuals involved in the destruction of an entire generation of Ukrainian children than just two people, so international justice must expand the list of potential criminals," she said. Support UP or become our patron! MOSCOW (Reuters) - Authorities in the region of Kurgan in Russia's Urals mountains ordered an evacuation from several districts on Saturday due to rising river levels, after large snowfalls melted and heavy rain fell on ground already waterlogged before winter. Russia's Urals region and northern Kazakhstan often suffer flooding at this time of year but are seeing the worst in memory this year and authorities in Kurgan said the level of the Tobol river had already exceeded the highest level since 1994. "Now is the time to collect things and documents and find a place for pets," authorities said on the Telegram messaging app, while urging people to leave the dangerous areas. Kurgan is home to a key part of Russia's military-industrial complex - a giant factory that produces infantry fighting vehicles for the army, in high demand in Ukraine where Russian forces are on the offensive in some areas. There were no reports that the factory, Kurganmashzavod, had so far been affected. TASS news agency, citing emergency services, said the water level in the Tobol is expected to peak in the next two to three days. In Orenburg, another region affected by floods, water levels have been receding, according to authorities there. On Friday, the Orsk oil refinery, which had halted output due to the flooding, resumed fuel production. The refinery, located in the region, had previously declared force majeure on fuel supplies from April 8. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by David Holmes) Khan's opponent in next month's election says he is using the debate over the Marbles to deflect from discussing his record - HOLLIE ADAMS/REUTERS Sadiq Khan has suggested it would be lovely if people did not have to come to London to view the Elgin Marbles. In an interview with a Greek newspaper, the Mayor of London argued that the British Museums flagship treasures should be shared with Greece. He also praised George Osborne, the former Tory chancellor, who chairs the museum, for his will to reach an agreement. The intervention, less than two weeks before the mayoral election, was criticised by Conservative sources who accused Mr Khan of trying to distract from his record on crime and transport. The ongoing dispute between Greece and Britain over the marbles ownership they are also known as the Parthenon Sculptures reached a bitter low last November when Rishi Sunak cancelled talks with his Greek counterpart at the last minute. Speaking to the daily newspaper Ta Nea, Mr Khan said: I love the fact that Greeks come here to see these pieces of art, marbles, history. But wouldnt it be lovely if people didnt have to come to London to see them? People could see them in their own environment. The two-term Labour mayor added: I think it cant be beyond the wit of man to come up with a deal where these really precious, priceless Elgin Marbles can be shared. Marbles exception The marbles are subject to the 1963 British Museum Act, which prohibits the museum from disposing of its collection, except in a small number of exceptions. However, Mr Khan said: The governments got to recognise that its now 2024. I think the British Museum, the British government and the Greek government surely must be able to come up with a deal. Those three parties are run by sensible people by and large when it comes to sensible things, and they should be able to agree on a deal. He expressed hope that a Labour government led by Sir Keir Starmer would resolve the dispute and criticised the current government of being scared of its Right-wing backbenchers. He pointed to the example of the Horniman Museum in Dulwich, which has returned some of its exhibits to Russia. He also said of Mr Osbornes apparent sympathy for the idea of a deal: I think its quite clear that George Osborne theres will in there. A source close to Susan Hall, the Conservative candidate for mayor, said: Sadiq Khan will say or do just about anything to distract from his failure to tackle crime and the fact his pay-per-mile plans have been exposed. The Elgin Marbles are a beautiful collection, but Sadiq Khan wants to bring in a new tax to charge anyone coming to see them for every mile they drive in our great city. Londoners need a mayor who listens and focuses on reducing crime, scrapping the ULEZ expansion and stopping Sadiq Khans pay-per-mile plans and thats just what theyll get with Susan Hall. 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. Sagegrouse in the Grasshopper Watershed (Photo courtesy of Alliance for the Wild Rockies). The numbers dont lie and the sage grouse collaborative conservation effort is a total and on-going failure. There were 16 million Greater Sage Grouse before Europeans arrived and began the destruction of the sagebrush sea in the Great Plains. The iconic birds were down to 400,000 in 2015 when Obamas Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewell, rejected listing them for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Today there are only 200,000 left, an astounding loss of half the remaining birds in less than a decade. Yet, Bidens Bureau of Land Management director, Tracy Stone-Manning, continues to deny the abject failure of the collaborators plan claiming: Joint efforts to conserve the greater sage-grouse and its habitat led to the largest collaborative conservation effort in our history, and we are building on that work, together with our partners, to ensure the health of these lands and local economies into the future. No matter what election-year fiction Stone-Manning spreads about the great success of the collaborators plan, the reality is that sage grouse are staring extinction in the face as the Bureau of Land Management continues to cater to the cattle industry with on-going destruction of critical sage grouse habitat. Between 1966 and 2015 sage grouse populations declined by 83%, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. The 2016 State of North Americas Birds Watch List classified sage grouse as at risk of extinction without significant conservation actions to reverse declines and threats. In Montana, one of the last stands for sage grouse, their populations continue to plummet. The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks estimated there were about 51,087 sage grouse in 2023, a huge loss from the 2021 estimate of 70,287 sage grouse. Its dismaying that Stone-Manning thinks the BLM is conserving healthy sagebrush habitat when the agency continues to clearcut native sagebrush-pinon-juniper habitat and build water developments for cattle on the agencys grazing allotments. Environmental assessments have recently been issued for two BLM cattle watering projects in southwest Montana in the Grasshopper and Medicine Lodge watersheds the area where Lewis and Clark first met Sacagaweas Lemhi Shoshone people when they came through Montana in 1805. Yet, in spite of Stone-Mannings claims, there is no mention of the sage grouse conservation plan in those environmental assessments. Nor was there any analysis as to how these additional water developments will impact sage grouse, a violation of the National Environmental Policy Act. Despite BLM ignoring the issues, there are significant problems with building artificial water developments in sage grouse habitat. Cattle eat the vegetation sage grouse rely upon for hiding cover and to camouflage their nests from predators. As detailed in one of BLMs own 2023 reports, artificial water developments for livestock contribute to widespread increases in the number of ravens, which eat sage grouse eggs and chicks. Research by Coates et al. 2016 found a 45.8% increase of ravens in areas where livestock were present and that stock tanks and water troughs provide an important source of water for ravens, especially in semi-arid environments. The equation is clear: Ravens select areas near breeding locations of sage grouse because they hunt sage grouse eggs and chicks. As raven numbers increase, sage grouse nest survival decreases. When the BLM provides artificial water sources, the population of ravens increases, further diminishing reproduction of sage grouse. Stone-Manning needs a reality check instead of ignoring well-documented impacts to sage grouse survival. In the case of the Grasshopper and Medicine Lodge watersheds, the agency should be discouraging ravens in sage grouse habitat by removing water developments and cows from sage grouse mating and nesting areas. The data is indisputable: Slogans, false claims of success, and plans that are obviously not working will not restore Greater Sage Grouse. Stone-Manning and the agency she directs need to acknowledge that failure, follow the law and fully analyze the impact of their on-going livestock projects, and actually protect sage grouse habitat, not just talk about it. These are the battles we face year in, year out and unfortunately, the destruction of sage grouse habitat has not stopped, nor even slowed, under the Biden administration. You can email director Tracy Stone-Manning and let her know the collaborative conservation plan is an abject failure. And please consider helping the Daily Montanan for keeping the public informed and the Alliance for the Wild Rockies so we can continue the fight to keep sage grouse and many other native species from going extinct. The post Sage grouse collaborative conservation effort an on-going disaster appeared first on Daily Montanan. Usually, when one insider buys stock, it might not be a monumental event. But when multiple insiders are buying like they did in the case of Bango PLC (LON:BGO), that sends out a positive message to the company's shareholders. Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. View our latest analysis for Bango The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Bango Notably, that recent purchase by Frank Bury is the biggest insider purchase of Bango shares that we've seen in the last year. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is UK1.25. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. Happily, the Bango insiders decided to buy shares at close to current prices. While Bango insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Bango Insiders Bought Stock Recently It's good to see that Bango insiders have made notable investments in the company's shares. Not only was there no selling that we can see, but they collectively bought UK103k worth of shares. That shows some optimism about the company's future. Insider Ownership I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Bango insiders own 12% of the company, worth about UK11m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders. So What Do The Bango Insider Transactions Indicate? It is good to see recent purchasing. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Bango insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Our analysis shows 2 warning signs for Bango (1 is significant!) and we strongly recommend you look at these before investing. Story continues Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Bullet fragments pulled from Robin Waddells body were fired from a revolver found where Jerry Don Elders was arrested, jurors heard as the fifth day of Elders capital murder trial began Friday in a North Texas courtroom. Mateo Serfontein, a forensic firearms examiner with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office, told jurors that unique markings on the bullet fragments could have only come from that revolver. Elders is charged with capital murder after authorities said he shot Burleson police Officer Joshua Lott during a 2021 traffic stop then, later that same day, kidnapped Waddell and stole her pickup truck, shot the 60-year-old woman and left her outside the Joshua Police Department. Lott survived the three gunshot wounds. Evidence showed the same gun that killed Waddell was used to shoot the officer, according to testimony. Jurors Thursday heard that the revolver had DNA on the trigger, hammer and cylinder that matched Elders. DNA evidence also showed blood on his shirt came from Waddell. Elders was arrested in Gainesville, where he abandoned Waddells pickup truck as officers chased him and was captured a short distance away, police have said. The gun was found in the truck. Testimony from Serfontein was challenged by the defense, which questioned the reliability of firearms analysis. Serfontein maintained that his analysis of the ballistics was reliable. Visiting Judge Lee Gabriel recessed the trial in Johnson Countys 413th District Court for the weekend around noon Friday. The prosecution was expected to rest its case at the end of the day Friday but said after its last witness that it expects to rest first thing Monday morning. Prosecutors left room for possible additional witnesses, but said they dont anticipate having any. The defense told the judge it expects to rest its case at some point Monday. Closing arguments could take place Thursday, after a two-day recess on Tuesday and Wednesday. If hes convicted of capital murder, Elders faces a sentence of either the death penalty or life in prison without parole. The sentencing phase of the trial would begin if jurors return a guilty verdict. The prosecutions last witness on Friday, Dr. Michael Chaump, a forensic pathologist with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office, told the jury Waddell died from multiple gunshot wounds. Her body had three entrance wounds, he told jurors. One was to the arm, one to the back and one to the chest. Stippling wounds suggested that she was shot at close range. One entry wound was actually a re-entry wound from the round that hit her arm. Chaump testified that the wound position suggested a bullet entered her arm, exited the other side of her arm and went into her chest. One fragment of a bullet was removed from her aorta, the bodys main artery that connects directly to the heart. Chaump said there was also evidence in the autopsy showing that she received medical intervention from someone trying to save her, which a medic and doctor testified about earlier. The defense objected to parts of Chaumps testimony because he was not the physician who actually performed the autopsy. Because the doctor who did the autopsy is no longer with the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office, Chaump was assigned to review the notes, images and other information from the autopsy and form his own opinions. His testimony Friday was based largely on images of the wounds, which were shown to the jury. Throughout the first week of the trial, jurors have heard from witnesses like Lott, the police officers and detectives who investigated the shootings and a doctor and medic who treated Waddell. Jeremy Brewer, a man who was in the car with Elders during the traffic stop, told the jury that he saw Elders shoot Lott. He testified that the gunshots were so loud in the vehicle that he wouldnt have been able to tell if Elders said anything after the shooting, as he sped away from the scene. Brewer was arrested that same day on drug charges. He accepted a plea agreement for a lesser charge, in which he agreed to testify for the prosecution in Elders trial. Jurors also saw police body-worn camera footage, surveillance videos and images collected by investigators. On Wednesday, they heard from one of the sheriffs deputies in Cooke County who arrested Elders after finding him hiding in the woods and learned how investigators found the revolver in the truck authorities said Elders stole from Waddell. On Thursday, witnesses testified about the processes with which evidence in the case was collected, analyzed and preserved. Defense attorneys have regularly objected to witnesses and evidence presented in the case. Theyve questioned the legality of certain searches, the qualifications of witnesses and the legality of a search warrant to obtain a sample of Elders DNA. In most cases, their objections have been overruled. Some of the objections have led to mini courtroom dramas in which the jury has been sent out of the room so attorneys for both sides could argue case law. The frequency of the objections has sometimes visibly frustrated Gabriel, the visiting judge. By Friday, she was asking the defense to predict what objections they might have to testimony or evidence so she could rule on multiple objections without having to send the jury back and forth between the courtroom and the jury room. One of the most dramatic moments of the case unfolded Tuesday, also outside the presence of the jury, when a detective with Joshua police admitted to the court that shed watched a livestream of the trial on Monday, even though Gabriel told her earlier that day she was prohibited from sitting in on the trial, watching video of it or reading about it. The jury was sent home early that day and Gabriel heard the questions from the state and the testimony Detective Lee Sosebee would give if allowed. Gabriel ruled Wednesday morning that Sosebee could testify with tight restrictions, but the prosecution did not call her to the stand. Sosebee was warned by Gabriel on Tuesday that her actions constituted contempt of court and could result in a fine or jail time. She told the detective she would decide on any consequences after the conclusion of the trial. Throughout the first week of the trial, Elders sat at the defense table slouched with a somber expression on his face when the jury was in the courtroom. When the jury wasnt there, Elders sat up taller with his shoulders back and could occasionally be seen smiling, talking and laughing with defense attorneys. This satellite photo taken by Planet Labs PBC shows Israel's Nevatim air base on Friday, April 19, 2024. An Iranian attack on an Israeli desert air base as part of Tehran's unprecedented assault on the country damaged a taxiway, a satellite image analyzed by The Associated Press on Saturday shows. (Planet Labs PBC via AP) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) An Iranian attack on an Israeli desert air base last week as part of Tehran's unprecedented assault on the country damaged a taxiway, a satellite image analyzed by The Associated Press on Saturday shows. The overall damage done to Nevatim air base in southern Israel was minor despite Iran launching hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Israeli air defenses and fighter jets, backed by the U.S., the United Kingdom and neighboring Jordan, shot down the vast majority of the incoming fire. But the Iranian attack last weekend showed Tehran's willingness to use its vast arsenal of ballistic missiles directly against Israel as tensions remain high across the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. An apparent Israeli retaliatory attack Friday on Isfahan, Iran, and Tehran's low-key response to it suggest both countries want to dial back their long-running shadow war for now though risks of a wider conflagration in the region remain. The Planet Labs PBC image, taken Friday for the AP, shows fresh blacktop across a taxiway near hangars at the southern part of Nevatim air base, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Jerusalem. The daily newspaper Haaretz, which published lower-resolution images of the site Thursday, identified the hangars nearby as housing C-130 cargo aircraft flown by transport squadrons. The satellite image corresponds to footage earlier released by the Israeli military, which showed construction equipment working on the damaged taxiway. A hangar in the background of the video mirrors those seen nearby. Other images released by the Israeli military showed a crater in the sand and damage under what appeared to be a wall that it said came from the Iranian attack. The little visible damage seen at the air base in the satellite image directly contradicts Iran's efforts to portray the attack as a great victory to a public alienated by the Islamic Republic's cratering economy and its heavy-handed crackdowns on dissent in recent years. This operation became a sign of the power of the Islamic Republic and its armed forces," Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Friday. It also showed the steely determination of our nation and our wise leader, the commander of all forces. However, it does show Iran's arsenal has the ability to reach Israel, as the April 13 attack marked the first direct military assault on the country by a foreign nation since Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched Scud missiles at Israel in the 1991 Gulf War. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) An elaborate scam circulating North Alabama is designed to make you think youre going to jail, but really, someone is trying to steal thousands of dollars from your bank account. First, you receive what appears to be a real arrest warrant. Then, you get a phone call telling you to meet someone and pay them so you will not be arrested. Jury unable to reach verdict in trial of man accused in Florence murder The scammers may tell you to meet them at a convenience store or gas station. Sometimes the location appears more legitimate, like outside of a police department or county courthouse. Never agree to meet and pay a person based on a phone call or something you receive in the mail. Scammers make the situation feel urgent, and they may involve documents most people are unfamiliar with, like warrants. They prey on peoples fear, I think, Madison County District Judge Ron Smith said. People get fearful, and then, theyre telling them heres a solution. You just need to get someone to come meet me and pay me, and thatll take care of it all. The fake warrant in this case claimed the person who received it missed jury duty, but another similar scam may say you didnt pay a parking ticket. Downtown Huntsville hosts 18-hole mini golf course FORE free Smith said the imitation document appears real. The warrant includes a Madison County judges signature, a seal and an arresting officer. It lists that the recipients bond is set at $25,000. Everything looks to be above board, Smith said. The only thing that would indicate that it might not be legitimate is just one little minor detail. Smith pointed out an FDIC logo. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation may be relevant when dealing with a bank, but the organization has nothing to do with issuing warrants. Furthermore, Smith said the punishment does not fit the crime of which the scammer accuses. Theyre not going to issue a warrant for your arrest, Smith said. Its not going to include somebody calling you on your personal cell phone and saying meet me at a gas station. Police do not send warrants out through the mail. Smith said you should ask questions if you are ever suspicious of something you are told through the mail or on the phone. You can call your county courthouse, local police department or a lawyer. If you would like to report a scam to the Better Business Bureau, click here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Scholz: War in Ukraine could last several more years German Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes part in the readers' debate of the daily newspaper "Freie Presse" in Chemnitz. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz believes that the war in Ukraine could drag on for several more years; nobody could say whether this war might not even last five years, for example, Scholz said on Friday evening in the eastern city of Chemnitz. He defended Germany's military support for Ukraine. In addition, diplomacy must be cultivated, he added. Since the beginning of the war, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin had shown no signs of movement, he said. A dictated peace is unacceptable, emphasized Scholz: "He must not be allowed to get away with this." Scholz was a guest on Friday evening at a panel discussion organized by the Freie Presse (Free Press) newspaper entitled "Germany under pressure. How can the [government] coalition act under new conditions?" According to the information provided, the debate was followed by around 200 readers of the newspaper and other invited guests. The discussion was also livestreamed on the internet. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes part in the readers' debate of the daily newspaper "Freie Presse" in Chemnitz. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa Scholz: War in Ukraine could last several more years German Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes part in the readers' debate of the daily newspaper "Freie Presse" in Chemnitz. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz believes that the war in Ukraine could drag on for several more years; Nobody could say whether this war might not even last five years, for example, Scholz said on Friday evening in the eastern city of Chemnitz. He defended Germany's military support for Ukraine. In addition, diplomacy must be cultivated, he added. Since the beginning of the war, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin had shown no signs of movement, he said. A dictated peace is unacceptable, emphasized Scholz: "He must not be allowed to get away with this." Scholz was a guest on Friday evening at a panel discussion organized by the Freie Presse (Free Press) newspaper entitled "Germany under pressure. How can the [government] coalition act under new conditions?" According to the information provided, the debate was followed by around 200 readers of the newspaper and other invited guests. The discussion was also livestreamed on the internet. Scholz said earlier Friday that talks with Chinese officials about the war in Ukraine during his recent trip provided a "very important boost" for diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Scholz emphasized that he was in agreement with the Chinese leadership on the need for peace conferences in Switzerland to discuss the war. "[Diplomatic efforts are] something that is indispensable in this laborious process, and I am grateful that Germany, and I personally, were also able to make a contribution," Scholz said. Scholz said that the diplomatic efforts were "still a plant that needs a lot of watering ... but it is something that exists and that we are nurturing." Switzerland is planning a peace summit for June 15 and 16, to which it intends to invite around 100 countries, including Ukraine. Russia is not expected to attend, but countries that have friendly ties with Russia, such as China, Brazil and South Africa, could join. During his visit to Beijing on Tuesday, Scholz agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping to coordinate "intensively and positively" on the upcoming peace summit and possible further conferences. But the prospects for results are not strong: After more than two years of intense fighting in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday reasserted Moscow's claimed right to rule over its neighbour. At most, the future of western Ukraine is unclear, Lavrov told several Russian broadcasters in an interview in Moscow. Otherwise, there will only be a Ukraine "that is truly Russian, that wants to be part of the Russian world, that wants to speak Russian and educate its children," he said. There was no question of any alternative, according to Lavrov, 74, who has served as foreign minister since 2004 and is a staunch supporter and confidant of Putin. Russia does not want to attack NATO states, as is claimed in the West to scare voters, Lavrov said. "But if they want to push NATO's borders to our borders, then we will of course know how to prevent that in Ukraine," Lavrov said. Like other senior members of the leadership, Lavrov said Russia was ready for talks with Ukraine, but only under specific conditions. There would be no ceasefire during possible negotiations, talks with Zelensky are pointless, and Kiev would have to move away from his peace formula, he said. In the autumn of 2022, Zelensky drew up 10 points that included the withdrawal of Russian troops, reconstruction and reparations, and the prosecution of war criminals. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes part in the readers' debate of the daily newspaper "Freie Presse" in Chemnitz. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa KANSAS CITY, Mo. Within the last week, three kids have been killed or injured in the Kansas City metro by gun violence. Members of the community have been left asking how can we prevent this from happening in the future and why does this keep happening? No specific answers have been provided. But, in the midst of all these tragedies, the Kansas City metro has taken matters into its own hands. Deadly crash between train, vehicle investigated in south Kansas City Several violence prevention and advocacy groups have formed in Kansas City over the years. This includes the Ewing Marion Kauffman Schools Community Violence Workshop. This event, hosted on Saturday, took place just days after an EMKS student fell victim to one of the shootings of last week. 11-year-old Kourtney Freeman was killed inside her Kansas City, Missouri home on Wednesday, April 10. Her 12th birthday was only a short month away, and she was in her fifth year at EMKS. Freemans death is taking its toll on her fellow students. Thats the Kourtney that I knew, Alex Haynes, a sixth-grader at the Ewing Marion Kauffman School said. Just passionate and kind, always respectful. Its just hard to see her gone. The schools Community Violence Workshop took place from 8:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. and included presentations from community leaders and a student panel, provided networking and fellowship opportunities, and served food through the EMKS food pantry. Kourtney is one of those young ladies that justice, social justice, those kinds of things were very important to her, Teresa Fliger, the founder of Kauffman Cares said. For kids, they need to have a sense of purpose and a sense of contribution. They dont have to wait for adults to do that, there are things that they can be doing. Fliger told us that the students in the group are still wrestling with Kourtneys death. A lot of the kids are coming in going, Im afraid, Im afraid Im going to be the next person thats going to be hurt. One of her Kauffman Cares peers, 5th grader Rikai Mason, remembered her leadership. KC-area natives Finnegan, Jeffrey help LSU gymnastics win first NCAA title She played the number one role in everything that we did, Mason said. And she tried her best to stop the violence. So the way she died, why did that have to happen to her? Haynes was close with Freeman, he said that shell be dearly missed. Its like a hole in your heart and its not going to get filled back, he said. You got to remember the good times. How she would fight for people. Theres not another Kourtney. Theres not a lot of people just like her Open to all members of the community, the workshop included information about the causes and impacts of violence on all people, especially children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), homicide, which often involves weapons such as knives and firearms, is among the top four causes of death in adolescents, with boys comprising over 80% of victims and perpetrators. 2023 set a record high in Kansas City for homicides, reaching a total of 182 by the end of the year. Within that statistic, 10% of the victims were between the ages of zero and 17. Dozens of lakefront Ray County property owners facing likely eviction On Tuesday night, 5-year-old Mari Scott died in what police call an accidental shooting, and on Wednesday, a 6-year-old boy was shot off his bicycle and is now in critical condition at a local hospital. These shootings have large effects on not just the families and friends of the victims, but also the communities around them. The negative effects of violence are incredibly vast. For children, it can result in death, lead to severe injuries, impair brain and nervous system development, result in negative coping and health risk behaviors, lead to unintended pregnancies, contribute to a wide range of non-communicable diseases and impact opportunities and future generations, according to WHO. Suspect in custody, second suspect sought following threat at KCK middle school There are several resources and programs available throughout the metro to get involved and aid in the effort to prevent violence in communities and against children. Some of these include kcmo.gov, jacksoncountycombat.com, kccommongood.org and more. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Serenity Seigel was 7 years old when she started worrying about a mass shooting at her school. Her fears were sparked by the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, which left 20 children and six adults dead. As she grew up, she continued to see gun violence in the news, and in 2018, the Valentine's Day mass shooting in Parkland, Florida left her anxious and worried about violence in her own North Indiana community. In her freshman year of high school, she and her fellow students were shown a video simulation that showed their classmates playing dead while a police officer in a ski mask prowled the halls. Immediately following the screening, Seigel and her classmates practiced a lockdown procedure, hiding in the dark while a school official rattled doorknobs. "Seeing a video that felt so real and seeing a gunman in the hallways of a school that I walk around every single day and people that I've grown up going to school with laying on the ground acting as if they're dead was way too realistic for my anxious brain to be able to handle," Seigel, now 19, told CBS News. When the lights came back on, Seigel expected that she and her classmates would be able to talk about what they had just gone through but instead, she said, class resumed as normal, and her third-period Spanish class began taking a test that she said she did terribly on because she was so rattled by the drill. Students across the United States have experienced fear and anxiety like Seigel's, especially as lockdown drills have become common in the 25 years since the Columbine High School massacre, which left 12 students, one teacher and the two perpetrators dead. At the time, it was the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, and remains one of the most high-profile mass shootings. The trauma of the day was immortalized in live reports that were widely broadcast on local and national news, and the police response to the shooting led to the development of new policies to handle such incidents. Columbine High School. / Credit: CBS News Before the Columbine shooting, schools practiced drills for fires and natural disasters. After the 1999 massacre, states enacted lockdown and active shooter drills, according to a report from the Federal School Safety Commission. As of 2024, about 95% of public schools in the U.S. practiced active shooter or lockdown drills in the 2015-2016 academic year, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, with more than 40 states requiring such drills. Research suggests that the drills can impact students' mental health negatively, and there have been calls for change that could make the drills less upsetting. How drills can affect students' mental health There's no shortage of research showing that teens in the United States are stressed, according to Dr. Christine Crawford, a psychiatrist at Boston Medical Center and the associate medical director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Not all of that stress and anxiety can be attributed to lockdown drills and fears of school shootings, Crawford said, but they don't help. "Kids are able to access information about things that are happening around the world more so now than ever, ever before," said Crawford. "There is this constant concern that something is going to happen right in their backyard, because data suggests that's a possibility. (Between) using social media, watching the news, and hearing their caregivers talk, they're just constantly surrounded and inundated with messages that the world is unsafe, and that it's full of uncertainty." Lockdown drills can trigger the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes emotions including fear, Crawford said. This can make it less likely that students will actually learn from a lockdown drill. "They're going to experience trauma from this event, because it's activating all these stress responses in their brain and in their body," she said. "When it keeps happening, the same response is going to happen as well. They're going to keep freezing, they're going to keep fleeing. They're not actually going to be able to take the steps that I imagine school administrators are hoping students would take." Students are also typically expected to perform these drills and then go on with their school days as if nothing has happened, clinical psychiatrist and Duke University professor Robin Gurwitch, even though they may deal with the fear and stressors Crawford outlined. It's something high school senior Jordyne Lewis has experienced since she and her classmates were placed in soft lockdown for five hours in 2022 after someone reported a credible threat to the school. "I'm a little bit more heightened to it. When I hear about a drill, it does bring back those memories and make me think about the chance that I may be hurt," said Lewis, who serves on the National Youth Advisory Board for Sandy Hook Promise. "I do have that new fear in place, because I've been through it before." There are ways schools could help protect students' mental health while still conducting what Lewis referred to as the "necessary evil" of lockdown drills, Crawford and Gurwitch said. Both recommended that schools make sure students and their parents know when a drill is scheduled so that they can be prepared for it. Allowing students time to decompress after the drill is also helpful, Gurwitch said. "(Turning stress) on and off that fast is unrealistic for adults, and it's definitely unrealistic for kids," said Gurwitch, who is also a senior adviser at the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. "There needs to be something after these drills, at least a little bit of 'What was that like for you? Let's practice some breathing to calm our bodies and resume our day.' There needs to be a recognition that students did well. For some students, that activation (of stress) may last a little longer and we can help if we see that students are continuing to struggle." Why drills can differ so widely A major problem with lockdown and active shooter drills is that there's no standardized practice for them, experts said. Most often, the drills focus on teaching students where to hide in case of an emergency. Some schools might hold simulated drills, like the ones Siegel experienced. Recently, an elementary school in California made headlines when its principal reportedly pretended to shoot at students and teachers, according to Los Angeles station KTLA. Gurwitch said there is "zero reason ever" for drills like this, and said that they can be even more upsetting for students and teachers who have already experienced traumatic events. Some legislation to standardize active shooter or lockdown drills has been put forward. A bill recently introduced in California would require that schools give advance warning of drills and ban the use of fake gunfire. Indiana recently enacted a law based on model legislation from Sandy Hook Promise meant to ensure that drills are "conducted in ways that limit trauma," according to a news release from the organization. What experts say could make drills easier on students Some schools are working to conduct drills that don't upset students but still teach them what they need to know. Abby Clements, an elementary school teacher in Newtown, Connecticut, said that since the Sandy Hook shooting, her school has focused on making sure lockdown and active shooter drills are "done through a trauma-informed lens." That includes only doing one such drill a year, and making sure that students know they're not in any danger. When students practice their evacuation route, Clements said teachers focus on making it "like a stroll" and ensuring that students know they know where they should go without making it seem "scary." "It's crazy what we're doing. And you know, I'm not saying get rid of (lockdown drills). That's not what anybody is saying. Instead, let's do it in a trauma-informed way," said Clements, who had huddled with her students at Sandy Hook Elementary as the massacre unfolded. "If you're imparting trauma by doing something to prevent trauma then what are we doing?" It's not just changing up the methodology of lockdown and active shooter drills. In some schools, the entire classroom atmosphere is being shifted to focus more on mental health and wellness. Gurwitch helped develop a program to teach adults a trauma-informed set of skills that they can use to "form positive, supportive and trusting relationships" with students. Michelle Estrada, a teacher in a Florida elementary school, told CBS News that her school started using Gurwitch's CARE in the Classroom program at the start of the 2023-2024 school year. The use of the program has made it easier for kids to talk about their stressors - including lockdown drills. In her school, lockdown drills are immediately followed by fire drills, so the students are dealing with "back-to-back trauma," Estrada explained. Now, students and teachers will return to the classroom and "debrief" from the drills, Estrada said, giving students a chance to talk about their experience and thoughts. "They're able to have open conversations and not feel like they can't ask questions or express how they're feeling about what just happened," Estrada said. "It makes it easier to have those tougher conversations." Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct a reference to Los Angeles TV station KTLA. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo: The 60 Minutes Interview "Blind trust": Widow's $1.5 million romance scam story serves as cautionary tale Number of U.S. measles cases continues to rise Beyond Neptune Scientists have long been hunting for a hidden planet out in the furthest reaches of our Solar System and new research suggests with even more credibility that it actually is out there. In two new papers one published in the Astronomical Journal and another shared but not yet peer-reviewed the scientists responsible for popularizing the theory of a so-called "Planet 9" argue that the hidden world may have been right under our noses this whole time. The crux of the theory, as Caltech planetary researchers and paper coauthors Caltech's Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown have long claimed, relies on what are known as "trans-Neptunian objects," or TNOs, that lie beyond the planet of Neptune in the outer edges of our solar system. As Scientific American notes in its reporting on the new research, the most important of these TNOs is Sedna, a dwarf planet Caltech researchers discovered in 2004 that's considered the most distant object ever discovered in the Solar System. It has a very wonky orbit respective to the other things that make their way around our Sun, and as scientists began to discover more of these sorts of objects, a pattern emerged that suggested that something was affecting their elliptical axes. Planetary Gambit Named as a bit of a joke in the direction of planetary scientists chagrined at the de-planetification of Pluto in 2006, Planet 9 or P9 as it's affectionately called arose as a sort of Schrodinger's Planet, SciAm explains. What if, as the Caltech researchers began to wonder, a planet was affecting the orbits of TNOs? Thus far, nobody has directly observed such a planet, but in the new papers that both deal with the search for P9, Batygin and Brown maintain that after looking at more and more TNOs, the best and simplest explanation for their strange orbits is that they're caught up in the "gravitational perturbations" of a planet we haven't yet spotted. The next steps, as the researchers behind the papers urge, is to utilize the power of the next generations of space observatories to try to find it though as they caution, it still may be a while before P9, or whatever is affecting the TNOs, is detected. In particular, Batygin, Brown, et al are excited about the upcoming Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile, which is slated to be turned on in 2025 and will "be sensitive to all but the faintest and most northern predicted positions," as they predict in the Astronomical Journal. "This upcoming phase of exploration," they wrote in the arXiv paper, "promises to provide critical insights into the mysteries of our solar systems outer reaches." More on our home galaxy: Ancient Structures Wound Together to Form Our Galaxy, Astronomers Find MOUNT DORA Who killed Nicole Baldwin and where are her remains? Those are the questions that have stumped police, who first reported the 41-year-old as missing and later as a homicide victim in November. It is not as if they havent tried to find the answers. On April 12, the Mount Dora Police Department teamed up with dive teams from Lake, Sumter, Seminole and Volusia law enforcement agencies to search lakes at Loch Leven, a subdivision next to where she lived on Swathmore Circle in the Lancaster subdivision off County Road 44. Divers had searched lakes behind her home a few months ago. Its extremely hard to solve a homicide without any remains, so were going to continue to look, Mount Dora Detective Gary Hutcheson told reporters at a press conference. A bulletin put out by Mount Dora police on Nov. 5 said Baldwin was last seen on Nov. 2 by her 20-year-old daughter the day before. Baldwin is the mother of three children. Alisha is 20. The bulletin showed a photo of Baldwin smiling and holding a cat. The bulletin said she was last seen wearing a pink nightgown, which was shown in a photo that accompanied the bulletin. She was not wearing shoes. Police said all of her personal belongings, including her purse, wallet, and Apple watch, were found in the house. Her car was not taken. Nicole has a tattoo of a rose on her right hand and flowers on her left shoulder going down to her elbow. Crimeline is offering a $5,000 reward. People can call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS or criminal investigators at the Mount Dora Police Department at 352-735-7130, or policedeptcidemail@cityofmountdora.com. Terri Rogers has organized community search efforts, including the one on April 12. She has told reporters that she does not know Nicole but wanted to help after her niece disappeared in Polk County. In January, she was dismayed when police searched her home and computer. Ive not done anything wrong, she told a WKMG Channel 6 reporter. Alisha reportedly joined the search for her mother on April 12. Nicole's husband, Brett, was arrested the following month on federal child pornography charges. The department has said the charges against Brett were unrelated to his wife's disappearance. However, Detective Gary Hutcheson told the Daily Commercial that the search for Nichole led to his arrest. A federal grand jury indicted him on four counts of possessing images of children younger than 12 engaging in sexual acts on the following dates: Nov. 28, Dec. 9, Dec. 10 and Dec. 11. Investigators seized two Apple phones, according to federal court records. He remains in jail in Ocala, where he will be prosecuted by attorneys with the Middle District of Florida. The family moved to Lake County a few years ago from Pennsylvania. She was not working when she disappeared, Hutcheson said. Hutcheson has declined to say if investigators have any persons of interest or suspects, or to say what steps have been taken in trying to find Nicole Baldwin. All the information we have obtained to secure search warrants and the reports themselves have been sealed by the court. If we start releasing information it could jeopardize the sealed data, he said. This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Police ask: Who killed Nicole Baldwin and where are her remains? Grant Cardone Speaker, business consultant and real estate investor Grant Cardone advises others on how to get into real estate with no money. His main advice on real estate investing? Buy apartment complexes. Discover More: Check Your $2 Bills They Could Be Worth a Ton Check Out: 6 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money Why? In previous interviews, Cardone said, I think that people dont even want single-family homes anymore. I think the preferred way of living is going to be an apartment complex. The speakers real estate investing courses sales pages say theyll teach you how to increase returns, increase positive cash flow and assure a two-to-three-times increase in returns. Here are his tips on how to get rich by investing in real estate as a passive income. Sponsored: Protect Your Wealth With A Gold IRA. Take advantage of the timeless appeal of gold in a Gold IRA recommended by Sean Hannity. 1. Get Into Apartment Complex Investing If youre completely new to apartment complex real estate investing, Cardones book, How to Create Wealth Investing in Real Estate, is a good introductory guide into that niche. Cardones first apartment deal was in San Diego, California, for $1.9 million and 38 units. Cardone also suggests getting involved with investors like him in some of his videos. Hes looking to fund real estate deals with 200 units or more in an area with positive migration. 2. Look For No Money Down Deals Or look for opportunities to put a little bit of money down. Theyre all over the place, he says. You can get started with duplexes, fourplexes, vet loans, and single-family homes. But ideally, youre buying apartment complexes. Some of them might be almost no money down deals. 3. The Real Estate Deal Itself Will Determine How Much You Can Get From the Bank When you get the right deal, youll have money from a number of sources that can help fund that deal. It could be from several banks-a savings and loan, local credit unions, lenders, or perhaps a HUD loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 4. Ask Family and Friends For Money Approach your family and friends for a loan to invest in real estate. If your dad has $10,000 sitting in the bank and isnt earning much interest on it, ask him for the money and explain that you can help him get 12 percent back on it in one year, Cardone suggests in a video. 5. Join a Real Estate Investing Club These are where real estate investors who are serious about investing in real estate hang out. Get around people who are buying deals, funding deals, and investing in deals. Story continues 6. Get Involved in Syndicated Real Estate Deals These are national. Syndicators in your market will have access to money to help you invest in real estate opportunities. They offer investment opportunities with larger deals, like apartment buildings and student housing. 7. Buy High, Sell High Make premium investments and take big positions. Be prepared to pay premium prices for something youll reap the benefits from. If you buy small deals, they wont make you any money 8. Invest With Cardones Company In his book, Cardone suggests readers put money into a Cardone Capital fund for him (and his business associates to invest) to invest it for you. Its like investing in a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust). More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Grant Cardones Advice on Becoming Wealthy With Real Estate CHICAGO Police are asking for help in the search for a man who officers say has been missing for over two weeks. According to Chicago police, officers are searching for 69-year-old Carter Martin, who has been missing from the area of West 80th Street & South Wood Street, in the citys Auburn Gresham neighborhood, since Thursday, April 4. Officers say the missing man is known to frequent areas near West 76th Street & South Racine Avenue. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Police say Martin, who has black and grey hair and brown eyes, has an unsteady walk and may appear disoriented. Officers say he also has a shortened index finger. Search underway for 69-year-old man missing for over 2 weeks In a photo provided by Chicago police, Martin can be seen with a mustache, however, it is unclear if he had one at the time of his disappearance. Authorities were not able to provide a description of what Martin was last seen wearing. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Police notified the public about Martins disappearance in a news release on Thursday evening. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of 69-year-old Carter Martin is asked to contact the CPD Area 2 SVU at 312-747-8274 or dial 911. Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. CONTENT WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO Wild bodycam footage has been released showing the moment police in Seattle gunned down an alleged sex predator who pulled a gun on them during a sting operation during which the suspect reportedly thought he was meeting up with two underage girls. The suspect, 67, arrived at a DoubleTree Suites hotel in Tukwila at around 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday under the impression that he was meeting two young girls, ages 7 and 11, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) says. He knocked on a hotel room door, where he was met by multiple SPD officers with the Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce who were undercover and waiting to arrest him. SEATTLE IMPLEMENTING NATION'S FIRST POLICY ON POLICE RUSES Dramatic bodycam footage shows the moment police in Seattle gunned down an alleged sex predator who pulled a gun on them during a sting operation. As police opened the door, the suspect pulled out a gun as one of the officers tried to wrest the firearm away from the suspect, video shows. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP A gunshot rang out as two other officers could be seen unloading several rounds onto the suspect, killing him at the scene. "Shots fired, shots fired, suspect down," one officer could be heard saying. One of the officers was grazed by a bullet during the deadly incident, but is expected to recover. "For our officers, these situations are dangerous, unpredictable, and can escalate rapidly," SPD Chief Adrian Diaz, adding that internet crimes against children are up 67% from 2022 to 2023. It is unclear what the suspect had been accused of doing or what led police to set up the undercover operation. Eric Wehrmeister, a man who was staying at the hotel, said he saw the quick-moving situation unfold. "I was running, I could see someone firing a gun," Wehrmeister told KOMO. "There was a rapid succession of gunfire. Good thing they were shooting away from my room. You know it couldve been a lot worse." SEATTLE POLICE MEMO SHOWS DEFUNDED FORCE STOPPED INVESTIGATING NEW ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULTS THIS YEAR Nicole Parker, a former FBI special agent, tells Fox News Digital that the officers had to react to the fast-moving situation in a split-second. "Praise to these cops at the Seattle Police Department for their quick reflexes and neutralizing the threat immediately so no one else was harmed," Parker says. "Sadly, in light of countless recent line-of-duty law enforcement officer deaths, we know it doesnt always work out this way." Parker says that child pedophile offenders are often the most dangerous criminals and can put police in life-threatening situations. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP Nicole Parker, a former FBI special agent, says child predators are some of the most dangerous criminals. "They know when they are caught - theyre going away for a long time and they have nothing to lose," Parker says, noting that two of her former FBI special agent colleagues were shot dead while executing a search warrant for a child predator three years ago. She says the moment police feel their lives are in danger, they are trained to react. "An officer does not have to wait to be fired at before deadly force is justified," Parker says. "Officers apply deadly force until the subject no longer presents a threat and in this instance, it appears that is exactly what they did. This was a lawful use of deadly force." Original article source: Seattle police fatally shoot alleged pedophile during brief standoff, dramatic footage shows TikToks days may be numbered after the House approved legislation Saturday that would ban the popular social media app nationwide unless its Chinese owners sell. Under the measure, which passed on a bipartisan 360-to-58 vote, TikTok's parent company ByteDance has up to a year to divest before the prohibition begins. President Joe Biden has already expressed support for the effort, which Speaker Mike Johnson attached to a larger foreign aid package that includes three bills that separately provides billions for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region. A previous version passed by the House earlier this year gave ByteDance six months to sell, but that plan stalled in the Senate. Given that this measure is attached to the foreign aid package, it will be difficult for Congress' upper chamber to ignore. Roughly 170 million Americans use TikTok, which has sparked a major debate in the country that has pitted First Amendment advocates against those with growing national security concerns. 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. "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," TikTok said Saturday in statement to USA Today. Free speech v. national security concerns 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. Critics have argued for more than a year how ByteDance could hand over a user's personal information to China and its communist-led government. As of yet there is no public evidence that the app is being used to spy on U.S. citizens, but Forbes Magazine reported this month how TikTok had mishandled the data for top advertisers. Those who oppose the legislation, such as U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, say it will unconstitutionally restrict Americans' free speech rights, and could impact small business owners who benefit from using the platform. If the ban takes hold it would mark the first time the U.S. government has shut down an entire social media app, which is likely to ignite a legal battle in the courts. A Pew Research poll released last December showed 38% of Americans supported banning TikTok compared to 27% who oppose and 35% who are unsure about the idea. That is down when compared to the 50% who said Congress should get ride of the app in March last year. The survey also found those attitudes flip when U.S. adults under age 30 were asked. Among younger Americans, 41% oppose a ban versus 29% who support and 30% who remain unsure. Reporter Riley Beggin and Jessica Guynn contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House approves bill that could ban TikTok in the United States Sheriff: Person of interest in deadly carjacking, kidnapping in custody; search underway for 2 more Update: Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma announced during a Friday afternoon news conference that a person of interest has been named in a deadly carjacking and kidnapping that happened last week. Lemma said that Jordanish Torres-Garcia -- who is now in custody -- has been named a person of interest in connection with the carjacking and kidnapping of Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, 31. Investigators said she was kidnapped at gunpoint shortly before 6 p.m. April 11 at East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road near Winter Springs. She was later found dead. Lemma said that sweatshirt of the person seen kidnapping Aguasvivas matches one that Torres-Garcia is seen wearing in his Facebook profile photo. Read: Orange County deputy leaves jail after paying bail The sheriff said investigators are still searching for two more people in connection with the case, including a man with whom Aguasvivas FaceTimed while driving through downtown Orlando on Interstate 4. Lemma said investigators raided the mans Casselberry home, where they found fentanyl and a gun unrelated to the case. He faces charges in connection with those discoveries. The sheriff said that the mans girlfriend is now in custody after having received a delivery of 3 kilos of cocaine in Osceola County. Read: Company that towed kidnapping Acura was known for strict paperwork policies, industry insiders say Lemma said they continue to search for another person who was in the vehicle following Aguasvivas before she was carjacked and kidnapped. We still dont know yet who the other occupant in the green Acura is, he said. Well continue to work that part of the investigation. Lemma said investigators also learned that Aguasvivas, who is from from South Florida, did not travel to Central Florida to visit relatives as first though -- instead, she was in the area to deliver money and other stuff to a friend. Read: Deputy arrested, sheriff says murdered tow truck driver may be linked to carjacking victims death Watch live updates on Channel 9 Eyewitness News. See the sheriffs full news conference below: Earlier story: Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma is scheduled to give an update Friday afternoon on a deadly carjacking and kidnapping that happened last week. Investigators said Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, 31, was carjacked at gunpoint shortly before 6 p.m. April 11 at East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road near Winter Springs. They said cellphone video showed someone in a 2002 green Acura driving behind her and hitting her car from behind. Investigators said De Aguasvivas called her husband for help, and he told her to stop her vehicle. They said they believe that a person who was in the Acura pointed a gun at De Aguasvivas and got into her back seat. At gunpoint, De Aguasvivas drove through multiple counties until they reached Osceola County, where the car was found on fire. Investigators said De Aguasvivas had traveled to Central Florida from South Florida, arriving at the Orlando area at about 2 p.m. Thursday. They said that she had stopped at a Shell gas station to refuel her vehicle shortly before being carjacked. Deputies said Friday that a body was later found in the burning car in Osceola County and that the vehicle matched the description of the white Dodge Durango that she was driving. Click here to stream it live, and watch a full report on Channel 9 Eyewitness News at 4. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate passed a controversial bill to extend government spy powers for another two years, capping a tumultuous journey through Congress just hours after a midnight Friday expiration date. The bill passed 60-34 through the upper chamber with bipartisan support. Those who voted against the measure included a coalition of senators on the far left and right of their parties, including Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and Mike Lee, R-Utah. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the measure into law, concluding a journey rife with debate that created unlikely bedfellows between civil-liberty-minded Democrats and Republicans concerned about the expansion of government surveillance powers. Intelligence committee members and defense hawks lined up with leadership in support of the package, who argue it is critical for combatting terrorism and detecting foreign spies. The bill would extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows the federal government to gather communications between people living outside and inside the U.S. without a warrant. Some surveilled foreigners often also interact with Americans, and those communications can also be picked up, though the government cannot specifically target Americans. Intelligence officials say the law plays a vital role in identifying and combatting national security threats, but privacy advocates have long pushed for the addition of a warrant requirement and raised concerns about improper use of the surveillance law. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump listens as Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks during a press conference at Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on April 12, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. They spoke about "election integrity," which has been one of the former president's top issues. The House passed the reauthorization bill 273-147 last week after three failed attempts. The process was complicated by former President Donald Trump, who wields immense influence over Congressional Republicans, who posted on Truth Social that Republicans should "KILL FISA." In the Senate, consideration dragged out for days and pitted key Democrats against leadership and the White House. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. and several conservative senators proposed amendments to the bill that the Biden Administration actively campaigned against. One major flashpoint became a provision authored by House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner, R-Ohio, that critics argue would dramatically expand surveillance authorities. "This amendment that was stuffed into the bill by the chairman in the House is one of the worst ideas I've seen," Wyden said Thursday. "It is sweeping in terms of the number of people it brings into this position of Big Brother and having to spy for their government." Leaders said those changes in the Senate weren't necessary and would hurt American interests. But they also feared that one of the amendments might actually pass if put up for a vote, forcing the bill back to the House for reconsideration and causing Congress to miss the expiration deadline. "It's just unnecessary and destroys the purpose of the program," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Thursday. However, multiple amendments were put up for a vote Friday night and failed, including those proposed by Durbin and Wyden. Because any one senator can prevent leadership from speeding up the process of considering legislation, the Senate slogged through much of the time necessary to pass the bill in the upper chamber and finally passed it early Saturday morning. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Senate approves controversial spying law for two more years President Joe Biden signed the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act just hours after it passed the Senate in an early-morning session on Saturday. Pool photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI April 20 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden on Saturday signed the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act hours after its passage in the Senate, renewing a controversial but reformed warrantless surveillance law. Biden swiftly signed the measure into law after the Senate approved it in an early-morning session. Despite misgivings from both sides of the aisle, the Senate reauthorized the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act's warrantless surveillance of foreigners located outside the United States. The chamber voted 60-34 to approve House Resolution 7888 shortly the existing FISA authorization expired and following several hours of debate on the Senate floor. The resolution, called the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, renews FISA's Section 702 after reforming it to protect U.S. citizens against unconstitutional invasions of privacy by the federal government in response to critics concerned about past privacy abuses. Attorney Gen. Merrick Garland on Saturday praised the Senate's late-night reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, extending its provisions allowing warrantless surveillance of foreign targets located outside the United States. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI Its passage ensures "our security professionals can continue to rely on Section 702 to detect grave national security threats and use that understanding to protect the United States," National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement Saturday. The act "will retain essential authority to understand and protect against a wide range of dangerous threats to Americans while enhancing safeguards for privacy and civil liberties through the most robust set of reforms ever included in legislation to reauthorize Section 702," Sullivan added. The resolution had bipartisan support with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., urging support for its passage to protect national security. Opponents said the FISA law previously led to abuse of U.S. citizens' privacy rights through federal surveillance that gathered internet and cell phone data on foreign individuals and entities that U.S. citizens might contact for legitimate reasons. Addressing the concerns, the resolution includes "important reforms" that "ensure the protection of Americans' privacy and civil liberties," Attorney Gen. Merrick Garland said in a statement Saturday. "This reauthorization of Section 702 gives the United States the authority to continue to collect foreign intelligence information about non-U.S. persons located outside the United States," Garland said. "In today's heightened global threat environment, the Justice Department will continue to use Section 702 to ensure that our efforts to keep our country safe are informed by the most valuable and timely intelligence," he added. The Senate early Saturday passed a two-year reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Acts (FISA) warrantless surveillance program after hours of intense and sometimes acrimonious debate on the Senate floor, narrowly avoiding a key national intelligence gathering capability going dark. Senators voted 60-34 to send the bill to President Bidens desk shortly after the midnight deadline for a lapse in expanded surveillance powers. The legislation extends for another two years the governments ability to spy on foreigners located abroad, a process that also sweeps up communications of Americans they are in contact with. The bill, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, enacts numerous reforms to FISA Section 702, even as it falls short of expectations from privacy hawks. This is not a clean reauthorization of the existing bill. This is a reform bill which corrects many of the problems that weve experienced with Section 702, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, noted on the floor Friday. The bill targets what privacy hawks see as FBI abuses of the 702 database by drastically culling who can approve a query, winnowing that figure from around 10,000 down to just 550. It also enacts an after-the-fact audit of any queries involving a U.S. person and enhances the civil and criminal penalties for anyone found to be misusing the tool. And it codifies some FBI reforms targeted at curbing abuse, with the number of Americans searched in the 702 database having dropped considerably since the agency changed its search portal from automatically opting agents into querying 702 data. If enacted, the reforms included in this bill would be the most comprehensive set of reforms ever enacted, Senate Intelligence Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.) said. But some were skeptical that the measures would be sufficient. The debate over the bill laid bare the deep divisions within both parties over a 15-year-old program that proponents hail as vital to national security and critics argue is a serious infringement on Americans right to privacy. FISAs surveillance program appeared to be headed for a temporary lapse until Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced a breakthrough on the Senate floor at after 9 p.m. Friday. All day long, we persisted and persisted and persisted in hopes of reaching a breakthrough, and I am glad we got it done, Schumer announced on the floor with relief in his voice. Allowing FISA to expire would have been dangerous. Its an important part of our national security toolkit and helps law enforcement stop terrorist attacks, drug trafficking and violent extremism, he said. Schumer faced stiff opposition from within his own caucus, including from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who vowed to do everything in my power to stop it from passing the Senate. Wyden and other critics argued that law enforcement agencies have abused the expanded surveillance power authorized by FISAs Section 702. Searches have gone after American protesters, political campaign donors, even people who simply reported crimes to the FBI. The abuses have been extensive and well documented, Wyden argued to colleagues. He offered an amendment to strike out language added in the House that will expand the types of businesses compelled to comply with government surveillance requests. Privacy hawks say the House language is poorly drafted and will conscript a wide range of businesses into spying. But Wydens effort to strike it failed by a vote of 34 to 58. Schumer also faced a threat from Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) who teamed up with Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) on an amendment that would have required the government to get a warrant before reviewing any communications incidentally collected from Americans. The proposed change was a top priority for privacy hawks, but one that the intelligence community said would gut the tool and stop them from acting on information in real time. It failed by a vote of 42 to 50. The House-passed bill had strong support from members of the Senate Republican leadership team, including Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Cornyn. McConnell argued on the Senate floor that the House needed to expand the types of electronic communications covered by the law because when it was first written, the Internet was in the dark ages. Cornyn, a member of McConnells leadership team, hailed FISAs expanded surveillance authority the most important law that most Americans have never heard of and an essential tool for our intelligence community to protect the American people against a whole array of threats. GOP leaders clashed with conservatives within their conference, such as Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), who tried to amend the bill and threatened to stretch the debate past Fridays deadline if they didnt get a chance to vote on changes. Paul argued that the FISA program has undermined Americans right to due process, while Lee said the House-passed bill had more problems than a math book. Egregious Fourth Amendment violations against U.S. citizens will increase dramatically if this bill is passed into law, Lee warned. Paul offered an amendment to bar intelligence and law enforcement agencies from buying Americans data from third-party vendors, and a second one to impose strict limitations on surveilling Americans under the authority of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Both proposals failed, by votes of 31 to 61 and 11 to 82, respectively. Lee offered an amendment to require the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to appoint an outside lawyer to argue for the rights of a U.S. person the government wants to surveil secretly. It would have also required government employees appearing before the FISA court to disclose factual evidence that might call into question the accuracy of their statements. It also failed even though it had previously passed the Senate with 77 votes in 2020. The broader legislation, which passed the House 273 to 147 a week ago, includes provisions that expands use of Section 702, including a House passed amendment that would allow use of the tool to vet anyone coming into the country as a travel or migrant. It was something the sponsor of the provision, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) said would allow the government to look into your background and make sure youre not a terrorist. And the bill ventured into another section of FISA that lays out the framework for conducting domestic surveillance provisions all added to address the 2016 spying on Trump campaign aide Carter Page. Unlike Section 702, domestic spying does require a warrant, and under the legislation, law enforcement would not be able to use political opposition research or media reports in an application for a warrant. That targets two issues underlying the warrant to spy on Page, though a review later concluded that the FBI failed to include evidence that cut against its premise for seeking to surveil him. Another controversial provision of the bill includes provisions that would notify some members of Congress about searches involving lawmakers something critics described as protections for me but not for thee. The bill was approved by the House after a band of 19 GOP members tanked a procedural vote to advance debate on the legislation a move that did not score them any of their policy demands. The House conservative rebels, however, persuaded Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to extend FISA 702 for only two years instead of the original five years first laid out in the bill. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on April 19 that Senate Democrats will support House Speaker Mike Johnson's series of bills that includes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other priorities if they pass the House. After months of delays and several versions of the foreign 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. "If the House sends a national security package, we'll move quickly to send it to (U.S. President Joe Biden)," Schumer said on X. "I hope the House gets it donedelay has cost the U.S. and our allies dearly." KI Insights Visit KI Insights to learn more and subscribe to the insider weekly newsletter visit ki insights Schumer recently met Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during the latter's visit to the U.S. The prime minister said he had received "assurances of support" for the proposed aid package from both the Democrats and the Republicans in Congress. Before it reaches the Senate, the bill on Ukraine aid has to pass the House and is certain to face opposition from the conservative wing of the Republican Party. Three Republican lawmakers even threatened to trigger a motion to oust Johnson. Both House Democrats and Biden voiced support for Johnson's proposals. U.S. assistance for Ukraine has been effectively blocked for months, leading to a rapidly deteriorating situation on the battlefield. The Pentagon is reportedly preparing a new aid package to be sent to Kyiv immediately once the president signs the bill. Read also: US House Democrats back Johnsons foreign aid bills Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. ZURICH (Reuters) - Monetary policy should remain focused on price stability, Swiss National Bank Chairman Thomas Jordan said in remarks aired on Saturday. Speaking to national broadcaster SRF, he said economic growth and productivity are too low and many countries are running too much debt and excessive deficits. One of the most pressing challenges is insufficient growth, Jordan told SRF. Another is the need for structural reforms to increase countries' productivity and boost growth, he added. "In many countries the debt level is too high, deficits are too big," Jordan said on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington. "That cannot be sustainable and will have to be corrected in the future. "It is very important that at the same time monetary policy remains geared towards price stability, rather than monetary policy being needed to finance debt, otherwise it will not end well." (Reporting by Noele Illien; Writing by Francois Murphy) Roughly 40 minutes after it lapsed, the Senate voted to pass a renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which serves as a critical tool used by the government to gather intelligence on foreign subjects using the compelled assistance of electronic communication service providers. The upper chamber voted 60-34 to pass the re-authorization. The provision lapsed for less than an hour at midnight on Friday, and if the renewal hadn't passed soon after, the expiration would have meant companies would not be forced to comply with the government's requests for surveillance aid under the bill. Without the FISA section's re-authorization, the government would be required to seek a warrant to compel any such assistance, which is a process that can span extended periods of time. The measure now heads to President Biden's desk for his signature. SENATE PUSHES FORWARD FISA SURVEILLANCE BILL AS EXPIRATION LOOMS The Senate passed the Section 702 FISA renewal minutes before the Friday deadline, with the support of both party leaders, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell. "The stakes of such an outcome are grave," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., warned his colleagues in floor remarks Friday afternoon prior to any votes on amendments or the final bill. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "The authorities in question today have, quite literally, been the only defense against would-be national security disasters," he added. On Thursday, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., claimed the program would not "go dark," as others had suggested, if it was not renewed on time. Instead, Durbin pointed to recent certifications granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) that the Justice Department had informed Congress would "ordinarily remain in effect for one year, expiring in April 2025." GOP LAWMAKERS SLAM BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S NEW TITLE IX PROTECTIONS FOR 'GENDER IDENTITY' Durbin dismissed the idea that the provision would lapse if the deadline passed. However, the DOJ cautioned Congress against allowing this knowledge to slow down the Section 702 renewal process in a letter earlier this month, as companies "are likely to stop or reduce cooperation with the legal process they receive." The DOJ further noted that this occurred during a previous surveillance measure lapse. This warning was reiterated by McConnell on Friday, who said, "It will be up to the government to play a slow and painstaking game of whack-a-mole in court against an army of the most sophisticated lawyers in the country." REPUBLICANS ACCUSE BIDEN, SCHUMER OF EMBOLDENING IRAN PRIOR TO ATTACK ON ISRAEL "And in the meantime, actionable intelligence will pass us right by," he predicted. The Justice Department underscored the necessity of section 702. By around 6:00 p.m. on Friday, it seemed unlikely that the Section 702 FISA re-authorization would be voted on until next week, as several senators were unwilling to yield their debate time and sought votes on their various amendments to the measure. However, around 8:00 p.m., senators appeared to come to an agreement on amendment votes and debate time, clearing the way for an expedited voting process. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., revealed the compromise made my senators on the floor, announcing several roll call votes would take place. "All day long, we persisted and persisted and persisted in hopes of reaching a breakthrough, and I am glad we got it done," he said, noting that there had been "great doubt" it would be accomplished. "We finally got the Senate to agree to take votes to address serious problems with the FISA expansion and 702 reauthorization passed by the House," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X. Bipartisan coalitions had grown on both sides of Section 702 renewal, with some arguing that the provision is a vital national security necessity, and others sounding the alarm about what they believe to be violations of constitutional protections. Paul voiced his concern over the expansion in the renewal. Amendments from Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Lee and Durbin were voted on ahead of the final bill's consideration. "We cannot continue sacrificing our freedoms in the name of security. Rather than reining in FISA overreach, RISAA expands it dramatically," Paul said prior to votes on his amendments, which required 60 supporters to pass. "I urge my colleagues to support meaningful reforms that protect both national security and civil liberties." Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., spoke against the consideration of amendments to the bill, citing the fast approaching deadline. If any amendments to the measure were passed in the Senate, the bill would be sent back to the House, where they would once again need to approve it. All of the amendments failed to garner enough votes for passage, and thus were not added to the bill. "Allowing FISA to expire would have been dangerous," Schumer remarked prior to the votes. Original article source: Senate passes FISA surveillance tool renewal minutes after midnight deadline The Senate reauthorized an anti-terrorism surveillance law just after midnight Friday, overcoming objections from lawmakers worried the revamp did not do enough to protect Americans privacy. The Senate rushed to vote, 60 to 34, in favor of the two-year renewal, barely missing approving it ahead of the laws midnight expiration. With the House having passed the bill last week, it was set to go to the White House for President Joe Bidens signature. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows the U.S. to keep tabs on the communications of foreign nationals abroad. But critics say the law has been misused to spy on Americans, whose communications with foreign surveillance targets are often also swept up. It was unclear until only a few hours before Section 702s slated midnight expiration whether there would be at least a small lapse in the spying authority. A final deal on what amendments to consider was reached late in the evening. Civil liberties advocates warned that a technical amendment made in the House vastly expanded the scope of the law to new electronic communication service providers. A vote to remove the provision, which would have meant sending the bill back to the House and letting it lapse, was the bills last major hurdle on the way to Senate passage. At issue was a change in the House that drew little comment at the time. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, had successfully offered an amendment described as narrowly updating the definition of electronic communication service provider. The amendment expanded the scope of communication service providers to also include individuals with access to equipment used to transmit or store electronic communications. This means anyone with access to a server, a wire, a cable box, a WiFi router or a phone, said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) after the bill passed the House. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) questioned the expansion of what is considered a communication service provider in the bill. Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Thursday that the amendment was meant to close a legal loophole opened by the rise in Internet cloud data centers that didnt exist when the law was written and that it was not an actual expansion of the law. Now, I think the amendment could have been drafted better, Warner said Thursday. He also pointed to a Department of Justice memo saying it would adopt a narrow interpretation of the language. The amendment to remove the language failed on a 34 to 58 vote. With President Bidens signature a foregone conclusion, this bill will represent the most radical and dangerous expansion of federal surveillance powers in U.S. history, and in terms of Americans digital communications, it will effectively render the Fourth Amendment a dead letter, said Patrick Eddington, a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), an opponent of the bill, said lawmakers did not need to fear the midnight expiration deadline because private companies would continue to collect data, at least temporarily. With the House and Senate both expected to have rare Saturday sessions, Lee joked on the floor that the bill could be sent back to the House with fixes before both chambers leave for a scheduled weeklong break. As they set this up a couple of centuries ago, we both work in the same building, he said of the House. Theyre just down the hall. Related... Senators on both sides of the aisle are banding together to try and kill a House-passed addition to the bill reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that they argue would force more businesses to aid in government surveillance of foreigners. An amendment from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and others would strike from the bill a House provision that redefines what types of communications companies would have to comply with the law. The House amendment from Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) was intended to address a mysterious battle by the government to get one 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. A one-pager from House Intelligence Democrats said the measure is designed to respond to a very specific (and classified) fact pattern. But opponents argue the provision was written far too broadly and risks sweeping in a number of businesses. The administration says its going after a narrower set of companies, but they cant talk about it because its all secret. Thats not how laws, especially surveillance authorities, should be written, Wyden, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on the Senate floor Friday morning. Jamming through a last minute provision that dramatically expands surveillance authorities in a way that could affect almost any American is the height of irresponsibility. The provision of the bill shifts the definition of electronic communications service providers, but notes that restaurants, hotels and businesses that serve the public would not be required to comply with Section 702 surveillance. 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, a senior Justice Department official previously told The Hill. Claims that this is a broad expansion of the authority are just incorrect. But Wyden argued Friday that even if those businesses were exempt, those who supply communications equipment or services for them may not be. Under this provision, landlords, the companies that maintain the cables and wifi, and any number of companies whose employees have access to any of that equipment can all be forced to cooperate with the governments surveillance, Wyden said. Tensions over the provision were on display Thursday when the Justice Department distributed a letter previously only sent to Senate Intelligence leaders seeking to allay fears about the House amendment likewise making a commitment to only use it narrowly. The Department commits to applying this definition of ECSP exclusively to cover the type of service provider at issue in the litigation before the FISCthat is, technology companies that provide the service the FISC concluded fell outside the current definition, Carlos Uriarte, head of legislative affairs for the Justice Department, wrote in the letter, adding it would disclose the company 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. To Wyden, that was a tacit admission the measure was not narrowly written enough to prevent abuse. The DOJ letter does not deny that the provision authorizes the government to force a broad set of Americans and American companies to assist with warrantless surveillance under Section 702. In fact, DOJ basically concedes this fact by promising that it will only apply the new authorities to certain companies on a secret list, Wyden said. That commitment is worth exactly nothing. It is not even binding on this administration. And it certainly isnt binding on the next administration. Wyden was joined by conservatives like Sens. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) in sponsoring the amendment. Section 702 of FISA expires at midnight, and any change to the bill would require it to be sent back to the House. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. After hours of stalemate, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced a deal Friday evening to vote on a package of amendments to a House-passed bill to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Acts (FISA) warrantless surveillance program, putting it on a trajectory to pass before a midnight deadline. The expanded surveillance powers authorized by FISAs controversial Section 702 were due to expire at the end of the day Friday and appeared to be headed for a lapse as senators wrangled over a package of amendments to require warrants to review the communications of Americans swept up in the FISA database among other changes. We have good news for Americas national security. Senators have reached an agreement that clears the way to approve FISA reauthorization tonight, Schumer announced on the Senate floor. The bill would reauthorize the program for two years, instead of five years, as Senate and House leaders initially hoped. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) cut the length of the reauthorization by three years to placate conservative critics in his conference. Senators earlier in the day were sounding pessimistic about the prospects of a deal. We could go dark over the weekend, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Intelligence Committee, warned Friday afternoon. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the lead sponsor of the amendment to require warrants for any review of Americans communications swept up in the 702 database, told reporters Friday afternoon that he hadnt even been approached about a potential agreement on amendments. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) took to the floor shortly after Schumer announced the deal to urge colleagues to vote down any amendments to the bill. He warned making changes at this late stage would require sending the bill back to the lower chamber, which would mean it would have no chance of becoming law before the deadline. Any amendment to this bill at this moment is the equivalent of killing the bill, he added. Already telecom companies, a number, have contacted the Department of Justice saying if this bill expires, as it will at midnight, they will stop complying with 702. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) warned Senate colleagues Friday they should be prepared to stay in session through the weekend to finish work on a long-stalled package to fund the war in Ukraine, Israel and other emergency security needs. Schumer pointed out that senators may have to stick around the Capitol to also finish work on legislation to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Acts (FISA) warrantless surveillance program, which expires at 11:59 p.m. Friday. For the information of my colleagues, members should plan to be here over the weekend if necessary to work on both FISA and the supplemental, he announced. The Democratic leader then said the House is expected to pass the emergency foreign aid package, which has been broken into four separate bills, Saturday. The House is scheduled to take up the supplemental tomorrow, he said. It would at last deliver critical aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific and humanitarian assistance. We will see how things go in the lower chamber over the next day or so, and I hope the House gets this legislation passed without further delay. House advances Ukraine, Israel aid as Dems help Speaker Johnson, GOP Schumer made his comments after the House voted overwhelmingly, 316-94, to advance a rule to begin floor debate on four bills that would provide military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, along with humanitarian assistance to Gaza and other war zones. House Democrats stepped in to help Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to pass the rule and offset the opposition of 55 conservative Republicans who voted no. Given the strong bipartisan vote to pass the rule governing debate on the foreign aid bills, Senate leaders expect the legislation to pass Saturday. Schumer has predicted for months that the $95 billion emergency foreign aid package the Senate passed in February would get a large bipartisan vote if it came up on the House floor. The Democratic leader announced his goal is to pass the reauthorization of FISAs expiring Section 702 authority by the midnight deadline but said he has yet to reach a deal with colleagues such as Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on considering amendments to the bill. Were still trying to see if theres a path to get through this quickly. The work is not done, so were going to keep at it. We want to get FISA done as soon as we can, because its very important for our national security, Schumer said. He noted that getting a deal to speed up the debate on the FISA bill needs the consent of all 100 senators. As everyone knows, any one member can halt progress in this chamber, so both sides need to fully cooperate if we want to get FISA done, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Small boats intercepted carrying migrants across the English Channel are stored in a warehouse on the outskirts of Dover - PAUL GROVER FOR THE TELEGRAPH Ministers are under pressure from MPs to allow small boats seized from people-smuggling gangs to be given to Ukraine, where they are desperately needed in its war against Russia. The Home Office has so far rebuffed pleas to release the stockpile of boats used by cross-Channel migrants to be given as gifts or sold to Ukraine, a decision which campaigners say makes no sense. This week, The Telegraph visited a pound near Dover where more than 60 small boats and at least 130 engines were visible, some of which appeared brand new. The non-profit organisation Mission Ukraine UK has asked the Home Office to allow it to put the boats to good use by taking them to the battle front, where they are desperately needed to ferry personnel and supplies across the Dnipro river. Outboard motors used by the people smugglers are also stored in the Dover warehouse - PAUL GROVER FOR THE TELEGRAPH Dmytro Tomkin, the co-founder of the voluntary organisation, said he was puzzled by the Governments refusal to help its ally by handing over the boats and engines. He said: We have been buying second-hand boats in the UK and taking them to Ukraine, where they are repaired and put to use. It struck us that there are migrant boats coming to the UK all the time across the Channel and we could use them, but the Home Office says no. They have said they are unseaworthy but we have people who repair the boats and engines, so that isnt an issue. They have also said they are sometimes sold at auction. The whole thing makes no sense to us. Mr Tomkin, who is from Ukraine but lives in the UK, where he works in finance, said there is an endless need for the boats in Ukraine, where they are used to move personnel and supplies as well as evacuating the wounded. The average lifespan of a boat in the war zone is four to eight weeks, and the Ukrainian armed forces say they need 900 of them in service at a time, a target they are currently short of. Drone photography shows the dozens of boats and engines stored in Dover - PAUL GROVER FOR THE TELEGRAPH Mission Ukraine previously reached an agreement with Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, to send vehicles that do not meet the ultra-low emission zone standards in the capital to Ukraine. Pick-ups and other 4x4 vehicles are particularly useful to the Ukrainian armed forces. Among the MPs who have written to the Home Office demanding to know why the boats cannot be sent to Ukraine are Bob Seely of the Ukraine All Party Parliamentary Group, Sir Jacob Rees Mogg, Penny Mordaunt, Greg Clark and Rebecca Evans. Sammy Wilson, the DUP MP for East Antrim, who also wrote to the Home Office about the boats, said he could not personally assess whether the boats were seaworthy. But he added: I think there is probably a huge difference in using these kinds of boats to ferry 40 or 50 people across 22 miles of open sea and their use to bring a few individuals across a river. A Government spokesman said: We are fully committed to supporting Ukraine in their fight against Putins illegal war, while also providing a safe and secure haven for those fleeing the conflict. While we are determined to provide Ukraine with the resources they need, the Ukrainian government has not requested these boats and we cannot donate unsafe and dangerous small boats which will put more lives at risk. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A driver who was high on a mix of illegal drugs when he struck a 72-year-old pedestrian in northern Michigan and then fled has lost a bid to have his sentence reduced. A judge in Antrim County sentenced Adam Carl Calo to a minimum of more than 16.5 years in prison for the June 2020 crash in Antrim Countys Mancelona Township. Calo did not slow down after striking the victim and instead fled the scene, court records show. He was arrested after an Antrim County sheriffs deputy saw Calos vehicle driving in the wrong lane of traffic not far from the crash site. The woman he struck suffered multiple broken bones, including fractures to her pelvis, spine and leg. She died about three weeks later. Calo was charged with second-degree murder and operating while intoxicated causing death. He pleaded no contest to operating while intoxicated causing death, a 15-year felony. Because of prior felony convictions, his sentence was enhanced. The judge gave him 200 to 400 months in prison, noting three prior felony convictions and four misdemeanor convictions. The sentence fell within the guideline range, but Calo argued it was disproportionate and unreasonable. In a five-page decision released this week, a three-judge Court of Appeals panel disagreed. At sentencing, the trial court referenced defendants criminal history, including a 2003 conviction for driving under the influence causing serious injury, and previous unsuccessful attempts at probation, justices wrote. When he was arrested, Calo admitted that he had taken heroin several hours before the crash. He was under the influence of heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine at the time of the crash, court records show. Calo, 39, is at the Chippewa Correctional Facility in Michigans Upper Peninsula. The soonest he can be considered for release is in 2037. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Sen. John Payton, left, R-Wilburn, comments on findings of a legislative audit of the 2023 purchase of a customized lectern by the governor's office during a Tuesday, April 16, 2024 legislative hearing. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate) Last week Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the first of many appropriations bills for her proposed $6.3 billion state budget that will head to her desk in the coming weeks. Sanders signed a general appropriations bill for the judicial branch, the legislative branch and the state auditor, as well as a separate bill setting money aside for the House of Representatives. While the fiscal session is primarily for budgetary matters, regular bills can be introduced under specific conditions. Both chambers allowed the introduction of a bill filed Wednesday that would give executive branch employees a 3% cost-of-living pay raise and increase the maximum salary of all employees pay grades by 10%. Lawmakers can also hold committee meetings unrelated to legislation if need be, such as Tuesdays discussion of a long-awaited report scrutinizing the $19,000 purchase of a lectern by Sanders staff last year. 1) Lecterngate Arkansas Legislative Audit highlighted several potential breaches of state law in its report on the lectern purchase, released April 15. Among other things, auditors found that Sanders staff failed to create a business justification statement for the purchase, shredded a document that included details about the lectern necessary to properly record the purchase, sought reimbursement for the lectern from the state Republican Party instead of seeking an exemption from state purchasing and property disposal laws, and likely altered public records. Representatives of both Sanders and Attorney General Tim Griffin fielded questions from lawmakers and defended the purchase at a three-hour meeting Tuesday. Judd Deere, Sanders deputy chief of staff, said he instructed the governors executive assistant, Laura Hamilton, to write to be reimbursed on two copies of the invoice for the lectern. Cortney Kennedy, Sanders chief legal counsel, called this a common government practice. Griffins staff repeated the offices stance that the governor is exempt from certain state purchasing laws. The audit report asserts the opposite. Lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about both the reports findings and Deere and Kennedys answers to questions about them. I dont really hear the governors office or governors staff saying, We should have done it a different way, said Sen. John Payton, R-Wilburn. Instead theyre trying to justify how they did it. The audit report has been sent to both Griffin and Sixth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones. No word yet on what, if any, action either will take. 2) Cryptocurrency regulations By April 15, the Senate had passed eight resolutions to allow the introduction of bills to regulate cryptocurrency mining operations. Six of them failed in the House on Wednesday, and only the two that passed both chambers could be introduced and considered. Crypto mines, large groups of computers that harvest digital currency, are often located in rural areas because they take up a lot of space. They also require significant energy to operate and water to keep computers cool. The Arkansas Data Centers Act of 2023 limited local governments ability to regulate crypto mines. The law passed both chambers with bipartisan support, but some lawmakers have since expressed regrets and concerns about it, especially because some crypto businesses have set up shop in Arkansas since the law passed. There are currently crypto mines in Faulkner and Arkansas counties. Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, sponsored the six resolutions that failed and expressed frustration about the two that passed, saying the proposed regulations arent strong enough. One bill would place noise limits on Arkansas crypto mines, prohibit them from being owned by certain foreign entities and allow local governments to pass ordinances regulating the mines. Sen. Joshua Bryant, R-Rogers, is the bills sponsor and was also the lead sponsor of the Arkansas Data Centers Act. The other bill would require crypto mines to be licensed by the state Department of Energy and Environment and require the department to inform legislative committees of its crypto regulation methods. Lead sponsor Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, said the two bills lay the groundwork to use several layers of tools to both regulate the crypto industry and discuss more regulations down the road. A Senate committee approved the bills Thursday and will hear more public testimony about them Tuesday. 3) Pregnancy resource center funds Arkansas has provided financial support to pregnancy resource centers, sometimes called crisis pregnancy centers, with a $1M annual taxpayer-funded grant since 2022. These centers are often religiously affiliated, and the rules of the grant require recipients to encourage birth and oppose abortion. An appropriation bill sponsored by Payton would double the amount available in the grant with the purpose of supporting more facilities, he said last week. Some Democratic lawmakers said they were concerned that clients can mistake pregnancy resource centers for doctors offices and might not receive further prenatal health care. Rep. Denise Garner, D-Fayetteville, asked if there was a way for the state to ensure that the centers clients also visit doctors offices; Payton said he disagreed with Garners government tracking idea. 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. Twenty-three centers received funds from the first year of the grant between September 2022 and January 2023. Twenty-one repeat applicants and six new applicants received money this January for year two of the grant. The Joint Budget Committee will take up Paytons bill for approval after a subcommittee approved it Thursday. The House and Senate are scheduled to convene at 1 p.m. Tuesday. The post SESSION SNAPSHOT: Crypto regulations, lectern audit become the talk of the Arkansas fiscal session appeared first on Arkansas Advocate. A solid and growing majority of U.S. Catholics say abortion should be legal in most cases despite the churchs staunch opposition to the practice, an issue many believe could play a crucial role in the November elections. Additionally, while the portion of U.S. adults who are Catholic remains steady at about 20%, Hispanic Catholics are largely younger and on the rise while white Catholics are older and falling as a portion of the population. Both findings were among those recently published by the Pew Research Center in Washington in a report drawing on data from national surveys. The Pew statistics confirm what is obvious on the ground, said Jonathan Tan, professor of Catholic studies at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland: The U.S. Catholic Church once predominantly Irish, Italian and German and shaped by 19th- and early-20th-century immigration has become increasingly diverse and pluralistic. Jessica Maciel Hernandez, coordinator of Hispanic youth ministry for the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, attends a Spanish-language mass at St. Anthony Catholic Church. The Pew center also reported support for Pope Francis has dipped slightly: 75% viewed the pope favorably, compared with earlier levels of about 80%. But it was Catholics continuing support for abortion that stood out among the findings. About 6 in 10 Catholics say abortion should be legal, up from 56% in 2019. Nearly 4 in 10 said abortion should be legal in most cases, and 22% said it should be legal in all cases. Support was split largely along party lines; 78% of Catholic Democrats said abortion should be legal in most or all cases, compared with 43% of Catholic Republicans. Support was slightly higher among Hispanic Catholics (63%) than white Catholics (59%). Thats one reason Jamie Manson, president of the advocacy organization Catholics for Choice, said her group has been gearing up to mobilize voters in Hispanic-heavy states like Arizona and Florida that have highly restricted reproductive rights and where measures are either on the ballot or pending sufficient signatures. We are prioritizing those regions and putting organizers on the ground, and all our materials are available in Spanish, Manson said. I think Catholics are going to win this, specifically Hispanic Catholics. Catholics are older than most Americans About 57% of the nations approximately 52 million Catholics are white, falling from 65% in 2021. Meanwhile, Hispanics now comprise a third of all Catholics, a bump of 4 percentage points. Catholics tend to be older than most Americans, the survey found: About 6 in 10 Catholic adults are ages 50 or older, compared with 48% of the overall U.S. population. White Catholics comprise the majority of that group, with more than two-thirds of white Catholics falling in that age range compared with just 43% of Hispanic Catholics. Nearly 4 in 10 white Catholics are 65 and older, compared with just 14% of Hispanic Catholics, the study found. But Hispanics arent a demographic the Catholic Church can take for granted, said Michele Dillon, a professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire. Though people with roots in South and Latin America were once considered staunchly Catholic, she pointed out that many are shifting to evangelical Christian churches or no religious affiliation. Given the marketplace for religions, theres a lot more choice, Dillon said. The church is stable and even in a strong position, but it has to do the work of energizing new generations. The big challenge is maintaining relevance. The number of U.S. Latinos who identify as Catholic has dropped sharply in the past dozen years. Pew research published last year showed that just 43% of Latinos identified as Catholic, down from 67% in 2010. Dillon said white Catholics tend to be more economically and educationally established than Hispanic Catholics. Should that gap continue, she said, it could produce internal segregation within Catholicism and individual churches. You already see that to some extent in cities and where there are mixed populations, churches where there are mostly white masses and Spanish-language masses, she said. But it can lead to tensions at the local level over issues of language or liturgical style. For a church community that wants to have a sense of community and cohesion, those divisions might make it harder for people to meet one another. Father Ryan Carnecer prays with a family after Sunday mass at Divine Providence Catholic Church in San Antonio. White and Hispanic differences continued among political party lines as well, the Pew data showed: Among registered voters, about 6 in 10 white Catholics identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, with the same percentage of Hispanic Catholics identifying with or leaning toward the Democratic Party. Overall, 52% of Catholic registered voters identify with or lean Republican, and 44% identify with or lean Democrat. Catholic voters were split in the 2020 presidential election, with 49% voting for Trump and 50% supporting Biden. Pope Francis' favorability dips but remains high A majority (3 in 4) of U.S. Catholics have favorable opinions of Francis, still down from 83% in 2021, with support falling among those who rate the pontiff highly: Just 26% of Catholics rated the pope very favorable in the latest survey, compared with 34% in 2021. Views of the pope also varied along party lines; 89% of Catholics who identify as or lean Democrat held positive views compared with 63% of those who lean Republican. The ebb and flow in his ratings is because hes trying to tackle a lot of issues, like climate change and gender ideology, Dillon said. These are important issues for how people live and how the world survives but around which there is not unified consensus. Raising questions is actually a positive thing and one of the strengths of his papacy. Seven in 10 U.S. Catholics says Pope Francis represents a change in direction for the Catholic Church, according to a Pew Research Center report published in April 2024. Three-fourths of U.S. Catholics view the pontiff favorably. Overall, 72% of Catholics said Francis represents a change in direction for the church: 4 in 10 said he marks a major change. The report also found Catholics largely differ with the church on a number of questions involving sex and gender. Among all Catholics, 83% say the church should allow use of contraception, 69% say priests should be allowed to marry, 64% say women should be allowed to become priests, and 54% say the church should recognize same-sex marriage. Manson, of Catholics for Choice, noted that in addition to the high number of aging Catholics, fewer than 3 in 10 attend service weekly, and many are choosing to leave the faith altogether. That should be a real wake-up call for bishops, she said. One of the reasons people leave is because of rigid instruction on sexuality. An all-male celibate hierarchy is making the rules, and theres this chasm between what Catholics believe in practice and what the church is teaching. They are leaving the people behind. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Catholics in US mostly support abortion as Hispanic segment grows TOPEKA (KSNT) Topeka Police changed the classification of the investigation into a shooting Friday morning. The Topeka Police Department announced in a release that a shooting Friday morning that was being investigated as a suspicious death is now classified as a homicide. This is the fifth homicide investigation of 2024. Police will identify the deceased individual once the next of kin have been notified. Just before 8 a.m. Friday morning, Topeka police responded to a reported shooting at the 3700 block of Southwest Park South Court. This embedded content is not available in your region. Once officers arrived, they located one individual suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. The person was pronounced dead by medical personnel. 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. Hill & Smith (LON:HILS) Full Year 2023 Results Key Financial Results Revenue: UK829.8m (up 13% from FY 2022). Net income: UK68.8m (up 29% from FY 2022). Profit margin: 8.3% (up from 7.3% in FY 2022). The increase in margin was driven by higher revenue. EPS: UK0.86 (up from UK0.67 in FY 2022). All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Hill & Smith EPS Misses Expectations Revenue was in line with analyst estimates. Earnings per share (EPS) missed analyst estimates by 8.7%. Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 4.5% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 1.3% growth forecast for the Metals and Mining industry in the United Kingdom. Performance of the British Metals and Mining industry. The company's shares are down 3.6% from a week ago. Risk Analysis It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Hill & Smith, and understanding this should be part of your investment process. 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. What are signs of 'faux-tox'? Cases of fake Botox illnesses are growing Warnings about fake Botox injections given by people not trained to give the shots are growing. On Friday, the New York City Health Department said that three people have had to go to emergency departments after getting injections of botulinum toxin in their face, neck, upper back or armpits. Within days or weeks of getting the shots, the three developed a range of symptoms, from double vision and drooping eyelids to difficulty swallowing, breathing and raising their arms. Two were hospitalized, and one needed to be admitted to an intensive care unit. The new insights come as both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration investigate other cases of people whove had to be hospitalized with potentially severe side effects after getting fake Botox shots from unlicensed providers. On Friday, the CDC reported that at least 22 people in 11 states have had bad reactions, including slurred speech, trouble breathing and blurry vision, after receiving counterfeit versions of the wrinkle-smoothing treatment. Eleven of those patients were hospitalized, the CDC said, and six were treated with No deaths have been reported. Of 20 people with information available, 11 (55%) people were hospitalized and 6 (27%) were treated with botulism antitoxin because of concerns that the botulinum toxin could have spread beyond the injection site. Of seven people tested for botulism, six people had negative results. Results are pending for one person. All reports came from people identifying as females, ranging in age from 25 to 59 years, with a median age of 41 years. Twenty (91%) people reported receiving botulinum toxin injections for cosmetic purposes. All people reported receiving these injections from unlicensed or untrained individuals or in non-healthcare settings, including homes and spas. All are women between the ages of 25 and 59, most around age 40. The women had received the shots in non-healthcare settings, such as homes and spas, the CDC said. Reports of symptoms possibly related to the fake Botox were first reported in early November 2023. People should not be getting injections from friends or at parties, NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said in a press release Friday. A price that is too good to be true, or if a service provider does not explain the risks and side effects of the procedure, are clear warning signs that the products or services may not be legitimate and could pose a risk to your health. The FDA said that theres no indication that authentic Botox, from the drugmaker AbbVie, is linked to any of the illnesses. The drug uses a purified form of a neurotoxin called botulinum toxin that causes muscle paralysis. Injected in precise amounts into specific areas of the face, it can relax muscles that cause wrinkles. In an email to NBC News, the FDA said that its actively working with state and federal health authorities to investigate the source of counterfeit Botox. The question is, is this faux-tox all one and the same? asked Dr. Adam Friedman, a dermatologist and chair of dermatology at George Washington University. Or are multiple people creating different versions of it? We dont know the answer to that. Dr. Kate Dee, a physician and founder of Glow Medispa in Seattle, blamed the recent illnesses on unregulated medical spas, which have ballooned in recent years, becoming a $15 billion wellness industry. The problem is not that theres fake Botox around and doctors might accidentally use it. Thats not whats happening. Doctors get real Botox, and we pay lots of money to do things legally and legitimately, she said. Its these people who are busy trying to make money from the med spa industry, the esthetics industry, who are getting it because its so much cheaper. Cases linked to counterfeit Botox have been detected so far in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. At least 11 patients have been hospitalized, according to the CDC. Some symptoms, such as blurred vision and drooping eyelids, appeared near the injection site, while others were more widespread, including fatigue and generalized weakness. Other potentially concerning symptoms could include constipation, incontinence, dry mouth and difficulty lifting the head, the FDA said. The difference in side effects from fake Botox Usually, adverse events related to real Botox injections are the result of poor technique, such as injecting the toxin into the wrong muscle or in the wrong location, Friedman said. But if these patients might be going into respiratory distress or failure because of systemic poisoning, he said, thats different from what doctors usually see. The FDA said there are several ways to identify counterfeit Botox products: The outer carton and vial contain lot number C3709C3. The outer carton displays the active ingredient as Botulinum Toxin Type A instead of OnabotulinumtoxinA. The outer carton and vial indicate 150-unit doses, which is not a unit made by AbbVie. The outer carton has language that is not English. Dee recommends that patients ask to see the vial of toxin before getting the shots. At the very least, look at the vial because if its in any other language besides English, its not real Botox. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Single dad dies in hit-and-run, leaving 8-year-old girl without parents, loved ones say A single dad was killed in a hit-and-run, leaving his 8-year-old daughter without parents, loved ones told North Carolina news outlets. Justin Kyle Presnell, 36, is remembered as a proud father and a DJ who was always the life of the party. He is a great dad, Crystal Hill, a cousin of his late fiancee, told WGHP. He lives for her. He goes to work and he comes home and takes care of his daughter. But Presnells life was cut short when he was walking early Tuesday, April 16. A driver hit him on North Holden Road and left the scene, sparking a search for clues, the Greensboro Police Department wrote in a news release. They left him for dead like a dog, friend Rondelle Hagens told WXLV. Loved ones said they dont know why Presnell was walking in the road at the time of the crash. He died three years after his fiancee was killed in a crash, leaving their young daughter struggling to cope, WXII reported. Im devastated; I mean, shes lost both of her parents, friend Jessica Rogers told WFMY. As family members and friends try to provide support for Presnells daughter, he is remembered in news reports as a dedicated father who followed his dream of working as a DJ. When he walked into a room, it lit up, Hill told WGHP. He always had a smile. As of April 16, officers said the vehicle involved in the crash was unknown and an investigation was ongoing. Police didnt immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on April 19. Facebook users believed to be Hagens and Rogers didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Unimaginable. 15-year-old on makeshift skateboard is hit and killed, NC cops say 25-year-old teacher dies months after marrying high school sweetheart. Heartbroken Beloved 21-year-old officer dies in crash weeks after joining the force, NC cops say The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors picked Cal Poly alum Matt Pontes to be its next county administrative officer. This is a developing story. Check back to sanluisobispo.com for updates. To get breaking news alerts, click here The man picked to be San Luis Obispo Countys top administrator was convicted of felony grand theft 30 years ago in Santa Maria, according to Santa Barbara County court records, a revelation that contributed to his departure from a similar post in Shasta County when an elected official there went public with the background. But Matt Pontes record was expunged years ago, and he told a Chico TV station in 2022 that he took responsibility for (his) actions. Nevertheless, Pontes history was revealed by a member of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors who Pontes said was trying to destroy his career. He ultimately decided to leave that job, calling it the most hostile work environment that I have ever experienced, according to a statement he gave to Action News Now. On Tuesday, the county announced it had selected the Cal Poly alum to be its next county administrative officer and said the Board of Supervisors would vote to make the hire official at its meeting next week. The announcement included no mention of Pontes previous criminal history, although he did tell the TV station that he has always disclosed that history to previous employers. On Friday afternoon, county spokesperson Jeanette Trompeter told The Tribune the county conducted a thorough background investigation of Pontes, and the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors was aware of his conviction before choosing to hire him. Just as none of us would want to be punished for the mistakes of our youth for which we have made amends, the board is confident this was a one-time incident for which he paid the price and has since then offered 30 years of reputable public service, Trompeter said in a statement. Pontes was fully transparent during the interview process. The board stands behind its choice of him for the role of county administrative officer and is confident he will lead us in the direction we need to go. County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding referred The Tribune to the countys statement. The county administrative officer oversees the county budget and staff, and Pontes comes to the job with related experience in Shasta, Santa Barbara and Kern counties. He most recently served as the director of wildfire and forest ecology at Sierra Pacific Industries, where he worked with private, tribal, state, and federal agencies to combat destructive wildfires and safeguard ecosystems across California, Oregon and Washington, a county news release said. The Tribune reached out to Pontes and several county officials for comment. County Supervisor John Peschong declined to comment on Pontes history as it is a personnel issue. The County Counsels Office, supervisors Debbie Arnold, Dawn Ortiz-Legg, and Bruce Gibson and Pontes himself did not immediately respond to The Tribunes requests for comment. Court records: CAO pick was convicted of grand theft, but record was expunged According to court records reviewed by The Tribune, Pontes was convicted of felony grand theft of more than $950 in money, labor or property in Santa Maria in 1994. The case was later expunged from his record. A person gets a conviction expunged when a judge finds they have completed the terms of their sentence and do not have a high likelihood of reoffending. Its meant to help those convicted of crimes find employment and housing. Pontes also was charged with petty theft with a prior conviction and taking personal property of another in San Luis Obispo County in 1997, District Attorney records show, but the petty theft charge was dismissed by prosecutors and the property charge was discharged, which means there was no punishment imposed for the alleged crime. A discharge is not a conviction. San Luis Obispo Superior Court told The Tribune the discharge had also been expunged from Pontes record. Cal Poly spokesperson Matt Lazier confirmed to The Tribune that Pontes attended Cal Poly from September 1994 through May 2003, graduating with a bachelors degree in forestry and natural resources management. In April 2022, Pontes told Action News Now he was convicted of felony theft during the 1990s, but said his record was later expunged after he worked through the legal process. I made a massive mistake as a young man and I have worked extremely hard over the last three decades and garnered a proven track record to overcome, Pontes said in a statement to Action News Now. First and foremost, I took responsibility for my actions. I have always disclosed this incident to my prior employers and informed them that I have been cleared of all charges/allegations. In the statement, Pontes said he committed the crime in 1994 before he turned 21. There were other parties involved however, and I pled to a felony embezzlement charge for $420, Pontes said in the statement. I immediately accepted responsibility, was accountable and apologetic for my actions. Given the facts and history and working through the legal process, it was fully expunged, my record completely cleared and has been so ever since. Contrary to his statement, The Tribune could not locate records pertaining to a felony embezzlement charge against Pontes. Court documents reviewed by The Tribune indicated Pontes was convicted of felony grand theft and later charged with petty theft. Shasta County supervisor revealed conviction Pontes criminal history was revealed publicly by Shasta County Supervisor Patrick Jones in April 2022, according to the Action News Now article on April 18, 2022. Pontes said Jones threatened to tell the public about Pontes criminal history if he did not resign from his position as Shasta Countys chief executive officer, according to Action News Now. This news today is politically driven by Jones he is trying to further divide and destroy our community and county, Pontes said in the statement to the news station. This is the most hostile work environment that I have ever experienced, and I refuse to be bullied, blackmailed and coerced. On April 19, 2022, after Pontes criminal history was revealed to the public, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to issue a written statement of support for Pontes, according to the meeting minutes. Jones cast the lone dissenting vote. A month later, Pontes resigned from his position as Shasta Countys chief executive officer, Action News Now reported. After Pontes resigned, Shasta County Supervisor Mary Rickert said in a statement that she was deeply saddened by his resignation, Action News Now reported. He has accomplished many things while CEO of Shasta County despite the pandemic and the tumultuous and toxic political climate. He is a man of integrity and honor and I wish him well in his next endeavors, she said in the statement. Pontes picked after previous CAO was fired for inappropriate workplace behavior The county embarked on a nationwide search for a new CAO after the board fired John Nilon on Nov. 17, 2023, following reports from numerous women who accused him of uncomfortable touching and messages. Nilon was hired as the interim CAO on May 1 after Wade Horton resigned from the position in March. Assistant county administrative officer Rebecca Campbell temporarily filled the position when Nilon was removed. The new information comes as the county is already involved in an embezzlement case regarding a employee. The county recently fired Norman Hibble from the IT department after he was charged with 12 counts of embezzlement for using a county-issued credit card for personal purchases, included DJ equipment and an electric scooter, totaling more than $250,000. A criminal case regarding Hibble is ongoing. SLO just cut down some of its largest trees along Monterey Street. Why? San Luis Obispo wasnt expecting to remove several large ficus trees that shade much of Monterey Street as it started work on a new project downtown but then it discovered what was happening underground. According to city spokesperson Whitney Szentesi, the city had initially planned to just trim tree roots along the stretch of road from Santa Rosa Street to California Boulevard as it worked on a SLO in Motion project to make transportation safety and mobility improvements to Monterey Street. Originally, tree removal was not a planned part of the project, Szentesi told The Tribune. Once we started the project, the citys arborist assessed about five to six trees on Monterey Street and approved removal for safety reasons. San Luis Obispo has cut down several large trees along Monterey Street as part of a streetscape project seen here on April 12, 2024. Construction is estimated to run through mid-May. Szentesi said the arborist determined the level of root trimming necessary to build ADA-compliant sidewalks would result in unstable trees. She added that one of the trees in front of Taqueria Santa Cruz at 1308 Monterey St. had a root growing through a culvert, and many were along a high-pressure gas line that ran under the sidewalk and trees in the area. Removal and replacement of these trees allows the gas company to relocate this line to avoid future impacts, Szentesi said. In total, six trees were marked to be removed. They have all since been taken down. The removed trees were all ficus trees, Szentesi said, ranging in height from 30 to 60 feet. The removal was a surprise to some residents, who wondered why it was necessary. The Tribune looked into the work as part of its new Reality Check series. This embedded content is not available in your region. Its a real bummer. Residents question SLO tree removal In recent days, residents concerned about the tree removals took to social media platforms like Nextdoor and Reddit to question the decision. They are taking down so many of them along Monterey Street, one Reddit user wrote. Its a real bummer, and Im hoping theres a good reason for it. San Luis Obispo takes its trees seriously, after all. The city of San Luis Obispo removed six large ficus trees from Monterey Street after an arborist found the trees roots would impact plans to build ADA-compliant sidewalks along the street. A Google street view shows four of the removed trees at the intersection of Monterey and Toro streets in January 2021. For 40 years, the city has earned the title of Tree City USA, a program that recognizes cities commitments to their urban forests. According to Szentesi, San Luis Obispo currently maintains more than 20,000 trees across the city. In 2021, it announced an ambitious plan to plant an additional 10,000 trees by 2035. The first-of-its-kind plan funded city tree planting with hotel tax revenues. So its understandable that some were concerned by the decision to remove some of the citys largest down trees. For those concerned by the removal, however, the city has some good news Szentesi said it plans to replace each of the removed trees with a new one. Those will all be northern red oaks, she said. Slovak activists collected over 2.6 million euros ($2.8 million) for the Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine in five days after the Slovak government refused to participate. Slovak citizens started their campaign "Ammunition for Ukraine" on April 16 to raise additional funds for the Czech-led initiative of purchasing 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside of Europe to provide Ukraine with them. Ukrainian forces are facing a critical ammunition shortage, with Russia currently firing shells at a ratio of around 10:1, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky on April 16. Since then, a number of countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Poland, France, Denmark, and Slovenia, have contributed funds to the initiative. Otto Simko, a 99-year-old Holocaust survivor and journalist, was one of the founders of the Slovak crowdfunding campaign. "When I heard about the Czech government's initiative, I was very pleased to hear that all ways are being sought to help Ukraine defend itself against the (Russian) aggressor because there is no other way," Simko told Reuters. Nearly 40,000 Slovaks have contributed to the initiative, with an average donation worth 64 euros ($68), according to the "Ammunition for Ukraine" website. Activists said that the campaign aims to show that the majority in Slovakia has not supported the government's shift in foreign policy since September's election. "Many people in Slovakia are ashamed of the government's orientation to Russia. This is the reason people are contributing," said Zuzana Izsakova, one of the organizers. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said in late March that Slovakia would not send any arms to Ukraine as "the conflict does not have a military solution." This position echoed Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto's stance. Hungary, the only EU country to have maintained close ties with the Kremlin since the start of the all-out war, also refused to join the initiative. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala reported on April 15 that the first 180,000 ammunition rounds for Ukraine have already been contracted as part of the initiative and will be sent to the front line in the coming months. The initiative may deliver as many as 1.5 million rounds, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said in an interview with Bloomberg published on March 26. While the Czech foreign minister declined to give a timeline for the delivery of the shells, Tomas Pojar, a Czech national security adviser, said earlier that the first batches could be sent to Ukraine as early as June. Read also: Czech PM: Allies contract first 180,000 artillery shells for Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Pinky Cole Hayes, the owner of famed Atlanta-based restaurant Slutty Vegan, announced that she is helping to sponsor this years prom for an Atlanta high school. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Cole Hayes announced that The Pinky Cole Foundation will provide a donation to help students at Benjamin E. Mays High School with prom clothes, catering, decorations, a DJ and souvenirs. Mays prom is on April 27. TRENDING STORIES: I was the prom queen at my high school, and I cherish the memories I created at my prom. It is important for me to support my community by helping people have experiences that will impact them for the rest of their lives, and I hope that my contribution does just that, Cole Hayes said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Dr. Lizzette Kenly, ELA Department Chairperson and Prom Coordinator at Mays High School issued a statement thanking Cole Hayes for the donation, writing: Gratitude is the fairest blossom that springs from the soul. We extend our deepest appreciation to The Pinky Cole Foundation and Slutty Vegan for their generous sponsorship of the Benjamin Elijah Mays 2024 prom. Cole Hayes will officially made the announcement to students on campus on Monday. The donation will go toward paying for the venue and food. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) If you havent heard, Taylor Swift dropped a new album on Friday, and the Internet and social media exploded with reaction and commentary about the album, as a whole, and each track that appears on it. (Well pause for you to put your surprised face on.) Among the songs on The Tortured Poets Department, one appeared to be of high interest in the D.C. area: The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived. Google Trends showed it as one of the things people were searching by late in the morning, with the song appearing as a breakout search in the the District. The Tortured Poets Department: Where to celebrate Taylor Swifts album drop in the DMV The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived has a bit of an ethereal sound to it as it begins, picking up momentum as the song progresses, with Swift directing her lyrics toward someone, but whom? (Not unusual that that question gets asked when it comes to a Swift song.) Heres just a portion of the lyrics: And I dont even want you back I just want to know If rusting my sparkling summer was the goal And I dont miss what we had But could someone give a message To the smallest man who ever lived? Is Red Lobster closing? Report says restaurant chain considering bankruptcy filing There are many questions Swift asks of the person who is the subject of the song, which she concludes by singing: And Ill forget you, but Ill never forgiveThe smallest man who ever lived. Thoughts? For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. (FOX40.COM) Sol Blume is not happening in 2024 due to significant damage and growing safety concerns at Discovery Park, organizers announced on the festivals website Friday. The announcement comes weeks after ticket holders were questioning online if the festival was still happening. Sol Blume will return to Sacramento on Aug. 15-17, 2025, according to organizers. Organizers said damage from rain storms endured by Sacramento created conditions at Discovery park that made it unsafe to build on. The 2024 festival was scheduled to take place on May 3-5 and was set to expand to three days for the first time in the events history. Lineup announced for 2024 Concerts in the Park R&B star SZA, Snoh Aalegra, and Kayatramine were set to perform at the 2024 edition as headliners. Other artists slated to come to Sacramento were Wale, Masego, Sir, PartyNextDoor, Ari Lennox, Doechii, and PinkPanthress. Fridays announcement marks the second consecutive year the festival has been pushed back. The 2023 festival was postponed from April to August due to flooding at Discovery park following severe storms in January 2023. The festivals move to August will become permanent to avoid any weather related conflicts in the future, organizers said. Rock band Bush announced as headliner for 2024 California State Fair Although a late summer festival is not what we originally envisioned, if there is one thing we learned from 2023, it is that Sol Blume possesses its own magic, irrespective of time and place, so long as were amongst each other. Your spirit, energy and presence are what makes Sol Blume truly magic and we are committed to strengthening the brand weve cultivated together. Although weve had to make this difficult decision, were doing our very best to do right by each and every member of our community. We thank you for your understanding, love and unwavering support and we look forward to bluming with you again soon. Sol Blume organizers Those who were planning to attend the 2024 festival can attend the 2025 event and will receive an automatic pass upgrade. There is a refund window that begins April 22 at 12 p.m. and will close on May 17. Organizers said ticket holders will receive an email with a refund request link. All refunds will be process after the refund window closes, organizers said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. By Kirsty Needham (Reuters) - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has retained his parliamentary seat, results showed on Saturday, but it will be days before vote counting determines whether his OUR party can form the next government. Wednesday's national election was the first since Sogavare struck a security pact with China in 2022, drawing the Pacific Islands nation closer to Beijing. The move concerned the U.S. and Australia because of the potential impact on regional security. Police and defence forces from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji are assisting with election security. Full results for the 50-member parliament, expected to be known next week, will indicate whether any party has achieved a majority or whether negotiations to form a coalition are needed to select the prime minister. Large numbers of independent candidates have won in previous elections, leading to fluid coalitions. The results of the national and provincial elections held in the Solomon Islands are being announced over several days. Electoral chief Jasper Highwood Anisi said vote counting was slow but the integrity of the process was a priority to maintain public trust, and ballot boxes were under heavy police security. Sogavare won 49% of the vote in his East Choiseul constituency, beating the United Party's candidate David Qurusu on 42%, official results showed. Former opposition leader Matthew Wale of the Solomon Islands Democratic Party kept his seat in Aoke in Malaita province, broadcaster SIBC reported on Saturday. 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, officials said. As provincial 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 by lawmakers for his refusal to recognise China. Suidani said his win showed Malaita voters wanted to see change in government. "They are trying to rescue the province from bad leadership, corruption," he told Reuters, adding final numbers in the provincial assembly were not yet known. China sent its top envoy for the South Pacific to Malaita province this month to sign a memorandum of understanding with Malaita's new premier, Martin Fini. Fini has lost his provincial assembly seat, electoral officials said. (Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by William Mallard) It was more than two decades ago when an Arizona man called sheriff's deputies in Yavapai County, Ariz., to report a unique and disturbing discovery: While perusing his childhood rock collection, he'd found a human jawbone that had been mistaken for a stone. The county medical examiner's office tried for years to find the owner of the errant piece of mandible, but its DNA databases turned up no matches. And then, earlier this week, one finally emerged when the Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center at Ramapo College in New Jersey announced that it had confirmed a genetic match. The bone belonged to deceased U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Everett Leland Yager. There'd been no mystery about Yager's death; the Orange County Register, named the Santa Ana Register at the time, reported that the 30-year-old Missourian had crashed and died during flight training in 1951 near the El Toro Marine Air Station in Orange County. The surprise was that part of Yager's jaw hadn't made it into his grave along with the rest of his remains. "We have absolutely no idea how [the jawbone] came into the child's collection," said Paul Wick, public information officer for the Yavapai County Sheriff's Department. "All of the circumstances surrounding it [makes this case] unique." This photo of U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Everett Leland Yager appeared in the Palmyra Spectator, a Missouri newspaper, on Dec. 20, 1944. (Palmyra Spectator) In a Ramapo College news release, the investigative team hypothesized that a scavenger may have picked up a piece of his body and carried it across state lines from Southern California to Arizona. This cold case is one of two that the Yavapai County Sheriff's Department has been able to close thanks to the free services of the forensic genealogy lab at Ramapo College, which began partnering with Yavapai County a year ago. "It was a really exciting moment," said Cairenn Binder, the assistant director of the Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center. Yager died on July 31, 1951, according to Yavapai County officials, and now a discovery was bringing his story back to life 73 years later. "People were shouting across the room and running over to one another's computers to show each other their findings," Binder said. Read more: Her file sat untouched for 15 years. Why did it take so long to find Ruby Scotts killer? Six students were taking an intensive workshop at the center last summer, and together they came up with a lead that the bone belonged to Yager. One of the people assisting, Ethan Schwartz, was an intern in his sophomore year of high school. According to Ramapo College, he is now one of the youngest people ever credited with helping to solve a forensic genetic case. After receiving a tip from the Ramapo team, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Department collected DNA samples from Yager's daughter, which allowed Bode Technology in Lorton, Va., to verify the bone fragment. Yager's family has declined to speak to the media, but Yavapai County officials said the family is grateful that this piece of his body is being finally reunited with his remains 70 years after he was buried in his hometown of Palmyra, Mo. Ethan, a sophomore at Suffern High School in nearby Rockland County, N.Y., said he's grateful to have been able to contribute to a case that feels personal to his own family history. "I have a deep connection to our armed forces," he said, explaining that his grandfather served in the Air Force and his great uncle was a submarine commander in the Navy. Ethan said he's coming back to Ramapo College this summer to continue his research on how ethnicity plays a role in the search for genetic matches, as most DNA samples on file are from people with Western European heritage. "Even if it's not my college major, I definitely will have a passion for this," he said. "I'm really grateful for the experience that I had over the summer because I definitely want to continue in the future." Read more: Volunteers uncover fate of thousands of Alaskans sent to Oregon mental hospital a century ago Though this multi-state saga is at its end, David Gurney, the director of the Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center, said we can expect to see more cases like this solved in the future. In the past, law enforcement agencies had to rely exclusively on the FBI-administered Combined DNA Index System, which aggregated the genetic profiles of missing persons' family members and of people who had committed crimes. But now, Gurney said, forensic labs have access to a wide swath of genetic information through commercial genealogy databases, such as Family Tree DNA and GEDmatch. These databases are populated by people who have taken DNA tests for their own interests, said Gurney, an assistant professor of law and society at Ramapo College. With millions of profiles to sift through, investigators can often find distant relatives of the individual whom they're trying to locate or identify. "It's the most revolutionary way to conduct investigations since the advent of DNA, because any DNA sample now, given enough work and enough time dedicated, can be identified," said Gurney, who founded the genealogy center with Binder in 2022. The success of the center's crash course in DNA matching has doubled enrollment this year, filling the class' 15 spots and creating a growing waitlist. One doesn't necessarily need to have a degree in history or genetics to become a forensic genealogist. But for the public, Binder said, there's a much more practical way to help solve cold cases like Yager's: donate your genetic information by taking a DNA test offered by a commercial genealogy database. People should be mindful about privacy in sharing their DNA with the government, Binder said, but she believes that some people are willing to accept the personal risk for the greater good. "Your DNA could be that key piece that brings it home for us that are working on these [investigative] cases, solving violent crime cases, solving missing persons cases," Binder said. "Every member of the public has a chance to make an impact by doing that." 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. Ukrainian special services, together with the military, orchestrated a large-scale drone attack on Russia's energy infrastructure overnight on April 20, an intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent. According to the country's defense ministry, Russian air defense shot down 50 Ukrainian drones over eight regions, including Belgorod, Kursk, Moscow, Tula, Ryazan, Bryansk, Kaluga, and Smolensk oblasts. A fire broke out at three separate energy facilities in the latter three regions, according to local authorities. Drone debris also reportedly started a fire at a fuel storage tank in Smolensk Oblast. The attack was a joint operation of Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Military intelligence agency (HUR) and the Special Operations Forces (SOF), the source said. The drones reportedly targeted the energy infrastructure that powers the Russian military-industrial complex, causing problems with electricity and water supply in some areas. "The SBU drones successfully attacked the infrastructure that ensures the continuous operation of military facilities in Russia," a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims of Russian authorities, and Ukraine does not usually comment on alleged attacks on Russian soil. 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 from Ukraine's border. The strikes have prompted criticism from U.S. officials, who have made it clear the Washington does not support Ukraine's targeting of oil refineries, citing fears that it could threaten the global energy market. In response, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv has the right to use its own weapons with retaliatory strikes on Russian oil refineries, despite concerns from the United States. 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. South Carolina man arrested after allegedly evading police in Johnson City JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) A South Carolina man was arrested after allegedly evading police in Johnson City on Thursday. The Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) reported that officers with the Special Investigations Squad (SIS) arrested Louis Ross, 35, of Spartanburg, South Carolina after a foot pursuit on Thursday. According to the release, JCPD SIS officers stopped a vehicle that Ross was known to be a passenger of at West State of Franklin Road and Spring Street around 4:30 p.m. BrewHaHa, Jurassic Quest, festivals and more | Weekend events in the Tri-Cities Ross allegedly jumped from the vehicle, ran from the scene and dropped four bags containing a crystalline substance. After a brief foot pursuit, officers arrested Ross and found the bags containing 4.02 pounds of methamphetamine, the JCPD reported. A search warrant for a short-term rental where Ross was staying was obtained. Officers reportedly found 20 pills believed to be MDMA (ecstasy), seven pills believed to be Roxicodone, 3.5 ounces of a powdery substance believed to be cocaine, two ounces of power fentanyl and nearly 12 ounces of methamphetamine. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Crime Watch $7,000 and unlawful drug paraphernalia were also found at the rental, according to the JCPD. Ross was charged with the following: Maintaining a dwelling where a controlled substance is stored or distributed Five counts of manufacture/delivery/sell of a controlled substance Possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell/deliver Evading arrest Possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia After Ross was arrested, he complained of difficulty breathing and was taken to an area hospital, the JCPD stated. He was then released and taken to the Washington County Detention Center. The arrest was the result of a long-term investigation, the JCPD said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. On April 18, a 24-year-old man was shot in an apparent drive-by shooting that sent him to the hospital with two gunshot wounds to his back. Around 12:15 p.m., Seattle Police responded to a call of a shooting in the area of South Othello Street and Ranier Avenue South in the Brighton District. When they arrived they found the victim but did not find the suspect or the vehicle used. The victim was standing near a parked car when the shooting occurred, according to SPD. The victim was treated by the Seattle Fire Department and transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment. The victim was listed in stable condition. The Gun Violence Reduction Unit Detectives have started their investigation and are asking the public with any information to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000. A man from Ojai has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for the 2019 slaying of his friend and roommate. Authorities say 28-year-old Cameron Scott Lykins killed Houston Auer on May 12, 2019, at Auers grandmothers home on the 1100 block of Meyer Road in Ojai. Lykins and Auer got into an altercation in a bedroom of the home, which led to Lykins using a sledgehammer to bludgeon Auer to death. Following the killing, Lykins dragged Auers body out of a window and dumped the victims remains in the Angeles National Forest. Lykins then went to his mothers home in Lone Pine, where he arranged to contact authorities and admit to the crime. Ventura County Sheriffs Department deputies arrested Lykins a day later and he was charged with Auers murder. The victims body was located in the Angeles National Forest by a warden with the Department of Fish and Wildlife more than a month later on June 23, 2019. Testimony at Lykins first trial began on Feb. 1. After 26 prosecution witnesses provided eight days of testimony, a mistrial was declared due to the inadvertent admission of evidence before a ruling on its admissibility. The case was set for a retrial and both sides said they uncovered new evidence before the second trial began. Some of the information that was discovered challenged the evidence prosecutors originally had when it came to the motive for the crime. Prosecutors found both verbal and text message exchanges between Lykins and Auer leading up to the killing that they felt would make it difficult to prove malice for a murder charge. Because of this new evidence, prosecutors added a charge of voluntary manslaughter, and Lykins agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge. Lykins will be sentenced on May 17. Hes expected to receive 18 years in a state prison. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. In an unusual joint statement, the Republican governors of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Tennessee assailed the United Auto Workers union as it proceeds with a unionization vote at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga. In their missive, the state officials contend that the unionization effort would imperil jobs and obliquely suggest unionized plants will shutter. The six governors skirt close to the line of outright intimidation against workers who might seek to unionize. Plenty of political figures encourage or discourage constituents from labor organizing, and in fact some Democratic politicians have specifically supported UAWs efforts in the South and elsewhere. Yet these governors are warning darkly of specific potential consequences in a way that sounds like a threat. Nonetheless, this conduct is within their legal rights; theyre not themselves the employers, and arent threatening any sort of concrete government action. Their warnings are an exercise of their free speech. That its legal, though, doesnt make it appropriate. These governors largely fancy themselves right to work champions, all-in on the idea that employees and employers should be free to make their own decisions without what they would call burdensome government regulation. This mindset apparently doesnt extend to the idea that workers should have the right to decide how they want to be organized at work, and if they desire a legally protected mediator between them and their employers. That has been federal law since 1935. Its really no surprise that this statement came from half a dozen governors at once. They know that the economic argument that they are more attractive to companies as generally unionized and anti-union jurisdictions only works when companies can easily shop around for the most favorable (and often most exploitation-friendly) sites. In that context, the warnings that unionization itself might significantly jeopardize jobs has a ring of truth, though well point out that layoffs happen with and without unions. If UAW organizing drives are successful across the South, though, that venue-shopping option increasingly disappears and the economic race to the bottom stops, which these governors dont like. In their statement, the state executives dont try to hide the fact that one of the reasons they are so opposed to this organizing is out of simple personal political expediency. They write that they have serious reservations that the UAW leadership can represent our values. They proudly call themselves democratic socialists and seem more focused on helping President Joe Biden get reelected than on the autoworker jobs being cut, a clear tell that their position is driven not just by general business concerns but the reality that UAW and large unions tend to lean Democratic. Would the governors be so opposed were it not for the fact that they perceive the organizers as political rivals? We doubt it. We are by no means endorsing the unionization effort itself or calling for certain outcomes, but we believe steadfastly that each group of workers can and should have the unabridged opportunity to select how they want to be represented before their management. If the unionization efforts fail, then so be it. But the autoworkers should have the opportunity to make this selection without feeling like their state governors are breathing down their necks. ___ (FOX40.COM) A Southwest Airlines flight traveling to the Sacramento International Airport was diverted to St. Louis due to a potential mechanical issue, a spokesperson with the airline said. The aircraft was taken out of service for review after diverting to St. Louis, which is where the flight originally took off. AT&T internet lines to Sacramento airport found to be deliberately cut The spokesperson for the airline told FOX40.com that customers were being accommodated on a different aircraft to Sacramento. We appreciate our Customers patience as we work to get them to their destination as quickly as possible, the spokesperson said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. There are frequent reminders of the Iranian regime's military boasts on the streets of Tehran - Anadolu/Anadolu Israels strike on Iran early on Friday appears to have been limited. The Iranian regime will likely be breathing a sigh of relief its ageing air defence systems would struggle to stand up to a substantial aerial bombardment on the scale launched by Tehran last weekend. Iran is reliant on a string of locally developed missile defence batteries and Soviet-era hardware, as well as American and British equipment that was stationed in the country before the Islamic Revolution. The systems are incomparable to Israels modern Iron Dome surface-to-air defence system, which helped deflect hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones, with the help of American, British and French fighter jets. Irans system is built largely around the Russian S-200 and S-300 missile systems, which were first put into operation in the 1960s and 1970s. The latest model is said to be able to down incoming aircraft, drones and missiles at a range of 93 miles. Iranian officials have acknowledged the Soviet-era kit is complemented by domestically produced Bavar-373 systems. They claim the systems radar component can detect and track up to 60 targets as far as 280 miles away. Its missile launchers are said to be able to engage six targets at once at a range of 186 miles. State media has boasted that the system is comparable to the newer, more advanced Russian S-400 batteries. Unlike Moscows flagship missile defence system, the Bovar-373 has not seen battle outside of military exercises. The long-range technologies are believed to be complemented by a variety of other locally built, short to medium-range systems. Systems like Arman, Tactical Sayyad and Khordad-15 are deployed as part of a layered defence. They are believed to be capable of hitting targets at a range of around 124 miles at different altitudes. A surface-to-air missile battery in Iran - Iranian Defense Ministry/AP Arman is a truck-mounted system that was unveiled in 2022, and is said to be capable of hitting ballistic missiles something the Russian systems in Iran are not able to do. Another system from the same year is the Azarakhsh, a smaller, more compact missile launcher used to target drones and quadcopters. Iranian military officials have said they are working on strengthening the countrys air defences. An S-300 missile system on display during Army Day celebrations in Tehran on Wednesday - ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at the Royal United Strategic Institute think-tank, has argued that penetrating Irans air defence is not the main challenge for Israel. He told Reuters that the modern F-35 American-built stealth jets would be more than capable of evading Tehrans surface-to-air missiles. The Iranian air defence network is certainly not impenetrable to these aircraft, but this raises the risk of losses and the Iranian capacity to, at least in theory, intercept some incoming standoff munitions increases, Dr Kaushal said. Fabian Hinz, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), added: If there was a major conflict between the two countries, Iran would probably concentrate on occasional successes. They dont have the comprehensive air defences that Israel has. Irans air force is a particularly weak point in any potential conflict with Israel. Tehran is believed to only have a few dozen working strike aircraft, including Russian jets and US-made F-4s and F-5s that were acquired before the 1979 revolution. IISS has reported that it has a squadron of nine F-4 and F-5 fighter jets, one squadron of Russian-made Sukhoi-24 jets, and some MiG-29s, F7 and F14 aircraft. The Sukhoi-24 jets were first developed in the 1960s. Amir Vahedi, Irans air force commander, said this week they were in their best state of preparedness to counter any Israeli strikes. Israel has hundreds of F-15, F-16 and F-35 jets, which all played a role in counter-mining Iranian drones. Irans strength is believed to lie in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stockpiles of ballistic and cruise missiles. At least half of the missiles that Iran fired at the weekend were said to have failed before reaching Israel, raising doubts over the claimed ability of its domestically built air defences. 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. (Bloomberg) -- After the Spanish state released the activists whod been jailed for their connections to the Basque terrorist group ETA, most faded into the background. But not Arnaldo Otegi. Most Read from Bloomberg When he was let out in 2016 Otegi returned to take up a similar role in Basque politics to the one that led to his arrest. The country around him had changed over his six-year incarceration, even if he had not: his party had reinvented itself as a legitimate political player the courts would anyway rule his conviction to be unjust and the militant separatist movement out of which it grew had laid down arms. Now, a mere 13 years after that cease fire that put an end to a generation of violence, hes on the verge of staging a major political upset as the Basques head to elections with the Bildu party he leads ahead in the polls. If Bildu unseat the four-decade incumbents in Sundays election it marks a threshold moment for Otegi as well as for the leftist flank of the Basque nationalist movement. Victory would also mean Spain has to contend with a new sign of how the country is fragmenting. We are in no hurry, said Otegi in an interview at his partys Bilbao base. Whatever the outcome of the elections, he added, Were in the process of consolidating ourselves as a real alternative for the future. Something else had changed in Otegis absence. The two-party system that since Francos death had reliably transfered power between left and right broke down, granting new prominence to an array of small interests and propelling the concerns of separatists onto both the national stage and the legislature. The ascendancy of Bildu offers fresh proof that this web of competing alliances is the tangle through which Spains main parties must now pick their way. It arrives just as the country prepares for the controversial return of exiled Catalan separatist Carles Puigdemont. Puigdemont, who fled the Spanish courts after organizing an illegal referendum on independence in 2017, secured an amnesty from Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in exchange for the handful of votes the Socialist needed to secure a new term after last years election. Read More: Catalan Pariah Returns to Spain With Plans to Retake Power As these smaller groups have lent the governing parties votes, theyve also called the shots. And none so successfully as the PNV, the pro-business incumbents who Bildu threatens to unseat. While Bildu offers itself as a departure from what Otegi called the PNVs analog way of doing politics, the upstart Bildu has sapped the PNVs support in part by aping its tactics, according to the sociologist and psephologist Braulio Gomez who works at Bilbaos University of Deusto. After electing deputies to the national legislature in Madrid since 2015, part of Bildus journey to respectability has depended on how its cooperated with Sanchezs government. The party moved out of its corner, Gomez said of Bildu. And though the PNV responded by complaining Bildu is copying us, he added that strategy has hardly hurt its standing with voters. There is a tower prominent on the skyline seen from the window of Bildus offices a short way up the river from Bilbaos Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum. It houses Iberdrola SA, Europes most valuable producer of renewables. And although it operates in more than 20 countries and most of its business is run out of the national capital it has chosen to stay headquartered in the region, where it is the biggest tax payer, meaning the PNVs been quick to champion its interests in Madrid. That was evidenced in mid-2021, when Sanchezs government was forced to backtrack on a proposal to tax energy companies because the PNV on whose votes it would depend signaled opposition to the move. Bildu is focused on building its base and demonstrating that it can be a mainstream political party, according to Pello Otxandiano, the 41-year old candidate whos standing to lead the regional legislature. Whether we win or not, were drawing a new political map, he said in an interview at the party base. Few signs of Bildus controversial origins are visible beyond those offices heavily fortified front door. Inside, a team of enthusiastic young party functionaries leave the atmosphere more reminiscent of a WeWork than the militant cell some in Madrid like to imagine. Bildus elevation owes in large part to Sanchez, who gave it a veneer of respectability by courting its votes. Now, his creation may come to backfire. By teaming up with Bildu, the premier also contributed to the weakening of his longer-standing ally the PNV. If, as expected, Sundays result gives Bildu a chance to govern the Basque country the PNV will reconsider how to manage its relationship with Sanchez and could have incentives to cut him loose at some stage, according to a high-ranking PNV official who asked to speak anonymously. The relationship between Sanchez and the Basque and Catalan nationalists on whom hes relied to consolidate power in Madrid is foremost a marriage of convenience. All four principle nationalist parties are pragmatic about the relationship, according to top officials in Bildu, the PNV and the two Catalan parties. Theyll exact concessions for as long as Sanchez needs them without seeking to establish a long-term strategy for cooperation, people familiar with all four parties electoral strategies said, while asking to remain anonymous. What makes this competitive web of interests even less predictable is that Bildus path to regional government is not guaranteed, even if they place first on Sunday. Sanchezs Socialists are expected to come in third and have the luxury of deciding whether to help Bildu govern or continue in their existing coalition with the PNV. Either decision will have ramifications on the national stage, as both Basque groups are key allies of Sanchez in Madrid. A few months ago, his Socialists stunned observers of Spanish politics when they backed a no-confidence motion Bildu brought against the right-leaning government in the city of Pamplona. But it is improbable that situation will repeat itself in the Basque country, according to a top Socialist official. The Socialists are likely to remain faithful to the PNV after Sundays elections, the person said despite their ideological compatibility with Bildu. Thats down to the perception of the leftist party outside its home region. Many voters dont think its gone far enough in rejecting the violence of the terrorist attacks perpetrated by ETA, the person said, adding that the calculation was made on the basis that not backing Bildu wouldnt put the stability of Sanchezs weak government at risk. For Bildu, choosing a candidate in Otxandiano with no links to the bloody years is part of its own process of breaking with the past. But the PNV is also feeling pressure to change. Recently, rather than seek a fourth term for the sitting regional president, they abruptly replaced their candidate in an effort to court a younger vote and impede the rise of Bildu. The 11-year leader of the PNV Andoni Ortuzar, speaking at his own headquarters, acknowledged the party was sensing voter fatigue. Change is good he said of the switch-up. On Sunday, Spain will learn how far that sentiment goes. --With assistance from Ana Andrade (Economist), Jorge Valero and Thomas Hall. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. From family drama to right-wing endorsements, the South Carolina Congressional District 1 race where incumbent Congresswoman Nancy Mace is facing Republicans Catherine Templeton and Bill Young is heating up. Heres what happened this week. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson endorsed Mace, who is seeking her third term in congress, on April 15, praising her vision in government. Congresswoman Mace has consistently proven herself to be an independent voice, unafraid to stand up for the values, interests, and needs of her constituents above all else, Johnson said. I endorse her reelection campaign and look forward to working alongside her to ensure Republican leadership remains strong in Congress. Mace was also endorsed by Donald Trump in March, and called her a strong conservative voice, in a post on Truth Social. After the endorsement, Mace called on Templeton to drop out, citing the endorsement signaled the campaign was stronger than ever. Templeton, however, out raised Mace in their first quarter reports, but not by much. Templeton raised $461,276 from Jan. 1 through March 31, but Mace was right behind her, raising $460,109. Templeton was in the news this week, but not for feuding with her opponent. Her son, Brooks Hampton Templeton, 18, was arrested earlier this week and charged with first degree assault and battery from a Jan. 12 fight he had at a House party, according to published media reports. His bond was set for $30,000, which was posted the same day. This isnt the first time Brooks Templeton has been arrested. In Sept. 2023, he was charged with presenting and pointing firearms at someone, according to jail records. The charge was dismissed on Jan. 25 due to insufficient evidence, the Post and Courier reported. Many DoorDash, Inc. (NASDAQ:DASH) insiders ditched their stock over the past year, which may be of interest to the company's shareholders. When evaluating insider transactions, knowing whether insiders are buying versus if they selling is usually more beneficial, as the latter can be open to many interpretations. However, when multiple insiders sell stock over a specific duration, shareholders should take notice as that could possibly be a red flag. While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. See our latest analysis for DoorDash The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At DoorDash The President & COO, Prabir Adarkar, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$2.1m worth of shares at a price of US$113 each. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$127). When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent valuation. Please do note, however, that sellers may have a variety of reasons for selling, so we don't know for sure what they think of the stock price. It is worth noting that this sale was only 2.7% of Prabir Adarkar's holding. DoorDash insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! I will like DoorDash better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying. Insiders At DoorDash Have Sold Stock Recently The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of DoorDash shares. In total, insiders sold US$7.2m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. In light of this it's hard to argue that all the insiders think that the shares are a bargain. Does DoorDash Boast High Insider Ownership? Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. DoorDash insiders own 7.1% of the company, currently worth about US$3.6b based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. Story continues So What Does This Data Suggest About DoorDash Insiders? Insiders sold DoorDash shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn't make us feel confident about the company. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with DoorDash and understanding them should be part of your investment process. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Members of The Squad have hit out at Columbia University in New York after the daughter of one of its original members was suspended following a pro-Palestine protest on the campus. On Thursday New York police arrested more than 100 demonstrators from Columbia and Barnard College, including Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar. The protest camp was dismantled by authorities but has since been rebuilt. Ms Omar was one of the first four members of The Squad a group of nine individuals known for being among the most progressive and left-wing members of Congress alongside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida. Students occupy the campus ground of Columbia University in support of Palestinians, in New York City, on April 19, 2024. Officers cleared out a pro-Palestinian campus demonstration on April 18 (AFP via Getty Images) Following news of the arrests, Ms Hirsi posted online that despite having no previous disciplinary record at Columbia in three years of study, she was one of three students who were suspended over the protests. Ms Hirsi, an organiser for Columbia Universitys Apartheid Divest group, wrote on X: In my 3 years at @BarnardCollege I have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings. I just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide. She continued: 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. Police said 108 people, including Ms Hirsi, were charged with trespassing at the private Ivy League institution. Two people were also charged with obstructing government administration. im an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings i just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide. isra hirsi (@israhirsi) April 18, 2024 Responding to Hirsis post, Ms Ocasio-Cortez wrote: What is going on here @BarnardCollege @Columbia? How does a student with no disciplinary record suddenly get to a suspension less than 24 hours after a nonviolent protest? What merits asymmetric crackdowns on Palestinian human rights protests? Fellow squad member Ms Tlaib described the alleged disciplinary action as appalling. What is going on here @BarnardCollege @Columbia? How does a student with no disciplinary record suddenly get to a suspension less than 24 hours after a nonviolent protest? What merits asymmetric crackdowns on Palestinian human rights protests? https://t.co/omIFZLcvpl Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 19, 2024 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, she wrote on X. Students had been protesting on the Columbia campus since early Wednesday, opposing Israeli military action in Gaza and demanding the school divest from companies they claim profit from Israeli apartheid." The universitys president Namat Shafik previously issued a statement saying the school had warned protesters on Wednesday that they would be suspended if the encampment was not removed. School officials decided on Thursday to call in police and clear out the demonstrators, she said. The individuals who established the encampment violated a long list of rules and policies, Ms Shafik wrote. 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. https://t.co/Z4qKDCK1IF Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) April 18, 2024 Ms Shafik also said the university tried through several channels "to engage with their concerns and offered to continue discussions if they agreed to disperse. The school said it was still identifying students involved in the protest and added more suspensions would be forthcoming. The suspension of Ms Omars daughter comes after the congresswoman questioned Ms Shafik on Wednesday at a hearing in Congress about the schools targeting of pro-Palestinian protesters. St. Augustine man lights himself on fire outside Trump trial in New York A man from St. Augustine, Florida set himself on fire on Friday afternoon outside of the Manhattan courthouse where the criminal trial of former President Donald J. Trump is underway. Maxwell Azzarello, 37, was seen throwing conspiracy pamphlets at Collect Pond Park just before he doused himself with accelerant and lit himself on fire, New York police said at a press conference on Friday. He is in critical condition at a New York hospital. Police said Azzarellos motivations are still under investigation. They are currently looking through all his social media accounts and online history. While it has yet to be determined if his actions were in protest to Trumps trial, police said Azzarello did post about the event before he set himself ablaze. Azzarello was last seen in St. Augustine on April 13, police said. He is believed to have arrived in New York City early this week, and was photographed by the New York Times at the same park on Thursday with a sign that read: Trump is with Biden and theyre about to fascist coup us. On Friday, Azzarello published a manifesto on the online platform Substack explaining he set himself on fire: as an extreme act of protest to draw attention to his discovery of a totalitarian con involving cryptocurrency where both political parties are run by financial criminals whose only goals are to divide, deceive, and bleed us dry. They divide the public against itself and blame the other party while everything gets worse and more expensive and [a] handful of people take all the money, Azzarello wrote in the anti-government manifesto. Some of Azzarellos social media accounts have already been suspended, including his Reddit account. A review of his Instagram account shows he was trying to draw attention to his manifesto as early as March 20. St. Marys, Rock Island, will have blessing to celebrate 175 years Father Witold Adamczyk, OFM Conventual, pastor of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Rock Island, will lead a blessing and unveiling of the new QC PastPort historical interactive sign recognizing St. Marys Catholic Church as the first Catholic church in Rock Island County and marking the beginning of their celebrations of its 175th anniversary in 2026, according to a news release. The blessing ceremony will take place immediately after 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 28, outside the entrance to the church. The historical sign and accompanying mobile app features the early history of St. Marys Church including pictures, an imagined audio conversation between the first pastor, Father John George Alleman, and one of the parishs original benefactors, Antoine LeClaire, as well as two musical performances on St. Marys pipe organ, played by church organist Christopher Versluis. The Development Association of Rock Island provided a majority of the funding though a place-making grant. St. Marys remains the oldest Catholic Church in Rock Island County. It is considered the cradle of Catholicism in western Illinois and eastern Iowa due to Father Allemans missionary travels throughout the region and his establishment of many Catholic missions. This interactive sign is one of many historical destinations that are part of a unique way-finding system developed by QC PastPort, which includes narratives of the past through self-guided, physical, and digital tours throughout the Quad Cities. Lifelong parishioner Christopher Versluis also assisted in the compilation of the historical narrative for the app and shared his thoughts. As a teacher and student of history, Im in awe thinking about how truly amazing it is to marry the 173-year history of this great parish and its people with the new technology of the app bringing the old and new together, he said. This place of worship has served as a home away from home for generations of parishioners. I have found it an honor to have been part of this process so that more people can get to know the history behind this great parish and its dedicated parishioners as we embark on our 175th Anniversary in 2026. The blessing ceremony will be simple and short. The public is welcome. St. Marys was founded in 1851 by the Rev. George Alleman. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. CREVE COEUR, Mo. St. Monica Catholic School in Creve Coeur announced Friday that their school will be closing after this school year ends. According to a release, the school had less than 120 enrolled students for the 20242025 school year, with one grade level having three students. This trend means that continuing to provide quality education at St. Monica School would require support that would negatively impact the parishs finances and impede other crucial parish ministries, a release said. The former St. Louis brands and businesses missed most The school has been offering Catholic education for over 100 years but has faced challenges with declining or inconsistent enrollment. The Archdiocese of St. Louis will assist in finding and providing new placements for staff, faculty, students, and families. The parishioners of St. Monica can indeed be proud of the long history of educating children in the faith, a release stated. I am profoundly grateful to them, to all the administrators, teachers, and staff who share their gifts to help raise children in our Catholic faith, and to the parents who make a commitment to Catholic education. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Pouria Zeraati was ambushed and stabbed several times on his way to work last month - Paul Grover Three men who attacked an Iranian journalist outside his London home were mercenaries from Eastern Europe hired by Tehran, investigators believe. Pouria Zeraati, a dissident who works for the London-based Iran International network, was ambushed and stabbed several times as he left for work last month. The broadcaster, who had previously been subjected to death threats, believes the attack was carried out on the orders of the regime in Tehran. But counter-terrorism officers leading the investigation believe the men who carried out the attack were proxies who had been recruited from the criminal underworld in Eastern Europe. Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev (pictured), was convicted of attempting to collect information likely to be useful for terrorism and jailed for three and a half years. - Metropolitan Police/PA Wire The men arrived in Britain a short time before the incident and then left almost immediately afterwards, flying to three different destinations from Londons Heathrow Airport. Detectives are understood to be investigating if one of the men had links to Albania. It is not the first time rogue states have used organised crime groups to carry out their activities in the West. In December, a Chechen-born Austrian national was jailed after he was caught carrying out hostile reconnaissance on the London headquarters of Iran International. Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev was convicted of trying to collect information likely to be useful for terrorism and jailed for three and a half years. Intelligence agencies have also uncovered plots involving criminal proxies from Eastern Europe to assassinate Iranian dissidents in Europe. Mr Zeraati was attacked on 29 March as he left his home in Wimbledon to head to the studios to broadcast his weekly show. Mr Zeraati was discharged from hospital and says he is now staying in a safe place - UNPIXS He was initially approached by one man who asked him for money, before a second approached him and held him. The first then slashed him across the legs. A third suspect was waiting in a getaway car, which was later found abandoned. Scotland Yard later confirmed that the three men had left the UK, flying out of Heathrow Airport on the same day. Irans charge daffaires in the UK, Seyed Mehdi Hosseini Matin, has denied his governments involvement. Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes, the head of UK counter-terrorism, has previously spoken of the use of criminal proxies by Iran and other rogue states. At a briefing in January, he said: The big connecting factor is of course money, but also the use of criminal proxies to carry out the work of hostile regimes. Why would you do it yourself when you can procure an organised criminal to take the action on your behalf to provide distance and deniability. 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 stupid herds of modern tourists let themselves be emptied like coals from a sack. Believe it or not, these are not the words of a protester in Tenerife in 2024, but rather the words of the Victorian polymath, John Ruskin, speaking in 1876 against a proposed expansion of the railways into Ambleside, Cumbria. He predicted taverns and skittle grounds round Grasmere, which will soon be nothing but a pool of drainage, with a beach of broken ginger beer bottles; and their minds will be no more improved by contemplating the scenery of such a lake than of Blackpool. At the time, his vision was novel. Tourism was in its infancy and, with the exception of one William Wordsworth, barely anyone was speaking out against its potential ill effects. But 150 years later, we now know that Ruskins appraisal of mass tourism was on the nose. With 1.3 billion tourist arrivals in 2023, the coal sack has well and truly emptied on the planet and entire economies are now structured around the industry of feeding, housing and entertaining tourists. But from Bali to Barcelona, the rampant growth of tourism has come at a cost, and over the past 15 years in particular the anti-tourism protest movement has entered the mainstream. Today, a coordinated protest will take place across five of the Canary Islands. In Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and La Palma, campaign groups will say that unchecked tourism has degraded the quality of life on the islands, led to a housing crisis, contributed to water shortages, and is destroying the natural environment across the islands. Their message is simple: The Canaries have a limit. Dont believe anybody who tries to suggest that protesters want to eliminate tourism entirely; the industry brought in 20.3 billion in 2023, about a third of the islands collective GDP. Rather they are, entirely sensibly, calling for tourism growth to be curbed and for a more sustainable model of tourism to be introduced. Sometimes, the messaging at anti-tourist protests can feel personal. In Malaga, protest groups have slapped stickers onto tourist accommodation with phrases like stinks of tourists and a family used to live here (and indeed, some slightly fruitier language too). Across the Canaries, we have also seen graffiti with statements like tourists go home. But Joe Cawley, The Telegraphs Canary Islands expert, says this sentiment isnt reflective of the opinions of the wider population. Theyre merely the work of a small and vocal disgruntled minority; a handful of spray-can wielding upstarts, he says. One suspects that some use this sort of language knowing full well that the blame does not lie on tourists as individuals, but that these kinds of combative, pithy, targeted statements will attract the attention of the international press. It works. 'We don't want to see our island die': thousands of protesters have taken to the streets today - Solarpix/Andres Guiterez Still, the authorities across the Canary Islands are at pains to make British holidaymakers feel welcome. Jessica de Leon, who became regional tourism chief of the Canaries last July, told The Telegraph that the archipelago is open for business. It is still safe to visit the Canary Islands, and we are delighted to welcome you, said Ms de Leon. She said she understood protesters frustrations, particularly concerning the housing crisis, but said that it was unfair to blame tourism. If you are still feeling burned by your favourite holiday destination saying it wants less tourism, just imagine if the tables were turned. What if your local grocery store became a souvenir shop selling stickers and magnets, instead of fruit and freshly baked bread? Imagine if the average monthly salary in your town no longer covered the average monthly rent, forcing workers to sleep in cars or caves. Or if there were a drought in your local area, while European tourists happily splashed about in swimming pools. Would you take to the streets? I suspect you might. The main messages from todays protests fall on the table of the political decision makers. Introducing a tourist tax, restrictions on foreign house buyers, a freeze on tourist arrival numbers, a moratorium on hotel building. These are issues above our paygrade, as tourists. But its important to remember that we, holidaymakers, are indeed stakeholders in the future of these islands. If we enjoy visiting the Canaries, it is in our interest to listen, and to be part of the solution rather than the problem. What this looks like, in practice, is staying with locally owned hotels. It is eating in independent, family run restaurants and cafes. It is tipping the waiter. It is travelling in the shoulder season, where possible. It is limiting our water usage while on holiday. It is using one towel. It is behaving in a way that we would behave in our home town (and, hell, maybe even calling out those who arent doing so). As coals, emptying from a sack, we tourist herds will always leave some kind mark on our travels. But its up to us what it looks like. 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. State, local election officials urging voters to get absentee ballots in early over postal problems Channel 2 Action News has been reporting on mail delays at the U.S. Postal Service center in Palmetto in South Fulton for weeks. And now our reporting is prompting state elections workers to encourage people to get absentee ballots early and track them for the upcoming May primary election. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger joined elections officials in Paulding County Friday as part of a joint exercise on election security. But everyone was talking about the problems about an hour south of Dallas at the brand-new postal facility in Palmetto, where only 36% of mail coming through there is delivered on time. We realized there was a problem when we got ballots after the March 12 Presidential Primary that were postmarked back in February, Paulding County elections supervisor Deidra Holden said. Holden was so worried about the mail service, that she contacted her Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. RELATED STORIES: Just this week, we saw Georgia U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff grill the postmaster general over the delivery delays. Raffensperger is just as concerned, especially when it comes to absentee ballots. Hes encouraging voters to apply for them early and track them using ballottrax. But he said some counties are working directly with their local post offices to keep Palmetto out of the loop altogether. All the absentee ballot applications and ballots for that county are going to be handled locally instead of coming to the big sorting facility, so thats something that theyve done locally, working on. Youll see that county elections directors are very proactive on that, Raffensperger said. Holden is encouraging her voters who vote absentee to have a family member bring it back. I do want to encourage the voters if they did get an absentee ballot, to have one of their family members return it for them, lock it in, or use one of our drop boxes during the early voting hours, Holden said. The postmaster general told Ossoff that he thinks theyll have the problems worked out here within 60 days. Were about 30 days from that primary election. RELATED NEWS: This is a locator map for Afghanistan with its capital, Kabul. (AP Photo) KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) A sticky bomb exploded in a mostly Shiite neighborhood of the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday, killing one person and wounding three others, a police official said. The bomb was attached to a car and the blast killed the driver. The spokesman for the Kabul police chief, Khalid Zadran, did not say if the three wounded were passengers. He said police had reached the scene to investigate but gave no further details. The evening blast struck the bustling commercial and residential area of Kot-e-Sangi. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Islamic State group. Its affiliate in the region has in the past carried out attacks targeting Shiites, whom IS considers to be apostates. It also targets the Taliban. Last month, the group claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing that targeted people trying to collect their salaries at a bank in southern Afghanistan. IS said the assailant detonated his explosive belt among Taliban gathered near the bank to receive their salaries. How a store manager from India ended up killed on the battlefields of Ukraine fighting for Russia They opened the box on a Sunday in late March, getting their first look at Asfan Mohammed since he departed India for Russia four months earlier. He was better dressed than when hed left a black suit, white shirt, tie and shoes replacing the casual attire hed worn when family and friends saw him off. But he had to be buried in line with his Muslim beliefs, so his body would need to be prepared; the neat clothes removed. It was then Imran Mohammad, 41, saw the extent of what had happened to his 31-year-old brother while fighting for the Russian armed forces in Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. I saw holes on the back of his shoulder, his ribs right down till his lower back, Imran told CNN. There were six to seven holes caused by a drone attack. It ripped through his body. There was internal damage. Two teeth were broken. And now this tight-knit family in Hyderabad, southern India was broken too. A husband, father and provider gone. Imrans business was also in ruins, rotted by neglect as hed focused all his energies on finding out what happened to his brother on the battlefield of Europes bloodiest conflict since the Second World War. Imran noted the time. I opened the box at 11 a.m. Sunday. When I saw his body for the first time, it hit me that hes no more, he said. My efforts to look for my brother, my two-month fight for my brother, came to a painful end. I wanted to react looking at his corpse, but I just couldnt. I went totally numb. A dream lost Asfan met an unlikely fate one his family could never have imagined when Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022. At the time, the father of two managed a clothing store, one of almost 300 across India in the homegrown Allen Solly chain, selling kids clothes, wedding tuxedos and just about everything in between. Hed been there eight years, his brother said. It wasnt the worst job, but Asfan wanted more for his wife and two children, ages 2 and 8 months. And he dreamed of taking them out of Hyderabad. He wanted to work in Australia, where his sister-in-law and her family lived, Imran said. They were calling him and his family there. But that meant Asfan would need a high score on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), which gauges proficiency of non-native speakers. He wrote his IELTS. He didnt do well, Imran said. He felt demotivated. He tried again. It didnt work, Imran said. Asfan Mohammed's remains are returned to India in March. - Mohammed Imran But videos on YouTube about job opportunities in Russia gave Asfan new hope, and he contacted an employment agency, his brother said. He was going to work as a taxi driver or delivery boy in Russia that process was on, Imran said. Then a couple of days later the agents said there are vacancies for helper and security jobs in the Russian army. The agents assured him that this was the best job. They said he could get a Russian passport and national card within a year through which you could move around neighboring countries. Asfan thought that could be a stepping stone to his familys dream life in Australia, his brother said. Instead, his choice took him to the frigid, battle-scarred landscape of Ukraine. Brainwashed Asfan kept his plans secret from family and friends until it was too late to turn back, according to Imran, who said he only learned his brother was leaving three days before he set off for Russia on November 9 last year. By that time, Asfan had paid more than $1,800 to the recruiters, who asked him not to speak to anyone, even his family, about his intention to travel. They had brainwashed him so much They warned him he could be deported from Russia, from the airport, Imran said. I tried my level best to stop him. After a multi-stop route that took him through other Indian cities and the United Arab Emirates, Asfan arrived in Moscow on November 12. A day later, he signed papers in Russian, which he couldnt read committing him to the work, his brother said. He trusted the agents a bit too much, Imran said. A Ukrainian soldier holds an artillery shell as he prepares to fire a howitzer towards Russian troops near the town of Kreminna, Ukraine March 4, 2024 - Inna Varenytsia/Reuters Foreign fighters in Putins war By some estimates, Russia has been sending thousands of foreign men to fight in Ukraine since Putin ordered the invasion. Many of them are young men from South Asia, enticed by the prospect of steady employment and higher salaries in Russia. In Nepal, prominent opposition lawmaker and former foreign minister Bimala Rai Paudyal told parliament earlier this year that between 14,000 and 15,000 Nepalis were fighting on the front lines, citing testimony from men returning from Ukraine. The Russian government last year announced a lucrative package for foreign fighters to join the countrys military, including a monthly salary of at least $2,000 and a fast track to Russian citizenship but the Kremlin has not said how many foreigners it has recruited under the plan. New Delhi has strong ties with Moscow dating back to the Cold War and has largely steered clear of condemning outright the invasion by Russia, which remains Indias biggest arms supplier. India has also become a major purchaser of Russian energy, bolstering Moscows coffers by a record $37 billion of crude oil purchases last year alone and providing Russias sanctions hit economy with vital revenue. Meanwhile, India, which has no law preventing its citizens from serving in a foreign states military, has acknowledged that a number of its nationals have been fighting for Russia in Ukraine. In a statement in February, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said getting those Indians an early discharge from the Russian military was a top priority. The ministry told CNN last month it has been in continuous contact with Russian authorities to make that happen. But for some, those efforts would come too late. A ministry spokesperson told CNN at least two Indians have died in the conflict. In early March, Indias Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said it had busted major human trafficking networks that were duping men into Russian military jobs, with 35 such cases identified. The trafficked Indian Nationals were trained in combat roles and deployed at front bases in Russia-Ukraine War Zone against their wishes, the CBI statement said. To the front line Asfan didnt tell his brother when he was going to be sent to Ukraine, Imran said, but he did get in contact on December 1, just as he was heading to the battlefield. Asfan was seeking a way out, Imran said. He asked me to speak to the agents, Imran said. I did promise him that Id try my best. It was the last time they spoke to each other. The military personnel were not in touch with these agents, Imran said. These brokers duped the boys and put their lives in danger, he said, referring to Asfan and other Indians sent to war. Weeks of uncertainty, then disbelief On January 23, Imran received a voice message from one of those Indian men deployed alongside Asfan. The man, who said he had been injured in combat, told Imran he had found Asfan, whod also been injured, inside a house in Ukraine a day earlier. Imran said the man told him he couldnt pick his brother up because of the drones around them, but had passed word of Asfans condition to a Russian medical team. Ukrainian forces have used converted commercial drones against their Russian opponents with devastating effect on the frontlines, either by dropping grenades from above or by using them as remote controlled bombs. Two days later, Imran said he visited his member of parliament to try to get Indian officials to help his injured brother. But pleas to the government went unanswered, he said. The Indian Embassy in Moscow eventually replied that it was looking into the case. On a March 6 visit to his MPs office, Imran got the news he had dreaded. Asfan Mohammed, right, and his brother Imran are pictured with Asfan's children before Asfan left for Russia. - Mohammed Imran We called the emergency number at the Indian Embassy (in Moscow). As soon as I mentioned Asfans name on the phone, they told me hes dead. I didnt have the strength to talk to them, he said. I didnt want to believe what they were saying. He still had no visual proof of Asfans death, but he had to pass on what hed learned to the rest of the family. Asfans wife was unconscious for three hours, Imran said. She cried through the night. Asfans family has buried his body, but they are scarred by a war far away. Imran says it pains him to look at his brothers young children, who will never know their dad. And he says his own future feels uncertain. This has been on for four months, for 24 hours a day, he said. This has been the worst phase Ive ever been through. Theres no personal life anymore. No friendship left. Ive only been taking care of my family. And one of them, his brother, is forever gone. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a new chapter in the superpower rivalry with their November meeting, embracing open lines of communication despite simmering tensions over competing geopolitical and economic interests. Secretary of State Antony Blinkens trip to Beijing this coming week will spotlight how this strategy is holding firm almost five months later, despite unresolved issues and global conflicts threatening to break the relationship apart at any moment. We believe that intense competition requires intense diplomacy on a range of issues, and in-depth, face-to-face diplomacy is particularly important to managing tensions, a senior administration official told reporters in a call Friday, previewing Blinkens trip. The Secretary will make clear that the United States intends to responsibly manage our competition with the PRC [Peoples Republic of China]. The high-level visit follows Biden and Xi committing last year in Woodside, California, to communicate more regularly, between each other and with regular meetings between their senior officials. A visit by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen earlier this month was lauded by Chinese state media, which brushed over her rebuke of Beijings anti-competitive industrial practices in favor of promoting Yellens skillful use of chopsticks and Chinese menu choices. Blinkens trip likely would not happen unless Xi saw the benefit in promoting photos of a top U.S. official in China. China is playing nice with the Biden administration now, which, the Biden administration is also playing nice with China, said Dmitri Alperovitch, author of the upcoming book, World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the 21st Century. However, Alperovitch said the good will may not last long. China will revert back to its wolf-warrior diplomacy by the summer, when they realize that U.S. direct investment is not back. Xi is in a difficult position at home, with an economy still struggling to recover from COVID-19 lockdowns and worsened by the U.S. and other allies diversifying supply chains away from Chinese manufacturing. To avoid U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods a threat highlighted this week by Biden pushing for new tariffs on Chinese steel these businesses are relocating operations to southeast Asia or Mexico. Beijing is fighting back by pouring incentives into manufacturing of green-technology: electric vehicles, solar panels and batteries. The initiative has spurred economic growth but has drawn warnings from the U.S. and Europe about over-capacity, harming domestic business by flooding their markets with cheaper goods. We have and will continue to emphasize that our concern about overcapacity is not animated by anti-China sentiment or a desire to decouple, Secretary Yellen said in Beijing last week. Rather, it is driven by a desire to prevent global economic dislocation and move toward a healthy economic relationship with China. But American businesses and other interest groups are not abandoning China yet. Xi received a standing ovation during a dinner with U.S. business leaders when visiting San Francisco in November, and in March he welcomed a delegation of U.S. business and academic heads to Beijing. President Xi Jinping emphasized that over the past couple of years, the China-U.S. relationship experienced some setbacks and serious challenges, from which lessons should be learned, the Chinese Foreign Ministry wrote in a summary of the March meetings. The most important understanding he reached with President Biden at last years San Francisco meeting was on the need to stabilize and improve China-U.S. relations. But Xi is also looking to diversify, in part by deepening ties with Europe. In March, he introduced up to two-weeks visa free travel for Europeans, as well as hosting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the presumptive next secretary-general of NATO, and German Chancellor Olaf Shulz in successive visits. I think the Chinese leaders are also aware that this is an election year, theres only so much that President Biden can do, said Yawei Liu, senior advisor on China at The Carter Center. For China, I think it understands to what extent the US-China relationship can be stabilized, so theyre doing everything they can to hopefully create a gap between the U.S. and its alliesand China is one of the most important markets to Germany, he added. Its a very complicated relationship, but I think the China side has become more and more realistic, and realistic in the sense that, at least in 2024, the U.S.-China relationship is going to be rocky. Blinken, in his visit to Beijing, will bring a host of U.S. grievances. Top of the list is Chinas support for Russias war in Ukraine. While Washington has relied on Beijing to try and rein in Russian President Vladimir Putins threats to use nuclear weapons, the administration is increasingly calling out Chinas support for Putins army. The administration last week began raising alarm that Chinas export to Russia of non-lethal military assistance is becoming a red line for the U.S. declaring it akin to how China feels about Taiwan. The point were trying to make to Chinese interlocutors is that this is our strategic interest, this is the most central issue, said Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, during a town hall in early April hosted by the National Committee on U.S-China Relations. China is involving themselves in a way that they think we dont completely understand we do understand whats going on, he added. Weve told China directly, if this continues, it will have an impact on the U.S.-China relationship. We will not sit by and say everything is fine if Russias offensives continue and they gain territory in Ukraine. And Congress is on a warpath to ban one of Chinas popular and profitable exports, TikTok, as part of House Speaker Mike Johnsons (R-La.) national security supplemental package headed for a vote, likely on Saturday. Biden had earlier said if such legislation reached his desk, he would sign it. The bill also gives TikToks Chinese parent company ByteDance the option of selling off the social media company. Republicans and Democrats share a rare unanimity that China is an all-around threat to Americas security and prosperity. On Tuesday, bipartisan lawmakers on the House select committee on China unveiled an investigation accusing Beijing of fueling Americas opioid epidemic by incentivizing companies to produce chemicals for the production of fentanyl. Congress needs to act alongside President Biden in getting the CCP to take immediate action to stop the fentanyl crisis, said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), the ranking Democrat on the committee. The American people are demanding it. There must be accountability. Xi committed to Biden in Woodside to step up efforts to address Chinas export of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl. Blinken will be joined on his trip by the State Departments top official on counter narcotics, Assistant Secretary Todd Robinson. Well underscore why we believe its in Chinas interest to cooperate in ending the flow of chemical precursors to the United States, the senior administration official told reporters. And the U.S. has raised concern over what it criticizes as Chinas provocative and destabilizing naval maneuvers in the South and East China Sea threatening U.S.-treaty allies Japan and the Philippines. The administration has put a priority focus on restarting military-to-military communications with Beijing to avoid potential conflicts in these waters channels that were severed in August 2022 when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Chinas defense minister on Tuesday, in the first top-level engagement in nearly two years. Biden has angered Beijing by promising to defend Taiwan in case of a Chinese invasion, as well as calling Xi a dictator. However, Liu, of the Carter Center, said the Biden administrations constant reassurances of adhering to the one-China policy which does not recognize Taiwan as independent has helped bring Beijing back to the phone and table. A major meeting between U.S. and Chinese military and naval officials took place on April 5, shortly after the latest phone call between Biden and Xi, their first since the November meeting. In China, every time whether its a meeting or a phone call they always say the U.S. has reaffirmed its one China policy. To China, thats the most important thing, said Liu. Campbell, who previously served as Bidens top official on Asia policy at the National Security Council, said recent developments were promising. These are all indications that both sides, I think for now, are determined to keep U.S.-China relations on a steady, stable path, he said at the town hall. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. McDonald's fries, burger, and drink - Ellenmoran / Getty Images It's hard to find a person who doesn't know the iconic McDonald's jingle or recognize its signature Golden Arches. Unless you're in one of the countries where you won't find McDonald's, there's no fast food more readily available than Mickey D's. In fact, it's the largest global fast food chain out there, with over 40,000 restaurant locations spanning more than 100 countries. Thanks to Ray Kroc's influence, McDonald's opened as a burger joint in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955 and quickly expanded to become a globalized restaurant corporation. The most stores (and the most profits generated) are in its home country, with more than 13,000 U.S. locations. Still, McDonald's in other countries across Asia, Latin America, and Europe also garner impressive numbers. France is the largest European McDonald's hub with over 1,500 locations, closely followed by Germany. China's nearly 5,000 locations unsurprisingly take the top spot for Pacific Asia and the Middle East, and Brazil leads South and Central America with just over 1,000 restaurants. There's a significant lack of McDonald's in many Central Asian countries, and African countries are practically void of the chain aside from four: South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, and Mauritania. Interestingly, California has almost the same number of locations as France, making it the U.S. state with the most McDonald's (followed by Texas and Florida). In 2023 alone, McDonald's raked in $8.47 billion worldwide. Read more: The Most Overrated Chain Restaurants In The US, According To The Mashed Staff Why Global McDonald's Are Successful McDonald's storefront in Thailand - Kreangchairungfamai / Getty Images McDonald's performs well across regions because of its consistency and adaptability. In the U.S., McDonald's is often praised for its unchanging menu. Aside from celebrity collaborations that rebrand mostly pre-existing meals (often with limited-edition sauces), the menu has been relatively the same since chicken nuggets were introduced in the 1980s, followed by McFlurries in the '90s. The same is true around the world, just in different fonts. McDonald's menus differ in other countries depending on the region's common culture and culinary traditions. The corporation is so focused on globalization that it even hosts a worldwide convention every year featuring samples from its global menu. This event is a tradition dating back to the '60s when Ray Kroc and international McDonald's operators gathered to learn from one another. The convention has historically been held in North America, but in 2024, for the first time, it will take place in a European country. In April, McDonald's suppliers and employees will meet in Barcelona, Spain to explore further endeavors for the brand and celebrate its global accomplishments. Story continues In a December 2023 press release, McDonald's revealed that it plans to reach at least 50,000 global locations by 2027, so expansion will no doubt be a hot topic at the annual gathering. Clearly, the world won't see the end of McNugget meals anytime soon. Read the original article on Mashed A storm system in the South will bring rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms across parts of the Gulf Coast states today including much of Texas. The biggest threat for heavy downpours that could cause flash flooding is across much of central and eastern Texas, stretching into Mississippi Along with a flood threat, some of these storms could also be strong with the possibility of strong wind gusts and/or some hail; the tornado threat is low but cannot be ruled out. PHOTO: strong storms weather graphic (ABC News) Late Saturday and early Sunday morning, storms may remain strong for the Southeast and bring gusty winds that may cause damage. There is a higher concern for flash flooding from central Texas to central Mississippi on Saturday into the night. Total rainfall accumulations up to 3 inches are possible across much of the area from central Texas to central Mississippi, however, up to 5 inches in some localized instances is possible. Given how saturated some of these areas are from recent storms last week, flash flooding may occur. PHOTO: rainfall forecast weather graphic (ABC News) PHOTO: A general view of weather conditions is shown as the second round of the Invited Celebrity Classic, at Las Colinas Country Club, is cancelled due to rain, on April 20, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (Tim Heitman/Getty Images) Snow in Colorado A batch of snow has been falling in the Colorado Rockies, which will come to an end Saturday afternoon and evening. Total snow accumulations in Denver and Boulder are expected between 3 to 6 inches. Parts of the Rockies including Rocky Mountain National Park are expecting 4 to 10 inches of snow. As you go farther north and closer to Cheyenne and Laramie in Wyoming, 1 or 2 inches of snow is possible, but freezing drizzle and freezing fog is also expected and may bring the greatest impacts as a thin layer of ice may stick to sub-freezing surfaces. Freeze alerts in the Midwest Portions of six states are under a freeze warning Saturday morning as temperatures are forecast to dip into the 20s. PHOTO: freezing temperatures graphic (ABC News) This is mostly an alert for agriculture, as these conditions can harm or kill sensitive vegetation. Luckily, the planting season has just begun for most farmers, so their crops should be okay. The warning is in effect Saturday morning only, and covers the entire states of Iowa aside from two counties in the southeast corner, and portions of Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Pittsburgh and places in that region in Ohio and West Virginia are under a freeze watch Saturday morning, expected to turn into either a freeze warning or frost advisory in the evening and Sunday morning as temperatures go below freezing there. While temperatures will remain cold Sunday morning, possibly enough for additional frost or freeze alerts, by Monday this area should be warmer with lows only in the 40s from Minnesota to Omaha. The cold will push east, bringing low temperatures into the upper 30s for Chicago this weekend, and eventually into the 30s for the Northeast beginning Sunday morning. Strong storms may bring flooding, strong winds to the South this weekend originally appeared on abcnews.go.com NEW YORK Defiant students at Columbia University continued Friday to protest the war in Gaza as some Jewish students, citing ongoing tension on campus, requested permission to study remotely. The Jewish students said they felt threatened by the large, unrelenting protests surrounding the campus gates. One masked protester reportedly vowed to a group of Jewish students passing through campus to repeat Oct. 7 10,000 more times. We do not feel safe walking to nor around campus, read the open letter with 97 signatures as of Friday night. We urge the administration to allow us to attend classes virtually until the situation has entirely deescalated. One day after university President Minouche Shafik tapped the New York Police Department to clear a campus encampment and arrest more than 100 demonstrators, dozens of students took over another campus lawn with blankets and Palestinian flags. They got up before the sun rose and calling on their classmates to join them with warm clothes and blankets, social media posts from overnight show. A large sign from the original series of tents, pitched earlier this week, continued to advertise the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. Throughout the day, the protesters continued to chant and dance. The campus chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, which was one of two student organizations suspended from campus last semester, was organizing a Sabbath celebration in the encampment zone. One undergraduate student told The New York Daily News that the more university administrators try to silence us, the more she and her classmates will fight back. Seriously, thats why were here, she said. Because you cant tell us to shut up. The encampment went up shortly before Shafik earlier this week defended in front of Congress her handling of rising campus antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war. Pro-Palestinian protesters, including students from CUNY and New York University, on the perimeter of Columbia, continued to show support for Columbia students. Campus gates were locked for the fifth day in a row. Chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine throughout the country, including at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Miami University in Ohio, shared photos of their own tent demonstrations on social media to back Columbia. While the encampment has been dismantled, our community has had protest activity on campus since October, and we expect that activity to continue, a university spokesperson said. We have rules regarding the time, place, and manner that apply to protest activity and we will continue to enforce those. We remain in regular contact with our students and student groups and are committed to ensuring the core functions of the University continue. NYPD said 113 people were arrested Thursday at Columbia, including several more protesters since Mayor Eric Adams and top police brass held a news conference that night. On Wednesday before sunrise, student protesters at Columbia set up dozens of green tents on the main campus lawn, demanding the university divest its finances from companies and institutions that profit from Israel. Columbia instructed participants to disperse by the late morning. When many students refused, university officials delivered an ultimatum: leave that night or face suspensions. During the suspension, you may not go to class or hand in work related to courses and therefore may not be able to complete your current courses. Your CUID will be deactivated, you will not have access to classrooms and other parts of campus and may not participate in University activities, read the notification. After multiple warnings, cops in riot gear moved in early Thursday afternoon and arrested all demonstrators. Most were released with a summons for trespassing but told to return home. Columbia officials said Friday that students who face suspensions in general will be able to return to their dorms. Some students at Barnard College lost access to residence halls as a result of the disciplinary action. With just weeks left in the semester, it was unclear Friday if the suspensions would jeopardize students chances of finishing their coursework. We faculty asked if students devices could please be kept separately so that students might have a chance to finish their school work, said Rebecca Jordan-Young, a professor of womens, gender and sexuality studies at Barnard. But a photo of student belongings tossed in a pile went viral on social media. Their devices and all belongings were gathered up and thrown into trash bags and bins as if it was somehow a public safety emergency to get not just the students but all their belongings off that lawn, Jordan-Young said. _____ (New York Daily News reporters Tea Kvetenadze and Thomas Tracy contributed to this story.) _____ Students get free admission to Mint Museum for one year Starting May 1, children in grades K-12 can enjoy free admission to both Mint Museum locations for an entire year. In addition, college students enrolled in visual and performing arts programs will also have free access during this period, the museum announced this week. The opportunity is made possible through the support of Mint Board of Trustees member Charlotte Wickham. Wickham was partnered with Charlotte Ballet dancer Humberto Ramazzina, and the duo raised more than $425,000 during Charlotte Ballets 2024 Dancing with the Stars Gala held in March. Approximately $180,000 of the funds raised will be allocated to support student access at the Mint Museum, with the remaining amount benefiting Charlotte Ballet. Out-of-this-world immersive exhibit coming to Charlotte According to a news release, the Mint Museum aims to secure additional support to extend free student access beyond May 2025, with the ultimate goal of making the museum free for all as part of its ongoing commitment to accessibility. Currently, admission prices are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 65 and older and college students with ID, and $6 for ages 5-17. Children ages 4 and younger are admitted free. Children ages 13 and younger must be accompanied by a paying adult. The museum offers free admission for everyone at both locations every Wednesday from 5-9 p.m. For more information on upcoming exhibitions and programs at the Mint Museum, go to mintmuseum.org. VIDEO: Charlotte Symphony Orchestra takes show on the road across the Queen City AUSTIN (KXAN) After a Texas law banned diversity, equity and inclusion offices at public universities in the state, the University of Texas at Austin canceled several minority graduation events it had previously hosted for several years. This news was dropped on minority students around three months before the May 8 graduation weekend, leaving those communities to self-organize their own celebrations without any assistance from the school or its faculty. Sources: At least 20 UT employees linked to DEI to lose their jobs Katherine Ospina, a UT Austin senior, has worked since February with a small team of other student volunteers to organize Latinx graduation. [SB 17] is just barring us from funding barring us from faculty and administrative support, and the ability to rent out any venues within the university, Ospina said. Weve had to get creative with celebrating our Hispanic students, in the fact that our funding has to come from individual donors, corporate donors, or advising. We just dont have a blueprint so weve been putting on a bunch of different hats. Affinity graduations, from Ospinas perspective, are vital to making minority students feel welcome at an institution like UT. Previously, the Latinx graduation was the only UT Austin graduation event with translation, according to Ospina. Student organizations feeling effects of Senate Bill 17s DEI ban The university touts itself as Hispanic serving, and it gets federal funding for being a Hispanic serving institution, which means that at least 25% of our student body is Latino or Hispanic, she said. Its crucial for their parents to understand the hard work that theyve put in. To be able to give [parents] a language of comfort, so that theyre able to be joyful in that is so, so important. Ospina and her co-organizers also turned to the Austin City Council for assistance. Here you have students who are trying to figure out where they can have a safe space just to celebrate the graduation, said Austin Council Member Vanessa Fuentes in a prior interview with KXAN. Its unfortunate, its a misuse of time and misuse of priorities from the state legislature. And quite frankly, its frightening to think about that effort and what might come next. The Latinx graduation organizers and other student groups received help from UT ex-students association Texas Exes, which is hosting two-hour graduation celebrations for graduates and their families. The Texas Exes looks forward to celebrating our 2024 graduates and welcoming them to the Alumni Center and the next chapter of their lives. Through these celebrations, we will help new grads get plugged into our Networks, which work year-round to support students and alumni around the world, said a Texas Exes representative in a statement. Texas DEI law closes campus LGBTQ+ centers. Heres the student impact Elizabeth Muench, a UT Austin graduate student, is grateful for assistance from the Exes to set up the Lavender Graduation celebration, which honors LGBTQ+ students. However, that gratitude also comes with feeling disconnected from UT. The school obviously isnt promoting any of these events. Theyre not trying to spread the word in any way, Muench said. Its definitely scaled down from past years. Everyone used to walk across the stage. There was a live stream, and it was a whole kind of bigger thing. Its just a little like smaller scale, which is disappointing. Ospina and Muench both said that they hope that their efforts this year will help set up the process for future UT Austin students. I think things are just gonna have to be a little more student-led, which is a little annoying because were already doing a lot on campus, Muench said. I hope that the future planning is smooth and that Texas Exes continues its support. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) A Hays Consolidated Independent School District substitute teacher is under investigation, according to the district. Hays CISD told KXAN the Johnson High School theater arts teacher is a long-term substitute and that theyve been suspended pending an investigation by the campus. The district said in a statement that, Students report that the substitute assigned them to perform a puppet show in which at least one puppet had to be murdered. Additionally, one group of students reports that their performance would have involved a mass shooting, though it is not clear if that was the specific assignment or a scene created to meet the parameters of the assignment. Hays CISD said if this happened, assigning or allowing this type of performance would be disturbing and unacceptable conduct. The school and the district apologize to the students and their parents for any distress this has caused and pledges to ensure that it does not happen again. Hays CISD The district said based on the investigation, the substitute could be asked not to return to its schools. If warranted, appropriate reports and referrals would be made to law enforcement and the Texas Education Agency educator misconduct portal, the district said. Im shocked A parent, who asked us to conceal their identity, said their daughter was in that class. I am floored. I am angry. Im shocked. Theres no lesson here. This is not okay. These are kids. Its harmful. Johnson High School Parent The parent said their daughter was so upset that she called them immediately. She called me telling me that their theater teacher was telling them that they were gonna have to reenact a violent school shooting, where they had to actually pretend to die, the parent said. You dont have students, 16 year-old, 17 year-old students reenact something that theyre truly afraid of. Allegedly the teacher told students if they didnt do it, they would get a zero for the assignment. They did it one time. He said, It wasnt violent enough, and made them do it again. Johnson High School Parent The district said the teacher was hired in January 2024. Hays CISD said it is also reviewing other potential classroom management concerns. She has told me in the past that its not the first time that this particular substitute teacher does something like this, the parent said. There have been times other times when he wants to reenact or go through violent situations. The parent said they went to the school and spoke with the assistant principal after getting that call from their daughter. She agreed it was not okay. It was unacceptable. It was not part of the lesson plan that they ever agreed to, the parent said. He was not given that plan, so he did it on his own. She assured me that it was not okay. Ultimately, this parent was grateful for how the district responded. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. LAKE CHARLES, La. (KLFY) A Sulphur man was arrested in Lincoln Parish on multiple child porn charges, authorities said. Charles B. Schrumpf II, 22, of Sulphur is charged with 22 counts of possession of child pornography. In July 2023, Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Office Special Victims Unit detectives working with Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Attorney Generals Office, as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in reference to child sexual abuse material saved to a Snapchat account. During further investigation, approximately over 20 child porn videos and images were located on an account associated with Schrumpf, officials said. After the execution of numerous search warrants and subpoenas, Judge Tony Fazzio signed a warrant for Schrumpfs arrest in March 2024. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest On Thursday, detectives located Schrumpf in Ruston, where he arrested and booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. He was transported back to the Calcasieu Correctional Center, where he was released later the same day on a $300,000 bond. Latest news For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. The Houses passing of important foreign aid bills for Ukraine and Israel will likely be the focus of this weeks Sunday news shows. On Saturday, the House passed new aid bills for Ukraine and Israel amid the conflicts both countries are participating in, following a long period of Republican infighting over whether more aid should be sent to Ukraine. Beyond being an important victory for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), the lower chamber approving more aid to Ukraine will also be seen as a win for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will appear on NBCs Meet the Press this week. I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track, Zelensky said in a post on the social platform X on Saturday. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it, Zelenskys post continued. The vital U.S. aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. Johnson came to the decision to push the foreign aid bills to the floor and cut off their funds from a separate border security bill by way of prayer, according to Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas), who will appear on ABCs This Week Sunday. I think he was torn between trying to save his job and doing the right thing, said McCaul, a longtime supporter of more Ukraine aid and chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Weve told him whats at stake here, and you want to be on the right side of history. And hes a man of faith. He doesnt wear it on his sleeve, but he, obviously, the night before he made a decision, reached out for guidance, and the next day he made the call. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a strong critic of Ukraine aid, went after Johnson in the wake of the foreign aid bills passing the lower chamber. Zelensky thanks Speaker Mike Johnson (D-Ukraine) for sending $61 BILLION of your hard-earned tax dollars to fuel a foreign war, Greene said in a post on X, which also featured a screenshot of Zelenskys post. Johnson once again passed a bill with the help of Democrats while the majority of the Republican majority voted against it, Greene continued. Not only is Mike Johnson a traitor to our conference, hes a traitor to our country. A full jury in former President Trumps hush money case in New York has now been selected. Following the screening of nearly 200 prospective jurors by the judge, Trumps lawyers and Manhattan prosecutors, 12 jurors and six alternates were picked Friday. Weve now completed jury selection for this case, Judge Juan Merchan said. The hush money trial began Monday, marking the first criminal trial of an American president. The former president has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to reimbursements to his former attorney, Michael Cohen, who paid an adult film actor $130,000 prior to the 2016 election to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump, which he denies. Following the second day of jury selection in his trial, the former president referred to the reimbursements as a legal expense. I was paying a lawyer, and we marked it down as a legal expense some accountant. I didnt know, Trump told reporters. Mark it down as a legal expense. Thats exactly what it was. And you get indicted over that? Trumps 2016 GOP presidential primary rival, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), is set to appear on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures this week. Cruz is running a very closely-watched race to keep his own senate seat in his home state. Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this weeks Sunday talk shows: NewsNations The Hill Sunday Rep. Glenn Ivey (R-Md.); Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo). ABCs This Week Reps. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif).; retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. NBCs Meet the Press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. CBS Face the Nation Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska); Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.). CNNs State of the Union Govs. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.) and Kristi Noem (R-S.D.); Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas). Fox News Sunday Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.); Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.). Fox News Sunday Morning Futures Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Mike Lee (R-Utah); Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.); Polish President Andrzej Duda. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. New York State will not shutter a state-run central Brooklyn teaching hospital that had landed on the chopping block under a state budget draft, Gov. Hochuls office said Friday. It is not closing its doors in the near-term, Kathryn Garcia, New Yorks director of state operations, told reporters in Manhattan. The preservation of the medical center, University Hospital at Downstate, came after strong community pushback to a blueprint by the Hochul administration that could have closed the health care center and moved some of its services into a city-run hospital across the street. More than 70% of residents who live near the hospital opposed efforts to close it and move its services, according to a poll released last month by labor interests lined up against the plan. In late February, the Rev. Al Sharpton led a hundreds-strong rally in opposition to the planned closure. And lawmakers responded to the Hochul administration proposal with a blueprint of their own to safeguard the hospital. The 342-bed medical center is nestled in the predominantly Black neighborhood of East Flatbush. The area suffers from a shortage of health care options. A January state Health Department analysis reported that hospital quality is generally low across Brooklyn and is lowest in communities with a large proportion of Black residents. The Downstate Hospital houses the lone kidney transplant program in Brooklyn and one of two high-level perinatal care centers in the borough, according to the office of the local state senator, Zellnor Myrie. Legislative text folded into the state budget creates a community advisory board for the modernization and revitalization of the hospital. It also provides for $100 million to cover operating expenses, and $300 million for the hospitals capital needs, according to Hochuls office. Lawmakers were poised to pass the bill text Friday afternoon. Its a huge win for the community, said Brian Cunningham, the local assemblyman. More than 650,000 people in this country have nowhere to sleep. Since the end of pandemic-era financial support, homelessness has been on the rise in nearly every demographic group across the United States. Nearly one third of people suffering from housing insecurity are adults and children in families, and thirteen percent are veterans. Yet, our policymakers from local government to Congress have failed to make a meaningful difference in providing a pathway to shelter for our most vulnerable populations. Instead of investing in affordable housing, behavioral health services, and other community-based supports, some government leaders are relying on the same presumption that has failed to improve safety and well-being for decades: that incarceration is the solution. On Monday, that fight will go to the Supreme Court. On April 22, the Court will hear oral arguments in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, a widely watched case that will decide whether local governments can criminalize individuals living outside even when adequate shelter is not available. A lower court ruled that doing so was cruel and unusual punishment. Yet some local leaders including those from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Phoenix and 22 states decried the decision and argued that this ruling inhibits their ability to clear encampments and attend to the needs of these individuals. These are not easy issues and consensus solutions have yet to take hold nationwide. Yet we should be able to agree that punishing and incarcerating unhoused people will not address the root causes of the housing crisis or improve public safety its simply a way (at best) to make homelessness less visible. Moreover, this approach may actually exacerbate the very problem these local leaders claim to want to address. We cant arrest, incarcerate and punish our way out of this complex problem. Criminalizing people who are unhoused can lead to a vicious cycle of involvement with the justice system. Arrests and incarceration inevitably result in further destabilization and lost access to essential community assistance programs such as food banks and outpatient drug or mental health services, as well as social security disability or EBT, which can take months to renew once lost. People experiencing homelessness may be assessed fines or fees, which they rarely have the means to pay, leading to further downward spirals into the criminal legal system. For all these reasons, studies have shown that contact with the justice system and even short terms of incarceration are criminogenic. At a time when the police are solving crimes at record-low rates, it makes no sense to expend limited resources criminalizing people simply for sleeping in the only places available. In fact, these individuals are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators. Yet, when their very existence is criminalized, people who are unhoused are unlikely to trust the criminal legal system. Witnesses and victims are less likely to report serious crime, including in encampments, when facing the threat of investigation, arrest and confiscation of the few belongings or funds they have managed to save for themselves. Too often, the blame for these and other social problems is laid at the feet of prosecutors or law-enforcement leaders. Yet as a former federal prosecutor, a former police chief, and a former elected DA all committed to smart, data-supported, alternatives to the carceral auto-pilot that has failed us in the past we know that this blame game is misguided. Prosecutors and police chiefs cannot build affordable homes, provide funds for shelters, or offer therapeutic or social service supports. We need to be investing in social and community safety nets, not more prison or jail cells. And as long as we allow the criminal legal system to fill this space, other support systems will continue to hold back, remain inadequately resourced, and be let off the hook. We need real solutions from local governments to help unhoused populations, especially our nations children who go to school hungry and cold from a night spent on a floor or the backseat of a car. Police and prosecutors are poor substitutes for social services, and more often than not, involvement in the criminal legal system turns difficult situations into dire ones. This critical case before the Supreme Court on Monday wont solve the larger housing crisis in our nation. But it could certainly make matters worse. Punishment is not a solution to the housing crisis; its an escalation of it that makes us all less safe. We must demand better from our leaders. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) In a case that could have far-reaching impact, the Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday on whether the city of Grants Pass, Oregon can punish homeless people for camping in public spaces. One of the most influential cases on housing in over 40 years, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) said. A lower court previously ruled in favor of the homeless population, calling it a cruel and unusual punishment to fine and arrest people who have nowhere else to go. Oregon Democratic Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici spoke outside the high court this week, urging justices to rule against the city. Housing, not handcuffs, is the direction we need to go, Rep. Bonamici said. Bonamici says fining or jailing people traps them in a cycle that makes it harder for them to find housing. In court documents, Grants Pass lawyers say homeless encampments have multiplied unchecked throughout the west, resulting in more violent crime, drug overdoses and disease. California Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley says thats certainly the case in Sacramento, near his district. In parks, on sidewalks, near schools, impeding citizens, stopping people from getting into businesses, Rep. Kiley said. Kiley says the court should restore the power to enforce laws like those in Grants Pass that he says promote public safety. Freeing our communities to deal with homelessness in a rational and common-sense way that protects public safety and public health. I think its going to be a new day for California, Kiley said. Justices will hear arguments Monday morning with a decision expected later this year. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Nearly 38 million Americans live in poverty. In some areas and among some populations, entrenched economic inequality is particularly acute. One in four children in New York City lives in poverty. Black Americans are five times as likely as white Americans to reside in high-poverty neighborhoods. These figures are a testament to the pressing need to address economic inequality and the racial wealth disparity in this country. With the gap between the richest and poorest Americans growing, the Supreme Court on Monday hears oral argument in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, in which a host of states and localities will urge the justices to uphold an Oregon citys ordinances that criminalize homelessness. Fortunately, there is a tool available in this caseand in the fight against economic inequality generallythat has for far too long been underutilized in the realm of economic justice: the 14th Amendment. It is well known that the 14th Amendment revolutionized our Constitution, changing a document that sanctioned bondage into one that promised liberation and equal citizenship. But this is only part of the story: The 14th Amendment was also adopted to safeguard the fundamental rights and equality of poor people. Although this aspect of the amendment has deep roots in its text and history, it has never been properly recognized by the courts. Redressing the horrors and aftermath of slavery required sweeping guarantees to protect the most oppressed Americansthose who had been held in slavery, forced to toil their entire lives without pay, denied ownership of their bodies and brutalized, and left in abject poverty. One of the chief abuses the 14th Amendment sought to end were pernicious vagrancy laws in the postCivil War Black Codes, which were designed to push Black Americans back into enslavement simply because they were poor. Southern efforts to criminalize Black poverty made a mockery of the freedom promised by abolition. Repairing the Constitution required guarantees to protect the poorest and most marginalized Americans from state oppression and neglect. The Framers were adamant that we shall not peril one single right of the poorest man that treads the soil of this country, insisting that those on the margins of society were entitled to equal citizenship. Fundamental changes to the Constitution were necessary to entrench in our national charter the principle that a true republic rests on the absolute equality of rights of the whole people, high and low, rich and poor, white and black. One of the 14th Amendments most important innovations was to place on states an affirmative constitutional duty to protect the legal rights of the entire populace, rich and poor alike. American citizenship would be little worth it if it did not carry protection with it, argued Illinois Sen. Lyman Trumbull. The equal protection clause wrote the right to legal protection, independent of wealth, into the Constitution. Rather than acting to keep the poorest of Americans marginalized, states now had a constitutional obligation to act affirmatively to protect their enjoyment of life, liberty, and property. The debates over the 14th Amendment repeatedly affirm economic equality as a fundamental constitutional ideal. Rich and poor alike were entitled to equal citizenship, equal rights, and equal protection. Introducing the 14th Amendment, Michigan Sen. Jacob Howard explained that it gives to the humblest, the poorest, the most despised of the race the same rights and same protection under the law as it gives to the most powerful, the most wealthy, or the most haughty. Illinois Rep. Jehu Baker argued that it was a disgrace to a free country that the poor and the weak members of society should be denied equal justice and equal protection at the hands of the law. Similar affirmations of economic equality pervaded speeches urging ratification. On the campaign trail, Ohio Rep. John Bingham described the equal protection guarantee as a sublime example of a great and powerful people providing that the humblest human being anywhere shall have the same protection under the law as the President himself. It meant that Lazarus in his rags shall be as sacred before the majesty of American law as the rich man clothed in purple and fine linen. The Reconstruction Framers not only fundamentally altered the Constitution; they also created the nations first federal social welfare agencythe Freedmens Bureauto provide access to food, medical care, and education to Black Americans freed from enslavement and refugees whose lives had been uprooted by wartime devastation. Aiming to ensure some measure of economic security and access to education, the legislation recognized the federal governments constitutional responsibility to make equal citizenship a reality. The obligation to take care of them, Trumbull insisted, is a constitutional obligation imposed on us as a government. The Freedmens Bureau legislation provides crucial insight into what protection meant to those who wrote the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection. The Freedmens Bureau Act cast the shield of protection over four million American citizens at a time when white-dominated Southern governments refused to spend a penny on poor Black Americans yearning for meaningful freedom. To redeem the promise of abolition, Congress acted to alleviate poverty, help newly freed individuals become self-supporting citizens, and ensure access to education. Equal protection entailed the provision of basic goods and services to make freedom real. This aspect of the 14th Amendments text and history has never received its due. To the contrary, conservative Supreme Court justices have repeatedly given a crabbed interpretation of the 14th Amendment and read poor Americans out of its universal promises. In 1970, in Dandridge v. Williams, the court announced that inequalities in the administration of state-run programs are not the business of this Court even when the most basic needs of impoverished human beings are at stake. In 1973, in San Antonio School District v. Rodriguez, the court sanctioned school financing arrangements that denied equal educational opportunities to children from poorer neighborhoods. In 1980 Harris v. McRae upheld the exclusion of abortion from Medicaids coverage of medically necessary health care and sanctioned the power of the government to harm poor womendisproportionately women of colorsimply because of their poverty. This term, with the Grants Pass case, the Supreme Court has an opportunity to take at least a small step in the right direction away from the courts disappointing legacyand more recent historyon economic justice issues. In 2013 the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, adopted a series of ordinances that criminalize sleeping anywhere in public with as little as a blanket. Rather than protect its most marginalized inhabitants, the city sought to use the power of criminal law to banish its homeless residents. The case, which asks the court to decide whether the ordinances violate the constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, raises the fundamental question of whether homeless persons will be treated as equal citizens entitled to protection or punished as criminals simply because they lack a shelter over their heads. The import of the 14th Amendments text and history should be plain: Criminalizing poverty violates the Constitution. Grants Pass insists that how it treats its poorest residents is purely a question of policy. As a matter of text and history, this is flatly wrong. The 14th Amendment centers the rights of poor people. Recognizing this fundamental truth is long overdue. Actress Susan Sarandon had words of encouragement for embattled students protesting for a ceasefire in Gaza at Columbia University, saying, It is their right in a democracy, especially in a place of education and supposedly higher thought. The Thelma & Louise star and native New Yorker was spotted marching outside Columbia University just a day after University administration approved an NYPD sweep against student protestors, resulting in over 100 arrests. You give me hope, to me and so many people, the Academy Award winner said, leading student chants. And in the end the truth will win. The actress showed support for student demonstrators alongside the Palestinian movement, a cause for which she has previously been a vocal advocate. In November of last year, the United Talent Agency dropped Sarandon after she appeared at a pro-Palestinian rally. She also attended a March rally near New York University. Sarandons activism dates back to the invasion of Iraq, when she publicly advocated against a war. "To be attacked by racism and intolerance is not acceptable," Sarandon said. "There are many, many people who stand with you. You must know, you inspire so many people." Watch here: BREAKING: American Actress Susan Sarandon joins the Palestine solidarity activists rallying outside of Columbia University to express her support with the students. You give me hope, to me and so many people. And in the end the truth will win. pic.twitter.com/QUFZ5fFSmT sarah (@sahouraxo) April 19, 2024 Suspect arrested on Las Vegas Strip after brandishing gun at multiple vehicles: police LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Police arrested a suspect near the Las Vegas Strip after they allegedly brandished a gun at multiple vehicles in the northwest valley on Saturday. Police said the vehicle was seen in the northwest Las Vegas valley brandishing a gun at multiple vehicles in multiple locations. Through the use of Metros Fusion center and cameras, police located the vehicle near Sahara Avenue and the I-15. Police attempted to stop the vehicle however, the driver failed to stop, resulting in police using a pursuit intervention tactic, also known as a PIT maneuver, according to Metro police. There were no injuries to officers, the suspect, or any citizens, police said. All southbound lanes on Las Vegas Boulevard were closed after Liset Way. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Suspect in custody, second suspect sought following threat at KCK middle school Suspect in custody, second suspect sought following threat at KCK middle school KANSAS CITY, Kan. Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools and local law enforcement are continuing to investigate a threat made against a student at a local middle school. The KCKPS Police Department says one suspect was taken into custody Thursday night in collaboration with the KCK Police Department and Wyandotte County Sheriffs Office. KCKPS said Gloria Willis Middle School, previously Coronado Middle School, was dismissing students at 2:55 p.m. Thursday when it became aware of the threat and held remaining students for about 90 minutes. KCKPS police said it is working with area law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend a second suspect. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android This is still an ongoing investigation at this time. The school district said police are still investigating and trying to figure out the reasoning and background behind the threat. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. The person who shot at deputies in Mooresville is dead, the Iredell County sheriff confirmed to Channel 9. The Iredell County Sheriffs Office began asking the public to stay away from Langtree Road in Mooresville starting at 9:15 a.m. Right before noon, the sheriff told Channel 9 that the threat to the public was over. The situation started at 7:40 a.m. when a person related to Dylan Rober Maslon, 27, called police reporting that he was acting crazy, the ICSO says. When first responders arrived at the home on Northampton Road, off Langree Road, Maslon pointed a knife at them. Officials left the home to wait for backup to arrive. Deputies say they heard yelling from inside the home. Maslon began shooting at deputies who entered the house, prompting deputies to return fire. Dylan Rober Maslon ICSO says they tried communicating with Maslon, but he kept shooting at the deputies seeking cover. One deputy was shot and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 3 dead, including suspect, after victims tied up in home invasion Mooresville Police arrived to secure the scene, putting the whole community on lockdown. Lauren Brady and Danny Brock were preparing for their wedding that morning at the Venues at Langtree when the situation unfolded. Police told us to stay inside to get to the back of the house, that there was an active shooting going on across the street from us, and that we were in the line of fire, Brady said. Maslon continued shooting at responders and their vehicles from inside the house. When the gunfire stopped, a robot was sent into the home and found Maslon dead from a self-inflicted gunshot. ICSO says the Emergency Response Team attempted to provide medical care, but Maslon was dead. Maslon was out on bond waiting to go to court for previous charges of Assault on a Government Official and Felony Breaking or Entering to Terrorize or Injure. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the incident. ALSO READ: One person killed in Gastonia shooting Channel 9s Glenn Counts spoke with neighbors who said they had been living with this difficult situation for more than a year before it finally erupted Saturday morning. Despite that, they were still sorry to hear that someone lost their life. Fatality is bad; Im not going to dismiss that, but the fact that there was only one, thank goodness that all the responders are okay. That was good news to hear, but a fatality does weigh heavily because its a neighbor; its somebody weve seen 4 or 5 times, said neighbor Timothy Wolfe. This is a developing story; check this article for updates. (WATCH: Wanted shooting suspect from Archdale arrested in Kannapolis) A suspect remained at large after a Saturday afternoon stabbing at a nature preserve in Coconut Creek, according to police. A male victim was airlifted to the hospital and is in serious condition. The stabbing took place on a walking trail near the 4900 block of Hilton Road, according to Coconut Creek Police Sgt. Scotty Leamon. The male suspect then fled into the woods. Coconut Creek Police set up a perimeter around the woods but concluded the search there without an arrest at 9 p.m. Saturday. The victim was taken to Broward Health General in Fort Lauderdale. Leamon could not say if the people involved are adults or minors, and declined to say how many times the victim was stabbed or where because only the suspect would have that information. Police believe it was not a random stabbing, Leamon said. He did not have a description of the suspect but said he might release one if the suspect escapes the woods. Were gonna look at the woods real hard and go from there, Leamon said. FILE PHOTO: Nymphia Wind and another Taiwanese drag queen prepare before their performance at a local temple in Taipei FILE PHOTO: Nymphia Wind and another Taiwanese drag queen prepare before their performance at a local temple in Taipei TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday offered her congratulations to the Taiwanese drag queen Nymphia Wind for winning RuPaul's Drag Race, the first person from East Asia to take the crown. Tsai and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have championed LGBTQ+ rights making the island a bastion of liberal values, and in 2019 Taiwan legalised same sex marriage in a first for Asia. "Congratulations to you, Nymphia Wind, for being so accomplished in the difficult art form of drag, and for being the first Taiwanese to take the stage and win on RuPaul's Drag Race," Tsai wrote on Instagram in English. "Right after being crowned queen, you said 'Taiwan, this is for you.' Taiwan thanks you for living fearlessly," she added. Taiwan's capital Taipei hosts East Asia's largest Pride march every October. Last year, vice president Lai Ching-te, who won election as Taiwan's next president in January, marched at Pride becoming the most senior government leader ever to attend. Nymphia Wind was already a well-established artist on Taiwan's thriving drag scene, often wearing over-the-top outfits inspired by bananas, and has done shows at Taiwanese temples and photo shoots at wet markets dressed as a banana. Stars from Drag Race, which has just ended its 16th season, also come to Taiwan to perform. Taiwan's openness on LGBTQ+ issues stands in marked contrast with its giant neighbour China, which claims the island as its own territory. While same sex relations are not illegal in China, same sex marriage is, and the government has been cracking down on activists and depictions of LGBTQ+ people in the media. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Shri Navaratnam) TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A Tampa man was charged with first degree murder in connection to an overdose death in Thonotosassa last year. Anthony Mansfield, 47, has been in the Hillsborough County Jail since his arrest on Nov. 16, 2023. Lake Alfred city commissioner charged with 300 counts of child porn possession The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office responded to a mobile home park at the corner of East Fowler Avenue and Walker Road on November 5. Querran Talley, 27, was found dead with what appeared to be crack cocaine in his sock. The Medical Examiners Office determined his cause of death was the combined effects of cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and oxycodone. Mansfield was charged with trafficking fentanyl, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, delivery of a controlled substance and two probation violations. He was charged with first degree murder on Thursday. For six months, our detectives have worked relentlessly to hold this man accountable for taking a life here in Hillsborough County, Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. We will continue to fight against the proliferation of fentanyl in our community and hold those responsible for spreading this poison accountable. Mansfield is due back in court on May 9 for a competency hearing. The sheriffs office described him as a 20-time convicted felon. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Tarrant County inmate found dead in jail cell Thursday morning. Cause not yet known A Tarrant County Jail inmate was found dead early Thursday morning following an apparent medical emergency, the Tarrant County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. At around 5:35 a.m. Thursday, Tarrant County detention officers found the inmate unresponsive in his cell after he hadnt shown up for breakfast, the release says. Medical personnel from John Peter Smith Hospital immediately responded to the jail and began life-saving measures, according to the release. MedStar and the Fort Worth Fire Department also responded and the inmate was pronounced dead. The inmate, identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office as 42-year-old Roderick Johnson of Fort Worth, had been in custody since Dec. 4. He was arrested by Fort Worth police on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and deadly conduct. Rulings on the manner and cause of his death are pending an autopsy. At least seven agencies review and investigate all in-custody deaths, according to the sheriffs office. These include Tarrant County Sheriffs Office jail staff, the TCSO Criminal Investigations Division, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, an outside law enforcement agency, JPS medical staff, the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office and the Texas Attorney Generals Office. Today's top stories: After guilty verdict in Fort Worth capital murder, defendant shouts to jury in outburst Fort Worth ISD could close these seven middle schools. Heres why Fort Worth parents allege toddler son neglected at school Get free alerts when news breaks. This marks the fourth in-custody death this year at the Tarrant County Jail. Credit - Courtesy Republic Records Who was the first tortured poet? Maybe the ancient Egyptian who wrote, sometime in the 15th century BCE, "My beloved stirs my heart with his voice. He causes illness to seize me.... My heart is smitten." Maybe the poet Catullus, whose heartbreaks lit up ancient Rome: "I hate and love," he explained in Latin, "and it's excruciating," or (depending on the translator) "it crucifies me." Petrarch's sonnets, in 14th century Italy, complained that love both scorched and chilled. Mary Wroth, a contemporary of Shakespeare, agreed: love made her "burn and yet freeze: better in hell to be." All those poets felt tortured by erotic loveand their strife sometimes hurt other people, too, if they came too close. The trope of the tortured poet whose gifts would destroy him (or, less often, her) came about later, when European writers began to see poets as especially sensitive, anguished, or fragile. "We poets in our youth begin in gladness," William Wordsworth mused in 1802, "But thereof in the end come despondency and madness." That second line lengthens as if unfolding hard truth. A genuine poet in France might be a "poete maudit" ("cursed poet"), like Charles Baudelaire or Arthur Rimbaud, marked by fate, mental illness, or alcohol addiction. By the 20th century the type (or stereotype, really) could fit all manner of wild and self-destructive creators, especially men, from Dylan Thomas to the Doors' Jim Morrison. By calling her new album The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift points back to this tradition. She also makes fun of it, comments on it, and rejects it, as the prose that accompanied the album implies. "There is nothing to avenge, no scores to settle once wounds have healed," Swift wrote in an Instagram post. "Our tears become holy in the form of ink on a page. Once we have spoken our saddest story, we can be free of it." Seeing her work as ink on a page, not only as song in the air, Swift claims herself as a literary writerthe modern ages most notorious poet. Fans first speculated that she appropriated the "tortured" mantle from the group chat co-run by her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, which Alwyn called "The Tortured Man Club. Could bebut its so much more than that, and it might also point to other recent relationships. Taylor creates some distance between herself and the stereotype she invokes. "You're not Dylan Thomas, I'm not Patti Smith," Swift's title track declares. "This ain't the Chelsea Hotel. We're modern idiots." He's not that gifted, and she's not that dramatic. Or rather she's dramatic in a different, far more deliberate way: one that fits her own, always thoughtful, but rarely raw, art. Read More: All the References in Taylor Swifts Title Track The Tortured Poets Department Swift also takes back for herselfand for other women artiststhe power that supposedly comes from chronic distress, from feeling like a tortured mess. "You wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me," Swift warns on "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" If she feels tortured and reacts with poetry, that's not endemic to poets; it's the logical consequence of a romance gone wrong and a live lived in public. "I was tame, I was gentle till the circus life made me mean, she sings. You caged me and then you called me crazy/ I am what I am 'cause you trained me. But if Swift has become the chair of the Tortured Poets Department, she didn't get there by being born this way: the rest of the department did it to her. Her barbed words, sharp hooks, and sarcastic replies are more like Wroth's burning and freezing than they are like Baudelaire's doom. They share, and make fun, of her own emotional extremes. "Whether I'm gonna be your wife or gonna smash up your bike I don't know yet," she explains on imgunnagetyouback, punningly. "But I'm gonna get you backeither get you to come back to me, or get back at you. Her phrases present a feminist revenge, turning her pain into (what else?) song. "I cry a lot but I am so productive it's an art," she croons on one of the most upbeat new tracks I Can Do It With a Broken Heart. "You know you're good when you can even do it with a broken heart." Like all Swift's albums, The Tortured Poet Department contains multitudes and multiple takes on the same situation, just as it contain several pop styles, from the 1980s-style synths in the albums single Fortnight, composed with Post Malone, to the acoustic guitar and string sweeps of "The Albatross," created with reference to Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Wordsworth's ex-friend, a self-sabotaging poet for the ages). In "But Daddy I Love Him" Swift strikes back, with extra reverb, at fans who insist on telling her who to date and how. In "Down Bad" she encapsulates her toughest, most immature moments in elegant half-rhyme: "everything comes out teenage petulance. I might just die, it would make no difference." But Swift for most of the album, for all her passion and all her pain, knows better than to blow up her life for love. Like her character in "The Bolter," she knows how to save herself, even when love feels like drowning. The tortured modern poetthe poete mauditthe trope that Swift's new album takes up and plays with and against, remains a powerful metaphor (she is no authority on literal torture, and never pretends to be one). Listeners who have been sorting through The Tortured Poets Department since both halves of it dropped, two hours apart, have already found our own favorites, mirrors for our own falls through thin ice. Read More: Taylor Swift Is Embracing the 5 Stages of Grief. Should You? It's surprising, even staggering, to see the range of her responses to love, to poetry, and to "torture." Sometimes she magnifies, even celebrates, her own and her characters' emotional turmoil. Other times (as in the title track) she makes fun of the way they, as would-be "tortured poets," cannot get out of their own heads. And sometimesto quote another poet, William Butler Yeatsshe mocks mockers after that, telling us to stop telling her what to do. Always, though, she shows us the craft she shares with the great poets, and songwriters, of times past: the ability, as Yeats also put it, "to articulate sweet sounds together," and to "work harder than all these"harder than anybodyat turning all those feelings into art. Contact us at letters@time.com. Teen accused of setting old school building on fire in Waverly WAVERLY, Tenn. (WKRN) An 18-year-old was arrested and charged with arson in connection to a fire that was intentionally set at an old school building in Waverly, officials said. According to the Waverly Department of Public Safety, the incident took place on Saturday, April 13 around 2 a.m. after first responders were sent to the old Waverly Junior High School to respond to reports of a structure fire. Have breaking come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts When officers arrived on scene, they reportedly observed flames coming through the roof near the schools main entrance. Officials reported the Waverly Fire Department worked into the morning in order to extinguish the flames. This was a difficult and dangerous fire to work because it was largely inside the roof structure of the building, said Chief Grant Gillespie. Gunman accused of shooting teen at Nashville McDonalds arrested During the course of the investigation, authorities reported it became apparent that the fire was intentionally set. As a result, the Tennessee State Fire Marshalls Office and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) were called in to assist in the investigation. According to officials, 18-year-old Timothy Marrs, of Waverly, was identified as a suspect on Friday, April 19. Warrants were obtained by the Waverly Police Department charging him with arson and criminal trespassing. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Marrs was booked into the Humphreys County Jail and is being held on a $30,000 bond, according to the Waverly Department of Public Safety. The investigation into the fire remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Michael Hubbs at 931-296-4300. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Teen arrested after shots fired incident in Dauphin County, police say DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A teenager was arrested after a shots fired incident in Dauphin County, according to a police report. Jakhi Brooks, 18, faces a felony charge of firearms not to be carried without a license along with misdemeanor charges of propulsion of missiles into occupied vehicles, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person. He also faces multiple summary charges. According to Susquehanna Township Police, they responded to the 200 block of Greenwood Court Thursday morning for a reported domestic argument before the 911 center got multiple calls for shots being fired. Pennsylvania State Police looking for fleeing motorcyclist riding 150 MPH Once officers arrived at the scene, an investigation was conducted which police say led to the arrest of Brooks. Police say they did find a loaded handgun at the scene. No one was reportedly injured from the incident, police say. According to online court records, Brooks is currently locked up in Dauphin County Prison unable to post his bail that was set at $125,000. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 2. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Teen was charged with murder after shooting at a Macon club. Now he argues self-defense A Macon man charged with murdering a co-worker at a local club in 2022 is now claiming he acted in self-defense when he committed the fatal shooting, but a local judge isnt willing to drop his charges. Andrew Ronnie Mullis, who was 19 at the time and a dealer at the Full House Tavern, was charged with murder, aggravated assault and possessing a weapon with intent to commit a felony for the shooting death of Dedrick Bulls, a bouncer at the same establishment. Mullis attorney, Clifton Alan Wheeler, asked a judge to rule that Mullis acted in self-defense at a hearing Friday. My client was justified on the use of deadly force, and I believe weve shown that, Wheeler said in court Friday at a hearing for his request. If the judge had agreed, the charges wouldve been dismissed. But Judge Jeffrey Monroe denied Mullis request. The court looked very closely at the body language of everyone in the video, Monroe said Friday. No body language indicates it was a tense situation. However, Monroe did agree to grant Mullis a bond at his attorneys request. Mullis had been in jail for a year and a half without bond until Friday. Monroe set his bail at $100,000, ordering him wear an ankle monitor, stay away from Bibb County until the day of trial, and avoid talking to anybody related to the case if he does post bond. Why accused Macon shooter wanted case dismissed In court documents, Wheeler argued that Mullis felt threatened by Bulls on the night of the incident. Wheelers motion asking for the shooting to be ruled justified states that Mullis and Bulls were seen on video arguing throughout the night on Dec. 12. Upon the end of Mullis shift, Bulls and another security guard blocked the exit of the nightclub for Mullis, according to the motion. There was no audio on the tape. That video was played in court Friday. In the video, Mullis was seen pulling out his cell phone to show both the bouncers something while he withdrawing pistol and holding it to his side, according to court documents. When Bulls slapped the phone out of Mullis hand and approached him, Mullis fired one bullet toward Bulls head. Bulls died from his injuries a day later. A trial date hasnt been set in Mullis case yet. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. One teenager died in a crash Friday on Interstate 270 in west St. Louis County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. MSHP has identified the victim as 18-year-old Zachary Gonzalez of Florissant, Missouri. Next of kin have been notified. The crash happened just before noon Friday in the northbound lanes of Interstate 270, just south of Manchester Road. Missouri man identified as Marine killed in North Carolina A MSHP crash report states that Gonzalez was driving northbound when he lost control of the vehicle and it traveled off the right side of the roadway. Investigators say the front of the vehicle struck a rock bluff before it came to a stop. Gonzalez was rushed to a hospital, but was later pronounced deceased. MSHP Troop C, which covers much of the St. Louis region, is investigating the crash. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. A 15-year-old Ohio boy shot by an Akron police officer earlier this month is now facing a charge. Tavion Koonce-Williams has been charged with one count of carrying a fake firearm, Akron Police Department Captain Michael Miller confirmed to WOIO in Cleveland. The charge is a first-degree misdemeanor. >> Man dies while in custody of Ohio police following crash Koonce-Williams was shot in the wrist by Officer Ryan Westlake on April 1 after a woman called the authorities about a teenager allegedly walking around and pointing a gun at houses. The teen then told officers at the scene that the gun was fake. He was taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury, WKYC reported. After the shooting, police announced that the guy the teen allegedly had was a facsimile. The Akron city law makes it a crime to draw a replica firearm in a threatening or angry manner. >> 30+ animals rescued from deplorable Middletown home; 2 people facing animal cruelty charges The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident. Once completed, the case will be turned over to the Ohio Attorney Generals Office for review before being submitted to a Summit County grand jury for review. Westlake has been placed on paid administrative leave, per departmental protocol. Employees at Volkswagens SUV assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have voted to join the United Auto Workers in a historic labor victory, the union and Volkswagen announced late Friday. A preliminary tally released by the company showed workers favored union representation by a count of 2,628 to 985, a nearly 3-1 margin. The landslide win gives the union a crucial toehold in the anti-union South. The UAW called it a historic breakthrough in a statement. More than 4,000 workers at the facility would be represented by the UAW, which has most of its auto membership at Ford, General Motors and Jeep parent company Stellantis, collectively known as the Big Three. The union previously lost two plant-wide votes at Volkswagen, including one in 2019, where it fell short by just 57 votes. Volkswagen said in a brief statement that it would wait for the National Labor Relations Board to certify the results as official, suggesting it would not challenge them. The company, which is based in Germany, thanked its workers for voting. We're trying to make history here.Volkswagen worker Yolanda Peoples ahead of the vote This third Volkswagen election was closely watched because the union has struggled for years to organize foreign-owned auto plants in the South. But the UAW is riding high off its strike against the Big Three last year and has plans to unionize more plants in Southern states, including Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai facilities in Alabama. The stakes are high for both the union and the industry. Over the years, automakers have increasingly set up operations below the Mason-Dixon line, where unions tend to be weaker and wages lower than in the Midwest. By failing to organize plants in the South, the UAW has lost much of the power it once wielded in setting working conditions across the industry. Volkswagen automobile plant employees celebrate as they watch the results of a UAW union vote, late Friday, April 19, 2024, in Chattanooga, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) via Associated Press Succeeding now could help push up wages and benefits for workers at those non-union facilities, while also giving the UAW more leverage where it already represents autoworkers. Organizing wins within the auto sector could also give a boost to the labor movement at large, at a time when union membership has dropped to just 10% in the U.S. Were trying to make history here, Yolanda Peoples, an assembly worker at the Chattanooga plant, told HuffPost ahead of the vote. In interviews, many workers said they supported the organizing effort because of the grueling work pace in the factory. They also said they hoped a union contract could improve their amount of paid time off, boost pay rates and give them recourse against discipline from supervisors. Volkswagen said ahead of the vote that it was proud of the wages it offered and defended its safety record as better than the industry at large. The company also said it was providing neutral information to workers about the election and encouraging them to vote. We respect our employees right to decide this important issue through a democratic process, a spokesperson told HuffPost in an email. Organizing victories in the South could help the UAW push up wages at those plants and restore its leverage within the broader industry. The contracts the UAW won with Ford, GM and Stellantis helped the union close the deal with many Volkswagen workers. Wages at the Volkswagen plant are considered good for the area, with starting pay for a production job around $23 per hour and a top rate near $32. But the UAWs contract with Ford will push the top rate there to nearly $43 by 2028. Several non-union automakers, including Volkswagen, quickly raised pay after the UAW settled contracts with the Big Three. Some Republican politicians urged Volkswagen workers to reject the union, just as some lawmakers did during earlier campaigns in 2014 and 2019. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee recently said it would be a big mistake to unionize and suggested the plant might close, while U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty told HuffPost last week that workers liberty and freedoms were at stake in the vote. President Joe Biden congratulated the workers and the UAW on Friday night, and criticized several Republican governors, including Lee, for a joint statement they issued earlier in the week encouraging workers to vote no. There is nothing to fear from American workers using their voice and their legal right to form a union if they so choose, the president said in a statement. As Peoples told HuffPost, this time workers were less fearful they could lose their jobs by organizing, knowing how much Volkswagen and Tennessee had invested in the plant, which opened in 2011. That was one of several reasons she felt certain of a union victory. It feels different, the whole thing, Peoples said of the most recent campaign. Related... Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton can be disciplined for suit to overturn 2020 election, court says FILE - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appears at a pretrial hearing in his securities fraud case before state District Judge Andrea Beall, Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Harris County Criminal Courts at Law in Houston. A Texas appeals court has ruled that Paxton can face discipline from the state bar association over his failed effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via AP, File) AUSTIN, Texas (AP) A Texas appeals court has ruled that Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton can face discipline from the state bar association over his failed effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election. A disciplinary committee of the State Bar of Texas accused Paxton in 2022 of making false claims of fraud in a lawsuit that questioned President Joe Biden's victory. On Thursday, a three-judge panel of the 5th District Court of Appeals said Paxton can be sanctioned by the committee because the lawsuit seeks to punish him in his personal capacity as an attorney and not as a public official. The focus of the Commissions allegations is squarely on Paxtons alleged misconduct not that of the State, Judge Erin Nowell, an elected Democrat, wrote in the 2-1 opinion. The lone Republican on the panel, Judge Emily Miskel, was in dissent. A similar lawsuit was also brought against one of Paxton's top deputies. Earlier this week, a coalition of state Republican attorneys general urged the Texas Supreme Court to reject efforts by the bar to impose discipline. All nine members of the state's highest civil court are Republicans. As in that case, we will appeal this ruling and we have full confidence the Supreme Court of Texas will not allow false claims by the State Bar and partisan political revenge to affect professional licensure of the states lawyers, Paxton spokeswoman Paige Willey said in a statement. A spokeswoman for the State Bar of Texas and the committee accusing Paxton declined to comment on the ruling. Paxton is among the highest-profile attorneys to face a threat of sanctions for aiding in efforts led by former President Donald Trump to throw into question Trump's defeat. The state bar's disciplinary group's punishments against an attorney can range from a written admonition to a suspension or disbarment. The disciplinary process resembles a trial and could include both sides eliciting testimony and obtaining records through discovery. Paxton is not required to have bar membership in order to serve as attorney general. State bar officials began investigating complaints over Paxtons election lawsuit in 2021. A similar disciplinary proceeding was launched by the group against Paxton's top deputy. That case awaits a ruling by the Texas Supreme Court. Texas Tech volunteers gather for the annual Day of Service event Texas Tech volunteers gather for the annual Day of Service event EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Students, faculty and staff will volunteer at various locations in town for Texas Tech Health El Pasos Days of Service. Texas Tech has announced their annual Day of Service event, spanning across four days from Wednesday, April 17 through Saturday, April 20 and volunteering at 25 different locations in El Paso, according to the news release by the university. Some of the locations the volunteers will assist in are Compadres Therapy, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, Human Society of El Paso and Second Chance Wildlife Rescue. According to Texas Tech, the volunteers have contributed over 20,000 hours of service annually. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. (KRON) Three people were accused of stealing more than $1,400 worth of merchandise from two Daly City stores, said the Colma Police Department. Colma police officers were alerted of a black Mercedes-Benz recklessly driving near Junipero Serra Boulevard and Serra Center at approximately 6:47 p.m. on April 14. Officers learned that Mercedes ran two red lights and was stopped in the middle of the road. Responding officers witnessed a man and a woman walking away from the vehicle and walking towards a nearby shopping center. The officers contacted the driver. According to police, the driver informed officers that the vehicle was out of gas and the man and woman were walking to get gas. According to the police investigation, the driver was on parole and was a wanted fugitive out of Texas. Police searched the vehicle, which yielded rifle ammunition and clothing with the security sensors attached from multiple stores. Photo: Colma Police Department Thief assaulted Lucky supermarket employee with golf club The driver was identified as 64-year-old Austin, Texas resident Mark Piercy. Colma PD arrested Piercy. The man and the woman who associated with the Mercedes were also detained. Police said both suspects gave the officers false identities. Police dispatch revealed the womans real name and that she had an out-of-county felony warrant for her arrest. The suspect was identified as 51-year-old Oakland resident Demetria Dyer. The second male suspect was identified as 54-year-old Oakland resident Joe Minix. According to police, Minix had two out-of-county felony warrants for his arrest. Police believe that Minix and Dyer stole from two businesses in the 100 block of Serramonte Boulevard in Daly City and Piercy acted as the getaway driver. It was determined the suspects stole $1,454.33 worth of merchandise from both stores. Police said Minix utilized used wire cutters to remove security sensors. Police find man shot to death in East Oakland All suspects were arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail. Piercy was charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition, felony conspiracy to commit a crime, burglary, and grand theft. Dyer was charged with burglary, felony conspiracy to commit a crime, grand theft, providing peace officers with a false name and her felony warrant. Minix was charged with burglary, felony conspiracy to commit a crime, grand theft, possession of burglary tools, providing peace officers with a false name and his two felony warrants. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. (KRON) Two people accused of pretending to scan items at a self-checkout at Lucky supermarket were arrested, according to the Daly City Police Department. Daly City police officers were dispatched to Lucky supermarket on Mission Street in response to a theft at 4 p.m. on April 14. An employee of the grocery store told police two suspects were pretending to scan items at the self-checkout. The suspects began to flee once the employee confronted them. The employee said the suspects returned two soda cases and loaded the rest of the items in their cart into their vehicle. Ferry service between SF and Sausalito suspended due to structural compromise of pier While the employee watched the suspects attempt to flee, she was on the phone with emergency dispatch. The employee informed police that as the suspects were leaving she heard one of the suspects say, Hit that b-tch. This caused the employee to return to the store. A sergeant stopped the car at Sickles Street and Cayuga Avenue in San Francisco. The suspects were identified as a 34-year-old Oakland resident and a 35-year-old San Francisco resident. Both were arrested and booked for robbery. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Officials in Maryland have opened a third shipping channel near the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Image courtesy of Key Bridge Response 2024 April 20 (UPI) -- Officials in Maryland have opened a third shipping channel near the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The Fort Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel on the northeast side of the main channel "will provide limited access for commercially essential vessels," officials said in a statement Friday. The newest temporary route for boats to navigate clear of the wreckage will allow for "limited access for commercially essential vessels," officials said during an update. In this 6x speed timelapse from Friday afternoon, Unified Command salvors use the crane barge Chesapeake 1000 to move a large piece of supporting steel at the #FSKBridge site. Wreckage removal is ongoing to safely and efficiently open the Fort McHenry channel. pic.twitter.com/SC6AUVv8Ts USACE Baltimore (@USACEBaltimore) April 20, 2024 The Fort Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel on the northeast side of the main channel will provide limited access for commercially essential vessels, officials said in a statement Friday. File Photo courtesy of U. S. Coast Guard "Maritime commerce is essential for our nation," Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said Friday while visiting Baltimore to assess progress at the collapse site. "Our Department of the Navy remains committed to support nationally and internationally, all efforts that ensure the uninterrupted flow of commerce. The work we are doing here is imperative to reopening the channel and resuming shipping operations." Maryland Gov. Wes Moore also visited the site of the deadly collapse on Friday to provide an update on recovery efforts. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removed a large piece piece of steel debris from the water to help open the temporary shipping lane. Crews have so far removed about 1,300 tons of steel from the Patapsco River and 120 containers from the cargo ship Dali. The vessel struck the bridge's support column March 26. Plans are now being formulated to re-float and remove the Dali. Officials from the Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Coast Guard hope to eventually tow the stricken vessel to a dock in Baltimore, but need to remove sections of damaged bridge from the ship before any refloating sequence. The 984-foot, Singapore-flagged ship struck the 47-year-old bridge at about 1:30 a.m. local time on March 26 after the vessel experienced mechanical failures, crashing into the support pillar. A large section of the 1.6-mile bridge then quickly collapsed into the Patapsco River. Earlier in the week, divers recovered a fourth victim from the site of the bridge collapse. Protest against Israeli PM Netanyahu's government and to call for the release of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas, in Tel Aviv Protest against Israeli PM Netanyahu's government and to call for the release of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas, in Tel Aviv By Rami Amichay TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Thousands of Israeli demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday to call for new elections and demand more action from the government to bring the hostages held in Gaza home, in the latest round of protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The protests have continued as the war in Gaza moves through its seventh month and amid growing anger over the government's approach to the 133 Israeli hostages still held by the Islamist movement Hamas. Surveys indicate that most Israelis blame Netanyahu for the security failures that led to the devastating attack by Hamas fighters on communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7. Israel's longest-serving prime minister has repeatedly ruled out early elections, which opinion polls suggest he would lose, saying that to go to the polls in the middle of a war would only reward Hamas. "We're here to protest against this government that keeps dragging us down, month after month; before October 7th, after October 7th. We kept going down in a spiral," said Yalon Pikman, 58, who attended a march in Tel Aviv. Hamas-led gunmen seized 253 people during the Oct. 7 attack that killed around 1,200, according to Israeli tallies. Some hostages were freed in a November truce, but efforts to secure another deal appear to have stalled. Netanyahu has pledged to continue the Israeli campaign in Gaza, which local health authorities say has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, until all the hostages are brought home and Hamas has been destroyed. Last week's attack on Israel by waves of Iranian drones and missiles shifted attention from the conflict in Gaza and for many relatives of the remaining hostages there is a growing feeling that time is running out. "My mother is really strong. She's holding us together," said Sharone Lifschitz, 52, whose 85 year-old mother, Yocheved Lifshitz, was among the hostages released in November but whose father, Oded, remains in captivity. "But as time passes, the weight of what is happening - the way that those who could have returned them failed to return them - the sheer weight of that is weighing more and more on her shoulders. And her hope, too, is diminishing." (Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Mike Harrison) Protesters hold flags during a demonstration against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and call for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group. Cindy Riechau/dpa Thousands of people in Israel have once taken to the streets to demand an immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza and new elections. At a mass rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, people loudly demanded the immediate release of all people abducted from Israel in the Palestinian coastal region as well as new elections. "The one who abandoned them must bring them home," chanted the crowd, alluding to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom many Israelis accuse of colossal failure in the face of the Hamas massacre on October 7. Relatives of the abductees accuse the Israeli government of having no serious interest in reaching an agreement with the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas. Israel and Hamas have been negotiating indirectly for months about a ceasefire and the release of further hostages who were abducted on October 7. There is currently no breakthrough in sight. Thousands protested in the coastal cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa on Saturday evening, and hundreds in the city of Beersheva. More than a thousand people also reportedly gathered in Caesarea near a private villa belonging to Netanyahu. There were also rallies in other Israeli cities. 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. Protesters hold flags during a demonstration against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and call for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group. Cindy Riechau/dpa PAYSON, Utah (ABC4) Police and school officials received threats against Mt. Nebo Middle School in Payson along with school and district staff members prompting a police presence at the school on Friday, according to school district officials. Nebo School District Public Information Officer Seth Sorensen told ABC4.com that the threats were received both Thursday night and Friday morning. READ NEXT: Students walk out of Utah middle school to protest furries The threats to the middle school and staff happened the same week that a protest at the school gained national attention. Officials told ABC4.com that the threat which claimed there was a bomb in the school was a direct response to the protest. Sorensen said the Payson Police Department conducted a comprehensive sweep of the entire school building, but did not find any evidence of the threat and determined the threat was not valid. Police confirmed that one of the biggest threats came in around 3:30 a.m. and that other schools received threats as well. In addition, police said several school administrators received threats. Because police did not find evidence of the threat, Sorensen said it was deemed safe enough to hold school. Out of an abundance of caution, we will have an increased police presence at the school today, Sorensen said on Friday. Police later said that they will continue to have an increased presence at the school as an extra precaution, as they continue to monitor the situation. Sorensen said authorities have followed up with the individuals who were threatened. Those threats are also being investigated. There is no further information at this time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Three Portland watering holes have been nominated as regional contenders for the 18th annual Spirited Awards. Organized by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, the Spirited Awards is an event designed to highlight excellence in the drink industry. National Park Service replaces concessionaire for Crater Lake hospitality services The organization recently revealed the Regional Top 10 Honorees for its ceremony scheduled for Thursday, July 25 in New Orleans. Pacific Standard was nominated as the Best U.S. Hotel Bar in the West Coast. Located in the Kex Hotel, the bar serves a number of house specialty cocktails like old fashioneds and bloody marys, as well as coffee cocktails and zero-proof options. As were sure most of you are aware, we dont do what we do because were looking for moments of recognition like this, Pacific Standard wrote on Instagram. We do what we do because we love it and because we love you. But these moments are always nice reminders that the world is watching, and appreciative of all of our hard work. And damn if that doesnt feel pretty darn good. Last year, the award went to Portlands Hey Love bar inside the Jupiter NEXT Hotel. Timberline closed Friday after fire at historic lodge Another local nominee, for Best U.S. Restaurant Bar in the west region, was Palomar on Southeast Division Street. The Cuban cocktail lounge and restaurant opened in April 2018, and was a finalist for the same category during the 2023 Spirited Awards. Awards are not why we do this, but it does feel nice to have our hard work recognized by our peers along with all the other nominees, Palomar said on social media. P.S. We do it to try and make a little bit of money at the end of the day. So please come out and support. Dirty Pretty was Portlands final nominee in the Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar category. Portland saw spike in young people killed in car crashes in 2023 The business opened in March 2023, and has since become a popular spot for nightlife in the Central Eastside District. The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation will announce the top 10 overall nominees for each category in late May. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Opponents of legislation that could ban TikTok in the United States are pinning their hopes on the Senate as the House readies to send a major foreign aid package to the upper chamber. The legislation would force TikToks Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell the popular app or be banned in the U.S., and it is part of a foreign aid bill the House is expected to pass in a Saturday vote. The House has already approved similar legislation, but the new language differs from the previous measure in an important way. It would extend the timeline for ByteDance to sell TikTok from 6 months to roughly a year, a change that moved Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) to support the bill. The context of the legislation is also important. The House is passing the foreign aid package as a four-point bill that will then be sent to the Senate as one measure. It will include long-sought aid to Ukraine and Israel, and there may be pressure on senators not to divide up the package. President Biden has already signaled his support for the overall measure and the TikTok provisions. Despite those negative signs, TikTok, its impassioned users and some lawmakers appear ready to continue their crusade against the ban. I think if anything people are just starting to activate, TikTok user and small business owner Nadya Okamoto told The Hill Friday. Okamoto is the co-founder of period care brand August and a TikTok creator with 4.1 million followers. She led an open letter signed by other TikTok creators addressed to Biden earlier this week urging him to oppose the legislation. Okamoto believes the pressure campaign is still growing and that people are still reacting to how swiftly the new threat to the social media platform came into being. After the new legislation was put out this week, there was a sense of Oh, shit, we have to take this seriously and we need to activate within the TikTok community, she said. TikTok had been aggressively advertising against the ban after the House passed legislation earlier this year, doubling its ad spending to $4.5 million at the end of March, according to AdImpact data reported by CNBC. More than $2.5 million of that has gone to television ads, including one entitled Built A Life On TikTok that features a nun, a teacher, a farmer and other users lamenting the potential loss of the app. Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.), an ardent supporter of the ban, urged the House on Thursday to pass the updated TikTok bill. For years, Ive been raising the alarm about the powerful national security threat posed by TikTok, and I strongly support their divestiture from a company legally required to do the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party, Warner said. Proponents say a ban is necessary to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from accessing American user data, which they worry could be used to spy on users or manipulate their interests. TikTok has pushed back strongly on allegations that the app poses a national security threat and bashed House leaders for adding it into the border aid package. 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, a TikTok spokesperson told The Hill. The move to add the bill to the broader aid package is also adding fuel to opponents criticism of the measure. I think a lot of the sentiment that I feel, and a lot of the creators that Ive spoken to, is that it just feels really sneaky and a bit deceptive, packaging these two very unrelated things, Okamoto said. It doesnt do well to build trust in the system and into our representatives, she said. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) called it a backroom deal and said he would not vote for the bill in a video posted to TikTok. Theyre attaching a ban on TikTok to the foreign aid bill for aid to Ukraine. This makes no sense and I will vote no. Unfortunately, the bill looks like it will pass the House and Senate and President Biden will sign it. This is what people hate about politics. We need to stand up and oppose the ban on TikTok, he said. Opponents of the ban argue lawmakers have not provided evidence that Chinas government is weaponizing the app and that the bill infringes on the right to free speech. Longstanding Supreme Court precedent protects Americans First Amendment right to access information, ideas, and media from abroad. By banning TikTok, the bill would infringe on this right, and with no real pay-off. China and other foreign adversaries could still purchase Americans sensitive data from data brokers on the open market. And they could still engage in disinformation campaigns using American-owned platforms, said Nadine Farid Johnson, policy director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, in a statement. Jenna Leventoff, ACLUs senior policy counsel for the First Amendment, said the extended time frame for the sale doesnt significantly change the concerns about the bill, either. The updated text extends the time period from 180 days to 270 days to sell TikTok, along with a 90-day extension that could be granted by the president. Given the average length to sell a company is over a year, the new, longer timeline for a forced sale still doesnt guarantee enough time to find a buyer for such a large company, making a ban just as likely as with the last bill. Congress cannot take away the rights of over 170 million Americans who use TikTok to express themselves, engage in political advocacy, and access information from around the world, Leventoff said in a statement. Opponents say the battle will likely end up in court, just like prior attempts under the Trump administration and in states to ban TikTok that have been blocked. Some critical of the bill took issue with just picking on TikTok. While the bill names TikTok and ByteDance specifically, it would grant the president authority to designate other apps under control of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as national security threats. I have real concerns about picking out one company and saying, there are problems with their scraping up all of our private data and using it however they want, and letting other companies continue to engage in very similar behavior, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Thursday. I understand that we have particular concerns about China, but simply changing corporate ownership does not protect us from a foreign government intent on using social media to do harm to our country, she said. Still, some Democratic senators signaled they were willing, like Cantwell, to consider backing the legislation. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said he has some real concerns about the bill but is encouraged by the extended timeline for the sale and is considering supporting it. Mychael Schnell contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The U.S. is inching closer toward a nationwide ban on TikTok. On Saturday (April 20), the House voted 360-58 in support of a pivotal Republican-backed bill regarding aid for Ukraine and Israel. Trending A measure addressing the forced sale of the video app from its China-based owner, ByteDance Ltd., was included in the modified proposal. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act mirrors similar concerns about the platform's ownership that were presented to lawmakers in March. If approved by the Senate, TikTok would have to acquire a new owner within a year, reported NPR. In the event that progress toward new ownership is observed as the deadline passes, the White House can extend it by 90 days, allowing for the deal to be finalized. Prior to the vote, the media platform issued a statement about the ban being lumped into legislation regarding a foreign aid package. In an April 17 tweet, it 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. The widely popular app has been criticized as Chinas backdoor into Americans' lives by Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, whose bill to ban TikTok was blocked by the Senate last November. President Joe Biden has been a staunch supporter of proposed legislation that would require ByteDance Ltd. to divest from the social juggernaut. Last month, when asked about the recent bill, Biden told reporters, If they pass it, Ill sign it. https://twitter.com/TikTokPolicy/status/1768045785311035820 TikTok CEO Shou Chew spoke in March when the House passed the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, claiming there had been a lot of misinformation about the company and others being able to manipulate user information and content shared on the app. We will not stop advocating for you, and we will continue to do all we can, including exercising our legal rights to protect this amazing platform we have built for you, he said to its millions of users. The apps fate could be somewhat determined as soon as in the next two weeks, when the Senate is expected to vote on the bill. You Might Also Like Is TikTok going to be banned? WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Efforts to ban TikTok in the U.S. have been revived and could get a vote in Congress as early as Saturday but those opposed say thats a violation of Americans free speech rights. The legislation now has the support of a key senator and likely has enough yes votes in Congress to pass. Ringo Starr and his band to perform at Radio City Music Hall; see when tickets go on sale The bill to ban TikTok is included in a supplemental foreign aid package to help Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. The House passed legislation earlier this year to force the sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner, a company called ByteDance. Under that bill, ByteDance would have six months to divest TikTok or face a ban in the U.S. Now that six-month period has been extended to nine months with a three-month extension if a sale is underway. That was enough to win the support of Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the powerful Senate Commerce committee. TikTok opponents say the apps gives the Chinese Communist Party access to American users data. Some in Congress have even called TikTok a national security threat. ByteDance denies giving any user data to the Chinese communist government. TikTok has spent millions on advertising and lobbying efforts to stop the legislation from passing. Opponents of the legislation say its unconstitutional by infringing on free speech rights and giving the president too much authority. Because every national security expert, intelligence, military, they will tell you that this is a spy balloon in your phone. Like a Chinese spy balloon in your phone, said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas.) The legislation is expected to get a vote sometime on Saturday. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. SoundHound AI (NASDAQ: SOUN) has been one of the hottest stocks on the market in the past six months, rising close to 128% during this period. But if you're one of those who missed this AI stock's outstanding rally and are thinking of buying it right now, it would be a better idea to look elsewhere. That's because SoundHound stock has pulled back substantially of late thanks to concerns that its growth may not be strong enough to support its rich valuation. Shares of the company, which provides voice AI solutions, are down nearly 55% in the past month. Despite this sharp pullback, SoundHound AI stock is trading at 22 times sales. That's substantially higher than the U.S. technology sector's price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 7.2. Of course, SoundHound is projecting robust revenue growth in 2024 and beyond, and also claims to have a solid revenue pipeline. But SoundHound is a small company and there is a good chance of it running into stiff competition from well-heeled rivals. That's why investors looking to buy an AI stock right now might want to consider buying an established name such as Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). Let's look at the reasons why. Nvidia is growing at a much faster pace than SoundHound AI Nvidia is the dominant player in the fast-growing market for AI chips. It commands an estimated 90%-plus share of the market, and as a result, business has been growing rapidly in recent quarters. As the chart above shows, Nvidia's growth has been much stronger than that of SoundHound AI. That's despite the fact that Nvidia is a much bigger company and generated almost $61 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024 (which ended in January this year), an increase of 126% over the prior year. SoundHound AI, on the other hand, finished 2023 with a 47% increase in revenue to $46 million. What's more, analysts are forecasting Nvidia's revenue to clock faster growth in the current fiscal year as well. The chipmaker's top line is predicted to increase 81% to $110.5 billion in fiscal 2025, which would be higher than the 51% revenue growth that SoundHound is expected to deliver this year. So Nvidia's robust share of the AI chip market, which is slated to clock an annual growth rate of 61% through 2027, puts it in a terrific position to sustain its healthy growth momentum. Moreover, Nvidia is a profitable company. It reported a non-GAAP gross margin of 73.8% in fiscal 2024, a nice jump from 59.2% in the previous year. This strong jump in the company's margin, which can be attributed to Nvidia's robust pricing power in AI chips, explains why its adjusted net income shot up to $32.3 billion in fiscal 2024 from $8.4 billion in the preceding year. Story continues SoundHound AI, on the other hand, reported a net loss of $89 million in 2023. Though that was lower than the $117 million loss it reported in 2022, analysts aren't expecting it to turn profitable any time soon. Nvidia, meanwhile, is expected to deliver annual earnings growth of almost 38% for the next five years. However, don't be surprised to see Nvidia delivering faster growth. That's because Nvidia is on track to benefit from a much larger addressable opportunity that includes markets such as gaming, automotive, and digital twins. More specifically, the global GPU market is forecasted to grow at an annual rate of 34% through 2032, generating revenue of $773 billion at the end of the forecast period. We have already seen that Nvidia is the leading company in the market for AI GPUs, and it holds a similar position in the personal computer (PC) GPU market as well. This market presents another lucrative growth opportunity for Nvidia. Similarly, the digital twin market presents another multibillion-dollar growth opportunity for the company. SoundHound AI, meanwhile, expects its addressable market to grow to $160 billion by 2026. All this indicates that Nvidia has more room for growth in the long run. That's why choosing the chipmaker over SoundHound looks like a smart move, especially considering the forward valuation multiples of both companies. The valuation makes buying Nvidia stock a no-brainer Nvidia is trading at 36 times sales, which is higher than SoundHound's trailing sales multiple. But the situation changes when we look at the forward sales multiples. Both stocks have an identical forward P/S ratio. Moreover, Nvidia's solid profitability tells us why it is trading at 36 times forward earnings, which is lower than the U.S. technology sector's earnings multiple of 45. We have already seen that Nvidia is a better growth stock when compared to SoundHound, and it could continue growing at a faster pace in the future as well. So investors who missed SoundHound's rally and are looking for an AI stock to buy right now would do well to choose Nvidia, as it seems in a better position to deliver gains to investors in 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 $466,882!* 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*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2024 Harsh Chauhan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Missed Out on SoundHound AI? Buy Nvidia Instead was originally published by The Motley Fool TikTok Is One Step Closer to Being Sold After House Vote A large bipartisan majority in the U.S. House of Representatives voted on Saturday for legislation forcing the Chinese company Bytedance to either sell its wildly popular TikTok social media app or see it banned in the United States. The legislative package, which also contained provisions sanctioning Russia and Iran, was approved by a lopsided margin of 360 to 58. Of those who voted no, 33 were Democrats and 25 were Republicans. The House GOP Is About to Jam Senate Dems on the TikTok Bill The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate, which gave a chilly reception to the TikTok proposal when it passed as a standalone bill last month. But because it is packaged with popular national security measures, the chamber does not seem inclined to put up a substantial fight. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), who controls the key Senate committee with jurisdiction over the TikTok proposal, had expressed reservations about the initial House bill. But Cantwell said last week she was comfortable with the bill because it gives Bytedance a year to sell TikTok, as opposed to the six-month timeline included in the Houses first bill. If the Senate moves quickly, the legislation could come to President Joe Bidens desk within days. The president has indicated he will sign it into law. The development underscores how ineffective TikToks campaign has been to lobby Capitol Hill against the legislation. Last month, congressional offices were deluged with strange and threatening calls from TikTok users alarmed about the ban. Underscoring national security concerns about the Chinese-owned app, a story from Politico last week reported that Chinese government diplomats were meeting with lawmakers' offices about the bill. 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. On Friday, the Biden administration unveiled final Title IX regulations, nearly two years after the administration proposed dramatic changes to how colleges handle sexual assault allegations. The new rules largely mirror proposed regulations released last year and will effectively reverse Trump-era due process reforms. According to the final regulations, accused students will lose their right to a guaranteed live hearing with the opportunity to have a representative cross-examine their accuser. This is accompanied by a return to the "single-investigator model," which allows a single administrator to investigate and decide the outcome of a case. Further, under the new rules, most schools will be required to use the "preponderance of the evidence" standard, which directs administrators to find a student responsible if just 51 percent of the evidence points to their guilt. Schools are also no longer required to provide accused students with the full content of the evidence against them. Instead, universities are only bound to provide students with a description of the "relevant evidence," which may be provided "orally" rather than in writing. This is a stunning rollback of due process rights for accused students. Under the new regulations, a student can be found responsible for sexually assaulting a classmate because a single administrator believed there was a 51 percent chance he had committed the assault, and this conclusion can be reached without ever allowing the accused student to know the full evidence against him or providing a hearing during which he could defend himself. The rules also represent a continuing partisan tension in education policy. Following President Barack Obama's 2011 "Dear Colleague" letter, which first mandated campus sexual assault tribunals, regulations have flip-flopped consistently along party lines. In 2020, the Trump administration introduced broad due process rights for accused students while prohibiting schools from taking many cases that occurred off-campus. Today's reforms mark the third major change to Title IX regulations in as many presidents. "Justice is only possible when hearings are fair for everyone. So today's regulations mean one thing: America's college students are less likely to receive justice if they find themselves in a Title IX proceeding," the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) said in a Friday statement. "When administrators investigate the most serious kinds of campus misconduct, colleges should use the time-tested tools that make finding the truth more likely. But the new regulations no longer require them to do so." So far, the new rules have been met with widespread praise from victims' rights groups. "Students who experience sexual violence or discrimination shouldn't have to weigh our safety against our ability to go to class or participate in campus life," said college student Emily Bach in a press release from Know Your IX, a campus sexual assault awareness group. "The Biden Administration's updated Title IX rule will make sure that students who experience harm can come forward and seek support without jeopardizing our ability to graduate on time or get a degree." But contrary to what many victims' rights activists say, due process rights for accused students are essential, not contrary, in treating campus sexual assault as a pressing issue. College sexual assault victims should be taken seriouslybut taking their accusations with the gravity they deserve also means providing those they accuse with the right to defend themselves in kind. Even if Title IX hearings don't have the gravity of criminal proceedings, they have the potential to upend accused students' lives. Students have been expelled, had their degrees revoked, or even been deported after being found responsible for a Title IX violation. If we want university investigations into sexual assault allegations to maintain any sheen of legitimacy, we can't entrust the power to inflict such severe penalties to a single administrator working behind closed doors. Instead, we need a process that puts due process front and centerany other system quickly becomes shamefully untrustworthy. The post New Title IX Rules Erase Campus Due Process Protections appeared first on Reason.com. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A lawsuit filed against the Williamson County School Board in 2022 has new life after the Tennessee Court of Appeals partially reversed its dismissal. The lawsuit was brought by Parents Choice Tennessee, a nonprofit group that advocates for protecting the parents of Williamson County schoolchildren of all ages from harmful and age-inappropriate content. The initial filing was against the Williamson County School Boards adoption and implementation of curriculum they argued violated state laws against teaching divisive concepts like Critical Race Theory and Common Core. At issue was the Wit & Wisdom curriculum, which Parents Choice said, Promote a skewed and racist view of history and portrays one race as inherently superior to another, or inherently privileged and oppressive. During the trial phase, the Williamson County Chancery Court dismissed the lawsuit on two justiciability grounds, stating the organization and parents listed as plaintiffs lacked standing to sue and had not gone through proper administrative routes before resorting to legal action. More TN House session chaos In his ruling, Justice Jeffrey Usman said the Chancery Court was wrong in saying they lacked standing to sue, but also affirmed the Chancery Courts dismissal for failure to exhaust administrative remedies. The opinion states the parents do have standing to sue, and therefore so does Parents Choice Tennessee, reversing the trial courts ruling on that claim. This is an important victory for parental rights in education in Tennessee, Attorney for Parents Choice Larry Crain said in a statement. The court has paved the way for these parents and for their group, Parents Choice, to now vigorously enforce the state law prohibiting the teaching of Common Core curriculum. We look forward to applying this important ruling to other school systems around the state. In a statement provided to News 2, Williamson County Schools Executive Director of Communications Carol Birdsong said the district was prepared to continue fighting the lawsuit. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com We are pleased that the court of appeals affirmed the trial courts dismissal of the prohibited concepts claims. As to the single claim that was remanded to the trial court, the court of appeals has not decided that plaintiffs prevail on the merits of that claim, but has just made a threshold ruling that they have the legal standing to proceed. We will continue to vigorously defend the case at the trial court, she said. The full order can be viewed here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. A Ukrainian missile strike in occupied Luhansk last week killed Russian Colonel Pavel Kropotov, local Russian media reported on April 19. Kropotov, the commander of the 59th Guards Communications Brigade, was killed in a Ukrainian strike on his headquarters on April 13, according to a Telegram post from a Ukrainian colonel, Anatolii Shtefan "Shtirlitz." On the day of the strike, Russian officials said Ukraine had struck a factory, injuring three people, making no mention of Kropotov or his headquarters. The Ukrainian military later confirmed the attack but provided no details on possible casualties. Russian media reported on Kropotov's funeral held in Yekaterinburg, claiming the commander died "under British missile fire" an apparent reference to U.K.-supplied Storm Shadow missile used by Ukraines Armed Forces. Ukraine has not confirmed the use of British missiles in the attack. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, there have been numerous reported attacks within Russia and the Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow. In October 2023, Ukraine reportedly struck military airfields in occupied Luhansk and Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, with U.S.-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles, destroying nine helicopters. Among other Russian targets in occupied territories of Luhansk Oblast were also oil storage facilities and an S-400 missile system. Some of the targets have been reportedly hit by U.K.-provided Storm Shadow long-range missiles, capable of reaching deep into Russian-seized territories. Read also: Air Force: Ukraine downs Russian Tu-22M3 bomber for first time Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. TECUMSEH (KSNT) -One local girl is the latest to earn the Boy Scout of Americas highest honor since the organization became co-ed four years ago. Kaitlyn Aldridge joins the 6% of Boy Scouts to earn the Eagle Scout Award. Since allowing the Boy Scouts of America to become Co-Ed in 2018, about 1,000 girls have earned themselves the highest advancement award within the organization, the Eagle Scout Award. Aldridge of Tecumesh, KS has just earned the highest advancement award. She is one of only approximately 6% of all Boy Scouts have attained and accomplished the Eagle Rank according to Scoutmaster Alma Smith. This award is presented to candidates who earn 21 merit badges, and successfully complete a community, church or synagogue-related service project to earn their badge and title of an Eagle Scout. Emporia takes silver in nationwide Best Main Street contest Aldridge took on a massive project of renovating the Big Kids playground at Jars of Clay Childrens Center as this was a place that was meaningful to her. Both my brother and I attended Jars of Clay for preschool. I know the struggle my parents had with the pea gravel that was used for ground cover, saw that I had a sandbox but my brother didnt and knew there was an opportunity to create large motor skill games on the sidewalk, Aldridge said. It was a huge project that took more than 40 volunteers and over 380 hours of community service to complete. But seeing the kids smiles when they play on the playground make it all worth it! Not only is Aldridge a part of the Boy Scouts of America and a member of the ORder of the Arrow and Tribe of Mic O Say honor societies, but she is also very involved as a freshman at Shawnee Heights High School. She is a part of the Future Farmers of America Association, avid member of student council, competitive swimmer with her school and Topeka Swim Association, and cheering her school on as a cheerleader. Health officials issue blue-green algae watch for Lake Shawnee Aldridge will be recognized for her achievements on Sunday, April 21. 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. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Taylor Swift released her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, at 12 a.m. on Friday. She followed it up two hours later by adding 15 more songs for her fans. Dont be an Anti-Hero and miss out on the Swiftie celebrations. We put together a list of some of the places where you can mark the release of the new album in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Youll find them listed here. FILE Taylor Swift arrives at the world premiere of the concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Los Angeles on Oct. 11, 2023. Swifts Instagram message encouraging her 283 million followers to register to vote was nominated for a Webby in the best creator or influencer category. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) D.C. Wunder Garten: 1101 First St. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002 Wunder Garten welcomes you to its Taylor Swift Dance Party whether youre a die-hard Swiftie or just looking for a fun night out. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Taylor-themed attire and let loose. You can register for free on Eventbrite. When: April 19 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. DC9 Nightclub: 1940 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001 Join DC9 Nightclub at their The Tortured Partiers Department Taylor Swift dance party. A new soundtrack brings an album-listening party Swifties wont want to miss. Tickets range from $15 to $20 and you can register on Eventbrite. When: April 19 starting at 8 p.m. Public Bar Live: 1214 18th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036 DuPont Circles Public Bar Live is hosting a Taylor Swift Rave, complete with Taylor Swift-themed decorations, cocktail specials and photo booths. Swifts hits will include classics, vault songs and pieces from her latest album. You can register on Eventbrite or through Public Bar Lives website. When: April 19 starting at 10 p.m. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived lyrics get attention in DC area A fan of US singer Taylor Swift, also known as a Swiftie, displays friendship bracelets as they arrive for the pop stars Eras Tour concert at the National Stadium in Singapore on March 7, 2024. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) (Photo by ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images) Virginia Frans Cake & Candy Supplies: 10927 Main St., Fairfax, Va. 22030 Frans Cake & Candy Supplies invites you to Frost it Like its 1989 with a beginner cake decorating class to Taylor Swift tunes. Swifties are invited to enjoy appetizers and mocktails while you frost and embellish your cakes, led by Chef Mayra Garcia of celebrateMe. Participants will fill and frost a 4 cake, topped with Taylor Swift-inspired decor. You can register for $155 on Eventbrite. When: April 27 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bark Social Alexandria: 529 East Howell Ave., Alexandria, Va. 22301 Bark Social is hosting a fully-packed free event to celebrate The Tortured Poets Department. Youre invited to try its special Taylor-themed cocktail and dress up in your favorite Taylor era for a chance to win a best costume prize. As always, you and your pup are welcome. Just be sure to register your dog before bringing them. You can register for free on Eventbrite. When: April 19 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Taylor Swifts new album takes tortured turn: What secrets do the lyrics reveal? Maryland Hammer & Stain Rockville: 107B Gibbs St., Rockville, Md. 20850 Join Hammer & Stain for its celebratory Taylor Swift Cookie Decorating Workshop. Create an edible masterpiece and sing your heart out with your favorite Swiftie friend. Registration is $50 and you can sign up on Eventbrite or Hammer & Stains website. Note: Guests must register by April 19. When: April 21 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Barre3: 4829 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, Md. 20814 Gold Signature Writers and Barre3 are collaborating for a day of movement and storytelling through the study of Taylor Swifts lyrics. A 30-minute Barre3 workout will be followed by a creative writing workshop. No experience is necessary and the workout is designed for every fitness level. You can register for $13 on Eventbrite or Barre3s website. When: April 19 starting at 4:30 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Cancel that caprese salad on your menus for the weekend, folks, and check your basil! Everyones favorite hippy grocery store Trader Joes has just recalled their Infinite Herbs organic basil in the 2.5 ounce clamshell containers due to a salmonella outbreak. This recall affects 29 states and Washington, D.C. If you purchased the basil between February 1 and April 6 and you live in the following states, do not eat it. The states affected by the outbreak include Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Orleans, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont and Wisconsin. Trader Joes is voluntarily removing the product from its shelves and are urging customers to throw it away or turn the package back into the store. The CDC announced that it detected an outbreak in which 12 people in seven states are reported to have been infected with a strain of salmonella. Per The Washington Post, In seven of the eight cases with information available, people said they had been exposed to the Trader Joes basil before becoming ill, regulators say. The Washington Post reports that the CDC investigation is ongoing and is aimed at determining the source of the contamination and whether any other products are affected. The outlet reported that a Trader Joes spokeswoman said in an email that the company prioritizes safety and typically errs on the side of caution in recalling foods. With more than five decades of experience working directly with the producers of our products, we stand by our proactive practices and continually improve our food safety processes, she said. We take these matters seriouslypersonally, even, as our families eat and drink TJs products, too, she said. Per the Trader Joes website, Customers with questions may contact Trader Joes Customer Relations at (626) 599-3817 or send us an email. MANHATTAN (KSNT) Manhattan Parks and Recreation officials are asking residents to avoid some trails as they will be closed temporarily for upkeep work. Manhattan Parks and Recreation announced on social media that some trails across the city will be closed for a few days as crews plan to maintain them. Trail crews will be top dressing and grading the trails over this year. According to the department, this practice helps with ruts and natural loss that is created over time. Starting Monday, April 22, crews will start the first portion of this project in northwest Manhattan. Crews will be caring for the Hudson trail from Kimball Avenue to Englewood Street. Work is expected to be complete within a few days. Starting Wednesday, April 24, crews will working at Anneberg Park. Due to the size of the trail, Manhattan Parks and Recreation expect work on this trail to take longer. In May, work will start on Linear Trail, depending on the completion of Anneberg Park, according to the social media post. Crews will start at Amherst Avenue and work their way to Anderson Avenue. Signage will be posted before the start of each project and while work is going on, according to Manhattan Parks and Recreation. Residents are asked to avoid the area during working hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., due to equipment and workers being in the area. The trails will be open for public use in the evenings. 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. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) A train is blocking multiple roads in north Huntsville near Interstate 565, according to police. The train is blocking tracks at Pratt Avenue near Meridian Street and Oakwood Avenue east of Meridian Street. A spokesperson for the Huntsville Police Department said there appears to be a railroad issue. HPD is advising people to use alternate routes at this time until a notification is sent that the roadways are reopened. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Bridget and Bernie Moreno candidate for US Senator in Ohio greet supporters as they take the stage at his watch party for the Republican Party primary at The Double Tree in Westlake, Ohio on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Jack DAurora is a partner with the Behal Law Group and produces a podcast, JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo. He is a frequent Dispatch contributor. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno and his primary opponents all opposed raising the minimum wage. Both Moreno and Matt Dolan believe the minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage. Says who? Heres what President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had to say about wages over 90 years ago: It seems to me to be equally plain that no business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this countryand by living wages, I mean more than a bare subsistence level. I mean the wages of decent living. Ohios minimum wage is $10.45 per hour, or $21,736 per year, while the federal poverty level is $20,400 for a family of two and $31,200 for a family of four. What does it take to be self-sustaining in Franklin County, Ohio? According to the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, a single adult with one child needs an hourly wage of $23. Half the workers in metro Columbus earn less than $22.42 an hour. What are Americas largest employers paying? With 1.5 million employees, Walmart paid an average of $17.50 or roughly $33,000 for a 35-hour average work week in 2023. Kroger, with 430,000 employees, paid the average full-time cashier $17.10 an hour until last year when the average hourly wage was raised to nearly $19, which with benefits factored in, is nearly $25. JP Mortgage Chase Bank pays its tellers an average base salary of $36,831 or roughly $17.31. Walmarts net income for 2023 was $11.3 billion. For Kroger, it was $2.16 billion, and for Chase, it was $49.6 billion. Is it naive to say theres enough money to pay employees more? When the minimum raise is debated, the wages paid by large employers dont seem to be part of the argument. Why not? The debate tends to focus on small business, and business owners dont like the idea of a mandated wage. Eight out of 10 restaurant owners oppose the proposed constitutional amendment that would increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2026. A sufficient income to be self-sufficient Ohio Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve Stivers believes that free-market forces, not a ballot initiative, should determine wages. Some economists say that raising wages will result in job losses, while others say there will be only a temporary disruption. Trying to square the different viewpoints is no easy matter. Story continues Whats bothersome is that the argument against raising the minimum wage seems to be based on an underlying paradigmone never spoken aloudthat workers must endure low wages for the sake of business owners. Its a top-down approach to the economy, much like the debunked trickle-down theorytax cuts for the wealthy help ordinary workers. And theres just something fundamentally wrong when people of meanslike Moreno and Dolantell us what those at the other end of the economic ladder need to accept. Ponder this: the Government Accountability Office tells us that of the 12 million wage-earning adults enrolled in Medicaid and 9 million wage-earning adults in households receiving food assistance, approximately 70 percent in both programs work full-time hours on a weekly basis and about one-half work full-time annually. Doesnt this mean some employer payrolls are being subsidized by the federal government? Emily Rose McRae, with the consulting firm Gartner, suggests that employers must fundamentally rethink their relationship with their workforces. This means seeing the workforce as a cornerstone of business and recognizing that if your entire business model is dependent on paying the lowest possible wages and now you cant pay people enough, you have a problem, you have to adapt. Conservatives argue a free market is the best means for determining wages. Maybe. But this bromide doesnt address the conflict that exists between capitalism and societys interest in employees receiving sufficient income to be self-sufficient. Maybe our economic model should be adjusted so that the needs of workers are considered hand-in-hand with the needs of business owners. Jack DAurora is a partner with the Behal Law Group and produces a podcast, JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo. He is a frequent Dispatch contributor. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Bernie Moreno wrongly believes minimum wage shouldn't be a living wage The top two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate took the stage Friday evening in their first, and possibly, only televised debate, which showcased their similarities on the issues but also their distinct personalities, backgrounds and strategy. Before the one-hour debate began at the studios of Fox45 in Baltimore, U.S. Rep. David Trone walked to his left toward Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and extended his hand. Alsobrooks obliged and shook his hand. Thats where the camaraderie ended, as the May 14 primary is less than a month away. Its anticipated the winner would face popular former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) in the November general election, who jumped in the Senate race hours before the filing deadline. In a 30-second TV spot released this week, Hogan said, Its time we stop the partisan B.S. and get stuff done. The National Republican Senatorial Committee put up half the money to air the ad. That candidate selected by the voters in November will replace longtime U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D), who announced last year he wouldnt seek reelection. Maryland could become a factor in the fall as Democrats struggle to retain control of the Senate. Hogans name came up several times during Fridays debate, which was sponsored by Fox45, 7 News DC, The Baltimore Sun and the University of Baltimores Schaefer Center for Public Policy. Both Democratic candidates mentioned the former governor when asked, What makes you more electable than your opponent? Trone, who spoke with a certain intensity throughout the evening, reiterated how various polls all have him ahead of Alsobrooks and running stronger against Hogan than she does. Not one poll ever said my opponent can beat Larry Hogan cause she wont, Trone said. I have the resources to beat Larry Hogan. I have the persona to win across the state, to win the Eastern Shore, to win in Southern Maryland [and] to win big in Western Maryland. All of these different areas are 31% of the vote total. They add up. Alsobrooks, who mostly presented her responses in a relaxed demeanor, pointed out that Trone has spent more than $40 million to defeat me. Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks talks with reporters April 19, 2024, after the one-hour debate at Fox45 television station in Baltimore. Photo by William J. Ford. What I know is that the broad coalition of people that we have developed all across the state, who include young voters, who include women voters and who include so many others are what is needed to defeat Larry Hogan in this race, she said. This race will be decided by the people and not by the money. Money cant buy you love, and it really cannot buy you Maryland. The format allowed the candidates to offer 30-second rebuttals after their initial 60-second answers, but they didnt use the opportunity to directly engage with each other. That was a contrast to the activities of their communications shops, which fired off several emails to reporters during the course of the debate, pointing out inconsistencies in the other candidates answers or spotlighting inconvenient aspects of their opponents records on whatever topic was being discussed on the stage. Most of the campaign emails carried the subject line, FACT CHECK. Reproductive rights remains one of the most intensely discussed topics on the campaign trail, not only in Maryland but throughout the entire country. Trone, a wealthy businessman, has touted how his family foundation helped open an abortion clinic in Western Maryland that allowed residents in neighboring West Virginia to have access for the procedure and other reproductive health services. Theres no role for the federal government to moderate and regulate a womans health choices, he said. These are the choices between a woman and her doctor and no one else should be involved in that. After Trone outlined how Planned Parenthood has supported him, Alsobrooks pointed out that hes donated money to Republicans in states with some of the strictest abortion laws in the country such as Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott. He cannot claim credit for the good his company does and distance himself from the bad that it does, she said. The candidates responded to questions on several other topics, including the economy, education and crime by Fox45 political reporter Mikenzie Frost, Baltimore Sun national politics reporter Jeff Barker and Roger Hartley, dean of the University of Baltimores Schaefer Center for Public Policy. In a question about whether Trone and Alsobrooks would support a repeal of the death penalty on the federal level, both said yes. The question was specifically for Alsobrooks, who served as Prince Georges County states attorney and in 2011 and sought the death penalty for a man who killed four people, including children ages 2 and 3. Two years later, Maryland abolished the death penalty and the highest punishment was and still remains life without the possibility of parole. Marylanders have spoken, and they have decided that the death penalty is no longer the law of the land in Maryland, and I agree with Maryland voters, Alsobrooks said. Having said that, what I believe is that anyone who harms a child, or who murders a child in particular, deserves the stiffest penalty available to that person. Trones response: Im the only candidate on the stage thats always been 100% oppose to the death penalty. We know the death penalty is racist. It feeds our systemically racist system that we have in the criminal justice area. We can never have the death penalty. It is clearly cruel [and] unusual punishment. Alsobrooks and Trone spent an inordinate amount of time touting endorsements from their fellow elected officials. Alsobrooks mentioned Gov. Wes Moore (D), U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-7th), among others, while Trone name-checked the top Democratic leaders in the U.S. House and some key elected officials in Prince Georges County. After the debate was over, Trone and Alsobrooks spoke with reporters. Both said they were both pleased with how it went and reiterated the endorsements they have received, including those that just came in on Thursday. U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-6th) talks with reporters April 19, 2024, after the one-hour debate at Fox45 television station in Baltimore. Standing beside Trone are Prince Georges County Councilmembers Edward Burroughs III, left, and Krystal Oriadha. Photo by William J. Ford. While standing in between Prince Georges County Councilmembers Edward Burroughs III and Krystal Oriadha, both Democrats, Trone said voters are pleased hes willing to spend his own money without receiving checks from corporations, political action committees and lobbyists. When folks see that, theyre [going to] say, Hey, why not go for independence? And folks like that, Trone said. Alsobrooks was asked if Moore, who endorsed her candidacy last fall, will be seen in on her behalf in the last several weeks of the primary. Youre going to see Gov. Moore, said Alsobrooks, but she didnt say exactly when that will be. Del. Stephanie Smith (D-Baltimore City), an Alsobrooks supporter, was at the television station to watch the debate. The forum will rebroadcast on Fox45 at 2 p.m. Saturday and at 6 p.m. on The CW Baltimore. It can also be viewed on baltimoresun.com and on YouTube. As of late Friday night, no other televised forum or debate featuring both candidates has been scheduled. The post Trone, Alsobrooks offer contrasts in first and possibly only televised debate appeared first on Maryland Matters. Troopers: Motorcyclist dies after in Seminole County crash A motorcyclist has died following a crash Friday afternoon, the Florida Highway Patrol. Troopers said the crash happened around 3:30 p.m. in Seminole County. According to a news release, a 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-64 motorcycle was traveling westbound on Fort Christmas Road, approaching the intersection of Killaloe Terrace. Troopers said a 2019 Toyota Prius was traveling westbound on Fort Christmas Road, approaching the intersection of Killaloe Terrace ahead of the motorcycle. Read: OCSO: Deputy shoots a man who was holding a gun towards people FHP said the motorcyclist began to pass traffic on the left while using the eastbound travel lane. The car driver began to make a left turn to drive southbound on Killaloe Terrace. Troopers said the motorcyclists entered the direct path of the Toyota Prius, causing the front of the motorcycle to crash into the left side of the Toyota. Read: Two bodies found near car of missing Central Florida woman, according to deputies Officials said the 20-year-old motorcyclist was pronounced dead on-scene. The Toyota driver and passenger were not injured and remained on-scene, FHP said FHP said the crash remains under investigation. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Donald Trump's presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee announced a massive election integrity operation on Friday, promising to deploy 100,000 volunteers and attorneys to battleground states to protect the vote and ensure a big win in November. In a press release, officials said they wanted the volunteers and lawyers to monitor logic and accuracy testing, early voting, ballot tabulation, mail ballot processing and Election Day voting, as well as post-election canvasses, audits, and recounts. The release suggests they may intend to recruit poll workers, too. Having the right people to count the ballots is just as important as turning out voters on Election Day, Trump said in the release.. "The RNC is hiring hundreds of election integrity staff across the map more than ever before because our Party will be recruiting thousands of more observers to protect the vote in 2024. These campaign officials in states are tasked with recruiting, training, and when possible, shifting poll watchers and poll workers day in and day out," added RNC co-chair Lara Trump. Poll watching is a normal part of elections both parties do it but experts warn that unruly operations can be a problem. And as Trump and his allies continue to make false claims about the 2020 election, some experts worry that empowering these sort of observers at polling sites could hamper normal election operations or intimidate voters. The GOP release notes they plan to work with "passionate grassroots coalitions who are deeply invested in fighting voter fraud." The planned operation would double the RNCs promised 50,000-person operation from 2020, though some experts said both numbers figures were aspirational and unrealistic. The RNC did not respond to a request for data on how many people had volunteered or been staffed in recent elections. Ive actually run a program like this with real people, said Justin Levitt, a former advisor in the Biden White House on democracy issues who has previously worked in the Department of Justice on voting issues. We did really well and got multiple tens of thousands. Recruiting individuals in particular to monitor for voter fraud, he said, is even harder than staffing poll workers. Theyre recruiting people to stand there and watch for something thats not going to happen. Can you please show up and watch, wait for the UFO for 15 hours? he said. Marc Elias, a leading Democratic election lawyer, agreed the 100,000 number was unrealistic, but said he was still concerned about the plans. "I think they are going to have a massive voter suppression operation and it is going to involve very, very large numbers of people and very, very large numbers of lawyers," he said. "I think we need to take the RNC literally and seriously except on their numbers." Lauren Groh-Wargo, executive director of Fair Fight PAC, the political advocacy arm of the Georgia voting rights group of the same name, said the effort would harm election administration. The Republican National Committees new voter suppression unit is just the latest version of their cynical playbook to divide and intimidate voters and steal Americans voices by building an operation based on the lie of voter fraud, she said in a statement. Until 2018, the RNCs poll watching plans were limited by a consent decree, which required it seek court approval to prove that any poll watching work wasnt discriminatory. That decree was put into place after Democrats sued and accused the RNC of sending armed, off-duty police officers to patrol the polls in minority neighborhoods in 1981. The decree required them to seek prior court approval for poll watching operations, but expired at the end of 2017 after 35 years. Poll observers are a normal and beneficial part of the election process when they are well trained and do not interfere with administrators work, said David Becker, executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research, a group that helps support election officials. An army of 100,000 would present a different dynamic, he said, but noted that election workers are prepared to handle unruly observers if they appear. "They will protect the right of their voters to vote free of intimidation. If observers are acting any way contrary to voters interests or interfering with poll workers, they will be dealt with under the laws of the state," he said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com By Tim Reid WILMINGTON, North Carolina (Reuters) -U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump abruptly canceled a campaign rally in North Carolina on Saturday because of an incoming storm, telling the crowd he was "devastated" and promising to return to the battleground state soon. Trump called into the outdoor rally from his private jet about 30 minutes before he was due to appear at an airport in Wilmington, instructing everyone to leave immediately because of safety concerns as lightning flashed overhead. "I'm devastated that this could happen but we want to keep everybody safe," Trump said, his voice amplified by speakers to thousands of supporters, many of whom had lined up since early morning in hot and humid conditions. "...I think we're gonna have to just do a rain check. I'm so sad," Trump said. The event was due to occur after the first week of Trump's historic criminal trial in New York stemming from a hush-money payment to a porn star. With jury selection completed, opening statements were expected to begin on Monday. Trump, who is set to face Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 general 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. Both the Biden and Trump campaigns have set their sights on winning North Carolina, one of six or seven swing states that will likely determine the outcome in November. Trump narrowly won the state in 2020 over Biden. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to North Carolina to campaign last month. (Reporting by Tim Reid and Timothy Gardner; Editing by Sandra Maler and Cynthia Osterman) Donald Trumps request to halt his New York hush money trial was rejected by an appeals court judge after a jury panel was selected in the historic case. The Friday afternoon ruling came just hours after the jury of 12 people and six alternates was seated in the case, meaning opening statements can begin on Monday. Justice Marsha Michael took just minutes to issue the ruling after a short hearing. The former presidents legal team had asked the judge to pause the case brought by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg as they attempted to have it moved out of the borough. After four days of jury selection, the final alternate jurors were picked from a batch of Manhattan residents on Friday. So long as no other jurors drop out or are dismissed from the panel, opening arguments will begin on Monday. Fridays court proceedings were interrupted during the lunch break when a man self-immolated in a park outside of the courthouse. Mr Trump, the Republican nominee for president, faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged affair. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges it was part of a greater catch-and-kill scheme Mr Trump engaged in to influence the outcome of the presidential election. When leaving the court on Friday, Mr Trump was asked if he would testify in the case. Yes, he replied. The trial will resume on Monday at 9.30am ET. Months before his criminal trial started, former President Donald Trump stood before Black conservatives in South Carolina and made a direct appeal to African American voters with a provocative and, critics said, racist theme: Like you, Im unfairly persecuted by the criminal justice system. It was just the beginning of a highly calculated effort by Trump to cut into President Joe Bidens standing with a constituency that historically has been among the Democratic Partys most reliable voting blocs. Three officials with the Trump campaign outlined to POLITICO the former presidents strategy to attract Black voters throughout the trial and beyond, revealing an in-depth look into their game plan as they ramp up campaigning ahead of November. According to Trumps advisers, the former president and his campaign will use his legal troubles and issues of race in New York more broadly to appeal to Black voters by suggesting that Trump, a 77-year-old white man from a family of privilege and with a history of offensive rhetoric, is beset by the same injustices that afflict Black Americans. Hell make targeted pitches to voters of color during campaign-style stops in and around the city, including in historically Black neighborhoods like Harlem. And they say hell attempt to turn the city's migrant crisis into a wedge issue to attract Black voters bitter at local Democratic officials who approved millions in resources to support newly arriving immigrants instead of their communities. The Biden administration has made a deliberate choice to put illegal immigrants' interests in front of the interests of the American people, James Blair, political director for the Trump campaign, told POLITICO. And Black voters, like every other group of voters in America, are enraged by this. Perhaps no politician in modern America has been able to play as effectively on voters anxieties on issues of race, ethnic rivalries and cultural grievances than Trump. From calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals to saying there was blame on both sides after white supremacists and neo-Nazis engaged in violent protests in Charlottesville, the former president has consistently appealed to white, male and less educated base voters on issues of ethnicity, often receiving widespread backlash from Democrats and his own party. But in recent polls, he has made some inroads with Black voters. And his campaign is now deliberately targeting them in a more sophisticated approach than he displayed early in his political career, using his ongoing trial in New York as the staging ground. Black men especially are a key constituency that his advisers see as gettable and slipping away from Biden. According to a Wall Street Journal poll this month, some 30 percent of Black men in the seven key swing states said they would definitely or probably vote for Trump for president. Dissatisfaction with Biden among this voting bloc stems from his handling of the economy and on immigration. If those figures hold, it would mark a nearly threefold increase of support among Black men for Trump, who received just 12 percent of the vote from Black men four years ago, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of voters conducted on Election Day and the days immediately preceding it. The stakes for Trump and Biden are enormous. Even a marginal improvement by Trump with Black voters could tilt the outcome in closely contested states in November. Trump has already started employing this strategy. During a stop at a bodega in the heart of Harlem last week, the former president railed against Bidens border policies as well as New York Democrats for allocating millions of dollars in rental and food assistance to people who only recently entered the country. Theyve poured in and taken over the parks, they took over your hotels, they take over everything, its no good, said Trump, who also mentioned a New York City program established in January providing $53 million in prepaid debit cards to help tens of thousands of migrants in the city pay for temporary housing and food. And you know what theyve done? he said. Theyve destroyed so many people, the African American community is now not getting jobs, migrants are taking their jobs that are here illegally. Trumps rhetoric on the immigration issue is especially potent. Tens of thousands of migrants, from Latin American countries and elsewhere, have been used as political pawns in recent years by conservative-leaning states. Those migrants, many hoping to be granted asylum, have either been bussed or traveled to liberal-leaning cities like New York, Chicago, Boston and Washington, creating tension with Black residents who feel marginalized and the elected leaders of color who run those cities. During a contentious Chicago City Council meeting last summer, for example, a Black alderwoman, Jeanette Taylor, broke down in tears during a debate over whether to transfer $51 million in city funds to assist migrants. Im so tired of, when its a crisis for everybody else, we go, We gotta do something. But, when were having this violence in the Black community, nothing gets said or nothing gets done, Taylor said. Yet activists also labeled her a sellout and traitor when she voted to approve the transfer of funds. Lynne Patton, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, said in an interview that the campaign would be foolish not to take advantage of the fact that Trump is in the state of New York, in the city of New York, which has been disproportionately impacted by illegal immigration since Biden took office. Critics of the former president however highlight reports that since Trumps overhaul of the Republican National Committee, minority-themed outreach centers that were launched under previous RNC leadership have shuttered. Its evidence, they say, that Trumps attempts to connect with voters of color is nothing but a facade, though Trump officials confirmed they will identify and maintain strategic centers they say are critical to their broader outreach efforts. Blair laughed off those characterizations. Having an office is not indicative of outreach, Blair said. They don't want you to be talking about the fact that 62 percent of Black voters say immigration and border security is going in the wrong direction and want you to talk about office space. Trump officials admit they have to be strategic in how they deploy Trump, since the New York trial will drastically limit his ability to campaign. The only day the trial wont regularly be in session is Wednesday, though Trump will usually be free on weekends to fundraise and hold events. On Saturday, hes scheduled to hold a rally in North Carolina. Yet Trumps attempts to reach out to Black voters can at times seem manufactured or clumsy. Earlier this year, the former president released a Trump sneaker, which a Fox News pundit hailed as connecting with Black America. More recently, the former presidents campaign tried to create a viral moment on social media in April when Trump visited a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta and was greeted by Black fast food workers. Videos posted online showed one well-wisher, a Black woman named Michaelah Montgomery, telling him: I dont care what the media tells you, Mr. Trump, we support you, before walking up to him and giving him a hug. The Chick-fil-A is located on en route from the airport to the Fulton County jail where the former president took his infamous mug shot in a Georgia criminal case, where he is accused of engaging in a scheme to subvert that states election in 2020. Some Black conservatives in Georgia, however, criticized Trumps visit as pandering rather than authentic outreach to the community. Black conservative radio talk show host Sonnie Johnson called it a photo op on social media while Felecia Killings, who runs a conservative think tank that specializes in Black outreach in Atlanta, derided it as trite. This is an unserious moment right now for Trump and Black outreach, she said in an interview. The campaign pushed back on both Killings' and Johnson's characterizations. Trump world, however, takes it very seriously. Last week, Donald Trump Jr. sat down for a wide-ranging interview with hip hop podcaster and internet personality DJ Akademiks, where the former presidents son touted how his father would help Black Americans if elected in November. He also compared the search by federal agents on Mar-a-Lago to the recent raids of Sean Diddy Combs homes in Miami and Los Angeles, pointing out that both were bullshit. I'm not saying our justice system has always been fair, he continued. If they can do this to Trump who wants to do it to? It was similar to Trumps message to Black Republicans in South Carolina last February, where he sought to connect with the audience by highlighting his own problems with the criminal justice system. Our message to the Black community in this election will be a very simple one, Trump said. If you want strong borders, safe neighborhoods, rising wages, good jobs, great education and the return of the American Dream, then congratulations, youre a Republican. Trump picks up more national delegates as the only choice for Wyoming Republicans FILE - A sign on the border of Wyoming and Montana appears on the side of Belfry Highway, May 24, 2017, in Powell, Wyo. Republicans in Wyoming will decide Saturday which presidential candidate will get their state's votes at the GOP national convention but there's only one choice.(AP Photo/Robert Yoon, File) Republicans in Wyoming awarded former President Donald Trump all 29 of their national delegates in a presidential preference poll conducted Saturday. Trump was the only candidate in the poll at the state Republican convention in Cheyenne. The poll decided how all 29 of Wyomings delegates to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July will pledge their votes. National convention rules require delegates be bound to a candidate for at least the first round of voting, but Wyoming Republicans on Saturday decided to bound their delegates to Trump for the first and second rounds of balloting, the state partys national committeeman Corey Steinmetz said Saturday in a text message. Trump effectively clinched the Republican nomination in March. Twenty three of Wyomings national delegates one from each county in the state were selected at Republican county conventions that began in February. The remaining six were chosen at the state convention. Republicans are dominant in Wyoming politics and gave Trump the highest percentage of votes of any state in 2020. Wyoming Democrats gave President Joe Biden all 17 of their national delegates in a similar poll conducted at county caucuses statewide April 13. This is a developing story and will be updated throughout the evening. Refresh the page for the latest version. The campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in Wilmington has been canceled due to severe weather. Trump was scheduled to take the stage at 7 p.m. About 20 minutes before 7, he addressed the crowd through speaker phone that he had been advised to cancel the event due to an impending storm. Dark rain clouds filled the sky as rally goers went back to their cars. Theyve asked us to ask people to leave the site and seek shelter, Trump said as the crowd groaned. What well do is well make up for this very quickly at another time. ... We want to keep everybody safe. As the crowd clamored, Trump said there was thunder and lightning and a great big storm. So, if you dont mind, if you could just do a rain check, he said. The National Weather Service in Wilmington issued a severe thunderstorm warning until about 7:15 p.m. Saturday night and a severe storm watch for the area until 10 p.m. The main threats were strong winds and hail. As it blew through Charlotte a few hours earlier it produced 70 mph wind gusts and half-dollar-sized hail. The Wilmington rally was supposed to be his first big campaign event since the start of his criminal trial in New York City on whether he falsified business records to cover up a payment to a porn star, marking the first-ever trial of a former American president. He is also facing several other state and federal investigations, including into his business, his handling of classified documents and related to efforts to overturn and reverse the results of the 2020 election. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, is no stranger to the Port City. He hosted a rally here in 2022 prior to the states mid-term elections to campaign for Sen. Ted Budd, then a candidate. He most recently hosted a rally in Greensboro just days before Super Tuesday. His competitor for the White House has also been active. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited Raleigh in late March, honing in on healthcare access and calling to reinstate Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that made abortion a constitutional right for decades. First lady Jill Biden visited Greensboro and Greenville on Monday. The Democratic National Committee took Trumps visit as an opportunity to attack the former president on abortion policy. DNC placed 16 English and Spanish billboards in Charlotte where Trump is holding a fundraiser and Wilmington. The billboards read: Abortion is banned in North Carolina thanks to Donald Trump. He wont stop until its banned nationwide. Donald Trump is responsible for the attacks on reproductive rights that were seeing in North Carolina and across the nation, said Jackie Bush, DNCs regional press secretary. As Trump transitioned from celebrity to politician his views on abortion moved from one extreme to the other, and he often changes that policy position, making it hard to track what he would do if he were president. His latest position is that abortion laws should be left to the states. His anti-freedom agenda is already endangering the lives of women in North Carolina, but Trump and his cronies wont stop until every woman across the country lives under an extreme national abortion ban, Bush said. Thats why women in North Carolina and across the country will reject Trumps extreme bans at the ballot box this November and send President Joe Biden back to the White House. North Carolina Democrats also got together in Wilmington prior to the rally to touch on Trumps work on getting Roe v. Wade overturned, and how they say it paved the way for the states abortion ban, which prohibits abortions after 12 weeks with exceptions. Polls show Trump and Biden neck-and-neck in North Carolina. Last week, a Quinnipiac University poll said the race would be too close to call if the election were held today. North Carolina is considered a swing state, but it has largely favored GOP presidential candidates, including in 2020, when Biden lost to Trump by just 1.5% of the vote. But while the state overall opted for Trump, the preference varies by county, with some swaths of the state being deeply red, while others, typically urban areas, run blue. New Hanover, is a purple county, and was one of just three counties in North Carolina to flip between the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. The others were Nash and Scotland. People stroll along Trask Drive, among a sea of vendors selling Trump memorabilia, prior to a rally for the former President at the Aero Center on Saturday, April 20, 2024 in Wilmington, N.C. News & Observer reporter Kristen Johnson contributed to this story. Focus group participants argued and shouted at one another over former President Donald Trump in chaotic clips that CNN aired Friday. Host Erica Hill teased the bitter rematch expected between President Joe Biden and the presumptive GOP presidential nominee as the network aired never-before-seen footage from Republican pollster and communication strategist Frank Luntz. How condescending was [Barack] Obama? I couldnt stand to watch that guy, said one focus group participant, referring to Trumps Democratic predecessor. He just looked down on top of everybody. Trump will get down in the dirt and work with you. You want respect, but you have a president who takes on women, minorities everything but white males he attacks, responded another as he criticized Trump. And you know what? He won the election. And he won. And you guys cant handle that, replied the first participant, while the Trump critic chirped back that the former president never won the popular vote. In another clip, a woman stated that she didnt know why the former president is racist, telling Trump supporters that theyd have to ask him directly. He says all those Mexicans are rapists and murderers, the woman said. [Trump] said: They send the worst among them. Some of them are rapists. Some of them are drug dealers and murderers, one man replied. Can I finish? the woman shot back. Reflecting on the footage, Luntz said that people now speak without editing or censoring themselves. We say what we want people to hear rather than trying to learn, Luntz said. To me, its not about the mistakes made; its about the lessons learned. And no ones trying to learn anything from this. They simply want to be heard, and they will shout to be heard. H/T Mediaite Related... Key Insights Significantly high institutional ownership implies Movado Group's stock price is sensitive to their trading actions A total of 7 investors have a majority stake in the company with 51% ownership Past performance of a company along with ownership data serve to give a strong idea about prospects for a business A look at the shareholders of Movado Group, Inc. (NYSE:MOV) can tell us which group is most powerful. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are institutions with 70% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn). Because institutional owners have a huge pool of resources and liquidity, their investing decisions tend to carry a great deal of weight, especially with individual investors. Therefore, a good portion of institutional money invested in the company is usually a huge vote of confidence on its future. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Movado Group, beginning with the chart below. View our latest analysis for Movado Group What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Movado Group? 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. As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Movado Group. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Movado Group's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Movado Group. Grinberg Partners LP is currently the company's largest shareholder with 14% of shares outstanding. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 12% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 8.0% by the third-largest shareholder. Additionally, the company's CEO Efraim Grinberg directly holds 1.5% of the total shares outstanding. We also observed that the top 7 shareholders account for more than half of the share register, with a few smaller shareholders to balance the interests of the larger ones to a certain extent. Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There is some analyst coverage of the stock, but it could still become more well known, with time. Insider Ownership Of Movado Group The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own some shares in Movado Group, Inc.. As individuals, the insiders collectively own US$25m worth of the US$566m company. It is good to see some investment by insiders, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying. General Public Ownership The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 10% stake in Movado Group. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run. Private Company Ownership Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 15%, of the company's shares. It's hard to draw any conclusions from this fact alone, so its worth looking into who owns those private companies. Sometimes insiders or other related parties have an interest in shares in a public company through a separate private company. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Movado Group better, we need to consider many other factors. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Movado Group that you should be aware of. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its 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. Youre reading Guardian USs free Trump on Trial newsletter. To get the latest court developments delivered to your inbox, sign up here On the Docket: This trial is starting A full jury has been selected for former President Donald Trumps first criminal trial, which will start on Monday. Five alternate jurors were selected and sworn in on Friday (read more about who was selected here). That means a full 12-member jury, with six alternates just in case, are in place. Judge Juan Merchan said that the trial itself will begin with opening statements on Monday morning. The first few days will move fast. Merchan has decided to end court at 2pm Monday and Tuesday to allow Jewish participants to get to Passover services. Heres what else happened Friday: A tragic event As the trial broke for lunch, a man lit himself on fire outside the courthouse, and burned for some time before police could reach him to extinguish the flames and rush him to the hospital. Hed brought flyers laden with anti-government conspiracy theories, and police identified him as a man from Florida. His actions seem to have nothing to do with the case itself. What will prosecutors be allowed to ask Trump if he takes the stand? Court resumed Friday afternoon with whats called a Sandoval hearing a pre-trial meeting to discuss a list of things prosecutors want to ask the defendant should he choose to take the stand. In this case, the main issues prosecutors want to bring up if Trump decides to testify are previous court cases that undercut his credibility. They include: Two recent court findings that Trump defamed E Jean Carroll, who accused him of raping her. A recent court finding that Trump illegally inflated his business assets to get better loan terms, which led to a nearly half-billion-dollar penalty in a recent civil business fraud trial. Trumps lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, which was dismissed in 2022 as frivolous and bad faith by the judge. A 2016 campaign fundraiser held by the Donald J Trump Foundation that violated campaign finance law, forcing him to pay $2m for breach of fiduciary duty. Trump attorney Emil Bove argued that to bring in the Carroll verdicts would push the salaciousness onto another level for the case. But prosecutors called it critical, critical evidence. Merchan said he would announce what hell permit on Monday. More failed delays Trumps team also tried to force another trial delay on Friday by going around Merchan and arguing to a state appeals court that hed rushed jury selection, preventing Trump from receiving a fair trial. Multiple attempts by Trumps team to get appeals court judges to overrule Merchan have fallen flat on their faces in recent weeks. This one was rejected Friday afternoon as well, as was a separate application to try to get the trial delayed as his lawyers fight to get the trial moved out of Manhattan, another all-but-doomed effort. Merchan told Trumps attorneys that they needed to stop trying to re-litigate his every decision and insisted they stop fighting him on decided issues. That has to end. There comes a point when you accept my rulings, he said. This trial is starting. A conspiracy theorist from Florida who ranted online about the government set himself alight outside the Manhattan courtroom where Donald Trumps criminal trial was underway on Friday afternoonthe latest in an alarming string of recent self-immolations in the U.S. Fox News' Eric Shawn reports that the man who self-immolated outside the Trump courthouse walked over to pro-Trump protesters and began handing them "colorful pieces of paper" before shouting something, throwing the pages in the air, and dousing himself with accelerant. pic.twitter.com/HbmlC10YTk Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) April 19, 2024 The courthouse self-immolation is at least the third instance in the past five months of an American setting themselves on fire in politically fueled protest, and the fourth in the past two years. Though the shocking incidents have varied in time, place, and motive, they all occurred outside major seats of power. Here are other recent self-immolations that made headlines. Uniformed Airman Aaron Bushnell Sets Himself on Fire Outside Israeli Embassy in D.C. A 25-year-old active duty U.S. airman died after setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25. Bushnell was wearing his uniform and livestreamed his last moments in protest of Israels actions in Gaza, which he called a genocide. My name is Aaron Bushnell, he said on camera. I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, its not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal. Bushnell shouted Free Palestine! as he burned. The fire was extinguished by D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Service responders, and Bushnell was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds a short while later. In memorial, the Palestinian town of Jericho in the West Bank named a road after the fallen airman. One of the citys council members, Amani Rayan, told The Guardian, This man gave all his privileges for the children of Gaza. Bushnells act caught international attention, but he wasnt the first to self-immolate in protest of Israels campaign in Gaza. Woman With Palestinian Flag Self-Immolates Near Israeli Consulate in Atlanta In December, an unnamed woman set herself on fire outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, also protesting the countrys actions in Gaza. A Palestinian flag was found nearby as part of the protest. The womans name, age, and gender were not officially released, but Foxs Atlanta station identified her as female. The protester was eventually extinguished and rushed to the hospital in critical condition, but its unclear whether she was ever discharged or if she succumbed to her wounds. The act also injured an intervening security guard, who suffered severe burns as he tried to put out the flames but survived. The woman committed the act on Dec. 1, the day after a 7-day Hamas-Israel ceasefire expired. Climate Protester Self-Immolates Outside Supreme Court Wynn Alan Bruce, a 50-year-old man from Colorado, self-immolated outside the nations highest court in April 2022. His friend Kritee Kanko, a fellow climate protester, said Bruce had been planning the action for at least a year, and that it was meant to bring attention to the growing climate crisis. She was clear in characterizing Bruces decision as an act of protest. This act is not suicide. This is a deeply fearless act of compassion to bring attention to the climate crisis, Kanko wrote on X. Unlike the pro-Palestinian protesters, who had messages or symbols explaining their actions, Bruce did not directly reveal his motive for the extreme act. But he was a well-known climate activist who had posted multiple times about the crisis to his social media channels, and he committed the act on Earth Day that year. Bruce was a practicing Buddhist as well as a climate activist, and a regular at sangha meditation meetings, according to those who knew him. In the last 15 years, hundreds of Tibetan Buddhists have set themselves alight to protest the Chinese governments refusal to recognize their country. 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. Former PM turned writer Liz Truss can thumb her nose at her critics, now that her memoir is already being reprinted. It sold out the day before it was published, she tells me. Truss gave a hint at her good news at the books launch at the offices of The Spectator. Ten Years To Save The West has overtaken an air fryer cookbook on the Amazon league tables, Truss trilled. The only way is up, Liz! Fag ban benefits Teen children of leading Tory politicians are busily working out how they can make a buck out of Rishi Sunaks decision to ban anyone currently under the age of 15 from ever buying cigarettes. At the launch of Liz Trusss new book, her daughter Liberty, 15, told cheering guests: I personally am so glad this smoking ban has been passed because, being born in November 2008, I can finally flog over-priced cigarettes to my friends. The offspring of former business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg have been having similar conversations. He told GB News: In my own family, my 16-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter will be able to trade cigarettes to their younger siblings, on a modest commission. Rees-Mogg tells me: Peter and Mary are old enough that the ban will not apply to them; Thomas, Anselm, Alfred and Sixtus will all be banned. Perhaps capitalism is not dead after all. RAF whips up a storm The Ministry of Defence has just published a new contract with US defence firm Lockheed Martin to develop technology that allows RAF jets to share targeting data without facing enemy fire. The project is named Project Deimos, after the Greek god of terror. An apt title, but unfortunately the MoD does not own the full rights. Visitors to projectdeimos.com will find a website for erotic performers run by professional dominatrix Chloe Mars. Project Deimos symbolizes the satellite relationship between design and domination, or more broadly, solicitation and sex work, says Mars. Chocks away! Text-speak for the over-50s The young have their own shorthand for text messaging like LOL Laugh Out Loud and OMG Oh My Gosh. So, former Tory MEP David Campbell-Bannerman, known as DCB, has posted some timely textspeak for the busy over-50s. ATD is sent by someone At The Doctor; BFF means they are at their Best Friends Funeral; while BTW is a request to Bring the Wheelchair. FWIW is Forgot Where I Was, GGPBL is Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low, and TFT is Texting From Toilet. NAW Need A Wee is also popular. I think it is time to PKO (Put Kettle On). Do Peterborough readers have any better ones? Dont get Carter! Downton actor Jim Carter told an audience in Brighton last week how he was playing a baddie called Blackie in the 1985 Spanish western Rustlers Rhapsody when he had to barge into a saloon bar, engage in a moody dialogue with the hero before pulling out a gun and shooting him. Jim, are you okay with a gun? the director asked. Carter said he was. The moment came. Carter pointed the gun and exclaimed: Boom, psssshhh! The director stopped filming. Jim, the gun makes the noise! An embarrassed Carter said: Id never shot a gun in my life ... If youre from Harrogate its hard to shoot a gun without going Boom, psssshhh! Stirling Mosss last race Climate activists have not yet completely captured one of the oldest parts of the Church of England. Westminster Abbey will next month hold a service celebrating the exuberantly oil-smeared life and career of the racing driver Sir Stirling Moss. The May 8 service will be taken by the Dean of Westminster, David Hoyle, and the congregation will include hundreds of Formula One enthusiasts including another British racing great, Sir Jackie Stewart. I hear that congregants arriving for the service will find a parade of gleaming old roadsters parked outside the abbeys west door. Just Stop Oil can stay out of it. Send a St Georges Day card! Another tip on how to mark St Georges Day next Tuesday, after I revealed that the Government is refusing to make it a Bank Holiday: send a card. Peterborough reader Bob Boad has taken to sending St Georges Day cards to his friends to counter the days sad neglect. He tells me: There are some splendid examples available through online suppliers. I am pleased to report that they have been gratefully received so please encourage your readers to send such cards in addition to wearing a red rose on 23 April. Peterborough, published every Friday at 7pm, is edited by Christopher Hope. You can reach him at peterborough@telegraph.co.uk Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) meets with Chairman of the Political Bureau of Palestinian organization Hamas Ismail Haniyeh at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. Erdogan is set to meet Palestinian militant organization Hamas' political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh on Saturday in Istanbul, to discuss the ongoing Gaza war, state broadcaster TRT reports. -/Office of the Palestinian President/dpa Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet Palestinian militant organization Hamas' political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh on Saturday in Istanbul, to discuss the ongoing Gaza war, state broadcaster TRT reports. Further details about the nature of discussions between the two were immediately unclear. Haniyeh on Wednesday met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Qatar for talks on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, according to the state news agency Anadolu. Erdogan publicly endorses Hamas. Earlier this week, he likened Hamas to Turkish independence fighters against Western armies in Anatolia the 1920s, during a parliament address. At the same address, the Turkish leader attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over what he called an ongoing "massacre" in Gaza. Israel firmly rejects Erdogan's statements. Despite the president's verbal attacks, Turkey has recently stepped up its efforts to play a mediating role in the Gaza war. Negotiations mediated primarily by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have so far failed. The war began after more than 1,200 people were killed in the massacre carried out by Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups in Israel on October 7. Numerous people were also taken hostage from Israel to the Gaza Strip. There are still 133 people being held there, only some of whom are probably still alive. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza, with more than 33,000 people killed in the strip. In view of the high number of civilian casualties and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the strip, Israel is being increasingly criticized internationally - even by close partners. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with Chairman of the Political Bureau of Palestinian organization Hamas Ismail Haniyeh at the Presidential Complex. -/Turkish Presidency/dpa Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas' political bureau, in Istanbul on Saturday to discuss a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza war, state broadcaster TRT reported. The two discussed Israeli attacks on Palestinian soil, as well as steps for the adequate and uninterrupted supply of aid to Gaza and for a fair and lasting peace in the region, Erdogans communication office wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. There was no mention of the Israeli hostages in official Turkish statements. Turkey is committed to diplomatic efforts for an immediate ceasefire and the end of massacres in Gaza, Erdogan told Haniyeh, the statement on X read. Erdogan urged unity among Palestinian factions for a path to establishing their own state. The Turkish leader also said the recent escalation between Iran and Israel should not divert global attention away from Gaza. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kaln joined the meeting, the report said. Earlier on Saturday, Fidan urged the end of Israeli occupation and a return to talks on a two-state solution during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart in Istanbul. Further details about the nature of the discussions were not immediately clear. Haniyeh met Fidan in Qatar on Wednesday for talks on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, according to the Turkish state news agency Anadolu. Erdogan publicly endorses Hamas. Earlier this week, he likened Hamas to Turkish independence fighters against Western armies in Anatolia in the 1920s, during a parliamentary address. In the same address, the Turkish leader attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over what he called an ongoing "massacre" in Gaza. Israel firmly rejects Erdogan's statements. Despite the president's verbal attacks, Turkey has recently stepped up its efforts to play a mediating role in the Gaza war. Negotiations mediated primarily by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have so far failed. The war began after more than 1,200 people were killed in the massacre carried out by Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups in Israel on October 7. Numerous people were also taken hostage from Israel to the Gaza Strip. There are still 133 people being held there, only some of whom are probably still alive. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza, with more than 33,000 people killed in the strip according to figures from the Hamas-run Health Ministry. In view of the high number of civilian casualties and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the strip, Israel is being increasingly criticized internationally - even by close partners. By Ali Sawafta and Nidal al-Mughrabi NUR SHAMS, West Bank (Reuters) -Israeli forces killed 14 Palestinians during a raid in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, while an ambulance driver was killed as he went to pick up wounded from a separate attack by violent Jewish settlers, Palestinian authorities said. Israeli forces began an extended raid in the early hours of Friday in the Nur Shams area, near the flashpoint Palestinian city of Tulkarm and were still exchanging fire with armed fighters well into Saturday. Israeli military vehicles massed and bursts of gunfire were heard, while at least three drones were seen hovering above Nur Shams, an area housing refugees and their descendants from the 1948 war that accompanied the creation of the state of Israel. The Tulkarm Brigades, which groups forces from numerous Palestinian factions, said its fighters exchanged fire with Israeli forces on Saturday. The West Bank, a kidney shaped area about 100 km (60 miles) long and 50 km wide that has been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since it was seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. The Gaza war has overshadowed continuing violence in the territory, including regular army raids on militant groups, rampages by Jewish settlers in Palestinian villages, and street attacks by Palestinians on Israelis. Thousands of Palestinians have been arrested and hundreds killed during regular operations by Israeli army and police since the start of the Gaza war, most members of armed groups, but also stone-throwing youths and uninvolved civilians. On Saturday, Palestinian health authorities said at least 14 Palestinians, two of whom were identified by Palestinian sources and officials as a gunman and a 16 year-old boy, were killed during the raid, one of the heaviest casualty totals in the West Bank in months. Another man was killed on Friday. The Israeli military said a number of militants were killed or arrested during the raid, and at least four soldiers were wounded in exchanges of fire. In a separate incident, the Palestinian health ministry said a 50-year-old ambulance driver was killed by Israeli gunfire near the village of Al-Sawiya, south of the city of Nablus, as he was making his way to transport people injured during the attack on the village. It was not immediately clear whether he was shot by settlers. There was no immediate comment from the military. GAZA STRIKES CONTINUE In Gaza, where fighting has continued despite the withdrawal of most of Israel's combat forces earlier this month from southern areas, the death toll passed 34,000, Palestinian health authorities said on Saturday. Israeli strikes hit the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians are sheltering, as well as Al-Nuseirat in central Gaza, where at least five houses were destroyed, and the Al-Jabalia area in the north, health officials and Hamas media said. In Rafah, a strike hit a house and killed a father, daughter and pregnant mother, Hamas and Palestinian media outlets said. Doctors at the Kuwaiti hospital were able to save the baby, medics said, making the baby the family's only surviving member. Five other Palestinians were killed in a separate Israeli air strike on the city before midnight, health officials said. The Israeli military said troops were carrying out raids in central Gaza, where they were engaged in close quarter combat with Palestinian fighters. Overall, Israeli strikes in Gaza killed 37 Palestinians and wounded 68 over the past 24 hours, Palestinian health authorities said. Rafah is the last Gaza area that Israeli ground forces have not entered in a more than six-month war aimed at eliminating the Islamist Hamas group that rules the enclave, following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, that killed some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced wide international opposition to the plan to attack Rafah, where the military says the last remaining organised brigades of Hamas are located and where the remaining 133 Israeli hostages are believed to be held. (Nidal al-Mughrabi reported from Cairo, additional reporting by Maayan Lubell and James Mackenzie in Jerusalem, editing by Mark Heinrich, Frances Kerry, Mike Harrison, Sandra Maler and Cynthia Osterman) Two men sentenced in NN for multi-person conspiracy to rob mail carriers NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) Two men guilty of armed robbery of U.S. Postal Service mail carrier were sentenced in Newport News, a release announced on April 18. OSirus Ford, 21, Jayden Stukes, 21, and DaTwan Watson pleaded guilty to the charges. Watson and Stukes were sentenced to four years in prison, and Ford awaits sentencing. On May 9, 2023, Ford robbed a Hampton mail carrier at gunpoint for his arrow key, and Stukes Watson and one other were recruited to help. Ford wanted to steal a key in the Newport News/Hampton area and needed Stukes to drive him across the water. Previous Coverage: Docs: Man admits to postal worker robbery at gunpoint OSirus Ford The three met at Fords rental car that was used the previous day to rob a mail carrier in Norfolk, however, they werent able to use it. Instead, Stukes arranged for another friend to drive the group. Ford, Stukes and Watson were all armed with handguns and had masks to cover their faces. Ford and Watson exited the vehicle to hunt down the mailman on foot while Stukes remained in the car with his friend and communicated with Ford using social media to help him find the USPS target. Watson and Ford found the victim on Galax Street in Hampton. Only Ford was armed at the time, but both he and Watson were fully masked as Watson approached from the side, a release states. Ford showed the victim the gun and told him to Give me your keys or Im gonna shoot you, a release states. He repeated himself before counting down from five. The victim gave Ford his USPS arrow key, and Ford and Watson fled, meeting up with Stukes and the driver in an apartment complex nearby before she drove the group back across the water. The three men were also connected to a separate similar conspiracy case. Previous Coverage: Three men charged in armed robbery conspiracy of U.S. postal carriers OSirus Ford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence. Ford is currently scheduled to be sentenced May 2. Stukes and Watson pleaded guilty to interfering with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting. The two were sentenced to serve four years on April 17 and 18, respectively. Check with WAVY.com for more updates. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Two Portsmouth leaders fired before new permanent city manager is set to take the reins PORTSMOUTH Two Portsmouth city leaders said they were fired within weeks before the citys new permanent manager is set to take the reins. Former Deputy City Manager Vernell Woods and an attorney now representing former Interim Director of Public Utilities Russell Stevens told The Virginian-Pilot Friday that they were recently terminated by outgoing Interim City Manager Lydia Pettis-Patton, who has been filling in over the last month until the citys new manager, Steven Carter, formally assumes the position next week. Carter was appointed to the position in March on a 4-3 vote. He has been serving as the city manager of Albany, Georgia, since 2021. The U.S. Air Force veteran has degrees in computer information systems and a master of business administration from Liberty University, according to his resume. Before his appointment as city manager, Carter served as the chief information officer for Albany and Dougherty County in southwestern Georgia. Carter was sworn in Friday, with an official start date of Monday. Reached by phone Friday, Carter declined to comment on the personnel decisions. When reached in person at City Hall Friday, Pettis-Patton said she had nothing to comment on as she walked away. Pettis-Patton assumed the short interim period through the Berkley Group, a consulting firm with offices across Virginia and North Carolina. Woods began working for the city in August. He said he was hired as deputy city manager by the former interim city manager, Mimi Terry, who convinced him to make the move to Portsmouth after more than 30 years of city government experience in Norfolk and Newport News. He previously served as Norfolks deputy building code official and was the first African American elected president of the Virginia Building and Code Officials Association in 2011. He was earning a salary of $170,000 at the time of his departure on March 25, and he will receive one months worth of severance, according to information provided to The Pilot by the city. Stevens said he was told by Pettis-Patton that she had no place to put him and that he was asked whether he wanted a demotion to work as an inspector. I felt real good coming to Portsmouth trying to help my city, and it just didnt work out, Woods said. He added that he wanted to use his experience to help modernize an antiquated workflow, particularly for the building permits and inspections department. I just hope that the city citizens look at whats taking place in the city and really, really take heed to it and do their due diligence and homework and say, Hey, who are we bringing in? What is the platform and stuff like that? And how can they help the city?' he said. Ari Stein, an attorney with the Bischoff and Martingayle law firm, said Stevens was terminated by a Human Resources leader via a directive from Pettis-Patton. Stevens began his employment in the city in March 2021 and was promoted to interim director of the public utilities department during Terrys time as interim. Stein said Stevens was returned to his position as assistant director of operations for public utilities in March before his termination April 10. Russell Stevens was, by all accounts, a dedicated and highly regarded employee of the city of Portsmouth, Stevens said. Unfortunately, he was unjustly terminated by the outgoing and interim city manager. We will be pursuing a grievance with the city of Portsmouth to rectify this injustice. Mayor Shannon Glover, who did not vote in support of Carters appointment or hiring the Berkley Group in the interim, said that the decisions are concerning because Pettis-Pattons role was to keep things running before the new manager assumes his post, though he acknowledged she did have the authority to hire and fire as she saw fit. (I) would think the message and the strategy from an internal standpoint would be to kind of calm the nerves and fears of current employees, Glover said. Of course, I would expect that the new manager would, upon arrival, do his own assessment, and then determine what he wants his team to look like. Glover also said hes hopeful the city can achieve some stability once Carter is settled into his new position. Im hopeful that we can get some stability and get to a place where our employees feel very comfortable and excited about doing the work here and not having the fear of change coming from the top that will potentially put their job at risk, Glover said. Vice Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke said Pettis-Patton had every right to fire anyone who didnt have the credentials or that she didnt see as fit for the job. Lucas-Burke said she didnt have any concerns about Pettis-Pattons decisions. I think she did what she needed to do to clean it up so that when Mr. Steven Carter comes, he can start with a clean, fresh, responsible, integrity, accountable slate, Lucas-Burke said. Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com After months of at-times acrimonious debate, the House of Representatives passed a series of four foreign aid bills Saturday at a cost of $95 billion. The legislation would provide funding to Ukraine and Israel, while levying additional sanctions on Iran and forcing TikTok owner ByteDance to sell the social media giant to stay in operation in the U.S. The bills now head to the Senate, where they are expected to be taken up as a package on Tuesday, according to Politico. Utahs all-Republican delegation was united in its support of three of the four bills, including aid for Israel and for U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, but was split over providing additional support to Ukraine. The bill to provide aid to Ukraine passed in a 311-112 vote Saturday, with Reps. Blake Moore and John Curtis supporting the measure, and Reps. Burgess Owens and Celeste Maloy opposing. The bill providing aid to Israel passed the House in a 366-58 vote, with all four members of Utahs delegation to the U.S. House in favor. They also all approved a bill to provide aid to U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, and a separate bill that levies additional sanctions against Iran, allows the seizure of Russian assets and forces the sale of TikTok. Rep. John Curtis response to foreign aid bills passing Curtis released a statement following the votes, explaining his support for all of the bills, including aid for Ukraine. The United States must take decisive action abroad to prevent the worst-case scenario, allowing our adversaries in Russia, China, and Iran to bring chaos throughout the globe to the detriment of our national security, he said. He continued, I spent years of my life living in Taiwan and Israel, giving me a firsthand understanding of these regions unique dynamics. I consider it a badge of honor that I stood up against Russia and China, resulting in the Russian ambassador calling me maniacal and a warrant out for my arrest in Hong Kong. These bills support efforts of critical importance to the future of the United States and the world, all without putting a single American life in harms way. Rep. Celeste Maloy on the legislation Maloy, who voted against additional aid for Ukraine, but in favor of the other bills, said, Now more than ever, we need to stand by our Israeli allies and against increasing threats from a belligerent China. Today I voted to aid our most important Middle Eastern ally and our friends in the Indo-Pacific. I have always supported arming the Ukrainians, but while America is in debt over $34 trillion, and without certainty our funds will reach the Ukrainian war effort, I voted against sending billions of additional taxpayer dollars to Ukraine. She also criticized Democrats in a post on X for waving Ukrainian flags on the House floor after the vote, saying, House Democrats defied House decorum today to wave Ukrainian flags. I suspect theyd never risk censure to wave American flags. This display was an embarrassment. House Democrats defied House decorum today to wave Ukrainian flags. I suspect theyd never risk censure to wave American flags. This display was an embarrassment. pic.twitter.com/pdsamOi4FA Celeste Maloy (@CelesteMaloyUT) April 20, 2024 Rep. Blake Moore response to foreign aid bills passing Moore, released a statement on social media Saturday that read, in part, Today I voted in favor of four national security bills that will advance the U.S. national interest in a cost-effective manner, strengthen the domestic industrial base of the U.S. economy, and support our allies and partners as they defend themselves from threats posed by dangerous regimes. Utahs First District is playing a significant role in leading our deterrence efforts, with our Hill Air Force Base fighter squadrons making consistent deployments to the European, Middle East, and Indo-Pacific theaters. There are two things I want constituents to know: 1) The overwhelming majority of this money is going directly back into the U.S. economy and supporting jobs at home. ... 2) The supplemental aid we have provided Ukraine since Russias invasion is approximately 5% of our defense spending and less than 0.2% of our GDP during that period. Moore also said he was disappointed that there wasnt a border security measure in the final package, but this was because extreme voices in both parties refused to compromise, ensuring no movement at all to stem the brutal tide of violence and chaos at the border. Owens did not immediately release a statement on the vote. Pres. Biden responds to legislation passing After the vote, President Joe Biden praised the passage of the legislation. At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer historys call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure, he said in a statement. Before the vote, Utah Sen. Mike Lee urged House Republicans to oppose the foreign aid measures. Among the reasons he listed in a post on X were the lack of U.S. border security measures, questions over how aid to Ukraine would be spent, and concerns that some of the humanitarian aid included in the bills could be diverted to Hamas. Most Americans support aid for Ukraine, but support mixed among Republicans The votes in the House come as several polls show a plurality of Americans perceive helping Ukraine as important for U.S. national interests. The Associated Press/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research canvassed voters in February and found nearly 7 out of 10 Republicans consider stopping Russia from gaining more territory either extremely or somewhat important. Pew Researchs survey from January suggests 69% of Republicans say the Russia-Ukraine war is important. The American Action Networks poll from February and March indicates around three-fifths of voters in battleground districts favor sending aid to Ukraine as do more than 46% of voters in red districts. Another interesting finding the latest CBS News poll shows that nearly 80% of Republican voters most trust former President Donald Trump on the issue. Trump has said several times he believes he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, and has speculated on whether Ukraine would be forced to surrender to Moscow at the end of this conflict. Last week, appearing alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump said, 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. We keep handing out gifts of billions and billions of dollars, and well take a look at it, Trump said, according to The Hill. But much more importantly to me is the fact that Europe has to step up, and they have to give money. They have to equalize. If they dont equalize Im very upset about it, because theyre affected much more than we are. After Iran attack on Israel, pressure grew After Iran attacked Israel over last weekend, the urgency to fund the supplemental aid bill grew. To appease conservatives, Johnson went back to the drawing board and came up with a solution: Three standalone bills for Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine. A fourth bill will include a varying list of GOP priorities like the Lend-Lease Act and the REPO Act authorizing the seizure of frozen Russian assets to help fund Ukraines needs sanctions against Iran, and a House-passed TikTok ban. Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, in a YouTube explainer, noted that Johnson was opposed to Ukraine funding before he took over as speaker. Curtis pointed to two possible reasons behind this change: he now has a mantle of doing whats best for the countrys interest and not his own personal political philosophy, the Utah congressman said. The second is the confidential briefings Johnson, and members like Curtis, have received. Hes had confidential briefings as I have had ... that has changed his opinion about why we should help out in Ukraine, Curtis said. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, in a statement to the Deseret News earlier this week, said, American support for Israel in the face of attacks by Iran and Hamas should not be tied up with other divisive political issues. We should not sabotage aid to Israel by using it as a Trojan horse for billions of dollars in other spending across the world, he added. Speaker Johnson prayed for guidance House Foreign Affairs Chairman Mike McCaul, R-Texas, told CNN Johnson got on his knees and he prayed for guidance before making this decision. But the Republican Conferences infighting created complications. Johnson responded earlier this week to frustration among House Republicans that funds for the border werent included in the package. Well, listen, we want the border to be a part of every single thing we do here, but its just a matter of math. I just dont have the votes. If I put Ukraine in any package, it cant also be with border because I lose Republican votes on that rule, Johnson said, per Punchbowl News. Curtis, in the video, acknowledged concerns about aiding Ukraine without legislative accountability and Europes help. But, Curtis added, he felt strongly about protecting American interests and not letting Russia win the war. He said the Ukraine funding bill installs oversight measures for the $60 billion in aid, and noted that $48 billion of this spending remains in the U.S. to replenish the militarys resources, including $90 million to Hill Air Force Base in Utah. Threats to Johnsons speakership These latest moves have increased threats to remove Johnson as speaker. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who filed the motion to vacate, in a post directed at the speaker, said, You are seriously out of step with Republicans by continuing to pass bills dependent on Democrats. Everyone sees through this. Johnson isnt in a position to change the rule allowing a single member to introduce a motion to vacate the chair. Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise this threshold, he said on X. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full House, which we do not have. We will continue to govern under the existing rules. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference after a weekly House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on November 14, 2023, in Washington. Johnson brought a Republican border security bill to a floor vote Saturday in an effort to appease conservative members of his conference, but the bill was defeated. (Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images) WASHINGTON The U.S. House Saturday failed to pass a border security bill that Republican leadership intended as an incentive for conservatives to support a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The border bill, turned down on a 215-199 vote with five Democrats joining all Republicans in voting in favor, was brought to the floor under a fast-track procedure known as suspension of the rules that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. The conservatives it was meant to appeal to slammed it as a show vote. The border security bill nearly identical to legislation House Republicans passed last year was an attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana to quell growing hard-right dissatisfaction prompted by his support for the $95 billion foreign aid package expected to pass Saturday with the help of Democrats. The measure is separate and not part of a package of three supplemental funding bills containing aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan as well as another so-called sidecar bill dealing with TikTok. The Senate will be able to clear the foreign aid package and ignore the border security bill that closely resembles another House-passed border bill the Senate has not acted on. Rather than quell their unrest, Johnsons move produced only more ire from hard-right members. Three Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Paul Gosar of Arizona are already backing a move to oust Johnson through a motion to vacate. During Fridays floor debate, Democrats argued that the bill, H.R. 3602, was a rehash of H.R. 2, a bill House Republicans passed last year that would reinstate Trump-era immigration policies such as the construction of the border wall. Both bills would also require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. Border bill return Republicans were largely in favor of the border bill, but several referred to the vote as a sham and admitted the bill would not pass in the Senate, which Democrats control. House Republicans are trying again to make our Democrat colleagues and President Biden take this border crisis seriously, Alabamas Barry Moore said. The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler of New York, said the bill was a foolhardy attempt to pass for a second time one of the most draconian immigration bills this Congress has ever seen. This rehashing of H.R. 2 is a joke. Republicans have proven that they want the issue more than they want solutions, he said. So here we are, again, taking a virtually same draconian bill as before, knowing that if it actually passes the House it will surely go nowhere in the Senate. Nadler argued if Republicans were serious about addressing immigration at the southern border, they would have supported the bipartisan border bill in the Senate, instead of rejecting it. Three senators Oklahoma Republican James Lankford, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy, and Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema spent months crafting a bill that would overhaul immigration policy at the request of Senate Republicans who insisted border security provisions should be included in the foreign aid package. But congressional Republicans walked away from it early this year at the urging of GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was not supportive of the bill because he is centering his reelection campaign on immigration. The chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, argued that the bill isnt quite H.R. 2. The bill is nearly identical to H.R. 2, but removes the mandate for employers to verify a workers immigration status and employment eligibility, and includes about $9 billion in grant programs for border states. Lets take a step in the direction of fixing it and pass this legislation, Jordan said of the southern border. A sham Washington state Democrat and chair of the Progressive Congressional Caucus Pramila Jayapal said the bill was pointless. The majority could barely pass this legislation last year, she said, referring to the party-line vote in 2023. And now its going to magically pass it in the House with a two-thirds majority? Give me a break. This bill is going nowhere, so lets just be clear about that. Texas Republican Chip Roy agreed that the bill would not become law, and expressed his frustration that the GOP would not try to leverage foreign aid money for it. Republicans continue to campaign on securing the border and then refuse to use any leverage to actually secure the border, Roy said. We should get it signed into law but the only way to force Democrats to do it is to use leverage. Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs also agreed with Roy and Democrats that this is a show vote. Pennsylvanias GOP Rep. Scott Perry echoed similar remarks, but said he would still vote for the bill even though its designed to fail. But I want everybody to know its a sham, Perry said. The post U.S. House votes down border bill favored by conservatives appeared first on New Hampshire Bulletin. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference after a weekly House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on Nov. 14, 2023, in Washington. Johnson brought a Republican border security bill to a floor vote Saturday, April 20, 2024, in an effort to appease conservative members of his conference, but the bill was defeated. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) WASHINGTON The U.S. House Saturday failed to pass a border security bill that Republican leadership intended as an incentive for conservatives to support a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The border bill, turned down on a 215-199 vote, was brought to the floor under a fast-track procedure known as suspension of the rules that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. The conservatives it was meant to appeal to slammed it as a show vote. The border security bill nearly identical to legislation House Republicans passed last year was an attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana to quell growing hard-right dissatisfaction prompted by his support for the $95 billion foreign aid package expected to pass Saturday with the help of Democrats. The measure is separate and not part of a package of three supplemental funding bills containing aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The Senate will be able to clear the foreign aid measures and ignore the border security bill that closely resembles another House-passed border bill the Senate has not acted on. Rather than quell their unrest, Johnsons move produced only more ire from hard-right members. Three Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona are already backing a move to oust Johnson through a motion to vacate. During Fridays floor debate, Democrats argued that the bill, H.R. 3602, was a rehash of H.R. 2, a bill House Republicans passed last year that would reinstate Trump-era immigration policies such as the construction of the border wall. Both bills would also require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. Border bill return Republicans were largely in favor of the border bill, but several referred to the vote as a sham and admitted the bill would not pass in the Senate, which Democrats control. House Republicans are trying again to make our Democrat colleagues and President Biden take this border crisis seriously, Alabamas Barry Moore said. The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler of New York, said the bill was a foolhardy attempt to pass for a second time one of the most draconian immigration bills this Congress has ever seen. This rehashing of H.R. 2 is a joke. Republicans have proven that they want the issue more than they want solutions, he said. So here we are, again, taking a virtually same draconian bill as before, knowing that if it actually passes the House it will surely go nowhere in the Senate. Nadler argued if Republicans were serious about addressing immigration at the southern border, they would have supported the bipartisan border bill in the Senate, instead of rejecting it. Three senators Oklahoma Republican James Lankford, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy and Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema spent months crafting a bill that would overhaul immigration policy at the request of Senate Republicans who insisted border security provisions should be included in the foreign aid package. But congressional Republicans walked away from it early this year at the urging of GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was not supportive of the bill because he is centering his reelection campaign on immigration. The chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, argued that the bill isnt quite H.R. 2. The bill is nearly identical to H.R. 2, but removes the mandate for employers to verify a workers immigration status and employment eligibility, and includes about $9 billion in grant programs for border states. Lets take a step in the direction of fixing it and pass this legislation, Jordan said of the southern border. A sham Washington state Democrat and chair of the Progressive Congressional Caucus Pramila Jayapal said the bill was pointless. The majority could barely pass this legislation last year, she said, referring to the party-line vote in 2023. And now its going to magically pass it in the House with a two-thirds majority? Give me a break. This bill is going nowhere, so lets just be clear about that. Texas Republican Chip Roy agreed that the bill would not become law, and expressed his frustration that the GOP would not try to leverage foreign aid money for it. Republicans continue to campaign on securing the border and then refuse to use any leverage to actually secure the border, Roy said. We should get it signed into law but the only way to force Democrats to do it is to use leverage. Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs also agreed with Roy and Democrats that this is a show vote. Pennsylvanias GOP Rep. Scott Perry echoed similar remarks, but said he would still vote for the bill even though its designed to fail. But I want everybody to know its a sham, Perry said. The post U.S. House votes down border bill favored by conservatives appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference after a weekly House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on November 14, 2023, in Washington. Johnson brought a Republican border security bill to a floor vote Saturday in an effort to appease conservative members of his conference, but the bill was defeated. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) WASHINGTON The U.S. House Saturday failed to pass a border security bill that Republican leadership intended as an incentive for conservatives to support a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The border bill, turned down on a 215-199 vote with five Democrats joining all Republicans in voting in favor, was brought to the floor under a fast-track procedure known as suspension of the rules that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. The conservatives it was meant to appeal to slammed it as a show vote. The border security bill nearly identical to legislation House Republicans passed last year was an attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana to quell growing hard-right dissatisfaction prompted by his support for the $95 billion foreign aid package expected to pass Saturday with the help of Democrats. The measure is separate and not part of a package of three supplemental funding bills containing aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as another so-called sidecar bill dealing with TikTok. The Senate will be able to clear the foeign aid package and ignore the border security bill that closely resembles another House-passed border bill the Senate has not acted on. Rather than quell their unrest, Johnsons move produced only more ire from hard-right members. Three Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona are already backing a move to oust Johnson through a motion to vacate. During Fridays floor debate, Democrats argued that the bill, H.R. 3602, was a rehash of H.R. 2, a bill House Republicans passed last year that would reinstate Trump-era immigration policies such as the construction of the border wall. Both bills would also require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. Border bill return Republicans were largely in favor of the border bill, but several referred to the vote as a sham and admitted the bill would not pass in the Senate, which Democrats control. House Republicans are trying again to make our Democrat colleagues and President Biden take this border crisis seriously, Alabamas Barry Moore said. The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler of New York, said the bill was a foolhardy attempt to pass for a second time one of the most draconian immigration bills this Congress has ever seen. This rehashing of H.R. 2 is a joke. Republicans have proven that they want the issue more than they want solutions, he said. So here we are, again, taking a virtually same draconian bill as before, knowing that if it actually passes the House it will surely go nowhere in the Senate. Nadler argued if Republicans were serious about addressing immigration at the southern border, they would have supported the bipartisan border bill in the Senate, instead of rejecting it. Three senators Oklahoma Republican James Lankford, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy and Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema spent months crafting a bill that would overhaul immigration policy at the request of Senate Republicans who insisted border security provisions should be included in the foreign aid package. But congressional Republicans walked away from it early this year at the urging of GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was not supportive of the bill because he is centering his reelection campaign on immigration. The chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, argued that the bill isnt quite H.R. 2. The bill is nearly identical to H.R. 2, but removes the mandate for employers to verify a workers immigration status and employment eligibility, and includes about $9 billion in grant programs for border states. Lets take a step in the direction of fixing it and pass this legislation, Jordan said of the southern border. A sham Washington state Democrat and chair of the Progressive Congressional Caucus Pramila Jayapal said the bill was pointless. The majority could barely pass this legislation last year, she said, referring to the party-line vote in 2023. And now its going to magically pass it in the House with a two-thirds majority? Give me a break. This bill is going nowhere, so lets just be clear about that. Texas Republican Chip Roy agreed that the bill would not become law, and expressed his frustration that the GOP would not try to leverage foreign aid money for it. Republicans continue to campaign on securing the border and then refuse to use any leverage to actually secure the border, Roy said. We should get it signed into law but the only way to force Democrats to do it is to use leverage. Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs also agreed with Roy and Democrats that this is a show vote. Pennsylvanias GOP Rep. Scott Perry echoed similar remarks, but said he would still vote for the bill even though its designed to fail. But I want everybody to know its a sham, Perry said. The post U.S. House votes down border bill favored by conservatives appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference after a weekly House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on November 14, 2023, in Washington. Johnson brought a Republican border security bill to a floor vote Saturday in an effort to appease conservative members of his conference, but the bill was defeated. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) WASHINGTON The U.S. House Saturday failed to pass a border security bill that Republican leadership intended as an incentive for conservatives to support a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The border bill, turned down on a 215-199 vote with five Democrats joining all Republicans in voting in favor, was brought to the floor under a fast-track procedure known as suspension of the rules that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. The conservatives it was meant to appeal to slammed it as a show vote. The border security bill nearly identical to legislation House Republicans passed last year was an attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana to quell growing hard-right dissatisfaction prompted by his support for the $95 billion foreign aid package expected to pass Saturday with the help of Democrats. The measure is separate and not part of a package of three supplemental funding bills containing aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as another so-called sidecar bill dealing with TikTok. The Senate will be able to clear the foeign aid package and ignore the border security bill that closely resembles another House-passed border bill the Senate has not acted on. Rather than quell their unrest, Johnsons move produced only more ire from hard-right members. Three Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona are already backing a move to oust Johnson through a motion to vacate. During Fridays floor debate, Democrats argued that the bill, H.R. 3602, was a rehash of H.R. 2, a bill House Republicans passed last year that would reinstate Trump-era immigration policies such as the construction of the border wall. Both bills would also require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. Border bill return Republicans were largely in favor of the border bill, but several referred to the vote as a sham and admitted the bill would not pass in the Senate, which Democrats control. House Republicans are trying again to make our Democrat colleagues and President Biden take this border crisis seriously, Alabamas Barry Moore said. The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler of New York, said the bill was a foolhardy attempt to pass for a second time one of the most draconian immigration bills this Congress has ever seen. This rehashing of H.R. 2 is a joke. Republicans have proven that they want the issue more than they want solutions, he said. So here we are, again, taking a virtually same draconian bill as before, knowing that if it actually passes the House it will surely go nowhere in the Senate. Nadler argued if Republicans were serious about addressing immigration at the southern border, they would have supported the bipartisan border bill in the Senate, instead of rejecting it. Three senators Oklahoma Republican James Lankford, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy and Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema spent months crafting a bill that would overhaul immigration policy at the request of Senate Republicans who insisted border security provisions should be included in the foreign aid package. But congressional Republicans walked away from it early this year at the urging of GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was not supportive of the bill because he is centering his reelection campaign on immigration. The chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, argued that the bill isnt quite H.R. 2. The bill is nearly identical to H.R. 2, but removes the mandate for employers to verify a workers immigration status and employment eligibility, and includes about $9 billion in grant programs for border states. Lets take a step in the direction of fixing it and pass this legislation, Jordan said of the southern border. A sham Washington state Democrat and chair of the Progressive Congressional Caucus Pramila Jayapal said the bill was pointless. The majority could barely pass this legislation last year, she said, referring to the party-line vote in 2023. And now its going to magically pass it in the House with a two-thirds majority? Give me a break. This bill is going nowhere, so lets just be clear about that. Texas Republican Chip Roy agreed that the bill would not become law, and expressed his frustration that the GOP would not try to leverage foreign aid money for it. Republicans continue to campaign on securing the border and then refuse to use any leverage to actually secure the border, Roy said. We should get it signed into law but the only way to force Democrats to do it is to use leverage. Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs also agreed with Roy and Democrats that this is a show vote. Pennsylvanias GOP Rep. Scott Perry echoed similar remarks, but said he would still vote for the bill even though its designed to fail. But I want everybody to know its a sham, Perry said. The post U.S. House votes down border bill favored by conservatives appeared first on Kentucky Lantern. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference after a weekly House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on Nov. 14, 2023, in Washington. Johnson brought a Republican border security bill to a floor vote Saturday in an effort to appease conservative members of his conference, but the bill was defeated. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) WASHINGTON The U.S. House Saturday failed to pass a border security bill that Republican leadership intended as an incentive for conservatives to support a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The border bill, turned down on a 215-199 vote with five Democrats joining all Republicans in voting in favor, was brought to the floor under a fast-track procedure known as suspension of the rules that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. The conservatives it was meant to appeal to slammed it as a show vote. The border security bill nearly identical to legislation House Republicans passed last year was an attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana to quell growing hard-right dissatisfaction prompted by his support for the $95 billion foreign aid package expected to pass Saturday with the help of Democrats. The measure is separate and not part of a package of three supplemental funding bills containing aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as another so-called sidecar bill dealing with TikTok. The Senate will be able to clear the foeign aid package and ignore the border security bill that closely resembles another House-passed border bill the Senate has not acted on. Rather than quell their unrest, Johnsons move produced only more ire from hard-right members. Three Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona are already backing a move to oust Johnson through a motion to vacate. During Fridays floor debate, Democrats argued that the bill, H.R. 3602, was a rehash of H.R. 2, a bill House Republicans passed last year that would reinstate Trump-era immigration policies such as the construction of the border wall. Both bills would also require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. Border bill return Republicans were largely in favor of the border bill, but several referred to the vote as a sham and admitted the bill would not pass in the Senate, which Democrats control. House Republicans are trying again to make our Democrat colleagues and President Biden take this border crisis seriously, Alabamas Barry Moore said. The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler of New York, said the bill was a foolhardy attempt to pass for a second time one of the most draconian immigration bills this Congress has ever seen. This rehashing of H.R. 2 is a joke. Republicans have proven that they want the issue more than they want solutions, he said. So here we are, again, taking a virtually same draconian bill as before, knowing that if it actually passes the House it will surely go nowhere in the Senate. Nadler argued if Republicans were serious about addressing immigration at the southern border, they would have supported the bipartisan border bill in the Senate, instead of rejecting it. Three senators Oklahoma Republican James Lankford, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy and Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema spent months crafting a bill that would overhaul immigration policy at the request of Senate Republicans who insisted border security provisions should be included in the foreign aid package. But congressional Republicans walked away from it early this year at the urging of GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was not supportive of the bill because he is centering his reelection campaign on immigration. The chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, argued that the bill isnt quite H.R. 2. The bill is nearly identical to H.R. 2, but removes the mandate for employers to verify a workers immigration status and employment eligibility, and includes about $9 billion in grant programs for border states. Lets take a step in the direction of fixing it and pass this legislation, Jordan said of the southern border. A sham Pramila Jayapal, Washington state Democrat and chair of the Progressive Congressional Caucus, said the bill was pointless. The majority could barely pass this legislation last year, she said, referring to the party-line vote in 2023. And now its going to magically pass it in the House with a two-thirds majority? Give me a break. This bill is going nowhere, so lets just be clear about that. Texas Republican Chip Roy agreed that the bill would not become law, and expressed his frustration that the GOP would not try to leverage foreign aid money for it. Republicans continue to campaign on securing the border and then refuse to use any leverage to actually secure the border, Roy said. We should get it signed into law but the only way to force Democrats to do it is to use leverage. Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs also agreed with Roy and Democrats that this is a show vote. Pennsylvanias GOP Rep. Scott Perry echoed similar remarks, but said he would still vote for the bill even though its designed to fail. But I want everybody to know its a sham, Perry said. The post U.S. House votes down border bill favored by conservatives appeared first on Nebraska Examiner. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference after a weekly House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on November 14, 2023, in Washington. Johnson brought a Republican border security bill to a floor vote Saturday in an effort to appease conservative members of his conference, but the bill was defeated. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) WASHINGTON The U.S. House Saturday failed to pass a border security bill that Republican leadership intended as an incentive for conservatives to support a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The border bill, turned down on a 215-199 vote, was brought to the floor under a fast-track procedure known as suspension of the rules that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. North Dakota Republican Kelly Armstrong supported the bill. The conservatives it was meant to appeal to slammed it as a show vote. Five Democrats, Donald G. Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mary Peltola of Alaska and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, voted with all Republicans present in favor of the bill. The border security bill nearly identical to legislation House Republicans passed last year was an attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana to quell growing hard-right dissatisfaction prompted by his support for the $95 billion foreign aid package expected to pass Saturday with the help of Democrats. The measure is separate and not part of a package of three supplemental funding bills containing aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as another so-called sidecar bill dealing with TikTok. The Senate will be able to clear the foeign aid package and ignore the border security bill that closely resembles another House-passed border bill the Senate has not acted on. Rather than quell their unrest, Johnsons move produced only more ire from hard-right members. Three Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona are already backing a move to oust Johnson through a motion to vacate. During Fridays floor debate, Democrats argued that the bill, H.R. 3602, was a rehash of H.R. 2, a bill House Republicans passed last year that would reinstate Trump-era immigration policies such as the construction of the border wall. Both bills would also require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. Border bill return Republicans were largely in favor of the border bill, but several referred to the vote as a sham and admitted the bill would not pass in the Senate, which Democrats control. House Republicans are trying again to make our Democrat colleagues and President Biden take this border crisis seriously, Alabamas Barry Moore said. The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler of New York, said the bill was a foolhardy attempt to pass for a second time one of the most draconian immigration bills this Congress has ever seen. This rehashing of H.R. 2 is a joke. Republicans have proven that they want the issue more than they want solutions, he said. So here we are, again, taking a virtually same draconian bill as before, knowing that if it actually passes the House it will surely go nowhere in the Senate. Nadler argued if Republicans were serious about addressing immigration at the southern border, they would have supported the bipartisan border bill in the Senate, instead of rejecting it. Three senators Oklahoma Republican James Lankford, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy and Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema spent months crafting a bill that would overhaul immigration policy at the request of Senate Republicans who insisted border security provisions should be included in the foreign aid package. But congressional Republicans walked away from it early this year at the urging of GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was not supportive of the bill because he is centering his reelection campaign on immigration. The chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, argued that the bill isnt quite H.R. 2. The bill is nearly identical to H.R. 2, but removes the mandate for employers to verify a workers immigration status and employment eligibility, and includes about $9 billion in grant programs for border states. Lets take a step in the direction of fixing it and pass this legislation, Jordan said of the southern border. A sham Washington state Democrat and chair of the Progressive Congressional Caucus Pramila Jayapal said the bill was pointless. The majority could barely pass this legislation last year, she said, referring to the party-line vote in 2023. And now its going to magically pass it in the House with a two-thirds majority? Give me a break. This bill is going nowhere, so lets just be clear about that. Texas Republican Chip Roy agreed that the bill would not become law, and expressed his frustration that the GOP would not try to leverage foreign aid money for it. Republicans continue to campaign on securing the border and then refuse to use any leverage to actually secure the border, Roy said. We should get it signed into law but the only way to force Democrats to do it is to use leverage. Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs also agreed with Roy and Democrats that this is a show vote. Pennsylvanias GOP Rep. Scott Perry echoed similar remarks, but said he would still vote for the bill even though its designed to fail. But I want everybody to know its a sham, Perry said. The post U.S. House votes down border bill favored by conservatives appeared first on North Dakota Monitor. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference after a weekly House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on Nov. 14, 2023 U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference after a weekly House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S. Capitol Building on Nov. 14, 2023, in Washington. Johnson brought a Republican border security bill to a floor vote Saturday in an effort to appease conservative members of his conference, but the bill was defeated. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) WASHINGTON The U.S. House Saturday failed to pass a border security bill that Republican leadership intended as an incentive for conservatives to support a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The border bill, turned down on a 215-199 vote, was brought to the floor under a fast-track procedure known as suspension of the rules that requires a two-thirds majority for passage. The conservatives it was meant to appeal to slammed it as a show vote. Five Democrats, Donald G. Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mary Peltola of Alaska and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, voted with all Republicans present in favor of the bill. The border security bill nearly identical to legislation House Republicans passed last year was an attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana to quell growing hard-right dissatisfaction prompted by his support for the $95 billion foreign aid package expected to pass Saturday with the help of Democrats. The measure is separate and not part of a package of three supplemental funding bills containing aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as well as another so-called sidecar bill dealing with TikTok. The Senate will be able to clear the foeign aid package and ignore the border security bill that closely resembles another House-passed border bill the Senate has not acted on. Rather than quell their unrest, Johnsons move produced only more ire from hard-right members. Three Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona are already backing a move to oust Johnson through a motion to vacate. During Fridays floor debate, Democrats argued that the bill, H.R. 3602, was a rehash of H.R. 2, a bill House Republicans passed last year that would reinstate Trump-era immigration policies such as the construction of the border wall. Both bills would also require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico. Border bill return Republicans were largely in favor of the border bill, but several referred to the vote as a sham and admitted the bill would not pass in the Senate, which Democrats control. House Republicans are trying again to make our Democrat colleagues and President Biden take this border crisis seriously, Alabamas Barry Moore said. The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler of New York, said the bill was a foolhardy attempt to pass for a second time one of the most draconian immigration bills this Congress has ever seen. This rehashing of H.R. 2 is a joke. Republicans have proven that they want the issue more than they want solutions, he said. So here we are, again, taking a virtually same draconian bill as before, knowing that if it actually passes the House it will surely go nowhere in the Senate. Nadler argued if Republicans were serious about addressing immigration at the southern border, they would have supported the bipartisan border bill in the Senate, instead of rejecting it. Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford speaks with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford speaks with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol about border policy negotiations on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) Three senators Oklahoma Republican James Lankford, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy and Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema spent months crafting a bill that would overhaul immigration policy at the request of Senate Republicans who insisted border security provisions should be included in the foreign aid package. But congressional Republicans walked away from it early this year at the urging of GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was not supportive of the bill because he is centering his reelection campaign on immigration. The chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, argued that the bill isnt quite H.R. 2. The bill is nearly identical to H.R. 2, but removes the mandate for employers to verify a workers immigration status and employment eligibility, and includes about $9 billion in grant programs for border states. Lets take a step in the direction of fixing it and pass this legislation, Jordan said of the southern border. A sham Washington state Democrat and chair of the Progressive Congressional Caucus Pramila Jayapal said the bill was pointless. The majority could barely pass this legislation last year, she said, referring to the party-line vote in 2023. And now its going to magically pass it in the House with a two-thirds majority? Give me a break. This bill is going nowhere, so lets just be clear about that. Texas Republican Chip Roy agreed that the bill would not become law, and expressed his frustration that the GOP would not try to leverage foreign aid money for it. Republicans continue to campaign on securing the border and then refuse to use any leverage to actually secure the border, Roy said. We should get it signed into law but the only way to force Democrats to do it is to use leverage. Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs also agreed with Roy and Democrats that this is a show vote. Pennsylvanias GOP Rep. Scott Perry echoed similar remarks, but said he would still vote for the bill even though its designed to fail. But I want everybody to know its a sham, Perry said. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post U.S. House votes down border bill favored by conservatives appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator. A U.S. Steel taconite mine in northeast Minnesota must reduce water pollution that threatens wild rice, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency decided, after considering the company's request for an exemption. U.S. Steel has since appealed the decision in court, and the decisions that stem from the case could have statewide relevance as Minnesota begins to enforce a pollution standard that's been on the books since 1973. "It's a big test case," Paula Maccabee, an attorney with the environmental nonprofit WaterLegacy, said of the appeal. The group seeks to intervene in the court case. U.S. Steel had asked MPCA to allow sulfate levels about eight times higher than the standard of 10 parts per million in Hay Lake, downstream of the company's Keetac plant in Keewatin. High levels of sulfate, a chemical released in the wastewater of taconite operations, are toxic to wild rice plants that grow in some Minnesota lakes and rivers. MPCA responded in a February letter that U.S. Steel's request for a looser standard was not "scientifically defensible." Among the problems was that U.S. Steel did not have enough data over a continuous period to show whether rice was thriving in Hay Lake. "Providing historical documentation of wild rice presence and articulating a general expectation that it will be present into the future does not, by itself, establish that [the plants are] protected," the letter read. U.S. Steel spokeswoman Amanda Malkowski wrote in an email that because the company will now likely have to install more water treatment equipment, "MPCA's decision could result in increased environmental impact and less efficient operations, which would lead to increased costs that reduce our competitiveness in the marketplace." The denial of the exception U.S. Steel asked for, called a "site-specific standard," is the first time MPCA has turned down such a request. The agency is only starting to enforce the 10 ppm standard. For decades, the law was never enforced, and in more recent times, legislators had asked the agency more than once to alter the rule or drop it entirely. Wild rice was central to the migration of Ojibwe people to the Great Lakes, hundreds of years ago, and is still a sacred crop. Tribes had been asking the MPCA to enforce the pollution rule for at least two decades. The EPA ordered the state start enforcement in 2022. The federal agency would also have to approve any site specific standard granted in a stream or lake. The U.S. Steel case is now pending in appeals court. MPCA had indicated in court filings it will defend its decision, but did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the legal challenge. The agency has not yet made a decision on the other exception request, MPCA spokeswoman Andrea Cournoyer said. Cleveland Cliffs has asked for a sulfate limit more than 40 times the state standard for waters downstream of its United Taconite mine near Eveleth. Key Insights Briscoe Group's estimated fair value is NZ$7.61 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Current share price of NZ$4.48 suggests Briscoe Group is potentially 41% undervalued Our fair value estimate is 56% higher than Briscoe Group's analyst price target of NZ$4.90 In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Briscoe Group Limited (NZSE:BGP) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example! Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. View our latest analysis for Briscoe Group Is Briscoe Group Fairly Valued? We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (NZ$, Millions) NZ$118.0m NZ$38.7m NZ$71.8m NZ$84.9m NZ$92.4m NZ$98.8m NZ$104.4m NZ$109.3m NZ$113.8m NZ$117.9m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ 11.54% Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ 8.84% Est @ 6.95% Est @ 5.63% Est @ 4.71% Est @ 4.06% Est @ 3.61% Present Value (NZ$, Millions) Discounted @ 7.8% NZ$109 NZ$33.3 NZ$57.2 NZ$62.8 NZ$63.4 NZ$62.8 NZ$61.5 NZ$59.8 NZ$57.7 NZ$55.4 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = NZ$623m After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.6%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.8%. Story continues Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = NZ$118m (1 + 2.6%) (7.8% 2.6%) = NZ$2.3b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= NZ$2.3b ( 1 + 7.8%)10= NZ$1.1b 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 NZ$1.7b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of NZ$4.5, the company appears quite undervalued at a 41% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf Important Assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Briscoe Group 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 7.8%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.151. 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 Briscoe Group 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 for the next 3 years. Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%. Threat Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the New Zealander market. Next Steps: Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For Briscoe Group, there are three further factors you should assess: Risks: Take risks, for example - Briscoe Group has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for BGP's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every New Zealander 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. In a seismic union election Friday evening, Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to join the United Auto Workers Union. The workers voted 2,628 to 985 for union representation, according to a spokesperson for the National Labor Relations Board. "There were seven challenged ballots that wont be counted, because they arent determinative to the outcome of the election. There were three void ballots. The total number of eligible voters was 4,326," according to a statement from the NLRB. The employer will begin "bargaining in good faith" with the union, with parties having five days to file objections to the election. The vote to unionize has the potential to supercharge organizing in the nation's auto sector and demonstrate the strength of a resurgent labor movement through a victory in the South, a region typically resistant to unions. Workers began casting ballots this week in the most significant test for the UAW since a strike last fall against the Big 3 U.S. carmakers that delivered substantial gains and a burst of interest from employees at non-union firms. "Workers in America are fed up with being left behind and unions are the path to dignity on and off the job," UAW president Shawn Fain said in February in a post on X, after having met with workers at the Volkswagen facility. MORE: Why the UAW vote at Volkswagen is significant for workers across US The labor agreements at the Big 3 last year prompted some non-union competitors to offer pay increases and other benefits, putting their employees in closer alignment with UAW members. Honda, Nissan and Tesla are among the companies that raised wages for U.S. employees after the UAW deal. The breakthrough also triggered a wave of UAW organizing, the union says. Over 10,000 non-union auto workers have signed cards in support of the UAW in recent months and organizing campaigns have broken out at more than two dozen facilities, the union said in a statement last month. The election at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga offered a difficult test, even as the union appears poised for growth. The UAW suffered narrow defeats in two elections at the facility over the past decade. Governors of six southern states, including Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, issued a joint statement this week criticizing the UAW and voicing general opposition toward unions. "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," they wrote. PHOTO: In this file photo, signs stand outside a Volkswagen plant during a vote among local workers over whether or not to be represented by the United Auto Workers union in Chattanooga, TN, June 13, 2019. (Nick Carey/Reuters/FILE) For its part, Volkswagen has remained publicly neutral toward the union drive. In a statement, the company told ABC News that it supports the union election process. "We respect our workers' right to a democratic process and to determine who should represent their interests," Volkswagen said. "We fully support an NLRB vote so every team member has a chance to a secret ballot vote on this important decision. Volkswagen is proud of our working environment in Chattanooga that provides some of the best paying jobs in the area," the company added A union victory would help bolster the UAW's membership, which has dropped steadily from a peak of 1.5 million workers in 1970 to 370,000 last year. MORE: Why is Trump's Truth Social stock plummeting? The opportunity for membership expansion at the UAW, just months after its high-profile strike against the Big 3, exemplifies a wider trend in the U.S. labor movement. More than 500,000 workers went out on strike nationwide in 2023, more than doubling the figure recorded a year earlier, according to Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The uptick in activity, however, failed to translate into union membership gains. Only 10% of U.S. workers belonged to unions last year, little changed from the year prior, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed. The election in Chattanooga will test whether the headline-grabbing labor strikes can translate into a resurgence of union growth, said Stephen Silvia, a professor at American University and the author of "The UAW's Southern Gamble." "Historically, unionization has proceeded in waves," Silvia said. "Is this a wave? That's what we'll see." Volkswagen workers in Tennessee have voted to join UAW, union says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com UAW wins big at Volkswagen in Tennessee its first victory at a foreign-owned factory in the American South A decisive majority of the Volkswagen workers employed at a factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee cast their ballots in favor of joining the United Auto Workers union, the German automaker announced on April 19, 2024. Persuading any Southern autoworkers to join a union had long been one of the U.S. labor movements most enduring challenges, despite persistent efforts by the UAW to organize this workforce. To be sure, the UAW already has members employed by Ford and General Motors at facilities in Kentucky, Texas, Missouri and Mississippi. However, the union had previously tried and largely failed to organize workers at foreign-owned companies, including Volkswagen and Nissan, in Southern states where about 30% of all U.S. automotive jobs are located. It was the UAWs third election at the same factory since 2014. The prior two ended in narrow losses. The victory follows the UAWs most successful strike in a generation against Detroits Big Three automakers, through which it won higher pay and better benefits for its members in 2023. Volkswagen said it will await certification of the results by the National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency responsible for enforcing U.S. workers rights to organize. As long as neither side challenges the results within five business days, the NLRB will certify them greenlighting the start of bargaining over a contract. The union has already scheduled another election that will occur less than a month after the Volkswagen vote. More than 5,000 workers at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Alabama, will have their say on whether to join the UAW in a vote that will run May 13-17, 2024. Volkswagen automobile plant employee Kiara Hughes celebrates the unions win on April 19, 2024. AP Photo/George Walker IV $40 million campaign The UAW has pledged to spend US$40 million through 2026 to expand its ranks to include more auto and electric battery workers, including many employed in the South, where the industry is quickly gaining ground. Based on my five decades of experience as a union organizer and labor historian, I anticipate that, recent momentum aside, the UAW will face resistance from the other foreign automakers that operate in the South. The pushback is also coming from Southern politicians, many of whom have expressed concern that UAW success would undermine the regions carefully crafted approach to economic development. But the outcome of this first election among Volkswagens more than 4,300 workers in Tennessee who were eligible to vote represents an impressive first step in the unions ambitious campaign to organize foreign-owned automakers in the South and other nonunion factories across the country. With about 73% of the workers who voted choosing to say yes, according to the company and additional sources, I believe that this historic victory will boost UAW organizing in the South and will likely inspire other workers seeking to unionize their workplaces. A sign of things to come? AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis Lauding the perfect three-legged stool After the regions formerly robust textile industry imploded in the 1980s and 1990s because of an influx of cheap imports, Southern business and political leaders revived the regions manufacturing base by successfully recruiting foreign automakers. The strategy of those leaders reflects what the Business Council of Alabama has described as the perfect three-legged stool for economic development. It consists of an eager and trainable workforce with a work ethic unparalleled anywhere in the nation, accompanied by a low-cost and business-friendly economic climate, and the lack of labor union activity and participation. The prospect of a low-wage and reliable workforce has lured the likes of Nissan, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Honda, Volkswagen and Hyundai to the South in recent decades. Although many of those companies negotiate constructively with unions on their home turf, the lack of union membership and the protections that go with it have proved a draw for them in the United States. Blaming unions for bad job prospects One way automotive employers in the South have blocked unions is by portraying them as outdated institutions whose bloated contracts and rigid work rules destroy jobs by making domestic auto companies uncompetitive. Automotive executives in the South argue the region has developed an alternative labor relations model that provides management with flexibility, offers wages and benefits superior to what local workers have earned previously and frees employees from any subordination to union directives. Automakers with plants in the South also draw on another powerful resource in resisting the UAW: public intervention by top elected officials. The United Auto Workers had sought to organize Volkswagen employees in Chattanooga, Tenn., twice before. Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images Making dire warnings With the UAW ramping up its organizing efforts again, Southern governors are sounding alarms once more. On the eve of the Volkswagen election in Chattanooga, six of these governors issued a joint statement denouncing the UAW as a special interest that would threaten our jobs and the values we live by. They asserted that a vote for the UAW would undermine their ability to attract auto manufacturers and stop growth in its tracks. The UAW counters that union membership means workers will get predictable raises, better benefits and improved workplace policies. Although these arguments from anti-union politicians havent changed much over the years, the context certainly has. The UAWs big wins on pay and benefits resulting from its 2023 strike against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis have increased its clout and credibility. Many automakers with a U.S. workforce not covered by the UAW including Volkswagen, Honda, Hyundai and other foreign transplants responded by raising pay at their Southern plants. The union justifiably describes those raises as a UAW bump. The UAW is citing these pay hikes in its outreach to workers at Tesla and other nonunion companies. Nonunion autoworkers are being left behind, the UAWs recruiting website warns. Are you ready to stand up and win your fair share? The pitch continues: Its time for nonunion autoworkers to join the UAW and win economic justice at Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Tesla, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Volkswagen, Mazda, Rivian, Lucid, Volvo and beyond. Some Southern autoworkers, meanwhile, have been expressing concerns over scheduling, safety, two-tier wage systems and workloads that they believe a union could help resolve. Its also clear theyve been emboldened by the gains they have seen UAW members make. Revving up The UAWs campaign is just starting to rev up. And the timing is ideal. A 2023 National Labor Relations Board ruling provides unions with additional leverage in this process. If management refuses to grant the unions request for recognition, the employer would then be required to seek an NLRB representation election. To win, unions normally need a majority of those voting. But in accordance with the new ruling, if management is found to have interfered with workers rights during the election process, it could then be required to bargain with the union. The UAW says its waging organizing campaigns at more than two dozen other nonunion plants, including factories run by Hyundai in Montgomery, Alabama, and Toyota in Troy, Missouri. I believe that the stakes are high for all workers, not just those in the auto industry. As D. Taylor, the president of Unite Here, a union that represents workers in a wide range of occupations, recently observed: If you change the South, you change America. This is an updated version of an article published on March 8, 2024. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Bob Bussel, University of Oregon Read more: I was briefly a member of the United Auto Workers in the 1970s. URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) The University of Illinois Police Department has concluded its investigation into the death of student Akul Dhawan. Officials said their investigation concluded that the 18-year-olds death on Jan. 20 was an accident. Results from an autopsy showed hypothermia was the cause of death, with alcohol intoxication a contributing factor. The temperature the night of Jan. 19 and the following morning was close to zero degrees Fahrenheit, with windchills of -15 degrees. Investigators determined that in these frigid conditions, Dhawan and his friends went to a social event at The Canopy Club around 10 p.m. and left 45 minutes later. After going to Green Street, the group returned to The Canopy Club around 11:30. While his friends were allowed to go back inside The Canopy Club, investigators learned Dhawan was not. Around midnight, Dhawan is said to have declined attempts to call a rideshare service to drive him home and he left the bar on his own. His friends reported him missing at 1:23 a.m. and Dhawan was found dead 10 hours later on a back porch near the bar. Father responds to UIPDs new details on his sons death In addition, the UIPD completed an internal investigation into a complaint from Dhawans parents alleging violations of department policies in the handling of their sons death. That investigation found violations of two policy subsections by the officer who handled the initial call from Dhawans friends. Those subsections relate to the process of investigating a missing person report and the process of preparing documentation, officials said. As a result, the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending completion of post-administrative investigation procedures. Although we do not believe it is likely these policy violations related to process and documentation altered the outcome of the incident, it is important to take action to ensure our policies are followed as we strive to promote a safe and secure campus environment, said UIPD Chief Matt Ballinger. This was a tragic accident that has weighed heavily on our campus community, and our thoughts continue to be with Akuls family, friends and loved ones. The UIPD also took action against a liquor store employee whose store Dhawan visited while he was on Green Street. Investigators determined the employee sold Dhawan a bottle of vodka without checking his age; the employee was charged with a misdemeanor and the store was fined and will serve a seven-day suspension from selling alcohol. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. UK Defence Ministry has not spent half of money from international support fund for Ukraine The Guardian Stock photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine The UK Ministry of Defence has not used even half of the 900 million military fund allocated for Ukraine. Source: The Guardian Details: The funds remained unused due to bureaucratic delays in signing procurement contracts. The UK-led International Fund for Ukraine has nine donor countries. Critics argue that it has been slow in delivering weapons to the combat zone. Out of the 900 million provided by governments over the past two years, including 500 million from the UK, only 404 million has been allocated or spent. Ministers admitted that some of the equipment provided for in the signed contracts will not arrive in Ukraine until next spring. Officials from the UK Ministry of Defence stated that the need to assess each of the numerous defence companies involved in the tenders for the awarding of contracts has caused delays. The International Fund for Ukraine was established in August 2022 to finance military training and equipment following the Russian invasion. It was designed as a "flexible low-bureaucracy fund" managed by the UK Ministry of Defence on behalf of an executive panel consisting of the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Lithuania. Support UP or become our patron! The wreckage of the downed Russian Tu-22 bomber. Photo: Vladimir Vladimirov, Governor of Stavropol Krai The Defence Intelligence of the United Kingdom has studied reports of the downing of a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber on 19 April 2024. Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 20 April, as reported by European Pravda Details: The intelligence notes that it is almost certain that the reports of the use of the S-200 missile are true and that it was another successful attack by Ukraine on the Russian Air Force. Quote: "This system is likely the same system used to shoot down a Russian A-50 MAINSTAY on 23 February 2024," the review reads. It is said that this is the first time a strategic bomber has been shot down by a Ukrainian air defence system. "It is highly likely that Russia has now sustained at least 100 fixed-wing combat aircraft losses to date," the message reads. Background: On 19 April, a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic missile-carrying bomber crashed in Russia's Stavropol Krai. Russia uses these aircraft to launch strikes on Ukraine. Early reports indicated that the pilots had ejected, one member of the crew had been killed, two are in hospital, and the fourth is being searched for. Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, reported that Ukraines Air Force and Defence Intelligence of Ukraine had destroyed a Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber that carries Kh-22 cruise missiles. The Ukrainian military had been on high alert for a week before the downing of the Russian Tu-22M3 bomber, Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, has revealed. Recently, UK Defence Intelligence reported that Russia has generally moved its ships and submarines of the Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol further east to Novorossiysk. Support UP or become our patron! Lawmakers in Washington DC have finally passed military aid for Ukraine through the GOP-controlled House following months of delays. The $60.8bn package, part of a three-part national security supplemental that passed the Senate in February, now heads back to the upper chamber for a final vote on Tuesday. It then heads to Joe Bidens desk for signature. Republicans and Democrats in the upper chamber pressed their House colleagues to pass the legislation for months, citing Ukraines increasingly desperate situation, but the lower chamber took its time and quibbled over the bills intricacies, eventually splitting it into three parts and turning much of the aid to Ukraine into a loan system. Even with that change it was a political defeat for Republicans in the House, who took public criticism from GOP members of the Senate including Mitch McConnell for weeks and eventually passed the legislation while relying on Democratic support to see it past the finish line. Worse, Speaker Mike Johnson comes out of this ordeal at the lowest point of his speakership (so far). There are now three Republicans signed on to a motion to vacate and they are publicly warning that any attempt by Democrats to save him would only backfire by rallying more conservatives against the Republican leader. A few members of the presidents party say they would support him if a vote were called, but many in the party are keeping their cards close. I know there are critics of the legislation, I understand that, Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Saturday. But there is no question whatsoever that the House has made many improvements to the Senate bill, and the package we sent over there is much better. The legislation provides funding for the US to restock munitions and other supplies sent to Ukraine as part of previous shipments, while also setting aside billions for the procurement of new weapon and defence systems. Two other pieces of legislation passed as part of the supplemental package provided funding for Israel and Taiwans defences. Voting in the lower chamber may be over for the weekend but expect Mr Johnson to face his conservative critics in the coming days lest he face an all-out rebellion; the Ukraine bill saw defections from 112 Republicans. While Democrats and Republicans in leadership celebrated the passage of the legislation, it was also heralded as a victory by Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, who lobbied personally for its passage with a recent trip to Washington. Cheers broke out on the House floor as the legislation passed, and lawmakers handed out Ukrainian flags and waved them before being admonished by the chair. The question of whether Ukraine aid will be cut off by a Republican House caucus under a Biden presidency now seems to be decided. Whether Mr Johnson will remain in control of that caucus is now in more doubt than ever before. Ukraines Bohdana howitzer is rolling off production lines heres what it can do President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a significant milestone in Ukraines push to increase domestic weapons production on April 18, saying that Kyiv was on track to produce 10 Bohdana howitzers this month. The Bohdana or the 2S22 Bohdana to give it its full title is a self-propelled howitzer, essentially an artillery gun on a truck chassis with a 42-kilometer firing range. These types of gun give armed forces a "shoot and scoot" ability, a valuable advantage over towed artillery pieces. From the moment a towed artillery piece is fired, it is vulnerable to detection by the enemy, and moving it can be a time-consuming process that requires a suitable vehicle. A self-propelled howitzer can drive into position, fire off multiple rounds in under a minute and be out of range of counter fire before the enemy has had time to organize. Read also: Explainer: Irans cheap, effective Shahed drones and how Russia uses them in Ukraine Swedens Archer and Frances Caesar are considered two of the best in the world and are both currently in action in Ukraine, though in limited numbers. The Bohdana is Ukraines take on the Caesar and Archer and is intentionally designed to emulate them with the hope that if Kyivs domestic weapons production ramps up significantly, they will play a critical role on the battlefield. "From the point of view of hardware that is the actual artillery part it fully corresponds to modern Western howitzers with a 155/52 barrel, Andrii Kharuk, a weapons expert, told the Kyiv Independent. A shaky start After three years of design and development, the Bohdana made its first public appearance in 2018 when a prototype took part in the Kyiv Independence Day Parade on Aug. 24. "Its crucial features are high mobility, precision, range capability, as well as rapid firing speed," Oleksandr Turchynov, then-chairman of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said at the time. It was a rare site only one had been manufactured and it would be nearly five years until a second saw the outside of a factory. Test firings and further development were undertaken in the years following right up until Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022 an event that nearly led to the destruction of the only Bohdana in existence at that time. Its biggest success so far By May 2022, it was at the front, and in June of that year, it played a pivotal role in the liberation of Snake Island, located 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the mainland of Odesa Oblast. Captured by Russian forces at the onset of the full-scale invasion, the island was the scene of one of the key moments of the early stages of the invasion. On Feb. 24, 2022, two Russian warships attacked the island and told the Ukrainian border guards to surrender. One of the Ukrainian border guards famously responded: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself" a phrase which became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance. Occupying Snake Island effectively allowed Russian forces to launch a blockade of Odesa's Black Sea ports and its liberation with the help of the Bohdana prototype led to establishment of the U.N. and Turkey brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative, which resumed grain and other agricultural exports to the rest of the world. By the beginning of 2023, mass production of the Bohdana was underway. Bohdanas capabilities The latest version of Bohdana is a 28-tonne machine crewed by five people, with the aforementioned 155 mm howitzer mounted on an eight-wheeled Tatra 815 chassis (earlier versions were mounted on a six-wheel-drive KrAZ-6322 truck). It can fire several types of shells up to 50 kilometers at a rate of five per minute, including the U.S.-made Excalibur, an extended-range artillery shell. The Bohdana was built specifically for NATO-standard shells rather than Soviet-era 152 mm, given that the biggest stocks of such projectiles were held by Russia, and these would be out of reach of Ukraines Armed Forces. For much of the war, adapting to 155 mm ammunition has allowed Ukraines Western allies to ship vast quantities to Kyiv. However, this supply has almost dried up in the face of procurement issues and delays in U.S. aid. Read also: Speaker Johnson advances aid bills, but time running out as Ukraines supplies dry up There may be another issue with the Bohdana, according to Kharuk. "There are certain problems with the reloading mechanism it was not there at all on the first Bohdanas, now, according to some reports, it does not always work reliably," he told the Kyiv Independent. Mass production Zelenskys announcement that 10 Bohdanas would roll off Ukrainian production lines in April was a relatively small but significant sign of Kyivs push to increase domestic weapons production amid growing uncertainty about the supply of weapons from partners abroad. According to Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr 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. While still in its fledgling phase, the push for domestic weapons production has already had some successes. Ukraine has its own versions of drones, sea drones, and planned versions of air defense systems. German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall plans to set up at least four factories in Ukraine to produce artillery shells, military vehicles, gunpowder, and anti-aircraft weapons, the AFP reported on March 14. 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. In late December last year, Zelensky said Ukraine had tripled its domestic production of equipment and weapons in 2023 compared to the year before. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Key developments on April 19: Ukraine downs Russian Tu-22M3 bomber for first time, says Air Force Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kill 8, including children, injure over 30 At NATO-Ukraine Council, Stoltenberg says allies pledge more air defense systems Netherlands allocates over $210 million for ammunition for Ukraine Ukrainian anti-aircraft units shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber for the first time, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on April 19. The Tu-22M3 bomber crashed in Russia's Stavropol Krai on the morning of April 19, just after Russia launched an attack on Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. According to Stavropol Krai Governor Vladimir Vladimirov, the Russian plane crashed in the region's Krasnogvardeysky district. Vladimirov claimed two pilots ejected from the aircraft. One pilot was allegedly killed, and another crew member is missing. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the aircraft crashed due to a "technical malfunction" while returning to its base airfield after completing a combat mission, according to the Russian state-controlled media. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have shot down the aircraft. "For the first time, the anti-aircraft missile units of the (Ukrainian) Air Force, in cooperation with Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence (the military intelligence agency, also known as HUR), destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber the carrier of Kh-22 cruise missiles, which the Russian terrorists use to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities," Oleshchuk said. According to Ukraine's military intelligence, the Russian aircraft was shot down around 300 kilometers from Ukraine with the "same means that were previously used to shoot the Russian A-50 long-range radar detection and control aircraft." A source from the military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent that the plane had been shot down by a Soviet-era S-200 anti-air system. The system dates back to the 1960s and has been previously described as a largely obsolete weapon. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that the second Russian aircraft was forced to turn around after the first one was attacked. "It means that another series of missiles was not launched at Ukraine," Yusov said. The Ukrainian Air Force also reported downing two Kh-22 cruise missiles. Russian forces regularly use Tu-22M3 long-range strategic and maritime strike bombers, commonly armed with AS-4 heavy anti-ship or Kh-22 cruise missiles, in airstrikes against Ukraine. Some of these planes carried out the heavy bombardment of Mariupol in 2022 using unguided bombs. In August 2023, military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said Russia fielded 27 operable Tu-22M3 strategic bombers. "Ukraine needs more means, more missiles, in order to better protect its front-line territories from Russian terrorism," Oleshchuk said. Read also: Ukraine destroyed 13 Russian military aircraft in 2 weeks. How? Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kill 8, including children, injure over 30 Russian forces attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with missiles in the morning of April 19, killing at least eight people, including two children, and injuring at least 35, local authorities reported. Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak said that the strikes caused a fire at a five-story building in Dnipro, partially destroying it. Dnipro Mayor Boris Filatov reported that the attacks struck "the very center of the city." Russia also reportedly attacked the infrastructure facilities of Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine's state-owned railway company, killing one and injuring seven railroad workers. The railway station in Dnipro briefly suspended operations. The number of casualties in Dnipro totaled two killed and 24 wounded, Lysak said. The governor added that the Russian attack damaged over 10 houses in the Synelnykove district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killing five civilians, including an eight-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, and injuring seven other people. Lysak later said that another child, a six-year-old boy initially pronounced dead, was hospitalized in serious condition and managed to survive. Read also: No region in Ukraine endures hell like Donetsk Oblast, governor says of Russias war At NATO-Ukraine Council, Stoltenberg says allies pledge more air defense systems NATO allies have pledged to provide Ukraine with more air defense systems, including Patriots, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the NATO-Ukraine Council on April 19. President Volodymyr Zelensky requested the gathering earlier this week amid Russia's intensifying aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities that continue to highlight the growing shortage of sufficient air defense systems. "In addition to Patriots, there are other weapons that allies can provide, including (the French system) SAMP/T, and many others, who do not have available systems, have pledged to provide financial support to purchase them for Ukraine," said Stoltenberg. In a Telegram post accompanying his televised remarks at the meeting, Zelensky said that Ukraine needs a minimum of seven Patriot systems, which would "save many lives." Iran's massive drone and missile attack on Israel at the weekend has raised questions in Kyiv about the differences in how NATO countries help defend the skies of Israel and Ukraine. Zelensky again referenced Iran's attack and the subsequent NATO defense, saying it had demonstrated the effectiveness of NATO's air defense capabilities. He added that NATO's intervention to protect Israeli skies "destroyed" the "dangerous myth" that NATO actions to defend a non-alliance member means that NATO is directly involved in a war. 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. Kyiv has ramped up its calls on allies to provide Ukraine with more air defenses, in particular with U.S.-made Patriot systems that can intercept ballistic missiles. Read also: Germany launches new Ukraine air defense initiative, appeals to EU and NATO allies Netherlands allocates over $210 million for ammunition for Ukraine The Netherlands has allocated more than 200 million euros (roughly $210 million) to new initiatives for quick delivery of air defense and artillery ammunition for Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said on April 19. Ukraine has been facing increasingly critical ammunition shortages, compounded by intensifying Russian attacks and delays in U.S. assistance. "Air defense equipment and artillery ammunition are desperately needed in Ukraine. The situation may turn critical," Ollongren said during an online meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council. President Volodymyr Zelensky requested the gathering earlier this week amid Russia's intensifying aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities that continue to highlight the growing shortage of sufficient air defense systems. "The resources to which the Netherlands is now contributing are already on the European continent and will go to Ukraine as quickly as possible. We must now all do everything we can to support Ukraine," the Dutch defense minister noted. Read also: Explainer: Irans cheap, effective Shahed drones and how Russia uses them in Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Ukrainian representation in the U.S. is working "non-stop" with American lawmakers to convince them to pass the Ukraine aid bill, scheduled for a vote this weekend, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, told the Kyiv Independent on April 19. "From our intense work with both parties and committee approval of voting procedures today, I am cautiously optimistic this time," Markarova said. U.S. assistance for Ukraine has been effectively blocked since the autumn of 2023, leading to a rapidly deteriorating situation on the battlefield. After months of delays and several versions of the foreign aid bill derailed by political infighting, House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled his plan earlier this week to vote on the package as four separate bills on April 20. The Democratic Party and U.S. President Joe Biden have already expressed support for the $61 billion bill encompassing both defense assistance and economic aid in the form of loans. Conversely, the proposal is certain to face opposition from the right flank of the Republican Party, with some conservatives even threatening to oust the speaker. Read also: Speaker Johnson: US House to vote on $61 billion Ukraine aid bill on April 20 "A new approach in this proposal is that budget support will be provided in the form of loans, unlike the $23 billion of direct budget support in the form of grants in the previous budgets," the ambassador commented. "We are very grateful that the U.S. provided us with grants before, which was unprecedented for the U.S. and not only gave us much-needed funds but also did not increase the debt and added to long-term public finance stability. "At the same time, getting budget support in a loan format is consistent with how the EU and other partners have always supported us, and we would be glad to receive budget support from the U.S. as concessional loans if this is the only way Congress can support it." Markarova also underscored the importance of another bill included in the proposed package that aims to seize frozen Russian assets and funnel them to Ukraine via the REPO Act. The ambassador spoke optimistically about the upcoming vote, saying that after "many efforts and both public and non-public work" by Ukraine and "pro-Ukrainian and pro-freedom forces in the U.S.," the bill may finally be adopted this weekend. She also believes that if the package passes the House, it will be adopted by the Senate. "Both Leader (Chuck) Schumer and Leader (Mitch) McConnell understand how important this is for Ukraine and for U.S. national security interests and are vocal about their position," Markarova said. Schumer has already publicly supported Johnson's package. In February, the Senate passed a $95 billion aid bill that combined support for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, but Johnson has never put it to a vote in his chamber. 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. Over the past day, 79 combat clashes occurred in the combat zone. The Russians launched 25 missile attacks and 52 airstrikes, as well as 42 attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems. Source: evening report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 19 April Details: On the Kupiansk front the Russians did not conduct offensive (assault) actions. On the Lyman front the Defence Forces repelled nine attacks near the settlements of Tverdokhlibove and Kreminna in Luhansk Oblast and Terny in Donetsk Oblast, where the Russians tried to breach the Ukrainian defence. On the Bakhmut front the Defence Forces repelled 15 Russian attacks near the settlements of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast; Verkhokamianske, Spirne, Chasiv Yar and Klishchiivka in Donetsk Oblast, where the Russians, supported by aircraft, tried to improve their tactical positions. On the Avdiivka front the Ukrainian forces repelled 26 Russian attacks near the settlements of Novokalynove, Ocheretyne, Berdychi, Umanske, Pervomaiske and Nevelske in Donetsk Oblast, where the Russians tried to dislodge Ukrainian units from their positions. On the Novopavlivka front the Defence Forces continue to deter the Russians near the settlements of Novomykhailivka and Pobieda in Donetsk Oblast, where the Russians, supported by aircraft, tried to breach the Ukrainian defence 16 times. On the Orikhiv front the Russians supported by aircraft attacked the Ukrainian positions near Staromaiorske in Donetsk Oblast and to the northwest of Verbove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast four times. On the Kherson front the Russians did not give up attempts to dislodge Ukrainian units from their positions on the left (east) bank of the Dnipro River. Within the last 24 hours, the Russians, supported by aircraft, attacked Ukrainian forces near the settlement of Krynky in Kherson Oblast six times, but to no avail. Quote: "During the day the aircraft of the Defence Forces launched attacks on six clusters of manpower and a control point of the enemy." Support UP or become our patron! The wreckage of the downed Russian Tu-22 bomber. Photo: Vladimir Vladimirov, Governor of Stavropol Krai The Ukrainian military had been on high alert for a week before the downing of the Russian Tu-22M3 bomber, Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, has revealed. Source: Budanov in a comment to BBC Ukraine Quote: "For a week we were, put it this way, lying in ambush. We were waiting for it to reach the right line." Details: Budanov said the plane was hit from a distance of 308 km. According to Defence Intelligence, the Russians have other aircraft of this type. However, Budanov said that "this is the first downing of a long-range aircraft in this war", and it will "make Odesa a little bit safer". Budanov explained that Tu-22M3 aircraft use Kh-22 missiles, "which have perhaps brought the most destruction to the city". Now the Russians will have to look for new lines for launching missiles, and they will be forced to use "only ground systems for strikes on Odesa, and missiles from long-range aircraft and from the sea," Budanov said. Background: On 19 April, a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic missile-carrying bomber crashed in Russia's Stavropol Krai. Russia uses these aircraft to launch strikes on Ukraine. Early reports indicated that the pilots had ejected, one member of the crew had been killed, two are in hospital, and the fourth is being searched for. Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, reported that Ukraines Air Force and Defence Intelligence of Ukraine had destroyed a Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber that carries Kh-22 cruise missiles. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had previously stated that Ukraine, as a country defending itself against aggression, has the right to strike "legitimate military targets" outside its borders. Support UP or become our patron! The first Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber was reportedly shot down by Ukraine and crashed over Russia's Stavropol Krai overnight on April 19. The aircraft was carrying out a combat mission when a Soviet-era S-200 anti-aircraft system shot it down, an intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the aircraft crashed due to a "technical malfunction" while returning to its base. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims. "It was a kind of vendetta for the fact that Russian strategic aviation attacked our peaceful cities today, where civilians were killed," Illia Yevlash, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Russia regularly uses the Tu-22M3 bomber planes in the all-out war against Ukraine to launch Kh-22 anti-ship missiles designed to destroy aircraft carriers. Overnight on April 19, Russian forces attacked the country with 22 missiles, including six Kh-22s, according to the Air Force. Read also: Air Force: Ukraine downs Russian Tu-22M3 bomber for first time Two of them were reportedly shot down by Ukraine for the first time since the beginning of the war. At the same time, another partially destroyed a five-story building in Dnipro, killing three people and injuring 24 others. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, said that the plane was hit at a distance of 308 kilometers after a week of "ambush." The Air Force and military intelligence were behind the operation. "We were waiting for it to reach the right frontier," he said in an interview with BBC News Ukraine. "Fruitful and long work makes itself felt. (The plane was struck) with the same methods and tools that we used to destroy the A-50 in the air." A Russian Beriev A-50 aircraft takes part in rehearsal for 2020 Victory Day parade in Moscow, on June 20, 2020. (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Ukraine is said to have destroyed two rare Russian A-50 military spy planes, the last of which was reportedly hit over Russia's territory, near the town of Yeysk, about 200 kilometers from the front line. The aircraft was shot down using an old Soviet-made S-200 air defense system that was scrapped by Ukraine a decade earlier and revitalized after the start of the full-scale invasion. The alleged downings of the A-50 planes and the Tu-22M3 bomber show how Ukraine, short on Western weapons and ammunition, reinvents the way it's forced to fight. Obsolete weapons The S-200, also known as SA-5 Gammon, is a long-range surface-to-air missile system originally developed in the Soviet Union and first accepted into service in the late 1960s. Since then, the system has been modernized several times. Initially, it was designed to strike American bombers and other strategic aircraft during the Cold War. The systems could use missiles of several modifications, the latest of which could travel up to 300 kilometers and counter air targets at altitudes up to 40 kilometers. The 5V28V variant weighs 7,100 kilograms and is around 11 meters long. Despite its range of capabilities, the S-200 was a stationary system that took time to deploy and needed rails to move. The S-200 system was widely exported by the Soviet Union, including to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Syria, and Libya. Some suggest that even if Ukraine uses S-200 missiles now, they may not be from its own stockpiles previously scrapped, Andrii Kharuk, a military historian and weapons expert, told the Kyiv Independent. "But those that have been kept in good condition, supplied previously, for example, from Poland or Bulgaria, where these missiles are still in service," he added. In an undated photo, S-200V launcher displayed in Military History Museum of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. (George Chernilevsky/Wikimedia) Ukraine operated the S-200 until 2013. The last batteries were officially withdrawn from service after the government decided to decommission the systems due to their obsolescence. It is unknown whether these systems have been stored in warehouses and in what condition. "The S-200 was the only long-range system capable of covering large industrial areas, destroying aircraft on approach to the borders of Ukraine, and remained one of the factors of possible deterrence," Militarnyi, a Ukrainian military-focused news outlet, reported. In 2018, then-First Deputy Defense Minister Ivan Rusnak announced the willingness of some enterprises to return S-200 systems to a combat-ready state. He said Ukraine would need up to a year to restore them while the missiles were available. How many of them have been revitalized is unknown. Read also: Speaker Johnson advances aid bills, but time running out as Ukraines supplies dry up Possible upgrade Rumors that Ukraine once again uses S-200 missiles began circulating in the summer of 2023. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that "converted" S-200 missiles had been shot down over Rostov, Kursk, and Kaluga oblasts, as well as occupied Crimea. Ukraine's military has not officially confirmed these claims while Kyiv is ramping up the production of domestically-made weapons, including long-range drones, which reportedly have already hit targets deep inside Russia. "In the current circumstances, we have to search for a way out. We have come up with these S-200s, and it seems to be working well so far," an unnamed government source told BBC News Ukraine in August 2023. Defense Express reported that the S-200 can be repurposed for ground attacks, but a few changes are needed to make missiles more effective and accurate. They include redesigning the guidance system and warhead and developing a ground-based mobile launcher. It will not be possible to make new missiles based on the S-200 from scratch due to rather complicated technology, but it is possible to repair the previously produced ones to combat readiness, according to Kharuk. "I think we are not talking about modifying these missiles, but only about restoring their readiness. We can talk about modifying the ground equipment, introducing modern means of communication, and incorporating modern detection radars," he added. "If until now the crews of Russian strategic bombers felt completely unpunished, now they see that they can be reached. Let's hope this is the first such step." Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian forces bombarded Ukraine with ballistic and guided missiles, two of which were shot down, on the night of 19-20 April. Source: Ukraines Air Force Details: The Ukrainian Air Force noted that the Russians had attacked with three Iskander-M ballistic missiles, two S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft guided missiles launched from Russias Belgorod Oblast, and two Kh-59/Kh-69 missiles launched from the Black Sea. Anti-aircraft missile units destroyed the two Kh-59/Kh-69 missiles. In addition, three reconnaissance UAVs were destroyed on the southern fronts two Orlan-10 and one Supercam. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian air defence units shoot down 4 Russian Orlan UAVs in Odesa Oblast Orlan-10 on the shoulder of a Russian soldier. Photo: Russia's Defence Ministry A Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile brigade shot down four Russian Orlan-10 reconnaissance drones on 19 April. Source: Defence Forces of Ukraine's South on Telegram Quote: "Soldiers of the Odesa anti-aircraft missile brigade destroyed four Russian Orlan-10 reconnaissance UAVs in Odesa Oblast on 19 April 2024. Background: On 19 April, Russian forces launched a missile attack on Odesa Oblast, damaging infrastructure and injuring a civilian. One of the Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, which carried out a missile strike against Ukraine overnight on 19 April, was downed as a result of a special operation by Defence Intelligence of Ukraine in cooperation with the country's Air Force. Support UP or become our patron! A senior official at the UNs Ukraine mission has condemned the strikes on the city of Dnipro and Dnipro Oblast conducted by Russia on the morning of 19 April. Source: Denise Brown, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, on X Details: Brown stated that it was not a peaceful morning in Ukraine and following the attack on Chernihiv, where civilian infrastructure was hit, Russia has struck Dnipro. Quote: "The attacks by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on Dnipro City and other parts of the Dnipro Region this morning are bringing new suffering to the people of Ukraine and are yet another example of a grave and reprehensible disregard for human life." "There is no peaceful morning in Ukraine," - Denise Brown, Humanitarian Coordinator, condemning the attacks onDnipro City and region, killing and injuring civilians, including children, and damaging civilian infrastructuresjust days after Chernihiv attacks. Full statement OCHA Ukraine (@OCHA_Ukraine) April 19, 2024 More details: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that humanitarian workers are operating at the scene in the city of Dnipro, helping rescue workers and emergency services. Humanitarian organisations are distributing hot meals for the affected and rescue workers and providing them with emergency shelter kits. Background: The Russians attacked the city of Dnipro and Dnipro Oblast on the morning of 19 April. Three people were killed. In addition to a residential building, two infrastructure facilities were damaged in Dnipro. Four private houses were partially destroyed and eight more were damaged in Synelnykove. Business premises in Pavlohrad were damaged. It was revealed that an entire family was killed in the Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, orphaning a 6-year-old boy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the site of the Russian attack on the city of Dnipro, where he held a meeting to discuss the strengthening of the region's protection. Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov declared 20 April a day of mourning for those killed in the Russian missile strike on the city. Support UP or become our patron! The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) will work with the U.S. on getting aid to Gaza by way of the sea, according to the Biden administration. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) confirmed to The Hill Saturday that it will work with the WFP to get humanitarian aid to Gaza by way of the sea. This is a complex operation that requires coordination between many partners, and our conversations are ongoing. Throughout Gaza, the safety and security of humanitarian actors is critical to the delivery of assistance, and we continue to advocate for measures that will give humanitarians greater assurances, a USAID spokesperson said in a statement. U.S. and WFP officials are working on how they can deliver aid to Palestinian civilians in an independent, neutral, and impartial manner, they added. President Biden announced the construction of a pier on Gazas coast to get aid into the territory during his State of the Union speech last month. He has faced increasing criticism for his handling of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, especially in the wake of a recent Israeli attack that killed seven aid workers with World Central Kitchen, which Biden said left him outraged and heartbroken. Incidents like yesterdays simply should not happen, Biden said the day after the attack. Israel has also not done enough to protect civilians. The United States has repeatedly urged Israel to deconflict their military operations against Hamas with humanitarian operations, in order to avoid civilian casualties. A WFP spokesperson also confirmed the partnership in a statement to The Hill Saturday. The U.N. has agreed to work with the US and other partners on the maritime corridor as an additional route for relief to Gaza, on the condition that humanitarian principles can be ensured and that land access is also expanded, the spokesperson wrote. Our objective remains to bring as much food to starving Gazans as possible, to avert looming famine, they added. WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain said earlier this month that people in Gaza were on the edge of famine. Were literally on the brink of going over the edge over the cliff with famine and not being able to recover from it, McCain said in an interview on CNNs State of the Union with Jake Tapper. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The UN's humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, issued a statement condemning the Russian military's April 19 attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Russia launched a missile strike on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast during the morning hours of April 19, killing at least eight people, including three in Dnipro, and injuring at least 35. A railway station, residential buildings, and other civilian infrastructure were hit. "The attacks by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which today hit Dnipro City and other parts of the Dnipro Region, east of Ukraine, bringing new suffering to the people of Ukraine are yet another example of a grave and reprehensible disregard for human life," the statement reads. Brown also said that aid workers are on-site in Dnipro helping affected people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Dnipro soon after the attack, calling on Western partners to provide meaningful air defense support. "When Ukraine appeals to partners for air defense systems that they have - in warehouses, in storage bases, but that are needed here, right here, to protect lives - we are talking about a true alliance," Zelensky said. "And here in Ukraine, we appreciate the efforts of every leader, every state that is really active, really committed to fulfilling their promises and trying to increase the capabilities of our air shield." Zelensky also addressed the NATO-Ukraine Council's online session, with air defense assistance as the key point of the agenda. "This year cannot be just a year of further discussions. Everything is quite specific now. Ukraine needs air defense, and the partners can help with it," the president added. Read also: Ukraine war latest: First Russian Tu-22M3 bomber downed, strikes in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kill 7 Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. PROVIDENCE While state legislators were out of town on spring break, Rhode Island's retired teachers and state employees were busy. They fired off emails and letters by the dozens if not thousands to state legislators to remind them of what they lost in 2011 in the name of "pension reform," and what they want now. What do they want? They want their "COLAs" back, translated: they want the General Assembly to restore the guaranteed annual pension increases that state lawmakers suspended more than a decade ago to help rein in the spiraling cost of public employee pensions. And it appears that many, though clearly not all - are backing a "compromise" that state Rep. Patricia Serpa, a retired teacher with a $38,187 pension, introduced when the General Assembly got back to work this week, after a spring break. More: New report says 2011 pension reform has led to high public employee turnover rates in RI "For the past 12 years I have had no inflation protection," reads one "Dear Legislator" letter offered as a sample on the retirees' 4,000-plus member Facebook group page. "The State of Rhode Island has ignored its obligation to fulfill its contract with us and has abandoned its elderly state retirees and retired teachers." "Now you have a unique, immediate opportunity to right this egregious wrong," the letter reads. With House leaders asking members to spell out their top priorities, the letter urges the lawmakers to: "Put IN WRITING to Speaker Shekarchi by April 19 that your NUMBER 1 PRIORITY is to RESTORE OUR COLAs." The latest COLA push In a telephone interview last week that Serpa, D-West Warwick, immediately announced to the Facebook group, she outlined the two main thrusts of the legislation (H8193) that she introduced this week: A 3% cost-of-living adjustment aka COLA in the year that begins on July 1 for all retired teachers and state employees, except judges and state police. A look-ahead provision that would tie future COLAs to the CPI (consumer price index), without any cap. She estimated the initial one-year cost at $30 million, which she believes should come out of the $11-billion pension fund, on top of the $544.3 million in state and local dollars already required. (No comment yet from state General Treasurer James Diossa.) Serpa said she and four of the leaders of the retirees' advocacy group recently met with House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, his legal counsel and the House policy adviser. Union groups representing state employees rally outside the State House in 2011 to oppose cuts to their state pensions. They laid out their arguments, including their view that the report produced by the state treasurer's Pension Advisory Working Group, after a months-long study was based on the same faulty assumptions by the same actuary that led to what they believe were unnecessarily Draconian cuts. (The report projected a much higher price tag for the permanent restoration of 3% COLAs.) Story continues "That was an easy lift for me, because I've been very public about saying that was the worst vote I ever took in my entire life, and I'll do anything I can to help make it right or as right as it can be," said Serpa of her 2011 vote for the pension overhaul championed by then-Treasurer Gina Raimondo, the current U.S. commerce secretary. While the state's pension actuaries have pegged the average pension paid a retired Rhode Island public school teacher at $43,343, Serpa says the ones she hears from do not, in many cases, have pensions that large or Social Security on top of it, because neither they nor the school districts where they worked contributed. "Some of them really are in poverty," said Serpa, who has already introduced a bill to require all school districts not already contributing to Social Security to do so for new hires. And those are not the only bills pending to improve retirement benefits for Rhode Island's public employees. Where does the top leader in the budget-writing House stand? Serpa said Shekarchi made no promises, but he "was very engaged. He knew the subject intimately. ... He asked questions." Shekarchi spokesman Larry Berman told The Journal that the speaker, while sympathetic to the retirees, "told them that there are a tremendous amount of asks, and he won't know until after the May revenue estimating conference where they are at this point." He told them only two other legislators who happen to be state pensioners have listed COLA restoration as a top priority. More: Should RI reverse 2011's pension-cutting moves? State panel approves final report According to Berman, "He said there are a lot who are [asking] to increase the housing bond beyond the $100 million. ... The secretary of state pushing his archives. The judiciary still hasn't given up on their courthouse," and Treasurer James Diossa wants to put state dollars into "Baby Bonds" for future use by children currently in poverty. "And then," said Berman, "there's a little thing called The Bridge. As he says: 'We don't know how much to book for that.'" What do retirees say? "To erase all doubt and misinformation, we are most definitely NOT seeking retroactive COLAs. We're very aware of the fact that this would be fiscally irresponsible,'' said activist Sandra Paquette, a retired Cranston special education teacher and recently elected member of the state Retirement Board. Paquette said Serpa's bill is viewed as "a very acceptable compromise. ... We would urge the support of our members ... [and anticipate] this bill would be supported by the vast majority of members. "To tie future COLAs to the CPI [also] makes sense. It's the formula used to determine [Social Security] yearly increases, as well as the COLA of General Assembly members," she noted. "We are very appreciative of her untiring efforts to rectify the growing crisis of financial insecurity among retirees," Paquette said of Serpa. For the record, not every retiree is willing to give up their hope - and demand - that lawmakers retroactively restore dollars-for- dollar the COLAs stripped from them 12 years ago. They believe they were robbed by an illegal legislative act. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI retirees launch letter, email blitz to restore pension COLAs The May 1 hearing at the House Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee will mark the first time Witty appears in the House. The panels health subcommittee held a hearing this week about the hack, but no representatives from United testified. Americans are still dealing with the fallout of the Change Healthcare hack. Individuals and smaller providers, in particular, have struggled financially following the cyberattack, threatening critical access for patients, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and oversight subcommittee chair Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) said in a joint statement Friday. While were disappointed that UnitedHealth could not join us for the recent Health Subcommittee hearing on cybersecurity, we look forward to learning more on what happened in the lead up to, and in the weeks following, the attack, the lawmakers said. Change Healthcare is the countrys largest medical claims processor, serving as a sort of clearinghouse of data for health insurers and providers. Februarys cyberattack sent shockwaves through the whole health industry, even halting operations at some clinics and hospitals. Billions of dollars in payments to providers were held up, and Change still hasnt fully recovered. At the hearing this week, lawmakers expressed frustration that nobody from United, which acquired Change in 2022, attended. There was talk of a possible subpoena. Witty is expected to testify soon before the Senate Finance Committee. A University of Chicago charter school will pay $125,000 to a special education student who was mocked by his teachers and called dumb during a disturbing incident captured on video, according to court records. A federal judge recently approved the payout, which will resolve a civil rights lawsuit that the students mother filed on her sons behalf late last year. The school which quickly removed the teachers from the classroom did not admit any wrongdoing in reaching the settlement. In a statement, the charter school said it was working with employees to reinforce the best ways to support students, families and staff following the incident. The University of Chicago Charter School has a longstanding commitment to educational excellence, with deep care and concern for the wellbeing of all students, the statement said. We do not condone or tolerate the type of conduct that occurred on December 15, 2022 at the Woodlawn High School Campus, which is contrary to our policies and values. We believe all students have a right to education in a school that is welcoming and protective, in an environment of mutual respect. It happened. It was traumatic. And the trauma is going to last a long time, said attorney Jordan Marsh, who represented the boy and his mother. But I think its a fair settlement and (the boys mother) thinks its a fair settlement. The resolution comes a few months after the Tribune published audio from a video of the incident, which took place at the charter schools Woodlawn campus in December 2022. The minute-long recording, captured on another students cellphone, offered a troubling glimpse inside the publicly funded high school overseen by the prestigious university. The video shows both adults, a teacher and a teachers aide, yelling at and belittling the 15-year-old student, who does not raise his voice above a mumble and remains seated at his desk until he is ordered to leave the classroom. The Tribune did not publish the video because it showed several special education students not directly involved in the incident. As the recording begins, special education teacher Aaron Pennix walks up to the teen, who is seated near a window. The teacher bends over the desk, hovering, and puts his face in front of the students face, according to an internal report describing the recording. Pennix stands over the boy and yells, You not gonna do what? according to the video. The teen mumbles a response, saying he did not want to talk. The teacher then points at the students face, while the teen is cowering in his seat, the investigative report states. The girl sitting next to the student snickers and other kids start laughing too. Though teachers aide Latilda Sight initially cannot be seen in the recording, her voice can be clearly heard about 15 seconds into the video. Shut up! Shut up! she yells, according to the video. The student then appears to start crying at his desk. And now he starts to cry, Pennix says in front of the class, according to an investigative transcript. Let him cry. Let him cry. The teacher continues to raise his voice to the student on the video. The teen frequently talks back, but his mumbled responses are mostly inaudible. After roughly 40 seconds of back-and-forth, the teacher turns to Sight and tells her the teen needs to be removed from the classroom. The aide can be heard using profanity in the recording as she orders the student to leave the classroom. Bitch, get out, she says on the video. If you dont give a (expletive), get out! As the student gets up from his desk and heads toward the door, Sight hurries toward him, almost running, according to the investigative report. She appears to push his face with her fingers on the video, and a security guard can be seen stepping between them. Knock me out, folk. Knock me out, folk, she shouts on the recording as the guard escorts the student from the classroom. Pennix also can be heard yelling as the teen leaves. You a dumbass little boy, Sight shouts as he exits the room, according to the recording. The video ends with Sight picking up her phone and calling the students mother, the report states. Sight told school officials and the students mother that the boy threatened her, which prompted her to de-escalate the situation by making physical contact with him. The threats are not heard on the video. She resigned later that night after the boys mother, Stephanie Holmes, sent her the video and questioned the discrepancy between the recording and Sights version of events. Pennix also had sent an email to administrators overnight expressing his regrets about the incident, according to a copy obtained by the Tribune. Records show his apology was sent after Holmes shared the video with Sight. The boys mother went to the school the next morning to report the incident. When she arrived, administrators told her that they had already accepted Sights resignation and placed Pennix on leave. The school fired Pennix in January 2023 after its internal investigation, records show. His termination letter, which the Tribune obtained through an open records request, states that he violated campus policies that required him to exercise good judgment, honesty and integrity. Pennix could not be reached for comment. He is now listed as part of the special education team at another Chicago-area school. Sight was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery for physically touching the student during the altercation. She pleaded guilty in May, when she received probation and was ordered to attend anger management. She told the Tribune in January that she is no longer teaching and is trying to move on with her life. She said she loved the student and that his mother knew how she felt about the boy in her heart. The student continues to attend the charter school. His mother told the Tribune he is seeing a counselor and continues to struggle with his emotions. Holmes filed a federal lawsuit against the school in December, accusing the University of Chicagos charter system of negligent hiring, training, supervision and retention of employees. When I saw the video, I felt powerless to protect my son, Holmes said in January. But maybe speaking up will help someone elses child. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A valet parking employee at the University of Utah Hospital was allegedly kidnapped by a man who offered to help her, police said. According to arrest documents, on Wednesday, April 17, the employee was parking a visitors vehicle in the valet parking when Damir Sadullaev, 27, approached her, wearing what resembled a valet uniform. Ryan Smiths task of getting NHL franchise off the ground Police said Sadullaev offered to help her park the vehicle, and she agreed. Once Sadullaev took control of the vehicle, he left the valet parking and hospital. The victim told police that he drove on the wrong side of the road and was driving erratically. She reported this was at this point she realized he was not a valet employee. She told police that she convinced Sadullaev to return to the hospital, which he did, and parked at a parking garage across the street from the hospital. According to the police, Sadullaev leaned towards her and said, You know what happens next. The victim said no and moved away. She convinced him to leave the vehicle, and as he did, she locked the car door and called her co-workers for help, telling them she feared for her life and well-being when she realized he was not a valet driver. Police arrested Sadullaev, who faces charges of kidnapping, driving under the influence, and driving with a suspended license. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Staff confiscated an unloaded gun from a student outside a Charlotte elementary school on Friday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said. Another Devonshire Elementary School student reported the gun, and staff immediately confiscated the weapon, principal Kristen Hackl said in a message to parents and staff Friday morning. Our children are safe in their classrooms and learning is continuing, Hackl said in the message. The Observer obtained a copy of the message through a request to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools media office. The gun was seized just before 8 a.m., police posted on the social media site X, the former Twitter. The student hadnt entered the school building, according to CMPD. Staff gave the gun to police officers who were called to the school. No injuries were reported, police said. The school is on Barrington Drive in east Charlotte. Police didnt release the students age or say if the student threatened anyone. Police also didnt say if they know how the student got the gun. CMPD didnt immediately reply to a request for comment from the Observer. US$50 billion of American aid to be spent on defence Ukraine's PM Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said that if the Senate approves the Ukraine aid bill, US$49.9 billion of the almost US$61 billion total will go towards defence spending. Source: Denys Shmyhal on Facebook Quote: "The total amount of aid is almost US$61 billion: US$49.9 billion defene spending US$7.8 billion potential budget support US$1.57 billion economic assistance US$400 million funds for border protection and humanitarian mine clearance." Details: Shmyhal stressed that Ukraine expects the bill to be approved in the Senate in the coming days. "Its implementation will mean more weapons for Ukraine, particularly long-range weapons and air defence systems; strengthening of macro-financial stability, including funding for the highest-priority budget expenditure items; [and] continuation of rapid reconstruction, primarily of critical infrastructure," Shmyhal added. Background: On 20 April, the US House of Representatives approved a bill to provide about $61 billion in military aid for Ukraine. In total, the US$95 billion package provides security assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The US House of Representatives also voted in favour of a bill that would see the expansion of sanctions against Russia and allow Russian assets to be confiscated in favour of Ukraine. US President Joe Biden has urged the Senate to approve the aid for Ukraine and "quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law, and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs". Support UP or become our patron! An experimental fighter jet has squared off against an F-16 in the first-ever artificial intelligence-fueled dogfights, the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said. And the successful effort to have the X-62A VISTA engage in practice aerial combat could help the Air Force further refine its plans for autonomous drone wingmen known as collaborative combat aircraft, officials told reporters Friday. VISTA, which stands for Variable In-flight Simulator Aircraft, is a heavily modified F-16 operated by the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The service has used it to test cutting-edge aerospace technology for more than three decades, and in recent years its been used to test autonomous flight capabilities. DARPAs Air Combat Evolution, or ACE, program has been working for the last four years to refine how the military can use AI for air warfare and build airmens trust that autonomous technology can perform safely and reliably in combat. Until now, the military has used autonomy for aspects of flight that are predictable and based on a set of known rules, such as the Auto Ground Collision Avoidance System that keeps jets such as the F-35 from crashing. But within-visual range dogfighting perhaps the most dangerous, unpredictable form of flight a pilot can engage in represented an entirely different set of skills for AI to learn, said Col. James Valpiani, commandant of the Air Force Test Pilot School. Dogfighting presents a very important challenge case for the question of trust in autonomy, Valpiani said. Its inherently very dangerous. Its one of the most difficult competencies that military aviators must master. The ACE program started by having AI agents control simulated F-16s while dogfighting in computers. Those AI-operated simulated F-16s went five for five against human pilots, DARPA said in a video posted online. But they werent yet trained to follow safety guidelines including those that keep a pilot from breaking the jet and other ethical requirements such as combat training rules and weapons engagement zones. In December 2022 and April 2023, the Air Force and DARPA started actual flight tests with AI agents flying VISTA. And in September 2023, it was time for VISTA to go toe-to-toe with a human pilot. For two weeks, VISTA flew against an F-16 in a variety of scenarios, including situations where it started at a disadvantage against the human-flown jet. VISTA started off by flying defensively to build up confidence in its flight safety, before switching to intense offensive maneuvers. Valpiani said the jets flew aggressively at speeds of up to 1,200 miles per hour and within 2,000 feet of one another, including carrying out nose-to-nose passes and vertical maneuvering. William Gray, chief test pilot at the Air Force Test Pilot School, and other engineers conduct software updates to the X-62 VISTA jet at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Aug. 3, 2022. (Giancarlo Casem/Air Force photo) Two pilots were in VISTAs cockpit to monitor its systems and switch between different AI agents to test their performance, but they never had to take over flying. VISTA carried out 21 test flights between December 2022 and September 2023. Lt. Col. Ryan Hefron, DARPAs ACE program manager, and Valpiani said the AI-flown VISTA performed well and tested a variety of agents with multiple different capabilities. But they declined to say how many times VISTA beat the human-flown F-16. The purpose of the test was to demonstrate we can safely test these AI agents in a safety-critical air combat environment, Hefron said. Hefron and Valpiani said the ACE program learned multiple lessons from the dogfighting tests, including how to quickly adapt AI software and upload it to the jet, sometime while already in flight. Hefron said the program next plans to hold more VISTA-versus-F-16 matches to refine the technology and test out different scenarios. They declined to say whether the ACE programs dogfighting effort might one day lead to a future fighter fleet without pilots in the cockpit, saying those long range vision questions are better suited for Air Force leadership. But Valpiani noted that developments such as Auto-GCAS havent replaced pilots need to be continually aware of their terrain, and only serve as a backup failsafe. And the lessons learned from ACE could apply to more than just dogfighting, they said. ACE will allow the service to create uncrewed CCAs that can autonomously fly alongside crewed fighters such as F-35s and the Next-Generation Air Dominance platform, carrying out missions such as airstrikes and reconnaissance operations. The X-62A program and DARPAs ACE program are not primarily about dogfighting, Hefron said. Theyre really about building trust in responsible AI. The key takeaway from our September event is that we can do that safely, we can do it effectively. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall is confident enough in the ACE programs progress that he plans to soon fly as a passenger in the AI-operated VISTA. DARPA and the Air Force declined to say more specifically when Kendall will fly in VISTA. There will be a pilot with me who will just be watching, as I will be, as the autonomous technology works, Kendall told senators during a budget hearing April 9. Hopefully neither he or I will be needed to fly the airplane. US on cusp of passing major aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan Ukraine has been asking for more funding from the US to help it fight against Russia in the war The US House of Representatives is set to hold a crucial vote on Saturday on a major aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and a possible ban of TikTok. The votes on the $95 billion foreign aid and arms bills are expected to begin at 1pm (5pm GMT), and embattled Republican Speaker Mike Johnson will need Democratic votes to get them passed. The bills are the product of months of acrimonious negotiations, pressure from US allies and repeated pleas for assistance from Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president. Spending bills cost the last Republican speaker of the House his job, and funding for Ukraine has been at the heart of the partisan squabbling. The United States has been the chief military backer of Ukraine in its war against Russia, but Congress has not approved large-scale funding for its ally for nearly a year and a half, mainly because of the bickering across the political aisle. Joe Biden, the US president, and Democratic lawmakers in Congress have been pushing for a major new weapons package for Ukraine for months. But Republicans, influenced by Donald Trump, the partys presidential candidate, are reluctant to provide funding to Kyiv for the drawn-out conflict. The financing of the war has become a point of contention ahead of a presidential election in November that is expected to pit Mr Biden against Mr Trump once again. Mr Johnson, after months of hesitation, finally threw his support behind a $61 billion package for Ukraine that includes economic assistance and weapons. To put it bluntly, Id rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys, Mr Johnson said. The bill also allows Mr Biden to confiscate and sell Russian assets and provide the money to Ukraine to finance reconstruction, a move that has been embraced by other G7 nations. A total of $13 billion in military assistance has been allocated for Americas historic ally Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza. The money will essentially be used to reinforce Israels Iron Dome air defences. More than $9 billion will be earmarked to address the dire need for humanitarian assistance for Gaza as well as other vulnerable populations around the world, the legislation says. At the request of Mr Biden, some $8 billion would be used to counter China through investment in submarine infrastructure and boosting competition with Beijing on projects built in developing countries. Several billion dollars would be devoted to weapons for Taiwan, the self-ruled island that is claimed by China. There is also a provision that would force TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a nationwide ban in the United States, where it has around 170 million users. Western officials have voiced alarm over the popularity of TikTok with young people, alleging that it is subservient to Beijing and a conduit to spread propaganda claims denied by the company. In a statement on Friday, the White House said it strongly supports the legislation. The world is watching what the Congress does, it said, adding that Mr Biden would sign the bills as soon as they were passed by both chambers of Congress. That could be in just a matter of days as Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, has pledged that the Democratic-majority Senate would quickly take up the measures once they are passed by the House. US allies are expected to warmly welcome passage of the bills in the House, but it could cost the Republican House speaker his job. A handful of far-Right isolationist Republican lawmakers have warned they may oust Mr Johnson for supporting the bills. 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 U.S. House of Representatives on April 20 passed a bill that would allow the seizure and transfer of frozen Russian assets held in the U.S. to Ukraine. The bill caters to Republican priorities, also including sanctions on Iran and a measure that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok. The House also approved a key foreign aid package that includes almost $61 billion to assist Ukraine. The bills will now head to the Senate for a vote before being sent to President Joe Biden for signing. The measure approved by the House on April 20 will enable the executive branch to seize immobilized Russian assets and use them to help Ukraines defense and recovery efforts, according to CNN. Read also: BREAKING: US House passes $61 billion in aid to Ukraine The majority of the Russian central banks assets that were frozen by the European Union and Group of Seven (G7) are held in the EU. The U.S. holds around 5$ billion worth of Russian assets out of the total of $300 billion frozen by Kyivs Western and other allies. While some partners, like the U.S., have been pushing to funnel these funds directly to Kyiv, European countries have been more hesitant, fearing economic and legal pitfalls. The EU is instead working on a plan to use the profits generated by the frozen assets to fund defense assistance for Ukraine. In a positive step on April 16, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted unanimously in support of a resolution calling for seizing frozen Russian assets and using them for a new fund for Ukraine's reconstruction. Read also: FT: Ukraine may get 3 billion euros from frozen Russian assets in summer Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. In scramble to protect workers against heat, California officials exclude prisons from new rules Workers at an Amazon warehouse in San Bernardino have complained of excessive heat in the workplace. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) After last-minute objections from state officials thwarted plans to implement protections for workers in hot warehouses and other indoor facilities, California's workplace safety agency is trying again to adopt the measures before the summer heat arrives. At a March 21 meeting, the state board overseeing workplace safety standards was primed to approve the landmark regulations. Shortly before the start of the meeting, however, officials from the state's Finance Department, which must sign off on new workplace rules, intervened. They raised concerns about the costs that California prisons and other public entities would incur trying to adhere to the new rules, saying the price tag for cooling correctional facilities could run "in the neighborhood of billions of dollars." Now, California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, said it will revise the proposed indoor heat rule to exclude state and local correctional facilities an amendment that would appear to clear a path for approval of the rules in coming weeks. H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the Department of Finance, indicated the department supported the move. "I don't want to get ahead of our staff's review, but given that it excludes correctional facilities, it would appear to address the issues that we had," he said. The announcement that correctional facilities will be carved out from the rule was made by the agency's standards board Thursday and came amid considerable pressure from labor groups to get protections in place for their members. "We are hopeful this will create a path for protections this summer but will not stop advocating until it is accomplished," said Lorena Gonzalez, head of the California Labor Federation. The federation and scores of regional unions and other workers groups sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom on April 1 urging him to "act immediately" to approve the rule. "With the swipe of a pen, the State of California can easily prevent workplace injuries and deaths brought on by indoor heat," the letter read. "Summer is coming, and time is a luxury that workers cannot afford." Under the proposed indoor heat rule, employers would have to provide cooling areas and monitor workers taking breaks to cool down for signs of heat illness when temperatures inside reach or surpass 82 degrees. If temperatures climb to 87 degrees, or workers are made to work near hot equipment, employers would be mandated to take additional safety precautions to either cool the broader work site, allocate more breaks, rotate out workers or make other adjustments. After the board's aborted vote, the state blew past a procedural deadline to get sign-off from the Finance Department, leaving supporters of the new rules to worry that the approval process would have to start from scratch. But Eric Berg, a Cal/OSHA deputy chief, said Thursday the agency had found a way to extend the deadline, giving it the time it needed to revise the rules to exempt prisons. It is expected to take several weeks for the revised rules to be formally approved, Berg said. He added that Cal/OSHA plans to propose separate rules that would spell out heat safety measures for workers in jails and prisons. Those rules must go through the lengthy approval process from the start, which could take months or years. Gonzalez, of the California Labor Federation, said unions for workers at correctional facilities are working with the governor's office to craft a proposal. She said public sector unions may look to implement safety rules earlier, through collective bargaining agreements. The original indoor heat rule is nearly eight years in the making, stemming from a 2016 mandate by the California Legislature directing Cal/OSHA to develop heat safety regulations. The need for indoor guidelines has become increasingly urgent as climate change makes heat waves and high temperatures more frequent and severe, experts say. Some warehouses, shipping centers, kitchens, schools and other workplaces can soar above 90 degrees. "We need these regulations to be in place before the summer," said Laura Stock, a board member reached by phone last month. "As we heard from the testimony of all the workers and organizations that were there, people are suffering from the impact of heat illness." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. US House Passes $95 Billion in Aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan (Bloomberg) -- The US House passed $61 billion in fresh aid for Ukraine on Saturday, ending a six-month political impasse during which Kyivs stockpiles dwindled in its war against Russia. Most Read from Bloomberg The Ukraine aid will be combined with funding for Israel and Taiwan, for a foreign assistance package totaling $95 billion. Speaker Mike Johnson worked with Democrats and overcame fierce objections from within his own party to funding Ukraine, ultimately pushing that legislation to passage on a 311 to 112 bipartisan vote. We did our work here and history will judge us well, Johnson said after the vote. The Senate is expected to pass the package, which was negotiated with the White House, next week. Senate Democrats and Republicans agreed to take it up on Tuesday, starting with procedural votes, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. The vote marks a victory for Republican defense hawks against the more isolationist wing of the party led by Donald Trump. Even so, more Republicans voted against further aid to Ukraine than in favor. We cannot be afraid of our shadows. We must be strong. We have to do whats right, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said. Read more: Ultra Conservative Johnson Counts on Democrats for His Survival Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy quickly celebrated the vote on the social media platform X. A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin decried the fresh aid. Democrats and some Republicans waved Ukrainian flags during the vote, a rare moment of bipartisanship in a bitterly and narrowly divided House. Traditional House Republicans led by Speaker Mike Johnson have risen to the occasion, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said. We have a responsibility to push back against authoritarianism. Taiwan, TikTok The House earlier Saturday passed an $8 billion aid package aimed at averting Chinese aggression against Taiwan. The chamber also passed a bill that would force Chinese-controlled ByteDance Ltd to divest itself from the popular social media app TikTok or face a US ban. That bill also allows the confiscation of Russian dollar assets to help fund assistance to Ukraine. Russia will retaliate for any confiscation of its property, the Tass newswire quoted Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. The Senate aims to begin voting Tuesday on the combined package. The $61 billion Ukraine bill has $13 billion to replenish US stockpiles for weapons already given to Ukraine and $14 billion for US defense systems for Ukraine. It also has $7 billion for US military operations in the region. The bills $9.5 billion in economic assistance to Ukraine comes in the form of a loan that the president can fully forgive after the next election. The loan idea was first floated by Trump, the GOPs presumptive nominee. The Taiwan aid bill includes $2 billion in foreign military financing for Taiwan and $1.9 billion to replenish US weapons stocks to cover items and services provided for Taiwan. It also has $3.3 billion to develop submarine infrastructure. The Israel aid bill, which passed on a 366 to 58 vote, includes $4 billion for Israels missile defenses in the wake of last weekends drone and missile attacks by Iran. It provides $9 billion in global humanitarian aid including for use in Gaza at Democrats insistence. Risky Move Johnson ignored demands from ultra-conservatives to attach Republican-only US border legislation, which would have sunk its chances in the Democratic-controlled Senate. He also relied on Democrats to clear procedural hurdles for the legislation, breaking from decades of tradition and putting his speakership at risk. President Joe Biden welcomed the House vote, thanking Johnson, Jeffries and lawmakers who voted to put our national security first. He urged the Senate to pass the aid package quickly so he can sign it into law. Three ultraconservative lawmakers Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona say they are prepared to vote to oust Johnson from his job. Nothing is done to secure our border or reduce our debt, Greene said on Saturday. Ukraine is not even a member of NATO. Massie on Saturday said he hoped the mounting Republican opposition would ultimately force Johnson to resign. But if it comes to it, a vote will be called, to remove Johnson, he said. To strip Johnson of his speakership, these rebels would need the cooperation of Democrats, many of whom have said theyd protect the Louisiana Republican after he struck the foreign aid deal. --With assistance from Steven T. Dennis. (Updates with Schumer statement on Senate action in fifth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. US Congress rejects all anti-Ukrainian amendments to Ukrainian aid bill The US House of Representatives has rejected four anti-Ukrainian amendments to the Ukraine aid bill. Source: European Pravda Details: The House of Representatives is set to consider four bills on foreign aid on Saturday, 20 April, including a bill on aid for Ukraine. Four amendments to the Ukraine aid bill were considered in the House today: An amendment aimed at removing a number of aid provisions, proposed by Victoria Spartz; An amendment aimed at reducing all dollar amounts in the bill to zero, proposed by Marjorie Taylor Greene; An amendment aimed at banning the use of economic aid to pay pensions or government salaries, proposed by Kevin Hern; An amendment aimed at striking all non-military aid from the bill, proposed by Kat Cammack. Congress rejected three of the amendments by voice vote. The amendment proposed by Kevin Hern was not considered. Background: On 18 April, Democrats in the House of Representatives departed from the usual political norms in the US to rescue a foreign aid package, including aid for Ukraine, proposed by House Speaker Mike Johnson. The House Rules Committee voted to advance the package of four bills for consideration on the House floor. House Speaker Mike Johnson introduced the package on Wednesday. It envisages allocating around US$61 billion in aid to Ukraine and other allies. The final vote on the bill is expected to be held by the evening of Saturday, 20 April Support UP or become our patron! The US House of Representatives has voted in favour of the bill that would see the expansion of sanctions against Russia and allow Russian assets to be confiscated in favour of Ukraine. Source: European Pravda Details: A total of 360 congressmen voted in favour of the bill, with 58 voting against. As far as Ukraine is concerned, the bill provides for the possibility of confiscating Russian sovereign assets in favour of Ukraine. The US president is given power to confiscate Russian sovereign assets and subsequently transfer the money to two funds: the Compensation Fund and Ukraine Support Fund. The president may also coordinate a mechanism for transferring confiscated Russian assets to Ukraine with the Group of Seven (G7) states, the EU, Australia, and other US allies. The bill stipulates that no later than 90 days after its adoption, the US president must submit a report to the Congress, which shall include: every person and entity subject to EU and UK sanctions; every person and entity that meets the criteria for US sanctions under the Magnitsky Global Human Rights Accountability Act of 2016; Executive Order 14024 (sanctions related to certain harmful activities of the Russian government); Executive Order 14068 (prohibiting certain imports, exports, and new investments in connection with the ongoing Russian aggression); and Executive Order 14071 (prohibiting new investments and certain services to the Russian Federation in response to the ongoing Russian aggression). The president of the United States must impose sanctions against each person and entity identified in the above report as being subject to EU or UK sanctions and meeting the above US sanctions criteria. The Act contains several other sanctions provisions that do not apply to Ukraine and are intended to enhance the fight against the distribution of fentanyl, strengthen US sanctions policy, combat money laundering, enhance information security, and enhance the fight against crime and other domestic policy issues. The Rules Committee will set out the rules for reviewing the draft bill and vote on whether it will be released for debate. It is possible that US foreign aid bills and the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act will be combined for vote into one package. The House of Representatives is also set to consider four bills on foreign aid on Saturday, 20 April, including a bill on aid for Ukraine. Background: On 18 April, Democrats in the House of Representatives departed from the usual political norms in the USA to save a foreign aid package, including for Ukraine, proposed by House Speaker Mike Johnson. The House Rules Committee voted to advance a package of four bills for consideration on the House floor. House Speaker Mike Johnson introduced the package of bills, which includes support for Ukraine, on Wednesday. It envisages allocating around US$61 billion in aid to Ukraine and allies. The bills final vote is expected to occur by the evening of Saturday, 20 April. Support UP or become our patron! US House Speaker Johnson on aid package for Ukraine: Best possible product we can get under these circumstances US House Speaker Mike Johnson has said after a procedural vote on the bills on supplemental funding for Ukraine that they are the best possible option under the current circumstances. Source: US House Speaker Mike Johnson in a brief comment on Capitol Hill, European Pravda reports Johnson said that the Senate bill, which combined funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, was "effectively a blank check for foreign aid", and in this sense, breaking them into separate bills was "a better process". Quote: "Everyone can vote their will and their constituent's desires on Israel aid, the Ukrainian aid, the Indo-Pacific, and our fourth national security package that has all the innovations in it," he added. Speaking about the bills, the house speaker noted that they contain a law on using the assets of corrupt Russian oligarchs to finance aid to Ukraine, and that financial support for Kyiv is provided as a loan, not as a gift. "Even though it's not the perfect legislation, it's not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House, the Senate, and the White House, this is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances to take care of these really important obligations," Johnson concluded. Previously: On 19 April, the US House of Representatives held a procedural vote on four foreign aid bills, including one on Ukraine, which allows them to be brought to the floor of the House later. The House is expected to vote on the package of bills on Saturday, 20 April. On that day, members of the House will consider all the amendments that previously passed the procedural committee and then put each bill to a vote in turn. Support UP or become our patron! By Richard Cowan, Moira Warburton and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday with broad bipartisan support passed a $95 billion legislative package providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, over bitter objections from Republican hardliners. The legislation now proceeds to the Democratic-majority Senate, which passed a similar measure more than two months ago. U.S. leaders from Democratic President Joe Biden to top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell had been urging embattled Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring it up for a vote. The Senate is set to begin considering the House-passed bill on Tuesday, with some preliminary votes that afternoon. Final passage was expected sometime next week, which would clear the way for Biden to sign it into law. The bills provide $60.84 billion to address the conflict in Ukraine, including $23 billion to replenish U.S. weapons, stocks and facilities; $26 billion for Israel, including $9.1 billion for humanitarian needs, and $8.12 billion for the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed his thanks, saying U.S. lawmakers moved to keep "history on the right track." "The vital U.S. aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger," Zelenskiy said on X. The Biden administration is already finalizing its next assistance package for Ukraine so it can announce the new tranche of aid soon after the bill becomes law in order to meet Ukraines urgent battlefield needs, a White House official said. It was unclear how quickly the new military funding for Ukraine will be depleted, likely causing calls for further action by Congress. Biden, who had urged Congress since last year to approve the additional aid to Ukraine, said in a statement: "It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia." The vote on passage of the Ukraine funding was 311-112. Significantly, 112 Republicans opposed the legislation, with only 101 in support. "Mike Johnson is a lame duck ... he's done," far-right Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene told reporters afterward. She has been a leading opponent of helping Ukraine in its war against Russia and has taken steps that threaten to remove Johnson from office over this issue. Greene stopped short of doing so on Saturday, however. During the vote, several lawmakers waved small Ukrainian flags as it became clear that element of the package was headed to passage. Johnson warned lawmakers that was a "violation of decorum." Meanwhile, the House's actions during a rare Saturday session put on display some cracks in what generally is solid support for Israel within Congress. Recent months have seen progressive Democrats express anger with Israel's government and its conduct of the war in Gaza. Saturday's vote, in which the Israel aid was passed 366-58, had 37 Democrats and 21 Republicans in opposition. Passage of the long-awaited legislation was closely watched by U.S. defense contractors, who could be in line for huge contracts to supply equipment for Ukraine and other U.S. partners. Johnson this week chose to ignore ouster threats by hardline members of his fractious 218-213 majority and push forward the measure that includes Ukraine funding as it struggles to fight off a two-year Russian invasion. The unusual four-bill package also includes a measure that includes a threat to ban the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok and the potential transfer of seized Russian assets to Ukraine. Some hardline Republicans voicing strong opposition to further Ukraine aid argued the United States can ill afford it given its rising $34 trillion national debt. They have repeatedly raised the threat of ousting Johnson, who became speaker in October after his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, was ousted by party hardliners. "It's not the perfect legislation, it's not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House, the Senate, and the White House," Johnson told reporters on Friday. "This is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances to take care of these really important obligations." Representative Bob Good, chair of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, told reporters on Friday that the bills represent a "slide down into the abyss of greater fiscal crisis and America-last policies that reflect Biden and (Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck) Schumer and (House Democratic leader Hakeem) Jeffries, and don't reflect the American people." But Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who carries huge influence in the party, on April 12 voiced support for Johnson and in a Thursday social media post said Ukraine's survival is important for the U.S. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Moira Warburton and Andrea Shalal in Wilmington; Editing by Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis, Daniel Wallis and Michael Perry) FILE - A U.S. and Niger flag are raised side by side at the base camp for air forces and other personnel supporting the construction of Niger Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, April 16, 2018. The United States is attempting to create a new military agreement with Niger that would allow it to remain in the country, weeks after the junta said its presence was no longer justified, two Western officials told The Associated Press Friday April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Carley Petesch, File) DAKAR, Senegal (AP) The United States will begin plans to withdraw troops from Niger, U.S. officials said Saturday, in what experts say is a blow to Washington and its allies in the region in terms of staging security operations in the Sahel. The planned departure comes as U.S. officials said they were trying to find a new military agreement. The prime minister of Niger, appointed by the ruling military junta, Ali Lamine Zeine, and U.S. deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell, agreed on Friday that the two nations would begin to plan the withdrawal of American troops, the U.S. State Department told The Associated Press in an email Saturday. A U.S. official said there was no timeline for withdrawal besides talks set to start in the coming days about next steps. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to detail the private diplomatic discussions. An American delegation to coordinate the details of the withdrawal process will be dispatched soon. Niger plays a central role in the U.S. militarys operations in Africas Sahel region, an area on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Washington is concerned about the spread of jihadi violence, where local groups have pledged allegiance to al-Qaida and the Islamic State groups. Niger is home to a major U.S. air base, in the city of Agadez, about 920 kilometers (550 miles) from the capital, Niamey, using it for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations. The U.S. has also invested hundreds of millions of dollars in training Nigers military since it began operations there in 2013. But relations have frayed between Niger and Western countries since mutinous soldiers ousted the countrys democratically elected president in July. Nigers junta has since told French forces to leave and turned instead to Russia for security. Earlier this month, Russian military trainers arrived to reinforce the countrys air defenses and with Russian equipment to train Nigeriens to use. There was an attempt on the behalf of the U.S. to revise the military agreement with Niger that would allow them to stay, U.S. officials told the AP. But the agreement between Zeine and Campbell shows that the effort has failed. A separate senior U.S. State Department official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to speak about sensitive diplomatic talks, told the AP on Saturday that Niger's junta made a decision that they don't want any foreign forces in the country, including the U.S. and that the security partnership was ending for the time being. The junta told the U.S. that Russia's presence was to train Nigeriens on how to operate the equipment. The official said that the U.S. had valid concerns about some of the choices the junta was making, specifically about the potential for Russian and American troops to be colocated. The loss of access to air bases in Niger is a major setback for the U.S. and its allies in the region because of its strategic location for security operations in the Sahel, said Peter Pham, former U.S. special envoy for the Sahel region. In the short term, they will be hard to replace, said Pham, adding that remaining European Union military presence would likely pull out of Niger following the news of a U.S. departure. The rupture of relations between the two nations would impact the development and humanitarian aid funds destined for Niger, a country at the bottom of many indicators of well-being, Pham said. Insa Garba Saidou, a local activist who assists Nigers military rulers with their communications, told the AP that American troops could potentially return after negotiations and that the ruling Niger junta, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, wants to maintain a good working relationship with the U.S. The U.S should find a new mode of engagement that departs from the failed counterterrorism cooperation model of the past decade, and continues to press other states in the Sahel region on accountability and human rights abuses, said Hannah Rae Armstrong, a senior consultant on Sahel peace and security. The two officials said that Niger and the U.S would continue to work together on areas of shared interest. ___ Sam Mednick reported from Jerusalem. Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Sen. Tuberville thinks Social Security wastes taxpayer money. What's wrong and what it might take to fix it Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama has a reputation as a controversial political figure. In particular, his trading practices on the stock market have raised eyebrows especially given the power and influence his position affords him. More recently, he took a number of jabs at the nation's crumbling Social Security system from the taxing of benefits to its dwindling funding. Don't miss Commercial real estate has beaten the stock market for 25 years but only the super rich could buy in. Here's how even ordinary investors can become the landlord of Walmart, Whole Foods or Kroger Cost-of-living in America is still out of control use these 3 'real assets' to protect your wealth today, no matter what the US Fed does or says These 5 magic money moves will boost you up America's net worth ladder in 2024 and you can complete each step within minutes. Here's how Tuberville made this fearless, blustery forecast during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing in February: "There's going to be about 150 million people coming up here saying, 'Where's our damn money that we paid in? I could have put my Social Security money, 40 years in tax, in [stock] the market and probably be worth $8-to-$10 million today but the federal government wasted it.'" His remarks may be full of hyperbole. Its hard to imagine most Americans making $8 million in the stock market with the same amount paid into Social Security, for example. But hes got a point to make. Social Security is in deep financial trouble. How Social Security reached the breaking point With the Social Security tangle, its easy to point the finger at federal waste and mismanagement. But the heart of the matter cant fit on a politicians bumper sticker. In fact, the problems stretch back decades. One major issue involves life expectancy. When the Social Security Act of 1935 was passed, the average expectancy in America was 59.9 years for men and 63.9 years for women, per the University of California, Berkeley. Fast forward almost 90 years and people are living longer: 73.5 and 79.3 years for men and women, respectively, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats more than 20% longer for both sexes, which could not have been predicted when the program was designed. Another involves rising costs. Even after Congress overhauled the coverage, financing and benefits structure in 1983, the reserves that fund the program are expected to fall short as early as 2034. Taxpayers will continue to pay into the system, but at that point Social Security benefits may not be paid in full. Story continues So, when Tuberville envisions a senior stampede on Washington, he may not be far off. 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 The third rail of American politics Speaking of the nations capital, you may wonder why lawmakers have failed to act, knowing that the Social Security clock is ticking but still has roughly a dozen years left on it. The answer is complicated. For more than 40 years, Social Security has been called the third rail of American politics. Thats because any efforts to fix it threaten to cause so much wrangling and outcry among voters that its perceived as safer just to kick the funding can down the road. Raising taxes could provide a quick and perhaps permanent fix. But aside from conservative lawmakers opposing this, so, too, do seniors as the very thing that could save the program may well impact their wallets. Senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Andrew G. Biggs, has called it a game of chicken. And while the need for Congress members to roll up their sleeves might seem like an imperative, these days thats more a sign of political fisticuffs than no-nonsense problem-solving. Arguably, Congress has never been more divided and dysfunctional. This election year has already seen a number of bills stalled and close calls in terms of government shutting down. No wonder Tuberville posted to X (formerly known as Twitter) on April 18: Washington, DC is nothing but organized grabass. What to read next Jeff Bezos and Oprah Winfrey invest in this asset to keep their wealth safe you may want to do the same in 2024 'It's not taxed at all': Warren Buffett shares the 'best investment' you can make when battling rising costs take advantage today Car insurance premiums in America are through the roof and only getting worse. But 5 minutes could have you paying as little as $29/month This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, speaks during a press conference at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting. Britta Pedersen/dpa US Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to travel to Shanghai and Beijing next week in an attempt to ease tensions and stabilize relations between the United States and China, which have been strained for months. The talks, which are to take place from Wednesday to Friday, are aimed at "strengthening lines of communication [and reducing] the risk of miscalculation and conflict," a senior US State Department official in Washington said. "[Blinken] will raise clearly and candidly our concerns on issues ranging from human rights, unfair economic and trade practices to the global economic consequences of [China's] industrial over capacity ... our deep concerns regarding [China's] support for Russia's defence industrial base," the official said. The signs between the US and China are pointing towards detente, he said. In November, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in California after a year of complete radio silence. This was followed by talks between members of both governments at the highest level. Earlier this month, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen travelled to China to meet with representatives of US companies and the Chinese government. The official said that the US and China are in a much different situation than a year ago, when bilateral relations were at an all-time low. Speaker Mike Johnson talks to reporters after the House voted to approve the aid to Ukraine - J. Scott Applewhite/AP US weapons could be sent to Ukraine within days, after the House of Representatives voted to approve more than $60 billion (48.5 billion) in military aid. Kyivs army has resorted to increasingly desperate measures amid dwindling supplies of key missiles and relentless Russian bombardment that has translated into frontline advances. Some troops have had to rely on civil society donations of items like drones or have started using decoy air defence systems to draw away enemy fire. The Pentagon has already moved stockpiles of the most-needed arms closer to Ukraines borders in anticipation of the bill passing so that they could be sent to Kyiv at short notice. Joe Bidens supplemental bill on foreign aid funding has been held up for months in Congress amid opposition from Republicans. Joe Biden's "supplemental" bill on foreign aid funding has been held up for months - Alex Brandon/AP On Saturday night the House voted to approve the package, sending it on to the Senate, where it is expected to pass early this week. Chuck Shumer, the Democrat majority leader in the Senate, has suggested it could be approved as early as Tuesday. Mr Biden has said he will sign the bill as soon as it reaches his desk. The aid package replenishes a Pentagon budget that can be accessed by Mr Biden through the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), a power used for foreign aid purchases. It allows the White House to send existing US military stockpiles to another country. More than $40 billion worth of equipment has been sent to Ukraine using this method since the start of the war in February 2022. Maj Gen Pat Ryder, the Pentagons press secretary, said this week that the US had already moved weapons closer to Ukraine in the hope the bill would pass, allowing them to be moved more quickly. We have a very robust logistics network that enables us to move material very quickly, he said. We can move within days. The main aid requests from Ukraine to other allies in recent months have been for air defence missiles to protect the countrys cities from Russian attacks, and shells to use on the front lines in the East. Ukraine's front line has been feeling the strain - ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP The next package is likely to include ATACMS missiles, which have already been sent in limited quantities to the front line, and Patriot missiles for Ukraines air defence systems. The most recent round of aid, which was drawn from savings in the existing Pentagon budget, included munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). The US stores some 155 million howitzer rounds in Europe, and could send them to Ukraine within days. The global supply of rounds began to fall in recent months after the US budget for Ukraine aid dwindled and European manufacturers were unable to keep up with demand. William Burns, the director of the CIA, has said that without speedy assistance from the US, Ukraine could lose the war against Russia this year. Despite initial plans for a spring offensive this year, Ukraine has resorted to defending its existing front lines against Russian troops, without the weapons or personnel to launch a new push into Crimea. The military draft in Ukraine was this week lowered to include men aged over 25, from its previous level of 27. As the war in Ukraine has progressed, the US has agreed to send increasingly expensive military systems to Kyiv, including the Abrams tank. An Abrams tank, which have been provided by the US, in Ukraine - X Russia has also stepped up its defence procurement since February 2022, and has received drones from Iran and missile technology from China, according to US officials. The Pentagon hopes that the package approved in the House on Saturday will be enough to meet Americas defence commitments to Ukraine until the presidential election, which will be held in November. Republican efforts to stall the aid ramped up in recent months amid pressure from Donald Trump, the GOPs nominee, who has opposed further spending and promised to end the war in one day if he wins the election. Despite Mr Zelenskys requests for advanced fighter jets from the US, planes are unlikely to be approved from the US. Last year, Mr Biden approved some F-16 fighter jets to be sent to Ukraine from Denmark, under a rule that allows the US government to determine which countries can use planes that American manufacturers have produced. The Pentagon has also agreed to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the planes, including at the Morris Air Force Base in Arizona. 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. US to start supplying Ukraine with armament "right away" after Congress' decision White House The White House expects that the supply of American military aid will start "right away" after the supplementary funding is adopted by the US Congress. Source: Karine Jean-Pierre, spokesperson of the White House, at the briefing on 19 April, as reported by European Pravda Details: Asked how quickly the US will begin supplying Ukraine with new military aid after the decision of the Congress, Jean-Pierre replied: "Right away". She added that Joe Bidens administration has many times stressed the necessity of a quick decision by the lawmakers. "Weve been saying, they have been losing ground because of Congress inaction. But we are very grateful to see that the House is moving in a bipartisan way. We want (the aid package ed.) to get that out of the House, out of the Senate, to the desk of the president and he will sign it right away," she added. Jean-Pierre noted that Putins goal in Ukraine is to "take over their sovereign territory". "And we cannot allow that. We know what happens when you do not stop a tyrant, when you do not stop a dictator, and we cannot have that history repeat itself," Jean-Pierre summed up. Background: On 19 April, the US House of Representatives held a procedural vote for four bills on foreign aid, including that for Ukraine, which will then be submitted for consideration of the House. The voting is to be held on Saturday, 20 April. On this day the members of the House will consider all the amendments which underwent the procedural committee earlier, and will then submit each bill for voting one by one. The democratic majority in the Senate promises not to postpone the adoption of the aid packages. Support UP or become our patron! US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with Nigers Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine on Friday and they agreed after Nigers demands that the US would militarily withdraw from the country, according to a State Department official. In the coming days, there will be conversations over the timeline for the withdrawal with the Department of Defense, the official said. The major drawdown will significantly impact the US troop presence on the continent of Africa, and the move comes amid serious US concerns about the countrys deepening relationships with Russia and Iran. The New York Times first reported on the expected withdrawal. Campbells meeting with Zeine was their second this week, while he was in Washington, DC, for the World Banks spring meetings. We can confirm the beginning of discussions between the US and Niger for the orderly withdrawal of US forces from the country, a defense official told CNN. The DoD is providing a small delegation from the Pentagon and U.S. Africa Command to participate in the discussions. In terms of departure timing, we do not want to speculate and get ahead of the planning discussions, the official added. Just last month, Niger said it was revoking its military cooperation deal with the US, and these conversations followed what have been contentious interactions between officials from the two countries in recent months. Last summer the US troops stationed in Niger became inactive after a military coup that pushed out the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, and installed the military junta. Throughout the conversation with Campbell this week, Zeine stressed a desire for partnership with the US to continue and made an effort to differentiate this situation from that of the French, the State Department official said. Still, it appears that both countries will be militarily forced out of the country within a year of one another. The US will maintain a diplomatic presence in the country, the official said. Earlier this week 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. And US forces on the continent faced another blow last week when 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, officials told CNN that it said all US forces would have to leave a French base in NDjamena. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Natasha Bertrand contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com USC has called off appearances at its commencement by director Jon M. Chu and others after its decision to cancel the valedictorian's speech over security concerns. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) USC called off an appearance from director Jon M. Chu and other commencement honorees in the wake of growing controversy over its decision to cancel valedictorian Asna Tabassum's graduation speech amid security concerns, the university announced Friday. In a letter posted on its website, the university wrote that "given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program," it made the decision to "release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this years ceremony." "Weve been talking to this exceptional group and hope to confer these honorary degrees at a future commencement or other academic ceremonies," the unsigned letter said. Read more: USC valedictorians grad speech is canceled: The university has betrayed me In March, the university announced that Chu, a USC alumnus and director of "Crazy Rich Asians," would deliver the May 10 commencement speech at its main ceremony, which draws over 65,000 attendees. Along with Chu, tennis legend Billie Jean King, National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson and National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt were set to receive honorary degrees. King will still be the keynote speaker for the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism's satellite ceremony. The university cited unspecified security threats in canceling the traditional valedictorian speech by Tabassum after pro-Israel groups launched a campaign against her because she posted a link on Instagram to a pro-Palestinian website criticizing Israel. The link contained content the groups considered antisemitic. But in Friday's round of cancellations, USC did not indicate there was any safety issue. Instead, it said it wanted to "keep the focus on our graduates." There did not appear to be wide backlash against Chu, King or others. USC declined to offer an interview about the unraveling commencement with President Carol Folt, who a representative earlier this week said had the "final decision" on the Tabassum cancellation and security matters. Erroll Southers, the university's associate senior vice president of safety and risk assurance, also declined to comment Friday. Representatives for Chu and King did not respond to requests for comment. Jackson did not reply to a phone call and text message. McNutt did not reply to an email. On Friday afternoon, graduating seniors posed for photos in their caps and gowns by the Tommy Trojan statue in the center of campus as other students walked about. Many said they were surprised and confused by the news. Franco Gutierrez, a USC junior, called the move "awful" and "heartbreaking." "I didn't think that is how they'd respond to the protest," Gutierrez said. "It's ridiculous," said a recent graduate who did not give her name as she walked on campus with enrolled students. Christina Dunbar-Hester, a professor of communication, said in an email that "administrators have already embarrassed USC considerably and they owe Asna and the entire campus community an apology." "Many including myself are hoping to hear a fuller explication (including details about security concerns) and a path forward from our President, Carol Folt," said Dunbar-Hester, who is the acting president of the American Assn. of University Professors USC chapter. Friday's move capped a week of intense debate over USC's cancellation of Tabassum's speech that included a campus protest that hundreds attended Thursday and criticism of USC by civil rights groups and politicians, including Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. The saga began Monday, when USC Provost Andrew T. Guzman released a campus-wide letter citing unnamed threats that poured in shortly after the university announced Tabassum as valedictorian and scheduled speaker. Guzman said attacks against the student had reached an alarming tenor and "escalated to the point of creating substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement. The complaints focused on a link on Tabassum's Instagram profile to a pro-Palestinian website that said, "Zionism is a racist settler-colonialist ideology, and 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. Guzman did not indicate what the threats were or against whom they were directed. A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department, Capt. Kelly Muniz, told The Times the agency had no crime reports regarding violent threats targeting Tabassum or the commencement ceremony. Speaking to The Times on Tuesday, Tabassum defended herself and said she is not antisemitic. She said she supports the pro-Palestinian cause that has grown at college campuses since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which the Israeli government says killed 1,200 people and took about 240 hostages, before Israels retaliatory war in the Gaza Strip. Gaza health authorities say the war has killed about 34,000 Palestinians. According to the United Nations, 2 million Gazans are in near-famine conditions. Read more: Did USC set 'very bad precedent' by canceling valedictorian speech over safety threats? "The university has betrayed me and caved in to a campaign of hatred, Tabassum said. On Friday, Tabassum who still plans to attend graduation declined to comment on the additional cancellations. Times staff writer Matt Hamilton 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. The University of Southern California announced its calling off appearances by prominent speakers and honorees at its graduation ceremony next month, days after the institution canceled the commencement speech of its Muslim valedictorian Asna Tabassum due to what it called security concerns. USC said its decision to bar outside speakers from its 2024 commencement on May 10 is to keep the focus on our graduates, according to a statement posted on the universitys website Friday. Given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program, university leadership has decided it is best to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this years ceremony, USC said in the statement. It is important that our full attention be on our remarkable graduates. The university had planned to offer honorary degrees to filmmaker and alumnus Jon M. Chu, director of Crazy Rich Asians, alumna Maria Rosario Jackson, tennis legend Billie Jean King and geophysicist Marcia McNutt, according to an April 12 post on USCs website. Weve been talking to this exceptional group and hope to confer these honorary degrees at a future commencement or other academic ceremonies, the university said Friday. CNN reached out to USC for further information on the cancellations and was referred to the commencement update on the universitys website. The move to cancel the speakers attendance comes just days after the university denied Tabassum its 2024 valedictorian the chance to deliver her commencement speech. It also comes a day after hundreds of demonstrators congregated on campus to protest the cancellation of the speech, with many chanting, Let her speak during the rally, CNN affiliate KABC reported. USC students participate in a march in support of Asna Tabassum, whose graduation speech has been cancelled by USC. - Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images In announcing the decision to cancel Tabassums speech, the university said Monday that it must prioritize the safety of our community. Over the past several days, discussion relating to the selection of our valedictorian has taken on an alarming tenor, USC Provost Andrew Guzman said in an online campus-wide letter dated April 15. 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. Lauren Bartlett, the universitys associate vice president for strategic and crisis communications, earlier this week declined to say what security concerns prompted the schools decision. In the interest of safety and security, we dont disclose specific threats around the assessment, Bartlett said. As tensions in the Middle East rage on, Israels war on Hamas in Gaza has yielded a dire humanitarian crisis while stoking angst across the world as supporters of Israel and Palestinians advocate online and in the streets, many in support of a ceasefire. USC student advocacy group Trojans for Israel accused Tabassum of sharing a link in the bio of her Instagram page that calls Zionism a racist settler-colonial ideology and advocates for the complete abolishment of Israel, it wrote in a social media post. Tabassum a first-generation South Asian American Muslim who studied biomedical engineering with a minor in resistance to genocide and an interest in global health care equity said she posted the link three years ago as part of her commitment to stand up for human rights. She said the link details whats happening in Palestine, and how to help. My goal when putting this link in my bio is to inform and in the spirit of academic discourse. I think people need to be informed, people ultimately can make their own decisions, she told CNN. I dont think, for example, my minor in resistance to genocide, or this link, should actually be looked in the confines or in the vacuum of the events after October 7th, Tabassum said. This is something that I have always stood for. And this is something that USC has taught me to stand for in terms of human rights. CNNs Alisha Ebrahimji contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com (Bloomberg) -- The University of Southern California scrapped all outside speakers from its upcoming commencement ceremonies, following backlash over an earlier decision to cancel a speech by the Class of 2024s valedictorian. Most Read from Bloomberg The announcement Friday afternoon came as protests escalated at the schools campus in Los Angeles after school officials canceled an address by the student, Asna Tabassum, following complaints by a pro-Israel group that she had engaged in antisemitism in social media posts. Given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program, university leadership has decided it is best to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this years ceremony, the university said in a statement Friday. Its important that our full attention be on our remarkable graduates. On Monday, USC officials cited safety considerations in canceling Tabassums planned address. They denied that the decision was related to concerns over her social media posts criticizing Israel and supporting Palestinians. Tabassum, who is Muslim and of South Asian heritage, accused the university of abandoning her in a statement posted on the website of the Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic relations. Read More: USC Bars Pro-Palestinian Valedictorian Speech, Citing Safety A petition to reinstate Tabassum garnered 38,000 signatures, according to the student newspaper, the Daily Trojan, and hundreds of students attended campus protests over the decision. The keynote speaker at the May 10 ceremony in LA was to have been director Jon M. Chu, an alumnus whose film credits include Crazy Rich Asians. On Friday evening, Chus photo had been removed from the commencement website, and replaced with video of students in USCs red and gold academic regalia. The controversy at USC comes as part of a wave of unrest at US college campuses over the Israel-Hamas war and the limits of free speech. More than 100 students were arrested Thursday at Columbia University after school officials called in New York City police to clear a campus demonstration. Columbias president testified on Wednesday during a hearing by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce about antisemitism on college campuses. In December, the presidents of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania resigned after testifying before the committee and failing to condemn without reservation antisemitic speech on campus. Read More: Berkeley Professor Rattled by Antisemitism, Protest at His Home Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Following days of protest over the University of Southern Californias decision to ban Muslim valedictorian Asna Tabassum from the schools May 10 commencement, the school took the additional step Friday of canceling outside graduation speakers. Their featured speaker was set to be Wicked and Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu. A memo shared on by USC noted, to keep the focus on our graduates, we are redesigning the commencement program. Given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program, university leadership has decided it is best to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this years ceremony. 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, including speculation from those opposed to Tabassum, who is also pro-Palestine, that her speech would be antisemitic. Guzman added that the input of many voices outside of USC about the issue were creating substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement. By Wednesday, a petition by the Los Angeles office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) to reverse USCs decision to cancel the valedictorians graduation speech had been signed by more than 41,000 people. CAIR-LA executive director Hussam Ayloush called USCs decision cowardly and said, 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. Fridays statement also said that, while the university was canceling plans to bestow honorary degrees at commencement this year, it hope[s] to confer these honorary degrees at a future commencement or other academic ceremonies. The university stressed, It is important that our full attention be on our remarkable graduates. We will be celebrating their accomplishments in a way that reflects the unity we love so much about our Trojan Family. Despite the note about the memos mention of releas[ing] outside speakers, it also notes that the ceremony will include other internal and external speakers and performers. Additional announcements about commencement are planned for next week. The post USC Cancels Jon M. Chus Commencement Speech Following Protests Over Banned Valedictorian appeared first on TheWrap. Drew Angerer/Getty Images US stocks edged lower on Friday as investors assessed Israel's strike against Iran. The missile strike was limited and is seen as symbolic and could serve as an off-ramp to avoid further conflict. Oil prices spiked more than 3% in wake of the attack, but has since erased all of those gains. US stocks moved slightly lower on Friday as investors assess Israel's direct strike against Iran. The reported missile strike, which targeted key military sites in Isfahan, was largely seen as symbolic and could serve as an off-ramp to avoid further conflict. "Similar to the situation heading into last weekend the response seemed well telegraphed and left minimal damage and casualties. Press is suggesting that the tit-for-tat response was designed to de-escalate the situation and commentary from Iranian sources have suggested there is no immediate plan for retaliation," NYSE market strategist Michael Reinking said. Oil prices surged overnight following news of the strike, with WTI Crude Oil surging more than 3%, but it has since erased those gains and has moved lower. Investors continue to digest US earnings results, with Netflix the latest megacap to report its first-quarter results. So far, of the 13% of S&P 500 companies that have reported earnings results, 77% of them have beat profit estimates by a median of 7%, while 55% beat revenue estimates by a median of 3%, according to data from Fundstrat. Here's where US indexes stood shortly after the 9:30 a.m. opening bell on Friday: Here's what else is going on today: In commodities, bonds, and crypto: West Texas Intermediate crude oil dropped 0.74% to $81.49 a barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 0.77% to $86.44 a barrel. Gold edged lower by 0.29% to $2,391.10 per ounce. The 10-year Treasury yield fell 2 basis points to 4.60%. Bitcoin edged higher by 1.81% to $64,663. Read the original article on Business Insider (KRON) The Vallejo Police Department announced the arrest of a burglary and rape suspect on Friday. Vallejo PD was alerted of a burglary that occurred in the 500 block of Georgia Street around 7:48 a.m. on March 31. Police said the victim, who was on the scene, was restrained and sexually assaulted by an unknown man. 4 arrested on suspicion of DUI at Concord checkpoint The Vallejo Police Department detectives identified Jashawn Germany as a lead suspect in this case with the assistance of the community. Germany was taken into custody at Solano County Jail on an unrelated parole warrant on April 4. Germany was identified as the perpetrator of the listed burglary and sexual assault after further investigation. Additional charges of kidnapping and rape were placed on Germany on April 19. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Detective Bradley Phillips at (707) 648-4514 or Detective Jarrett Tonn at (707) 648-5427. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. ITHACA, N.Y. (WETM) A Van Etten man was arrested after authorities say he crashed into a Tompkins County Sheriffs Office vehicle while deputies were investigating the man for trespassing. Gregory D. Edwards, 26, was arrested on multiple charges on Thursday night. According to the Tompkins County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to the 700 block of Five Mile Drive in the Town of Ithaca at about 7:43 p.m. on April 18 for a call about Edwards trespassing. Someone at the scene reportedly had an order of protection against Edwards. Thats what you did, you murdered our kids, Tioga Downs horse barn arsonist sentenced to 15 years in prison After arriving at the scene, deputies pulled behind a parked Ford F150 pickup truck, which was running, in a parking lot to prevent the truck from leaving. When the deputies got out of their vehicle to talk to the driver, the trucks brake lights lit up. According to the sheriffs office, the deputies got back in their vehicle, the truck revved its engine, and it accelerated in reverse. The truck hit the marked patrol vehicle and backed onto its hood. The patrol vehicle reversed, causing the truck to slide off the hood. Authorities say that Edwards, who was driving the truck, got out of the truck and threatened the deputies. Edwards was arrested after deputies deescalated the situation. Edwards was charged with third-degree criminal mischief (a class E felony), second-degree reckless endangerment (a class A misdemeanor), and second-degree criminal trespass (a class A misdemeanor). Edwards was processed and taken to the Tompkins County Jail to await arraignment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Vehicle towing van with 100gal of liquid nitrogen crashes in Kewaskum, no injuries KEWASKUM, Wis. (WFRV) A single-vehicle crash in Washington County closed Highland Drive for nearly four hours on Friday. According to the Washington County Sheriffs Office, on April 19, shortly after 8:15 a.m., deputies responded to a one-vehicle crash on Highland Drive in the town of Kewaskum. Authorities in Wisconsin searching for missing 16-year-old boy Callers informed communication officers that the involved vehicle was pulling a trailer loaded with two additional vehicles. The towed vehicles had come off the overturned trailer and were upside down and smoking in the ditch. The operator of the vehicle, who was uninjured, remained on the scene. Upon arrival, deputies and Kewaskum firefighters found one of the upside-down towed vehicles was smoking. Upon further inspection, a pressurized tank of liquid nitrogen was in the rear of the van. Officials believe the tank was carrying around 100 gallons of liquid nitrogen. Based on the information, the Washington County Hazmat Team was called and found the tank was off-gassing as designed. The off-gassing eliminated built-up pressure inside the tank, keeping it from rupturing. Once the vehicle was flipped over, the tank was removed, and officials said there was no public safety concern because of the liquid nitrogen. The crash investigation found that the involved vehicle was traveling north on Highland Drive between County Highway H and State Highway 28. The operator alleges that a southbound vehicle was operating near the center of the roadway, resulting in him moving slightly to the edge of the road. This caused his trailer tires to enter the steep, declining ditch and disconnect from the truck. However, authorities say there is no evidence to support the southbound vehicle being present or, if present, violating any road rules. The operator chose Highland Drive rather than remaining on the designated detour route due to area construction in the village of Kewaskum. Highland Drive is not a roadway on which a vehicle of this type should be operating. As a reminder, the Washington County Sheriffs Office says vehicle operators should follow detour routes. These routes are chosen with public safety and roadway capacity in mind. Green Bay Police Department co-hosting three locations for Drug Take Back Day To facilitate scene clean up, Highland Drive was closed to traffic for approximately 3 hours. The Wisconsin State Patrol also assisted with inspecting the involved vehicle. No additional details were provided. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelas opposition coalesced around a tentative candidate for the upcoming vote, a display of unity that could pose a threat to President Nicolas Maduros re-election. Most Read from Bloomberg Governor Manuel Rosales will withdraw his name from the July 28 ballot and back the oppositions chosen candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, according to Omar Barboza, president of the 10-party opposition coalition known as the Unitary Platform. Gonzalez, a little-known former ambassador, now will be thrust into a head-to-head race against Maduro, whos seeking his third term amid a wave of repression against opposition figures. Text in English of X post from VPItv, citing Barboza: It will be a victorious campaign. Edmundo Gonzalez is registered, and first thing tomorrow the parties will back him. This is great news for Venezuelan democracy. We are united. The surprise unanimous decision by the Venezuelan opposition comes two days after the US administration reimposed oil and gas sanctions on the country, citing broken promises by Maduro to hold free and fair elections. The Venezuelan government said it was the US who breached a political agreement signed in September in Doha. Yet Maduro hasnt closed the door to continue talks with US President Joe Bidens administration or the countrys opposition. Accepting his adversaries pick as an authorized candidate could be a step toward fairer elections. It could also hurt his chances at a legitimate victory, which was almost assured by a split opposition. Maduro has 27.7% voting intention among the 13 candidates enrolled in the race, according to an April poll by Caracas-based firm More Consulting. Rosales followed Maduro with 15.9% voting intention, and Gonzalez was fourth with 6.9%. In addition to Rosales, the unified opposition gives Gonzalez another key endorsement: Maria Corina Machado, a candidate who won the opposition primaries in October but was banned from running in the election over allegations she sought to undermine the regime. Polls had shown she would trounce Maduro if allowed to run, and any candidate supported by her has a voting intention of more than 45%, according to the More survey. Opposition leaders such as Henrique Capriles and Juan Guaido expressed their support for Gonzalez. Total support for our friend Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia! A gigantic challenge lies ahead, Capriles said in a post on X. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Ventura City Atty. Andy Heglund (City of Ventura) In a special meeting of the Ventura City Council nearly a week ago, the council voted unanimously to oust its city attorney. Ventura Mayor Joe Schroeder said in a statement that the firing of Andrew Heglund was due to a personal matter. But now it appears that the low-profile firing was in response to a police investigation into an indecent exposure incident at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in the city that involved Heglund, according to authorities, his attorney and local media reports. Authorities have been tight-lipped about providing details in the case. Capt. Dean Worthy, spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, told The Times that the investigation, initially started by the Ventura Police Department, was being handled by the sheriff's sexual assault unit with the major crimes bureau and that it involved Heglund. Read more: Councilman caught peeing on door outside a bar resigns Ron S. Bamieh, attorney for Heglund, said there is an investigation but no pending criminal charges. Were optimistic that the investigation will bear out that Mr. Heglund did not commit any criminal acts, he said. Theres much exaggeration over some people who got upset at a Chick-fil-A. Responding by email to questions by The Times, Ventura Police Chief Darin Schindler said the incident occurred at 1:30 p.m. on April 10, when police officers responded to a call at the restaurant at 1321 Eastman Ave. "Upon arrival, officers interviewed witnesses and gathered information regarding the incident," Schindler wrote. "Ultimately, due to conflict of interest, this case was referred to" the Sheriff's Department, he wrote. The email provided no more details about the case. Heglund, who was a deputy city attorney in Bakersfield for eight years before joining the Ventura city attorneys office in July 2019, was appointed city attorney in 2022 after the retirement of his predecessor, according to city records. Read more: Body of unidentified man washes ashore on Ventura County beach Bamieh said his client is a respected member of the community and was a highly valued city attorney that the city recruited. He said the city's decision to fire him was based on panic and not logical reasoning. I dont think thats appropriate, he said, but thats for a different day to be argued about. 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. Retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman said the U.S. passing new aid for Ukraine in its fight against Russia would give the Eastern European country a big boost of morale in Friday comments. I think the U.S. coming through with aid is going to be critical, Vindman said in an interview with MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell Friday. That is gonna be a big boost of morale, and also depress Russias morale. On Friday, the House advanced legislation to send aid to Ukraine alongside other U.S. allies. The lower chamber went in favor of the foreign aid rule in a 316-94 vote, allowing for debate on four bills that put together military aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, alongside humanitarian aid for Gaza and other war zones. Finally, we hear [House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)] over the past couple days, issue a very powerful statement that hes going to supportthe Ukraine aid, Vindman said in his MSNBC interview. That is critically important, because we dont wanna see our troops fighting on the ground in Ukraine. Johnson unveiled the text Wednesday for foreign aid bills to give assistance to Ukraine, Israel and allies in the Indo-Pacific, alongside humanitarian aid for Gaza and other global hot spots. The Speaker has said he was looking at a Saturday evening vote on the legislation. 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 on 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, he wrote in a text message to lawmakers prior to the legislation being publicly unveiled. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Triangle Innovation Point megasite in southeastern Chatham County is one of two North Carolina locations the South Korean carmaker Hyundai considered in the winter of 2022 for a future electric vehicle factory. In the latest development surrounding its promised multibillion-dollar electric vehicle plant in Chatham County, the Vietnamese carmaker VinFast on Wednesday submitted revised designs for the plants general assembly building, which county officials must now approve before construction can commence. The newest designs are for a general assembly structure spanning 810,100 square feet, Chatham County spokesperson Kara Lusk said in an email Friday. In July, the county had granted VinFast a foundation permit to begin building a 995,000-square-foot assembly area at the site near the unincorporated town of Moncure. But in December, the company informed Chatham officials it wished to erect an assembly building with a different layout and a smaller footprint of 782,255 square feet. County officials posted comments on VinFasts revised design that month and then waited until this week for VinFast to respond. In that time, no building construction occurred at the site, which sits about 30 miles southwest of downtown Raleigh. On the morning of April 17, The News & Observer reported on this permitting holdup, and drone footage from the newspaper showed no significant vertical construction had occurred in the nine months since VinFast hosted state and local leaders for a groundbreaking ceremony in July. VinFast sent Chatham officials its revised assembly plant designs at 5:01 p.m. Wednesday, about 12 hours after the N&O story was published. To meet the main technology contractors design requirements more precisely, we are adjusting the dimensions of the General Assembly workshop, said Van Anh Nguyen, the CEO of VinFast US Manufacturing, in an email Friday. By doing so, we can optimize the construction and operational costs of the factory once operational. Addressing why it took several months for VinFast to respond to the countys design comments, Nguyen said, We require significant time to collaborate with the design team and the technology contractor to finalize the technical design of the workshops. The construction of the workshops must adhere to the equipment/technology contractors procedures. No work on building structures can take place until the permit is received. We anticipate receiving it within the next few weeks, Nguyen said. VinFast has proposed building eight several structures at the Moncure site, for a total of almost 3 million square feet. The Chicago-based developer Clayco is leading the project. Chatham County is reviewing plans for an 850,000-square-foot body shop, and VinFast has received permits for retaining walls, which Lusk said are under construction. VinFast announced the project in March 2022 after North Carolina and Chatham County offered combined incentives of $1.25 billion. That included more than $300 million in payroll tax benefits if the company meets hiring and investment targets. Under its state job development investment grant, VinFast pledged to create at least 1,997 jobs by the end of this year. That seems unlikely to happen as the company has postponed the plants opening. During an investors call Wednesday, VinFast executives reaffirmed their intention to open the Moncure plant by the end of 2025. But Nguyen was less committal about a specific timeline Friday, saying, We will provide construction progress updates as soon as the necessary procedures are completed. The plant would be the first major car assembly facility in North Carolina. VinFast pledged to hire 7,500 workers at the factory, which the company initially projected would open in 2024. The North Carolina Department of Commerce has a purchase option agreement with VinFast the state can buy all or parts of the companys 1,765-acre site should the automaker miss hiring and construction deadlines. The schedule, shared with The News & Observer, includes a deadline for operations to begin by July 1, 2026. Construction paused at VinFasts NC site as carmaker seeks a smaller footprint VinFast shareholders file federal lawsuit against NC-bound carmaker. Heres the claim What happens to VinFasts site and incentive money should the carmaker fall short in NC? The most powerful businesswoman in America and two women of color who have each won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards for their work in the entertainment industry are among the speakers and honorary degree recipients at colleges and universities in Rhode Island at graduation ceremonies planned for this spring. Legendary entertainers Viola Davis and Rita Moreno will be joined by business leaders and authors on the graduation stages of Rhode Island beginning next month. Here's who came in 2023: When are college graduations and who is speaking? Here's a brief look at who's coming: William Shatner, famed for playing Captain Kirk on Star Trek, spoke to graduates of the New England Institute of Technology in 2018. This year, actors Viola Davis and Rita Moreno will join the list of Hollywood stars to give college commencement addresses in Rhode Island. New England Institute of Technology Speaker: Rita Moreno From her breakout role as Anita in the 1961 movie version of "West Side Story" to the 2023 film "80 for Brady" the 92-year-old actress has literally done it all, becoming the only Latina to win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards for her work. Honorary doctorate: Kevin Graney President of General Dynamics Electric Boat, overseeing a once-in-a-generation expansion of the Rhode Island and Connecticut company that builds nuclear submarines for the Navy. New England Tech's commencement is May 5. More: RI based submarine training program marks major milestone as Navy notes anniversary Rhode Island College RIC's speaker and honorary degree recipient information was not immediately available. RIC's undergraduate commencement is May 11. The graduation ceremony is May 9. Roger Williams University Speaker: Shabana Basij-Rasikh Afghan women's rights leader; founder of the School of Leadership Afghanistan, the world's first and only remaining boarding school dedicated to educating Afghan girls; coordinated escape for her students after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan left the Taliban in power in 2021. Honorary degree: Elizabeth Moore Conservationist, philanthropist, past president of the TREE Foundation. Honorary degree: Arlene Violet Former Rhode Island Attorney General, first woman to hold an attorney general post in the United States. Law school speaker: Anita Earls North Carolina Supreme Court, associate justice; civil rights lawyer; former executive director, Southern Coalition for Social Justice. The Roger Williams commencement is May 17. University of Rhode Island Honorary doctorate: Viola Davis A graduate of Central Falls High School, Rhode Island College and the Juilliard School, she has won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards for her work, and is a New York Times bestselling author. URI's commencement includes eight ceremonies over three days, May 17 to May 19. Honorary degrees will be May 18. Patinkin: Viola Davis' Rhode Island sister Deloris Grant is a role model in her own right Bryant University Undergraduate speaker: Karen S. Lynch President and CEO of CVS Health, has been honored as the most powerful businesswoman in America for leading the largest U.S. corporation run by a woman. Graduate speaker: Edmund (Ted) Shallcross III President and CEO of Amica Mutual Insurance Company. Bryant's undergraduate commencement is May 18. The graduate ceremony is May 16. Salve Regina University Speaker: Susan Eisenhower Author, scholar and policy analyst, wrote the book "How Ike Led: The Principles Behind Eisenhowers Biggest Decisions," about her grandfather President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Salve's commencement is May 19. Providence College Commencement speaker: Arthur Brooks A Harvard professor who is known for writing the column in The Atlantic "How to Build a Life" and 13 books, including "Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier," which he wrote in collaboration with Oprah Winfrey. PC's commencement is May 19. Johnson & Wales University Undergraduate speaker: Dorothea Bongiovi Creator and program manager of the JBJ Soul Kitchen, a pay-it-forward community restaurant that serves in-need and paying customers. Graduate speaker: Dale Venturini Recently stepped down as longtime president and CEO of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association and Rhode Island Hospitality Education Foundation. JWU's commencement is May 4. Brown University Honorary doctorate: Tom Geismar A pioneering graphic designer, the 1953 Brown graduate designed, among hundred of other well known emblems, the multi-headed PBS logo, the yellow National Geographic frame and the red-and-blue Mobil logo. Honorary doctorate: Claudia Goldin 2023 Nobel Prize winner in economics; studied women in the labor market, conducting leading research on gender gaps. Honorary doctorate: Joy Harjo Member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation; first Native American to be U.S. poet laureate, from 2019-2022; author of 10 poetry books, two memoirs and seven music albums. Brown's commencement is May 24 to 26. Rhode Island School of Design Speaker: David Moon Ki Lee Chief creative officer, Squarespace; has done nine Super Bowl ad campaigns, including 2017's Emmy-Award-winning spot for Squarespace featuring John Malkovich. Honorary doctorate: Nicholas W. Benson Engraver, has carved inscriptions on the National World War II Memorial, the National Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and the National Eisenhower Memorial, as well as for universities, including Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Brown and Dartmouth; Jamestown resident. RISD's commencement is June 1. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Viola Davis, Rita Moreno and more: Who's speaking at RI graduations Violent teen wanted for gunfight in Illinois found hiding in Fayette County home, deputies say The Fayette County Sheriffs Office says a teenager wanted in Illinois was arrested in metro Atlanta on Friday. Investigators say Dylan Debolt, 19, was involved in a gunfight in Will County, Illinois on April 2. Will County is just outside of Chicago. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Fayette County SWAT team and the U.S. Marshals arrested the violent fugitive at a home in Fayette County. They say after the shooting, Debolt fled the area and detectives learned he was living in metro Atlanta. Deputies did not comment on how long it took before Debolt was captured and arrested. TRENDING STORIES: Warrants out of Illinois will charge Debolt with aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, reckless discharge of a firearm and more. He is currently being held in the Fayette County Jail on a fugitive charge while he awaits extradition. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Kids in west Charlotte will soon have a place to run and play thanks to the United Way of Greater Charlotte. On Friday, more than 200 volunteers installed a playground at Westerly Hills Academy just off Wilkinson Boulevard. ALSO READ: Workers protect children inside daycare as tornado rips through playground Channel 9 spoke with a volunteer about why this type of community involvement is so important. The community is looking for ways to reach out; youre not going to be able to build a playground every day. But there are ways that you can be involved; there are ways you can reach out, said Chief of Staff Bob Young. Volunteers also built picnic tables, painted benches, and murals at the schools. VIDEO: Workers protect children inside daycare as tornado rips through playground Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images Super Micro Computer stock crashed 23% on Friday after the company announced the date of its Q3 earnings. Wall Street seemed disappointed that Super Micro Computer did not preannounce earnings like it did last year. The sharp decline dragged down AI darling Nvidia, which plunged about 10%. Super Micro Computer stock crashed as much as 23% on Friday as investors worry about the strength of its upcoming earnings report. Super Micro Computer announced it would release its third-quarter earnings results on April 30, but it didn't preannounce earnings as it did for its second-quarter earnings results in January. Companies often preannounce earnings when the results are significantly above Wall Street consensus estimates. That lack of an earnings preannouncement from Super Micro Computer sparked concerns on Wall Street that the company's upcoming earnings report won't be as robust as it was last quarter and could ultimately miss analyst expectations. Super Micro Computer did not offer Wall Street "a positive preannouncement, which is being considered a negative," Wells Fargo Securities wrote on Friday, according to Bloomberg. The company has experienced insane growth over the past year, as demand for its AI-equipped servers has soared. The stock, which surged more than 1,000% in a year, was catapulted into the S&P 500 from the small-cap Russell 2000 index earlier this year. Nvidia chips are installed in Super Micro Computer's server solutions, so investors appear to be extrapolating the potential weakness in Super Micro Computer's upcoming earnings report to Nvidia. Shares of Nvidia plunged as much as 10%, resulting in a market cap decline of $183 billion. Markets Insider Read the original article on Business Insider JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) A Virginia State Police (VSP) Trooper was hit head-on by a driver, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, traveling in the wrong direction early Saturday morning. Elijah Jones (Courtesy of Virginia Regional Peninsula Jail) Around 3:45 a.m., state police began to receive multiple reports of a driver traveling westbound in the eastbound lane on I-64 near mile marker 256. State police issued a Be On the Lookout (BOL) alert in the area in attempt to find the vehicle. Trooper M. Lesage positioned himself in the eastbound lanes in effort to stop the driver. Around 4:30 a.m. Trooper Lesage told dispatch he had been hit head-on by a Kia. Courtesy of Virginia State Police Courtesy of Virginia State Police Courtesy of Virginia State Police State police said the driver, Elijah Jones, 26, was under the influence of alcohol and speeding when he hit the trooper. Trooper Lesage was taken to Riverside Hospital in Williamsburg with serious but non life-threatening injuries. Jones was not injured. Police arrested and charged him with driving under the influence/maiming, class 6 felony, and open container. He was taken to the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. WA GOP convention turns chaotic when delegates demand reversal of decision not to endorse Supporters of Republican gubernatorial candidate Misipati Semi Bird gathered in Spokane for the GOPs state convention quickly pushed back on a decision by Washington state GOP leaders not to endorse a candidate for governor in the 2024 election. Delegates objections prompted the party to reverse that decision within minutes. Scenes from inside the Spokane convention center after the announcement were chaotic, with angry attendees shouting obscenities and booing at GOP officials. Officials tried to silence the room to no effect. Delegates then called for a vote to override the decision. The leaderships decision to not endorse a candidate had come as the result of a recent article published by The Seattle Times, according to GOP officials. The article revealed Birds previously unreported misdemeanor charge for grand larceny 30 years ago. In an interview with reporters after the reversal, Bird said he was completely blindsided by GOP officials decision. Thats how they do business in the Washington State Republican Party, Bird said. Delegates at the Washington State GOP convention in Spokane shout down party officials after the announcement that they would not be endorsing a gubernatorial candidate. Birds opponent Dave Reichert, who was not at the convention, was quick to post on social media after the announcement to not endorse any candidate was made. In the past 24 hours, it has become clear that some in the Washington State Republican Party are in such disarray that theyre considering making no endorsement for governor, Reichert posted on Twitter. This, after they continually changed rules, broke rules, and twisted the process to accomplish their desired outcome. I am still seeking the endorsement of Republicans statewide and reconfirm my intention to fight for the state as a Republican all the way to November, Reichert said. Delegates at the convention then read Reicherts statement out loud to the sound of cheers and applause. Its never been like this before, this is all new, the whole thing is new, said GOP Chairman Jim Walsh. And thats what people wanted, they wanted a real live convention so thats what we got. Turnout at the GOP convention is the largest in state history, with 1,829 delegates, officials said. Delegates are scheduled to vote to endorse candidates Saturday. Washington governor candidate Semi Bird says no excuse for financial crime FILE - Chairs for the Bibas family, hostages held in Gaza, are seen at a Passover seder table set, Thursday, April 11, 2024, at the communal dining hall at Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, where a quarter of all residents were killed or captured by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. Passover is a major Jewish holiday, celebrated over seven or eight days each year, commemorating the exodus of ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as recounted in the Bible. To many Jews, it symbolizes freedom and the birth of a Jewish nation. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File) Passover is a major Jewish holiday, celebrated over seven or eight days each year, commemorating the exodus of ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as recounted in the Bible. To many Jews, it symbolizes freedom and the birth of a Jewish nation. This year, for many Jews, the holidays mood will be somber due to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the rise of antisemitic incidents elsewhere. WHEN IS PASSOVER THIS YEAR? Passover known as Pesach in Hebrew -- begins on April 22. By tradition, it will be celebrated for seven days in Israel and for eight days by some Jews in the rest of the world. WHAT ARE KEY PASSOVER RITUALS AND TRADITIONS? For many Jews, Passover is a time to reunite with family and recount the exodus from Egypt at a meal called the Seder. Observant Jews avoid grains known as chametz, a reminder of the unleavened bread the Israelites ate when they fled Egypt quickly with no time for dough to rise. Cracker-like matzo is OK to eat; most breads, pastas, cakes and cookies are off-limits. WHAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR? For many Israelis, its hard to celebrate an occasion focused on freedom when some of their compatriots are still held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. The hostages plight has reverberated worldwide, with some families in the Jewish diaspora asking rabbis to give them additional prayers for this years Seder. Others have created a new Haggadah, the book read during the Seder, to reflect current realities. Many Seder tables, in Israel and elsewhere, are expected to have empty seats, representing those killed or taken hostage on Oct. 7, as well as soldiers unable to return home for Passover. Theres also intense concern, in some countries, about a recent rise in antisemitic incidents. The U.S-based Anti-Defamation League says it tallied 8,873 incidents of antisemitic assault, harassment and vandalism across the country in 2023 up 140% from 2022 with most of the incidents occurring after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. On Wednesday, the ADL and other Jewish organizations participated in A Passover Without Fear webinar, with FBI Director Christopher Wray and several security experts offering guidance on keeping the Passover season safe, secure and as welcoming as possible. The event was hosted by the Secure Community Network, which provides security and safety resources to hundreds of Jewish organizations and institutions across North America. It is not a time for panic, but it is a time for continued vigilance," said Wray, adding that the FBI was particularly concerned about the threat posed by lone actors. WHAT ARE RABBIS AND SCHOLARS SAYING? The Seder is supposed to help us to relive past slavery and liberation from Egypt and to learn its lessons, but in 2024 it must also ask contemporary questions about the confusing and traumatic present and most important, generate hope for the future. --- Noam Zion, emeritus member of the faculty of Jewish studies at the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. At the Seder, we make a point of eating bitter herbs, to recall the difficulties of the past, and also drink wine and eat the foods of freedom. It is a mix -- a meal filled with discussion that confronts the challenges of being a Jew throughout history and of being a Jew today. -- Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union, a major U.S.-based Jewish organization . What a challenging time it is right now for the Jewish people. We feel so alone ... There is so much cynicism in the world, so much hopelessness. We need Passover now more than ever. Its a story that ends in freedom and joy. -- Rabbi Noah Farkas, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Hours before Israel launched a drone strike against Iran on Thursday night, Israeli officials gave a heads up to their US counterparts in Washington: an attack was in the works, they said, and without sharing specifics, indicated it would be carried out in the next several days, according to a senior US official. It was exactly the message the Biden administration had hoped they wouldnt receive. Throughout the week, US officials had urged Israel not to retaliate for Irans unprecedented attack five days prior, when hundreds of missiles and drones were fired from inside Iran at Israel. US officials worried that any Israeli counter-strike could trigger an escalating cycle of direct action between the two nations that could spiral out of control. We didnt endorse [Israels] response, the senior official said, referencing the heads up the US received before Israels Thursday strike. The back-and-forth attacks of the past week have left US officials concerned that a barrier that once existed between Israel and Iran has now been breached, leading to a new form of direct confrontation that could be infinitely more volatile and difficult to predict. How Iran responds will now be a crucial test of whether the two nations have entered the opening stages of direct conflict or whether both sides can step back from the brink. There are some signs that the situation may be defusing. US intelligence has long assessed that neither Iran nor Israel has any appetite for an outright war. Israels retaliatory strike appears to have been designed to be limited, striking a single military base about 275 miles from Tehran and leaving untouched two nearby facilities that are an important part of Irans nuclear development program. A regional intelligence source with knowledge of Irans reaction to the attack told CNN that the direct state to state strikes between the two countries were over. Iran, this person said, was not expected to respond. No indications of further escalation at the moment, the senior US official said, warning that things could change. But all indicators suggest stepping back. Still, US officials are keenly aware that after the unprecedented exchange of direct fire, it may be harder than ever to predict how Iran will respond to perceived provocations. Irans massive attack on Israel last week marked the first time it had fired from within its own borders directly at Israel, upending years of comfortable assumptions by the US and its allies about the limits of Iranian militancy and its willingness to attack Israel directly. Iranian officials have stated publicly that Irans policy toward Israel has changed. We have decided to create a new equation, and that is if from now on the Zionist regime attacks our interests, assets, personalities, and citizens, at any point we will attack against them from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hossein Salami, the top commander of Irans powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, told Iranian state TV following last weekends attack. And just hours before Israels counterstrike Thursday night, Irans foreign minister told CNNs Erin Burnett that if Israel retaliated, the next response from us will be immediate and at a maximum level. I have rarely seen a moment [in the Middle East] more combustible than it is today, CIA Director Bill Burns said at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas on Thursday. A long-simmering shadow war For some former US officials deeply familiar with the Iranian regime, Irans unprecedented direct attack last weekend makes sense given its failure to compete with Israel in a long-simmering shadow war that has left a number of its commanders dead. Israel has carried out numerous successful strikes against Iranian military leaders across the region, and even some officials inside Irans own borders. Then, on April 1, an Israeli strike on what Iran claims was an embassy in Syria killed seven officials, including two senior Iranian commanders. Imagine the pressure building up in the [Iranian] system, said retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, the former commander of US Central Command. Israel kills our people and doesnt pay a price? I think that is a significant driver. McKenzie and other analysts suggested that to Iran, the April 1 attack in Syria was an escalation on top of an already untenable situation that its leaders felt demanded a stronger-than-usual response to deter future Israeli action. Emergency and security personnel gather at the site of strikes which hit a building next to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus, on April 1, 2024. - Maher Al Mounes/AFP/Getty Images One of the commanders who was killed, Mohammed Reza Zahedi, was the connective tissue between Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah, Irans largest and most capable proxy, according to Jonathan Panikoff, a former senior intelligence analyst who specializes in the region. Zahedi, he said, was not a small kill. Leading up to Irans missile and drone barrage against Israel, US officials still believed Iran was likely to respond through its network of proxy fighters, as it had always done before. But as the US and its allies began to see signs that Iran was moving missiles within its own territory, it sparked a frantic rethinking across Washington about what Iran was likely to do, current and former American officials said. It remains to be seen whether this shift in Irans posture reflects a more permanent change in the thinking of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Its not clear whether Khamenei, at age 84, has changed his longtime strategic doctrine to avoid direct confrontation with Israel, or whether this is a preview of how a post-Khamenei, military-led Iranian government may conduct itself, said Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowmernt for International Peace. Perhaps the best parallel for the current situation is what happened after the US strike that killed top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in January 2020. Within days, Iran not one of its proxies fired dozens of short-range ballistic missiles at American troops on a US military base in Iraq. That, too, was considered an unprecedented step that risked igniting a new and more dangerous regional paradigm. In that instance, Iran signaled enough of its intentions that US troops were able to shelter in bunkers to minimize casualties. No Americans were killed although dozens suffered traumatic brain injuries and when the attack had finished, Iran messaged publicly that it considered the matter closed. The US under then-President Donald Trump chose not to retaliate further. Assessing the true impact of Irans attack In the days following the attack on Israel, some analysts suggested that Iran may have deliberately sought to avoid casualties in an effort to keep the situation from escalating; Pentagon officials stridently rejected that hypothesis. On Saturday, Israel and its allies were able to destroy 99 percent of the Iranian projectiles before they impacted. There was little damage in Israel, and no deaths. That, combined with public and diplomatic signaling by Iran in the days leading up to the attack, has caused similar theories about Irans intent to circulate Washington this week. But administration officials as well as McKenzie and other former officials have denied the suggestion that Iran was pulling its punches this time, either. The sheer scale of the assault itself suggests that Iran intended to kill Israelis, officials and analysts said. In many ways, Saturday was a triumph of years of military planning done in preparation for precisely this kind of hypothetical assault. But air defense against such a vast array of threats is a complex and difficult operation, and although Israel and its allies were successful, that success was in no way a foregone conclusion, current and former officials say. The Iranians used the crown jewels, McKenzie said. Their ballistic missiles, drones, and land attack cruise missiles. And what they launched was a maximum effort, about as much as they could do. This was not signaling. Now, Washington and the region await Irans response to the Israeli counterstrike. The risk, officials say, is profound. Israel and Iran are going to be starting higher on the escalatory ladder for every future moment of conflict and that is incredibly dangerous, said Panikoff. If Israel and Iran have a greater threat perception of each other, theyre more likely to think they have to act in a more robust and aggressive way. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A memorial service is being held Saturday to honor and remember the late Chula Vista Police Assistant Chief Phil Collum. The department announced his passing on Friday, April 12, stating he had succumbed to a short battle with a rare form of cancer. They said he was surrounded by his family and friends, including his husband, William Lopez. Saturdays service will be held at Eastlake Church, located at 2355 Otay Lakes Rd., at 10 a.m. The public is welcome to attend. Camp Pendleton confirms Marine missing, did not report for duty A livestream of the service can be viewed through the police departments YouTube page. About Assistant Chief Phil Collum Chula Vista Police Department Assistant Chief Phil Collum passes away from cancer (Photo courtesy: Chula Vista Police Department) Collum was a graduate of Californias prestigious Command College (Class 58) and the FBI National Academy (Class 278). Collum began his 29-year law enforcement career in college in 1990, serving as a Community Service Officer in Santa Cruz, California. Collum became a police officer for the Santa Cruz Police Department before moving back to the San Diego area in 1994, starting at the Chula Vista Police Department that October. 70-year-old Carlsbad retiree loses life savings in scam involving Bitcoin During his career at the Chula Vista Police Department, Collum served in many roles. He was also a trailblazer, becoming the police departments first African American Police Lieutenant in 2009, Police Captain in 2018, and Assistant Chief of Police in 2022, the police department said. Collum served as the liaison for the United Way, a liaison for the San Diego Gay & Lesbian Parade, a board member for the California Peace Officers Association (CPOA), a member of the California Police Chiefs Association, and a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Outside of his role as a police officer, Collum served on the Board of Directors and volunteered at his church, along with traveling south of the border every month to support orphanages in Tijuana, Mexico, as part of the Corazon de Vida Foundation. FOX 5s Anna Ashcraft contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. April 19 (UPI) -- A wandering moose on the loose sparked a temporary shelter-in-place order at a Montana high school before the animal was chased off by a wildlife control officer and police. Sean McCarthy, an urban wildlife control officer for the city of Helena, said the female moose was spotted Friday morning outside Capital High School. McCarthy initially used loud noises to chase the moose off school grounds, but the agitated animal repeatedly charged at him, leading him to request assistance from the Helena Police Department. McCarthy told the Independent Record newspaper that the "stubborn and mangy old cow moose" had been seen on multiple occasions during the past week visiting the duck ponds at the nearby Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds. "We are blessed to live in an area where we get to experience wildlife," McCarthy said. "But, obviously this could pose a danger to the public." A shelter-in-place order was instituted at the school while McCarthy and police officers chased the moose a safe distance north of campus. Imagine turning 18 and immediately becoming homeless. Thats the reality for some 20,000 or so young adults nationwide who will age out of the foster care system each year. In Florida, around 750 young adults will be a part of that statistic, and the odds are against them. Read: A focus on Floridas aged-out foster youth Only one out of two young adults who emancipate from the foster care system will have gainful employment by age 24, and fewer than 3% of all who age out will ever obtain a college degree. 9 Family Connection is proud to present Out of Time: A Focus on Floridas Aged-Out Foster Youth. Read: First Look: Brevard Family Partnership to takeover foster care in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole We talk to young adults with lived experience about the emancipation process, the advocates who are working to help them and how you can help fill in the gaps. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. For the past year, police Detective Tim Lillard has spent most of his waking hours unofficially investigating his wifes death. The question has never been exactly how Ann Picha-Lillard died on Nov. 19, 2022: She succumbed to respiratory failure after an infection put too much strain on her weakened lungs. She was 65. For Tim Lillard, the question has been why. Lillard had been in the hospital with his wife every day for a month. Nurses in the intensive care unit had told him they were short-staffed, and were constantly rushing from one patient to the next. Lillard tried to pitch in where he could: brushing Anns shoulder-length blonde hair or flagging down help when her tracheostomy tube gurgled a sign of possible respiratory distress. So the day he walked into the ICU and saw staff members huddled in Anns room, he knew it was serious. He called the couples adult children: Its Mom, he told them. Come now. All he could do then was sit on Anns bed and hold her hand, watching as staff members performed chest compressions, desperately trying to save her life. A minute ticked by. Then another. Lillards not sure how long the CPR continued long enough for the couples son to arrive and take a seat on the other side of Anns bed, holding her other hand. Finally, the intensive care doctor called it and the team stopped CPR. Time of death: 12:37 p.m. Lillard didnt know what to do in a world without Ann. They had been married almost 25 years. We were best friends, he said. Just days before her death, nurses had told Lillard that Ann could be discharged to a rehabilitation center as soon as the end of the week. Then, suddenly, she was gone. Lillard didnt understand what had happened. Lillard said he now believes that overwhelmed, understaffed nurses hadnt been able to respond in time as Anns condition deteriorated. And he has made it his mission to fight for change, joining some nursing unions in a push for mandatory ratios that would limit the number of patients in a nurses care. I without a doubt believe 100% Ann would still be here today if they had staffing levels, mandatory staffing levels, especially in ICU, Lillard said. Last year, Oregon became the second state after California to pass hospital-wide nurse ratios that limit the number of patients in a nurses care. Michigan, Maine, and Pennsylvania are now weighing similar legislation. But supporters of mandatory ratios are going up against a powerful hospital industry spending millions of dollars to kill those efforts. And hospitals and health systems say any staffing ratio regulations, however well-intentioned, would only put patients in greater danger. Story continues Putting patients at risk By next year, the United States could have as many as 450,000 fewer nurses than it needs, according to one estimate. The hospital industry blames covid-19 burnout, an aging workforce, a large patient population, and an insufficient pipeline of new nurses entering the field. But nursing unions say thats not the full story. There are now 4.7 million registered nurses in the country, more than ever before, with an estimated 130,000 nurses having entered the field from 2020 to 2022. The problem, the unions say, is a hospital industry thats been intentionally understaffing their units for years in order to cut costs and bolster profits. The unions say there isnt a shortage of nurses but a shortage of nurses willing to work in those conditions. The nurse staffing crisis is now affecting patient care. The number of Michigan nurses who say they know of a patient who has died because of understaffing has nearly doubled in recent years, according to a Michigan Nurses Association survey last year. Just months before Ann Picha-Lillards death, nurses and doctors at the health system where she died had asked the Michigan attorney general to investigate staffing cuts they believed were leading to dangerous conditions, including patient deaths, according to The Detroit News. But Lillard didnt know any of that when he drove his wife to the hospital in October 2022. She had been feeling short of breath for a few weeks after she and Lillard had mild covid infections. They were both vaccinated, but Ann was immunocompromised. She suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that had also caused scarring in her lungs. To be safe, doctors at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital wanted to keep Ann for observation. After a few days in the facility, she developed pneumonia. Doctors told the couple that Ann needed to be intubated. Ann was terrified but Lillard begged her to listen to the doctors. Tearfully, she agreed. With Ann on a ventilator in the ICU, it seemed clear to Lillard that nurses were understaffed and overwhelmed. One nurse told him they had been especially short-staffed lately, Lillard said. The alarms would go off for the medications, theyd come into the room, shut off the alarm when they get low, run to the medication room, come back, set them down, go to the next room, shut off alarms, Lillard recalled. And that was going on all the time. Lillard felt bad for the nurses, he said. But obviously, also for my wife. Thats why I tried doing as much as I could when I was there. I would comb her hair, clean her, just keep an eye on things. But I had no idea what was really going on. Finally, Anns health seemed to be stabilizing. A nurse told Lillard theyd be able to discharge Ann, possibly by the end of that week. By Nov. 17, Ann was no longer sedated and she cried when she saw Lillard and her daughter. Still unable to speak, she tried to mouth words to her husband but we couldnt understand what she was saying, Lillard said. The next day, Lillard went home feeling hopeful, counting down the days until Ann could leave the hospital. Less than 24 hours later, Ann died. Tim Lillard holds a rosary with his late wife's name on it. It was given to him as a gift after her death in 2022. Over the past year, Lillard has become an advocate for legislation to limit the number of patients in a nurse's care. (Beth Weiler/Michigan Public) Lillard couldnt wrap his head around how things went downhill so fast. Anns underlying lung condition, the infection, and her weakened state could have proved fatal in the best of circumstances. But Lillard wanted to understand how Ann had gone from nearly discharged to dying, seemingly overnight. He turned his dining room table into a makeshift office and started with what he knew. The day Ann died, he remembered her medical team telling him that her heart rate had spiked and she had developed another infection the night before. Lillard said he interviewed two DMC Huron Valley-Sinai nurse administrators, and had his own doctor look through Anns charts and test results from the hospital. Everybody kept telling me: sepsis, sepsis, sepsis, he said. Sepsis is when an infection triggers an extreme reaction in the body that can cause rapid organ failure. Its one of the leading causes of death in U.S. hospitals. Some experts say up to 80% of sepsis deaths are preventable, while others say the percentage is far lower. Lives can be saved when sepsis is caught and treated fast, which requires careful attention to small changes in vital signs. One study found that for every additional patient a nurse had to care for, the mortality rate from sepsis increased by 12%. Lillard became convinced that had there been more nurses working in the ICU, someone could have caught what was happening to Ann. They just didnt have the time, he said. DMC Huron Valley-Sinais director of communications and media relations, Brian Taylor, declined a request for comment about the 2022 staffing complaint to the Michigan attorney general. Following the money When Lillard asked the hospital for copies of Anns medical records, DMC Huron Valley-Sinai told him hed have to request them from its parent company in Texas. Like so many hospitals in recent years, the Lillards local health system had been absorbed by a series of other corporations. In 2011, the Detroit Medical Center health system was bought for $1.5 billion by Vanguard Health Systems, which was backed by the private equity company Blackstone Group. Two years after that, in 2013, Vanguard itself was acquired by Tenet Healthcare, a for-profit company based in Dallas that, according to its website, operates 480 ambulatory surgery centers and surgical hospitals, 52 hospitals, and approximately 160 additional outpatient centers. As health care executives face increasing pressure from investors, nursing unions say hospitals have been intentionally understaffing nurses to reduce labor costs and increase revenue. Also, insurance reimbursements incentivize keeping nurse staffing levels low. Hospitals are not directly reimbursed for nursing services in the same way that a physician bills for their services, said Karen Lasater, an associate professor of nursing in the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania. And because hospitals dont perceive nursing as a service line, but rather a cost center, they think about nursing as: How can we reduce this to the lowest denominator possible? she said. Lasater is a proponent of mandatory nurse ratios. The nursing shortage is not a pipeline problem, but a leaky bucket problem, she said. And the solutions to this crisis need to address the root cause of the issue, which is why nurses are saying theyre leaving employment. And its rooted in unsafe staffing. Its not safe for the patients, but its also not safe for nurses. A battle between hospitals and unions In November, almost one year after Anns death, Lillard told a room of lawmakers at the Michigan State Capitol that he believes the Safe Patient Care Act could save lives. The health policy committee in the Michigan House was holding a hearing on the proposed act, which would limit the amount of mandatory overtime a nurse can be forced to work, and require hospitals to make their staffing levels available to the public. Most significantly, the bills would require hospitals to have mandatory, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. For example: one nurse for every patient in the ICU; one for every three patients in the emergency room; a nurse for triage; and one nurse for every four postpartum birthing patients and well-baby care. Efforts to pass mandatory ratio laws failed in Washington and Minnesota last year after facing opposition from the hospital industry. In Minnesota, the Minnesota Nurses Association accused the Mayo Clinic of using blackmail tactics: Mayo had told lawmakers it would pull billions of dollars in investment from the state if mandatory ratio legislation passed. Soon afterward, lawmakers removed nurse ratios from the legislation. Ann Picha-Lillard died at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital in Commerce Township, Michigan, in November 2022 at age 65. Months earlier, nurses and doctors at the health system had filed a complaint with the Michigan attorney general about staffing shortages affecting patient care. (Beth Weiler/Michigan Public) While Lillard waited for his turn to speak to Michigan lawmakers about the Safe Patient Care Act in November, members of the Michigan Nurses Association, which says it represents some 13,000 nurses, told lawmakers that its units were dangerously understaffed. They said critical care nurses were sometimes caring for up to 11 patients at a time. Last year I coded someone in an ICU for 10 minutes, all alone, because there was no one to help me, said the nurses association president and registered nurse Jamie Brown, reading from another nurses letter. I have been left as the only specially trained nurse to take care of eight babies on the unit: eight fragile newborns, said Carolyn Clemens, a registered nurse from the Grand Blanc area of Michigan. Nikia Parker said she has left full-time emergency room nursing, a job she believes is her calling. After her friend died in the hospital where she worked, she was left wondering whether understaffing may have contributed to his death. If the Safe Patient Care Act passed, and we have ratios, Im one of those nurses who would return to the bedside full time, Parker told lawmakers. And so many of my co-workers who have left would join me. But not all nurses agree that mandatory ratios are a good idea. While the American Nurses Association supports enforceable ratios as an essential approach, that organizations Michigan chapter does not, saying there may not be enough nurses in the state to satisfy the requirements of the Safe Patient Care Act. For some lawmakers, the risk of collateral damage seems too high. State Rep. Graham Filler said he worries that mandating ratios could backfire. Were going to severely hamper health care in the state of Michigan. Im talking closed wards because you cant meet the ratio in a bill. The inability for a hospital to treat an emergent patient. So it feels kind of to me like a gamble were taking, said Filler, a Republican. Michigan hospitals are already struggling to fill some 8,400 open positions, according to the Michigan Health & Hospital Association. That association says that complying with the Safe Patient Care Act would require hiring 13,000 nurses. Every major health system in the state signed a letter opposing mandatory ratios, saying it would force them to close as many as 5,100 beds. Lillard watched the debate play out in the hearing. Thats a scare tactic, in my opinion, where the hospitals say were going to have to start closing stuff down, he said. He doesnt think legislation on mandatory ratios which are still awaiting a vote in the Michigan Houses health policy committee are a magic bullet for such a complex, national problem. But he believes they could help. The only way these hospitals and the administrations are gonna make any changes, and even start moving towards making it better, is if theyre forced to, Lillard said. Seated in the center of the hearing room in Lansing, next to a framed photo of Ann, Lillards hands shook as he recounted those final minutes in the ICU. Please take action so that no other person or other family endures this loss, he said. You can make a difference in saving lives. Grief is one thing, Lillard said, but its another thing to be haunted by doubts, to worry that your loved ones care was compromised before they ever walked through the hospital doors. What he wants most, he said, is to prevent any other family from having to wonder, What if? This story was originally featured on Fortune.com The last time we heard from Toronto Police, they were embarrassing themselves with a disconcertingly laissez-faire attitude toward the city's car theft endemic , publicly telling people to "leave your [key] fobs at your front door" to minimize the risk of getting hurt in the event of a break-in. TPS's suburban neighbors to the slightly north evidently have a very different approach to the situation. York Regional Police, the police service that patrols the Toronto-area region just north of the six municipalities of actual Toronto, released video of a wild takedown of suspected, armed carjackers involving flashbangs, officers in full tactical gear, and at least four police vehicles violently barricading the suspect vehicle. We should preface: the following footage is intense. https://youtu.be/semiSXRvBng?si=o20A0SL4xdvSGMdR According to a YRP press release , the first bit of footage shows three carjackers attempting to steal what appears to be a Mercedes GLC on April 6, but ultimately failing to do so after the Mercedes owner and her husband fought back. The thieves retreated and returned to a white Acura RDX getaway vehiclea car that was also stolen about a week prior, per police. The same Acura was used in the successful theft of a "blue BMW" in Toronto the next day but "The suspects involved in that carjacking were ultimately charged by the Toronto Police Service on April 12, 2024, after crashing into Toronto Police vehicles." April 13 is when the footage above picks back up. The getaway RDX was located and YRP investigators, along with the Emergency Response Unit (read: SWAT), moved in for the arrest. "They utilized flashbangs, a distraction device that produces a flash of light and loud noises," reads the release. The three suspects start fleeing on foot and can be seen tossing what police allege to be a loaded firearm. All three malesaged 18, 16, and 15were charged with "numerous firearm and property offences," but police believe other suspects from the same "criminal network" are still at large and are asking the public to come forward with any information. The York Regional Police Hold-Up Unit can be reached at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 6630. Alternatively, the Crime Stoppers number is 1-800-222-TIPS and anonymous tips can be left at www.1800222tips.com . Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach him here: chris.tsui@thedrive.com (Bloomberg) -- One of the most incendiary weeks in the decades-long shadow war between Iran and Israel ended with relief Friday after Tehran declared it had defeated what it said was a small attack on its territory by Israeli drones. Most Read from Bloomberg But while the strike, which Israel didnt officially claim, avoided touching off fresh escalation for now, there was no escaping that the tit-for-tat exchange ushered in a new era where the two adversaries look more willing to fight each other directly rather than through proxies. And that, government officials and experts fear, could lead to open war. The past week has been a game-changer, said Suzanne Maloney, a former State Department official whos now vice president at the Brookings Institution. Irans massive missile attack on Israel six days ago has changed the nature of this conflict and I dont see it changing back even though the Israelis were very, very calibrated in their response, she said. The baseline for escalation is much higher. Oil prices eased Friday and markets appeared relatively unfazed after it became clear that the strike on Iran was far more limited than initially feared. Publicly, Israels allies were rejoicing that Fridays strikes were so small, even if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had rejected their appeals not to retaliate at all after it was able to all but neutralize Irans unprecedented missile attacks last weekend. Yet that calm belied a deeper unease among US and foreign officials. A senior European official warned that the situation remains very tense, with no assurance that a fresh flareup can be contained if conflict flares again between Iran and Israel in the next few days. Business concerns about the situation spiked to their highest levels this week since the Oct. 7 attacks, according to a survey by Oxford Economics. If there is a serious escalation which means a much more wider regional escalation than what weve seen so far then yes, we could have a severe oil shock, Gita Gopinath, the International Monetary Funds first deputy managing director, told Bloomberg Television. But were not there yet. But at the Funds annual meetings in Washington this week, some officials worried their colleagues were in denial about the risks the conflict could yet spill more widely. They didnt want to be identified by name questioning the public line, however. One of the big questions now is whether Netanyahus government will feel compelled to keep striking Iran and its assets elsewhere. The latest flare-up followed an April 1 missile strike that killed Iranian military commanders at a diplomatic compound in Damascus. Tehran blamed that on Israel, which hasnt confirmed it was responsible. Iran made clear it was ready to do something it had never dared before: to launch hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel from its own territory. Though many of the weapons failed, it still took help from the US and UK for Israel to neutralize the assault. That sent the ominous message that Israel wouldnt be able to repel an invasion alone. The US had worked furiously to persuade Netanyahu to take the win and resist responding. And given the limited nature of the Thursday night attack, he may have been listening, at least for the time being. Yet Netanyahu has also shown a habit of ignoring the US in the past. Thats been most clear in the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, which Israel launched in the wake of an Oct. 7 attack that killed some 1,200 people. Israeli forces retaliation has killed more than 30,000 people, according to Hamas, and subjected Israel to sharp criticism from the rest of the world. Irans missile attack had diverted some of those concerns but an impending assault on Rafah, the next Gaza city on Israels target list, could rekindle them. Talks on a ceasefire, meanwhile, have stalled. Even longtime mediator Qatar this week said its reassessing that role. The calls for restraint werent limited to Israels allies. Russia welcomed this weeks limited back-and-forth as evidence neither side wanted escalation. But even if the choreographed attacks did relatively little damage, they sent ominous signals. Its a new Middle East, its a Middle East in which Israel every day must wonder if some action might provoke an Iranian missile attack or drone attack on Israels territory directly, Norman Roule, a former senior US intelligence official, told Bloomberg Television. Among the points made by diplomats to Tel Aviv to de-escalate Israels anticipated response to Irans strike last week was the potential for a full-blown escalation of hostilities on the border with Lebanon, where Hezbollah, a key proxy asset for Tehran, operates, according to a senior Western official. Antonio Tajani, foreign minister of Italy, which holds the G-7 presidency this year, also publicly mentioned Lebanon several times over the course of the foreign ministers summit in Capri as a key point in defusing antagonism. Israel should start listening to us and heed the G-7 appeal, he said this week. With Iran and Israel engaged in direct mutual attacks, the risk of a broader war has risen, Bloomberg Economist Ziad Daoud wrote in a note. This could happen by design through a gradual escalation in the cycle of violence or as a result of miscalculations. Whatever the cause, the effect on the global economy would be immense. --With assistance from Maria Eloisa Capurro and Alex Wickham. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. BOISE, Idaho (ABC4) The first full week of Chad Daybells murder trial came to an end Friday afternoon, but the trial will resume next week. Chad Daybell is being tried for the murder of Tylee Ryan and Joshua JJ Vallow the two children of Lori Vallow, his wife who was sentenced to life in prison in 2023. Daybell is also on trial for the murder of his former wife Tammy. ABC4.com offers daily updates on the trial, but if you missed a day or two this week, here is a brief summary of some of the key takeaways presented in court this week. LEARN MORE: A complete timeline for the Daybell, Vallow murders Rituals, zombies and a lack of sorrow One of Loris close friends, Melanie Gibb, testified on the stand. Gibb said Chad labeled people as dark, and people with that label were later referred to as zombies. Gibb said Daybell was the only one who could tell if someone was a zombie. According to Gibb, Daybell told those close to him that Tammy, JJ and Tylee were zombies shortly before they died or disappeared. Gibb said Chad and Lori believed that, after performing rituals to cast out dark spirits, a persons body would naturally die if another spirit didnt take its place. Furthermore, a former FBI agent testified about text messages exchanged between Chad and Lori. The two were exchanging messages about their marriages in past lives and how they would be together again, even while Tammy was still alive. The agent said neither Chad nor Lori showed signs of sorrow after the death of Loris husband Charles. Instead, they were more upset that his $1 million life insurance policy went to his sister. MORE DETAILS: Chad Daybell Trial Day 7: No sorrow over death of Lori Vallows husband, texts show Bodies possessed: Daybells search history revealed On Tuesday, prosecutors questioned FBI Tactical Specialist Nicole Heideman, who was tasked with reviewing web searches on accounts belonging to both Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow. Information revealed Daybell reportedly searched for things like malachite and bodies possessed after original occupant dies. Heideman said possession was a common thread throughout the investigation, with some of the names being searched being being aliases of Chad, Lori and victims associated with the case. Daybell also reportedly searched for wind direction the day before he allegedly burned and buried the body of Tylee Ryan. Vallows search history reportedly showed inquiries regarding child life insurance and wedding dresses in Hawaii, among other topics. MORE DETAILS: Chad Daybell Trial Day 4: Live stream and updates as trial continues Previous lives together: Friend shares story of how Chad and Lori met Loris friend, Melanie Gibb, said Chad and Lori met at a conference in Southern Utah in 2018. Gibb said she knew both Chad and Lori were married to other people at the time they met, but said, They seemed to be attracted to each other. Gibb said she was told by Lori and the she and Chad were planning to be resealed like they had been in previous lives together, and that Lori often turned to Chad for advice. Through Chad, Gibb said Lori learned more about spiritual possession and castings to remove evil spirits. Gibb said she became suspicious after the disappearance of JJ and confronted Lori about it, especially after police were told that JJ was with Gibb. Gibb also said she was told that Tammy (Chads former wife) was becoming suspicious of Lori and Chad, but before Tammy died, Lori said Tammy was supposed to continue her mission on the other side of the veil (meaning after she died). MORE DETAILS: Chad Daybell Trial Day 6: Former friend testifies to how Chad and Lori Daybell first met No pets or children: Realtor letter, financial records In November 2019 just days after the death of Chads previous wife Tammy Daybell Chad and Lori flew to Hawaii to get married. Court exhibits show Chad sent a letter to a realtor about a property, and in the letter, he said he and Lori had no pets or children. At the time the email was sent, prosecutors highlighted the fact that investigators were still searching for Tylee and JJ. Within days of Tylees death, records show Lori emptied her daughters account, and had previously moved Tylees social security deposits into her own. Travel records also showed Lori traveled to Missouri with her niece, and Lori used Tylees phone, despite there being no record of Tylee traveling with them. Lori was also receiving Social Security benefits after the death behalf of herself and JJ after the death of her husband Charles Vallow. A forensic accountant with the FBI testified that Daybell sent money to his children when investigators searched his property for the first time and when the investigation into the missing children was announced. On the day the bodies of Tylee and JJ were found, Daybell reportedly sent a total of $26,000 to three of his children. MORE DETAILS: Chad Daybell Trial, Day 5: State uses financial records to establish murder timeline Daybell gave a patriarchal blessing to Loris brother In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a patriarchal blessing is said to contain personal counsel from the Lord. This type of blessing is given by a church leader with a specific title and status a title and status that Chad Daybell did not have. However, he gave a blessing to Loris brother, Alex Cox, and a recording of it was presented in an exhibit. In the recording, Daybell said, I want to begin by opening up the portals of time and going back to your previous creations in which you lived. The blessing was administered about a month before Cox died. MORE DETAILS: Chad Daybell Trial Day 4: Live stream and updates as trial continues For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. The author, who was one of Columbine's valedictorians, at her graduation in 2000. Courtesy of Krista Hanley It has been 25 years since the Columbine High School shooting, and I am not okay. None of us are. I feel anguish for all the people who will become mass shooting victims over the next 25 years, for the communities who have yet to endure the tension and grief of trauma anniversaries. As a mass shooting survivor, this quarter-century reminder brings me back to April 20, 1999, and all of the ways we failed and continue to fail the children of this country in the aftermath of that day. *** Get down! The yell came from somewhere behind me. I was in the schools crowded cafeteria, standing in line at the food counter with a friend. A boy ran through the room, shouting, while hundreds of my classmates sunk to the tile floor underneath lunch tables. In unspoken agreement, my friend and I crouched down too. I wondered what was going on. I didnt know what had made that boy run and shout, but I assumed it was a senior prank. It was spring only a few weeks until graduation and the end of the school year. It never occurred to me that it was a school shooting. I was a student at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. As I knelt on the floor of the cafeteria, I had no idea two boys were killing and injuring our peers right outside the school. I only knew that I had English after lunch. I knew I had an essay due. I knew our other friends were at the table where Id tossed my backpack a few minutes before. I didnt know I wouldnt be going back to class that day, that we wouldnt be returning to Columbine until the next school year. I didnt know it would be months before I saw my backpack again. I didnt know who would be killed or who would be injured or paralyzed. I didnt know how my life, my friends lives and schools all over this country would be forever changed. Over the past 25 years, Ive come to a place of reluctant acceptance. I have accepted that we live in a country where gun violence is the norm where any of us could be the victim of a shooting in a cafeteria, classroom, workplace, church, theater, grocery store, shopping center, concert venue, bar, salon, park, small business, parade and on and on and on. I have come to accept that we are never safe. A few minutes after everyone in that cafeteria lowered themselves onto the floor, I saw my friend heading towards us. He was doubled in half, weaving around the tables, chairs and people. He scooted over to me on his knees. Whats going on? I whispered. I couldnt see much out of the windows lining the far side of the cafeteria just the bright sky of a warm spring day. I looked out the window, he said. I saw someone with a gun. He held my eyes and I knew he was serious. This was no prank. Then he told me the name of the person with the gun someone we both knew. Someone I had called a friend. A neighborhood memorial for the Columbine High School shooting that was created near the school (1999) Courtesy of Krista Hanley While researching that day for my memoir, I sought out the surveillance video from the cafeteria cameras. The footages quality is too poor for me to identify myself in the terrain of tables and chairs, but I was there, immobilized on the floor as my peers were murdered and maimed not far away. From that moment on, my life changed. Minutes before, when two propane tank bombs that had been placed in the cafeteria feet from where I stood failed to explode and destroy the school, two teenage boys that I knew made the decision to become mass shooters. I continue to grapple with the guilt of not having known their intentions of not being able to have done something to prevent what happened. Columbine has continued to impact my life in significant ways. After a scant six months of therapy, funding for mental health services for Columbine survivors ended. We now understand that wasnt enough. I went to college a year and a half after the shooting with anxiety so acute I couldnt sleep or breathe anxiety that made me feel like I was dying. I wanted to be a writer, but its hard to write when the story you need to tell is trapped in your throat. I wanted to be an artist, but its hard to create when the themes you want to explore are buried deep inside a place in you that is dangerous and painful to touch. When youre exposed to violence as a young person, your future is stripped away and your talents feel hard to access. In the early 2000s, mass shootings were a new kind of event, and those of us with that particular trauma didnt know how to talk about it. For me, the shame of Columbines notoriety and the guilt of knowing the killers meant that I hid my past. I stayed mostly silent about my experience for over ten years. The trauma kept me frozen in time forever crouching on the floor of that cafeteria. I still struggle with revealing my story, but I have since learned how important it is to share what I went through. I have tried to function in a body that experienced that kind of unthinkable trauma at a young age, but eventually, after many years, I realized there is no getting over it or going back to normal. The fact that we dont get over it is not a comfortable narrative for other people. I believe the media and the people in power who create and uphold laws would like us to all think that trauma helps people be stronger or more resilient or offers some other false flag of hope. It doesnt. The Columbine High School cafeteria boarded up after the shooting (1999) Courtesy of Krista Hanley If we all understood just how deeply this kind of trauma affects someone for their entire life and that we dont automatically become tougher, better, and more driven people because of it would we let this continue one more day? While there have been numerous studies on the effects of gun violence especially mass shootings I believe this research has only scratched the surface in proving how devastating this kind of trauma is for the people and communities that experience it. Ive seen the effects bleed into and taint every part of a survivors daily life, including our relationships, our ability to hold work or make money, our productivity and our tendencies towards addiction, chronic illness, mental illness and suicidality. And still, little has been done. This nation refuses to solve this problem. It wants survivors to stay stuck, stay down, stay silent. What is more silencing than the same offensive messages we hear every time a new mass shooting happens? Politicians and leaders offer thoughts and prayers and claim now is not the time to do something about guns in this country, instead of acting. What is more silencing than how the Newtown survivors, Parkland survivors and other mass shooting survivors are treated victims of disbelief, harassment and threats, some of which even come from people in our very own government? People would rather construct elaborate conspiracy theories than enact change. What has to be going through your head to pretend mass murders of children dont happen, instead of acknowledging and comprehending what it means to live in a country that allows children to die at school? We have ignored this problem for so long that firearms are now the number one cause of death for children. Today, children are routinely trained to do what we did get down, get quiet, stay out of sight like learning how to tie their shoes or do long division. We are teaching the next generations that mass shootings are a normal part of life. This is horrifying. A month after the Columbine shooting, President Bill Clinton and then-first lady Hillary Clinton came to speak to our school. I remember how both of them talked about making sure this wouldnt happen again, so no more children would go through what we just had just gone through. When a door plug falls off a plane, we ground hundreds of planes and investigate. When its believed a car battery might cause a fire, millions of vehicles are recalled. When a batch of lettuce isnt processed properly, we remove it from the shelves and the FDA posts a warning. We regulate, investigate and set up systems and protocols for safety in this country for nearly everything except guns. Weve set up a national hotline for suicide prevention, but nothing exists to report suspected would-be mass murderers. Why? Why do we refuse to do better? The author in 2024 Photo by Guarina Paloma Lopez If wed taken mass shootings seriously 25 years ago, how many children would be alive today? How many families loved ones? How much blood has to be spilled before its enough? Will our collective empathy ever kick in? I am doubtful. Instead, I am doing what I can to help people be safer and more empowered in a country that has normalized these shootings. I have found my voice. Speaking to people about what I went through and teaching people safety skills has turned me into an advocate for trauma survivors. Ive learned that my story is the way to reach other people who have been through tragedy and grief. Every time I share my experience, I struggle with telling the end of my story. I know that people want to hear that people can get over, get through, get on despite or, worse, because of their trauma. But if you believe that, then its easy to do nothing. Its time we recognize there is no easy happy ending for people like me and the untold others who have been touched by gun violence. Still, despite how committed I am to telling my story and how hopeful I am that it can inspire change, I worry that its not enough. I am afraid that until you are stopped in your tracks by the overwhelming and visceral grief that erupts when there is a mass shooting in your vicinity, you wont care. Why do I believe this? Because its been 25 years since that day I was kneeling on the cafeteria floor, and we havent cared enough to make a change. Columbine should have been the last mass shooting in America. Krista Hanley is a public speaker, writer, andviolence prevention educator who lives in Denver, Colorado. She recently completed her memoir, How to Survive a Mass Shooting, which tells her story of surviving the Columbine High School shooting. Her website iskristahanley.com. If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Related... West praises US vote for Ukraine aid, Russia says it will enrich US Praise from around the western world poured in following Saturday's vote in the US House of Representatives to move a nearly $61 billion aid package to Ukraine to the Senate, where it is expected to pass and be signed by President Joe Biden. Russia criticized the overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 311 to 112, saying it would make the United States richer and ruin Ukraine. "The decision to provide aid to Ukraine was expected and predicted. It will further enrich the United States of America and further ruin Ukraine, it will lead to even more dead Ukrainians," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday evening, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. Moscow had repeatedly accused Kiev of wanting to fight with Western help until no Ukrainians were left. Western arms aid was prolonging the war, it has said. In contrast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, was very grateful to the US and thanked supporters of the bill. "Thank you, America!" Zelensky wrote. "I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track," Zelensky said. "Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it," he added. Biden immediately welcomed the move: "Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. "At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer history's call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure. "I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs," Biden said. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on X that "a major hurdle for US aid to Ukraine has been overcome." She added: "The hearts of the most important Ukraine supporters are beating as one." In Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was quick to praise the House vote calling the billions in military aid for Ukraine an investment in the security of NATO states. "Ukraine is using the weapons provided by #NATO Allies to destroy Russian combat capabilities. This makes us all safer, in Europe & North America," he wrote on X. Baltic states leaders also welcomed the House vote. "Great day for the free world, great day for Ukraine," wrote Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics on X. "This vote fosters security in Europe and Euro-Atlantic area. Thank you!" Estonia's head of government Kaja Kallas described the approval of US aid for Ukraine as a "crucial and right decision... Hope this vote encourages all allies to look through their warehouses and do more." Lithuania's head of state Gitanas Nauseda on X called the vote "a major step towards victory anda ll allies shall continue to keep supporting," added a Ukrainian flag to is post. "Support and cohesion from the West is crucial today." After months of deadlock, the House of Representatives passed the bill with hefty support from Democrats. Numerous Republicans voted against the aid package but were unable to prevent its approval. Still the vote could cost the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, his job as far-right Republicans loyal to former president Donald Trump opposed the Ukraine aid package. There was applause in the chamber after the vote. A number of lawmakers waved Ukrainian flags and shouted "Ukraine, Ukraine." They were called to order. Ukraine has been resisting the Russian invasion for more than two years. Zelensky has been pleading for more air-defence support and ammunition from Western partners as the Russians have been pushing hard at the front lines and hitting more infrastructure, including power plants. The US aid package provides for around $23 billion to increase the US military stockpile. The money will therefore go indirectly to Ukraine, as the US usually provides the country with equipment from its stocks. The remainder is earmarked for further military support and financial aid, which is designed as a loan. The text also states that Biden should provide Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missile systems as soon as is practicable. Kiev has long hoped for the weapon system, whose missiles are fired from the ground at targets on the ground. The House of Representatives also voted for $26 billion for Israel in the same package. On the one hand, this is intended to finance Israel's missile defence and Washington's ongoing military operations in the region. On the other hand, around $9 billion is earmarked for humanitarian aid, including for the people in the Gaza Strip. Around $8 billion in support for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region, a text that provides for the sale of the Chinese short video app TikTok, as well as sanctions on Iran and the confiscation of Russian assets were also approved. The Senate had in fact already voted in favour of the aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan requested by Biden in February, but there was never a vote in the lower house because of an internal power struggle in the Republican Party. Moscow also criticized the military aid for Israel and Taiwan. "The granting of military aid by the United States to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan will exacerbate global crises," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. "Military aid to the Kiev regime is direct support for terrorist activities; for Taiwan - interference in China's internal affairs; for Israel - a direct path to the escalation of an unprecedented aggravation of the situation in the region." In the Saturday House vote, representatives also agreed to confiscate frozen Russian assets. Peskov warned against that, saying the US will have to answer for this if it actually happens and Russia will respond. The details of the decision still need to be analysed, said Peskov. The US is considered Ukraine's most important ally in its defence against the Russian invasion. Since the start of the war in February 2022, the Biden administration has provided more than $44 billion in military aid to Kiev. This is in addition to billions more in non-military financial aid. According to the US government, the funds authorized by Congress have been used up, which is why the vote on new aid is of great importance. AUSTIN (KXAN) From childcare people can actually afford to shelter for people experiencing homelessness to being better prepared for Texas next major weather event, the City of Austin has used its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for 30 different projects. ARPA funding was intended to help local and state governments handle the pandemic. Austin got $188 million. Austin budgeted more than $40M in ARPA funding for rapid rehousing, that money is going away According to an update from city financial staff before city council members Tuesday, the City of Austin has a little more than $30 million still to allocate. Those have not been encumbered yet, but the departments have plans to have all the funds encumbered by the deadline of December of this year, Kerri Lang, budget officer for the City of Austin, said. According to Lang, eight of the 30 projects the city used that money for are complete. That includes grants for artists and musicians, according to documents KXAN received through a Texas Public Information Act request. The remaining 22 of those projects are still in the works some wont be complete until the end of 2027, Lang said. The public health department has a communications project that is related to informing people when there is some health concerns, so theres a large communication project that they have, Lang said. She also said affordable childcare and food security projects are some of the longer-term items. City of Austin faces tough cuts when ARPA dollars run out, including homelessness services Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes asked for more detailed updates on ARPA funding moving forward. Can we get an update as to how those projects have moved forward? I know that theres been a couple revisions or tweaks or adjustments made to some of the projects, the initiatives that we had allocated for funding, there have been changes in how much weve funded them. But I would like some more detail on where those adjustments were made, she said. All of the money has to be allocated by the end of this year and fully spent by the end of 2026. The City of Austin is required to send its next ARPA report to the federal government at the end of this month. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. White House defends Biden's claim his uncle was eaten by cannibals: 'We should not make jokes' White House defends Biden's claim his uncle was eaten by cannibals: 'We should not make jokes' During his visit to a war memorial near his hometown in Pennsylvania, President Biden appeared to imply his uncle was eaten by cannibals after his plane was shot down during World War II. "He flew single-engine planes, reconnaissance flights over New Guinea. He had volunteered because someone couldn't make it. He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time," President Biden said. "They never recovered his body." On Thursday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged that President Bidens maternal uncle, Ambrose Finnegan, who he refers to as "Uncle Bosie," did die in WWII when his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean, but confirmed he was not eaten by cannibals, as Biden seemed to suggest on two separate occasions during his visit on Wednesday. When asked about his comments on Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed the President was having an "emotional moment" when he made his remarks. BIDEN'S FALSE CANNIBAL STORY DESCRIBED AS A SIMPLE MISSTATEMENT, OFF ON THE DETAILS BY THE MEDIA "The president had an emotional and I think a symbolic moment. He had an opportunity as president to honor his uncle's service in uniform. He had an opportunity to be there as president, you know, to speak to people that put their lives on the line on behalf of this country," Jean-Pierre said. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP She went on to explain what Biden's comment meant. "So his uncle, 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," Jean-Pierre said. "And as he reiterated, the last thing American veterans are or the last thing Americans should be called are suckers and losers. And those types of words should not come from a commander in chief, as we have in the past." Jean-Pierre's last statement was in reference to former President Trump, who President Biden claimed called soldiers "suckers and losers." Trump was alleged to have made the comments as he was set to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery during a trip to France in Nov. 2018 while he was president. The allegations, sourced anonymously in The Atlantic, described multiple offensive comments allegedly made by Trump toward fallen and captured U.S. service-members, including allegedly calling the World War I dead at an American military cemetery in France as "losers" and "suckers" in 2018. JOE BIDEN LEFT OFF TIME '100 MOST INFLUENTIAL' LIST FOR FIRST TIME IN PRESIDENCY During Friday's WH press briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the overnight unrest in the Middle East. "This is more made up Fake News given by disgusting & jealous failures in a disgraceful attempt to influence the 2020 Election!" Trump wrote in a post on Twitter about the comments made against him. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told "Fox & Friends" that he was with the president for a good part of the trip to France. "I never heard him use the words that are described in that article," Pompeo said. Former White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that she was part of the discussion about visiting the cemetery. "This never happened. I have sat in the room when our President called family members after their sons were killed in action and it was heart-wrenching. ... I am disgusted by this false attack." Fox News' Peter Doocy continued to question Jean-Pierre about President Biden's comments about his uncle, acknowledging that Second Lieutenant Ambrose Jay Finnegan was a war hero, but stating that the Pentagon said, for unknown reasons, the plane was forced to ditch in the ocean. "Both engines failed at low altitude. Why is President Biden saying he was shot down? There's no evidence of that. And why is he saying that his uncle was eaten by cannibals? That is a bad way to go," Doocy questioned. BIDEN TAKES HEAT OVER GAFFE URGING AMERICANS TO 'CHOOSE FREEDOM OVER DEMOCRACY:' 'GET THIS MAN OUT OF OFFICE!' Smith told podcast host Patrick Bet-David he's "ashamed" that Democrats haven't found a better candidate than President Biden to beat Trump. "He lost his life. It's not. Look, I'm not, we should not make jokes about this," Jean-Pierre said. Doocy reiterated that it wasn't a joke, but said again, that is what Biden said. "I mean, your last line is, it's for a laugh, it's for a funny statement. And he takes this very seriously. His uncle, who served and protected this country, lost his life serving. And that should matter. You have a president that lifts our U.S. troops, our American veterans every day. Who thinks about them? Who actually thinks they're all heroes? And they are," Jean-Pierre sparred back. Doocy asked one more time why he used the term "cannibalism" as Jean-Pierre gave her last comment. "I think you're missing the point. The point is you have a president that lifts up American veterans, who lifts up our U.S. service members. And that's what matters. He understands how critical and how important it is to be commander in chief," Jean-Pierre finished. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: White House defends Biden's claim his uncle was eaten by cannibals: 'We should not make jokes' NOTE: The briefing has been delayed, and is now scheduled to start at 2 p.m. EDT. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will brief reporters Friday afternoon, hours after a suspected Israeli drone attack on Iran. Additionally, the Biden administration has in recent days focused on executive action on domestic policies. President Biden has appeared with labor unions, promising to preserve domestic ownership of U.S. Steel. On Friday, the administration announced an expansion of protections against discrimination based on sex in educational settings that receive federal funds. The administration also outlined new restrictions for oil and mineral extraction on Alaskas North Slope in favor of environmental protection and continued access for Alaska Native residents. On Thursday, the White House enacted a policy that facilitates conservation in areas administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Watch the live video above. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Whitehall police released body cam footage of a Friday morning police shooting and identified the man killed and the driver of the vehicle, who appeared Saturday in a Franklin County court. Santiago Elias Alfaro Munoz, 36, died in the shooting, according to a news release. William Morales Villatoro, 36, faces a charge of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony. The investigating officers, who have not been identified, allege they found a green 9 mm Taurus handgun between the passenger seat and the center console of the car, according to court records. Morales Villatoro appeared Saturday morning in Franklin County Municipal Court, where online records indicated he was released on his own recognizance. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 3. Whitehall Police Department released body-worn camera footage Friday after two officers fired on a man. The two unidentified officers were involved in an unrelated traffic stop, when they heard nearby gunfire about 2 a.m. A minute later, the department's gunshot detection system also alerted them to a shooting. Whitehall police said the officers went to Roses Discount Store's parking lot in the 4600 block of East Main Street, near South Hamilton Road. They came across two vehicles, one of which had left and a second silver Honda Pilot SUV. The officers checked on the two men inside. In the first body cam video, an officer approached the drivers side of the SUV and shined a flashlight through the window. A man on the drivers side rolled the window down and told the officer in Spanish that he didn't speak English. There was another man in the passenger seat. The man in the drivers seat, later identified as Morales Villatoro, continued eating an order of French fries. The officers asked in Spanish if the men had a gun or drugs, and both said "no." The officer on the drivers side of the vehicle shined his flashlight into the backseat and said, 33, a police radio code for a gun. The officer at the passenger side of the vehicle can be heard saying hands up in Spanish and English as the driver got out of his side of the SUV and the officer placed him in handcuffs. The video from the passenger side of the vehicle showed a man sitting in the passenger seat, later identified as Alfaro Munoz, with the window rolled halfway down. The man was holding a box of chicken nuggets. After the other officer alerted him to the gun, the officer at the passenger side door told the man in the passenger seat several times to put his hands in the air. The man does not move and says, Huh? When the officer opened the car door, the passenger turned, then turned quickly again to face the officer. Whitehall police allege Alfaro Munoz reached for a gun. Both officers opened fire into the SUV as they backed away from the vehicle. The handcuffed driver remained face down, handcuffed on the pavement. The officer at the passenger side of the car continued to shout hands up in English and Spanish and can be heard saying he couldn't tell whether any of his shots hit the passenger. Medics took Alfaro Munoz to Mount Carmel East Hospital, where he later died. Whitehall police have turned the investigation into the shooting to the Ohio Attorney General's Office's Bureau of Investigation. Police have not disclosed the identities of the officers involved in the shooting or whether they have been placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Dispatch reporter Bethany Bruner contributed to this report. bagallion@dispatch.com This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Whitehall police release body cam footage of police shooting Presidential elections can be put into three categories: stay the course, turn the page and transformation. In 2004, President George W. Bush was prosecuting the War on Terror and Americans choose to stay the course. In 2008, voters wanted a change in course and enough voters saw then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) as transformational to elect him. In 2012, President Obama simply ran a better campaign than Mitt Romney and voters decided to stay the course. In 2016, Donald Trump became the voice of middle-class angst and won a surprising victory that transformed the Republican Party. In 2020, voters wanted to lower the volume and heal the nation, so they turned the page on Trump and elected Joe Biden. Now we have a rematch between President Biden and former President Trump, but in an environment with very different trends that are driving the very different issues. Biden, in 2021, decided to be a transformational president and to mainly ignore healing the nation. This has cost him in the polls because other issues grew into crises and the perception was created that he was ignoring or mishandling them. As a result, parts of his 2020 coalition are fracturing. Trump is trying to compare his record as president with Bidens, but he is being hampered by court cases. Trump has an extremely loyal base of support. However, negative branding as an autocrat who is a threat to democracy is creating problems for him breaking through to independent and undecided Republican voters. In a second term, with Democrats in control of the House and Senate, Biden would move to codify Roe v. Wade and to grant amnesty and a path to citizenship to migrants. Americans will see the green agenda accelerate as his imposed deadlines to end fossil fuels and eliminate many home appliances approach. Also, his economic policies would reflect the goals of the World Economic Forum as he pursues putting our economy on a post-capitalist footing and moving toward global governance. Not a recipe for unity. A Trump victory would exacerbate fear and loathing among his enemies. They will challenge every executive action in court and parse every word he utters to define his motivations as rooted in racism, bigotry and malevolence. If they regained the House, Democrats would likely impeach him for the third time predicated on their belief that he is a threat to democracy and an aspiring dictator. Protests, like those in 2020, will dominate the landscape, and the legacy media will frame the narrative as a fight to restore democracy. Blue state governors will disregard or refuse to enforce federal laws that they perceive will roll-back progress on core Democratic issues. This too is not a recipe for unity. The 2024 election is a lose-lose for America. Bidens agenda will continue to transform America without being granted permission by the voters. Trump will be blocked at every turn as he attempts to govern. American civilization, which is arguably in decline, will continue to have its foundations eroded and its institutions debased. Biden will likely use the force of government to force his opponents to comply with his plan to transform America. A second Trump presidency would demonstrate that our institutions and traditions do not function effectively when a sizable number of Americans refuse to accept an election result. In 1945, President Harry Truman had to decide between two bad choices drop atomic bombs on civilian populations or invade the Japanese mainland. In the context of his times, he made the right choice, albeit not a choice a president would be permitted to make today. In 2024, Americans are being asked to decide between two forms of division one with policies that will divide and the other a person who personifies division in the minds of many. The question for voters is whether we as a nation can afford to spend another four years divided. Dennis M. Powell is a strategic management consultant at Massey Powell and author of the book: Leading from the Top: Presidential Lessons in Issues Management. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. View a previous report on lawmakers wanting Ohio to host a U.S. Space Force test mission in the video player above. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday asked the president to withdraw a proposal that would pull members of the Ohio National Guard into the U.S. Space Force. Legislative Proposal 480 was sent to Congress by the U.S. Air Force in March, and would include moving some Air National Guard units into the countrys newest military branch. It would also give the U.S. Secretary of the Air Force the sole power to move soldiers or eliminate their units. In a letter to President Joe Biden, DeWine called for the withdrawal of the proposal. He called it unprecedented, arguing it would severely undermine the intent of the Militia Act of 1903 and circumvent the authority of governors. As Commander in Chief of the Ohio National Guard, I retain the responsibility for these military organizations and their missions, DeWine said in his letter to the president. Usurping this power would be unprecedented, and I respectfully ask that you not do so. Ousted STRS member makes dramatic return to board, armed with court ruling Instead of letting the U.S. Air Force secretary conscript state guardsmen, DeWines letter argued for the creation of a Space National Guard to be overseen by governors and state adjutants general as a substitute. Alternatively, he said that existing Air National Guard support to both forces fully meets their needs. I urge you to adopt either approach and direct the Department of the Air Force to immediately implement such a solution, DeWine wrote. Reaction mixed to Ohio trans bill pause In March, a bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers tried to get the state picked to host a U.S. Space Force testing mission to evaluate its capabilities. They previously wanted Ohio selected as the new headquarters for the branch, but Biden opted to keep it in Colorado. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Why a potential TikTok ban is alive again in Congress, and whats next Federal lawmakers are again taking up legislation to force video-sharing app TikTok to be sold or banned in the United States over national security concerns. This time, it may have an easier path to the presidents desk. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Republican House leaders this week unveiled an unconventional plan to tuck the TikTok crackdown into a series of foreign aid packages slated for a Saturday vote. The tactic could fast-track the proposal, maneuvering the stand-alone bill that has stalled in the Senate. Lawmakers have scrutinized the popular short-form video app over allegations that its links to China pose a risk to Americans personal data, but past attempts to ban or restrict it have run into major constitutional concerns that the efforts would infringe on the free-speech rights of its millions of U.S. users. Heres what to know about the plan: - - - Wait, didnt the House pass this already? Yes. Last month, the House voted 352-65 to approve legislation requiring that TikTok either be sold off from ByteDance, its Beijing-based parent company, or face a national ban. The measure - called the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, or H.R. 7521 - would give apps deemed to be controlled by rival foreign powers 180 days to divest or face a prohibition. The bill explicitly designates TikTok and other platforms owned by ByteDance as foreign adversary controlled applications and would create a mechanism by which the president could target additional apps in the future. House lawmakers swiftly and overwhelmingly passed the bill, led by Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), just over a week after it was introduced. That kicked the measure over to the Senate, where members have yet to formally take it up. - - - Why are lawmakers now tying TikTok to foreign aid? Because it speeds up the process. House lawmakers initially passed the TikTok crackdown as a stand-alone bill, but it needs to pass in the Senate, where leadership would need to either move it through a key committee or call it up on the floor for a vote. At least one member, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), has already indicated he would block calling the bill to the floor under unanimous consent. Senate leaders probably would need to dedicate a significant amount of time in committee or on the floor to debate the TikTok bill. That could prove difficult ahead of the 2024 elections. To bypass those constraints, House lawmakers are attaching the TikTok legislation to a package of funding bills they were already slated to consider, to send aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. Those efforts have bipartisan backing on Capitol Hill and the support of the White House, which could expedite efforts to get a deal on TikTok done as well. The new bill, called the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act, or H.R. 8038, would allow the president to level new sanctions against Russia and Iran in addition to the TikTok provisions. This legislation is a first step in protecting Americans against foreign subversive data collection, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), who previously led a congressional effort to target TikTok, said during a committee hearing on Thursday. 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 said in a statement posted online Wednesday. - - - When could TikTok face a ban? Congress would first need to pass the aid package. While House lawmakers are expected to vote on the bills Saturday, its unclear when the Senate might take it up. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Thursday he is monitoring the Houses foreign aid bills - which closely resemble a prior Senate package. (Schumer spokespeople did not return requests for comment on the TikTok provision.) The bill gives TikTok just under a year to divest from ByteDance. While the original House bill gave TikTok 180 days to be sold, the version included in the aid package gives the company 270 days and allows the president to extend by an additional 90 if significant progress has been made toward a divestiture. At that point, if ByteDance refuses to sell, mobile app stores and web-hosting services would be prohibited from offering TikTok to the public - effectively banning the app from the United States. - - - Is the TikTok bill more likely to become law now? It appears so. The TikTok proposal already had broad bipartisan support in the House, and President Biden said last month he would sign it into law if it came to his desk. The only outstanding question was whether enough of the Senate would rally behind the push. After the House quickly passed its TikTok crackdown, many senators struck a cautious tone, urging colleagues not to rush through consideration of the issue. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), whose committee has jurisdiction over the TikTok bill, expressed concern that the proposal would not survive legal challenges and floated first holding a hearing on the topic. But in a notable shift, Cantwell announced in a statement Wednesday that she supports the updated TikTok legislation now that it gives the company additional time to divest. Cantwell had previously cast doubt on its prospects for passage, creating a major roadblock for the effort. As Ive said, extending the divestment period is necessary to ensure there is enough time for a new buyer to get a deal done, said Cantwell, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), another key voice in the TikTok debate as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement Thursday he supports the Houses inclusion of the TikTok crackdown in their foreign aid package. Im glad to see the House help push this important bill forward to force Beijing-based ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok, Warner told The Washington Post in a statement. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the Intelligence Committees vice chairman, also supports the maneuver, a spokesman confirmed in an email. A number of senators on both sides of the aisle have previously called for the chamber to take up the bill ahead of the 2024 elections. This may now become their most viable path to do so. Related Content They fled Venezuela and transformed D.C.s food delivery scene Riding the baddest bulls made him a legend. Then one broke his neck. As Supreme Court takes up homeless ban, a citys unhoused feel abandoned Twenty-five years ago today, two students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, killed 12 classmates and a teacher, wounded 21 more people, and ended their rampage with a double suicide. The murders dominated news coverage for weeks, first in horrified reaction to the slaughter and then as every faction with a moral panic to promote tried to prove their chosen demon was responsible for the massacre. Even after the nightly newscasts moved on, the slayings left a deep imprint on popular culture, inspiring songs and films and more. They remain infamous to this day. Why does Columbine still loom large? The easy answer would be that it was such a terrible crime that people found it hard to forget it. That is certainly true, but it doesn't fully answer the question, since there have been several terrible crimes since then that do not have the place in our public memory that Littleton does. More Americans, I suspect, remember the names of the Columbine killers than the name of the man behind the Las Vegas Strip massacre of 2017, even though the latter happened much more recently, killed five times as many people, and led directly to a bump stock ban whose constitutionality the Supreme Court is currently considering. Another possible answer would be that Columbine was the first crime of its nature, but that's not really right. There were several high-profile mass killings in the decade before Columbine, including the Luby's shooting of 1991, an especially lethal but now rarely mentioned assault that killed 23 people and wounded 20 more. There was no shortage of shootings at schools before Littleton eitherpeople may have a hard time believing this, but more students died in school shootings in 1993 than in the bloody Columbine year of 1999. It's just that those earlier killings were relatively small incidents, with one or two victims apiece, rather than the big body count in Colorado. That was, and in fact still is, the most common form of school homicide. "The vast majority of fatal school shootings involve a single victim and single assailantnothing like Columbine," says James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University and one of the country's leading authorities on mass murder. In the early '90s, the public debate over school violence often centered around gangs, but that didn't reflect the typical campus shooting either. "Some was gang-related," Fox explains, "but most were just one student killing a classmate or teacher." Nor was Columbine the first massacre to be both a mass shooting and a school shooting. In 1989, to give a particularly gruesome example, a gunman murdered five children and wounded 32 more at the Cleveland Elementary School playground in Stockton, California. Yet while that certainly attracted national coverage at the time, it didn't get the level of attention that Columbine did, nor did it linger as long in our cultural memory. Fox has a thought about why that might be. "Stockton wasn't covered with live video," he says. "CNN was the only cable news channel and didn't have all that many subscribers. No video to show, the broadcast networks weren't about to preempt the soaps with nothing to show." With Columbine, by contrast, "a crew happened to be nearby." Today, of course, virtually everyone is a camera crew of one. And our newsfeed scrolling isn't just interrupted when word spreads of a mass shooting: It is interrupted when there's a rumor of a mass shooting, even if the story turns out to be false. We have become hyper-aware of distant violence, and of the possibility of distant violence, and of the outside chance that the violence will not be so distant tomorrow. Columbine didn't cause that shift, but perhaps it presaged it. Here's another possible answer: As those video images circulated through the media, Columbine changed the way the public imagines such crimes. If the popular stereotype of school violence three decades ago involved gangs, the popular stereotype of a mass shooter was a disgruntled postal worker. (Hence the expression "going postal," which is still used today though I doubt many younger Americans have any idea where it comes from.) There is a 1994 episode of The X-Files, "Blood," in which a mysterious forceapparently a mixture of chemicals and screenscompels people to commit mass murders; the character at the center of it appears in the first scene working in a post office, and at the end has taken a rifle to the top of a university clock tower (a visual reference to the 1966 tower shooting at the University of Texas at Austin). Watching it feels like an hour-long tour of the American anxieties of three decades ago. It's striking, then, that none of the killings involve children in jeopardy or take place at a K-12 school. So perhaps Columbine created a new archetype, a new templatenot just for ordinary people scared of spectacular crimes, but for alienated copycats plotting attacks of their own. In 2015, Mark Follman and Becca Andrews of Mother Jones counted at least 74 murder plots directly inspired by Columbine, 21 of which were actually carried out; a 2019 follow-up brought the total to more than 100. To be clear: Those copycats may well have committed crimes without Columbine. The Colorado massacre gave them a script for fulfilling their violent impulses, but that does not mean it sparked their impulses in the first place. Nor did they all follow that script very closely: A surprisingly substantial number of those killers and would-be killers planned to use knives or explosives rather than guns. And Columbine wasn't necessarily the only crime that influenced them. In their 2021 book The Violence Project, for example, the criminologists Jillian Peterson and James Densley interview a perpetrator who studied three additional school shootings besides Columbine. But these people all saw something in the massacre that appealed to them. "Plotters in at least 10 cases cited the Columbine shooters as heroes, idols, martyrs, or God," Mother Jones reported. In 14 cases, the plotters intended to act on the Columbine anniversary; three "made pilgrimages to Columbine while planning attacks." On the 20th anniversary of the Littleton assaults, as Mother Jones was updating its count of Columbine copycats, Peterson and Densley noted in The Conversation that they had examined 46 school shootings committed since 1999, six of them mass shootings, and found that in 20 cases the attackers saw Columbine as a model. These included the murderers behind the two most infamous incidents of school violence in that period, the Sandy Hook massacre of 2012 and the Parkland killings of 2018. (The scholars also found evidence of influence abroad: In 2019, a pair of mass shooters in Brazil were reportedly inspired by the Columbine carnage.) Peterson and Densley do not always agree with Foxthey are prone to using phrases like "mass shooting epidemic," a frame that Fox wisely rejectsbut their conclusions in The Conversation are consistent with his comments about cable and live video: Before Columbine, there was no script for how school shooters should behave, dress and speak. Columbine created "common knowledge," the foundation of coordination in the absence of a standardized playbook. Timing was everything. The massacre was one of the first to take place after the advent of 24-hour cable news and during "the year of the net." This was the dawn of the digital age of perfect remembering, where words and deeds live online forever. Columbine became the pilot for future episodes of fame-seeking violence. Five years after they wrote that passage, even the reactions to a public mass shooting feel scripted, down to an almost fractal levelfrom the anti-gun activists mocking the phrase "thoughts and prayers" to the 4chan trolls blaming the slayings on the comedian Sam Hyde. Some years see more crimes like this and some years see fewer. But in both, we have made these murders into something they weren't before: a public ritual with assigned roles for everyone. That too is a legacy of Columbine. The post Why We Remember Columbine appeared first on Reason.com. Why war may be the best chance to kick out the Iranian regime The cycle of tit-for-tat violence between Iran and Israel could soon escalate into direct, all-out fighting - MAJID ASGARIPOUR/REUTERS For decades, Iran and Israel have prepared for the unthinkable, and diligently avoided allowing it to happen. A full-scale showdown between the Middle Easts superpowers would be devastating for both, and plunge the entire region into all-out war. Now, finally, that war may be breaking out. Early on Friday morning, Israel carried out its first ever overt strike against Iranian territory, on an airbase in Isfahan, a clear retaliation for Irans own first ever direct missile strike against Israel on April 14. Will this cycle of tit-for-tat violence escalate into direct, all-out fighting? Or, like duelists who have both fired their pistols, will both sides accept that honour has been satisfied? Just hours before the reported strike, Irans foreign minister had warned of a decisive, definitive, and regretful response if the Israelis hit Iranian assets. The ball is now in Irans court. Whatever happens, the pressure is on a brutal theocratic regime that has held power since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. It knows that war could unite Iranians or fatally split them, and that as a result it is facing a crisis that could define it or destroy it. Four factions are jockeying for influence. But only one man will decide what happens next. The supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been the supreme leader of Iran for more than three decades - REUTERS/WANA Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been at the helm of the Islamic Republic since the death of its founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989. He turned 85 on Friday some speculate the Israeli strike was timed as an unwelcome birthday present but if Iran-watchers can agree on one thing, it is that the elderly cleric is still very much in charge. Officially, Iranian foreign policy is set by the Supreme National Security Council, a consensus based body that has representation from elected and unelected institutions in Iran and comes up with recommended courses of action. President Ebrahim Raisi may implement the political elements of those steps, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) may take charge of the military response. But as Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House, notes: Everyone is beholden to the supreme leader, there are not separate facets of power. As for his temperament, she adds: Interestingly, the supreme leader is quite similar to [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu both are quite risk-averse. Hence the contradictory elements of Irans April 14 missile and drone barrage against Israel an unprecedentedly bold attack that could have done serious damage to Israel had it succeeded, but which was nonetheless transparently signalled in advance, killed no one, and was described by Iranian diplomats as the end of the matter. Khameneis apparent risk aversion has long been expressed in a doctrine of strategic patience stitching together a coalition of allies or friendly militias around the region, in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and Syria known as the Axis of Resistance. The idea was that he is very patiently building these bodies and doesnt get into any early confrontation, explains Arash Azizi, a historian at Clemson University. While he is biding his time, [the Iran-backed militia in Lebanon] Hezbollah gets stronger and stronger and so on. Khamenei has predicted Israel is going to be destroyed by 2040. He knows hes not going to be there by 2040, Azizi adds. If youre in his seat, the idea is that you just want to hand off the Axis of Resistance to your successor in the best possible shape rather than risk a premature war. The scale of Iran's April 14 rocket strike on Israel took many observers by surprise, but its objective was probably not to start a war - AMIR COHEN/REUTERS The problem [for him] is that, in a way, Israel has called his bluff [by] repeatedly killing IRGC commanders, just killing them right, front and centre most recently with an April 1 strike on Irans consulate in Damascus. Put bluntly, argues Mr Azizi, Khamenei is a bit of a coward when it comes to Israel and the West. And there comes a point when that becomes apparent even to his most loyal supporters. The Damascus attack, for example, saw nationalists joining Irans ultra-hardline anti-Zionists in clamouring for a more robust line against Israel over the war in Gaza. There was [even] a hardliner student group which published an open letter to Khamenei which basically said: Can you please tell us what your red line is? If attacking an Iranian consulate doesnt make you do something, what will? That was a bit humiliating. Khamenei, in this reading, had to act to quell domestic outrage. But while the scale of Irans April 14 rocket strike on Israel took many observers by surprise, its objective is probably not to start a war. Rather, say expert observers, the supreme leader is hoping to change the ground rules in the standoff with Israel, so that strikes on top-level Iranian commanders now become off-limits. The regimes objectives are security and stability, maintaining its posture across the region and pressuring the United States and Israel while maintaining its position. [Direct confrontation with Israel] is a liability that theyre trying to sidestep, said Dr Vakil. But Mr Khamenei is old, and everyone around him knows it. He is also rumoured to be sick. When he dies, there will be a frantic race for power. Multiple factions are already jostling for pole position and not all of them may be quite so patient about their strategy. The Paydari front Critics accuse Ebrahim Raisi, the 63-year-old president, of granting the Paydari front undue influence in his government since taking power in 2021 - APA IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK The Front of Stability of the Islamic Revolution the Paydari front in short is the newest and most potent of the hardline factions. Populated by a relatively young (by Iranian standards) generation of Shia religious and revolutionary purists, its doctrine is uncompromising adherence to the principles of the Islamic Revolution, including domestic repression and overseas aggression. That amounts to a rejection of the relative pragmatism of the older clerics and IRGC men who dominate the political establishment. Their actual influence is debated. They did well in the parliamentary elections this year, and critics accuse Ebrahim Raisi, the 63-year-old president, of granting them undue influence in his government since taking power in 2021. Some also worry about its influence on the younger generation of commanders in the IRGC, who do not necessarily share the caution of those who remember the blood-soaked reality of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. I dont really see the Paydari Front as being so influential yet. Theyre still up and coming, says Dr Vakil. Certainly theyve been radicalised and support this more confrontational approach. [But] I dont think that they have that [major] kind of influence within this system. They might become influential over time, but were not there yet. Yet the Paydaris do not have a monopoly on hardline politics. One of the other prominent figures is a man called Saeed Mohammad, an IRGC brigadier general not associated with the Paydari movement. And the Paydaris bete noir is Mohammad Ghalibaf, a former IRGC commander who is currently speaker of parliament. A reliably conservative regime-loyalist with family links to Khamenei, he has previously served as Mayor of Tehran and more than once taken a tilt at the presidency itself. He is, in short, the ultimate establishment figure. And for the Paydaris, that is exactly what is wrong with him. He is the swamp they want to drain, says Mr Azizi. Ive known Ghalibaf for years. Of course he would love to be president, but he cares about Islam as much as I care about the Shinto religion of Japan. He is not an Islamist in many ways he wants to be the big man in Iran, the strong man, the leader of Iran. And hes not alone. The hope among Western onlookers is that Ghalibafs kind of pragmatism might lead to a mellowing of Irans aggressive foreign policy once Khamenei leaves the stage. Reformers President Hassan Rouhani negotiated the 2015 deal that saw Iran halt its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief - GETTY Indeed for years, discussion of Iranian politics made much of a division between hardliners and reformers. If the former believed in aggression abroad and hardline suppression of opposition at home, the latter represented a pragmatic nationalism which favoured entrenching the rule of law, frowned on confrontation as a potentially dangerous distraction and thought the best way to protect Iran and its regime was regional integration and alliances. The problem is, according to Dr Vakil, that as of right now, reformers dont have influence. They basically are in opposition, without being formally in opposition. Their highpoint came under Mohammad Khatami, Irans reformist president between 1997 and 2005, and they saw a revival under Hassan Rouhani, a conservative moderate, in office between 2013 and 2021. It was president Rouhani and his foreign minister, Javad Zarif, who negotiated the 2015 deal that saw Iran put the brakes on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. That could not have happened without Mr Khameneis buy-in, and sceptics have often scoffed at the supposed distinction between hardliners and reformers. Either way, the 2021 presidential election, which saw the lowest turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic, was widely seen as the end of the reformist project. Many natural reformist voters stayed at home, their faith in the possibility of liberalising the regime from within irrevocably eroded, and the movement was seen to fade into irrelevance. If there is one thing that foreign officials need to grasp, its that the reformist movement is dead. Thats not me saying that its lots of people inside Iran, said Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and curator of the Iranist, a weekly newsletter. Hardliners and probably Khamenei himself appear to have come to the conclusion that compromise with reformist ideas would mean unwinding the Islamic Republic itself. But in the long run, the collapse of public faith in the project to reform the republic from within could be its doom. The IRGC The 190,000-strong IRGC commanded by Hossein Salami is now considered Iran's paramount military wing - ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK The ultimate powerbrokers are the men with guns. And probably no one in Iran has more guns than the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and its commander-in-chief Hossein Salami. Founded in 1979 by Ruhollah Khomeni, the IRGC was initially meant to defend the revolution and balance the influence of the traditionally royalist regular armed forces. In the four and a half decades since, however, it has swelled into a vast bureaucracy that is almost impossible to unpick from the fabric of the Iranian state. It is like a political party and a militia at the same time, explains Mr Azizi. It is a sprawling organisation that is united by Khamenei at the top, but has very different factions with very different goals which follow very different ends. While the Iranian army, navy and airforce still exist, the 190,000 strong IRGC is now considered the countrys paramount military wing. It runs Irans ballistic missile program and the elite Quds force, its clandestine expeditionary wing, is the principal actor in the long-running regional shadow war with Israel. It is IRGC commanders who would be in charge, and IRGC men who would be in the frontline, if the past fortnights tit-for-tat exchanges with Israel escalate to full blown war. Most police chiefs are also members of the Corps, which also runs the Basij volunteer militia that is used for the regimes brutal crackdowns on protest movements. And the control of force is allied to the IRGCs control of money. Mr Azizi estimates roughly 60 per cent of the Iranian economy is in one way or another linked to or controlled by the IRGC. Yet for all this, the IRGC is a part of the system, not a pillar apart from it and as loyal to Khamenei as everyone else. Take, for example, the fact that Khamenei has never allowed an IRGC candidate to win a presidential election. In fact, it has traditionally been kept as far away from any lever of political power that could challenge his own supremacy. Mr Ghalibaf, the most prominent IRGC politician, has never been allowed to actually win the presidency. One conspiracy theory circulating in Iran even holds that Khamenei conspired with the Americans to dispose of Qassim Soleimani, the charismatic commander of the Quds force assassinated in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020. There is no evidence to support such a wild theory. But the very existence of the rumour points to an understanding of certain political realities within Iran. Before he died, Soleimani is known to have formed a committee to explore the possibility of a presidential run. The public Despite recent protests around issues such as women wearing the hijab, few expect the general public to turn on the regime - AP The biggest unknown in the event of war does not concern the supreme leader, his military followers, or the factions who hope to assume power when he goes. It is Irans 90 million people. If Israel attacks forcefully, will the Iranian public rally to the flag to defend the country or will they finally turn on a moribund, brutal, and economically incompetent regime for starting a war no one wanted? The inherently unpredictable nature of war makes it impossible to give a definitive prediction. But there is no question that vast numbers of Iranians are thoroughly fed up with the current regime. From the historically low turnout at the recent elections, to successive and increasingly massive waves of protests, to resigned conversations on the streets of Tehran, the evidence of fatigue is overwhelming. Yet those hoping that a foreign strike would bring the regime down should remember the Islamic Republics greatest legitimising achievement thus far was a war of national defence. The memory of the Iran-Iraq war, 1980-88, in which hundreds of thousands of Iranians died, still permeates and shapes Iranian society. Portraits of the dead still adorn the streets of Tehran. That memory has a certain restraining effect. Everyone of a certain age, from the most hardline IRGC commanders to the most disillusioned opponent of the regime, remembers the horror of those years. On social media, there has been a wave of commentary from many older Iranians urging restraint. Trust us, many messages say, you do not want a war. Few Iranians want to relive the horrors of the 1980-88 war against Iraq, which saw hundreds of thousands die in the country - ANADOLU Nonetheless, says Dr Vakil, I do think that an attack on Iran, whether people in the diaspora are willing to accept this or not, will produce a rally around the flag effect. The fact that there are protests in Iran, and there is a legitimacy crisis does not necessarily mean that the system is on the brink of collapse, or that suddenly a popular movement from within is going to bring down a system that is willing to kill ordinary people to stay in power, she added. On the same day as Iran launched its strike on Israel, the morality police launched a massive domestic crackdown on women in bad hijab or not sufficiently modest headscarves. That, points out Mr Azizi, looks bizarrely self defeating. A lot of the most nationalistic, anti-Israel commentators are furious about this because theyre saying this is the biggest own-goal you can have. If you want to pick a fight with Israel, why have you decided to pick a fight with half of Iranian women on the same day? The answer probably lies in Khameneis and his own sense of what it means to secure the Islamic Republic. After nearly half a century, there remain two defining axes that set the Islamic revolutionary project apart. One is the compulsory hijab, a symbol of the uncompromising stance of religious authority in the face of public pressure. The other is the crusade against Israel and the United States. 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 lawyer for a new energy company made a pitch to the Wichita County commissioners Friday for property tax abatements in exchange for building a large battery storage facility between Iowa Park and Electra. The requested abatement would be for 75 percent for 10 years. Officials said it's too early to know estimated dollar amounts of the tax breaks. During a meeting at the Wichita County Courthouse, Lloyd Drain of Solvent Energy Inc. described it as a $120 million project to locate giant batteries that would provide power to the ERCOT grid through Oncor Electric. Wichita County Commissioners on Friday heard a pitch for building a large battery plant in the county in exchange for property tax abatement. So far that company has options to purchase on several sites in the state, but no projects are completed or operational. If we get a green light on things like interconnection with Oncor or your county to get abatements, we will go forth and exercise those options, Drain said. He said the Wichita County site consists of 10 acres that would hold a 200-megawatt facility. By comparison, Drain said the largest similar facility in the country is a 750-megawatt plant in California. He also said the power stored in the batteries would come predominantly from fossil fuel, referring to what he called a war started in the Legislature by the oil and gas lobby against renewable energy. Energy storage is anything but that. Im not a greenie, Drain said. He said the energy stored in the batteries would power at least 100,000 homes for two hours when needed during peak usage At the touch of a button we can flow lots of power into the grid and lower that peak price in this area all the way to Dallas-Fort Worth, he said. Well have some of these facilities operational within a couple of years. He assured commissioners the storage units, which resemble large shipping containers, do not pose fire danger or danger to the environment. Solvent is listed on its website as a Delaware corporation and appears to be a subsidiary of JC Mont Fort, a Swiss corporation with a stated mission to Promote, Develop and Harness green energy across the globe. Commissioners took no action on the matter Friday. "It's certainly something I will be doing my homework on," County Judge Jim Johnson said. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita County hears pitch for tax breaks for big battery facility WINNECONNE, Wis. (WFRV) Winneconne Police Chief Sauriol has always wanted to see an American White Pelican up close and personal, and on Friday, he got his wish. Chief Sauriol found one of the birds with a fishing line wrapped around its beak and left wing. With the help of Cody Nelson at the Wolf River Resort, Chief Sauriol netted the bird while Nelson drove the boat. Click here for more news, weather, and sports Together, the two were able to remove the fishing line from the American White Pelican. The bird was then set free to spread its wings and open its beak. While Chief Sauriol perhaps hoped to see the bird in better conditions, hell probably sleep a little better Friday night, knowing he played a crucial role in saving this one. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. The "Magnificent Seven" stocks have captivated investors over the past year thanks to their collective contributions to the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. Perhaps the most closely followed is Nvidia, which specializes in graphics processing units (GPU) and data center services. Both of these computer network applications are important pillars for generative AI. One of Nvidia's closest allies is IT infrastructure company Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI) -- often known as Supermicro. Its business is experiencing something of a renaissance at the moment, and that's thanks to inbound business from Nvidia. With its shares having soared 780% over the last year, some investors may think the Supermicro train has left the station. Let's break down Supermicro's entire business and assess if now is a good opportunity buy shares in this artificial intelligence (AI) innovator. The next Nvidia? The chart below illustrates an interesting dynamic. Shares of Nvidia and Supermicro have generally traded in parallel over the past few years. SMCI Chart Supermicro's business experienced quite a boom last year. During the company's second fiscal quarter, which ended Dec. 31, revenue increased 103% year over year to $3.66 billion. Moreover, the company raised its full-year guidance from a midpoint of $10.5 billion in total revenue to $14.5 billion. Much of this growth is attributable to Supermicro's relationship with Nvidia. Considering that Nvidia is one of the core engines powering the overall AI picture right now and is also operating at record revenue and profit levels, it's not all that surprising to see investors cheer both of these companies on. However, despite the temptation to follow this momentum, smart investors should take a deeper look down the income statement. Image source: Getty Images. There's more to see than soaring revenue One word of caution regarding Supermicro is that it is an extremely different business than Nvidia. Nvidia designs semiconductor chips that are used for supercomputing applications such as machine learning or helping train large language models (LLMs). By contrast, Supermicro designs IT architecture systems, including storage clusters and server racks. This is a costly endeavor, which can be seen in the chart below illustrating Supermicro's capital expenditure (capex) trends. SMCI Capital Expenditures (Quarterly) Chart Investors can see that last quarter's capex of $14.7 million was the highest for Supermicro in the last three years. Granted, demand for integrated IT solutions is going to vary from quarter to quarter, which will lead to some noticeable ebbs and flows. Story continues However, as the AI narrative continues to play out, I am curious how capex levels will impact Supermicro in the long run. More specifically, rising spending on parts for server racks could materially change Supermicro's margin profile over time. In fact, this is already happening to some degree. For the period ended Dec. 31, Supermicro's gross margin was 15.4% -- down significantly from 18.7% one year prior. Is it too late to buy Supermicro stock? Supermicro's deteriorating margins tell me two things. First, unlike Nvidia, Supermicro does not have a high degree of pricing power. With loads of competitors, including Dell Technologies, International Business Machines, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Lenovo Group, Supermicro isn't exactly in a position of leverage. The second concern I have about the margin profile is what it could mean for cash flow and liquidity in the long run. When you layer on top the fact that traditionally non-chip businesses are beginning to explore developing their own solutions, Supermicro's relationship with Nvidia appears far less lucrative. In turn, if demand for Nvidia's chips begins to plateau, this will have a domino effect on Supermicro. In addition, with a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 5.9, Supermicro stock trades at a significant premium compared to its peers. Given the trepidations above, I would say that it is not too late to buy Supermicro stock. In fact, I think it might be too early. Sure, the company operates in an interesting area within the AI realm and could serve as a hedge to other opportunities in your portfolio. However, given some of the risks outlined above, I question how attractive Supermicro's investment prospects are right now. Should you invest $1,000 in Super Micro Computer right now? Before you buy stock in Super Micro Computer, 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 Super Micro Computer 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 $518,784!* 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*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2024 Adam Spatacco has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends International Business Machines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is It Too Late to Buy Super Micro Computer Stock After It Soared 780%? was originally published by The Motley Fool A group of Wisconsin business leaders is pushing for more employers to encourage voting and other civic engagement. The nonpartisan civic engagement group, the Wisconsin Business Leaders For Democracy, advocated for Wisconsin businesses to allow for voting during work time, facilitate voter registration and encourage poll working. Among the speakers at a roundtable discussion Friday were Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee Election Commissioner Claire Woodall, business leaders including Greg Marcus, CEO of The Marcus Corp.; Tom Florsheim, CEO of Weyco Group; and Paul Miller, cofounder of Colectivo Coffee. Some of the attendees at a Wisconsin Business Leaders For Democracy roundtable on promoting business engagement. From left to right: Milwaukee Election Commissioner Claire Woodall; Joel Brennan, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee; Lori Richards, president and CEO of Mueller Communications; Greg Marcus, chairman, president and CEO of Marcus Theatres parent Marcus Corp; and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. I know how critically important it is to have people across our city to be engaged in our electoral process, Johnson said at the event. Everybody in this community should raise their voice to vote none of this works unless we have an engaged democracy. Here are the main takeaways from the event. Poll workers needed in Milwaukees elections Woodall said the biggest need for local elections is workers at the polls, particularly in early afternoon shifts. She said the Milwaukee elections take about 2,300 poll workers and the city battles issues with workers not showing up for shifts. Were still seeing large numbers of people who, life happens, maybe they arent feeling well, Woodall said. They wake up and they decide not to come to work. So then were left scrambling. Many of the attendees said they encourage workers to become poll workers and Woodall said the city has a permanent position dedicated to training poll workers at off-site locations, like businesses with groups of interested employees. Among those encouraging workers was Colectivos Miller, who employs about 500 workers in Wisconsin. Woodall referenced that one of the companys cafes had its entire staff work at the polls and Miller said that they encourage poll workers by paying the difference between poll worker pay and their typical daily pay. Combatting misinformation key to public safety, mayor says David Irwin, president and CEO of gThankYou, a provider of gift certificates for food items, raised the topic of distrust in elections during the event. He noted the need for the business community to combat misinformation to maintain trust in elections. Irwin, who said he typically supports right of center politicians, said he viewed some of the misinformation coming from his political community. A lot of the people who have been kind of part of my political community for the last couple of decades, I view, as having been on kind of the wrong side of spreading disinformation and sowing undue lack of confidence in our elections, he said. We need to really, as leaders of business or anything, we need to fight misinformation and we need to encourage anyone to seek out the truth. The topic was raised again when Irwin was in discussion with Johnson, when he asked the mayor his thoughts on public safety around elections. Johnson stressed the need for the public to understand and trust the electoral process as one that is fair and safe. Folks have to first understand that and know that, he said. We want people engaged in our electoral process. What local businesses are doing to encourage civic engagement Almost all of the business leaders emphasized the work theyve done to facilitate voter engagement in their workforce. Tom Florsheim, of the shoe company Weyco Group, said his company has given paid time off to vote; offered on-site voter registration; and paid time off for working at the polls. Others like Lori Richards, president and CEO of Mueller Communications, said her company gives 24 hours of paid time off for activities like poll working. We believe that companies are in a unique position, because the large number of people we employ, to really have an impact on civic engagement in Milwaukee, Florsheim said. Marcus stressed the need for further civic engagement and took note of primary elections decided by smaller groups of voters who may advance candidates who don't represent larger community interests. Our system is not delivering the results that we want, he said. If we delivered this as companies, our customers would be screaming at us. How Milwaukee, Wisconsin businesses can do more. There's a toolkit The Wisconsin Business Leaders For Democracy promoted a civic engagement toolkit the group designed. That toolkit had been incorporated by almost all of the attendees of the roundtable event and was positioned as a strong step forward for other businesses looking to build on it. The toolkit, while not updated yet for the upcoming November election, provides a suggested timeline for how businesses should share information on elections. For example, the April election iteration had communication plans for five weeks before, two weeks before, one week before and the morning of the election. Those plans were centered around either making a plan to vote early or on election day. Additionally, the plan offered links to information on working the polls and email templates for a companys human resources departments to send to employees. The toolkit can be downloaded from the groups website and Florsheim said it will be updated for the November election soon. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Business leaders urge Wisconsin employers to encourage workers to vote FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A woman was arrested on Friday after allegedly shooting and killing a man at a bar in Fresno over the weekend, the Fresno Police Department announced. Officers say on April 14 at 1:51 a.m. they responded to Ewells Bat at Shaw Avenue and Marks Avenue for a report of a gunshot victim. Such a good husband: Wife, family remember man shot at Fresno bar Upon arrival at the scene, officers found 38-year-old Gilberto Gutierrez in front of the bar, suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers and Emergency Medical Services performed life-saving measures at the scene and he was transported to the Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno; he died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Homicide detectives say that the victim was trying to defuse a verbal altercation outside the bar between his friend and another group. The incident turned into a physical fight and 26-year-old Domonique Jones armed herself with a handgun and fatally shot Gutierrez. 26-year-old Domonique Jones (image courtesy of the Fresno Police Department) The Fresno Police Department says they arrested Jones on Friday and she will be booked into the Fresno County Jail on suspicion of homicide. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. Women in states where abortion is banned rely on TikTok for advice. Now TikTok itself might be banned. Women in states where abortion is banned rely on TikTok for advice. Now TikTok itself might be banned. Young people are relying on TikTok for abortion information amid legal uncertainty in the US. Confusion over abortion laws is increasing online engagement on the issue, researchers say. American lawmakers on Saturday voted to force the sale of TikTok in the US or ban it entirely. Young people confused about abortion bans in their state are turning to TikTok for advice. Now, the US government wants to ban TikTok too. House lawmakers voted Saturday to force the sale of TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, to an American company or face a domestic ban, citing national security concerns. Wildly popular in the United States with 170 million users, TikTok has become a resource for American women trying to navigate the complex and varied laws on abortion. Half of US states have passed bans or limits on abortion, including 11 states that have implemented gestational limits, some of which are as early as 6 weeks before most women can even tell they are pregnant. Many of those bans are facing legal challenges and the issue is poised to be a central one in the upcoming presidential election. The labyrinth of abortion laws is why American women need "legal abortion without borders," Merle Hoffman, a lifelong abortion activist who has run a New York City-based women's clinic since the 1970s, told Business Insider. "I so firmly and deeply believe that the right to reproductive justice is just as fundamental and transcendent a right as the right to vote, the right to worship, the right to assembly. Just think if you had to have the right to vote in New Jersey but didn't have it in Wyoming. That would be absurd because we're all citizens, right?" Hoffman said. As more people turn to social media for information about abortion, more women are sharing their personal experiences on TikTok. Some women are sharing videos detailing their medical procedures and home methods like mifepristone. "I was really torn about whether or not I was going to make this video, but I think it's important," Sunni says at the start of her TikTok video, according to The New York Times. "It's the video I was looking for. I was like 'what's going to go on?'" Sunni's video, which received over 400,000 views, details her experience with mifepristone. The video attracted attention from anti-abortion groups. Protect Life Michigan responded directly to the video on TikTok, calling it "heartbreaking." Rebecca Nall, founder of abortion access nonprofit Ineeda, told The Times that "more and more people are going online" with questions about abortion because of "the chaos and the confusion and the stigma" of abortion bans. Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, an OBGYN who shares women's health information on TikTok, said in a video that it's important for other women to show their experience with medication abortions for visibility. "Shes fantastic for doing this," Lincoln says. "She showed what it was like, and in doing that, she's normalizing it. She's de-stigmatizing it. She's telling you, honestly, what happened." Mikaela Attu's TikTok video about the day she had an abortion was viewed over 3.5 million times. Mikaela demonstrated various medical equipment, like the device used for her ultrasound. Ending the video, Attu said she felt completely normal after the procedure. In a follow-up video, Attu said her procedure, which she had in Canada, took about 5 to 10 minutes. "I was totally happy with the process," Attu says in the video. "I went about my day. My husband and I went and had dinner." "It's something that so many people go through," Sunni told the Times. "There are people walking around you going through this thing, and until they feel normal and accepted, they're not going to be able to heal." Read the original article on Business Insider Years in the making, renovations nearly complete on Blue Mound Road. Heres the timeline Workers expect to wrap up renovations to a key thoroughfare in far north Fort Worth by late spring, a Texas Department of Transportation representative said this week. Workers are putting the finishing touches on a southern section of Blue Mound Road (FM 156), a 38.8-mile roadway shooting north from Meacham International Airport to the outskirts of Denton. TxDOT began renovating a four-mile stretch near Saginaw in November 2019 a $49 million undertaking designed to accommodate the swell of residents and traffic in the area. Construction crews widened the street to four lanes and installed sidewalks, gutters, and raised medians. All thats left, the spokesperson said, is the activation of traffic signals and the planting of sod grass, projects slated for completion by the end of May weather permitting. Officials had planned to finish the project last year. Non-construction issues involving relocating existing utilities pushed the deadline back, the spokesperson said. The overhaul forced the city of Fort Worth to spend upwards of $5.7 million to dig up and relocate water mains along the road (a task projected to wind up in July, two years behind schedule). Saginaws population has ballooned by more than a quarter since 2010, growing by around 2% annually. A politician in Russias Tver region has sent shockwaves through the country after apparently confessing to murdering his wife on Saturday in a bitter post on social media. Yevgeny Nikolsky, the chairman of the local branch of A Just RussiaFor Truth, began his post bluntly, around the same time his wifes body was found, according to local reports. Yes, I did it, he wrote on the VK social networking site. Im not going to deny it and I will accept the necessary punishment. With my head held high, because I did everything right. When a person to whom you have given your entire soul for years betrays you, this should not go unpunished. I dont care what happens to me, but the lying wretch got what she deserved, he wrote, adding one final request for someone to please take care of his daughter. The couple had a baby girl nearly a year ago; she has lost her mother, Yekaterina Nikolskaya, just a few weeks shy of her 1st birthday on May 12, according to Current Time. The well-connected Baza Telegram channel reports that the murder happened in the early hours of Saturday morning, when Nikolsky, during a jealous fight, allegedly stabbed his 36-year-old wife in the neck. Her brother, who was nearby at the time, sprung into action to try and save her. But when Nikolsky tried to stop him from rendering aid, the report says, the brother attacked the accused murderer with a tire jack, sending him to the hospital. There are differing accounts on whether Nikolsky remains hospitalized or whether he has been taken into police custody. REN-TV and Mash report that he has been detained, while Baza is reporting that he is still receiving treatment in a hospital. The regional branch of the Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into the killing and is currently gathering evidence, according to REN TV. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The New York Attorney Generals office has asked the judge in Donald Trumps civil fraud case to reject the $175 million bond he obtained to stave off even steeper fines. In a 26-page filing signed by Attorney General Letitia James, lawyers for the state argued that Trump, the Trump Organization, and its top executives had failed to prove that the management of the bond met the requirements of trustworthiness and competence, and argued that Judge Arthur Engoron should find the bond to be without effect. The AGs office argued that California-based Knight Specialty Insurance Company was a small insurer that is not authorized to write business in New York and had never before written a surety bond in New York, before they penned the massive loan to Trump. Lawyers also wrote that based on KSICs surplus, the insurer wasnt allowed to write a check anywhere near that big. Based on KSICs policyholder surplus in its most recent annual financial statement of $138,441,671, the limitation of loss on any one risk that KSIC is permitted to write is $13.8 million, the filing said. The face amount of the bond exceeds this limitation by $161.2 million. Additionally, the states lawyers argued that Trumps team could not demonstrate that they had the assets for collateral. Trumps ability to secure this bond saved him, the Trump organization, and its top executives from having to pay the hefty $464 million sum Judge Engoron ordered them to pay. If Judge Engoron declares the bond to be without effect, AG James requested Trump come up with another surety within seven days. Justice Engoron is expected to hold arguments on this case Monday at 10 a.m. 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. New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday asked that a judge void former President Donald Trump's bond in his civil fraud case, questioning whether the company that issued it has the funds to back it up. In a 26-page filing ahead of a pre-scheduled hearing on Monday, James expressed concern about whether Knight Specialty Insurance Company could secure the $175 million bond. She also argued that the collateral put up by the former president should be under the full control of the company. One of James' concerns about KSIC is that the insurer "is not authorized to write business in New York and thus not regulated by the states insurance department." She added that the company "had never before written a surety bond in New York or in the prior two years in any other jurisdiction, and has a total policyholder surplus of just $138 million." James also criticized Trump's team's apparent hold on the collateral put up to back the bond. "KSIC does not now have an exclusive right to control the account and will not obtain such control unless and until it exercises a right to do so on two days notice," she wrote. Neither Trump's lawyers nor KSIC immediately responded to a request for comment. Trump attorney Alina Habba previously said when the former president's bond was posted that he "looks forward to vindicating his rights on appeal and overturning this unjust verdict." The new filing comes after James filed a notice earlier this month seeking more information about the former president's bond. In that filing, she asked that Trump's lawyers or the insurance company "file a motion to justify the surety bond" or provide additional information about the collateral put up by Trump within 10 days. The bond for Trump and his co-defendants was reduced by a state appeals court to $175 million in March, down from $464 million. Trump had been liable for $454 million, the vast majority of the original sum. The former president has repeatedly slammed the case against him and denied any wrongdoing. James filing comes as Trump was in the courtroom for his New York criminal hush money case where he faces 34 counts of falsifying business records and as a state appeals court judge rejected Trumps request for a emergency stay of the trial. A jury has been seated in that case and arguments are set to begin on Monday. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A whistle-blower details the ways that ACS is putting race and class above kid safety. Late last fall, John Smith, an employee at New York Citys Administration for Childrens Services whose name is being withheld, made an appointment to see a mother who had been previously reported for inadequately caring for two young children. Her home was described by another ACS employee as being in deplorable condition. When John rang the bell, however, the mother was not there. Instead, he found a 3-year-old boy in the hallway, unable to reach the doorknob. The child was, in Johns description, shirtless, shoeless in a diaper that was full like he had gone swimming in it. He was crying and shivering with a bad cough. John wrapped his coat around the boy, who seemed terrified. According to an unnamed ACS worker, the department is no longer viewing issues such as parental drug use as reason enough to remove children from their homes. zabavna stock.adobe.com Carrying the boy inside, John found no one home. It was completely dark, with mice and other vermin scurrying around. John called his supervisor to say he was going to get an ambulance to have the boy evaluated, but his supervisor told him to wait to hear the mothers explanation. When she arrived, the boys mother explained that she called her brother to watch the child but he was running late. John did not believe this the boy had clearly been alone for hours. Nevertheless, John was not allowed to remove the child. Instead, an investigation was launched. The mother was offered services. She refused them. And nothing changed. How has this helped the little boy? John asks. Hes still with the mother, whom John believes is suffering from a drug problem as well as possible mental illness, and hes still being abandoned. John is middle-aged and has been with ACS less than 10 years. But since the pandemic began in early 2020 followed by the racial unrest a few months later John has observed a significant increase in what he believes is negligence on the part of ACS. The agency has drunk the Kool-Aid of woke politics around race and class and economics. And New Yorks most vulnerable children are paying the price for this recklessness. Sarah Font, an associate professor of sociology at Penn State, says the decision to discount parental drug use is alarming. Leaders at ACS, he believes, have adopted several wrongheaded and dangerous ideas that now appear to be guiding agency decisions. The first is that parental drug addiction is not really a problem for childrens safety. In 2015, the list of criteria for investigations included both Caretaker Abuses Drugs or Alcohol and Child under 7 as well as Caretaker Mentally III/Developmentally Disabled and Child under 7. But as of 2019, both factors had been eliminated. ACS Commissioner Jess Dannhauser says agency efforts to retrain its reporters is part of a process to fundamentally reorient our system to be about a much narrower set of young people who are really in danger. WireImage During a recent discussion in Johns office, a supervisor mentioned a mother with an active crack addiction. When John suggested it would be safer to remove the child until the mother could get clean, the supervisor asked, But what is the actual impact on the child? Perhaps the mom might burn the baby with her crack pipe before we act, John suggested. Even then, Im not so sure the child would be remanded. Our standards are changing, he warns, theyre changing for the worse. He has said as much to colleagues and supervisors, but to no avail. According to John, ACS has adopted several wrongheaded and dangerous ideas that now appear to be guiding agency decisions. John is not alone in such fears. Sarah Font, an associate professor of sociology at Penn State whose research focuses on child maltreatment. It is alarming that they have removed caregiver substance abuse and drug-related activity from the list of factors that would initiate an investigation, Font says. This is a time when we know that child poisonings, fatalities and other injuries related to parental addiction are on the rise. But it is not just substance abuse that has been eliminated from the list. So has criminal activity in the home. That, too, apparently doesnt affect someones ability to safely parent a child. Commissioner Dannhauser did a press conference with Mayor Eric Adams in 2022. Paul Martinka Who, exactly, is this intended to help, and how does this benefit children, wonders Rafael Manguel, an expert on urban crime at the Manhattan Institute. The idea that substance abuse and criminality dont constitute significant enough risk factors . . . ignores the clear link between exposure to such parental behavior and undesirable life outcomes. Across ACS, the agency seems to be adopting a hear no evil approach to child welfare. Last month, for instance, caseworkers were told they need to get parents permission before accessing school records. Chronic absence from school is often a sign that there is something going wrong in a home. Such policy shifts, suggest Smith, adhere to Commissioner Jess Dannhauser decision to retrain agency reporters to do less actual reporting. We have to fundamentally reorient our system to be about a much narrower set of young people who are really in danger, Dannhauser said at a hearing in Albany. Smith finds this approach lunatic. Our reporters as a group of people depend on ACS to be the tough guy. Dannhauser says his department is doing all it can to address the needs of New York Citys kids. We take our mission to keep children safe and support families very seriously, he said in response to allegations raised by the Post. We are opening new pathways to access preventive support without a call to the State Central Register when someone sees a family in need and does not suspect the children are being maltreated. This helps families get help right away without the stressors of an investigation. It also helps our CPS teams focus more on instances when someone believes a child may be in danger. But Smith says this is not enough; there has also been a change in attitude among ACS supervisors. Smith notes that a home with deplorable conditions is taken less seriously than it previously was. He often hears questions like Well, what really is a messy home? But these homes are far beyond unclean, says John, noting the story of the three-year-old boy suggests. In addition to the vermin, he says, The children are eating off the floor. Its a horror show. Harvard Law Schools Jim Greiner is leading a pilot program to provide mothers with histories of children services investigations with $500 per month to determine the role of poverty in child neglect. Such horrors these days such are increasingly attributed to poverty rather than mental illness or substance abuse with the idea that giving parents more financial assistance is going to fix the problem. In an interview with Time Magazine, Dorothy Roberts, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania explained that the child welfare system has been used historically and today to blame parents for hardships to their children that are caused by poverty and other kinds of structural inequities. Such thinking is behind new strategies, such as a pilot program launched this month from Harvard Law Schools Access to Justice Lab. The scheme provides $500 a month to mothers in Washington, DC accused of neglect to see if it can help them to avoid having their kids removed from their homes. The goal, says lab director Jim Greiner, is to look at what happens when you take steps to alleviate poverty. Dorothy Roberts, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, explained that the child welfare system has been used historically and today to blame parents for hardships to their children that are caused by poverty. But Smith disagrees. The reason were coming is because of neglect, maltreatment, abuse . . . Not poverty, he says. This is the Kool-Aid that Im talking about. Despite the fact that workers are under-investigating if not told to leave children in dangerous environments advocates claim that ACS is unnecessarily intruding in the lives of families. Earlier this year, several parents and advocacy organizations filed a class-action lawsuit against ACS for what a press release refers to as the Widespread Practice of Searching Homes and Childrens Bodies Without Court Approval or Emergency Circumstances Traumatizes Families and Children. Smith does not believe that his colleagues are strip searching children as the lawsuit alleges. Indeed, one reason that he wanted to speak out is that parents can claim whatever they want to the media while ACS employees are barred from speaking publicly about specific allegations. The lawsuit is demanding that ACS now secure a search warrant before entering a house. Not doing so, they argue, is unconstitutional. The shift in child welfare in recent years has been toward working with parents as opposed to treating them like criminal suspects even if they actually are suspected of wrongdoing. Manhattan Institute fellow Rafael Mangual, says the idea that substance abuse and criminality dont constitute significant enough risk factors is inherently dangerous for kids. Shutterstock ACSs strategy has been to divert more and more cases into the CARES program (Collaborative Assessment, Response, Engagement & Support), which encourage[s] families to develop their own solutions to their challenges, and identify supportive resources to help care for and protect their children rather than launch official investigations. Dannhauser proudly announced earlier this year that the agency had doubled the percentage of its cases that were CARES and plans to increase it further. But once you start telling parents they dont have to let ACS workers into their homes, the relationship becomes adversarial and an official investigation has to be launched in order to get a warrant. You cant have it both ways, Smith explains. The past few years have seen Smith become increasingly convinced that the people making policy at ACS dont have any understanding of what front-line workers are actually seeing. Much of this misunderstanding, Smith contends, stems from the quasi-academic idea that the child welfare system is structurally racist. Smith, whos not African-American, recognizes that black families are over-represented in the system compared to their percentage of the population. Despite the focus on race and class, ACS must still prioritize the safety and health of children before political posturing. Kenishirotie stock.adobe.com But he wonders, if a black woman at school calls ACS on a black mother and a black CPS worker shows up and is rude to her. I have a hard time pinpointing where the racism is. A similar claim has been made about policing, where it is often black families who want more law enforcement presence in their neighborhoods. But white progressives cant abide this. Manguel explains that like the movement to depolice and decarcerate, efforts to dismantle and defang the child welfare system is one built on an unfortunate willingness to subordinate the safety of our most vulnerable populations to the passions of activists. Smith tells me its time to use some common sense in our child welfare decisions. Lets look at this not through some toxic academic lens. Lets look at this through the lens of the child. The New York state Legislature passed a first-of-its-kind employment tax credit plan on Saturday aimed at providing financial support for news media outlets in the state. The bipartisan plan offers a statewide total of $30 million in credits each year for three years (a $90 million total commitment) that can be used to cover half of a journalists salary, up to $50,000 per year. Publishers are only allowed to use the credits, which are part of the states 2025 budget, if they both hire new reporters and keep their current staff. Steven Waldman, chair of the Rebuild Local News Coalition, shared the news on social media.. He wrote: BIG NEWS: NY State leaders agree on landmark, bipartisan plan to help counter the collapse of community news $30 million in employment tax credits for news outlets. First in the nation. Most significant state effort yet. pic.twitter.com/biKS0laMib Steven Waldman (@stevenwaldman) April 20, 2024 Waldman broke down what each newsroom can receive. The legislation calls for a $320,000 cap per newsroom, $13 million for newsrooms with fewer than 100 staffers, $13 million for bigger ones, $4 million for new hires. He also noted that only independent news organizations can take advantage of the new tax credits no publicly traded companies. $320,000 cap per newsroom $13 million for newsrooms with fewer than 100 staffers. $13 million for bigger ones. $4 million for new hires. Independents only (publicly traded companies excluded) Some details TDBhttps://t.co/o9UExDJaFz Steven Waldman (@stevenwaldman) April 20, 2024 New York state Sen. Brad Hoylman also championed the effort. He said, The decline of local news across the country has led to the loss of one-third of newspapers and two-thirds of its journalists since 2005, leaving more than 200 counties as news deserts without access to local news. In response, Im elated that passed our first-in-the-nation Newspaper and Broadcast Media Jobs Program tax incentive in this years state budget. This new initiative will help strengthen local news coverage by creating a $30 million tax credit to hire and retain journalists for qualifying, independently owned print media or broadcasting entities, particularly those that have experienced workforce or circulation decline in the last five years, Hoylman continued. With this new tax credit, well help ensure that New Yorkers are better informed and that democracy doesnt die in darkness. Im extremely grateful to Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins (herself a former local journalist), Gov. Hochul and Assembly Member Carrie Woerner for their support of this landmark legislation, Hoylman added. The post New York Lawmakers Pass $90 Million in Tax Credits for Local News Outlets appeared first on TheWrap. Read the full story on The Auto Wire New York Is Working Hard To Bust Ghost Cars The term ghost car sounds scary and has been used by the New York government to justify a crackdown on them in the city. Hundreds paid the price for being on the wrong side of the law as local media cheered on the move, along with some residents. An Italian vigilante has been cutting down speed cameras. If youre wondering what exactly a ghost car is it seems to be a catch-all term for people who have a vehicle which uses a fake license plate, is lacking a front plate, has part of the plate obscured, or the registration has expired. Supposedly, the main aim of those driving ghost cars is to avoid paying the many tolls one must endure when driving around the area or avoiding traffic enforcement cameras. Thats why the state has created a new multi-agency task force to bust offenders. The presumption is every last person driving one of these offending vehicles is a scofflaw looking to burden society, but is that really the case? Independent video journalist gifterphotos interviewed a man on camera who received a court summons after he was caught by police driving a ghost car. The guy was upset since he claims the vehicle he was driving belongs to a friend and he was just borrowing it. Is that story legitimate? We dont know, but it does expose a potential problem with enforcement. In that same video uploaded to YouTube, which weve shared, police are seen not only having cars towed but leading some suspects away in handcuffs. Its possible those individuals already had warrants for their arrest. Interestingly, the array of ghost cars ranged all the way from older Hondas to newer Bentleys and everything in between. It seems some people are tired of paying tolls, a concept which is foreign to some fortunate drivers who live where such things are a rarity. Another motivation for cracking down on ghost cars is the upcoming congestion pricing New York is set to enact. That means during busy times, drivers will have to shell out even more money for the privilege of traveling around the Big Apple. Officials are concerned that will motivate even more people to obscure their plate or put on a fake one. Like speed cameras and other enforcement methods many find heavy-handed, we expect at least a good minority of New Yorkers arent okay with this ghost car crackdown. Its happened before, but never on this scale. Image via gifterphotos/YouTube Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook. Key Insights Bank of Hawaii will host its Annual General Meeting on 26th of April CEO Peter Ho's total compensation includes salary of US$878.3k Total compensation is 55% above industry average Bank of Hawaii's three-year loss to shareholders was 27% while its EPS grew by 2.0% over the past three years The underwhelming share price performance of Bank of Hawaii Corporation (NYSE:BOH) in the past three years would have disappointed many shareholders. Despite positive EPS growth in the past few years, the share price hasn't tracked the fundamental performance of the company. These are some of the concerns that shareholders may want to bring up at the next AGM held on 26th of April. Voting on resolutions such as executive remuneration and other matters could also be a way to influence management. We think shareholders might be reluctant to increase compensation for the CEO at the moment, according to our analysis below. See our latest analysis for Bank of Hawaii Comparing Bank of Hawaii Corporation's CEO Compensation With The Industry Our data indicates that Bank of Hawaii Corporation has a market capitalization of US$2.3b, and total annual CEO compensation was reported as US$4.6m for the year to December 2023. Notably, that's a decrease of 24% over the year before. We think total compensation is more important but our data shows that the CEO salary is lower, at US$878k. On comparing similar companies from the American Banks industry with market caps ranging from US$1.0b to US$3.2b, we found that the median CEO total compensation was US$3.0m. Hence, we can conclude that Peter Ho is remunerated higher than the industry median. Furthermore, Peter Ho directly owns US$11m worth of shares in the company, implying that they are deeply invested in the company's success. Component 2023 2022 Proportion (2023) Salary US$878k US$860k 19% Other US$3.7m US$5.2m 81% Total Compensation US$4.6m US$6.1m 100% On an industry level, around 45% of total compensation represents salary and 55% is other remuneration. In Bank of Hawaii's case, non-salary compensation represents a greater slice of total remuneration, in comparison to the broader industry. If non-salary compensation dominates total pay, it's an indicator that the executive's salary is tied to company performance. A Look at Bank of Hawaii Corporation's Growth Numbers Bank of Hawaii Corporation has seen its earnings per share (EPS) increase by 2.0% a year over the past three years. Its revenue is down 5.6% over the previous year. We generally like to see a little revenue growth, but the modest improvement in EPS is good. It's hard to reach a conclusion about business performance right now. This may be one to watch. Moving away from current form for a second, it could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future. Story continues Has Bank of Hawaii Corporation Been A Good Investment? Since shareholders would have lost about 27% over three years, some Bank of Hawaii Corporation investors would surely be feeling negative emotions. Therefore, it might be upsetting for shareholders if the CEO were paid generously. To Conclude... Shareholders have not seen their shares grow in value, rather they have seen their shares decline. A huge lag in share price growth when earnings have grown may indicate there could be other issues that are affecting the company at the moment that the market is focused on. If there are some unknown variables that are influencing the stock's price, surely shareholders would have some concerns. These concerns should be addressed at the upcoming AGM, where shareholders can question the board and evaluate if their judgement and decision making is still in line with their expectations. CEO compensation is a crucial aspect to keep your eyes on but investors also need to keep their eyes open for other issues related to business performance. That's why we did some digging and identified 1 warning sign for Bank of Hawaii that you should be aware of before investing. Arguably, business quality is much more important than CEO compensation levels. So check out this free list of interesting companies that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. 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. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visit the frontline positions in Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. -/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Following NATO's decision to further strengthen Ukraine's air defences, President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed reserved satisfaction. "We in Ukraine appreciate the efforts of every leader, every state that is really active, keeps its promises and tries to improve the capabilities of our air defence," Zelensky said on Friday evening in his daily video address, which was unusually brief. Defence ministers from NATO states promised Ukraine the delivery of additional air-defence systems at a crisis meeting earlier Friday with Zelensky, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said following the meeting via videoconference in Brussels. The Norwegian did not initially say who had made the commitments after the meeting of the group, called the NATO-Ukraine Council. Concrete announcements are to be made by individual member states in the coming days. According to Stoltenberg, countries that do not have any available air-defence systems themselves have agreed to provide financial support for the purchase of systems for Ukraine. Only last weekend, Berlin had promised Ukraine the delivery of a third Patriot air-defence system from German stocks. "Ukraine needs air defence, and our partners can help," said Zelensky. "We need artillery, and the world has it." Only a sufficient number of air defence systems and fighter aircraft could protect Ukraine from Russian airstrikes, he added. "Solutions are necessary, solutions are possible." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visit the frontline positions in Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. -/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Zelensky: Air-defence solutions are necessary and possible Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visit the frontline positions in Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. -/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Following NATO's decision to further strengthen Ukraine's air defences, President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed reserved satisfaction. "We in Ukraine appreciate the efforts of every leader, every state that is really active, keeps its promises and tries to improve the capabilities of our air defence," Zelensky said on Friday evening in his daily video address, which was unusually brief. NATO allies are to give more air-defence systems to Ukraine, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Friday, after a crisis meeting via videolink with defence ministers and Zelensky. NATO has "mapped out existing capabilities" from alliance countries that can be given to Ukraine, Stoltenberg said in a press conference after the meeting. The alliance secretary general also mentioned that "several allies made concrete commitments" to send further air-defence weapons for Ukraine. Stotlenberg declined to give further details about what "existing capabilities" were identified as this was classified information. He did say however that the "mapping confirms that there are systems, including Patriot systems, available to be provided to Ukraine." Concrete announcements are to be made by individual member states in the coming days. According to Stoltenberg, countries that do not have any available air-defence systems themselves have agreed to provide financial support for the purchase of systems for Ukraine. Only last weekend, Berlin had promised Ukraine the delivery of a third Patriot air-defence system from German stocks. "Ukraine needs air defence, and our partners can help," said Zelensky. "We need artillery, and the world has it." Only a sufficient number of air defence systems and fighter aircraft could protect Ukraine from Russian airstrikes, he added. "Solutions are necessary, solutions are possible." The NATO-Ukraine Council meeting was convened at the request of Zelensky, with Ukraine concerned whether it can hold the front line against increased Russian military pressure. In recent weeks, Russia destroyed almost all of Ukraine's thermal power plans with airstrikes, Zelensky said ahead of the meeting. In the talks Zelensky also pushed for additional weapons, artillery shells, vehicles and drones for the Ukrainian armed forces. Stoltenberg repeated his message to allies that in the current battlefield situation in Ukraine, it is more important to help Kiev than to fulfil alliance targets for the provision of weapons and ammunition. "Allies must dig deep into the inventories and speed up the delivery of missiles, artillery and ammunition," he said. "Ukraine is using the weapons we provided to destroy Russian combat capabilities. This makes us all safer. So support to Ukraine is not charity. It is an investment in our own security," he added. According to information provided by Zelensky at the beginning of April, 25 Patriot air-defence missile systems, each with six to eight launchers or comparable equipment, would be needed to fully protect Ukrainian airspace. Alternatives include systems such as the Iris-T, SAMP/T and NASAMS. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visit the frontline positions in Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. -/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visit the frontline positions in Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. -/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa $60 billion military aid for Ukraine approved by US House of Representatives The US House of Representatives has passed a major package of military aid for Ukraine after a six-month hold-up in a move Volodymyr Zelensky praised for keeping history on the right track. Democrats waved Ukrainian flags on the floor of the House as the bill authorising $60 billion (48.5 billion) in lethal aid to be sent from US stockpiles passed by 311 votes to 112, Joe Bidens plan to send aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan had been held up in Congress for six months, amid opposition from Republicans who argued the war with Russia had become too expensive. Mike Johnson, the House Speaker, put the Ukraine bill to representatives on Saturday alongside separate votes on other foreign funding. It will now pass to the Senate for approval. Mr Zelensky welcomed the news in a post on X, where he said he was personally grateful to Mr Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it, he said. The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. Just peace and security can only be attained through strength. Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House, put the Ukraine bill before the House, but is now facing a challenge from Right-wingers in his own party - J SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP PHOTO Military officials in Ukraine, the US and other Western countries had warned that without further American aid, Kyiv will lose significant territory to Russia this year. Last week, Gen Christopher Cavoli, the US military commander in Europe, warned that Russia was outgunning Ukraine by five to one on the front line, and that the figure would soon rise to 10 to one. Other allies, including the UK, had increased their support in an attempt to make up the shortfall, but face supply chain issues in European arms factories. Welcoming the news, President Biden said: Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer historys call, passing urgently needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure. He added that the package comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia. Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, said the bill was a vital step forward. If Putin ever doubted the Wests resolve to back Ukraine, this shows our collective will is undimmed, he said. With support, Ukraine can and will win. Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary general, added that the package would make us all safer. Ukraine is using the weapons provided by NATO allies to destroy Russian combat capabilities, he said. The Kremlin said it would lead to more deaths in Ukraine. It will further enrich the United States of America and ruin Ukraine even more, by killing even more Ukrainians, said Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putins spokesman, according to state news agency TASS. Supporters of Ukraine waved US and Ukrainian flags outside the Capitol after the aid package was approved - JIM LO SCALZO/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK The package of measures totals $95 billion (77 billion), and will be put to a vote in the Senate, which the Democratic majority leader Chuck Schumer has suggested could take place on Tuesday. The House also passed a bill that would force ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, to sell the platform or face being banned from app stores in the US. Another vote approved measures to sanction China, Russia and Iran, and to send aid to Taiwan. A $26 billion package for Israel will be used to replenish supplies for the countrys Iron Dome missile defence system, while another package of humanitarian aid will be sent to Gaza. All of the votes will form one bill when they have been approved by the Senate this week. Mr Biden has said he will sign it as soon as it reaches his desk, allowing the Pentagon to reallocate US weapons stockpiles as soon as possible. The funding package was opposed by 112 Republicans in the House of Representatives The US president has been constrained in the funding and weapons he can offer Kyiv since the last of the existing funding ran out at the end of last year. The White House has attempted to continue its support through other routes, but has been unable to send already manufactured weapons. Despite the victory, Mr Johnson faces significant opposition to his willingness to work with Democrats to pass the bill, including from Republicans in Congress who hope to depose him as Speaker. Marjorie Taylor Greene: Speaker has betrayed America Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conservative hardliner who is leading the charge against Mr Johnson, said he had betrayed America by putting the Ukraine package to a vote. House Republicans and the American people would be stronger without his disloyalty and betrayal of his principles, she said. Now its time for my colleagues to go home and hear from their constituents. We need a new Speaker of the House! The Ukraine aid supplemental was first proposed by Mr Biden in October, after the existing budgetary authorisation from Congress began to dwindle. Aides suggested that a one-and-done package to fund the war effort beyond Novembers election was needed to overcome Republican resistance in the House. By December, the Pentagon warned it had almost exhausted the budget, and aid dried up entirely in January. One final package of $300m was sent by Washington in March, after the Pentagon identified savings it had made by buying previous shipments of weapons in bulk. Other European allies have already begun to prepare for an end to US aid, which could be exhausted after Novembers election if Donald Trump secures a second term in the White House. Mr Trump has suggested he would not renew the budget for foreign aid for Ukraine, and would apply diplomatic pressure to Mr Zelensky to end the war through a negotiated settlement with Russia. Mr Zelensky has signalled his intention to continue the war until Ukraine has won back the territory it lost after Vladimir Putins invasion in February 2022. Mr Trump did not respond to the result of the vote on Saturday evening, but posted on his Truth Social platform about the criminal proceedings against him in several court cases. 07:56 PM BST Thank you for following This blog is now closing. 07:31 PM BST Joe Biden: Vote sends message about American leadership In a statement, President Joe Biden said: Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer historys call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure. This package will deliver critical support to Israel and Ukraine; provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and other locations impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world; and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia. I want to thank Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in the House who voted to put our national security first. I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs. 07:23 PM BST This sends a clear message to the Kremlin - EU chief EU chief Charles Michel has welcomed the US House of Representatives backing of an aid package to Ukraine for its war effort against Russia. This sends a clear message to the Kremlin: Those who believe in freedom and UN charter will continue to support Ukraine and its people, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 07:15 PM BST Cameron: House backing for Ukraine a vital step forward US House support for $60bn funding for Ukraine is a vital step forward. If Putin ever doubted the West's resolve to back Ukraine, this shows our collective will is undimmed. With support, Ukraine can and will win. #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/vugDBtxV94 David Cameron (@David_Cameron) April 20, 2024 07:09 PM BST House passes $26bn Israel funding The House has approved a $26 billion package aiding Israel and providing humanitarian relief to people in Gaza. The bill, which could be taken up by the US Senate as early as Tuesday, would provide funds mainly to reinforce Israels Iron Dome air defence. 07:03 PM BST Zelensky thanks House for keeping history on the right track I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2024 06:53 PM BST Ukraine aid bill passed The House has approved a bill to send more than $60bn in aid to Ukraine, in the first step to ending months of congressional logjam. Democrats on the floor of the House waved Ukrainian flags as the results came in, showing it passed by 311 votes in favour to 112 against. This bill will now pass to the Senate, along with other bills that have passed this evening. 06:35 PM BST Taylor Greene amendment rejected Majorie Taylor Greene, the Republican hardliner who tried to kill the Ukraine aid bill - Matt Rourke/AP Representatives voted against an amendment by Marjorie Taylor Greene to reduce the size of the Ukraine aid budget to $0. Ms Taylor Greene, a conservative hardliner, had also proposed an amendment that would force congressmen who vote for the aid package to enlist in the countrys military. 06:29 PM BST House to vote on Ukraine aid next We are now waiting for the results of the vote on Ukraine aid - the biggest challenge of the night that would send more than $60bn of military aid to Kyiv. Months of congressional logjam have led up to this moment. 06:28 PM BST Foreign aid package for Taiwan clears the House The second key vote of the night, a package of measures to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region, has just passed in the House. The package includes more than $8bn in aid for Taiwan. 06:24 PM BST House votes to ban TikTok and sanction Iran The first package of measures in tonights vote have just passed, forcing the owner of TikTok to sell the platform or face a ban. Although seemingly unrelated to the main foreign aid bills tonight, the TikTok ban was included as a sweetener for Republicans who are concerned about the influence of China. The bill introduces new rules that would force ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, to sell the platform or face a ban. It also includes new sanctions on China, Russia and Iran, and a plan to sell frozen Russian assets to generate revenue. As with all of tonights measures, this bill is subject to passage in the Senate next week. 06:21 PM BST Mike Johnsons career hangs in the balance Mike Johnson, the House Speaker - Getty It is fair to say that the House Speakers strategy over this evenings votes has not gone down well with some members of his own party. The Republicans tiny majority in the House and bitter divide over Ukraine funding has forced Mr Johnson to rely on the support of Democrats to get these votes to the floor. He will also be relying on the other side to get them across the line. Although the congressional system was always designed to support inter-party horse trading on key issues, the division over foreign aid funding has made Mr Johnsons strategy very controversial. Three members of the Republican caucus have already called for him to be deposed as Speaker, after just six months in the job. There could be a vote on that (known as a motion to vacate) as soon as next week, and the success of tonights bills may decide whether other Republicans choose to support him. 06:04 PM BST How does tonights vote work? Mike Johnsons strategy over this foreign aid package is to split the various asks from the White House into three main bills, plus a vote on Republican-friendly measures that he hopes will increase the chance of the aid getting through the house. You can see a summary of those bills in the post below, at 17.36. Before then, the House will vote on nine amendments that have been put forward by representatives on the floor -- some of which have been designed to wreck the main bills. One of the amendments, put forward by conservative hardliner Marjorie Taylor Greene, would reduce the size of the Ukraine package from $60bn to $0. After we have had those amendments, Congress will then vote on the four main bills. Whatever gets through the House tonight will then proceed to the Senate, where another vote is expected on Tuesday. Joe Biden has promised to sign whatever comes to his desk immediately. 05:38 PM BST This is a historic moment: House debates bills ahead of vote Before the voting, the House began a somber but serious debate with an unusual sense of purpose as Republican committee chairs and top Democrats on the panels united to urge swift passage that would ensure the United States supports its allies and remains a leader on the world stage. The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will judge what we do here and now, said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The weekend scene presented a striking display of congressional action after months of dysfunction and stalemate fueled by Republicans, who hold the majority but are deeply split over foreign aid, particularly for Ukraine as it fights Russias invasion. If the votes are successful, the package will go to the Senate, where passage in the coming days is nearly assured. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately. Sometimes when you are living history, as we are today, you dont understand the significance of the actions of the votes that we make on this House floor, of the effect that it will have down the road, said New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This is a historic moment. 05:36 PM BST What is in the four bills? The biggest of the four bills provides $60.84 billion to address the conflict in Ukraine, including $23 billion to replenish US weapons, stocks and facilities. Some hardline Republicans have voiced strong opposition to further Ukraine aid, with some arguing the US can ill afford it given its rising $34 trillion national debt. The bill also allows Biden to confiscate and sell Russian assets and provide the money to Ukraine to finance reconstruction, a move that has been embraced by other G7 nations. A second bill earmarks $26 billion for Israel and Gaza. A total of $13 billion in military assistance has been allocated for Americas historic ally Israel in its war against Hamas. The money will essentially be used to reinforce Israels Iron Dome air defenses. More than $9 billion will be earmarked to address the dire need for humanitarian assistance for Gaza as well as other vulnerable populations around the world, the legislation says. A third bill includes $8.12 billion for the Indo-Pacific. The money will be used to counter China through investment in submarine infrastructure and boosting competition with Beijing on projects built in developing countries. Several billion dollars would also be devoted to weapons for Taiwan, the self-ruled island that is claimed by China. The fourth bill includes a provision that would force TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a nationwide ban in the United States, where it has around 170 million users. 05:32 PM BST Bill to be voted on after rare bipartisan coordination The bill has been brought to the House for a vote after a rare bipartisan 316-94 House majority on Friday chose to press ahead with it after months of back-and-forth. Its not the perfect legislation, its not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House, the Senate, and the White House, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Friday. This is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances to take care of these really important obligations. Representative Bob Good, chair of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, told reporters on Friday that the bills represent a slide down into the abyss of greater fiscal crisis and America-last policies that reflect Biden and Schumer and [House Democratic leader Hakeem] Jeffries, and dont reflect the American people. But Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who carries huge influence in the party, on April 12 voiced support for Johnson and in a Thursday social media post said Ukraines survival is important for the U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told senators to be ready to work over the weekend if it passes the House as expected. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the U.S. House of Representatives on April 20 for approving long-awaited $61 billion in aid for Ukraine. The U.S. House passed a key foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and other allies after months of political infighting and a deteriorating situation on the battlefield. The package will now head to the Senate for a vote before being sent to President Biden for signing. Biden has already signaled that he would sign the bills once Congress passes them. In his evening address, Zelensky thanked the House for passing the Ukraine aid bill, over two months after the Senate passed a similar bill on foreign assistance. "We appreciate every manifestation of support for our state and our independence, our people and our lives, which Russia wants to bury in ruins," said Zelensky. Read also: BREAKING: US House passes $61 billion in aid to Ukraine "Certainly, we will use American support to strengthen both our nations and bring a just end to this war - a war that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin must lose." He added that the U.S. had "showed its leadership from the first days of the war." "This kind of American leadership is vital to the preservation of an international order based on rules and predictability of life for all peoples." Zelensky said earlier on the same day that Kyiv may sign a bilateral security agreement with the U.S. in the near future, adding that it could happen after Congress passes aid for Ukraine. Read also: Zelensky: Ukraine will lose war if US Congress fails to deliver aid funding Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed on April 20 a decree on counteracting the negative effects of online gambling, which proposes to ban it for the military until the end of martial law. Zelensky supported the National Security and Defense Council's decision after he had announced that the government was preparing to tighten control over the online gambling industry in Ukraine. The negative social impacts of gambling are increasingly becoming a topic of public discussion, after a petition demanding restrictions on online gambling passed the threshold for presidential consideration. Zelensky tasked the government to define restrictions on all forms of gambling advertising, focusing on the ads using the symbols of Ukraine's Armed Forces and other military formations. The list also includes a large-scale information campaign on the danger of gambling, the introduction of an online monitoring system and the blocking of illegal gambling websites. Subscribe to the Newsletter Ukraine Business Roundup Subscribe Ukraine's Security Service will examine gambling organizers for compliance with the legislation within two months, according to the decree. The Commander-in-Chief and the leadership of military units are tasked to prohibit military personnel from accessing gambling facilities and online casinos. In early April, the Parliamentary Finance Committee supported a bill that included the liquidation of the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries and passing its responsibilities to the Digital Transformation Ministry. Gambling was officially banned in Ukraine in 2009 until its legalization in 2020. In the first two months of 2024, the gambling business in Ukraine paid Hr 2.2 billion ($56 million) in taxes, and Hr 10.4 billion ($267 million) in 2023, according to Danylo Hetmantsev, the chairman of the parliamentary Finance Committee. Read also: Parliamentary committee backs measures strengthening gambling oversight Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Zelensky thanks the US House, Speaker Johnson for $61bn aid approval Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visit the frontline positions in Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. -/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked the US House of Representatives and House Speaker Mike Johnson for approving billions in military aid for Ukraine's defence against Russia's war. "I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track," Zelensky wrote on X on Saturday shortly after the historic vote. "Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it," Zelensky wrote. After months of obstruction, the US House of Representatives approved a nearly $61 billion aid package for Ukraine. The measure is expected to be approved soon in the Senate and sent to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature. "Thank you, America!" Zelensky said. "The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. "Just peace and security can only be achieved through strength." Ukraine has been resisting the Russian invasion for more than two years. According to the leadership in Kiev, it is in urgent need of more ammunition and air defence systems to stop the Russian advance. Zelensky: Ukraine could sign bilateral security agreements with US, Nordic, Baltic states in near future Ukraine may sign bilateral agreements with several states in the near future, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 20 in an interview with Brazilian journalists in Kyiv. Ukraine is seeking to sign bilateral security agreements with as many of its Western allies as possible as it fights Russia's full-scale invasion. The agreements are based on a pledge made by the Group of Seven (G7) last July, which aims to bolster Ukraine's ability to resist Russian aggression. So far, nine have been signed with Latvia, Finland, the U.K., Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands. Zelensky said Ukraine is moving towards "an important agreement with the U.S.," adding that the agreement could happen after Congress passes a $61 aid bill for Ukraine that awaits an upcoming vote on April 20. "I want people to understand that these (bilateral agreements) is not only about military assistance," Zelensky said. "This is also about humanitarian aid, reconstruction, the financial and energy sectors' support." Zelensky stressed that Ukraine will sign more bilateral security agreements "soon." According to the president, Kyiv could sign an agreement with "one of the Baltic states" in April. "We might have powerful agreements in May. I think in May and June, we will approach the agreements not only with the U.S. but also with Nordic countries," Zelensky said, referring to Sweden and Norway. The Presidential Office announced on April 18 that Ukraine and Czechia had begun negotiations on a draft bilateral security agreement. Earlier, Kyiv said that the Portuguese and Ukrainian governments had "assigned teams" to begin the preparation of such an agreement as well. Read also: NATO Deputy Secretary General: Ukraine joining NATO is a matter of when not if Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine needs concrete decisions from its partners on air defenses, not only discussions, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 19 in Dnipro following a Russian missile attack. Russia launched a missile strike on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast earlier today, killing at least eight people, including three in Dnipro, and injuring at least 35. A railway station, residential buildings, and other civilian infrastructure were hit. Escalating Russian strikes and resulting civilian casualties underscore Ukraine's dire need for additional air defenses. "When Ukraine appeals to partners for air defense systems that they have - in warehouses, in storage bases, but that are needed here, right here, to protect lives - we are talking about a true alliance," Zelensky said. "And here in Ukraine, we appreciate the efforts of every leader, every state that is really active, really committed to fulfilling their promises and trying to increase the capabilities of our air shield." From Dnipro, Zelensky addressed the online session of the NATO-Ukraine Council, with air defense assistance as the key point of the agenda. Following the council meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the allies have pledged to provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems. Zelensky noted that Ukraine needs a minimum of seven Patriot systems, which would "save many lives." "This year cannot be just a year of further discussions. Everything is quite specific now. Ukraine needs air defense, and the partners can help with it," the president added. Germany was one of the first to heed Ukraine's call and pledged an additional Patriot air defense system, along with ammunition. Earlier on Apr 19, the Netherlands said it had allocated around $210 million for air defense and artillery ammunition for Kyiv. "I am grateful to everyone who is with Ukraine, with our people and with our defense now," Zelensky said. "Please, take care of your neighbors when it's needed. Take care of our Ukraine and spread the truth in the world by all means. The truth is that the world can do it." Read also: Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kill 8, including children, injure 35 Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine will sign bilateral security agreements with the US, countries of Northern Europe, and one of the Baltic states in the coming months. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Brazilian journalists Quote: "As for these agreements, we already have nine of them. We are nearing a significant agreement with the US, and after it passes the Congress and I believe we will push through and [they] pass it positively we will reach this robust agreement with the US. I would like people to understand that this is not only about military support but also about humanitarian aspects, recovery, financial and energy support. The whole scope of this powerful assistance is included in bilateral agreements. And we will continue to conclude [agreements on] security guarantees. We are getting closer to having our partners from the Baltic countries do so; I expect we will have this result from one of these nations in April. I think we can have comprehensive agreements in May. I believe that in May-June, we will sign agreements not only with the US but also with Nordic countries. We are preparing for Sweden and Norway." Details: In addition, Zelenskyy invited Brazilian President Lula da Silva to attend the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland in June. The president stressed that support from Brazil was very important for Ukraine, although for a long time, "Ukraine could not communicate with that country on the truth about the war unleashed by Russia". Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited the site of the Russian attack on the city of Dnipro, where he held a meeting to discuss the strengthening of the region's protection. Source: Zelenskyy on social media Quote: "Dnipro. A meeting on the situation in the oblast, the protection of Dnipro, all cities and hromadas of the region [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed]. Reports on critical infrastructure facilities, construction of fortifications, recovery and modernisation of energy facilities [have been presented]." Details: The president said he personally thanked the emergency workers responding to the aftermath of the Russian missile strike on Dnipro. Quote: "It is crucial that everyone who needs help receives it. And we are working with partners as hard as possible to obtain additional air defence systems for Ukraine." Background: On the morning of 19 April, Russian forces attacked the city of Dnipro and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. An apartment block and two infrastructure facilities in Dnipro were damaged. Four houses were partially destroyed in the town of Synelnykove, and eight more were damaged. A facility in the town of Pavlohrad was also hit. The Russians also struck the Nikopol district, shelling Nikopol itself with artillery in the evening and Marhanets hromada at night, damaging two houses. On the afternoon of 19 April, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported that the body of the seventh civilian killed in the attack had been retrieved from the rubble in Dnipro. Support UP or become our patron! By Nora Eckert CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers has made history by winning its first unionization vote at an auto factory in the U.S. South. Now it needs to prove the success wasn't a fluke by pulling off a second victory at a Mercedes plant in Alabama next month. UAW representatives at the VW plant also will have to show their mettle by negotiating a contract that gives workers what they have fought for - better benefits, improved safety on the job and a greater work-life balance. The Volkswagen landslide win in Tennessee is expected to provide crucial momentum to UAW President Shawn Fain's $40 million campaign to expand the union outside Detroit to the U.S. South and West, focusing on 13 non-union auto companies, including Toyota and Tesla. Fain, a scrappy leader who reveled in last year's fight with Detroit companies that won double-digit raises and cost-of-living adjustments, told a party of VW workers that the union would carry the fight on to Mercedes. "Let's win more for the working class all over this nation," he said. The Mercedes plant vote, scheduled for mid-May, is expected to be a tougher fight than at VW, which took a neutral position in the vote. Mercedes has said it respects workers' right to organize and wants them to make an informed decision. But in a letter to employees in January, it said that the union organizers "cannot guarantee you anything" and that some workers had said no to unionization because of Mercedes' competitive pay and benefits."Mercedes is running a much more aggressive anti-union campaign than Volkswagen within the plant," said John Logan, labor professor at San Francisco State University. But he added that the large VW victory that saw 73% of eligible workers vote in favor will provide significant momentum for organizing efforts at other plants in the South. "This will give them a huge boost for the Mercedes vote, and if they win that one, too, I wouldn't be surprised to see elections at Hyundai, Honda and Toyota over the next several months," he said. The UAW says a "supermajority" of the roughly 5,200 eligible workers at the Mercedes assembly plant in Vance, Alabama, and a nearby battery plant in Woodstock support it. UAW policy is to push for a vote once 70% of workers have signed union cards. Much may depend on economics and perceptions about job security. In the traditionally anti-union South where the UAW has lost several fights in the past, six Republican governors have flatly opposed the union's current campaign, describing it as risking job security since automakers face higher labor costs. Story continues Prior to last autumn's UAW labor talks with the Detroit Three automakers, Ford officials said their U.S. labor costs were $64 an hour, compared with an estimated $55 for foreign automakers and $45-$50 for electric vehicle leader Tesla. Workers at two other plants in the U.S. South - a Hyundai plant in Alabama and a Toyota parts factory in Missouri - have also launched organizing campaigns, with 30% of employees signing cards saying they support the UAW. Workers at the VW plant say they will kick off meetings on Sunday to strategize on contract negotiations. "The real fight is getting your fair share," Fain told VW workers Friday night. VW worker Jeremy Bowman, who hopes to be on the plant's organizing committee, agreed. "The fight is just starting," he said. (Reporting by Nora Eckert; Editing by Peter Henderson and Edwina Gibbs) Russian forces struck the Pivdennyi seaport on the afternoon of 19 April, hitting port facilities with missiles. Source: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council "This morning, our cities of Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, and Synelnykove were struck by Russian missile attacks. In Dnipro, an ordinary residential building was destroyed, and people were trapped under the rubble. A railway and a bus station were damaged This is just one morning in one city, yet Russian terrorists strike our country daily and nightly in various cities and communities. Such cities as Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Dnipro, among others, do not have a reliable defence against Russian terrorists," Zelenskyy said. "When I was preparing for this conversation, they hit the Pivdennyi seaport. Several missiles struck port facilities not only Ukrainian, but Singaporean as well," the president added. Background: Earlier, the Odesa Oblast Military Administration reported that Russian troops had attacked Odesa Oblast with missiles on the afternoon of 19 April, causing damage to port infrastructure. Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken out about NATO members double standards in protecting Ukraine and Israel from air attacks, saying he supports the idea of the Allies aircraft shooting down Russian missiles targeting Ukraine. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Brazilian media Quote: "When we said, from the very first day of the war, 'Close the sky, protect Ukraine', we were told: We can only do so much, otherwise well be dragged into a war with Russia because you are not a NATO country, and we are NATO countries." In this case, the situation involving Israel is completely pragmatic they had to destroy everything that was heading towards the Israelis (nice job shooting it all down, and thank God that people are still alive there). But this is a double standard at that moment, everyone forgot that Israel is not a NATO country." Details: Zelenskyy noted that in defending Israel from the Iranian attack, the allies demonstrated "that there is sufficient technology to shoot down hundreds of Iranian missiles and Shaheds [UAVs]", and this was also "meant to be a message for Russia". "Because both Russian aircraft and missiles have repeatedly crossed Polish and Romanian airspace, and there was no reaction. This speaks of double standards," the president stressed. Zelenskyy said allied aircraft should shoot down missiles that are targeting Ukraine. Quote: "What happened in Israel? [There were] planes that fired missiles. If we were offered, for example, [assistance from] aircraft from France, Germany, Poland or the UK it doesn't matter who which take to the skies in the territories of their own states, Im not saying in other [countries air]space or ours... If these aircraft take off in territories of our neighbouring countries and shoot down missiles that are definitely heading for Ukraine but could also reach those territories, as has already happened with Poland and Romania, then let them shoot those missiles down. Id give them a standing ovation, I would only be grateful for that. That's because these are one for all rules for all allies, not double standards." Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is adamant that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is insecure, and that is why he fears Ukraine. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Brazilian media Quote: "Believe me, Putin is very much afraid of us, I am sure of it. Because he is an insecure person. Confident people with a large army and great power, with so much in the way of natural mineral resources, dont threaten the world with nuclear weapons; brave people dont threaten civilisation, the Earths existence and all living things with nuclear weapons. So for me, this guys psychological type is completely clear. And knowing this, we shall stand firm in our stance." Details: Zelenskyy stressed that despite fatigue, Ukrainians have no intention of giving up and surrendering to Russia. "Faith in Ukraine has not disappeared from Ukraine; peoples faith in the Armed Forces and in themselves has not vanished. As for fatigue, I wont lie it is there. But there are different perspectives on that we are all humans. Even when you go to work at a job you love, you still come home tired in the evening. But that doesn't mean youre not going to go to work the next morning," the president said. Zelenskyy emphasised that Ukrainians would not give up their plans to join the European Union and that they would protect their values. "We dont even have that choice. These are narratives coming from Russia, claiming that everything is bad in Ukraine and the initiative is in the hands of the Russians. This is not entirely true. The Russians have more weapons in their hands right now than our military has. But right now this is a challenging moment, its not easy. All the aid will be voted for, step by step, and the weapons [supplies] will resume. Were not going to just count on it we will fight for everything," Zelenskyy stressed. The president added that for Russia, unlike Ukraine, "people dont matter. What matters to them is victories, but not for Russia they need victories for Putin." And for Putin, victory means "the restoration of the Soviet Union by destroying other nations and independent countries," Zelenskyy said. "So Ukraine is not going to retreat anywhere. And well see, we have the appropriate technology, we are fighting to get supplies from our partners. It's not easy, theres no euphoria. But no one is giving up," the president stressed. Support UP or become our patron! A supposed zombie grave, dating back thousands of years, was recently unearthed in Germany, shedding light on the superstitious practices of Bronze Age Europeans. The burial site was found during an archaeological excavation near the village of Oppin, located about 100 miles southwest of Berlin, Anja Lochner-Rechta, a spokesperson for the State Office for Monument Preservation and Archeology, told McClatchy News. The grave, a rectangular pit, was filled with the skeletal remains of a man, who is believed to have been between 40 and 60 years old at the time of his death. His remains, which are about 4,200 years old, date back to the Bell Beaker Culture, which once inhabited a large portion of the continent. The lower half of the mans skeleton was covered by a large stone, meaning the site is a revenant grave, Lochner-Rechta said. The burial site dates back around 4,200 years, the archaeologist said. 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. Farmer loses plow part in Polish field then finds historic artifact during search 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 The term suggests the people who buried the man thought he might return from the dead as a zombie, according to MDR, a German public news station. Lochner-Rechta said this kind of grave is unusual, noting that there is little evidence of such burial customs for the Bell Beaker culture. The Bell Beaker people were a Bronze Age population in Europe distinguished by their grave goods, which include pottery, according to the Natural History Museum in the U.K. They first appeared in central Europe before spreading westward, eventually reaching Britain some 4,400 years ago. Eventually, they came to occupy vast swaths of western Europe and even parts of Africa, with their sites being found as far north as Norway and as far south as Morocco, according to research from Cambridge University. Revenant graves throughout history Evidence for revenant graves from various historical periods has been found throughout Europe. For example, fear of revenants is reported in Roman literature, according to research from Cambridge University. One way thought to prevent resurrection, attested elsewhere in the Empire, was dismemberment of the body. One such gravesite was uncovered in Italy in February, according to LiveScience. The 1,600-year-old Roman cemetery contained the remains of a child with a block in their jaw. At the time, there was tremendous fear of revenants and of mysterious forces [such as witches] who might harness the spirits of the dead for their own devices, David Soren, an anthropology professor at the University of Arizona, told the outlet. Additionally, 17th century Poland was reportedly a hot-bed of revenant superstition, according to the New York Times. As a result, a number of precautionary measures were taken during burials. Some corpses were nailed down, lodged with bricks or even stripped of their hearts. Google Translate was used to translate an article from MDR. Unique 500-year-old chest intended for battle found on shipwreck in Sweden Trove of artifacts including cannonballs and coins found at French island fort 11-year-old finds bones on UK beach with dad solving multimillion-year-old jigsaw Report: Thanks to AI, Chinas Data Centers Will Drink More Water Than All of South Korea by 2030 ThirstGPT China is doubling down on AI, focusing its efforts on opening vast new data centers which consume a staggering amount of water. According to a recent report by Hong Kong-based non-profit China Water Risk, the country could soon be consuming around 343 billion gallons of water in its data centers, or the equivalent of the residential water use of 26 million people. By 2030, that number could rise to a whopping 792 billion gallons enough to cover the needs of the entire population of South Korea, as the South China Morning Post reports. Down the Drain Training and maintaining AI models is an infamously energy-demanding task that generates a huge amount of heat. To keep data centers from overheating, companies use water to cool down the hardware. According to China Water Risk, China could triple the number of data centers by 2030, reaching roughly 11 million data center racks that house servers and other equipment. And it's not just China. The AI boom is already leading to an astronomical amount of water being used elsewhere, including in the US. Last year, researchers found that just in training GPT-3 alone, OpenAI partner Microsoft consumed a whopping 185,000 gallons of water, which is enough to cool an entire nuclear reactor. Google also admitted in its 2023 Environmental Report that it had used up an astronomical 5.6 billion gallons of water in 2022. AI chatbots are vastly more energy-intensive than conventional methods of finding information online, relying on specialized chips that consume huge amounts of electricity. Per China Water Risk's report, if 100 million users were to chat with OpenAI's ChatGPT, it would consume the equivalent of 20 Olympic swimming pools. Doing the same via simple Google searches would only "consume one swimming pool." All that usage could have devastating effects on parts of the world where water resources are already extremely scarce. Last month, The Atlantic reported that Microsoft was trying to cover up the water usage of its data center in the Arizona desert. Keep Cool and Carry On And the AI hype cycle isn't quite over yet. Experts are worried about the further rise of energy and water usage. Arm Holdings Plc CEO Rene Haas told Bloomberg this week that he expects the world's data centers to use more electricity than India, the world's most populous nation, by the end of the decade. "We are still incredibly in the early days in terms of the capabilities," he said, ringing the alarm bells over AI eclipsing our global energy demands. To Haas, one meaningful step forward is to find new ways to train and power these AI models with more energy-efficient chips. "There needs to be broad breakthroughs," he told Bloomberg. "Any piece of efficiency matters." More on AI and water: Microsoft Is Draining Arizona's Water for its AI On Episode 107 of This Week In Space, Rod and Tariq talk with journalist Leonard David about NASA's troubled Mars sample return mission. The robotic program has its roots in the 1960s, when NASA started thinking about sending robots to fetch Mars soil even before Mariner 4's first flyby of the planet. The Russians pondered it as well, as the Chinese and Japanese are today. The problem? It's really hard, with multiple spacecraft, possibly on different launches, rendezvousing around the Red Planet to accomplish. And then there are the concerns about the safety of returning possible pathogens to Earth. But the showstopper, as usual, is cost and NASA's not happy. We invited the original Space Ace reporter, Leonard David, to join the discussion. Download or subscribe to this show at: https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Space news of the week Model Falcon 9! TOP TELESCOPE PICK: A Celestron telescope on a white background Looking for a telescope to see planets and comets? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide. Finally, did you know you can launch your own SpaceX rocket? Model rocket maker Estes' stunning scale model of a Falcon 9 rocket that you can pick up now. The launchable model is a detailed recreation of the Falcon 9 and retails for $149.99. You can save 10% by using the code IN-COLLECTSPACE at checkout, courtesy of our partners collectSPACE.com. About This Week In Space This Week in Space covers the new space age. Every Friday we take a deep dive into a fascinating topic. What's happening with the new race to the moon and other planets? When will SpaceX really send people to Mars? Join Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik from Space.com as they tackle those questions and more each week on Friday afternoons. You can subscribe today on your favorite podcatcher. The Volkswagen logo hangs on the outside facade of the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg. Melissa Erichsen/dpa Workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant in the US state of Tennessee have voted overwhelmingly to unionize at the third attempt, the company and the United Auto Workers (UAW) have announced. The ballot, which ended on Friday, saw 73% of the workers backing the move. The result has yet to be confirmed by the National Labor Relations Board, an agency of the United States federal government. The UAW, which is seeking to expand its presence in the US automotive sector, sees the outcome as a significant victory. Two attempts to unionize the plant over recent years failed. But the union has scored major successes recently. In the autumn, it secured better conditions and a pay rise of around 25% at the main US automotive companies, General Motors, Ford and Stellantis (formerly Chrylser), following a lengthy strike. Until now, the union has had little success in the southern states and the plants of non-US vehicle makers. It has also failed to unionize Tesla workers. A total of 3,613 workers, equivalent to 83.5% of the labour force, cast their ballots, with 2,628 voting to be represented by the UAW. Germany's powerful IG Metall union said on Saturday that Chattanooga was the VW brand's sole plant without union representation. Daniela Cavallo, head of the VW works council, said the Chattanooga workers had "rewritten US trade union history." Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. New Delhi: Many times you have an amazing business idea but lack of money to execute it. However, some investors welcome your idea and are ready to fund it. Mark Cuban is one of them. In his MasterClass course "Win Big In Business," Mark Cuban stated that he has spent $100 million in business pitches that he has received over email. When Was MasterClass Launched? It was launched on February 22. What He Is Doing Now? At the moment, he serves as a judge on the American television series Shark Tank. It turns out that he makes a lot more investments outside of those shown in the show. (Also Read: Mark Zuckerberg In Beard? Check Truth Behind Viral Photo) The American reality television program Shark Tank is the source of Cuban's greatest fame. While he was in the program, he reportedly put $20 million into 85 firms, according to CNBC. (Also Read: Golden Opportunity To Own Plot In Greater Noida: YEIDA Relaunches Group Housing Scheme -- Check Details) Cuban began accumulating wealth in 1990 with the sale of his technological company, MicroSolutions. He feels that he can comprehend and provide more thorough input via email. "I have a lot going on, so if we do it over the phone, I'll forget half of what we discussed. I can always look it up if we do it via email," he stated. How Much Time Mark Cuban Spent On Reading Mails? Additionally, he disclosed that he reads emails for approximately three to four hours each day. He acknowledged that investing over email does not always ensure credibility, but the strategy has been successful for him thus far. Large Language Model Cuban also said in his Masterclass that he is trying to build a large language model that would include all of the business communication and meeting transcripts from his company, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs. Apart from that, he intends to create his "own version of ChatGPT." New Delhi: IT service company Wipro on Friday reported a 7.8 percent year-on-year decline in its consolidated net profit for the March quarter to about Rs 2834.6 crore, and cautioned that the macroeconomic environment remains "uncertain". The Bengaluru-headquartered company, which recently saw a change of guard with Srinivas Pallia taking over at the helm as the new Chief Executive Officer, has given IT Services revenue growth guidance in the (-)1.5 percent to +0.5 percent band for the June quarter on a constant currency basis. (Also Read: Mark Zuckerberg In Beard? Check Truth Behind Viral Photo) While the numbers were in line with the analysts' estimates, the guidance of the company was below industry expectations. (Also Read: Want To Start Business But Short On Funds? Pitch Your Idea To THIS Billionaire And Get Funding) Wipro also recorded one of the highest declines of 24,516 in the headcount on a year-on-year basis to 2,34,054 during the just-ended fiscal year which it attributed to weak demand environment and push for operational efficiency in the company. Pallia asserted that the immediate priority for the company is to "accelerate growth" as he spelled out clear focus areas for the IT services firm, which has been lagging behind peers on performance and operational metrics quarter after quarter. For the Q4FY24, Wipro's revenue from operations slipped 4.2 percent year-on-year to Rs 22,208.3 crore. "We expect revenue from our IT Services business segment to be in the range of USD 2,617 million to USD 2,670 million. This translates to sequential guidance of (-)1.5 percent to +0.5 percent in constant currency terms," the company said in its forecast for Q1FY25. For the full year FY24, the revenue from operations came in at Rs 89,760.3 crore, almost 0.8 percent lower than the previous fiscal. The net profit fell to Rs 11045.2 crore, down 2.6 percent over the previous fiscal. New Delhi: Neha Hiremath, daughter of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath was stabbed to death by Fayaz, a former friend and classmate on April 18 on a college campus in Karnataka's Hubbali. The murder case has sparked outrage in Karnataka over the past two days. In Today's DNA, Zee News anchor Ram Mohan Sharma analysed the ongoing 'Love Jihad' politics surrounding the college girl's murder in Karnataka. It all began with the emergence of a video from BVB College, Hubli, showing a boy attacking a girl with a knife. Due to the sensitive nature of the video, we cannot provide it in full. However, this incident has heated up everything from the streets to the political landscape of the state. The victim, Neha, daughter of local Congress councilor Niranjan Hiremath, was murdered, and the alleged attacker, Fayaz, is a Muslim. The case has been associated with allegations of 'Love Jihad'. Neha and Fayaz both studied BCA at the same college, although Fayaz had dropped out. Neha was pursuing MCA at the time of her murder. Conflicting narratives surround the case. Neha's father and the opposition BJP claim it's a case of Love Jihad, while the Karnataka government maintains it's solely a murder case. The political storm intensified when Neha's father, Niranjan Hiremath, accused 'Love Jihad' of being behind his daughter's murder. He claimed Neha was pressured to convert her religion. According to him, Neha and Fayaz were college friends, not romantically involved. Allegations surfaced that Fayaz and his associates were pressuring Neha to convert. Neha's father's accusations sparked widespread outrage in Karnataka, particularly with the mention of 'Love Jihad'. ABVP and other organizations demanded stringent action against Fayaz and his accomplices. Protests erupted in various parts of Karnataka, including Hubli, Kalaburagi, and Dharwad, with demands for a thorough investigation and the arrest of the others involved. Contrary to Neha's father's stance, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the state government view the case purely as murder. Fayaz's mother stated that Neha and Fayaz were in a relationship and wanted to marry. Despite being distressed by her son's actions, she apologized on his behalf. Both Fayaz's and Neha's fathers expressed regret over the tragic incident. Fayaz's father, Babasaheb Subani, disclosed that Neha's father had previously complained about Fayaz harassing Neha. However, Fayaz later revealed to his father about his relationship with Neha and the subsequent altercation. The Karnataka Police are investigating both angles, though the state government does not categorize it as Love Jihad. The term 'Love Jihad' is often invoked when a Muslim individual is accused of enticing a non-Muslim into a relationship for religious conversion. Given the Hindu victim and Muslim accused in Neha and Fayaz's case, politicians have swiftly weighed in. New Delhi: In a big setback for the Congress party, Tajinder Singh Bittu, the AICC Secretary-in-Charge of Himachal Pradesh, resigned from the primary membership of the party and joined BJP on Saturday. Bittu, who is believed to be a close aide of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, joined the saffron party in the presence of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. Speaking to reporters after his induction into the saffron party, Bittu said, "The Congress party has deviated from the issues'' and that he joined the BJP for the betterment of Punjab. "I have spent almost 35 years in the Congress Party, and today I feel that the Congress Party has deviated from the issues. I do not want to speak against anyone. For the betterment of Punjab, I joined the BJP," Bittu told ANI. #WATCH | Delhi: After joining BJP, Tajinder Singh Bittu says, "I have spent almost 35 years in the Congress party and today I feel that the Congress Party has deviated from the issues. I do not want to speak against anyone. For the betterment of Punjab, I joined BJP...'' He pic.twitter.com/IkRGznuv3U ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2024 Bittu also shared his resignation letter in a Facebook post with the caption, "With a heavy heart, after 35 years, I resign from the Congress party." Welcoming Bittu into the BJP fold, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that his induction will further strengthen the party. "The amount of work done in the last 10 years is more than the work done in the past 60 years. PM Modi is presenting a new model of development in various sectors of every state. Whether its the railway sector, communication, highways, or textiles, in each sector transformation is visible. By seeing these transformations and developments, people have started feeling confident. I welcome Tajinder Singh Bittu ji to the party," Vaishnaw said. Speaking on his turn, Vinod Tawde hit out at the Congress government in Karnataka over the killing of Neha Hiremath, daughter of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath. "Neha Hiremath's father, who is the Corporator of the Congress party, alleged that it is a matter of 'love jihad', but the Congress party says that it is a 'love affair.' No matter what the reason is, crime has happened. But the state government is not taking appropriate action in the matter. Their slogan means to protect the vote bank rather than the women of the state," he said. Tajinder Singh Bittu's move to quit Congress and join the BJP comes at a crucial time when the Lok Sabha elections are being held across the nation. Bittu's exit marks another setback for the Congress party, which has witnessed an exodus of big leaders in the last few weeks. Reacting to his exit, Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh said, "The high command has to decide why he went out of the party, what was resentment? I don't have much knowledge about it. Another co-incharge will be placed..." #WATCH | Shimla, Himachal Pradesh: On Tajinder Singh Bittu's resignation from the Congress party, Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh says, "The high command has to decide why he went out of the party, what was resentment? I don't have much knowledge about it. Another pic.twitter.com/sJZx3p6lMC ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2024 Recent Exits In Congress Congress has seen several high-profile exits in recent times with party spokesperson Rohan Gupta resigning from the party in March, citing "harassment and character assassination" by party leaders. Importantly, Rohan Gupta was declared as The Congress candidate from Ahmedabad East constituency. Earlier, another party spokesperson Gourav Vallabh and Olympic medallist and boxer Vijender Singh quit the Congress. Senior Congress leader from Mumbai Sanjay Nirupam too quit the party even though the party said he was expelled for "anti-party" activities. New Delhi: Kannada actor Harshika Poonacha and her husband were allegedly harassed for speaking in their native language by a group of assailants who also tried to rob them. The actor further shared her horrifying story on Instagram; she posted the videos and photos of the incident and wrote, How safe are we locals in our Bangalore? Are we living in Pakistan or Afghanistan? She added that on April 2, she had gone to the Karama Restaurant, which is close to Fraser Town in Bangalore, with her husband and family. She claimed that when they exited the restaurant, some men attacked them. A couple of days ago, I went to have dinner with my family at a restaurant called Karama on Masjid Road in Pulikeshi Nagar, near Fraser Town. "After completing dinner, we received our vehicle from parking, and when we were about to move, two men suddenly appeared near the driver's seat window and started arguing that the vehicle is very big and if moved suddenly, it could touch them," Poonacha wrote on Instagram. According to the actor, despite her husband asking them to leave as those two men were talking about the possibility of a future event, men started abusing in their language and said, 'These local Kannadigas should be taught a lesson.' Poonacha claimed in the Instagram post that her husband was very patient throughout. The actor then alleges that 2030 other men from the same gang gathered around and among those men, two tried to rob the couple. Two of them grabbed my husbands gold chain and snatched it so hard that it came off, after which they tried pulling it towards them in a very skilled manner... My husband realised it on time, quickly held on to it, and gave it to me, the actor said. She further accused that when they realised that they had failed in their attempt to loot us, they started damaging their car. Trying to physically abuse us by saying made-up things like we scolded them, that did not even make sense to us or anybody around. My husband did not react because there were women and family in our vehicle, Poonacha claimed. She mentioned making a phone call to an inspector she was acquainted with in the area and recounted how the men quickly dispersed as if nothing had occurred. "We attempted to locate them, but they vanished within moments," she explained. The actor also asserted that they received no assistance from the local police. KATIHAR: Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United supremo Nitish Kumar on Saturday took a veiled jibe at RJD president Lalu Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi over their large family. Without taking Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi's name, The Bihar CM said, "Does anyone have so many children? First, he removed himself and made his wife the CM, now these days he's using his children. They've had many children, but does anyone have so many children? They've involved their two daughters and two sons in politics. This family belongs to no one but their own family's party." #WATCH | Katihar: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar says, "Some people claim everything these days. They appointed their wives when they were removed. Now, it is their children these days. 'Ab paida to bahut kar diya. Itna zyaada paida karna chahiye kisi ko, baal baccha?'... Now they have pic.twitter.com/x8Q8GdKz0W ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2024 The JDU supremo made these remarks while addressing a rally in Bihar's Katihar. While addressing a public rally at Dumaria High School ground in the district, the Bihar CM said, "This party (RJD) belongs to no one but its own family." Nitish Kumar even appealed to the voters to vote for the NDA candidate on the issue of development in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Dulal Chandra Goswami is contesting as the NDA candidate from the Katihar seat. He faces Congress' Tarik Anwar. The Bihar Chief Minister earlier held a rally in support of NDA candidate Santosh Kushwaha in Purnia. Addressing the meeting at Sumarit Higher Secondary School playground in Banmankhi, the CM attacked the Lalu-Rabri regime for the ''jungle raj'' in Bihar. "The husband and wife ruled Bihar. When the husband stepped aside, he made the wife the CM. There was nothing in Bihar before 2005. People were afraid to go out. Look at how much work has been done since then. We've made everything happen," CM Nitish said. Nitish turned to the voters and reminded them what was the situation in Bihar during the RJD rule and how it has changed in these years. ''There used to be Hindu-Muslim fights during the RJD rule. They did everything to appease Muslims,'' Kumar said. Taking a dig at Tejashwi Yadav, the son of Lalu Yadav and the RJD leader, Nitish Kumar said he gave enough freedom to him but he misused that freedom and his trust. It may be noted that former Bihar CM Lalu Yadav's two daughters Misa Bharti and Rohini Acharya are contesting as RJD candidates from Pataliputra and Saran Lok Sabha seats respectively. Lalu's younger son, Tejashwi Yadav, was the deputy chief minister in the previous Nitish-led government and the elder Tej Pratap held the environment portfolio. New Delhi: Prime Minister and BJP senior leader Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Karnataka Government, led by Congress, after the murder of a girl on a college campus. PM Modi allegedly said that the daughters are being attacked and Congress is supporting such a kind of mentality is dangerous. While addressing the public rally in Karnataka, Modi attacked Congress over the horrifying events that are happening in the state. "Congress government is supporting this kind of mentality is very dangerous... here our daughters are being attacked, bombs are being burst in the markets... Attacks are happening even upon listening to the devotional song, this is not normal...," Modi said. Earlier, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader National General Secretary Shri Vinod Tawde addressed the media and accused the Karnataka Government of misleading people over the murder of a Minor girl on a college campus in Karnataka. BJP's National General Secretary further added that the father of the deceased Neha Hiremath claimed that this murder was a case of 'love jihad'. However, Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaish is framing it as a love affair and attempting to mislead the public. On the other hand, the state's CM Siddaramaish condemned the incident and said that this matter is not a love jihad. "I strongly condemn this incident. The murderer was immediately arrested. This is not a matter of love jihad. The government will ensure that the murderer is given severe punishment. Using someone's death for political reasons is unfortunate. The matter is being unnecessarily politicized. The protests will have no impact on the government," he said. HYDERABAD: AIMIM Chief and Hyderabad's sitting MP Asaduddin Owaisi courted a fresh controversy on Saturday when he greeted a local butcher in the old city while campaigning and asked him to continue slaughtering. The AIMIM MP, who is known to be a vocal critic of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, also took the name of the beef shop while greeting the butcher and said, ''Rehan Beef Shop Zindabad.'' Asaduddin Owaisi, who was campaigning in the area along with his supporters, left the beef shop after shaking hands with the beef shop owner. The video of the entire incident soon found its way on social media, triggering sharp reactions from several quarters, with many claiming that the AIMIM leader insulted Hindus during the election season and incited communal sentiments. WATCH Asaduddin Owaisi's Rehan Beef Shop Viral Video Here A dangerous pattern of divisive rhetoric emerges from @asadowaisi, as he shamelessly uses inflammatory language to provoke and offend Hindu sentiments. His recent campaign antics, including endorsing a beef shop with 'Rehan Beef Shop Zindabad' & advocating for violence, are pic.twitter.com/hvC4D2FrRa Vishnu Vardhan Reddy (Modi ka Parivar) (@SVishnuReddy) April 20, 2024 Reacting sharply to the viral video, BJP leader and Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said she was not at all surprised because Owaisi is known for making such political and provocative statements. Sitharaman also slammed his younger brother and local MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, for doing the same. #WATCH | Ahmedabad, Gujarat: On AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's reported remark praising beef owner, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "His political statements are always indecent. I am not surprised that he passed such statements. His younger brother (Akbaruddin pic.twitter.com/hwuE9wO0jZ ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2024 Hitting out at the AIMIM Hyderabad MP, BJP's Lok Sabha candidate Madhavi Latha said Owaisi was doing all that deliberately doing all to garner the support of Muslims in his constituency. "I don't understand how Asaduddin Owaisi became a barrister. He keeps talking about personal law. According to personal law, a 'Fatwa' is something that is to be obeyed by all... When there is a Fatwa that beef should not be consumed, then how is he going against the Fatwa? This means he does not respect his own religion... Is the life of a Muslim so small that it revolved around cutting and consuming beef? You are asking for votes on this?... Why is he making the lives of Muslims so small?... He should speak of getting an education and being something for the country... What does it mean to cut beef? Did he not get anything else to ask for votes?... It is a matter of surprise for me..." she added. #WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: On AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's reported remark praising beef owner, BJP Lok Sabha candidate Madhavi Latha says, "I don't understand how Asaduddin Owaisi became a barrister. He keeps talking about personal law. According to personal law, a 'Fatwa' pic.twitter.com/D1TbtMVHGw ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2024 BJP's Madhavi Latha, who has been pitted against Owaisi, has claimed that his family has retained the Hyderabad seat because of bogus voters. New Delhi: The United States on Friday enforced sanctions on four companies providing missile components to Pakistan. Among these is a Belarus-based firm, and the other three are based in China and responsible for supplying items to aid Pakistan's ballistic missile programme. "The Department of State is designating four entities pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii) of Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. These entities have supplied missile-applicable items to Pakistan's ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile program," reported ANI, citing a statement from the US Department of State. The sanctioned entities comprise three Chinese companies: Xi'an Longde Technology Development Company Limited, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co. Ltd., and Granpect Company Limited, alongside the Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant. Due to today's action, any assets or belongings of the mentioned individuals in the United States or held by U.S. individuals are frozen and must be reported to the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), asserted the statement. As per the order, if any individuals or entities are owned, either directly or indirectly, by 50 percent or more of blocked persons, they are also considered blocked. Any transactions involving property or interests in property of designated or blocked persons by U.S. individuals or within the United States are not allowed unless permitted by a license from OFAC or exempt. This includes giving or receiving contributions, funds, goods, or services to or from blocked persons. According to the US Department of States statement, the Belarus-based firm used to supply special vehicle chassis that are used as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, Granpect Company Limited has supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine. Granpect Company Limited has also collaborated with Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) to furnish equipment for testing large-diameter rocket motors. The firm also partnered with Pakistan's NDC to supply equipment for testing large-diameter rocket motors. Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co. Ltd., based in the People's Republic of China, has provided stir welding equipment (deemed by the United States as capable of manufacturing propellant tanks for space launch vehicles) and a linear accelerator system (viewed by the United States as suitable for inspecting solid rocket motors). New Delhi: BJP leader and veteran actor Hema Malini's daughters Esha Deol and Ahana Deol joined for the Lok Sabha Election campaign. Both sisters on Saturday reached Mathura, from where Hema Malini is going to contest the election on BJP's ticket. After performing rituals at Banke Bhibari temple in Vrindavan, actress Esha and Ahana Deol interacted with the media. Esha commends the development which taken place in Mathura, " This place has developed a lot. The heritage and tourism are preserved here...." She further added that the people of Mathura are already supporting my mother to win and continue to work for them. "The people here, want my mother to win and stay in Mathura... She still has a lot more to do..," She said. Esha informed that they are meeting the youth of Mathura constituency and spreading awareness to vote in the ongoing Lok Sabha Election. Meanwhile, BJP candidate Hema Malini urged everyone to vote on April 26 and said that each and every vote is valuable. Mathura people are scheduled to polls on the second phase of the election on April 26. In ongoing Lok Sabha Polls, BJP prominent leader Hema Malini is fielded from Mathura constituency against Congress Mukesh Dhangar. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Election, Hema Malini secured the victory in the BJP seat. New Delhi: An airstrike targeted the base utilized by the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of Iran-allied militias in Iraq, as per a statement from the group reported by the Associated Press on Saturday. Allegedly, three members of the PMF were injured in the attack on the Kalsu military base. Formerly a US post, the base was transferred to the Iraqi military in 2011. This recent airstrike follows a suspected Israeli strike in Iran the day before. However, the party responsible for the reported attack has not been definitively identified. Unnamed officials speaking to the agency attributed the strike to US forces, although they were not authorized to speak to the media. Meanwhile, A US official has refuted any such allegations. The PMF is primarily comprised of Shiite, Iran-backed armed groups that united to combat the Islamic State extremist group following its seizure of significant parts of Iraq in 2014. In 2016, the Iraqi government officially recognised the Popular Mobilization Forces as an "independent military formation" within the Iraqi armed forces. In recent months, certain factions within the PMF have launched attacks on U.S. forces stationed in Iraq and Syria. They claim these actions are in retaliation for Washington's support of Israel during its conflict with the Hamas militant group in Gaza. Fremont Fire Chief Todd Bernt said that the exact cause of a fire that destroyed an older model pickup truck on Thursday in front of the Dodge County Courthouse was not known, but the blaze was possibly sparked by an electrical malfunction. I have not heard of an exact cause, Bernt said on Friday of the mid-afternoon incident on Park Avenue, between Fourth and Fifth streets, on Thursday, April 18. Bernt said fire department officials got the call regarding the burning vehicle at 2:56 p.m., and after about 10 minutes, the four-person firefighter crew had controlled the fire. The pickup truck was destroyed, while the blaze spread to a car parked next to it and caused moderate damage, Bernt said. There were no injuries. The blaze was fueled by strong wind gusts that, Tribune Editor David Golbitz reported, blew flames onto the car parked adjacent to the pickup truck, leaving much of its side paneling melted. Bernt said many older model motor vehicles can catch fire spontaneously due to malfunctioning parts such as electrical wiring or fuel pumps. UPDATED: 6:46 a.m., April 20 The ability to make public comments at the Fremont City Council meetings as well as other city board and committee meetings has been a hotly debated issue since December 2022, with some council members seeking to change the public comment sessions at the last meeting of each month. While no changes to local public comment have been made, the proposed changes and ideas that were last discussed by the council in November could be quashed due to a legal ruling about responding to members of the public and a change to the states Open Meetings Act in the LB 43 legislation that was signed into law by Gov. Jim Pillen in March. Under the new version of the Open Meetings Act, a governmental or public body that hosts meetings that fall under the acts authority must now always allow for public comments to be made during meetings. The prior version of the Open Meetings Act had a highly-criticized caveat that allowed for governmental entities to disallow public comment under certain circumstances. That caveat in the law was used by city officials in April 2023 at a meeting of the citys library advisory to ban public comment during discussion of This Book is Gay and whether it should be removed from the city library. During that meeting, City Attorney Travis Jacott told the library advisory board that banning public comment during the debate of the book was permissible, a move that angered many who wanted the book removed from the library. After a year of debate on the issue of public comments, and LB 43 going into effect in March, those issues have more clarity, said Ward 4 City Council Member Sally Ganem. Ganem said on Friday, April 19, that she has requested the city place an item on the agenda for the Tuesday, April 30, city council meeting to discuss public comments and the change to the OMA that Pillen signed into law in March. We had talked about public comment on numerous occasions and, in fact, I think one of our council members said, well, bring a resolution back, and we didnt. I wanted to make sure that public knew (the specifics), Ganem said of why shes asked to have the issue on the April 30 agenda. Since weve talked about it, the (Open Meetings Act) law has since changed again, and now it will give us a chance to discuss it again. It is changing so that public comment is supposed to be allowed at every meeting, she said. I had asked our lawyer to give the report. I wanted people to be aware of our public comment period and also why we dont do it differently. Ganem said two main issues of concern she wants to clarify for the public and the city council are that the new LB 43 legislation that mandates public comment be allowed at all meetings, but also what she said is a clarification from the Nebraska Office of the Attorney General that states elected officials cannot respond to questions from the public during a public comment period. Many residents have complained to the council that their comments during the end of month session as well as during debate of specific agenda items are in their belief completely ignored by the council and city staff. Ganem said those allegations of neglect are untrue, and that all comments made by the public during meetings are vetted by city staff and dealt with as is appropriate. She also said she believes each of the eight city council members respond to their constituents regularly. We dont just ignore requests for changing things because we did investigate. Our lawyer said we cant discuss (public comments) because it becomes a discussion item, she said. If we ask questions, if we respond, it becomes a discussion item and those have to be advertised in advance if something becomes a discussion item. In November, a proposal to reform and revise the end-of-month public comment period was advocated for by Ward 3 Council Member James Vaughan, which included the council answering questions the public puts forth. When the citys attorneys advised her of that element of the law, Ganem said she asked for more solid evidence that elected officials cannot respond. That led the citys lawyers to get an opinion from State Attorney General Mike Hilgers office. And so I said, show me, show me where, you know, show me where it says that we cant ask questions. Well, there isnt any place that specifically says we cant ask questions, but we asked the State Attorney General (staff) their opinion and the Assistant General attorney gave an opinion, which was the same as our lawyers, which is, it becomes a discussion item, Ganem said. People usually when theyre speaking, its a concern, you know, or a complaint they have and I get that. So we cant ask questions back and I just want the public to know that, she said. A point of contention for years In Fremont, public comments made during city council meetings as well as meetings of the citys Keene Memorial Library Advisory Board have been the subject of irritation for council members, the citys legal staff and the public. In late December, 2022, a proposal was placed on a city council agenda to stop a practice allowing members of the public to remove an item from the meetings consent agenda so that the public could discuss the issue at question. Many council members at the time were frustrated with the repeated requests by former council members Susan Jacobus and Brad Yerger, among others, who would pull multiple items from the consent agenda so they could talk about them. That proposal was widely criticized on social media and residents objected to the change, leading to it being removed from the agenda on Dec. 27, 2022, and never discussed or voted on. In 2023, as the debate over controversial sexual education and LGBTQ+ themed books present in the Keene Memorial Library raged, residents against the books used the end-of-month public comment period at city council meetings to bash the city library staff, hurl insults and at times make wild accusations that had no basis in reality. Public comment periods in January, February and March 2023 often included residents calling council members or library staff members groomers, and in one controversial instance, a local resident stepped toward council President Mark Jensen and pointed at him while stating he allegedly supported pedophiles. Those repeated insults and attacks led wealthy philanthropist Terry McClain to speak at the city council in July 2023, demanding that the 30-minute public comment periods hosted during the last council meeting of the month either be totally eliminated or modified to allow council members to respond to residents. He also requested that the city stop posting videos of the public comments to the citys YouTube page, stating it allowed for misinformation to spread and remain online forever. McLains wife, Linda, is president of the city library advisory board and had been subjected to insults during many public comment sessions. The issue became more complicated in September 2023 when a local woman Deb Brunmeier used the public comment period on Sept. 26 to complain about a downtown special event. She then verbally attacked Jensen and engaged in a shouting match with the Ward 3 representative that led to an intervention by Mayor Joey Spellerberg. Following that incident, in November a bid to censure Jensen was made, during which several council members most notably Ward 3 representative James Vaughan publicly stated that the public comment period was broken and needed to be reformed. In the mid-November debate over censuring Jensen for his actions during the September 2023 meeting, Vaughan stated he would only vote in favor of the effort against Jensen if the council would commit to exploring changing the public comment session. The bid came after local resident Deb Brunmeier and her husband sought to have misdemeanor criminal charges filed against Jense for his response to her in September's meeting. No charges were ever filed. Vaughan said he felt council members should be able to answer the public and speak after a public comment. But, since that meeting, nothing has happened related to the public comment period. That change proposed by Vaughan, according to Ganem, will never happen due to the state attorney generals ruling on responding to the public. You cant answer questions that are coming from people in the audience. In fact, you know, you never talk, you never respond, Ganem said. If you do, then it becomes a discussion item and that had to be advertised seven days before or how many days beforehand. I want to have it clear so people are aware of whats going on, aware of what we did and the ruling from the Attorney Generals office and then we can have an update on the changes coming up. Max Kautsch, a First Amendment specialist attorney who is the legal counsel for the Nebraska Press Association, stated in an email that the changes to the Open Meetings Act are beneficial to citizens and the press who report on governmental issues. By amending the open meetings law to require a forum for public speech, the Nebraska Legislature has obligated every governing body in the state to adopt a public comment policy that regulates commenters only in constitutionally permissible ways, such as by reasonable time, place and manner restrictions as outlined under United States Supreme Court precedent governing government regulation of designated public forums, Kautsch said. The Fremont City Council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 30, in the second flood council chambers at the city Municipal Building, 400 E. Military Ave. Public comment session is slated to start at 6:30 p.m. Patients who have suffered a traumatic injury can soon begin receiving blood transfusions from Colorado Springs Fire Department paramedics before they ever reach the hospital, part of a new program fire officials and medical professionals estimate could improve survival rates by more than 40% in people who are hemorrhaging. In Colorado Springs, about one trauma victim bleeds to death every 48 hours before emergency crews can get them to a hospital and into surgery, Fire Chief Randy Royal said Friday in front of Fire Department headquarters, alongside other fire and UCHealth officials. The department's new whole blood program "is the bridge between those patients dying in the field and living and making it through emergency surgery," he said. Through a partnership with UCHealth, paramedics with the Colorado Springs Fire Department will begin carrying whole blood blood that has none of its components like red blood cells and plasma separated or removed so they can administer blood transfusions to patients who are hemorrhaging before they get to a trauma center. The department expects to roll out the program in May. Colorado Springs will be the first in Colorado to launch a whole blood program in a metropolitan area, officials said. It's a relatively new, and major, shift in how first responders render emergency care in the field. A joint news release from the Fire Department and UCHealth states first responders have traditionally used IV fluids to treat patients until they can transport them to a hospital. Whole blood gives them a much better chance at survival, said Dr. Matt Angelidis, co-chief medical director of the Colorado Springs Fire Department and an emergency medicine physician at UCHealth. Featured Local Savings While the practice of administering safe prehospital whole blood transfusions is relatively new among emergency medical systems nationwide, its practice for substantial blood loss was first used in military battlefields, dating back to World War I, he said by phone Friday. Angelidis, who served in combat in Iraq, received his emergency medical training in the military. He saw firsthand battlefield medicine, including the use of whole blood transfusions, he said. "I've always thought, 'If this works so well for the military, it would have to work in the civilian world,'" Angelidis said. "I've sat in after-action reviews with firefighters who are tearful and asking, 'Dr. Angelidis, what could we have done to save this person's life?' And we know if we had blood available and had transfused this patient, they'd be alive. So a big part of this project is empowering firefighters to save lives." Other cities like New Orleans, Pittsburgh and San Antonio have implemented successful whole blood transfusion programs through their ground fire and EMS services, he said. In March 2022, Angelidis traveled to San Antonio for three days and learned how that city implemented their program, then brought those lessons back to Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs firefighters will soon begin carrying whole blood, which they will receive from UCHealth Memorial Hospital's blood bank team, and transfusion equipment on two medical lieutenant supervisory rigs, fire and UCHealth officials said. Royal and Fire Department Lt. Joey Buttenweiser said they believe the program will grow in their department over time, and hope other fire departments throughout the Pikes Peak region eventually join in, too, to save even more lives. The program requires high-tech equipment that allows medical lieutenant paramedics to properly store, transport, reheat and transfuse blood. UCHealth and fire officials have a goal to raise $350,000 to support the program over its first three years, UCHealth spokeswoman Cary Vogrin said. With more than $250,000 in donations to UCHealth Memorial Hospital Foundation from the Colorado Springs community, the Fire Department purchased specialized coolers and warming equipment for the program. The donations will also support the program through its first three years, including blood and training, the news release states. When two teenagers shot and killed 13 people at Columbine High School on the afternoon of April 20, 1999, Gene Enley was working the night shift. Enley was an overnight officer for the Littleton Police Department, the agency that responded to the school shooting. His mother called to wake him up, alerting him of the news. I cant say that right away as the incident was going on I thought, Oh, geez, this is going to change things. But clearly it did for law enforcement soon after, aid Enley, now a division chief of patrol for the department. While Enley noted that he was not one of the officers who responded to Columbine that day, he has seen the major shift in the way police officers plan, prevent and deal with mass-shooting situations over the past 25 years changes other law enforcement has made throughout the state and country. We understand that seconds matter, Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said. We understand that the longer it takes us to get it in the building, someones loved one could be dying whether its their child or its a staff member at the school. A change in response Officers and deputies responding to the Columbine shooting took more than 40 minutes to enter the school. The reason? Officers were trained to secure the perimeter and wait for SWAT teams to arrive before entering the sites of major shootings, according to Enley. Today, officers are trained to respond to situations without the help of tactical units. They are now armed with tactical training and long guns, such as the AR-15. Before Columbine, most cops carried handguns and shotguns. People had a lot of questions, and rightfully so, like, Why didnt law enforcement go in? We have the guns, we have the protection, we have the bullet vests. A lot of people were very critical, Weekly said. Now, law enforcement around the country does train to immediately go in and immediately neutralize the threat. Enley added: Every police officer, every deputy knows that they need to stop the killing as soon as possible. The officer noted that these changes happened almost immediately in Littleton after the high school mass shooting in 1999. The rest of the state and nation picked up quickly after, he said. Both Enley and Weekly also pointed to multi-agency training involving other police departments and fire departments, working together to create quick response plans. Weekly was a SWAT commander during the Arapahoe High School shooting in 2013 when a student, Claire Davis, was shot and killed by another student. He said the biggest issue during the event was communication. When we do have an active killer situation, one of the biggest things is communication between the agencies, Weekly said. Who is going in? What are they doing? What are they seeing? What are they hearing? How do the responding units go in to neutralize the threat and make the situation safe? Now, these tactics and communication are coordinated through multi-agency training and in-agency scenario drills done throughout each year, according to both Weekly and Enley. The DeAngelis Center One headquarters for situational training added to police departments regimen over the last 25 years lies in a Wheat Ridge neighborhood. The Frank DeAngelis Center for Community Safety, which took over the former Martensen Elementary School in 2017, works to train law enforcement by replicating school-shooter situations for departments nationwide a mission that was started by DeAngelis, the principal of Columbine High School during the shooting. The center which keeps the layout and structure of a school gives law enforcement, school administrators and other emergency responders a place to replicate mass shooting scenarios. Both the Littleton Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriffs Office train at the facility, with countless other departments also participating in drills. Since its inception in 2017, the center has trained more than 170,000 people including more than 350 federal, state and local agencies in active shooter situations. Its hope, DeAngelis said of the facility. If theres anything I could have done to protect those kids and Mr. (William) Sanders, thats something I have to live with for the rest of my life. They walked into my school at 7 oclock and they never made it home. Thats something that I cant take back, but what can I do to carry on their legacy? I think this building does that. Sanders was a computer and business teacher at Columbine. How do we get the kids to where they need to be? How do we get the parent with the kids as quickly as possible?, Enley said of the newfound training that exists at places like the center. So, working on those plans and making sure that were up-to-speed on contact information has changed as well. The only drills we did back in 1999 were fire drills, DeAngelis said. We had school resource officers but we didnt know what the kids know today Its not to scare. Its to prepare. Experts: Prevention is key One change stretches beyond preparation and response officials said prevention has become a necessary step in the process of lowering the number school shootings, a tactical shift that started around a decade ago. There have been 404 school shootings between Columbine and April 2024, according to the Washington Post, which said it pieced together data from news articles, reports from law enforcement, open-source databases and calls to schools and police departments. There have been 1,676 causalities from school shootings between 2000 and 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Featured Local Savings While great response and training can help reduce casualties, it doesnt stop the overall amount of school shootings that occur within the country, according to Jeff Pierson, executive director of safety and security for Jefferson County Public Schools. We are working really hard to understand what the culture and climate looks like in our schools, Pierson said. We got really good at response. What we were missing was how to connect with the kids. We want to get to the point where were understanding and setting a culture of awareness early on with kids and providing resources before we get to the response phase. The changes within local police departments regarding prevention start at the mental health level for the officers themselves and their response training, according to Enley. They saw some horrific things. In that, they were probably put to work in the next couple days after seeing that, Enley said of the officers responding to Columbine. Thats probably not the way we should do things and we knew it back then. We just didnt know a better way to do it. Now, officers have peer support teams, psychological services and debriefings, allowing officers to decompress before going back to field work, Enley added. They are also now trained on how to deal with mental health crises other people may be experiencing. Prevent may be a strong word, but the way that we can try to intervene before is through the work we do with mental health responders, co-responders, how we train our officers on how to deal with mental health issues, Enley said. In the past, we thought it was somebody elses problem to deal with. Now, its our job to get them the help they need. We expect for our law enforcement officers to understand mental illness when they see it, to recognize it, to de-escalate situations, instead of escalating situations, and thats because thats what the public demands of us and expects of us, Weekly said. Regarding school shootings specifically, the communication bridge between schools and law enforcement agencies, as Pierson noted, still stands as the most important factor in prevention. School resource off icers School Resource Officers (SROs) sworn officers assigned in schools did not become a widespread idea until the 1990s. The practice has faced its share of scrutiny and support. Notably, the Denver Public Schools board voted to get rid of SROs in 2020, citing fears of over-policing. Under public pressure following the school shooting at East High School that left two administrators wounded in March last year, the school board reversed their decision and returned SROs to schools. To law enforcement officials, the placement of SROs in schools is crucial for both response and reduction of school shootings. We want to harbor a good communication between law enforcement and our youth and our community, Weekly said. But bottom line, if somebody goes in there to kill kids and kill staff, that SRO is there to neutralize that threat as quickly as possible. Douglas County, for example, has only bolstered the number of SROs the department deploys since 2020, according to Weekly. To Pierson, its paramount to create a conducive learning environment, in which children feel safe creating a place thats culturally safe, not just perimeter safe. We can provide as much of a secure perimeter as we want. We can not allow visitors in. We can put secure vestibules and lock doors, Pierson said. But what weve found is a lot of the tragedies are being done by former students or students, which tells us that weve got to pay attention to the internal pieces of mental health awareness. Both Pierson and DeAngelis added that the addition of Safe2Tell, Colorados anonymous reporting system, into JeffCo schools has certainly helped increase the awareness. I can honestly tell you weve mitigated many threats, many issues simply because our students or our community were willing to see something and say something, but (were) able to stay anonymous while they did it, Pierson said of Safe2Tell, adding there has been a staggering amount of mitigation since the system was adopted. Whats next? While police response isnt the only factor that can help reduce the amount of shootings, there are still improvements that can be made by departments, according to Enley. What weve done well we just need to continue doing, Enley said. He added that some things can get in the way, like putting everybodys ego in check whether youre a legislator, whether youre a law enforcement officer, whether youre an educator and make sure that were all working together. I think we do that pretty good right now, he said. Weekly said he believes some legislation might get in the way of reducing critical incidents. In particular, Weekly cited Senate Bill 24-131, which, as originally introduced, would have banned firearms, including concealed weapons, from sensitive spaces, notably colleges, universities and schools and local government offices and courthouses. Too many Coloradans have been impacted by gun violence, and this bill would keep these dangerous weapons out of certain sensitive spaces, co-sponsor Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, said in a news release. From preschools to polling places to the Colorado Capitol, there are places where guns pose a serious threat to Coloradans safety and can be used to intimidate people from their constitutional rights to free speech and to vote. Coloradans deserve to feel safe, and I am proud to sponsor this commonsense gun violence prevention bill. Thats absolutely ridiculous, Weekly said of the idea. If something happens at a Walmart or a park, Im a former SWAT officer, so I know what Im doing with a weapon. You want me armed in those spaces to protect the lives of the people there. Although sales of medical marijuana have been declining across Colorado since high use during the pandemic, El Paso County continues to lead the state, by far, in having the most medical marijuana cardholders. As of March, Colorado's Medical Marijuana Registry program lists 22,634 patients countywide, according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment. That's about 3% of the county's population and more than triple the amount of medical cardholders in Denver County, which is comparable in overall population. Denver Countys count last month was 7,327 registrants about 1% of its population. Theres a simple reason for the numbers, said Mason Tvert, spokesman for Colorado Leads, a cannabis industry organization. Colorado Springs has repeatedly refused to regulate the sale of adult-use cannabis, and as a result many people are still relying on medical cannabis cards to access cannabis legally and safely, he said. With 54% in opposition, Colorado Springs voters rejected a 2022 ballot measure to legalize recreational sales in city limits and give the 114 medical marijuana stores at the time the option to add or convert to recreational sales. A companion measure that would have taxed recreational marijuana at 5% and earmarked tax collections for public safety, mental health and veterans stress-related programs passed but was nullified with the defeat of recreational transactions. A majority of Colorado Springs City Council members opposed that attempt, as well as previous bids seeking approval of retail recreational marijuana. Colorado voters approved recreational sales in November 2012, but each county and municipality can decide whether to allow medical and recreational businesses in their boundaries. Colorado Springs is the largest city in the state that does not permit recreational sales, Tvert said. There are a lot of localities that have not regulated adult use, but they make up a fraction of the states overall population, he said. Local communities increasingly have been lifting prohibitions and choosing to regulate these businesses and collect the taxes. Two of El Paso Countys eight incorporated cities and towns offer recreational pot: Manitou Springs has two shops and Palmer Lake has two medicinal shops that also sell recreational products, following voter approval in 2022. The absence of recreational stores in Colorado Springs has not stopped residents from obtaining marijuana. Theres this common misconception that not having recreational marijuana in El Paso County is suppressing the amount of marijuana in Colorado Springs, which couldnt be further from the truth, said Levi Hays, chief innovation officer for Terp Labs, a manufacturer of medical marijuana items that primarily are sold in El Paso County. Theres no one in Colorado Springs that wants marijuana and has the money to pay for it that isnt getting it, he said. Some have turned to dispensaries for their weed supply: of 64,899 medicinal cardholders statewide as of March, more than one-third live in El Paso County. El Paso County is mirroring the state in decreases of medicinal users losing nearly 3,100 local cardholders from March 2021 to now, according to data. Still, there are about 1,500 more local medical cardholders in El Paso County today than in March 2019, when the pandemic began spreading. Longtime Colorado Springs resident Cyndi Kulp has been a patient for the past decade. Severe arthritis necessitated having three joint replacements in recent years, and medical marijuana helps, she said. Featured Local Savings The medical products are different from recreational, and if you have a medical ailment that responds to marijuana, you really need to go to a medical dispensary, Kulp said. They have combinations that create a synergistic relationship that work better and are effective. Annual renewal can be a hassle, she said, which industry leaders also cite as a restriction. Youre in for about $100 a year to renew your card, but to me its worth it because I want the products they sell at the medical stores, Kulp said. I dont want to have to go the recreational shops that are so crowded and dont have the same products. Hays believes many Colorado Springs residents are buying from illegal dealers. Neither the El Paso County Sheriffs Office nor the Colorado Springs Police Department could confirm thats the case. The number of medical providers also continues to shrink statewide, with 289 individual doctors, dentists and other practitioners writing recommendations for medicinal cardholders last year. Thats down from 326 in 2021. Kulp said doctors are leery of prescribing medical marijuana. Anyone with a medical license can renew your card or evaluate you, but most places wont do it, she said. I think they think theyre going to get in trouble. Everybody is so accepting of alcohol, but its still a totally different thing when it comes to marijuana. About three out of four medical cardholders in Colorado seek cannabis for pain relief, while taking cannabis in lieu of opioids is the second most prevalent reason listed. Colorado Springs has 93 licensed medical marijuana stores operating in city limits as of Friday, said city spokesman Max DOnofrio. Thats down from 105 at this time last year. In November 2022, when the ballot measure failed, there were 114 medical dispensaries. Collectively, Colorado Springs medical stores posted $6.8 million in sales in January, with total retail sales in Denver's medical market of $5.1 million in January, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue. Medical dispensaries are closing rapidly, Hays said. Among the recent casualties, marijuana cultivator and retailer Maggies Farm in February shut down a medical dispensary in Colorado Springs, along with four stores in other towns, citing on Facebook unforeseen challenges that were threatening the company's solvency. Other closures in Colorado Springs include two TweedLeaf dispensaries, High Country Healing, HeadMaster MMJ, High Hopes and two CannaMeds sites. The company had its medical sales license suspended last year by the Marijuana Enforcement Division for unspecified violation of the Colorado marijuana code. Owners also have attributed business demise to expensive government taxes, the cost of compliance and reduced market share. Also, Tvert said, Ultimately there is an oversupply of cannabis in Colorado that has driven down prices and reduced the average market rate, and as a result a lot of businesses arent able to make ends meet and cover their operating costs. Hays said a movement to bring another ballot measure for legalizing recreational marijuana sales to Colorado Springs voters is afoot. Opponents, including the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, say legalization of marijuana has undermined physical and mental health, with data that shows such effects as IQ loss, depression, suicide, psychosis, stroke and schizophrenia. Also of concern, the organization points to consequences to public safety, such as impairment while driving, and negative effects on education and employment, particularly among underage youth who obtain cannabis products they are not authorized to use. Undeterred by challenges facing global economic development, German businesses remain optimistic about their growth and cooperation prospects in China, which is Germany's leading trading partner. SINO-GERMAN COLLABORATION German materials manufacturer Covestro's enduring success in China stands as testament to effective Sino-German collaboration. The company is intensifying its commitment to the circular economy and decarbonization in China, one of its top markets, building on robust partnerships developed with a raft of stakeholders in China over the decades. "The decision to expand in China post-global financial crisis proved to be a pivotal strategic move, supporting our global business growth, especially capitalizing on the thriving Asia-Pacific market, said Markus Steilemann, chief executive officer of Covestro. In the 1990s, Covestro's predecessor company Bayer MaterialScience strategically chose Shanghai as the place to build its integrated production site, with construction commencing in 2001. The company experienced rapid growth in the subsequent decades, responding to escalating demand amid robust economic expansion in China and the Asia-Pacific region. In a bold move to fortify its presence in emerging economies, Covestro announced an investment of 1 billion euros to significantly expand its capacity at the Shanghai site in 2010, marking one of its largest single investments. A year later, the company also relocated the headquarters of its polycarbonates business unit from Leverkusen in Germany to Shanghai. Covestro has consistently strengthened its presence in China. Another notable milestone was reached in 2020 when the Shanghai headquarters were upgraded with increased functions and business scope including management, innovation, operations, and investment. Another Covestro plant in Shanghai, the first in the world to achieve large-scale production of mechanically recycled polycarbonates, was put into operation last year with an annual capacity of 25,000 tonnes, said Holly Lei, president of Covestro China, adding that Germany is leading globally in terms of circular economy technology, while China has many application scenarios amid the country's rapid progress toward its carbon emissions targets. The company's collaboration with China spans diverse business operations, including R&D, manufacturing, and sales. By the end of 2023, its total investment in the Chinese market had exceeded 4 billion euros. The Chinese market accounted for 20 percent of Covestro's global sales, and such figures tell us that the Chinese market cannot be ignored, Lei said. As China continues its march towards modernization, it presents long-term opportunities for German enterprises. In the context of strengthened China-German economic and trade cooperation, both nations are actively pursuing partnerships in green development, transition and technologies. "We are thrilled about the ongoing initiatives with our partners in China across various facets, which provide us with enduring opportunities," Lei added. HEAVYWEIGHT DELEGATION Senior German executives from more than 10 leading German companies recently paid a visit to southwest China's Chongqing as part of a heavyweight economic delegation. The visiting executives held a meeting in Chongqing on April 14 and discussed cooperation in green development and technology. These executives included Ola Kallenius, chairman of Mercedes-Benz, and Oliver Zipse, chief executive of BMW, "underlining the importance of the Chinese market to Europe's largest economy," according to a Reuters report. Sino-German economic ties should not only be cultivated but expanded, Kallenius told German broadcaster ARD in Beijing on Tuesday. "Withdrawing from such a large market is not an alternative, but rather strengthening our position," Reuters cited him as saying about the company's strategy in China. BMW's Zipse expressed a similar view on China, Germany's biggest trading partner. "We actually see more opportunities than risks," he told the ARD news program Tagesschau. Investing here will expand the market for us and provide us with opportunities to bring more new products to Chinese consumers, said Markus Kamieth, designated chairman of BASF SE. China is a country full of opportunities, and large Chinese enterprises are spread across the world, said Tobias Meyer, chairman of DHL Group, forecasting more cooperation opportunities in the logistics sector. My company has been growing in China for more than 90 years, cooperating with local business partners across the country, said Belen Garijo Lopez, chairman of the board of Merck KGaA, adding that more major investments in China are likely. BIGGER PICTURE Chinese and German industrial and supply chains are deeply intertwined, and these markets are highly dependent on each other. Economic and trade cooperation has always played a key role in China-Germany relations. Germany is China's largest trading partner in Europe, and the trade volume between China and Germany accounts for one third of the total trade volume between China and Europe, while Germany's investment in China accounts for one third of the EU's investment in China, according to China's Ministry of Commerce. Meanwhile, the German Economic Institute revealed that direct investment from Germany in China had reached a record high of 11.9 billion euros in 2023, a 4.3 percent increase compared to the previous year. During the same period, German investment in China accounted for 10.3 percent of Germany's total overseas investment -- the highest level since 2014. More than 5,000 German companies are thriving in China, and some 2,000 Chinese companies are developing in Germany, underlining the robust economic exchanges between the two countries. Transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe and economic globalization is facing a countercurrent. The so-called "decoupling and delinking" from China will only magnify global economic and trade risks. The recent collective visit of senior German executives to China sent a clear signal that the more complex the international environment, the more valuable effective cooperation is. The world is facing many challenges that no country can tackle alone, and German and Chinese companies should strengthen cooperation, said Roland Emil Busch, chairman of Siemens AG. Mercedes-Benz's Kallenius said China plays a pivotal role in Mercedes-Benz's global strategy, "serving not only as home of our largest market and one of our largest manufacturing sites but also one of our global centers for technological innovation." Kallenius also said that "in the future, we will continue to invest in China and strengthen cooperation with our Chinese partners," while adding that "we are delighted to open the brand-new building of the R&D Center Shanghai this month, which marks our local R&D's entrance into a new stage of 'Developed in China, Innovating for the World.'" Veteran health care, Space Command and foreign affairs were some of the hot topics Thursday night for six candidates hoping to next represent the El Paso County-based 5th Congressional District. About 100 people crowded the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, where there was standing room only to hear the candidates speak on issues important to the local veteran and military communities at a forum moderated by Gazette news partner KOAA. Veterans, local elected leaders and other community members attended. Congressional hopefuls seeking to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Republican, in the seat included Republicans Jeff Crank and Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dave Williams; Democrats River Gassen and Joe Reagan; and third-party candidates Christopher Mitchell (Constitutional Party) and Katrina Nguyen (independent). Over 90 minutes they spoke on several issues and their vision for the district, which encompasses much of El Paso County and has elected a Republican since 1972. Highlights included: Health care Veterans are waiting months in some cases to get health care appointments at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, an issue all six candidates denounced as a "problem." Many candidates said cutting barriers to care begins with expanding coverage through privatized or VA providers and community caregivers. Allowing veterans more choice will improve the backlog and allow veterans and servicemembers to seek treatment from providers they trust, they said. "If (veterans) choose to go outside and get community care, they should get it," said Crank, a podcaster and executive with the Koch network-backed Americans For Prosperity. He touted the bipartisan MISSION Act former President Donald Trump signed in 2018 that, in part, allowed veterans better access and more health care choice at VA or community providers. "The VA has consistently thrown up barriers for veterans, time and time again. ... How about letting veterans decide where they want their care, opening up community care, and letting the veteran choose that rather than some bureaucratic VA? Congress needs to hold them accountable," Crank said. Reagan, a U.S. Army veteran who served two combat tours in Afghanistan, said while community care is an important tool to help reduce appointment wait times, many primary care doctors aren't experienced enough with military patients to ask the right questions. For example, the 2022 PACT Act expanded VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances like burn pits, Agent Orange and others. "A primary health care provider isn't going to ask a normal 42-year-old male like me about prostate cancer. ... But because I was exposed to toxic substances over in Afghanistan over the course of 2 years, that increases my risk. Only a VA provider is going to know to ask those questions because it's very specific to my health care and my experience serving in the military," Reagan said. U.S. Space Command Sign up for free: Weekly 7 Catch up with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. The 2024 November election could reignite the yearslong debate over where U.S. Space Command should be permanently headquartered. The Air Force decided last summer it will remain in Colorado Springs instead of moving to Huntsville, Ala. The decision capped more than two years of wrangling by Colorado and Alabama officials after Trump announced in the final days of his administration the command's headquarters would move to Alabama. Colorado GOP Chairman Williams has said in the past he'd support Space Command's home in Alabama. On Thursday, he said the command belongs in Colorado Springs but the decision to keep it there was political, rather than based on merit. "Just because we're a blue state and just because Joe Biden wants to reward Democrats in Colorado doesn't mean that we should be sacrificing our principles to keep (Space Command) here," Williams said. The only candidate on Thursday's dais endorsed by Trump, Williams said he is "in the best position" to ensure that decision stands "not because of some woke ideology or bad abortion politics, but because we win it on the merits, because we have the highest concentration of military and veteran populations that we can pull from to have a strong presence ..." Nguyen, who on her campaign website describes herself as a "peacemaker," said she believes unequivocally Space Command belongs in Colorado Springs. "Not only do we have ... lots of the capabilities here, we have a lot of intelligent people here. ... It belongs here. Our leaders are all united on that Republican, Democrat, this is the place for it to be," she said. Foreign aid Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing growing threats from House members to oust him as he works to advance a $95 billion package that would provide foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as well as a border security bill. When asked if he would vote for the proposals in their current form, Colorado Springs-based electrical engineering contractor Mitchell, who ran for the 5th District in 2022 and for Colorado Springs mayor last spring, said he supports aid for Taiwan and Israel, but not for Ukraine. "I would decline the aid to Ukraine solely on the basis that we're throwing money down a rabbit hole with no accountability. Ukraine is not a proven ally," Mitchell said. " ... Any supposition that is put out by lawmakers about what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin may or may not do is just that, it's supposition. So they base funding Ukraine on a supposition without true facts of knowing what's really going to happen." The U.S. has sent more than $44 billion worth of weapons, maintenance, training and spare parts to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February 2022, ABC News reported Friday. Gassen, a scientist who has a degree in economics and has worked for the NASA Glenn Research Center, the Space Foundation and at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, said the U.S. has a responsibility to protect Ukraine under the 1994 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Under the treaty, the U.S. promised to protect Ukraine if it was ever invaded by Russia, since Ukraine agreed to give up its claim to nuclear weapons under the 1993 Budapest Memorandum. "We have an obligation to help them because they've done their part, and we need to do our part," Gassen said. "I'm willing to spent any dollar necessary to prevent World War III, because this war (between Russia and Ukraine) could very easily spill over into NATO territory, and I don't want to lose any American soldiers in Europe." Just over six weeks before primary ballots go in the mail to Colorado voters, the candidate rosters are nearly set teeing up a half dozen congressional primaries spread across the state's three open, Republican-held seats and its lone toss-up district, where a Democrat is the incumbent. Colorado Springs residents should see warm and breezy conditions after a chilly weekend, according to Gazette news partner KOAA. At an upcoming legislative session, China's national lawmakers will deliberate on law drafts regarding matters such as college degrees, national defense education, customs duties, and energy security, according to a press conference on Friday. From April 23 to 26, the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, will convene its ninth session in Beijing. A draft law on the conferring of college degrees will be submitted for the second reading at the session, said NPC spokesperson Yang Heqing. "By absorbing suggestions from various sides, the draft law makes further amendments to the requirements and procedures for conferring college degrees and specifies relevant accountability to make the whole process more rule-based," Yang said. At the session, draft revisions to the law of national defense education, which further specifies the objective, content, and approach of relevant work in various schools, will also be reviewed. A draft law on customs duties will be submitted to the session for the second reading. In keeping with the country's reform to streamline customs clearance, the draft law further refines the system of customs duties collection and management, said Yang. The session will also review a draft law on energy, which features stipulations on key fundamental questions in the energy sector, such as the improvement of energy planning, utility, storage, and emergency response mechanisms, said Yang. itsme-user Hey Guys,I've been accepted at Haas, LBS and Booth. I've background in consulting (MBB) and I want to keep at consulting in the mid-term after the MBA. For the long term I intend (not sure) to startup a business. I still really uncertain about my decision, but i'm more towards Haas. I loved the people in Haas, the weather and the school itself. I just don't want to accept the offer without considering all factors (lifestyle, network, and also the school-brand). Anyone could share some advice/opinions? HiCongratulations on the admissions, well done!I don't have specific information about Booth vs. Haas. But LBS is quite a different choice. In my opinion, when assessing two B-schools in different countries, one must give a high weight to the location and see which one is more aligned with their preference. Landing a job in the same location is much easier, so if you wanna work in US, you should consider your US options, and if you wanna work in Europe and to some extent Asia, you might want to consider LBS.So, to approach this problem I would first address the question: UK or US? The job market is obviously better in US, especially for MBB recruitment. But you might want to consider other factors like culture, work-life balance, etc.Please let me know if you need more information about LBS and UK.Best of luck!Zahra With a month and a half left in the General Assemblys spring session, Gov. J.B. Pritzkers administration is readying its proposal to address Illinois chronically underfunded pension system. But the governor this week also acknowledged in the strongest terms yet that any plans to finally get the state on track toward fully funding retirement plans for public school teachers, university employees and state workers could be derailed by a looming legal fight over a 14-year-old law. Pritzkers comments came as Illinois two influential statewide teachers unions were wrapping up a "week of action," encouraging their members to call and email lawmakers and urge them to essentially "undo" a 2010 law that created a new less generous pension system for those who began their jobs after Jan. 1, 2011. The General Assembly and then-Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn quickly approved that law in the wake of the Great Recession, which forced state leaders to grapple with decades of underfunding in Illinois pension systems. But in the years since, economists and labor leaders have repeatedly warned that the retirement benefits in the Tier 2 system are so low, they might violate federal "Safe Harbor" laws. Those laws dictate Social Security replacement plans, like pensions, cant offer benefits that dont at least match Social Security. Lawmakers, most of whom were not in the legislature when Tier 2 was passed, have picked up on those warning signs and studied the issue in occasional committee hearings in the last few years. In February, Pritzker signaled his willingness to get ahead of the looming legal issue, and on Thursday he took a big step forward in his position. "We need, obviously, to make some changes to Tier 2 to make sure that we're meeting the Social Security Safe Harbor," the governor said at an unrelated news conference late Thursday night in his Capitol office. "We don't yet really know what that's going to cost." Earlier in the day, Pritzkers top budget adviser, Governors Office of Management and Budget Director Alexis Sturm, told a House committee that the governor was "open to that conversation" about increasing the cap on Tier 2 pension earnings to match Social Security. Ahead of Pritzkers annual budget address in February, Sturm and other top staffers laid out a larger plan to address Illinois underfunded pension systems, which included a nod to the Social Security issue. At the time, the plan merely encouraged the boards of the state's retirement systems for teachers, university employees and state employees, along with the legislature, to "review and adjust, if necessary, the structure of the Tier 2 pensionable earnings cap." But in acknowledging the Tier 2 issue on Thursday, the governor also signaled to New York-based credit ratings agencies that he was still committed to fiscal moves that would earn the state further credit upgrades. Pritzker said state leaders "just need to be exceedingly careful" about pension "sweeteners" including any fix made to Tier 2 pensions. "So that, in a way, is a sweetener in the sense that it's going to cost taxpayers something," Pritzker said. "But we have to do it because the alternative would cost the taxpayers much more." There is no official price tag on tweaking the law to comply with Social Security rules, but one analysis run for the states Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability last year estimated it could cost the state $5.6 billion through 2045, or about $255 million annually. Path to full pension funding by 2048 Sturms appearance in a House committee Thursday was intended to sell lawmakers on the governors plan to fully fund Illinois pensions by 2048. Pritzkers team had laid out the proposal ahead of his budget address in February, and one credit rating agency immediately signaled its approval. The plan would alter a 1995 law signed by then-Republican Gov. Jim Edgar that put the state on a 50-year ramp to get Illinois pension systems to a 90% funded level by 2045. Pritzker wants to extend that deadline three more years, but up the funding goal to 100%. Hes also pushing to keep spending half of the amount of money Illinois is currently spending on debt repayment for old bonds taken out in 2003 and 2017 when theyre retired in the early 2030s and put that money toward the pension systems. The 2003 bonds were taken out to pay for pensions during Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevichs administration, and the 2017 bonds were sold in the aftermath of the states two-year budget impasse under Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to help pay down Illinois record near-$17 billion backlog of unpaid bills accumulated during the political struggle. Sturm called the plan a "balanced" way to address Illinois longstanding practice of not paying enough into its pension systems, creating an ever-growing sum of unfunded liabilities. "It was there in the 90s, it was there in the 70s and the 40s," Sturm said of the pension debt. She also clarified that Pritzker is "not interested" in issuing any bonds to put an infusion of cash into the states pension systems, a move made under Quinn in 2010 and 2011 several years after the state borrowed $10 billion in the 2003 bond sale under Blagojevich. Thursdays discussion on the pension plan was subject matter only, meaning it did not receive a vote from the committee. Its unclear if the measure will pass before lawmakers adjourn their spring session in May. Just as in the past, public employee unions will likely have tremendous influence over whether the legislature approves the governors pension plan. Pat Devaney, the secretary-treasurer of the Illinois AFL-CIO organized labor umbrella organization, told the panel Thursday that the We Are One Illinois coalition a group of unions that formed after the Tier 2 pension system law passed was not yet taking a stance on Pritzkers plan. "It is difficult to provide comprehensive comments on the governors proposal without having specific legislative language and funding projections to review," he said. "That said, the problematic nature of the current funding ramp is well-documented." The coalition, Devaney said, "generally" supports making larger-than-necessary contributions to the states retirement systems. "The state has always set forward with a plan to underfund the pension systems," he said. "Were encouraged that the governor has a plan to actually fund it to 100 percent and come out with a deliberate, responsible way to provide that funding." History of Illinois' Tier 2 pensions Devaney had a much more strident position to share with House members about Tier 2 pensions. "We can do that," he said of Pritzkers plan to shore up Illinois pension systems. "But we can also address the illegal, immoral, and, frankly, things that are hurting the operations of government at every level with the Tier 2 benefit level." After a long pause, state Rep. Steve Reick, R-Woodstock, signaled his agreement with a big caveat. "Yeah, but how?" Reick said. "Thats the thing that we need to get people together in a room and talk about because this isnt gonna get any better for the next 20 years. Im not going to be here 20 years from now but ... Id like to leave knowing that we started something that would get us to where we want to be." Reick said his email inbox has been inundated with messages about the Tier 2 pension system. The Illinois Federation of Teachers and Illinois Education Association the states two largest teachers unions have encouraged their members to flood their local lawmakers with requests to address the Tier 2 pension system. As of Thursday evening, union members had sent more than 55,000 letters last week to lawmakers urging them to "fix" Tier 2 pensions, according to the Illinois AFL-CIO. "I mean, I get a lot of emails from people who demand that we do away with Tier 2 altogether and go back to Tier 1," Reick said later during the hearing. "Um, thats not going to work." As Illinois began its slow recovery from the Great Recession, lawmakers were facing a sudden jump in unfunded pension liabilities, due in part to poor investment returns as the stock market hobbled its way to recovery. But the General Assembly also felt the squeeze from decades of decisions from their predecessors shorting the states pension systems. Beginning in 2009, credit rating agencies began a series of downgrades to Illinois ratings of creditworthiness, making it more expensive for the state to borrow money via bond sales. In explaining their reasoning at the time, the influential agencies repeatedly noted the states pension systems were underfunded. The financial downturn came not long after the state skipped out on paying half of its pension obligation for two years under Blagojevich, which came on the heels of more than 11,000 state workers taking early retirement under Republican Gov. George Ryan. Both moves increased the liability to the states pension systems by billions of dollars. So in 2010, the Democratic-controlled General Assembly created the new Tier 2 system, which nixed the Tier 1 practice of 3 percent compounded annual cost of living adjustments for retirees, raised the age for retirees to get full benefits from 62 to 67 and changed eligibility for full benefits from five years of service to 10 years. Tier 2 also caps the maximum salary a pension can be based on and changes the calculation of the base salary to discourage a practice known as pension "spiking," wherein those close to retirement age would seek raises to substantially increase their pension under the Tier 1 system. Because it takes a decade to "vest" in the Tier 2 pension system, those who made late-career switches to government employment have begun to be eligible for retirement only in the last few years. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. 5 thoughtful Mother's Day gifts for under $50 1. Homesick Thank You, Mom Candle 2. Paige Tate & Co. Legacy Journal 3. ZIMASILK Mulberry Silk Pillowcase 4. DAE Monsoon Moisture Hair Mask 5. EACHPAI Digital Photo Frame The first time you saw it, you knew youd have to see it again. You were obsessed with the comedy. You couldnt get enough of the music. You still remember the first third fifth time you saw the movie, alone or with friends, in a theater or on TV. And in the new book, The Blues Brothers by Daniel De Vise, yours wasnt the only addiction that took hold. As the audience quietly fidgeted and cameras readied on the night in April 22, 1978, no one was sure how the opening skit of Saturday Night Live would be received. Its stars, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi had talked about starting a band together for years. This would be their debut. It would have to work. And it did: The audience seemed slightly unimpressed by the Blues Brothers at first, says De Vise, but they were stirred to jubilation by the skits end. Born in early 1949 to immigrant parents, John Adam Belushi grew up skirting discipline by making his mother laugh at his antics and his wit. He deflected problems at school in the same way but his clowning belied a straight-laced aversion to drugs and alcohol. That lasted until he discovered a love of the stage, and he was introduced to weed. With a father who worked for the National Film Board in Canada, its almost no surprise that Daniel Edward Aykroyd, born in 1952, would be drawn to the limelight. A talented mimic, Dan began classes at a local Ottawa community playhouse at age twelve; briefly, he considered becoming a priest because his parents seemed to want it. Eventually, because he was rather impish, the Aykroyds were told that perhaps Dan wasnt suited to the priesthood. It was just as well. Comedy was always his thing; in fact, he was working with Second City Toronto in the early 1970s when an oddly proportioned, white-scarfed Albanian joined the troupe. Aykroyd liked the guy, and he introduced Belushi to the blues... The sarcasm and wit are still there. The music sings to your youth. Stream the movie this weekend and enjoy, but even if youre a longtime fan, you may be surprised to read the backstory of that iconic movie in the book that bears its name. Indeed, though he leans heavier on Belushis story than he does on Aykroyds, author Daniel De Vise has a nice variety of obscurities to share in The Blues Brothers, and they extend well beyond both big and small screens. As explanation, he starts by introducing readers to Aykroyds and Belushis earliest influencers, blending in other Second City and SNL alumni and relevant people when appropriate. This absolutely invites reminiscing. Yes, the seed-to-screen timeline for the movie can be lengthy and sometimes overly-detailed here, but the narrative seems fresh despite its age. With the feel of a class reunion or like paging through your high school annual, this book will very much appeal to readers who can still quote the movie or sing its songs. Start The Blues Brothers, and youll be hooked. MATTOON A judge has fined the owner of the former Brown Shoe factory $25,560 for this building being in nuisance condition and has ordered that it be demolished. The property's Site Rite, LLC ownership, based in Kansas City, Missouri, has responded that progress was being made on demolishing this building with the goal of salvaging much of its materials, including approximately 2 1/2 million bricks. On Monday, Coles County Circuit Judge Chris Wetzel filed an order of default and a judgment order in the ordinance violation case that the city brought against Site Rite on March 23, 2023 regarding the 80,000-square-foot former manufacturing building at 1400 Piatt Ave. The order denied Site Rite's request for a continuance of the hearing that had been set for April 8. "A person representing themselves as a 'project manager' working for defendant (Site Rite) has appeared in Mattoon City Court in this cause on two occasions, but defendant has otherwise failed to appear, or send legal representative to represent defendant in the many hearings that have taken place in this cause," Wetzel wrote. The order found that the building has been in nuisance condition since at least Nov. 12, 2022 under Site Rite's ownership and ordered that it be demolished. The order also fined Site Rite $50 per day from Nov. 12, 2022-April 8, 2024, totaling $25,650 and reserved the imposition of additional fines if needed at a later date. "Defendant is ordered to appear before this court May 6 and explain why plaintiff (the city) should not be granted further relief in this matter and why it should not be held in contempt for its failure to appear at designated court hearings," Wetzel wrote. City Attorney Dan Jones discussed the court order during his report at this week's Mattoon City Council meeting. He said the judge granted his motion for a default judgment after no one representing Site Rite appeared at the April 8 hearing. Jones said demolition work is still not occurring at the Brown Shoe site as the city awaits the May 6 hearing, but the city will keep working on getting this property cleaned up. Jones said he is hopeful that the fine will give the city more leverage in its efforts. "It's been a long process with a lot of hard work. We're still going," said Mayor Rick Hall after Jones' report. Site Rite owner Dave Nelson said he had requested a continuance of the April 8 hearing because he knew he would be unable to attend. At court hearings last summer, a project manager representing Nelson and Site Rite reported that the southern wing of the building has been demolished down to its first floor, but they were having issued finding qualified available labor. Nelson said he feels that city officials are "hurting themselves" by pursuing an ordinance violation case that could result in the building being demolished at the expense of taxpayers instead of a private business. He said he has been in talks with prospective developers about repurposing the site after the demolition is completed, possibly as multi-family senior living housing. In addition to being a real estate investor, Nelson said he salvages wood and other materials from demolition sites. He said this keeps such materials out of landfills. He the Brown Shoe bricks, for example, are worth 45 cents each but it will take time to salvage all approximately 2 1/2 million of them there. "It's all done by hand. It's reverse construction, basically," Nelson said. Flash U.S. allegations about China's industrial policies in steel and shipbuilding sectors are groundless and against common sense of economics, a Chinese spokesperson said on Friday, urging the United States not to turn economic and trade issues into security ones. The United States has recently threatened to triple the tariff rates for both steel imports and aluminum imports from China. It also blamed the Chinese government's practices in the shipbuilding industry. Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said those comments are far-fetched, and China expresses grave concern and dissatisfaction over those comments. China's steel sector is mainly aimed at meeting domestic demand and receives no export-oriented subsidies. Only 5 percent of its steel is exported, far lower than Japan, the Republic of Korea and other steelmakers, which means the influence of Chinese steel exports on the international market is very limited, Lin said. "The U.S., on the other hand, spends hundreds of billions of dollars on discriminatory domestic subsidies and abuses export controls citing 'national security', which hinders normal international trade in chips and other products," he said. "What a double standard for the U.S. to accuse China for 'non-market practices.'" Citing various U.S. studies, Lin said that the U.S. shipbuilding industry lost its competitive advantage many years ago due to over-protection. The growth of relevant industries in China is a result of companies' tech innovation and participation in market competition. It also benefits from China's fully-fledged industrial manufacturing system and vast domestic market, he said. According to a World Trade Organization ruling, the former U.S. administration was wrong to impose additional steel and aluminum tariffs on certain WTO members and launch Section 301 investigation and raise tariffs on China, Lin said. "Instead of correcting its mistake, the U.S. chose to double down on it by threatening with new tariff hikes and announcing a new Section 301 investigation," he added. "We urge the U.S. to be prudent in its words and deeds, stop manipulating issues on China in the election year, stop turning economic and trade issues into security ones, lift additional tariffs on China and stop imposing new ones," Lin said, adding that China will take all steps necessary to firmly defend its own rights and interests. KEARNEY As the $93 million Rural Health Education Building takes shape at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, supporters are confident the facility will be ready to open in 2026. Thats when the building will begin enrolling medical students to address rural Nebraskas critical shortage of doctors and other health care professionals. Opening the building on time is one thing, said Dr. Bradley Britigan. Filling it with medical students presents a challenge of its own. As dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Britigan worries whether Nebraska can establish the pipeline of students needed to make the Rural Health Education Building a success and prove the strategy thats driving it that students who learn medicine in a rural setting are more likely to practice medicine in a rural setting. Speaking at the Kearney Sertoma Club meeting recently, Britigan said that when the new training center is fully operational, 80 medical students will be receiving their early training in the Kearney facility. The Rural Health Education Building will fill gradually. Britigan said 20 medical students are anticipated in 2026, another 20 students will enroll in 2027, and 20 more students will start in 2028. The 20 students who enter in 2029 will put the Rural Health Education Center at its 80-student capacity. Recruitment of the initial 20 students will begin in about a year. Britigan said recruitment will focus on addressing a variety of needs the medical students will bring with them to Kearney. With medical school debt in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, some of the students will need scholarships. They all will need places to live, something to eat and doctors in rural Nebraska who are willing to share their knowledge and time with the students as preceptors, which are essentially instructors. Physicians already are busy, so its a big ask to recruit them as preceptors, knowing students will be following them around, asking questions and expecting hands-on experience, Britigan said. Theres not a better way than the preceptor model for students to become physicians, but the learning depends on physicians willing to stretch their time to care for patients while they give medical students a large slice of their time. Britigan said hes very optimistic. Initial talks with physicians at Kearney Regional Medical Center and CHI Health Good Samaritan were positive. Doctors practicing at those facilities said theyre behind the UNMC-UNK partnership building the Rural Health Education Building and want to offer their time and knowledge as preceptors. Britigan said support of the local medical community is encouraging. Initial talks with the medical community in other Nebraska hospitals also has been positive. Britigan said physicians in Grand Island, Hastings, North Platte and potentially Scottsbluff will be recruited as preceptors. There also may be instructional roles for physicians in hospitals including Holdrege and Gothenburg, Britigan said. He said time is one of the largest hurdles for Nebraskas rural health education model. Thats because so many Nebraska physicians are nearing retirement. They wont be practicing in a few years, and that means the field of potential preceptors will shrink with each retirement. If theres a weak spot in Nebraskas rural training strategy, its the physician shortage thats more acute each year. Meanwhile, eight years of experience with the rural training strategy suggests Nebraska is on the right track. Tracking graduates of the Health Science Education Complex, which opened in 2015 at UNK, supports the belief that training in rural settings does lead more health care professionals to careers in rural Nebraska. So far, 85% of Health Science Education Complex graduates are practicing in rural Nebraska, Britigan said. PHOTOS: Sandhill cranes at dusk near Gibbon Photos from the sun setting on the Platte River near Gibbon. Dusk on the Platte River Thousands of Sandhill cranes flock to the Platte River on Wednesday, April 3. Cranes at dusk The sun sets on the Platte River on Wednesday. Cranes at dusk Cranes dot the horizon as the sun sets on the Platte River. Cranes at dusk A smattering of Sandhill cranes fly over the Platte River as the horizon shows a purple hue on Wednesday. Photo taken looking east from the Pl Cranes near Gibbon A flock of Sandhill cranes take off out of a cornfield off Gibbon Road on Wednesday. Cranes at dusk ABOVE: A flock of Sandhill cranes take off out of a cornfield off Gibbon Road on Wednesday. RIGHT: A smattering of Sandhill cranes fly over th Cranes over the Platte Cranes fly over the Platte River near Gibbon as the sun sets. Cranes at dusk A crowd gathers on the Plautz Crane Viewing Deck off Lowell Road near Gibbon to watch the cranes on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Visitors that ni Cranes over the Platte The Platte River at dusk. Cranes at dusk Sandhill cranes fly over the Platte River as the horizon shows a purple hue on Wednesday, April 3. Cranes at dusk A flying V of Sandhill cranes soar over the Platte River on Wednesday, April 3 near Gibbon. Cranes at dusk Cranes fly over the Platte River at dusk on Wednesday, April 3. Cranes at dusk Cranes fly overhead at the Plautz Crane Viewing Deck near Gibbon on Wednesday, April 3. Cranes near Gibbon Sandhill cranes eat and mill about in a cornfield off Gibbon Road. Cranes near Gibbon A group of Sandhill cranes gather in a cornfield near Gibbon. Cranes near Gibbon Cranes gather in a field near Gibbon. Sandhill cranes near Gibbon Sandhill cranes gather near Gibbon. Flash Two Iraqi military bases were bombed after midnight on Saturday by unknown aircraft in Babil province, south of Baghdad, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua. The airstrikes were carried out by drones and targeted two bases belonging to the Iraqi paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces in the Mahawil area, in the northern part of Babil province, the source said, without giving further details. One of the two targeted bases was an ammunition warehouse of the Hashd Shaabi forces and the other was their tanks headquarters, the source said. The source also said that there were explosions heard in the Madain area, some 30 km southeast of Baghdad, but there was no immediate information about the blasts. RACINE The Racine County Board at its April 9 meeting voted unanimously to approve a plan to remove the Horlick Dam. The vote comes after years of discussion with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address the Root River dam, which the corps said does not meet Wisconsins 100-year flood event requirements. In December 2020, Racine County and the corps entered into a cost-share agreement to investigate the feasibility of a federal project for the dam. In March, the corps finalized its recommendation, which is full removal of the dam. At a presentation to the county board in March, corps members said they estimate work on the dam removal project will begin during summer 2025 and end in fall 2028. The corps will then monitor the site until fall 2031. District 12 Supervisor Don Trottier said at the meeting that after reading reports from the corps and the DNR and hearing many public comments about the dam, he thinks the dam should be removed. For the overall safety of our residents of Racine County, it must be removed, Trottier said. To maintain financial stability for our county and to provide aquatic health of the river, the (dam) must be removed. District 5 Supervisor Jody Spencer said at the meeting that she has spoken with many constituents who live along the Root River about the dam over the past few months. I discovered that while most shoreline residents want to keep what is there, they also understand the potential benefits of inevitable change, Spencer said. Horlick Dam has held on well past its expected lifespan. During the meetings public comment period, some residents spoke about the dam, with a mix of people for and against its removal. Wisconsin State Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, who also spoke at previous meetings about the dam, said his constituents are concerned about the dam removal and asked that the board table the issue and consider alternatives. The focus is on taking (the dam) out and totally removing it because we have money thats gonna come from the Corps of Engineers, Sen. Wanggaard said. Focusing on the buck is not always where it needs to be. George Wanggaard, a resident who lives near the Root River and also spoke at previous meetings regarding the dam, said he is concerned about what might happen to the sediment in the river that the dam is currently holding back. We have to look at other options, and cutting the dam (shorter) doesnt mean that you wont be able to remove it in the future, he said. Whats next With the project approved, the board and the corps will conduct a final legal review of the draft Project Partnership Agreement from the Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment, before signing the agreement. Corps Project Manager Patrick Kennedy said the PPA covers the funding for the project that is based on the corps certified cost estimate from the IFR and EA. After the agreement is signed, the corps will develop plans and specifications that will be used to solicit a contract for project construction, Kennedy said. In the construction phase, the corps will incrementally demolish the dam and conduct staged dewatering, which will slowly draw down impoundment levels for a controlled release of sediment downstream. After demolition and dewatering, the concrete structure will be removed from the top down. The corps plan also includes temporary erosion control using native cover crop on exposed areas, water runoff control and stormwater pollution prevention. Corps members said the planned incremental demolition of the dam will keep large amounts of sediment from getting stuck in one place along the river, which was a concern for some residents. Put simply, an incremental removal of the dam will occur to ensure that sediment transport does not exceed the average annual sediment budget for a stream and watershed of the size/type of the Root River, Kennedy said. 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 View Results As the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge celebrates its 100th anniversary, its an emblem of conservation success along Wisconsins western border. The longest contiguous river refuge in the continental U.S., it offers sanctuary to diverse wildlife and provides over 3.7 million annual visitors with unparalleled opportunities for hunting, fishing, and immersing in the tranquility of its backwaters, marshes, and forests. The Friends of the Refuge Mississippi River Pools 7 & 8 (FOR78) play a critical role in protecting this natural environment. The group serves as a bridge between the refuges La Crosse District and surrounding communities, building awareness, enjoyment and support of the refuge through engagement, environmental experiences, education, and habitat enhancement. Through their work, theyre helping ensure the refuge remains a cherished resource for generations to come. Kathryn Lammers is among those friends of the refuge, serving as secretary on the board of directors and 100th anniversary coordinator for FOR78. What makes the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge extraordinary?Stretching 261 river miles from Wabasha, Minnesota to Rock Island, Illinois, the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge has protected more than 240,000 acres of Mississippi River floodplain since 1924. The refuge is a Wetland of International Importance and a Globally Important Bird Area. It is divided into four districts: Winona District, La Crosse District, McGregor District, and Savannah District. The refuge is a critical element of the Mississippi Flyway, and its many wooded islands, sloughs, hardwood forests and open waters provide habitat for an amazing variety of plants, fish, birds, and wildlife. Recreational activities lure almost four million visitors to the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge every year, which provides an economic boost to the communities along the river. What role did social capital play in the area becoming a refuge and now in preserving it?Social capital is the only reason the Upper Mississippi River became a National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Without social capital, the floodplain would have been ditched and drained into a mere shadow of its former self, serving no role for fish and wildlife and only serving people as farmland that floods periodically. (Later on, the locks and dams were built.) Wil Dilg, a dedicated fisherman on the river and an unemployed liquor salesman (due to Prohibition), played a significant role. He worked through the Isaac Walton League to rally outdoor sportspersons and environmentalists to speak up for creation of the refuge. Today, FOR78 contributes to social capital which helps protect the refuge. What legacy does the Friends of the Refuge aim to leave for future generations? Public engagement is crucial for maintaining support and funding of the refuge on a long-term basis. Our focus is the La Crosse District, which encompasses the land and waters of the refuge between Lock and Dam #6 in Trempealeau, Wisconsin, and Lock and Dam #8 in Genoa, Wisconsin. We hope to nurture a legacy of lasting public engagement by creating opportunities to experience the refuge, learn about it, and enjoy it. The organization will need to continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of the refuge and the public, which will require board members who understand the mission but can also continue to adapt to changing times. While working in a chamber heavily controlled by Republicans, a local state senator from the minority party has been singled out for working across the aisle and voting with the majority. Based on a report requested by state Sen. Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau produced an analysis that found Sen. Brad Pfaff, D-Onalaska, cast the most votes with the opposing party of any senator during the 2023-24 legislative session. Pfaff said the report highlights his effort to work in a bipartisan fashion. These are the values that brought me to the state Senate and that is the values of listening and learning and respecting everyone regardless of their station in life, Pfaff said. I believe that there is a lot more that we can get done if we listen to one another and try and move legislation that reflects the will of the people rather than special interest. Theres more that we can do, but I am glad that there has been some good bipartisan work that weve got done. The report, produced by the nonpartisan legislative service agency, found Pfaff voted with the Republican majority 53.6% of the time, tied for the most with Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Pleasant Prairie. Top Democratic senators' roll call votes with GOP majority Senator Votes cast with GOP majority Total votes cast Votes cast with GOP majority out of total votes cast (%) Brad Pfaff 97 181 53.6 Robert Wirch 97 181 53.6 Lena Taylor 32 61 52.5 Tim Carpenter 88 181 48.6 Jeff Smith 86 180 47.8 I am proud to have been the most bipartisan senator this session, Pfaff said. Far too often, those in Madison choose to point fingers instead of rolling up their sleeves and delivering results for Wisconsinites. People are tired of the gridlock and dysfunction. Ive worked hard to put politics aside and bring people together to address the issues facing working families in our state. Impact of bipartisanship Of 181 votes, Pfaff voted with the Republican majority for 97 of them. This number is just over that of Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan, who cast the most votes with the Democratic minority with 94 out of 181 votes (51.9%). On the whole, Pfaff has a higher percentage than other democratic state senators, indicating that he is more likely than other Democratic state senators to vote with a majority of Republicans on those votes, Anthony Chergosky, a UW-La Crosse political science professor, said about the report. Top GOP senators' roll call votes with Democratic minority Senator Votes cast with GOP majority Total votes cast Votes cast with GOP majority out of total votes cast (%) Joan Ballweg 94 181 51.9 Eric Wimberger 93 181 51.4 Dan Feyen 88 181 48.6 Cory Tomczyk 88 181 48.6 Rachael Cabral-Guevara 87 181 48.1 However, Chergosky questioned the impact of bipartisan votes when a member is in the minority party, as the majority party often has the votes needed to pass the legislation in question. One of my observations is that bipartisanship when in the majority looks different from bipartisanship when in the minority, Chergosky said. For members of the majority party, they have a real decision to make about if and when they will seek bipartisanship. Pfaff has never been a member of the majority in the state Senate, but Chergosky said it seems Pfaff is more willing to work with the Republican majority than some of his other Democratic colleagues. Chergosky also notes the importance of recognizing the power wielded by the majority party when analyzing bipartisanship. Republicans have agenda-setting power, meaning that the Republican majority decides what will and will not get voted on in the State Senate, said Chergosky. The fact that Democrats do not have any agenda-setting power and the power over the legislative agenda is entirely in the hands of the Republican majority. Thats kind of what I wonder about, like if the shoe was on the other foot, right, like if Democrats had the majority, how willing would they be to seek out bipartisanship if they didnt need to do that? After several years of Republicans operating with full control over the Assembly, Senate and governors office from 2011 to 2019, there has been little true bipartisanship seen in Wisconsin politics, Chergosky said. However, there have been a few significant bipartisan measures passed into law since Gov. Tony Evers took office. Probably shared revenue would be at the top of my list, Chergosky said. You know, the funding for local governments and the Brewers bill is a very real bipartisan achievement as well. While the budgets were passed along party-line votes, Evers still did sign them with a lot of partial vetoes. Finding and defining bipartisanship in Wisconsin is challenging, considering the lack of incentive for many legislators to work together. For there to be more bipartisanship in Wisconsin politics, legislators must have the opportunity to work with one another, and they must have the incentive to work with one another, Chergosky said. The lack of bipartisanship in Wisconsin reveals that one or both of those ingredients are often missing. Against the grain While many bills that Pfaff said he was proud of were distinctly bipartisan, including broadband expansion and increased funding for roads and bridges, the bill he is most proud of going against the grain to support was a bill that guarantees admission to UW campuses for top students in the Wisconsin school system. The bill guarantees Wisconsin high school students in the top 10% of their high school graduating class receive automatic admission to any Universities of Wisconsin system school, and the top 5% would receive automatic admission to UW-Madison. As someone who comes from rural, La Crosse County, and the first in my family to go to a UW System school, that was important to me, Pfaff said. I will continue to do everything I can to make sure that higher education, whether that be a technical college or the UW that we keep that accessible for all students I will continue to advocate the fact that we want to do everything we can as a state to keep our best and our brightest here in Wisconsin. I really believe that we have the talent in the state to continue to lead the nation and be a world leader. Pfaff notes he was one of three Democrats to support the 2021-23 biennial budget, an $87.5 billion budget, where he compromised on some issues not addressed in the budget. I thought at the time, and I still believe, that voting for that measure was the right approach, he said. Almost all of my Democratic colleagues stood in opposition to that bill, and I could understand their concerns but it continued providing funding for our K-12 public schools, as well as providing dollars for local units of government, as well as transportation funds. Pfaff will face a challenge for his seat from Republican candidate Stacey Klein, who announced her candidacy earlier in March. The boundaries of Senate District 32, the seat currently held by Pfaff, for this election will be different after Evers signed new legislative maps. Many of the southern areas of the Senate district, including Prairie du Chien, Seneca and Soldiers Grove were removed and replaced with areas to the north and west, including Galesville and Sparta. This is a purple district with a bit of a democratic lead, but, you know, we can count on a competitive campaign in this district, Chergosky said of the new maps. In order to win a district like this, a candidate needs to be successful among swing voters and voters who dont have a strong political party allegiance. While recognizing the importance of beliefs and convictions, Pfaff said it matters to him that the state moves forward and the Senate gets work done. At the end of the day, we still need to make sure that we have a functioning democracy that can provide opportunities for economic growth as well as for social growth and social responsibility, Pfaff said. If you share with your colleagues where you stand on the issues, but also if you listen to your colleagues and learn from them where they stand on the issues, taking all that in consideration, and also really knowing your district and spending time with the people in your district, it will lead to finding bipartisan solutions on the issues that will help all of us. Mideast countries disappointed by U.S. veto on Palestinian bid for full UN membership Xinhua) 09:12, April 20, 2024 CAIRO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Middle East have expressed their disappointment over a U.S. decision to use its veto to deny Palestine's full membership in the United Nations (UN). The United States on Thursday vetoed a draft resolution recommending that the General Assembly admit Palestine to the UN. Britain and Switzerland abstained while the remaining members of the Security Council voted in favor. "It is regrettable that veto is used to impede an obvious international willingness to accept Palestine's full membership to the UN," Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on social media platform X. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also voiced its regret, saying that recognizing the Palestinian state and approving its full membership in the UN is an inherent right of the Palestinian people who have suffered from the Israeli occupation for more than 70 years. The obstruction of the full membership isn't consistent with the legal and historical responsibility placed on the international community towards ending the occupation and reaching a final and just solution to the Palestinian issue, it added. Disappointed by the result, the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants called on the international community to translate words into action by accepting the two-state solution and recognizing Palestine as an independent, full-fledged state. Noting that the Israeli military operation on the Gaza Strip has led to "the worst humanitarian disaster" the world has ever witnessed in the 21st century, the Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed its deep regret at the failure of the Security Council to adopt the resolution. In an official statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry accused the United States of hindering the Security Council's duty to uphold the Palestinian people's legitimate rights. The ministry said that what the United States did further tarnished its history of undermining collective international efforts and "displaying blatant favoritism towards Israel." Barring the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on Palestinian land would only intensify the current fragile state of security and instability in the Middle East, added the ministry. Stressing that "Palestine has a historical right to establish its state," the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that depriving Palestine of this right represented a violation of the rights of the Palestinian people. "Depriving the Palestinian people of their rights exposes the region to the risk of permanent instability, and portends dire consequences, especially in light of the continuing war against Gaza and the failure of international efforts to end the crisis," the statement warned. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also criticized the United States for vetoing the draft resolution. "Here, as everyone stands with Palestine, unfortunately, America is once again siding with Israel," Erdogan said. "Nonetheless, we didn't anticipate anything different, and this has become abundantly clear to us." (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) You are here: World Flash European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Friday urged de-escalation amid Iran-Israel tensions. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo attend a press conference at Lappeenranta airport, southeastern Finland, on April 19, 2024. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Friday urged de-escalation amid Iran-Israel tensions. (Lauri Heikkinen/Prime minister's office/Handout via Xinhua) They made these comments at a press conference held at southeastern Finland's Lappeenranta airport on Friday. The event followed a visit to the Finnish eastern border near the town of Imatra. "We must do everything possible to ensure that all sides refrain from escalating the situation in the region," said von der Leyen. She emphasized the necessity for stabilizing in the region. Orpo expressed hope that both sides would avoid retaliatory attacks. According to local media reports, the purpose of their visit to the eastern border was to inspect a pilot fence, about three kilometers long, built near the Imatra border crossing. Life in the Soviet Union was not easy. Most people lived modestly, unable to afford the things that we take for granted now. ADVERTISIMENT Nevertheless, people still strived for a prosperous life or at least the illusion of wealth and success. OBOZ.UA has compiled a list of things that everyone in the USSR dreamed of, but only a select few could afford. Scarce goods Only people from high society could live in luxury and eat high-quality sausages, and cheese, drink elite alcohol, or eat expensive fish. These were, for example, party workers, military officers, intelligence officers, scientists, diplomats, and astronauts. But the issue was not about money. Ordinary Soviet citizens did not have access to a large number of goods, because they were simply not delivered to ordinary stores. ADVERTISIMENT Housing In the USSR, it was almost impossible to buy or rent housing, but the state did provide it to its citizens for free. However, firstly, not everyone was so lucky, and secondly, the living conditions in such apartments were not the best. Therefore, at a time when many people were living in communal housing, owning their own separate housing was a real dream. At the same time, privileged citizens could get housing bypassing the queue, and party workers had their own large apartments in Stalinist buildings by default. A car Any Soviet citizen could buy a car, but it required standing in endless lines and paying a lot of money. In addition, there were only a few models on the market. People were only offered the Moskvich-400, GAZ-20 Pobeda, and ZIM. ADVERTISIMENT Sometimes you could see foreign cars on the streets of the USSR, but they belonged only to foreigners, such as diplomats or journalists. Furniture and appliances During the Iron Curtain, foreign goods were considered the best and were on the wish lists of every citizen of the USSR. Furniture and appliances were no exception. Imported walls, carpets, or color TVs immediately made it clear that their owners had high incomes. Many people saved up for years in pursuit of the desired goods and lined up in stores in advance. In the 70s, for example, a furniture wall could be purchased for 800 rubles, while a young specialist's salary ranged from 70 to 130 rubles. Crystal Soviet housewives were incredibly appreciative of crystal products. However, despite the fact that this material was actively produced in the USSR, people preferred items from Czech Bohemia. ADVERTISIMENT A Bohemian glass chandelier was a special indicator of status and taste. Clothing In the USSR, it was very easy to distinguish the rich from ordinary people because they dressed atypically. Back then, not everyone could afford to be different. For example, good jeans could only be bought on the black market and at a high markup. Recreation Ordinary citizens in the USSR could only dream of traveling abroad, so if someone was lucky enough to go on a business trip, it was a big deal. As a rule, only scientists, engineers, athletes, company executives, and other highly qualified professionals could see the world in this way. ADVERTISIMENT At the same time, it was almost impossible to go abroad just to have a vacation. Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. The Idaho Behavioral Health Council is seeking public input on how to spend opioid settlement funds. The Idaho Behavioral Health Council recommends to Gov. Brad Little and the Idaho Legislature how to spend the states 40% share of opioid settlement funds, the council said in a news release. Idaho estimates receiving $2 million each year for the states portion of the opioid settlement, which is 40% of Idahos total expected $127.8 million in opioid settlement funds, as of last year. The rest of Idahos opioid settlement funds go toward cities, counties and health districts. People can submit proposed spending priorities by May 15 to cfoster@idcourts.net. The council plans to set spending priorities at a June 14 meeting, the news release said. Examples of ways Idaho can spend the funds are available online. An opinion last year from the Idaho Attorney Generals Office said that settlement funds spent in recovery centers must go toward people who have issues with opioids, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. Are you getting sick of seeing bad faith attacks on the Idaho Republican Party and our upcoming Presidential Caucus? I know I am. Its quite frankly downright disgusting, and Im going to call out the bad actors who are behind it. The power brokers of Idahos political establishment took a beating at the state convention in Twin Falls in 2022 and they havent recovered. They would rather destroy the party than see it led by myself and our current leadership, who actually listen to the grassroots. The last few weeks they have really ramped up their attacks on the Presidential Caucus because they think if it fails, then Ill take the blame and they can regain power. There has been a concerted effort to spread lies, slander, and misinformation about me and the caucus. They say I unilaterally got rid of the primary. Not true! The Secretary of State proposed a bill that removed the presidential primary, the Legislature passed it, and the Governor signed it. They say that the Caucus disenfranchises those who cannot attend on Saturday. Not true! The Legislature disenfranchised everyone by removing the presidential primary, and the Caucus re-enfranchised as many Republican voters as possible. They say that the caucus will be in backyards and barns, with no election security. Not true! The Caucus will be held in 210 locations, primarily churches, schools, and community centers across the state. We have worked hard to make sure your votes are secure and accurately counted with paper ballots, with multiple security features, and hand counted before the entire caucus assembly. Its disappointing to see these groups intent on misrepresenting so many facts. They think theyre hurting me, but theyre really hurting the Idaho Republican voters, the grassroots, the salt of the earth folks who care about keeping Idaho a conservative state. Its unfortunate that these groups have been sending unauthorized and unsigned bulletins and flyers that seem designed to sow division and misinform rather than foster understanding. This intentional misrepresentation only serves to deepen animosity within the party. We encourage those sowing division to strive for clarity and honesty in their discourse, rather than smears and mudslinging as theyve been doing. Frankly, this is all unconscionable. It borders on election interference, trying to confuse and disenfranchise voters a second time by spreading misinformation about the Caucus in the hopes that nobody will show up. Just last week a new mailer went out accusing me of unilaterally disenfranchising veterans. It even purported to be Republican supported by quoting a former Republican legislator. Yet the man behind the mailer is not even a Republican at all, but a newly appointed Democratic representative named Todd Achilles. In addition to being a Democrat, he is also one of the activists behind the ranked choice voting initiative. Talk about wolves in sheeps clothing! Remember that this whole situation came about because the Secretary of State, Legislature, and Governor chose to remove the March presidential primary without consulting the party. The Idaho GOP had worked together with the Legislature after the 2012 caucus to create the March primary. Guess what?! Theyre back at it again, pushing a new bill to consolidate the presidential and legislative primary elections in April. Not only would this not solve the problem of making Idaho relevant in the presidential campaigns, it would also seriously impact sitting legislators who will have mere days to run their own campaigns once the session adjourns. This is a compromise that pleases nobody, which we could have told the sponsors had they bothered to ask. This attempt to sabotage the Caucus will not succeed. Our team has been working hard to make this a great and successful event, as have the thousands of volunteers throughout the state. On Saturday, Republicans will come together to make their voices heard in a spirit of community to support their Presidential nominee. Dont let Republicans legislate morality The National Defense Authorization Act funds the annual budget for the Department of Defense. It usually passes on a bipartisan basis. Recently, House Republicans broke that tradition and loaded the bill with amendments that eliminate all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the Defense Department. It blocked the Pentagon from putting in place President Bidens executive orders on climate change; ends reimbursement to military personnel who travel for abortion services, bars health care for gender transition, prevents schools associated with the Defense Department from teaching that the U.S. is racist, and blocks military schools from having certain books in their libraries. House Speaker McCarthy proudly tweeted that the bill ENDS wokism in the military and gives our troops their biggest pay raise. Think about it. House Republicans are hijacking our national security for morality issues that have been a part of the planet since the dawn of humanity. You might not agree with gender transition, or abortion, or the color of someones skin, but are you willing to sacrifice our national security to keep people in power who are legislating health care when they have no training in health care? Would you go to your state representative to have bladder surgery, or to deliver a baby? Rather than delivering solutions on climate change (just talk to insurance companies yes, it is real), economic inequality, or cyber and racially motivated hate crimes that will eventually destroy us all, extremists are legislating whether someone can read a book. President Trump pulverized the NATO alliance. Putin has been obliterating Ukraine ever since. Diplomacy has thankfully expanded the alliance with a grateful Sweden. Regrettably, were edging closer to confrontation with Russia or China. It wont be reading a book, getting transition care, or having an abortion that will determine the defense response. Act. Vote the crazies out. Kate Lopez Twin Falls Cockfighting is not animal agriculture I grew up on a small ranch and embraced animal agriculture long before I graduated from veterinary school. Animal agriculture is a noble enterprise, providing sustenance for billions of people and livelihoods for millions. Cockfighting, on the other hand, is a disgrace and a crime, providing no benefit to anyone but the people who enjoy animal bloodletting. The Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act, S. 1529, closes loopholes in the enforcement of animal fighting laws that allow criminals to sell fighting animals and generate vast sums of money from illegal gambling. I have become more concerned lately about the future of agriculture in our country as Senior Veterinarian for Animal Wellness Action. There are powerful individuals, foundations, and organizations intent on smearing animal agriculture and not distinguishing between legitimate uses of animals and gratuitous abuses of them. Cockfighting bears no resemblance to animal agriculture. If we in animal agriculture do not distinguish between this kind of evil, and the proper, acceptable uses of animals, we will see people turn away from animal agriculture. Now its time to work to strengthen the federal law, so that the nation can better distinguish between proper animal use and the worst forms of malicious cruelty. It is past due that the cockfighters hang up their spurs and halt their criminal animal abuse. Support the FIGHT Act, S. 1529 and H.R. 2742, to oppose cruelty and support integrity of agriculture. Thomas Pool Norman, Oklahoma Brainwashed? Think again Solomon Asch performed some exceptional psychology experiments in the 1950s. His experiments showed the power of conformity when people sometimes agree with a groups opinion, even when shown evidence the group is wrong. But in the 1950s, Asch could not determine whether his subjects consciously changed their views or whether social cues unconsciously skewed their perception. In 2005, Gregory Berns answered this question by repeating Aschs experiment with brain scans. Berns found the brains visual center changed what it perceived to fit with the group opinion before it passed this information to the reasoning part of the brain: So people see evidence that doesnt exist and do not know their perception is false. And as this process is common, it has crucial practical implications for all of us. For instance, if self-deception is unconscious, we must choose our company carefully. We safeguard our thinking by mixing with skeptical people who make evidence-based decisions and only use reputable sources. We must avoid the company of the deceived. A radio or TV constantly blaring nonsense might be enough to poison a mind. It also means we must show compassion when talking to climate, vaccine, or election deniers because, unconsciously, their brains may have shown them evidence that does not exist. Lets not assume people are brainwashed when all it takes for most of us is a light rinse. Simon Smith Pullman, Washington Truth or fiction? In the Times-News of July 15, Rep. Lauren Necochea, with the headline Democrats are building stronger, more resilient recovery, claims that real wages for the average American worker are now higher than they were before the pandemic. This is clearly wrong as inflation (caused in large part by President Joe Bidens super-sized giveaways) has easily outstripped wage gains. Also, in the same July 15 edition, Dorothy Moon, with the headline, Kari Lakes Idaho visit will only fuel grassroots enthusiasm, claims that Lake has solidified her prominence as a leading figure in the fight for election integrity ..., when, in fact, she refused to concede the election and sued in an attempt to have the results overturned and that lawsuit was rejected by the courts and she was fined $33,000 in fees. It would be nice to have just a little more truth in these opinions. Ken Downs Kimberly Its not the job of government Whats the role of government? Is it to dictate to the people what there morals are or what religion they should belong to? During the territorial days of Idaho the Republican Party in 1884 passed the Idaho Test Othh. The purpose of this law was to keep members of the LDS faith from voting or holding public office. The Democratic Attorney General, Richard Z. Johnson, opposed the law to the Idaho Territorial Supreme Court in 1888, when they upheld the law. He appealed it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and lost again. At the time this law was passed, it disenfranchised 25% of the voters in Idaho. As a result of this law, the statehouse went from the control of the Democratic Party to the control of the Republican Party. In this case, a law was passed on the moral basis that plural marriage was bad, therefore members of the LDS faith could not vote or hold office. It is not governments place to punish people because of their beliefs as long as those beliefs do no harm. Edward Easterling Kimberly Ukraine in NATO isnt good for US If Ukraine were to be included in NATO now, it would automatically require the U.S. to go to war with Russia. NATO-type defense treaties contain a common defense pledge that requires every member nation to defend an attack against any other treaty nation. (What is Article 5? magicvalley.com, July 13). George Washington warned against getting involved in permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world. Democracies like Athens and Rome saw that group defense treaties were made by two or more kings wishing to protect their dynasties against another more aggressive king. Democracies have always believed it is best to stay on the sidelines regarding these kinds of petty personal squabbles and to avoid binding future generations to wars they might not agree with. Washington also learned from the Bible, where prophets like Isaiah warned Israel against association with other nations. After several hundred years of democratic independence, northern Israel made a common defense treaty due to their fear of aggressive Assyria, and southern Judea made a common defense pledge out of fear of autocratic Babylon. Both treaties led to complacency, decline in the fortitude of the people, aggravation of the militancy of the aggressor nation, and Israels dark journey into Assyrian and Babylonian captivity. Our current treaty obligations require us to get involved in virtually every war in Europe and Asia. Is that the future we want for our grandchildren? Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross, Utah The National Security Council (NSC) bared that the Philippines and Japan are expected to sign the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) before the end of 2024. NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, in a new forum, also said the move will solidify the defense cooperation between the two maritime nations. - Advertisement - The RAAwhich is quite similar to the United States Visiting Forces Agreementwill serve as the guidelines for the entry and operation of Filipino troops in Japanese territory and vessels, and vice versa, the official said. After the trilateral summit (in Washington DC), the Japanese Prime Minister and the President of the Philippines have given instructions to our negotiators to proceed immediately, Malaya, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said. We are confident that before the end of this year will be signed, he said. While such agreements take time the negotiations between Manila and Tokyo are moving at a quick pace, Malaya said. The Philippines first announced that it is planning to sign an RAA with Japan in November last year. Earlier this week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the RAA would be different from the VFA as Japanese troops are not expected to stay in the Philippines. The President earlier also said: Its not going to be as if its their base and they, their seamen will come down and will go into the city and go I dont think that thats a part of the agreement. There arent any real conflicts in principle. Its just a question of getting the language down and defining precisely how its going to work, the logistical systems and how thats going to work, he said. It should not take very much longer. I think were very close to completion on that. Reports said several countries are planning to ink similar military agreements with the Philippines to be able to send their troops to the country for joint cooperation and training exercises, Malaya said. They understand that our position is important. We stand for the rule of law, a free and open Indo-Pacific, the official further said. Malaya declined to name which countries were working to establish military exchange programs with the Philippines, but noted that while there are Western and Asian countries on the list, none are in Southeast Asia. Wala. These are countries outside of ASEAN [pero] mayroon within Asia, he said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Philippines needs to be pragmatic about expanding its military and defense ties beyond the region given ASEANs willingness to back the Philippines push against Chinas expansionist agenda, said geopolitical analyst Don McLain Gill. The nature of ASEAN reflects on national interest Each ASEAN country has its own strategic culture, he said, underscoring that several bloc members have close political and economic ties to China. ASEAN is a mixed basket of countries with different threat perceptions, he said. We have to expand our options because our issues are more acute compared to the issues being faced by other ASEAN countries. House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has cited the importance of strengthening defense and economic cooperation between the Philippines and the United States. During the reception for members of the US-Philippines Friendship Caucus at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C on Wednesday evening (US time), Romualdez said he was happy to be back in the US capital to engage in discussions with US lawmakers and other officials on the various aspects of the relations between the two countries and the complex challenges confronting them. - Advertisement - As we navigate these challenges, strengthening our defense and economic ties becomes even more crucial, the leader of the 309-strong Philippine House of Representatives said. The US group who attended the event consisted of the following: Reps. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan of Northern Mariana Islands, Robert Scott of Virginia, Don Bacon of Nebraska, James Moylan of Guam, and Darrell Issa of California. During his official visit to the United States, Speaker Romualdez also met Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Sen. Christopher Van Hollen of Maryland, Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama, Rep. Ami Bera of California, Rep. James R. Baird of Indiana, Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii, and Rep. Brad Sherman of California. Romualdez said the Philippines appreciates the support of the United States and its allies in the region and in Europe in confronting the challenges in the West Philippine Sea. Such support, even just in the form of expressions of concern, is invaluable to us in bolstering our defense of our sovereignty, our territorial integrity and maritime domain, he added. The House leader pointed out that in the case of the United States, its support extends to military assistance, including joint patrols and other activities, and humanitarian missions. We are happy for all the assistance aimed at helping modernize our Armed Forces and boost our civilian law enforcement capabilities, Speaker Romualdez said. He stressed that expanding economic cooperation is important as well to help the Philippines sustain its economic growth. Romualdez said the reauthorization of the Generalized System of Preferences would facilitate duty-free access of Philippine export products to the US market, which exports previously were valued at more than $2 billion annually. Such exports not only supported jobs in the Philippines but benefited US consumers in terms of product accessibility and reasonable prices, he said. The Speaker told his delegations US counterparts that he looks forward to more dialogues with them in expanding their collaboration to enhance their two nations relations, particularly in the area of defense and economic cooperation. Aside from the Speaker, the Philippine delegation included Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David Suarez, Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Agusan del Norte Rep. Jose Aquino ll, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco, Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano, House Sergeant-at-Arms PMGen. Napoleon Taas (ret), and House Deputy Secretary Generals Jennifer Baquiran, David Robert Amorin, and Sofonias Gabonada Jr., and other House officials and Philippine embassy officers. Romualdezs engagement with US lawmakers followed last weeks successful trilateral summit among US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The meeting with members of the US-Philippines Friendship Caucus is part of the Speakers official visit to the US. Two years ago, the House and the Senate hosted US Caucus members who visited the Philippines. During his series of meetings, Speaker Romualdez sought the expansion of joint military exercises in the Philippines, appealed for an increased United States (US) foreign military financing (FMF), welcomed the Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act of 2024 (PERA Act), Romualdez has proposed increasing United States foreign military financing (FMF) to the Philippines from $40 million. He also expressed his deep gratitude to Hagerty, a Republican, and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, a Democrat, for introducing in the US Senate the PERA of 2024, a bill that seeks $500 million a year in FMF for the Philippines for 2025 through 2029, or a total of $2.5 billion for five years. The bipartisan measure was introduced last Tuesday, April 10, a day before the trilateral summit in Washington D.C. of US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Currency devaluation was pointed as the reason behind ditching Nigerias economy which fell to the fourth place in the list of Africas largest economies, while South Africa took top position unseating Egypt, according to an IMF report. Nigerias GDP fell to 253 billion dollars, while Egypt- which topped African economies in 2023- reported a $348 billion GDP, outperformed by South Africa with $373 billion. Two devaluations left Nigerias Naira currency 50% weaker against the greenback than what it was prior to President Bola Tinubus election. Nigeria is struggling with a record amount of government debt, high unemployment, and power shortages that have contributed to years of anemic economic growth. Oil output is shrinking, and rampant insecurity means swathes of the countryside are outside government control. The IMF had been calling for a flexible currency regime for many months and the multilateral lender rewarded Egypts government by almost tripling the size of a loan program first approved in 2022 to $8 billion. This was a catalyst for a further influx of around $14 billion in financial support from the European Union and the World Bank. 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 New research presented at the ESCMID Global Congress (formerly ECCMID) in Barcelona, Spain (2730 April) shows that in a VACCELERATE Consortium survey study in which infectious diseases experts were asked to rank pathogens in order of their pandemic potential, influenza was considered the pathogen of highest pandemic risk, with 57% ranking influenza as number one, and a further 17% ranking it second. The study is by Dr. Jon Salmanton-Garcia, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Institute of Translational Research, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany, and colleagues from across Europe, and published in the journal Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease. Other highly ranked pathogens included Disease X (as yet unknown disease) with 21% ranking this number one and 14% second. SARS-CoV-2 was third in terms of number one responses on 8%, with 16% voting it number two, while the original SARS-CoV virus that circulated in 200203 was voted number one by 2% of respondents and second by 8%. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHF virus) and Ebola virus were joint fifth, with 1.6% respondents voting them first. Nipah virus, henipavirus, and Rift Valley fever virus were among the pathogens ranked lowest in terms of their perceived pandemic potential. The World Health Organization (WHO) has outlined a comprehensive Research and Development (R&D) Blueprint for Action to Prevent Epidemics, focusing on key infectious diseases that pose significant threats to public health. These diseases were selected after rigorous evaluation, taking into account factors like transmissibility, infectivity, severity, and their potential for evolution. In alignment with the WHO's R&D Blueprint, the VACCELERATE Site Network (a pan-European network of sites collaborating on COVID-19, other infectious diseases and general pandemic preparedness infectious diseases) engaged infectious disease experts from around the world, both among and outside its members, to rank the diseases listed in terms of their perceived risk of instigating a pandemic. Participants were tasked with ranking various pathogens based on their perceived pandemic risk, encompassing diseases featured in the WHO R&D Blueprint and additional pathogens. Experts could rank up to 14 pathogens in the order of their perceived risk (the 13 pathogens listed plus Disease Xas yet unknown pathogen) in any order, and also suggest pathogens not listed to include in their maximum of 14. Each pathogen received a score based on its positions. A total of 187 responses were collected from infectious disease experts hailing from 57 different countries Among the countries providing the highest number of responses, Germany accounted for 27 replies (14%), followed by Spain with 20 replies (11%), and Italy with 14 replies (8%). Influenza viruses emerged as the most concerning pathogen with other highly ranked pathogens including Disease X, SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and the Ebola virus. Conversely, Hantavirus, Lassa virus, Nipah virus, henipavirus and Rift Valley fever virus were among the pathogens ranked lowest in terms of their pandemic potential. The authors conclude, "The study revealed that influenza, disease X, SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and the Ebola virus are the most worrisome pathogens concerning their pandemic potential. These pathogens are characterized by their transmissibility through respiratory droplets and a history of previous epidemic or pandemic outbreaks." Commenting on the top ranking of influenza, Dr. Salmanton-Garcia adds, "Each winter we have an influenza season. One could say that this means that every winter there are little pandemics. They are more or less controlled because the different strains are not virulent enough. Yet, every season the strains involved change, that is the reason why we can get influenza several times in life and vaccines change year to year. In case a new strain becomes more virulent, this control could be lost." But he adds the world is now much more prepared due to the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas before a lot of the focus had been on a potential influenza pandemic. He says, "In COVID-19 pandemic we have learned many things on how to approach a respiratory virus pandemic. This includes social distancing, hand cleaning, face masks, a renewed focus on vaccination, and trust in health care institutions. In parallel, institutions have also learnt a lot. Preparedness and surveillance are now, vitally, better-funded." More information: Jon Salmanton-Garcia et al, Predicting the next pandemic: VACCELERATE ranking of the World Health Organization's Blueprint for Action to Prevent Epidemics, Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2023.102676 Provided by European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases AUOR Earth Week: Hush of the Land - Storytelling with Arnold Smoke Elser MPL is thrilled to welcome Arnold Smoke Elser for this engaging storytelling event on April 22 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Cooper Room A/B on Level Four of the library. Elser is a well-known packer, author, teacher, distinguished alumni of the University of Montana, and outfitter who helped protect wild lands for six decades. Join Elser and Missoula writer and University of Montana instructor Eva-Maria Maggi, Ph.D., for a reading from their new book, "Hush of the Land: A Lifetime in the Bob Marshall Wilderness." This inspirational memoir chronicles Arnold Smoke Elsers six-decade quest to protect wild lands by bringing thousands of people deep into the mountains of Montana on horseback. Elser will round out the event with storytelling from his varied and impressive life and career. Wednesdays with the Mayor All are welcome to join Mayor Andrea Davis for in-person discussions of local affairs and answers to your questions on all topics to do with city governance in a relaxed setting on April 24 from 6 to 7 p.m. in Cooper Room B on Level Four of the library. Missoula broadcast journalist Dennis Bragg will moderate. AUOR Earth Week: UM Living Labs Air, Wildfire and Smoke Join the UM Living Lab on April 25 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the UM Living Lab on Level One of the library for hands-on activities and demos for elementary and middle school kids as they learn about one of the most pressing issues in our state with community experts on wildfire sciences, climate sciences, and air quality. AUOR Earth Week: MCATs Video Screening of Fires Around Missoula On April 25 from 3 to 8 p.m. in the MCAT Edit Booth on Level One of the library MCAT will be showing a video of various hill fires that have erupted around Missoula Waterworks Hill, Mount Jumbo, Mount Sentinel and South Hills in this omnibus collection spanning several decades of fire activity close to the valley we call home. The screening is accompanied by Missoula Health Department handouts on how to stay safer during forest fire season in Montana. AUOR Earth Week: Special spectrUM Discovery Bench Activity - Plant Dissections In celebration of Earth Week, spectrUM will have a special plant dissection guided activity on April 26 from 2 to 6 p.m. in spectrUM on Level Two of the library. Friday After School Meals at the Library After School Meals are available at Missoula Public Library! MPL will serve meals to kiddos 18 and under, courtesy of the Missoula Food Bank & Community Center, every Friday in the Imaginarium on Level Two of the library from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The next After School Meal will be available on April 26. This service will run until June 7. 4HistoryBuffs: Beyond Schoolmarms and Madams Most people know about Sacagawea and Jeanette Rankin, but how many other women from Montana history can you name? Womens history in Montana ranges far beyond its most famous names. Learn more about some of these remarkable women who called Montana home and how gender shaped their experiences. This presentation is held on April 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Cooper Room A/B on Level Four of the library. AUOR Earth Week: Nature Journaling Join the Missoula Public Library with Valerie and Kathy from Northern Rockies Nature Journaling as they teach nature journaling for adults. Take this hour to explore the techniques and joys of nature journaling. This event takes place on April 27 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Cooper Room A/B on Level Four of the library. 16th Annual Missoula Writes Winners Congratulations to the winners of the 16th Annual 2024 Missoula Writes contest! 8 to 10 Fiction: Natalie Wu, first; Imogen Graham, second; Nina Giavasis, third. 8 to 10 Non-fiction: Tule Mae Droughton, first; Imogen Graham, second; Linnea Cameron, third. 8 to 10 Poetry: Katie Smalley, first; Myka McCullin, second; Imogen Graham, third. 11 to 14 Fiction: Alaia DiDomenico, first; Nina Rohd, second; Maysa Dadmun, third. 11 to 14 Non-fiction: Nina Rohd, first; Ruby Cline, second; Eamon Graham, third. 11 to 14 Poetry: Rex Rhodes, first; Robbie Gibbons, second; Landyn Cherry, third. 15 to 18 Fiction: Samantha Roberts, first; Flynn Kier, second; Eliana Aquilio, third. 15 to 18 Non-fiction: Faith You, first; Clara Kyrouac, second; Anara Kyrouac, third. 15 to 18 Poetry: Judy Hirshberg, first; Gray Lawrence, second; Ryanne Hutchinson, third. 19 + Fiction: Carol Daus, first; Michael Wade, second; David Francis Curran, third. 19 + Non-fiction: Kassondre Ripley, first; Melissa Paulsen, second; Eliza Lindley, third. 19 + Poetry: Zuri Moreno, first; Sophia Reichelt, second; Julia (JJ) Daniell, third. In late March, a group of nurses at Montana State Hospital received a rare dose of good news. Local labor advocates had filed a petition to create a union for advanced practice registered nurses, among the most highly trained medical providers at the states sole adult psychiatric facility, in Warm Springs. But the nurses spent little time celebrating. In emails obtained by Montana Free Press, members of the group instead tried to explain the scope and seriousness of their workplace concerns to union representatives of the Montana Nurses Association. Our wages are incidental to something far more concerning underway at a level of state hospital administration that doesnt include us, one staff member wrote in an email to MNA organizers. Montana Free Press has agreed to withhold the employees name out of respect for their fear of professional retaliation. We have a crisis of patient safety and care, of shifting practices and processes, and a lack of regard of the medical team providing care at MSH that I never would have imagined could occur, the advanced practice nurse continued. Its like being stuck in a recurring bad dream. The emails, hospital records and interviews with more than a dozen current and former hospital staff portray a troubled public facility suffering from turnover of key medical personnel. Those who remain describe bad management, concern for patient safety, fear of reprisal and burnout as the administration of Gov. Greg Gianforte pushes for reform at the facility two years after it lost certification from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The Warm Springs campus, just north of Butte, contains more than 260 beds for patients with serious mental illnesses, including those facing criminal charges and others with dementia or traumatic brain injuries. The state health department, which oversees the facility, had funding for approximately 475 full-time hospital employees in early 2024. The hospitals loss of certification, sparked by patient deaths, falls and safety concerns, removed a key layer of federal oversight and created an urgent problem for the governors office. Without certification, the hospital is ineligible for millions of dollars in federal reimbursements for patient care. The facilitys damaged reputation also makes it more difficult to recruit staff and has hung over the Gianforte administration like a stubborn storm. With a goal of applying for recertification by January 2025, Gianforte and his appointed director of the state health department, Charlie Brereton, have pursued a facility overhaul: The state has hired consultants, established a governing board for the hospital, invested in facility repairs and announced hiring incentives. But some of the administrations strategies are raising alarm and frustration throughout the hospitals workforce. Providers, many of whom asked for their names to be withheld out of fear of retaliation from the administration, say the latest changes in leadership and medical protocols make it difficult for them to do their jobs well, and dont make the psychiatric facility safer for patients or better positioned to regain federal certification. I can tell you this is going to hell fast, one of the hospitals current practitioners said in a recent interview, requesting anonymity to avoid potential retaliation. If they dont start treating the medical staff in a humane way, there will be no one who can take care of patients. In response to a list of questions about employee concerns, Brereton said Wednesday the state hospital is undergoing a significant cultural, clinical, and operational transformation after decades of neglect from previous administrations and inadequate oversight from Helena. The director also appeared to accuse some medical staff of providing improper care but did not make specific allegations about current or former employees. Our dedicated providers and staff who put patients first must continue to be recognized for their good work, the statement said. Consistent with our legal obligations, those that fail to care for patients, improperly prescribe medication, perform procedures without consent, misuse seclusion and restraint, and outright refuse to acknowledge the merit of federal certification and oversight will continue to face appropriate consequences for their harmful and dangerous actions. COMINGS AND GOINGS In mid-December, hospital employees learned that Dr. Thomas Gray, the hospitals longtime forensic psychiatrist and chief medical officer, had been escorted out of the campus main building and placed on paid administrative leave. The reason for his removal was not announced, and staff members told MTFP his abrupt exit spawned a degree of paranoia. Some described Gray, who had decades of experience at the hospital, as a cornerstone of the institution. If he could be removed so quickly for unknown reasons, who else could be? Gray could not be reached for comment. Four current hospital staff members told MTFP that the administration had prohibited Gray from speaking with them and they with him since his departure, despite his continuing to live in staff housing on campus for several months. In its Wednesday statement, the state health department said Gray is no longer an employee of DPHHS but declined to comment further, citing confidential personnel records. Also in December, the state hired a chief medical officer, Dr. Micah Hoffman, through Traditions Behavioral Health, a California-based staffing company. State Medicaid director Mike Randol announced Hoffmans new role at a January public meeting, but Randol did not mention that Hoffman would work remotely from Wyoming or that chief medical officer for Montanas sprawling hospital campus would be just one of the jobs in Hoffmans portfolio circumstances that Hoffman has since communicated to hospital staff. The state health department did not deny that Hoffman lives in Wyoming, but, in a statement, said that he is onsite every other week, and when not onsite is directly engaged with the day-to-day operations at MSH remotely. Other leadership changes were announced early in 2024. The hospitals interim administrator and CEO, David Culberson, left abruptly in January after less than a year on the job and roughly a year before the end of his contract. Culberson did not respond to MTFPs request for comment about his time at the hospital; the state health department reiterated Culbersons status as a temporary worker and said DPHHS reserved the right to terminate his contract at any time. Instead of hiring a permanent CEO or bringing on another contractor, a higher-up employee in the state health department in Helena, Jennifer Savage, assumed Culbersons responsibilities in January. In an email to hospital staff shared with MTFP, Savage said she was taking over the job while retaining her administrative role overseeing other state-run health facilities. At this time, David will be moving onto the next chapter, and we wish him all the best. Effective immediately, I will serve as the acting MSH CEO until further notice, in addition to my duties as Healthcare Facilities Division, Chief Administrative Officer, Savage wrote. Thank you in advance for your patience as we make this transition and energetically move forward with re-gaining CMS certification of MSH. Savage, who began working for the state health department in 2023, spent roughly three years as a business director for public health facilities in North Carolina but does not have a background in clinical care. Multiple current and former hospital employees recalled having one of their first interactions with Savage in January when she and Randol stressed their unequivocal approach to CMS certification in a town-hall-style meeting with workers from across the campus. The message relayed was: This is the way its going to be. If you dont like it, theres the door, recalled Liz Robinson, a former MSH staffing supervisor who spoke to MTFP about the meeting. Robinson resigned from her position in early April after more than two years at the hospital because of what she described as stress, negative interactions with management and unrealistic work expectations. All they care about is getting that certification back. They dont care how they do it or who they have to lose. Robinson said the turnover in leadership positions had been a recurring concern since the hospital lost certification in 2022. But, she said, the transition between the unassuming and soft-spoken Culberson and Savage has been particularly challenging. Its her way or no way, Robinson said. I understand you have to have someone with a backbone who will stand up and do stuff, but you have to treat your staff with some sort of respect or dignity. When Savage took the helm, she added, People really started dropping off. Hospital staff learned of other departures in March and April. An advanced practice registered nurse left at the end of March. The facilities manager announced his resignation in a staff-wide email. A certified behavioral health peer support worker did the same, saying shed made her decision with a heavy heart. Another nurse practitioner put in her notice in mid-April. Robinsons manager in the staffing division, Pam Kehl, also left in early March. In a recent interview, Kehl said she had worked for the state hospital for roughly 20 years but that the last six months were probably the worst I have ever seen it. After working through the COVID-19 pandemic, the loss of CMS certification and other challenges, Kehl said she was ultimately driven to an early retirement by changes in staffing policies, confusing communication and stressful dictates from Savage and other administrators. Every time we turned around they were piling more stuff on the staffing office. And if I questioned why they were giving it to us, [the response was] Well, if you cant do it, well get somebody else to, Kehl recalled. It just kind of went downhill from there. Some leading medical staff were also departing, or considering it. Dr. Michelle McCall, a psychiatrist, submitted her notice of resignation in mid-March. Current employees say Dr. Daniel Bemporad, a forensic psychiatrist, put in his notice at the beginning of April but later decided to stay at the facility, though for unknown reasons. Reached by MTFP, both Bemporad and McCall declined to comment on their employment status or workplace conditions. A DECISION THAT WAS MADE IN HELENA Remaining medical staff have raised alarms about policy changes directed by Savage, Hoffman and state-hired consultants. In an effort partly intended to rein in costs, employees say the administration has discouraged providers from placing patients under the direct supervision of one dedicated staff member a protocol known as 1:1 staffing and told them to justify any direct supervision to administrators in writing if it continues longer than a day. Providers say the new standard puts pressure on staff to bypass one of the best strategies for monitoring patients who are at high risk of injuring themselves or harming other patients or staff, particularly in the Spratt Unit, which houses many older residents with dementia. Concerns about that and other changes boiled over during virtual video meetings between medical staff in April, recordings of which were shared with MTFP. At a mid-month meeting, some employees described the new 1:1 rules as an ethical dilemma a choice between upholding high standards for patient care or risking being penalized by the administration. The current administrations strategy seems to be to intimidate the prescribers of 1:1s to not do it by punishing them, by spending a fairly good proportion of their day writing useless emails, Dr. Christian Bachman, a traveling doctor, said to his colleagues during the April 16 conference. Referring specifically to the Spratt Unit, Bachman continued: If we didnt have any 1:1s, theres going to be people dying over there. I think everybody knows that, he said to his colleagues. And so is that going to fall on the shoulders of the medical practitioners there that didnt have time to do this or was afraid of losing their job? Thats not right. In a statement provided to MTFP, the state health department said the revision to the 1:1 policy to include regular reviews is meant to ensure that providers are more actively engaged in treatment and incident prevention and was not implemented solely to decrease costs. On a video call in early April attended by Hoffman, staff pushed back on another recent change: restricting medical staffs access to security footage after incidents involving patients. One of the hospitals psychiatrists, Dr. Howard Sampley, told the interim chief medical officer that the new limitations interfere with patient care and medical decision-making. If a patient falls, hits their head or is assaulted by another patient, having quick access to a video review is vital, he said. And that could be cleared up in a matter of minutes, sometimes, from looking at one of those films. Other providers said the new protocol delays their ability to review footage for as long as five hours. They predicted that, if patients needed to be quickly transferred to a nearby hospital emergency department to be assessed, the policy would cost the administration more money. Hoffman said the rule, communicated in a March 29 staff email from Savage that was reviewed by MTFP, is the result of concern for the privacy of patients and staff. Any flexibility, he said, was unlikely. I can certainly bring it back up to them, but this was definitely a decision that was made in Helena and not unique specifically to the clinical practice in the hospital, Hoffman said. Ill be totally honest, I dont know how much movement there is on the subject. Another provider, Dr. Virginia Hill, next asked to discuss the increase in documentation requirements about patients progress but began with a specific request. Id like to be assured that my comments wont result in some type of retaliation or referral to H.R., Hill said. Hoffman didnt reply, but Hill continued. The new expectations for daily and weekly patient notes had quadrupled my workload, she said, adding that she would not be able to comply without additional resources. I know that there may not be any movement on it, but I thought I need to alert somebody that it would be impossible to implement right now, Hill said. Again, Hoffman referenced directions from Helena and the state-hired consultants from the New York-based firm Alvarez and Marsal. I will be honest, this was the recommendation and direction of the consultants. Director Breretons office has been clear that CMS certification is the only path forward. The consultants have been clear that the increased note frequency is the only capacity to meet that path forward. So thats the reality of the situation, Hoffman said. Other providers echoed Hills concerns. Bachman suggested that the increased workload could be tackled with the right tools, like transcription and dictation services common in other health care facilities. But, he said, Savage had said during a prior staff meeting that adding those resources was unlikely. I might be the right guy to make this comment because Im a short-timer, and I dont have as much of a dog in the fight, Bachman said. I think everybody wants to do an excellent job. However, if we recall a couple of weeks ago at one of these meetings, not only was this recommendation made to do four times as much paperwork, but also we wouldnt get transcription services and we basically better learn to type, he said. He continued, addressing Savage directly. I want to say, if Jennifer Savage is listening, you might think twice about speaking that way to people who are trying very, very hard to do a good job. And to say, Yeah, we want you to do all this, but no transcriptions, Bachman said. What message does that send to the medical staff? The issue with documentation had not abated by the next time medical staff convened for a meeting on April 16. At that gathering, Bemporad, the forensic psychiatrist, described the increase in documentation as excessive and not realistic for the criminally charged people he works with. For those clients, seeing them four times a week could be detrimental because theyre overtly psychotic, theyre paranoid, theyre hostile, Bemporad said. Seeing them four times a week like that, it actually annoys them. It ruins your relationship with them. Bemporad and other staff discussed that the new standard was above and beyond what is required by federal regulators, but the policy handed down by the state didnt seem to have any room for negotiation, regardless of providers opinions. Like I said, this is the directive that were given, Bemporad said to the other staff members. So were doing it. BURNED THEIR BRIDGES The state health department said Wednesday it is currently searching for a permanent CEO but stood by reforms and changes implemented in recent months under Savages leadership. Difficult decisions are being made and newfound accountability isnt always popular but Jennifer and DPHHS leadership will always put patient safety and quality of care above all else, Brereton said in the written statement. I have full confidence in Jennifer as a change agent at MSH. At recent public meetings and appearances before lawmakers, Brereton has repeatedly committed to achieving recertification of the state hospital and stressed that the administrations decisions are meant to stabilize the hospital. But the state health department has also acknowledged that staff retention and recruitment is a stubborn challenge. In a January presentation about the state health departments Healthcare Facilities Division, Medicaid director Randol said the state hospital continues to rely on contracted temporary staff more than any other state facility, such as veteran homes and the Montana Mental Health Nursing Care Center in Lewistown. Compensation for traveling doctors and nurses at the hospital accounted for 81% of all spending on contractors at state facilities in 2023, he said, although that figure was projected to drop to 77% in the next fiscal year. Statewide, Randol said, the anticipated use of contracted staff, who are typically paid at higher rates than permanent staff, will overrun the allocated budget by more than $13 million for the current fiscal year. He said the state has conducted pay studies, implemented raises and hiring and retention bonuses, and expanded recruiting efforts. But Randol declined to promise how much the state aimed to, or could, limit the use of temporary contractors. We will continue those strategies as we move forward to determine how we can reduce the utilization of contract staff. But Ill be candid with you: Were never going to get down to zero at some of these facilities. Its just not going to happen, Randol said. But we will do everything we can to have the appropriate level of contract staff versus state [full-time employees]. The state has implemented other measures to reduce costs while still using traveling providers. Kehl, the former staffing manager, said the administration had recently put firm restrictions on overtime for state employees and contractors, opting to hire more travelers rather than paying out for excess hours. But bringing in that many new people isnt always possible, Kehl said, leaving the units short-staffed. In some weeks, Kehl said, the hospital would bring in 17 new contractors while losing 12 others. Some medical providers expressed gratitude for the traveling staff but also said that the high turnover put strains on training and the quality of patient care. Everyone is out there for the patients, Kehl said. But theyre the ones who suffer in the long run. When theres not enough staff out there to cover, the patients are the ones who suffer. No one else. Many hospital staff who spoke to MTFP said they support the goal of recertification and are deeply invested in the facilitys overall success. But several also voiced a nagging fear born of the recently chaotic work environment. The current reforms may not be meant to set the hospital up for success, they said, but rather to intentionally destabilize the institution to justify its closure or privatization. The only way people can make sense of the actions of these quote-unquote leaders is to say that the whole purpose is to scuttle the place. Is to destroy it, said a medical provider who requested anonymity. I dont buy that, but thats what people are saying. That same employee said that, at least hypothetically, the administration still has time to reverse course. Leadership, they said, could begin listening to employees, addressing their concerns and advocating for the investments the clinicians are seeking: the ability to order 1:1 staffing, the tools necessary to do their jobs, and an avenue to provide feedback without fearing reprisal. Other current and former staff said that, unless the relationship between administrators and staff improves, achieving recertification from CMS is unlikely. Recertification would give the hospital back the credentials it needs to have. I agree with that, Kehl said. But from what Ive seen, the turnover of people is so high, I dont see how theyd even get recertified. Not if things keep going the way they are. They kind of burned their bridges for local staff, said Robinson, the former staffing supervisor, referring to the hospitals administration. They have such a bad reputation for how they treat their employees that no one wants to work for them. Robinson is currently out of work and doesnt know what will come next. She doesnt plan to return to the state hospital or apply to any other state facilities. There have been difficult parts about leaving, Robinson reflected, including stepping away from a job she cared about. But ultimately, she described her exit as a relief. A study commissioned by the Napa City Council to study the downtown parking lots for potential redevelopment has been flying under the radar. The concept seems farfetched, however, Napa wishes to be in the forefront should any of the citys 14 parking lots are considered surplus for another use, such as housing or commercial. In December the Napa City Council reviewed and approved the measure to move forward with the study. One Councilperson, Mary Luros, voted against the measure noting the following: We need to be able to also discuss parking and land swaps with other public agencies and look outside of downtown... its really important that those conversations happen with community input. The California Surplus Land Act of 2019, and amended many times since, requires municipal agencies to offer public land up for bid as affordable housing before selling or leasing the land to anyone. The process could take 180 days and would require a 60-day public notice and a 90-day good faith negotiation period. According to Vin Smith, Napa Community Development Director, creating this report now could ultimately reduce the time frame, should the city decide to look at any potential development for these sites as a condition of selling the land. Smith noted, the intent is to examine the possibilities, not to make any recommendations. Of the 14 city lots, four are in the immediate focus: 1.9 acres at West Street, currently the Napa Farmers Market. 1.53 acres at 750 3rd St. .27 acre at Main Street between Bounty Hunter and Downtown Joe's. .35 acre adjacent to Clay Street garage. The California Surplus Land Act of 2019 was intended to promote affordable housing development on "unused or underutilized public lands throughout the state in response to the existing affordable housing crisis. In 2021, CD was required to implement government codes for not only underused properties but any properties within a city limits. Sacramento requirements include an APR or Annual Progress Report by every city and county to detail their progress. This study is not to determine if properties are to be surplus but only to establish a value, should in the future a surplus of any property is merited. Way too complex! Sometimes, the devil is in the details. Sacramento is passing dozens of housing bills to try to stem the statewide chronic housing shortage and dwindling vacancy factor. The CSLA is intended to give qualified affordable housing developers the first opportunity to purchase municipal surplus lands. It doesn't prevent a city from ultimately selling a property to a private party, but the state is making it very difficult and time consuming to go against the grain. The four lots mentioned above were considered the highest priority for potential development. Two lots totaling 1.18 acres should have been included: 800 2nd St. between Franklin and Coombs. While considered medium potential for development, I believe they are high on the list of potential developable sites in the downtown area. Yes, any development would have to make up for the existing parking as well as any parking for the multistory building but that can be accommodated with a two or more concrete garage. Attached to this article is a concept of what a five-story, mixed-use building could look like. Two levels of parking and three levels of apartments. One interesting state-imposed municipal parking requirements change also flying under the radar is AB 2097 that limits a municipality authority, including any city, from imposing or enforcing its standard minimum parking requirements on residential, commercial or other development projects within 1/2 mile of a major transit stop. That's 3/4 of the city of Napa. Any new development will now ask for reduced parking standards. In other words, less parking spaces. Im not sure I like that. I could see a higher ratio of compacts and the city allowing more variations in the drive lanes. Do we need 25 feet lane backup with todays highly versatile maneuvering vehicles? While the intent seems reasonable, everyone knows that property values change constantly and to estimate one value in 2024, will have little valuable in five years. While I welcome the study to determine the potential surplus, a more important study will be which sites will gain the most value for the city citizens. The question on everyones mind is: can we give up our downtown convenient local parking for affordable worker housing? Can we do both? Photos: What does it cost to buy a house in Napa? 2221 Adrian St. in Napa 2221 Adrian St. in Napa 2221 Adrian St. in Napa 2221 Adrian St. in Napa 2221 Adrian St. in Napa 2221 Adrian St. in Napa 2221 Adrian St. in Napa 2221 Adrian St. in Napa Like many other Napa residents, Napa City Councilmember Beth Painter and her husband wanted to make their home more energy efficient and take advantage of clean, renewable energy technology. Our goal was to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels in our home, Painter explained. However, deciding the first step and selecting the right electric appliances to make the switch from gas to electric was complicated. Painter said, You need to understand what system you have in your house, what types of systems are out there, and whether tax credits or rebates are more cost effective for your situation. Napa County residents will have the opportunity to find out about all their options in a one stop shop at the Napa Climate Solutions Showcase. This free event takes place on Saturday, April 27, noon to 3 p.m., at the American Legion Hall, 1240 Pearl St. Hosted by Napa Climate NOW! and sponsored by MCE Clean Energy, the event builds on the success of last year's first Napa Climate Summit. Exhibitors will be on hand to demonstrate heat pump water heaters, quick and safe countertop induction cooking units, tips and techniques for green building practices, battery powered yard care equipment, residential EV chargers, and solar technologies. Information will be available to help people make sense of current rebates and tax benefits that make energy-saving changes more affordable. First 5 Napa County will have activities for kids to enjoy. "MCE is participating in the Climate Solutions Showcase to help Napa residents and businesses understand the steps they can take to be a part of the fight against climate change," said JB Ackemann, Vice President of Public Affairs at MCE. "Switching to electric appliances and choosing clean energy reduces our dependence on polluting fossil fuels that harm our planet and our health." Painter, a member of the planning team for the showcase, explained how she is moving toward electrifying her home. Our AC system was failing, and we needed to repair or replace it. It was the right time to look at a conversion to a heat pump system. We wanted a system that would work in our house and take advantage of the heating ducts we already had. We finished the installation of a heat pump HVAC (heating, ventilation, and cooling) system in August of 2023. Our natural gas usage was very high in the winter. This dropped dramatically by 78% when we switched to the heat pump HVAC system. We still have a gas water heater, but we saw it was the furnace that was responsible for the high winter gas bill. Bell Products will be at the showcase with information on heat pump HVAC systems and heat pump water heaters. Andrew Webha of Bell Products noted, Homes that heat with propane, oil, or regular electric-resistance systems, are the most likely to save money by installing a heat pump. Propane and oil are always expensive, even when we arent in the midst of a massive price spike. In contrast electric resistance heating uses an average of two-and-a-half to three times as much electricity as a heat pump does to produce the same amount of heat. According to a recent UC Davis study, heat pumps will also cut carbon emissions by 40% compared to natural gas. David Near of Napa Power Equipment will be on hand with a display of battery powered yard care equipment such as leaf blowers and trimmers. Homeowners are switching to these tools because there is much less maintenance and a lot less noise. There are many approaches to lowering utility bills and reducing fossil fuel use, Councilmember Painter pointed out. The Climate Solutions Showcase will present a broad range of options and resources for Napa County residents in one free, family-oriented event. Actions You Can Take Explore earth-friendly and creative pathways to a sustainable future at the Napa Earth Day Celebration, Saturday, April 20, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Oxbow Commons. Learn about Climate Restoration from Napas youth leaders at The Climate Restorers, Tuesday, April 23, 6-7:30 p.m., Napa County Library, 580 Coombs St., Napa. Dont miss the Napa Climate Solutions Showcase, Saturday, April 27, noon-3 p.m., at the American Legion Hall, 1240 Pearl St., Napa. Napa Schools for Climate Action has been at the forefront of the Napa County communitys fight against climate change, said Thompson in a press release. Napa Schools for Climate Action was a strong supporter of Californias SR-34, which recognized that climate change disproportionately impacts young people. The group has advocated for Climate Emergency Resolutions and secured firm commitments to achieve net-zero climate pollutants by or before 2030 from the Napa Valley Unified School District, the county of Napa, the Napa Regional Conservation District, and each city and town in Napa County. Guwahati: In a crackdown on the illegal liquor trade, the excise department seized three containers filled with Bhutanese liquor on the eve of Lok Sabha elections near Chirang, Assam. The containers were intercepted near Kajalgaon, Chirang, while travelling from Gelefu, Bhutan, towards Delhi. "Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!" Authorities identified the vehicles by their registration numbers: RJ52GA3533, NL01AB7197 and NL01AH5504. Also Read: Assam| Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency: Key facts, past winners, and 2019 election results A staggering amount of liquor, totalling 3130 cartons, was confiscated. The estimated market value is a significant Rs 4 crore, highlighting the vast scale of this illegal activity. We intercepted these trucks on the India-Bhutan border yesterday evening. The total seized alcohol amounts to 27110 litres, informed excise officials. Also Read: Assam youth found dead in Hyderabad, family suspects murder They added that arrests will follow proper procedures adhering to election regulations. This is the eleventh such case in the Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, and Chirang region. An investigation has been initiated. Guwahati: In a bizarre scenario, a 25-year-old man was held in Tripura while attempting to cross into Bangladesh illegally. Officials said that the man claimed to be a Pakistani-born Bangladeshi national who had travelled across India. "Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!" The youth named Ayan Alam was detained by border villagers at Jalefa in South Tripura district on Thursday night and was handed over to the police later. Alams mobile phone, a few thousand rupees and some Indian documents, including an Aadhaar card, were recovered from his possession. The documents were being examined to find the truth of his confession and his Pakistan connection, the official told the media. During interrogation, the detainee said that he was a Pakistan-born Bangladeshi citizen. Thorough interrogation revealed that he was from Mayarampur village of Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh, the official said. Alam confessed that his parents had shifted from Bangladesh to Pakistan 25 years ago and he was born in Pakistan, the official said. According to the youth, the Pakistani authorities had taken action against his family due to the non-availability of valid documents and Alams father returned to Bangladesh with him in 2011. His mother, four brothers and four sisters, however, stayed back in Pakistan. The official said that during questioning, Alam also confessed that he illegally entered Indian territory via Bangladesh in 2014 and then moved to Kerala, where he worked for a company for two years before moving to Delhi. The youth also claimed that recently he had gone to Kashmir and had unsuccessfully tried to cross into Pakistan. He then returned to Delhi where the Delhi Police Special Branch detained him on March 15. He told the police that he was dispatched on a train to Agartala after several weeks of interrogation and he reached Tripura on April 18. A case was registered against him with the local police station. The police official said that Alam is a Bangladeshi citizen and his mother, who is in Pakistan, is the only known Pakistani link he has. Alams presence in the Indian territory despite heavy security along the India-Bangladesh border in view of the Lok Sabha elections and any possible angle of his involvement with any unlawful organisation or outfit are being investigated, the official said. The restoration of the Indian economy, especially banks since 2014 is actually a lesson for the Harvard Business School said finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while addressing the gathering at the Gujarat Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), in Ahmedabad on Saturday. The finance minister was speaking on the topic Vikshit Bharat 2047. "In terms of weighing which India has restored its economy between 2014 and now more particularly banks it's actually a lesson for Harvard Business School" said Nirmala Sitharaman while speaking at the event. She underscored the transition of India's banking sector and the reforms initiated by the government since 2014. Sitharaman pointed out the twin balance sheet problem prevailing in 2014, where banks' balance sheets were burdened with non-performing assets (NPAs), hindering lending to companies, while companies themselves struggled to repay loans. Drawing a comparison, Sitharaman highlighted the failure of the Silicon Valley bank in the United States and emphasized the Indian government's role in safeguarding the infrastructure of Indian banks during and after the pandemic. She praised the Indian banking sector for effectively managing mergers and ensuring stability amid challenging circumstances. "Post pandemic banks, like Silicon Valley bank which was widely trusted by startups, collapsed and nobody knew about it" she said. Reflecting on India's journey, Sitharaman acknowledged the difficulties faced by the government in restoring the economy, including merger-related issues, liquidity problems in 2019, the impact of COVID-19 in 2020, and the fragile economy in need of restoration. "So even post COVID managing banks, keeping them healthy, ensuring that they don't collapse are still a raw game for West whereas we have managed them although we started with a fragile situation" Sitharaman expressed optimism about India's future, stating that with continued collective effort, India can achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. She emphasized the importance of sustained efforts by all stakeholders, stating, "Another good solid 25 years of Sabka prayaas, we will be able to reach Vikshit Bharat." The minister also shed light on the resilience and progress of the Indian economy, showcasing the government's commitment to driving growth and development. (ANI) Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Petroleum and Natural Gas, emphasized the crucial role of Kashmir in India's development at the 'Viksit Bharat Ambassador meetup' held in Srinagar on Saturday. Addressing the audience, Minister Puri stated, "Bharat cannot be 'Viksit' without 'Viksit Kashmir'. Prime Minister said that it is his dream that India should be or will be a 'Viksit Desh' or a 'developed nation' by 2047." Prime Minister Narendra Modi has articulated his vision for India to become a developed nation by 2047, and Minister Puri underscored the collective effort required to achieve this goal. "India will become a developed nation in 2047 or even earlier, but in that, several people have to play a role," Minister Puri said. "The Prime Minister sets the coordinates as the prime agent of change, but he has to be supported by others who believe in that vision." Highlighting the current economic status, Minister Puri noted, "Right now, we are at USD 4 trillion. By 2040, our economy will be USD 40 trillion." He envisioned that when India achieves a USD 40 trillion economy, it will not just be a 'Sone ki Chidiya' (golden bird) but the 'envy of the world'. During his address, Minister Puri referenced India's historical economic significance, citing historian Angus Maddison of Cambridge University, who documented that India's contribution to the global economy in the year 1700. Puri emphasisied, "During the year 1700, India that is 'Bharat' was referred to as 'Sone ki Chidiya'. According to historian Angus Maddison of Cambridge University, who has extensively documented economic history, it is conclusively shown that India's contribution to the global economy in the year 1700, until the Battle of Plassey, was roughly 25 percent or more of the global GDP." "In 2014, people used to say that India is one of the fragile five economies. Since 2014, we have reached the 5th position," Minister Puri remarked. Minister Puri said, "Within the next 5 years, India will be amongst the top 3 economies in the world." The Viksit Bharat Ambassador meetup served as a platform for discussing India's economic progress and the integral role of Kashmir in contributing to the nation's development agenda. The event witnessed a gathering of influential figures, including startup leaders, women influencers, and distinguished personalities from Kashmir. (ANI) The song, a poignant tale of love and liberation, marks the inaugural single from the much-anticipated album, which Swift unleashed upon eager fans early Friday. In the video, Swift and Post Malone take on the roles of former flames, with Post Malone's character striving to rescue Swift from what appears to be her own emotional entrapment. Throughout the visual journey, Swift dons matching face tattoos reminiscent of her co-star, while scenes of fiery defiance and shattered glass symbolise her emergence from inner turmoil. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3zqJs7JUCQ&t=238s Reflecting on the creation of the music video, Swift shared on Instagram, "When I was writing the Fortnight music video, I wanted to show you the worlds I saw in my head that served as the backdrop for making this music... this video turned out to be the perfect visual representation of this record and the stories I tell in it." She also expressed gratitude to Post Malone for his dedication to their collaboration. Notably, the video boasts appearances from Dead Poets Society icons Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles, portraying enigmatic scientists conducting mysterious experiments with Swift as their subject. Swift had teased the video's release earlier in the week, generating buzz among fans. She shared glimpses of the video's thematic elements and hinted at its arrival with cryptic messages on social media. 'The Tortured Poets Department' album, Swift's eleventh studio endeavour, features a total of 16 tracks. The 34-year-old Grammy winner also stunned fans by promptly dropping a 'secret double album' expansion titled 'The Anthology,' comprising an additional 15 songs. The album's reception was nothing short of historic, shattering records on Spotify within hours of its release. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Swift claimed the title of Spotify's most-streamed artist in a single day, while 'The Tortured Poets Department' became the platform's most-streamed album in a 24-hour period. Swift's Grammy Awards announcement earlier in the year served as a precursor to the album's release, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the culmination of her creative endeavours. With 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Swift invites listeners into a realm of raw emotion and introspection. (ANI) Out of the 21 policemen injured, 12 police personnel have been admitted to Shahpur Community Health Centre, while nine police personnel have been admitted to Betul District Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. Upon receiving the information of the accident, police officers including Betul Superintendent of Police and Additional Superintendent of Police, reached the spot. Betul Kotwali police station in-charge, Ganj police station in-charge SDOP, along with other police officers, reached the district hospital to get the injured treated in Betul district hospital. The polling for the six parliamentary seats in Madhya Pradesh--Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat, and Chhindwara--was held on Friday. (ANI) Karnataka BJP leader and Mandya MP, Sumalatha Ambareesh, expressed her concern and sadness over the murder of the Karnataka Congress corporator's daughter in Hubbali. "It's very unfortunate. Nobody can predict anything like this happening, but the very fact that these culprits are going unpunished is going to lead to more such incidents in the future. That's what is very, very worrisome," she told ANI on Friday. The victim, Neha Hiremath, daughter of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath, succumbed to multiple stab wounds inflicted by Fayaz, a former friend and classmate who has since been arrested. The last rites of the twenty-four-year-old daughter of a Congress corporator, who was killed on the college campus in Hubbali, were performed by her parents on Friday. The Congress government in Karnataka is facing severe criticism for its handling of law and order in the state after the daughter of a Congress corporator was stabbed to death on a college campus in Hubbali. The state unit of the ABVP and the BJP protested the murder in Hubballi and Bengaluru on Friday and the issue is likely to flare up with the state going to the Lok Sabha Polls on April 26 and May 7. Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar informed that an FIR had been registered and the accused had been apprehended within an hour. The accused has been sent to judicial custody, she added. "FIR has been registered in this case and the accused was also secured within an hour. He has been sent to judicial custody. It is a very serious case and we are investigating. In the course of the investigation, everything will come to light," the Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner said. The Leader of the Opposition of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka, on Friday, termed the Hubbali college campus murder as shameful and raised questions about the law and order situation in the state. "The incident in Hubli is shameful. The daughter of a Congress corporator has been stabbed to death. Such an incident in the middle of elections raises questions about law and order," he said. Karnataka state BJP President BY Vijayendra took on the state government, accusing them of going slow on the case to appease a certain faction. "In a horrific incident, a 24-year-old girl, daughter of a Congress corporator has been has been hacked to death in broad daylight by Fiyaz, reportedly for refusing his marriage proposal. Guarantee of Safety" for Women has been pathetically absent since Congress came into power. Repeated incidents of crimes against women like assaults and murder raises concerns about the seriousness of the Siddaramaiah government in providing a safe environment for our sisters and daughters. Women have been highly vulnerable under this incapable government and have been living under extreme fear as Criminal elements have been on the rise and are operating without any fear of law and order, " Vijayendra said. However, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Hubballi campus murder occurred due to personal reasons. The CM added that the law and order situation in Karnataka is good and that they must maintain it." "Whatever murder happened was due to personal reasons. The law and order situation is very good in Karnataka. It is our duty to maintain law and order and we are doing it," the CM said. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said the law will be applied to all. "BJP is trying to threaten by showing that there is no law and order in Karnataka. Karnataka has the best law and order. They are just trying to tell the voters that they are going to put the governor's rule in the state. They cannot do it. The law will take its own course for everyone," Shivakumar said. Karnataka's Home Minister, G Parameshwar, denied the presence of a communal angle in the Hubballi campus murder case and dismissed the allegations of 'love jihad'. "It appears there was mutual love between the two. However, when the girl started walking away, the boy stabbed her. I fail to see any evidence of "love jihad" here. It seems that he (the accused) believed she was going to marry someone else. I don't know all the details," he said. (ANI) The CPM candidate from Kannur Lok Sabha seat, MV Jayarajan, alleged that the Congress in Kerala is pro-BJP and claimed that the Kerala Congress chief is willing to join the BJP. He also said that 39 leaders in Kerala have left the Congress and joined the BJP. "The main enemy is BJP. We are attacking BJP but Congress leaders are joining BJP, which is the main issue here. 39 leaders in Kerala have already left Congress and joined BJP. The real situation here in Kerala is that the political line of the Congress is also pro-BJP. The CM is attacking the political attitude of Congress. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president himself is ready to join the BJP, which is why the CM is attacking that policy of Congress," Jayarajan told ANI on Friday. Earlier, on Thursday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan questioned the secular credentials of the Congress, adding that the party is "degenerating into the BJP's B team." 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. While voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 began on Friday across 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories, all 20 constituencies in Kerala will go to the polls on April 26 in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections. 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) Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bengaluru, various Congress workers held a protest against the central government over the alleged non-release of relief funds by the Centre to the State. Some Congress workers were also detained as the police had denied permission for the protest. Referring to this, state Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said that the Prime Minister has every right to come but at the same time he has to answer on why the funds were nor released to the state. "Prime Minister has every right to come and campaign for the party. At the same time PM has to comment on our tax, our right, for not having given the composition has to be given for the drought. Why was the Bhadra water project not given the money that was supposed allotted in the budget? He has to answer all this why it has not been done? All this thing if you tell the public then we'll also have the clarity," Shivakumar said. When asked about the BJP's allegations that the state government is supporting Jihadis and disturbing the law and order situation, the Deputy CM said, "We don't want to support anyone. The law will take its own course, whatever the issue is there the law will take its course." In view of the protest held by the party leaders in the state capital, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said that the people of Karnataka are demanding their right. Hitting out at PM Modi, Surjewala said, "Kannadigas demand their right. We give Rs 100 to the government of India in taxes and Kannadigas get Rs 13 back only. When they demand their share of their own taxes, Modi ji gives them 'Chombu' (round water container). When there has been a drought in the state for six months now, the Congress government of Karnataka is asking for Rs 17,400 crore of drought relief money for our farmers, for our poor across the state, Modi ji gives us 'Chombu'." "When Karnataka demands its money for Bhadra Dam, Modi ji gives us 'Chombu'. When our youths demands for 2 crore jobs, Modi ji gives 'Chombu'. When farmers demands cheaper diesel, Modi ji gives us 'Chombu'. Time to defeat BJP's government and to elect Congress nationally," the Congress leader added. Congress leader and MLA Rizwan Arshad criticised the government for not providing the relief funds to the drought-hit areas and said that those who does not want to give the rights to the people has no right to come and ask votes. "We are the second highest taxpaying state in India. Approx Rs 4.5 lakh crore tax goes to the central government from Karnataka. That is still fine, but for the last 2 years, severe drought has been in the state, farmers have been in trouble; we have asked for compensation, relief funds which is our right, even for that they are making us suffer. The one who does not want to give us our rights, then with what right he is coming here and seeking votes," Arshad said. PM Modi will visit Bengaluru and neighbouring Chikkaballapura district and address mega rallies for the Lok Sabha poll campaign on Saturday. Earlier, PM Modi addressed two mega public meetings in Karnataka's Mysuru and Mangaluru on Sunday. Karnataka is going to the polls in two phases. The 14 Lok Sabha segments in the southern parts of the state will vote on April 26 in the second phase, the remaining 14 constituencies in the northern parts will vote in the second phase on May 7 in the third phase. (ANI) The Rouse Avenue court on Saturday reserved the regular bail pleas of former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. He has sought regular bail in CBI and ED cases related to the Delhi Excise Policy case. While opposing the bail plea, the CBI said that this Court had rejected his bail. His bail was dismissed by the Supreme Court too. Special judge Kaveri Baweja, after hearing the submissions of ED and CBI, reserved the order for pronouncement on April 30. Advocate Vivek Jain appeared for Manish Sisodia, Zoheb Hossain for ED, and Pankaj Gupta for the CBI. During the hearing, the plea seeking interim bail for General election campaign was withdrawn by the counsel for Sisodia. CBI's Prosecutor, Pankaj Gupta, while opposing bail, said that Sisodia is the main accused in the case and is not entitled to bail. He further said that accused does not satisfy the rigors of PMLA for granting of bail. He is powerful political figure. The investigation is at a nascent stage. It was further submitted that there are allegations of destruction of evidence and misuse of power, which may hamper the probe. Pankaj Gupta referred to former PM Manmohan Singh, who said that corruption is cancer for society. On April 6, while opposing the regular bail plea of Sisodia, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said that there was no delay on the part of the prosecution. Rather, it was caused by the accused persons by filing frivolous applications in the Delhi Excise Policy case, the ED said before the Rouse Avenue court. The main thrust of arguments by counsel for Manish Sisodia was the delay in trial. It was argued that trial proceedings are going at a snail's pace. ED's special counsel, Zoheb Hossain, opposed the argument of delay. Hossain submitted that the trial has not proceeded at a snail's pace and there has been no delay from the prosecution side. There are 95 applications moved by 31 accused persons, Hossain argued. "There is a delay by the accused persons and not by the prosecution," he submitted. Hossain further said that the delay is partly due to this accused and partly to other co-accused persons. ED's counsel also argued that the delay can not be the sole basis for bail. The rigours of Section 45 PMLA should always be considered when granting bail in PMLA. Zoheb Hossain also referred to the bail order of Binoy Babu. He said that Binoy Babh was granted bail as he was a prosecution witness in the CBI case. No money was paid to him or by him. He suffered 13 months of incarceration. He was the regional manager of Pernod Ricard. It was also argued by the ED that the entire offence of money laundering could not have been possible without the present accused (Sisodia). Special Counsel referred to the February 7, 2023, order and said that frivolous applications were kept filed by other accused persons, which consumed time. "Applications moved by one or another accused person show that there was a concerted effort to ensure that the trial is delayed," Hossain argued. Hossain also referred to the March 7 order and said that the inspection is going on in a most lackadiscal manner. Special Counsel also referred to the Supreme Court's Judgement (in Sisodia's case) wherein it said that the bail application has to be considered by the trial court without being influenced by the observations in the judgement, except for the observations on the right to a speedy trial. Zoheb Hossain submitted that the trial is not at a snail pace while allowing the 95 applications, and the inspection. Delay can't be the sole ground for bail. The ground of delay was not accepted and bail for another accused was dismissed on this ground, Hossain said. The point of delay will be a weighty factor for this court, Hossain added. Hossain submitted that Sisodia and other accused received Rs 100 crores from South groups. ED's counsel said that Sisodia is responsible for a policy drafted by many accused persons with a sole purpose of establishing laundered proceeds of crime and increasing the wholesale profit from 5 to 12 percent. The margin difference is the proceeds of crime. Rs 338 crore would be the proceed of crime during the subsistence of policy, he added. Special Counsel Hossain said "the kickback alone is not the proceeds of crime in this case. Wholesale profits is the proceed of crime because it was derived from the criminal activity. Entire wholesale profit, which is difference between 12 and 5 percent, which is 338 crores would be the proceeds of crime." Hossain also mentioned the role of Vijay Nair and said that he is not ordinary worker of AAP but is close associate of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and closely interacts with Sisodia. Hossain said that Benoy Babu, in his statement, stated that Nair was representing the Delhi excise department as OSD. Hossain referred to a WhatsApp chat between Vijay Nair and Benoy Babu. Hossain submitted that Vijay Nair had nothing to do with the excise policy. He held the position of media coordinator. But he was used to do billing changing policies, bargaining the bribe, etc. It was also argued by the ED that there was a political understanding between K Kavitha, Chief Minister Kejriwal and Deputy CM. In terms of that understanding, Kavitha met Nair. They (Nair and Sisodia) were having secret meeting that increased during the process of forming the liquor policy. Vijay Nair was acting under the instructions of accused and other political leaders, Hossain argued. ED' s counsel submitted that Accused of money laundering need not be accused of predicate offence. But it is not the case here. Even mere generation of proceeds of crime would attract the offence of money laundering, as the SC judgement referred to. Hossain also submitted that the expert committee report was rejected. Emails were planted to create a public impression. ED counsel also submitted that there is destruction of evidence in this case. 170 mobiles were changed or destroyed by accused persons. (ANI) Congress candidate from Bangalore Rural seat, DK Suresh said on Saturday that Prime Minister Modi is coming today to hold a rally, he should tell the people that what he has done in the past 10 years for the development of Karnataka. Suresh told ANI that he is getting more support in his constituency as compared to the last election. "I am getting more support as compared to last election. Everybody in my constituency, irrespective of caste and age are supporting me. The five guarantees of our government has worked for everyone. I worked hard for the development of my constituency. I tried to resolve the personal and government issues. People remember all my work. I have also given future plans. I have also promised that wherever Cauvery water is needed in my constituency, I assure them good quality and regular supply of water," he said. "PM Modi is coming today. He has to tell the people that what he has done in the past 10 years for the development of Karnataka. How much money he has given? Why he is not controlling the price rise?" DK Suresh added. Further, the sitting MP said that the BJP people are telling all the lies. They are not delivering their promises while the Congress has delivered its guarantees in the state. "This is the election on the National issues. We are fighting against the BJP and price rise; unemployment are the major issues. Karnataka is not getting proper funds from Central government even when we are the second largest taxpayers in the country. Even in the time of drought, they are not helping at any aspect. They are treating us discriminately. They are taking our money to develop North India. Our Kannadigas people are under pressure and going to Gujarat for jobs," DK Suresh said. Bangalore Rural seat will go to polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. BJP has fielded CN Manjunath, son-in-law of former PM Deve Gowda against Congress' DK Suresh. JD(S) and BJP are in alliance from Karnataka for the Lok Sabha polls. In the 2019 election, Suresh got 8,78,258 of votes. He also won the seat in 2014 elections. (ANI) The Congress Party organised a day-long meeting on Saturday to prepare strategies for the Shimla parliamentary constituency. On Friday, the Congress party, which expects to win all four parliamentary constituencies and six Assembly by-elections in the state, held a day-long meeting for the Mandi constituency. Along with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, State Party President Pratibha Singh, and other senior leaders, including the party's candidates from Mandi and Shimla, participated in the meeting. The party leadership has planned the strategies and campaigns differently for both Shimla and Mandi parliamentary constituencies. However, the party has yet to decide candidates for the Kangra and Hamirpur parliamentary constituencies. State Party Chief Pratibha Singh, while speaking to the media, said that the candidates for the remaining Lok Sabha and by-elections in the state will be finalised soon. "We shall very soon finalise the candidates for by-elections and the remaining two Parliament constituencies," said HPCC President Pratibha Singh. She said that directions are being given to the party workers and leaders to gear up for polls in the state. Adding further, she said, Congress leaders, including senior Congress leaders Gangu Ram Musafir from Sirmaur district under Shimla parliamentary constituency, who had left the party earlier, rejoined on Saturday. "Yesterday we had organised the meeting for Mandi Parliamentary Constituency, and the Chief Minister had directed the leaders and workers to work for the campaign of their party candidates and make them win. Similarly, today we organised the same meeting for the Shimla parliamentary segment. All leaders, officials, and workers joined in this meeting," added Pratibha Singh. On being asked about the resignation of the AICC secretary in charge of the party for Himachal Pradesh, Tajinder Singh Bittu, she said that the party would soon appoint another incharge for Himachal Pradesh. "It is his personal decision. I don't know the reason but the party's high command will take a decision and appoint another secretary in charge of Himachal Pradesh as we will have to go for elections. We have already started our camping earlier but through this meeting, directions have been given and workers have been told to prepare for elections," Pratibha Singh said. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu also spoke about the meeting and said that strategies are being planned differently for each constituency. "Yesterday we had a meeting of the Mandi Parliamentary Constituency and the leaders from all 17 Assembly segments under the constituency have assembled after detailed discussion. Today, we are here to take up the issues. The state party chief has called this meeting, wherein we discuss different strategies for Shimla and Mandi segments. "We believe that for 15 months we have done development work. We have implemented the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for the employees and have also started a scheme for women to provide 1,500 honorariums to women. We are thankful that the election commission has allowed the women to submit forms for this scheme. We promised 1,500 rupees to women and all women in Lahaul-Spiti have received the sum in their accounts," said Chief Minister Sukhu. The BJP is trying to stop it, be it the Old Pension Scheme or giving 1,500 rupees to women. We want to ask the three elected MPs of the BJP why they did not take up the disaster issue in the state and why they did not meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We had passed a resolution in Assembly for a special relief package, but the BJP did not support it.," Said the Chief Minister The Congress party's candidate from Shimla Parliamentary Constituency, Vinod Sultanpuri, said that the non-performance of the BJP's sitting MP and candidate will be taken to the public. "We are going to the meeting for a discussion. We will make plans to move forward. We shall plan to tour programmes. We shall go to the people and will take up the issues as the sitting MP did not reach the people and he could not represent the area and we shall take it forward for Shimla parliamentary constituency," said Vinod Sultanpuri. Earlier on Friday, the Congress party's candidate from Mandi Parliamentary Constituency, Vikramaditya Singh, said that the party will go to the public on developmental issues. He also said that apart from development and local issues the elections would be fought on the issue of protection of Sanatana Dharma in the state. Accusing the BJP's Mandir candidate, Kangana Ranaut, of making false promises, he claimed that the food she eats goes against the principles of Sanatana Dharma and the cultural values of Devbhoomi. The elections for four Lok Sabha seats are scheduled for the seventh phase on June 1, 2024. Himachal Pradesh has four Lok Sabha seats -- Hamirpur, Mandi, Shimla, and Kangra. The polling for four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal, along with six Assembly seats that fell vacant following the disqualification of Congress MLAs, will be held on June 1. The BJP won all four LS seats in 2019 and the counting will be done on June 4. The party has fielded youth leader Vikramaditya Singh in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi Lok Sabha seat against BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut. Congress' Vinod Sultanpuri will contest from the Shimla seat. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lashed out at Congress and INDIA bloc, saying that opposition alliance has no leader or vision for future and their history is ridden with scams. Addressing a rally in Chikkaballapur to boost NDA's campaign for Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, PM Modi said his government has worked hard and every second of his life is dedicated to the welfare of people. "The INDI alliance even do not have a leader at present, nor they have any vision for future and their history is one of scams and that is why (people in) Chikkaballapur and Kolar are saying -abki baar Modi Sarkar," the Prime Minister said. Opposition parties have formed INDIA bloc to take on the Modi government in the Lok Sabha polls. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, whose party Janata Dal (Secular) is fighting the Lok Sabha election in alliance with the BJP, shared the stage with Prime Minister. Deve Gowda, who had BJP symbol as other leaders on the dais, held PM Modi's hand to reflect the solidarity between the two parties for the Lok Sabha polls. PM Modi also said that the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, held on Friday, has gone in the favour of NDA and "Viksit Bharat". "The first phase of voting, has increased the excitement in the country. And I can see this excitement here too. In the first phase, voting was done in favour of the NDA and Viksit Bharat," the PM said. "Today I have come among all of you with my report card to seek your blessings... For you, I left no stone unturned in working hard day and night. Your dream is my resolution. Every second of my life is dedicated to you and the country. 24X7 for 2047... I just don't make policies, I give guarantees," he added. PM Modi said the biggest beneficiaries of the BJP-led government are members belonging to SCs, STs, and OBCs and alleged that they were forced to live in poverty earlier. "The biggest beneficiaries of the Modi government are SC, ST, and OBC families. In earlier governments, families from SC, ST, and OBC communities had to live in slums, they did not have access to electricity and water. They had lost all hope in the government. Your lost faith has been reinstated in the Modi government because of Modi's guarantee. In the last 10 years, 25 crore people have come out of poverty," PM Modi said. "Those who were given the least importance, the ones standing last in the line, NDA government has moved them to the first place in the line. The NDA nominated a member from the SC community as the President,it also nominated a tribal woman as the President. It is our government which has developed the five places associated with Babasaheb Ambedkar as 'Panchtirtha'," he added. Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka will be held in two phases on April 26 and May 7. Congress has nominated MS Raksha Ramaiah, son of former minister MR Seetharam, from Chikkaballapur while the BJP has fielded Dr. K Sudhakar, a former health minister. (ANI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanat Ullah Khan appeared on Saturday through video conferencing before the Rouse Avenue court. The court had issued summons to him on the complaint the ED filed for non-compliance with summons issued by the ED. The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) was directed to supply a copy of the complaint to the counsel for the accused. The matter has been listed for scrutiny on April 27. Special public prosecutor (SPP) said that the accused was issued seven summons by the ED. SPP also submitted that ED will not withdraw this complaint, unlike the application seeking issuance of NBW against the accused. He committed the offence of non-compliance of summons; therefore, this complaint was filed. SPP Benjamin requested the court direct Amanat Ullah Khan to appear physically. Advocate Rajat Bhardwaj Counsel for Amanat Ullah Khan said that we are following the direction of the supreme court. All the summons were subject matter of the plea before the supreme court. ED is investigating a case of alleged money laundering in Delhi Waqf Board. He was summoned by the court on a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for non-compliance of summons issued to him by the agency. On April 5, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a complaint case against Ullah Khan for non-attendance of summons issued to him in the Delhi Waqf Board Money Laundering case. The ED moved a complaint case under section 174 of the IPC, 1860, read with section 63 (4) ofPMLA, 2002 for non-attendance in compliance with Section 50, PMLA, 2002. The Delhi High Court on March 11 dismissed Amanat Ullah Khan's anticipatory bail plea. Thereafter, while hearing the plea of Amanat Ullah Khan, the Supreme Court directed Amanat Ullah Khan to appear before the ED. He was summoned several times by the ED but he didn't appear. His earlier anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by the trial court. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma had dismissed the plea with some strict remarks and observations. She said that elected representatives and public figures are not above the law. A separate class can not be created for political leaders. Justice Sharma had also rejected the petitioner's contention that he he might have been arrested if he had appeared before the ED. The High Court said that if such submissions were to be accepted that the accused might get arrested during the investigation, no person would ever enter the office of any investigating agency. This court cannot allow a new jurisprudence or a new set of rules, the High Court said. "Even the lawmakers should know that disobeying the law will have legal consequences, as all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law," Justice Sharma said. The bench further said that investigating agencies in India had the right to conduct an investigation. To conclude, a MLA or any public figure is not above the law of the land. "The actions of such public figures are observed closely by the public. This sets a bad precedent," Justice Sharma pointed out. The High Court had observed that the AAP MLA avoided six summonses issued by the ED. The High Court said that such avoidance of multiple summons is impermissible by law. The High Court also noted that the property in question was purchased for Rs 36 crore and Rs 27 crore was paid in cash. The existence of two agreements to sell also creates doubt. The high court said, "People also have a right to know what is the truth when their leader whom they have elected is being probed." "Seeing the conduct of the accused for non-joining the investigation, there is no ground for granting anticipatory bail," Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said. This case is related to the purchase of a property worth Rs 36 crore in the Okhla area at the alleged behest of Amanat Ullah Khan, who is also a sitting MLA from that area. A charge sheet has already been filed against four accused persons and one firm. It has been alleged that Rs 100 crore Waqf Properties were given on lease illegally. It is also alleged that 33 contractual employees were appointed to the Delhi Waqf Board during the chairmanship of Amanat Ullah Khan, who flouted the rules. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP's star campaigner, Yogi Adityanath, urged voters in Rajasthan on Saturday to relegate the Congress party to history. "Bring the party to a state where people reminisce, 'Once upon a time, there was Congress,'" the UP Chief Minister said while addressing a huge public meeting in support of BJP candidate from Rajsamand Lok Sabha seat, Mahima Kumari Mewar. CM Yogi further said, "Don't tarnish your history by voting for the Congress Party. Congress worked to glorify Akbar instead of Maharana Pratap, who remained steadfast in adverse situations, fighting to defend the country and dharma. He forced even the powerful Akbar to retreat. This land has never compromised with homeland, religion, or self-respect." The Chief Minister said, "I am a follower of truth, and on the land of Rajasthan, the voice of truth gets strengthened. That's why I receive the most love here." He also mentioned that his ancestors hailed from Rajasthan and that his grandfather had awakened the flame of nationalism by coming to Gorakhpur from the land of Mewar. CM Yogi said that Rajasthan is the land of brave warriors, where one witnesses wonderful harmony of devotion and strength. "The country feels proud of the bravery of Bappa Rawal and Maharana Pratap's devotion to their homeland and self-respect. One can never forget the sacrifice of Rani Padmini. The devotion of Meera Bai ignites a new spark of patriotism in all our hearts. This land of Mirabai is deeply connected with Vrindavan, the land of Lord Krishna, strengthening the bond between Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh," he stated. CM Yogi mentioned that people from Congress never hesitate to attack India's Sanatan faith. "They used to say that Lord Ram never existed. We should not tarnish our history by voting for Congress. No self-respecting community can do this," he asserted. He also mentioned the valour of the Bhil and Meena communities of Rajasthan, along with Maharana Pratap. "The country is standing at such a turning point in its destiny, where on one hand, people's blessings are being sought to realise the resolve of a developed India under the leadership of PM Modi, and on the other, there are those who wish to see India deteriorate," Yogi added. He said that India's respect in the world has increased remarkably in the last 10 years. "No heretic can encroach on the border of India. "The problem of terrorism and naxalism has been solved. Even when a firecracker explodes, Pakistan is ready with its clarification. They know that if any terrorist incident happens in India, they will have to bear the consequences," he further pointed out. The Chief Minister, while enumerating the development works done in the country, said that under the Modi government, 80 crore people are being provided with free rations, while in Pakistan, 23 crore people are struggling for a single meal. "Explosions are happening in mosques there, and people are living in fear. In Pakistan, people are leading a miserable life, whereas in India, money is being directly transferred to the accounts of the poor with just a click from Delhi and Jaipur, Yogi added. He also enumerated the achievements of various welfare schemes including Ayushman Bharat Yojana, free electricity connection, Ujjwala Yojana, and women's self-employment. He mentioned that in the next five years, three crore new houses will be made available to the poor. Attacking the opposition, the UP Chief Minister said that Congress people used to feed biryani to terrorists while the poor died of hunger, farmers committed suicide, youth migrated, and daughters and businessmen were not safe. He mentioned that elections have been held in 102 Lok Sabha seats in the first phase across the country and there is a single voice coming from the entire nation, which is that 'Jo Ram ko laaye hai, hum unko layenge'. He further mentioned that on Ram Navami, Lord Ram's tilak was done by the sun's rays in Ayodhya, which filled the whole country with joy. He appealed to the people to ensure a huge victory for the BJP candidate with the lotus symbol in the elections on April 26. Many dignitaries, including Manju Baghmar, Vishwaraj Mewar, Harish Singh Rawat, Surendra Singh Rathore, Deepti Mahi, Avinash Gehlot, Shankar Singh Rawat, Pushp ji Jain, and Naresh Kannaujiya, were present at the occasion. The remaining 13 seats in Rajasthan will be contested in the second phase on April 26. The remaining phases will be held on May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1 accordingly. The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases. In 2019, BJP registered a sweeping victory, winning 24 out of 25 seats, while the remaining one seat was won by Rashtriya Loktrantrik Party Candidate Hanuman Beniwal. (ANI) In remarks that are likely to stir controversy and evoked sharp reaction from RJD leaders, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday taunted Lalu Prasad over the leadership mantle in the party being passed from one family member to the other and asked if someone should have so many children. Nitish Kumar, who addressed a gathering here, referred to Lalu Prasad appointing his wife Rabri Devi as Bihar chief minister when he had to step down and said the leadership mantle was now with his children. He did not take any names. "Some people claim everything these days. They appointed their wives when they were removed. Now, it is their children these days. 'Ab paida to bahut kar diya. Itna zyaada paida karna chahiye kisi ko, baal baccha?'. Now they have involved their sons, daughters, and everyone. They keep saying something or other everywhere. They forget the old things, hence, I want to tell everyone that no work used to get done. People could not get out, there were no roads or education." Kumar said. Kumar again tied hands with BJP after breaking ties with RJD in August last year. The BJP-led NDA ofen taunts RJD, saying there was "jungle raaj" during the 15 years of RJD-led rule in the state. Lalu Prasad's two daughters - Misa Bharti and Rohini Acharya - are in the fray in the Lok Sabha elections. RJD has fielded Misa Bharti from Pataliputra and Rohini Acharya from Saran Lok Sabha seat. Lalu Prasad's younger son, Tejashwi Yadav, was the deputy chief minister in the Nitish-led government and the older Tej Pratap Yadav held the environment portfolio. Tejashwi Yadav has emerged as the main challenger of Nitish Kumar, who has been in power in Bihar for almost 19 years. Lalu Prasad broke ranks with his then colleagues and top Janta Dal leaders such as Sharad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan in 1997 to form his own party - RJD - and installed his wife Rabri Devi as the new Chief Minister, days before he was arrested in the multi-crore fodder scam case. Hitting back at Nitish Kumar, RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari said that the Bihar CM is making personal comments against Lalu Prasad Yadav out of nervousness "The BJP has stopped him from sharing a stage with the PM, he is in pain. And he also saw people's agitation during the polls yesterday. He is sure of his defeat. So he is making personal comments against Lalu Prasad Yadav out of nervousness. Nitish Kumar has no political ground left," he said. Tejashwi Yadav asked if such "personal comments" from the JD-U leader will benefit the people of Bihar. "He (Nitish Kumar) can say anything to us. Whatever he says is like a blessing for me... But the thing is, will such personal remarks benefit the people of Bihar... In elections, issues should be discussed... Who is writing such speeches for him?... He should speak on education, employment and stopping migration," Yadav. Misa Bharti asked how Nitish Kumar was suddenly talking about the family. "I am unble to understand what should I say about chachji (Nitish Kumar). Now, the people of Bihar will try to understand what the CM of Bihar wants to say. Was he not aware of this fact when he was with us? Now, he has started speaking on dynastic politics when Modiji stopped," she said. Bihar will witness polling for 40 Lok Sabha seats across all seven phases of Lok Sabha polls. Polling was held in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls at Jamui, Nawada, Gaya, and Aurangabad on April 19. (ANI) In a joint campaign by government oil companies and their distributors, basic safety checks are being done by visiting the homes of gas consumers in a time-bound manner across the country. This security check will be free, said a press release from the government oil companies. Whenever the delivery man or mechanic comes to the consumer's house to deliver the cylinder, he will check the 8 safety rules and will also educate the consumer. During this inspection, the delivery man will also check all the gas equipment so that there is no possibility of any kind of leakage. According to the rules, every consumer has to undergo a mandatory 5-yearly inspection of the gas installation and equipment, for which the consumer has to pay Rs 200/- and 18% GST. During this free safety checking, if the orange-colored safety hose is not usable, it can be replaced. Which will be available at a discounted price of only Rs 150/ (1.5 meter). Chandra Prakash, President of All India LPG Distributors Federation, said that this has been started in the capital Delhi and all the areas of the country and the target has been set to reach the homes of all 30 crore domestic gas consumers in the next 3-4 months. This safety check is being done without any financial gain, its only objective is to ensure that the consumer remains safe while using the LPG connection. This is also mandatory for taking claims on third-party insurance in case of an accident. Today, on 20th April, Indian Oil organized a conference on Distributors' Safety Day. Gas General Manager Jai Prakash Pandey gave detailed guidelines on safety to all the channel partners. Head Office Sales General Manager Kavita Tikku also addressed this Safety Day and on behalf of Indian Oil, assured of all proper arrangements by the company. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak said on Saturday that the public meeting addressed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Amroha was a "complete flop". "The public knows the intentions of the India Alliance. This public meeting is a complete flop. The people of Amroha have expressed their faith in the work of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, so this time also, the rally and public meeting of this pair of boys are of no use," Pathak said. The public meeting took place at the mini stadium near Gandhi Murti Chauraha in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh. The event marks the first joint public appearance of the INDIA bloc in the state, where both leaders appealed to the electorate for votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Highlighting the shifting allegiances within the electorate, Pathak remarked, "Today, a large number of people from the Yadav community in Mainpuri have come to Lucknow to give their support to the Bharatiya Janata Party. We have welcomed them. Today, the Yadav community is also angry with their work and inspired by the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party is moving forward." Confidently talking about a resounding victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party, Pathak stated that the public is going to bring back Prime Minister Narendra Modi by voting for the party in record numbers." Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared the stage in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha on Saturday, where they launched a blistering attack at the ruling BJP over range of the issues including electoral bonds, farmers' issues and unemployment. The two leaders also promised to scrap the Agniveer scheme and conduct a caste census in the state if the INDIA bloc formed government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls. Earlier, after polling for eight Lok Sabha seats in the state was conducted successfully in the opening phase, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday said he was confident that the BJP would come out comfortable winners in all constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh. He said the voters have, yet again, discarded an Opposition that has been trying to divide the state on the lines of caste and religion. Along with Saharanpur, eight seats in western Uttar Pradesh, including Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, and Rampur, went to polls in the first phase of the general elections. In the 2019 elections, turning the arithmetic of the SP-BSP 'Mahagatbandhan' in Uttar Pradesh upside down, the BJP and its ally Apna Dal (S) won 64 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats. The partners in the alliance, Akhilesh Yadav's SP and Mayawati's BSP, could only muster 15 seats. The curtains went up on the festival of democracy in the country on Friday, with 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories polling in the opening phase. (ANI) In a strong swipe at Rahul Gandhi, who is re-contesting Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that another parliamentary seat is expected to be announced for the Congress leader after April 26, indicating that the Congress is not confident of retaining the key constituency in Kerala. Polling in Wayanad will be held on April 26. In an interview with Asianet News Network, PM Modi also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi over the delay and indecision on Amethi seat, considered a stronghold of Congress family, which the Congress leader lost to union minister Smriti Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Rahul Gandhi had contested from two Lok Sabha seats in 2019. "The prince of Congress flees the North and takes shelter in the South. He left for Wayanad. This time, his condition is that he is waiting to announce some other seat for himself. As soon as the polling for Wayanad is done on April 26, another seat will be announced for him. He is looking for another seat. Keep these words of mine...I had once announced in Parliament that big leaders (of Congress) were no longer gong to contest the Lok Sabha elections and they would go to the Rajya Sabha. And a month after I said this, their biggest leader (Sonia Gandhi) had to leave the Lok Sabha...so this defeat has already been accepted. So, I am completely confident this time," PM Modi said. Sonia Gandhi, who represented Rae Bareli seat in Lok Sanha is now a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan. Congress has not announced its candidate for Amethi and there is no certainty if Rahul Gandhi will again contest from the seat he has won thrice in the past. Answering questions from reporters, Raul Gandhi has said that he will abide by the decision of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. There is speculation that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could contest from Rae Bareli. Congress has said the decision on two seats will be taken at "appropriate time". BJP and other parties of the NDA have been mocking Rahul Gandhi over the indecision pertaining to Amethi. While Wayanad will go to polls on April 26, Amethi will have voting on May 20. The Congress has forged an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh and is contesting 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also slammed state governments who have been at loggerheads with their state's Governor. "I want to ask those who have the experience of running the government for five-six decades. Be it an enemy nation or a hostile country, they take full care missions, their security arrangements, everything. Even in enemy countries, the same amount of security and respect is given to a country's ambassador...This is my country, my state and the post of Governor is created by the Constitution. Isn't it honour and dignity the responsibility of those state governments? I have been in the state, all the Congress governors were above me. I never had any problems. I respected them, they respected me and this has been going in for years. Now, they can't bear it anymore today," PM Modi said. He said that the dignity of constitutional posts should be maintained. (ANI) The US has imposed sanctions against three Chinese companies and a Belarus-based firm for supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan's ballistic missile programme, the US Department of State said in a statement on Friday. The entities that have been sanctioned include three Chinese companies - Xi'an Longde Technology Development Company Limited, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd, and Granpect Company Limited, as well as the Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant. "The Department of State is designating four entities pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii) of Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. These entities have supplied missile-applicable items to Pakistan's ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile program," the statement read. Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant has worked to supply special vehicle chassis to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program. Such chassis are used as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles by Pakistan's National Development Complex (NDC), which is responsible for the development of Missile Technology Control Regime Category (MTCR) I ballistic missiles. In the statement, the US Department of State stated, "Granpect Company Limited, has supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine, to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program that we assess was destined for NDC. Filament winding machines can be used to produce rocket motor cases." Granpect Company Limited has worked with Pakistan's SUPARCO to supply equipment for the testing of large diameter rocket motors. Furthermore, Granpect Co Ltd also worked to provide equipment for testing large diameter rocket motors to Pakistan's NDC. In the statement, the US Department of State stated, "PRC-based Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd has supplied missile-related equipment to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program, including stir welding equipment (which the United States assesses can be used to manufacture propellant tanks used in space launch vehicles), and a linear accelerator system (which the United States assesses can be used in the inspection of solid rocket motors)." Tianjin Creative's procurements were likely destined for Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which creates and produces Pakistan's MTCR Category I ballistic missiles. The US Department of State stated, "As a result of today's action, and in accordance with E.O. 13382, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)." "Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt," it added. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or providing funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Furthermore, the entry of designated individuals into the United States has been suspended. (ANI) Pakistan's National Assembly (NA) Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday suspended the membership of two Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) lawmakers, Jamshed Ahmad Khan Dasti and Muhammad Iqbal Khan for the current session over the use of abusive language during Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's address in a joint session of parliament, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. On Thursday, the PTI-SIC lawmakers held a protest and created a ruckus during the maiden joint sitting of parliament after the elections held on February 8. The lower house of parliament adopted a motion introduced by Pakistan's National Assembly speaker regarding suspending the two members on Friday. Sadiq read the motion, which stated that both MNAs used "abusive language" and approached the dais of the speaker in a "threatening manner," which was termed an "unacceptable" action, according to Geo News report. The motion further described their disruptive behaviour, including blowing whistles and trumpets, displaying banners and placards and chanting objectionable slogans. All these actions violated the sanctity of the house and the rules mentioned in the Rules of Procedure of Conduct of Business International 2007. Citing Rule 21 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly read with Rule 33 of the Parliament Joint Sitting Rules 1973, Sadiq named the two lawmakers and ordered the withdrawal of their membership from the assembly for today's session. An official statement stated that the decision was taken in accordance with the established rules and regulations to maintain the decorum and integrity of parliamentary proceedings. Speaking to Geo News, the suspended member of the National Assembly, Muhammad Iqbal Khan, defended the opposition's protest during the joint parliament session. He warned that it was just beginning, as they "will teach them [rulers] more lessons about what the rule of the Constitution is." He said that PTI leaders and workers were arrested and they would do anything for the supremacy of the Constitution and the law in Pakistan, which is being ruled by "thieves and dacoits." The PTI leader stated that the legislators from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly did not participate in the presidential elections, which resulted in Zardari securing second term as Pakistan's President. Muhammad Iqbal Khan said that the opposition will not step back from its stance and protests will continue in the future. On Thursday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan called the opposition's protest and ruckus in the joint session of parliament a "21-cannon salute" to Pakistan President Zardari, Geo News reported. Gohar Ali Khan said, "We do not recognise this president [Zardari]. [Not only] this president but Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the entire cabinet are also illegal." He further said that they "compelled" Zardari to leave his speech in the middle. Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called the opposition's behaviour and use of abusive language in the joint session "unparliamentary" behaviour, according to a Geo News report. He made the remarks in a press conference on Friday. He said that they are not afraid of "jungle's monkeys" and added that the PPP has a history of fighting dictators. He further said, "Unfortunately, the opposition made its own history." Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the PPP would welcome the opposition's criticism in the parliamentary sphere. (ANI) The Islamabad accountability court has accepted the requests for the medical examination of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, and directed Bushra Bibi's endoscopy in a private hospital within two days, The Express Tribune reported. The decision was made during a hearing presided by Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana at Adiala Jail regarding the 190 million-pound scam reference. Further, in an official post on X, PTI said, "The jail authorities, under the control of the illegitimate regime, have repeatedly overruled court orders." In addition to the statement, PTI stated, "What remains to be seen is whether they will comply with the court orders this time or not." Moreover, during the hearing, Judge Rana ordered an endoscopy for Bushra Bibi, to be supervised by Dr Asim Younus of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital along with a government doctor, as per The Express Tribune. Additionally, the judge instructed the presentation of six witnesses related to the reference at the next hearing. During the proceedings, Judge Nasir Javed Rana ordered the removal of wooden barriers from the courtroom. Following an hour-long break, the jail authorities removed all additional sheets. According to The Express Tribune, concerns were also raised during the proceedings by defence lawyers regarding the difficulties faced by journalists in reporting the case. The judge addressed these concerns by inviting media representatives and Imran Khan to the rostrum, subsequently instructing the jail administration to take necessary steps. During the proceedings, Imran Khan said that toilet cleaner had been mixed into Bushra Bibi's food, causing daily stomach irritation, as reported by The Express Tribune. The court advised Imran Khan to refrain from holding "press conferences" during the hearings. In response, the PTI founder stated his statements were misquoted and he spoke to reporters to clarify them, The Express Tribune reported. The court stressed the importance of decorum, suggesting addressing the media after the hearing, to which Khan stated that the jail administration removes the media from the courtroom after the hearing. He also requested that the court allow him a 10-minute interaction with the media after the hearings. Earlier on April 15, Bushra Bibi, filed a petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and requested the court conduct her check-up and medical tests at Shaukat Khanum Hospital or any other private hospital of her choice to examine if she was poisoned through contaminated food, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. In her petition, Bushra Bibi said that she is suffering from heartburn, and aches in her throat and mouth and that she believes that it is the result of eating poisonous meals. Imran Khan's wife said that she was poisoned and subjected to psychological torture at her Banigala residence, which has been declared a sub-jail, as per the Dawn report. (ANI) PM Shehbaz Sharif directed a meeting on Friday, reiterating his resolve to purge the country of smuggling and instructing relevant authorities to accelerate the nationwide drive against the menace, The Express Tribune reported. During the meeting, the PM commended Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir for his steadfast cooperation with the government's anti-smuggling efforts. According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), a committee report headed by AD Khawaja was presented during the meeting, which stated that "the committee identified the elements involved in the misuse of Afghan Transit Trade for smuggling and the officers facilitating them," as per The Express Tribune. The PM was informed that a list of smugglers, hoarders, and their facilitating officers had been forwarded to law enforcement agencies and provincial governments. Following this, PM Shehbaz ordered the removal of identified officers from their respective posts and initiated disciplinary proceedings against them. Further, he urged the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and intelligence agencies to cooperate with each other to curb the smuggling. According to The Express Tribune , Shehbaz Sharif urged for strict penalties against smugglers and drug dealers, instructing the law ministry to promptly enact essential legislation for this Emphasising a zero-tolerance approach towards individuals involved in embezzling public funds and their accomplices, PM Shehbaz emphasised the necessity of creating alternate avenues for income generation and fostering a supportive environment for youth residing in border regions. He underscored the importance of enhanced and efficient surveillance of the sale and smuggling of Afghan transit trade goods within the nation and called for a third-party audit of the monitoring system. PM Shehbaz ordered the complete elimination of sugar smuggling and the immediate release of funds to examine the prevalence of drug consumption at the national level. The meeting was briefed on smuggling, misuse of Afghan Transit Trade, drugs, as well as sugar, wheat, fertiliser, petroleum products, and illegal weapons. Following consultations with stakeholders, it was revealed that a comprehensive national anti-smuggling strategy was in its final stages and will soon be presented for approval. Additionally, attendees were briefed on recent law enforcement actions, including a recent raid on a smuggled goods warehouse in Mastung, resulting in the seizure of merchandise valued at over (Pakistani currency) PKR 10 billion. Prime Minister Shehbaz lauded the swift actions of law enforcement agencies in combating smuggling. Federal ministers Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahad Khan Cheema, Rana Tanweer Hussain, Musaddik Malik, Azam Nazeer Tarar, the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue, the Attorney General, personnel from law enforcement agencies, and senior officers were also present at the meeting. (ANI) This comes in advance of Sunday's (April 21) by-elections in 21 national and provincial assembly constituencies in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan. The election laws stipulated that campaigning was to end precisely at midnight on Friday and Saturday (April 19-20). The highest electoral body has warned that candidates engaging in political activities after the deadline will face legal consequences, according to Geo News. For 48 hours following the polls closing, until midnight, the aforementioned Election Act rule forbids anybody from planning, attending, or taking part in any public assemblies or processions inside the boundaries of the constituency. Earlier this month, the poll organising body released a notification on the holding of by-elections in 23 constituencies, comprising 6 NA, 12 Punjab Assembly, 2 KP Assembly, 2 Balochistan Assembly, and 1 Sindh Assembly constituency, reported Geo News. In the next by-elections, 239 people will run, including 50 candidates for NA seats. In the NA-207 constituency, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari was elected without facing any opposition. Another PPP leader, Zubair Ahmed Junejo, was also elected without facing any contest on the PS-80 Dadu seat. Subsequently, 23 candidates were contesting by-polls for KP Assembly seats, 154 candidates for Punjab Assembly seats, and 12 candidates for Balochistan Assembly seats. (ANI) The G7 foreign ministers on Friday reiterated the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait and expressed their concern over the human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet by Chinese authorities, Taiwan News reported citing a joint statement issued on Friday. Regional peace and stability are "indispensable to security and prosperity for the whole international community," the ministers said, calling for a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues. They also reaffirmed their support for Taiwan's inclusion in international organisations, such as the World Health Assembly and World Health Organisation technical meetings. There is no change in the basic position of the G7 members on Taiwan, they added. The ministers expressed concern about China's human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet and pointed out the "deterioration of pluralism" in Hong Kong. They also urged China to stop activities undermining democratic institutions and the security of communities. The joint statement follows US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink's meeting with China's Taiwan Affairs Office Deputy Director Qiu Kaiming in Beijing on April 15. Accompanied by US National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran, Kritenbrink stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He also assured Beijing there was no change to the US "one China" policy, Taiwan News reported. Despite calls from the international community for regional peace, China has continued to ramp up military activity around Taiwan. The threat of a potential invasion of Taiwan has prompted the US to help beef up Taiwanese defence. Most recently, US House Speaker Mike Johnson proposed the 2024 Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act on April 17 that allocates USD 2 billion (NTD 65.07 billion) from the Foreign Military Financing Program for Taiwan and other regional security partners for "confronting Chinese aggression." It also provides an additional USD 1.9 billion to "replenish defence articles and defence services" for Taiwan and other partners. (ANI) Pakistani journalist Syed Zeeshan expressed concern on Saturday over the rising street crimes including killings, and noted that the situation in the city is getting worse day by day, urging that the police should restrategize to curb the situation. "The incidents of mobile snatching and street crime are on a continuous rise but the killings of people during the dacoity incidents have also surged in the past few months. In the last three months, 40 to 50 people have lost their lives in such incidents in Karachi. This is alarming and it's important to control this situation. There is a need to change the strategy of the police to curb these incidents," the journalist said. "Previously, there used to be incidents of mobile snatching but now dacoits are killing people. In one such case, a member of Karachi police was also killed. There is a serious need of community policing and improvement of police equipment. But, the residents of Karachi are not able to comprehend to whom they should reach out for help. More than 20 people have died in the cases of mobile snatching alone. Probably these incidents are a pre-planned act of crime," he added. On April 2, The Express Tribune reported that the port city of Pakistan, Karachi now faces a severe problem of increasing street crime. Recent incidents have resulted in the creation of a sense of lawlessness amongst the people. The incidents of street crimes in Karachi often get recorded on CCTV and go viral. The report also stated that this increase in street crime has now resulted in the loss of lives, claiming that 23 individuals have lost their lives in robbery-related incidents during January and February this year alone. Quoting the data of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee, an organisation that collects crime data in Karachi the same report stated that "during January and February: a total of 106 fatalities occurred in the city, 11 cases of kidnapping for ransom were reported, a staggering 10,488 motorcycles and 441 cars were stolen, and approximately 4,000 incidents of mobile phone snatching were reported". Responding to the crisis at hand the Sindh administration has promised to recruit at least 12,000 new police personnel will be recruited for the port city's 108 police stations, which will double the strength of the city's police force, The Express Tribune stated quoting its sources. Furthermore, it must be noted that Karachi already has a police force of 48,000 personnel but only 12,000 officers are available for duty in the metropolis's police stations. The Express Tribune claimed to have reached out to Additional Inspector General Karachi, Khadim Hussain Rind to enquire about the details of the plan of recruitment of such heavy force but Rind remained unresponsive. However, police sources, under the condition of anonymity, informed The Express Tribune that the remaining personnel of the Karachi police have been deployed for protocol duties. The report further stated that "Mere recruitment drives won't suffice; we need comprehensive improvements in the police system," emphasised Qazi Khizar, Vice Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Sindh. Khizar further asserted the importance of modernising police weaponry, enhancing training programmes, and fostering a culture of accountability within police stations. Echoing similar sentiments, Tauseef Ahmad, a former professor and senior columnist, stressed the importance of addressing underlying factors contributing to street crime. The report also claimed that, the administration has previously allocated funds to increase and modernize the security status of the port city, but implementation remains a work in progress, with a projected timeline of two years for completion, for the first phase alone. (ANI) Personnel of Pakistani law enforcement agencies conducted house raids on the activists of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) in Karachi, the capital city of Sindh province in Pakistan, The Balochistan Post reported. According to The Balochistan Post, which reported citing the on-ground reports, "a large number of Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies surrounded the areas of Jalal Murad in Karachi's Malir. They raided several houses, including the houses of BYC activists, and opened indiscriminate fire". Speaking over the raids, the spokesperson of the BYC stated that "the oppression by the state has always been used to suppress the Baloch people, and the brutal behaviour of security forces towards the Baloch in Karachi is a continuation of this policy of genocide. The state and its enforcing agencies are resorting to violence against Baloch people under the guise of security, making them targets of brutality. From Liyari to Kech to Koh-e-Suleman, the Baloch nation is facing the worst form of state aggression. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has decided to resist all forms of oppressive state policies and will intensify public resistance against every incident of state oppression, including those in Malir". According to the reports, several men, women, and children were injured in these raids in which police, rangers, and intelligence agency personnel were involved. Condemning, the actions of Pakistan's law enforcement agencies, the Karachi chapter of the BYC took the matter to X stating, "If any of us, including our members, have committed any crime, an FIR should be submitted, but this kind of behaviour is intolerable. If there is any kind of loss to any Baloch in Karachi, we will also announce our plan of action". https://twitter.com/BYCKarachi/status/1781632699112755599 A female leader of BYC in her statement given at the press club Karachi stated "We will block roads and protest in front of the governor's house and the CM house. We will make sure that our voices are heard, and we will go to court if need be, although we know that the courts have never given justice to us Baloch. But we will still maintain the law. Such acts of violence and torture cannot break our spirits" On the other hand, Baloch leader Mahrang Baloch also stated that "Karachi Police and Rangers raided the homes of Baloch Solidarity Committee (Karachi) workers in Malir and violence against women is a continuation of the aggressive state policy, human rights organizations take note of the state crackdown on the peaceful movement against the Baloch genocide. #MarchAgainstBalochGenocide #StopBalochGenocide" https://twitter.com/MahrangBaloch_/status/1781416756067598526 ) Another leader present at the Karachi Press Club stated that "the acts of Pakistani Law Enforcement agencies are truly shameful and cannot be tolerated. As neither the law nor humanity permits any such actions. But we all know that Pakistani agencies have been committing such crimes repeatedly". Notably, these attacks and raids on the residences of Baloch activists happened on the sidelines of the recent attacks on Japanese individuals in a suicide blast in the same city. (ANI) The US House of Representatives on Saturday approved a bill that could ban social media app TikTok, CNN reported. The bill passed 360-58 marks the latest defeat for TikTok in the US, as the social media company with 170 million users in the US fights for survival under its current ownership by ByteDance, its Chinese parent company. The passage of the bill in the US House comes as part of a foreign aid package for Israel and Ukraine. The move resembles an earlier version approved in March this year that would ban TikTok from US app stores unless it finds a new owner, and quickly, according to CNN report. By attaching the TikTok bill to funding for Israeli missile defence and Ukrainian military equipment, Republican lawmakers in the US placed pressure on Senate lawmakers to consider the whole package in a single up-or-down vote. Policy analysts expect the US Senate to take up the aid package quickly, increasing its chances of passing. US President Joe Biden has previously announced that he would sign the TikTok legislation if it reached his desk. The passage of the TikTok bill showcases how policy priorities outside the company's control have merged to create a potentially devastating outcome for an app that is liked by many young Americans. However, US officials have warned that it is a national security risk. The version of the bill approved Saturday would, if signed, give TikTok 270 days to find a new owner, which is more than roughly six months contemplated under older versions of the legislation. The bill also gives the White House the ability to extend that deadline for another 90 days if the US President believes there is progress towards a sale, CNN reported. TikTok has expressed its opposition to the bill. For weeks, TikTok carried out a lobbying campaign to defeat the legislation, stressing that it violates its users' First Amendment rights and threatens small businesses. In a post on X, TikTok on Wednesday wrote, "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 USD 24 billion to the US economy, annually." TikTok has indicated it could file a lawsuit to block the House's legislation, telling users in March that it plans to continue fighting, "including (by) exercising our legal rights," according to CNN report. A court challenge over the law would result in a high-stakes battle over the right of people in the US to access digital information. (ANI) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit China on April 24-26, US Department of State announced in a statement. According to the statement, Blinken will meet with Chinese officials in Shanghai and Beijing to discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including the crisis in the Middle East, Russia's war against Ukraine, cross-strait issues, and the South China Sea. In a statement, the US Department of State stated, "The Secretary will also discuss ongoing work to fulfill the commitments made by Presidents Biden and Xi at the Woodside Summit in November on resuming counternarcotics cooperation, military-to-military communication, artificial intelligence, and strengthening people-to-people ties, and will reiterate the importance of the United States and the PRC responsibly managing competition, even in areas where our two countries disagree." his visit to China, Blinken will be accompanied by Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Liz Allen, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd Robinson, and Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy Nathaniel Fick.For While speaking to reporters, a senior State Department official said, "The Secretary's visit will, of course, build on our intensive diplomacy over the past year to responsibly manage the U.S.-China relationship by strengthening lines of communication to reduce the risk of miscalculation and conflict." During his visit, Blinken will discuss the crisis in Burma and reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Speaking about Blinken's goals for the visit to China, a senior State Department official said, "First, making progress on key issues. We believe that high-level diplomacy allows for us to press for progress on issues that matter to the American people and the world and where direct engagement with the PRC is particularly important." A senior State Department official said, "The Secretary will clearly and directly communicate U.S. concerns on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. As he always does, he will stand up and speak out for our values and our interests." "The Secretary will raise clearly and candidly our concerns on issues ranging from human rights, unfair economic and trade practices, to the global economic consequences of PRC industrial over-capacity. The Secretary will also reiterate our deep concerns regarding the PRC's support for Russia's defense industrial base. He will discuss the crisis in the Middle East, and of course, the Secretary will discuss challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including PRC provocations in the South China Sea, as well as the DPRK's threatening rhetoric and reckless actions," the official added. The official stated that Blinken will make it clear that the US intends to "responsibly" manage its competition with China. The senior official added, "We believe that intense competition requires intense diplomacy on a range of issues, and in-depth, face-to-face diplomacy is particularly important to managing tensions endemic to strategic competition between two major powers. As we continue to take actions to protect our interests and values, we'll maintain open channels of communication to clearly communicate our positions and policies so as to, again, prevent misperception or miscalculation." Blinken's trip to Beijing follows US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's visit to China earlier this month. In November last year, US President Joe Biden and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held a meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference in San Francisco. According to the White House readout of the meeting, Biden raised concerns over China's human rights abuses, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. He emphasised that it remains a priority to resolve the cases of US nationals who have been wrongfully detained or subject to exit bans in China. (ANI) When two Colorado students murdered 12 of their classmates and a teacher at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, they committed what history would etch as the first school shooting of the internet era. At the time, Google was still a startup. Facebook, the iPhone and YouTube had not yet been invented. Yet 25 years later, the traces left online by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold have not faded into the obscurity of the early web. Instead, those remnants took hold in each evolving online technology chat rooms, social media and video and today spark obsessive online interest among a generation that wasnt even alive at the time of the attack. That interest flourishes via online algorithms that amplify edgy or hate-fueled content, researchers say and via social media platforms that prioritize audiences and profits over finding and removing violent and damaging content. On the 1990s-era internet, the killers left behind their plans of violent terror like threats and bomb-building instructions as well as the personal minutiae of teenage life, like playing the first-person shooter game Doom. The lyrics to a favorite song, a recent electronic-metal release called Stray Bullet, were posted on one of their websites. A dark subculture latched onto those details of their online life and the investigative reports that followed. The killers photos, personal journals and home videos fueled discussions in internet forums and chat rooms. Today, researchers track social media, video sites and gaming platforms, where they find a cult of Columbine thriving among young internet users. TikTok profiles with the shooters names and photos are festooned with hearts and ribbons and fans of the shooters declare their love and admiration in the comments. Videos splice together old footage and stills of the shooters. First-person shooter simulations of the Columbine massacre regularly pop up on TikTok where they fetch tens and even hundreds of thousands of views. In this April 21 file photo, Shaleane Elliott, 21, a graduate of Columbine High, and Emily Stepp, 18, a senior at the school, weep for friends killed in the shooting at an impromptu memorial near the school in Littleton, Colorado. While some online platforms say they work to find and eliminate violent content, online experts and school shooting survivors continue to say the megacompanies of the modern internet havent done enough to stamp out these dark elements of the early web. Social media companies are raking in the money, Anne Marie Hochhalter, who was shot and paralyzed during the Columbine attack, told USA TODAY. They're not going to do anything about it because then the traffic will go down. Whatever the forum, the subcultures real-life effects have been persistent and deadly. Students hug during the memorial service for victims of the Columbine High School shooting tragedy on April 25, 1999. School shooters, including the killers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012 and Virginia Tech in 2007, studied and emulated the Columbine attack. The documents posted online by copycats frequently mention the influence of Columbine. In January, a 17-year-old high school student in Iowa shot six people, killing one, before turning the gun on himself. Shortly before the shooting, he posted a photo on TikTok of himself in a bathroom stall with a duffel bag at his feet, with the words, Now we wait. The post was set to music, an old electronic-metal song from the 1990s called Stray Bullet. More: 25 years later, the trauma of the Columbine High School shooting is still with us Columbine imagery easy to find on game sites, social media Much of the online content related to Columbine today is created by young people or designed to appeal to them, two researchers at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue found in a recent study. Moustafa Ayad and Isabelle Frances-Wright say young people are enthralled by the Columbine killers and create content that goes viral on social media, from first-person shooter simulations to Roblox characters dressed to look like the Columbine killers down to the natural selection and wrath T-shirts they used to wear. The abundance and types of materials that the killers produced resonates with young people in a way that we havent really seen with other school shootings, Frances-Wright said, which has allowed it to perpetuate and live on all these years later. USA TODAY front page on April 21, 1999, the day after the Columbine High School shooting. At the time, details of the shooting remained unclear. Ultimately, the shooters killed 12 students and a coach before killing themselves. The creators of those videos, in turn, direct viewers to private, unmonitored channels on Discord and Telegram. And thats where the really dark stuff happens. By setting up accounts pretending to be minors on social media, Ayad and Frances-Wright quickly found 127 videos glorifying a range of mass shooters on TikTok and X, formerly Twitter. One TikTok video they discovered, which featured the Columbine shooters in fictional Disney posters, had amassed nearly 400,000 views in three months. TikTok has since taken down the videos flagged by researchers. But content celebrating the Columbine shooters is still widely available, and easily found, on TikTok and other platforms, despite rules against glorification of violence and real-life attacks. A spokesperson for TikTok said the company doesnt tolerate content like the videos Ayad and Frances-Wright found, and that the company employs more than 40,000 trust and safety professionals to moderate content. We're investing over $2 billion in trust and safety efforts this year to provide a safer platform," the spokesperson wrote in an email. Students stand with arms around each other at an impromptu memorial to students killed at Columbine High School on April 21, 1999. This week, Frances-Wright performed a quick search and provided USA TODAY with several links to TikTok videos showing school shootings, including some that used imagery from the Columbine attack. Videos on TikTok and elsewhere try to evade detection by blending content that glorifies mass shooters with legitimate educational content, or by using the killers nicknames or other coded language. Statements like I dont condone or hashtags like true crime or fake are also added to mislead platform moderators. Some accounts switch privacy settings so posts are only available to followers. While the researchers found videos appearing to show gameplay on the Roblox platform, where users play shared game scenarios mostly built by other users, it was unclear how long if at all those games ever appeared on Roblox itself. The characters may have been designed using Roblox, without ever being uploaded to the platform. A spokesperson for Roblox said the company has strict community standards prohibiting the portrayal of sensitive real-world events and content portraying, glorifying, or supporting Terrorist and Violent Extremist organizations. We have a dedicated team focused on proactively identifying and swiftly removing such content as well as banning the individuals who create it, the spokesperson told USA TODAY in an email. A plaque outside the Columbine memorial pays tribute to the school shooting tragedy 25 years ago. Despite the attempt at camouflage, accounts are still frequently banned. So, the profiles redirect their followers to less-moderated platforms like Discord and Telegram, Ayad and Frances-Wright found. There, open glorification of mass shooters, violent gore and hate speech can be more freely shared. And indoctrination and radicalization are more likely to occur. Discord and Telegram did not respond to requests for comment. In closed discussion groups on Discord, for example, players share tips on building mass casualty simulation games and how to make gaming avatars that look like the Columbine shooters, the researchers said. The attackers are commonly referred to and admired, down to details about their haircuts and favorite music. In many respects, their report notes, the Columbine shootings are considered a foundational event for supporters and content producers of mass casualty attacks. The deadly allure of the dark side Ryan Broll, associate professor of sociology and anthropology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, says the internet is an accelerant for dark fandom communities of fans fixated on the perpetrators of violent acts. These communities usually form online because they are inherently deviant communities and they can more easily find people who share interest in these topics online, said Broll, who studied a subreddit devoted to Columbine. Although people have always been interested in crime and violence, the internet is essential to the size and longevity of dark fandoms, like that around Columbine. Of the hundreds of school shootings across the United States in the last 25 years, Columbine remains the most influential, researchers Jenni Raitanen and Atte Oksanen from the Emerging Technologies Lab at Tampere University in Finland found. Students stand with arms around each other at an impromptu memorial to students killed at Columbine High School on April 21, 1999. Raitanen and Oksanen attribute the shootings enduring influence to the oft-cited idea that it was retribution for bullying. The Columbine perpetrators claimed that their massacre was a political act, conducted in the name of other oppressed students, the researchers wrote in a 2018 paper. As such, the two young men sought to serve as spokespeople for what previous researchers called a revolution of the dispossessed, Raitanen and Oksanen wrote. In essence, they claimed to be carrying out their attack in the name of angry, disaffected and angst-ridden youth everywhere. Those ideas were long ago debunked. Columbines former principal Frank DeAngelis says much of the Columbine content falsely portrays the Columbine shooters. The FBI concluded the killers, who said in home videos that they hoped the attack would inflict the most deaths in U.S. history, were driven by a desire for mass carnage and lasting notoriety, not teenage angst. Former Columbine High School principal Frank DeAngelis speaks during the "Columbine 20 Years Later: A Faith-based Remembrance Service" at Waterstone Community Church on April 18, 2019, in Littleton, Colorado. Yet todays online subculture celebrates many of the same false claims. The two killers of Columbine are heroes to some of these kids and they shouldnt be, said DeAngelis, who retired in 2014 and assists communities across the country after mass shootings. It scares me. Finding kinship online can normalize violent urges, says Peter Langman, a psychologist and author of Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters who runs the website SchoolShooters.info. He points to a website devoted to the Columbine massacre and other mass murders. In a recent chat about which serial killer or mass murderer they related to the most, most said the Columbine killers. I also relate to Eric and Dylan, commented one person. Like most people lol. Three registered users of the website have gone on to commit mass murders, according to Langman. Even if no one is advocating committing such acts, the fascination, the obsession that some people have may normalize the phenomenon, he said. Students take part in a rally for National School Walkout Day to protest school violence on April 20, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. Students from around the nation joined in the walkout against gun violence on the 19th anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School. Kris Mohandie, a forensic psychologist who has assessed youth offenders influenced by Columbine, said the identities of susceptible young people can be shaped by the content they interact with and produce online. They are drawn to the Columbine shooters because it aligns with dark impulses and their sense of alienation, and what they think looks cool, Mohandie said. Thats certainly what happened to Lindsay Souvannarath. The then-23-year-old student from Geneva, Illinois, was drawn to the story of Columbine via online chat rooms and forums. A budding artist and novelist, she sought feedback from her peers online and eventually fell headfirst into the subculture. In a 2019 prison interview with "The Night Time" podcast, Souvannarath, who is now in prison for planning a deadly attack on a mall in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Valentines Day 2015, talked at length about the inspiration she took from Columbine. It all happened online. Souvannarath met her co-conspirator online when he commented on some of her artwork, and the two swapped music recommendations, fashion tips and theories about the Columbine attackers. We thought we were actually them somehow, Souvannarath told "The Night Time" podcast. Not exactly reincarnations, but more like their spirits had found their ways to us, and we were them. Souvannarath was arrested as she flew into Halifax airport the day before the planned mass shooting. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder two years later and is serving a life sentence in prison. A collective fail for social media platforms Hochhalter, the Columbine survivor, called on Facebook five years ago to take down pages glorifying the shooters, saying she feared they would inspire others. One of the pages, which had more than 2,000 likes and shared surveillance video images of the shooters, said its mission was to never forget and always honor these heroes. Facebook deleted the pages within hours, saying they breached the companys rules. Anne Marie Hochhalter was shot during the attack at Columbine High School in 1999. In the 25 years since, she has been harassed by people obsessed with the Columbine shooters. As the 25th anniversary of Columbine approaches, Hochhalter said the communities of Columbiners online have only multiplied. She and other survivors of the attack have received abuse and death threats and have had to call in the FBI to investigate their tormentors, she said. Meanwhile, on the platforms where the ideas spread, with almost nothing being done about it, she said. "These people who are at the helm of the social media companies those are the true extremists, Hochhalter said. "Because they're allowing all of it to happen. A student holds up her hands while taking part in National School Walkout Day to protest school violence on April 20, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. Students from around the nation joined in the walkout against gun violence on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting. Mohandie says the policies and enforcement at most social media companies are grossly inadequate. Social media companies, some of which are worth billions of dollars, have a responsibility to take down content glorifying the shooters, he said. They have an ethical and social responsibility to do more than what they are doing, he said. They get a collective fail. All of them. After years of building robust content moderation systems, social media companies facing political pressure and economic headwinds have pulled back on gatekeeping, part of an industry trend that is making it harder to distinguish between educational content about Columbine and content that crosses the line. Whats more, this is just the kind of content dark and edgy that is algorithmically sticky, said Natasha Zinda, an online content creator and activist. Posts that push right up to, and even beyond a platforms rules on conduct, are often exactly the sort of content that gets views, clicks and interaction, she said. Algorithms like to push hate, she said. Our internet, and our culture on the internet, is all about engagement whether it's good or bad. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue researchers agreed. Some platforms are doing better than others when it comes to moderating content and deleting posts that violate terms of service, Frances-Wright said. But none of the platforms are doing enough, she said. Better moderation and supervision need to take place at every stop in the radicalization pipeline, Frances-Wright said: From platforms where simulations are being created, to TikTok where it is being distributed, to secret spaces like Discord and Telegram where it is being openly discussed and new plots are being planned. Zinda also noted that the last layer of defense for children who might interact with these communities and this content is parents. As a mother of three, Zinda said she appreciates how difficult it is for parents to control what their children view online. But every parent whose child is gaming or spending significant time online needs to prioritize talking with them about what they are doing and monitor their childrens internet activity. It's a click away, Zinda said. And you need to be talking with your kids daily about what that is. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cult of Columbine: Why young followers glorify the school shooters Police said an 8-week old baby was beaten to death on Nov. 27, 2021, at an apartment on the 3400 block of N. Fourth Avenue in Sioux Falls. Editors note: This story is graphic in nature. Reader discretion is advised. The story also mentions mental health issues or suicide. If you need help or know someone who does, please call 988, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available for 24/7, free and confidential support. If you're in danger, call 911 or the South Dakota Domestic Violence Hotline 1.800.430.SAFE (7233). Nine pounds, 5 ounces. That's how much Daxton Castimore weighed when he was killed by his father, Dylan Castimore, in November 2021 at an apartment Dylan shared with Daxton's mother, Crissy Gregory, in Sioux Falls at the time. The two were young. He, 22, and she, 18. He, a man who experienced mental health issues, abuse in foster care and had a 10th grade education, and she, a runaway from a tumultuous home life and struggles of her own. Those were a few of the factors Dylan's defense attorneys, Traci Smith, Kylie Beck and John OMalley, the IV, wanted Second Circuit Court Judge Camela Theeler to take into consideration before handing down her sentence Friday in the case. Dylan, now 24, was sentenced by Theeler to 100 years with 10 years suspended for manslaughter Friday, after two days of testimony. Dylan pleaded guilty in February to first degree manslaughter and abuse or cruelty to a minor, lesser charges from his initial ones, which included first degree murder and aggravated battery of an infant. The case once faced the argument of the death penalty before the plea, one of two or three capital punishment cases in the area within the last four years. The judge did not issue a sentence for the child abuse charge. Castimore is not allowed to have contact with Daxton's mother, family, or any children younger than 10 for the entire time he is behind bars. He also had 871 days credited to him for time served at the Minnehaha County Jail since his arrest. Hes expected to serve a total of at least 88 years at the South Dakota State Penitentiary, starting immediately. But, as both sides argued, at stake was whether Dylan should have the option to eventually be released and rehabilitated back into the community despite being past a point of mid-life 65 years from now (the mandatory minimum sentence for his plea deal) or whether he should be behind bars until death. The moments been nearly three years in the making, since Dylan was arrested Nov. 30, 2021, three days after Daxton died at the apartment in the 3400 block of North Fourth Avenue. The case wasnt going to a jury, which was one of the reasons Theeler said the sentencing process was expected to last two days, along with new evidence to be presented by prosecutors that the defense had a right to cross-examine. Theeler, though, would be the final determination of Dylans character at large, and would weigh how to hand down that sentence. More: 'Something horrifice happened': Detective describes scene in day one of Dylan Castimore sentencing Day one focused on the details of what happened when Daxton died on Nov. 27, 2021, and actions taken by Dylan and first responders the moments before and after Daxton stopped breathing. Day two focused on Dylan as a person, examining his history, mental state and intellectual integrity. "I snapped," Dylan said before closing statements, as part of his last words to the court, explaining his actions. He was stressed at the time as a new parent in mental health court and on probation, he said. Prosecutors with the Minnehaha County State's Attorney's office argued differently, stating Dylan's habitual criminal history and intellectual and manipulative responses during the investigation showed he was aware of his actions against Daxton that day. "His dad is the one inflicting pain," prosecutor Meghan McCauley said as part of her closing arguments. "His dad is the one who took his life." There was no self-defense.Daxton was helpless."The court would be hard pressed to find a case more deserving of life than this one," McCauley argued. 'It wasn't a threat. It was a promise.' But before Theeler heard either side's closing arguments, the state called its last witness of six: Gregory. Gregory was 16 at the time she met Dylan, and the two had dated for roughly two years before Daxton arrived, she said. As she took the stand, prosecutors asked her to recall the details for their relationship, including: How she came to live with his family for a time after leaving a domestic violence situation with her parents in Georgia, with the help of Dylan and his foster mother How the family helped with rent and food when the two eventually moved out into their own apartment How arguments in the house with Dylan often involved him "taking it out on the cat," by tossing it or squeezing it, or taking it out on "his mother or his brother" At one point, police became involved when Dylan broke a door and a coffee machine during a dispute with his mother. Gregor testified she tried to intervene by telling him to stop, but he threw her phone and backed her into a corner before he left the house. He only returned at the behest of his mother, she said. Gregor wanted to leave when she found out she was pregnant, but the physical abuse had escalated to Dylan pulling her hair or putting hands around her throat, she said. He often told her she was "crazy," and at one point, threatened to take away the baby, a moment she only discovered in text messages between him and a sibling, she said. And on one account, she recalled how Dylan drove a vehicle toward her at seven months pregnant, only to swerve and miss her while she was walking and then demand she get in the vehicle or be dragged in. It wasnt a threat, Gregory testified. It was a promise. More: Sioux Falls father of 8-week-old baby pleads 'not guilty' to son's death As she described the day Daxton was born, she recalled the relationship wasnt always bad. There were pictures of family gatherings, first-born memories and cuddles supportive moments. Family brought brownies and ice cream while she was in labor. Dylans mother stayed in the room as Gregorys body contracted in a bath of warm water. And Dylan, who wasnt in the room much during delivery until the epidural, was observant and willing to learn as nurses taught him how to give Daxton his first bath and change those first diapers. There was immense joy, the moment Daxton was laid on Gregorys chest after his birth, she said. Her babys name was a combination of the two names both sides of the family wanted, Daniel and Ashton. In the weeks after, the relationship deteriorated again. I became distant, she said. My entire focus became Daxton. And Dylan was sometimes sweet about fatherhood, while other times, he acted as though it was a chore, she said. They often fought about sex and work, or lack thereof, given Dylan was a convicted felon and she had not had a job toward the end of her pregnancy. And when she wouldnt give him sex, he pinned me down and hed take it, she testified, adding she didnt report the abusive incidents to police, but did report them to friends, to his mother and to his siblings. He hit her in the face once, she said. And it was the one time she said she witnessed Dylan express violence toward her son prior to his death. Though its unclear why, Dylan sat Daxton down too hard in his baby swing and called him a bch, Gregory recalled on the stand. When she went to confront him and protect Daxton, he hit her with an open palm to her face, she said. Dylan Castimore was arrested Nov. 30, 2021, for the death of his 8-week-old. 'Daxton still is everything' But there was no driving away to get away. She also didnt have a license, and never had the opportunity to learn as a teen, she said. Dylan tried to teach her once, but he did it while he was drunk and yelled at her for poorly backing up in a college parking lot. She tried to leave then by exiting the vehicle, but he pulled her back in, and she hit her head on the center console, she stated. Five days before Daxtons death, and the day Gregory started a new job at a restaurant at The Empire Mall, Gregory received a call from Dylan that started to tip the scales. Dylan had taken Gregory to the mall for orientation, which was expected to last 30 minutes. She asked him to stay and walk the mall with Daxton, bottles and diapers in hand, so they could all return home together when she was done and save a trip. Dylan, though, didnt want to be at the mall with a screaming child, she said. He returned home. Ten minutes before orientation ended, Dylan called to tell her their cat had jumped on Daxtons face after being spooked by an apartment dog. He had a bruise around his eye and scratches on his body, Gregory said Dylan told her. He picked Gregory up from the mall, Daxton in his car seat, and they drove to the ER with Gregory sitting beside Daxton the whole way something she did regularly because she never wanted to sit anywhere else in a vehicle once he was born, she said. The moment medical providers told her Daxton was OK, a wave of relief washed over, she said. But then medical personnel had to explain the incident forced them to call child protective services. The story given about the cat didnt line up with Daxtons black eye. Gregory, confused by the statement, struggled to believe what she was hearing. The cat was usually gentle and didnt often interact with Daxton, and she knew the dog Dylan was referring to directly, she said. [The thought of] anyone striking a baby is really hard to believe, she said. Detectives would later learn through video analysis of cameras at the apartment building and Daxtons autopsy, that no such evidence of the cat being spooked by a dog existed and Daxton also had a skull fracture difficult to see otherwise near his eyebrow. And CPS never showed, though its unclear why. Dr. Kenneth Snell, the Minnehaha County coroner who performed the autopsy, testified Thursday the injury was from blunt force trauma that either occurred around the same time as a cat possibly jumping on the baby or the trauma was inflicted. But it was difficult to say which happened because skull fractures cant be dated based on the way they heal. Daxton would die less than a week later after Dylan dropped Gregory off at work, but not before she told Daxton she loved him and shed see him again in a few hours as she climbed out of the car, she said. The next time she would see Daxton would be when she saw his legs on a medical bed from the door of a patient room at Avera Health in Sioux Falls, as nurses tried to keep his heart beating and get his breath to return. She collapsed then, she said, just has she had at work when she got the call from Dylan stating, Daxtons not breathing. An officer drove her to the hospital. She had no other way there. More: Sioux Falls father who allegedly killed 8-week-old son indicted on more charges But Daxton wouldnt recover. And the next time shed see him fully was a couple days after his funeral, she said. He wouldnt crawl or walk or say his first words. He wouldnt get a first birthday, a graduation or a relationship and child of his own years down the line. Daxton was everything, she said, adding the grief has forced her to weigh taking her own life at times. Daxton still is everything. Gregory briefly and vaguely recalled telling the detective, (Dylan) could have paid more attention, at the hospital, but she didnt want to believe someone could hurt a child the way Daxton had been hurt, she testified. All the moments she left her son alone ran through her head after his death. She didnt want to believe the autopsy that showed multiple large skull fractures and contusions to his body, and fractures to ribs from injuries seven to 10 days prior, she said. Believing the injuries may have been tied to CPR or medical intervention was easier. Only after she broke up with Dylan and then talked with the Sioux Falls detective on the case the first time, did the gravity sink in, she said. After that, she said stayed with friends until she found her own apartment. My son didnt get to live, she said on the stand. I dont think its fair he gets to. The only choice, she said, would be for Dylan to get life in prison. 'There are no monsters here' The defense argued to discredit parts of Gregorys testimony, emphasizing the happier moments in the relationship, and pointing to the fact that Gregory continued to stay with Dylans family throughout and a bit after Daxtons death. Prosecutors countered by saying victims of abuse often stay because they hold on to the good times, hoping the relationship will get better. They also pointed toward Dylans efforts to care for Daxton through an app that helped the two monitor his feedings and diaper changes, and that he had been able to hold a job prior to them sharing an apartment. They emphasized the baby had supplies to be cared for, like clothes, a baby tub, a changing table and wipe warmer inside the apartment. They mentioned Dylan showed remorse during the 911 call he made to police the day Daxton died and in moments afterward, and recalled that Dylan was attending mental health court while on probation for prior crimes in attempts to show he was trying to get his life under control. And they shared how Gregory told medical staff she did not have any concern for her own safety, or any concerns Daxton was being abused, when he was treated for the black eye. Instead, they pointed to a moment a week to two weeks before his death, when Gregory tripped while holding Daxton as she climbed the stairs to their apartment, casting doubt as to whether the rib fractures not caused by CPR could have happened then. Gregory emphasized Daxtons body never hit anything and she cradled him close during the incident to prevent that. And Snells autopsy showed the fractures could only be caused by blunt force trauma, which was not enough to be something done during a fall as described by Gregory. Contact between Gregory and Dylan didnt stop until the end of 2022 or January 2023, Dylans attorneys illustrated. No matter what my sentence, I still have to live with myself, Dylan said as part of his last statements to the court. He, and his attorneys, tried to argue that 65 years alone was more than fitting, given sentences for other caregivers or daycare providers who are overwhelmed and snap in a way that results in death are often sentenced to less time. They urged the judge to not base her sentence solely on emotion and said a life sentence would be a vengeance sentencing, when hes already paying the ultimate price by living with the fact he took the life of his son. There are no monsters here, Minnehaha Countys Chief Public Defender Traci Smith argued. More: State not to seek death penalty in 2021 murder case that left a baby dead, according to court documents At least with the mandated minimum, Dylan could have hope: hope to get his GED, hope to complete more classes like the 30 certificates hes earned during his time at the Minnehaha County Jail and hope to mature emotionally and intellectually. Giving Dylan life would take that away, Smith argued. Ill forever remember my failure as a father, he stated to the court, adding he has a tattoo of his sons astrological sign as a constant reminder and Daxtons name carved in his arm, both actions he took after he was booked into jail. Daxton's death shouldn't be for nothing, prosecutor says But the state argued for the judge to look beyond the surface of the incident to what was underneath, the moments of manipulation and foreshadowing toward violence that existed and still exist today. They pointed toward each of the three assault cases he was convicted of between 2018 and 2021 and two others that were dismissed, according to court documents. The incidents involved two ex-girlfriends and his own mother and the door. One of the incidents was mentioned in a March 2024 jail call with his mother, when Dylan said he wished he would have beaten his ex-girlfriend worse than he had because shed wind up dead by another boyfriend otherwise. And another, prosecutors said, played out openly on a 911 call, with Dylan mentioning there would be a blood bath. Prosecutors argued evaluations by experts showed he was at high risk to reoffend, and that the call for Dylans life sentence was based on much more than convictions. He had a habit of misdirecting police, prosecutors argued, from the moment he said Daxton stopped breathing after allegedly choking on formula the day he died, to two or three other stories, until he admitted some responsibility for some of the injuries. He often saw himself as the victim in his own story, shifting blame elsewhere for his own actions, the attorneys stated. He even made up not one, but two instances, of other children he fathered. The two other children, by all accounts from detectives and prosecutors, did not exist. And he managed to "sell the lie" of the cat jumping on to Daxtons face, they said. Dylans admissions are often down-played or self-serving, McCauley said. If someone could fabricate babies, I wouldnt believe a word, she said. They then listed his previous victims names: the two ex-girlfriends, his mother and Gregory. They asked: Arent these names enough or does the court want to risk exposing his rage to more potential victims? Daxtons death didnt happen in an instant. It happened across a 20-minute period in that apartment, with 7 minutes since the last moment Daxton cried to the moment Dylan called police, McCauley reminded the court. The extent of injuries to Daxton were equal to that sign of an infant ejected from a motor vehicle scene, Snell testified Thursday and McCauley reminded the court Friday. If Dylan had had the courage, knowing he was struggling, he should have called CPS himself and asked for help, prosecutors said. Daxton wasnt the first victim, she said. I hope hes the last. The prosecutor urged the judge to give a sentence that could be a symbol of healing and a statement to the community that Sioux Falls would not accept or tolerate such violence. The baby's death should not be for nothing, she cried. Daxtons voice should be the loudest in this room, McCauley said. 'He was a beautiful child' As Theeler laid out all she considered in her ruling, she weighed everything from medical and mental health reports to substance abuse and intellectual reports, to previous convictions, supportive family letters and victim impact letters (some of which included letters from first responders, nurses and a detective an unusual action taken by professionals who see trauma on a regular basis, Theeler said). She weighed Dylans risk to reoffend, how he hid information from police and how he finally told police after sharing different stories, that he dropped Daxton, squeezed him, slapped him and could feel the cracking in his ribs. She weighed how in the two or three days after his death, someone maybe Dylan searched online through his phone to find out how long it takes to get a search warrant. And she accounted for the fact that he wasnt showing any signs of a mental health issue or mental break at the time of Daxtons death, as well as how a month before sentencing Dylan was still indicating violence toward others. I dont believe the evidence supports those arguments (of panic or snapping), Theeler told the court. Dylan made references of feeling better after he came clean to detectives, but Theeler said she had to weigh the unknowns as well. That included: What actually happened in the apartment The fact that it was unclear what CPR technique was used by Dylan during attempts to resuscitate his son, be it child appropriate as instructed by police dispatchers or adult-like compressions And the lack of clarity of the three stories he gave investigators prior to admission She also emphasized she knew both sides of this case understood the gravity of the crime, adding none of what Dylan had been through, and no mental health diagnosis at this point, justified what happened to Daxton. Each decision was just that, a decision after decision, she said. Dylan had multiple opportunities to stay out of the South Dakota State Penitentiary prior to this crime, she said as she referenced probation, life classes and mental health court he was part of prior. Even taking out the medical injuries more broken ribs and a broken clavicle tied to trying to save Daxton, the babys cause of death was still traumatic, Theeler said as she talked through her decision. She addressed Gregory, who sat front row behind prosecutors. He was a beautiful child, Theeler said. And she addressed Dylan. You caused horrific injuries to him, she said, adding he failed as the protector of the child. You arent the victim in this case. The only person she said told the full truth, though, was Daxton, through the contusions displayed on his body. Daxtons little broken body was part of a much larger story, than what Dylan gave police, she said. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Dylan Castimore gets 88 years in prison for killing his 8-week-old, judge rules President Joe Biden will doubtlessly receive praise for this week re-imposing oil and gas sanctions on Nicolas Maduros narco-dictatorship in Venezuela. While the sanctions themselves are a step in the right direction, the presidents conduct is not. This White House should have never lifted the sanctions in the first place, and its policy toward the illegitimate Maduro regime remains inexcusably weak. Last October, the United States waived constraints on Venezuelas state-run oil, gas and gold sectors in exchange for Maduros promise to administer a free and fair presidential election this year and that it collaborate with opposition members. That was a naive decision with devastating consequences. Maduro banned his popular primary opponent, Maria Corina Machado, from running against him. Meanwhile, he used the economic windfall from sanctions relief to replenish his bank accounts and reconsolidate his grip on power. Part of the blame for that falls on Biden. He should have known Maduro would not keep his promises. What incentive does the narco-dictator have to allow the Venezuelan people to vote him out of office? Zero. Beyond that, what is Maduros track record for negotiating in good faith? Again, zero. Moreover, Biden should have re-imposed sanctions as soon as Maduro arbitrarily detained members of Machados campaign team. Last October, I questioned Secretary of State Antony Blinken about this. Would the president reverse course if Maduro broke his promise? Theyre not getting a free pass, the secretary responded. But even when Maduro placed a ban on Machado, Biden only restored sanctions on Venezuelas state-run gold sector. That allowed the narco-regime to rake in roughly billions from oil and gas profits during February, March and early April. Unfortunately, such weakness is nothing new for this White House. In March 2022, the president sent a secret diplomatic delegation to Caracas. In October 2022, he set free two of Maduros narco-nephews, both convicted drug dealers. In November 2022, the president granted Chevron a special license to do business in Venezuela. The following year, he sent another secret delegation to meet with Maduros representatives in Qatar. And in December 2023, the Biden administration released Maduros money launderer, Alex Saab, from a U.S. prison. All five of these decisions, together with last Octobers sanctions relief, have only emboldened Maduro. Just recently, the narco-dictator threatened open war against it neighbor Guyana, a democracy with close economic ties to our government. Meanwhile, Venezuelans are no closer to being free from oppression. In fact, more Venezuelans are political prisoners now than before the Biden administration began its campaign of appeasement. Close to 270 remain in unjust detention, many of them languishing in the El Helicoide torture center. Thousands more are escaping their country. My colleagues and I have repeatedly urged Biden to maintain the 60 country-strong coalition that rejects Maduros legitimacy. Instead of going soft on the narco-dictator, the U.S. should collaborate with democratic partners to impose additional sanctions on him and other members of the Cartel de los Soles and to enforce the 2020 indictment against Maduro and his cronies for terrorism, corruption and drug trafficking. Would these moves solve every problem in Venezuela? No. Nevertheless, they would help constrain the regimes tyranny and diminish its cash flow. I want to see a Venezuela that is free and democratic again. President Bidens strategy of appeasement has only prolonged Maduros grip on power. Florida Republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio was first elected in 2010. Rubio The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Monday over whether local governments trying to fine or arrest unhoused people for camping in public spaces when they have nowhere else to go is cruel and unusual punishment. It is the most important Supreme Court case about homelessness in 40 years, advocates say, and has the potential to affect much broader policy. A decision siding with the small mountain community at its center could let officials penalize unhoused people for sleeping with as little as a blanket outside. >>Read about what Supreme Court justices said at Mondays oral arguments here<< California officials have a strong interest in the case as the state grapples with some of the highest rates of homelessness and housing costs in the United States. Some hope that the court allows cities to ban homeless encampments while others hope it clarifies how they can regulate them. Many California Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Republicans want a lot of the same thing: to be able to restrict and regulate homeless encampments. But many advocates and progressive lawmakers say that would inevitably result in more arrests if people have no other housing options. This idea that California has a homelessness crisis because they cant throw people in jail is just not true. California has a homelessness crisis because housing is too expensive, Jesse Rabinowitz of the National Homelessness Law Center said in an interview on Friday. Penalizing unhoused people is a way for elected officials to push the blame on to people living in poverty instead of taking accountability for the fact that they havent done what is needed to address the homelessness crisis, he said. The number of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. rose a record 12% from 2022 to 2023, with estimates exceeding 653,000 people at that point in time, according to the U.S. Housing and Urban Developments most recent annual report. In California, more than 180,000 people were experiencing homelessness at that given point. Lawmakers across the political spectrum, including Newsom, say lower courts have hindered officials ability to regulate encampments at all, causing health and safety issues for the public and people in them. These legislators are taking neither side in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, referred to as Grants Pass, rather hoping for a narrow interpretation of appellate rulings on homeless encampments that drive the case. By broadly interpreting what constitutes punishing homelessness and what is considered involuntary, they say, judges have prevented officials from evicting encampments even when shelter beds were available. The impediments under Grants Pass and the courts have imposed, its a real issue, Newsom said in a press conference on Thursday. Its not us abdicating, however, responsibility. Housing advocates say penalizing people who cant afford housing would increase homelessness, perpetuate poverty and criminalize a status of homelessness that people already dont want to have. Officials should focus more on bolstering affordable housing and addressing poverty, which disproportionately affects Black, Latino and Indigenous communities, they said. The issue with a narrower ruling that allows some of these restrictions on camping is that officials could perpetually move unhoused people from sidewalk to sidewalk or to shelters that might be worse than the tents or cars they are in, said Veronica Lewis, the director of the Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System in Los Angeles. In an interview on Friday, Lewis said, Theres no recognition of the realities and the root causes of why people are in these situations. You take away a persons choice, Lewis added. Or literally people have to choose with being uncomfortable or feeling unsafe in a shelter setting or eventually, unfortunately, feeling unsafe and having to deal with being institutionalized in jail, which is ultimately going to be the consequence if they dont move. Andrea McChristian of the Southern Poverty Law Center speaks about homelessness issues alongside housing advocates and progressive members of Congress in front of the Supreme Court on April 19, 2024. The Supreme Court is considering City of Grants Pass v. Johnson which questions if fining or arresting involuntarily homeless people for camping in public spaces violates Eighth Amendment protections against cruel or unusual punishment. What is the Supreme Court homelessness case? The question at the center of City of Grants Pass v. Johnson is whether penalizing people for camping in public areas from a parked car to a tent at the park or a blanket on the sidewalk when they have nowhere else to go violates the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishments. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, is expected to release a decision by the end of June. The case originated from a southwest Oregon town of about 40,000 people, Grants Pass, which over a decade ago attempted to ban unhoused people from camping in public spaces. The city council instituted civil citations for people sleeping outside even those using as little as a blanket, pillow or cardboard box that could eventually lead to criminal charges. Grants Pass has one overnight shelter for adults with 138 beds. But the Gospel Rescue Missions Christian focus and tight restrictions make it unpalatable or inaccessible to many. There are about 600 people experiencing homelessness in Grants Pass and the town has is a 1% vacancy rate, which has led judges to determine there is no adequate shelter for unhoused people there. In 2018, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Western states, decided in Martin v. City of Boise that the Eighth Amendment prohibited local governments from criminalizing sitting, sleeping, or lying outside on public property for homeless individuals who cannot obtain shelter. Lawyers representing unhoused residents sued Grants Pass over the ordinances, saying it effectively pushed them out of town. A federal judge in an Oregon court ruled in 2020: Because Grants Pass lacks adequate shelter for its homeless population, its practice of punishing people who have no access to shelter for the act of sleeping or resting outside while having a blanket or other bedding to stay warm and dry constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment. In 2022, the Ninth Circuit agreed: Grants Pass could not enforce its anti-camping ordinances. Civil fines that are deeply intertwined with criminal punishments, like the ones in Grants Pass, were blocked in Western states in its jurisdiction, including California. What do California lawmakers want the Supreme Court to do? Since then, some judges have blocked cities from evicting encampments unless there are enough shelter beds for its entire homeless population. Among other issues, lawmakers have said the Ninth Circuit rulings were confusing and did not properly distinguish what is voluntary versus involuntary homelessness. Newsoms lawyers urged the Supreme Court in a brief toward a narrow interpretation of Martin v. Boise. Local officials should be allowed to restrict the location of encampments and clear them if there is a health or safety threat to the public or people in them, Newsom and other lawmakers argue, while ensuring there are shelter options. In a press conference on funding to address encampments on Thursday, Newsom described touring an encampment that felt like a scene out of one of Raiders of Lost Ark with the amount of rats running around, with needles and feces strewn everywhere. No compassion, no compassion whatsoever, leaving people in those conditions when we had an alternative, Newsom said. But the judge was saying, You cant use that alternative because of this court ruling. Others want Martin v. Boise overturned, including Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. Ho, who is suing the city of Sacramento over its handling of homelessness, argued in a brief submitted to the Supreme Court that the decision failed to chart course for determining if an individual is involuntarily homeless. Republican lawmakers including Reps. Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, and Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale have said courts shouldnt decide how communities regulate encampments. In a brief submitted to the Supreme Court, a lawyer for them and other GOP congressmen urged the Supreme Court to overturn Martin v. Boise to ensure local municipalities are full able to combat the crime that inevitably results from unrestricted homeless encampments. We are urging the Supreme Court to enable local jurisdictions to adopt common sense policies to limit encampments in public spaces, Kiley said in a statement on Thursday. Cities need to be able to act to protect public health and safety, while at the same time connecting those in need with services. Meanwhile advocates and progressive lawmakers including Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, and Linda Sanchez, D-Norwalk say restricting camping when there are no or limited shelter options is inhumane and costly. Said Rabinowitz of the National Homelessness Law Center, which submitted a brief on behalf of those lawmakers, Its time to not only shift away from things that harm people, like jails and handcuffs and fines, and actually fund proven solutions to homelessness, like housing and services. For those facing eviction, faith leaders call for assistance. What they think would help With one simple step, Massachusetts can save hundreds of families from homelessness, protect children from unimaginable trauma and cut the number of people who need space in our overcrowded shelters. It is time we provided poor families and individuals facing eviction what they need most in their hour of need: A lawyer who can help them keep their homes. Imagine being a single mother called in to court to face eviction. If you lose, you and your children face the likelihood of homelessness in a state that has virtually no affordable places to live, and where emergency shelters are full. Lino Covarrubias Rev. Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd And make no mistake about who is mostly evicted in this country. A New York Times story last year showed that mothers with children under 5 years old comprise the largest percentage of people evicted. Black families headed by a single mother are also disproportionately evicted from their homes. Anyone who has ever been to housing court knows what these families face: Complex legal language, often spoken in a different language than their own; court papers that are overwhelming and contain quick deadlines; generic agreements prepared by landlords' attorneys with lopsided terms; and rapid-fire decisions to be made. And if you don't understand the agreement you sign or it's impossible to live up to? Your possessions will be brought to the curb and locked in a storage facility, you will say goodbye to your neighbors, and your children will be separated from their friends and their school. Your family will be living in your car, on a friends couch, or in an emergency room. And yet, those facing this complicated legal crisis where their home is a stake almost never have a lawyer. In 2023, as evictions increased beyond pre-pandemic levels, the Trial Court reports that only 2% to 3% of tenants facing eviction for nonpayment had legal representation, while 90% of landlords had lawyers. We know that access to counsel for the poor in housing courts will dramatically cut evictions. Providing lawyers to low-income individuals and families in court works right now in 17 cities, one county and four states, including Connecticut. In every single place where lawyers are provided to low-income families or individuals in court, the chances of eviction drop dramatically. This is not just humane, it's cost-effective. According to an exhaustive study by The Boston Bar Association, access to counsel saves $2.40 in shelter, health care and other costs for every $1 invested. Attorney General Andrea Campbell and more than 240 organizations concerned with poverty, homelessness, mental health, children and housing are calling for the Legislature to approve access to council bills H.4360 (recently reported favorably by the Judiciary Committee) and S. 864 (currently in the Housing Committee). These bills provide the framework for a statewide Access to Counsel program to provide low-income tenants with legal representation in eviction proceedings in order to prevent increased housing instability and homelessness. The legislation also provides legal assistance to low-income, owner-occupied landlords to make sure they, too, are not without counsel in housing court. Among supporters of access to counsel are WinnCompanies and Beacon Communities, who combine to manage 27,000 apartments statewide. Landlords and tenants, organizations fighting homelessness, health care leaders, faith-based organizations and mayors all agree it's time Massachusetts stepped in with legal help for those facing the trauma of eviction. Please tell your legislator to support access to counsel. Its a moral issue. It is humane, it is fair, it is economical. And it is time. Lino Covarrubias is chief executive officer of Jewish Family Service of Metrowest. Rev. Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd is pastor of the Greater Framingham Community Church. This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Legal help would assist people facing eviction, faith leaders say A woman called Swastika got an apology from Uber after it banned her because of her name Swastika Chandra had her Uber account banned because of her name. Uber eventually apologized to the Australian woman and reinstated her account. Chandra said she's proud of her Hindu identity and her name and wouldn't change it for anyone. An Australian woman was banned from using Uber after the company deemed her first name to be offensive. Swastika Chandra tried to order food from Uber Eats last year, but when she typed in her name, a pop-up told her it violated the company's terms and she'd have change it, she told A Current Affair. Uber's guidelines restrict names that contain potentially offensive words. Swastika comes from a Sanskrit word meaning good fortune or well-being. It's a symbol that has been relevant to many religions across Asia, like Jainism and Buddhism, long before it was co-opted by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis and became associated with antisemitism. "They don't know that the Hindus used it for thousands of years before Hitler used it in the wrong way," Chandra said. Her name was common in Fiji, where she grew up, and which has a large Indian population. "I'm very proud of my name. I believe in the good that comes with it and I'm not changing it for anyone," she told ACA. Five months later, Uber reinstated her account and apologized to Chandra. However, it took interventions by the Hindu Council of Australia and the New South Wales attorney-general, according to ACA. "We have apologised to Ms Chandra for the inconvenience this caused her, and we appreciate her patience as we reviewed the matter, which took longer than we hoped it would," Uber told the program. Uber is no stranger to these types of moderation issues. In 2021, it deactivated a number of accounts of transgender drivers over what it deemed to be fraudulent profile pictures taken after the drivers had transitioned. The company also faced backlash last year after the owner of a Palestinian restaurant in Toronto said Uber Eats had suddenly labeled his restaurant as Israeli. Uber Eats previously told Business Insider that the "unintentional" issue had been fixed. Read the original article on Business Insider Juniors and seniors at Sweet Briar College will have the opportunity to secure a spot in two masters degree in engineering programs after a recent partnership. Sweet Briar College has entered into two agreements with Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia to try and accelerate students paths to obtaining their masters in engineering. In an interview, Sweet Briar President Mary Pope Hutson told The News & Advance she really appreciates the partnership and commitment by UVa and Virginia Tech. These partnerships will allow our students to access programs in the commonwealth and the public sector that are not only critically important for Sweet Briar students, but really, the broader context of advancing women in engineering overall, she said. Virginia Tech agreement Sweet Briar College and Virginia Tech have signed an articulation agreement that will make the two partners part of the Direct to Tech (D2T) program, the college announced previously in a news release. The partnership enables qualified Sweet Briar students to secure an offer of admission to Virginia Techs Master of Engineering graduate programs in computer science or computer engineering before completing their undergraduate degrees, effectively reducing the timeline of the admissions process and facilitating an early transition into graduate school. In the release announcing the partnership, Hutson said she is thrilled to join Virginia Tech in its D2T program. It will enhance our students opportunities by putting women on track to take leadership roles in computer engineering and computer science, technological fields that are of critical importance to Virginia and to the nation, she said. Julie Ross, dean of engineering at Virginia Tech, echoed those sentiments in the release. This will help our institutions provide additional pathways for women to pursue graduate degrees in fields where they are traditionally underrepresented, Ross said. Current Sweet Briar students majoring in any field, can apply to the D2T programs in their senior year. To be eligible for admission, the students must complete certain prerequisite courses by the second semester of their junior year and maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.0, as applicants will apply online and submit official transcripts, but will not have to pay an application fee or submit GRE scores. The partnership agreement, effective immediately, will continue for a five-year term. At the completion of the term, it will automatically renew for another five years, the college said in its release. UVa partnership Sweet Briar College also announced a partnership with the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science to establish a collaborative program called UVAccelerate, facilitating early entry for Sweet Briar students into Master of Engineering degree programs at UVa. Similarly to the Virginia Tech partnership, Sweet Briar students can apply for graduate admission to UVa during their junior year and begin taking graduate-level courses during their senior year, accelerating the completion of their masters degree. Sweet Briar students who have been accepted into the program, will be assigned a dedicated advisor at UVas School of Engineering and Applied Science. UVa engineering advisors will collaborate with students and their Sweet Briar advisor to recommend suitable UVa engineering graduate-level courses for their senior year. These courses are taken in tandem with undergraduate courses at Sweet Briar, and can be taken in person, in Charlottesville or online through the Virginia Engineering Online program. In the fifth year of the 4+1 program, students who have earned their undergraduate degree from Sweet Briar will go directly into their designated UVa Master of Engineering program. UVa President James Ryan said in the colleges release hes grateful to Sweet Briar for working with them on the new partnership. Im delighted to welcome Sweet Briar students to our excellent Engineering School. I look forward to seeing the many ways they will contribute to the UVA community and to their chosen field, Ryan added. Jennifer L. West, dean of the school of engineering and applied science at UVa, said the program is a cost-effective option for Sweet Briar students who want a head start in the engineering field, a field she said women are historically underrepresented. This partnership is a testament to both institutions commitment to expanding access and equity in STEM and we look forward to welcoming Sweet Briar students to the University, she said in the release. The partnership agreement with UVa is effective immediately and will remain so for three years, which may be amended or extended. Hutson told The News & Advance that shes overjoyed by the two partnerships. This is a very positive public-private partnership in the Commonwealth of Virginia, she said. Apr 20 (News On Japan) - Set against the backdrop of contemporary Tokyo, "The Path of Justice" is a gripping courtroom drama that delves into the complexities of legal battles and the moral dilemmas faced by those in the pursuit of justice. The film stars Ken Watanabe as Masato Takahashi, a seasoned and principled public prosecutor who finds himself embroiled in the most challenging case of his career. The story begins when a high-profile case lands on Masato's desk. The defendant, Yumi Nakano, played by Yu Aoi, is a young activist accused of a serious crime that she claims to be a setup to silence her activism. As Masato delves deeper into the case, he uncovers a web of corruption and deceit that extends to the highest echelons of power in the city. Determined to unearth the truth, Masato faces significant obstacles. His superiors press him to wrap up the case quickly with a guilty verdict to prevent any political fallout. Meanwhile, his own sense of justice compels him to pursue the case further, even if it means risking his career. The film portrays his internal struggle and the loneliness of standing against the tide, highlighting the personal costs of seeking justice. As the trial progresses, "The Path of Justice" shifts its focus to the courtroom, where the tension intensifies. Director Hirokazu Kore-eda, known for his intricate storytelling and character-driven narratives, uses the courtroom as a stage for a broader discussion about justice and truth in society. Each witness testimony and legal argument peels back layers of the mystery, gradually revealing the motivations and the societal pressures that shape the actions of individuals. Supporting characters, including a skeptical judge played by Tadanobu Asano and a cunning defense lawyer portrayed by Rinko Kikuchi, add depth to the narrative, each bringing their perspective and biases, thereby enriching the complex tapestry of the storyline. "The Path of Justice" also explores themes of media influence on public perception and legal proceedings. Throughout the film, snippets of media coverage and public demonstrations are interspersed, reflecting the divisive public opinion and the role of media in shaping the narrative around justice and morality. In a climactic turn of events, Masato's pursuit leads him to a critical piece of evidence that could exonerate Yumi but implicates a powerful political figure. Faced with the decision of whether to suppress the evidence or bring it to light, Masato must choose between his duty to his job and his commitment to justice. The film's resolution is a poignant commentary on the sacrifices made in the pursuit of justice and the personal redemption that comes from following one's moral compass, even at great personal cost. Masato's final decision not only resolves the case but also sets him on a new path that might redefine his understanding of what it means to be just. "The Path of Justice" is a thought-provoking film that combines the suspense of a legal thriller with the emotional depth of a drama, exploring the nuances of justice in a society fraught with contradictions. It challenges the audience to ponder the price of truth and the meaning of justice in a world where both can be manipulated. NHK Theatrical release: April 27, 2024 Source: Madison County Republican Party secretary Rick Benson has been appointed to the same role for the Nebraska GOP. In a Nebraska GOP press release, state party chairman Eric Underwood said Bensons experience at the county level made him a good fit for the statewide post. Rick has been an active member of the Republican Party both at his local level and at the state central committee and convention level, Underwood said. Underwood went on to say that Bensons experience recruiting, training and supporting local, state and federal candidates, as well as his efforts to communicate and organize events for the county GOP make him uniquely qualified to serve in the role at the state level. Because of his steadfast commitment to developing relationships all across Nebraska, he will make an excellent addition to the executive committee and brings a strong subset of skills to his new position, Underwood said Benson, who formerly served on the Norfolk City Council, said it was an honor to have been asked to accept the appointment by Underwood. It is truly an honor to work with new leadership of the NEGOP, and I look forward to continuing the vision and objectives of the party. When the executive committee focuses on furthering our Republican principles with the community, all Nebraskans benefit. Bensons appointment will be approved by the state central committee at its next regularly scheduled session. Chad has sent a letter threatening to end security cooperation with the US, a move already taken by neighboring Niger last month amid growing ties between Sahel military-ruled countries and Russia, CNN reported. Sahel countries- Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger together with Chad- have already ended Frances military presence in the region, marking an anti-Western stand. The Chad letter was sent to US defense attache last week threatening to suspend the Status of Forces Agreement SOFA, which governs US army operations in the country. The letter suggests that all US forces would have to leave the NDjamena base, the CNN reported citing four unnamed sources. The letter came from the office of the Chief of Air Staff of Chad, Idriss Amine, the sources said. Most US troops in Chad are in the NDjamena base and their number is estimated at 100. The Chad move would further complicate the US counter-terrorism strategy in the Sahel after Niger, where some 1000 US soldiers are stationed, revoked a similar military cooperation deal. Spain has confirmed it was working on handing over the management of the Sahara air space to Morocco, which has followed a gradual approach to end Spanish colonial residues in the territory. Spain, the former colonial power, has retained control over the Sahara air space from the Canary Islands. The Spanish government said in a written answer to a question by an MP from the Canary Islands that handing over air space control over the Sahara to Morocco was part of the 2023 Declaration, which ushered a new era in Moroccan-Spanish cooperation. The two countries turned the page of an era of diplomatic turbulence after Spain backed the autonomy option for the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty. Sanchezs government has reiterated his countrys position on the Sahara conflict during his most recent visit to Rabat in February. Morocco is one of the friendly countries on which Mali relies to pursue its reconstruction and stabilization, Malian Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maiga, said. Maiga made the remarks when receiving the Moroccan delegation which participated in the Week of Malian Expert Surveyors (April 18-20), where the Kingdom was the guest of honor. The Malian PM underlined that Morocco is a brother and friend country with which Mali has historical relations. In this regard, he commended the Kingdoms continued support for Mali, as well as the special bilateral relations, noting that on the high instructions of King Mohammed VI, Morocco has always endeavored to stabilize the situation in Mali. Our two countries do not share joint borders, but we have brotherly and friendly relations, he said, adding that this shows the density, depth and solidity of the links between the two countries. Given the historical relations, Morocco seems as a bordering country of Mali. It is therefore godfather, brother and friend, he underlined, noting that the citizens of the two countries must have a clear awareness of the specificity of the relations between Morocco and Mali. Maiga highlighted the brotherhood and friendship ties between the peoples of the two countries, stressing that the Kingdom is a favorite destination for Malians. Recalling the historic Moroccan-Malian cooperation, he said that the Mohammed VI Perinatal Clinic in Bamako, inaugurated in July 2022, is a model of this exemplary cooperation, and highlighted the efforts made by Moroccan doctors to transmit knowledge to their Malian peers. Besides Morocco, as the guest of honor, the Mali Surveyor Week, held April 18 20 in Bamako, saw the participation of several African countries, including Cote dIvoire, Senegal, Niger, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Benin, and Togo. A delegation of the National Order of Topographic Surveying Engineers (ONIGT) of Morocco, led by its president, Khalid Yousfi, actively participated in the event, meant to stimulate investment for economic growth, and promote collaboration between African countries in the field of topographic engineering. ONIGTs participation in this week underscores our dedication to these core principles and our aspiration to facilitate fruitful collaboration among all African nations, particularly between Morocco and Mali, to bolster excellence in topographic engineering, said ONIGT in a statement. ONIGT provided financial support for the event, demonstrating thus its commitment to capacity building and the exchange of expertise between the two countries. On the sidelines of the event, ONIGT and OGE Mali signed a partnership agreement, marking the start of a promising collaboration between the two sides in the field of topographical engineering. This collaboration aims to promote the harmonious development of the surveying engineering profession in Africa, with an emphasis on securing land rights, a fundamental element in stimulating investment and economic growth. Registration has opened for youth tractor and equipment safety training courses. These annual courses will be held at eight sites across Nebraska in late May and early June. The trainings are held in collaboration with Nebraska Extension and the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health. While designed for 14- to 15-year-old students, the courses are open to all interested in learning more about the safe operation of tractors and related equipment. Nebraska Extension began the tractor safety course more than 50 years ago. Since 2013, when the CS-CASH and Extension partnership began, more than 1,200 young Nebraska farmers and ranchers have received safety training certification. The training can be lifesaving. From 2001 through 2015, 48% of all fatal injuries to young, hired workers occurred in agriculture, and the leading cause of death in these young workers was tractor-related accidents. Federal law prohibits children under 16 from using certain equipment on a farm unless their parents or legal guardians own the farm. However, certification received through this course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with certain mechanized equipment. Certification is earned by completing a hands-on safety day with a written test on the first day, followed by a tractor and equipment safety training course, including a driving exam, on the second day. Successful completion will result in certification for 14- and 15-year-old youth to be employed on farms and ranches. The education team will include Dr. Aaron Yoder, UNMC associate professor and CS-CASH researcher. Yoder will be joined by CS-CASH team members Dr. Risto Rautianen, Ellen Duysen and Kelsey Irvine, and Extension educators Randy Saner, Dr. Alfredo DiConstanzo, John Thomas and Ron Seymour. The first day of the course will cover required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program, including quizzes that students must pass to attend the driving portion of the training. The second day will include a driving test, equipment operation and ATV safety lessons. Students must demonstrate competence in hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course. The two-day course will include lessons on emergency first aid, personal protective equipment use, ATV/UTV safety and livestock handling. The course costs $40 and includes educational materials, lunch on both days and supplies. Youth under 14 can register for and attend Certification on day one if accompanied by an adult. They cannot drive equipment, attend day two or become certified. Students under 14 must still register but will not be charged the registration fee. Training locations include: Day 1 Training: Hands-on training and written certification exam. May 21 North Platte: Lincoln, Logan, McPherson County Extension Office, 348 W. State Farm Road. May 28 West Point: Cuming County Fairgrounds, West Washington St. May 30 Weeping Water: Cass County Fairgrounds, 8400 144th St. June 5 Gordon: Gordon, 613 E. 3rd St. June 11 Grand Island: Raising Nebraska Building, 501 E. Fonner Park, Suite 100. Day 2 Training: Tractor and Equipment Safety Training with Driving Exam. May 22 North Platte: Lincoln, Logan, McPherson County Extension Office, 348 W. State Farm Road. May 29 West Point: Cuming County Fairgrounds, West Washington Street. May 31 Weeping Water: Cass County Fairgrounds, 8400 144th St. June 4 Gering: Legacy of the Plains Museum, 2930 Old Oregon Trail. June 6 Gordon: Gordon, 613 E. 3rd St. June 7 ONeill: AKRS Equipment, 49110 U.S. Highway 20. June 12 Grand Island: Raising Nebraska Building, 501 E. Fonner Park, Suite 100. June 13 Hastings: Adams County Extension, 2975 S. Baltimore Ave. Please note that Gering, Hastings and ONeill only offer day two training and to qualify for complete certification youth must attend day one at another location or complete a virtual module. Certification Day 1 (or online module) must be completed, passing the written exam, before attending Certification Day 2. To register, go to unmc.edu/publichealth/cscash/outreach/farmsafety-days.html. Anyone with questions about scheduling should contact Ellen Duysenvia email at: ellen.duysen@unmc.edu. Some 30 to 40 people carried picket signs in North Platte Thursday, calling on the U.S. Postal Service to scrap its plans to move most western Nebraska mail sorting to Denver. We wager each one of those sign-holders represented 3,000 or more fed-up people in the 691 ZIP codes. It isnt just us. Two days earlier, in Washington, D.C., a U.S. Senate committee let Postmaster General Louis DeJoy have it because his so-called Delivering for America reorganization plan is delivering the exact opposite everywhere it has been implemented. It was bad enough for greater Nebraska 30 years ago when that eras Postal Service bigwigs basically abolished local mail sorting in favor of a handful of regional processing centers. One of them was built in North Platte. Now even its on the verge of being downsized into a local processing center that wont process incoming local mail. No, really. Even cross-town North Platte mail will go to Denver and back. The Postal Service admitted as much at a March 28 information meeting. Richmond, Virginia, was the first target of DeJoys plan last summer. Since it was implemented, Virginias mail delivery rate has plummeted from 89% to a nations worst 66%, the Richmond Times-Dispatch has reported. Texas has reported similar problems, as has the Atlanta area since its metro-area sorting was consolidated. DeJoy said at Tuesdays D.C. hearing that itll take months to smooth things out, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. At the same hearing, U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission Chairman Michael Kubayanda said on-time delivery in the Atlanta area had collapsed to 36% for first-class mail and 16% in March for letters and cards. Do you think that one of your private-sector competitors would have rolled out a new system that would reduce on-time delivery to 36% and then say its going to take months to fix it? U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff asked DeJoy. Then he added: I wrote you on March 14. Did you get my letter? DeJoy said he hadnt read it, the Atlanta paper wrote. Look: Every corner of this country deserves far better from our government than just maintaining North Plattes type of status quo on mail delivery. We get the argument, sort of, about sending bulk mail and even some packages through centralized sorting centers in North Platte or even Denver. But Nebraska has exactly four cities of 50,000 people or more and just 16 with 10,000 or more. Most of our local post offices count their incoming or outgoing mail in the low thousands. Or hundreds. A few dozen. Or less. Does the Postal Service really expect us to believe it cant keep mail staying in the same ZIP code (or two, like North Plattes 69101 and 69103) at its local post office to be put in the right bags or boxes for delivery? Dont try selling western Nebraskans on that. Just one winter blizzard exposes its insanity. It was a foolish idea in the 1990s. Its foolish today. Yes, North Platte wants to keep its regional Postal Service center. But dont tell us this new system is efficient. The old one isnt, either. the national interest J.D. Vance Says Trump Was Right to Try to Steal the Election, Because of Twitter The most ludicrous rationale yet. Pro-Palestinian student protesters continued to rally at Columbia University on Friday after mass arrests and the suspension of three student activists the previous day. Photo: Anadolu via Getty Images On Wednesday, students at Columbia University and its womens college, Barnard, pitched tents on the lawns at the schools campus commons. They planned to stay until Columbia divested from companies that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine, as an Instagram page for Columbia University Apartheid Divest put it. But Columbia had no intention of allowing students to remain in their tents. On Thursday morning, Columbia president Nemat Shafik authorized the NYPD to break down the Gaza Solidarity Encampment and make arrests for trespassing. More than 100 people were arrested. Shafik also suspended three Barnard students involved in the encampment: Isra Hirsi, Maryam Iqbal, and Soph Dinum. Hirsi is the daughter of Representative Ilhan Omar, who at a House hearing a day earlier questioned Shafik about what she called the universitys harsh response to pro-Palestinian activism on campus. Student demonstrations continued Friday at Columbia and have spread to other campuses around the country. In an interview on Friday, Hirsi explained why she feels her organizing work is so important, what it means to be suspended, and how she feels about the timing of her suspension. I wanted to start with your organizing work. Could you tell me how you got into the organizing that youre doing right now, and how long have you been doing it? CU Apartheid Divest kind of reignited this school year when Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace had been suspended. Ive already been an active participant in all of their actions. And I am a student club leader. And so when the coalition was being built and was looking for student organizations to sign on, that is when I got involved, by signing on. And so Ive been involved with CUAD since October. Can you explain why this work is important? Absolutely. I think that being a student at a university that directly is complicit in this genocide going on is terrifying. And I think as students, we have a responsibility to do what we can to tell the university that we are not okay with this, but also theres just like, we have actively been organizing for months on end with no response or really not being able to move the needle. And with taking inspiration from alums, from basically our ancestors from 1968, we have learned that taking up space on campus is probably the best way to help make waves and be able to push our demands, which are divestment, transparency of Columbias investments, and amnesty for the current students being repressed and those that have already been repressed. Obviously Thursday was not the first time that Columbias cracked down on pro-Palestinian activism on campus. You mentioned the chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. Were you surprised when the school suspended it? Honestly, no. I think that it was expected. I feel like the school says that they care about free speech, but they really dont. And the minute that the students use their free speech, they feel threatened. And so I think that the suspension of our SJP [chapter] comes also in the wave of so many other universities cracking down. And so I think that the universitys president felt, I dont know, somewhat obligated with the pressure that shes receiving from other sides as well. However, that suspension has not stopped SJP or JVP in their organizing or continuing to fight what they believe in, because being recognized by the university is not end-all, be-all for fighting for Palestine. What was it like at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on Wednesday? I would say honestly, it was beautiful. I think that we have so many people who are ready to go and dedicated and willing to basically withstand the elements to keep ourselves there and to continue fighting. We just had so many beautiful prayers. We were able to sing songs, people were playing games. It was just like such a sense of community. And as we further continued, it was just even more inspiring to see the student body also react and feel compelled to join and stand in solidarity with us. I think that also really made being in the camp and sleeping in the camp that much better. Did you know that by participating in the encampment you were risking suspension? Yes, I did know that. As did every single one of the participants. Why was it important to go ahead with the protest in that case? We just knew that the way that we had been moving wasnt loud enough, and we knew that the university was going to crack down regardless. But our demands were very thorough and we really wanted to fight for them, and so we were willing to take that risk. It goes the same with the rest. Its like we know that the university has some responsibility or a responsibility to keep the student body safe. And theyre saying that we were not keeping people safe and harming the campus community. But we all know that that wasnt the case, and we stand pretty firmly in that. And I think that the fact that we also were all in it together, I think, made us feel a lot better. And also the solidarity, like I said, of our peers, despite being suspended and arrested, the encampment is still going strong at this moment. And I think that says a lot. And to see how many folks, from actors to writers to politicians come into the camp and support us has been monumental for us to understand that what we are doing has done something, and we have somewhat, I would say, achieved a part of our goals. Its my understanding that you were one of three Barnard students who were suspended for organizing on Thursday. Is that right? Yes. Only three Barnard students, which includes me, were suspended on Thursday at 10 a.m. But as of right now, multiple well, not multiple, I would say the majority of the arrested students have been suspended at this moment. They just all received the suspensions today [on Friday]. Can you explain what happens when somebodys suspended? To be honest, I dont really have that much clarity myself, which I think is a little bit concerning. But its basically an interim suspension, which means that I am suspended until a hearing is had and a decision is actually met for all of the Barnard students. They have specifically locked us out of our buildings, locked us out of our dining plans, were not allowed to attend class, were not allowed to submit assignments, and we are not allowed to No, I think thats it. I received the notice while in camp, and it said that I was immediately not allowed into my dorm, and the only way for me to get in would be if I had a public safety escort and they would put 15 minutes on the clock. So I refuse to do that. When you announced that you were suspended on Thursday, you mentioned that there are two other Barnard students who were suspended at the same time. Do you have any sense of why the school suspended the three of you in that moment in particular? Well, one, I think this is pretty clear retaliation. The other two students had recent disciplinary hearings with the university, or sorry, with the college regarding their organizing with SJP and JVP. But also, the three of us had made ourselves pretty known to the press as students in the encampment, and I think that that had a lot to do with it. But to be honest, Im a little bit unsure. The group of folks who were suspended after us, that was almost 24 hours after the fact. So I think that the school was waiting for, probably, NYPD arrest records to find out who to suspend because there were two folks that were suspended that were not in camp, and then a few hours later, it was revoked, once the school realized that. Your suspensions attracted a lot of attention in part because the day before it happened, your mom, Representative Ilhan Omar, had asked President Shafik about the universitys repression of pro-Palestinian activism at a House hearing. What do you think about that timing? I mean, it is what it is. Columbia University had to answer to the way that they had been moving. And also, my mother has been a consistent advocate for free speech. And I think that the way that this university has been moving is very concerning. And its a little bit hypocritical in the sense that at every single one of our protests or our events, there have been counter protesters that are also unsanctioned. And despite that, we are the only ones really facing that kind of oppression. The university only published the suspension of the students who engaged in an event regarding Palestine and resistance, while the students who sprayed us with chemical weapons, that information wasnt known. And I think that, especially for somebody who has a daughter at a university that is moving in the way that it does, I think that it was very imperative for her to ask these questions. What kind of effect do you think the police raid will have on Columbia and Barnard students? Im honestly not sure. I guess Im curious myself. I think that a lot of people are outraged at whats going on, and I think that the university is facing a lot of pressure. And I think that theyll definitely have to, I guess, answer to the way that they have moved. I think its especially because the NYPD themselves said that the encampment was peaceful. They were called by Columbia rather than finding they needed to make arrests on their own. And so I think that we might see a trend in which what happened with other professors, or not professors, other presidents in the way that they have decided to handle their students and things like that. But I dont know. I think that [President] Shafik is definitely under a lot of fire and has to respond to it very quickly so that shes able to maintain her place. How do you feel when you look at whats going on right now on campus, with the protests tonight? I stand in solidarity with those folks. I really appreciate the fact that they had stepped up the minute in which we were arrested. I think that it really showcases how much the student body really cares and also is willing to fight against this repression with us. Yeah, I think its just such a beautiful way of solidarity. And I really am hoping and praying that they can make it through the night without a sweep. I think that its also a little bit of a different situation as they dont have as many tents, and I think that that mightve been the problem the university had. What else would you like people to know about the Gaza Solidarity Encampment and what was actually going on there? I feel like everything that was going on there was pretty standard. If you can imagine, whenever we felt like we were facing any kind of intense repression from the university or there was the possibility of an imminent sweep, there would be a call-out to the community and they would come immediately to support us. I mean, the student community that is. As for the solidarity outside, I think thats beautiful too. However, I think that the violence that the NYPD has enacted is really scary, and I hope that moving forward we are able to maintain these demands, and hopefully get them answered. We even have an action or a march plan tomorrow just for Palestine, or specifically for Gaza and whats been happening with the bombings right now, and also in solidarity with the encampment. Have you received any support from faculty and staff at Barnard in Columbia, and if so, what does that support mean to you? I think that it means a lot to me. Ive had former professors that Ive had reach out to me and tell me that theyre in solidarity and that they also believe in the students right to free speech. Ive had multiple of my own professors reach out to me and let me know that theyre here for me in a difficult time, especially because I do not have all of my belongings. And I think its a little bit scary to be in a city without a home so quickly and so immediately. And so, because Im not able to go to any of my classes or spin any assignments, theyve really stepped up in letting me know that I do not need to worry, which has been really helpful in making me feel a little bit sane. And also, I dont know, everybody has really taken a very large step in backing us, especially the larger community when it comes to providing resources, whether that be food, donations for those that have been evicted, and thankfully, I feel safe enough and I have a place to stay in this interim period. Anything else youd like to add? If anything, I do want to say that the Gaza Solidarity Encampment is one of many, and were actively seeing a growing movement happening across the country at college campuses. And this follows Vanderbilt and Pomona and their, I would say, strong actions that they have already taken. And so a lot of us just feel like this is the least that we could do as students who go to such an elite institution that is complicit in this scenario. I guess were seeing that there are solidarity encampments all across the country at the moment as well as walkouts, and so its really beautiful to see that everybodys fighting. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Photo: Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times Mike Johnson, the accidental Speaker of the House, has spent his seven months in power trying to be everything to everyone. Hard-right conservatives found him too squishy, like when he worked with Democrats to keep the government open, and establishment Republicans found him too conciliatory to the hard right for his attempts to appease MAGA diehards. When it came to Ukraine, though, he managed to alienate both sides of his conference. Beginning last fall, the Biden administration issued increasingly dire warnings that Russia would roll over Ukraine if Congress didnt fund more weapons for Kiev. For Reagan Republicans, it was a no-brainer, but for MAGA diehards, it was anathema to their America first beliefs. Facing a potential ouster like his predecessor Kevin McCarthy, Johnson dithered. Even after the Senate passed comprehensive legislation meant to sweeten Ukraine funding with money for Israel and Taiwan, he dithered for another two months. Eventually the pressure grew. Establishment Republicans were ready to sign a discharge petition, a rarely used procedural tool that would go around Johnson and force a vote on the package. Then Marjorie Taylor Greene offered a motion to vacate that would put Johnsons job up to a vote, which she could activate if he moved to help Ukraine. Finally this week, facing what his Democratic counterpart Hakeem Jeffries called a Churchill or Chamberlain moment as Ukrainian forces run out of ammunition, Johnson chose to spurn the MAGA right and decide that the House should move forward on a similar bill that the Senate passed months ago. Now, with his conference divided, Johnson an ardent social conservative who helped bolster Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election is relying on Democrats to supply the votes he needs. I thought it was a profile in courage to do the right thing and be on the right side of history because history will judge this vote, said Mike McCaul of Texas, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee and backs aid to Ukraine. Hes incredibly courageous, said another backer, John Duarte of California, as he pointed the finger at a handful of his colleagues who were more focused on celebrity ahead of policy. Duarte didnt name names, but CNN broadcasted Marjorie Taylor Greene silently walking away from reporters on live television Friday. Ukraine funding enjoys strong bipartisan support in the polls and in Congress, but not among the unruly faction of hard-right Republicans who have made the House almost ungovernable in the past two years. As a result, Johnson has spent his entire tenure in office being forced to cooperate with Democrats on all major legislation. Right now we essentially have a unity government with the Democrats, Matt Gaetz said earlier this week. Thomas Massie of Kentucky who has signed on to Greenes effort to oust Johnson, shared similar sentiments. Its not a stable situation where a Republican speaker is speaker only by virtue of Democrats voting for him. Massie referenced a past Republican speaker, noting the Hastert rule. If you remember, say that if the majority of the majority doesnt support it, you dont bring it to the floor. I think the Johnson rule is if 80 percent of Democrats dont support it, you dont bring em to the floor. That bipartisan coalition was emphasized on Friday when, on a procedural vote that traditionally falls on party lines, 165 Democrats joined with 151 Republicans to advance a measure to provide aid to Ukraine as well to Israel and Taiwan. If relying on Republicans alone, the procedural motion would have failed miserably, but instead it set up the likely passage of Ukraine aid as part of a series of votes on Saturday as well as making Greenes effort to defenestrate Johnson far more likely to happen as well. This only increased the mounting discontent among the hard right of Johnsons conference. When asked if Johnson was being courageous, Representative Eli Crane said, If you mean courageous by putting his career on the line, then absolutely hes being courageous. The first term Arizona Republican added, I dont think hes being courageous. I think the exact opposite. I think hes fallen right in line with what the swamp uniparty expects from its leadership, that you will fall in line and you will put Americans last. Crane was one of the eight House Republicans who pushed Kevin McCarthy out in October. Of the current speaker, he said, Honestly, its tough to defend him right now and thats hard to say, but its just a reality. Bob Good of Virginia, who joined Crane in that effort last year, went even further, saying that Johnson had failed us. Yet there was still some skepticism even among Johnsons most ardent critics on the right about ousting him. It wasnt that they didnt feel frustrated and sold out by him, they just werent sure that there were any better options left. With six months left until Election Day, not only was there a sense from many that there was little to be accomplished by removing Johnson, but that there was only downside risk in that it would allow him to be replaced by either a more establishment Republican or, even worse, Jeffries. Instead, they regarded Johnson as a lame duck who could be dealt with after November. Even Massie, who supported the effort to push out Johnson, simply saw it as a tool to pressure him to resign. But its unclear whether all his skeptics within the House GOP conference are being as strategic. Green accused Johnson of treason over Ukraine, telling reporters he is literally betraying the American people in order to keep his grip of power on the speakership. The community and a local Christian non-profit came together to support a family grieving the sudden death of a student at Wrights Mill Road Elementary. Esperanza House organized a GoFundMe that brought in over $28,000 for the family of Erick Chavez Lopez, the 10-year-old who died on April 5. His cause of death remains unknown, Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton said. "Right now, the parents cannot work," said Odalys Silvera, the founder of Esperanza House. "We're trying to help the family as much as we can with that money. So everything's gonna go. Every penny that is raised is for the family." Esperanza House, an organization committed to serving Hispanic families, also organized a meal plan to support the parents and their children. Child's cause of death hasn't been determined Erick was a member of the Esperanza House tutoring program. He died after developing stomach-related issues, but his family is still looking for answers to his cause of death, Silvera said. Silvera said the boy was in school on April 2 when his parents checked him out of school early, because he was vomiting and had a fever. He stayed home the next day. He went to school the next day after the symptoms subsided, according to the GoFundMe. However, the parents got a call again to check him out early, because he was vomiting. According to GoFundMe, he was able to eat and drink that afternoon. Later in the evening, his condition worsened. He was taken to a local pediatricians office before he was rushed to the hospital. Erick died early on the morning of April 5. Erick leaves behind his parents, Miriam Lopez Lopez and Victor Manuel Chavez Miranda, and four siblings. Sexton told the Opelika-Auburn News they are still awaiting the results of the autopsy to confirm the cause of death. The funeral for Erick was held on Monday at Lakeview Baptist Church. Auburn City Schools shared a statement on the situation, which said that the school system has cooperated fully with the students family and medical professionals. Additionally, Auburn City Schools said that, with guidance from the Alabama Department of Public Health, ACS officials have been informed that there is no public health concern related to Erick's death. "Auburn City Schools shares in the profound sadness of this loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Chavez Lopez family during this incredibly difficult time. We want to emphasize that school counselors have been and will continue to offer unwavering support services to students, faculty, and staff who have been affected," the statement read. The connection between the family and Esperanza House Silvera is from Cuba and moved to Lee County 13 years ago. She said that she immediately saw the needs facing Hispanic families in the area and wanted to start Esperanza House to help. "We saw the need for the Hispanic community. A lot of them didn't speak English. They didn't know how to register in school," Silvera said. "So that's how we started helping them to be able to navigate with the school system." Silvera said it started with the founding families of Esperanza House 10 years ago. The organization has grown since then to offer tutoring services, a food distribution program and youth camps. Silvera said Esperanza House now has first generation college students that started with their programs several years ago. Esperanza House started with six children, and now its grown to serving 85 families and 278 children across Auburn, Opelika and Loachapoka. One of those children was Erick. Silvera said Erick's family has been with Esperanza House for seven years. She said he was still involved with Esperanza House and was even at their office a short time before he died. "He would come over here to this place the last year to do tutoring. So he was here like a week ago. So I know the family very well," Silvera said. "Maybe like two weeks ago, we did a health fair and they were there helping. The dad is a leader within the community, like helping with the families, helping Esperanza house. So it's just a really neat relationship we have with them." She was at the hospital on April 5 to support the family and was there when they heard the news that Erick had died. Esperanza House offers support for the family From that point, Silvera and the rest of Esperanza House stepped up immediately and began creating a meal plan system where families would be delivering meals to the family. Silvera said it was set up for 31 families to provide meals over 31 days, but she believes even more families have signed up to be a part of it. After that, Silvera said she heard from a mom at Wrights Mill Road Elementary School that wanted to know if there were other ways to help. Silvera took the idea of a GoFundMe to the board and it was approved and opened on April 7. The initial goal listed $15,000, and Silvera explained that a key part of the funding is that, through the meal plan, families have stopped by the Chavez Lopez's home and seen the need. "It's allowed people from the community that, they see what happened, and when they bring a meal, they can see the need of this family," Silvera said. "This is a high need, they need support." And that is exactly what they have received from the community that is now stretching far beyond Esperanza House. The GoFundMe soared past $15,000 in a few days and now, as of Friday, it has reached $28,137. "I mean, we are amazed...only God can do this. This is a family that the children do not qualify for Medicaid, they don't qualify for insurance, they don't have it," Silvera said. "We are thankful with the community support, we're going to be able to support this family not only short term, but long term." Silvera said that the events and the fundraising have brought additional eyes to the work of Esperanza House, but she emphasized that the family, not her organization, should be the focus. "Its not about Esperanza House its about, this time is about Erick and Erick's family. We want to thank the community support, everything that they have done for Erick," Silvera said. Silvera said the plans are to put the money in an account with Auburn Bank and every cent will be going toward supporting the family. Donations can be made directly through the GoFundMe here, or you can call the Esperanza House at 334-758-4154. Esperanza House is located at 1908 Opelika Road in Auburn. I really hope that she'll sue them and burn them down, it's a trash magazine and it's about time that it gets called out Bold of them to post the uncensored pictures, usually in the print version the photos have always been censored when a minor is involved and the picture is not a photoshoot or the parent hasn't given consent, as per Italians law, maybe they though they could get away with it on social media? Reply Thread Link Past me would have looked up the pics bc I'm nosy, ngl smh Reply Thread Link Also, is that Miles Teller? because he has been identified as "the boater" on some sites reporting the news, but it looks like Miles Teller ... LA PROSSIMA EDIZIONE DEL #GrandeFratello SI SVOLGERA A RIKERS ISLAND ( DOVE IL #PELATOMALEFICO VERRA RINCHIUSO) DURATA DEL #REALITY ERGASTOLO ... . @blakelively SISTER I AM WITH YOU ... . #CHI #ALFONSOSIGNORINI #BLAKELIVELY #GATE #GATELIVELY #GF pic.twitter.com/Q477SloRop . . . . . . (@realtizianapp69) April 19, 2024 Edited at 2024-04-20 12:33 am (UTC) I've luckily only seen censored versions on the tweets about it, it's one of the rare cases where people are being more respectful than a magazineAlso, is that Miles Teller? because he has been identified as "the boater" on some sites reporting the news, but it looks like Miles Teller Reply Parent Thread Link oh love her for this! Reply Parent Thread Link Ugh that's so gross. I won't even post any pics or anything of the kids in my family publicly because of ped0s. Reply Thread Link even without considering the creeps and pedos online, they still are kids and have right to privacy Italian law is very clear on protecting kids in this sense and pictures of minors on papers / tabloids are always censored unless there is consent from parents or a really serious reason (like a disappeared child that must be found), so Chi not only violated these kids' rights, they broke the law in publishing uncensored pictures of them Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah all around terrible. Reply Parent Thread Link She's in the right! Hope she sues! Plus Chi is trash, they were the ones to publish pics of the actual car crash that killed Princess Diana. I think by chance I saw one of the photos and she was slouched over. I remember feeling for William and Harry cause no kid should have to deal with that. Reply Thread Link I didn't know about the Diana pictures, but it does not shock me, Chi and Signorini are trash and I really hope that Blake will destroy them edit to add that I do remember them posting topless sunbathing pics of Kate Middleton...seriously , fuck Chi Edited at 2024-04-20 12:25 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I remember that topless scandal!! I didn't know it was them who did it!! I thought it was one of the british tabloids!! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Wasn't it a French magazine that published the topless Kate pictures? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think Italian tabloids have an especially notorious reputation, because even Tintin parodied them in The Castafiore Emerald. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I didnt even know that about Diana! Ive never heard of those pictures. Thats disgusting. Reply Parent Thread Link I really hope she sues!!!!!! influencer-types reading this must be baffled at not using their kid as clout Reply Thread Link I dont understand.. why is she calling the post trash if its just photos of her kids? Such a weird thing to say. I still dont get the obsession tabloids have with publishing photos of children. Its so creepy. Reply Thread Link she has the right to chose to protect the privacy of her children and not get them photographed from a distance while on vacation, and get their faces plastered on social media Also, it's generally illegal in Italy to publish uncensored pictures of a minor's face without consent of the parents Reply Parent Thread Link I dont disagree. It seems like everyone read this completely differently from my intention. I havent seen the post, but unless it was altered by the tabloid in some gross way why call photos of your own children trash? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link You answered your own question really. Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, your second paragraph answers your question?! Reply Parent Thread Link trash is referring to them publishing the photos/the photos existence, not saying the content of the photos is trash Reply Parent Thread Link I see we're upgrading "ONTD doesn't read" to "ONTD reads but doesn't comprehend" Reply Parent Thread Expand Link A friend who has kids and never really posts their faces shared the other day a reels of a woman explaining how the network of p3d0s work on instagram and its so fucking disgusting and disturbing how easy it is for them Reply Thread Link I made someone angry on IG by talking about kid exploitation and they said something like oh youre a parent? Wouldnt know it from your profile! as an insult. Im like, yay glad I could do the easiest thing possible for my kids safety! Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah I remember years someone mentioning on here seeing a case of a mom that posted pics of her kids on facebook until people alerted her that they were be placed on some porn sites or something like that which horrified the mom. Reply Parent Thread Link it goes so much deeper and is way more prevalent than people think. it's terrifying. idk how people share anything with kids tbh Reply Parent Thread Link there's a woman on TikTok who has been told multiple times that her daughter's videos were found on certain websites and she just doesnt care bc the money is too good Reply Parent Thread Link The NYT recently did a deep dive on that. I think it was also posted here. It was chilling. Reply Parent Thread Link I have a friend (who is absolutely not an influencer) who keeps posting pics of her kid and using the kids name, tagging their home street and im pretty sure she even tagged his kindergarten considering she also keeps updates on whenever they are not home, im shocked they havent been robbed yet. Reply Parent Thread Link Usually I'd say it's incredibly stupid, and I hope she gets burgled to learn her lesson, but with children involved it's a whole nother level of ignorance and danger! So instead I truly hope nothing happens to the kids! :( Reply Parent Thread Link Good for her. I also hope she remembers the rights of children the next time she's out there praising/ working with Woody Allen. Reply Thread Link she seems pretty private about her kids, we still don't even know the name or gender of the youngest, do we? Reply Thread Link i'm impressed they've been able to keep it quiet. I wonder if she didn't care about keeping her older daughters' names and assigned sexes private or just got lucky this time that it didn't leak out. Reply Parent Thread Link yah that is surprising but good for them! iirc the only time we found out about the middle two kids' names was when Taylor Swift revealed she used them for her song "betty," I think? They always seem to keep things pretty private with regards to the kids, which honestly, considering that the parents seem like they can't live without attention (especially Ryan), is kind of impressive. At least they're keeping their kids out of their fame shenanigans. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think we do now but it took the UK press ages to find one the names and genders of the two youngest kids of Andy Murray. It's made when you realise some people can keep this shit private. Reply Parent Thread Link I think it's another girl. I remember reading an article shortly after the baby was born where Ryan was at some event (press for something) and he was joking about "naming his daughter Cocaine Bear." Reply Parent Thread Link Good for her for calling them out, I hope she sues them. No magazine should ever publish picture of kids Reply Thread Link loving this anti-influencer mom energy! good for her Reply Thread Link Good on her! Id probably get the same reaction from my sister if I posted a photo of her children on social media and we arent even famous (obviously) Reply Thread Link Good! I find it disturbing how the media posts images of children without the parents' consent. Blake Lively is a human being first, a public figure second. I hope laws become stricter over this because it's so gross what people do to images of children on the Internet. Reply Thread Link I applaud her for taking no shit when it comes to the privacy of her kids. I truly feel that there should be more legislation when it comes to the privacy of minors on social meda. Fine these fucking asshole parents for sharing their kids online and fuck these publications for pursuing to show faces of celeb kids. Reply Thread Link I'd suggest Ph.inc, but that's too close to "fink". Reply Thread Link Lol trademark laws are out of control and often just sheer pettiness. No ones checking for you ma'am. Maybe you shouldnt have named yourself after a color. Maybe Mattel should sue you. Or Crayola. Reply Thread Link she's always seemed like such a petty person in general Reply Parent Thread Link She was def the bratty little sister of the previous pop girls. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link My brother ran in the same rave circle as her and had said thats exactly what shes like lol Reply Parent Thread Link Thats not how trade mark laws work but go off. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Every time theres a post about copyrights and trademarks, theres always one person who boldly rants as if they said something smart but it really shows how they dont understand how it works. Today you are that person. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link doesn't she have more suburban white lady music to go make? Reply Thread Link i will not have the consistent bop maker slander on ontd of all places. Reply Parent Thread Link babe it's soccer moms with vans music, let's not blind ourselves. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link listen I love her first few albums in spite of the cringe blackfishing but lately it's just....it's a no :( Reply Parent Thread Link the truth about love is damn good album i said what i said Reply Parent Thread Expand Link racially motivated idc idc if you disagree argue with your mom Reply Thread Link lolwut Reply Parent Thread Link Well it definitely has to do with color.........lol Reply Parent Thread Link Maybe Phar.Inc? But that sounds like a pharmacy. Personally I'd stay away from just the letter P in music, lest people think it's associated with P. Diddy*. *I know he doesn't own the letter, but people don't really think. Reply Thread Link So this argument will cost more than my entire life earnings to decide if someone gets to claim a color with some punctuation. That's how I'll sleep on broken couch tonight. Reply Thread Link This is when trademark law is stupid to me bc it's like legally trying to call someone a clout chaser when you don't have any clout for them to chase. Reply Thread Link If she does not sue him first, shes in risk of loosing her trademark. Thats why Apple is suing everyone, no matter how small your business may be for any fruit that remotely resembles their Apple logo Trademarks must be defended. If you don't sue people who use your trademark, you risk a judgement that your trademark has become genericized, and lose your trademark. Reply Parent Thread Link I remember Simply Nailogical talked about a similar thing when they started Holo Taco. Reply Parent Thread Link why is she okay with victoria's secret using pink then? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link damn lol ONTD is savage to Pink. my mom would be devastated Reply Thread Link lol yeah I get the impression that she's really disliked here, though I don't know why. She seems harmless and even though she appears to be very successful she also seems quite low-key, inoffensive and easily avoidable so I'm not sure why people take such issues with her. Reply Parent Thread Link Glitter in the Air slays most of your faves discographies ALONE. Reply Thread Link Meh I get it, you don't want to set precedent Reply Thread Link Team no one. Reply Thread Link I remember when she claimed that she definitely suffered from reverse racism, she was really sad about it Anyways, she looks like soccer mom JoJo Silwa Karma is a bitch Reply Thread Link the original black pink at it again! Reply Thread Link P!nk has always been an asshole. Reply Thread Link I am cautiously interested. Reply Thread Link I had ALWAYS mixed this title up with To Wong Fu so at this point I'm like pretty sure I had not watched Priscilla at all? Failure as an 90s child... Reply Thread Link Wong Foo was basically the American answer to this! Reply Parent Thread Link Mmmmm idk Reply Thread Link considering we now have shows like rupaul's drag race and such i'm a little curious to see how the modern spin to this could be taken. they could really take this to the next level. or it could be a flop like zoolander 2. Reply Thread Link I love the original so damn much, I am cautiously excite Reply Thread Link idk about this... Reply Thread Link Oh, hmm, okay maybe? Reply Thread Link Is there a way to incorporate Agent Smith into this? Reply Thread Link Only if can include Col. Boyd. Reply Parent Thread Link I love the original so much. I even liked the musical, which wasnt that great but I still enjoyed, mostly because of the cast. Im cautiously optimistic? Reply Thread Link Hmm curious to see this now things are a bit different. Reply Thread Link I havent seen this movie in years but my god I was obsessed with it! Cautiously optimistic that itll be good but you never know Reply Thread Link Will it be less racist Reply Thread Link Priscilla and To Wong Foo were formative movies for me as a youngun, so I'll always welcome more, even the sequels don't live up to the originals. Reply Thread Link I thought Terence Stamp's portrayal was sensitive for the time, but I thought we were not going to have cis men playing trans women anymore... Reply Thread Link LINCOLN Two days after the Nebraska Legislature narrowly passed an end run bill to appropriate $10 million per year for private school scholarship funds, hundreds of protesters promised Saturday to challenge the new law. Many of the protesters had backed a voter referendum that aimed to repeal a similar law. The group gathered outside the State Capitol to criticize lawmakers for supporting Legislative Bill 1402. Jenni Benson, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, said passing the bill was a shameful and cowardly act that went against the will of the voters. This fight is not over, Benson said. LB 1402 would appropriate $10 million to scholarship funds for private and faith-based schools for each of the next three years. Aimed at providing school choice options for K-12 students, the measure circumvents the voter referendum in November because it repealed the 2023 law that it targeted LB 753. That bill allocated $25 million in tax credits for donations to the same scholarship funds. Public school educators and other critics have contended that state funding for private school scholarships, whether direct or indirect, risks depleting funding for public education. Benson said opponents to LB 1402 are considering two options: a petition drive to repeal LB 1402 and a lawsuit to challenge its constitutionality. She said they are seeking legal opinions, and expect to make a decision sometime next week. She said she favors pursuing both options. If were going to do it, were going to do it all, she said. Shortly after Gov. Jim Pillen signed LB 753 last year, a new group called Support Our Schools Nebraska launched a petition drive to force a vote on repealing the bill. That three-month drive gathered over 117,000 signatures, with roughly 91,000 of those signatures verified by the Secretary of States Office, more than needed to qualify for the November ballot. If a new petition drive launches to repeal LB 1402, the group again would have 90 days until mid-July to collect petitions, starting from Thursday when the Legislature adjourned. Much remains uncertain about a new referendum, including whether the previous referendum will remain on the ballot now that LB 753 is set to be repealed. Jackie Ourada in the Secretary of States Office said officials are working with the Attorney Generals Office to determine this. Other questions about a new referendum involve possible constitutional concerns, since direct appropriations like the ones planned in LB 1402 are not subject to being repealed by a referendum under the Nebraska Constitution. State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha, who introduced both LB 1402 and LB 753, said she believes such a referendum would be unconstitutional. LB 1402 itself could be deemed unconstitutional via a legal challenge, based on another section of the state constitution that dictates the Legislature cannot appropriate public dollars for private schools. Opponents raised this argument during LB 1402s floor debates, but supporters contended that past cases indicated that LB 1402 would be constitutional. Linehan said Thursday that she was puzzled by the continued opposition to LB 1402. She said the bill addressed previous concerns about LB 753s tax credits by removing them. She also disagreed that the legislation would deplete public school funding, pointing out that the Legislature has also passed bills in recent sessions to increase state support for public schools. I dont know at this point what their problem is, Linehan said. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of April 2024 You were the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives in the Third Republic. Why did that dispensation collapse? It collapsed because General Ibrahim Babangida was bent on self-succession. He was already military president; he had started as head of state but later turned himself into a military president. If you recall the way he handled the then Chief of Staff Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, when there was an altercation between him and the then Chief of Army Staff Gen. Sani Abacha, you could see the exercise of power in an absolute form. It was obvious that Babangida would have loved to continue in office, but it was the pressure of the civil society, the pressure of Nigerians generally that he should return the country to democracy that led him into all the experiments, such as the formation of two parties, which were described as a little to the right and a little to the left and to be funded by no one but the government, which is an aberration itself, when you talk of democratic dealings. But I think it is his own love of power and the need to cling to power without being questioned by anyone that laid the foundation for the collapse of the Third Republic. If you take a cursory look at my book, Clapping With One Hand, you will see a trajectory there; he tried as much as possible to get the National Assembly to pass a resolution, asking him not to handover or not to conduct an election at a particular time. We frustrated that. If he had got that resolution, it would have been a perfect opportunity for him to say that, well, after all, we are talking of democracy and the democratic institution on the ground has asked him not to handover. But, all that did not take place because we organised ourselves in such a way that, at the end of the day, he had to step aside for the interim government. This brought confusion because that was an interim government that was not elected. In fact, the interim government had within military structures that could still engineer final decisions. One other interesting calculation was that he (Babangida) had always thought that it was an easy cake and that he would get the resolution he was looking for. But when he couldnt get that resolution and Abacha in fact was already stoking a fire under him, for Abacha himself was interested in power. Of course, Abacha is dead now. Babangida who is alive has not written any book. But we understand that when he managed to survive the Gideon Orkar coup and the role Abacha played was so significant that they had an unwritten understanding that he (Abacha) would be the one to succeed him (Babangida). He is alive, he can a lie to that. So, when things were not going smoothly, Abacha started stoking fire under him and of course, we in the House led the onslaught that he must organise an election to fill the position of the president. After the June 12 election, which again he annulled, we were certain in our minds that the thing to do was to reinstate that election. Nevertheless, the National Assembly itself was also susceptible to manipulation because he (Babangida) was influencing it to jettison that election. A section of the National Assembly, however, was insisting that the election must be upheld. Today, we must look back and appreciate the vital role of certain individuals in ensuring that we could stand up to the military at that time. These are people like Iyorchia Ayu, Senator Bola Tinubu, the Speaker Aniekwe, his deputy Rabiu Kwankwaso. So, in a way, we were able to put a structure that was not easily accessible to being pushed to take a decision to allow self-succession by Babangida. But the House itself was worked upon on a continual basis and weakened. That was why when we get to meetings, you will find all sorts of positions; there were people who wanted us to allow him (Babangida) to continue in office. But, having said that, Abacha was himself very desperate to take over power and he was also working through all the structures. Up to Abachas coup, in November 1993, was deliberate; it was planned. I mean once Babangida had left and handed over to Ernest Shonekan, it was more of a contraption. Shonekan lacked the gut, lacked the spine to stand up to the military. Other than Col. Abubakar Umar and maybe a few other officers, all the other officers like David Mark had their own agenda as well. They didnt want an Abacha, but they would have loved the continuation of military rule. Umar and a few of his friends were the ones insistent that the democratic process had started and should never be aborted. Eventually, they paid the price because you could see that they were retired prematurely. Do you regret not serving as deputy governor of Ogun State? No, I was never offered that position. Nobody contests for the position of deputy governor; youre picked by a governorship candidate to run on a joint ticket. I was never offered, so I cant be talking of any regret. Though when I was invited to Ogun from Lagos by my constituents, it was on the basis that there were discussions with a candidate who is likely to come Ogun Central and the deputy position has been zoned to Ogun East and in Ogun East, it has been decided that the position would go to my own constituency. Of course, we worked on the primary together for the emergence of the candidate, but the truth was that I was never at any time asked by the candidate to be his deputy. No! In retrospect, would you say the political class, particularly the leadership of the SDP, made the right decision in supporting Abacha? You cannot speak of the leadership of the SDP because it was a perfidious section of that leadership. At the time of Abachas palace coup, the SDP had its own internal problems. At the time, Abiola had emerged as the president-elect and for the first time, there was a prospect that that position would be taken up by somebody that is not of northern origin. Abiola could not have become the president-elect without the support of people like the former governor of Kano, Abubakar Rimi, Balarabe Musa and others; they were strong hands in the campaign. But the moment that election was annulled by Babangida, they were compelled to buy the idea that it was the Lords making, let him (Abiola) accept it. If those who had backed him for the presidency in the north had maintained their support, it would have been much more difficult for the annulment to succeed. Of course, the military would do whatever it had to do, but it could fail. And, dont forget that Shehu YarAdua was an interested party. He wanted to be president, but the same Babangida thwarted the bid, by cancelling all the primaries that were held. When that failed, YarAdua wanted Atiku (Abubakar) badly to become the vice president. For one reason or the other, Abiola reneged because the SDP governors at that time preferred to have a (Babagana) Kingibe. They were insistent and Abiola had the task of selecting Atiku, based on a previous understanding between the two parties. This would have meant displeasing all the SDP governors many of them are still alive who backed Kingibe. The governors wanted to be relevant. They knew that if the agreement between Abiola and YarAdua eventually sailed through, they would become irrelevant in the scheme of things. But, fundamentally, I believe that YarAdua and Anthony Anenih played a very perfidious role. I was at the meeting in Sheraton Hotel, where the two parties were brought together and more or less told to accept the formation of the interim government. Kwankwaso and I sat next to each other and we shared notes that night. But I remember that the former governor of Jigawa State Sule Lamido who was then secretary of the party (SDP) was so vehement that the structure that met did not authorise them to go and sell out Abiolas victory. Kwankwaso and I kept exchanging notes and also passing notes to Sule Lamido. But Shehu YarAdua and Tony Anenih were so overwhelming in stating that they were in support of that move. In fact, it got to a point in which Nwodo I dont remember one among them was so rude to Lamido, by saying: your party leaders are here and you are talking. The NRC knew they have lost the election and didnt mind an interim government, because of Babangidas promise that there would be another election. That night we left Sheraton Hotel in amazement, wondering who authorized YarAdua and Anenih to negotiate away our victory. Supporters of Abiola heard beforehand that the man would be killed. Why did they not act to avert the doom? You cant say that nothing was done; maybe it was done unsuccessfully. I think he was killed on July 8. A week before he was killed, Makin Soyinka and I were the last persons to leave Radio Kudirat Studio that day. All of a sudden, the fax machine came alive, with a message from an unknown person in Nigeria, stating that Abiola would be killed, that the killing of Abiola was to settle Abachas death or something like that. We were taken aback. Immediately, we recalled Radio Kudirat operatives, because they had closed for the day. We also called Makins father, Professor Wole Soyinka, who immediately called the then United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. It was Annan who externalized it. May be the only lapse on our side was that Radio Kudirat did not start making a big noise out of it. What happened, I wouldnt know; everybody was tired. May be we didnt believe that it was a possibility. But, I do know that Prof. Soyinka made an issue of it. It was more of a big consternation when it eventually took place. Aremo Olusegun Osoba said you didnt capture his involvement very well and that he is not happy Prof. Akinyemi in the preface to one of my books said recorders of history only record what they have seen. So, I have recorded what I saw regarding all the people I mentioned in my book. If there is anybody who feels he is under-reported, he can do the reporting himself. But, the truth is that history will always be history; actual events will always be actual events, but interpretation may vary. What I try to do in my writings is to look at the facts. Most times, I just present the facts and let people draw their own interpretations. When you are compiling history, you are given the right to interpret. When you reflect, as a member of Afenifere and NADECO, doesnt it appear as if your efforts were in vain? Looking at the struggle, with the benefit of hindsight, Nigeria has been going down the drain. A country measures its development by economic growth, economic development, by the measure of security that is available because these are things you can see or perceive. Of course, you cannot speak of economic growth and development without talking of employment. So, if you take all of these in its context, have Nigerians been better off? I think an observer, a participant, a Nigerian himself would tell you that it could be better. We have not got there at all; we still have a lot of work to do. The employment rate is not at the level where it should be; that you can see from the high level of unemployment. Then, look at education, health, social infrastructure: are we where we should be? If I want to play politics, I will you that we are trying and we would get there. But, the simple truth is that looking at the number of children out of school, unemployment, coupled with the level of insecurity; it is obvious we are not there at all. Everybody is talking about insecurity today. The president recently owned up that he didnt know that it was this bad. In my view, nobody should be entitled to police escort in Nigeria, except the president and the governors. Maybe if we get to that level, everybody that has the power to do something will start doing something. If the speaker knows that he can be picked up like any other person, he is likely to be more responsive in his office. Most times, you see them going about with police escort, so how can they be concerned about insecurity. How does it feel to be 70? I feel very happy that I am turning 70 in good health, in good grace and I am thankful to the Lord for His grace. I feel as I have always felt, even as a younger person. I thank God for giving me good health at this age. I feel good; thats the word. Youre from Ogun State. How come Lagos Mainland has become your political base? If you look at the trajectory of any upwardly mobile Yoruba man, whether in terms of sourcing of education, in terms of birth, in terms of the diverse education whether secondary, university or whatever you will find a lot of movement in between. My grandfather was known in our community in Ijebu as Baba Eko; meaning the Baba from Lagos. He did well for himself; he was a wealthy man, by the standard of their days. My father also lived a substantial part of his life in Lagos; aside from the days he spent in Ilorin, Ibadan and I think Enugu during his working life. So, I grew up studying in Ijebu and Ibadan. My primary school days were in Ijebu and my secondary and university education was in Ibadan. Of course, there was a small stint at Ijebu Ode Grammar School, for six months, when I went for my A Levels, before I was admitted for prelim at the University of Ibadan. So, for my working life, right from day one, I have been in Lagos; because my parents were living and working in Lagos. I had lived with them in Thomas Street, in Lagos Island, but when they moved to their own house in Abule Ijesha, in 1968, we all moved. I have lived in Abule Ijesha ever since and that is the heart of Lagos Mainland. But, interestingly, after leaving the service, I went into private life; I also decided to go into politics. At that time, there were no parties, because Nigeria was an experimental ground at that time in the hands of the military. My first contestation for office was for the position of Lagos Mainland Council chairman in 1987. But the breakthrough came in 1988 when I won my first election, into the Constituent Assembly to represent Lagos Mainland. This is to say that Ive been here practically all the time. If you observe any Ijebu person who has a pedigree and has done well for himself, they rarely leave their homestead. So, Im equally visible in Ogun. "Bridge" in place, China ready to sample on moon's far side Xinhua) 09:20, April 20, 2024 Queqiao-2 is expected to serve as a vital communication link between Earth-based controllers and the Chang'e-6 probe, which will be launched in the first half of this year to collect samples from the far side of the moon. Scientists believe that samples from the far side of the moon have greater research value. Aside from Chang'e-6, China also plans to launch Chang'e-7 in 2026 and Chang'e-8 in 2028. Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 will form the basic model of a lunar research station to carry out lunar environment exploration. BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- As China is determined to drive economic growth via sci-tech innovations, it also casts its wisdom and courage in exploring Earth's closest neighbor -- the moon. This year, it plans to retrieve lunar samples from the far side of the moon for the first time in human history. To carry out this unprecedented mission, it first launched Queqiao-2, a new relay satellite, on March 20 to provide Earth-Moon communications services. The satellite has recently entered its target elliptical orbit around the moon and completed in-orbit communication tests, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). Queqiao, meaning magpie bridge, derives its name from a Chinese folktale, in which magpies formed a bridge across the Milky Way with their wings to help a separated couple reunite. In reality, Queqiao-2 is expected to serve as a vital communication link between Earth-based controllers and the Chang'e-6 probe, which will be launched in the first half of this year to collect samples from the mysterious far side of the moon. As the moon's revolution cycle is the same as its rotation cycle, the same side always faces Earth. The other face, most of which cannot be seen from Earth, is called the far side or "dark side" of the moon. This term doesn't refer to darkness but rather to the mystery shrouding the moon's largely unexplored terrain. In order to unravel the mystery, China launched the Chang'e-4 probe, which realized the first-ever soft landing and roving on the far side of the moon at the beginning of 2019. Before that, all relevant knowledge came from speculation based on remote-sensing images. This photo taken by the rover Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit-2) on Jan. 11, 2019 shows the lander of the Chang'e-4 probe. (China National Space Administration/Handout via Xinhua) China launched its first Queqiao satellite in 2018 to support communications and data transmission between Chang'e-4 and Earth. But the first relay satellite has exceeded its designed lifespan. Now, the more powerful Queqiao-2 satellite will take over its communications relay services. As a backup of the Chang'e-5 probe, Chang'e-6 is set to collect approximately 2 kilograms of lunar samples by shoveling and drilling. The probe will also conduct scientific investigations within the designated landing zone situated in the South Pole-Aitken Basin. The mission will demand a series of breakthroughs in key technologies, such as automatic sample collection, take-off and ascent from the far side of the moon. Scientists believe that samples from the far side of the moon have greater research value. Unlike the relatively low-lying and flat terrains found on the near side, the far side has higher elevations and is more densely covered with craters. It suggests that the far side has been subjected to a longer history of impacts, indicating an older geological age for in-depth exploration. Li Ting and her research team from the Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology, a subsidiary of the China National Nuclear Corporation, discovered from the Chang'e-5 samples a new mineral, Changesite-(Y). She is much looking forward to samples from the moon's "fresh and unfamiliar" far side. "If Chang'e-6 can get some older lunar samples exposed after impacts or residues of meteorites and asteroids, it may bring us more deep space information," said Li. Humans have been curious and imaginative about the moon since ancient times. Li Bai, a renowned poet from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), once wrote a poem to ask when the moon appeared in the blue sky. In fact, the origin of the moon has not only inspired romantic sentiments among literati and scholars throughout history, but also remained a focus of research in the field of lunar science. In the 16th century, people started using telescopes to observe the moon. In January 1959, the Soviet Union launched the Luna 1 probe, the world's first lunar exploration satellite. In October 2007, China achieved a milestone with the successful launch of the Chang'e-1 satellite, marking the country's inaugural lunar exploration mission. From the United States' Apollo 11 mission in 1969 to China's Chang'e-5 mission in 2020, humans have accomplished a total of 10 lunar sampling missions. The initial nine samplings all took place during the 1960s and 1970s. Following a 44-year hiatus, Chang'e-5 retrieved 1.731 kilograms of lunar samples, opening a new chapter in cutting-edge lunar research. The lunar samples No. 001 brought back by China's Chang'e-5 probe is on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) The lunar rocks and soil encapsulate the key to decoding the mysteries of billions of years of transformations on the moon. Nearly all our understanding of the moon's inception and development stems from the study of lunar samples, said Yang Wei, researcher with the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. A widely accepted theory in the scientific community believes that approximately 4.5 billion years ago, a Mars-sized celestial body known as Theia collided with nascent Earth. The collision caused debris to be ejected into space, which eventually coalesced around Earth to form the moon. This hypothesis owes much to the analysis of lunar samples collected during the United States and Soviet Union lunar missions, Yang said. Different from previous nine missions which focus on low-latitude areas, Chang'e-5 targeted mid-latitude regions of the moon. With advanced microanalysis technologies, scientists have made groundbreaking discoveries from the study of lunar soil retrieved by Chang'e-5. According to the CNSA, one of the most notable research results dated the youngest rock on the moon at around 2 billion years in age, extending the "life" of lunar volcanism 800-900 million years longer than previously known. In the following studies, Chinese scientists further revealed a new mechanism for how young volcanoes took shape on the moon and new clues about the moon's water resources. The new lunar mineral Changesite-(Y), the first discovered by China and the sixth by humankind, makes China the third country in the world to have discovered a new mineral on the moon. Li Ting and her team made this great discovery on a single-crystal particle with a radius of about 10 microns, which was only one 200th to 300th the size of a sesame seed. It was isolated from 140,000 tiny lunar particles of about 15-milligram Chang'e-5 samples. Through the meticulous analysis by Li's team, this imperceptible particle became an essential piece of the moon's geological puzzle. "Planets are composed of interconnected puzzle pieces. Each new mineral we uncover adds a fresh dimension to their intricate pattern, bearing historical imprints of their formative environments," Li said. For example, Changesite-(Y) is rich in rare earth elements and its magnesium to iron ratio is different from previously identified same subgroup minerals, reflecting the unique characteristics of the Chang'e-5 landing site, Li said. However, the "puzzle pieces" obtained by human missions remain notably restricted. So far, all 10 sampling missions have been focused on the near side of the moon. If the first nine sampling sites were to be connected to form a polygon, it would merely account for 4.4 percent of the lunar surface. Even with the Chang'e-5 samples, their representativeness is still far from sufficient, Yang said. A Long March-8 rocket, carrying the relay satellite Queqiao-2 for Earth-Moon communications, blasts off at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province, March 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu) "In our geological research on Earth, we will strive to gather the most fundamental data whenever exploring a new location. However, in the case of the moon, humanity has only obtained samples from a handful of sites, with none from high-latitude regions or the far side. Therefore, from a geological perspective, the moon remains a vastly uncharted territory," Li said. Aside from Chang'e-6, China also plans to launch Chang'e-7 in 2026 and Chang'e-8 in 2028. Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 will form the basic model of a lunar research station to carry out lunar environment exploration. The landing and sampling sites of China's moon missions in the coming years are mainly in the lunar south pole region or on the far side of the moon, the CNSA said. "Building a research station on the moon, and exploring deeper space using the moon as a base, was once an imagination in science fictions. Now, it may become a reality in my lifetime," Li said. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) A youth leader Joseph Pessu was shot dead today by a soldier at Ada Val Arenyenka street, along the Ugbuwangue axis of the NPA Expressway, Warri, Delta state for disobeying the lockdown order. The incident happened at about 9:40am on Thursday, April 2, while the victim was riding his power bike. Recall that the Delta State Government had declared a lockdown across the state for 14 days, which started on Wednesday. However, only those on essential duties are exempted from the directive, as stated by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who warned that security operatives will be deployed across the state to enforce the directive. Joseph Pessu, who was out of his home during the lockdown, was flagged down by a team of security operatives but he allegedly refused to stop for proper identification and this resulted in a chase. Sources around the scene of the incident said the officers fired gunshots at Pessus bike tyres during the chase before one officer shot the father-of-two dead. The victim, pictured wearing a white shirt and red trousers, was drenched in blood as locals flocked the scene before taking him to the Police Area Command, Warri. The mans death angered youths in the area and they took to the streets to protest in spite of the 14-days stay-at-home order. The chairman of Warri South council area, Dr. Michael Tidi, alongside a political leader in the locality, Chief Vincent Okudolor, intervened during their visit to the area and revealed that the officer responsible for shooting the father has been arrested. They called for calm in the area. Pessus friends have taken to Facebook to mourn his death. See their posts and more photos of the deceased below. Post Views: 5 Some Policemen on Thursday morning allegedly killed a motorcyclist identified as Ademola Moshood in Surulere, Lagos Mainland for refusal to part with N200. The incident was said to have occurred few blocks away from the victims house at the wee hours of Thursday in Kilo area of Surulere, Lagos. It was gathered that the policemen involved in the alleged murder were attached to Soloki Police Station, Surulere with two of their names given as AK, Patrick. According to a witness, the policemen were on patrol when they sighted and stopped the deceased by Kilo Bus Stop in a bid to extort him. A resident alleged that when Ademola refused to part with the usual N200 bribe on ground that he had closed business for the day and was homebound, one of the cops, an Inspector, went close to him, placed his gun on the mans head and shot him. They were said to have fled the scene with the mans motorcycle, abandoning his body on the ground after shooting him dead, The Nation reports. It was gathered that residents who witnessed the incident stormed the police station in Aguda in protest and sighted the culprits who hid behind a van. They demanded justice, insisting that those involved be charged with murder. Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) said the Commissioner Zubairu Muazu had ordered that the culprits be detained and tried. A petition was sent to the CP on the matter and he has ordered that those involved be detained and tried. Invest In Social Force & Get 50% Click HERE >> To Buy Cheap MTN & GLO Data Click HERE >> The management of Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) has sympathised with the family of one of their student, Late Emem Jimmy shot dead by a notorious gang of phone snatchers, Daily Trust reports. It was learnt that the victim, a 200 level undergraduate student of political science department was shot dead at the weekend along Wilson Idiong street, close to the Obio Akpa campus of the University in Oruk Anam local government area of the state. Eyewitness report claim the deceased attempted to resist unknown gunmen from snatching his phone before he was shot dead. According to the Head, Directorate of Information, Public Relations and Protocol of the University, Mr Akaninyene Ibanga, the victim died though he was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment. In a statement, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Eno Ibanga assured members of the University community of their safety despite the recent security challenges experienced in the campuses. He warned criminal elements to desist from any form of criminality within and outside the University community, adding that the University community was not a safe haven for criminals including cultism and other related social vices. Late Emem was shot between the hours of 8.30 9pm at Wilson Idiong Street, off Ikot Okoro Road, Obioakpa, Oruk Anam Local Government Area in an attempt to resist unknown gunmen from snatching his phone. He was rushed immediately to the hospital for treatment which the University Management took over the hospital bills just to save his life but on Saturday late Emem could not survive the struggle with death, so he finally passed on at about 12.30pm. The Vice-Chancellor hereby condoles with members of the family of the deceased. He also appealed to all members of the University Community to remain calm and continue with their normal businesses/duties while speedy effort is being made by the relevant law enforcement agencies to fetch out the perpetrators of this heinous act, the statement read. The Boko Haram uprising in northwest Nigeria compelled over 20,000 Nigerians to flee the shores of the country into Niger Republic as refugees since April 2019, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday. National Daily learned that the UNHCR expressed serious concerns over the deteriorating security conditions in Nigeria in the West African sub-region, where military and police have been deployed to tackle criminal gangs involved in killings and kidnappings. The UN agency noted that security forces are already stretched tackling the decade-long insurgency by Islamist group, Boko Haram, in the northeast. The UN agency also noted that herdsmen killings also contributed to the exodus of Nigerians into Niger Republic for safety. This is not Boko Haram related in any way, UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch had said in a media interaction in Abuja; adding: People are reportedly fleeing due to multiple reasons, including clashes between farmers and herders of different ethnic groups, vigilantism, as well as kidnappings for ransom, he said. The UNHCR released the report a day to the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term. The President had in a preparatory speech for the inauguration, assured Nigerians that he will improve security in his second term. ALSO READ: Sudan protesters strike as deadlock with military persists It was noted that the Senate increased the 2019 budget by N80 billion ($261 million), citing the need for a rise in security spending across the country. Baloch said refugees arriving in Nigers southern Maradi region had reported machete attacks, kidnappings and sexual violence. Banditry has plagued the northwest for years, particularly around Zamfara State and its border with Kaduna State, though a recent spate of kidnappings and killings in the region has put it in the public eye. The federal government suspended mining in Zamfara in April amid concerns that illegal miners were connected to a rise in violence. Clashes between farming communities and nomadic herders over dwindling land in Nigeria last year killed more people than the Boko Haram conflict, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. Operatives of the EFCC, on Thursday, June 20, 2019, made a harvest of eleven suspected internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Boys in an apartment on Parliamentary Extension, Akai Efa, Calabar, Cross River State. The all male suspects are: Endurance Ahunwan (28), Nohuwan Frank (26), Dominic Chidiebere (28), Idehe Efosa (17), Patrick Edos (27), Samuel Ukiwe (21) and Michael Edward 25. Others are: Destiny Efe (17), Hope Yusuf (19), Harrison Esi (17) and Igbinigun Osamudia (17). Esi was found hiding in the roof of the apartment along with some of their tools of operation. According to him, their leader, Ahunwan instructed him to conceal himself and the gadgets in the roof in order to prevent his arrest and confiscation of the tools. Upon arrest, Ahunwan the prime suspect, confessed that he recruited the team, saying they were paying back Europeans for stealing from their forefathers. He also alleged that the parents of the arrested accomplices gave their consent and pleaded with him to help their children secure a means of livelihood. Items recovered from the suspected fraudsters include: 10 laptops, eight internet modems, several sophisticated telephone handsets, technical devices and scam emails. Similarly, seven suspected internet fraudsters were, on Friday, June 21, 2019 arrested by officers of the Kaduna Zonal Office of the Commission. The suspects, whose age ranged between 20 and 33 years were apprehended around 5a.m in an apartment along Ihejirika Close, Becky, Karu, Nasarawa State. They include: Peter Olu Tsetimi, Ogunbiyi Adekunle A, Emuze Omosigho Emmanuel and Isaac Daro Obozokhai, Samuel Nana-Kofi Eruese, Edward Yusuf and Peace Manayin (female). The suspected internet fraudsters held sway around Mararaba, Nyanya and Karu axis of Nasarawa State and Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Items recovered from them include expensive watches and necklaces, expensive phones, tablets, laptops and several fraudulent documents. Popular American rapper, Cardi B says she will file for Nigerian citizenship because of what she described as a dump move by President of United States, Donald Trump. Cardi B was reacting to the killing of the head of Irans elite Quds Force, General Qasem Soleimani, following a directive by President Trump. KanyiDaily had reported earlier that General Soleimani was killed at Baghdads international airport in Iraq. He was killed alongside Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of Kataib Hezbollah, also called Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). The U.S confirmed that President Trump ordered the airstrike that killed the powerful Iranian general because he was planning attacks against US diplomats and other targets. Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei sparked fears of war after he promised harsh vengeanceon all those involved and responsible for asassination of General Soleimani. Reacting on her Twitter page, Cardi B said Trump is putting Americans lives in danger with his dump move. She worote: Naaaaa these memes are fuckin.But shit aint no joke! Specially being from New York. Its sad this man is putting Americans live in danger. Dumbest move Trump did till date. Im filing for my Nigerian citizenship. Naaaaa these memes are fuckin ?? ?but shit aint no joke ! Specially being from New York .Its sad this man is putting Americans live in danger.Dumbest move Trump did till date Im filing for my Nigerian citizenship. iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 3, 2020 The rapper,who already has a Nigerian name, asked her fans to pick a tribe shell belong to when she becomes a Nigerian. Picking my tribe iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 3, 2020 KanyiDaily recalls that Cardi B visited Nigeria on December 5, 2019, for a weekend and documented every moment of her stay one of which was her visit to a strip club in Lagos, where she made money rain. She also visited an orphanage home and partied with other Nigerian music stars like Burna Boy, Zlatan and Tiwa Savage. Recently, Nnaji was called out for begging a socialite for money. The story went viral and she received a lot of insults from Nigerians. In an interview with Saturday Beats, she noted that she lost her last relationship in a terrible way because of the news about her online begging. She said, The man wanted to use that post to tarnish my image but interestingly, I became more popular after that scandal. I made good money from that post because people started supporting my non-governmental organisation. It has deprived me of so many things; I dont want my past to affect my future. I almost drank acid after that post because he didnt reveal the chat from the beginning. I sent that message to him about two years ago. I was so depressed; I had to stay offline for a while because the insults were too many. I am still trying to redeem my image from all these scandals because they have affected my relationship with people. There was a time I was in a meeting with a senator and immediately he entered my name on Google, he saw scandalous things about me. That moment, he refused to even take a picture with me. He was scared. The recent scandal about me begging for money online destroyed my last relationship. My ex-boyfriend felt I wasnt satisfied enough with the money he was giving me. I tried to explain that the chat was an old conversation between me and the man, and that it had happened before I met him. It took me time to convince him. His friends were laughing at him, that his celebrity girlfriend was begging for money online. He said he was sleeping when his friends called him about the story, and that was the end of the relationship. As a former beauty queen and fashion model, one would think Nnaji would be open to romantic roles, she, however, noted that she doesnt like such roles because her mother frowns at it. I dont do bedroom scenes that suggest sexual intercourse because of my family background. I dont like sex scenes because my mum warned me that she never wants to see me performing such roles. I am working towards producing my own movies so that Ill be able to take the lead role sometimes. There was a time I acted a bedroom scene with a popular actor, it wasnt funny because I had a crush on him so I couldnt deliver my role well. If I have a crush on a male actor, I wont be able to interpret the role well, she said. After she survived a car accident recently, she got bashed by some social media users, who accused her of not taking responsibility for her actions. She noted that she perceived envy in most of the comments and that she had got used to them already. I am still grateful to God that I survived that accident because it was God that saved me; I was coming back from a meeting at Gwarimpa axis in Abuja. It happened late in the night, the road was very free, so I decided to increase my speed a little. I lost control and then the accident happened within a second. It (the car) somersaulted once; people around could not believe I came out of the car unhurt. I was rushed to a hospital immediately to be sure I didnt sustain any internal injuries. After I posted the picture on my social media platform, some people accused me of lying. I leave them to God. After the incident, some people came as though they were there to sympathise with me, but they were there to steal some of my belongings. I have seen so many scandals about me so I am not moved anymore by what people say. Most girls are envious of other peoples success. After the accident, some of them mocked me. When I got my car as a birthday gift, some of them insulted me, saying they didnt believe a secret admirer gave me the car as a gift. They tagged me a hypocrite, forgetting that there are so many people in this world that have money to spend, she told Saturday Beats. Lycee Francais International Jacques Prevert school in Ghana has marked its 60th anniversary, commemorating six decades of academic excellence, cultural enrichment and fostering international understanding. With the theme Proud Past, Bright Future: Reflecting on 60 Years of Lycee Excellence, the colourfulevent mixed with joy and cheers from students and parents, was graced by H.E. Nana Addo DankwaAkufo Addo, President of Republic of Ghana. The event saw the participation of other dignitaries including Dr. Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, Jules Armand Aniambossou, the French Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Anna Bossman, The Ghanaian Ambassador to France and many others. Addressing the audience, President Nana Addo, lauded the institution's enduring commitment to nurturing global citizens. He stated, "Lycee Francais International Jacques Prevert has been instrumental in shaping the intellectual landscape of our nation. For 60 years, it has stood as a beacon of academic rigor and cultural exchange, fostering a spirit of collaboration and understanding among students from diverse backgrounds." The President highlighted the importance of education for children. Education is the cornerstone of our nation's future, and it is our solemn duty to ensure that every child in Ghana has access to quality education. It is through education that we empower our youth, unlock their potential, and pave the way for a brighter tomorrow. As we celebrate Lycee Francais International Jacques Preverts 60th anniversary, let us reaffirm our commitment to providing all children with the tools they need to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances." He added The French Ambassador to Ghana, Jules Armand Aniambossou, commended the school's contribution to promoting Franco-Ghanaian relations and advancing the French language and culture. "Lycee Francais International Jacques Prevert serves as a bridge between our two nations, promoting cultural exchange and strengthening ties between our people. It is a testament to the enduring friendship and cooperation between France and Ghana." He stated. Also speaking at the event, the Board Chair, Mr. Jean-Louis FEGHALI, reflected on the school's journey and its role in shaping future generations. "As we celebrate this significant milestone, we pay tribute to the visionaries who laid the foundation of this institution and the countless students and educators who have contributed to its legacy of excellence. Our commitment to academic excellence, cultural diversity, and global citizenship remains steadfast as we embark on the next phase of our journey. Lycee Francais International Jacques Prevert has not only been a school; it has been a cornerstone of inspiration, fostering a community where students learn, grow, and become global citizens. As we commemorate 60 years of excellence, our commitment to shaping minds and nurturing talent remains stronger than ever as the school plans to embark on massive expansion projects. The attendance of dignitaries, alumni, parents, students and well-wishers of the school showcased the schools legacy which extends far beyond academic achievement. It is a testament to the power of education to transcend boundaries and unite people in a common pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and mutual respect. The anniversary celebration featured various cultural performances, alumni reunions, and exhibitions showcasing the school's rich history and achievements. About Lycee Francais International Accra (LFIA) Established in 1963 by the Association of Parents and School, the Lycee Francais International Accra (LFIA) was founded with the aim of providing the French curriculum to both Ghanaian and foreign students. Over the years, LFIA has experienced steady growth and has been located in East Legon since 2000. During this time, the school has doubled its student population from 300 to over 700, welcoming more than thirty nationalities ranging from kindergarten to secondary high school. As a member of the AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad), a globally recognized network of French schools, LFIA is renowned for its exceptional academic teaching and international environment, adhering to the French curriculum and international best practices. See below for contact information. 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. Featured Video The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, 16th April 2024, left one student dead and several others injured as assailants targeted a group returning from a field trip. Abdul Aziz Issah, a student of UENR, tragically lost his life in the attack, while six others sustained minor injuries. In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 17, UENR's Vice-Chancelor, Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako conveyed the school's appreciation on behalf of the Governing Council, Management, Staff, Alumni, and Strategic Partners for the special attention given by the IGP to the case. The university highlighted Dr Akuffo Dampare's proactive engagement, including initiating conference calls with university management and personally interacting with affected students. "The IGP initiated series of conference calls with me as the Vice-Chancellor with my Management Team, Hon. Bono Regional Minister and He personally interacted with most of students that embarked on the educational trip today. This is highly commendable and the University is celebrating him for his leadership style," Prof. Asare-Bediako wrote on Facebook. UENR also praised the professionalism displayed by the Ghana Police Service in handling the incident, ensuring that the family of the deceased and other victims were assured of justice. Dr Akuffo Dampare personally engaged with the family of the deceased and reassured university management and regional authorities of ongoing investigations to apprehend and prosecute all those involved. Meanwhile, in a swift response to the robbery, the Ghana Police Service announced the apprehension of a suspect believed to be connected to the attack. Efforts are underway to locate and arrest the remaining accomplices who are currently at large. "The suspect, and his accomplices currently on the run, attacked and robbed students and lecturers of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) while returning from a field trip. A student, identified as Abdul Aziz Issah, sadly lost his life during the attack. Six other students who sustained minor injuries have been treated and discharged. Police highway patrol teams intervened and arrested one person. A manhunt is currently ongoing to get the other accomplices arrested to face justice, the statement from the Ghana Police Service read. The incident has sparked concerns within the community, prompting calls for enhanced security measures along vulnerable routes in the region. The Ghana Police Service has assured the public of its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens, pledging a thorough investigation into the robbery and swift justice for the perpetrators. The apprehension of the suspect marks a significant development in the case, signalling progress towards holding those responsible for the robbery and tragic loss of life accountable for their actions. Source: ANDREAS KAMASAH 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 All US soldiers are set to leave Niger, ending their role in the fight against Islamist insurgents. Military leaders in the West African nation have sought closer ties with Russia since seizing power in a coup last year. On Friday the US also announced than it had agreed to close down its drone base near Agadez, in the Sahara desert. Niger is in Africa's Sahel region, which is considered the new global epicentre of the Islamic State group. The US has relied on Niger as its primary base for monitoring regional jihadist activity. An American delegation is to head within days to Niger's capital, Niamey, to arrange an orderly withdrawal of its more than 1,000 troops. Friday's announcement follow talks in Washington between the US deputy secretary of state, Kurt Campbell, and Niger's Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine. It is seen as a blow to US President Biden's administration, which had resisted the move. The US's $100m (80m) military base there was built just six years ago, and has played a key role in the US and French strategy to combat jihadists in West Africa. But Niger's relations soured with both Western countries last year following the coup and the military leaders have sought closer security ties with Russia. Dozens of Russian military instructors have arrived in Niger in recent weeks, bringing with them a state-of-the-art air defence system, according to state media reports. Niger has also distanced itself from local democracies and sought stronger regional alliances with fellow junta-led nations Burkina Faso and Mali. The trio have quit Ecowas - the West African regional body which opposed their military takeovers. They have also quit the French-backed G5 Sahel force, saying it was ineffectual and undermined African sovereignty, and have launched their own defence pact called the Alliance of Sahel States. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A stellar black hole has been identified in the Milky Way. Astronomers identified the largest stellar black hole yet discovered in the Milky Way, with a mass 33 times that of the Sun, according to a study published on Tuesday. The black hole, named Gaia BH3, was discovered "by chance" from data collected by the European Space Agency's Gaia mission, an astronomer from the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) at the Observatoire de Paris, Pasquale Panuzzo, told AFP. Gaia, which is dedicated to mapping the Milky Way galaxy, located BH3 2,000 light years away from Earth in the Aquila constellation. As Gaia's telescope can give a precise position of stars in the sky, astronomers were able to characterize their orbits and measure the mass of the star's invisible companion33 times that of the Sun. Further observations from on-the-ground telescopes confirmed that it was a black hole with a mass far greater than the stellar black holes already in the Milky Way. Astronomers have found the most massive stellar black hole in our galaxy, thanks to the wobbling motion it induces on a companion star. This artist's impression shows the orbits of both the star and the black hole, dubbed Gaia BH3, around their common center of mass. This wobbling was measured over several years with the European Space Agency's Gaia mission. Additional data from other telescopes, including ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile, confirmed that the mass of this black hole is 33 times that of our sun. The chemical composition of the companion star suggests that the black hole was formed after the collapse of a massive star with very few heavy elements, or metals, as predicted by theory. Credit: ESO/L. Calcada "No one was expecting to find a high-mass black hole lurking nearby, undetected so far. This is the kind of discovery you make once in your research life," Panuzzo said in a press release. The stellar black hole was discovered when scientists spotted a "wobbling" motion on the companion star that was orbiting it. "We could see a star a little smaller than the Sun (around 75 percent of its mass) and brighter, that revolved around an invisible companion," Panuzzo said. Stellar black holes are created from the collapse of massive stars at the end of their lives and are smaller than supermassive black holes whose creation is still unknown. Such giants have already been detected in distant galaxies via gravitational waves. But "never in ours", said Panuzzo. BH3 is a "dormant" black hole and is too far away from its companion star to strip it of its matter and therefore emits no X-raysmaking it difficult to detect. Gaia's telescope identified the first two inactive black holes (Gaia BH1 and Gaia BH2) in the Milky Way. Gaia has been operating 1.5 million kilometers from Earth for the past 10 years and in 2022 delivered a 3D map of the positions and motions of more than 1.8 billion stars. More information: Discovery of a dormant 33 solar-mass black hole in pre-release Gaia astrometry, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2024). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202449763 Journal information: Astronomy & Astrophysics 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: An AFP team saw bleached and dead coral around Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef during a recent visit. Australia's famed Great Barrier Reef is suffering one of the most severe coral bleaching events on record, leaving scientists fearful for its survival as the impact of climate change worsens. For 33 years marine biologist Anne Hoggett has lived and worked on Lizard Island, a small slice of tropical paradise off Australia's northeast tip. She affectionately dubs it "Blizzard Island". The only relief from the wind and teeming showers is in the powder blue waters, where sea turtles and tiger sharks rove along the Great Barrier Reef. As Hoggett snorkels, schools of fish swim gracefully, feeding on the coral or darting between it. Some are as small as her little finger, others the color of fire. But thanks to climate change, it is becoming a watery graveyard of bleached reef. "We don't know yet if they've already sustained too much damage to recover or not," said Hoggett. The world is currently experiencing its second major coral bleaching event in 10 years, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced Monday. Coral bleaching occurs when water temperatures rise more than one degree Celsius (33.8 degrees Fahrenheit). "As the world's oceans continue to warm, coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and severe," said NOAA's Derek Manzello. In a bid to survive, the coral expels microscopic algae, known as zooxanthellae, which it needs to live. If high temperatures persist, the coral eventually evicts most of the zooxanthellae, turns white, and dies. Since February, ocean temperatures around Lizard Island have been up to two degrees Celsius warmer than the average. Hoggett estimates about 80 percent of the coral is already dead. 'Just about everything died' Often dubbed the world's largest living structure, the Great Barrier Reef is a 2,300-kilometer (1,400-mile) long expanse housing a stunning array of biodiversity, including more than 600 types of coral and 1,625 fish species. It is vital to the health of the ocean and Australia's tourism industry, netting billions of dollars every year. But repeated mass bleaching events have robbed the reef of its wonder, turning banks of once-vibrant corals to a sickly ashen white. In March, Australian reef authorities announced another mass bleaching event was underway, the fifth in eight years. Through aerial monitoring, they found more than 600 reefs have experienced bleaching. Ten percent of the area is classed as suffering extreme bleaching, when more than 90 percent of corals are distressed and unlikely to survive. Just nine weeks ago, the reef off Lizard Island was healthy and vibrant, Hoggett said. Now, she points to the fluorescent pink and blue coral. Despite its initial beauty, that means the coral is highly stressed and expelling the healthy algae it needs to survive. Elsewhere, white coral is covered in a fluffy, brown algaea sign it is dead. When Hoggett first arrived on the island three decades ago, bleaching would occur every 10 years or so. Now, it is happening every year. Graphic explaining the process of coral bleaching which can occur following higher than normal ocean temperatures. Mass bleaching events along the reef occurred in 1998, 2002, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022 and now 2024. She is heartbroken. "The only time we've seen bleaching this bad was in 2016, when just about everything died," Hoggett told AFP. "It's anybody's guess as to how many of these corals that are still alive now will be able to survive and recover." 'Too small in scale' While reefs can recover from bleaching, the window of recovery between events is narrowing. As the planet continues to warm, bleaching is forecast to reduce global coral cover by 95 percent if temperatures warm by about two degrees. If the rise is up to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, bleaching will spread to 70 percent. Even if all countries deliver on their climate commitments, the world would still be on track for two degrees or more of warming. Globally, billions of dollars are being poured into coral bleaching mitigation projectsincluding breeding coral on artificial reefs and translocating it, making clouds more heat reflective, or controlling coral predators. These site-specific conservation efforts are important, but Terry Hughes, one of Australia's foremost coral reef scientists, says they do nothing to address the root cause of bleaching: climate change. "After 50 years of interventions, coral restoration attempts have not changed the ecology of a single reef anywhere," Hughes said. "They're just too small in scale." For example, Hughes says breeding corals in aquariums has strict limitations. "You would need 250 million large corals, each the size of a dinner plate, to increase coral cover in the Great Barrier Reef by just one percentand it would cost billions of dollars," he added. "The solution is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible." 'Not giving up' Australia has invested about Aus$5 billion ($3.2 billion) into improving water quality, reducing the effects of climate change, and protecting threatened species. The country is one of the world's largest gas and coal exporters, and has only recently set loose targets to become carbon neutral. Whether these efforts will be enough to see the reef keep its World Heritage Status will be examined by UNESCO later this year. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority chief scientist Roger Beeden says it will take some time before the full extent of this year's event is realized, but he is hopeful coral will recover. "There's hundreds of species of corals, they have evolved in an environment that is incredibly dynamic. They are very adaptable," he said. "We need to do all that we can. I'm always hopeful. I think like medical doctorsI'm not giving up on this patient." On Lizard Island, Hoggett worries for its future. "Coral reefs are so beautiful, and I love them so much. They do so much good for the world," she said. "It just makes me angry that it's within our power to stop this from happening and we are not doing anything quickly enough." 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: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Huge pink flocks of millions of flamingosflamboyances of flamingosare one of nature's great spectacles. But colleagues and I have uncovered worrying trends in the salty and highly-alkaline "soda lakes" of east Africa where most of these birds live. Lesser flamingos are the most numerous of the six species of flamingo found across the world, and more than three quarters are found in the soda lakes of Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Despite their numbers, with estimates ranging between 2 million and 3 million birds, the species is in decline and officially classified as "near threatened." The causes of the population decline have been difficult to identify due to the remoteness of many soda lakes and the nomadic nature of the birds. They often fly at night between the soda lakes in search of new feeding sites, in response to the boom and bust nature of the cyanobacteria they feed on, commonly known as blue-green algae. However, rising water levels at many of the feeding lakes are decimating the cyanobacteria the birds have evolved to eat. In research now published in the journal Current Biology, my colleagues and I found that only half of the lakes that provided high-quality feeding habitat in 2000 were still suitable feeding lakes in 2022. Lesser flamingos feed by turning their heads upside down, pumping water through fine hair-like structures called lamellae in their beaks and catching only cyanobacteria of a certain size. This highly specialized tactic means the birds are heavily dependent on certain cyanobacteria species such as spirulina. This is the same vitamin-rich spirulina you might have seen in smoothies or supplements. In nature, the species that flamingos feed on only grows in highly salty and alkine conditions, and in soda lakes it grows in such numbers that these lakes are some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. But these lakes are especially sensitive to change because they often have no outflowing rivers. And as their waters rise they are diluted, reducing their salinity and alkalinity and limiting the growth of the cyanobacteria the flamingos depend on. More water, less food To assess the threats facing lesser flamingos, we used satellites to monitor 22 key feeding lakes across Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania between 1999 and 2022. This is the first time the whole east African range of lesser flamingos has been monitored at this scale. Water levels have risen the most in recent years in Kenya and Tanzania, particularly at historically important flamingo lakes Bogoria and Nakuru, which supported more than 1 million birds in the recent past. However Nakuru almost doubled in size between 2009 and 2022, while its mean concentration of chlorophyll aa photosynthetic pigment measured by satellites that can be used as an estimate of cyanobacteria presencehalved. The number of birds has noticeably declined in response to the losses in their food source. Lake Natron in Tanzania is also worth highlighting as it is the only regular breeding site for lesser flamingos in east Africa. The rising water levels and declining food sources at Natron therefore threaten not only current populations but the birds' ability to breed in the region, possibly leading to drastic declines in the future. Rising water levels are likely caused by a combination of increased rainfall in recent decades and deforestation which causes the rainfall to run off directly into the lakes. Rainfall is predicted to increase in east Africa with climate change, driving further lake level rises in the future. It's not entirely bad news, for the flamingos at least. Six of the 22 lakes provided more suitable flamingo habitats in 2022 compared to 2000. The birds will likely find new feeding lakes in shallow salt pans and seasonal lakes. However, without a history of flamingos living there, many of these lakes do not have the same international protections. It's not only the flamingos that are at risk. Soda lakes contain plants and animals found nowhere else on earth including fish species, invertebrates and phytoplankton. Declines in their most charismatic birds provide an insight into what could be happening beneath the surface. These lakes can act as early beacons of how climate change can impact inland waters across the world. If we want to protect these highly fragile ecosystems and their iconic pink birds, we'll have to take action to mitigate the increasing rainfall in the region. We need to know what's happening on the ground and where the flamingos are going, so more regular water quality monitoring and bird counts are required across the soda lakes. We also need to protect forests near the lakes most susceptible to change and restore lake catchments that are already degraded. This will reduce the amount of rain running straight into the lakes and will give the cyanobacteria a fighting chance. With the right help, spectacular flamboyances of flamingos will continue to grace east African lakes in the future. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The Dura-Europos site in modern-day Syria is famous for its exceptional state of preservation. Like Pompeii, this ancient city has yielded many great discoveries, and serves as a window into the world of the ancient Hellenistic, Parthian, and Roman periods. Yet despite the prominence of Dura-Europos in Near Eastern scholarship, there is another city, only some miles down the Euphrates river, that presents a long-neglected opportunity for study. A new paper in the Journal of Near Eastern Studies, entitled "The Ancient City of Giddan/Eddana (Anqa, Iraq), the 'Forgotten Twin' of Dura-Europos," identifies the city of Anqa as a near mirror image of Dura-Europos, of the same size, comparable composition, and potentially equal value to scholars of the region. Anqa is located just across the Syrian border from Dura-Europos, in the present-day Al-Qaim district of the Anbar Governorate in Iraq. Its remains include an identifying tell mound, at the northern end of the site, a polygonal inner wall circuit, and a large outer defensive wall, or enceinte. Situated at a point where the Euphrates floodplain drastically narrows, the city would have controlled movement between the populous section of the valley upstream and the trade route downstream linking Syria, Northern Mesopotamia, and Babylonia, giving it great strategic and economic significance. However, the site was ignored entirely by archaeologists until the 1850 publication of a British Middle Euphrates expedition survey. A more thorough study of the site was performed in the late 1930s by Aurel Stein, including aerial photographs of the standing structures, but even after these forays, there was little desire to learn more than the geographical location of this twin city to Dura-Europos. One reason for the disparity in interest between Anqa and Dura-Europos, posits article author Simon James, is the history of British and French colonial intervention in the region. In 1920, as a result of the San Remo conference, Iraq was seized for British control, and Syria for French. As James writes, the "new political, military, and administrative boundary created a barrier to research and understanding of the earlier history of the region as a whole." Yet while Dura-Europos and some other sites in Iraq and Syria have suffered from looting, destruction, and civilian death as a consequence of conflict in the region, Anqa has remained relatively untouched. As further archaeological inquiry is performed, Anqa may continue to provide valuable insight into the history of the Middle Euphrates. And furthermore, as methods of digital scholarship bring thinkers together "despite political borders," the practice of studying sites like it may even, in the words of Simon James, help "address the consequences of colonialism in archaeology." More information: Simon James, The Ancient City of Giddan/Eddana (Anqa, Iraq), the "Forgotten Twin" of Dura-Europos, Journal of Near Eastern Studies (2024). DOI: 10.1086/729226 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: Aerial view of a soybean plantation in the municipality of Montividiu, Goias State, Brazil, taken on January 22, 2024. For centuries, farmers used almanacs to try to understand and predict weather patterns. Now, a new crop of Latin American startups is helping do that with artificial intelligence, promising a farming revolution in agricultural giants like Brazil, the world's biggest exporter of soybeans, corn and beef. Aline Oliveira Pezente, a 39-year-old entrepreneur from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, was working at agriculture company Louis Dreyfus Commodities when she noticed a problem in how the farming industry operates in Brazil. Producers need huge amounts of credit up-front to buy inputs like seed and fertilizer, she says. But lenders are wary given how difficult it is to size up the myriad risks, from the naturaldroughts, floods, crop disease, erosionto the financialbankruptcy, price crashes and more. In 2018, Aline and her husband Fabricio launched a startup called Traive that collects massive amounts of agriculture-related data, then analyzes it with AI, breaking down the capital risk for lenders and giving farmers easier access to credit. "Lenders used to each use their own (risk analysis) model. Imagine like a giant Excel file," Aline told AFP. "But it's very hard for humans, even those who are super knowledgeable of statistics and mathematics, to create equations that capture the nuances of all the variables. "They were taking three months to do something that we can do in five minutes with way better accuracy," said Aline, who has a master's degree specializing in AI and data analysis from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. AI for agriculture Seven years on, Traive's clients include fintech firms and agro-industry giants like Syngenta. Banco do Brasil, Latin America's second-biggest bank, is an investor. People ride stationary bikes to create energy during the Web Summit Rio 2024 on April 17, 2024. More than 70,000 producers use Traive's platform, which has facilitated nearly $1 billion in financial operations, the company says. Aline presented her work this week at the Rio de Janeiro edition of Web Summit, the massive tech gathering dubbed "Davos for Geeks." Speaking alongside her on a panel called "Harvesting Data: The Next Agricultural Revolution," fellow entrepreneur Alejandro Mieses explained how AI has the potential to reshape farming. Worldwide, farmers are increasingly turning to AI to boost yields and returns, with applications like self-driving tractors, drones that track crop health and smart cameras that recognize weeds for herbicide treatment. Mieses's Puerto Rico-based startup, TerraFirma, developed an AI model that uses satellite images to forecast environmental risks like natural disasters, crop disease and erosion. "We insist on the physics of it, because we believe that is the base point. Understanding how water moves, how wind moves, how different solar exposures operate throughout your farmland," he said at Web Summit, of which AFP is a media partner this year. The hard part, the panelists said, AI models have to be trained on massive amounts of data. Although farmers tend to be data-obsessedpainstakingly tracking environmental conditions, inputs and productivitygathering and processing that information around the world is complex. "It's quite resource-intensive. You need servers, you need an immense repository of data," said Mieses, 39. "It's the same old story of garbage in, garbage out." CEO of Agrosmart, a tech-based agriculture startup, Mariana Vasconcelos, poses after an interview with AFP in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Climate question The agriculture industry faces criticism in countries like Brazil, whose rise as an agricultural powerhouse has also seen a surge of environmental destruction in key regions like the Amazon rainforest, a vital resource against climate change. Innovation optimists argue that, with the world's population expected to reach nearly 10 billion people by 2050, technologies like AI are humanity's best hope for surviving without destroying the planet. Mariana Vasconcelos is the 32-year-old chief executive of Brazilian startup Agrosmart, which uses AI to help farmers manage climate risks and produce more sustainably. "The UN Food and Agriculture Organization says we need to increase food production to feed a growing population. At the same time, we have to produce with less: less land, less deforestation, less carbon footprint. How can we do that without technology?" she said. "Agriculture is often seen as opposed to nature. But I think technology is showing that actually it can regenerate, restore the environment, work together with nature... Agriculture is headed for a more sustainable model." 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: This photo provided by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) shows a view of an eruption of Mount Ruang in the Sulawesi island, Indonesia, Friday, April 19, 2024. More people living near the erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated on Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Credit: National Search and Rescue Agency via AP More than 2,100 people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation recorded at least three eruptions since Friday afternoon, with the maximum height of the eruption column reaching 1,200 meters (3,900 feet). An international airport in Manado city, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the erupting Mount Ruang, is still temporarily closed as volcanic ash was spewed into the air. Satellite imagery from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency shows the ash has spread to the west, northwest, northeast and southeast, covering Manado and North Minahasa, according to a statement from Indonesia's Transportation Ministry. "We are still monitoring developments in the eruption of Mount Ruang and coordinating with relevant stakeholders to anticipate the necessary actions to ensure flight safety, security and comfort," said Ambar Suryoko, head of the regional airport authority. More than 11,000 people were told to leave their homes that were located in the affected area. A joint team from the local authorities combed the villages surrounding the volcano and evacuated residents to safer areas by boat. This photo provided by the Indonesian Transportation Ministry shows the closed Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, April 19, 2024. Indonesian authorities closed the 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: Indonesian Transportation Ministry via AP In this photo provided by the Indonesian Transportation Ministry, people inquire about their flight change at the closed Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, April 19, 2024. Indonesian authorities closed the 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: Indonesian Transportation Ministry 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 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 This photo provided by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) shows a part of a village on Tagulandang island covered by ash from eruptions of Mountt Ruang in the Sulawesi island, Indonesia, Friday, April 19, 2024. More people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated on Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Credit: National Search and Rescue Agency via AP This photo provided by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) shows a part of a village on Tagulandang island covered by ash from eruptions of Mountt Ruang in the Sulawesi island, Indonesia, Friday, April 19, 2024. More people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated on Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Credit: National Search and Rescue Agency 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 This photo released by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) shows Mount Ruang spewing smoke in the Sulawesi island, Indonesia, Friday, April 19, 2024. More people living near the erupting volcano were evacuated on Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Credit: National Search and Rescue Agency via AP This photo released by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) shows a view of an eruption of Mount Ruang in the Sulawesi island, Indonesia, Friday, April 19, 2024. More people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated on Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Credit: National Search and Rescue Agency via AP Officials worry that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami, as happened in an eruption there in 1871. Houses, roads and other buildings were covered by gray volcanic ash, and many roofs were broken by debris spewed from the eruption. Mount Ruang saw at least five large eruptions Wednesday, causing the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation to issue its highest level of alert. People were ordered to stay at least 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the 725-meter (2,378-foot) mountain. The observation from the agency on Friday said white smoke was rising from the main crater with medium to thick intensity. East of the volcano, Tagulandang Island could be at risk if a collapse occurred. Its residents were among those being told to evacuate. Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency said residents would be relocated to Manado, a journey of 6 hours 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. 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 Hello, stakeholders. (This is the nongendered term of address I've been workshopping because I see "folks" in too many social media posts.) Researchers this week reported on an AI model that attempts to emulate human irrationality in decision-making, which has to be the best approach toward building a human-equivalent general AI, right? Like, if you told Siri "Thank you," and she replied "You, too" instead of "You're welcome," and then felt embarrassed about it. That would seem deeply human to me. Additionally, here are some links to reporting on PTSD and its genetic underpinnings, still-endangered Tasmanian devils and a previously unknown bias in student evaluation that may terrify students named Ybarra or Zamboni. Irrationality apprehended Human decision-making is inherently irrational and largely unpredictable as people try to balance received information, goal-oriented behavior, predictions about the future, and unrelated internal drives such as the desire for burritos. Researchers in artificial intelligence are now trying to build AI systems that can collaborate more effectively with irrational, skull-bound humans by accounting for this irrationality. Researchers from MIT and the University of Washington are reporting a new technique to model the behavior of an agenteither human or AIthat accounts for constraints to its problem-solving abilities. Previous research attempts to model human decision-making have involved adding noise to the model such that the agent chooses the correct option in only a certain percentage of attempts. But human irrationality is not always irrational in the same way. The new model instead draws its inspiration from high-level chess players. The researchers noticed that higher-level players take more time to think before acting in challenging matches. This turned out to be a good proxy for human behavior and inspired their new framework. The model runs an algorithm for a set amount of time to solve a specific problem. The model compares the algorithm's decisions to the behavior of an agent working on the same problem; then it can align the agent's decisions with those of the algorithm and determine exactly where the agent stopped planning. Deriving an inference budget from the agent's planning allows the model to predict how the agent will make choices for similar problems. Study large Exposure to traumatic environments or conditions, such as battlefields, activates a stress response that is likely adaptive and emerges to improve human survival. In post-traumatic stress disorder, that same response becomes a detriment to quality of life, which is particularly salient in a country now coming down from 20 consecutive years of war. (Obviously, PTSD also has roots in other causes.) Researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard recently conducted a genetic study of 1.2 million people and identified 95 genome locations associated with developing PTSD following trauma, along with 43 genes that have a role in PTSD. The study, the largest of its kind, provides multiple new targets for investigation that could lead to prevention and treatment strategies. Zbigniew underrated University of Michigan researchers report that students with alphabetically lower-ranked surnames were assigned lower grades than those with alphabetically higher-ranked surnames. Haha, it gets worse: Alphabetically subordinate students also received comments that were more negative, less polite and that exhibited lower grading quality as measured by student complaints. These results derived from an analysis of data from the online learning management system Canvas, which, by default, orders student submissions alphabetically by surname. Over the evaluated period, from 2014 to 2022, students whose surnames begin with A, B, C, D or E received grades 0.3 points higher; students with alphabetically suburban surnames received a score 0.3 points lower, representing a 0.6-point gap. The researchers theorize that the real issue is fatigue, not alphabetical order. "We kind of suspect that fatigue is one of the major factors that is driving this effect, because when you're working on something for a long period of time, you get tired and then you start to lose your attention and your cognitive abilities are dropping," said researcher Jiaxin Pei from the University of Michigan School of Information. Findings disaffirmed Some Australian friends told me one time that it was hilarious telling Americans about Tasmanian devils because we generally don't understand that the Warner Brothers cartoon character is based on an actual animal. (Contrariwise, Australians understand completely that Bugs Bunny is based on rabbits, against which Australia has built whole, continent-spanning fences.) Like the cartoon character, real Tasmanian devils are stocky, smelly and loud. They're highly endangered, threatened by a contagious form of cancer that causes the formation of large facial tumors that ultimately make it difficult for devils to feed themselves. In 2020, researchers tracking devil facial tumor disease reported that the spread had slowed and become stable; now, however, a multi-institutional team of researchers has questioned those claims in a new genotyping study, finding errors in data on which the original team based their conclusions. 2024 Science X Network 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: Three adult caribou watch over three calves in the mountains of British Columbia. Credit: Line Giguere/Wildlife Infometrics Thanks to drastic and evidence-based solutions, more southern mountain caribou roam Western Canada today than in previous decades; however, herd numbers are too fragile to sustain themselves without continued intervention. That begins the conclusion of a new research paper published in Ecological Applications on Thursday by a team of wildlife and biodiversity researchers led by Dr. Clayton Lamb, a postdoctoral fellow at UBC Okanagan and Wildlife Scientist at Biodiversity Pathways. "We did this analysis with full understanding and agreement that habitat loss is the primary driver of caribou declines," says Dr. Lamb. "But the reality is that habitat restoration, even once complete, will take decades to produce the mature forests and low predator densities caribou need to survive. In the meantime, we need evidence-based actions to sustain caribou while we expedite habitat conservation and restoration." Researchers found that while caribou have declined dramatically over the past few decades, there are 52 percent (or less than 1,500) more caribou on the landscape than if no recovery actions had been taken. Southern mountain caribou are among the most threatened large mammals in Canada. The ultimate reason for caribou decline is human-caused habitat loss and increased predation. It's thought that it will take decades to restore enough habitat for populations to recover, and the outcomes of restoration are still unknown. Across BC and Alberta, managers have tried maternal penning, supplemental feeding, translocation and reducing predator density to help stabilize caribou populations. "Caribou declines have been drastic, and the actions required to keep them from completely disappearing have had to be bold, and many have been understandably contentious," says Dr. Lamb. "Our task was to assess whether and how these recovery actions have helped southern mountain caribou in their struggle to survive." Researchers from across BC and Alberta pooled and analyzed over 50 years of data on the species, using population estimates from aerial surveys and information on caribou mortality from collared animals. Though the earliest data comes from 1973, data collection began for most populations after 1991. The team found that the southern mountain caribou abundance declined by 51 percent between 1991 and 2023. Still, without recovery actions, the decline would have been even more significant. "We have 1,500 more caribou than we would have had without these actions," says co-author Dr. Rob Serrouya, Co-Director of the Wildlife Science Centre with Biodiversity Pathways. "There is strong evidence that predator reductions have increased caribou populations and avoided further caribou extirpation events. We've seen this increase under current levels of climate change; high levels of habitat loss also contribute. "Actions such as maternal penning and supplemental feeding were most effective when coupled with predator reduction. Other actions, such as prey reduction, wolf sterilization or translocations, had a lesser impact." Researchers from both UBCO and Biodiversity Pathways analyze and report on the status of caribou populations, offering clear data to inform the conversation on conservation efforts and support the best outcomes for ecosystem health. More information: Clayton T. Lamb et al, Effectiveness of populationbased recovery actions for threatened southern mountain caribou, Ecological Applications (2024). DOI: 10.1002/eap.2965 Journal information: Ecological Applications Youngblood becomes LGA interim executive director Updated, May 25, 2024: The Lake George Association is now listing Leigh Youngblood as its interim executive director. Few details are available. Our writer and columnist Gordon Woodworth says she comes from Interim Executive Solutions, one of the positions listed for a woman with this name on a LinkedIn page. The Lake George Association has a new interim executive director, according to the organization's website. Her name is Leigh Youngblood. She comes from Interim Executive Solutions, which offers temporary leaders for organizations. Gordon Woodworth (@GWTWgolfer) May 24, 2024 She takes over for the most recent interim, Peter Menzies, who was also acting as chair of the board. He remains in that position, according to the group's website. Steve Thurston, editor Menzies is board chair and interim director Original Post, April 20, 6 a.m.: LAKE GEORGE The Lake George Association board is optimistic that it is close to filling the void left by Eric J. Siy, who vacated the executive director seat at the end of 2023. In the meantime, the task of day-to-day operations has fallen to Pete Menzies, board chair. My wife is about to put me through the ringer in LGA rehab, Menzies said with a laugh. Menzies and his wife, Gretchen, own the Katonah Reading Room, a bookstore and cafe in Katonah, in Westchester County, but for the past six months, he said, hes had to abdicate those responsibilities. This LGA work, over the last six months has become full-time for me, He added. As much as he laments leaving Gretchen to bear the brunt of the bookstore burden, both Menzies and his wife understand how important it is that the LGA not lapse in its mission to look after lake George. The LGA has, for 139 years, stood watch over Lake George as its preeminent protector, Menzies said. At its inception, Menzies said, the LGA began as little more than a fish and game club. But as its advocacy efforts grew, so too did the legacy around the group. It was a group a fishermen who started the LGA in 1885, he explained. It was formed by, I think nine gentlemen; one of whom is the great, great grandfather of one of our current board members. These types of familial and ancestral connections, Menzies said, are ubiquitous throughout the various entities and agencies that watch over the Queen of American Lakes. I just find all of these really crazy, and really lovely connections between all of us and all of these organizations and businesses, he said. Its always funny to see whos related to whom and who has a story about someone working at one of these boards. In Menzies case his father was a long-serving member of the LGA board, while his sister was one of the first educators to spread the word about invasive species in Lake George with the help of her trusty puppet, Millie the Milfoil. But Menzies is no slouch when it comes to his own history with the LGA. He said hes been a volunteer, or has otherwise been involved with the board for the past 30 years. He was elected as chairman of the LGA board in 2022. The organization has been dear to me, he said. And its been something Ive invested countless hours and 30 years of my life serving to the best of my ability. In recent months, serving to the best of his ability has included taking on the herculean role of executive director for the LGA. As chairman of the board, Menzies said he had become accustomed to wrangling the cats, referring to the sometimes chaotic task of assembling the board. But as the much more public-facing executive director, he said it was a surprise just how many interested parties there are when it comes to Lake George. And how important it is to make time, he added. How we manage it is under great scrutiny and theres certainly a debate around that, but thats reasonable. Its so important. Its OK for us to get passionate about how we deal with this place and how we treat it and what is the best method to ensure its protection. I get it. Menzies said the issues facing any resource like Lake George can be overwhelming. Thats why it has been so important for the board to find the right kind of person who can not only face those issues, but can find solutions that work for such a unique place as lake George. Prioritizing where you can have the most impact is a challenge but a necessity, you have to figure it out, he said. And not one person can do it, thats why we have a board, we have a staff, and were about to sign someone who is a leader, a true leader. Lake George has always been a special place in the Adirondacks. It was sacrosanct to the Native American tribes who lived in the area, and was instantly recognized by European settlers as place of strategic and ecological importance. It started a long time ago, its always been a special place. Thomas Jefferson called out its unique beauty, Menzies said. Steep shore lines have discouraged over development around the lake, which has acted as a sort of natural bio preserve as surrounding areas have become populated. Menzies estimated that Lake George is a $2 billion economy with spending around $600 million a year in tourism and other industries. The second it starts to degrade, or the second the quality of the water is compromised, everything else becomes compromised, he said. Your home values, your business values you name it, it all starts to fall apart. We try to understand how we fit in the ecosystem both naturally and economic, and in terms of sociological issues in general, he added. So the stakes are high for the LGA. The search for a new president has been a daunting one. When Siy announced his retirement from the position in August of 2023, the board started to look for perspective candidates. Menzies said theyd found a great fit, who would have hit the ground running in January, but backed out in the final stretch. She was really excited and we thought we were there, Menzies recalled. She had to move two little kids and a husband half way across the country, and she realized that, that might be way too much to ask of her family. While the search continued, Menzies said that board made the decision to appoint him, as board chair, to the position. A move that seemed infinitely practical as a temporary measure, not as a tenable solution. Menzies has been anxious to find a permanent replacement, and not just so he can get back to his bookstore. Ultimately, me holding both positions, chairman of the board and interim executive director is practical, but its not long-term sustainable, nor is it the best governance, he said. Its better to have them split. But as with other businesses, especially not-for-profits such as the LGA, Menzies conceded that housing and cost of living in the area has proven to be a challenge for attracting qualified candidates to the position. Thats a challenge on every level, he said. We did our level best to account for that with compensation, but were a not-for-profit, we can only go so far. Still, Menzies said the interest in the position has been overwhelming. So much so, that the board couldnt interview every applicant. We do full-day interviews, he said. Long interview, Jefferson Project briefing, dinner, meet the staff, a full, full, kind of big day getting to know us. Ultimately, though, Menzies said the search has been fruitful. As of this writing, he said a perspective candidate has all but accepted the position, one who will play a key role in the organization moving forward. The announcement we make will be about a person coming into this role, but itll also be about, we finally feel confident that we assembled the best team that we could, Menzies said. A Rock Island County judge has found unfit an East Moline man accused of indecent solicitation of a child. Prosecutors filed the charge against Michael S. Newton, 53, in January, according to court records. Underlying the charge is the allegation that on Jan. 6 he knowingly solicited for sex someone he thought was a juvenile. The East Moline Police Department investigated the case, court records state. Authorities opened the case against Newton on Jan. 8 and on Jan. 23 Judge Peter Church ordered a fitness evaluation after doubts were raised about Newtons ability to participate in the case. Judge Frank Fuhr found Newton unfit on March 13 and Newton remained so as of April 10, according to court records. The 11-year-old East Moline child authorities allege Newton thought he was contacting did not exist, according to court records. The Facebook account of the child was created by a Texas-based group known as Predator Poachers, court records state. Members of the group later told East Moline investigators that its purpose is to help law enforcement locate and identify child predators, court records state. Newton began contacting the fake account and his messages soon became sexual in nature, authorities allege in court records state. On several occasions, he proposed he and the child have sex. Court records state Newton arranged to meet the child in East Moline and was confronted by members of Predator Poachers. Newton admitted to the members of the group that his intent was to meet the child and have sex with her, court records state. The group then contacted the East Moline Police Department and turned over copies of the messages between Newton and the fake account. Records state that after police Mirandized Newton, he admitted to a police detective that his intent was to meet the 11-year-old and have sex with her. Shortly after prosecutors filed the charge against Newton, they petitioned to have him detained, court records state. After a hearing on that petition, Church ordered that Newton remain in custody at the Rock Island County Jail rather than be freed on pretrial release. As of Friday, Newton had not yet been transferred to the custody of the Department of Human Services for treatment and remained in county custody, according to the jail website. His next court hearing has been set for May 8, court records state. Photos: EF-2 Tornado damage Evergreen Village, East Moline, IL The City of Davenport, on advice from contracted attorneys, cut former city administrator Corri Spiegel's access to city systems and email and keycard access to city facilities while she was on leave late last year. A letter from a Lane & Waterman attorney to Spiegel Nov. 30 informed her that "due to the sensitive nature of the claims you have asserted against the city and the potential conflict of interest that may arise through your continued employment, I have advised the city to continue your paid leave until your agreed upon separation." Spiegel believes she was terminated Spiegel interpreted that as she had been terminated, she wrote in a letter to Ald. Rick Dunn in January, and saw the action as a a clearly defined act of retaliation, further exacerbated by the violation of city code and state law. Spiegel's letter to Dunn is dated Jan. 13, signed by Spiegel, and included several attached email exchanges between her and attorneys with Lane & Waterman. The letter and attachments were released as part of a records request to a member of the public who shared them with the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus. Spiegel departed Davenport under a separation agreement that included $1.6 million for lost wages and emotional distress in lieu of a lawsuit for alleged harassment she said she experienced from elected officials. Spiegel sent a letter Sept. 15 requesting to separate from the city, and signed an agreement to do so Oct. 6 with then-City Attorney Tom Warner representing the city. She continued working until Nov. 17, which is when her departure was made known to the public. Per her agreement, she would be on paid leave from Nov. 17 until Jan. 2. The agreement stated that Spiegel would "not post, speak or otherwise communicate or act on behalf of the city without the approval of the corporation counsel." While on leave, Spiegel sent emails from city account regarding employee's demand letter The agreement also included a "right to discipline" clause, in which it states that "nothing prevents the city from taking disciplinary action, up to and including termination for Spiegel's behavior between the execution of this agreement and" Jan. 2. "Termination can only occur if Spiegel has intentionally committed a crime of a depraved and vile nature that is morally reprehensible." On Nov. 29, Spiegel received a phone call from a former city employee who was distraught after being contacted by the media, Spiegel wrote in the letter to Dunn. The city had released a complete version of the former employees demand letter unredacted as part of a records request. In my professional experience working for the organization for nearly a decade, it was my understanding that the letter should never have been released, Spiegel wrote in the letter to Dunn. I advised corporation Counsel (Tom) Warner of the issue and subsequently logged into my city work email and sent an email to (interim city administrator) Mallory Merritt, (interim city attorney) Brian Heyer, (human resources director) Alison Fleming, and (deputy city clerk) Brian Krup advising of the issue. The following day, she wrote, she received the letter from Lane & Waterman Attorney Brett Marshall to her city work email. I believe that any reasonable person would construe the statement potential conflict of interest that may arise through your continued employment the same way I did. I had been terminated, Spiegel wrote in her January letter to Dunn. As was common knowledge at that time, I had an executed separation agreement and was already on administrative leave consistent with the terms of that agreement. Taking an action to amend my employment status in a form that violated the terms of the separation agreement appears to be motivated by intentions that I am currently unaware of. Spiegel wrote that to her knowledge there was no special meeting between Nov. 17 and Nov. 30 to discuss her employment. Spiegel calls outside counsel's actions 'act of retaliation' In the letter, Spiegel called Lane & Watermans actions on authorization from the city a clearly defined act of retaliation, further exacerbated by the violation of city code and state law. She wrote that she hadnt retained legal counsel nor desired to pursue litigation. She wrote that she was not currently seeking financial compensation from the city to resolve the issue, but believed a written acknowledgment of wrongdoing and an apology would suffice as an acceptable resolution. Its not clear whether an apology was given. Responding to a reporters email Thursday night, Spiegel confirmed the authenticity of the letter and said she provided it and several attachments solely to Dunn because in my experience working with him, he is a person of great integrity. Asked whether she continued to be paid through Jan. 2, Spiegel wrote: While the separation agreements financial terms were ultimately met, I believe other elements were not. I prefer not to go further into specific detail should I choose to pursue a remedy through other means. Dunn, responding to an email from a reporter Thursday night, wrote that he received the letter and attachments from Spiegel and recently provided the entire packet to the citys legal department in response to a FOIA request. He added that he was not consulted nor privy to any conversations regarding Spiegels employment status between Nov. 17 and Nov. 30. Warner, the former city attorney, also alleges his employment status was wrongly changed shortly after he announced his retirement in late November. He told the city council in a March letter that there was no executive session to discuss his performance prior to being placed on leave and he did not voluntarily agree to be on administrative leave. Merritt and Heyer did not respond to emailed questions. Lane & Waterman attorneys said city could not find Spiegel's demand letter As part of the email exchanges with Spiegel, Lane & Waterman Attorney Brett Marshall on Dec. 15 requested Spiegel send him a copy of her settlement letter she gave to Warner because "the city cannot locate a copy of your written settlement request." Marshall had reached out to Spiegel Dec. 15 asking her for any responsive documents to a records request that had asked for any records related to Spiegel's departure, including emails and text messages and any separation or settlement requests from Spiegel. "The city cannot locate a copy of this letter, and I am specifically requesting a copy for the city's records," Marshall wrote. The letter is currently the subject of litigation in court. The city filed action in court requesting that a judge determine whether the letter should be made public. Spiegel responded to Marshall's email later that day stating that she possessed no responsive text messages and that any other items associated with the request should be in the city's possession. Spiegel says city's lack of position on releasing demand letter should 'cause great concern to all former employees' In a separate email dated April 1, Spiegel requested a waiver of her restrictions on interviews with local media from her separation agreement. Spiegel sent that email to all 10 members of the city council, Mayor Mike Matson, Merritt and Heyer. She took issue with the citys lack of position on whether it should release her Sept. 15 letter outlining alleged harassment she faced and requests for compensation. The city filed in court in February a request for a judge to rule on whether it should release Spiegel's Sept. 15 letter to records requesters. The city, in its filing, indicated that it had "no opinion on the outcome of this case, and will comply with the court's determination." The Iowa Freedom of Information Council, a nonprofit that advocates for open government, has requested to intervene in the case to argue in favor of releasing the letter, a court action the city opposed. Spiegel wrote in her April 1 email: "I find the city's position on this matter to be incredibly disappointing and in direct conflict with Davenport Administrative Policy 3.11, which states the following: 'Employees are assured that privacy of the complainant and the person accused of harassment will be kept strictly confidential.' "The conflict between the legal argument and administrative policy can only lead me to believe that the city's position (taken publicly by outside legal counsel, which I presume is acting with full authorization of the policy-making body) is that once an employee is separated from the organization, confidential records no longer receive protection." She added: "I believe the current interpretation should cause great concern to all former employees and the bargaining groups that represent the majority of the city's current employees." Spiegel requested a waiver of interview restrictions outlined in her separation agreement, in which she agreed "not to interview with local market news media outlets about her allegations of misconduct for a period of 10 years." Spiegel, in her email to a reporter, wrote that the city, through outside legal counsel, declined her request for a waiver of the interview restriction. Read the letters here: PORT MORESBY, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday that China's assistance to Pacific island countries has always been free of political conditions and impositions, and China has never issued "blank checks". Wang, who is 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 Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko. He called on the international community to pay more attention to the special situation and legitimate concerns of the Pacific island countries, to focus on issues of the greatest concerns to them, such as climate change and improvement of people's livelihoods, and to come up with more ideas, more solutions, more practical work and more good deeds. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) Argentina formally requested on Thursday to join NATO as a global partner, a status that would clear the way for greater political and security cooperation at a time when the right-wing government of President Javier Milei aims to boost ties with Western powers and attract investment. The request came as NATO's Deputy General Secretary Mircea Geoana held talks in Brussels on regional security challenges with visiting Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri. Geoana said he welcomed Argentina's bid to become an accredited partner in the alliance a valued role short of ally for nations that are not in NATO's geographical area and not required to take part in collective military actions. NATO membership is currently limited to countries of Europe, Turkey, Canada and the United States. The designation could allow Argentina access to advanced technology, security systems and training 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. Milei has been pushing a radical libertarian agenda aimed at reversing years of protectionist trade measures, overspending and crippling international debt that have plunged the country's economy into a tailspin. Over his past four months as president, he has reshaped Argentina's foreign policy to one of almost unconditional support for the United States 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 is also seeking security benefits through warming ties with Western countries. On Thursday, the U.S. government announced it was providing Argentina with $40 million in foreign military financing for the first time in more than two decades a grant that allows key U.S. allies like Israel to buy American weaponry. The funds, intended to help Argentina equip and modernize its military, will help foot the bill for 24 American F-16 fighter aircraft Argentina bought from Denmark earlier this week. Defense Minister Petri hailed the acquisition of the advanced warplanes as the most important military purchase since Argentinas return to democracy in 1983. The $300 million price tag has drawn criticism from Milei's political opponents as he slashes spending across the government. Formally partnering with NATO requires the consensus of all 32 NATO members. Argentina's ties to key NATO ally Britain have been fraught since 1982, when the two went to war over the contested Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. Other global partners of the Alliance include Afghanistan, Australia, Iraq, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan. Currently the only NATO partner in Latin America is Colombia. Conferring the status of global partner on a country does not mean NATO allies would come to the countrys defense in the event of an attack. That commitment laid out in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations founding treaty is limited to full members of the alliance. NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Elon Musk postponed a planned trip to India where he was to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing obligations at his Tesla automaker and saying he aimed to reschedule the visit for later this year. "Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year," Musk posted on his X social media platform. Reporters reported the postponement on Saturday, citing four people familiar with the matter. The trip was to have included the announcement of plans for the electric vehicle (EV) maker to enter the South Asian market, Reuters has reported. The CEO and the prime minister are both at critical junctures. Tesla could have used the India announcement to try to reassure investors after months of share-price declines and the news on April 15 that it would lay off more than 10% of its global workforce. Musk is expected to face tough questions from analysts when Tesla announces quarterly results on Tuesday about falling sales, rising competition from Chinese EV makers and the fate of key future Tesla products. Reuters reported on April 5 that Tesla had halted development of its long-awaited affordable EV, often called the Model 2. Musk posted that "Reuters is lying" after the report, without citing any inaccuracies. He has not spoken further about the model, leaving investors clamouring for clarity. Rohan Patel, a Tesla public policy executive who, according to sources, was one of those leading the company's India entry plans, also resigned this week. Musk would have arrived on Sunday, two days after the start of India's nation election, in which Modi is forecast to win a rare third term. Modi wants to highlight progress toward promises of making India a global manufacturing hub. After Reuters reported Musk's India trip plans on April 10, he posted on X that he was "Looking forward to meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India!" In New Delhi, Musk was expected to announce an investment of $2 billion to $3 billion, mainly to build a factory in India, after the government announced a policy lowering high tariffs on imported cars if companies invest locally, Reuters has reported. Chris Coates Executive Editor and Lee Enterprises Senior Director-Local News Follow Chris Coates Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The stage is set for our first Mobile Newsroom. As I wrote a few weeks ago, were embedding Richmond Times-Dispatch journalists in different locations for a week out of each month through this fall to report on various neighborhoods. The goal is to connect with community members, get to know you better and find stories that arent being reported. We also want to get your feedback about the work were doing. Our first stop will be Seven Hills School at 1311 Overbrook Road in Richmond. The all-boys school, which opened in 2001, moved into its current campus near Virginia Union University in 2008. Well be there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, May 13, to Friday, May 17. I met Tuesday with Head of School Dagan Rowe and Director of Advancement Drew Lineberger, who are providing us with plenty of space to meet with visitors. Our base will be Building D, which faces Overbook Road and has a large mural on its facade. Street parking is available. I want to thank Dagan and Drew for hosting us. Thanks also to our readers who suggested locations for these events. (Were still gathering those at go.richmond.com/mobilenewsroom.) 4 ways you can help the Richmond Times-Dispatch cover the community You can help us improve our coverage and deliver the news important to you. Here's how you can help. Ill come back next month to announce the location of our June Mobile Newsroom. We look forward to spending time with you and hearing your stories. Thanks for reading! Fugitive wanted on drug and money laundering charges extradited Mexico City, Mexico A suspect wanted in California for money laundering has been extradited from Mexico. The Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) extradited Luis L to the U.S. government to face criminal charges of trafficking and money laundering. From 2019 to 2021, Luis L belonged to a criminal organization that trafficked different illicit substances from Mexico to Sacramento, California with the purpose of distributing them. Likewise, he was in charge of collecting the profits from the sale of drugs for subsequent shipment to Mexico, the FGR reported. Luis L, who was considered a fugitive, was wanted by the District Court of Eastern California for criminal association, drug and money laundering. He was captured in January of this year in Tijuana, Baja California and held for extradition purposes. He was transferred into the custody of U.S. federal marshals at the Mexico City International Airport for his return to the U.S. Hyatt Vivid Grand Island inaugurates its new adults-only hotel in Cancun Cancun, Q.R. A new 400-suite adults-only hotel has been debuted in Cancun. On Friday, Governor Mara Lezama participated in the official ribbon cutting ceremony of the new Hyatt Vivid Grand Island hotel. After touring the facilities Lezama thanked the investors for their trust in Quintana Roo and generating jobs for the people of Quintana Roo. Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the launch of the adults-only Hyatt Vivid Grand Island in Cancun. The modern all-suite resort is the newest resort in Hyatts Inclusive Collection which marks the continued growth of Hyatts brand footprint in Mexico with additional openings to follow later this year. Hyatt offers brands that meet guests and members across every stay occasion and every walk of life. The debut of Hyatt Vivid Grand Island represents an exciting new chapter in the Inclusive Collections story, said Melanie Benozich, associate vice president, marketing & global branding. The Hyatt Vivid brand allows Hyatt to continue to excite our existing guests and members on more occasions while also introducing the all-inclusive concept to new travelers who prefer a casual atmosphere. Were thrilled to see the brand promise of flexibility over formality come to life for the first time with the opening of Hyatt Vivid Grand Island in Cancun, she said. During the Friday ribbon cutting ceremony, Governor Lezama said that the new era of tourism in Quintana Roo will allow the state to continue growing and generate more jobs to make it more competitive as a global tourist destination. The new hotel is located 10 minutes from the Cancun Hotel Zone and adjacent to Dreams Grand Island, which is scheduled to open later this year. We are thrilled to debut the first Hyatt Vivid resort in Mexico, said Luis Miguel Ojeda, general manager, Hyatt Vivid Grand Island. Governor Mara Lezama toured the new hotel Friday. Photo: CGC April 19, 2024. Hyatt Vivid Grand Island caters to travelers looking for a no-pressure vacation where they can eat, dress, dance, learn, and do as they please, on their time, their way. We are elated to welcome guests and members to their new home away from home. TEHRAN, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor on Saturday discussed Tehran's recent retaliatory military operation against Israel. In a phone call, the two sides also discussed bilateral ties and the latest developments in West Asia, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Amir-Abdollahian stressed that last week, Iran decided to, in accordance with its legitimate right to self-defense, target two Israeli military and intelligence bases that had played a role in Israel's deadly attack on April 1 against the Iranian consulate in Syria. The Iranian minister said the decision was made as the Israeli act faced no condemnation from the UN Security Council, with certain permanent members, namely the United States, Britain and France, preventing the condemnation at the council. He added that following its military operation, Iran told the international community that it did not seek to expand the conflict, but "if Israel takes another action against Iran, Tehran will respond severely and strongly." During the phone conversation, Amir-Abdollahian hailed the South African government's "historical initiative" last December to file a lawsuit against Israel to the International Court of Justice over its "genocide acts" in the Gaza Strip. For her part, Pandor highlighted the necessity to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. She noted that her country plans to host Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi this year. Iran launched a missile and drone attack against Israel last Saturday, in response to the Israeli airstrike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus on April 1, which killed seven Iranians, including two veteran commanders. FLORENCE, S.C. March 26 before more than 200 people, Florence City Councilwoman Lethonia Peaches Barnes announced her candidacy for mayor of Florence. Barnes, who chairs the Community Redevelopment Committee and is also a member of Business Development Committee on the Florence City Council, criticized the incumbent mayor, Teresa Myers Ervin, as an obstructionist saying that Florence was succeeding not because of Ervins work, but in spite of it. Barnes platform is to bring collaborative unifying leadership to the mayors office, while also working to ensure a balance among all constituents. Barnes publicly released her full council voting record from 2020-2024 on social media to allow full visibility of her track record. During her time on the council, Barnes helped spearhead the creation of a city-sponsored community development corporation nonprofit designed to expand revitalization efforts into the neighborhoods surrounding downtown and has worked at-length with the neighborhoods to strengthen law enforcements ability to combat violent crime. In a show of unity, sitting City Council members George Jebaily, Chaquez McCall, J. Lawrence Chipper Smith and Bryan Braddock, along with County Council member Alphonso Bradley and County Council Chairman William Schofield, all said they plan to support Barnes in the June 11 primary. These people that stand behind me, when we talk, we talk about making a difference, Barnes said. We are fighting to get a job done. In her speech Barnes stated, We can do better, yall. Good is not good enough. The truth is we cannot afford another four years of council having to fight a mayor to make Florence a premier city, Barnes said. Barnes is graduate of Wilson High School and an alumnus of South Carolina State University, where she majored in business. She was an educator for 21 years, administrator for 9 years, business owner of 30 years and currently serves as the pastor of Fletcher Grove Missionary Baptist Church. Barnes has also served as a member of the Florence Downtown Development Corporation, administrator at Florence-Darlington Technical College and Virginia College, and as a part of Helping Florence Flourish and many other community-based organizations. Barnes is the fourth child of five born to Sudie Moses and the late Edward Bradley. She has been married to John Kirven Barnes Sr. for 34 years and they have two children, Brittany Barnes and John Kirven Barnes Jr., and are the grandparents of Autumn Christina Lacy. Florence, S.C. Tubbs Shrimp & Fish Company is one of the best places to eat seafood according to results from Yelps newly released list of the top Top 100 Seafoods Spots in the United States. Tubbs is no. 57 on the list, and among six other restaurants in South Carolina to make the cut. Yelp said it created the list after studying restaurants with seafood-related comments, then ranked them using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews from 2001 to 2023. Tubbs has a 4.5 Yelp rating with 707 reviews. Google scores them higher at 4.6 based on 1,766 reviews. Tubbs Shrimp & Fish Co. was created by Kyle Hardee and Travis Miller about 10 years ago and sits just over four miles from the closest interstate, on Second Loop Road in Florence. Whether its Google, Yelp, Im grateful for being seen for free because we dont promote our listings, or our page, and we dont for pay for any outside advertising whatsoever. Its all organic, said Hardee. They read the reviews, often alongside staff. The aim is for a 5-star experience. They also celebrate when customers take time to mention a team member by name. Thats huge, so I love to share that with the staff and congratulate them on those wins, said Hardee. Get SCNOW.com for $1 for 3 months Support local journalism by becoming a member at www.scnow.com. Get the first three months for just $1. Click on the link: $1 for 13 weeks of SCNOW With such good reviews comes added pressure, Hardee said. We have people driving intentionally off the interstate, to Florence, or starting their trip early so they come here to eat. Everybody comes here expecting. We feel a lot of pressure to deliver that. We want everyone to feel like they were given a valuable dining experience. About 20% Tubbs business comes from out of town. Reviews recently brought in a Minnesota family of five traveling to Folly Beach, S.C., for spring break. We were planning our trip and found Tubbs because he was like, this is rated really high for seafood. So this is our planned stop, said Tseganesh Selameab. The shrimp, flounder, raw oysters and collard greens were favorites at their table. The kids raved about the crispy fries as well. You also have the locals. We started coming when they opened. For a while we had a tradition we would meet my parents here for dinner. It was my dads favorite restaurant. He loved the collard greens, said Brian Huckabee. Huckabee and wife Gleve still frequent for the nightly specials and love the fried flounder. Tubbs was created out of a quest to find good seafood. We created what we craved, is why we did this initially, said Hardee. The two started out small, as a weekend side gig. We werent really making any money but people were like, keep doing this, keep doing this, said Miller, and it just never really stopped. Its been wild. I watched restaurants that opened around the same time or after us, and for whatever reasons they fail to maintain a certain standard. And every time I see it, its reminding me that we could be that very restaurant if we dont continue to do the consistent same things, nothing spectacular, but just do the right things consistently, said Hardee. The restaurant has expanded over the years. After all this time, its still first come, first served. No reservations. Theyve added a bar area to the front that hosts live music on Friday nights, and the restaurant does a large catering business, and has two managers on staff John Rogers and Jessica Andrews. Hardee and Miller also co-own King Jeffe, a taqueria and sushi bar, in downtown Florence. Also, coming soon, a new, little lunch spot downtown that we have yet to announce, said Hardee. LUSAKA, Zambia The Zambian Defense Force welcomed the participation in the Southern Africa Development Community event of U.S. military chaplains from U.S. Africa Command, Southern European Task Force, Africa, U.S. Air Forces Africa, North Carolina Army National Guard, and New York Army National Guard, April 6-13. "As we come together, sharing insights and experiences, we're not just strengthening the support for our military personnel and their families; we're forging a powerful bond that transcends borders. said U.S. Army Col. Karen Meeker, command chaplain, AFRICOM. Together, we are building a foundation of understanding and cooperation that will benefit our soldiers and their loved ones for generations to come." This collaboration was part of the Southern African Development Community's efforts to strengthen intercultural relations and learn from each other on how to provide comprehensive spiritual support to military personnel and their families. "This gathering in Lusaka is a testament to the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect that exists among our nations and military chaplains. said Brigadier General Henry Matifeyo, chaplain general, ministry of defense. It's an honor to host such a diverse group of chaplains, each bringing their unique perspective yet united in a common purpose." Over a span of five days, a diverse group of SADC chaplains from Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Namibia, United States, and Zambia gathered with AFRICOM chaplains in Lusaka, Zambia, for a workshop that offered a unique opportunity for dialogue, learning, and sharing of religious ministry best practices. The primary focus of the event was to explore effective strategies for chaplains to build the spiritual readiness and emotional well-being of military personnel and their families. In her role representing AFRICOM, Meeker met with Ambrose Lufuma, Zambian chief of defense and discussed the conference, workshop, and ongoing U.S. and Zambian cooperation. In addition, she was a guest speaker at the Zambia Defense Services, Command and Staff College and shared with 90 military students from 13 African countries about her experiences and how it relates to them, the importance of taking care of those under your authority, and the need to prioritize mental health. This workshop facilitated an invaluable exchange of experiences and insights, aiming to enhance the bonds between chaplains of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds. These dedicated individuals are united by a common mission: to serve those who serve in the armed forces. In a heartwarming extension of fellowship, the U.S. military chaplains were invited by local churches in Lusaka to preach and teach at worship services, further cementing the bonds between the American and Zambian communities. "This workshop in Lusaka was a remarkable opportunity to connect and learn from our international peers, reminding us that despite diverse backgrounds, our mission remains the same: to compassionately support our service members and their families, said U.S. Army Col. Doug Brock, state chaplain for New York Army National Guard. The bonds formed here are a testament to our collective dedication and humanity. I am deeply inspired by the connections made and the lessons learned." The coming together at SADC in Zambia stands as a significant milestone in the journey toward mutual understanding and cooperation among nations. It highlights the shared commitment to nurturing the human spirit and underscores the power of collaboration across borders. The SADC is an organization committed to regional integration and poverty eradication within southern Africa through economic development and ensuring peace and security. U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, is one of 11 U.S. Department of Defense combatant commands, each with a geographic or functional mission that provides command and control of military forces in peace and war. AFRICOM employs the broad-reaching diplomacy, development, and defense approach to foster interagency efforts and help negate the drivers of conflict and extremism in Africa. For more information, visit website, Facebook and X/Twitter pages, or contact U.S. Africa Command Media Relations at africom-pao-media@mail.mil Tina Fey really knows how to repurpose. Her comedy, Mean Girls, has spawned a Broadway musical and two films. The latest (a filmed version of the musical version) offers some changes but its still the Plastics who rule North Shore High. Theyre those, well, mean girls who determine whats in fashion, whos hip and what lengths others will go to to be popular. When a new girl enrolls, shes immediately taken under wing by two outcasts, Damian (Jaquel Spivey) and Janis (Aulii Cravalho), who give her the lay of the land and a guide to social potholes. Soon, though, Cady (Angourie Rice) is under the spell of Regina George (Renee Rapp) and her disciples. Film Review - Mean Girls From left, Avantika, Angourie Rice, Renee Rapp and Bebe Wood in a scene from "Mean Girls." Rapp sings the shows best songs and has a way that suggests she really would cut you, but shes not given the vulnerability that emerged in the other editions. Shes mean. Full stop. Her minions, Karen (Avantika) and Gretchen (Bebe Woods), merely fan the flames. Naturally, theres a boy (Christopher Briney) who becomes the object of affection for both Regina and Cady. Directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. keep the action moving and toss in interesting cameos but they dont take advantage of the musicals strengths. The Broadway edition featured superb dancing and songs that, somehow, got dumped in this adaptation. New ones take their place, but theyre not as telling. This Mean Girls is much more serious than it needs to be. Thankfully, Cravalho and Spivey wring every joke out of the premise. Theyre great narrators who arent afraid to get involved in the dirty work of high school. Film Review - Mean Girls From left, Avantika, Angourie Rice, Renee Rapp and Bebe Wood in a scene from "Mean Girls." Fey makes an appearance in the film and she gets drop-ins from friends Tim Meadows, Jon Hamm, Jenna Fischer and Busy Philipps. Theyre great, but theyre not given enough to do. Similarly, the mathletes dont make an appearance until absolutely necessary. Theres an OG Mean Girls callback as well but it isnt as surprising as youd think. In the wake of High School Musical (and its sequels and homages), this could have been a 21st century Grease. The hallmarks are there; theyre just not maximized. When Cady a smart girl who once lived in Kenya realizes how important good friends are, shes given a pass to make amends with everyone and deliver a valedictory that lands well. That enlightenment worked better in the earlier Mean Girls and helped set up a banger ending. This one merely gets everyone to huddle and sing a closing song. Thankfully, the original Mean Girls is available on DVD, too. It features Rachel McAdams as a more devious Regina and Lindsay Lohan as that oh-so-impressionable Cady. It holds up. Theres singing, too, but the musical Mean Girls seems like it was created just to give high school divas a chance to strut on school time. Students learn about the traditional Chinese art of paper-cutting at the 15th UN Chinese Language Day celebration at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, on April 20, 2024. Learners' representatives from around 50 secondary schools and higher learning institutions gathered at Uganda's Makerere University on Saturday to celebrate the United Nations Chinese Language Day. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua) KAMPALA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Learners' representatives from around 50 secondary schools and higher learning institutions gathered at Uganda's Makerere University on Saturday to celebrate the United Nations Chinese Language Day. Organized by the Confucius Institute at Makerere University, the event showcased Chinese calligraphy, music and dances performed by students and teachers of Chinese language from various schools. The celebration, themed "Chinese Language: Connecting Culture through the Bridge of Mutual Learning," also featured folk-custom games, traditional Chinese medicine, Hanfu costume show and tea art. Gilbert Gumoshabe, the Ugandan director of the Confucius Institute, said the Chinese language education has become popular in the country, with 70 secondary schools now offering Chinese language classes. He praised the Chinese government for training Ugandan teachers, leading to a high pass rate among students taking exams. Hilda Ayebare, assistant curriculum specialist for Chinese language at Uganda's National Curriculum Development Center, said she appreciates China's support for Ugandan education. She said that learning Chinese would not only benefit Ugandans linguistically but also culturally, enhancing relations with China. Fan Xuecheng, minister counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Uganda, said the Chinese language improves mutual understanding between Uganda and China. It reflects the development and exchanges of Chinese civilization with other countries, he added. Students learn about Chinese calligraphy at the 15th UN Chinese Language Day celebration at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, on April 20, 2024. Learners' representatives from around 50 secondary schools and higher learning institutions gathered at Uganda's Makerere University on Saturday to celebrate the United Nations Chinese Language Day. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua) Visitors taste Chinese green tea at the 15th UN Chinese Language Day celebration at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, on April 20, 2024. Learners' representatives from around 50 secondary schools and higher learning institutions gathered at Uganda's Makerere University on Saturday to celebrate the United Nations Chinese Language Day. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua) Students and teachers perform a Chinese dance at the 15th UN Chinese Language Day celebration at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, on April 20, 2024. Learners' representatives from around 50 secondary schools and higher learning institutions gathered at Uganda's Makerere University on Saturday to celebrate the United Nations Chinese Language Day. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua) Every Earth Day, which began in 1970 and is observed on April 22, we are bombarded with messages about the state of the planet, what humans are doing to it, and how we can be better stewards of the environment. With respect to the warming climate, there is good news and bad news. Each of the last 10 years has been among the 10 warmest on record globally, and last year was the warmest of those ten. Numerous lines of physical evidence indicate the burning of fossil fuels for energy is the root cause. In the shorter term, each of the last 10 months has also been its warmest on record. Not coincidentally, 2023 also saw a jump in the average temperature of the worlds oceans. Because it takes more energy to raise the temperature of water than land, this sudden increase has many scientists looking for answers. In an article last month from the publication "Nature," the director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Gavin Schmidt, was searching for a definitive reason for the jump. Many reasons for this discrepancy have been proposed but, as yet, no combination of them has been able to reconcile our theories with what has happened, Schmidt wrote. Similarly, studies continue regarding a key ocean circulation that moves warm ocean water from the East Coast toward the colder North Atlantic. This circulation keeps most of Europe from having a much colder climate given its latitude. Most of the data indicate that circulation is slowing. Stefan Rahmstorf, a scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, has been studying the circulation for 30 years. This month in "Oceanography," he indicated that there are multiple lines of evidence to indicate the recent slowing of the circulation is a result of planetary warming from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas. While it is not something that would happen in a matter of days or months, a full shutdown of that circulation would undoubtedly modify weather patterns. Europe would not go into an ice age, but it certainly would be colder. Early evidence also suggests it would lead to faster sea level rise on the East Coast and much drier islands in the Caribbean Sea. While not immediately obvious, the movement away from fossil fuels to renewable energy is already underway, not just for altruistic reasons, but for financial ones. Nationally, capacity from wind energy has more than doubled since 2014, with the greatest concentration in the Midwest and the Great Plains where the wind is more consistent than in other parts of the country. Offshore wind is beginning to get a footing, as the supports for 176 wind turbines will begin installation this summer off the Virginia coast. Solar energy capacity has increased by a factor of eight since 2014, as its costs have dropped dramatically, making it the least expensive energy source now being deployed. Not surprisingly, more than half of the new utility scale solar expected to come online this year are from three sunny states: California, Florida and Texas. Utility scale batteries still have a long way to go to make up the difference when the sun does not shine and the wind slows down, and this energy storage capacity is expected to double nationally this year. In the meantime, existing nuclear energy installations may provide steadier background power when the renewable installations are not at peak. But in total, solar and storage installations are expected to account for 81 percent of new U.S. capacity this year. An additional sign of this change comes in the job sector. According to the International Energy Agency, there has been more job growth in the renewable energy sector versus the fossil fuel sector over the last three years, suggesting there is plenty of work to be done in transforming the nations electric grid to one that does not emit pollutants into the atmosphere. Even with more work to be done, important goals are within reach, so despair is not a good strategy. Nonetheless, there are physical aspects of the climate system that will change irreversibly as the climate warms. Sea level rise is one of them. While it is not accurate to say we only have a few years to save the Earth, each bit of planetary warming incrementally makes heat waves more likely and more intense, and it locks us into inescapable sea level rise in the decades that follow. Like any other planning project, the more we are able to do now, the better off we and our children will be. This effectively mirrors a rule famously invoked at the end of almost any Boy Scout campout leave it better than you found it. Notable events in the history of Earth Day The history of Earth Day September 1962: Silent Spring is published January 1969: Santa Barbara oil spill January 1970: Santa Barbara Environmental Rights Day April 1970: First Earth Day December 1970: Congress authorizes creation of the EPA February 1971: Earth Day recognized by the United Nations October 1972: Congress passes the Clean Water Act April 1980: First Canadian Earth Day April 1990: 20th Earth Day recognized by 141 countries September 1995: Sen. Gaylord Nelson awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom April 2000: Leonardo DiCaprio hosts 30th Earth Day April 2007: Earth Day crowds set records in Chicago April 2010: Earth Day 2010 coincides with International Year of Biodiversity April 2016: Earth Day Network launches 7.8 billion trees campaign April 2016: Paris Agreement opens for signatures April 2017: Earth Day Network co-organizes March for Science August 2018: Greta Thunberg begins School Strike for Climate April 2019: Great Global Clean-up for Earth Day 2019 September 2019: Global climate strike draws more than 4 million April 2021: Earth Day, with a focus on climate change Notable events in the history of Earth Day September 1962: Silent Spring is published January 1969: Santa Barbara oil spill January 1970: Santa Barbara Environmental Rights Day April 1970: First Earth Day December 1970: Congress authorizes creation of the EPA February 1971: Earth Day recognized by the United Nations October 1972: Congress passes the Clean Water Act April 1980: First Canadian Earth Day April 1990: 20th Earth Day recognized by 141 countries September 1995: Sen. Gaylord Nelson awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom April 2000: Leonardo DiCaprio hosts 30th Earth Day April 2007: Earth Day crowds set records in Chicago April 2010: Earth Day 2010 coincides with International Year of Biodiversity April 2016: Earth Day Network launches 7.8 billion trees campaign April 2016: Paris Agreement opens for signatures April 2017: Earth Day Network co-organizes March for Science August 2018: Greta Thunberg begins School Strike for Climate April 2019: Great Global Clean-up for Earth Day 2019 September 2019: Global climate strike draws more than 4 million April 2021: Earth Day, with a focus on climate change October 1972: Congress passes the Clean Water Act The Siouxland Chamber of Commerces visit to Washington D.C. this week drew spotlights to two major issues runway upgrades at the 185th Air Refueling Wing and funding for the wastewater treatment plant rebuild. While the former got support (including word from Air Force Secretary Frank Kendell that preliminary work has started), the latter netted lukewarm results -- and thats concerning. The three-phase rebuild of the treatment plant is expected to cost $470 million a huge chunk of change, particularly if it falls entirely on Sioux City taxpayers. The council has committed to the first two phases of the project, which consists of rebuilding the plant at its current location and also slightly increasing the plants capacity. Considering the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act was designed to provide billions for water infrastructure upgrades, it would seem a likely place to park this. But Chamber officials got the sense that politicians werent keen to back up the truck. Instead, they urged locals to seek other funding options. No Bipartisan Infrastructure Act funds? Sounds like it. Thats disheartening, particularly since the cost will probably be added on to residential, commercial and industrial sewer rates. In FY 2025, $300 million is being requested for construction and $12 million for odor control, according to city budget documents. The funding source for the $312 million is Iowa revolving loan proceeds. While experts say much of the wastewater demands were generated by food processing companies in the area, those companies werent dunned for the costs. The plant wore out and got to the point where it is now in tough shape. Meanwhile, the needs continued, particularly when other supply chains dried up. Because the work needed to be done, the Sioux City Council voted to increase residential, commercial and industrial sewer rates to help pay the bill. Unfortunately, passing that off on residents and businesses could be a real turn-off. Businesses wont want to land here; residents might consider moving to a less-taxing part of the region. If ever there was a case to be made for federal support, this is it. The project fits within the parameters of the bill, even if it isnt dam-heavy in its scope. Siouxlands congressional leaders need to push for funds or find specific places where local leaders can seek them. Just offering advice isnt enough. This is a case where a political intervention is necessary. Contact elected officials and tell them they need to make this a priority. This post is part of Nosh, a special pop-up blog about snacks. Read more here. 4/20the informal holiday celebrating all things marijuanais as much a festival of the munchies as it is of the increasingly legal miracle plant that causes them. But it can be hard to whip up something satisfying in the kitchen when your mind is elsewhere. So Slate staffers and friends have assembled this little cookbook of our favorite pot-friendly creations to help you out. Enjoy! Endless ChocoDisks Rebecca Onion I wanted a more civilized way to eat Nutella one, um, night, and I had some Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers left over from making a pie crust. I set myself up with the jar of wafers and the jar of Nutella and some whole milk and was very pleased. Nutella is sometimes a little too sweet for me; the wafers are darker chocolate and the right amount of crunchy. You spread these yourself, so you can control the dark-to-hazelnut chocolate ratio. Ingredients: 1 box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers 1 jar Nutella 1 glass whole milk 1 butter knife, for spreading Method: Take a wafer. Spread some Nutella on it. Cap with another wafer, if desired! Eat. Repeat. Cookie Pie Benjamin Frisch Co-developed with a friend for movie-night snacking, Cookie Pie is a laziness-proof baked treat with a surprising amount of versatility of flavorperfect for noshing in front of the TV. Ingredients: Cookie dough and a pie crust. They can be either store bought or homemade (but lets be honest, they will almost certainly come in a tube and a tin from your local grocery store). Advertisement Method: Simply line your pie crust of choice (graham cracker works especially well) with your choice of cookie dough, treating the cookie dough as though it were a pie filling. Bake until the cookie filling is at desired level of firmnesssome prefer a very gooey cookie pie, while I prefer a cookie pie more al dente. Let cool a few minutes so that the filling is firm enough to cut into slices, and serve. Optional garnishes include whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and regret a few hours after consuming. Popcornios Dan Kois Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I love oil-popped popcorn as a late-night snack; it is salty and hot, you can make as much or as little as you want; its ready in like four minutes. But one night I was hunting for some way to give my popcorn a hint of sweetness, and found way back in the cabinet a box of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheeriosa cereal too overpowering for prime time (uh, breakfast) but perfect for the tiniest sprinkling of chocolatey goodness. This recipe is very satisfying, very crammable, and will not lead to morning-after grossness and regret. It also can be prepared by anyone, regardless of sobriety. Advertisement Ingredients: Unpopped popcorn (anywhere from 1/8 to 1/2 cup) Oil A little melted butter Salt Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios, one handful Method: Pop the popcorn in the oil, letting it rest off the flame, lid still in, for one minute after popping concludes. Melt the butter. Toss everything in a bowl. Rest bowl on stomach while slouching in a chair. Cheese on a Plate A shy Slate stoner My old roommates and I used to make this regularly. Very easy to make, quick, and most importantly, full of cheesy goodness. Advertisement Ingredients: Shredded cheese of your choice. The sharper the cheese, the better. Gruyere and aged Irish cheddar strongly suggested. About cup per person. Method: Shred the cheese and sprinkle it on a microwavable dinner plate. No more than 1 cup per plate. Microwave in 30 second increments until you notice the edges getting crispy (about 90 seconds total). Remove and cool. Enjoy with a fork while watching something funny. Peanut Butter Waffle Sandwich Leah Campbell Advertisement This was a classic my high school boyfriend and I turned to again and again. My mom told me years later she could always tell Id come home stoned when she heard me open the freezer. This recipe works because you pretty much always have these ingredients available. If you held my apartment upside down and shook it, 5,000 Nature Valley Oats n Honey bars would fall to the ground. I also always crave a savory late night snack option. So, if you too are sweet-toothless, this is for you. Advertisement Ingredients: 2 multigrain toaster waffles (Stop & Shop Natures Promise is my preferred) 1/4 cup Crunchy peanut butter (Teddys Organic if available) 2 Nature Valley Oats n Honey Bars Advertisement Method: Toast the two waffles then spread crunchy peanut butter on both halves. Put two Nature Valley bars in a plastic bag and crush them into their desired state (infinite crumbs). Apply the crumbs to both peanut buttercovered waffles and sandwich together. Cut sandwich in half and share with your companion. Half-Assed Cookie Dough Lena Wilson Advertisement Advertisement I ripped this off from Georgia Hardstark of My Favorite Murder podcast fameshe briefly mentioned making this in an episode once, and I eventually got curious enough to try it myself. Its basically the first three ingredients for cookie dough, but, it turns out, thats all you need for a delicious and disgusting snack. Smokers will undoubtedly appreciate this down-home junk food for its accessibility and high sugar and fat content. Advertisement Ingredients: Equal parts butter and sugar (brown sugar, if the spirit of Mary Berry moves you) Several drops of vanilla Method: Pop the butter in the microwave for a little bit, softening it in five-second bursts. DONT turn it into liquid. When the butter is soft, beat it together with the sugar. Drop on a bit of vanilla. Consume. Frozen Java With Worms Evan Cold Stone Creamery is a stoners paradise. Its a relatively calm and antiseptic space that does exactly two things well: sugary smells and the presentation of a precise and extremely pleasant array of pastel ice cream colors and gooey toppings. Its the perfect dose of pleasure for your tripped-out hippocampus. So it was that I landed in Cold Stones throughout high school, and how I began combining my two favorite snacks: coffee-flavored ice cream and gummy shit. I love gummy shit! And I love the taste of coffee. And so Frozen Java With Worms was born. I know many prefer the 7-11 Slushie or the gas station candy bar run. But I find the inevitably harsh gaze of the clerks too overwhelming to bear. Cold Stones employees by turn are just annoyed 14- or 15-year-oldskind, naive souls who could care less if my eyes are bloodshot red or if Im drooling on the glass sneeze guard. And God bless them for it. Ingredients: Coffee ice cream Gummies, preferably the worm kind Method: Go to Cold Stone. Ask for coffee ice cream. Then ask them to add gummy worms. Try not to drool on the sneeze guard. See more from Nosh here. On this day exactly three years ago, Mike Clements found himself in need of an ego boost. It was my 50th birthday and I was feeling kind of old, he told me. So he decided to post his drivers license on Reddit. Why would sharing his license with a bunch of strangers do anything for his mood? Well, Clements had a hunch that the people in r/trees, the sites section for marijuana enthusiasts, might appreciate his birthdate: April 20, 1969. He was right. The post eventually earned more than 50,000 upvotes of approval and landed Clements on the websites coveted front page. I think somebody on Reddit called me Weed Jesus, recalled Clements, who works at a games store in North Carolina. Advertisement In case it needs spelling out, his post was a hit because his birthdate combines two of the most celebrated numbers on the internet: 420, or April 20, is the informal weed holiday, and 69 is a slang term for a sex position that has achieved immortal status, so much so that nearly everyone knows one must pay tribute to it by always responding with a Nice. Clements isnt the only one who recognizes his luck. People always say its the coolest birthday ever, said Michael Johnson, a housing case worker in Federal Way, Washington, who was also born on April 20, 1969. In my reporting, however, I discovered it wasnt always so cool. For much of her life, Gabrielle, a tech worker in Seattle and fellow 4/20/69 baby, wished she had a different birthday. (Gabrielle declined to use her last name to keep any association with weed out of her search results.) It wasnt a good birthday, she said. A lot of bad stuff has happened on it, like Columbine. You know its Hitlers birthday? So a lot of bad people just utilized it as a date to do crappy stuff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People are going, No, no, youre lying. I have to pull my ID out, be like, Here you go. Look. Michael Johnson Plus, my birthday often falls during Passover, which meant that as a child I couldnt have birthday cake, she said. But Gabrielle said she noticed the connotation of her birthday starting to change about 20 years ago: The first time I remember someone else laughing at it was when I went to a dispensary in Seattle, and when I showed them my ID at the dispensary, this woman was just like, Well this isnt real, right? This is what we put for, like, fake things when were creating data for the store. When I was younger, 420 was a thing, but just the time, not the date, Gabrielle added. This was probably in the early 2000s that I realized, Oh, this has become a thing, Gabrielle said. Advertisement Clements credits technology with taking 420 from schoolyard lore to practically a legit holiday: Im pretty sure the internet proliferated that, he said. It was a meme before memes. These days, Gabrielle likes her birthday much better: Its sort of nice that it was reclaimed as a fun thing, she said. When I have to give my birthday, I used to say April 20, 1969. Like, I used to say it so it wouldnt sound that like that. Now I completely lean into it because its so funny, and I always watch to see if people respond. Advertisement Just how rare is the distinction of a 4/20/69 birthday? While the Social Security Administration said it could not provide numbers for me (I tried!), you can roughly extrapolate that there are probably fewer than 10,000 Americans with that birthdate: There were 3.6 million babies born in 1969, or about 9,800 a day. However, that doesnt account for April 20 being one of the more unpopular birthdays on the calendar: Studies have ranked it 310th and 328th most common. Nor does it account for the people born that day who are no longer living. Advertisement Advertisement Is there anyone famous in the 4/20/69 club? Good question. The most well-known person born that day is Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian stunt-jumper who holds a Guinness World Record for being the first person to break the sound barrier in free fall. His team did not respond to my email requesting comment, perhaps unsurprisingly: They style their dates differently in Europe. While the 4/20/69 kids I spoke to all get a kick out of their birthday, all have also had the experience of people thinking they must be full of it. Most of the time I dont get believed, Johnson said. People are going, No, no, youre lying. I have to pull my ID out, be like, Here you go. Look. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been refused alcohol many times, especially when I was younger, because I look very young for my age, said Clements. It came up once when he was apartment-hunting: I was gonna rent an apartment and they wanted another picture ID. I was like, Its really my birthday. But just as often, its come with some perks: Ive gotten pushed to the front of lines at bars, Clements said. I think Ive gotten tickets to concerts before. Once, hes pretty sure, it helped him land a job: I was working at a music store. They just loved it. It just really broke the ice. Obviously at a dispensary anyone will laugh, and then theyll often give me a discount, Gabrielle said. Advertisement The 4/20/69-ers said the variety of people who are amused by their birthday tends to vary. While some internet users have lamented that anyone born in 1969 would be too old to appreciate how special the birthday is, Gabrielle and Clements said they both find that people their age are in on the joke. Advertisement Younger people get the 420, the older set might get the 69 part, Clements said. People probably in their 40s to 50s like I am probably get both of them. Advertisement You would think it would be just young people, but I just went to the optical place at Costco, and there was like, I dont know, a 60-year-old guy helping me, and he laughed when he saw my ID, Gabrielle said. She added that her kids also find their moms birthday really, really funny. Advertisement On the other hand, one 19-year-old I contacted because he posted online about 4/20/69 being his mothers birthday declined to put me in touch with her because he didnt think she would understand the reference. Itd probably mean having to explain to her what 420 and 69 stand for, and explaining to a boomer modern slang would be real awkward, he told me. (People born in 1969 are not technically boomers, of course, but that might be a losing battle.) Another son of a 4/20/69-born mother I got in touch with said his mother gets the joke, but actively dislikes it: She hates that the only reason her son remembers her birthday is because its a weed holiday. Advertisement To be fair, weed isnt for everyone. In fact, its mostly not for Gabrielle or Clements, despite a birthday that makes them pothead royalty. Advertisement Advertisement I dont remember the last time I smoked it, Gabrielle confessed. I must have been in my 20s. Shell take a gummy to combat anxiety when she flies, but for her birthday, I dont do anything to recognize the 4/20 of it all. Clements, who also said he hasnt smoked in years, knows that his not being very into weed can disappoint people: They want to hang out with the guy with the 4/20/69 birthday, he said. Advertisement Johnson, for his part, has no such hang-ups: He usually gets high on his special day, and hes always thought its the perfect birthday for him. It fits my personality in a lot of ways: easygoing, laid-back, doesnt really stress out too much about things. Theres still hope for Clements: When we spoke a few days ago, he said he was considering giving weed another try this year. I might actually get a friend to reintroduce me to smoking just to see what its like nowadays, he said. Whatever happens, I wish him, Johnson, Gabrielle, and the rest of their cohort a very happy 53rd birthday. A few years ago, Olivia McManus decided to run an experiment. The 34-year-old Vancouver Island native, then in her late 20s, was wrestling with a common social hangup: She didnt know what people thought of her. A couple of clues led her to worry. First, she was pursuing improv comedy, which relied on the connection between herself and the audience. But during sets, Olivia often noticed that some of the laughs she got were unintentional. She worried she was missing something. Olivia brought this up to her therapist, who confirmed her suspicion that her self-perception might be off. When Olivia used words like loud and bubbly to describe herself in a session, her therapist gently pushed back. Advertisement She was like, I hear you say these kinds of things, but I dont get that impression from you at all, Olivia recalled. So either youre super different with me or theres a disconnect. Olivia needed more data. She had turned to elaborate color-coded spreadsheets and ranked lists to tackle things like vacation planning and baby naming before, so she decided to craft a survey that would ask for input about her personality. Determined to narrow the gap between how she saw herself and how others saw her, she sent the form to a trusted group of around 30 friends and family members. The survey asked respondents to describe their first impressions of her, and to characterize her voice, tone, and body language. It concluded with a question about how she could best show affection to those responding. Advertisement The results were surprising. A handful of people wrote she was reserved, and others described her body language as guarded or avoidant. One particularly memorable response pronounced her as tense, and coiled like a snake. That was the one that I think about the most, Olivia said. I was like, OK, Im listening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olivia was shocked by the consensus among her respondents answers. For years, shed tried to tone down what she worried was an over-the-top personality, but the experiment made her realize shed been overcorrecting. I was going in the wrong direction, she said. Finally, she could see herself clearly. Not everyone can handle such direct, dispassionate feedback. Intentionally inviting criticismor coming to terms with the fact that others notice you at allis famously uncomfortable. Back in 2020, it was common to see posts begging not to be perceived, and before that, the phrase the mortifying ordeal of being known, which was pulled from a 2013 essay in the New York Times, gained some notoriety. Olivias request for her friends and family to honestly describe her was a way to meet that ordeal head-on. And although the brutally honest feedback was unusual, shes found aspects of it to be more helpful than in-person conversations with friends. After all, the feedback friends give each other is often softened to preserve the relationship and prevent the recipient from having a full-blown panic attack. This isnt a bad thing, but if gentle feedback is the only kind you get, you might not get the full picture of how people actually perceive you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats why one night, during a midnight study session in their sophomore year, two of my college friends wrote down and swapped lists of each others worst flaws. Meher, 28, is one of the friends who was there. Their lists had a lot of overlap: They were both smokers, they drank a lot, and they werent studying as much as they should. But we were good enough friends that [making the lists] wasnt a mean thing to do, she said. Being frank with each other felt like a testament to their closeness, and they ultimately decided that many of their flaws were worth keeping. Those traits made them who they are. Some people crave a more structured version of this process. In 2017, Konrad Kopczynski, a marketing executive from New York, sent a survey like Olivias to 52 unsuspecting friends and acquaintances. Random request, can you fill out a feedback survey about me as a person? he asked in a message. Im curious how different my perception of myself is from others perception of me. Advertisement Through the responses, Konrad found that others saw him as intelligent, interesting, and persistent. But he also learned that he could come off as arrogant, aloof, and cold. Someone said he was stereotypically Upper East Side. Advertisement Advertisement He wrote about his feedback experiment in a Medium post that outlined the variables he asked about and how the responses made him feel. Though two people called him a cyborg and several people suggested he was both unrealistic and likely to cause excess drunkenness, he handled it with the cool removal of a scientist. After combing through the results, he concluded that he would re-evaluate wardrobe to be less preppy and be friendlier to new people I meet. Advertisement Advertisement Its not just data-minded individuals like Olivia and Konrad who do this, though. There are entire websites devoted to this kind of feedback, many of which employ their own proprietary method. Admonymous, a colleague-reviewing site started by two programmers in 2011, specializes in anonymous observations: People post their profile links on other social media platforms and invite friends to either admire or admonish them without their identities being known. Similar sites like Formspringlater rebranded to Spring.mehave been criticized for cyberbullying, but the Admonymous audience seems to be a bit more earnest and invested in self-improvement. As the profile of Yoni, one of the sites founders, reads: Yoni believes in keeping an open mind, but not so open that his brain falls out. Where is he going wrong without realizing it? He wants to know if he inadvertently hurts people around him, whether he really is as productive as he tries to be, and does he miss the truly important things in life while pursuing the wrong goals. Advertisement Eloise Rosen, a 33-year-old software engineer who has maintained Admonymous since 2017, told me that many of the niche sites early users were part of an extended network of friends who met through tech, rationalist, and effective altruist circles. Many of them connected through the controversial online forum LessWrong, where users discuss topics like philosophy, self-improvement, and futurism. Advertisement Advertisement Eloise created her own Admonymous account back in 2013. Since then, shes received more than 40 submissions. Most of them pointed out something shed heard many times before: that shes quiet and should talk more in conversation. Surprisingly, this wasnt helpful. Just getting a bunch of people saying Im too quiet was kind of lame because I already knew about it and Im trying to work on it already, she told me. So, instead of taking the feedback she gets too seriously, Eloise said she picks and chooses which responses to take to heart. She finds the sites anonymity useful, though: Compliments delivered in person can be written off as niceties, but anonymous feedback is more honest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If someone gives me positive feedback through Admonymous, theres no social reason for them to do it, she explained. Theyre not saying it so that I like them. Theyre saying a nice thing because they think its true. But for some, anonymous comments from friends have been damaging, even when theyre invited. Joey Shelley, a 36-year-old user experience researcher in Boston, used Admonymous back in 2014 after finding the site through Facebook. Joey was already into online personality tests, so receiving anonymous feedback sounded exciting. But they were disappointed to get responses that ranged from unhelpful to hurtful. Joey had recently come out as trans and received a number of anonymous comments that were transphobic. Those unexpected messages piled on stress during an already challenging time. I thought it was just going to be fun and it would be nice if there was some constructive stuff I could work on, they told me. I didnt expect something that I couldnt do anything about. Advertisement Still, they maintain a profoundly morbid curiosity when it comes to what others think of them. Part of me is like, is it thick skin or is it just masochism? they wondered. Advertisement Lately, Joey prefers to ask for constructive criticism from close friends and romantic partners. They have regular check-ins with their spouse, like on their anniversary, about how they could be a better partner. Konrad, the marketing executive, schedules similar quarterly performance reviews with his wife (so does this guy, apparently). But while Joey and their partner are violently anti-capitalist and avoid business language in their relationship, Konrad fully leans into it. In addition to his survey, he wrote a 30-page self-improvement document called Evolution 2: 10x Your Mental and Physical Performance that outlines his plan to do more and be happier on a daily basis and to connect creative individuals with a helpful, effective structure like those found in a corporate setting. The guide includes daily self-evaluations and devotional calendar use for important tasks like eating and sleeping. Advertisement Olivia also tends to professionalize her personal life. She keeps a spreadsheet of romantic interests, which helps her suss out patterns in her relationship behavior. A similar trend plays out on TikTok, where daters present their Dating Wrapped, compiling romance stats via slide deck at the end of each year. For those who cant resist the impulse toward personal data or brutally honest feedback from their friends and family, Olivia said shed recommend her survey experiment. A lot of people that I told were scared to send something like this to even their best friend, she said. But I loved it. I didnt find it scary. She did offer one caveat, though: Come prepared with a thick skin. This photo taken on April 21, 2024 shows refugee children at the Torkham border crossing point in east Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province. A total of 837 refugees returned from Pakistan via the Torkham and Spin Boldak border crossing points to Afghanistan, Afghanistan's Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation Affairs said in a statement posted on its X account. (Photo by Aimal Zahir/Xinhua) KABUL, April 20 (Xinhua) -- More than 800 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland from neighboring Pakistan on Friday and Thursday, Afghanistan's Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation Affairs said Saturday. A total of 837 refugees returned from Pakistan via the Torkham and Spin Boldak border crossing points to Afghanistan, the ministry said in a statement posted on its X account. The Pakistani government reportedly started the second phase of sending back Afghan migrants from April 15, and more than 550,000 Afghan refugees returned from Pakistan in the first phase, according to Afghan officials. The Afghan caretaker government has repeatedly urged Afghan migrants living abroad to return home and contribute to rebuilding their war-torn country. This photo taken on April 21, 2024 shows refugees at the Torkham border crossing point in east Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province. A total of 837 refugees returned from Pakistan via the Torkham and Spin Boldak border crossing points to Afghanistan, Afghanistan's Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation Affairs said in a statement posted on its X account. (Photo by Aimal Zahir/Xinhua) This photo taken on April 21, 2024 shows refugees at the Torkham border crossing point in east Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province. A total of 837 refugees returned from Pakistan via the Torkham and Spin Boldak border crossing points to Afghanistan, Afghanistan's Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation Affairs said in a statement posted on its X account. (Photo by Aimal Zahir/Xinhua) Catherine Ruth Pakaluk, a Harvard Ph.D.holding economist at the Catholic University of America, in Washington, has eight children. She is interestedacademically, as well as personallyin the 5 percent of women in the United States who, at a time of decreasing fertility across the Anglosphere, have five or more children on purpose. (The total fertility rate for American women, as calculated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2020, is 1.64, a number that represents each womans projected lifetime births.) Now Pakaluks new book, Hannahs Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth, is out with Regnery Publishing, a right-leaning imprint that recently brought us Josh Hawleys Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs. Advertisement This books audience is not me. Its full of biblical exegesis, and thats when it isnt trying to use economic theories of choice to explain what has happened in these womens lives. But for anyone with an interest in the weird politics of contemporary American motherhood, its absolutely fascinating. Pakaluks intervieweesunlike the trad wife influencers who have been the object of so much fascination in liberal media since around 2016are not packaging up their lives for curious onlookers. The women interviewed in this book are not, as far as I can tell, angling for spon-con deals, political clout, or hits of dopamine. Pakaluks interviewees are speaking, instead, to someone they trust. And as I made it through the book, I was surprised to finally feel as if I understood where these women are coming from. If you have been immersed in Americas Moms Are Not OKtype content online, or if you are an American mom who is herself not OK, stepping into these stories of deliriously happy supermotherhood is a real trip. The women interviewed view their dives headfirst into family as a way of trusting their futures to fateor, as most of them would say, to God. The mothers interviewed in Hannahs Children, all of whom have college educations, are mostly religious, with a few interesting exceptions. But as Pakaluk points out, the story of declining fertility in this country is more complex than just People who are religious have more children. In fact, Catholic and Mormon fertility has decreased alongside the mainstream rate. These women are a different kind of religious, full of such faith that they seem to be living and working on a separate planet of possibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How their stories tend to unfold: They decide they want kids. They have some, then they have more and more. They find a kind of deep satisfaction in it, especially after the fourth or fifth one, such that they come to think that a big family compensates for everything else theyve lost. They dont sleep, they lose their figures, and if they keep on working outside the home, its at a reduced intensity. Although Pakaluk almost defensively reiterates that many of these women still maintain careers, those who do seem to be operating on a part-time or scaled-back basis, and theres a lot of disdain for preschool and day care. Mentions of outside, nonfamily help in the home are scant. The kids, these women insist, will eventually take care of one another. Advertisement This is a book about the romance of having a big family, and its interviewees speak in almost mystical ways about the experience. The difference between having four and five and six and seven kids is marginal, once you get up there, or so Pakaluk and her interviewees argue. They say that even logistical problems obvious to me, like How could a family with 12 kids ever have a family car?, are solvable. A lot of things that people think are going to be big expenses also dont turn out to be. All my kids are wearing hand-me-down clothing, one mother says. Reading statements like this, I want so much more documentationgive me schedules, budgets, disclosures of generational wealth, time logs!but I think these women would say Im missing the point. People think on rational levels, and I think maybe a little bit more super-rational [thinking] has to infiltrate the masses to know that things are possible. Like possibilities of expansion in your life, another interviewee says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Pakaluk notes that she has included in her sample women who live below the poverty line, most of the stories seem to be about families who have made it beyond financial stress. By picking college-educated women, she writes, I could get a cleaner sense of the role of kids in subjects descriptions of self-identity, marital quality, and life satisfaction without confounding variables from poverty and financial worry, since college education makes those things less likely. This is, I suppose, true, but the choice also lends a decidedly rosy cast to these stories. The picture Hannahs Children paints of large families is one of extreme prosperity, as if bestowed by Gods grace in return for their trust and hope in the future. Here are her descriptions of three different subjects homes: Advertisement Her picture-perfect house was situated in a leafy, upscale suburb of Washington, D.C. Family photos taken on the U.S. Capitol steps graced her home. Dozens of similarly magazine-ready family pics lined her entryway, sent by her friends at the holiday season. Pics shell take down and replace next year. Surveying the wall of cards, I could see that many of her friends have big families too. We didnt check Zillow, but Laurens home in one of the wealthiest zip codes in her state would easily boast a seven-figure valuation. From where we were seated, we could see into the rear living area of her house through glass doors. It looked like a page out of a Magnolia Journal magazine. These women have also thrown themselves on the mercy of a manthey would say, also, on the mercy of Godand so far, its worked out. At least one of them married a guy who really wanted a big family and who, she admits while caveating that hes not a jerk, wanted her tested for fertility before they got engaged. The interviewees have some memories of small gripes with their husbands in the exhausted days of early motherhood, but beyond that, they say they have watched their husbands step up and have loved them more because of it. One of the interviewees cites, as an example of husbandly help that she appreciates, her rule that she gets one week in bed and one week on the couch after every birth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An interesting twist lies in the emerging idea of the mothers, and Pakaluk, that the youth mental health crisisthe topic of much theorizingis due not to phones, or COVID, or the popularity of social-emotional learning curricula. The kids are sad and anxious, they theorize, because kids are growing up in small families and so never learn a sense of duty, responsibility, and belonging. Mothers whose older kids have to take care of babies argue that the tweens and teens have a sense of place, feel useful. When they share space, they learn to cooperate. Its hinted that kids are depressed because theyre in day care and school, where they learn the wrong kind of belonging: attachment to peers and teachers, rather than siblings and parents. Advertisement Advertisement Women who have no children, or one or two kidspeople like meare pursuing lifestyle and identity and individualism, these mothers say. We want a life thatsas Pakaluk puts itautonomous, customized, self-regarding. Our feminism is irrational and a sham. We want to take more vacations and drive fancy cars. We dont feel actual happiness in our little families, because smaller families cannot possibly be as happy as big ones. In fact, we do not know what in life would make us truly happy. I wish that women knew how strong we can be, said one mother. Related From Slate What No One Wants to Tell Women About Divorce Read More Pakaluk and I see different things in the stories of these mothers. She is inspired. I have some envy of their lives: If I had found my partner earlier, if our work and school trajectories had been different, might I have had more than one? Sure, maybe. I love mine, am generally more OK than many of my fellow mothers seem to be, and understand what these women mean when they describe being with their family as a joy and a respite from the world. But I also recognize in their interviews the telltale zeal of happy people who believe that adopting life practices theyve found to work for them would work out the same for other people. Advertisement In the course of reading along, I imagined any number of parallel books. About kids who grew up as elder siblings in large families, and resented the work they had to do. About women who had many kids, spent years out of the workforce, then had their marriages dissolve and had to navigate the financial fallout. About fathers stressed by the constant work necessary to support such a family. About mothers who wanted more kids but feared they wouldnt be able to mentally handle it, and didnt go ahead with it. About families in which the expected loaf of bread thats supposed to come under every kids arm when theyre born, according to a Spanish proverb Pakaluk quotes, never materializes, and the happiness of living with so many people in a close group doesnt compensate for poverty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slate receives a commission when you purchase items using the links on this page. Thank you for your support. Advertisement If you have a liberal friend or relative who still wonders aloud why social conservatives call themselves pro-life but dont support family-friendly government programs, offer them this books perspective. Abortion, Pakaluk and her interviewees speculate, has been a contributory factor to the decline in womens happiness in recent decades because babies (they swear) have an inherent antidepressant magic to them that makes people, especially women, happy. Social programs that offer maternity leave, baby bonuses, and subsidized day care have failed, in countries like Sweden, to enhance fertility rates. These narratives of these five-or-more mothers lives sorely challenge family policy prescriptions, particularly pro-natalist policies, Pakaluk writes. Cash incentives and tax relief wont persuade people to give up their lives. People will do that for God, for their families, and for their future children. If you want to find a policy angle to improve the birth rate, expanding the scope for religion in peoples lives is the most viable path. Make it easier for churches and religious communities to run schools, succor families, and aid the needs of human life. Religion is the best family policy. Who, some liberals asked after the fall of Roe v. Wade, would impose something as big as having a baby on a woman? Who would ask a woman to trust that everythingmoney problems, relationship stress, health issueswill work out, if you just have that baby? This is who. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And to be honest, its more than a little bit terrifying. Because these women have an incredible capacity for self-abnegation. Reading about their lives is like reading about a bunch of Arctic explorers or professional athletes: superhuman people who resign themselves to sacrificing everything else to a goal. Pakaluk threads through her book references to a Kobe Bryant interview about how he could play through an Achilles tendon injury. In it, Bryant asked his interlocutor to imagine that they have a hurt hamstring and a fire breaks out in their house. Im willing to bet that youre gonna forget about your hamstring, youre gonna sprint upstairs, youre gonna grab your kids, you make sure your wifes good, and youre gettin out of that house, Bryant said. And the reason is because the lives of your family are more important than the injury of your hamstring. Pakaluk takes this story as a teaching tool to explain how some of her interviewees could choose to have a child under 5 in their care for 25 or 30 years. To me, it reads differently. Bryant was exceptional. These women are exceptional too, but I dont think that means the rest of us are lacking in stamina. We just looked at our lives and decided not to play hurt. The speaker of the House deserves genuine credit not only for committing to put Ukraine aid up for a vote in the House, but for breaking through all sorts of unwritten rules about pairing with the minority party on procedural votes to get there. The move doesnt just put Johnsons job in jeopardy (either now or down the line). It will forever tarnish his name and reputation among the MAGA right. Its not merely that hes putting the bill on the floorand not through some sneaky, backdoor way, like quietly blessing a discharge petitionbut that hes actively making the case for the historic purpose of this moment. I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. I think he might go to the Balkans next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland or one of our NATO allies, he told reporters. To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys. And yet, we cant help but ask where this Mike Johnson was earlier. The Senate passed its national security assistance billwhich is quite close to the package Johnson has cobbled together in the Housea couple of months ago, which was already quite late. Ukraine has been desperately low on ammunition for some time, allowing Russia to make steady advances. Johnson appears to have had an epiphany that he would go forward with the right thing regardless of the consequences. The epiphany wouldve been a lot cooler even a few months ago. You might have heard of Jean Baptiste Lamarck in an intro biology class. He proposed a version of evolution that, in hindsight, seems like the sort of thing a stoned teen would come up with. In the Lamarckian theory of evolution, changes in species occur not slowly over generational mutations, but within the lifetimes of individual animals. A horselike creature, for example, faced with tall trees with yummy leaves, could, with stretching and straining, make its neck longer to better reach them. Voilathe stubby creature is now a giraffe. Lamarck also made a more direct contribution to stoner culture, though. As an essay in the modern journal Cannabinoids explains, it is to him that we owe the idea that weed comes in two distinct species: Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica. Lamarck first described the second of these two strains in the late 1700s, noting that the latter was smaller, had a firm stem, and produced a sort of drunkenness that makes one forget ones sorrows, and produces a strong gaiety. So, in honor of 4/20, we had to ask: Does the Lamarckian weed classification hold up, or should it go the way of his stretchy-necked giraffe-horses? His cannabis theory is certainly still widely deployed. Today, indica is colloquially linked to relaxation, sativa to a high with more energy. This college dorm trivia is how many weed pros think tooat least, those who sell and buy the stuff. At the Green Dragon dispensary in Colorado, youll find offerings categorized as indica, sativa, and hybrids. If youre anxious, if you havent tried weed in a long time, things leaning more indica are a better option, Alex Levine, Green Dragons co-CEO, tells me. People who get a little paranoid should stay away from sativas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Levine, classifying weed strains is an art, not a science. The process is pretty simple: smoke or ingest the weed, observe if one feels more like sprawling out on the couch or coming up with wild theories about the way life works, apply a label accordingly. What he cares about is what his customers care about: that subjective end effect. This feeels like indica, this feeels like sativa, he says of the process. Stoner taxonomy, if you will. For Levine, classifying weed strains is an art, not a science. There are botanists rolling in their graves, says Sean Myles, when I ask him about this methodology. Hes a researcher at Dalhousie University who studies agricultural diversity, including that of marijuana. For him and other weed scientists, Levines classification system represents a gross misuse of labels that are supposed to mean something specific. For a study published in 2015, he collected 81 samples of weed from various distributorscategorized, of course, in terms of indica and sativa. His team sequenced the genomes of the pot and found that the labels didnt correspond with meaningful genetic differenceswhich, to him, is kind of upsettingly out of step with other consumable products. We cant write on the bottle that its pinot noir and shove whatever grapes in the bottle. Advertisement Advertisement All four weed scientists I spoke to had slightly different answers on whether two separate species existed and were muddied through crossbreeding, or the differences that some people claim to observe were always just part of the spectrum of forms that a single species of cannabis plants can take on. We cant really know, says Robert LaPrairie, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan who studies how cannabis affects the brain. He joked, The time machine that I was working on failed miserably. What they did agree on is that indica and sativa are now just marketing jargonlike Lamarcks stretchy-necked giraffes, at this point a fable. When I press Levine on this, hes at once in agreement that the labels arent as firm as they might seem on his companys sitepeople kind of overhype the differences, he says, referring to getting a different feeling from one shape of plant or anotherand insistent that there is a difference in experienceanecdotally, I can attest that they feel very different, he says, referring to the actual variations of experiences of smoking the weed. In his world, indica and sativa have left behind their 18th-century scientific meanings and become stand-ins for different types of subjective experiences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is true that different varieties (scientists do not like when you call them strains!) of weed can produce different effects, which vary based on the combinations of chemicals in the plantincluding THC, CBD, and more than a hundred other cannabinoids, plus an array of aromatic terpenoids. These chemicals evolved in cannabiswhich is older than the human species itselfto ward off insects and disease in the plants, says Ethan Russo, director of research and development at the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute. Today, were just beginning to understand how these chemicals can produce in humans the feeling of wanting to clean the garage or veg out on the couch. In Russos ideal world, dispensaries would categorize their offerings by these chemicals, along with subjective feedback from usersa kind of giant master binder on the origins of the various kinds of highs. But for now, indica and sativa are still the most widely understood classifications of all. In 2022, there are all sorts of ways to get highor just vaguely relaxedoff marijuana and hemp. You dont need to live in a state where pot is legal to buy edibles with THC-like compounds in themdelta-8 gummies can be found in gas stations across America, and hemp-derived delta-9 THC edibles can be purchased online or even in the metaverse. Want the calming effects of pot, without the altered mental state? Theres CBD, which has become ubiquitous, found in tinctures, bath bombs, dog treats, and lattes. But theres also CBN (which allegedly helps with sleep) and something called CBG (which scientists think could be helpful for pain maybe). These are all cannabinoids: compounds extracted from cannabis plants that interact with the bodys endocannabinoid system, which regulates various neural functions like movement and memory. We all have an endocannabinoid system; it doesnt have anything to do with cannabis except for the fact that cannabinoids, like those found in weed and hemp, can excite it. No one really knows why pot plants are so rich in cannabinoids, but as far as plants go, they seem to have a monopoly on them. (Though they can be made synthetically, almost no other plants contain cannabinoids). The legality of the various cannabinoidsfrom THC to CBG to THC-O is tricky. Weed itself is of course legal for recreational use only in specific states. But a piece of 2018 legislation called the Agriculture Improvement Act, also known as the farm bill, opened up a loophole that allows the rest of the cannabinoid alphabet to be sold. This bill legalized hemp, which the law defines as containing less than 0.3 percent of delta-9-THC by weight. Plants with THC above this limit are usually defined as marijuana. Plants below that limit? Go ahead and extract cannabinoids from them, as Thomas Howard, a cannabis lawyeryes, a real jobadvises his clients. Advertisement The farm bill states that anything derived from hemp is legal as long as the final product contains less than the limit of THC. And most of the cannabinoids that can be derived from marijuana can be found in hemp, too. The current farm bill expires a year from now, in September 2023, and Howard guesses that a new farm bill could get rid of the loophole. But until then, its kind of a free-for-all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What that means for the consumer in the meantime: Even if weed isnt legal where you live, there are a ton of weedlike products available for purchase, even ones with psychoactive compounds. But you should know there isnt really a solid system for regulating products made from these compounds. I think that people are curious, and entrepreneurs and companies are looking for interesting ways to reach different markets or consumers. You have all these products that are emerging, says Ziva Cooper, director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative. Those products include everything from gummies loaded up with hemp-derived delta-8 to vapes containing synthetic THC-O acetatea compound that is, anecdotally, way stronger than THC. Were moving away from the plant at this point, and at the end of the day we dont know what the public health consequences are of a lot of it, says Cooper. As many experts point out, if weed were simply legal, people wouldnt have to rely on understudied compounds sold through a poorly regulated loophole to get high. Advertisement If you want to dabble in the world of cannabinoids, experts I spoke to advised looking for companies that provide certificates of analyses to confirm that what youre buying isnt contaminated with harmful byproducts like heavy metals or pesticides. And be mindful that the dosages listed on the label may not always be accurate. Eric Leas, assistant professor at the University of CaliforniaSan Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health, recommends that consumers start low and go slow. Theres a ton of mislabeling of products, he explains. You might get way more or way less than you expect. It sucks but, until these products are better regulated, a lot of safety is up to the users discretion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There also are an awful lot of anecdotal claims about what different products do, and what they feel like to takeand often, the way these products are marketed dont make it very clear what cannabinoids do, or do not do. Which requires one more blanket note of caution: We know what people tell us, but dont forget there is a huge placebo effect out there, said Daniele Piomelli, director of the University of CaliforniaIrvine Center for Cannabis. Unless one does controlled studies where you give placebo to a subject and delta-10 to another subjectdelta-10 being one of the many cannabinoids this piece will get into the person doesnt know what theyre getting. Then again, the placebo effect can be quite pleasant: If something makes you feel good, thats good! Advertisement With all this in mind, here is a look at whats out there on shelves, what experts think about them, and whether theyre worth the marketing hype. Delta-9 THC Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What it is: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (abbreviated as delta-9 THC or just THC) is the primary intoxicating psychoactive compound in pot, responsible for that sweet, sweet high. However, contrary to popular belief, THC isnt just hanging out in cannabis plants. (Thats why you cant just snack on a cannabis leaf and get high.) Rather, the plant makes a precursor molecule (THCA) that is converted to the THC when the plant is heated. This process, known as decarboxylation, happens as you smoke weed, or when the plant is prepared in an oven to be an ingredient in edibles. Does it work? Considering THC is synonymous with weed, yes! Advertisement How to take it: In terms of method of ingestion, the possibilities are truly endless: There are edibles, pens, tinctures, and also good ol bud. As long as it has enough THCwhich mostly binds to a cannabinoid receptor in the brain and activates neurons in the central nervous systemitll do the trick. Advertisement Legal status: Currently, 37 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana, and 19 states plus D.C. have fully legalized it. (A full breakdown of legalization status in each state can be found here.) It is, sadly, still illegal at the federal level, likely inspiring the recent reliance on alternatives. However, some people still get away with selling delta-9 THC because of the farm bill loophole that technically means its OK to sell as long as its derived from hemp and contains less than 0.3 percent THC by weight, which, in a gummy, can still be a pretty high dosage. (This was the case for the weed gummies Slates Shannon Palus bought in the metaverse.) Advertisement CBD What it is: Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second-most-prevalent ingredient in the cannabis plant (behind THCA) and does not get you high, at least not in the same way THC does. (Scientists suggest this is likely because the molecules act on different receptors.) Although you cannot get stoned from using CBD, its known for having a calming and relaxing effect. A salesperson at a local CBD store I visited while working on this piece explained that the cannabinoid has three main uses: pain, sleep, and anxiety. (She also told me how she swears by the CBD-infused pet treats to help ease her cats separation anxiety.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Does it work? Some of those salesperson claims have been supported by research sort of. There are very promising studies showing that CBD can reduce psychosis in people with schizophrenia, Piomelli said. There are some promising, but not conclusive, studies suggesting that CBD may work to reduce anxiety, which is something that sometimes THC also does. There are also some pretty good [but] not conclusive studies, suggesting CBD, especially when applied topically on the skin, can reduce inflammation. The bottom line here is that if youre curious about CBD, it might be worth trying it and just seeing what it does (or perhaps does not) do for you. Plenty of people are: The demand for CBD in recent years has increased drastically, so much so that the global cannabidiol market is estimated to reach $47.22 billion by 2028. Advertisement How to take it: CBD is mostly sold as an oil, but there are also CBD extracts, oil-based capsules, and vaporized liquids. There are CBD-infused foods, drinks, and even lube. (You can read about what happened when several Slatesters tried CBD-infused seltzersand why seltzer is not the best way to consume CBDhere.) Is it legal? According to the aforementioned farm bill, yes. Delta-8 THC Advertisement Advertisement What it is: Delta-8 is best described as weeds younger sibling. Classified as an isomer of delta-9 THCwhich is a fancy way of saying it has the same molecules in a different orderit is less potent than its older sibling but still has psychoactive properties. (Check out Slates guide to delta-8 THC for more on the popular compound.) Does it work? A study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research in January that surveyed 521 users found that delta-8 offers something of a middle ground between regular weed and CBD. With Delta 8, I am able to perform my normal day to day activities, i.e., no couch lock, paranoia, munchies, wrote a study participant quoted in the paper. I am able to function well at work under the influence of Delta 8 whereas under the influence on Delta 9 at work, I am paranoid and feel less motivated to do work activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How to take it: Its probably best to stick to edibles, tinctures, and vapes (though those may also have their fair share of chemicals, but more on that later). The cannabinoid occurs naturally in trace amounts, and while there is delta-8 flower that you can smoke, its usually a hemp product sprayed with delta-8 THC. Is it legal? Despite being somewhat similar in structure and effect to delta-9 THC, delta-8 is federally legal, or at least legalish. Most of the delta-8-THC on the market is derived from those trace amounts in hemp, so under the aforementioned current law its good to go. Some states, though, arent super on board with the legal loophole being used for delta 8, and have introduced measures to regulate or ban this cannabinoid specifically. (Oregon was the first to do so.) In the states that dont have any rules, you can find products in vape shops, head shops, and even gas stations. Advertisement Advertisement CBN Advertisement What it is: Cannabinol (CBN) is a mildly psychoactive compound thats basically the byproduct of old THC. And although it seems to be derived from THC, its definitely not as popular or well researched as THC or CBD. Its sometimes marketed as helping with sleep. Advertisement Does it work? Its starting to gain attention due to its alleged sedative properties and its potential ability to help with sleep problems. The CBD salesperson I chatted with equated it to an indica strain of delta-9 THC. (The indica-sativa distinction isnt exactly scientific, either.) And while folks selling CBN seem to really market the sleep claim, there isnt much evidence to support it. CBN is one of those that theres not a lot of literature about. We dont know a whole lot about what it can do, Leas said. A 2021 meta-analysis in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research that analyzed eight studies testing CBN and sleep found that there is, so far, little evidence to support the benefits of CBN for sleep. It is possible that such claims are merely rooted in cannabis lore, the authors wrote. Experts I spoke to were also really skeptical. Something like CBN is thought to promote sleep but its not well studied at all and as far as I know, in controlled studies it hasnt been shown to promote sleep, Cooper said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How to take it: CBN is sometimes found mixed with CBD products, but isolated CBN seems to be mostly available in edibles and tinctures. Is it legal? It is legal if its derived from hemp. CBG Advertisement What it is: CBG (cannabigerol) is another cannabinoid that is currently on the market, one that Cooper actually studies in her lab for its potential when it comes to pain management and appetite stimulation, both things the endocannabinoid system is involved in. We think that in humans, CBG is not going to be intoxicating, says Cooper. We dont think its going to have the same impairing effects as delta-9 THC. Advertisement Does it work? Its too soon to say. Not much work has been done on it, mainly because its often found in tandem with other cannabinoids, says Cooper: Its hard to see the effects of CBG because a lot of these products have delta-9 THC in them and its hard to separate them out. Advertisement How to take it: The lack of research hasnt stopped CBG from popping up on its own in tincture or edible form. Advertisement Is it legal? As long as it has less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC! Delta-10 What it is: Delta-10 is another delta-9 isomer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Does it work? Similar to delta-8, delta-10 is reported to provide a more uplifting and relaxing high than normal weed. Anecdotally, delta-10 is commonly reported to provide energizing effects, whereas delta-8 is reported to be more sedating, writes Pat Goggins in an explainer in Leafly. How to take it: Like delta-8, delta-10 is primarily available in edible, tincture, and vape form. Is it legal? If it follows the conditions in the farm bill, then theoretically, yes. THC-O Acetate Advertisement Advertisement What it is: Unlike the other hemp derivatives on the market, this cannabinoid actually cant be found naturally because its created in a chemical process that utilizes a special molecule called acetic anhydride. This compound is an important reagent in the synthesis of another more familiar major drug: heroin. As Piomelli explained to me, in the early 1900s, scientists wanted to make better morphine and decided to start using acetic anhydride, figuring that it would allow morphine to travel to the brain faster (it did). He suspects that THC-O acetate (also known as THC-O) is following a similar logic, though there isnt any research to support this. Advertisement Does it work? According to Leafly, it has borderline hallucinogenic effects that have prompted the nickname the psychedelic cannabinoid. Piomelli warns against delving into these compounds, citing the unsafe synthesis process, potential toxicity, and the sheer lack of information about the potent substance. Advertisement We dont know if THC-O binds to the cannabinoid receptors, we dont know at what rate it gets converted to THC, we dont know how much of it gets into the brain, we dont know how quickly gets into the brain, Piomelli said. We basically dont know anything. How to take it: THC-O comes in all the different forms: Theres THC-O-infused flower, edibles, oils, and vapes. But: Maybe dont take it! Is it legal? Like delta-8 and delta-10, THC-O is derived from hemp and thus theoretically legal under the farm bill. Other Emerging Cannabinoids As you probably have picked up on, there is a lot we dont know about certain cannabinoids on the market. And believe it or not, there are some that we know even less about because theyre basically just entering current cannabis conversations. Advertisement Advertisement HHC: Similar to THC-O, hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is made by enhancing a THC molecule. However, in the case of HHC, its hydrogen-added. Leas describes it as new delta-8 on the market in terms of its feeling but emphasizes that there is still much that is unknown. THC-P: Tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THC-P) was discovered recently, and by accident. Its discovery was first made public in December 2019, in a journal article published in Scientific Reports. The study suggested that it was nearly 30 times more active on cannabinoid receptors than THC, but these studies were only in animals. There are already THC-P products (hemp-derived in order to be in accordance with the farm bill) on the market, and companies boast their anti-nausea, anti-anxiety, appetite-stimulating, and stress-reducing properties. But again, THC-P is pretty new and has not been extensively studied. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240419/nkorea-has-conducted-test-of-super-large-warhead-for-strategic-cruise-missile---reports-1118022062.html N.Korea Has Conducted Test of 'Super-large Warhead' for Strategic Cruise Missile - Reports N.Korea Has Conducted Test of 'Super-large Warhead' for Strategic Cruise Missile - Reports Sputnik International North Korea has conducted a power test of a "super-large warhead" for a strategic cruise missile, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported citing North Korea's KCNA. 2024-04-19T22:42+0000 2024-04-19T22:42+0000 2024-04-19T22:42+0000 military north korea military & intelligence yonhap korean central news agency (kcna) missile cruise missiles https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/13/1118021719_0:0:900:506_1920x0_80_0_0_500936f4cd2bfb9b665fd0a9ff917a36.jpg According to the report, North Korea also test-fired a new anti-aircraft missile in the Yellow Sea this week. The report said a "certain goal" was achieved through the test launch. The warhead was designed for the "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile, and the new anti-aircraft missile was the "Pyoljji-1-2," it said.Both tests were reportedly part of the regular activities of the North Korean missile administration. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240402/kim-jong-un-guides-test-fire-of-north-korean-hypersonic-ballistic-missile-1117707588.html north korea Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, north korea missile test fire, super-large warhead north korea, hwasal-1 ra-3 strategic cruise missile, anti-aircraft missile pyoljji-1-2, korean missile tests https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/china-unveils-new-information-support-force-as-part-of-major-military-revamp--1118029665.html China Unveils New Information Support Force as Part of Major Military Revamp China Unveils New Information Support Force as Part of Major Military Revamp Sputnik International China has unveiled a brand new branch of its military - the Information Support Force - as part of a major reorganization of the People's Liberation Army, Xinhua News Agency reported. 2024-04-20T14:00+0000 2024-04-20T14:00+0000 2024-04-20T14:01+0000 asia china chinese people's liberation army (pla) xi jinping military & intelligence people's liberation army (pla) navy chinese defense ministry https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/14/1118028070_0:158:3077:1889_1920x0_80_0_0_6d22f4aaf40fda5646b9d0d1b02df887.jpg China has unveiled a brand new branch of its military - the Information Support Force - as part of a major reorganization of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Xinhua News Agency reported. The revamp will see the Strategic Support Force replaced by the new branch, with the aerospace and cyber units previously under its command "organizationally parallel" to the Information Support Force, as per a Chinese Defense Ministry statement.Chinese President Xi Jinping conferred the new force's flag to its commanders at a ceremony on Friday in Beijing, underscoring the growing need for using information assets to support successful combat operations. In light of modern warfare challenges, a strong military could not do without a modernized information support force, stressed Xi.This is of profound and far-reaching significance to the modernization of national defense and the armed forces and to the military's fulfillment of its missions and tasks in the new era. The Information Support Force is a brand-new strategic branch of the PLA and a key pillar of the integrated development and use of the network information system. It plays an important role and bears great responsibility in promoting the PLA's high-quality development and the ability to fight and win in modern warfare," said the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party's (CPC) Central Committee, as cited by local media.The new force is tasked with maintaining information flow, integrating information resources, and protecting information security.China also carried out a reshuffle in the top brass last year, with Li Shangfu removed from the post of Chinese defense minister. The Chinese parliament appointed Dong Jun, commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), as the new defense minister in December 2023.The changes come against the backdrop of an increased regional US-led militarization program targeting the Pacific. Washington has been strengthening its Asia-Pacific deployments, relying on a posse of allies, such as Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, in a reflection of what the Chinese Defense Ministry has berated as a "typical Cold War mindset." In a historic first, all four held joint naval exercises in the South China Sea amid heightened tensions stemming from territorial disputes in the area. As the four cited Beijing's growing assertiveness in the region, China's military responded with its own increased naval and air patrols in the South China Sea. Beijing has repeatedly warned that joint US military exercises undermine its security interests.Furthermore, the United States intends to deploy medium-range missiles in the Indo-Pacific region by the end of this year, Indo-Pacific Land Forces Cmdr. Gen. Charles Flynn said in April. China will resolutely oppose this dangerous trend, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said, noting:"The US intention to deploy medium-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region is a dangerous trend that will seriously threaten the security of the countries in the region and cause serious damage to regional peace and stability. China resolutely opposes this and will resolutely oppose it," Wu told reporters. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240408/china-calls-on-us-to-stop-undermining-peace-in-asia-pacific-1117806343.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko china unveils new branch of its military, china - the information support force of the people's liberation army, china, us, us weapons in asia pacific, us militarization of asia pacific, us militarizes asia pacific, dangerous military trends in asia pacific https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/chinese-media-calls-philippines-out-for-sheer-provocation-ahead-of-massive-drills-with-us-1118033558.html Chinese Media Calls Philippines Out for Sheer Provocation Ahead of Massive Drills With US Chinese Media Calls Philippines Out for Sheer Provocation Ahead of Massive Drills With US Sputnik International The Chinese media has interpreted the Philippines' using Chinese-made ships as targets for military exercises as a blatant provocation. Beijing is also concerned by Manila's muscle-flexing alongside the US. 2024-04-20T18:33+0000 2024-04-20T18:33+0000 2024-04-20T18:49+0000 china world philippines manila philippine navy us nato australia naval drills south china sea https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/07/1117792728_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_3bd50e219b8336b3eeb66aafcbecb606.jpg The US and the Philippines are about to kick off the "Balikatan" ("shoulder-to-shoulder") military exercises on April 22, which will last until May 10 and involve 16,700 soldiers.The drills, dubbed by the Western press "most expansive", will be for the first time held outside Philippines territorial waters and simulating seizing islands in vicinity to Taiwan and the South China Sea.According to the Washington Post, the drills' major focus will be on the US and Filipino militaries acting as a "single fighting force." US allies France and Australia will take part in certain segments of the exercises, the newspaper added.The Chinese media have expressed concerns over the "extremely negative" nature of the drills. The Global Times, an English-language Chinese daily, noted that not only did the scale of the upcoming event exceed those carried out in previous years, but Washington and Manila will conduct exercises "for the first time in disputed areas beyond 12 nautical miles from Philippine territorial waters."In addition, the US Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile has been deployed in the Philippines, the Chinese daily pointed out, stressing that it is Washington's first missile deployment in the Asia Pacific since the Cold War era.The newspaper continued that the Philippines has now become a "broken window" in the region, adding that all US Western allies are currently in line to sign "visiting force" accords with Manila.Chinese media drew particular attention to the fact that Manila opted to use the retired Chinese-built Philippine Navy replenishment tanker "BRP Lake Caliraya" as an "enemy ship" target, "showing clear provocative intent". China rejected the Philippines' claims that the pick of the target was "unintentional."The US has recently been militarizing both Taiwan and the Philippines under the pretext of China's possible "invasion" of Taiwan, viewed by Beijing as its inalienable territory. The Chinese media warned the Philippines that Beijing's restraint is not unlimited and if Manila and "external forces" cross the red line in the South China sea, China will "definitely take action when necessary, which is something the Philippines cannot afford." https://sputnikglobe.com/20240410/goal-of-us-drills-with-japan-australia-philippines-to-expand-nato---russia-1117845265.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240208/china-urges-philippines-to-avoid-crossing-red-lines-on-taiwan-issue-1116663190.html china philippines manila australia south china sea france southeast asia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Ekaterina Blinova us-philippines military exercises, china, south china sea, nato expansion in asia, philippines provocation, militarization of philippines, taiwan, island of taiwan, china's invasion of taiwan scenario, asia-pacific, indo pacific https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/death-of-russian-journalist-eremin-must-be-investigated---un-spokesperson-1118025667.html Death of Russian Journalist Eremin Must be Investigated - UN Spokesperson Death of Russian Journalist Eremin Must be Investigated - UN Spokesperson Sputnik International The UN is opposed to the killing of any journalist, UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq told Sputnik. 2024-04-20T09:35+0000 2024-04-20T09:35+0000 2024-04-20T09:35+0000 russia farhan haq russia the united nations (un) izvestia journalist https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/08/10/1112650575_0:0:2112:1188_1920x0_80_0_0_dae73f0480a6a7c29c260ecef0ae09fd.jpg We are opposed to the killings of any journalists and believe that they must be fully investigated, Haq told Sputnik when asked about the killing of Russian journalist Semyon Eremin from Izvestia newspaper. Izvestia on Friday reported the death of its war correspondent Semyon Eremin in the zone of Russia's special military operation. He was killed by a munition drop from a Ukrainian FPV drone. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240419/sputnik-donbass-correspondent-russel-bentley-dies-in-donetsk-1117914011.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International un spokesperson farhan haq, russian journalist eremin, must be investigated https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/israel-fans-iran-flames-trump-jury-chosen-arsenic-in-new-mexico-water-1118021349.html Israel Fans Iran Flames, Trump Jury Chosen, Arsenic in New Mexico Water Israel Fans Iran Flames, Trump Jury Chosen, Arsenic in New Mexico Water Sputnik International Amid escalating tensions, reports of Israeli drone operations fuel fears of greater regional turmoil. 2024-04-20T04:02+0000 2024-04-20T04:02+0000 2024-04-20T09:21+0000 political misfits ukraine sergey lavrov npr arsenic robert f. kennedy jr iran israel columbia university saudi arabia https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/13/1118021475_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_7e9f5f80fc6eb1ace0d226c2a3426327.png Israel Fans Iran Flames, Trump Jury Chosen, Arsenic in New Mexico Water Sputnik International Amid escalating tensions, reports of Israeli drone operations fuel fears of greater regional turmoil. Scholar, educator and journalist KJ Noh joins Misfits hosts Michelle Witte and John Kiriakou to discuss Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovs recent remarks on the conflict in Ukraine and on Russias relationship with China. He also breaks down the dangers of Washingtons rush to decouple from China, how the career of NPRs new CEO reflects the purpose of the organization she now helms, and the government of Chad threatening to kick out US troops.Scientist, professor emeritus of natural resources and ecology Guy McPherson discusses how a small city in New Mexico came to be poisoned by arsenic in their tap water, why American regulatory agencies seem to be so useless, and how state and national governments continue to dodge responsibility.Activist, former educator, host of the Sabby Sabs podcast Sabrina Salvati discusses why New York authorities only become concerned about former President Donald Trumps business dealings after he became a political force, how divided Congressional Republicans have become, the crackdown on protesters at Columbia University, how to understand big union endorsements in the 2024 race, RFK Jr.s staying power as a thorn in both major parties sides, how serious the potential for voter fraud actually is, and the bizarre turn in the corruption investigation into Senator Bob Menendez.Beirut-based Ecuadorian journalist and head of news for The Cradle Esteban Carillo discusses last night's reported drone operation allegedly carried out by Israel on Isfahan in Iran, whether Iran is compelled to retaliate, the role of Hezbollah within the conflict centered around Gaza, and why we keep hearing predictions that Saudi Arabia will normalize relations with Israel in the near future.The Misfits also discuss a Tesla recall, panda diplomacy, and a self-immolation at the Trump criminal trial.The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comCatch us in the US at 105.5FM, 104.7FM, 102.9FM, 1390AM, 1140AM ukraine iran israel saudi arabia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Michelle Witte https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/11/1082103644_0:1:240:241_100x100_80_0_0_aa1e89cc3422c54bfdeb46decb112e73.jpg Michelle Witte https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/11/1082103644_0:1:240:241_100x100_80_0_0_aa1e89cc3422c54bfdeb46decb112e73.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Michelle Witte https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/11/1082103644_0:1:240:241_100x100_80_0_0_aa1e89cc3422c54bfdeb46decb112e73.jpg sergey lavrov interview, conflict in ukraine, russia-china relations, us-china trade war, drone attack on iran, drone attack on iranian isfahan https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/israel-hamas-talks-on-ceasefire-hostage-deal-on-brink-of-collapse---reports-1118025892.html Israel-Hamas Talks on Ceasefire, Hostage Deal on Brink of Collapse - Reports Israel-Hamas Talks on Ceasefire, Hostage Deal on Brink of Collapse - Reports Sputnik International There is a possibility that Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas will discontinue their talks in Qatar on a ceasefire and hostage release deal, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing an unnamed Arab official familiar with the matter. 2024-04-20T09:39+0000 2024-04-20T09:39+0000 2024-04-20T09:39+0000 world palestine-israel conflict israel qatar benjamin netanyahu middle east palestine hamas https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/0a/1117839342_0:205:3070:1932_1920x0_80_0_0_4706e177e18478a48913b1545ca0b9dd.jpg On Wednesday, NBC News reported, citing a senior Arab diplomat, that the Israeli-Hamas truce talks were almost frozen. On Thursday, Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran told Sputnik that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not seeking a political settlement of the conflict. The Hamas political bureau is looking to move its headquarters from Qatar to another Arab country, which will likely disrupt the current Israel-Hamas negotiation, the newspaper reported. The Palestinian movement has already turned to at least two alternative countries to host its political headquarters, including Oman, according to the report. On April 7, a new round of the Israeli-Hamas talks started in the Egyptian capital of Cairo. The ceasefire proposal made at the talks provided for the release of 40 Israeli hostages in exchange for 900 Palestinian prisoners as a part of a three-stage plan adopted by international mediators. Hamas largely rejected the proposal, saying it would present its own plan for a permanent end to the conflict in the region. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240416/hamas-rejects-all-clauses-of-gaza-ceasefire-agreement-1117953896.html israel qatar palestine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International israel-hamas, palestinian movement hamas, ceasefire and hostage release deal Church leaders in Russian-occupied Ukraine continue to face crackdowns, with one arrested for missionary activities and two others deported to Georgia. In occupied Luhansk Province, authorities on March 29 charged the Rev. Vladimir Rytikov, 64-year-old leader of the Sorokyne (Krasnodon) Council of Churches Baptist Church in Krasnodon, with Russians conducting missionary activity under Russian Administrative Code Article 5.26, Part 4, according to rights watchdog Forum 18. The arrest of Rytikov followed a raid on his Baptist church on Jan. 28, and the charges noted that he was leading that worship meeting. If found guilty, he could be fined between 5,000 to 50,000 Russian rubles (US $53 to US $530). When Forum 18 asked Col. Sergei Krupa, head of the occupation police in Krasnodon, to give reasons for prosecuting the pastor for a church meeting held at a home, he refused and hung up the phone. There was no court hearing scheduled as of April 12. Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up Police had also questioned Rytikov on Feb. 2, asking why the church had not been registered and demanding to see church statutes, according to Forum 18. I told them that our statute is the gospel, Rytikov reportedly said. He told police that the church did not want registration and refused to give information about church members. Officers summoned him to the police station on March 25, but he refused. Police told him they summoned him to draw up charges to be presented to a court, and that the church was banned in Luhansk, Rytikov reportedly said. In the Jan. 28 raid, armed men interrupted the worship service of the church, founded in 1961. They took out two of the elders, Vyacheslav Kollisnichenko and Mikhail Miknus, local Baptists noted that day on Telegram, reported Forum 18. Theyre recording everything on camera! Theyre letting no one out. Theyre writing down the passport details of all those present. The armed men released the two elders and allowed the worship meeting to end. Officers interrogated Yuliya Vitsenovskaya, owner of the home where the church met, at a local police station. Miknus and Oleg Vorotilin, another church leader, faced questioning at the church site before they were released later that day along with Vitsenovskaya, according to Forum 18. Rytikov was previously fined for leading unregistered worship meetings in 2018 and 2019. He faced charges by Russian occupiers of extremism in 2020 after his refusal to stop leading his church. In addition, Soviet authorities had jailed Rytikov from 1979 to 1982 for organizing a Christian childrens summer camp. His father, Pavel Rytikov, spent a decade in a Soviet Union jail for exercising his faith. Meantime, Russian occupiers have deported two Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) priests to Georgia. A Russian occupation forces court in Donetsk Region in September 2023 illegally fined the Rev. Khristofor Khrimli and the Rev. Andri Chui of illegal missionary activity under Russian law, noted Forum 18. Both priests received fines after their arrests in the occupied Donetsk Region in September. Officials transferred them to Russia in October, and then sent Khrimli to Georgia in February and likewise Chui in March. Both priests are now recovering in Ukrainian government-held Ukraine. When Forum 18 asked Russian court Bailiff Aleksandr Nikolenko why the priests are not allowed home in Russian-occupied Donetsk Region, he reportedly said, Because they were ordered to leave the Russian Federation. OCU priests such as Khrimli and Chui are suffering ongoing pressure to give allegiance to the Russian Orthodox Church. Violations in Russia In Russia, authorities this month levied a hefty fine on an elderly church leader for repeatedly discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, according to Forum 18. The Rev. Viktor Pivovarov, 87-year-old leader of the Holy Intercession and Tikhon Church in Slavyansk-on-Kuban, was charged at Slavyansk City Court in the southern Krasnodar Region on April 8. The fine of 150,000 rubles (US $1,592) equals eight months of an average local pension. The archbishop has previously said he is waiting to be either killed or imprisoned at the hands of Russian authorities, as previously reported by Christian Daily International. He had criticized Russians invasion as satanic, and soldiers armed with machine guns badly beat his assistant, the Rev. Hieromonk Iona Sigida, during a raid at the church on Oct. 3. Authorities were expected to use money they took from the church during the raid to go toward paying the fine. Forum 18 said the court punished Pivovarov under Criminal Code Article 280.3, Part 1, Public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. He is reportedly the fifth person to receive a criminal conviction for criticizing Russias role in the invasion from a faith perspective. In July, researcher Dylan Schexnaydre of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), said religious minorities had been systematically harassed since the invasion. In his report, Religious Freedom Conditions in the Russian Federation, Schexnaydre called the harassment the largest crackdown on independent civil society in decades. Public security officials enforce vague, problematic legislation targeting missionary activities, alleged extremism and terrorism, undesirable organizations, and blasphemy, among others, to oppress religious communities and fine and imprison members for their religious activities, Schexnaydre wrote. On March 1, USCIRF pushed for sanctions to be taken against Russian officials for abusing Freedom of Religious Belief (FoRB) prisoners. In a public statement, USCIRF confirmed hundreds of FoRB prisoners of conscience imprisoned by Russian authorities. The statement highlighted the brutal death of Ukrainian priest Stepan Podolchak, as reported by Christian Daily International. Russias religious freedom violations continue to reach an unprecedented scale, said USCIRF Commissioner Susie Gelman. The U.S. government cannot allow Russias brutal crackdown on religious communities, human rights organizations, and other groups working on religious freedom and countering disinformation to succeed. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/israel-iran-allied-iraqi-militias-swap-strikes-amid-razor-sharp-regional-tensions-1118030148.html Israel, Iran-Allied Iraqi Militias Swap Strikes Amid Razor-Sharp Regional Tensions Israel, Iran-Allied Iraqi Militias Swap Strikes Amid Razor-Sharp Regional Tensions Sputnik International Israel began a vicious circle of escalation with Iran on April 1 by attacking the Islamic Republics Embassy compound in Damascus. Iran responded with an unprecedented drone and missile strike targeting Israel, which Tel Aviv followed with a limited drone and missile attack against targets near the Iranian city of Isfahan on Friday. 2024-04-20T14:34+0000 2024-04-20T14:34+0000 2024-04-20T14:34+0000 world qasem soleimani middle east israel iraq iran https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/0c/08/1081397919_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_cb79d0d48dbe8fe0d51094b79967044c.jpg Israel and Iraqi militias traded strikes Saturday amid sky-high regional tensions.The Iraqi Islamic Resistance militia coalition announced Saturday that it attacked a vital Israeli facility in the strategic port of Eliat along the Red Sea. The strike, which was said to have involved drones, was carried out in part in response to an Israeli attack on a military base south of Baghdad housing forces of the Popular Mobilization Forces an Iraqi government-allied militia coalition formed in 2014 to fight IS.*The Israeli military has not officially confirmed targeting the PMF base. However, Iraqi sources told the Jerusalem Post Saturday that the suspected Israeli overnight attack killed one person and injured six others.United States Central Command which is responsible for dozens of military bases scattered across Iraq, Syria and other regional countries, denied any involvement in the Kalso attack, assuring in a statement that it has not conducted air strikes in Iraq [Friday].The explosion hit equipment, weapons and vehicles, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official told AFP.On Friday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq reported a separate operation targeting the Ovda Air Base in southern Israel in the Negev desert using drones.The Iraqi Resistance has taken responsibility for dozens of strikes inside Israel and against American bases in Iraq and Syria in recent months after forming in October 2023 to target US and Israeli bases in response to Israels war in Gaza. Elements of the PMF have been threatening to force US forces out of Iraq and Syria since the January 2020 assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and PMF deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis two major regional anti-terror leaders.Regional tensions hit an unprecedented new high earlier this month in the wake of Israels strike on the Iranian Embassy compound in Damascus on April 1, and the Iranian counterstrike targeting Israeli military and intelligence facilities last weekend.On Friday, Israel reportedly attacked the Iranian city of Isfahan in a limited drone and missile strike, which included targeting an Iranian air base and possibly, air defenses near the Natanz nuclear facility. Iranian air defenses downed three Israeli drones. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told NBC News that the Israeli operation did not constitute a genuine strike.The Iranian top diplomat said Iran would not react to Fridays attack, as long as there is no new adventurism by Israel against our interest, but warned that if Israel takes a decisive action against my country and this is proven to us, our response will be immediate and to the maximum and will cause them to regret it.Elements of the Israeli and US neoconservative establishment have sought to drag Iran into a regional conflict with Israel since last fall and the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli crisis. Tehran has sought to avoid falling into the trap, which threatens to unwind years of painstaking diplomatic efforts to join BRICS+ and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia, in favor of an indirect, asymmetric approach to US and Israeli provocations.* Also known as ISIS, ISIL, and Daesh, an internationally recognized terrorist group outlawed in Russia. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/us-greenlit-israeli-strike-on-iran-no-game-changer---former-netanyahu-advisor-1118027330.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/israel-fired-three-ballistic-missiles-into-iran-during-strike-on-friday---reports-1118023775.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/us-begged-israel-not-to-strike-iran-but-request-was-embarrassingly-ignored---reports-1118023508.html israel iraq iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov are israel and iran at war, who did israel strike, did israel strike iraqi army https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/jackpot-for-arms-contractors-pain-for-ukraine-who-gets-what-from-congress-61-bln-bag-of-goodies-1118031921.html Jackpot for Arms Contractors, Pain for Ukraine: Who Gets What From Congress' $61 Bln Bag of Goodies? Jackpot for Arms Contractors, Pain for Ukraine: Who Gets What From Congress' $61 Bln Bag of Goodies? Sputnik International The House of Representatives held a rare Saturday session to vote on $95 billion in proposed aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, with the vote desperately sought after by the White House, Democrats and neocon Republicans since October coming after months of efforts by pro-MAGA lawmakers to focus resources on the crisis at the US southern border. 2024-04-20T18:30+0000 2024-04-20T18:30+0000 2024-04-20T19:20+0000 analysis us michael maloof marjorie taylor greene ukraine russia israel congress republican white house https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/02/06/1107015825_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a9c22839c4b76c10ff888822768b6abc.jpg The House approved nearly $100 billion in assistance to Washingtons overseas allies, partners and client states on Saturday, with supporters of the aid managing to overcome opposition after a six-month deadlock in the chamber.Passing the House, the aid package is now set to be voted on by the Senate, where leaders from both parties have been clamoring for months for the foreign assistance to be urgently passed. If it passes the Senate, the legislation will end up on President Biden's desk for signature.Supporters and opponents of the foreign aid package gave stirring speeches ahead of the Saturdays House vote restating their positions.I often say its never too late to do the right thing. But waiting to do the right thing comes at a cost, Maryland Democrat Steny Hoyer said. We saw that cost in Israel this week as an emboldened Iran launched an unprecedented attack on our ally. For Ukraine the cost of our inaction is great if incalculable. It is measured in Ukrainian lives, towns and territory lostToday we act. We act to make it clear to the world that America is still the defender of freedom, democracy and international law.Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch opponent of further US assistance to Ukraine, military or otherwise, proposed an amendment to slash support for Kiev to zero.The United States taxpayer has already sent $113 billion to Ukraine, and a lot of that money is unaccounted for, Greene said. The federal government continues to fund the military-industrial complex, and this is a business model that requires Congress to continue to vote for money to fund foreign wars. This is a business model that the American people do not support. They dont support a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries while this very government does nothing to secure our border. The American people are over $34 trillion in debt and the debt is rising by over $40 billion every single night while we all sleep. But yet nothing is done to secure our border or reduce our debt.Pointing to polling indicating that a majority of Americans disapprove of new aid to Ukraine, Greene said Congress has chosen to vote to protect Ukraine instead of protecting the American citizens that pay your paycheck.Victory for the MIC, Loss for UkraineThe tens of billions of dollars in new US aid doled out via the legislation passed by the House Saturday may prolong the Ukrainian crisis, but wont be able to secure a NATO victory in the proxy war against Russia, says former DoD senior security policy analyst Michael Maloof.Its not going to be enough for Ukraine to overcome its current geostrategic position at this point, simply because they dont have a consistent ability to arm, the observer added, pointing out that along with the weapons themselves is the ability to find the men to use them, something the Kiev regime is having increasingly severe difficulty doing as it is."Other money to be provided to Ukraine is intended to pay government employees," US Air Force Lt. Col. (ret.) Karen Kwiatkowski, a former DoD analyst, told Sputnik. "Thus presumably it will include meeting soldiers' needs but it goes to Kiev bureaucrats first. Given how it will be allocated, very little change will be noted by those actually fighting," Kwiatkowski believes, estimating that of the $61 billion allocated, $45 billion will remain in the US and $16 billion will be sent to Ukraine as so-called direct aid. "Likely the $16 billion that makes it to Ukraine will be instantly absorbed to pay government bills rather than the war effort," she said, pointing to Kiev's massive budget deficit.As far as immediate support for Kiev goes, Maloof emphasized that the US doesnt have the existing weaponry, nor the production capability, to outgun Russia, with Ukraines military resorting to desperate tactics, like strikes targeting Russian infrastructure.Thats tantamount to an insurgency, which is not going to turn the strategic tide, in any way, for Ukraine. Every time Ukraine does it, the Russians seem to come back with about three times more response. And I think that right there is a message to the Ukrainians that theyve got to settle this thing once and for all and try to hold on to what theyve got, Maloof urged.No Amount of Weapons Can Save ZelenskyTheres really no amount of artillery and other munitions and weapons Ukraine could receive at this point and remain intact, Maloof argues.The US aside, Europe is in no financial position economically to deal with the Ukrainian crisis over the long term, either, Maloof noted.Theyve got their own problems now as a result of this crisis, and try to come back economically and politically and regain the quality of life that they had before. But right now, Europes in a recession. Theyve cut off their energy sources. And its going to take a long time and a lot of capital to regain some semblance of that. What they had before I doubt that theyll be able to replicate on any near term basis. Europe has got its problems and the US has got its problems, and were trying to resuscitate a dead dog, Maloof stressed, referring to the Zelensky regime.Victory for the 'Uniparty'Asked to comment on sentiments expressed by some hardline MAGA Republicans, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar, Matt Gaetz and others, that Speaker Johnson "betrayed" the conservative wing of the party and voters by prioritizing aid to foreign countries over the crisis at the southern border, University of Iowa political science professor Timothy Hagle said there's something to be said for that."As for the prioritizing aspect, it's not really a matter of suggesting that one is more important than the other. Rather, it's likely more a matter of which can be done. Along those lines, given the position of the Biden administration and the Democrats' control of the Senate, there doesn't seem to be much that the Republicans in the House can do. Sometimes they can hold votes even when they know something will be killed in the Senate, but even that can be hard with such a small majority," the academic explained.On top of that, supporters of aid for foreign wars can count on the sense of "urgency" in Washington regarding funding, and the comparative 'ease' with which it can be sent, something supporters of urgent measures to stem the migration crisis cannot count on. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240419/us-progress-on-ukraine-aid-will-only-prolong-ukraines-agony-1118022175.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240418/the-zelensky-curse-how-aid-to-ukraine-may-deep-six-another-house-speaker-1117999389.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/french-party-leader-says-protracted-ukrainian-conflict-impoverishes-france-1118030557.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240413/bidens-secret-border-agenda-migrants-fill-the-us-baby-gap-1117898582.html ukraine russia israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov will new ukraine aid save zelensky, what will ukraine get in new aid package https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/man-who-set-self-on-fire-outside-trump-trial-courthouse-in-critical-condition-1118023247.html Man Who Set Self on Fire Outside Trump Trial Courthouse in Critical Condition Man Who Set Self on Fire Outside Trump Trial Courthouse in Critical Condition Sputnik International A man is in critical condition after he set himself on fire outside of the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump's so-called hush money trial was taking place. 2024-04-20T03:33+0000 2024-04-20T03:33+0000 2024-04-20T03:33+0000 americas us new york city new york police department (nypd) self-immolation https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102238/83/1022388384_296:0:4243:2220_1920x0_80_0_0_5a22a2fcf9a096ef4a86d8b586cad32c.jpg "We were able to extinguish the fire and from that point we removed him to Cornell Burn Unit where right now he's there in critical condition," the official said during a press conference. Another New York Police Department official identified the man who set himself on fire as Maxwell Azzarello from the state of Florida. Police said Azzarello threw pamphlets on the ground before he set himself on fire. Police said Azzarello did not breach any security measures on site for Trump's trial because the incident took place at a nearby park open to the public at the moment. americas new york city Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International self-immolation of maxwell azzarello, who is maxwell azzarello, is azzarello alive, who committed self-immolation in new york, act of self-immolation in new york https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/palestinian-authority-to-review-ties-with-washington-after-us-unsc-veto-1118029934.html Palestinian Authority to Review Ties With Washington After US UNSC Veto Palestinian Authority to Review Ties With Washington After US UNSC Veto Sputnik International The Palestinian Authority will review its policy toward the United States after the latter vetoed its request for full UN membership this week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in an interview out Saturday. 2024-04-20T13:37+0000 2024-04-20T13:37+0000 2024-04-20T13:37+0000 world mahmoud abbas palestine the united nations (un) palestinian authority https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107815/28/1078152803_0:27:1001:590_1920x0_80_0_0_519634520d423e37fe921e926c0df5c3.jpg "The Palestinian Authority will review bilateral relations with the United States to safeguard the interests of our people, our cause and our rights," he told the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Abbas argued that the US veto of Palestine's UN bid constituted "a blatant aggression against the rights, history, land, and sanctities of the Palestinian people, challenging the will of the international community." Russian envoy to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said the US was almost completely isolated during the UN Security Council vote on Thursday. Twelve other countries voted in favor of granting Palestine full membership of the UN, while the United Kingdom and Switzerland abstained. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240419/why-us-veto-on-palestines-full-un-membership-bid-isnt-surprising-1118012721.html palestine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International palestinian authority, palestinian president mahmoud abbas, un membership https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/pariah-israel-dragging-us-into-garbage-bin-of-history-1118034709.html Pariah Israel Dragging US Into Garbage Bin of History Pariah Israel Dragging US Into Garbage Bin of History Sputnik International Israel is "dragging" the US "Into the garbage bin of history" with it, The Cradle head of news Esteban Carrillo told radio Sputnik on Friday. 2024-04-20T20:54+0000 2024-04-20T20:54+0000 2024-04-20T20:54+0000 analysis gabriel carrillo palestinians benjamin netanyahu damascus palestine the united nations (un) israel sputnik hamas https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0b/02/1114665982_0:116:3072:1843_1920x0_80_0_0_e6068e3b6db8419d29561d9ee2b4886e.jpg Earlier, Israel struck Iran in response to Irans attack last week, which was itself a response to Israel attacking Irans consulate in Damascus earlier this month. The attack, which was described by both sides as minor, came after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not respond until after Passover, which runs from April 22 to April 30.Israels apparent insistence on launching a regional war in the Middle East is dragging the United States with it Into the garbage bin of history, and US lawmakers seem willing to watch it happen, journalist Esteban Carrillo, the head of news at The Cradle, told Sputniks Political Misfits on Friday.While discussing the recent US vote against Palestinian statehood in the UN, Carrillo explained that it is working against US interests.Tensions between Iran and Israel seem to have cooled somewhat after Israels attack was so minor. Explosions were heard near an Iranian base outside of Isfahan, but Iran claimed there was no damage or injuries. A second attack against the city of Tabriz was likewise thwarted.The attack, which Iran claims came from within its own territory, seemed designed to make Israel not appear as weak as they are, Carrillo explained. After six months of flattening Gaza and killing tens of thousands of Palestinians, they have failed to achieve a single strategic objective against Hamas.However, the small scope of the attack also seemed designed to allow Israel to play tough guy without igniting a larger conflict.But that doesnt mean Israel is finished. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still determined to keep the war going to ward off political and legal challenges facing him. I dont think that were out of the water yet in terms of [Israel] dragging the United States into a regional war, Carrillo explained, adding earlier that it isnt hard to convince US lawmakers to join fights. The United States government for so long now, hasnt seen a war they didnt want to be a part of.The Israeli government currently, I dont see them having an exit. They retaliated in such a small way overnight against Iran. That doesnt mean theyre not going to try to do something in Lebanon, and that doesnt mean at all that theyre not going to try to do something in Gaza, Carrillo said, noting reports that the US is now on board with an Israeli plan to invade the southern Gazan city of Rafa, where roughly 1.5 million Palestinians fled to after being forcibly displaced by Israel. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/us-begged-israel-not-to-strike-iran-but-request-was-embarrassingly-ignored---reports-1118023508.html damascus palestine israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ian DeMartino Ian DeMartino News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Ian DeMartino esteban carrillo interview, esteban carrillo on israel, israel strike on iran, are israel and iran going to war https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/russian-air-defense-systems-intercepted-destroyed-50-ukrainian-drones-during-the-night---mod-1118023661.html Russian Air Defense Systems Intercept, Destroy 50 Ukrainian Drones During the Night Russian Air Defense Systems Intercept, Destroy 50 Ukrainian Drones During the Night Sputnik International Russian air defense means destroyed and intercepted 50 Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga and Moscow regions... 20.04.2024, Sputnik International 2024-04-20T04:50+0000 2024-04-20T04:50+0000 2024-04-20T07:21+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine russia ukraine ukrainian drone attacks on russia drone strike drone attack russian defense ministry https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0f/1116795445_0:199:2933:1849_1920x0_80_0_0_3a84e41cb0e088b2af5e2054aa818035.jpg This night, attempts by the Kiev regime to carry out a number of terrorist attacks using aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles on targets on the territory of the Russian Federation were stopped. Air defense systems on duty destroyed and intercepted fifty Ukrainian UAVs, of which: twenty-six - over the territory of the Belgorod Region; ten - over the Bryansk Region; eight - over the Kursk Region; two - over the Tula Region and one over the Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga and Moscow regions each," the ministry said.Earlier, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian territory, emphasized that Kiev continues terrorist activities, but that the Russian military is on alert and doing everything necessary.Ukraine has been sending drones and missiles into Russia almost daily since it launched its counteroffensive in early June 2023. The United Nations said in August last year, following a botched drone strike on Moscow, that it did not want to see any targeting of civilian infrastructure. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240419/russia-downs-3-ukrainian-atacms-missiles-25-vampire-rockets-3-drones---defense-ministry-1118006447.html russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, ukraine, ukrainian drone attacks on russia, drone strike, drone attack, russian defense ministry https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/russian-govt-approves-additional-tariff-quota-for-grain-exports-in-2024-1118025540.html Russian Gov't Approves Additional Tariff Quota for Grain Exports in 2024 Russian Gov't Approves Additional Tariff Quota for Grain Exports in 2024 Sputnik International The Russian government has approved an additional tariff quota of 5 million tonnes for grain exports in 2024, which will be in effect until June 30, according to a press release published on Saturday. 2024-04-20T09:31+0000 2024-04-20T09:31+0000 2024-04-20T09:31+0000 russia russia grain grain exports quota tariffs https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0c/03/1115359000_0:0:3169:1784_1920x0_80_0_0_d825678374e379cec08d9dab8bfb1f76.jpg "Under the signed decree, the extra part of the export quota for wheat, meslin, barley, rye, and corn shall be 5 million tonnes. It will be valid until June 30, 2024 inclusive," the release reads. The Agriculture Ministry will distribute the additional volume among participants in foreign trade activities, it adds. The main quota was set by the government for the period from February 15 to June 30 and amounted to 24 million tonnes, according to the release. Russia is considered to be one of the largest grain exporters in the world. In the 2022-2023 agricultural year, Russia exported 66 million tonnes of grain worth nearly $16.5 billion, according to Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240110/turkiye-remains-main-importer-of-russian-grain-wheat---russian-union-of-grain-exporters-1116090451.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian government, additional tariff quota, grain exports https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/transnistrias-top-diplomat-urges-support-as-economy-crumbles-under-chisinaus-pressure-1118026008.html Transnistria's Top Diplomat Urges Support as Economy Crumbles Under Chisinau's Pressure Transnistria's Top Diplomat Urges Support as Economy Crumbles Under Chisinau's Pressure Sputnik International Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria needs support now more than ever under conditions of economic pressure from Moldova, whose aim appears to be destroying the region's industrial and economic capacity, Transnistrian Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatiev told Sputnik. 2024-04-20T09:42+0000 2024-04-20T09:42+0000 2024-04-20T09:42+0000 world transnistria moldova chisinau chisinau vitaly ignatiev https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/09/1108207272_0:257:2730:1793_1920x0_80_0_0_a35a432f60e2484e351a3ed984f65740.jpg "In conditions when Moldova seeks to destroy the industrial and economic basis of our state, provokes impoverishment of the population and social instability, Transnistria needs support more than ever before," Ignatiev said. Since April 1, Transnistria's largest machine-building enterprise, the Elektromash plant, has been on a forced shutdown, leaving some 600 workers without livelihood, Ignatiev said, calling it a "tragedy." On January 1, Chisinau canceled the privileges granted to Transnistrian enterprises in paying customs duties. Transnistria perceived this as economic pressure and responded by canceling the preferential regime for Moldovan farmers who own land in the Dubasari district. At the same time, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has assured the Transnistrian authorities that it would adhere to strictly peaceful methods of resolving the conflict between Transnistria and Moldova, the official noted. Now not only Transnistria, but also other participants in the traditional international format face the task of bringing Moldova back to normal work at the negotiating table, Ignatiev added. Meanwhile, statements by Moldovan officials about the deadlock in negotiations with Transnistria are short-sighted and destructive, Ignatiev noted. On April 4, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian said talks with Tiraspol were deadlocked, so Chisinau moved to making independent decisions, actually leaving the negotiation format. The talks on the Transnistrian settlement in the "5+2" format involve Chisinau and Tiraspol as parties to the conflict, Russia, Ukraine, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as mediators, and the European Union and the United States as observers. The last round of talks in this format took place in Bratislava on October 9-10, 2019. Transnistria, 60% of whose population are Russians and Ukrainians, sought to secede from Moldova even before the collapse of the Soviet Union, fearing that Moldova would join Romania on a wave of nationalism. In 1992, after an unsuccessful attempt by the Moldovan authorities to resolve the problem by force, Transnistria became a territory virtually outside of Chisinau's control. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240229/ukraine-and-moldova-poised-to-ramp-up-pressure-on-transnistria-to-trigger-crisis-1117061939.html transnistria moldova chisinau Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International transnistria's top diplomat, economic pressure, chisinau's pressure, transnistrian foreign minister vitaly ignatiev https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/us-begged-israel-not-to-strike-iran-but-request-was-embarrassingly-ignored---reports-1118023508.html US 'Begged' Israel Not to Strike Iran But Request Was Embarrassingly Ignored - Reports US 'Begged' Israel Not to Strike Iran But Request Was Embarrassingly Ignored - Reports Sputnik International The US allegedly begged Israel not to carry out a counterattack against Iran, but the Israeli decision to ignore Washington is part of an "embarrassing" trend, Politico reported. 2024-04-20T04:28+0000 2024-04-20T04:28+0000 2024-04-20T04:28+0000 world us israel iran politico iran-israel row airstrikes airstrike https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/0f/1117944395_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_d718022fecc89474bfbd9faa97c24434.jpg "The US begged [Israel] not to do it, and literally no one from the Pentagon to the Joint Chiefs to the CIA to the intel community thinks this is a good thing," the official was quoted by Politico as saying on Friday. "At this point, its truly embarrassing how much Israel does not listen to us, but yet this doesnt keep President Biden from blind fealty." The United States' silence on this Israeli strike on Iran is part of an effort to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East between Israel and Iran, according to the report. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the matter during an earlier briefing, and the Pentagon and US Central Command also declined to comment to Sputnik on this matter.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's only comment on this matter was to rule out any US involvement in the Israeli attack. Earlier on Friday, Israel carried out an airstrike against Iran in response to Tehran's missile and drone attack over the weekend, media reported. Explosions were reported near the city of Isfahan. Air defense systems responded to the approach of drones in a number of the country's provinces. Three Iranian officials told The New York Times that the target of the strikes was an airbase near Isfahan.Israeli drones shot down over the city of Isfahan by Iranian air defenses caused no damage, but pro-Israel media are trying to exaggerate the impact of the airstrike, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240417/the-game-has-changed-irans-retaliatory-attack-revealed-israels-military-weaknesses--1117969405.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240419/g7-foreign-ministers-to-discuss-israels-strikes-on-iran-on-friday--1118009342.html israel iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International israel airstrikes iran, iran israel tensions, did us warned israel, israel us relations, us reaction os israeli airstrike https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/us-greenlit-israeli-strike-on-iran-no-game-changer---former-netanyahu-advisor-1118027330.html US-Greenlit Israeli Strike on Iran 'No Game Changer - Former Netanyahu Advisor US-Greenlit Israeli Strike on Iran 'No Game Changer - Former Netanyahu Advisor Sputnik International Israels airstrike against Iran in response to Tehran's retaliatory missile and drone attack is not a game changer, Aviv Bushinsky, a former media advisor and chief of staff for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Sputnik. 2024-04-20T12:58+0000 2024-04-20T12:58+0000 2024-04-20T12:58+0000 analysis israel iran iran-israel row benjamin netanyahu tehran hezbollah houthis joe biden https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/14/1118027640_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_c97846ad0db3945d31ac3e48651e21b7.jpg Israels airstrike against Iran in response to Tehran's retaliatory missile and drone attack is not a game changer, Aviv Bushinsky, a former media advisor and chief of staff for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Sputnik.The idea was to send a message to the Iranian regime telling them, Okay, enough is enough. Don't start another front with Israel. We have enough challenges to cope with. And it seems that the Iranians are not willing to go ahead or to retaliate. And that's exactly what Israel sort of wanted to do, the pundit noted.After the strikes, which Israel did not officially confirm, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the drones shot down over Isfahan did not cause any damage. He also accused "pro-Israel" media of attempting to exaggerate the impact of the Israeli attack.The Israeli strikes were part of the recent tit for tat between the two countries. Tel Aviv was responding to Tehran's massive drone and missile attack against Israel carried out last weekend with assistance from Hezbollah and Yemens Houthis. Over 300 projectiles were fired at Israeli territory from Iran, with Israel claiming that 99% of them were intercepted. Iran's own military action was a response to Israels attack on the Islamic Republics diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital of Damascus on April 1.I assume that the US administration did give a green light for such an operation, Aviv Bushinsky underscored, weighing in on media reports suggesting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ignored US President Joe Biden's advice not to carry out a counterattack against Iran.We know what happened a week ago, last Saturday, he said, recalling how the US and some European allies, including the UK and France, helped Israel fend off the projectile barrage from Iran."The US begged [Israel] not to do it, and literally no one from the Pentagon to the Joint Chiefs to the CIA to the intel community thinks this is a good thing At this point, its truly embarrassing how much Israel does not listen to us, but yet this doesnt keep President Biden from blind fealty," a US official was quoted by Politico as saying on Friday.The United States has maintained silence on the Israeli strike on Iran, with only US Secretary of State Antony Blinken commenting to rule out any American involvement in the attack.The pundit suggested that the strike by Tel Aviv puts to bed any sort of tit for tat between the two countries, allowing Israel to get back to business and try and finish its mission in Gaza.Bushinsky added that its inevitable that Netanyahu will go into Rafah, to try to get rid of the Hamas leadership and their armament capability, the expert elaborated. He added that the Israeli PMs legacy is very slim, and internal politics and the pressure to release the hostages will drive him forward.Iranian MP Abolfazl Abu Tarabi also commented on Israels attack on Iran.Some Western media seek to exaggerate the significance of the Israeli strike, carried out using several UAVs. They also seek to sow panic among the Iranian population... Iran has always displayed strategic patience and acted very prudently. But its patience is not infinite, and when someone crosses our 'red lines,' they must understand how we will respond. Iran has already proven this by attacking Israeli military targets, the Iranian member of parliament told Sputnik.Our defenses will be used in the event of any enemy attack. These are very advanced weapons, and our opponents cannot even imagine what we are capable of. We have all the necessary knowledge and technology in the field of defense. And, therefore, we can repel any air attack, the MP said, concluding: https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/us-begged-israel-not-to-strike-iran-but-request-was-embarrassingly-ignored---reports-1118023508.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/critical-vote-for-ukraine-israel-funding-approaches-as-congress-remains-at-odds-1118020639.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240419/israel-cant-afford-escalation-with-iran-and-gaza--1118019349.html israel iran tehran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko israel's strike at iran not a game changer, israel airstrikes iran, iran israel tensions, did us warned israel, israel us relations, us reaction os israeli airstrike, iran vs israel, iran strikes israel, iranian attacks on israel, israel threatens iran, israels missile attack on iran, iran israel standoff, iran israel row, recent attcks in the middle east, middle east military escalation, irans role in the middle east, alliances in the middle east, iran strikes on israel, iran attacks israel, iran israel row, iran israel hostilities The Supreme Court of Finland on Friday (April 19) ruled that a third trial will go ahead against a former government minister after the Christian was twice acquitted of hate speech for expressing her biblical views on marriage. The high court issued the ruling for another trial for Member of Parliament Paivi Rasanen following an appeal by the state prosecutor, according to Alliance Defending Freedom International. (ADF International) Two previous trials at Helsinki District Court and the Court of Appeal found Rasanen, a grandmother of 11, not guilty of the hate speech charges. A former Minister of the Interior, Rasanen was criminally charged for sharing her Christian views on marriage and sexual ethics in a tweet on X (Twitter) in 2019. She was also charged in relation to a 2004 pamphlet for her church she wrote about the Biblical book of Genesis stating, male and female he created them. The prosecutor has not appealed a third charge based on her appearance on a radio show, making her Court of Appeal acquittal on that charge final, ADF International stated in a press release. Only the two remaining charges are subject to this latest appeal. Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up Rasanen said in a press statement that she stood up for everyones freedom of expression. This was not just about my opinions, but about everyones freedom of expression, she said. Rasanen said she had a peaceful mind about the outcome and is ready to continue to defend free speech and freedom of religion before the Supreme Court, and if need be, also before the European Court of Human Rights. In my case, the investigation has lasted almost five years, has involved untrue accusations, several long police interrogations totaling more than 13 hours, preparations for court hearings, the District Court hearing, and a hearing in the Court of Appeal, she said. The MP stressed that the court case affected everyones right to express opinions. I hope that with the ruling of the Supreme Court, others would not have to undergo the same ordeal, Rasanen said. I have considered it a privilege and an honor to defend freedom of expression, which is a fundamental right in a democratic state. Bishop Juhana Pohjola faces charges at the third court case as well for publishing Rasanens pamphlet two decades ago. The prosecution has called for Rasanens and Pohjolas publications to be censored, according to ADF International. If found guilty, the two Christians face tens of thousands of euros in fines. Paul Coleman, executive director of ADF International, called the event a watershed case in the story of Europes creeping censorship. In a democratic Western nation in 2024, nobody should be on trial for their faith yet throughout the prosecution of Paivi Rasanen and Bishop Pohjola, we have seen something akin to a heresy trial, where Christians are dragged through court for holding beliefs that differ from the approved orthodoxy of the day, Coleman said. The states insistence on continuing this prosecution after almost five long years, despite such clear and unanimous rulings from the lower courts is alarming. The process is the punishment in such instances, resulting in a chill on free speech for all citizens observing. ADF International will continue to stand alongside Rasanen and Pohjola as they face their next day in court, he said. Their right to speak freely is everyones right to speak freely, he said. Rasanen, a member of the Finnish Lutheran Church, had queried a decision by the church leadership via a Tweet, about the official sponsorship of a LGBT Pride 2019 event, with images quoting verses from the book of Romans. Police launched an investigation and then discovered Rasanen had also written about biblical marriage in a pamphlet 20 years ago. Finlands prosecutor general brought three charges of agitation against a minority group against the MP in April 2021. These charges came under the war crimes and crimes against humanity section of the Finnish Criminal code. Rasanen and Bishop Pohjola had a two-day trial at Helsinki District Court on Jan. 14 and Feb. 14, 2022, but the court acquitted both on March 30, 2022, stating, it is not for the district court to interpret biblical concepts, according to ADF International. The prosecution then appealed the not guilty ruling in April 2022. The case was heard by the Helsinki Court in August and September of 2023, with the court reaffirming the acquittal. Rasanen has been a Finnish MP since 1995. She served as chair of the Christian Democrats from 2004 to 2015. From 2011 to 2015, she worked as the Minister of the Interior with responsibility for church affairs. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/us-has-microwave-weapons-able-to-fry-electronics-of-irans-nuclear-facilities---report-1118023891.html US Has Microwave Weapons Able to Fry Electronics of Iran's Nuclear Facilities - Report US Has Microwave Weapons Able to Fry Electronics of Iran's Nuclear Facilities - Report Sputnik International The US Air Force has operational missiles that could take out the electronics of Iran's nuclear facilities using high-power microwaves, the Daily Mail reported. 2024-04-20T06:43+0000 2024-04-20T06:43+0000 2024-04-20T06:43+0000 iran middle east tension middle east palestine-israel conflict microwaves electronics world b-52 cruise missile military & intelligence https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/14/1118024472_0:116:3232:1934_1920x0_80_0_0_257fe8fc88560eb50d5c480c70cd6fc9.jpg The US Air Force has operational missiles that could take out the electronics of Iran's nuclear facilities using high-power microwaves, the Daily Mail reported.The microwave weapons equipped with an electromagnetic pulse cannon are fitted into cruise missiles and can be delivered from B-52 bombers.Boasting a range of 700 miles (around 1,126 km), the weapons can ostensibly infiltrate enemy airspace at low altitude and target electronic devices with pulses of high power microwave (HPM) energy. Specifically, the microwave weapon is said to generate a concentrated beam of energy aimed at generating a voltage surge in electronic equipment, thus disabling it. These missiles are allegedly designed to leave civilians unharmed.According to the report, the top secret Counter-Electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP) was the brainchild of Boeing's Phantom Works, and was commissioned by the US Air Force Research Laboratory. Since being tested in 2012, the microwave weapons have purportedly been deployed and are operational at various locations across the globe.The outlet cited Othana Zuch, a US Air Force Research Laboratory public affairs officer, as saying that CHAMP missiles were originally a demonstration program, followed up by development of advanced HPEM (High Power Electromagnetic) technologies.The publication also recalled that Mary Lou Robinson, formerly head of the High Power Microwave Division Air Force Research Lab at US Kirtland Air Force Base, spoke as far back as in 2016 about the CHAMP missiles, alleging that they were operational.Directed energy, high powered microwave, low-cost interceptors is where we want to be, said US Army Major General Sean Gainey last year at a meeting of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank funded by contributions from military contractors. A year before, Gainey, the head of the Army's Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office, stated that the US military was exploring using high-powered microwave technology to counter swarms of armed drones on the battlefield. As for the new report, it comes amid the latest dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, with Israel carrying out an airstrike against Iran on Friday in response to Tehran's missile and drone attack over the weekend. Israel fired three air-launched ballistic missiles during the attack on Iran, NBC News reported, citing officials. As a result of the limited retaliatory strike on sites in Iran, explosions were reported near the city of Isfahan. Tasnim reported that the nuclear facilities in Isfahan province are completely safe. Three Iranian officials confirmed to The New York Times that the strikes targeted an Iranian Air Force base near Isfahan. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the drones shot down over Isfahan did not cause any damage. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231219/us-military-taps-use-of-microwave-weapons-to-neutralize-drone-threats-1115687613.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/israel-fired-three-ballistic-missiles-into-iran-during-strike-on-friday---reports-1118023775.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko does us air force have microwave weapons, what are microwave missiles, microwave missiles could reportedly disable electronics of iran's nuclear facilities, high-power microwaves, us military technology, us efforts to develop microwave weapons, israel airstrikes iran, iran israel tensions, did us warned israel, israel us relations, us reaction os israeli airstrike https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/us-to-withdraw-1000-troops-from-niger-in-coming-months---reports-1118023372.html US to Withdraw 1,000 Troops From Niger in Coming Months - Reports US to Withdraw 1,000 Troops From Niger in Coming Months - Reports Sputnik International The United States will withdraw 1,000 US military personnel from the West African country in the coming months, the New York Times reported. 2024-04-20T03:43+0000 2024-04-20T03:43+0000 2024-04-20T03:43+0000 world niger washington post state department us withdrawal us troop withdrawal https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/0b/17/1090955564_0:159:3076:1889_1920x0_80_0_0_db281b34105af349b147c2b6ce43d609.jpg The report said on Friday that the US government had notified the transitional government in Niger about its plan. According to the Washington Post, State Department Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell met with Niger's prime minister earlier in the day and accepted the government's demand. The report noted that this move will transform the United States' counterterrorism posture in West Africa.Last month, a spokesperson for the Nigerien military said that the countrys transitional government, which took power in last July, ended the military agreement with immediate effect, citing the interests of the Nigerien people. Nigers Interior Ministry recently said the United States had promised to submit a plan for the "disengagement" of troops from the West African country after Niamey ended its military pact with Washington. The statement was published on social media after Nigerien Interior Minister Mohamed Toumba hosted US Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon for talks earlier in the day. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240412/what-sahel-russian-troops-replace-french-in-niger-1117896062.html niger Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us military personnel withdraw from niger, us military in niger, us africa relations, us africa presence, state department deputy secretary kurt campbell met with niger's prime minister, us withdrawal from africa It was a good day for trainer Angelo Nappo and owner Super Mile LLC on Friday afternoon, April 19 as their charges posted mild upsets in sweeping the two featured $12,603 trotting events at Buffalo Raceway. Kilimanjaro NL ($14) took the first bracket with a two-length decision over Good Boy in 1:58.4 while later in the program, Cashier ($13.60) rang the register in collecting a two-length victory over HP Maestro in 1:59.4. In the opener, Kilimanjaro NL (David McNeight III) watched patiently as Poets N Pirates (Kevin Cummings) and Good Boy (Ray Fisher Jr.) scrambled for the lead. With Poets N Pirates eventually grabbing the top, he posted splits of :28, :59.1 and 1:30 over the fast track. Kilimanjaro NL, drafting along in third, made a big brush approaching the final marker and finally got the advantage at the top of the stretch. A :28.3 last quarter mile by Kilimanjaro NL sealed the deal as Good Boy was able to rally for the second-place cheque while Poets N Pirates was relegated to third. The victory was the second in 12 attempts this season for Kilimanjaro NL (Conway Hall-Adera Beko). The nine-year-old gelding, a 14-time career winner, is now just shy of the $200,000 earnings mark. For the third straight week, Cashier (Kevin Cummings) jumped up in class and found the stiffer competition not to be an issue as the four-year-old gelding rolled to his third straight victory. Starting from the two post for the third consecutive week, Cashier was helped out as the heavily favoured and rail-sitting Aint No Mojo jumped it off before the starting gate swung open and lost all hope. So with an uncontested lead on the front, Cashier recorded fractions of :30.1, 1:01 and 1:30.3. Down the lane, Cashier began to drift out badly but managed to keep the ship afloat and was able to hold off the late efforts by HP Maestro (Fisher Jr.) and Ricky Be Sharp (Mike Baumeister), who had to settle for second and third, respectively. The win was the third in five appearances in 2024 for Cashier (Credit Winner-Swing Anna Cash). He has now earned five wins and more than $45,000 in his career. Cummings posted three victories on the afternoon card with Dan Yetman and Joseph Chindano Jr. getting doubles. Racing will return on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. with a 12-race program. The card will feature the Open Trot and Pace. (With files from Buffalo Raceway; Photo of Kilimanjaro NL winning on April 19 at Buffalo Raceway) A Mooresville neighborhood was evacuated Saturday morning following reports of a man firing shots when deputies arrived to assist Iredell EMS on a call. According to radio transmissions from the Iredell County Sheriffs Office and Mooresville Police Department, the standoff is occurring on Northhampton Drive, off Langtree Road. Deputies initially responded after an Iredell EMS crew, on a medical call, reported the person was armed. When deputies arrived, the officers reported hearing shots fired from the residence. The sheriffs office and Mooresville police responded with multiple personnel, and as of 9:20 a.m., law officers were still reporting shots being fired from the residence. Deputies and Mooresville officers evacuated several residences in the neighborhood and shut down traffic in the area. As of 9:20 a.m., no injuries have been reported. WASHINGTON The House swiftly approved $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies in a rare Saturday session as Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling Russia's invasion. With an overwhelming vote, the $61 billion in aid for Ukraine passed in a matter of minutes, a strong showing as American lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of U.S. support to the war-torn ally. Many Democrats cheered on the House floor and waved blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine. Aid to Israel and the other allies also won approval by healthy margins, as did a measure to clamp down on the popular platform TikTok, with unique coalitions forming to push the separate bills forward. The whole package will go to the Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately. "We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well," said a weary Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage. Biden, in a statement, thanked Johnson, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers "who voted to put our national security first." "I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs," the president said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said he was "grateful" to both parties in the House and "personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track," he said on X, formerly Twitter. "Thank you, America!" he said. The scene in Congress was a striking display of action after months of dysfunction and stalemate fueled by Republicans, who hold the majority but are deeply split over foreign aid, particularly for Ukraine. Johnson relied on Democrats to ensure the military and humanitarian funding the first major package for Ukraine since December 2022 won approval. The morning opened with a somber and serious debate and an unusual sense of purpose as Republican and Democratic leaders united to urge quick approval, saying that would ensure the United States supported its allies and remained a leader on the world stage. The House's visitor galleries were crowded with onlookers. "The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will judge what we do here and now," said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Passage through the House cleared away the biggest hurdle to Biden's funding request, first made in October as Ukraine's military supplies began to run low. The GOP-controlled House struggled for months over what to do, first demanding that any assistance for Ukraine be tied to policy changes at the U.S.-Mexico border, only to immediately reject a bipartisan Senate offer along those very lines. Reaching an endgame has been an excruciating lift for Johnson that has tested both his resolve and his support among Republicans, with a small but growing number now openly urging his removal from the speaker's office. Yet congressional leaders cast the votes as a turning point in history an urgent sacrifice as U.S. allies are beleaguered by wars and threats from continental Europe to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific. "Sometimes when you are living history, as we are today, you don't understand the significance of the actions of the votes that we make on this House floor, of the effect that it will have down the road," said New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "This is a historic moment." Opponents, particularly the hard-right Republicans from Johnson's majority, argued that the U.S. should focus on the home front, addressing domestic border security and the nation's rising debt load, and they warned against spending more money, which largely flows to American defense manufacturers, to produce weaponry used overseas. Still, Congress has seen a stream of world leaders visit in recent months, from Zelenskyy to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, all but pleading with lawmakers to approve the aid. Globally, the delay left many questioning America's commitment to its allies. At stake has been one of Biden's top foreign policy priorities halting Russian President Vladimir Putin's advance in Europe. After engaging in quiet talks with Johnson, the president quickly endorsed Johnson's plan, paving the way for Democrats to give their rare support to clear the procedural hurdles needed for a final vote. "We have a responsibility, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans to defend democracy wherever it is at risk," Jeffries said during the debate. While aid for Ukraine failed to win a majority of Republicans, several dozen progressive Democrats voted against the bill aiding Israel as they demanded an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. A group of roughly 20 hard-right Republicans voted against every portion of the aid package, including for allies like Israel and Taiwan that have traditionally enjoyed support from the GOP. At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with lawmakers as he tilts the GOP to a more isolationist stance with his "America First" brand of politics. Ukraine's defense once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress, but as the war enters its third year, a majority of Republicans opposed further aid. Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., offered an amendment to zero out the money, but it was rejected. The ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the "America Last" foreign wars package and urged lawmakers to defy Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills did not include border security measures. Johnson's hold on the speaker's gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Greene, supported a "motion to vacate" that can lead to a vote on removing the speaker. Egged on by far-right personalities, she is also being joined by a growing number of lawmakers including Reps. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is urging Johnson to voluntarily step aside. The package included several Republican priorities that Democrats endorsed, or at least are willing to accept. Those include proposals that allow 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 legislation to require the China-based owner of the popular video app TikTok to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States. Still, the all-out push to get the bills through Congress is a reflection not only of politics, but realities on the ground in Ukraine. Top lawmakers on national security committees, who are privy to classified briefings, have grown gravely concerned about the tide of the war as Russia pummels Ukrainian forces beset by a shortage of troops and ammunition. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced the Senate would begin procedural votes on the package Tuesday, saying, "Our allies across the world have been waiting for this moment." Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, as he prepared to overcome objections from his right flank next week, said, "The task before us is urgent. It is once again the Senate's turn to make history." Ukraine endures a second year of war with scenes of grief, suffering and also joy New archaeological findings from 2,200-yr-old tomb shed light on ancient Chinese culture Xinhua) 09:24, April 20, 2024 This combo picture shows lacquerwares unearthed from the Wuwangdun tomb discovered in Huainan, east China's Anhui Province. (Anhui provincial cultural relics and archaeology research institute/Handout via Xinhua) HEFEI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The discovery of a tomb in Anhui Province, east China, will shed light on an ancient civilization that lived in China over 2,200 years ago, according to archaeologists. Wuwangdun tomb, built in the Warring States period (475 B.C.-221 B.C.), has been recognized as the largest and highest-grade tomb with the most complex structure from the ancient Chu state, that has been so far excavated, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration. After a nearly four-year excavation, more than 1,000 cultural relics, including lacquered artifacts, bronze ritual vessels, musical instruments and daily use items, have been extracted from the tomb. Archaeologists have also found and recorded nearly 1,000 written characters. Concurrent analyses included carbon-14 dating, wood species identification, infrared analysis of the inscriptions, and material and manufacturing studies of the lacquerware and textiles. "The findings can provide an overall picture of the political, economic, cultural, technological and social conditions of the Chu state in the Warring States period," said Gong Xicheng, a research fellow with the Anhui provincial cultural relics and archaeology institute and head of the Wuwangdun archaeological team. Archaeologists work at the Wuwangdun tomb discovered in Huainan, east China's Anhui Province, April 6, 2024. (National Cultural Heritage Administration/Handout via Xinhua) According to Gong, the tomb was built in a critical period before the feudal state system disintegrated and a unified nation formed. "The findings can help us learn about the historical evolution as well as the formation of a unified nation and its culture," Gong said. In the view of Shen Hanqing, former chief of Huainan Museum, the findings from the Wuwangdun tomb showed that during the transitional period from the late Warring States period to Qin (221 B.C.-207 B.C.) and Han Dynasties (202 B.C.- 220 A.D.), people in different parts of China were undertaking exchanges with each other. "The core idea as a unified multi-ethnic country has been developing ever since, and now has become the cultural gene of the Chinese people," Shen said. In recent years, with more multi-disciplinary measures and advanced technologies applied to archaeological research, it is possible for archaeologists to find more information on the same historical relics. During the excavation of the Wuwangdun tomb, a low-oxygen archaeological laboratory was set up, allowing researchers to work within a safe temporary space while preserving the unearthed items, said Zhang Zhiguo, a researcher with the National Center for Archaeology. Besides traditional recording measures, the archaeological team used digital scanning, surveying and mapping to collect real-time information on the excavation site. They also created a highly-precise 3D digital model of all layers of the tomb, and extracted over 1,000 characters written on the coffin lid in Chinese ink by using infrared imaging technology. Zhang noted that currently only about one third of excavation work of the Wuwangdun tomb has been done, with key information including the identity of the tomb owner still yet to be determined. "The excavation and protection work at the Wuwangdun tomb will be carried out simultaneously, and various scientific and technological measures will be used so that the archaeological value of the tomb will be clearly and comprehensively presented," he said. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) Longview's homelessness task force is currently facing an uncertain future. Earlier this month, we reported that, according to Mayor Spencer Boudreau, the Longview City Council was going to put the task force up for a vote at Thursday's meeting. Though the decision isn't on the agenda as of Friday afternoon, we still want to urge the council to consider the full ramifications of disbanding the task force and reverting all document recording fee collections back to the county. It would mean forfeiting local control to county officials. Those would be the same county officials who have chosen not to fund Longview's HOPE Village after the previous City Council's multiple requests, and after years of discussing using that revenue to cover costs for a solution to Longview's homeless crisis. We expect to see some indication of where the city is headed during Thursday's planned workshop with Cowlitz County commissioners at the beginning of Longview's regular meeting, where the two boards are set to discuss their response to homelessness, HOPE Village and document recording fees. Certain legal documents most commonly deeds, easements, liens and other real estate transactions have a recording fee added to the transaction. In Washington, the cost is $203.50. Most of that money helps fund programs for affordable housing, rental assistance, shelters and other housing issues at the state, county and local levels. The city estimated last spring it would receive an annual $300,000 directly to Longview after its split from the county. Recently, the Longview council spent $25,000 from this revenue to help fund the Emergency Support Shelter, and another $23,979 went to Community House on Broadway, where it will fund their utility assistance program. We think these are both excellent uses of public money and will do a lot of good for people who could really use a helping hand. And so we wonder: if the city's homelessness task force was dissolved, would this have happened? Longview votes for Longview money The reason Longview set up its own agency was that councilmembers at the time saw a difference in priority between the Cowlitz County commissioners and Longview council. It's quite understandable that they would have different priorities. If you look at a map of county commissioner districts, you can see the majority of Longview is within District 2, Dennis Weber's seat. The other two districts are mostly other cities or unincorporated parts of the county. Each seat represents different regions, which means each commissioner has differing perspectives on how best to use the revenue. Effectively, handing over Longview's share of document fees to the county means giving control of local money to people elected by Kelso, Castle Rock, Kalama and elsewhere. While collaboration across city lines is a very important part of making government work, we question the benefits we would gain from disrupting the current status quo. It's just a fact of life in government that you're going to have more to do than you can reasonably accomplish. When it came to the county's document recording fee revenue, that meant all of Longview's requests needed to be balanced against those from other cities, as well as from the perspectives of elected officials whose duty is to represent non-Longview voters. When the Longview council recently decided they wanted to help the Emergency Support Shelter with operating costs, they were able to allocate the money on their own authority. We think maintaining the city's ability to have officials elected by Longview citizens spend document fee revenue from those citizens on projects in the city just makes sense. It's true, the city won't bring in as much revenue as the county. The cash flow just isn't the same. But there is value to being able to decide, on your own, to make smaller payments without having to ask the county. Plus, former City Manager Kris Swanson previously said the city can request additional document recording fee revenue from the county, even if Longview has its own program. Ultimately, this is an issue of local control and accountability. Currently, if the people of Longview disagree with how their document money is being spent, they can vote that leader out. If that money goes to the county, the people of Longview would become just one voice among many. The county commissioner elections are once again looming. If the Longview council relinquishes control of its document recording fee revenue, can we be sure the next board of commissioners won't make policy choices that differ from what the current Longview City Council wants? This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The arrival of ChatGPT sent shockwaves through the journalism industry. The rise of artificial intelligence has forced an increasing number of journalists to grapple with the ethical and editorial challenges posed by the rapidly expanding technology. AI's role in assisting newsrooms or transforming them completely was among the questions raised at the International Journalism Festival in the Italian city of Perugia that closes on Sunday. What will happen to jobs? AI tools imitating human intelligence are widely used in newsrooms around the world to transcribe sound files, summarize texts and translate. In early 2023, Germany's Axel Springer group announced it was cutting jobs at the Bild and Die Welt newspapers, saying AI could now "replace" some of its journalists. Generative AIcapable of producing text and images following a simple request in everyday languagehas been opening new frontiers as well as raising concerns for a year and a half. One issue is that voices and faces can now be cloned to produce a podcast or present news on television. Last year, Filipino website Rappler created a brand aimed at young audiences by converting its long articles into comics, graphics and even videos. Media professionals agree that their trade must now focus on tasks offering the greatest "added value". "You're the one who is doing the real stuff" and "the tools that we produce will be an assistant to you," Google News general manager Shailesh Prakash told the festival in Perugia. All about the money The costs of generative AI have plummeted since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022, with the tool designed by US start-up OpenAI now accessible to smaller newsrooms. Colombian investigative outlet Cuestion Publica has harnessed engineers to develop a tool that can delve into its archives and find relevant background information in the event of breaking news. But many media organizations are not making their own language models, which are at the core of AI interfaces, said University of Amsterdam professor Natali Helberger. They are needed for "safe and trustworthy technology", he stressed. The disinformation threat According to one estimate last year by Everypixel Journal, AI has created as many images in one year as photography in 150 years. That has raised serious questions about how news can be fished out of the tidal wave of content, including deepfakes. Media and tech organizations are teaming up to tackle the threat, notably through the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity, which seeks to set common standards. "The core of our job is news gathering, on-the-ground reporting," said Sophie Huet, recently appointed to become global news director for editorial innovation and artificial intelligence at Agence France-Presse. "We'll rely for a while on human reporters," she added, although that might be with the help of artificial intelligence. From Wild West to regulation Media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders, which has expanded its media rights brief to defending trustworthy news, launched the Paris Charter on AI and journalism late last year. "One of the things I really liked about the Paris Charter was the emphasis on transparency," said Anya Schiffrin, a lecturer on global media, innovation and human rights at Columbia University in the United States. "To what extent will publishers have to disclose when they are using generative IA?" Olle Zachrison, head of AI and news strategy at public broadcaster Swedish Radio, said there was "a serious debate going on: should you mark out AI content or should people trust your brand?" Regulation remains in its infancy in the face of a constantly evolving technology. In March, the European Parliament adopted a framework law aiming to regulate AI models without holding back innovation, while guidelines and charters are increasingly common in newsrooms. AI editorial guidelines are updated every three months at India's Quintillion Media, said its boss Ritu Kapur. None of the organization's articles can be written by AI and the images it generates cannot represent real life. Resist or collaborate? AI models feed off data, but their thirst for the vital commodity has raised hackles among providers. In December, the New York Times sued OpenAI and its main investor Microsoft for violation of copyright. In contrast, other media organizations have struck deals with OpenAI: Axel Springer, US news agency AP, French daily Le Monde and Spanish group Prisa Media whose titles include El Pais and AS newspapers. With resources tight in the media industry, collaborating with the new technology is tempting, explained Emily Bell, a professor at Columbia University's journalism school. She senses a growing external pressure to "Get on board, don't miss the train". 2024 AFP AHK Vietnam appoints new chief By Minh Minh Sun, April 21, 2024 | 5:33 am GMT+7 Peter Kompalla has been appointed chief representative of the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK Vietnam). He succeeds Marko Walde, who served as head of AHK in Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos for 13 years. Stepping into his new role, our chief representative has shown his contagious enthusiasm. He's diving head first into learning about Vietnam's development in recent years, showing a genuine commitment to understanding our market and its potential, AHK Vietnam said in a statement. Peter Kompalla, new chief representative of AHK Vietnam. Photo courtesy of AHK Vietnam. Since assuming the role, Kompalla has engaged with multiple Vietnamese agencies as well as the German business community. At the German Business Association's (GBA) monthly business meeting on April 8, Kompalla officially introduced himself to the German-Vietnamese business community. He emphasized AHK Vietnams mission to foster bilateral trade relations, and the importance of collaborating with the GBA for good and effective strategies in the future. In a series of meetings last week, Kompalla engaged in discussions with officials from the Department of Provincial Foreign Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Center of Overseas Labor (COLAB) under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs; the Europe-America Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade; and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE). He also met with leaders of Vietnamese-German University on Wednesday to deepen collaboration between the two entities. Amata industrial park in northern Vietnam attracts two Japanese projects worth $105 mln By Tri Duc Sat, April 20, 2024 | 10:28 am GMT+7 Vietnams northern province of Quang Ninh granted investment certificates to two Japan-invested projects with total registered capital of $105 million on Friday. Quang Ninh Economic Zone Authority delivered the documents at a meeting with investors in Amata City Ha Long, a major industrial park in the northern province. Both projects will be located in the industrial park, also known as Song Khoai Industrial Park and invested by leading Thai industrial park developer Amata. A representative of Quang Ninh Economic Zone Authority (center, right) grants an investment certificate in Quang Ninh province, northern Vietnam, April 19, 2024. Photo courtesy of Quang Ninh newspaper. Tenma Vietnam Co. Ltd., under Japans Tenma Corporation, will invest $56 million in manufacturing plastic components and molding parts. The project is set to complete construction and enter operation in the second quarter of 2025. Yaskawa Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, under Japans Yaskawa Electric Corporation, will invest $49 million in an electromechanical system project. The project is scheduled to enter operation in April 2026. At the meeting, provincial authorities also answered investors questions related to VAT refunds, installation of solar energy systems, fire prevention rules, and labor supply. Quang Ninh Economic Zone Authority also launched a campaign for 2024, including goals of attracting $3 billion in FDI, wastewater management systems, FDI firms earning $3 billion and paying VND850 billion ($33.4 million) to the state budget, and businesses employing at least 3,000 more people. Prior to these projects, Song Khoai Industrial Park had attracted 15 FDI projects with total registered capital of $2.4 billion. Most recently, IKO Thompson Vietnam, under Japanese machine parts manufacturer IKO Thompson, signed a land use agreement with Song Khoai Industrial Park. IKO Thompson Vietnam is set to lease three hectares of land in the park to build a factory for manufacturing bearings and linear motion equipment, per its $57-million project. ASEAN foreign ministers call for end to Myanmar violence By Vietnam News Agency Sat, April 20, 2024 | 11:40 am GMT+7 ASEAN foreign ministers on Friday issued a statement calling on all parties to immediately cease violence and exercise maximum restraint in the border areas of Myanmar. The flag of ASEAN. Photo courtesy of Reuters/Vietnam News Agency. The statement expressed profound concern over the recent escalation of violence in Myanmar, particularly in the town of Myawaddy in Kayin state and in Rakhine state where thousands have lost their homes. To avoid further humanitarian consequences from escalating conflicts in any form, ASEAN calls on all parties to immediately cease violence and exercise maximum restraint, uphold international humanitarian principles, and take all necessary measures to alleviate tensions and ensure the protection and safety of all civilians, it said. The ministers also called for urgent actions to mitigate the impact of the conflict on civilians, including creating a safe and conducive environment to ensure the timely and safe delivery of humanitarian aid. The statement expressed support for the continuous efforts of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), as well as the cross-border humanitarian initiatives by Thailand, in line with the Five-Point Consensus. It also highlighted coordination with Laos, the ASEAN Chair for 2024, through its special envoy to Myanmar. Additionally, the ministers called for facilitating humanitarian aid activities and promoting comprehensive national dialogue aimed at achieving a long-term and comprehensive political solution in Myanmar. Food security, climate change top ASEAN agenda during Malaysias chairmanship By Vietnam News Agency Sat, April 20, 2024 | 11:39 am GMT+7 Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysias ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on Friday. Johari called on member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to pool their combined strength to handle food insecurity, elaborating that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has exacerbated the situation. Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul. Photo courtesy of thestar.com.my. He held that ASEAN should combine its strengths, including sizeable agricultural land, finance, manpower and technology to create a food-secure region. The speaker emphasised the importance of sharing ideas, experiences and expertise among the ASEAN member countries to bolster research and development efforts aimed at enhancing food security. With a total population of 680 million, ASEAN boasts huge potential to become a substantial internal market, he said. As the upcoming President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, he reiterated Malaysias commitment to advancing other significant agendas, including climate change initiative during its tenure as the next ASEAN Chair. He emphasised Malaysias interest in promoting renewable energy sources such as hydrogen and solar, and called on the ASEAN countries to invest in the young generation and education to develop future leaders capable of maintaining the blocs position as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality. Thailand gives financial support to Laos for road maintenance By Vietnam News Agency Sat, April 20, 2024 | 11:36 am GMT+7 The Thai cabinet has approved THB1.8 billion (about $48.8 million) in financial assistance for the Lao Government to maintain and improve Highway R12, shortening the travel time from Thailands Nakhon Phanom province, through Laos, to the Vietnamese border in the central province of Quang Binh. An illustration of an expressway. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency. Deputy Government Spokesperson Kaenika Oonchit said Highway R12 starts in Thakhek, the capital of Khammouane province in Laos, at the junction with Highway R13, which is about 17km from Thailands Nakhon Phanom border checkpoint. It runs through Laos and ends in the Vietnamese border province of Quang Binh, covering a total distance of 147km and forming an integral part of the Asian Highway Network. Kaenika said that the money will also be used to upgrade cargo terminals, storage facilities, lighting at intersections, public utilities, drainage systems in communities, and tourist attractions along the route. Highway R12 will enhance road transport and logistics linking Thailand with Laos, Vietnam and China, shorten the transit time from ten to just four hours, and reduce customs procedures from five to just two checkpoints. R12 is considered as the shortest route, compared to R8 or R9, along the East-West Economic Corridor, the official said, adding that the amount of goods transported from Nakhon Phanom to Laos via R12, after maintenance works complete, is anticipated to increase by about 50%. Vietnam booth makes Milan Design Week debut By Lan Do Sat, April 20, 2024 | 11:46 pm GMT+7 Italys Milan Design Week has featured a Vietnam Pavilion for the very first time, presenting unique wooden furniture and handicraft products from 35 Vietnamese businesses. Vietnam Pavilion at the prestigious event was constructed with almost 400 wooden modules blended with traditional Vietnamese rattan efficiently "compressed" and composed into a vibrant, innovative display area, local reports said. Visitors at the Vietnam Pavilion, Milan Design Week, Italy, April 16, 2024. Photo courtesy of the Handicraft & Wood Industry Association of HCMC. The pavilion welcomed Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung and trade counsellor Duong Phuong Thao at an April 18 networking event where the diplomats interacted with the Vietnamese business community. Ambassador Hung complimented the Investment and Trade Promotion Center of Ho Chi Minh City and the Handicraft & Wood Industry Association of HCMC on taking the first successful steps towards highlighting Vietnams fashion designing prowess. He noted that Milan was a place where big brands congregated from all over the world. Vietnams debut at the event showed it was making a mark in the furniture and handicraft designing business, he said. Hung advised Vietnamese firms to focus on furthering their competitiveness by working closely with designers in Italy and Europe in order to gain a foothold in the European market. He stressed the sense of pride that came from Vietnam being the world's largest furniture exporter. Event organizers also said that Vietnams participation signified that it was beginning to showcase its creativity in furniture and fine arts on the international stage. Support Us Your Support will ensure EPWs financial viability and sustainability. The EPW produces independent and public-spirited scholarship and analyses of contemporary affairs every week. EPW is one of the few publications that keep alive the spirit of intellectual inquiry in the Indian media. Often described as a publication with a social conscience, EPW has never shied away from taking strong editorial positions. Our publication is free from political pressure, or commercial interests. Our editorial independence is our pride. We rely on your support to continue the endeavour of highlighting the challenges faced by the disadvantaged, writings from the margins, and scholarship on the most pertinent issues that concern contemporary Indian society. Every contribution is valuable for our future. Vietnam central bank pumps cash to save troubled lender SCB By Quang Minh Sat, April 20, 2024 | 5:15 pm GMT+7 Vietnams central bank has pumped in money to support Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB), which experienced a run triggered by the arrest of real estate tycoon Truong My Lan in October 2022. Lan, chairwoman of the Van Thinh Phat Group, now on death row, was found to control more than a 90% stake in SCB and have caused over VND677 trillion ($26.6 billion) in damage to the bank. Dao Minh Tu, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, said at a press meet Friday that it is incumbent on a government or a central bank to make prompt interventions when a commercial bank is in trouble. An SCB branch pictured before the bank run in October 2022. Photo courtesy of SCB. Such interventions aim to ensure that the trouble bank does not collapse or otherwise pose risks to the national financial system or the banking system, Tu said in response to a question on liquidity support provided for SCB after the SCB-Van Thinh Phat scandal broke out. Reuters reported Wednesday that the SBV had pumped $24 billion in special loans into SCB as of the beginning of this month in an unprecedented rescue effort. Tu noted that SCB was not the first bank that needed SBV injections. The SBV has had to step in to save several ailing banks that were placed under special control over the past 10 years. This is an economic rule and it can be seen elsewhere in the world, not just Vietnam, he stressed. At the press meet, Tu did not mention the amount injected into the SCB, but said the bailout package included loans and that the central bank had taken proper action to regulate such injections. SCB is a large-sized bank, with a great number of total assets. Therefore, it required large enough solutions. We will continue to build a roadmap to restructure SCB gradually while figuring out mechanisms to help SCB stabilize operations, recover, and return to normal, Tu said. SCB was formed in 2011 with the merger of three commercial banks at the SBVs request. As of end-2020, SCB had total assets of VND633.79 trillion ($25 billion), becoming the largest private bank and among the five largest lenders in the country alongside four state-owned peers. According to its mid-year consolidated financial statements, its total assets amounted to VND761 trillion ($30 billion) at end-June 2022, before the bank was placed under special control. BAMBERG -- From its opening on March 27 through its closing on April 12, the Bamberg Disaster Loan Outreach Center served a total of 95 Bamberg County residents who were negatively impacted by Januarys EF-2 tornado. Bamberg Press Conference State and local officials gathered in downtown Bamberg on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, to discuss recovery efforts following the Jan. 9 tornado. Specifically, 39 home applications and 10 business applications have been submitted with 45 survivors seeking only information from the DLOC. Last month, the Small Business Administration approved S.C. Gov. Henry McMasters request for disaster relief for Bamberg County. As a result, residents and business owners who incurred property damage from the tornado are eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans. For over a two-week period, Bamberg citizens received in-person professional advice and application assistance from U.S. Small Business Administration and South Carolina Emergency Management Division representatives at the DLOC, which was located in the Bamberg County Courthouse Annex. While the DLOC is no longer open, Bamberg County residents with any questions regarding the SBA loan application process should not hesitate or delay in calling or emailing SBA professionals. According to SCEMD Individual Assistance Officer Jessica Haygood, applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBAs Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. SBA extends time in Bamberg; agency offering federal loans after tornado BAMBERG Nearly 100 individuals have applied for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration following the Jan. 9 tornado that passed through downtown Bamberg. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is May 21, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Dec. 23, 2024. Tornado disaster assistance approved; storm caused heavy damage in Bamberg The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Tuesday that South Carolina's businesses and residents affected by the Jan. 9 tornadoes are eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans. Bamberg County Emergency Services Director Tiffany Kemmerlin is pleased with the turnout. "We want to express our sincere appreciation to the SBA and the SCEMD for their invaluable support during the recovery efforts following the destructive tornado that hit our community. The SBA provided essential financial aid to businesses and homeowners affected by the disaster, aiding in their rebuilding and recovery process. "Their prompt response and dedication significantly alleviated the burden on those impacted by the storm. Their assistance has played a crucial role in our community's recovery journey, and we are incredibly grateful for their ongoing partnership. As we continue to rebuild and heal from the tornado's aftermath, we are thankful for the continued support of these organizations and eagerly anticipate working together towards creating a stronger, more resilient community." Bamberg County has experienced a turbulent few months but remains steadfast in its commitment to rebuild our community stronger than it was before the tornado. This would not be possible without the SBA and SCEMD. We appreciate them coming directly to the good people of Bamberg and offering their assistance on site. We encourage anyone who did not get the chance to visit the DLOC to go to the SBA website or give them a call with any questions or concerns they may have regarding damage assistance, Bamberg County Council Chairman Evert Comer Jr. said. When disaster strikes, especially when it strikes a small, under-resourced, rural community like Bamberg, it indeed takes a village to rebuild and not just survive but begin to once again thrive. Because of dedicated public servants like our Emergency Services Director Tiffany Kemmerlin as well as those from the SBA and SCEMD who have had their boots on the ground here in Bamberg from day one, Bamberg County and its citizens are well on their way to thriving once more, Bamberg County Administrator Joey Preston said. WASHINGTON -- A South Carolina man pleaded guilty April 19 to two felony charges for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia announced. US-NEWS-SCOTUS-CAPITOL-RIOT-GET Police hold back supporters of then-President Donald Trump Jan. 6, 2021, outside the U.S. Capitol's Rotunda in Washington. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election. Tyler Bradley Dykes, 26, of Bluffton, pleaded guilty two felony counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and agreed that his use of a police riot shield constituted a dangerous weapon. U.S. District Court Judge Howell scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 19. House passes reauthorization of key US surveillance program after days of upheaval over changes WASHINGTON The House voted Friday to reauthorize and reform a key U.S. government surveillance tool following a dramatic showdown on the floor over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans' data. According to court documents, leading up to January 6, 2021, Dykes subscribed to several public Telegram groups that discussed the 2020 Presidential election, alleged voter fraud, the Electoral College Certification, and anticipated events related to the certification that were going to take place on January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. One such Telegram group appeared to be associated with then-President Trump, another Telegram group appeared to be called "Britain First Party - Britain First - Taking Our Country Back," while a third Telegram group to which Dykes subscribed called for violence and government overthrow by force, quoting Adolf Hitler, among other things. Supreme Court opens new frontier for insurrection claims that could target state and local officials SANTA FE, N.M. Two recent U.S. Supreme Court actions opened the door to a new legal frontier in which local and state officials can be disqu Then, on the morning of January 6, 2021, Dykes attended former President Trump's rally at the Ellipse and walked from the rally to the United States Capitol Building and grounds. As Dykes approached the Capitol, he saw snow fencing and bicycle rack barricades with "AREA CLOSED" signs, but removed the snow fencing and moved the metal bicycle rack barricades, allowing other rioters to more easily enter the restricted area. On the east side of the Capitol, by approximately 2:05 p.m., the violent mob successfully pushed the outnumbered U.S. Capitol Police officers backwards from their posts near the bicycle rack barricades. Dykes was one of the people near the front of that mob, which forced officers to continue retreating backwards up the East Rotunda steps. Within minutes, hundreds of rioters had flooded and overtaken the platform area outside the East Rotunda doors, forcing the small number of officers all the way backwards. With their backs against the East Rotunda doors, the officers were attempting to prevent rioters from getting inside the Capitol building through those doors. Trump makes Jan. 6 attack a cornerstone of his bid for the White House Republican Donald Trump has launched his general election campaign not merely rewriting the history of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, but positioning the violent siege and its failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election as a cornerstone of his candidacy. By approximately 2:35 p.m., Dykes pushed his way to the front of the mob in front of the doors, where he forcibly, voluntarily, and intentionally grabbed hold of one U.S. Capitol Police Officer's riot shield. Dykes then continued forcibly, voluntarily, and intentionally using his body and hands to pull the shield away from the officer, who was attempting to maintain control of the shield. Eventually, Dykes overcame the officer and succeeded in breaking the officer's shield free from the officer's hands, leaving the officer off balance and vulnerable. Other members of the mob then deployed pepper spray in the direction of the officer from whom Dykes had stolen the shield, and the small number of officers surrounding that officer, who continued attempting to protect the East Rotunda doors. The mob then re-engaged with the line of officers, violently pushing them, throwing things at them, and continuing to pepper spray them, among other things. Dykes, among them, began using the shield to forcibly push other rioters ahead of him, who pushed against the line of officers. He also used the riot shield to obstruct and intimidate the police officers defending the Capitol. Once inside the U.S. Capitol Building, Dykes entered the Capitol's Rotunda, where he continued carrying the stolen police riot shield. Prosecutors: Network of supporters helped fugitives avoid capture after Capitol riot A network of supporters helped fugitives from Florida evade capture after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, federal prosecutors say. By 2:48 p.m., Dykes joined a group of rioters in the secondfloor main hallway, north of the Small Senate Rotunda. There, the rioters were confronting a line of Metropolitan Police Department ("MPD") officers that had formed to prevent the angry mob from getting closer to the Senate Floor. The group was loudly and repeatedly chanting "Whose house? Our house!" and then "You serve us!" As the mob began pushing the line of officers, a number of rioters were yelling orders to "push!" Dykes first pushed his way from the rear to the front of the group of rioters. Then, still using the same riot shield he stole from the U.S. Capitol Police Officer outside the Building, Dykes used the police riot shield to obtain leverage while he and others forcibly, voluntarily, and intentionally pushed the line of MPD officers backwards, resisting and opposing their attempts to stop the group from moving closer to the Senate Chamber. Dykes and other rioters successfully impeded and interfered with the police line: the officers were forced to retreat further down the hallway. As they forced the officers back, the rioters began chanting, "USA, USA, USA!" Dykes also continued holding the shield and using it to obstruct and intimidate the police officers defending that hallway. This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Western District of Virginia and the District of South Carolina. The case was investigated by the FBI's Washington and Columbia, South Carolina Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. In the 39 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,387 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. (TBTCO) - Theo cac chuyen gia tu DKRA Consulting, trong quy III/2024, thi truong bat ong san nha o TP. Ho Chi Minh va vung phu can ghi nhan nhieu dien bien tich cuc o cac phan khuc at nen; nha pho, biet thu. Mat bang gia so cap duy tri xu huong i ngang so voi thoi iem au nam. Du bao quy IV/2024, tinh hinh tang truong se ro net hon o mot so phan khuc voi su tac ong cua cac yeu to ve kinh te va chinh sach thi truong. 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. Tech. Sgt. Harold Lynn Seifreid is unknown no more. The 31-year-old Army Air Forces radio operator was buried with full military honors at Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Marana on Friday, 80 years after his bomber was shot down over Southeast Asia during World War II. His remains were identified late last year after a DNA match from two family members. A T-38 Talon training aircraft move into position for takeoff at Laughlin AFB near Del Rio. An airman stationed at the base was found dead Tuesday. The cause of death was under investigation. Tom Reel, Staff / Staff photographer An Air Force serviceman was found dead this week near Laughlin AFB outside the border town of Del Rio. The unidentified airmans body was discovered near railroad tracks off the base. The cause of death is under investigation. The Val Verde County Sheriffs Office found the remains Tuesday morning and notified security officials at Laughlin, where the airman had been stationed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We tragically lost a member of our Air Force and Laughlin family, said Col. Kevin A. Davidson, commander of the 47th Flying Training Wing. 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. Laughlin was founded in 1942 as a training site for Army Air Corps pilots flying the B-26 Marauder and A-26 Invader. The Army closed the facility in 1945. It reopened seven years later as an Air Force base and flight training center. During the Cold War, the Strategic Air Commands 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (Light) moved to Laughlin. Pilots from the 4080th played a significant role in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Flying high-altitude U-2 spy planes over Cuba, they took photographs of Soviet long-range missile sites on the island. Today, Laughlin remains a training hub, using the T-6 Texan II, T-38C Talon and T-1A Jayhawk to teach U.S. and allied pilots. The base is part of the Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. A bill to overturn a state ban on new subdivisions in parts of the Phoenix area and Pinal County that rely on groundwater is moving through the Legislature. At the same time, developers and homebuilders are challenging the state groundwater study that led to the Phoenix-area ban. The bill would require the Arizona Department of Water Resources to approve certificates saying that nearly 90 developments totaling hundreds of thousands of homes in far-flung, suburban Phoenix have an assured water supply lasting 100 years. It would also open up for development nearly 40 other projects, carrying a smaller but still sizable number of homes, in Pinal County. There, state approvals of new subdivisions on groundwater have been frozen in most areas since 2019. The certificates for the Phoenix area have been blocked by ADWRs June 2023 decision halting their issuance because the developments would pump groundwater. Approvals would have to be given despite ADWR officials ongoing concerns about inadequate groundwater supplies in these areas concerns builders and developers say are unwarranted. Under the states 1980 Groundwater Management Act, all new subdivisions in urban areas, including Phoenix and Tucson, must prove they have a 100-year supply to start construction. Last June, ADWR released a computer model study finding the Phoenix areas groundwater supply would run about 4% short of anticipated demand over the 100 years. The agency classifies the shortfall as unmet demand. That has halted work on large master-planned communities in cities and towns such as Buckeye and Queen Creek. The legislation and the developers concerns that have pushed it along are also controversial. Homebuilders and developers say some sort of relief is in order for these projects because their owners have invested millions if not tens of millions of dollars into planning studies, infrastructure and amenities. The developers say they based the investments on the belief that ADWRs signoff on their certificates was all but a done deal. Thats because their projects had already received detailed, ADWR analyses of their available supply. But opponents of the legislation say the developers should have known all along that their projects had water supplies that were uncertain if not inadequate. The analyses they received were not a guarantee they would get a certificate, opponents say. Developers also say the computer model study that ADWR used to make its decision was inaccurate, by overestimating water demands and underestimating supplies. The model also unfairly envisioned groundwater wells in places where developers would never put them, including mountainsides where groundwater is sparse, they say. Investment we are losing The system for development of housing in the Phoenix area has been turned on its head by ADWRs model and its decision, testified Spencer Kamps, a vice president and lobbyist for the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona, at a House committee hearing in early April. There are serious economic impacts because of the sudden and drastic nature of this model. Its extremely hard to understand how much investment we are losing, he said. Opponents say the bill would betray the principles on which the 1980 laws assured supply requirement was based. Thats because the analyses are preliminary findings, they say. Opponents include environmentalists, as well as many Phoenix-area water utilities and an association representing them. The bill would require the department to issue certificates of assured water supply in areas where the department has determined there isnt any groundwater available. Thats completely contrary to the assured water supply rules and the whole idea of consumer protection, said Kathleen Ferris, a former ADWR director and an Arizona Municipal Water Users Association attorney. ADWR itself doesnt take positions on specific bills, but has criticized certain aspects of this one. Responding to questions from the Arizona Daily Star, the agency also rebutted many criticisms developers and consultants have made of the agencys groundwater model. The bill would allow development to move forward despite evidence showing the state laws requirements for physical availability of water arent met, an ADWR official testified at a House hearing last winter. In our view, the bill would have the effect of disregarding unmet (groundwater) demands that are present in the Phoenix area, said Ben Alteneder, ADWRs chief legislative liaison. Chris Barr represents a planned 40,000-home development called Tartesso, whose footprint flanks both sides of the Sun Valley Parkway on Buckeyes western edge. The project was stalled by the ADWR decision with fewer than 10% of its homes built. When the project is finished, it should have more than 100,000 residents and millions of square feet of commercial and industrial projects, Barr said. My group made a 9-figure investment in infrastructure (in 2016), and we have immediate plans to invest another $100 million, including in a major wastewater plant expansion and a water campus, based on the project having an approved, analysis of an assured water supply in 2022, Barr said. We played by the rules but the rules changed on us in midstream, he told a joint hearing of two House committees on April 2. ADWR hasnt changed the rules, countered Doug MacEachern, an agency spokesman. Applicants must demonstrate the physical availability of groundwater pursuant to the assured water supply rules, which have not changed. ADWR periodically updates its models and has informed applicants in advance when model updates are pending, MacEachern said. Every analysis of assured water supply is subject to new evidence regarding physical availability, he said. This is stated explicitly in the assured water supply rules. Approved by Arizona House The legislation has cleared committees in both legislative chambers and the full House all on party-line votes, with Republicans in support and Democrats opposed. A vote by the full Senate isnt scheduled. If passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature and signed into law by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, the bill would require ADWR to grant assured water supply certificates to any subdivision that received an analyses of their assured supplies on or before May 31, 2023. Thats the day before ADWRs ban on new certificates began in the Phoenix area. Because the bill doesnt specify geographic limits, it would also clear the way for planned Pinal County subdivisions on hold today because of the older determination by ADWR that they lack enough groundwater. In return for getting certificates, developers of these projects would agree to cut their water use by 15% from what ADWR assumed when it conducted analyses of the projects up to 20 or more years ago. Between the Phoenix area and Pinal County, the developments with water analyses that would be able to move forward if this bill passes would use more than 240,000 acre-feet a year of water annually. Thats more than twice the annual drinking water use by Tucson Water customers. A half-dozen huge developments in Phoenixs West Valley area, most in Buckeye, are among those on hold. Theyre led by the planned, 100,000-home Teravalis project lying west of the White Tank Mountains. All received assured water supply analyses back in the 2000s but went on hold for years after the 2008 real estate bust killed the Southwests housing markets. Applicants for an analysis must prove they can meet at least one of the states seven requirements for getting the full certificate that they have enough physically available groundwater to last for 100 years. Unlike certificates, which are good for 100 years, an analysis lasts 10 years but can be renewed for an additional 10 years. Another Buckeye development sidelined by ADWRs June 2023 decision is Verrado, a massive planned community in the foothills of the White Tank Mountains, north of Interstate 10. Half finished today its grand opening was 20 years ago it has 7,000 homes, 16,000 residents and about 100 businesses, its chief operating officer Dan Kelly told a Senate committee in March. It covers 8,800 acres and is about halfway complete, Kelly testified. It has had $2 billion worth of homes built, Kelly testified. It got its first assured water supply analysis in 2002, and had it renewed in 2009 and 2015, he said. It has built different sections of the project as it gets additional assured supply certificates. But last July, the developers received two notices of deficiency from ADWR, saying they hadnt proved an assured 100-year supply for the next phases of their project, he testified. This has essentially halted any future development in Verrado, other than certificates we had already received, Kelly said. Its a pause (to some people), but on this side of the podium, its game over. Had we not received two certificates early in the year, on June 1st, I would have let all my people go, he said. Thats how serious this is. Its devastating. ADWRs Alterneder, however, testified that an assured supply analysis is only an option available to developers to make a preliminary demonstration of compliance prior to applying for a certificate. It cant be used to obtain (subdivision) plat approval from a local government, or a public report from state real estate officials saying a subdivision is cleared for construction, he said. Its contrary to the state laws goals of consumer protection to allow plats to be issued and homes to be sold, based on preliminary demonstration of physical availability, when new evidence shows that availability is no longer demonstrated, he said. Verradios Kelly said he believes this project is the kind of development the bills drafters had in mind. Bill sponsor Rep. Tim Dunn, a Yuma Republican whose district includes Buckeye, lavished praise on the project, saying he saw Verrado as Paradise Valley in the West Valley. The bill would put into law what we have believed for the last 20 years, how the rules are written, what they mean, so we can continue to build communities for the growing state of Arizona and a high quality place to live, Kelly said. But former ADWR Director Ferris said of the bill, Bottom line, its opening up the process of giving new certificates out when there is still an unmet demand. Its basically ignoring the findings of the (ADWR groundwater) model and saying, Well, it doesnt matter, we are just going to keep issuing these things. Builders propose alternative The states computer model came under sharp criticism in committee hearings in both houses during the first week of April. In the hearings, a parade of developers and their consultants ticked off what they saw as its flaws. They offered as an alternative a model their consultant has created that showed compliance with ADWRs rules without halting home development. That was accomplished by changing or adding key assumptions about well locations, water use, conservation, effluent use and replenishment of aquifers with renewable supplies. Their consultant, Matrix New World Engineering, submitted a version of this model to ADWR in January. On April 2, ADWR responded with a detailed, three-page letter identifying what it said were several deficiencies in that model. New World has since prepared a revised model, but ADWR said it hasnt received it yet. ADWR officials werent invited to testify at the hearings, before Senate and House Energy, Natural Resources and Water and Commerce committees. But Robert Anderson, an attorney representing the large developers whose projects have been stalled by ADWRs June 2023 decisions, spoke at both hearings. One of the things that has us motivated on this, its very frustrating, is that (the ADWR model) really singles out one sector owner occupied housing. The for sale, single family residential market, is whats being stopped by this model, Anderson testified. This is the one sector that is actually required to replenish groundwater, he said, referring to a state requirement that all new pumping for subdivisions be replenished with renewable supplies such as Central Arizona Project water from the Colorado River. We dont feel like were contributing to the problem, or whats perceived as a problem. He noted that single-family housing only accounted for about half the total shortfall that the state groundwater study found in available water supplies. A primary concern is what Anderson and some developers and consultants said was the incorrect well locations in ADWRs model. Rather than using locations that developers used when they sought assured supply findings, they chose some random well locations, Anderson said. The wells added by ADWR were near mountains, whereas the wells we used were located in the most productive parts of the aquifer, he said. The developers hired Matrix New World Engineering, to prepare their own groundwater model as an alternative to ADWRs model. Nathan Miller, a vice president for Matrix New World Engineering, the company hired by the developers to prepare their own alternative to ADWRs model, testified. If you put a well on the side of a mountain where there isnt water, the model will predict the well goes dry, at an assigned rate, Miller said at the House hearing. The consultants model, by contrast, went on the reasonable assumption that water providers will put the wells where the water is and where the water need is, he said. By doing that, we were able to resolve all the unmet demand, said Miller, Matrixs vice president for groundwater modeling services. In response to the developers concerns, ADWR said later that the allegation that its model put wells in mountainous bedrock is inaccurate. While some wells were put next to mountainsides in the model, they were generally placed in thick, alluvial sediment areas that are typically more productive for groundwater, the agency told the Star. If it gets towards the edge of it, getting close to the side of a mountain, it doesnt mean you are on a mountain, or youre on bedrock, said Ryan Mitchell, ADWRs chief hydrologist. Areas near mountains are also where developers want homes to go They want to have some scenery. They all want to be as close to the mountains as they can get, Mitchell said. The ADWR model doesnt extend to any potential, aquifer-bearing sediment areas thinner than 265 feet, and those are over by the Papago Mountains in east Phoenix, he said. In the Lower Hassayampa Basin in Buckeye where the big developments would be built, the average thickness of potential water-bearing sediments is 754 feet, Mitchell said. Its incredibly misleading to say were putting wells on bedrock, he said. He also said ADWR has told developers to give us a well location thats legal and acceptable and well put your well there in the groundwater model. They havent done that. No one has come in and told us where to move our wells, he said. That seems disingenuous and misleading. Water table decline Miller, Anderson and others working for the consultant or for developers also faulted ADWRs model on these grounds: Anderson said it assumes a new subdivision would be pumping from day one the maximum amount of groundwater it could legally pump over the 100 years covered by an assured supply certificate. And that, of course, is not how water use occurs, but it ramps up over time, he testified at the Senate committee hearing. Miller and the developers said the assured water supply analyses of 20 years ago projected the new subdivisions water demand based on water use practices that have since become much more efficient. The Matrix New World model, by assuming more conservation-friendly practices, reduced water demand 12%, they said. The ADWR model didnt account for use of treated sewage effluent that is far more common than it was 20 years ago, the developers and their consultant said. Today, its very likely that most effluent produced by new subdivisions will be either reused or recharged into the aquifer, they said. Assuming the intense reuse or recharge of effluent, along with more water conservation, reduces the projected decline of the aquifer by 200 feet, Miller said. Finally, the state model failed to account for all the replenishment of the aquifer that will be required by state law for all new subdivisions to be built over the next century, the consultant said. That by law must be done by a three-county agency known as the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District. Taking that into account, as well, reduced the water tables decline by a total of 400 feet, Miller said. ADWRs Mitchell, however, said assuming the full, 100 years worth of water use from the start of the model period is important for consumer protection, a prime goal of the state assured water supply requirement. As for effluent, assuming a specific amount of its use over 100 years can run up against a legal problem, he said: Who owns the effluent, after its processed or made? The developers could very easily say in a couple of decades that Id rather sell my effluent for use at Palo Verde, he said, referring to the nuclear plant lying near Buckeye. Similarly with groundwater replenishment, ADWR can only assume the amount to be replenished by the three-county districts 10-year operating plan, which expires in 2025, the state agency says. The agency cant assume a whole lot more water for future replenishment because that would be speculative, Mitchell said. Part of what the assured supply program does is take speculation out of it, he said. Summing up, a model scenario like ADWRs is a snapshot of current conditions, he said. Things can change over time, and a lot of things would or could be different if it were rerun in a year or two or more. The canary in the coal mine is were butting up to the limit as to what the aquifer can provide, Mitchell said. What course corrections can we do now? After we make some corrections and see trends change, lets redo the scenario and see the result. Filming has started in Tulsa for the pilot of The Sensitive Kind, a Sterlin Harjo-created FX project that will star Ethan Hawke. Harjo, a Tulsa-based filmmaker, is directing and executive producing The Sensitive Kind, which has been described as a Tulsa noir about a guy (Hawke) who knows too much. Filming is expected to continue into early May at various Tulsa locations. The cast includes Tulsa-raised actors Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tim Blake Nelson and Tulsa-born Tracy Letts, a Tony Award-winning actor, playwright and screenwriter who was raised in Durant. Letts won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for his work as a playwright on August: Osage County. The Sensitive Kind also will reunite Harjo with Kaniehtiio Horn, who brought life to the character Deer Lady during the three-season run of Harjos shot-in-Oklahoma series Reservation Dogs. Horn and Killer Mike, an actor and Grammy-winning music artist, were among new cast members who were recently announced as being on board for The Sensitive Kind. The other new additions are Cody Lightning (who was in the cast of the set-in-Oklahoma series Echo), Michael Hitchcock and Ryan Kiera Armstrong. Lightning won the American Indian Film Festivals best actor award in 2007 for his work in Four Sheets to the Wind, Harjos first feature film. Previously announced as cast members: Keith David, Choctaw actress Siena East, Macon Blair, Kyle Maclachlan and Scott Shepherd, who played Byron Burkhart in the shot-in-Oklahoma film Killers of the Flower Moon. Hawke is an alumnus of Reservation Dogs. He played the absentee father of one of the primary characters in the series, making his debut near the end of the critically acclaimed series farewell season. Vietnam aims to invest approximately US$1 billion in training 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030, a strategic initiative projected by the Ministry of Planning and Investment to potentially yield indirect revenues of around $15-16 billion for the economy. Vo Xuan Hoai, deputy director of the Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC), affirmed with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that training establishments, universities, and institutes nationwide were capable of training the 50,000 semiconductor engineers. As directed by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, NIC has coordinated with relevant agencies to build a plan to develop the semiconductor sector until 2030 with a vision to 2045 and connect with domestic and foreign partners to support universities and training centers in Vietnam to develop the manpower for the sector, Hoai informed. During Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs working trip to the U.S., NIC inked cooperation agreements with Synosys and Cadence, the worlds largest suppliers of chip design software. Through the deal, NIC can provide copyrighted software to local universities, the NIC deputy director noted. NIC has also cooperated with the U.S.s Arizona State University, which is the largest semiconductor engineer training establishment in the world, to develop training programs and take advantage of resources supported by the U.S.. NIC has worked with Google to provide some 30,000 scholarships to university students nationwide per year. The number of scholarships will increase to 40,000 this year. The center has also joined hands with the U.S. Agency for International Development to train human resources for innovation and start-up ecosystems. NIC has also cooperated with Cadence and Vietnamese tech giant FPT to launch training courses for students and offer scholarships to outstanding chip designing students. It has also joined forces with the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City and the Vietnam National University-Hanoi to organize training programs for lecturers, using software of Cadence. Universities and training establishments in Vietnam are capable of providing 50,000 high-skilled engineers until 2030, Hoai affirmed, citing a survey by the Ministry of Planning and Investment. With good short-term training programs, they can train more engineers with higher quality. In the coming time, Vietnam will continue attracting FDI enterprises to get involved in packaging, testing, producing, and designing phases. By 2030, Vietnam needs an estimated 35,000 engineers for these phases and 13,500 chip designers. Vietnam can also send engineers to South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and the U.S. for work. Employees are at work at a factory of Hana Micron Vina Co. Ltd. in Bac Giang Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Ha Quan / Tuoi Tre Regarding difficulties for the semiconductor engineer training, Hoai said training programs face obstacles in policies. Vietnam has yet to complete semiconductor industry development strategies and draw up plans for the future. The training of manpower for the semiconductor sector requires huge investment and incentives, which should be included in the lawmaking National Assemblys law documents and resolutions. Vietnam should also issue policies to lure Vietnamese-born talents and international experts to join the training process as the process must meet international standards, the NIC deputy director added. As for infrastructure, the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, and the Vietnam National University-Hanoi have set up research centers and labs for the semiconductor sector. However, these facilities have a small scale and focus on design and studying materials only. NIC plans to source the state budget, localities budgets, and private resources to invest in small and medium training centers at universities and research-training centers in Hanoi City, Da Nang City in the central region, and Ho Chi Minh City. Mai Anh Tuan, a lecturer at the Vietnam National University-Hanoi, who directly trains semiconductor engineers at NIC, said the center was organizing three short-term courses in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City for 76 trainees, who are excellent final-year students of leading technology universities in Vietnam. The students are trained in an international environment and expected to immediately work after the courses. Trainers are those with at least 30 years of experience in semiconductor each. Lecturers in Texas are responsible for theory lessons, while Vietnamese ones are in charge of instructing the students practice. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) on Friday began selling U.S. dollars to intervene in the market for banks with negative foreign currency balances and those need to buy amidst the ongoing greenback appreciation in recent days. Following its announcement, the SBV sold US$1 for VND25,450, equal to the listed selling exchange rate at the State Bank Exchange in Hanoi. The currency intervention came as the latest exchange rate has increased by around four percent compared to the beginning of the year, according to Pham Chi Quang, head of the SBVs Monetary Policy Department. The measure is expected to relieve market psychology, clear supply, and ensure smooth foreign currency liquidity. On Friday, Vietinbank , ACB, and Vietcombank sold US$1 for VND25,473, equal to the prescribed ceiling rate. Vietinbank and ACB bought US$1 for VND25,185 and VND25,240, respectively. Eximbank increased the selling price of US$1 to VND25,472, nearing the upper limit, bid rate in transfer to VND25,230, and bid rate in cash to VND25,150. In the open market, US$1 was selling at VND25,830 and buying at VND25,730 on Friday afternoon. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Gunfire broke out at a park in Greenbelt, Maryland, where hundreds of high school students had gathered while skipping school on Friday, wounding five males aged 16 to 18, police said. One victim was in critical condition and the others were in stable condition, Greenbelt Police Chief Richard Bowers told a press conference. Police were searching for one suspect but there may be others, Bowers said. No motive had been established. "There's absolutely no reason that this occurred. It is senseless, it is chronic in our society, and we have to do something to stop it," Bowers said. "It's maddening, honestly." There have been 120 such mass shootings in the United States in the first 110 days of this year, when defined as an incident with four or more people shot or killed, not including the shooter, according to the Gun Violence Archive. An estimated 500 to 600 students from at least two high schools converged on the park in what is known as senior skip day, when students in their final year of high school ditch their classes, Bowers said. About 20 officers had been on scene for about 15 minutes, having responded to the sudden gathering convened on social media, before the shooting broke out, Bowers said. They were able to render first aid before ambulances arrived. "That could be the difference between somebody making it to the hospital and somebody not," Bowers said. Greenbelt is a city of about 24,000 people some 13 miles (21 kilometers) northeast of Washington. A team of eight Budweiser Clydesdales are lined up in front of the Alamo on Friday. The iconic Clydesdales are set to visit area grocery stores before appearing in both the Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau parades. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Spectators take in the scene of team of eight iconic Budweiser Clydesdales lined up in front of the Alamo. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Visitors to the Alamo size up the Budweiser Clydesdales on Friday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Order of the Alamo Queen Peggy Paige Johnson walks arm and arm with King Antonio Scott Allen Christy followed by Order of the Alamo Princess Maggie Kelleher and Texas Cavaliers Commander Paul A. Rohlfs Jr., to see the Budweiser Clydesdales lined up Friday in front of the Alamo. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News As a team of eight iconic Budweiser Clydesdales pass through Alamo Plaza, people use phones to film them. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Clydesdales parade through Alamo Plaza on Friday, one of several stops planned in San Antonio over Fiesta. Theyre also set to appear in both the Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau parades. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Visitors to the Alamo were treated to an unusual sight as Fiesta got underway: a team of eight Budweiser Clydesdales. The gentle giants (as Budweiser calls them) had San Antonians, tourists and Fiesta royalty pulling out their cameras to take selfies with both the team and the Alamo in the background. The iconic Clydesdales, Gus the Dalmatian and their humans are in town to celebrate Fiesta, San Antonios iconic 11-day party. Their trip to the Alamo on Friday was the first of their Fiesta stops. Also on the agenda are visits to several grocery stores, according to a news release (sorry, their online calendar doesnt provide the wheres and whens of those stops). Theyll be wrapping up their Fiesta plans by marching in both the Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau parades. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In honor of their visit to the Alamo City, here are eight (one for each Clydesdale) things to know about the breed. The lead horses on a team of Budweiser Clydesdales bring their faces close together while visiting the Alamo on Friday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News This isnt the Clydesdales first visit to San Antonio The Clydesdales have been to Fiesta before. Theyve also been to the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. But did you know that San Antonio used to have its own team of Clydesdales? Advertisement Article continues below this ad Back in the 90s and 00s, Anheuser-Busch owned SeaWorld. In fact, it bought the theme parks the year after the San Antonio site opened. The brewery set up a stable at the San Antonio park and brought in the Clydesdales (it sold the SeaWorld parks in 2009). San Antonio Zoo CEO Tim Morrow worked for the water park during the Clydesdales' stint. I had the honor of managing the hitch and barn at SeaWorld San Antonio when the park was owned by Anheuser-Busch, he wrote in a post on X announcing their return to town. While dad Sheikh Rahman of Katy takes a selfie, 1-year-old Rahm Rahman studies the Clydesdales visiting the Alamo. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Just how big are Clydesdales? The Clydesdales are one of the tallest draft horses. At the top end, an adult horse can weigh more than a ton and measure over 18 hands (thats about 6 feet for those of us who arent horse types). By the way, horse heights are measured up to the shoulder not the top of the head. A foal is usually around 125 pounds at birth. Advertisement Article continues below this ad You can imagine how big their feet must be. In fact, Budweiser says its Clydesdale horseshoes are over 20 inches long and weigh about 5 pounds. As a team of eight Budweiser Clydesdales pass through Alamo Plaza, people use phones to film the them Friday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News How strong are Clydesdales? They were bred to haul heavy loads, not only on farms but also coal fields and the streets of Glasgow (yep, theyre from Scotland). According to an article in House & Home Magazine, one Clydesdale can pull its weight for a full eight-hour shift. When theyre teamed up with a partner, they can tackle three times their weight. (Can you imagine hauling around your weight in coal all day, even with the help of a wagon?) Advertisement Article continues below this ad Drivers Lane Soendker, back, and Alec Smith, middle, sit atop the Budweiser wagon with Gus the Dalmatian while guiding a team of eight Clydesdales in front of the Alamo. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Their drivers have to be in good shape, too. The hitch drivers have to go through a lengthy training process, Budweiser says on its Clydesdale site. Not too surprising when you consider they have to be able to control 12 tons of horse and wagon. The lines themselves weigh about 40 pounds that weight combined with the tension in the lines created by the horses pulling means that drivers are dealing with a weight of over 75 pounds, according to Budweiser. Then theres the harness and collar (handcrafted of course), each of which weighs about 130 pounds. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Order of the Alamo Princess Maggie Kelleher, left, takes a selfie with Order of the Alamo Queen Peggy Paige Johnson in front of the Clydesdales lined up in front of the Alamo. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News How much do Clydesdales eat? Budweiser says each hitch horse eats as much as 50 to 60 pounds of hay plus 20 to 25 quarts of a combination of whole grains, minerals and vitamins. To wash that down, they drink up to 30 gallons of water on a warm day (and San Antonio weather is definitely warmer than their ancestral home of Scotland). A school group visiting the Alamo marvels at a team of eight Clydesdales lined up in front of the Alamo on Friday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Why are they called Clydesdales? The nickname gentle giant is pretty easy to figure out. So is their name once you know where they came from. This particular heavy draft horse was bred by the farmers of Lanarkshire, according to Oklahoma State University. The River Clyde flows through Lanarkshire, once known as Clydesdale. A team of eight Budweiser Clydesdales are seen lined up in front of the Alamo on Friday. The iconic Clydesdales are set to visit area grocery stores before appearing in both the Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau parades. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Why are Clydesdales associated with Budweiser? Back in 1933, August A. Busch Jr. and Adolphus Busch III decided to mark the repeal of Prohibition by giving their father, August A. Busch Sr., a six-horse Clydesdale hitch. (For those of you wondering, hitch is the draft horse worlds term to describe the number and setup of a team of horses; so a six-horse hitch is three teams of two.) Somebody at the company saw the marketing potential in a horse-drawn wagon pulled by a hitch of Clydesdales. So a second hitch was secured and sent to New York City to celebrate the end of Prohibition. On its website, Budweiser says thousands turned out to catch sight of the Clydesdales as they made their way through the city to the Empire State Building, where a case of Budweiser was given to former Gov. Alfred E. Smith for fighting Prohibition. (Bet they would have taken selfies if they could.) FIESTA 2024: Your stopping place for all things Fiesta The hitch wasnt done yet. The Clydesdales toured New England and the mid-Atlantic states en route to Washington, D.C., where a case of Budweiser was delivered to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Nowadays, eight-horse Clydesdale hitches travel about 100,000 miles a year, making hundreds of stops. Plus theres the Super Bowl visits and TV ads. And visitors to the breweries in St. Louis can visit the Clydesdales living there or they can head to Warm Springs Ranch, the official breeding site located in Boonville, Mo. Robin Cox of Brenham, left, and Hayley Meek of Bryan, right, pose with the Clydesdales behind them at the Alamo. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Where did the dalmatians come from? Vietnam and Venezuela have signed five cooperation agreements in five fields including oil and gas during the visit by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang to the Latin American country. These agreements were concluded following the talks between deputy PM Quang and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Moros in Caracas on Thursday (local time), as part of the formers three-day visit to the oil powerhouse starting on Wednesday. Specifically, the two sides signed an action plan to deploy cooperation between the two agriculture ministries for the 2024-30 period, and four memoranda of understanding and letters of intent in the fields of oil and gas, petrochemical refining, telecommunications, and construction material production. During the talks, President Maduro expressed his impression at Vietnams development achievements in recent years, considering it a model for Venezuela, according to the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP). The Venezuelan leader believed that Quangs visit will open a new stage of cooperation between the two countries that are celebrating the 35th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations this year. The host pledged to direct and urge Venezuelan ministries, agencies and localities to soon negotiate with their Vietnamese counterparts to launch specific projects with Vietnam. He promised that the Venezuelan government will offer the best possible facilitation to Vietnamese firms to do business in Venezuela. Deputy PM Quang affirmed that Vietnam considers Venezuela one of its traditional friends and important partners in the Latin America region, and expressed his wish that the bilateral relationship would continue growing more practically and effectively for the development of each country. He suggested the two sides increase delegation exchanges, consolidate the existing cooperation mechanisms and dialogues, and promote trade and investment cooperation in commensurate with the potential and political relations of the two countries. The host and guest will encourage and facilitate cooperation and investment projects between businesses of the two countries, especially in the fields of oil and gas, agriculture, telecommunications and construction. They agreed that the two governments will actively prepare for mutual high-ranking visits, convene the fourth session of the Inter-Governmental Committee soon, and implement the two foreign ministries political consultation mechanism, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Regarding global and regional issues of mutual interest, the two leaders stressed the need to resolve differences in peaceful ways in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter. A founding member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Venezuela had the worlds largest proven crude oil reserves in 2023 with approximately 303 billion barrels, accounting for approximately 17 percent of global reserves, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Vietnam and Venezuela established diplomatic relations in 1989 and the two nations entered a comprehensive partnership in 2007. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the latest news in Vietnam today: Politics -- Phan Dinh Trac, chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committees Commission for Internal Affairs, hosted a reception in Hanoi on Friday afternoon for a Chinese delegation led by Minister of Justice He Rong. -- Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Moros on Thursday witnessed the signing of five cooperation documents, including memoranda of understanding and letters of intent in the fields of oil and gas, petrochemical refining, telecommunications, and construction materials production, during Deputy PM Quangs trip to the Latin America from Wednesday to Friday this week. Business -- The State Bank of Vietnam announced on Friday that it will put 16,800 taels of SJC-branded gold bars up for auction on Monday next week. Society -- The banks of the Ba River running through Ia Pa District of Gia Lai Province in Vietnams Central Highlands experienced severe land subsidence and posed a threat to the lives of local residents as well as production activities, prompting the provincial administration to declare a state of emergency on Friday. -- A 57-year-old driver from Hai Duong City under the namesake province in northern Vietnam was confirmed dead after his Mazda CX5 crashed into a river in the city on Friday night. -- A bus driver and all 22 passengers managed to escape unharmed after a passenger bus caught fire and was completely destroyed while it was traveling on the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway, which links Ho Chi Minh City with southern Dong Nai Province, on Friday afternoon. World News -- Some 800,000 people in a Sudanese city are in "extreme and immediate danger" as worsening violence advances and threatens to "unleash bloody intercommunal strife throughout Darfur," top U.N. officials warned the Security Council on Friday, Reuters reported. -- Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, an official security force, said its command post at Kalso military base about 50 km (30 miles) south of Baghdad was hit by a huge explosion late on Friday, and two security sources said it resulted from an air strike, according to Reuters. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A 57-year-old driver from Hai Duong City under the namesake province in northern Vietnam was confirmed dead after his Mazda CX5 crashed into a river in the city on Friday night. The fatal crash occurred at around 7:00 pm on Bach Dang Street alongside the Sat River. The driver, named N.N.H., was the only one inside the car at the time of the incident. Right after the white Mazda plunged into the river, two police officers on duty and several residents near the scene of the crash immediately went into the river to rescue the driver and rush him to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, but he was pronounced dead after that. A rescue team was then called to the scene to pull the car from the river. In related news, another white Mazda plunged into Dinh Cong Lake in Hanois Hoang Mai District on Friday morning, after the driver lost control of the vehicle while making a turn. He immediately opened a car window to signal for help. A dozen residents then used a string to jointly pull the car and the driver from the lake safely. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Drug syndicates have frequently segmented narcotics, concealed them within various items, and exploited flight attendants and foreigners to smuggle them into Ho Chi Minh City. During a conference on Friday, Major General Mai Hoang, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security, addressed the evolving strategies employed by drug gangs, noting a shift in their methods in 2023. Particularly, these criminal networks trafficked powdered drugs from overseas into Vietnam. They utilized sophisticated machinery to prepare, process, pack, and stamp drugs into tablets. To smuggle these substances into Ho Chi Minh City, they resort to tactics such as disguising drugs among other goods and taking advantage of flight attendants and foreigners for transportation. Furthermore, they have connections with foreigners residing in Cambodia, facilitating the transport of drugs into the city for resale to lower-income demographics. Lao individuals are also involved, disguising drugs in bags and posing as tourists to illegally transport them across the border directly to recipients in Ho Chi Minh City. Ngo Minh Chau, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee, speaks at a conference chaired by Major General Le Hong Nam, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security, April 19, 2024. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre Regarding the impact of such crimes, statistics reveal alarming figures. In 2023, there were 6,482 crimes related to social order, resulting in 88 fatalities, 509 injuries, and approximately VND1.39 trillion (US$54.6 billion) in property damage. However, there has been a slight improvement in the first quarter of 2024, with 1,263 reported crimes related to social order, a decrease of 17 cases compared to the same period last year. This resulted in 19 deaths, 87 injuries, and approximately VND429 billion ($16.86 million) in property damage. Ngo Minh Chau, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee, commended the diligent efforts of the police force and other relevant departments. He acknowledged their achievements in combating crimes, particularly in addressing street crimes, robberies, and thefts. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! This week on Creative Types, Virginia Trioli meets Marta Dusseldorp in Tasmania. On a wild Tasmanian beach Virginia meets Marta Dusseldorp, the celebrated film, TV and stage actress, and she explains why Kingston Beach and Tasmania are so important to her and why they are now her home. But was it a big career risk to step away from the big cities? Marta says place and community are everything, stories connect her to place and she feels cant live without telling stories through drama. At her book-filled home among the gums, Marta shows us where her drive and incredible work ethic comes from: a childhood of ballet and acting, including her first TV work at the age of 29 in GP. She was a star of the Sydney Theatre Company and its celebrated Actors Company, but family changed everything you cant tuck in your kids when youre on stage every night. So, ten years in hugely popular episodic television followed: A Place to Call Home, Crownies, Janet King, Jack Irish. Marta recalls these years as when she spoke more scripted words than her own. Then, as one of our most successful actors, a brave decision the family moves to Tasmania. Marta shows us the exquisite 1837 Theatre Royal in Hobart, the oldest theatre in Australia and a site of several of the works of her production company, Archipelago, established with her husband Ben Winspear. The pandemic stokes the furnace of their company, and they create many theatre works for the Hobart community and the idea for their TV show Bay of Fires is born. 9pm Tuesday on ABC. Special Correspondent/ TwoCircles.net New Delhi: I dont comment on numbers, but its for sure that I got blessings of people who want me to represent them in Parliament, said Iqra Hasan who seemed confident of her victory after her fate was sealed in electronic voting machines (EVMs) following first phase of the ongoing general elections that was held on April 19. Support TwoCircles What led her to believe that she is poised to win? There was no political wave unlike 2014 and 2019. Electorates were largely maintaining silence about which party or candidate they would vote for. Attempts to polarise voters on communal lines did not work, she listed out. Talking to TwoCircles.net, she claimed people this time voted on local problems. I dont see any major obstacles in this election as it is clear from engaging with people that there is no prevailing national narrative, unlike the narrative being pushed by the BJP, she added. The thirty-year-old belongs to a well-known political family of Kairana. Along with her grandfather Chaudhary Akhtar Hassan, father Chaudhary Munawwar Hasan and mother Tabassum Hassan, Iqra has a political legacy since they were all elected members of Parliament. The Hasans and the Singhs (Hukam Singh and his daughter Mriganka Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP) have over a century-old political rivalry. They were once a single Gujjar family connected to the Kalshyan Khap. This was more than a century ago. But the Hasans chose to secede and convert to Islam, which led to a slew of disputes. This familys descendants, Chaudhary Munawwar Hasan of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Hukam Singh fought elections against each other in the 1990s. In a similar vein, after their dads deaths, their offspring Mriganka and Nahid carried on the rivalry. Thirty-year-old Iqra, Nahids sister, got back from London. She fought against BJPs Pradeep Chaudhary who had defeated her mother Tabassum Hasan in the 2019 general elections. Though her familys century-old feud with the Singhs has taken a short hiatus, she is still a competitor even though she has a new opponent. The Hasans and Singhs have dominated the Kairana Assembly segment since the 1970s, with the exceptions of Rajeshwar Bansal in 1989 and Bashir Ahmed in 1977. Notably, starting in 1996, late Hukum Singh won the seat four times in a row. In 2014, he moved to represent the constituency in the Lok Sabha. Since then, Nahid has won the Kairana Assembly seat twice, defeating Mriganka in 2017 and BJP candidate Anil Kumar in the 2014 by polls. Iqra completed her primary education at New Delhis Queen Mary School and graduated from Delhi Universitys Lady Shri Ram College in arts. She later went to Londons School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) to get her masters degree in international politics and law. Having been brought up outside Kairana for studies because the constituency lacks higher education institutes for women is one of the major issues around which Iqra contested elections. In addition to other issues, one of the main components of her election campaign was providing resources for the women in the constituency to pursue higher education. Iqra is one of the most talked-about candidates in this election because of her poise, positive outlook and grounded manner. She is also among this years youngest Muslim female candidates. Iqra might be a Muslim by faith, but she is a Gujjar first. She belongs to our community and is like a daughter to us. All 36 biradari (communities) supported her wholeheartedly. And therefore, only she will win and go to Lok Sabha. There are no longer any ifs and buts, said an elderly man amid applause from the crowd that had gathered at a square in the constituency after the polling was over. Others said she travelled from England to take over the Assembly election campaigning of Nahid who faced unfair imprisonment. Although Iqra is a new contender in this race, her experience with politics is not. While her brother Nahid was imprisoned by the UP government, she ran an effective campaign for him in the state Assembly elections of 2022 and secured a seat on his behalf. She has been a prominent character in this race, having devoted more than two years to her campaign. She is obviously in the lead in the race, he said. The Uttar Pradesh Police accused Nahid and his mother Tabassum Hasan of being Gangster Act suspects in February 2021. He was conspicuously absent from campaign events and meetings, even after being freed on bond. The town with the largest concentration of Muslims nearly 80%, many hold to the prophecy of the man quoted first. Fifty-four-year-old Jitendra Singh, a former member of Zila Panchayat and a resident of Kandhla village, said, She is young, dedicated and smart. We think highly of her. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home NEET UG (2024): NTA allots 5 Centres in Malegaon, all new The National Testing Agency (NTA) has allotted five centres for the students of Malegaon and the adjoining villages and towns who will appear for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - NEET UG (2024). Saturday April 20, 2024 11:17 PM , ummid.com Staff Reporter Malegaon: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has allotted five centres for the students of Malegaon and the adjoining villages and towns who will appear for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - NEET UG (2024). The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test NEET, is a compulsory entrance test for admission in various undergraduate courses including MBBS, BDS, BUMS, BHMS and other medical and para-medical courses. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test on the first Sunday of the month of May every year. Accordingly, the NEET UG this year will be held on Sunday May 05, 2024. 5 NEET Exams Centres in Malegaon The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test [(NEET (UG)] 2024 will be held on 05 May 2024 from 02:00 P.M. to 05:20 P.M. throughout India and 14 cities outside the country in pen and paper (offline) mode. The NTA has allotted five centres for the students of Malegaon and around for this years NEET exam. There will be five centres in Malegaon for the NEET UG 2024 exams, an NTA official told ummid.com on the condition of anonymity. 2050 candidates to appear for NEET UG in Malegaon The NTA official further said that a total of 2050 students from Malegaon and the neighbouring areas will appear for the important medical entrance test. All the 2050 candidates will be evenly distributed and appear for NEET UG 2024 in Malegaon at the five centres, the NTA official said. The NTA official declined to share the names of the NEET Centres in Malegaon. But said: "All five centres allotted in Malegaon are new." Last year, NEET UG 2023 was held at J.A.T. College Malegaon where a total of 1992 candidates had appeared for the medical entrance test. NEET UG 2024 Admit Card The candidates will know the name of the Exam Centres once the NEET UG 2024 Admit Card (Hall Ticket) will be released. The NTA has not confirmed the exact date and time to release the NEET Admit Card. The apex body responsible for conducting NEET, JEE Main, CUET and other entrance tests normally releases the admit card of the candidates 6-8 days before the exam date. Accordingly, NEET UG 2024 Admit Card can be released by the end of the ongoing month April. Once released, the students will be able to download their NEET admit card from the NTA NEET website https://exams.nta.ac.in/NEET/. Before releasing the NEET UG 2024 Admit Card, the NTA will release NEET Exam City Intimation Slip. Students should note that the Advance Intimation for Allotment of Examination City is advance information for the allotment of the city where the Examination Centre will be located, to facilitate the candidates. The NEET Admit Card is a separate document, and must be downloaded and mandatorily taken to the exam hall so as to appear for the NEET UG 2024 exam. Candidates should note that a candidate failing to show the admit card will be barred from appearing in the exam. "The candidate has to download the Admit Card from the NTA website and appear for the Examination at the given Centre on the Date and timing as indicated in their Admit Card. No candidate will be allowed to appear at the Examination Centre, on the Date and Timing other than that allotted to him/her in his / her Admit Card", the NTA said. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Panic in Israel after reports ICC might issue warrants against Netanyahu, his ministers Amid the reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is preparing to issue arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his fellow ministers, the far-right Zionist government has called an emergency meeting. Saturday April 20, 2024 9:49 AM , ummid.com with inputs from Agencies [Netanyahu and colleagues in a meeting. (File photo/X)] The Hague/Tel Aviv: Amid the reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is preparing to issue arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his fellow ministers, the far-right Zionist government has called an emergency meeting. Numerous world organisations, including International Court of Justice (ICJ) and UN General Assembly (UNGA) , have alleged Israel has breached international law in its military campaign in Gaza since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in response to the Zionist occupation of the Palestinian territories and illegal settlers' provocation. The International Court of Justice in a provisional measures announced on January 26, 2024 and additional measures announced on March 28, 2028 while asking for ceasefire had also asked the Israeli government to ensure the humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip. Gaza Strip is under blockade since Oct 07, 2023. Over 40 percent of the besieged strip has been turned into debris while over 100,000 civilians majority of them women and children, have been killed and injured in the Israeli airstrikes and bombardments. The ICJ order was issued in response to a petition filed by South Africa in December 2023 . In its petition, South Africa accused Israel of violating Genocide Convention. Accusing Israel of committing massacre of the Palestinians in Gaza, South Africa also said genocide of Palestinians is Israels state policy . The UN Security Council (UNSC) in an unprecedented resolution also called for ceasefire and humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, the Israeli Occupation Forces have continued their brutal military campaign and blockade in Gaza leaving close to 1.4 million civilians without food, drinking water and other essentials besides incurring a huge human loss and material damages. ICC Warrant The International Criminal Court (ICC) is considering to issue the warrants against Netanyahu and his cabinet colleagues for not complying with the international law, The Daily Mail reported Friday. The Israeli media, including The Times of Israel and Jerusalem Post, has confirmed these reports. Citing Channel 12 news, The Times of Israel reported that three ministers and several government legal experts held an emergency discussion at the Prime Ministers Office about how to fend off the potential warrants. The meeting was convened after Jerusalem received messages indicating that such warrants could be issued in the near future, the report said, without citing any sources. Israel reportedly fears that the ICC arrest warrants would be brought on the basis of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where rights groups and international bodies continue to warn of impending 'man made famine', alleging deliberate restrictions of aid into the Strip, The Daily Mail reported. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. U.S. Senate hopeful Colin Allred, D-Texas, center, and his wife, Aly Eber, leave the stage after addressing supporters during a primary election night gathering on March 5 in Dallas. Allred raised over $9.5 million for his U.S. Senate campaign in this years first quarter, surpassing the campaign of his rival Sen. Ted Cruz and what Beto ORourke had raised in the equivalent time frame during his Senate campaign. Julio Cortez/Associated Press WASHINGTON U.S. Rep. Colin Allred raised over $9.5 million for his U.S. Senate campaign in this years first quarter, surpassing the campaign of his rival Sen. Ted Cruz. Notably, Allred has raised more money than Beto ORourke did by this point in his own history-making run against Cruz in 2018. ORourke raised over $6.7 million in the first quarter of 2018 against Cruz. The El Paso Democrats haul that quarter was the biggest of any Democratic Senate candidate in the country. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Cruz raised over $6.9 million from his official campaign this past quarter, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Still, the conservative senator remains a formidable fundraiser, bringing in over $9.7 million across his fundraising entities. That includes money he has raised for other candidates. ORourke broke new ground for Democrats in Texas with his meteoric rise. His team had to establish new campaign infrastructure where a Democrat hadnt won statewide office in over 20 years. Alumni of ORourkes campaign and other Democrats in Texas have credited ORourkes near success for providing a better launching pad for future Democratic candidates. ORourkes fundraising operation took off exponentially just before the general election in 2018. He broke records for a Senate race, raising over $38.1 million in the third quarter more than twice what he had raised in the prior two quarters and more than twice what Cruz had raised cumulatively since the start of 2017. Cruz still managed to beat ORourke that year with a 3-percentage-point margin, despite ORourke spending the majority of his money. ORourke finished 2018 with only $477,000 of the over $80 million he had raised in the bank. Allred has raised over $27.9 million since launching his campaign last May. He has had donations from over 285,000 individual contributors, with the average donation totaling $34.75. His first-quarter haul far surpassed his $4.8 million raised in last years final quarter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texans from every corner of the state are joining Congressman Allreds campaign to say it is time for new leadership in the Senate, Paige Hutchinson, Allreds campaign manager, said in a statement. We are so grateful for the continued outpouring of support from Texans of all stripes. This campaign is about rejecting the divisiveness of Ted Cruz and fighting for Texans freedoms. This continues our momentum to build a strong campaign to win in November and send Ted Cruz packing for good. Cruz and national Republican groups have learned their lesson from his close call against ORourke, committing to take Allreds threat seriously. Cruz had over 179,000 unique contributions this past quarter, with the average donation being $35.73. He has raised money in every county in Texas and every state. Across his fundraising operations, he has over $15.1 million in cash on hand. That includes his leadership political action committee and joint fundraising committee and the money hes raised for the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the Republican Party of Texas. Cruz also has strong allies outside of his immediate orbit. Club for Growth, the deep-pocketed right-wing group, vowed to spend at least $10 million for Cruzs reelection effort, the group told the Washington Post last month. Senator Cruz is off to a very strong start this year as the momentum to get him across the finish line in November continues to increase across the entire Lone Star State. His quarter-one fundraising numbers reflect Texans urgency for victory as Democrats threaten to strip away our common-sense way of life, Nick Maddux, a spokesperson for Cruzs campaign, said in a statement. Senator Cruz will continue to pound the pavement day in and day out, meeting and talking to Texans in every corner of the state to Keep Texas, Texas, and ensure that we remain the nations bastion of liberty. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Democrats face a difficult election map this year in the Senate. No vulnerable Republicans in truly swing states are up for election. Meanwhile, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, is retiring, with the deeply conservative state heavily favoring a Republican. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Arizona, also will retire, opening a competitive seat, and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, will have to defend his seat in his conservative state. With no obvious flip opportunities, national Democrats are eyeing Texas and Florida as their best bets. The National Democratic Senatorial Committee launched negative ads and ground operations in both states last year in hopes of unseating Cruz. HA NOI Promoting the development of Viet Nam's automobile industry until 2045 requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses various aspects of the industry. This was laid out under a Ministry of Industry and Trade draft outline strategy for the development of the automobile industry until 2030, with a vision to 2045. It is expected that by June this year, the Ministry will complete and submit it to the Prime Minister for approval in September. According to industry insiders, the strategy should consider various indicators and targets to steer the industry in the desired direction. These indicators can include product and output measures, market share goals for domestically produced vehicles, targets for exports and participation in the global value chain, and an emphasis on green and energy-saving vehicle models to replace fossil fuel-based vehicles. The strategy should also aim to increase the market share of domestically produced automobile products gradually, with the intent to replace imported products. The strategy should address the development of production technology and supporting industries for the automobile sector. This focus on technology will enable Viet Nam to enhance its competitiveness and become a supplier of components and spare parts in the global automobile production chain. Export orientation and participation in the global value chain should also be a key consideration to expand the industry's reach and contribute to the country's economic growth. Previously, the strategy for developing Viet Nam's automobile industry to 2025, with a vision to 2035, emphasised leveraging internal resources and establishing collaborations with major international automobile manufacturers. It aimed to develop the industry in sync with transportation infrastructure, meet domestic demand, enhance competitiveness, and contribute to economic restructuring. The priority product groups identified in the previous strategy were trucks and passenger cars with 10 or more seats, passenger cars with up to nine seats, specialised vehicles and supporting industries. The focus was on developing multipurpose small trucks for agricultural and rural production, medium and short-range passenger cars for inter-provincial and domestic routes, and small personal vehicles with low energy consumption. Specialised vehicles and small multi-functional agricultural vehicles were also highlighted to address specific needs. Regarding supporting industries, the strategy aimed to manufacture important components and details locally, such as transmissions, gearboxes, engines and car bodies. Collaboration with major automobile manufacturers was emphasised to identify suitable spare parts and components for Viet Nam to produce, thus integrating the country into the global production-supply chain. This approach would require investment in advanced technology and production for export. The goal of the strategy is to position Viet Nam's automobile industry as a significant sector that meets domestic market demand, competes globally, stimulates the development of other industries, and becomes a supplier of components and spare parts in the global automobile production chain. By 2035, total vehicle production is set to reach about 1,531,400 units, of which 9-seat cars will be about 852,600 units, vehicles with 10 or more seats will be about 84,400 units, trucks will be about 587,900 units, and specialised vehicles will be about 6,500 units. The proportion of domestically produced and assembled vehicles will account for about 78 per cent of domestic demand. The goal of the strategy is to further strengthen the development of supporting industries to meet the increasing demand for components and spare parts. The plan is to form a basic supporting industry for automobile production, aiming to meet approximately 35 per cent of the demand for components and spare parts. Subsequently, by 2035, the strategy targets meeting over 65 per cent of the demand for domestic automobile production and assembly. To achieve these goals, the strategy emphasises the identification and establishment of strategic partnerships, encouraging investments in projects that can create markets for supporting industries. The focus is also on promoting the production of environmentally friendly vehicles, including fuel-efficient vehicles, hybrid vehicles, biofuel-based vehicles, and electric vehicles, to comply with emission standards. Improving product quality to meet international standards is another key aspect highlighted in the strategy. This involves forming automobile industry centres or clusters through production organisation and restructuring. The strategy also encourages collaboration and linkages between automobile manufacturing and assembly enterprises, supporting industry enterprises, research and development establishments, and training institutions across all economic sectors. This collaboration aims to enhance investment efficiency and specialisation capabilities. The government has introduced specific policies to support domestic production in the automobile industry. For instance, Decree 101/2021/ND-CP provides import tax incentives for components and spare parts used in domestic automobile production and assembly. There are measures such as reducing registration fees for domestically produced and assembled vehicles to further encourage the growth of the industry. By implementing these policies and strategies, Viet Nam aims to boost the production and export of vehicles, with a target of approximately 90,000 units exported by 2035. These efforts will not only drive the development of the automobile industry but also contribute to the growth of other sectors, improve product quality, and align with international standards and environmental requirements. The policies to support the implementation of the automobile industry development strategy in Viet Nam have been somewhat limited, particularly in terms of supporting the development of electrified vehicle models. It's important for the government to continually assess and update policies to keep pace with the rapidly changing automotive landscape. Viet Nam has experienced significant changes in population size, economic growth and the quality of growth in recent years. These changes have undoubtedly influenced the scale, products, and domestic car consumption market in the country. To adapt to these shifts, it is crucial to have comprehensive and responsive policies that address the evolving needs and preferences of consumers. The global auto industry is undergoing substantial transformations in terms of production technology, product types, and designs. It is essential for Viet Nam's automobile industry to stay abreast of these changes to remain competitive. Countries in the region, particularly China and Thailand, have made impressive strides in their automobile industries, deepening their participation in the value chain. Without appropriate policy mechanisms, there is a risk that the domestic vehicle market in Viet Nam may decline or face challenges in competing with these regional counterparts. It is important to establish a clear roadmap for the development of the automobile industry, taking into account both domestic and global trends. This roadmap should provide guidance on key milestones, targets, and policy measures to ensure the industry's long-term growth and competitiveness. VNS HA NOI The declining motorcycle market in Viet Nam presents an interesting opportunity for electric motorbikes to gain traction. Electric motorbikes offer several advantages over traditional gasoline-powered motorcycles, including reduced emissions and lower operating costs, according to industry insiders. Latest sales data from the Viet Nam Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (VAMM) indicates a decline in motorcycle sales in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. However, the Vietnamese motorcycle market has recorded positive growth in previous years, except for 2022 when there was a sudden increase in travel demand due to the end of social restrictions. Honda Vietnam (HVN) reported an increase in motorbike sales in March 2024 compared to the previous month, but a decrease compared to the same period last year. HVN remains the largest motorcycle company in Viet Nam, holding a significant market share of 82.5 per cent. The domestic motorcycle market has defied previous forecasts of saturation and continues to be one of the largest motorcycle markets globally, with an annual consumption of nearly three million units. This has motivated major motorcycle brands from Japan, Italy and Taiwan to maintain their presence in the market and adapt their strategies to the evolving situation. HVN, for example, has shifted its focus towards the export of completely built-up (CBU) motorcycles. Recent reports indicate that HVN's CBU export output has been increasing, with significant numbers in March. This shift towards exports is a strategic move to capitalise on opportunities beyond the domestic market. By expanding its CBU exports, HVN aims to tap into new markets and leverage its manufacturing capabilities in Viet Nam. This includes exporting CBU motorcycles, as well as components and spare parts. The increased focus on exports allows HVN to diversify its revenue streams and mitigate any potential challenges in the domestic market. A report showed that, in March this year, Honda's CBU export output reached 57,692 units. In January, CBU output reached 53,457 units, and in February, 42,670 units. Earlier, in 2023, HVN's CBU output was only between 15,000-35,000 units a month. For Suzuki Vietnam, there are only three models and one scooter model being sold at a price of VN48-132 million, but their designs do not have many improvements. Models that have made a good impression among customers such as GSX-S150, GSX-R150, Impulse 125 and Intruder 150 have been stopped manufacturing. The move shows that the Japanese automaker no longer focuses on the motorcycle segment but will concentrate on the development of the automotive sector. The shift towards electric motorbikes in Viet Nam can be seen as a response to the Government's CO2 emission strategy and the changing dynamics of the traditional motorcycle market. The Government's focus on reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable transportation has created opportunities for the development and adoption of electric vehicles, including electric motorbikes. According to research conducted by Motorcycles Data, Viet Nam has traditionally been a large motorcycle market in Southeast Asia and globally, with motorbikes serving as a popular mode of transportation for a majority of the population. Electric motorbikes have gained popularity among certain segments of the population, such as female riders, students and young professionals, due to their attractive design, compact size and environmentally friendly nature. According to the evaluation of Motorcycles Data, VinFast, PEGA and Yadea are the three leading brands of electric motorbikes in Viet Nam, both in terms of sales, quality and reputation for consumers. However, it is very difficult for users to access information about these brands because most do not publicise the sales periodically, except VinFast. The potential for developing the electric motorbike market in Vietnam is significant. As the government encourages the adoption of electric vehicles and consumers become more conscious of environmental issues, there is a growing demand for electric motorbikes. In addition, the entry of traditional motorcycle brands such as Honda, Yamaha, SYM, Piaggio and Suzuki into the electric motorbike segment can bring about positive changes. VNS HA NOI The Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep) has just sent Official Dispatch 47/CV-VASEP to the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting the abolition of quotas for Vietnamese shrimp imported into South Korea. This year is the 10th year of implementing the Viet Nam-Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA). According to the roadmap, most seafood products have a tax rate of 0 per cent. However, according to quota commitments, there are still a group of seven seafood product lines from Viet Nam to South Korea that only enjoy preferential tariffs based on a quota, currently at 15,000 tonnes per year. Specifically, for this group, South Korea only exempts Viet Nam from import tax under VKFTA for 15,000 tonnes per year. The volume of imported products exceeding the quota will be subject to a base tax rate of 20 per cent. Thus, for key shrimp products alone, 34-48 per cent of Vietnamese shrimp output imported into South Korea is subject to an out-of-quota tax of 20 per cent in the 2016-2023 period. This disincentivises importers to increase purchases of Vietnamese shrimp to serve the growing demand in South Korea, according to Vasep. They are considering buying more shrimp from other countries such as Peru that also have free trade agreements with them, but the import tax rate has returned to 0 per cent with a five-to-seven-year roadmap under the FTA with South Korea. This eliminated all tariff advantages from VKFTA for Vietnamese frozen shrimp products in the South Korean market, said Vasep. Facing this situation, requesting South Korea to remove the tariff mechanism for Vietnamese frozen shrimp under VKFTA was very urgent to protect the market share and long-term benefits of Vietnamese shrimp in the market, it said. VNS QUANG NINH The Quang Ninh Economic Zone Authority (QEZA) presented investment certificates to two Japanese projects worth US$115 million in total at a conference held at Song Khoai Industrial Park (IP) on Friday. One of the two projects is a plastics molding plant invested by Tenma Vietnam Co., Ltd. at a total cost of $56 million. It will become operational in the second quarter of 2025. The other is an electro-mechanical system project invested by Yaskawa Electric Vietnam Co. Ltd., which has total registered capital of nearly $59 million, and will be put into operation in April 2026. Quang Ninh Province wants to lure at least $3 billion in FDI capital into local IPs and VN55 trillion ($2.16 billion) in domestic capital, while targeting wastewater treatment and monitoring systems installed at all of the IPs. The province urged FDI firms to work towards the target of $3 billion in revenue and $850 billion in state budget contribution, and job generation for more than 3,000 workers. The conference also helped the QEZA to gain a better insight into their difficulties, and better grasp the opportunity to ride the FDI capital wave. At the event, participants discussed and responded to inquiries from investors, including the value added tax refund, support mechanism for enterprises to install solar panels, job demands of local people, and fire prevention and control procedures. VNS NINH THUAN Central Retail Vietnams sourcing team has met with 42 businesses in Ninh Thuan Province at a local supply-demand connection programme. They are producers and distributors of over 100 One Commune, One Product (OCOP) items of various kinds. The retailers fast-moving consumer goods and fresh food sourcing divisions had the opportunity to learn more about the supply capacity of businesses in the province and apprise them about its quality, packaging and labelling requirements, thereby making it easier for the businesses to bring local specialities and OCOP products that meet three-star criteria and above into Central Retail's GO!, Big C and Tops Market supermarket chains. Organised by the province Department of Industry and Trade and Investment and Tourism Promotion Centre, the programme sought to help OCOP producers expand their market and enhance their product value and quality to meet the high requirements of modern retail channels. According to a Central Retail spokesperson, the programme is an important premise for its sourcing team to soon negotiate contracts with potential partners to bring Ninh Thuan's specialities such as apples, grapes, aloe vera, sterculia foetida latex, and lamb and goat meat distributed into its supermarket systems. According to the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ninh Thuan has 152 three-star and 30 four-star OCOP products. Under a programme for 2024 it aims to have another 20-30 products certified, including two to five meeting four-star criteria and one to two livestock products meeting three- to four-star criteria, the department added. VNS ROME Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung has congratulated Vietnamese enterprises - the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC) and the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCM City (HAWA) - for their initial success in showcasing Vietnamese products in Milan Design Week in Italy - a design & brand arena of furniture businesses around the world. While visiting the Vietnam pavilion at the event on April 18, the diplomat encouraged enterprises to focus on enhancing their competitiveness through good cooperation with design buyers in Italy and Europe, thus penetrating deeper into the European market, as well as other markets. The Vietnamese wood industry needs substantial and systematic investment to enter and dominate higher market segments, he stressed. The pavilion opens to visitors from April 16 - 21. Covering a total area of 360 sq.m, it is showcasing outstanding furniture and handicraft products from 35 Vietnamese enterprises. Vietnam is renowned for its export of furniture, ranking sixth in the world. The debut at the Milan Design Week is a significant affirmation of the creative values of Vietnamese furniture and handicraft industry on the international stage, demonstrating its strength and potential for strong development. VNS HCM CITY HCM City is launching a series of activities at the Book Street and Paris Square in District 1 to celebrate Viet Nam Book and Reading Cultural Day (April 21) until April 22. Readers will have an opportunity to peruse more than 50,000 books by Vietnamese and foreign authors on various topics at a book fair opening at Paris Square. The fair includes 42 stalls hosted by 31 major publishers and book distributors of the city, such as HCM City Book Distribution Corporation (FAHASA), Tre (Youth) Publishing House, Phuong Nam Books and HCM City General Publishing House. In addition, the publishers and distributors have plans to market and sell books through live-streaming platform TikTok at the event to attract more readers nationwide. The fair also introduces local apps Fonos and Voiz FM, offering hundreds of audiobooks and e-books. A special exhibition showcasing publications and documents to mark the 70th anniversary of the ien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954 - 2024) and the 1954 Geneva Accords is featured as well. At the book fair, a roundtable on the topic of how to develop a love of reading will be held on April 20. Best-selling Nguyen Nhat Anh, the citys Reading Culture Ambassador, will have a book signing event as well as host a talk on childrens books on April 22. On April 22, there will be a talk about the development of audiobooks. Meanwhile, the Book Street on Nguyen Van Binh Street will host a book introduction of Tu Nhung Ten Rieng (Stories from Familiar Names) by young author Ho Huy Son, published by the Kim ong Publishing House, on April 20. A book signing and talk with Japanese author Ono Eriko, who is known for her manga Hai, Mikko!, will be held on April 21. Hai, Mikko!, consisting of funny and cute stories of elementary school girl Mikko, is very popular among Vietnamese children. A roundtable on Vietnamese cuisine from young peoples points of view will be held on April 22 at the Book Street. Apart from major activities downtown, the city will also launch book introductions, book clubs and talks at Thu uc City Book Street and cultural houses and schools in 21 districts to encourage reading habits among the community. The annual Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day, first held in 2022, has been considered a festival for book-lovers, helping spread the value of books as well as the reading culture in the community. VNS KUALA LUMPUR ASEAN foreign ministers on April 19 issued a statement calling on all parties to immediately cease violence and exercise maximum restraint in the border areas of Myanmar. The statement expressed profound concern over the recent escalation of violence in Myanmar, particularly in the town of Myawaddy in Kayin State and in Rakhine State where thousands have lost their homes. To avoid further humanitarian consequences from escalating conflicts in any form, ASEAN calls on all parties to immediately cease violence and exercise maximum restraint, uphold international humanitarian principles, and take all necessary measures to alleviate tensions and ensure the protection and safety of all civilians, it said. The ministers also called for urgent actions to mitigate the impact of the conflict on civilians, including creating a safe and conducive environment to ensure the timely and safe delivery of humanitarian aid. The statement expressed support for the continuous efforts of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), as well as the cross-border humanitarian initiatives by Thailand, in line with the Five-Point Consensus. It also highlighted coordination with Laos, the ASEAN Chair for 2024, through its special envoy to Myanmar. Additionally, the ministers called for facilitating humanitarian aid activities and promoting comprehensive national dialogue aimed at achieving a long-term and comprehensive political solution in Myanmar. VNA/VNS Major finds at Wuwangdun illuminate China's Warring States period Xinhua) 09:29, April 20, 2024 HEFEI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Wuwangdun tomb, under archaeological excavation in east China's Anhui Province, has been confirmed by the National Cultural Heritage Administration as the largest and highest-level tomb from the ancient Chu state dating back over 2,200 years. During the reign of King Cheng in the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC), Xiong Yi was enfeoffed as the ruler of Chu. Historical records indicate that in remote mountains, he cleared the forests, driving a cart of firewood and wearing ragged clothes. His offerings to the King of Zhou included peach wood bows and thorn branch arrows. At an event held by King Cheng to meet with lords of the vassal states, he could only guard the fire pits in the courtyard and was not entitled to participation. Blending elements of the north and south and starting from scratch, the state of Chu quickly rose to the leading power in the south. Its resplendent literary works and exquisite lacquer and bronze ware showcased its unique charm and imagination, playing a magnificent symphony in the civilization of China. UNRAVELING THE LEGACY OF CHU China's Warring States Period ran from 475 BC to 221 BC. With the influence of the Zhou kings increasingly diminished, many vassal states were annexed, leading to a situation where seven major states competed for dominance. Chu was the second most powerful state after Qin. However, Chu's insufficient reforms left itself frequently defeated by Qin, forcing it to relocate its capital on and on. In 263 BC, with the help of Huang Xie, Xiong Wan, the son of King Qingxiang of Chu, who had been a hostage in Qin, returned to Chu and ascended the throne, known as King Kaolie of Chu by later generations. He appointed Huang Xie as chancellor, won several major battles, and briefly revived Chu. In 241 BC, Huang organized the last joint attack against Qin in the history of the Warring States, which ended in failure. Fearing Qin's retaliation, Chu moved its capital to today's Shouxian in Huainan. In 238 BC, after a reign of 25 years, King Kaolie died, and Huang was assassinated by the power minister Li Yuan, leading to the gradual decline of Chu's last glory. After the brief ten-year reign of the young King You, Kong Kaolie's other young son, King Ai, reigned for two months before being executed along with Li by the last king of Chu, Fuchu. Although in 224 BC, Qin's offensive aimed at annihilating Chu ended in a major defeat, faced with Qin's veteran general leading 600,000 troops the following year, Chu, which had lasted for 800 years, ultimately fell. By 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, had unified China, marking the end of the Warring States. The mystery of who lies in the grand Wuwangdun tomb persists. The last capital of Chu witnessed the reigns of four kings: King Kaolie, King You, King Ai, and Fuchu. King Ai was killed shortly after his accession, and Fuchu was captured by the Qin army. The academic community widely concludes that the tomb of King You was discovered in 1933. Therefore, some scholars suggest that Wuwangdun likely belongs to the legendary King Kaolie. There is, however, no empirical evidence. Gong Xicheng, leader of the Wuwangdun archaeological excavation team, noted the archaeological excavation is only one-third complete, and the ongoing archaeological work will further seek key evidence, such as bamboo slips and inscriptions on bronze vessels, to identify the tomb owner. HIGHEST-RANKED CHU TOMB Wuwangdun, with a base diameter of over 130 meters and a height of 14 meters, is aligned east-west with the royal palace of Chu. To the south lies the tomb attributed to his son King You, with the central axis running through two peaks of the nearby mountain range, reflecting the tomb owner's long-term planning and consideration, said Shen Hanqing, former director of Huainan Museum. Tomb thefts in 2015 highlighted the need for urgent archaeological interventions that started in September 2020. Over three years of continuous archaeological work have revealed more insights into Wuwangdun. The tomb is encircled by a moat with a circumference of about 5 kilometers, covering a total area of approximately 1.5 million square meters. Within the mausoleum grounds, there are chariot pits and sacrificial pits, among other relics. The chariot pit, located on the west side of the main tomb, is about 148 meters long from north to south, making it the longest known chariot pit among Chu-style tombs, said Gong. The tomb itself has a long, sloped entrance path to the east, measuring 42 meters in length. Iron tools used during the construction of the mausoleum, roof tiles, and a well-preserved Chu lacquer fan were found in its mound. "I imagined a scene from over 2,200 years ago, where a supervisor was fanning himself and urging the workers to labor," said an archaeologist who participated in the excavation. She examined every tile found in the earthen mound and, although no inscriptions were found, speculated that a building similar to a ceremonial hall might have been constructed above. The bottom of the tomb pit is square, measuring about 22 meters on each side, and the center is constructed using huge timber frames to form the burial chamber. The burial chamber has a central chamber for the coffin and four side chambers around. Each side chamber is further divided into two by wooden walls, making the entire burial chamber nine rooms. According to Gong, these are the most partitioned chambers seen in Chu-style tombs to date. Wuwangdun has so far yielded over a thousand cataloged artifacts, including bronze ritual vessels, lacquered wooden objects, musical instruments, and figurines. Significant ink script on the burial chamber's cover boards has been discovered, detailing the chambers' sequence and functions. Over 100 phrases and nearly a thousand characters have been found so far. Among the exquisite items found is a phoenix-tiger drum stand, unique to Chu nobility, suggesting its use either in concerts or shamanistic practices. Each phoenix, stepping on a fierce tiger and holding a pearl in its beak, is finely painted with feathers and carved with dragon motifs as if to enhance the drum's majestic sound. Other finely crafted lacquered items include screens, boxes, cups, and chessboards, all beautifully decorated. A huge cauldron with a mouth diameter exceeding 88 centimeters is larger than the Zhuke Cauldron, the most notable artifact excavated from King You's tomb and now a top treasure of Anhui Museum. The Zhuke Cauldron has a mouth diameter of 87 cm, weighs about 400 kg, and features inscriptions such as "Zhuke," which stands as the caster name, and "Anbang," which means "securing the nation," ranking as the second-largest ancient bronze cauldron in China. Gong believes that the artifacts unearthed from Wuwangdun represent the highest achievements of Chu culture. "They date from a critical period just before the formation of a unified state." FUTURE OF WUWANGDUN Recent archaeological efforts at Wuwangdun have advocated for and advanced a scientific, standardized, and detailed approach. Methods such as the use of menthol solidification technology to extract ancient bamboo mats and infrared imaging to reveal inscriptions on cover boards highlight the depth of multidisciplinary integration in Chinese archaeology today. Cheng Hao, director of Huainan's Culture and Tourism Bureau, emphasized the city's commitment to the excavation and preservation of Wuwangdun. Over 100 million yuan (about 14 million U.S. dollars) has been invested in the excavation shed, laboratories, among others. The city plans to leverage these historical narratives to enhance Huainan's cultural influence and tourism appeal. The sweeping conquests of Qin Shi Huang and unification of China in 221 BC marked the end of the tumultuous Warring States period. This era, known for its dramatic conflicts and legendary figures, continues to resonate through history, illustrating the enduring legacy of its institutional innovations, progressive ideologies, and pragmatic cultural spirit, stated Tian Shuai, a research fellow from the Department of Archaeology and Museology at Beijing Normal University. (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) Fiesta-goers shown during the opening night of NIOSA in 2021. Such revelers were quick to criticize a social media from San Antonio Public Works this week detailing a new pedestrian route to and from NIOSA to navigate construction in the area. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer San Antonians who are Fiesta veterans expect to navigate crowds and deal with street closures for the annual festivities. But, what some dont expect is to maneuver whats been described on social media as a dimly lit, somewhat confusing obstacle course to get around Fiesta events downtown amid ongoing construction on South Alamo Street. Frank Maldonado proudly shows off skewers of anticuchos during the first night of Night In Old San Antonio (NIOSA) on Tuesday, June 22, 2021. evelers were quick to criticize a social media from San Antonio Public Works this week detailing a new pedestrian route to and from NIOSA to navigate construction in the area. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer Roxie Chung cracks a cascarones over Sylvia Dimayugas head for a photograph on the first night of the Fiesta Night in Old San Antonio on Tuesday. Revelers were quick to criticize a social media from San Antonio Public Works this week detailing a new pedestrian route to and from NIOSA to navigate construction in the area. KAYLEE C GREENLEE BEAL 2022 Night in Old San Antonio officials celebrate the hanging of the Rain Rock on the porch of NIOSA headquarters on Monday, Apr. 24, 2023. Folklorico dancers were showered with confetti - not rain - as NIOSA officials raised the limestone rock out of its basket and into the air. The ceremony has been held since 1974 to ward off any potential precipitation that could dampen the spirits of revelers to the La Villita grounds. Revelers were quick to criticize a social media from San Antonio Public Works this week detailing a new pedestrian route to and from NIOSA to navigate construction in the area. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer Going to be total human gridlock, was one response to a social media post from San Antonio Public Works detailing the pedestrian route Fiesta revelers and others traveling downtown should take next week to maneuver traffic cones and barricades to get to and from NIOSA and other events in the area. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Dozens others commented on the post and shared it with complaints about the hassles of navigating what seems to be never-ending construction, concerns about safety for both pedestrians and drivers and criticisms of what many think is a lack of planning to accommodate the citys biggest party of the year. The city posted a video Wednesday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that details the pedestrian route to get to NIOSA with printed instructions flashing onscreen to Start at E. Market and head South towards E. Nueva. The video continues with directions that pedestrians should then Cross at the SOUTH side of E. Nueva and Safely cross E. Nueva to La Villita. Fiesta goers were quick to voice their objection, with some using profane and colorful language. Others stated they knew the citys planned route likely wouldnt solve the problem of getting to NIOSA. Have you people even seen the size of the crowd that walks BOTH directions near NIOSA. Theres no way that narrow walkway will accommodate two way traffic. What a mess NIOSA is going to be, was one post. Advertisement Article continues below this ad NIOSA is one of Fiestas most popular events, drawing an estimated 85,000 revelers annually, according to its website. It is a four-night event held at La Villita, and runs Tuesday through Friday. According to additional posts from San Antonio Public Works regarding the pedestrian route, San Antonio Police plans to close the car lane each night to accommodate pedestrian traffic. And, the posts continue, Walk This Way markers will help guide pedestrians with information they can scan if they become confused or lost finding their way to and from NIOSA. That doesnt seem to be enough to convince Fiesta revelers that their outing will be free of new hassles. Advertisement Article continues below this ad HA NAM Nong Shengwen, standing member of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Secretary of the Nanning city Party Committee, led a delegation on a working visit to the northern province of Ha Nam on April 20. Secretary of the Ha Nam provincial Party Committee Le Thi Thuy briefed the guests on the local potential, strengths, and notable achievements in socio-economic development, adding the province has invested in constructing 12 industrial parks and 14 industrial clusters with modern and concerted infrastructure, noting that Ha Nam is striving to complete procedures for establish the Ha Nam High-Tech Park with an area of over 660 ha to attract investment. With a favourable investment environment, Ha Nam has become an attractive destination for many domestic and foreign investors, including 46 projects from Chinese investors with a total registered capital of over US$414 million, she said. Highlighting the longstanding friendship and important trade partnership between Viet Nam and China, Thuy expressed her hope that the two sides will further strengthen investment pomotion activities, exchanges, and people-to-people diplomacy to lay a foundation for building long-term cooperation between the two localities, thus strengthening and deepening the friendship and Vietnam-China cooperation. Ha Nam will create the most favourable conditions for investment activities of Nanning's enterprises, and always accompanies and promptly resolves any difficulty and obstacle facing them during their operations in the loality, she affirmed. For his part, the Chinese official showed his impression at the potential, strengths, and rapid development of Ha Nam, which has emerged as a leading industrial production centre in Viet Nam. He said he hopes that in the future, Nanning and Ha Nam will establish bilateral cooperation in various fields such as industry, agriculture, transportation, logistics, education, science and technology, health care, culture, and tourism. Nong invited leaders of Ha Nam to attend the China-ASEAN Expo and a exchange conference between provinces and cities in the Nanning - Hanoi economic corridor in September to enhance understanding and cooperation, and to contribute to the longstanding friendship between the two countries and the two localities in particular. The two sides discussed various issues related to industrial economy, logistics, attracting investment in energy, health care, agricultural production, trade development cooperation, and tourism between Nanning and Ha Nam. Chairman of the People's Committee of Ha Nam province Truong Quoc Huy emphasised that Ha Nam always considers investment cooperation as an extremely important task to promote socio-economic development, and the locality always welcomes and commits to creating the most favourable conditions for businesses from Nanning in particular, and China in general, to invest in the province. At the working session, Vice Chairman of the Ha Nam provincial People's Committee Nguyen Anh Chuc, and Deputy Mayor of Nanning City Fan Xiaomin signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening economic and trade exchanges, and connectivity. Specifically, the two sides agreed to organise learning and exchange activities among local authorities in the fields of industrial and industrial park development, bilateral trade, urban services, infrastructure, and clean energy through online meetings and reciprocal visits. They also pledged to support each other's enterprises to participate in their respective trade fair and exhibition activities, and Nanning will offer support and favourable conditions for Ha Nam's enterprises to participate in activities related to the China-ASEAN Expo. VNS Earlier, the Chinese delegation visited Dong Van IV Industrial Park./. ONG THAP The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of ong Thap plans to grow other crops on more than 10,000ha of unproductive rice fields this year to adapt to climate change and improve farmers incomes. They will grow fruits, short-term crops and perennial trees. Nguyen Phuoc Thien, deputy chairman of the province Peoples Committee, said: The conversion of rice fields into growing fruit and other crops that have high economic value will improve production efficiency and farmers incomes. It would help restructure agriculture in some localities to exploit their natural advantages and ensure sustainable farming, establish concentrated growing areas with large outputs, and help develop brand names for the provinces produce and production codes for growing areas to serve exports, he added. The conversion will offer farmers profits two or three times higher than from rice, according to the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Huynh Tan at, deputy director of the department, said the province is expanding effective farming models for flowers and vegetables as these crops durations are only two to three months but yield profits of VN50 -77 million (US$2,000 2,800) per hectare per crop. Many rice farmers in Hong Ngu District, for instance, have switched to growing water spinach for harvesting seeds on nearly 220ha, and earn 2.3 times the profits they got from rice. Water spinach farming is ideal for local conditions, helps adapt to climate change, stabilise agricultural production, and has high efficiency, according to local farmers. Farmers who switched to other crops on their unproductive rice fields earn two to eight times more, according to the department. Fruits such as mango, longan, lime, and jackfruit fetch VN50 - 200 million ($2,000 - 5,000) per hectare per year. Nguyen Thanh Dung in Thanh Binh Districts Tan My Commune started growing jackfruit on his 5,000 sq.m of rice paddy three years ago. Now he earns VN70 million ($2,800) a year compared to VN15 - 30 million ($600-1,200) earlier, he said. On the remaining 0.5ha of paddy, he began growing jackfruit this month. Farmers who grow fruits to quality standards such as Vietnamese good agricultural practices (VietGAP) and organic standards earn higher profits. In Chau Thanh District, farmers who grow durian to VietGAP standards earn VN700 million ($28,200) per hectare per year. Farmers in the province switched to other crops on 11,500ha last year, 83 per cent higher than the target, according to the department. To help improve production efficiency, the province has instructed farmers in what crops are suitable where and in farming techniques. Last year it provided training to 1,474 people in rural areas in growing crops, breeding animals and aquaculture. It plans to train another 2,170 this year in high-tech farming and growing crops to quality standards such as organic. VNS MOSCOW The Vietnamese Embassy in Russia organised a seminar on April 19 on prospects for Viet Nam-Russia digital economic cooperation, attracting over 100 delegates representing ministries, sectors, research institutes, and business associations of the two countries. The function focused on opportunities and solutions to further promote cooperation between the two nations in this promising field. In recent years, Viet Nam's digital economy has experienced remarkable development. According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, the proportion of the digital economy in Viet Nam's GDP reached 16.5 per cent in 2023, with an average annual growth rate of 20 per cent, which is three times the GDP growth rate. According to assessments from international organisations, the scale of Viet Nam's Internet economy in 2023 reached approximately US$30 billion, up 19 per cent compared to the figure in 2022. Vietnamese digital technology companies have also been gradually strengthening their international cooperation efforts. Last year, the country had over 1,500 digital technology enterprises with revenue from foreign markets totaling an estimated $7.5 billion, up 4 per cent year-on-year. Meanwhile, the strongest growth in Russia's Internet economy is observed in the e-commerce sector, with total revenue reaching RUB$15.4 trillion (over $164 billion) in 2023. Russia also leads in the field of smart cities and e-government, with cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg being at the forefront of IT applications worldwide. Delegates said that the current context presents tremendous opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in general and between their respective businesses in particular. Several digital economic cooperation projects are already underway between Viet Nam and Russia, particularly in such areas as cybersecurity, smart cities, digital banking, and digital business solutions. In addition to the aforementioned projects, participants also highlighted numerous other promising areas for digital economic cooperation, such as finance, health care, agriculture, transportation, energy, environment, and manufacturing. They put forward recommendations and solutions to further expand cooperation in the digital economy sector from the perspectives of policymakers, researchers, and businesses, including intensifying the trade promotion in information technology products of the two countries, and boosting collaboration in researching and developing digital platforms and products. Ambassador ang Minh Khoi emphasised the significance of the event, saying Russia's experiences in developing its digital ruble is highly beneficial, expressing Viet Nam's interest in participating in the testing process of Russia's digital ruble by the Central Bank of Russia. Delegates agreed that if utilised effectively, this could be a significant driver for economic cooperation between the two countries in the coming time. VNS Michael Dines was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting Kerstin Marie Taylor on March 13, 2022. Courtesy, Bexar County Sheriff's A San Antonio man has been convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison in the fatal shooting of a woman he thought was a man. A Bexar County jury this week heard testimony and viewed evidence in the trial of Michael John Dines, 52, who fatally shot Kerstin Marie Taylor, 56, whom authorities described as a homeless person. Prosecutors argued that Dines was homophobic, and in court they played a portion of a video from a VIA transit police officers body camera in which Dines said he killed Taylor because I dont like queers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Taylor came to Texas from Illinois and had lived in Austin. Testimony established that Dines invited her to his apartment on North Frio Street on March 13, 2022, and went to a grocery store to get dinner and wine while she waited for him there. Later on, as they were about to become intimate, Dines came to the conclusion that Taylor was really a man, and shot her, he told police. He left his apartment and told the first police officer he saw that he had just killed someone and that the body was in his apartment. Taylor was shot twice, and Dines said he watched her die. Interrogation videos by San Antonio police show Dines making homophobic comments and saying he killed Taylor because he believed he was about to have sex with a man. A Bexar County medical examiner testified that Taylor was a woman from birth and had not made or begun any transition. Defense attorneys challenged the admissibility of the confessions as evidence and in the trial's punishment phase asked the judge to allow the jury to consider sudden passion, directly caused by and arising out of provocation by the victim, to lower his sentence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Dines was found guilty of murder on Thursday after about an hour and a half of deliberations in the 226th District Court, with Judge Velia J. Meza presiding. On Friday, the panel took about the same amount of time to render a life sentence. The jury concluded the crime had not occurred out of sudden passion. Court records indicate Dines had no prior criminal record. He will have to serve at least 30 years before he is eligible for parole. The verdict and sentence reflect the gravity of Michael Dines actions, Bexar County District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales said in a statement released late Thursday. Our office is committed to the protection and justice for victims of crime. Bexar County Assistant District Attorneys Raul Jordan, Willem VanZeben, and Tamara Strauch, chief of the DAs Felony Criminal Trial Division, prosecuted the case. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fancy Fairchild, right, waves a flag during a rally to legalize marijuana at the Governors Mansion in Austin on April 20, 2022. A few dozen activists gathered at 4:20 p.m. on 4/20 to bring attention to cause. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Saturday marks one of the most well-known cultural holidays in the country: 420. Celebrated every April 20, the holiday is a day for people to advocate for the legalization of marijuana in the United States and other countries. The drug has been legalized in 24 states and decriminalized in seven more. Fourteen states have legalized the medical use of cannabis. Texas is not one of them. The Lone Star States policy remains that weed is illegal. The only exception for medical marijuana use is when doctors prescribe low-THC cannabis under the states Compassionate Use Program. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Is it legal to carry marijuana in Texas? Sec. 481.121. of the Texas Health and Safety Code covers marijuana possession. The punishment for the crime depends on the amount of marijuana a person has when arrested. There are six varying offenses depending on the amount, starting with a Class B misdemeanor and ending with a first-degree felony. A Class B misdemeanor is for people in possession of 2 ounces or less. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Class A misdemeanor is when people possess 4 ounces or less but more than 2. A state jail felony is for less than 4 pounds but more than 4 ounces. Third-degree felony offense is for 50 pounds or less but more than 5 pounds. A second-degree felony is 2,000 pounds or less but more than 50. The highest offense would be a first-degree felony for possession of more than 2,000 pounds. The punishment for that crime is up to life in prison and/or a fine up to $50,000. THE WAY OUT? : Texas lawmakers to look at banning delta-8 hemp products Is marijuana legal in San Antonio? While it is illegal in the state to possess marijuana, Bexar County created an initiative in partnership with the San Antonio Police Department to issue citations for specific low-level offenses rather than making an on-site arrest. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Cite & Release initiative is an important tool that allows non-violent, low-level offenders to complete an appropriate sanction while maintaining a job and housing. San Antonio police can issue citations for nonviolent misdemeanor offenses like possession of marijuana, misdemeanor theft, driving with an invalid licensee and criminal mischief. Those cited will avoid being arrested and must complete an associated diversion program. Once the program is completed, the citation will not appear on their criminal record. According to the Bexar County District Attorneys Office, the Cite & Release initiative can reduce the burden on the local court system and jail. It also allows officers to return to duty in significantly less time than it takes for an officer to make an arrest. Has Texas decriminalized marijuana? Texas has not decriminalized marijuana, but some cities have decriminalized it. Those cities include Austin, Denton, Elgin, Killeen and San Marcos. Earlier this year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued those five cities for violating the state law. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Texas House of Representatives passed a bill to decriminalize marijuana last year, but the bill died in the Senate. Are CBD gummies legal in Texas? CBD products are legal in the state of Texas if they comply with state and national laws. CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is a chemical found in cannabis plants that dont produce a high. Hemp products like CBD are legal in the state. However, they cant be smoked. That is illegal. Is delta-8 or delta-9 legal in Texas? Delta-8 and delta-9 products, which are derived from cannabis plants, are legal in Texas. Products are allowed to have only up to a 0.3% concentration of delta-9 THC. There is no limit on delta-8 THC. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Since there is only a very small amount of delta-8 THC found in a marijuana plant, most of the product is created in labs by extracting cannabidiols and chemically changing them to delta-8 THC. However, some are looking to ban the two substances, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Last week, he asked state senators to look into potentially banning the products ahead of next years legislative session. What does 420 mean? The origin of 420 as a marijuana-coded term is a group of California friends, who in 1971 would meet after school to smoke at 4:20 p.m. every day and then go searching for a friends brothers weed patch, according to PBS. What exactly 420 means depends on the context the saying is being used. It can refer to the unofficial holiday of April 20, smoking at 4:20 p.m. like those California friends, smoking in general or even just marijuana. Texas National Guard soldiers transport border fencing layered with concertina wire April 2 near the Rio Grande in El Paso. 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. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Migrants who breached the barriers set up on the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas by Texas National Guard on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The migrants were hoping to be processed by Border Patrol. (Omar Ornelas/El Paso Times via AP) Omar Ornelas/El Paso Times via AP 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 emailed 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 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. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 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, shows that the incident began about 1:10 p.m. April 14, when 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 National Guard member shot a suspect, who then fled back into Mexico, according to the bulletin. The Texas Department of Safety contained the scene and two people who had been wounded 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 emailed statement. We support and care for our soldiers and airmen supporting Operation Lone Star. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Indiana 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 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. For close to three years, Washoe County's HOPE Team has embarked on the journey of helping the homeless. HOPE stands for: Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement. The team goes out to encampments to try and get unhoused people connected with resources, and they say building a bond with them is the key. "Obviously we wear the cop uniform, so at first there is some hesitation when interacting with them, but as we continue to build that relationship and we continue to show up, they know when they see us, they know we're not there to harass them or move them along," said Andres Silva, Deputy Sheriff, Washoe County HOPE Team. Last year, after more than one thousand contacts were made, 943 accepted services and six arrests were made. The team put 158 people into housing. This is what regular week looks like for them. On Mondays and Tuesdays, Deputy Silva, Deputy Levi Smith, and two Washoe County Case Managers go out to get these people on a case load. They try to get them things such as IDs, appointments, or connect them with shelters or other resources. Then on Wednesdays and Thursdays, just the two deputies go out to check in on everyone. "Put yourself in somebody else's shoes," said Levi Smith, Deputy Sheriff, Washoe County HOPE Team. "Like they could be going through their worst moment in life and that helping hand such as us reaching out for resources to them might be that deciding factor that changes their life forever." Deputy Silva has been with the HOPE team for about two and a half years. For Deputy Smith it's only been about two weeks and he says it's bigger and more fulfilling than his last job. "I think this is the perfect spot for me," Deputy Smith said. "I finally get to reach out and I get to build rapport and I get to put people in housing and get them resources like an ID card just so they can move forward in their lives." Deputy Smith says that Deputy Silva's longer tenure has helped him a lot in those weeks. In March, the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners passed a proposed camping ordinance from the Washoe County Sheriff's Office. The ordinance would ban camping on county owned property within 1,000 feet of the Truckee River. However, Deputy Silva says that it won't change their approach for the future. He says it will be used as a last resort to mainly target those who are service resistant. "That positive pressure of, okay, 'I have this citation. I need to follow up with the community court judge and he's going to sentence me to get an ID,' which is a huge barrier for our clients," Deputy Silva said. The deputies say that it takes about 15 to 20 contacts with a person before they accept resources. When somebody does accept them, they say about half the time they don't show up. Transportation can be a huge hurdle for them as most of them only have bikes. However, last week they brought a bus to take some of them to their appointments and many didn't take them up on the opportunity. A big issue they often see with people is that most of them don't have IDs. "Without an identification you can't get a job, Medicaid, your snap benefits, housing," Deputy Silva said. While the rinse and repeat process they say can be mundane and repetitive, they keep on trying. "The anticipation that hopefully one day they're going to take me up on it," Deputy Silva said. "It's kind of like gambling, you know? I might lose most of my hands but I'm going to win one." A new food and wine festival debuts in the Bay Area this May, and it's unlike just about anything else out there. Over four days of uniquely curated food and drink experiences, the POC Food & Wine Festival will celebrate those chefs, vintners, brewers, distillers, and other makers of color who are often overlooked in the spaces devoted to their crafts. Weve been seeing creative movements happening in cultural communities and I wanted to create a space for a more multicultural community, one to which we could bring in the East Asian community, the Filipino community, the Black communitya space thats bigger than any one of us alone, says festival founder Gina Mariko Rosales . The POC Food & Wine Festival aims to create a welcoming, community-minded place for exchange and connection revolving around the joy of eating and drinking together. While chefs of color have become more visible over the last several years, the wine industry remains gate-kept by a white majority. With the exception of Oaklands Black Vines Festival , which celebrates Black wine growers and producers, says Rosales, there arent many spaces that not only feature the work of people of color; but that allow them to be their whole selves. The POC Food & Wine Fest will help fill the gap. Rosales and her partners have also put equitability and affordability at the festivals center. Theyve kept booth fees for vendors as low as possible$200 per booth versus rates that can range up to $3000and are paying chefs as much as 12 times what they are typically paid at similar showcases. A sliding scale for tickets (available through Friday April 26) makes the events as accessible as possible for those from throughout the economic spectrum. The festival kicks off on Thursday May 2nd with a family meal which, this year, will feature Palestinian cuisine by chef Reem Assil. All the work we do in events is about building community and building family, so including the family meal concept was really important to me, says Rosales. Offerings from some of the POC Food & Wine Festival's participating vendors, chefs, and makers. (Melissa De Mata) At a time where its considered political to simply exist as Palestinian, I felt like I had a place where I could do the opposite and learn a little about their culture and food and where they come from. As a Filipino, whose people were colonized for 300 years, their struggle feels very personal to me. I wanted to be in solidarity with these amazing chefs. The POC Food & Wine Fests biggest events take place on Saturday May 4, starting with The Main Dish, its signature tasting experience. Instead of an every-brand-for-themselves approach, The Main Dish has paired chefs including Tu David Phu (Top Chef Season 15 Alum), Nelson German ( Sobre Mesa , Top Chef Season 18), and David Yoshimura ( Nisei ) with wineries like Black Girl Magic , Duncan Peak Vineyards , Ikenga Wines, and Kareen Wine to create new, never before seen multicultural pairings. The Palate Pass introduces guests to those curated collaborations while some of the Bay Areas best DJs spin the soundtrack. When the tasting hall winds down, the festival will keep the party going with an R&B Soul Lounge hosted by Cuffin All Thangs R&B Party , which will include a retail market and a Coffee Crew for essential caffeination needs. A healing happy hour, a CBD Wine & Sound Bath with Malaya Botanicals and Astralogik , will simultaneously take place for those who want a more laid back transition before the Brown is Beautiful After Party. The on-site fashion-forward good ol fashioned house party will feature DJ Umami , RJ Kook Raul , and GTC Band , plus a fashion show, caterers showcase, cocktails, and wine. On Sunday, May 5th, the festival wraps up with a final family dinner featuring chef Haejin Chun of Big Bad Wolf SFbut it wont be the last we see of the POC Food & Wine Fest. We definitely see this as an annual event, says Rosales, but its also just the first phase of a bigger project. In a few years, organizers hope to purchase their own ranch and vineyard and turn it into a legacy space for chefs and winemakers of color. Here we are bringing together multicultural partners in food and wine, and even growing grapes and serving grapes, when our ancestors [like Cesar Chavez and Larry Itliong] were the ones picking the grapes, Rosales continues. I really hope that people come away from the experience feeling seen, that there is a space for them in this industry, and that they belong and can tell their cultural stories from their perspective 100% without being watered down. // The POC Food & Wine Festival runs from May 2 to May 5 in San Francisco and Berkeley. The Main Dish is Saturday May 4 from 1pm to 5pm at the Ciel Creative Space (2611 Eighth St., Berkeley); Get tickets to the events at pocfoodandwine.com. Sliding scale tickets are available through April 26. Old Hillside Bourbon will be one of the distilleries featured at the POC Food & Wine Fest. (Melissa De Mata) More from the POC Food & Wine Fest To learn more about the POC Food & Wine Festival, we talked to some of its participants about why they joined the event, what chefs and makers of color need to be more visible in the Bay Area, and what theyre most looking forward to at the fest. Why did you want to participate in the POC Food & Wine Festival? Alex Pong of Paper Son Coffee and Anand Upender of York Street Cafe : Food from other countries is often placed as a second-class citizen in US foodie culturethink of the "cheap" taco stand or chai hawker. Coffee is strikingly similar, it's a product that has been grown mostly by POC farmers (who often are underpaid) yet people complain about coffee prices all the time. This event embraces the fact that POC food makers are working really hard to put out quality (some might even say luxurious), creative products that are worthy of a festival stage. Monique Lopez Feybesse of Tarts de Feybesse: As a Filipino American chef in the Bay Area, I feel it is important to showcase how you have grown up. Not only about your blood roots, because some people dont have any ties to that, but specifically how you were raised in the food you eat and how you eat and appreciate it. Id like to give back to the culture in a way that makes sense to me: Cooking and paying homage by being proud. Alex Pong of Paper Son Coffee and Anand Upender of York Street Cafe (Courtesy of @papersoncoffee + @yorkstreetsf) POC are increasingly visible in the food/drink landscape in the Bay Area but there's still a long way to go. What do you think might help to increase opportunities for POC chefs, winemakers, distillers, brewers, and others? Sincere Justice of Tacos Sincero : I think this festival is a start, but I also just think being present and active in these spaces is a way. Building connections can and will eventually open doors. Even if you must be small, make an impact being small. Aint nothing wrong with starting small. You dont have to be great to start but you must start to be great. Food and wine are nothing new, we have been making food and wine. Feybesse: I think normalizing our presence would be a step forward. By being proud and not always having to label yourself as a POC in the future, just showcasing your talent and personality should be enough to shine. Culture should enhance you and not define you. Im always thankful for POC events that can influence self-awareness and confidence. Monique Lopez Feybesse of Tarts de Feybesse (Courtesy of POC Food & Wine Festival) What are you excited to check out at the fest? Sincero: Im super excited about DaBao and Batik and Baker . Wine wise: Laughing Gems and MadMarvlus ! Upender: My background is more in food so I'm excited to see some of my friends up there like Chef Tu and Chef Reem as well as some businesses I love like Tacos Sincero and Rize Up . Pong: Dokkaebier is always creative and tasty! Feybesse: Im so excited to be cooking alongside other chefs who are passionate about what they represent. I cant wait to see what they come up with, its always exciting to see knowledge in person, whether it is a different cuisine or technique. The beauty of learning the stories and capturing the behind the scenes action is always the best part of a vision like this. Some of these chefs are already friends and they are so inspiring in their art and intellectual style, its exciting to know that others will have a chance to see what I see. Apple TVs limited series Franklin, based on Stacy Schiffs 2005 bestseller A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France and the Birth of America, follows Benjamin Franklin from 1776 to 1783, when he convinced the king to fund the (very anti-king) American Revolution, the cost of which helped spark the French Revolution. That choice eventually cost the king his head. Heres whats fact and fiction in Franklin. Franklin is depicted as the 18th-century equivalent of a movie star Thats absolutely true. In 1776, nobody in Europe knew George Washington, Thomas Jefferson or Alexander Hamilton, but Franklin was far and away the most famous American. You discover electricity, you light up the world. Members only His reputation was more universal than that of Leibniz or Newton, Frederick or Voltaire, and his character more beloved and esteemed than any, said fellow founding father John Adams (played in Franklin by Ray Donovans Eddie Marsan, 55). They have it in their heads that I invented electricity, says Michael Douglas in Franklin, besieged by fans. Who am I to dissuade them? Maybe not literally what he said, but it captures the situation. There were other American diplomats in Paris then, and Ken Burns might have given them more scenes than they get here. But its not all that inaccurate to let Franklin hog the spotlight. France looks authentically French The show, mostly shot in Paris, has an eye for historical accuracy and is sumptuously designed. The costumes especially give Bridgerton or The Gilded Age a run for their money. Many scenes look lit by candlelight, as they were Franklins key and kite hadnt yet led to light bulbs. (Left to right) Ludivine Sagnier and Michael Douglas in "Franklin." Remy Grandroques/Apple TV But Douglas looks wrong The popular image of Franklin has long been as a grandfatherly, charming man with a bit of a belly and a receding hairline. Thats not what we get here. Douglas, 79, doesnt look like Franklin, who was 70 when he went to Paris in 1776 and 79 when he left. He looks younger than Franklins portraits, has a headful of hair and has no paunch or Pennsylvania accent. He decided against prosthetics and hours in makeup daily. What we get is more like Michael Douglas playing Sandy Kominsky (the tart-tongued acting coach from the Netflix show The Kominsky Method) playing Ben Franklin. This Franklin is tough and acerbic, not folksy. Its easier to imagine him going toe-to-toe with French and British diplomats than charming France (and its ladies) with his wit and jovial personality. Douglas is at his best (and most accurate) when Franklin has to be prickly rather than avuncular. Don't miss this: Michael Douglas on Playing Benjamin Franklin: I Just Wanted to See How I Looked in Tights on AARP Members Only Access Early voting begins Monday for the North East Independent School District board election, which will decide majority control on a board now split between three social conservatives and three moderates. Josie Norris /Staff Photographer North East Independent School District board hopefuls largely agree: Partisan politics should not influence the May 4 election or district policies. But that hasnt kept local political groups from throwing support and money their way. Early voting begins Monday. The winners of five board seats will define the majority on a board now split between three social conservatives and three moderates. Students change class at Churchill High School in NEISD on April 3. Ten candidates are seeking five of the seven seats on the districts board in the May 4 election. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Most of the 10 candidates have downplayed their political views and affiliations while variously accepting the endorsements and political action committee cash of a range of groups. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They include a pair of conservative PACs whose leaders make little effort to hide their mutual animosity, both emphasizing parents rights and traditional values. Theres also a new committee championing public education that formed in reaction to the conservatives. There are the unions representing NEISD teachers and staff. And there are the local Republican and Democratic parties, whose involvement in a school district election would have seemed strange not that many years ago. School board races are nonpartisan by design, NEISD board president Shannon Grona, who did not seek reelection, said during a candidate orientation in February. We should not impart our own political or personal beliefs or agendas as trustees. Most candidates arent arguing with that. But they and those supporting them also acknowledge that the boardroom at San Antonios second-largest school district, which has more than 57,000 students and 8,000 employees, has become a debating hall for culture war issues sex, gender, race, religion, health that have seeped into public education across the country. Interested parties Parents United for Freedom, a San Antonio-based PAC that has vowed to reclaim schools from harmful agendas, has endorsed three NEISD candidates, including District 6 trustee Steve Hilliard, who spearheaded the districts overhaul of its sex education curriculum last year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad From Jan. 1 through March 25, the PAC spent more than $7,560, including $5,600 on advertising for Hilliard, former math teacher Michael Gurwitz in District 1 and retired Air Force officer Dick Rasmussen in District 5, himself a PUFF donor. More is expected PUFF filed paperwork with the Texas Ethics Commission showing that it ended the reporting period with a balance of more than $33,000. PUFF was founded in 2021 in opposition to NEISDs pandemic mask mandate, said its president, Crystal Keen, a parent and registered nurse whose appointment to the districts school health advisory panel drew criticism last year because of her husbands criminal conviction in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. She described PUFF as a nonpolitical grassroots effort to protect parental rights, with about 300 members. It identified candidates early, before they filed for election, who would improve campus safety, build trust between parents and teachers and fight for board transparency, Keen said. Two PUFF-backed candidates defeated incumbents in the May 2022 election and joined Hilliard to form the boards conservative faction. A third, Jacqueline Klein, narrowly lost her bid for the District 2 seat against longtime trustee Terri Williams. Trustees were unable to appoint a replacement for Williams, who died last summer, because the three conservatives held out for Klein and the three moderates would not vote for her. Advertisement Article continues below this ad And yet, PUFF has not endorsed Klein this year. Running again in District 2, the champion of the boards conservative bloc is the only candidate with no endorsements at all. READ MORE: NEISD hopefuls take turns on the hot seat Klein, a political consultant, chairs the largely inactive Bexar County chapter of Moms for Liberty. She rejects the Southern Poverty Law Centers description of it as an anti-LGBTQ extremist group it advocates for parental rights, values and empowerment, she said. But Klein turned down her own chapters endorsement. I wanted it to really be about me, the issues, the kids, safety, she said. I didnt want it to be all the other kinds of distractions, but instead about what is happening locally. Klein had nothing bad to say about PUFF not endorsing her this year. It represents parents, not special interests, she said. Others who have aligned with the Democratic Party, the teachers unions and people who work with the district are insiders who have hurt NEISDs enrollment, trust, accountability and transparency, Klein said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Republican Party of Bexar County has its own favorites in NEISD. It paid for digital flyers sent out this money by its chair, Jeff McManus, supporting Gurwitz, Rasmussen, Hilliard and District 4 candidate Jack Hoyle. The Bexar County Democrats, meanwhile, have launched an online campaign to promote leaders who will trust educators to do their job while listening to the voices of parents and students, urging support for former teacher Lisa Thompson in District 1, businesswoman Tracie Shelton in District 2, incumbent David Beyer in District 4, school volunteer Melinda Cox in District 5 and retired educator Terri Chidgey in District 6. The same candidates have been endorsed by the Bexar County Champions for Public Education. According to its website, the group was created to fight back against unnamed special interest groups that have infiltrated school board elections. We cannot have our local school boards be stacked with politicians who are using this important elected office to push their personal political views that are contrary to what is needed for all students, it said. The PAC did not respond to an interview request. It has raised $6,780 from people who include NEISD trustee Sandy Hughey, former Superintendent Brian Gottardy, former trustee Omar Leos and former Northside ISD Superintendent Brian Woods. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Asked about her donation, Hughey said the group backs candidates who dont give lip service to supporting teachers. They truly believe in teachers and truly believe in our public education system, which is the foundation of who we are as a state, she said. The PAC has spent $5,120, including a contribution of $1,000 to all its endorsed candidates except Chidgey, who said she declined the money because she is trying to be very careful about being tied to a PAC and already had some very generous donations. The former NEISD principal and administrator has amassed individual contributions totaling more than $19,700 the most reported so far. Three candidates Hoyle, Rhonda Rowland and Chris Evans did not file campaign finance reports due 30 days before the election. I dont want any PAC agenda, Chidgey said. And Bexar County Champions doesnt have any agenda other than public schools, but I think thats what is causing some of this mess all these PACs. A personality issue A few candidates were encouraged to run by the San Antonio Family Association, active in religious conservative causes and currently suing the city of San Antonio over its creation of a fund that can help residents access abortions out of state. The associations PAC, called Texas Family Action, has endorsed Gurwitz in District 1, Rowland in District 2, Hoyle in District 4 and Evans in District 5. It filed no campaign finance report because all of its expenditures began after March 27, said SAFA founder Patrick Von Dohlen. The committees president, Mike Knuffke, said it wants trustees who will support abstinence-only sex education, school chaplains and more parental choice and will hold the superintendent accountable. To get the groups endorsement, candidates must complete a questionnaire or sign a pledge vowing to oppose abortion, same-sex marriage and gender-affirming care, among other promises. Rowland, Hoyle and Evans have signed the pledge, Von Dohlen said. Evans said he is personally against abortion but that the issue is not going to come up at a school board meeting. He wants the board to revisit the idea of bringing chaplains into schools. But he is against state vouchers for private schools. Gay students deserve every ounce of our effort and our fight that every student gets and teaching only sexual abstinence would be a disservice to students because they will be having sex, he said. The PAC seems to align more closely with Rasmussen on issues such as vouchers and sex education, but Knuffke said Rasmussen had canceled his interview. Rasmussen, whom PUFF has endorsed, said groups can recognize his conservatism without requiring him to meet in person, sign a pledge or fill out a questionnaire. Knuffke said he could sense the rift between SAFA and PUFF. If theres a problem, he said, its coming from their side. I believe its a personality issue with somebody, but we continue to try, Knuffke said. Its about the children, at the end of the day. Keen, the PUFF president, was more direct. She called Von Dohlen a political operative who is actively working against the parents and said it was not uncommon for him to say things about our organization that are not true. Were parents that have been involved in this for three years, she said. I can see why someone who is part of the political infrastructure would be concerned about a group of nonpolitical parents getting involved. That leaves the unions. The North East Federation of Teachers, Texas State Teachers Association and North East Education Association have endorsed Thompson, Shelton, Beyer, Cox and Chidgey. North East AFT executive director Tom Cummins said his organization contributed $500 to each and is strongly working to support them. The union has opposed the districts dismantling of an award-winning sex ed curriculum and wants to see trustees elected who will stand against vouchers, advocate for more state funding and work to reduce the stress facing teachers and support staff, he said. But the stakes are higher than that, Cummins said. Police officers tell migrants they need to move from the parking lot sidewalks to other other areas outside the Migrant Resource Center in 2023. Jessica Phelps Migrants are dropped off at the Greyhound bus station in downtown San Antonio after their release from immigration detention on April 22, 2022. Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News A group of migrants cross the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, Texas on Sept. 21, 2023. Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News More than 228,000 asylum seekers passed through San Antonio last year, and most of them spent time at the Migrant Resource Center on San Pedro Avenue. As City Council Member Marc Whyte tells it, those migrants flocked here because of the 71,000-square-foot facility, which city officials opened nearly two years ago. If you look at the numbers, we have never had the amount of people coming to San Antonio that we have before we had the Migrant Resource Center, Whyte told KLRNs On the Record on March 28. The numbers drastically increased after we had the Migrant Resource Center. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wualter Ivan wraps his arms around his one-year-old daughter, Yvana, while they sit outside the Migrant Resource Center in 2023. The Honduran family had not been able to enter the center due to the large number of migrants passing through San Antonio. Jessica Phelps Rounding out his argument, the first-term District 10 council member added, My position is, if the migrant network knows there is no facility here for them to come to and get all the supplies and things that they get, the flow will at least be minimized. If it were up to Whyte, the 10-member City Councils lone Republican, the city would close the Migrant Resource Center. The facility isnt the first migrant center to be blamed for luring migrants over the Texas-Mexico border. Earlier this year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sought to shut down El Pasos Annunciation House, accusing the Catholic nonprofit organization of engaging in human smuggling because it provides transportation to migrants. While the federal government perpetuates the lawlessness destroying this country, my office works day in and day out to hold these organizations responsible for worsening illegal immigration, Paxton said in a statement to news outlet El Paso Matters. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Migration experts, however, dismiss Republicans assertion that shelters such as the ones in El Paso and San Antonio are inducing more people to migrate to the United States. Its more silly than hard-hearted to imply that somebody is going to go through Mexico, and maybe get kidnapped, and then wait for a chance to cross the border and have to deal with horrible organized crime people just so they can get a little bit of nice treatment and a plate of free food in a shelter in San Antonio, said Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America, a non-governmental organization that promotes human rights and economic justice in Latin American countries. Yemi, 8, carries a bag of clothing on her head as she and her family move from the area outside the Migrant Resource Center where they were resting in 2023. Jessica Phelps Coming to S.A. Migrants at the San Pedro Avenue center on Friday said they only learned about the facility after crossing the border. But the possibility that here they could get financial assistance to travel to out-of-state destinations was attractive. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Yennys Hernandez learned about the Migrant Resource Center from a taxi driver in Eagle Pass. He recommended she go there after she told him she doesnt have enough money to buy bus tickets to Atlanta for herself and her two children. Hernandez, who said shed been extorted in her native Venezuela, was robbed in Mexico. Her crossing at the Eagle Pass port of entry was dictated by the U.S. government. The border city was where she could get an appointment to request asylum. Jenny, a 26-year-old Ecuadorian, was in a similar situation. She said she heard about the San Antonio facility from shelter workers in McAllen earlier this month. They told us this shelter would be able to buy us bus tickets, she said. Asylum seekers at the Migrant Resource Center choose snacks in December 2022. The center provides meals, service referrals and a cot to sleep on before migrants continue their journey to their final destination. Billy Calzada / Staff photographer Though she crossed through El Paso, Border Patrol agents transferred her and her family to the Rio Grande Valley, where a stranger paid for their bus fare to San Antonio. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But when she arrived here, she found out the Migrant Resource Center didnt have funds available to help cover the cost of transportation out of San Antonio. They can only take us to the airport or to the bus station, said Jenny, who has her sights set on New York City. The city of San Antonio opened the center in July 2022 to address the growing number of asylum seekers passing through San Antonio after being released from Border Patrol custody. San Antonio is the closest big city to the massive Texas-Mexico border, and its airport and downtown bus station can get people to destinations around the country. City officials saw the Migrant Resource Center as a better, more orderly alternative to having migrants spend days waiting at the San Antonio International Airport or the downtown Greyhound bus station to secure transportation out of town. The month before the center opened, almost 19,500 migrants came through San Antonio, up from just over 6,700 the year before, according to city figures. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The number of arrivals rose to 23,611 the following month, July 2022. Migrants crowd a pickup truck loaded with clothing and toys outside the Migrant Resource Center in December 2023. Many migrants had to sleep outside the center that month since it only has beds for 700 people. Jessica Phelps That December, officials logged 37,146 migrants passing through San Antonio, the highest monthly total the city has recorded to date. To me, the biggest thing that the MRC does is it provides for there to be a safe and centralized and appropriately equipped space for people to arrive and to organize themselves, said Katie Myers, who chairs the Interfaith Welcome Coalitions board of directors. Since 2014, coalition staff and volunteers have greeted and helped orient asylum seekers at the airport and Greyhound station. The Migrant Resource Center has phone charging stations, free WiFi so people can make calls or arrange travel plans, and plenty of bathrooms things the bus station on North St. Marys Street and the surrounding downtown area lack, Myers said. Overall, 260,841 migrants came through San Antonio in 2022, which was more than double 2021s total. Migrant arrivals fell slightly last year to 228,071. Since the start of this year, more than 23,100 migrants have spent time at the Migrant Resource Center or have gone directly to the airport or bus station. The city transferred daily operations of the 700-bed facility to Catholic Charities of San Antonio in September 2022. The religious nonprofit provides legal services and help booking and sometimes paying for migrants travel to their destinations. They also can take a hot shower at the center, get a clean pair of clothes and eat three meals a day. The city pays to lease the facility and also covers the costs of janitorial and security services. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers stand guard over migrants in a detention area on Dec. 19, 2023, in Eagle Pass as a surge of migrants crossed the border. William Luther More people on the move The city ran a smaller migrant center in 2019, which served 32,000 people, according to city spokeswoman Laura Mayes. The facility opened in March of that year amid an overwhelming flow of migrants who were released at the border with dates to appear before immigration officials because Border Patrol facilities were full. Hundreds of migrants mainly Central American families with children were arriving in San Antonio daily from border cities such as Laredo and Eagle Pass, stretching thin local nonprofits that had previously assisted migrants without city help. The city closed the center in October 2019 due to low demand. It was even lower the following year, with the arrival of the pandemic. The number of migrant encounters at the southwest border fell in fiscal year 2020 (which ran from October 2019 to September 2020), due largely to COVID-19 border closures. But encounters have climbed annually since 2021, with fiscal year 2023 seeing more than 2.47 million, according to Customs and Border Protection data. The current fiscal year has recorded more than 1.34 million encounters. Youve got more people on the move right now worldwide than you have since World War II, Isacson said. Migrants push factors vary widely, he said. The pandemic upended Central and South American countries economies and pushed people from the middle class into poverty. Migrants from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba and Haiti the top four countries where asylum seekers passing through San Antonio are from are fleeing authoritarian regimes that have grown increasingly repressive. Many are escaping organized crime, while climate change and natural disasters are forcing others from their homes. Migrants line up for food on Christmas Eve 2023 outside the Migrant Resource Center. Jessica Phelps Are travel funds a magnet? Whyte is not the only San Antonio-area politician who views the Migrant Resource Center as a draw for migrants. A lot of migrants say, Quiero ir a San Pedro.' Not San Pedro, Monterrey, but the center on San Pedro Avenue, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, told reporters earlier this month. He added that he was relaying what Border Patrol agents and nonprofits in Laredo have told him. Im not saying that somebody in Venezuela has heard about San Pedro. But I can tell you, when they reach the holding institution in Laredo, at that time theyre saying and I dont know where they learned it, Im not saying it was in Venezuela theyre saying, We want to go to San Pedro, he added. In 2014, Cuellar helped create the Federal Emergency Management Agencys Shelter and Services Program, which reimburses nonprofits, cities, counties and states for the costs of providing migrant services. The moderate Democrat said he never intended the program to be used to transport migrants to other parts of the country. Catholic Charities of San Antonio has used part of its Shelter and Services Program grant funds to purchase bus and airline tickets for asylum seekers who dont have the means to do so themselves. The organization has paused this practice in recent months as its FEMA funding dwindled and Congress stalled on reauthorizing program dollars for the current fiscal year. To me, if you pay for transportation, it becomes a magnet, Cuellar said. Still, the congressman said he isnt in favor of shuttering the Migrant Resource Center or other shelters in Texas border communities. Thats because Border Patrol processing centers do not have sufficient capacity to detain the number of migrants crossing the border, necessitating their release. Catholic Charities declined to answer questions about the status of its travel assistance. Cuellar announced on April 12 that Catholic Charities of San Antonio would receive $10.8 million from FEMA, but its unclear how quickly the nonprofit will have access to that funding. District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte listens to discussion during the City Council meeting on March 21, 2024. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Little support for closure Whyte is an outlier on City Council in his desire to close the Migrant Resource Center. All of the Northeast Side council members colleagues are Democrats, though San Antonios council and mayors office are nonpartisan. I think that we at least need to have the conversation about the wisdom of even having the MRC, he told the Express-News. If we have an honest conversation about that and everybody was open-minded, I think we may land on the conclusion that its better to not have the MRC. No other council member or Mayor Ron Nirenberg, however, have publicly expressed such a sentiment. In fact, a few voiced support for using city dollars to keep the Migrant Resource Center open if the citys FEMA allocation proved insufficient to cover all of the facilitys costs. Last year, the city spent nearly $12.7 million on migrant services, including expenses related to the San Pedro Avenue facility. How much would it have cost us if we had to deal with all of those people without an MRC walking all over our city trying to find a way out, or trying to find a way through? District 9 Council Member John Courage said during a March 7 council meeting. Even if the city did close it, thousands of asylum seekers would still come through San Antonio after crossing the border, Courage said. Faced with increasingly unpredictable FEMA reimbursements, city staff have yet to suggest closing the center as an option for council to consider. Shutting down the facility now, when migrant arrivals are still relatively high compared to prior years, would only happen if the council chose not to use other sources to fund it, City Manager Erik Walsh told the Express-News. Migrants stand in a detention area as the sun sets on Dec. 19, 2023, in Eagle Pass as a surge of migrants crossed the border. William Luther At some point, I think it will close, but its going to depend on whats happening at the border and the larger immigration issues, Walsh said. Whyte appears likely to continue his push to shutter the Migrant Resource Center. Thats to be expected during a presidential election year, said Raymond Robertson, an economics and government professor at Texas A&M University at College Station. Theres been an ongoing campaign to keep migration as an issue in the forefront of the political debate, Robertson said. That issue provokes strong feelings, especially among Republican voters, which could fuel turnout in the November election. Despite the lack of causation between the existence of the Migrant Resource Center and the number of migrant arrivals, Republicans will likely continue to drive their message home, Robertson said. Kia, India's leading premium carmaker, has rolled out a new campaign Tech is now Badass for the New Seltos powered with Kia Connect. This campaign spotlights Seltos technological prowess, its thrilling performance and commanding on-road presence. Starring Bollywood actor Bobby Deol embodying the 'Badass' persona, the campaign epitomizes the Seltos, appealing to discerning customers who crave distinctly unconventional & tech-driven mobility experiences. Packed with connected technology, formidable performance, and premium features, this collaboration makes Seltos stand out as the smartest choice for those who dare to be different. Kia India's collaboration with Bobby Deol marks a bold new chapter in the carmaker's journey, promising consumers an unmatched experience that blends performance with style and technology. The teaser begins with Bobby Deol activating the New Seltos X-Line using the Kia Connect application on his watch, emphasizing its advanced technology and seamless connectivity. Both Seltos and Lord Bobby will be seen mirroring each other's style, boldness, and charisma in the main film, making this collaboration truly electrifying. The cultural phenomenon and epic pirate adventure story embraced all over the world docks on Cartoon Network in India! Cartoon Network today announced the arrival of globally acclaimed manga series ONE PIECE with its One Piece: Land of Wano Arc storyline for the first time on Indian Television in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Adding sparkle to the summer season and to its cache of popular Japanese anime slate, the channel is hosting the adrenaline-pumping, dazzling adventures of Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats Pirates, starting May 5 every Sunday at 1:00 pm thereafter Monday through Friday at 9:00 pm. Produced by the legendary anime studio Toei Animation Inc. and based on the top-selling manga title of all time by creator Eiichiro Oda, ONE PIECE is an epic sea tale chronicling the escapades of unstoppable Monkey D. Luffy, a pirate with unflinching drive to become the pirate king. Together, Luffy and the courageous Straw Hat Pirates forge a path through unimaginable hardships and experiences during their thrilling captivating journey. A truly amazing feast is in store for every ride-or-die ONE PIECE fan, as One Piece: Land of Wano Arc arrives on Cartoon Network. Sending waves of excitement through the Indian anime community, the plot of Wano Country Arc centers on the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance assembling their forces in anticipation of the impending battle with the Beasts Pirates and to save the world from Kaido. Talking about the shows premiere, Uttam Pal Singh, Head of Kids Cluster, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery, said, Cartoon Network has always taken the lead in offering its viewers original and widely recognised stories and our anime slate is a true reflection of that. We have received a great deal of love and support from our fans in the last two years, and we are thrilled to bring another gem for all anime aficionados and Cartoon Network fans with the incredible storytelling and experience of One Piece: Land of Wano Arc from the sprawling ONE PIECE universe. The shows universal themes of bravery, friendship, and never die attitude perfectly complements Cartoon Network's guiding principles. The series with regional dubs in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam will be seen by millions of anime lovers across India while taking fans of Cartoon Network on an exciting and thrilling voyage, he added. Renowned voiceover artists lend their prowess to the shows main characters in Hindi Vaibhav Thakkar as Luffy, Kaith Handa as Usopp, Nikita Salaskar as Chopper, Pragti Kothari as Robin and others. Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), embarks on a mission to deepen its roots in rural India. Recognizing the diverse needs of consumers across every corner of the country, Hyundai Motor India proudly introduces Grameen Mahotsav - a vibrant initiative celebrating the essence of rural India. With rural sales accounting for over 19% of its total sales, HMIL is committed to fostering strong bonds with rural communities. Under Grameen Mahotsav, Hyundai is orchestrating an array of engaging activities, including captivating product displays, interactive demonstrations and attractive customer experiences like nukkad natak, live music, folk dance and regional talent shows. The 2 day Grameen Mahotsav carnival will be hosted at 16 locations across India, exhibiting a vibrant market place featuring artisanal crafts, carnival rides, gaming zones and delicious food stalls. Beyond celebration, Grameen Mahotsav serves as a platform for Hyundai to delve into the vast potential of rural markets. By closely engaging with communities and discerning market trends, HMIL aims to not only cater to evolving aspirations but also identify and welcome new customers into the Hyundai family. Expressing his enthusiasm for the initiative, Tarun Garg, COO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, Our sustained efforts towards bolstering rural connect are bearing great fruits and Hyundai Motor India has witnessed a remarkable growth in rural markets in financial year 2023-2024. We sold 1.15 lakh vehicles in rural India last year, a growth of 11% over 2022-23. We are confident that with good monsoon, increasing income levels and improved infrastructure, the contribution from rural markets will further increase. The growth will be fueled by our belief in the potential of upcountry markets and the dedication to cater to evolving aspirations of Indian consumers across all geographies. He further added, At Hyundai Motor India, we firmly believe that for the nation to prosper, both Bharat and India must progress in tandem. With initiatives like Grameen Mahotsav, we hope to nurture our customers in every part of the country and also understand the market trends to fulfill their expectations. As we continue to innovate and engage with rural consumers, we are confident in our ability to contribute to the inclusive development of the country. By engaging dealers, rural influencers, financiers, customers and their families, Hyundai Motor India is building a strong network to not only enhance brand recall but also drive sales in the rural markets. The inaugural Grameen Mahotsav event was held successfully in Mahemdavad, Gujarat in April 2024. Now Hyundai Motor India looks forward to extending its reach and impact across rural landscapes. With initiatives like Grameen Mahotsav, Hyundai remains steadfast towards its mission to nurture relationships, understand market dynamics and contribute to the holistic development of the country. Over the years, Hyundai has really made a name for itself. It is a brand that the people know and trust. In terms of innovation and features, the new models of Hyundai lead by example. The two new models, of Creta and Hyundai Verna are two of the top horses in the market right now. However, the real question is which one is the best? While the answer can depend on person to person, in this guide, we have laid out the comparison between these top models in terms of performance, features, and mileage. Performance In terms of performance, the Hyundai Verna is one of a kind. With a 1.5L Turbo GDi and a 1.5L MPi version, the petrol engine is high-powered. And it deserves all the credit in the world. In terms of torque and power, it is no short of impressive. When it is in conjunction with the automatic and manual transmissions, the Verna grants seamless gear shifts that are unmatched by any other. Additionally, it offers dynamic acceleration. It is no wonder why it is at the top of the list in terms of performance. Reliable performance is the first priority of the consumers. And the Hyundai Creta does not at all compromise on it. Whether it is on city roads or highways, it offers the utmost smoothness and delivers a smooth driving experience with its additional features. Mileage You can trust the Hyundai Verna for its fuel efficiency. Among all its variants, the automatic petrol engine is the most reliable. Want to know about its mileage? It's an impressive 20.6 km/l. The manual petrol version also does not disappoint. It can offer 20.0 km/l mileage. The Creta diesel promises a specified ARAI mileage of 21.8 km/l. You can expect a mileage of 17.4 km/l from the petrol model. The diesel automatic version runs 19.1 km/l. The petrol model of the Hyundai Creta offers a fuel efficiency of 18.4 km/l. Transmission If you rather prefer different ways of driving, Verna is a great option for you. This is due to the fact that there are three kinds of transmissions. And when it comes to the manual gearbox, you wont need to stress about it either because you can simply use the 6-speed IVT gearbox. It will make sure of the ultimate smooth experience with gears. If you are someone who drives on the highways and city roads regularly, the 7-speed DCT will be of help. When it comes to the gearbox options, the Hyundai Creta goes the extra mile and offers four gearbox options. You get both the automatic and manual torque converter within the six-gear models. Additionally, you get the seven-speed automated dual-clutch transmission. Ground Clearance Verna's ground clearance is, on average, 170 mm. Therefore, the model is perfectly equipped to drive on both highway and urban environments. It is ideally capable of tackling various road conditions. On the other hand, the upgraded version of Creta has gone on to keep the same measurement as the previous one. The only exception was the slight increase of 30 mm. While the new bumpers may look longer, the dimensions are still the same. Exterior Appearance Vernas front features a striking black parametric grille. The back of the sedan looks futuristic. The props for that go to the LED strip that connects the split tail lights. Additionally, the lid of the sculpted boot carries Verna's branding. The bumper on the rear gives a sporty appearance to the car. Even the cars side profile looks dynamic with a stance. It pretty much goes without saying that Hyundai Verna is a sedan that is definitely ahead of its time. The new Creta boasts a boxy and upright exterior appearance. The redesigned bumper has transformed the main LED headlamp cluster into a rectangular split quad-beam headlight arrangement stacked vertically. Furthermore, the silver trim above the windows gives the side profile a distinctive Creta look. Interior Space The modern Hyundai Verna features a completely redesigned interior. When you step inside the Verna cabin, you will discover a sophisticated charm. The dual-tone dashboard includes a large floating touchscreen infotainment system. Leather accents can be found throughout the cabin. With a two-spoke design, the Verna steering wheel looks quite unique. Moreover, the digital instrument cluster adds a modern touch. Both the front and rear seats are spacious and provide a comfortable driving experience. The Hyundai Verna also has the largest boot capacity in its segment, at 528 litres. The Creta's interior has a new look with two-tone decor inspired by the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The twin 10.25-inch screens, similar to those in the Kia Seltos, add a modern touch. Ambient lighting is placed under the black panel housing the front AC vent. The centre console keeps the HVAC controls integrated with a touch screen, along with updated air vents. Exclusive features include adjustable driver seats and wireless charging pads. Overall, the cabin is more luxurious than before. Conclusion The Hyundai Verna is your answer when you want a medium-sized sedan packed with valuable features. Combining a futuristic appearance with advanced interior design, the Verna promises an impeccable driving experience. You can't turn a blind eye to the benefits of the new Hyundai Creta either. Do you want a refined style or a superior in-cabin experience? The Creta combines it all to make all your rides super enjoyable. Both the Hyundai Creta and Verna appeal to buyers with their individual features. If you have to choose one between them, you will have to bring in your personal preferences. Did you know that by opting for ACKO Drive, you could save up to Rs. 85,000 on your car purchase? Heres how: - Begin by logging in to the ACKO Drive website. - Select your desired car online, ensuring the best price thanks to our 'Best Price Guarantee'. - Count on the support of an ACKO Drive advisor to guide you through the loan process, document submission, and delivery updates. - Receive your car directly from a reputable authorized showroom. The 13th edition of Kaizen Congress India 2024, organised by Kaizen Institute India, elaborately discussed the stringent need to push towards adapting Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies in the business world. The two-day summit, concluded on April 19th, 2024, in Pune, witnessed massive participation from industry stalwarts across a myriad of domains, who came together to exchange views on the increasingly significant role of ESG strategies, as sustainability and social responsibility continue to dominate the interests of investors globally. According to a study conducted by the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing and Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, 77% of the investors globally have piqued interest in enterprises that prioritise their environmental and social impact. Further, nearly 60% of the globally surveyed investors indicated allocating their finances towards sustainable investments within the coming financial years. With this in consideration, Kaizen Congress India 2024 extensively expounded on effective methodologies for organisations to adopt ESG practices to not only develop sustainable and responsible business operations but also efficiently identify cost wastage and increase investment opportunities. Commenting on the urgency to adopt ESG, Mr. Vinod Grover, Managing Director, South Asia & Africa, Kaizen Institute, noted, Several recently conducted studies have indicated a significantly growing increase among investors opting for organisations that are more ESG-oriented. It, therefore, becomes imperative for businesses to leverage ESG strategies for transitioning from a profit-driven model towards practices that prioritise environmental and social responsibility. Mr. Jayanth Murthy, Joint Managing Director, South Asia & Africa, Kaizen Institute, noted, Sustainability has become a paramount concern for many businesses. Industrial leaders are undergoing a paradigm shift, transitioning towards a business model that is more in line with todays social and moral responsibilities. However, a clear and comprehensive roadmap for integrating sustainability practices within operations remains elusive. As India nears its SDG target of 2030 to reduce the carbon intensity of its GDP by 45%, addressing the challenges of sustainability is crucial for achieving sustained growth, optimising costs, and enhancing productivity. Stressing on the imperative for businesses to integrate ESG principles, Dr. Pradeep Panigrahi, Head Corporate Sustainability, Larsen & Toubro Limited, India, stated, As the world continues to move towards exploring sustainable means of life, enterprises across domains have begun to recognise their substantial role in todays world in combating climate change. The active involvement of senior leadership is crucial for optimal implementation of ESG frameworks, particularly in ensuring the diligent pursuit of objectives. A successful execution of an ESG strategy not only aids in enhancing an organisations ethical and sustainable practices but also immensely assists in improving operational efficiency, and thereby reducing their cost wastage. This emphasis on ESG strategic planning has become a top priority at the board level, reflected in its imminent focus on developing robust, yet realistic and practical frameworks, catered uniquely to their operational needs. Emphasising the need to incorporate ESG strategies, Ms. Tejashree Joshi, Head of Environmental Sustainability Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., further stated, As consumer demand for sustainability and social responsibility continues to persist, contemporary business operations are increasingly expected to demonstrate an extended ethical and moral responsibility towards society. A 2021 survey revealed that nearly half of consumers reported paying a premium of 59% for products perceived as sustainable or socially responsible. The changing consumer trend further warrants increased priorities to integrate sustainable solutions into their core strategies. The Kaizen Congress India (KCI) is an annual summit, hosting a multitude of industry leaders across a plethora of sectors, providing a global platform to exchange ideas and showcase Kaizen methodologies and their applications. Since its inception, KCI has hosted over 2,000 attendees, over 350 companies, with over 50 renowned speakers, and has presented nearly 350 case studies. "Congress is such a vine that has neither roots nor land, it dries up one who supports it": PM Modi 2 Warning the public to not repose faith in the INDIA bloc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the Congress is such a vine that has neither roots nor it has land and it dries up one who supports it. Prime Minister said that Congress did not allow Maharashtra to develop adding that it was responsible for the problems in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a Vijay Sankalp meeting in Parbhani, Prime Minister Modi said, Beware of the Congress and the INDI Alliance! Congress is such a vine, that has neither roots nor land, it dries up the one who supports it, Congress was responsible for partition. Congress was responsible for the Kashmir issue. Congress did not allow the implementation of the Constitution in Kashmir on the pretext of Article 370! Congress snatched away the rights of Dalits. Congress never allowed Maharashtra and Marathwada to develop. Prime Minister compared the media debate of the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and said that a clear shift has been noted in these five years as earlier media used to debate only about cross-border terrorism. In 2014, when I was contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time, what were the topics of discussion during that time? What were the topics covered in the newspapers? What were the topics discussed on TV? At that time, the talk was of the fear of terrorist attacks. Every day there was news of bomb blasts. Five years later, in 2019, the discussion of cross-border attacks stopped and the discussion of surgical strikes started, and Yeh toh Modi hai ghar mein ghus kar marega started he said. Prime Minister further said that the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state ignored the problems of Maharashtra. The entire area of Marathwada is of farming. Black cotton, soybean, and jowar bajra are important sources of income. But Congress and MVA did not understand your troubles. The biggest challenge in this area is irrigation. During the NDA government, the Jalyukt Shivar Scheme was launched but MVA stopped this scheme, PM said. Prime Minister also mentioned that Maharashtra is benefitting from the Centres schemes. Today everyone is getting medicines at an 80 per cent discount from Jan Aushadhi Kendras in Parbhani. More than 1.25 lakh women have been given Ujjwala gas connections here without any discrimination, he added. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena. Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra are being held in five phases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposition parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing ousting him from power.The results of the seven-phase polls will be announced on June 4. The second phase will be held on April 26 and the remaining phases will be May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1 accordingly. The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases. It was in November that 11-year-old Domonic Davis was killed in the blink of an eye by shots fired from a passing car at a group of children he was among. Four other children and a woman were hurt in the November shooting that took Dominic's life. "What happened? How does this happen to an 11-year-old? He was only a few doors down," his father, Isaac Davis, said. No arrests have been made in the shooting, but federal investigators believe that the 22 shots that rang out that night were fired off so quickly because the weapon that was used has been converted to fire on full-auto, like a machine gun, which is illegal. Authorities believe there has been an uptick of shootings involving pistols converted to fire on fully automatic, which is fueled by small pieces of plastic and metal made by 3D printers or ordered online. Laws governing machine guns date back to the Prohibition era of gangsters, an era that brought about the much-hated drive-by shooting. The devices, commonly known as Glock switches, auto sears, and chips, have allowed individuals to convert legal semi-automatic weapons into virtual machine guns. "Police officers are facing down fully automatic weapon fire in amounts that haven't existed in this country since the days of Al Capone and the Tommy gun," said Steve Dettelbach, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF. "It's a huge problem." The ATF reports a 570% increase in the number of converted weapons collected by police departments between 2017 and 2021, according to the most recent available data. Several mass shootings have been carried out by individuals using converted weapons in recent years. A shooting at a Sweet Sixteen Party in Alabama last year that killed four people, a shooting that left six people dead in Sacramento, CA in 2022, and the death of Houston police officer William Jeffrey in 2021, were all carried out with guns that were illegally converted. So-called Glock Switches can be created using a 3D printer in less than 35 minutes, or online for less than $30 and are reportedly easy to install. Instead of firing one round each time the trigger is squeezed, as a semiautomatic weapon would normally operate, a converted device starts firing as soon as the trigger goes down and doesn't stop until the shooter lets go or the weapon runs out of ammunition. "You're seeing them a lot in stunning numbers, particularly in street violence," said David Pucino, deputy chief counsel at Giffords Law Center. The AP reports that police departments across America found 814 converted devices between 2012 and 2016 that were subsequently sent to the ATF. That number ballooned to 5,400 between 2017 and 2021, according to the ATF. While the device makes handguns into illegal machine guns under federal law, states don't have specific laws against them. "We have to update the laws regarding machine guns to deal with the problems of today," Indianapolis police Chief Chris Bailey said. devices. Often about the size of a quarter, they can easily go unnoticed by the untrained eye after being installed, said Dettelbach. He recalled visiting a Texas police department after the ATF hosted a training on conversion devices. Afterwards, the chief searched the weapons in the evidence room and found several with previously undetected conversion devices. "These items don't always look as dangerous as they are," he said. "If you see some of them, they're pieces of plastic and metal, and sometimes it's even hard to recognize them when they're actually on or in the firearm because they blend in." They're also increasingly a fixture online, in social media and rap lyrics, Davis said. "Everyone is talking about switches," he said. "It's a scary trend." All criminal charges in a case involving journalists and school board members in a small southeastern Alabama county were dismissed Friday, ending a lengthy case that originally surfaced in October over a dispute about a school superintendents postion. The dismissals, granted by Judge Ben Fuller, were requested earlier in the day by Assistant Attorney General Thomas Govan Jr., whose office had taken over the cases after Escambia County District Attorney Steve Bill recused himself from prosecuting it in February. Dismissed were criminal charges of revealing grand jury secrets against Atmore News publisher and Escambia County School Board member Sherry Digmon, 73; Atmore News reporter Don Fletcher, 69; Escambia County school board vice-president Cindy Jackson, 73; and the school systems bookkeeper Vernoica Fore, 48. Atmore News reporter Don Fletcher observes the Escambia County School Board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Atmore, Ala.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com A criminal charge against Digmon for using her public position for personal gain was also dismissed. She was originally charged by Billy with impeachment, an offense that was aimed at removing her from her school board seat. But the impeachment charge was dismissed in February. An attorney representing Digmon and Fletch could not be reached for comment. The Alabama Association of School Boards had been involved in the case, assisting Digmon in her impeachment case before that charge was dismissed. The impeachment proceeding was based on a violation to the School Board Governance Act of 2012, which establishes training requirements and accountability measures for all school board members. Sally Smith, president of the AASB, called the impeachment charge in November the most outlandish situation shes seen of outside influence in a school board matter in her 37-year career with the organization. In a statement to AL.com on Friday, Smith said she was concerned as a matter of public policy about questionable criminal charges being used to intimidate school board members voting their conscience. We are relieved this effort was not successful, Smith said. Decisions relating to Escambia County Schools should be made by local school officials and we will stand with them as they continue the important work of educating kids. The dismissals appear to put an end to a case that sparked unusual amounts of national attention for Escambia County over press freedoms and the extent in which prosecutors can punish the media for publishing confidential material. The impetus for cases stemmed from the publication of an Oct. 25 article in The Atmore News, written by Fletcher. Digmon is the newspapers publisher. Within the piece, according to Billy in the original charges, are details that were included in a grand jury proceeding that he argued should have remained a secret and were a violation of state law. The arrests of Digmon and Fletcher, according to their attorney Ernest White of Brewton, represented a violation of First Amendment press freedoms. Media and ethics experts pounced on the prosecutions saying the charges were levied against the journalists for publishing what they said was leaked material, and for simply doing their job. White cited past federal rulings that had been repeatedly protected press freedoms including the right to publish confidential proceedings. Ive had a lot of cases in 44 years, White told AL.com earlier this month. I cant say (this is the most unusual). It is the first, First Amendment case Ive ever had, yes. Escambia County District Attorney Steve Billy speaks with the parents of Superintendent Michele McClung during a break at the Escambia County School Board's meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Atmore, Ala.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com The cases were part of unfolding actions within the Escambia County School System that began in mid-October with a controversial 4-3 vote to new renew former Superintendent Michele McClungs contract, originally set to expire in June 2024. The vote came during a meeting in which Billy was among those who publicly voiced his dissatisfaction over having McClung dismissed. The board remained splintered in December over McClung when the contractual buyout came up for a vote. The buyout, which terms were never released by the school system, was approved by a split board over their views about McClung: Four board members did not support her, including Digmon and Jackson. Three board members praised McClungs tenure in the seat and said she oversee an improved academic environment as illustrated by a school report card that showed increasing test scores from prior years. Former assistant superintendent Michele Collier has since replaced McClung. While representatives and senators hashed out bills on the fifth and seventh floors of the Alabama State House on Thursday, people with disabilities met in a committee room on a quiet hallway on the first floor. They were there to launch REV UP, an initiative to help disabled people get involved in political advocacy and improve access to voting. REV UP stands for Register, Educate, Vote, Use your Power. Alabama is the 20th state to adopt the campaign that started in Texas in 2016 and that has ties to the American Association of People with Disabilities. Katie Toro, who lives in Morgan County and works as a peer advocate for an independent living center, talked about being a shy child who grew up in foster care. I had to find my voice. And REV UP is to help individuals with disabilities find their voice. Because one thing is that people with disabilities are kept quiet, Toro said. Toro said there are consequences to not being heard. Out of sight, out of mind. So, its time for us to raise our voices, to get out there and let them know that were out there and we need to break these barriers down so everybody else can get out there, Toro said. Barbara Manuel, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Alabama, said the goals of REV UP are straightforward. We want the same rights, the same privileges as anyone else, Manuel said. Thats all were asking for. We want to be treated fairly, whether its blindness, whether youre in a wheelchair, or other unseen disabilities. Were here. Were human. We want to be treated fairly. Toro, Manuel, Jenny Lux of Huntsville and Karen Jones of Montgomery spoke as the co-leaders of REV UP. The League of Women Voters of Alabama helped organize the launch and a session in civic engagement training. Kathy Jones, president of the League of Women Voters Alabama, said REV UP will provide a powerful voice that is needed for voting rights concerns of Alabamas disabled citizens. The initiative comes one month after Alabama lawmakers passed SB1, a bill to make it a felony to pay someone or to receive payment for helping voters get absentee ballot applications, fill them out, and turn them in. The Republican majority in the Legislature passed the bill over opposition from Democrats and from advocates who said it would deprive elderly, disabled, and incarcerated voters and others from help they need. Supporters of the legislation said exceptions in the new law make allowances for those who need help with absentee voting, like the disabled, blind, and illiterate. They said the new law was intended to stop ballot harvesting, the distribution and collection of absentee ballot applications by third parties to influence election outcomes. Opponents of the bill questioned that purpose and cited the lack of examples of ballot harvesting in Alabama. A federal lawsuit has been filed challenging the new law as unconstitutional. While REV UP will focus on voting, Toro said there will be broad overlap with other issues affecting the disabled. That involves every type of barrier that is put in place for us, Toro said. That includes transportation, that includes health care, that includes education, that includes just daily living. There have been days where I saw other people living their day-to-day lives and I was stuck at home with no transportation and no way to get to a voting poll to be able to vote against and for different bills out there. Theres been times where I went to go and vote and the handicapped parking was blocked. Toro said part of her job as a co-leader of REV UP is to overcome the discouragement she encounters. I hear in my work every day, Why should I vote, Katie? They dont care what we have to say. Toro said. So weve got to break these barriers so people with disabilities can get out there and vote for and against these bills. We say were a free country and were one nation. Well, we need to become one nation and one country and get Alabama on the same page. Manuel said the Federation of the Blind consistently hears examples of why more civic engagement is necessary, such as when people are first trying to adjust to their loss of sight. A lot of times people think their life is over, Manuel said. Were here to let them know you still can lead a productive, quality life. With the proper training and tools, you can be proficient in just about everything you want to do. We constantly get calls from parents of blind children. Wondering, my child is maybe 9 or 10 years old, sometimes even older, and within a public school system. And they do not know how to read. These are things that we can change in the state of Alabama. Jones said there is a need for onsite assessments of voting precincts to check for potential problems for disabled voters. Jones said the need to draw attention to the issues affecting the disabled exceeds what most people believe. Just like me, I have an invisible disability, said Jones, who suffers from the effects of a stroke. I dont walk with a cane. I dont know when is a good day or a bad day for me when my body wants to operate and cooperate. So we have to stop the assumption that disabled means youre in a wheelchair. How many state representatives and senators have invisible disabilities? Jones said. So those disabled state representatives should be the first that want to join REV UP Alabama to collaborate on efforts. I would love for state representatives and state senators to boldly come out, they dont have to be specific on what their disability is, but let people know. Manuel said it is important to build relationships with lawmakers. We want to educate everyone to let them know that these barriers exist, Manuel said. A lot of times people dont even realize they exist. But this one of the reasons why REV UP is here in Alabama. And I know that we are going to make some positive changes. The numbers will grow. We will have disabled as well as other individuals helping us lift this tremendous load to change the pendulum and let the pendulum swing in the right direction for disabled individuals in the state of Alabama. Nearly 100 people gathered Friday evening close to a Birmingham intersection where, just over one week ago, 40-year-old Nakita Kita Davidson was abducted and killed. Family and friends of the mother of four were led in a prayer of salvation as they prepared to say goodbye to Davidson with a balloon release ahead of her funeral on Saturday. Of course, the family is definitely devastated by this, said the victims sister, Sandrika Davidson. We never thought anything like this would happen to Nakita. She was a wonderful person. The vigil took place at Sixth Avenue S.W. and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive near Elmwood Cemetery. It was there the investigation began in the predawn hours of April 11 when Birmingham police were dispatched to a two-vehicle wreck. Officers arrived to find much more had happened than a wreck. There was clear evidence of a shooting, and it was apparent someone had been seriously wounded, if not worse. A single pink Nike sneaker was found at the site which, once made public, was what led family members to contact police to identify Davidson. Davidsons vehicle a 2008 burgundy Saturn Outlook was driven away from the scene, police said. For the next roughly 36 hours, family and police were desperate to find Davidson, as well as her boyfriend, 37-year-old Cedric Wayne Robertson, a convicted felon with a violent past. Court records would later indicate Robertson deliberately crashed into Davidsons vehicle, shot her, and then drove away in her vehicle after putting her into the trunk. Davidsons body was found the following day in a wooded area, also in southwest Birmingham. The discovery was made by the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force and Birmingham Police Departments Crime Reduction Team. Several hours later, the manhunt for Robertson ended when the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Birmingham Police Departments Crime Reduction Team, and Jefferson County sheriffs deputies nabbed him as he was moving from one abandoned house to another. He is charged with capital murder during a kidnapping. Family said Davidson had been dating Robertson for less than a year. Her plan was to get away from him, her brother, Laderrius Swain said. Thats what she was trying to do that night. A GoFundMe has been started to help the family. Davidson left behind four young children three daughters and a son - all of whom attended Fridays vigil. Theyre hanging in there, Sandrika Davidson said of her nieces and nephew. Theyre so young, Im not sure its impacting them yet. Davidson was described a loyal, loving and always laughing. She was always there when you needed her, Sandrika Davidson said. She touched so many lives in so many different ways, she said. Now we have to figure out life without her. William H. Harris, the former Alabama State University president who came out of retirement twice to lead the university, died Friday. He was 79. Harris joined ASU as president in 1994, bringing 28 years of higher education experience to the university. He retired for the first time in 2000, but returned to work in 2005 as interim president of Fort Valley State University, where he served until 2006. In 2008, he again left retirement to serve as interim president of Texas College and returned to ASU as interim president the same year. A year later, he regained his status as full president of ASU and remained on the job until September 2012 when he stepped aside to make way for former ASU President Joseph Silver. But when the universitys board of trustees abruptly approved a settlement agreement that secured Silvers resignation after just 13 weeks on the job, Harris was again called upon to serve as interim president. His third and final retirement in 2014 ushered in the universitys first female president, Gwendolyn Boyd. Harris had a vision of a comprehensive regional university following Knight v. State of Alabama, according to the universitys library. The nearly 30-year federal court case challenged policies of the states colleges and universities on the grounds that they were racially discriminatory. With the help of the Knight remedial decree, Harris introduced high-demand programs, established the universitys first major endowment and generated a 10.5% leap in minority enrollment, according to ASU. The University extends its deepest condolences to President Harriss wife, former First Lady Wanda Harris, his son, Dr. William J. Harris; and his family, friends, former employees, alumni and the myriad people whom he impacted, said ASU President Quinton T. Ross, Jr. Harris, a resident of Hilton Head, South Carolina, and a native of south Georgia, was married to his wife for over 50 years. He earned his bachelors degree at Paine College in Georgia and attended Indiana University to obtain his M.A. and Ph.D. He received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from Indiana University in 1991. In 1978-1979, Harris was a Fulbright professor and visiting professor of history at the University of Hamburg in Germany. The family said final arrangements are pending and will be shared once finalized. Mobile and Montgomery mayors took action Friday to either discuss the removal of or press forward with the dismissal of their police chiefs. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, in a statement Friday, said he will recommend the Mobile City Council vote on Tuesday to remove police Chief Paul Prine from his position. In Montgomery, Mayor Steven Reed publicly spoke on the same day about the resignation of police Chief Darryl Albert, effectively immediately. Albert had been Montgomerys police chief since March 2022. Prine has been Mobiles police chief since October 2021. Both chiefs have lengthy careers in law enforcement -- Albert, who has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, came to Montgomery after serving as commander of the Special Operations Division for the New Orleans Police Department; Prine worked his way up the ranks of the Mobile Police Department with 27 years at the agency. Montgomery resignation After a little more than two years of being named Montgomery police chief, Darryl Albert submitted his resignation on Thursday, April 18, and it was accepted immediately by Mayor Steven L. Reed. The resignation came more than week after Albert was placed on leave during an investigation into allegations against the department. (City of Montgomery) Albert issued his resignation amid scandal. Today, Darryl Albert informed me that he is resigning from his post as Chief of Police, and I have accepted his resignation, Reed said Thursday in a news release. The mayor said during a news conference earlier on Friday that Albert was placed on suspension, in part, because of a case that involved sexual harassment allegations in the department, which he first learned about last month. Improving public safety is a priority for our city, Reed said in a statement. We are committed to confronting violent crime with community-based solutions. The departments Deputy Chief John Hall is serving as the acting chief. Mobile dispute Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine speaks to the media after the Mobile City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at Government Plaza in downtown Mobile. Prine was placed on administrative leave earlier this month amid an investigation into the department.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com In Mobile, Prine has been on paid administrative leave more than a week. He cleared out his office earlier this month, and then began blasting the Stimpson administration through electronic media and during a public rally last Saturday, alleging improprieties within the citys leadership. His concerns have mostly focused on intelligence-led policing and improper contracting. Over the last 10 days, we have all listened to allegations concerning city officials and their families, false accusations of impropriety and conspiracy theories, Stimpson said in a statement. Ive watched the negative impact this has had on our community long enough. It is time for the situation to be resolved. Stimpson is sponsoring a resolution to support the dismissal of Prine as police chief. It takes five of seven votes on the Mobile City Council for it be approved. Despite every effort to avoid this path of submitting a resolution to the City Council, it seems to be the only option, he said. Under the Zoghby Act that established Mobiles current city government, the police chief is one of several positions that can only be appointed or removed with a vote from five city council members. Despite taking this action, we are still hopeful to reach a more amicable resolution. Prine, in an interview with AL.com Thursday, said he has not been in contact with anyone from the Stimpson administration nor any member of the city council since he first raised questions over contracting and his inability to oversee the budgets and make financial decisions related to cyber-intelligence within the Mobile Police Department. These recent events have drastically impacted the morale of the Mobile Police Department and painted the City of Mobile in a negative light, Stimpson said. Our officers are among the best in the country. These men and women put their lives on the line to protect this community every day, and they deserve clear leadership without continued distractions. As mayor, my first responsibility is public safety, and it is a responsibility I take very seriously. Prine, in his comments to AL.com, said he has not spoken to anyone with the administration since April 9. I am not sure what the end game is, he said on Thursday. I have made it clear in the media that Im only willing to go as far as the administration continues to push. Its my reputation they have tarnished. There is still a way for me not to be the chief, but still resolve this. The administration in good faith has to start this conversation and, in order to do that, there has to be concession made to a whole lot of issues whether its operations to the departments financial improprieties. The administration needs to look in and do the right thing. Prine said he is considering whether to forward his concerns to the Mobile County District Attorneys Office to investigate. Mobile investigations The Mobile City Council listens to the public speak during the council's meeting on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at Government Plaza in downtown Mobile, Ala. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). The council will also vote on a contract to hire a special counsel that will assist with investigating Prines claims that include, among other things: Lack of the chiefs control over the Mobile Police Departments intelligence division, also referred to as the Gulf Coast Technology Center that was established by current Chief of Staff James Barber, the citys former police chief. Alleged failures of the ShotSpotter program and the commissioner of a third-party peer review and investigation by a company, 321z Insights LLC. The company was hired for $92,000 in November 2023. Prine has said that all but one invoice has been paid to the company for work that he claims was not properly detailed. Prine has said that a scope of work was supposed to be disclosed with each invoice, but he said the only description attached to them is listed as consultancy. Failure of the city to address or resolve written grievances filed by Prine. The city, through an information request, released a grievance Prine filed against Rob Lasky, the executive director of public safety, for allegedly making disparaging remarks about the chief in front of a subordinate. Collusion between city officials and/or third parties in an attempt to silence or remove Prine from his position. Improper attempts to control or run the Mobile Police Department by members of the Stimpson administration. Allegations that contracts had been improperly entered into without consent from the Mobile City Council. The Council is mindful that its investigatory powers should be reserved for only the most serious matters, the resolution reads. The investigation is based on the severity of the complaints made by Prine, combined with the sensitivity and importance of his position. If the cause of and truth or falsity of these complaints are not fully investigated and addressed, the potential exists for malaise and loss of efficiency at the Mobile Police Department as well as the City Administration more broadly, and an erosion of and loss of public confidence in the City of Mobile, the resolution continues. Prine, in a comment late Friday, said its his hope the council will look at the allegations on both sides of the argument and come to the conclusion that there needs to be real objective investigation to determine if his grievances had merit. In addition, he said he hopes the investigation will show decades of best accounting practices not being adhered to with the Gulf Coast Technology Center, why the Chief of Police does not have access control or accountability to the tech center, and determine if organizations and/or vendors contracted with the city are appropriate. The council is also expected to receive a report into the policies and procedures on the use of force within the department. That report, conducted by former federal prosecutor Kenyen Brown, has been called a sham by Prine. Stimpson authorized the report in November following a deadly pre-dawn raid -- the fourth time in the past year in which a Black man died during an encounter with a Mobile police officer. In Stimpsons statement from last week, he said preliminary findings of Browns review uncovered disturbing instances of Prines authoritarian style, irreconcilable differences between Prine and other public safety officials, and a series of frivolous complaints, which Stimpson said were demonstrably false. I was shocked and disappointed to hear that at one open roll call in the first precinct, several officers who were present at the time confirmed that Prine said something to the effect of Dont pay attention to what I say in the media, f--- the public, Stimpson said in his statement. Stimpson said the information uncovered led him to make a change. This story was updated at 10:25 p.m. with additional comments Friday from Chief Paul Prine. A north Alabama lawyer representing a domestic violence defendant pleaded guilty to harassing his clients victim and making her scared to show up at the courthouse, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Friday. John Totten, 50, of Athens, told the victim to stay at his office after he finished a meeting with her and his client prior to a court hearing. When the victim went to the courthouse, according to Marshall, Totten confronted her verbally and told her to leave the building, causing her to be fearful of showing up at the courthouse. Totten pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of misdemeanor harassment. He was sentenced to 90 days in the Limestone County jail, which was suspended. Instead, Totten will serve one year of probation. Victims of domestic violence should not fear harassment from attorneys who represent their attackers, Marshall said in announcing the guilty plea and sentence. Attorneys should especially be held to the strictest moral and ethical standards as they carry out their roles in our judicial system. Those who violate these standards will face criminal prosecution in accordance with the law. Richard Jaffe, one of the attorneys representing Totten, denied Marshalls version of events. Boiled down to its essence, he raised his voice when his then clients girlfriend handed his client a piece of paper while his client was in custody in the courtroom. He did not intimidate anyone, especially his clients girlfriend who hired him, was his witness, and signed an affidavit of non-prosecution because she wanted the case against her boyfriend to be dismissed, Jaffe said in a statement to AL.com. As an officer of the court, John knew that it was improper to raise his voice and so he took responsibility for that and that alone. Johns decision to put this misunderstanding behind him was clearly the right decision for him, and we fully supported it. An earlier version of this story said Totten was sentenced to 90 days in jail. The sentence was suspended and he will instead serve one year of probation. This is an opinion column I regard myself as a Reagan Republican. I understand the concept of maintaining peace through strength, said Speaker Mike Johnson. In any other era, a Republican who supported the independence of a former Soviet state against the resurgence of the U.S.S.R would be hailed as a hero. Today, hes not sure if hell even keep his job. History suggests that Johnson understands American DNA in a way his detractors do not. When Ben Franklin arrived in Paris in December of 1776, he understood that failure was not an option. As the first official representative of the United States in France, he worked tirelessly to secure secret shipments of French weapons, equipment, and uniforms. The consequences of his mission were quite literally either liberty or death. He had little to offer the French. The American legend was also a remarkable bluffer who claimed that George Washingtons army was about five times larger than reality. He dismissed British victories and claimed that the British would need an army of 200,000 to overcome the Americans. Ignoring a string of decisive defeats, he claimed that King George III was playing into Washingtons hands. None of it was true. For the better part of a year, Franklin heard little from Congress. Americans were unmistakably outgunned, outmanned, and undersupplied in every battle against the wealthy and powerful British Empire. And then Franklin received the news he needed. On December 4, 1777, Franklin learned that the Americans had shockingly beaten the British at the Battle of Saratoga. It was enough good news. The victory gave the French the confidence they needed to sign treaties of alliance with the Americans. The rest is history. Without what amounts to billions of dollars in foreign aid to the Continental Army, the American Revolution would have almost certainly failed. We Americans are a living, breathing testament to the fact that it did not. To be clear, there were colonists who agitated for surrender. They could not imagine a world where the rag tag colonial army could defeat an empire. It simply wasnt reasonable. Like Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), they too believed managed surrender was the only path for survival. The loyalists are now a historical footnote. They were the doubters who would exchange liberty for security and stability. Im not sure what we call those who ignore our history and refuse the same aid that was given to our nation in its infancy. America must constantly make decisions about how we spend our money. Its about priorities. The amount Johnson is proposing to spend supporting Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan is less than the amount the United States lost to fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic. If were going to finally draw a fiscal line in the sand, we should start with the money were quite literally wasting first. When it comes to foreign aid, we should demand our leaders in Congress and the White House develop and communicate a plan for our strategic objectives and accountability to ensure theyre accomplished. Our interests in western Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific arent particularly difficult to articulate. President Ronald Reagan called it peace through strength. Johnson understands the principle. Hes willing to lose one of the most powerful positions in American politics because of his willingness to support American interests abroad. Republicans need more leaders like him who arent swayed by the fevered threats of a vocal minority. Too many of my Republican brethren cast aspersions on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for coming hat-in-hand to Congress for help in defending his country. We should remember that Benjamin Franklin did it first, and were free Americans because of it. (Editors Note: The House on Saturday approved, in a series of votes, $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies, with Democrats and Republicans joining together after a grueling monthslong fight over renewed American support for repelling Russias invasion.) Smith is a recovering political attorney with four boys, two dogs, a bearded dragon, and an extremely patient wife. Hes a partner in a media company, a business strategy wonk, and a regular on talk radio. Please direct outrage or agreement to csmith@al.com or @DCameronSmith on X or @davidcameronsmith on Threads. There exists plenty of contradiction about the role of the abortion issues(s) in the 2024 presidential race. What are the current, assumed or hopeful, candidates for the 2024 presidential race saying? Is there any alignment detectible vis-a-vis abortion and major party politics? What are the abortion activists saying, and what are the right to life activists saying? The churches? The Deep State? The American people are generally buffered, in the middle of the noise from the abortion Left and the Right. The Left, for the most part, have not been able to sustain the fury of losing Roe vs Wade in 2023, and we are not hearing as much about protests or bombings at pro-life centers in 2024. The Biden administration was publicly shamed for its obvious leftist preferences in regard to criminal liability for the terror attacks on prolife facilities and people, but Biden too has backed down a bit on what was a very bad look -- e.g., arresting people for praying peacefully (while Antifa and BLM demolish cities) not popular with the average American. Despite the Biden governments pretty comprehensive, ongoing efforts to ghost Christianity in America, it will remain a vital force, until or when it no longer is. The Christian churches in America represent now a sort of moral grab bag on abortion. There is no consensus on many moral issues, including abortion, in the Protestant field because most of the major Protestant denominations are already split up, or headed there and not just on the social issues but on their basic historical cohesion as well. The Southern Baptists were the first to split off, generations ago; now the Methodist and Presbyterian churches have long experienced multiple ideological splits, to name a few of many. The Catholic Church, that for years has provided consistent leadership in protesting abortion nationally and advocating for pro-life candidates, is fighting for its moral survival in the United States, vis-a-vis a hostile Pope (and radical clergy). Pope Francis seems to champion and challenge essential Catholic moral and spiritual propositions like abortion on a how-am-I-feeling-today basis. He has recently said that he is breaking from the traditions of the papacy. Just so. So, the American voter can easily recognize, and many have experienced at first hand, disparities both Christian and American sentiment regarding abortion, and therefore, voters are in the dark as to closure on abortion. They may decide its time. As President Trump unfortunately said recently (but did not entirely mean as immediately interpreted to his disadvantage), that we are left to consult our own hearts on the matter. Biblical teaching repeatedly warns about the natural, moral vagarity of the hearts decisions. Yet, Trumps heart statement was just an undertone, an issue of English usage, if you will -- he might have been better advised to go with soul over heart. So, Trump, qua candidate, has recently -- clearly, rightly, and constitutionally -- advocated for the states to take up the supreme governmental responsibility, insofar as they should, on abortion rights law. This is a winning position, compared to what the Democrats and Independents are cooking up. For, in contrast, we have Biden, whose entirely, absolutely non-Catholic, Catholic position on abortion is that of the radical Left. Biden evidently believes he can stand to lose a significant slice of the Christian vote on this ugly, extreme position. If he thinks he can make up for an electoral loss on extreme abortion rights by drawing on the much-referenced, variously polled pro-abortion women in suburbia and on welfare, Biden may be somewhat off the actual count. For, and heres an interesting idea: what about our minority populations, to include disaffected blacks, which is growing fast, and Hispanics? These people are increasingly moving Right. Can we possibly assume that Hispanics have no negative opinions about abortion? And black families, mothers and fathers, who have seen so much damage at firsthand? Also, will the entire illegal immigration vote that Biden is busying himself underwriting, really be on his side for abortion? One wonders. Many of those who want to come to America do so for family reasons, illegal or not. The exclusively American/European immoral smugness on abortion is regarded by the balance of the world as evil. To trust blindly in the vote of recent foreigners in current crisis well may play out as a risible Bidenesque fantasy by November 2024. Gratitude for easy handouts is not to be counted on in human behavior. Then you have, as a point of interest, the candidate son of Ethel Kennedy -- herself once a wealthy and famously loyal Catholic. (Ethel Skakel Kennedy, a force in her own right historically, was never truly accepted into the Jackie magic media circle. It is no surprise that the Kennedy family at large are dissing Bobbies run; he could, as his mothers son, take that as a compliment.) RFK Jr. is threatening to federally codify abortion if he somehow breaks loose of evident family resentments and Democratic Party conspiracies and secures the presidency. Some put his recent abortion announcement down to leftist politics, as it followed closely on his pick of a VP candidate who is young, female, and radical. Whatever his reasons, in his recent promotion of federal, codified abortion rights, RFK Jr. is not speaking to the middle anymore, as he has consistently promised. He is also not speaking for the same coming together that has been a main feature of RFK Jr. since he announced. He has perhaps made a mistake because he is now sounding a lot like Biden on abortion. So, we have a few distinct but mixed bags -- cultural, political, and religious -- on abortion ahead of November 2024. We may fairly assume that the silent American factor will clarify these contradictions in November. It is even more likely that Trump, in his recent public standing with the states for abortion rights legal decisions, is just where he should be for the coming election -- in the middle. States rights will be big in November, anyway. As the feds/ Deep State continues to feverishly demolish any credibility in the popular mind, and as many Red states rise in population and regulatory sanity; and, as many Blue states feel the deep, even physical traumas of their progressive, idiotic Democratic decisions over the past decades, middle ground may look very good to many voters. It is ethically a moral position to allow people to make, or not make, the personal decisions that they alone will pay for in time -- biblical tradition is really clear on this point. It is an immoral and distasteful position to allow the federal government to force these decisions upon anyone. On a personal note, I sustained an illegal abortion at the age of 18, in the late 60s. I grieved terribly, and was completely destabilized for more than a decade, and my young decision came close to ruining my whole life. In my particular case, people with wisdom, mercy, and love brought me to the eventual restitution of my own self, and I have since managed to forgive myself -- just. Nevertheless, I and many, in the middle of this issue, agree strongly that, pro or con, the abortion issue should be regulated minimally, only necessarily, and closest to home -- with the states. Trump does have a valid point, in so far as it applies, about abortion decisions and the human heart. Let us not be more monstrously intrusive to people ( both women, and men, too, who must be acknowledged in their paternal share of the suffering) than an abortion, itself, is, by its very nature. Image: Jordanuh17 Last week Merrick Garland announced the arrest of 18-year-old Idaho resident Alexander Scott Mercurio. Mercurio is accused of being a loyal follower of ISIS and preparing to attack Idaho churches. Im a resident of Idaho. It is my community that the feds supposedly protected with Mercurios arrest. But given recent events, this arrest arouses as much curiosity as gratitude. Mercurio might be a terrorist, or he might be a useful idiot used by the DoJ to juice up their homegrown domestic threat narrative. That my mind went to that question is an indication of the DoJs lost trust. Given that I live in the same state as Mercurio, Im among the defendants supposed peers. Under normal circumstances, I would be an ideal disinterested juror. If I were to find myself on the jury, I would have questions that the prosecution would need to answer. It should not escape prosecution lawyers that a single person like myself could prevent a guilty verdict if these questions are left unanswered. How many federal agents and confidential human sources (CHSs) were used to take down this teenager? Did federal assets outnumber the number of people under investigation? Did federal assets encourage any criminal behavior -- as was the case in the Whitmer kidnapping case? Were CHSs paid by the FBI? Did they have a financial interest in an arrest? Were Mercurios threats and plans made before or after contact with agents or CHSs? Were any federal assets involved in the planning of his attack -- as was the case in the Whitmer kidnapping plot? By what means did Mercurio pledge allegiance to ISIS? Did his pledge happen before or after contact with federal assets? Did federal assets encourage the pledge? Did anyone other than federal assets witness the pledge? What affidavits were used to get warrants for the case? Who swore to their veracity? Weve all heard about Kevin Clinesmith. What forensic evidence of Mercurios guilt does the prosecution have? Is there something scientifically objective, or is the only evidence the testimony of people on the federal payroll? Was anyone other than the FBI involved in the chain of custody for evidence? Can any other law enforcement entity attest to the validity of the evidence? If video or audio recordings are entered into evidence, what editing was done? Was any exculpatory video excluded from evidence -- as many believe was done in the January 6 trials? Were state or local law enforcement involved in the investigation? Do they corroborate claims made by FBI agents? Ive read whistleblower claims (i.e., Greg Dillon) that the FBI has a reputation for misquoting local law enforcement officers in sworn statements. Were interviews done as part of the investigation recorded, or merely documented via FBI agent notes (i.e., FD-302 forms)? How soon after each interview were the FD-302s completed? Did anyone other than the interviewing agents request or make changes to the FD-302s -- as was done in the Michael Flynn case? What involvement did FBI headquarters have in guiding or directing the investigation? Were agents prohibited from following any investigative leads -- as was done in the Hunter Biden case? Its not that Im reluctant to convict a possible terrorist. The image of airliners flying into buildings and people jumping to their death to avoid the flames changed my worldview forever. I would mercilessly convict anyone threatening my country with such violence. But we must also be aware that: The DoJ and FBI continued the investigation of a sitting President for three years -- after they had learned that no crime had been committed. A crew of useful idiots were goaded (by FBI agents) into planning the kidnapping of a Democrat governor to affect the political mood of the country prior to the 2020 election. The FBI conducted unnecessary armed raids at the homes of Donald Trump, James OKeefe, Mark Houck, and Roger Stone -- with camera crews invited along for the fabulism. FBI Director Christopher Wray perjured himself before Congress concerning the Seth Rich laptop, and refuses to answer questions about how many federal assets were involved in the activities of January 6. To be blunt, prosecutors in the Mercurio case need more than the fidelity, bravery, and integrity of federal agents upon which to base their case. Over half of American citizens believe that our premier law enforcement agency has morphed into a premier political enforcement agency. For a jury to convict Alexander Scott Mercurio, it would need more than a pinky swear by FBI agents or DoJ attorneys that hes guilty. If the case comes down to the word of the defendant vs. the word of federal agents, it would be fair to judge him a useful idiot, but not otherwise proven guilty. Thats an unfortunate state of affairs, because he might really be guilty. But when a mans freedom is at stake, the fidelity of the evidence, and the integrity of the collectors of evidence matters. This is the new reality that the FBI has wrought by squandering its credibility. Its a reality in which beyond a reasonable doubt includes beyond a reasonable suspicion of FBI malfeasance. Chirstopher Wray and his merry band of political enforcers dont seem to grasp that breaking ones oath is an act of lying to the public in the worst possible way. Far too many in the bureau have done just that, and the entire agency has placed itself under suspicion by not holding them accountable. Now their integrity must be tested rather than accepted in every trial at which they give evidence. Welcome to the reality that special agents arent so special anymore. John Green is a retired engineer and political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He spent his career designing complex defense systems, developing high performance organizations, and doing corporate strategic planning. He is a staff writer for the American Free News Network and can be reached at greenjeg@gmail.com. Image: FBI The dangers from the steady stream of millions of unvetted migrants crossing illegally into our country should be clear to everyone. However, the most understated threat is that of terrorist infiltration. Reports of tens of thousands of military-age Middle Eastern men coming through should heighten everyones concerns about the potential for nation-ending terrorism. The Mexican cartel drug trafficking is far worse than most might think. Terrorist organization Hezbollah has partnered with the cartels and is active south of our border in various countries, including Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Panama, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Curacao. They also operate their drug networks in America and Canada. Multiple U.S. presidents have ignored this ongoing problemalthough President Trump should be excluded from culpability since he vigorously fought for a wall to protect Americas southern border. Both Democrats and the Establishment Wing of his own party vigorously opposed his efforts. If Trump does not get back into office, the problems at our southern border will destabilize our country. Image by Andrea Widburg In 2011, Roger F. Noriega and Jose R. Cardenas were already warning about the mounting terrorism threat from Hezbollah in Latin America (emphasis added): Over the last several years Hezbollah and its patrons in Iran have greatly expanded their operations in Latin America to the detriment of inter- American security and U.S. strategic interests. Today, Hezbollah is using the Western Hemisphere as a staging ground, fundraising center, and operational base to wage asymmetric warfare against the United States. Venezuelas Hugo Chavez and other anti-American governments in the region have facilitated this expansion by rolling out the welcome mats for Hezbollah and Iran. Already in 2011, estimates were that, in the tri-border area and elsewhere in Latin America, Islamic extremists were remitting $300-$500 million annually back to Middle East terrorists. This works with each Hezbollah cell operating like an independent, and extremely sophisticated franchise. Hezbollah operatives establish mosques and other Islamic centers and then begin to convert and recruit people, establish internet sites, utilize media broadcasting, and develop operational systems that oversee logistics, planning, surveillance, and mission execution. As President Trump has noted, these terrorists are very smart. At least, theyre smarter than the vast majority of those in Washington who either downplay the danger they pose or, worse, completely ignore it. Since 2011, things have only gotten worse when it comes to Islamic terrorism posed on our southern borders. At the end of 2023, Celina B. Realuyo explained, For decades, the Tri-Border Area of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay has been the hub of Iranian and Hezbollah activity in Latin America, capitalizing on large Lebanese and Shiite communities. According to the late Argentine special prosecutor Alberto Nissan, Hezbollah established its presence in Latin America in the mid-1980s, beginning in the Tri-Border Area, a relatively lawless region. From its base in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, it set up illicit enterprises to fund its operations in the Middle East and elsewhere. This includes money laundering, counterfeiting, piracy, and drug trafficking. In addition to trafficking illicit drugs from Paraguay to Europe, the group has reportedly expanded into cryptocurrency mining. Hezbollah has made billions in drug trafficking, as well as money laundering, counterfeiting, etc., to fund its international terrorism. Significantly, since Bidens open border policy began, it can make common cause with Latin American cartels, which get support from leftist Latin American governments. According to Arizona law enforcement personnel, cartels are buying up real estate on both sides of the border to set up staging areas and camps. These cartels operate with high-tech communications equipment and utilize scouts with snipers on high ground along trafficking lanes. Border enforcement personnel further report that the Mexican army has occasionally provided surveillance and coverfire for traffickers on occasion. By tying into the drug cartels, Hezbollah has expanded its networks into America, all while getting protection from Mexico and other corrupt governments with leftist leadership (e.g., Venezuela). Brazils current leftist government, which strongly supports Hamas, is unlikely to stand against Hezbollah. Mexico is a belligerent nation acting in a warlike manner towards America. It is time to move against Mexico along with Venezuela and any other nation that aligns with Hezbollah and its sponsor, Iran. Doing so makes more sense than continuing our proxy war against Russia. Our actions against our South American adversaries should be political, financial, and, most of all, physical. We have every right to attack terrorist training centers and destroy their drug networks. Our national survival depends on it. And just to complicate matters and show how high the stakes are, China is supplying the base materials for manufacturing fentanyl and other drugs to the cartels (both Latin American and Middle Eastern) that ship their completed products into America. China is effectively supporting Irans interests. This is the new Nexus of Evil: China, Iran, Russia, and various Latin American states such as Mexico and Venezuela. America desperately needs to focus on the threats to our nation that are taking place in the Western Hemisphere. The war America needs to fight is against Hezbollah and its allies operating in our hemisphere. To win that war, we must directly support Israel, which is also battling Irans proxies (Hamas from Gaza and Hezbollah from Lebanon). We share a common enemy and need to work together for our shared survival. Donald Trump filed new paperwork on the $175 million bond he posted Monday while the former president appealed a civil fraud judgment against him in New York after it was rejected this week and "returned for correction," according to a report. The paperwork was missing a financial statement for the company underwriting the bond, Knight Speciality Insurance, and an attorney-in-fact. They have now been added, the Independent reported on Thursday. Trump submitted the bond on Monday after an appeals court last week reduced the amount from $454 million in his civil fraud case, preventing New York state officials from seizing his assets while he appeals the decision. Knight Specialty Insurance, based in Los Angeles, is headed by Don Hankey, a Trump supporter. "This is what we do at Knight Insurance, and we're happy to be able to accommodate the ex-president in this situation," Don Hankey told ABC News. "I'd say it's more of a business decision, but I happen to be a supporter also." A judge found that Trump and executives at his real estate company lied about the worth of his properties on financial statements to secure more favorable loan conditions from banks and other companies. The statements claimed that the former president's penthouse in Trump Tower was three times its actual size. The judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million plus interest. When the federal government deports an immigration violator, charges are brought before the U.S. Immigration Court. If the court orders the violator removed from the U.S., he or she can appeal that decision before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). Both the Immigration Court and the BIA are laboring under a crushing backlog of cases. At the end of FY2023 there were more than 2.4 million cases pending before the immigration courts and over 113,000 appeals pending before the BIA. In an effort to reduce the number of backlogged deportation proceedings and speed up its immigration operations, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently added five new Appellate Immigration Judges (AIJs) to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). This is the third expansion of the BIA in the last six years, bringing it to 28 total members. In 2020, DOJ had expanded it from 17 members to 23, after increasing membership from 15 to 17 in 2018. The size of the Immigration Court was also increased, rising from 442 Immigration Judges (IJs) at the close of FY2019 to 734 at the end of FY2023. However, neither of those increases is likely to make even the smallest dent in the massive logjam the agency is facing. Especially in view of the fact that at least 7 million illegal aliens have entered the United States under the current administration. If that seems like an untenable situation, it is. But our political leaders are pursuing the wrong solution. The backlogs arent caused by an insufficient number of IJs or an increasing number of migrants. Instead, they are a direct result of absurd rules that give aliens all of the protections available in American courts, but deprive IJs and AIJs of key powers that enable judges in other courts to effectively manage their dockets by dumping bogus cases. Judges in most American courts can dismiss meritless claims on the grounds that they fail to state a case or controversy that the court is empowered to resolve. Yet IJs possess no similar authority. Each year, hundreds of thousands of aliens file requests for relief for which they are completely ineligible. For example, the vast majority of asylum applications are submitted by people fleeing poverty, crime or general conditions of civil strife none of which are a legitimate basis for a grant of political asylum. Nevertheless, IJs have no authority to dismiss these prima facie invalid claims and must spend hours hearing applications for relief from removal that, as a matter of law, simply cant be proven. This wastes thousands of hours of IJ time and is the cause of the current Immigration Court backlog. The backup at the BIA is caused by a similar but distinct problem. In most American courts, there are two types of appeals: discretionary appeals and appeals as of right. Discretionary appeals are requests for review that a higher court may choose to hear, but it is not obligated to do so. Before they will hear discretionary appeals, higher courts require a litigant to establish that the lower tribunal made some mistake that resulted in an incorrect decision. If the written briefs submitted by the party filing the appeal fail to establish any type of actionable error, the higher court will dismiss the matter without any further review. An appeal as of right is a request for review that the higher court is obligated to hear, simply because the losing party has filed it. Typically, appeals as of right are available when some fundamental legal principle is implicated. The vast majority of appeals before most courts are discretionary appeals, not appeals as of right. But, every foreign national who appears before the Immigration Court is permitted to file an appeal as of right before the BIA despite aliens having no fundamental right to enter or remain in the U.S. Yes, you read that correctly, every alien ordered removed from the U.S. by the Immigration Court appeal to the BIA. Even if he or she is a convicted murderer who is ineligible for any form of relief from deportation and even when there is no evidence that the IJ made any type of error. The alien can appeal to the BIA even when the law prohibited the IJ from doing anything other than deporting him or her. Given the fact that the system is rigged in favor of the alien from the outset, and IJs and AIJs have virtually no authority to dump baseless cases, is it any wonder that the Immigration Court and the BIA are buried under irreducible backlogs? Its time that Americas political leaders stop protecting foreign nationals and start looking out for the American citizens for whom they work. Instead of adding more IJs and AIJs, and expecting them to labor harder, Congress should pass legislation that enables them to work smarter by: 1) eliminating cases that never should have made it into the system in the first place; and 2) keeping aliens who never had a valid claim for relief from getting a pointless second bite at the apple. If IJs and AIJs are empowered to reduce the number of bogus matters clogging the system, they can eliminate the backlog and keep it from reoccurring. Matt OBrien is the Director of Investigations at the Immigration Reform Law Institute and the co-host of IRLIs podcast No Border, No Country. Immediately prior to working for IRLI he served as an immigration judge. He has nearly 30 years of experience in immigration law and policy, having held numerous positions within the Department of Homeland Security. Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License Just yesterday, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's smoke-free generation bill passed in the U.K.'s House of Commons. If the bill is approved by the House of Lords, it becomes law across the U.K. The bill bans the sale of tobacco products to anyone in the U.K. born after Jan. 1, 2009, with the legal age for the purchase of tobacco products increasing by one year every year until it eventually covers the entire population. Many members of Sunak's Conservative Party, including his predecessors, Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, have opposed the ban. Despite claiming to be a conservative, Sunak is spearheading this ban which he described as the "biggest public health intervention in a generation." Now, we all know that there seems to be no obvious advantage for smoking. The CDC states that 'smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.' The Mayo Clinic states that "smoking causes lung diseases, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also makes asthma worse. Other cancers. Smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer, including cancer of the mouth, throat (pharynx), esophagus, larynx, bladder, pancreas, kidney, cervix and some types of leukemia." The U.K.'s National Health Service states that "Smoking causes unattractive problems such as bad breath and stained teeth, and can also cause gum disease and damage your sense of taste. The most serious damage smoking causes in your mouth and throat is an increased risk of cancer in your lips, tongue, throat, voice box and oesophagus." Since the smoking causes such serious health hazards it would seem to make sense to discourage the habit. But is this the right approach? The U.K. government already has a law in place that makes it illegal to sell cigarettes to individuals under the age of 18. Hence individuals born after 2009 won't be able to buy cigarettes anyway. The sales ban will be enforcable only three years later. This seems rather odd and raises some open questions, especially since the stated goal is discouragment of smoking. If smoking is the cause of myriad serious health complications why restrict the ban to only those born after 2009 why not ban sales it across ages? Why wait three years, why not enforce the ban on sales of cigarettes immediately and for everybody? The proposed law will compel shopkeepers to verify the age of potential customers before conducting the sale. But there are methods to circumvent the demands made of the law and render it meaningless. Those born before 2009 can sell or share cigarettes with those born after 2009 and do it discreetly within the privacy of their homes? How does the government prevent these actions? Also how does the government prevent buying of cigarettes from shopkeepers via proxy? Also, if people born before 2009 are allowed to buy, won't the 'passive smoking' affect the people born after 2009? Since the government trudging down that road of preventing health risks why stop at smoking, how about an alcohol ban too? How about making the sale of alcohol illegal in a similiar fashion? Perhaps enforce the ban immediately across all ages? How about closing down all the pubs across Britain? This would certainly resultin riots because Britons can give up respiring but not their millenias-long tradition of drinking. Some pubs in the U.K. claim to be more than a thousand years old. Perhaps for the U.K. government, health hazards due to riots will be preferable than those due to alcoholism. Why even stop at alcohol? We know that deep fried food increases risk of heart-related diseases, cancer, diabetes and obesity. How about a similiar ban on deep fried food -- like the U.K.'s prized fish and chips? That will bring an end to that. But fried food overall is unhealthy, you see, so let's ban shallow fried food, as well. That will bring an end to bacon, sausages, bangers, Wimpy burgers, and that English favorite, fried bread. How about banning processed food, too? We know that boiled broccoli and cabbage are supposed to be health food. Maybe those will be the only kinds of food permitted? It's the same kind of food the Brits dined on before Christopher Columbus introduced them to the foods of the New World, and Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan introduced them to the spices of the East. What about the overeating of health food? That could cause health issues, as well. How about regulating the portions that people can buy? How about a government tracking system that maintains a log of what is being purchased and prevents overconsumption? If the govenment wants to mitigate health risks why merely place restrictions on what is consumed or inhaled? Mobile phones, motorbikes, cars, and even a pencil, etc. can all be dangerous if misused. Neighbors who play loud music, mothers with no culinary skills, novels by Dan Brown, and utterances by AOC can all be hazardous to health of children all over the world. Will the government ban them all? Perhaps they will send expeditions to put a stop to it. "Oh, stop it with these paraniod scenarios. This is merely a ban on the sale of cigarettes. The impact will be gradual but it will ensure good health generations to come," is what proponents of the bill will claim. It must be remembered that all these actions of government overeach begin in small, seemingly innocuous, measures with claims that they will benefit the public. The public won't accept these unreasonable restrictions, so a measure such as the cigarette ban will only open up a black market. The profits from the black market will always be used to fund other criminal enterprises. This is exactly what happened in the U.S. during the Prohibition era. We must also remember that behind every product there is an industry that supports livelihoods. Should government be allowed to target any industry? Today is the tobacco industry, tomorrow it could be the fast food industry, because the government can alway find a pretext to target and shut down private enterprises. So why is Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leading this bill? It is because both Sunak personally and his party are deeply unpopular and seem to be en route to a severe drubbing in the next national election. Sunak is probably hoping that this gimmick will win the approval of parents whose underaged children are smokers. Make no mistake, this is a blatant act of government inteference in the private lives of citizens. We remember how governments interfered in the right to free movement and to earn a living during the COVID lockdowns and claimed it was for health and safety. The Sunak government is also using health of citizen as a pretext to push his proposed ban. If this ban is successful, subsequent governments will attempt measures that are more draconian. They will claim that the mere prevention of sales of cigarettes is not enough to tackle the issue. Perhaps the police will be authorized to forcibly enter homes and conduct arrests based on tips by nosy neighbors. Perhaps a person born after 2009 be arrested merely for possession of cigarettes. Does that mean we must allow the underaged to smoke themselves to death? Emphatically not. The job of discouraging underaged from smoking lies with parents, and perhaps teachers and guardians. Once again, diktats will not work. In fact, mandates cause individuals, particularly the underaged, to rebel. The way to discourage smoking is to educate the public about the health hazards. Perhaps a meeting with the local doctor will help. Perhaps meeting patients who suffer from smoking-related ailments will serve as a warning. Parents must instill values in their children which prevent them from making choices that are hazardous to themselves and others around them. Usually parents leading by example are the most successful at instilling the right values for their children. When the individual has achieved adulthood, the hope is that the values instilled by parents will continue to dictate choices and decisions. The government has no business regulating or interfering personal consumption. The best it can do is advise. In a free society, if individuals can vote, they must be allowed to consume what they desire. As abhorrent as smoking is, the choice must be left to the adult. The ban will result in the government encroaching upon personal space. We must remember that once this government encroachment occurs, it is permanent. Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License WhatsApp has backtracked on a recent change that affected the capitalization of certain indicators within chats. More specifically, the company changed the way online and typing are shown while youre chatting with someone. However, the response from users was far from positive. Within chats, the online and typing indicators appear under the other partys name. The privacy settings allow you to hide when you are online if you wish. Normally, both are shown with the first letter in lowercase. However, some users noticed last week that online and typing now began with a capital letter. While it seems like a pretty minor change, it was not pleasant for the users who received it. After all, they have been accustomed to seeing these indicators in a certain way for many years. So, even a small change like this can be noticeable and annoying. Even if its not the radical UI revamp that the app has been experiencing. The word "online" was capitalized on @WhatsApp this week. Tell me why this is bothering me so much pic.twitter.com/SfYqw0JdQ9 Rebecca Franks (@riggaroo) April 13, 2024 The change in the capitalization of online and typing was frustrating WhatsApp users Due to negative user response, WhatsApp rolled back the change that affected the capitalization of online and typing. Furthermore, a report from The Independent indicates that it was a limited-scope test. That is, it was not a massive change in all WhatsApp accounts, but in a small segment. It wasnt even a definitive tweak, since the company was willing to back down if the test went wrong, as it did. Now, those users for whom the online and typing indicators had changed should have already recovered the previous behavior in their app. Its noteworthy that these types of indicators usually start in lowercase in multiple messaging apps. For example, popular services such as Messenger or Telegram do it this way. So, while the tweak on WhatsApp seems minor, it was relatively disruptive in its own category. Will the company try a similar change again in the future? Only time will tell. But for now, users can rest assured. Even if it happens, it doesnt seem like it will be soon. Broadcaster Chris Packham joined hundreds of protesters in a funeral procession for the natural world destroyed by climate change. Some protesters dressed in red and hundreds more wearing black walked through the streets of Bath, Somerset, on Saturday. Mourners in the performance art piece walked to a drum beat and carried a willow funeral bier of a mother earth figure, created by artist Anna Gillespie. Environmentalist Mr Packham wore a black tie with an Extinction Rebellion logo as he spoke to the crowd. The protest aimed to sound code red for nature and highlight the UKs position as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, ahead of Earth Day on Monday. A Red Rebel takes part in the Funeral for Nature procession in Bath (Ben Birchall/PA) Members of the Red Rebel Brigade, wearing red outfits and white face paint, were part of an international troupe whose members protest through performance art pieces. Saturdays procession of 400 Red Rebels was the largest gathering so far, five times more than ever before, organisers said. They said that groups had come from the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, and across the UK, for the procession, which was also organised by Extinction Rebellion. Ms Gillespie said: Unlike conventional protests, the procession will be free of banners or placards. The procession marked the decline of the natural world in the lead up to Earth Day (Ben Birchall/PA) Instead we are relying on the strong imagery of the huge assembly of Red Rebels and the impact of the figure of Mother Nature on a funeral bier carried by mourners to get the message across. Everyone participating has a powerful desire to express their desperate feelings of loss and fear as the natural world struggles to survive in the face of our human onslaught. Organisers said 43% of UK bird species were in decline, 97% of wildflower meadows have disappeared since the Second World War, and the world is entering its sixth mass extinction event. Orders of service were handed to bystanders that contained information on climate change, they said. Red Rebels in Bath (Ben Birchall/PA) Other Funerals for Nature were held simultaneously in Boston, in the US, Sydney, Australia, Gothenburg in Sweden, and Lisbon in Portugal, they said. Rob Delius, one of the organisers, said: The intention is to send a powerful SOS message for nature by creating a visual spectacle, that will in equal measures shock and inspire onlookers. The UK has sleepwalked into this nature crisis and the fact that we are now one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world simply isnt being talked about enough. We want the processions to create a talking point and for the public to be moved to demand that Government, local authorities, landowners and businesses urgently do more to restore biodiversity. The ex-girlfriend of footballer Dele Alli said I thought I was going to be killed when his London home was raided by armed robbers in May 2020. Model Ruby Mae has spoken for the first time since the incident, where Everton midfielder Alli was attacked and ordered to hand over valuables from his home in Hadley Wood, north-east London. Mae was watching Netflix thriller Dead To Me while Alli played pool with his friends downstairs when two masked men appeared and failed to rip rings and bracelets off her as she tried to protect their dog Uno, the Sun newspaper reported. Evertons Dele Alli (Richard Sellers/PA) They roughed up Dele and forced him upstairs with them into the wardrobe area, which is separated from the bedroom, she told the Sun. I couldnt see the door from the bed but Deles friend came up first. They came to me in a panic and I instantly realised something was wrong. His friend wouldnt have usually come into the bedroom. Behind the friend, towards the door was what looked like a silhouette. I was confused and said, Dele? and the guy didnt answer. I realised this guy was not the same height or body structure as Dele. He came over to me and was very intimidating. He started asking me where everything was while trying to take off my bracelets and rings. Mae said she honestly didnt know what was going to come next, describing the incident as movie-like. The model said she was in shock as the robber asked her questions, with her first instinct to protect the dog. She said: I couldnt get the jewellery off as I was panicking and holding the dog behind me. I wasnt answering his requests and I was terrified they were going to hurt Uno. I didnt know whether to tell them or not, and I didnt even know where everything was. I wasnt thinking straight. It was terrifying. I was just hoping for it all to be over and for us to be safe. Dele Alli is consoled by then-girlfriend Ruby Mae during the Fifa World Cup (Owen Humphreys/PA) Mae said the raiders began to panic when they realised how long they had been in the house, and they jumped the fence out the front and ran away with whatever they had both managed to find. It affected all of us, she said. To get burgled is one thing, but to get burgled when youre in is so scary. All of us were speechless. It was all very traumatic. Psychologically, it has had an impact. Being home alone is scarier than it once was. Every now and then I still think about it. I cant believe it happened. It was awful. No arrests were made in relation to the incident, the Sun reported. Its a pretty weird feeling knowing the people who did it never got caught and are still out there, Mae added. The couple split in 2021, having met at a London bar in 2016. The Asher House, located in Estacada, near Portland, Oregon, is a non-profit dog sanctuary dedicated to rescuing animals and providing them with a lifetime of comfort, love and adventure. In an amazing video posted on YouTube on April 17, Lee Asher and a volunteer named Kayla drive to meet a volunteer who had driven 15 hours to rescue a couple of puppies that were set to be euthanized, that same day. One kennel shows a mother dog with a litter of puppies, and the other kennels house two puppies that have very bad cases of mange. The mange is really horrific but you can just tell how happy these little pups are to be getting affection, their tails just go crazy. It's so cute to see! Lee hilariously says "They are so incredibly sweet and smell so incredibly bad!" Lee then gather the four black and white puppies in his arms and they are just precious. Related: Rescue Sanctuary Adopts Precious Special Needs Pup and Leaves with Unexpected Bonus It's always so heartwarming to see dogs like these getting a second chance at life, especially because shelters are so overcrowded and sometimes dogs with treatable conditions are put down due to lack of funds and volunteers. That's why it's so wonderful to see organizations like The Asher House step in to lend a hand. What is Demodectic Mange? Demodectic mange is a skin disease caused by a mite known as Demodex canis. It is normal to find a few of these mites in most dogs, but for some reason, certain dogs do not have an immune system strong enough to fight them off and they develop infections. The mites spread through the skin and maybe even through the internal organs. In extreme cases, hair starts falling out in patches, especially around the face and the eyes, and sometimes on the body or the legs. The only way to tell for sure if your dog has mange is to take him to your regular vet. A small amount of skin is scraped off, put in oil, and then examined under the microscope. A dog with a mange infection will have several mites on the slide. Your vet will then determine the best course of topical and medical treatment for your pup. If you would like to learn more about Asher House and all of the wonderful rescue work they do, please visit their website here. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. Lewis Hamiltons troubled start to the new season took another desperate twist on Saturday after he qualified a lowly 18th for the Chinese Grand Prix. Hamilton earlier in the day had led the sprint race in Shanghai for eight laps before he had to settle for runner-up after he was overtaken by eventual winner Max Verstappen. But less than four hours after Hamiltons drive to second place a result he described as his best in a long time the 39-year-old was brought crashing back down to earth when he was eliminated in the opening phase of qualifying for Sundays main event. QUALIFYING CLASSIFICATION Five poles in a row in 2024 for Max Verstappen #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/NdIRvnHzMW Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024 The seven-time world champion locked up at the penultimate corner on his speediest lap, and he finished in the Q1 knockout zone, leaving only RBs Yuki Tsunoda and Williams Logan Sargeant behind him on the grid. An exasperated Mercedes boss Toto Wolff looked to the heavens after Hamiltons fate was confirmed. Sorry guys, reported Hamilton, 39, over the radio. He finished eight tenths off the pace and half-a-second behind George Russell in the other Mercedes. Aside from his strong showing in Saturdays 19-lap dash to the chequered flag, this has been Hamiltons worst-ever start to a season. RED FLAG Sainz dips a toe into the gravel at the final corner and goes spinning off into the barriers on the other side Carlos is okay #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/U7mP93iWlF Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024 The British driver, who is leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari next year, failed to finish inside the top six at the opening four rounds of the campaign. And his bleak result in qualifying here leaves him staring at another underwhelming result. Carlos Sainz, the man who is giving up his seat at Ferrari for Hamilton next year, brought out a red flag in Q2 after he lost control of his Ferrari. The Spaniard dropped his rear wheels on to the gravel on the exit of the final corner, sending him backwards into the wall on the opposing side of the track. Sainz broke his front wing but he was able to limp back to the pits. MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES POLE IN SHANGHAI Sergio Perez will join his team mate on the front row while Fernando Alonso will start from third in Sunday's race #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/En2nvKE3bS Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024 However, following the red-flag delay, Ferrari were able to repair Sainzs Ferrari and the Spaniard participated in the remainder of qualifying. Verstappen beat Hamilton by an impressive 13 seconds in Saturdays sprint and he raced to a perhaps predictable pole position. The Dutch driver, who is on course to take his fourth consecutive world championship, saw off team-mate Sergio Perez as Red Bull secured a front-row lockout. It also marked Red Bulls 100th pole in F1. Verstappen finished 0.322 seconds clear of Perez, with Aston Martins Fernando Alonso third. Lando Norris, who dropped from pole to finish sixth in the sprint race, qualified fourth ahead of Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren. Charles Leclerc and Sainz finished sixth and seventh respectively for Ferrari, while George Russell could manage only eighth on a poor afternoon for the Silver Arrows. The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) has called for the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to resign or be sacked over the forces handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations. In a statement, the CAAs chief executive, Gideon Falter, said Sir Mark Rowley had failed to curtail the marches, allowing countless antisemitic hate crimes and terrorist offences to be committed in broad daylight on our streets. He added: Racists, extremists and terrorist sympathisers have watched the excuses and inertia of the Met under his command and been emboldened by his inaction at precisely the moment when he should be signalling a renewed determination to crack down on this criminality. What the Met under Sir Mark has done to the Jewish community over the course of six months is utterly unforgivable and it is time for him to go. Enough is enough. Footage of police officers threatening to arrest Gideon Falter near a demonstration in London sparked condemnation (Campaign Against Antisemitism/PA) Sir Mark said: Every member of the Met is determined to ensure that London is a city in which everyone feels safe. We absolutely understand how vulnerable Jewish and Muslim Londoners feel since the terrorist attacks on Israel. Some of our actions have increased this concern. I personally reiterate our apology from earlier this week. Today, as with every other day, our officers will continue to police with courage, empathy and impartiality. Mr Falter has been at the centre of a row about the policing of demonstrations after the CAA published footage of a police officer describing him as openly Jewish during a protest in central London on April 13. In the clip, another officer told Mr Falter: 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. The officer said that Mr Falters presence was antagonising. The Met apologised on Friday, suggesting opponents of pro-Palestinian marches must know that their presence is provocative and they are increasing the likelihood of an altercation by lining the route to object. But the force subsequently issued another statement apologising for the further offence caused by its first apology. Mr Falter said his treatment had been a disgrace and the inevitable conclusion of six months of inertia and contextualising crimes away by a Met that has curtailed the rights of law-abiding Londoners in order to appease mobs rife with anti-Jewish racists and terrorist sympathisers. Policing minister Chris Philp said on Saturday he was deeply concerned and would meet Sir Mark the following week to discuss the incident. He said: No-one should be told their religion is provocative, nor an innocent person threatened with arrest solely because of someone elses anticipated unreasonable reaction. Home Secretary James Cleverly has also written to the Met and London Mayor Sadiq Khan about the incident. A Home Office spokesperson said: We welcome the Met Polices apology, and recognise the complexities of policing fast-moving public protests, but simply being Jewish or of any other race or religion should never be seen as provocative. Anyone of any religion should be free to go about their lives and feel safe doing so. A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: Everybody must feel safe going about in London wherever they please. The way the original incident was dealt with by the Met was concerning and the original response put out by them was insensitive and wrong. The Met have an extremely difficult job particularly so when it comes to operational decisions taken while policing marches but in the end the Met must have the confidence of the communities they serve and it is right that they have apologised for the way the incident was handled and their original public response. Rival protests took place in central London (Yui Mok/PA) On Saturday, two rival protests took place alongside each other in Tottenham Court Road, central London one pro-Israel and one pro-Palestine. The Met has faced criticism for its handling of a series of pro-Palestinian demonstrations since the renewal of hostilities in Gaza last October. Last month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the public wanted to see officers not merely manage these protests, but police them, while his former home secretary, Suella Braverman, said the Jewish community had been let down by the authorities, during a Commons debate in February. Kendall Jenner is reportedly devastated over her split from One Direction member Harry Styles. Reports have it that Styles was pressurized to break things off with the model. When "One Direction" heartthrob Harry Styles started dating Vogue model Kendall Jenner, the couple became the talk of tinsel town. Due to Styles' Casanova image, it came as no surprise when the duo called off their relationship only three months later. Initial reports suggested that the couple decided to split mutually because of their busy schedules and hectic work timings. 'Kendall has been focusing on modelling and Harry is preparing for work on the band's fourth album, as well as their stadium tour," a source said, according to OK! Magazine. "The reality is that with everything going on it's impossible to sustain anything serious." However, a new report by Hollywood Life suggested that the breakup was not mutual and Jenner is devastated over the split. Jenner also took to her Instagram account recently to hint that Styles was behaving a little mean to her. "Kendall is absolutely crushed that Harry ended their relationship. She's heartbroken and leaning on her sisters for support," a friend of the Kardashian family told the tabloid. "She didn't think she'd fall so hard for him the first place. She wanted to take their relationship to the next level and he basically said he couldn't give her what she wanted and he didn't want to hurt her." Another report by a website called Reality TV Magazine said that the breakup wasn't all Style's fault after all. If sources are to be believed, the other "One Direction" members pressured the British lad into calling it quits with Kim Kardashian's half sister. "Kendall's a sweet girl, but they see her as a bigger threat than Taylor Swift ever was," the website quoted a source telling OK! Magazine. "She seems to have cast a spell over Harry, and it's disrupting other areas of his life because he's always wanting to spend time with her or chat with her on the phone when they're apart. It's causing a lot of unrest." It was fellow band member Niall Horan who confronted Styles about the issue. This is not the first report that has stated the band felt threatened by Styles' relationship with Jenner. In January this year, Hollywood Life published an article suggesting the existence of the band was in jeopardy because of the brewing tension between the band members over Jenner and Styles' relationship. Post the split, Styles was seen at a restaurant in California with two ladies, one of whom closely resembled Jenner. While it isn't clear if there is anything romantic between Styles and either of the ladies, a source claimed to E! Online that Styles is ready for a serious relationship. "He wants a serious girlfriend, but just can't find anyone he feels can deal with the life that he leads right now," said a source, according to the gossip website. Ed Miliband has accused the Scottish Government of broken promises after it scrapped a key climate change target. Labours shadow climate change and net zero secretary said abandoning the goal to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030 was humiliating for Scottish ministers and would leave Scots vulnerable to Putins whims. Scottish Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan announced the move to Holyrood on Thursday as she accepted the flagship target is now out of reach. However, she said the 2045 target to reach net zero would remain, along with announcing a raft of climate measures to help the Scottish Government reach that goal, including tripling the number of electric vehicle charging points by 2030. Mr Miliband hit out at the Scottish Governments new targets as he argued Labours commitment to climate leadership is ironclad. Labours proposals include establishing a publicly-owned GB Energy company based in Scotland and creating more than 50,000 clean power jobs by 2030. Mr Milibands party came under fire earlier this year for scaling back its 28 billion green spending pledge, instead committing to 23.7 billion over the course of the next UK parliamentary term if Labour wins the upcoming election. First Minister Humza Yousaf was among those to criticise what he called another screeching U-turn by Labour on the issue. Net Zero Secretary Scottish Mairi McAllan announced updated climate targets in Holyrood on Thursday (Andrew Milligan/PA) However, following the Scottish net zero target being dropped, Mr Miliband said: This is a devastating and humiliating admission of defeat from the SNP-Green Government in Scotland one that will leave bills higher for longer, energy jobs continuing to flow overseas, and households and businesses across Scotland vulnerable to Putins whims. Scotland deserves more than empty rhetoric and broken promises from the SNP and the Greens. Only Labour can deliver the lower bills, good jobs, energy security and climate leadership Scotland needs, with our green prosperity plan, including Great British Energy headquartered in Scotland, that will make Britain a clean energy superpower. Scottish Labour net zero spokeswoman Sarah Boyack said the Scottish Governments announcement was a humiliating climbdown. A Scottish Government spokesman said: Scotlands 2045 net zero target is not changing. The proposed new Bill will retain our legal commitment to 2045 alongside annual reporting on progress, while introducing a target approach based on five-yearly carbon budgets, an approach utilised in both the UK and Wales, and which aligns with the nuanced and practical approaches to reducing emissions advocated by the Climate Change Committee. Our legal commitment to reach net zero by 2045 steadfastly remains, and with emissions in Scotland already nearly cut in half, we are well positioned to continue leading on climate action that is fair, ambitious and capable of rising to the emergency before us. Suella Braverman says there has been a 'wholesale refusal to change' from the Met Commissioner - Paul Grover for The Telegraph Suella Braverman is leading calls for the head of the Metropolitan Police to quit as the force faces mounting pressure after threatening to arrest an openly Jewish man during a pro-Palestine rally. The former home secretarys intervention comes as Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, suggested that Scotland Yard has been disrespecting Jews. Speaking exclusively to The Telegraph, he said that it was hard to think of any other minority that would be treated as disrespectfully as Jews seem to be. Sir Mark Rowley has been summoned to a meeting with Chris Philp, the policing minister, who said he was deeply concerned by the Mets handling of counter-protestors at Pro-Palestine rallies. No one should be told their religion is provocative, nor an innocent person threatened with arrest solely because of someone elses anticipated unreasonable reaction, Mr Philp said. The Met has faced repeated criticism over pro-Palestinian marches, which have become regular weekend events in central London and have been criticised for displays of anti-Semitism. Two leading Jewish groups the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism and the National Jewish Assembly have added their voices to calls for Sir Mark to quit, while Lord Wolfson, a former justice minister, said the Met needs a new approach and also, it would seem, new leadership. Gideon Falter, the Jewish man threatened with arrest, said last night: The time has come for Sir Mark Rowley to go. He must resign or be removed by the Mayor of London and the Home Secretary. What happened to me was a disgrace. Imagine what it felt like to be told by police officers that being quite openly Jewish would antagonise people and so I must leave the area on pain of arrest. He added: Sir Mark has the distinction of presiding over the worst surge in anti-Semitic criminality in our capital city since records began. Lord Walney, the Governments independent adviser on political violence and disruption, said he believed there was institutional anti-Semitism across public sector bodies including the police and called for a systematic review. The ways in which Jewish people are being challenged openly about the conduct of Israel sometimes within official settings is shocking, he said. Jews are singled out for criticism by people who have a particular view of the conflict in Gaza. And that is a pervasive form of anti-Semitism. Sir William Shawcross, the independent reviewer of the governments counter-extremism Prevent strategy, said it was appalling that so many Jewish people were frightened of being in central London when these protests are taking place. That is intolerable. He added: The polices tasks are not easy. But it is crucial that they do everything to protect Jews and others from any such fears. That is also absolutely incumbent on the organisers of these marches. Priti Patel, the former home secretary, said the incident was beyond unacceptable, adding that it was time for Scotland Yard to stop the nonsense and to be respectful and to understand the needs of the Jewish community at this particularly sensitive time. Writing for The Telegraph, Mrs Braverman said that after such a litany of failure and a wholesale refusal to change, the Met Commissioner needs to accept responsibility. And he must go. She added: Ive seen too much fear and even more favouritism in the policing of pro-Palestinian protests. Suella Braverman says Sir Mark Rowley 'must go' - Kirsty O'Connor/PA The Mets handling of Pro-Palestine marches, which have continued throughout the Israel-Hamas conflict, has come under fresh scrutiny after an incident last Saturday when officers threatened to arrest a man they described as openly Jewish for walking in central London during a rally. An officer had suggested that the presence of Mr Falter, the chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, was provocative and that he was antagonising protesters in central London. He was later warned by a second officer that he would be arrested if he did not leave the location. On Friday, the force was forced to issue an apology for a statement issued by Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, one of the Mets most senior officers, who said that being present when marches were taking place could be provocative, in comments that were described as victim blaming. Last night Sir Mark issued another apology. Every member of the Met is determined to ensure that London is a city in which everyone feels safe, he said. We absolutely understand how vulnerable Jewish and Muslim Londoners feel since the terrorist attacks on Israel. Some of our actions have increased this concern. I personally reiterate our apology from earlier this week. Today, as with every other day, our officers will continue to police with courage, empathy and impartiality. Perception force is institutionally anti-Semitic However, Gary Mond, chairman of the National Jewish Assembly, said: The buck stops at the top and if Rowley is not prepared to properly police the demonstrations, he has to go and be replaced by someone who can. He added that there was a perception within Britains Jewish community that the force was institutionally anti-Semitic and called for a Macpherson-style review, which followed in the wake of the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. Mr Dowden told The Telegraph that the police have a hugely difficult job and we should all acknowledge that but said that Sadiq Khan, Londons mayor, had shown indifference rather than solidarity. His criticism of the Met Polices treatment of Jews was echoed by Lord Pickles, the former communities secretary, who said the forces blinkered attitude to public order is endangering British Jews. He said the Met had been confused, leaderless and useless throughout the whole of the demonstrations. They have lost their moral compass and need to urgently reassess their attitude towards anti-Semitism. Paul Scully MP, a former London minister, said the Mets approach to policing protests risked inflaming tensions in the capital. If you get community policing wrong it risks leading to a breakdown in anti-social behaviour and you end up with New York in the Seventies a Gotham City scenario, he said. It may sound extreme but it is the cumulative impact of not treating communities equally and not policing protests properly. That can lead to community fault lines and it has an impact on things like tourism and investment. Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets Irans attack on Israel has highlighted an aspect of warfare that many in the West have either long forgotten or ignored, despite the now regular scenes of devastation in Ukraine. Air defence, or rather the lack of it, was the very reason for the formation of the first independent air force, after German bombers ran amok in southern England in June 1917. The West has not suffered a conventional air attack on home soil since 1945, and, while we continue to witness it elsewhere, we have largely dismissed it as a major risk to the nation. Of course, we have deployed our armed forces on overseas operations where air or missile attack has been a real threat, but those risks have been accepted as part of the military operation and mitigated mostly through overwhelming air superiority or the protection of a coalition umbrella, largely thanks to the US. The truth today is that we are far less likely to see enemy bombers in our skies or over our cities because the proliferation and increased range of drones, tactical ballistic missiles and ground or air launched cruise missiles are such that they can be launched in large numbers from thousands of miles away, and certainly from within an attackers national borders. As an example, the Russian strategic bombers the RAF often intercept and shadow over the North Sea could in reality fire their air launched cruise missiles at the UK from within Russia. In which case, we would have to resort to shooting the fired arrows, as is the case in Israel and Ukraine, unless of course we are prepared to escalate the conflict by going after the archer, wherever they may be. But we have telegraphed our reticence to escalate conflicts through limiting Ukraines ability to strike beyond its borders, where longer range weapons or aircraft are either withheld, delayed or come with caveats. We are imploring Israel to do the same to try and limit that conflict, yet our own doctrine tells us to strike Houthi firing points within Yemen. We have some deep thinking to do, because shooting arrows is a costly business and can only be sustained if you have invested in the stockpiles and industrial capacity to meet it and the situation in Ukraine suggests we have not. Going after the source also carries risks, but not resourcing the former and avoiding the latter shows a weakness that can and is being exploited, meanwhile, the sustainment of our air defences will continue to be tested and stretched. There is something existential about attacks on the homeland, and whilst we see ample evidence that it doesnt necessarily break the will of a nation, it is costly in both lives and livelihoods, and has a huge impact on the political decision space and limits strategic choice. Last weekend, we got a taste of the scale and scope of the types of weapons that can now be launched over long distances, and we have seen the horrors of their destructive force in Ukraine every day for the last 2 years. Yet we still see it as something otherworldly, and have yet to wake up to our vulnerability, or truly imagine what it means to be under attack in your own homeland. We have become complacent at best, and reckless at worst. We draw some comfort in our ability to shoot these deadly arrows out of the sky, either through acting as a screen for Israel, or a provider of weapons in both Ukraine and Israel, but even in these cases we have a limited capacity to sustain operations, let alone consider what we might do for our own salvation, if and when the time comes. The stark truth is that the UK, like many other Western nations, doesnt have anything close to Israels Iron Dome or even anything resembling the defences of an over-stretched Ukraine. And that in no way criticises the men and women we have on watch 24/7, 365 days a year; they remain some of the very best, as does their equipment, as demonstrated last weekend. But over the years, we have shrink-wrapped our defences around very specific, limited and bounded tasks. We have designed and resourced a force that can professionally police an Olympics or deal with a 9/11 scenario, and even the odd Russian itinerant aircraft, but not a concerted, conventional attack. I am not suggesting for one minute that we face imminent annihilation from an enemy onslaught, but the fact that we are vulnerable to one today makes our deterrent effect so much weaker. For years, we have had the luxury of air superiority and the geographical advantage that our islands location confers, but the enemy has spent those years building a stockpile of weapons that can reach far beyond our borders. We possess a nuclear deterrent to primarily deter the nuclear threats of others, we should not rely on it to deter conventional threats that remain below that threshold. We have some simple choices to make: deter or defeat the archer, or be ready to shoot down an awful lot of arrows. Greg Bagwell CB CBE is a retired Air Marshal and combat pilot. He was the UKs Air Commander for four years and is current President of the Air and Space Power Association Pamela Price, Alameda county district attorney, announces the charges against three officers on Wednesday in Oakland, California. Photograph: Scott Strazzante/AP Three California police officers have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 killing of a man they restrained in a prone position for five minutes until he lost consciousness. Pamela Price, Alameda county district attorney, announced the charges on Thursday, three years after the asphyxia death of Mario Gonzalez, 26. The officers, Eric McKinley, James Fisher and Cameron Leahy, face up to four years in prison. On 21 April 2021, the three officers with the city of Alameda, east of Oakland, encountered Gonzalez in a public park after two residents had called police to report Gonzalez behaving oddly. One caller said he had alcohol bottles and another said, Hes not doing anything wrong. Hes just scaring my wife. Body-camera footage showed that Gonzalez seemed disoriented, but spoke calmly to the first officer on the scene for several minutes. Two more officers arrived, and as they attempted to detain him, they ended up forcing him to the ground and holding him face-down with their body weight on top of him. The videos revealed he was pinned down for five minutes. An initial police statement claimed Gonzalez died of a medical emergency, echoing the explanation Minneapolis police first gave following the murder of George Floyd a year prior. A subsequent autopsy said Gonzalezs cause of death was toxic effects of methamphetamine, and that significant contributing factors included physiological stress of altercation and restraint, morbid obesity and alcoholism. A second autopsy determined the cause was restraint asphyxiation, the district attorneys office said on Thursday. The former Alameda county district attorney declined to file charges, but Price, elected in 2022 after pledging to prioritize police accountability, reopened the case. The city agreed in December to pay $11m to Gonzalezs family to settle their civil lawsuit. The family finally feels like theres some real accountability, said Adante Pointer, a lawyer for Gonzalezs mother. There was overwhelming evidence the officers violated their training. They knew death could result from how they aggressively detained Mario This family has been denied justice for far too long, and there is still a gaping hole in their family unit, but this does give them some manner of solace. Nishant Joshi, the Alameda police chief, noted in a statement Friday that previous investigations by the former district attorney, the sheriffs office and the city had determined that no criminal or policy misconduct occurred and that his own review of the investigations concluded Alameda police officers did not engage in any misconduct. I stand by that decision today, Joshi said. Leahy and McKinley were placed on leave this week, and Fisher now works for the neighboring Contra Costa county sheriffs office, Joshi added. Yibin Shen, Alamedas city attorney, who represented the three officers in the civil case, said in an email that his office agreed with the prior investigations, all of which concluded that the evidence in this matter does not support criminal liability. The charges come amid growing scrutiny across the country of officers deadly restraint tactics and the lack of accountability after these killings. A recent analysis by the California Reporting Project, the California Newsroom and the Guardian found that between 2016 and 2022, at least 22 people died after police restrained them stomach-down. Students at a degree ceremony at Harvard University in Massachusetts. Photograph: Paul Marotta/Getty Images Stopped at the border, interrogated on national security grounds, laptops and mobile phones checked, held for several hours, plans for future research shattered. Many western scholars are nervous about travelling to China in the current political climate. But lately it is Chinese researchers working at US universities who are increasingly reporting interrogations and in several cases deportations at US airports, despite holding valid work or study visas for scientific research. Earlier this month the Chinese embassy in Washington said more than 70 students with legal and valid materials had been deported from the US since July 2021, with more than 10 cases since November 2023. The embassy said it had complained to the US authorities about each case. The exact number of incidents is difficult to verify, as the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency does not provide detailed statistics about refusals at airports. A spokesperson said that all international travellers attempting to enter the United States, including all US citizens, are subject to examination. But testimonies have circulated on Chinese social media, and academics are becoming increasingly outspoken about what they say is the unfair treatment of their colleagues and students. The impact is huge, says Qin Yan, a professor of pathology at Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut, who says that he is aware of more than a dozen Chinese students from Yale and other universities who have been rejected by the US in recent months, despite holding valid visas. Experiments have stalled, and there is a chilling effect for the next generation of Chinese scientists. The number of people affected is a tiny fraction of the total number of Chinese students in the US. The State Department issued nearly 300,000 visas to Chinese students in the year to September 2023. But the personal accounts speak to a broader concern that people-to-people exchanges between the worlds two biggest economies and scientific leaders are straining. The refusals appear to be linked to a 2020 US rule that barred Chinese postgraduate students with links to Chinas military-civil fusion strategy, which aims to leverage civilian infrastructure to support military development. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute thinktank estimates that 95 civilian universities in China have links to the defence sector. Nearly 2,000 visas applications were rejected on that basis in 2021. But now people who pass the security checks necessary to be granted a visa by the State Department are being turned away at the border by CBP, a different branch of government. It is very hard for a CBP officer to really evaluate the risk of espionage, said Dan Berger, an immigration lawyer in Massachusetts, who represents a graduate student at Yale who, midway through her PhD, was sent back from Washingtons Dulles airport in December, and banned from re-entering the US for five years. It is sudden, Berger said. She has an apartment in the US. Thankfully, she doesnt have a cat. But there are experiments that were in progress. Academics say that scrutiny has widened to different fields particularly medical sciences with the reasons for the refusals not made clear. X Edward Guo, a professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia University, said that part of the problem is that, unlike in the US, military research does sometimes take place on university campuses. Its not black and white there are medical universities that also do military. But 99% of those professors are doing biomedical research and have nothing to do with the military. But if you want to come to the US to study AI, forget it, Guo said. One scientist who studies the use of artificial intelligence to model the impact of vaccines said he was rejected at Boston Logan International airport. He was arriving to take up a place at Harvard Medical School as a postdoctoral researcher. I never thought I would be humiliated like this, he wrote on the Xiaohongshu app, where he recounted being quizzed about his masters studies in China and asked if he could guarantee that his teachers in China had not passed on any of his research to the military. He did not respond to an interview request from the Observer. Harvard Medical School declined to confirm or comment on the specifics of individual cases, but said that decisions regarding entry into the United States are under the purview of the federal government and outside of the schools and the universitys jurisdiction. The increased scrutiny comes as Beijing and Washington are struggling to come to an agreement about the US-China Science and Technology Agreement, a landmark treaty signed in 1979 that governs scientific cooperation between the two countries. Normally renewed every five years, since August it has been sputtering through six-month extensions. But following years of scrutiny from the Department of Justice investigation into funding links to China, and a rise in anti-Asian sentiment during the pandemic, ethnically Chinese scientists say the atmosphere is becoming increasingly hostile. Before 2016, I felt like Im just an American, said Guo, who became a naturalised US citizen in the late 1990s. This is really the first time Ive thought, OK, youre an American but youre not exactly an American. Additional research by Chi Hui Lin Armored trucks are parked outside the offices of GardaWorld in the Sylmar section of Los Angeles. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP It was a Tinseltown heist that belonged in a movie. A gang of audacious thieves struck at night, dodged security measures like ghosts in the night and disappeared with a staggering $30m in cash in a record-breaking robbery that played out for real on Los Angeless streets, not the fevered script of a thriller writer. But now weeks after the Easter weekend sting investigators appear to have few leads on the remarkable crime, or if they do theyre not saying. The heist technically a burglary, not a robbery, since there was no aspect of force or fear has left the public stunned and in some cases secretly celebrating a professional and highly sophisticated operation that was only discovered when workers at GardaWorld, a nondescript warehouse in Sylmar, a sleepy, suburban area of the San Fernando Valley, entered the safe to find $30m in cash missing. The thieves had been able to breach the warehouse, apparently through the roof but perhaps through a hole cut in the side of the building, break into the safe and swipe the cash without triggering security systems. Police received a call for service at 4.30am on Easter Sunday, but by then the largest cash burglary in city history was already executed. Related: Los Angeles thieves steal $30m in cash from safe without setting off any alarms Based on records obtained by the celebrity/crime website TMZ, police had made more than a dozen callouts to GardaWorld in the past year that were logged as false alarms, including the day before the heist. As investigators set about unpicking the crime, the Canada-based cash security giant GardaWorld has yet to comment. The LAPD and FBI have said only that they are jointly investigating the theft to determine the person or group responsible. Joan Renner, an investigative crimes historian who runs a blog, Deranged LA Crimes, said Los Angeles has a unique relationship with crime, and in this case because its so audacious, and an Easter Sunday, which was a really good move on their part. For the longest time, and especially in the 1980s, LA was the bank robbery capital of the world. But this has happened since the Dunbar robbery in 1997, she said, referring to a robbery when six men made off with $19m in cash from a Dunbar security depot while the night guards were on a break. People are intrigued because of the amount stolen but also because of the problems involved with what to do with 7,500lb of money, Renner added. What do you do with that? Where do you keep it? How do you transport it? Renner theorized that the robbers must have spent at least six months planning it and there must have been someone on the inside. This type of crime is so site-specific, you have to have someone who knows the facility. Whats appalling about it is GardaWorld. Where were the alarms, the motion-detectors? Its beyond lax. Security expert Jim McGuffey told the Associated Press that for for that kind of money, you dont just walk in and walk out with it, he said. Except someone did. But as the days tick by with no arrests, the escapade appears certain to enter into the rich folklore of brazen robberies, and more broadly the cinematic history of Los Angeles crime. Whats different about Los Angeles crime is its cinematic quality, said Renner. Florida crimes are crazy. But Los Angeles crimes are cinematic, and this writes itself as a screenplay. Youve got the thieves plotting, LAPD robbery-homicide on the other side, and tax-free riches. As many criminal self-enrichment schemes now revolve around crypto- and cybercrime the recent Sam Bankman-Fried case being the most recent example the physicality and brazenness of stealing cash has captured the imagination, said the retired FBI special agent, Gannon University lecturer and crime author Jerry Clark. These things fascinate us because they take planning and meticulous knowledge of what youre doing, Clark told the Observer. This is a planned offense that took a heck of lot of consideration and effort to put together. Somebody had to have knowledge of the building and how much cash might be available at any one time. Statistics show that impulse-control robberies the armed bank robbery, complete with demand note and use of a weapon have declined 60% over the past 15 years in the US and typically net only $7,500 on average. Meanwhile, retail and identity theft crimes have soared. The US Bureau of Justice Statistics placed the value of identity theft crime at $16bn in 2021; the US national retail federation puts the yearly cost of organized retail crime at $94bn. The global value of cybercrime is placed at more than $9tn in 2024, according to estimates by Cybercrime Magazine. That doesnt mean that people arent robbing or stealing from places, said Clark, who has co-authored a series of books, including On the Lam, a study of the 2003 Pizza Bomber case, later made into the Netflix series Evil Genius, and a history of US bank robberies. Nowadays, Clark said, theyre more concentrated on having done their homework, having inside information. Somebody had to have had some connection to that place to know that kind of money was in the place. But the opportunity for big cash thefts such as the Easter LA heist have been given an unlikely boost thanks to the legalization of cannabis in most US states. Most banks (those insured by the government) cannot deal with the cannabis industry, valued at $57bn in the US this year, leading to a boom in cash storage and the transportation business. GardaWorld has carved itself out as significant player in the cannabis industry, where security costs are a significant expense. The company says on its website it is well aware of the vulnerabilities at every stage of production, distribution and retail. In this case, GardaWorld was not. Whether the LA heist becomes a folklore tale like DB Cooper, Bonnie & Clyde, Dillinger or the JFK Lufthansa heist that features in Goodfellas, or is open to question. But Hollywood has long feasted on the heist dramas, fictional or dramatized, that find ready audiences. Clark said he did not understand the publics attachment until he was chasing the prison escapee and cop killer Ralph Bucky Phillips in 2006 and saw people in Run, Bucky, run T-shirts. Also, he said, the LA heist isnt political. Its still the us-against-them mentality, the wealthy getting beat by a Robin Hood. But its all made-up. Theres no reality to it. The LA heist has gone viral, with social media users demanding a film adaptation. Clark said you never know when something is going to become folklore now via social media, but its often something to do with its uniqueness that catches public attention. But this case is missing some elements. The longer it takes to solve makes it more fascinating, but it cant take too long or it gets forgotten or lost. It will get regenerated when they make an arrest, which they will do, and figure out the backstory: what was the plan, and what was the scheme, and then that becomes the story, he said. The Dunbar heist was only solved, some years later, when cash wrapped with a Dunbar clip was used for the deposit on a property, and the plot traced to a disgruntled employee. Whether it takes a few months or a few years, they better have a party right now because theyre going to end up in the penitentiary, said Renner. And the LAPD and FBI can take their time. By law, every wastewater treatment works must treat a minimum amount of sewage as stipulated in their environmental permits. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Whistleblowers say UK water companies are knowingly failing to treat legally required amounts of sewage, and that some treatment works are manipulating wastewater systems to divert raw sewage away from the works and into rivers and seas. It is well known that water companies are dumping large volumes of raw sewage into rivers and seas from storm overflows but an investigation by the Guardian and Watershed Investigations reveals that the industrys dirty secret is bigger, broader and deeply systemic. By law, every wastewater treatment works must treat a minimum amount of sewage as stipulated in their environmental permits. Four whistleblowers have told Watershed that a large proportion regularly fail to do so and are not reporting it to the environmental regulator. The insiders say the amount of sewage reaching a works is being manipulated at the front end by flow trimming, which can be done a number of ways including by manually setting penstocks to limit the flow, by dropping weir levels and by tuning down pumps at pumping stations. The diverted raw sewage makes its way into ditches, rivers and seas. One industry insider says they have personally surveyed works and found valves operated and diversion pipes installed so that part of the flow arriving is deliberately diverted to an environmentally sensitive stream, rather than into the works, so that the works passes compliance of sanitary parameters. I have spoken to staff who have carried out surveys to inform investment plans, who have found that the controls of terminal pumping stations have been deliberately altered so that they pump only a reduced proportion of the flow figure they were designed to pump, in the knowledge that this was a breach of flow compliance. This continues. The insider adds: I have spoken to [people at] other water companies who confessed that flow compliance is a dirty secret of the UK water industry, which environmental regulators know about (although perhaps not the scale) and have turned a blind eye due to resourcing constraints. The raw sewage that is diverted away from the works either flows directly into ditches, rivers, lakes and seas, or backs up in the sewer network and finds its way out into the environment via storm overflows. Flow trimming, along with ingress from groundwater and an underlying fundamental lack of capacity at many sewage works, which have not been updated to meet population growth or changing weather patterns, are responsible for the widespread sewage pollution seen around the UK. It is an enormous scandal that many who work in the industry know about, but nobody wants to talk about, said the whistleblower. Water companies report their overall compliance with wastewater rules as good, but dig a little deeper and youll see that lots of treatment works are failing to deal with the amount of sewage they are legally meant to treat. The insider says non-compliance is widespread across the UK, and that they are aware of works where as much as 30% of the sewage they are expected to handle goes straight into the environment without treatment. Some operators, with or without the support of their chain of command, are deliberately reducing the flow of sewage into the treatment works by either dropping the levels of weirs so that sewage flows out into the environment, or by cutting back the flows at pumping stations. This way they can say they are treating a greater proportion of the sewage they receive because they are now receiving less into the works, says the whistleblower. Sadly there are many incentives for water companies, rogue teams or staff to do this, including reduced cost of pumping and treatment, and treatment works that were struggling to comply appearing to be passing, with the resulting regulatory performance rewards leading to staff bonuses and increased dividends to shareholders with very little risk that the manipulation will be found or anyone prosecuted. A second insider says it is almost standard practice to control penstocks by hand to set it at a limit to reduce the flow, adding that the problem stems from sweating the assets There are a lot of undersized, overcapacity sewage treatment works out there and Ive rarely seen a works where all the assets are working, theres usually something out of service. Spilling to the river saves millions of pounds that they should be spending on assets. Lots of storm tanks are sized to meet 30-year-old permits, and there are sites with no storm capacity at all. A third insider says they have seen evidence of flow trimming at works owned by two different water companies. Operational teams on site look for a workaround, often in the full knowledge of what they are doing, and in full knowledge of all the stakeholders, from the project manager all the way up to the person holding the purse strings. Other times its done without knowing the implications no one knows the true scale of whats happening across the country. According to a fourth whistleblower, it is possible to identify instances of flow trimming in a companys figures but no one truly looks into the data, they wont look at the detail. Englands water companies declined to comment, but the industry body Water UK says: We recognise the current level of spills is unacceptable and we have a plan to sort it out. Between 2025 and 2030 water companies in England and Wales want to invest 96bn to ensure the security of our water supply in the future and significantly reduce the amount of sewage entering rivers and seas. We now need the regulator Ofwat to give us the green light so we can get on with it. Ofwat says water and wastewater companies environmental performance is simply not good enough and that the industry regulator is acutely aware of the damage this does to our natural resources and to public trust. However, where companies fall short, Ofwat acts over recent years, we have imposed penalties and payments of over 300m and in November 2021 we announced our biggest ever investigation into all water and wastewater companies in England and Wales, with live enforcement investigations into six companies. This is specifically investigating whether companies are treating as much sewage at their wastewater treatment works as they should be, and how this could be resulting in sewage discharges into the environment at times when this should not be happening. The Environment Agency is also investigating. A spokesperson says: We will always pursue and prosecute companies that are deliberately obstructive or misleading, including on issues around flow compliance. We are conducting our largest-ever criminal investigation into potential widespread non-compliance at thousands of sewage treatment works. Geraint Weber of the regulator Natural Resources Wales says: We expect water and sewerage companies to comply with the conditions of their environmental permits. Where non-compliance is identified we wont hesitate to take action using the full range of enforcement powers available to us. Nathan Critchlow-Watton of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency says: Sepa assess Scottish Waters compliance with authorisation conditions at wastewater treatment works through site inspections, investigating events and incidents, sampling discharges, assessment of operator data and Sepas programme of environmental monitoring. We are not aware of any evidence of deliberate misreporting of overflow data by Scottish Water or other operators. A Scottish Water spokesperson says: We are not routinely required by licence to assess and report whether we are passing the appropriate pass forward flow at our pumping stations and overflows and at wastewater treatment works. We set out to be compliant across all aspects of our licences and are not aware of any instances where we deliberately manage flows to spill early. Northern Ireland Water and Welsh Water declined to comment. Elon Musk and X accuse Australias internet safety watchdog of censorship. Photograph: David Talukdar/Shutterstock Elon Musk and his social media company X have accused Australias eSafety commissioner of censorship and say they will challenge in court an order to remove content on the site relating to Mondays Sydney church stabbing. On Tuesday the eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said that X and Meta were issued with a notice to remove material within 24 hours that depicted gratuitous or offensive violence with a high degree of impact or detail, with the companies facing potential fines if they failed to comply. The notices related to the alleged stabbing of bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at a service at the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley. The service was being livestreamed and a recording of it circulated online, along with other videos of the aftermath. Related: eSafety commissioner orders X and Meta to remove violent videos following Sydney church stabbing But early Saturday morning Australian time, X issued a statement accusing the watchdog of pursuing global censorship and vowing the company will robustly challenge this unlawful and dangerous approach in court. The statement from Xs global government affairs team, which was reposted by the companys owner, Elon Musk, said the company complied with the directive by the commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, to remove certain posts in Australia that publicly commented on Mondays attack. But it did not believe the orders were within the scope of Australian law and it only complied pending a legal challenge. It said that X then received another demand from the commissioner that it globally withhold these posts or face a daily fine of A$785,000. Musk said in reposting the statement that The Australian censorship commissar [sic] is demanding *global* content bans!. The Australian censorship commissar is demanding *global* content bans! https://t.co/CRLglUYYIG Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 19, 2024 The commissioners office declined to comment on Xs statement. It is understood the commissioner made multiple attempts to ensure X had been fully compliant with Tuesdays order after videos and images of the attack continued to circulate on the platform, despite the company claiming it had complied. The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said he was shocked but not surprised by Xs statement. This is exactly as I would expect from X or Twitter or whatever you would call it: a disregard for the information they pump into our communities, lies and rumours spreading like wildfire and then when things go wrong, throwing their hands up in the air to say they are not prepared to do anything about it, Minns said on Saturday. We have had enough, Sydney has had enough. He said the platform allowed rumours about the church stabbing to spread unencumbered in such a way that it fuelled resulting riots, and called for stronger laws governing social media platforms. To think about young police officers who have to go into harms way to calm down a riot based on a rumour or innuendo means that their job is virtually next to impossible for them. It is about time we strengthen rules in relation to the eSafety commissioner or the federal government or penalties that are in place for social media companies, we would all be in favour of that. Minns said the government had wrestled with the idea of leaving the platform, where he, other ministers and multiple departments including NSW police have accounts, but that to do so would mean only bad actors remained on the site. The federal health minister, Mark Butler, said Australia was not going to be bullied by Elon Musk, or any other tech billionaire, in our commitment to making sure that social media is a safe space. He told reporters in Adelaide that if X wanted to challenge the ban or any fines in court then were up for that fight. The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, said the government supported the stance taken by the commissioner. The government is united with eSafety in our very clear expectation that social media companies remove this content immediately, she said in a statement on Saturday. If you operate in Australia, you should comply with the law. Its as simple as that. On Friday, the commission said in a statement that it was continuing to engage with all major social media platforms regarding the resharing and reposting of content depicting recent violence in Sydney. We expect platforms that benefit from Australians using their service to make genuine efforts to protect our citizens from harmful content and, in particular, to enforce their own terms of service. In relation to X Corp, eSafety is working to ensure the companys full and complete compliance with Australian law. We are considering whether further regulatory action is warranted. eSafety is disappointed that process has been unnecessarily prolonged, rather than prioritising the safety of Australians and the Australian community. In its statement, X said it respected the right of a country to enforce its laws within its jurisdiction. However, it added, the eSafety commissioner does not have the authority to dictate what content Xs users can see globally. We will robustly challenge this unlawful and dangerous approach in court. Global takedown orders go against the very principles of a free and open internet and threaten free speech everywhere. The statement said the recent attacks in Australia are a horrific assault on free society. Our condolences go out to those who have been affected, and we stand with the Australian people in calling for those responsible to be brought to justice. This was a tragic event and we do not allow people to praise it or call for further violence. There is a public conversation happening about the event, on X and across Australia, as is often the case when events of major public concern occur. Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos first met in 2003 - DANNY MARTINDALE/WIREIMAGE The third child of the last king of Greece has announced he is getting divorced after 14 years of marriage. Nikolaos Glyksburg, third child of Constantine II, and his wife, Tatiana, announced their separation on Friday. Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana after 14 years of living together, have decided to dissolve their marriage, a statement on the former royal familys website read. The couple stressed 'the difficulty of this decision' to part - Nicolas Koutsokostas/NurPhoto/Shutterstock/SHUTTERSTOCK The statement expressed the difficulty of this decision, the deep appreciation and respect they have for each other, but also the love with which they have walked all these years. The couple met during a ski holiday in Switzerland in 2003 and announced their engagement six years later. Their wedding on the Greek island of Spetses in the summer of 2010 was one of the society events of the year and was attended by guests including royalty from Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain. The royal couple married in Spetses in 2010 - NIKOLAS KOMINIS / HO/EPA Since the wedding, the couple have lived together in Athens. They have not had children. Tatiana dedicated much of her time to philanthropic causes while Nikolaos has a passion for photography. The ex-royals of Greece have maintained close ties to the British monarchy, a relationship that was built around the late Prince Phillip. The family fled from Greece when he was a baby when the country first ousted its royals in the 1920s. Constantine II lived in London during his years in exile before returning to his home country in 2013. He was said to be close to King Charles before his death last year and was godfather to the Prince of Wales. Both Prince Phillip and Elizabeth II were godparents to Nikolaoss older siblings, who affectionately called the late Queen Aunt Lilibet. Nikolaos and Tatiana, who attended Prince William and Kate Middletons wedding in 2011, were believed to be happily married for much of their union but rumours had been swirling in recent months of an estrangement, according to the Greek media. Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos were last seen together in public in February at the memorial for King Constantine in Windsor - CHRIS JACKSON/CHRIS JACKSON COLLECTION The couple were last seen together in public in February when they attended a memorial at Windsor to mark the first anniversary of the death of Mr Glyksburgs father, Constantine II. Nikolaos was born in 1969 in Rome after his father had fled Greece during a period of military dictatorship. In the 1970s, the Greek people voted in two referendums to replace their monarchy with a republic. Nikolaos grew up in Denmark and spent two years at an English private school as well as serving in the Royal Navy. Tatiana was born to an aristocratic German family in Venezuela and grew up in Switzerland. She had to overcome tragedy in her childhood when her father died by suicide when she was seven years old. Sunn m'Cheaux at Harvard University on 1 April 2024. Photograph: Philip Keith/The Guardian In 2019, Akua Page was invited to a juvenile incarceration facility in Richland county, South Carolina, to give a presentation about the Gullah Geechee language, an English-based creole created by enslaved Africans. When the teens walked into the room, Page recalled, they seemed hardened, angry and annoyed. Undeterred, she began her lesson. I told them: Hey, I understand yall are Gullah Geechee, the 30-year-old educator said. I validated them first, and said: Yall are bilingual. Youre not dumb, you dont have a learning disability youre just bilingual, and heres what you can do to navigate the system youre in. Related: Theyre fighting polluters destroying historically Black towns starting with their own The kids, direct descendants of Africans who were enslaved on the Sea Island cotton plantations in the US, had a total change of demeanor. Instead of eye-rolling or irritation, Page said she saw smiles and giggles, and they began eagerly participating in the conversation. Getting people even Gullah Geechee folks themselves to appreciate and understand the importance of perpetuating Gullah Geechee culture is not always this easy for educators like Page. Preserving the Gullah Geechee language, in particular, has had its own set of challenges, especially since decades of stigma have rendered the centuries-old dialect endangered, as categorized by linguists. A type of American creole, the language was formed by enslaved Africans who lived on islands along the countrys south-east coast. Because they were isolated from the rest of the region, they were able to create a unique dialect and culture. According to the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, Gullah began as a form of communication among people who spoke many different languages, including European slave traders, slave owners and diverse, African ethnic groups. Since emancipation, though, there has been an effort to forcibly assimilate Gullah Geechee people into the American mainstream, in part through the attempted eradication of the Gullah Geechee language. Many people, including teachers, considered the language to be broken English or improper English. Gullah Geechee children were encouraged to speak standard English in school, and were penalized for talking in their native tongue. For a long time, it was considered negative to be Gullah, though we didnt grow up feeling negative about ourselves, Delo Washington of St Helena Island, South Carolina, a retired professor, said in a 2005 report on Gullah Geechee culture. But we were considered strange people with a strange language. You couldnt get a job speaking that way. Gullah is still spoken today by some people in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, the states that make up the Gullah Geechee region, but its much rarer than it once was. Page and a growing contingent of Gullah Geechee people are working to revive the language. Through their promotion of the dialect, they are shepherding it into the future, ensuring that the first documented language created by people who would go on to become Black Americans is maintained. Wait a minute, we still say that Though Gullah, Geechee and Gullah Geechee are often used interchangeably to refer to a single language, Page said that there are differences among the three, both in etymology and meaning. Gullah is the mother tongue, she said, because it developed while Gullah Geechee ancestors lived on the Sea Islands, largely shielded from outside influences. It was created because enslaved Africans from different cultures and backgrounds had to learn how to communicate with each other. The isolation allowed the language to flourish, and it is distinct for its African influences. Geechee evolved from Gullah, Page said, once mainlanders and Gullah Geechee people started to interact more. They began learning English, and via syncretism, or the amalgamation of two distinct languages, created a new linguistic path. Gullah Geechee, then, was born of two hybrid languages that were created by linguistic influences from a variety of African cultures and countries. The Gullah Geechee language has influenced the development of African American Vernacular English (AAVE), larger Black culture and, more broadly, American culture, Page said but with little recognition or acknowledgement. Highlighting that connective tissue is what the educator Sunn mCheaux said helps his students see the similarities between their current-day speech and the Gullah Geechee language. MCheaux, a Gullah Geechee expert from Mt Holly, South Carolina, has taught Gullah Geechee in the African language program at Harvard University since 2016. He said that for his students, some of whom are Gullah Geechee or have Gullah Geechee ancestry, learning the language helps them develop pride and a new sense of self. As children, some of the students who grew up in the Gullah Geechee region or had family from that area wondered why they talked a little bit funny or why their parents or grandparents sounded different. MCheauxs class helps them feel closer to their family. In presenting Gullah, its allowing a lot of people to say: Wait a minute, we still say that, mCheaux said. Once you break it down for them, theyre like: I am still maintaining certain parts of my language. Even though there are courses across American colleges that teach about the Gullah Geechee language, mCheauxs classes are different because they teach students how to actually speak the language. [Students] arent really sure what to expect, mCheaux said. They may be somewhat familiar with AAVE, but when you break it down, some of these elements have existed for generations, hundreds of years. MCheaux, who spoke Gullah exclusively until he learned English in middle school, said the notion of teaching Gullah to outsiders would have been laughable when he was younger. According to Page, some Gullah Geechee elders were physically beaten for speaking the language by educators who traveled south to teach them standard English, as recently as her grandparents generation. Students were put into speech or remedial classes contributing to a stigma that has lasted for decades. Growing up in Charleston, South Carolina, which has a high concentration of people of Gullah Geechee descent, Page said she remembers a time when saying someone sounded Geechee would be considered a provocation, or fighting words. As a result, some Gullah people only used the language privately, opting to code-switch in public, or stopped speaking it entirely, preventing their children from learning it as a means of protection. The suppression led to a knowledge gap, and though the language is still spoken in places, educators like mCheaux and Page are a crucial part of ensuring that younger generations learn about the culture. The influence of Gullah being taught at Harvard helps increase the visibility, mCheaux said. With the old guard in the community, many of them were satisfied to keep the language insulated, with the logic being, its for us, by us, nobody else needs to have access to it. But in time, people die. People get old. Generations dont speak to one another as much as they used to, so kids arent exactly learning the language. A Gullah Geechee renaissance Last autumn, Ebony Toussaint invited Ron and Natalie Daise of the groundbreaking 90s era childrens television show Gullah Gullah Island to the University of South Carolina to give a talk. Toussaint, a 34-year-old southern studies postdoctoral researcher and author of the childrens book G Is for Gullah, teaches Gullah Geechee history and culture at the university. During her speech, Natalie Daise spoke about the concept of cultural preservation. She talked about keeping something stagnant, versus how our culture is still growing and expanding and dynamic, Toussaint recalled. Social media has connected many of us in so many beautiful and brilliant ways. I always tell people, I think were in the midst of a Gullah Geechee renaissance. Gullah Geechee culture has garnered some level of mainstream popularity in recent decades. Cities across the corridor offer tours of Gullah Geechee sites, shops and restaurants (Page runs one such tour in Charleston). Popular food shows such as Netflixs High on the Hog and Maxs Chasing Flavor with Carla Hall explore the Gullah Geechee influence on southern and Black culinary traditions. In 2019, Ranky Tanky, a Gullah Geechee band, became the first Gullah Geechee musical group to be awarded by the Grammys. And museums such as the International African American Museum in Charleston offer exhaustive views into Gullah Geechee history and contemporary life. In addition to his courses at Harvard, mCheaux has a robust social media presence some 180,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 16,000 on X and teaches online Gullah workshops to his followers. He creates lesson plans for some videos, in which he discusses the social linguistics, history and evolution of language. His online audiences, he said, are often as enthusiastic as his Harvard students. Similarly, Page created a YouTube video in 2019, Geechee 101, in which she and a friend share the meanings and usages of Gullah Geechee words. The video has garnered almost 200,000 views and served as an introduction to the language for many people. It also led some Gullah Geechee people to begin openly and proudly speaking the language. After that video, it felt different, Page said. People I did not know were Gullah Geechee would come up to me and start greeting me with the Gullah Geechee language saying: Oh, yeah, I Gullah Geechee, too. I feel like it was a weight lifted off so many peoples shoulders. They were like: Im reclaiming this, this is nothing to be ashamed of. Despite pushback from some people who think that Gullah Geechee language and culture should remain behind closed doors for Gullah Geechee people only, Page, Toussaint and mCheaux all pointed to broad community support. We moved away, but all of us are back home now doing this cultural-preservation work, Toussaint said, referencing other Gullah Geechee educators, such as Sara Daise, one of Ron and Natalie Daises children, and Jessica Berry, who also work to promote the language and culture. Its still a community effort. I couldnt do this work alone. The ongoing resurgence aims to remedy what centuries of Gullah Geechee cultural repression have wrought. Preserving the language, for these educators, is paramount. Some people are under the impression that theyve lost more than they actually have, mCheaux said. Theres a lot more thats still there. Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Greens co-leader, says the abandonment of the greenhouse gas target brought matters 'to a head' - JAMES CHAPELARD The SNP could lose its working majority at Holyrood if the Scottish Greens decide to end their power-sharing deal over an abandoned greenhouse gas target. The Greens are to call an extraordinary general meeting at which party members are expected to vote on whether to continue with the deal, which kept the SNP in power after it failed to win an overall majority in 2021. Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie said things have come to a head after the Scottish Government scrapped its target to cut greenhouse gases by 75 per cent by 2030. Earlier this week, Humza Yousaf, the First Minister, admitted that his government was scrapping Nicola Sturgeons promise to cut Scotlands carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2030, after experts warned it was unachievable. Humza Yousaf with Diane Gilpin, boss of Smart Green Shipping, at the launch of her company's FastRig windsail in West Kilbride this week - LESLEY MARTIN/REUTERS Now furious Scottish Green members are demanding that the partys leaders consider ripping up their power-sharing deal with the SNP and quitting the government. Chas Booth, a Scottish Green councillor in Edinburgh, wrote to the partys executive, demanding an extraordinary general meeting be held as soon as reasonably possible to consider pulling out of the coalition with the SNP. He warned the Greens were being used as a figleaf for the SNPs woeful and inexcusable climate inaction. Mr Booth said there had been anger on a party members call on Thursday evening as a result of the Greens being part of a Government abandoning climate targets. Devastating and humiliating His call was backed by Anthony Carroll, a Glasgow councillor, who said members should have their say again on the coalition deal, and accused the SNP of having shown a lot of contempt in the past year. Meanwhile, Labour has reiterated its iron-clad commitment to climate leadership. Ed Miliband, the shadow climate secretary, called the SNPs U-turn a devastating and humiliating admission of defeat. Labour has a stated aim of achieving net zero by 2045, with an interim target of at least 70 per cent by 2030. The party has pledged to deliver the lower bills, good jobs, energy security, and climate leadership that Scotland needs with its Green Prosperity Plan. Scotland's only oil refinery at Grangemouth - UNPIXS Douglas Lumsden, the Scottish Conservative shadow secretary for net zero, said: Abandoning their flagship, self-imposed climate-change target is an abject humiliation for the SNP. But the reality is that both Labour and the SNPs policies would spell disaster for Scotlands economy and energy security. Both parties are opposed to new licences being granted for oil and gas projects in the North Sea. This is madness, because it would cost tens of thousands of skilled jobs and leave us more reliant on the likes of Putins Russia for imported fossil fuels with a greater carbon footprint. Scotland needs a just transition to net zero that protects communities and livelihoods rather than a battle between Labour and the SNP over who can sell out the North-East quickest. Claire Coutinho, the UK Energy Secretary, said: Labour wants to shut down the North Sea, deterring investment and jobs. Theyve said their target to decarbonise power by 2030 will cost 28 billion a year, which will saddle taxpayers with thousands in higher taxes because they have no way to pay for it. Jeremy Hunt and Dame Marianne Griffiths at an event in 2022 The boss of a scandal-hit hospital at the centre of a police investigation was lauded by Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, as having done a sensational job of keeping patients safe. Dame Marianne Griffiths stepped down as chief executive of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust in 2022. Police are now investigating more than 100 cases of alleged negligence in the latter years of her tenure, amid allegations of a cover-up and the persecution of whistleblowers. Despite this, Dame Marianne has gone on to secure further top-level NHS work, as well as being honoured outside the health service with an appointment as chancellor of the University of Chichester. During her time in charge at the Sussex trust, she was praised for improving standards of patient safety by Mr Hunt, who was health secretary from 2012 to 2018, and subsequently chaired the Commons health and social care select committee. Upon Dame Mariannes retirement from the trust, Mr Hunt said: My passion was improving safety and quality of NHS care. Marianne did an absolutely sensational job of putting together the best-run, safest, highest-quality care that I encountered anywhere in the NHS. Thousands and thousands of patients benefited because of your inspirational leadership. His 2022 commendation is still displayed prominently on the trusts website. Mr Hunt has also previously shared a platform with Dame Marianne, who received her damehood in 2020, on the subject of patient safety. Originally a nurse, Dame Marianne became in 2018 the first woman to be named best chief executive in the NHS at the influential Health Service Journal awards, an accolade she retained the following year. However, the trusts reputation as a centre for good practice and that of its flagship hospital, The Royal Sussex in Brighton, is now in tatters. The scandal has left Royal Sussex County Hospital's reputation in tatters - EDDIE MITCHELL Last year, the Care Quality Commission rated the trust inadequate, with complaints by staff of autocratic and bureaucratic management, and little or no improvement in surgery since a previous inspection in 2021. It is also facing cases in an employment tribunal by two whistleblowers who claim that a group of senior hospital consultants suppressed warnings about patient safety for years. Mansoor Foroughi, a leading consultant neurosurgeon, and Krishna Singh, a general surgeon, have claimed that they told Dame Marianne, as well as her chief medical officer, that patients were dying unnecessarily almost five years before police became involved last May. University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust told the tribunal that Mr Foroughis complaints were made in bad faith to further his own career, and that it had followed due process dismissing him and Mr Singh. The tribunal has been halted pending police investigation and both claimants stand by their claims. Chief was paid 3.7 million The Telegraph has also revealed claims that significant numbers of unregistered consultants were allowed to operate on patients, with Sussex taking advantage of looser rules for foundation trusts, which allow doctors who have not completed the rigorous consultant qualification process to act up in the role. This is understood to form part of an investigation by Sussex Police into at least 105 cases of alleged medical negligence. Dame Marianne reportedly earned 3.7 million between 2009 and 2022, accruing a pension pot of nearly 1.3 million. Although concerns about the treatment of patients at Sussex were already emerging, in August 2022 Dame Marianne was appointed by NHS England to lead its independent review of failings at North East Ambulance Service, which was facing similar allegations of cover-ups and the mistreatment of whistleblowers, following a number of deaths. The review, which cost taxpayers around 200,000 as of last summer, found cultural and behavioural issues that contributed to the failings. However, Dame Marianne concluded that the ambulance services current leadership were the right people to bring about reform. NHS England would not disclose what Dame Marianne was paid for conducting the review. A senior clinician at the Royal Sussex, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: A lot of us feel very strongly that she shouldnt play any further role in the NHS given whats happened here. It sometimes feels like theres an alternative universe for top executives, with patients and staff living in the real world. The police investigation at the Royal Sussex is one of the most significant criminal investigations into an NHS institution in recent decades. It comes amid heightened scrutiny of how the health service reacts to staff raising concerns following the conviction of Lucy Letby last year. The paediatric nurse was found guilty of murdering seven infants and the attempted murder of seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016. Some of the deaths occurred after staff, one a senior consultant, voiced serious concerns. However, they allege that the trust sought to downplay their concerns and even threatened them with disciplinary action. A major focus of Mr Hunts six years as health secretary was patient safety and making it easier for staff to speak up. He frequently spoke of his desire to move away from a culture of blame to one of learning from mistakes, as practised in the aviation industry. Some reforms were introduced. However, as the high volume of doctors unfair dismissal claims currently being heard by the employment tribunals show, whistleblowers are still routinely sidelined and disciplined after speaking up. Many are also referred by their trust, or former trust, to the General Medical Council for professional misconduct allegations, imperilling their licence to practise. This happened in the case of Mr Foroughi, who initially raised concerns about 19 deaths and 23 cases of serious harm. The Telegraph has previously revealed that in 2019 there was a major shake-up of clinical governance within the general surgery department at the Royal Sussex, which reduced the frequency of morbidity and mortality meetings. The purpose of such meetings is to discuss deaths and complications in order to learn lessons. Dr George Findlay, a long-term protege of Dame Marianne, took over as chief executive of University Hospitals Sussex in June 2022, having previously served as deputy chief executive and chief medical officer in Western Sussex Hospital and Brighton and Sussex University Hospital, which became part of the same trust. An NHS spokesman said: NHS England commissioned Dame Marianne Griffiths to lead the review into North East Ambulance Service following a process to identify a person with relevant NHS experience and who had not worked in the local area. Dame Marianne has made no public statements since the announcement of the police investigation. The Army's cheer was a valuable psychological weapon for Britain when fighting her continental foe in the early 1800s - Universal Images Generations of military historians have overlooked the importance of the British cheer in the victory against the French during the Napoleonic wars, according to a new book. Author Paul Thompsons evidence suggests that the British Armys cheer was a valuable psychological weapon for Britain when fighting her continental foe. Soldiers yelled in unison a variety of words during battle including hurrah and huzza, as well as many similar terms such as hooray, hussaw and huzzay. The cheer was never practised, although the men knew instinctively what to say, and when. In his book, The British Cheer, Psychological Warfare in the Napoleonic Era, Thompson cites many accounts of soldiers referencing the cheer and what its effect was. He said: It is something that many military historians havent considered and others mention it in passing then move on to other things. Its been overlooked. Reading through accounts it surprised me just how often the cheer was mentioned and I concluded that there must be more to it. Its importance has been underestimated but the cheer is a potent example of psychological warfare. In terms of decibels it had a similar level as the artillery and men described it as thundering, exhilarating and thrilling. Napoleon, as played by Joaquin Phoenix in 2023's eponymous biopic, was aware of the impact of psychological warfare - ALAMY French accounts acknowledge its potency and while they had their own cheer it didnt have the same impact and couldnt cancel out the British one. The words the British used had no meaning but were exclamations. The French shouted Vive lEmpereur. There is no evidence that the cheer was ever practised or drilled and it seems to have been atavistic and spontaneous. It had been part of army life for a long time and just happened. Sometimes it was deployed tactically in a sequence of volley-cheer-charge by officers who better understood its value. Napoleon certainly knew about the importance of psychological warfare but he did not hear the British cheer until his defeat at Waterloo in 1815. He once said that the moral is to the physical as three is to one meaning the psychological element was three times more important than physical one. Assessing the effect of the cheer is difficult because it is an intangible, but more historians, especially in the US, are looking at the psychological aspects of warfare during this era. The British cheer was an important weapon and without it we would have been a poorer fighting force. Thompson, who is a flute professor at Southeast Missouri State University in the US, believes his musical background might subconsciously have led to his interest in the cheer. Examples in the book, published by Penn & Sword, include one from Judge Advocate General Francis Seymour Larpent, which he seems to have gleaned from Wellington. It refers to action at River Coa in 1810. A loud shout the whole division set up a loud shout, so as to frighten a small party of French who did not know what was the matter, and ran away. Aeneas Anderson, of the 40th Foot, serving in Minorca in June 1800, wrote: This firing was repeated twice, and followed by three cheers, whose loyal and animating sound, proceeding from the tongues and hearts of so large a body of British troops, produced an effect which my feeble powers are unable to describe. During the Waterloo campaign Major Edward Macready wrote: Halkett, as well as the noise permitted us to hear him, addressed us, and said, My boys, you have done everything I could have wished, and more than I could expect, but much remains to be done at this moment we have nothing for it but a charge. Our brave fellows replied with three cheers. The enemy halted, carried arms, about forty paces from us and fired a volley. We returned it, and giving our Huzza! brought down the bayonets. Our surprise was inexpressible when, pushing through the clearing smoke, we saw the backs of the Imperial Grenadiers. Veteran William Surtees recalled the cheer at the Pyrenean Pass of Echallar in 1813, writing, [The French] now began to get courage and made a show of advancing against us; they did so on the right of our 1st battalion, but my commanding-officer calling out to cheer our people, set up a shout, which had the effect of intimidating them, and they did not dare to advance. Iranians carry a model of a missile during a celebration following the IRGC attack on Israel What if one of the missiles streaking from Iran towards Israel had been carrying a nuclear payload? That question has been asked by many in the defence establishment this week. For all the alarm about rockets and drones, the atomic threat is true danger. Jerusalems impressive retaliatory strike whispered a warning about its capabilities while offering a generous exit from escalation, and kept the international community happy. After so many allies had come to its defence, Israel owed them cooperation. But in many ways, it is more vulnerable than it was before. Right now, war with Iran would suit nobody. Israel has Hamas to destroy and hostages to release, not to mention Hezbollah in the north. But international pressure not to escalate meant that Fridays operation was about fear rather than pain. Fanaticism has a way of dulling fear. The penalty for a massive aerial barrage, which cost Israel and its allies $1 billion to thwart, is now clear: a pinpoint strike on an airfield in Isfahan. In other words, the Iranians have succeeded in creating a world in which direct attacks on the Jewish state are no longer off the table. In every dimension of the conflict, Tehran has long been advancing on Israel in increments. This applies to its nuclear progress as much as conventional warfare. In January, International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors visited Fordow, an Iranian nuclear site on the fringes of the Great Salt Desert. They were appalled by what they found. It had mothballed its enrichment processes in 2015, yet now it had been fitted with new equipment and was on track to double its output, including highly enriched uranium. That same month, Irans former foreign minister said: We have (crossed) all the thresholds of nuclear science and technology... Heres an example. Imagine what a car needs. It needs a chassis, an engine, a steering wheel, a gearbox. Youre asking if weve made the gearbox, I say yes. Have we made the engine? Yes. It just needs to be put together. Tehrans breakout time to achieve enough weapons-grade uranium for a bomb is close to zero. It would be a matter of months before the fissile material was deployable on a warhead. With polls predicting a second Trump presidency, and the return of the man who imposed maximum pressure on Iran, Tehran may decide to go nuclear before November, reshaping the power balance of the Middle East before he takes office. Appeasement has clearly failed. For years, the Israeli side has been calling on the Americans to adopt a four-part strategy of nuclear containment: robust sanctions, pressure from the UN and regional deterrents from a strengthened alliance with Gulf states and other moderate Arab countries and, crucially, a credible military threat. Not only was this approach never properly adopted, it has been wilfully undermined by the White House. As a result, if Iran is to be prevented from dominating the Middle East and possibly heralding the apocalypse, military force must fall upon the regimes nascent nukes. And soon. In extremis, the Jewish state could destroy Irans nuclear facilities alone, probably by dropping several bunker buster bombs in succession to reach the complexes deep underground. But the operation really needs American might, including heavy bombers and Massive Ordnance Air Blast bombs. Containing the fallout, both across the region and vis-a-vis Russia and China, would also require American leadership. God knows the White House owes Jerusalem this much. But years of appeasement mean that the day is coming when Israel must strike, with or without Uncle Sam. Jake Wallis Simons is the author of Israelophobia Forum+ put on activities including 'Cooking with Pride' lessons and 'LGBTQ+ Paddlesport' Two Labour-run councils have been criticised by campaigners over their use of taxpayer money after channelling thousands of pounds into activities including Cooking with Pride lessons and LGBTQ+ Paddlesport social events. Since 2019, forum+, a charity, has received 627,710 in government grants, with Camden and Islington councils alone giving 250,000 in total for 2022 and 2023. Forum+ states its aim as promoting equality for LGBTQ people in Camden and Islington through hosting social groups and events which celebrate LGBTQ life in the boroughs and supporting victims of homophobic and transphobic hate crime, among other activities. For its Rainbow Paddlers event, attendees are invited to join fellow LGBTQ+ pirates for a relaxing early evening paddle. Tickets cost 10 per session, but forum+ says its free to join, with the event being marketed for LBGTQ+ people aged 18. The charity also held a LGBT History Month Art Workshop forum+ in February, where participants celebrated queer joy and creativity and regularly posts links to its international film club where participants can enjoy trips to the cinema, a free monthly spoken word event and Cooking with Pride lessons. Kate Barker, CEO of LGB Alliance, told The Telegraph: Councils should have a clear idea of who theyre funding and what theyre up to. Lesbians, gay men and bisexuals would be as keen as every other ratepayer to understand what the T, the Q and especially the + actually stand for. And, what any of those people have in common with those of us who are same-sex attracted. The forced-teaming of disparate groups serves none of the individuals within them well and obscures their purpose in a way that should ring alarm bells for councils. Paddling canoes Neil Garratt, AM, leader of Londons Conservatives in City Hall, said: It sounds like theyve had a lovely day paddling their canoe, but when we look at the budget pressures on councils, paying for a fun day on the water cant be the priority. Meanwhile, assuming that gay Londoners are all impoverished and oppressed and unable to fund their own watersports is a patronising negative stereotype. These Labour councils must do better. Elliot Keck, head of campaigns at the TaxPayers Alliance, said: Taxpayers are fed up with councils doing everything in their power to avoid cutting their own pet projects. Council bosses moan that theres no fat to trim, yet its clear to residents that theyve barely even begun to crack down on the huge waste that goes on in town halls. Local authorities should only provide grants to organisations with clear, measurable plans for delivering genuinely achievable and desirable goals. An Islington Council spokesperson said: In Islington, we are proud to stand against any, and all, forms of injustice and inequality, and support local organisations that do the same. We work with forum+ and other groups as part of our commitment to standing alongside our LGBTQ+ community, who are more likely to experience disadvantage and discrimination, including hate crime. Their work supports victims, transforms attitudes and brings people together, as well as playing a key role in the Islington Hate Crime Forum. This is a key part of our work to make Islington a more equal place. Camden Council told The Telegraph: We are proud to support all our residents and we work closely with forum+ to stand up to discrimination and hate our LGBTQ+ residents experience, in line with our responsibilities under the Equality Act. Last year 90 incidents of hate crime against LGBTQ+ people were reported in Camden, and forum+ carry out important work to support these victims, as well as bringing people in our communities who have experienced harassment and social isolation together for events and activities. Forum+ said: forum+ is proud to support LGBT+ people many of whom suffer hate crime and discrimination. Our annual events programme and outreach connects with up to 6,000 people each year from young people up to those in their 70s. It promotes understanding and social cohesion and breaks down social isolation within the LGBT+ community. Keir Starmer warned against the St George's flag being surrendered to the far Right Sir Keir Starmer has said we must not flinch at flying the St Georges flag as he declared that Labour is the patriotic party now. Writing for The Telegraph ahead of St Georges Day on Tuesday, the Labour leader said that he was proud to be English and that his party would celebrate the day of Englands patron saint with enthusiasm. The article represents a bold attempt to outmanoeuvre the Conservatives on the issue of national identity, as well as a slapdown to those in his own party who have criticised Labours use of patriotic symbols in its campaigning. Listing the times in his life when he has felt great pride and gratitude to be English, Sir Keir highlighted belting out Three Lions in Wembley Stadium during Euro 96 and reaching the peak of Scafell Pike, Englands highest point, with his mother, who died in 2015 after a long battle with Stills disease. He said that real patriotism isnt just about respecting our shared symbols and sentiments but consisted in serving the country we love. In a broadside against the Tories, he claimed that having trashed the economy, hammered mortgage holders, weakened the union and neglected our forces, they had lost any right to call [themselves] a patriotic party. Labour is the patriotic party now, he said. We will celebrate St Georges Day with enthusiasm, an enthusiasm shared by each patron saints day on our isles. Alienating ethnic minorities Last month, it was reported that several unnamed Labour MPs had criticised the use of the Union flag on the partys campaign materials, claiming it might alienate voters from ethnic minorities. In a message to his internal critics, Sir Keir said he had no time for those who flinch at displaying our flag because the cross of St George belongs to every person who loves this country and seeks to make it better a symbol of pride, belonging and inclusion. Warning against the St Georges flag being surrendered to the far Right, he said: We cannot allow it to become the preserve of the tiny minority who want to drive hatred in our communities. In the article, he claimed that pride in our flag and pride in our national identity had become more contentious during the 14 years in which the Tories have been in power. Shouting woke doesnt just undermine the proud British tradition of free speech, dissent and independent thinking, he said. At best, it suggests they dont have faith in the strength of our history, identity and flag to withstand discussion. At worst, they dont care if division weakens our nation if it strengthens their grip on power. Im proud to be English precisely because its a place where we can disagree whether thats a debate in the House of Commons or in the local pub and still celebrate a common identity, a shared history and a future together. Sir Keirs embrace of patriotic symbols is in stark contrast with his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, who was criticised for not singing the national anthem at a Battle of Britain memorial ceremony in 2015. In 2022, Sir Keir made the decision that the anthem should be sung at Labours annual party conference. In the past, some Labour politicians have also appeared uneasy when dealing with expressions of English national identity. Emily Thornberry resigned from Ed Millibands shadow cabinet in 2014 after being accused of snobbery for sharing a picture on social media of a house in Kent bedecked with England flags with the accompanying comment: Image from Rochester. The base is run by Iraq's PMF - GETTY IMAGES One person was killed and several others were wounded in an explosion at a military base in Iraq on Friday night that was reported to have been caused by an air strike. The command post in Kalso, about 50km (30 miles) south of Baghdad is held by Iraqs Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an state security agency that has targeted US forces and is composed of dozens of armed groups, many of them close to Iran. Reuters reported that security sources said the huge explosion, which killed a PMF fighter, resulted from an air attack. An official in Iraqs interior ministry said the attack had killed one person and wounded eight others, while the military source told AFP that three Iraqi military personnel had been hurt. It is not known who was responsible for the strike, which reportedly hit equipment, weapons and vehicles. US Central Command denied that American forces were involved. The strike in Iraq comes amid high tensions in the region as the conflict between Iran and Israel threatens to spill over into all-out war. Israel carried out an attack on Iranian territory on Friday morning, days after Iran struck Israel with a barrage of more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles. The PMF is an enemy of Israel and is allied with the regime in Tehran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. It started as a group of armed factions, many close to Iran, that was later recognised as a formal security force by Iraqi authorities. Factions within the PMF took part in months of rocket and drone attacks on US forces in Iraq following Israels Gaza campaign but the group has halted attacks since February. In February, the US killed 16 PMF fighters in an air strike in Akashat, in western Iraq. The PMF, also known as Hashed al-Shaabi, is now integrated into the regular army. Britain, the United States and several other countries have suspended their funding to UNRWA - Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/REUTERS Spending taxpayer money on a Hamas-linked UN aid agency would be morally bankrupt, Lord Cameron has been warned. Senior Tory MPs are urging the Foreign Secretary not to restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), saying it would be a disgrace to do so. In January, Britain, the United States and several other countries suspended their funding to UNRWA after 12 of its workers were sacked following accusations by Israel that they took part in the Oct 7 attacks. The UN has launched its own inquiry into the claims, which is ongoing. At the time, the Foreign Office said the UK was appalled by the claims that UNRWA staff were involved in a heinous act of terrorism, adding that it would pause any future funding while it reviewed the allegations. The Foreign Office is waiting for a review into UNRWAs neutrality, which is due to be published this week, before making a decision. Funding should not be restored Several Conservative MPs have either written to Lord Cameron or met him personally to warn against restoring UNRWAs funding, The Sunday Telegraph understands. Therese Villiers, the former Cabinet minister, who has written to Lord Cameron to appeal to him not to restore UNRWAs funding, said the agency is now completely discredited. She told The Sunday Telegraph: It is horrific to think that their staff appear to have actively participated in the 7th October atrocity. But there is a long history of problems with UNRWA. Funding should not be restored. We need a new organisation to take over provision of aid to Palestinians which is not tainted by the failings of UNRWA. Israels defence minister said in February that it had identified dozens more UNRWA workers who took part in the Oct 7 massacre. Yoav Gallant also said more than 1,400 workers from the UNRWA were members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The figure amounts to about 12 per cent of the agencys workforce in Gaza, which numbers 13,000. Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, said: UNRWA has been categorically discredited and it would be a disgrace for taxpayers money to be diverted towards its activities. Hamas uses UNRWA for military activities and UNRWA has totally failed to deal with it. It would be wholly inappropriate for the UK Government to fund UNRWA. UNRWA cannot be trusted Greg Smith, a Conservative MP, said it would be morally bankrupt to renew funding to Hamas. Other aid organisations operating in Gaza need to be the ones to deliver the aid, he said. UNRWA cannot be trusted, they are in the hands of Hamas. He said he attended a briefing in Parliament last month where Israels deputy ambassador, along with other senior Israeli government officials, showed MPs and peers a document as thick as the Yellow Pages book which detailed every UNRWA employees name and address. They were highlighted in green if they were known to be a Hamas operative and in yellow if there was evidence that they were supportive of Hamas, and left blank if there was no intel, Mr Smith said. Over half the names were highlighted. Foreign Office documents show Britain has given UNRWA 27 million in aid since October 2022. A memorandum of understanding between the Foreign Office and UNRWA shows Britain planned to hand it a further 2 million on April 15 and 9 million on Oct 1 this year. Prior to the Oct 7 attack, UNRWA had faced criticism that anti-Israel material was taught in its schools in Gaza. During Donald Trumps presidency, the US ended funding for the agency and described it as irredeemably flawed. The agency rejected the criticism, and aid was restored by Joe Biden in 2021. Textbooks are anti-Semitic Impact-se, a non-profit organisation which specialises in counter-extremism work in schools, published a report last year about UNRWAs textbooks. The report alleges that textbooks used in UNRWA schools are openly anti-Semitic and continue to encourage violence, jihad and martyrdom while peace is not taught as preferable or even possible. Extreme nationalism and Islamist ideologies proliferate throughout the curriculum, including in science and maths textbooks. Impact-ses report also notes that by Hamass own admission, more than 100 UNRWA school graduates have become active Hamas terrorists. Juliette Touma, UNRWAs director of communications, said: Every year we show a list of our staff with the host government, wherever we work across the region. We have never received any response from the Israeli government about the content of those lists. She said that Impact-se has specifically targeted UNRWA over the years, adding that on many occasions it turned out that quite a lot of the contents [of its reports] are inaccurate. A government spokesman said: Allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the events that took place on Oct 7 in Israel are appalling, which is why we have taken decisive action to pause future funding to the organisation. Alongside our allies, we are calling on UNRWA to give detailed undertakings about changes in personnel policy and procedures to ensure this can never happen again. The Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd church in Wakeley in western Sydney. Photograph: Jaimi Joy/Reuters A third person has been charged with rioting outside a Sydney church after the stabbing of bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on Monday. An estimated 2,000 people descended on the Wakeley church after the attack on Emmanuel, damaging 94 police vehicles and leaving 26 officers injured, according to police. New South Wales police said that about 7.20am on Saturday they arrested a man in Horningsea Park in Sydneys west. The 28-year-old was later charged with the offence of threaten violence, cause fear and he was expected to face Parramatta bail court on Saturday. On Friday evening another man, 45-year-old Sam Haddad, was arrested at a Fairfield Heights home and charged with rioting and threatening violence and causing fear over his alleged involvement in the wild scenes outside the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church on Monday night. Haddad fronted Parramatta bail court on Saturday and was granted bail on the condition he report to police every day and live at a specific address. He was next due before Fairfield local court on Wednesday. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with committing a terrorist act in relation to the alleged stabbing, which was seen on a livestream of Emmanuels service. His lawyer, Greg Scragg, told a court on Friday that the boy had a history of receiving treatment for his mental health since he was five years old and had shown behaviour consistent with mental illness or intellectual disability. The charge comes with a potential sentence of life in prison. The first person arrested and charged for taking part in the riots was granted bail on Thursday after appearing at Blacktown local court. Dani Mansour, 19, was charged with riot, affray and destroying or damaging property as part of the mob that allegedly attacked police. Related: Sydney bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel forgives alleged attacker after church stabbing, calls for Christlike response Mansour was granted bail on strict conditions, including a ban on accessing social media. He must present his phone to police once a week, cannot contact anyone involved in the riot, can only travel to and from work, cannot enter Wakeley, cannot attend the church, and he must report to police every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The court heard Mansour allegedly filmed himself smashing two police vehicles and taking part in the riot, posting the footage to his personal Instagram page. He will face court again on 2 May. The NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, has said police needed help identifying the rioters, some of whom wore masks during the violence. The force established Strike Force Dribs to investigate the rioters. People in the community know who they are, their families know who they are, and we need to know who they are, Webb said. We have some people that have jumped on multiple police cars. One individual has a very distinctive tattoo on his torso, of a face, while he has cowardly hid his own face. Webb said 42 detectives were working to identify 50 people from the 2,000 that were present. The sooner they are identified [and] put before the court, the sooner they can be dealt with. People take part in a protest to demand an urgent rethink of the Canary Islands' tourism model, in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, on Saturday. Photograph: Carlos de Saa/EPA Tens of thousands of people are protesting across the Canary Islands to call for an urgent rethink of the Spanish archipelagos tourism strategy and a freeze on visitor numbers, arguing that the decades-old model has made life unaffordable and environmentally unsustainable for residents. The protests, which are taking place under the banner Canarias tiene un limite The Canaries have a limit are backed by environmental groups including Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth and SEO/Birdlife. Weve reached the point where the balance between the use of resources and the welfare of the population here has broken down, especially over the past year, said Victor Martin, a spokesperson for the collective Canarias se Agota The Canaries Have Had Enough which helped to coordinate protests on Saturday across the eight islands. Eleven members of Canarias se Agota have already been on hunger strike for a week to protest against the construction of two large luxury developments in southern Tenerife, which they describe as illegal and totally unnecessary. Police said 20,000 people had turned out for the demonstrations, but organisers put the figure closer to 50,000, Spains TVE public television said. We are not against tourism, Rosario Correo, one of the protesters, told TVE. Were asking that they change this model that allows for unlimited growth of tourism. Protesters also gathered in Madrid and Barcelona to show their support for the rallies in the Canary Islands, public television said. Last year, 13.9 million people visited the islands, which have a population of 2.2 million. Tourism accounts for about 35% of the archipelagos GDP bringing in 16.9bn in 2022 alone but local people say the industry is stressing natural resources and pricing them out of the rental market. Figures from Spains National Statistics Institute show that 33.8% of people in the Canaries are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the highest proportion for any region except Andalucia. Martin said the regional governments continuing focus on tourism at a time when the climate emergency was leading to cuts to water supplies made no sense. Demand is rising in urban areas where there are more tourists, he said. Weve had a very dry winter and a water emergencys already been declared on Tenerife. There are going to be restrictions if theres not more rain this month but its 36C here right now. This is all unsustainable and it means that we wont even be able to keep normal levels of tourism going. And yet the authorities and the businesses here are trying to stick with this model. The housing situation in many parts of the archipelago was also dire because of high prices, low wages, a lack of public housing and the continuing cost of living crisis, Martin said. I realised wed reached the limit when I saw people who were working as hotel maids or waiters were living in shacks. Wages are so low that they dont cover the basic costs of living, especially in the current crisis, which is global, but has been felt keenly in the Canaries because we have to import practically everything. He insisted the protest movement was not anti-tourist, pointing out that many people in the Canaries had known and liked generations of families from countries such as the UK and Germany. The problem isnt the tourists, he said. Its a model that was built around, and with the connivance of, a business class that doesnt want to listen to what needs to be done, and with a political class that serves that business class instead of serving all the citizens. He said a complete rethink of the Canaries tourism model could not wait. What were asking is very simple. Given that tourism is the main economic activity and the cause of all these problems, we want an immediate halt to these two mega-projects, he said of the Tenerife developments. We also want a tourist moratorium that will lead to a study of the load each island can take and which will determine whether weve already passed the critical point. In areas where theres an overload, we want to see a stage of degrowth of economic activity to benefit natural resources. Otherwise, you have an existing model that only benefits a very few people. Martin said a proper study of the problems the Canaries suffer from could have global repercussions. This rethinking of the tourism model could put the Canaries on the map as an example of sustainable tourism development, he said. We could be known for something positive instead of something negative. Fernando Clavijo, the regional president of the Canary Islands, has said his administration is already taking action. All the actions this government has taken have been based on a revision of this model, he told reporters this week. The Canaries tourist model has been a successful one, but obviously, as with anything, there are things that could be perfected. Over-tourism has become a major issue in many Spanish cities and regions, triggering protests and backlashes in Barcelona, and leading the authorities in Seville to consider charging visitors to explore the Andalucian citys famous Plaza de Espana. Chinese Language Day celebrated in Ethiopia to promote cultural exchanges Xinhua) 10:09, April 20, 2024 People communicate at a United Nations Chinese Language Day event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on April 19, 2024. The United Nations Chinese Language Day was celebrated in Addis Ababa on Friday with a call to promote cultural exchanges and mutual understanding through learning different languages. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) ADDIS ABABA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Chinese Language Day was celebrated in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, on Friday with a call to promote cultural exchanges and mutual understanding through learning different languages. The day was marked at the Ethiopian Technical and Vocational Training Institute (TVTI) under the theme "Chinese language: connecting cultures through the bridge of mutual learning." The event featured Chinese calligraphy, traditional Chinese music, and acrobatics performed by Ethiopian artists who had been trained in China. Welcoming the guests at the event, Shen Qinmin, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, said the UN Chinese Language Day is part of the Chinese government's commitment to promoting cultural exchanges, equality, mutual learning, and global civilization. "An event of such kind will not only promote the all-weather strategic partnership between China and Ethiopia but also enhance mutual understanding and appreciation of each other's languages and cultures among the peoples of the two countries," Shen said Noting that both China and Ethiopia have ancient civilizations, Shen said such kinds of events will further strengthen unity and solidarity between the Chinese and Ethiopian peoples and governments. Speaking on the occasion, Biruk Kedir, director-general of TVTI, said the event serves as a platform to showcase the beauty of Ethiopian and Chinese cultures, their long-standing relations, and their ancient civilizations. Highlighting that language plays an indispensable role in the exchanges of cultures and mutual learning in human civilization, Kedir said the development of the Chinese language in Ethiopia has contributed to enhancing the all-weather strategic partnership between Ethiopia and China as well as the economic benefits of the Chinese language learners in Ethiopia. "Organizing such a celebration event will definitely deepen our understanding of the Chinese language and culture, and simultaneously promote constructive cooperation between the two countries," Kedir said. The UN decided to designate April 20 as UN Chinese Language Day in 2010. The date was specifically chosen to honor Cangjie, a mythical figure in China credited with the invention of Chinese characters. People interact at a United Nations Chinese Language Day event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on April 19, 2024. The United Nations Chinese Language Day was celebrated in Addis Ababa on Friday with a call to promote cultural exchanges and mutual understanding through learning different languages. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) Biruk Kedir, director-general of the Ethiopian Technical and Vocational Training Institute, speaks at a United Nations Chinese Language Day event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on April 19, 2024. The United Nations Chinese Language Day was celebrated in Addis Ababa on Friday with a call to promote cultural exchanges and mutual understanding through learning different languages. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) More than 100 people were arrested and issued summonses for trespass this week after protesters established an encampment at New York City's Columbia University in support of Palestinians in Gaza. New York Mayor Eric Adams said on Thursday (Apr. 18) that the demonstrators occupied the space on the university's South Lawn for around 30 hours before Columbia requested the NYPD disperse them. As a result, Columbia students participating in the protest were suspended when they refused to leave. Isra Hirsi, the 21-year-old daughter of Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, was among the protesters arrested. "Columbia University's students have a proud history of protests and raising their voices," Adams said, stressing that the protesters do not have the right to violate university policies. "We will not be a city of lawlessness," he added. Susan Sarandon Joins Columbia Protest On the other hand, the New York Post reported that "Thelma and Louise" star Susan Sarandon attended the pro-Palestine protest on Friday (Apr. 19). The Oscar winner was spotted strolling among demonstrators holding "Free Palestine" signs while wearing a jacket featuring characters from "The Simpsons." The Post noted that it was the second time Sarandon, 77, had worn the jacket while participating in a pro-Palestine protest. In December, Sarandon was dropped from a PTO Films project and the United Talent Agency after going on an anti-Jewish rant, which she later apologized for. The month before, in November, Sarandon attended a pro-Palestinian rally in New York, proclaiming that the Jews were "getting a taste of what it is like to be Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence" following the rise of antisemitic attacks due to the Israel-Hamas War. She also attended another protest last month in Washington Square Park, where she urged the crowd to disrupt "the narrative of the powerful." Also among the participants was former Cooper Union professor Shellyne Rodriguez, whom the Post alleged to have threatened one of its reporters with a machete. "I am here to support the students who understand that it is very important to have their voices heard," Rodriguez said. "It is important at this point to challenge all systems that are full of hate and bigotry and intolerance and injustice." 'We Are Hamas' Chants Heard On the other hand, Fox News Digital reported that some of the demonstrators were heard chanting "NYPD KKK. NYPD, we know you. You're Israeli trained too!" A marcher was also captured on video uploaded to social media shouting "We are Hamas! ... We are all Hamas, pig!" while another could be heard saying "Long live Hamas!" White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told Fox News that the Biden administration would investigate the incident. "This is a president that has been since he's been in office, and the reason why he ran has been very clear about what he witnessed in Charlottesville," she said. "Let's not forget what we saw, the antisemitism, the bigotry, the hate that we saw in the [streets] of Charlottesville, which as I just stated, was one of the reasons that he decided to run. And no president has taken more action to combat antisemitism than this president." The demonstrations are still ongoing as of press time. Rowaa Ahmar says she believes speaking up against racism was a career death sentence at the Cabinet Office taskforce. Photograph: georgeclerk/Getty Images/iStockphoto A senior civil servant has said Cabinet Office officials making policy on small boats referred to bloody migrants and were expected to leave their humanity at the door. Rowaa Ahmar withdrew a tribunal claim alleging unrelenting and systemic racism in the department on Wednesday but said she stands by the substance of it. In an interview with the Guardian, Ahmar described inhumane conversations that took place in the illegal migration taskforce, where she was head of policy in 2022. She said those creating the Rwanda scheme ignored legal advice and told her to let them ambush the Treasury with the cost to push the scheme through. Ahmar, who is of Egyptian and French dual heritage, said she raised concerns about racism and was increasingly blocked from meetings before being told that her secondment from the Treasury was ending abruptly for poor behaviour. The taskforce was convened to tackle the arrival of small boats across the Channel. Ahmar said they were advised by France that it was unacceptable to use turnaround tactics of sending boats back because of the huge risk but that people in the room didnt care if these people would die. When the likely high cost of the scheme emerged, she said: I was told: Do not mention it to the Treasury, we want to ambush them. And basically, this is what they ended up doing, they ambushed them, they spent the money its taxpayers money on the floor. An employment tribunal hearing against the Cabinet Office and senior civil servants began on Monday alleging a hostile racist working environment but the case was withdrawn on Wednesday. Ahmar had lodged two claims arguing she was subject to direct discrimination and harassment on the grounds of her sex and race as well as victimisation. The Cabinet Office said her claims were completely unfounded and noted that Ahmar had withdrawn the case with no payment made. She said she walked away because she was starting a new job on Friday and did not want to spend a month in court. Describing the discussions that led to decisions on small boats, she said: I was privy to some inhumane conversations using the words lets boomerang them, bloody migrants, lets take them in Cat C and treat them as prisoners. Related: Former civil servant says racism in Cabinet Office forced her to resign She added: I cant reveal the legal advice, but I was pushing for the legal advice to be respected. Ahmar said in court papers that she tried to focus small boats policy on criminal gangs and move the debate away from prejudice and blame but that managers were on board for the racist ultra-hostility which a boomerang (no returns) policy would involve and saw her as an unwelcome visitor to their taskforce. In the interview, Ahmar said that the whole illegal migration taskforce was really clumsy, made of people who dont know anything about migration or really understand why people would want to come to this country. She added: Whats happening now to the Rwanda scheme is the fault of the taskforce. The Rwanda bill now faces further delays after resistance in the House of Lords as its costs escalate. Ahmar said the taskforce was looking into migration from a very narrow point of view and that they didnt want to look into safe and legal routes to bring asylum seekers to Britain. Ultimately, Ahar said, she didnt really feel comfortable being head of policy in a taskforce where they talk about things like [using] turnaround tactics, so they can just die, basically. She said: The civil servants are all white. They dont understand how hard it is for migrants to be here. Ahmar said in the papers: I believe that speaking up against racism was a career death sentence at the [taskforce]. The Cabinet Office argued in documents that her behaviour in the first six weeks at the taskforce was negative and problematic, leading colleagues to feel overburdened, disrespected or undermined and received concerns that the behaviour amounted to bullying. Ahmar first took a secondment from the Treasury to become a chief of staff before Cop26 in 2021, before being ordered to leave the climate summit early after complaining of bullying and harassment. In an internal investigation it was found that a bullying, harassment and discrimination complaint she brought against a manager was partially upheld, with behaviour that amounted to bullying, but that there was no malice and it was an issue of communication. Ahmar was a civil servant for 12 years and said that she excelled at the Treasury, admired colleagues and found it a good place to work but that the Cabinet Office was very different. She said she encountered people in high grades who are very incompetent and that they did not know how to make policy. She said her motivation was not political but that she wanted to hold the Cabinet Office to account. The Cabinet Office said the allegations in Ahmars case were completely unfounded and that she had raised 82 issues and named at least 27 individuals. It added: The Cabinet Office has always firmly denied all of the claims in this case. We were prepared to robustly defend them in court. The entire case has now been withdrawn by the claimant, and no payment has been made, including for her legal costs. As we set out in our response to the court the claims include a great deal of bare assertion, often of an extremely serious nature, with no supporting evidence. Some of their own evidence is inconsistent and there is often obviously contradictory evidence. The hard-working civil servants in the illegal migration taskforce were delivering one of the governments top priorities. They have supported the arrest of hundreds of people smugglers and prevention of tens of thousands of dangerous small boat crossings. A Ukrainian soldier prepares for duty on the front line, near threatened Chasiv Yar - ROMAN PILIPEY/AFP via Getty Outgunned six to one by the Russians, Ukraine is desperately trying to retain control of a hilltop Donbas city that holds the key to the countrys east, a front-line commander has told The Telegraph. Chasiv Yar is the most important high ground as it gives control and superiority and the chance to capture the Donetsk region, said Lt Oles Malyarevich, deputy commander of the Achilles strike battalion, speaking by phone between firefights on the front line. The city lies on hills overlooking gentle interlocking river valleys and dominates a road network that links the occupied town of Bakhmut six miles to the east and a string of Ukraines fortress cities 10 miles to the west. This week, Russian paratroopers reportedly reached the outskirts of Chasiv Yar. Kyiv has said it believes Vladimir Putin wants to capture the city before Russias Victory Day parade on May 9 as a propaganda coup. Lt Malyarevich said that unless his men received resupplies soon, Russia would eventually capture the city. Kyiv is facing a major shortage of ammo and other weapons, with 48.5 billion of military aid held up for weeks by US lawmakers. Washington was set to finally vote on the bill later on Saturday, but the damage on the front line has been done. Ukraines forces in Chasiv Yar are currently outgunned by a ratio of six to one, said Lt Malyarevich, with the Kremlin manufacturing new weapon systems for its forces and bringing in artillery shells from North Korea and drones from Iran. The demons have accumulated a huge group of troops and set the task of capturing Chasiv Yar by May 9. he said. The enemy attacks 24/7 with absolute superiority in the air, artillery, drones and manpower. A British FV103 Spartan armoured personnel carrier used by Ukraine near Chasiv Yar - ROMAN PILIPEY/AFP via Getty Russian commanders have told Ukrainian forces to surrender or be wiped out. But Lt Malyarevich has said his soldiers would keep fighting until the bitter end. Now is the moment of truth, he said. Who is right? The civilised world or the dictators of Russia, China and Iran? Since a Ukrainian counter-offensive stalled last summer, the momentum of the war has swung behind Russia. Analysts said that the Ukrainian flop, the decision to deprioritise building trenches and the failure of the West to supply promised weapons and F-16 fighter jets has since allowed Russia to grab the initiative. Ukrainian commanders have even said that Russias dominance is now so entrenched that even if they were given the F-16 fighter jets they asked for in 2023, they wouldnt be able to shift momentum on the battlefield. Chasiv Yar is of particular importance because it can be used as a springboard to capture the rest of the Donbas region. The key to Donbas is Sloviansk and the way to this is via Chasiv Yar, said John Foreman, a retired Royal Navy officer and a former British military attache to Ukraine and Russia. The Ukrainians know this hence the ferocity they have defended Chasiv Yar. That view is echoed by the US-based Institute for the Study of War which said that the fall of Chasiv Yar would expose Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka, which it described as the backbone of the Ukrainian armys defence. The offensive effort to seize Chasiv Yar offers Russian forces the most immediate prospects for operationally significant advances, it said. Before Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Chasiv Yar, which translates as Quiet Ravine, was a small industrial city of around 12,500 people. Now only a few hundred mainly elderly residents remain. The city had a factory producing reinforced concrete and a mine that dug out heat-resistant clay, important sources of wealth for the region but hardly vital for Ukraine. The battle has turned Chasiv Yar from a pleasant green town peppered with typical Soviet-era high-rise residential apartment blocks built in neat rows into a hellscape of smashed buildings, destroyed roads and waterlogged craters. Fighting for Chasiv Yar has begun. It will be long. The fighting will be about the same as for Bakhmut, said Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin speech writer, referring to the city captured by Russia captured last year after a months-long battle. Ukrainian machine gunners pick off soldiers from Russias cannon fodder Storm-Z battalions, made up of criminals who have been promised freedom if they survive six months on the front line, as they are ordered forward into no-mans land. Russian tanks, artillery and missiles relentlessly pound Ukrainian soldiers with missiles and bombs. The stakes are incredibly high, said analyst Mr Foreman. Russia is now targeting the main line of defence with glide bombs to soften it up. Ukraine lacks air defences to prevent this. Glide bombs, which have improved precision, range and power, are one of an array of new weapons developed by Russia to push its advantage on the front line. Ukraines military commander Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi appears concerned. He has been visiting his forces in Chasiv Yar to boost morale and said that Putin wanted to capture the town before May 9, when Russia celebrates the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The Kremlin has not commented on this alleged deadline but experts say it is credible that Putin would want to showcase another military victory ahead of one of his biggest propaganda days of the year. The militarisation of Russian society is happening and they need to continue the great victories of the Russian army, said Stephen Hall, assistant professor of Russian politics at the University of Bath. Chasiv Yar may possibly be that great victory that Putin can talk about on May 9. Mike Johnson in the US Capitol in Washington DC, on 20 April 2024. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA After months of stalling, the US House of Representatives finally approved more than $61bn worth of military assistance to help Ukraine in its desperate defense against Russia, as well as billions for other allies including Israel and Taiwan. In a bipartisan vote, 210 Democrats and 101 Republicans joined to support Ukraine, with 112 Republicans a majority of the GOP members voting against. It came after the Republican speaker, Mike Johnson, forced a series of bills onto the floor in the face of fierce resistance within his own Republican party, many of whom oppose spending more on Ukraines defense. Related: Russia-Ukraine war: who will finance Ukraines defence? The Senate is set to begin considering the House-passed bill on Tuesday, with some preliminary votes that afternoon. Final passage was expected sometime next week, which would clear the way for Biden to sign it into law. Voting began hours ahead of schedule in an extraordinary Saturday session that delayed the Houses planned recess. The House erupted into applause when the Ukraine bill passed, with the chair, Marc Molinaro of New York, admonishing members not to wave Ukrainian flags. In a powerful effort to sum up the stakes before the vote, the former Democratic speaker, Nancy Pelosi, made a stridently graphic appeal: I hope our colleagues will choose democracy and decency rather than autocracy and evil because I fear if you choose the Putin route, you will have blood on your hands, blood of the children, blood of their mothers raped in front of their parents, raped in front of their children, she said. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraines president, recently warned that his country will lose the war without US assistance, as its military has struggled with ammunition and air defense shortages and Russia has pressed a growing advantage in firepower as Congress prevaricated. Immediately after the bill passed, ZelenskIy released a statement expressing his gratitude to both parties and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track. Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it, he said. The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger. Just peace and security can only be attained through strength. We hope that bills will be supported in the Senate and sent to President Bidens desk. Thank you, America! Members were voting on a package worth close to $95bn in total, but which had been broken up into four separate bills, as Johnson effectively de-coupled the vote on Ukraine from funding for Israel, which is more widely supported among both Democrats and Republicans. The vote on granting additional funding for Israel also easily passed the House, with 365 in favor and only 57 opposed: 36 Democrats and 21 Republicans. By splitting the bill into four, Johson sought to give recalcitrant far-right members of his own GOP conference the opportunity to vote with their conscience on the parts they disliked. First to be voted on was a bill including legislation on border security, which failed, as expected. Many rightwing Republicans do not want the Biden administration to win credit for resolving a crisis at the US border with Mexico, where there has been an upsurge of asylum seekers, during an election year. The GOPs presumptive presidential nominee, Donald Trump, is seeking to make the border an election issue. The $95bn in total funding includes roughly $61bn for Ukraine (with much of the funding going towards replenishing American munitions); $26bn for Israel; $8bn for US allies in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan; and $9bn in humanitarian assistance for civilians in war zones, such as Haiti, Sudan and Gaza, though the package also includes a ban on direct US funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa), an agency providing key assistance to Gaza, until March 2025. In the Ukraine bill, of the $60.7bn, a total of about $23bn would be used by the US to replenish its military stockpiles, opening the door to future US military transfers to Ukraine. Another $14bn would go to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, in which the Pentagon buys advanced new weapon systems for the Ukrainian military directly from US defense contractors. There is also more than $11bn to fund current US military operations in the region, enhancing the capabilities of the Ukrainian military and fostering intelligence collaboration between Kyiv and Washington, and about $8bn in non-military assistance, such as helping Ukraines government continue basic operations, including the payment of salaries and pensions. Sergii Marchenko, the Ukrainian finance minister, pointed to the legislations provision for budget support. This is the extraordinary support we need to maintain financial stability and prevail, he wrote on X. The package largely mirrors the foreign aid proposal passed by the Senate in February, although it designates $10bn of the Ukraine funding as a repayable loan to appease some Republican members. The Israel bill includes about $4.4bn to replenish depleted US supplies given to Israel; $4bn for missile defense, including the much-vaunted Iron Dome, and $1.2bn for the Iron Beam; and $3.5bn to help Israel buy weapons. There are also provisions to make it easier to supply Israel with US munitions held in other countries. The bill supporting American allies in the Asia-Pacific region, chiefly Taiwan, included more than $8bn for countering Chinese activities, about $3.3bn for submarines and $2bn of military assistance to Taiwan. Another bill included a provision to force the Chinese company ByteDance to sell its popular social media app TikTok, which Congress is worried gives China the ability to gain information about American citizens. That bill the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act also included the seizure of frozen Russian sovereign assets, and more sanctions on Iran. The passed bills will be combined into a single package to simplify the voting process for the Senate, which will need to reapprove the proposal before it can go to President Joe Bidens desk for his signature. In a statement after the vote passed, Biden said: Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer historys call, passing urgently needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure. This package will deliver critical support to Israel and Ukraine; provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and other locations impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world; and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia. He called on the Senate to quickly pass the bill so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs. Simply getting the bills to a vote on the foor required Johnson to seek help from Democrats across the aisle. A procedural vote to get it to the floor was 316-94, with 165 Democrats and 151 Republicans supporting the motion. Johnsons reliance on Democratic votes to pass key pieces of legislation, including a major government funding bill that cleared the House last month, has outraged some hard-right Republicans. What else did Johnson give away while hes begging Democrats for votes and protection? Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican representative of Georgia, said on Friday on X. We do not have a Republican majority anymore, our Republican Speaker is literally controlled by the Democrats and giving them everything they want. Last month, Greene unveiled a motion to remove Johnson as speaker, although she has not yet moved to force a vote on the matter. In the past week, two more House Republicans Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona have signed on as co-sponsors. Democrats have said they may support Johnson in any effort by the Republican far-right to oust him over Ukraine aid. Speaking from the Capitol earlier this week, Johnson said providing aid to Ukraine was critically important and the right thing despite the potential power of his opponents to bring him down in yet another internal party coup. I really believe the intel and the briefings that weve gotten, Johnson said. I believe that Xi and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. I think they are in coordination on this. I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe. I am going to allow an opportunity for every single member of the House to vote their conscience and their will, he said, adding: Im willing to take a personal risk for that, because we have to do the right thing. And history will judge us. The US has so far sent Ukraine roughly $111bn in weapons, equipment, humanitarian assistance and other aid since the start of the war more than two years ago. Reuters contributed to this report. The House speaker, Mike Johnson, has finally brought the foreign aid bills to a vote, yet the Ukraine aid component could threaten his speakership. Photograph: Michael McCoy/Reuters The US House of Representatives will finally vote on Saturday on a series of foreign aid bills, bringing an end to a months-long standoff in Congress led mostly by Republicans who refuse to support funding Ukraines ongoing military defense against Russias invasion. Related: Republicans erupt into open warfare over Ukraine aid package vote House members will hold separate votes on four bills that represent $95bn in funding altogether including roughly $26bn in aid for Israel, $61bn for Ukraine, $8bn for US allies in the Indo-Pacific region and $9bn in humanitarian assistance for civilians in war zones, such as Gaza. The package largely mirrors the foreign aid proposal passed by the Senate in February, although the House legislation designates $10bn of the Ukraine funding as a repayable loan to appease some Republican members who are hesitant to approve additional aid. If passed, the legislation will provide a crucial financial lifetime for Ukraine at a time when the countrys military appears at its most vulnerable since the start of the war, due to dwindling supplies of ammunition and air defense missiles. The bills are expected to pass the House, after they easily cleared a key procedural hurdle on Friday ahead of the final vote. Those that pass will be combined into a single package in order to simplify the voting process for the Senate, which will need to reapprove the proposal before it can go to Joe Bidens desk for his signature. The procedural vote on the House package was 316 to 94, with 165 Democrats and 151 Republicans supporting the motion. The House speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, needed to rely on Democratic votes to pass the procedural motion, and he will almost certainly need to do so again to get the Ukraine aid bill across the finish line. Its long past time that we support our democratic allies in Israel, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific and provide humanitarian assistance to civilians who are in harms way in theaters of conflict like Gaza, Haiti and the Sudan, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Friday. House Democrats have once again cleared the way for legislation that is important to the American people. Much of the House Republican conference remains opposed to sending more money to Kyiv, and Donald Trump once again voiced frustration with approving additional Ukraine aid in a social media post on Thursday. Fifty-five Republicans and 39 Democrats opposed the procedural motion on Friday. Johnsons reliance on Democratic votes to pass key pieces of legislation, including a major government funding bill that cleared the House last month, has outraged some hard-right Republicans. What else did Johnson give away while hes begging Democrats for votes and protection? Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican of Georgia, said on Friday on X. We do not have a Republican majority anymore, our Republican Speaker is literally controlled by the Democrats and giving them everything they want. Last month, Greene unveiled a motion to remove Johnson as speaker, although she has not yet moved to force a vote on the matter. In the past week, two more House Republicans Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona have signed on as co-sponsors to Greenes motion, citing their mounting frustration with Johnsons leadership. We need a speaker who puts America first rather than bending to the reckless demands of the warmongers, neocons and the military-industrial complex making billions from a costly and endless war half a world away, Gosar said in a statement on Friday. If Greene moves forward with the motion to vacate, Johnson will once again need to rely on Democratic votes to save him, as Republicans will have just a one-seat majority after Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin resigns in the coming days. Several House Democrats have indicated that they would come to Johnsons assistance if the motion to vacate is brought up for a vote, and the speaker has appeared undaunted by the threats to his job, which he has held for just six months. Im going to do my job, and Im going to stay dug in, Johnson told radio host Mark Levin on Thursday. Im not changing who I am or what I believe, and Im going to try to guide this institution. Protesters in Niamey, Niger, on 13 April 2024. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images The US will withdraw more than 1,000 military personnel from Niger in a move that will force the Biden administration to rethink its counter-terrorism strategy and amounts to a strategic victory for Russia. The decision comes a month after the west African countrys ruling military junta revoked a security pact with Washington that had allowed American forces on its soil to help fight jihadist terrorism. Related: US fears Russias influence in Africa after Niger junta cancels security pact US officials had voiced hopes that behind-the-scenes talks could salvage the 12-year-old agreement, which was thrown into jeopardy on 15 March when a junta spokesperson publicly declared the continued US military presence in Niger illegal. But the US finally admitted defeat after meetings in Washington this week between Kurt Campbell, the deputy secretary of state, and Nigers prime minister, Ali Lamine Zeine. The withdrawal, expected to occur over the coming months, will mean the closure of a US drone facility, known as Base 201, at Agadez in the Sahara that was opened in 2018 at a cost of $110m. The base, one of the main US drone facilities in Africa, has been used in operations against jihadist groups in the Sahel region and was reportedly the launchpad for a series of deadly strikes against Islamic State fighters in Libya in 2019. Nigers relations with Washington have been tense since last July when the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, was overthrown in a coup. He remains under house arrest, despite American calls for his release. Since the coup, Nigers new leaders have pursued closer ties with Russia, mirroring neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, where Russian military forces have established a presence. Just days after the arrival of Russian military equipment and advisers in the country, thousands of protesters gathered in the Nigerien capital, Niamey, last week to demand the withdrawal of American forces. Related: Russian military trainers arrive in Niger as African country pulls away from US According to Russian reports, the newly arrived personnel were part of Russias Africa Corps, a new paramilitary group established to replace the Wagner Group, the mercenary outfit founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin had been an ally of Vladimir Putin until he led a failed rebellion last year against the Russian presidents stewardship of the war in Ukraine; he was killed in a plane crash. He offered the Wagner Groups services to the coup leaders after they seized power. US military commanders have warned of the spread of Russian influence in the Sahel, a semi-arid region in the southern Sahara stretching from the Atlantic to the Red Sea, and in other parts of Africa at American expense. American alarm rose when Lamine Zeine visited Moscow last December to discuss military and economic ties, followed by a visit to Tehran the following month, where he met Ebrahim Raisi, the Iranian president. Senior state department and Pentagon officials visited Niger earlier this year in an effort to keep the military agreement intact. The visit was not a success, with Nigerien figures voicing anger over what they said were unfounded American suspicions of negotiations to allow Iran access to Nigers uranium resources, potentially enhancing Tehrans nuclear programme. The departure of American forces from Niger follows the expulsion of French troops in the wake of last summers coup. HMRC Email your tax questions to Mike via email: taxhacks@telegraph.co.uk It is a well known saying that civil servants advise but ministers decide. However, as far as the tax office is concerned, ministers seem to be steadily losing control of their own department. If the correspondence Telegraph readers have shared with me is anything to go by, it appears that over time HMRC is becoming a more officious and less caring organisation. It is charged with collecting the taxes due in law that provide for our vital public services, but there does seem to have been a shift in the way this is being carried out. It may be nostalgia on my part but dealing with the Inland Revenue, as it was before 2005 when it was merged with Customs and Exercise, was a reasonably pleasant experience. We had local tax offices where I could take my clients to meet the tax inspector and have a civilised debate on the relevant issues. We understood and accepted our respective positions and common sense prevailed. I had a number of occasions where a tax inspector was prepared to accept a position as being fair and reasonable, while knowing that at a purely technical level it could have yielded more tax. Its guidance was to treat customers fairly and that is what happened the majority of the time. There was even an entry in the official tax manual suggesting that in appropriate circumstances a taxpayer who had been wronged should be sent a bouquet of flowers. Indeed, figures obtained from The Telegraph previously showed the tax office spent thousands on apologies by way of flowers before this form of making good was scrapped. Since then though, things have changed. Now, I am inundated with messages directly from tax practitioners concerned at the way their clients have been treated by HMRC. One of them said recently: HMRC have lost their mojo. You cant talk to them and they use their unlimited powers and unlimited cost resources to force their pre-determined view on taxpayers, even when they know it is wrong. I have been sent several examples of cases where businesses have complied fully with the relevant rules, but where HMRC officers have operated in ways that have damaged the businesses economically even though the courts have ultimately supported the taxpayer. About 20 years ago, I had a call from a Telegraph journalist asking me to speak to Geoff Jones. He and his wife owned a small company called Arctic Systems. He had been pursued by HMRC under IR35 rules which govern the tax status of the self-employed. They won the case, but despite the ruling of the court, HMRC was not satisfied. It attempted to pursue the couple, along with around 100 or so other self-employed workers, for some 40,000 in disputed tax under separate, older and very complex settlement legislation. Mr Jones explained that he could not afford to pay the tax, nor to fight the case. It resulted in a grass-roots campaign and a David and Goliath battle with the tax authority to have the case dropped. Thankfully, with the help of colleagues, enormous support from the Professional Contractors Group and Anne Redston (now a judge), Geoff and Diana Jones prevailed, winning unanimously at the House of Lords in a test case. It was a great victory for them against the odds. However, by then many small businesses in a similar position had succumbed to the pressure and settled. I was pleased to provide moral support through The Telegraph which I know they appreciated. I still have the Christmas card they sent me. About 10 years ago, one of my wealthier clients was informed by HMRC that his tax return was incomplete. We carried out an extensive review but found nothing wrong. It turned out that the Government had done a deal with the Swiss authorities which provided HMRC with details of Swiss bank accounts for UK citizens and this had triggered the enquiry. My client had a Swiss bank account for historic reasons but it contained little, generated no interest and therefore did not provide anything to be reported in his self-assessment. When I asked the inspector if they were aware of this, he replied that the head office had simply issued a blanket instruction to open investigations on those on their list, but that they had not bothered to confirm whether or not the accounts were interest bearing. I shudder to think how much cost and grief this unnecessarily generated for so many taxpayers. I was surprised some time ago when the finance director of one of my larger clients was told he faced a criminal prosecution for making an innocent mistake on a single sales invoice. It meant technically he had submitted an incorrect VAT return for the company. It was the inadvertent error of a young bookkeeper, who had filed the record a few days late. It automatically corrected itself the next VAT quarter, so by year end the correct VAT was paid. Nevertheless, when it was spotted at a routine visit by HMRC, he was charged for having signed an incorrect return. He wanted to prove his innocence in court but the directors of the parent company were not prepared to take the risk and the company agreed to pay a large penalty to settle the case. Some months later, I mentioned this to a government minister over lunch. Before becoming an MP, he had run his own business and confessed that they often dropped an invoice into the following VAT period deliberately when they were short of cash. I do not want to give the impression that all was well before 2005. If anyone has doubts about that I would recommend reading a book by John Laughland called Octav Botnar A Life. It records the experiences of one of our greatest philanthropists and for many the saviour of the British engineering industry. It includes in detail how he was pursued by the Inland Revenue and ultimately denied the opportunity to clear his name. But one thing does come across to me, dealing with HMRC is now more difficult than I can ever recall. Mike Warburton was previously a tax director with accountants Grant Thornton and is now retired. His columns should not be taken as advice, or as a personal recommendation, but as a starting point for readers to undertake their own further research. Carly Koppes, left, administers the oath to election judges Tony Groeger, center, and Ann la Plante, right, in Greeley, Colorado, on 5 October 2022. Photograph: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images Carly Koppes kept her pregnancy hidden from the public as long as she possibly could, fearing the potential harassment that could come from those who frequently attack the Republican elections clerk. When Koppes, who runs elections in Weld county, Colorado, did media interviews, she asked the people behind the camera to position her so her growing belly wasnt visible, fearing her harassers would see the images or videos and make comments about her future child. She never in a million years anticipated that shed have to hide her pregnancy, she said. Related: Exclusive: Georgia lawmaker runs secret election-conspiracy Telegram channel Sure enough, once it was public, she received messages like, Im going to pray for your child because his mothers a demon, she said. Im happy to report, he did not come out with horns, he came out looking more like a cherub angel, she joked. So thank you for the prayers, they clearly worked. Koppes is part of the 80% the percentage of women who run elections in the US, one area of government that is consistently female-dominated. Its also an area of government that, since 2020, has seen a persistent level of threats and harassment, largely from those who believe Donald Trump won the election that year. Women in elected positions, in general, report higher levels of threats and harassment than their male counterparts, and people of color experience higher levels than their white counterparts. Anecdotally, women who run elections say they have encountered sexist insults, threats of sexual or domestic violence, attacks on their families and criticisms that they arent able to do their jobs. While the individual harm of these behaviors is clear, theres also a societal harm they could run women out of their offices, affecting the pipeline for higher offices and threatening the functioning of democracy itself. The health of democracy is literally built on political discourse, where people, even those without power, are discussing even sensitive topics, and they can share their ideas and opinions and experiences, said Sarah Sobieraj, a professor at Tufts University who has studied and written about abuse and harassment of public officials. And when we lose those varied voices and perspectives, this shapes, literally, what we are able to know. What its like to face threats Koppes made changes to her daily life to work around the harassment and ensure her safety, especially since a source of frequent harassing messages lives across the street from her office. She parks in a different spot each day, and she arrives and leaves at different times. Its become a running joke among her staff that shes out wandering around the parking lot again, looking for her car. The individual who lives nearby cant be prevented from coming into the building she works in because the building also handles things like licenses, so she gets a heads up whenever he comes around. She also takes precautions to keep her child off social media, asking friends and family not to post photos from birthdays or holidays. The harassment comes in waves, and she expects more of it after this years elections. After the 2020 election, in early 2021, the gentleman who actually does live across the street from my office did take a picture of my horses and got a little creative with it, said Koppes, a former rodeo queen who owns horses. And I just dont want to see that creativity done to a picture of my child. Koppes isnt sure whether she receives the harassment because shes a woman or because shes a Republican standing up to her own party, or both. But, she said on a panel discussion about women running elections hosted by Issue One, she seems to face more derogatory remarks and get less respect than her male counterparts. Ive been told I have a cell waiting for me at Guantanamo Bay. They tell me Ive committed war crimes Carly Koppes, Weld county, Colorado Koppes, who has practiced karate since age three and has family who have worked in politics and elections, isnt easily intimidated. She knows shes on the right side, so backing down in the face of harassment from her fellow Republicans isnt an option. She keeps a good sense of humor, despite the unwanted attention. And shes glad at least that so many more people are engaged in elections, even if some of them take it too far. Ive been told I have a cell waiting for me at Guantanamo Bay, she said. They tell me, its not [just] crimes, Ive committed war crimes. Kathy Boockvar, the former secretary of state in Pennsylvania, became way too familiar with slurs as a frequent target of rightwing harassers when she served in the role from 2019 to 2021. Cunt and whore played a bigger role in every threatening communication that I ever got, she said. [Theres] not even really equivalent male-gendered words. It was a constant, constant use of those words. Die, communist whore, cunt, bitch, burn in hell, bitch, you crooked fucking bitch were certainly very common. And then, with the antisemitic stuff, they would add in, hook-nose bitch, frizzy-haired cunt, she said. Look at the history of how women are made to feel vulnerable, particularly by men who want to provide evidence of their power. Thats what they do. They will use disgusting obscenities, graphic messages and lump in as much misogyny as they can. Its making a woman in particular feel vulnerable and unsafe in a very different way than I think its typically done against men Kathy Boockvar, former secretary of state, Pennsylvania Boockvar had to leave her home, first for a week, and be driven by law enforcement or former law enforcement officers whenever she had to go somewhere. She then stayed at the governors residence for more than a month because it had 24/7 protection. She was advised not to stay alone in her apartment when she traveled to Harrisburg for work. To walk the dog, she wore hats and scarves to hide her identity. Her mother and daughter faced threats, too. One of the worst instances, she said, happened after she left office. Someone reached out to her adult daughter in 2022 and called her a stupid fucking whore and said her life was going to get really hard because of her mothers actions, Boockvar said. That was in 2022, two years after the fact of the 2020 election, Boockvar said. Its, again, using that same language intentionally misogynistic, making a woman in particular feel vulnerable and unsafe in a very different way than I think its typically done against men. Why women run elections The preponderance of women in elections roles is rare in government and politics. The 80% number comes from a 2020 Democracy Fund/Reed College survey of local elections officials. Researchers there posit that these roles were traditionally seen as more clerical and delegated to women. They also could be one way that local party leaders let women through the gate into elected office, because the roles didnt typically translate into higher office. Some in the survey said that their roles allowed them to better manage work and home life. Koppes said a penchant for being detail-oriented and focused on the community make elections a good fit for women. Boockvar said something similar about attention to detail and being nurturing and dedicated to the community. But, she added, elections have been historically underpaid and understaffed, and shes not sure which way the causation of women running their offices goes. The Bridging Divides Initiative at Princeton University, along with CivicPulse, has conducted surveys of people in local offices who have reported an unacceptably high baseline of threats and harassment, but there is a significant difference between the experiences of men and women in these local elected offices, said Shannon Hiller, the initiatives executive director. Even when you control for other factors, like political party or like the size of the locality, women remain significantly more likely to report being insulted, harassed or threatened while in office, Hiller said. Women remain significantly more likely to report being insulted, harassed or threatened while in office Shannon Hiller, Princeton University A survey of state and local officeholders of all kinds, not just elections, by the Brennan Center for Justice found that larger shares of women experienced increased severity in abuse over the last few years and were three to four times as likely as men to experience gendered abuse. People of color were also more likely to face racially based abuse than their white counterparts. Women and people of color also saw their families brought into the abuse at higher rates. While about 40% of local officials were less willing to seek office again because of the abuse, the rates were higher among women, about half of whom said they were less likely to stay in public office, the Brennan Center reported. In elections roles, in particular, the exodus is real: a recently released study by the Bipartisan Policy Center showed that turnover in elections positions had increased steadily over the past two decades, with 39% of jurisdictions having a new person in charge in 2022. The report said this increase could be a combination of increased hostility, increasing complexity of the job and an ageing workforce. Men who oversee elections have shared how the women in their lives have faced threats as well. Bill Gates, a county supervisor in Maricopa county, Arizona, has endured years of threats and harassment. In one instance, someone wrote online that his daughters should be raped, according to the Washington Post. Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia secretary of state, publicly shared that his wife had received disgusting and vulgar threats. His daughter-in-laws home was broken into in an incident Raffensperger believes was targeted to intimidate him, Reuters reported. Isnt it interesting that, where we have these male colleagues doing the right thing, when the threats come up, and the harassment comes up, yes, of course it is against them, but its also against the women in their lives? Maggie Toulouse Oliver, the New Mexico secretary of state, said on an Issue One panel about women and democracy last month. And that is extremely, obviously wrong. And it just paints that picture just a little bit more right about where they think we as election officials are vulnerable. The sexist attacks on election officials and their families come from the grounds that their very identities are unacceptable, not their ideas or policies, Sobieraj, the professor, said. Their bodies often become part of the commentary as well. And while these comments seem personal, they are also often pretty generic, she said. Even though the abuse and harassment really looks and feels like bullying or interpersonal backlash, its really a structural rage thats based in hostility toward the voice and visibility of these speakers as representatives of groups of people, Sobieraj said. When you travel with your pet, you expect your pet to safely reach your destination when you do. But that's not what happened to the Kopp family when their cat Rodri went missing on a flight in Europe on March 8. When the family landed in Athens and was ready to board their next flight to Munich, Germany, an airline representative from Aegean Airlines showed Kopp the cat carrier where Rodri had traveled in, and a large section of plastic on the top of one of the carriers had been broken off, leaving a hole big enough for a cat to get through, and the carrier was empty. Rodri was a partially blind street cat that Mary Gomes Kopp and her husband, Alyssas stepfather, rescued in the Greek island of Crete, where they have a home. They care for about 60 stray cats and Rodri was found in a pile of trash. CNN reports that Kopp told them, "We caught her, and took her to the vet, who closed [her missing eye] really well, but he said that her second eye was already turning white, and that when she was older and was ready to be neutered, itd be better to fly her to Germany to an animal hospital, not just a vet. He said they could handle it better in Germany. Mary was flying Rodri to Germany where Alyssa Kopp could take care of her after her surgery. Related: Delta Airlines Makes Most Ridiculous Offer to Passenger After Losing Her Dog How Rodri Went Missing At Chania airport, a representative for Aegean Airlines checked the paperwork and cleared the animals for the flight. The family had paid $390 for the three cats. After they were shown the broken carrier with Rodri missing, neither Chania or Athens airport would take responsibility. CNN goes on to report, "Gomes Kopp has made four return trips to Athens after receiving tip-offs of possible sightings, they said, but was initially only allowed to search public areas. Aegean Airlines has covered three of her eight flights to search for Rodri. After receiving another handful of possible Rodri sightings at Chania. Gomes Kopp was allowed into an aircraft loading area one time, but has not been allowed back since. The family says subsequent efforts to find the cat have hit a brick wall, with staff at both airports removing posters, and workers from Chania returning a humane cat trap." Meanwhile, Aegean Airlines has not responded to the family in over a month. I can't even imagine what this poor family is going through, and to have no information in over a month is inexcusable. My heart breaks for them. I hope that Rodri is found or they find out what happened to her. They deserve that at least. It really makes you think twice about traveling with a pet. 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. Britains Got Talent head judge Simon Cowell has confirmed he is still friends with Sharon Osbourne after her feud with TV personality Amanda Holden. Earlier in the month, Osbourne, 71, responded on X to a Daily Mail article in which Holden seemed to reference her remarks on Celebrity Big Brother about Cowell being someone who doesnt know how to keep friends. Osbourne appeared on the ITV show alongside Louis Walsh when it was rebooted this year. Holden, 53, who is on the judging panel of Britains Got Talent, which made a return to screens on Saturday evening, is quoted as saying that she hated seeing certain people in a reality show dissing Simon and claimed that he helped their careers. Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden, the judges of Britains Got Talent, attend a photo call ahead of the new series (Aaron Chown/PA) Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Cowell said: If you put Sharon and Louis in the house, thats what you pay them for, theyre going to be controversial. I still consider Sharon and Louis really good friends, we could pick up the phone to each other tomorrow. I think thats probably one of the things theyre upset about, because they can never get hold of me. Amanda is a great friend, but I really do believe Sharon and Louis are great friends as well. I dont have a phone but from what I heard, what they said about me was actually quite funny. And I probably will phone them both in the next week or so because I havent spoken to them for a while and it sounds like I should do. Sharon Osbourne attending X Factor filming in 2017 (Ian West/PA) In her post, Osbourne wrote that Holden did not know her history in the music industry, my achievements, the artists I have worked with, the shows that Ive produced, and my global celebrity. The former manager of The Smashing Pumpkins and Motorhead added that the brand of Sharon Osbourne is known worldwide and she has been blessed with an amazing lifestyle throughout my entire life, pointing to homes in the US and the UK. In the newspaper article, Holden is quoted as saying: I hated seeing certain people in a reality show dissing Simon hes the person whos given them all the chances, given them a lot of money and a lifestyle they probably wouldnt have had. Its bitter and pathetic. It was like Cinderella with her two sisters in the background just stabby, stabby, stabby. Holden compared watching the return of Celebrity Big Brother to a pantomime and added that people should have respect for the opportunity that was given to you and the pay cheque that was given to you. Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Simon Cowell (Ian West/PA) During Osbournes appearance on the ITV reality series as a celebrity lodger, she and Irish talent manager Walsh, 71, made several comments about famous faces including Cowell. Former X Factor judge Walsh said I havent talked to him at all, nothing, zero, referring to Cowell. Osbourne said: But thats Simon. He cuts you off. He doesnt know how to keep friends. Cowell also revealed to the Daily Mirror that he is working on a second TV talent show which he says he hopes will involve former co-star Cheryl whom he reunited with during Ant And Decs Saturday Night Takeaway. Cheryl was brilliant on the show, great to work with, really good fun and there might be something coming up where we might be working together, funnily enough, he said. I cant tell you much at the moment. I dont think it will be on a streaming service, this one, and it wont be X Factor. But it will be TV because Cheryl is great on TV. Shes fantastic. The Government has ruled out any post-Brexit deal that would make it easier for young Britons to live, study and work in the EU. The European Commission said on Thursday it would seek permission from EU member states to open negotiations on a youth mobility scheme for UK citizens aged 18-30. But a Government spokesperson said there was no interest from the UK side, adding that free movement within the EU was ended. The UK currently has individual youth mobility schemes with 13 countries, and the Government said it preferred such bilateral arrangements over an EU-wide deal. Labour also rejected the possibility of an EU-wide scheme, saying the party 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. On Thursday, the Commission suggested Britain had expressed an interest in youth mobility deals with individual member states, adding an EU-wide approach would be preferable as it would ensure all members were treated equally. European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said Brexit had hit young people in the EU and the UK who would like to study, work and live abroad particularly hard. He added: 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. EU member states would have had to agree to the proposals first before any negotiations with the UK could begin. But a UK Government spokesperson said: We are not introducing an EU-wide Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) free movement within the EU was ended and there are no plans to introduce it. We have successful schemes with 13 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, and remain open to agreeing them with our international partners, including individual EU member states, where its in the UKs interest and supports the skills and opportunities of our youth. While Labour also ruled out an EU-wide deal, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said such an agreement would be a win-win-win. He said: Liberal Democrats have long been urging the Government to negotiate a reciprocal youth mobility scheme with Europe. Of course the details would need to be negotiated, but no sensible UK government would reject this idea out of hand. Humza Yousaf, the Scottish First Minister and leader of the SNP, criticised Labour for ruling out a deal if it came to power. He said: Scotland rejected Brexit, yet Labour wants to deny our young people the opportunity to live, study and work in the EU, all to appease hard-Brexiteers. I would expect this from the Tories, but for Labour to follow the same path is unforgivable. In the aftermath of Taylor Swift's newest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," Swifties have noticed that most of the songs are attributed to her six-year relationship with her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn. However, it was also revealed that some of her tracks - particularly "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived," "But Daddy, I Love Him," "Fresh Out the Slammer," and "Fortnight," which featured Post Malone - were about her short-lived relationship with The 1975 vocalist Matty Healy. In response, Healy's aunt, Debbie Dedes, told the Daily Mail that her nephew is now leaving behind his past relationship with the pop megastar. "Nothing surprises him anymore," she told the British newspaper. "He will not be surprised by the song. Him and her know what went on." Dedes also insisted that Healy is now "very happy in his new relationship," which she reckoned he would be focusing on. Jon Bon Jovi Thanks Tay-Tay for 'Livin' On a Prayer' Trio with Prince William Meanwhile, The Independent reported that American rockstar Jon Bon Jovi is "grateful to this day" that Swift encouraged William, Prince of Wales, to join him onstage to perform his 1986 hit 'Livin' on a Prayer.' The performance happened at the Centrepoint Gala Dinner at Kensington Palace on November 26, 2013, when William was still the Duke of Cambridge. In the aftermath of Swift's release of "Tortured Poets," Bon Jovi paid tribute to the pop star for bringing the three of them together. "It was all her," he said. "She literally grabbed him by the arm and ran up on stage, and they both knew the words and sang along." "I give her kudos and I'm grateful to this day because, you know, there's the future king of England with the biggest pop star in the world singing one of your songs. It's a great memory," he added. In 2021, the Prince of Wales - whose wife Catherine is currently undergoing cancer treatment - recalled the moment in an episode of Apple Fitness +'s "Time to Walk" podcast. "I'm sat next to Taylor Swift. She's on my left. And after Jon does his first song, there's a pause, and she turns to me," William said. "She puts her hand on my arm, looks me in the eye, and says, 'Come on, William. Let's go and sing.'" The Independent will publish its full interview with Bon Jovi on Apr. 21. A man has died after setting himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trumps historic hush-money trial was taking place. The New York police department said Max Azzarello did not appear to be targeting Mr Trump or others involved in the trial. Azzarello doused himself in a cleaning substance before lighting himself on fire on Friday across the road from Manhattan Criminal Court, just moments after a full jury panel had been selected to try the former president. He was engulfed in flames for roughly three minutes in full view of television cameras that were set up outside the courthouse. NBC News and other US media said early on Saturday that the man had died. Police are looking into the incident - BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS Tarik Sheppard, a deputy commissioner with the Police Department, said at a news conference, said: Right now we are labelling him as sort of a conspiracy theorist, and we are going from there. Witnesses said Azzarello pulled pamphlets out of a backpack and threw them in the air before the incident. One of those pamphlets included references to evil billionaires but portions that were visible to a Reuters witness did not mention Trump. Max Azzarello was being treated as a 'conspiracy theorist' by police based on the pamphlets found near his body at the scene - UNPIXS Azzarello published a blog post on Friday that began with the words: My name is Max Azzarello, and I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan. He claimed that cryptocurrencies were being used to perpetrate a multi-trillion-dollar Ponzi scheme and that the government had unleashed Covid on the world to explain the resulting stock-market anomaly. The 2,600-word essay made only a handful of references to Mr Trump, suggesting he was part of a secret kleptocracy that counted previous presidents and their election rivals among its members. Mr Azzarello was photographed outside the court holding a sign that read: Trump is with Biden and theyre about to fascist coup us. Maxwell Azzarello held up a sign before setting fire to himself - REUTERS The former president was reportedly made aware of the incident as he sat inside the courtroom but did not respond to reporters questions. His campaign offered condolences to the traumatised witnesses and paid tribute to the great first responders of the City of New York. The trial is being heard amid tight security in a 15th floor courtroom, which is said to be teeming with Secret Service officers as well as court police. Mr Azzarello scattered pamphlets outside the court - GETTY IMAGES Opening statements in Mr Trumps trial are set to go ahead on Monday morning after six alternates who will take the place of jurors if they have to step aside were selected on Friday. The 12 jurors, along with six alternates, will consider evidence in a first-ever trial to determine whether a former president is guilty of breaking the law. Prosecutors intend to call at least 20 witnesses, according to Susan Necheles, Mr Trumps defence lawyer. He may testify on his own behalf, in a risky move that would open him up to cross-examination. The jury consists of seven men and five women, mostly employed in white-collar professions: two corporate lawyers, a software engineer, a speech therapist and an English teacher. Most are not native New Yorkers, hailing from across the United States and countries like Ireland and Lebanon. The alternates, who will also hear the case, are held in reserve in case one of the jurors has to leave due to illness or some other cause. The man is reported to have received medical attention before being rushed from the area in an ambulance - Angela Weiss/AFP Mr Trump is accused of covering up a $130,000 (105,089) payment Michael Cohen, his then-lawyer, made to Stormy Daniels, the former adult actress, before the 2016 election to keep quiet about a sexual encounter she says they had a decade earlier. The former president has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records brought by Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, and denies any such encounter with Ms Daniels. Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty in three other criminal cases as well but this is the only one certain to go to trial ahead of the Nov 5 election, when the Republican politician aims to again take on Joe Biden. 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. LOS ANGELES (AP) New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez has a torn ligament in his left thumb and will need surgery, manager Carlos Mendoza said Saturday after a 6-4 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Alvarez was placed on the 10-day injured list before the game with a sprained left thumb sustained while running the bases the night before in a 9-4 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. An MRI was performed late Friday night. Hopefully we get it done the beginning of next week. We don't know the timetable for his recovery but we're pretty confident we'll get him back this year, Mendoza said. The 22-year-old Alvarez left Friday nights game after jamming his left thumb in the second inning when he put his hand down to try and keep his balance coming around first after a bad throw by catcher Will Smith. You hate to see it, Mendoza said. We don't know how long he's going to be out for but we know how much energy he brings and the way he was playing. But at the same time, next guy up. It's an opportunity for other guys to step up. The manager said Alvarez was "frustrated, obviously, and still waiting to see what they find. He'll get through it. He's a strong kid. He's very positive. He will be fine. Alvarez was batting .236 with one home run and eight RBIs. In corresponding moves, catcher Tomas Nido's contract was selected from Triple-A Syracuse and left-hander Kolton Ingram was designated for assignment. Omar Narvaez, who started Saturday's game at catcher, said the injury to Alvarez was sad because he's an important part of the team. He's a tough kid. But things happen and I'm ready to go." ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb BEIJING For more and more people in China, coffee has become their cup of tea. Last year, China overtook the United States as the country with the most branded coffee shops in the world, according to a report by World Coffee Portal. The number of outlets in China grew 58% in 2023 to almost 50,000, compared with about 40,000 in the U.S. The Chinese coffee market used to be dominated by foreign brands such as Starbucks, Tim Hortons of Canada and Costa Coffee from Britain. But they face intensifying competition from Chinese coffee chains such as Luckin, Cotti and Manner, as well as local independent cafes in big cities like Beijing. For coffee drinkers, that means more choice than ever, whether its a plain Americano or a latte infused with pork flavors or Chinese liquor. Though tea remains foundational to Chinese culture, some young, middle-class consumers are finding coffees caffeine kick to be more suited to the pressures of a competitive job market and workplace. Li Yizhe turned to the energy boost of coffee to keep up with China's competitive work culture. (Fred Dufour / NBC News) Li Yizhe, 26, said in the past two years she had started drinking coffee every day as a way to boost her energy. I used to drink milk tea, but now Ive shifted to coffee, Li, a government worker, said while sitting at an artisanal coffee shop in a Beijing hutong, or alley. Zhang Jian, a 33-year-old freelancer, said he has about a cup of coffee a day, often at Luckin. Its convenient to buy because the stores are everywhere, and the prices are also budget-friendly, he said. He cited the high job stress and long hours workers face as reasons for coffees growing popularity, as well as the addictive nature of caffeine. As colleagues start to pick up the habit, it gradually forms a coffee culture, he said. A patron works on a laptop at Metal Hands coffee shop in Beijing. (Fred Dufour / NBC News) Chinas demand for coffee will reach an estimated 5 million bags in the 2023-24 season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported, making it the seventh-biggest consumer in the world. That compares with more than 20 million bags for the two biggest coffee-consuming countries, the U.S. and Brazil. The rise in Western-style coffee consumption in China can be attributed to a shift in lifestyle preferences as more people have more disposable income, said Nirmit Limbachia, project lead for food and beverage at Mordor Intelligence, a market research firm based in India. Urbanization, globalization and the rapid expansion of both domestic and foreign coffee shops have also made international coffee culture more accessible and familiar, he said. Last year, Luckin overtook Starbucks as the largest coffee chain in China, Starbucks biggest market after the U.S. Luckin opened more than 5,000 stores in China in 2023 for a total of more than 13,000, World Coffee Portal said, compared with more than 6,800 for Starbucks, which opened 785 stores in China last year. The U.S. company has said it aims to have 9,000 stores in the country by next year. Zhang said it was surprising to see how many stores Luckin has now, seven years after it was founded in Beijing. When Luckin first emerged, he said, they claimed to be the coffee for Chinese people. At that time, many consumers were skeptical about Luckins ability to last and maintain stability. That skepticism was only reinforced in 2020, when Luckin was found to have inflated the previous years sales figures by more than $300 million. The company has since emerged from bankruptcy and replaced the executives involved in the scandal. Luckin and other domestic chains have caught up by expanding to new cities, offering competitive pricing, and leveraging technology for convenient ordering and delivery services, Limbachia said. Domestic coffee chains often emphasize localization in their offerings, incorporating traditional Chinese ingredients and flavors into their menu items, he continued. They also tend to cater to the preferences of Chinese consumers in terms of ambience and service. This month, Luckin opened a store in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen that is co-branded with Kweichow Moutai, a luxury brand of the popular Chinese spirit baijiu. The store aims to capitalize on the success of a baijiu-infused latte the two companies collaborated on last year, which according to Limbachia sold 5.42 million cups on its first day and generated more than 900 million yuan ($124 million) in total sales. Adding baijiu in coffee is a commercial stunt, but at the same time it caters to Chinese peoples drinking habits, said Wang Zichen, 29, a former cafe owner in Beijing. Wang Zichen, a former cafe owner, at SIP coffee in Beijing. (Fred Dufour / NBC News) Starbucks, which has been in China since 1999, says the Chinese coffee market is still evolving and has not yet fully tiered. You see an influx of mass-market competitors focused on fast store expansion and low-price tactics to drive trial, Belinda Wong, chairwoman and co-chief executive of Starbucks China, said on an earnings call in January. This will shake out over time. The competition has pushed foreign chains such as Starbucks to pay more attention to Chinese tastes, Limbachia said, including adjusting menu options, adapting store designs and forming partnerships with local businesses. For the Lunar New Year in February, Starbucks offered a limited-edition pork-flavored latte at its 25 Reserve stores for 68 yuan ($9.45). Garnished with a piece of pork and topped with a drizzle of pork sauce, the drink was inspired by Dongpo braised pork, a classic dish from eastern China that is served at traditional family gatherings. Wang Binqi at Mer coffee shop in Beijing. (Fred Dufour / NBC News) While the company plans to dial up such product innovations, Wong said, it is not interested in entering the price war. Were focusing on capturing high-quality but profitable sustainable growth, she said. It is our aim to be the best and lead in the premium market. Limbachia said both domestic and foreign chains could expect continued growth as coffee consumption becomes more ingrained in Chinese culture, for example through expansion into smaller cities and rural areas. Wang, the former cafe owner, said older people were also starting to drink coffee. As coffee becomes a national drink, it will be more inclusive and diverse, and then it will become more popular, he said. For cafes, the increase in customers means that the entire industry is developing for the better. Two heavy-hitters in the House Democratic Caucus have endorsed former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn in his bid for Congress. Proud to endorse @libradunn for Congress in #MD03! Harry will defend our Democracy and fight for the people of Maryland, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a Friday post on the social platform X. Hell work for transportation funding, lower taxes for working families, and protect the Chesapeake Bay. Dunn launched his bid for Marylands 3rd Congressional District back in January. He became well-known in 2021 when testifying before lawmakers on the topic of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, discussing his experiences of seeing attacks on Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers and being hit with racial slurs from rioters. Dunn has also received an endorsement from Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.). In a statement in a Friday press release from Dunns campaign, Clyburn said it is with the utmost confidence that I support Harry Dunn in his run for Congress. I first got to know Harry as a public servant who protected the seat of democracy. Its been no surprise to me that since January 6th, he has stood up for what is right and called out the extremist threats to our seat of democracy, Clyburns statement continued. We have so much to accomplish for the American people and Harrys experience, story, and selfless nature will be key to ensuring a Democratic majority that can bring results for the American people. Dunn welcomed the endorsements from Pelosi and Clyburn in statements, saying he was deeply honored to receive Pelosis endorsement and that he has long admired Clyburn. Dunns campaign has also received backing from other high-profile Democratic figures, including Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In Californias boom-and-bust climate, Death Valley has offered some of the strangest scenes over the past few years. Some of the areas perennial creosote bushes died back during a severe drought that hampered the region through 2022. Then torrential downpours from the remnants of Hurricane Hilary and subsequent storms revived annual wildflowers from seed over the last year. During the winter, extreme rainfall resurrected an ancient lake that is now disappearing once again. Together, these extremes have created bizarre juxtapositions in the famed desert. I could take you to a field of dead creosote bushes with nice wildflowers springing up in between, said Patrick Donnelly, a conservation biologist at the Center for Biological Diversity. For a plant, its a post-apocalyptic wasteland everything is dead then spring comes and flowers are sprouting between the corpses. People wade through water at Badwater Basin on Feb. 22, 2024, in Death Valley National Park, Calif. (John Locher / AP file) Climate scientists have long predicted that global warming would both aggravate droughts in Californias inland deserts and also intensify bouts of rainfall. Death Valley locals say theyre watching that dynamic play out in real time. How desert plants, animals and local economies adapt to the changes in an environment thats already one of the most extreme on Earth will determine the future of this symbol of resilience. Its interesting to have a front row seat, Donnelly said. This is the signature of climate chaos. A 1-in-1,000-year storm twice Susan Sorrells, who owns the ecotourism town of Shoshone, which is near Death Valley National Park, said the areas weather is always a roller coaster ride. But that has been especially true over the last couple of years. In early 2022, Death Valley, like the rest of the American Southwest, remained mired in the driest period since the year 800. During the 22-year drought, soil moisture reached an all-time low. Plants were withering, including the creosote bush, which is known to live for thousands of years, thanks to deep roots that search for water and can survive on very little. Its dieback during drought, then, was evidence of the weathers severity. Desert shrubs are really tough and slow to die, said Lynn Sweet, a research ecologist at the University of California Riverside. But at some point, there is mortality. Then, in August of that year, a deluge arrived. In several hours, Death Valley National Park received a record 1.7 inches of rain about three-quarters of its typical annual total. The 1-in-1,000 year storm, as weather forecasters would later call it, washed out park roads, moved boulders and trapped cars in debris. About a year later, remnants of Hurricane Hilary, a rare Pacific hurricane, dumped 2.2 inches of rain on the park exceeding its typical annual rainfall in one day and setting a new 24-hour record. To have the worst drought in recorded history and the most precipitation in history, its clearly climate whiplash, Donnelly said. Death Valley damage from Hilary (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images file) The rain closed the park, as well as Highway 127, which connects it to gateway communities but had become a raging river, Sorrells said. She operates an ecotourism business with a 20-bed inn, hiking trails, a trading post, an RV park and the Crowbar Cafe and Saloon. For Sorrells, the situation was dire, as the highways reconstruction was slated to last through the winter and into spring, making the area nearly impossible to access throughout its busy season. We have a local joke: We make all our money from October through the end of April, and then we lose it from May through September, she said. The community rallied together and pushed state leaders to speed up the project, Sorrells said. The park partially reopened in October, and the highway in January. Then things took a fascinating turn. Spring wildflowers, which germinated in the fall, survived a warm winter, when freezing temperatures would typically knock them back down, according to Donnelly. And in February, a multiday atmospheric river storm system brought another deluge. The wildflowers lasted long enough for the atmospheric river to recharge them with all this rain, Donnelly said. Now, theyre growing in a very unusual way. Theyre much taller than normal, much thicker-stemmed, very robust wildflowers. There was also enough water to revive Lake Manly, an ancient lakebed usually filled with dust. For the first time, the National Park Service announced in February that it would allow kayakers to paddle on the lake, which was as deep as 3 feet, according to NASA. Kayakers on Lake Manly in Death Valley National Park on Feb. 27, 2024. (Bridget Bennett / The Washington Post via Getty Images file) People really came out for the sensational and fell in love with the beauty and charm and uniqueness of the desert, Sorrells said. We just started booming to the point we almost couldnt keep up with the business. Arid climate, flashy weather Most climate models expect Californias deserts to grow more arid over time, but also for infrequent storms to be more intense because a warmer atmosphere can hold more energy and water. Flashier storms, longer droughts, Sweet said. For some, the past few years have felt like a test drive of a new reality. Image: Death Valley Hits 130 Degrees, One Of The Highest Temperatures Recorded On Earth (Mario Tama / Getty Images) Many desert species go dormant or hibernate during drought, which can make wet years look like a relative pageant of color and activity. The Mojave Desert tortoise, for example, weathers drought in underground burrows. Female tortoises can store sperm for years and save it for when the climate is just right to fertilize their eggs. Some hard-coated desert wildflower seeds can last for hundreds of years, until the right conditions emerge. Death Valley is very extreme. You have to assume that plants and animals are adapted to the edges of whats livable there. As it gets hotter, that gets to be more of a challenge, Sweet said. Now, the rain is bringing renewal. New shrubs are emerging, Sweet said, though theyll need a nice series of wet years to survive. Wildflowers are feeding harvester ants, which feed lizards, which feed coyotes and other species. Were hoping the increase in resources makes its way up the food chain, Sweet said. In a future that looks hotter and drier, she added, such respites will be essential: Hopefully well get these recovery periods of precipitation to refill the seed bank and energy reservoir of the whole ecosystem. Plus: 4 pro tips for storing and tasting yogurt. Getty Kristie Kliegl could accurately be described as the Liam Neeson of the yogurt world. She has a very particular set of skills acquired over a very long career. But rather than making her a nightmare to people, those skills make her an enormous asset especially if you love to dig into a cup of Chobani every day. You see, Kliegl is the director of food safety and quality at Chobani. It's a less-than-glamorous title that is sort of unbefitting for someone with her talents. So, instead, her friends and colleagues refer to her as a "yogurt sommelier." Kliegl started her career as a lab tech on the night shift, following in the footsteps of her mother, who also worked in the same field. Though it took her mom close to two decades to become a quality control manager, Klegle says she was able to do it in five by hunkering down to learn everything she could about the product. Related: Make Yogurt at Home With Just Two Ingredients "While I was on the night shift, I got the opportunity to go through our supervisor training program. It was really great because they taught us a lot about what could affect our product," Kliegl says, noting she'd sit in group meetings where they'd taste anywhere from 300 to 400 cups a day. "At the time, we had a master yogurt sommelier, whose whole job was to train us on the sensory aspects of our yogurt." Chobani Chobani's yogurt sommelier, Kristie Kliegl, started her career as a lab tech on the night shift following in the footsteps of her mother. This training included finetuning her palate on things like mouthfeel, how the yogurt should look, and how to properly mix fruit at the bottom cups to ensure peak flavors (more on that in a bit). "We got to do a lot of the first tastings and really dig down into, 'ok, what flavors are we really looking for, what do we think consumers will actually like,'" Kliegl shares. Related: 21 of Our Favorite Recipes Using Greek-Style Yogurt As an expert in food sensory and now a full-on yogurt connoisseur, Kliegl understands yogurt better than probably anyone else. She can even pinpoint how long a batch has been off the production line, down to the minute. So, in an effort to improve your yogurt education, we asked her to share some of her top tips to ensure you're savoring this creamy snack in all the right ways. Tip 1: Dear god, please never turn your yogurt cup sideways. "You're never supposed to turn a cup sideways," Kliegl says. "That's a big taboo here." As Kliegl notes, you should never turn your cup sideways because it "mixes the fruit with the yogurt" and causes the whey to separate and change the flavor profile. When you store your yogurt, make sure to do it right side up in the fridge to preserve the flavors. Tip 2: Taste the top of your yogurt first. "I always suggest tasting your yogurt first," Kliegl says of any fruit at the bottom cups. "To make sure it's got the quality that you want and then tasting it either with your dry ingredients or your fruit. If you are going to taste fruit on bottom, take a little bit of the yogurt, then get a little bit of the fruit, and taste it that way. Chobani Kristie Kliegl is now full-on yogurt connoisseur who understands yogurt better than probably anyone else. She can even pinpoint how long a batch has been off the production line, down to the minute. Tip 3: Understand that different cows produce different flavors. "Yogurt is really subjective to certain flavors. So it all depends on the milk you're getting, the fat content, and where your cows are at," Kliegl shares. Indeed, there's plenty of science to back up this cow-specific claim. "So our New York plant is in a very wet area, and they have a lot more Jersey cows. We have a lot more Holstein cows here, and we're in a very dry place because we're in the high desert of Idaho." And sure, this isn't necessarily a tasting tip, it is a fun party trick for your next yogurt-centric gathering. Tip 4: Don't be afraid to eat your yogurt a few days after its best-by date. Kliegl says you can really taste how yogurt changes in flavor over time. "It doesn't taste as fresh as we would like, so that's really where our shelf life comes from," she says, adding that it's still absolutely safe for you. Though we'd only recommend going a few days past the date, Kliegl says she's gone even longer. "I've eaten yogurt that's a year old. It's absolutely fine. It just doesn't taste as good as you would like it." For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Food & Wine. Former President Donald Trump should be forced to find a new backer for the bond he needs to appeal the $464 million-plus civil fraud judgment against him, New York's attorney general argued in a court filing. Attorney General Letitia James said in the 26-page document that the Knight Specialty Insurance Co. isn't licensed to do business in New York, has never underwritten a bond in the state, doesn't have $175 million in cash to secure Trump's bond, and hasn't secured adequate collateral for the bond. Trump and the company "cannot demonstrate that KSIC's management meets the requirements of trustworthiness and competence under regulations governing insurance," state prosecutors wrote in the Friday filing. James' office asked Judge Arthur Engoron to declare the KSIC bond to be "without effect," and to order that a new one be posted within seven days. A hearing on the bond is set for Monday. A Trump lawyer called James' move "baseless" and a "desperate effort to regain relevance" following an appeals court ruling last month that slashed the amount that the former president and presumptive 2024 Republican nominee must post to appeal Engoron's February verdict against him. "Yet another witch hunt!" Kise told the Associated Press in an email. KSIC didn't immediately return a request for comment, according to AP. The company is controlled by Don Hankey, a Los Angeles billionaire described by Forbes as the "little-known king of subprime car loans." In February, Engoron found Trump liable for repeatedly lying about the extent of his wealth to obtain bank loans to fund his New York real estate development business. Engoron imposed $355 million in fines and interest that is accruing at the rate of nearly $112,000 a day, and he also limited the ability of the Trump Organization to do business in the state. Trump maintains that none of his lenders were harmed and he has testified that he's worth several billion dollars. Trump in now on trial in New York City for allegedly ordering the payment of $130,000 in hush money to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, shortly before the 2016 election in which he beat Hillary Clinton. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies Daniels' claim that they had an affair in 2006. New Delhi, Bengaluru, Nanded: Dubbing the Congress a vine with no roots or branches that sucks dry those who support it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday cautioned people to be wary of the Opposition alliance as an impediment to realising the goals of "Viksit Bharat". He said big and powerful people in India and abroad have joined hands to remove him from power. Modi also claimed that the first phase of voting for the 18th Lok Sabha on Friday has gone in favour of the NDA and Viksit Bharat. The Prime Minister addressed four election rallies on Saturday two each in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Both Nanded and Parbhani are located in Marathwada region of the state. Leading the campaign for the BJP, Modi addressed the first rally in Maharashtras Nanded, followed by a public meeting in Parbhani. Ge accused the Congress of leaving no stone unturned to stifle the development of Maharashtra, especially Vidarbha and Marathwada, for decades. Modi claimed that the Congress has accepted its defeat even before the Lok Sabha poll results are out. Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said that just as he lost from Amethi in 2019, the "Congress' sahabzade" will lose the Wayanad parliamentary seat this time. At the Parbhani rally, the PM said the 2024 polls are not just to form the government at the Centre but also to make India developed and self-reliant. The Congress is a vine that doesn't have roots or branches. It sucks dry those who lend support to it, Mr Modi said, hitting out at the Opposition party. Accusing the Congress of partitioning the country, Mr Modi claimed that the Congress did not allow the Constitution to be implemented in Kashmir under the pretext of Article 370. Hitting out at the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra, Modi said the Congress and the "fake Shiv Sena", a reference to Shiv Sena (UBT), were busy decorating Yakub Memon's grave. Memon, a convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, was hanged in 2015. "When the INDIA bloc (the Opposition alliance) was in power, they did not make (people) feel that the Nizam rule had ended. The Razakar mentality was overwhelming here. Their priority was (to decorate) Yakub Memon's grave," he said. Modi said people saw the success of the Chandrayaan mission and in the next term, 140-crore Indians will witness Gaganyaan's success. He said this is the first election where people are talking about the success of "Atmanirbhar Bharat", from the anti-coronavirus vaccine to weapons for the armed forces. At the Nanded rally, he accused the Congress of being a barrier in the path of development and said it cannot be trusted to work for the country's progress. Apparently targeting former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Modi said some I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders who have been members of the Lok Sabha for several years have left the Lower House of Parliament and found a seat in the Rajya Sabha as they lack confidence to fight elections. Referring to Gandhi, he said, "The Congress' sahabzade sees a problem in Wayanad. He is waiting for the voting on April 26, after which he and his gang will look for a safe seat because after Amethi, he will have to leave Wayanad as well." In Karnatakas Chikkaballapura, the PM said big and powerful people in India and abroad have joined hands to remove him from power. Mothers and sisters have come in a large number here. Your struggle and the challenges you face to nurture your family... Modi has seen all of it in his house... These days big and powerful people in the country and abroad have united to remove ModiBut, because of Nari Shakti and Maatru Shakti's blessings and suraksha kavach (safety armour), Modi is able to keep on fighting challenges, said the PM. Praising alliance partner JD(S)s patriarch and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who shared the stage with him, for his energy and commitment at the age of 90, Modi said he too draws inspiration from him. "His (Mr Gowda) commitment towards Karnataka, the pain in his heart for the plight of Karnataka today and the 'josh' in his voice, is the testimony for Karnataka's bright future," he said, as he thanked Gowda for his "blessings". In Bengaluru, the PM hit out at the states ruling Congress for turning a tax city into a tanker city. The budget is being cut from agriculture to urban infrastructure. The Congress is only focused on corruption and not on the problems of Bengaluru Developing Karnataka is our prioritywe are building modern infrastructure in the state, said the PM. NEW DELHI: INDIA bloc partners, Congress' Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav claimed on Saturday that the winds of change are blowing as the first day show of the BJP film "400 paar" has turned out to be a flop show. During his campaigns for the INDIA bloc candidates in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Mr Gandhi asserted that the BJP will not win more than 150 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Mr Yadav, at a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha, said winds of change emerging from western UP will sweep the ruling BJP out of power, while Tejashwi Yadav said, The BJP's 400 paar film is a flop on Day 1. From new ad campaigns to verbal attacks in the election rallies, the Congress, along with the other partners of the INDIA bloc, have upped the ante against the BJP, particularly against its top leadership, as the elections for the 18th Lok Sabha enter the second phase. Keeping up the attack on the BJP's top leadership, Mr Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of running a "school of corruption" in the country and teaching all chapters in the subject of "entire corruption science". Addressing an INDIA bloc rally in Bhagalpur, where Congress candidate Ajit Sharma is in a direct contest against sitting Janata Dal-(United) MP Ajay Kumar Mandal, Mr Gandhi said that this general election is important as the Constitution and democracy are under threat. He said that all the privileges and opportunities people got through the Constitution will be gone if the Constitution is changed, which the BJP is keen to do. He accused the BJP-led NDA government of favouring a few industrialists. Speaking at a joint rally in Amroha with the SP chief, Mr Gandhi said on one side stands the INDIA bloc, committed to defending democracy and the Constitution, while on the other side, the BJP-RSS is engaged in dismantling these foundational principles. "There is no force on earth that can alter the Constitution," asserted Mr Gandhi. The Congress leader added that the contest between the INDIA bloc and the BJP is one of ideologies. He claimed that Mr Modi has turned India into the epicentre of unemployment and promised every graduate to have a guaranteed first job, scrap the Agnipath scheme and amend GST with lesser taxes. Promising radical reforms, Mr Gandhi outlined the INDIA bloc's agenda, which includes farm loan waivers, direct financial assistance to the poor through schemes like the Mahalaxmi Yojna and the creation of 30-lakh government jobs to address youth unemployment. Coming together with Mr Gandhi for the Amroha rally, Mr Yadav said the first phase of voting was the trailer for the picture that is to come. Yesterday's first-day first-show of the BJP turned out to be a flop show. Their film of lies failedThe winds of change emerging from western UP will sweep across the nation, ushering in a transformation that will not only reshape Uttar Pradesh but will also sweep the BJP out of power, said Mr Yadav. He was responding to Mr Modis statement against the INDIA bloc made a day earlier in Amroha. The shooting of the film do shehzade ki jodi' (pair of two princes) is going on. But their film has already been rejected. Every time these people go out to seek votes from the people of UP, they carry a basket of dynasties, corruption and appeasement, Mr Modi had said in a veiled attack. Responding to Mr Modi's jibe, Mr Yadav said the BJPs flop show is visible to all, as no one is buying their falsehoods. Yesterday's first-day first-show of the BJP turned out to be a flop show. Their film of lies failed. Their worn-out dialogues are no longer acceptable to the people. People in UP welcome guests very warmly, but at the same time they send them off with dhol nagara, said Mr Yadav, hinting at Mr Modis visuals with a dhol at the Amroha rally. He further said: We do not want the BJP's guarantee; we want the guarantees enshrined in the Constitution by B.R. Ambedkar. And we want to safeguard that Constitution. Speaking with the media in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav mocked the BJP, saying the saffron party's "400-plus movie turned out to be a flop on the first day of voting". "Their (the BJP's) '400-plus film' has turned out to be a super flop on the first day (phase) of polling. We (Mahagathbandhan) will win all four seats in Bihar -- Jamui, Nawada, Gaya, and Aurangabad -- that went to polls on April 19. We will also perform well in the coming phases," he said. Whats on your mind? Facebook nudged me into the realisation that family has often been on my mind, and why, despite the changes wrought by time to this institution, its still so essential to our lives. They call family the building block of society, but also popular culture. From I Love Lucy in the fifties to Malcolm in The Middle in the nineties to Modern Family in the noughties, sitcoms have usually focused on the highs and lows of life within a tightly-knit unit. Theyre also a yardstick of how the family has evolved from the traditional married-mom-dad-kids collective to something often more elastic. Theres nothing unusual now about small screen representations of same sex marriages, unmarried partnerships, single parent fams and those of other sorts. The six pals in F*R*I*E*N*D*S were only partially related by blood, and not by marriage at all till nearly the end, but were family to each other from the start. Not surprising since forming families is what we, humans, instinctively do. Not just humans, animals create collectives too: schools, prides, murders, herds, colonies, and loads more huddles. In pop music too, a large number of family bands and duos over the ages The Jacksons, Asha and Lata, ABBA, Lighthouse Family, Sisters Sledge, The Mamas and Papas, Bee Gees, Carpenters, Oasis, Jonas Brothers, I could go on have had us dancing to their tune. And whatever configuration a family takes, thats something they have in common there are house rules to follow. Equally, there have always been movements breaking away from our instinct to cohabitate. The unthinking obedience demanded before and during the world wars by groups of different shapes and sizes armies, religions, nations, societies pushed people into asserting their independence and individuality over subsequent decades, shaping and reshaping society as a result, and the family unit within it. Almost a century later, as growing isolation exacerbates the global mental health crisis and social cohesion problems (juvenile delinquency, gun crime, etc.), it would be easy to pin it on the breakdown of family, but our war-torn, climate-tossed planet presents many other culprits; shattered economies and the internets unsavoury influence amongst them, sequestering people to their artificial little shells. Yet, no matter how hard these Make-XYZ-Great-Again brigades try to persuade us the past was perfect, a little learning is enough to refute it. The patriarchys ironclad fist crushing women, children, and those perceived as different, warranted throwing over through rebellion and reformation. I did my own share of rebelling, leaving home early to make my own way, crashing in and out of relationships, trashing a great, almost prodigal, career in the process. Then, in my thirties, I started a family and found love and joy again, and, strangely, professional success as well. But if my family has been my salvation, it doesnt mean its for everyone. Each of us have our own paths to follow to find our brand of nirvana. Marrying under pressure breeds discontent, and never have kids if youre unsure about them, saving both the trapped parents and unwanted children a great deal of heartache. Our increasingly ailing bodies and ailing planet are amongst other good reasons not to procreate. Yet, with every passing year, I grow more sure that discovering ones tribe, however one might gather them, through bloodlines or similar mindsets, is pivotal to individual and collective health. I know of Western acquaintances who embraced commune-style living in the pandemic to circumvent loneliness, deciding not to abandon their shared lives afterwards, because theyd recognised it appealed to them. Ive always thought communes, or for that matter, joint families, difficult to live within, with so many pushing and pulling in different directions, and some seeking to lord it over the rest. But it would appear that when VERY loosely linked, mutually beneficial groupings can indeed work! My parents and aunt live in the same building, though floors apart. Some of my siblings and cousins as well, having returned to Kolkata after years in other Indian cities, have settled within driving distance, with one, putting down roots just three houses down. This seems to have struck a happy balance between retaining their freedom and helping each other out. I myself rue the distance I have to travel every time I visit my parents. Besides forty whopping hours, much else is lost in travel, including sleep and good health, emerging as I do, nearly every time, with an infection caught on the plane. The aggravation of which feels like nothing compared to the anxiety of living so far from ageing parents! As I walked arm-in-arm with my two teenagers this Easter through a pretty Yorkshire village, I shared a smidgeon of the wisdom that had come my way in my years of wandering, urging them to explore the world and find themselves, but maybe, if they were in a position to do so, to come back home with their own clans when ready, to roost again near their parents. A tentative suggestion at best, as wed be behind them whatever they decided, I was glad to see it hadnt been outrightly dismissed. Isnt feeling connected what most humans desire above all else? Considering the conflict and polarisation in our world today, shouldnt we be doing everything in our power to pull together again? Drawing our family (of every ilk) around us once more might just be that first step. Because it takes a village, a wise woman once said, to make a change. Then, surely, cohorts of cohesive, well-meaning villages will get us there in the end! Today's news: China reorganises the army's cyber-warfare unit; Voter turnout in India over 60%; New missile tests from North Korea; Russia will take in 1,500 refugees from the Gaza Strip. ARMENIA AZERBAIJAN Armenia has agreed to return four villages to Azerbaijan. The spokesperson of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Aykhan Hajizada, announced it yesterday with a tweet, calling it a "long-awaited historic event". The villages in question are uninhabited but are considered strategically important because they are close to Armenia's main highway and the pipeline through which Russia sends gas. SOLOMON ISLANDS After Wednesday's vote, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare retained his parliamentary seat, preliminary results say, but it is still too early to tell whether his party will succeed in forming the next government. The counting of votes, in fact, will last a few more days. At stake are the close diplomatic ties that the archipelago has established with China in recent years. INDIA According to preliminary data, voter turnout in the first phase of voting in India was over 60%, with even peaks of 80% in some states. However, violent episodes were recorded in West Bengal and Manipur, while in Nagaland the turnout was very low, after some local groups that have long been calling for autonomy had asked to sabotage the votes. CHINA China yesterday announced the biggest reorganization of its military since 2015. President Xi Jinping created a new unit called the Information Support Force that will have a key role in "coordinating the creation and use of information systems." The changes aim to better adapt the Chinese military to the "computerized" conditions of modern warfare, researcher Cao Weidong said. NORTH KOREA Pyongyang has carried out new missile tests: yesterday a warhead designed for the "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" cruise missile was launched and a new anti-aircraft missile was also tested, landing in the Yellow Sea. Both tests were part of the normal activities of the administration and defense science institutes for the rapid development of technologies, and had nothing to do with the surrounding situation, state news agency KCNA said. RUSSIA GAZA Nearly 1,500 Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip will be hosted in Russia, as announced by Prime Minister Mikhail Misustin, including 100 in Tatarstan and 250 in Chechnya and Baskortostan, which has already welcomed over 200 in recent months, and the others will be divided between the regions of the North Caucasus, Central Russia and the Volga. In Chechnya there are plans to use them in the production of weapons for the war in Ukraine. by Melani Manel Perera The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has organised several religious celebrations and is preparing to name martyrs the faithful killed in the attacks that targeted three churches and two hotels. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith reiterated that he had lost faith in the government's investigation. Colombo (AsiaNews) - On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Easter attacks, the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka has organized various religious celebrations and is preparing to name martyrs the faithful killed in the attacks which targeted three churches and two hotels. According to the most recent investigation into the tragedy, over 300 people, including 40 foreigners and 45 children, lost their lives on 21 April 2019, the worst massacre to occur in Sri Lanka since the civil war. The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, during a press conference held on April 17, reiterated once again that he had no confidence in the government's investigation. So far, those in power and even in the opposition have done nothing significant to find out what was behind the attacks, so we have lost our trust in the system, the cardinal said. We will appeal to the Lord to obtain justice for our people, he added. Today, after the evening Mass, a procession was organized from the shrine of St. Anthony of Kochchikade to the church of St. Sebastian of Katuwapitiya, which will pass through the main street of the capital during the night. The Apostolic Nuncio, resident representative of the United Nations in Sri Lanka, and several leaders of other religions are also expected for the commemoration which will be held tomorrow morning. Other celebrations, including another procession to the Katuwapitiya shrine, are planned for tomorrow 21 April. All the names of those who died in the explosions in Katuwapitiya church, Kochchikade church and Zion church will be handed over to the Apostolic Nuncio during the commemoration programs to be held on Sunday, announced Cardinal Ranjith. According to Catholic tradition, victims must initially be declared "heroes of the faith" before obtaining the title of "martyr". In the meantime, a campaign has also been launched to demand justice by a group of 32 organisations, united in a collective called "Easter Justice Struggle People's Collective". The organizers explained to AsiaNews that they will ask people to sign a petition to present to the government. by Shafique Khokhar Saim had left home to get a haircut when a security guard, who had noticed a cross necklace on the boy, started to ask him to recite Islamic prayers. The young man, after refusing, was forced to ingest a harmful substance. Lahore (AsiaNews) - Yet another attempt at forced conversion has occurred in Pakistan against a 13-year-old Christian boy, forced to ingest a toxic substance after refusing to embrace Islam. The episode occurred in the city of Lahore on April 13: Saim had left home to go get a haircut, but was stopped by a Muslim security guard who noticed that the boy had a cross around his neck. The guard, named Qadar Khan, snatched the necklace and forced Saim to recite an Islamic prayer, but the boy refused, saying he was Christian. The man then forced Saim to ingest a toxic substance in an attempt to poison him. It was the young man's parents who found their son's body unconscious after several hours that Saim was missing from home. The father, Liyaqat Randhava, went to the police but said he had received unfair treatment. The officers registered the complaint only after several insistences and a copy of the document was not released to Saim's family, he said. Furthermore, several parts of the story were not included in the complaint (also called first information report or FIR). Joseph Johnson, president of Voice for Justice, expressed deep concern about the growing incidents of forced religious conversions in Pakistan and condemned what happened to Saim, adding that the police were showing extreme negligence in the case. By failing to include crucial details in the FIR, the police subjected Saim and his family to further abuse, Johnson said, calling for government intervention in an investigation. by Stefano Caprio The question of post-colonialism in Russia is the great underlying theme imposed by the Russian war in Ukraine. Behind the claims of the 'Russian world' are the aspirations of the many peoples who for centuries have been subjected to the imperial domination of different ideologies, from the Tsarist to the Soviet, and today by the Kirill-Putin Eurasian vision, which by taking on Ukraine has in fact uncovered the Pandora's box of all Russian history. Mid-April saw the conclusion of the first course on the 'de-colonisation' of Russia, held online by professors from various parts of the world, in which dozens of 'students' and activists from the independence movements of Buryatia, Kalmykia, Udege (an indigenous people from south-eastern Siberia), Chechnya, Ingushetia, Karelia and many others participated. The 'lecturers' include Ukrainian historian Sergyj Gromenko, Ukrainian culturologist Oksana Litvinenko, Polish dissident Petr Mintser, Russian-Ukrainian art historian Konstantin Akinsa, American literary critic Eva Tompson, and various experts on the subject, such as Aleksandr Etkind (famous Soviet psychologist, later American culturologist) and Sergei Abasin, a Moscow anthropologist. Among the organisers of the course is Russian philosopher Mikhail Judanin, who was born and raised in Novosibirsk in the centre of Siberia, then moved to Israel and then to America, where he teaches at the University of Georgia. It is 'the other Russia' of which the Russian-Georgian writer Boris Akunin speaks, the one outside the borders, which, however, also plays an important role for those who live in Putin's imperial Russia and hope for a completely different reconstruction of 'all Russia' in the years to come. The question of post-colonialism in Russia is the great underlying theme imposed by the Russian war in Ukraine, one of the contrary effects of the 'collective Putin's' delusions of grandeur. Behind the pretensions of the 'Russian world' are the aspirations of the 'non-Russian world', of the many peoples who for centuries have been subjected to the imperial domination of different ideologies, from tsarist to Soviet, and today by the Kirill-Putin Eurasian vision, which by picking on Ukraine has in fact uncovered the Pandora's box of all Russian history. No one can predict how the world war unleashed by the Kremlin will end, but many imagine that in place of the Russian Federation and its hundred regions, many different states may be created, some say ten and some fifty. Out of 145 million citizens, there are at most 80 million Russians (of a very mixed ethnicity), and the rest range from Finno-Ugric to Caucasians, from Turanians to Mongols, passing through Eastern Europeans of various strains to the Chinese, who increasingly occupy the Far Eastern territories. There has always been a confrontation between oppressed and oppressors in these lands, on a scale that is unparalleled in the world: if in the United States it is only today that guilt for the marginalisation of the natives by the settlers who arrived from Europe is emerging, in Russia from the very beginning the dominant people asserted itself at the expense of the minor ethnic groups, as the medieval chronicles narrate from the time of Kievan Rus'. At that time, the choice of Byzantine baptism was the result of the confrontation between the Islam of the Bulgarians of Volga, the Judaism of the Khazars of the Caucasus and the Latin Catholicism of the nemtsy, the 'dumb' lacking the slovo, the 'word' of the Slavs, a term applied today to the Germans and which then referred to all Westerners. However, these discarded variants, then opting for the 'great beauty' of Christianity of St Sophia in Constantinople, have always remained linked to Russia in the following centuries, later adding the Asian variants of the 'Tatar yoke' and the conquest of Siberia, between the end of the Middle Ages and the modern and contemporary centuries. Colonialism, after all, is not an invention of the Russians; in fact, it is in a sense the real root of all Mediterranean and European empires and states, from the Greeks of Alexander the Great to the Romans of Julius Caesar, and then between the various attempts at translatio imperii of almost all European and American peoples. Ancient Greece was looking for fertile land to cultivate, while in modern times the metropolises of the masters who control vast territories to exploit economically and control militarily are established, and Russia has remained in this sense in the variants of the second millennium. Apart from the two Petersburg centuries of Western tendency, the dominance of the Eurasian capital of Moscow remains in Russia, another world compared to the rest of the country, and the Putin years have to a large extent revived this model: in Moscow, people live in luxury, peace and harmony, and the rest of the country and the world can only feed its pride, which is only partly shared with St Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk and a few other metropolises. According to Judanin, colonialism is produced 'not by the competition of traders, but when a brigand meets the businessman in the yard, smashes his head with a pole and steals all his money... colonisation is an effect of the use of force'. Then, over time, the colonisers began to believe that they deserved the dominant position because of some particular quality of theirs, and thus "the myth of the world hierarchy of peoples was born, believing it normal and legitimate that those who hold the rifle should rule over those who only have the bow and arrow", as in the narrative of the American Far West and before that the Siberian Far East, where the Cossacks already represented in the 16th century what would be the cowboys of the 19th century, and today are the Russian armies in Ukraine. The rhetoric of the 'superior fighters', after all, has fuelled the ferocity of the various invading squads, from the Wagner Company of the 'roast cook' Evgenij Prigozin to the Akhmat Division of the Chechens, under the orders of the Caucasian settler Ramzan Kadyrov, the Putin heroes of the 'special operation'. The philosopher explains that 'colonial economics always goes hand in hand with various forms of racism', such as the obligation imposed on Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to cultivate only cotton, to the exclusion of all other crops, which even today imposes slave harvests to which students from these countries are forced. The subdivision of production sectors was a project that had already begun during the tsarist empire, and was then perfected by the Soviet regime to realise the 'participation of the peoples' in the great project of universal socialism, without thinking of the disastrous consequences on the ecology of the whole of Central Asia and other territories. It is no coincidence that today, the Uzbeks, Turkmen and Tajiks organise huge 'weaving festivals' to make up for centuries-old humiliations, when the harvested cotton was taken to Belarus to compose the 'masterpieces' of which Asians were deemed incapable. To justify their colonial vision, today the Russians find old arguments and imagine new ones. Russia has always had a complex to work out, that of being a landlocked empire, envying the British, Spanish, Dutch and other dominions that spanned the oceans; in the current war in Ukraine, more than the Donbass the Russians were interested in the Crimea (a place that has always been symbolic) and the shores of the Black Sea, and more than the conquest of Kiev they are trying to reach Odessa, to then impose themselves as far as the Mediterranean. Another dream that heralds future catastrophes is that of the control of the Arctic Ocean, which with global warming is less and less glacial, and could free up new 'colonies' to conquer; after all, since the seventeenth century, the Russians had crossed the Bering Strait to conquer Alaska, reaching as far as California then sold to the Americans, in a short circuit of the empires of East and West. According to the classic approaches of Russian colonialism, today revived by the idea of the Orthodox 'Russian world', Russia does not oppress minor peoples, rather it protects them and makes them grow in economic, cultural and religious integration. In the recent Nakaz, the decree of the World Council inspired by Patriarch Kirill, the importance of the work of the Orthodox Church is emphasised even in relations with Islam, Buddhism and other local religions as far as Asian shamanism, which thanks to patriarchal Christianity are assimilated into the great patriotic sobornost, the education of peoples in defence against invasions and heresies. Resistance to Western 'moral degradation', the spiritual motive of the war in Ukraine, exalts the superiority of the 'traditional values' proclaimed by the patriarch also for other religions, being 'universal values' that Russians have the right and duty to affirm at all latitudes. Colonisation becoming evangelisation, ecumenical sobornost of de-Nazification and Russification, these are the refrains of Russia's imperial renaissance. Another term used in Soviet times was korenizatsija (from koren = root), an ethnic policy imposed under Stalin, the Georgian dictator who wanted to be more Russian than the Russians, even though he spoke with a strong Caucasian accent. At that time, anti-religious ideology was in force, and instead of metropolitans and muftis, party secretaries and high officials joined in to form an elite of 'new men' of Soviet nationality and no longer tied to blood origins. Today, however, the 'roots' no longer seem to have the fertile soil of the ancient colonies, and the many peoples of Eurasia are less and less able to tolerate the imperial dictatorship of the Russians: after having invaded the Ukraine and threatened the other countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia and the whole of Asia, there is the risk that Russia will be forced to invade itself, leaving only the possibility of self-colonisation. RUSSIAN WORLD IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO RUSSIA. TO RECEIVE A WEEKLY UPDATE EVERY SATURDAY, CLICK HERE. What Is a Ruined Orgasm? Here's Why Some People Want Their Climaxes Ruined (& How to Make It Happen) Is there anything worse than having something wonderful ruined? That is, unless youre talking about an orgasm. Thats because, unlike ruined birthday parties, ruined job promotions and ruined weddings, ruined orgasms are actually sought after by many people sexually despite the contradictory-sounding nature of the concept. And, as with many sex terms that may require some explanation, the idea of a ruined orgasm is tied to the BDSM and kink community. RELATED: What You Should Know About Common Kinks & Fetishes In order to better understand what a ruined orgasm is, why people want to experience them and how you can, too, AskMen spoke to a couple of sex experts. Heres what they had to say: What Is a Ruined Orgasm? A ruined orgasm is when a person is disrupted when they are about to experience orgasm, which can prevent or reduce the quality, fulfillment, and/or sensation felt at climax, says Lisa Finn, sex educator for Babeland. Think of it like being on the brink of having a 10/10 orgasm, and then having that orgasm abruptly brought to a 3 instead. Sometimes this can happen unintentionally getting distracted, having someone walk in on you, getting a muscle cramp, having your vibrator run out of charge, and so on but in the context of BDSM, its a consensual act where a Dominant partner causes the ruined orgasm for the submissive party on purpose. This can leave the submissive partner feeling a level of frustration, disappointment, or unsatisfaction while still having the release, says sex and relationship expert Miss Mackenzee. Someone may also experience painful sensations from it. Why Some People Enjoy Ruined Orgasms So why on Earth would anyone enjoy that? But as Mackenzee says, many people do. Partly, it can just be a question of variety, says Finn. Ruined orgasms can feel really unique when compared to other types of orgasms, and so the experience of a different sensation can feel really hot, she explains. However, theres more to it than that. For some, it can feel uncomfortable or even slightly painful, which can be a kink, says Finn. For many, what makes a ruined orgasm something that they want is the power play involved. Ruined orgasm play can feel intense, sometimes it can be part of a humiliation kink, and/or it can really lean into the dynamic of control from the Dominant. RELATED: How to Be Dominant in a Relationship (And in Bed) In the context of this power exchange, denying someone the fullness of a proper orgasm can be a way to flip the script on heteronormative sex, where orgasms are no longer the most important or defining moment of a sexual encounter, Mackenzee adds. There is also a huge population of people that are really into the Female Dominant lifestyle, and ruined orgasms are a time-honored tradition in that realm, she explains so ruined orgasms may be a hot part of being a male submissive. Ruined Orgasms, Edging and Orgasm Denial In fact, ruined orgasms are hardly the only form of sexual play that explores the consequences of moving away from having a great orgasm rather than directly towards it. Practices like orgasm denial and edging also play with this, though in different ways. Edging is the act of stopping orgasm right at the brink (or edge) of hitting that climax instead of reducing the quality of orgasm, youre temporarily denying the orgasm entirely, says Finn. Whereas a ruined orgasm has the intensity diminished, edging can have the intensity of the orgasm enhanced when its finally reached (or allowed) due to the physical and mental build-up that comes with this type of play. Unlike ruined orgasms and edging, which both involve having an orgasm, there's orgasm denial where the individual is completely prevented from having the orgasm altogether, she notes. RELATED: What Its Really Like to Wear a Chastity Device So if ruined orgasms arent quite for you, exploring edging or orgasm denial might be a more fruitful avenue. How to Give Someone a Ruined Orgasm 1. Navigate Consent As with any BDSM play, youll want to have a conversation first to make sure that everyone is on the same page and consenting to the play and how it will work, says Finn. Even with a strong power dynamic in play, she adds, the submissive party should always have control when it comes to setting boundaries, and a safe word should be agreed upon. If youre not on the same page, Mackenzee points out, it can lead to an unsatisfying experience for someone who doesnt want their pleasure halted. 2. Consider Methods Next, youll want to agree on the best ways for it to happen. It may look like using a wand vibrator and then pulling it away, or if youre engaging in penetrative sex, pulling out at the start of orgasm, she explains. Turning off a powerful vibrator is a great way to halt sensation abruptly, which can be super effective, Finn agrees, but notes that you can practice ruining orgasms along with any sexual activity, listing options like masturbation, oral sex, and manual play, such as handjobs or fingering. In short, any way you can bring someone to orgasm is a viable option for a ruined orgasm. 3. Play With Build-Up To have something ruined for you, it has to have the feeling that it would have been great, says Finn. So really building up the sexual tension in the scene and teasing however else your power dynamic invites, whether thats physically or with language, is essential. RELATED: How to Talk Dirty in Bed, Explained Youre leaning into that anticipation, that desire for the long-awaited moment of this pleasurable release, and then turning what should have been an OHH! into an ...oh. 4. Consider Timing Timing is essential because you want to hit the moment right when its about to happen when the person is about to crash into their orgasm and you crush it instead, says Finn. RELATED: How to Make a Woman Orgasm, Explained This will entail halting stimulation just as your partner is about to cum, or just as theyve started to cum (experiment and see which is best!) so that their body continues with the orgasm, but the intensity and even feeling of release is significantly hindered, leaving them feeling like the moment was, well, ruined, she explains. 5. Have a Signal In addition to a safe word and/or gesture, Mackenzee says, its a good idea to come up with a word that can be used when the receiver is close or beginning to climax. This is a sign that the giver should be stopping or lessening the sensations theyre providing to give a ruined orgasm, she notes. Ultimately, this can seriously cut down or even eliminate the guesswork on your part when it comes to timing. You Might Also Dig: Leon Hale, longtime columnist with the Houston Chronicle, photographed in 2006 on the infamous front porch, which was immortalized in numerous columns, in Winedale. Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle "This Familiar Heart "by Babette Fraser Hale. Winedale Publishing Writer Babette Hale met columnist Leon Hale in Houston in 1980. Their marriage lasted 40 years, until Leons death on March 27. Joe Holley / Contributor Leon Hale and his wife, Gabrielle Hale, in his home office in 1998. He kept track on his columns on the big wall calendar. none/Family photo Leon Hale, longtime columnist with the Houston Chronicle, photographed on the infamous front porch, which was immortalized in numerous columns, in Winedale, Texas, Monday September 25, 2006. (Karen Warren/ Houston Chronicle) Karen Warren, STAFF / Houston Chronicle Leon and Babette Hale Dave Rossman/Freelance In the summer of 1981, Babette Fraser sent a letter to renowned columnist Leon Hale, who was nearing the end of a three-decade run at the Houston Post and about to begin a three-decade tenure at the Houston Chronicle. Frasers tact was not fawning, but rather cool: Dear Leon Hale, she wrote. Im a recent convert to your column. After avoiding it for years, in fact. Theyd soon meet and form a connection, a marriage that lasted until Hales death in 2021 at age 99. And though Hale is gone, Fraser Hale still feels the connection. She recently published This Familiar Heart: An Improbable Love Story about their unlikely story. At the time they met, she had a child at home, and he was in the middle of his second divorce. He was in his sixties, she in her thirties. But something that started tentatively and fitful spanned decades. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Weeks before Hale died, Fraser Hale published A Wall of Bright Dead Fathers, a story collection that won the debut fiction award from the Texas Institute of Letters. She has been working on a novel, but knew before she could bring it to completion, she needed to keep a promise. Write about me, Hale told her. Promise youll write about me. Q: How long was the process for getting this book started? A: It was strange. I didnt want to read anything. I couldnt read anything. But I could read his books because I could hear his voice. I started keeping a journal during the last five months. Sometimes it was on my phone, which I downloaded and transcribed. Sometimes it was notes handwritten at night before bed. But he asked me to write about him. And that gave me permission. I dont think I couldve done it if he didnt support the effort. I had 350 pages in the first two years. Q: Theres a point at which the narrative shifts. Where the third person of the early years together ends and it becomes a more traditional memoir voice. A: I worked with several editors to get their opinions. And I had to divide it. But all of it was just the way I processed grief. I process by writing. Some cant do that. They clam up. But I wanted to live in our story for a little while. And I thought back to how vibrant he was for so long. I wanted to see him back then. Q: Memory can be so unreliable. Did you find the timeline difficult to assemble? A: Thats absolutely true. Fortunately all the letters were dated, so that helped me. Some werent. But most were. And Hale kept incredible calendars. He kept calendars that had topics hed write about each day, the place he went that day and his future schedule. Theyd hang on the wall over the computer. Or before that, over the typewriter. He had at one time his entire career on those calendars. Q: I love that in the first correspondence with him you admit to having avoided his column for years. But there was a pretty immediate connection. A: (Laughs.) Those letters are all verbatim. And yes, I realized when I met him that there was a person there that saw me and was capable of seeing me. Men in those days, they just didnt seem to listen to women. When you had a man who actually listened to you, well, it was a pretty strong thing. I had a feeling that first day that he was listening to me and interested in what he heard. But yes, I had something I wanted to say to him, and I wrote it down and sent it. The tones printed there are the tones in the letter. He saved all of them. He kept files with important letters. One of them was labeled Babette. He had other people corresponding with him. Letters he thought were interesting or that he could draw from. It was all about ideas. This constant maw of ideas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Q: You made the interesting decision to write this in the third person with you and Hale as characters. Did that approach come easily? A: I tried to do it first person. Thats an inevitable aspect to writing a memoir. First person, vertical memoir, vertical pronoun. I think I felt grounded trying to do it that way. So it became a thing I wrote to myself trying to be as honest as I could be. I mythologize him in life. I think I came closer to not mythologizing him at all in this book. And that worried me, too. His real readers who loved him may be disappointed to find he was more human than they remembered. He was always human. . . . For me it was all about keeping my feet on the ground and trying to see how these pieces fit. Q: How does it feel to have it done? A: Ill tell you, Im glad its out. I really am. I want to talk about him in groups and explain how grief can screw up your perspective after you lose a person you love. The age factor doesnt lessen it. Theres this heightened reaction in the immediate aftermath of death where you feel everything changing. Things just dont seem the same way, the moment that person is dead and you cant talk to them again. You cant have them talk back to you and explain things. It changes your perspective radically. So I hope to get into that without making it all about grief. Its not all about grief. But you cant know how its going to affect you until youre in the middle of it. Q: Youd mentioned a novel. Is that what comes next? A: I dont know for sure. But I think so. Its a novel. Its not really about Hale, though it is about a writer. I briefly dated Larry McMurtry when he was here in the '60s. There are some McMurtry qualities in there, with a little Hale and some of the people Ive met at the TIL (Texas Institute of Letters). Its about a guy and the women he gets involved with when hes trying to find out how to live the rest of his life. Hes completely blown his life up at the start. Its a typical feckless male that you see in mens novels. Im writing the book largely in his point of view. And there are about 10 different women he meets during that couple of years he goes through, and what effect he has on their lives. I got really interested in the women and their stories. Im also continuing to write stories. I have three that arent finished but on the way. I really only feel good when Im writing. Rich and Nancy Kinder have been big backers of Memorial Park improvements. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The Kinder Building at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston is named for the couple. Dave Rossman, Houston Chronicle / Contributor Rich and Nancy Kinder support at Buffalo Bayou Park and the Bayou Greenways Project. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer Nancy and Rich Kinder ranked No. 315 on Forbes' 38th annual World Billionaires List. With an estimated wealth of $8.1 billion, the couple have become synonymous with transformational arts, education, green space and quality-of-life initiatives in Houston. In April 2024, the couple's eponymous Kinder Foundation made a $1 million gift to United Way of Greater Houston for the fifth consecutive year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rich Kinder, who is 79 and a Missouri native, got his start in the energy industry working as a lawyer for the Florida Gas Commission, which later became Enron, following a series of mergers; for six years he served as Enron president and chief executive officer. Kinder and Enron founder Kenneth Lay initially met in college at the University of Missouri. He also served as a U.S. Army captain in Vietnam. In December 1996, Kinder resigned to found Kinder Morgan with another college friend, Bill Morgan; it's now the largest pipeline company in the U.S. He married Nancy McNeil, Lay's former executive assistant, the following year. The newlyweds established the Kinder Foundation in 1997 after pledging to give away 95% of their wealth. The foundation has reportedly granted more than $700 million as of Dec. 31 to projects and programs dedicated to urban green space, education and quality of life in the Greater Houston area. Today, Kinder Morgan owns and/or operates 84,000 miles of pipeline that transport primarily natural gas, refined petroleum products, CO2 and crude oil. Roughly 180 terminals store, transfer and handle products, including gasoline, ethanol, coal, petroleum coke and steel. Kinder is currently the company's largest shareholder and receives an annual salary of $1. He is chairman of the Kinder Foundation. Nancy Kinder, who is from Louisiana and attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, now serves as president and CEO of the Kinder Foundation, overseeing and stewarding the organization's major gifts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She is founding chairman of the Discovery Green Conservancy. Over the past two decades, the Kinder Foundation has donated more than $20.2 million to the downtown urban park nonprofit. The Kinder Foundation pledged $50 million in 2013 toward the Houston Parks Board's Bayou Greenways Project. Additional lead gifts include a $100 million donation to Buffalo Bayou Partnership, $50 million to the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, $70 million to Memorial Park, $30 million to Buffalo Bayou Park, $5 million to 50 SPARK Parks, $4.7 million to Emancipation Park, $4 million to Willow Waterhole, $3 million to Trees for Houston and $2 million to Hermann Park. The Kinders gave nearly $75 million to Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where Rich Kinder serves on the board of trustees. Their gift led to the naming of what is now the Kinder Building, a permanent home for the museum's international collection of modern and contemporary art. RFE/RLs Armenian Service has learned that people in the villages of Kirants and Baghanis, in particular, blocked traffic at sections of the road linking their villages to the towns of Ijevan and Noyemberian, respectively. Some residents of Voskepar, another Armenian village that is going to be affected by the planned border demarcation, claimed, meanwhile, that what was officially announced by the authorities on Friday contradicted what Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said when he held a closed-door meeting with residents in the village earlier this week. They said they would gather in the village on Saturday to decide on their further steps. Following the eighth round of talks between Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigorian and his Azerbaijani counterpart Shahin Mustafayev that was held at an undisclosed section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on April 19 the parties announced a preliminary agreement that the initial stage of the delimitation process will involve sections between four villages in the territory of Armenias Tavush province and four abandoned villages that used to be part of Azerbaijans Qazax district in the Soviet times. Thus, Armenia agreed to return the four abandoned border villages that it has controlled since the early 1990s to Azerbaijan as the initial step in defining the frontier between the two South Caucasus nations. The delimitation on the mentioned sections is to be completed by the middle of May, the parties agreed. Residents of border villages in Tavush are particularly concerned that the demarcation of the border with Azerbaijan in accordance with the Soviet-era configuration will deprive them of access to their farmlands and complicate their communication with the rest of the country due to the fact that some parts of the road in the area will fall under Azerbaijani control. Besides, they voice concerns that Armenias withdrawal from its current military positions will make the local civilians far more vulnerable to Azerbaijani armed attacks. The Armenian Prime Ministers Office provided explanations on Friday, addressing some of the concerns of residents of borderline communities. For the first time, there will be a demarcated state border between our countries [Armenia and Azerbaijan] in the section of the four villages, it said, as quoted by Armenias state-run Armenpress news agency. Lets note that Azerbaijan is very close to those villages even today and they are under direct fire. Yes, as a result of this process, the border guard service of Azerbaijan will get closer to the villages of Kirants and Voskepar, but their villages and ours will be separated by a delimitated state border. This is a key factor and lets not forget that the border protection will be carried out by the border guards of the Republic of Armenia. In addition, there are many details of providing security, which will also be discussed and detailed in the near future, Pashinians Office said. It acknowledged that a few hundred meters of the road outline will have to be changed in the section of the village of Kirants, which it said is not something difficult and will be implemented within a few months. But this is not the only road for Kirants. The Kirants-Acharkut-Ijevan road will be repaired, maybe rebuilt as well. We mean, Kirants also has an alternative road, and practically there are no major problems, the premiers office said. It is also important to record that the Commissions agreed that in the entire process of border delimitation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, they will rely on the 1991 Alma Ata Declaration, which is recorded as a fundamental principle of the border delimitation process, it stressed. Meanwhile, the deal was touted as another success of the government in Azerbaijan. Armenia has agreed to return four villages under occupation since the early 1990s, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada wrote on social media, describing it as a long-awaited historic event. The agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan was hailed by the United States and the European Union. On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote on X (formerly Twitter): We welcome the announcement that Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed upon the 1991 Alma Ata declaration as the basis for border delimitation between the two countries. This is an important step towards concluding a durable and dignified peace agreement. Earlier, on Friday, Toivo Klaar, the EUs Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia, wrote on X: Encouraging news today regarding the work of the Armenian and Azerbaijani border commissions and the start of a delimitation process based on legal documents and the 1991 Almaty Agreement. The EU fully supports the process of negotiations and the aim of a comprehensive and lasting settlement, the EU diplomat added. 20 April 2024 15:05 (UTC+04:00) Russian border posts will be withdrawn from the border zone of the Tavush region after delimitation and subsequent demarcation of the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan are carried out in these places, Azernews reports, citing Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as he telling at the conversation with journalists. Russian posts appeared there for one reason. What is happening now is a significant change in the situation. This means that we dont have a line of contact, we have a border, and the border is a sign of peace. This will mean that the border guards of Armenia and Azerbaijan will cooperate with each other and will be able to independently guard the border, he noted. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 April 2024 11:10 (UTC+04:00) By Mazahir Afandiyev A radical new understanding of the connection between population, development, individual rights, and well-being was established during the 1994 United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which took place in Cairo. Reproductive health, human rights protection, and the struggle against the exploitation of women and children were the key topics of discussion there. As a result, the Cairo agreement, also known as the ICPD Programme of Action, was adopted. The Programme of Action states that reproductive health and other human rights are fundamental to both individual well-being and sustainable development. The ICPD Programme of Action has been the subject of discussions for the past 30 years at different levels. The successes of the program are highly assessed by the states, representatives of civil society, international experts, and parliamentarians in connection with the formation of a legislative framework. The legislative framework being built benefits from legislators' discussions of new topics targeted at restoring realities and enacting legislative measures in this regard. These discussions can also help prevent violations of fundamental rights. When the agreement was adopted in Cairo in 1994, a relatively limited number of parliamentary representatives took part in talks about human rights and freedoms and universal human ideals in a completely transparent way. However, parliamentarians had to discuss the protection of liberties and human rights, which was backed by numerous think tanks and scientific studies. Since 2002, international conferences of legislators have been held by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and parliamentary networks for the protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to address the mobilization of available resources and establish an environment that promotes the discussion of topics related to the realization of reproductive rights. A unique instrument designed to bring parliamentarians together globally and translate that consensus into tangible policy, financial, and accountability outcomes at the national level is the International Parliamentarians Conference on the Implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development (IPCI/ICPD). The first International Parliamentarians Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action took place in Ottawa, Canada, in November 2002. Subsequent conferences were held in France (2004), Thailand (2006), Ethiopia (2009), Turkey (2012), Sweden (2014), and Ottawa, Canada, which hosted the seventh one in October 2018. It is important to point out that the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024 at the 57th session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development. During the conference that took place on October 1920, 2023, in Geneva, it was decided to hold the next eight International Parliamentarians Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action in Norway on April 1012, 2024, on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the ICPD. The discussion also covered the progress made in the field of the ICPD Programme of Action since 2014. Over 300 individuals from 120 countries attended this year's conference, including over 200 lawmakers, ministers, UN representatives, and members of civil society. This was one of the achievements of the conference, where the Azerbaijani parliament was also represented. In light of the past 30 years, it is evident that issues related to reproductive health, cleanliness, the planet's demographics, appropriate family planning, guaranteeing universal access to healthcare, and strategies for preventing violations of the rights of women and children who need special attention are still important. Today, during the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the adoption of resolutions and papers pertaining to the protection of human rights, reproductive health, and other comparable liberties was the primary agenda item for the Eight International Parliamentarians Conference, which was held in Norway. Implementing the issues expressed in the document adopted in Cairo in 1994 was one of the conference's particular directions. The Republic of Azerbaijan has been actively participating in all Conferences for the past 30 years, expressing its views on issues related to both human and demographic development while maintaining close ties with the UN Population Fund and taking into account the unique characteristics of the Azerbaijani people within the national context. It is no secret that, as a result of the First Karabakh War, which broke out in response to Armenia's military aggression, thousands of people were killed, wounded, or captured in newly independent Azerbaijan in the early 1990s, and that nearly a million individuals became internally displaced and refugees. As a result, since 1990, the average annual growth fell even more in a 10-year period, up to 1.3%. The population of Azerbaijan was 6,400 thousand people in 1994, when the Cairo Document was adopted. And now, with the 30-year ICPD Programme of Action in place, we can see that Azerbaijan's population is expected to reach approximately 11 million by 2024. This is unquestionably a testament to Azerbaijan's adherence to universal values, the Millennium Development Goals that were enacted in 2000, the Sustainable Development Goals that the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted in 2015, and the appropriate national implementation strategies for these international agreements. In our country, institutions have been established to accomplish the objectives set forth by these universal documents, and a special state commission has been established to carry out these tasks. The distribution of papers emphasizing the accomplishments of worldwide governments and states in conjunction with the ICPD's 30th anniversary celebrations is a clear indication of the program's expanding reach. Sadly, issues with equality, the violation of women's and children's rights, and people's lack of access to appropriate education and information persist despite the good parts of the work that has been done. The Eight International Parliamentarians Conference's activity also reflected this. The need to create a roadmap for the future is thus reinforced by the particular interest in the experiences of the parliamentarians of Japan and Ireland, the current challenging circumstances facing third-world nations, particularly those in Africa, and the conversations taking place in the parliaments of Muslim states regarding women's equality, rights, and freedoms, as well as the guarantee of universal access to modern healthcare. In this regard, the adoption by all participants of the Oslo Statement at the Eight International Conference of Members of Parliament on the implementation of the ICPD Action Program will be one of the main goals and objectives of the new world order (https://ipciconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Oslo-Statement-of-Commitment_12-April-2024-12_00-pm-with-logo.pdf). Mazahir Afandiyev is the Member of the Milli Majlis (the Azerbaijani Parliament). --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 April 2024 13:55 (UTC+04:00) Hosting the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan is a manifestation of the countrys diplomatic and political courage, Azernews reports, citing the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev as he telling at the closing ceremony of the Caspian Basin Studies (CBS) program at ADA University. The event was attended by delegates from Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Egypt, Nepal, Jordan, Kuwait, Turkiye, Brazil and other countries. Hikmet Hajiyev spoke about the foreign policy and geopolitical identity of Azerbaijan against the backdrop of the liberation of Karabakh from occupation, as well as the economic ties of the country, located at the intersection of the North-South and East-West transport routes. The presidential aide touched upon COP29 in his speech, assessed the holding of this prestigious event in Azerbaijan as the embodiment of the countrys diplomatic and political courage, determination on the path to transition to green energy, and also answered questions from participants. Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Hafiz Pashayev, Rector of ADA University, said that the Caspian Basin Studies program is a platform that introduces not only ADA University to the world, but also Azerbaijan itself. At the end, the speakers presented certificates to participants representing 18 countries, and a souvenir photo was taken. As part of the program, on April 18, participants visited the Juma Mosque, Congress Center, Alley of Martyrs and other places in Agdam, and also got acquainted with the progress of restoration and construction work. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 April 2024 16:15 (UTC+04:00) A delegation of the Republic of Kenya is scheduled to embark a visit to Azerbaijan in the coming days, Azernews reports. According to Azerbaijani Ambassador to Kenya Sultan Hajiyev, the delegation will include advisors of the Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, as well as representatives of the countrys private sector. The visit, to be organized by Azerbaijans Ministry of economy, will aim to expand relations between Azerbaijan and Kenya. During the visit, the Kenyan delegation will discuss cooperation between the relevant government agencies of the two countries. Moreover, the delegates will visit the free zones, manufacturing plants located in the cities of Baku and Sumgayit to familiarize themselves with Azerbaijans vast potential and infrastructure with respect to the countrys business environment. The delegation will also hold meetings with the Azerbaijani businesspersons with support of Azerbaijans Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO). --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Vivaldi Music Academy is moving to a bigger space in Telfair, Sugar Land, to accommodate more students. Vivaldi Music Academy Vivaldi Music Academy is moving to a bigger space in Sugar Land to welcome more students. The Houston-based, privately-owned music school has a grand opening event scheduled for Saturday, April 27, to celebrate the expansion at 7417 Branford Place. FORT BEND INSIDER: Never miss a story with our bi-weekly newsletter Advertisement Article continues below this ad Vivaldi Music Academy offers private music lessons for learners as young as four years old, in a variety of instruments including piano, violin, viola, cello, guitar, drums, flute, and voice. We have outgrown our location in Sugar Land Town Center, and this new space is perfect for our growing academy there," said Zeljko Pavlovic, founder and CEO. "It allows us to enroll new students, offer more programs for students and families, and the new performance hall gives our students more performance opportunities and allows us to host local events to further embed ourselves in the cultural tapestry of Sugar Land." Pavlovic also serves on the board for the Houston Symphony. TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM:15 road projects planned for Fort Bend County in new Houston regional plan The new 4,000-square foot facility is equipped with a 60-seat recital hall and 11 private lesson rooms. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The academy currently operates six schools: five in the Houston metro area, in West University Place, Sugar Land, Bellaire, Memorial and the Heights, and one in San Antonio. Pavlovic opened the first location in the West University neighborhood in 2013. Originally from Sarajevo, Bosnia, Pavlovic began playing the violin at age three. He attended the University of Novi Sad in Serbia at 16 and earned his masters degree in violin performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Belgium. Pavlovic came to the United States as a refugee in 1998. Music has multifaceted benefits," Pavlovic said. "For children, it's a medium to build confidence, hone skills that resonate with math, science, and reading, and above all, to express themselves. Our dedicated team of handpicked teachers, with their profound backgrounds in music and teaching, mentor students, preparing them for their next big performance at global venues. For further details on Vivaldi Music Academy's programs, click here. 20 April 2024 17:25 (UTC+04:00) On April 20, an official meeting was held at the headquarters of the Land Forces under the leadership of Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijans Ministry of Defense. The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Defense - Commander of the Land Forces, Lieutenant General Hikmat Mirzayev, chiefs of departments and services, army corp and formation commanders of the Land Forces. An official meeting commenced with commemorating the memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the Martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The Minister of Defense delivered to the meeting participants the tasks assigned to the Azerbaijan Army by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ilham Aliyev. The meeting discussed the current operational conditions on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conditional border, measures for combat training of military units and the state of military discipline. The Minister gave relevant instructions on improving the service-combat activity of military units, increasing vigilance, as well as constant preparation for accurate and timely execution of combat missions. Minister Zakir Hasanov noted the importance of paying special attention to the material-technical and engineering support of the units conducting combat duty in the difficult terrain and high-mountainous areas, as well as the improvement of the moral-psychological training. Colonel General Z.Hasanov assigned specific tasks for the relevant officers on the effective implementation of the process of delimitation of the state border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and taking the necessary measures in interaction with other state authorities in order to ensure security. Defense Minister gave relevant instructions related to the provision of necessary technical support for the transportation of personnel, ammunition and military equipment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent temporarily stationed in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and currently leaving the country. The minister also emphasized the importance of focusing on better implementation of the activities. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 April 2024 18:00 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi, on the occasion of the end of his diplomatic tenure in the country, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. The parties expressed satisfaction with the development of friendly and cooperative relations between the two states, which are built on historical roots, on the basis of mutual respect. It was emphasized that important steps have been taken to develop relations in political, economic, trade, and other directions. According to information, Bayramov also pointed out that the development of relations between the two countries in regional and multilateral frameworks, regional formats such as 3+3 are functioning effectively. Ambassador Seyyed Abbas Mousavi thanked for the support given to him during his diplomatic activity. He noted that all opportunities were mobilized for the development of bilateral relations during his work as an ambassador, and stressed that he is sure that the future ambassador will spare no effort to further develop these relations. Furthermore, other bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest were discussed at the meeting. Bayramov wished Ambassador Seyyed Abbas Mousavi success in his future endeavors. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 April 2024 08:00 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Apple has removed WhatsApp and Threads from the country's App Store after the Chinese government ordered it for national security reasons, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets. In a statement, Apple said: "The Chinese Cyberspace Administration has ordered the removal of these programs from the Chinese online store for national security reasons. Even if we disagree with the laws of the countries in which we operate, we are obliged to comply with them." The removal of the application may be related to a law passed in China in 2023, which requires applications operating in the country to register with the country's regulatory authority. Last August, Chinese authorities urged developers to comply with this rule by the end of March 2024, otherwise applications will stop working in the country. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 April 2024 09:00 (UTC+04:00) Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday discussed positive dynamics of the countrys economic growth and macroeconomic trends with Maciej Czura, the Head of the European Investment Bank's Regional Representation for the South Caucasus, Azernews reports, citing Agenda. The officials emphasised successful cooperation between the Government and the EIB as a leading financial institution, the Government Administration said. The meeting also highlighted the role of EIB-financed and ongoing investment projects for development of infrastructure of the country, noting the importance of the current East-West Highway project. The head of the Georgian Government thanked Czura for his support and noted the Government values the fruitful cooperation with the EIB. He also expressed hope the EIB would continue to support Georgia in financing investment projects in priority areas for the country. The EIB has invested 1.6 billion in investment projects, the Administration said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 April 2024 21:05 (UTC+04:00) The UAE has expressed regret that the UN Security Council was unable to pass a resolution recognizing Palestine as a full member of the world organization, UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar said, Azernews reports. He stressed that granting Palestine full membership in the UN would be an important step to intensify peace efforts in the region. He added that in order to advance the peace process in the Middle East, it is necessary to put an end to illegal practices that impede the implementation of the two-state solution and violate the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 April 2024 21:40 (UTC+04:00) The US is urging Europe to slash taxes on earnings from frozen Russian assets as part of a proposal to fund Ukraine by borrowing against future profits that it says will free up $50 billion, Azernews reports. Daleep Singh, US deputy national security adviser for international economics, told the Financial Times that the G7 was discussing an idea from Washington to bring forward the value of interest income from the assets to get the cash to Kyiv as early as this summer. Western allies immobilized 260 billion euros of Russian central bank assets following Moscows invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 but have since been split over what to do with the frozen trove. Washington favors confiscating the reserves in their entirety and handing them to Ukraine, but many European officials have warned such a move would breach international law, unsettle global markets and undermine the status of the euro. Instead, the US proposed last week that tens of billions of euros could be raised for Ukraine by securing loans against future profits from the frozen assets. It is hoping to secure agreement from allies by the G7 leaders summit in Italy in June. Singh said the move could involve a bond issue to the private sector or a loan by one or several G7 governments that would be repaid in the first instance by the interest income. He argued that the allies should aim to release about $50 billion of funding for Ukraine via the proposal. But to make the idea work, Singh told the FT it would be critical to maximize the yearly interest income from the assets. By discussing where the money is reinvested and by changing the tax treatment of the income flows, the value of the interest payments could get up to 5 billion euros a year, he said. Where the assets are invested matters but also the degree to which it is taxed, he said. We should maximize every euro from these immobilized reserves for the benefit of Ukraine. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 20 April 2024 22:15 (UTC+04:00) The United States will withdraw its troops from Niger, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters late on Friday, adding an agreement was reached between U.S Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Niger's leadership, Azernews reports. There were a little over 1,000 U.S. troops in Niger as of last year, where the U.S. military operated out of two bases, including a drone base known as Air Base 201 built near Agadez in central Niger at a cost of more than $100 million. Since 2018, the base has been used to target Islamic State militants and Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen, an al Qaeda affiliate, in the Sahel region. Last year, Niger's army seized power in a coup. Until the coup, Niger had remained a key security partner of the United States and France. In the coming days, there will be conversations about how that drawdown of troops will look, the source told Reuters, asking not to identified. The source said there would still be diplomatic and economic relationships between the U.S. and Niger despite this step. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Sea Lion on Oregon Coast Dock Humanely Euthanized After Shark Takes Piece Out of It Updated 4/18/24 at 6:45 p.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Newport, Oregon) [UPDATE: Addresses rumors it was not a shark bite - experts say it was definitely a shark] --- WARNING: SOME WILL FIND THIS CONTENT DISTURBING. A sad and jolting sight on a Newport dock for a few weeks is finally over with, as Oregon coast officials humanely euthanized a severely injured California sea lion. The sea lion had a sizable piece of its body taken out of it in what is believed to be a shark bite. (Photo Oregon Coast Aquarium / Jeremy Burke) Oregon Coast Aquarium released the information Wednesday, saying it took a few discussions about quality of life for the animal, engaging Oregon State Universitys Marine Mammal Institute and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The creature had been languishing at Newport's Port Dock One since at least mid March, with many witnesses saying it appeared to be in pain. The wound was considerable, with a large chunk of the sea lion clearly missing near its tail, spanning the left hind quarter. Many chimed in on social media, urging local wildlife personnel to do something. You can see one of numerous social media photos of the sea lion here. Courtney Klug, spokesman for the aquarium, said the decision was not made lightly, and that experts observed the creature extensively. A permit for the euthanasia was obtained and crews went into the planning stages. In accordance with ODFW policy, there are no rescue or rehabilitation options for sick or injured harbor seals and sea lions in Oregon, Klug said. While the state policy is to minimize disturbance from people and let nature take its course, there are exceptions, such as when an animal is entangled in debris, harmed by human interference, or, as in this case, recovery isnt feasible. Strandings of marine mammals are the territory of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network along the Oregon and Washington coast, which operates under the Marine Mammal Institute, headquartered at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, near the aquarium. The network is comprised of volunteers around the coastline, led by Jim Rice (who often responds to whale strandings on the central and south coast). Yaquina Bay, Oregon Coast Beach Connection Rice kept an eye on the injured sea lion since the first report on March 21, documenting changes in appearance and behavior. As harsh as it seems to many, the general policy among experts is to let nature take its course. Klug said sea lions have been known to survive major injuries, however this one was declining badly in health, prompting Rice to consult ODFW and the aquarium to determine next steps. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration authorized the remote sedation and euthanasia of this animal under the Marine Mammal Heath and Stranding Response Program permit #24359, Klug said. Crews took the research boat Gracie Lynn to the dock at Newport and hit the sea lion with a sedation dart. Hauling it aboard, the young male was euthanized on the spot. Its body then went to Oregon State University for a necropsy. Rice said the group records some 700 strandings over the course of a year. We document each one, and the information gives us important data points that inform us about the health issues affecting marine mammals, he said. Even though Oregon policy doesn't allow the rescue and rehabilitation of harbor seals or sea lions, Rice said you should still report any strandings on the coastline. In spite of differing reports, Rice said the injuries were far more consistent with a shark bite than a propeller incident. Some on social media are claiming it was a propeller strike, but Rice said that is not true. If you come across a stranded or injured marine mammal, immediately contact the West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at 1-866-767-6114. Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Stanislaus Surgical Hospital in Modesto, Calif., is facing a decision from CMS to end its Medicare contract, according to a termination notice from the federal agency. The notice, dated April 11, said CMS will terminate the Medicare Provider Agreement with the hospital, effective April 30, because of the hospital's noncompliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation. "A Medicare complaint validation survey conducted on Feb. 5, 2024, found Stanislaus Surgical Hospital was not in compliance with requirements for participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs as established by the Social Security Act (Section 1861) and its underlying regulations," the notice said. The notice said CMS determined that Stanislaus Surgical Hospital was not in compliance with nine Medicare Conditions of Participation: Basis and scope Governing Body Patient Rights Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Medical staff Nursing services Pharmaceutical services Surgical services Anesthesia services The hospital may legally contest the CMS order, Stanislaus Surgical said April 18, according to The Modesto Bee. Stanislaus Surgical "plans to make every effort possible to continue providing high quality and important medical services to our community," a hospital statement shared with the newspaper said. The CMS notice follows California Department of Public Health surveys in August and February, which found the hospital was not in compliance with certain Medicare conditions of participation, and focused on the hospital's handling of patient emergencies after surgeries as well as issues with infection prevention and control, sterilization processes, governance and use of certified nurse anesthetists in place of anesthesiologists, according to the Bee. In its statement shared with the Bee, Stanislaus Surgical said it is "committed to the delivery of high-quality care to its patients. Given the level of engagement that SSH has had with CMS, and the efforts that we have made to drive operational excellence, the hospital is dismayed by the recent CMS decision to withdraw essential reimbursements for patient care. [Stanislaus Surgical] is exploring legal recourse to this action." The CMS notice said "Medicare and Medicaid programs will not make payments for services furnished to patients who were admitted on or after April 30, 2024. For patients admitted prior to April 30, 2024, payment may be available for up to 30 calendar days after the effective date of termination." A student walks through campus Tuesday, Sept. 29 2020, at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer University of St. Thomas Freshman Aaron Hinojosa, 18, moves in on freshmen move-in day to start the fall semester on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Family and friends help University of St. Thomas freshmen moving into the Guinan Hall, a dorm, to start the fall semester on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer University of St. Thomas officials said they have launched an inquiry into the communication department after a video by students alleged the program lacks adequate class offerings and is not worth the tuition. The recording shared on YouTube details multiple students' experiences and concerns about whether they will be marketable job candidates after they graduate from the private Catholic school. I wish I had gotten out while I could, because I dont feel confident that the money that Ive been putting towards my tuition is going to land me a job and its become apparent that yall dont care, said one student in the video. And quite frankly, Im pissed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad St. Thomas president says inquiry is underway As the video gained attention on social media, university President Richard Ludwick released a message to students Wednesday, saying the university plans to investigate the grievances, which include a lack of support from administration, limited class offerings and complaints about one professors treatment of students. We are conducting an inquiry into the concerns raised, said Ludwick, who invited the students to attend a meeting Monday to ask questions and offer feedback about the program. Your voices are crucial to our community and we take these matters very seriously, the president said. Please know that we are committed to providing a premier quality Catholic education, which includes ensuring all our programs meet the standards our students expect and deserve. Founded by the Basilian Fathers in 1947, the Catholic four-year university in Montrose offers baccalaureate, masters and doctoral degrees. It enrolls 2,729 undergraduate and 962 graduate students, according to university data. It employs more than 400 faculty members. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The video shared by UST Concerned Students has been viewed at least 9,000 times since being posted on YouTube last Monday. Along with their testimonials, the group posted a message to the universitys board of directors, which consists of 35 members and 21 other representatives who include life directors and directors emeritus. This video is a reflection of the sentiments shared by many of us who are struggling to receive the education we deserve, the post reads. We want to emphasize that this is an emotional topic for us, as our thousands of dollars, the ability to graduate and pursue our career goals is at stake. The students featured in the video represent only a fraction of those impacted by these failures of the administration. Students struggle to meet degree requirements after departments merge Cesare Wright, an assistant professor in the department, said in an email to the Chronicle that communication students have been left without a viable path to graduate after the university merged the communication and English departments. The administration eliminated nearly two-thirds of communication courses for the fall semester, and most of the communication department faculty members left the university, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The universitys website shows the department had three professors as of mid-April, including Wright. "The video captures the frustration and desperation of students," who have been treated poorly, Wright said. For nearly 10 minutes, students in the video share their struggles about obtaining a degree. One student in the video, Jacquelyn Jordan, alleges being repeatedly singled out by her former professor, Adam Pugen, for being Protestant. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He frequently made efforts to demean me and mistreat me in front of my classmates and make me feel like a second-class citizen, because Im not Catholic, Jordan said in the video. Pugen did not respond to requests for comments via email. His voicemail was full and couldn't receive new messages. We are aware of the video testimonials posted by students at our university," said Christopher Zeglin, associate vice president of enrollment marketing and operations marketing, admissions and student services. "We take this feedback very seriously and have begun an internal inquiry into the specific issues raised by our students. We will continue to take the appropriate steps to ensure our academic offerings meet the expectations and needs of our students. Zeglin did not respond to Jordan's specific assertions about the professor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Structure of the department About a year ago, the communication department merged with the English department when it moved from the division of social sciences to the division of liberal arts, Wright said. Although the communication program isn't accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, the university itself receives accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The department offers journalism and public relations, digital media, communications and media studies, and film studies as optional concentrations to its Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree. Based on the 2023-2024 course catalog, to fulfill the program requirements, students must have 30 credits, including 24 hours of core classes and six hours of communication electives. Tuition at the University of St. Thomas costs about $34,634 a year before financial assistance, according to the university's website. HOUSING WOES: Houston college students move in for fall semester as campus housing shortages abound The communication departments page shows that the only student-run media, the Celt Independent, is now defunct. The online student newspapers website had not been updated since 2022. Nature walks. Dance classes. Volunteering. These are among the social activities being prescribed across at least 30 programs in the U.S. Social prescribing or the practice of connecting people with nonclinical activities that target underlying concerns such as isolation, stress and access to healthy foods is a well-known concept in Britain and is increasingly stirring interest in the U.S., experts told The New York Times in an April 17 report. There isn't one single definition for social prescriptions, though most aim to improve people's overall wellness and quality of life. At Cleveland Clinic, physicians prescribe nature walks, volunteering and ballroom dancing through programs for geriatric patients. New Jersey's largest health insurer, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, is part of a study evaluating whether an arts prescription program is tied to quality of life improvements, reduced disparities and lower emergency department reliance. Early studies on social prescribing in the U.S. have suggested such prescriptions can help reduce hospital admissions and keep patients out of the ED for routine issues, which may incentivize insurers to lean more into such programs in the future. In Britain, where social prescribing was first made popular, the nation's healthcare system aims to make the practice available to 900,000 people this year. In the U.S., experts anticipate the healthcare industry will be more hesitant to fully embrace social prescribing, which may shift gradually over time with more comprehensive research on outcomes and cost savings. "There's reason to be skeptical about how far this will go," Daniel Eisenberg, PhD, professor of public health policy and management at University of California Los Angeles, told the Times. "Our healthcare system tends to make only very incremental changes, and I think all the biases built into the system favor medical care and more acute intensive care." Ex-girlfriend of Dele Alli feared for her life during robbery at his home (Adam Davy/PA) The ex-girlfriend of footballer Dele Alli said I thought I was going to be killed when his London home was raided by armed robbers in May 2020. Model Ruby Mae has spoken for the first time since the incident, where Everton midfielder Alli was attacked and ordered to hand over valuables from his home in Hadley Wood, north-east London. Mae was watching Netflix thriller Dead To Me while Alli played pool with his friends downstairs when two masked men appeared and failed to rip rings and bracelets off her as she tried to protect their dog Uno, the Sun newspaper reported. Evertons Dele Alli (Richard Sellers/PA) They roughed up Dele and forced him upstairs with them into the wardrobe area, which is separated from the bedroom, she told the Sun. I couldnt see the door from the bed but Deles friend came up first. They came to me in a panic and I instantly realised something was wrong. His friend wouldnt have usually come into the bedroom. Behind the friend, towards the door was what looked like a silhouette. I was confused and said, Dele? and the guy didnt answer. I realised this guy was not the same height or body structure as Dele. He came over to me and was very intimidating. He started asking me where everything was while trying to take off my bracelets and rings. Mae said she honestly didnt know what was going to come next, describing the incident as movie-like. The model said she was in shock as the robber asked her questions, with her first instinct to protect the dog. She said: I couldnt get the jewellery off as I was panicking and holding the dog behind me. I wasnt answering his requests and I was terrified they were going to hurt Uno. I didnt know whether to tell them or not, and I didnt even know where everything was. I wasnt thinking straight. It was terrifying. I was just hoping for it all to be over and for us to be safe. Dele Alli is consoled by then-girlfriend Ruby Mae during the Fifa World Cup (Owen Humphreys/PA) Mae said the raiders began to panic when they realised how long they had been in the house, and they jumped the fence out the front and ran away with whatever they had both managed to find. It affected all of us, she said. To get burgled is one thing, but to get burgled when youre in is so scary. All of us were speechless. It was all very traumatic. Psychologically, it has had an impact. Being home alone is scarier than it once was. Every now and then I still think about it. I cant believe it happened. It was awful. No arrests were made in relation to the incident, the Sun reported. Its a pretty weird feeling knowing the people who did it never got caught and are still out there, Mae added. The couple split in 2021, having met at a London bar in 2016. Few people can say their job included two of the biggest conflicts of the late 20th Century. The military career of Graham Eve from Newtownards took him from Northern Ireland to the very south of the Atlantic. A week before his 17th birthday, he embarked on a Northern Ireland tour with the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. The 1st Battalion of the Regiment became infamous for what happened on Bloody Sunday in January 1972, when soldiers opened fire on a civil rights march in the Bogside, killing 13 unarmed civilians. Previous to this, in August 1971, the battalion killed 11 civilians in Ballymurphy as part of Operation Demetrius. He recalls his baptism of fire into the regiment: ...my instructor during my time, told us, in the Parachute Regiment, youre here to learn how to kill people. And the Parachute Regiment, we would do it better than anywhere else. During the tour, the regiment lost 20 men 16 in the Warrenpoint ambush on August 27, 1979, the Parachute Regiments biggest loss since the Second World War. I knew personally the 16 lads that were blown to pieces at Warrenpoint. I was flown in as one of the patrols first on scene after the explosion. It was bloody, and I was 18 years of age, as were a lot of the lads. We were very young. The lads that had been killed, a lot of them were friends of mine that wed gone through depot with. Graham on Sussex Mountain, Falklands, in 1982 Surprisingly, despite how many of his friends and members of local families lost their lives during their service, Graham believes that he needed to experience loss and tragedy to live out his military career. Graham believes deaths were a tragic possibility when serving in the armed forces. If a soldier gets killed when hes young and his parents come on, oh, he shouldnt have been there, he shouldnt have done that. [I think] youre a soldier, you sign the dotted line, and you take what comes with it. How Graham sees these losses during combat may seem strange, given how many of his friends and members of local families lost their lives throughout his military career. However, he believes that the loss and tragedy that he and the battalion experienced were necessary to endure in his career. He recalls of Warrenpoint: We realised the reality of the job we were doing and the situations we could get ourselves into. On April 2, 1982, Argentina launched an invasion of the Falkland Islands. Following the invasion, the Parachute Regiment was called to fight on the islands. Graham had just come back from his honeymoon. He received a telegram with the simple message Bruneval this meant that the regiment was to get back to the barracks in Aldershot as soon as possible. I got the telegram in the post saying Bruneval. Excited? Yeah. Pleased? Yes. Wanting to go? Yes. Frightened? Yes. If any soldier tells you they werent frightened, theyre lying. Because were human. The 8,000-mile journey was on the Norland, a former North Sea ferry. The journey down to the islands, which are in the south Atlantic Sea, proved to be rocky. To go over the Atlantic Ocean for a flat bottom boat, lets just say Ive never had the urge since that day to go on a cruise. But when they say you get your sea legs, its true, you do get your sea legs. But that was a rough journey down. He spent the three-week long journey cutting hair onboard, sending the money he made back to Northern Ireland to fund him and his wifes new marriage pad in Aldershot Garrison, England. During the time on the way down to the Falklands, I think I cut everybodys hair on that boat. Colonel Jones, who was killed, he died with my haircut. And I dont know how, you know, that comes across, but thats, you know, the truth of it. Once the Norland had reached the Falklands, the reality of the conflict came to the surface. In the Falklands after Colonel Jones was killed Although it was spring in the UK, the regiment was met with winter in the southern hemisphere, which proved to make combat difficult. So, youre stepping into freezing cold Atlantic water with all this equipment on, you get onto the shore, its miserable, its raining, youre freezing cold. We had to keep stopping and every time you stopped, you sat down for a minute and you couldnt get up yourself. Our feet were soaking and that was it. Our feet were never dry again for the full time we were on those islands. Graham reflected on how the conditions of the Falklands still affect him, over 40 years later. You were wet and your denim, your uniform was wet. Youll notice I havent got a hair on my leg. Now, I used to have hairy legs and theres now not a single hair on my leg and theyve never grown back since the Falklands. As a 21-year-old Lance Corporal, Graham fought in two battles with the 2nd Battalion Parachute regiment, including the battle of Wireless Ridge. The group was the closest British Section to Goose Green the day before the Argentinian surrender. During combat at Goose Green, an Argentinian aircraft crashed into the ground, narrowly missing the unit: A Pucara flew over, to which our D company further over to the left shot it down. It came down and landed just metres in front of us. It didnt blow up, but it covered us all in aviation gas... We were pinned down. We couldnt move. And with the reinforcements, we thought coming in, we thought, this is it... Im not a religious man, but we were going to die. As Argentinian enforcements came in, the unit found themselves digging into the ground with bayonets to save themselves. We were lying on our bellies and we couldnt get up. So, the word from our team commander was Get your bayonets out, lads, and dig in with your bayonets. Were on all fours digging in as hard as we could to try and get ourselves as much into the ground as possible. Some 255 British servicemen and 655 Argentinians lost their lives in what Graham calls the last conventional war the Army fought. This was a war where you relied on naval fire, artillery fire. The weather conditions down there, before Goose Green, we were supposed to have support from sea carriers, and they couldnt fly. Then the artillery, they had problems with their guns. The Navy had problems with theirs. So, all that firepower that were supposed to rely on before we, as the ground troops, go forward, you couldnt rely on it. It didnt always work. So it was just basically the grunt and the grind getting on with the job. Is it a war we should have won? No, it was amazing that we did win it. Personally, I think every man in the Parachute Regiment, both two and three, deserved a military medal down there because it was hell on earth. Graham signing a print marking an anniversary of the Falklands War He recalls how the unit had no choice but to maintain focus during the battle, despite their commanding officer being killed after choosing to fight on the front line. Wed got the word that our OC, our commanding officer, Jones, had been killed. When youre down there as an individual, its youre doing your job here now, you know what youre doing. Youve got your own job to do, and youre focused on that. The Falklands war lasted 74 days, until the Argentinian forces surrendered on June 14, 1982. It couldnt be any more. The lads would have dropped like flies. You know, between trench foot and one thing or another and exhaustion, he says. Following Grahams time in the forces, the government started to recruit soldiers through universities and colleges, a decision with which he disagrees. After the Falklands, everybody wanted to be a paratrooper. So, for a while, they brought in people from universities, young lads. I was only out a year. I got a letter from the regiment saying would you come back? Were finding it hard to get the right sort of person. They thought that they could up the academic level of the regiment. They werent getting the quality of the soldier, and they learned that lesson very quick. You dont go looking for them from universities. If you want to get a good one, go to the local juvenile detention centres or the prisons. Youve got to have a certain mindset to jump out of an airplane with 100 odd pounds strapped to your leg at 800 feet. Alongside other veterans, Graham revisited the Falklands in 2002 for the 20th anniversary of the conflict. ExPrime Minister Margaret Thatcher and comedian Jim Davidson came onto the plane to see the group off. During his week-long return to the Islands, the group was met with open arms, with Graham recalling: Theyve built a place down there called Liberty Lodge, in Port Stanley now [the capital of the Falkland Islands], where we can go down and stay, and we get cheap flights down there if we want to go down. To this day, we are royalty on those islands. After the war ended in 1983, Falkland Islanders were given British citizenship. In 2013, the islands population overwhelmingly voted to remain a British territory, with only three votes against. They never forget you. Theyre the salt of the earth, theyre much like people from Northern Ireland. Tune in to the BelTel podcast on Monday (April 20) to hear Grahams incredible story. The podcast will be available across all main streaming platforms More than 1,000 parents and children have demonstrated in Belfast over rising childcare costs. The colourful protest saw the demonstrators marching through Belfast with balloons, placards and prams, calling for immediate supports for parents. Currently, parents in Northern Ireland can use some supports including tax credits. However, there is no scheme in place for free childcare in Northern Ireland, unlike in England where 30 hours are offered per week. Stormont parties have placed a focus on prioritising childcare and, earlier this year, education minister Paul Givan said a new early learning and childcare strategy for Northern Ireland could cost 400 million a year. Officials have said that progress on the strategy will ultimately depend on the availability of Executive funds. Financial challenges and pressures across Northern Irelands public services have also led Stormonts leaders to request face-to-face talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as they continue to press the Government for more funding. Saturdays march was organised by Melted Parents NI which says urgent action is needed. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The groups founder Casey McGivern said the turnout shows the power of parents as she issued a warning to politicians. She told the PA news agency: Parents have been politically engaged and activated by this cause and I would tell our parents: Pay attention. Because if youre not taking action to support families youre going to feel it at election. Ms McGivern said politicians need to ensure parents are part of developing the long-term strategy around childcare in Northern Ireland. She added: Today, parents have joined to use our voice to tell the Executive enough is enough. No more warm words we need action now. The protest was organised by Melted Parents NI (PA) We need interim support for families and we need to make sure that families can be alleviated of the financial burden of childcare. Weve had this promise since 1999 and we need the Executive to act now not only on the long-term strategy but on helping families now. A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the education minister has made the development of an early learning and childcare strategy a top priority. He is acutely aware that the cost of childcare puts immense strain on family finances and, in some cases, prevents parents from entering and remaining in the workforce, they said. The minister is committed to delivering a bespoke and affordable scheme for Northern Ireland that addresses the challenges that we face and delivers the outcomes that we want to achieve. He appreciates that putting in place the full infrastructure required will take time and so is also considering what short-term measures might be possible to ease current pressures. DE officials, in conjunction with colleagues in other departments, are actively considering what measures would be possible and appropriate to ease the childcare pressures which parents are facing. A thorough assessment of all relevant evidence is a core component of this work. The minister is engaging with parents, providers and other stakeholders to hear firsthand what action they consider needs to be taken to enable the provision of accessible and affordable childcare. Their ongoing involvement will also be required to inform the implementation of solutions. The operation is part of an investigation into organised crime One man has been arrested after police seized drugs worth more than 60,000 from a premises in Co Antrim. Detectives from Police Service of Northern Irelands Organised Crime Unit discovered the haul during searches in Ballymoney on Saturday April 20. Suspected cannabis, with a street value of approximately 60,000 was seized and a 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class B controlled drug with intent to supply. Detective Inspector Sweeney said: This seizure and arrest resulted from an ongoing investigation into serious and organised criminality. We remain determined to prevent organised crime gangs from continuing to profit from and prey on the vulnerability of others. "We rely on information from the communities affected to allow us to make such seizures and continue to disrupt organised criminality. "If you have any information about this type of activity, please contact us on 101. You can also make a report at psni.police.uk/report, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and crimestoppers-uk.org/. A section of street cobbles in Belfast city centre that was tarmacked over this week will be replaced, the company carrying out the work has said. Earlier this week, pictures circulated online showing a section of Hill Street in the Cathedral Quarter which had been torn up and replaced with tarmac. The area is at the centre of the citys night-time economy, with visitors and tourists flocking to the area around the Harp Bar and Duke of York. Photographs of the affected area outside The Dirty Onion show the tarmacked area stretching across the cobbled street, with a further section on the pavement also replaced. The tarmacked section on Hill Street. Picture: Aodhan Roberts/Belfast Telegraph The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has said it understands that the work is a temporary fix until the cobbles can be replaced. DfI said the work had been carried out by Phoenix Gas, who said the famous cobbles would be restored by the middle of next month. A spokesperson for Phoenix Gas said: The road is due to be fully reinstated on Sunday, May 12. Hill Street is one of the oldest areas of Belfast. It was first included on a map in 1757 and was originally known as Pott-House Lane. With the ratcheting of tension in an area bristling with arms, a mis-step by either side may lead to the law of unintended consequences the feared conflagration spreading across the Middle East and beyond A woman chants slogans as she holds an Iranian flag during an anti-Israeli gathering after Friday prayer in Tehran. Pic: AP The conflict between Israel and Iran, fought out often in secret and through proxies, has now erupted with Israel carrying out strikes deep inside Iran six days after Tehrans attack with more than 350 drones and missiles. Explosions were heard near the central city of Isfahan, which has a large airbase, a major missile production complex and number of nuclear facilities. Videos from the city showed orange flashes in the night sky, along with sounds of what appeared to be sustained bursts of anti-aircraft artillery. Israel has so far maintained silence about what happened and the initial reaction of the Iranian authorities was to claim that nothing very serious has taken place. American officials, however, confirmed the Israeli military action and Irans semi-official Fars news agency, which is close to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that blasts had been heard in the city, activating local air defence systems. Later Iranian officials said the Isfahan military base had been struck and a separate attack in Tabriz, 500 miles away, had been thwarted. However, attempts were still being made to play down what has unfolded. One official said: The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed. We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack. The source claimed the drones used actually may have been flown by saboteurs internally. The US, UK and other Western states have been urging Benjamin Netanyahus Israeli government not to carry out a direct assault on Iran, and the Biden administration has made clear it will not take part in any such mission. Israel could have targeted any of Irans allies: Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syrian and Iraqi militias, and the Houthis in Yemen instead of Iran, and the Isfahan attack takes the strife between the two countries to a dangerous new level. Benjamin Netanyahu Even before any Iranian retaliation comes, we await to see what other military steps Israel takes. The decision on targeting was left to a tight circle in the war cabinet consisting of the prime minister, defence minister Yoav Gallant and Benny Gantz, the leader of the main opposition party who joined the government after the October 7 Hamas massacre. Gantz, a former head of the military, is said to have pressed for hitting back at Iran immediately, while others in the cabinet, like the far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, demanded that Israel go berserk. But Netanyahu and Gallant held back while intense consultations took place with US officials and talks were held with a number of Arab states. Israel, by showing it can get past Iranian air defences, may decide to call a halt to any further action for now. In January, Pakistan carried out strikes into Iran after Tehran carried out missile attacks on Pakistani bases of a Balochi militant group. The confrontation ended after that one round of exchanges. But the animosity between Iran and Israel is far more bitter and ingrained. The Jewish state sees the Islamic Republic as an existential threat, something Netanyahu has played up in his long political career as he presented himself as Mr Security. The overwhelming concern for Israel is a nuclear armed Iran. The possibility of this, ironically, has become much stronger since Donald Trump, as president, pulled the US out of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the international community under pressure from the Israelis, the Saudis and other Sunni Gulf states. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the Isfahan nuclear facility has not been hit in the air strikes. But the Netanyahu government may be tempted now to use the retaliatory opportunity it has to try and damage Tehrans ability to get the Bomb. It would, however, be extremely difficult to do so with any great effect without American military help because most of the important sites are deeply underground with sophisticated air defences. And that help is not forthcoming. It is also unlikely that Saudi Arabia, on a path of building links with Iran, the largest Shia power in the region, would allow Israeli warplanes to fly over its airspace to carry out such a mission, meaning that extensive air-to-air refuelling would be needed not an easy operation to carry out at scale. After the Iranian air assault on Israel was thwarted, with American, British, French and Jordanian aircraft playing a major role in shooting down drones and missiles, Joe Biden urged Netanyahu to take the win and not escalate the conflict. By striking inside Iran, the Netanyahu government has shown that it is prepared for escalation. There may not be immediate repercussions Iranian officials have said there are no plans for any retaliation for now. This maintains the line it took after launching its air raid in response to the Israeli killing of an IRGC general and senior officers at its consulate in Damascus, saying that was the end of the matter for the time being. But with strike and counter-strike, ratcheting of tension in an area bristling with arms, a mis-step by either side may lead to the law of unintended consequences the feared conflagration spreading across the Middle East and beyond. Bystanders react after witnessing the man lighting himself on fire (AP) A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said. The New York City Police Department said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at around 1.30pm local time on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, threw them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed to the aid of the man, who was admitted to hospital in a critical condition. The man, who police said had travelled from Florida to New York in the last few days, had not breached any security checkpoints to get into the park. Police and fire department personnel inspect the scene where the man lit himself on fire (Mary Altaffer/AP) The park outside the courthouse has been a gathering spot for protesters, journalists and onlookers throughout Trumps trial, which began with jury selection on Monday. Throughout Friday, the streets in the area around the courthouse were generally wide open and crowds have been small and largely orderly. Authorities said they were also reviewing the security protocols, including whether to restrict access to the park. The side street where Trump enters and leaves the building is off limits. We may have to shut this area down, New York City Police Department Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry said at a news conference outside the courthouse, adding that officials would discuss the security plan soon. Fancy Fairchild, right, waves a flag during a rally to legalize marijuana at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday April 20, 2022. A few dozen activists gathered at 4:20 p.m. on 4/20 to bring attention to cause. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Saturday marks one of the most well-known cultural holidays in the country: 420. Celebrated every April 20, the holiday is a day for people to advocate for the legalization of marijuana in the United States and other countries. The drug has been legalized in 24 states and decriminalized in seven more. Fourteen states have legalized the medical use of cannabis. Texas is not one of them. The Lone Star State's policy remains that weed is illegal. The only exception for medical marijuana use is when doctors prescribe low-THC cannabis under the state's Compassionate Use Program. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Is it legal to carry marijuana in Texas? Sec. 481.121. of the Texas Health and Safety Code covers marijuana possession. The punishment for the crime depends on the amount of marijuana a person has when arrested. There are six varying offenses depending on the amount, starting with a Class B misdemeanor and ending with a first-degree felony. A Class B misdemeanor is for people in possession of two ounces or less Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Class A misdemeanor is when people possess four ounces or less but more than two. A state jail felony is for less than four pounds but more than four ounces. Third-degree felony offense is for 50 pounds or less but more than five pounds. A second-degree felony is 2,000 pounds or less but more than 50. The highest offense would be a first-degree felony for possession of more than 2,000 pounds. The punishment for that crime is up to life in prison and/or a fine up to $50,000. THE WAY OUT?: Texas lawmakers to look at banning delta-8 hemp products Is marijuana legal in Houston? While it is illegal in the state to possess marijuana, Harris County has a program meant to keep people who would theoretically be arrested for misdemeanor possession out of jail. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program is "a voluntary program offered through the Harris County District Attorneys Office to divert ALL misdemeanor possession of marijuana cases from jail." People are eligible to participate if they are at least17 years old, have identification on them while being arrested, no additional charges stemming from the arrest that are greater than a Class C Misdemeanor and no warrants out on them or they are out on bond for a Class C Misdemeanor or higher. There are exceptions to the rule, such as possession with intent to sell and possession in a "Drug Free Zone." Participants have 90 days to complete the program, pay a $150 program fee, complete a four-hour cognitive class and not break any more laws. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Has Texas decriminalized marijuana? Texas has not decriminalized marijuana but some cities have decriminalized it. Those cities include Austin, Denton, Elgin, Killeen and San Marcos. Earlier this year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued those five cities for violating the state law. The Texas House of Representatives passed a bill to decriminalize marijuana last year but the bill died in the Senate. Are CBD gummies legal in Texas? CBD products are legal in the state of Texas if they comply with state and national laws. CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is a chemical found in cannabis plants that don't produce a high. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hemp products like CBD are legal in the state. However, they can't be smoked. That is illegal. Is delta-8 or delta-9 legal in Texas? Delta-8 and delta-9 products, which are derived from cannabis plants, are legal in Texas. Products are only allowed to have up to a 0.3% concentration of delta-9 THC. There is no limit on delta-8 THC. Since there is only a very small amount of delta-8 THC found in a marijuana plant, most of the product is created in labs by extracting cannabidiols and chemically changing them to delta-8 THC. However, some are looking to ban the two substances, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Last week, he asked state senators to look into potentially banning the products ahead of next year's legislative session. What does 420 mean? The origin of 420 as a marijuana-coded term is a group of California friends, who in 1971 would meet after school to smoke at 4:20 p.m. every day and then go searching for a friend's brother's weed patch, according to PBS. The House of Representatives is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve 95 billion dollars in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies. Democrats and Republicans are joining together behind the legislation after a gruelling months-long fight over renewed American support for repelling Russias invasion into Ukraine. Republican House speaker Mike Johnson, putting his job on the line, relied on Democratic support this week to set up a series of votes on three aid bills, as well as a fourth that contains several other foreign policy proposals. If the votes are successful, the package will go to the Senate, where passage in the coming days is nearly assured. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately. Passage through the House would clear away the biggest hurdle to Mr Bidens funding request, first made in October as Ukraines military supplies began to run low. The Republican-controlled House, sceptical of US support for Ukraine, struggled for months over what to do, first demanding that any assistance be tied to policy changes at the US-Mexico border, only to immediately reject a bipartisan Senate offer along those very lines. Reaching an endgame has been an excruciating process for Mr Johnson that has tested both his resolve and his support among Republicans, with a small but growing number now openly urging his removal from the speakers office. Yet congressional leaders cast the votes as a turning point in history an urgent sacrifice as US allies are beleaguered by wars and threats from continental Europe to the Middle East to Asia. The only thing that has kept terrorists and tyrants at bay is the perception of a strong America, that we would stand strong, Mr Johnson said this week. And we will. I think that Congress is going to show that. This is a very important message that we are going to send the world. Still, Congress has seen a stream of world leaders visit in recent months, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, all but pleading with legislators to approve the aid. Globally, the delay left many questioning Americas commitment to its allies. At stake has also been one of Mr Bidens top foreign policy priorities halting Russian President Vladimir Putins advance in Europe. After engaging in quiet talks with Mr Johnson, the president quickly endorsed the speakers plan this week, paving the way for Democrats to give their rare support to clear the procedural hurdles needed for a final vote. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Its long past time that we support our democratic allies in Israel, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific and provide humanitarian assistance to civilians who are in harms way in theatres of conflict like Gaza, Haiti and the Sudan, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said at a news conference on Friday. Voting on the package is likely to create unusual alliances in the House. While aid for Ukraine will likely win a majority in both parties, a significant number of progressive Democrats are expected to vote against the bill aiding Israel as they demand an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with members of Congress as he tilts the Republicans to a more isolationist stance with his America First brand of politics. Ukraines defence once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress, but as the war enters its third year, a bulk of Republicans oppose further aid. At one point in the months-long slog to get Ukraine assistance through Congress, Mr Trumps opposition essentially doomed the bipartisan Senate proposal on border security. This past week, Mr Trump also issued a social media post that questioned why European nations were not giving more money to Ukraine, though he spared Mr Johnson from criticism and said Ukraines survival was important. Still, the House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the America Last foreign wars package and urged representatives to defy Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills do not include border security measures. Mr Johnsons hold on the speakers gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, supported a motion to vacate that can lead to a vote on removing the speaker. A few more were expected to soon join, said Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who is urging Mr Johnson to voluntarily step aside. Marjorie Taylor Greene is supporting a motion to vacate that can lead to a vote on removing Mr Johnson as speaker (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) The speakers office has been working furiously to drum up support for the bill, as well as for Mr Johnson. It arranged a series of press calls in the lead-up to the final votes on the package, first with Jewish leaders, then with Christian groups, to show support for the speaker and the legislation he is bringing to the floor. Ari Fleischer, a former White House press secretary under then-president George W Bush, said it was about time the United States did something to support Israel, fight Vladimir Putin and stand up to China. Coming together like this is a refreshing reminder of the old days when foreign policy had bipartisan support, he said. The package includes several Republican priorities that Democrats endorse, or at least are willing to accept. Those include proposals that allow the US to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to rebuild Ukraine; impose sanctions on Iran, Russia, China and criminal organisations that traffic fentanyl; and legislation to require the China-based owner of the popular video app TikTok to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States. Still, the all-out push to get the bills through Congress is a reflection not only of politics, but realities on the ground in Ukraine. Top politicians on national security committees, who are privy to classified briefings, have grown gravely concerned about the situation in recent weeks. Russia has increasingly used satellite-guided gliding bombs which allow planes to drop them from a safe distance to pummel Ukrainian forces beset by a shortage of troops and ammunition. I really do believe the intel and the briefings that weve gotten, Mr Johnson said, adding, I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. A former ambassador to Ukraine under Mr Bush, John Herbst, said the months-long delay in approving more American assistance has undoubtedly hurt Ukrainian troops on the battlefield. But it is not yet too late, Mr Herbst added. The fact that its coming now means that disaster has been averted. Ukraine is to get more military aid (Matt Rourke/AP) The House of Representatives has voted to approve 95 billion dollars in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies. Democrats and Republicans joined together after a months-long fight over renewed American support to help Ukraine repel Russias invasion. With overwhelming support, the House approved the Ukraine portion, a 61 billion dollar aid package, in a strong showing of American backing as lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of US support to its war-torn ally. Some lawmakers cheered, waving the blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine. The 26 billion dollar package aiding Israel and providing humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza also easily cleared. Pro-Palestinian activists demonstrate outside the Capitol in Washington (J Scott Applewhite/AP) Each segment of the aid package faced an up-or-down vote. The package will now go to the Senate, where passage in the coming days is nearly assured. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately. We did our work here and I think history will judge it well, said Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage. In a statement, Mr Biden thanked Mr Johnson, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers who voted to put our national security first. I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs, the President said. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was grateful to both parties in the House and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track, he said on X. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Thank you, America! he added. The weekend scene presented a striking display of congressional action after months of dysfunction and stalemate fuelled by Republicans, who hold the majority but are deeply split over foreign aid, particularly for Ukraine as it fights Russias invasion. Mr Johnson relied on Democratic support to ensure the military and humanitarian package won approval. The morning opened with a sombre and serious debate and unusual sense of purpose as Republican and Democratic leaders united to urge quick approval, saying that would ensure the United States supported its allies and remained a leader on the world stage. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has been under pressure (J Scott Applewhite/AP) The Houses visitor galleries crowded with onlookers. The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will judge what we do here and now, said Republican Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Passage through the House cleared away the biggest hurdle to Mr Bidens funding request, first made in October as Ukraines military supplies began to run low. The Republican-controlled House struggled for months over what to do, first demanding that any assistance be tied to policy changes at the US-Mexico order, only to immediately reject a bipartisan Senate offer along those very lines. Sometimes when you are living history, as we are today, you dont understand the significance of the actions of the votes that we make on this House floor, of the effect that it will have down the road, said New York Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This is a historic moment. Opponents, particularly the hard-right Republicans, argued that the US should focus on the home front, addressing domestic border security and the nations rising debt load, and they warned against spending more money, which largely flows to American defence manufacturers, to produce weaponry used overseas. While aid for Ukraine failed to win a majority of Republicans, several dozen progressive Democrats voted against the Bill aiding Israel as they demanded an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. A steel worker inspects a 155mm M795 artillery projectile during the manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (Matt Rourke/AP) At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with lawmakers as he tilts the Republicans to a more isolationist stance with his America First brand of politics. Ukraines defence once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress but as the war enters its third year, a bulk of Republicans oppose further aid. Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene offered an amendment to take out the money but it was rejected. The ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the America Last foreign wars package and urged lawmakers to defy the Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills do not include border security measures. Mr Johnsons hold on the speakers gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Ms Greene, supported a motion to vacate that can lead to a vote on removing the Speaker. Venezuelas main opposition coalition agreed on Friday to unite behind former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez as its challenger to President Nicolas Maduro in this summers election, acting one day before the deadline to formalise its candidate. The decision was reached unanimously by the 10 parties in the Unitary Democratic Platform, Omar Barboza, the coalitions executive secretary, said after a five-hour meeting that included discussions of other possible candidates. The bloc had been allowed to provisionally register Mr Gonzalez on March 26 after the government came under a wave of criticism when opposition leaders said they were blocked from registering their candidate of choice. Saturday was the deadline to make his candidacy final. Maria Corina Machado was banned from running for office (Ariana Cubillos/AP) The opposition group needed to replace its first candidate, Maria Corina Machado, who easily won a primary organised by the bloc in October but was barred by the government from running after the ruling party-controlled State Comptrollers Office disqualified her from holding public office for 15 years. Mr Maduros administration has cracked down on the opposition before the July 28 presidential election despite promises to pave the way to fair elections in exchange for sanctions relief. The Biden administration on Wednesday reimposed crushing oil sanctions, criticising Mr Maduros moves. The governments of Colombia and Brazil also have expressed concern, and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo accused Mr Maduros government of consolidating an anti-democratic system. Venezuelan foreign minister Yvan Gil has called the criticism a gross interference in matters that only concern Venezuelans. Mr Maduro, a self-proclaimed socialist leader, officially launched his candidacy last month for a third term that would last until 2031. The election is likely to have more than 10 candidates, but except for the main opposition coalition, none are expected to pose a threat to Mr Maduros power base. THE mum of a thief who sold off more than 300,000 of items belonging to the Almac pharmaceutical group to feed his 800 a week ketamine habit wept in court as her son was warned he faces jail. Daniel Robinsons mother was comforted by her partner in the public gallery of Craigavon Crown Court and shouted out through her tears love you Daniel as the drug-addicted fraudster was handcuffed and lead from the dock to the cells. Jamie Dornan reveals his strange hobby but insists it is 'not a passion' Is NI Tayto really better than the Republic version? Our foodies have their say... The Chief Electoral Officer said vote counting could be completed by the middle of next week. The Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare held on to his parliamentary seat in national elections, official results Saturday showed, giving the pro-Beijing leader a shot at a consecutive term. In the first-past-the-post race, Sogavare got 49% of votes in his constituency on the island of Choiseul, according to figures released by Chief Electoral Office Jasper Anisi. Sogavares main rival got 42% in the election that was held on Wednesday. Members of parliament choose the prime minister so leadership of the country may not be known until next month. Whether Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare will stay in power is also being keenly watched by governments across the world from China to Australia to the United States. Wednesdays election was the first since the combative leader switched diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 2019, signed a secret security pact with the Asian superpower and allowed members of its police force into the country. Election workers prepare to tally ballots at a counting center in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara, April 18, 2024. [Stephen Wright/BenarNews] Only about 13% of votes in the national election have been tallied so far but the count is on track to be substantially completed by the middle of next week, said Anisi, the election official. Going into the election, many voters in the Pacific island country of 700,000 people were concerned about the incumbent governments inability to provide basic services. They were also struggling to earn enough to survive. There was calm and peace experienced at all counting centers across the country, Anisi said at a press conference. While we look forward to receiving final results early, this must not be done at the expense of transparency, accuracy and attention to details. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated Solomon Islanders, and the nations police and Electoral Commission for successfully executing an orderly and efficient election day. Washington, Blinken said in a statement, stands ready to continue its close collaboration with Solomon Islands elected leaders, and people. Hundreds of police and troops from neighbors Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand provided security for this weeks national and provincial elections, which were also monitored by nearly 400 independent observers. Early results from the provincial election showed that a staunch China critic, Daniel Suidani, was elected to the assembly of the countrys most populous province, Malaita. Suidani was ousted as Malaitas premier in a no-confidence vote in February last year after blocking Chinese projects from the province and opposing diplomatic recognition of China. Martin Fini, the politician who replaced Suidani, was not reelected. Houston Chronicle Houston police have arrested the parents of twin infant girls who were killed last October. The 21-year-old parents were being held on suspicion of causing injuries to the infants, authorities said. Angelina Belinda Calderon and Fernando Vega each were charged with two counts of causing serious bodily injury to a child, Houston Police Department officials announced Saturday. The couple's twin daughters, who died Oct. 4, 2023, were 1-and-a-half months old. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ORIGINAL STORY: Police investigating after 2 infants found dead in southeast Houston The Harris County medical examiner's office conducted autopsies and X-rays on the infants after their deaths. According to court documents, initial observation during the autopsies concluded the twins' cause of death was "blunt force trauma" and the manner of death was homicide. Information included in the charging documents said X-rays on one child revealed she had a left femur fracture, multiple rib fractures and fractures to both clavicles. Doctors said the left femur fracture appeared to have occurred before her death, and the rib fractures were not from CPR at the time of her death. The other twin's X-rays revealed a left frontal head fracture, a left clavicle fracture, a fracture to the breastbone and rib fractures on both sides of the body. The head injury occurred at or around the time of death while the clavicle injury was from weeks prior, doctors said. One of the doctors who conducted the autopsies said the injuries were "intentionally inflicted ... and that the caretaker for the complainants would and should have noticed the above-listed injuries and sought medical care," according to a court document. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Calderon told investigators she and the twins didn't go on any checkups after she gave birth to them in August 2023, court records say. She also said the infants had been sick but they were not taken to a pediatrician. You are the owner of this article. A candle on display at Liberty Market in Lanesborough around the time of its opening in 2021. This month area dispensaries are celebrating and promoting their products in the lead up to April 20. SHEFFIELD The parents of a Sheffield victim of a Boeing jetliner crash are expected to advocate next week in support of a federal criminal case against the company. Nadia Milleron and her husband, Michael Stumo, will be joining other victims families on Wednesday to meet with Department of Justice officials in its Fraud Section. That testimony will come a week after another whistleblower testified before federal lawmakers alleging Boeing hid manufacturing problems and retaliated against him for speaking out. Milleron said she hopes the agency will decide to throw out a deferred prosecution agreement from 2022. That agreement has helped Boeing executives so far avoid criminal charges for two 737 Max crashes killed 346 people including Milleron and Stumos 24-year-old daughter, Samya Stumo. Milleron whose travails trying make politicians hold Boeing accountable has sparked her current run for a the U.S. congressional seat long held by Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield told The Eagle that Wednesdays allegations from former Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour add to the existing evidence that the company cut safety corners for profit. The deferred prosecution agreement, she said, gave Boeing three years to mend their ways. And we're saying they didn't, Milleron said. Not only did they not clean up their act, they got worse. Boeings problems have snowballed following the two 737 Max crashes five months apart. Ethiopian Airlines crashed in Ethiopia, killing 157 people including Stumo in March 2019; Lion Air crashed in the Java Sea In October 2018, killing all 189 people on board. The crashes are blamed on the automated flight control software and sensors installed in the old 737 body design. Pilots werent informed about certain aspects of its functions and the description wasnt in the flight manuals. The planes were grounded worldwide, then recertified in November 2020. But over time, investigators and whistleblowers have lamented the lack of a safety culture, alleging that Boeing had rushed the planes to market. The victims' families have sued the company. More recently, a January blowout of a cabin panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 plane exposed a more systemic problem. Soon Boeing CEO David Calhoun, who began his career at The General Electric Co. in Pittsfield, resigned. Then earlier this month, Salehpour, an engineer for Boeing for 10 years, said flaws in the Dreamliner 787 aircraft are a ticking time bomb due to "airframe fatigue." During testimony by Salehpour and other whistleblowers before the Senate Homeland Security Investigations Subcommittee, Salehpour said that Boeing workers who raise alarms on safety issues are ignored, marginalized, threatened, sidelined and worse. He also told Senators that he feared physical violence." His testimony comes the month after John Barnett, another Boeing whistleblower, was found dead of what authorities said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Boeing has issued statements since the Jan. 5 blowout saying that it is working to improve "safety and quality." The company also says the 787 Dreamliner is safe. In 13 years of service, the global 787 fleet has safely transported more than 850 million passengers on more than 4.2 million flights," the company said on its website. "A 787 can safely operate for at least 30 years before needing expanded airframe maintenance routines. Extensive and rigorous testing of the fuselage and heavy maintenance checks of nearly 700 in-service airplanes to date have found zero evidence of airframe fatigue." Milleron said some of the most significant information revealed from Wednesday's hearing was that Boeing did have work records for the panel blowout on the Alaska Airlines plane that left a gaping hole during flight. Boeing had previously claimed it did not have the work records, she said. Sen. Ron Johnson prefaced his questioning with a reminder of the 800-pound gorilla in the room that is economy and the tremendous pressure society-wide to keep these planes flying. STOCKBRIDGE Bear sightings are frequent in April throughout the Berkshires, but rare in downtown Stockbridge. But at lunchtime on Friday, a young bear looking for a free meal wandered into the business district, near the library, and found a favored treat not honey as favored by Winnie-the-Pooh but a well-stocked bird feeder hanging behind a house at 2 Elm St., just off Main Street. The bear was hopping fences around town, Police Chief Darrell Fennelly said Friday afternoon. Right behind the library, it was feeding on the bird feeder. Police deployed a bean bag and safely dispersed the animal. Contrary to rumor, no stun gun was needed. That we wouldnt do, he said. We would never use a stun gun on an animal. Fennelly laughed heartily at the reported suggestion that the bear might have entered the library perhaps to check out an A.A. Milne volume about the fictional teddy bear. It might have been on the grounds, the chief acknowledged. I know [the officers] chased it around for a little bit and finally got it out of the area. It was looking for food anywhere it could, and it happened to find that feeder behind the house. It was a juvenile bear, and hes still learning the ropes, I guess, said Fennelly, adding that bear sightings in the compact business district are few and far between. According to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the bear population in Berkshire County and the rest of the state has been on the rise since the 1970s, when there were an estimated 100 bears. Now, there are an estimated 4,500 statewide. Two women enjoy a picnic on Pontoosuc Lake in Pittsfield. A rain-free weekend is on deck for the Berkshires, according to the National Weather Service, ideal for outdoor activities. But keep those jackets handy through the week.